How To

In service to you, dear reader, I take many screenshots on my iPhone, which I then upload to Dropbox before grabbing them on my Mac to annotate and upload to CNET's publishing tool with each How To blog post I write. When I came across new (and free) iOS app DeskConnect earlier today, I had hoped it would offer a more efficient way than Dropbox for transferring screenshots from my iPhone to my Mac. Sadly, it won't replace my current method, but DeskConnect is very useful in a variety of ways for sending a variety of files from … Read more

Two-hour jaunt or cross-country flight, time without Internet is an exercise of self-control not everyone is willing to flirt with. Call it obsessed or call it nomophobia, we want our Web access -- even at 30,000 feet.

According to a recent study by Routehappy, a flight search site, in-flight Wi-Fi is now available on 38 percent of US domestic flights, with Delta as the leading Wi-Fi provider. And thanks to current FAA initiatives and ongoing Wi-Fi installations, that number is only expected to grow.

It's an exciting trend for Web addicts, but frequent fliers will quickly tell you: … Read more

Within just a short period of time, Google released two updates that show it really wants people to start using Google Now and its Reminders feature. The first update to Google Keep added the option to set reminders for notes, which tie into Google Now. The second update to Google Now itself adds the ability to set reminders for your favorite artists and TV shows.

Google Now Reminders has a lot of potential, but currently the biggest issue with it is the lack of easily accessible editing. Let's say you set a reminder to get alerted when there's … Read more

Apps are moving to the cloud. Streaming services like Netflix and Spotify are big. And just about every one of us is addicted to social networking.

There's just one thing standing in the way: your data plan.

With unlimited plans dwindling, most smartphone users are stuck with tiered options that sometimes make data usage more stressful than fun. (Anyone who's been hit with an exorbitant overage charge knows this feeling.)

But if you're on Android, you've got a little more wiggle room, thanks to plenty of data-restricting settings. With the proper configurations, you'll find yourself … Read more

Google on Wednesday announced a massive update for Google Now. The latest version of the company's intelligent voice assistant adds information cards for car rentals, event tickets, and college football scores. Other improvements included an updated public transit card and new sharing capabilities.

For those unfamiliar with the service, Google Now was Google's response to Siri on the iPhone and iPad. The service is much more than a voice assistant, however. Google uses location data and search history to actually predict where you are going and what you are doing.

If you are at work, Google Now will … Read more

Siri has been a controversial figure (incorporeal though she may be) since she made her debut nearly two years ago, adding much-needed voice-powered automation to iOS but sparking controversy over her limited capabilities and problems recognizing accents.

In fact, to hear some of my friends and family members tell it, Siri is just plain useless. With all due respect, that's because they're doing it wrong. Siri may not be perfect, but she works properly most of the time -- provided you follow a few simple rules of operation.

Here's how to sweet-talk Siri so she behaves the … Read more

You may have noticed over the past few months that your once-speedy Android device has slowed down considerably. Simple tasks such as switching between apps or returning home are proving more troublesome than before, and you are now experiencing lag in all the wrong places. Things don't have to be this way, however.

These simple tips and tricks can help speed up your device and make it perform like new:

1. Uninstall or disable unused apps

Your device has a limited amount of internal storage and the less free space it has the slower it will perform. If you … Read more

Yelp is one of the handiest smartphone apps ever.

During a recent trip to northern California, I used it to find restaurants in Santa Rosa -- places I would have missed without it, and places I ended up absolutely loving. (Until next time, Flavor Bistro.)

But the app has long suffered from one irksome limitation: Although you can write a review on your phone, you can't actually publish it. It remains a "draft" until you get back to your PC and finalize it in your desktop browser.

With the recent release of Yelp 7.0 for iOS, … Read more

Nobody's referring to tablets as glorified Etch A Sketches anymore. The devices have proven themselves many times over as first-rate productivity enhancers.

If you use your Android tablet for work, you owe it to yourself -- and your boss -- to give these five free apps a try.

Note that some of the programs are also available for Android phones as well as for the iPad, iPhone, and other devices. Several also have paid versions with more features. I tested only the free versions on a second-gen Nexus 7 running Android 4.3 Jelly Bean.

Lookout scans for viruses, … Read more