Hot Smartphones How-Tos
Instagram 101: How to Customize Markup Colors in Your IG Stories
Decorating your Instagram Stories with different types of markups is a good way to engage your audience in what you are doing. You can customize the brightness and adjust the coloring of your markup and text right though the Stories feature.
Instagram 101: How to Share Photos to Instagram Stories Past 24 Hours
There are a few ways to do this, but I'm going to share with you the easiest way that I know how to share an image on Instagram Stories that isn't currently in your Stories queue.
Instagram 101: How to Create a Custom Location on Instagram
Making a custom location on Instagram is one of the best ways to generate traffic to your account. It gives you that extra uniqueness when it comes to standing out amongst other companies. It also allows people to check in at the same location, further promoting your account across other platforms.
Instagram 101: How to Keep People from Tagging You in Posts
Tired of all those people tagging you in weird stuff on Instagram? Well, there's an easy way to prevent people from ever tagging you in one of those silly posts again. It's simple, too. It only takes a couple minutes of your time, but will probably save you from years of embarrassment (or however tagged photos make you feel).
How To: Remove Yourself from a Tagged Photo on Instagram
Every morning I head on over to my gym to start storying away classes full of people dripping in sweat. This always makes me feel super awkward because it's not exactly the most photogenic time to take a picture, and if it was me, I would probably give that person a dirty look and hope they'd just eventually go away.
Instagram 101: Geotag on Instagram to Increase Engagement
Geotagging your location on Instagram is one of the most undervalued ways to generate traffic to your profile. The beauty about adding your location to your IG posts is that it allows you to be seen by other users than the ones that already follow you.
Instagram 101: How to Make Your Instagram Feed Look Like an Influencer's
This is probably one of the coolest Instagram hacks I've come across. I never knew that there could be an actual formula for creating the perfect feed, but the fact that someone thought of it is really awesome.
Instagram 101: How to Remove Your Location from Instagram Photos
Instagram can be pretty exact when it comes to where you are located. That's why, sometimes, it's best never to geotag your precise location, but a broader area where you are less likely to get, well, um ... stalked?
Twitter 101: How to Get Verified on Twitter, Even if You're Not a Celebrity
Seeing that wonderful blue verified badge on Twitter really adds something to your public persona, doesn't it? That's why, when I found out that the average person could get verified on Twitter with the right tools, I jumped on the chance to add that little blue check to my own personal account.
Instagram 101: Increase Audience Engagement on Your Instagram Posts with This One Simple @Mention Hack
So, according to Sprout Social, mentioning an Instagram handle in the caption of your posts increases audience engagement by up to 56 percent. If true, that's pretty impressive.
Instagram 101: How to Hide Posts from Your Profile Without Deleting Them
With Instagram's archive feature, we have the pleasure of hiding all our stupid photos of #gettingcrunk from back in the day. This wonderful new IG feature will still allow us all to cherish those embarrassing moments in our life, yet hide them from those people we hope would never scroll so far down.
Instagram 101: How Not to Get Busted by the FTC
It looks like all the unregulated fun and games we were having promoting products on Instagram is about to get, well ... regulated. According to a new report by Mediakix, 93% of celebrities on Instagram are not in compliance with the Federal Trade Commission when it comes to posting paid content.
Instagram 101: Get Thousands of IG Followers Per Day with This One Simple Trick
If I told you to follow as many users as you could possibly follow, in order to get more Instagram followers, that may seem counterintuitive, right? If I told you I'm trying to brainwash/annoy you with how many times I could possibly say versions of the word "follow" in an opening sentence, that would seem weird, too.
ARKit 101: Using the Unity ARKit Plugin to Create Apps for the iPhone & iPad
Many developers, myself included, use Unity for 3D application development as well as making games. There are many that mistakenly believe Unity to be a game engine. And that, of course, is how it started. But we now live in a world where our applications have a new level of depth.
Instagram 101: Why You Should Never Put Hashtags in Your Posts
In this article, I am most likely going to humiliate myself by showing you all the horrible hashtagging I am wont to do. When it comes to hashtags, well, everybody knows if you desire any chance at all of getting noticed on Instagram, you got to hashtag.
ARKit 101: Get Started Building an Augmented Reality Application on an iPhone or iPad Quickly
The reveal of Apple's new ARKit extensions for iPhones and iPads, while not much of a shock, did bring with it one big surprise. By finding a solution to surface detection without the use of additional external sensors, Apple just took a big step over many — though not all — solutions and platforms currently available for mobile AR.
Instagram 101: Change Your Profile Name on Instagram to Increase Search Traffic to Your Account
Hey, all you Instagram lovers, haters, or people who have no choice but to submissively bow down to the social app giant for other reasons, you've come to the right place. Today, I'm going to walk you through a very simple marketing trick to start boosting traffic to your IG account.
Cavs vs. Warriors: How to Watch the 2017 NBA Finals on Your Smartphone for Free — Without a Cable Subscription
Who said sports need parity to be fun? For the third year in a row, the Cleveland Cavaliers are facing off against the Golden State Warriors on the NBA's biggest stage, and basketball fans everywhere couldn't be more excited.
How To: Play 'WWE Tap Mania' on Your iPhone or Android Before It's Officially Released
Every now and then, it's refreshing to play a game that doesn't involve much thinking. Sega is set to bring us just that, as a new game called WWE Tap Mania has soft launched for iOS and Android in the Philippines.
How To: Play 'The Sims Mobile' on Your iPhone or Android Right Now
The latest iteration of the gaming classic, The Sims, has arrived as a soft launch for both iOS and Android in Brazil. Aptly named The Sims Mobile, this free-to-play game seems to be very faithful to the PC-based version that won it so much acclaim. There are plenty of things to do in The Sims Mobile besides the usual home and character customization, and the game also lets you interact with real life friends to fully experience its virtual world together. Maintaining relationships, whether r...
How To: Spotify Codes Now Makes It Easier to Share Dope Music — Here's How
Open your Spotify app, search for an artist, view its "Spotify Code," and display it to that friend lurking over your shoulder. Sound familiar? Probably not ... yet.
HoloLens Dev 101: How to Use Holographic Remoting to Improve Development Productivity
Way back, life on the range was tough and unforgiving for a HoloLens developer. Air-tap training was cutting edge and actions to move holograms not called "TapToPlace" were exotic and greeted with skepticism. The year was 2016, and developers had to deploy to their devices to test things as simple as gauging a cube's size in real space. Minutes to hours a week were lost to staring at Visual Studio's blue progress bar.
Gaming: Play 'Final Fantasy XV: A New Empire' on Your iPhone or Android Before It's Officially Out
Final Fantasy XV, the latest release in the long-running Final Fantasy franchise, has been a massive success, shipping around 6 million copies worldwide in less than two months. Final Fantasy XV: A New Empire is a mobile game based off this popular console iteration, and has surfaced in New Zealand for download.
How To: Play DuelBeats on Your iPhone or Android Before Anyone Else
Fans of rhythm tap games and traditional one-on-one fighters finally have something to bring them closer together. DuelBeats, a fighting game that lets you perform moves by tapping to the beat of a song, has been released as a soft launch for both iOS and Android in New Zealand, Australia, and Singapore. Just because the game is exclusive to those regions doesn't mean we can't try it out for ourselves, and with a little hackery, it's entirely possible to do so.
How To: Use These 420-Friendly Apps to Be a Better Stoner
Pot, weed, bud, herb – whatever you want to call it, the green earthy treat makes everything way more fun. Now that marijuana is legal to some extent in more than half of all US states, we thought it was high time to showcase some apps that enhance your experience with the controversial pastime known as rolling up.
HoloLens Dev 101: How to Explore the Power of Spatial Audio Using Hotspots
When making a convincing mixed reality experience, audio consideration is a must. Great audio can transport the HoloLens wearer to another place or time, help navigate 3D interfaces, or blur the lines of what is real and what is a hologram. Using a location-based trigger (hotspot), we will dial up a fun example of how well spatial sound works with the HoloLens.
How To: Share the World of Peanuts with Your Kids & Play Snoopy Pop on Your iPhone or Android
Jam City's Panda Pop was a great success that helped millions of users waste vast amounts of precious time with its bubble-popping panda cuddliness. Not wanting to mess with success, Jam City has now simply re-skinned the game to feature all the beloved characters from Charles Schultz's timeless Peanuts universe, complete with its relaxing soundtrack and a new name—Snoopy Pop.
How To: Play Tom Clancy's ShadowBreak on Your iPhone or Android Before Its Official Release
Tom Clancy games, like Rainbow Six and Ghost Recon: Wildlands, are famous for their realistic and immersive gameplay that focuses on covert, low-intensity warfare. Ubisoft now appears to be testing the overcrowded waters of mobile gaming with the release of ShadowBreak, and has soft released the game for both iOS and Android in Canada for further development, which means that with a little tinkering, you can play ShadowBreak in any country.
How To: Play ChronoBlade on Your iPhone or Android Before Its Official Release
Netmarble's ChronoBlade, a mobile role-playing game, has made its way to iOS and Android by way of a soft launch that will make it exclusive to users in Canada and Singapore for a couple of months. Its console-quality graphics and extra features will surely make it a hit when it's released worldwide, but if you've got a little gumption, you can skip the wait and install it today.
HoloLens Dev 101: How to Create User Location Hotspots to Trigger Events with the HoloLens
One of the truly beautiful things about the HoloLens is its completely untethered, the-world-is-your-oyster freedom. This, paired with the ability to view your real surroundings while wearing the device, allows for some incredibly interesting uses. One particular use is triggering events when a user enters a specific location in a physical space. Think of it as a futuristic automatic door.
How To: These 4 Apps Can Help Cure Your Smartphone Addiction
It has become hard to decipher where your digital imprint ends and your true self begins in today's tech-dominated world. Scrolling through news feeds and endless updates is not conducive to a good night's sleep, nor does it help you lead a well-balanced life.
Gaming: Play 'Transformers: Forged to Fight' on Your iPhone or Android Before Its Official Release
The Autobots and Decepticons are back as Transformers: Forged to Fight has soft-launched for both iOS and Android. Help Optimus Prime fight corrupted Transformers one on one to save them from their ruthless overlords, and have them join your cause, regardless of which side they're on. Collect, control, and level up unique robots from the entire Transformers universe, including the classic TV animated series, movies, comics, and toys.
How To: Get Windows Mixed Reality Before the Creators Update Drops April 11
Soon, users will no longer need an expensive headset or even a smartphone to experience mixed reality. The new Microsoft update will be bringing mixed reality applications to every Windows computer next month. This new upgrade to Windows 10 named the Windows 10 Creators Update.
How To: Play 'Dynasty Warriors Unleashed' Right Now on Your iPhone or Android
Dynasty Warriors has finally been unleashed on the world of mobile gaming. The latest installment in the popular series is called Dynasty Warriors: Unleashed, and it sends you rampaging through armies using a variety of devastating attacks, all while collecting and upgrading over 80 unique characters from the Dynasty Warriors series. Each offer their own unique abilities, which lets you create the ideal team to take on the seemingly endless hordes coming your way with cold, cruel efficiency.
How To: Secure Your Instagram Account by Adding 2-Factor Authentication & Managing Privacy Settings
The photo-centric Instagram app is a great way to share "evergreen" pictures and videos when compared to Snapchat and Facebook's new Messenger Day feature. But like all social media, keeping the account secure is an essential aspect, as it restricts unwanted viewers from seeing your content and can prevent unauthorized users from accessing your account. Instagram has several methods for locking down the account including a new two-factor authentication (2FA) mechanism.
How To: The 4 Best Apps for Watching NCAA Sweet Sixteen Games for Free on Android or iOS
It's March once again, and while that might signify the beginning of spring for some, basketball fans have this month marked on their calendars for one good reason: NCAA March Madness. Though the tournament is already underway, the Sweet Sixteen leg begins Thursday, March 23, 2017. If you fear you may miss the upcoming games, worry not, as free apps for smartphones and tablets are available to help you watch all the action.
PSA: Use the PlayStation App for iPhone or Android to Get Free Games Every Month
Sony offers a set of free games to its PlayStation Plus subscribers every month, but it's easy to miss out if you're not constantly around your console. Perhaps you're traveling, or maybe you've stayed up one too many nights playing Uncharted, leading to a period of PlayStation detox. No matter what the case is, the good news is that you can use the PlayStation app for Android or iOS to claim these monthly free games without getting up from your seat.
Roundup: The 5 Best Capacitive Gloves for Using Your Smartphone in the Cold
For some of us, winter puts the brakes on apps like Pokémon GO since smartphone screens usually only respond to bare fingers. Nobody wants to be that guy who caught frostbite chasing a Sneasel. When you use normal gloves, the display's sensor simple doesn't activate, so that doesn't help any. Fortunately, several options for touchscreen-friendly capacitive gloves are on the market to help you through this last blast of winter.
How To: Access Bitcoin Gambling Sites from Your Phone — Even if They Ban Your Country
Bitcoin, the decentralized cryptocurrency notorious for its status as the currency of the dark web, seems to be shedding its shady past and is now enjoying soaring highs not seen since 2014. The highly volatile online commodity reached parity with an ounce of gold back in March amid speculation of a pending ETF approval from the Federal Trade Commission. Since then, Bitcoin has doubled in value and analysts predict a bitcoin could reach $100,000 in value in 10 years.
Facebook 101: How to Turn Off Auto-Playing Sound for Facebook Videos on Android & iPhone
After about six months of testing, Facebook has decided to start rolling out a new feature on mobile that automatically plays sound for videos in your News Feed, thanks to "positive feedback" from test users. As far as I'm concerned, they have been testing with the wrong users, because auto-playing sound is by far worse than auto-playing videos ever could be.