December's Digital Life: The Gift of Time You Didn’t Know You Needed
Keep up to date on curated AI, security, tips, tricks and more with The Digital Life!
Happy December, everyone! As we close out another trip around the sun, it’s the perfect time to reflect, reset, and reclaim some of the creativity and connection we might have lost along the way.
In this issue:
The Big Think: Why the best gift this season is time.
2024’s Tech Hits & Misses: The hits, flops, and lessons learned in tech this year.
Security Spotlight: Surviving scam season with smart tools like passkeys and an AI-powered “granny” on your side.
Blast from the Past: Relive the first SMS text and Myspace-era YouTube relics.
Plus FREE Resources and The Bonus Round!
Let’s make this December about thoughtful resets and bold aspirations. Reach out if we can help you navigate the digital maze and enter 2025 stronger, smarter, and more inspired! We guarantee we’ll get you some time in your life back!
The Big Think - The Best Gift Isn’t Under the Tree
Let's get real: We're not human beings anymore. We're human doings - scrolling, clicking, producing content like some kind of dystopian productivity robot. Remember when your brain used to wander? When silence wasn't something to be immediately filled with a TikTok or a podcast? Welcome to the digital hamster wheel of 2024.
Imagine for a second that social media is a vampire, and we're voluntarily offering up our creativity, attention, and mental bandwidth as an all-you-can-consume buffet. Mind Prison's latest post The Catastrophe of Shiny Objects nails it: we've traded genuine thought for dopamine hits, and the currency is our own humanity.
The stats are brutal. A major psychological study just dropped, revealing something terrifying: we're becoming so afraid of standing out that we'd rather blend into the algorithmic wallpaper than risk an original thought. Governments are now talking about smartphone warning labels like they're cigarette packages. Spain is leading the charge, essentially saying, "These devices might be melting your brain." Oxford even crowned "brain rot" as the Word of the Year. Let that sink in.
Here's the plot twist: You can opt-out. This isn't about going full cave dweller. It's about reclaiming your mental real estate. Pro tip: You've got about 4,000 extra hours each year outside of work and sleep. Don't surrender those hours to mindless scrolling.
In the coming weeks, watch out for my end-of-year review - a raw, unfiltered look at how I’ve done this year and how I continue to redesign my relationship with technology. It’s been a long road, we’ve been dating since the 80’s 😂
This holiday season, give yourself the gift of an hour—no phone, no notifications, just you and your thoughts. Embrace the discomfort of boredom, and discover the creativity waiting on the other side.
Stay human. Stay curious.
Additional Context
Huge study reveals striking decline in the desire to stand out and be unique: https://www.psypost.org/huge-study-reveals-striking-decline-in-the-desire-to-stand-out-and-be-unique/
Smartphones in Spain should carry health warning, says government panel: https://thenextweb.com/news/smartphones-in-spain-should-carry-health-warning
Oxford Dictionary word of the year 2024: https://corp.oup.com/word-of-the-year/
2024's Tech Hits & Misses
We were first in line to crown Humane's AI Pin as the next big thing—turns out, we were wearing some seriously rose-tinted tech glasses. Presenting 2024's most spectacular tech triumphs and face-plants. Spoiler alert: Innovation is messy, hilarious, and never boring. 🚀🤖
Security Spotlight: Scam Season Survival Guide
‘Tis the season for digital Grinches - and they're not just stealing Christmas, they're after your data. Phishing emails fill your inbox alongside online shopping deals, with scammers cooking up more creative tricks than your aunt's fruitcake recipe. 😂
Secret weapons follow below: Passkeys are about to turn the tables on these cybercriminals. Think of them as a digital bouncer for your online life. Also, check out a recent Apple ID scam and our Pro Tip: The BBB's Scam Survival Toolkit - your new best friend (other than us) if you get into trouble.
Never fear, you’re not alone in the scam fight! Check out this funny take on how companies are stepping in to help, like an AI-powered "granny" keeping scammers on the line - LOL 😂
Blast from the past
Where were you in 1992? I was probably sitting in high school algebra, but hey, I was rocking a bag phone in the car!
That was also the year the first-ever SMS text message was sent - who knew "Merry Christmas" would kick off a whole new way to communicate?
Jumping ahead a bit, it’s crazy to think about how Myspace-era YouTube videos still linger today. Case in point: these relics from the discontinued “Share to YouTube” feature on early iPhones. Remember those? A quirky throwback to the early days of mobile social sharing!
Resources at the right price - FREE!
Unlock smarter ways to navigate your digital life! Our free resources page is packed with insights, from productivity hacks to security tips, all designed to simplify and enhance your tech experience.
The Bonus Round: Where the Curiosities Live
In this season of reflection and goodwill, take a moment to look forward with the wisdom of Arthur C. Clarke. In 1964, he famously predicted, "The only thing we can be sure of about the future is that it will be absolutely fantastic. So, if what I say now seems to you to be very reasonable, then I will have failed completely." Sixty years later, his words resonate as a reminder to dream big, embrace the unexpected, and move boldly into the future.