Gadget Hacks How-Tos

How To: Save Battery Life & Never Get Lost Again with Offline Maps & Directions on Your Samsung Galaxy S3

When you have to take four different freeways to go twelve miles, Google Maps becomes a very close and dear friend—especially in Los Angeles. Without my trusty Samsung Galaxy S3, I seriously don't know if I could make it back home half of the time. Of course, you'd probably get better directions using a Garmin, TomTom, or other GPS device, but when you already have a smartphone like the GS3, dedicated GPS units become nothing more than a luxury item.

How To: Prank Friends, Cheat Games, & More with Android Bot Automation on Your Samsung Galaxy Note 2

During a contest in 2010 regarding which country Justin Bieber should visit next on his tour, North Korea won by a landslide. Unfortunately, he never went, and that's partly because nobody in the internet-less dictatorship probably voted. Instead, the contest was rigged by 4chan members and a few playful bots that voted for NK hundreds of thousands of times. What this shows is that not only is Justin Bieber an asshole, but that bots can be used as a very powerful tool—not only to cause mischi...

How To: Automatically Save Snapchats onto Your Samsung Galaxy Note 2

Snapchat's self-destructing nature is the perfect way to send funny and potentially embarrassing photos and videos (something Anthony Weiner wishes he knew about). That's why there are currently 150 million Snapchats sent each day. While it may be used for fun, many fail to recognize that there's a dark side to every good thing. While Snapchat claims that the pictures and videos on their application are completely obliterated—not only from the phone, but from the Snapchat server—there are oth...

How To: Make ''The Prototype'' Mask

For this project, I was inspired by the as-yet-to-be-released movie called The Prototype when making this mask. Paper strips and a mix of water and flour is the main things you'll need to make this Prototype-like mask. For the eyes, I used old halogen bulbs and inside them I put LEDs connected to a battery with switch.

How To: Monitor Cellular & Wi-Fi Data Speeds from Your Samsung Galaxy Note 2's Status Bar or Notification Tray

Whether you're pressed against your bedroom window, hidden deep inside your linen closet, or lounging on the rooftop, finding that area of maximum Internet speed around your house is usually just trial and error. And when you finally find the sweet spot, apps like Speedtest.net can help you determine how fast your Wi-Fi or cellular connection is overall on your computer or smartphone, so you know your full capabilities. But, if you want to know exactly how fast your Samsung Galaxy Note 2 is u...

How To: Make the Stock Weather Widget Transparent on Your Samsung Galaxy S4

The stock weather widget preloaded on your Samsung Galaxy S4 is really great, but there's one thing that's missing—options. The weather widget shows just the right amount of information at a glance, and it's not too shabby looking either, but for us softModders, it'd be really nice to have more options. Well, today I'm going to provide you with a couple. Interestingly enough, this is a topic I first covered on the Samsung Galaxy S3.

How To: Completely Back Up Your Apps & App Data on Your HTC One or Other Android Device

When you upgrade to a new Android smartphone like the HTC One, you can have browser bookmarks, Wi-Fi passwords, and other settings quickly transferred over from your old device using your Google Account backup. However, you'll still have to download apps individually from your Google Play list, and not all of your saved progress will be transferred over. Fortunately, there is a third-party app that will allow you to backup and restore your apps—with all their data.

How To: Get Out of Your AT&T Contract Early Without an Early Termination Fee (ETF)

Earlier this month, AT&T quietly introduced a new "Mobility Administrative Fee" which levies a $0.61 monthly charge to all postpaid contracts. While it's a seemingly small amount on an individual basis adding up to $7.32 per year, with its huge customer base, AT&T stands to make around half a billion from the tight-lipped move. AT&T has stated that the fee will "help cover certain expenses, such as interconnection and cell site rents and maintenance" that's consistent with other phone carrier...

How To: Play Your Favorite Retro Video Games Right on Your Samsung Galaxy Note 2

I grew up on SNES. Super Mario, Final Fight, and Contra were just a few of my favorites, and most of my collection is still intact—all I have to do is reach under my bed and pull out all my old games. As proof, I present my original Donkey Kong Country cartridge: Now that I'm older, I don't have as much time to play my SNES as I used to. Hell, I barely have time to play my Xbox. Most of the games I play these days are on my Note 2, but no mobile game can compare to those classics collecting d...