The Current Plus: Marketplace scam, CrowdStrike’s troubles, Windows patch problems | In partnership with SimpliSafe | | Hello to a tech-wonderful Thursday, friend. Social media’s buzzing about a mom who gets her toddler a free “dog treat” whenever they stop at Starbucks. Reactions range from “What a horrible mother!” to “So smart!” A Starbucks "pup cup," aka a "Puppuccino," is a small cup filled with whipped cream. I know where I’m taking Abby this weekend. Oh, that’s not my kid — it’s my golden retriever! 💁♀️ Today’s newsletter is just amazing. It’s so good that you really need to forward it to one or two people. They’ll thank you for it, and I will, too. — Kim 📫 First-time reader? Sign up here. (It’s free!) IN THIS ISSUE 💻 Copilot+ from TOPS to bottom 🐶 Facebook puppy scam 🟦 Microsoft’s Blue Screen of Death fix |
TODAY'S TOP STORY Worth the hype? Anymore, every company (and their mother) seems to be slapping “AI” on their product marketing and charging you a boatload. Microsoft and its new line of Copilot+ PCs are no exception. Let me give it to you straight: Microsoft is pushing these laptops hard, but in this case, what they sell isn’t exactly what you get. If you’re considering buying one, read this first. What does ‘AI-enabled’ actually mean? The newest Copilot+ PCs run on Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite and X Plus chips. Sounds fancy, right? They have a CPU for computer processing, a GPU for graphics processing and a new NPU for neural processing, which is what they use to run their AI. In plain English: These PCs can handle the computing load of AI functionality faster and with way better battery life. You’ll get a full eight hours of running AI features and double that for regular web browsing. That’s great for a PC. So, what can it do for you? Make it look like you’re paying attention: Its camera has AI eye-tracking (say that 10 times fast) that makes it seem like you’re making eye contact even if you’re multitasking. Push a button to chat: Microsoft's Copilot AI bot is integrated into the OS, but it’s not much different than a chatbot in your browser. It also got rid of some functionality. In non-AI models, Copilot can adjust some PC settings for you; that’s totally gone in the Copilot+. Live translations and captions: Copilot+ can translate foreign-language videos in real time. This is great in theory, but the translations can be slow and don’t always make sense. Generate AI art: The Image Creator feature lets you generate images, but you’ll need an internet connection and a Microsoft account to use it. ChatGPT works just as well. There’s a big catch Some of the standard apps just don’t work. Since the latest Copilot+ laptops run on Qualcomm chips, they can struggle to launch older PC apps originally designed for Intel processors. High-end games might not run at all. That’s not a trade-off I’d want to make — especially if I’ve just shelled out almost $1,000 for a top-of-the-line machine. My two cents: Don’t buy one, unless … You’re an AI power user. Browser-based AI bots with specialized functionality work well for most people, but for all you AI enthusiasts, these three laptop PCs are worth a peek: ASUS Vivobook S 15: It’s got a 3K resolution and 120Hz OLED screen, so you can practically smell the colors. Microsoft Surface (2024): The touchscreen literally puts AI at your fingertips. Dell XPS 13: This one’s hot off the presses — it’s not even on Amazon yet! If you’re not tech-ahead, you’re tech‑behind As the next generation of AI PCs comes out, prices will come down and Microsoft will keep working out its software kinks. I’ll make sure you stay up to date. Now, use those icons below to share these tech smarts. |
DEALS OF THE DAY 🛠️ You can fix that Solve common household headaches for less than $25 with these DIY helpers: Spraying WD‑40 can be messy, but the pen version makes precision super easy. Grab a pack of three for 17% off. Fix wobbly furniture or creaky doorframes — you name it — with these plastic shims. A 30-pack is on sale for $13.99. Calling all DIY decorators! Stop guessing where you should hang things with this magnetic stud finder. It’s so simple and 8% off. This compact steamer, at $21.99, is great for all kinds of fabrics. It fits in your suitcase for that relaxed, unwrinkled vacation look. Get it for 37% off! Retire your bag of plastic grocery bags and stick ‘em in this reusable organizer. This summery print is on sale, but they’re all under six bucks! |
WEB WATERCOOLER 😬 CrowdStrike’s in the hot seat: Its CEO will testify before Congress after crippling emergency services, hospitals and airlines around the world. Speaking of airlines … Delta is also under federal investigation for leaving solo-traveling kids stranded across the U.S. when its systems went down. Really, Delta? What a creep: Ava Kris Tyson will no longer co-host MrBeast’s mega-popular YouTube channel after allegedly sending risque messages to a minor. Tyson started chatting with the victim when they were 13 and she was 20, and she met up with them IRL when they turned 16. More sketchy posts keep coming out, too. 🐶 Fool me twice: A Texas family fell for the same puppy scam twice on Facebook Marketplace. It cost them $20,000. The phony breeders lured them in with cute puppy pics, and then they asked for a deposit, transportation and vaccination expenses via gift card. It was all fake. Don’t send money until you see the goods (or pups) in person. No takebacks: After Google vowed to get rid of third-party cookies on Chrome, they basically said, “Just kidding.” Instead, you’ll get a “new experience in Chrome” that lets you “adjust” your cookie preferences. No word on how yet. Get ahead of it: Try Total Adblock for an ad-free experience. AI for all: Meta just released Llama 3.1, the biggest open-source AI model yet. It can process a novel’s worth of text (128,000 pieces of info) in eight languages, write better computer code and solve more complex math problems. Try it on Meta AI with your Facebook or Instagram account. Outside the U.S.? Go to HuggingChat. (Bonus: Meta’s AI also generates amazing pics.) 🚨 Heads-up, Windows users: Microsoft’s July 9 Patch Tuesday security update is causing reboots, freezes and the dreaded Blue Screen of Death. If you see a BitLocker recovery screen at startup, you’ll have to enter your recovery key. You can get it by logging into the BitLocker recovery portal with your Microsoft account. Here’s a step‑by‑step. How ironic: Security training company KnowBe4’s latest remote hire turned out to be a collection of North Korean hackers. When they mailed the “employee” a company-issued Mac to the guy’s phony home address (that was really a hacker farm), it was immediately loaded up with malware. How’d he get through HR screening? An AI-edited stock headshot — something they should’ve checked before hiring the guy. |
TECH LIFE UPGRADE If you don’t innovate, you will evaporate: Nothing has changed our lives quite like AI has and will. That’s why you need to start using AI in your business before it’s too late. Find out how AI can streamline your operations. Take a no-obligation, free test drive of Oracle’s Cloud Infrastructure now at Oracle.com/kim.* 🔊 Low volume on iPhone calls? The culprit could be the noise-cancellation feature. Disable it: Go to Settings > Accessibility > Audio/Visual and toggle off Phone Noise Cancellation (green means it's on). FYI: This only works with iPhone 12 models and older. You can unsee that: Search for something potentially risky online? You can quickly delete the last 15 minutes of your Google search history on Android. Open the Google app, tap on your profile icon in the top right, and select Delete last 15 minutes. 💬 Add Instagram captions to your story: Click the + (plus) icon on your profile pic, and then tap the Stickers icon and select Captions. FYI: You can also get automatic captions for stories and reels on your feed. Just open Settings and activity > Accessibility > Captions and translations and toggle on Captions. |
LISTEN UP | | The truth about cellphone radiation The cellphone industry says phone radiation is harmless, but I prefer to play it safe. Here’s how. Play Now • 8:06 ▶ |
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BY THE NUMBERS 3,398 days (and counting) For the longest-running Snapchat streak. That’s over nine years! Hannah and Lauren Luckey have snapped each other every day since the streak feature rolled out on April 6, 2015. If you’re dating someone and they can’t text you back, just show them this stat. $12,000 To take a four-day class at Harvard. The course, Business of Entertainment, Media and Sports, is open to non-Harvard students and covers the economics of modern-day brands (paywall link) from Nike to MrBeast. Alumni include celebrities looking to build an empire, like Channing Tatum and LL Cool J. Oh, to be a fly on the wall. 3 days in flight For the ULTRA Air Force drone. Short for Unmanned Long-endurance Tactical Reconnaissance Aircraft, the ULTRA has an 80-foot wingspan, can carry hundreds of pounds and fly twice as long as similar military drones. The Air Force will spend $35 million in 2025 to build four more. The age of drone surveillance is just beginning. |
UNTIL NEXT TIME ... 🐢 This one’s for the IT crowd: What do you call a turtle on the dark web? A Tor‑toise. (Don’t get it? Well, you use the Tor browser to access content on the dark web. Tough crowd! I promise to do better tomorrow.) Hit the ratings below and drop me a comment letting me know what you think about this newsletter. I’ll see you back here in your inbox tomorrow, bright and early. I’ll be talking about something really important: Roblox’s pedophile problem. If you or your loved ones have kids, you def need to read this one. Until then, stay your amazing self! — Kim |
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