Privacy, surveillance and the power of tech companies

Rich talked about helping his dad with his tech set up while home on Christmas vacation.

Mike in Minneapolis asked about performing a factory reset on his Netgear router, but he couldn’t see the serial number because he’s visually impaired. Rich suggested using the Be My Eyes app to get visual help from a volunteer.

Rich also mentioned the free password manager called Bitwarden.

LG is unveiling the Gallery TV at CES which shows artwork when not in use.

Jamie in Tampa wanted to watch his local CBS affiliate but wasn’t sure where to aim his antenna. Rich recommended the free Antenna Point app to show exactly which direction to point it.

Debra in Los Angeles wants to remove her ex from old wedding photos. Rich suggested scanning the prints with the free Google PhotoScan app, then uploading them to Google’s Gemini AI and asking it to remove the person.

Jamie in San Dimas wants to cut down on butt dialing from his phone. Rich says you should lock your phone before putting it in your pocket or purse and turn off features like Raise to Wake and Return Missed Calls while Unlocked.

Clicks, the company known for physical smartphone keyboards, is now making a BlackBerry-style device called the Clicks Communicator.

Brian in Eau Claire, Wisconsin wants to know if there’s a way to run TurboTax desktop software on Windows 10. Rich mentioned FlyFin.

Samsung is bringing Google Photos to its 2026 lineup of TVs and some previous models eventually.

Mark Manson, bestselling author of The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fck*, will explain why so many people are turning to AI for personal advice and how his new app Purpose aims to do it more safely and responsibly.

Samsung is launching the Galaxy A17, a $200 smartphone that will receive six years of software updates.

Vivian in Menifee wants to know how to cut down on phishing emails. Rich suggested blocking the sender with filters, reporting the messages as spam, and turning off remote image loading in her email app.

Melissa in Los Angeles wants to copy old photos from floppy disks to her computer. Rich recommended buying a USB floppy drive from Amazon for around $20, then using a site like vert.sh to convert the files into modern formats and upload them to the cloud.

Darren asked if MissingMoney.com is legit. Yes, it’s a free, legitimate site backed by state governments and the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators to help people find unclaimed money.

Ellison asked about the website with discount codes for shopping sites. Rich said it’s SimplyCodes.com.

Sue wanted to know how to get photos from her computer onto her iPhone. Rich mentioned WALTR PRO for importing directly into the Photos app, plus apps like LocalSend and Blip.

Ramesh Srinivasan, UCLA professor and director of the UC Digital Cultures Lab, explores the intersection of technology and privacy.

There’s a hack that lets you chat with Google Gemini using only free in-flight Wi-Fi.

You can also use an Android phone to share a Wi-Fi connection with other devices.

Rich on Tech Weekly airs on KTLA+. You can download the app on Fire TV, Apple TV, Roku, and Samsung smart TVs.

Rich DeMuro brings you the latest tech news, helpful tips, gadget reviews, and more - plus interviews with industry experts - all in this weekly show.

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