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Technology
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In today’s letter: A whole lot of Apple. But first ...
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Frequent Amazon shoppers may not realize the risks of operating on buy-button autopilot. Illustration: Emil Lendof/The Wall Street Journal; Photos: iStock
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You can truly find just about anything on Amazon these days. Unfortunately, in addition to finding that Lord Voldemort mask or a bag of live goldfish, you might also come across a $50 bottle of Tide.
I know, I know, it’s tempting to shop on Amazon autopilot: search -> Buy now with 1-click -> get on with your life. But unless you’re aware of all of the variables, that could end up causing you time or money.
Maybe you’re a shrewd shopper who’d never be fooled by above-market prices, but there are other aspects of Amazon shopping that require you to pay actual attention. For instance, when you search, the products that appear in your results can be there for a variety of reasons—from paid sponsorships to boosts from fake reviews. And “two-day shipping” doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll get the product in two days, even as a dues-paying Prime member. In fact, some non-Prime items ship faster than Prime items, and at no extra charge.
I wrestled with a lot of these issues—talking to customers, vendors, and of course Amazon itself—and pulled together some guidelines that might help you day to day. For starters, I’d like you to hear the story of Roy Arguello, and the ladder he wishes he’d never bought.
—Katie Bindley, Personal Tech Reporter
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New From David Pierce: Apple News+ Review
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Latest From Joanna Stern: Appl’s Kyboad Problm
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Joanna tries to empathize with Apple's so-called butterfly keyboard. Credit: Robert Alcaraz
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Stream Overflow: With Apple joining the likes of Hulu, Netflix and Amazon Prime in offering TV, consumers must decide how to spend their money and time in a saturated media landscape.
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House Hunt: Facebook was accused by the U.S. of violating fair housing laws by enabling real-estate companies to improperly limit who can view ads on the social network’s platform.
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Pay Up: Venmo is ratcheting up pressure on users the payments-services company says owe it money for transactions that went awry. But some users say Venmo is going after the wrong people.
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Deus Ex Machina: The 15th century had the printing press. Today, a handful of religious institutions are developing interactive machines to share doctrine and converse with the faithful.
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Please Call Again: Telecom regulators have levied hefty financial penalties against illegal robocallers and demanded that bad actors repay millions to their victims. But years later, little money has been collected.
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Episode 22: Apple News and Apple News Plus ... Plus Other Apple News
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David, Christopher and Joanna team up with our own Apple reporter Tripp Mickle to discuss the week's Apple news. Which was Apple News. Plus, a credit card, a videogame arcade and a promise—if not proof—of A-list original videos. Then, Joanna explains the trouble with the latest MacBook keyboard. David finishes with a palate cleanser: an interview with Cal Newport, author of “Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World.”
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Latest From Christopher Mims: Drone Delivery Becomes a Reality
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Credit: Aha
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Stand By for Even More Apple News
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Because the iPhone maker held an Oprah-powered special event.
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Photo: Reuters/Stephen lam
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Services, Services, Services: Apple unveiled products for entertainment, financial services, news and videogames as it vies with competitors also moving to expand their disruptive influence beyond their core businesses.
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Inconceivable! When Apple launched the iPod with iTunes, Steve Jobs fought efforts to make them accessible on rivals’ devices. Nearly two decades later, Apple is changing its philosophy.
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Values Play: Many companies boast about “social responsibility,” but few giant ones have infused progressive values so inextricably into their brands, Christopher Mims writes.
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• Amazon is planning a video news app for Fire TV (Information)
• Apple Store misdirections (Monday Note)
• Depressed and anxious? These videogames want to help (NYT)
• The day the dinosaurs died (New Yorker)
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🎥 Watch This: In the Elevator With ...
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Photo: Rob Alcaraz
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... Neil Blumenthal: Joanna Stern “bumped into” the Warby Parker co-founder and co-CEO in the WSJ elevator. She asked him about the eyewear brand’s retail strategy, shared management and a possible IPO.
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Reader Mailbag: Your Tech Questions
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This week, Personal Tech columnist Joanna Stern answers pressing tech questions. Got one of your own? Reply to this email or write to us at personaltech@wsj.com.
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Q:
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I’m unsure if I have the keyboard problem you describe in your column. I have constant issues with my emails being mistyped on my 2018 MacBook Air. I just assumed there was an issue with autocorrect but do you think there’s something else going on?—Holly Roe from New York City
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A:
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A couple of clear signs that the butterfly keyboard on your new Mac laptop has a problem: a letter repeats when you press just once on the key or your keystroke isn’t registered at all. If you’re still unsure, open an app that doesn’t support autocorrect (a Google document or Word document works), press on the key that’s been acting up, then hit return and repeat this process 10 times or so.
On my MacBook Air, about one out of every eight times the E repeats. Based on my many interviews with others,the E, R, T and space bar seem to be most commonly affected keys.
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Q:
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I’m fascinated by how creative people start each day. What’s your morning routine? Do you use any smart home devices to help automate your process?—Thread Lamont from Bay City, Mich.
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A:
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I wake up around 7 a.m. to the sound of my son singing “E-I-E-I-O!” I turn on the lights (manually) and brush my teeth (with a non-Bluetooth toothbrush), but I do ask Alexa the weather before getting dressed. Then I walk and feed Browser, my dog. All of this is done pretty much half asleep.
On my walk to the train, I stop to get an iced (no matter what the weather) coffee. The rest of the 10- to 15-minute walk is one of the best parts of my day: I think about what I want to accomplish and often get a spark of an idea about a new project or a way to make a current project better. I do some of my best thinking when walking, working out or showering.
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Q:
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I watched your video this week featuring a real butterfly. Are you sure it wasn’t a moth?—John Falconer from San Diego
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A:
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It isn’t a moth. It is a painted lady butterfly. Some seem to confuse it for a moth because of how the butterfly is resting with its wings open. The wings were open much of the time because it was eating and warm. Also, it’s antennas weren’t feathery like a moth’s. When we promise butterflies here at The Wall Street Journal, we mean butterflies.
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Note: Questions are edited for clarity and length.
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PHOTO: DAVID PAUL MORRIS/BLOOMBERG NEWS
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We want to know what you think! Reply to this email and share your feedback.
Brought to you by personal tech editor Wilson Rothman and deputy tech editor Brian Fitzgerald. You can email us at wilson.rothman@wsj.com and fitzy@wsj.com or find us on Twitter: @wjrothman and @BryFitz.
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