Sometimes it's not the look of a product that makes it unique, but the thought that went into it. That's what struck me about TobyRich's SmartPlane—it isn't the most elegant toy on the market, but its simplicity and function make it a winner.
Our dog has tons of energy and always wants to play. However, play time can be exhausting to the humans of the house. We found out a few months ago that the dog loves to play ‘chase the red dot.' Boredom leads to creativity, so we attached a laser pointer to her head with a bandana and small piece of tape. This kept her continuously occupied until we removed it after 20 minutes. I assume you could try this with a cat if you were daring enough – good luck with that. Caution: Laser pointers (ev...
The prevalence of smartphones has had profound effects on how we communicate, view media, and preserve memories, among other things. But all of these new forms of doing things are snatched away from us as soon as our phones lose power. While work is constantly being done to stretch and extend battery life, it hasn't moved fast enough for the vast majority of us.
When it comes to getting your computer and smartphone to work well together, there's no service more robust and capable than AirDroid. For years, it's been the go-to tool for users looking to transfer files between their devices or access contact lists and call logs from their computer.
Whenever a picture is sent via MMS, a certain amount of compression needs to be done in order for a carrier's network to send it. That compression is meant to ease strain on the network, but in the end it leads to heavy downsizing and increased graininess in pictures.
Sometimes, when it comes to Halloween costumes, the easiest ones to make are the best. They require little effort, but can pack a punch and look even more authentic than complex character replications.
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 memory, thus reducing the risk of redraws.
Many Android games use large, storage-heavy OBB files to store supplemental data. Generally, games with high-end graphics download these extra files when you install them from the Google Play Store.
Does it seem like everybody you know is declaring that they're gluten-free? Some wonder if the number of people with celiac disease are on the rise or if it's the latest fad diet. And it even goes beyond food: now there are beauty products that tout themselves as being free of gluten.
Included among the many new features in Android L is the new "Heads Up" notification system, showing notifications as interactive floating windows anywhere on your device. Floating windows are nothing new, though, as we've already showed you how to get floating widgets, floating application shortcuts, and even floating notifications.
Journals are a great source of hilarity and embarrassment, detailing everything from your elementary school crushes to those super awkward middle school dances. While rereading your old hand-scrawled entries might make you cringe, that old journaling habit could benefit you as an adult.
Well folks, the dream is coming to life. While we still may be a ways away from mind control, the team over at Thalmic Labs has created the Myo, and with it, the power of the Force comes to motion control, so long as you use it wisely.
Tricking out your phone is nice, but there's nothing better than saving money in the process. Google Play is full of apps that offer great functionality, but some of them are not always cheap, and that's why AppSales was made. AppSales is an app browser that lists apps that are currently on sale, and can also keep track of those you are interested in buying in case the price drops.
Back in August, Google introduced Android Device Manager. This new service allowed you to locate, lock, or wipe a lost or stolen Android device from either a companion app or a web interface. Effectively, this is the "kill switch" that legislators are clamoring for.
Twitter found a sweet spot with its 160-character limit, but Snapchat sports a social media low of 31 characters, forcing us to condense our ideas into a few short words when typing in picture captions because of their ephemeral nature. While this severely limited amount of words is Snapchat etiquette, I've got so much more to say than 31 characters!
The new HTC One M8 is barely two months old, and we've already got a leak on its predecessor. Dubbed as the M8 Prime, or more likely the One Max (Two?), the larger, faster device should debut sometime in the fall (September is most likely), not too far away from the M8 Mini that's set to release later this month with degraded specs.
Caramelized onions are one of those ingredients you can add that immediately makes any dish feel a little fancier. They have that delicious savory-sweet combination, they're great in almost anything, and they're surprisingly easy to pull off at home. So why don't more people make them?
After a lengthy video and a series of leaks got us a good look at what we can expect from the new HTC One, codenamed M8, the guys over at GSMArena have brought it full circle.
Smoked foods are popular all over the world, but most of us don't have smokers at home. If you want smoked salmon, brisket or Gouda, you usually have to go out and buy it. Outdoor smokers aren't usually an option for city-dwellers, and the indoor versions can be pricey.
Even if you decode the laundry symbols on the tags of your clothes and follow them perfectly, using the washing machine tends to change their shape and fade colors over time. And whether you spent $20 or $200 on them, there's nothing worse than having your favorite pair of jeans ruined.
Let's be honest, some days call for a new wallpaper to match your mood. If I'm upset, I could use a nice, uplifting wallpaper to alleviate my low spirits. Even in a day and age where everything is literally at our fingertips, I get too lazy to deal with going in and selecting a new wallpaper, cropping it, and setting it (pathetic, I know).
Ever since the FBI took down the Silk Road and Dread Pirate Roberts last month, many questions have been raised about whether Tor still provides anonymity or not, and if it's now broken. I'll try to address that question here today succinctly from multiple angles, keeping it as simple and plain-language as possible. The Closing of Silk Road
Just because a problem is small or superficial doesn't mean it can't annoy the living crap out of you. Others may think you're overreacting, or even have the audacity to roll their eyes, but you're in your own personal hell.
Welcome back, my budding hackers! Previous to this tutorial, we've focused mostly on hacking the target system. If we're successful in owning the target system, we'll then want to make certain that the system administrator doesn't know we were there, and that he or she cannot track us.
There are a ton of cool features available on your Samsung Galaxy Note 2, but if you're a softModder, you can make your phone do just about anything.
I know I can't be the only person whose socks go missing in a shroud of mystery, but I'm determined to catch the sock-thieving gnomes in the act. While I have my suspicions, I can't quite prove it. Sure, I could drink a load of Red Bulls and never sleep, guarding my socks—but that's just crazy right? Luckily, I've found a way to set up my phone to catch the culprits.
There's absolutely no shortage of flashlight apps on Google Play, so when one comes around that sports uniquely different features than the rest—it should definitely be noted. That's why I bring to you Ambient LED Flashlight, a new app for your Samsung Galaxy Note 2 by Android developer Jie Huang.
Samsung introduced a wave of seriously unique and innovative features on the Galaxy S4, including air gestures and weather sensors, but a lot of the features are actually just updated ones from the Galaxy S3. Unfortunately, one of those that returned was the dreaded increasing ringtone. In their increasing ringtone system, the ringtone will start off on a low volume and increase until it reaches your set volume. In theory, this is useful for not shocking the user with a sudden, blaring ringto...
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Taking photos in the dark or in low-light settings can be tricky. Just using your normal flash can make your subject look washed out, but not using it can result in a totally dark photo with no subject at all.
While there is definitely no shortage of video game emulators in the Android Market, it lacks in modern gaming consoles. Nintendo 64, Game Boys, and Sega Genesis are all accounted for, but what about emulators for some of the gaming consoles that have come out in the, let's say...past decade?
I actually have a lot of shoes, and putting them on the floor in my closet just makes for a very large mess, and makes it harder to find a matching pair. So, this simple yet cool DIY shoe storage is actually something I could benefit from doing. This project shouldn't be too difficult to complete. You can get PVC pipe from your local hardware store and either have them cut it, or you can do it at home if you have a table saw. You can also opt to buy concrete forming tubes, which may be a litt...
While the heyday of the Slinky may have been a few decades ago, I still think it's one of the coolest toys to ever go to market. Not to mention it probably has the best commercial ever created.
In photography, bokeh refers to the blurry or out-of-focus parts of a shot. Bokeh can be good or bad—it all depends on how you use it. There are tons of ways to create a bokeh effect, whether you go the traditional route with lens filters, digital with Photoshop, or even from your iPhone. With filters, you can use the blurred spaces to produce different shapes and colors. If you have a DSLR and want to experiment with bokeh, this tutorial by Chris Perez over on Apartment Therapy will show you...
Thanks for stopping by to view my Apple Lightning to Micro USB adapter review. The unit comes in a low profile cardboard box and some misc documentation -none of which appear to include any instructions but I think I can figure out how to use it. The adapter is small and well constructed as you would expect from an Apple product and for almost $24 including tax. The plastic encasing the connector is a little larger than with Apple's Lightning cable.
You knew that the food you eat gives you energy, but did you know it can actually power a thermal lance with enough heat to burn through steel? A thermal lance, as in, the tool used to demolish buildings and bridges.
LEGO has not attempted a blimp, zeppelin, or similar airship since 1999, the 5956 Expedition Balloon which used highly specialized parts. This is unfortunate as these vessels are well and truly part of the pulpy adventure and steampunk scene.
One of the most annoying things about the holiday season is that it's almost impossible to make it through without at least one ornament falling off the tree and shattering. Even if you give the cat its own "special room" for the whole month, something is bound to happen. Rather than throwing out broken ornaments, Steve Hoefer figured out a way to turn them into new ones using plain, clear glass ornaments and Modge Podge craft glue. And personally, I'd say the results look way better than the...
