RIP, Astro: Amazon’s Astro for Business roving bots won’t work anymore starting Sept. 25. The $2,349.99 surveillance bot was designed to buzz around your office night and day. It was really only a matter of time until someone tried to hack these.
In which major U.S. city do Uber drivers make the most money?
$214.53 per person
To charter an Uber Yacht in Ibiza. Yeah, seriously. Starting July 26, Ibiza travelers can prebook a yacht for up to eight people, which includes pick-up and drop-off, use of a personal skipper, champagne, snacks, and goodie bags. Uber will launch “limo boats” in Venice and Greece later this month.
Pulled over in my Porsche
I was driving to work in my new ride and got pulled over. Let’s just say my morning didn’t quite go as planned.
He knows where Flight MH370 is
Flight MH370 has been missing since 2014, but Richard Godfrey is convinced he knows exactly where it is.
❤️ Let the drama begin: The Sims 4 Lovestruck expansion pack drops July 25 for $40, and it’s a full-on Tinder experience. Sims can use the Cupid’s Corner app to snap selfies, create a profile and set partner preferences. Matches spark chats, and your Sims can date as many partners as you’d like. Def not one for the kiddos.
Blast from the past
The classic puzzle game Minesweeper is now on Netflix. This colorful, reimagined version features an ocean-like setting where you find underwater mines in locations around the world. No in-game ads, no in-app purchases and no extra cost to play.
Brand-spankin' new: Kim's national radio show as a podcast
You can catch it in your favorite podcast app for free — or pay a few bucks to listen commercial free. Score!
Don't trust ANYONE
There’s a classic theft tactic making the rounds once again. If someone approaches you with an “emergency” and asks to borrow your phone, don’t do it. I’ll explain why.
Apple clones? Samsung’s latest gadgets just leaked online. That includes the Galaxy Watch Ultra, Galaxy Watch 7, Galaxy Buds 3 and Galaxy Buds 3 Pro. The Ultra smartwatch has a new, very Apple-like band. And the Galaxy Buds are looking a lot more like AirPods, too.
💸 Hurry! Claims close today: If you owned an iPhone 7 or 7 Plus between Sept. 16, 2016, and Jan. 3, 2023, there’s still time to claim your share of the $35 million Apple class-action lawsuit. Payouts range from $50 to $349.
🚨 To be continued: Google says Samsung and other Android devices are now vulnerable to the same security risk behind June’s Pixel zero-day warning. It’s so bad that they aren’t even saying what the exploit is (code for “We don’t want bad guys to find out”). I’ll let you know when they release a patch to fix it.
Time to pay up: Netflix is phasing out its cheapest ad-free plan. If you’re on it, you’ll get a notification saying your last day to watch is July 13 unless you upgrade. Options: $6.99 ad-supported, $15.49 ad-free or $22.99 ad-free 4K premium.
$32,000 to move
To the region of Tuscany in central Italy. That is, as long as you’re willing to live in a town with fewer than 5,000 people. Tuscan officials started a $3 million fund to combat a shrinking population in the countryside. Apply on their site by July 27. Buona fortuna!
NO returns on Cybertrucks
You better really want a Cybertruck because there’s no going back after you buy one.
No more touchscreens in your car!
Distracted driving is one of the leading causes for accidents across the country, and now touch screens are to blame.
No more standing in lines: Disney World is ditching the Genie+ system … well, kind of. Starting July 24, it’s rebranding to Lightning Lane Multi Pass and Lightning Lane Single Pass. You can now prebook ride times 14 days before your vacay kicks off instead of the frantic 7 a.m. scramble on park day. Yay for planning!
Watch out for scam ads on social
Scammers are upgrading their tactics. The latest scam uses enticing ads featuring AI art, making everyone think they too can be a content creator.