Smart Phone Tips Archives - Rick's Daily Tips

How to give your Google account a quick ‘Security Checkup’

Posted on March 30, 2026

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Do you have a Google account?

Chances are you do, even if you don’t realize it. Here are a few questions…

Do you use Gmail?

Do you sign into YouTube to watch videos?

Do you use Google Maps?

Do you use an Android smartphone?

Do you use any Google service or product that isn’t listed above?

If the answer to one or more of those questions is yes, then you do have a Google account. [Read more…]

How to block unknown callers on your smartphone

Posted on March 22, 2026

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Do you receive a lot of calls from people who aren’t on your Contacts list?

If so you’ve probably discovered that most of those “unknown callers” are telemarketers, scammers or other folks you’d simply rather not talk to.

The good news? It’s possible to block calls from anyone who isn’t on your Contacts list, and it’s very easy to do (especially if you have an iPhone).

[Read more…]

How to disable all apps, games, game requests and app notifications on Facebook

Posted on March 17, 2026

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Lots of folks love playing games and using apps on Facebook, but many others would rather drink a glass of spoiled milk through a dirty straw.

If you fall into the last group you probably aren’t all that thrilled to see a game or app invitation pop up in your notifications area.

As luck would have it, you can easily disable all apps and games as well as block all game and app invitations/notifications, now and forever. [Read more…]

How to interpret the results of an Internet speed test

Posted on March 14, 2026

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Regular readers of this blog know I’ve written several posts about the importance of occasionally running an Internet speed test.

In a nutshell, these tests allow you to monitor the speed and reliability of your Internet connection and also make sure you’re getting the download and upload speeds you’re paying for every month.

Since several people have asked me how to interpret the scores they receive when they run a test, I thought it might be a good idea to write up the answer in a stand-alone blog post.

[Read more…]

How (and when) to boot your Android device into Safe Mode

Posted on March 6, 2026

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If you’re a Windows or Mac user you probably know that restarting your computer in Safe Mode is a great way to troubleshoot software problems that are difficult to track down when everything but the kitchen sink is running on the machine.

In a nutshell, booting a device into Safe Mode ensures that only the most essential parts of the operating system and the most basic hardware drivers are loaded into memory to make it easier to track down those most stubborn issues.

Luckily, Android devices can be booted into Safe Mode as well. [Read more…]