How To

How to get free books for your Kindle or Nook

Many Kindle and Nook owners will agree: having an e-reader makes you read more. The problem is that e-books aren't cheap--in fact, they don't cost much less than their hard-copy counterparts.

Luckily, the Internet is pretty good at making otherwise expensive things free. We scoured the Web and found a few different options for finding free e-books for your Kindle or Nook.

1. Search for "0.00." This is the oldest trick in the book (pun intended). Simply go to the Barnes and Noble bookstore or the Kindle bookstore and search for "0.00." … Read more

12 tips for mastering Android

There's so much you can do with Android that it can seem impossible to experience all the operating system has to offer. With these tips, tricks, and guides, we show you how to go beyond the tip of the iceberg to unearth Android's most awesome features. Whether you're new to Android, considering making the switch, or looking for new ways to make the most of your powerful device, we've got you covered.

Getting started

How to switch from iPhone to Android If you feel locked into your iPhone, freedom has arrived! Learn how to transfer much … Read more

Keep your iPad data safe

The more you use your iPad for work, the more important it becomes to safeguard the data and applications stored on the device. These tips let you apply password protection to specific iPad apps, replace the four-digit passcode with a password, track your iPad's location and lock or wipe it remotely, and erase the machine's contents after a set number of unsuccessful passcode entries.

Assign passcodes on an app-by-app basis Passcodes are the primary method of securing an iPad, but they can be overkill when you merely want to browse or access e-mail and other services that are … Read more

Simplify your grocery shopping on Android

Grocery shopping--it can be fun, annoying, relaxing, or done in a rush, but it is always necessary. So why not use a grocery app for your phone that can help make the process go smoother every time? While the number of grocery apps in the Android Market is mind-boggling, the amount of features per app varies greatly. Out of Milk is relatively balanced on features, ease of use, and quality in comparison to many others. Here's how to use it to simplify the necessary task of grocery shopping:

Step 1: Grab Out of Milk from the … Read more

How to switch keyboards on Galaxy Tab 10.1

Honeycomb tablets aren't saddled with just one style of keyboard; you can install new ones easily. Some keyboards are better suited for texting, whereas others are superior for longer-form writing like e-mail. Here's how to quickly flip between keyboards on your Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, or other Honeycomb tablet:

Step 1: Find and install a new keyboard you'd like to try in the Android Market. You could try Thumb Keyboard, SwiftKey, Better Keyboard, or many others.

Step 2: Make sure the keyboard is enabled on your device. Some keyboards will walk you through a setup to … Read more

How to use the iPad's split keyboard on iOS 5

Please keep in mind that this post is based on a beta version of iOS 5. Apple can (and often does) change the behavior of features before the latest operating system hits consumers' hands. If anything drastically changes in regard to this feature in iOS 5, we will be sure to update the post.

We have already shown quite a bit of what iOS 5 has to offer for both the iPhone and iPad. This time we are going to show you something that is specific to just the iPad. Steve Jobs announced a new split keyboard for the iPad … Read more

How to keep your Web browsing private on iOS 5

A new feature found in iOS 5 is the ability to turn on private browsing for Mobile Safari. Once private browsing is activated, Mobile Safari will stop keeping history of your Web browsing. This can come in handy in a number of various situations, for example; letting a friend borrow your iOS device to check their e-mail. Having private browsing turned on will ensure their personal info isn't stored on your device, providing them with piece of mind. … Read more

How to use Spotify in offline mode on Android devices

If you're a Spotify Premium user, you can listen to Spotify's 13 million tracks from your Android device. Here's how to sync your favorite playlists so you can listen to them offline, without an Internet connection:

Step 1: Launch the Spotify app and click on the Edit offline playlists button.

Step 2: Tap the check box next to the playlist you want to sync. Spotify will immediately begin synchronizing the tracks to your device.

Step 3: When you open the synchronized playlist, you'll now notice a green icon next to each track.

Step 4: To force … Read more

Changing or creating wallpaper on Galaxy Tab 10.1

Part of personalizing your tablet is changing the wallpaper in the background to suit your style. While some of the stock backgrounds may show off the amazing reaches of the colors displayed on the Tab's screen, they just aren't you. Here's how to change the wallpaper, or even create your own from a photo in the gallery.

There are two ways to access the wallpaper area on your Tab.

Option 1: Press and hold anywhere there is a blank space on one of the home screens.

Option 2: Press the plus sign (+) in the upper right-hand corner … Read more