iPhone, Android, Windows Phone, Blackberry, or feature phones.
Mobile Phones
Is Fingerprint Unlock Going Away?
Episode 1642
Julian fromJulian is blind and relies on touch ID on his iPhone a lot. But he's worried that the fingerprint ID is being replaced and will no longer be available in mobile phones. Rich says he's heard rumors that Apple may be bringing it back in the next iPhone in 2020, so stay tuned. Meanwhile, check out IOS13's new VOICE CONTROL feature.
Also, check out the Braille Institute's Best in Tech LA conference, coming Sat, Nov 16 at the
Why isn't my iPhone touch screen working?
Episode 1641
Tom fromTom's iPhone 5S died, and he bought a new iPhone 8. But he's not having luck with the 3D touch option. It just doesn't respond. And at other times, it seems overly sensitive. What is going on? Rich says that since the phone is still under warranty, it'll be worth going to the Apple Store and have the digitizer tested. If you don't have one nearby, Best Buy is now an authorized iPhone service center. A reboot of the phone will also help.
How can I minimize my footprint online and be anonymous?
Episode 1641
José fromJosé would like to be anonymous online. How can he minimize his online footprint with Mac addresses? Rich says that most systems are encrypted now, and Google is pushing all websites to update to https. So your traffic gets more encrypted. If that's not enough for you, then randomizing your Mac address is a good way to do it. In iOS 13, for instance, Apple devices generate randomized Mac addresses while online. That's a good way to keep yourself protected. You may try using a VPN, or you can browse privately.
Can I increase storage on my mobile phone with a microSD card?
Episode 1641
Joseph fromJoseph wants to an SD card into his phone and make it part of "adoptable storage," making the phone think that the phone is larger than it is. Rich says that Samsung doesn't allow that on their phones anymore because it's difficult to do, and if the card gets corrupted or loosened, it could prevent your phone from working properly. So Rich says that even though Android supports it, Samsung may have locked that feature out. Is there a workaround? Rich says you may be able to do it by rooting the phone, but it's not all that easy.
Chris Marquardt ... A Wider Angle
Episode 1641
Chris joins us to talk about using Wider Angles. The new iPhone has a .5x ultra wide-angle lens, and often we can include things in our pictures that we don't want. So Chris recommends doing a background check to see what is in the background. Also, do a "border patrol" and check what's at the edges of your image. See what's going on as it might be intruding in the frame.
Another issue with ultra wide-angle is a slight distortion at the edges of the frame. Anything at the edge can get stretched. To avoid it, place your subject more towards the middle.
Should I buy a 5G mobile phone?
Episode 1641
Ryan fromRyan has T-Mobile and they offer 600 MHz 5G and 600 Mhz 4G. Should he wait for the One Plus 7T next year? Rich says that 5G isn't really a thing right now. It's not going to be robust and widespread enough for another year. So there's no real rush to get a 5G phone, and they're first-generation anyway which will likely have bugs or fewer features, than if you wait a year. Also, since Ryan lives in a rural area, he's not going to really be able to take advantage of 5G right away anyway.
Why doesn't my third party reminder app work on iCloud anymore?
Episode 1641
Tony fromTony says that Apple has killed third party reminders on iCloud with iOS 13.2. Rich says that Apple has locked down a lot of things on iOS 13, and third party reminders is one of them. It's a security issue.
Can I get a keyboard for my iPhone?
Episode 1641
Scott fromScott's company is shifting to using the iPhone from laptops and needs a keyboard for it. Rich says any Bluetooth keyboard will work, and he recommends the Logitech K480 ($50) or the Logitech Keys to Go. Is there a wired option? Rich says it's possible that you could get a wired to Bluetooth adapter. But if your company locks down the Bluetooth, you may be out of luck.
Should I Upgrade My iPhone 5S to iOS 13?
Episode 1640
Curtis fromCurtis has an iPhone 5S and is concerned that about the iOS 13 update. Rich says that the 5S is too old for iOS 13, but he can upgrade to iOS 12. Curtis also has an Apple Watch and it's not connecting to his iPhone. Rich says that the best thing to do is go to the Apple Store and talk to a genius. They always have the right solution to connect.
Should I Update My Backup iPhone SE?
Episode 1640
Max fromMax has an iPhone SE, and he recently upgraded to iOS 13. He bought a second one to keep, just in case. Will it work when he needs it? Rich suggests unboxing the phone and keeping it up to date as new updates occur. He doesn't know what may happen in the future. But the update runway may not be all that long. Still, if he waits to update it, the phone may not be able to connect to the update servers a year or two from now. So keep it updated.
