I love surprises. Surprise parties, surprise visits, surprise Patrick... But there are times when a surprise is the last thing you want, like reaching into your pocket to find that your Samsung Galaxy S3 is not where it should be.
With the majority of smartphone carriers no longer offering unlimited data plans for the iPhone, monitoring how much mobile data you use is a key element to saving money on your phone bill.
How do you know if the Beats By Dre Studio headphones that you are about to buy online are genuine? Always ask the seller to use the youVerify app before you buy. Smarter Selling, Safer Shopping.
One of the coolest features on the all-new Samsung Galaxy S4 Android smartphone is the Group Play feature that allows you to wirelessly connect multiple Galaxy S4 smartphones together to create an instant, surround-sound boombox or play multi-player games like Poker
As much as I love my Samsung Galaxy S3, I'm always on the lookout for cool features I can borrow from other smartphones. One of the most recent "borrowed" features I've added to my S3 is the Galaxy Note 2's smart rotation feature, which uses the front camera to detect my face-to-screen angle, which then rotates my screen accordingly. But the S3 already comes packed with some awesome features, as well as some less-than-stellar ones. One of these less-than-stellar features is the task manager, ...
One of the coolest things for readers using the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 is the stock Smart Rotation feature. While most smartphones use the accelerometer to adjust the screen orientation, Smart Rotation actually uses the camera to detect your face-to-screen angle and adjusts accordingly. Now, if only there was a way that all Android users can continue reading an article or text without sporadic and unexpected 90-degree turns of their screen. Wait, there is!
Google's newest Android system update should be arriving on Tuesday, November 13th, with the release of the Google Nexus 4 smartphone, and Nexus 7 and 10 tablets. All will come preloaded with the new Android 4.2 Jelly Bean OS, but what about the rest of you (especially those with the Samsung Galaxy S III) who just got Jelly Bean 4.1.1?!?
Microsoft's most anticipated OS has finally arrived, and there's no doubt that all of you out there who snagged a copy of Windows 8 are excited to see what's new. But while Windows 8 has received plenty of rave reviews, some users are upset about one controversial change—the missing Start menu. The implementation of the new Metro interface has rendered the old Start menu unnecessary, but some folks just want what they're used to. If you're one of those users who wants the classic Start menu i...
Move over Pro Tools LE— Pro Tools 9 is here! One of the most exciting things about Pro Tools 9 is that there's more tracks without having to have a Toolkit. Another great thing is being able to run Pro Tools without having to use Digidesign, M-Audio or any Avid hardware. Also, there's Delay Compensation Engine on a native system that doesn't require HD hardware or HD native. And this is just the beginning. To see more of the features in Pro Tools 9, watch this overview video.
This how-to video is about how to use the Ribbon and Backstage view in Microsoft Office Excel 2010.
This IGN guide shows you exactly where to find all of the hidden Riddler trophies in the Industrial District level of Batman: Arkham Asylum. Pay special attention to the beginning of the guide, as it features a map showing all the symbols for the trophies.
The new backup features of iCloud on the iOS 5 devices are extremely compelling. If you're trying to figure out how to connect your iPhone 4S to a new iCloud account, here's a quick video that will show you how to do so.
If you're trying to earn those unlocks quickly in Fifa 12, take a look at this guide featuring three easy ways to boost your virtual pro accomplishments in the game. Step 3 of the guide can be ignored, as there is an issue with Fifa 12 and the Creation Centre.
This tutorial features the different ways to interact with posts in Google+. For example, you can comment, share, reply to the author, or +1 a post that you see in your Google+ stream. Look for the buttons underneath the post to execute each option.
In addition to being a great way to share content and information that are also using Google+, additional sharing features in Google+ allow you to send content and information to other individuals who do not use the service. You can even import your address book to make sharing even easier.
If you want to set privacy rules or moderate who has access to the different content that you share on Google+, take a look at this tutorial. It will walk you through the settings and features of Google+ that allow you to restrict who can view and see the information you post to your profile.
The Google+ Sparks feature is a kind of social search that allows you to find and read different articles and websites that have been selected by the people you follow and other Google+ users. It can help you find interesting posts and information on a specific topic.
Did you know that you can unlock many hidden features and tweak several hidden options by installing a CHDK or Canon Hack Development Kit onto your Canon camera? This walkthrough will give you some insight into the different benefits of the CHDK and how to unlock your camera by installing it.
Looking for a bunch of mods to pump up your new installation of the Minecraft 1.8 pre-release? Try the Zombe modpack featuring awesome mods such as:
After beating chapter 2 in Disagaea 4, the Cabinet feature for multiplayer unlocks. This allows you to interact with other Disgaea 4 Playstation Network players within the game. This guide overviews the functionality of the Cabinet, as well as how to use the Red Cell Phones in game to call upon other player's characters.
Mirror Mode is a feature provided with the Motorola Droid Bionic that allows you to connect the Android smartphone to an HD TV or computer monitor via an optional HDMI cable. Then, you can watch HD videos and look at pictures you've taken with your Bionic on your TV or computer. This guide will walk you through the process of hooking up the phone to an HD device.
Similar to the Wii, Nintendo frequently updates the apps and software on the Nintendo 3DS. These upgrades are always available using System Update under the system settings on the gaming handheld. Take a look at this guide on how to access the System Update feature, download, and install the updated software. Now you can always access the latest version of the Nintendo 3DS software and apps, such as the eShop and internet browser.
Is the battery on your Motorola Droid 3 getting drained fast? If you're tired of running out of battery life when using the Verizon Wireless smartphone, try out the Battery Manager located in the settings menu on the Android device. The utility features several different profiles including "maximum battery saver" and "nighttime saver." By changing a few options on your smartphone, you can drastically increase and improve the battery life of the device.
If you want to capture HD video using your Motorola Droid 3 smartphone from Verizon, you'll want to learn all the features and functionality of the Camera app. Be sure to switch the camera to video mode so that you're able to record all those memories in full HD for editing later.
The Xperia Play is a Sony Ericsson smartphone on Verizon built for gaming on the go. The mobile phone features a slide-out gamepad that you can use to navigate the web and play different gaming apps preloaded on the phone or downloadable from the Android market.
Using the Wii Options menu, it is possible to upgrade your Wii software to the latest version released from Nintendo for the gaming console. You will need to have an active internet connection to download the update first, so make sure that the Wii is connected to your home network. Be sure to check for upgrades every so often so that you have the latest features!
One of the many new features in Mac OS X Lion is the new Launchpad utility. Launchpad allows you to gain access to all of your apps quickly by showing an overlay on the screen with several different icons. You can organize the icons into different catagories such as "Music" and "Photography." This way, all of your apps are just a click away on your Mac computer!
The Motorola Droid 3 smartphone is capable of recording 1080p video, and while the screen on the Verizon Android phone is large, wouldn't it be nice to look at all the pictures, games, and videos on a bigger screen? If you have the right kind of HDMI cable nearby, you can connect your Droid to an HD device using the Mirror Mode feature.
The HP App Catalog features thousands of apps ripe for downloading and installation on HP's webOS tablet--the TouchPad. Take a look at this guide to find out how to search for apps using HP's version of the app store. The walkthrough will even teach you how to install them, so get ready for a few rounds of Angry Birds!
If you want to instantly resize your active window so that it fills any extra window space on your screen, try the free utility WinMaximumize featured in this Tekzilla segment. Hit the default hotkey (Ctrl+F1) or remap it to whatever keybind you want.
This guide will help you remove the heater from a Chevrolet truck - though the featured automobile is a 1979 pickup truck. If there's a bad smell coming from the heater, the guide will also help you learn how to safely clean the vehicle's heater with disinfectant, gloves, and goggles.
This video for Otolaryngologists, medical students, and curious laypeople describes the anatomical features that one would see when performing a trans-nasal endoscopy, a procedure in which a tube is inserted through the nose and down the esophagus and used to view the stomach.
You can find Puppet Warp under the Edit Menu. You'll also need to use this without a background. Use a pin tool to add joints to your chosen puppets, then drag and manipulate them to get some really funny effects and distortions.
AirPlay is one of the coolest new features in iOS 4.2, and represents the next step in Apple device networking. It allows you to "throw" content from one iDevice to another, including the iPad, iPhone, and AppleTV. This video will give you a quick primer on how it works.
Did you know that electroluminescent (EL) wire is considered by some to be the currency of Burning Man? If you're thinking of going and want to stock up before (smart) watch this video featuring EL whiz Jeri Ellsworth (smarter) teaching you how to make DIY EL wire.
The Neptunes first album "In Search Of..." might well be their best ever work, and the song "Frontin'" ft. Jay-Z is a classic hip-hop faux-ballad that features a really hot piano riff. Watch this video to learn how to play that riff and the whole rest of the song on solo piano.
Did you know that Google Chrome has a feature called Incognito Mode that allows you to browse the web without having your history recorded or any cookies downloaded? It's perfect for shared computers, but by default you have to turn it on every time you open the browser. Watch this video to learn how to make Google Chrome default to Incognito Mode, removing one step between you and anonymous browsing.
"Don't Stop Believing" by Journey has enjoyed a massive resurgence in popularity since it was featured on Family Guy a few years back. You can play it pretty much anywhere and people will like it. Watch this video to learn how to play the classic song on piano, like Steve Perry wants you to.
Do you yearn for the days when house music had a soul and didn't sound like something that combat robots are supposed to dance to? Check out this video. It features a veteran DJ explaining all sorts of techniques for creating old-skool house beats, mostly using amazing 1980's equipment like the Roland TR-808 and 909.