modes

What my disabled iPod Touch says about the state of Apple's customer service

First, a bit of history:

Back in August of last year, I wrote an article titled, "Why I regret buying an iMac." The hard drive in my $2,000 iMac had died after 22 months and when I went into an Apple store to see if Apple would help me out, particularly after the company had already recalled the drives in 2011 iMacs (I had a 2010 model), I was told by the geniuses in the Apple Store that since I hadn't bought Apple Care there was nothing they could do for me except replace the drive … Read more

Set up Reading Mode on the Galaxy Note 8

Using a tablet as an e-reader can save you money and lighten your load while on the go. Unfortunately, a lot of tablets aren't optimized for reading text for long periods of time (like e-books, RSS feeds, or just long Web posts) and may cause mild eyestrain. Luckily, the Galaxy Note 8 comes with a feature to help solve this issue: Reading Mode.

However, Reading Mode isn't turned on for all of your apps by tapping on the icon in the notification panel. Why doesn't this mode work in all apps by default? No idea, but fixing … Read more

Apple wins patent for iOS app folders and 'jiggle mode'

Apple has finally won a patent for a system that lets iOS users more easily organize their apps.

Granted today by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, the patent dubbed "Device, method, and graphical user interface for managing folders" describes the method used by iOS to let users create folders in which to store apps and activate the "jiggle mode" to move or delete them. Introduced in iOS 4, the technology outlined in the patent is pretty much the way iOS users know it today.

Holding down the icon for an iOS app causes all … Read more

Windows 8.1 'boot to desktop' rumor: Wishful thinking?

A Windows 8.1 option to boot to desktop? That seductive rumor has been making the rounds over the weekend.

What could be a reflection of wishful thinking, a post at WinBeta (via Neowin), cites a Russian-language Web site as the source.

Apparently, there is Windows 8.1 code that disables the Metro Start Screen and sends you "to the desktop automatically."

That is a feature that more than a few Windows 8 users would undoubtedly take advantage of since the tiled Metro screen is of questionable utility for some.

Market researcher IDC, among others, has been making the case over the past month or so … Read more

New Firefox expands 'porn-mode' abilities

Along with an update to the infamous "porn mode" that turns off your browser's ability to record your browsing session, the new Firefox 20 includes usability and back-end changes.

Firefox 20 (download for Windows | Mac | Linux) updates now allow you to run a private browsing session in a new window, alongside a standard Firefox browsing window. On Firefox 20 for Android (download), the browser now lets you run private mode tabs next to standard session tabs.

Private browsing on Firefox is analogous to Internet Explorer's InPrivate or Chrome's Incognito. It's a feature that turns … Read more

How to enable night mode on Slacker Radio mobile apps

The screen on your smartphone can be uncomfortably bright when viewing it in the dark. Slacker Radio recently updated its Android and iPhone apps to include a night mode feature that makes it easier to see at night or in dimly lit environments. It's a useful feature, especially if you enjoy listening to Slacker Radio in your vehicle at night. By using a dark theme, it helps prevent an overly bright screen from distracting you while you drive.

To enable night mode on Android, just go to Settings and check the box next to Night Mode. On the iPhone, … Read more

What to do when a Mac won't boot to Safe Mode

If your Mac is experiencing problems running, one step for determining the problem is to boot the system into Safe Mode, which is a limited environment that only loads Apple-provided software for basic functionality. To get into Safe Mode you simply restart your Mac with the Shift key held; however, in some cases this will not work and the computer may simply boot normally or experience a problem and hang without booting at all.

The inability to boot into Safe Mode may happen because the system is configured with encryption or other security settings that prevent booting to such modes, … Read more

Four months in, Windows 8 needs help

After four months of tepid Windows 8 PC sales, maybe it's time for Microsoft to make a few changes.

During a conversation I had this week with IDC analyst Bob O'Donnell, he volunteered the following statement, which sounded strangely like my experience.

There were certain decisions that Microsoft made that were in retrospect flawed. Notably not allowing people to boot into desktop mode and taking away the start button. Those two things have come up consistently. We've done some research and people miss that.

And there are a lot of people that as soon as they boot … Read more

HTC One camera features and Zoe mode walk-through (video)

The Ultrapixel camera is the jewel in the HTC One's smartphone crown, but camera hardware is only half the story.

Click through the photos below to check out the torrent of filters, modes, and editing tricks that come stuffed inside this new smartphone's software.

The camera app features two modes -- normal camera mode and Zoe mode. In normal mode, you'll see a number of filters along the bottom of the display. These allow you to see your photos with Instagram-esque image tweaks before you hit the shutter button. Handy.

Tap the top left of the screen … Read more

Firefox betas pull the shades per-tab on 'porn mode'

Private browsing, or 'porn mode' for people with more prurient Web browsing requirements, will soon be available in Firefox on a per-window basis for desktops and a per-tab basis on Android.

The latest versions of Firefox 20 Beta (download for Windows, Mac, and Linux) and Firefox 20 Beta for Android (download) have been updated to allow people to have a more streamlined private browsing experience. Private browsing disables built-in browser recording, including history and cookies.

This is a pretty big change for Private Browsing aficionados, since previously in Firefox switching to Private Browsing would save all your tabs, close the … Read more