How to wipe data off phones

If you’re planning on giving or selling an old phone, make sure you follow all of these steps to completely wipe off your data.

Tags: data, old phone, phone, selling


Stolen identity: The hidden dangers of medical ID theft

You’re feeling sick, so you go to the doctor. Bad news: You need surgery. Worse news: Your insurance won’t cover it. They say you’ve already had two surgeries this year.

The catch? You haven’t. This is the nasty reality of medical fraud. 

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📲 Like a free assistant: Use a Google Pixel 3 or newer? Open the Phone app > More > Settings > Hold for Me. Turn it on. Next time you call a business or organization with long wait times, tap Hold for me > Start. You’ll get an alert when a rep is ready to talk.

30 grams of xylitol

Made healthy people more likely to have blood clots. The sugar sweetener common in keto and low-carb treats may increase the risk of heart attack and stroke. That amount is common for a single scoop of keto ice cream or a few low-sugar cookies, btw. Read those ingredients!

Keyboard shortcut smarts: Attach a keyboard to your iPad (I use this one), and you’ll get a list of shortcuts. Just hold down Cmd while using the app to view shortcuts for that app.

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​​“Alexa, Wikipedia [topic]”: If you’re the type of person who loves to settle arguments on the spot, try this. Ask Alexa to “Wikipedia” it, and she’ll read a preview of the full article aloud.

Update Google Chrome: Crooks can easily package malicious software in password-protected zip files. Now, when you’re using Chrome’s Safe Browsing feature in Enhanced Mode, Google will ask you to share the password to scan files before you download them. Here’s how to enable it.

Hide your Instagram Stories: If family members or coworkers follow you on IG, you might not want them to see those party vacation pics. In the app, tap your profile picture in the bottom right, then tap the three lines to the top right > Settings > Privacy > Story > Hide Story From, and select anyone you want to hide your story from. They’ll still be able to see your profile and posts!

If you can’t, trash can: To permanently delete a file on Windows without sending it to the Recycle Bin, hold Shift + Delete. On a Mac, select the file, click File from the menu bar, and then hold the Option key. You’ll see the option change like magic from “Move to Trash” to Delete Immediately.

YouTube trick: When you’re watching YouTube videos, press K to pause or play, J to rewind 10 seconds, and L to fast-forward 10 seconds.

Use a Windows PC? Create a folder with your favorite wallpapers or pics. Right-click on your desktop, choose Personalize and set the background to a Slideshow with the folder you created.