Keep your distance: Save your eyes from strain and have your iPhone warn you if your face is too close to the screen. From Settings, choose Screen Time > Screen Distance. Android friends, your phone doesn’t have this feature, so keep your phone at least 12 inches away from your eyes when possible.
How to know if you’re being stalked or are just paranoid
I’ve heard it all on my national radio show. There was the guy totally freaked out because too many strangers in public knew his name for it to be a coincidence. (His name was Buddy.)
There was a woman who swore one of Metallica’s band members hacked her iPhone to stalk her after she rejected him online. And another who bought and sold three cars because she thought they all had hidden trackers.
They all ask the same question: “Is it me or is someone/something tracking everything I do on my device?”
Tracking happens, no doubt, and it’s getting worse, given how easy these tools are for anyone to use. But I also know sometimes, it’s paranoia at work. Before you panic, let’s talk through a few scenarios.
‘I see ads for things I talked about’
I was talking to my husband about taking a hiking trip in Patagonia. I walked upstairs, sat at my laptop, and travel ads for a Patagonian getaway were on my screen. Tech companies insist this is a coincidence.
If you don’t want to believe Big Tech (I don’t blame you), take privacy into your own hands. Skip the smart speaker or turn off its microphone when it’s not in use. On your phone or computer, pop into your settings to turn off your mic for specific apps and sites, or force your device to ask you each time before enabling it.
‘They know where I am’
Dana called my show with a frightening story. Her daughter is a college student who was afraid to leave the house because unknown numbers sent her threatening texts no matter where she went. “They know what time we eat dinner, our workplaces and our schedules,” Dana told me.
This case was true harassment. I called Ricoh Danielson, a friend of the show and digital forensics expert, who helped track down the guy. Turns out, it was someone Dana’s daughter had talked to on a dating app. Here are Danielson’s tips for if something like this happens to your family.
‘Is Google stalking me?’
I once had a caller concerned Google knew his schedule too well. A few weekends in a row, he drove to his son’s house to mow his lawn while his son was out of town. The following Saturday, a pop-up from Google Maps told him how long it’d take to get to his son’s home in current traffic.
Turn on your phone's theft protection
Your phone is very valuable in the wrong hands — and not just if you have a snazzy, new iPhone 16 Pro Max that costs as much as a mortgage payment. Even a cheap smartphone is loaded with logins, personal data and financial info. Think of it as instant access to everything.
Why smartphones can't be hacked to explode at once
Could America face the same kind of coordinated attack? The answer might surprise you.
🚦 Cop-out behavior: Two Missouri police officers got busted using traffic stops as a way to see naked pics of women. One former officer reportedly searched 20 different phones last year. He told the victims he was looking at their phones for insurance info, then, if he found racy pics on their devices, he snapped photos of them with his own phone. He and another trooper pleaded not guilty.
How does the computing power of your smartphone compare to the guidance computer aboard the 1969 Apollo 11 lunar module? Is it … A.) About as powerful, B.) 120 times more powerful, C) 12,000 times more powerful or D.) 120,000 times more powerful?
Quick privacy win: Clear cookies on your phone
There’s a question I find myself asking a lot with tech products and services: “Is it worth it?” I’m not just talking about money, though, yes, I’m hoping my new $1,200 iPhone will be worth it (eesh).
Privacy is a cost, too. With every “free” service you get, you’re handing over something in return.
Stupid celebrity stuff: Sofia Richie, model and daughter of music legend Lionel Richie, spilled on a podcast her five-month-old daughter, Eloise, has her own smartphone and is a sassy texter. Mom and caregivers obviously do the texting for Eloise. One question: Why don’t they put the phone down, talk to the baby and enjoy the moment?
Flip, not flop: Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold SE is their first foldable phone with almost no crease in the middle. The Korea-only launch sold out instantly. Expect the same screen tech in the Galaxy Fold 7 in the U.S. next year. Psst, the Fold 6 (21% off) and Flip 6 (24% off) are on sale right now.
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Forgot why you walked into the kitchen? I love this trick to use with a smartphone assistant. Say, “Hey, Siri/Google, remind me to do [task] when I get to [location].” This is perfect for when you need to do something specific when you arrive at a place, like, “Remind me to defrost the chicken when I get home.”
🔔 Put a ring(tone) on it: It’s easier than ever to create your own custom ringtones. For Android, you’ll need to trim your audio file to 30 seconds or less, then export it as an MP3 and transfer it to your phone. Once it’s there, head to Settings > Sound and Vibration > Phone ringtone > My Sounds > + (plus sign) to select your clip. Full steps for iPhone here.
📸 Go, go, Android camera: This works on many Android smartphone models, including the Google Pixel and Samsung Galaxy. Double-tap the power button to launch the camera, then use either the volume-up or volume-down button to take a snap. Easy!
If police try to get you to unlock your smartphone: Say no. Under the Fourth Amendment, they need a warrant to search it. Once they’re in, they can access your private info and, theoretically, use it to pressure you into a confession. That’s where the Fifth Amendment comes in: The government can’t force self-incrimination. It pays to know your rights.
Keep your battery level over 0%: Letting your phone die does more than leave you without a way to play Wordle. It can also degrade your battery over time. Keep a portable charger on hand and power up before you hit 0%.
We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.
What’s the bestselling non-Apple, non-Android phone of all time? Is it the … A.) BlackBerry Curve, B.) Motorola Razr V3, C.) Nokia 1100 or D.) Samsung SGH-E250?
💰 More cash for your old phone: iPhones retain their value much longer than models from Samsung, Google or OnePlus. Demand’s higher too. iPhone folks sell or trade in their phones 41% of the time, compared to just 17% of Android owners. Sadly, 30% of Android folks just end up tossing their old phones.
🕶️ Can’t wait for a new wave of glass-holes: Mark Zuckerberg thinks Meta’s Orion smart glasses will replace smartphones for messaging, video chatting and browsing social media. Zuck and his team have been working on the (really) thick black glasses for 10 years. They include a holographic display only the wearer can see. No price or timeline yet.
💸 The next big thing? Former Apple designer Jony Ive and OpenAI’s Sam Altman are working on an AI-powered device. Details are scarce (of course!), but they say it’ll handle advanced tasks like booking travel and identifying plants from photos, with more power than the average smartphone and fewer disruptions than a standard phone.
Qualcomm wants to buy Intel: Once the world’s most valuable chipmaker, Intel is in a sharp decline — shares are down 60% this year. No formal offer is on the table yet from Qualcomm, the leading supplier of smartphone chips. The move will probably trigger antitrust scrutiny (paywall link), meaning they’ll have to divest parts of Intel to make it work.