Google has begun the testing phase for its new Hands Free app that lets you pay at participating locations without having to even take your phone out of your pocket. Video: . Right now, the only participating locations are in South Bay, south of San Francisco, CA, where Google ...more
Now that Android Auto and Apple CarPlay have finally arrived, the days of clunky in-dash infotainment systems are coming to an end. Instead of using software created by an automotive company to get directions, stream music, or take calls, we can now get the best user experienc ...more
By now, you've likely used or have seen friends and family use Face Swap Live on their phones. It's a fun little app for iOS (and soon to be Android) that harnesses current tech to—you guessed it—swap faces. Maybe you've seen the dad creepily swap faces with his kid video tha ...more
Navigation app Waze occasionally gives you the option to have a celebrity voice provide directions for your trip, like this famous European with a funny voice, or this decidedly less-famous European with a funny voice. It'll be hard for Waze to top its latest addition to the ...more
Chrome apps and extensions are powerful tools for students: they can help optimize your web browsing experience by helping you take notes, check your grammar as you compose documents and emails, and even help you squeeze a little more juice out of your laptop's battery by free ...more
Considering that nearly half a million brand new apps were published to the Google Play Store in 2015, you can definitely call it a banner year for Android development. In fact, it's getting to the point where we're a bit spoiled as end users, since we've grown to expect somet ...more
When people get accustomed to something, any type of change is typically met with resistance or disdain. So when Twitter decided to swap stars for hearts, the internet wasn't exactly receptive to the new aesthetic. Essentially, Twitter believes hearts are more expressive, con ...more
When an Apple TV remains idle, it will eventually trigger its majestic video screen saver that includes aerial views New York, San Francisco, China, Hawaii, and more. Now, thanks to developer John Coates, you can have the exact same screen saver on any Mac running OS X Maveric ...more
Theming is one of the many facets of Android that gives it a leg up on its iOS competition. With the right home launcher and icon theme, you can completely change the look and feel of your device in just a few minutes. Don't Miss: How to Make Your Android Unique & Theme Every ...more
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 yo ...more
Snapchat has built upon the photo-sharing service it once was to become a money-sending, commercial-shelling, video-messaging giant. They improved their user experience by adding Stories, Geofilters, and even the rarely-used Snapcash feature, but why isn't there something as s ...more
For those unwilling to wait until the Fall for the official release of Apple's latest Mac OS X, El Capitan, you can sign up for the public beta today and get it sometime this summer. If that's still not soon enough for you, there is a way to get it on your Mac right now. Don' ...more
Apple announced the release of their newest Mac OS X version at this year's Worldwide Developer's Conference, and it's called "El Capitan." Like the majestic rock formation it's named after (located within Yosemite National Park), El Capitan promises to emphasize and expand on ...more
Monitoring your Mac with widgets can be the first step in identifying bandwidth issues, but finding the root of the problem can be a completely different story. Usually you will have to open up Activity Monitor in Mac OS X to look for apps hogging your bandwidth, but with Load ...more
Considering how the Apple Watch works as an extension to your iPhone, it would've seemed like a no-brainer to include the ability to view your iPhone's battery life from the Watch, but in true Apple fashion, they did not. Thankfully, developer Kelly Pangburn did Apple's job f ...more
Group chats can get annoying real quick if the people in them are sending rapid-fire texts without hesitation, especially if none of them are any interest to you specifically. Luckily, it's easy to mute notifications for specific message threads. You can even leave a group cha ...more
There's a recently discovered flaw by iDownloadBlog that lets thieves reset a stolen Apple Watch without a hitch, which is the result of Apple not including the Activation Lock feature that iPhones have had since iOS 7. Activation Lock requires your Apple ID and password to e ...more
Continuity, introduced back when iOS 8 and Mac OS X 10.10 were released, lets users seamlessly connect all of their Apple devices together. With it came a feature known as Handoff that "hands off" an app or task from one Apple device to another, like starting an email on your ...more
It probably doesn't happen much, but occasionally you'll run into a frozen or bugged-out app on your iPhone or other iOS device. That's where force-closing comes in, allowing you to close any app manually through a few clicks and swipes. While the process of force-closing an ...more
If you have an Apple Watch, it's easier than ever to ask Siri for directions, send a quick text, or locate the nearest Chipotle—because you don't need to pull out your iPhone anymore. Luckily, Apple made it fairly painless to get Siri up and running on the Watch, so let's go o ...more
One of Android's biggest strengths relative to iOS was the ability to switch to a third-party keyboard. While Apple has finally included this feature in its latest OS and leveled the playing field a bit, the variety of options still pales in comparison to what's available on A ...more
With the sheer number of pictures stored on my iPhone, using the tap gesture on the status bar is extremely convenient and time-saving when I want to reach the beginning of my Camera Roll album in the Photos app. With just a quick tap, you can have your iOS device automatical ...more
Serving as the primary tool of distribution for many websites, social media is how most of us catch up what's going on around the world. While there is a bunch of clickbait going around on Facebook and Twitter, there are plenty of genuinely interesting articles being shared. ...more
All across the web, countless users and critics have already decided that Periscope, the Twitter-owned live video-streaming app, has killed (or is on the verge of killing) Meerkat off for good. That fear was made somewhat apparent when Ben Rubin, the founder of Meerkat, sent ...more
Just recently, Snapchat decided to implement a feature that it had long been lacking—the ability to play music and record a video at the same time. For those of us that are jailbroken, we've had this feature for some time, but now that everyone has the ability, how should you ...more
Using a timer to take a photo is great if you're looking for a quick workout. You have to prop up your phone, frame your shot, set the timer, and sprint to get into the frame. Then when you realize your position was a little bit off, you have to reset the timer and jump back i ...more
Apple's new Watch models go on sale April 24th in Apple Stores everywhere, and can be preordered online starting April 10th. If you're set on preordering one, how do you know which size to choose? Whether you plan on getting an Apple Watch, Apple Watch Sport, or Apple Watch E ...more
Netflix is an enabler. It creates a joy around binge-watching and couch potato-ness, and the major contributor to this epidemic is its built-in "Post-Play" feature. Once you've finished watching an episode in a series, the next episode will automatically play in a matter of s ...more
If I told you that people who use emojis in their conversations have more sex than plain-text users, would you believe me? According to a recent study launched by Match.com, men and women that use emojis have more sex than those who do not. If you were looking for an excuse to ...more
If you've had your Gmail account for awhile, it's probably a cluttered mess thanks to unread messages, out-of-control newsletters, and never-ending email threads. This is one of the main reasons for the creation of Google's streamlined Inbox service, but the adoption rate for ...more
The Oscars are just around the corner, so it's the perfect time to remind people of your favorite movie moments, even if they're not exactly Oscar-worthy. But don't just settle on sending GIFs that don't include any of the fun audio, or resort to scouring YouTube for that one ...more
The next time you plan on going on an adventurous road trip, get paid for it! With the the new mobile app called Roadie, from developer Marc Gorlin, you can get paid to go where you're already going. Essentially working as a Lyft- or Uber-like service for people's possessions ...more
Before heading out on a hike, or any excursion for that matter, it would be wise to take a map with you just in case you get lost while on your quest. But let's be realistic, few people are going to use a physical map—or even know how to obtain or read one—in this digital age ...more
In a long-awaited move, the popular messaging platform WhatsApp has finally made its official web debut. Desktop and laptop owners will be happy to know that they can now message their favorite contacts directly from their computers, without the need to install additional apps ...more
Technology allows us to communicate with others like never before, providing us with the ability to stay connected with past and current coworkers, classmates from high school, and even relatives in far-away countries. Yet, that same technology that connects us also ties us d ...more
A highly useful, yet unrecognized and under-appreciated feature in Apple's iOS 8 is the ability to seamlessly convert incoming texts regarding future dates into calendar events. Messages like "Let's chill tomorrow" can be tapped on and quickly added to the calendar. It's conve ...more
Animal lovers, especially dog owners, know that pets are a part of the family, but it's often incredibly frustrating to know if and when something just isn't right with our furry companions. If you're out and about most of the day, your dog will be so happy to see you when you ...more
Wearables were everywhere at CES 2015... you literally couldn't walk 10 feet without seeing some new and innovative device. Among the sleep, fitness, dog, and baby wearables, we came across one with a different, more important purpose—the Linx IAS injury prevention headband. V ...more
Samsung's Gear VR headset is a thing of beauty; unfortunately, it only works with the Samsung Galaxy Note 4. That's where ImmersiON-VRelia's Head-Mounted Displays come in to play. With four different HMD models, we got a hands-on look at "The Go," which is not only affordable ...more
Christmas music makes the holiday season just that much more enjoyable. And the folks over at Google must be feeling the holiday spirt since they are making Michael Bublé's Christmas album free for a limited time. The Grammy Award winning artist debuted his Christmas album in ...more
Instagram introduced Photo Maps back in 2012, a feature allowing users to showcase where they've taken photos and explore where others have been, all through an interactive map. Through the hyperlinked location at the top of each photo, you can go through a timeline of all of ...more
Just in time for the holiday festivities, iOS developer Tristan Kennedy has created a snowy HTML widget for your jailbroken iPhone's home screen called SnowScreen. Simply apply the widget and you'll have a falling snow animation layered over whatever wallpaper you already have ...more
Facebook is really good at two things: connecting people all over the world and force-feeding changes to its users (ahem...Facebook Messenger). Now, its most recent "feature" adds the ability to auto-enhance all photos uploaded from its mobile app. So, if you think you are gr ...more
Like most iPhone users, I place my most essential apps in my dock as it allows for easier access to them from the home screen. Unfortunately, iOS restricts the dock to just four measly apps, but there may be five or six that I really want to place in it. If you have a jailbro ...more
With countless images and messages packed into one small device, security is always a high priority amongst iPhone users. For this reason, we've previously shown you how to make your iPhone's passcode match the current time, which made figuring out your passcode a lot more dif ...more
With film being such a vital outlet and marketing tool for fashion, movie stars are either wearing the coolest and latest threads, or retro looks that are sure to make a comeback. I regularly see a cool jacket or pair of sneakers being worn by an actor in a movie I'm watching, ...more
If there was anything missing from the notorious YO app, it was Aaron Paul's character from Breaking Bad, Jesse Pinkman, calling me by his signature catch phrase—you know the one. With constant and overwhelming requests from the vastly popular show's fans requesting for Aaron ...more
Aside from identifying songs with Shazam and using the "Hey Siri" feature while driving, Apple's personal assistant isn't something I regularly use on my iPhone. For general searches or queries, I just use a simple Google search. Granted, it isn't as seamless as holding down ...more
Confirmation numbers, grocery lists, addresses, and phone numbers are all things we need to quickly jot down on our phones, but the thing is, they're never extremely easy to access later. You have to figure out which app you wrote them in, meaning lots of needless searching an ...more
I'm the type of person that rarely has an audible ringer enabled on my phone. Haptic feedback (vibration) is enough for me... most of the time. When my phone isn't in my pocket, I become the type of person who frequently misses calls and texts—and no one likes that person. A ...more
Instagram is all about sharing and interacting with others, but sometimes we hide in the shadows and lurk. Whether their ex-lovers, current crushes, former high school classmates, or future coworkers, we silently view their content without them knowing. You can deny it all you ...more
While the new Lollipop wallpapers are great, they'll eventually get stale like all of the others. I've covered a bunch of cool Android wallpaper apps previously, including ones that give you psychedelic and shake-to-change options, but this time I was on the hunt for some geom ...more
When I get weather information, I prefer to receive it in a straight-forward, minimalistic fashion. Living in California, I could care less about wind speeds, humidity, or any other calculations that I can't analyze in a second. I essentially use the information to help decide ...more
I'm sure you've been here before: sitting on an airplane, bored out of your mind, and you forgot to install a few games or download a movie before your flight departed. No worries, though. If you have the latest Chrome Beta installed on your Android, there's a fun little mini- ...more
The first thing most of us noticed after Apple announced plans for its wearable—the Apple Watch—was the importance and focus they placed on its interface. Starkly different from their Android Wear counterparts, the Apple Watch's interface has applications scattered around the ...more
Accumulating approximately one million downloads on the Google Play Store in less than 72 hours from its initial release, TouchPal instantly became a favorite among Android users. With the keyboard functioning on all cylinders, Chinese app developer CooTek set their focus on ...more
Oddly enough, stock Android does not come with a "do not disturb" function out of the box. Samsung has their own version built into to TouchWiz called "Blocking Mode," and Apple has had their "Do Not Disturb" feature since iOS 6, so why is stock Android so late to the game? N ...more
Shazam has ushered in an age where any song we like, but don't recognize, can be almost instantly identified. While the whole process is easy enough—just pull out your phone and hit a button—there are still moments where we might miss those quick and fleeting tunes. Say you'r ...more
Whether you are just starting or returning to college, or have already been out in the real world for some time, it's always a good idea to stay on top of your game by keeping your intellect sharp. While it may be easy to just sit in front of your TV, watching reruns of The Bi ...more
Whether it's a chaotic family day meetup at the beach, barhopping with buddies, or getting stranded in the middle of nowhere with a dead car battery, being able to share your exact location with others using your smartphone makes life easier and less stressful. Apple is makin ...more