Hot Gadget Hacks How-Tos

How To: Never Search for Apps Again with Setapp

When smartphones were first getting popular, apps were much more limited in scope. Because of that, it was easier to find better programs to do what was needed. Now, in the App Store alone, there are nearly two million apps for you to choose from. When you're just looking for an app that will work well for the task at hand, two million is a lot to sort through.

How To: Auto-Play New Podcast Episodes on Your iPhone When Connecting Headphones, Starting a Trip, Tapping an NFC Tag & More

The Shortcuts app can help you play the next unlistened podcast from one of the shows, but getting the latest unplayed episodes from your whole queue of shows in the Podcasts app is a little trickier. There is an easy way to do it on your iPhone, though, and you can even automate it so that Podcasts plays your most recent untouched episode automatically.

How To: Read a Whole Book in 12 Minutes Flat with This Subscription

As much value as you can get out of reading, finishing a book takes a while, even if it's a best seller or a unique and valuable piece of work. To save you time while still giving you the value of reading, 12min Micro Book Library: Lifetime Premium Subscription provides access to hundreds of micro-books that can be fully read in just 12 minutes, and you can get it for $39 while it's on sale.

How To: The Fastest, Easiest Way to Download SoundCloud Music Files to Your iPhone as MP3s

If you like to listen to popular songs from huge musicians and hard-to-find music from obscure indie artists, SoundCloud is for you — and you don't have to pay a dime. When you find a song you really love and want to play it back even when you're not connected to the internet, SoundCloud has offline listening, but there is a way to download your favorite tracks onto your iPhone for longevity.

How To: Design Your Own Video Games with This Pay What You Want Bundle

"I want to make video games" — Is there anyone who hasn't ever thought that? It's almost universal among gamers to want to get on the other side of the screen and design the games themselves, especially those of us who have played less than impressive games and thought that we could do a better job. But it's hard to know where to start — or how — when it comes to creating our own games.

How To: Digitize Your COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card on Your Phone for Easy Access Anywhere

As the U.S. inches closer to herd immunity and reopening after the pandemic, it may become necessary to keep your COVID-19 vaccination cards on you at all times to gain access to places and events that are prone to spreading the coronavirus. You probably won't want to lose your card, so it may be wise to load a copy onto your smartphone for easy access.

How To: Your iPhone Uses a Hidden Tracker to Keep Tabs on Your Recent & Most Visited Locations — But You Can Stop It

Your iPhone keeps track of every single place you go, especially those you frequent most often, and syncs those locations across all your iCloud-connected devices. People who gain access or already have access to your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, or Mac may be able to view all of these locations to see where you've been and where you might be. If this worries you, there are things you can do.

How To: 7 Cool Features iOS 14.5 Adds to Your iPhone's Music App — For Apple Music & Your Own Library

Apple's big iOS 14.5 update adds over 60 new features and changes to your iPhone, some of which are upgrades that audiophiles and even casual music listeners can appreciate. Whether you subscribe to the Apple Music streaming service or simply use the Music app for your own library of tunes, iOS 14.5 has a few things you should know about.

How To: Unlocking Your iPhone While Wearing a Mask Just Got Way Easier

One of the smaller frustrations of the coronavirus pandemic is unlocking your iPhone with Face ID while wearing a mask. If you have an iPhone with Touch ID, you won't need to punch in your passcode every time Face ID fails since you can use your fingerprint. But for those of us without Home buttons, unlocking our iPhones just got a lot easier — even if we're wearing a mask.

How To: 8 Big Apple Maps Features iOS 14.5 Brings to Your iPhone

If you rely on Apple Maps to get around over other navigation apps, there's a lot you can do. Look Around lets you tour cities up close, restaurant reservations make dining less frustrating, and 3D view gives a new perspective of a neighborhood. While there are many more where that came from, iOS 14.5 just added six new features and changes you need to know about.

How To: 3 Reasons Why You Need iOS 14.5's New Privacy Features on Your iPhone

Many of us choose to use an iPhone — as well as other devices in the Apple ecosystem — because of the company's dedication to user privacy and security. If you need more proof of that commitment, look no further than iOS 14.5, released April 26, which adds new tools to protect our data while browsing the web and more control over the data installed apps collect on us.

How To: Stop Apps from Asking to Track Your iPhone Activity in iOS 14.5 for More Control Over Your Privacy

If you're like me, you're not too keen on being tracked. So when an app asks you if it can track your iPhone activity across other programs and websites for ads or data brokers, the answer is pretty much always "no." If you're tired of choosing "Ask App Not to Track" over and over again, there is a way to stop apps from even being able to ask in the first place.

How To: 4 New Reminders Features in iOS 14.5 That'll Boost Your Productivity & Make To-Lists More Fun

Apple's Reminders app has come a long way. In the past, if you really wanted to keep track of your important daily, weekly, and monthly tasks, you needed to install a specialty third-party app to make it work. While those apps still offer valuable features, Reminders can get the job done for many iPhone users now. With iOS 14.5, Apple only sweetens the deal.

How To: Browse Privately & Securely with This VPN

If you're looking to improve your browsing experience, then a VPN is the right way to go. If you're tired of censored or geographically blocked sites and wary of companies selling your data, then a good VPN can be your answer to a problem that limits every aspect of your experience online.

How To: Learn to Design Games with Unity for Just $39.99

Game design is among the fastest-growing industries in tech. What once was a passing hobby or niche job has become a thriving industry with a huge variety of work. If you are interested in learning game design, either as a hobby or a profession, then The 2021 Complete Learn to Code by Making Games in Unity Bundle will hold some interest for you — and it's on sale for $39.99.

How To: You Can Learn a Language Together with a Friend by Using Babbel

Learning a new language as an adult isn't just hard because your brain works differently from when you were a kid. You also have to contend with having less time and energy to practice. However, if you're looking to add another language to your repertoire at a pace you decide, then the Babbel Language Learning: Lifetime Subscription for All Languages: 2-Pack will be a useful tool for you.

How To: These Top-Rated Wireless Earbuds Are Only $65

It's frustrating to go and listen to music just to find that your wired earbuds more closely resemble a tumbleweed you can't easily unknot. Cords tangle, are vulnerable, and make it hard to do so many of the things music makes easier — like working out, commuting, and cleaning. The Raycon E50 Wireless Bluetooth 5.0 Earbuds are completely wireless earbuds that are on sale now for $64.99 — a full 45% off their regular listed price of $119.

How To: You're Searching Your Safari Tabs Wrong — Use This Hidden iPhone Trick to Find Them Faster

I am constantly hitting Apple's limit of 500 open tabs in Safari on my iPhone, so it's safe to say that I have way too many tabs to sort through. With that many tabs open in the browser, it can be impossible to track down the one needed at any given moment. If that sounds like you, stop browsing tab after tab to locate the right one because there are hidden tricks to searching those tabs that make it easy.