Forget the bowl of rice. This video uses low sound frequencies to literally pull the liquid out of speakers. Caveats: It won’t help with water trapped in the USB port or SIM card slot. You need to turn your phone on for this to work, so if it’s had a dunk, let it dry for at least 24 hours before you try.
It’s a deal today
Yep, I’m still scouring the early Amazon Prime Big Deal Days sales. Hit this link if you want to see ‘em all.
- Kasa smart light switches for less than $13, dang.
- Gift yourself a snazzy, new iPad for under $200.
- The Amazon Fire HD 8 tablet is only $60!
- Ring video doorbells have HD video and are easy to install. Plus, right now, they’re as cheap as they get, at $60.
- Electric lighters are the best. Only $7? Heck, yeah! I’m never going back to one that takes lighter fluid.
- Pillow slippers are so comfy around the house and 43% off now.
- A stone bath mat absorbs water without getting slippery. Uh, 90% off? Now’s the time.
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The surge protector was invented in 1970. What was its official name back then? Was it … A.) Zap Trap, B.) Power Devourer, C.) Watt Wad or D.) Shock Block?
$1 million-plus invested
Into an old cruise ship purchased on Craigslist. A tech entrepreneur spent 15 years restoring the 293-foot vessel. It was built in Germany in 1955, inspired “The Love Boat” and was in the 1963 Bond movie “From Russia with Love.” After they decided to sell the slice of history, it mysteriously took on water and was decommissioned. Weird, right?
No filter
Actually, yes, much-needed filters — for screens, fans and more.
- This privacy filter for iPhones (57% off) helps ward off prying eyes so they can, you know, solve their own Wordle.
- The same handy filter is also available for Samsung models (20% off).
- These personal water filter straws (25% off) are so cool. You could slurp from a puddle and it’d be clean! (But don’t, please, unless you have to.)
- A TubShroom is the best filter for hair in your shower. It’s also easy to clean.
- A cut-to-fit carbon filter for your air purifier, AC or fan. Yes, those get worn out!
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💧 The FDA is recalling 150,000 bottles of water: Berkeley Springs Water Purified and Berkeley Springs Water Distilled in 1- and 5-gallon formats may be contaminated with bacteria. Check for codes 090326, 090426, 090526 and 090626 on the side of the bottle. If yours is a match, throw it out.
💦 Hackers targeted the largest water company in the U.S.: American Water, serving 14 million people in 14 states, shut down certain systems and paused operations when they realized hackers were inside. No word yet on what the hackers were doing in there. I’m sure they were thirsty for corporate secrets and how to take them down. This is why I keep gallons of water at home, just in case.
9 days of vibrations
Felt across the earth, explained a year later. A glacier in Greenland melted, sending 33 million cubic yards of rock and ice (enough to fill 10,000 Olympic swimming pools!) into the water. That triggered a massive tsunami.
50,000 gallons of water
To put out a Tesla Semi fire. After a crash in California, the truck’s massive lithium-ion battery reached up to 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit. Firefighters had to call in an aircraft to drop fire retardant around the electric semi to make sure the fire didn’t spread.
🚙 Break my wallet: BMW is going all in on hydrogen-powered cars starting with its 2028 models (paywall link). How it works: Hydrogen fuel cells within the vehicles generate electricity through a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen. The only emission is water vapor. Sounds sweet, but hydrogen is more expensive than gas, and there are almost no refueling stations in the U.S.
Sweet finds to make life easier
- Get rid of bad breath at the source with a tongue scraper (7% off). Sounds crazy, but it really works.
- Keep your cups from dripping everywhere with these coasters (14% off) that look like LPs. The rubber bottoms help you avoid spills, too.
- A magnetic bag for your water bottle — strap your keys, wallet and phone to any bottle, and keep the whole thing off the floor by sticking it to metal. Smart.
- These ingenious pens (15% off) let you keep a bit of paint on hand for touch-ups. Need this!
- Clever self-watering planters have an aerated bottom to ward off root rot and store water to keep your plants happy. Love the color.
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Li’l helpers under $10
Sorry, you’re going to want them all.
- Miss Mouth’s Messy Eater Stain Treater Spray ($10) is a water-based, perfume-free stain remover. Small enough to fit in your bag for on-the-go ketchup and blueberry stains.
- Mesh bags are perfect for organizing chargers, plugs, screws, bolts, batteries, pens … I could go on. A six-pack is only $9.
- Get a three-pack of light-blocking sleep masks and put one in your carry-on, one in your suitcase and one by your bed. They’re 20% off right now ($7.99).
- If you’re like me, you have a plethora of USB-A plugs kicking around your house … and some USB-C cords. Fix that with these USB-A-to-USB-C adapters, four for $5.99.
- Headaches, muscle aches, pains, cramps, bad days — there’s not much a hot water bottle can’t fix. This one is easy to fill, comes with a cozy cover and is just $7.99.
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Dropped your phone in water? Forget the bowl of rice. The collective internet is going bonkers over this video. It uses low sound frequencies to literally pull the liquid out of speakers. Caveats: It won’t help with water trapped in the USB port or SIM card slot, and you’ll need to turn your phone on for this to work. Let it dry out for 24 hours before you try.
🧠 You have a dirty mind: Brain samples from corpses found nearly 0.05% were made up of microplastics, double the amount in 2016. It’s coming from bottled water, sugar and even the air we breathe. The next time your doctor says you’re overweight, reply, “I want to say one word to you. Just one word. Plastics.” (Yes, that’s a throwback to “The Graduate.”)
Get it together
I always get bit by the organization bug toward the end of summer. You, too? Let’s do this.
- Clear bins for the fridge are a game-changer.
- A genius holder for all your Tupperware lids.
- Stop knocking over the shampoo! Nice shelves that stick better than the suction cup kind.
- A water bottle rack that can hold wine, too.
- Useful, stackable storage racks that can go anywhere.
You never know what you have … till you clean your house.
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Wildfire drones: Startup Rain is equipping helicopters with software that lets them fly and drop water autonomously. The shorter response time could help catch fires early — before they get out of control. Firefighters can then step in to finish the job (paywall link). Talk about lifesaving.
Little buys that make life better
- This BPA-free straw device can stop your hiccups in just a few seconds. Better than holding your breath or asking someone to scare you.
- Make your own lattes at home with a handheld frother (25% off). Works great with cold liquids, creamers, and oat or almond milk, too.
- I hate ironing. A steamer is fast, easy and way harder to mess up. This one holds lots of water and works on both heavy and delicate fabrics.
- If your closet, laundry room or storage area is a dark cave, you need an LED motion-sensor light. This one has three color options, runs 24 hours on a charge and is easy to install.
- This popular Wi-Fi extender from TP-Link is deeply discounted. It covers up to 1,200 square feet and connects to as many as 20 devices. Plug it into an outlet and set it up in two taps.
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561-mile flight
For the world’s first hydrogen-powered flying taxi. Its only emissions? Water vapor. It can fly from Nashville to New Orleans on a single tank of hydrogen gas with zero carbon footprint. Here it is in action. Super cool.
♨️ Major recall: Some 3.2 million Bissell Steam Shot handheld steam cleaners shoot hot water or steam when you aren’t expecting it. Ouch. The steamers went viral on TikTok and were sold at Target, Walmart, Amazon and everywhere else. If you have one, hit this site.