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How To: Most Office Jobs Revolve Around Spreadsheets — Here's Your Chance to Master Excel

Written language began with one of the most pedestrian tasks imaginable: accounting. The basis of poetry, epic mythologies, and novels initially involved marking down trades between livestock owners and grain suppliers. We rightfully think that literature is essential to the human spirit. But when contemplating how societies operate, spreadsheets are king.

How To: Code a Dead Man's Switch in Python 3 to Encrypt & Delete Files Whenever You Don't Check In

A dead man's switch is a fairly simple concept. If you don't perform a specific task before a set amount of time, it'll perform a specific action you set. They can be handy not just for hackers but for everyone who wants to protect themselves, someone else, or something tangible or intangible from harm. While there are more nefarious uses for a dead man's switch, white hats can put one to good use.

How To: Quickly Measure a Standing or Seated Person's Height Using Your iPhone 12 Pro or 12 Pro Max

Apple added a great new feature to its Measure app in iOS 14, but it only works on the iPhone 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max models as of right now. If you have one of those models, you can now measure a person's height with accuracy within a few centimeters, whether they're standing or seated.

How To: 10 Useful Pixel Features Google Doesn't Really Tell You About

Every year, Apple adds some old technology to the iPhone and gives it a catchy marketing name, then like clockwork, it becomes the next big thing. Google, on the other hand, creates some truly innovative features, doesn't really bother naming them, then lets them languish in obscurity until Apple reinvents them at a later date.

How To: Use Recovery Mode on Your iPhone 12, 12 Mini, 12 Pro, or 12 Pro Max to Update or Restore iOS 14

While it's rare, there could be a day when your iPhone 12, 12 mini, 12 Pro, or 12 Pro Max isn't responding, where taps and swipes on the screen do nothing, and the Side button won't let you force a restart. The culprit could be any number of problems, from corrupted files to beta software or even manufacturing issues. But one thing is certain: recovery mode could help you get back up and running.

Deal Alert: Become a Google Ad & SEO Ninja for Under $50

The gold standard in any business is reaching the front page of Google. You need to get your brand in front of audiences. While it can seem daunting, it's not impossible when you master SEO best practices.

How To: Disable Lens Correction for the Ultra-Wide Camera on the iPhone 12, 12 Mini, 12 Pro & 12 Pro Max

The new iPhone 12, 12 mini, 12 Pro, and 12 Pro Max are equipped with some great cameras, but not perfect cameras. The ultra-wide lens is known to cause distortion at the edges of the frame, so people and objects look slightly warped. To compensate for the skewed edges, Apple incorporated "Lens Correction," but that fix isn't perfect either.

How To: What Do All Those 5G Status Icons Mean on Your iPhone 12, 12 Mini, 12 Pro, or 12 Pro Max?

If you upgrade to an iPhone 12, 12 mini, 12 Pro, or 12 Pro Max, you can take advantage of super-fast 5G speeds, but which 5G network are you actually getting and is it better than the others? Depending on your carrier, you may see 5G, 5G+, 5G UW, or 5G E in the status bar next to the signal strength, and there's a pretty big difference between them.

How To: Ready to Become a Top Project Manager? This 10-Course Bundle Will Teach You Scrum, Agile & PMP

Effective communicators are always in high demand in every industry. Whether your team is building the next billion-dollar app or you have a giant data set in front of you for filtering, communicating with your team is essential.

How To: Use DFU Mode on Your iPhone 12, 12 Mini, 12 Pro, or 12 Pro Max to Restore iOS 14 Back to Working Condition

Making the jump from an older iPhone, or even an Android phone, to the iPhone 12, 12 mini, 12 Pro, or 12 Pro Max can be a big one. It's not just the change of a new smartphone — it may have had a huge impact on your wallet too. So whenever the device goes berserk, is unresponsive, or won't turn on, it's understandable to be worried. But DFU mode can help whenever you're in a dire situation.

How To: Always-Updated List of Google Pixel Codenames

In a tradition dating back to the Nexus days, Google has always used fish-themed codenames when communicating internally about their phones. Their laptops and tablets are usually named after video game characters. These names often give us the first evidence of an upcoming device when they're used in software commits in Android's open source code.

How To: Turn Off HDR Video Recording on Your iPhone 12 or 12 Pro to Reduce File Sizes & Increase Compatibility

There's a lot of talk these days about how the iPhone 12, 12 mini, 12 Pro, and 12 Pro Max can shoot Hollywood-quality video with HDR and Dolby Vision. The video processing is really cool when it works, but as of right now, you might find its limitations outweigh its use to you. If that's the case, there's a way to turn it off.

Deal Alert: The Ultimate eLearning Bundle Is Now on Sale for Just $99

If there's anything we've learned during 2020, it's that working and learning from home is going to shift the way we do business. With Microsoft announcing that its staff will be allowed to permanently work from home, expect more businesses to follow suit.

How To: Force Restart the iPhone 12, 12 Mini, 12 Pro & 12 Pro Max When It's Frozen or Buggy

Apple's latest offerings, the iPhone 12, iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12 Pro, and iPhone 12 Pro Max all feature the A14 Bionic system on a chip, the fastest chipset ever seen on a smartphone, running 50% faster than any other CPUs. But despite the advanced technology, even the iPhone 12 is privy to internal issues, which is why you should know how to force restart it if it ever freezes.

How To: 2 Settings You Need to Enable on Android 11 for Better Notifications

Android updates don't have as many headlining features as they once did, but that's the point. If you keep updating software to add features and fix bugs, you'll eventually reach a point where the main focus is polish. That doesn't mean you can't get excited about a fresh coat of wax.

How To: The Best Way to Avoid the New AR Mapping Tasks in Pokémon GO

Niantic recently added a new Field Research task type called AR Mapping that challenges players to capture video footage of PokéStop landmarks and upload them. In return, players receive rewards in the form of in-game items.

How To: 5G Data Won't Work on Your New iPhone 12 or 12 Pro Unless You Do This

One thing you can expect from Apple is that big features work right out of the box. The company designs its products to be easy to use for any experience level, so you might expect the same to be true for 5G, one of the biggest selling points for the iPhone 12, 12 mini, 12 Pro, and 12 Pro Max. Yet, you might have trouble getting 5G to work on your brand new iPhone. Here's how to avoid that.

How To: Shut Down & Restart the iPhone 12, 12 Mini, 12 Pro, or 12 Pro Max

Except for the second-generation iPhone SE, all new iPhone models omit the Home button. In its place, the Side button takes charge, taking care of tasks like pulling up Siri, activating AssistiveTouch, and opening Apple Pay. If you swap your older Home button model for an iPhone 12, 12 mini, 12 Pro, or 12 Pro Max, you'll need to relearn simple actions like shutting down and restarting the device.

How To: Force-Close Running Apps on the iPhone 12, 12 Mini, 12 Pro, or 12 Pro Max

Whether it's an iPhone 12, 12 mini, 12 Pro, or 12 Pro Max, know that these devices are the most powerful smartphones Apple has ever made. Still, bugs happen, and you might find yourself with an app that isn't performing quite as it should. When that happens, it's best to force-close (or force-quit) the problematic app instead of waiting for it to fix itself, which may never happen.

How To: No, Your 18-Watt Power Adapter Won't Get You 15-Watt Fast Charging with the MagSafe Charger

If you ask Apple Support if the 18-watt power adapter that came with the iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 11 Pro Max, and four different iPad models will work with the MagSafe Charger and your new iPhone 12 or 12 Pro, the answer is "yes." But that's not the whole story.

How To: The New iPhones Let You Perform Software Updates Over 5G Networks, but You Might Need to Do This First

Fresh software updates can be amazing or a nightmare, but they're mostly the former since new and updated features can give your iPhone improved functionality. There are over 200 benefits in iOS 14 alone, and hopping on the iOS 14.2 beta includes new emojis and fresh wallpapers. For the longest time, however, being away from Wi-Fi meant no update for you. That is, until now, thanks to 5G.

How To: Improve Video Recordings in Low-Light Scenes on Your iPhone for Better Quality Footage

If you shoot videos with your iPhone in low-light situations, you may not always get the results you expect, and that applies to 4K, 1080p, and even 720p resolutions. But there is a way to maximize your video's quality when shooting in dark environments — you just need to change a few settings.

How To: Use Banner Grabbing to Aid in Reconnaissance & See What Services Are Running on the System

As we've seen with other tools and utilities, administrators typically use certain things to do their job more efficiently, and those things are often abused by attackers for exploitation. After all, hacking is just the process of getting a computer to do things in unexpected ways. Today, we will be covering various methods to perform banner grabbing to learn more about the target system.

How To: What the New AR Mapping Task in Pokémon GO Means for the Future of Augmented Reality Gaming

This week, developer Niantic began rolling out a new feature called AR Mapping to Pokémon GO that has bigger implications on the realism of augmented reality in mobile gaming and beyond.

How To: View the Exact Battery Percentage on Your iPhone 12, 12 Mini, 12 Pro, or 12 Pro Max

Whether you have or are getting an iPhone 12, 12 mini, 12 Pro, or 12 Pro Max, the default way to check the current battery life is via the tiny battery icon in the top right of the status bar. But that does not accurately depict how much juice is left, not as a specific percentage indicator would. If you want the exact number, there are some not-so-obvious ways to find it.

News: Apple Releases iOS 14.2 Public Beta 4 for iPhone, Introduces Eight New Wallpapers

Apple just released the fourth public beta for iOS 14.2 today, Wednesday, Oct. 21. The new update adds eight new dynamic wallpapers to iOS, including four real-life landscapes, and four digital landscapes. When counting each wallpaper's light and dark mode, there are 16 possible variations to use.

How To: Force Your iPhone 12 or 12 Pro to Use 5G All the Time When 5G Networks Are Available

Excited about experiencing blazing-fast 5G speeds on your iPhone 12, 12 mini, 12 Pro, or 12 Pro Max? Well, that brand new iPhone you just bought might not actually be using 5G, even when you see that 5G symbol in the top right. Unless you follow these instructions, your iPhone will use regular old 4G LTE more often.

How To: Use Portrait Lighting in Google Photos to Add an Adjustable Key Light to Pictures You've Already Taken

Google's Pixel smartphones have earned a reputation for taking great photos without relying on top-of-the-line camera sensors. Instead, Google leans on the software side to squeeze super images out of its camera. This also enables them to roll out new features out to previous-generation devices.

How To: Curb Your Daily Instagram Usage with Daily Reminders on iPhone or Android

Instagram is addicting — and that's done on purpose. To stop your Instagram habits, your smartphone likely has a built-in feature to curb the daily usage of a particular app, like Apple's Screen Time for iOS and Google's Digital Wellbeing for Android. But you don't need to mess with those complicated settings when Instagram itself can help you get some of your life back.

How To: 13 MagSafe Accessories That Are a Perfect Match for Your New iPhone 12 or 12 Pro

If you're getting a new iPhone 12 or 12 Pro, it's big-ticket feature is MagSafe, something you'll definitely want to explore. While the technology is new to iPhone, Apple used the MagSafe name for its magnetic charging connectors on older MacBook models until USB-C replaced it. Apple's reenvisioning of MagSafe for iPhone is completely different and much more useful.

News: Apple Releases iOS 14.2 Developer Beta 4 for iPhone, Introduces Eight New Wallpapers

Apple just released the fourth developer beta for iOS 14.2 today, Tuesday, Oct. 20. The new update introduces eight new dynamic wallpapers, including four real-life landscapes, and four digital landscapes.

News: Apple Releases iOS 14.1 for iPhone, Adds Support for 10-Bit HDR Video Playback & Editing on iPhone 8 & Later

Apple just released iOS 14.1 for iPhone today, Tuesday, Oct. 20. This update first hit iPhones one week ago, but not for long — Apple pulled the release almost immediately, later seeding it to iOS developers only as a GM (golden master) release.

How To: Play Memory Movies for Any Album on Your iPhone in iOS 14

The Memories feature in Photos is meant to help you rediscover old or forgotten experiences by creating a short slideshow of photos and videos based on locations, dates, and events. It's a fun feature to relive exciting times, but it isn't always perfect because it's generated automatically. It might include incorrect content, but in iOS 14, you can now create your own Memory Movies.

How To: Set a Custom Charging Sound or Song for Your iPhone Whenever You Connect or Disconnect from Power

The sound your iPhone makes when you connect it to a power source has been the same for a long time. Unfortunately, it was never possible to change that chime to something different without jailbreaking first, which opens your iPhone up to malware and hackers. Thankfully, iOS 14 has changed that.

How To: Harness the Power of Big Data with This eBook & Video Course Bundle

We're living in the age of Big Data. As the primary force behind everything from targeted marketing campaigns and online search algorithms to self-driving cars and even space exploration, massive sets of complex data stand at the heart of today's most exciting and important innovations.

How To: Make Your iPhone Tell You the Secret Meaning of Emoji So They're Easier to Find Later

I consider myself a master of emoji, crafting complete sentences and paragraphs using strictly ideograms and smileys. However, everyone seems to have their own interpretation for each little image, so my elaborately clever emoji-only sentences can get lost in translation. But there's an easy way to translate emoji into their exact meaning, as well as decode everyone's mystifying emoji talk.

How To: The Best Power Adapters & Chargers for Your iPhone 12, 12 Mini, 12 Pro, or 12 Pro Max

The iPhone 12, 12 mini, 12 Pro, and 12 Pro Max all have positive coverage surrounding their refreshed design, camera upgrades, and 5G connectivity. One piece of negative press you might've seen, however, is about the charger. Specifically, that there's a Lightning to USB-C cable in the box but no power adapter. That means you'll need a charger, and we've got some good recommendations for you.

How To: Get Google's Fantastic Caller ID & Spam Blocking on Any Phone

As if telemarketers weren't bad enough, now we have robocalls and spoofed numbers to deal with. Many of us get a least one spam call per day, if not much more than that. Google's Phone app has always been great at managing these calls, but it's been exclusive to their Pixel phones — until recently, that is.

How To: 13 Protective Cases That'll Safeguard Your New iPhone 12 or 12 Pro & Still Make It Look Cool

Apple announced four different iPhone models during its Oct. 13 web-only event, but only two of them can be purchased this month: the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro. Preorders have already started for the two smartphones, and you could have one in your hands as early as Oct. 23, if you're lucky. To help keep your shiny new iPhone protected from scratches and cracks, try one of these cases.

How To: Remove Background Telemetry Services on Your OnePlus to Stop Unnecessary Data Collection

Your phone tracks your every move to some extent, and I'm not just talking about Google services. Smartphone manufacturers use telemetry services that run in the background to track how you use the device, mostly for ads or to improve their future products. You don't usually have a say in the matter, but if you have a rooted OnePlus, there's a way you can take control over it.