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Six Wild Phone Features We Want by 2036

Samsung asked 2,000 people what they want their phones to do by 2036, and the answers did not disappoint.

Some are genius. Some are terrifying. All of them prove we’re sprinting toward a future where your phone might know you better than your mom.

One charge = one week of freedom

No more panicking at 3% while begging your Uber to arrive. People want a phone that can hold a charge for at least seven days. Bonus points if it charges just by moving around. You’d never need a charger again – just pace around your apartment like a caffeinated squirrel.

Languages no longer matter

Real-time translation during phone calls? Yes, please. Imagine chatting with anyone in the world, no Duolingo owl required. It’s like the Babel fish from Hitchhiker’s Guide, but less slimy and more Bluetooth.

Holograms, baby

We’re talking full-on Star Wars projections. 3D meetings, holographic selfies, maybe even midair cat videos. People want to interact with their screens in the air. The future is one big Zoom call where nobody’s pants are real.

Your phone is your life coach

Forget Googling. Folks want their phones to listen in and offer real-time advice. Like, “Hey, maybe don’t text your ex right now.” We’re already kinda there, but this would crank it to full-on nosy best friend mode. Privacy? Never met her.

Total money management

Imagine never paying a bill again – because your phone just… handles it. Auto-pay on steroids. You’d wake up, sip coffee, and your phone’s already paid rent, canceled your unnecessary subscriptions, and moved your leftover fun money to a taco fund. (Sadly, tacos will cost $100 each by 2036.)

Think it, send it (regret it instantly)

Hands-free texting? Yes, your phone can read your mind. Why type when your iPhone could just know what you’re thinking and send it for you? It’s efficient, sure – but your phone better not leak your inner monologue. Yikes.

The #1 Thing Americans Are Experts on Is Pretty Pathetic

Forget coding, investing, or, you know, actual job skills. America’s passions these days lie elsewhere.

According to a new poll, the average American’s top area of expertise is now… reality TV.

Out of 2,000 people surveyed, respondents rated themselves on various topics using a 1 to 10 scale. And “reality TV show drama” came out on top with an average self-rating of 6.4 out of 10.

Coming in just behind reality TV were social media trends and DIY projects, both clocking in at 6.0. Trending music scored a 5.9.

But the real surprise? Interest rates – yes, the thing that determines what your mortgage costs – scored a 5.7. Either people are more financially literate than we thought, or everyone’s just been doomscrolling too much news about the Fed. (The study was commissioned by Lending Club, so that might have had something to do with it too.)

How our collective “expertise” shakes out:

  • Obscure movie and TV trivia (5.6)
  • Reality TV show drama (6.4)
  • Social media trends (6.0)
  • Home improvement/DIY projects (6.0)
  • Trending music (5.9)
  • Interest rates (5.7)
  • Obscure facts about movies and TV shows (5.6)
  • General trivia (5.4)
  • History (5.3) (Sounds impressive until you realize “I watched Hamilton” might’ve factored in there.)
  • Health and fitness (4.8)
  • Saving money (3.9)

There’s definitely something to unpack here about how our media consumption shapes our knowledge base. But at least w’ere experts on something, right? Sure, you don’t know how compound interest works. But you can list every feud in Real Housewives of New Jersey in order.

At the very least, it proves one thing: The average American may not be qualified to manage their 401(k), or even know how a basic light bulb works… but you want them on your team for that pop culture trivia night.

“Mr. Blue Sky” Named the Happiest Song of All Time

If you’ve ever heard “Mr. Blue Sky” by Electric Light Orchestra and not immediately felt at least 12% happier, you might want to check your pulse.

According to a new survey of 1,300 people, the 1978 classic has officially been crowned the happiest song of all time. And really, is anyone shocked?

The survey didn’t just single out one feel-good anthem. It also declared the late 1970s the era with the most happy songs overall, which explains why disco balls, falsettos, and aggressively upbeat melodies refuse to die.

For younger listeners, “Mr. Blue Sky” might feel more like a movie song than a classic rock staple. Thanks to its placement in the opening scene of “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2”, the song got a second life with a whole new generation. Nothing says joy like slow-motion alien battles soundtracked by pure sonic sunshine.

The rest of the Top 10 happiest songs list reads like a greatest hits playlist for instant serotonin.

Coming in at number two is Queen’s “Don’t Stop Me Now,” which somehow sounds like Freddie Mercury personally cheering you on through life. Right behind it is the Bee Gees’ “Stayin’ Alive,” a song so upbeat it makes walking down the street feel cinematic. ABBA’s “Dancing Queen” lands at number four, proving that a piano intro can still trigger happiness decades later.

Bon Jovi’s “Livin’ on a Prayer” takes the fifth spot, reminding us that screaming the chorus in a car with friends is basically therapy. “Come on Eileen” follows, a song that turns weddings, bars, and family parties into chaos in under five seconds.

Paul Simon’s “You Can Call Me Al,” Katrina and the Waves’ “Walking on Sunshine,” and Depeche Mode’s “Just Can’t Get Enough” all made the list, reinforcing the idea that the 1980s were powered almost entirely by optimism and catchy synth lines.

Rounding out the Top 10 is Rick Astley’s “Never Gonna Give You Up,” which is both genuinely uplifting and permanently linked to the Internet’s favorite prank. Somehow, it still works.

One important detail here is the survey’s age range. They only polled adults between 30 and 55, which likely explains why the list leans heavily toward late 1970s and 1980s music.

Nostalgia is a powerful thing, and happiness often sounds like whatever was playing when you were younger and carefree.

The full list includes 50 songs total, but the takeaway is simple. If you need a mood boost, science says you should probably start with “Mr. Blue Sky,” turn it up loud, and let the happiness do its thing.

Netflix Is Making Movies for Distracted Viewers

If you have ever hit play on a Netflix movie and immediately picked up your phone, congratulations, you are officially part of the problem.

According to Matt Damon, Netflix knows a huge chunk of its audience is half-watching movies while scrolling social media, and the company is now shaping films around that reality.

Damon recently talked about how Netflix movies are being adjusted to keep distracted viewers locked in. One big change, he says, is pushing filmmakers to open with a major action scene almost immediately. The idea is simple, grab people’s attention in the first five minutes before they drift off to Instagram or TikTok.

But that is not all. Damon says Netflix has also suggested repeating key plot points several times throughout the movie. Not once. Not twice. Three or four times. Why? Because executives assume viewers might miss important details while checking texts or doomscrolling.

Damon quoted Netflix as saying it would not be terrible if characters reiterated the plot multiple times in the dialogue since people are often on their phones. That suggestion did not exactly thrill him. He said this approach is starting to infringe on how stories are told, and that it can affect the creative process in a big way.

This is not exactly shocking news, but hearing it spelled out so bluntly feels a little wild.

Movies used to assume you were actually watching them. Now they are apparently being designed for an audience that might look up every few minutes and ask, “Wait, who is that again?”

Damon knows this world well right now. He and longtime collaborator Ben Affleck just made a new movie for Netflix called “The Rip”, which is currently streaming. While he did not say Netflix forced those changes into that specific film, his comments make it clear that this kind of feedback is becoming more common.

The bigger takeaway here is how streaming has reshaped storytelling. Movies made for theaters assume a dark room, a big screen, and zero distractions. Movies made for streaming assume your couch, your phone, maybe a snack run, and possibly a group chat blowing up at the same time.

For viewers, this might explain why some Netflix movies feel like they spell everything out. For filmmakers, it sounds like a frustrating compromise between art and reality.

So next time a character explains the plan for the fourth time, just know it might not be lazy writing. It might be Netflix politely assuming you were busy liking memes instead of watching the movie.

10 Things That Happened 10 Years Ago: Jan 25-31

Stick figures, Flat Earthers, and Barbie gets curves. Here’s what was in the news 10 years ago this week.

Be Like Bill Meme Goes Viral

A smug little stick figure named Bill was the hottest meme on the internet. The “Be Like Bill” format praised common-sense behavior in a sarcastic, passive-aggressive tone – perfect for social media virtue signaling. Love it or hate it, Bill quickly dominated Facebook timelines across the world.

Rapper B.o.B Declares the Earth Is Flat

In one of the weirder celeb moments of 2016, rapper B.o.B made headlines for claiming the Earth is flat. He doubled down on Twitter with diagrams and “proof,” sparking a bizarre feud with astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, who tried to science him back to reality. Spoiler: It didn’t work.

Abe Vigoda Dies (For Real This Time)

After decades of premature death rumors and false reports, character actor Abe Vigoda passed away at 94. Best known for “The Godfather” and “Barney Miller,” his death inspired countless “sleeping with the fishes” headlines. Even in death, Vigoda remained a punchline – and those who knew him knew he would’ve appreciated that.

Science Says Being a Bar Regular Is Good for You

A study out of the U.K. suggested that regularly visiting a local pub could actually improve your health and happiness. It wasn’t about drinking – it was about community, routine, and social connection. In other words, “Cheers” wasn’t just a sitcom. Your local watering hole might be your therapy.

“Creedbombing” Went Viral

It became a widespread thing after the Carolina Panthers adopted it as a locker room prank. Derived from the term “photobombing,” Creedbombing is when you sneak up on a friend and relentlessly scream-sing the lyrics of a Creed song – “With Arms Wide Open” being the go-to choice for most. Creed lead singer Scott Stapp was a fan.

Justin Bieber Dies in Zoolander 2 Trailer and People Cheer

Fans couldn’t help but cheer one particular moment in the “Zoolander 2” trailer: Justin Bieber’s dramatic slow-mo death scene. In the film’s teaser, Bieber gets assassinated mid-duckface, to the delight of Bieber-bashers everywhere. It was 2016, and even the Biebs was in on the joke.

Barbie Gets a Body Update: Tall, Petite, and Curvy

Mattel shook up the toy world by introducing three new Barbie body types: tall, petite, and curvy. After years of criticism over unrealistic proportions, Barbie finally got a much-needed refresh. The move was hailed as a step toward inclusion—even if the fashion industry still had some catching up to do.

Rihanna Drops “Anti” – Then Goes Radio Silent

Rihanna’s long-awaited eighth album “Anti” was released January 28th, 2016. Fans devoured the hit “Work,” but the real shock came after: she more or less disappeared from music. A full decade later, her ninth album is still TBD, leaving fans thirstier than ever for “R9”. Makeup empire? Yes. New album? Not yet.

Homeless Man Goes Viral for Accepting Credit Cards

Abe Hagenston made headlines from under a Detroit overpass by becoming the first known homeless panhandler to accept credit cards. An early adopter of Square readers, Abe paired it with his phone and began accepting Visa, Mastercard, and AmEx – safely and securely. Despite the buzz, he admitted people seemed hesitant to give their credit card info to a homeless man.

Tom Hanks Once Again Named America’s Favorite Actor

For what felt like the umpteenth time, Tom Hanks topped the poll as America’s most beloved actor. The honor reflected his decades of box-office hits, good-guy reputation, and general national treasure status. Whether he’s Forrest Gump or Sully Sullenberger, we just can’t help but trust Tom.

“Choppelganger”: Gen Z’s New Slang for a Not-So-Flattering Doppelganger

If you’ve ever been told you look like a celebrity—but not in a good way—you might have a new label: choppelganger.

The term is catching fire online, and like most Gen Z slang, it’s funny, blunt, and just a little mean.

A choppelganger is basically the budget version of a doppelganger—if that doppelganger got “chopped.” The word mashes up chopped (which now means “unattractive” or “busted” in internet slang) with doppelganger, meaning someone who looks just like someone else. So yeah, a choppelganger is someone who resembles another person… just not in the most flattering way.

It’s not exactly a compliment, but it’s not always meant to be cruel either. The term seems to walk that fine line between playful roast and low-key insult, depending on who’s saying it—and how well you know them.

Think of it as the meme version of “you look like if [insert celebrity] had a rough week.”

Choppelganger started making waves on TikTok and Twitter (sorry, X) sometime last year, but it’s been gaining traction in recent months. One viral TikToker joked that people call her the “Mick Jagger choppelganger,” and then promptly told everyone, “If you think someone has a choppelganger, keep it to yourself.” Fair enough.

It’s unclear who coined the word first, but it clearly hit a nerve online. In a digital world obsessed with comparisons and curated looks, it’s no surprise that Gen Z would invent a whole new way to gently (or not-so-gently) roast someone’s vibe.

Just remember: for every choppelganger, there’s probably someone out there who thinks you look like the hotter version. So take it with a grain of salt, or better yet, a strong Wi-Fi signal and a sense of humor.

The Disney Movie Moments That Traumatized an Entire Generation

If you grew up watching Disney movies, chances are at least one of them emotionally wrecked you before you hit middle school.

What was marketed as wholesome family entertainment somehow managed to sneak in grief, abandonment, death, and existential dread. And now the internet is collectively unpacking it.

People online are sharing the Disney movie moments that traumatized them the most as kids, and honestly, reading the list feels like flipping through a childhood therapy intake form. These scenes were supposed to build character, but they mostly taught us that no one is safe and happiness is temporary.

  1. Mufasa’s death in “The Lion King”: Disney said, “This is for kids,” then immediately introduced betrayal, death, and generational trauma before lunch.
  2. Miguel singing to Mama Coco in “Coco”: Looks harmless, sounds sweet, then suddenly every adult in the room is crying and pretending they have something in their eye.
  3. Bambi realizing his mom didn’t outrun the hunters in “Bambi”: No dramatic music, no explanation, just vibes and lifelong emotional damage.
  4. Jessie’s flashback scene in “Toy Story 2”: A song about being abandoned that made thousands of children side-eye their toy boxes that night.
  5. The opening of “Up” when Ellie passes away: A cheerful animated movie that speed-runs an entire relationship and emotionally body-slams you in under ten minutes.
  6. The dog being shot in “Old Yeller”: Parents everywhere learned a valuable lesson about not warning their kids ahead of time.
  7. The toy monkey scene in “Toy Story 3”: Pixar casually dropped a horror movie villain into a kids film and acted like it was normal.
  8. Kids turning into donkeys in “Pinocchio”: A fun little morality lesson that somehow involved body horror and screaming children.
  9. The Evil Queen’s transformation in “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs”: The moment Disney decided jump scares were appropriate for toddlers.
  10. The older brother’s death in “Big Hero 6”: One second you’re watching a fun superhero movie, the next you’re staring at the screen like, “Wait… did that just happen?”

The World’s Shortest IQ Test Is Just Three Questions

Pretty sure you’re a genius, but too lazy to prove it with a lengthy Mensa test? Here’s a two-minute alternative.

The Cognitive Reflection Test (CRT) is just three questions long and was created to quickly assess a very specific ability. Can you avoid choosing the intuitive or obvious answer long enough to work out the correct one?

Less than 1 in 5 get all three questions right.

The test is designed to trip you up with questions that seem simple but have surprisingly tricky answers. Only 17% of people manage to get all three correct. The other 83% are fooled by their own instincts at least once.

So, let’s see which group you fall into. Read each question carefully and come up with your answer, then click the question to see if you’re right.

QUESTION #1: A bat and ball cost $1.10 total.  The bat costs $1 more than the ball.  How much does the ball cost? (Click to reveal answer)

Correct answer: 5 cents

Your brain probably screamed “10 cents,” right? That’s the trap. If the ball is 5 cents, the bat is $1.05. (aka, “$1 more”)

QUESTION #2: It takes 5 machines 5 minutes to make 5 widgets.  How long would it take 100 machines to make 100 widgets? (Click to reveal answer)

Correct answer: 5 minutes

If you said 100 minutes, you’re not alone. But… each machine makes one widget in 5 minutes. So 100 machines make 100 widgets in 5 minutes. Obvious now, right?

QUESTION #3: There’s a patch of lily pads in a lake. Every day, the patch doubles in size. If it takes 48 days for the patch to cover the entire lake, how long will it take to cover half of the lake? (Click to reveal answer)

Correct answer: 47 days

First instinct says 24 days, but the patch doubles every day. So, complicated math wasn’t really required – it would have covered half the lake the day before it was full.

How’d you do?

If you got all three right, congrats – Einstein would probably high-five you. If not, don’t sweat it. The test is designed to trip you up, that’s the point. Now go share the quiz with your friends and see who else gets bamboozled – or lies and claims they didn’t. “Smart” people love a good flex.

1 in 7 Americans Want to Nix All Coins

When the U.S. Treasury announced it was finally pulling the plug on the penny, a bunch of people went “Noooo!”… before realizing they had not actually used a penny since Blockbuster Video was a thing?

The penny got the boot because it costs more to make than it’s worth. That alone feels like a metaphor for half the things in our junk drawers. But for some Americans, eliminating the penny was just the warm-up act.

According to a new survey, 24% of people say they would also be fine tossing nickels into the historical dumpster. Meanwhile, 58% want to keep them, including 34% who strongly oppose nickel extinction. These are apparently very passionate nickel fans. Nicklers? Nickelheads? Nickelbacks? (Sorry.)

But here is the real plot twist: 14% of Americans want the government to stop making all coins. Every last one. No pennies, no nickels, no dimes, no quarters, no rogue Sacagawea dollars haunting the bottom of your purse. Just round everything to the nearest dollar and call it a day. No more loose change in your cupholder, no more jingling pockets, no more “Does anyone have 17 cents?” at the gas station.

If you’re wondering why this debate exists at all, here is the fun part. Pennies cost 3.7 cents to make. Nickels cost nearly 14 cents.

That said, dimes and quarters do cost less to produce than their face-value.

As for how often people actually spend pennies, the answer is: they mostly do not. Nearly 30% of Americans say they would not even bend down to pick up a penny off the ground. 11% claim they use pennies every day, which honestly feels like a bigger confession than they meant it to be. That group tends to be older, lower-income Southerners. Another 19% use pennies weekly, 18% monthly, and a solid 28% say they never spend pennies at all. Another 16% use them so rarely it might as well be a leap-year tradition.

So the penny is gone. The nickel is sweating. And somewhere out there is a very determined 14% who dream of a future where everything costs a clean, round number and your only loose change is that one rogue guitar pick in your pocket.

The 4 Captains of Yacht Rock

If you love smooth, breezy, soft-focus ’70s and early ’80s vibes, you’ve probably got a Yacht Rock playlist hiding somewhere on your phone.

And if you don’t, congratulations, you’re about to mentally set sail. A new ranking is stirring up the waters in the Yacht Rock world, because UltimateClassicRock.com has declared their official Big 4 of the genre. Yes, the Mount Rushmore of smooth. And no, Christopher Cross fans, you might want to sit down.

According to the site, the core four captains of Yacht Rock are Kenny Loggins, Steely Dan, Boz Scaggs, and Michael McDonald.

Those names are basically SEO gold for Yacht Rock searches, so if you’re looking for the essential artists behind the genre’s most iconic songs, this is where you start.

For longtime Yacht Rock diehards, Kenny Loggins and Michael McDonald feel like no-brainers. Loggins basically lived on the Billboard charts during the era, and McDonald’s voice is so buttery smooth that even butter is like, “tone it down.” Boz Scaggs also fits comfortably in the mix thanks to polished staples like “Lowdown” and “Lido Shuffle”.

The most controversial passenger on this very classy yacht is definitely Steely Dan. Their fans tend to resist the label, and Ultimate Classic Rock acknowledges that plenty of Steely Dan tracks don’t fit the Yacht Rock mold at all. But when they do drift into smoother waters with songs like “Peg”, “Dirty Work”, and “Hey Nineteen”, the site says they set the “studio standard” for the genre. Their take is basically: when Steely Dan got silky, nobody did it better.

Still, it’s hard not to notice the Christopher Cross–shaped hole in this list. The man wrote “Sailing”, which many people would consider the official national anthem of the Yacht Rock lifestyle.

Not including him on a Mount Rushmore of Yacht Rock feels a little like leaving ketchup off the Mount Rushmore of condiments. He’s not mentioned in Ultimate Classic Rock’s reasoning, but fans are definitely pointing it out.

Whether you agree with the list or want to angrily rearrange it in the comments section, it’s fun to see Yacht Rock getting another moment online. Nostalgia cycles come and go, but something about this genre just sticks. Maybe it’s the breezy harmonies, or maybe it’s the fact that sometimes you just need music that makes you feel like everything in life comes with a complimentary mai tai.

(You can check out Ultimate Classic Rock’s Top 50 Yacht Rock songs here.)

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