Hot Gadget Hacks How-Tos
How To: Install Android 9.0 Pie Beta on Your Google Pixel or Pixel 2 Right Now
Earlier this year, with the Developer Preview, we got a tantalizing glimpse of Google's upcoming Android 9.0 Pie and a whole slew of new features that comes along with it, such as iPhone X-like gestures and improved security features, to name a few. With its announcement at Google I/O, Android Pie just got a lot more accessible.
Google Assistant 101: How to Change the Voice on Android & iPhone to More Natural Male & Female Speakers
Before Google I/O 2018, the Google Assistant for Android and iOS had only two available voice options to choose from — a robotic female and male voice. But there are now six additional voices, and these ones sound way more natural than any other mobile voice assistant (plus, John Legend's voice is coming later this year).
How To: Customize Navigation Prompts on Apple Maps for Clearer Spoken Directions
When it comes to traveling from one location to another with the aide of your iPhone, ensuring your navigation app works as it should keeps you one step ahead of potential hassles. One feature often overlooked is audio settings, and while having no voice prompts is easy enough to ignore while walking or commuting, having no sound to guide you while driving can spell disaster.
Spotify 101: How to Easily Share Music to Friends from Android & iPhone
If you're anything like me, when you first find a good song, album, or playlist on Spotify, your initial reaction may be to share it with your family and friends. While there are the usual share methods available in Spotify that are available in other streaming music services such as Apple Music and Google Play Music, Spotify goes one step further with QR-like codes users can easily scan.
Messages 101: How to Send a Friend a Map to Your Current Location or Let Them Track You While Moving
You're at the bar, but your friend can't find you. You could call them, but that wouldn't feel very 2018. Instead, let your iPhone do the talking. Right in the Messages app, you can easily send your friend your current location — all without interrupting the friends you're hanging out with.
Instagram 101: Turn Off Stories from Brands & Followed Hashtags
Instagram integrated Stories back in 2016, and it flew right by Snapchat as a whole, becoming a bigger success itself than the whole entire Snapchat app. Still, the constant bombardment of information can be tiring in Instagram, so much so that you may want to mediate what Stories are shown to you. Fortunately, there's a way to do just that — without unfollowing accounts or hashtags.
How To: Enable 3D Touch to Stop Accidental Discharges While Playing PUBG on Your iPhone
PUBG is continually getting better and more intuitive with each update, and version 0.4.0 is no exception. Besides a new training map to help you practice and a faster-paced arcade mode for on-the-go gaming, the newest version of PUBG now includes a feature that exclusively caters to iPhones from the 6S on up.
How To: Change Google Chrome's Default Search Engine on Your iPhone or Android Phone
Even if your default mobile browser is Google Chrome, you may not want Google to also be your search engine. Maybe you're not impressed with Google's search results all the time, maybe you want a more private search experience, or maybe you just don't want Google's hands over everything in your life. Whatever the case, it's easy to switch from Google to another default search engine.
Chrome 101: How to Set Your Privacy & Choose Which Data to Share with Google
Chrome is the browser of choice for millions of iPhone and Android users, largely thanks to its user-friendly interface and native Google support. But with concerns over sharing private information with massive companies growing, many people are starting to want a little less Google integration in Chrome.
How To: Find Your iPhone at Home Without Logging into iCloud
There are more ways to finding your missing iPhone than using Apple's own "Find My iPhone" tool in iCloud. If you just need help tracking down your iPhone in your home or at a friend's house, Find My iPhone isn't necessarily the most convenient thing to do when you've got these other options to try out first.
ARCore 101: How to Create a Mobile AR Application in Unity, Part 3 (Setting Up the App Controller)
There are hundreds, if not thousands, of programming languages and variations of those languages that exist. Currently, in the augmented reality space, it seems the Microsoft-created C# has won out as the overall top language of choice. While there are other options like JavaScript and C++, to name a few, C# seems to be the most worthwhile place to invest one's time and effort.
ARCore 101: How to Create a Mobile AR Application in Unity, Part 2 (Setting Up the Framework)
With the software installation out of the way, it's time to build the framework within which to work when building an augmented reality app for Android devices.
Google Chrome 101: How to Play the Hidden Dinosaur Mini-Game on Your iPhone or Android Phone
While having no internet connection is definitely a bad thing when you need it, you can at least bide your time until you're back online with a hidden Easter egg inside of the Google Chrome browser. This gem unlocks a secret side-scrolling game that can keep you busy during your downtime.
How To: Can't Pick Up the Weapon You Want in PUBG? Turn Off This Setting
Scavenging for weapons and supplies in PUBG adds to the element of excitement and dread of the unknown. But this feeling can quickly turn into annoyance as you attempt to swap your weapon for a better one on the ground, only to automatically pick up the gun you just dropped again.
Google Chrome 101: How to Unlock the Material Design 2 User Interface with Round Icons & Blended Status Bar
Google's been using their "Material Design" look in Android for years now, but a change is coming up with "Material Design 2," their updated version focusing on new colors, icons, and spacing. Whether it'll be called "Material Design 2" or not remains to be seen, but you can try it out right now in Google Chrome on your Android device right now.
How To: 15 PUBG Tips & Tricks to Help You Dominate the Battlefield on Mobile
PUBG is currently taking the mobile world by storm, and it's easy to see why. The game has breathed much-needed life to the multiplayer shooting genre, primarily by adding an element of sheer terror as you scavenge for weapons in a hostile environment. With new players continually joining in on the fun, many players are looking for ways to gain an edge.
How To: It's Not Just Your Camera & Mic — Here's All the Crazy Ways Your Phone Could Be Used to Spy on You
As you're surely aware, your phone can be used against you. Thanks to our cameras and microphones, a clever hacker can obtain access to your device and invade your privacy. But spying isn't limited to just these two sensors — gyroscopes, proximity sensors, QR codes, and even ads can be used to paint a very clear picture about who you are and what you're currently doing.
Chrome 101: How to Enable the Home Page Button on Any Android Phone
The Android version of Google Chrome only shows a home button on some devices. Unfortunately, this feature isn't available to all Android phones due to several factors. But thanks to a simple workaround, you can now enable this button and set a home page regardless of what device you have.
How To: Theme the Home Screen App Icons on Your iPhone Without Jailbreaking
Believe it or not, there are a variety of ways to customize app icons in iOS. While iOS 12 made gave us an unofficial built-in way to do it, and iOS 13 improved it, and iOS 14 made it the best it could possibly be, there's still another option if you don't like using the Shortcuts app.
Chrome 101: How to Make Sites Stop Asking to Show Notifications
As the go-to browser for millions worldwide, Chrome makes web surfing a breeze with its simple interface and Google integration. But many websites are starting to ask if they can send you notifications, and this can interrupt your browsing. Thankfully, you can completely disable these prompts if you prefer.
Google Chrome 101: How to Install the Beta Browser on iPhone & Android
Google Chrome is an incredibly popular web browser on both iOS and Android devices, just like its desktop version. That's why it's number one browser in both the iOS App Store and Google Play Store. But for those of you who want even more features, you can test drive the Chrome Beta and get new updates first.
How To: Use the New Multitasking Gestures in Android 9.0 Pie
Android Pie is bringing in plenty of changes, but the headlining feature is a set of navigation gestures like the iPhone X uses. With Android 9.0, you can now navigate through your phone using a total of seven new swipe gestures.
Snapchat 101: How to Audio & Video Chat with Multiple Users at the Same Time in Groups
On April 3, 2018, Snapchat announced that the phone and video calling feature that's long been a feature of one-on-one calls would be coming to group chats. Well, late on Monday, April 17, the feature was finally pushed out to everyone for Snapchat groups on Android and iPhone.
Snapchat 101: Send One Snap & Reach All Your Friends with Groups
In case you missed it, you don't have to chat one-on-one anymore in Snapchat. The company added group chats back in 2016, and they are increasingly gaining new features such as video and audio chats, so communicating Snapchat-style with all your friends at once is better than it's ever been.
How To: 22 Features You Probably Overlooked on Your Samsung Galaxy
TouchWiz might not be the Android skin of choice for hardcore aficionados, but the Galaxy's OS still has a ton of great features up its sleeve that help provide one of the most enjoyable smartphone experiences out there. Many of these are relatively hidden and overlooked features that you may not be aware of.
How To: You Can Play Harry Potter Hogwarts Mystery on Your iPhone Right Now — Here's How
Mobile gamers who grew up on J.K. Rowling's fantasy epic have yet another reason to rejoice, as Jam City's Harry Potter: Hogwart Mystery is slated to touch down on both iOS and Android on April 25. But if you can't bear the wait, there's a little hack you can do to give the game a try right now.
Surprising Uses: Your Phone Makes an Excellent AR Tape Measure
Our phones have evolved past a simple pocket computer. They have become more like Swiss Army Knives, opening up possibilities that were previously considered Sci-Fi material. Thanks to the recent push into augmented reality, a new world of tools is becoming available to mobile users.
How To: Book Dinner Tables Directly from Apple Maps on Your iPhone
Apple has taken great strides to ensure that iPhone users are having an Apple Maps experience on par or even better than Google Maps can provide. One of the factors powering this is extensions, which adds functionality to certain apps by giving them permission to interact. Among all the possibilities, one extension will let you reserve dinner tables right from inside Apple Maps.
Instagram 101: How to Get Portrait Mode on Any Phone with Instagram's Focus Camera Format
Although more and more smartphones are introducing portrait modes with their cameras, there are still plenty of devices out there — especially devices older than one or two years — that do not. While your particular smartphone might not offer you that bokeh effect, Instagram can, as it gives all smartphones software-based portrait modes.
Instagram 101: How to Use Nametags to Quickly Add New Friends
Instagram is no stranger to stealing features from Snapchat. Stories, originally a Snapchat invention, feels more at home with Instagram today. Now, Instagram is attempting to repeat this feat with nametags, a way to quickly add new friends akin to Snapchat's Snapcodes.
Cheap Mods: Turn Your Phone into a Boombox with a Few Household Items
Even though smartphone audio quality has improved in recent years, the tiny built-in speakers aren't always loud enough. But if you want to turn the volume up to 11, all you need is a few household items to make a rig that will amplify your phone's speakers throughout the whole house.
How To: Make Apps Use the Entire Screen on Your Essential Phone — Even the Notch
In the Android community, there's a lot of discussion about how display notches should be used. For some, hiding the notch is more appealing, but others feel that hiding it wastes screen real estate. Well, Essential just provided another solution that should satisfy both sides.
How To: 7 Tips for Securing a Red iPhone 8 Before They Sell Out
Apple has introduced a special edition iPhone 8 and 8 Plus to bring attention to the ongoing worldwide battle against AIDS. As the second iPhones to carry the (PRODUCT)RED name, these rare iPhones may quickly sell out when preorders open up on Tuesday, April 10, at 5:30 a.m. (PDT), so we'll go over some tips to help you secure a red iPhone before it's gone.
How To: If You Really Don't Care About Privacy, Here's What You Get by Giving Google All Your Data
We're all aware that Google collects a notable portion of our data. Thanks to the increasing awareness, Google has added a number of privacy controls to limit data collection. But Google doesn't just collect personal data for no reason — many of your favorite apps will use this info to improve their services and add new features.
How To: Easily View Your Current Cellular Data Usage on Your iPhone
If you can't afford an unlimited plan, you're limited to a certain amount of data each month on your iPhone. Even some unlimited data plans have carrier-imposed mobile data caps that throttle the user if they exceed them. Keeping track of your exact usage each day will help make sure you don't get billed more or throttled like a chump near the end of the month.
ARCore 101: How to Create a Mobile AR Application in Unity, Part 1 (Setting Up the Software)
If you've contemplated what's possible with augmented reality on mobile devices, and your interest has been piqued enough to start building your own Android-based AR app, then this is a great place to to acquire the basic beginner skills to complete it. Once we get everything installed, we'll create a simple project that allows us to detect surfaces and place custom objects on those surfaces.
Hacking WhatsApp: How to Schedule Messages to Send Automatically
Great ideas often strike at random times, but messaging friends and loved ones at an inopportune hour not only risks their wrath, but also increases the chances of your message not being paid proper attention to. Thankfully, there's an app that lets you create and post WhatsApp messages at the time you wish for maximum effect.
Snapchat 101: How to Share Custom Lenses & Filters with Friends That Won't Disappear
In late-2017, Snapchat debuted Lens Studio, a way for anyone to create their own augmented reality "world lenses" that can be shared to anyone with a Snapchat account. If you don't mind spending money, you can even create custom face lenses and basic overlay filters for special events. And while making lenses and filters have gotten pretty easy, distributing them is another matter entirely.
How To: How Google Uses Your Data to Improve Your Gmail Experience
Your email inbox is a treasure trove of personal data. The people you contact, your writing style, which messages you flag as spam — all of this information and more can be used to paint a clear picture of you. Google knows this as well as anybody, so they use this data to constantly improve your experience in Gmail.
iOS Security: How to Keep Private Messages on Your iPhone's Lock Screen for Your Eyes Only
When you leave your iPhone on a table or anywhere within somebody else's eyeshot, a private message may pop up on your lock screen that could be read by anyone who sees it. But there's a way to keep others from reading your possibly sensitive text messages and emails without giving up the convenience of lock screen notifications entirely.