Something that was always supposed to be free finally is: The IRS’ free tax filing program, Direct File, will be available in 24 states next year. It was limited to simple tax situations, like W-2 wage earners or Social Security retirement incomes, but in 2025, it’ll cover complex filings, too. Here’s more info on who can use it.
Tags: free, IRS, tax filing, taxes
I talk a lot about how most apps default to automatically sharing your data with advertisers and marketing companies. But some apps share your personal info with other people by default.
Yeah, no, thank you. Let’s end this today. Here are the most common app oversharers on your phone and how to get them to stop.
Go deeper: On Windows, you can get detailed information about your hardware, software and components. Hold down Windows key + R, type msinfo32 and hit Enter to open your System Information panel.
🫧 Green chat bubbles aren’t going away: When you text from an iPhone to someone on an Android device, there’s a setting you can enable for better image and video quality — plus, no more “Kim liked a photo” responses to emoji reactions. On iPhone (iOS 18 only), go to Settings > Apps > Messages > RCS Messaging. On Android, open Google Messages, then tap your profile pic > Messaging settings > RCS chats.
Calling all gamers: If you’re on an Android device and spend a lot of money on apps and games, you should know about Google Play Pass. For $5 a month, you’ll get access to more than 1,000 paid apps and games — no ads or in-app purchase pop-ups, either.
🍎 For the Apple household: You can switch your music (or podcast or whatever) from your iPhone to your HomePod. Just hold your phone near the top of the speaker. If it doesn’t work, open your iPhone’s Settings, then pick General > AirPlay & Handoff and enable Transfer to HomePod.
No service? No problem: Spotify’s new Offline Backup kicks in when you don’t have a stable connection. It’s a playlist made up of songs you’ve listened to recently since they’re downloaded to your account. This feature is just for paying users right now.
Not today, Amazon: Your Echo will hold onto your voice recordings for analysis unless you tell it not to. In your Alexa app, choose More > Settings > Alexa Privacy > Review Voice History. Here, you can delete recordings to your heart’s content.
🔐 Smart lock: You can set your Windows PC to lock itself when you walk away. Pair your phone via Bluetooth, then activate Dynamic Lock in your Windows settings. When you step away and your phone loses its Bluetooth connection, your PC locks itself. So cool.
Check your consumer report: It contains real estate transaction and ownership data; lien, judgment and bankruptcy records; professional license info; and addresses. Go to the LexisNexis Consumer Disclosure Report page and click Request a Consumer Disclosure Report Online. Fill out your name and address, then click Submit Request. The waiting is the hardest part.
Update your iPhone: iOS 18.0.1 fixes bugs and patches a few security vulnerabilities. One is in the Passwords app, so don’t wait! Go to Settings > General > Software Update > Install Now.
