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Happy Friday, {{first_name | friend}}. You know that feeling when you hold something and instantly think, This feels right? That’s pretty much what Steve Jobs was chasing when dreaming up the first iPod. But it wasn’t turtleneck visionary vibes, he had an actual item in mind. Something sleek and pocket-size.
❓ So, what everyday object sparked Jobs’ vision for the iPod? Was it a: A) pack of cigarettes, B) stack of four Pop-Tarts, C) block of cheese or D) cassette case? Stick around, the big reveal’s at the end.
🧠 Write smarter, not longer. Axios is giving away 6 free guides to help you write emails, updates, newsletters and posts that people actually read. Think: more clarity, less blah blah. Grab the free Smart Brevity guides now. — Kim
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TODAY’S DEEP DIVE
Phone science city
Image: ChatGPT
Think your phone is just for calls, texts and scrolling? Think again. You’re carrying around a secret lab in your pocket.
The accelerometer that flips your screen when you turn it? That’s what your fitness app uses to count steps. The barometer that helps your weather app? It can tell if you’ve climbed a flight of stairs. And the gyroscope that powers AR games? Aim it at the sky, and it points out planets.
These little guys are working harder than dating apps a week before Valentine’s Day.
👏🏻 Meet the team inside your phone
The accelerometer detects movement, whether you’re walking, running or sprawled on the couch.
The gyroscope tracks rotation, so panoramic photos don’t look like a toddler took them.
The magnetometer? Your phone’s built-in compass. Perfect when you’re lost in the mall.
How about the barometer? It senses air pressure, so yes, it knows if you’re upstairs or downstairs.
The ambient light sensor adjusts brightness, so you’re not blinded in bed.
Who could forget the proximity sensor? It turns off the screen when you hold the phone to your ear. Magic.
And the classic microphones are sensitive enough to detect distant rumbles from earthquakes.
🧑🏻🔬 Experiments you’ll want to try
North without looking – Open your compass app, spin around, close your eyes, and try to stop facing north. Or on your next flight, use it to check your altitude.
.See sound in action – Download Spectroid or Spectrum Analyzer, and watch your phone’s mic turn everyday noises into colorful sound waves.
Go play scientist this weekend, and tell someone this bad joke: What is a magnetic scientist’s favorite animal? A polar bear. 🐻❄️
🧪 Better yet, use the icons below to share this know-how with that one person in your life who appreciates nerdy stuff.
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THE CURRENT POWERED BY KIM KOMANDO
Are schools spying on your kids at home?
George, your AI host, dives into how apps track students 24/7, even outside the classroom. Plus TSA’s new facial recognition lanes, Steph Curry’s AI basketball trainer, and fun phone experiments for the weekend.
🎧 Subscribe on your favorite platform:
WEB WATERCOOLER
📧 Big Tech is reading your emails: Gmail, Yahoo, Outlook, so annoying. They all snoop on what you open, click and even say. I use StartMail because it puts privacy first: no ads, no tracking, and encrypted email with unlimited disposable addresses. Try it free for 7 days right now, and get 60% off. It’s what I use, and I trust it.*
📞 Press 1 to cry: A Denver dad lost $17K after calling United Airlines’ actual customer service number and somehow getting transferred to a scammer mid-call. You heard that right. The scammer intercepted the call like a midair hijack. United has no idea how it happened. I suspect a tech loophole let the fraudster “spoof” the handoff or silently insert themselves into the call queue. No answers yet. Just one stunned family, a lot less money and probably a free drink voucher from United, if they’re lucky.
Windows 11 update breaks SSDs: Last week’s KB5063878 update is making storage drives vanish, showing up as unallocated space. Since the update rolled out automatically, the only real fix is to roll it back. Here’s how.
🍏 Update your Apple gear ASAP: Apple dropped an emergency patch for iPhones, iPads and Macs after hackers were caught exploiting a nasty flaw. The trick? Sending a booby-trapped image via text or email that lets them break in and run malicious code. Go to Settings > General > Software Update now.
Orbital jump scare: Russia-affiliated hackers hijacked a satellite and streamed their military parade straight into Ukrainian living rooms. Now U.S. officials say Russia’s working on a nuclear space weapon that could black out all satellites. If it goes live, low-Earth orbit turns into one big no-fly zone for a year. At least that movie wasn’t Ice Cube’s War of the Worlds.
⚙️ Uninsurable metal box: Tesla’s stainless steel Cybertruck is apparently too weird to insure. Geico and Hanover are pulling out, citing plummeting sales (just 4,306 sold last quarter) and high repair costs. The truck’s low production and high drama have made it a financial Bermuda Triangle.
🏀 Steph Curry signs with Google: No joke, it’s a multiyear partnership where he’s going to use their AI to get better at basketball. How? Their so-called Coach will use Gemini and Pixel cameras to study his jump shot, break down his form and give him visual feedback. Part of the deal is no vacations. After all, basketball players aren’t allowed to travel. (Get it? Tough crowd today.)
DIGITAL LIFE HACK
Stop creepy ad tracking
Your phone has a hidden ID that tracks where you go, what you buy and what you search. Want that to stop? Listen in and I’ll show you how.
🎧 Subscribe on your favorite platform:
DEALS OF THE DAY
Emergencies don’t wait
⚠️ Why should you? A little prep today means less panic tomorrow.
🔋 Stay tuned: Crank this emergency radio (15% off) for weather alerts, a flashlight and even to charge your phone.
Blackout backup: When the power’s out, rechargeable light bulbs (27% off, four-pack) keep shining like normal.
🚨 Sound the alarm: These smoke alarms (13% off, five-pack) work for 10 years straight. No 2 a.m. battery chirps.
Guard your goods: From birth certificates to laptops, fire- and water-resistant bags (21% off, three-pack) protect ’em.
🔥 Smother the flames: Using this fiberglass blanket (41% off) is way easier than a fire extinguisher. No training, no mess.
⛈️ Stay ready for anything: Stock up on more smart safety picks on my Amazon page. Peace of mind is just a click away.
DEVICE ADVICE
⚡️ 3-second tech genius: Streaming music or my podcast but need to save battery? Turn on Low Power Mode on iPhone or Power Saving mode on Android. The trade-off is a dimmer screen.
Change where Windows saves screenshots: By default, pressing Windows key + PrtScn saves them in the Screenshots folder under Pictures. To choose a new location, right-click the Screenshots folder and go to Properties > Location > Move. Pick your new folder, and click Apply, then OK to save.
Set up Gmail vacation auto-replies: Go to Settings > See all settings > General and scroll down to Vacation responder. Turn it on, pick your First day and Last day from the calendars, add a Subject line, and write your Message (include your return date). Now click Save Changes at the bottom.
📺 Lost your Roku remote? Open the Roku app, tap the microphone icon, and say “Hey, Roku, where’s my remote?” The remote will beep so you can track it down. Press any button to stop the sound. FYI: This only works with remotes that have built-in speakers, like the Roku Voice Remote Pro.
¿Dónde está mi cerveza? You can now dub your voice with auto lip-synch for reels. Just select Translate your voice with Meta AI before posting. FYI: It currently only works English ↔ Spanish. Oh, and it’s available to all public Instagram accounts, but on Facebook, you’ll need at least 1,000 followers.
BY THE NUMBERS
1,500 years
That’s how long ago engineers in Tajikistan built a hidden aqueduct system. Ancient designers used ceramic pipes and waterproof mortar to serve a fortress city long before flush toilets were a thing. And yes, it still impresses modern-day scientists. Click through the photos, and you’ll see why.
67
The number that turned a rap lyric into Gen Alpha’s secret handshake. It started in a drill song, got memed onto NBA star LaMelo Ball and now lives on TikTok as flashy edits and a bouncing hand gesture. He’s 6’7” but plays small, the beat drops, they say “67,” and that’s it. No meaning. Welcome to Gen Alpha.
$12.99 per month
That’s the new price of Apple TV+, up from $9.99. If you’re already subscribed, you’ll see the price change 30 days after your next renewal date. Some good news? Yearly TV+ subscriptions and the Apple One services bundle aren’t changing. At least not yet. Enjoy it while it lasts.
WHAT THE TECH?
Image: Natural State Drone Solutions
🐾 Up, pup and away
Most drone pilots are just chasing the views, this one saved a life. Four days after a dachshund went missing, a drone operator spotted the pup right as a coyote was making its move.
In a Hollywood-worthy moment, he dove the drone and blasted the coyote with prop wash, forcing it to drop the dog. The drone hovered above like a high-tech guardian angel while the rescue crew rushed in.
One happy ending, one rattled coyote and one dachshund probably still wondering what flying mechanical banshee yelled, “Not on my watch-dog!”
LOGGING OUT …
Answer: A) A cigarette pack. Jobs wanted the iPod to fit in your pocket like a pack of smokes, but hold 1,000 songs. (Proof that even brilliant ideas sometimes start with questionable health decisions.)
Fun fact: The original iPod, launched in 2001, cost $399 and could store, get this, 5GB of music. That’s around 1,000 songs, just as Jobs promised.
I remember putting hymns on my iPod. I called it my praylist. 🙏🏻
✍️ Want to get to the point faster? These 6 free guides from Axios teach you how to write with power, punch and zero fluff. If you’re tired of TL;DR replies, this is for you. Download the free Smart Brevity toolkit now. Sweet.
This isn’t just any newsletter. It’s the #1 tech newsletter in the U.S. Tomorrow, I’m exposing Amazon’s top secret outlet.
✌️ Now, be sure to rate this newsletter below and leave me a nice comment. Then, go look in the mirror and remind yourself not only are you good-looking, you’re ahead of the curve. — Kim
📣 Don’t keep me a secret: Share this email with friends (or copy URL here)
Photo credit(s): ChatGPT, Natural State Drone Solutions
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This newsletter and its content are intended for informational purposes only. They are provided without warranty of any kind. You shouldn’t construe anything provided here as legal, health, medical, technical, tax, investment, financial or any other kind of advice.
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