Stop getting unwanted email
How to reclaim your inbox from junk email
Plus: New iPhone and Samsung phones, a restaurant bookmarker, and reader Q&A
Jared Newman | Hey there! I’m Jared Newman, a longtime tech journalist, and you’re reading the free edition of Advisorator, my weekly tech advice newsletter. Did someone share this newsletter with you? Sign up to get it every Tuesday.
Last week, a longtime Advisorator member cancelled their subscription because they’re overwhelmed by too much email.
It’s a bummer, but I get it. Email is one of the best ways to reach people without depending on search or social media algorithms. While it’s allowed me to build a couple of vibrant tech publications without having to chase clicks every week, it’s also been abused by every company that wants to sell you stuff.
Cutting down on those unwanted emails is easier than you might think, though. Whether it’s marketing junk, social media updates, or even (gulp) a no-longer-desired newsletter, here are some quick ways to get yourself off those mailing lists …
This week’s feature story on how to clean your inbox of unwanted mail is for Advisorator’s paying members. Subscribe for the full story →
News in brief
iPhone 17e: Apple’s upgrading its cheapest iPhone. Compared to the iPhone 16e, the new 17e has a faster processor, a more scratch-resistant screen, better object detection for portrait photos, and twice the base storage at 256 GB. Just like pricier iPhones, it also now MagSafe with 15W wireless charging, so you can snap it to magnetic chargers, power banks, and other accessories even without a MagSafe case. If you’re curious how it compares to the regular iPhone 17, check out Apple’s comparison chart.
The price is unchanged from the iPhone 16e at $599, so the RAM shortage hasn’t dinged Apple’s iPhone line just yet. Pre-orders start Wednesday with shipping a week later.
Galaxy S26: Samsung’s flagship phone range, meanwhile, is getting low-light photography improvements, faster charging, and faster processors. The Galaxy S26 Ultra also features a new “Privacy Display” setting that prevents people around you from peeking at your screen, and it’s switching from titanium back to a lighter aluminum chassis. (Samsung now says aluminum is more durable as well, despite having said the same about titanium two years ago.)
Of course, Samsung remains fully aboard the AI hype train. The Galaxy S26 lets you bounce between different three AI assistants—Gemini, Perplexity, and Samsung’s own Bixby agent—which sounds overly complicated to me. The more interesting AI features aren’t related to virtual assistants at all: There’s a much-improved document scanning feature built into the camera, plus a new “Audio Eraser” feature that cuts background noise in apps like YouTube and Netflix. Rich DeMuro has a nice overview of these features and more.
Unfortunately, prices are going up by $100 for the S26 and S26+, now priced at $900 and $1,100 respectively (albeit with twice the base storage at 256 GB), while the S26 Ultra will still cost $1,300. The major U.S. carriers are still willing to eat those costs in exchange for long-term service agreements, but those who prefer unlocked phones will pay the price.
More news and reads:
- Apple’s new M4 iPad Air has faster processors, more RAM, and (surprisingly) the same prices.
- Apple also announcing new Macs (with higher prices) as I write this. I’ll circle back with details next week.
- Qualcomm’s new wearable chip could be a big upgrade for non-Apple watches.
- 1Password follows Bitwarden in raising prices: $48 per year for individuals (was $36), $72 per year for families (was $60).
- Motorola’s Razr Fold looks like a compelling alternative to Samsung’s Fold series.
- Wired’s Simon Hill has a nice story on minimizing mass surveillance while using a doorbell cam. (Thanks, Charlie M.!)
Try this app
Restaurant bookmarker: SpotSavor is a free app for remembering the restaurants that come up in your Instagram or TikTok feeds. When you see a post that tickles your tastebuds, do the following:
- Take a screenshot of the post (power and volume up).
- Hit the checkmark and select “Copy and delete.”
- Open SpotSavor and hit the “+” button.
- Hit the “Paste” button and let the app access your clipboard.
SpotSavor will automatically fill in the restaurant name, location, and dish details using on-device AI. Then you can save it and see it on a map. I just wish the app used the iOS Share menu to streamline the steps above.
Spend wisely
Hey folks, as I mentioned last week, I’m starting to include affiliate links in this one section of the newsletter. These can earn me a commission if you wind up purchasing something. You can read more about my rationale here. Thanks to everyone who sent feedback, all in approval so far.
The Apple Watch Series 11 is back to $300 and up at Best Buy and Amazon, and you know what that means: Open-box models are even cheaper. For instance, you can get the Apple Watch Series 11 (black, 42mm) in like-new condition for $228, which is $172 off the regular price.
See a full list of open-box options here (but make sure to click the different color options for each model), or see brand-new options here.
Other notable deals:
- Anker’s desktop charging station with two retractable USB-C cables returns to a record-low $60. We have one of these on our living room side table.
- The same charger is $54 for Costco members. (Must sign in via this page first, then return to the product page.)
- First-gen AirTags are still $17 for one, $64 for four.
- The 15-inch portable monitor I mentioned last week is still on sale for $40.
- Google’s Pixel 10 returns to $599 Black Friday pricing, $200 off the list price.
- 13-inch M5 iPad Pro for $1,012 open-box at Best Buy, $287 less than new.
Ask Me Anything!
March is here, which means it’s time for a new monthly Ask Me Anything thread in the Tech Buds forum. I’ve answered all kinds of great reader questions over the past month and am looking forward to tackling more for Advisorator members.
A few lightly-paraphrased highlights from February’s thread:
Mike K. asks:
I’m interested in your perspective on ripping CDs on Windows … I’ve started decluttering, and I’d like to eliminate the physical discs. Any advice welcome!
I use a free program called fre:ac. Here’s a relevant Advisorator issue on digitizing your discs.
Virgil M. asks:
Is there a way to lock the widgets in place on the iPhone home screen? They keep moving around by accident when the screen is touched and the minus bar appears.
Unfortunately not that I’m aware of. One thing you could try instead is changing how long it takes for press-and-hold actions to register on the iPhone. This could cut down on accidentally long-pressing the home screen and invoking the edit menu.
Head to Settings > Accessibility > Haptic Touch, then select “Slow.”
Robert L. asks:
I don’t see you discuss Google Chromebooks often. Are they still a thing?
Chromebooks are in a weird state right now as Google seems to be putting all its energy into a desktop/laptop version of Android, which may debut this year. Chromebooks aren’t going away anytime soon given all the adoption in the education world, but it wouldn’t surprise me if they entered a kind of long-term maintenance mode at some point.
That said, I did buy my nine-year-old daughter a refurbished Chromebook for Hanukkah. The price was right and it’s what she already knows from school. I floated the idea of a Windows PC and she said “it might be too complicated.” 😂
To join the conversation, become a paying Advisorator member. You’ll get access to my friendly Tech Buds forum—including my monthly Ask Me Anything threads—along with the full version of this newsletter.
Thanks for reading! Catch you next week.
Until then,
Jared
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