Gadget Hacks How-Tos
How To: Turn Your Samsung Galaxy S3, Note 2, and Other Android Devices into Wi-Fi Computer Mice
With all of the advancements in the smartphone world, we can virtually use them for anything. You can use your smartphone as a mobile hotspot, an Xbox controller, a car locator, and a security camera. Heck, you can even turn it into a Swiss Army knife. And now you can even use it as a wireless mouse for your computer!
How To: Fix the Apple TV 5.1.1 Update Bug
Last week, an update was released for second- and third-generation Apple TVs. The update included stability and performance improvements along with support for the Up Next feature in iTunes 11. A lot of users have been reporting issues upgrading, saying that the update failed or, in some cases, that their Apple TV refuses to boot after trying to install the update. Luckily, it looks like the solution is rather simple. TidBITS found that the Ethernet update is the problem. All you have to do i...
How To: Text and Walk at the Same Time More Safely with These Mobile Apps
Texting is a godsend to mobile devices, but it also has its caveats. Sending a text to someone requires visual, manual, and cognitive attention—looking at what you're typing, holding the phone steady, and thinking about what you're trying to say. So, texting while doing pretty much anything else is not a wise move.
How To: Show Your Instagram Feed on Your Android Home and Lock Screen with GramWidget
Even though Instagram has been available to Android users for about 8 months now, there are a scarce amount of widgets out there for it. And by scarce, I actually mean none. There was BlinxBox, an Android home screen widget that displayed your Instagram feed, but that app no longer exists. That means there are no Instagram-centric widgets currently available for your Android device, except...
How To: Get All of Your YouTube Videos Back from Google Using Takeout
While putting content and information online gets easier every day, it seems like getting it back is only getting harder. In a lot of cases (we're looking at you, Facebook), once you upload something, it's forever in the hands of someone else. That's where The Data Liberation Front comes in. Believe it or not, The Data Liberation Front is a team of Google engineers who work to make it easier for users to take their stuff back whenever they feel like it.
How To: Make a Totally Geeky LED Pocket Watch That Tells Time in Colors
The cell phone may have replaced the pocket watch, but thanks to some clever mods and hacks, "old-fashioned" time telling is making a comeback. Smart watches that connect to your mobile device cannot only tell you what time it is, but also change the song you're listening to and let you know how many Facebook notifications are waiting for you. Frank Zhao, an electrical engineering student at the University of Waterloo, decided to do something a little different with his LED pocket watch. It h...
How To: Put Google's Search Tools Back on the Left Sidebar
Last month, Google changed the placement of search options from the left side of the page to the top, right above the first result. In theory, this shouldn't be such a bad thing—it's just looks, right? Well, not quite. Turns out, it actually got rid of a few of the options as well, and a lot of people were not too happy about it. The problem is that the change gives you less functionality, and makes the options that are still there harder to get to. One of the most frustrating changes was how...
How To: Auto-Toggle Your Android Device's Wi-Fi On and Off When Near or Away from a Hotspot
Whether it's using precious data or wasting battery power, switching between Wi-Fi and cellular service on your Android device can be a hassle. If your Wi-Fi is off, you may not know about free hotspot networks in the area you're in, leading you to waste network data (which more than likely is not unlimited). If your Wi-Fi is on all of the time, this leads to quicker battery depletion. There are already a few Android apps, like Auto WiFi Toggler, that combat this problem, but they just period...
How To: Turn Any Wall Portrait into Your Own Personal Scooby Dooish "Eye" Spy Surveillance System
Remember how the bad guys in Scooby Doo would always use cut-out portraits to spy on people through walls? Well, unless your landlord is super cool, you probably shouldn't start cutting holes in your wall just yet, but you can make a higher tech version, thanks to NASA employee Mark Rober. Mark used a cheap picture frame and a portrait with the eyes cut out to make the "Scoob Cam," which also doubles as a surveillance device. He used an iPhone and an iPad to start a FaceTime chat, then taped ...
How To: Disable Widgets and Camera Access on the Lockscreen in Android Jelly Bean 4.2
The new Jelly Bean 4.2 is a great improvement over previous Android versions for the most part, except one thing—the lockscreen. Users have voiced their complaints in regards to Android 4.2's new lockscreen features, and it's not pretty.
How To: Make Yourself the Star of PSY's Gangnam Style Music Video
So you've learned all of the dance moves to Gangnam Style and made your very own papercraft version of PSY that dances whenever you want him to. Now it's time to take your obsession a step further—by making yourself the star of the Gangnam Style music video. JibJab, the custom e-card site, has created a free tool that lets you use any photo to replace PSY's face with yours (or whoever you choose), then share the video with your friends.
How To: Make Trippy EL Wire Headphones That Dance to the Beat of Your Music
At one time or another, we've all enjoyed the visualizations that came stock in Windows Media Player. I remember spending hours listening to my favorite album, putting the graphic equalizer on full screen, and getting lost in the flurry of colors that would dance across the screen. Well, now thanks to the imaginative mind of Instructables user yardleydobon, you can now recreate this rainbow-colored music visualizer right on top of your freaking head—with these trippy EL wire headphones, which...
How To: The 10 Best Free Games in the Windows 8 App Store Right Now
As people continue to upgrade their PCs to Microsoft Windows 8, more and more developers are adding content to the Windows Store. While the offerings are not as vast as Google Play or the iTunes App Store, it does have some solid apps for both productive users and those looking to just while away the time.
How To: Make Your Favorite Song Last Forever with Infinite Jukebox
The first album I ever bought with my own money was Nirvana's MTV Unplugged in New York. It featured mainly lesser-known songs and covers, but was on constant repeat on my Walkman. While the whole album was fantastic, there was one song that stood out the most to me—"The Man Who Sold The World." The song (originally written by David Bowie) kept me under a spell, which had me replaying the song over and over and over and over. As I got older, I found myself sharing this relationship with a han...
How To: Use Sony's New PlayStation Mobile on Any Rooted Android Device
Early last month, Sony released PlayStation Mobile, bringing PlayStation games to the PS Vita and other certified phones and tablets. The list of certified phones isn't as extensive as it should have been, consisting of only Sony devices (a few tablets and Xperia) and a couple of HTC ones. For anyone with a supported device, you can head over to the PS Store for the download and installation instructions.
How To: Unlock the Hidden Daydream Easter Egg 'BeanFlinger' in Android 4.2 Jelly Bean
Android's newest Jelly Bean 4.2 update comes with Daydream, a feature that allows you to run screensaver-like apps while your Android device is docked or charging. While the feature comes with several stock 'daydreams' available, there's a hidden Easter egg one that you can unlock! The 'daydream', aptly titled BeanFlinger, is hidden inside of Android's 4.2 Jelly Bean. In order to unlock it, you'll have to go to the phone's Settings and click on About phone. From there, you should come across ...
How To: Speed Up Your Lagging Nexus 7 Running Android 4.2 Jelly Bean with This Quick Fix
A lot of Nexus 7 users have been experiencing a long list of issues after upgrading to Android 4.2 Jelly Bean. From random reboots to abnormal battery drainage, people have had plenty to complain about. One of the most common (and annoying) problems is lag. If you're one of the unlucky users experiencing slowness after upgrading, there's a quick fix you can try, discovered by XDA member fishingfon. Turns out, Google's news application, Currents, could be causing the issue. After changing one ...
How To: Watch Free Live-Streaming TV Shows More Easily in Windows 8
When money's tight and you're tired of re-watching and re-watching your gigantic DVD collection, there's always live television. Of course, you probably don't have cable, which means you're resorting to a homemade antenna like this to get broadcasted channels in your area. But, let's face it—it's just not good enough.
How To: USB Tether Your Android Device to Your Mac—Without Rooting
Android devices are known for their USB and Wi-Fi tethering abilities—rooted or unrooted—which comes in handy for those that travel and need internet on their laptops in areas that don't have any Wi-Fi networks available, but have a strong cellular signal.
How To: Upload Your Photos to Instagram—Without an Android or Apple Device
Instagram allows us to vicariously live through others, experiencing their moments with them. It's an enormously popular application and has already garnered 100 million users, but it has only been made available for download on Android and Apple devices. Sure, there are third-party apps where you can browse, like, and comment on other people's Instagram photos—but they don't give you a way to upload your own pictures. So, what about all of the other people who want to share their lives, but ...
How To: Customize Your Wireless Doorbell to Play Any Sounds You Want
Doorbells are useful and all, but most of them are boring as hell. They use the same old generic sounds to let you know when guests have arrived, as demonstrated below.
How To: Enable the Hidden 4G LTE Feature on Your Google Nexus 4
When the specs for Google's Nexus 4 came out, most critics were more than thrilled. A very fast processor, lots of RAM, a big display with very high resolution, and an 8MP camera made it the media darling of the smartphone world. It climbed the ranks of the best smartphones available, but couldn't quite reach to the top due to one reason—no 4G LTE. Samsung's Galaxy S III and Apple's iPhone 5 both come with 4G LTE, so why couldn't the LG Nexus 4? While there are many reasons, Google was stated...
How To: 5 Easy Ways to Use Your Touchscreen Devices in the Winter (While Keeping Your Fingers Warm)
Winter is coming... and if you don't get that Game of Thrones reference, it's okay, you're still cool in my book.
How To: Password Protect and Hide Any Window in the System Tray with WinLock
When you share a computer with other people, privacy can be a complicated matter. Even if you trust the other users, there are some things that you don't want anyone else having access to. Sure, you can encrypt everything, but what happens when someone needs to use the computer while you're in the middle of something?
How To: Enable the Hidden Facebook Chat and Notifications Feature in Firefox 17's Toolbar
As enjoyable as Facebook can be at times, it can also be a great distraction and even better deterrent of getting work done. A quick "Oh, let me check my notifications" can turn into hours and hours of Facebooking, and before you know it, you're already on your 7th Wikipedia page, all thanks to that status your friend posted. The reason I mention this is because Firefox's new 17.0 update includes many features, but the one that's been making the rounds online is the integration of Facebook Me...
How To: Unlock and Root the Verizon Droid DNA by HTC
Last week, HTC released their new Droid DNA smartphone in hopes of gaining more traction in a smartphone world currently dominated by Apple and Samsung with their popular iPhone and Samsung Galaxy lines. The new Droid DNA boasts a 5-inch 1080p display—the highest resolution for any smartphone on the market. It runs Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean with HTC Sense software, and has may other typical features, such as NFC and wireless charging.
How To: Change Your Android Device's Wi-Fi Country Code to Access Wireless Networks Abroad
Ever found yourself not able to connect to a Wi-Fi network on your Android device that you know damn well was there? The worst part is that you know it's your device, because you can see everyone else around you on that network! WHAT GIVES?!? Well, maybe it has something to do with your phone’s Wi-Fi country code!
How To: Fix the Glowing Red Border on Your Samsung Galaxy S III's Display
So, you finally got the Jelly Bean update on your Samsung Galaxy S III, but one little problem—you've got some red glow around the edges of your screen now. Is your phone messed up? No, it's just a tiny glitch that some users have been reporting after updating their Galaxy S3s to Android 4.1.1, and there are a few quick ways to get rid of it.
How To: Mod a Calculator into a Custom Name Badge for Your Desk
There isn't as much use for old-school four-function calculators anymore since we all have them on our cell phones now. If you've still got one lying around, you can hack it to play recorded sounds, use it to make a metal detector, or turn it into a custom name plate that says anything you want...
How To: Use Bluetooth to Control Your DSLR (Or Any Device with an Infrared Receiver)
You can add Bluetooth capability to an old stereo, a retro mouse, or even your car's cassette deck. If you can think of a device, someone has probably found a way to control it with Bluetooth.
How To: The Reasons Why So Many People Root Their Android Devices (And Why You Should, Too)
Is rooting your Android device right for you? Well, in order to answer that question, we need to get a better understanding of what rooting is and why exactly so many modders choose to root their smartphones and tablets.
How To: Hack Lets You Fully Activate a Bootleg Copy of Windows 8 Pro for Free
Anything free is cool, but getting a fully upgraded operating system for the great price of nothing is downright awesome. A recent exploit was uncovered that allows users to get a free copy of Windows 8 Pro directly from Microsoft's own website. Seriously.
How To: Hack a Cheap Floating Globe into a Levitating Imperial Death Star!
Have any Star Wars fanatics in your family? Well, here's a great Christmas gift idea for those Star Wars fans who think they have everything... a freaking LEVITATING DEATH STAR!
How To: Schedule Automatic Birthday Wishes for Your Facebook Friends
If you have a lot of friends on Facebook, chances are that every day is at least one of their birthdays. If you took the time to individually post a message every time, you'd spend ALL of your time on Facebook, but you don't want to be a bad friend either. Let's face it, some people take this stuff personally.
Hacking Time: How to Speed Up Game Clocks on Your Android Device for Faster Farming
So, you've finally managed to get addicted to one of those free farming games, like Farm Story or Tiny Village. You play the game nonstop now, and the only thing stopping you is that dreaded on-screen notice to come back in 23 hours to finish farming or building. Come back in 23 hours… WHAT?!? Most of these free games will start charging you at this point. Time becomes a luxury. Well, not anymore, thanks to XDA Developer StupidIdea, who made a time-tricking app called GMD Speed Time (that's t...
How To: Solve Complex Equations Easier on Your Samsung Galaxy S3 with This Free Handwriting Calculator
Solving long and extensively complicated equations in grade school was tough to do by hand. Keeping track of which part of the equation to solve first took time, training, and lots of bad grades.
How To: Fix Frozen Notifications on Your Jelly Bean-Powered Samsung Galaxy S III
There is something about being reminded about something you already know that is annoying beyond belief. It's like someone telling you that your shoes are untied while you are kneeling down to tie them. That same logic goes for our smartphones as well.
How To: Set Up Multiple Users on Your Android Jelly Bean 4.2 Tablet
The most recent update for Android's Jelly Bean has some pretty cool new features, like better panoramic photos, gesture typing, and wireless sharing. From a security standpoint, though, the best new feature is the ability to add multiple users to one device. You can create up to 8 different accounts on Android tablets like the Nexus 7 or Nexus 10, so besides saving time hiding or protecting sensitive data, it could also save you some money. You can share a device with your family, kids, or s...
How To: Use Hot Corners More Easily in a Dual Monitor Windows 8 Setup Using Mouse Trapper
Using a second monitor is great for multitasking, especially if you tend to max out your computer's brain power on tons of simultaneously running apps that you want to see, well, simultaneously. That second screen becomes more like a lifesaver.
How To: Disable the Time-Wasting Lock Screen in Windows 8
For many busy people, time is of the essence, and for others, it's simply just being impatient. But no matter what your vice, having your computer start up as quickly as possible is usually a plus for anyone.