Passkeys explained — the next step beyond passwords
Plus: testing an ink tank printer, blood oxygen returns to Apple Watch, and a VHS-inspired video app.
Hello and welcome to another edition of the Rich on Tech Newsletter.
My mom’s been in town for a few weeks, which means my schedule has been anything but normal — way more activities than I’d usually cram into a workweek.
It’s been great having her around as the kids head back to school. She’s even been picking the bumper music for my radio show — and judging by the feedback, listeners are enjoying her playlists.
Speaking of school, this week I dropped my kid off at high school for the first time. Honestly, it might be one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. And that’s coming from a guy who left New Jersey at 17 to move across the country (solo!) to Los Angeles for college.
Also this week — I finally applied for my Real ID. I wasn’t really avoiding it, but my license expires soon and it was time.
Call me impressed with the California DMV.
The hardest part was getting the appointment (pro tip: check locations a little outside your immediate area for better availability). After that, the process was quick. You can handle almost everything online — entering your info, uploading documents — in about 15 minutes. At the DMV, they simply verify your submission, give you a quick eye test, fingerprint, and photo. You can even tap to pay the fee.
I know the DMV has a reputation for being slow, but their systems have gotten a serious modern upgrade and it shows.
Bonus: the clerk processing my application told me they enjoy my TV segment. That definitely put a smile on my face.
Hands-on with Epson’s EcoTank printer
Epson sent over their EcoTank ET-2980, and I set it up this week.
This is one of those printers where you fill the ink reservoirs yourself. The bottles that come in the box could last for years.
Setup was easy. You download the app, and it walks you through the process in a chat-style interface with explanations, photos, and videos. Very user-friendly.
Filling the ink was the trickiest part — mostly because I didn’t want to spill a drop on my desk. Success! I like that you can check the ink levels through the little windows on the front.
The printer runs quietly and works well. I had a brief mix-up with the paper loading — it’s a rear top-loading design, not a pull-out tray like I’m used to. At first I wasn’t a fan, but it’s actually easier to swap paper this way, especially for smaller sizes like 4x6 or 5x7 photos. Which explains why I’ve been printing so many pictures.
Speed-wise, it’s not as fast as my HP, but I think Epson’s software is better — especially for scanning directly to my phone.
My main gripe is the tiny display and the sea of buttons on the front. A touchscreen would make life much easier.
The ET-2980 sells for $329, and a full ink refill runs about $75 for all the colors. I think it’s a fair price — but worth watching for a sale. Next up, I’ll be testing HP’s answer to Epson’s ink tank printer: the 5101.
Passkeys explained
Have you noticed more websites and apps asking you to set up passkeys?
Passkeys are a simpler way to log in — no password to remember. Instead, you approve the login with your fingerprint or face.
It’s easier, but also a little confusing. In a perfect world, passkeys would replace passwords entirely — but for now, they don’t. Even if you use one, you might still need to enter a code if you have two-factor authentication turned on (and you should).
You can also save a passkey for the same site on multiple devices — like your phone, computer, or even inside your password manager.
Bottom line: if you set one up, logging in becomes quicker, easier, and more secure.
Gadgets to know
You know I test a lot of gadgets. This week on TV I featured a few standouts — including a capable Chromebook that was still on sale for $160 at last check, Beats cables that could fix your CarPlay connection issues, and more.
The toy that gets your kids to put down their screen
Subscription boxes were everywhere when they first hit the scene — there was one for everything: cosmetics, dinner, even hot sauce.
The craze has cooled a bit, but some boxes are still worth it. Recently, CrunchLabs sent me two of their STEM-based kits to try. Each one includes all the parts to build a toy based on real engineering principles.
I had my 10-year-old test them, and I don’t think I’ve ever been happier to see him put down his iPad. He grabbed the instruction booklet and followed along, page by page, building toys that taught the concepts of ratchets and flywheels. It reminded me of the focus it takes to put together a LEGO set.
Long story short, I love this box. Watching my kid figure things out and do something that didn’t involve Roblox or endless short videos felt like a win.
The price? About $30 a box — well worth it when you consider what a single movie ticket costs these days, and this delivers so much more for your kids.
How to get your personal info off National Public Data
Remember National Public Data? They’re the site that had a major data breach a while back. Well, they’re back — and once again serving up personal information in the name of a “free people search engine.”
In reality, it’s a buffet of your private details for anyone to see.
Try searching your name on their site and see what comes up. Thankfully, you can request to have it taken down by finding the URL of your data and submitting it through their opt-out form.
Sponsored: Or, you can have Incogni do the work for you. Incogni is a data removal service that crawls hundreds of people-finder sites and sends takedown requests on your behalf.
They cover a wide range of data brokers — and like I always say, it’s a game of whack-a-mole: remove one profile and another pops up. The benefit of Incogni is that it works in the background, continuously clearing your information from databases. You can log in anytime to your personal dashboard to see progress.
In my case, Incogni has sent 300 requests, completed 261, and has 39 still in progress. There’s even an activity feed showing the latest successful removals.
A newer feature lets you submit a custom takedown request. Just paste the link to your information from a site they don’t already cover and they’ll try to get it removed. You can check back in to your dashboard to see the progress they’re making.
Bottom line: keep your personal safety a priority. Don’t leave your address, workplace, or personal connections out in the open.
Protect yourself now with Incogni: Use code RICHONTECH (all caps) at checkout to save.
Tech Tidbits
Apple Watch blood oxygen returns – The feature is back, but with a twist: you can take the reading from your wrist, but you’ll only see results in the Health app on your iPhone. Update your phone and watch to get it.
BBB warns of passport renewal scams – Fake websites promise to “help” renew your passport online but charge processing fees for forms you can fill out for free at the official government site. Renew only at state.gov. (I used it recently — it was quick and easy, and I had my new passport in about four weeks.)
Apple’s back-to-school deal – This year, you can get an accessory like AirPods or an Apple Pencil with your Mac or iPad purchase.
Anti-virus bloatware could be slowing your PC – TechSpot reports that simply uninstalling might not remove everything. Major security software companies offer dedicated removal tools to fully clear their apps. For many people, Microsoft Defender, Malwarebytes, and Chrome’s Safe Browsing offer solid protection.
Yahoo cutting email storage – The free allotment is dropping from 1TB to 20GB. Yahoo says users near the limit will get advance warning, along with tools to help clean up old messages and attachments.
Gadget of the week
Camp Snap makes screen-free digital cameras — think disposable point-and-shoot from the ’90s, but reusable. The “35mm” style model I’ve been using is as simple as it gets: just a viewfinder and built-in memory for your shots. You take photos the old-fashioned way, then connect the camera to your computer to transfer and view them. (Pro tip: you can also plug it into the bottom of your smartphone or tablet to transfer photos.)
The idea is to stay in the moment without the distractions of your phone. One way I’ve used it: I went out recently with just my cellular Apple Watch for texts and calls and brought the Camp Snap for photos. No notifications, no doomscrolling — just enjoying the day.
Now, Camp Snap is introducing a Super 8-style digital video camera. It keeps the retro vibe but shoots video instead of stills, with multiple aspect ratios and vintage-looking filters. It’ll retail for $199, but it’s currently $150 on pre-order.
App of the week
Speaking of retro, there’s a fun new iPhone app called Cassette.
It mimics the experience of popping in an old-school VHS tape and pressing play — except it’s pulling from the videos in your Camera Roll.
When you open the app, you’ll see a lineup of virtual cassettes arranged by year, along with themed collections. Tap one, and a clip starts playing on a tiny TV screen.
Controls at the bottom let you rewind (skip to an earlier clip), fast forward (skip ahead), pause, eject, and more.
It’s a neat way to re-experience your video library with the randomness of the analog days, when you never quite knew what was coming next.
The app is free, but unlocking the ability to play specific moments costs a one-time $8. You can also AirPlay to your TV for a big-screen nostalgia trip.
Feedbag
Kathy writes in…
I listen to your podcast every time I get in my car, sometimes more than once because they’re so full of information. I’m a 70-year-old woman who’s always loved technology — I even had one of the first iPads before most people had heard of them. I may not grasp as much as I used to, but I’ll keep learning as long as I can. I just love your podcast and how you make tech easy to understand.
Thanks for those kind words, Kathy. I appreciate you listening and I’m glad the podcast helps make tech more approachable. You can always drop me a line here.
My wife keeps telling me these newsletters are too long — and she’s probably right — but I’m on a mission to keep you up to date on all the tech I think you should know about.
The best way to return the favor? Share this with a friend so we can welcome more Rich on Techies to the mix.
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See you on the radio this weekend and on TV next week.
Rich
Hi Rich, I went to try to set up a pass key with Best Buy and this is the response I got any suggestions?
The browser or operating system you're using doesn't support passkeys (face or fingerprint sign-in).