Not many people use their phone exclusively for making calls or sending messages today. If you're an Android user, the chances are high that you're using your phone or tablet for work-related activities. However, the basic set of apps and services your device was shipped with won't satisfy most users. The good thing is that Google Play Store has a nice selection of productivity apps for every task. Below you'll find a list of apps that will help you gradually optimize and organize your digita...
Using the overview screen (aka recent apps) is a simple way to jump back to a previous task to continue where you left off, but as you use more and more apps, jumping back to that initial task isn't really that "recent" with all of those new tasks stacked on top of it. Now, thanks to developer PhinxApps, we can redefine what "recent" truly means using PinTasking. With this app, you can pin any app or webpage you're currently using onto your device's screen in the form of a Facebook-like chat-...
When you're expecting an important call or text, it's pretty annoying to hear or feel your phone go off just to find out it was your reminders app telling you that you need to buy more contact lenses. Not quite as annoying as phantom phone vibrations, but it's up there.
NFC, or near-field communications, is a hardware feature that has been built into most Android phones for the last four years. It's essentially a low-power data connection that can be used to initiate a quick command by bringing your device within range of a compatible receiver, be it tap-and-pay with Google Wallet, a file transfer via Android Beam, or a Tasker profile triggered by a specific NFC tag.
Excel is great, and if you're a Mac user, Excel 2008 for Mac has a lot of new and useful great features you can use to maximize efficiency in your spreadsheets. Excel doesn't have to be the boss anymore, you can! The Microsoft Office for Mac team shows you all the great features in this how-to video.
At Next Reality, we've been following the Microsoft Hololens because of its enormous potential. Unlike virtual reality, which enshrouds the user in a complete virtual world, augmented reality melds the virtual with what's really there in front of you. And while some of us may use AR technology to stealthily surf the web during working hours, others are looking towards using AR for the betterment of society. Like putting the HoloLens in space.
If you've ever built a piece of IKEA furniture, you're familiar with the confusion that some 2D instruction booklets can create. But neuroscience suggests that they're cognitively overloading, as our brains have to translate their basic flatness into physical reality and that's pretty hard to do. Fortunately, augmented reality has come to the rescue.
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 iPhone and completing it on your Mac.
At a closed-door presentation on September 30th, 2014, Microsoft unveiled the latest iteration of its industry-leading operating system. Dubbed Windows 10 (seems as if Redmond isn't too fond of the "9" moniker), this new version brings along with it many UI optimizations and under-the-hood tweaks. With a particular focus on optimizing the interface for traditional mouse and keyboard computers, one of the most noticeable changes is the return of the Start Menu. While touch-optimized devices wi...
It may sound irrational, but I bet a lot of you actually avoid doing any work at work—but not on purpose. You might be simply struggling with motivation, or you might just be overdosing on the caffeine. Whatever the issue, getting focused takes lots of time and effort.
One of the world's largest music festivals in kicking off this weekend in southern California, the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. With a diverse lineup ranging from AFI to Empire of the Sun to HAIM to Muse, the music world is on display this weekend and the next.
On today's video I will show how to make 3 easy snacks that are also under 100 calories each! They are really yummy and healthy, so if you are wondering what to eat between meals I hope I can give you some ideas with this video.
If I could win a trophy for waking up to go to work or for eating a bowl of Frosted Mini-Wheats without any of the biscuits getting soggy, I think my life would be so much more awesome. The gaming industry has cornered the market when it comes to achievement-based rewards, because they know that we love challenges.
How to replace a tap washer. Dripping Tap. Dripping Faucet. Replacing a tap / facuet washer is quite an easy process as long as you follow the 6 steps in my video. Basically all you need to do is this:
For his thesis at Design Academy Eindhoven, artist/designer Tuomas Markunpoika Tolvanen created this incredible chair using tubular steel cut into thin rings. How did he get them to stay that way? He burned them. His project is called Engineering Temporality, and the inspiration came from his grandmother whose Alzheimer's disease is deteriorating her health and memories. Once he cut the rings, he laid them over an existing chair, only partially covering it. The fire acted as a varnish, creati...
The Nokia N900 smartphone comes with a wide variety of apps including e-mail, a browser, and more. Browsing, opening, and switching between these apps is an easy task when you know the right gestures and taps to make on phone's screen.
In the first chapter of Alice: Madness Returns, the player is tasked with finding 'pig snouts' and 'memories' scattered across the level. Thankfully, this achievement hunter video is available to assist in the locating and retrieval of each of the collectibles.
Get your numbering straight with Adobe's InDesign and this helpful tutorial, showing you what you need to know. It's essential when creating a project for yourself or a client, to get your numbering right the first time. There is no second chance. So, check out the steps and see how to turn this sometimes tricky task into a much easier one. InDesign offers a lot of options, and if you're going to master all it's tricks, watch this how-to to learn one of the most simple and essential tricks.
If you're using Adobe Illustrator CS4, you know that cropping an image can be less than a simple task. This how-to walks you through the steps, not only showing how to place and move the image, but also how to crop it to the desired sized. Unlike Photoshop which allows you to work directly with pixels, Illustrator treats all images as whole objects. SO, watch this video and end the frustration that Adobe Illustrator can bring when you're cropping an image.
Many types of circuits are useless and less useful if you cannot control the amount of power going through them. For that, you need a PWN (pulse with modulation) switch. This electronic component will let your control the power going through the circuit, enabling you to dim LED lights, control the speed of a motor, and other useful tasks. This video will teach you all PWN switches and how tom make your own.
This clip presents a quick overview of what you'll need to do if you'd like to permanently delete your Facebook account. Whether you're completely new to the Facebook's popular social networking site or simply require a small amount of clarification on how to perform a particular task on Facebook, you're sure to benefit from this helpful video guide. For more information, including detailed, step-by-step instructions, take a look.
Despite how easy it looks in this video, finding and acquiring this rooftop wanted poster in Mafia II is not a simple task. But, if you're determined to get the wanted poster of drug trafficker Vladimir Semotan (aka Preacher), then follow along the best you can. Geoff and Jack from Achievement Hunter will show you the way to the roof of the Authorized Repair Shop to grab the poster, which will bring you one step closer to the Card Sharp achievement on the Xbox 360.
Want to know how to fix common Microsoft Windows 7 registry errors? This clip will introduce you to an application which makes the task a simple one. For details, including step-by-step information on where to download and install said app, watch this video guide.
A pilot that earns an instrument rating is a pilot that's mastered his or her flight skills to a level or precision and accuracy needed to safely fly an airplane through clouds, fog, and other adverse weather conditions. While flying in these weather conditions, known as IMC, or instrument meteorological conditions, a pilot is tasked with flying an airplane solely by reference to flight instruments. The pilot needs to be able to go from takeoff to landing, without having any outside visual re...
This video will teach you how to do a trick that you can use to win money off of your friends when they cannot do it. The task at hand is holding a plastic bottle cap in the thumb-forefinger gap in each hand and switch the caps without letting go of them. This video will show you the exact technique for making it work, which you friends will probably not know, rendering them completely unable to do this, frustrated, upset with you, and less however much money you bet them.
When you think of a dagger, you imagine a weapon that is small in stature, but useful for thrusting and cutting things. This next tutorial is going to show you something that is incapable of performing those tasks.
The XBox 360 is a big, beefy console that can perform all sorts of multimedia tasks. Did you know that one of its many abilities allows it to play media files from a networked PC? This video will show you how to connect your XBox 360 to a network PC with Windows Media Player 11 or higher and stream movies and music from the latter to the former. Now you're much closer to maximizing the potential of that expensive little console you've got there.
In this video tutorial, viewers learn how to set custom sound volume for different applications in a Windows 7 computer. This task is very easy, fast and simple to do. Begin by simply clicking on the speaker icon in the system tray and select Mixer. There users will have access to the master audio mix on the left and each application listed individually, with their own volume bar. Just adjust each volume bar of the applications to your liking. This video will benefit those viewers who use a W...
The noble rock may not seem like the most fun thing to create a 3D model of. They are a useful example though because their basic shape and lack of movement make them manageable for beginners to work with while their many facets and textures present fun areas to work with. This video will teach you how to use procedural modeling and texturing to Create a 3D model of a rock using 3D Studio MAX 9. The end result looks positively stony, and the lessons you learn here will help you with all your ...
One of the first daunting tasks that confronts most aspiring gamemakers is a simple one: making a character jump and land predictably. If you're gotten to this point and wonder what to do, you're in the right place. This video will teach you how to use Actionscript 3 in Flash CS4 to make your character jump like Mario (or Sonic if you prefer) making your game much closer to being the playable, fun entity that it will soon be.
It's no surprise that there's a link between not stretching your muscles and crippling back pain. Admittedly you work at an office all day, bum blued to your chair, but that's no excuse to continue your non-movement when you get home. In fact, if you have an office job it is almost indispensible that you stretch your muscles out or else you will develop a pinched spinal cord.
Impress people with a large ball of rubberbands... Huh? Ok, ok. So it's not the most arduous task in the world, but there is a technique to it. In this video, learn how to make a large rubberband ball the right way!
OWC, Other World Computing, demonstrates how to install RAM or upgrade and replace the memory in a 13-inch Macbook unibody. Installing RAM will take approximately 10 minutes to complete and is a relatively easy task. It will require the use of a Philips head screwdriver. First, discharge static electricity before performing the upgrade and make sure the computer is turned off. Close the lid, flip the Macbook over and remove the eight screws on the underside of the computer. Then, lift up the ...
Changing your car's cabin filter and air filter is a really important part of its regular maintenance. Doing this simple maintenance task does not require a professional mechanic, so save your money and watch this video to start saving money today and changing your own cabin and air filters. This video specifically covers changing the cabin and air filter in a Honda Element. You can pick up the parts from your local Honda dealer. Typically, you should change your filters every two years.
Want to upgrade your hard drive in your Power Mac? It's a pretty simple task, once you can get inside your computer. See how to remove your hard drive from you Power Mac desktop computer.
This is a two-part step-by-step video that helps you learn how to paint a Gamer Style design Xbox 360 controller. This is a fairly simple task and would be a good first or second controller to attempt.
Watch this instructional crochet video to start a crochet blanket. Begin with a loose chain until you've reached the desired length. The process of changing rows is one of the most difficult tasks when starting a crochet blanket. Follow these clear guidelines to avoid unnecessary troubleshooting.
Holiday cookies are a treat to eat and a pain to decorate. This how to video shows you how to decorate baked and cut poinsettia cookies with royal icing. The various colors used to decorate the poinsettia cookies makes this a tedious task, so follow along.
This is a video tutorial on how to cancel your Verizon contract without having to pay an early termination fee (ETF).
This how-to video stamping tutorial demonstrates two methods of heat embossing using a heat gun or heating tool, stamping powder, a rubber stamp, Versamark watermark ink and a pigment ink. Heat embossing is a great technique to multi-task rubber stamps and create some texture in card-making or scrapbooking projects. Learn how to do two different methods of heat embossing with an embossing tool by watching this how-to video.
