1X Technologies and OpenAI just released a preview of the “Neo beta,” a scarily realistic humanoid robot. It moves like a human, and its advanced vision system lets it interact with the environment in real time. In this video, it picks up a backpack, places its hand around a woman’s waist and waves at the camera.
Free online financial calculators to get debt under control, plan for retirement and see your net worth
© Thicha Satapitanon | Dreamstime.com
If you need help managing your money, you’ve come to the right place. We have tons of financial tips for investors and small business owners. Case in point: Here are 10 free spreadsheet templates to help you get a handle on your money.
Scroll down for some of our favorite free online financial calculators brought to you by our sponsor, NetSuite.
1. Wrangle your debt with one of the web’s best free online finance calculators
NerdWallet has helpful tools you should check out. If you want to pay off debt, you’ll want an idea of a realistic timeframe. With NerdWallet’s tool, you can enter things like types of debt, remaining balances, taxes owed and gross annual income.
This calculates your debt load so you know what you’re dealing with. Comparing debt load to income can clarify your path. Underneath the calculator, you’ll find a few helpful debt strategies and links to a quick quiz to help you find a faster way to pay off debt.
2. Plan for retirement
Want to get a personalized snapshot of what your finances will look like if you retire? AARP has you covered. It has a retirement calculator that lets you know if you’re saving enough.
Just answer a few questions about your salary, savings, household status and more. You’ll find out how much money you need to live a comfortable retirement.
3. Net worth calculator
What are you tackling in 2025? Even if all you have is a vague idea, AI can help you with an action plan. Here are a few prompts to try with ChatGPT, Gemini or Claude.
- “I have a goal for 2025 to [fill in the blank]. Can you help me make it SMART?” (SMART is an acronym for Specific, Measurable, Assignable, Realistic and Time-related.)
- “You’re a life coach who wants to help me have my best year yet. Help me figure out some goals for 2025. Ask me questions one at a time to help me decide what to focus on.”
- “My goal is [fill in the blank]. What are some obstacles that might come up and ways I can overcome them? Give me specific examples for each obstacle.”
- “I want to [fill in the blank], but it feels overwhelming, and I don’t know where to start. Can you help me by breaking it down into more manageable tasks?”
⭐ AI isn’t going anywhere: Instead of sticking your head in the sand, make this the year you embrace AI. You’ll get daily tips here in this newsletter and, coming soon, my AI 101 guide for total newbies.
In the meantime, give this list of AI trends for 2025 a read and grab NetSuite’s free knowledge drop, “The CFO’s Guide to AI and Machine Learning.”* You’ll sound smart (and know what you’re talking about!) when it comes up in conversation.
Sextortion scams are getting more realistic
Got an email saying your webcam was hacked? Don’t worry — it’s just another sextortion scam. I’ll tell you why it’s all fake and how to stay safe.
Beam me up, Kimmie: By the end of this year, Google and HP are set to make video calls freakishly realistic. Their new tech uses AI and multiple cameras to create real-time 3D images, making it look like the other person is right in front of you. Yup, think “Star Trek”! No price yet (paywall link).
6 hours
Per day with family. That’s part of a scientific formula for the perfect day (paywall link). You should also spend two hours with friends, two hours exercising and one hour eating and drinking. Work? Keep it under six hours, and screen time under one. It might not be realistic, but hey, life’s supposed to be about balance, right?
What makes movie punches look realistic?
Have you ever watched a really good action movie and thought, “Wow, it looks like they are really punching each other.” Well, tons of secret Hollywood tricks make it seem genuine. And sometimes actors actually make contact.
📖 Make Kindle page turns less confusing: Ever flipped a page and weren’t sure if you went forward or back? The animation looks the same. Fix it with a realistic wiping effect. Tap on a page > select the Aa formatting button > go to the More tab > turn on Page Turn Animation.
🚨 Deepfakes going to a new level: TikTok owner ByteDance built an AI tool that makes realistic videos of people talking and singing from a single photo. OmniHuman can take an image (half-body or full-body) and bring it to life. Check out this example of Albert Einstein. Snazzy but scary in the wrong hands. And let’s not forget this is Chinese-owned. I wouldn’t hand over any personal pics.
Why the Kardashians can't kill Khloe's bikini pic
The internet is going crazy over a picture of Khloe Kardashian in a bikini — but for the reasons you might not think. It’s a realistic photo, but the Kardashian Team wants it taken off the internet forever. But is this even possible?
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Working from home? Here's what to expect in 2021
We’ve finally said goodbye to 2020 and can look ahead to 2021. I bring you the most realistic predictions for tech in the coming year. It’s going to be a wild one.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
My 2021 tech predictions
It’s New Year’s Eve and today, I bring you the most realistic predictions for tech in the coming year. It’s going to be a wild one.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Are 'human' voices next for smart assistants?
Siri, Alexa, Cortana and all the other smart assistants are helpful, but they’re far from human sounding. One tech company is looking to change that with realistic synthetic voices.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Avoid this fake Apple scam spreading right now
Big iOS scam hits iPhone, Mac and Windows PC users too. The scam uses a realistic looking but fake Apple website and once you get routed to it, you get an alarming message. Listen to Kim tell you the number one rule to avoid falling for such malicious scams! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices