When you were unboxing your Galaxy Note7, you probably wondered why a little metal claw tool was included in the packaging. Then, if you looked closer, you saw there were five plastic sticks included with the claw tool that came in two different colors. Well, these pieces are ...more
When they first appeared, smartphones came with a promise to make our lives easier and make us more productive so we could have more free time and energy. But now, the average user spends almost 5 ½ hours daily on their smartphone. If that sounds like you, there are ways to us ...more
Security-minded users can reduce the risk of phishing by enabling Advanced Protection on important Google accounts, requiring a U2F security token to log in. Using these keys isn't intuitive on most popular smartphone platforms, and you can find yourself locked out if you don' ...more
I'm a textaholic, as I've said many times before, but even textaholics forget to respond sometimes. When I'm watching a YouTube clip or devouring delicious snacks in Candy Crush Saga, I'll often ignore incoming texts and forget to respond later. Some of this forgetfulness cou ...more
While rooting your Galaxy Note 2 certainly has its advantages—everything from increasing security to relieving the Power button of its duties—it's definitely not for everyone. Whether you're concerned about voiding your warranty or just really like your stock device, rooting ...more
Dorothy had it right: "There's no place like home." This is especially true when it comes to using your Samsung Galaxy S3, or pretty much any other smartphone, whose most vital button is the Home key. But what happens when that button no longer works? Replacements can be pri ...more
We recently ran into a serious iPhone 6 issue here in the Gadget Hacks office, where the device was stuck in an infinite bootloop with intermittent red and blue screens (of death?) and an unresponsive touchscreen and buttons. From what we can tell, we weren't alone, though som ...more
With the iPhone X, Apple introduced a brand new way for iOS users to interact with their iPhones. Gestures took the spotlight, as they very apparently replaced functions you would normally execute on the Home button. But swipes aren't everything for the new iPhone XS, XS Max, ...more
The reason Amazon's Kindle has become so popular over the past several years is due to the amount of digital books one can fit inside—over 1,000 for the smallest Kindle. Gone are the days of lugging around heavy books to school and the airport. Instead we can fit our e-readers ...more
Whether you like to go swimming or jump in a hot shower with your Apple Watch on, the chance is pretty high that you'll get water inside its speaker. If you're a big runner, even sweat can get inside there. While there is no way to prevent water from getting inside your Apple ...more
Apple's iOS 13 has been available for beta testing since June, and the stable release pushed out to everyone on Thursday, Sept. 19. To help you make the most out of iOS 13 for iPhone, we've rounded up everything you'll want to know, whether a colossal feature, small settings c ...more
If you've ever noticed that the stock launcher on an Android device seems to just feel faster than any third-party home screen replacement app, this is not a placebo effect. Most manufacturers, Samsung included, force their stock launchers to reside permanently in your phone's ...more
Probably one of the most sought after features of the LG G2 is its "Knock Knock" capabilities. Rather than dealing with that pesky power button, you simply double-tap portions of the screen to either sleep or wake your device. The G2 is the Nexus 5's bigger brother of sorts, ...more
It may not be your number one spot for finding cool apps for your Android device, but the Amazon Appstore for Android is running a new promotion this week called "Geek Week," where eight of the most popular productivity and utility apps are now on sale for 48 percent off or mo ...more
If there's been one signature design element for Apple's iPhones, it was the circular Home button. It served as the "everything" button for each iPhone model until last year's iPhone X, but now, it's completely absent from the iPhone XS, XS Max, and XR. Should you be worried? ...more
Since its humble beginnings on the iPhone 4S, Siri has come a long way. While each iteration of iOS sees new features for the iPhone assistant, iOS 12 offers users some of the best advancements in Siri we've seen in a long time, not the least of which is support for Shortcuts, ...more
You've just picked up your new Samsung Galaxy S20, S20+, or S20 Ultra — but wait. After you turn it on and restore your data, there a few apps you should install to get the most out of your updated phone. Installing these eight apps right away will help maximize your experienc ...more
You watched the live stream, pored over the specs, and are now super excited for the Google Pixel 4. But specs don't tell you everything. After using the Pixel 4 XL for over a week now, we've found several things you wouldn't know without getting your hands on the phone. Most ...more
The new iPhone 5 was just revealed yesterday, and it's 18 percent thinner and just 1/5 the weight of its 4S predecessor. It's also taller with a larger screen, which gives you a fifth row for apps now. As far as speed is concerned, it has a speedy A6 chip and can tap into wire ...more
Starting Sept. 13, you can preorder the iPhone 11, 11 Pro, or 11 Pro Max from Apple, wireless carriers, and various e-commerce websites. However, unlike with Android smartphones, there is only one set of iOS phones that come out each year, so they're pretty hot items. That mea ...more
Gboard is one of the best third-party keyboards available for iPhones, but you probably don't know everything you need to know about it to become a real Gboard pro and stop using Apple's stock keyboard for good. I've tried many third-party keyboards on my iPhone since they we ...more
Apple's scheduled to show off the first look of iOS 13 at WWDC 2019 on June 3, but what will the new operating system hold for iPhone? Rumors suggest that many features initially planned for iOS 12 will show up in iOS 13, codenamed "Yukon," and dark mode will be the big ticket ...more
One of the best things about Android is the ability to customize every aspect of your device to make it your own. However, unless you have prior knowledge or experience with every single setting available to you, you might have missed a few critical features without even knowi ...more
It's always a big deal when the company that makes Android releases a new phone. Google's Pixel series has made a name for itself in three short years behind its camera prowess, but now it's time to start competing with the major players. That said, Google should like how thei ...more
While there aren't as many ways to customize your iPhone like there is on Android, there are still a lot of apps out there that can help streamline and enhance your experience beyond Apple's own default options — and we've hand-picked over 100 essentials. No matter if you've ...more
Overall, iOS is more impressive than ever with its stability enhancements, security tools, suite of apps and services, and intuitive user interface. With each passing update, things just get better and better for iPhone users. But don't think for a second that this is all beca ...more
Whether you have or are getting an iPhone 12, 12 mini, 12 Pro, or 12 Pro Max, the default way to check the current battery life is via the tiny battery icon in the top right of the status bar. But that does not accurately depict how much juice is left, not as a specific percen ...more
If you can't always see what you're typing very well on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac, you no longer have to adjust the font size for the app or entire system just to read your writing more easily. One of Apple's newer Accessibility features gives you a customizable, magnified vie ...more
Clumsiness is the great equalizer when it comes to smartphones — it makes no distinction between the most expensive flagship handset and cheaper mid-range models. A hard drop onto pavement will usually result in a shattered screen, regardless of how pricey your device is. And ...more
The first developer beta for iOS 13 is available to install on iPhone models, but the process for doing so may be a bumpy ride. Apple has not included configuration profiles for the developer beta yet, and many developers are having issues installing iOS 13 even with macOS 10. ...more
Cases and stickers are always great, but they aren't the only way to customize an iPhone. The software on your device is full of customization options, from a better-looking home screen and cooler lock screen wallpapers to app icon changes and a system-wide dark mode. There's ...more
When Tim Cook, Craig Federighi, and other core Apple leaders take the stage for WWDC 2021 on June 7, we'll hear a lot about exciting new things to come. We're likely to see what's in store for watchOS 8 and macOS 12, but more importantly, we'll get a glimpse at what iOS 15 and ...more
Your smartphone stays with you everywhere you go, so it's only a matter of time before you spill coffee all over it or drop it on the ground. For some of you, it has already happened, perhaps even multiple times. That's why we thought it was important to find out which flagshi ...more
Until very recently, Apple apps were among the only ones that would play nicely with Siri on iPhones. If you wanted to take advantage of the digital assistant to, say, compose an email, you would need to go with Apple Mail instead of the email client you actually use. As of iO ...more
Apple's Shortcuts app lets you make and use custom icons for any app on your iPhone, but it won't actually replace any icons. If your goal is to change the official icon for the app itself without any redirects, there's a growing list of third-party apps that'll let you do jus ...more
Rumors about the 2022 iPhone series stirred well before the iPhone 13 models were even released. While Apple remains quiet on the next big iPhone, as it always does, we're seeing more and more leaks and reveals for the iPhone 14 series as we lead up to a likely fall release. ...more
Whether it's the new iPad Killer or not, one thing's for sure—the Motorola XOOM is hackable. Just hours after its release last week, Verizon's new Android-based tablet (running Honeycomb) was rooted by hacker Koushik Dutta, which seems easy enough. "Since it’s another Google ...more
In these days of mobile technology, losing your iPhone or iPod Touch is almost worse than losing your car keys. It becomes one of the most frantic searches you've ever had to endure. But you can relax now, because you can use Apple's Find My iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch service ...more
On the new iPhone 4 and in iOS 4 you are able to set a wallpaper as a background. In the past, wallpapers were only used on the lock screen and in this clip, you will see just how easy it is to set the old lock screen as well as the screen behind your app keys. This feature wa ...more
Introduction In this article you will find instructions to replace a broken LCD screen of a LG KF600 phone. To execute these steps a new replacement LCD should be bought beforehand. Stores that sell replacement KF600 LCD screen can be found on the Internet. These instructions ...more
Do you have a Palm Centro Smartphone that has too many scratches on the screen? Well, this is the video tutorial for you. Here, you will learn how to take apart the Palm Centro cell phone for proper LCD screen replacement, and while you're in there, you can also do some other ...more
Is your iPod Nano screen getting a little unclear? Replace it then. Check out this video tutorial on how to take apart your 2nd Generation Apple iPod Nano for not only screen replacement, but for minor repairs also. Anybody can do, but it of course voids your warranty, so try ...more
The HP TouchPad is a webOS tablet capable of displaying media, browsing and connecting to the web, downloading and accessing apps, and more. This guide walks you through the process of configuring a number of settings on the device. Learn how to adjust the time, location servi ...more
Check out this video tutorial on how to take apart the HP iPAQ hw6515 Mobile Messenger cell phone to remove the screen for replacement or other minor repairs. See how to completely disassemble the cellular phone for all of those down and dirty fixes you need to repair.
Watch this video to learn how to cheat on a test with help from your iPod. Ask a trusted friend for their notes/answers the night before. Then at your computer, just type up their notes/answers, or the important parts, and then save it in your computer as "How to make Grandma' ...more
So, your Nintendo DS Lite's warranty just expired, and yet you've managed to break one of your LCD screens. Now what? You replace it yourself! If you have time to play video games, you have time to repair your own DS Lite. Just get a replacement LCD screen and watch the full ...more
Check out this video tutorial to show you how to use the Sony DSR-PD170 MiniDV camcorder. This video was made by the equipment room at CUNY Journalism School in New York. The DSR-PD170 is a high quality video camera well suited to a broad range of applications -- from event v ...more
Windows 8, the latest version of Microsoft's flagship software has introduced the new Metro UI screen as a replacement to the classic Start menu. If you want to get rid of the Metro UI, or you want to get the Start menu back, follow the directions detailed in this video When ...more
Try this trick to customize the functionality of the side switch on the iPad. With it, you'll be able to make the side switch do other things, such as lock the orientation of the screen in one direction so that it doesn't change when you move it into landscape or portrait mode.
This half-hour episode of Hak5 covers several topics: Using a DSLR camera to create HD footage, building your own Google TV, unlocking & copying locked files with Lock Hunter, using PicPick for screen capture, using WinDirStat for analyzing & cleaning your hard drive, setting ...more
This step-by-step video tutorial shows you how to install CHDK onto your Canon digital camera. CHDK is a firmware enhancement that operates on a number of Canon cameras. CHDK gets loaded into your camera's memory upon bootup (either manually or automatically). It provides add ...more
Tinkernut demonstrates how to hook up your exercise bike to Google Maps. Using a stationary bike can be good for your health but it can also be boring. You can spice up your exercise regiment by using Google Maps. You will need a USB keypad with arrow keys, a magnetic contact ...more
For those who need security on their Android devices, the standard swipe lock screen just isn't enough, so it's necessary to install applications like GOTO and WidgetLocker to enable either pattern, password or PIN protection. This protection is great overall, but when you're ...more
This how-to video from Lowe's demonstrates how to replace a damaged screen. The tools required are fiberglass screen, spline, tape measure, spline roller, screwdriver, and utility knife. He shows the different options in screen material, and suggests taking pieces of your old ...more
Here's a fun hack! In this clip, we learn of a bug that will permit you to circumvent the passcode lock screen on any iOS 4.1 iPhone 4. For detailed, step-by-step instructions, and to get started using this exploit yourself, watch this video guide.
This video tutorial from DrJailbreak presents how to download and install Androidlock on your iPhone and iPod Touch.Androidlock is a type of application that locks screen to prevent unauthorized access. You have to draw a specific pattern on the screen to unlock your device. I ...more
Just a quick post. Xorg is the graphical server that handles the desktop environment you choose for your Linux box. A pretty big flaw was found in Xorg versions 1.11 and later that allows anyone to bypass the screen lock mechanism on xscreensaver, gscreensaver, and many others ...more
In the event of a damaged ignition key lock cylinder, the ignition key lock cylinder needs to be replaced. This can be done by following the instructions shown in this video, which demonstrates the ignition key lock cylinder replacement on a 1998-2004 Dodge Intrepid.
In this tutorial, we learn how to install a replacement LCD screen on a Blackberry Pearl. First remove the cover and battery from the phone. Then, you will take a tool and remove the clips from the left and right side of the back to remove the bottom. You will now find two mor ...more
In this video, Mike Callahan shows us how to make our unlock pattern visible on an Android phone. First, unlock your phone and go to the home screen. Then, go to 'settings, location & security". After this, click the button that says "use visible pattern" so that the check mar ...more