Hot Gadget Hacks How-Tos
How To: Make Your Nexus 7 Shut Up on a Schedule (Plus, Toggle Other Frequently Used Settings)
Silence is golden, especially when you're sleeping and about to lock lips with Kate Upton in a dream (or Ryan Gosling, for all you ladies). The last thing you want is your tablet rudely interrupting your passionate kiss with blaring notifications. It's even worse in real-life when you're in an important meeting and you forgot to silence your Android up.
How To: Add Floating Live Animations to Any Custom Wallpaper on a Galaxy Note 3
Regular wallpapers are like so 2012. That's where live wallpapers come in, bringing your background to life like a static wallpaper never could, with colorful animations, customization, and even interactivity. I've already shown off some of my favorite interactive wallpapers, but these type of apps are released at a rapid pace, making it difficult to choose just one that best fits your needs.
How To: The Secret to Turning Your Flashlight Off Faster in iOS 7 on Your iPhone
The days of D batteries and bulky Maglites are over thanks to that handy little device in your pocket called a smartphone. Everyone has one, and thanks to the Control Center in iOS 7, your iPhone now has an easy-to-access flashlight, no matter what screen you're on. Just swipe up from the bottom of your home, lock, or app screen and tap on the flashlight icon. As easy and quick as this is, there's one problem.
Immerse Yourself: How to Unlock KitKat's REAL Full Screen Mode on Your Nexus 7 Tablet
Full screen mode, also called immersive mode, is one of the most popular features on CyanogenMod, but it's almost exclusive to CM and other custom ROMs. What this feature does essentially is remove the Status bar and soft keys from your screen, creating a more mesmeric feel.
How To: Make App Shortcuts on Your Galaxy Note 2's Lock Screen Adapt to Your Routine
Not particularly good looking, TouchWiz's lock screen adequately supplements the clunky and almost cartoonish-look of the infamous user interface on the Samsung Galaxy Note 2. While there are hundreds of lock screen options in the Google Play Store, I've never quite discovered one that I've thoroughly enjoyed, due to the obfuscation from so many options.
How To: Speed Dial Frequent Contacts with a Quick Draw Gesture on Your Samsung GS3
I miss the days where my hardest assignment was drawing a Thanksgiving turkey using the outline of my hand and trying to stay in between the lines. It seems that there is some unwritten rule that adults shouldn't feel the need to draw. Well, not anymore.
How To: Upload Your eBook Collection to Your Nexus 7 Tablet Using Google Play Books
You've got a brand new Nexus 7 tablet for Christmas, and you're extremely eager to start using it. There are many things you can do with it, like shake for new wallpapers, get rounded screen corners, and make it help you fall asleep at night. But, before you get into softModding your Nexus 7, you should know the basics, and if you've come over from a Kindle, turning your new Android tablet into a powerful eReader is a must.
How To: Turn Your Nexus 7 into a Personal Mixologist to Class Up Your Home Bar
You have an abundance (or scarcity) of alcohol, liqueurs, and chasers, but don't know how to combine or mix them together to produce some kind of enjoyable concoction for friends. What do you do? Mix things you think will taste good together? They probably won't. There's rules about clear alcohol vs. dark alcohol and how they pair with juices and sodas, so what's the best way to know what goes well with what?
How To: Give Your Kids Video Proof That Santa Really Exists with This Awesome App
Have you been caught eating the cookies that were left for Santa? That's easy to explain, but what do you do when the doubt begins to rise in your child, rendering them dubious about the authenticity of everyone's favorite childhood lie?
How To: Bottom Right App in Your Dock Keeps Vanishing? Here's How to Fix It
Seemingly out of nowhere, something strange started happening on my Nexus 7. Every time I restarted my device, the camera application on the far right of my dock kept disappearing on me.
How To: Jailbreak iOS 7 on Your iPad, iPhone, or iPod Touch Using evasi0n7
Just 94 days after the release of iOS 7, the team over at evasi0n have once again gifted us with their latest jailbreaking software for the newest version of iOS. The first iteration of evasi0n7 contained Chinese malware, but the subsequent release removed the malicious Chinese app store, so this evasi0n7 jailbreak should be just as safe as previous evasi0n jailbreaks were for iOS 6.
How To: You Can Now Jailbreak Your iOS 7 iPhone & iPad, but You Totally Shouldn't—Here's Why
Update 1: Evad3ers have released a statement to the jailbreak community, claiming that the safety and security of their users is the most important thing to them and that all speculations about malware being encoded into the jailbreak is simply not true. You can read the full letter over at Evasi0n's site.
How To: Keep Things Clean & Simple with This Minimalistic Launcher for Your Samsung Galaxy Note 3
In a world where more features are king, sometimes it's a good thing to breathe, take a step backwards and keep it simple. With home launchers, this isn't often the case, as developers add a galore of features to their apps in order to be at the top of the game.
How To: Customize the Ringer Based on Calendar Events on Your Samsung Galaxy S3
I've said it before, but there are few things quite as annoying (or embarrassing) as having your smartphone go off at a time where it just shouldn't happen. Imagine a nice, intimate evening with your significant other; you dim the lights, snuggle up, and "this classic" comes on. Or, your phone goes off in a meeting, and your boss gives you that look.
How To: Capture Action on Your Nexus 7 Using the "Exclusive" Sony Xperia Motion Shot Camera
Sometimes, taking a picture of your friend doing a crazy stunt just doesn't suffice. Getting the progression of the stunt in one image does!
How To: Edit & Filter Your Photos Like a Pro on the Nexus 7 Tablet
For those of you who have (or had) and iPhone, one of the cooler photo apps for iOS was VSCO Cam, an extremely popular camera with pro-quality filters and effects. Now this app is available for Android on Google Play for your Nexus 7 tablet and any other devices running Android 4.0 and up.
How To: Never Miss Important Dates Again with These Countdown Widgets & Apps for Your Nexus 7 Tablet
I can't begin to tell you how many times I've forgotten a special day or event. Once, I even showed up to class where everyone was turning in essays while I sat there empty-handed. Important dates sneak up on us. Especially one-time events we just can't wait for, like the release of a new movie when we count down the days, minutes, and hours.
How To: Text a Girl Like a Boss
Who needs to talk to a girl when you can just text them? I mean, am I right? There's even a movie about a guy who falls in love with a girl inside his cell phone (and it actually looks pretty good too). For all you clowns, the girl is not actually inside of his phone.
How To: Find Out Who's Snooping Around on Your Samsung Galaxy S3—And Why
Snapchat was created for the sole purpose of removing evidence from your mobile that a photo or video ever existed. That way, snoopers can't find any of these questionable selfies in your photo gallery. Of course, there are plenty of ways around this safeguard, but it's still more private than the standard social networking app.
How To: Remove Ads When Watching Videos in the YouTube App on Your Galaxy Note 2
While ads certainly pay the bills (thank you guys, we love you), they can also be obtrusive and annoying when it comes to accessing and viewing content (not our advertisers though, they rule).
How To: Go Caroling with Google Now's Christmas Song Karaoke Cheat Sheet for Android
If you're using an Android phone or tablet with Google Now, then you and your little ones are in for a little treat. Just tell Google, "Let's Go Caroling," and watch the holiday metamorphosis as your device changes into a personal, karaoke caroling machine. Just in time for the holidays! Choose from one of five famous Christmas songs (Jingle Bells, Up on the House Top, Deck the Halls, O Christmas Tree, and We Wish You a Merry Christmas), press Play, then keep up with the bouncing ball as it h...
PSA: Google's Keeping Tabs on Your Location & Here's How to Stop Them
We're only years away from a complete Robot Revolution and Google Inc. will surely be leading the charge.
How To: Separate the Settings Menu on Your Nexus 7 Tablet into Tabs Arranged by Category
It seems like most of the really cool and interesting modifications you can make to your Android device always require special root access, so when a fun mod comes along that doesn't require root—I feel it's my duty to alert you.
How To: What's New (& Removed) In Apple's Latest iOS 7.1 for iPad, iPhone, & iPod Touch
This last weekend, Apple released the second beta of iOS 7.1 for iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch, and I've got a firsthand look of what's to come in iOS 7.1—the first major update since iOS 7 was released.
How To: The Fastest Way to Switch Between Your Favorite & Most Used Apps on a Samsung Galaxy S4
Like many other smartphones these days, your Samsung Galaxy S4 is built to handle multitasking like a pro. With a 1.9 GHz processor and 2 GB of RAM (specs comparable to laptop computers just a few years ago), this powerhouse of a phone can switch between apps with supreme ease.
How To: Register a Domain Name with NameCheap
If you are struggling to get yourself a domain name, watch the video below and register a domain name you desired immediately.
How To: Use This Invisible Keyboard to See More of Your Screen When Typing on a Samsung Galaxy S3
The space on your phone is extremely valuable, so getting the most out of your screen real estate can help you out when multitasking or for just making your device feel bigger. One thing that is often overlooked when it comes to saving space on the screen is the keyboard.
How To: Android 4.4.2 Update Removes Hidden App Ops Privacy Feature: Here's How to Get It Back
If you've been using Google's hidden App Ops to lock down and prevent some of your Android applications from exposing your privacy, then think twice before updating to the new Android 4.4.2 software.
How To: Integrate Two Computer Fans to Make You Chill
This simple contraption almost acts like a Rube Goldberg machine to give you that cold tranquility that you need during the summer.
How To: Turn Your Nexus 4 into a Nexus 5
The Nexus 5 is the current Google flagship packed with the latest and greatest of all things Android, but what if you never made the leap from your Nexus 4 smartphone?
How To: Go Old School on Your Samsung Galaxy S3 with a Rotary Dialer
Out with the old, in with the new—but sometimes that phrase is reversed. Just take a look around and you'll see some high-top fades from the '90s and some hipster wearing his great grandmother's Depression-era reading glasses.
How To: Browse the Web or Play Games While Skyping on Your Android Device
Skype has recently made some really great changes to their Android app that were once exclusive to softModders with rooted devices. Previously when Skyping, using your device for other tasks was impossible. Your entire screen was devoted to your Skype conversation.
How To: Set Auto-Reply Emails When You're on Vacation Directly from the New Gmail Android App
The holiday season brings together three of my favorite things—presents, time off, and drinking. And in order to enjoy all of these things in peace, you have to make sure to put your work behind you.
How To: Get Adaptive App Shortcuts on Your Nexus 7's Lock Screen
There are a gazillion lock screen apps available on Google Play, but the majority of them are subpar and not worth your time. However, in my opinion, there is definitely one out there worth your time—one that constantly learns and adapts to what apps you use when and where to determine which shortcuts to give you.
How To: The New Google Keyboard Update for Android Adds Color Theme Options
When the KitKat-friendly Google Keyboard launched, it added an array of cool new features like emojis and swipe gestures. I've also recently covered its awesome keyboard shortcut feature, which lets you create shortcuts for words, phrases, and even email addresses to save on time and fumbling finger taps.
How To: Record Your Nexus 7 Screen Using ADB & KitKat's Hidden Screen Capture Tool
Whether it's because you want to make a quick tutorial video or want to show off your gameplay skills, recording the screen your Nexus 7 tablet isn't an easy feat. At least, until now. Hidden inside Android 4.4 KitKat is a built-in screen capturing feature, but it takes a little effort to dig it out.
How To: Congress Wants to Make Unlocking Smartphones Legal Again—Here's How You Can Help
Whether you have AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile, or any other mobile carrier, chances are your smartphone is sold locked to only work on that specific carrier's network. Sure, you could unlock your carrier-subsidized device, but that would mean breaching the Library of Congress' latest Interpretation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act—making the whole process illegal. As softModders, boundaries and regulations are things that we don't take lightly, although many times we have to begrudg...
How To: Take Back the Photos & Videos You Send via Instagram Direct
It seems that Facebook doesn't take rejection lightly. After being denied for a $3 billion buyout of Snapchat, Facebook-owned Instagram has updated their popular photo-sharing service with Instagram Direct—a new feature that allows users to send private photos/videos.
How To: Block Instagram Users from Sending You Direct Photo & Video Messages
Instagram recently released their new Instagram Direct messaging feature in their Android and iOS apps, which lets users share private photos and videos directly with individuals or groups of up to 15 users. However, there are no restrictions on who you can send private photos or videos to.
How To: Access Your Notifications from the Pattern or PIN-Protected Lock Screen on Your Galaxy S4
Smartphone users these days can get bombarded with texts and emails every hour. Online retailers sending you coupons to get you to buy stuff. Girlfriends asking where you are. Service providers reminding you to pay your bills on time.