Hot Gadget Hacks How-Tos
How To: Seamlessly Use Your Mac's Keyboard and Mouse on Your iPad or Another Mac
With the release of iOS 15.4, iPadOS 15.4, and macOS 12.3, Apple unleashed a ton of new features. We saw a preview of one of the most anticipated new features way back in June 2021 when it was announced at WWDC, and now it's finally available for everyone with an iPad and Mac.
How To: 43 Cool New iOS 15.4 Features for iPhone — App Updates, Hidden Changes, and More!
Apple's iOS 15.4 update for iPhone is out after 46 days of beta testing, and it has some exciting features you won't want to miss. Here's everything you need to know about the new software.
How To: See All 112 New Emoji Characters in iOS 15.4 That Just Hit Your iPhone
The latest set of emoji characters, Emoji 14.0, was approved on Sept. 14, 2021, less than a week before iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 hit supported iPhone and iPad models. There wasn't any time to get any new emoji into iOS 15.0, but they're out now in the iOS 15.4 update. So get ready for "Melting Face," "Biting Lip," and "Troll," to name just a few.
How To: Apple's New iPhone SE with 5G Available for Preorder Starting at $429
Apple announced the long-rumored iPhone SE with 5G capabilities on Tuesday, March 8, and the preorder and release dates are just around the corner.
How To: Earn Free Money, Stocks, Crypto, Gift Cards, and Other Cash Rewards on Your iPhone
With all the time most of us spend on our phones each day, wouldn't it be great if we could get rewarded for our addiction? Well, we can, thanks to various iPhone apps out there that can help us make a quick buck, earn cash back, donate freebies to charity, get complimentary cryptocurrency or stock, and receive other types of rewards.
How To: Prevent Autocorrect Fails with This Hidden iPhone Trick
Auto-Correction only improves with time, but after 15 years of continuous development by Apple, it's still nowhere near perfect on the iPhone. However, a few hidden features in iOS can help avoid or mitigate future autocorrect failures, one of which warns you every time it's about to make a word change.
How To: Is iCloud, iMessage, FaceTime, or Any Other Apple Service Down? Use These Tools to See Status Interruptions and Outages
It can be very frustrating: You open your Messages app, send an iMessage, and then see that dreaded red exclamation point or horrible green SMS bubble. At this point, you may be curious whether it's just your iPhone or whether iMessage is broken for everyone, but how do you find out?
How To: Download the Real Wordle Game on Your Phone for Years of Free Offline Gameplay
The hottest word game right now is Wordle, a simple game that gives you six chances to guess the five-letter word of the day. I've already shown how you can add the real Wordle app — not a fake clone — to your iPhone or Android phone's home screen. But there's also a way to save Wordle for offline gameplay for years to come.
How To: Use Your Pixel's Power Button to Bring Up Google Assistant Instead of the Power Menu
There are many ways to access the Google Assistant on your phone, but Android 12 adds another one for Google Pixel models that may be the best way yet.
How To: Download Instagram Reels on Your iPhone for Offline Use, Better Playback Control, and More
Downloading content from TikTok is relatively easy, even if the video is protected, but the same can't be said of Reels, Instagram's version of short-form videos. Instagram doesn't make it easy to download content unless it's your own, and that's especially true with Reels. However, there is a way to bypass Instagram's restrictions on your iPhone and save videos locally without ever leaving the app.
How To: The 10 Best New Camera App Features for iPhone in iOS 15
Apple's iOS 15 update has some great camera features that can benefit professional photographers and casual users alike. And while many are exclusive to newer iPhone models, there are still some Camera app upgrades and additions that apply to all iPhones running iOS 15.
How To: Pair Sony's DualSense Controller to Your Android Phone Over Bluetooth or USB Cable
Gaming on smartphones has grown considerably since the days of The Impossible Game and original Temple Run. Mobile games can be just as in-depth as console and PC video games, but some of those require external controllers for the best gameplay possible. One controller you can use is the PlayStation 5's DualSense wireless controller, and it pairs nicely with most Android devices.'
How To: 20 Big iOS 15.2 Features You Need to Know About for iPhone
With the holidays right around the corner, it's easy to miss a big software update on your iPhone, and by that, I mean iOS 15.2, which was pushed out Monday, Dec. 13. There's a surprising amount of new features and changes in the updated firmware, and there are a few big ones you need to know about.
How To: 11 New Google Pixel Features You Won't Want to Miss
Google dropped new features for its Pixel lineup of phones, and there's something here for everyone.
How To: The Ultimate Guide to Using Safari Extensions on Your iPhone for High-Octane Web Browsing
You've probably already used a few Safari Extensions on your Mac, but if you haven't explored Safari's web extensions on your iPhone yet, you're missing out on some fantastic possibilities to increase productivity, make tasks easier, filter out noise, and bring more fun to your browsing experience.
How To: Scan Food with Snapchat to Discover New Recipes to Try Out
Have you ever had a great meal at your local restaurant and wondered how to make it yourself? Or perhaps you've found yourself stumped at what to make for dinner based on the random provisions in your kitchen? Now, you can discover solutions to these food-based problems via Snapchat's computer vision wizardry.
How To: iPhone Not Getting Any Photo Messages? iOS 15 Updates Disable MMS on Google Fi & Other Carriers — Here's the Fix
If you have an iPhone running iOS 15 that's connected to Google Fi or another mobile virtual network operator, you may not be getting any photos or videos in Messages. That may be because you recently installed a software update, and you'll have to restore your cellular data network settings to get MMS working again.
How To: Open a New Private Tab in iOS 15's Updated Safari Design
When you open Safari for the first time after updating to iOS 15, you'll instantly notice its search bar is now at the bottom, and its Page Settings menu has moved with it. For tabs, moving between them is as easy as swiping on the Tab Bar or selecting one from the new grid view, but you may get confused whenever it's time to open a private window.
How To: 15 New iOS 15.1 Features You Need to Know About for iPhone
Apple's next big iOS update is ready for your iPhone, and it's out just a little bit more than a month after the iOS 15.0 update was released — and 14 days after iOS 15.0.2. The hottest feature you'll find in iOS 15.1 is definitely SharePlay, but what else is hiding within Oct. 25's new firmware?
How To: Scan Real-World Text with Your iPhone's Camera to Copy, Paste, or Share It Using iOS 15's Live Text Tool
Whenever you need to digitally share large bodies of real-world text, you'd likely show a photo of it or manually type everything into the document or chat. But iOS 15 has a much better way for your iPhone.
How To: Use iOS 15's Live Text Feature to Scan Text in Photos and Online Images to Copy, Share, Translate, Look Up, and More
Google Lens has easily been one of the more useful AR apps and a tantalizing tease of life with smartglasses in the not-so-distant future. Now, Apple has its own version of Lens, dubbed Live Text, built right into iOS 15 and iPadOS 15.
How To: Android 12's Upgraded Search Gives You Quick Access to Contacts, App Shortcuts, Phone Settings, and More
The new Material You theme engine with its fancy widgets is a sexy change for Android, but there's another new Android 12 feature that's more than just pretty colors and curves.
How To: Find Out Your iPhone or Android Trade-In Value & Get a Discount on a New iPhone 13
So now that we know what the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro and their respective mini and Max versions are all about, you've probably made your decision on whether or not to upgrade (or swap over from Android) during this cycle.
How To: Protect Your iPhones & iPads by Installing Apple's Emergency 14.8 iOS Security Update
With all of the hype around the new iPhone 13 series and new iPad and iPad mini unveiled this week, it would be easy to overlook a very critical update for the device you already have in your pocket.
How To: Sync All Your Freelance Articles to Authory — Your New Online Writing Porfolio!
When you're a writer with work published across various online platforms, building a portfolio of your work can be pretty time-consuming. That's where Authory comes in.
How To: Take Back the Internet with This Custom DNS & VPN Bundle
In the early days of the internet, if something was there and not password protected, you could see it. In the process of becoming the indispensable work and entertainment resource that it is, the internet also grew the same borders that countries have while also getting less safe for the people using it. If you want to watch something, you have to hope it was available in your country. If you want to keep your information safe, you have to take some extra steps to make sure that happens. The...
How To: Protect Your Information on Up to 10 Devices with This Thrifty VPN
Your privacy is important, especially online. Almost anywhere you go on the internet, you leave a trail of data that companies can use without your permission. VPNs are the easiest way to keep your browsing private and your information safe. Ivacy VPN is one such service, and it's one of the best deals you can get on a VPN because it will cover 5 of your devices for a lifetime, and this is a two-account bundle, so you'll be able to cover 10 total devices for $49.99.
How To: Stay Connected Anywhere in the World with This Compact LTE Hotspot
The ability to stay connected online regardless of your environment is incredibly valuable. Being able to access the internet during a blackout, check your messages while camping, or get in contact with emergency services while you're out in the middle of nowhere can be the difference between a brief inconvenience and prolonged suffering. The DuoTurbo 4G LTE Mobile Hotspot with Complimentary 9 GB Data can give you that easy, constant connectivity, and right now it's on sale for $152.99 — 10% ...
How To: This Smart Phone Mount Is Also a Wireless Charger
Whether you're using your phone's map to navigate or entrusting your passenger with the responsibilities of the mobile DJ, your phone needs a secure place in your car. And if it could charge while it's there, that's great too. The Naztech Smart Grip Wireless Charging Car Mount is exactly what you're looking for if you need a place to keep your phone secure, charging, and able to be used when it's safe to do so. Right now, this adjustable phone mount is on sale for $39.99, an 11% discount.
How To: Hear Your Favorite Songs Exactly the Way the Artist Wanted You to Hear
One of the most frustrating things you can experience as a music lover is to hear a song you've heard a thousand times, only to realize you're not hearing it correctly because your headphones aren't giving you the whole picture. A good pair of headphones will give you the exact music experience your favorite artists want you to have. These S6 Bluetooth Wireless Headphones are designed to give you authentic music down to every detail and note, and you can get them on sale for $33.95 — over 60%...
How To: Save Your Most Important Memories Forever with Secure Cloud Storage
Losing your important data can be more painful than losing the hardware the data was stored on. Precious memories, files you don't often access but always want to have, there's so much you store on impermanent devices that you can't live without. Backing up your information to a secure, cloud-based location is the best way to stave off disaster here. Polar Backup Unlimited Cloud Backup Storage will give you an unlimited amount of cloud storage while making the process super easy.
How To: Improve Safari with a PDF Editor, URL Shortener, Bulk Image Saver & More Features on Your iPhone
Safari saw many new features and improvements with Apple's latest iOS update, including webpage translations, privacy reports, and picture-in-picture. While the updates were well-received, Apple's mobile browser is still lacking some very basic features. Thankfully, there are shortcuts to bridge the gap.
How To: View Art from Your Chromecast in Augmented Reality
The Chromecast TV streaming lineup from Google is one of the more popular products in the category, primarily due to its low price tag and broad app support.
How To: Save Family Photos Forever with This Simple Backup Stick
Losing pictures is a uniquely frustrating experience. You take pictures to remember something, to capture a moment so you can look at it again later. So when you lose the thing that's supposed to be what's keeping your memories safe, it's unfortunate and infuriating. Photo Backup Stick® Universal will keep your pictures safe. Right now, you can get this awesome backup tool for $53.99.
How To: Turn Transparency or Noise Cancellation Off Using the AirPods Pro Stem
Apple's AirPods Pro offer three different audio modes for your convenience: "Transparency," which pumps in sound around you,"Noise Cancellation," which actively blocks out surrounding sounds, and "Off," which uses neither mode. Off saves battery, and does a decent job at passively cancelling noise on its own, but you can't seem to be able to use it with the AirPods Pro stem. Here's how.
How To: Broaden Your Mac's Horizons with This 5-App Bundle
As great as Macs are, they're often limited by the apps you have installed. Your computer might have the processing power to render a 4-hour movie in the time it takes you to have lunch, but if you don't have the right apps, you're not putting all that power to use. The All-Star Mac Bundle Ft. Parallels Pro gives you access to programs that will put your Mac to use and give you the best functionality out of it, and right now this whole bundle is on sale for $49.99.
How To: Read a Book Faster Than You Can Eat Lunch with 12min's Massive 'Microbook' Library
Reading is as gratifying as it is time-consuming, the more you put it off, the bigger your to-be-read stack gets. Eventually, that stack will become a shelf, then a case, and then even if you want to read, who has the emotional fortitude to pick just one from all those unread books. With 12min Micro Book Library: Lifetime Premium Subscription you can read an entire book from start to finish in 12 minutes without losing any of the meaning, and it's on sale now for $39.
How To: Up Your Linux Game with This $19.99 Bundle
When we think about operating systems, we tend to view them from the perspective of a user. After all, most of us have spent a substantial amount of time on our computers, and so we've become more than acquainted with the ins and outs of whatever system we have running on our personal device. But there is one operating system that, while being less commonly used on the user side, is behind a great deal of design and business technology: Linux.
How To: Practice Using Essential Tools of the IT Trade with This Value Bundle
If you're trying to get your start in the web development and IT field, then one of the best places to begin is by building confidence with your coding by practicing Python and sharing your work on Git & Github. The Learn Python & Django Developer Bundle can help get you up to speed in Python, Django, Git & Github, and more, and right now it's on sale for $29.99.
How To: Remove Annoying Auto-Playing Videos, Banners, & Other Distractions from Any Website in Safari
Ads aren't the only annoying part of navigating websites in Safari. Colorful banners, autoplaying videos, embedded objects, and other distracting elements can make it harder to read or watch what you want. Although ad blockers are one answer, they only get rid of advertisements, so you'll need something else to remove other irritating elements from your favorite websites.