Share your ETA on the go
I hate being late. There’s nothing worse than leaving your friends hangry at a restaurant. But if I am running behind, I always give folks a heads-up.
Today’s apps have so many hidden tricks. Here’s one I use that I wanted to share with you: Use your map app to share your ETA automatically. That way, you can keep your friends in the loop and your eyes on the road.
🔑 Use your phone as a digital car key: You can lock, unlock and start your car using your phone if you have a Pixel 6 and later, Samsung Galaxy S21 and later, and some Android devices that run Android 12 and up. You need a compatible car, too. Steps to set it up are here.
Smartphone shortcut: On a Samsung, go to your Contacts and choose a person you want to talk to. Swipe left to text message then or swipe right to call — no extra tapping around required. Cool.
On the dotted line: It’s easy to create a virtual signature on a Mac using the Preview app. In Preview, hit Tools > Annotate > Signature > Manage signatures. Sign using your trackpad (hard) or sign your name on a white piece of paper and hold it up to your webcam (easier).
🪀 If you want to get super nerdy: This Windows PowerToys upgrade displays keyboard shortcuts right on your screen so you can learn more. Neat-o!
Cleanup time: Look around. Do you see USB or other charging cables starting to fray? Toss them. You’re just asking for trouble — specifically, a fire. The Apple Lightning cable and Amazon Basics USB-C cable are both solid options.
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👪 For the next group pic: Don’t be that person who takes one photo and calls it good. You know at least one person’s eyes will be closed. Instead, be the hero and hold down your phone’s camera button. It’ll take a ton of pics in quick succession, giving you a much higher chance for a crowd-pleasing shot.
Calling all tech nerds: In Chrome, you can access experimental or beta features. In the address bar, type chrome://flags and hit Enter. Scroll through and see if any catch your eye.
Drip-drop: Google’s latest Pixel feature drop is here, bringing Gemini Nano AI to Pixel 8 and Pixel 8A users. Update if you have a new Pixel! So far, they’ve said Nano AI will summarize voice recordings and then export them to Google Docs. Cool but, uh, what else?