Hot Gadget Hacks Posts

News: Sportscasters Can Bring the Game into the Studio with Vizrt's Viz Engine 4

Norway-based production tools company Vizrt is putting the real into augmented reality with its broadcast AR solution that's designed to keep sports fans (and other audiences) watching.

How To: You No Longer Have to Open Settings to Switch & Connect to Wi-Fi on Your iPhone (FINALLY!)

Figuring out the Wi-Fi at a new location is challenging enough. Connecting to said Wi-Fi should be as easy as possible. Unless someone you know is already connected on their iPhone, you're probably used to the usual routine of heading to the Wi-Fi page in the Settings app to get yourself online. Luckily, there's now a much better way to do so.

How To: Boost Internet Speeds & Hide Your Browsing History from Your ISP

If you have friends who aren't privacy-conscious, you've surely heard the old "What do I have to hide?" excuse. Despite the fact that billions of people are using the internet each day, many of them don't know the dangers that can find them. And many don't know the tools to combat them.

News: Verizon Acquires Jaunt After Startup Moves from VR Services to Augmented Reality Focus

It looks like Jaunt's pivot from VR to volumetric captures services for augmented reality experiences has paid off.

News: Magic Leap App SeeSignal Uses AR to Help You Find & Touch the Strongest Cellular, Wi-Fi, & Bluetooth Signals

While Magic Leap World gets its share of fun apps for playing with Porgs, watching TV, and exploring the ocean's depths, developers are making a strong business case for the Magic Leap One as well.

News: Apple Just Released iOS 13.1.2, Includes Fixes for Camera, Flashlight, iCloud Backup & More

Apple might be a secretive company, but it's showing its hand these past few weeks. The release of iOS 13 was met with much excitement for its hundreds of new features but also frustration over the numerous bugs. Apple soon released iOS 13.1, then iOS 13.1.1, as a patch for some of those bugs, but clearly they weren't enough. How do we know? The company just released iOS 13.1.2 today, Monday, Sept. 30.

News: Snapchat Is Helping the Music Industry Reinvent Music Videos via Lens Studio

There have been enough music artists releasing Snapchat AR experiences over the past week to fill a small festival. Count them with me: Bruno Mars. Gucci Mane. Kodak Black. Missy Elliot. Imagine Dragons. Panic! At the Disco.

How To: You Can Update Your Android Apps in 2 Quick Taps Using This Simple Trick

If you're like me, you habitually check the Play Store for app updates a few times a day. Whether it's because I'm hoping a buggy app gets fixed or a new feature gets added (such as dark mode), instead of waiting for that "Updates Available" notification, I want it now. Well, what if I told you there is a faster way to do that?

How To: Turn Your Galaxy Note 10's Camera Cutout into a Battery Indicator

The punch hole design of the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 has challenged users to find a clear way to deal with it. Although it's less intrusive than a notch, if left unaccounted for, it can be just as much of an eyesore. One of the more creative ways we've found is to use as a battery indicator.

How To: Turn Your Galaxy Note 10+ into an iPhone 11 Pro Max

I already know what you're thinking: this guide is blasphemy. I am showing you how to turn a Galaxy Note 10 or 10+ into an iPhone 11 Pro Max. And while I'd usually agree with you, hear me out. How can you know you don't like something until you try it? So here is your way of trying out an iPhone using your Galaxy Note 10.

Market Reality: Facebook Confirms Smartglasses & AR Cloud Platform as Unity Expands Its AR Capabilities

Facebook had a pretty big week in terms of augmented reality, with much of its news coming from the Oculus 6 keynote presentation. But Mark Zuckerberg's social media company found other areas of impact outside of Oculus 6 as well.

How To: 5 Unique Customization Ideas for Your Galaxy Note 10+

I've been using the Galaxy Note 10+ as my daily driver for a while now. I love it, but as with any phone, it loses its pizzazz after a while. But since it's an Android phone, there's always a way to add fresh features and functionality to the UI.

How To: Keep Spotify from Constantly Closing on the Note 10

So you're listening to Spotify on your Note 10+ and you pause it for a second to talk to someone. A minute or so passes, and you press the play button on your wireless headphones ... but nothing happens. That's because Samsung already killed the Spotify app. Here's how you can prevent this.

How To: 5 Mario Kart Tour Tricks You Need to Know About

So you can't seem to win in Mario Kart Tour? Whether it's your first game in the Mario Kart series or not, Mario Kart Tour can be challenging, especially when you don't know the tracks. Instead of struggling your way through the cups, try out these five tips to get a leg up.

News: Apple's iOS 13.1.1 for iPhone Now Available, Includes Patches for Keyboard Security Flaw, Battery Drain Bug & More

Is Apple trying to set a record for the highest number of updates within a two-week period? You wouldn't be blamed for thinking so. Just eight days ago, Apple publicly released iOS 13.0 for all compatible iPhones. Then, just five days later, Apple seeded iOS 13.1 with 22 new features to boot. Now, just three days into 13.1's tenure, Apple has released yet another update, iOS 13.1.1.

How To: Catch Your iPhone's Hotspot Data Thief Red-Handed

I use my iPhone's personal hotspot all the time. Whether I need a connection on the train, in a coffee shop with no Wi-Fi, or when my friends don't have service, my personal hotspot is a lifesaver. But all that data comes from somewhere, of course, that somewhere being your cellular plan. Luckily, you can see how much data your hotspot has used, as well as who or what used more of it.

How To: Use Android 10's New Swipe Gestures [Demo GIFs]

Android 10 has some super cool gestures that let you navigate your device with intuitive swipes. But did you know this headlining feature is not enabled by default? To get the most out of Android 10, you'll have to turn on gesture navigation.

How To: Remove Blooper's Ink from Your Screen in Mario Kart Tour Without Waiting for It to Wear Off

Your goal in Mario Kart Tour is to beat your rivals and come in first place, but that's never easy when you're also trying to avoid banana peels, red shells, flying bombs, and other items. One item you may be familiar with is Blooper, a squid-like creature found in most water levels. It squirts ink all across your screen, making it more challenging to navigate your driver on the track.

News: Oculus Confirms Reports of Coming AR Glasses & Cloud — but Will You Really Trust Facebook to Map Inside Your House?

Facebook and its Oculus subsidiary have been open about their intentions to bring AR wearables into the mainstream for some time now.

How To: Make Mario Kart Tour Gameplay More Like the Nintendo Switch

After playing Mario Kart Tour for a little while, you'll notice it's a bit different from previous games in the series. The biggest change is how they've deferred to new players by automating many of the controls. But what if you want the traditional experience? We've got you covered.

How To: Avoid the Spiny 'Blue' Shell in Mario Kart Tour

It happens to all of us. You're ahead of the pack, clearly in first place, when someone launches the Spiny Shell (aka, the blue shell). It catches up and circles you before crashing into your kart, and there's seemingly nothing you can do about it. But what if I told you there are two ways to avoid this fate in Mario Kart Tour?

How To: Change This Privacy Setting Before You Share Any Pictures on Google Photos

Sharing pictures from Google Photos by sending a link saves time because you don't have to download the image from Google, then reupload it somewhere else. But anyone who has your link can access your pictures, and baked into every file is metadata that you may not want prying eyes to know about.

How To: Reduce Tinder's Data Usage on Your iPhone or Android Device

Most of us swipe on Tinder while on the go. With all the pictures, Tinder on Android and iOS uses a decent amount of data. If you know the pain of Tinder triggering overage fees, limit the data-hungry app. There's a little trick you can use to help keep your swiping up and your mobile bill down.

How To: Schedule Emails to Send Later in Gmail for iPhone or Android

There is power in the detail. Sending an email at a specific time can give you an edge. Depending on what you are doing, it can help your email get read or it can put you at the top of someone's inbox. With the Gmail app for Android and iOS, you can now schedule your messages to maximize the efficiency of your email.

How To: Add a Profile Picture to Your Lock Screen on Android 10

Android 10 lets you personalize your device by adding a profile picture to your lock screen. Not only will it add your picture or avatar to your lock screen, but it will also add it to the Quick Settings menu. It's a nice touch of customization that makes your device feel like your own.

How To: Turn Off All Tracking Sensors on Android 10

Apps can collect a lot of data. Even if they don't have permission to access your GPS or camera, they can still read other sensors and learn a lot more than you'd think. Your gyroscope could be used as a keylogger. The light sensor could read your visited links. But if you're on Android 10, you don't need to worry about this.

How To: Bring Back Notification Snoozing in Android 10

I'm a notification minimalist. When I get alerts, I want to deal with them ASAP. If the time is not right and I want to reference the notification later, snoozing was always the best course of action. But in Android 10, Google tucked away snoozing, so here's how to get it back.

News: Still Using an Older iPhone? This iOS 13 Feature Gives You Back Some Screen Real Estate

With over 200 brand new features, iOS 13 is a worthy update for all compatible devices. That said, not all iPhone models are created equal. There is a new feature only older iPhones will see, one that skips over Apple's Face ID devices entirely. So if you have a traditional Home button iPhone capable of running iOS 13 but haven't updated yet, this is one benefit you're missing out on.

News: Apple Just Released iOS 13.1 for iPhone, Includes ETA for Maps, Shortcut Automations & More

If you're still working your way through the hundreds of features and changes that iOS 13 brings to your iPhone, you might be a bit surprised to learn that your device is now out of date. While Apple only dropped the big update for iPhones on Thursday, Sept. 19, the company has already released its successor. All iOS 13-compatible iPhones can now update to iOS 13.1, out today, Tuesday, Sept. 24.

News: 22 New Features in iOS 13.1 for iPhone You Won't Want to Miss

Apple released iOS 13.0 on Sept. 19 and announced on the same day the release of iOS 13.1 on Sept. 30. But that deadline was pushed up to Sept. 24, and that's why we have 13.1 just five days after 13.0. But that's good news since we don't have to wait any longer for some of the features promised in iOS 13 that didn't make the first cut.

News: Unity Previews Project MARS Mobile App, Extends AR Foundation to HoloLens & Magic Leap, Intros XR Interaction Toolkit

With its 3D engine being responsible for approximately 60% of augmented and virtual reality experiences, Unity is continuing to place a premium on tools that not only keep developers working in its development environment but also make their workflows easier.

How To: Enable Dark Mode in Microsoft To Do for iPhone or Android

Microsoft is quickly adding dark mode to its full line of apps. Microsoft To Do is the latest to receive this treatment, and it looks great. Now you can tick items off your to-do list without straining your eyes or draining extra battery life.

How To: Set Nicknames in Your Facebook Lite Chats

Facebook Messenger Lite is more than just a battery-friendly version of the full-fledged Messenger app for Android. It's still packing some pretty neat features and it's so much snappier than its bloated counterpart. All of the essentials are present, down to the ability to give your contacts nicknames.

How To: Keep Safari's Toolbars Hidden While Scrolling Webpages in iOS 13

Normally, when you scroll down a webpage in Safari on your iPhone, it automatically hides the bottom toolbar and minimizes the top Smart Search field. But as soon as you scroll back up, they both reappear, which can be pretty annoying if you don't need them. Apple's iOS 13 update brings many new features to Safari, one of which solves the toolbar issue so you can keep it hidden when reading.

News: Terrifying Swarms of Mosquitoes Help David Beckham Fight Malaria with Facebook AR Effect & Billboards

Former soccer star and current celebrity David Beckham has the augmented reality abilities of Facebook and Instagram as allies in the effort to eradicate malaria from the world.

News: Get Fast Charging on the iPhone 11 Without Paying Top Dollar for Apple's 18-Watt Power Adapter & USB-C Cable

If you just got a new iPhone, chances are you picked up the iPhone 11, successor to the iPhone XR, the most popular device in Apple's 2018 series. Since the XR did so well, it was predicted that the iPhone 11 would too, and so far, it has lived up to that prediction, beating the 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max in sales in 2019.

Market Reality: North & Snapchat Use iPhone's TrueDepth Camera for Mobile AR & Magic Leap Adds Concepts as App Category

Apple might not be ready to unveil its rumored-yet-unconfirmed smartglasses. But the iPhone's current depth-sensing hardware is proving to be useful for both smartglasses makers and mobile AR apps.

How To: Use These Gestures to Shoot Video Without Ever Leaving Photo Mode in Your iPhone's Camera App

Life moves pretty fast. If you don't hit the "record" button in time, you could miss it. That's why, starting in iOS 13, on select iPhone models, you can start recording a video without having to switch out of Photo capture mode. So you can avoid blowing the perfect video when it matters most, and then go right back to taking pictures without skipping a beat.

How To: App Not Following iOS 13's Dark Mode? Check These Settings

There's no denying that native Dark Mode in iOS 13 is awesome. Stock apps that were blindingly white for over a decade can now be comfortably used in the middle of the night. You might find, however, that some of your third-party apps aren't taking the hint. Why won't YouTube switch to dark mode when iOS as a whole does? We put together a troubleshooting checklist to get your apps cooperating.

News: Startup DronOSS Sets Its Sights on Fewer Drone Crashes with Augmented Reality Pilot Training

Drone mishaps, such as the collision that scratched a military helicopter in New York, are becoming something of an everyday hazard.