This chat app doesn’t need Wi-Fi or cell service
Plus: Photo backup tips, AI at the drive-thru, a great 2FA app, scam virus alerts & my return from Kauai
Hello and thanks for opening my newsletter!
There’s a lot to get to this week, so let’s jump right in.
No, you didn’t miss one—there was no newsletter last week. I took some time off and headed to Kauai for my 20th wedding anniversary. It was incredible. We stayed in Hanalei, where the weather is a mix of sun and rain, but the setting was exactly what I had imagined. It’s a bit off the beaten path and feels like an authentic version of Hawaii.
We hiked, we ate, we sat in the sun—and most importantly, we had no real agenda. That was a welcome change from our usual highly programmed lives in Los Angeles.
Thanks to everyone who sent well wishes—20 years is no small milestone. But just like my job at KTLA, the radio show, and this newsletter, I feel like we are just getting started. I’ve got a lot of optimism and enthusiasm for what’s ahead—and I hope to keep that going for as long as possible.
The new messaging app that works without the internet
Every so often, something comes along in the tech world that feels like a major shift—you can’t quite put your finger on how it’ll change things, but you know it’s significant.
That happened this week with bitchat, a new decentralized messaging app from Jack Dorsey, one of Twitter’s co-founders. I’ve interviewed him in the past for a segment on one of his other companies, Square (disclosure: recent radio show advertiser). He was soft-spoken, but you could tell he’s sharp and always thinking a few steps ahead.
Bitchat is a small app you can download quickly to instantly chat with people nearby. Think of it as turning wherever you are into a live, local chat room.
It works over Bluetooth—not cellular or Wi-Fi—so you can use it pretty much anywhere: concerts, sporting events, hikes, airplanes—any place with a crowd. Something tells me students will be using this in class a lot, much to their teachers’ chagrin.
Chats are encrypted, private, and ephemeral. Messages don’t stick around long, and you can instantly wipe your chat history with a triple tap on the app name. It’s anonymous, too—though you can customize your handle by tapping the screen name it assigns you.
It’s part fascinating, part unsettling. This kind of mesh-network messaging has been talked about for years, and now it’s a real, working app.
The big limitation? Bluetooth range. Normally that’s around 30 feet, but bitchat uses nearby phones to hop messages device to device, so the effective range can stretch to 1,000 feet or more.
What makes bitchat really interesting is that we don’t yet know how people will use it. There are some great use cases—like communication in disaster zones—but also real concerns around abuse, privacy, and security. Theoretically, it could even be used to coordinate criminal activity.
So far, I’ve only tested it between a couple of my own devices and a colleague I convinced to try it. I haven’t seen any bitchatters “in the wild”—yet. But that could change quickly as word spreads.
Here’s what you need to know: the app is officially available for iPhone. There’s no official Android app in the Play Store yet, so be careful about what you download. If you’re tech-savvy, there’s an APK you can sideload from an official source.
As for security, the app’s code is open source—anyone can inspect it for bugs or privacy issues.
This is one to keep an eye on. It might be a good idea to have your on your phone just in case you ever need it.
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How to transfer photos from your phone to a flash drive
Some of my best story ideas come from you—and this one’s no exception. Over the years, tons of people have asked me how to move photos from their phone to a flash drive.
Personally, I think using the cloud is much easier, but not everyone wants to pay for it—or trust it.
So I picked up a flash drive and tested it out, copying photos from both an iPhone and a Samsung phone. It works pretty well. My segment on KTLA went viral—half the people said, “Oh my gosh, Rich, thank you so much for showing me how to do this.” The other half (probably more tech-savvy) said, “I can’t believe this is news in 2025.”
Either way, now you know how to do it. Just remember: your photos should live somewhere else in addition to that flash drive.
If you’re paying for iCloud storage, try using the “Optimize Storage” setting. It helps manage where your photos are kept—either locally on your iPhone or offloaded to the cloud to free up space.
And if you’re using Google Photos, you can go into settings and tap “Free up space.” That deletes photos from your device but keeps them in the cloud. You can also turn on “Storage saver,” which reduces photo resolution to save space—but keep in mind, once you do that, there’s no way to go back to the original quality.
AI takes your drive-thru order
Remember how I told you I visited Wienerschnitzel for the first time? I was there to check out their new AI-powered order-taking system.
It’s friendly, efficient, and clear—and it knows the menu inside and out.
Businesses love it because it frees up employees for other tasks, and it’s also really good at upselling. That means higher order totals, which makes the system even more appealing to restaurants.
More fast food chains are starting to test this kind of technology, so don’t be surprised if you come across it in a drive-thru soon.
Tech Tidbits
The Verge has a solid list of 12 laptops for back-to-school. I’d also add this ASUS Zenbook to the list—it’s a steal right now. It’s a brand-new model that’s super lightweight and powerful for the price.
Uber is rolling out a new feature that lets women choose a female driver. It’s currently being tested in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Detroit. You’ll find the option when you book a ride or in your app settings. Lyft has a similar feature already available to all users—just enable it in settings.
If you have a Whistle pet collar, the company has been acquired by Tractive. Head to their website to claim a free Tractive replacement collar.
Dropbox is shutting down its Passwords feature. If you use it, you’ll need to switch to another password manager. They recommend 1Password, which allows for a seamless, encrypted transfer. I also like Google Passwords if you’re mostly on Android and Chrome, Apple Passwords if you’re all-in on Apple, and Bitwarden—it’s free, secure, and works across all platforms.
Samsung says pre-orders for its new foldables are off the charts, and the blue color is especially popular. I think both phones are their best yet—but you should have a clear reason for going foldable, whether that’s for the utility or just to be on the cutting edge.
And remember how Spectrum has been including a bunch of streaming apps in its cable packages? Most of those are now ad-supported. You can now visit their website to pay the difference and upgrade to the ad-free versions.
Proton launches private AI and a great new 2FA app
Proton, the Swiss-based privacy-focused company best known for its email service, had a big week.
They introduced a new, fully private AI chatbot called Lumo—and they also launched a new two-factor authentication app that might be my new favorite.
Why? Because it just works. The design is clean, it’s fully encrypted, and it works across platforms. That means you can install it on multiple devices and still have your one-time codes synced across them.
Some other apps require trade-offs if you want cross-device syncing. Proton’s doesn’t. You can also easily import and export your codes, and if you don’t want to sync through Proton’s cloud, you can use your own.
Oh, and it’s completely free.
For now, this is my go-to recommendation for a two-factor authentication app. And just a quick reminder: you should have two-factor enabled for all of your important accounts.
I recommend using an app instead of SMS because texts are tied to your phone number—which can be changed, stolen, or lost. A 2FA app is much harder to compromise, and it’s simply more secure.
Download Proton Authenticator for iOS, Android, Windows, Mac and more!
Fake iPhone and Windows virus alerts
This week, a bunch of you sent me screenshots asking, “Rich, what do I do when I see this message saying my iPhone is compromised or has a virus?”
I also got a frantic call from a family member: their Windows computer froze up, flashed a virus warning, and was loudly telling them to call a number immediately.
In both cases—stay calm. These scams have been around for years.
First, it’s nearly impossible for an iPhone to get a virus. And Windows is never going to display a message asking you to call a phone number.
The scam here is simple: they’re trying to trick you into downloading unnecessary (and possibly dangerous) software, granting remote access to your device, or paying for bogus tech support.
On iPhone:
Close Safari like you would any app (swipe up to quit it).
Go to Settings > Apps > Safari.
Tap Clear History and Website Data (select today and yesterday).
Under Advanced settings, turn on Close All Tabs.
That should clear it.
On Windows:
Use this magical key combo: Alt + F4 — it’ll instantly close your web browser.
If that doesn’t work, just press and hold the power button until your screen goes dark. Wait a moment, then turn your computer back on.
I’ve posted Instagram videos walking through both fixes—feel free to share them with friends or family so they’re prepared if it happens to them.
Feedbag
Sharon writes in…
I’ve been watching KTLA for decades, and you’ve been a fantastic addition. I’m always so impressed by your knowledge, your thoughtful reports, and your amazing trips around the world. Watching you on “Off the Clock,” I found myself wondering— is there anything you don’t know? I also loved your Hawaii photos—what a beautiful couple. I truly respect how you manage to respond so quickly, even with thousands of followers. At this point, I’m starting to think of you as one of my sons!
Thanks Sharon! Your message made my day!
One more link before I go…
Football season is here, and if you’re like me—trying to figure out where to watch all the games—there’s a super handy tool you need to check out.
It’s called ESPN Where to Watch, and it’s the most thorough listing I’ve seen for how to watch just about any game, across every major league.
Just pick a game, and it’ll show you every way to watch—cable channel, streaming service, over-the-air broadcast—you name it.
It came in handy yesterday when my kid told me we needed to re-subscribe to YouTube TV. I looked up the game and said, “It’s actually streaming on Peacock, which we already have.” That only bought me a week or two, but hey—small win.
You can also set your favorite teams and leagues to personalize your view. I say: log in, customize it, bookmark it. You’ll thank yourself the next time you want to catch a game.
Okay, I told you this was going to be a long one—hopefully it was helpful! If you found something useful, feel free to forward this newsletter to a friend and help spread the word.
And don’t forget to tune in:
Saturdays at 11 AM PT on KFI AM 640 Los Angeles
Sunday nights at 5 PM PT for the rebroadcast on 710 WOR in New York City
My weekly TV show also streams on KTLA+, with new episodes premiering Sundays at 11 AM PT.
Have a fantastic weekend!
Rich