The Best of Everything (Almost) for 2018

Tech News and Opinions

New report on Russian disinformation, prepared for the Senate, shows the operation’s scale and sweep

A report prepared for the Senate that provides the most sweeping analysis yet of Russia’s disinformation campaign around the 2016 election found the operation used every major social media platform to deliver words, images and videos tailored to voters’ interests to help elect President Trump — and worked even harder to support him while in office.

Russian influencers thrived on Instagram after pressure on Facebook, Twitter

Senate report says Russia's disinformation campaign will start moving to smaller platforms, where it's found more success.

Chinese spies reportedly behind massive Marriott hack

Data breach traced to a Chinese intelligence-gathering effort, The New York Times reports.

AT&T's 5G network is live -- if you live in the right city

It'll cost $70 a month to use with a mobile hotspot. 5G phones arrive in 2019.

The best gadgets of 2018

2018 may have been a stinker of a year, but many of its developments laid the foundation for improvements next year.

What makes Microsoft tick?

Microsoft has morphed into an interesting blend of practicality and aspiration these days. Here's what that meant for the company in 2018 and how it could shape Redmond in 2019.

Desktop and Laptop Tips and Tricks

The 10 Best Journaling Apps for 2018

Just jot your thoughts down or record what happened during the day for a simple way to manage stress, enhance creativity, increase happiness, improve health, and increase work performance.

Best Hard Drives for Laptops and PC Desktops in 2018

All of the hard drives in this collection are solid state drives (SSD). These don't have moving parts like hard disk drives (HDD) and as a result are faster, quieter, and more reliable.

Windows 10 October 2018 Update is now available for everyone to download

Now any PC can check for updates and get the latest

Google Lens: 10 great ways to run a search on things in the real world

With Google Lens, you can explore the world around you by searching for information on the objects you see or snap with your smartphone.

Create your own free Adobe Creative Cloud with free and open source software

While Adobe's Creative Cloud has its strong benefits, it's also costly. If you want to accomplish most of what you can with Creative Cloud, but pay absolutely nothing, these products can help.

Microsoft releases Hummingbird, a personalized news app powered by AI

Microsoft is throwing its hat into the news app ring with a new app, Hummingbird, and my first-run experience with it has left me with the same mixed feelings.

Mobile Computing – iOS and Android

The Best Downloads of 2018: Our Favorite Software

From iOS, to Android, to Mac, to Windows, we’ve played around with a lot of fun software this year. And this is our time to reflect on that which we’ve loved.

How to Download Apps That are No Longer in Your Phone’s App Store

As much as we love to see new apps become available, that also means the inevitable: sometimes apps go away. Here’s what you can do if your favorites disappear.

Google, Apple, Adobe make your phone photos better by boosting raw format

If you take your smartphone photography seriously, it might be time to change your habits. That's because of improvements to a core camera technology: the raw photo format.

Mobile Computing – Android Only

The Best Android Apps (December 2018)

The 100 best Android apps turn your phone into a jack-of-all-trades

Android Messages can now send calendar files, in case you ever want to do that

Someone at Google must have thought that functionality would be useful, because it just arrived in Android Messages.

The 56 best Android games of 2018

The title says it all.

WhatsApp Update For Android Devices: What’s New?

The latest version of WhatsApp for Android comes with the Picture-in-Picture (PiP) mode that’s long been available in the iOS app. Users of iOS devices have been granted access to the mode since January of this year.

Google Photos bumps album limit up to 20,000 pictures and videos

Live Albums, announced in early October of this year, offers Google Photos users an easy way to create albums that automatically add new photos of specific people and pets.

How to delete your Facebook account on Android

If you're ready to jump ship from Facebook, here's what you need to know.

Mobile Computing – iOS Only

Best iPhone Apps for 2018

Our editors hand-picked these products based on our tests and reviews.

Will the iPhone XR be even cheaper? I went to phone stores to find out

Readers wondered whether Apple's latest phone will enjoy even more incentives. I was forced to investigate.

iPhone tips and tricks: 10 things you'll wish you knew sooner

Whether you’re conversing with Siri or figuring out a new way to navigate your notifications, here are 10 things you didn't know your iPhone could do.

iPhone’s Face ID obliterates gullible Android rivals

Just how secure is the facial recognition biometric technology adopted by Apple and its rivals? A Forbes reporter (and his 3D printed head model) recently demonstrated just how the iPhone stacks up against Android rivals.

26 iOS Apps Worth Paying For

You spend $4 on coffee; what's 99 cents for an app? Many of the apps in Apple's App Store are free, but these are the best paid iOS apps, according to PCMag staffers.

New low price: Apple's iPad 2018 is $229, beating Black Friday's best deal

Both the 'New iPad' 32GB and the 128GB versions are on sale now.

Apple Watch

Apple Watch: The ultimate guide

Everything you need to know about Apple Watch, watchOS, and more!

9 things you need to know about your new Apple Watch

If you receive a new Apple Watch this holiday season, don't be intimidated -- it can do a lot, and we're here to show you how.

Apple Watch tips and tricks in WatchOS 5

But not every Apple Watch feature is obvious from the get-go. Apple has filled the watch with neat tricks and helpful tools to make using the watch a lot easier.

How to Force Close an App on the Apple Watch

Happily, the process to force quit an app on the Apple Watch is short and sweet, so your app should be back up and running properly in no time.

Desktop, Laptop, Tablet & Phone Tips…Plus Apple Watch

Tech News and Opinions

Microsoft Edge: What went wrong, what's next

Microsoft's grand browser experiment flopped in the marketplace, so the company is turning to an unlikely successor: the open-source Chromium project. Can it succeed where EdgeHTML failed?

Chrome Extensions are coming to Microsoft’s new Edge browser

Microsoft’s new Chromium-based Edge browser intends to support existing Chrome extensions, a member of the software’s development team has confirmed.

Google CEO Sundar Pichai faces Congress over political bias, China and data collection

Google CEO Sundar Pichai defended the search giant against criticism of political bias, concerns over its data collection policies and worries about efforts in China during a high-profile appearance on Capitol Hill on Tuesday.

The best smart home gifts for 2018

Our top gift picks for anyone on your list who might want a smart speaker, a smart lock or a connected convection oven.

Skylum Luminar 3 with Libraries is an All-in-One Lightroom Rival

After a year of drumming up anticipation and sneak peeks, Skylum today finally announced the availability of Luminar 3. The all-in-one imaging package is both an image editor and library.

These are the most popular Google searches of 2018

very year, Google Trends publishes its "Year in Search" to highlight the past year's most popular Google searches. 2018's results have arrived, so let's dive in and see what's been trending.

Desktop and Laptop Tips and Tricks

How To Delete Your Google+ Account

Shutdown of Google+ has been moved up to April because your data has been stolen. You're boarding up a broken window, but your personal data is still inside that sketchy house

The 5 Best iOS Emulators for PC

If you'd like to find out how a particular app will appear and function on an an iPad, iPhone or iPod touch right from your Windows laptop or desktop, you'll need an iOS emulator.

Best Laptops for 2018

Our editors hand-picked these products based on our tests and reviews.

New Firefox suggests ways to get more out of the web

Mozilla's new Firefox 64 keeps an eye on what you're up to and prompts you to try extensions and features that could help you with that activity.

VPN services 2018: The ultimate guide to protecting your data on the internet

Whether you're in the office or on the road, a VPN is still one of the best ways to protect yourself on the big, bad internet. Here are all the answers to your VPN questions.

The Best VPN services for 2018

Our VPN rankings are based more than 20 factors including number of server locations, client software, dedicated and dynamic IP, bandwidth caps, security, logging, customer support and price.

Mobile Computing – iOS and Android

7 Smartphone Landscape Photography Tips & Tricks

It takes more than just the willingness and excitement to shoot and share photos to make sure that they are good ones.

Alexa can now check your email

The enhancements — a few of which were announced at an event in September — are rolling out to Alexa users starting today and will be available to all U.S. customers in the coming days.

Google Photos will no longer provide unlimited storage for unsupported video files

As of December 6th, videos in unsupported formats are no longer included in the free storage deal.

Christmas photo shoot ideas for creative people

Depending on whether you have a family or a couple, money for expensive props – the ideas will be different. That’s why we did our best to divide all the ideas into 8 subgroups: Toddler, kids, family, funny, couple, casual, formal and props.

Mobile Computing – Android Only

These 22 Android apps are secret battery life killers and should be avoided

For all of the great Android apps around, there are still plenty of dodgy ones lurking in the Google Play Store it seems, with a new report revealing 22 malware-ridden downloads that should be avoided at all costs.

How to take great pictures on your Android phone

It’s worth learning a few bits and pieces about what your phone camera can do and how you can get the best out of it.

Best microSD Cards for Android in 2018

A microSD card lets you easily move your files, photos, and music from device to device without having to rely on steady Wi-Fi or costly data. It also helps if you like to load your phone up with apps.

Top 10 New Android Games This Week

This column is dedicated to new games that you can start playing right now.

Top 5 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.

Mobile Computing – iOS Only

Apple releases iOS 12.1.1, tvOS 12.1.1, macOS 10.14.2

Apple has released iOS 12.1.1 for iPhone and iPad today with a handful of notable improvements.

Microsoft Outlook for iOS get a brand-new look, haptic feedback

Microsoft says the redesign places an emphasis on efficiency and ease

Apple's $29 iPhone battery offer ends Dec. 31

The offer was for a year and applies to the iPhone 6, 6 Plus, 6s, 6s Plus, SE, 7, or 7 Plus models. Just 3 weeks left to get it.

Google Maps' new personalized suggestions come to iOS

The company has introduced a series of new features designed to help Google Maps users learn what's happening around them, track area businesses to receive updates about their events and promotions and receive personalized suggestions of places to visit, dine and more.

Best iPhone Lens Kits in 2018

There's nothing like using a camera, but with one of these lens kits, using your iPhone comes awfully close. Here are the absolute best iPhone lens kits in 2018.

Apple Watch

Apple Watch ECG app: How it works and what it means for the future of health

Apple's one-lead ECG, arriving now on Apple Watch 4, could change medical practice.

The Most Useful Apple Watch Apps

Here are our picks for the Apple Watch apps that go above and beyond the basics to add real value to your Apple-branded timepiece.

10 Things the Digital Crown and Side Button Do on Apple Watch

The Digital Crown and Side buttons have a few additional uses that you may not already know about. We’ve got a list of 10 important actions that the Apple Watch’s external controls activate.

The 10 Best Apple Watch Complications of 2018

Apple Watch complications are little bits of information from apps that appear on the watch face.

Microsoft to Drop Edge & Create Its Own Chrome Browser

Tech News and Opinions

Microsoft is building its own Chrome browser to replace Edge

While the modern look and feel has paid off for Edge, the underlying browser engine (EdgeHTML) has struggled to keep up with Chromium. Microsoft is finally giving up and moving its default Windows 10 browser to Chromium.

Microsoft Plans Overhaul of Windows 10 Icons

Microsoft has big plans for its iconography, and a plan to standardize its style across all of Windows.

Fixing Facebook? Zuckerberg falls short of his New Year's goal

From a data privacy scandal to leadership concerns, Facebook's troubles kept growing in 2018.

The worst tech failures of 2018

It was a rough year for the technology industry: From anxiety-inducing social networks and buggy mobile devices to glitchy operating systems and killer driverless cars, we had it all.

Cord cutter curious? 10 considerations before you cancel cable TV

Save a bunch of money! Kick that ancient box to the curb! Ditch all those channels you never watch anyway! Never deal with a cable guy again! Not so fast.

Hulu vs. YouTube TV vs. Sling TV vs. DirecTV Now vs. PlayStation Vue: Channel lineups compared

Sling TV, DirecTV Now, YouTube TV, Hulu, PlayStation Vue, Philo and Fubo TV are all vying for your cord-cutting dollar. Here's how the top 100 channels stack up.

USPS Security Flaw Exposes Data of 60 Million People

This could give third parties access to information including when critical documents and checks are scheduled to arrive in people’s mailboxes.

Desktop and Laptop Tips and Tricks

Sticky Notes 3.1 is now available to everyone on version 1803 and higher

Over the last couple of weeks, we’ve been testing an update to Sticky Notes in Skip Ahead. Today, we’re excited to announce that we’re rolling out that major update to everyone on Windows version 1803 and higher!

What are the best keyboard shortcuts for Windows?

I recommend the use of keyboard shortcuts because they save a lot of time, and sometimes a lot of unsaved work.

How to properly remove a printer on Windows 10

If you're no longer using a particular printer, you can use this guide to remove it from your device in five different ways.

Excel’s top 12 most popular formulas with examples

Make sure these date and time functions, math tricks, and data manipulation tools are all at your disposal.

Microsoft patches several versions of Windows 10

Microsoft has provided a number of fixes and updates to several older variants of Windows 10.

Here's a workaround that helps the new Gmail look old again

Google has stopped allowing users to revert to the old version of its email product. However, there is a workaround that should bring some sanity back into your workflow if the new design is too much for you.

Miscellaneous Tips and Tricks

Forgetting 'Airplane Mode' on Your Phone Could Cost You

One passenger learned the hard way that forgetting to switch on airplane or flight mode on his phone can be a big deal.

How to Ask Alexa to Remember Things

Having trouble keeping track of important dates, where you left your keys, or what you need to bring to the gym? These tips will show you how to use Alexa skills to remember all of the important details in your life.

How to Use Your Oversized Phone with One Hand

Owning a handset with a big screen doesn’t mean you can’t operate it with just one hand if you need to—these are the software tricks and apps you need to familiarize yourself with.

Scam websites are using that green https padlock to fool you

As it turns out, fraudsters got wise and started adding the padlock, which until recently was a bright green in most browsers, to their websites too.

Unfollow People on Facebook for a Happier Life

Unfortunately, your friends list is probably filled with people you can’t unfriend but would prefer not to hear from. Go ahead and unfollow them.

Mobile Computing – iOS Only

How to add a wake up weather forecast to your iPhone Lock Screen

Apple included a fairly basic Lock Screen notification that gives you the day’s weather each morning shortly after you quit hitting the snooze button.

These Are Apple's Best iPhone and iPad Apps of 2018

The list includes the App Store’s hand-picked winners for everything from the best game of the year to the best app trend of the year.

Just Press Record: Indispensable Audio Capture, Transcription, and Sync $5

Just Press Record is a must-have app. With a single tap, the app seamlessly records, transcribes, and syncs audio to all your devices.

What method should you use to make sure your iOS photos are backed up?

It’s not always crystal clear how photos on an iOS device make their way to a backup

Want Amazing Landscape Photography With Your iPhone? Try These Mobile Photography Tips

With a few technical tips and composition advice, you have a recipe for improving your photography.Here’s a short list things you can do to master landscape photography with your iPhone.

Mobile Computing – Android Only

Google keeps failing to understand tablets

The reason for Android’s failure as a tablet OS should be obvious. Android is made for smartphones

Navigation-optimized Google Assistant rolling out in Google Maps for Android

Back at I/O 2018, Google announced that Assistant was coming to Google Maps. Specifically, a visually compact and less disruptive version would appear when getting directions.

How to set up and customize Google Assistant

Make it yours, and you'll get a lot more out of the experience.

5 'hidden gem' Android apps, according to Google

The apps range from an augmented reality app that lets you draw on things you see in the real world, to an app for recording your dreams.

Top 10 Android app updates this week

We’ve found that one of the best ways to discover useful apps is to find the ones that are actually being updated by the developers rather than selecting the apps with the most installs.

10 new Android apps worth checking out

Here are some notable new apps with fewer than 100,000 installs.