Hot Gadget Hacks How-Tos
How To: Download All 15 Wallpapers from iOS 8 Right Now
Patience is a virtue that many of us do not possess, which is exactly why we've previously shown you how to acquire the initial wallpapers for Mac OS X Yosemite and iOS 8 beta.
How To: Install Almost Any Google Play or Third-Party App on Your Amazon Kindle Fire HDX
Amazon's Appstore has come a long way since it launched in 2011, with over 250,000 apps to its name. That being said, their app numbers pale in comparison to Google's Play Store, which currently boosts over 1.3 million apps.
How To: Add a 5th Column of Apps to Your iPhone's Home Screen in iOS 7
When I compare my iPhone 4S to my friend's iPhone 5, I notice that his elongated screen gives him an extra row of applications. Am I jealous? Yes, a little.
How To: Manage & Recover Your Facebook Chat & Messages History
In the UK, 20 percent of divorce filings include the word "Facebook." You may think you're being slick by using the site to chat with your ex, but the problem is that Facebook saves everything, and I mean everything. All someone needs is your login information and they have access to everything you've ever said on Facebook, public or private.
How To: Download and install the Firesheep Mozilla Firefox browser add-on
Eager to try the Firesheep Firefox extension yourself? It stands to reason that you'll need to download and install it from its official GitHub page first. You'll find all the details, including easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions on how to find and run the Firesheep XPI installer, in the clip. Get started capturing your friends' Facebook passwords with this video guide.
How To: Find music and movies easier using "insite" in Google
In this video, we learn how to find music and movies easier using "insite" in Google. If you are looking for media and can't find it through iTunes or an official site, you can find it on Google. First, go to Google, then type in "intitle:"index.of"(mpg(avi)wmv) (word you're searching for) -html -htm -php -jsp -asp". After you search this, you will see "index of" pages where you can do searched of what you are looking for. Once you click on the links that are available, you will be able to do...
How To: Stop people with Caller ID from seeing your phone number when you call
It seems like everyone has Caller ID these days, but not everyone wants to give up their privacy. Whether you're calling from a cell phone or a landline, you can dial *67 to block your phone number from appearing on Caller ID, and many phone companies offer a permanent option as added service.
How To: The Best Smartphones to Buy in 2024
If you're in the market for a new smartphone and want nothing but the best of the best, now's the time to act. Some of the greatest phones money can buy are being released as we speak, while others are still in their prime and will continue to be for most of 2024. Whether you want an iPhone or Android, we've rounded up the best picks you have to choose from for top-of-the-line specs and advanced features.
How To: Apple's Reminders App Has the Ultimate Solution for Managing Grocery Lists on Your iPhone
If you couldn't pick between putting your grocery list in the Reminders or Notes app, there's now a clear place for it. With the latest software updates, the Reminders app, which now supports sections, sports a groceries template that automatically moves the items you add to related categories to help you better find products in-store.
How To: Download and Install iPadOS 16.8 on Your iPad Right Now
Apple pushed out its iPadOS 16.6 update for iPad on July 24, with iPadOS 16.7 following on September 21. While the company is currently working on improving iPadOS 17, we may still see an iPadOS 16.8 update. If that happens, you can try out all the upcoming new features as long as you're OK with running beta software on your iPad.
How To: Use Health Connect to Sync Your Health and Fitness Data Between Google Fit, MyFitnessPal, and Other Android Apps
Taking a cue from Apple and its Health app for iOS, Google has created a central hub to collect health and fitness data on your Android device. With it, you can share and sync health and fitness data, such as steps, heart rate, water intake, sleep quality, and calories burned, between different apps and devices and use your favorite app to view all the information.
How To: Make Your Android Phone Read Articles, Books, News, and Other Text Out Loud to You
For the avid multitasker, listening to audiobooks and podcasts is the ultimate way to passively absorb knowledge while performing other activities — but there are other options. You can turn any written text on your Android phone into speech that's read aloud to you, so there's virtually no limit on what you can soak up audibly from your headphones or speaker.
How To: Prevent 'Running Your Automation' Notifications for Shortcuts on Your iPhone in iOS 15.4
For most Shortcuts automations you create on your iPhone, you'll get a "Running your automation" notification every time the task is automatically triggered. If you find those alerts annoyingly unnecessary, there's a less-than-ideal workaround to blocking them, but Apple gives us a better option in its iOS 15.4 update.
How To: Try Upcoming Apps, Features, and IAPs on Your iPhone for Free — Before They Hit the App Store
Believe it or not, there are legitimate iOS apps beyond the App Store that you can install on your iPhone. Some of them even work for iPad, Apple TV, and Mac, and there are also benefits to using them over apps found in the App Store.
How To: Remove the Black Bar Under Your Galaxy's Keyboard
Back when Android used navigation buttons, there was a large black bar at the bottom of every screen to house the back, home, and recent apps buttons. But after switching to full-screen navigation gestures in 2019, there was no longer a need for it — however, a vestigial black bar still shows up when you're using your keyboard.
How To: Make Your iPhone Switch Wallpapers Automatically When Dark Mode or Light Mode Is Enabled
There are still and live wallpapers on your iPhone that can go dark when Dark Mode is active or light when Light Mode is on, but there's no easy way to do the same for custom backgrounds. That doesn't mean you're out of luck, though, because you can use Shortcuts to build a workaround until Apple gets us an official "Dark Mode" option for automation.
How To: Quickly Find Your Google Pixel Buds if They Get Lost or Stolen
One thing about the small round little Pixel Buds — they might get lost easily if you have a terrible habit of misplacing stuff. Or worse, imagine someone taking a liking to them a little too much and stealing them when you aren't looking. Google thought ahead about these issues, so just like your smartphone, you can track your wireless earbuds from anywhere with ease.
How To: Download & Install iOS 14 on Your iPhone via Update or Restore Image
Apple's iOS 14 is here. With it, you'll see over 200 new features and changes hit your iPhone, including home screen widgets, inline replies in Messages, and cycling routes in Maps. Here's how you can get your hands on the brand new update.
How To: Manually Switch to a Different 5G Band on Your Samsung Galaxy
Thanks to the Snapdragon X55 modem, the Galaxy S20 and Galaxy Note 20 are among the most compatible 5G phones on the market. There are few bands they don't cover, as the modem supports both Sub-6 GHz and mmWave. But even with such broad support, the Galaxy S20 doesn't get the best 5G reception.
How To: If Magisk Shows You Pass SafetyNet, but You Still Have Issues, Check This
Google recently started testing a new SafetyNet check that might spell trouble for rooted Android devices. It cross-checks your SafetyNet status with Google remote servers, making it impossible to fool by normal means. If Magisk shows you pass SafetyNet and you're still having issues, you might be affected by this change.
How To: Permanently Disable the 'Software Update' Notification on Your Samsung Galaxy — No Root Needed
Updating your Galaxy to the latest software version is optional, but you wouldn't know that from the persistent notification and status bar icon that are constantly reminding you to. Thankfully, you're just an app away from hiding these eyesores without the need to update your phone.
How To: 7 Free Pass 'n' Play Games for Your Phone That Make Coronavirus Bearable at Home
If you're quarantining with other people, consider yourself lucky — but it's not always easy. Staying in one space for so long with too many people can be challenging, so you need to find things to do to make the time go by (and to keep everyone sane). Our advice? Try out these seven free multiplayer games that only require one iPhone or Android device to play.
How To: Two Settings You Should Double-Check to Make Sure Your iPhone's Alarm Goes Off
It happens to almost everyone. You wake up one morning, check your phone, and realize your alarm never went off. Now you're late to start the day, and you spend every night onward paranoid it'll happen again. But if you have an iPhone, there are two things you can check to make sure the alarm always goes off on schedule.
How To: Translate Text in Any Android App
Sometimes, you encounter words in a non-native tongue while using your Android device. The Google Translate app has an awesome feature where it will translate any text you highlight. An overlay will appear, and on this overlay, there will be the translation of the foreign word. This can help you if you need a translation quick fix or if you are learning a new language.
How To: Delete Telegram Messages & Whole Conversations for Everyone in the Chat
If you're looking to keep your conversations private, look no further than Telegram. Its cloud-based chats are secure and its optional end-to-end encrypted chats even more so, but you can't really prevent someone in the conversation from sharing your messages. However, you can lessen that chance by taking back your messages, deleting them for both you and the other end of the discussion.
How To: Turn Your Phone into a Teleprompter to Record Selfie Videos Without Breaking Eye Contact
If you record yourself for a vlog or story post using your selfie camera, it can be challenging to stay on message. You might worry too much about the way you look or sound to focus on what you want to say. Using a script can help, but looking away from the camera to read is unprofessional, even on social platforms like Instagram. What you need is a teleprompter, and there are apps for that.
How To: Set Up Find My iPhone to Always Keep Track of Your iOS Device
While iPhones may be more expensive than ever, it won't stop us from losing them or having them stolen. Whether you have an iPhone 5S or an iPhone XS Max, there's a good chance it'll go missing at some time during your ownership. It could end up in a couch cushion or in the hands of a pickpocket, but no matter what happens to it, you need to prepare it beforehand for the inevitable.
How To: Voice Navigation Prompts Not Working in Apple Maps? Try These Solutions on Your iPhone
Realizing there's no voice to guide you while using your iPhone to navigate can be problematic, causing serious headaches from getting lost to unscheduled pit stops or worse. And while this problem can hit Apple Maps like other navigation apps out there, there are a number of fixes you can try to get navigation audio working again.
How To: Open Links in Chrome Instead of Safari on Your iPhone Using the Shortcuts App
When you tap on a URL link in a text, email, or wherever, your iPhone's default reaction will be to open it up in Safari, and there's no way to change this in the settings. However, there is a way you can work around this to open up links in Chrome instead. Even if you accidentally open a link in Safari, there's a quick way to jump the tab right into Chrome.
Plex 101: How to Disable Auto Play for TV Episodes
If you're new to Plex, there are a couple of things you should know up front. First is how to use it — simply install the Plex server app on your computer and point it to your media library, which you can then access anywhere using the Plex app for iOS or Android. All of this is free.
How To: Turn Your Phone's Flashlight on Instantly with One of These 6 Tricks
Unless you're in law enforcement, you won't usually have a flashlight on hand for those rare moments when you need to sift through the dark. However, it is very likely that you will have your phone on you, so you'll have fast access to a bright light with just a few easy taps.
How To: Secretly Take Photos on Android Without Launching Your Camera App
The art of taking secret photos is one that requires keen awareness and skill. Not only do you need to ensure that your subject remains oblivious, but you also need to make sure that no one near you notices what you're attempting to do. It's great when you buddy is acting a fool, but sucks when they stop their shenanigans when they notice you pulling out your camera phone in an effort to evade your picture.
How To: Remove the Annoying “Wi-Fi Connected” Notification on Android
Call it OCD if you will, but I make it a priority to have a clean Notification panel. Like a chalkboard that isn't wiped spotless, I get an unsettling feeling that something in the universe isn't complete when there's unnecessary clutter in the drop-down. For this reason, I loathe the fact that I can't remove the "Wi-Fi connected" tile from my "Notifications."
How To: 23 New Photo Features for Your iPhone You Need to Know About on iOS 17
There are some important new features in the Photos app on iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 that will streamline editing, give your pets more recognition, help you learn about the world you've captured, and even add a bit of fun to your day. There are even a few hidden tricks that may surprise you.
How To: Create Home Screen Shortcuts to Almost Anything on Android — Videos, Music Playlists, Social Profiles, and More
If you're doing the same tasks on your Android phone repeatedly each day — like playing a specific playlist at the gym, viewing work documents, or watching your favorite music video — you can save some time by automating your routine, turning each task into a one-tap gesture on your home screen.
How To: Mark Texts and iMessages as Unread on Your iPhone, iPad, or Mac
We've been able to mark all or individual unread conversations as read in Apple's Messages app since iOS 8. Eight years later, Apple is finally letting us mark individual text and iMessage chats as unread.
How To: Tame Your iPhone's Lock Screen Notifications with iOS 16's Different Display Styles
You probably receive an overwhelming number of notifications on your iPhone every day — maybe even every hour — which can quickly clutter your lock screen. With Apple's focus on lock screen customization in iOS 16, there are now options that can reduce the screen space that lock screen notifications take up, giving you more room to enjoy all your different wallpapers.
How To: Turn Your iPhone into a Personal Sound Machine to Help You Focus, Rest, and Stay Calm
If you get distracted or stressed out easily, your iPhone might be able to help you focus or calm you down. It can even help you fall asleep with white noise, and you don't have to install a third-party app or buy an audio track to turn your iPhone into a personal sound machine.
How To: Move Safari's Search Bar to the Top of the Screen in iOS 15
Some of the new features in iOS 15 take some getting used to, and the biggest one of those is Safari's relocated search bar, aka address bar. There are more than a few reasons why it's a jarring change, but the good news is that you can return Safari's search bar to its pre-iOS 15 position at the top of the screen.
How To: This Shortcut Translates What You Say to Text in Any Language in Any App on Your iPhone
When iOS 14 came out, Apple released Translate, an app for translating voice and text between several languages (even within Safari). Unfortunately, it's not as comprehensive as some third-party apps or even Siri. That's why Apple uses Microsoft's translation services within Shortcuts. It may sound surprising, but we're not complaining since you can do some pretty awesome things with it.