How To: Prevent WhatsApp from Automatically Downloading Photos, Videos

Unless you're on an unlimited data plan and your phone still has gigabytes of extra space at your disposal, you can skip this guide now. However, if you are a heavy WhatsApp user under a throttled, capped data plan and notice that sudden drop of available phone storage space, then, this guide is for you.

In this article, we will show you how you can save precious data and free up some space on your iPhone or Android by restricting WhatsApp from automatically downloading shared photos, videos, and documents on your phone. WhatsApp by default automatically downloads photos or videos being shared within the app so you get the best possible user experience. But if that UX feature means exhausting our data plan fast while shrinking our storage space, then, we don't want that.

Save Data and Space - Restrict WhatsApp from Automatically Downloading Photos and Videos

The process is easy, you just need to go to WhatsApp Settings tab and just fiddle around those toggles and checkboxes.

For Android:

• Navigate to Settings > Data and storage usage.

  

• Just scroll down and under Media auto-download, tap on When using mobile data. It should bring you a dialog. Just uncheck Photos, Audio, Videos, and Documents.

  

• Do the same process for When connected on Wi-Fi and When Roaming options.

For iOS

• Go to Settings > Data and Storage Usage

• Tap Photos and select Never option to stop downloading photos automatically

  

• Do the same for Audio, Videos, and Documents

You're done!

WhatsApp Web Now Lets You Watch Shared YouTube, Facebook Videos Within the App

Restricting WhatsApp from automatically downloading photos or videos is one simple action that can save you both space and data.

How To: Remotely Spy, Monitor SMS Text Messages on iPhone, Android (UPDATED)

WARNING! The SMS spy applications detailed below are intended to be used only for private and legal purposes. They cannot be used for violating anyone's rights, spying or other illegal purposes. User of any of these spying software takes all responsibility for using these applications in any illegal use cases.

Tired of cheating husband? Do you ever suspect your wife or girlfriend is making an affair? Do you suspect your kids are secretly buying stuff they're not supposedly getting? Ever wondered who's that someone trying to interact with your daughter? If yes, then, a remote SMS monitoring spy app for Android or iPhone is all you need.

Below are some of the best and free and paid SMS monitoring apps that you can install on your iPhone, Android and even Symbian and Blackberry device. These remote SMS monitoring mobile apps allow you to remotely spy and monitor text messages, SMS of your cheating husband, kids without their knowledge.

Use IFTTT As A Spy App: Secretly Collect iOS Photos Taken on iPhone, iPad (No Jailbreak)

Best & Free Remote SMS Monitoring App For Android, iPhone

1. SMS Replicator Android Secret Spy App - Spy, Read Someone's Inbox

   SMS Replicator, one of the most controversial applications for Android, does almost the same with SMS Monitor. It automatically forwards another copy of every successful text message, SMS sent. This SMS spy app works well with Android and can be used to spy on your girlfriend/boyfriend or kids or simply for fun. Simply grab the phone while they are taking bath. Download and install SMS Replicator for Android, configure it with your number. Once done, the app will run in the background and it will forward incoming messages to you.

   If successfully installed, this SMS remote spy app for Android has no icon so it is impossible to find on phone and will run on its own. The only way to reveal the app is to text the phone with your secret password. Just text "000" to the phone to open the secure settings and choose the forwarding number.

   In my test, it really worked like a charm and felt that uncomfortable feeling of guilt of being able to monitor whoever I want to track. So please use it at your own risk.

   SMS Replicator, being a controversial Android app, cannot be downloaded on PlayStore so you have to look for it on Google or other file hosting sites. I previously hosted it at 110mb.com but apparently the hosting site is already unavailable, and I don't have backup :( Sorry about that.

2. Mobile Spy - The most advanced, next generation remote SMS spying software for iPhone

   UPDATE: I originally wrote this article back in 2011 so I can no longer vouch if Mobile Spy still works for iPhone, considering the often-updated, walled ecosystem of iOS. However, you can go give it a try, request a demo and see if it's what you need.

   However, the closest alternative I can think of to somehow monitor your kids is to use IFTTT and track every single snap without them knowing (no Jailbreak required). Follow this guide how you can Use IFTTT as a spy app to secretly copy, collect iOS photos on iPhone, iPad.

   Mobile Spy is your ultimate solution for remote mobile spying needs. This is a subscription-based app, with great handset support, and comes with advanced remote monitoring functions.

   Mobile Spy uses the Internet capabilities of your phone, records your text and call activities, and logs your GPS locations. All data are then quickly uploaded to your Mobile Spy account so that you can monitor the activity of your cheating husband or kids via web. To download, visit Mobile Spy website.

   Remotely Lock, Password-Protect Your Lost/Forgotten Phone Via SMS

   Your two timer husband is less likely to make the same crime again if you install SMS spying/monitoring app on his phone. If you manage a business, your employees are less likely to abuse their SMS privileges.

3. SMS Monitor - Get instant copy for every SMS, text message sent and received by your husband or kids

   This is one of my favourite apps back in Symbian days (Nokia) so if you have old Symbian device lying around, you can use below's app. Otherwise, you can skip this part.

   SMS Monitor is a powerful tool for remote sms-monitoring. It was purposely created for security audit and parental control. You'll be able to read every single text message/SMS being sent and received.

   SMS Monitor Key Features:

   - the app secretly sends incoming and outgoing SMS from mobile phone where it is installed to an admin number (you)

   - all messages would be sent in hidden mode

   - application is not shown in phone menu (there's no way for them to jon and uninstall)

   - the app does not keep copies of SMS in sent and reports folders

   - the app is not shown in Task List

   Free SMS Bombing Apps To Send Multiple Messages All At Once

   SMS Monitor perfectly works on any s60v3 and s60v5 Nokia Symbian handsets. Download, sign and install the app called SmsMonitor.v1.0.sis, just google it. Remember to install the app to your kid or husband's phone (of course, do it behind closed doors). After installation the application starts in hidden mode. To prepare it for work, just grab another phone -- your phone (not necessarily Symbian) and text "set admin" (without quotes) to your kid or husband's number. The message should be received and deleted automatically. If successfully installed, you should receive all inbound and outbound SMS/text messages being sent or received by your husband/kid.

If you know any other remote SMS spy app, please email me (or comment below) and I will update the list.

Easiest Way To Play YouTube in the Background on iPhone, iPad + Auto Play While Keeping Other Apps Opened

Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you needed to play that awesome YouTube channels containing your favorite music covers straight from your iPhone or iPad? Well, probably, not once.

While consuming those eargasmic treats and performances from your favorite artists is a straight-out simple to do on YouTube's official iOS app, you'll be forced to keep the YouTube app opened or else video playback will stop as soon as you exit or open another app.

How To: Download Specific Parts, Portions Of YouTube Videos

YouTube makes money through ads. So it just makes sense for them to disallow video playback in the background on iPhone or Android to maintain the ad impression count. In the current YouTube iOS app, there's no background playback support and it's always impossible to continuously enjoy YouTube videos while you're busy browsing Safari or chatting a friend on Messenger.

However, if you really need to play YouTube in the background on your iPhone or iPad while giving you the freedom to open other apps, here's a simple trick.

How to add background playback support to YouTube on iPhone, iPad

The quickest way to continuously play YouTube in the background on iOS is to play it in Opera Mini.

Once you have Opera Mini installed, just launch that browser and go to youtube.com and search for your video or you can simply paste the video URL in the address bar.

As soon as your YouTube video begins to play, click the iPhone's home button to exit the app, which normally pauses the media playback. Next, bring in iOS' Control Center and hit on the Play button to continue YouTube's media playback.

You should be able to continue to audio-stream that YouTube video, as seen below:

This trick works well even if your lock screen is active or you open other apps. And the best part? It can auto-play succeeding videos as long as you enabled auto-play in the video player and iPhone's Background Refresh is turned on.

How To: Watch YouTube, Netflix on Sticky, Floating Window While Keeping Other Apps Opened

YouTube, being the second largest search engine in the world, hosts a staggering 5+ billion of videos as of 2018, ranging from user-generated tutorials, guides, music videos, movie trailers and more. With that figure, it's easy to see why the video platform snags a whooping 500+ millions of views daily on smartphones alone.

5 Surprisingly Cheap IoT Devices to Easily Upgrade Your Home for Less

These are the most essential smart home devices to give you a headstart with smart home living without breaking the bank. These smart home devices we hand-picked are all affordable, requires no technical know-how, and an absolute joy to use.

Unless you’re in a cave in the past few months minding your own business, skipping all the smart home technology headlines, you probably have heard of Internet-of-Things (IoT) and connected smart home devices.

Internet-of-Things (IoT) explained

The easiest definition of Internet-of-Things (IoT) I can think of is that it’s just a network like an internet where all your smart home devices are connected. IoT typically operates on top of your existing home WiFi network, so you can just simply imagine of IoT as a network of home devices within your existing home network.

Forbes predicts that by 2022, people would spend $1.22T on IoT devices and a global market that will continue to burgeon each year. No wonder the annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) continues to surprise us with cool and bizarre IoT gadgets, ranging from robotic cleaners, smart locks and pet food dispenser.

Smart home technology or IoT devices - what are they?

At the heart of IoT network are your connected home devices that able to send and receive commands at a swipe of a finger or by your voice, giving you:

• the ability to automate routinary tasks like preparing your morning brew, starting your heater, turning on your cooling system at home while driving from work, turning off virtually any appliance at a certain time (and save money in the process), etc.

• the ability to secure your home from burglary and unwanted entries inside your premises while you’re away from home

• the convenience and efficiency, saving both time and money (later we’ll tell you how some IoT devices can cut your electric bills)

One popular notion of having connected home devices setup is that it’s going to cost you a fortune and it’s bloody rocket science to set up. That’s plainly wrong. While some well-promoted IoT devices can be costly, that doesn’t mean you need to follow the herd and just buy what other people buy.

We can just start off with the basics, the least costly ones, to give you the feel what it’s like to have IoT at home. And in this guide, we’ll even skip using smart home hubs and controllers like Amazon Echo or the highly recommended Wink Hub 2. Hubs and controllers are all optional.

Below are essential smart home devices you should start using for smarter homes

IoT on a Budget: 5 Surprisingly Cheap, Essential Smart Home Devices to Automate Your Home

1. Smart Plugs (~$15)

   

   No must-have smart home devices list is complete without smart plugs. Also known as Wifi Smart Sockets or Smart Wifi Outlets, smart plug essentially lets you wirelessly control nearly every single home appliance using your iPhone or Android device. This magical device gives your home appliance wireless connectivity so you can remotely turn them on or off right at your fingertips or schedule your appliance to be automatically turned on or off at a certain time.

   I have an old window-type aircon which unfortunately doesn’t have a timer, but with Wifi Smart Sockets, I can easily put a timer and let it automatically turn off at 3 am without interrupting my slumber.

   How To: Make Any Wired Speaker Into Wireless Bluetooth Speaker for Less than $7

   Do you want to wake up from the smell of freshly brewed coffee in your kitchen? Simply prepare the beans/filter a night before and plug your coffeemaker in a smart plug. You can get it to automatically brew your coffee the next day or brew it using your iPhone while you’re in bed scanning your emails.

   Of course, the fun doesn’t stop there. You can plug in your other home appliances like electric fans, water heaters and control them wirelessly at your fingertips.

   There are a plethora of smart wifi sockets to choose from, some even have nifty features like energy usage tracker, Amazon Echo, and Google Home integration so you can simply control them with your voice. The most important Wifi Smart Socket feature to look for is a timer, where it completely cuts power after a timer expires.

   You can score a decent smart plug at Amazon like the Orvibo S25 Wi-Fi Smart Socket which starts at $15 as of writing or from your local online store.

2. Smart Bulbs and Lighting (~$34)

   

   What if you can dim your light or control your ambiance within your iPhone or Android device or by simply asking Siri or Alexa to do so?

   That’s exactly what smart lighting is all about. You get a smart bulb and a special device (bridge) acting as a connector so you can remotely control the bulb wirelessly.

   In smart lighting category, Philips Hue Smart Lighting Kit is definitely king. But it comes at a price. However, there is decent Philips Hue alternative you can try like the cheaper, all-white version Philips Hue White. Or if that’s still expensive, Eufy Lumos Smart Bulb is a good Philips Hue line alternative.

3. Sound and Motion Sensing Device (~$25)

   

   Another welcome addition to your home security system, this category of the internet-connected device lets you monitor your home away from home. This top-rated monitoring device Wyze Cam Pan for instance alerts you when there are possible intrusions within your premises. It has a night vision capability, can track moving object and can detect sounds.

   Most smart motion-sensing devices usually work with Alexa so you can simply ask Alexa to show your front door, kid’s room, or anywhere else you have your Wyze Cam Pan.

4. Smart Smoke Detector (~$120)

   

   Smart smoke detector? Why not!

   I’m extra paranoid when it comes to fire so I don’t mind forking out a few bucks for smart smoke alarms. Smart smoke detector essentially alerts you when there’s a fire even if you’re miles away from home. This special type of device connects to your iPhone or iPad over wifi or cellular so you’ll be quickly alerted when there are smokes detected.

   Nest Protect is always a good one you can invest in but there is also excellent Nest Protect alternatives you can check in. Just search for it on Amazon or eBay.

5. Robotic Vacuums and Cleaners (~$179)

   

   Just when you thought IoT can’t be any cooler, I’m ending this list with smart home cleaners. This category of a connected home device can do all the dirty work of keeping your room dust-free. Robot vacuums normally come with a smart app where you can schedule or initiate cleaning session or you can simply ask Alexa or Google Home to start the job.

   Ecovacs Self-Charging Robot Vacuum Cleaner is a popular option under this category, but feel free to explore more that works for you.

That’s it!

Again, smart home hubs and controllers like Amazon Echo are all optional. The above-mentioned smart home devices will continue to work without Amazon Echo or Google Home unless you’re willing to spend more and take your home automation game to the next level.

5 Top Rated Netflix Films Shot Entirely On iPhone

The availability of advanced camera capabilities on iPhones truly brings a surprising level of creativity amongst unorthodox filmmakers, inspiring them to skip the traditional, costly production of filmmaking.

Award-winning director Steven Soderbergh’s High Flying Bird probably is the latest from this trend, pushing the limits of iPhone being the new medium in filmmaking. Currently streaming on Netflix, Soderbergh's High Flying Bird once again proved that you don't need the most expensive pieces of equipments to produce high-caliber, full-length films.

Below is a short list of five top-rated Netflix films you won't believe shot on iPhone:

High Flying Bird (2019)

Shot on: iPhone 8

Currently streaming on Netflix, High Flying Bird is an American sports drama film that portrays the sour reality of NBA players and the politics (and drama) they're beholden to. High Flying Bird is the second film in a row by Soderbergh, starred by Zazie Beetz, Melvin Gregg, Sonja Sohn, Zachary Quinto, Glenn Fleshler, Jeryl Prescott, Justin Hurtt-Dunkley, Caleb McLaughlin, Bobbi Bordley, Kyle MacLachlan and Bill Duke.

Unsane (2018)

Shot on: iPhone 7 Plus

Another film shot entirely on iPhone from director Steven Soderbergh, Unsane is a psychological horror film that tells the story of a woman who is convinced she has a stalker and later questioned her own sanity after she was confined to a mental institution against her will.

Starring Claire Foy, Unsane was shot entirely on iPhone 7 Plus in 10 straight days.

Tangerine (2015)

Shot on: iPhone 5S

Tangerine is a 2015 award-winning comedy-drama film directed by Sean Baker that follows a transgender sex worker who discovers she has a cheating boyfriend. The film was shot entirely on iPhone 5S, earning it a sweet spot in film making history.

I Play With the Phrase Each Other (2014)

I Play With the Phrase Each Other is not your typical film. The film was built entirely on conversations and phone calls, creatively enhanced by the technical aspects of iPhone filmmaking.

How To: Watch YouTube, Netflix on Sticky, Floating Window While Keeping Other Apps Opened

I Play With the Phrase Each Other earned the viewing public's nod and won the Special Jury Prize at Slamdance in 2014.

Searching for Sugar Man (2012)

Shot on: iPhone 4S

Searching for Sugar Man is an Oscar award-winning documentary film that tells the story of two die-hard, South African fans of Rodriquez. Rodriguez was a Michigan-based artist whose music had never achieved success in the US but unbeknownst to him he was a huge star in South Africa. Sadly though probably because of the lack of fame, Rodriguez was rumored to be dead, inspiring the two Cape Town fans to embark on their quest to find out whether or not the rumored death holds water.

Searching for Sugar Man wasn't entirely shot on iPhone. It was only toward the end of the filming when director Malik Bendjelloul ran out of money and decided to use iPhone with the help of 8mm Vintage Camera app to finish the job.

What made these movies stand out was not the story itself but how they are made.

How Apple Watch's Fall Detection Saves One's Life and How It Can Save Yours

Apple may not always be ahead of its game when it comes to digital consumer tech but its Apple Watch proved otherwise.

A 64 years old in Norway recently gets its dose of fortune when he was saved by his Apple Watch after he suffered from a major fall in his bathroom while being alone in the middle of the night, resulting to bone fractures in his face.

The local emergency service nearby was immediately alerted, well, thanks to his Apple Watch he was wearing which able to detect a hard fall and automatically notify the nearby emergency services.

The Life Saving Power of Apple Watch's Fall Detection Technology

Apple Watch 4 comes with a clever feature called Fall Detection that automatically detects hard falls and notifies nearby emergency services with your exact location and medical records. Your Apple Watch will automatically initiate a call to nearby emergency hotline if you're unable to respond to its on-screen alert.

Of course, your Apple Watch has to be set up first before you can take advantage of this life-saving feature, like who to call in case of emergency and your medical records.

Apple's New Patent Gives iOS Quick Access to Camera, Bypassing Passwords & Biometrics

So, if your mom or dad suffers from hypertension or heart-related problem, maybe the life-saving power of wearable tech like Apple Watch can do wonders.

Skype Launches Experimental Feature that Blurs Your Background, Thanks to AI

Gone are the days when one has to frantically tidy up his room or home office and make it less embarrassing before the scheduled video Skype call.

Video conferencing giant Skype is rolling out an update to their desktop apps that subtly blur your background in real-time while video chat is underway. It's an experimental feature made possible by Microsoft's proprietary artificial intelligence (AI) trained to detect human forms like hairs, hands, and arms.

Skype's background blur ensures the communication from both parties are as frictionless as possible, free from distractions (read: laundry all over the place) and little surprises (kids), ultimately saving you from the embarrassment in the process.

Here's How To Enable Background Blur On Skype

1. Ensure you have the most recent copy of your Skype app. Go check your app and see for updates.

2. Every time you receive or initiate a video call, hover around the Skype video button and toggle "Blur my background".

   You can optionally set this in the app settings if you want to globally apply it in future video calls.

   

While Skype's background blur experimental feature is as promising as it can get, the video conferencing giant emphasized that it is still in its infancy and that its AI may not always work as expected.

"We do our best to make sure that your background is always blurred, but we cannot guarantee that your background will always be blurred."

See Skype's official announcement here.

New Chrome Extension by Google Scans All Your Leaked Passwords Online, Alerts You To Update Your Credentials

Google launches Password Checkup, a Chrome extension that alerts you if your login information appear in a data breach known to Google.

Several months ago, the internet is awash with news of data breaches and scandals perpetrated by bounty hunters, ransomware and bored security scientists. A handful of apps and services have been affected including Yahoo, Spotify, Netflix, Facebook among others.

The incident expectedly sparked outrage, prompting tech companies to revisit and beef up their cybersecurity and alert its millions of users to change their passwords immediately.

Yours truly wasn't spared from these leaks. A few months ago I discovered that my Spotify account had been used somewhere by a device I don't recognize, which fortunately had been patched up by Spotify. And of all the horrors of data leaks affecting my own personal account, the one that takes the cake: I discovered that my Gmail login information was publicly being dumped in a public domain for everyone to see.

Apple's New Patent Gives iOS Quick Access to Camera, Bypassing Passwords & Biometrics

That's where I began to take a serious look and acknowledged that there was indeed a data breach going on, prompting me to add few more security layers to all my online accounts including setting up two-factor authentication (2FA). Lucky to those who constantly monitor their online activities, but for those uninformed users who remained clueless of their exposed credentials, they might be in big trouble.

And that's what inspires Google to launch Password Checkup, a Chrome extension that alerts you when your passwords are no longer safe and prompts to re-secure your account.

How does it work?

As soon as you install Password Checkup from Chrome web store, every time you sign in to any sites, a hashed and encrypted copy of your login information are sent to Google in the background and it alerts you when your username and password are publicly exposed on the web. Password Checkup will then prompt you to reset your password immediately if it's deemed unsafe to use.

How does Google know if my passwords are no longer safe?

Google keeps a copy of virtually any dumped usernames and passwords publicly accessible online. And that makes it possible for Password Checkup to do a quick lookup against Google's internal database of around four billion usernames and passwords crawled from popular dumping sites like Pastebin and Github.

Google's Password Checkup is not the first of its kind that helps you identify if your accounts have been compromised. Popular password manager app 1Password previously gets Watchtower integration that compares your credentials against Have I Been Pwned's database.

How To: Watch YouTube, Netflix on Sticky, Floating Window While Keeping Other Apps Opened

Ever wanted to watch your favourite movies and TV shows on Netflix or YouTube while opening other work-related apps? Well now, you can continue to look busy and pretend working while enjoying your guilty pleasure movies on Netflix and YouTube.

Being able to dock YouTube or Netflix videos on a nice, overlay window that floats over other opened apps is one great feature Google Chrome and Firefox could introduce to its core. Sadly though, that picture-in-picture (PiP) feature is currently not supported in their recent version for both Windows and Mac. So we are all left in the dark, given the classic option of staying within the browser to continue watching your favorite stuff.

But, someone decided to change that.

A Chrome extension called Picture in Picture for YouTube & Other adds an unofficial PiP support for Chrome that works well with YouTube, Facebook and Netflix. Which means, you can pop out virtually any active playing video into a small, draggable mini-mode window that sits nicely on top of other opened apps.

Watch Netflix, YouTube in Foreground While Keeping Other Windows Opened

Picture in Picture for YouTube & Other promises to give you the best viewing experience (and distractions) on popular sites like YouTube, Netflix and Facebook. Essentially, it lets you watch Netflix or YouTube videos on overlay mini-window that floats over other opened windows.

Here's How to Watch Netflix In Floating, Resizable Windows

1. Launch Google Chrome and install Picture in Picture for YouTube & Other. Installation should take no more than a minute. Once installed, you should see this icon:

   

2. Now, go to Netflix or YouTube and play a video of interest.
3. Once a video begins to load, click on that tiny PiP icon. Netflix or YouTube video player should automatically dock at the bottom right of your screen as an overlay. Feel free to drag or resize it.
4. Now, head back to whatever it is you're working and continue juggling emails or pretend you're busy writing stuff, etc.

Get Instant Lyrics for Grooveshark, Spotify and YouTube Web Players with This Cool Add-on

The really nice thing about this Chrome add-on is that it continues to play your Netflix or YouTube videos in a nice resizable floating overlay even if you're opening other apps like office apps, CRMs, code editor, and just about anything. Just make sure the video is actively playing in a tab.

Here's me watching Polar on Netflix while opening my code editor.

Here's yours truly listening to TED Talks on YouTube

New Browser Extension "Turn Off The Lights" Gives YouTubers The Feel Like They're In A Cinema

Now feel free to share the good news below using social buttons below or subscribe via email to get notified for goodies like this in the future.

How To: Automatically Lock, Unlock Your Computer with Siri

Near Lock, one of the coolest iPhone apps in the App Store, has just updated their iOS app with full Siri Shortcuts support.

For the uninitiated, Near Lock lets you automatically lock/unlock your Mac when you're near your computer without even touching it. It uses proximity sensor to detect your iPhone's distance and automatically lock your computer if you're away. Once you're near your workplace, Near Lock automatically unlocks your Mac.

Near Lock is really one powerful app that saves you time while keeping all prying eyes at bay, whether at home or at your workplace. You don't have to touch your machine to lock your computer for a quick break or type your password to log back in to your computer.

Now, an even more powerful Near Lock is here with full integration to Shortcuts, a Siri feature introduced last year.

How To Text Blast in iOS - This Shortcut Lets You SMS Bomb Any Number from iPhone

But why bother asking Siri “Lock my Mac” or “Unlock my Computer” when iPhone can automatically lock/unlock your computer when you're near? Isn't it a counterproductive to automation action we expect?

Well, the shortest answer is: Near Lock sometimes miscalculates your iPhone's distance to your Mac. It cannot sometimes automatically unlocks your Mac even if your iPhone sits just beside your computer. And it randomly locks your Mac while you're in the middle of something even if your phone remained just beside your Mac.

Using Siri Shortcuts to Lock, Unlock Your Mac with Near Lock

The unreliability of Near Lock's proximity sensor-based locking/unlocking makes Shortcuts integration a welcome addition to its feature packs. By simply asking Siri “Lock my Mac” or “Unlock my Mac”, that's already a nifty productivity hack.

Here's How To Use Siri To Automatically Lock or Unlock Your Computer

1. Download and install Near Lock on your iPhone.
2. Download and install its Mac App. This tiny app simply works as a connector between your iPhone and Mac.

   

3. Turn on your Mac's bluetooth and launch Near Lock on your Mac for pairing (you only need to do this once).
4. Turn on iPhone's bluetooth and open Near Lock on your iPhone. It should instantly scans your computer to pair. Once your Mac is found, it prompts you to enter your Mac's password. This is a one-time setup too.

   

5. Now that your Mac and iPhone are successfully paired, click on that tiny Mac icon.

   

6. It should bring you this.

   

   Remember Near Lock's proximity-based auto locking/unlocking unreliability so we will not use that. Leave that un-toggled/disabled as seen above.
7. On your iPhone, go to Settings > Near Lock > Siri & Search > Shortcuts and define your own Near Lock shortcuts or you can pre-made shortcuts to lock / unlock your Mac.

   

Send Automated, Scheduled Message on iPhone - No Jailbreak and Third-Party Apps Required

You're done. You can now just say "Hey Siri, lock my computer" or "Unlock my Mac". Here's Siri locking and unlocking my Mac in action:

WhatsApp Web Now Lets You Watch Shared YouTube, Facebook Videos Within the App

If you've been a long time user of WhatsApp for Android or iPhone, you probably have noticed that nice floating video player that pops up right within the app every time you click on a shared video from YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and Streamable. That feature is called Picture-in-Picture (PiP) launched back in December last year.

Now in what seems to be an attempt to inflate the amount of time you spend on WhatsApp, the same PiP feature is now available in WhatsApp Web. Which means you can now chat with your friends and watch shared videos from YouTube or Facebook WITHOUT leaving the app. Sweet.

New Chrome Add-on Lets You Watch YouTube Videos While You Search, Browse — Similar to YouTube Mobile App

The update comes from WhatsApp Web version 0.3.2041, which is expected to be followed by a few more enhancements later this year like dark mode, face recognition and more.

How to open shared YouTube/Facebook videos within WhatsApp Web

1. Ensure you have the most recent version of WhatsApp Web. WhatsApp normally auto-downloads whatever updates available. If you think you're not getting the update, you may need to hard-refresh your browser or clear cache/cookies.
2. Now, on your computer head to https://web.whatsapp.com/ and follow on-screen instruction.

New Browser Extension "Turn Off The Lights" Gives YouTubers The Feel Like They're In A Cinema

Support for PiP for WhatsApp Web may not be a big update for some but it's a welcome addition to those heavy WhatsApp Web users.

Musi.sh: The Best Apple Music Web Player Alternative - Access Apple Music on Web Browser

Unlike Apple's streaming app rival Spotify, Apple Music still lacks the option to play your audio collections in web browser.

In case you find Apple's iTunes music player straight up complicated to use or you want to save some precious memory by skipping the iTunes player, there's now a web player alternative for your Apple Music listening needs.

Musi.sh Lets You Play Apple Music in Web Browser

Musi.sh is a new web app that lets you access Apple Music in a web browser. It basically is just another way to access your Apple Music on a website instead of launching the official app.

The Good:

Neat UI almost feels like a native app from Apple and works surprisingly fast. We were impressed.

How To: Quickly Move, Import Your Spotify Playlists To Apple Music

Being a web app, you can play your Apple Music collections straight from Google Chrome, Firefox or any web browser of your choice. All you need to do is to authorize the app to access your Apple Music library and you're good to go.

Go, check out Musi.sh

How To Text Blast in iOS - This Shortcut Lets You SMS Bomb Any Number from iPhone

DISCLAIMER: This is my first Shortcuts created for the sole purpose of demonstrating how powerful Shortcuts is. With the right mix of macros, it is now possible to text blast any phone number using your iPhone. Please use it at your own risk.

Have you ever thought of pranking your friends by SMS bombing them with unlimited number of text messages? Or you constantly receive text scams and you just wanted to return the favour by text blasting them?

Send Automated, Scheduled Message on iPhone - No Jailbreak and Third-Party Apps Required

Whatever your motivation is, it's now possible to text blast straight from your iPhone with ease.And no need to jailbreak or install a risky, third-party app.

Here's what you need for SMS Flooder for iPhone

• A Shortcuts app by Apple (requires iOS 12.0 or later)
• An unlimited SMS subscription from your telco

Here's how to text blast on iPhone - a free SMS bomber for iOS

1. Add this SMS Blast / Bomber Shortcut

2. To text blast a phone number, simply go to Shortcuts app library and click on SMS Blast / Bomber

   Clicking on that Shortcut prompts you to add recipient

3. Add total number of SMS to send

   

4. Add your custom text message

   

Now let the Shortcut do its thing in the background. Go get some popcorn and binge watch on Netflix while you pester that nasty spammer in the background! :D

How To: Remotely Control Apple Music on Computer, Mac Using iPhone, iPad

I'll probably go to hell for creating such Shortcut, but I find it fun to prank those spammers who keep on sending unsolicited messages.

Send Automated, Scheduled iMessage, SMS on iPhone - No Jailbreak and Third-Party Apps Required

Probably one of the most requested features on iOS is the ability to schedule text message to be sent at specific date and time. Being able to automatically send an SMS at future date and time is prove useful especially for those people who want to plan in advance.

We've previously talked about SMS scheduler options before to send a timed message but that list is now too outdated and requires a third-party app to work.

Now, the BEST SMS scheduler for iPhone is here. This method probably is the easiest and quickest way to send SMS on iPhone at specific date and time WITHOUT a third-party app

Here's how to schedule a text message on iPhone without jailbreaking or third-party app

1. Be sure you're on iOS 12.1.3 or later
2. Download and install Siri Shortcuts by Apple. It's coded by Apple so it's 100% safe.

3. Once installed, grab this Send delayed text Siri Shortcuts. This is the magic sauce to make auto-sending of iMessage a breeze.

   

4. Now to schedule text message, go to Siri Shortcuts app and from Shortcuts' library tap Send delayed text

   

5. Select contact to whom you want to send a scheduled message

6. Write your Message

   

7. Select predefined Date & Time you want your scheduled message to be sent

   

And you're done! Your message will be automatically sent at predefined date and time.

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So there. We're basically exploiting Siri's Shortcuts capability to send schedule text message at later time.

Final Verdict

The introduction of Siri Shortcuts from iOS 12.0+ and later truly brings a surprising level of extensibility in the walled garden of iOS. Go, give Shortcuts a try and explore the pre-made Shortcuts to get things done fast!

Apple's New Patent Gives iOS Quick Access to Camera, Bypassing Passwords & Biometrics

A once in a lifetime moment unfolds just in front of you. Maybe it's a comet, or that rare humpback whale joyfully leaps out of the water.

So you decided to take your iPhone out and capture that moment. But by the time you've slide your finger to launch your camera app, the whole thing is over. It's gone!

Well, we've all been there. Thanks to our often walled iOS where launching an app can sometimes take five seconds or more.

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And that's exactly what Apple seeks to solve. In the future iteration of iPhone, you can snap just about anything as it happens in front of you even without sliding your finger or unlocking your phone.

Soon You'll Be Able to Snap Photos without Unlocking Your iPhone

Apple recently filed a patent that automatically activates its built-in camera app without even interacting or sliding your lock-screen. The patent describes multiple detection methods which can detect an intent to capture a photograph or a video.

This works by detecting the movements of a device using sensors such as the iPhone’s accelerometer, which can pick up movement, speed, and direction.

New iPhone App Automatically Captures a Photo of Anyone Who Touches Your iDevice

Apple pretty much sums up the inspiration behind this technology. It says:

Mobile devices often include a user’s sensitive personal information… or installed applications that provide quick access to the user’s private data [so] a user often locks these devices using a password or his biometrics.

While this locking capability protects the user from identity theft, having to take the time to enter a password or biometrics to unlock the device may not be desirable when the user requires quick access to an application.

For instance, if the mobile device is locked when the user wishes to capture a fleeting moment on camera, the user may miss the opportunity to do so since he has to take the time to enter his password or biometrics to unlock the device as well as locate and activate the camera application.

Sliding your finger to bring the camera app is one thing. But pointing your device directly to the object while lock screen is active is another thing.

Drag Declutters Your Inbox, Turns Gmail Into Manageable, Organised Lists Similar to Trello's Boards

No matter how sophisticated online project management tools have become, chances are you still have this inseparable dependence on this classic, antiquated messaging platform ever created: emails.

Juggling through tens to hundreds of emails a day is the new normal nowadays, all the more if you work online. As a web developer myself, I constantly get batted with emails coming from sources like Basecamp, Asana, Project Turf and Trello. Add to that are the random newsletters, pesky marketing, and social media alerts.

And I tell you, sifting through unread emails is ain't fun.

Thankfully, Nick Timms has come up with a clever idea. And it's no clichéd idea, as the way you engage in emails is now about to change.

His recently launched app Drag, currently available as a Chrome extension, seeks to allay your email fatigue (or at least makes emails a lot less boring).

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What is Drag?

Drag is a browser add-on that transforms your Gmail messages into a manageable, much-organized list just like Trello. If you're familiar with the simplicity and intuitiveness of Trello, you'll surely love Drag.

Once you install Drag, you no longer get to see this boring list of email messages:



Instead, your inbox gets upgraded into this neat, intuitive layout:



And the fun doesn't end there. You can drag items from one column to another. Sweet.

Installation

Getting up & running is no rocket science. All you need to do is to install the Chrome add-on and connect your Gmail account. It's that easy. See Drag in action below:

The Good

Being able to organize your inbox messages into a Trello-like, draggable Boards is a welcome and refreshing take. And I think Nick's team must have hit the sweet spot for doing it first.

The Bad

As with the rest of the apps in the wild, there will always be some limitations. Drag currently supports Google Chrome and you can only use it on a single Gmail account. Multi-Gmail accounts support is in the works and Drag team hopes to roll this out within this month.

How To: Automatically Send Email Messages At Later Time

Rummaging through emails is the first thing I do in the morning. And I admit it, it's the same thing I do before I hit the bed. That chronic habit stems not from wanting to do and meet those tasks head-on, but because I want to know the size of my tasks in a given day, set priorities, flag those that need immediate attention, and see if I can spend more time on Facebook ranting by dropping the others in my procrastination basket. And Drag is sure going to alter that.

How To: Make Any Wired Speaker Into Wireless Bluetooth Speaker for Less than $7

As what ultra-minimalist Steve Jobs famously once said, we “improve by removing more”. That's one of the guiding maxims of Apple that helped propel its way to greatness in the techno-wizardry scene.

Now, if you're convinced with that guiding principle of Apple, why not apply that same ethos into how you consume your music and movies?

I'm talking about those classic wired surround speakers & subwoofer systems sitting on your desk right now and all its tangled wires glory. While this wired speaker system works just fine, why not free yourself from all these clutter and get that simple joy of wireless you deserve?

How To: Remotely Control Apple Music on Computer, Mac Using iPhone, iPad

If you have a good old non-wireless loudspeaker lying around in the corner, don't throw that just yet. The truth is you can make it "cool" again by repurposing and turning it into a wireless Bluetooth speaker so you can wirelessly fire up your favorite Spotify playlist from the comfort of your fingertips.

Play Music On Your Wired Speaker System Wirelessly from Your iPhone, Android

Step 1 Get your preferred Bluetooth Audio Receiver from your favorite shop like Amazon. I scored a decent Bluetooth Receiver from Lazada for only Php 330.00 ($7). Sweet.

Step 2 Do the one-time setup. These Bluetooth Stereo Receivers usually have this simple setup:

1. Plug in your speaker's 3.5mm stereo jack into the Bluetooth device
2. Pair your Bluetooth Audio Receiver with your iPhone, Android or any Bluetooth-enabled devices

You're done!

You can now listen to your favourite music from iTunes or Spotify while you can freely move around.

Image source: nerdtechy.com

Finally, Netflix Gets Offline Playback Support for iOS iPhone, iPad and Android

Call it an early Holiday treat!

After years of waiting, Netflix has finally heeded everyone's call and just rolled out an update on their iOS and Android apps which now lets you download Netflix movies and shows offline so you can watch them on your iPhone, iPad or Android even without an internet connection.

Netflix first broke the news on Twitter which must be making everyone excited, YES, me included!

Airplane mode. Road trip mode. Stuck-in-the-subway-for-20-minutes mode. Your favorite stories are now available for download any time. pic.twitter.com/g7QZA3TyE8

— Netflix US (@netflix) November 30, 2016

Netflix Now Lets You Download Movies, TV Shows To Watch Offline On iPhone, iPad, Android

So, starting today, you'll now be able to download select Netflix movies and TV shows so you can watch them on the go without mobile data. Of course, you need to update your app first to enjoy this Netflix offline playback support.

One big caveat though is that only select movies and TV shows are available for offline view, and it can vary region-to-region. But they do plan to expand their catalog as soon as the required licensing arrangements are made with its content partners.

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While not all Netflix contents are available for download offline, it is still a welcome addition considering the pricey mobile data rate which could inflate your bill.