Hot Gadget Hacks Posts
How To: Run a Reverse Image Search Quickly Using Any Photo on Your iPhone
Google Images, TinEye, and other reverse image search engines can help you find where images appear on the internet. You can discover what TV show or movie an image comes from, who took a photo, and if the profile picture of someone you're talking to online is really them, among many other uses. And there's a shortcut for iOS that makes running a reverse image search easy.
How To: Bring Back the Back Button with Android 10's Gestures
It would be an understatement to say that Android 10's gestures are a controversial change. A lot of people just don't like change, plus the back gesture can be a bit tricky to activate sometimes — even after Google added a sensitivity setting for it. Thankfully, a third-party developer has a unique solution.
How To: Block All Robocallers & Telemarketers with Your Pixel's Call Screen Feature
When Google introduced the Call Screen feature with the Pixel 3, I had never been more excited to get a Pixel device. This AI feature provided real protection against rising spam and robocalls, which billions of people deal with each year. After a recent update to the feature, you can reduce robocalls and other spam calls to nearly zero.
Market Reality: Apple & Snap Boost AR Features, Magic Leap & Nreal Work on Truce, & Mojo Vision Unveils Smart Contacts
While the big names in augmented reality demonstrated the breadth of opportunities in the industry's landscape this week, one new startup showed off what is possible further in the future.
News: This Is Why All Augmented Reality Startups Suck
People fundamentally distrust magicians. And they should. The illusions they proffer are just that, illusions meant to astound rather than tangible interactions and results that have weight and meaning in our real world. Our lizard brains know this, and, no matter what the outstanding feat of "magic" presented, we nevertheless hold fast to our survival-based grip on the truth: we just saw simply "can't be real."
How To: Jump To Any Gmail Folder in 1 Tap on Android
By default, Gmail organizes your inbox into multiple categories to make it easier for you to avoid spam and other unwanted mail, and get to the email that matters. But as it stands, to access these folders, you need to open Gmail, open its side menu, then select the inbox you want.
News: Apple Is Releasing 5 New iPhones This Year. What the Hell Are They Thinking?
Are you thinking about upgrading your iPhone this year? Apple sure wants you to. Of course, that's no different than any other year, but Apple really wants you to upgrade this year. How do we know this? The rumors point to not three, not four, but five brand new iPhones in 2020, with two very different release schedules. All this begs the question what the hell is Apple thinking?
How To: Change Your iPhone's Name with Just a Couple Clicks
Your iPhone's name matters more than you might think. It shows up when AirDropping files to other Apple devices, when keeping tabs on your devices' locations via Find My, and when syncing with your computer. While "Jake Peterson's iPhone" gets the job done, I'd rather give the phone I spend all my time with a proper name.
How To: Why You Should Open the Wallet App Before You Tap & Pay with Your iPhone
When you place your iPhone over a card reader for Apple Pay, it'll always pull up your default card. That might work fine for you, but perhaps that isn't the card you want to use. The problem is, you don't have time to switch cards before the payment goes through. That might result in using your rewardless debit card to buy groceries when you could've snagged 2% back by using your Apple Card.
News: Startup Mojo Vision Seeking FDA Approval for First Augmented Reality Smart Contact Lens
After more than two years of teasing, augmented reality startup Mojo Vision has confirmed that "invisible computing" means what we've suspected all along.
News: Startup Ubiquity6 Expands 3D Object Social Network into AR Cloud Creation with Display.land Studio
After dipping its toes into the AR cloud arena last year, Ubiquity6 is now jumping in with both feet this year.
How To: Create Your Own Augmented Reality Filter for Instagram Stories Using Spark AR on Mac or Windows
There's a new trend on Instagram Stories: People are making viral AR filters where images of popular characters from TV shows, movies, and other mediums shuffle above your head until one sticks. The filters range from Disney and Pokémon characters to Harry Potter and Friends, but you're not limited to just that because you can create your own "which are you?" filter.
News: Magic Leap Trade Secrets Lawsuit Against China's Nreal on Hold as Mediation Begins & Court Sets Tentative Trial Date
This week, the beginning of an epic legal battle was set to begin between augmented reality players Magic Leap and Nreal, the small China-based startup accused by the former of stealing trade secrets.
News: Apple Just Released iOS 13.3.1 Public Beta 2 for iPhone
The great iOS beta hiatus is over. After 28 days of waiting, Apple finally seeded the second developer beta for iOS 13.3.1 Tuesday, Jan. 14. Lucky for us public beta testers, we didn't need to wait long to get our version of the beta, as Apple just released 13.3.1 public beta 2.
News: Sony Xperia 5 II Rumor Roundup — 3 Cameras Plus a Headphone Jack?
Despite making great phones for years, Sony continues to struggle to penetrate the US market. Sales volume has fallen year after year, with 2019 limited to only 5 million units sold globally. To help alleviate this drop, last year, Sony released the Xperia 5, the return to compact smartphones. This year, rumors indicate a sequel is first on their agenda.
News: Full Galaxy Z Flip Spec Sheet Review — Samsung's New Clamshell Phone Is a Flagship Even Without the Fold
Samsung decided to jump into the foldable category early, announcing the Galaxy Fold in February 2019. After a major hiccup, Samsung released the phone four months later to praise. But Samsung's not finished with foldables, as the new Galaxy Z Flip is just on the horizon.
How To: This Is the Quickest Way to Disable Face ID or Touch ID in a Pinch
Here's the situation: you need Face ID or Touch ID disabled, yesterday. You don't have time to dig around in your settings, slowly working through an authentication reset. If you find yourself in a place where you think your own face or fingerprint will be used against you, use this trick to instantly protect your iPhone.
News: Apple Releases iOS 13.3.1 Developer Beta 2 for iPhone
Did you take a vacation this holiday season? It appears Apple did. After the release of iOS 13.3.1 developer beta 1 (then public beta 1 one day later), iOS beta testing went silent for almost a full month. With 2019 now in the books, it seems Apple is back to work, as developers received iOS 13.3.1 beta 2 today, Tuesday, Jan. 14.
How To: The Fastest Way to Find an App on Your Cluttered iPhone
Confession time: I hardly ever leave the first page of my iPhone's home screen. No, my iPhone isn't super organized and, no, I don't limit the number of apps I download as well (trust me, this phone is a mess). The truth is that you don't need to rely on your iPhone's home screen pages to find and open an app. In most cases, there's simply a much faster way.
News: Apple Launches Reality Converter to Prepare 3D Objects for Reality Composer
After introducing and launching Reality Composer alongside iOS 13 and ARKit 3 last year, Apple is making it easier for developers to create apps with it.
How To: Unlocked Bootloader? This Trick Makes Your Phone Boot 10 Seconds Faster
When your bootloader is unlocked, your phone shows a screen that tells you the bootloader is indeed unlocked and how software integrity can't be verified. But if you're the one who unlocked the bootloader in the first place, all this message does is slow down the bootup process dramatically.
News: Artists Transform Brooklyn Light Installation into Instagram AR Filter That Doubles as Dimensional Portal
What if you went to an art installation at one of the coolest venues in New York that you could then take with you anywhere in the world?
Market Reality: Samsung Prototype, Mastercard App, Plus Vuzix, 0Glasses, & Pacific Future AR Wearables Shown Off at CES
In years past, the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) mostly dabbled in the future as far as the long-term vision for augmented reality was concerned. This year, however, objects in the future are much closer than they appear.
How To: Remove the 30 FPS Cap for Black Desert Mobile on Android
Black Desert Mobile is one of the hottest new smartphone games around, but there seems to be something missing in the frame rate department. Gamers quickly noticed many Android phones are stuck on a 30 FPS cap when it comes to performance. It's not that the phones are too weak to handle higher frame rates, but that there is a particular list of approved devices that can achieve this.
News: Hong Kong Startup's Am Glass Wearable Offers Powerful Augmented Reality Smartglasses Alternative to Nreal Light
We've been predicting the rush of augmented reality wearable makers from China for a couple of years, and now it looks like it's in full swing, with one of the most promising entrants coming from startup Pacific Future.
How To: Change Your Billing & Shipping Address for Apple Pay on Your iPhone
Apple Pay can be used at retail stores, restaurants, markets, and millions of other locations in the US and abroad. It's used to buy everything from clothing to groceries and vending machine snacks, so it's important to ensure that the cards in your Wallet are always up to date with the correct billing and shipping addresses.
News: BMW Augmented Reality Windshield Concept Adds Gaze Detection for Natural Interaction
While the automotive industry is moving towards adopting AR displays in future models, BMW is already shifting into the next gear with its vision of the technology.
How To: Choose Who Gets to Reply to Your Tweets for Improved Twitter Conversations
Twitter replies have traditionally acted like public spaces. Once a tweet is out there, pretty much anyone can reply to it. In some cases, that makes for good discussion. In others, it can lead to disaster, abuse, and harassment. Twitter's looking to change that by giving you more control over who can reply to tweets.
News: Mastercard Develops Mobile AR App to Explain Rewards & Benefits to Cardholders
It's a good sign for any emerging technology when one of the leaders of an industry adopts it. So when Mastercard, a brand so recognizable that it dropped its name from its logo at CES last year, decides to develop a mobile augmented reality app, the moment is a milestone for the AR industry.
How To: Add & Remove Debit & Credit Cards for Apple Pay on Your iPhone
Estimates say that there are roughly 441 million Apple Pay users in the world, but with almost a billion active iPhones in the world, some of you have yet to jump on board the digital payment method. But once you're ready — or if you just need a refresher — adding your debit and credit cards to Apple Wallet is simple.
News: Unity Previews Immersive Art Experiences for Mobile AR, Magic Leap One, & HoloLens at Upcoming Sundance Festival
The Unity 3D engine is not only responsible for facilitating the creation of 60% of AR and VR content but it also plays a significant role in producing the immersive stories that increasingly push the boundaries of cinema.
News: 10 Best Apps for Improving & Maintaining Your Mental Health
If you made a resolution for 2020 to get healthier, it's essential to concentrate on your mental health just as much as you do on physical fitness. Running and exercising is great, but a sound mind is integral to a healthy and balanced life, and you can improve your emotional and physiological well-being with your smartphone.
News: Samsung Demos AR Smartglasses, Virtual Workout Partner at CES
The world of CES, the annual technology conference in Las Vegas, usually brings a few surprises, but few expected Samsung to fire off its first real augmented reality salvo at the event.
News: Vuzix Reveals Next-Gen M4000 Enterprise Smartglasses, Shows Off Smart Swim AR Wearable for Aquatic Athletes
While consumer-grade smartglasses are the holy grail for tech companies, smartglasses maker Vuzix knows where its bread is buttered, and that's in the enterprise segment.
News: Nreal Light Intros Nebula for Augmented Reality Interfaces on Android Apps, AR Cloud & 6DoF Controllers
With the consumer edition of its Nreal Light headset, scheduled to ship in 2020, Nreal is prepared to bring the entire Android app ecosystem into augmented reality.
Market Reality: The Year in AR — HoloLens 2, Magic Leap's Rocky Ride, Apple's Future, & AR Startups Under Pressure
When filtered through the prism of the top stories of the year, the business of augmented reality 2019 was defined as much by epic failures of AR startups as it was by the promising developments that propelled the industry forward into 2020.
News: Instagram Creators Launch Filters for Harry Potter, Pokémon & Simpsons Characters in Augmented Reality
The developer who gained notoriety for his What Disney Are You? augmented reality filter on Instagram is striking again while the iron is hot.
News: The Only Cat Litter Scoop You'll Ever Need
If you have a cat, trying to get all of the little clumps out of the litter probably feels like an impossible task. It pretty much is, but we've found the best cat litter scoop that gets more of those tiny pieces out than any other scoop. Plus, it's sturdy, degradable, and ethically sourced.
News: OnePlus 8 Pro Leaked Spec Sheet & Rumored Features
UPDATE: The OnePlus 8 Pro has been released! Check it out on the official OnePlus website or read through the rumored specs we've left below for posterity.
News: USA Today Deepens Story on Afghanistan War with AR Experience
The augmented reality team at USA Today closed out a prolific year of immersive storytelling with a hard-hitting companion piece exploring the controversial conflict in Afghanistan.