Smartphones Features
How To: The Best 'No-Logs' VPN Apps for Safe & Private Mobile Browsing
There's a lot of misinformation about VPN services, and it stems from the fact that not all of them are created equal. Some focus on privacy, others on security, and a few VPNs are seemingly even purpose-built for the polar opposite: data collection. We made this guide to help clear the air on some of these issues while objectively ranking the best of the best.
News: 8 of the Wildest Augmented Reality Glasses You Haven't Seen Yet
We've shown you the best augmented reality headsets, and now it's time to show you the rest. These are the AR headsets you've probably never heard of or even seen. The AR headsets that, in some cases, have a shot at the big time, and may one day reach widespread adoption, and, in other cases, are unwieldily contraptions that look like something out of a weird science fiction movie.
How To: Switch Tabs Faster in Chrome with This Quick Gesture
As with our desktop browser, our phones often have multiple tabs open at the same time. But phones don't have each tab listed horizontally across the top, so to switch between them, you need to go to the tab switcher page and then find the link you wish to reopen. Well, if you are using Chrome, there's a faster way.
How To: Pick Different Chat Wallpapers for WhatsApp's Light & Dark Modes for Even More Control Over Your Theme
If you're like me, you enjoy using your phone's dark theme at night and light theme during the day. When switching from dark to light and vice versa, many of the UI elements in supported apps adjust accordingly, but you have no control over what does and doesn't change. WhatsApp, on the other hand, does give you some granular control by letting you pick a chat wallpaper for each theme.
How To: Set Up Windows Mixed Reality Motion Controllers
This is a very exciting time for mixed reality developers and fans alike. In 2017, we have seen a constant stream of new hardware and software releases hitting the virtual shelves. And while most of them have been in the form of developer kits, they bring with them hope and the potential promise of amazing things in the future.
News: Apple Augmented Reality Smartglasses Concept Tests Futuristic Fashion Approach
Whenever a new, category-defining Apple product is in the works, we usually get a series of creative concept designs to accompany the rumors swirling around the prospective launch.
News: Computer Vision Startup Dent Reality Offers SDK to Create AR Navigation Apps for Malls & Airports
London-based developer Andrew Hart has been working on AR navigation since Apple's original ARKit tool was still in beta preview. Now, he's ready to unleash his technology on the world.
News: Samsung Unveils Its Project Whare AR Cloud Service & Wacom Partnership for AR Creations
With barely a whisper of augmented reality during the first day of its developer's conference, Samsung came out swinging on day two with the introduction of its version of the AR cloud and a partnership with Wacom that turns Samsung's S-Pen into an augmented reality magic wand.
News: Neurable Releases Limited Beta SDK for Brain Control Interface
As promised earlier this year, Neurable has introduced limited beta of a Unity-compatible software developer's kit (SDK) for its brain control interface (BCI) for augmented and virtual reality.
How To: 10 Badass AI Features Coming to Your Google Apps, Some of Which You Can Use Right Now
For all intents and purposes, Google could have called its 2023 developer conference A/I instead of I/O. Capitalizing on the artificial intelligence hype, Google devoted most of its keynote address to AI research, experiments, and developments. But there's some substance behind the hype in the form of new features in the Google services you already use on Android, iOS, and desktop.
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: Hide Your Active Status in Facebook Messenger to Go Incognito Online
For all of its advantages, Facebook Messenger isn't the best for people who like their privacy. The popular app lets all your Facebook friends know when you're online by default, as well as how long you've been idle, making it impossible to check up with one person without leaving yourself vulnerable to your entire friends list. Luckily, this feature is one you can turn off.
How To: Unlock your iPhone 3G without knowing the passcode
The passcode, or the four-digit code you enter in order to access an iPhone or iPod touch, was created to ensure security and prevent hacking. But what if you haven't touched your iPhone in a month and you simply don't remember what your passcode is anymore?
Ranked: The 5 Best Gaming Phones in 2019
Mobile gaming has exploded in recent years, with experts predicting 2.4 billion global mobile players by the end of 2019. It already accounts for 47% of the worldwide gaming market, besting console and PC. No wonder we've seen the rise of gaming smartphones, a class of phones that specialize in mobile gaming.
News: FaceNiff App Allows Android Users to Hack Facebook
Firesheep caused quite a stir when it was released last October, giving both hackers and non-hackers instant access to people's account information when on a public Wi-Fi connection. When logged into an insecure website on the same network as someone with Firesheep, you're giving them access to the cookies that keep you logged in. This is called session hijacking, and grants them easy access to your accounts, like Facebook, Flickr and Twitter. Now, there's an even easier way to do this—a mobi...
How To: 16 Ways to Destroy the Competition in Call of Duty Mobile
So you've been playing Call of Duty Mobile for some time but can't seem to get MVP at the end of the battle. Well, since the game is a competition of players and bots, you're in an uphill battle. But you don't have to languish at the bottom. With the help of these tips, you might just nab your first MVP.
How To: Block Someone from Using Their Camera During Zoom Video Calls
As a meeting host on Zoom, you can't control what a participant does during your live video call, but you do have the power to turn off their camera so that other people aren't subjected to distractions. So if you catch someone in your call purposely making obscene gestures or accidentally exposing themselves while using the bathroom, you can block their camera, as long as you know how.
How To: Add a Number Row to Google's Gboard Keyboard
Google's Gboard is by far the most popular keyboard available right now. Gboard lets you search almost anything—from regular Google searches, to emojis, and even GIFs—just by using your keyboard. The app even lets you share search results, saving you a great deal of time, which would've otherwise been spent juggling between apps and programs.
TIDAL 101: How to Adjust the Quality of Streaming or Downloaded Music
Thanks to their partnership with Tidal, over 30 million Sprint customers can access Hi-Fi audio on the go. And the Jay-Z-owned music service isn't limited to just Sprint customers — for $19.99/month, anyone can listen to lossless audio from their favorite artists. But streaming uncompressed audio files uses a lot more data than standard quality, so how do you use Tidal without hitting your data cap?
How To: Switching from iOS to Android? Here's Everything You Need to Do
Smartphone manufacturers do their best to keep you tied down to their ecosystem, but the reality is that there's not much keeping you from switching. Transfer some files, install a few apps here and there, and all of a sudden, you're knee-deep in a new operating system.
How To: Use Netflix Offline by Downloading Shows & Movies
Netflix added the ability to download TV shows and movies on Android and iOS for offline binging back in Nov. 2016, and the process is the same as it is today. So if you anticipate having some downtime to catch up on Narcos or give Bright a try when you'll be away from a secure Wi-Fi connection, download videos onto your phone and save your data for more important things.
News: HoloLens Assists in Live Surgery
Numerous examples exist of doctors and surgeons using HoloLens to plan surgeries. The device has even been used to view reference images during a procedure and stream it to a remote audience. Until recently, it has not been used to augment the surgeon's view of the patient during a live surgery.
How To: Change Slack's Sidebar Theme on Your iPhone or Android Phone for Customized Colors
For some reason, the Slack app on Android and iOS is a little less customizable than Slack on other platforms, so you can't adjust the sidebar theme to different colors directly inside the app. But that doesn't mean you can't customize the look of your mobile app at all. It's just a little less convenient.
How To: Take pictures with a camera phone and then send them to email
You don't need to sync your phone to get your pictures. Many phones offer the capability to send photos taken with the camera to send to either someone else or to yourself through email. This tutorial shows you how to send!
Facebook 101: All the Facebook Privacy Settings You Need to Check
Before you go ahead and delete your Facebook — don't lie, you've been thinking about it — consider this. Facebook offers users a wide variety of privacy options to mess with, which can help you find a little control over your information. We're not saying this solves Facebook's privacy crisis, but it might be a more reasonable option than throwing in the towel entirely.
Plex 101: How to Play Trailers Before Your Movies
If you maintain a digital library of your favorite movies, Plex is the perfect solution for bridging the gap between your computer and your mobile device. All you have to do is install the server program on your Mac or PC and point it to the folder where you store your movies, then you can use the Plex app for Android or iOS to watch the movies on your phone or tablet.
How To: Use Any Emoji as a Message Reaction in WhatsApp for iOS, Android, Desktop, and Web
Instead of responding to a WhatsApp message with short texts like "LOL" or thinking too hard about something meaningful to say, use an emoji reaction. They cut down on clutter in group chats and take up less space than typing emoji individually in a conversation. WhatsApp initially limited reactions to just six emoji, but a new update lets you use any emoji you want.
News: Spider-Man & Tony Stark's Smartglasses May Become Reality Thanks to DIY YouTuber
Sure, Tony Stark was able to build the original Iron Man suit in a cave with a box of scraps, but can the average do-it-yourselfer replicate the EDITH smartglasses from Spider-Man: Far From Home in a similar fashion?
How To: Easily Convert Cooking Times for Your Microwave's Wattage Using These Apps
Not all microwaves are created equal, so when you use the recommended cooking time on any microwaveable meal, chances are you're actually cooking the food too much or not enough. And unless you're really good at mental math or have a virtual assistant that's smarter than Siri and Google, you have to do things the long way — but not with these helpful apps for iOS and Android.
News: Google Launches TensorFlow 3D Using LiDAR & Depth Sensors for Advanced AR Experiences
After the mobile augmented reality platforms of ARKit and ARCore moved Google's previously groundbreaking Project Tango (the AR platform that gave us the first smartphones with depth sensors) into obsolescence in 2018, we've seen a bit of a resurgence of what was then a niche component for flagship devices.
How To: Hack the Samsung Tocco F480 to Play Java Games
This is a guide showing you how to get Java games onto your Samsung Tocco F480 phone via USB—for free!
How To: This App Makes It Easy to Actually Hear the TV at a Loud Bar
In 2018, there are more ways than ever to watch your favorite sporting events. You can stream them with a number of services, or you can simply watch it on a TV. Many fans will even watch it at a sports bar. The problem with a sports bar is that you won't be able to hear the game over the sound of dozens of loud bargoers.
News: Snapchat's New Feature Shows You Where in the World Your Friends Are
Snapchat's newest feature will allow you to see where your friends are posting from around the world. Called Snap Map, this easy-to-use update gives users the ability to view your friends' stories and locations on a map.
News: 15 Remote Assistance Apps Driving the Enterprise Sector of Augmented Reality, from HoloLens to iPhone
Comparing the present-day states of the consumer and enterprise sectors of augmented reality is like evaluating the merits of sports car versus work trucks. Like consumer AR, sports cars are sexy and exciting, but perhaps a bit impractical at times. On the other hand, enterprise AR is utilitarian, but it gets the job done and, in the long run, pays for itself.
How To: Change Your Twitter Timeline Back to Reverse-Chronological Order
If you're tired of the so-called "top" tweets appearing first in your Twitter timeline instead of only the latest from the people, companies, and bots you follow, there's a way to get rid of them.
How To: Create Playlists on SoundCloud to Help Organize Your Music
The nice part about creating a song playlist is that it's essentially like your own customized album. You can organize all your different music tastes into one large collection or separate them into each of their own genres.
News: Medical Software Maker Medivis Closes $2.3 Million in Funding to Bring HoloLens to Surgical Platform
The HoloLens has made enough of an impact on the healthcare industry for Microsoft technology partner Medivis to convince investors to pledge $2.3 million in funding for its surgical platform.
News: Mobile AR Apps Can Now Track Any Surface Using Plane Detection via Wikitude SDK
In the latest update to its augmented reality platform, Wikitude has introduced new plane detection capabilities that can anchor virtual content to surfaces at any orientation.
How To: Install a custom ROM onto a Samsung Galaxy Google Android smartphone
Learn how to load a custom ROM onto a rooted Samsung Galaxy Google Android smartphone! Custom ROMs help you to unlock your phone's hidden potential and allow you to, among other things, turn your mobile phone into a 3G wireless modem with free WiFi tethering. For all of the details, and to get started running custom ROMs on your own rooted Samsung Galaxy, watch this three-minute hacker's how-to.
How To: Everything You Should Do Before Posting Protest Photos & Videos on Social Media
As protests surge in the wake of George Floyd's murder by a Minneapolis police officer, powerful photographs and videos from the demonstrations have gripped the world, putting our nation's very real and very justifiable widespread civil unrest out into the digital world. Unfortunately, these pictures could put you or others in danger if precautions aren't taken before uploading them online.