consumer electronics

Tutorials

• Digitize your music

  In my lifetime, music has been delivered on vinyl, cassettes, eight-track tapes, CDs, and audio DVDs. How do I listen to it now? Usually with a PC or a smartphone, and occasionally with an MP3 or other media player. I downloaded much of that music or ripped it from CDs, but the rest of it came from LPs and cassettes.

  By Jon L. Jacobi | 03 March, 2011 01:59

  Tags: Consumer Advice, consumer electronics, music files

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  iPhone 4 newbies: 10 essential tips and tricks

  You soon-to-be Verizon iPhone 4 customers can learn from the experiences of others. Take it from iPhone old-timers, you're about to enter a magical world of awesome apps running on the most simplistic, addictive device on the planet.

  By Tom Kaneshige | 09 February, 2011 07:33

  Tags: Apple, consumer electronics, iPhone, Phones, Verizon Wireless

• Keeping track of your iPhone data usage

  When users had unlimited data there was no reason to be concerned with how or where that data was being consumed. Since AT&T dropped unlimited data in favor of tiered data caps, though, users have struggled to understand data usage, and now AT&T is faced with a law suit accusing it of systematically overcharging customers.

  By Tony Bradley | 09 February, 2011 08:26

  Tags: at&t, Cell Phones, consumer electronics, Phones

• Smartphone security: Keep your handset safe

  Once upon a time, a phone was just a phone: It simply made and received calls. The only security you worried about was if someone had picked up in the other room to listen in.

  By Brent Rose | 12 January, 2011 02:07

  Tags: consumer electronics, data protection, online security, Phones, RIM BlackBerry, smartphones, tech support, Windows Phone 7

• Overclock your smartphone, if you dare

  WARNING: Overclocking is not for the faint of heart. Do not attempt to hack your phone unless you understand and accept the risks of turning it into a useless "brick."

  By Keir Thomas | 05 January, 2011 12:56

  Tags: Android, Cell Phones, consumer electronics, Linux, non-Windows, open source, operating systems, Phones, software

• BlackBerry 6: Wipe Your Smartphone, Restore Factory Settings

  Many reasons exist for why you might want or need to "security wipe" a BlackBerry, or completely erase all personal data stored on your handheld: You got a new smartphone and plan to retire the older device; you're trading in your existing BlackBerry for a new one from your wireless carrier; you and a friend are swapping devices; you loaded too many applications or media and just want to start over from scratch; etc.

  By Al Sacco | 15 December, 2010 07:11

  Tags: consumer electronics, Phones, research in motion, security, smartphones

• Root Google Android the easy way

  Google's Android operating system is riding a wave of popularity that has rapidly eclipsed Apple's iOS, and by the end of 2010 it's expected to overtake RIM's BlackBerry as the world's leading smartphone platform. However, despite the relative openness and flexibility of the OS, your Android phone still isn't as powerful and customizable as it could be. To unlock all of your phone's potential, you'll need to root it.

  By Robert Strohmeyer | 15 September, 2010 23:15

  Tags: Android, Apple, consumer electronics, Google, Google Android, mobile phones, Phones

• Viral video: A DIY guide

  Now that YouTube officially supports 15-minute videos, Andy Warhol's dictum that we'd all be famous for 15 minutes has proven more than a little prescient. Viral video is nothing to scoff at. There's more than just page-view bragging rights at stake--there's real money to be made. (Get popular enough, and YouTube will cut you in on ad revenue.)

  By Christopher Null | 18 September, 2010 10:30

  Tags: applications, camcorders, consumer electronics, Digital camcorders, digital video, memes, software, video, youtube

• How to restore an iPhone

  QUESTION I've bought a number of apps for my Apple iPhone via iTunes and the App Store. To avoid draining the battery by downloading apps directly to the handset, I'd like to connect my iPhone to my Windows XP PC using USB and transfer them over. However, when I connect the phone its icon doesn't appear on the desktop (although it does charge up). I've tried updating iTunes, restarting the PC and using a different USB port, all to no avail.

  By Chris Byers | 13 August, 2010 02:19

  Tags: Apple, consumer electronics, iPhone, iphone apps, iTunes, Mac, PC Peripherals, Phones, Phones & PDAs, smartphones, software

• Copy Kindle notes and bookmarks to your PC

  If you're a Kindle owner, you've probably discovered the device's enviable ability to bookmark pages, highlight passages, and add notes (a.k.a. annotations).

  By Rick Broida | 17 August, 2010 06:12

  Tags: amazon.com, consumer electronics, e-books, e-readers, kindle

• Android: A Gamer's Guide

  The Android OS: It's on your phone (and maybe even your tablet PC), and it lets you run thousands and thousands of apps -- including games. But which phones are ideal for gaming? What kind of specs do you need to play the latest and greatest? Can you use a hardware keyboard? Read on if you're looking for answers (and good games).

  By Chris Head | 14 August, 2010 00:20

  Tags: consumer electronics, games, Phones

• 6 ways to type faster in Android

  Smartphones are meant to make our lives easier--or at least more connected to people we want to communicate with--so why does typing on them sometimes seem on a par with performing root canal surgery?

  By JR Raphael | 17 August, 2010 00:27

  Tags: Android, consumer electronics, Google, Google Android, mobile phones, Phones, smartphones

• How to: convert your vinyl to digital

  A reader asked about re-recording his phonograph collection in digital form

  By Lincoln Spector | 10 August, 2010 02:00

  Tags: audio, consumer electronics, music files

• The proper care of your HDTV, phone, camera

  You have to take care of your stuff--all of it. Like your car and your house, your electronic gadgets big and small need to stay clean and protected from accidents.

  By Lincoln Spector | 20 July, 2010 23:47

  Tags: accessories, consumer electronics, HDTV, Home Theater, optimization, Phones, software

• Add amazing new features to your phone and camera

  Your tech gear can do more than you think it can. Perhaps a device manufacturer has a particular user experience in mind. Or maybe you think you need a brand-new camera to get advanced shooting features. Don't worry--with a bit of time and care, you can get a lot mileage out of the goods you own.

  By Nate Ralph | 13 July, 2010 00:29

  Tags: consumer electronics, digital cameras, mobile phones, Point-and-Shoot, smartphones