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Become an expert at Safari for iOS with these 8 tips and tricks

Hide your frequently visited sites, remotely close Safari tabs on other devices, turn web pages into PDFs, and more.

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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. For example, you can switch between Chrome tabs with a single swipe, while...

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9 free ways to get the most out of Google's Play Music app

“Subscribe now!” blares the banner at the bottom of Google’s Play Music control panel, and indeed, everything about the just-revamped app seems to be shilling for its subscription streaming service,...

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5 ways Google Maps can make your next weekend trip better

Sure, Google Maps makes it easy to find the shortest distance from A to B. But sometimes it’s not the fastest route you’re after, but the nicest one. Luckily, speed and ruthless efficiency aren’t the...

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4 ways to keep from sleeping through your Android alarm

I like to think of myself as a reasonably punctual, conscientious  guy who shows up when he says he’s going to show up. So imagine my embarrassment when I dozed right through my Android alarm on a...

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How to mirror Android SMS alerts on an iOS device

So here I am, an Android phone in one hand and an iPad in the other. My trusty Nexus 5X is by my side most of the day, but occasionally I set it aside for a midday charge, leaving me with nothing but...

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7 ways to make the most of Google Keep for Android and iOS

Google Keep may not be the most robust note-taking app you’ll find on the Play Store, but for me, that’s a virtue rather than a drawback. When I need to make a grocery list or jot down a quick idea, I...

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How to get iOS-style VIP alerts in Gmail for Android

Not everyone wants their Android phone to ding every time an email arrives. Many of us don’t even need Android alerts for every message that Gmail thinks is important. Instead, you might want...

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The safest ways to lend someone your Android phone

“Hey, mind if I borrow your phone?” Well, sure, you say. But even as you’re handing your Android phone over to someone in need, you’re wondering what browser tabs you have open, which emails are in...

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6 essential settings to make your iPhone and iPad display easier on the eyes

Nope, you don’t have to settle for itty-bitty text on your iPhone screen, nor must you deal with buttons that don’t look anything like buttons. Once you know which settings to change, you can boost...

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5 alternative (and easier) ways to unlock your Android phone

There has to be an easier way for your Android phone to know it’s you besides a passcode, a PIN, or a pattern lock, right? A fingerprint reader is a good start, but they still have a way of failing...

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6 gotta-know Spotify tips for Android and iOS

There’s more to the Spotify app for Android and iOS than simply streaming your favorite artists or Spotify’s premixed radio stations. Indeed, the Spotify mobile app is capable of some pretty clever...

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8 Android app shortcuts that are actually useful

Sometimes, just saving a tap or two can make you feel so efficient, if not actually more productive. This is the aim of Android’s new app shortcuts—small, pop-up shortcut buttons that appear when you...

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8 handy things to do with your new Google Assistant

So your Marshmallow-or-better Android phone just got Google Assistant, and when you long-press the Home button for the first time after the update, your new digital helper asks, “Hi, how can I help?”...

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6 ways to maximize the Android phone dialer

Whether you’re trying to avoid telemarketers or you want to share a crazy voicemail you just received, the “stock” phone dialer on your Android phone has some pretty clever tricks up its sleeves.Not...

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5 handy things the Photos app can do with your iPhone snapshots

With its various “Moments,” “Collections,” and “Memories,” the iOS Photos app has become almost as confusing and frustrating to use as Apple Music. (Don’t get me started.)But once you get your...

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6 easy ways to keep your Android phone secure

Nope, you're not being paranoid. From pickpockets to malware, your Android phone is under siege from all sides. Wily attackers are continually switching up their tactics in hopes of taking control of...

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9 nifty Gboard for Android tricks you need to try

The only problem with Google's Gboard keyboard for Android is that I'm totally hooked on its best features. Number and symbol shortcuts above each key? Gotta have 'em. One-handed mode? Ditto. Swipe to...

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4 easy ways to keep your iCloud password safe

If you’re an iPhone, iPad or Mac user, your iCloud password is the key to your digital realm. With your iCloud password, you can access such personal data as your iCloud mail messages, your calendar,...

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6 ways to make the most of 1Password for iOS and Android

It took months of hemming and hawing before I finally broke down and bought a password manager—and soon after I did, I couldn’t believe I waited so long. Thanks to 1Password (there are other top-notch...

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6 ways to lock down your iPhone’s lock screen

Just because your iPhone is locked with a passcode or Touch ID doesn’t mean it’s safe from prying eyes and fingers. From text message notifications to Siri, your phone’s lock screen is brimming with...

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2 easy ways to child-proof your Android or iOS device

You know toddlers: The more expensive and precious an object is, the more likely they’ll grab it. My 15-month-old daughter loves nothing better than to get her drooly little hands on my iPad—and when...

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6 ways to make the most of Android's Clock app

Who needs an alarm clock when you've got your Android phone handy? In the past year or so that I've relied on the Clock app on my Nexus 5X, I've rarely overslept. Now that I've got the hang of the...

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6 super YouTube tricks for Android and iOS

If you haven't checked in with the YouTube app for Android or iOS lately, now is a good time to a renew your acquaintance. Among other things, the YouTube app has added such eye-popping features as...

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10 basic iOS tricks every iPhone owner should know

From message stickers and 3D Touch to Live Photos and Apple Pay, iOS is stuffed with attention-getting features that grab headlines and demand rounds of applause at Apple keynotes. But some of iOS’s...

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5 vital Android settings that save your apps, data, battery and more

No matter what you do in Android, there are five settings that everyone should know.. These vital features range from one that limits your cellular data use to a cloud backup setting that preserves...

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6 great Android features missing from iOS 11

Call me a flip-flopper, but the new features in iOS 11 have me thinking of jumping back to iOS after switching to Android barely a year ago.Indeed, the new version of iOS brings such enticing features...

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4 ways to turn off annoying notifications on your Android phone or iPhone

So there you are, doing your best to connect with a friend over a cup of coffee, but you can’t help but notice the pulsing alert on your phone’s touchscreen. What if it’s your babysitter trying to...

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6 quick ways to clear space on an overstuffed Android device

Updated August 2, 2017 to reflect Android N (7.1.2).Few things in life are as annoying as finding that your Android handset refuses to install any more app updates because it’s run out of storage....

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4 ways to save a web page on an iPhone or Android phone

Updated August 3, 2017 to reflect Android N (7.1.2) and iOS X 10 (10.3.3).  So, you’re surfing the web on your Android or iOS device when you come across a page you want to save—not just bookmark, but...

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