If your child has their own Android device, you no longer need to worry about loaning them your credit card or keeping cash on hand for purchases when you’re not present. Kids can now use Google Wallet for tap-to-pay—with some parental oversight, of course, so they can’t get into too much financial trouble without you knowing.
Google teased this feature last fall and in February announced its inclusion in an anticipated update to Google Family Link. Google Wallet and tap-to-pay for kids is now live and available to families in the United State, United Kingdom, Australia, Spain, and Poland.
Kids can use tap to pay when checking out in stores that accept Google Pay or contactless payments. They must have a supervised Google Account and an NFC-enabled Android device (or a tethered Wear OS watch) with the Google Wallet app and screen lock enabled.
Importantly, kids cannot use Google Wallet for online or in-app purchases or for Google services, such as Play and YouTube. While there are no additional spending controls, you’ll get an email every time there’s a successful transaction, so you can keep an eye on payments. Transaction history is also available in the Family Link app.
Kids can also store passes, such as loyalty cards, gift cards, boarding passes, and event tickets, in Google Wallet. These can be added without parental approval, and you won’t be notified if and when they are used.
To add a payment card to your child’s Google Wallet, open the Wallet app on their phone and tap Add to Wallet > New credit or debit card, then hit More > Next after reading the prompt. You’ll need sign into your Google account, after which you can snap a photo of the card or enter the information manually. You’ll also need to accept both Google’s and the card issuer’s terms to proceed, and you may be prompted to verify the payment method with a code sent via email or text or by calling or logging into your bank app.
Parents can also remove cards from Google Wallet, either from a specific device or via Family Link. Open Family Link, select your child’s account, and go to Controls > Wallet > Payment methods and transactions. Then select the card and tap Remove > Remove. You cannot remove other types of passes from your child’s wallet unless you block access to passes entirely in your Family Link settings.
Note that your child must be the cardholder or an authorized user for cards added to Google Wallet.
A federal judge yesterday issued a temporary restraining order blocking DOGE’s access to Social Security Administration records, saying the DOGE agency created by President Donald Trump “is essentially engaged in a fishing expedition at SSA, in search of a fraud epidemic, based on little more than suspicion.”
Plaintiffs are likely to win their case alleging that DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) and other government defendants are violating the Privacy Act and the Administrative Procedure Act, said a ruling by US District Judge Ellen Lipton Hollander in the District of Maryland. Social Security officials “provided members of the SSA DOGE Team with unbridled access to the personal and private data of millions of Americans, including but not limited to Social Security numbers, medical records, mental health records, hospitalization records, drivers’ license numbers, bank and credit card information, tax information, income history, work history, birth and marriage certificates, and home and work addresses,” Hollander wrote.
Trump and Musk have claimed there is widespread Social Security fraud, with Musk calling it “the biggest Ponzi scheme of all time.” But there’s no evidence to justify the DOGE access purportedly needed to root out fraud, Hollander wrote:
Amazon may have found the proverbial M’s for its stewardship for James Bond in the form of production royalty Amy Pascal and David Heyman.
The cryptocurrency “mixer” Tornado Cash is no longer blacklisted.
There was a time when we all had dedicated alarm clocks on our nightstands to wake us up in the morning. Now, I’d wager a smartphone does the job for most of us (whether we like it or not).
The thing about alarms, though: They kind of need to work every time they’re scheduled to go off. There’s no acceptable percentage of failure, as, presumably, you’re setting that alarm at a specific time for a good reason. You might have work, an interview, an appointment, any number of other important obligations, and not all of them are going to tolerate “my alarm didn’t go off” as an excuse. So, alarms need to work, and right now, alarms set on a Google Pixel can’t be trusted.
Something screwy is going on with Pixel alarms, as evidenced by this Reddit thread on r/GooglePixel. One user shared that their alarm on their Pixel 9 did not go off that morning, which caused them to be late to work. This wasn’t a one-off alarm, either (not that it would make the situation any better if it was); rather, this was the user’s prescheduled Monday-through-Friday alarm that had been working for years, according to the poster.
Scrolling through the thread, you’ll find posts from other users experiencing similar alarm issues. Some actually received notifications from Android saying the alarm failed to sound, which is at least a bit helpful. (You don’t have to spending the day wondering if it was your phone that messed up, or if you turned off the alarm in your sleep.) However, not all affected users were so lucky: Another user claims they have five alarms set each morning and none of them went off, with zero notification about a failure on Android’s end. Curiously, one user says they woke up late, but their Pixel said there was an upcoming alarm for a time that was already in the past—as if the phone thought it was currently earlier than it actually was.
It’s possible this isn’t just affecting Pixel phones, either. One commenter believes this is an issue with the alarms in Google’s Clock app on Android 15, which the user experienced on their OnePlus device. All that said, Android Authority hasn’t been able to replicate the issue on their end, so it’s possible this isn’t an issue affecting all Pixel phones or all Google Clock users. Still, there are enough reports to warrant some concern.
It’s not clear what’s causing this specific issue, but it’s not the first time smartphones have had trouble with alarms. Last year, Google acknowledged a bug was deleting saved alarms on Android, causing a similar issue. You may have also experienced problems with Google Assistant being too quick to turn off an alarm too, or your Pixel Watch sounding the alarm too early—or, worse, too late.
Before any Apple fans get too smug, the same complications are present over on iOS. Last year, Apple confirmed there were issues with its iPhone’s alarms, as users reported their alarms weren’t going off. Some even say issues are still occurring.
The short answer is there’s likely a bug that’s causing Pixel or Google Clock to not sound the alarms you set. Google hasn’t publicly commented on this issue as of this writing, but the Reddit poster did say Google Support has reached out to them. If this is a bug, hopefully Google patches it fast.
While we wait for a potential fix from Google, it seems safe to say the Google Clock app isn’t the best option at the moment for anyone who wants to be sure they’ll wake up on time. Luckily, there are a surprising number of alarm clock apps out there for you to switch to if you don’t trust Google’s built-in solution. Give one a shot, at least until we get some more clarity from Google about the situation.
Alternatively, you could rely on a different device entirely for your morning alarms. If you don’t have a true alarm clock these days, you might have another piece of tech that isn’t running Google Clock to rely on, like, say, a smart speaker. It’s definitely a pain though, seeing as setting alarms are a basic feature you expect a smartphone to be able to handle.
The U.S. Treasury Department’s sanctions watchdog removed cryptocurrency mixing tool Tornado Cash from its global blacklist on Friday, following a federal appeals court ruling last November that the Office of Foreign Asset Control couldn’t sanction its smart contracts. Despite the delisting of over 100 Ethereum addresses from the Specially Designated Nationals list, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent emphasized continuing concerns about North Korea’s digital asset theft operations.
“We remain deeply concerned about the significant state-sponsored hacking and money laundering campaign aimed at stealing, acquiring, and deploying digital assets for the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea,” Treasury stated. Roman Storm, Tornado Cash co-founder, still faces a July criminal trial for his alleged development role. A Treasury court filing Monday had warned that completely lifting sanctions could have “significantly disruptive consequences for national security.”
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
The famous ape reportedly knew thousands of words, loved Clint Eastwood movies, and was a big fan of video games.
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If you’re looking for tools to up your DIY game, you’ve probably noticed that they can be expensive. Buying new tools to expand a set or replace worn-out ones adds up quickly, but having the right tool for the project you’re working on can cut your work time in half and get you better results. DeWalt tools are on sale right now on Amazon for up to 57% off, so you can build out your toolkit without spending your whole DIY budget.
If you’re building out a new set of cordless tools, a combo set is a good way to get started. Sets will come with the chargers and batteries you need to run your tools, along with the tools themselves. These sets are on sale to make starting a cordless tool set cheaper.
The DeWalt 20-volt drill and driver combo set is on sale for $124.00, 48% off its regular price. The set includes a 20-volt drill, a 20-volt, quarter-inch impact driver, two 1.5-amp batteries, a 20-volt charger, and a tool bag. This is a good starter kit for doing beginner DIY projects like hanging shelves or mounting a TV on the wall.
The DeWalt 20-volt 9-tool set comes with a 20-volt drill, a 20-volt impact driver, a 6-½ inch circular saw, a reciprocating saw, a 4-½ inch angle grinder, an oscillating tool, a ⅜ inch right angle drill/driver, a work light, a Bluetooth speaker, two 20-volt, 2-amp-hour batteries, a 20-volt charger, and two tool bags. It’s on sale for $599.99, 37% off its regular price. This kit is a good foundation for a robust DIY tool set, but it only comes with two batteries, so if you plan to use multiple tools at a time, you might consider getting one or two more batteries and an extra charger so you can keep going while your spare batteries charge.
If you already have a DeWalt cordless tool set, you can still get a good deal on expanding your kit. Tool-only deals are great if you already have batteries and chargers and need a specific tool since you likely don’t need more batteries or chargers to use it.
The DeWalt 20-volt, hand-held flashlight/work light is on sale for $35.84, 57% off its typical price. The flashlight is small, but you can also use the ring at the top to hang it and use it as a work light.
The DeWalt 20-volt, 6 ½ inch circular saw is on sale for $99, 38% off its usual price. The saw comes with one fast-cut wood blade included, but no battery.
The DeWalt 20-volt, 4 ½ inch angle grinder is on sale for $121.25, 45% off its typical price. It comes with a side handle, but no grinder wheel, so you’ll need to pick out an appropriate wheel or blade to use it.
The DeWalt 20-volt reciprocating saw is on sale for $119.99, 50% off its regular price. It doesn’t come with blades or batteries, so you’ll need those to use your saw.
The DeWalt 20-volt, 18GA narrow-crown stapler is on sale for $224.95, 47% off its usual price. This tool can drive staples without the need for a pneumatic air tank.
The DeWalt self-leveling laser is on sale for $166.99, 37% off its typical price. It has a 100-foot throw and can be used for leveling decking, shelves, drywall, grading gravels, and plumbing posts.
If you already have a DeWalt set and you need bits or to replace or expand your batteries, there are some good deals on these tools as well. Having the right bits and adapter can help you get your DIY projects finished without so many trips to the hardware store.
The DeWalt 40-piece impact bit set is on sale for $24.53, $39% off its regular price. This set includes several driver tip types, a bit extender for hard-to-reach spots, and a quarter-inch adapter for sockets.
A set of two DeWalt 20-volt, 5-amp-hour Powerstack batteries is on sale for $187.49, 46% off its regular price. These batteries are lighter and smaller than traditional lithium-ion batteries, so they can be helpful on longer jobs where you need to use your tools for several hours.
About five years ago, the Trump-appointed administrator of NASA, Jim Bridenstine, revealed the name of the program that would return humans to the Moon. It was to be Artemis, from a Greek goddess who was the twin sister of Apollo.
The symbolism was clear. NASA’s second human program to the Moon would be different: We were going to stay this time, there would be more international partnership, and instead of being all-male, the crews would include women. Shortly thereafter, NASA began to refer to Artemis as a program that would land the “first woman” on the Moon. Soon, an additional bit of diversity was added: “and the first person of color.”
One of the very last acts of the first Trump administration in regard to space was to name a cadre of astronauts that would fly as part of the Artemis Program. This subset of 18 people within NASA’s corps of four dozen active astronauts skewed significantly more female and minority than the general corps.
The field uncovered the social security numbers of secret agents and the previously unknown details about the CIA’s illegal domestic spying operation.
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The kitchen tends to be the heart of the home—it’s where we gather to share meals, nibble on snacks, and talk about our day. It’s also a pretty dangerous place. Aside from open flames, slippery floors, and flammable gas that is literally pumped into our homes, the innocuous little appliances that crowd our countertops can also represent real dangers.
More than 150,000 people head to their local emergency room every year after an accident involving a household appliance of some sort. Small appliances might seem safe enough sitting on your kitchen counters, but they can be extremely dangerous if defective, misused, or placed in the wrong spot. Aside from the danger of hurting yourself, a misplaced countertop appliance can actually damage your home, as well. Here’s what you need to think about when you’re deciding where to place everything in your kitchen.
If you want your kitchen to be as safe as possible, there are a few basic safety rules that apply to any countertop appliance:
Keep stuff away from water. Don’t operate any electric appliances near sinks, pot-fillers, or any other sources of running water. This protects against electrical dangers and keeps the dangerous bacteria growing in your average sink from infiltrating your food.
Plug into ground-fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs). All your kitchen appliances should be plugged into GFCIs. Before 2023 only appliances located near water sources were required to be plugged into GFCIs, but the National Electrical Code was changed to include any kitchen appliance. These special outlets are designed to cut off to prevent electric shock, and using them reduces the chances that your countertop appliance will hurt you or damage your home.
Never use extension cords. Even if the cord is plugged into a GFCI outlet, it’s a bad idea. Many countertop appliances like air fryers or microwaves pull a lot of juice, and can melt most standard home-use extension cords, leading to serious fire danger.
Keep away from the stove. You shouldn’t place any countertop appliance near (or, lord help us, on) your stove. The heat and open flames can melt power cords, increasing the risk of a fire or other accident.
Keep away from the edge. If your countertop is crowded and something has to sit right on the outer edge, it’s time for a reorganization. Having any appliance right near the edge of the counter is just an invitation to disaster.
While these rules apply to any appliance, there are specific placement considerations for several countertop appliances.
The heating element in a toaster oven can reach 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit, and some toaster ovens can heat up to 600 degrees under specific settings. That’s pretty hot, and while even the cheapest toaster has some built-in safety features, placement matters. Never place a toaster or toaster oven on anything flammable, like a towel. If you’re concerned about your countertop being damaged from the heat (though most toasters and toaster ovens are designed to be placed safely on standard countertop materials, even wood), you can place it on a nonflammable surface like a silicone mat or even a piece of stone tile.
You should also never put anything on top of your toaster oven (or toaster). Yes, it’s taking up valuable counter space, but whatever you put on top could potentially be damaged from the heat, or even catch fire.
You might think that your humble coffee maker is pretty safe, but it might be doing long-term damage to your kitchen cabinets and walls because of one by-product of the coffee-making process: Steam. That hot, moist stuff drifts up and if it regularly interacts with your cabinets, it can cause a lot of damage, warping and staining wood and discoloring other materials. Since the most affected area will be under the cabinets, you can cause a lot of damage before it’s easily noticeable.
Always place your coffee maker away from the upper cabinets when you use it, and make sure your kitchen always has robust ventilation, especially when using any heat- or moisture-producing appliances.
Aside from being a time bomb if misused, pressure cookers pose the same steam threat as coffee makers: As they work, they emit steam, and continuous exposure to that steam can damage your cabinetry and walls. You can try aiming the pressure valve away from the cabinets, and you can buy steam diverters that redirect the steam. But your best bet is to operate the pressure cooker away from your cabinets.
Air fryers are very popular, and just like the other appliances on this list, they can damage your walls or cabinets with superheated fumes. Aside from the damage that steam can do, they can also scorch walls and cabinets if placed too close or with insufficient ventilation, so always place them with plenty of space around them.
Air fryers also get pretty hot, so just like toaster ovens, you shouldn’t place them on top of towels or anything else that could conceivably catch fire.
Slow cookers pose the same steam dangers as pressure cookers, but can be even more damaging because of the “slow” part. While occasional use of a pressure cooker or other steamy appliance probably won’t destroy a cabinet or stain a wall, occasional use of a slow cooker is more likely to because of the duration of operation.
It’s best to place your slow cooker away from the walls and cabinets, and never place it on or near anything flammable. And because of the duration of use, you should place your slow cooker on a metal trivet or heat-resistant mat to protect the surface underneath.
Based on the iconic Disney IP now in the public domain, Screamboat stars Terrifier‘s David Howard Thornton and opens April 2.
The
The billionaire was supposed to originally get briefed on top secret war plans with China.
The company is waiting on a vote that would turn Starbase into its own city.
Today, it emerged that Boeing has won its bid to supply the United States Air Force with its next jet fighter. As with the last fighter aircraft design procurement in recent times, the Department of Defense was faced with a choice between awarding Boeing or Lockheed the contract for the Next Generation Air Dominance program, which will replace the Lockheed F-22 Raptor sometime in the 2030s.
Very little is known about the NGAD, which the Air Force actually refers to as a “family of systems,” as its goal of owning the skies requires more than just a fancy airplane. The program has been underway for a decade, and a prototype designed by the Air Force first flew in 2020, breaking records in the process (although what records and by how much was not disclosed).
Last summer, the Pentagon paused the program as it reevaluated whether the NGAD would still meet its needs and whether it could afford to pay for the plane, as well as a new bomber, a new early warning aircraft, a new trainer, and a new ICBM, all at the same time. But in late December, it concluded that, yes, a crewed replacement for the F-22 was in the national interest.
In May 2024, the website of ad-tech firm Kubient touted that the company was “a perfect blend” of ad veterans and developers, “committed to solving the growing problem of fraud” in digital ads. Like many corporate sites, it also linked old blog posts from its home page, including a May 2022 post on “How to create a world free of fraud: Kubient’s secret sauce.”
These days, Kubient’s website cannot be reached, the team is no more, and CEO Paul Roberts is due to serve one year and one day in prison, having pled guilty Thursday to creating his own small world of fraud. Roberts, according to federal prosecutors, schemed to create $1.3 million in fraudulent revenue statements to bolster Kubient’s initial public offering (IPO) and significantly oversold “KAI,” Kubient’s artificial intelligence tool.
The core of the case is an I-pay-you, you-pay-me gambit that Roberts initiated with an unnamed “Company-1,” according to prosecutors. Kubient and this firm would each bill the other for nearly identical amounts, with Kubient purportedly deploying KAI to find instances of ad fraud in the other company’s ad spend.
Microsoft has begun urging Windows 10 users to upgrade their systems ahead of the October 14, 2025 support deadline, but with a solution many find impractical: just buy a new computer. According to StatCounter data, 58.7% of Windows users remain on Windows 10 despite the impending end of security updates and technical assistance.
In emails to Windows 10 users, Microsoft’s primary recommendation is to trade in old devices for newer Windows 11-compatible hardware, rather than focusing on alternative solutions.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
