msg-surprise.com

Blog

  • Battery woes? Find out which phones have the best power

    Smartphone technology is always advancing, progressing rapidly with new hardware improvements with each iteration and model revision.

    Faster processors, infinity displays, better cameras, waterproofing, facial recognition – the list goes on. But what’s the use of having all these fancy features if your smartphone’s battery can’t last even a whole day?

    Thankfully, smartphone makers are already making efforts to improve battery life. how? By optimizing software and sticking in a bigger battery, of course.

    Here is our list of the best smartphones that can last you a full day and more with just a single charge.

    iphone 8 plus

    The iPhone 8 Plus may not have the biggest iPhone battery, but the current crop of iPhones has the longest battery life, surpassing even the iPhone X.

    This is likely due to its smaller LCD screen and hardware/software optimizations that push it ahead of Apple’s flagship smartphones.

    The iPhone 8 Plus can get up to 13 hours of internet usage, compared to 11 hours on the iPhone X. This means that it usually gets a full day’s worth of heavy use on a single charge. And like the iPhone X, the iPhone 8 Plus (and iPhone 8) also supports quick charging and wireless charging.

    The battery life difference may not be significant but the price is. Unlike the iPhone X, which starts at $999, a new iPhone 8 Plus starts at $799.

    Razer Phone

    The Razer Phone is a premium Android smartphone meant for high-performance gaming on the go. As such, it has the fancy buzzwords it usually has for home theaters — high-end Dolby Atmos sound, a 120Hz ultra-motion screen, and support for Netflix’s 4K HDR and Dolby Digital Plus formats.

    Powering all this goodness is a massive 4,000mAh battery. However, to take advantage of this extra juice, you’ll have to dilute some of its nice features a bit. Limit its display refresh rate to 60Hz and you can squeeze about two days of normal use out of this beast.

    You can get one of the best multimedia experiences on the go with the Razer Phone for around $699.

    Cat S61

    When it comes to ruggedness and durability, Cat is making a name for itself with its line of shock-resistant, dust-resistant and waterproof Android smartphones.

    While its flagship CAT S61 smartphone boasts of unique features like a thermal imaging camera, a laser assisted distance measurement tool, and a built-in indoor air quality monitor, it also has a whopping 4,650mAh to round it out.

    With this kind of power, this smartphone can last for around two days of normal usage on a single charge.

    The CAT S61 may not be cheap at around $999, but it has many functions that you can’t find on any other smartphone. It is definitely worth a serious look.

    moto e5 plus

    Don’t let the bargain bin price of the Moto E5 Plus fool you, there’s a massive 5,000mAh battery, one of the biggest batteries around. It can definitely make you up for a day and a half of heavy usage.

    It also supports quick charging so you can end up with extra hours of use with just 15 minutes of charging.

    Other specs on the Moto E5 Plus are good too – a bigger 6-inch HD display, 12MP rear and 8MP front cameras, 3GB of RAM, and 32GB of storage.

    blackberry key2

    If you’re looking to have a good old hardware QWERTY keyboard on your phone that has a better battery to boot, the BlackBerry Key2 is worth a look.

    Although it has a BlackBerry pedigree, the BlackBerry Key2 is actually manufactured by TCL under the name “BlackBerry Mobile”.

    The Key2 is an Android handset with a powerful quad-core Snapdragon 660 processor, coupled with a massive 3,500mAh battery, which is enough to last it for around 25 to 35 hours before charging. It also has Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 support, which is good for hours of use with a charge time of just 15 minutes.

  • How to get better TV reception

    Even after decades in the service of bringing us entertainment and news, television antennas have not lost their luster. They’re more important than ever in an era when people are trying to cut the cord from cable or satellite subscriptions and supplement their streaming services with live TV.

    One potential drawback of using an antenna is that sometimes you don’t get the best reception. You don’t want to rush to reset your antenna right in the middle of a big game when the game is on the line or like a cliffhanger is resolved on your favorite play.

    Here are some steps to improve your antenna reception so you can get the most out of your free over-the-air television viewing experience.

    find the sweet spot
    We’re going to focus on indoor antennas, which are a popular choice for picking up over-the-air television channels. These have changed a lot over the years and most of the new ones don’t look like the old-fashioned loop-and-rabbit-eared varieties. Many of them are flat and feel like a thin sheet of cardboard. Your antenna may already have a stand, or it may come with mounting supplies. You can use double-sided tape, Velcro, suction cups, or other similar methods to mount your antenna to a wall or window if necessary.

    Your most important task now is to find the best location for your antenna. It is a science as much as it is an art.

    It helps if you know where the main broadcast towers for your area are located, so you can set up the antenna where those towers have a better line of sight. Aim to mount the antenna up on a wall or in a window. Experiment and try to move it around if your reception is unsteady.

    If you’re still having trouble, see if you can mount the antenna even higher, such as in your attic (again, near a window is best). The downside of mounting in an attic or your second story is that you’ll need to run a long cable from where your television is located. Not everyone is ready to do this, but if you’re having a hard time getting your favorite stations to come, it can help boost your channel reception.

    Here’s how to stop your Smart TV from spying on you.

    Finding the best location for your antenna can seem like an exercise in trial and error, but start with our basic guidelines and then move it around as you need it.

    Try a New Antenna
    If your old antenna isn’t cutting it, it may be time to upgrade to something better. You’ll run into a lot of variables when shopping for a new antenna. You have to choose between an indoor or outdoor antenna.

    Indoor antennas are convenient and economical, but may not be powerful enough if you live far from your local TV towers, or if you’re located in a difficult location where landscape features or tall buildings impede the signal. . In those cases, an external antenna, which mounts outside your home, may be worth the investment and installation.

    Check out our Komando guide to choosing the best HDTV antenna for your needs.

    One Final Step: Rescan for Channels

    Television channels do not always stay in the same place. The recent FCC TV spectrum auction means that about 1,000 stations are switching their frequencies. If your favorite channel went missing, it could be the culprit. Open your television settings and rescan for channels. It’s a good idea to do this from time to time, but it’s especially important because so many stations are changing.

  • Best apps to call for help when you need it

    None of us want to think about what we will do in an emergency. In fact, just thinking about how we would react and what would happen in a crisis is troubling.

    But the last thing we want to consider is the possibility of something bad happening, unfortunately it is a little different from reality. Bad things happen, which is why it makes sense to at least be prepared.

    From an early age we all learn to dial 9-1-1 for emergency services, but there are other options with smartphones. The truth is that as long as you have your phone with you, help is not that far away.

    b safe

    One of the better personal safety apps available is bSafe, which is free for both iOS and Android. This allows you to create a personal security network, which will provide a variety of security features.

    With bSafe, your network of friends will be able to see your location on the map, while you have the opportunity to send an alarm signal when you are in danger. The app will provide a live video stream of what’s happening around you, and everything will be recorded in case evidence is needed for the police.

    Another great feature is that BeeSafe can be activated by voice if you are unable to access your phone, and it will even be a fake phone call if you need that kind of assistance.

    If there’s a drawback with the app, it’s that any friends and family you designate as guardians will also need to download bSafe and create a profile. But if they do, this app is one of the best in terms of security features, of which there are many.

    Life360 Family & Friends Locator

    If you’re looking for an app that lets you know where your loved ones are, this is a great option. It also lets you set up place alerts that will notify you when someone arrives at a specific location, as well as a chance to check the location of a family member.

    The free version of the app allows you to specify two locations for alerts and view location history for two days. There are several paid versions that offer even more, such as the real-time location of friends and family on a private map and the ability to share photos or text messages via secure private chat.

    You’ll also be able to view past location history for people in your circle and get information every time you drive, and the app can help you track down a lost or stolen phone. It’s a pleasant app to look at, and even though not packed with features, it still offers enough for many people’s needs.

    Partner: Personal Security (Apple)

    When it comes to personal safety, few people will care more about you than your family and friends. That’s the approach mates take, letting them essentially be your security team.

    Thanks to this app, you choose the people you want to be your companions before starting your journey. Once on the way, you can edit your travel time and add a destination as well.

    From there your teammates will be able to track your progress, chat with you on the go, and even get live updates on your status. If things go awry, the app will immediately contact your peers or the appropriate authorities before anything bad happens.

  • What you can do when your Android battery is draining

    We love our phones, Androids and more, so it’s imperative that we push the batteries to their limits. Especially in moments when we’re lost, so we’re looking at a GPS app while texting a friend, and also playing soothing music to help put ourselves together while forgetting to turn off Twitter. Maybe this is more of a personal experience, but still, the phone battery should be reliable so that our phones can be reliable too.

    So it is worst when your phone battery suddenly starts draining.

    Android operating systems like Oreo are designed to reduce the amount of power background apps use on the phone, and older operating systems like Marshmallow and Nougat use less battery when in Doze mode, your screen is locked. The mode the phone enters. But what if you can’t update to an OS that does this automatically? Or what if your Android phone is expiring regardless? Does this mean you have to buy a new battery?

    It really isn’t. There are many things you can do to keep your Android battery from draining, and most of them are built right into your phone. So before you assume the worst and spend money on a new battery, try some of the suggestions below, and see if you can’t improve your current battery life with a few changes.

    Check which apps drain your battery
    Android has a great built-in feature that tracks how much battery power each of your apps uses. Simply go to Settings >> Device >> Battery or Settings >> Power >> Battery usage, or Settings >> Devices >> Battery, depending on your version of Android OS, to see a list of all your apps, and Approximately how much battery power each is using. See which apps get the most use, and think about how often you use them.

    Uninstall unused/rarely used apps and widgets

    Think of it as spring cleaning for your phone; Periodically look at all your apps and all the widgets on your Android home screen, and decide which widgets you rarely use are worth keeping installed. Some apps run in the background when you’re not using them, and all widgets do to stay updated, so if you’re not using them, get rid of them.

    Or, upgrade or convert them to create less drainage; Don’t let apps that use location services access your location except with the app open, and let the weather widget only track local cities, so your phone uses less power to report the temperature for you .

    Also, if an app runs ads, consider buying the premium version—ads use up battery life, so premium can save you on battery costs, even if it only costs you a few dollars at the moment Why should this not happen. You can see all your apps under Settings >> Apps >> All, where you can also uninstall them all in one menu, and you can uninstall any widgets you don’t need by pressing and holding, and Drag it to the trash can icon. Your Android battery will thank you for this.

    Don’t close apps unless you need to

    Android devices come with a handy feature for when apps get a little buggy, and they need to be closed; You can forcefully leave them. This feature works just like Task Manager does on your computer. You can see all programs running, and quickly close problematic programs, saving your device some effort, and possibly battery life.

    However, this feature should not be used regularly. This may seem like a convenient way to close multiple apps at once, but doing so messes up the memory algorithms that keep your phone working. Force quitting can often damage battery life rather than save it. So close apps the normal way, and avoid force quitting when it’s really necessary.

    Use Airplane Mode Strategically
    Airplane Mode can be your best friend when it comes to battery conservation. In low-signal locations, your phone will drain power trying to stay connected and on. Going into Airplane Mode stops your phone trying to connect, and allows it to access Wi-Fi if you encounter it. (Pro tip: turning off Wi-Fi connectivity doesn’t always save battery, as your phone uses more power connecting for data than wireless!)

    Therefore, Airplane Mode can be useful even when you are not actively using your phone. Try turning it on when you’re sleeping, or when you’re not looking at it for long periods of time, like at a conference or on a road trip when you don’t need GPS. This will help you not look at your phone before bedtime, or when you must focus on something other than helping your battery.

  • How to reveal hidden files in Windows

    In an effort to prevent you from deleting or modifying files that you really shouldn’t be changing without proper knowledge, Windows has hidden these files from view by default. The average user won’t know the difference, at least not until there’s a problem.

    What happens when you need to access these files?
    Whether you’re trying to troubleshoot a Windows problem, or just need to edit or delete one of these hidden files, they’re surprisingly easy to access when you need it. The process for viewing hidden files on Windows will depend on which operating system you are currently using. Let’s talk about the steps of each system.

    Tip: You can test your preference update by searching the C: drive for a folder named ProgramData. If it appears, your hidden files are visible, and if not, they are hidden.

    Tip: You can test your preference update by searching the C: drive for a folder named ProgramData. If it appears, your hidden files are visible, and if not, they are hidden.

    Tip: You can test your preference update by opening the C: drive and seeing if there are different types of folders starting with $NtUninstallKB. If so, your hidden files are visible, and if not, they are hidden.

    What if I want to hide hidden files again?
    If at any point, you want to hide files again, simply follow the same steps above, according to your operating system, and select the opposite to Hide hidden files, folders, and drives.

    What if I want to hide one of my own files?
    > Hide any file or folder is even easier process. Simply right-click on the file or folder and choose Properties. You can then toggle the Hidden feature on or off. In Windows 8 and 10, you can use the Hide Selected Items button on the ribbon to make the process even faster.

    What about protected operating system files?
    Some files hidden by Windows have an extra layer of protection. These files will remain hidden even when you follow the steps above to show hidden files and folders. Before revealing these files, it is important to note that modifying or deleting them can cause serious damage to your operating system.

    If you’re confident that you know what you’re doing, and you need to view these highly protected files, there’s a way to do it. Just follow the same steps listed above, except looking for the Show hidden files selection, you’ll need to locate the Hide protected operating system files selection and turn it off.

    > While doing so, you will be prompted with a warning and you will need to click Yes to continue. You can then click OK to save your settings. Of course, once you no longer need access to these files, you can (and you should) always follow the same steps to turn this setting back on.

  • How to stop Google from tracking and targeting you with ads

    You love google. In fact, if you’re like most people, you can’t live without it.

    You use Google dozens of times a day and you might not even know it. Sure, you use the Google search engine to find everything from driving directions to your doctor’s office to your library hours to news updates and personal information about your daughter’s fiancé.

    You use Google many times more than if you watch videos on Google-owned YouTube, save images to Google Photos, check airfares on Google Travel and much more. Still, there’s one thing about Google that scares you so much that you’re ready to stop using it.

    Do not do this! If you’re concerned about Google ads that know too much personal information about you, we have a better, simpler solution to prevent Google from invading your privacy.

    This is why Google knows so much about you
    Have you ever noticed that Google ads know a lot more about you than you do? You know what I mean, when Google posts an ad about horror movies, for example, and you happen to be a horror movie buff.

    Google is a bit mysterious when it comes to telling you how it determines which topics interest you. According to Google, “Ads are based on personal information you add to your Google Account, data from advertisers that partner with Google, and Google’s guesses of your interests.”

    The good news, however, is that Google is a lot more transparent than ever when it comes to tracking your interests. The better news is that you can see which topics interest you to Google, then customize your interests so you can see ads that reflect your personality and lifestyle.

    Or you can ask Google to stop tailoring its ads to your interests. You can’t turn off ads completely, however, targeting only brands and products that Google thinks you’ll love.

    Tip in a Tip: Google’s new tool lets you block annoying ads.

    Here’s how to tailor Google ads to match your interests
    You need to make sure you’re signed in to your Google Account to make changes to how Google targets ads to you. Start by going to Google.com.

    Click the menu bar, which is a box with three horizontal dots and three vertical dots in the upper-right part of your screen. Then click on Account.

    Scroll down to the box that says Personal information and privacy. Tap or click on Ad Settings >> Manage Ad Settings.

    You will see that ad personalization is turned on. Scroll down to see your interests – they’re what Google Ads find of interest.

    You can toggle interests on or off by clicking on each topic. For example, you might find that one of your interests is American football – if that topic or other interests aren’t there, click the topic and then click Close.

    Here’s how to turn off Google’s personalized ads
    If you’re still concerned about Google knowing too much personal information about yourself, you can turn off Google’s ad targeting. On the screen, scroll back up until you see that ad personalization is turned on.

    Slide the screen to off. Then click on Turn Off.

    Remember, you are not turning off ads. You’ll still see ads when you’re on Google sites, including Gmail, YouTube, and other Google-owned sites. They will not be targeted at your personal information.

    3 Ways to Search the Web Without Google Tracking You

    Google saves your search history and tracks what you click online. If you need a break from monitoring, you have options. You can use a search engine that doesn’t flag your every move. Listen to the My Komando On Demand podcast for three ways to discover the Internet that might sound refreshing to you.

  • Safely erase your old flash drive

    Ready to get rid of that old flash drive? You might be surprised to learn that simply deleting existing files doesn’t actually destroy them, at least not permanently. Having the right knowledge to do so can easily recover these deleted files.

    So, what do you do if you want to delete these files permanently? The safest route is to encrypt your flash drive. To the average consumer, the term encrypt may sound a bit intimidating, but it’s easier to accomplish than you think.

    Flash Drives Are Great…Unless You Need to Toss Them
    The introduction of flash drives provided a great new solution. Compared to traditional hard drives, flash drives work faster, fit in your pocket, and are virtually immune to damage from a drop. Not to mention, the way they store data (in a solid state memory instead of spinning magnetic plates) makes them last longer.

    Of course, flash drives also have drawbacks. While the storage capacity on these devices has grown over the years, there is still limited space. Additionally, their automatic function of moving bits of data to a less-used area of ​​the drive to last longer means overwriting files with random bits of data, a traditional method of securely erasing data. method may not be effective.

    Alternative methods of encryption
    For Mac users, Apple used to have Secure Empty Trash command. It has since been removed to avoid any assumption that the function will securely erase all data that, when on a flash drive, may not succeed in doing so.

    Of course, to wipe the flash drive, the method of dumping random data three times in a row is still an option. Unfortunately, doing so isn’t quite straightforward on a Mac or PC. Not to mention, depending on the quality of your computer and the size of the drive, this method can take longer than our modern-day patience levels can handle (sometimes 20 minutes or more).

    While some of the larger flash drive vendors such as Intel, SanDisk or Samsung may offer apps for secure erase, encrypting it is a quick process to ensure that if your old flash drive is owned by a tech-savvy owner with bad intentions. .

    How to Encrypt Your Flash Drive on Mac
    In most cases, the process of drive encryption on Mac is very simple. Simply right-click on the drive you want to securely erase, and click Encrypt. Then, follow the prompts.

    If your drive was specifically formatted for the Windows operating system, you might not see the prompt for encryption pop up. In this case, simply open Disk Utility, select your drive, and click Erase (Use Default Settings). You can then follow the steps above to encrypt.

    Finally, after following the prompts for encryption, be sure to erase the drive again in Disk Utility to make sure it’s empty and ready for use by its new owner.

    How to Encrypt Your Flash Drive on PC
    If you use the Home version of Windows, Microsoft may not support disk encryption on your OS, but of course, there is still a way to work around it.

    safe and secure
    With the encryption method mentioned above, you can toss or donate your flash drive with confidence without fear of releasing your personal or business files to the world. Even the most knowledgeable will not be able to recover your permanently erased files.

  • One thing everyone who has a TV antenna must do

    Over-the-air television is as popular as ever. For cord-cutters, it’s a way to supplement their Netflix, Hulu or Amazon subscriptions with live shows. For sports fans, they can attend a number of major events, from NASCAR races to NFL games.

    While using the antenna it is free, it is not free from maintenance. TV stations sometimes spin on different frequencies and this means that your television’s settings may no longer be accurate. You may disappear from stations or lose access to the ones you thought you had dialed.

    This is an especially big deal right now as there are a whole host of stations rolling out over the next few years. Luckily, keeping your free TV pipeline open is easy. We’ll show you how you can rescan and get all the latest channels.

    TV spectrum auction
    First, let’s look at why so many stations are jumping. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) conducted a spectrum auction in 2017 aimed at expanding mobile broadband services. The result was that around 1,000 stations voluntarily gave up their current broadcast channels and opted to switch to new channels. Some stations have also opted to go off air.

    These changes only affect those who use antennas for free over-the-air broadcasting. Satellite and cable customers don’t have to worry about this as their services will handle the changes behind the scenes.

    The transition period covers a large part of the time, occurring in a total of 39 months beginning April 2017. Many stations will alert their viewers of any upcoming changes, so keep an eye on your favorite channels. They will be running daily on-air announcements about the transition at least 30 days before the change.

    Re-scan your TV’s tuner to add new channels
    The good news is that antenna users don’t have to go out and buy any new gear. Your regular television and antenna setup will continue to function, but changes will be in full swing by the end of the year, so you’ll need to make a significant move. This is called rescanning.

    Rescanning is the process of asking your television’s tuner to check the current channel lineup. This will pick up any changes and allow you to access stations that may have been moved around. It’s a good idea to rescan from time to time, but it’s especially important now that there are so many stations switching to different frequencies.

    For more specific information, visit the FCC TVAnswers.org website and enter your zip code to find out which stations are running and when they are doing so.

    RELATED: These streaming apps can help you cut the cord.

    how to rescan
    The rescanning process may vary depending on your television, but following a few basic instructions will get you to the right place.

    Using your remote, go to your TV’s main menu. View channel scanning settings. Different manufacturers use different terms for this. For example, with some Samsung TVs, you’ll find this under the Broadcast menu listed as “Auto Program.” It may be listed under tuner settings or under “Channel Scan” or another similar term.

    Start the scan and let it do its job. You may need to have some patience. It may take several minutes for the television to complete the scan. As a bonus, rescanning can help you pick out stations and subchannels that are new or that you missed in your previous scans.

    With all the changes coming to broadcast channels, you will probably need to rescan more than once. Go ahead and give it a try now, but don’t forget to check back and rescan to get the latest updates in the future as well.

  • Best laptops to buy in 2021

    Nowadays, there are many reasonably priced budget laptops in the market. With the power of modern hardware, they can also provide a great computing experience without completely draining your wallet.

    But what if you’re in the market for the best laptop experience you can get? Of course, you don’t want to throw your hard earned money around. Even if you’re willing to spend more for a premium laptop, you still want the best value for your money.

    If you’re looking for an exquisitely designed ultra-fast laptop equipped with a beautiful razor-sharp display, then look no further. We have compiled a list of the best laptops of 2018.

    13-inch 2018 MacBook Pro

    The 2018 MacBook Pros were released recently and as always, they will always be in the list of premium laptops if you are looking for the right match of hardware and software.

    Compared to last year’s model, the 2018 MacBook Pros have virtually identical features (such as the TouchBar) but they get a performance boost and have a redesigned keyboard that’s less prone to issues than last year’s butterfly design. is called prone.

    There were also reports of thermal problems with the new MacBook Pros causing their processors to throttle but Apple has addressed these issues with a software fix.

    The 13-inch MacBook Pro with upgraded specs won’t be cheap, of course, at $2,900.

    15-inch 2018 MacBook Pro

    Similar to its 13-inch sibling, the 2018 15-inch MacBook Pro gets a performance upgrade and a new keyboard design. It also suffered from thermal issues that caused processor throttling during excessive load (addressed by Apple with a software fix).

    The 15-inch MacBook Pro with bumped up specs is available for $3,900 and is the most expensive laptop on this list.

    Dell 13 XPs

    Dell’s XPS line may be more expensive than the other Windows 10 laptops on this list, but its nearly bezel-less Infinity Edge display is really worth a look.

    This premium 13-inch version packs in pixels with an ultra-sharp 4K display, all juiced up by a speedy quad-core Intel i7 processor.

    There’s a huge amount of ports in the XPS line – one USB-C 3.1, 2 USB-C/Thunderbolt and even a microSD slot.

    The XPS 13 with 16GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD can be yours for around $1,900.

    Dell XPS 15

    The larger Dell XPS 15 is nearly identical to its smaller counterpart, but has a larger 15.1-inch screen, a dedicated Nvidia GeForce graphics card, an additional USB-C Thunderbolt 3 port, and is powered by a faster Intel six-core processor. i7 processor.

    It won’t be cheap to upgrade from the 13-inch model. The 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD version currently retails for about $2,200.

    microsoft surface pro

    Microsoft turned a lot of heads when it introduced its Surface Pro – it really is a beautiful slab of impressive hardware. The current version is the most portable laptop/tablet available and has a battery life of 13.5 hours.

    Although it still rocks an older Intel Core i7 processor, if you want to achieve more on the go, you can’t go wrong with the Surface Pro. Don’t forget to get the optional detachable keyboard, it’s definitely a must have.

    The best Surface Pro configuration with 16GB of RAM, 512GB of SSD, and an Intel Core 17 processor is currently priced at around $1,900.

    razor blade

    With its 15.6-inch 4K screen, it is one of the smallest but fastest gaming laptops around. Sticking to its gaming pedigree, the nearly edge-to-edge touch display is also properly color-calibrated.

    Completing the Blade’s impressive features are a speedy 6-core Intel i7 processor, a dedicated gaming NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 processor, and a keyboard with a crazy, multi-colored light.

    If you want to impress while gaming on the road, the Razer Blade can be yours for around $2,900.

    hp specter x360 15

    The HP Specter x360 15 is another beautiful laptop/tablet with a foldable, slim bezels, 15.6-inch 4K touchscreen display. It also rocks a dedicated NVIDIA GeForce MX150 graphics chip with 2GB of video memory and Bang & Olufsen tuned speakers.

    At around $1,600, this is one of the cheapest premium Windows 10 laptops out there.

    Lenovo Yoga 920

    Lenovo Yoga 920 is another value-packed premium laptop that is big on performance. With its 360-degree flip and fold design, you can quickly turn it into a tablet and use the included Active Pen 2 stylus for drawing and writing tasks.

    However, compared to the similarly priced HP Specter x360, the Yoga 920 has a smaller 14-inch screen and only comes with integrated graphics.

    The completely exclusive Lenovo Yoga 920 currently costs around $1,500.

  • Are people seeing your text messages

    People have a love/hate relationship with messaging read receipts. If you’re not familiar with them, they’re those little alerts at the bottom of messages that indicate they’ve been viewed or read by the other party.

    When read receipt is on, people will be notified when they have read the messages they send you. Conversely, if it’s on their behalf, you’ll be notified when they read your text.

    Some people like these notifications because they give a sense of immediate and immediate connection to others. Others hate them because they seem intrusive.

    It depends on how you look at them.
    The common denominator is that read receipts force people to respond quickly and depending on whether you see this as a good or a bad thing.

    Either way, it certainly has worthwhile uses for keeping virtual conversations flowing. Parents can also use read receipts to keep tabs on their kids and rest assured that every message sent is seen and hopefully answered.

    Here’s how to turn on (or off) read receipts so you know if your text messages are being viewed on iMessage, Android, WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger.

    iOS iMessage for iPhone, Mac, and iPads

    Apple gadget users are most likely familiar with iMessage, the default text messaging app for iPhones. Read receipts have always been a feature from iMessage to iMessage text messages (indicated by the blue color of the text bubble) and it lets a sender know if a text message has been read.

    (Here’s a fun fact: Green text bubbles in iMessage mean they were sent from non-iPhones and don’t support read receipts.)

    To turn read receipts on or off for all your text messages (meaning senders won’t be notified when you read their iMessages, go to Settings >> Messages then toggle “Send read receipts” on or off .

    Starting with iOS 10, they can also be enabled or disabled depending on the contact you’re receiving text messages from.

    To enable read receipts for a particular sender, launch your Messages app and then open an iMessage thread with the desired contact. Now, tap the little “i” icon in the top-right corner of the thread and then toggle “Send read receipts” on or off.

    Facebook Messenger
    Read receipts is turned on by default in Facebook Messenger and there is currently no way to turn it off within the app. This means you and your friends will always know if a message has been viewed or not.

    Keep in mind that there are some ways to secretly read Facebook Messenger messages without triggering read receipts.

    One is through the same Airplane Mode trick. With this method, the recipient can simply turn off the gadget’s Wi-Fi and cellular connection, read all received messages, and then force-quit the Messenger app.

    iPhone users can also try this trick to read Messenger messages without activating read receipts. This can be accomplished by reading incoming messages through notifications on the lock screen or notification center.

    Turn it on by going to your iPhone’s Settings >> Notifications >> Select Messenger and make sure “Allow notifications” is turned on. Next, set the Alert Style to Banner or Alert. To read Facebook Messenger notifications, set your app’s notification alert style to banner or alert. To read Messenger messages on the lock screen, toggle “Show on lock screen” to ON.

    WhatsApp
    Facebook’s other messaging property WhatsApp also has read receipt notifications. However unlike Facebook Messenger, this setting can be turned off.

    To turn off WhatsApp read receipts, go to Settings >> Accounts >> Privacy on the app and then uncheck “Read receipts”. Please note that this will not turn off read receipts for your WhatsApp group chats, nor will it turn off play receipts for WhatsApp voice messages.

    Note: The Airplane Mode trick also works for WhatsApp Read Receipts.

    Bonus: Android Message Delivery Reports

    Currently, Android users don’t have an iOS iMessage Read Receipt equivalent unless they download third-party messaging apps like Facebook Messenger or Whatsapp, as mentioned above.

    The most an Android user can do is to turn on Delivery Reports on the Android Messages app. All this setting notifies a text message sender whenever a text was successfully delivered (but cannot tell if a message was read).

    To turn on Delivery Reports on Android, go to your Messages app, tap the Menu icon (three vertical dots), choose Settings >> Text Messages, then turn Delivery Reports on or off.