Hot Gadget Hacks Posts

How To: View the Battery Percentage Indicator on Your iPhone X, XS, XS Max, or XR

On all other iPhone models, you go to "Battery" in the Settings app and toggle on "Battery Percentage" in order to see the exact amount of power left in the status bar. On the iPhone X, XS, XS Max, and XR, however, that option no longer exists since there's not enough room up there to show the percentage indicator because of the notch for the TrueDepth camera system. But that doesn't mean it's gone entirely.

News: Sketchfab Fires Back at Google Poly with ARCore Update to Mobile App

Just days after the launch of Google Poly, the marketplace for 3D virtual objects that developers can use for augmented and virtual reality apps, SketchFab, the current leader in the space, is firing back with a major enhancement to its platform.

Galaxy S8 Oreo Update: Edge Lighting Gets New Colors & Effects

Now that we've had significant time with Samsung's Oreo Beta for the Galaxy S8, many interesting features have come to light. As we continue using the new software, we have uncovered more subtle changes. The home screen already received a few new customization features, it's only fitting that the edge screen get some love, too.

News: Niantic & Warner Bros. Bringing Every Harry Potter Fan's Dream to Life with AR Game Based on Franchise

Ever since the planet went crazy trying to find augmented reality creatures in Pokémon GO, we've been waiting for the next virtual object game capable of delivering a similar hit. And now, we might finally have one coming, direct from the magical world of Harry Potter.

News: Samsung Rolling Out Galaxy S8 Oreo Beta 2

Just as we started running through the features packed into the Android Oreo beta for the Galaxy S8, Samsung has started pushing out the second beta to eligible devices. According to DroidVendor, the update is rolling out as build G955USQU1ZQK1 for the Galaxy S8 Plus. The rollout should arrive as an OTA for anyone that is currently running the first beta.

News: How Razer Used IGZO Display Tech to Achieve 120 Hz Refresh Rates

With their first attempt at the mobile market, Razer introduced a device that looks at the smartphone differently. Instead of focusing on minimal bezels or an amazing camera, Razer decided to make a phone for gamers. So how could Razer target the growing mobile gaming market, which is projected to generate $40.6 billion in global revenue in 2017? It starts with the IGZO LCD Display.

News: China's Tencent Strengthens Bet on Snapchat & AR Through Major Purchase of Snap Inc. Stock

While Snap's third quarter financial reports disappointed Wall Street, China's Tencent took the opportunity to expand its investment in the social media company.

Apple AR: iPhone X User Harnesses Apple's TrueDepth Camera to Give Himself a Real-Time Baby Mask

Since the very first moment I saw the iPhone X track a human face and display the results in real-time on an Animoji character, I've been waiting for the first great hack of this new iPhone feature.

How To: Fix the Broken iOS 11 Calculator on Your iPhone

If you've running iOS 11.1 through iOS 11.1.2, whether you have an iPhone X or an iPhone 5S, you'll notice that Apple's Calculator app can't keep up with your calculations. That's a because a bug has seriously slowed it down so that operation buttons won't always trigger when you press them. Luckily, there's something you can do about it.

Apple AR: Apple Smartglasses in Progress, Ready for the Public by 2020, Report Says

Like gas on an open flame, rumors and whispers have flared up in recent months around hopes of augmented reality smartglasses from Apple. But among all the false leads and unsubstantiated chatter, we finally have a credible report that some sort of Apple AR smartglasses are actually in development.

Apple AR: Warby Parker Uses Face ID in iPhone X to Measure Your Face for Glasses

Online glasses retailer Warby Parker built its reputation by selling fashionable yet affordable eyeglasses, so it perhaps a surprise that it's one of the first developers to take advantage of the technology in the least affordable iPhone yet.

Galaxy S8 Oreo Update: New Home Screen Features Coming in Android 8.0

While millions eagerly await the stable Android 8.0 release for the Galaxy S8, the beta is already in the wild and readily available. Notable improvements include notification channels and the revamped Samsung keyboard. One aspect often overlooked are new customization options, a huge part of Android. Let's take a look at what's new for customization on the S8's home screen in Oreo.

Opinion: Snap Inc.'s Massive Loss on Spectacles May Hint at Trouble for the Future of Mainstream AR Smartglasses

The would-be role of Snap Inc. as the first step toward mainstreaming wearable tech in the form of glasses has stalled, and now we have proof. In the company's third quarter financial results report, released on Tuesday, Snap Inc. revealed that it will lose nearly $40 million due to unsold Spectacles, the camera glasses first sold at kiosks throughout the US.

Apple AR: Blippar Charts New Territory with Launch of First AR Navigation App for iPhones & iPads

Mobile AR developer Blippar has achieved a breakthrough by releasing what appears to be the first commercially-available AR navigation app.

News: Apple Finally Rolls Out Apple Pay Cash to Beta Testers

First showcased back in June at WWDC, Apple Pay Cash is Apple's answer to Venmo. Although iOS 11 has been out in the wild since September, this new iMessage feature has been mysteriously absent. That's finally changed with the second beta of iOS 11.2 — Apple Pay Cash is here.

News: This New AR App Is Like Minecraft for Drone Pilots

If DroneBase's new AR platform inspires even half the creativity among its users as Minecraft did with its community, then drone pilots are about to enjoy acres of blocky worlds to explore among the clouds.

Galaxy S8 Oreo Update: Samsung Keyboard Gets an Overhaul in Android 8.0

The Oreo Beta for Samsung's Galaxy S8 and S8+ is official and available to download on your device. Now that we have the update in hand, we've started detailing several of the changes and features. We've already looked at the new Notification Channels functionality, so in this post, we'll take a look at several improvements to Samsung's stock keyboard. While some Android users prefer to install third-party keyboards on their device, Samsung's default keyboard has a loyal following among Galax...

News: Google Maps Update Will Help You Skip the Wait at Popular Restaurants

Trendy restaurants are fun, but waiting in line isn't. Too often, we arrive at a location to find a queue between us and our dinner. If only we could know when wait times were down so we could go out at the optimal time.

How To: Fix the 'A [?]' Autocorrect Bug in iOS 11 When Typing 'i' Out on Your iPhone

There's an annoying bug in Apple's latest operating system for iPhone, iOS 11, that autocorrects the lowercase letter "i" by itself (which usually turns into a capital "I" pronoun) into a capital "A" followed by a strange question mark in a box "[?]" symbol. There is now an official patch for this bug, as well as a workaround fix if you don't want to update yet.

News: DAQRI Begins Shipping Its Ruggedized, Yet Portable AR Smartglasses Worldwide

In case you didn't already know, augmented reality is here. It's no longer just an idea in a cyberpunk novel. And while augmented reality has been around for a long time, the actual technology is finally catching up to the idea.

News: 20 Cool New Features in the Galaxy S8 Oreo Update

Samsung has finally rolled out the Android Oreo update for the Galaxy S8 and S8+. If you're just now getting the update, you'll be happy to know that your Galaxy just got upgraded with plenty of cool new features. Like previous updates, Samsung has improved upon its software by including a new look and new functionality.

News: Pixel 2 XL Update Adds 'Saturated' Color Profile & Anti-Burn-in Tweaks

Google caught a lot of flak for the Pixel 2 XL's POLED display issues, regardless of whether the problems were real or perceived. It's too late to contract another screen manufacturer at this point, but Google is doing the next-best thing: Fixing as many user complaints as possible with software updates.

News: Everything You Need to Know About the New Galaxy S9 & S9+

The last quarter of 2017 brought us some downright excellent smartphones. Between the iPhone X, Pixel 2, and Note 8, consumers have more fantastic options than ever when choosing a new device. It's now the perfect opportunity for Samsung to set the tone for 2018 smartphones with their exceptional S9 and S9+.

Google Play Music 101: How to Upload Your Library & Stream Songs from Any Device

When it comes to streaming services, Google Play Music is one of the best options for both Android and iOS. Perhaps its single greatest feature is the fact that you can upload as many as 50,000 of your own songs to Google's servers, then stream your library to any device without ever paying a dime.

News: Epson's AR Drone Simulator Lets You Get Your Virtual Wings Before Crashing the Real Thing

With smartglasses designed for navigating drones and an AR drone racing game to its credit, Epson has just added another credit to its pioneering efforts in the AR-meets-drones space with the launch of a drone simulator app.

News: Apple iPhone X Users Create Animoji Karaoke, but for Future AR, This Is Bigger Than Singing Pigs & Unicorns

Any sufficiently cool new technology will be immediately repurposed to do something even cooler. Such is the case with Apple's iPhone X and its Animoji feature, which has led to something completely unanticipated: Animoji karaoke.

News: The OnePlus 5T Is Official — Here's the Announcement Date & Release Timetable

OnePlus has officially given us a date for when the OnePlus 5T will be announced. We've known about most of the specs for a while, and we just found out about the potential pricing, so a release date is the final piece of the puzzle. Consider this puzzle solved.

News: iOS 11.2 Beta 2 Released with Apple Pay Cash, iPhone X Wallpapers, New Pricing Tools

Apple released the second version of its iOS 11.2 developer beta Monday, exactly one week from beta 1, then opened up the public beta version on Tuesday. While beta 2 has been available on iPhone X since Friday, Nov. 3, all compatible iPhones can now update to this version.

News: Olympus Muscles in on Google Glass Territory with Enterprise AR Smartglasses

When it comes to augmented reality smartglasses, for now, it's still a mostly enterprise world, since the form and function of most are more acceptable on a job site versus your local cafe, and the still high price tags are far more palatable to major companies rather than individuals.

How To: Remove Bloatware on Your LG V30 — No Root Needed

With the V30, LG has really delivered an amazing smartphone that hits all the major features consumers want. Amazing camera, beautiful edge-to-edge display, great battery life, water resistance, and smooth performance — there isn't much not to like about the LG V30. Unfortunately, it does suffer from heavy bloatware thanks to the carriers. The good thing is, unlike in the past, you are not stuck with it.

News: OnePlus CEO Possibly Confirms Pricing for the OnePlus 5T

It was a good weekend for OnePlus 5T rumors — it looks likely the 5T will be first appearing in New York, and we got a spec leak that supports the rumors we've already heard. However, perhaps the best 5T news came from OnePlus' CEO himself: The OnePlus 5T may cost $600 or less.

Galaxy S8 Oreo Update: Notification Channels Bring Granular Controls for Alerts

This week, Samsung officially kicked off the Oreo Beta Program for the Galaxy S8 and S8+ in North America and several other markets. The full list of changes is quite substantial, so we'll be running through them in a series of posts detailing what's new. First up, the Galaxy phones inherit notification channels from Android 8.0.

Opinion: Google Glass Patent Reveals Traditional Frames, but Design Isn't Only Challenge Facing AR Smartglasses

Just when you thought Google Glass was dead, it turns out there may be a second life for the often ridiculed device that won't relegate it to the staid confines of factories and repair jobs.

News: Mirra Wants to Be the Squarespace of AR & VR Content Creation, Releases AR Viewer App for iOS

There was a time when building a website required coding knowledge. Eventually, software came along that made the process easier, and then services like Squarespace made it dead simple for even a technical novice to design a website.

News: Apple CEO Tim Cook Says AR 'Is Going to Change Everything'

Just one day before the retail release of the iPhone X, Apple CEO Tim Cook trumpeted the company's continued success during an earnings call with reporters conducted via telephone. And while he rolled out the expected glowing praise for the new iPhone, what stood out most was his effusive language describing Apple's new focus on augmented reality.

Market Reality: Lenovo's Star Wars AR Headset vs. iPhone X Launch Day, Niantic Acquires Evertoon & More

When the Super Bowl airs, every other TV network puts on reruns because no one wants to face that juggernaut for ratings. The launch of a new iPhone is the Super Bowl of the tech world, with the launch of the iPhone X being the biggest one yet.

News: We Are TV Aims to Gamify Your TV Shows with AR

If you're like me, then you're rarely just watching TV. You're probably also simultaneously following reactions on Twitter during a live airing of The Walking Dead. Or perhaps you're checking your fantasy football scores while a real game is in progress. Or you might just have the TV on in the background while you're writing an article about a new augmented reality app.

News: iPhone X Ships Vulnerable to Wi-Fi Hacking — Patch Available Now

Apple shipped their first batch of iPhone X's with an outdated and unpatched version of iOS. Be sure to check for updates and install iOS 11.1 first thing after you open your new iPhone or it'll be susceptible to the KRACK vulnerability for wireless connectivity.

How To: All the Swipes You Need to Know to Get Around Your New iPhone X

The iPhone X is Apple at its most classic — they take away a key feature that seems odd at first, but usually, the change pans out in the end. So is the case for the long-lived Home button, whose last appearance may be on the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus. That begs the question — how do you use an iPhone without a Home button?

News: Watch How the iPhone X's 30K IR Dots Scan Your Face

Face ID is one of the big selling points of the iPhone X, and the reception has been fairly positive so far. It's pretty impressive to watch the iPhone X magically unlock just by looking at it, but it's even more impressive to see how Face ID works its magic.