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Here’s a non-exhaustive list of things that, as recently as seven years ago, we could reliably do without a smartphone:

• Read a restaurant menu while seated inside, and pay your check.
• Enter a concert or sporting event.
• Use a parking garage or park your car on the street.
• Receive packages or retrieve purchases.
• Complete the sign-in process for work, banking, or government services.
• Attend school events or communicate with your kid’s school.
• Access healthcare and other kinds of appointments.
• Take public transit.
• Get a taxi.
• Get into a gym or fitness class.

I’ve been thinking about this drift toward mandatory apps and QR codes a lot lately, as a new millennial parent unhappy with my addictive tendency to mindlessly scroll near my baby. I also know that, parent or not, the research on ways that heavy smartphone use negatively affects our own well-being, attention spans, and relationships has become near-impossible to ignore. And people don’t need meta-analyses to be convinced: It’s why so many are turning to tools and hacks that aim to help us limit our phone use, or at least time spent scrolling on certain apps. It’s also why we’re seeing a wave of new clubs and social events that are proudly phone free.

I think these “digital detoxes” are encouraging, and I’ve been researching so-called dumb phones myself. But none of these trends will really matter if we’re continually forced into a world of apps for every element of daily life.

Read the rest of the story at Vox

A few of the most interesting and important things in the news this week:

• Apple announces products. At its annual event, Apple announced a folding iPhone that costs $2,000 as well as the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, both of which cost more than they did last year. The two new Apple Watch models aren’t as exciting as Apple’s new Health app, which is free for iPhone users. Perhaps nothing was as exciting as the new AirPods 5, which are both cheaper and better than the old AirPods.
• OpenAI solves math problem. The makers of ChatGPT says it solved one of math’s so-called Millenium Problems: the Navier-Stokes existence and smoothness problem, which deals with the movement of liquids. An NYU professor had been trying to solve the problem himself for quite some time and alleges OpenAI stole his work and then took credit for the proof. 
• Meta launches personal AI agent. Say hello to Muse, an agentic AI assistant trained on all your Facebook and Instagram data. The company says the app is good at handling “busywork,” like online shopping, emailing, and trip planning. Early tests reveal that Muse knows an awful lot about you.
• Anthropic blocked biological weapon research. Oh, no. And did you know that AI can design viruses now?

And a few great stories from my colleagues at Vox:

• My students think it’s fine to cheat with AI. Maybe they’re onto something. To save the humanities, we need to rethink our assumptions about AI — and education.
• An elegant fix for one of America’s deadliest road problems. Highways weren’t built for animals. That’s starting to change.
• How — and why — to tell your doctor you’re feeling depressed. Your doctor can be your mental health ally. Here’s how to talk about it.

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