In 2017, Google introduced a new feature called Fast Pair. This made discovering and pairing Bluetooth devices completely stress-free, as it eliminated the need to fumble through settings. Google has now made it even easier, so Fast Pair is a must-have feature for your next headphones.
When you drive along the deceptively sedate streets of Silicon Valley, there are few hints that all those nondescript office parks and low-rise buildings contain the very future of the planet, but they really do. On a recent trip to tech's epicenter, I found that out firsthand when I got to visit the offices of Meta, the startup that produced the Meta 2 augmented reality headset.
Privacy is a hot topic. In the wake of Facebook's data scandal, many want to safeguard their personal info. On the other hand, we all gain a certain amount of convenience by using services administered by huge companies like Google, Facebook, and Twitter. Google Assistant collects plenty of data, but you can easily check what is stored and delete items at will.
With only one profitable quarter in the last two years, LG's mobile division is undergoing a shakeup. With a fresh set of executives, LG has delayed the expected launch of the upcoming G7 and instead decided to start the year with yet another variant of the V30.
Because it sources a majority of its vital data from actual drivers on the road, Waze is easily one of the best navigation apps to use if you prioritize safety. Benefits such as crowd-sourced traffic data, police trap locations, and road work avoidance, when combined, help you anticipate traffic conditions with unprecedented accuracy and make adjustments accordingly.
Tech companies are embroiled in controversy this week. No, not the hearings on Russian interference in last year's election; in this case, it's all about the burger emoji.
The Google Assistant is great about understanding what you actually mean, so you don't have to issue exact commands like you do with Amazon Alexa, for instance. But even though it's a master of colloquial speech, it could still be better, and that's where shortcuts come into play.
The primary method of activating Siri is done by pressing and holding either the Home or Side button, depending on the iPhone model, but there's a much better way to ask a question to Siri or command it to do something — and you don't need to touch your iPhone at all to do it.
Back in May 2017, Apple filed a patent application for a way to communicate with Siri by writing her questions and responses using iMessage. While that didn't make it into iOS, thankfully, something even better did — a way to ask Siri things with the keyboard directly in the Siri interface. This works in iOS 11 and later.
The "Discover" tab in the latest version of the Google Home app has a new tip that says multiple users are now supported. Google Home uses a built-in speaker and microphone combo to give users access to smart search, a personal assistant, and smart home controls. This addition has the potential to make the voice-activated speaker powered by the Google Assistant much more efficient for households with more than one user. However, it seems that Google wasn't quite ready to announce this new fea...
Cortana, Microsoft's voice-activated personal assistant, originally launch on Windows Phone, but is now built directly into Windows 10 complete with "Hey Cortana" voice search (take that, Apple). It can help you locate files, set up reminders, control music.
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.
Facebook essentially strong-armed us all into installing their standalone Messenger app for mobile devices, but the recent initiative that allows third-party development on the platform definitely makes it worth your time.
Getting a new phone is exciting, but having access to its exclusive apps ahead of its release is what we're all about here on Gadget Hacks.
Google's text-to-speech engine is getting pretty good these days. In a recent update, the computerized voice that reads on screen text (like Google Now search results) got an audio quality bump that brought its clarity up to its highest level yet. And with each update, that robotic voice becomes a bit more human.
Notice anything different about your Google searches lately? Your favorite businesses are becoming even more reachable online. Now, you can simply Google a business and click on its highlighted phone number to give them a call immediately from your computer.
The all new HTC One M8 is the latest Android flagship making the rounds through major carriers hoping to beckon your purchase. Coming in at about $200 for most carriers with a contract, it makes a good case for itself with its advanced features and solid price point—but, there's another way to buy the One, and it's not from your carrier.
As Microsoft unveiled their new Windows Phone 8.1 software update yesterday, undoubtedly the most memorable takeaway was their showcase of Cortana. Competing directly against Apple's Siri and Google's Now, Cortana is Microsoft's entry into the digital voice assistant fray, and the official replacement to their search app.
Tony Stark is a smooth talking, genius billionaire playboy that occasionally saves the world... what's not to like? The Marvel films starring Robert Downey, Jr. have grossed well over a billion dollars in the U.S. alone, so it's needless to say that Iron Man is a very popular superhero.
Learn how to setup up a basic structure for a HTML web design document, define the HTML version, open and close HTML tags and learn how to apply the proper file extensions when saving document in notepad. This web design tutorial is by no means a complete structure for HTML coding and is only a brief introduction to HTML web design. This video will only go over a brief introduction to the structure of an HTML document and in a future tutorial we will go over additional components that are nee...
UPS offers a four-step guide to prepare packages for shipping. These instructions include shipping advice on packaging materials and proper labeling that can help items arrive safely and on time. And when you are ready to ship, UPS Internet Shipping guides you through the required address fields. Packaging solutions made easy. That’s logistics.
Fluorescent dye can be a great addition for decorating around the house for Halloween, especially for a haunted one. Creating your own fluorescent dye is a simple experiment, as long as you've got the proper chemicals and safety gear. Nurd Rage details the chemical process of creating your own fluorescein below.
It may seem like a trivial topic, but the majority of people don't use paper towels the proper way (just as they don't crap the proper way). The outcome of this improper usage?
Recognizing the signs of schizophrenia is the fist step toward getting help and proper treat for a loved one with this serious mental health affliction. With proper medication and therapy schizophrenia can be controlled so check for and understand what to look for.
It is easy to save a recorded file in WAV format with all versions of Voice Changer software. This tutorial shows you how to save your recording in WAV format instead of the default mp3 format with AV Voice Changer Software 6.0.
This ESL tutorial shows how to make yes-no questions in the passive voice in the present perfect tense. The passive voice un the present perfect tense uses have or has + subject + been + past participle. Watch this how to video and you'll be speaking English in no time.
Modal verbs in the passive voice follow this pattern: Modal + be + past participle. There are many possibilities with modal verbs. This ESL tutorial gives a basic description of how to use modal verbs in the passive voice. Watch this how to video and you will be speaking English properly in no time.
Learn how to use the English past tense passive voice in this how to video. The passive voice is the form of a transitive verb, that requires both a subject and one or more objects. To make the past tense passive, use "was" or "were," depending on the subject, and then add the past participle.
Learn how to use the English passive voice in the continuous tense in this tutorial. When the present continuous tense is in the passive voice it looks like this:
This ESL how to video teaches you the use of the passive voice in the passive tense in English. The passive voice is the form of a transitive verb, that requires both a subject and one or more objects. In the present tense, the subject changes the verb "be" and then you use the past participle of the main verb. Watch this tutorial and you will be speaking English in no time.
In this series of expert videos, you will learn all about table etiquette. Part 1 of 15 - How to Have proper dinner etiquette and table manners.
Theater acting is a fun and creative art form but it can be difficult to project your voice loud enough for the audience to hear if you are use to speaking softly. With a few exercises and practice anyone can have a booming voice.
Watch this video tutorial to see how to change your voice pitch in Audacity. Audacity is a digital audio editor application and is free. If you ever wanted to know how to mess with people's voices or song voices, this will help you transform those pitches into whatever you desire.
What does it mean when a software company obsessively focused on innovating the way we use our mobile devices to see and communicate with the world adds virtual voice agents? Possibly e-commerce magic, with a powerful layer of augmented reality.
Over half of all Americans have listened to at least one podcast, and that number is growing every year. With over one million podcasts and 30 million episodes in existence, there's no end to discovering new voices expounding on a range of topics.
Whenever a new Apple event invite arrives, the entire tech industry begins tearing the invite's graphics apart in a bid to decipher what the company may be planning on releasing in the coming weeks.
By now, you've probably been inundated with enough Baby Yoda memes to last you a lifetime. But if you don't have the new Disney Plus streaming service on your TV, you're probably wondering where all this is coming from. Well, lucky for you, just in time for the holiday season, we're here to guide you to the best ways to take part in all the streaming fun when you're not glued to your mobile devices.
While our smartphones are many things, one of their primary functions is to make calls. Many of us try to avoid ever having to make calls, but there are situations when it's a must, such as wishing your grandma happy Birthday or calling 911 — and in those times you want stellar call quality.
Smart home speakers, such as Google Home and Apple HomePod, are must-have accessories if you're trying to turn your home into a smart home. While HomePod is made to be used with the Apple ecosystem, the less-expensive Google Home can also be used with your iPhone — in more ways than you'd think.
Apple wastes no time with betas. Right on the heels of the official release of iOS 12.1, Apple released the first beta for iOS 12.1.1 to developers on Wednesday, Oct. 31. The update comes just one day after iOS 12.1, which itself was in beta development for 43 days this year. The denotation for 12.1.1 indicates it's a minor update over 12.1, and there are only a few things in its release notes.
