When you think about YouTube's biggest star jumping into mobile services, it might sound like another celebrity cash grab. But MrBeast reportedly plans to launch a phone company next year, and this isn't your typical influencer side hustle. With Beast Industries valued at over $5 billion and Feastables generating millions monthly, Jimmy Donaldson is betting big on diversification into tech. The mobile industry is already experiencing an unprecedented celebrity invasion, but MrBeast's entry co...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
Reviewed by Julianne Ngirngir Vivo has been quietly building something special in smartphone photography, and their latest move might just shake up the entire industry. The X200 series represents more than just another camera upgrade—it's a bold statement that mobile photography can rival traditional cameras. With their partnership with Zeiss deepening and hardware that's genuinely groundbreaking, Vivo is positioning itself to challenge the big three in ways we haven't seen before. Here's w...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
YouTube's biggest star is making another bold business move. MrBeast reportedly plans to launch a phone company, joining a growing trend of celebrity cell service brands that are reshaping the mobile industry. This isn't just another celebrity endorsement deal—it's part of a calculated expansion that could redefine how we think about mobile technology and fan engagement. What makes this particularly intriguing is Jimmy Donaldson's proven ability to transform unconventional business ideas in...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
You've probably heard the buzz about satellite messengers lately—especially with Apple adding emergency SOS features to iPhones. But here's the thing: satellite messaging has become our go-to means of staying connected in areas without cell service, and these devices now pack in way more functionality than just emergency calls. We're talking location sharing, GPS navigation, weather reporting, and more. The real question isn't whether this tech is cool (it definitely is), but whether you ac...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
Reviewed by Julianne Ngirngir The foldable phone market has become an engineering battleground where millimeters determine winners, and Honor just scored a decisive victory. The company's latest Magic V5 foldable has officially claimed the title of world's thinnest foldable at just 8.8mm when folded, but there's a fascinating physics compromise that reveals the current limitations of smartphone engineering. The phone measures just 4.1mm thick when unfolded and weighs only 217g, making it impr...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
Reviewed by Julianne Ngirngir The Honor Magic V5 has officially arrived, and it's making some bold claims. Honor is calling this the world's thinnest foldable phone at just 8.8mm when folded—a remarkable feat of engineering that pushes the boundaries of what we thought possible in the foldable space. But here's the thing about superlatives in tech: they're only as good as the real-world experience they deliver. What makes this launch particularly intriguing is the timing. Honor couldn't jus...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
Reviewed by Corey Noles Instagram's DM overhaul is finally here, and it's about time. For creators drowning in hundreds of daily message requests, the platform's new inbox management tools represent a significant shift in how we handle digital communication at scale. Instagram announced these updates after hearing from creators worldwide about the overwhelming nature of managing their inboxes. The new features let creators filter message requests by follower count, verified accounts, brands, ...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
When you fire up your Kindle and see that familiar screen, there's one feature that transforms the entire reading experience from good to absolutely game-changing: Libby integration. Libby connects you with your library's digital collection, turning your e-reader into a gateway to thousands of free books. What makes this combination so powerful? Libby enables sending borrowed books directly to Kobo or Kindle devices, creating a seamless bridge between your local library and your personal read...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
Reviewed by Corey Noles Qualcomm's chip naming has been confusing enough over the years, but if the latest rumors prove true, we're about to enter uncharted territory of semiconductor branding chaos. Last year, the company surprised everyone by launching the Snapdragon 8 Elite instead of the expected Snapdragon 8 Gen 4, marking a significant departure from their established naming pattern. Now here's where things get truly bewildering – fresh leaks suggest we might see both a Snapdragon 8 G...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
Reviewed by Corey Noles TikTok just dropped what might be its biggest messaging update yet, and honestly, it's about time. The platform recently announced that everyone can now DM each other with voice memos and pictures—a massive shift from the friend-only restrictions we've lived with for years. This opens entirely new revenue streams for creators and transforms TikTok from entertainment platform to comprehensive communication hub. Here's what makes this so significant: Previously, only p...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
When your phone suddenly displays "SOS" instead of your carrier's name, it's more than just an inconvenience—it's a complete communication breakdown. Verizon customers across the United States experienced exactly this scenario when a software issue triggered a massive outage, leaving more than 23,000 customers without cellular service on what should have been an ordinary day. The outage affected calls, texts, and mobile data, sparking frustration on social media platforms and trac...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
The mobile gaming landscape just shifted dramatically, and it's all thanks to AYN's latest announcement. AYN officially confirmed that the Odin 3 is the first gaming handheld powered by Qualcomm's cutting-edge Snapdragon 8 Elite processor. What started as a simple teaser image on Instagram has evolved into something much bigger—and this specific processor choice signals a major shift in what's possible for portable gaming performance. Early rumors from September 2024 suggested the Odin 3 mi...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
Reviewed by Corey Noles The world of foldable smartphones just got its most ambitious entry yet, and Huawei's making sure everyone knows about it. After months of exclusive availability in China, the world's first tri-fold smartphone is finally expanding globally. We're talking about a device that literally transforms from a standard phone into a massive tablet with not one, but two hinges working in perfect harmony. The Mate XT Ultimate Design isn't just another incremental upgrade in the fo...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
Reviewed by Julianne Ngirngir When you think about the explosive rise of Threads, it's pretty remarkable what Meta managed to pull off. The platform racked up 100 million users in its first week and now sits at 175 million monthly active users as of mid-2024. But here's what's really interesting—they're not stopping there. Meta is quietly testing something that could completely reshape text-based social media: long-form text capabilities. Now, you might be wondering why this matters when Th...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
Reviewed by Corey Noles Smartphone manufacturers are making a fascinating pivot. After years of racing to pack as many cameras as possible into their devices—chasing ever-higher megapixel counts and adding lens after lens—the industry is now embracing a more sophisticated approach. What you're witnessing is the emergence of quality-first camera design, and this shift represents more than just a trend. It's a fundamental reimagining of what mobile photography can achieve. What's driving th...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
Honor has just reclaimed the crown for the world's thinnest foldable smartphone with the Magic V5, and frankly, it's about time someone shook up the foldable market with meaningful innovation rather than incremental tweaks. At just 8.8 millimeters thick when folded, this device isn't just setting records—it's demonstrating what happens when engineering ambition meets practical user needs. Honor officially launched the Magic V5 in China and is bringing it to Europe in late August, marking th...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
The iPhone isn't just outpacing the competition—it's practically carrying the entire smartphone industry on its back. While other major brands struggle with flat or declining sales, Apple's latest iPhone models are driving unexpected growth in a market that many analysts had written off as saturated. Let's break down what's really happening behind these surprising numbers and what it means for the future of mobile technology. Apple's iPhone shipments increased 12% annually during Q3 2024, d...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
Reviewed by Julianne Ngirngir The budget smartphone market just got a lot more interesting. TCL dropped something at CES 2025 that's making me rethink what we actually need from our pocket devices. The TCL 60 XE NXTPAPER 5G isn't just another affordable Android phone—it's TCL's first smartphone to feature NXTPAPER 4.0, marking a legitimate attempt to merge your smartphone and e-reader into one device that won't murder your eyes in the process. What you need to know: • Price that actually ...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
Reviewed by Julianne Ngirngir Switching to a Verizon-powered prepaid plan used to mean kissing goodbye to reliable international coverage. But a wave of recent upgrades is changing that equation in ways that could save you hundreds on your next overseas adventure. Here's what's driving the change: Visible doubled its international roaming data to 2GB per day in Canada and Mexico, while Total Wireless now includes roaming in over 15 countries on its unlimited plans. Meanwhile, TracFone added h...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
Reviewed by Corey Noles You're running Apple's China operations, and your latest quarterly report shows foreign-branded phone sales plummeting 31.3% in June...| Gadget Hacks
Discover essential tips and tricks for maximizing your Google Chrome experience. From customizing browser settings and managing extensions to mastering...| Gadget Hacks
Reviewed by Julianne Ngirngir The camera wars just took an unexpected turn. While flagship phones pushed past 200MP, foldables remained stuck with compromise cameras—until now. Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 7 already packs the same 200MP Isocell HP2 sensor found in the Galaxy S25 Ultra, and reports suggest Samsung is planning to integrate flagship-grade camera systems across its entire foldable lineup. But here's the kicker: Samsung isn't alone in this race. What you need to know: Game-changing h...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
Reviewed by Corey Noles Sony's mobile division finds itself in an increasingly precarious position, with Sony holding just 1% of the global smartphone...| Gadget Hacks
Snapseed is an app that you should definitely be using not only if you're really serious about photography, but also if you want to ensure that your online...| Gadget Hacks
Reviewed by Julianne Ngirngir The wireless charging world just shifted into high gear, and if you've been waiting for Android phones to catch up with...| Gadget Hacks
The next time you can't find your college friend at a crowded concert, you probably won't text them. Instead, you'll open Find My, spot their little avatar moving near the merch table, and walk straight over. Welcome to 2024, where this behavior isn't just convenient—it's completely normal. This shift from "text me when you get there" to "I'll just watch your dot move" represents something bigger than a tech upgrade. 88% of Gen Z uses location-sharing apps regularly, and their motivations r...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
Your phone's security just got a lot more complicated. While device manufacturers have been racing to encrypt everything from your photos to your deleted messages, U.S. Customs and Border Protection has been quietly building an arsenal of tools to dig deeper into seized devices. But here's the thing: the agency isn't just looking for what's on the surface anymore—they're hunting for data you didn't even know existed. The scope of CBP's digital dragnet is staggering. In fiscal year 2019, CBP...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
Picture this: You walk into a phone store looking for the latest Sony Xperia, only to find empty shelves where they used to be. That's increasingly becoming reality across major markets, and it's raising a question that would've seemed impossible just a few years ago — are we witnessing the twilight of Sony's smartphone ambitions? The signs are everywhere. Sony officially announced it will no longer sell Xperia smartphones through its European subsidiary, with the dedicated European website...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
Having tracked telecom policy changes for over five years, I've seen how regulatory shifts can reshape entire markets—but Verizon's latest move hits...| Gadget Hacks
Taking screen captures is a standard feature on iPhones and newer Android smartphones, but for some reason it's not very intuitive. Screenshots allow you to...| Gadget Hacks
You've probably heard this song before: "world's thinnest foldable phone!" But the Honor Magic V5 might actually deserve the hype. At just 8.8mm thick when...| Gadget Hacks
The swiping just got a lot more serious. Tinder is expanding its identity verification tech to the US, bringing along facial recognition that's supposedly safer, smarter, and more foolproof than ever. But as always with biometric data, there's more happening under the hood than a simple selfie check. FTC data shows romance scams cost victims $1.3 billion in 2022, with the median loss hitting $4,400 per person. Dating apps are clearly under pressure to do something about fake profiles and catf...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
You lose cell service in the middle of the day, and twenty minutes later, your bank account is empty. Welcome to SIM swapping—the nightmare scenario that's...| Gadget Hacks
How many times have you sent a message on Facebook Messenger that you immediately wanted to take back? Most email services have an unsend option, as well as...| Gadget Hacks
If imitation truly is the sincerest form of flattery, then Snapchat must be blushing profusely as Instagram continues to shamelessly copy its features and...| Gadget Hacks
Discover essential Facebook Messenger tips and tricks to enhance your messaging experience. From managing conversations and sending multimedia to utilizing...| Gadget Hacks
Why are there no official Star Wars emoji in the Unicode Standard? We've got the Vulcan Salute from Star Trek, so where's the force choke hand gesture?! While you may never see Star Wars officially invade your emoji keyboard, there are ways to send Star Wars emoji and stickers to your friends in your favorite chat app. What are Star Wars emoji?First, before you start spamming your conversations with Baby Yoda and Darth Vader, know that none of these are official emoji. Actual emoji on your de...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
Streaming is great until you're 30,000 feet up, riding the subway, or stuck on a network that suddenly drops to dial-up-slow speeds. That's why Amazon's offline access remains one of Prime Video's best perks. Amazon introduced mobile downloads back in 2015, beating Netflix and Hulu to the punch, and the workflow hasn't changed much since. Today, if you're a paying Prime or Prime Video subscriber (or part of a paying family account), you can stash almost any title on your iPhone or Android pho...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
Flagship earbuds like Apple's AirPods Pro, Sony's WF‑1000XM5, Jabra's Elite 10, and Soundcore's Liberty 4 Pro sound fantastic, but they come with equally premium price tags. Luckily, there are plenty of stellar alternatives that won't gut your wallet. Spend less than $100, and you can still land punchy audio, rock‑solid active noise canceling (ANC), and marathon battery life without feeling like you settled. Below, we start with our overall winner and count down to number five,...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
A crucial part of the system that keeps your iPhone, iPad, Android device, and computer secure just lost US government funding — and the ripple effects could soon reach your gadget's next update. A quiet but major shake-up in cybersecurityThe US government has abruptly cut off funding to the Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) program, the global system standardizing how software and hardware vulnerabilities are cataloged and tracked. If you've ever looked at Apple's or Google's list...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
The Unicode Consortium is already hard at work on the next batch of emoji, but don't get too excited just yet. It may be a while before you see these new characters, which include an apple core, orca, and hairy creature, on your devices. Unicode 17.0, with its Emoji 17.0 update, isn't expected to be finalized until September 2025, but nine new emoji candidates have already been drafted. Those are: Apple Core: A compostable icon for food waste or garbage. Ballet Dancer: A new gender-neutral ch...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
Google Maps makes it easy to find the best routes, and one of its most useful tools is the ability to set departure and arrival times directly in the mobile app. While this feature was initially exclusive to the desktop site, it’s now fully integrated into the app for both iPhone and Android. This allows you to plan ahead and get accurate travel estimates based on predicted traffic conditions. To use this feature, ensure your Google Maps app is updated. Once updated, you can choose departur...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
Hey, all you Instagram lovers, haters, or people who have no choice but to submissively bow down to the social app giant for other reasons, you've come to the right place. Today, I'm going to walk you through a very simple marketing trick to start boosting traffic to your IG account. Most people, unless your popularity is based on your name, aren't going to be searching for you on a day-to-day basis. What most people will be searching for, though, is what you can sell them. So, if you offer p...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
If I told you to follow as many users as you could possibly follow, in order to get more Instagram followers, that may seem counterintuitive, right? If I told you I'm trying to brainwash/annoy you with how many times I could possibly say versions of the word "follow" in an opening sentence, that would seem weird, too. Both are not true. If you want more followers, a really easy way to increase your count is to just follow other people. Why? Because if you want more people on Instagram to noti...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
I have nightmares about trying to reply to hundreds of strangers on social media. To prevent the overwhelming feeling of having to small talk with people I don't know, I'm now aiming for more control over the ways that people can contact me. One way is to stop users from hitting me up on Instagram Stories. So ladies, influencers, and all of the wonderful men of Instagram ... if you want to control how many Story messages you receive every day, then keep reading. It's actually quite simple. Fi...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
If you want to share a video to Stories — but it's over 24 hours old — it may seem like you can't, but there's actually a simple hack on how to do just that. The way to get around Instagram's 24-hour restriction is to post your video while on airplane mode. This might seem like it doesn't make sense, but trust me, it works. When you try and upload a video to your regular profile page while on airplane mode, it will fail. Duh. But the great thing about it failing is that it saves a new vid...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
Breathe new life into your Instagram profile picture with another layer of self-expression. It's the perfect way to show another side of your personality without sacrificing your current IG profile photo. While photo filters give you the power to create a consistent style for your brand or personal profile, you can now access dynamic profile pictures. These profile pics consist of your regular static profile picture and a custom animated avatar you can style however you want. With both profil...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
Most of you have probably wondered at least once who has been checking out your social media profiles. While most platforms prohibit you from seeing who's viewed your profile, such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, TikTok is one of the few places that lets you track profile visitors. And unlike with LinkedIn, you don't have to pay for the privilege. The feature is helpful for many reasons. If you're a creator and want to grow your following, seeing who your visitors are can help you shape ...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
Sharing your personal information can come up for any number of reasons: you may want to get in touch with a colleague after work or you've been involved in a car accident and need to stay in contact with the other driver. Unfortunately, giving out information can be the key for others to find your social media accounts, such as Instagram, whether you want it to happen or not. Anyone with your phone number saved in their contacts or who has added you on Facebook can find your Instagram accoun...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
When it comes to smartphone screens, there are two predominant technologies—the traditional LCD panel, and the newer AMOLED display. Most phones still use LCD screens, as the tech is more cost-effective due to its longstanding reign as the primary display type in TVs, smartphones, and tablets. AMOLED screens are more energy-efficient, and offer higher contrast levels and deeper blacks. But in recent years, AMOLED screens are starting to take over as the technology matures and becomes cheape...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
So, you're trying to show a friend or two a hilarious Reel you liked or saved on Instagram, but where is it? Unlike TikTok, Instagram doesn't make it clear where you're supposed to find your liked and saved Reels. Luckily, we can help. Since its inception, Instagram Reels has grown into a worthy TikTok copycat, but it still has issues. For instance, it maxes out at 60-second videos while TikTok videos can last up to 10 minutes now. And then there's the reason why you're here: it's not very ob...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
When Facebook introduced Stories in 2017, many users despised the Snapchat-like feature on their main page. However, despite the outcry, Facebook doesn't plan to let you remove it. But you don't have to settle for this. With the help of some third-party apps, you no longer have to deal with Stories. Using one of two third-party apps, you can better manage your Facebook account even when the main app offers limited controls. Both apps (a different app for each mobile operating system) make hid...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
You can add a timestamp to any YouTube video in just a few clicks from the desktop website on your computer but not from YouTube's iOS or Android app. Until YouTube adds a "start time" when sharing videos from the mobile app, you'll have to use one of these workarounds on your phone or tablet. Why would you even want to use shareable YouTube links with start times? Tacking a start time to a YouTube video is an easy way to bookmark a specific part of the video to come back to and reference lat...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
If you're in the market for a new smartphone and want nothing but the best of the best, now's the time to act. Some of the greatest phones money can buy are being released as we speak, while others are still in their prime and will continue to be for most of 2024. Whether you want an iPhone or Android, we've rounded up the best picks you have to choose from for top-of-the-line specs and advanced features. For this list, we only looked at smartphones available for the U.S. market. That means s...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
Christmas is just one week before Jan. 1. That means a lot of New Year's resolutions filled with promises to better ourselves with increased productivity, focus, and work ethics — but getting started can be challenging. Give the people in your life a leg up this holiday season with these smartphone gifts to keep them on-task in 2020. Know how much you want to spend? Click one of the links below to jump ahead: Stocking Stuffers for Less Than $25Great Gifts for Friends Between $25 & $100S...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
There's never been a better time for streaming videos on your phone. With so many options available (including a potential mobile-only Netflix tier) and so many new smartphones having large screens, there's a good chance you know someone who mainly use their phone for videos. And if you looking for a gift for them, there are some great options. While smartphones continue to get larger and more powerful, they haven't surpassed the experience of a larger screen like a television. But for someon...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
With smartphone cameras and software getting better and better every year, more and more users are getting passionate about photography. So when you're shopping for a gift to get someone, if they have a smartphone, chances are they'll more than appreciate some tools and accessories for taking better photos with their pocket friend — and we've got some gear ideas they'll love. Stock camera apps, as well as Instagram and Snapchat, are just gateways into more professional mobile tools to compo...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
In a time where we're more connected than ever, privacy and security have never been more important. Maybe you're not concerned, but I'm sure there's someone in your life who is, and shopping for them can be daunting. However, with these gifts, you can provide them the tools they need to enhance their protection. Each gift below will either keep your information and whereabouts private or keep the recipient (and his or her family) safe. Some gifts even do both. We avoided the more extreme mea...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
Advancements in technology have made it perfectly possible to make a short film or even an entire movie with your iPhone or Android — as long as you've got the right gear. Lenses, stabilizers, tripods, lighting, microphones, chargers, and cases can make the difference between a good movie and a great film, all of which can make a great gift for those aspiring (or current) filmmakers in your life. Know how much you want to spend? Jump to your section here: Stocking Stuffers for Less Than $25...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
Smartphones are vital travel companions. While you're on the go, they connect you with loved ones back home, help you find tickets and passes for tourist attractions, and make it easy to find your way through foreign roads — but even the most powerful smartphone could use help from travel accessories. If you have a loved one who is always getting their passport stamped, or maybe you're the world-traveler and you want to get yourself something nice, here's a list of essential smartphone acce...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
With MP3 players all but dead, phones are now the dominant portable music devices. While smartphones have gotten better at this task over the years, they do have some glaring limitations when it comes to music. On the bright side, we can use these limitations to help find the perfect gifts for the audiophiles in our lives. Know how much you want to spend? Jump to your section here: Stocking stuffers for less than $25Great gifts for friends between $25 and $99Splurges for $100 and upStocking S...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
Smartphone gaming continues to improve with ever sharper displays and raw processing power to deliver console-quality graphics right in the palm of your hands. Nonetheless, you still stand to improve the gaming experience on any phone by adding the right accessories to the mix. Know what you're after? Head to one of the sections below to find an awesome gift that matches your budget: Stocking stuffers that won't break the bank ($25 and under)Awesome gifts between $25 and $99Go all out for tha...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
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. Know how much you want to spend? Jump to your section here: Stocking stuffers for less than $25Great gifts for friends between $25 and $99Splurges for $100 and upStocking Stuffers (...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
There is a whole world of smartphone accessories out there, some of which are more quirky than others and don't get the recognition they deserve. But these sometimes strange, sometimes embarrassing products can really make life easier on your iPhone or Android phone. We've found a treasure trove of little-known accessories that should definitely be more popular. They may be overlooked often because they're pricy, absurd-looking, or goofy, but it's also entirely possible you didn't even know t...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
The cinematic photos feature in Google Photos can create impressive three-dimensional views of normally flat images, turning ordinary pictures into life-like representations of the moment captured. Google Photos would automatically pick images from your library to apply the effect to. Now, you can choose images on demand from your library — it's just not super obvious that you can. Google Photos uses artificial intelligence to create cinematic photos, analyzing and predicting an image's dep...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
Now that Bard — Google's response to the revolutionary ChatGPT generative AI chatbot — is out in the wild, it's beginning to let its freak flag fly. Sure, Google wants us to know that its generative artificial intelligence chatbot can write blog posts about summer mocktail recipes or compile a camping gear checklist. Still, there are more eyebrow-raising options as well. Check out some examples below, then see what wild responses you can get from Bard. Don't Miss: How to Use Google's New ...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
Handwritten notes are no doubt useful at home, work, and school, but digitizing them with your smartphone will make them easier to edit, organize, and review. You'll also always have a digital copy ready if your handwritten notes get lost or erased. And Google Keep for Android, iOS, or iPadOS makes the conversion from physical form to digital a cinch, especially when it comes to checklists. Perhaps you've jotted down a grocery list but don't want to fumble with pen and paper at the store. Or ...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
Magic Eraser was one of Google's big selling points for the Pixel 6 and 7 series smartphones, and it's finally made its way to other Android devices. It's even available on iPhone and iPad with the latest Google Photos app. The tool lets you easily remove or camouflage unwanted or distracting background elements in your photos. It was perfectly showcased in Google's 2023 Super Bowl ad, where comedian Amy Schumer removed all her exes and Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo erased himself fr...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
A hidden TikTok feature changed how I watch videos in the app, and it's about to transform your TikTok video-watching habits too. The feature is relatively new and extremely easy to miss since it's not visible on the video interface. But before you continue, ensure you've updated the TikTok app for Android or iOS, so you know you're running the latest version. Now that your app's up to date, I have three words for you: playback speed control. Some users have had access to the new feature over...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
YouTube has offered viewers a video queue on desktop browsers for some time, and the world's most popular video site is preparing to finally bring the queue feature to its Android and iOS mobile apps. Here's the rub: the mobile queue for YouTube videos is still in its testing phase. But there is a way you can try it out right now, though, if you don't mind using experimental features before they're ready for prime time. Don't Miss: How to Unlock YouTube's New Ambient Mode for a More Immersive...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
When you expect to take photos of landmarks, buildings, landscapes, and other outdoor scenery with clear blue skies in the background, you may end up with nothing but overcast weather, resulting in a completely different mood in your pictures. Instead of forgetting about all your images with dreary gray skies, try turning those grays to blues for happier, more shareable photos. To brighten the skies in your pictures, we'll use the easy sky editing tools in the Google Photos app for Android an...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
For whatever reason, you may want or need to remove multiple posts from your Instagram grid. If you only have a couple to hide from the public, archiving or deleting posts one by one is fine, but there's a much faster way when you have tens or even hundreds of Instagram posts to purge from your account. Maybe you have too many bar crawl photos and are on the job hunt. Perhaps you need to pull a Lacuna and erase the painful memories of a former significant other. Or it could be that you rememb...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
In mid-2017, Instagram added the ability to archive posts you've previously shared so that only you could see them going forward. As easy as it is to archive one of your Instagram photos or videos, it can be just as easy to forget how to unarchive it so others can see it again in all its glory. Actually, sometimes you may archive an Instagram photo or video and forget you even did so. If you don't use the archive feature much, it's very easy to head to your Instagram profile and freak out tha...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
Google Photos is not only an exceptional cross-platform app for photo storage but also a handy tool for generating and creating collages, movies, and animations from your photos and videos. When it comes to collages, you can now customize them and dress them up with vibrant templates. The new custom collage styles first appeared in September 2022 and featured designs from artists like Shantell Martin and Lisa Congdon. An update on Dec. 1 added designs from more artists, such as DABSMYLA and Y...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
It's that time of year again. No, not the holiday season … the "share your year in music listening" season. And no matter which music streaming service you use, there's a way to find and share (or not share) your activity from 2022. Since Spotify unveiled its Wrapped campaign in 2016, social media feeds have been flooded with friends and family eager to show off their music tastes (or lack thereof). But you don't have to be a Spotify listener to participate. If you use Apple Music, YouTube ...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
To play in the World Cup, soccer's ultimate tournament, you have to be among the best players on the planet. For the rest of us, Google has a hidden game to simulate the thrill of scoring goals for your favorite team. The game is available on mobile devices, so you can play it anywhere you take your phone or tablet. Watch out, though, because it can be addictive, and you won't have to get up at 4 a.m. to participate, unlike some of the previous games in Qatar, the World Cup's host for 2022. D...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
Unlike Apple Maps, Google Maps can tell you when a restaurant, bar, club, or other business you're thinking of visiting is busy. It's extremely helpful if you want to avoid peak times or wait for the place to be empty. If you can't pry yourself away from using Apple Maps, there's an easy alternative to see the popular times of most businesses. Google collects anonymous user data via its mobile apps on Android and iOS to populate visit information for business listings. This aggregated data is...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
If you have a screen recording with distracting UI elements, black borders, and other unneeded visuals, Google Photos can help you crop out all the junk from the video, leaving you with only the important stuff. Google Photos' crop tool also has a companion rotate functionality that can help you tilt a video a few degrees to match the horizon line, rotate a video because you shot it in landscape instead of portrait mode, or reorient a video for dramatic effect, like when using a Dutch angle t...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
If you use Goals in Google Calendar, you've probably already received the notification that Google, in typical executioner fashion, has marked the feature for death. As of November 2022, you can't create new goals, and your current goals won't repeat anymore. Google suggests switching to repeating events or tasks, but there's a better option to use on your Android and iOS device. Count me among the fans of Goals. From a curated collection of preset habits, including exercising, building skill...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
TikTok is all the rage right now, and its green screen effect is one of the more popular augmented reality tricks creators use to boost their viewership numbers. Now Snapchat has leveled the playing field by making it easier to access its own green screen effect. Green or blue screens are typically used during filming when you want to replace those colors with something else, like another video or still image. While any color can work as the background, bright green or blue colors are the nor...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
To celebrate YouTube's 17th birthday, Google has gifted the app with new features, including pinch to zoom, precise seeking, and a darker dark theme. But the highlight is a new cosmetic upgrade called Ambient mode, which makes the viewing experience more immersive. Here's everything we know about the new background effect. Ambient mode, unleashed on Oct. 24, 2022, is an immersive watching experience that adds "a splash of color" to the background of YouTube's user interface. It gives videos t...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
By default, everyone on WhatsApp can see when you're using the app. If someone recently messaged you and sees you're currently online, they may think you're avoiding them if you don't respond right away — especially if you don't share read receipts. However, you can block them from seeing your online or last seen status and apply it to everyone or just specific contacts. WhatsApp has had its last seen feature, which shows other WhatsApp users the exact time you last used the app, for a long...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
YouTube Music just refreshed the user interface for playlists, seemingly taking away the ability to shuffle the songs in your playlists. While the update has been rolling out for months, you might just be getting the updated look on your smartphone, and there's no giant "Shuffle" button like there was before. But that doesn't mean there's no more shuffling. When Google anointed YouTube Music as the successor to Google Play Music, which shuttered in 2020, the music streaming service did not se...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
When the topic of Pokémon Go comes up, the typical response is, "Do people still play it?" The answer is a resounding yes! While the game doesn't command the zeitgeist as it did at launch, it has sustained a community of players who have stuck with it over the years. Pokémon Go remains among the top ten grossing apps (not just games) on the App Store and falls just outside the top ten on Google Play. In fact, the app's best-performing year for revenue was 2020, with 2021 being the next best...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
There are two types of people in this world: those who recognize Wordle grids of yellow, green, and gray/black blocks and those who do not. No matter which category you fall in, there's a Wordle-inspired game that's perfect for you. The viral success of Wordle, the daily five-letter word guessing game, not only led to a corporate takeover but also spawned spinoffs of varying degrees of difficulty and enjoyment. There's something for everyone, from thematic twists on the word puzzle format to ...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
I've covered augmented reality apps for about three years now and the most useful mobile app I've encountered over that time is Google Lens. In brief, Google Lens can recognize and interact with text and identify a wide spectrum of objects, turning your smartphone's camera into a visual search engine. This makes menial, time-consuming tasks so much easier. Google Lens was a Pixel-exclusive feature before rolling out to everyone through Google Photos. Now available as a standalone app on Andro...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
Spoofed phone calls originate from one source that's disguising its phone number as a different one, and you probably get these calls all the time. Maybe they're numbers from your local area code or for prominent businesses, but the callers are just hijacking those digits to fool you into picking up. Turns out, making a spoofed call is something anybody can do — even you. Now, caller ID spoofing isn't as illegal as you think it would be, so there's a good chance you can spoof a phone number...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
If your current cellular provider costs too much, has poor reception in your area, or doesn't support features you'd like to use, switching to another carrier is the obvious move. But can you bring your current iPhone or Android phone? In most cases, your current smartphone will work just fine on another carrier's network. It's easier to transfer it now than it was when we had to jump through hoops to unlock a carrier-locked cell phone in the U.S. Still, knowing if your phone is unlocked, pai...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
Google Voice has a hidden feature that lets you record any phone call you're participating in, and unlike other apps, it doesn't cost a dime. When it comes to recording phone conversations, you may think the worst and associate it with something shady like obsessive exes and stalkers. In reality, there are more mundane reasons to record calls on your iPhone or Android phone. For example, documenting verbal agreements, saving job interviews to review with coworkers, keeping important meetings ...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
It's super easy to add filters, adjust levels, and crop images using the default photo editor on your smartphone, but there's rarely any built-in tool for removing the background in a photo. A third-party app can help isolate people and objects in your pictures, and we've found a free one that's easy to use, works with high-resolution images, and is available for Android, iOS, iPadOS, and the web. There are lots of background remover apps out there, but you'd be lucky to find one that doesn't...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
Instead of responding to a WhatsApp message with short texts like "LOL" or thinking too hard about something meaningful to say, use an emoji reaction. They cut down on clutter in group chats and take up less space than typing emoji individually in a conversation. WhatsApp initially limited reactions to just six emoji, but a new update lets you use any emoji you want. WhatsApp first announced emoji reactions for individual and group conversations in April, and the feature began rolling out to ...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
It's easy to lose the TikTok video you were watching when you accidentally refresh your For You feed, but it's not gone forever. TikTok has a new feature for your iPhone, iPad, or Android device that can show you all your watched videos over the last seven days. There are also other, more hidden ways to see your watch history — one that goes well beyond a week. Unfortunately, TikTok's new feature (Method 1 below) is still in the testing phase and hasn't been rolled out to everyone yet. Some...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
Unlike TikTok, there isn't a convenient "Likes" tab directly on your Instagram profile page to see all the posts you've ever loved. That's too easy. Instead, you have to dig a bit deeper if you want to take a trip down IG memory lane. There isn't even a "Likes" option like there is for "Saved" posts when you open the menu on your profile page. Why Meta makes it so hard to see all the posts you've ever favorited on Instagram is anybody's guess. It might just be because it wanted to group likes...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
You might have noticed some of the videos you upload to TikTok don't always look great. If you think the answer is that you need a DSLR, you're wrong. The blurriness, pixelation, and overall bad quality that can happen in your uploaded videos is probably not your smartphone's fault — it might be because you aren't uploading your videos in HD. Ideally, TikTok would let users upload videos in high-definition by default, but it doesn't. The reasons may be valid, such as quicker upload speeds, ...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
In mid-2021, TikTok rolled out three-minute videos, but it's not stopping there. The company is rolling out a feature that will let you record up to 10 minutes in a single TikTok video — only the update hasn't appeared for everyone yet. To get the latest 10-minute video capabilities, ensure your TikTok app for iOS or Android is updated to the newest version. Even then, you might not see a 10-minute recording feature. If that's the case, be patient, and keep your TikTok app up to date. You'l...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
With the new Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra release, the first thing you may be wondering is how its battery life compares to the iPhone 13 Pro Max, Apple's biggest model from 2021. We've rounded up some of the most popular Galaxy S22 Ultra and iPhone 13 Pro Max battery tests from across the internet to bring you answers. Apple and Samsung are the two most significant smartphone makers in the world. The two companies have always battled it out for the best battery life in a phone, and there isn't a...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
Music goes well with almost every Instagram story, but adding a particular song or soundtrack isn't the most obvious task if you've never tried before or haven't done so in a long time. Instagram Stories has supported embedded music since 2018, but some things have changed over the years. For one, you used to be able to choose a song from Instagram's music database before shooting a video with the Story camera. That way, you could react in the video to the music playing. Now, there are two of...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
When you're checking out photos and video on Instagram, its default bright white layout can literally be an eyesore, especially in dimly lit settings where...| Gadget Hacks
Saving a chat's history is useful for finding valuable information later on or just reliving a favorite conversation from the past. Sometimes, however, it's...| Gadget Hacks
Join our Smartphones World now to meet up with other cell phone users on the Web. Learn how to set your phones alarm, store calendars on your PDA, sync your iPhone with iTunes, download apps from the Android store, and more. And don't forget to share your own mobile tips and tricks for others in need. - Ask questions in the [/forum/ Forum]. - Share some [/inspiration/ Inspiration]. - Post a [/how-to/ How-To] article. Looking for another interesting topic? Check out all of the other [http://ww...| Gadget Hacks