Android Archives

Tech deals hiding in plain sight

ChatGPT

You made it through the week. Time to treat yourself! I dug through the sea of fake reviews and gimmicks for sweet savings on gadgets you’ll actually want. Let’s dive in.

🚘 Eyes on the road 24/7: Redtiger’s 4K dual dash cam ($118.99, 30% off) covers your ride from front to back, even when parked. Your protection is worth the investment.

Comfort you can click: Sore wrist? Logitech’s ergonomic mouse ($69.25, 13% off) keeps your hand in a natural pose. Perfect for those marathon workdays or late-night scrolling.

🔋 Power in a pinch: Dead phone? Not on my watch. Grab a slim portable charger ($15.99, 36% off) that works with Apple and Android.

🔌 “Alexa, let there be light”: Control your lights and appliances with just your voice. These smart plugs ($25.99, 7% off) work with all the big smart assistants like Alexa, Google and Siri.

📖 Treadmill reading = solved: Flip through e-books without lifting a finger with a page turner clicker ($15.99, 20% off) that comes with a nifty bag. Lazy? Maybe. Brilliant? Definitely.

13 hours of fun: That’s the battery life of Amazon’s new Fire HD 10 tablet ($94.99, 32% off). You’ll save a cool $45 to stream, browse and more.

📺 Cut the cord: The Google TV Streamer 4K ($79, 21% off) turns any screen into a smart TV. Say “hello” to Google Voice and “bye” to your cable bill.

🎧 Wireless wins again: Don’t get stuck in 2005. An AirFly Pro ($46.99, 15% off) turns your old-school headphones into wireless ones.

Rock on, rain or shine: BolaButty’s waterproof speaker ($21.99, 19% off) brings the tunes for 20 hours. Great for pool parties or beach days.

🔥 Is it hot in here? It’s almost BBQ season! This digital meat thermometer ($16.98, 15% off) has over 60K five-star reviews. Take the guesswork out of cooking.

🍷 Stubborn corks, meet your match: This electric bottle opener ($24.69, 18% off) can pop open 30 bottles on a single charge. Cheers to that!

Continue reading →

We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.

Bring your old phone back from the dead

ChatGPT

We’ve all got one (or five): that old smartphone buried in a drawer, sitting there like a digital paperweight. You don’t use it, but you don’t toss it either because maybe someday it’ll come in handy.

Today is the day to let your old phone defend your castle as a security camera.

Continue reading →

Talk is cheap

📱 And these phone goodies for under $30 are calling your name.

Apple or Android? This portable charger (33% off) has the juice for both.
Blast your jams on a phone stand (25% off) that doubles as a speaker.
Bring your older ride up to speed with a Bluetooth adapter (31% off).
Travel light with a cross-body phone bag (26% off) to carry just the basics.
Keep your family’s phones splash-free with waterproof pouches (15% off).

✨ Tech it or leave it: Swing by my page for even more of my handpicked tech faves.

We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.

🚨 Android alert: Watch out for a fake bank text asking you to call about a suspicious transaction. That’s when they’ll get you to share your card info and install a so-called Reader app. Next, you’re told to tap your bank card to your phone, and just like that, the app steals the card’s chip data with full access to your bank account.

⚡️ 3-second tech genius: Streaming on your phone? Flip on Wi-Fi Assist (iPhone) or Adaptive Connectivity (Android) to prevent buffering when Wi-Fi drops.

One setting you’ll use all the time

ChatGPT

Ever stumble across a setting and think, “Wait, why didn’t I set this up sooner?”

Turn your phone into a shortcut machine with this hidden feature. Let me introduce you to Back Tap.

Continue reading →

🤓 Lost your glasses? Save a digital copy of your prescription, so it’s always handy while you’re away from home. On iPhone, open the Health app > Browse > Body Measurements > Vision Prescription > Add a Prescription. Tap Add once you’ve filled in your info. Android crew, scan your card and upload it to Google Drive. The future is 20/20, but only in your file storage settings.

📺 Cast away: Got an Android and a Roku? Share your phone right to your TV without extra gadgets. On your Roku, go to Settings > System > Screen Mirroring and toggle it on. Then, grab your phone, head to Settings > Connected devices > Connection preferences > Cast. This won’t work for Apple folks, so fire up AirPlay. Now your screen can be blurry in 60 glorious inches.

📱 Swipe to write: Try swipe typing to write faster by sliding your fingers over your keyboard instead of tapping each letter. On iPhone, go to Settings > General > Keyboard > toggle on Slide to Type. For Android, head to Settings > General management > Keyboard settings > Swipe, touch, and feedback > Keyboard swipe controls > turn on Swipe to type. These names may vary by Android.

⚡ Free of charge: Check out PlugShare’s map to find free EV stations near you. Filter by “free” on their site, or download the app (iOS, Android). Pro tip: Your local library might have Level 2 chargers for faster top-offs, so you can charge your EV while pretending to read Tolstoy inside.

🗣️ Speak not: Don’t let strangers use your phone with just their voice. On iPhone, open Settings > Face ID & Passcode. Under Allow Access When Locked, toggle off Siri. For Android, say, “Hey, Google, open Assistant settings.” Tap Lock screen and turn off Assistant responses on lock screen.

🔎 I spy a virus: If your connection’s dragging, a virus might be the culprit. I trust and recommend TotalAV. It’s just $19 a year to protect up to five devices on Windows, Mac, Android and more. That’s total peace of mind for your phone, laptop and tablet.

🎶 Auto-tune up: Driving an older car without Android Auto or Apple CarPlay? Load your favorite songs onto a USB flash drive, plug it into your ride’s USB port and rock on. Just stick to common formats like MP3 or AAC. It’s like turning your car into a Spotify time capsule.

↩️ Shake it off: Made a typo on a message, note or email? Just give your iPhone a good shake. You’ll see Undo Typing pop up. Tap Undo, and poof, your mistake’s history. Shake your phone again and select Redo Typing to get them back. On Android, Gboard has an undo button for quick fixes.

⏩ Time flies: Time-lapse videos can make a simple sunset look magical. On your iPhone or Android, open the Camera app and select Time-lapse mode. Tap Record to start, and press it again when you’re done. FYI, 30 minutes of real time is about 10 seconds of video. Give it a shot tonight.

🔐 Android got harder to crack: Google’s rolling out a feature that auto-restarts your locked phone if it hasn’t been used in three days. This puts your data into a fully encrypted state, making it tougher for hackers (or law enforcement) to break in with forensic tools. See if you have it: Go to Settings > Security & privacy > System & updates > Google Play system update. You’re welcome.

🔎 Fitbit gone MIA? This trick helps you retrace your steps. Just open the Fitbit app (iOS, Android) on your phone. Then, tap Account and choose your tracker. You’ll see the last location where it synced.

🪫 Battery blues? Let’s find those power-hungry apps. On iPhone, go to Settings > Battery and scroll down to see which apps are sucking the most juice. For Android, head to Settings > Battery > Battery usage. You can tweak notifications or give them a time-out to save power.

💡 I see the light: Make your phone flash so you never miss a call or alert. On iPhone, go to Settings > Accessibility > Audio & Visual > LED Flash for Alerts and toggle it on. For Android, open Settings > Notifications > Flash notifications. PSA: It’s annoying to anyone around you.

📳 Who’s texting you? Set custom vibrations so you know without even checking your screen. For iPhones, go to Contacts > contact name > Edit > Text Tone > Haptics. On Android, open your Contacts > name > More (three dots) > Change ringtone/vibration > Call vibration. These may vary depending on your Android.