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NASA says you shouldn't use your phone to photograph the solar eclipse
Give your phone some glasses, too.
Everyone knows you shouldn't stare at the sun during an eclipse. However, as it turns out, your phone's "eyes" aren't a suitable substitute. NASA has posted that, if you intend to look at the eclipse, pointing your phone at it in hopes to capture it on camera will likely fry its internal circuits, but don't fret; there is a solution if you want to snap a photo to remember the occasion by.
Best blue light glasses in 2024
Protect your eyes from strain and fatigue and improve your sleep cycle
The best smartphones, TVs, computers, and other digital devices may have improved our lives, but they come with their own risks, one of which is blue light. Incandescent light bulbs also emit blue light, making it a part of our daily lives. Prolonged exposure to blue light can cause issues including eye strain, headaches, and fatigue, and they can even disrupt our sleep patterns.
Best gaming phones in 2024
Enjoy gaming on the go? Here are the best gaming smartphones whatever your budget.
Mobile gaming has evolved significantly over the years, as smartphones now have enough power to produce console-level performance, further improving your gaming experience. Add the best gaming controllers, headphones, and accessories to the mix, and you'll understand why the mobile gaming industry is worth almost 200 billion dollars. However, this evolution has made choosing the right gaming phone difficult, as you can get top-tier performances from both flagship devices and dedicated gamer-centric phones.
Interview: 40 years ago this month, the first-ever consumer cell phone call was made
Using a Motorola DynaTAC and a Mercedes convertible, the first cell phone call was made 40 years ago. We spoke to the people who made it happen.
Forty years ago this month, following a long period of waiting and development, the first commercial cell phone call was made using a Motorola handset and a Mercedes convertible. Though the Motorola DynaTAC weighed a whopping 2.5 pounds and was 10 inches tall, even more technology had to be stored in the trunk of the car to place the first call. This groundbreaking moment on Oct. 13, 1983 sparked a timeline of innovation for mobile devices, like great phones, powerful tablets, and versatile smartwatches, that even the people involved in it didn't expect. We spoke with the customer who made the first call, David Meilahn, and one of the developers of cellular technology, Stu Tartarone, as we look back on this milestone.
Best Prime Day phone deals: 9 offers you can still get right now
Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days has ended, but you can save on a new smartphone with these great deals.
Although Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days is firmly in the rearview, there are still ways you can save on a new smartphone. You won't find deals as good as from your cellular carrier, but these discounts below aren't tied to a contract and won't include hidden fees. Prime Big Deal Days was a two-day sales event similar to Prime Day, and it featured previews of sales to come during Black Friday and Cyber Monday. There are some deals that are still here, and we've rounded up the best ones on great phones below,
How to check an IMEI number and why you should
All mobile devices that can connect to cellular networks have IMEI numbers, and here's how you can find them.
Smartphones and other cellular-enabled mobile devices feature a slew of identifiers that separate a specific unit from the rest, and consumers largely don't ever need to interact with these identifiers. Things like serial numbers are occasionally used when it's time to service your device, but other than that, most users probably haven't even looked at these numbers since their original purchase. Of these identifiers, a mobile device's IMEI number is probably the most important of the lot. It stands for International Mobile Equipment Identity, and it's a number that all cellular devices have and give it a unique identity. This includes cellular tablets and great smartwatches. Finding and checking an IMEI number can be extremely useful in certain situations, so it's nice to know how to do it.
Not Retired: Five Things to Do with Your Veteran Devices
Find out what 5 useful things you can do with your veteran Android phones, ranging from the very technical to the very fun and easy!
XDA is full of power-users and developers. And both groups, which often intersect, usually love new hardware. Some of us crave the extra possibilities and functionality that a shiny brand-new phone might bring to the table. Whenever I buy a new phone, people often comment on how "my old phone was fine", and that I really didn't need a new one. And they aren't necessarily wrong, either! I don't buy too many phones as I simply lack the cash (typically upgrade every year), but when I see a good deal I take it, and as it happens to be my last two deals were done while I still had functional hardware, even if a bit old.