Motorola Brings Back the Razr
from the desk of Rich on Tech
Well, hello there!
This is the busiest time in the tech world, with lots of new goodies from manufacturers all vying for our holiday shopping dollars. I’m going to do my best to highlight great gadget gift ideas over the next few weeks, so stay tuned for that.
In the meantime, you know my new book will make a great gift for the iPhone user in your life. It’s packed with all kinds of useful tips anyone can use and fully up to date for iOS 13. Check it out!
Now, let’s get to the big story of the week.
Motorola is bringing back the Razr
The iconic phone looks similar but it’s totally new and modernized. For starters, this time around it’s a smartphone and it’s running Android. There’s also a big, foldable screen inside!
There’s no denying Motorola did a great job with the reboot and the interest is certainly there. But will that translate into sales? Especially at $1500 a pop? To further complicate matters, the phone is exclusive to Verizon. Even if you don’t plan on buying it, take a trip down memory lane and watch my story.
https://ktla.com/2019/11/15/motorola-razr-2019-foldable-screen-hands-on/
Tiny satellite lets you text without a cell signal
Speaking of phones, I did a segment on a really cool smartphone accessory: a tiny satellite that lets you send and receive text messages even when cellular goes down.
My in-laws could have used this when they were caught up in the recent California wildfires; my wife was seriously worried when she didn’t hear from them for hours. Turns out the power and cell signal were out, a one two punch for connectivity.
The device is called the SatPaq and it connects to your phone via Bluetooth. Then, just aim it at the sky and send and receive. It’s not just for emergencies, hikers will like it too. It’s pricey at $250 plus message packs, but it might be worth it.
https://ktla.com/2019/11/08/satpaq-satellite-text-messaging-smartphone-accessory-review/
Disney launches its streaming service
Disney+ launched this week, and if you have kids or are into Star Wars, you might have already subscribed. It’s pretty impressive. Apparently 10 million people signed up already; Netflix has 60 million subscribers in the US.
There is a ton to watch, especially older stuff. There are originals, but it doesn’t really matter. At $6.99 a month, it’s sort of a no brainer for families. If you have an unlimited plan on Verizon wireless, you might even be able to nab a year for free. Check out my video below for details.
Rich on Tech Podcast
In my podcast, I talk about the tech items I think you should know about and answer the questions you send me.
Here’s what Producer Meghan and I discussed this week:
The Razr flip phone comes back as an Android smartphone; Google enables an iMessage-style solution to all Android phones; A look at the Disney+ streaming service; Apple's new 16-inch MacBook Pro; Google Maps gets a handy feature for international travel; the Libby app for downloading free library books to your Kindle.
Listeners ask about getting free cloud storage, the best digital picture frame, how to edit their address book on a computer, whether AirPods Pro are still worth it and a phone to replace a Samsung device.
Take a listen using the link below or just search “Rich on Tech” in your favorite audio app
https://art19.com/shows/rich-on-tech/episodes/bddf7958-5746-4eb2-97c2-72d043d7394e
Filling in for Leo
I spent two weekends in beautiful Petaluma, California to fill in for Leo Laporte on his Tech Guy radio show. It is so cool that I get to do that!
If you want to take a listen or watch some of the episodes, I’ve linked them below.
https://twit.tv/shows/the-tech-guy/episodes/1640?autostart=false
https://twit.tv/shows/the-tech-guy/episodes/1641?autostart=false
https://twit.tv/shows/the-tech-guy/episodes/1642?autostart=false
https://twit.tv/shows/the-tech-guy/episodes/1643?autostart=false
Get free library books on your Kindle
I mentioned this on Leo’s show and on my podcast, and I’m putting it here too since I think it’s so darn cool. Did you know you can get free books from the library… ON YOUR KINDLE? It’s seriously cool and totally free. Just download an app called Libby and link your library account (you can even sign up for one instantly through the app) and then link your Kindle reader account.
Next, you can search for and download books right to your Kindle reader! They carry the same rules as physical books, sometimes they are out of stock or you have to wait a bit for popular titles to become available, but did I mention it’s free?
Audiobooks too! Libby even works with CarPlay (haven’t tested to see if it shows up on Android Auto). You can keep books for a certain amount of time as determined by your library, but check it out.
Thanks for reading!
That’s going to do it for this time around. Thanks so much for taking the time to get this far, please hit the heart below on your way out or share this with a friend who might enjoy.
Rich