A hidden iPhone security update you should know about
Plus: an AI grocery hack, smarter Amazon shopping, and a $2,500 rental car scare
Hope you’re having a fantastic weekend. Let’s get right to it.
This week I got to do something pretty cool with one of my kids, who happens to be a big Clippers fan. We headed to Intuit Dome to test a new offering from AT&T called AT&T Turbo Live.
If you’ve ever been to a packed stadium, concert, or big event, you know the struggle. You might have full bars, but actually getting your data to work is a different story.
AT&T’s idea here is simple: once you activate Turbo Live, your data gets put into a “VIP lane,” meaning it’s prioritized over everyone else on the network around you. It’s an interesting concept. It may be included with some plans, but you can also buy it as a one-time pass for an event. Even if you’re on Verizon or T-Mobile, you can use it by installing an eSIM for the night.
At the Clippers game, I did some speed tests on the AT&T network and saw some of the fastest speeds I’ve ever experienced on a phone.
That said, I’m curious how this plays out long term. If I’m an AT&T customer, I’d probably expect something like this to be included in my plan. And if I’m on another carrier, the idea of installing an eSIM just for one event might be a hurdle for a lot of people.
Still, one thing is clear: connectivity at big events can be hit or miss. I remember going to USC games at the Coliseum back in the day and having basically zero service. These days it’s definitely improved, and this feels like the next step in making sure your phone actually works when you need it most.
iPhone warning: update now to avoid this new hack
Big news this week in the iPhone world. There’s newly discovered malware called “DarkSword,” and it’s especially concerning because of how it works. In some cases, simply visiting a compromised website could allow hackers to take control of your phone without you tapping or downloading anything. From there, they could potentially access messages, data, and more. That’s something we don’t typically see on iPhones.
The good news is this appears to mainly affect devices running older software, particularly iOS 18, which still accounts for about 20% of iPhones. If your phone is up to date, you should be protected. If not, this is a great reminder to install security updates, even if you don’t plan to upgrade to the latest full version of iOS. Apple has already released patches, so updating should take care of the issue.
There are a couple of additional things to know.
Apple is quietly rolling out a new type of update that I’d describe as a “hidden” security update. It’s not in the usual Software Update section. Instead, go to Settings, then Privacy & Security, then Background Security Improvements. This should already be set to install automatically, but if you see an update available, you can install it manually right away.
There’s also an app called iVerify Basic. It’s free on the App Store and can scan your phone for signs of hacking or spyware. I didn’t realize tools like this existed for iPhone, but I tried it and everything checked out on my device.
If you’re on Android, you can download the app there as well, although it costs 99 cents.
Sponsored: Take back your privacy
I get a lot of questions about personal data floating around online.
Your information can show up in two very different places.
There are legitimate data broker and people-finder sites that collect and publish details like your name, address, and phone number. That’s the information services like Incogni can help remove.
Then there’s the dark web, which usually involves data from breaches. Once it’s there, it’s very difficult to control or remove. I got at least two breach notifications this week alone.
For the stuff you can control, I’ve been using Incogni. It automatically sends removal requests to data brokers on your behalf.
Since last May, it’s sent 637 takedown requests for me. In the past month alone, it got 163 data brokers to stop including my information. My dashboard shows that responses take about eight days on average.
You can add email addresses, phone numbers, and home addresses to cover different variations of your data.
They’re offering a bigger discount through April 5.
Protect your identity. Get 58% off at Incogni with code RICHONTECH.
Smart grocery shopping hack: let AI pick what’s actually worth buying
Here’s a neat use of AI.
I was at the grocery store the other day, dealing with those digital coupons you have to clip one by one. It’s a pain. I’ve mentioned before that you can use a site like Savewise to automatically clip all available coupons and load them onto your store card. If you’re not doing that yet, it’s a huge time saver.
That got me thinking about how grocery stores price things. They play these high-low games where some items are deeply discounted while others are marked way up.
So I tried something new. I took the weekly store flyer and fed it into ChatGPT, asking it to find the best things to buy based on my priorities: healthy options that are also a good deal.
It actually worked really well.
It gave me a solid list of items that were both nutritious and on sale. And you can tailor this however you want. Maybe you’re looking for the best snacks, the best produce for the week, or even ingredients to build a few dinners based on what’s discounted.
The biggest challenge is getting the flyer into ChatGPT. Not every store makes it easy, and some don’t offer a clean PDF version. But if you can get that info in, this is a really smart way to save money and shop a little healthier.
Amazon’s spring sale is coming, plus two smart shopping tricks I use
Speaking of shopping, Amazon is kicking off a Big Spring Sale from March 25 through March 31. Expect the usual mix of discounts, along with curated “Top 100” lists to help you browse, including deals, health and wellness, and spring favorites. They’ll also be dropping daily deals and limited-time doorbusters throughout the week.
Unlike Prime Day, this sale is open to everyone, although Amazon says some deals will be exclusive to Prime members.
While we’re on the topic of Amazon, there are a couple of other updates worth knowing.
First, delivery is getting even faster. Amazon is now offering one-hour and three-hour delivery on more than 90,000 items in a growing number of cities. The catch is the price. Even Prime members pay extra, about $10 for one-hour delivery and $5 for three-hour delivery. My initial reaction is “no thanks,” but I can definitely see moments where that kind of speed comes in handy. I once needed an Ethernet cable for my radio show and had one delivered in under an hour through DoorDash, so clearly there’s demand for this.
The link for this is amazon.com/getitfast.
The other thing I’ve been using lately is a couple of helpful browser extensions that make Amazon shopping a lot cleaner and safer.
One is called Amazon Unsponsor. It strips out the sponsored listings at the top of your search results, which instantly cuts down on clutter and makes it easier to find what you’re actually looking for.
The other is called Amazon Only No Third Party Sellers. This limits your results to items sold directly by Amazon. That can be especially helpful for things like cosmetics or personal care products, where third-party listings can sometimes be counterfeit or lower quality.
One caveat: some legitimate brands sell through third-party arrangements, so this filter can occasionally hide items you actually want. If something seems missing, just toggle it off and search again.
Together, these tools make Amazon feel a lot more manageable. Just keep in mind they only work on desktop browsers like Chrome, not in the Amazon app.
TV Segments
Want to protect your privacy at home? Here’s how to remove or blur your house from Google Maps, Apple Maps, Zillow and more. Watch here.
I checked out the CSUN Assistive Tech Conference, where the latest tech is helping people with disabilities in some really impressive ways. Watch here.
Trying to cut down on endless scrolling? I tested a $60 gadget called Brick, and it actually works better than I expected. Watch here.
Tech tidbits
Perplexity has launched its Comet browser for iOS. It’s being billed as the first agentic AI browser built for mobile, with voice chat, built-in ad blocking, and an integrated AI assistant.
The identity protection company Aura says hackers gained access to nearly 900,000 customer records, including names and email addresses. No Social Security numbers or credit card details were exposed, but it’s still not a great look.
Ring has teamed up with the app Watch Duty to launch a new Fire Watch feature. If there’s a fire alert in your area, your Ring cameras can notify you. They’ll also look for signs of smoke or flames, and you can choose to share those images with others. It’s turned on by default for outdoor cameras with a Ring Protect subscription.
Bookmark this
Scamwise is a handy new website that lets you check any email, website, text, or suspicious message to see if it might be a scam. It uses AI to analyze whatever you paste in and gives you a quick verdict.
I tested it on a text message I received that didn’t look quite right, and it did a solid job flagging the issues.
There are other tools like this out there, but this one stands out because it’s simple. You can even take a screenshot and upload it, and it gets to work right away. No sign-up required.
Rental car scam scare that turned out to be real
If you want to skip another chapter in my recent run of car issues, feel free… but this one is worth sharing.
Out of nowhere, I got a call from someone claiming to be with a major car rental company. She said I owed $2,500 for damage on my last rental and immediately asked for my credit card.
That set off alarm bells.
I asked for details. She had some of my info, but nothing you couldn’t find online. I asked her to email the claim. She said she didn’t have my email and kept pushing for payment.
I eventually got her off the phone and definitely didn’t call back the number she gave me.
Then I looked up the company’s official number and called directly. After a long hold, they confirmed the claim was real.
The problem? I didn’t damage the car.
After being passed around, I asked for a supervisor. He reviewed the report and photos and agreed with me. According to my receipt and their photo of the odometer, the car had been driven after I returned it, and the damage didn’t look new.
The claim was reversed.
Two takeaways: Always verify calls like this using official contact info.
And always document your rental car. Take photos of all four sides in the highest resolution your phone allows and a quick walkaround video. They might save you a lot of trouble in a dispute like this.
One more thing. Those AI scanning systems rental companies are starting to use? In a case like this, they might actually help protect you.
Q&A: Phantom Bluetooth Lights
Pat writes…
A couple of my neighbors have those cheap LED string lights on their rooflines, like year-round Christmas lights, and the device shows up on my iPhone under Bluetooth. I’ve tried to get rid of it, but I can’t. It also feels like it’s interfering with pairing my iPhone to my car. It takes multiple tries to connect and sometimes disconnects randomly. I also read it could be draining my battery. Is there anything I can do? Love your show!
You’re not actually connected to those lights. They’re just broadcasting a Bluetooth signal, so your phone can see them, but there’s no active connection.
They’re also not using your battery and shouldn’t interfere with your car’s Bluetooth. What you’re experiencing with your car is likely a separate issue.
I’d start by deleting your car from your iPhone’s Bluetooth settings and pairing it again from scratch. Also make sure your iPhone is fully updated, and check if your car’s system has a software update available as well. That’s usually where these connection problems come from.
Feedbag
Rod writes…
I just want to say you’re doing an amazing job keeping us up to date with all the tech craziness these days. I’m a big fan and happy to support.
Doug writes…
I was looking to upgrade my 15-year-old MacBook Pro but kept holding off because of the prices. Then I heard you talk about the Mac NEO for $599, and as a retired person, that’s exactly what I was looking for. Thanks so much.
John writes…
I just wanted to say thanks for doing Rich on Tech. I can always find a tidbit or two that’s really helpful. You cover so many things, I have no idea how you keep track of it all, but you do a great job.
Les writes…
First let me commend and thank you for being so helpful to your audience. You’re also very entertaining, keep it up. I’ve been listening since you started the radio show and I’ve never missed an episode.
I also have to agree with your wife that your newsletters can be a bit wordy… but I still read them every time.
Thanks for all the kind words. I really appreciate it. And yes, I hear you… I’m working on making these newsletters shorter, even if it doesn’t always seem like it.
That’s going to do it for this issue.
You can listen to my radio show Saturday at 11 a.m. on KFI AM 640. Call in at 888-RICH-101, catch the rebroadcast at 5 p.m. Pacific on 710 WOR in New York, or subscribe to the podcast in your favorite app and listen anytime.
Have a fantastic week!
Rich