Google’s Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL smartphones won rave reviews at the end of 2017, especially for their superb software and capable cameras but one standout feature that they lacked was wireless charging. It’s a feature that the Pixel 2 series’ successors, the Pixel 3 and 3 XL , along with 2019’s Pixel 4 and 4 XL , all embraced. Although not as mainstream as manufacturers would like, wireless charging is transformative; once you’re used to it, going without seems like a real step backwards....

Phishing attacks are a nasty business. Not only do they have the potential to clear out a victim’s bank account, but also leave the person feeling very foolish due to the fact that they were tricked into giving away their details. So, what exactly is a phishing scam, and how can you avoid falling for them? Here’s what you need to know. What is Phishing? Phishing (which is pronounced the same as fishing) is an old style of internet scam that uses fake emails posing as warnings from banks or other organisations....

Long gone are the days of little notebooks with phone numbers carefully scribbled inside. In these digital times it’s far more likely that the entirety of your friends’ and family’s details are stored in the Contacts app on your phone. That’s why it’s crucial that you back them up regularly, as this not only keeps them safe but also means when moving to a new device you’re much less likely to leave anyone behind....

While backing up your digital assets may not be the most exciting task in the world, it’s an important one. With the prevalence of cloud storage and affordable hardware, there’s no excuse to put off protecting your files. This guide will walk you through various methods to back up your data for free. Why should you back up your files? Imagine losing all your photos, documents, and files in a single instant due to a hard drive failure, ransomware attack, or theft....

A reader asked us a simple question that, well, isn’t so simple. ‘How do I block pop up windows in Windows 7 and Windows 8?’ he said. That and no more. It’s not simple because it is such a broad question. So we’ve taken a broad approach. In this article I’ll show you how to prevent pop ups appearing when you are browsing the web with Internet Explorer, Firefox and Chrome, when using Windows 7 or Windows 8....

It’s that time of year when it’s traditional to spoil your mum with gratitude for all the things she does for you. On Zoom, most likely. The ongoing pandemic leaves most of us unable to pay mum a visit. But don’t fear! If you’re not able to see your mum in person this Sunday for Mother’s Day, you can show her just how much you care by sending her a gorgeous bouquet of flowers....

Spotify Premium offers a very generous three-month trial for new users, allowing unlimited access to ad-free tunes and podcasts from across the globe, along with offline listening and unlimited skips. Once those months are up, your card will be charged up to £9.99/US$9.99 per month. If for some reason you’re not willing to drop a tenner per month for the service, then our guide will show you how to cancel so you don’t have to pay a penny....

When Siri first launched on the iPhone 4s, Apple’s virtual assistant didn’t sound all that human. However, with recent iterations of iPhone, Siri sounds much more natural with more diversity not only in the voice itself, but the tone and even regional dialects. It makes using Apple’s hands-free “Hey Siri” tech much more natural, like you’re conversing with a person and not a robot. While the accent will still default to the region you’re in, you’re free to change both the accent and gender of Siri’s voice on your iPhone or iPad with just a few taps....

If you’re after giving your graphics a cool, glassy feel on Photoshop, look no further. Using a few Bezel and Emboss settings, you can quickly glam up text (and shapes too). We’ve used Adobe Photoshop to complete this process, which is available separately or as part of Adobe Creative Cloud . Some students are eligible for an extended free trial of Creative Cloud , and there are also ways to get Photoshop for free ....

Nowadays, most Android smartphones and tablets can be pretty generous with storage. Most include 256GB as standard, while some offer 512GB or even 1TB. And that’s before you even consider dual-SIM phones , which often let you expand this even further via Micro-SD. With such capacities, you can easily download and keep lots of files on your device. However, there are several instances where your Android device’s built-in storage might not be enough for your needs....

If you are anything like me you probably ignore the vast clutter of notifications that gather at the top of your Android phone – or Android tablet’ s display. Even those that live on the lockscreen can be more of a hindrance than a time saver. And useless email notifications or OTA software update notifications are there to be dismissed. In this article we explore how to clear app notifications and how to clear OTA software update notifications updates....

Whether you’re looking to troubleshoot an issue, update your software or buy compatible accessories, knowing the exact model of your phone is crucial. Fortunately, finding this information is straightforward, once you know where to look. So, if you’re unsure which Android phone you have, here are a couple of easy ways to find out. Find the model name in settings The best way to find out which of the best Android phones you have is by looking in your device’s settings menu....

There are several things that can cause 100% disk usage in Windows, and it can be a tricky problem to solve. But help is at hand: here are all the common reasons why it happens and how you can fix it. When a process, or a combination of processes, demand too much of your computer’s hard disk everything can slow to a crawl. It’s probably the unresponsiveness that’s led you to check Task Manager where you’ve discovered that your disk is maxed out....

We’ve all made regrettable game purchases in the past, but what about if it was a genuine mistake? While it’s a relatively trivial process returning physical goods to the retailer that you purchased it from, not many are aware of how to apply for refunds on digital content purchased via Sony’s PlayStation Store. The good news is that it is possible to get a refund from the PlayStation Store, but there are restrictions in place....

Fortnite is one of the most popular online games around, but with no dedicated Chromebook app how can you play it on a laptop running ChromeOS? We show you a couple of ways to get the game up and running on your device. Is there a Chromebook version of Fornite? While Fortnite is available on pretty much every platform around, including iOS ( until Apple kicked it off , but there is still a way to play on iPhone and iPad ), Android, macOS, Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch, a notable exception is ChromeOS....

With the latest iPhones and iPads recording video in 4K at 60 frames per second, you can quickly run out of storage space – especially if you’ve only got 64GB of storage to play with. Quite apart from the fact that it’s a bad idea not to have a backup of these precious memories , you’ll want to copy those big videos off your iPhone to free up space. Here’s how to get videos from iPhone to PC quickly and easily – and for free....

There’s a strong demand for talented programmers right now and, since it’s the Year of Code, we show you how you can become an expert Coding – or programming – is everywhere and in everything around us. All computers run code: it’s what makes them burst into life when the power is turned on and what makes things happen when an icon or menu is clicked. Code isn’t just for PCs : smartphones wouldn’t be nearly as smart without code for the operating system and apps....

Microsoft is keen to kill off passwords and replace them with biometric authentication, i.e. your fingerprint, iris or even heartbeat. This is welcome news since it’s quicker and more convenient to hold a finger on a sensor than typing a password. Inevitably you’ll mistype on occasion, or leave the Caps Lock on, and have to type it a second or even third time. Here’s how you’ll be able to unlock your Windows 10 PC with an iPhone soon....

When I first tried out a LIFX Z LED strip, I was amazed at how it was able to produce a range of white colours along with great-quality colours. Compared to cheap LED strips, which were fairly dim and couldn’t produce realistic yellows or whites, it was a revelation. Now, I know that it’s because it’s not your average LED strip. It has two sets of LEDs on the strip, one for colours and a separate set for white....

Customising your iPhone ringtone adds a personal touch to your device and helps you stand out from the crowd. While there are various ways to create custom ringtones, using GarageBand or iTunes on your iPhone is both convenient and free. Plus, it only takes a few minutes to do. In this guide, you’ll find step-by-step instructions to make your own iPhone ringtone from a song or any other audio file. However, note that you can’t use songs from Apple Music or other streaming services because they’re protected....