Gadget Hacks How-Tos
How To: Redial Busy Phone Lines Automatically on Your iPhone or Android Phone
Whether you're calling the unemployment office, a popular radio contest, or any other phone line that gets super busy, having to recall the number manually is a pain. Whatever you do, however, don't punch in the same digits over again and again — our smartphones can help do it for us, saving our time (and sanity).
How To: Make Your Own 'Avatar' — Facebook's Answer to Memoji & Bitmoji
Snapchat popularized personalized stickers for social media and messaging with Bitmoji, followed by walled-garden versions from Apple with Memojis and Samsung with AR Emojis. Even Google has gotten into the game, integrating an emoji generator for Gboard.
How To: Schedule a Tweet on Twitter from Your iPhone or Android Phone
Twitter is a science. The smarter you post and engage with others, the better chance you have at building a bigger audience. Scheduling your tweets is one way to get there. Most engagement occurs at specific hours, but you may not be around then to post your tweet manually. While the official Twitter app on iOS and Android doesn't allow you to schedule, there is another way.
How To: There's a Hidden Scientific Calculator on Your iPhone
The Calculator app on your iPhone may seem boring and basic, but there are a few interesting tricks worth knowing. You can ask Siri to perform calculations for you, long-press on results to copy them, long-press the field to paste numbers in, and swipe left or right above the keypad to delete digits one by one. The app can also be used as a scientific calculator with just a simple maneuver.
How To: Scan Any QR Code in Seconds with Your iPhone
A QR code is a fun and convenient way to link people to a website or app. On iOS, you have a few ways to scan these codes. You can download a QR scanner to get the job done, but Apple has one built into iOS. Or you can add the QR Code Reader tile in Control Center, but that's not even necessary. There's a better way, one that requires basically no effort to pull off.
How To: Use Your Smartphone as a Keyboard for Your Smart TV
With more digital content than ever, the search feature on smart TVs is essential. But typing is such a terrible experience when you're forced to use voice dictation or peck around with the remote control. Thankfully, there's a better way.
How To: Attach Any File to Your Google Meet Video Conference
Google Meet might not have virtual backgrounds like Zoom, but it hits all of the other basics, from hosting many multiples of video participants to sharing your screen, that you'd expect from a robust video conferencing platform.
How To: Try on the LA Rams' New Uniforms with Snapchat AR
The Los Angeles Rams are the latest NFL franchise to introduce new or modified uniforms for the 2020 season, joining the Atlanta Falcons, Cleveland Browns, Indianapolis Colts, New England Patriots, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and their neighbors, the Los Angeles Chargers.
How To: Save Money on Your Disney+ Subscription with These Deals
With shows like "The Mandalorian" and movies like "Frozen 2," Disney+ has quickly become a must-have streaming service. However, with Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Hulu, adding another subscription-based service can become expensive — but there are ways to trim down the cost.
How To: Type in a Foreign Language with This Hidden Gboard Feature
There are plenty of apps that can translate text on websites and even in the real world. But when you need to write a message in a language you don't speak, it's your keyboard that will come in handy the most.
How To: Bulk Delete Multiple Instagram Comments at the Same Time
When you post a photo or video on Instagram, it's always nice to see positive comments from friends, family, and even fans. On the other hand, it's never fun to see spam or hate messages underneath your posts. Before, you'd have to delete these comments one by one, but now you can delete comments in bulk.
How To: Enable Popup Notification Bubbles for Your Chats in Android 11
Android 10 added the framework for OS-wide chat bubbles, a feature popularized by Facebook Messenger. The new system allows you to interact with incoming messages as if you were in the app — all without having to leave your current app. In Android 11, this feature is finally activated.
How To: Use the Volume Buttons to Respring Your Buggy iPhone Without Having to Re-Jailbreak
Software issues occur more frequently on jailbroken iPhones, though, they're usually minor bugs that can be fixed easily with a respring. But if your device freezes up, restarting is the only way to get back to normal, which also means having to re-enable your jailbreak. There is one way, however, to respring without interacting with the touchscreen and having to re-jailbreak.
How To: These Excel Courses Can Turn You into an In-Demand Data Wiz
Microsoft Excel is one of the most powerful programs for modern businesses. By allowing you to manage, sort, and analyze large collections of data, Excel provides an essential service for any company interested in using the power of data science to its advantage.
How To: There's a Handy Shortcut for Typing Fractions on Android
If you're using the default Samsung Keyboard on a Samsung Galaxy smartphone or Gboard on a Google Pixel or any other Android device, here's a cool trick you should know about.
How To: Back Up & Restore Your Home Screen Layout & Icons on Any Samsung Galaxy
In the past, if you upgraded to a new Galaxy or if you had to factory reset your existing one to fix an issue, you had to restore your home screen layout manually. Your wallpaper, widgets, icon placement, and launcher settings were all dependent on you to be put back in their place. Thankfully, this isn't an issue anymore.
How To: Your iPhone's Screen Will Turn Off Faster if You Disable This Setting
Have you ever noticed that when you put your iPhone to sleep, it takes an extra second longer than it probably should for the screen to go black? It's a bit strange and forces you to wait another moment until your iPhone locks. But most of you can avoid the small delay entirely by just changing one setting.
YSK: There's an Easy Way to Change Samsung's Tab Switcher into a Tidy List View
Are you the kind of person to never close tabs in your browser? With so many tabs, the overview menu becomes congested, making it difficult to go back. But it doesn't have to be that way.
How To: Create Pro-Level Illustrations with Absolutely Zero Design Experience
Let's face it: standing out in the digital world is challenging. Graphics platforms are either cumbersome to learn or produce generic stock art. A better solution is needed.
How To: Master Adobe's Top Design Tools for Under $50 Right Now
Adobe sets the standard for graphic design. Since launching its subscription-based Creative Cloud in 2011, Adobe has consistently updated its suite of applications to serve the needs of the modern designer.
How To: The Simple Way to Stop Your iPhone from Sending Unwanted Audio Messages
Your iPhone's audio messages may get you in trouble if they haven't done so already. It's way too easy for your iPhone to start recording without your knowledge, only to send a friend or family member a conversation you're having about them. (Awkward.) Luckily, protecting yourself takes only the flick of a switch.
How To: Use This Trick to Unlock Hidden Software Update Options on Your iPhone
The automatic software update setting on your iPhone is nice, but you may not always want to install new iOS versions blindly. New updates could contain bugs and vulnerabilities, and your favorite features may even disappear. With the auto-update option turned off, you can manually download and install updates, but there are also hidden options to be more specific about how you want to do it.
How To: Undo Deleted Text with Your Samsung Galaxy's Keyboard
Undo. Redo. These two actions are forever intertwined, but they're missing from the standard keyboard on Android. Accidentally delete a word, and there is no Ctrl + Z to undo this mistake. But there is finally a solution available on Samsung Galaxy phones.
How To: Tired of Telemarketers? Your Digital Bouncer Has Arrived
We all know the stress that a ringing phone causes these days. Should you pick up that unrecognizable number? More often than not, it's a bad decision. You hear the automated message and hang up. Or worse, a real human asks you about your day before trying to sell you something.
How To: Unlock On/Off Icons for Toggle Switches on Your iPhone
Apple's iOS doesn't have the best reputation when it comes to customization, but with every new iOS version we get, there are more options to personalize. Your iPhone comes packed with plenty of tweaks and hacks to make the device feel truly yours, and one of those is a fun yet useful mod that adds on and off icons for toggle switches on your iPhone.
How To: Share Your iPhone's Medical ID with First Responders When Placing an Emergency Call or Text
In the event of an emergency where you can't answer for yourself, trained professionals can view your Medical ID on your iPhone to learn about your medical situation, granted that you have created one. But that's not all your Medical ID can do. With a new feature, iOS can share your Medical ID data automatically with first responders when you place an emergency call.
How To: Enable Dark Mode in Facebook's iOS & Android Apps
Dark mode is simply a way of life these days now that both Android and iOS officially support it. Most major apps now use the system-wide setting on Android and iOS, and many had their own dark themes in-app before Google and Apple got with the program. But the social media giant Facebook took forever to implement a night theme, and some of you still may not be able to access it.
How To: Set Up Wireless Debugging on Android 11 to Send ADB Commands Without a USB Cable
From booting into Fastboot mode with a single command to installing mods without root access, there's no shortage of reasons to use ADB. The catch, though, you had to be tied to a computer with a USB connection. However, a new feature in Android 11 finally allows you to run ADB commands over Wi-Fi instead of being tethered.
How To: You Can Learn the Data Science Essentials at Home in Just 14 Hours
Before the internet, acquiring enough data to analyze was challenging. Now we have the opposite problem: a deluge of data makes trying to sort through it nearly impossible. That's where data science comes in.
How To: There's a Much Faster Way to Activate Dark Mode on Your iPhone
With iOS 13, Apple introduced system-wide dark mode for the first time on the iPhone, and there are several ways to activate it. You could use the brightness slider to change the theme, have Siri do it for you, or adjust it straight from the Settings app. But there's one way that's faster than all others so that you can switch from light to dark in no time.
How To: Add Subtasks in Asana's iOS & Android Apps
The Asana mobile app lets you manage your projects with the same functionality as the website. Most features are pretty straightforward, thanks to Asana keeping the same design cues from the web app. However, one element is very easy to miss: adding subtasks.
How To: The Best Way to Type on Your Touchscreen Chromebook
Touch typing on a Chromebook is difficult. With displays well over seven inches, it's barely possible to type in portrait mode, and landscape mode is a joke. But you don't have to resort to a physical keyboard, because there's a better way that works regardless of the screen size.
How To: Watch Apple's Virtual WWDC 2020 Keynote Livestream Today on Any Device
For the last three years, Apple has hosted its Worldwide Developers Conference at the San Jose Convention Center, but thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, WWDC 2020 is now an online-only event. So what can you expect from the new virtual format and when and how can you watch the keynote and developer sessions?
How To: Read, Write & Speak Foreign Languages Instantly with Help from Your Phone or Computer
Have you ever gotten into a taxi in a foreign country and had trouble expressing where you want to go? Or tried to ask a waiter what's in the dish you're eyeing on the menu? Perhaps you just want to know what's happening in another country, and the news outlets don't offer a translated edition.
How To: Face ID Not Working? This Setting Could Fix It
Ever since the iPhone X, Face ID has been the standard way to unlock your iPhone. For the most part, it works remarkably well and adds a layer of security that Touch ID can't match. That said, the tech isn't perfect. If you're finding that Face ID isn't working for you, there might be an iOS setting to blame.
How To: Burst Mode Missing on Your iPhone SE? Here's Where to Find It in the Camera App
If you need to capture a still image of some high-speed action, Burst mode is the way to go. Burst shots take photos in rapid succession, providing a range of pictures to choose from and ensuring that at least one great shot comes out of it. You might notice, however, that your new second-generation iPhone SE doesn't seem to sport Burst mode as your old iPhone did. Is it gone? Not at all.
How To: Hack Your Business Skills with These Excel Courses
For over three decades, Microsoft's landmark program, Excel, has helped businesses accomplish tasks and problem solve quickly and efficiently. Whether you're a budding entrepreneur or navigating a remote career, Excel can help you apply your business skills at a higher level.
How To: Learn How to Speculate & Make Money as a Day Trader While You're Stuck at Home
We all know how volatile the stock market is, especially during times of crisis. That does not mean that the market is impossible to gauge, however. Day traders are trained to read charts in order to recognize market trends and price patterns, giving them the insight they need to make their trades as profitable as possible.
How To: Type Faster with One Hand Thanks to This Hidden Gboard Feature
When using your right hand, Gboard's one-handed mode will help you type faster with a single thumb. But not all of us hold our phones the same way — some of us prefer our left hand or hold our phones higher or lower than where the keyboard is positioned. But with the latest version of Gboard, you can change this.
How To: Install TWRP Without a Computer
TWRP is the premiere custom recovery for Android because of how many devices it supports and how simple it is to use. But installing it in the first place hasn't always been the easiest thing to do — until now. With the help of a Magisk module, you can finally use one Android device to flash TWRP on another.