Hot Gadget Hacks Posts — Page 257 of 464

How To: Swap Heads Up Notifications for the Old-Style Ticker in Android Lollipop

With Android 5.0, Google introduced a new "Heads Up" notification system for incoming calls and messages. While the new incoming call interface seems to be a rousing success, the rest of the Heads Up system has been met with much less enthusiasm from users.

How To: Hide or Uninstall System Apps on Your Nexus Player for a Cleaner Home Screen

When Google announced its new Android TV platform, one of the features they advertised was a home screen that automatically reorganized your apps based on how frequently you used them. Unfortunately, this feature either didn't make the cut, or is still under development, since the home screen on the Nexus Player always remains static.

How To: Breakdown Your iPhone's Music to See What Albums, Artists, Songs, & Genres You Listen to Most

There are songs that we love, songs that make us sad, and songs that change the way we view the world—and that's something that Steve Jobs knew all too well.

How To: Turn Your Favorite Websites into Home Screen Shortcuts on Android

As one of the most frequently used Android browsers, making Chrome work faster and more efficiently is something we can surely all appreciate. And just like its computer-based counterpart, there are experimental flags for the mobile app that can speed browsing up significantly.

How To: Sideload Apps on the Nexus Player

The Nexus Player is one of the most robust set-top streaming devices on the market. This is mainly due to the fact that the base software it runs is a direct fork of Android, which is a very powerful operating system itself.

News: The Complete List of Lollipop-Compatible Xposed Modules

Now that the Xposed Framework has finally been updated for Android Lollipop, we're starting to notice that some modules function properly, while others are a bit buggy or even worse—don't work at all. Most of this is a result of changes to elements of the Android system that KitKat modules relied upon, and such modules will need to be updated for 5.0 compatibility.

How To: Customize the Login Window Background on Your Mac

Macs, like pretty much all Apple products, are notorious for not having a highly customizable UI. They do this to keep a consistent look and feel across all of their devices, but I've grown bored of it over the years.

How To: Get Stock Lollipop Sounds on Custom ROMs for the Nexus 6

Most custom ROMs are built from the freely-available source code of AOSP, so they share a lot of common ground with stock Android. The difference, though, is the fact that Google adds many minor tweaks and finishing touches to AOSP while creating the version of Android that ultimately comes pre-installed on Nexus devices.

How To: Take, Edit, & Send Photos Directly from Your Android Lock Screen

While shortcuts to your Camera and third-party apps like Snapchat are great for capturing fleeting moments, it still takes a few seconds to open them and snap a photo. That means you could potentially miss a great shot if you're not quick enough. But now there's a super-fast way to capture and send photos without having to waste time unlocking your device.

How To: Mute Individual Tabs in Chrome Without Leaving Your Current Tab

It's been over a year now since Google introduced a visual way to track down which tabs are playing audio in Chrome, something that was previously only available using third-party extensions. However, they still didn't give an easy option for shutting those tabs up without having to stop what you're doing.

How To: Send ADB Commands Over Wi-Fi on Android

Android Debug Bridge, or ADB for short, is a very powerful utility that can remotely execute commands on your Android device. This remote terminal interface, however, is not very "remote" at all. You have to be tied down to your computer to use it, since a USB cable is normally required.

How To: Set an Alphanumeric Lock Screen Passcode for Stronger Security on Your iPhone

A four-digit passcode is what protects your iPhone, and the sensitive material within it, from strangers or nosey friends. Four digits are the only thing preventing someone from snooping through your pictures and posting them online for the public to see, and that's if you even have passcode security enabled.

How To: Install the Xposed Framework on Android Lollipop Devices

UPDATE 11/17/15 The Xposed Framework now officially supports Android 5.1 through 5.1.1 Lollipop devices as well. Everything will still work the way it has with Android 5.0 through 5.0.2, but there are a separate set of files for the newer Android version. I'll cover both below, but make sure to download the proper file for your particular version of Android.

How To: Get Background YouTube Playback on Android Without a Music Key Subscription

Google debuted YouTube Music Key in November, and for $10 a month, this essentially turned YouTube into a music streaming service. With ad-free music videos and background audio playback, YouTube serves as a viable alternative to Spotify or Pandora for Music Key subscribers.

How To: Use “Smart Lock” on Android Lollipop for More Convenient Security

Keeping expensive mobile devices safe and secure is a priority for most of us, but the process of repeatedly unlocking a phone or tablet can seem like a pointless task. This leads to disabling the lock screen altogether, especially when in a safe place (e.g., home, office, car, etc.).

How To: Control Music & Videos Using Hand Gestures on Your Mac

Looking back at my childhood in the '90s, I can't help but feel like I was deceived. Movies that took place in the "future," like in the year 2015, would showcase awesome technology. You know, self-driving or flying cars, hoverboards, and virtual displays controlled with hand gestures—so where are they?!

How To: Find Out Which Carriers Are Compatible with Your Smartphone

For those who have never traveled abroad, you may not know that different carriers around the world use different bands of frequency to provide service to their customers. This means that a phone bought in the U.S. may be unable to acquire signal from a carrier in Europe.

How To: Get a Free Fire TV Stick or Roku Streaming Stick for Sling TV

Sling TV, the new over-the-top TV streaming service from DISH Network, is the first to offer live programing for cord cutters. Available for $20 a month with no contract, Sling TV is the easiest way to end the reliance on cable and satellite subscriptions for getting your content as it airs.

How To: Set a Sleep Timer on Your iPhone So Music, Movies, Podcasts & Other Media Won't Wake You After Falling Asleep

We all fall sleep in different ways. Some may require absolute silence, others need white noise, and some enjoy listening to a song or two to help bring on the sleep. If you're in the latter group, like I am, there's a problem. Fall asleep before the music stops, and a loud song may jolt you awake in the middle of the night. With an iPhone, however, that issue can be avoided with a little setup.

How To: Get iOS 8's Reachability Feature on Android for Easier One-Handed Use

When Apple released their plus-sized iPhone 6 and 6 Plus models, it only made sense that they would include a one-handed feature to accommodate the larger displays. That particular feature is called Reachability, and with just a quick double-tap of the Home button, the screen shifts to the bottom half of the device for easier use with one hand.

How To: Enlarge Notifications on Android to Make Them Easier to Read

Problems with eyesight affect people of all ages and walks of life. And while it is possible to increase font sizes on Android, even the "Huge" setting is neither big nor clear enough for a lot of folks.

How To: Get the HTC One M8's Camera App on Your Nexus 6

With the Nexus 6, you get a very clean software experience with minimal bloat. While this is generally the main selling point for most Nexus fans, it can be a bit of a detraction for some.

How To: Customize the On/Off Color for Switches on Your iPhone

Some elements of iOS's design, like its minimal color palette, are what make Apple products unique, helping to produce a clean, sleek user experience. But after you jailbreak, that all goes out the window. Once you've tried things like theming your status bar, changing your icons, or applying a new lock screen, you'll never see your iOS device in the same way again.

Act Fast: Get 2 GB Google Drive Storage for Free (Limited Time Only)

Yes, "Safer Internet Day" is a real thing, and it's actually been around for 12 years. This year, Google again will be commemorating the event by giving away a 2-gigabyte storage bump for their Google Drive cloud service if you simply run through a security checkup.

News: Xposed Framework Coming Soon for Lollipop

The main developer behind the Xposed Framework just teased Android 5.0 compatibility for his popular mod. Rovo89 posted a screenshot on XDA that shows the framework running on a Lollipop-powered Nexus 5. Android Lollipop's switch from Dalvik runtime to Android runtime—better known as ART—made Xposed compatibility a problem for the OS. But alas, our favorite modding platform is just about ready for primetime.

How To: Facebook Better Using Google Chrome

With over a billion monthly active users, it seems that Facebook is nowhere close to being dethroned as the most popular social media service in the world (sorry, Ello). While their stats may be impressive, it doesn't mean that Facebook is as good as it can be.

How To: Restart an iPhone Without Using the Sleep/Wake Button

Apple's iPhone is one of the most popular, most expensive smartphones in the world, yet with a broken Home or Sleep/Wake button, it might as well be a doorstop. There are many different DIY ways to fixing a busted Home button, but the Sleep/Wake button (aka Power button) is a little more averse to DIY trickery.

News: LG Giving Away Free Virtual Reality Headset with Purchase of a New G3

With 2015's generation of flagship smartphones fast approaching, LG is turning to virtual reality to clear its G3 inventory. VR for G3 is a Google Cardboard-inspired virtual reality headset that was custom fit to encase the phone and uses a pair of lenses to create stereoscopic imagery.

How To: Disable Double-Tap to Wake While Making Calls on Your Nexus 6

The Nexus 6 came with a hidden kernel module that allowed for double-tap-to-wake functionality, essentially letting you turn your screen on just by tapping it. A simple root app allowed us to activate this feature, which meant we were always two quick taps away from waking our device.

How To: Product Chart Makes Finding Your Next Gadget Easy

You didn't have to attend this year's CES to have gadget envy. There are so many great smartphones, computers, laptops, and other gadgets available in the market that the real challenge becomes choosing the right one to fit your needs and your budget.

How To: Get More Bro Time by Automating Loving Texts to Your Girlfriend

Those of us with girlfriends understand that in order for the relationship to run smoothly, you have to keep your woman happy and let her know that you're thinking of her—even when you're not.

How To: Get Letter Grades for College Papers Before Turning Them In

My college days are long behind me, and while I don't necessary miss them, I am jealous of all the countless resources available to students these days. Apps like PhotoMath are something I wish I had access to in my student days, making assignments less strenuous and easier to complete.

How To: Close All Open Apps on Your Mac with a Single Click

Normally, if you want to close all of the open apps on your Mac, you'd have to either quit them all one by one or restart, shut down, or log out while making sure to deselect “Reopen windows when logging back in." The latter option is great, but it doesn't always work in Mac OS X, and what if you don't want to restart, shut down, or log out?

How To: The Fastest Way to Stay Up to Date with Reddit on Your iPhone

Reddit is a force to be reckoned with. What started out as link aggregator has become one of the world's most popular websites, with over 170 million unique visitors and 6 billion monthly pageviews. Whether you're into cute animals, crazy conspiracy theories, sports, or Taylor Swift's armpit, Reddit definitely has something for every taste, interest, and morbid curiosity.

How To: Save Battery Life by Blacking Out the Launcher & Calculator on Your Nexus 6

The AMOLED display on the Nexus 6 wastes no power to show black pixels. This is because pixels on such a screen emit their own light, and black can be easily achieved by simply not lighting any given pixel.

High There: A Dating App for Weed Smokers (Because Potheads Need Love, Too)

Dating can sometimes be a cruel and embarrassing game. You could be having a great time with someone, only for the situation to turn awkward and uncomfortable when a little bit of information is released, especially when that information is your use of medicinal or recreational marijuana.

How To: Get Spotify Premium Features on Android Without Paying a Dime

When you think of an online music service nowadays, Spotify is probably near the first that come to mind, and for good reason. Being able to create, share, and take all of your playlists anywhere, across all of your devices, is something that I couldn't live without. Unfortunately, nothing this good is free, and with Spotify Premium, users of their free service are left with very limited features when streaming on their mobile devices.