My go-to tricks for cutting down on spam
Plus: The truth about free phone deals, Google Maps gets a smart feature, and how my ISP actually came to the rescue
Greetings from Newark Airport!
Yes, that Newark Airport. I’m sitting at the gate waiting for my flight back to Los Angeles after a super quick trip to NYC for a secret assignment. I’ll fill you in on that next week.
This trip gave me a chance to test the new reality of flying without a Real ID—because I still don’t have one. What I do have is a freshly renewed passport, which I ordered online. The process was surprisingly smooth: from the moment I hit submit, it took less than four weeks to arrive.
Leaving LAX, I didn’t need to show any ID at all. I’m enrolled in TSA PreCheck with facial recognition, so I just smiled at the camera and breezed through.
Newark, on the other hand, didn’t seem to have the same setup—or at least I couldn’t find it. I first tried using my California Mobile Driver’s License stored in Apple Wallet, but the TSA officer said the system prompted her to verify me another way. So I handed over my passport, which worked just fine.
Also, remember what I said about not relying on a screenshot of your boarding pass? I had mine in Apple Wallet, but it hadn’t updated with my new flight info. I ended up scanning the one in the United app, and that worked without a hitch.
Credit where it’s due: AT&T solved it
Now, I know people like me are quick to criticize the big tech companies—but I’ll give credit where it’s due.
Case in point: my own internet service.
I’ve had AT&T Fiber for years and it’s been rock solid. I get 1,000 megabits up and down, which means super fast uploads and downloads. That’s a big deal for me since I’m constantly uploading large video files. Most cable internet providers brag about their download speeds, but when you read the fine print, the upload speeds are often abysmal. Fine for streaming, not so great for people like me.
Anyway, a few weeks ago, my internet started cutting out like clockwork around 3 p.m. every day. I would get a notification: “Internet’s down.” Then it would come back. Then drop again. This would go on until about 5 p.m.—right when the kids were trying to do homework.
I kept putting off calling AT&T because I didn’t want to deal with the endless prompts, robotic troubleshooting steps, or being transferred five times.
But eventually, we couldn’t take it anymore. I called.
To my surprise, a friendly AI voice picked up. I said, “intermittent connection,” and it responded by running a test. A few seconds later, it said something looked off and offered me a next-day service appointment. Just like that.
Soon, a tech named Keith showed up. He agreed it was a weird issue and said he’d do what he could. After running tests and not finding anything obvious, he promised to return at 3 p.m.—right when the problem usually happened.
Sure enough, he came back with another tech. They traced the issue to a bad filter that was causing fluctuations in the fiber connection. Keith replaced it and was on his way.
Since then, everything’s been smooth—and my faith in big companies has (somewhat) been restored. AT&T has been advertising a new satisfaction guarantee, and I have to say, their customer service does seem better.
Kudos to Keith. He even texted me today to make sure everything’s still working.
One final note: another AT&T tech showed up afterward to check Keith’s work and offered me a free month of internet for the inconvenience. Haven’t seen that materialize yet, but hey—let’s call this an 9 out of 10 experience.
Is that free iPhone really free?
Speaking of large tech companies—T-Mobile has a new offer that’s getting attention: a “free” iPhone 16 Pro with no trade-in required. It’s the first time they’ve offered a deal like this, and yes, it sounds great. But as I always say, it’s only a good deal if you plan to stick with your carrier long term and don’t mind skipping the math.
Here’s the fine print:
You’ll need to be on T-Mobile’s top-tier $100/month plan, pay taxes on the full price of the phone up front (standard for these deals), commit to staying for 24 months, and port in a number from another approved carrier. Also important: you can’t pay the phone off early.
Let’s do the math:
T-Mobile: $100 x 24 months + taxes = around $2,500
Visible or Mint: $30 x 24 months + bring your own $1,000 phone = about $1,720
That’s an $800 difference over two years. Yes, T-Mobile’s plan includes premium perks like in-flight Wi-Fi, Netflix, and high-speed international data. But ask yourself:
Do you need all that?
Do you really need the iPhone 16 Pro—or would the $600 iPhone 16e do just fine?
My advice:
If you’re already on a premium plan with AT&T or Verizon, this might be a worthwhile switch—get the phone, then gift or trade in your current device. But if saving money is your goal, bring your own phone, skip the fluff, and pocket the savings.
Turn your screenshots into a travel to-do list with Google Maps
How many times have you taken a screenshot of a restaurant, attraction, or cool place you want to visit? I do it all the time.
Now, Google Maps has a new AI-powered feature that helps turn those screenshots into an organized list of places to go. It scans your screenshots for recognizable locations and lets you approve which ones to save.
To try it out, open Google Maps, tap You, then tap Screenshots to set it up.
In my testing, it works best when the listing is clearly labeled. If the text is tiny or the post just includes an Instagram username, the feature may not recognize it. But the good news is you get to approve everything before it’s added to your list.
One heads-up: turning this on gives Google access to your entire screenshot library. You can choose to manually submit screenshots instead, but at that point, it might be just as easy to add the place yourself.
Pixel 9a: solid phone, long support
This week I reviewed the Google Pixel 9a, and it’s pretty much what I expected: a solid midrange phone with thoughtful design, reliable performance, and smart software.
It’s a great size, easy to hold, and features a capable dual-lens camera with regular and ultrawide options. The biggest standout? Google promises seven years of software updates—a huge win for long-term value.
The main drawback: no satellite connectivity for emergencies.
At $499 MSRP, it’s already well-priced, but I expect deals will bring that closer to $400—so keep an eye out.
The wildest electric ride I’ve tried yet
I’ve tested a lot of things on wheels as part of the electric revolution—but this week’s ride was something else: the Dryft Board.
It’s part scooter, part bike, part skateboard—and toss in a little Fast & Furious: Tokyo Drift and you get the idea.
It was fun, fast, and totally exhilarating… and if I spent much more time on it, I’d probably end up in the hospital.
Tech Tidbits
FBI router warning: The FBI says hackers are turning old routers into cyber weapons. If your router is from before 2010, it’s time for an upgrade.
Samsung One UI 7 backlash: The latest update brings new features—but the split notification pull-down and lock screen changes are frustrating users. Luckily, you can revert them with a few quick settings tweaks.
Siri lawsuit payout: If Siri ever activated without your prompting, you may be eligible for up to $100 in a new settlement. The claims window is open through early July.
Samsung preorder perk: Samsung is unveiling the super slim Galaxy S25 Edge this week. If you’re even thinking about buying it, drop your email now and get $50 off—no commitment required.
Netflix home screen reboot: Netflix is getting its first big TV redesign in over a decade. Expect fresher recommendations, more autoplay, and previews of upcoming live events. AI-driven suggestions are coming next.
Bookmarks and Downloads
Time-travel through newsreels: UCLA has archived classic newsreels shown in theaters between 1929 and 1967—a fascinating time capsule of world events.
Smarter news reading: Particle is a new AI-powered site that summarizes both the headlines and the full story. It also shows you where the information comes from, article by article.
Clean up your YouTube: Untrap is a powerful browser extension that lets you customize over 280 parts of the YouTube experience—from hiding Shorts and comments to disabling autoplay. (via Lifehacker)
Better TV antenna aim: Trying to boost your signal? The Antenna Point app (iOS, Android) helps you figure out exactly where to point your antenna for the best reception.
Q&A: Stopping Spam Emails
Mark from Upland, California writes in…
Is there really any way to block junk or bulk emails? I try to block them, but they keep showing up on my desktop PC. AOL told me the only real solution is to change my email address—which isn’t going to work for me.
I enjoy your segments on KTLA and listen to you on Saturdays when I’m in the car. Thanks for your time!
Thanks for the kind words, Mark—and yes, there are a few tried-and-true ways I handle spam:
Unsubscribe from legitimate emails. If it’s a real company using services like Mailchimp or it’s from a known retailer like Home Depot or Macy’s, they’ll usually honor the unsubscribe link.
Delete or block the rest. For suspicious emails, don’t open them—just delete or mark them as spam. That helps train your email filter over time.
Turn off remote image loading. Some spammers use image tracking to know when you’ve opened an email. If your email provider allows it, turn off this feature to stay more private.
Set up a smart filter: I use one that looks for the word “Unsubscribe” in the body of the email and labels it Unsubscribe Eligible. It’s a simple, ongoing reminder to clean up my inbox.
Feedbag: Crocs Case Joy!
Nealla in West Chester, Pennsylvania writes in…
I’m a longtime Android user with the Galaxy S25 Ultra, and I’ve worked in IT tech support for 25 years. I’m also a huge Crocs wearer — and of course, I’ve followed you for years. You know where this is going! I got a Crocs case for my phone and LOVE IT! Thanks for telling folks about it!
Glad you loved it! I post about a lot of things, but when I spotted that Crocs case at the Samsung S25 Ultra event, I had a feeling it would resonate with someone. Turns out, a lot of someones—my Instagram video was watched nearly 700,000 times and shared over 26,000 times.
Crocs fans, I see you.
Got something to say? Email me: feedbag@richontech.tv
Spread the word!
That’s a wrap for this week’s newsletter! We’re just shy of 50,000 readers—so if you know someone who’d enjoy this, forward it their way and tell them to sign up.
Don’t forget to catch my radio show Saturday at 11 AM PT on KFI AM 640 or streaming live on the iHeartRadio app. You can also hear the rebroadcast Sunday evenings on 710 WOR in New York at 5 PM PT / 8 PM ET.
Rich