We're a couple of days into 2025 and the COLA increase has officially gone into effect. Social Security (retirement and survivors) recipients will now see a 2.5% increase in their next check and throughout the year. The COLA increase also extends to Supplemental Security Income and Social Security Disability insurance recipients. If you're not sure when you can expect your check, we have you covered below.If you're still waiting on your check from December, check outwhat you should do if your Social Security payment is missing.Read on to find out if you should expect to receive your check, and how your payment date is determined by the Social Security Administration. Plus, we'll cover other government benefit payment dates. For more, don't miss the Social Security and SSDI cheat sheet.When will I get my Social Security check?Want to know which day of the month you'll get your check? Here's the Social Security and SSDI payment schedule for January.Social Security payment schedule for January 2025 You've received Social Security before May 1997 Jan. 3If your birthday falls between the 1st and 10th of any given month Jan. 8If your birthday falls between the 11th and 20th of any given month Jan. 15If your birthday falls between the 21st and 31st of any given month Jan. 22 How is my Social Security payment date determined?Social Security payments are typically paid out starting on the 2nd Wednesday of the month. The remaining two payments will be paid out on the following two Wednesdays of the month. Which week you receive your payment depends on your birthdate. There is one big exception, which I'll cover below. Smart Money Advice on the Topics That Matter to You CNET Money brings financial insights, trends and news to your inbox every Wednesday. Birthdate between:Social Security check date 1st and the 10th 2nd Wednesday of the month11th and the 20th 3rd Wednesday of the month21st and 31st 4th Wednesday of the month Will I receive my other government benefits on the same day?If you've received Social Security benefits before May 1997, or receive both Social Security and Supplemental Security Income, your payment schedule isn't determined by your birthdate. Instead, payments are paid out every month on the same date with a couple of exceptions that I'll explain below.Social Security payments will be sent out on the 3rd of each month, while SSI payments are sent out on the 1st of each month. These dates will sometimes change if the 1st or the 3rd of the month falls on a weekend or holiday. For instance, March 3 of last year fell on a weekend, so Social Security recipients received their March payments two days early, on March 1. Smart Money Advice on the Topics That Matter to You CNET Money brings financial insights, trends and news to your inbox every Wednesday. The only benefits that are paid on the same schedule are Social Security and Social Security Disability Insurance.Didn't receive your Social Security check? Start here.If your check doesn't show up when it's supposed to or at all, the Social Security Administration suggests waiting for three additional mailing days before contacting it. After that, you can call the national toll-free number: 1-800-772-1213.The SSA notes that "wait times to speak to a representative are typically shorter in the morning, later in the week and later in the month."If you're having trouble getting ahold of the SSA through the national number, you can use their office locator to find a local office to reach out to.For more, seehow to apply for Social Security benefits for eligible children and how to apply for Social Security Disability Insurance.

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I don't watch sonic 3 movie after I overheard something inside the movie, added with my bad reception from the first sonic movie in year 2020. Even I suddenly stopped watching the sonic 3 movie trailer from YouTube after 20 seconds. I already felt something not quite right and I don't want to regret like last time I watched Harold & Purple Crayon and The Wild Robot. (Only watched the movie one time and never want to watch or thinking about them anymore).Instead, I watched WICKED for eight times from my local cinema XXI. WICKED looked way more interesting and entertaining for me than sonic 3 movie.Speaking about sonic games, I know I'm not sonic fan as i'm not SEGA fan but I only have little interest with certain sonic games that I found easy enough to play for newbie who have zero experience in sonic games.The sonic games maybe yes for me, but the sonic movies? Nah.... I have learnt from my experience after watching bad movies.

Subscribe to Nintendo Life on YouTube790kEvery time Nintendo releases a system it's normally followed up with all sorts of peripherals and during the N64 era, one of the more surprising ones was a microphone, otherwise known as the Nintendo 64 Voice Recognition Unit.Although only a few games used this technology at the time (one of them was Hey You, Pikachu!), one of the other titles that was in consideration was The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask. Modder 'Skawo' has decided to highlight this code (again) after sifting through the Majora's Mask decompilation.It's worth mentioning how this function was originally "discovered and documented by Zoinkity". You can see the original videos uploaded six years ago on YouTube. The video from Skawo (above) demonstrates the five voice commands, but here's a bit more detail in the modder's own words:Hidden in Majora's Mask's code is support for the VRS (Nintendo 64's Voice Recognition System). On boot, the game looks for connected VRSes in any of the controller ports and there are five actions that can be triggered by using voice.The support for the VRS is left intact in all versions of the game - but they all expect the Japanese version of the unit (NUS-020 JPN), and they all expect Japanese words to trigger the given actions. Unfortunately, the functionality ultimately ends up being disabled, because the game is looking for 0x801D8E3C (in US 1.0) to be 3 before the voice commands are activated, and it never is set to that value.It was likely meant to be set in a function which has been blanked in the final release...I have noticed this while scrolling through the recently completed Majora's Mask decomp, but it has originally been discovered and documented by @ZoinkityAs mentioned, this function was never made accessible in the "final release", but as you can see, you can use the microphone to take pictures, request milk from cows, find out the remaining time before the moon comes crashing down, wake up a sleeping Deku Scrub, and give Epona carrots to speed up.There was also apparently a sixth voice function known as "sit" that was never used. It's believed to have been a command for the dogs in the game. This same voice function features have also previously been highlighted by the YouTube channel 'DidYouKnowGaming' in an obscure facts round up. Unmasked for fan PC portsWoof!What do you think of these unused voice commands? Would you like to see more games use voice functionality like this? Let us know in the comments.[source youtu.be, via gonintendo.com]Related GamesSee AlsoShare:02 Liam is a news writer and reviewer for Nintendo Life and Pure Xbox. He's been writing about games for more than 15 years and is a lifelong fan of Mario and Master Chief. Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...Related Articles126 Games You Should Pick Up In The Nintendo Switch eShop Holiday Sale (Europe)Every game we scored 9/10 or higherNintendo's Punch-Out!! Series May Be Dead And Buried For GoodAll punch'd outNintendo Reveals Japan's "Top 30" Most Downloaded Switch eShop Games Of 2024Suika Game takes out the top spot161 Games You Should Pick Up In Nintendo's 'Hits For The Holidays' eShop Sale (North America)Reminder: It wraps up on Sunday

close Ditch the default emoji and create your own with Genmoji in iOS 18.2 Create custom emoji on the fly. Have you ever found yourself scrolling through the emoji keyboard, frustrated that you can't find the perfect little icon to express your exact sentiment?Well, Apple has a solution for you with its latest iOS 18.2 update: Genmoji.This innovative feature allows you to create custom emoji on the fly, bringing a whole new level of personalization to your conversations. Genmoji on iPhone. (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)What is Genmoji?Genmoji, a clever blend of "generative AI" and "emoji," is Apple's latest addition to its Apple Intelligence suite. This feature harnesses the power of on-device artificial intelligence to generate custom emoji based on your text descriptions.Whether you're looking for an "elephant riding a roller coaster" or a "frog with tap-dancing shoes," Genmoji can bring your imagination to life in emoji form.You can even create emoji based on people in your Photos app, making your digital expressions more intimate and meaningful. This level of customization allows you to convey nuanced emotions and situations that standard emoji simply can't capture. Genmoji on iPhone. (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)HOW TO PROTECT YOUR IPHONE AND IPAD FROM MALWARECompatibility and availabilityIt's important to note that Genmoji is available only on iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max models or devices from the iPhone 16 lineup. The feature is part of the iOS 18.2 update, which Apple recently released.How to update your software to iOS 18.2 or laterFirst things first, let's update your software to iOS 18.2 or later:OpenSettings.TapGeneral.SelectSoftware Update.Tap Update Now.Enter your passcode and agree to terms.Wait for theinstallation to complete. Steps to update your iPhones software. (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)How to set up Image PlayGroundOpen theMessages app.Start aconversation.Tap the+ sign.ClickImage Playground.Scroll down and tapSet Up.TapDone. Steps to set up Image Playground. (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)How to use GenmojiUsing Genmoji is surprisingly simple:Open theMessages app.Start aconversation.Tap the emoji icon in the bottom-left corner of the keyboard.Then tap the emoji icon next to the text search bar.In the search field,describe a Genmoji you want to create, like a cat with a top hat.Wait for the AI to generate your custom emoji.Swipe through the options andselect your favorite.Tap"Add" to insert your new emoji into your message. Then, tap the up arrow.WHAT IS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)? Steps to use Genmoji. (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)After seeing the results of your initial description, you can alter your Genmoji simply by changing the description in the new Genmoji screen.How to create a Genmoji using a person's photoTo create a Genmoji using a person's photo from your gallery, follow these steps:GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HEREEnsure photo taggingFirst, make sure the person you want to use is tagged in your Photos app. This is crucial for Genmoji creation. You can only use people who are already in your contacts. It works best with clear, front-facing photos where the person's face is easily visible.Open Messages.Tap theemoji keyboard.Tap theGenmoji creation icon at the top right of the keyboard.Select a personIn the "Describe a Genmoji" field, type thename of the person exactly as they are tagged in your Photos library.Tap"Choose a Person."Select theperson from your identified Photos contacts.TapDone.Customize the GenmojiAdd adescriptive context, like "Danny celebrating his 35th birthday."Swipe through thegenerated options to find the best representation.You canrefine the Genmoji by modifying the description, such as changing "Danny at birthday" to "Danny wearing a party hat."By tapping the More (or three horizontal dots) next to the Genmoji, you cancopy,share,save to stickers andadd a caption.Kurts key takeawaysGenmoji isnt just a fun new feature; its a total game-changer for how we chat with each other. You can create an emoji that perfectly captures your mood or a specific situation. How awesome is that? As we start to embrace more AI in our daily lives, Genmoji really takes our conversations up a notch, making them more personal and creative.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPDo you think you'll enjoy using Genmoji, or do you find it more annoying than helpful, wishing we could just stick to plain texting? Let us know by writing us atCyberguy.com/ContactFor more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading toCyberguy.com/NewsletterFollow Kurt on his social channels:Answers to the most-asked CyberGuy questions:New from Kurt:Copyright 2025 CyberGuy.com.All rights reserved. Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on "FOX & Friends." Got a tech question? Get Kurts free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com. 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Double-clickjack hack attacks strike.GettyUpdate, Jan. 4, 2025: This story, originally published Jan. 3, now includes additional information regarding the double-clickjacking hack threat, along with a comment from a security expert on how such hack attacks are evolving.Hundreds of millions of web users have been warned about a new and dangerous cyber attack that doesnt care what browser you useas long as you click twice. Heres everything you need to know about the double-clickjacking hack attack.Dont Click Twice Warning As New Hack Attack ConfirmedApplication security and client-side offensive exploit researcher Paulos Yibelo, with a long history of discovering vulnerabilities and novel security threats, has revealed what could be the new attack methodology with the biggest reach of them alleveryone using a web browser. In a blog post detailing what is referred to as double clickjacking, Yibelo describes in technical detail how hackers can compromise your credentials when you double-click in Chrome, Edge, Safari or just about any web browser client.This entirely new threat surface is exposed by the fact that hackers can trick the user of almost any website and almost any web browser into clicking something without even realizing they are doing it. Its a new take on the old clickjacking attack which employed various methods to get users clicking on hidden or otherwise obfuscated web page elements. Clickjacking became obsolete when browser developers built protections into their software to prevent just such an attack. Double clickjacking, however, gets around these protections by adding another layer of attack that relies upon mouse double-click timing to get the victim to validate a login or some other account authorization while thinking they are clicking something else, like a CAPTCHA, that is on the screen at the time. The TL;DR, in other words, is that a new window is opened, and the user is asked to double-click on a prompt while, in the blink of an eye, the hacker is switching context to a different window altogether.I have approached Apple, Google and Microsoft for a statement.MORE FOR YOUWhy The Double Clickjack Hack Is So DangerousWhile it might sound like a small change, Yibelo said, double clickjacking opens the door to new UI manipulation attacks that bypass all known clickjacking protections, and seemingly affects almost every website, leading to account takeovers on many major platforms. Yibelo highlighted the following reasons why the hack attack is so dangerous:It can bypass existing clickjacking protections.It can impact more than just websites alone, with crypto wallets and smartphone attacks possible.Its an entirely new attack surface for hackers to exploit.All websites are, by default, vulnerable to this hack attack.It only requires the target to double-click, nothing else.DoubleClickjacking is a sleight of hand around on a well-known attack class, Yibelo said, by exploiting the event timing between clicks, attackers can seamlessly swap out benign UI elements for sensitive ones in the blink of an eye. This means that developers and security teams need to tighten their control over embedded or opener-based windows and be more vigilant about such things as multi-click patterns.Evolution Of Hack Attacks Create Additional Challenges For DefendersTotally unsurprisingly, reports of this double-clickjacking hack attack exploit have created great concern among users and cybersecurity professionals alike. The marginal decreases in ransomware and malware over the past year, Spencer Starkey, an executive vice president at content control and network security vendor SonicWall, said, should not fool people, hackers have just changed their tactics. There is no doubt that cyber attacks are constantly evolving, the proof is there in front of you in both articles that I write here at Forbes.com and the exploits that so many fall victim to. Due to the speed at which new attacks are being created, they are more adaptive and difficult to detect, Starkey said, which poses an additional challenge for cybersecurity professionals. From the high-level business perspective, this means looking to monitor their networks for suspicious activity constantly. The sooner teams can flag a potential issue, Starkey concluded, the lower the risk of an attack.When it comes to attack mitigation, Yibelo said, Ive reported this issue to some sites, the results have been mixed. Most have chosen to address it while some have chosen not to. As for end users, the advice for now has to be dont click twice if you want to be sure not to fall victim to this new hack attack until in-browser mitigations are available.

Notch is making a spiritual successor to Minecraft. (Photo Illustration by Pavlo Gonchar/SOPA ... [+] Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty ImagesMinecraft creator Markus Notch Persson has seemingly announced that he intends to start working on Minecraft 2 in a post on social media.In typical Notch style, he has been very active and saying a lot of things on social media in recent days, specifically on his X account. A couple of days ago he launched a poll asking if fans would rather he continues to work on a game he has been making that is a traditional roguelike mixed with a tile based first person dungeon crawler or if they would rather he makes Minecraft 2. Unsurprisingly, the latter is winning the poll with a 77% share.In a follow-up post he said he was 100% serious about the poll, suggesting he would follow up on whichever won, and in the replies has explained to people that he has basically announced Minecraft 2, which now suggests he will be actively working on developing it.Theres no word on exactly what Minecraft 2 would be or how it would be different from the original game, but with Notch no longer owning Minecraft after selling it to Microsoft many years ago, we do know it wont be called Minecraft 2 and will be more of a spiritual successor rather than a direct sequel.MORE FOR YOUIn what seems to be a bit of a social media frenzy, Notch has been replying to a lot of questions, explaining that he has enjoyed working on a game in an office for the first time in years and now wants to properly start working on a new game, which based on this fan query will likely be Minecraft 2. He has said he doesnt really care which of the two options he makes first, and now figures that he may as well do the thing that will make him more money, even if it's bad.He has also explained that, should he actually make Minecraft 2, he would not want to infringe on the work that Mojang is doing with the original game, offering some credit to the studio he previously worked at.He also warned fans that there is a chance that Minecraft 2, or whatever he makes next, may never see the light of day. After the sale of the first game, Notch likely still has more money than anyone realistically needs, so the incentive to make another for financial reasons likely isnt there. But, if he continues to have fun developing, then there is a realistic chance that it happens.Just how you could make a spiritual successor to Minecraft without infringing on the original game Im not sure, but given Notch was the creative force behind the original if theres anyone that could reinvent it then its likely him. But, even if he does continue to work on Minecraft 2, it will likely be quite a while before we see anything or even be able to play it. The original Minecraft may have been made very quickly, but with so many eyes on him, that likely won't be the case this time around.Oh, Notch also revealed that his is mostly over the skibidi toilet meme, but also admitted that he has no idea what it means or where it came from.

A time-sequence composite of the August 21, 2017 total solar eclipse. (Photo by: VW Pics/Universal ... [+] Images Group via Getty Images)Universal Images Group via Getty ImagesEarth will reach perihelion at 09:00 Universal Time on Saturday, January 4, 2025, the closest point to the sun in its annual, slightly elliptical orbit. The word comes from the Greek words peri (near) and helios (sun). So why are we shivering?Breath fogs the air, ice slicks the roads, and the sun seems a distant, feeble glow in the winter sky. Our life-giver is doing its minimum, never getting high enough to do anything other than dazzle drivers. We are cast under a blanket of frost and snow.Earths Tilted AxisIf were closer to the sun now, why arent we all basking in tropical weather? The answer lies not in our distance from the sun but in the tilt of the Earths axis. During January, the northern hemisphere tilts away from the sun, leading to colder temperatures and shorter days.Meanwhile, the beaches of Sydney and the streets of Buenos Aires bask in the summer heat. The southern hemisphere tilts toward the sun, enjoying long days and intense summer heat.If were closer to the sun now, why arent we all basking in tropical weather? The answer lies not ... [+] in our distance from the sun, but in the tilt of Earths axis.gettyWhat Is Perihelion?On Saturday, our planet at perihelion will be just 0.98333 astronomical units (about 147 million kilometers or 91 million miles) from the sun. Thats roughly five million kilometers (three million miles) closer than during aphelion, its farthest point, on July 3, 2025, when Earth will be 94.5 million miles/152 million kilometers from the sun.MORE FOR YOUNot just Earth gets a perihelion and an aphelion each year. All planets orbit stars in an ellipse. That was discovered in the 17th century by German mathematician Johannes Kepler, who developed his first law of planetary motion.Earths Elliptical OrbitEarths elliptical orbit causes slight variations in solar energy, with about 7% more sunlight reaching Earth during perihelion than aphelion. So, is Earth hotter in January than in July? That's logical, but false. The geography of the Southern Hemisphere cancels out the variations in Earths distance from the sun. Despite it getting more radiation from the sun in January than the Northern Hemisphere gets in July, most of the Southern Hemisphere is oceans. Theres a lot less landmass, which negates the impact of perihelion.Does solar maximum make Earth hotter? Yes, but not enough to affect the climate. (Photo by ... [+] NASA/Newsmakers)Getty ImagesWhat About Solar Maximum?At solar maximum, the sun's most active phase of its 11-year cycle, produces more light, energy and solar radiation. It's the strongest peak for 23 years, and displays of the Northern Lights are raging.According to NOAA, the total energy received on Earth from sunlight the Total Solar Irradiance, as measured from satellites increases by 0.1% during solar maximum. But thats too small to majorly impact the Earths climate.Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.

Whats in the box? is the famous phrase uttered by Brad Pitts David Mills in Se7en. In the climactic scene of David Finchers crime thriller, Detective Mills and Detective Lieutenant William Somerset (Morgan Freeman) escort serial killer John Doe (Kevin Spacey) outside the city to a remote location. A driver delivers a package to Mills. Somerset opens the package to reveal the severed head of Mills wife, Tracy (Gwyneth Paltrow). Somerset begs a distraught Mills to put the gun down, but the young detectives rage wins out as he kills Doe.Se7enis heading to IMAX on January 3 for the films 30th anniversary before its 4K UHD Blu-ray release on January 7. In honor of the occasion, Fincher sat down with Entertainment Weekly and discussed what was really in the box. Because the head is never shown on screen, fans have wondered what Fincher put in the box. Theres a rumor that a prosthetic head and body modeled after Paltrow were in the box to elicit a genuine reaction from the actors.Recommended VideosAfter 30 years, Fincher is putting this rumor to rest.Please enable Javascript to view this contentNo, its entirely ridiculous, Fincher said when asked about the prosthetic head rumor. I think we had a seven- or eight-pound shot bag. We had done the research to figure out if Gwyneth Paltrows body mass index was X, what portion of that would be attributable to her head. And so we had an idea of what that would weigh, and I think there was a weight in it.Despite the lack of a prosthetic head, Fincher did include one accessory taped to a shot bag.And we did put a wig in there, so that when Morgan rips the box open, if there were some of this tape that was used to seal the box, Fincher said about the shocking ending. I think it was a shot bag and a wig, and I think the wig had a little bit of blood in it, so some of the hair would stick together. Remember, I think Morgan opened 16 or 17 of those things. But as I always say, you dont need to see whats in the box if you have Morgan Freeman.Tickets for the rerelease of Se7en are now on sale.

Not completely unknown Bob Dylan has some Dylanesque thoughts on the sorcery of technology Making high-tech resolutions for 2025 with the help of Bob Dylan. Nate Anderson Jan 4, 2025 7:00 am | 1 Bob Dylan performing in Indiana in 2023. Credit: Getty Images Bob Dylan performing in Indiana in 2023. Credit: Getty Images Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreWith the holiday release of the biopic A Complete Unknown, Bob Dylan is once again in the national spotlight. For me, the film provided a welcome excuse to read up on Dylan, who has always been a reputable source of enjoyably gnomic quotes, self-mythologizing, and enigmatic asides. Even in his old age, Dylan still deliversespecially when he gets going on technology, joysticks, and "dog ass" television programs.Consider the interview Dylan gave to The Wall Street Journal in December 2022. (You can read the whole thing on BobDylan.com.) The piece was, notionally, about Dylan's book, The Philosophy of Modern Song. But it quickly morphed into a meditation on creativity in the era of on-demand streaming content, along with a discussion about how Dylan had spent his time during the COVID-19 lockdowns.Dylan claims that he spent the pandemic replacing door panels on a 56 Chevy, painting some landscapes, and re-reading Rime of the Ancient Mariner while pondering the mysteries of opium. Okay. He also had time left over to stream some TV:Ive binge-watched Coronation Street, Father Brown, and some early Twilight Zones. I know theyre old-fashioned shows, but they make me feel at home. Im not a fan of packaged programs, or news shows, so I dont watch them. I never watch anything foul smelling or evil. Nothing disgusting; nothing dog ass. Im a religious person. I read the scriptures a lot, meditate and pray, light candles in church. I believe in damnation and salvation, as well as predestination. The Five Books of Moses, Pauline Epistles, Invocation of the Saints, all of it.As with many of Dylans song lyrics, I cant say precisely what nothing dog ass means, nor how he got from streaming TV to predestination, but its certainly a vivid and moral response. Much of the interview, in fact, concerns modern technology and its effects on humansespecially when it comes to creativity.We might expect someone like Dylan, immersed as he has always been in folk songs, old standards, and American history, to bemoan the corrupting influence of new technology. And he does offer up some quotes in that vein. For example:Everythings become too smooth and painless The earth could vomit up its dead, and it could be raining blood, and wed shrug it off, cool as cucumbers. Everythings too easy. Just one stroke of the ring finger, middle finger, one little click, thats all it takes, and were there.Or again:Technology is like sorcery, its a magic show, conjures up spirits, its an extension of our body, like the wheel is an extension of our foot. But it might be the final nail driven into the coffin of civilization; we just dont know.But Dylan's perspective is more nuanced than these quotes might suggest. While technology might doom our civilization, Dylan reminds us that it gave us our civilizationthat is, "science and technology built the Parthenon, the Egyptian pyramids, the Roman coliseum, the Brooklyn Bridge, the Eiffel Tower, rockets, jets, planes, automobiles, atom bombs, weapons of mass destruction."In the end, technology is a tool that can either decimate or stimulate human creativity.Keypads and joysticks can be like millstones around your neck, or they can be supporting players; either one, youre the judge. Creativity is a mysterious thing. It visits who it wants to visit, when it wants to, and I think that that, and that alone, gets to the heart of the matter...[Technology] can hamper creativity, or it can lend a helping hand and be an assistant. Creative power can be dammed up or forestalled by everyday life, ordinary life, life in the squirrel cage. A data processing machine or a software program might help you break out of that, get you over the hump, but you have to get up early.Getting up earlyI've been thinking about these quotes over the recent Christmas and New Year's holidays, which I largely spent coughing on the couch with some kind of respiratory nonsense. One upside of this enforced isolation was that it gave me plenty of time to ponder my own goals for 2025 and how technology might help or hinder them. (Another was that I got to rewatch the first four Die Hard movies on Hulu; the fourth was "dog ass" enough that I couldn't bring myself to watch the final, roundly panned entry in the series.)Tech has undeniably made it possible to do my own creative workto write for Ars Technica, to create a high-fidelity recording studio in a spare room, and to work on a mystery-novel-in-progress. Generative AI has helped me to prototype new design ideas for watercolor paintings. Zoom has allowed me to take guitar lessons with a great guitar teacher who physically lives two hours away.But tech has also undeniably been the biggest single temptation to avoid those hard-but-rewarding jobs. You know the culprits: email, texts, Slack, hyperlinks, streaming video, the YouTube algorithm, the latest ridiculous story on Reddit, etc, etc.In Dylan's words, tech has been a "helping hand" and an "assistant," but I still have more to do when it comes to self-discipline; that is, I have "to get up early."Critics argue that it is unfair to place the entire burden of discipline onto individuals, who are up against well-funded systems, algorithms, and designers bent on capturing their time and attention. This is true, of course, but we can critique the world while also dealing with it as it is, and right now, the world is still awash in schemes to divert my attention. And there remains plenty that I can do to avoid or limit these schemes, even as I critique them.So, as I think about my own approach to creative work in 2025, I wanted to share this Dylan interview and to check in with the Ars community: Do you have any plans, systems, or even wildly improbable goals in place to productively govern your tech use this year?Nate AndersonDeputy EditorNate AndersonDeputy Editor Nate is the deputy editor at Ars Technica. His most recent book is In Emergency, Break Glass: What Nietzsche Can Teach Us About Joyful Living in a Tech-Saturated World, which is much funnier than it sounds. 1 Comments