Apple's 'eavesdropping' lawsuit, explained

Plus: EV charging tips, CES 2025 preview, a $60 fitness tracker, and more!

Hey there and welcome to a whole new year of the Newsletter! It's officially 2025, and while it's a bit a cliché to say how quickly time flies, I really do feel it this year. Maybe it's watching my two kids grow up that makes it even more apparent.

I hope you had a wonderful holiday season and a happy new year. My family and I took some much-needed time off, and even managed to squeeze in a spontaneous trip to Sedona, Arizona. It was the perfect way to recharge before diving back into the demands of work and family.

Red Rocks and Starry Nights in Sedona

It was an 8-hour drive from Los Angeles, but I actually enjoy road trips. There's something I love about seeing the landscape fly by outside the car window. Sedona was packed with tourists for the post-Christmas holiday weekend, but it mostly lived up to the memories I had from my last trip.

We hiked, checked out the views, and even went on a jeep tour. I was wondering if it would be adventurous, and it was. My kids loved the thrill of it all. It was definitely outside all of our comfort zones.

At night, we drove out a bit for some stargazing. The sky was incredibly clear! We even brought a telescope (a holiday gift for the kids), but we had a little trouble getting it to work. I'm hoping to test it out on the moon when we get a clear night in LA.

Hit the Trail with AllTrails

Speaking of hiking, I can't recommend the AllTrails app enough. I've used it on and off for years, but it became an essential tool for planning our hikes in Sedona. What I love about AllTrails is the amount of information it provides. You can filter trails by difficulty, length, elevation gain, and even whether they're dog-friendly or kid-friendly. This was crucial for me in finding hikes that everyone in the family could enjoy.

But the real game-changer for me was the Apple Watch compass feature. It uses GPS data to show you the correct path, even when you come to a fork in the trail. You just look at the compass on your watch face and it highlights the direction you should be going in green. It worked flawlessly for us in Sedona, and it's made me so much more confident about hiking.

I was so impressed with AllTrails that I reached out to them and they're going to be on my radio show this weekend! We'll be talking about all the different features, the benefits of the free versus the premium version, and some tips for getting the most out of the app. Be sure to tune in!

Siri and Your Privacy: Apple Settles Lawsuit

In tech news this week, Apple has agreed to pay $95 million to settle a class-action lawsuit that alleged Siri was violating users' privacy. The lawsuit, which has been going on since 2019, claimed that Siri was recording conversations without users' consent and sharing that data with third parties.

Now, it's important to understand that this isn't just an Apple issue. All voice assistants, whether it's Siri, Alexa, or Google Assistant, have the potential to be accidentally triggered. It's happened to me countless times. You're having a conversation, and suddenly your smart speaker, watch or phone chimes in with an answer to a question you weren't even asking it!

The lawsuit against Apple went a bit further, alleging that these accidental recordings were being shared with advertisers for targeted advertising. However, that part of the lawsuit seems to have been dropped, likely because I have a feeling that wouldn’t go very far in court.

What You Need to Know

The core issue here is that these voice assistants are always listening for their wake-up words (e.g. "Hey Siri," "Alexa," "Hey Google"). This is typically done on-device for privacy reasons, but sometimes mistakes happen, and conversations get sent to the cloud. Apple has admitted to sharing some recordings with third parties for quality control purposes, but they maintain that this was done to improve Siri's performance.

If the settlement is approved, Apple users who owned a "Hey Siri" enabled device in the past could be eligible for a payout. The amount will depend on how many devices you owned during that period, with a maximum of 5 devices per person. Each qualifying device could get you up to $20, so the maximum payout per person would be $100. You'll likely need to submit a claim form and attest that Siri was unintentionally activated on your device to claim your share. Keep in mind that this is still a proposed settlement, and it needs to be approved by a judge before any payments are made. The final approval hearing is scheduled for February 14th, 2025.

Take Control of Your Privacy

The good news is that you can control how your voice data is used. On your iPhone, you can disable Siri data sharing by going to Settings > Privacy & Security > Analytics & Improvements > Improve Siri & Dictation. Turn that setting off.

On Android devices, you can prevent Google from saving your voice interactions by going to Settings > Google > [Your Name] > Manage your Google Account > Data & Privacy > History Settings > Web & App Activity. Uncheck "Include Voice and Audio Activity” if you don’t want Google to train it’s voice services on your interactions.

Turo and the Sharing Economy

Those two recent attacks in the U.S. have raised questions about the safety of peer-to-peer car rental services like Turo. In both cases, the perpetrators rented the vehicles they used through Turo.

This has brought to light concerns about the screening processes used by these platforms. While Turo claims to use a "risk score algorithm" that takes into account various factors, it's clear that there are still gaps in their system.

This raises broader questions about the sharing economy as a whole. While services like Uber and Airbnb have become increasingly popular, they also come with inherent risks. It's important for these platforms to continually evaluate and improve their safety measures to protect both users and the general public.

Apple Fitness Plus Gets a Refresh

With the new year comes a renewed focus on health and fitness. Apple is jumping on this with some new programs for Apple Fitness+. I recently visited their studio in Santa Monica to get a sneak peek.

They're introducing new strength training routines that are designed to be accessible to everyone, regardless of your fitness level. You can choose your starting weight and progress at your own pace. They're also adding new yoga and meditation programs, with a focus on breathwork and perfecting poses.

And for all the pickleball enthusiasts out there (and there are a lot of you!), Apple Fitness+ is adding pickleball-specific workouts. These classes aim to help you improve your game and avoid injuries.

EV Charging Challenges

Kenny from Warwick, Rhode Island, wrote in with a great question about EV charging:

"I rented a Kia EV6 and loved it, but finding a reliable charger was a challenge. Is there an app that makes finding chargers easier for non-Tesla drivers?"

Hey Kenny, you're not alone in your "charging anxiety"! Finding reliable chargers for non-Tesla EVs can be a real pain point. While Tesla is gradually opening up its Supercharger network to other brands, it's a slow process.

In the meantime, I recommend checking out PlugShare and A Better Route Planner. These apps provide comprehensive information on charging stations, including their location, availability, and connector types.

One thing to keep in mind is that non-Tesla chargers can be a bit of a mixed bag in terms of reliability and maintenance. Tesla has set a high bar with its Supercharger network, and other charging providers are still playing catch-up.

Samsung's Affordable Fitness Tracker

Samsung is making its super affordable Galaxy Fit3, available in the U.S. It’s just $60. I'm a big fan of accessible tech like this. It has all the essential features you'd expect, including sleep tracking, snoring detection, blood oxygen monitoring, and support for over 100 different workout types. It even has fall detection and an emergency SOS feature, which can be activated by pressing the side button five times.

Of course, it doesn't have cellular connectivity, so it needs to be paired with your phone for some of these features to work. But for $60, it's a fantastic value, especially if you're already in the Samsung ecosystem. The battery life is impressive too, with up to 13 days of use if you turn off the always-on display.

The Galaxy Fit 3 is available January 9, and I'm hoping to get my hands on one at CES next week.

CES 2025: Here We Come!

CES, the biggest tech event of the year, is just around the corner! It all kicks off this week in Las Vegas, and I'll be there to cover all the latest and greatest in tech.

CES is always an exciting time for me. It's a chance to see firsthand the innovations that will shape the future of technology. I get to meet with companies, try out new gadgets, and catch up with colleagues from all over the world.

If you want to follow along with my CES adventures, be sure to follow me on Instagram (@richontech). I'll be posting daily updates, photos, and videos from the show floor.

What to Expect at CES

This year, I expect to see a lot of buzz around artificial intelligence (AI). AI is quickly transforming every aspect of our lives, and it will be all over CES.

Of course, there will also be plenty of exciting developments in other areas, including electric vehicles (EVs), automotive technology, and display technology. I can’t wait to see all the wild TV’s they will have on display. Health and wearables will also be a big part of the show.

One thing I love about CES is the element of surprise. I'm always hoping to find that one thing that makes me say, "Wow, that's genius!"

In 2019, it was this laundry folding machine. Not sure it ever came to market.

Kia Recalls EV9 SUV

Kia is recalling nearly 23,000 of its popular EV9 SUVs. This was one of the first three-row electric SUVs to hit the market, and it generated a lot of excitement. There may be an issue with the seat bolts in the second and third rows.

This is a concerning issue, as it could potentially lead to seats becoming detached in an accident. Kia will email owners later this month - you will have to bring the car in for an inspection and repair. Thankfully, there have been no reported injuries or accidents related to this defect.

Road Trip Tip: iExit App

If you're planning a road trip anytime soon, I highly recommend the iExit app. It's a simple but incredibly useful tool that shows you what amenities are available at upcoming highway exits. This is perfect for finding gas stations, restaurants, restrooms, and other essentials when you're on the road.

That's a Wrap!

Thanks for reading this week's newsletter! I hope you found it informative!

If you’re not subscribed to my podcast, add it to your favorite audio app—this way, you never miss an episode. And don’t forget to tune in on KTLA+ for my weekly show!

Have a great week!

Rich