An Apple AI offering that may actually matter, a favorite Chrome hack, and a cool tool technique
Plus, a magical '57 Chevy truck, a new David video, Cisco adds AI security, and a WWDC recap video by my colleagues Jason and Sabrina
I’m David Gewirtz. Welcome to this week’s Advanced Geekery newsletter. It’s been an exciting week. Let’s dive in.
My latest video
You’ve seen all the play-by-play about my Kobra 3 Combo 3D printer, from motherboard replacement to camera upgrades. Here, finally, is my official review.
My articles
Here’s a quick recap of the articles I published in the last week on ZDNET.
How Apple just changed the developer world with this one AI announcement: This could be the biggest developer shift since the App Store launched.
How Cisco plans to stop rogue AI agent attacks inside your network: As AI agents grow more powerful and unpredictable, Cisco unveils tools to lock down networks, track agent behavior, and prevent chaos before it spreads through your infrastructure.
This hidden Chrome feature is my secret productivity trick - here's my favorite way to use it: Ever notice the Google Lens icon in your Chrome toolbar? You might be missing out on one of the browser's most powerful tools. Here's why.
Must-watch YouTube
Moving on, let’s queue up some interesting YouTube videos for your entertainment and edification.
It’s Sabrina and Jason’s Excellent Adventure! My ZDNET colleagues Sabrina Ortiz and Jason Hiner recap Apple’s WWDC 2025 and make it fun.
Did you know Target (the retailer) has a major crimes division that helps law enforcement all over the country solve challenging crimes? You can’t make this stuff up, although I’m convinced it would be a great premise for a movie of the week.
Remember Microsoft’s Steve Ballmer and his developers, developers, developers rant? Somebody turned it into a truly strange music video. I love me some YouTube.
Tool of the week
Here’s my newest secret weapon: tiny levels. They’re inexpensive enough from Amazon that I can mount them onto my 3D printed drilling jigs. That way, I don’t have to balance the level while drilling pilot holes. For the record, the top half-circles are depth gauges, telling me how far to screw in the mounting screws before hanging.
I am ludicrously self-satisfied by this tool technique.
Note: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Interesting reads
And now, some good stuff from around the Internet, well worth checking out.
There’s going to be a new Gerry Anderson-style Supermarionation program coming out from Hanna-Barbera Studios Europe. For me, it was never the puppets. I always loved his vehicle designs. Hopefully that DNA will transfer to this new program.
Apparently, a special molecule that violates the laws of physics could lead to limitless energy.
Here’s a bit of David history, the Fair Lawn Bookmobile. The days it came around to my elementary school were among my happiest days. I vividly remember taking The Red Badge of Courage off one of the Bookmobile’s back shelves and bringing it home. I think that converted ‘57 Chevy truck was the first vehicle I truly fell in love with. It was rolling magic to my prepubescent mind.
Send in your projects
I’d like to regularly spotlight a reader project or two here. Your project doesn’t have to be a big Kickstarter launch. If you’ve built something cool, it has some pretty pictures, and you’re proud of it, I might be able to share it here.
If you have a photogenic reader project, send an email to me at david@zatz.com with the subject “READER PROJECT,” a few pictures, and a short one-paragraph description. If you have a social media link or a link to the project, include that, too.
Both my EPs are now streaming
Available on all your favorite streaming services.
More clicky
I’ve got a lot happening all over the web. Here are links to my various stuff:
House of the Head: home for my published music
ZATZ Labs: where I host my published software projects
Feel free to dig around, visit, and say hey!
Leave some comments
Substack supports comments, so feel free to leave some. I promise to read them. Just, please, let’s keep our personal politics out of any discussion.
That should do it for this week. This newsletter is really starting to pick up subscribers. Please help it out by sharing links on all your socials.
Have a great week!
Your publication is more likely to gain followers IMO because it is a smorgasbord of things that a reader can find a particular topic that they're interested in. You have an amazingly range of diverse interests to keep up with in life!
That Developers video was unhinged in the best way. Thanks for sharing that.