The New York Times - Personal Tech

1. How to Add Extra Security Layers to Your Phone or Tablet

   New features in Apple’s iOS 18 and Google’s Android 15 can lock up apps with sensitive information and even hide them from view.

2. How Technology and Loneliness are Interlinked

   Technology and loneliness are interlinked, researchers have found, stoked by the ways we interact with social media, text messaging and binge-watching.

3. How to Use Images From Your Phone to Search the Web

   If you’re not sure how to describe what you want with keywords, use your camera or photo library to get those search results.

4. Hate Noisy Restaurants? Stick This in Your Ear.

   Apple earbuds and others can help you hear dining companions. Here’s how to use them.

5. This $350 Oura Ring 4 Tracks Your Sleep. Is It Worth the Splurge?

   The $350 Oura Ring 4 looks sleek and cool, and it may be useful for data-hungry health enthusiasts. But it failed this sleep-deprived parent.

6. Can You Turn Off Google and Meta’s A.I. Tools? Sometimes, and Here’s How.

   Google, Microsoft and Meta are shoving A.I. chatbots into our faces. Sometimes, there’s a way out.

7. Apple’s A.I. Is Landing Soon on iPhones. Here’s What It’s Like.

   The initial version of Apple Intelligence focuses on helping you with words and photos. Prepare to be impressed and unnerved.

8. Tips for Easier and Faster Typing on Your Smartphone

   Shortcuts, small external keyboards and even improved (and free) dictation software can make long sessions of text input much simpler.

9. Why Foldable Smartphones Are Worth Considering

   New devices from Motorola and Google prove that phones with bendable screens keep getting better — and some are even becoming cheaper.

10. How to Get A.I. Features on an Older iPhone Model (and Skip the Upgrade)

    Apple is using Apple Intelligence, a suite of tools for generating images and text, to upsell the iPhone 16. But you can get similar features elsewhere.