Scan the action: Here’s a cool trick for when you’re streaming sports on a computer. Use Google Lens on a player’s face or jersey for instant stats. Open Chrome, click the three dots for the Menu and choose Search with Google Lens. Click or drag on the page to see results on the right panel.
Smart glasses are spyware
Kim Komando
That’s me, virtually trying on Meta’s glasses on their website, doing my best Tom Cruise Risky Business impersonation. Spoiler, I didn’t buy them.
These remind me of Google Glass. Those awkward $1,500 face computers from 2013 that made you look like a cyborg at brunch. They launched with a ton of hype and died just as fast.
Between the terrible battery life and the privacy panic, “Glasshole” became a real word. Here we are over a decade later, and smart glasses are back big-time.
🕶 Meta’s bet on your face
Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses start at $299 and have already sold over 2 million pairs. They look like regular sunglasses but take hands-free photos, livestream video, play music and even answer questions through Meta AI whispered in your ear.
Battery life is four to six hours, and they charge inside a little sunglasses case. Everything syncs to the Meta View app, where your content is stored in the cloud.
Here’s the thing: The glasses are always listening, and they can start recording with just a tap. Meta added a tiny LED that lights up when filming, but really, who notices that at a Starbucks or party?
Privacy aside, Meta’s serious about this space. They own a $3.5 billion stake in EssilorLuxottica, the massive eyewear company behind Ray-Ban, Oakley and pretty much every brand you’ve ever tried on at the mall.
👓 Halo X is coming soon
Halo X is the chilling nerdy challenger, made by startup Brilliant Labs. It projects AI-generated responses right onto the lens. You can ask it to translate a sign, identify a flower or even help remember the name of someone you met at a bar two Friday nights ago.
Seriously, it records everything. Video, audio, all of it gets uploaded to the cloud. No local storage. No off switch. That’s helpful … or horrifying, depending on how you feel about privacy.
Battery life is short, two or three hours. When it ships in a few months, the glasses will cost $350 to $400.
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Warning: Your tech expires soon
ChatGPT
Your computer is behaving just fine, right? Opening apps, playing videos, checking email. Life’s good. But one day, without a single pop-up or beep, it’ll just … stop getting security updates. No ceremony. No goodbye. Just silence. From that moment on, it’s basically a digital sitting duck for hackers.
Drivers want buttons back - June 28th, Hour 4
New cars are like computers on wheels. For some drivers, all that tech is an annoyance. Plus, 5G fact vs. fiction, 3D video calls, and how to try a laptop before you buy.
Remember when computers took up half the desk? Apple’s testing a new more powerful version of its Tupperware-size Mac mini with a next-gen M5 chip. More speed, smoother graphics, same tiny size. Rumored to cost $600, which is less than you paid for your Dell in 1998. I use a Mac mini with a Pro Display XDR every day!
We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.
58%
Lower risk of cognitive decline for older folks who use tech like smartphones and computers. A study says learning new tools and staying connected online can actually help keep your brain sharp. So much for “digital dementia.” Just maybe don’t spend six hours a day on TikTok.
A crypto guide for busy people that won’t make you cry
ChatGPT
Let’s get one thing straight: Crypto isn’t disappearing into the tech void. Love it, hate it or meme it into oblivion, digital currency is sticking around, and the U.S. is auditioning to become the crypto capital of the world.
Insurance rates rising, here’s what you can do
My car insurance just jumped 32%. No, I didn’t get into an accident or rack up a few speeding tickets. Since 2020, car insurance rates have skyrocketed by 37%, and in 2024 alone, they climbed another 16.5%. Some states saw hikes of over 50%!
Hacked, packed and resold: A startup called Farnsworth Intelligence is taking hacked data (yep, from infostealer malware) and selling it to divorce lawyers, debt collectors and your competitor’s sales team. Over 50 million computers’ worth of stolen info. Passwords, browsing habits, embarrassing accounts and more up for grabs for about $50 each. How is this legal?
🚨 Fake sites on Google: Hackers are poisoning search results, getting fake websites to rank at the top. This time it’s for legit-looking Windows tools. Download them, and you’ll end up with nasty malware. Tip: Type in the official site directly, and always use real-time solid antivirus protection on your computers and phone. My pick is TotalAV.
🤖 AI > teachers? Duolingo’s CEO says AI will out-teach humans … it knows what you know, when you know it and maybe when to yell at you with eerie accuracy. He expects computers to do most instruction “in a few decades,” but schools won’t go extinct, only because we need childcare, at least until ChatGPT can watch toddlers at home.
$150 billion
How much IBM plans to invest in the U.S. over the next five years. Some of the money’s going into research and development for their mainframes and quantum computers (paywall link). Not bad for a company that’s been around for 114 years.
42%
Less risk of cognitive decline for older adults who regularly use smartphones and computers. Why? Research shows it keeps their brains active and engaged, which may help with memory loss. But hey, that doesn’t mean they should go full TikTok zombie and scroll for hours. Everything in moderation, folks.
Do you see what AI sees? If you like Microsoft’s Copilot Vision for exploring the web, get ready. Microsoft Insiders are testing it this week for Windows computers and mobile devices. You’ll be able to use it with Windows apps and your camera. Need tips for decorating your house? Just fire up Copilot Vision. Watch out, Google Lens. Soon it’ll just whisper “beige” every time you try to decorate.
Nvidia’s dropping personal AI computers: This is something. The DGX PCs are built for researchers, developers, robotics engineers, data scientists and students. The big perk? You can tune AI models locally instead of relying on expensive cloud services. They’re not cheap. Prices start at $4,000! Reserve yours here.
🔍 Seen a missing Copilot? Windows folks, check if you still have the Copilot app. Microsoft’s March updates uninstalled it from Windows 10 and 11 computers. Microsoft is fixing this issue, but you can reinstall the app manually.
Drivers want their buttons back - March 15th, Hour 4
New cars are like computers on wheels. For some drivers, all that tech is an annoyance. Plus, 5G fact vs. fiction, 3D video calls, and how to try a laptop before you buy.
Get your refund: The FTC is sending $25.5 million worth of payments to 736,375 scam victims. Restoro and Reimage tricked folks with fake pop-ups and ads into thinking their computers were infected when they weren’t. Check your PayPal if that’s you.
The government stores retirement records in a cave
Where are the computers? Believe it or not, federal retiree records are still stored underground.
Laptop mistake: Working all day with your computer plugged in kills the battery over time. On a Mac, there’s a special setting to turn on if you can’t give up the cord. Go to System Settings > Battery. Next to Battery Health, click the i and enable Optimized Battery Charging. You’ll charge to 80% and then run on wall power.