Kroger might charge you more if you seem wealthy! They’re testing AI to hike prices for shoppers with expensive tastes.
Revealed: Does paying more for charging cables really pay off?
You leave your phone charging, then wake up — late — because, whoops, it’s dead and the alarm did not go off. That cord gave out on you. That’s the best-case scenario. Worst case: A phone charger starts a fire while you’re sleeping.
Don’t you dare roll your eyes at me and think, “Kim, you’re so dramatic.” It happened to a girl who went to bed with her iPhone next to her. She woke up to flames and was severely burned after the charger caught fire and ignited the blanket. Cheap knock-off accessories were to blame.
We all want a deal, but never at the expense of safety. When it comes to cables, where do you draw the line?
Bad charges make me testy
The fine folks at Consumer Reports dug deep to find the answers. They bought seven charging cables with prices ranging from $4.88 to $29 and conducted some pretty dang rigorous testing.
The Rapid Response team (bet the members brag about that at parties) used a specially adapted motorized rig to simulate real-world conditions. The tests consisted of:
- The Bend Test: Repeatedly bending one end of the cable at a 90-degree angle until it fails to power a device.
- The Twist Test: Continuously twisting each cable while it powered a device.
I bet you’re like me and wondered, “Are those Amazon chargers and cables any good? They’re so cheap!”
The revealing results
The good news: Every cable they tried withstood the Twist Test. The Bend Test is where things got interesting.
- The Apple Lightning cable ($29) survived over 11,500 bends. (That’s when they stopped testing.)
- The Amazon Basics USB-C cable ($8.54) held up just as long.
- The Bytech USB-C cable and Walmart’s Onn Lightning cable did not fare as well. The Bytech cable (just under $5) failed before reaching 710 bends. The Walmart cable (around $5) stopped working before 796 bends.
The burning question?
We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.
Avoid these 10 dangerous mistakes when using power strips
You need to charge your phone, and that lamp you’re trying to plug in is too far away from the outlet. So you reach for a power strip to save the day.
But did you know there is a surprisingly long list of ways people misuse power strips? These mistakes lead to electrical shorting, fire hazards and the destruction of appliances.
Another “godfather”: There seems to be at least a dozen people claiming to be the “godfather” of AI. The newest says OpenAI’s latest o1 model can scheme and deceive us. Yoshua Bengio is calling for better testing and regulatory oversight before things spiral out of control. Researchers have already found o1 is better at lying than previous models. OpenAI’s response? It’s safe. Uh-huh.
200 to 300 milligrams
The daily dose of caffeine linked to a lower risk of coronary heart disease, Type 2 diabetes and stroke. After a whole lot of testing, scientists say the sweet spot is two to three cups of coffee or up to three cups of tea per day. I use this iced tea maker at home and at the office!
We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.
From testing to treatment - Official website set up to find COVID info
The demand for at-home COVID-19 testing kits is still high, and it’s not always easy to find them. Though some drug stores have a supply, don’t expect it to last.
There have been millions of recalls for faulty test kits, and even worse is the proliferation of fake and overpriced tests. Even legitimate tests are being sold at a premium, and there’s no reason you should be paying ridiculous prices. Tap or click here for tips on spotting a fraudulent test kit.
Ancestry.com: What you can do with a free trial and how to cancel once it's over
Genetic testing illuminates your past and present. By rubbing a cotton swab on the inside of your cheek and mailing it off to a company, you can learn which countries your ancestors came from. You can even pinpoint risk factors for different genetic conditions, which can help you make healthier decisions in the future.
Hope you don’t have any 23andMe stock: The DNA testing company peaked at a $6 billion valuation. It’s now down 99%, and CEO Anne Wojcicki wants to take the company private. When they heard that plan, the entire board of directors said, “See ya.” Anne has until Oct. 3 to comply with Nasdaq’s qualifications or the company will be delisted.
“The Magic School Bus” IRL: Scientists are testing new tech that could stop a brain aneurysm before it happens. The method? Nanorobots smaller than most bacteria. They have a magnetic core that doctors can move to where they’re needed to deposit a clotting agent. That, in turn, prevents the stroke that comes after a brain aneurysm. Amazing.
P*rn passport: Spain is testing a new way to confirm the age of p*rn viewers on websites — digital passports. Once you verify you’re over 18, you’ll get 30 tokens good for 30 days. The Spanish government says it won’t track users’ activity or keep records of their identities. You can bet the U.S. government is keeping an eye on how it goes.
Underwater drone: An UUV (uncrewed underwater vehicle) called Manta Ray just underwent testing off the coast of California. Shaped just like its namesake, the massive Manta Ray can glide below the waves with almost zero wake. It can also be taken apart and reassembled in the field, Ikea-style, for easy transport. Check it out in action!
Pass to the future: You might not need to schlep to the post office to renew your passport. The U.S. Department of State is beta-testing an online renewal system. For now, the beta is only open during unspecified “midday hours” (Eastern time) and closes when it reaches capacity each day. You can try your luck here on their site.
Oh, snap: TJX, the parent company of T.J. Maxx, HomeGoods and Marshalls, is strapping body cameras on employees. After a year of testing, they’re hoping the cams stop shoplifters. They say only law enforcement or legal reps with a subpoena can view the footage.
23andMe caught in a lie: 23andMe made billions promising disease prevention based on genetic testing from a saliva swab. Really, all we got was that your family came from Eastern Europe or wherever. In 2023, the company reported a $522 million loss. What goes around comes around.
Sit, shoot, roll over: The U.S. Marines’ special ops division is testing armed robot dogs. Seriously. For now, they’ll still need a human to pull the trigger. The “Terminator”-like pups rely on AI to identify targets before asking their human operators whether to fire.
Where was the testing? Philips just settled a $1.1 billion lawsuit over faulty DreamStation CPAP machines because the internal foam can crumble, causing people to breathe in tiny particles in their sleep. With 561 deaths linked to these devices, they got off easy.
👀 Grade-runner: K-12 schools are using anti-cheating software like Proctorio to record kids during tests. This includes “desk scans” to catch hidden notes, “face detection” to make sure they’re testing alone and “gaze detection” to watch their eye movements. I swear my third-grade nun was using the same tech — Sister Paula saw everything!
Flip or flop? If you’ve ever wanted a foldable iPhone, Apple’s testing one out and hitting the same problems as everyone else — bulky when bent, easy to break and pricey, with that annoying display seam and finicky hinges. Don’t hold your breath. We won’t see it till 2025 … maybe.