None of your business: Quickly hide message previews popping up on your Android lock screen. This is an “A” and “B” conversation, so “C” yourself out, snoopers! From Settings, tap Display > Lock Screen > Privacy.
Quickly access the secret menu on your Android phone
When cell phones first came out, they did one thing: Make phone calls. Our smartphones now are supercomputers stored in our pockets, and most of us don’t tap into their true potential. Tap or click here for seven things you didn’t know your Android could do.
From hacks and tricks to secret options, iOS and Android have hidden ways to get the most out of your expensive accessory. If you own an Android phone, there’s a hack that you might find handy.
If your phone is malfunctioning or you are curious to check out new features, you can locate a diagnostics menu to assist you. Certain Android smartphones have a secret menu, and we’ll show you how to find it.
What’s in the secret menu
This secret menu was developed for technicians to quickly look at your phone and see what was functioning or what wasn’t. As it was designed for technicians, not everyone knows about the menu.
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If your phone is malfunctioning, you can test the diagnostics menu to see if certain features function correctly. You can check the components of your phone like the display, speaker, S-Pen and more.
This feature is only available on specific Samsung models, so not everyone will have access.
How to locate it
Instead of tapping on the back of your phone or swiping a finger, this menu can be pulled up using the dialing pad. Here’s how:
- Open the dialing pad as if you were making a phone call.
- Type *#0*#.
- The menu will appear automatically.
The diagnostics menu will pop up as a grey screen with white buttons. Be careful what you press, though, as this menu was made for trained technicians, not everyday users.
Tech tip: How to turn your Echo Show or Fire TV into a digital photo frame
Smartphones have had a significant impact on how we shoot photos. Now everyone has a powerful camera in their pocket at all times and can snap thousands of pictures without worrying about the cost of film.
But what about your old physical photos and negatives? You can keep them in a dusty old album on a shelf, or you can digitize them and easily share them with anyone. Tap or click here to check out some apps that make it easy to digitize your photos and negatives.
The super secret menu on your TV
Struggling to get your TV’s display just right? Here’s the secret to accessing all your TV’s customization settings, in one minute.
Dress for the slide, not the ride: Harley-Davidson’s 2024 Road Glide and Street Glide bikes are the first to get Skyline OS, a new touchscreen infotainment system. It’s replacing the traditional analog gauges with a 12.3-inch touch display that includes turn-by-turn navigation, Apple CarPlay and voice-command compatibility.
$700 CyberHammer
From Tesla is already sold out. Remember when Elon accidentally broke the window of a Cybertruck on stage? Yeah, it’s modeled after the same sledgehammer. They say it’s for gym use or display purposes only.
Remember that classic Nokia cellphone? It's back and better than ever
Before the days of Samsung’s Galaxy and long before the conception of Apple’s iPhone, Nokia enjoyed a large slice of the mobile phone market. As better technology became available, other companies pulled ahead, relegating Nokia and the likes of BlackBerry to the history books.
You can probably install Windows 11 on your older PC - but you might have to sign this waiver
The next version of Microsoft’s operating system is only a few weeks away. Understandably many users are eager to download Windows 11 and install it as soon as possible. But as it turns out, many of those who want the OS can’t even run it.
Quick cleanup: Clearing the cache on your browser can fix annoying display or loading issues. With your browser open, hit Ctrl + Shift + R on Windows, or hold down Shift and click your browser’s Refresh button (the one that looks like this — ⟳ — next to the address bar).
Save your eyes: Make text and icons bigger across all the apps and menus on Android. Open Settings > Display > Display size and text.
🔥 Hot off the press: Apple’s foldable MacBook could arrive in 2026, a year earlier than expected. Rumor has it we’re looking at an 18.8- or 20-inch display and Apple’s M5 processor. Oh, and foldable iPhones and iPads are still in the development pipeline, too. If anyone can do it right, it’s Apple.
Bravo! Samsung has a new TV that comes with a free 8K TV, valued at $8,000. The 114-inch “ultra-premium” set costs $132,630 and uses Micro-LED display tech for enhanced colors, brightness and response times. They’re also throwing in a discount on a new pair of speakers and a $2,200 hotel stay. Sorry, but this offer’s for Korea only for now.
Apple announced a larger 13-inch iPad Air with an M2 chip, its first iPad Pro with an OLED display and a 10th-generation iPad that starts at $349. Plus, they teased the AI-compatible M4 chip, a new Pencil Pro with haptic feedback, and an upgraded Magic Keyboard with a larger trackpad and a row of function keys. You can pick them up beginning next week.
Night vision: Blue light tells your brain to wake up. You can switch your iPhone to warmer red hues for bedtime — and it looks neat, too. Go to Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size. Turn on Color Filters, then choose Color Tint, and move Intensity and Hue all the way to the right.
You can count on me: There’s a new option in Google Docs to display your file’s word count as you type. Hit Tools > Word count > then check the box next to Display word count while typing. Pro tip: Highlight a sentence or paragraph to see how many words are in just that section.
Windows winddown: Open your Windows Settings, then choose System and Display. You’ll come across a Night light feature. Turn this on, and you’ll get warmer screen colors in the evening — better for sleep!
Uh-oh, your PC’s monitor went blank: Before you hold down the power button, hit Windows + Ctr + Shift + B. This tells your computer, “Hey, the display is messed up. Can you fix it?” In nerd-speak, it refreshes or resets your graphics driver.
I had a personal demo of LG's $100K TV – Here's why I think it's actually worth the money
A true once-in-a-blue-moon technological gem hit the scene at CES back in 2018: a prototype TV from LG with a screen that could roll out of a floor cabinet like a piece of paper.
Three and a half years later, this 65-inch rollable TV isn’t a prototype anymore, and you can order your own LG Signature OLED R right now. The focus has shifted from the marvel of a new type of technology, though, and now all anyone is talking about is its $100,000 price tag.
This $400K folding TV hides in the floor when you're not watching
Have your TV habits changed since the start of the pandemic? With all the new shows and direct-to-streaming films, you are likely watching more than ever. There’s no reason to feel guilty. These are trying times, after all, and television can be a nice escape when you can’t really go anywhere else.
HP Pavilion x360
HP’s Pavilion x360 is 2-in-1 laptop that offers the best of both worlds: Good performance at an affordable price. Business News writer Brett Nuckles calls it “the fastest low-cost hybrid we’ve ever tested.”
In essence, this tiny but mighty laptop has a lot to offer. It comes with multiple modes and a flexible hinge that lets you flip the display. It’s well made, nice to look at and gets good battery life. Check out the specs below.
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