Nothing to see here… except a bold new phone
Plus: protect your phone from a SIM swap attack, a major CarPlay upgrade, and a new movie tracking app
Hello and welcome to another edition of my newsletter!
First off, happy Fourth of July weekend! Do not adjust your phone, I’m sending this out a day early this week.
I found it a little ironic that I was in London the same week America celebrates Independence Day. Walking the streets of the very place we broke away from, I couldn’t help but think about how wild it must have been—this scrappy group of colonies going up against one of the world’s biggest powers and somehow pulling it off.
As I wandered around, I kept noticing the roots of what would become the American experience. We took a lot of inspiration from Britain—then made it our own: bigger, bolder, more independent, and ultimately more rewarding for people willing to take risks and carve their own path.
Which brings me to why I was in London in the first place—a launch event for a startup called Nothing.
Yes, that’s the name—Nothing.
And that gives you a sense of what they’re all about. This is a playful, design-focused company that’s been making phones for a few years now. A lot of the team came from OnePlus, but the founder branched out to create something different—and it shows.
Nothing has released a few phones, but only one was technically sold in the U.S. The others were under a beta program, meaning no warranty, no support, and just 14 days to return it. This time is different. The new device, the Nothing Phone 3, will be available in the U.S. market. Officially, it looks like there will be support FOR two carriers - AT&T and T-Mobile, but not FROM the carriers. That means you’ll need to buy it unlocked, likely from Nothing’s website or Amazon.
And that’s a shame—because this is a really impressive phone.
You’ll either love or hate the design. It has a partially transparent back, three asymmetrical camera lenses, and quirky details like a red LED recording light—a nice nod to vintage camcorders—and a “Glyph Matrix,” a dot-matrix-style screen that shows the time, countdowns, and even playful things like a magic eight ball or spin-the-bottle game. They’re not trying to be the next iPhone or Galaxy—and they’re proud of that.
In five years, Nothing has gained 3 million fans. For perspective, Apple sells about 50 million iPhones every quarter.
Still, the Phone 3 is solid. It uses a capable processor (not the top-tier, but more than enough for most), and they’re one of the first to use a new battery tech called silicon-carbon. It allows faster charging and more capacity in a slimmer size—up to 65W fast charging, compared to up to 45W for iPhone and Samsung.
On the software side, it runs a clean version of Android, close to the Pixel experience, with some smart, useful features:
Essential Search: Think iPhone Spotlight, but smarter. It searches your phone, but also taps AI when it detects a more complex question.
Essential Space: A digital notebook that pulls in screenshots, voice memos, and more—organized with help from AI (but oddly, still no search)
Flip to Record: Long-press the side button and flip your phone over to start recording and transcribing a meeting, plus an AI summary. You’re limited to 300 free minutes per month
The Nothing Phone 3 comes in black or white with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage for $800.
The cameras? So far, so good. It has a triple-lens 50MP setup, and I shot tons of photos around London and they all look great. They almost have a film like quality, as opposed to the oversaturated shots you get from most smartphones these days.
So the software is smart and the build quality is solid. Sounds like a great phone, right?
But here’s the problem: most people in the U.S. won’t even hear about it—let alone buy it—because it’s not at Verizon, AT&T, or T-Mobile. And if you can’t add it to your plan or pay it off over time, you’re probably not buying it. That’s the uphill battle Nothing faces.
And that’s frustrating, because this funky little startup out of London is building something truly refreshing. But only tech nerds and phone enthusiasts are likely to give it a shot.
Nothing needs something—like carrier support—to help users break out of the endless upgrade treadmill. If you’re willing to break the cycle, I think you’ll like this phone.
The Nothing Phone 3 is available for preorder now. Open sales begin July 15.
CarPlay gets an “Ultra” upgrade
Speaking of the iPhone — I tested the new CarPlay Ultra. This is Apple’s upgraded version of CarPlay that takes over both screens in your car: the center display and the instrument cluster. It’s making its debut in a $250,000 Aston Martin SUV. I’ll admit, I was a little nervous signing the paperwork to take it for a spin… but it all worked out. I got a hands-on demo of CarPlay Ultra, which has its fans and its critics. Check out my full story here to see what it’s all about.
The future of 911 isn’t one-size-fits-all
If you’re curious about the changing face of 911, I recently visited the NENA 911 conference in Long Beach. I saw some impressive new tech being implemented — but what really stood out is just how fragmented the system is. There are over 6,000 different 911 centers across the country, and each one runs things a little differently, with varying levels of staffing, software, and tech. It’s a reminder that modernizing 911 isn’t as simple as flipping a switch — it’s a patchwork effort.
Protect your phone line from SIM swap scams
This is a big one. AT&T just rolled out a new feature that helps protect your phone number from being hijacked by scammers.
It’s called SIM swapping — and it happens when someone convinces your carrier to transfer your phone line to their device. Once they have your number, they can access your calls and texts — including two-factor authentication codes — and take over your bank, crypto, and social media accounts.
It’s why I always recommend using a two-factor authentication app instead of relying on your phone number when possible.
I’ve got a full write-up on how to turn on this protective feature for AT&T, along with steps for Verizon and T-Mobile. I’ve also included instructions for several popular smaller carriers including Mint Mobile, Visible, US Mobile, Google Fi, Xfinity Mobile, Cricket Wireless, and Spectrum Mobile.
If you don’t see your carrier on the list, try Googling your carrier’s name along with “SIM swap protection.”
Apps worth downloading this weekend
First up, Rotten Tomatoes finally has an official app (iPhone now, Android soon). I’ve been talking for years about movie tracking apps—and until now, there wasn’t a proper one from Rotten Tomatoes. This lets you see the Tomatometer score, track stuff you want to watch, and even tells you where it’s streaming. It’s not nearly as full-featured as Just Watch—which is still my go-to—but if you love Rotten Tomatoes scores, it’s a solid option to have.
Next, Hello Weather. I’ve tested a ton of weather apps over the years, and this one just nails it. The forecast is clean, simple, easy to read—exactly what you want. It just got a major update and works great on iPhone and Android. The basics are free, and if you want radar or more control over your weather source, you can upgrade.
Oh—and speaking of weather, I still love Weather by Tomorrow for one specific reason: storm tracking. Tap into the map view, toggle Storm Tracking On and you’ll see any hurricanes or tropical systems on the move. Super cool and super useful.
Remove Image Backgrounds
Archie from Jackson, Mississippi, listening on 103.9 WYAB and 620 WJDX writes in…
I used to remove backgrounds from images using PowerPoint, but I don’t have access to it anymore. Is there a free desktop or online tool that lets me remove backgrounds manually—like PowerPoint used to do?
Thanks for the kind words, Archie! There are several tools that do just what you’re looking for in the order I like them:
pixian.ai – uses AI and works FAST (top pick!)
bgeraser.com – another good option
remove.bg – low resolution results unless you pay
cleanup.pictures – good for removing stray objects
Some of these even let you fine-tune things manually after the background is removed. Try a few and see which one feels most like PowerPoint to you.
Feedbag: Tech appreciation
Brandon from Texas writes in…
“I just wanted to say I’ve been listening for years and really enjoy your content — even as someone who’s worked in IT most of my life.”
I always say there are a few types of people who listen to me—those that need the help and those that are fact-checking the help I give. If I’m appealing to both, that’s a win in my book!
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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.
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– Rich