Check Your $125 Equifax Settlement Eligibility
From the desk of Rich on Tech
Happy Weekend!
I know, I know, it’s been a while since I sent one of these. I hope you weren’t ready to just give up on email all together.
In all seriousness, it’s the summer and I’ve been in and out of town, but I think you’ll like what I have in store for this issue.
Let’s get right to it.
Pass Equifax, Collect $125
The big news this week is that people are scrambling to collect their $125 as part of that multi-million dollar Equifax settlement. Hackers got personal info on over 100 million Americans, so chances are you might be one of them.
To collect your $125 (or get 4 years of free credit monitoring service), just go to the special website they’ve set up and check your eligibility. Then, file your claim.
That’s about all. You’ll get a check in the mail when you’ve all but forgotten about this, which is always a nice surprise.
FYI, before you enter any personal information on a random website like this, Google around and cross reference the URL to make sure it’s legit. Here’s the original announcement from the FTC to confirm.
https://eligibility.equifaxbreachsettlement.com/en/eligibility
Tips for Less Screen Time
Adults are guilty of it too, but kids are definitely glued to their screens. I talked to the folks at parental control app OurPact about some of the ways we can help reduce our kids time on tablets and phones. Here’s what they said:
1 - Explain to your kids why you are setting limits; kids thrive on boundaries.
2 - Create screen free zones like the car or dinner table
3 - Walk the talk; parents need to set a good example too
https://ktla.com/2019/07/26/simple-ways-to-reduce-screen-time-for-kids/
Do you Quip? I was a die hard SonicCare fan for many years but always forgot to change the brush head, and when I did, it was all dirty inside. Quip is smaller and I feel like it goes a great job cleaning my teeth. Also, I would never think to bring my electric toothbrush on a trip, but that’s just what I did with my Quip in China! It’s not much bigger than your typical toothbrush so it travels easy. I love how it times out 2 minutes of brushing and the fact that they send you a new head every 3 months automatically. Sign up using my link and get your first refill free, a $5 value. [REFERRAL]
Google Home Gives You the Silent Treatment
Don’t be surprised if your Google Home stops responding to your commands. Google is dropping verbal responses for certain commands - instead, you’ll simply hear a chime sound.
You’ll hear the chime when you turn lights on or off in the room you’re device is located in. The idea is that you can see the lights turn on or off instantly so you really don’t need Google to explain.
Apple’s New Way To Play
I got to try out Apple’s new version of videos games that put you into the action. The prototype game is called Swift Strike, and it’s basically a virtual bowling game you play with iPads and someone else.
Apple is doing this to show what the future of augmented reality video gaming could look like. These games blend real and make believe into the same experience.
https://ktla.com/2019/07/19/apple-wwdc-ios-13-swift-strike-augmented-reality-game/
Here’s What a Professional Video Gamer Looks Like at Work
Speaking of video games, I visited the headquarters of a company that signs and trains video game players for professional competitions. Think NFL team, but with esports.
Their facility is pretty neat and I’ll feature it on TV soon, but in the meantime, check out how one of their players trains. “Maddiesuun” told me she spends up to 10 hours a day practicing Fortnite. She then competes in tournaments where the cash prize could be up to $1 million dollars.
Odds and Ends
Samsung says the Galaxy Fold is ready for a September launch after tweaking the design. Journalists who had early review units had issues with the screen failing.
The Costco card is going digital. You can now use the iOS or Android Costco app as your membership card. Still won’t work for gas though, at least for now.
Got a Nintendo Switch that’s acting up? Like, things are moving on the screen but no one is touching the controllers? It could be an issue called Joy-Con drift and you might be able to get it fixed for free.
Flighty is the ultimate flight tracker app. Seriously, this one is for super frequent fliers or total aviation nerds only, but it’s super cool.
Rich on Tech Podcast
In my podcast, I talk about the things happening in the tech world that I think you should know about. I also answer the questions that you send me! That’s Producer Meghan with the actual emails you send me!
In this week’s show:
A new iPhone feature that will let you fix photos after you take them; Samsung says a "fixed" Galaxy Fold smartphone will launch in September; DoorDash changes the way tips work after uproar; Nintendo has a phantom Joy-Con issue; Flighty is a flight tracking app for travel geeks and the Costco membership card finally goes digital. Listeners ask if Fitbit is slurping up all of their data, what the best and safest email service is, a recommended app to send money and Google Assistant vs Alexa compared for smart home control.
Here are all the ways you can listen for free:
Finally…
Yes, work has begun on the next version of my book! I’ve been playing with the beta of iOS 13 and writing new tips for the updated software. There are a lot of neat new features coming to new and existing iPhones.
Keep in mind, iOS 13 will work on iPhone 6s and later, so if you’re rocking an iPhone 6, now might be the time to start thinking about what’s next…
Have a great weekend!
Rich
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