Google could stop this, but they don’t: At the top of its search results for Google Ads are fake sites that collect your real login info. Fall for one, and hackers can take over your Google Ads account to post their scam URLs — or just sell your info to other criminals. Make sure 2FA for Google Ads is on to detect strange logins. More smarts like this are coming soon in my small-biz newsletter.
Nintendo used to make the Wii. It’s time for a switch
The Nintendo Switch has sold over 146 million units since its 2017 debut, second only to the Nintendo DS. A new trailer shows the first console morphing into the fancy Nintendo Switch 2. The screen is bigger and the Joy-Cons snap magnetically instead of sliding. There’s no release date yet, so you have time to begin saving.
216% more people
Learning Chinese on Duolingo compared to this time last year. With the TikTok ban looming and so many people running over to another Chinese app, RedNote, they likely need a crash course. RedNote is in Mandarin by default. Duolingo downloads are up 36%, too.
Something new to try: ChatGPT’s scheduled tasks feature is rolling out now for paid accounts. Pick a suggestion (e.g., “Send me a daily horoscope”) or create your own task, like “Give me a weather report on Saturday mornings before my long run.” In the app, go to your profile > Tasks. On a browser, hit the gem icon (top right corner) > Tasks.
Oh, Deere: The FTC and state attorneys general of Illinois and Minnesota are suing John Deere for making their high-tech tractors impossible for farmers and third-party mechanics to fix, even after they promised to in 2023. The machines can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars and come with massive repair bills as they age. I found a mechanic online saying they charged $12,000 for a $2,000 job.
🎮 Nintendo used to make the Wii, but It’s time for a Switch: The Nintendo Switch has sold over 146 million units since its 2017 debut, second only to the Nintendo DS. A new trailer shows the first console morphing into the fancy Nintendo Switch 2. The screen is bigger and the Joy-Cons snap magnetically instead of sliding. There’s no release date yet, so you have time to begin saving.
😡 Throw away the key: This is awful. A woman is in jail for poisoning a one-year-old with old medicine the baby didn’t need and posting social media videos about how much pain the baby was in. She raked in over $37,000 in donations before she was arrested and charged with torture and child exploitation. Police didn’t say if she’s the kid’s mom, but, either way, the little one is safe now.
✈️ No more putting it off: After years of delays, we have a real deadline. Starting May 7, you’ll need a Real ID or an approved alternative (like a U.S. passport or permanent resident card) to pass through TSA checkpoints in the U.S. Pro tip: In some places, you can book a DMV appointment online to avoid the big line.
Steer clear: Willow, a company that fronts bill money to customers, left over 240,000 private records in a non-password-protected database. It included customers’ names, numbers, transaction amounts, bank account details and partial credit card numbers. This is why I never recommend hot, new finance apps.
🚘 Foreign tech crackdown: New cars are rolling computers with cameras, microphones and GPS tracking. Now, think about those features being weaponized to control your vehicle. Hello, national security risk. That’s why the U.S. is banning Chinese and Russian auto software starting with 2027 models and hardware for 2030 vehicles.
54% dream in ads
Adults under 35 who say products invade their sleep. Imagine when the tech exists for advertisers to get in on their own, not just relying on what you saw while awake. “Tonight’s rest is sponsored by …”
87 biological children
For the world’s most prolific sperm donor. This year, 32-year-old Kyle Gordy from California will join three others who have fathered 100 kids. No kidding — he was on the reality show “90 Day Fiancé” and runs a website full of fertility advice and products. Look how far we’ve come.
Calling all sports fans: It’s playoff time! Right now, new DraftKings Pick6 customers who play $5 get $50 in Pick6 credits with code KIMK. Play online or download the DraftKings Pick6 app for iPhone or Android. Rooting for you!
💕 He’s perfect: A 28-year-old woman, Ayrin, says she’s head over heels with the AI boyfriend she created on ChatGPT. Leo is dominant, possessive and protective. One week, they spent 56 hours chatting and, well, a lot more. She found ways to work around ChatGPT’s explicit-convo ban so they can “have sex,” complete with AI images the bot sends her (paywall link). Oh, and Ayrin’s married, and she says her real-life husband doesn’t mind. The whole thing is bizarre.
AI mammograms: Radiologists used AI to raise breast cancer detection rates by 6.7% versus traditional methods. The detection rate spiked to 17.6% after age was taken into account. That’s about one more case for every 1,000 women. The best part? It didn’t increase false positives.
Dollar General secret: Certain items drop to just 1 cent every week. Employees take them off the shelves unless you buy them first. Pro tip: Download Dollar General’s app and scan items to double-check prices so you don’t have to chance it at the register. Tuesday and Wednesday mornings are usually the best times to grab these deals.
$60 billion in losses
For Meta VR tech over the last five years. Zuck told investors their investments would pay off eventually. Definitely related: After February performance reviews, the bottom 5% of workers, or 3,600 folks, are getting the boot.
💸 Who’s in your wallet? The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau says Capital One conned customers out of $2 billion in interest payments. They promised super-high rates for 360 Performance Savings accounts, then froze them at 0.30%. If this happened to you, file a complaint.
Meet Troodi: It’s a mental health chatbot on the Troomi smartphone made for kids. Parents can review chat logs and get notifications if self-harm comes up. Some kids secretly use ChatGPT and Snapchat’s My AI like therapists, too. Talk to your kids, please. I interviewed a mom whose son committed suicide after talking to an AI chatbot.
DJI puts us at risk in a new way: Ten years ago, drone-maker DJI added automatic geofencing to its models after a drone landed on the White House lawn. This feature automatically stopped drones from flying over airports, power plants and emergencies like wildfires, too. Now that the U.S. is talking openly about banning Chinese tech, DJI is retaliating by cutting its geofenced “No-Fly Zones” from its software and leaving it up to the good judgment of the folks flying their drones. Frightening.