The Current Plus: Best drones revealed, massive hotel data breach, Windows fix and digital clones | In partnership with Oracle | | A very good Tuesday to you, my friend! Let’s get this tech party started with trivia. What’s your typing MO? Hunt-and-peck or touch typing? There’s one thing most of us have in common — 90% of people use the same number of fingers while typing on a computer keyboard. Is it … A.) 10, B.) Nine, C.) Eight or D.) Two? Answer’s at the end! ♟️ Let’s play “Trick Big Tech’s algorithm." I really need you to reply to this email with a “Hello” or “Got it” so Big Tech and your internet service provider’s servers won’t block my emails to you. Do me a favor and reply now. Thank you! Every reply makes a huge difference in how they treat my newsletter. — Kim 📫 First-time reader? Sign up here. (It’s free!) IN THIS ISSUE 🛸 Enter the drone zone 🚔 Elderly man kills Uber driver 🧑🤝🧑 Digital clones |
TODAY'S TOP STORY These ARE the drones you’re looking for It’s official, folks — Barry and I are expecting … a drone in the mail! Whoops! Did I give you a heart attack? 😅 Yep, Barry bought a fancy-pants drone. And if you know me, you know I’ve been scouring the web, comparing drones and deals for the past week! Drones aren’t just for real estate glamour shots and secret prison dropoffs (yeah, that happens). You can use them to capture high-definition event footage, fly alongside you on the go or even discover ancient ruins — yep, check out the video below in the Web Watercooler section! Ready to add “drone pilot” to your list of hobbies? I’ve got a list of the best ones for any budget. And, by the way, don’t just buy a cheap one for under $100; you get what you pay for, and drones at that price are junk. To get you off the ground The most decent-quality drone worth your money is just under $300, and it’s the DJI Mini 2SE. It lets you use your cellphone as the screen, which means it can be hard to see in bright sunlight, but that’s not a dealbreaker. Pros: You’ll get 31 minutes of flight, and its wind resistance of nearly 24 mph is higher than most pricier options. Like all DJI drones, it also has a “return to home” feature that automatically sends it back to its base. Cons: There’s no obstacle avoidance (watch out for that tree) and no “follow me” feature, meaning you’ll be making all its moves manually. Bottom line: How good are you at walking and piloting at the same time? For a few more bucks The Holy Stone HS720R is a good option for $319.99. You’ll use your phone for this screen, too. Pros: It does follow you as you move. You’ll get 26 minutes of flight time with 4K video, a much higher pixel density than the DJI Mini 2SE’s QHD. Cons: There’s no obstacle avoidance, and the wind resistance is lower than others on this list at 17 mph. It’s also above the 250g FAA weight limit, so you’ll need to register it here. Bottom line: Great for a calm day, but don’t go storm chasing with it. Take it to the next level The DJI Mini 4 Pro Fly More Combo for $1,099 has a 34-minute flight time that can handle up to 45 minutes with the included battery. Pros: It has a built-in remote with a 5.5-inch 1920 x 1080 FHD screen that’s bright enough to see in the sun. It also has obstacle awareness to keep that fancy toy safe, along with 32GB of storage, which is higher than the standard. That should get you about 45 minutes of 4K footage! Cons: Using an extended battery may put the drone’s weight over the FAA registration weight limit. Bottom line: If you want this one to last through that hike, you’ll need to register it with the FAA. Reach new heights Barry decided on the DJI Mavic 3 Classic, which is $1,279 (20% off right now). I told you we splurged! But hear me out — if you want movie-quality pictures, this is worth every penny. Pros: A professional-level camera from legendary Swedish manufacturer Hasselblad. I’m talking “Planet Earth”-level video! You also get 46 minutes of footage, multidirectional obstacle sensors and advanced return-to-home features that keep your drone safe on its return flight. Plus, it has low-noise propellers and can transmit video from up to 9.3 miles away! Cons: There’s no built-in screen on the controller for this one, but you can attach your phone for remote video. Bottom line: If you’re recording a wedding or another once-in-a-lifetime event, you’re gonna want the high-res video. Trust me. Oh, and just for fun, if you want to feel like you’re flying, I’ve got a link to first-person drone goggles on my site! I’d get some myself, but I’m afraid of kites. … Anyone? Bueller? ✅ Friends don’t let friends waste money buying the wrong things. Use the sharing links below with your family and friends now. |
WEB WATERCOOLER Take control now: Are you concerned about phishing scams, texting scams, unwanted calls, identity theft and maintaining a low profile online? Then you need to get your personal information out of the internet’s databases and people-search sites. I did and you can, too. Use my exclusive link to save 60% at PrivacyKim.com.* 🚔 Deadly mix-up: An 81-year-old West Virginia man fatally shot an Uber driver after mistaking her for a phone scammer who threatened his family. The scammer ordered William Brock to deliver a ransom to the innocent Uber driver, with whom he’d also been in contact with and threatened. When she arrived to pick up the “package,” Brock shot her three times. Now he's charged with murder, and the Uber driver’s family is grieving. Awful. Hotel data breach: Omni Hotels & Resorts was just hit by a ransomware group threatening to release the sensitive information of 3.5 million visitors. Screenshots with names, email addresses and physical addresses have been shared with DataBreaches.net. FYI, Omni operates 50 properties across the U.S., Canada and Mexico. 🚨 Faulty Cybertrucks: Tesla has stopped all Cybertruck deliveries for a week because of faulty accelerator pedals. Turns out, the metal covers can detach and stick to the floorboards, making drivers accelerate at full speed — from 0 mph to 60 mph in 2.6 seconds, to be exact. This follows Tesla laying off at least 14,000 employees and losing 29% in market cap after poor quarterly earnings. Talk about a week. 🤖 Work-from-clone: Influencers and business coaches are making “digital clones” to go to Zoom meetings for them. AI clone platforms use clips from podcasts, voice memos and Slack messages to mimic your responses and speech patterns in email or video. Deepak Chopra made one he calls “Digital Deepak.” Spoiler: It’s not very convincing … yet. 🎧 It’s quiet … too quiet: Too much time in noise-canceling headphones can cause ear pain, nausea and headaches. It can also create “listening loss,” which is when your brain’s sensitivity is altered irreversibly to sound sensitivity. Try to limit your use to places that are actually noisy — not all day in your home office. “Mr. Gates, tear down that hold!” If you got a blue screen when you tried to upgrade to Windows 11, good news — you can finally update. After two years of complaints, Microsoft removed the “compatibility hold” that kept Windows 10 users with Intel Smart Sound Technology audio drivers and Intel 11th-Gen Core processors from getting Windows 11. First, update your drivers under Start > Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > Check for updates. You should see the Windows 11 upgrade within 48 hours after updating. Drone discovery: A drone enthusiast uncovered ancient ruins while hiking in the American Southwest. He noticed the stone walls on a narrow ledge 50 feet up a near-vertical cliff. How the original builder managed to reach it is a mystery. Oh, and he filmed it all on a DJI Mini 4 Pro — that’s one of the drones on my list! |
LISTEN UP | | 5 ways to limit screen time Kids logging 9 hours on screens? Let's find easy ways to reduce that. Play Now • 4:46 ▶ |
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TECH LIFE UPGRADES Need a hand with your tech? Let’s chat one-on-one about what’s going on, whether it’s making your business more profitable or solving a family digital dilemma. Schedule an appointment for a time that works for you so we can talk. I would love to help you! A secret shortcut: You can double- or triple-tap the back of your iPhone to launch a frequently used app, like Camera or Settings. Head to Settings > Accessibility > Touch > Back Tap to set it up. Ta‑da! Like magic. For your eyes only: If you've got sensitive pics in your Google Photos collection and you want to make sure they don't get seen, tap on and hold an image, then pick Move to Locked Folder. Now that photo needs a PIN or fingerprint to view, just like your phone. 🖌️ Instant animator: Love making AI images in Midjourney? This one's for you. Use the Niji mode to create some seriously cool Japanese-style animation. On the web version of Midjourney, click Settings and then select Niji V6. Pro tip: Include "anime" or "manga" in your prompt. Window(s) blinds: Windows 11 allows you to redact text in your screenshots in a snap. Take a screenshot using the Snipping Tool, click the Text Actions button, and then Quick Redact sensitive info, like email addresses. It's faster than using Paint! Catchphrase: Forget the frantic typing and simply bookmark useful phrases in Google Translate. Tap the star next to your translated text to save it for future you! Où puis‑je trouver du bon café? |
DEALS OF THE DAY Plug into a smarter home Using the right smart plug, make just about anything in your home smart, from lights to appliances. Single plug: These plugs can turn any device into a smart one, from Google to Apple to Amazon. This one by Tapo is 50% off right now ($9.99). Multiplugs: This multiplug wall outlet has three smart plugs and one always-on plug. It’s 50% off for a limited time if you get a two-pack ($10.99). Power strip: This strip of three individually controlled smart outlets and two always-on USB ports is 20% off right now ($23.99). Outdoor plug: Turn up the backyard ambiance with this outdoor smart plug, which is now 12% off ($14.99). Just say, “Hey, Alexa, turn on the backyard string lights.” It works with Google Home, too! Bargain plug: Get a taste of the smart plug lifestyle for $7.99 with this single plug from Eightree. Control it with Alexa, Google Home or through the plug’s app. |
BY THE NUMBERS 250 websites Taken down for hawking fake weight-loss meds in 2023. Criminals use the hype around GLP‑1 drugs, like Ozempic and Wegovy, to steal your payment info and your money … or, worse, send you counterfeit drugs that can make you sick. I shouldn’t have to say it but don’t buy meds from unlicensed or non-U.S. pharmacies — not even for swimsuit season. $20,000 prize To the most beautiful fake woman in the first AI beauty pageant. Judges will score the “contestants” — AI-generated photos — on beauty, social media clout and their creator’s use of AI tools. 🎵 Here she comes, Miss AI‑merica! 🎵 20M student papers Included AI writing last year. That’s about 10% of the 200 million assignments analyzed. Oh, and about 6 million of those submissions were at least 80% AI-generated. Might be time to bring back the blue book … |
WHAT THE TECH? Must’ve signed up for the car‑pool …
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UNTIL NEXT TIME ... The answer: A.) Nine. With touch typing, you’re supposed to use all 10 fingers, but most of us only use nine — usually, because only one thumb hits the spacebar. Studies have shown even hunt-and-peck typists can type at the same rate as touch typists. Take that, Mavis Beacon! Speaking of … What's the catchphrase of the Typing Revolution? Viva la fonts! (Oh, I laughed so hard at that one!) 🙏🏻 Well, look at you, here at the end with me! Be sure to rate this issue below. It helps us track what you like. I’ll see you tomorrow with another issue of the best tech newsletter in the history of newsletters! Thank you for being here, truly. — Kim |
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