Tag: phone

iOS 16.2 has 6 big changes you need to know before updating your iPhone

 Apple’s next big software update includes brand new Apple apps, better Siri controls, an improved Shortcuts app, interesting Safari upgrades, and more. Read on to find out what iOS 16.2 has to offer your iPhone.

The iOS 16.1 update was released on October 24 with several major features and changes, while the first iOS 16.2 beta was released just a day later, with no expected date for the stable software release. It takes 40 days of testing before iOS 16.1 hits everyone’s devices, so we’re probably looking at a similar timeline for iOS 16.2.

While still in beta development, there are still many new features to try on iOS 16.2. While I’ll be focusing on new features from an iPhone perspective, most of the items listed below also work with iPadOS 16.2 for iPad and macOS 13.1 Ventura for Mac, also in beta. Let’s have a look!

1. New Freeform Application

Apple’s new Freeform app, available for iPhone, iPad and Mac, is another productivity tool you can add to your arsenal. It’s a large, flexible canvas, like a digital whiteboard/corkboard hybrid, where you can add sticky notes, shapes, files, links, scans, photos and videos, audio, typed text, and drawings and highlights etc. mark.

The best thing about Freeform is collaboration, so you can plan projects, brainstorm ideas, create inspiration boards, and more. You can see everything collaborators are doing on the canvas in real time, from adding content to making edits. Collaboration can be started via FaceTime, and everyone’s updates can be seen in the associated message thread. You can show or hide the canvas grid on each board, and the app’s settings allow you to show or hide center, edge, and spacing guides.

2. Prefer Siri’s silent response

On iOS 16.0–16.1, your only option for verbal responses to Siri on the iPhone is between automatic and preferred voice responses. Automatic uses on-device intelligence to determine when it should speak, while Prefer Spoken Responses commands Siri to almost always speak loudly, even when silent mode is enabled. This is in stark contrast to previous iOS versions, which always had a third option that gave you more control to keep Siri silent almost all the time.

The new iOS 16.2 update brings back a third option, Prefer Silent Responses. According to the fine print in Settings -> Siri & Search -> Siri Responses, when this option is enabled, Siri will respond silently, “unless you appear to be driving or using headphones with the screen off.”

3. Shortcuts to lock the screen

The Shortcuts app keeps getting tweaked on iOS 16, and the iOS 16.2 update is no exception. This time, the wallpaper is a little different and a new script action:

Get wallpapers: Gets all lockscreen wallpapers and returns them as output so you can use them for other operations. This action doesn’t work on Apple Watch, Mac, and iPad.

Switch between wallpapers: Switch the current lock screen wallpaper. If the wallpaper has the link’s focus, this action also sets the focus. This action doesn’t work on Apple Watch, Mac, and iPad.

Set Wallpaper Photo: Set the wallpaper to the specified image. This action doesn’t work on Apple Watch.

4. Sleep widget for lock screen

We already have sleep widgets for the home screen and today view, but now there are widgets for the lock screen that can be below the time. The same two widgets are listed below, along with a third option, which is just a shortcut to the Sleep section of the Health app.

Data and Schedule: View your sleep profile and view your sleep schedule.

Sleep: View your most recent sleep periods, including sleep stages.

5. Visual changes for software updates

In a small update to iOS 16.2, the Software Update screen in Settings displays the currently installed version of iOS in bold, large font.

6. Show View Changes

When you go to Settings -> Display & Brightness, you’ll see the “Display Scaling” group at the bottom is now called “Display”, and under the new shorter heading you’ll find “Display Scaling” as a menu item, while More than just “view”. These small changes may be related to the next feature.

>>>>>>>>>>>Apple battery

Google Pixel 7 vs. Pixel 5: Should you upgrade?

 Since most people will be using their smartphones for at least two years, comparing the Google Pixel 7 to the Pixel 5 is more timely than ever, especially if you picked up the Pixel 5 in 2020 when the phone first came out. A new Google phone means it’s time to consider whether you need to upgrade your old phone. Let’s take a look at the Google Pixel 7 and Google Pixel 5!

Google Pixel 7 vs Pixel 5: Prices and models

After offering regular and XL versions of its flagship phone, Google has only launched a single version of the Pixel 5 — a 6-inch phone with 128GB of storage. But just the following year, Google went back to its two modes, releasing a Pro version of its flagship phone to go with the smaller, cheaper standard version.

This brings us to the Pixel 7, which has a 6.3-inch screen and is available in either 128GB or 256GB.

Today, the Pixel 7 starts at $599, or $100 more if you want the 256GB version. That means you can get a 256GB Pixel 7 for the same price as the only 2020 Pixel 5 model. If you stick with the 128GB version, you can actually buy a new phone for less.

Google Pixel 7 vs Pixel 5: Design

Aside from the Google logo on the back of the phone, you hardly know the Pixel 5 and Pixel 7 are from the same company. The Pixel 5 won praise for its design at the time, as it was a compact and sturdy phone with an attractive matte finish. The rear camera array is hidden in the top-left corner of the phone, not far from the physical fingerprint sensor. Again, it was a very solid design, although it wasn’t too different from other Android phones of the time.

Google kept that feature for the Pixel 7 and made some improvements, moving to a matte aluminum material. As for that rear fingerprint reader, that’s gone, replaced by an under-display sensor that lets you unlock the phone. The Pixel 7 also supports face unlock — something the Pixel 5 lacked.

Google Pixel 7 vs Pixel 5: Display

If you stack the Pixel 7 with the Pixel 5, the first thing you’ll notice is that their OLED panels are different sizes. The Pixel 5 is Google’s first phone with a faster refresh rate, and its display can switch between 60Hz and 90Hz when activity on the screen demands it. A monitor with an adjustable refresh rate can display smoother scrolling text and more immersive graphics than a monitor locked to 60Hz.

The Pixel 7 also has a 90Hz display, but opt ​​for the Pixel 7 Pro and you’ll get a faster refresh rate — 120Hz. The Pixel Pro 7 can also zoom all the way down to 10Hz to preserve battery life when your screen is more static.

Google Pixel 7 vs Pixel 5: Cameras

Google‘s older phones were no slouch in the photo department, but hardware and software improvements helped the new model earn a spot on the best camera phone list.

On the hardware side, the Pixel 7 offers a 50MP main camera and a 12MP ultra-wide-angle lens. That primary shooter definitely beats the 12.2MP sensor on the Pixel 5. The Pixel 5 does have a 16MP ultra-wide-angle lens, though we don’t think those extra megapixels will make much of a difference.

The Pixel 7 Pro adds a 48MP telephoto lens with 5x optical zoom to the camera mix – something neither the Pixel 7 nor the Pixel 5 match. But the SuperResZoom feature on the Pixel 7 gets a boost from the phone’s Tensor chip, allowing for a 50MP primary lens, cropped to 12.5MP when zoomed in.

Google Pixel 7 and Pixel 5: Processors

Google said it started developing its own chips because it wanted a smarter phone experience, not necessarily a faster chip. While the Tensor can keep up with the latest Qualcomm chipsets in our tests, it’s a far cry from the iPhone’s A-series chips in terms of speed.

However, you’ll see a performance boost from the Pixel 5 because the phone uses the Snapdragon 765G chipset instead of the more powerful chip from Qualcomm’s 8-series. As a result, the Pixel 5 posted a fairly average Geekbench 5 multi-core score of 1,617. The Pixel 7 hit 3,021 on the same test with the help of Tensor G2. The Pixel 7 has better graphics and a faster 5G connection.

Google Pixel 7 vs Pixel 5: Battery life and charging

Of course, the demand for batteries has increased, and the battery that powers Google’s flagship phones has grown only a little — from 4.080 mAh in the Pixel 5 to 4,335 mAh in the Pixel 7. But battery life on Pixel flagship phones is going in the wrong direction, and we think that’s something Google needs to fix.

At least the Pixel 7 charges faster than the Pixel 5. That older phone supported 18W wired charging, but the Pixel 7 charges up to 30W.

>>>>>>>>>>Google battery

Samsung’s Galaxy S23 needs these 3 changes to be worth the upgrade

 Compared to the Galaxy S21, the Galaxy S22 has some notable upgrades, such as a brighter screen, better cameras, improved night mode, and a more refined design.

Samsung’s phones still have plenty of room to grow, especially as they face increasing competition from Google’s Pixel lineup. Samsung typically releases new Galaxy S devices in the first few months of the year, which means we might expect the Galaxy S23 to arrive in January or February. I wish the new Galaxy series had a longer-lasting battery and more photography features to take advantage of the S-series’ excellent cameras. Here’s everything you want Samsung to add and upgrade to the Galaxy S23 lineup.

Regular Galaxy S23 has longer battery life

Battery life is never long enough, but standard Galaxy S devices in particular need a boost. The 6.1-inch Galaxy S22 usually lives up to Samsung‘s claimed all-day battery life, but sometimes just barely.

The Galaxy S22 has the smallest battery of the three phones in the Galaxy S22 series, and it shows. I set the refresh rate to high, which usually drains the battery faster. The Galaxy S22 Ultra has a 6.8-inch screen and a 5,000mAh battery with similar battery life.

It makes sense that the smallest phone in the Galaxy S22 series also has the smallest battery. But hopefully Samsung will find a way to improve battery life on next year’s 6.1-inch Galaxy phones, whether it’s through better power efficiency or a larger physical battery. After all, Apple has upgraded the iPhone 13 Mini to give it two to three hours more battery life compared to the iPhone 12 Mini. Battery life was a major complaint against the Galaxy S22, and fixing that would make the Galaxy S23 a more attractive option for Android fans who prefer a smaller phone.

South Korean news outlet The Elec says this is indeed the case, as it reports that Samsung is aiming to increase the Galaxy S23’s battery capacity by about 5 percent.

Smarter camera features

The Galaxy S22’s 50-megapixel camera and the Galaxy S22 Ultra’s 108-megapixel camera capture photos with rich colors and details. Just wish you could do more with these cameras in terms of editing and software features.

The Galaxy S22 series features shooting options like Panorama, Night Mode, Portrait Mode, Slow Motion, Super Slow Motion, and Director’s View, allowing you to record video with two different lenses at the same time. Then there’s Single Take, which creates multiple stylized shots with a single press of the shutter button. You can also download the Expert Raw app for finer control over photo settings.

 But not much has changed between the Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S22 in terms of camera features and shooting modes. Would love to see Samsung take a page from Google, which often adds nifty camera tricks that feel functional rather than gimmicky. For example, Google introduced a new feature on the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro called Photo Unblur, which can sharpen low-quality photos, even those taken with older cameras. As the name suggests, Face Unblur freezes moving subjects that may appear blurry.

Features like these show that Google isn’t just thinking about camera quality, but ways to take away the everyday annoyances of phone photography. On the other hand, many of Samsung’s updates aim to give content creators more tools to capture different types of footage and video clips.

While the Galaxy S23 may not be available for another two to three months, Samsung is already making improvements to the cameras on its current Galaxy phones. It just added a new feature to the Expert Raw app that helps stargazers take better photos of constellations, similar to what Google offers for astrophotography on Pixel phones. There’s also a new Camera Assistant app that lets you enable or disable certain features, like a faster shutter or automatic lens switching.

Faster charging and less expensive

The Galaxy S22 series supports fast charging up to 25 watts on the Galaxy S22 and up to 45 watts on the Galaxy S22 Plus and Ultra. But you have to buy a separate charger to do so.

With the Galaxy S23, expect to see a more significant boost in charging speeds, as well as more affordable charger options. For example, the OnePlus 10 Pro offers 65-watt or 80-watt fast charging, depending on your region, both of which are faster than what Samsung offers on paper.

>>>>>>>>>>>>Samsung battery

Samsung Galaxy S23 promises big battery life boost

 The latest Samsung Galaxy S23 and Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra rumours shed more light on the performance of the new smartphones and once again hinted that a release date could come sooner than expected.

Turning first to a new tweet from Ice Universe, the Galaxy S23 series may get a new “Light” performance profile. Turning it on is said to slow down the phone’s processor to improve battery life and keep the phone cool. IU adds that this won’t affect the phone’s refresh rate, meaning you’ll still be able to enjoy the smoothness of the 120Hz display featured on all three predicted Galaxy S23 models, while still maximizing battery life.

This setting is separate from the Game Booster option that Samsung offers to adjust game performance on its devices. That’s another benefit, as it might mean you can get the most out of your phone while gaming, but switch back to a more productive profile as soon as you’re done.

No Exynos yet?

Also from Ice Universe, a quote from Qualcomm CFO Akash Palkhiwala. Screenshots provided by IU claim that Samsung’s new phone will provide a huge boost for the company, which makes the Snapdragon family of chips used by Samsung and other smartphone makers.

Palkhiwala initially spoke about how Qualcomm expects Samsung‘s launch to play out in the “second half of the March quarter,” which matches the aforementioned rumored launch date. More notably, he also said that Qualcomm’s “share” will change, “rising from 75% of the GS22 to the global share of the GS23”. This seems to suggest that the Snapdragon chip will be in all Galaxy S23 models, not just some of them.

Some sources say that Samsung will use a typical combination of its in-house Exynos 2300 chip and the upcoming Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip in the Galaxy S23 series, just as it has done with Qualcomm over the past few years to use its chips in certain markets. . However, there have also been previous rumors that the S23 series will only have a Snapdragon chip to deliver consistent performance to phones globally, which is in line with what Palkhiwala said.

Samsung has been trying for some time to make its Exynos chips as powerful as the equivalent Snapdragon models, so Samsung customers may opt for inferior phones, depending on where they buy their devices. So no matter where you are, you get a better Snapdragon chip, which is a benefit for users living outside the US who already get a Snapdragon-powered Galaxy S phone.

Galaxy S23 Outlook

Aside from the chip, new performance modes, and an earlier-than-normal release date, there are more interesting rumors about the Galaxy S23 lineup. The regular and Plus models are thought to be redesigned, along with an upgraded 12MP selfie camera. The Galaxy S23 Ultra may also get a camera upgrade, in the form of a new 200MP main camera on the back.

>>>>>>>>>>>Samsung battery

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 can solve the biggest Fold 4 problems — here’s how

 The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 still has some way to go, but Samsung is considering how to fix some of its biggest flaws based on the latest leaks. According to leaker Lanzuk, Samsung may be using a new material to make its next-generation foldable devices.

The Galaxy Z Fold 4 is our top pick for the best foldable phone right now, but there’s no denying it’s still a bulky phone. At 9.28 ounces, it’s lighter than the 9.5-ounce Fold 3, but still significantly heavier than the 8.5-ounce iPhone 14 Pro Max. To be fair, though, the iPhone 14 Pro Max has a 6.7-inch display, while the Fold’s foldable panel is 7.6 inches. Using lighter materials will help offset the phone’s large size and allow for extra features to be added without making the phone too bulky.

What extra features might these be? For a potential answer to this question, we can refer to a report from a recent Samsung Mobile Experience (MX) Vendor Conference, reported by TheElec. While painting a rosy picture for current and future foldable phone performance, Samsung at the conference still recognized room for improvement in its foldable phones, noting some of the challenges it expects its suppliers to overcome in future foldable phones . That includes making foldable phones that are lighter, thinner, and more durable, with smaller display creases, which are all the complaints we and other users have had since the original Galaxy Fold.

More interestingly, Samsung also agrees that a built-in S Pen slot is a key feature, and it reportedly wants to add one to the Galaxy Z Fold 4. It doesn’t explain why not, but hopefully that’s a good sign the Galaxy Z Fold 5 will have this feature.

Samsung also highlighted the importance of improving its foldable camera. The Galaxy Z Fold 4 has improved the camera from the Galaxy Z Fold 3, but Samsung was apparently held back by the weight and thickness of the device. Perhaps by using the aforementioned lighter materials, Samsung will feel comfortable adding a better camera to the Galaxy Z Fold 5. For example, we could see a more powerful telephoto camera like the one offered by the Galaxy S22 Ultra or a higher-resolution main camera.

Finally, Samsung mentioned that the more square inner screen aspect ratio of the Z Fold series requires more software to adapt. This isn’t just a problem for Samsung’s foldables, but as more rivals launch and ship foldables to the US, UK and Australia, Samsung has to stay ahead of the foldables market if it wants to stay on top. overcome this problem.

>>>>>>>>>>>Samsung battery

One UI 5: The 8 best features you need to try on your Samsung phone

 One UI 5 is the next major release of the Samsung Galaxy device skin. Based on Android 13, it offers the best of both worlds: Google’s take on Android with Samsung’s customizations and additional features. One UI 5 doesn’t bring any major UI overhauls, but it includes several new features.

Once the official Android 13 update hits your Galaxy phone, check out the top One UI 5 features you must try. Let’s take a look below!

1. Lock screen customization

Taking inspiration from iOS 16, Samsung has made it easier than ever to customize the lock screen in One UI 5. Just long press the lock screen to start editing. You can add certain widgets, change the lock screen wallpaper and clock style, adjust notification display settings, and more. Displays a live preview to make customization easier. Most of the customization options were there before – it’s just that you can now access them more easily.

2. Change the system palette

One UI 5 features the Material You enhancements Google added in Android 13, including an improved dynamic theme engine. Now you can access up to 16 preset wallpaper-based color themes. After applying your favorite wallpaper, One UI 5 will automatically display a color palette with colors extracted from the wallpaper.

3. Close RAM Plus

RAM Plus debuts on some lower-end Galaxy A phones in 2021. Samsung then expanded that capability to its flagship and high-end devices with One UI 4.0.

RAM Plus uses the phone’s storage as an extension of the device’s memory, also known as virtual RAM. RAM Plus is not a replacement for your phone’s physical RAM. Virtual RAM is always slower than physical RAM and if not implemented correctly it can slow down your device.

By default, RAM Plus uses 4GB of onboard storage on Galaxy devices. In One UI 4.1, Samsung introduced more options: 2GB, 6GB and 8GB. However, there is no way to turn off the feature. In One UI 5, the company added an option to turn off RAM Plus entirely.

If you have a high-end Galaxy device with 8GB or 12GB of RAM, using RAM Plus won’t make any difference. In this case, it’s best to turn off the feature and reclaim your device’s storage space.

To turn off RAM Plus, navigate to Settings > Battery & Device Maintenance > Memory > RAM Plus. Here you’ll find options to turn off RAM Plus or set the amount of virtual memory you want it to use. A restart is required to implement the changes.

4. Multitasking gestures

One UI 5 includes some handy gestures to help you multitask. You can swipe toward the middle of the display from the top corner to open any app in a pop-up view. Another gesture makes triggering split view mode easier than ever: swipe up from the bottom of the screen with two fingers. This gesture also lets you bring up the app drawer when you’re already running two apps in split-screen mode.

You can enable them via the Good Lock module. With One UI 5, Samsung is bringing gestures to all of its mid-range and high-end devices. You can enable Swipe for pop-up view and Swipe for split screen gestures from Settings > Advanced features > Labs.

5. Better text extraction in Samsung Gallery

Samsung has further deepened the OCR integration in the Gallery app in One UI 5. While you can always copy text from a photo, you must use the Bixby Vision feature. In One UI 5, you can long-press a piece of text in an image and the Gallery app will automatically recognize it. Depending on the highlighted text, you can choose to copy, translate, call, or find the location in Google Maps.

6. Smart suggestion widget

Taking inspiration from the iPhone’s Siri Suggestions widget, Samsung added the Smart Suggestions widget in One UI 5.

7. Patterns and routines

Samsung has renamed Bixby Routines to Modes and Routines in One UI 5. Automation tools have also become more powerful than ever, and some new actions have been added. Using modes, you can set a mode to automatically change multiple system settings at once. Routines get new trigger intents and system settings customization so you can create more powerful routines than ever before.

8. Camera app improvements

The Samsung Camera app in One UI 5 has received some notable improvements. You can easily zoom with one hand by swiping vertically on the zoom bar. To help new users use the Pro photo and video modes, Samsung will display helpful tips related to the different controls. For advanced users, pro mode gets a histogram so you can determine the exposure in your photos.

Additionally, One UI 5 allows the telephoto camera to be used in food mode in the camera app on Galaxy devices.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>Samsung battery

Your Samsung phone has a hidden fingerprint reader trick – try it now

 Learn how to use finger sensor gestures on Samsung phones to easily access notifications or Samsung Wallet with just a swipe of a number. This hidden Samsung feature has been part of many of the best Samsung phones over the years, but it’s something you might not know about.

It works by making your fingerprint reader work like a swipe sensor, swiping down will drag down the notification shade, and swiping up will open Samsung Wallet. That might not sound very exciting, but it’s certainly a time-saver that saves you from unnecessary hands-on when you just want to check notifications or access quick settings.

The caveat is that it only works on phones with traditional fingerprint readers, like the ones on most mid-range Samsung phones, or even the Z Fold 4 or Z Flip 4. So if your phone has an under-display fingerprint reader, this won’t work.

Wondering how to use finger sensor gestures on Samsung Galaxy phones? The following will tell you the answer.

How to Use Finger Sensor Gestures on Samsung Phones

1. Open the Settings menu and tap Advanced Features.

2. Tap Actions and Gestures, and then select Finger Sensor Gestures.

3. Tap the toggle button to open the notification panel to activate this feature. Alternatively, activate it by opening Samsung Wallet and tapping the toggle.

You can go now. To try it out, swipe your thumb or finger over the fingerprint sensor and get ready to be surprised when the notification shade or Samsung Wallet pops up in front of your eyes.

>>>>>>>>>>>>Samsung battery

Battery and data draining fast? turn off this setting

 Close your background app or not close your background app? This is a problem that many smartphone users are grappling with. Some say yes, clearing background apps can improve phone performance and save data. Others, including executives from Apple and Google’s Android teams, said no, background apps don’t take up enough phone resources to affect their performance.

You might be surprised to learn that both could be true. While background apps may not use your phone’s resources on their own, Android phones and iPhones refresh background apps periodically by default. This uses your phone’s battery and your data. By stopping background app refresh, you can save battery and data without closing background apps.

Here’s how to prevent background app refreshes, help you extend battery life, and save data.

Prevent background apps from refreshing on iPhone

If you have an iPhone, here’s how to prevent background app refreshes:

1. Open Settings.

2. Click General.

3. Click Background App Refresh.

4. Tap Background App Refresh again.

Here, you can choose to turn off background refresh, restrict background apps from refreshing when you’re connected to Wi-Fi, or allow background apps to refresh on Wi-Fi and cellular data. You can also choose which apps can refresh in the background. To do this, follow the first three steps above. You should then see a list of apps near the bottom of the page, and select apps that can be refreshed in the background.

Prevent background apps from refreshing on Android

If you have an Android device, here’s how to prevent background app refreshes:

1. Open Settings.

2. Click Network & Internet.

3. Click Data Saver.

4. Turn on the usage data saver.

Data saver prevents background apps from using data unless your phone is connected to Wi-Fi. Some apps you’re actively using may not load things like images unless you click on them, which can be annoying. You can tap Use Unrestricted Data below Data Saver, which lets you choose three apps to access your data without restrictions, even with Data Saver turned on.

You can also allow certain apps to use background data. That’s it:

1. Open Settings.

2. Click Network & Internet.

3. Tap Mobile Network.

4. Tap on App data usage.

5. Tap the app you want.

6. Turn on background data.

Now you can decide which apps are refreshed in the background, potentially saving your battery and data.

>>>>>>>>>>>>Phone battery

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3 Ways to Speed ​​Up Your Android Phone

 The best Android phones all start out running smoothly, responding instantly to every click, but over time even the fastest devices start showing their age. Using as much as a smartphone, every missed swipe or extra time waiting for an app to load can feel like an eternity.

Here are three tips to try before you decide it’s time to start buying a new smartphone. In less than 5 minutes, your phone will be back up to speed. With most modern Android phones, you don’t need to do these things, but if you have an older phone, it might help. Let’s take a look below!

Disable animation

1. Navigate to Settings.

2. Tap About Phone.

3. Tap the Build Number 7 step until you see a message that says you have enabled developer settings.

4. Go back to Settings, and then enter System.

5. Scroll down to the Drawing section and click Window Animation Scale. Set it to Off.

6. Repeat step 5 using the Transition animation scale and Animator duration scale.

Remove/disable bloatware and unused apps

Out of the box, your Android phone may have many completely unused apps pre-installed by your carrier or phone manufacturer. More likely, after months or years, you’ve added some of your own unused apps that are still taking up valuable space on your phone. Here’s how to free up space:

1. Navigate to Settings.

2. Tap Applications.

3. Select View All X Applications.

4. Select the application you want to manage from the list.

5. If the app is uninstallable, you will see the uninstall option below the app icon. Click that.

6. If the application is not uninstallable, you will see the option to disable. Use it, but be aware that it may interfere with your phone‘s functionality.

This is useful for outdated software that cannot be uninstalled, such as OneDrive on Samsung devices.

7. Repeat as needed.

Extension preloading in Chrome

With around 90% of Android users sticking with the Chrome browser, you might be wondering how to speed up your browsing. While Google has removed the Data Saver/Lite Mode option, there is still an option to speed things up.

Upgrade Chrome to extension preloading and it will preload web pages faster. It tries to predict what you will be using and preloads it. Turning it on is easy, but it may use more background data than the default setting.

1. Open Chrome.

2. Click the overflow menu button in the upper right corner.

3. Tap Settings.

4. Go to Privacy and Security.

5. Find the preload page.

6. Select the extension preload option.

Your mileage may vary with this step, but even the latest Android devices may benefit from enabling this option. Give it a try and give it a few days.

>>>>>>>>>Phone battery

Android 13 and iOS 16 are no different: A look at four common features

 There was a time when Android and iOS were two completely different worlds, each with a completely different target audience and experience. But as both operating systems become more mature, the difference between them becomes less obvious. The latest iterations — Android 13 and iOS 16 — are now more similar than ever. Today, we’ve listed some of the latest features that actually help bridge the gap between these two beasts.

Android 13 and iOS 16: Customization

When people think of Android, they think of infinite customization across interfaces – and iOS is seen as the exact opposite. However, this has changed dramatically since iOS 14 introduced custom icons and widgets. In iOS 16, both the home screen and the lock screen can be customized. Apple has also added widget support to the lock screen, which is no longer an option on Android.

On iOS 16, users can choose from multiple widgets, customize colors, and use depth effects with wallpapers for a truly unique look. When it comes to customizing the lock screen, Apple’s iOS 16 actually beats Android here.

In Android 13, the “Material You” theme actually goes one step further, even customizing the app’s icon based on the overall system color theme. That’s not yet an option on iOS 16, but it’s safe to say that both operating systems now offer users a ton of customization.

Android 13 vs. iOS 16: Language options per app

While iOS has supported per-app language switching starting with iOS 13, Android only got it in its latest version. The feature makes apps on both operating systems more friendly to multilingual users who may prefer to access certain apps in a language different from the system default. Once set up, the feature works very similarly on both – although setting it up on either is a completely different experience.

On Android phones running Android 13 — still very limited given the fragmented ecosystem — you can do this directly from the app info page. This can be accessed via the menu that pops up when you long-press any app icon. Meanwhile, on Apple, you need to launch System Settings and search for the app in the app list. Click on it and then you will find that option. Keep in mind that not all apps on iOS and Android add support for multiple languages.

Android 13 and iOS 16: Focus Mode

The feature actually has the same name on Android and iOS, although the two are implemented slightly differently. In fact, Apple’s version recently got a major upgrade with iOS 16. For iPhone users, Focus has dedicated modes such as Do Not Disturb, Driving, Personal, Sleep or Work. You can customize these modes to ensure that only certain apps are allowed to show notifications, and that only selected people can call you. Apple’s implementation even allows you to hide certain parts of the app and show only the parts relevant to your focus.

Meanwhile, Android’s Focus Mode will gray out the icon of the selected app and “pause” it. It also ensures that their notifications are hidden. If you tap the app, it will notice that focus mode is on, but you can choose to use it for five minutes. Android 13 will also let you see a schedule for Focus Mode. So this will be turned on at a specific time each day according to your preference.

Android 13 and iOS 16: Dictation

Both operating systems have supported text-to-speech functionality for several years. But only recently has this become accurate enough that users can really consider giving up typing. The Pixel 6 series introduced a very powerful dictation feature in Android 12 last year, but Apple is catching up this year with iOS 16.

With Android 13 and iOS 16, you can now talk and type seamlessly across both platforms, and handle punctuation automatically. Another common feature is support for emoji, which you can add to your text using just your voice. The steps to start voice dictation are the same – on iOS you just tap the microphone icon in the bottom right corner of the keyboard, and on Gboard on Android it’s in the top right corner.

>>>>>>>>>Phone battery