“Wow, what an entrance!” said a well-coiffed woman as other patrons seated at the sidewalk cafe, now standing, began to applaud my exit from the electric bubble car like I was stepping out of a limousine.
Technology
Microlino electric bubble car review: urban delight
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25322651/IMG_2276.jpeg "Microlino electric bubble car review: urban delight")
That really happened in one of Amsterdam’s wealthiest neighborhoods, on a street dotted with Range Rovers and a G-Class Merc costing nearly ten times as much as the little BMW Isetta throwback I was driving. What followed was a bevy of questions I had already answered dozens of times in my one week with the car: What is it? How much does it cost? Can I drive it on the highway?
It’s an Italian-made Microlino from a Swiss-company called Micro with prices starting at around €18,000 (about $19,500). Yes, it’s highway legal.
While cars in general are embiggening, in some cities a new breed of electric microcars are trending. They’re cheaper to own, easier to park, consume less public space and energy, and maneuver around obstacles that would otherwise block big SUVs and snarl traffic.
And you know what? Some, like the Microlino, are so much fun that maybe, just maybe, they’ll help reverse the trend of people buying increasingly larger and heavier cars. Assuming they’ve fixed a software issue that bricked my test car at the end of the review (more on that later).
Let me start by saying that I don’t own a car, but I do regularly drive one. I’ve long subscribed to a car sharing service with a dedicated fleet parked in dedicated spots around town, that lets me select the right car for my current need: compact, wagon, or panel van; gas or EV. But not everyone lives in a city that spent the last 50-odd years trying to break away from car dependency to perfect multimodal transport, so the desire to own a large car that can do all the car things is understandable.
Yet even here in Amsterdam — a city dominated by bicycles with easy access to good public transportation — there are still lots of privately owned cars suffering from autobesity, just sitting there on the street unused 96 percent of the time, by some accounts. That’s space that could be used for public walkways, cycleways, benches, cafes, greenery… or about three microcars parked side by side.
The midtier Microlino Dolce I reviewed starts at €20,000 (about $21,700) and is an absolute joy for quick trips to the market or dropping a kid at school while staying warm and dry in bad weather. It has a top speed of 90km/h (55mph) and range of up to 228km (142 miles) for destinations well beyond the city center.
Last weekend, I drove my wife and dog to the sea and back and then returned to the dunes for a trail run the following day before needing to recharge the Microlino, for a real-world range of about 110km. I plugged it in at one of the 12 public 11kW AC chargers in the parking lot with about 20 percent remaining, and returned from my run 90 minutes later to find a 50 percent charge — more than enough for the 30-minute drive home.
The Microlino’s no speed demon, but it’s still an EV and so lightweight that I’d beat unsuspecting taxis off the starting line and “win” the merged lane. The small and responsive steering wheel and super stiff suspension contribute to a go-kart feel when whipping around corners and through traffic circles at I-should-know-better speeds. “It feels like a real car,” is how one owner of a €15,000 (about $16,300) Biro — one of the first and most popular electric microcars to seduce Amsterdammers — described driving the Microlino.
It’s not without its faults, however. To start with, there’s a lot of plastic inside the Microlino (but the windows are all glass unlike some microcars). One plastic clip helping to keep a plastic service panel in place snapped off in my brief time with the car, which I received with just 10km on the odometer. The motor has a distinct whine, the phone holder rattles when empty, the wiper motor is noisy, and the fan has two settings: loud or louder. The only thing that isn’t loud is the included portable Bluetooth speaker.
I also watched the main display reboot once while driving but without any impact on the motor or controls (thankfully!). And while the front door has a nice soft-close mechanism, the trunk requires a solid slam to catch. The sloped-back roof also exposes the interior to rain when the door is open, and I experienced some drips while driving around curves due to water that must have collected in the door closure.
The “vegan” (fake) leather on the seats and steering wheel were nice touches on my Dolce Edition, as was the intuitive mechanical sunroof, but overall I’d describe the fit and finish of the Microlino Dolce as basic. At least until I drove a top-end Biro and realized just how superior the Microlino was by comparison. A Microlino is a tiny expensive car, whereas a Biro is a tiny expensive golf cart.
The Microlino did, however, suffer a total failure after sitting on a 11kWh public charger for about four hours. When I returned to what should have been a fully charged car, it wouldn’t power on. After hauling it away on a trailer, Micro identified the issue and assures me it won’t affect future cars. They blamed the problem on a system that protects the car against peak voltage from the charging station, which “was not adjusted correctly after a software update.”
Micro tells me that my poor little guy is fine after the update. Good, but such a failure would have been a huge hassle if I was the vehicle’s owner, and without the priority attention afforded to journalists.
Still, despite the mishap and all my nitpicking, none of the aforementioned issues are enough to dissuade my enthusiasm for the Microlino — it’s that much fun.
1/55
As much as I enjoyed my week with the Microlino, I’m not yet a convert — there’s simply no faster, more convenient, or healthier way of going door to door than on a bicycle in cities with good cycling infrastructure, despite the rain and cold for which I can dress. And less capable but very appealing microcars like the Opel Rocks (sold as the Citroen Ami in some markets) can be had for half the price at €8,700 (about $9,470).
The Microlino isn’t for everyone. Hell, microcars aren’t even for most people. But they are for anyone who wants a vehicle that’s more nimble, efficient, inexpensive, and fun to drive than a full-sized car.
Fun… there’s that word again. I can’t help but return to it even if it’s impossible to quantify. But anecdotally, my time with the Microlino delivered more smiles per city kilometer — both inside and outside the car — than any car I’ve ever been in, and I’d wager more than any new car available today, no matter the size or price.
Photography by Thomas Ricker / The Verge
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Roblox is a massive app — as of September 2023, Roblox says it has more than 65 million daily active users — and it’s becoming an increasingly interesting platform to watch amid growing competition from social and metaverse platforms like Epic Games’ Fortnite and Meta’s Horizon Worlds.
Here’s all of our coverage of Roblox.
Tax season is upon us, and while many of you are preparing to file your returns, it’s crucial to be aware of the ever-evolving world of tax scams.
This year, it’s more important than ever to stay informed and on your guard.
New research by McAfee, a cybersecurity company, has shed light on how common these scams are and what kind of scams they are, revealing some surprising trends and highlighting the importance of protecting yourself.
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Scam written on tax forms (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
How Americans file and pay taxes in 2025
Before diving into the scams, let’s look at how people are handling their taxes these days. The McAfee research indicates that:
- A little more than half of Americans (53%) are e-filers, taking the online route through tax software or IRS Free File
- Nearly a third (31%) rely on professional tax preparers
- The vast majority (60%) handle payments and refunds electronically
- A large portion (52%) still receive their W-2s and 1099s the old-fashioned way: in the mail
- While others (31%) log in to payroll service portals (e.g., ADP, Workday, Paychex) to retrieve them
Illustration of tax prep tools (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
BEST ANTIVIRUS FOR MAC, PC, IPHONES AND ANDROIDS – CYBERGUY PICKS
The unsettling reality of tax scams
The reality is that tax scams are more prevalent than we might prefer to acknowledge. Nearly one in four individuals (23%) say they know someone or have personally fallen victim to such scams. Let’s break down who’s being affected and how.
- Young adults (18-24): This group is, surprisingly, the most likely to fall victim to scams. They are also most likely to have their information compromised via Instagram and WhatsApp.
- Older adults (65-74): On the other end of the spectrum, older adults are the least likely to have encountered tax scams.
- Gender differences: Young men are significantly more likely to lose money to scams than young women.
And when people do lose money, the amounts can be substantial:
- 81% lost over $500
- 51% lost over $1,000
- A sobering 5% lost over $10,000
Scam written on a tablet surrounded by cash (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
THE HIDDEN COSTS OF FREE APPS: YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION
Demands and threats: What scammers want
Scammers use a variety of tactics to trick people into giving up their money or personal information. The research shows that many people have received suspicious messages claiming to be from the IRS or a state tax authority via:
- Phone calls (30%)
- Text messages (27%)
- Facebook/Facebook Messenger (5%)
- WhatsApp (3%)
- Instagram/Instagram Direct Messages (2%)
These messages often include demands for:
- Social Security numbers or tax identification numbers (40%)
- Immediate payment of back taxes (27%)
- Bank account numbers (18%)
- Credit/debit card information (17%)
It’s important to note that the IRS generally doesn’t initiate contact via phone, text or social media to demand immediate payment.
A woman preparing her taxes (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
THE TAXING TRUTH: A STATE-BY-STATE ANALYSIS OF TAX TIME TRICKERY
Who’s being targeted by which scam?
Different age groups are targeted with different scams. Here’s the breakdown.
- Older adults (65-74): This group is heavily targeted by payment scams, such as demands for back taxes or fake tax refund schemes.
- Middle-aged (35-54): This group is targeted by a mix of identity theft and payment scams, like requests for Social Security numbers or demands for back tax payments.
- Younger adults (18-24): Scammers often seek personal information from this group, like birth dates and bank account numbers.
A woman working on her taxes (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
The cost of falling for scams
Many people have received emails or texts about their “tax refund” or “tax refund e-statement” with a link. A large portion of people (39%) clicked on these links. It’s definitely alarming how many people end up falling for these scams.
WHAT IS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)?
Almost 40% of people who get a scam message or call actually send the scammer money. Younger adults are particularly vulnerable; more than half of 18- to 24-year-olds know someone who’s paid up. When people click those tempting links about tax refunds or e-statements, they’re playing a risky game: Almost 40% of people clicked on that email or text message, and that’s where scammers can really get you.
A woman working on her taxes (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
AI’s role in the future of tax scams
Looking ahead, AI is making scams even scarier. A whopping 87% of people are worried about AI’s role in creating realistic tax scams, but only 40% feel confident they could spot a deepfake from the IRS. As a result, many people (41%) are second-guessing real tax communications. In fact, more than half of people say the tax scam messages they’ve received this year are more sophisticated or realistic than last year. It’s no wonder that most people are concerned about tax fraud this season.
“Tax scammers are getting smarter, and many are using AI to make their tricks more convincing than ever, just when people are feeling the most pressure to file quickly,” said Abhishek Karnik, head of threat research at McAfee. “While not every scam uses AI, we predict a rise in more sophisticated, social engineering-focused tax fraud tactics as access to AI tools increases, including fraudulent emails, phone calls that use AI-generated audio and fake tax prep websites, making it easy for even the savviest filers to slip up.”
How to protect yourself from tax scams
OK, so the scam landscape looks pretty grim. What can you do to stay safe? Here are some practical steps to protect yourself.
1. Be skeptical of unsolicited contact: Remember that the IRS will never contact you via phone, email, text or social media to demand immediate payment or request personal information.
2. Avoid clicking suspicious links; use strong antivirus software: Do not click on links in emails or texts from unknown senders. The best way to safeguard yourself from malicious links that install malware, potentially accessing your private information, is to have antivirus software installed on all your devices. This protection can also alert you to phishing emails and ransomware scams, keeping your personal information and digital assets safe. Get my picks for the best 2025 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices.
3. Guard your personal information: Protect your Social Security number, bank account details and other sensitive data carefully.
4. Create strong, unique passwords: Be sure to use strong passwords on financial and tax websites. Make sure each password is unique, especially for financial accounts. Get more details about my best expert-reviewed password managers of 2025 here.
5. Enable two-factor authentication: This adds an extra layer of security to your accounts that will prevent a hacker from getting into your accounts.
6. Invest in personal data removal services: These services monitor your personal information and alert you to potential fraud. While no service promises to remove all your data from the internet, having a removal service is great if you want to constantly monitor and automate the process of removing your information from hundreds of sites continuously over a longer period of time. Check out my top picks for data removal services here.
7. Don’t respond to texts/calls from unknown sources: Whatever you do, don’t respond to texts/calls from unknown sources whatsoever.
8. Trust your gut: If something feels off, it probably is. Verify information independently by contacting the IRS or your state tax authority directly.
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Kurt’s key takeaways
Tax season doesn’t have to be a stressful time filled with worry. By staying informed, being on your guard and taking simple steps to protect yourself, you can confidently navigate the tax landscape and avoid falling victim to these scams. Be skeptical, be careful and always remember that when it comes to your taxes, it’s always better to be safe than sorry.
Have you or someone you know been targeted by a tax scam? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.
For more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to Cyberguy.com/Newsletter.
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Copyright 2025 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.
Aside from a new color, the M4 MacBook Air looks a whole lot like last year’s model. And we’ve got the hands-on experience and pictures to prove it.
Apple’s got five main updates for its refresh of the 13- and 15-inch MacBook Airs for 2025. First, it’s got a similar M4 chip to the base 14-inch MacBook Pro, though here it starts with a 10-core CPU and 8-core GPU. Also inherited from the MacBook Pros, the Airs now use the 12-megapixel Center Stage webcam that’s wider and can track you within the frame. And you can now (finally) use two external monitors and keep the lid open, essentially giving you a fancy triple-monitor setup with the lowly MacBook Air.
As for that new color option, sky blue, it replaces space gray. Starlight, silver, and midnight are still around from last year (and midnight is unchanged, so expect some fingerprint smudginess). The new blue is a very pale metallic finish. You could mistake it for a silver if you didn’t see them side-by-side. I think the best way I could describe it is 2003 Toyota Matrix blue. In other words, it’s nice but not blue enough. Apple should call it non-committal blue.
But the fifth thing that’s new for the MacBook Air, and likely the one many of us will care most about, is that it starts at a lower price. The 13-inch model starts at $999 while the 15-inch starts at $1,199. This is actually a return to form for the 13-inch, which used to start at that price before an increase during the M2 generation. The M4 Air may be an otherwise subtle chip-bump of an upgrade with a new bland-ish metallic finish, but $100 off makes all the difference.
In addition to our hands-on with the MacBook Air we also got our first look at the new Mac Studio duo, one with the M4 Max chip and one with a new, all-out M3 Ultra. The Studios don’t look any different, but the changes inside are pretty major for hardcore pros doing some heavy-duty creative work or local AI stuff.
Apple’s new Macs and iPads are due out next week and already up for order. Check out our smattering of photos.
Mac Studio M4 Max / M3 Ultra
Photography by Antonio G. Di Benedetto / The Verge
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