9 Apple AirPods tricks you’ll wish you knew before now

Kim Komando, Special to USA TODAY Published 5:00 a.m. ET Jan. 9, 2020 | Updated 5:00 a.m. ET Jan. 23, 2020

AirPods were a holiday season top seller, and if you haven't already cut the cord on your earbuds, you can expect to do so soon. Small, sleek, and Bluetooth-enabled, AirPods have turned regular old earphones into dynamic devices in their own right, and they have only improved with each generation.

Yet, many people are concerned that AirPods may cause cancer since they are embedded within one's ear canal, directly exposing the inner ear to EMF radiation. The proximity to the brain is also alarming to many scientists. Tap or click here to read the research 250 scientists presented to the United Nations and World Health Organization.

The earbuds are pricey, retailing from $159 to $259 on Apple’s site. But one clever Redditor built his own Airpods using parts purchased on eBay. Tap or click here to learn how he made AirPods for $4.

If you’re new to AirPods, here are 9 helpful tips that will enhance your auditory experience. I bet you’ll find more than one on this list you’ll use time and time again.

1. Use only one pod when in a pinch

Although you can expect your AirPods to last several hours on a single charge, here's a clever, quick fix for when you're in a battery pinch. Leave one AirPod in the charging case while you use the other. Swap them when necessary.

2. Put Siri to work for you

If you installed the latest operating system, Siri can read your incoming messages via your AirPods, using nothing but your voice. After listening to your messages, you also have the option to reply to texts with a voice command.

The latest models of AirPods let you summon Siri with the simple “Hey Siri” command. You can request Siri to help with any number of additional tasks, such as change songs, turn up the volume or get the weather forecast.

Do proceed with caution, though. Apple gives you the option to disable Siri’s audio collection. Tap or click here to learn which privacy setting you must change to keep Siri from spying on you.

iPhones top tech seller for 2019: But AirPods the hit

3. Easily connect your AirPods to your various devices

Users routinely connect their AirPods to their iPhone, Macbook, iPad, and Apple Watch simultaneously. AirPods automatically switch audio between the two devices. But there may be occasions you want to put down your iPhone and use your AirPods to listen to the audio from your Mac or iPad.

The transition requires little effort if you pair your AirPods with your iPhone first. That’s the trick. This process connects the headset to your Apple account, which will allow the buds to work across all of your Apple devices.

To switch up devices open Control Center (swipe down the home screen on iPhone X or newer and swipe up on an iPhone 8 or older). Press down on the audio card in the upper right corner of Music and tap on the device you want to use.

4. Share the AirPod love

Because AirPods are wireless, you can opt to share the earbuds with someone else when listening to music or watching a movie. Even if you receive a phone call while sharing your earbuds, you both can hear the phone conversation. Do keep in mind because only one mic is active at a time; only one person can speak to the caller.

5. Find your lost AirPod

AirPods are super easy to lose. If you need to replace one AirPod, a 2nd gen is $69 each, and an individual AirPod Pro is $89. Make it routine that when you are done using your AirPods, you drop them directly back into its charging case. Knowing that might not always happen, it's essential to take precautionary steps now.

If you have the “Find my iPhone” feature activated on your portable device and have paired it with your AirPods, you can also use this feature to locate your lost earbuds. When you need to find missing AirPods, go into your iPhone Settings, and tap your name. Click Find My and enable Find My iPhone and Send Last Location.

6. Know who’s calling without looking

Thanks to your AirPods and Siri, you can hear who is calling without needing to check your iPhone. To enable this feature, go into your iPhone Settings and tap on Phone, then tap Announce Calls and select Always. Nice.

7. Use your AirPods with non-Apple products

Despite what you may think, AirPods are not exclusive to Apple products. You can use your earbuds with other iOS gear not logged into an iCloud account or with Android devices.

With your AirPods in the closed case, open the lid, press and hold down the pairing button on the back of the case. Launch the Bluetooth settings on your device, the select AirPods to confirm pairing. To re-pair with your iPhone when done, reselect AirPods within your iPhone’s Bluetooth settings.

If you’re wondering how AirPods compare to Bose, Beats, Echo and Sony’s similar products, tap or click here for my complete buying guide.

8. Turn your AirPods into a makeshift hearing aid

If you have ever had difficulty hearing someone during a conversation, AirPods can be your on-demand hearing aid. Apple introduced a feature, starting with iOS 12, called Live Listen. Once set up, you can place your iPhone closer to the person you want to hear, and the AirPods will produce clearer audio for you.

To set up this feature, go into your iPhone Settings and click Control Center. Select Customize Controls and tap the plus sign next to Hearing. When ready, place the AirPods in your ears, and either swipe down your iPhone X (or newer) home screen or up on an iPhone 8 or older and click the ear icon. Tap Live Listen.

9. Customize how you use your AirPods

Although the default double-tap settings on your AirPods are functional as is, you may wish to change them. It’s easy to customize both the double-tap or press-and-hold settings for either earbud.

With your AirPods connected to your iPhone or iPad, go into Settings and select Bluetooth. Click on the “i” icon next to your AirPods and choose the left or right to make changes. Options include play, pause, play genre and skip to next track.

Learn about all the latest technology on the Kim Komando Show, the nation's largest weekend radio talk show. Kim takes calls and dispenses advice on today's digital lifestyle, from smartphones and tablets to online privacy and data hacks. For her daily tips, free newsletters and more, visit her website at Komando.com.

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7 digital privacy tricks you’ll wish you knew before now

We surround ourselves with devices. Our cars respond to us. Our smart TVs listen to us. Every camera in every tablet and laptop is a potential spying device. Even when we're alone, miles from the nearest human, our phones are gateways to the universe, just waiting to share everything it knows.

To protect our privacy and stay safe from hackers, we have to remain vigilant. That's why I recommend people use a VPN. If you’re not sure how they work, watch this quick YouTube tip on my channel.

There are many other tricks for keeping our personal data away from snoops and hackers. Most of them have to do with changing your default settings, which you should assume are not set in your favor. Other techniques might require a little more work, but you’ll probably find yourself grateful that you took the extra steps.

Look at each trick, and if you want more details, I have provided a link to the step-by-step instructions on my site.

1. Protect your Airdrop function

For Mac users, AirDrop is an incredibly convenient way to share large files with nearby devices. It’s so convenient that trolls can send you all kinds of unwanted files, filling your hard drive with junk – or worse. This is especially common in airports, malls or other crowded places where gadgets are being used in the same area at the same time.

To protect yourself, you’ll want to change the default AirDrop settings. You can restrict AirDrop access to people in your contacts. You can also turn it off altogether. You can even decline the files that people send you.

Tap or click here to learn exactly how to modify your AirDrop settings.

2. Remove yourself from Family Tree Now

The original purpose of Family Tree Now was to connect people to their distant relatives, thanks to comprehensive genealogical information. The site started raising eyebrows when people discovered their home addresses listed, along with directions for how to get there. Strangers may also lookup your telephone number and other personal details.

Most people leave a digital footprint. But Family Tree Now feels particularly invasive, and luckily, there’s something you can do about it: there’s a special Opt-Out Page, and if you follow the instructions, Family Tree Now should be able to process your request within 48 hours.

Tap or click here to learn how to precisely delete yourself from this scary site.

3. Wipe the computer in your car

Your car knows a great deal about you, and if your car connects to your phone, it may contain a treasure trove of contacts, preferences, and navigational data that you’ve never even thought about. This is a problem if you’re selling or trading in your vehicle; the smarter your car, the more likely it is that vulnerable information will fall into the wrong hands.

Some of this data should be obvious such as old apps, but others less so: You may have garage doors codes programmed into your vehicle, which could prove very valuable to a cyber-criminal with a penchant for burglary.

Tap or click here for five ways to clear your data from your car.

4. Protect your privacy on Nextdoor

Nextdoor is a terrific site for keeping up with neighborhood news, including changes to services and an uptick in street crimes. It's an easy way for neighbors to contact each other, make announcements, or just share useful information.

But Nextdoor isn’t very well monitored, and when arguments ensue – as often happens between neighbors – things can get heated, quickly. Because you literally live near the people you’re communicating with, a bad disagreement can get personal, and many users report bullying tactics. You may avoid Nextdoor for this very reason, but the best tactic is to make sure your street address is not listed. That will prevent people from quickly identifying where you are on the block and venting in person.

Tap or click here for more tips to protecting your privacy on Nextdoor.

5. Vet links before you click on them

Clicking on a link is almost as natural as breathing, which is one reason viruses and ransomware spread so quickly. A credible-looking link can cause a lot of problems for your computer; in fact, you can wreck an entire network, including large businesses, by following the wrong link.

If you receive a link and you’ve done everything you can to confirm it’s legit – including googling the sender, the web address and any other contextual information – you can also vet the link through services like ScanURL. This website will determine the owner of the link, whether it’s been reported and a final recommendation for visiting.

Tap or click here for other services that will help you determine the safety of a given link.

6. Wrap your car keys in aluminum foil

Like tinfoil hats, wrapping your car keys in tinfoil might sound like a conspiracy theory. In this case, it's not; cyber-criminals often can remotely decrypt your key, which in turn enables them to break into your car. Think about it: no forced entry, no stolen purse, no broken glass, just a vanished car without any explanation.

Data thieves might also be able to intercept this data by idling outside your house while you sleep. How do you protect your wireless lock then? There are a few interesting ways, one of which involves a regular old microwave.

Tap or click here for other methods to protect your wireless car key.

7. Stop Alexa, Siri and Google Home from listening to you

This trick is a tough one because virtual assistants are designed to listen to your every word. Without hearing a “wake phrase,” they won’t even function the way they were intended to. So unless you want your Echo or Home to turn into a regular Bluetooth speaker system, your best bet is to keep them turned on, or just avoid the smart home speaker revolution altogether.

That said, you can stop all these devices from recording your voice. After all, developers end up compiling all those recordings and storing them for their own purposes, and you have every right to delete those files. The purpose of those recordings is pretty benign; developers claim that they want to help refine the software. But if you’re satisfied with how the gadgets operated when they came out of the box (as many of us are), you can delete those records by digging into your settings – and end the recordings for good.

Tap or click here for six ways to stop your devices from recording you.

What digital lifestyle questions do you have? Call Kim’s national radio show and tap or click here to find it on your local radio station. You can listen to or watch the Kim Komando Show on your phone, tablet, television or computer. Or tap or click here for Kim’s free podcasts.

Community invited to free play

The story of Aladdin is one of the most known and loved narratives in literature. It’s the tale of a true classic “rags to riches” story about a young man who learns a very valuable lesson.

West County students are bringing Disney’s “Aladdin KIDS” to the elementary school’s stage this Thursday and Friday at 7 p.m. each evening. Members of the community are invited to attend this free event.

This 30-minute musical is designed for school-aged performers and is based on the 1992 Disney film.

The story begins when lamp vendors tell the tale of the lamp and how it changes the life of Aladdin and Jasmine. They’re then joined by the citizens of Agrabah for the opening song of “Arabian Night.” That’s how it begins that a dusty old lamp changes the life of a young man and a princess.

Jasmine, Princess of Agrabah, argues with Sultan over the ancient law which requires that she immediately marry a prince. There are royal princes who want to marry Jasmine, but she sends them away. She’s not interested in marrying unless it’s for love.

Jafar, the scheming Royal Vizier, desperately wants to claim the throne so he seeks the magic lamp. But the cave guardian denies Jafar because only Aladdin can enter.

Later in the marketplace, Aladdin steals a loaf of bread and hides from the vendors to avoid being caught. He runs into Jasmine, who has run away from the palace. Both Aladdin and Jasmine are caught by the guards. Aladdin is immediately thrown into a skeleton-filled dungeon.

Jafar then tricks Aladdin into entering the cave so Jafar can get the lamp, but Aladdin becomes trapped inside. He rubs the lamp. Suddenly a magical genie appears on a magic carpet and grants him three wishes.

Aladdin’s first two wishes are to get out of the cave and to become a prince. But his second wish doesn’t work out like he’d hoped. And he only has one wish left.

For those who don’t know how the story ends, they will definitely want to catch one of the two free performances this week in West County Elementary’s gymnasium.

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The musical promises plenty of entertainment with lots of laughter and great music by a talented cast of kids.

This adaptation of the beloved classic story will show the audience “a whole new world.”

In addition to learning their lines, songs, staging and choreography, students have also learned what it means to make a commitment of a large cast with weekly and some weekend practices.

Drew Hartenberger, K-5 music teacher at West County, is director of the musical. She said this musical has been quite a journey.

“I am very proud of the kids because they have worked so hard,” said Hartenberger. “This is the most students we have ever had involved in a musical before, which comes with its own challenges and joys.”

She said she is so proud of “each and every student and their devotion to producing an amazing production.”

Lisa Puller has worked as assistant director of the musical. West County High School freshman Maddie Little is choreographer. Jason Slusser does light and sound for the production.

Cast members for Disney’s “Aladdin KIDS” include Kaiden White, Aladdin; Aliza Reid, Genie; Konner White, Jafar; Lauren Jackson, Jasmine; Lilly Steinmetz, Iago; Kenny Godat, Sultan; Emma Ruble, Sarah Hurd and Avigail Kahapea, lamp vendors; Molli Reid, cave guardian; Rylee Ross, bread vendor; Nikalas Schilly, Prince Abdulah and guard; Bennett Brown, Prince Hassim and guard; Blane Lashley, Prince Malik and guard; Autumn Evans, guard 1; Bailey Whited, guard 2; Hayley Mann, guard 3; Alyssa Jones, guard 4; Kiley White, guard; Reina Myers, Avis (magic carpet); Reid Barlow, Abu (monkey); Reece Hobbs, Raja (tiger); Mikayla Blanks, Abagale Reid, Peyton Robinson, Lilly Lee and Rylee Jones, Kaitlyn Whited and Elizabeth Williamson, skeletons; and Jewel Williams, Grace Walton, Marley Seward, Emma White, Payton Phillips and Kairi Stamelos, Djinn.

West County Elementary is located at 625 Chariton Avenue.

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