A safer way to claim your Siri (or any) settlement check

Plus: the one feature to look for in a new TV, a retro camera app, and privacy-focused search engines

Feb 07, 2026

Hello and welcome to another edition of my newsletter!

This week I’ve been playing around with a silly little app called BitCam. It takes photos that look like they were captured on an old-school webcam from the early days of computers. I think I like it because I’m constantly testing phones and comparing camera quality down to the tiniest details. With this app, there’s really nothing to compare. It’s basic, rudimentary, and that’s exactly what makes it fun. BitCam is free for iPhone.

Another app I’ve been growing into is Craft. I’ve tried a lot of note-taking apps, but this one is different because it combines notes, tasks, a calendar, and daily journal entries all in one place. It also has a ton of extra features you can explore over time. It’s become my everything hub. I’m putting in bookmarks, daily notes, and recurring tasks.

It’s beautifully designed and very thoughtful, although I’m still getting the hang of it. I do have a few suggestions for the Craft team: a big home button, a big search button, and larger UI elements overall. Still, it hits most of the marks. I paid $59 for the first year, then it goes to $99 annually. If it helps me run my many projects, it’s worth it.

One thing to keep in mind with any note-taking app: the more you rely on it, the more that recurring subscription matters. Choose wisely.

Bitcoin’s big slide

One other thing I’m watching this week is Bitcoin. It feels like it’s in a race to the bottom. As of this writing, it’s down nearly 30 percent, wiping out gains from the past few years and erasing over 11,000 Bitcoin millionaires.

Over time, I’ve done plenty of stories where enthusiastic investors told me Bitcoin was the future of everything. I still remember one woman who said she put all of her savings into it. You have to wonder how she’s feeling right now.

My $40 Siri settlement check and a safer way to claim yours

Those Apple Siri settlement checks are going out, and I got mine. It was for a whopping $40.10. This settlement is tied to allegations that Siri listened in on private conversations, some of which were reviewed by third-party contractors. Apple didn’t admit any wrongdoing.

I’m sharing this because of the payment process. To claim the money, you have to enter your phone number for a one-time text code, then provide your bank routing and account number for the deposit. If that makes you uncomfortable, there is a workaround.

Apps like Cash App, Venmo, and PayPal all provide ACH routing and account numbers you can use to receive deposits. That adds a buffer between your real bank account and the settlement payment. That’s what I did. I’m still waiting for the money to come through, but others report it worked.

@richontech

Rich DeMuro on Instagram: "Apple settlement payment emails are …

When tech help hits close to home

I spend a lot of time walking listeners through tech issues on my radio show each weekend, but it hits differently when it’s your mom. I had to guide her through logging into her email, then her bank, downloading a PDF statement, and sending it as an attachment. You and I might take that process for granted, but as we went step by step, I realized she’d never done it before. It was eye-opening to slow down and explain something I probably do a thousand times a day without thinking.

Speaking of old tech, I recently called to make a doctor’s appointment and asked if they’d received my referral. They said no. I told them I had it and could email it over. Their response: absolutely not, they only accept faxes because of HIPAA rules. Consider me, a tech guy in 2026, officially shocked.

It’s hard to believe a fax machine is considered more secure than email, though I’m sure someone will make the encryption argument. Still, I can’t believe this is where we are with health care. There’s so much friction between people and the care they need: forms, paperwork, phone calls, faxes, logins, payments, insurance questions, reimbursements. It’s a system the average person just isn’t equipped to navigate easily.

A surprise internet discount trick

I was browsing the Spectrum internet page the other day for some research, and it looks like they now offer symmetrical speeds in parts of their footprint. That means, like fiber, you can get the same speeds for uploads and downloads. With traditional cable internet, downloads are usually much faster than uploads, which works fine for most people.

But here’s the interesting part. I left the tab open and walked away. When I came back, a pop-up offered an extra $50 off to complete the transaction.

It might be worth lingering on the page of something you’re considering to see if it triggers a special offer. You never know what kind of discount might pop up.

A simple cheat code for buying a Super Bowl TV

On my show, I interviewed Caleb Denison, who’s been reviewing TVs for more than a decade. His “cheat code” for buying a TV in 2026 is simple: look for one with Mini LED. If it has that, he says, everything else usually falls into place.

Mini LED refers to the backlighting system. The better the backlighting, the better the overall picture. OLED still offers some of the best image quality because each individual pixel lights up on its own, which creates incredible contrast. The downside is price.

For more affordable options, he says the TCL QM5K is a great 65-inch pick for under $500. If you want something bigger, the TCL QM6K is one of the best 85-inch TVs for under $1,000, along with the Hisense U6.

For what it’s worth, I bought a Hisense a few years ago and absolutely love it. Everyone who comes over comments on how good it looks.

Sony is still considered top-tier, but there’s a big change on that front. The company recently struck a deal with TCL to handle more of its TV production, which could make the Bravia brand more widely available and possibly more affordable.

So if you’re shopping before the big game, look for that Mini LED label. It’s an easy shortcut to a better picture.

Hands-on with the new AirTag

Apple’s second-generation AirTag is easier to find, and the built-in speaker is louder. The device now has a new ultra-wideband chip that extends the range of the Precision Finding feature. That’s the tool that lets your iPhone, and now some newer Apple Watch models, guide you right to the tracker.

In my testing, I could locate the old AirTag from about 50 feet away. The new one worked for Precision Finding from roughly 150 feet. Your results will vary depending on walls, floors, and whatever else is between you and the AirTag, but the range is definitely improved.

There’s no real need to upgrade unless you want that extra distance. And remember, you can always see an AirTag’s location on a map, or at least the last place it was spotted by a nearby Apple device.

It’s still $29, same as before. The easiest way to tell them apart is the writing on the back: the old one uses upper and lower case, while the new model is all caps.

Tech tidbits

The Super Bowl will be streaming in 4K HDR on Peacock this year, not Tubi. And unlike last year, it won’t be free. You’ll need a Premium plan or higher to watch. Of course, you can still catch the game on cable, over-the-air antenna, or a live TV streaming service like YouTube TV.

Amazon Alexa+ is now available to everyone. If you’re a Prime subscriber, you get it included. Otherwise, it costs $20 a month, which doesn’t make much sense when Amazon Prime is $139 a year and includes it. To upgrade, just say, “Alexa, upgrade to Alexa+” to your speaker.

J.D. Power’s latest wireless carrier satisfaction rankings are out. T‑Mobile took the top spot for both prepaid and postpaid service. Consumer Cellular ranked highest among postpaid MVNOs, while Mint Mobile led the prepaid MVNO category. An MVNO is a carrier that doesn’t run its own network. Instead, it uses another company’s infrastructure. The biggest driver of satisfaction this year was fast issue resolution.

Ring Search Party is expanding to everyone. If you lose your dog, you can upload a photo in the Ring app, and AI will scan nearby cameras to try to locate your pet in a privacy-conscious way. Camera owners are always in control of whether they want to help or share video.

Q&A - Privacy-focused email, search, and AI alternatives

Richard in San Diego writes:

Hi Rich, I listen to your radio show from San Diego and really appreciate how helpful it is. I’ll admit I’m not great with tech and I’m over 65, so thanks for making this stuff easier to understand.

I have two questions. First, I’ve been using Hotmail and MSN for years, but it’s become overwhelmed with spam and just unpleasant to use. I don’t mind paying if it means better quality. What would you consider the most trustworthy, or “noble,” email service?

Second, I’ve used DuckDuckGo for a while because I like the privacy angle, but it still feels like Google is tracking everything anyway. With AI taking over search and advertising, I’m worried the alternatives will just turn into the same thing. Is there a search engine you trust that really focuses on privacy and limits tracking as much as possible?

Thanks so much, Richard

Hey Richard, first off, cool name! When it comes to privacy, there are plenty of services that put a bigger emphasis on it than companies like Google. And remember, if you’re not paying for a product, you are the product. In many cases, your data is what’s being monetized.

For email, Proton Mail is a great privacy-focused option. You can start with a free account and upgrade if you need more storage or extra features.

When it comes to search engines, DuckDuckGo is a solid everyday choice, though the results aren’t always as strong as Google’s. Startpage is very privacy-focused, delivers better search results, and even lets you open websites in a private sandbox mode. Brave Search is another alternative with surprisingly good results. And if you want the most polished experience, many people recommend Kagi. It’s ad-free and considered one of the best privacy-centric alternatives to Google, but it does require a paid subscription.

For private AI tools, you can look into Lumo from Proton, Duck.AI from DuckDuckGo, and Venice.AI. All of them focus on minimizing tracking and protecting your data.

Feedbag

Jean writes in…

Hi Rich, I’m a new subscriber and I just wanted to say I really enjoy your weekly newsletter and I listen to your podcast every week. It’s educational, informative, and easy to follow. Thanks so much for what you do.

Thanks, Jean. Love hearing that, and I’m glad you found me.

That’s going to do it for this edition. Be sure to tune into my radio show Saturday morning at 11 a.m. PST on KFI AM 640. You can also stream it anywhere on the iHeartRadio app or listen to the podcast whenever you want.

Rich

Rich on Tech

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