Riddle me this!

 I’m not a wave, but I travel. I’m intangible and can carry a conversation. What am I?

Wi-Fi. Did you get it right? FYI, “Wi-Fi” doesn’t actually stand for anything. The name was coined as a catchier alternative to this technical mouthful: “IEEE 802.11b Direct Sequence.”

Tags: alternative, conversation, travel, Wi, Wi-Fi


Analyze tables in ChatGPT: First, select GPT-4o as your model. Upload your table and hit the “expand” button to explore your data. Click on a specific column and type any prompt (e.g., “What’s the total?”). You can also ask it to make a new spreadsheet from your data with specific formatting or layouts.

Delete this app: For years, Bartender was a reliable app for decluttering your Mac’s menu bar. But it was just sold to an unknown owner, and no one’s been able to contact Bartender’s founder. Bartender records your Mac screen to function, which means it’s not something you want to give a sketchy developer access to. Delete it ASAP.

Need a new book? If you have Amazon Prime, grab two free e-books from their monthly First Reads selections. It’s early access to popular new books. Sweet!

We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

Friday fun: Draw Logos from Memory is a quick browser game when you need a brain break. Pro tip: Click the little circles under each section to get more colors.

AI see what you’re sellin’: Sweet timesaver if you’re an eBay person: In the iOS app, AI can now add snazzy backgrounds to your product photos. Expect the change in the Android app soon.

Your social media profiles should be private: Unless you’re a public figure, there’s no reason to let anyone and everyone see your posts. On Facebook, click your profile pic in the top right > Settings & privacy > Settings. Choose an option under Audience and visibility. Steps for IG here.

Buzz off: WhatsApp is full of scammers, and they can add you to a group with others without your consent unless you change a setting. Open the app, then head to Settings > Privacy > Groups. Choose My Contacts or Nobody.

Quick iPhone cleanup: Duplicate contacts are annoying and Apple knows it. Now there’s an easy way to merge them. Open Contacts, then scroll all the way up. At the top, look for Duplicate Found. Tap View Duplicates > Merge All. Done! Sorry, Android pals — it’s not so easy for you.

Copy that: Google Lens can transcribe words in the real world (think a billboard or sign, menu, handwritten note, book page) to digital. Super useful. To try it, open the Google Lens app, point it at the text in question, then select it with your finger. Bam, now you can copy and paste anywhere.

Is it spam? Reader Ron S. in Gilbert, Arizona, dropped me a note with a reminder about a super-helpful site if you’re worried a link is suspicious. Google analyzes billions of URLs every day and adds spammy ones to a list. Paste a link in here to see if it’s been flagged. Thanks, Ron!