Technology

It is easier than ever to disable Location Sharing on your Android phone

Published

1 day ago

January 6, 2025

It is easier than ever to disable Location Sharing on your Android phone

Privacy is a growing concern, especially regarding location tracking. Google has taken steps to enhance your control over location sharing on your Android, making it simpler for you to manage who can see your whereabouts. Let’s dive into this new feature that Google is rolling out and how you can utilize it effectively. (iPhone users, follow these tips)

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Location Sharing on Android in settings (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

The new Location Sharing toggle

Google has introduced a new “Google Location Sharing” toggle that is now integrated directly into the Android settings. This update eliminates the need to navigate through Google Maps to manage your Location Sharing preferences. The new feature is part of the latest updates to Google Play Services and is designed to simplify and enhance your control over location sharing.

What Location Sharing means

Before you toggle this off, let’s take a moment to understand why you might want it on and what happens when you turn it off.

Imagine this: You’re meeting a friend in a busy city, and instead of sending a dozen texts back and forth, they can simply see your real-time location on Google Maps. That’s the power of location sharing. It allows you to share your exact position with specific contacts, along with useful details like your device’s battery level or your estimated arrival time if you’re navigating.

But when location sharing is off, your movements stay private. No one can track where you are, and your personal information is better protected from potential misuse. Apps and services lose access to your location data, which not only boosts your privacy but can also save battery life by cutting down on background tracking.

So, before deciding, think about what fits your needs best: staying connected or staying private.

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Supported devices and software

The feature is primarily available on Android smartphones, including popular models from brands such as the Google Pixel series (e.g., Pixel 6, Pixel 7), Samsung Galaxy series (e.g., Galaxy S21, Galaxy S23) and other manufacturers that run stock or near-stock Android versions. Certain Android tablets that support the latest versions of the operating system may also have access to this feature. The Location Sharing toggle is part of recent updates to the Android OS, specifically through Google Play Services. You should ensure your devices are running at least Android 12 or later to access this functionality effectively.

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How to update the latest software on your device

Ready to upgrade? Here’s how to do it, but first back up your device data (just in case):

Settings may vary depending on your Android phone’s manufacturer.

Go to Settings
Click System
Tap Software updates
Then click System Update
If available, tap Download and install
Wait for the download to complete and your device to restart

Steps to update software on Android (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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How to disable Location Sharing on Android

Settings may vary depending on your Android phone’s manufacturer.

Open the Settings app on your phone
Scroll down and click Location
Toggle off where it says Use Location so it turns gray. This will disable location sharing on your Android.

Steps to disable Location Sharing on Android (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

The benefits of enhanced location control

1) Improved privacy management

This new feature not only simplifies turning off location sharing but also enhances privacy management by providing transparency about who can track you. You can now feel more secure knowing you have control over your shared information, which is particularly beneficial in situations where privacy is paramount.

2) Easier communication with trusted contacts

Location sharing can be very useful for coordinating meetups, ensuring safety during travel or simply letting loved ones know you’ve arrived safely. Now, we have shown you how to disable location sharing, but here’s how you can share your real-time location with trusted contacts using Google Maps when Use Location is toggled on.

Launch the Google Maps app on your Android device
Tap your profile picture or initial in the top right corner
Then select Location sharing

Steps to share your real-time location using Google Maps on Android (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Tap on Share location, or it might say New share
Decide how long you want to share your location (options range from 15 minutes to “Until you turn this off”)
Choose the contacts you want to share your location with from the list. If they don’t appear, tap More to find them.
If sharing with someone who doesn’t have a Google account, tap Copy to clipboard and paste the link into a text message or email.
Tap Share to send your location

Steps to share your real-time location using Google Maps on Android (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Remember that people you share your location with can always see:

Your name and photo
Your device’s recent location, even when you’re not using a Google service
Your device’s battery power and if it’s charging
Your arrival and departure time, if they add a Location Sharing notification

They may also see other info depending on how you’re sharing. Learn more about Location Sharing.

Illustration of what people you share your location with can always see (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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Kurt’s key takeaways

Google’s new “Google Location Sharing” toggle, now integrated into Android settings, simplifies and enhances your control over location sharing. With this feature, Google is striking a balance between convenience and robust privacy management, making it a welcome improvement for Android users.

Have you ever had a situation where turning your location sharing on or off was crucial? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.

For more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to Cyberguy.com/Newsletter.

Ask Kurt a question or let us know what stories you’d like us to cover.

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Answers to the most asked CyberGuy questions:

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Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on “FOX & Friends.” Got a tech question? Get Kurt’s free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.

Technology

The maker of the electric USPS truck is also building garbage robots and EV firefighters

Published

6 hours ago

January 7, 2025

Press Room

The maker of the electric USPS truck is also building garbage robots and EV firefighters

Oshkosh, the 108-year-old American company that makes military vehicles and other specialty equipment, has big plans for your neighborhood.

The company appeared at CES in Las Vegas for the first time to announce a raft of new commercial electric vehicles, including plug-in fire engines and garbage trucks as well as AI-powered technology that it says will make these vehicles safer and more convenient.

You may know Oshkosh, which has a lot of credibility as a defense contractor, from its contract with the United States Postal Service to build the first all-electric postal truck. Last year, The Washington Post reported that the project was mired in delays, with only 93 trucks delivered to the USPS as of November.

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Oshkosh’s new AI-powered garbage truck and HARR-E garbage robot

Image: Oshkosh

But despite these delays, Oshkosh thinks it’s well positioned to help build these next-generation specialty vehicles and says it plans to eventually deliver 165,000 vehicles to USPS, up to 70 percent of which will be electric. The company also announced plans to build a variety of electric and autonomous vehicles for airports, including a robot cargo handler and EVs for construction sites.

But the “neighborhood” EVs, as Oshkosh calls them, stand the chance to be the most visible and impactful — if the company can get them built.

The first vehicle to be announced today is the McNeilus Volterra ZFL, an all-electric front-loader garbage truck with an AI-powered detection system for refuse bins. The sensors detect the location of the garbage cans and communicate with the truck to ensure it’s positioned accurately. Then a robotic arm is deployed to snag the bin and lift it for trash disposal. Oshkosh is also rolling out a new AI-powered, vision-based contamination system to identify and remove items that don’t belong in the waste or recycling streams.

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The company has a range of specialized EVs, including garbage trucks, mail delivery trucks, and fire engines.

Image: Oshkosh

Speaking of robots, Oshkosh has introduced HARR-E, an autonomous electric refuse collection robot that purports to offer on-demand trash and recycling pickup via a smartphone app or virtual home assistant like Amazon Alexa.

The robot “makes trash removal as easy as ordering an Uber or a Lyft right from your home,” said Jay Iyengar, Oshkosh’s chief technology officer. HARR-E deploys from a central refuse collection area within the neighborhood and navigates to the resident’s home autonomously for collection before returning to the base to unload and recharge.

“Trash removal as easy as ordering an Uber or a Lyft right from your home”

For firefighters, Oshkosh is introducing a new Collision Avoidance Mitigation System, or CAMS, that aims to tell emergency workers when it’s safe to get out of their vehicles. According to Iyengar, “CAMS uses an advanced camera and radar sensor suite with AI to accurately detect the trajectory, the speed and proximity of ongoing vehicles relative to a parked emergency vehicle. CAMS can provide up to two to three seconds of advanced notice of an impending collision, giving an extra layer of safety during roadside operations.”

It’s an ambitious suite of technologies. Oshkosh says it’s up to the task. But political headwinds, including President-elect Donald Trump’s promises to eliminate billions of dollars in EV incentives, could make success more difficult.

Despite this, Oshkosh executives tried to project a sunny outlook. “The reviews on the first vehicle are fantastic,” Oshkosh CEO John Pfeifer said of the new USPS delivery truck. “It’s been written up in a lot of publications about the postal carrier’s responses to the first vehicles. But it’s going exceptionally well.”

Technology

Lost your contacts on your phone? Here's how to get them back

Published

6 hours ago

January 7, 2025

Press Room

Lost your contacts on your phone? Here's how to get them back

As high-tech and advanced as all our modern mobile devices are, there’s no way of getting around basic user errors. Luckily, the makers of your mobile devices kept such errors in mind. That is why we were eager to respond to Lynne’s question about how to restore a deleted contact on your mobile device.

“I must have ‘FAT’ fingers, as I accidentally deleted information in my contacts. I had typed in a couple of other contact phone numbers. But guess I accidentally deleted these. I would [like] to get this information back. I am guessing I am asking for a miracle.” — Lynne P. of Lakewood Ranch, Florida

There are several options or methods to restore your contact information on an iPhone or Android, so it is easy to find a solution that should work for you.

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A woman looking at her phone after losing her contacts (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

How to restore your contacts

Luckily, the makers of iPhones and Android phones understood that mistakes happen and contacts can be erased by accident. Below are ways to restore your contacts on an iPhone or Android phone:

How to restore your contacts on an iPhone or a Mac

There are two resources for iPhone owners in order to restore contacts: via iCloud or iTunes Backup. Before attempting to restore your contacts, back up your iPhone so you have recourse if you lose data.

Restore contacts with iCloud:

Steps to restore contacts with iCloud (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Type “iCloud.com” in the search bar of your web browser.

Steps to restore contacts with iCloud (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Input the email address used to start your iCloud account. This is usually the same email you use for your Apple ID.
Input your password (unless you use a passkey)
There may be a two-step authentication process to verify your identity. You’ll be asked to allow or disallow verification on a secondary device. If so, select Allow.
Then enter the passcode provided on this secondary device.

Steps to restore contacts with iCloud (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Once logged in to your iCloud account, select the menu icon in the upper right corner.

Steps to restore contacts with iCloud (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

In the drop-down menu, select Data Recovery
Select Restore Contacts

Steps to restore contacts with iCloud (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

In the next window, you will have restore date options. Select Restore next to the date before your contact was erased.
You will be asked to confirm by selecting Restore again. After the contacts are restored, you will get a notification on iCloud.com and whatever email address is associated with your Apple ID.

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Restore contacts with iTunes:

If you have not enabled iCloud to back up your contacts, you may be able to restore contacts with iTunes.

Connect your iPhone to your PC using the power cable provided by Apple.
If iTunes does not automatically open on your desktop, open iTunes on your computer.
In the iTunes app, click the Device button.
Click Info
Select items you want to sync from this backup to your iPhone (Contacts), then click Apply.

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How to restore your contacts on an Android

There are two resources Android users can use to restore contacts: Google Contacts or Device settings. Before attempting to restore your contacts, back up your Android so you have recourse if you lose data.

Restore contacts with Google Contacts:

Settings may vary depending on your Android phone’s manufacturer.

Steps to restore contacts on Android (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

On your web browser, go to contacts.google.com and log into your Google account.
Select the three-line icon in the top left corner

Steps to restore contacts on Android (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Select the Trash or bin icon
You should see the contact you deleted.
If you hover your mouse over the contact you want to restore, you will see an option to select Recover to the right of the contact’s information. Select Recover.

Restore contacts with Device Settings:

Settings may vary depending on your Android phone’s manufacturer.

On your Android, open Settings
Tap Google
Tap Set up & restore
Tap Restore contacts
Tap From account to choose the Google account you want to restore.
Tap the phone with the contacts you want to copy.
Choose the source you want to copy: Turn on or off SIM card or Device storage.
Tap Restore
You will get a “Contacts restored” notification when the process has concluded.

Please note: Only contacts that aren’t already on your phone will be restored.

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Kurt’s key takeaways

While it is ideal if you never make a mistake while using your mobile devices, accidents do happen and contacts do get deleted accidentally. That’s why the makers of iPhones and Android devices have multiple ways you can restore contacts on your phone. Following these easy steps outlined above gives you the ability to rectify that situation quickly. It is best to make sure that your mobile devices are being backed up either to the cloud or physically to a computer or hard drive backup so that there is a source from which to restore your contacts. Additionally, should anything go awry when you’re doing the restoration process, you have the ability to recover lost data. Accidents happen, but practicing safe data hygiene prevents them from becoming a lost cause or needing a miracle.

Have you ever accidentally deleted a contact on your mobile device? How did you recover that contact information? Are your contacts backed up anywhere? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.

For more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to Cyberguy.com/Newsletter.

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Answers to the most asked CyberGuy questions:

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Technology

Sony is giving the PS5’s accessories an all-black makeover

Published

13 hours ago

January 7, 2025

Press Room

Sony is giving the PS5’s accessories an all-black makeover

You can finally make your PS5 gaming set up all black everything. Sony has announced that it will soon release the rest of the PS5 suite of accessories in the midnight black colorway.

Sony’s offering the Dual Sense Edge Controller, the Pulse wireless headphones and earbuds, and the PlayStation Portal in sleek and sexy midnight black to match the PS5 cover and Dual Sense controller it released back in 2021.

PlayStation’s website has the details on pricing for the electronics with pre-orders starting on January 16th.

If you’d rather wait, the accessories will hit retailers on February 20th.