Hot Gadget Hacks Posts
News: Apple's Really Testing Our Patience with Rumored iPhone 8 Delay
At this point, I'm ready to give Apple CEO Tim Cook a piece of my mind. The hype surrounding the iPhone 8 is crazy, and rumors are circulating constantly. So many different things have been said about its release date that no one can even keep track anymore. If Cook could throw us all a bone and give us a hint, it would quiet the speculation. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like that'll happen anytime soon, but — in the meantime — a new report allegedly has the inside scoop. Recent rumors surr...
ARKit 101: Using the Unity ARKit Plugin to Create Apps for the iPhone & iPad
Many developers, myself included, use Unity for 3D application development as well as making games. There are many that mistakenly believe Unity to be a game engine. And that, of course, is how it started. But we now live in a world where our applications have a new level of depth.
News: iOS 11 Adds OIS, Flash & HDR Support to Portrait Mode on the iPhone 7 Plus
Arguably the most impressive aspect of the iPhone 7 Plus is its dual-lens camera, or better yet, the Portrait mode that comes with it. This mode creates a dramatically shallow depth of field behind a subject, and was pretty impressive as is. Now, in iOS 11, Apple is making it even better with support for more camera options.
News: iOS 11 Gets New Echo & Spotlight Screen Effects for iMessages
Apple introduced iMessage effects in iOS 10, which offer creative ways to send messages to other iPhone users. These effects can either be applied to the screen, like seeing an explosion of confetti falling down the display, or to the message bubble itself. iOS 11 brings two new screen effects to iMessage, named "Echo" and "Spotlight," and they look like they'll be a fun addition to the current lineup.
News: New App Makes Networking More Like Online Dating
Shapr is a new networking app that aims to help professionals connect more efficiently, and draws much of its format from dating-focused social networking apps. Shapr could be especially useful for those who have recently moved into their industry or location, and for those seeking employers or employees. For example, the app already has 65,000 users just in New York City alone.
Instagram 101: Why You Should Never Put Hashtags in Your Posts
In this article, I am most likely going to humiliate myself by showing you all the horrible hashtagging I am wont to do. When it comes to hashtags, well, everybody knows if you desire any chance at all of getting noticed on Instagram, you got to hashtag.
The Clone Wars: Snapchat's New Numbers Mean More Bad News for Troubled App
You were the chosen one, Snapchat! The new download numbers for the social media app show just how hard it will be to bring them back to the light after the rise of the Instagram empire.
News: Pokémon GO Gyms to Be Shut Down Temporarily for Anniversary & Updates
Niantic announced today that all gyms in Pokémon GO will be closed while the company prepares to celebrate two major anniversaries for the game. There will be updates, in-game celebration, and the first ever real-world Pokémon Go event.
ARKit 101: Get Started Building an Augmented Reality Application on an iPhone or iPad Quickly
The reveal of Apple's new ARKit extensions for iPhones and iPads, while not much of a shock, did bring with it one big surprise. By finding a solution to surface detection without the use of additional external sensors, Apple just took a big step over many — though not all — solutions and platforms currently available for mobile AR.
News: Samsung Scraps In-Display Fingerprint Scanner for Galaxy Note 8
Reports of Samsung's Galaxy Note 8 having an in-display fingerprint scanner have been circulating for the past few days. Fans have been excitedly discussing the potential of the phablet possessing this technology, as it would be the first phone released with these capabilities. Unfortunately, a Samsung official revealed today to Naver — a South-Korean web portal — that Samsung has decided to forgo incorporating the feature into the Galaxy Note 8 due to technical limitations and time constraints.
News: After Leaks, OnePlus Puts It All Out There with OnePlus 5 Photo
Here it is folks, after weeks of constant leaks and speculation surrounding the highly anticipated OnePlus 5, the company has decided to release a high-res image of the new phone on the official OnePlus Google+ page.
How To: Watch Comey Testify Live on Your Smartphone
In light of his recent controversial firing, Former FBI Director James Comey will testify to the Senate Intelligence Committee in a highly anticipated open session today at 10 AM EST / 7 AM PST. The testimony will be in regards to alleged Russian involvement in the 2016 presidential election. It will be the first time the former FBI director will speak in public since the firing. So, you do NOT want to miss it.
News: Meta Sues Former Employee Over Trade Secrets
Meta Company filed suit today against a former employee and his startup DreamWorld USA, Inc. for the misappropriation of trade secrets and confidential information.
How To: Hide the Home Button on Your Galaxy S8's 'Always On Display' Screen
The Galaxy S8's Always On Display is a fantastic feature that gives you a brief overview without having to wake up your phone. But AOD now has a virtual home button, which kinda ruins the sleek look and can even cause screen burn-in.
News: iOS 11 Finally Fixed One Big Problem with Home Screen Icons
Apple's iOS is a great operating system, but it's not without its faults. Minor quirks have plagued the Apple community for years, such as a general lack of customization, a poor notification system, and some interesting UI choices like the intrusive volume popup. With iOS 11, Apple's tackling many of these pain points, not the least of which is being able to select multiple home screen icons at once.
How To: You Can Finally Access Extra Control Center Features Without 3D Touch in iOS 11
3D Touch is only available on the 6s and 7 series iPhones right now, and likely future models, so those with older devices are missing out on all the cool "Quick Actions" available for app and settings icons. But the new iOS 11 is finally bringing some of those helpful shortcuts to iPhones without 3D Touch built in.
News: Essential Phone Comes with an LED Notification Light — And It Better for That Price
Essential — the smartphone company started by Android co-founder Andy Rubin — is set to release its bezel-less smartphone before the end of June. The highly-anticipated phone is set to be stocked full of features, including an edge-to-edge display, magnetically-connecting 360-degree camera, rear fingerprint reader, and much, much more. One feature fans have been hoping for is an LED notification light. Today, we finally have confirmation via Twitter. For $700, the Essential Phone — LED notifi...
Instagram 101: Change Your Profile Name on Instagram to Increase Search Traffic to Your Account
Hey, all you Instagram lovers, haters, or people who have no choice but to submissively bow down to the social app giant for other reasons, you've come to the right place. Today, I'm going to walk you through a very simple marketing trick to start boosting traffic to your IG account.
News: All That Glitters Is Gold … & Blue and Gray According to Leak Revealing Moto E4 & E4 Plus
A new leak by frequent tipster Roland Quandt appears to reveal the renders of Motorola's next budget smartphones, the Moto E4 and E4 Plus.
News: After Error 53 Disaster, Apple Is Making It Much Easier to Fix Touch ID
Replacing your iPhone fingerprint sensor has been one of Apple's most cruel tortures. It's a slow and painful process made worse last year when Error 53 messages started appearing on the phones of users who had tried to repair their sensors outside of Apple. The error rendered the phones essentially useless. Since then, Apple has provided fixes but is now finally making it much easier to replace your iPhone fingerprint sensor with the releasing of "Horizon Machines" to official repair locations.
How To: The 7 Best New Features for Live Photos in iOS 11 for iPhones
When Apple first introduced Live Photos in iOS 9, it was a big hit for those who had 3D Touch devices — but one thing this cool feature was sorely missing was editing options. Thankfully, Apple has fixed that in iOS 11 by turning Live Photos into a complete package with editing tools and new effects right within the Photos app.
How To: Disable Annoying Rating & Review Popups for Apps in iOS 11 on Your iPhone
One thing that annoys the hell out of me is when a popup appears on my iPhone in an app I'm using asking me for a rating or review on the iOS App Store. I like to share my opinion on applications just as much as the next person, but I want to give stars when I'm good and ready. Now, iOS 11 lets me.
Déjà Vu: Samsung Races to Unveil Galaxy Note 8 Before New iPhone
Nope, it's not 2016 again. Samsung is giving it another go at beating its competitor by attempting to unveil their new Galaxy Note 8 before the new iPhone. Because it worked out so well the last time.
News: Should Trump Get in Legal Trouble for Blocking the Haters & the Losers on Twitter? These Lawyers Think So
Love him or hate him, we all know President Trump has a strong presence on Twitter. Whether it's 3 pm or 3 am, the president is probably tweeting. His frequent Twitter habits are often discussed by the media, and they've especially caught the attention of lawyers at Columbia University ... but not in a good way.
The Leaks Were Right: Launch Date of OnePlus 5 Has Been Revealed
Finally, the much anticipated OnePlus 5 has got a release date. A few days ago, a leaked image from OnePlus suggested that June 20 might possibly be the launch date for the Chinese smartphone and today those leaks were confirmed.
How To: Get the Most Out of iOS 11's New Lock Screen-Style Notification Center
One of the first things you'll notice about iOS 11 is how the Notification Center now has the same interface as your lock screen. It's pretty confusing at first, and it's pissed off tons of users, but it's really not that bad once you learn all of its features.
News: People Are Pissed About iOS 11's New Notification System
There's never an Apple announcement without some good ol' anger and backlash. To be fair, Apple received some really positive feedback from parts of the iOS 11 presentation at WWDC back in June. Fans had been waiting for years to customize the Control Center, as well as for native screen recording. But if there was one thing that got fanboys and Apple haters raging about in unison, it's that weird, incomprehensible notification system.
How To: Get iOS 11's New Wallpapers on Any Phone
Apple's highly anticipated iOS 11 is ready for the public, and besides the obvious array of new features and improvements, the mobile OS also comes with stunning new wallpapers which would look amazing on any iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch — even on Android devices.
News: Not to Be Left Out, WhatsApp Adds Filters, Album & More to iOS
WhatsApp for iOS has updated with three new features. The changes follow a trend of Apple and Facebook updates recently, including Facebook's new options for sharing content on June 1st, and Apple's updates announced at WWDC.
Finally: Smartphone Users Can Easily Access Their Kindle Notes & Highlights
When I crack open a new book, I always make sure I have a pen and a highlighter nearby so I can mark away! Anything particularly witty, inspiring, or engaging gets highlighted, underlined, or circled. When I use the Amazon Kindle app on my phone, I do the same thing by writing notes and highlighting, but I often find it difficult to keep track of my markings.
Brief Reality: Meta, HoloLens, Wikitude Among Auggie Winners
With so many companies announcing news or demonstrating technologies at the Augmented World Expo 2017, it can be a challenge to see it all. In fact, we are still unpacking some of our in-depth on-site coverage. So, this edition of Brief Reality is focused on the news we did not cover last week.
News: Uncomfortable with Getting Tested for STDs? 'Biem' Sexual Health Service App Can Help
People love sex. They don't love talking about the possible repercussions of sex. And with dating apps such as Tinder, Grindr, and Bumble paving new ways for strangers to talk and have casual hookups, people need to be able to more comfortably have a conversation about sexual health and protection. Luckily, now there's an app for that.
News: Your New Shrink Is Only a Facebook Message Away with Stanford's New Chatbot
Getting support for your mental health is now as easy as opening up Facebook Messenger. By just opening up the Messenger app, you can connect to Woebot, a new chatbot developed at Stanford trained in administering cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).
News: You Can Finally Hail and Share NYC's Iconic Yellow Taxis with Apps
New York City may not be the friendliest city, but with the apps Via and Curb now letting users ride-share in the city's yellow taxis, New Yorkers can expect to snuggle up close in the back of a cab next to complete strangers. That's right, get ready to feel the love.
How To: The 7 Best New Features for Maps in iOS 11 for iPhone
There are many impressive features in the new iOS 11 for iPhones, and the Maps app got a lot of love from Apple. This means it's finally about time you stop relying on Google Maps for all of your navigation needs, since Apple Maps is not only more accurate than it used to be, but it's way more helpful overall.
How To: The 6 Best Features in the New iOS 11 App Store for iPhones
Since its debut 9 years ago, the iOS App Store has always had roughly the same functionality: Featured apps, categories, top charts, a search function, and a place to update your apps. But starting with iOS 11, that's all changing — drastically.
How To: Turn Off the Speed Limit Indicator in Maps for iPhone in iOS 11
One of the more interesting features that Maps acquired in iOS 11 is the ability to show you the current speed limit for the road you're driving on. But if you've been driving since before the iPhone was even invented, you're probably already pretty good at knowing what the speed limit is, which just leads to unnecessary clutter on the Maps screen.
How To: Prevent iOS 11 from Automatically Sharing Your Location with Apple
If you just installed the iOS 11 beta on your iPhone, you're automatically sending your location data to Apple — even if you don't want to. Luckily, there's an easy way to prevent Apple from seeing this data if you don't want them to.
News: Safari to Block Third-Party Tracking & Autoplay
Apple announced upcoming changes today to prevent third-party tracking of users and prevent autoplay, on Safari. Safari will prevent the recording (by anyone other than Apple) of users' browsing behavior, and by doing so prevent advertisers from targeting ads based on individuals' history.
Online Dating Moves to Reality: 'Bumble' App Opens Dating Lounge in NYC
Single and living in NYC? Forget bars, the female-empowered dating app, Bumble, has just opened a place where you can meet up with your online lovers.