Apple's Siri is well-versed in the spells of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, but it's not like Android users are Muggles. Google Assistant, Android's virtual concierge, can cast a few spells out of the box, and it can learn the spells it doesn't know quicker than a year of studying at Hogwarts.
You may prefer reading news stories, web articles, and books on your iPhone over listening to them in spoken form. Still, sometimes it's necessary when driving, walking, cycling, cleaning, working, or performing other activities requiring a little multitasking. To help you out, Apple has a text-to-speech service on your iPhone — you just need to know how to find and set it up.
Apple's just ushered in a new era for widgets on your iPhone. With the iOS 16 update, each of your lock screens can have up to five widgets. While Apple's apps were the first to get lock screen widgets, third-party developers can code their own ones into their apps — and here's a list of every app we know so far that does.
When you look at your status bar on your iPhone, you'll almost always see the battery icon, which gives you an estimate of how much battery life you have left before you need to charge the device. What you won't always see is the exact battery percentage, but there are multiple ways to force it out of hiding.
Apple's iOS 15.4 update for iPhone is out after 46 days of beta testing, and it has some exciting features you won't want to miss. Here's everything you need to know about the new software.
With all the time most of us spend on our phones each day, wouldn't it be great if we could get rewarded for our addiction? Well, we can, thanks to various iPhone apps out there that can help us make a quick buck, earn cash back, donate freebies to charity, get complimentary cryptocurrency or stock, and receive other types of rewards.
Apple's new iOS 14.5 will be coming out very soon, and that's even more evident now with the release of the iOS 14.5 Release Candidate (RC) on Tuesday, April 20. Anyone can install this update and get all of the same features iOS 14.5 will give everyone for iPhone; only you'll have a head start to using all of the updates in Maps, Music, Podcasts, Reminders, Shortcuts, Siri, and more.
If you upgrade to an iPhone 12, 12 mini, 12 Pro, or 12 Pro Max, you can take advantage of super-fast 5G speeds, but which 5G network are you actually getting and is it better than the others? Depending on your carrier, you may see 5G, 5G+, 5G UW, or 5G E in the status bar next to the signal strength, and there's a pretty big difference between them.
Widgets have been available on the iPhone for a while now, but they were tucked away in the Today View or hidden in the quick actions menu for app icons on the home screen. Android had always had a leg up on Apple in the widget department because they were so much more versatile, but that changed with the introduction of iOS 14.
Chief among iOS 14's excellent new features is the overhauled home screen. Now, you can add customizable widgets that live alongside your traditional apps, and both first-party and third-party apps can take advantage of it. Talk about an upgrade. They even work in the Today View and lock screen, so you can have the reinvented widgets for one or the other — or both.
Apple officially unveiled iOS 14 on June 22 at its first all-virtual WWDC. After months of beta testing, iOS 14 hit iPhones on Sept. 16, but that doesn't mean that Apple is done beta testing iOS 14. There will be new features to try out right up until iOS 15 comes out next year.
Remember concerts? Those were fun. While gathering in large groups to listen to live music might not be allowed at the moment, the live music part still is. Thanks to the internet, more and more musicians are taking the stage each day to perform for those of us stuck in social isolation due to the new coronavirus. The best part? Many of these concerts are 100% free.
There's never been a better time for streaming movies and TV shows on the go. With so many services available, the only limitation to your enjoyment is your phone's accessories. Whether you're buying for yourself or someone else, here are some of the best gifts that improve the movie-watching experience on mobile.
What appears to be an ordinary MP4 may have been designed by an attacker to compromise your Linux Mint operating system. Opening the file will indeed play the intended video, but it will also silently create a connection to the attacker's system.
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 literally over 100 ways to make iOS on your iPhone genuinely unique, some of which are hiding in plain sight.
Out of the more than 200 new features Apple included with iOS 13, perhaps none is more anticipated than system-wide dark mode. Finally, we no longer need to blind ourselves when responding to an iMessage late at night or checking Reminders to see the following day's tasks. But this benefit also applies to third-party apps, so long as they are updated accordingly.
|Choose Your View: Quick Bullet Points | Detailed Descriptions Android's newest major update is a special one — it's the tenth full version of the world's most commonly used operating system. The latest release, dubbed simply Android 10 (codename Android Q), was first showcased as a beta back in March 2019, so we've been digging around in it for several months. There's one dramatic visual change, plus there are a lot of goodies in general.
If you have a modern iPhone, you have an excellent video recorder at your disposal. Every iPhone since the 6S has the ability to shoot in 4K resolution, and each new iteration has brought new capabilities to the table. But even the best mobile shooter can use a little extra help. That's where these video recording apps come into play, to ensure the footage you capture is as good as can be.
A mention of the deep web can bring to mind images of drugs, hackers, and other criminal activity. Despite the presence of these elements, the Tor network is a valuable tool for preserving privacy and anonymity. And browsing the deep web and any hidden services can be as simple as downloading the Tor Browser.
Android comprises an entire ecosystem of apps, games, functions, and features, so it would only make sense that it has its own lexicon. Words, phrases, and acronyms that didn't exist ten years ago are now used in an off-the-cuff style by developers and support technicians across the web.
Take a step toward creating your ultimate backyard with a step-by-step project guide showing you how to build a fun activity table that can also be used as a checkerboard. Create a fun activity table and checkerboard in one.
If your kids are into sports, or just like running around the yard, they'll love having their very own soccer goal. Better yet, building it makes a great family activity, it is inexpensive, and only takes about 2 hours to construct. Build a soccer goal.
Learn a simple way to create dramatic lighting with a sense of humor! You will need a bird cage, a lamp cord with bulb socket, a lightbulb, silk flowers, fake birds, wire, wire ship, some chain, and white electrical tape. Follow along with the step-by-step instructions of this video activity tutorial and learn how to make a bird cage chandelier. Make a bird cage chandelier.
Friends love it when you make them something special and they'll love the V is for Victory Friendship Bracelet shown in this how-to jewelry-making video! You will need 4 colors of embroidery thread (six feet long), tape, and a ruler. Follow along with this video activity tutorial and learn how to make a victory friendship bracelet. Make a victory friendship bracelet.
Check out the fabulous beading project in this how-to video that's fun to make and even more fun to wear. All you need are some beads and cord to get started! Follow along with the step-by-step instructions in this video activity tutorial and learn how to make a daisy chain necklace. Make a daisy chain necklace.
The serpent bracelet shown in this how-to jewelery-making video will slide right on your arm and into your heart! Just grab your glitter and glue to get started. Follow along with the step-by-step instructions in this video activity tutorial and learn how to make a slithery serpent bracelet. Make a slithery serpent bracelet.
Corn is a Thanksgiving tradition, and corn husk dolls, like the ones in this how-to video, make great holiday decorations! So set a festive mood this Thanksgiving with a homemade craft. You will need 6 corn husks (dried from craft store), twine, scissors, and the step-by-step instructions in this video activity tutorial. Make Thanskgiving corn husk dolls.
Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with the colorful and traditional Mexican Serape shown in this how-to video. You will need orange fleece, yellow fleece, white fleece, green fleece, scissors, and glue. Follow along with this video activity tutorial and learn how to make a Cinco de Mayo Serape poncho. Make a Cinco de Mayo Serape poncho.
Work along with Laura and her friends in this how-to video as they make a beautiful bluebird ornament! Just follow Laura's step by step instructions and you'll have your very own ornament in no time. They're the perfect holiday gift! Watch this video activity tutorial and learn how to make a festive blue bird ornament. Make a blue bird Christmas ornament.
Celebrate Chanukah with a homemade dreidel puppet. All you need are some markers, paper and tape to get this puppet project started. Watch this video activity tutorial and learn how to build a Hanukkah spinning dreidel puppet. Make a Chanukah spinning dreidel puppet.
In this video, learn how to make a homemade lava lamp with your kids! Do this fun activity as a learning experience or science experiment and help get your children's creative juices flowing! Learn step-by-step how to create this neat-looking lava lamp in the comfort of your own home. Create a homemade lava lamp with your kids.
Learn how to create a one-of-a-kind piece of art, just by watching this how-to video! Paint and canvas will get you on your way to your very own masterpiece. Follow along with the step-by-step instructions in this video activity tutorial, get inspired by your own imagination, and learn how to make art on a canvas. Make canvas art.
Want your room to have some Mosaic tile style? Check out this how-to video! With just a few sheets of paper and some glue you can transform a boring bedside table into a fabulous mosaic showpiece! Follow along with the step-by-step instructions in this video activity tutorial and learn how to make a tiled mosaic. Make a tile mosaic.
Impress your friends with the jewelry making skills you'll pick up from this how-to video. Just grab some embroidery thread and get started on this ultra cool Friendship Necklace. Follow along with this video activity tutorial and learn how to make a friendship necklace. Make a friendship necklace.
You don't need to travel back to the 60's for flower power! All you need is a bouquet of fake flowers and some glitter to create the rad ring in this how-to jewlery-making video! Follow along with the step-by-step instructions in this video activity tutorial and learn how to make a flower power ring. Make a flower power ring.
Follow along with Scott Sicari in this how-to video and learn how to make a business card holder for that busy parent that's always on the go! All you'll need are some popsicle sticks and glue to get started! Follow along with this video activity tutorial and learn how to make a business card holder. Make a business card holder.
The sports fan in your family will definitely appreciate the awesome gift idea from this how-to video! Use some duct tape and stuffing to make this super stadium cushion. Watch this video activity tutorial and learn how to make a stadium seat. Make a stadium seat.
The fuzzy little lady bug in this how-to video is so fun. It’ll be a welcome sight to any houseplant! So grab your pom-poms, googly eyes, and glue and get ready to have some fun! Watch this video activity tutorial and learn how to make a ladybug plant stake. Make a ladybug plant stake.
Join Puppeteer John Kennedy in creating a puppet only your mummy would be proud of! You will need a ladle, string, two drinking straws, a styrofoam ball, two wooden dowels, a paintbrush, black paint, scissors, glue, and sports tape. Watch this video activity tutorial and learn how to make a mummy rod puppet. Make a mummy rod puppet.
Get ready to build one of natures great flyers, shown in this how-to video! The butterfly is a smooth and steady flying paper airplane. All you need is a piece of paper to start the fun! Watch this video activity tutorial and learn how to fold a butterfly paper airplane. Make a butterfly paper airplane.
