Smartphones posts - How To- Page 89

Check a Web site's mobile appearance

When developing a Web site, it's always a good idea to consider how the site you're working on will appear on other people's different operating systems and browsers. With the rise in popularity of Internet-enabled phones and other devices, this visual check has never been more important. With so many different devices, checking all of them would require a lot of time and money. Luckily there's an application that makes this visual check a lot easier; just follow these steps to see for yourself.

Step 1: Download and install the latest version of the Opera Mobile … Read more

Update Facebook status via e-mail

Many workplaces frown upon using company time for leisure activities such as browsing Facebook. This isn't without reason, however, as many people have gone on Facebook to post a status update and found themselves still on the site 45 minutes later instead of working. Fortunately, there is actually a way to update your status by simply sending an e-mail, escaping the grasp of the site during work hours.

Step 1: Sign into your account from the main Facebook page.

Step 2: Navigate to http://www.facebook.com/mobile in the same browser (not on … Read more

How to sort your Android apps automatically

If your home screens are in a constant state of flux thanks to a slight case of Android Market addiction, there's hope. While it's still a good idea to keep a few apps onscreen for immediate access, you can use an app called LiveSorter to automatically keep your apps sorted in folders and access them quickly based on your needs, instead of paging through your app list hoping to remember the name of that one awesome tool you downloaded last month. Here's how:

Download and install LiveSorter for $1 from the Android Market. The first time you … Read more

Syncing music to Android wirelessly with Spotify

Google's recent doodle reminded us of the incredible talent that was Freddie Mercury. If you go to Spotify to listen to his music, you'll notice that his first solo album, "Mr. Bad Guy," is somehow missing from Spotify's immense music library. If you happen to own the album, or other music that you want to wirelessly sync to your Android device, here's how to bring it to Spotify:

Add local music to Spotify

Step 1: Log in to Spotify on your computer.

Step 2: Click on Edit, then Preferences or type CTRL+… Read more

How to block text-message spam on your iPhone (AT&T)

Yesterday, out of the blue, I received this text message on my iPhone:

Annoying, right? Obviously my first instinct was to answer "NO," but just like clicking "unsubscribe" in an unsolicited e-mail, that's a surefire way to prove to spammers that I exist--and open the floodgates to even more spam.

What's more, I have a limited allotment of text messages every month, and I wasn't about to waste one replying to this demon spawn--who'd already cost me a text by sending one in the first place.

Unfortunately, there's no "block&… Read more

How to edit video on the iPhone

Video editing on the iPhone was first introduced with the iPhone 3GS, yet some iPhone owners still don't realize how easy this feature is to use. It is incredibly simple to quickly edit a video you just shot so that you can send a specific moment to friends and family members. This can also come in handy when a video is a bit to long to send; quickly trim unnecessary portions of the video out, thus reducing the file size and enabling you to send it. Read on to learn how to edit video on your iPhone. … Read more

Top 10 AirPlay-compatible apps

If you have an iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch, and an Apple TV, you're most likely familiar with AirPlay. It's a feature built-into iOS devices that lets you stream videos, music, YouTube videos, and photos from your devices to your home theater system without any cables.

But now developers have begun integrating AirPlay with their apps, allowing you to stream in-app content to your Apple TV or (other AirPlay-compatible product.)

There are only a couple dozen AirPlay-enabled apps, but we've picked the top 10 free and paid apps that bring entertaining and educational content to the big … Read more

How to get started with Apple AirPlay

AirPlay--a technology built into the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch--brings wireless media streaming from your iOS device to your home theater. Although it has limitations, it's one of the most seamless ways to get your favorite YouTube videos, music, and home videos onto the big screen.

Watch the video and follow the instructions below to get started.

What you need:

An Apple TV. At $99, this is the most inexpensive way to use AirPlay. Other options include AirPlay-enabled speakers, Apple AirPort, and some receivers.

An iOS device running iOS 4.2 or above. To check your software, go to … Read more

Control access to your Twitter account on iOS 5

One of the features announced when iOS 5 was revealed during Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference back in June was deep Twitter integration. What this meant to the end user was that any developer could easily implement Twitter into their app, allowing tweets, links, and pictures to be sent with ease.

There may be instances where a user doesn't want a particular app to have access to their Twitter account. In previous beta builds there was no way to prevent this--there is now.

How to install paid apps on multiple Android devices

If you own multiple Android devices, you shouldn't have to buy multiple copies of your apps. Fortunately, the Android Market makes it easy to install all of your paid apps on all of your devices without purchasing them again.

Before getting started, please note that these instructions are for devices running the new Android Market (versions 3.0 and higher). While it is possible to install paid apps on multiple devices through the old Android Market, there's one caveat: the Google account used for the purchases must be the primary account associated with the device. In any case, … Read more