This Week in Apps: Coronavirus special coverage, Apple tries to save AR with lidar and more

Welcome back to This Week in Apps, the Extra Crunch series that recaps the latest OS news, the applications they support and the money that flows through it all.

The app industry is as hot as ever, with a record 204 billion downloads in 2019 and $120 billion in consumer spending in 2019, according to App Annie’s “State of Mobile” annual report. People are now spending 3 hours and 40 minutes per day using apps, rivaling TV. Apps aren’t just a way to pass idle hours — they’re a big business. In 2019, mobile-first companies had a combined $544 billion valuation, 6.5x higher than those without a mobile focus.

In this Extra Crunch series, we help you keep up with the latest news from the world of apps, delivered on a weekly basis.

This week we’re continuing to look at how the coronavirus outbreak is impacting the world of mobile applications. In particular, we have new data from App Annie that shows which app categories are gaining or losing as a result of the pandemic. We also take a look at other mobile news, including the new Android 11 preview, iPad’s new lidar, TikTok’s new advisory committee and more, as well as a few apps to help get you through this tough time.

Coronavirus Special Coverage

The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic are continuing to play out on app stores and across the industry. This week, we’re leading with these stories, followed by other news.

Android apps reviews slow down

Google this week warned Android developers that Play Store app review times will be much longer than normal due to the COVID-19 crisis. Developers should expect app reviews to take up to a week or even longer, the company informed its community by way of an alert on the Google Play Console.

Read Full Article

5 Remote Work Resources to Work From Home Productively

If you’re new to remote working or trying to figure out how to work from home, the internet has your back. These tips, tools, and articles will help you be productive from anywhere.

The Coronavirus threat has led to a surge in the number of people working from their homes. It’s not a normal environment for many, but hey, remote working isn’t a new concept. People have been doing it for a long time, and you can draw upon their experience and advice.

In fact, even if you have been a non-office worker for some time, you can still gain a lot from the new tools and tips cropping up in the wake of this outbreak.

1. WFH Manual (Web): Tools, Tips, and Tweets

The WFH Manual is a newly put-together website aimed at helping those who have no prior experience of remote working. It aims to get the best guides on the web, robust tool and resource kits, and it also highlights the best tweets.

Since the outbreak, experienced remote workers have been sharing many of their best tips and tricks through Twitter. From setting up workstations to forming productive habits and routines, the WFH Manual has curated insightful tweets and threads. The page only has the first tweet in the chain, so make sure you click to read the full thread and check comments from other users for additional tips.

WFH Manual has two other sections: Practices and Resources. In Practices, you’ll find articles and guides by both managers and employees about working remotely and staying productive. Resources focuses on app curation and software stashes, along with a few tweets gathering recommendations for apps.

2. Remote Work Resources (Web): Mega-List of Remote Links

Recruitment agency Springworks compiled a mega-list of the best links about working from home. The spreadsheet has over 300 items, spanning a variety of categories like articles, tools, books, podcasts, and products.

It’s a simple four-column spreadsheet that gives you the title, author, URL, and type of content. Helpful tags like “For employer” and “For employee” will help you avoid unnecessary clicks, and you can also sort by category. It’s especially useful for in-depth articles and free ebooks about working from home, which are otherwise scattered across the web. Look for the “guide/ebook” tag to find those free ebooks.

The list includes some of the other resources mentioned in this article, along with many others. You can download the full Remote Work Resources list by sharing your email address, and you can suggest more links to add through a simple form.

3. Remote.Tools (Web): The Best Remote and Work From Home Apps

There are many, many, many websites that aggregate the best apps for remote workers or work-from-home needs. Remote.Tools stood out for me because of how easy it makes the search and discovery of these tools.

The popular products (this week, all-time) is a user-controlled chart where apps rise and fall in rankings based on upvotes. Clear categories make it easy to find the right tool for you. The search function is actually good at finding apps.

After you’re done finding the apps you need, you should also check out their Remote Work 2020 Guide. It has a neat history and addresses all the major issues. And if you’re starting remote work because of the coronavirus threat, the makers put together an Emergency Remote Work Kit to get you started. Both the guides have advice for both managers and employees.

4. Best Remote Work Communities (Web): Slack Channels to Simulate Office

It can get lonely working from home, especially if you are used to chatting with colleagues as you go about your day. Hopefully, your company has set up a workplace messenger like Slack or Microsoft Team. But in case they haven’t, you can join one of the open-for-all remote work communities.

OWL Labs rounded up 36 of the best remote work Slack chatrooms that you can join. With most, as long as you are registered on Slack, you’ll be able to join immediately. Some of them have an invitation process, but it’s generally approved quickly. OWL has general remote working as well as specialized communities for creatives, women, product people, designers, etc.

To search for other Slack communities that would be more in tune with your location, language, profession, or tastes, check out Slofile. It’s a directory of Slack communities with easy search, as well as options to filter by category, language, and region.

5. Hallway and Work From Home Party (Web): 10-Minute Video Watercooler Breaks

A text chat is nice, but it’s not the same as those water-cooler breaks catching up with office buddies. And if you live alone, it can feel weird not to speak to anyone for hours on end while you’re isolated. Hallway is here to fill that void without affecting your productivity.

It integrates into Slack and schedules video calls with colleagues, with a 10-minute time limit. That time limit is important because video calls have a tendency to go on for longer, so this feels more like a real break. If you want to talk for longer, you can use a Zoom or Google Meet video chatroom instead.

If you are a freelance worker, you won’t have colleagues to schedule that call with. So you can hop on to the Work From Home Party, an open video chat on Zoom. Start it up, say hi, and join the conversation. There’s no compulsion to talk or interact, so it might just give you that office feel you’re looking for.

Of course, you don’t have to use either of these if you want a longer video call. There are some excellent free video conference apps for office meetings and friendly calls, some of which don’t even need you to register to use.

The MakeUseOf Remote Working Mega-Guide

The main thing to remember about working from home is that in the end, it’s work. You need to follow your routine as you would at the office, set up a work desk, and get your productivity tools in shape.

Over the years at MakeUseOf, we have given tons of advice about all of these topics which can help you be productive while working remotely. To find any subject you might need help with, check our mega-guide of links to past articles and tips at the remote work hub.

Read the full article: 5 Remote Work Resources to Work From Home Productively

Read Full Article

Twitter prioritizes blue-check verifications to confirm experts on Covid-19 and the novel coronavirus

At long last, here’s an actually useful purpose for Twitter’s blue-check verification mark: Twitter last night announced that it is mobilising the badge system to help surface and signal more authoritative and verified voices that can provide “credible updates” on the topic of the coronavirus, and made a general call out for people that are experts to get all of their information up to date — including associating the word addresses with their accounts — to speed up this process.

This is the latest move from Twitter in what has been an ongoing effort to clear its platform of false information and the harmful spread of it as the pandemic increasingly takes its grip on the world.

The blue check mark was always intended to help steer people to know when they looking at more authentic voices or the official accounts for high-profile people or organizations, although it’s also been a huge vanity metric for many people, and so has often had a taint of the more ridiculous side of Twitter (the one where people also obsess over like and retweet counts). So harnessing it for a truly useful purpose is a great move.

It’s also one that is linking up with other efforts online: yesterday Google launched an updated search experience that includes a carousel of Twitter accounts Tweeting information related to the pandemic. This will help Twitter and Google populate that in a more informative and dynamic way.

If you are an expert who would like to use Twitter to broadcast more effective messages to the public, please read on. And if you are an authority who is not affiliated with one of the authorities working on fighting and managing the coronavirus outbreak, hold tight as Twitter said it will also be working on how to more quickly verify you, too.

Twitter said it is working with global health authorities — these include organizations like the WHO, the CDC, state health authorities and recognized academic institutions — to identify not just these organizations’ own accounts but those of experts affiliated with them. While it has it has “already Verified hundreds of accounts,” there are many more to verify, but the process is being slowed down by people not having all of their information in order. (Essentially these are some of the usual requirements for verification, applied specifically now to coronavirus experts.)

Specifically, Twitter said that experts needed to make sure that the email address that a person has associated with their Twitter account is their work emails. Instructions on how to do that here.

Then, Twitter said that a person’s bio needs to include references and a link to the place where they are working, and ideally that the page they are linking to also includes a reference back to the Twitter account (if it’s a link to a bio page). Instructions on how to update your profile here.

And accounts that are looking for verification, it goes without saying, have to follow the official Twitter Rules (which cover things like no harassment, impersonation accounts and so on), and specifically as it relates to coronavirus and Covid-19, Twitter’s guidance for that.

Twitter had, predictably, what looked like hundreds of responses to its Tweets on this subject, both from people simply saying, “Hey, what about me? Can I get verified today for my birthday?!” and those saying they also should be verified because of their authoritative position on Covid-19. Going about how to do the latter with accuracy will be a much bigger challenge that Twitter is still working out. “We’re also considering a way to take public suggestions, but first are reviewing the suggestions we have from global public health authorities and partners,” it concluded.

Read Full Article

How to Move your iCloud and Apple Photos to Google Photos

A friend writes - “Any suggestions on how to combine the Google photo library with iPhoto. Which is a better platform for keeping the photos? Google seems to be very handy in sorting and searching. Would love to know your views”

I am a big fan of Google Photos for several reasons - you get unlimited storage space, Google is pretty good at visual image search and you can have collaborative photo albums where multiple people can upload to a common folder.

Transfer Photos from Apple iCloud / Mac to Google Photos

If you would like to copy your photos from iCloud / Apple Photos to Google Photos, there are no browser plugins or software that can automate this - you’ll have to manually transfer the picture library from Apple to Google Photos. Luckily, that migration process isn’t difficult either.

It is a two-step process - you download the photos from iPhoto and iPad to your computer via iCloud and then put them on to the Google Cloud. Let’s see how:

Step 1: Download Photos from iCloud

Via Web Browser

You may directly go to the icloud.com/photos website, select your photos and then click the download button to save them from the iCloud library to your Windows PC or Mac.

On Windows PC

If you have photos on your iPhone or iPad that are getting backed up on iCloud, you can copy them to your Windows PC with iCloud for Windows.

Inside iCloud, sign-in with your Apple ID, then open the File Explorer window, click on iCloud Photos under Quick Access and then choose Download photos and videos.

On Apple Mac OS

Open the Apple Photos app on your Mac and press ^1 (Ctrl+1) to switch to the main Photo view that has a list of all pictures that are available in your iPhoto library.

Select one or more photos, then go to the File menu and choose Export to download pictures from Apple Photos to another folder on your desktop.

For the export options, you may stick to the default values but do check the “Include Location Information” option. This will help Google group your photos by location.

Also, if you aren’t seeing all your iPhone photos inside Mac, go to Preferences inside the Photos app and make sure that the Download originals to this Mac option is checked under the iCloud Photos section.

Step 2 - Upload Photos to Google Photos

Once you have saved the photos that you wish to transfer to your local drive, you need to send them to Google Photos and there are two ways to go about it.

Upload Photos via Web Browser

Open Google Chrome, or any other web browser, and go to photos.google.com. Simply drag the photos folder from your desktop to the Google Photos website and they’ll be uploaded in sequence.

The browser should remain open and your Internet connection should be working for the upload to happen in the background.

Upload Photos via Google App

If you have a large number of photos to upload from your Windows PC or Mac to the Google Photos library, it is recommended that you use Google’s Backup and Sync tool that is available for both Windows and Mac OS.

With the app installed, sign-in with your Google account, select the folders on your desktop that you wish to backup and click Start to initiate the backup process.

While the name is Backup and Sync, it is not exactly a synchronization tool. So once your photos are uploaded to Google Photos, you can remove them from the local drive and they won’t be deleted from your Google Photos.

Google Photos - The Good Parts

When Google launched Gmail in 2004, it bundled 40x more free storage space than competing webmail services. It seemed to solve all storage woes and they did not include a “delete” button in Gmail because, with a gigabyte available, why would anyone ever delete their emails. They’ve adopted a similar approach with Google Photos but gone a step further.

Google Photos offers unlimited online storage space for your digital photos and videos. The original images are compressed after uploading but the difference is barely noticeable, at least on our mobile and computer screens.

I started dumping all my pictures to Google Photos, the day it launched, and couldn’t be happier. The initial purpose was online backup but now Google Photos has become “the” place where I go to explore my photos. The files do not consume a byte of local storage space and yet the entire collection is always available on every device that I own.

Here are essential things that you should know about Google Photos and some tips to help get the most out of this amazing photo backup service.

Upload your pictures to Google Photos

Google Photos has desktop uploaders for both Windows PCs and Mac OS X. Alternatively, you can drag folders from the desktop to photos.google.com and they’ll be uploaded instantly. Android, iPhone and iPad users can install the Google Photos app and their mobile photo will be backed up automatically.

There’s no support for cloud-to-cloud transfer so if you were to move from iCloud to Google Photos, it will involve some manual effort.

Organize your Google Photos

Google Photos will arrange your picture library by location and by the date taken automatically. It can also recognize the visual theme of photos so if you search for, say “food” or “dinner”, you will most likely see all your family dinner photos. You can find “selfies” too. The results aren’t always accurate but a useful option nonetheless.

If you have painstakingly organized your photo on the computer in albums manually, you’ll be disappointed to know that Google Photos will ignore these albums and instead dump all the photos in one big pool. You can create photo albums inside Google Photos but it will not maintain the local album structure during upload.

Facial Recognition in Google Photos

Google Photos can recognize faces in your photos and it is pretty good at it. You can assign names to recognized faces and Google will automatically group them into albums that can be shared. Go to photos.google.com/people and you’ll find a list of all people that Google discovered in your photos.

Google Photos with Google Lens

The Google Photos app on your Android and iPhone includes Google Lens. So if you open a photo inside Photos and tap the lens icon, you can scan barcodes, business cards, recognize famous landmarks, plants and even book covers in your photos.

Duplicate Files in Google Photos

Google Photos can smartly detect duplicate photos and will skip uploading them if an image has been uploaded previously. The file names of your photos can be different and they can reside in different folders of your hard disk but the service will still recognize the duplicates and remove them from the upload queue.

There are two kinds of duplicates - exact duplicates and near duplicates. If you take a file and slightly crop it or change the EXIF data, it is a near duplicate of the original file. Google Photos will, however, treat this is a different photo and upload it as well along with the original image.

If you have too many “near duplicates” on your computer, remove the duplicates manually before adding them to the upload queue.

Deleting Files in Google Photos

You can delete a file from Google Photos and it will go to the trash. It sits there for 60 days and is then permanently removed so you have enough opportunity to restore your accidental deletes.

Here’s an important detail you should know though.

Let’s say you have a file holiday.jpg in a local Google Photos folder. If you delete this file from the Google Photos app and also empty your Google Photos’ recycle bin, the local file will get re-uploaded to Google Photos. This will happen on mobile as well. If you delete an item from Photos, the item may get re-uploaded from the phone’s gallery.

Thus, always remove files from the local folder as well after the upload else they could be re-uploaded if you ever remove the corresponding files from Google Photos.

Archive in Google Photos

Google Photos has an Instagram like Archive option that you can use for hiding photos from the main photo library. For instance, if you have photos that you don’t wish to delete but don’t want to have them in the main library, just press Shift+A and they’ll be sent to the secret archives.

Sharing with Google Photos

You can select one or more photos, hit the Share button and Google Photos will create a semi-private album with your selected photos. If you choose to share the album on, say WhatsApp, Google Photos will download and send the actual photos and not just share the link to the album.

Privacy Tip: Remember that when you share a photo or album in Google Photos via a link, anyone with that link can view your shared photos. There’s no way to limit sharing to specific email addresses as we have in Google Drive.

You can turn any photo albums in Google Photos into a common dropbox where anyone can contribute photos from their phones and desktops. So if you are a team, you can have one folder and all members can upload photos from the one to the common album.

Editing in Google Photos

Google Photos include a suite of image editing tools that let you perform basic edits and you can also apply Instagram-like filters to your images. I loved the photo editing capabilities of Google+ earlier and the same set of tools are now available in Photos. You can even produce animated GIFs, collages, and photo slideshows..

Add a Partner in Google Photos

This is a very useful feature of Google Photos - you can go to the Sharing Menu, Shared Libraries and Add a partner account (another Google Photos user). You can choose to automatically share all your photos with the partner or of specific people.

When you take a photo on your phone, it magically shows up on your partner’s phone. So if you are parent, you can choose to share photos of your kids and they’ll automatically show in your spouse’s Google account.

Move Google Photos to another Google Account

If you are switching Google Accounts, you can also move your photos from one account to another using the Partner option. Add the new Google account as a partner in your old Google Photos.

Next, sign-in to the partner account and under Shared Libraries, check the option that says Save to your Library from partner account.

If you didn’t save the photos in the new partner account from the old shared library, and your old Google Account is deleted, the photos will also be deleted from the shared library.

Google Photos - Tips & Tricks

• You may use the Google Takeout tool to download all your Google Photos on another computer.
• Use Chromecast to view your Google Photos as beautiful slideshows on your TV.
• If you would like to check the status of your upload queue, go to this secret link and confirm whether files are getting added or not.
• Google Photos are not available inside Gmail but if you have linked your Photos to Google Drive, you can easily attach any of your Google Photos in email messages.
• Your friends can comment on photos that are shared with them. Go here to view all the comments posted on your Google Photos.

The hard disks and CDs, where you are currently storing those precious memories, will go defunct in a few years. With Google Photos now available, there’s no reason not to upload your pictures to the cloud because all you need is a decent internet connection.

Google launches Covid-19 page and search portal with safety tips, official stats and more, US-only for now

Google says Coronavirus has become its biggest search topic by a country mile this year, and to continue its efforts to harness that attention in the best possible way, late on Friday the company launched a new information portal dedicated to the pandemic as well as an improved search experience for desktop and mobile.

The search experience, Google says, was updated in response to “people’s information needs expanding,” while the new information portal also provides the basic, most useful information (for example around symptoms), plus a lot of links and on-site options to explore further.

Something notably absent on Google’s page or search experience are any links to conversation forums or places to hear and talk to other average people. Google has never been particularly successful in its many efforts to break into social media and this underscores that, while also helping it steer away from the fact that many of these forums are not always well managed. I would imagine that more tools for direct communication, such as the Google Hangouts product, and possibly others in that same category, might well be added or linked to as well over time.

Let’s dive into some more details.

The new search experience now not only includes search results but also a number of additional links to “authoritative information” from health authorities and updated data and visualisations.

“This new format organizes the search results page to help people easily navigate information and resources, and it will also make it possible to add more information over time as it becomes available,” Emily Moxley, Google’s product manager for search, writes in a blog post.

The search experience now also includes links to a Twitter carousel featuring accounts from civic organizations local to you, and also a new “most common questions” section related to the pandemic from the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

This is rolling out first in the US in English and Google said it would be adding more languages and regions soon.

Meanwhile, the portal — also available first for the US — features tips on staying healthy and advice for those who are concerned; links to further official resources; links to more localised resources; links to fundraising efforts; the latest statistics; and an overview of all of Google’s own work (for example, the specific efforts it’s making for educators). We have asked the company when and if it plans to cover other regions beyond the US, and we’ll update this as we learn more.

This is an important move for Google. The internet has figured as critical platform from the earliest days of the Novel Coronavirus emerging out of China, but it hasn’t all been positive.

On one hand, there has been a ton of misinformation spread around about the virus, and the internet overall (plus specific sites like Google’s search and social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter) has played a huge role in being responsible for disseminating the majority of that bad news. (Not all those searches and clicks lead to the right information, or good data, unfortunately.)

On the other hand, it’s also been an indispensable resource: in countries where health services have already become overwhelmed by the influx of people seeking help, official online portals (like this one) are serving a very important role in triaging inbound requests before people resort to physically getting themselves into the system (if they need to). And the internet is the main place people will turn in the days and weeks ahead as they are asked to socially isolate themselves to slow down the spread of the pandemic, serving its role in providing information, but hopefully also some diversion and enrichment.

Google’s site is bringing together as many of the positive and legitimate strands of information as it can.

The main page focuses on the most important basics: an brief overview of the virus, a list of the most common symptoms, a list of most common things you can do to prevent getting infected or spreading the infection and a (very brief, for now) section on treatments.

From this, it goes on to more detailed links to videos and other resources for specific interests such as advice for the elderly, a map-based data overview to monitor what is going on elsewhere; and then resources for further help for topics that are coming up a lot, such as advice for people working from home, or for how to set up self-isolation, online education advice, cooking resources and more. Relief efforts so far only has one link, to the Solidarity Response Fund started by the UN Foundation, which has had a donation of $50 million from Google. \

There are a number of other relief and fundraising efforts underway, including those to help fund the race for research to improve the medical tools and medicine we have to fight this. I think the idea is that all of these sections will grow and evolve as the situation evolves.

Read Full Article

Google launches Covid-19 page and search portal with safety tips, official stats and more, US-only for now

Google says Coronavirus has become its biggest search topic by a country mile this year, and to continue its efforts to harness that attention in the best possible way, late on Friday the company launched a new information portal dedicated to the pandemic as well as an improved search experience for desktop and mobile.

The search experience, Google says, was updated in response to “people’s information needs expanding,” while the new information portal also provides the basic, most useful information (for example around symptoms), plus a lot of links and on-site options to explore further.

Something notably absent on Google’s page or search experience are any links to conversation forums or places to hear and talk to other average people. Google has never been particularly successful in its many efforts to break into social media and this underscores that, while also helping it steer away from the fact that many of these forums are not always well managed. I would imagine that more tools for direct communication, such as the Google Hangouts product, and possibly others in that same category, might well be added or linked to as well over time.

Let’s dive into some more details.

The new search experience now not only includes search results but also a number of additional links to “authoritative information” from health authorities and updated data and visualisations.

“This new format organizes the search results page to help people easily navigate information and resources, and it will also make it possible to add more information over time as it becomes available,” Emily Moxley, Google’s product manager for search, writes in a blog post.

The search experience now also includes links to a Twitter carousel featuring accounts from civic organizations local to you, and also a new “most common questions” section related to the pandemic from the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

This is rolling out first in the US in English and Google said it would be adding more languages and regions soon.

Meanwhile, the portal — also available first for the US — features tips on staying healthy and advice for those who are concerned; links to further official resources; links to more localised resources; links to fundraising efforts; the latest statistics; and an overview of all of Google’s own work (for example, the specific efforts it’s making for educators). We have asked the company when and if it plans to cover other regions beyond the US, and we’ll update this as we learn more.

This is an important move for Google. The internet has figured as critical platform from the earliest days of the Novel Coronavirus emerging out of China, but it hasn’t all been positive.

On one hand, there has been a ton of misinformation spread around about the virus, and the internet overall (plus specific sites like Google’s search and social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter) has played a huge role in being responsible for disseminating the majority of that bad news. (Not all those searches and clicks lead to the right information, or good data, unfortunately.)

On the other hand, it’s also been an indispensable resource: in countries where health services have already become overwhelmed by the influx of people seeking help, official online portals (like this one) are serving a very important role in triaging inbound requests before people resort to physically getting themselves into the system (if they need to). And the internet is the main place people will turn in the days and weeks ahead as they are asked to socially isolate themselves to slow down the spread of the pandemic, serving its role in providing information, but hopefully also some diversion and enrichment.

Google’s site is bringing together as many of the positive and legitimate strands of information as it can.

The main page focuses on the most important basics: an brief overview of the virus, a list of the most common symptoms, a list of most common things you can do to prevent getting infected or spreading the infection and a (very brief, for now) section on treatments.

From this, it goes on to more detailed links to videos and other resources for specific interests such as advice for the elderly, a map-based data overview to monitor what is going on elsewhere; and then resources for further help for topics that are coming up a lot, such as advice for people working from home, or for how to set up self-isolation, online education advice, cooking resources and more. Relief efforts so far only has one link, to the Solidarity Response Fund started by the UN Foundation, which has had a donation of $50 million from Google. \

There are a number of other relief and fundraising efforts underway, including those to help fund the race for research to improve the medical tools and medicine we have to fight this. I think the idea is that all of these sections will grow and evolve as the situation evolves.

Read Full Article

Become an Overnight Netflix Pro: 50+ Tips and Tricks You Should Know

Whether you’re thinking about getting Netflix or you’ve been a subscriber for years, we have all the tips and tricks you’ll need to get the most entertainment for your dollar.

Netflix remains the king of online streaming services despite all the competition that has cropped up over the years. It’s easy to use, has a large library of original and licensed content, and can be watched from pretty much any internet-connected device—not to mention that Netflix now supports offline viewing via downloads!

Don’t have a Netflix account yet? Not sure if it’s worth getting in your situation? It’s true, Netflix isn’t right for everyone. That’s why we recommend reading these important articles before you dive in with a free 30-day trial of Netflix:

• Reasons Why You Should Subscribe to Netflix
• Reasons Why You Might Want to Skip Subscribing to Netflix
• Reasons Why You Should Consider DVD Netflix
• The Pros and Cons of Binge-Watching TV Series

New to Netflix? Get Started With the Basics

Everyone knows that Netflix is an online streaming service for movies and TV series, but it’s understandable if you have questions beyond that. Here are a few articles that’ll help you get better acquainted with what Netflix offers:

• How Many People Can Watch Netflix at Once?
• How Much Data Does Netflix Use While Streaming?
• How to Download Netflix Videos for Offline Viewing
• To Which Folder Does Netflix Download Videos?

Essential Netflix Tips and Tricks

Once you start using Netflix for the first time, there are a few things tweaks you’ll want to make to improve the viewing experience:

• How to Make Netflix Better With a Few Settings Tweaks
• How to Change the Netflix Playback Speed
• How to Delete Recently Watched on Netflix
• Tips for Managing What You Watch on Netflix
• Tips for Finding New Stuff to Watch on Netflix

Do you watch Netflix on a smartphone, tablet, or TV? Check out these tips:

• Save Space on Android by Moving Netflix Content to an SD Card
• How to Watch Netflix on Your TV: 5 Simple Ways
• How to Watch Netflix With a Raspberry Pi

Advanced Netflix Tips and Tricks

After you’ve been using Netflix for a few months, you’ll want to take things even further with some tips and tricks that will impress your friends and family.

For example, if you want to watch Netflix content that isn’t available in your country:

• How to Watch Everything on Netflix in Any Country
• How to Change Your Netflix Region and Watch Region-Blocked Content
• Which VPNs Still Work With Netflix?
• How to Watch Netflix Together With Friends Far Away

Netflix also has “secret codes” that you can use to discover tons of content that may not be immediately discoverable through the usual menus:

• Secret Netflix Codes to Help You Find New Content
• How to Enter Netflix’s Secret Codes
• The Netflix Secret Codes Cheat Sheet

Problems With Netflix? Common Issues and Fixes

Sometimes you may run into problems when trying to watch Netflix. These issues could stem from the device or app you’re on, the internet connection you’re using, etc. Check out our articles on how to get Netflix working again:

• Common Netflix Issues and How to Fix Them
• Common Netflix Error Codes and What to Do When You See Them
• Netflix Keeps Stopping? Simple Fixes for Playback Issues

What to Watch on Netflix: Our Recommendations

There’s a lot of stuff to watch on Netflix, if only you know where to look. Our team at MakeUseOf has watched hundreds of combined hours of Netflix content, and we’ll point you to all the best stuff to watch so you don’t waste any time:

Documentary

• The Best BBC Documentaries on Netflix
• The Best Food Documentaries on Netflix
• The Best Science TV Shows on Netflix
• The Best Travel Documentaries on Netflix
• The Best True Crime Documentaries on Netflix
• The Best War Documentaries on Netflix

Drama

• The Most Inspiring Movies on Netflix
• The Best British Crime Dramas on Netflix
• The Best Nordic Noir Dramas on Netflix
• The Best Original Netflix Movies
• The Best Period Dramas on Netflix
• The Best Stephen King Movies on Netflix
• The Best Superhero Movies on Netflix
• The Best World War II Movies on Netflix

Comedy

• The Best Sitcoms on Netflix
• The Best British Comedies on Netflix
• The Best Dark Comedies on Netflix
• The Most Relaxing Shows on Netflix for When You’re Stressed

Animated

• The Best Animated Movies on Netflix
• The Best Animated TV Shows for Adults on Netflix

Seasonal

• The Best Romantic Comedies on Netflix for Valentine’s Day
• The Best Movies on Netflix for a Great Date
• The Best Movies on Netflix for Mother’s Day
• The Best Movies on Netflix for Father’s Day
• The Best Horror Movies on Netflix for Halloween
• The Best Movies on Netflix for Jump Scares
• The Best Zombie TV Series on Netflix

Read the full article: Become an Overnight Netflix Pro: 50+ Tips and Tricks You Should Know

Read Full Article

Streaming Services Lower Bitrates to Conserve Bandwidth

Companies including YouTube, Netflix, and Amazon are all reducing the quality of their video streams to ease internet congestion. This is a response to the coronavirus pandemic, which has led to an increase in the number of people working from home.

More People Are Working From Home

With the number of cases of COVID-19 on the rise, many countries around the world are enacting lockdowns. This means that businesses are closed and people are asked to work from home. Which is putting an incredible strain on internet services providers.

The big problem is not the people working from home, but the people who cannot work from home. As, without the option to leave the house, they’re binge-watching YouTube, Netflix, and Amazon Prime. Which is understandable, but isn’t helpful for remote workers.

Streaming Services Conserve Bandwidth

This led the European Commission to ask Netflix et al to reduce the quality of video streams across Europe to help free up bandwidth for telecommuters. And YouTube, Amazon, and Netflix have all agreed to do so, at least on a temporary basis.

WOW

Netflix to cut European traffic by 25% due to coronavirus – Reuters https://t.co/R91ab5gjxw A stark admission that European networks cannot handle extra coronavirus-related traffic.

I'm expecting a similar development in the US shortly.

— Mike Dano (@mikeddano) March 19, 2020

Netflix was the first to act, committing to “reducing bitrates across all of its streams in Europe for 30 days”. The company expects this to reduce its traffic on European networks by around 25 percent without making its streams unwatchable.

YouTube followed suit, promising to “temporarily switch all traffic in the EU to standard definition by default.” Again, this is initially for a period of 30 days, but with no sign of the pandemic ending anytime soon, this is bound to be extended.

Amazon then came on board, declaring that it had “already begun the effort to reduce streaming bitrates whilst maintaining a quality streaming experience for our customers.” And we suspect other streaming services will take similar measures.

Helpful Advice for New Remote Workers

This is currently only affecting Europe, where countries are being locked down to prevent the spread of COVID-19. However, the US is heading the same way, and so the streaming services are likely to take similar measures there as and when needed.

If you’re one of the lucky ones able to work from home then be sure to check out our remote working hub. It’s packed full of helpful advice and resources for telecommuters everywhere. And it’s especially useful for people new to working from home.

Image Credit: Tristan Schmurr/Flickr

Read the full article: Streaming Services Lower Bitrates to Conserve Bandwidth

Read Full Article

The 5 Best Portable Projectors to Take With You Anywhere

At one time, projectors were somewhat of a luxury item. Now, though, you can pick up some great projectors at very reasonable prices. For example, the Vankyo V600 (our review) is a shining example—and when you add portability, we enter a whole new ballgame.

The ability to take your entertainment with you—anywhere!—is a real draw when it comes to modern projectors. Looking to buy your first portable projector? Or maybe an upgrade? Here are the best portable projectors that you should consider.

1. Vankyo Leisure 470

Vankyo Leisure 470 Vankyo Leisure 470 Buy Now On Amazon $129.99

We’ve already mentioned the Vankyo V600, but the Vankyo Leisure 470 is better for portability. While it may not have the aesthetic qualities of some of its peers, this little lightbox proves that looks don’t matter. It packs so much under its hood and at such a wallet-pleasing price. This makes it a fantastic option for first-time buyers who want a portable projector with a bit of bite.

Image size is excellent, with a maximum of 250″ and a minimum of 39″; great for a device that measures only 6.6 x 3.3 x 8.7 in and weighs 2.1lbs. We’re unsure what you would actually ever need an image that size for, but it is mighty impressive nonetheless. The point is, it can cope with projecting an image that will cover most surfaces. At least that you would ever be likely to use it for. Don’t forget, this is a small, portable projector.

With a native image resolution of 720p, you’ll also get a picture that is good enough to enjoy films and games. 1080p is supported, albeit scaled down to a 720p image.

You can synchronize the projector with your smartphone, via Wi-Fi. This is great if you want to stream movies from your phone at home, for example. You also receive a lead to enable a wired connection, allowing streaming when Wi-Fi isn’t available.

2. Nebula Capsule II

Nebula Capsule II Nebula Capsule II Buy Now On Amazon $539.00

Anker does it again as its Nebula brand delivers the Capsule II portable projector. Building on the popularity of the original Capsule, Nebula has added some nice touches to make this a standout portable.

Similar in form to the first incarnation, the Capsule II is not much larger than a can of coke. It only weighs in at 1.6 lbs and is 5.9″ tall x 3.14″ diameter (there’s a Pi joke in there, somewhere, we’re sure). It really is nice and portable!

As with the Vankyo, above, the Nebula Capsule II is capable of a native 720p. It will provide a crisp image that is perfect for most casual media consumption. Again, this is portable so we can’t be expecting 4K. The image size is 100″ at the top end and 20″ at the bottom.

The Capsule II projector also features a 270-degree speaker; ideal for positioning behind you when watching a film. At 8W, it is powerful enough to make itself heard.

The real winning feature, though, is the operating system. The Nebula Capsule ships boasting Android TV, which means you have access to thousands of music, TV, and movie apps via the Google Play store.

3. Kodak Ultra Mini

Kodak Ultra Mini Kodak Ultra Mini Buy Now On Amazon $179.99

The Kodak Ultra Mini is the first Pico projector in our round-up. With a low price point, compared to other pico projectors packing a similar native resolution, this is a bargain and—again—great for beginners.

If you want to talk portable to us, check this; the Ultra Mini is only 3.1 x 3.1 x 0.79 in. and a featherlight 5.29 ounces. This is ridiculously small considering the output. Carrying the projector around with you won’t be a problem at all. You can just slip it in a laptop backpack.

That small size is what makes the Ultra Mini so cool. You can literally take it anywhere. It would be great for traveling with, especially if you want to stream movies in a hotel instead of watching hotel TV. However, it would also be perfect to take the small distance to a friend’s apartment.

Bear in mind that the image brightness is only 25 ANSI lumen, so it won’t perform well in bright conditions. Even if you don’t take it anywhere, though, this tiny projector would make a great bedroom player, in the dark. The integrated speaker means you can play sound without disturbing others with TV-level volumes, too. With 2.5 hours of battery playback that is easy enough for a bedtime movie.

4. ASUS Zenbeam S2

ASUS Zenbeam S2 ASUS Zenbeam S2 Buy Now On Amazon $583.66

A powerful palm-sized projector, this short-throw light-box is a great pick for upgrading your portable setup. At 8.8 x 7.5 x 5.6 inches and 3.25 lbs it isn’t the smallest, or lightest, on the market. It does offer a true HD picture, though, with a 720p image cast against the projection surface.

The great thing about this projector is the throw distance. It is “short-throw”, meaning that you can place it close to the projection surface and still get a large image. With the Zenbeam, you can get a screen size of 40″ at a very respectable 1m projection.

One feature we really like about the Zenbeam is the ability to use it as a power bank, in a pinch. If you can’t live without your phone, then this is a handy back-up if you are already carrying the projector somewhere. That way you can charge your smart-device now and recharge the projector at your destination.

5. BenQ GV1

BenQ GV1 BenQ GV1 Buy Now On Amazon $378.88

The BenQ GV1 is a quirky little portable projector. The base essentially acts as a pivotable tripod, allowing a relatively short throw distance of 1m. This yields a not-too-shabby 35″ image—perfect for replacing the TV in a bedroom that doesn’t have a great deal of space. The maximum image is 100″, though, so you can get much bigger if you need to.

The GV1 also features a 5W speaker, which is ideal for casual use around the house or for outdoor night viewing. You can take up to 3.5 hours of viewing time out of the on-board battery in a full charge. This makes it great for watching a couple of movies in quick succession. You do have the option to charge in use, too.

You can connect a smart device or laptop to the BenQ GV1 via the USB-C cable. It also comes with a USB-HDMI adaptor, enabling playback from HDMI capable devices, too. While it may seem a little on the expensive side, this is a lovely, simple projector with a modest image output.

The plug-and-play nature of the GV1 makes it an excellent entry model.

The Best Portable Projectors for You

Hopefully, our portable projector guide has helped you make a decision. If you’re on the lookout for something that will make movies and games look great, check out the best gaming projectors.

Read the full article: The 5 Best Portable Projectors to Take With You Anywhere

Read Full Article

Is Your iPhone Volume Not Working Like It Should? Try This

Why is your iPhone volume so low? How can you increase the volume on your iPhone or iPad? There’s often a quick fix if you’re struggling to turn up the sound on your device. Sometimes, there’s a bigger problem with the hardware.

Whether you’re listening to audiobooks and music, or concerned about missing your alarm, low volume on an iPhone can be a real headache. Here are some simple tips for boosting your smartphone’s volume.

Note: High volumes can damage your ears, so take care when using the tricks below.

iPhone Volume Not Working: Software Fixes

Let’s first check through some of the basic areas that are easy to overlook. Software should be the first area you test because if these fixes don’t work, there’s likely a bigger problem with your hardware.

Is Your iPhone on Silent or Turned Down?

Annoyed by that shutter noise when taking a photo? You probably set your phone to Silent by moving the little switch at the top-left of your iPhone. If it’s closer to the screen, the volume is on. If it’s near the back of your device (showing orange), your phone’s muted.

This shouldn’t affect music, but it will affect your iPhone alarm volume.

Just below the Silent switch, you’ll find the Volume buttons, which adjust sounds for videos and music in increments. This also works if you’re trying to increase ringer volume.

If the buttons don’t change anything, go to Settings > Sounds & Haptics, then check that Change with Buttons is turned on. Alternatively, you can alter the volume via the Control Center by swiping down from the top-right of your screen (iPhone X and later). On older devices, you can access Control Center by swiping upwards from the bottom.

There’s also an option to limit the maximum volume, along with a toggle to set this in accordance with EU regulations (found on iPhones in applicable regions). Go to Settings > Music > Volume Limit and you can set the maximum possible volume.

Are You Connected to Bluetooth?

What if there’s no problem with your speakers at all? You might instead be connected to another device.

You’d likely notice if the music you’re trying to play on your iPhone is actually being sent to a Bluetooth speaker. However, you might not if you use wireless earphones like Apple’s AirPods. This could also be the case if you use an Apple TV or if you’ve connected your phone to your vehicle’s audio system.

To test this, swipe to access your Control Center as mentioned above and turn off Bluetooth. Otherwise, go to Settings > Bluetooth, where you can also check which devices you’re connected to. Disconnect as needed, then try playing your music or video again.

Is Your iPhone Set to Do Not Disturb Mode?

Do Not Disturb stops interruptions while you’re busy or asleep: notifications won’t appear and calls won’t ring. You might’ve activated it and forgotten to turn it off.

Head to Settings > Do Not Disturb and check to make sure it’s disabled. Otherwise, you can also check via Control Center—Do Not Disturb is represented by the half-moon symbol.

Will a Soft Reset Solve Volume Problems?

The classic advice of turning your computer off and on again when an issue arises is a great way of fixing problems on your iPhone too.

Attempting a force-restart on your iPhone could clear your device of any minor software issues. Don’t worry; you won’t lose any personal data through restarting.

Is Your iPhone Up-to-Date?

You might have an old version of iOS installed. While this shouldn’t cause sound complications, it’s always worth keeping your phone updated to iron out potential problems. Go to Settings > General > Software Update to see if a new iOS version is available.

If the problem lies in an app—for example, volume everywhere on your iPhone except when using a specific app—check whether there’s an update to install via the App Store. If not, you could contact the developer and ask for advice.

iPhone Volume Not Working: Hardware Solutions

Don’t panic if one of the above fixes didn’t solve your volume problem. This doesn’t necessarily mean you have to make an appointment with Apple. Sometimes, you can fix it yourself.

We advise great care when attempting to fix your smartphone. Don’t take your device apart if you don’t know what you’re doing. But if you’re lucky, you won’t need to anyway.

Have You Got a Loose Connection?

A loose connections sounds like a major issue, and it can be. Fortunately, in some circumstances, it’s incredibly easy to set right, especially if you have an older device.

Simply apply a bit of pressure to the bottom-right corner of your phone. Put your thumb to the right of the Home button, with your index finger in the same position on the back, and gently squeeze. You’ll need to maintain this for about 20 seconds, then release. If a connector is loose within your phone, this action can reposition it.

You may need to take off your phone case if you use one, although it will depend on the thickness. You’ll definitely need to remove a shatter-proof model, but a thinner plastic shell shouldn’t interfere.

Some people say that this same method worked for them by applying pressure (or merely tapping on the phone) near the Volume buttons. If you do this, however, be careful not to damage the screen.

Is Your Phone Stuck in Headphone Mode?

This largely affects older iPhones with headphone jacks, but newer models can still be affected by dirt in the charging port.

If your iPhone thinks earphones are attached, it will play music through a non-existent connection. Adjust the volume using the side buttons; the screen will tell you if it’s apparently being routed through another speaker.

If you use AirPods, the Bluetooth solution above should fix it. Otherwise, shine a light in the headphone jack. You might see some blockage. But since this debris can be tiny, you could have an issue even if you don’t see anything.

Try to insert headphones or a charging cable, then remove them. Do this a few times and test the volume again. Doing so could dislodge any dirt inside.

Use a soft lens cloth to gently clean the jack area. You can also use a dry cotton swab, cotton ball, or toothbrush to lightly rub around the edge of the small recess. Don’t press anything into recesses because you may push dirt further inside. You can apply a little rubbing alcohol to the cotton beforehand. However, avoid other liquids as these can cause further damage.

Even small amounts of sweat can trick your phone into thinking headphones are connected. Sadly, if these tricks don’t help—and you’re not experienced enough to deconstruct your device—you’ll need to visit Apple for professional help.

How to Increase Volume on iPhone

Perhaps there’s nothing wrong with your phone. Some just want music and alarms to play as loudly as possible. In other cases, your iPhone volume may sound muffled.

Toggle the Equalizer To Make Your iPhone Music Louder

This mainly works for music, but you might notice an improvement for videos too.

Head to Settings > Music > EQ. This is Off by default, but you can use it to accentuate certain sounds when listening to songs. Try switching it to Late Night. The mode compresses Dynamic Range, inverting audio so loud noises are reduced and quieter tones are amplified.

The difference isn’t massive, and will depend on the tracks you’re listening to. It can also cause music to sound somewhat distorted. Nonetheless, you’ll often hear a boost in volume, particularly when listening through earphones.

Prop Up Your iPhone to Amplify Sounds

Increasing volume isn’t always about tech. It can also involve where you place your device to amplify vibrations.

Propping it upside-down, so the speakers face upwards, can improve effectiveness. Cupping your hand around them can do the same—after all, that’s how our ears work!

Placing your phone on a conducive surface helps. Noise reaches further when the vibrations can travel through wood or metal, for instance. The latter will especially amplify acoustics. Conversely, don’t use an absorbent surface like paper.

iPhone Volume Still Too Low? Download iPhone Volume Booster Apps

If nothing else works, try a third-party app. Equalizer allows you to customize your playlists to bring out certain elements in music. In much the same way that Late Night works, increasing the bass or vocals means you can tune into your favorite parts easily.

However, some features require payment, and it doesn’t currently work with Apple Music as its developers are locked out of the company’s API. Still, it remains useful, should all else fail.

Your iPhone Volume, Now Loud and Clear

If your iPhone volume is still low or non-existent, it’s time to book an appointment with Apple support. In most cases, though, you shouldn’t be too worried about troubles with your iPhone volume not working. They’re usually caused by a simple oversight.

If you think your volume issues are caused by your hardware, see our troubleshooting guide to help fix your iPhone speakers.

Read the full article: Is Your iPhone Volume Not Working Like It Should? Try This

Read Full Article