Category: iOS

how to turn off the fema nationwide emergency test alerts on 4 october

whbeebe1 Comment

Update 5 October

This doesn’t work.

Original Post

If you have an iPhone with at least iOS 16 installed, there are toggles in Settings > Notifications, at the very bottom of the panel, to turn off alerts. I learned of this several years ago when Florida decided to test its AMBER alert system without actually warning anybody.

That unannounced AMBER alert really pissed off a lot of folks, yours truly included. Rather than search for it I went searching and scanning on my iPhone’s Settings app, and finally found it after about ten or so minutes of digging. Once I found all the toggles involved I turned every single one of them off.

I’m fully aware of world events. I don’t need FEMA or any other organization to send me a blaring alert telling me that disaster is coming. My wife are plugged in enough to figure that out, and to make the decisions about what to do. If FEMA is sending out an alert it will either be too late to do anything except say your goodbyes, or if you’re on the ball, you will have already made plans to mitigate the disaster.

In any event, if you want your iPhone to stay quiet then go turn off the government-mandated alerts in your iPhone’s settings.

Links

FEMA and FCC Plan Nationwide Emergency Alert Test for Oct. 4, 2023 — https://www.fema.gov/press-release/20230803/fema-and-fcc-plan-nationwide-emergency-alert-test-oct-4-2023

apple’s public betas

whbeebe1 Comment

Apple sent me an invitation to participate in their latest public software betas. I was a bit surprised as I let my Apple Developer membership lapse some time ago. And I’m not one to install beta software from anyone, especially something as important as an operating system. I tried to run beta software from Apple, Microsoft, and a few Linux distributions, and every time I tried it turned out poorly to near disastrous. Running a beta OS isn’t the same as running beta application software. Application software can usually be installed in parallel with an existing release, allowing me to compare and contrast and actually send in bug reports. I’ve had it beaten into me not to run an OS beta unless it’s in a virtual machine. Even virtually it isn’t all that useful, at least not to me.

The offer is tempting, but I’ve learned the hard way to turn away from such temptation.