How to photograph the April eclipse, according to NASA

Solar eclipses are a fairly rare astronomical event, but they make for pretty stunning visuals. They are also considerably easier to shoot than nighttime sights like meteor showers, shooting stars, constellations, and the Milky Way because of the abundance of ambient light. Such conditions are favorable for shooting with anyphone packing decent cameras, or even a basic DSLR. A total solar eclipse will be visible from parts of the US and Canada on April 8, and NASA just shared a few valuable tips alongside a quick refresher on safety for you and your devices....

June 18, 2025 · 3 min · 633 words · Robin Barnes

How to Use Emojis in Windows 11 Using Keyboard Shortcuts

How to Use Emojis in Windows 11 Using Keyboard Shortcuts Microsoft began offering emojis with Windows 8 and the tradition continues with Windows 11. Text is bleak and boring in 2022 and Windows now offers you a better way to convey emotions. Emojis are available on smartphones and pretty much every instant messaging app. But Microsoft realized that users need this feature in the OS too. So, if you want to spice up your conversations, articles, posts, or pretty much anything, Windows 11 has an inbuilt emoji solution for you....

June 18, 2025 · 5 min · 874 words · Alyssa Barrett

I Always Keep a Recovery USB Handy (and You Should, Too)

Quick Links As reliable as modern software is, things can go wrong occasionally. If that happens on an operating system level, you will probably need a fresh install. In such cases, having a rescue USB at hand is always handy. What Is a Rescue USB? A rescue USB is a flash drive that you keep in hand to recover or “rescue” your PC when it’s broken to the point that you can’t boot the operating system....

June 18, 2025 · 4 min · 786 words · Carl Wagner

I Went All-In on USB-C: How a Universal Connector Transformed My Tech Setup

Quick Links USB-C is the one port to rule them all, but it has taken the tech world a long time to catch up. More than a decade after USB-C’s launch, I’ve finally moved all my devices to USB-C—and I think it’s changed my life. I Don’t Have to Worry About Forgetting a Charger The first thing I realized after switching over completely to USB-C was that I never had to worry about forgetting my chargers at home....

June 18, 2025 · 5 min · 1014 words · Pamela Scott

Is the M1 Max MacBook Pro Good for Gaming?

Is the M1 Max MacBook Pro Good for Gaming? The M1 MacBook Pro is widely regarded by many as the best laptop in the world. Featuring Apple’s Silicon technology, the company upgraded its M1 chips with two new iterations: the M1 Pro and the M1 Max. The M1 Max, as described by Apple, is a hybrid model that uses two M1 Pro chips connected through a bridge, offering four times the power of the standard Apple M1....

June 18, 2025 · 4 min · 845 words · Danielle Lowe

I’ve Had My iPhone for Years and Just Found This Hidden Trick

It turns out your iPhone can respond to taps on its back. I only recently found out about Back Tap, a hidden gesture that can run shortcuts, open apps, or take screenshots. And it feels like a cheat code for your phone. What Back Tap Is and Why It’s So Handy Back Tap is one of thosenifty but hidden iOS featuresthat Apple quietly added to the Accessibility settings menu. It first appeared in iOS 14 and uses your iPhone’s sensors to detect quick taps on the back of the device....

June 18, 2025 · 5 min · 946 words · Jeffrey Jacobson

Kickstart your smart home for just $90 with this Philips Hue bundle deal

Philips Hue White & Color Ambiance A19 Starter Kit This Philips Hue Smart LED Starter Kit has everything you need to get started building your smart home, including two smart LEDs and a Hue Bridge. Hue products are typically on the more expensive side, but today’s discount brings the Kit to a more reasonable price. Philips Hue makes what are easily some of thebest smart lighting productsaround. They are easy to set up and use, they’re packed full of features, and they support most major smart home platforms....

June 18, 2025 · 3 min · 489 words · Denise Ross

My 10 Favorite Hidden iOS 18 Features

Quick Links iOS 18 is a substantial update over previous versions. Besides the standout additions like Home Screen customization, Messages via satellite, RCS support, Control Center overhaul, and more, it also packs some hidden features. Here are some of my favorites. 1Hide Distracting Items on Websites in Safari I spend a large part of the day on various websites. This also means I spend a good few minutes daily closing out the annoying cookie consent pop-ups, ads, and other distracting items on those websites to focus better on the main content....

June 18, 2025 · 7 min · 1331 words · Michelle Shepherd MD

Nothing Ear (a) review: A sound investment

Despite its somewhat confusing name, it’s easy to see the appeal of the Nothing Ear (a). Just think of the (a) standing for affordability because that’s what they are compared to the flagship Nothing Ear non-(a). At least on paper, the Nothing Ear (a) promises to provide the core experience of the sans-(a) version at a significantly lower price point. It and its more expensive sibling represent the third generation of Nothing’s earbuds....

June 18, 2025 · 9 min · 1711 words · Michele Cowan

NYT Crossword July 20, 2025 Answers (4/22/25)

Our NYT Crossword June 09, 2025 answers guide should help you finish today’s crossword if you’ve found yourself stuck on a crossword clue. The NYT Crossword is a daily puzzle that tests solvers’ knowledge and vocabulary. It’s one of the most popular crosswords in the world, known for its challenging clues and clever wordplay. The puzzle is published in the print edition of The New York Times and is also available online....

June 18, 2025 · 2 min · 409 words · Norman Walters

Plastic screen protectors are back and better than ever

It doesn’t matter if you’re buying ahigh-end flagship Android phonethat represents the best on the market, orsomething found in the budget space— you need a screen protector. Although some phones come with cheap plastic screen protectors — like those from OnePlus — usually, if you’re buying after-market, tempered glass protectors are what you’re likely to add to your Amazon cart. These mimic the look and feel of your phone’s actual glass, albeit without the advancements of, say,Corning’s new Gorilla Glass technology....

June 18, 2025 · 6 min · 1078 words · Beverly Larson

Ralph Fiennes' 10 Best Movies, Ranked

Since making his film debut in 1992,Ralph Fienneshas been a force to be reckoned with in Hollywood, as he has delivered one exceptional performance after another in countless incredible films. With the ability to excel in comedy, drama, and grand, sweeping epics, Fiennes’ skill as an actor brought to mind the best performers of earlier eras, as his stern commitment to the art of performing gave his best roles a timeless quality....

June 18, 2025 · 13 min · 2649 words · Jonathan Houston

Samsung tipped to tackle Galaxy S23 Ultra 'halos' soon

Samsung makes some of thebest phones out therebar none, especially if you’re a shutterbug on the run. But even the world’s most popular Android brand can’t get everything perfect on launch day. Indeed, the cameras on the Galaxy S23 series — most notably on theGalaxy S23 Ultra— weren’t doing as well as they sohuld’ve been. While Samsungrecently rolled out an updateaddressing these concerns, still more need to be ironed out and it looks like another OTA will be needed to fix them....

June 18, 2025 · 3 min · 470 words · Andrea Roman