Gadget Hacks Features
How To: Add a Pop-Up Dictionary to Any Android App for Quick & Easy Word Definitions
When you're browsing the web, going through emails, or reading a book or magazine, you'll occasionally come across a word or phrase that you haven't seen before. This would be a perfect time to have some sort of built-in dictionary lookup service, but most Android apps lack such a feature.
How To: iPhone Too Bright at Night? Don't Just Use the Brightness Slider
Even with your iPhone's brightness slider down all the way, your display will probably still be too bright at night with all the lights dimmed or turned off. So if you want to continue scrolling through Instagram in bed or enjoying a late-night TikTok binge without hurting your eyes, there's a quick trick you can use to make your screen even dimmer and prevent strain on those peepers.
How To: Make Your Android Boot Animation Display a Live Log of Events
If you've ever attempted to report a bug to a developer, no doubt you've heard the response, "Get a logcat." This is infinitely important to a developer because of the fact that a logcat captures a full report of every command that was recently executed on your Android device, and it allows them to see exactly where something went wrong.
How To: There's a Hidden Scientific Calculator on Your iPhone
The Calculator app on your iPhone may seem boring and basic, but there are a few interesting tricks worth knowing. You can ask Siri to perform calculations for you, long-press on results to copy them, long-press the field to paste numbers in, and swipe left or right above the keypad to delete digits one by one. The app can also be used as a scientific calculator with just a simple maneuver.
How To: Open Snapchat Directly to Camera, Stories, Chat, and More from Anywhere on Your Pixel — Even the Lock Screen
In Android 12, you can launch the Snapchat app just by tapping the back of your Pixel phone twice. The latest Pixel update from Google improved upon the feature by giving us access to the shortcut from the lock screen. That means you're mere seconds away from snapping photos, videos, and stories. But first, you have to set up and configure where you want to land when Snapchat opens.
Magisk 101: How to Switch from SuperSU to Magisk & Pass SafetyNet
It just keeps getting harder to enjoy all of the benefits of root without sacrificing features. Thanks to SafetyNet, we've lost the ability to use Android Pay, Pokémon GO, and even Snapchat to an extent. But the most recent news on this front is perhaps worst of all: Netflix has already stopped showing up on the Play Store for rooted users, and soon, it may refuse to run even if you've sideloaded the app.
How To: Easily Tweak, Mod, & Customize Windows 10
Every time Windows gets a significant update, the vast majority of existing tweaking utilities become obsolete. For every option that you fine-tuned with one of these tools on Windows 7 or 8, there's a change in the registry or system settings that cause your tweaks to now point to a dead end. This was definitely the case with Windows 10, since there were so many sweeping changes that very few existing options carried over.
How To: Back Up & Restore Your Signal Messages on Android
Switching phones has never been easier. Google backs up most of your app data on the cloud, which can then be restored onto your new phone. Sadly, Signal doesn't use this feature since it could compromise your security. Instead, Signal stores encrypted backups locally, requiring a bit of work to restore these messages.
How To: Make an AC Arc Welder Using Parts from an Old Microwave, Part 1
In a previous article, I demonstrated an Arc Welder made using parts from old microwave ovens. Video: .
How To: Update Your Rooted Phone
One of the issues with rooting your device is the inability to update your phone via OTA. Any security patches or software updates pushed out by the OEM are lost because your bootloader is unlocked. However, you still can update your device, it just a take a bit more effort.
How To: Quickly Switch Between Alphabet & Numeric Keyboards on Your iPhone
The keyboard is one of the biggest weak points of iOS devices, in part due to the lack of an option to add a number row. Fortunately, there is a way to quickly switch between the numeric and alphabet layouts on your iPhone or iPad's keyboard.
How To: Stop Incoming Calls from Taking Over Your Galaxy's Entire Screen
With all the things you can do with your Galaxy, it's easy to forget it's still a phone at heart, and incoming calls that take over your entire screen serve as a rude reminder of this fact. Thankfully, Samsung handsets like the S10 and Note 10 come with a setting built-in that aims to keep these interruptions to a minimum.
How To: Take Screenshots on Your iPhone 12, 12 Pro, 12 Pro Max, or 12 Mini in 6 Different Ways
If you just got an iPhone 12, 12 Pro, 12 Pro Max, or 12 mini, and you've never owned an iPhone before, some of the most basic tasks can be baffling. Shutting it down, force-restarting it, quitting apps, and even viewing the percentage of battery remaining sound simple but aren't very intuitive for new iPhone owners. Another big question mark is screenshots, and there are several ways to take them.
How To: Disable Security Lockouts from Too Many Failed Passcode Attempts on Your iPhone
The lockout feature in iOS 7, which securely locks your device after a few incorrect passcode entries, can be a real pain in the ass sometimes.
How To: Draw on Top of Any Screen on Your Android Device
Android has a permission that allows apps to draw on top of other apps, but as fun as that may sound, it has mostly been used to create floating multitasking utilities. While these can certainly be useful, it would still be nice if this permission were taken literally and we could actually draw on top of apps.
How To: Easily Record Phone Calls for Free from Your iPhone or Android Phone Using Google Voice
Google Voice has a hidden feature that lets you record any phone call you're participating in, and unlike other apps, it doesn't cost a dime.
How To: Turn Your Computer into an Android Tablet
There are tons of good reasons that you might want to use Android on your desktop. Perhaps your favorite game is only available on Android, or maybe you use a messaging service that doesn't have a Windows companion app.
How To: The Best Micro SD Cards for Your Galaxy S9
In many ways, the Galaxy S9 is a holdout from the golden days of Android. It's one of the last major flagships to sport a headphone jack, it has an impressive array of internal sensors, and perhaps more importantly, it's got a micro SD card slot.
Apple Photos 101: How to Hide Images & Videos from Your iPhone's Camera Roll
While it may not be an obvious feature, Apple actually built a way into iOS that lets you hide specific pictures and videos in the Photos app that you want to keep on the down-low, for your eyes only. If you show off your photos a lot or stream slideshows to your TV, this is a great way to keep less appealing content private.
How To: Activate the Hidden Developer Options Menu on Your Pixel 4a
Developer Options is your first step to becoming a power user. If the Pixel 4a feels a bit slow, Developer Options can fix that. You want to root your device for unprecedented controls and powerful apps? You need to enable OEM unlocking in this hidden menu. ADB, secret features — Developer Options is where it all originates.
How To: Easily Convert Handwritten Lists into Interactive Digital Checklists Using Google Keep Notes
Handwritten notes are no doubt useful at home, work, and school, but digitizing them with your smartphone will make them easier to edit, organize, and review. You'll also always have a digital copy ready if your handwritten notes get lost or erased. And Google Keep for Android, iOS, or iPadOS makes the conversion from physical form to digital a cinch, especially when it comes to checklists.
How To: Quickly Turn Off Face ID on Your iPhone
While Apple's tech used for Face ID on the iPhone is impressive, it's debatable whether it's more convenient than Touch ID. There are also concerns that your face could be used to track shopping patterns or be seen during mass surveillance by intelligence agencies. More importantly, it could be easier for law enforcement, and even thieves, to force you to unlock your iPhone.
How To: Export Your Pixel's Contacts to Use with Other Services
Your phone is loaded with contacts you've collected over the years. They're an asset, and you should use your library of connections outside the confines of your mobile device. Luckily, your Pixel uses a standardized medium to store contacts that can be used by the likes of LinkedIn, Outlook, Hubspot, iCloud, and more.
How To: Make a satellite dish Wi-Fi antenna for free internet
Need internet but don't want to pay? Well, try lusting of those around you by picking up their Wi-Fi signal. Live out in the boondocks? No problem… if you have an old satellite dish laying around.
How To: The Definitive Guide on How to Restore Your Nexus 7 Tablet (Even if You've Bricked It)
Something went wrong and your Nexus 7 is freaking out on you. Maybe you flashed a bad ROM or ZIP file, or maybe it's just bugging, and it's time to restore your tablet back to a working condition. Thankfully, you've already made a backup of your Nexus 7!
News: Here's Why You Should Be Using Private DNS on Your Phone
Nearly every connection to the internet is dependent on the Domain Name System. DNS, as it's more commonly called, translates domain names like gadgethacks.com into IP addresses, which is what network devices use to route data. The problem with DNS servers is that they don't have your privacy in mind.
How To: Install the Xposed Framework on Your Samsung Galaxy S5
Now that all variants of the Galaxy S5 have finally been rooted, we can start exploring all of the tweaks and hacks that Superuser privileges open up to us.
How To: View All the Songs You Shazamed with Siri on Your iPhone
When you hear a song you like but can't quite catch enough of its lyrics, it can be nearly impossible to search for it online. That's where Shazam comes in. For the past decade, they've been making music easier for us to identify by analyzing a track's acoustic footprint, requiring only a few seconds of audio for accurate identification.
How To: Change Text Size on Your iPhone for Smaller, Bigger & Bolder Fonts
For most people, the font that Apple uses in iOS is just perfect, but some of you may think it's too big while others with poor vision may have a hard time reading it. Whether you're having a hard time seeing text on your iPhone or just want something different, there are actually three things you can do to adjust how text is viewed.
How To: Create a Strong (Or Stronger) Passcode for Your iPhone
When you first set up an iPhone, you'll be prompted to create a six-digit passcode to unlock your screen and access certain system settings. If you skip this step, you can always go back and create one, which we highly recommend. Without a passcode, everything on your iPhone is accessible by anyone who gets their hands on it — nosey friends, hackers, thieves, local law enforcement, the FBI — and you don't want that, do you?
How To: Install Ubuntu Linux on Your Google Nexus 7 Android Tablet
There's over 20 million people out there who use Ubuntu as their main operating system, and the number is steadily increasing due to its thriving community. While it's easy enough to download Ubuntu on your PC, the process to get it on your mobile devices can be fairly more difficult. Thankfully, it's not the hard to get Ubuntu onto your Nexus 7 tablet, but first you'll need to unlock it.
ProtonMail 101: How to Change Your Display Name That Shows Up in Emails
Your display name in ProtonMail is what email recipients will see when they first receive your message in ProtonMail, Gmail, or another email provider. You can choose this name when you first set up your ProtonMail account, but it can also be set up after the fact if you skipped that step.
How To: Customize Colors for All the Apps on Your iPhone to Match How You Use Them Most (Or Just for Fun)
There aren't many iPhone apps that let you change their color theme beyond light and dark appearances. They really don't need to either because iOS has a few hidden tricks up its sleeves to help you customize any app's colors either during a specific session or every time you use the app.
How To: Save Snapchats Without Getting Caught on Your iPhone — No Jailbreak Required
Snapchat doesn't prevent you from taking screenshots of snaps received, but the other user will get an alert either as a prominent push notification or a subtle note in the app. Snapchat has improved its screenshot detection abilities over the years, so it's much harder to circumvent its technology for truly undetected screenshots — but not impossible.
Messages 101: How to Leave Group Conversations on Your iPhone
Group chats can get out of control. One minute you're in the middle of a thoughtful debate, the next minute everybody is sending gratuitous stickers and emojis like nobody's business. If you're at work or school, this can obviously get a little frustrating as your notifications fill up, even with your iPhone on silent. Luckily, there's a simple option — leave the group.
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.
News: Everything You Need to Know About the iPhone 12 Pro & 12 Pro Max, Apple's Camera Juggernauts for 2020
Apple has four iPhone models for the remaining months of 2020, but the most impressive ones are the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max. While the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini are great smartphones, the "Pro" models offer more advanced features, especially for photographers and augmented reality enthusiasts.
How To: Use a Firewall to Keep Data-Hungry Apps in Check
If you exceed your monthly mobile data limit, your cell phone bill can skyrocket pretty quickly. This is why a lot of people vigilantly monitor internet usage and even uninstall apps that use too much background data.
How To: 32 Things You Didn't Know About Your iPhone's Keyboard
Apple's stock keyboard for iPhone has gone through many changes over the years. Some have been significant, and others more subtle. Overall, most of these updates have been fairly obvious, so you're probably already using them — but there are more than a few interesting features that were slipped in under the radar that you may not know about.
News: The 5 Best Android Calendar Apps to Replace Your Stock One
Whether you use Google Calendar, Exchange, iCloud, or any other service, you need a good Android calendar app to keep you organized on the go. For many folks, the obvious answer was always Sunrise Calendar, but Microsoft purchased the company behind this awesome app in a classic acqui-hire move, and now, Sunrise has officially been shut down.