This is how I roll: American Airlines is the first airline to roll out self-driving wheelchairs, starting with airports in Los Angeles and Miami. No more airport employees carting you to your flight. Just sit down, punch in your gate on the screen, and you’re off, luggage and all. It’s even got cameras and obstacle sensors, and it dings to tell people to get out of the way.
🙏 Chromebook owners, rejoice: Google is splitting its Chrome browser from ChromeOS. This fixes the “auto-update expiration” date issue that arises when Chromebooks age out of their security patches. I’ll let you know when this update officially drops. Nice.
Nerfs for cuffs: Police are using sticky foam darts with GPS to tag fleeing cars. They just have to get close enough to attach the dart, and then they can follow at a safer speed and distance. Cop cars are getting outfitted with these in states like New York, Michigan, Tennessee, Texas and Washington. Hopefully, this will help end dangerous chases.
🚨 Deepfake kidnapping: A Cincinnati dad got a tearful call from his daughter, Brooke, before a man came on the line and demanded $5,000. Luckily, a coworker of the father overheard what was going on and called the real Brooke, who was totally safe. Parents, I recommend a family safeword.
🎙️ Hey, you: My national radio show is airing all weekend across the USA. With over 420 stations, find your closest using our handy station locator map — or listen commercial-free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or in the Komando Community.
Take this, cancer: Imagine an army of tiny robots taking on cancer. It’s happening! Researchers in Canada are using the magnetic field of an MRI machine to move them through a human body, and they’re able to hit 95% of cancer cells. Clinical trials are still a long way off, but this is incredible stuff.
❄️ Cold case: Google Map fans found a massive “door” in Antarctica. A pic making the rounds on Reddit shows a glassy rectangle peeking through the frost. Conspiracy theories abound, but it may actually be a few hundred meters from Japan’s Showa Station, a legitimate research base. Now you know.
Pane in the glass: Oregon joins New York, California and Minnesota with a landmark repair law. It forces tech and other manufacturers to make parts, repair tools and how-tos available to us average Joes and local shops. Bonus: No more sneaky software locks to block aftermarket parts.
Friend or fake? A grandma got duped by her Facebook “friend” who told her she could win $200,000. The price of entry? $10,000. She sent the money, then called her friend — who had no idea what she was talking about. A scammer used AI to hack her friend’s account. The lesson. Call first.