Do Not Disturb keeps calls and texts from bugging you, but what if there’s a person or two you want to get through any time? Here’s how to flag important contacts and silence the rest.
Tech trick: How to tell who's calling when you don't recognize the phone number
Ever received a text message from a number you don’t recognize? I get a lot of texts from numbers that I have no idea who that person is. Instead of replying with “Ahem, who dis?” there’s a hack you’re going to use time and time again.
If you get a text from an unknown number, mobile payment apps like Venmo, CashApp, Zelle or PayPal can help you put a name to that number.
Copy and paste the number into the app and the mystery sender’s name might just be unveiled.
I tested this on a phone number belonging to someone I knew had a Venmo account. Their name popped right up.
FYI, this hack only works if you have an account with one of those mobile payment apps. The sender also has to use their real name and number in the app. But hey, it’s better than shooting in the dark.
There’s the flip side: Be sure to disable your mobile payment app from sharing your name and phone number with other people. The steps vary per app. In Venmo, open Settings, Friends and Social and toggle off Phone contacts.
What about blocked numbers?
Dialing *67 conceals your number from someone you call. There are similar numbers you can dial to respond to mystery callers.
The first is *69, which traces the number of the last person who called you. It works even for anonymous or hidden calls, so you can get the phone number and exact time they called. Once you have that number, you can block it on your phone so they can’t call you anymore.
There are more codes and secrets you can use to hunt down who called. Tap or click here to check them out.
💀 My favorite way to answer spam calls? “Maricopa County morgue, you kill ’em, we chill ’em.” I’m terrible ….
True or false: You need antivirus protection for your phone
Smartphones are computers, powerful enough to do everything from editing complex documents to recording high-quality video. This comes with cybersecurity threats, so you might wonder if you need antivirus protection for your phone.
Ear-replaceable: New AI noise-canceling headphones will let you listen to a single person’s voice in a crowd just by looking at the individual once. The wearer can then walk around as usual while tuning in to the person’s conversation. The headphones are still in development, but I can only imagine how they’ll use them in covert ops. I really just want them for group dinners …
How does your smartphone’s computing power compare to the guidance computer aboard the 1969 Apollo 11 lunar module? Is a smartphone … A.) About as powerful, B.) 120 times more powerful, C) 12,000 times more powerful or D.) 120,000 times more powerful?
If you’re always misplacing things
When you drop an AirPod, Apple’s Find My feature helps you find it quickly. But for non-Apple earbuds — and all the rest of your Bluetooth gear — it’s not so simple.
That’s why you need a Bluetooth-finder app on your phone. It works a bit like a metal detector.
- Pick your Bluetooth-using gadget (e.g., Raycons, Oura ring or Fitbit) from the list. The closer you get to it, the stronger the signal will be from the app. Ding-ding-ding! There’s your earbud — under the couch, right where you left it.
💡 Our IT genius, John, recommends this option for iPhone and this one for Android.
How to set emergency contacts for iPhone
I hope you never need to use them, but everyone should set up emergency contacts. I’ll walk you through the process. It only takes a minute!
Sam wants your repair shop to sing: Samsung is asking independent phone repair shops to pass along your name and contact details if you’ve used their services on your Samsung device. If that shop discovers any aftermarket parts in your phone, Samsung asks that they “immediately disassemble” (destroy) your device.
Apple’s iPhone spyware problem is worsening: Attacks mostly against journalists, activists and government representatives have been reported in over 150 countries. Common red flags: Faster-than-usual battery drainage, high data usage and unexpected shutdowns. If you’re a journalist or activist, or if you work for the government, turn on Lockdown mode.
What do you say when you answer the phone? “Hello,” of course—and that’s thanks to Thomas Edison. His rival, Alexander Graham Bell, thought phones should be answered with something different. Was it A.) “Ahoy,” B.) “All right,” C.) “Howdy” or D.) “Salutations?”
No phones in schools: That’s the goal, but parents want 24/7 access to their kiddos. Colorado’s Brush School District (paywall link) thinks it has the solution: Keep phones out of sight, and only use them with a teacher’s approval. And if the kids get caught, they have their phones taken away for the remainder of the school day. Share this one with a teacher.
Western Digital announced they’ll be shipping a 4TB SD card next year. That one little card will hold 41 million Word docs, 820,000 photos or 5,800 movies. No price yet. Dang, I remember when a 3.5-inch floppy disk was state-of-the-art!
What smartphone manufacturer ships the most models worldwide each year? Is it … A.) Apple, B.) Samsung, C.) Xiaomi or D.) Motorola?
Remember pagers? Be-e-e-e-p. They’ve mostly faded into the tech graveyard, but thousands are still alive-ish and kickin’ in the U.S. Can you guess how many pagers are active today? Is it … A.) 8,000, B.) 80,000, C.) 800,000 or D.) 8 million?
🙏 Chromebook owners, rejoice: Google is splitting its Chrome browser from ChromeOS. This fixes the “auto-update expiration” date issue that arises when Chromebooks age out of their security patches. I’ll let you know when this update officially drops. Nice.
Amazon’s selling Apple iPhone 15 models for a penny. The catch? Boost Mobile ropes you into a 36-month contract with monthly bills of up to $70. That’s $2,500 all in. Not exactly a steal when you can pick up a certified refurb for around $700.
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A safe phone is a locked phone
If your phone locks after 10 seconds (too fast) or 2 minutes (too long), change that. I recommend 30 seconds — it’s ju-u-u-st right.
- On iPhone: Go to Settings > Display & Brightness > Auto-Lock and choose a length of time.
- On Android: Go to Settings > Display and look for a Timeout, Screen Timeout or Sleep option.
It’s covered in gross
Did you take off your smartwatch the last time you were sweaty or when you took a potty break? Yeah, didn’t think so. Wearable gadgets host 30 times more bacteria than your toilet. Do this, like, now:
- Turn it off and remove any straps attached to it.
- Take a small amount of rubbing alcohol to a cloth or cotton swab. Use it to wipe the screen and exterior of the watch. Avoid the straps!
- Let the watch air dry completely before reattaching the straps and turning it back on.
✂️ Better way: Use a UV sanitizing box to kill bacteria on your smartwatch. While you’re at it, toss in your phone and keys, too.
We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.
The surge protector — that appliance-saving power strip — was invented in 1970. What was its official name back then? Was it … A.) Zap Trap, B.) Power Devourer, C.) Watt Wad or D.) Shock Block?
Measure your heart rate with your phone
Fun fact: You don’t need a smartwatch to measure your heart rate. You can check your ticker with just an app.
It’s neat how these work. Put your index finger on the back camera, and the app measures your heart rate by detecting color changes. Be sure to hold your phone steady and keep still.
Just remember, apps aren’t a replacement for seeing a medical professional or talking to your doctor, especially if you’re not feeling well.
- For iPhone, Cardiio: Heart Rate Monitor is a good choice. It works with iPads, too.
- For Android, the Heart Rate Monitor app works similarly to Cardiio. Cover the back camera, stay still and you’ll get a reading.
❤️ Some people say a rapid, irregular heartbeat isn’t a big deal. Sorry, but that’s a-fib.