The world is spinning fast. Big Tech is under fire. Again. Gen Z isn’t just scrolling; they’re building festivals to rage against the algorithmic grip of Silicon Valley. It’s called a Luddite festival now, and honestly, the name fits better than most tech jargon.
Meanwhile, Apple has buried a feature in iOS. It was designed for cognitive support. But? It’s the best setup for turning an iPhone into a kid-proof dumb phone. Nobody talks about it. Not even Apple.
And because you probably can’t look away from the screen right now—here’s everything else you missed this week.
NASA’s Visual Archives Are Wide Open
NASA posts its best space photos publicly. All of them. Stars. Planets. Moons. Galaxies. Most are free to use and share without a license fee.
Go find them. Stop paying stock photo sites for images you could pull straight from the source.
“Decades of incredible images… most of which are free to share.”
Apple’s “Dumb” Phone Mode Is Actually Genius
I discovered it by accident. It’s meant to help users with cognitive disabilities limit app usage. But it strips an iPhone down to bare basics. Calls. Texts. Maybe Maps. No TikTok. No endless scroll.
It’s the perfect kids’ phone setup. And it’s right there, hidden in the accessibility settings. Why isn’t Apple marketing this to parents? Probably because selling lock screens isn’t as sexy as selling ecosystems.
Privacy Failures and Hardware Hikes
Apple’s Hide My Email feature isn’t actually hiding much. The privacy shield is leakier than expected.
And your wallet is bleeding for different reasons. AI demand has created a chip shortage. Real demand, not the artificial kind. Prices for phones, gaming consoles, and laptops are skyrocketing. They were high. Now they’re just… higher. Again.
“AI-driven chip shortage… prices sky-high.”
Health Checks: Preservatives and Pouches
Bad news for the junk food aisle. A large-scale study links common preservatives in processed foods to high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease.
So your snacks aren’t just boring. They might be damaging your heart.
On the tobacco front, the FDA ruled ZYN pouches are “safer” than cigarettes. Safer. Not safe. They’re advertising it as a harm reduction tool for adults. But let’s be clear. Quitting nicotine entirely? That’s still the only move that matters.
Science & Nature Updates
A new axolotl fossil was found in Mexico. Ambystoma quetzalcoalatli. It’s the first fossil salamander formally identified there. Axolotls have been hanging around that part of the world for millions of years. They’ve got history.
Three nuclear startups claim they’ve hit a milestone. Reactor designs are coming online for the Fourth of July celebrations. Sounds exciting. Probably is. But meaningful scale? That’s years away. Maybe decades. The gap between a demo and grid power is massive.
Work Life & Weird Errors
Google DeepMind’s union talks started rocky. Employees say execs aren’t engaging. Really? With everything else going on, they still think they can ignore the room?
Elsewhere, Scattered Spider hacks continue. One alleged member got extradited. Dozens of license plate readers recorded errors—misidentifying cars in a way that made officials sweat. And Indian officials are worried about WhatsApp rolling out usernames. Surveillance concerns. Always the surveillance.
Gear You Might Actually Need
If you’re escaping the cubicle, maybe actually go somewhere.
- Ultralight Quilts : Skip the sleeping bag. Save weight.
- Mattress Deals : Fourth of July sales are real. WIRED reviewers sleep on the hybrids and latex beds listed. They actually recommend them.
The end.
Sort of.
