Gadget Hacks How-Tos
How To: Revert Your iOS 7 App Icons Back to the iOS 6 Designs
There are definitely some very cool things about the new iOS 7, but it's also got plenty of downsides, one being the updated look of stock app icons. Apple drastically changed their glossy skeuomorphic icons for a flat, modern squircle look using their golden ratio grid.
How To: Delete & Forward Individual Texts & iMessages from Conversations in iOS 7
Back in iOS 6, deleting individual text messages in a conversation was just a matter of tapping the edit button on the right-hand corner of the thread, selecting which texts to delete, and then pressing delete.
How To: Install the Xposed Framework on Your HTC One to Easily Mod Your Phone
Update: The installation process for Xposed Installer is now dead simple—check out our updated guide!
How To: Turn a Samsung Galaxy S4 into a Remote Control for Netflix & Other Desktop Programs
One of the coolest features that Samsung built into the Galaxy S4 is the infrared (IR) blaster and WatchON software to control your television. I've been using my GS4 for the past few weeks to control my DirecTV setup and it works great. Smartphones are truly becoming all-in-one devices these days.
How To: 18 Sneaky Privacy-Betraying Settings Every iPhone Owner Must Know About iOS 7
You saw our post on the 18 coolest new features of iOS 7, but now that you've had a chance to play around with your updated iPhone, it's time to lock it down.
How To: Hide the Newsstand App in iOS 7 on Your iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch
Newsstand was the most hated Apple app when it was first introduced, mainly because you could not delete or hide it inside of a junk folder. That's because it acted like a folder itself, with magazine and newspaper apps contained within.
How To: Stop Your Battery from Draining After Updating to iOS 7 (iPad, iPhone, & iPod touch)
Now that iOS 7 has rolled out to the general public, with an overwhelming fit of mass hysteria, it's only custom for people to start bitching about battery drain—and I don't blame them. I was experiencing some rapid battery drain after first updating my iPhone 5, as well.
How To: Stop Accidentally Swiping Up the Control Center in iOS 7 (Disable for Apps & Lock Screen)
Personally, my favorite new feature in iOS 7 is the Control Center. With it, you can very quickly and efficiently access popular and much used settings, such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, brightness and more—all with one simple swipe.
How To: Fix Delayed iMessages & Text Messages After Upgrading to iOS 7
If you're an iPhone user, iMessage is great for cutting down on SMS costs from your carrier, but it doesn't always work right away.
How To: Disable the Parallax Effect in iOS to Reduce Motion on Your iPhone
Have you ever noticed how your home screen and lock screen wallpaper moves underneath your notification, app icons, really anything on display? It's a cool effect, but to some, might be a bit jarring. On top of that, it also uses up precious battery life. If you're sick of seeing this parallax effect on your iPhone, here's how to turn it off.
How To: The Coolest 18 Features in iOS 7 That You Probably Didn't Know About
Now that iOS 7 is out, what can you do that you couldn't do before? In this softModder guide, I'm going to cover all that's new and noteworthy about iOS 7. I've been playing around with it on my iPhone 5 since the first beta came out, so I'm excited to show you some of the secrets that are lurking within Apple's newest mobile operating system.
How To: The 15 Most Annoying Things About iOS 7 for iPhone
I've been playing around with iOS 7 for a while now, and for the most part, I dig it. It's a nice update for a stale OS, and there are a lot of great new features. But like any good piece of tech, there are a few things to be disliked. Some of these are big issues, and some could be considered nitpicking, but given that I'm fairly used to the older iOS 6 version, they feel big to me. Paper cuts always hurt worse than gashes.
How To: Make Siri Pronounce Contact Names Correctly in iOS 7
When it comes to pronunciation, Siri absolutely butchers my last name. Instead of pronouncing Aguilar as ah-gew-lar, my own "intelligent" personal assistant pronounces it incorrectly as ah-gui-ler.
How To: Securely Quick Launch Any App You Want from Your Samsung Galaxy S3's Lock Screen
You probably already know what you want to do when you grab your phone. More than likely, you're either going to make a call, send a text, or open an app. So why can't you just do that right from your Samsung Galaxy S3's lock screen?
How To: Use Burst Mode in iOS 7 to Take Super Fast Photos on Your iPhone
With the camera usually being pretty simply in the past iOS versions, iOS 7 has seen a few major changes—built-in filters, Instagram-ready square photographs, zoom-in during video recording, and more.
How To: Root Your AT&T Samsung Galaxy S4 (MF3 Firmware)
Rooting is usually the first thing on the to-do list whenever one of us softModders gets a new Android device. Unfortunately our efforts are sometimes hindered by certain obstacles; a common one is a locked bootloader.
How To: Get the Google Play Edition's Sun Beam Live Wallpaper on Your Regular HTC One
You may have noticed that the HTC One Google Play Edition has a fancy red live wallpaper added to the list of live wallpapers. This new one is called "Sunbeam," and I'm going to show you quickly how you can get it on your regular HTC One right now.
How To: Get the iOS 7 Home & Lock Screen on Your Samsung Galaxy S3 or Other Android Device
Big bad Apple recently announced its next iterations of iPhones and the world went crazy—as usual. Displaying an array of cool colors and futuristic features, the new iPhone 5S and 5C will both be rocking iOS 7, a sleek, modern operating system that gets rid of the old icons and glossy finish for a more flat and contemporary design.
How To: Screw the NVIDIA Shield, Try This Cheaper DIY Ghetto Shield Instead
The NVIDIA Shield is essentially a game controller with a screen attached so you can take your music, movies and games wherever you go. It lets you stream the PC games you already have over Wi-Fi so you don't have to be in front of the computer to play them. LinusTechTips was supposed to receive a Shield to test, but it was late getting there, so they decided to make their own using an Android phone and an Xbox 360 controller. They've dubbed the project "Ghetto Shield."
How To: Extend Battery Life by Seamlessly Managing Wireless Radio Connections on Your Samsung Galaxy S3
You don't need to be a robot to be overly concerned with battery life, especially if we're talking about Terminators, which have nuclear or hydrogen fuel cells that keep them running for years straight. It will be a long time before smartphones get that upgrade, so in the meantime, we have to figure out how to make them last more than a couple hours in a single charge.
How To: 8 Netflix Hacks You Should Know for Improved & Unrestricted Streaming on Any Device
Netflix is more popular now than ever, but it still has a ways to go before satisfying everyone. Whether it's a lack of availability, buggy or unattractive apps, or just not being able to find anything to watch, lots of people have their complaints.
How To: Turn Your Samsung Galaxy S4 into a Dashcam to Capture Car Accidents, Freak Events, & More
Russians are well known for their knack at documenting exciting and horribly beautiful events on the go, from insane car accidents to attempted insurance fraud and even a superbolide meteor streaking across the sky.
How To: Be Just Like Tony Stark with the JARVIS Personal Assistant for iPad & iPhone
Tony Stark is a smooth talking, genius billionaire playboy that occasionally saves the world... what's not to like? The Marvel films starring Robert Downey, Jr. have grossed well over a billion dollars in the U.S. alone, so it's needless to say that Iron Man is a very popular superhero.
How To: Turn Your Nexus 7 Tablet into a Futuristic Heads-Up Display (HUD) for Your Car
The integration of technology into automobiles is becoming more and more widespread each year. Tesla's Model S features a 17" display in the middle of the dash with navigation, music control, and even an Internet browser. Mercedes is working on incorporating Google Glass into their cars. Even Honda's 2014 Accord LX (their lowest trim level), boasts Pandora music streaming, Bluetooth connectivity, and a rearview camera and display.
How To: Turn the HTC Logo on Your HTC One into a Working Menu & Power Button
Like many other smartphones, the HTC One has a few capacitive keys on the bottom of the device, but that's the problem. It only has a few keys, meaning two, which are the Back and Home keys.
How To: Add Quick Settings Toggles to the Notification Tray on Your HTC One
Starting on Android 4.2, a new feature called Quick Settings was integrated into the Notification tray, which allows you to quickly turn on and off certain device features such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, etc. These toggles also provides a shortcut to the feature's more advanced settings by long-pressing on the icon.
First Look: The New Ringtones & Dynamic Wallpapers in iOS 7 for Your iPhone 5
During today's press event at the company's headquarters in Cupertino, California, Apple announced that iOS 7 will come bundled with several new ringtones—something that has stayed relatively static the past few years.
How To: Clean Up the Clutter on Your Samsung Galaxy S3 with This Virtual Maid for Android Systems
For most of us regular folk, the only opportunity to relish in the conveniences of a maid is during hotel stays. Personally, I would love to have a maid around to help fold my clothes and sweep up those crumbs that accumulate in the corners of my kitchen, but sadly, I currently live in reality and can't afford that luxury just yet. In real life, I'm on my own.
How To: Turn Boring Photos into Artistic Masterpieces Using Brush Filters on Your Samsung Galaxy S3
If you're a dedicated Instagrammer, you're probably well aware of the humblebrag hashtag #NoFilter, which expresses to other users that your photo is just so damn awesome that it looks like you added filters to it, even though you really didn't.
How To: Take iOS-Style Notes on Your Samsung Galaxy Note 2
While making the transition from Apple to Android may not be hard for some, there are others that miss the small features that Apple offers on the iPad and iPhone. If you just got a Samsung Galaxy Note 2 or other Android device and want a familiar piece of Apple on your device, check out Hi Dev Studio's new Hi Notes application, which gives you iOS-styled notes.
How To: Remove Seoul Clock from Korean Anycall Galaxy S [SHW-M110S]
Many people all around the world have been using Korean Anycall Galaxy S (SHW-m110s), because the price is reasonable and easy to used. But after they buy this phone they always saw two clocks in the front screen while the phone locked, one is Local clock and the second is Seoul clock. The most of the user always want to remove it but they can’t do it, now I’ll show you how to remove it step by step. Step 1: Go to Settings Step 2: Wireless and Network Step 3: Mobile Networks Step 4: T Roaming...
How To: Turn Your Phone into a Wallet for Cards & Keys Using Sugru
When you're on the go a lot, the amount of stuff you have to drag around can get pretty ridiculous. And sometimes, the items that are supposed to help you carry your stuff just make it worse.
How To: Get Flash Alerts When Receiving Calls & Text Messages on Your Samsung Galaxy Note 2
Ringing and vibrating alerts on your smartphone can be a bit distracting when you're at work or school, but silent alerts can be a little too subtle if you want to know when you get a notification. Even the tiny LED alerts can be easily missed. So, is there's something in-between loud and almost-not-there alerts? In today's softModder tutorial, I'm going to show you how to get flash alerts on your Samsung Galaxy Note 2 and other Android devices. That way, whenever you receive a call or text m...
How To: Add App Shortcuts to the Pull-Down Notification Center on Your iPhone—Without Jailbreaking
The shortest distance between two points is a straight line, but the shortest way to launch an app on an iPhone can be a much more complicated process.
How To: Make Your HTC One's Screen Turn On When Receiving New Text Messages
If you're new to Android phones, one of the first things you've probably noticed is how notification alerts differs from Apple devices, especially in regards to getting a text message.
How To: Use Hashtags in Texts to Quickly Share Locations, Music, & Other Info on a Galaxy Note 2 or Other Android Phone
If you're a Twitter user, it's a safe bet to assume that you've used a hashtag. On all social networking sites that have the capability, such as Instagram, Facebook, and Google+, the pound (#) symbol is used to mark and designate specific keywords or topics in order to make it effortless for users to connect with one another.
Stop Procrastinating: This iPhone Reminders App Will Make You Do Your Chores & Tasks Every Day
Back when I was a kid, I didn't get many awards or trophies, aside from perfect attendance three years in a row. If only there was an award for procrastination. While there are apps out there for my iPhone like Clear and even the stock Reminders app, they still don't push me hard enough to get things done on time—or at all.
How To: Hide That Pesky NFC Icon from Your HTC One's Status Bar (Root Required)
If you turned on your HTC One for the first time and wondered what that weird icon that looks like an N is, it indicates that NFC is on. It seems strange to me that HTC wanted to waste Status bar space on an NFC indicator, but sometimes we just have to deal with it. However, if you're a softModder, you don't have to just deal with it. The icon can't be removed permanently, but there is a very easy way to hide it forever.
How To: Remove Blinkfeed from Your HTC One for a Stock Feel Without Rooting
For someone used to the old-style HTC Sense, upgrading to an HTC One with Sense 5 is a pretty intuitive experience, but there's one thing that some users find obtrusively different. Blinkfeed, an app which aggregates newsworthy articles from various sources and pins them in a scrolling feed on your home screen. If you don't like staying current on news, or don't like how much RAM it eats up, you probably want to get rid of it. There's been some questions about removing Blinkfeed in our forum,...
How To: Get CyanogenMod's Sleek Graphing Calculator & Widget on Your Samsung Galaxy S4 Without Rooting
It's that time of the year again when scores of students are flocking to stores for school supplies. Pens, pencils, books, and for math students, calculators.