ROBO SHOPPING
Imagine a robot taking your credit card and running down the aisle to pick out everything you need. That’s virtually what Visa’s new “AI Ready Cards” can do with artificial intelligence.
With the new card, AI agents will make purchases for you even before you think of them. In fact, they’ll know you better than you know yourself. Got privacy concerns? Don’t opt in.
This has been creeping up on us for decades. Amazon already collects shopping data so it can suggest products and push ads your way. The AI Ready card is just one step further. With it, you needn’t lift a finger to get a steady stream of okay products coming to your door. For example, if you’re planning a big family reunion abroad, every purchase will be based on your budget, your past purchases, and a cross-examination of thousands of reviews, whether we’re talking tours or toilet paper.
But I wonder: How could I be so busy that I didn’t have time to shop? Actually, it just happened. In a few days, I’m making lunch for 30 people at the local women’s club, and with so many other projects going on, I ordered groceries from Amazon Fresh online. In the past, I’ve also used subscribe-and-save programs, which automate your purchases. But I usually cancel after the first few shipments. I hate it when orders pile up.
Smart refrigerators solve this problem by examining your shelves to find out what you’re low on. Maybe someday, AI will keep track of your kitchen cabinets and bathroom drawers too. But what happens when you break your routine? For example, if I used the free travel-sized toothpastes I get from my dentist, AI would still order the regular tubes, unless it checked with me first. Wouldn’t that defeat the whole purpose?
Cheapest Day to Fly
According to Google Flights, Tuesday is the cheapest day to fly, and Sunday is the most expensive. But timing is everything.
Google says you should book your flight between 21 and 52 days in advance. For international flights, it’s 50 to 101 days early. But everything depends on the season. For US travel in July or August, you should book it 13 to 43 days in advance. For more info, see the ZDnet article “When is the best time to book your flight?”
Lyft for Seniors
Perhaps my disabled friend will someday be able to hail a Lyft, rather than rely on a special bus that’s often late. The new Lyft Silver for seniors, part of the regular Lyft app, will offer accessible cars and human help.
Currently, Lyft Silver is only available in Boston, Miami, Tampa Bay, Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Washington, DC and seven cities in New Jersey. Hopefully, more cities will be coming soon. For now, if you’d like to order a Lyft or Uber by calling a human, try GoGo Grandparent. For a fee, it lets you order rides, prescriptions, groceries and meals by phone.
“Lyft Cash” is another new feature. It allows users to preload their accounts with cash at Walmart, Walgreens and 35,000 partner stores.
Free Movies
Amazon now offers lots of movies for free with ads. I found some good ones, such as “Manhattan Murder Mystery.”
To find more, go to JustWatch.com and do a search. When the results come up, look for an icon that says “Prime Video with Ads.” You don’t have to be a Prime member to watch. Then, when you want to find all the movies you’ve rented or purchased so far, go to Amazon, click the drop-down arrow under “Accounts & Lists,” and choose “Video Purchases and rentals.”
Recently, I rented “Grosse Pointe Blank” from Google because it was cheaper than Amazon and gave me 72 hours to watch, instead of the usual 48. I saw the first half on my TV but couldn’t find it the next day. So I watched it on my computer by going to play.google.com, clicking my picture in the top right, clicking “Library and devices,” and choosing “Movies and TV.” The third day I pressed the talk-to-your-TV button on the TV remote and asked for it. It told me that Google movies are now under the “Shop” tab at the top of my TV screen. Voilà. I found it.
While I was at it, I added the PBS app to my TV. To add it yourself, tap the button on your remote that lets you talk to your TV and say “PBS app.” PBS Passport is $5 a month, but it beats paying for cable TV, or having to add an antenna.
ChatGPT Versus Copilot
ChatGPT.com is more popular than Microsoft’s Copilot, but I like Copilot better. Here’s why. Every time I ask a question, it gives me an answer, then asks me a thoughtful follow-up question, just like a brilliant friend. It also says things like “Great question,” but only when I deserve it. The conversation is endless, if you wish.
Internuts
– “Driverless Trucks Hit Texas Highways.” Search on that phrase to find out how Aurora trucks use data from LiDAR, radar and cameras. They can operate 24/7, no rest breaks required.
–“MIT’s tiny hopping robot is designed to go places humans can’t.” Search on that phrase to see a robot with a spring like the kind in a clicky pen.