How To

Stream media to your iPhone or iPad with Skifta

Perhaps Skifta works better on Android. A universal iOS version of the app was released earlier this month, and I found it to be buggy and prone to crashing. It's worth keeping an eye on, however, because if done right, it could be a useful app for the iPhone and particularly the iPad. Skifta is a free app that lets you stream video, music, and photos from your PC or another networked device in your home. There are also a number of Internet services you can connect to in order to stream media on your iOS device.

If you'… Read more

How to purchase movie tickets using Siri

Apple has released iOS 6.1 for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch users. Among other fixes and new additions is the ability to purchase movie tickets using Siri, as originally reported back in November.

Siri's new capability requires iOS 6.1, the Fandango app to be installed on the iOS device, and you'll also need to be in the U.S. to purchase tickets.

Once you have updated your device and have Fandango installed, buying tickets is as simple as launching Siri and asking for tickets to a specific movie time, or asking for a list of movies … Read more

Get phone alerts for suspicious activity on your Google account

The end-user is at the mercy of the service creator when it comes to how secure their data will be online. Google, fortunately, offers extra opt-in features to help ensure than no one other than you will be able to log-in and access your information. One of these security measures is the two-step authentication process.

With two-step, the user decides if they want to enter a randomly generated code each time they log in from a specific place, or if they want to enter it only every 30 days. The benefit is that if you try to log in … Read more

5 safe places to put your smartphone while driving

After moving to a new city and buying a new car to get around in, a close friend of mine found herself needing some sort of GPS navigation to guide her around her new hometown. So, she bought a used portable navigation device and hit the road.

"This GPS sucks! The maps are out of date and it didn't come with a cable to connect to my computer for updating!" she declared after just a few trips.

"Wait, didn't you just buy a new iPhone?" I realized aloud. "You have to be the … Read more

Set Android owner info to help recover a lost smartphone

Nobody wants to go through the ordeal of a lost smartphone, but it happens. There are tracking apps available to help owners locate their lost or stolen phones via GPS, but in some instances, just having your contact info on your phone might do the trick.

Many Android smartphones, like the Samsung Galaxy S3 and Note II, have an Owner Information setting that will display your contact info on the lock screen. If you lose your smartphone and a Good Samaritan finds it, they'll be able use the owner information you've entered to reunite you with your precious … Read more

Control your lights using Siri and a WeMo Switch

There are plenty of creative hacks you can use to control a random appliance or two in your house with Apple's Siri, but most of them take some level of programming and hardware expertise to accomplish.

I've come up with a less tech-savvy way to use Siri to control a lamp, or anything that plugs in. You'll only need to know how to give Siri a command after everything is set up.

To get started you'll need a Belkin WeMo Switch and an IFTTT (for "if this, then that") account. Provided by the WeMo … Read more

Create, share photo albums using Dropbox for Android

Last week Dropbox released an update to its Android app. The update brought with it the ability for users to create and share photo albums from directly within the app. You'll need to have the Camera Upload feature enabled if you want to take advantage of the new albums.

To begin, make sure you have the latest version of the Dropbox Android app installed on your device. Once you have the app updated, make sure you have the photo tab selected along the top. Then tap on the box with a check mark in it to begin selecting photos. … Read more

Permanently request desktop sites on Firefox for Android

Firefox for Android can request desktop versions of sites, but you have to make the request every time you visit a site that loads a mobile version. You can use Firefox add-ons to change the browser user agent string, but if you don't want to install add-ons, you can make the change directly to Firefox. Here's how:

Step 1: In the Firefox address bar, type "about:config" and press Enter.

Step 2: Tap the "Add a New Setting" button, then select "String" as the type.

Step 3: For name, enter "general.… Read more

How to quickly set calendar times in OS X

Apple's built-in Calendar application in OS X is a convenient calendaring tool to have; however, its default method of entering calendar dates may be a bit cumbersome by first appearances.

When you first enter an event in Calendar, you select the calendar you wish to use and then double-click the date on which to create the event. You can then title the event accordingly. By default this action creates an all-day event that will further need to be refined by editing it to adjust its time frame. While those who use Calendar may find this somewhat acceptable though a … Read more