The Rich on Tech newsletter is back!
did you miss it?
Well, Hello there!
First things first: you’re probably surprised by this email. I know, it’s been a while. If you no longer want to receive this, hit that unsubscribe button at the bottom of the email. No hurt feelings.
Still here? Ok, let’s continue. Long story short, I couldn’t keep up with the weekly pace of the newsletter. Moving forward, it will be more of a semi-regular thing, but I’ll do my best to keep it going.
Inside, I’ll put a summary of my best stories, tips, news and more.
Oh, and I should probably say something about the pandemic. Would you ever have guessed the current state of affairs in the world? I didn’t. This little bug has changed everything we know about life, society, work, play, family and school.
It’s literally the number one topic in my household and pretty much all I discuss with friends and family. It’s fascinating, scary, unbelievable and thought-provoking all at the same time. I hope you’re staying safe through it.
Let’s begin, shall we?
Get better WiFi at home
One of the biggest questions I’m getting with this new work at home reality is how to get a better WiFi signal and internet speed.
The reality is that every single person in your house and neighborhood at large is using the internet in a way that is taxing the network like never before. Personally, I’ve seen my network go in and out and even slow down to a crawl during some peak hours.
The best thing you can do is to make sure you’re getting the speed you’re paying for and set your network up in a way that gives you a consistent signal strength throughout the house.
This usually involves what’s called a mesh network. Instead of one little box under your TV that pushes out a wifi signal, it’s a box along with other access points you put around your house. All of them communicate to keep the signal consistent.
Here’s my KTLA segment on getting better WiFi, along with my recommendations on which mesh WiFi routers to purchase.
https://ktla.com/morning-news/technology/improve-wifi-signal-at-home/
Super cheap earbuds and smartwatch
Not everyone wants to spend $500 on a top of the line Apple Watch or AirPods. I discovered a company making a pair of decent wireless earbuds for just $28. Their watch is just $36.
Don’t get me wrong, you’re not getting Apple quality here. But in my testing, the earbuds were actually pretty good. The watch, although super basic, does just what you need for the price.
Lots of people that saw my story went out and purchased these items and I’ve gotten a bunch of feedback. Most of it is positive, although someone did email me to say one of their earbuds stopped working after a few weeks.
The best part: don’t expect too much from these and you’ll be pleasantly surprised. If you’re not, just return them to Amazon.
https://ktla.com/morning-news/technology/letsfit-smartwatch-earbuds-review/
Amazon’s inexpensive new Fire tablets
I also recently reviewed Amazon’s inexpensive Fire tablets. These start at just $90. Bottom line: they are definitely not as good as the iPad, but they aren’t bad at all for the price.
My kids loved playing games like Roblox and Minecraft on them. They’re small, pretty sturdy and Amazon recently added modern USB-C style charging. Another great use of these little tablets: a dedicated Zoom device. Combine the tablet with an inexpensive stand and you can Zoom without a computer.
Read my full review here:
https://ktla.com/morning-news/technology/review-amazon-fire-hd-8-plus-tablet-2020-richontech/
A sneak peek at new features coming to the iPhone
New iPhones are expected to launch in the fall, but you don’t necessarily have to buy a new model to get some of the best new features. iOS 14 will be available as a free software update on all iPhones 6s and up. Basically, if your phone is running iOS 13 it will get the update to 14.
Right now, Apple is letting anyone preview the software with a “public beta” of it. I don’t recommend you install it on your phone because the software is incomplete and buggy, but I, of course, did. While it’s taken a major toll on my battery life, there are some cool features to see.
Here’s a look:
Tech Tidbits
Super smart high tech insurance startup Lemonade now offers pet insurance starting at $12 a month.
You can now share your screen in Facebook messenger.
A new app called Uproad lets you use your smartphone instead of a dedicated transponder for toll roads.
Rich on Tech Podcast
In my podcast, I talk about the tech stuff I think you should know about and answer you questions. Have one for me? Just email it to hello@richontech.tv and I’ll consider it for a future show!
Discussed in this week’s episode:
T-Mobile introduces ScamShield in an effort to stop robocalls; Uproad turns your smartphone into a toll transponder; Twitter's big hack; Lemonade Pet insurance; a new app to turn your iPhone into a webcam.
Listeners ask about protecting their email account after a gift card balance is stolen; the easiest way to join a Zoom call; best budget Samsung phone to buy and if the Blaux portable air conditioner is worth it.
Listen in your favorite app or tap here:
https://bit.ly/RichOnTechPodcast
Tweet of the week
I ordered Pizza last night and was a bit surprised at the total. In Los Angeles, ordering pizza is expensive. There are delivery fees, service charges and of course you need to leave a nice tip, especially during these pandemic times.
Keep in mind, this is not a regular place for us. It’s one of those special, neighborhood places that does make a really good pie. Is it perhaps a bit too expensive? Probably. But it never disappoints, and keep in mind I’m from New Jersey, so I grew up with good pizza.
That’s all folks!
That’s going to do it for this edition of the newsletter. Let me know what you want to see more of in the newsletter and I’ll continue to improve it! If you just read all of this and feel severely disappointed, just hit that unsubscribe button at the bottom. No need to clog your inbox with more nonsense.
However, if you found this useful at all, please share it with a friend! Forward it to them or post it on your Facebook page.
Most importantly, if you liked this, hit that heart at the bottom of this email before you close it out. This way, I know that you got some value out of my time and effort.
That means the most to me.
Have a great rest of your weekend and stay safe.
Rich
Hi Rich. I am 71 years old and technically challenged. When I learn from you I feel young. Thank you so much Very gratefully yours from a grandma in Tarzana California 😊😊🌷🌷🐶🐰🐱🦉
Yes, I missed glad your back!!