How To

Set Twitter's Connect tab to only show mentions on Android, iOS

When using Twitter on your Android or iOS device, the Connect tab is where you can find all of your interactions (by default as of an update in February) such as mentions, retweets, and new followers. While this may be the desired view for some, for others it can lead to a cluttered experience.

Luckily there's a simple solution to remove retweets and new followers from the Connect tab.

Using either the iOS or Android version of the app, you'll first need to navigate to your "Me" or profile tab. From there tap on the Settings … Read more

Forecast.io is a beautiful weather app for any Web device

Earlier this week Forecast.io was announced by the same team behind the iOS weather app Dark Sky. The app would provide alerts based on the immediate weather forecast, allowing you to get inside just moments before the weather would get nasty. With the launch of Forecast.io, the team is able to get the same type of forecasting into the hands of more users since it's a Web based app.

To use the app simply visit Forecast.io using your browser. You can then create a Web shortcut and save it to your mobile device, or a bookmark … Read more

How to put 1Password in 'Demo mode'

1Password does a superb job at keeping your private information organized, and your online accounts safe with completely random passwords. Using Dropbox or iCloud, you're able to keep your payment information, private notes, and passwords in sync across multiple devices.

Late last year the 1Password iOS app was updated with a completely revamped look and new features, such as URL schemes and a feature called "Demo mode."

Demo mode is a convenient way to show someone how the app works without revealing any of your personal information during an impromptu tutorial. Once it's activated, you only … Read more

Move, clone, and remove objects with Handy Photo

There is a seemingly endless parade of photo-editing apps for iOS and for Android. Helping Handy Photo stand out from the crowd is a handful of tools that lets you remove, clone, and move objects in your photos, along with a reverse cropping feature that lets you extend the edges of your photos. For all of its tricks, Handy Photo costs a reasonable $1.99 and is available for iOS and for Android.

For iOS, Handy Photo is a universal app designed for the iPhone and iPad. Because of the variety of tools it affords, I tried it out on … Read more

Home networking explained, part 5: Setting up a home router

Editors' note: This post is part of an ongoing series. For the other parts, check out the related stories section below.

It might seem like a daunting task to set up a new home router. But it doesn't have to be if you understand the most common way routers are managed: through the Web interface. The hardest part of using the Web interface is getting to it. Once you have gotten there, the rest, at least most of it, is self-explanatory.

Note: Almost all home routers on the market come with an Web interface, which is a Web page … Read more

Quickly view Google Play purchase history on Android

When setting up a new device, it's nice to go back and make sure you've downloaded all of your purchased apps (or any purchased content for that matter), but Google's Play store app doesn't make it easy for this to happen at the moment. Currently your download history contains both free and paid apps, with no way to separate the two.

My Purchases is a free Android app that allows users to view their entire Google Play purchase history with just a few taps, as first reported by Droid Life.

After you install the free or … Read more

Hide posts from your Facebook feed on iOS, Android

"Name a movie that starts with R. It's harder than you think" seems to be a popular fad when looking at my Facebook feed. For the record, it's not that hard, there's plenty of movies that start with R -- or any other letter of the alphabet -- so just stop. Instead of scrolling through similar posts, be it e-cards or square counting contests, I've started hiding posts from my Facebook feed. You can do this on the Web or using either the iOS or Android app while on the go.

Using the latest … Read more

Drag, drop, and rock with Couch Music Player for iPad

I'm too lazy to make playlists. Plus, I like to experience albums in their entirety. For times when I want to listen to a mix of songs, I typically pick a genre in my iTunes library and hit shuffle (or use Pandora or Spotify's radio feature). Given my playlist aversion, I was excited to put Couch Music Player to the test, a new music app for the iPad whose chief purpose is to make the playlist creation process so easy that even lazy people like me will undertake it.

Couch Music Player costs $1.99. It features a … Read more

How to set up two-step verification for your Apple ID

Apple took a big step in helping Apple ID users in securing their accounts this week with offering two-step verification.

Two-step verification (or authentication as it's commonly referred to) adds an additional barrier of security between would-be hackers and your account. The extra barrier comes in the form of a four-digit code, which will be sent to a device of your choosing via the Find My iPhone app or SMS, after you've entered your password.

Step one: To add the extra layer of security to your account you'll need to visit the Apple ID settings page on … Read more