You’re hitting the road and your phone battery is low: Rats. Set the route in your GPS app before you leave, then switch your phone into Airplane mode. You’ll still follow your route thanks to your phone’s built-in GPS, but you’ll save battery life by cutting off data-hungry apps. Smart.
Holiday tech hacks: Digital cookbook, easier cards, group pic tips
I’m not sure where this year went, but it’s time to dive headfirst into the festive frenzy. I’ve got some tech tips up my sleeve that’ll sprinkle a little magic on your celebrations. You’re gonna love ‘em!
1. Cook up a storm with a digital cookbook
If your recipes are printed or handwritten, snap a pic with your phone or tablet. Add them all to one folder (or try the Notes app on iOS or Google Keep for Android) for easy swiping. Listen here for more tips about that.
Cooking recipes you found online? Use this site to strip the ads, save the PDF versions and toss them all in one spot. There’s a free 14-day trial, so just remember to cancel if you’re not going to keep using it.
Now, let’s get your kitchen cooking tech stylin’ with two essentials:
- An inexpensive phone and tablet holder (47% off, $7.99) will keep your phone or tablet out of the mess of flour, stock and butter in the kitchen. Btw, I use this one for my iPad when doing the show!
- A stylus (20% off, $7.99) can be used instead of your fingers to advance videos or scroll.
2. Go with digital holiday cards
Canva, Adobe Express, Paperless Post and Mailchimp all offer solid options. Choose a template, whip up a greeting and send it in just a few minutes — no trip to the post office.
But if you want a personalized card to mail, you can pick a template and upload a photo on Amazon for 15 cards ($21.45; $1.43 each) or up to 250 cards ($180; $0.72 each).
3. Your best family pics in years
No more designating the family friend or someone’s random date as the chief photographer.
- On iPhone: Open your Camera app and tap the up arrow at the top of the screen. Scroll to the option that looks like a clock, then tap it. Select a 3- or 10-second delay.
- On Android: In the Camera app, select Timer and turn it on. Choose a delay of 2, 5 or 10 seconds.
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How to know if you’re being stalked or are just paranoid
I’ve heard it all on my national radio show. There was the guy totally freaked out because too many strangers in public knew his name for it to be a coincidence. (His name was Buddy.)
There was a woman who swore one of Metallica’s band members hacked her iPhone to stalk her after she rejected him online. And another who bought and sold three cars because she thought they all had hidden trackers.
🚦 Cop-out behavior: Two Missouri police officers got busted using traffic stops as a way to see naked pics of women. One former officer reportedly searched 20 different phones last year. He told the victims he was looking at their phones for insurance info, then, if he found racy pics on their devices, he snapped photos of them with his own phone. He and another trooper pleaded not guilty.
How does the computing power of your smartphone compare to the guidance computer aboard the 1969 Apollo 11 lunar module? Is it … A.) About as powerful, B.) 120 times more powerful, C) 12,000 times more powerful or D.) 120,000 times more powerful?
Turn on your phone's theft protection
Your phone is very valuable in the wrong hands — and not just if you have a snazzy, new iPhone 16 Pro Max that costs as much as a mortgage payment. Even a cheap smartphone is loaded with logins, personal data and financial info. Think of it as instant access to everything.
Quick privacy win: Clear cookies on your phone
There’s a question I find myself asking a lot with tech products and services: “Is it worth it?” I’m not just talking about money, though, yes, I’m hoping my new $1,200 iPhone will be worth it (eesh).
Privacy is a cost, too. With every “free” service you get, you’re handing over something in return.
Stupid celebrity stuff: Sofia Richie, model and daughter of music legend Lionel Richie, spilled on a podcast her five-month-old daughter, Eloise, has her own smartphone and is a sassy texter. Mom and caregivers obviously do the texting for Eloise. One question: Why don’t they put the phone down, talk to the baby and enjoy the moment?
Flip, not flop: Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold SE is their first foldable phone with almost no crease in the middle. The Korea-only launch sold out instantly. Expect the same screen tech in the Galaxy Fold 7 in the U.S. next year. Psst, the Fold 6 (21% off) and Flip 6 (24% off) are on sale right now.
We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.
Keep your distance: Save your eyes from strain and have your iPhone warn you if your face is too close to the screen. From Settings, choose Screen Time > Screen Distance. Android friends, your phone doesn’t have this feature, so keep your phone at least 12 inches away from your eyes when possible.
Forgot why you walked into the kitchen? I love this trick to use with a smartphone assistant. Say, “Hey, Siri/Google, remind me to do [task] when I get to [location].” This is perfect for when you need to do something specific when you arrive at a place, like, “Remind me to defrost the chicken when I get home.”
🔔 Put a ring(tone) on it: It’s easier than ever to create your own custom ringtones. For Android, you’ll need to trim your audio file to 30 seconds or less, then export it as an MP3 and transfer it to your phone. Once it’s there, head to Settings > Sound and Vibration > Phone ringtone > My Sounds > + (plus sign) to select your clip. Full steps for iPhone here.
📸 Go, go, Android camera: This works on many Android smartphone models, including the Google Pixel and Samsung Galaxy. Double-tap the power button to launch the camera, then use either the volume-up or volume-down button to take a snap. Easy!
If police try to get you to unlock your smartphone: Say no. Under the Fourth Amendment, they need a warrant to search it. Once they’re in, they can access your private info and, theoretically, use it to pressure you into a confession. That’s where the Fifth Amendment comes in: The government can’t force self-incrimination. It pays to know your rights.
Keep your battery level over 0%: Letting your phone die does more than leave you without a way to play Wordle. It can also degrade your battery over time. Keep a portable charger on hand and power up before you hit 0%.
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What’s the bestselling non-Apple, non-Android phone of all time? Is it the … A.) BlackBerry Curve, B.) Motorola Razr V3, C.) Nokia 1100 or D.) Samsung SGH-E250?
💰 More cash for your old phone: iPhones retain their value much longer than models from Samsung, Google or OnePlus. Demand’s higher too. iPhone folks sell or trade in their phones 41% of the time, compared to just 17% of Android owners. Sadly, 30% of Android folks just end up tossing their old phones.
🕶️ Can’t wait for a new wave of glass-holes: Mark Zuckerberg thinks Meta’s Orion smart glasses will replace smartphones for messaging, video chatting and browsing social media. Zuck and his team have been working on the (really) thick black glasses for 10 years. They include a holographic display only the wearer can see. No price or timeline yet.
💸 The next big thing? Former Apple designer Jony Ive and OpenAI’s Sam Altman are working on an AI-powered device. Details are scarce (of course!), but they say it’ll handle advanced tasks like booking travel and identifying plants from photos, with more power than the average smartphone and fewer disruptions than a standard phone.