Gadget Hacks Features
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: Recover Deleted Photos from Your iPhone
In one of Apple's newer ads, the company claims that "more photos are taken with the iPhone than any other camera." If this is in fact true, then it might also be appropriate to say that more photos are accidentally deleted on iPhones than any other camera.
How To: Connect an Android Wear Smartwatch to Your iPhone
Believe it or not, not every Apple lover is willing to make the commitment and fork over $350+ for the Apple Watch. Like many others, I'm not willing to put that much faith into Apple's first attempt at wearable tech.
How To: View blocked phone numbers on your iPhone, Android, or other cell phone
Getting tired of prank phone calls from blocked numbers? Check out this video to learn how to view a blocked phone number on any phone. Visit Trap Call to learn more about the service described in this how to video.
How To: Get iOS 11's New Wallpapers on Any Phone
Apple's highly anticipated iOS 11 is ready for the public, and besides the obvious array of new features and improvements, the mobile OS also comes with stunning new wallpapers which would look amazing on any iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch — even on Android devices.
Instagram 101: How to Share Posts & Stories to All Your Close Friends' Feeds Only
Instagram is a great platform to share photos and videos with the world, but sharing with smaller groups is near impossible. You can directly message pictures, stories, or post links to friends, but that only works for one person at a time or in group chats you create. To share your content with a small group of people you care about the most, you'll want to use the "Close Friends" list.
How To: Get Your 'Animal Crossing - New Horizons' Photos on Your Phone
We might not be able to hang out with friends in-person during a mandatory lockdown or self-quarantine, but we sure can in "Animal Crossing: New Horizons." Snapping pictures with the new NookPhone feels almost as personal as taking selfies in real life, so, naturally, we want those memories to live on our real phones as well. In pure Nintendo form, however, it's not easy.
How To: Mimic the New iOS 7 Look in iOS 6 on Your Jailbroken iPhone
Apple is set to release its latest operating system for iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch this fall, and if you haven't noticed yet from our iOS 7 softModder guides, it's going to be pretty slick.
How To: Send & Receive Texts from Your Android Using Apple Messages on Your Mac
If you're a Mac user with an Android phone, some apps on your computer aren't very useful, such as Messages, which is meant to work and sync with iOS devices. But now, thanks to MDRS, LLC, using the Messages app on your Mac with an Android phone is now possible and easily achievable. Plus, we've got 50 promo codes to give away for a free year of service!
How To: Make an iPhone secret spy camera
This how to demonstrates how to use your Apple iphone as a spy camera to spy on others. If you're suspicious, paranoid or just downright creepy, this video can show you how to convert your Apple smart phone into a device for surveillance on others.
How To: Hide Home Screen Apps on Your iPhone for Less Wallpaper Clutter
Despite what some in the tech-world would like you to believe, iOS isn't totally locked down, free from user customization. Take your home screen, for example. Not only can you change your app icons and move them wherever you'd like, you can actually choose to hide them all. If you have a wallpaper that's just begging to be shown off, this trick is for you.
How To: Make Your Internet Run Faster in Windows 7
Warning If you don't trust that these steps are safe or that they won't work, than have your computer/laptop backed up so you can restore it if necessary.
How To: Shuffle All Songs in Apple's Music App in iOS 10
With each update, Apple Music continues to become a bigger part of iOS. It's gotten to the point where you have to fend off multiple requests to subscribe to the streaming music service before you can listen to your own songs on an iPad or iPhone, but as it stands in iOS 10, maintaining your own MP3 library is still possible. Just barely.
How To: The Ultimate Guide to Customizing Your iPhone's Home Screen Without Jailbreaking
Your iPhone is just that — yours. Why should your home screen look like everyone else's? While iOS, and by extension, Apple, famously locks its users into its way of doing things, there's a lot more room for customization than you'd think. Before you make the switch to Android, you might want to see what you can do with the iPhone you already have.
How To: Insert a microSD memory card into the Samsung Galaxy Tab
If you want to expand your storage capacity in your new Samsung Galaxy Tab, it's easy thanks to the microSD slot on the side. Installing your microSD memory card is as easy as removing the slot's cover, inserting the microSD card in, pushing to make sure it locks, and recovering the slot. Adding storage makes your Android experience even better, plus you can transfer files and data easily!
How To: Add an Emergency Medical Card to Your iPhone's Lock Screen with Important Health Information for First Responders
You can't predict the future, but you can prepare for it. On the off chance that you get hurt in a car accident, take a nasty tumble, fall down a cliff, have a seizure, or get struck by lightning, it's always good to carry up-to-date information about your health in case you can't speak for yourself. A physical medical ID wallet card or bracelet can provide the information, but so can your iPhone.
How To: Recover or Restore a Bricked Samsung Galaxy S III Smartphone
There is no better example of a risk-versus-reward scenario than jailbreaking your iPhone or rooting your Android phone. While both jailbreaking and rooting undoubtedly has its advantages, this possibility of something going wrong and you ending up with a 500-dollar doorstop is never too far out of mind.
How To: Enable or Disable Two-Factor Authentication on Your iPhone
Two-factor authentication has been around since iOS 10. It's a handy option that adds an extra layer of security to your iPhone and makes its almost impenetrable security even stronger. This feature has remained intact in iOS 11 and iOS 12, and thanks to the straightforward nature of iOS, is relatively easy to enable.
How To: Your Complete Guide to Using Remote Desktop on the Microsoft Surface and Windows 8
Remote Desktop gives you access to your Windows 8 PC or device from wherever you are to run your applications and access your files remotely.
News: New Android App Allows Canon DSLR Owners to Remotely Control Their Cameras
If you're the proud owner of a Canon EOS DSLR, then you'll be glad to know that you no longer have to use EOS Utility on your computer to enable remote live view shooting with your camera. Now, all you need is your Android equipped smartphone (sorry iPhone users) and a new mobile app called DSLR Controller from Chainfire.
How To: Save Instagram Photos Without Posting Them (And Stack Filters for the Perfect Pic)
We all have that one friend on Instagram: every day, they post a million perfectly filtered selfies, sharing 15 different angles of their outfit. But let's be honest—no one likes to see a million posts in rapid succession, and more importantly, no one wants to be that person.
How To: 6 Unique Android Launchers That'll Get You to Ditch Your Stock Home Screen
I'm often reluctant to use a home screen launcher other than the stock one on my Android. Once you're well acclimated with something, complacency sets in, welcoming change with much resistance. Well, my friends, I have seen the error of my ways...
How To: Silence Notifications for Specific Message Threads in iOS 8
As hilarious and fun as group messages can be on your iPad or iPhone, they can also be equally annoying. You may not necessarily want to leave a group message thread, but you don't want to be bothered by notification after notification as participants in the conversation continue to send out rapid-fire texts. Thankfully, one of iOS 8's new features now makes it extremely easy to mute notifications from specified conversation threads, single or group.
How To: Install the New Android 5.0 "Lollipop" Preview Build on Your Nexus 5 or Nexus 7
Update, November 12, 2014: Android 5.0 Lollipop is officially out now. If you haven't gotten the OTA yet, check out our new guide on installing the official Lollipop builds on any Nexus for download links and instructions, for Mac or Windows.
News: New Tool Promises to S-Off Any HTC Device, but There's a Catch
Rooting your phone is one thing, but to truly be in control of your device, you need to be S-Off. S-Off allows you to flash, mod, and tweak just about any aspect of your phone, including the ability to run custom recoveries and flash kernels, which are vital tools for power-users. Up until now, there have been many ways to S-Off your device, but some newer HTC models have become un-exploitable.
How To: Reconnect Your AirPods to Your iPhone Without Digging in the Bluetooth Settings
If you're an Apple fan, AirPods are the must-have wireless headphones to own. They know when they're in your ears, will pause music when one is taken out, and when you pair them with your iPhone they'll already work on your Mac, iPad, and iPod touch using the same Apple ID. However, whenever you use them on any other device, you have to manually reconnect them later to your iPhone.
How To: Customize LED Alerts for Specific Notifications on Your Samsung Galaxy Note 2 (No Root Required)
While the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 has an integrated LED for notifications, it only works for a few things, like charging and low battery, and it only flashes two main colors (red and blue) when the screen's off. As someone that usually has their phone on silent or vibrate, it's hard to tell when I receive important messages or notifications. Sure, I could set a specific vibration or ringtone for individual apps, but that can quickly get annoying and distracting, especially at work or school.
How To: Fix a Slow Sleep Button on Your iPhone
Pick up any iPhone with a Home button, and you'll notice something peculiar when compared to your iPhone with Face ID. If you press the Side button (aka Sleep/Wake) on the Home button model, it sleeps immediately. When you press the Side button your Face ID model, it lags a bit or a whole lot. What's going on here, and can it be fixed?
Apple Music 101: How to Share Songs with Nearby Friends Using AirDrop on Your iPhone
Apple Music's name reveals a lot about itself — it's made by Apple, and it has a lot of music. 40 million songs, in fact, if the iPhone-maker is to be believed. With that many songs, you may find a gem before any of your friends or family do. How can you share that song with them?
How To: Add an Actual Shutdown Button to the Windows 8 Start Screen
Windows 8 the biggest update to Windows yet. The new gesture-friendly version replaces the aging start menu with a dynamic new Start Screen, complete with live tiles that give you a glimpse into your apps before you launch them, not unlike the new Windows phones. With such a radical departure from the past, some familiar features have been moved around, which will take some getting used to. It's worth noting that the new Windows 8 does not abandon the old desktop model completely; it still ha...
Instagram 101: How to Insert a Line Break in Your Instagram Caption
As you all journey along with me on my challenge to become some sort of Instagram expert, let me share with you one hack that is currently helping me out a lot. If you've ever wanted to put a line break in your posts, then keep on reading.
How To: The Easiest Way to Install a Custom Recovery on Your Nexus 7 Tablet
Android is constantly being refined, and the tools used to root and install custom recoveries are no exception. Earlier methods to root and install custom recoveries were very long and complicated. Any misstep along the way and you can end up with a bricked tablet.
Xposed 101: How to Temporarily Disable Xposed to Fix a Bootloop
The Xposed Framework is an incredibly powerful tool. But because of this power, there's a chance that something could go wrong when installing a broken or incompatible module, which can cause bootloops or even soft-brick your phone.
News: The Full Original DOOM Video Game Is Now Available for Free on Google Play
In the wake of its 20th anniversary, the folks over at Eltechs have released Original DOOM, a full shareware version of the revolutionary first-person shooter DOOM for Android, available for free on the Google Play Store. It's unmodded and unaltered from the original FPS classic.
How To: Get the Galaxy S8's Rounded Display Corners on Any Android
For years now, Xiaomi's smartphones, as well as any phone running Xiaomi's MIUI ROM, have had a subtle feature that makes the interface look all the more refined: Rounded display corners. But now, other manufacturers are getting in on the rounded corners craze, as the new LG G6 is using them, as well as the Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+ models, whose curve is more subtle.
How To: Get Rid of the Annoying Red "Development Build" Text on Your HTC One M8's Bootsplash
HTC thought it best to cover their own ass by placing a red warning whenever you start your device if you've unlocked your bootloader. While it may help them identify a tampered phone, it does not help you in any way. Luckily, XDA member santod040 created a modified HBOOT that removes the "This build is for development purposes only..." text for you. While this will modify HBOOT, it will not change your unlocked or S-Off status.
Spotify 101: How to Disable Volume Normalization
Back in 2009, largely due to the sheer number of users demanding it, Spotify added an amazing little feature — the ability to disable volume normalization. While the feature is nothing more than a toggle on the visual front, the audible difference is far superior and moons apart.
How To: Use Apple Pay with Face ID on Your iPhone X, XS, XS Max, or XR
For Apple Pay users, the iPhone X, XS, XS Max, or XR will be an adjustment. Gone are the days where you could rest your finger on the Home button and hold your device within range of a contactless reader. Without Touch ID on the iPhone X, this isn't possible. But have no fear, Face ID is here.
How To: 10 Tips for Using Samsung's Super Slow-Mo Camera Like a Pro
Thanks to its advanced cameras, the Galaxy S9 can capture videos at an astonishing 960 frames per second (fps). To put it in perspective, you now have you the ability to record the world around you in ways that previously required expensive professional camera equipment. And that's just the tip of the iceberg.
How To: Need a Remote for Your MacBook? Use Your Android Device
As most everyone knows, Android and Apple don't get along so well. Even the users don't get along well, with Android and iPhone users constantly berating and insulting each other online—any chance they get. I should know, since I was one of them, but I'm now rare breed who's learned to appreciate both. People just need to realize that they have their own unique strengths—Android with its customization and Apple with its simplicity.