Wi-Fi Archives

These movies predicted us

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I’ll skip the wizards and superheroes. Give me a movie that looked into the future and actually saw something real coming before we even had Wi-Fi.

These are the ones that got it right, eerily right. Some were made 10, 20, even more than 50 years ago, and they still hold up. If you haven’t seen them, add them to your list.

📺 Back to the Future Part II (1989)
It’s easy to laugh at hoverboards and self-lacing shoes, but this movie predicted flat-screen TVs, FaceTime, wearable tech, voice assistants, smart homes and drones. Oh, and video glasses? Sound like Apple Vision Pro to you?

👁️ Minority Report (2002)
Ads that talk to you by name. Touchless interfaces. Eye scans. Predictive policing. Facial recognition. Targeted marketing. This movie predicted half the tech you’re already using and the half you hope never shows up.

🗣️ Her (2013)
He falls in love with his AI assistant. Not Alexa. This is more like Replika or Character.AI, where people are actually forming relationships with bots. They text them, confide in them, say “I love you” and even have sex. This movie isn’t the future, it’s now.

🧠 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
HAL was Siri with an attitude. Voice-controlled AI, video calling, space tourism, all decades before they were real. If HAL had a better personality and didn’t shut people out of air locks, he’d fit right into today’s smart home.

🎭 The Truman Show (1998)
OK, not technically sci-fi, but stick with me. It predicted reality TV, influencer culture and how we broadcast every moment of our lives like someone’s watching.

🧬 Gattaca (1997)
Designer babies. DNA-based hiring. Genetic discrimination. This one’s a warning wrapped in a killer wardrobe. It’s starting to happen now, and it raises real ethical questions that we’re barely ready for.

🕵️‍♀️ The Net (1995)
Sandra Bullock’s identity is stolen and erased online. Back then, it was fiction. Now, it’s called a Tuesday.

🌍 WALL-E (2008)
Earth is trashed, robots clean up the mess, and humans are too glued to screens to notice. What was once Pixar’s dystopia is now … kinda familiar?

🍼 Idiocracy (2006)
The future is dumb, loud and sponsored by fast food. In a world where ads are everywhere and critical thinking’s gone MIA, a totally average guy becomes the smartest person alive.

Got one I missed? After you rate today’s newsletter at the end, tell me in the comments. I always want to hear what you’re watching. 🍿

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Your phone is spying on you

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Your phone keeps all your secrets. Where you’ve been. What you’ve typed. Even which sketchy Wi-Fi you used in 2017. It’s got the memory of an elephant and the self-restraint of a toddler with a drum set.

Let’s just call your phone “Sir Veillance.”

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Big-brained buys

🧠 You don’t need to be a genius to use today’s picks.

⚡ End the outlet wars: This power strip tower (22% off) has 16 plugs. Plus, four USB ports and a 10-foot-long cord.

🔌 Split ends: No, not your high school haircut. One USB-C cable (8% off, two-pack) charges four things at once.

🙈 Hide those wires: A cord management box (10% off, two-pack) is the adult way to tidy up your tech mess.

⌨️ Typing ninja? Switch between your phone, tablet or laptop with this Bluetooth keyboard (5% off).

🛜 Bye, dead zones: A Wi-Fi extender ($9.99) covers up to 45 devices. No more buffering in the bathroom (lol).

📺 Movie-theater level magic: If you can swing it, this 4K smart TV ($699.99) has flicker-free tech.

🛍️ Treat your digital self: My Amazon shop is packed with more smart buys I know you’ll love.

We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.

How to check your internet speeds

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Slow Wi-Fi? Try this free fix first. Get proof of what’s dragging your speeds before you spend a dime.

🚘 What a bunch of Grok: Tesla just shoved its chaotic AI chatbot, Grok, into new cars, and it’s coming for older ones, too. It won’t drive or blast AC (yet), but it will banter, joke, and yes, there’s an “Unhinged” mode. You need Wi-Fi or a Premium plan to chat, but no account required.

$1 billion

That’s Rivian’s latest cash infusion from Volkswagen. It’s the second billion in a $5.8B tech JV, paid out after Rivian hit gross profit (finally). The deal: VW gets EV software; Rivian gets a lifeline. Think of it as funding your roommate’s startup in exchange for their Wi-Fi password.

🛜 Full bars, slow internet? Those little Wi-Fi bars only show your connection to the router, not your internet speed. So even if they’re full, apps can run slower than a Monday morning. When in doubt, run a speed test and check if your download, upload and ping match what you’re paying for.

Duct tape fixes for the digital age

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Tech doesn’t always play nice. Your laptop heats up, your Wi-Fi fizzles, and sometimes you’re just standing there, squinting at your screen, wondering where the mouse pointer disappeared to.

Don’t panic. Just try these fast fixes. Each takes under a minute and requires zero tech degree … although if you pull these off in front of someone else, you may get a slow clap, and maybe even a mozzarella stick.

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The truth behind airplane mode (no, it’s not a myth)

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You know the drill. You find your seat, wrestle your carry-on into the overhead bin like it’s a CrossFit challenge, and then, ding! The flight attendant reminds you to switch to airplane mode.

So … what happens if you don’t? Are you going to crash the plane? Trigger the emergency slide midair?

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Battery boost: If your phone’s nearly dead and you’ve only got 20 minutes, plug it in and switch on Airplane mode. This shuts off Wi-Fi, cellular and Bluetooth, basically all the stuff that quietly drains power. With fewer background processes, your phone can focus on charging faster.

✈️ I hate slow Wi-fi on planes: But times are changing. Starlink is now on over 1,000 airplanes worldwide, giving millions of passengers access to high-speed internet in the air. Airlines like Qatar, Hawaiian and United use it. But how fast? Tests show over 100 Mbps. SpaceX says 2,000 more planes are coming soon.

🌐 Share Wi-Fi from your laptop: On some networks or on an airplane, you can only connect one device. Quick fix? Turn your laptop into a hotspot. On Windows, go to Settings > Network & Internet > Mobile Hotspot. On Mac, head to System Settings > General > Sharing > Internet Sharing and switch it on.

📶 Wi-Fi not showing up on your phone? First, move closer to your router. Thick walls and appliances can mess with the signal. Still nothing? Unplug the router for 30 seconds and restart it. Still no go? Toggle Wi-Fi off and on.

📊 Set a data limit on Windows: On a capped data plan? You can add a warning so you don’t go over. Go to Settings > Network & internet > Advanced network settings > Data usage, select your Wi-Fi or Ethernet connection, then hit Enter limit. Choose a Limit type (like Monthly), enter your cap and click Save.

🏠 Modern home intercom: Still yelling, “Dinner’s ready!” across your house? Amazon Echo speakers, like the Echo Pop ($40), work as an intercom system. Just link them to the same Amazon Household account and Wi-Fi network. Then say, “Alexa, drop in on…” followed by the speaker’s name (kitchen, bedroom or garage).

We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.

Wi-Fi master: Angry IP Scanner keeps track of everything connected to your network. It scans for IP addresses and other information about the devices connected. It helps troubleshoot tech issues and catch hackers or moochers since it pinpoints unknown or suspicious devices.

Time Capsule time has come: Starting with macOS 27, Apple’s yanking support for Time Capsule and AirPort backups. If you’re still living that 2012 Wi-Fi drive life, it’s almost time to move on. No new hardware is confirmed yet, but the rumor mill’s eyeing Apple’s new Wi-Fi chip for a possible router comeback. PSA: It’s about a year away.

🛜 Who’s on your Wi-Fi? Angry IP Scanner is a free app that scans your network for IP addresses and tracks everything that’s connected to it. Perfect for spotting moochers, catching suspicious activity or just troubleshooting tech issues.

Help! My neighbor’s hacking me — June 7th, Hour 2

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Will from St. Paul, Minnesota, thinks his next door neighbor is out for revenge … jamming his Wi-Fi and security cams. What should he do next? Plus: China’s 1,000-mile EV, how to hide your Reddit posts, and unpaid toll text scams. Don’t miss it!

Wi-Fi in the sky without paying a dime (or close to it)

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Is it just me, or does it feel downright offensive to pay $25 for in-flight Wi-Fi that barely loads your email?

Here’s the nasty truth: Some folks on your flight are scrolling TikTok or answering emails for free.

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