You may be owed money from LastPass

Plus: a Google pop-up fix, walking in VR, and Sonos is back

Greetings from one of the happiest places on Earth. No, not that one… Los Olivos.

It’s just a few hours north of Los Angeles, but it feels like a world away. Quiet streets, mountains in the distance, long walks, wine tastings, great meals, and a much-needed break from the usual hustle.

It’s one of our favorite places, and we’ve been coming here for over a decade.

The area got a big boost from the movie Sideways, and ever since that infamous scene, Merlot has never quite recovered.

A few of my go-to spots up here: The Hitching Post, Fess Parker, Rusack, Pence, Brick Barn, Carhartt, Paula’s Pancake House, Brothers Red Barn Steakhouse, SY Kitchen, Panino, and plenty more over the years. They’re also opening Lucky Penny Pizza, one of my favorite Santa Barbara spots, in Los Olivos.

And yes, we used to come here before we had kids. But the entire Santa Ynez Valley is very kid-friendly, and I love seeing mine off their screens and actually… bored.

They swam in the pool, did a couple of puzzles, and even wandered into the little shops on their own. They even bought a physical book: The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook.

Right as we were arriving, Artemis II was launching. We pulled into a parking spot and watched with my kids in awe.

It’s amazing what mankind can accomplish. What a special moment to witness with my kids.

Now, on to what’s happening in the tech world.

Used LastPass? You may be owed money

If you used LastPass in recent years, you might have gotten an email about a new class action settlement. It’s legit.

The company says a hacker accessed its systems in 2022 and copied both encrypted and unencrypted customer data from backups.

If you got the notice, you’re likely eligible for a payout. That includes a $25 payment, and if you live in California, potentially another $100 under state privacy law. If you can document losses tied to the breach, you may be able to claim more.

There’s also a separate pool for people who lost cryptocurrency, with higher potential payouts depending on the claim.

The deadline to file is July 2, 2026. If you do nothing, you won’t get paid. You can search your email for a message from LastPassSettlement@e.epiqnotice.com

LastPass has had a rough couple of years. If you’re still using it, make sure your master password is strong. You may also want to consider switching to another password manager. I like Bitwarden. It’s free and works across all platforms.

How to stop those annoying Google sign-in pop-ups

If you’re browsing the web and keep getting those annoying “Sign in with Google” pop-ups, there’s a way to turn them off.

Just paste this into your Chrome address bar, or even another browser, and look for the setting called “Allow sites to show sign-in prompts” and switch it off.

chrome://settings/content/federatedIdentityApi

I’m not totally against using Google to sign up for websites. It can be convenient, especially when logging in. But this tip is really about those sites that aggressively push the Google sign-in option when that’s not what you want.

In general, I recommend using a unique username and password for each website. That keeps things less tied to your Google account. That said, I don’t follow that rule every time either. Sometimes convenience wins.

Sponsored: The safer way to start your kid with tech

If you’re a parent, you’ve probably asked yourself this: When is my kid ready for a phone?

It’s not an easy call. You want them to be able to reach you and have some independence. But handing over a full smartphone, with the internet, social media, and endless apps, can feel like a lot all at once.

That’s where Bark comes in.

The Bark Watch is built as a first connected device for kids. They can call and text approved contacts, share their location, and send an SOS if needed. But there’s no open internet, no social media, and no distracting apps.

When they’re ready for more, there’s the Bark Phone. It’s a real smartphone, but with built-in safety controls. You can manage screen time, approve apps and contacts, block websites, and get alerts if something concerning pops up.

The idea is simple: start basic, then level up over time.

Younger kids can begin with the watch. Older kids can move to the phone, gaining more independence while you still have guardrails in place.

A lot of families already use Bark for that balance. And honestly, that peace of mind is the real selling point.

If you’re looking for a smarter first device for your kid, Bark is worth checking out.

Delta picks Amazon’s Leo Wi-Fi

Delta announced it’s going with Amazon’s Leo (formerly Project Kuiper) satellite internet for its planes. The plan is to equip about 500 aircraft, with service expected by 2028.

Amazon’s network is still getting off the ground. The company has launched roughly 200 satellites so far, compared to more than 10,000 for Starlink, which is already powering internet for homes, RVs, businesses, and even airlines like United and Alaska.

If you want to see just how big that gap is, there’s a really cool website that visualizes all the satellites orbiting Earth. It’s not clear if every satellite is included, but one thing stands out fast: Starlink dominates the skies.

Try toggling the different constellations. You’ll see the older networks versus what Starlink is building in real time. It’s pretty wild.

This VR treadmill lets you walk through virtual worlds

Virtual reality is incredible, but actually moving through those worlds has always been the missing piece.

I recently tried a VR treadmill called the Omni One from Virtuix, and it’s one of the more interesting solutions I’ve seen.

It’s basically a smooth, concave base paired with special overshoes that let you glide in place, plus a support ring that keeps you steady while still allowing full 360-degree movement. Put on a headset, and suddenly you can walk, run, and even jump through virtual worlds.

It’s being pitched for both gaming and fitness, and I’ll say this… I definitely worked up a sweat.

It’s not perfect. You’re still tethered in one spot, and there’s a bit of a learning curve. But once you get the hang of it, it really does feel like you’re moving through the environment instead of just standing there.

The biggest drawback is the price. It’s about $2,600 right now, and that doesn’t include a headset. It does work with Meta Quest devices.

Still, this feels like a glimpse of where things are headed. As this tech evolves and hopefully gets more affordable, I think we’ll see a lot more of it.

Sonos is back and finally feels like itself again

If you’ve listened to me on the radio over the past couple of years, you know I’ve been pretty tough on Sonos.

It’s been one of my favorite pieces of tech for the past decade, but the last couple of years have been rough. A major app update broke key features, support for older products got messy, and longtime users like me were left frustrated. I basically gave up and started using other speakers around the house.

But now, I’m happy to report things are turning around.

I’ve been testing two new Sonos speakers, and not only do they sound great, the reliability I’ve come to expect is back.

One is a portable speaker called the Play. It sits on a charging base at home and connects over Wi-Fi with your other Sonos speakers. Take it outside, and it switches to Bluetooth, similar to the Sonos Move, but in a more compact design. It also adds a new feature: you can link up to four Sonos speakers over Bluetooth, even when you’re away from home.

The other is the Era 100 SL, a more basic Sonos speaker that comes in under $200. It skips the microphones entirely, which is a nice option if you care about privacy.

If you’ve never used Sonos, it’s still the best whole-home audio system out there. Everything connects over Wi-Fi, so there are no speaker wires, and you can play the same music in every room or different audio throughout the house, all controlled from one app.

The biggest issue for me over the past few years was the app. It lost simple functionality like easily grouping speakers and adjusting volume across rooms.

Now, that’s fixed.

One quick tip: if you want to lower all your speakers to zero and bring them back up evenly, slide the volume all the way down and wait for a slight vibration. Then bring it back up. If you don’t wait, the speakers will jump back to their previous individual levels.

After a couple of rocky years, this finally feels like Sonos is back on track.

Tech Tidbits

Samsung smartwatches can now measure blood pressure. One thing to know: you still need to calibrate it once a month with a traditional cuff. Still, it’s a helpful feature if you’re keeping an eye on your levels day to day.

You can finally change your Gmail username for the first time in 20 years. Gmail launched on April 1, 2004, and a lot of people thought it was an April Fool’s joke. If you’ve got an old username you don’t like, you can now change it once a year, and emails sent to your old address will still reach you.

AT&T has a new plan called OneConnect. You pay one monthly fee that bundles your home internet (via AT&T Fiber), wireless phone, and even connected devices like watches and tablets. It starts at $90 a month, which could be cheaper than paying for everything separately. It’s only available to new customers (right now) and in limited areas.

Google Maps is getting a new EV routing feature similar to what Tesla and Rivian offer. Enter your car’s model and starting charge, and it will plan your road trip with charging stops. Just keep in mind it doesn’t connect directly to your battery, so it’s using estimates rather than real-time data.

Want to talk to ChatGPT in your car? Now you can. ChatGPT has launched support for CarPlay. Make sure your iPhone is updated to iOS 26.4 and you have the latest version of the ChatGPT app. The next time you connect to CarPlay, you should see an option to launch it and start chatting. This is still rolling out, so if you don’t see it right away, that’s why.

Q&A: the best audiobook apps for dyslexia

Sheila writes…
I’m looking for a good app for listening to books. My granddaughter was recently diagnosed with dyslexia, and I’ve heard it can be easier to understand stories by listening instead of reading. Any suggestions?

Great question. Listening to books can be a really helpful supplement, especially for kids with dyslexia, and it can build confidence while keeping them engaged with stories.

There are a couple of services designed specifically for this. Bookshare and Learning Ally both offer audiobooks tailored for kids with reading challenges, and many schools provide access, so it’s worth checking there first.

If you’re looking for more general options, Audible has a huge selection, but it’s a paid service. Libby is a great free alternative that lets you borrow audiobooks from your local library.

Not all NAS systems are created equal

A few weeks ago, I told you I picked up a UGREEN NAS to back up my cloud storage and export my Google Photos for safekeeping.

It worked fine for basic storage, but I ran into a couple of issues. It was really loud, and the syncing just wasn’t reliable. Jobs would fail before finishing, and one test folder never made it to my computer at all.

So I returned it and went back to a Synology NAS, which I’ve used before. It was about double the price, but the difference was immediate.

Same exact hard drive, yet this setup is silent, the syncing works perfectly, and the software is much more flexible.

Lesson learned.

Going forward, I’ll be clearer when I’m still testing something versus recommending something I already trust.

So far, the Synology has been great. I’ve synced my Google Drive and Dropbox, and finally consolidated files from a bunch of old drives around the house.

Next up: exporting my Google Photos with Takeout.

Feedbag

Margaret writes… I just wanted to say I absolutely love your newsletter and the radio show. Thank you so much for your time and all the work you do!

Joe says… Hi Rich, just wanted to let you know Microsoft fixed the bug that was causing my computer to shut down instead of going to sleep. You suggested waiting for a fix and that did the trick. Yay!

Steve in LaGrange, OH writes… I really appreciate your weekly newsletter. It’s informative, easy to understand, and you cover topics that apply to just about anyone using a phone or computer today. I also enjoy your TV segments here in Cleveland. Keep up the good work, and I’m looking forward to next week’s edition.

How wild is this story?

My sister was in Las Vegas grabbing dinner after seeing The Wizard of Oz at the Sphere when she overheard a couple at the next table talking about why they were there.

They said they heard some tech guy on the radio rave about the show, so they decided to go.

At one point, she went over and said, “Excuse me, I know this is kind of weird, but was that tech guy Rich DeMuro… Rich on Tech?”

The woman said, “Yes, it was.”

They ended up chatting and laughing, and it’s one of those moments that reminds you how your work reaches people in ways you never see.

Anyway, I’m honored. Shout out to Julie, and I hope you enjoyed the show.

Maybe even wilder…

My pal Jefferson Graham texted me a photo of him with Johnny Jet. They were hanging out, and Jeff asked, “Do you know Rich DeMuro?” Johnny said, “Of course, I’m doing his radio show on Saturday.” Jeff said, “Me too!” Small world.

Be sure to listen to both of them on my show this Saturday starting at 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. PT on KFI AM 640 in Los Angeles. You can also catch the replay Sunday night at 5 p.m. PT on 710 WOR in New York. Or just subscribe to the podcast and listen anytime.

Thanks so much for taking the time to read my newsletter. It means a lot. If you like it, feel free to forward it to a friend or tap the like button below. Apparently that helps more people discover it.

Until next week,

Rich