Gadget Hacks Features
How To: Get Your Chromecast to Stop Lagging
Google Chromecast is only 35 dollars. That's about 2 and a half drinks at a decent bar in Los Angeles. So, my roommates and I looked to make the investment. The small box arrived in the mail and the setup couldn't be easier. Simply, plug the Chromecast into the HDMI port on your TV and pair the two devices. Done and Done. Having the ability to stream anything on our computers or cellphones right to the TV was the main reason for getting Chromecast. Now, for streaming through the Chrome browse...
How To: Hack any password on any site with JavaScript
Want to know someone's private website password? It's the biggest wanted hack: passwords, but how do you do it? Well, this tutorial shows you how to hack any password on any site with JavaScript. But this works best on public computers because multiple people log on to them, which means a better chance at unintentionally stored passwords. It helps to know a little bit about JavaScript before attempting this password hack.
How To: Turn Your Samsung Galaxy S3 into a Free Wi-Fi Hotspot
Not having internet sucks! We do a ton online these days, from working, shopping, studying, and collaborating, to watching fail videos and endlessly clicking through memes.
How To: Use Your Chromecast Without WiFi
It's no secret that we love the Chromecast. From watching movies to playing games to giving presentations, this little $35 dongle definitely packs a punch. But unless you have a strong, solid Wi-Fi connection in the 2.4 GHz range, this little device has been out of reach to you. Well, until now.
How To: 14 iOS 8 Privacy Settings Everyone Needs to Understand (And Probably Change Right Now)
Keeping data private is vital in the days of smartphones and the free-floating information they carry. Justin wrote a guide on many of the deeply hidden and sometimes concerning privacy settings in iOS 7. Now we're back to cover some of the new (and old) privacy settings in iOS 8 that you need to address right now.
How To: Use Any Photo or Video in Your Gallery as a Snapchat on Your Samsung Galaxy Note 3
Introducing a unique way to share photos and videos among friends and family, Snapchat was the big hit of 2013 (despite its many flaws). Thanks to its ephemeral nature and lack of third-party sign-in integration, it quickly grew into a multibillion-dollar company in the span of just 12 months.
How To: Fix the Battery Draining Issue on Your iPhone After Updating to iOS 6.1.3
When the 6.1 version of iOS was released back in February, complaints of severe battery drainage for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch users exploded onto every Apple-related forum on the Internet. Everyone was either losing a percentage every three or so minutes, or their battery only lasted half as long as it did before the update. Earlier this month, Apple released iOS version 6.1.3, to supposedly fix a recent exploit that allowed anyone to bypass the lock screen—but as it turns out, the update...
How To: Customize WhatsApp with Themes, Mods, & Hidden Features on Your Samsung Galaxy S3
There are a ton of options available to Android users when it come to messaging, but the problem is that with all of these options, where is the go-to app? The one used by most people? The one that can offer a more unified approach?
How To: Reduce Battery Drain on Your Samsung Galaxy S3 by Fixing Android System Usage
The Jelly Bean update brought a lot of cool features to the Samsung Galaxy S3, but one nasty bug remained. Something was causing "Android System" usage to be consistently high. Of course, the percentage of this process that is used is dependent on what you're doing at any given time, but it shouldn't be anywhere near this level with "standard" use (calls, texts, emails, light browsing, etc.).
How To: Root Your Nexus 7 Tablet Running Android 4.4 KitKat (Windows Guide)
Whether you have the original Nexus 7, or the 2013 Nexus 7 tablet, rooting it will give you access to tomorrow's features, today.
How To: Access Your AirDrop Settings in iOS 11's New Control Center
AirDrop is an underrated feature that lets you to quickly transfer files like songs and photos via Bluetooth and Wi-Fi from your iPhone to Macs and other iOS devices. It's been a staple in the Control Center ever since iOS 7, prominently displayed for easy access. However, with iOS 11, that quick access to AirDrop has seemingly disappeared.
How To: Log In and Access Blocked Websites (e.g. Facebook, Twitter & YouTube) from Work, School or Your Home Computer
You know it's crazy out there when governments start blocking social websites like Facebook, Twitter and even YouTube. But that's what happened in Egypt, when tens of thousands of anti-government protesters took to the streets on Tuesday (January 25th) in hopes of ending President Hosni Mubarak's 30 years of authoritarian power.
How To: Use 'Do Not Disturb While Driving' on Your iPhone in iOS 11 (Or Turn It Off if You Don't Like It)
One of the most anticipated new Maps features in iOS 11 for iPhones is live and ready to keep you safe on the road. Right now, Do Not Disturb While Driving is opt-in, but if you missed Apple's on-screen prompt to enable it and want to turn it on, or if you accidentally enabled it but want it turned off, we're here to help.
How To: The Coolest 33 Features in iOS 8 You Didn't Know About
Apple's newest mobile operating system, iOS 8, is out for the general public, and we've got a rundown on the best new features you can use on your iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch. While there's not a huge visual change as there was from iOS 6 to iOS 7, there's still plenty of cool new features in iOS 8 to be excited about.
How To: Turn On Night Shift Mode in iOS 11 on Your iPhone
It was extremely simple in iOS 10 to switch your iPhone's display to warmer colors at night, but iOS 11 buried the "Night Shift" toggle for some reason. So don't beat yourself up if you couldn't find the setting right away.
How To: Have fun with Google's "I'm Feeling Lucky" tool
Learn to access a number of Google Easter eggs with this simple Google hacker's how-to. Best of all, each of these Easter eggs can be found directly from Google search through use of Google's own "I'm Feeling Lucky" tool. The full list of Easter eggs explored in this video is as follows:
How To: Which iPhone 6 Size Is Best for You? Use Our Printable Cutouts to Find Out
Apple's new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus go on sale Sept. 19th, but pre-orders begin on Sept. 12th. If you're ready to trade in your iPhone 5 for one of these bigger and more iOS 8-friendly devices, you're probably going to pre-order.
How To: Silence the Annoying Camera Shutter Sound on Your Samsung Galaxy S3
SNAP. That's the sound of your Samsung Galaxy S3's camera going off. Not that big of deal, unless you're trying to take some top secret pics or some candid shots of your friends. The shutter sound gives you away, and the next thing you know, you're deleting pictures. On most other smartphones, if the users turns the phone on silent or vibrate, the shutter sound is killed. If that doesn't do the trick, usually muting the shutter sound itself in the settings will do the trick. But for some of y...
How To: Use AirDrop to Share Photos, Contacts, & Other Files in iOS 7
Sharing just got a whole lot easier in the new iOS 7. Apple has decided to integrate AirDrop, the local vicinity file-sharing service found in Mac OS X, into the latest version of iOS.
How To: Replace the Cracked Screen on Your Samsung Galaxy S III
Many people drop their phone, resulting in the dreaded cracked screen. Luckily for you, a few of those people end up replacing the screen themselves, and sometimes they even leave behind detailed instructions on how to do it.
How To: Easily Root Your Nexus 7 Tablet Running Android 4.3 Jelly Bean (Windows Guide)
The new Jelly Bean is out in the wild, but if you've installed Android 4.3 from stock, you'll notice rooting is now not possible. If you miss the ad-blocking capabilities of AdBlock Plus, how Seeder made apps snappier, or the convenience of backing up with Titanium Backup, you'll need to get rooted.
How To: Close All Running Apps on Your Samsung Galaxy S5 in Two Easy Taps
One subtle change that Samsung made with the Galaxy S5 is their replacement of the Menu softkey with one for recent applications. Instead of holding down on the Home button, we now have the Recents button, which is used for easy access to multitasking.
How To: Save Webpages for Offline Viewing in Chrome for Android
You may not always be connected to the internet, but if you're anything like me, your thirst for web content is insatiable. Whether you're on an airplane or stuck in an area with no reception, having some offline content stored on your Nexus can definitely save the day.
News: 30+ New iOS 12.2 Features for iPhone You Don't Want to Miss
A few months ago, iOS 12.1 came out with a handful of useful new features, and iOS 12.2 goes even further. While some of iOS 12.2's new features for iPhone are much welcomed, there are some that we'd be better without.
How To: Music Not Loud Enough? Here's How to Increase the Volume Limits on Your Samsung Galaxy Note 2
Got a Samsung Galaxy Note 2 phablet? Sure, it has its problems like any other mobile device, but it's still one of the hottest phablets on the market right now, because, well... it's awesome, right?
News: People Are Pissed About iOS 11's New Notification System
There's never an Apple announcement without some good ol' anger and backlash. To be fair, Apple received some really positive feedback from parts of the iOS 11 presentation at WWDC back in June. Fans had been waiting for years to customize the Control Center, as well as for native screen recording. But if there was one thing that got fanboys and Apple haters raging about in unison, it's that weird, incomprehensible notification system.
How To: Hack Your Samsung Galaxy S4 into a Free Wireless Hotspot
International, T-Mobile, and Verizon customers all share something in common—their carriers provide unlocked Wi-Fi tethering for free. Of course, you still pay for the data used, but they don't charge you extra simply for using your Samsung Galaxy S4 as a wireless hotspot.
How To: Hack any webcam easily using Google
Given that megastar internet search engine Google became its own verb a few years ago, we've all come to acknowledge that the wide and ever-expanding engine is becoming more powerful than ever before. You can take a look at your own house from outer space via Google Earth, you can look at famous paintings - down to the very last grizzly brushstroke - via Google Art Project, and you can look at what's hot and what's not in Spain - or anywhere in the world - with Google Trends.
How To: Take Secret Screenshots of Snapchat Pictures in iOS 7 Without Notifying the Sender
If you're a frequent Snapchatter like myself, you're probably well aware that Snapchat can't stop you or anyone else from taking a screenshot of a photo received. Instead, they notify the sender that a screenshot was taken—a greatly appreciated fair warning when impetuous photographs are involved. However, there is a loophole to this.
How To: 10 Hidden LG G3 Features You Need to Know About
The new LG G3 is the latest Android flagship-level device to be released this year, and it's ready to give the Galaxy S5, HTC One M8, and the OnePlus One a run for their money. Sporting a gorgeous 5.5-inch QHD display, 3GB of RAM, and a huge 300mAH battery, the device looks great and has tons of power to boot.
How To: Remove the New Apple Watch App from Your iPhone's Home Screen
Apple released iOS 8.2 on March 9th for iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch, which contains bug fixes and stability enhancements for certain stock features. If you've updated your device already, you've probably already noticed that you get the new Apple Watch app, too—no matter if you plan on getting a pricey Apple Watch or not.
How To: Play NES Game ROMs on Your iPad or iPhone—No Jailbreak Required
Apple hates game emulators. Go ahead, look around in the iOS App Store, you won't find any. But who needs 'em anyway?
How To: Get Lollipop-Style Status Bar Icons on Android Jelly Bean or KitKat
Android Lollipop promises tons of new features and functionality when it comes to a device near you, but as we wait, it's almost painful to see the screenshots and demo videos from Nexus devices and how downright pretty the new operating system looks.
How To: Hack your phone to get free Internet via Bluetooth
Having the Internet on your phone is definitely handy. You can look up anything at anytime, and connect with friends in so many more ways.
How To: Turn a pencil into an emergency light
You are stuck in the middle of nowhere and can't see a thing. Luckily you have pencil and your car battery. You can create 20 minutes of bright light using the graphite from a regular pencil, wired to the positive and negative of your car battery. Basically, the graphite serves as a bright filament for your emergency light. Follow along with this how-to video tutorial to learn the step by step process of turning a pencil into an emergency light.
How To: Unlock your iPhone or iPod Touch to bypass the passcode
Back in the olden days, if a lock was, well, locked, you couldn't get in the door. At least, the average individual couldn't get in the door. But inventive and scheming folk (read: ye hackers of olde) devised crafty ways to pick lock keys and sometimes even created skeleton keys that opened any door or chest. This will let you unlock someones password on an ipod or iphone touch.
How To: Enable Emoticons on Your iPhone (iOS 5+)
The most recent version of the iPhone Software (iOS 5) has the ability to utilize emoticons by use of the native keyboard and software, no third-party app or jailbreak required. Just follow these simple steps for unlocking the emoticon keyboard:
How To: Delete "Phantom" iCloud Songs on Your iPhone
One of the best ways to free up space on your iPhone is to use iCloud storage, and one of the best uses for iCloud is music. If you're using iCloud for music, you can choose which songs and albums to upload, and then you can download them to your device later for offline use if need be.
How To: Make a 200mw burning laser
Don't use a perfectly good DVD burner to get your laser that will pop balloons, light matches, and burn stuff. Just buy a laser diode at mfgcn.com and also a laser housing, and you won't be tearing a computer DVD player apart. This is the easy way to make a 200mW burning DVD laser. Use a Mini Maglite and some rechargeable batteries so you don't burn out the laser.
How To: Block Porn Sites on Your iPhone
There are many reasons to keep adult websites off your iOS device. They can pop up accidentally at the least opportune moments, can give your device malware, and are not welcome in a kid-friendly home.