Tips to Get Rid of Notifications on iPhone

Dear Ms. Smartphone: I got the latest iPhone and it came all set up since the store transferred everything from my old phone. But now, on the settings page there are brand new notifications to sign up for Emergency Warnings, the Apple Wallet, and Apple Care. I can’t delete any of these messages! They show…
Cars That Talk

Autonomous cars are coming for you soon, and they will be talking. While Google cars already display your personal initials in robo-taxi mode, they lack an advance dialogue to communicate with humans outside the vehicle. That will change. There is a new literacy about to spring forth in Google’s fleet. It’s called a “tertiary language.” …
From our Archives: The Best of DearSmartphone.

IS PRINT OR DIGITAL VERSION OF NEWSPAPER BETTER? Dear Ms. Smartphone: My teen daughter plans to read a newspaper every day this summer. Her English teacher suggested she do this. The past school year was tough (tenth grade). The grades went down and she had difficulty making friends. But, shame on us- we did not…
Telehealth for beginners

Many doctors offices now require patients to register through an online portal. Where will it take you?!
Clickbait for Kids?

Dear Ms. Smartphone: We have been eating a lot of Cheez-Its in our household because my nine -year- old wants to participate in an offer on the back of the box. It requires that we upload a picture of our purchase receipts or a QR code. For each box we buy, they send him a…
Medical ID on Lock Screen

My phone screen is locked. But I need to have peace of mind. How do I share my medical information and contacts in case of an emergency?
Smartphone for Bad Sense of Direction

Dear Ms. Smartphone: Do you think it’s ok for me to take a job driving Uber or Lyft even though I have a horrible sense of direction? I feel turned around and get lost very easily. My family always makes fun of this and acts surprised if I show up on time! I’ll have to…
Do Boaters Need Smartphones?

Dear Ms. Smartphone: I was having a drink at my favorite restaurant- it overlooks the Bay and we placed our order from tablets on each table. The wait staff was taking orders from a boat tied up to the dock. They called in from a built-in device that looked like a walkie-talkie on a cord.…
Reposting News too Fast?

Smartphones are useful in emergencies when the power fails. But Is it bad to be too fast when it comes to reposting? It’s important to think through the impacts..

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