Before phones became mobile-gaming, music-playing, app-downloading devices, they were used simply to make convenient, cordless phone calls. There’s so much on phones these days that a passcode is needed to keep everything secure, and making calls is now more complicated.

On an iPhone, you can make quick calls from the lock screen using Siri, but if you’ve disabled Siri access on the lock screen for security reasons, that’s a no-go. You could also use the Emergency call feature to call anyone, but you’d need to know their number by heart.

Now there’s a better option for making calls from your… more

Reddit’s overall design has stayed relatively unchanged for as long as I can remember. It’s easy to use and is as popular as ever, so why mess with a good thing, right? Well, everyone’s different, and if you’re looking for ways to beef up your Reddit experience, try out the Chrome extension SHINE.

Created by Gusto Creative House, SHINE changes the user interface of Reddit in order to bring even more focus to the content, making it easier to search, browse, and create posts than with the standard UI.
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When you visit Reddit for the first time after installing SHINE, user submissions… more

While having multiple cable cords in your home is basically unavoidable in this day and age, having to deal with the eyesore of looking at them doesn’t have to be.

For a quick and easy fix, simply place an eye-pleasing box over your power strip and thread cords through strategically placed holes on the sides. If the wall behind your work desk is an ugly tangle of different computer cords, simply cover the area beneath your desk with a desk skirt or place cord management straps along the back edges.

More strategies for hiding and reducing cable clutter listed in the illustration below. For… more

I’ve used the flashlight feature on my iPhone more times than I can count. It’s an invaluable tool that’s super easy to activate; just pull up the Control Center and hit the flashlight icon. However, turning it off isn’t always as easy, especially when you’re on the lock screen.

If, as a security measure, you’ve chosen to disable Control Center access on the lock screen, toggling the flashlight off requires you to unlock the device first. For another example, if you’re one of many who has experienced periodic issues swiping the Control Center up on the lock screen, then you might have to… more

We’ve all been there: facing a lengthy, complex word that ignores the phonics we were taught in elementary school, unsure of not only its pronunciation, but also its meaning. These words, from autochthonous to esquamulose, are both terrifying and impressive. After all, if someone knows how to use them—and even say them—they must be quite smart. Yet before you begin stuffing every email and presentation with verbose prose, you might want to reconsider what others perceive to be intelligent.

Big Words Don’t Equal Big Smarts

Each of us has tried a number of tricks in hopes of impressing others… more

If you’re a fan of double-tap to wake gestures, you’re going to love the newest app from ElementalX developer Aaron Segaert. On supported kernels, it allows you to associate custom apps and activities with each of the wake gestures you’ve set up, which will immediately be launched even with the screen off.

Say for example you enabled “Swipe Up to Wake” during kernel setup. With this app, you can assign any activity, shortcut, or app to launch when you perform this gesture, rather than having it simply wake your phone. And if you haven’t installed ElementalX just yet, don’t worry—we’ll start… more

Spotlight makes finding apps, contacts, emails, songs, and old messages extremely easy on an iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch. You can even search for Wikipedia articles online, as well as perform general web searches.

The only problem is that Apple kicked Google Search results to the curb in iOS 8 in favor of Bing, and at times, Bing fails to provide YouTube links for relevant search queries. But if you have a jailbroken device, you can add Google Search and YouTube results to any Spotlight search.
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Step 1: Install the Tweaks

To enjoy the glory of Google Search results and YouTube links… more

A salad can mean everything from fruit to meat and everything in-between, but it never means finger food. Forks are required. So that means that even though salads are versatile, delicious, and customizable, they are hell at cocktail parties. How do you hold your glass and take a bite of your salad at the same time? It’s awkward.

These forkless salads transform some of the most delicious flavor combinations into handheld dishes perfect for small gatherings. Use these bite-sized nibbles as inspiration and create your own handheld salads with your favorite dressings and ingredients.

1. Stuffed… more

If you’ve sideloaded apps on your Nexus Player, you’re surely aware that not very many are optimized for use with a remote control. This can make navigating such apps a pretty big hassle, since they were designed with touchscreen input in mind.

But the Nexus Player can actually be controlled with a mouse, which simulates touches and makes sideloaded apps a lot easier to use. There are two different ways to connect a mouse to your Nexus Player, and I’ll outline them both below.
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Method 1: Use a USB OTG Cable

A USB On-The-Go cable, or USB OTG for short, is essentially an adapter that… more

If you have very little counter space in your tiny kitchen, invest in an over-the-sink cutting board, which leaves your counter space open for bowls and ingredients while cooking.

Even if you have very little cabinet space, you can always take advantage of extra spaces on the side of your refrigerator, on the inner side of your cabinet doors, and even the ceiling to hang pots and pans.

Check out the illustration for more ideas on saving space and creating more storage room in a small kitchen.

Click on image to enlarge.… more