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Mac tip: Turn on “Do Not Disturb” mode manually or automatically

Mac tip: Turn on “Do Not Disturb” mode manually or automatically

by ben patterson | Mar 2, 2016 | desktops, how-tos, laptops

Just like your iPhone and iPad, your Mac has its own “Do Not Disturb” (DND) mode, handy for silencing all those annoying notifications that pop up in the corner of the screen—and if you didn’t know about the Mac’s DND feature, that’s...
iOS tip: 8 easy ways to lock down your iPhone or iPad

iOS tip: 8 easy ways to lock down your iPhone or iPad

by ben patterson | Feb 10, 2016 | how-tos, phones, security, tablets

Sure, it’s pretty convenient that you can swipe down on your locked iPhone’s screen to check out your notifications or swipe up to toggle Bluetooth on and off, but what if a perfect stranger managed to get their hands on your precious handset? If you’re at all worried...
iOS tip: Family members getting duplicate iMessages? Try this

iOS tip: Family members getting duplicate iMessages? Try this

by ben patterson | Feb 3, 2016 | how-tos, phones, tablets

Raise your hand if this has happened to you: iMessages intended for another family member are showing up on both of your iPhones.  If that sounds familiar, it’s probably because your family is (or was) sharing a single Apple ID across several iPhones and iPads,...
Mac tip: A “magic bullet” for speeding up a sluggish Mac?

Mac tip: A “magic bullet” for speeding up a sluggish Mac?

by ben patterson | Jan 27, 2016 | desktops, how-tos, laptops

Page writes: I downloaded El Capitan and my Mac Mini (over three years old) slowed down…way down. Went to Apple help, they did a few “tricks” and it was back to normal for a bit. Then slow again. Have spinning beach balls and a very slow computer. Is...
iOS/Android tip: Create your own time-saving keyboard shortcuts

iOS/Android tip: Create your own time-saving keyboard shortcuts

by ben patterson | Jan 20, 2016 | how-tos, phones, tablets

Tired of repeatedly tapping your street address, your job title, or common phrases like “on my way” or “you there?” on your iPhone or Android phone? If so, good news. Both iOS and Android devices will let you create your own, custom keyboard shortcuts for … well, just...
Android tip: Set “battery saver” mode to turn on automatically

Android tip: Set “battery saver” mode to turn on automatically

by ben patterson | Jan 13, 2016 | how-tos, phones, tablets

Both Android phones and iPhones now boast low-power modes (aka battery saver modes) that’ll keep an almost-dead battery alive for a tiny bit longer—you know, long enough to send a few last emails or read one more chapter of a Kindle book. The only problem is...
iOS tip: Sleeping through your iPhone’s alarm? Try this setting

iOS tip: Sleeping through your iPhone’s alarm? Try this setting

by ben patterson | Jan 5, 2016 | how-tos, phones, tablets

So, you set your iPhone alarm clock to wake you at the crack of dawn, but the alarm tone was so quiet that you slept right through it. Sound familiar? Now, you could have sworn that your iPhone’s speaker was cranked pretty high…except earlier the previous...
Mac tip: 2 easy ways to spot a teeny-tiny mouse pointer

Mac tip: 2 easy ways to spot a teeny-tiny mouse pointer

by ben patterson | Dec 28, 2015 | desktops, how-tos, laptops

Those giant new Mac displays with ultra-tight pixel densities are spectacular, no question, but there’s a downside to Apple’s glorious, razor-sharp screens: itty-bitty mouse pointers that are almost impossible to spot. Luckily, there are a couple of handy...
Mac tip: How to put a missing hard drive icon back on your desktop

Mac tip: How to put a missing hard drive icon back on your desktop

by ben patterson | Dec 9, 2015 | desktops, how-tos, laptops

Nicole writes: I just got a new MacBook Air and really like it; however, the Macintosh HD icon is missing from the desktop. How do I set that up? Hi Nicole! Congrats on the new Mac, but yes, I can see how it might be a bit odd that there’s no hard drive icon...
Mac Hot Corners Make it Easy to Control Your Desktop

Mac Hot Corners Make it Easy to Control Your Desktop

by ben patterson | Dec 2, 2015 | desktops, how-tos, laptops

So, let’s say you want to sneak a peek at your Mac’s bare desktop. You could minimize all your open windows, or you could tap the F11 key to make your open windows temporarily scoot off the screen. There’s also an awkward four-finger pinch for Mac...
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