Want to look fully awake for that impromptu early morning Zoom meeting? Try these quick settings.
Survive Zoom, thrive IRL
ChatGPT
That meeting that could have been an email? You’re on it, eyes glossing over rambling updates, Todd’s screen share failing for the fourth time (use a mouse, Todd) or what appears to be a seance: “If you can hear me now, make a sign.”
AI can be your saving grace. I’m talking about short, sweet and productive meetings that everyone will thank you for later.
Here’s your no-BS cheat sheet for the best prompts to use with your favorite AI chatbot:
🎯 1. “Write an agenda for a 30-minute meeting about [insert meeting purpose here] focused on outcomes, not updates.”
Say goodbye to pointless tangents. This prompt spits out a clear, focused agenda that gets you in and out fast.
📝 2. “Summarize this meeting transcript into 5 key action points with deadlines and assigned tasks.”
Who wants to dig through messy notes afterward? Not you. Record your Zoom, Teams or Google Meet, drop the transcript into ChatGPT, and instantly get clear action steps, deadlines and a rundown of who’s responsible for what.
🎙️ 3. “Turn this long meeting transcript into concise notes for my team, highlighting tasks and who’s responsible.”
Don’t torture your coworkers with a replay of your meeting. AI trims down that snoozefest into a neat summary, just key decisions, assignments and who’s handling them, and what comes next. Done and dusted.
🤖 4. “Identify questions raised in this meeting that weren’t answered, and suggest who should follow up.”
Never lose track of loose ends again. ChatGPT spots overlooked questions and tells you who should chase them down, so nothing falls through the cracks.
Transcripts made simple
Days of hanging out drinking coffee are ending: Cafes across the country are cutting off Wi-Fi or banning laptops altogether. Why? They’re tired of remote workers hogging tables for hours on Zoom calls with a single cup of joe. Yeah, can’t say I blame them.
1 million GB/sec
The internet speed in Japan. While our Wi-Fi is still buffering Zoom, researchers in Japan pulled off a world record by transferring 1.02 petabits of data per second (yes, that’s over a million gigabytes) across 1,100 miles, using a fiber no thicker than your average spaghetti strand.
🔍 Zoom in on Instagram posts: Using Instagram on your phone and can’t see the tiny details? You can zoom in on photos and videos by spreading two fingers apart on the screen. It’s great for reading small texts. Just don’t double tap by accident while snooping. That late-night “like” is hard to explain.
🧠 Smarter meeting notes: Fathom is an AI notetaker for Zoom, Google Meet and Microsoft Teams. It automatically records, transcribes and summarizes your meetings. You can ask things like “Did we discuss the budget?” and get answers with time stamps. FYI: The free plan gives you five summaries or queries per month.
🍏 Apple’s new accessibility features: Later this year, iOS 19 and macOS 16 will get a Magnifier for Mac, App Store labels and Braille Access. WatchOS 12 will add Live Captions, and VisionOS will offer better zoom for blind folks. More interesting? They’re working on a brain implant to control your iPhone with neural signals (paywall link).
Deepfake red flags: Here’s how to spot if someone on a Google Meet, Zoom call or Teams meeting is really an AI bot. Ask them to wave their hand across their face. This can trigger a glitch. Watch for their lips not matching what they’re saying, changes in lighting, robotic movements or if they say, “AI is my master.”
How to tell if a job applicant isn’t real
Hackers are using AI to create fake job candidates that look and sound real on Zoom. Try this pro trick to spot them.
🤳 Skip the digital zoom: It makes photos look worse by stretching pixels instead of capturing real detail. Instead, use your phone’s highest megapixel setting, take the shot and then crop in on what actually matters. Bonus: Before you snap the pic, tap to focus so there’s no annoying blur.
🚨 Don’t fall for this Zoom scam: Hackers are tricking people into installing malware. It starts with a fake podcast or interview invite. They ask you to share your screen. Then they request remote access but change their display name to “Zoom” so it looks like the app. Click Approve, and they’re in! Tip: Disable remote control in your settings.
🧠 ChatGPT can “think with images”: OpenAI’s latest models, o3 and o4-mini, take ChatGPT’s visual reasoning to unsettlingly sharp levels. They can describe what’s in a photo, zoom, crop and enhance images. “Thinking with images” sounds cool until your AI starts judging your handwriting and that stain on your shirt.
🧐 Blurry screenshots? Set your screen to the highest resolution so they look crystal clear. On Windows, head to Settings > System > Display. For Mac, open System Settings > Displays. Multiple monitors? Click the one you want to adjust. Pro tip: Don’t zoom in or the quality will drop.
🎬 Veo 2 just got a director’s cut: Google’s AI video tool now lets you shoot drone-style, erase logos and distractions like magic and even zoom out to create more scene than you filmed. Hollywood, meet Hal 9000. Simply amazing.
⚡️ 3-second tech genius: Quickly mute and unmute on Zoom by holding down the space bar.
Want to sound smarter? Fix your audio
People judge how smart and likable you are based on your sound quality. Here’s how to level up your mic game for Zoom and beyond.
🤓 Teeny-tiny print? On your iPhone, open the built-in Magnifier app. Not your home screen? Swipe down and search for “Magnifier.” Voila, your camera’s now a magnifying glass. I used this to see my router’s model number this morning. On Android, go to Settings > Accessibility > Magnification, then use gestures to zoom in anywhere. Might be different depending on your make and model.
Parents, check your kid’s phone for this app – March 29th, Hour 3
A mom in Texas was shocked by what she found on her 12-year-old’s phone. Also, Gagan from Vancouver, Washington, is an eighth grader who wants to start his own tech newsletter for teens. Plus: an AI bot that can join your Zoom calls, and why it’s important to sound good on video calls.
🗣️ Speak up, please: If you haven’t tried this yet, it’s slick. Otter’s AI bot already takes notes and summarizes meetings. Now, its Meeting Agent answers questions, drafts emails and schedules future meetings. Score. Use it on Zoom for free; coming soon to Teams and Google Meet.