phones/smartphones Archives

Tips to take the best holiday photos

Forget getting everyone together at Christmas for a photo opp and having them all say, “Cheese!” Instead, use words that end in ‑ah. These sounds put the muscles around the mouth to work, creating a genuine smile. Try “yoga,” “mocha” or “banana.”

Now, I’ve got more great tips you can use for your perfect Christmas pics!

Just a few of you?

Focus on capturing candid moments. Take a few selfies, and use your phone’s timer to take a group shot or two.

Pro tip: For selfies, switch your camera to .5x or .7x magnification for a wider, unique perspective.
AI tip: Use portrait mode to blur the background and add focus to faces, even for selfies.

Lots of folks?

Give your photo some depth and dimension by having some people standing and others sitting. If someone else can take the photo, have them use Burst mode by holding down the shutter button.

Switching to Burst mode allows you to capture multiple photos in quick succession, increasing your odds of a really great shot. If everyone needs to be in the photo, use your phone’s timer to make sure no one is left out.

Let there be light

Lighting is the most critical factor in whether your pics turn out great, so-so or downright terrible. Here are a few tips:

Avoid direct overhead light: It highlights bumps, wrinkles and blemishes — not what anyone wants to see!
No squinting: Have your subject face the light so it illuminates their features. Ask them to look toward the light or sun (just not directly at it).
Cloudy days are perfect: Soft, diffused light on cloudy days eliminates harsh shadows and squinting. It’s a photographer’s dream.
Shoot for the “magic hour”: The hour before sunset and the hour after sunrise provide warm, soft lighting that’s perfect for capturing holiday memories.

Spice up your photos

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Up your phone photography game

🤳 Who has an actual camera anymore?

Spend $13 on a phone tripod (12% off) instead of leaning your phone on a pile of books every time you want to take a family photo. It comes with a remote, too.
Beach vacay planned and don’t want to buy a GoPro? A waterproof phone pouch saves you $200.
No amount of Photoshop will save that smudged Christmas dinner pic. (Blame the ham.) If only you’d had a microfiber cleaning cloth (30% off, $7) …
Facebook Marketplace hack: If you use a white backdrop, the stuff you’re selling looks a lot fancier. Only $10!
A clip-on selfie light is great for stuff like selfies, Zoom meetings and taking your own passport pictures (with the white backdrop!).

🤑 FYI: Amazon’s Subscribe & Save program can save you a bunch on the essentials you always use. I use it for vitamins and other things I never want to run out of.

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Use YouTube Premium? Buy through an iPhone or iPad, and it’s $18.99 per month. On the YouTube website, it’s $13.99 monthly. Yeah, cancel through your phone and buy it again.

ADT hides a cyberattack

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Hackers got into ADT’s systems, stealing customer info, and they waited months to tell anyone. Plus, why cash apps aren’t safe, Roblox’s kid safety problems, and flip phones making a comeback.

Hauling away your data: A hacker group is targeting U-Haul employee accounts to steal customer emails, phone numbers and verified info, like addresses and the last four digits of credit cards. With that, they can hack into so much more, and they know exactly where to find you. Used U-Haul lately? Call 1-866-242-7780 or email privacy@uhaul.com to submit a consumer request for them to delete your personal information.

$1,300 cellphone bill

After a Royal Caribbean cruise. A passenger forgot to put their phone in Airplane mode and got slapped with roaming charges. If you ever take a cruise or travel overseas, remember to switch on that setting!

$799 baby bouncer

Your little one can use only for six months. The Elvie Rise is a fancy bouncer and bassinet combo that debuted at CES. You can control it from your phone, but it’s only suitable for babies under six months, or until they can sit up on their own. At that price, this thing should get ‘em through kindergarten.

Please stop: On Reddit, you can opt out of political and religious ads. Log in from the app or your desktop, then head to this preferences page.
Hackers and scammers don’t want you to use EndpointLock: It stops them from capturing your keystrokes when you enter your user names, account numbers and passwords. If you bank on your phone or do anything else confidential, you need this. Hit this link for 10% off.

I’m on board: In five years, paper boarding passes and airline tickets will be history. Riyadh Air CEO Tony Douglas says they’ll be replaced by biometrics, like fingerprint scans and facial recognition, along with a phone app. His company, which starts flying this summer, is the first to have digital-only bookings. Other airlines are moving to fully digital boarding passes this year, too.

👂 Who’s listening? Buried within all the legal mumbo jumbo you said “yes” to when downloading an app, you may have given the app permission to listen using your phone’s microphone and collect data.

🛂 All you need is ~~love~~ a passport: In just a few years, say goodbye to paper passports. All your passport info, including your facial data, will go digital and link to your phone. At airports, you’ll just show your phone, and facial recognition cameras will authenticate you. I sure hope they’ve thought of privacy breaches, false rejections and lookalike frauds.

It’s hard to remember to take your meds: If you or someone in your life is struggling, having an iPhone can help. Open the Health app > Browse > Medications > Add a Medication. From here, you can set reminders that pop up as phone notifications. You can also get this top-reviewed monthly pill organizer with talking alarms.

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Put it down: A new survey reveals the average American checks their phone 205 times daily, or once every five minutes. That’s a 42.3% increase from 2023. The biggest culprits? Checking phones right after waking up, while on the toilet and, yes, while driving.

Know who’s calling: Set a custom ringtone for a contact so you don’t even have to pick up the phone to know who it is. Makes a good prank, too … just sayin’.

Cash in on your old cellphone: Don’t let your old phone collect dust. Turn it into cash! Clark.com shows you how to get the most money out of your outdated phone by selling it to reputable companies like Swappa, ItsWorthMore, Gazelle, BuyBackWorld and Decluttr. Plus, learn extra tips to prep your phone for sale and maximize your return. Subscribe to Clark’s free newsletter to receive more must-have money tips every day.

🦶 No more stubbed toes: When you’re navigating a poorly lit area, don’t waste time fumbling with your phone. Simply call out “Hey, Siri” or “OK, Google,” then say, “Turn on the flashlight.” Quick, easy and toe-friendly.

🚔 AI eyes on the road: Police are using AI cameras to spot and flag drivers texting or not wearing a seatbelt. If they catch you, the images are sent to nearby officers, who will pull you over almost in real time. North Carolina has seen phone violations jump ninefold since adopting the tech.

🙏 Imagine you’re at church: The pastor is sharing an emotional story so impactful there’s not a dry eye in the house. Then, your phone rings. Argh. Do what I do and say this before you enter: “Siri, silence my phone” or “Google Assistant, silence my phone.”

Is your ex stalking you?

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After breaking free from a controlling relationship, Melody couldn’t escape her ex’s reach. The truth behind it will make you rethink your phone’s security.

The news app you can’t trust

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Is NewsBreak on your phone? This AI-powered app, the U.S.’s top news aggregator, is accused of spreading fake stories. Fitness trackers might be selling your health data, GM just axed its robotaxi project, and — believe it or not — floppy disks are still running planes and subways!