iPhone | The Tech Guy

What Do I Do With a New iPhone I Don't Need?

Episode 1784

Diane from Norco, CA

Diane recently discovered that someone used her credit card to buy an iPhone 12, and it was shipped to her, not the person who made the fraudulent charge. She has disputed the charge, but Apple doesn't seem to want the phone back. Being that she's not an Apple person, what does she do with it? Leo says you can use it, but there may be someone in the family if you don't want it. Leo guesses that she can always sell it on eBay. Apple doesn't tie it to you until it's activated. You could try activating it first.

Is the YubiKey More Secure for 2 Factor Authentication?

Episode 1783

Ed from Fort Wayne, IN

Ed wants to know if he can use a YubiKey authenticator with his iPhone. Leo says it works great with the iPhone. It's what he uses every day, and he thinks that a hardware key is the best two-factor option. How does it work? Leo says you can get one with a Lightning connector or use the NFC mode and tap it on the phone.

Will it work for Linux? Leo says most flavors of Linux, yes. But there are a few that don't support it, but you can add some code to it to make it work. Here's how.

Critical Security Flaw Requires iOS Update

Episode 1782

Known as a "cross-site WebKit vulnerability," a critical security flaw in the iPhone IOS 14.4.2 or iOS 12.4.2 could cause a hacker to get into accounts on websites through it. Apple is patching the flaw and iOS users should update once available.

Should I Get an iPhone or iPad?

Episode 1768

Tom from Riverside, CA

Tom is looking to get an iPhone or an iPad for work. He's never had one. Leo says to get an iPhone first. Get used to it. Then if he needs an iPad, he can go from there. He will also need an AppleTV if he wants to push the screen from the iPhone to the TV. It's called AirPlay. Plus, modern TVs can cast directly from the iPhone or iPad without an Apple TV because Apple TV is built-in. The Vizio Smartcast is a good one.

Use Apple's Family Sharing With Up to 5 Others Members

If you want to let a family member use some of your favorite apps, media content, and iCloud storage, use Apple Family Sharing. It lets you share stuff with up to five family members, from music to TV+ movies. This is also useful for letting family members use your device without letting them know your individual Apple ID. As an adult (the organizer), just invite the others to join, then select which services can be shared. The other members still see their own personal content and recommendations personalized for their Apple IDs.

Happy 13th Anniversary to the iPhone

Episode 1761

Thirteen years ago, Apple introduced an Internet communicator, iPod, and a Mobile Phone, known as the iPhone. Three devices in one. Leo says that smartphones were a struggling category at the time, attempting to go up against the juggernaut known as Blackberry. With the iPhone's launch, the smartphone's place in technological history was secured, and Blackberry is just a footnote.

Why Can't I Livestream on Facebook Live With My Phone?

Episode 1758

Alex from Los Angeles, CA

Alex is streaming Facebook live from his phone using the Apple Camera Kit, but he's now having audio issues. Leo says that it sounds like Facebook has changed something in the streaming, that causes the issue. It may also be that the specs to Alex's camera connection kit are no longer supported by Facebook live. Or, it could even be a change by Apple in iOS. But more likely, Facebook has changed something and Apple simply needs to catch up with an update.

Allow the Relevant Permissions for Your iOS Apps Requesting Access

If an application needs to share Photos and Video to an iOS device, it needs to store the files in the Photos album of your device in order to work. On an Apple device, the permissions will be granular. If you want to send a picture through an app like Facebook Messenger, you will get a pop-up asking for your permission to access your device's photos. That is normal, so don't freak out. If an app is asking for permissions to certain areas of your iOS device (like Contacts, Location, etc.) that don't seem to relate to the app's function, be wary.

Why doesn't my iPhone work with my VPN?

Episode 1749

Jose from Ontario, CA

Jose is having problems using a VPN with his iPhone. Leo says you have to create a separate VPN profile for the phone to use. That's probably the issue. If that's not the answer, then look to see if the phone is defaulting to your wifi connection, without the VPN.

Leo Gets the iPhone 12 Pro Max, and It's Heavy!

Episode 1745

Leo got the iPhone 12 Pro Max and he says it's HEAVY. It also has a larger screen for plenty of room. The pixels are larger, too, so he gets better low light performance with the three-lens camera. Leo also says that the camera "bump" is pretty prominent, as well. Leo also says that could cause the camera lenses to scratch over time because the phone will rest on the bump.

How is 5G? Leo doesn't know because it isn't available everywhere, and where it is, it's likely the low band 5G, which is about as fast as LTE.