Hot Gadget Hacks How-Tos
How To: Install Cyanogen OS 12 on Your OnePlus One
They might be a little late to the party, but the Cyanogen team has finally released their newest ROM for the OnePlus One, Cyanogen OS 12. The launch had to be pushed back a few times due to some technical issues, but now we finally get to see what the Cyanogen team has cooked up for Android Lollipop.
How To: Change Backlight Duration for the Back & Recents Keys on the Galaxy S6
For some strange reason, not all variants of the Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge have a menu option for changing the backlight timeout for their capacitive keys. According to user reports, only the AT&T variant of these phones has such an option.
How To: Mimic the Galaxy S6's SOS Feature on Any Android Device
Smartphones are great at keeping us busy with games, social media, and messaging apps, but there has been a recent push for them to also help keep us safe (and I'm not talking about from hackers, though that is equally important).
How To: Make Any Android Device Easier to Use with One Hand
Our hands aren't necessarily getting any bigger, but smartphones still seem to be getting larger and larger. With average cell phone display sizes nearly doubling since 2007 (leading to new terminology like "phablet"), reaching all corners of a screen can become nearly impossible with one hand. Granted, most larger devices like the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 and Galaxy Note 4 come with a one-handed option to make navigating easier, but other popular devices like the Nexus 6 don't. While it may see...
How To: Increase Attachment Size for Secondary Email Accounts in the Gmail Android App
The Gmail app recently became stock Android's central hub for all of your email accounts. Instead of being limited to just Gmail accounts, the app can now handle POP3, IMAP, and exchange service email accounts, making it a one-stop shop for all of your emailing needs.
How To: Use the SOS Feature on Your Samsung Galaxy Phone in Case of an Emergency
Samsung included an "SOS" feature for its phones since the Galaxy S6 that could literally be a lifesaver should you ever find yourself in an emergency situation. It's one of those things that we hope to never have to use but will be very thankful for if a need ever arises.
How To: Use Your Own Handwriting to Enter Text on Android
One of Android's biggest strengths relative to iOS was the ability to switch to a third-party keyboard. While Apple has finally included this feature in its latest OS and leveled the playing field a bit, the variety of options still pales in comparison to what's available on Android.
How To: Wake Your Samsung Galaxy S6 by Hovering Your Hand Over It
As your Galaxy S6 lies on your desk while you're hard at work, it's difficult to resist from periodically pressing the wake/lock button to check the weather or glance over any notifications you may have on your lock screen. While pressing the hard key is easy enough, there's an even easier method where you simply hover your hand over the device to wake the screen.
How To: Get Enhanced Copy & Paste Functions on Android for Easier Multitasking
For the most part, when you're copying text on your Android device, it's because you intend on pasting it into a different app than the one you're currently using. For instance, you might be looking at a posting on Craigslist. So you copy the seller's phone number, then head to your home screen, switch over to your phone app, paste it into your dialer, and finally make the call.
How To: Add More Shortcuts to Your Android's Home Screen
Widgets exist to offer quick access to certain features in the apps we use most. On the Samsung Galaxy Note 4, home screen widgets let me do pretty much anything, from checking the forecast to browsing my emails.
How To: Enable the New YouTube Player Interface with Transparent Video Controls
YouTube's main player interface got a pretty big makeover recently, but chances are, the new UI hasn't made it your way just yet. Google has a habit of slowly testing the waters as they roll out new features, so cool tweaks like this can take some time to reach all users.
How To: Automatically Kill Battery-Draining Background Services on Your Android Device
The vast majority of Android apps use background services to sync data, check for location updates, and perform various silent tasks. These background services can start up whenever they'd like, and they continue to run in the background even when you're not actively using the app that they originated from.
How To: Use Directional Swipes to Unlock Your Galaxy S6 with the Hidden 'Direction Lock' Feature
In addition to the fingerprint scanner, the Samsung Galaxy S6 has all of the basic lock screen options that other Android phones have: swipe, pattern, PIN, and password. There also just happens to be a secret sixth option called "Direction lock" that protects the device with a series of customizable directional swipes—only it's hidden in an unsuspecting settings menu.
How To: Automatically Upload Videos to YouTube When Recording Police with Your iPhone
The shooting of Walter Scott (who was unarmed) has been dominating the news these past few weeks. Scott, who ran away from police officer Michael Slager after a routine traffic stop, was shot in the back and pronounced dead shortly thereafter. Unlike similar cases where a cop shoots an unarmed person, the police officer involved in this particular shooting is currently in jail, facing a potential murder charge.
How To: Enable Lollipop's Color Blindness Features on Your KitKat Device
One of the many additions that appear on Android 5.0 Lollipop is a handy menu that lets users correct for or simulate different types of color blindness. While Google didn't flip the switch on this new feature until Lollipop was released, it turns out they had been working on it for quite some time.
How To: Lock Your Files & Create Password-Protected Folders in Windows 7/8
Technology has progressed by leaps and bounds and has blessed people in a number of ways, but at the same time, it has troubled them also. Computers are now used in every aspect of life. No matter if you are a businessman, an employee, a student, or even a housewife, a computer can assist you in your routine work. You save your personal information, documents, and other similar sensitive stuff on your computer that can hurt you if they get compromised.
How To: Play the Classic Snake '97 Game on Android, iOS, & Windows Phone
Aside from the fact that it was the only game available on my cell phone at the time, I was really good at Snake. I still occasionally play it on my smartphone, but I've never been able to duplicate the same level of achievement as I once did.
How To: Disable & Hide Bloatware Apps on Your New Samsung Galaxy Device
Upon getting the new Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge here at the office, there are countless things we wanted to do before actually diving in and using the device. One of those things is removing all of the unnecessary pre-installed applications we never asked for.
How To: Download Additional Camera Modes on a Samsung Galaxy S6
With 16 megapixels and optical image stabilization technology, it's safe to say that the Samsung Galaxy S6 is well-equipped to take badass pictures. Packed with additional camera modes, like Panorama, Selective focus, and Virtual shot, there's always a way to capture an image as intended.
How To: Lock Apps Using Your Samsung Galaxy S6’s Fingerprint Scanner
Like its predecessor—and probably every device in the future—the Samsung Galaxy S6 comes with a fingerprint scanner that allows for a more secure lock screen, web sign-ins, and account verification. But unlike its brethren, the sensor on the S6 has been vastly improved. No longer does it require a clumsy swipe—all you have to do is place your finger on it for less than a second, much like Touch ID on iPhones.
How To: Get the Best User Experience with the Samsung Galaxy S6
The wait is over. The Samsung Galaxy S6, arguably the best Android phone of this year, has just launched. There was already a lot of hype about this super phone—its looks, its specifications, and its other functions have been under the microscope for quite some time. It will not be a good idea that you take this phone in your hand and use it in the same fashion as you have been using your other phones in the past.
How To: Install CyanogenMod's Gallery App on Any Lollipop Device
CyanogenMod has been building upon open-source AOSP apps for many years now. They've made improvements to apps like the stock SMS client, the stock Audio Mixer, and a whole slew of others.
How To: Browse the Internet with Your Nexus Player's Remote Control
Since the Nexus Player is an Android device at heart, there are already several internet browsers that can be used on the streaming set-top box. Chrome, Firefox, and a few others will run perfectly fine, but the trouble with these is that you need a mouse to use them.
How To: Enable the Charging LED on Your Nexus 6
The Nexus 6 has an AMOLED screen that uses virtually no power to display black pixels. To take advantage of this feature, Google included an Ambient Display notification system that shows a black and white version of your lock screen when you get a new message. As a result, the Nexus 6 doesn't use an LED light to notify you of new incoming messages like most phones.
How To: Theme Your Lock Screen on Android Lollipop
If you're like me, you probably encounter the lock screen on your Android device more than any other screen. Every time you check for new notifications out of habit, or simply pull your phone out to see the time, the lock screen is front and center.
How To: Create a Virtual Whiteboard with Multiple Android Devices
Collaborating with other people can be a pain, especially if you have to share one device between the entire group. Usually when you're creating a new design or trying to edit a mockup, you end up hunched around a single screen or end up emailing revisions back and forth, which can be difficult when you're short on time.
How To: Add a Data Traffic Meter to Your Nexus 5's Status Bar
Carriers really suck, don't they? We constantly have to monitor our data usage, even though many of us are on "unlimited" plans, which, in reality, will just be throttled to a slower 2G or 3G connection when we hit a certain download threshold.
How To: Add the Secret 'Vulcan Salute' Emoji to Your iPhone
If you're a Trekkie, you might be surprised to find that Spock's popular Vulcan salute can actually be used as an emoji on your iPhone. With the public release of iOS 8.3, you'll now have updated unicode for more diverse emojis.
How To: Dual-Boot Multiple ROMs on Your Nexus 6
Desktop users have taken advantage of dual-booting operating systems for decades now. If your core system software is lacking in any regard, dual-booting a secondary OS can give you access to those features that you're missing out on.
How To: Purge Your Inbox of Account Passwords with Dashlane's Email Security Scanner
With troves of sensitive information, like receipts and password reminders, hiding in your email, your inbox can become a sort of Holy Grail for hackers—or anyone with your password. Although my crazy ex-girlfriend had no hacking experience, using my email login, she was able to find a lot of account information with just a general search for "password" in my inbox.
How To: Everything You Need to Know About Buying an Apple Watch
With only a few days until Apple Watch preorders begin, and just a couple of weeks until its official release, the biggest question in Apple Land seems to be: "Are you going to get an Apple Watch?"
How To: Party Pooper Lets Your Friends Vote on What Plays Next in Spotify
Everyone's a music aficionado these days. Whether you're having a party or on a road trip with friends, someone is always complaining about the music. There's no possible way to satisfy everyone, so instead of having your music drowned out by persistent nagging, turn Spotify into a democracy, allowing the consensus to pick what plays.
How To: Make Android's Clock App Open Directly to the Alarm Tab
The basic clock app on Android devices is functional and has a few nice features. One of these is a "World Clock" view, which lets you see the current time in different cities across the world, and shows the time in your location at the top.
How To: Simplify Your Android's UI for Less Distracted Driving
Most new Android devices come with at least one feature that helps control navigation, music, and more through voice-controlled, hands-free communication. While they usually don't end up being completely "hands-free," these apps do stop people from using both hands to perform tasks on their smartphones while driving, therefore distracting them less overall.
How To: Combine Top News Stories Shared by Facebook & Twitter Friends into One Easy-to-Read Place
Serving as the primary tool of distribution for many websites, social media is how most of us catch up what's going on around the world. While there is a bunch of clickbait going around on Facebook and Twitter, there are plenty of genuinely interesting articles being shared.
How To: Install the Official OnePlus OxygenOS (Lollipop ROM)
Despite CyanogenMod actively working on their CM 12S Lollipop-based ROM, OnePlus has opted to develop their own ROM, and after a few setbacks, OxygenOS is finally out. The OS is the result of OnePlus wanting to ship their devices without needing an outside company to create a ROM to power it. Like CyanogenMod's ROMs, Oxygen OS offers a vanilla Android Lollipop experience tailored for the OnePlus One.
How To: Fix Android Lollipop's Memory Leak for Improved Performance
Android version 5.0 Lollipop introduced a ton of changes to the OS—and of course with new features, there's always a new set of bugs. One of the biggest bugs of all was a massive memory leak caused by the new screen-off animation, which loaded its assets into memory but never cleared them away.
How To: The Easiest Way to Bookmark Apps & Tabs on Your Android
Using the overview screen (aka recent apps) is a simple way to jump back to a previous task to continue where you left off, but as you use more and more apps, jumping back to that initial task isn't really that "recent" with all of those new tasks stacked on top of it. Now, thanks to developer PhinxApps, we can redefine what "recent" truly means using PinTasking. With this app, you can pin any app or webpage you're currently using onto your device's screen in the form of a Facebook-like chat-...
How To: Feeling Down? Get Back on the Right Track with 'What's Up?' for Android
We live in world where it is hard to stay positive all of the time. I know at times it gets hard to see the bright side of things and sometimes you just want to give up and let life pass you by. This kind of thinking is usually indicative of a deeper psychological problem which requires professional help, but what about when you can't go see a therapist?
How To: Get CyanogenMod's Audio Mixer on Your Nexus 6
CyanogenMod continues to be the most popular custom ROM for a good reason. Their team of developers always stay on top of the latest trends, and ensure that their software is packed with nice tweaks and awesome features. One such feature is an audio equalizer that allows you to fine-tune your device's various sound outputs. It's got a great interface, and works with any app that calls on Android's default audio mixer.