A YouTuber just saved a 440-pound retro CRT TV from demolition in Osaka, Japan. What’s the big deal? The 45-inch TV is the largest CRT ever made and sold in the 80s for an equivalent of $100,000. It’s the stuff of legends. Here’s a video of the rescue mission.
Carmakers fight a rule that could save thousands of lives
I want you to stay ahead of the tech stories the mainstream media won’t touch. The other day I watched a Waymo speed up to run a red light. No matter how safe the autonomous car industry says they are, I still won’t get in one. I’d rather trust my own eyes.
Car companies have a long history of fighting life-saving tech. It happened with seat belts and airbags. Now they’re at it again.
It’s called Automatic Emergency Braking
This tech hits the brakes up to 62 mph when your car’s cameras and radar predicts you’re going to crash into another car or hit someone.
You’ve probably used or seen AEB in action. Many cars already have it, especially higher-end models that slow down in certain situations. The latest versions work at higher speeds, in darkness, and detect cyclists and large animals. It scans up to 800 feet ahead.
AEB reacts faster than any human can
- It takes a human driver about 1.5 seconds to perceive a hazard and react.
- AEB? It can detect a threat and apply the brakes in as little as 0.2 to 0.5 seconds.
Americans are three times more likely to die in car crashes than drivers in the UK, Germany, and Japan. Why? It could be that this advanced braking tech is standard there. But here, U.S. major carmakers are suing to keep it off the roads.
Follow the money
Federal regulators voted to require AEB in all new cars and light trucks by 2029. Automakers are fighting back, saying it’ll cost too much. It’s about $354 million or $82 per vehicle.
The Alliance for Automotive Innovation, representing GM, Toyota, and Volkswagen, calls it “practically impossible.” Translation: they don’t want to pay. They’ve filed a lawsuit to stop it.
NHTSA says AEB could save at least 362 lives a year, likely more. It could also prevent 24,000 injuries and save $5 billion in property damages. When you do the math, $82 per car is a bargain.
Former CIA Chief of Disguise divulges spy secrets
Kim is traveling in Japan but the A-Team is here! Plus, with over 25 years in the CIA, Jonna Mendez developed advanced disguise tactics that revolutionized agency operations. She joins us. There’s more: three things that fooled the internet this week and truth about kids’ apps.
🚊 All aboard: The rail system in Japan is amazing. Now, passengers can use facial recognition to pay for tickets. Here’s how it works: Book a seat online and register an image of your face. When you get to the gate, a tablet scans your face and prints out a seat number — no waiting. Don’t be surprised if this tech makes its way to the U.S. for airline tickets.
$100 million
Reported sales price for Brookhaven, a virtual city in Roblox. Some 60 billion people have played the life-sim game. Think building fancy houses, driving around in nice cars and exploring the city. Around 120 million players log on a month. That’s almost the population of Japan!
One of the strangest places on Google Maps
It’s a village with life-size dolls in Japan. Located in Nagoro, more than 350 dolls represent villagers who once lived there but have either moved or passed away. You have to see this.
480
People have died trying to capture the perfect selfie. The most common ways people meet a tragic end? Drowning or falling off a cliff. But sometimes, it’s just not paying attention. A woman just died in Japan because she was so focused on getting the perfect picture, she didn’t see a train coming. No photo is worth your life.
Look to Japan: There’s a global nursing shortage, and in Japan, they’ve come up with a solution. Nursing homes there are using robots for tasks like moving patients and monitoring vitals. So far, it’s a win for everyone.
$80,000 a year
For being a pal. After Shoji Morimoto in Japan got fired in 2018 for being lazy, he started renting himself out to strangers who needed a friend. He charges $65 to $195 to join folks at parties and concerts — nothing sexual, though.
We’re No. 1, sadly: The U.S. is the leading nation for using AI to create sexually explicit images. In 2024 alone, Americans visited deepfake sites 59.7 million times to upload pics to and create fake nudes, namely of people they know and celebrities. India and Japan came in second and third, respectively.
Slice of tech history: A YouTuber just saved a 440-pound retro CRT TV from demolition in Osaka, Japan. What’s the big deal? The 45-inch TV is the largest CRT ever made, and it originally sold in the ‘80s for the equivalent of $100,000 today. It’s the stuff of legends. Here’s a video of the rescue mission.
OpenAI reveals Elon Musk's old emails
Kim is traveling in Japan but the A-Team is here! Andrew and Allie talk election deepfakes, Reddit going public, and cyberattacks on a popular beer company. Also, the LAPD reveals its tips to stop Wi-Fi jamming tech.
Top AI leaders scared of OpenAI, Meta, and Google
Kim is traveling in Japan but the A-Team is here! More than 100 AI leaders joined forces calling for responsible AI — here’s what they say. Allie and Andrew talk about a grandma who was swatted (and won $3.75 million), TikTok ban updates, and how much Meta lost during its two-hour outage.
Huge outage hits Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube
Kim is traveling in Japan but the A-Team is here! Why did the social networks go down? Andrew and Allie tell you what they know. Plus, American Express customers get hacked, and a Chinese app that can tell if you’ve photoshopped. That’s not all: Lil Jon releases a meditation app.
Bitcoin tops $66,000 — nears all-time high
Kim is traveling in Japan but the A-Team is here! Crypto’s booming. We tell you why and what it means. Also, the new Apple Sports app makes it easy to track online betting stats, a wacky Willy Wonka AI blunder, and other top tech headlines.
Creating fine art using Microsoft Excel
Tatsuo Horiuchi is a fantastic artist. But you’d never guess his medium — it’s Microsoft Excel. Using the program’s vector tools, he creates large landscapes of Japan. Amazing stuff!
The oldest business in the world
The world’s oldest hotel is in Japan and has been in business since 705 AD. It’s been owned by the same family for 52 generations. Recently this ancient business has started to undergo some changes. But is this a good thing, or should they stick to the adage “don’t fix what isn’t broken?”
3 clever uses for QR Codes
Did you know the QR code dates back to 1994? Thanks, Japan! Here’s how to make the most of them, in 60 seconds.
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Be careful in Japan
Sick of people being mean online? Move to Japan. Listen to this one-minute podcast for Japan’s plan to take down cyberbullies.
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