Pixel, Paris, and Prime Day: Your Tech Summer Preview
Plus, a way to get free calls, text and even some "essential" data.
I hope you’re having a great day!
Last week, I took some time off to head to NJ to see my family. We also took a side trip to NYC and stayed right in the heart of Times Square.
We did lots of walking and took cars, planes, trains and even a boat tour to see sights like the Statue of Liberty and the various bridges connecting Manhattan to the rest of the world.
I love cities with great public transit because it really unlocks the entire city. You can get anywhere on a combination of foot, train and taxi when all else fails.
We did three fun things that I highly recommend if you ever find yourself in the city - make that four.
We checked out an attraction called RiseNY - sort of half museum, half Disney Soarin’ ride, but over NYC.
We got our picture on a billboard in Times Square. You can, too - all you have to do is upload a photo to an app, pay $40, and wait for your allotted time. It makes a great souvenir.
We checked out a hot dog cart selling $2 dogs and ran for 30 years by the same guy. The kids loved it.
I took my Dad to a fancy dinner for Father’s Day at one of my favorite steakhouses in NYC. We had a great time.
Now, on to the tech news.
First Up
Samsung officially announced it will hold its next Unpacked event in Paris on July 10. At this event, the company will reportedly show off its Z series foldable phones, the Flip and Fold. We’ll also see their first smart ring, which is going to take on Oura. I’m looking forward to being there, it’s my first time visiting the city.
The current Flip is a great device, but I’m most interested in the improved Fold. Last year, they upgraded the form factor, but the outer screen was still too narrow for my liking, and the cameras weren’t much of an upgrade. Hopefully, they’ll improve on both of those areas this time around.
Not to be outdone, Google announced a surprise Pixel event for August 13. This is way earlier than their usual October launch event, but the timing is critical. They need to launch their phones before Apple’s September event and also get their new Fold 2 out into the market. Last year, it was launched in June. This “splitting the difference” now syncs up with the launch of all of their new Pixel devices at the same time. Google also moved the location of the event from the East Coast (NYC) to the West Coast (their HQ in Mountainview, CA).
The current Pixel 8 lineup is great but not perfect. Google’s phones have excellent cameras, but they still feel underpowered compared to what Samsung and Apple offer at the high end. The Pixel Fold was a good start, but the device was too heavy for many users.
Also announced this week: Amazon Prime Day will be held on July 16 and 17. As usual, Amazon is promising Prime Members “millions of great deals,” but my advice is always the same. It’s not a deal unless it’s something you need or want.
This is why my recommendation is not to sift through Amazon’s deal pages on the day of the event. Start shopping now and place the items you actually need (or want!) in your Amazon cart. This way you can wake up on Prime Day and see if there are any price drops.
Two things you can get right now (affiliate links)
5 months free of Amazon Music Unlimited (put your other streaming service subscription on hold and this saves you at least $50)
3 months free of Audible (I was able to sign up for this even though I was previously subscribed)
Other essentials I would pick up if they go on sale are this phone stand, cord holder, portable charger, my favorite tripod/selfie stick and my favorite basic phone case.
I also like to check DealNews, Wirecutter Deals and SlickDeals for the latest offers that might interest me.
TV Segment Recap
This week I shared my review of TextNow, which offers a cellular plan for $0 a month. You get free calling, texting and “essential data” to run apps for email, maps and ride share. You pay them $5 for a SIM card and all of this works for free through their cellular signal. If you need more connectivity, you can use WiFi or pay for extra data starting at 99 cents for an hour. This kind of plan isn’t for everyone, but if it works for you, you can save a considerable amount of money.
I also shared my review of Google’s new smartwatch for kids called the Fitbit Ace LTE. This $230 device is aimed at kids 7-11 and lets you call, message, and see where your child is on a map in real time. The device works independently of any smartphone and isn’t linked to your wireless plan. Cellular is built in and costs $10 a month.
The one thing to know is that all calling and messaging happens through the app - it’s not assigned a traditional phone number. That means if grandma and grandpa want to get in touch with the little one they would have to download an app. Through August 31 you can get the first year of service for 50% off.
This week, I also appeared on KTLA’s LA Unscripted to share tech hacks, including two essential LA apps: AllTrails and MyShake for Earthquake alerts.
Tech News to Know
Starting in July, you’ll be able to play Xbox games on an Amazon Fire TV stick, with no console required. It streams everything from the cloud. You can even play Fortnite for free.
Tech Q&A
A follower from Ladera Ranch wrote in:
"My father recently passed away and left behind a landline number that he had for over 50 years. It's currently being serviced by Spectrum. Before I turn in his equipment, I would like to transfer his number to a voicemail service for around a year so I can respond to any important calls that might come in. What would you recommend?"
First off, so sorry for your loss and I understand why you would want to keep this phone number for a while. Check out a service called NumberBarn. They have a number parking service with a voicemail to email add-on as well.
Tech Tidbits
I haven’t tested it, but the $60 SwitchBot looks pretty cool if you’re in the market for a universal remote control.
Verizon introduced a new logo this week. They basically added a splash of yellow glow to their red V. By the way, Verizon means Veritas (truth) and Horizon (the future of possibility).
Download This
Going on a road trip in an EV? Check out Chargely, a new app for iOS and Android. It’s a well-designed app that helps you plan where to stop along the way to charge your car.
First, you tell the app the kind of EV you have, the maximum range you get, and the minimum charge level you’re comfortable driving to.
Then, you can set a date and time for your departure and see your route on a map. You can also see your food, drink, and hotel options near chargers and save the ones you might want to visit.
It’s not always perfect. The app couldn’t find a route for some of my test trips, but I think this app is good to have on your phone.
You can also just see the chargers around you and help contribute helpful info about them to the community.
Cybersecurity Corner
Don’t fall for this. Just because AI is helping scammers craft better messages, that doesn’t mean they’re always believable. Take a look at the name they used in this spam text. Whoops.
This Week’s Podcast Episode
On this week’s podcast, I chat tech with my brother Justin. We discuss iPhone vs Android, the fun of vinyl records, and the merits of Linux. Take a listen!
Gadget of the Week
Pixel 8a. I’m telling you, if you’re looking for a really good phone at a great price, look no further. The size is perfect, the camera is excellent and the software is the best on Android. It might even dip below its $500 price tag for Prime Day, so be on the lookout for deals. I used this phone exclusively in NYC and fell in love with it.
Throwback Tech
My brother built an entertainment rack filled with goodies from his childhood, including a VCR and old-school game consoles. We popped in a VHS of Jurassic Park and it still looked and sounded pretty great!
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That’s all for now. Have a great weekend.
Rich