Dear Rich: Tech questions from followers like you

Nov 05, 2025

Each week, I get lots of tech questions from listeners and followers. Here are a few of my favorites - maybe they’ll help you too.

Rich

Samsung Messages on the Galaxy S24

Michael writes:

“Hi Rich, I recently upgraded from my Samsung S23 to the S24. I liked the older phone better — it even had two speakers. I can’t find my original simple Samsung Messages app anymore. The new Google Messages app is too graphic-heavy and full of pop-ups. What happened to the old one?”

Dear Michael,

Samsung changed things up recently. They’re no longer pre-installing Samsung Messages. But contrary to popular belief, you can still get it. Just open the Galaxy Store, search for “Samsung Messages,” and install it from there. It’s still available, just not included by default. All of your messages should automatically carry over, and you can always switch back to Google Messages if you want. Just keep in mind Samsung Messages doesn’t support the more modern RCS messaging, which lets you exchange full size pictures and videos, see typing indicators, read receipts and more, even with iPhone folks.

Free movie apps

Mickey from Santa Barbara writes:

I love your show and listen on KSMA 1240 AM and 99.5 FM. What are the best free movie apps? I use an Android phone and also have a tablet.

Dear Mickey,

Thanks for the kind words! For free movie apps, try Tubi, Pluto TV, YouTube Movies and Plex. Also check Kanopy and Hoopla if your local library supports them — they’re ad-free and completely free with a library card. You can watch a lot without paying, but just keep in mind you might have to sit through some commercials, just like the old days.

Old picture negatives

Cindy writes:

I saw how to refurbish your old pictures, but I’d like to know how to get pictures from my negatives. My pictures were lost.

Dear Cindy,

You’re in luck, I think negatives give you a better digital scan than printed photos. You can digitize old film negatives using a film scanner or an adapter that works with your phone’s camera. I’ve tested the HP FilmScan 5 and it has a touch screen which makes the job easy. You also don’t need a computer to scan as it can save directly to a memory card. For an app-based solution, check out Photomyne, which can scan negatives using your phone. You might have to pay to do a lot of them, though, so try a few for free and see if it does what you need. Don’t forget to save everything to the cloud for safekeeping!

Backing up

Steve from Beaumont, California writes:

I have a Mac mini with a constant Time Machine backup and another monthly Time Machine backup on a separate SSD that I keep in the garage. I also pay 99 cents a month for Apple’s iCloud storage. Is there any reason I should keep paying for iDrive?

Dear Steve, it sounds like you’re doing a great job backing things up. Between Time Machine and iCloud, you’ve got multiple layers of protection. The rule of thumb is to have your stuff in three places: the original, a backup, and an off-site backup. I’d say this qualifies! You can safely drop iDrive if you’re happy with that setup.

Sponored

Anyone can find your home address in seconds

Your home address, phone number, and family details are likely on public sites—just a Google search away. Incogni removes your personal info from over 270 data broker sites and even takes down links you find yourself with its Unlimited plan.

Help with transition

Sandra from California writes:

First time emailing you but I love your show on 640 AM. I’m not very tech savvy, so I need some clarification. My Chromebook screen died after about 10 years, so I got a new iPad since we don’t need it for business anymore—just browsing. What should I do with my old Chromebook? Do I need to clear it somehow before tossing it? I used Google Drive for most things, but I can’t see the screen anymore.

Dear Sandra, So glad you’re loving the show on KFI! The good news is that Chromebooks make it easy to clear your data. Before you recycle or donate your Chromebook, you’ll want to do what’s called a Powerwash, which wipes all your data from the device. It won’t delete anything in your Google account. Just sign out, then press Ctrl + Alt + Shift + R, select Restart, then Powerwash and Continue. That should take care of the data on your device and it will be good to donate.

Pause screen ads

Teri from California writes:

Hi Rich, I have not-so-good vision, and sometimes I like to pause a show to get a closer look at what’s on screen—like a text or a clue board. But now, many streaming platforms show ads when the program is paused. Is there any workaround so I can still see the paused screen?

Dear Teri, The first time I saw this happen on my screen, I was both intrigued and annoyed. It’s becoming more common across various streaming apps because it gets our attention and boosts their bottom line. Unfortunately, there’s not a reliable workaround I know of. You might try pressing the back button on your remote to clear the ad and see the paused image, but whether that works depends on the app. Hopefully, streaming platforms will add accessibility-friendly options down the line.

Converting old videos

Patricia from San Diego writes:

My husband and I love your radio show on KFI. I have several digital video cassettes I’d like to convert to DVDs. Can you recommend a good converter that works with Mac, both high-end and more affordable options?

Thanks, Patricia! The best approach these days is to convert your tapes to digital files, not DVDs - they’ll last longer and are easier to share. You’ll need your old camcorder or VCR, a video capture device, and your Mac.

I’ve tested two good options: the Elgato Video Capture for Mac and Roxio Easy VHS to DVD 3. Both work well, but Elgato is usually the smoother choice for Mac users. Avoid cheaper capture devices you find online; they can often be unreliable.

There is another option that doesn’t require a computer called ClearClick, but I haven’t personally tested it. However, it does have a lot of good reviews.

Once you’ve transferred the footage, back it up to Google Photos or even YouTube (set to Unlisted for privacy). That will keep your memories safe and accessible for years to come.

Keep in mind the digitizing process will happen in real time. There’s not a way to speed it up, so be patient. The end results are worth it.

Sponsored

When it’s free, you’re the product

If you want a VPN that actually protects you, I use NordVPN. It’s fast, easy, and has a strict no-logs policy — meaning they don’t track what you do online. It’s independently audited and runs its own secure servers. Bonus: You can use it to block dangerous websites and malicious ads as you surf.

Fast forwarding

Janet from California writes in:

My husband and I recently switched from Comcast Xfinity to DirecTV through AT&T. It’s taking us some time to get used to, but we’re getting the hang of it. One thing we noticed while watching a Hallmark mystery movie was that we couldn’t fast forward—it said “fast forward disabled for this show.” Other recordings let us skip ahead. Is this something they’ve done to make us watch all the ads, or is there a workaround?

Janet, what you saw usually happens when you’re watching the on-demand version of a show rather than your DVR recording. On-demand programs block ad skipping by design. The fix is simple: record from the live channel (like Hallmark) and then play it back from your DVR library instead of the on-demand menu. That should restore fast-forward control. If you see multiple options to watch, always choose the one labeled Recorded, not On Demand.

Yahoo email spam

Otto writes:

I’ve had a free Yahoo email address for years, and I’ve always gotten spam—usually it went straight into the spam folder. But lately, more spam messages are landing in my inbox. I mostly check my email through the Mail app on my iPhone 14, and I move each spam message to the spam folder, but it doesn’t seem to help. Would it work better if I marked spam messages from my Windows PC instead? Love your show!

Thanks for the kind words, Otto! When you move messages to spam on your iPhone, it only helps Apple’s filters - not Yahoo’s. For better results, use the Yahoo Mail app on your phone or sign in through Yahoo.com on a desktop and mark the messages as spam there. That trains Yahoo’s filters directly and hopefully will lead to less spam in your inbox.

Live transcribe

Pat from California writes:

Hi Rich, I have hearing aids and was looking for a live transcribe app for my iPhone 15 to show real-time captions during conversations. Most of the apps I found in the App Store are too expensive for me on a fixed income. Any suggestions?

Hi Pat, you’re in luck! Apple has a free feature called Live Captions built right into the iPhone. It will display live, on-screen text of what’s being said in real time, and it doesn’t cost a thing to use. You can turn it on under Settings > Accessibility> Live Captions.

Calendar scam

April writes:

Hi Rich, I got a strange notification alert on my Samsung Galaxy S9 that looked like it came from my calendar. How did they even get access to it, and how can I stop it from happening again?

What you’re seeing is a form of calendar spam—these fake events show up because scammers send them as calendar invites through email, and your phone adds them automatically. You can safely delete the event; your account isn’t compromised. To prevent it, turn off the setting that automatically adds events from Gmail or other invite sources to your calendar.

On your Android phone or tablet, open the Calendar app.

At the top left, tap Menu and then Settings.

Tap General and then Adding invitations and then Add invitations to my calendar.

Select Only if the sender is known. That should help!

Hard drive help
Mike in Oceanside, California writes:

I have a lot of files stored on an older external hard drive. It powers up, but I can’t access the data. Do you know of any reputable companies that could fix or recover it? How much should I expect to pay—and should I try to do it myself?

Hi Mike, there are a lot of programs like Recuva that might be able to help you recover data, but unless you’re an expert, it might be best to get some help. I’d look up a data recovery company on Yelp in your area—check for high ratings, call the top two, and see which one feels better based on how clearly they explain the process and pricing. Then go with the one you trust most.

OK, that’s going to do it for this special edition of the newsletter. Let me know if you like this kind of thing — I might send it out from time to time.

If you’ve got a question for the Feedbag, you can submit it here. I may use it on air, on social media, or in a future newsletter — though I can’t get to every one.

Rich