Google has an intriguing feature called Nearby that lets users share content without being on the same Wi-Fi network, or without even exchanging contact info first. Instead, the function uses an array of standard smartphone features, as well as subsonic sound, to identify other devices that are in the room, then makes a secure connection to transfer any data.
Your smartphone has a GPS chip inside of it that can pinpoint your location down to the nearest 4 meters, and this little device stays in your pocket or purse all day. Combine those two facts and you start to realize that your phone knows exactly where you've been during every moment that has passed since you've owned it.
Many users across the web have reported issues with receiving notifications from the Gmail and Hangouts apps on Android. The problem is most prevalent with users running Marshmallow, and the gist is that notifications from these apps are extremely delayed or don't come through at all.
Android 6.0 Marshmallow added a new permissions system that can make your digital life much more secure. Unlike previous versions, apps now have to ask for your consent before they can access certain data, which puts you firmly in the driver's seat.
When someone asks me why they should root their phone, one of the top reasons I always give is that it enables you to install the Xposed Framework. Created by developer Rovo89, Xposed basically hooks into the Android system, then allows users to simply install mini-apps called modules that can change almost anything in a device's interface or other installed apps.
Amazon thinks that by simply removing an app from their Appstore, that they will stop users from accessing it. But with Android OS powering their Fire TV Stick and Fire TV, there really isn't anything they can do to prevent us from sideloading an APK onto the streaming media devices.
Samsung's Galaxy series of devices have one common design theme that ties them all together—the physical home button at the bottom of the phone. This button can wake the phone, take you to your home screen, and even scan your fingerprint to securely unlock your device.
One of the coolest features in modern smartphones is their Bluetooth connectivity. This is how two digital devices can communicate with one another—sending data like your phone call audio or your favorite song—all while using up minimal battery life.
When it comes to automation apps on Android, Tasker is still the king of the hill. For a price of $2.99 on the Google Play Store, it's a great buy for any would-be tinkerer that would like to get into automating actions on their Android device. Then, when you consider that there's a free 7-day trial version available, there's almost no reason that you shouldn't at least test the waters with Tasker.
Auto manufacturers are slowly starting to debut models with Google's new Android Auto software baked into the dashboard console. Starting with the 2016 model year, we should see vehicles from Honda, Ford, Chevrolet, and many others sporting the new software.
Cards Against Humanity is a popular party game with good old-fashioned raunchy adult themes that go quite well with a few alcoholic beverages. Up until now, though, you had to either print out a set of cards or order the official deck to play—unless, of course, all players happened to have devices that sported the same operating system.
UPDATE 11/17/15 The Xposed Framework now officially supports Android 5.1 through 5.1.1 Lollipop devices as well. Everything will still work the way it has with Android 5.0 through 5.0.2, but there are a separate set of files for the newer Android version. I'll cover both below, but make sure to download the proper file for your particular version of Android.
The Nexus 6 is one of the few devices on the market that sports a 1440p "QHD" display. This means that the amount of pixels displayed is higher than almost any other smartphone, which sounds great on the surface, but is not without its drawbacks.
Android's permissions system is simple, transparent, and straightforward. When installing an app, you get a chance to review all of the permissions that the app has requested. These can range from accessing your location data to holding a "wakelock" in order to prevent your phone from entering sleep mode. But your only choice in this matter is to accept all requested permissions, or not install the app.
The build.prop file in an Android device is home to many system-level values and settings. Everything from screen density to video recording quality is covered in this file, and people have been editing these entries to get new functionality and better performance since Android has existed.
Google Now is a wonderfully powerful service—with its predictive cards and voice search, it serves as a great starting point for any searches you need done. In fact, Samsung liked it so much that they decided to build the "Okay, Google" hotword detection right into the Galaxy S5's stock launcher.
With Geohot's Towelroot allowing us to root our Nexus devices in under a minute without ever leaving Android, many of you are probably enjoying all of the Gadget Hacks that root access has unlocked.
One of the best things about the Nexus line of devices is the ease with which one can achieve root. Plug your phone into your PC, download a couple files, type a few commands, and you can be rooted within 30 minutes. No muss, no fuss, no carrier-locked bootloaders.
To-do list and reminder apps are a dime a dozen on Google Play, so trying to find the right one for you could take hours as you sift through hundreds of similar apps and widgets. Well, search no more, as we've found one of the most well-designed and easy-to-use reminder apps out there.
The act of viewing a new notification on your Nexus 5 can feel a bit clunky and cumbersome at times. When a new message comes in, you hear the notification sound, you see the LED blinking, but you can't see what the actual notification says without waking the device and opening the notification tray.
Samsung's quick settings toggles are insanely useful for accessing settings that you would normally need to dig into menus for. Definitely a case of function over form, though. TouchWiz's bright green on dark blue has to be one of the fugliest color combinations I have ever seen.
One of the coolest features of the Samsung Galaxy S4 is Group Play, which lets you connect other Samsung Galaxy S4s up to yours so you can use them as extra speakers to create a surround-sound stereo of sorts.
We use ADB and Fastboot for so many things in our softModder tutorials, and to get them, you normally have to download the entire Android SDK and install them. But not anymore.
Something went wrong and your Nexus 7 is freaking out on you. Maybe you flashed a bad ROM or ZIP file, or maybe it's just bugging, and it's time to restore your tablet back to a working condition. Thankfully, you've already made a backup of your Nexus 7!
Your job is to defeat Sapientia in this fight on the Xbox 360 game Bayonetta. In Chapter 13 - The Cardinal Virtue of Prudence, attack the red sphere over Sapientia's head. This fight starts with Bayonetta on the ocean, on a surfboard-like object. Sapientia will use two attacks. The first attack starts with his fin sticking out of the water, like a shark. He will then jump into the air and dive at you. Just keep moving in a straight line to avoid this attack. For the second attack the camera w...
This is the end of L4D2. Your last campaign. Your last chapter. See the best part: Campaign 5: The Parish - Bridge. Stock up on items and heal up. Climb the ladder and you should find some more medkits and weapons to take. Open the door and head outside. Use the radio on the ground to hear your situation explained to you. You will have to lower the drawbridge and get to the rescue chopper on the other end. If you complete the bridge sequence in under 3 minutes, you will unlock the "Bridge Ove...
What's the worst place to be when the world is infested with zombies? The cemetery. Fresh graves. Lots of dead. Make your way through L4D2 by checking these tips out on Campaign 5: The Parish - Cemetery. Restock on weapons and health and head outside. You'll find yourself under a ruined overpass. Make your way through this area until you reach the end of the overpass near the truck. Continue to your right, through the gate. You should see a staircase leading up into a building. Take this and ...
Know what to do before you find yourself tossed around by a raging river. Step 1: Wear your life jacket
Nothing says “New Orleans” like this thick soup. This recipe makes a Creole-style gumbo, using chicken or shrimp.
Working with clay is one of the most satisfying and relaxing hobbies. Watch how expert Jorge Benlloch goes step by step showing you how to sculpt the head of a horse.
In this how to video series, learn how to clean your shower head from home improvement expert Adolph Ramirez. He will give you expert tips for cleaning a shower head including what tools you will need and why it is important to clean your shower head. Adolph will demonstrate how to remove a shower head, how to inspect the water pipe in your shower, how to inspect the restrictor disk, how to clean a shower head, how to use a brush to clean your shower head, how to clean all the parts of a show...
In this how to video, you will learn how to style documents with the Google Docs CSS editor. First, create a new document in Google Docs. First, click on the drop down menu for style. Type in a title in the document. Select heading 2 in the menu and type in the section title. Next, take off the style and type in the body for the content. Select some of the body text and click the hyperlink button. Type in the address and click okay. Now you can click this text to go to a website. Go to file a...
For this project you will need some 4 mm orange beads, acrylic spacers, 4 mm black glass beads, 8 mm black glass beads, 10 mm orange glass beads, memory wire, headpins & skull charms. You also need pliers that include bent nose pliers, chain nose pliers, round nose pliers and memory wire cutters. Ordinary pliers become blunt when used on memory wires. In the first step cut some loops of the memory wire depending on how many loops you want to have on your wrists. Now take a skull charm and a 4...
You're a committed environmentalist but you love your candles. What are you to do? Did you know that you can recycle your candles? There's bound to be stuff left over. Just watch this video and learn!
Watch this step by step tutorial to learn how to make a paper bird. Fold your paper in half so that it forms a long rectangle. Ensure you really fold down the crease--run your finger or a pencil along the top of the crease. Unfold the paper, turn it 90 degrees and repeat the fold. Your square should be divided into four squares by the creases. Flip the paper over to the other side and fold it into a triangle. Again, make your creases tight. Turn the paper 90 degree and fold again. You should ...
Feeling unprepared for the next earthquake? In this tutorial, learn what to do and what not to do to survive "the big one". You'll be surprised to learn that hiding in a doorway is a myth!
Get a leg up on the competition with these wardrobe tips. You Will Need
You're standing right in front of us, but your voice sounds like it's coming from over there! Color your friends impressed by learning the fine art of ventriloquism.
Everybody knows it really shouldn’t matter, but sometimes entering a school cafeteria without a lunch mate can seem like walking the plank. Here’s how to survive the stroll.
Learn how to read a person just by looking at their hand using the ancient art of palmistry. Step 1
