Next meeting: April 12, 2025, 10 am.
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Apple Intelligence

From Jim H

If you use a Mac and would like to try Apple Intelligence, you might take a read on the following article.

https://www.lifewire.com/apple-intelligence-guide-mac-8758678

Also, if you use a Mac and would like to use Microsoft's AI app, Copilot, you're now able to. Take a read on the following article.

https://www.tomshardware.com/software/macos/copilot-gets-its-own-app-for-the-mac

On the other hand…

Some use AI and find it helpful. Some don't, and if you don't use AI, tech blogger Kim Komando

offers the following advice on how to turn AI off in your device.

Ever feel like your apps are trying a little too hard to be helpful? Maybe they’re suggesting cringy replies, summarizing things you actually wanted to read, or just getting way too pushy.

Let’s dive into how to turn off those AI features that just aren’t working for you.

Start in the settings

Look for the settings cog (that little gear icon) or tap your profile picture to open your options. Once inside, check sections labeled AI, smart features, suggestions, privacy or automation.

Keep an eye out for toggles and checkboxes that let you switch features on or off. You want to find AI add-ons like summaries, smart replies, recommendations and predictive text that tries to finish your sentences for you.

✅ Be a Privacy Komando: While you’re in settings, take a peek at the privacy section for anything related to data collection or personalization. Your data is what powers AI, so if you’re not using AI, turn it off.

No-more-AI cheat sheet

Here are the most common steps. Because there are so many makes, models and operating systems out there, your steps might be a little different.

On a Windows PC: Go to Settings > Personalization > Taskbar. From here, you can turn off Copilot.

On a Mac running macOS 15 or later: Click the Apple menu > System Settings > Apple Intelligence & Siri > toggle Apple Intelligence off. Note: Apple Intelligence isn’t available on all Macs yet.

On an iPhone: Apple Intelligence is on by default with compatible models. To change that, open Settings > Apple Intelligence & Siri > toggle Apple Intelligence off. Note: Apple Intelligence isn’t available on all Macs yet.

On an Android: Choose between Gemini (Google’s AI) and the old Google Assistant. Go to Settings > Apps > Assistant > Digital assistants from Google. 

In Gmail: Click the gear icon > See all settings > General. Scroll down to Smart Compose and turn writing suggestions off. Farther down, you can turn off Smart Reply, too.

The tech world moves fast, and apps get updates and new features all the time. Pop in now and then to make sure your apps are just how you want ’em.

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Best Apple Watch Apps

From Jim H

If you have an Apple watch, you might take a peek at the following article....Jim

https://www.lifewire.com/best-apple-watch-apps-8783045

Apple Watch Alert

Jim also says: I 🫶 this: Apple Watch to the rescue for Sue Dumbault from Atlanta. The 48-year-old got an alert that her heart rate was at 137 bpm for more than 10 minutes. That’s about how high mine gets when I sprint! Many hospital visits later, Sue had open-heart surgery that saved her life. 

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Apple patches 0-day exploited in “extremely sophisticated attack”

This means you should update your iPhone and iPad NOW!!


https://arstechnica.com/security/2025/03/apple-patches-0-day-exploited-in-extremely-sophisticated-attack/

Apple patches 0-day exploited in “extremely sophisticated attack”

0-day exploited by maliciously crafted Web content to break out of security sandbox.

Dan Goodin Mar 11, 2025 1:26 PM

Apple on Tuesday patched a critical zero-day vulnerability in virtually all iPhones and iPad models it supports and said it may have been exploited in “an extremely sophisticated attack against specific targeted individuals” using older versions of iOS.

The vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2025-24201, resides in Webkit, the browser engine driving Safari and all other browsers developed for iPhones and iPads. Devices affected include the iPhone XS and later, iPad Pro 13-inch, iPad Pro 12.9-inch 3rd generation and later, iPad Pro 11-inch 1st generation and later, iPad Air 3rd generation and later, iPad 7th generation and later, and iPad mini 5th generation and later. The vulnerability stems from a bug that wrote to out-of-bounds memory locations.

Supplementary fix

“Impact: Maliciously crafted web content may be able to break out of Web Content sandbox,” Apple wrote in a bare-bones advisory. “This is a supplementary fix for an attack that was blocked in iOS 17.2. (Apple is aware of a report that this issue may have been exploited in an extremely sophisticated attack against specific targeted individuals on versions of iOS before iOS 17.2.)”

The advisory didn’t say if the vulnerability was discovered by one of its researchers or by someone outside the company. This attribution often provides clues about who carried out the attacks and who the attacks targeted. The advisory also didn’t say when the attacks began or how long they lasted.

The update brings the latest versions of both iOS and iPadOS to 18.3.2. Users facing the biggest threat are likely those who are targets of well-funded law enforcement agencies or nation-state spies. They should install the update immediately. While there’s no indication that the vulnerability is being opportunistically exploited against a broader set of users, it’s a good practice to install updates within 36 hours of becoming available.

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Forever Chemicals and Your iWatch

From Jim H

The subject chemicals appear in items one wouldn't think of, like smartwatches. Tech blogger Kim Komando

had the following to say about forever chemicals...Jim

The term “forever chemicals” is floating around more than ever. If you’re wondering why folks are so worried about them, the clue's in the name.

These substances stick around for a long, long time, and it's not clear how safe they are. They're also everywhere, from your phone and smartwatch tech to carpets to nail polish.

Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS for short, are synthetic chemicals, so they’re not found in nature. And now, both Apple and Samsung are being sued for wearables that release high levels of PFAS.

So, what's the deal and how worried should you be? I’ve got the intel.

Why PFAS get used so much

In gadgets, they waterproof circuits, keep down the heat levels and add durability. They make your cooking pans nonstick, strengthen cardboard and keep mascara from running. In factories, they keep equipment running smoothly and corrosion-free, and in firefighting foam, they suppress and cool flames.

We're talking about thousands of chemicals here, made on demand to do specific (and valuable) jobs. No wonder it took so long for us to start asking about the health and safety trade-offs of using PFAS. (Ahem, anyone else thinking about asbestos?)

The health risks of PFAS

There’s no direct link between PFAS and disease, but there are a lot of warning signs. I did some digging, and scientific studies associate these forever chemicals with cancer risks, kidney disease and fertility problems. Something's not right.

Scientists are still figuring out how PFAS damage the body and what level of exposure is dangerous. Until then, what are you supposed to do?

Take it into your own hands

Know the big offenders: Smartwatches, fitness trackers and water-resistant phones use PFAS for durability and waterproofing. Letting a PFAS-loaded band sit on your wrist all day probably isn’t the best idea. A recent study showed cheaper bands contained fewer “forever chemicals” than the expensive name-brand bands. All the under-$15 bands were cleared. Here are safe options for Apple Watch and Fitbit.

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Apple's iCloud

from Jim H

Here's an article that is disconcerting on Apple and its iCloud data. On the one hand, I can understand why Britain wants access to this data, to determine if nefarious spying is going on, as one reason. On the other hand, if anyone or government has access to such data, you can bet it will be leaked, or hacked.

As one, somewhat similar example, our government is quite concerned about the Chinese app, TikTok,  bouncing around our country, and maybe spying on us. China is not our friend....Jim

 U.K. officials are reportedly demanding that Apple give them “blanket” access to encrypted iCloud user data. Natasha Lomas explains what this means and why it’s concerning.

While the predominant metaphor is a security “backdoor,” put more plainly it’s a security vulnerability. And even if you trust law enforcement not to abuse that access, there’s no guarantee others won’t figure out how to take advantage.

To mix a metaphor, backdoors can end up biting their creators. For example, Chinese-backed hackers were recently able to compromise federal wiretap systems and access user data thanks to mandatory backdoors.

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Ubuntu on a MacBook Air

from Jim H

Here's an article discussing installing Linux on a Mac. Due to Microsoft's dropping support for Windows 10 in October, I've read several articles on installing Linux on a PC which won't run Windows 11. But this article is the first I've read of installing Linux on a Mac. Unrelated to this issue, I, several years ago, with help from a friend, installed Linux on an old PC, and it is still running great. Using the Linux OS is fine, and a good way to use an old computer.

I have an old MacBook Air, as well, which I'm on right now, and it is running fine. Hopefully, it will keep

running for a long time, but it is getting old. So, I'll see what happens?.....Jim

https://www.howtogeek.com/i-installed-ubuntu-on-my-old-macbook-air-and-wish-id-done-it-sooner/

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TikTok

From Jim H

I've never used TikTok, which is now banned in the U.S., but that might change. Anyway, here's a couple of article discussing TikTok and the Apple products...Jim

https://www.malwarebytes.com/blog/news/2025/01/warning-dont-sell-or-buy-a-second-hand-iphone-with-tiktok-already-installed

TikTok is back in Apple and Google’s app stores. Apologies to anyone who planned to live large by selling their old TikTok-installed phone on eBay for $10k: Everyone’s favorite Chinese shortform video app and its siblings CapCut and Lemon8 are available for download again in Apple and Google’s US mobile app stores. The tech giants brought the ByteDance apps back on Thursday night after receiving assurances from US Attorney General Pam Bondi that the nationwide ban on TikTok wouldn’t be immediately enforced—meaning they won’t get hit with fines. Though President Trump halted the enforcement shortly after taking office, the ban still stands, and could kick in later if TikTok isn’t sold to an American company.

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RAVE Alert System

Here is an emergency alert notification program that might be of interest. Although the title says Scottsdale,

the program is available statewide in Arizona. I'll probably register, as I don't see any downside to doing so,

and there's no cost.....Jim

Scottsdale launches RAVE Alert System for emergency notifications. Scottsdale residents and visitors now have a new and timely tool to remain informed during large scale events and emergency situations. The RAVE Alert System, a free service managed by the Scottsdale Police Department, delivers urgent alerts during incidents such as severe weather, public safety concerns, evacuations, missing persons and special events. 

Scottsdale will launch the system next week during the WM Phoenix Open – attendees can subscribe to updates specific to the event – just text GOLF25 to 67283. 

While that is a specific special event use, the city encourages all residents to register for emergency alerts. The system allows users to receive customizable community notifications, including updates on weather, safety, and utility issues. Alerts are sent via text, email, or voice message and can be tailored to individual preferences.  

The system is part of a statewide initiative to enhance public safety through modernized emergency communication. 

To sign up for general Scottsdale alerts, visit the Arizona Department of Administration’s 9-1-1 Program page: az911.gov/rave-citizen-info-registration. View step-by-step registration instructions. 

https://www.smart911.com/

Check out the Yavapai County RAVE system at https://www.yavapaiready.gov/Resilience/Rave-Prepare

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Using Find My with iPhone

from Jim H

I have the iPhone X, which was introduced in November, 2017. OK, it's a bit 'long in the tooth', but still works great for everything I need, so I'll keep it till it dies. Meanwhile, here are some comments on the iPhone by tech blogger Kim Komando. I and Zee use the "FindMy" app often ( I think it might be part of 'Share My Location' mentioned below),  and find it quite useful. Kim shows how to set it up, if you should have an interest in doing 

so....Jim

🍎 Use an iPhone? Start here

Before we jump in, make sure your iPhone is updated. If it’s not, you might not see these settings, or they could be tucked away in other places. To update, go to Settings > General > Software Update. (Cue hold music.)

All right, now we'll tell your phone it’s OK to share your location with certain folks. (We’ll get to the “who” and “how” in a second.) Hit Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services and toggle on Share My Location.

The easiest way to share your location is in a text. To request someone’s location or share your own, open Messages, then pick a text thread and tap the + icon in the bottom left. Scroll to Location and select one of these options:

▶️ Share location: Tap Share in blue on the bottom right to pick the length of time you want the other person to see your location: For 1 hour, Until End of Day or Indefinitely. You’ll see a map. Hit the blue arrow on the right-hand side to send it like a regular text. If your recipient taps the icon showing minutes or hours, they’ll receive directions to your location using Apple Maps.

▶️ Request location: Hit Request in gray on the bottom left. Press the blue arrow to send a text. From there, your recipient can choose to share their location with you.

What if you change your mind? Open the text chat, tap their name at the top, and choose Stop Sharing My Location. You’ll both get a notification.

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Apple iPhone 16e

From Jim H.

Well, a new Apple iPhone is soon to be released, and the link in the following paragraph has more details.

One feature is that the watch will contain Apple Intelligence, which it will perform right in the phone, and not

online....Jim

Ring, ring, hello: Apple has answered my prayers released a new version of its iPhone SE. This next generation, called iPhone 16e, starts shipping at the end of the month and comes with Apple Intelligence and a $599 price tag. Read more

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Mac Annoyances, Spotlight Shortcuts, Phishing Attacks

Here is a newsletter that I subscribe to, and thought others in PMUG might be interested in subscribing

as well. Lots of Mac 'stuff' in his newsletters...Jim

The MacMost Newsletter: Issue 838

January 23, 2025

20 Mac Annoyances And How To Fix Them

Here are some common things about macOS that some users find annoying, and how you can change them.
Watch at MacMost.com / Watch at YouTube

Club MacMost Early Access: 36 iPhone Keyboard Tips

Here are some iPhone tips to help you type faster, edit easier, and be more productive with the iPhone virtual keyboard.
Watch at Patreon

10 Mac Spotlight Keyboard Shortcuts

The Spotlight menu can be used to search for files, apps and other things with just Command+Space, typing, and then Return. But you can also use other keyboard shortcuts to go to the file location, preview items, get definitions, perform web searches and more.
Watch at MacMost.com / Watch at YouTube

Club MacMost Exclusive: Using iCloud Email Plus Addressing

You can add a tag to your email address when filling out forms or signing up for things. This isn't useful for privacy or security, but can be a help in organizing the notifications you get in return.
Watch at Patreon

Phishing Attacks: How They Work and How To Protect Yourself

Phishing attacks come into our email inboxes almost every day. Learn what they are, how they work and how to protect yourself. Learn how AI may be making phishing attacks even worse.
Watch at MacMost.com / Watch at YouTube

Club MacMost Exclusive: Switching To Any Window With Only the Keyboard

Mission Control is a great way to switch to any window, but only if you use the mouse or trackpad. But with App Expose, you can use the tab and arrow keys to actually do it with just the keyboard.
Watch at Patreon

MacMost Recommendations

I'm often asked about the software and gadgets I use to produce the MacMost videos and in my work as a developer. So I've compiled a list of the products I use and recommend. Check it out. -- Gary

Recommend the MacMost Newsletter

Tell your friends about the MacMost newsletter! Send them here (https://macmost.com/newsletter) where they can sign up. Click this link to send them an email.

MacMost is an ad-free user-supported website thanks to people like you! For as little as $2/month you can help and for $5/month you can become a member of Club MacMost where I share extra posts, tips, bits of video, and commentary. Club MacMost members also get 50% off all courses at the new MacMost Courses site.

This Week In the MacMost Q&A Forum

Have a question? Ask it in the MacMost Q&A Forum

Learn More From MacMost


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AI in the News

From Jim From Jim H

The following article on AI isn't gonna make you any smarter or be particularly helpful, but it is just an interesting read on a lady trying out ChatGPT. She ends up preferring Siri, and she explains why. Just passing this on for a possible perusal when you have the inclination and a few moments. And ChatGPT is available on an iPad, as well as Siri.

https://support.apple.com/guide/ipad/use-chatgpt-with-apple-intelligence-ipad5d72435c/ipados

Lots of news articles and blogs about how AI is weaving its way into our lives. So far, I haven't found the need to use AI yet, but perhaps one of these days.....Jim

I tried ChatGPT Tasks and I'm sticking with Siri for now — here's why. By Amanda Caswell
published January 20, 2025 onTom's Guide

Every time ChatGPT drops a new feature, I am eager to try it. So, it goes without saying that ChatGPT Tasks, just released in beta last week, was something I couldn’t wait to get my hands on. Unfortunately, this time I was underwhelmed. Unlike previous releases such as ChatGPT Canvas and Projects, Tasks left me second-guessing if I would ever need it or frankly, if it was even reliable.

I get it, it’s still in beta, so I know I shouldn’t be too hard on the bot, but c’mon. I’ve asked it to do a few minor things such as reviewing a screenplay or reminding me to drink more water and it has responded with “come back later.” Honestly, it’s giving the Magic 8 Ball a run for its money.

Not one to give up, I tried a variety of other tasks that were not important enough if ChatGPT Tasks decided not to do it. For example, while taking my lunch break, I told it to “remind me to start working in 10 minutes.” I was going to do that anyway (my editor is reading this!), so I figured it was worth a shot. To my delight, I got an email from ChatGPT ten minutes later telling me to get to work. Huzzah!

The pros of ChatGPT Tasks

ChatGPT Tasks actually doing what I asked, gave me hope. I like how I can type a prompt or use Advanced Voice Mode to ask it to do something. The conversational interface is similar to Siri or Alexa, which I like. I have also noticed that it does well with recurring reminders. I tried this with something I almost always forget – whenever my son has to bring his trumpet to school.

I asked ChatGPT to schedule a recurring reminder, “Remind me to put my son’s trumpet by the front door every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.” ChatGPT scheduled this recurring reminder effortlessly. This natural language processing capability eliminates the friction often associated with task management.

Another standout feature is ChatGPT’s ability to suggest tasks based on our interactions. It’s wild, actually. For example, I used the chatbot to help pick out a gift for my daughter’s music teacher for an upcoming chorus concert.

ChatGPT proactively offered to set a reminder about the Thursday night event, ensuring I didn’t miss it. This level of attentiveness mirrors having a personal assistant who understands and anticipates my needs.

Cross-platform accessibility

Managing tasks across devices has always been a challenge, but ChatGPT Tasks addresses this seamlessly. Whether I'm on my desktop, tablet, or smartphone, my tasks are synchronized, and I receive timely notifications regardless of the platform.

This ensures that I stay on top of my commitments, no matter where I am. For every reminder I set up, I’m sure it won’t be missed whether I’m at my desktop or on mobile – this is something that I can’t get from Siri or Alexa.

I asked ChatGPT Tasks to send me a list of weeknight dinner options every Sunday at 8am and instead, it told me the importance of planning dinners ahead. Right, that’s what I was trying to do.

Besides not doing what I asked (literally the purpose of the feature), ChatGPT Tasks hallucinates in other ways. For example, I tried editing a task (i.e. dinner is at 6:30pm on Tuesday, not 6pm) and it still reminded me of the 6pm time. It also will randomly pause a task. I’ve noticed that my email notifications sometimes redirect to the app itself without any further information. Meaning, I may get a reminder, but what on earth is it for?

When this happens, I have to open ChatGPT and take extra steps to access the full content for the reminder — that is, if I haven’t remembered by then anyway. I can only hope that these minor inconveniences will be ironed out as the feature evolves. It's still in beta, it’s not perfect.

Final thoughts

The idea of ChatGPT Tasks is a good one and when it is fully reliable it will transform my productivity. I look forward to it offering enhanced daily routines with personalized, actionable insights, making my life more manageable and productive.

Its intuitive design, proactive assistance, and cross-platform accessibility have real potential. But until OpenAI has fully refined this feature, I’m going to stick to Siri. With one command Apple's Siri does everything from set a timer to setting an appointment and after years of using this assistant, I'm going to stick with it for now to avoid missing any reminders.

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Creating Videos to Teach AI

One enthusiastic teacher recently released a video explaining why we should now create short video content (clips) that serve as the toolbox (resource) from which AI draws to create tutorials for specific purposes or simply answer questions. Essentially, this is how AI is trained in the initial stages. Instead of being trained on data found on the Internet, you can train the AI with content you create.

For instance, if you want to study from a textbook, scan it into a PDF, feed it to AI, and voila! You now have what you would consider reliable information—provided the AI can perform accurate pattern matching to provide accurate responses.

I personally enjoy loading PDF files of scientific papers into AI. The results I obtain are relevant to the content of the paper.

However, there’s a downside to loading source documents into AI: there’s a limit to how much you can load. One AI model claims to be able to handle up to 200 source documents, but it doesn’t specify the volume limit for each document, which is crucial. Almost any AI can process a 2-hour video, transcribe the spoken text, and provide a summary of the content. Additionally, they can answer questions that may require Internet access to acquire additional material to explain or elaborate on points made in the original video.

The above is an AI rewrite of what I originally wrote. Here’s an AI summary of the above:

AI can be trained on user-created content, such as short video clips or scanned documents, to generate tutorials or answer questions. While this method offers control over the training data, there are limitations on the volume of documents that can be processed.


John Carter Sr.

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Messaging iPhone Security

From the iPhone Life Security newsletter, sent in by Jim R

How secure is your messaging? In a previous edition, I told you that Chinese state hackers had comprehensively compromised the US telecommunications system. The US Cyber Safety Review Board is the body responsible for investigating the hack, but now that entire board has been laid off by the new administration. For the moment and for the foreseeable future, it would be worth paying a little extra attention to making sure that your sensitive information is only shared in encrypted channels. Read more about how to do that below!

https://click.iphonelife.com/ga/webviews/4-2241950-10-13183-16804-178158-as937ce2c2

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Using VPNs

From Jim H

When on a public wifi network, I think it is advisable, for security reasons, to use a VPN. Nowadays, the 

only time I'm on a public wifi network is at a doctor or dentist office, where free wifi is usually available. 

Then I use a VPN. I recommend using a paid one, and not a free VPN. 

It appears that the ban of TikTok, which I've not used, might be a reason some people are now trying a VPN.

The following article has a good discussion of some VPNs, including a free one (Proton), which the article says 

is OK:  https://account.protonvpn.com/signup

A good article and discussion, I thought....Jim


VPNs, or virtual private networks, are standard technology for many people in authoritarian countries to shield their online activity and sidestep government censorship online. Now, more Americans are getting a crash course in VPNs — because of TikTok, an app from an authoritarian country.

After the Supreme Court on Friday declined to stop the law forcing a sale or ban of TikTok, the United States is on the precipice of a nationwide ban of the app as soon as Sunday. Ahead of that deadline, TikTok’s American fans have been trading tips on using VPNs to keep using the app if it goes dark.

If you are going to use a VPN, you need to make sure it’s one you can trust. And that ain’t easy. A search of mobile app stores and Google shows zillions of VPNs. It’s almost impossible to figure out which ones might be sketchy or snake oil.

Keep reading for advice on four VPNs that deserve your trust — and why they might be frustrating and imperfect.
Note: If you’re trying to protect yourself from surveillance by an intimate partner, law enforcement or government eavesdroppers, this VPN guide is not tailored for you. The Electronic Frontier Foundation, a security and privacy advocacy group, has useful surveillance defense resources.

Stick with these 4 VPNs you can trust — but know they might not be foolproof.
A VPN, which you can typically download as a smartphone app or use on a computer, bounces your web traffic through an encrypted route to computer networks around the world. As a result, it might look like your device is going online from Amsterdam when you’re really in Atlanta.

From our reporting, we believe that using a VPN will let people in the United States keep using the TikTok app that’s downloaded on your phone if a ban goes into effect as of this weekend. We’re not positive that VPNs will be effective workarounds, though, and we’ll test this option if TikTok flickers off.
 
I consulted digital security and privacy experts, and past reporting from my colleague Geoffrey A. Fowler, to assemble this short list of four VPNs that you can trust.

I also put these VPNs through a test on an iPhone to judge how easy it was to sign up. And to simulate the experience we might have soon with a TikTok ban, I used each VPN to try to watch sports videos from the BBC website, which typically blocks streaming from users in the United States.

(In my test, I set each VPN to make it look like I was in the United Kingdom.)

• Mullvad Cost: About $5.15 for one month.
Pros: Mullvad has a reputation among security pros as a gold standard. It was also the most pleasant to use of the four VPNs I tested.

Mullvad stresses that it collects very little information about users. It doesn’t even require an email address to sign up, and you can pay in cryptocurrency, if that’s your jam. (I used a credit card.) It was adorable that Mullvad assigned my iPhone a unique device name: “Cuddly Otter.”

• IVPN. Cost: The least expensive option was listed at $2.99 a week or $7.99 a month in the iPhone app.
Pros: IVPN also has a great reputation for security and privacy and offers anonymous options to sign up.
Hiccups: When I changed the IVPN settings to route my iPhone activity through computers in Britain, the BBC website still blocked me from streaming.

Some streaming services seek to identify people who are using VPNs to block them. Viktor Vecsei with IVPN said it can be a game of cat and mouse among websites (or authoritarian governments) to sleuth out the shifting computers used by VPN providers.

In other words: VPNs are not foolproof technology to access websites you otherwise can’t.

• Proton VPN. Cost: The paid options start at $9.99 a month, if you buy on the website. (Some companies charge less to make a digital purchase from their website versus their apps, but this information is usually a secret.)

Pros: While you should be wary of most free VPNs, Proton has a free option (with fewer features) and was recommended by digital security experts we consulted. Proton also says it has many thousands of computers globally, and that increases your chances of a good streaming experience.
Hiccups: The pricing tiers are a bit confusing.

• Mozilla VPN. Cost: $9.99 a month.
Pros: The VPN from Mozilla, which operates the privacy-focused Firefox web browser, uses the same computer network as Mullvad, which means it’s a secure choice.

Hiccups: The sign-up process offers lots of options for privacy, which is good, but that also made it cumbersome. I also still couldn’t watch BBC videos. Mozilla didn’t immediately comment.

If you have a Mac and the occasional need for a VPN for security purposes, you might take a read

on the following article....Jim

https://www.macworld.com/article/331856/malwareybtes-privacy-vpn.html

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Finding Your iPhone Even If It's Powered Off

From Jim H

If you have an iPhone, here is a tip you'll want to use. Using the app "Find My",

you can locate your phone if it should go missing while you're out and about. So far,

I haven't misplaced my iPhone when I'm out and about, but use it often to see how

close Zee or our daughter is, if we're meeting somewhere. I use it often when Zee

has left to pick up groceries. Using the app, I know how close she is when returning

home, so I can meet her and carry the groceries in to our house.

If we should misplace our iPhone while at home, either Zee or I call the misplaced

phone, hear it ring, then go and pick it up.....Jim

https://www.shefinds.com/collections/how-to-find-your-lost-iphone-turned-off/


https://flip.it/jZl_Fj

Editor’s note: if you’ve lost your phone at home and have an Apple Watch, your can use it to “tickle” your phone and make it ring. See https://www.imore.com/how-find-your-iphone-your-apple-watch

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iPhone Tips

A blog I subscribe to on Windows OS had some tips on how to speed up a PC, by eliminating/reducing certain functions, and also mentioned some similar tips that might be useful on an iPhone as well. I haven't tried any of these tips yet on my iPhone, but thought I'd pass them on FYI and possible interest....Jim 

https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/reduce-onscreen-motion-iph0b691d3ed/ios

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Everyone Should Download Watch Duty

From Frank C

This article is talking about an App called Watch Duty that I mentioned in a presentation a month or two ago. Everyone who lives in a fire area (like we do) should have this App!!

If you live in Los Angeles, you are probably already intimately familiar with Watch Duty, the free app that shows active fires, mandatory evacuation zones, air quality indexes, wind direction, and a wealth of other information that everyone, from firefighters to regular people, have come to rely on during this week’s historic and devastating wildfires.

Watch Duty is unique in the tech world in that it doesn’t care about user engagement, time spent, or ad sales. The 501(c)(3) nonprofit behind it only cares about the accuracy of the information it provides and the speed with which the service can deliver that information. The app itself has taken off, rocketing to the top of Apple’s and Google’s app stores. Over 1 million people have downloaded it over the last few days alone. 

https://www.theverge.com/2025/1/11/24340913/watch-duty-wildfire-tracking-app-los-angeles-nonprofit

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