📱 Google unpacks Pixel 10: Today, Google unveils the Pixel 10 lineup, including Pro, Pro XL and foldable Pro Fold, plus the Pixel Watch 4 and new Pixel Buds 2A. Phones drop Aug. 28, then the Fold, Watch and Buds arrive in October, just in time for holiday shopping. On Sept. 9 (just my guess, they haven’t announced the date yet), Apple will roll out their newest and greatest.
🚗💨 Your ‘smart’ car could be days away from going dumb
ChatGPT
Here’s something used car dealers and private sellers won’t shout from the rooftops.
The average new car has 1,400 to 1,500 semiconductor chips. And high-end EVs? Try 3,000. Those computer chips power everything from heated seats to emergency crash alerts.
The problem: When the car’s network or software support ends, so do those fancy features.
We’ve been here before.
Remember the 3G shutdown in 2022? Overnight, millions of cars lost remote start, navigation and emergency call functions. Owners of certain Volkswagen, Hyundai, Nissan, Ford, Toyota and Lexus models from 2012–2019 suddenly found their “smart” features dead in the water.
⏳ Déjà vu? More like Déjà-VROOM.
Fast-forward to 2025: Acura pulled the plug on its AcuraLink services on cars as recent as 2022. Yes, even the NSX supercar. Goodbye, app-controlled locks. Sayonara, stolen vehicle tracking. So long, digital concierge.
Mazda owners with 2016–2018 models saw remote start vanish with no fix in sight. Subaru’s early Starlink system? Dead since 2022.
It’s not just about network shutdowns either. Cadillac and other GM EVs are ditching Apple CarPlay and Android Auto for their own systems. Even if you paid for these features, there’s no guarantee they’ll be there tomorrow.
😳 Why does this even matter?
Let me break it down for you. The average car on U.S. roads is 12.6 years old. Many connected-car systems only last seven to 10 years. That’s bad news for used car buyers. A mechanically perfect car could have worthless tech. It’s dead, Jim.
Millions of used cars out there have ticking tech clocks. If you’re shopping for one, ask how long the remote start, safety systems and other features will last.
Four payments and a data leak
ChatGPT
Buy now, pay later (BNPL) apps are everywhere. See something shiny? Tap tap, and BAM, you own it in four “easy” payments. Zero interest, no credit card shame spiral. What a dream, right?
But here’s what they’re not telling you: While you’re breaking up your payments, they’re also breaking up your data and sharing it with companies you’ve never heard of.
Major AI breakthrough — May 17th, Hour 4
Google’s DeepMind and Project Zero built an AI that found a security flaw faster than any human. Wild. Plus, planning a shopping trip? The weather could impact your store discount. I also talk to the teens who made $1 million selling junk on Facebook.
514% jump
Taobao downloads spiked this month. The Chinese shopping app is now the No. 2 free iPhone app, behind DHgate at No. 1. Folks are buying directly from China after watching TikToks of luxury items being relabeled and marked up. Now for $12.99, you too can own a “Gucchi” belt with radiation.
💡 Pick the right light: Shopping for bulbs? Avoid LEDs over 5000K. Those bluish “cool white” ones can feel sterile and trick your brain into thinking it’s daytime, making it harder to sleep. Instead, go for “warm white” bulbs between 2700K and 3000K. They’re easier on the eyes and make your home feel cozier.
We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.
This is worse than spam calls
ChatGPT
Most people have never heard of companies like Mobilewalla or Gravy Analytics, but they know you.
The FTC just clamped down on these two for secretly vacuuming up people’s real-time location data without consent. Not just estimated neighborhoods or passing GPS flickers.
Boxes are over it: Cardboard box shipments just hit their lowest Q2 since 2015. That’s boxes for TVs, couches, frozen waffles, all whispering, “Don’t count on us.” Translation: People aren’t shopping as much. It’s not a crash, but it is a soft shrug (paywall link). You know it’s weird when cardboard boxes are quiet quitting, too.
🪞 Try it on now: Google just dropped a new virtual try-on tool in Search, Shopping and Images. Upload a full-body photo, pick an outfit, and boom, you’re your own digital mannequin. Bonus: You can now set exact price alerts for that dress you’ve been stalking. Can’t wait to catfish myself in 4K.
⚡️ 3-second tech genius: Shopping online and the price looks weird? Type camelcamelcamel.com and paste the Amazon URL. It shows the full price history.
We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.
🧑💻 Online shopping scam: A dad thought he scored a 20TB hard drive for $51 (these are normally around $300) from a flaky site called “Chicntech.” Spoiler: It didn’t work. His son cracked it open and found glued-in metal weights and a chip faking the storage size.
🤳 Am I hot or not? That’s what people are asking ChatGPT. They upload photos, ask for an honest opinion, then get glow-up advice (think skin care routines or makeup tips). Kinda sketchy now that ChatGPT has a shopping feature that recommends products. AI meets e-commerce. Its advice could be influenced by ads, not what’s actually best for you.
🔍 Google I/O announcements: I wasn’t overly impressed. Search is getting an AI Mode tab so you can use Gemini to browse the web. Why? Google Meet will add real-time speech translation. Finally. Gmail will dig through your inbox to suggest replies that sound more like you. Helpful, maybe. And for shopping? Upload a full-length photo and virtually try on outfits. And Google gets more data points on you to sell.
eBay’s new shopping friend: eBay’s new AI shopping “companion” wants to spiritually replace the friend who knew your vibe and your 3 a.m. niche obsessions. Its new generative AI guide is designed to guide you through the digital thrift store with next-generation ease. It’s slowly being rolled out to U.S. customers near the search bar.
Lock down your device security: If you’re still browsing, shopping and working online without antivirus software, you’re making a mistake. My trusted pick is $19 for the first year.
3 easy tech tips for grocery shopping
Not a fan of the grocery run? Use these quick tech tricks to stay organized, save money, and skip the hassle.
💸 Fake it till you fund it: A tech founder got charged with fraud after lying about his shopping app, Nate, using AI for universal checkouts. Turns out it was actually human contractors from the Philippines and Romania behind the scenes (plus a few bots). He still raised over $40 million from investors before getting caught.
These new budget phones are worth it
Tight budget? You can still get a fast, feature-packed phone. Here’s a few to put on your shopping list.
Lock down your device security: If you’re still browsing, shopping and working online without antivirus software, you’re making a mistake. My trusted pick is $19 for the first year.
🛍️ Buy Now, Pay Later is now Buy Now, Regret Publicly: The WSJ (paywalled) says credit bureaus have officially started tracking your “Buy Now, Pay Later” shopping. So yes, that $89 “ergonomic” beanbag you split into four payments? It might now haunt your credit report. Suddenly, Klarna feels a lot less like a fun hack and more like a fiscal breadcrumb trail leading directly to your FICO score.