Are you considering getting one of the new iPhone 17 models? While it’s always tempting to unbox a new device and dive right in, taking a methodical approach to setup will save you from potential frustrations down the road. When you’re ready to transfer your data—and, for many people, that means much of your digital life—to the new iPhone, follow these step-by-step instructions. For visual l... Read more
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When to Trust AI Tech Answers (And When to Call Us)
Recently, we’ve fielded a spate of questions from people who have used an AI chatbot to help with a technical issue and then asked us to confirm whether the information was accurate, helpful, or even safe.
First off, we’re not offended. If you can work through simple problems on your own with the help of an AI chatbot, that lets us focus on helping you with the bigger picture and iss... Read more
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When Should You Subscribe to AppleCare?
With Apple’s recent launch of AppleCare One, which covers multiple devices, and updates to its traditional AppleCare+ plans, you might be wondering what the best strategy is for post-warranty coverage of your Apple devices. Here’s what we suggest.
Your AppleCare Choices
First, to make sure we’re all on the same page, Apple now offers threeRead more
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Watch What You Say in AI-Recorded Meetings
You’re in a meeting with colleagues, and after everyone else has trickled out, you talk about a sensitive topic with a trusted friend. That would typically be no problem with an in-person meeting, but with a modern virtual meeting, where an AI records a transcript, summarizes what was said, and automatically emails it to all participants, you might not want everyone to know about your cowork... Read more
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Keep Sensitive Data Private by Disabling AI Training Options
Most AI chatbots, including ChatGPT, Claude, and Google’s Gemini, let you control whether your conversations will be used to train future models. While allowing this could improve the AI, it also means that sensitive business information and intellectual property could become part of the chatbot’s training data. Once data is incorporated into AI training, it likely can’t be removed. Even wit... Read more
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Apple Unveils New iPhone 17 Lineup, Updated Apple Watches, and AirPods Pro 3
In the tech world, September brings the fruits of Apple’s harvest: new iPhones, Apple Watches, and AirPods. At its recent Awe Dropping event, Apple introduced the new iPhone 17 lineup, the ultra-thin iPhone Air, the Apple Watch SE 3, Apple Watch Series 11, Apple Watch Ultra 3, and the AirPods Pro 3.
These are updates to mature product lines, so the changes from last year’s versions m... Read more
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How to Display Contacts with Last Names First
Most people prefer Apple’s default of sorting contacts by last name, so “Andy Anderson” appears near the start of the list and “Liliana Velasco” toward the end. But some would also prefer to display contacts with their last name first, such as “Anderson, Andy,” and “Velasco, Liliana.” That’s not the default, but if it’s what you want, here’s how to accomplish it. On the iPhone ... Read more
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Pay for Apple TV+ Annually to Avoid the Recent Monthly Price Increase
Apple has raised the monthly subscription fee for Apple TV+ to $12.99, marking the third price increase since the streaming service launched at $4.99 in 2019. While the monthly cost has increased, Apple kept the annual subscription priced at $99, making it a more economical choice for those who plan to maintain their subscription throughout the year. Apple doesn’t put the annual billing opti... Read more
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Blood Oxygen Monitoring Returns to Recent US Apple Watches with Software Updates
With the release of iOS 18.6.1 and watchOS 11.6.1, Apple restored blood oxygen monitoring ... Read more
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What Is Safe Mode, and When Should You Use It?
Although Macs are highly reliable, unusual problems can still rear their ugly heads. Often, these issues are caused by software you’ve installed or accessories you’ve connected. If you’re experiencing Mac misbehavior that isn’t easily fixed by restarting, updating software, or unplugging a dodgy device, try sa... Read more