Q. Where can I learn more about tech-related topics? I’m not interested in news as much as how-to guides and general knowledge.
A. There are so many options available online that finding gems can seem overwhelming. So I’m going to focus on a couple of sites that are well suited for helping my readers refresh their skills.
The first is TechBoomers, which has focused on tech for the last 10 years but recently changed their name to Tech Life Unity (techlifeunity.com).
Senior Planet is a site from AARP that hosts hundreds of video classes on topics ranging from becoming a gamer to navigating Medicare.
If you enjoy the kinds of articles I prepare each month, I’m confident you’ll find a great deal of useful information on these two standout sites.
Q. I used to be able to use my iPhone and AirPods Pro 2 as a makeshift hearing aid, but that option seems to have disappeared. Is there a way to get it working again?
A. Yes, there is. When I first wrote about AirPods Pro as hearing aids, it was possible using the right settings. But those settings were not obvious at the time.
Apple has revised the AirPods Pro 2 software a number of times since my first column on the subject, and those updates made big changes.
There are now more user settings for things like active noise cancellation, adaptive noise reduction, and hearing self-tests. The hearing test is quite easy and takes about five minutes. To start, ask Siri on the iPhone to “open hearing test” or open the built-in Apple health app and tap on the Hearing category.
Scroll down until it shows a button to take a hearing test. The test walks you through a series of steps to ensure the AirPods fit correctly, then it will play a series of tones in each ear and prompt for feedback. Once completed, the results will be presented on a chart.
If the test reveals some hearing loss, it will suggest enabling the AirPods Pro 2 to function as hearing aids. Another feature of the test is that it will offer to adjust the sound to be more balanced when playing media.
Unfortunately, there is no way to turn on the hearing aid mode, nor is there a foolproof way to confirm if your hardware supports this mode except to already own AirPods Pro 2 and see if the test appears in the health app.
I helped my mom set up her first AirPods last week, and a future column will recount her experiences. At this point, first impressions are that she is quite happy with being able to hear everyone in the car when she is in the back seat, and she is hoping that her ears will adjust to having an earbud inserted.
Q. The Apple Watch I bought last year did not include a blood oxygen sensor, although I could see where the same model sold outside the United States has one. Can I purchase a non-U.S. Apple Watch to use with my U.S.-based iPhone?
A. I do not know how well mixing hardware from different countries would work in practice, but I suspect it would be messy.
However, the good news is that thanks to a software update in early August, Apple re-enabled the oxygen sensor on models in the United States. If your watch has a hardware sensor, updating to iPhoneOS 18.6.1 and the watchOS to 11.6.1 will restore the functionality.
The feature was removed for some users about 18 months ago over a patent dispute, but the software update avoids the dispute and allows your watch to collect blood-oxygen data.
Wander the Web
Here are my picks for worthwhile browsing
this month:
A history of Mac settings
For longtime Mac fans, this page is a walk down memory lane. For everyone else, it is a powerful example of what system emulation can do. The “movies” in this essay are not movies—they are built with decades-old software running in emulation.
aresluna.org/frame-of-preference
Armchair aviation
This site will take a very long time to load, but after initial the black screen disappears you will be able to step through a photo gallery of various airports. randomairport.onrender.com
Sticks and more sticks
This Instagram page has 3.5 million followers who post photos and comment about wooden sticks. (Requires an Instagram account to view).
instagram.com/officialstickreviews/
Bob has been writing about technology for over three decades. He can be contacted at techtalk@bobdel.com.
