China can monitor, censor, and cut off citizens online. Then, I help ‘Wicked Bradley’ take his paranormal YouTube channel to the next level. Plus, an 80-year-old wires $6,700 to a fake astronaut, ads on fridges, and insurance drones spy from above.
YouTube runs the show: Be real, when’s the last time you watched cable? Exactly. YouTube’s replaced it, plus Netflix and most of your weekend. 2.5 billion people are on it, and 500 hours get uploaded every minute. And now, AI is helping creators crank out edits, titles, even Shorts. If you have a YT channel, check this out. I can’t wait to try the new tools.
⚡️ 3-second tech genius: On YouTube desktop, press 0 on your keyboard to restart a video instantly. Or hit numbers 1 through 9 to jump to that percentage of the playback. Nice.
😎 Be a pal: Click here to subscribe to my YouTube channel. Costs nothing and makes my videos easier to find than your glasses on a Monday morning.
📄 Type faster in Google Docs: Instead of retyping long phrases, create shortcuts that expand into full text. Go to Tools > Preferences > Substitutions and tick Automatic substitution. To add your own, type “YTV” under Replace and “YouTube video” under With, then hit OK. Next time you type YTV, it auto-changes to YouTube video. Nice.
⚡️ 3-second tech genius: Want a YouTube video to play on repeat? On desktop, right-click the video and select Loop. Great for study beats, background music or white noise.
Talk global to me: OK, so YouTube just made subtitles feel like a flip phone. They’re rolling out AI dubbing that copies your own voice and tone but in other languages. Early testers like Jamie Oliver saw their views triple. Plus, thumbnails get the translation glow-up, too. Repeat after me: J’adore The Current.
🚨 Scrape me up before you go-go: The Atlantic just dropped a seriously creepy tool. Type in your name, and it’ll show whether your YouTube videos were quietly scraped to train AI. No permission, no payment, just … surprise! You helped build someone else’s billion-dollar model. I popped up 75 times. Unreal. Search for your name here.
🍏 Apple’s iDrop: Tomorrow at 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT, Apple will roll out its new, smarter Siri, along with the ultralight iPhone 17 Air, base iPhone 17, 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max. We’ll also see Apple Watches and smart home gear. Stream it on YouTube or Apple’s site. I’m just hoping the iRon will work with the iWash, iCook and iClean network. (That was so bad, it was so good!)
▶️ YouTube PiP on Chromebook: You can keep a YouTube video running while working on other tasks. Place your cursor on the video player, double-tap with two fingers on the touchpad, and select Picture in picture. A floating window will appear that you can resize and move anywhere on your screen.
3I/ATLAS: Are aliens in our backyard?
It’s just the third interstellar object ever spotted. Most say it’s a comet but Harvard’s Dr. Avi Loeb thinks it might be alien tech. Also: MrBeast’s phone service, golf influencers cashing in on YouTube, and an AI musician landing a record deal.
An iPhone saved this teen’s life
Her truck crashes. She’s unconscious. Her iPhone automatically calls 911. Wonder about that true-crime podcast you loved? Here’s why it might be gone for good. Also, YouTube’s surprising way to steer you from politics (yes, cute kittens are involved).
⚡️ 3-second tech genius: On YouTube, press Shift + > to speed things up or Shift + < to slow them down. Each tap shifts playback by 0.25. I use it for podcasts and slo-mo replays.
Your digital life could vanish overnight
Your forgotten accounts may not be as safe as you think. George, your AI host, reveals how long Gmail, iCloud, Dropbox, and more keep your data before hitting delete. Plus, the latest on Amazon Prime’s crackdown, Walmart’s Peacock deal, YouTube’s family plan changes, AI in healthcare, and device tricks you can use today.
▶️ Add a channel trailer on YouTube: Give potential subscribers a preview of what to expect. Log in to YouTube and go to YouTube Studio > Customization > Home tab > Layout. Click + Add section > Channel trailer, pick the video you want, and hit Publish. Pro tip: Swap it out every few weeks to keep things fresh.
YouTube’s family freeloader era is over, too: So you’ve been coasting on someone else’s YouTube Premium family plan for years? Well, YouTube just went full Netflix on us. Starting now, every 30 days, it’ll GPS‑scan your butt to make sure you actually live under the same roof as the account holder.
⛳️ Talk birdie to me: Forget 18-hole snoozefests. YouTube quietly turned golf into a content gold mine. During the pandemic, channels like Good Good exploded; now 75% of their revenue comes from merch, not swings. Paige Spiranac parlayed 4M Instagram followers into golf stardom, and even Bryson DeChambeau used YouTube to fix his image with 2.3M subs.
🏈 Free NFL on YouTube: This year, YouTube is streaming the first Friday game between the Chiefs and Chargers on Sept. 5 at 8 p.m. ET. You can watch on the YouTube home page or the official NFL channel. Bonus: month-to-month NFL Sunday Ticket plans. New fans: $85/month. Returning fans: $115/month with YouTube TV, or $145/month on YouTube. New is better, obviously.
Man marries AI, his wife's cool with it
George, your AI host, tells the true story of a man in love with an AI chatbot. What does this say about the future of relationships? Also: a tragic ChatGPT lawsuit, solo hacker attacks with Claude, disappearing Ford dashboards, YouTube vs. Fox, and AI-powered insurance appeals. AI isn’t going away anytime soon.
YouTube vs. Fox: If you’re a YouTube TV subscriber, you might soon lose Fox News, Fox Sports and local Fox stations. The two are butting heads over money in their upcoming carriage renewal. No deal? The channels could get pulled. If that happens, YouTube TV says subscribers will get a $10 credit.