DirecTV Comes to the Internet

Guess what? You may be able to cut your cable now and save money. DirecTV will now stream to the Internet starting tomorrow (Nov. 30)…and you can get 100 channels for only $35 for a short time. You can also add HBO and Cinemax for an additional $5 each. The good news is that price is good until you cancel your subscription.

Here is where you can currently stream it: iPhone, Android, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, Apple TV and PC/Mac. Roku compatibility will arrive later this year. If you are an AT&T customer,  DirecTV Now is “zero rated” for AT&T wireless customers, so regardless of how much time you spend streaming, that activity will have no impact on data usage for your monthly bill.

I must say that this offer looks pretty good. I am strongly considering it even though I don’t watch all that much TV. I suggest you scan the channel listings above and see what you think. This may be the video service cord cutters have been waiting for. More details should be available tomorrow.

But there is more exciting news and tech tips included here so take a look a see what you think. -JRC

 

Tech News and Opinions

AT&T to launch DirecTV Now with $35 promo on Nov. 30

That $35 monthly price for more than 100 streaming channels is a temporary deal to lock you in, but anyone can add HBO for just $5.

 

Another Cyber Monday, another online sales record

Black Friday 2016's reign as the biggest US online sales day ever didn't last long. Three days to be exact.

 

Watch the latest drone video of Apple’s new $5 billion Cupertino campus - Recode

“It’s a little like a spaceship has landed,” said Steve Jobs.

 

What Is HDR (High Dynamic Range) for TVs?

Move over 4K. HDR is the latest television feature that could vastly improve what you watch. Here's what you need to know.

 

App abandonment is on the rise as consumers stick to the apps they know

According to Adobe, this trend toward app abandonment is also on the rise — with now five out of every 10 apps being used fewer than 10 times, and two out of every 10 apps being used only once.

 

Desktop and Laptop Tips and Tricks

10 Tips to Speed Up Windows 10

Windows 10 is faster than the previous versions of Microsoft's OS, but you can still speed up your PC with our tricks.

 

A Few Tips for Integrating OneNote Into Your Life

Microsoft OneNote is the best note-taking solution in the world, and it’s available for free on every personal tech platform. You should use it. And here are a few tips for getting started.

 

How to stop animated GIFs in Chrome and Firefox

GIFs are fun... in small doses. Here's how to gain some sanity amid all the animated madness.

 

When your Windows 10 login password fails, you need a recovery drive

You just need to turn back the clock a bit.

 

How to customize Windows 10 colors

Microsoft has hidden the Windows 10 color mixer; here's how to find it!

 

Mobile Computing

The Best Shopping Apps to Compare Prices

These apps just might help you find the best prices for your Christmas shopping. Android and iOS.

 

Microsoft Solitaire and other games come to iOS and Android

Microsoft Solitaire Collection offers five of the best Solitaire card games – Klondike, Spider, FreeCell, Pyramid and Tripeaks – all in one app.

 

How to make spammy calendar notifications go away

Spammers have unfortunately devised a new way to invade phones: calendar invitations. A rash of calendar spam has invaded iPhones in recent weeks as many people are getting a wave of calendar invitations from Chinese email addresses.

 

Best apps to watch TV on Android free

Here we present some of the best apps to watch TV on Android free. Watch Popular TV channels from the comfort of your favorite place, always with your Android phone.

 

13 Useful Android apps that everyone should install in your phone & tablet

The headline says it all!

Is Facebook News Worth Viewing?

My simple answer to my headline question is no. Let me amend that. My answer is Hell No! Facebook is the last place on earth I would go for news. And recent headlines about it publishing fake news stories should scare you away also. There are so many legitimate and decent places to find news of all kinds. Try Flipboard or Apple News. They both have stories about any subject you could ever want.

That’s enough of a rant for me. Because its Thanksgiving, this will be the only blog for this week. I will be traveling again for this holiday, but should be back in time for next week’s blogs. I hope you have a great holiday and, if you dare go shopping, I pray Black Friday and Cyber Monday will turn out well for you. Until next time, Happy Thanksgiving. -JRC

Tech News and Opinions

It's time to get rid of the Facebook "news feed," because it's not news

Opinion: Fake news didn't throw the election. It was a symptom, not a cause.

 

How to avoid getting conned by fake news sites

Here's how you can identify and avoid sites that just want to serve up ads next to outright falsehoods

 

The biggest tech turkeys of 2016

This year's most notable flops came from tech's heaviest hitters, proving that anyone -- from Samsung to Facebook to Apple -- can have a bad moment. Or two.

 

Upthere cloud service will scan & upload 1000 4×6 photos free if you try it before 2017

The company is partnering with ScanMyPhotos.com to give away 1000 free 4×6 photo scans for Upthere customers. The promotion starts now and runs through the end of the year. The deal even covers delivery.

 

Dangerous backdoor found in about 3 million Android smartphones, BLU affected the most

A dangerous rootkit has been discovered, with devices from US-based smartphone brand, BLU, being found to be among the most affected.

 

Desktop and Laptop Tips

 

How to Recover Software Product Keys From Any Computer, Even a Broken One

Product keys are becoming less and less common these days, but if you have a piece of software on your computer—and can’t find its product key—this simple program can help you extract it.

 

How to Build a Website

Need to establish an online presence for your business, but don't know where to begin? Our primer will show you exactly what you need to get up and running in no time

 

How to Use Your Google Calendar in the Windows 10 Calendar App

One of the new additions is the revamped Calendar app, which isn’t just more functional than its predecessor, it’s actually downright pleasurable to use. But what if you want your classic Google Calendar synced up with Microsoft’s internal app ecosystem?

 

How to Delete Your Gmail or Google Account

Maybe you haven’t actually used Gmail for years. Maybe you want to take a stand against Google in general. Whatever your reason, Google makes it surprisingly easy for you to delete your account.

 

How To Set Up Two-Factor Authentication for a Microsoft Account

Enabling 2FA for a Microsoft Account is relatively simple, and a smartphone application, email, or phone number can be used as the second form factor.

 

Mobile Computing

 

New 9 Best iPhone apps for weather

The headline says it all. Take a look.

 

How to set up automatic iCloud backups for your iPad

These few easy steps are so painless and important. Unfortunately, for some reason many iPad and iPhone owners fail to _ever_ backup their devices.

 

Working with Threads in iOS 10 Mail

In addition to presenting all of the messages in a single threaded view, in the Mail app now includes all of the messages in your entire mail account by default, rather than only those in the current mailbox or folder.

 

Top 5 most popular Android apps from last week: YouTube VR, PhotoScan

Read on for the five most popular Android apps from last week. These apps are ones that are most likely new and haven’t appeared in the top five list more than three times.

 

8 Android gestures that speed up everyday tasks

Navigating your way around a new Android device will get a lot easier once you’ve mastered a few handy touchscreen gestures.

 

4 apps that give your phone a free second number

Need a disposable phone number for better online privacy? Or for an effective way to juggle work and personal lines? This is easier, and cheaper, than you think.

More on PhotoScan

In the last edition, we told you about the new version of Google’s PhotoScan. In this edition, we have a review combined with a tutorial (in the Mobile Computing section) on how it works. I am impressed with this app and look forward to using it next week when I get back home. I have no photographs here to try it out. I think it might help a lot of us out with our shoe boxes filled with old photos.

Also in this edition, we have a list of some of the best Black Friday apps for your pads and phones. It might come in handy since Thanksgiving is almost upon us…plus there are some tips and tricks on how to use iOS and Android. And since I don’t have any earth shattering comments to make, why don’t I let you get started with your reading. Have a great weekend! -JRC

Tech News and Opinions

Google CEO Sundar Pichai Takes on Fake News Issue

“From our perspective, there should just be no situation where fake news gets distributed”

 

With Apple now selling used iPhones, the new phone market may have peaked

It reflects both the maturing nature of the market and Apple’s desire to put the iPhone into the hands of more budget-constrained smartphone buyers while still making enviable margins.

 

When will Microsoft end support for your version of Windows or Office?

As we count down to the New Year, the support clock is ticking. Microsoft will pull the plug on Windows Vista in mere months and on Office 2007 in less than a year

New ransomware taps into social media accounts before demanding users to pay up

A new variant of ransomware has recently been seen in the wild, which searches for illegal content on the host computer, and then utilizes the victim's social media accounts in order to tailor its demands.

 

Seagate crams a massive 5TB into a portable hard drive

You probably can't fit it in your pocket, but this high capacity external hard drive won't weight down your backpack either.

 

Desktop and Laptop Tips

5 Ways to Email Better

These smart tools and services will make you the master of your email inbox. Worth a look!

How to Use and Tweak the Start Screen in Windows 10

Much maligned in Win 8, the Windows Start screen still exists, but it's undergone several much-needed improvements.

 

How to transfer your iPhone and iPad photos to Windows 10

Shunt your beautiful pictures from iPhone or iPad to your Windows PC with these simple steps.

 

Windows 10 Photos app adds inking and new filters for everyone on PC

A fresh update is rolling out to the Windows 10 Photos app for PC users, bringing along inking support and more. While this update has been in the oven since October for Insiders, it's now rolling out to everyone.

 

The Best Photo Editing Software of 2016

Whether you shoot with a smartphone camera or a DSLR, you probably have photos that need organizing and editing. Here's what you need to know to pick the right program, along with the top performers in our testing.

 

Mobile Computing

Google PhotoScan Review

Easily scans photos with a mobile device. Automatic glare removal, cropping, and rotation. For both iOS and Android

 

Black Friday deal apps

These apps will steer you toward major savings, over the holidays and year-round. For both iOS and Android.

 

Twitter introduces QR codes to make following users even easier

Twitter can create a link between an image and your account, making it easy for others to add you by simply pointing their smartphone cameras at the QR code.

 

5 things we learned about Snapchat Spectacles

If you've been following the Snapbot's progress around the US, it's already dropped off hundreds of pairs of Spectacles to people in California and Oklahoma.

 

30 Hidden Tips for Mastering iOS 10

These tips cover the best new features that aren't always obvious when first using Apple's new mobile OS.

 

Android Tips and Tricks

Discover ways to get the most out of your Android device

A Couple of Apps Worth Considering

Now that the election is over, and the news has settled back to a more normal pace, I want to point you to a couple of upgraded apps that are very good and might be of value. Both apps are listed in the Mobile Computing Section.

First is the upgraded Google Play Music. I’ve been using this app both on my iPhone and on my desktop computers for years. Here is what makes it special for me: I’ve been collecting music since I was in grade school. Thanks to modern technology, I now have over 15,000 songs. They are all stored in iTunes (both on MAC and Windows machines).

Here is where Google music comes in. Google will allow you to store your music, up to 20,000 songs, in the cloud for free. I have set up the desktop version of Google Music so every time I import new songs into iTunes, they are automatically sent up to the Google Cloud. And while I play the music on iTunes at home, I use Google Music to play music from the cloud using my iPhone connected to my car. Works like a dream! And it is all free. Yesterday I drove from Tucson to Yuma, playing my music all the way using Google Music. There are lots of other features in the app, so I suggest you might want to consider it. For iOS and Android.

The other app, also from Google, allows you quickly scan printed photos using your phone and automatically send them to Google Photos. I recently inherited hundreds and hundreds of family photos and they have been a bit of a pain to digitize. So I will be trying this app out when I get back home. For iOS and Android.

Well that is all from me. Now it is your turn. -JRC

 

Tech News and Opinions

Yahoo admits some employees knew of massive hack in 2014

An SEC filing reveals Yahoo is investigating what was known about the hack two years ago. That could have a big effect on the $4.8 billion Verizon deal.

 

Low-cost Android phones are secretly sending your messages and contacts to China

Security researchers have found preinstalled software in some Android phones that monitors a user's contacts, messages, and locations -- and every three days, sends that data to China, according to The New York Times

 

17 Netflix Tips to Boost Your Binge-Watching

Getting started is as easy as picking a show and pressing play. However, there are a few tricks that you can use to get the most out of your viewing experience.

 

The IoT security doomsday is lurking, but we cannot talk about it properly

Something needs to be done to stop the Internet of Things turning into the IoDDoS, but communication with lay people is all but impossibl

 

What Is the Dark Web?

And then there’s the “dark web”–hidden websites that won’t show up when you search Google, and can’t be accessed without special software

 

Desktop and Laptop Tips

Microsoft is busy making Cortana more chatty and human-like

You will soon be able to Expect far more personalized greetings from the assistant

 

Upgrade to Windows 10 Free or Do a Clean Install using a Win 10 ISO File

If you missed the Windows 10 free upgrade period that ended July 29, don't worry. You can still get Windows 10 on your PC.

The Best Wireless Routers of 2016

The better your Wi-Fi router, the better the performance you'll see from your PC, phone, and other connected devices. Here are our top-rated routers, along with advice about shopping for one.

 

Caveat Emptor: USB-C cable compatibility and safety are turning into a nightmare

Here’s the problem, in a nutshell. While USB-C defines a common port, the cables that hook into that port can support a wide range of features and capabilities.

 

10 things every new Mac owner should know

So, you've finally jumped ship and entered the Apple ecosystem.Your new Mac is easy to set up and use. Make sure you know these important basics after you get started

 

Mobile Computing

These 5 apps make better phone calls than your phone app, and you probably already have them 

You probably have a bunch of apps on your phone right now that can make much better quality phone calls than the regular phone app.

 

Google Play Music is Getting a Major Refresh

This week, Google Play Music for Android, iOS and the web is getting a major refresh, with a new user experience and new personalization capabilities.

 

Best iPhone keyboard

Find out why Gboard is our favorite, why Wrio's finger-friendly keyboard and TouchPal's custom themes are worth a look, and how to find your third-party iOS keyboard once you've installed it.

 

Google makes Translate more accurate and sophisticated

Google has announced that it's launched the next step in making its translation services even better: Neural Machine Translation.

 

Google Unleashes PhotoScan App for Digitizing Prints, Adds New Editing Features to Photos App

A simple photo scanning app built on complex technology

President-Elect Trump…Never Saw That Coming

Were you as shocked as me to wake up Wednesday morning and see Donald Trump was to be our next President? Very few people in the world could have guessed this result. I didn’t think it was possible. But there it is.

I stay away from politics wherever possible in this blog, even though my background is well anchored in directing political campaigns. I told friends who were worried about Trump winning that it would never happen. My experience told me that he was working hard not to be elected with some of his outrageous antics. I guess campaign politics is now changed forever. This was a bloodless revolution by the majority of American voters. I pray it turns out well.  

In this edition, I will only focus on how the change in leadership in Washington affects the tech world. It is not pretty for Silicon Valley. A huge chunk of money was donated to the Clinton campaign from the tech industry. And, as a rule, winners of political campaigns do not favor those people who fund the losers. So there is some worry for the future throughout the tech industry.

But there is more here than politics and elections…a lot more. So take some time and see if you can find something that might make your computing life better. -JRC

 

Tech News and Opinions

How the tech industry is reacting to Donald Trump's improbable election victory

Investors, founders, executives, and journalists have been chiming in on Twitter over the past day, with a common sentiment emerging: everyone must come together.

 

Tim Cook to Apple staff: We’ll ‘move forward together’ following Trump election win

Tim Cook has rallied staff at Apple following Donald Trump’s historic and controversial U.S. election win by reassuring them that the company will “move forward together” despite political divisions and tension.

 

Canadian immigration site crashes mid-election night

As the prospect of a Donald Trump presidency looms nearer, millions of Americans are looking to Canada for help.

 

Apple now sells refurbished iPhones -- with a new battery

Its used but spruced-up iPhones aren't heavily discounted from new models, but they do get a new battery and shell.

 

Google might have a master plan to solve Android's fragmentation issues

Google now talks about a new system that could “extend” Android’s functionality using shared libraries that OEMs would be forced to include in their Android installations.

 

Desktop and Laptop Tips

Microsoft is building a new to-do list app even though it already owns one

As with other such tools, it lets you create multiple lists, set reminders and sync your to-dos across your devices.

 

How to Fix Hard Drive Problems with Chkdsk in Windows 7, 8, and 10

Any time you have hard drive errors—or even strange behavior you might not at first associate with a hard drive—Check Disk can be a lifesaver. Here’s a full guide to using the Check Disk tool that comes with every version of Windows.

 

How to Set Your Facebook Account to Delete or Memorialize You Upon Your Death

Many questions come about when one ponders their final days. Where will we go? Is there really an afterlife? What will happen to my Facebook account?

 

The Best Antivirus Protection of 2016

Updated: Antivirus software is a must for every computer. Without it, you risk losing your personal information, your files, even the cash from your bank account. We've tested 46 utilities to help you pick the right one for your PC.

 

5 Tools You Need to Finally Go Paperless

Save trees and become more organized in the process with the help of these key apps and services.

 

Mobile Computing

 

Photoshop Express on iOS adds automated collages & Google Photos support

Adobe has updated its Photoshop Express app for iPhone and iPad to allow automatic creation of photo collages, and to add support for Google Photos.

 

Best Free iPhone Apps: 9 paid iOS apps on sale for free, Nov 8

These are paid iPhone and iPad apps that have been made available for free for a limited time by their developers. There is no way to tell how long they will be free

 

20 Secret iOS Shortcuts And Gestures You Probably Don’t Know

The title says it all. There are some good ones in this article.

 

Secure messaging apps

Check out which messengers do the most to protect you.

 

Updated: The 100 Best Android Apps of 2016

Whether you have a Pixel phone or an older Android tablet you want to spruce up, these are the apps that matter the most.

 

10 new Android apps worth checking out

Here are some brand new apps with fewer than 100,000 installs which are pretty darn good.

The MacBook Outrage Continues

This story just won’t go away. According to one analyst, the new MacBook announcement was the tipping point for Apple enthusiasts to rise up and criticize Apple for taking an excellent product and making it worse. First, the prices went up a minimum of $300. Then, Apple did not use the latest Intel processors inside.

But the biggest complaint was over the use USB-C connectors. Why? Because you cannot connect existing devices to the computer without buying additional connectors and dongles. You cannot connect even the latest iPhone to the MacBook without a a special cable, much less hard drives, USB memory sticks or just about anything else.

I heard one super Apple fan say she ordered a new MacBook, then happily spent an additional $137 for connectors. That makes no sense to me.  Another outrage was over the removal of one of Apple’s greatest inventions: the magsafe power connector. If someone trip over that cable while charging a MacBook, it immediately disconnected from the laptop and prevented the computer from crashing on the floor.  

In response, Apple has cut prices on these cables and dongles. Big deal…I don’t want to have to carry these additional connectors when I take the laptop on the road…and neither do most laptop users.

Apple Music is terrible…the Apple Watch is solving a problem that doesn’t exist…and taking away the headphone jack on the latest iPhone. Unfortunately the Tim Cook era of Apple products just hasn’t met Apple’s own defining standards. Such a shame.

There is some good stuff in this edition that just may help you make your computing needs better. I do try hard to keep things positive here, but sometimes I just have to go on a rant. Take care, my friends. -JRC

Tech News and Opinions

Apple cuts prices on dongles after complaints

The news follows complaints from potential shoppers that the new MacBook Pro laptop isn't compatible with current device accessories.

 

The Biggest Design Mistakes Apple Has Made in the Past Two Years

Apple has lost its mojo. Their obsessive attention to detail seems to have slipped away.

 

Microsoft promises smaller Windows 10 upgrade

Second feature upgrade of 2017 will be issued as a delta rather than full install

 

Facebook is gearing up to serve ads on Apple TV and Roku

The social network will start showing video ads on apps that run on set-top boxes, including Apple TV and Roku.

 

Here we go again! Microsoft throws more ads into Windows 10

Apparently unhappy with the number of people using its Edge browser, the company is now trying to encourage people to switch from rivals by using popup ads to push Edge and Bing Rewards.

 

Computer Tips and Tricks

What Windows laptops and software to consider if you don't want to get the new MacBook

The new MacBook Pro has been somewhat underwhelming critics and prospective buyers. They seem to be needlessly minimalistic and expensive, removing all the ports, bar four USB-C ports that don’t connect to any legacy Apple products

 

Never Lose a Photo Again: The Complete Guide to Bulletproof Photo Backups

With a little forethought and planning, there’s no reason to ever feel the heartbreak of losing even a single one of them to theft, broken devices, or disaster.

 

How to Stop Microsoft Edge’s Pop-up Notifications

Microsoft is now more aggressively pushing taskbar and action center ads for Microsoft Edge. These are just one of the many types of advertising in Windows 10. Here’s how to make Edge stop nagging you.

 

How to Prevent Your Computer From Waking Up Accidentally

What can you do if your PC keeps waking up on its own? Here’s how to figure out what’s waking it up, and how to prevent it.

 

Amazon Prime Is More than Free Shipping: Here Are All of Its Extra Features

Amazon Prime comes with a ton of features that you may not know about. Here are all the ways you can maximize the value of your Prime membership.

 

Mobile Computing

Google updates Gmail for iOS to be more like Inbox

"After almost four years, the Gmail app finally gets an update, plus Google Calendar adds Spotlight search support.

 

LastPass keeps your secrets for free, across PC and phone

The password manager's free version now syncs across platforms, giving you strong, secure passwords on all your devices for nothing.

 

UPDATED: The merits of using iCloud Drive on the iPad

With a simple internet connection I have access to my other iCloud synched devices via my browser window.

 

6 things you'll miss if you switch from iOS to Android

From iCloud photo sharing to the cursor's tiny magnifying glass, some of iOS's smallest touches are easy to overlook until they're gone.

3 handy apps for iOS-to-Android switchers

With the help of a trio of essential apps, though, I've solved my lingering calendar and Find My Friend problems, and I'm now sending and receiving text messages from my Mac with ease.

Apple vs Microsoft…I Was Right!

In the last edition, I detailed the new products that were announced last week by both Apple and Microsoft. And I made the provocative statement that, “Microsoft was miles ahead of Apple in innovation.”

Since then, the tech press, including blogs, new stories, editorials, and podcasts, has exploded on this theme, almost all agreeing with me. No, I wasn’t  the first to make the statement…it was just so obvious that it took on a life of it’s own. But it is always nice to have one’s opinions be validated.

Included below are three of the best stories that expound on Microsoft out-innovating Apple. So if you had thoughts about switching from Windows to a Mac, you might want to rethink your options. But this does not change the fact that my desktop MAC is the best Windows computer I have ever owned (thanks to Parallels)…nor does it make me want to give up my iOS devices. They are still the best.

In other stories below, I have focused on improving battery life for your laptops, Android devices, and your iOS devices. And their is an interesting story explaining USB-C which is now appearing on more and more laptops.  Plus, of course, there are other good stories and tips and tricks.

PS…there will not be another blog this week as I am travelling for the next few days. But I will be back next week as usual. -JRC

Tech News and Opinions

Apple just handed Microsoft the keys to the kingdom

Commentary: CNET's Sean Hollister was ready to buy a MacBook Pro. Now, he's one of many professionals who might pick -- or stick with -- Windows.

 

Admit it: Microsoft is now a braver, more innovative company than Apple

Opinion: Under the leadership of Satya Nadella, Microsoft has been clawing its way to relevance with surprising speed.

 

Everything we wanted from Apple's MacBook Pro event but got denied

The event was cruelly disappointing to all the Apple faithful hoping against hope for new hardware. Here are all the other things we wanted — but got so viciously denied — during Apple’s MacBook Pro event.

 

Making Sense of AT&T’s Bid for Time Warner

A raft of consumer-protection groups are already girding for a fight. And media and telecommunication rivals are hinting that they are prepared to battle the deal in Washington.

 

Google’s New Privacy Policy Enables Ads to Follow You Everywhere

The company changed its privacy policy, inserting new language in it that says browsing habits “may be” combined with what the company learns from the use of Gmail and other products.

 

Microsoft not happy with Google disclosing major Windows bug

Web giant says no fix or advisory has been issued even though it reported the flaw 10 days ago.

 

Computer Tips and Tricks

4 Windows 10 tools that will kickstart your productivity

Maximize screen real estate, segregate tasks, set reminders, and more with these tips.

 

5 reasons why your laptop is slow

Learn what might be ailing your laptop and how to speed it back up.

 

Use Windows 10's Battery Saver to squeeze more life out of your laptop

Settings for screen brightness, low-power mode and more will help you last longer on a charge.

 

How to Launch Windows Without Entering a Password

As long as you feel secure without the protection, you can easily dodge that Windows log-in password.

 

What Is USB-C? An Explainer

With Apple's popular MacBook Pro line and some new Windows machines as the latest converts, it's clear that the USB-C connector is here to stay. Here's why that's a good thing.

 

Mobile Computing

6 smart settings to make your Android phone anticipate your needs

There's no denying that our smartphones have made our lives so much easier. But if you're using an Android phone you might be leaving even more convenience on the table.

 

The Complete Guide to Improving Android Battery Life

Manually toggling connections, constantly adjusting brightness, and the like are basically all things of the past now—but there are still things you can do to maximize your handset’s battery life.

 

How to Maximize Battery Life on Your iPad, iPhone, or iPod Touch

So you got yourself a shiny new Apple device, but you’re so addicted that the battery is running out way too soon—what you need is a couple of tips to keep your battery running for as long as possible, and we’ve got them here.

 

How to Troubleshoot Bluetooth Problems on Your iPhone or iPad

Bluetooth can be a little finicky on its best of days. There are several possible points of failure between your iOS device and whatever accessory you’re connecting to. Here’s how to troubleshoot them.

 

What do You Really Need in your Carryon When Traveling?

When you hit the road, deciding what technology to bring can be a daunting exercise, while toting along extra gadgets can also be inconvenient and risky.

14 Google Maps tips and tricks

Google Maps is pretty straightforward. Search for a place, get directions and navigate. But if you dig beneath the surface, there are many overlooked and useful features that can help you navigate like a pro.