🥶 Not the ad fridge: Samsung swore they had no plans to put ads on smart fridges’ screens. We know that song and dance. Cut to now and a new software update turned into full-blown Cover Screen promotions. Samsung says, “The ads are added value.” Talk about having big meatballs. At this rate, I’ll need a pop-up blocker in the produce drawer.
📚 Stop accidental taps on Kindle: If random screen touches keep messing with your reading, you can disable them. Inside a book, tap the three-dot menu in the top right and select Disable Touchscreen, then hit OK. You’ll still swipe to turn pages. To bring taps back, just restart your Kindle.
📱 Switch layouts in Phone app: In iOS 26, the Phone app looks a little different. Tap the Filter button (three lines) in the top-right corner and choose between the Classic layout or the new Unified view. Unified puts your recent calls, voicemails and contacts on a single screen so everything’s together.
🔔 Flash alerts on Android: Waiting for an important message? You can make your phone’s camera LED flash along with the screen. Go to Settings > Notifications > Flash Notifications, then toggle on Camera flash and/or Screen flash. FYI: For each one, you can choose whether it applies to all apps or only a specific app.
🍏 iPadOS 26: The Journal app has landed on iPad. To create an entry, open the app and tap the (+) next to Journals in the left sidebar. Name it, pick a color and choose an icon. Then tap (+) at the top of the screen, add a title and start writing. You can also insert photos, record audio or draw with markup tools.
😒 Stop Android screens from timing out: If your phone keeps going dark too fast, go to Settings > Display > Screen timeout and bump it up. Even better, toggle on Screen attention (or Keep screen on while viewing) in the same menu. This way, the countdown only starts once you actually look away.
📱 iOS 26: Go to Settings > Apps > Phone > Screen Unknown Callers. You’ll see two options: Silence, which has always been there, or the new Ask Reason for Calling. With it on, your iPhone will auto-answer unknown numbers, ask the caller to state their name and reason, then ring your phone with that info so you can decide whether to pick up. The best.
📱 iOS 26: Screenshots work differently now. First, go to Settings > General > Screen Capture and toggle on Full-Screen Previews. When you take a screenshot with Side + Volume Up, you enter full-screen edit mode. Crop the image, use the markup tool at the top to draw or write, then tap the Tick button to Save.
🌙 Dim your Android screen: At the lowest brightness, your phone can still feel blinding at night. Go to Settings > Accessibility > Vision enhancements > Extra dim and turn on Extra dim shortcut. Press Side + Volume buttons together to darken the screen, then press again to brighten it back up. Don’t see it? Check Quick Settings.
🔒 Lock your Kindle library: Make sure no one snoops on your books. On the Home screen, tap the three-dot menu (top right) > Settings > Device Options > Device Passcode. Enter a code, confirm it and hit OK. Done.
Multitask on your Android: Browse Instagram while replying to messages at the same time. Open your Recent apps, tap the app icon at the top of one, and select Open in split screen view. Then choose your second app. A slider will appear between them, so you can drag to resize each window however you like.
🖱️ Focus on one window in Windows 11: Too many apps cluttering your screen? Try Title bar window shake. Left-click the title bar of the window you want, shake your mouse, and everything else minimizes. Shake again and they come back. If it’s not on by default, go to Settings > System > Multitasking > Title bar window shake.
⚡️ 3-second tech genius: Presenting in Google Slides? Press W to turn the screen white or B for black during a slideshow. Great for pulling attention back to you instead of the slides.
🍏 iPadOS 26: Multitasking is here. Open Safari and look for a curved icon in the bottom right. Swipe up to undock it from full screen, then resize the window from any corner. You can do this with multiple apps and move them using the title bar.
⌚ watchOS 26: If you’ve got a Series 9 or newer, or the Ultra 2, when a notification or alarm pops up, just flick your wrist away from you to return to the Home screen without pressing the Digital Crown. FYI: No setup needed, it works with the update.
💻 Boost your laptop battery: On Windows 11, turn on Dynamic Refresh Rate to adjust your screen based on what you’re doing. It ramps up for smooth performance during intense tasks, but drops on static pages to save power. Go to Settings > System > Display > Advanced Display > Choose a refresh rate > Dynamic refresh rate.
Fix Android lag when unlocking: If your phone stutters when you wake it, home screen widgets could be the issue. Long-press any widget you don’t need and hit Remove. Your phone should feel smoother.
⚡️ 3-second tech genius: Trying to close an app fast? Press Alt + F4 on Windows or Cmd + Q on Mac. It shuts the whole program. I use it when I’m stuck on a loading screen.
▶️ YouTube PiP on Chromebook: You can keep a YouTube video running while working on other tasks. Place your cursor on the video player, double-tap with two fingers on the touchpad, and select Picture in picture. A floating window will appear that you can resize and move anywhere on your screen.
⚡️ 3-second tech genius: Need to take a quick photo? On iPhone, swipe left on the lock screen. On Android, double-press the Power button. No passcodes, no missed shots.