The Good and Bad of AirPods Pro
from the desk of Rich on Tech
Hi again! Did you forget about me?
I know, it’s been a while since I sent one of these handy emails, but between the fires in Southern California and travel on assignment, they just evaded me.
But I’m back! First, my thoughts go out to everyone who is affected by these California wildfires. Stay safe out there. Now, let’s get to the tech.
Hands on AirPods Pro
Apple surprised us with a new type of AirPods called AirPods Pro. The high level new features: active noise cancellation as well as sweat and water resistance. I’ve worn them for a few days now and they do a great job at sounding really good. I love the noise cancellation - I never felt more immersed in a workout. I also like the option to switch to what apple calls Transparency mode, which lets you hear the world around you. You can’t have both at the same time. It’s one or the other.
The bad: they seal out your ears much more than regular AirPods, which not everyone will like the feeling of. They are tougher to get out of the case. Also, the “squeeze” functionality to skip tracks and perform other functions is tricky on the short stems. The tap feature on regular AirPods is easier.
Are they worth $250? If you want noise cancelling, yes. One less set of headphones to pack for travel, and much smaller at that. Also, that price includes a wireless charging case, so technically they’re only $50 more than similarly equipped “regular” AirPods.
More on the AirPods Pro in the link below!
https://ktla.com/2019/11/01/apple-airpods-pro-review/
Pixel 4 Thoughts
Another gadget I’ve been testing out is Google’s new Pixel smartphone, widely known to take the best smartphone pictures on the planet.
It doesn’t disappoint in that area, if pictures are your number one priority, you will love the Pixel 4. What’s not so good is battery life, you’ll be recharging it more than similar phones (and especially the iPhone 11 Pro, which has uncanny good battery life) and there is no wide angle camera.
Take a look at this picture shot on Pixel 4:
Compared to iPhone, Pixel is more of a smart phone in every sense of the word. It seems to anticipate your every move, including when you get nearby. It has radars built in to recognize gestures like to skip to the next song (which you probably won’t use) but it is really nice how it lowers the volume on incoming calls and alarms as you reach over to turn them off. That’s smart.
Still, iPhone has the better apps in many cases and access to iMessage, which everyone seems to use and love (for good reason).
Again, if you only want the best camera, Pixel 4 is a great device for that, but I feel like the iPhone 11 and Samsung S10+ and OnePlus 7T offer a more well-rounded experience.
Install Apple TV+ on Fire Stick
Apple’s new streaming video service has launched. It’s called Apple TV+ and you get a free year if you’ve bought select Apple products (like an iPhone or iPad) since September 10th.
Surprise: you can watch Apple TV+ on a wide variety of devices, including Amazon’s Fire TV sticks. Just download the Apple TV app and sign in with your Apple account. In addition to Apple’s new original programming (like Jennifer Anniston’s The Morning Show) you can watch your purchased and rented iTunes movies on Amazon Fire TV!
Watch my video below to see how to get it up and running on your Apple TV.
Want to learn about all of the new features of iOS 13?
Just want to get the upper hand on cool things you can do with your iPhone? Check out my updated book, 101 iPhone Tips & Tricks, now available as an eBook and Paperback on Amazon.
Important basics are covered including the new way to update, delete and rearrange apps, use the revamped Photos app and video editor, set time limits for apps and set your phone up properly to help out in an emergency situation.
Learn how to activate the new Dark Mode, swipe to type, stop robocalls, create an iMessage profile and choose WiFi and Bluetooth connections faster than ever.
Understand new settings that can help protect your privacy including how to share photos without revealing their GPS location, keep apps from accessing your location in the background and temporarily disable Siri’s listening feature instantly.
Fun tips include how to get Siri to play any radio station you can think of, find out if movies and TV shows are streaming for free and make sure you never get charged with a free trial fee ever again.
Favorites from the previous edition include how to turn your iPhone into a magnifying glass, scan a document, reveal hidden tools and use your phone as a level.
From beginner to expert, all levels of iPhone users will appreciate the tips inside this book. You’ll finally feel more in control of the device you use every day.
Makes a great holiday gift!
Learn more here: https://amzn.to/2C43HhE
Rich on Tech Podcast
My podcast is sort of like an audio version of this email. In it, I talk about the tech items I think you should know about and go more in depth on the stuff you see me talk about on TV.
In this week’s episode:
“Ears on” with Apple’s new AirPods Pro noise cancelling headphones; Google Assistant gets SiriusXM stations; Sony shuts down PlayStation Vue streaming service; Spotify tests a kids app; Amazon Fresh is now included in Prime; Details on HBO Max; the Hottest Toys this holiday season.
Listeners ask about the best earbuds for a Pixel smartphone, if it’s necessary to upgrade the iPhone 5 software, whether it’s worth signing up for Nextdoor, finding a new home internet provider and the best early warning earthquake apps.
Listen using the link below, or search “rich on tech” in your favorite audio app.
https://ktla.com/2019/11/01/rich-on-tech-apple-airpods-pro-make-an-excellent-iphone-companion/
Light Up Costume
Here’s a great story. A Dad dresses his kid in a DIY light up costume. Next thing he knows, the video goes viral with 23 million views and he has a whole new business.
The suit is now called Glowy Zoey (after his daughter) and he sells a bunch of them, not just during Halloween. I wore one last night for trick or treating and pretty much every person I passed had to comment on it. It’s an attention getter for sure!
Watch my behind the scenes story on a business born out of social media:
https://ktla.com/2019/10/30/glowy-zoey-costume-behind-the-scenes/
Drag and Drop Stickers
Here’s a fun iOS tip: you can drag and drop your new Memoji stickers on top of specific iMessages for the perfect reaction. Did you know you could do this? Try it on your friends!
https://richontech.tv/2019/10/apple/iphone-tip-drag-drop-memoji-stickers-imessage/
Subbing for Leo Laporte
This weekend (November 2-3) I’ll be guest hosting Leo Laporte’s syndicated radio show. You can listen by tuning into KFI AM 640 in the LA area between 11-2 PM Pacific Saturday and Sunday, or by asking Siri or Google Assistant to “play KFI AM 640 radio station.”
Have a question for me? Call 1-88-88-ASK-LEO during those hours!
Find a station near you: https://techguylabs.com/stations
That’s going to do it for now. Based on this post from Facebook, I’ll be thoroughly washing off the tops of my cans from now on.
Have a great weekend. Hit reply if you want to get in touch! If you liked this newsletter, hit the heart below to let me know.
Rich