Whisker's latest smart litter box uses cameras and artificial intelligence to identify which cat is using it and track each pet's bathroom habits for signs of health problems. For cat owners, this means you could catch urinary infections, kidney disease, or other issues early by noticing changes in your cat's litter box visits—something that's hard to spot manually, especially with multiple cats. Worth knowing: the facial recognition isn't perfect yet (the company itself admits the cats occasionally confuse it), so treat its health alerts as helpful hints rather than medical diagnoses, and always confirm concerns with your vet.
# Smartphone Photos May Soon Help Spot Heart Disease Risk
Researchers have discovered that smartphone cameras can analyze your body shape from photos to predict whether you're at risk for heart problems and diabetes, sometimes better than the traditional BMI measurement we've all heard about. Your actual body composition—where you carry fat and muscle—matters more for health than just your overall weight, and a simple photo might capture this information in ways a scale cannot. Worth knowing: if your doctor mentions this technology in future health appointments, it's worth asking how a photo-based assessment differs from traditional measurements, since these tools are still being refined before wider use.
When you chat with AI tools like ChatGPT or Google's systems, the companies behind them are collecting more than just your words — they're gathering information about what websites you visit, what you search for, and the personal concerns you share, all to build a more detailed picture of who you are. This matters because these companies could use everything they learn about you to personalize what you see, target ads to your vulnerabilities, or even persuade you to buy things, yet there are few rules today controlling how they do this. Worth knowing: before sharing sensitive details about your health, finances, or relationships with any chatbot, check the privacy settings first — most of these services now let you opt out of having your data used to train their systems or see if a "memory" feature is switched on.
# Summary: When a Child's Robot Friend Changes
A 10-year-old boy named Xander has grown up alongside Moxie, a small blue robot designed to be his interactive companion, and over six years their relationship has naturally evolved—from Moxie teaching him breathing techniques for anxiety to now just chatting about his favorite video games and toys. For children who are neurodivergent or struggle with human connection, these AI robots can provide a consistent, judgment-free presence to talk to, which matters because loneliness and social anxiety are real challenges many young people face. Worth knowing: if you have grandchildren using these devices, you might ask their parents whether the robot's features are still helping the child learn and grow, or whether it's simply replacing human interaction—a balance worth watching over time.
A McDonald's restaurant was losing thousands of dollars each month because employees weren't showing up for their shifts, often due to problems like missing a bus or needing last-minute childcare. The restaurant started using an app that quickly helps workers solve these day-to-day problems—arranging rides, getting a meal, or finding childcare—which dramatically reduced no-shows and saved the business money. Worth knowing: if you have family members working in service jobs, similar apps are becoming common tools that make their schedules more reliable and their work lives easier.
Anthropic, the company behind Claude, has created an invisible watermark that automatically marks anything Claude writes—kind of like a hidden signature that proves it came from AI rather than a human. This matters because as AI writing becomes more convincing, it's increasingly hard to tell whether something was written by a person or a machine, which affects everything from spotting misinformation to understanding what your grandchildren might be reading online. You can look for this watermark if you're ever uncertain about whether text is AI-generated, though you'll likely need a special tool to detect it—so ask your tech-savvy friends if they know how to check for it.
# Protecting Your Android Phone from Theft
Google has quietly built anti-theft tools right into Android phones that can help stop thieves from accessing your personal information and accounts. For anyone over 50 who keeps important photos, banking details, and contacts on their phone, these built-in protections mean you're safer without needing to buy extra security software. Worth knowing: check your phone's settings under "Security" or "Google Account" to make sure theft-detection features are turned on—it takes just a few minutes and could save you real headaches if your phone goes missing.
# Do You Really Need Antivirus on Your Android?
Modern Android phones come with strong built-in protection from Google, so most people don't actually need to install a separate antivirus app. If you stick to downloading apps from the official Google Play Store and avoid suspicious links or emails, your phone handles security quite well on its own. Worth knowing: only consider adding extra antivirus software if you frequently download files from less trustworthy sources or if someone in your household is particularly vulnerable to clicking on harmful links.
Old CRT televisions were designed to work perfectly with the slightly blurry, lower-resolution graphics of retro games like Super Nintendo and PlayStation, so those games actually look sharper and more pleasing on them than on modern ultra-clear screens. Modern flat-screen TVs try to make everything crystal-clear, which can make old games look jagged or pixelated in ways they were never meant to be seen. If you have old game consoles gathering dust, you might enjoy hunting down a used CRT TV at a thrift store—they're inexpensive and can bring those childhood games back to life exactly as you remember them.
# You Might Want to Skip Newegg's GPU Trade-In Program
Newegg is offering a trade-in program that lets you swap your old graphics card for credit toward a new one, but the trade-in values they're offering are significantly lower than what you'd get selling the card yourself online. If you're looking to upgrade your computer's graphics capability, you'll likely save money by selling your current card through Facebook Marketplace or eBay before buying a new one. Worth knowing: before using any trade-in program, check what your card is worth on resale sites so you can compare the actual money in your pocket.
When you plug your phone into your car's dashboard system, iPhones and Android phones offer different apps and features—Apple CarPlay works seamlessly with iPhones, while Android Auto does the same for Android devices, and each one limits you to using apps designed specifically for driving. The system you get depends entirely on which phone you already own, so it's worth knowing that switching between them means adjusting to a different set of navigation, messaging, and music apps in your vehicle. Ask your car dealer or check your vehicle's manual to see which system your car supports, since some newer cars now offer both options or even Google's newer alternative, Android Automotive, which works differently from Android Auto.
Apple's latest upgrade program lets you pay a monthly fee to use an iPhone rather than buying one outright, and they've made it more affordable than in the past. For people who like having the newest phone without a big upfront cost or the hassle of selling an old one, this could be a practical choice. Worth knowing: compare the total you'd pay over two years with the cost of simply buying a phone outright, as leasing works better for some people than others.
