Smart Phone Tips Archives - Page 6 of 65

How to use your smartphone as a metal detector (yes, really)

Posted on July 9, 2025

Want to get my easy to follow Tech Tips in your email?

Most folks love upgrading to a new smartphone at every opportunity, and chances are you have several unused, but working phones tucked away in a drawer somewhere.

If you’re like me, you probably hate having a perfectly good portable computer (that’s really what a smart phone is) doing nothing more than gathering dust.

I’ve written several posts in the past explaining how to give an old smartphone a new life by turning it into something useful simply by installing an app. I have another such tip for you today. [Read more…]

How to make full-screen YouTube videos always fill the entire screen

Posted on July 8, 2025

Want to get my easy to follow Tech Tips in your email?

Do you enjoy watching YouTube videos on your smartphone or tablet?

If so, you’ve probably noticed how some videos don’t fill the entire screen even when you’re watching them in full-screen mode.

Most videos are formatted to cover the entire screen, but the ones that aren’t show up with black bands on at least two sides.

You can always use the “pinch and zoom” technique to expand the video to fill the screen, but there’s a simple setting in the YouTube app that will automatically force oddly formatted videos to cover the entire screen by default. [Read more…]

How to disable all apps and games (and block game requests / app notifications) on Facebook

Posted on July 4, 2025

Want to get my easy to follow Tech Tips in your email?

Lots of folks love playing games and using apps on Facebook, but many others would rather drink a glass of spoiled milk through a dirty straw.

If you fall into the last group you probably aren’t all that thrilled to see a game or app invitation pop up in your notifications area.

And with all the malicious apps, quizzes and games there are these days, I don’t blame you. After all, malicious games and apps account for a large percentage of the hacks and data theft taking place on the Facebook platform.

As luck would have it, you can easily disable all apps and games as well as block all game and app invitations/notifications, now and forever! [Read more…]

How to see which Android apps have access to your Contacts (and optionally revoke it)

Posted on June 6, 2025

Want to get my easy to follow Tech Tips in your email?

If you have a smartphone or tablet, you’re probably aware that the apps on your device have permission to access certain features and caches of info that are present on the device.

While it’s true that you have the option to revoke most any permission that an app might claim for itself, do you actually take the time to review your apps’ permissions and revoke the ones the apps really don’t need in order to perform their stated functions?

If you’re like most folks, the answer is probably no. [Read more…]

« Previous Page
1
…
4
5
6
7
8
…
65
Next Page »