One less choice for Android fans

Plus: the smartwatch setting that could save your life, Apple's back-to-school deals, and how to save money on summer travel.

Greetings, and welcome to another edition of the Rich on Tech newsletter.

This week, I made my way back from New Jersey after a fantastic Bon Jovi concert and a fun weekend in New York City. We all enjoyed the show, including my Mom, who is a longtime fan.

There’s just something about the energy, excitement and accessibility of New York City. It’s an entire world at your fingertips 24/7. The weather was excellent, and our flights there and back were smooth.

Back in Los Angeles, I had a dentist appointment in an area where the street parking can be confusing. There are so many signs telling you when and where you can park, so I figured, why not use AI to decipher them?

I’ve done this before, but once again, it worked like a charm. I took a picture of the signs and asked ChatGPT, “Can I park here?” It analyzed the entire parking situation and let me know that, yes, I could park there for up to two hours unless I had a permit.

I know AI gets a lot of hate, but there are so many small ways it can help throughout the day.

Here’s another handy feature: If you use Chrome on an iPhone, the new Reading Mode removes distractions from the page so you can focus on the article.

To try it, tap the AI icon on the left side of the address bar, then select Reading Mode. There’s even a fun animation as the clutter disappears from the page.

Once it’s enabled, tap the Reading Mode icon again to customize the font, text size and color scheme.

OnePlus finally settles

This week was a sad one for smartphone fans. OnePlus, a company known for packing its phones with powerful hardware and clean software, announced it is exiting North America and Europe.

I’ve covered OnePlus since the first time I saw one of its phones. It was 2014, and I was getting picked up from SFO in a Lyft. The driver had a smartphone I had never seen before, so I asked, “What kind of phone is that?”

He said, “It’s a OnePlus.”

I said, “A what?”

I immediately searched it up and have been covering the company ever since. I’ve attended many OnePlus events over the years, and I always looked forward to its new phones because the company wasn’t afraid to push the boundaries.

OnePlus phones typically had some of the best processors, impressive specs and clean, highly customizable software built for Android lovers. There was usually at least one gimmick with each new model, but the price was generally good. That changed over the years as prices crept higher, which became part of the problem.

I think two other issues kept OnePlus phones from ever breaking through in a big way.

First, the cameras were never quite as good as the competition. Reviewers would go gaga over the features, but when it came to the camera, the verdict was usually the same: It was okay, but hit or miss. That was my experience, too.

Second, Americans like to buy their phones through carrier stores, and OnePlus never secured the major carrier relationships it needed. It had a deal with T-Mobile for a while, but you generally couldn’t walk into a carrier store and buy a OnePlus phone. In the US, that’s simply not how most people buy their phones.

Ultimately, OnePlus never grew beyond being a phone for Android enthusiasts, and that eventually did it in.

The sad part is that American consumers now have even fewer choices. I know everyone is obsessed with the iPhone, but our major options are basically Apple, Samsung and Google, with Motorola and Nothing to a much lesser extent.

If you have a OnePlus phone, the company says it will continue providing the software updates, security patches and support it previously promised.

I got a little nostalgic looking through YouTube at all my coverage of notable OnePlus phones over the years. Here’s one where I demoed what was then a novel feature: face unlock.

The smartwatch setting that could save a life

This week on TV, I shared the story of an 86-year-old woman who lives alone and fell while exercising. She doesn’t remember falling. The next thing she remembers is waking up with a neighbor helping her.

Her Apple Watch detected the fall and alerted her family, who contacted someone nearby and got her help.

The takeaway is simple: If you or a loved one has a smartwatch, check the fall detection settings and make sure the feature is enabled. Apple, Samsung and Google all offer fall detection on compatible watches.

Here’s how to check:

Apple Watch: Open the Watch app on your iPhone, then “Emergency SOS” and make sure “Fall Detection” is turned on.

Samsung Galaxy Watch: Open the Galaxy Wearable app, tap “Watch settings,” then “Safety and emergency” and enable “Hard fall detection.”

Google Pixel Watch: Open the Pixel Watch app, tap “Settings,” then “Safety & emergency” and turn on “Fall detection.”

While you’re there, review your emergency contacts and medical information. You may want to add someone new, update a phone number or remove an old contact. It’s also worth reviewing the entire Emergency SOS section because these features have expanded over the years, and some settings may be turned off.

Keep in mind that the ability to call for help depends on the watch model, network connection and settings. Some watches require a paired phone to be nearby, while cellular models may require active service. Fall detection also cannot detect every fall, so it should not be your only safety plan.

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Tech Tidbits

There’s a new smart ring called the Signal Ring that claims to be the first wearable capable of measuring blood pressure without a traditional cuff. I haven’t tested it yet, but it costs $399 and is expected to launch in October. Preorders are open now.

A new $50 million Disney antitrust class-action settlement could mean money for people who subscribed to YouTube TV or DIRECTV Stream between April 2019 and March 2026. It’s legitimate, so check your inbox for a message from the settlement administrator at OnlineTVSettlement@e.epiqnotice.com. The official website is OnlineTVSettlement.com (although I’m having trouble getting it to load reliably, probably due to the rush of people filing claims)

Canva can now build entire websites with code, and the feature is available to all users - including those on the free plan.

Looking for a fun gift? Target now sells a Tiny Vinyl record player along with miniature records containing two songs each. The player costs about $50, and each record is $15.

Apple’s back-to-school deal is live - but shop around

I have to hand it to the Apple Store. My wife and I stopped by the Grand Central store in New York City to get her a new Apple Watch, and the experience was so smooth. Despite the crowds, the associate gave us their full attention and patiently explained the different options.

Once we chose the watch, it appeared almost instantly. During checkout, the associate asked whether either of us qualified for a discount. My wife works in education, but she hadn’t yet verified her eligibility through UNiDAYS.

I was initially hesitant to share our personal information with another company, but the process was super easy. She signed up on her phone using her work email, confirmed the message they sent and was verified in less than five minutes. We ended up saving about $70 on an Apple Watch.

I mention this because Apple’s 2026 back-to-school promotion is now underway. Eligible students, educators and parents can receive a $150 Apple Gift Card with a MacBook Pro or a $100 gift card with a MacBook Air, iPad Pro or iPad Air. The offer can be combined with Apple’s standard education pricing and runs through August 27.

Not every product qualifies. The MacBook Neo, standard iPad, iPad mini, Mac mini, iMac and Mac Studio are excluded. Compare Apple’s final price with authorized retailers such as Costco, Best Buy and Amazon before buying.

How to save on summer travel, even after you book

Travel keeps getting more expensive, especially once you add up all the extra fees charged by airlines, hotels and rental car companies.

You’ve probably seen a million tips on social media for finding cheap flights, but the bottom line is simple: If you can fly on less popular days and at less popular times, you can save money.

Skyscanner recently released its Smarter Summer Report, which found that August 17 through 23 is the cheapest week to fly this summer. That makes sense, since many kids - at least on the West Coast - are heading back to school around then. The report also found that Monday is the cheapest day of the week to fly.

After booking many, many flights over the years, my advice is to check the fare calendar and be flexible with your dates.

If you want the first flight out on Friday morning and the last flight home on Sunday night, guess what? So does nearly every other leisure traveler. Those flights are usually among the most expensive.

My other big tip is to keep checking your reservation after you book, especially if you want a better seat. Airlines sometimes offer free flight changes as the departure date approaches. On our trip to New York City, we were able to leave the night before our scheduled flight because the airline offered the change at no additional cost.

Book the itinerary that works for you, but continue checking the airline’s app. A better flight or seat may become available.

The same principle applies to hotels. If you check in and the room isn’t to your liking, politely ask the front desk whether another one is available. In New York City, our original room was extremely loud because of elevator noise. We went back downstairs, explained the situation and were moved to a much nicer suite.

Sometimes the squeaky wheel really does get the grease.

Q&A: Finding His Car

Concerned writes…

I have a friend with dementia whose short-term memory is especially poor. He can still drive to lunch with the guys, but afterward he often cannot remember where he parked.

We usually walk around the parking lot pressing his key fob until we hear the horn. Is there a way to set up his iPhone so he can ask Siri, “Where did I park my car?” I’ve tried it with several iPhones, but it never seems to work.

A: In Apple Maps, go to Settings > Apps > Maps and turn on Show Parked Location. The iPhone must connect to the car through Bluetooth or CarPlay. When it disconnects, Maps marks the spot so he can ask Siri where he parked. Alternatively, you can just search in Apple Maps for “parked car” and it will show the location.

Google Maps can also save the location automatically when connected through Bluetooth, CarPlay or USB. Turn on Automatically save parking under Profile > Settings > Navigation. You can also save it manually by tapping the blue location dot and selecting Save parking. You can then tap the search bar to see where you parked.

Feedbag

One of my favorite parts of this job is hearing from you. Here are a few recent notes that made my day:

Ben, Bent Mountain, VA: “Hi Rich, love the show. I listen to you every week on WFIR 960 AM in Roanoke.”

Jack: “Love you and your show, as do my 80-something parents!”

Harry, Richmond, VA: “I’m new to your radio show, which is great.”

Rick, Los Angeles: “I enjoy listening to you every Saturday on KFI AM 640.”

Cathy: “Thank you. You are brilliant.”

Mark, Long Beach, CA: “Many of our members, including me, enjoy your reports on KTLA. It’s a great show for new tech info.”

Mark also shared that after I mentioned the Associated Radio Amateurs of Long Beach on the radio show, several people stopped by their Field Day event and a few even joined the club. He called it “a shot in the arm” for the event.

Thanks for the kind words, and thanks for reading, watching, listening, and being part of this with me. That’s going to do it for this week.

If you have a tech question, don't forget my radio show is live every Saturday from 11 AM to 2 PM Pacific on KFI AM 640. Give me a call at 1-888-RICH-101 (1-888-742-4101).

Can’t listen live? You can catch the replay Sunday evenings on 710 WOR in New York, subscribe to the podcast and listen anytime on demand.

Rich