Technologies

Sick of NameDrop? Here’s How to Disable It

NameDrop can get kind of annoying. Here’s how you can shut it off for good.

Meeting a new friend is always fun, but swapping your contact with a new pal can get tedious, especially if you’re meeting a new group of friends. While iOS 17’s NameDrop feature set out to make the contact-swapping process easier, but I’ve recently found that my phone attempts to NameDrop my contact information to my friends when our phones are near one another, which can become irksome quickly.

NameDrop has had iPhone fans split since the feature was introduced. Some people enjoy the ease of being able to simply raise their phone to share their contact info with others, but others are wary. Specifically, there’s been concern about contact information being accidentally shared — or even worse, stolen.

Read on to find out your options for NameDrop management.

For more, here’s how to fix the most annoying iOS 17 features and everything you should do before updating to iOS 17.

Is NameDrop dangerous?

No, NameDrop isn’t necessarily dangerous. According to Apple, you’re able to select which pieces of information are shared when you NameDrop your contact to another person.

When two iPhones are placed together and the NameDrop option is presented, you also have only two options. You can either Receive Only, which means that you will only receive the other person’s contact information, or you can Share. When you select Share, you will send your contact information and receive the other person’s contact information.

If you somehow accidentally NameDrop with someone you don’t want to, you’ve got options. You can be ultraselective about what information you choose to share, or opt to receive only. If you’re worried about sharing in a public place, Tony Anscombe, chief security evangelist at cybersecurity company ESET, has a low-tech way to share contact information out of sight in a place like a coffee shop or bar: Hide one iPhone under a notebook or magazine and then place the second iPhone on top of the obscured device to discreetly share contact data. If you’d rather not be bothered, Anscombe recommends that people disable the setting in the AirDrop settings.

Disabling NameDrop is pretty simple, but it’s important to note that NameDrop is automatically enabled when you download iOS 17 or purchase an iPhone 15, so you’ll have to manually turn it off if you don’t want it active on your phone.

How do I disable NameDrop?

If you want NameDrop disabled for good, it’s pretty simple to just turn it off.

All you need to do to disable NameDrop is:

1. Open the Settings app.

2. Tap on General.

3. Navigate to the AirDrop tab.

4. Once you open the tab, simply toggle the Bring Devices Together option off. It’s as easy as that. If you have a change of heart and decide you feel comfortable with NameDrop and want to enable it, all you need to do is toggle the Bring Devices Together option back on.

For more, here’s our review of the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus and the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max.

Technologies

Samsung’s Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 Might Come in 5G and 4G Cellular Models

If the rumor proves true, the 5G Galaxy Watch Ultra would rival the 5G-enabled $799 Apple Watch Ultra 3 that debuted last fall.

Samsung’s next high-end Galaxy Watch could support faster 5G speeds, but if this leak is true, it will depend on where you live. The rumored Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 might come in 5G and 4G cellular models, with availability for each smartwatch depending on the country.

According to the Dutch website Galaxy Club (and spotted by SamMobile), Samsung’s servers may have revealed a series of model numbers that point to 5G, 4G and Wi-Fi-enabled editions of the next Galaxy Watch Ultra, which would succeed the original model that debuted in 2024.

A representative for Samsung did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Galaxy Club website speculates that the 5G edition would be sold in the US and Korean markets, while the 4G edition would sell in the rest of the world. In the US, a 5G version of the Galaxy Watch Ultra would rival the 5G-enabled $799 Apple Watch Ultra 3, which debuted last fall. The 4G edition would have broader compatibility worldwide, since the earlier network is far more established.

It will likely be a few months until we hear anything official about the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2. Samsung typically unveils its new watches in the summer alongside its Galaxy Z Fold and Z Flip foldable phones. Last year, Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Watch 8 and the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic, but otherwise left the prior 2024 Ultra in the lineup for those looking for a larger 47mm smartwatch.

Technologies

2 Cases Show Supreme Court Isn’t Holding ISPs Responsible for Piracy

Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections Hints, Answers and Help for April 8, #1032

Here are some hints and the answers for the NYT Connections puzzle for April 8, No. 1032.

Looking for the most recent Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands puzzles.

Today’s NYT Connections puzzle is kind of tough. The purple category is a fun one, once you see the connection. Read on for clues and today’s Connections answers.

The Times has a Connections Bot, like the one for Wordle. Go there after you play to receive a numeric score and to have the program analyze your answers. Players who are registered with the Times Games section can now nerd out by following their progress, including the number of puzzles completed, win rate, number of times they nabbed a perfect score and their win streak.

Read more: Hints, Tips and Strategies to Help You Win at NYT Connections Every Time

Hints for today’s Connections groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: In the group.

Green group hint: Appearance details.

Blue group hint: Often found in gyms.

Purple group hint: They help you see.