It gets $3.5 billion a year, but most of your forecasts come from private companies that do it better.
🚨 Deliverability: Noun. The likelihood that an email will successfully land in your inbox instead of being exiled to the deadly spam folder. I switched ESPs (email service providers), and I need your help. Reply, forward or rate the newsletter at the end, so Big Tech and your email provider know you want my free newsletter. This way, I’ll stick around like guac on a chip.
700
The number of customer service agents Klarna said AI could replace. Plot twist: The buy-now-pay-later company is hiring again (paywall link). Turns out cutting costs tanked service quality, and surprise, people still like talking to actual humans. They want new hires to be remote students or folks from rural areas.
📞 Talk to a human: Head to this site next time you need to find the right customer service number. They list everything from airlines to dating apps and stores. Bookmark it now and thank yourself later when you reach a real person.
💸 Subscriptions sneak up fast: One buck here, five there, and suddenly your bank account’s losing money fast. I use Rocket Money to track every subscription I have. Don’t want a service anymore? They’ll cancel it for you.
⚡️ 3-second tech genius: Traveling? Download Google Maps offline areas to navigate without cell service.
CNN’s deja vu: It’s launching a streaming service with live news, original shows and documentaries (paywall link). No word on pricing yet. Ahem, remember CNN+ from three years ago? That one flopped in a few days.
🤐 Mute yourself: When you call customer service and hear, “This call may be recorded,” it’s not just while you’re talking with a rep. They can hear everything, even when you’re on hold. So hit that mute button next time you want to vent your frustrations.
Sluggish internet? Don’t ignore it. Someone could be freeloading off your Wi-Fi. Click here for my tips to check who’s connected to your network. If you spot a gadget you don’t recognize, it could be a Wi-Fi moocher. Your signal isn’t a community service.
🚗 Rides for Grandma: This is a great idea! Lyft Silver may be rolling out in your city this week. There’s bigger text in the app for older adults to read, simpler navigation and priority rides with cars that are easy to get in and out of. The best part? Real people answering customer service calls. Open the app > tap You > turn on Lyft Silver to get going.
$0
That’s the price for the dish and router when you sign up for a new 12-month Starlink plan. You’ll save $349, the monthly service fee stays the same, and you’ll have 30 days to return it for a refund. The catch? If you then cancel or change your service address, you’ll have to pay a prorated cost for the hardware.
🚐 Uber and Volkswagen are teaming up: They’re launching a robotaxi service in the U.S. with self-driving electric microbuses. First stop? Los Angeles, starting in late 2026. But don’t get too excited just yet. You’ll still see a human behind the wheel until at least 2027. Why? They’ve gotta wait for those permits to clear.
😒 Comcast’s sneaky offer: New Xfinity customers can now lock their internet price for five years. Talking $55/month for 400 Mbps or $105 for 2.1 Gbps. The catch? It doesn’t include taxes or fees. Plus, internet deals will get cheaper with competition from Starlink and AT&T’s satellite service. Locking in your price for five years sounds great, until you realize the fees are multiplying in the dark like gremlins.
🛜 Sluggish internet? Don’t ignore it. Someone could be freeloading off your Wi-Fi. Click here for my tips to check who’s connected to your network. If you spot a gadget you don’t recognize, it could be a Wi-Fi moocher. Your signal isn’t a community service.
📺 Make your own Netflix? Vimeo just launched a new tool that lets you build your own subscription-based streaming service (no coding required). Because clearly, what the internet needs is one more subscription service. You can offer tiered memberships, stream live events, sell merch and customize the whole thing. They say it’s to give us more control and cash instead of relying on the algorithm, but remember, Vimeo’s still taking their cut.
$10,000 an hour
What lawyers might charge in the future, according to the LexisNexis CEO. With AI doing the grunt work like digging up case law and writing summaries, they’ll have more time to focus on the important stuff. Better service, bigger bills. Let’s just hope these lawyers do their due diligence and fact-check the work. In my humble opinion, at $10K an hour, your lawyer should also do your taxes, walk your dog and solve your childhood trauma.
No bars: When your cell service is wonky, switch your phone to Airplane mode, wait a few seconds, then change it back. This will reconnect you to the nearest cell tower. Sweet!
🎭 IRL dubbing: Imagine watching (and understanding!) a play in a foreign language. An off-Broadway theater in NYC is doing it with live AI translations for its longest-running play, Perfect Crime. Scan a QR code, pick from 60 languages and listen with your headphones. The cost to the theater? About $100 per hour. Something to consider if you’re live streaming a church service or something similar.
🚨 Cybertruck recall: Tesla is recalling nearly all Cybertrucks to fix an exterior panel that could just fly off while driving. Own one? Head to a Tesla service center for a free fix before your truck starts shedding parts on the highway.
Cyber criminals are sending ransom demands by snail mail
Extortionists are skipping email and sending official-looking ransom letters through the U.S. Postal Service. Here’s the scoop.