Hacking Emperor

Google has a few hidden tools you might not have discovered yet, and they work in Google Search, in the Google app, and with Google Assistant — on both iPhone and Android phones. We all know smartphones do much more than make phone calls. They serve as cameras, GPS navigators, music players, portable televisions, web browsers, and even flashlights, making other gadgets that serve those singular purposes nearly obsolete. But your phone can replace other tools, such as dice, guitar tuners, and bubble levels, with assistance from Google. And you don't need to install an app to access them... more http://dlvr.it/Sg7g1M

It's easy to copy text from webpages, messages, documents, and other views on your Android device — except when it isn't. Many apps block or prohibit text selection, forcing you to take screenshots or write out the whole excerpt manually. But you don't have to resort to those methods since there's a simple workaround to selecting and copying text from uncooperative apps. With the workaround, you can select and copy text strings, text from within images, and web addresses for any app found in your Recents screen, sometimes referred to as the Overview screen, Android's task-switching interface... more http://dlvr.it/Sg1nWT

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 Experience (Or Disable It if You Don't Like It) Step 1: Update the YouTube App You'll need to be a... more http://dlvr.it/SfdjMS

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 and iOS. The sky filters are free if you have a Google Pixel smartphone, but you'll need a Google One... more http://dlvr.it/SfRXVk

If you're doing the same tasks on your Android phone repeatedly each day — like playing a specific playlist at the gym, viewing work documents, or watching your favorite music video — you can save some time by automating your routine, turning each task into a one-tap gesture on your home screen. To perform certain actions or open apps to specific views — even make your phone speak common phrases you use daily — Google has Action Blocks, which can turn any Google Assistant command into a one-tap widget on your home screen. While the app is intended to be an accessibility solution to provide... more http://dlvr.it/SfLdLq

With all the high-tech wizardry available on modern smartphones, the low-key most practical tool is arguably the flashlight. If you own a Google Pixel model, it's finally easier to turn the flashlight on and off from anywhere. On Android 12, you can swipe down from the top of the Lock Screen to open Quick Settings and toggle the flashlight switch. You can do the same from your Home Screen or from within any app, but it may take you two swipes or a two-finger swipe if the flashlight isn't immediately visible. If you don't mind talking to Google Assistant, that may be a more favorable way to... more http://dlvr.it/Sf6vrK

Emoji characters make messaging more fun, and Google has continuously added convenient and fun ways to insert playful symbols into your conversations using Gboard. After getting Emoji Kitchen in early 2020, we now have Emojify, a tool that automatically adds emoji to your message drafts. Like Emoji Kitchen, which lets you cook two different emoji characters into a single sticker, Emojify is for Android devices only, so you won't find the feature in Gboard's app for iPad and iPhone. For many Android devices, Gboard comes preinstalled; You can update it from the Google Play Store if an update... more http://dlvr.it/Sf1WHL

Emoji characters give you a multitude of colorful characters to express yourself with on social media and within messages, and stickers give you even more symbols to play with. While Android and iOS both have a healthy arsenal of emoji and stickers, Android goes a step further for even more emoji madness. If you prefer Google's on-screen keyboard — Gboard — over other keyboards on your Android phone or tablet, you have access to Emoji Kitchen. Google's emoji cooker came out in early 2020, but it keeps improving with each new update. With Emoji Kitchen, you can create unique stickers by... more http://dlvr.it/Sdz4kN

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 remembered some memes you posted a while back that could be considered ... uh ... problematic. To archive... more http://dlvr.it/SdxsBH

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 Yao Cheng Design. Don't Miss: See All the Pictures You've Taken with an Interactive Heat Map in Google... more http://dlvr.it/Sdlg38

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 Music, or Deezer, there are yearly reviews for you too. As for Amazon Music and Tidal, you're more... more http://dlvr.it/SdjFv7

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. Don't Miss: 16 Best Games to Fill the Sports Void in Your Life Dubbed Mini Cup, the game can be found... more http://dlvr.it/SdZkqG

One of Android's headlining strengths has always been how it handles notifications, and things have only improved with each new update. More recently, Android has improved notification permissions, so you'll have a choice of whether to receive notifications as soon as you first open an app. It's easy to permit or deny these permissions, but it's just as easy to reverse your decision. The notification upgrades in Android 13 are simple, but they're pretty brutal for app developers who rely on notifications for daily active user numbers, revenue generation, and other business metrics. Don't... more http://dlvr.it/SdWdY7

You may not realize it, but most of your apps include third-party tracking services that monitor your activity in other apps and websites to serve highly-targeted ads to you. But now you can stop the creepy behavior on an iPhone and Android phone. While Apple had already implemented App Tracking Transparency since iOS 14.5, Google has yet to implement the Privacy Sandbox it announced earlier this year that will include similar protections against app tracking. In the meantime, there are several third-party apps, including Rethink, NextDNS, and Blokada, that can block apps from tracking your... more http://dlvr.it/SdSNf8

When it comes to finding the exact moment you want to see in a video, the seeking function can be hit or miss depending on the streaming service you're using. On YouTube, though, it just got much better. Released as part of YouTube's 17th birthday makeover in October, along with Ambient mode, the new Precise Seeking feature uses a bar of thumbnails to help you find the exact spot you want to watch in the video. It had been in testing on YouTube Premium since at least June. Don't Miss: How to Unlock YouTube's New Ambient Mode for a More Immersive Experience (Or Disable It if You Don't Like It... more http://dlvr.it/Sd18CK

If you can't find the remote for your Android TV or Google TV, don't like using its voice control feature, are sick of using the directional pad to type, or can't get it to work at all, use your smartphone instead. Using your iPhone or Android phone as a virtual remote control can be more convenient, easier to use, and more helpful than the original remote, so it's definitely worth trying out. Google launched Google TV in 2010 as its first shot at a smart TV platform. When it failed to take off for various reasons, Google pivoted to Android TV in 2014, which has enjoyed more success across... more http://dlvr.it/Scv41Y

You don't need to pay for an app or subscription to have your audio notes transcribed for you on your Android smartphone. There's an easy, free way to do it on almost any Google Pixel, and you can even use it on other Android devices. Google introduced its Recorder app with the Pixel 4 but has since made it compatible with the Google Pixel 2 and newer models. The app is leaps and bounds better than any other recorder/transcriber, but it's exclusive to Pixel. However, you can sideload the app on other Android phones. With Google Recorder, you get live transcriptions of your recordings — no... more http://dlvr.it/ScmqMb

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 thanks to users who've opted into Google Location History and Location Reporting on their Google... more http://dlvr.it/ScX9p4

With all the high-tech wizardry available on modern smartphones, the low-key most practical tool is arguably the flashlight. If you own a Google Pixel model, it's finally easier to turn the flashlight on and off from anywhere. On Android 12, you can swipe down from the top of the Lock Screen to open Quick Settings and toggle the flashlight switch. You can do the same from your Home Screen or from within any app, but it may take you two swipes or a two-finger swipe if the flashlight isn't immediately visible. If you don't mind talking to Google Assistant, that may be a more favorable way to... more http://dlvr.it/ScSc7Q

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 to heighten tension. Don't Miss: How to See All the Pictures You've Taken with an Interactive Heat Map... more http://dlvr.it/ScP6C6

While I prefer Android in my personal life, I've had the opportunity to work in the Apple ecosystem. One of the coolest features I've come to rely on is AirDrop, which makes it easy to beam content from mobile devices to desktops and vice versa. Thankfully, Android now has an equivalent. After abandoning similar functionality (Android Beam), Google has taken strides to close the gap in interoperability between devices with Nearby Share, released in mid-2020, which enables file sharing between Android devices and Chromebooks. Android 13 brings a handy update to Nearby Share, which makes... more http://dlvr.it/ScGMZ3

If you've ever wanted or needed to use an app in a different language than your phone's primary language, your Android phone now makes it a simple process. In the Android 13 software, Google included additional features for accessibility like it does with almost every major Android update. Perhaps the most useful of Android 13's new accessibility features is the ability to set different languages for apps. Perhaps you would prefer to keep your system language and most of your apps in your primary language but set news apps to their native language. Or maybe you'd like to experience an RPG... more http://dlvr.it/ScFf0Q

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 skills, and making time for friends and family, Goals set up appointments in your free time based on your... more http://dlvr.it/ScBvP9

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 norm because they don't appear in most skin tones. As long as the subject you want to cut out of the... more http://dlvr.it/Sc8GpQ

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 the appearance of extending beyond the player's frame, and the effect works on Android, iOS, smart TVs... more http://dlvr.it/Sc4k2y

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 time now. You've always had some control over which users could see when you were last using the... more http://dlvr.it/Sc4RW8

Everyone should know that assigning complex passwords to sensitive digital accounts is the best practice for protecting yourself against hacking. Those who adhere to password creation best practices also know that keeping up with passwords for every account is nigh impossible, even when using passphrases. This is why using a password manager is highly recommended. Password managers can also assist with storing sensitive account information, generating random strings of characters for passwords, and auto-filling passwords when logging into apps and sites. But these services often lock their... more http://dlvr.it/SbtCyp

While you can use Google Assistant on your Android phone to identify songs playing around you, you may still prefer Shazam's music recognition service, which has been available on Android since 2008 — a full nine years before Google Assistant's audio-fingerprinting technology. If that's the case, it's even easier now to Shazam songs in seconds, no matter what screen you're on. Apple has been steadily integrating Shazam's capabilities into iOS since it purchased the music recognition service in 2018. For example, iPhone users can add a Shazam widget to the Today View or Home Screen, use it on... more http://dlvr.it/Sbjqhg

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 seem ready for prime time. YouTube Music has since gained many new features and improvements that match... more http://dlvr.it/SbjKn1

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. And there's so much more to do in the game now! With in-person and remote raiding, Go Battle League... more http://dlvr.it/SbdvhX

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 multimedia diversions playing out within six turns. Some of the best Wordle spinoffs are listed below... more http://dlvr.it/SbVMTx

With the prestige appeal of its original programming and relatively low subscription price, Apple TV+ is one of the more appealing streaming options out there — and you don't need an Apple device to subscribe and watch movies, TV shows, sports, and other Apple TV+ content. The addition of Friday Night Baseball, where Apple secured exclusive broadcast rights to two Major League Baseball games every Friday, made the service appointment viewing for baseball fans this past season. And award-winning Apple TV+ Originals like "Ted Lasso," "Severance," "The Morning Show," "CODA," and "For All Mankind... more http://dlvr.it/SbKYvb

Apple's Siri is well-versed in the spells of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, but it's not like Android users are Muggles. Google Assistant, Android's virtual concierge, can cast a few spells out of the box, and it can learn the spells it doesn't know quicker than a year of studying at Hogwarts. If you want to wield your Android smartphone like a magic wand by using Google Assistant, see what it can do below and how you can program it to perform even more spells. If you already know how to set up and conjure Google Assistant on your Android device, feel free to skip those sections. Don't... more http://dlvr.it/Sb8Kdc

Apple's Siri is well-versed in the spells of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, but it's not like Android users are Muggles. Google Assistant, Android's virtual concierge, can cast a few spells out of the box, and it can learn the spells it doesn't know quicker than a year of studying at Hogwarts. If you want to wield your Android smartphone like a magic wand by using Google Assistant, see what it can do below and how you can program it to perform even more spells. If you already know how to set up and conjure Google Assistant on your Android device, feel free to skip those sections. Don't... more http://dlvr.it/Sb5x9m

Apple's Dynamic Island is an animated, interactive isle surrounding the front-facing camera on the iPhone 14 Pro series. It's a small capsule when nothing is going on but fluidly stretches across the screen for notifications, alerts, and ongoing activities like music, timers, and directions. It can even expand with controls and more information. And now, you can get Dynamic Island on your Android phone. Let's just get this out of the way: the notch is not an aesthetically pleasing design. Devices get more screen real estate but suffer a blemish around the front camera. Yet somehow, Apple made... more http://dlvr.it/SZlpG6

Everyone has that one app they use more than any other. What if I told you there was a way to open these apps on newer Google Pixel devices with one quick gesture? I imagine you'd want to know how to do it. Similar to Back Tap for iOS, Quick Tap for Android 12 and newer triggers shortcuts for apps and actions by briskly tapping the back of your device twice. It's only available for Pixel 4a (5G) and newer devices, and some shortcuts require you to unlock your Pixel before you can use them. If you have a newer Pixel model, keep reading to see how to set up this helpful shortcut. Don't Miss:... more http://dlvr.it/SZfHZp

Some phone lines make it nearly impossible to get past the busy tone, whether it's a viral call-in giveaway, your state's unemployment office, your local post office during the holidays, or the repair office for a broken warrantied product you have. Thankfully, there are apps you can use to help break through the noise. They're called "auto redial" apps, and they perform just as they sound; The app dials a number for you, but if the line is busy and the call disconnects, the app redials on its own, saving you the trouble of doing it yourself. Let the app continue to redial and redial, and... more http://dlvr.it/SXtk9n

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 when calling someone and not get in trouble. Some states, like Arkansas, prohibit all spoofed calls... more http://dlvr.it/SXW8Fw

You might not have ever noticed, but your smartphone's keypad for phone numbers has a few mysterious buttons. They'll appear in your phone and contacts app whether you have an iPhone or Android phone, but most of these puzzling keys aren't explained by Apple, Google, Samsung, and other device brands. If you were to ask your wireless carrier what some of the strange keys on the number keypad are, you might not get a solid answer for most of them. But we've done the research and uncovered the story behind each unique character that appears on the number pad when entering phone numbers to call... more http://dlvr.it/SWpssp

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, paid off, and compatible with the network isn't entirely straightforward. To switch carriers, you may... more http://dlvr.it/SWpFvJ

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 where it's imperative not to forget anything, and even incriminating somebody of wrongdoing. While... more http://dlvr.it/SWM7MQ

You've probably connected your Android device to dozens of Wi-Fi networks since you've had it, and your phone or tablet remembers each of them. Whether it's a hotspot at home, school, work, the gym, a coffee shop, a relative's apartment — or even from a friend's phone — each time you type in a Wi-Fi password, your Android device saves it for safekeeping and easy access later. The trouble comes when you want to actually see the password for one of the networks you've connected to before. Perhaps you want to connect a second device to a saved wireless access point, or maybe you're with a... more http://dlvr.it/SWB7tp

If you scan the notification panel on your Samsung Galaxy smartphone daily, all those red circles with numbers that litter the apps on your home screen and app drawer can feel like persistent nagging and unnecessary clutter rather than friendly reminders to check your app alerts — but you can do something about it. To rid yourself of those anxiety-inducing constant reminders that you're failing to give your apps the attention they crave, you can simply hide all notification counts or disable the red dots entirely. Since Android 8 (Oreo) with Samsung Experience, we've been able to change how... more http://dlvr.it/SW7kVY

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 everyone in May. Initially, the only emoji you could use were thumbs up, red heart, face with tears of... more http://dlvr.it/STrNhY

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 users had it but don't anymore, others have seen it come and go multiple times, and some even see it on... more http://dlvr.it/STnXVV

Google dropped new features for its Pixel lineup of phones, and there's something here for everyone. With the launch of Android 12, Google gave its smartphones (Pixel 3 and newer) a handful of exclusive features that Android phones from other manufacturers don't have. Examples include the new app icon grid choices in the Pixel Launcher and custom Material You interface colors. As Google continues to improve its operating system, you can expect Pixel phones to get the first crack at many new features. With the SQ1A.211205.008 "Feature Drop," you'll see a few new features for the Pixel 3... more http://dlvr.it/ST4gkk

In Android 12, you can launch the Snapchat app just by tapping the back of your Pixel phone twice. The latest Pixel update from Google improved upon the feature by giving us access to the shortcut from the lock screen. That means you're mere seconds away from snapping photos, videos, and stories. But first, you have to set up and configure where you want to land when Snapchat opens. The feature is called "Quick Tap," and it only works on the Pixel 4a (5G) and newer Pixel models. When you activate it, you can choose what happens when you double-tap the back of your phone. You could set the... more http://dlvr.it/SSNSkM

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 that reside in your Android's or iOS device's keyboard are part of the Unicode Standard, which receives... more http://dlvr.it/SPmZZD

It's super easy to add filters, adjust levels, and crop images using the default photo editor on your smartphone, but you won't find any built-in tools for removing the background in a photo. To isolate people and objects in your pictures, you'll need a third-party app, and we've found a free one that's easy to use, works with high-resolution images, and is available for Android, iOS, and the web. There are lots of background remover apps out there, but you'd be lucky to find one that doesn't have expensive in-app purchases, watermarks, low-quality output, or advertisements. Magic Eraser... more http://dlvr.it/SP4dh6

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 later. It's also perfect when you want family, friends, and followers to jump right to the good stuff... more http://dlvr.it/SNsvff