Tracked and terrified

That’s the brave percentage of people who actually pay when faced with a paywall. Yea, I don’t either. We harness our energy into searching elsewhere for that kernel of information, or simply throw in the towel. 

🛜 Full bars, slow internet? Those little Wi-Fi bars only show your connection to the router, not your internet speed. So even if they’re full, apps can run slower than a Monday morning. When in doubt, run a speed test and check if your download, upload and ping match what you’re paying for.

📺 Your TV isn’t a tablet: Here’s a simple rule. Take your TV’s size in inches and multiply it by 1.2 to get the best viewing distance. For example, if you’ve got a 50-inch screen, sit about 60 inches (or 5 feet) back. Now you can binge without straining your eyes.

How much of all U.S. TV use went to streaming in June, topping both cable and broadcast combined. Streaming is eating TV’s lunch, breakfast and dinner. And yes, Netflix is back in its hot girl summer era with 13.5% growth. Traditional TV? It’s giving “landline.”

Stop poking your Echo: Say, “Alexa, volume up” or “volume down” to adjust the sound. Want more control? Say “Alexa, set volume to 5.” The range goes from 1 to 10, so you can dial it in for podcasts (like The Kim Komando Show), playlists or whatever you’re playing.

That’s the deal Apple just signed with MP Materials, which operates a rare-earth mine in the U.S. The company will soon produce magnets for iPhones and other high-tech gear. Why? Apple wants to cut back on communist China’s grip controlling about 70% of the world’s critical minerals.