Hello, friends, and welcome to Tuesday’s Tech News! Let’s start with our trivia. True or false: To save himself from a moose attack, a 12-year-old boy used a tactic he’d learned from the game World of Warcraft — he played dead, and the moose just walked away. You’ll find the answer at the end.

😎 Every single thing is now a tech thing. Let’s get started with expanding your tech know-how. While the world is obsessed with artificial intelligence (AI), I wanted to let you see the robots in use right now! That’s our top story today. — Kim

Did you ever watch "The Jetsons" and wish the robotic maid Rosey was real? She was responsible for many household tasks, including cleaning, cooking and caring for the family — George, Jane, Judy, Elroy and their dog, Astro. And boy-oh-boy, Rosey was built.

Today, robots build cars, sort packages and organize warehouses. We have household robot helpers, including vacuum cleaners and lawnmowers. There are also toys. Remember Furby? Creepy little guy.

Here are some robots you may not know about until now.

To the rescue

Atlas can lift heavy weights, run, open doors, backflip, jump and even do Parkour. It's designed to aid emergency services in search and rescue operations and function in environments where humans can't survive, like fires and warzones.

Holey Moley

Moley is a kitchen bot chef. It mimics the movements of human hands and can do delicate tasks like cracking an egg. Moley even cleans up after itself. I'll let that sink in.

This bot’s got moxie

Moxi was big at the start of the pandemic, delivering medication, PPE, patient comforts and other supplies. It can open elevator doors, but it needs to ask a human to press the button for its floor. Awh.

Microscopic doctors

Antibacterial nanorobots are tiny self-propelled bots that deliver medication right to the infection. They do this by mimicking a bacteria and its target, then trapping it in nanowire mesh. Is that you, Spider-Man? Incredible stuff.

This one really sucks

BugVacuum is a self-propelled vacuum cleaner that sucks up insects while autonomously navigating between crops on farms. Farmers only have to get it to the starting point and set it to auto mode. The bot is ideal for clearing out insecticide-resistant pests. Sure beats a flyswatter.

Seriously sweet

Robear is a back-saving teddy bear-shaped robot that lifts disabled or older patients from their beds into a wheelchair. Its soft, cushioned body is designed to be gentle on the patient's skin while providing maximum support.

Your personal pack mule

Gita Bot is a rolling robot that follows you around, carrying up to 40 pounds of whatever you need — groceries, luggage, tools, you name it. The name "Gita" is inspired by the Italian word "giro," which means "turn" or "round trip." No impasta here!

✅ Watch this two-minute video to see these robots in action. It's really amazing future tech in use right now!

🌉 Mystery solved: When 60 miles of northern California land sold for nearly $1 billion, lawmakers feared Chinese spies were behind it. Nope, it’s tech execs — like LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman, philanthropist Laurene Powell Jobs (she was married to Steve), the Stripe co-founders and others. Their plan is to make a city built on clean energy, complete with a solar energy farm, orchards and over 1 million new trees. And far enough from the drug and crime problems in San Francisco.

Another Airbnb nightmare: Professor Alex Moore gave her Vancouver stay a 4-star review. That drop from a perfect 5 to 4.95 set her host off the deep end. He wrote if she didn’t remove her rating in 48 hours, he would track her down and “the fun begins.” He had her pic, address and number, after all. Police got involved, and the listing is gone.

🙉 3M is shelling out a hefty $5.5 billion to turn down the volume on 300,000 lawsuits that said its earplugs were "ear flops." Soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq from 2003 to 2015 were issued these plugs, but they were more like a concert ticket to inner ear damage than protection — too short to seal the deal.

Grand Theft Auto IRL: Kia and Hyundai cars are still hot targets for theft, even if those #KiaBoyz TikTok videos are slowing. Seven major U.S. cities, including Chicago and New York, are suing the carmakers for their lack of anti-theft immobilizers. Only 26% of their cars included them in 2015, compared to 96% of other manufacturers. PSA: Park your cars in a garage if you can.

Get off the phone: All that screen time is actually changing the shape of your kid’s eyes. Myopia (the formal name for nearsightedness) can develop when the eyes don’t get enough natural light. The eyes grow longer, and objects in the distance appear blurry. The WHO says by 2050, half the population will be nearsighted. That’s up from 30% today. Screen breaks are key, folks.

✈️ Google Flights: Its new alerts will now tell you whether buying the tickets you’re searching for is a great idea. For flights around Christmas, prices are expected to be lowest 71 days before your departure date. That’s Oct. 14, so adjust as needed. (Note: Readers of my free Tech Hacks newsletter knew about this yesterday afternoon. Sign up here now so you don’t miss any more hot tips.)

Sound like a tech pro, even if you're not one. Try my award-winning, daily podcast. Search for my last name with "K" wherever you get your podcasts and "Go Komando!"

Listen to my podcast, Kim Komando Today, here.

Almost every time you buy tech online, you get the option to add an extended warranty for anywhere from a few bucks to hundreds of dollars. Here’s why it’s a rip-off: 

• Initial quality: Modern products, especially electronics, are generally built to last. Those with problems typically will fail within the first 90 days.
• Overlapping coverage: Sometimes, the extended warranty overlaps the manufacturer's warranty, meaning you're paying extra for a covered period.
• Diminishing value: When an item breaks, replacing it with a newer, more efficient model might be more cost-effective.
• Limited coverage: Extended warranties generally have lots of exclusions or conditions, leaving out common problems or issues resulting from "normal wear and tear."
• Homeowner's or renter's insurance overlap: Some incidents, like theft or damage, might already be covered by your existing insurance policies.
• Self-insuring: Setting aside the money you'd spend on extended warranties in a savings account can create a repair or replacement fund.

Don’t get them — except in one specific case

Extended warranties are a huge money-maker for stores but mostly useless for you and me. You’re better off buying a better brand or protective gear to keep your tech safe longer, like a nice case for your iPad.

💔 As I told the folks over at AARP, the only exception is for those of you who drop your smartphone often. (I use this glass protector on mine.)

Get what you already pay for

Some credit cards offer extended warranties on anything you buy with the card, which is a killer bonus. If your expensive vacuum or laptop craps out, it’s certainly worth asking Amex or Chase if they’ll pay to repair or replace it.

💨 I didn’t get a warranty on my air conditioner. But it would be cool if I did.

You come home after a long day, and oh, great … the couch is clawed open, the trash bin is knocked over and paw prints are all over the countertops. It's clear who the culprit is: Your fluffy friend. But it isn't just a sign of mischief — it's a cry for mental stimulation.

Here’s something to try: YouTube. I found some options to keep your animals engaged while you’re at the office:

• Dog lovers, try the channel Relax My Dog. There are 10 hour-long clips to stimulate your pup’s brain with engaging visuals and sounds, like a walk in the park or on the beach. Here’s a secret: I find those clips relaxing, too.
• And for cat owners? Try the Birder King YouTube channel. It’s chock full of bird, bunny and squirrel videos. Your cat will be too busy watching to ruin your new throw pillow.

Fun fact: I was the AARP cover girl not long ago, but somebody upstaged me. My dog, Abby, is a star, truly.

OK, that’s AFTER you’ve read this newsletter. But you’re here so you’re doing that!

🦷🥚🚽 While you’re brushing your teeth, cooking eggs or, uh, using the bathroom, update yourself with my Daily Tech Update podcast. In just 60 seconds, I’ll catch you up on the big tech news story of the day.

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A new level of porch pirate unlocked.

The answer: True. In 2007, Norwegian Hans Jørgen Olsen and his sister stumbled upon an angry moose in the woods. Hans made a ton of noise to grab its attention, just like the "Taunt" move he’d used in his video game. Then, to throw off the moose completely, he played dead. Hans and his sister walked away without a scratch. Glad it worked. That strat could’ve been a big moose-take!

💌 Just like that, you’re tech-smarter! Know what would make this even more fun? Having your friends on board. Use that referral link below and invite them to sign up for the best tech newsletter in the world! — Kim