A $50 security cam that installs like a lightbulb

Plus: Nintendo Switch 2 impressions, smarter tools to track streaming, and how AI is catching shoplifters in real time

Hi there – and thanks for checking out the newsletter!

First — this newsletter just hit 50,000 subscribers! That’s an incredible number for something that started as a hobby. You wouldn’t believe how many messages I get each week from readers telling me how useful it’s become. I love hearing that — and thanks for continuing to spread the word.

Second — and more importantly — I now have a high schooler in the house.

I can’t believe how fast that happened.

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What’s he most excited about right now? No surprise: the latest Nintendo console. Of course.

This is a big week for the gamers in your life. After 8 years, Nintendo has a new Switch 2 available. Like a lot of new gaming hardware, getting one isn’t as easy as walking into a store — but if you’re determined and do a little research, you’ll be able to get your hands on one.

Nintendo sent me a review unit, and I don’t think my kid has ever been this excited about anything I’ve tested. It’s a really nice alternative to some of the nonsense games kids play on the iPad (I won’t name names, but it might rhyme with toy box).

Here are my initial impressions:

Setup is super simple. The redesigned dock connects easily to your TV, and the Switch now sits more securely in it. The magnetic controller connections are a welcome improvement over the old slide-in method. This alone is a huge upgrade.

As for the size — it’s big. Much bigger than I expected. The screen feels huge (in a good way), and while the device is heavier, it’s still comfortable to hold.

The software feels polished, and the interface is much faster. Everything is snappier, and I just love Nintendo’s approach to software — it’s casual and fun. Migrating from the old Switch was a little tricky, but we figured it out.

Game sharing is way better. Downloaded titles are now treated as virtual game cards, so it’s much easier to play across multiple family profiles. My kid went wild for GameChat — a new feature that lets you voice chat with friends while you play, and even see their screen (if they allow it). It’s free through March 2026 — after that, you’ll need Nintendo Online (which isn’t all that expensive).

You can also plug in a USB-C camera — and it doesn’t have to be Nintendo’s. We used one we had around the house, and it worked fine. That adds another fun layer to the experience and brings Nintendo more in line with how kids are already gaming — FaceTiming while playing Minecraft or streaming on Twitch.

Just about everything feels improved — from the more responsive haptics to better graphics, which now display up to 1080p on the device and support up to 4K HDR on a TV. The speakers are also noticeably louder and clearer.

The kickstand still feels a bit flimsy, but the hinges are strong and adjust to a wide range of angles.

I tried the Switch Tour “game,” which is basically a $10 interactive tutorial with mini games to help you learn the features. It’s clever — but honestly, it feels like it should have been included with the console.

More fun: Mario Kart World. It’s familiar yet new and a total blast. Kids will love racing friends with the new voice and video chat features.

I also explored my old game library — and I really appreciate how Nintendo’s Online membership gives you access to a huge library of classic games. I played the Game Boy version of Tetris — more than 30 years after it was released — and it’s still just as fun. I’ll be revisiting Super Mario Bros. from the NES next.

Donkey Kong Bananza is an upcoming game people are excited about.

The price isn’t cheap — $450 for the console alone, or $500 bundled with Mario Kart (which is the better deal). Don’t expect a price drop anytime soon. If anything, expect holiday bundles with games, accessories, or retailer gift cards.

Do you need to upgrade? No. But if you loved the original Switch, Nintendo has kept the core experience intact while making smart, thoughtful improvements across the board.

AI is the new loss prevention

When I worked in retail, we had loss prevention officers sitting in the rafters, watching shoppers through one-way mirrors. Now there’s a product called Veesion that does the same thing — but with AI. It connects to existing security cameras and watches them 24/7 for signs of theft. The system analyzes gestures and movements, flags anything suspicious in real time, and sends a notification to store staff so they can step in if needed. It’s like having a digital set of eyes on every aisle — all day long.

Track your summer watchlist

Summer is movie season — but if you’re anything like me, it’s tough to remember which movies you wanted to see once they finally hit the streaming services you already pay for. Luckily, there are a few apps that can help you keep a running watchlist and alert you when something becomes available to stream.

Which one’s the best? That depends on what features matter most to you — but after testing several, I’ve personally landed on JustWatch. The design isn’t the flashiest, but it offers one-tap links to watch titles, multiple discovery tools, and flexible ways to sort your list. I just wish sorting by runtime wasn’t locked behind a premium plan.

Great-sounding audio gear at any budget

I get a ton of questions about audio gadgets — headphones, speakers, earbuds, and the like. So I’m always testing out new products and trying to find the best stuff at prices that feel realistic. I’ve rounded up some of my favorite recent finds — and with the exception of Apple’s AirPods Max, everything here is very approachable price-wise.

That said, if you can cough up the cash, the AirPods Max are hard to beat. They sound fantastic and integrate seamlessly with Apple products.

Also worth calling out — a retro-style record player (from Radio Shack, of all brands!) that plays vinyl, CDs, cassettes, Bluetooth streams, and more. You can even use it to record your old physical media to MP3s. It’s a fun mix of old-school and modern tech.

Gadget of the week: A security cam that screws in like a lightbulb

Speaking of gadgets, I’m thoroughly impressed with the latest security camera from Wyze. If you can screw in a lightbulb, you can set up 24/7 video security — just make sure the fixture isn’t controlled by a wall switch, or you’ll lose signal the moment someone flips it. (There are products on Amazon that help prevent that.)

I haven’t personally tested the Wyze Bulb Cam yet, but I get a ton of emails about these types of cameras — and this one looks like a strong contender. It comes from a trusted name in home security, and while Wyze has had some security issues in the past, they seem to be learning from those mistakes. This is a smart solution for anyone who doesn’t want to deal with wires, solar panels, or recharging batteries every few months.

It supports local recording via microSD or cloud storage with a paid plan. You can livestream the feed to your phone, and even pair it with Wyze smart bulbs that turn on when the camera detects motion. One caveat — it only supports 2.4GHz Wi-Fi, which might cause setup hiccups depending on your router.

At $50, this is a clever and far more trustworthy option than the no-name lightbulb cameras flooding Amazon. Your move, Ring.

Tech tidbits

• Wispr Flow iOS is here – My favorite voice-to-text app for iPhone is now official. I’ve been testing it in beta for weeks, and it’s finally available in the App Store. It’s fast, accurate, and genuinely changes how you dictate texts, emails, and more. Near-perfect recognition.

• Photoshop arrives on Android – The full Photoshop app just launched in beta for Android, a few months after its iPhone debut. You can work with layers, do detailed edits, remove blemishes, and even generate AI-powered backgrounds. Many features are free during the beta period.

• AT&T’s new senior plan – If you’re 55 or older, AT&T has a new unlimited plan for $40/month with talk, text, data, and 10GB of hotspot. Add a second line, and it drops to $35/line. It’s a strong offer — especially compared to other senior plans — and you’re on AT&T’s nationwide network. T-Mobile has a 55+ plan, while Verizon’s is only available in Florida.

Tools to check out

If you’re always watching airfare but waiting for that price to drop before booking, a new website might give you the confidence to finally click “buy.” It’s called PAiback, (use my referral code 351116198944) and once you book a flight, it tracks the fare for any price drops — then automatically requests an airline credit on your behalf. I spoke with the team behind it this week — they’re all travel lovers who saw a gap in the market. I’ve got it tracking a few of my upcoming flights. They charge a fee equal to 20% of whatever credit they recover — and you don’t pay unless they actually save you money.

A few years ago, I covered the launch of the baseball card scanning app CollX, created by a father and son duo from my home state of New Jersey. Since then, the app — and the idea — have exploded. Now there are several similar tools, including a new one also created by a father and son. It’s called Hobby Scan, and their standout feature is something called “rapid scan” — you can scan a bunch of cards at once, and AI will look up the values in the background. It’s a quick way to see if that pack you just ripped has anything worthwhile inside. Just one more option in this fast-growing collecting trend (because yes — everything old really is new again).

Two smart new tools in Chrome

There are two new features in Chrome for desktop worth checking out.

First up is Gemini — look for the little star icon in the upper-right corner. Tap it, and it can help with whatever page you’re on. Want a summary of a news article? Just ask. Need help drafting a reply to an email? Just ask. It’s like having AI on standby, and it can even suggest helpful actions based on what you’re viewing.

The other handy tool is Google Lens, which lets you reverse image search anything on your screen. But beyond that, it can highlight and copy text from places you normally can’t — like images or PDFs where the text isn’t selectable.

How to enable Google Lens in Chrome:

• Tap the three dots in the upper-right corner to open the menu

• Search for “toolbar” and select Customize your toolbar

• Under Tools and actions, toggle on Search with Google Lens

• Tap the Google Lens icon — it looks like a small camera inside a rounded square — to search anything on your page

Cyber Security Corner

Newsletter reader Steve sent this one my way — and it’s a good reminder that scammers never stop evolving.

The latest scheme? A text that warns of a suspicious login to your AI account from another country. It urges you to call a toll-free number immediately. But it’s completely fake — the goal is to get you on the phone so they can steal your identity, financial info, or whatever else they can grab.

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If you’re ever concerned about unauthorized access:

• On ChatGPT, go to Settings > Security and select Log out of all devices

• On Google, visit myaccount.google.com, tap Devices, and check everywhere you’re signed in

• And no matter what: enable multi-factor authentication on all your important accounts — especially ones tied to sensitive data or payments

Feedbag - Tech pro approved

Melissa from West Hollywood, California writes in…

I’m writing to add my voice to the many who appreciate your work. I especially enjoy your podcast and social media content, and I consistently learn something new each week.

As someone working in tech, specifically in web and app content management with a solid background in the field, I still find your insights incredibly valuable. Your approachable and friendly style, free from any hint of condescension, makes learning from you a pleasure.

Thanks, Melissa! I really appreciate the kind words — especially coming from someone who knows their stuff.

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That’s all for now! Be sure to catch my radio show Saturdays from 11 AM to 2 PM PT on KFI AM 640—and call in with your tech questions at 1-888-RICH-101.

You can also catch the rebroadcast in New York City on 710 WOR, Sunday nights from 8 to 11 PM ET.

My TV show, Rich On Tech Weekly, features all of my reports - plus deeper dives into the stories you see on the news. It streams exclusively on KTLA+ every Sunday at 11 AM.

Oh — and if you’re not already following me on Instagram, I’m at @richontech.

On the radio this weekend: my old pal Bald Bryan joins me to talk about his excellent new movie newsletter, and a rep from the FIDO Alliance will explain how Passkeys can replace your passwords — making logins easier and more secure.

– Rich