Applying for a passport means you’ll need a proper passport photo. But you no longer need to visit a photographer or printing studio to capture one. With your smartphone camera and a handy web app, you can take and format passport photos from home.
Watch the Video Tutorial
Capturing a Great Photo with Your Phone
First, take a well-lit headshot photo with your phone’s camera in portrait/vertical orientation. For best results:
Use a plain wall as the background to avoid distractions.
Position yourself facing a window for ample lighting on your face. Avoid shadows.
Get close enough to fill the frame with your head and shoulders.
Maintain a neutral facial expression. No smiling or raised eyebrows.
Shoot the photo in a high resolution setting.
Many passport photo criteria are meant to show your face clearly. A quality phone camera can capture excellent shots meeting these needs.
Preparing the Photo with Cutout.pro
Next, visit Cutout.pro in your phone or desktop browser. This free online editing tool will convert your photo into passport photo size.
Upload your headshot picture and let Cutout.pro remove the background automatically, leaving just your face.
On the left, select your country to automatically set the correct passport photo dimensions. Or manually enter the pixel size.
Pick a plain white or light gray background color for best results. Avoid busy patterns.
Change Outfits Virtually
Cutout.pro has a handy feature that can digitally alter your clothing. This allows switching to a suit jacket or formal outfit to meet passport photo attire requirements.
Simply click the Outfits tab, select a look, and the app will convincingly adapt your image. Just another way phone photos offer flexibility over studio shots.
Download and Print
When finished, download your properly sized and formatted passport photo files. Print them at the highest quality settings on photo paper.
Cutout.pro makes it easy to take passport pictures at home with your phone. Ditch the studio and print convenient passport photos for all your upcoming travel needs.
If you don’t already know about one use case of Android TV, you can screen mirror your other devices to utilize the big screen.
You can either use it for viewing your mobile or laptop content on a big screen or mirror your device to do things on a bigger screen.
Update: Since the first method does not work for everybody I have added few more methods and work arounds to screen mirror iPhone on android.
Watch the Video Tutorial
Things are pretty easy if you have got an Android phone, several Android TV gives you the option that is built natively on their TVs.
When both the devices are connected to the same Wi-Fi, you can go to the wireless display option on your Android device and then screen mirror on Android TV.
Things get a little tricky when you have got an Android phone because both belong to different platforms. Apple loves to limit its stuff on their ecosystem.
They do have got a screen mirror feature on their devices, but it exclusively works on Apple TV. If you have got an Apple TV, you can screen mirror your Mac Book or your iPhone or your iPad, but if you try to do this on an Android TV, it is not available natively.
Install AirScreen on Android TV
It is where third party Apps come in Play. Thankfully it is pretty easy to install a third-party app on Android TV. You can go to the Play Store and find an app called AirScreen.
The app is freely available in the Play Store; however, it is on a freemium model, which means you will see ads.
But, I found that ads are pretty minimum, and during one and half hours of screen mirroring time play, I witnessed only two ads, which can only be a script using the TV remote.
You can try the service Yourself by screen mirroring your iPhone on your Android TV, and if you like it, you can get the paid subscription, which will eliminate ads.
You can connect your iPhone to your Android TV via HDMI using Apple’s official lightning digital AV adapter and an HDMI cable. This will display your iPhone screen on the TV.
Also, since it is not a wireless connection, It is more reliable.
If you have an Apple TV, you can AirPlay your iPhone’s screen to the Apple TV plugged into your Android TV’s HDMI port. Then it will show up on the Android TV.
Steps are as follows
Connect an Apple TV box to an HDMI port on your Android TV.
On your iPhone, swipe down from the top right corner to open Control Center and tap Screen Mirroring.
Select the Apple TV from the list of available devices.
This will use AirPlay to wirelessly mirror your iPhone display to the Apple TV.
With the Apple TV connected to your Android TV’s HDMI input, the iPhone screen will now be displayed on your Android TV.
You can also do this mirroring directly from apps that support AirPlay like YouTube, Photos, etc.
The Apple TV will simply pass through the AirPlay stream from your iPhone to the Android TV.
Use a wireless screen mirroring app – ApowerMirror
Some apps like ApowerMirror can create a virtual AirPlay server to let you wirelessly mirror your iPhone to Android TV over the local network.
Steps are as follows
Download and install ApowerMirror on both your iPhone and Android TV.
Open the app on your Android TV and follow the instructions.
Now on your iPhone, open ApowerMirror App and Tap on LocalCast and select your Android TV from the list to initiate mirroring. It would be something like Apowersoft[TVName-XXX]
The app sets up a virtual AirPlay server to send your iPhone screen wirelessly over WiFi to the TV.
Note: If you are looking to mirror netflix from your mobile phone to tv check out this article.
Utilize Big Screen using Screen Mirror
There are many use cases for using a screen mirror feature. Do my best use case is to edit videos on mobile phones using the biggest screen as a reference.
The wireless connection between Android TV and iPhone is source mode that I do not find any lag while making quick edit too short videos that I want to post on social media.
Another use case would be to show photos to a group of people on a bigger screen so that you do not have to share your mobile phone with everyone.
I often use the screen mirror feature to use the 43-inch Android TV as an external monitor when I am working on my laptop I can move one tab on the bigger screen so that I can reference it without having to switch between tabs.
Once you try it yourself, you will find your use case, and you are going to love this feature.
Find more interesting articles on the blog that can make you take life easy.
On your Mac’s hard drive lives a hidden world of behind-the-scenes files that keep your computer functioning properly. While accessing these hidden Mac files can be useful in certain situations, they are generally best left undisturbed.
Watch the Video
What Are Hidden Files on a Mac?
Hidden files are system files, configuration files, logs, caches, and other data that macOS hides from view in the Finder interface. Examples include:
.DS_Store – Tracks custom folder views
.TemporaryItems – Stores temporary files
.Trashes – Stores deleted files before emptying trash
.Spotlight-V100 – Spotlight index and search data
Hidden files handle critical background processes but aren’t necessary for daily use. Apple tucks them out of sight to prevent accidental deletion or changes that could cause stability issues. If you are looking to hide a particular file on your mac, check out this section.
When Would You Need to View Hidden Files?
In most cases, hidden files don’t need to be accessed. However, there are instances where seeing hidden files can be beneficial:
Diagnosing performance problems or app crashes
Identifying malware or unauthorized changes
Recovering unsaved documents
Clearing caches to reclaim space
Gaining insight for advanced customization
Accessing hidden files should only be done with caution and if you understand their purpose.
How to View Hidden Files on Mac
Here are three ways to reveal hidden Mac files:
Use Finder – Press Command+Shift+(.) period to toggle hidden files on/off.
Use Terminal – Run the command: defaults write com.apple.Finder AppleShowAllFiles TRUE (to make changes appear in Finder, type this in Terminal – killall Finder)
Use third-party software like Funter – This gives you a simple on/off toggle for hidden files.
To re-hide files, simply reverse the Terminal command or toggle the visibility off again in Finder or your preferred app.
Let’s discuss all these three methods in detail
Use Finder
The easiest method to locate concealed files on your Mac is by using Finder. Follow these steps:
Click on the Finder icon in your dock to launch Finder.
Open Mac Finder to begin uncovering hidden files on your Mac.
Navigate to the desired folder where you wish to find hidden files.
Press Command + Shift + . (the period key) to reveal hidden files within the folder.
To hide the files again, simply press Command + Shift + . again.
Additionally, you can display hidden Mac files on your desktop by clicking it and pressing Command + Shift + ..
Use Terminal
This method of using the Terminal app to view hidden files on your Mac computer is a little technical but faster. Let’s look at the steps in involved in achieving our goal.
The Terminal app allows you to directly input commands into your Mac’s operating system, thereby altering its functionality.
To use Terminal for revealing hidden files, follow these steps:
Launch the Terminal app from Spotlight or from the Launchpad by doing a four finger squeeze in gesture, and then using the search box to search for the terminal app.
Once the terminal app is opened type the following script.
The first command will make the finder app unhide all the hidden files on your mac. And the second command will refresh the Finder app making the changes.
To revert the changes, or to not view the hidden the files again, type the same command and change TRUE, to FALSE.
Use third-party Apps
If you want you can also use third party apps like Flunter to view the hidden files on your mac computer. These apps will give you easy toggle button to enable and disable viewing hidden files.
But my personal recommendation would be the first method which I think is the easiest of all and does not required you to install anything extra on your computer or even memorize any command.
How to hide any file on a mac computer
Now let’s see how to hide a file on your mac computer. The process does not require you to install anything on your computer or memorize any command.
You just have to rename the file by adding a dot (.) at the beginning of the file name. Here are the steps involved.
Select the file you want to hide.
Right click and select ‘Rename’ from the options
Add a dot (.) at the beginning of the name and press Enter.
This will hide the file, to view and unview the hidden files you can follow any of the three methods mentioned above.
Once the file is hidden using the method above, and the option to view hidden files is enabled, you will be able to view the hidden file but it will be little faded. Its actually a clever way to hide your files from other people who have access to the computer.
Keep in mind hiding files like this does not guarantee other people will not be able to access it because the methods mentioned will reveal all the hell finds on the computer.
Reasons to Avoid Tampering with Hidden Files
Since hidden files are integral to system functions, it’s best to avoid modifying them unless absolutely necessary. Dangers include:
Deleting important system files that render macOS unstable
Altering configurations that break apps or workflows
Exposing sensitive information to security risks
Causing general performance slowdowns or crashes
So these were the methods you can try to view hidden files on a mac computer. You can also try Clean My Mac which is an excellent application format computer to keep things organised and keep your mac fast.
Apple’s new feature of the Mac Operating System will make your iPhone more usable as it allows you to use it as a webcam. Learn how to use the continuity camera feature on my face 13 Ventura.
Apple is known for copying features made by third-party apps from other manufacturers. But it’s true that when it brings those features to their devices, it is near perfect, without many technicalities for the end-user.
Check the Continuity Camera in action in this video
And this is true for a new feature for the new Continuity Camera where users can use their iPhone camera as a webcam on their Mac.
The recently launched Mac releases from Apple have got decent cameras built-in, but it is nowhere near the quality of iPhone cameras. So, you can use your best cameras for video conferencing is a great move.
How to use the continuity camera feature?
Here are a few things required to use Continuity Camera on Mac.
Your Mac must be running macOS Monterey or later.
Your iPhone must be running iOS 15 or later.
Both devices must be signed in to the same Apple ID using two-factor authentication.
Continuity Camera must be turned on in Settings > General > AirPlay & Handoff on both devices.
Your iPhone and Mac must be near each other and have Bluetooth and Wi-Fi turned on.
Your iPhone must not be sharing its cellular connection and your Mac must not be sharing its internet connection.
To use Continuity Camera over USB, your iPhone must be set to trust your Mac.
Here are some additional things to keep in mind
Continuity Camera is not supported on all Mac models. For a list of supported models, see the Apple Support article Continuity Camera system requirements.
Continuity Camera may not work if your iPhone or Mac is in Low Power Mode.
If you are having trouble using Continuity Camera, try restarting your devices.
Start using Continuity Camera
It’s all done wirelessly, and no cable is required. Although you can do it using a cable also. It would also charge your iPhone, which is recommended if you are planning to have longer video sessions.
I tried it with Google Meet, Zoom, WhatsApp, and Quick Time Player, and it was flawlessly. I did not notice any latency in the video, even though it was a wireless connection. The wireless connection also means you have the flexibility of keeping the camera at a much better angle without just a laptop.
Key Features of Continuity Camera
Center Stage: This feature automatically keeps you in the frame as you move around during a video call.
Portrait mode: This feature blurs the background behind you to create a more professional look.
Studio Light: This feature uses the TrueDepth camera on your iPhone to light your face more evenly and reduce shadows.
Desk View: This feature lets you share a top-down view of your workspace during a video call.
High-quality video: Continuity Camera can output video at up to 1920 x 1440 resolution and 60 frames per second.
Wireless or wired: You can use Continuity Camera wirelessly or wired.
While showcasing the Continuity Camera features, Apple also showed that it would support Center Stage. It is a feature available in newer iPads and MacBooks, which keeps the subjects in the center even if they are using them.
Portrait mode is useful in scenarios where you have to attend at meeting and the background is messy. You can enable the portrait mode which will blur the background making it free.
The desk view is kind of mind-blowing, is that users will also be able to use the wide-angle camera on iPhone to show a top-down view of their desk.
This one was unavailable for me to test as I am using the beta version of macOS 13. It will be coming to the stable version when it releases.
As you move through airport security, you’re instructed to remove all electronics from your carry-on bags and place them in their own tray.
This step is mandatory during the screening process, but why can’t electronics just stay in your bag for X-ray scanning? There are several important reasons electronics must be isolated
Isolating Electronics Aids Functionality
Isolating electronics by placing them in a separate tray aids the functionality of these automated threat detection algorithms in a few ways:
Clearer Imaging
With electronics mixed in among other bag contents, X-ray images can become cluttered and unclear. Overlapping items may obscure potential threats.
By removing electronics to their own tray, security personnel get unobstructed views of your devices, bags, and other items separately for more accurate screening.
Reduced Clutter
Electronics, especially densely packed ones like laptops, tablets, and chargers, can create clutter within a bag. Isolating them reduces the chances of overlapping images and makes it easier to distinguish between items.
Pinpoint Scanning
Advanced X-ray systems use automated threat detection algorithms that can analyze images for dangerous items.
Isolating electronics in a tray allows the scanning equipment to concentrate directly on those high-risk devices without interference from other bag contents. Their internal components and circuitry receive enhanced scrutiny.
Preventing Signal Interference
Some electronics can potentially cause interference with scanning equipment signals due to their internal components and battery power. While airport scanners are designed to minimize interference, removing electronics further reduces any risks of the images being distorted or compromised. Keeping them separate ensures maximum detection accuracy.
Streamlined Screening Processes
With electronics placed directly in trays, TSA agents can immediately identify them and focus visual checks on those devices, which often warrant extra attention. This is much easier than having to search through bags to find electronics scattered among other items, improving inspection workflow.
Standardized Procedures
Mandatory tray removal of electronics follows standardized TSA regulations applied at all airport checkpoints. This consistency ensures fair treatment for all passengers regardless of individual guards on duty. Travelers know what to expect, and guards know the proper procedures to enforce.
While X-ray technology has improved to scan bags fully loaded with items, electronics still pose unique risks and screening challenges. Isolating them into dedicated trays mitigates that threat.
The minor inconvenience to travelers is well worth it for the enhanced security assurance. So next time, obediently place your laptop, tablets, and other devices in a tray without complaint!
Electronics that are commonly required to be removed from bags during airport security checks
Laptops and Large Tablets
Risk: Laptops and large tablets have dense internal components that can obstruct the view of other items in a bag when scanned. They can also be used to hide dangerous objects or components.
Rationale for Removal: Removing laptops and large tablets from bags allows security personnel to get a clear, unobstructed view of these devices. It helps ensure that these items are not being used to conceal prohibited items, ensuring the safety of air travel.
External Batteries and Power Banks
Risk: External batteries and power banks can vary in size and shape, and some may contain wiring or components that can be manipulated to hide threats. There have been instances where power banks were modified to smuggle explosive materials.
Rationale for Removal: Isolating external batteries allows security personnel to examine them closely and verify that they are not being used to conceal dangerous components. This helps prevent potential threats from being disguised as harmless electronics.
Large Camera Equipment
Risk: Cameras and camera accessories, such as lenses, tripods, and lighting equipment, can contain intricate parts that may raise suspicion or obstruct the X-ray image.
Rationale for Removal: Separating camera equipment from other items enables security personnel to thoroughly inspect these devices. This is particularly important as camera gear could potentially be used to hide prohibited items or threats.
Electronic Game Consoles
Risk: Game consoles have multiple components and wiring, which could potentially be exploited to hide unauthorized items or substances.
Rationale for Removal: Taking electronic game consoles out of bags for screening ensures that security personnel can assess them accurately and verify that they are not being used for illicit purposes.
Smart Devices with Large Batteries
Risk: Devices like large e-readers or portable speakers with substantial battery capacity might have hidden compartments or be used to mask threats.
Rationale for Removal: By isolating these devices, security personnel can examine them more closely to rule out any potential threats or prohibited items hidden within them.
Electronic Accessories and Cables
Risk: Cables, chargers, and accessories can be tangled together, making it difficult to determine their contents from an X-ray image.
Rationale for Removal: Placing these items separately in a tray prevents confusion and ensures that security personnel can quickly identify and analyze them.
Airdrop is an easy way to wirelessly transfer files between Apple devices. Here’s how to utilize Airdrop to swiftly send files from your Mac to your iPhone, iPad, or other iOS devices.
What is Airdrop?
Airdrop is Apple’s proprietary close-range wireless transfer system. It uses Wi-Fi and Bluetooth to share files between nearby Apple devices, without needing internet.
Airdrop works between Macs, iPhones, iPads, and iPod Touches. You just need to be signed into the same Apple ID on all devices.
Watch the Video
Standard Airdrop Method
The normal way, the regular way is whenever you are accessing a file like this by going to any of the folders over here and if you want to send this file, you can right click or use your two fingers to tap on the trackpad.
You will get these options. You can click on share and then you get the option to airdrop.
Once you click on that option and you have got the other device in someone’s hand or on your own hand, you will get that device here and you can tap on that and it will be sent.
The default way to Airdrop from Mac is:
Right-click the file you want to send.
Choose “Share” then select “Airdrop” from the menu.
Select the receiving device from the Airdrop popup window.
Accept the transfer request on the receiving device.
This works well but takes several clicks to initiate each time. Let’s look at some shortcuts to streamline the process.
My Custom Shortcut to Airdrop Files
I have created a shortcut to make it even easier, and the shortcut is based on a utility which is a paid utility and it got famous last year which was NotchDrop.
A developer utilized this notch area on MacBook 16 and all the MacBook computers that have got these notch.
Whenever if you have to send a file to someone, all you had to do was drag your file over to this area and drop it. It would work in a similar manner like it will open the airdrop popup where you will be able to select that person’s device and send it.
Airdrop Files with just Drag and Drop
Quite similar to that, I created a shortcut and it’s totally free. You can download my shortcut from the link in the description or you can create your own. This is the shortcut, and I have added the icon of the shortcut in the docs area.
Now if I have to send a file to someone, drag that file over to this and this will work in a similar manner. It will pop up the Airdrop feature where I will be able to select anyone’s device.
You can click the icon to instantly open Airdrop’s sharing window and select a recipient device. Much faster than the manual menu steps!
Alternatively, you can highlight a particular file which you want to send or number of files.
If I want to send two files, I can select these files. Once these files are selected, all I have to do is go here and click on this icon. It works in a similar manner, opens the pop up where the device will be visible and I will be able to send it.
I think it is a little faster than doing a right click then selecting shear and then selecting this. So it requires three clicks whereas this requires only two clicks or maybe this one only requires one click.
With these tips, Airdropping files from your Mac to iOS devices takes mere seconds. Streamline your workflow and simplify sharing with these Airdrop enhancement.
MacBooks and Macs are designed to enter sleep mode when inactive to conserve battery life and energy usage.
However, you may want to disable sleep at times to maintain active processes. Here’s how to prevent your Mac from automatically sleeping.
Watch the Video
Why Your Mac Sleeps
By default, Macs are configured to sleep after a set period of inactivity. For laptops on battery, this may be 10-15 minutes. For plugged-in computers, around 30 minutes.
The display turns off first, then after continued inactivity, the Mac will enter a power-saving sleep mode. All open apps and activities are suspended.
Sleep saves energy and prevents battery drain when you step away from your computer. But sometimes you want to keep the Mac awake longer.
Changing the Inactivity Timeouts
The timeouts that trigger sleep are configurable in your Mac’s System Preferences. Here’s how to adjust them:
Go to System Preferences > Battery
For battery power, adjust “Turn off display while on battery power” and “Put hard disks to sleep when on battery power”
For plugged-in, adjust “Turn off display while on power adapter” and “Prevent computer from sleeping automatically when display is off”
Increase the times or set to Never to make your Mac stay awake longer before sleeping.
Preventing Sleep on Power Adapter
The most direct way to stop sleep is using the “Prevent computer from sleeping” option while plugged in.
Enabling this in Battery preferences will keep your Mac awake even with the display off, as long as it’s connected to power.
This is useful for long downloads, rendering projects, or other tasks you don’t want to interrupt if you step away from the computer.
Why You May Want to Allow Sleep
While disabling sleep can be useful temporarily, there are downsides to leaving a Mac perpetually awake:
Drains battery rapidly when not plugged in
Can overheat device if running resource-intensive apps
Some processes may freeze or get stuck without sleep/reboot cycles
Use good judgement when disabling sleep. Letting your Mac nap regularly is healthy! But for short term needs, you have control over the inactivity sleep settings.
Product mockups are a great way to showcase branded designs. But mockups usually require Photoshop, an expensive and complex program. Thankfully, there are free online tools that make mockup creation easy, even without Photoshop skills.
In this article, we will learn about free tools you can utilize to achieve your design goal.
An Overview of the Mockup Process
Here’s an overview of the steps we’ll cover to wrap images around objects to make mockups:
Find a suitable product photo and brand assets like logos or text
Use the free web app Photopea to layer and warp images to fit the product contours
Adjust blending so the design integrates realistically with the photo background
Export the Photopea result and polish further in Canva using templates
Optionally leverage AI tools like DALL-E 2 or Microsoft Designer to auto-generate ideas
With this process, anyone can create stunning branded mockups with just a browser and basic photo editing skills.
Watch the Video
Using Photopea to Manipulate and Blend Images
Photopea is a free online image editor with similar tools as Photoshop. First, upload a product photo and your logo or other design.
Use the Transform Warp tool to contour the brand image around the product’s shape and perspective. For cylinders, warp in an arc shape to match the curvature.
Enable Blending Modes like Multiply to integrate the design into the background. This makes it look natural rather than layered on top.
Photopea enables powerful editing without needing to install anything. And it’s completely free!
Polishing and Enhancing Mockups in Canva
After saving your Photopea result, import it into the free graphic design platform Canva. Canva has mockup templates to build on your base image.
Enhance by adding backgrounds, textures, animations, text, and other elements. Canva streamlines graphic design with its huge library of content.
Download your polished mockup from Canva. The PNG or JPG result is ready to use for your brand’s needs!
AI Assistance for Mockup Inspiration
For fresh ideas, leverage AI tools like Microsoft Designer. Generate new mockup concepts customized to your prompt
AI capabilities can surpass what humans imagine alone. But for final execution, you still want manual editing control. Use AI for ideation, not final output. I love Microsoft designer because it speeds up the creative process of selecting fonts, color scheme and layout, it gives you tons of options from your image and text inputs.
Flexible Options for All Mockup Needs
With the range of free software available today, stunning mockups are possible without expensive tools like Photoshop.
If you feel that Photopea is a little too technical for you, you can try the Mockup options available in Canva. Although the option for Mockup are pretty limited, since canva is a template based tool, where you get template for everything, it’s still great for a lot of people who love ‘done for you’ designs.
Canva has mockups for showcasing Printables, Frames, Product Packaging, T-Shirt, etc. Plus, it’s available under the free plan.
WhatsApp has over 2 billion users worldwide. Beyond basic messaging, the app contains hidden features that can optimize your workflow and save time. Here are 5 clever WhatsApp tricks every user should know..
1. Create an Empty Chat as a Personal Notebook
Create a new group chat with a contact, then immediately delete them to create an empty one-person Group. Rename this chat something like “Notes” or “Quick Docs.”
Now you have your own private notebook within WhatsApp! Use it to store important info like addresses, checklists, documents, reminders, and anything else you want quick access to.
Pin this quick docs chat to the top of your list for easy access. It’s more convenient than traditional notes apps in many ways.
2. Save Numbers Without Adding Contacts
When you get a new number, add it to your personal WhatsApp chat instead of your contacts. This lets you access the number for calls or messages without cluttering up your contacts list.
Ideal for situations like contacting local businesses, rideshares, or anything temporary where you don’t need to save the number permanently.
3. Send Large Files up to 1GB
WhatsApp’s normal file send limit is just 100MBand for videos recorded using WhatsApp, this limit is 16MB. But you can send files up to 1GB in size using Document Send in the Attachment Menu.
This is perfect for sending photos, videos, PDFs, ZIP files, presentations, or other large documents via WhatsApp conveniently.
4. Use WhatsApp on Two Phones with Linked Devices
Linked Devices allows you to use one WhatsApp account across multiple phones. Set up your main phone number as the primary, then link a secondary mobile device.
Even without your primary phone connected, you can still chat and access your WhatsApp account from the linked secondary device. Useful for work phones, tablets, or dual SIM setups.
5. Post High Quality Photos and Videos in Status
When posting to Status, use the “Document” option to share photos or videos in high original quality rather than compressed.
Also useful for sharing portrait orientation photos/videos since Status crop square by default. This trick preserves media in full quality as you intended.
6. Send Video Notes
WhatsApp has now introduced a feature where users are able to send quick video notes. It already allowed users to send voice notes, and now users can also send video notes. To do this, you have to tap on the microphone icon in the chat window.
Tapping once will change the icon into a video camera recorder. If you tap and hold the icon, the front camera will open with a countdown from 3, 2, 1.
You will be able to record a short video of up to 1 minute. When you release your finger, the video will be sent. This is the fastest way for visual communication.
Normally, if you have to send a video recording of yourself, you would have to perform multiple steps, such as tapping on the camera icon, flipping the camera from back to front (since this icon will open the camera by default), recording your video message, and then sending the video message.
The UI of this short video note is also pretty cool to see; it’s in a circular form and keeps playing in a loop. It screams out to the user to tap and watch the video, which makes it pretty hard to not notice any video message.
Get More from WhatsApp
With over two billion users, WhatsApp packs helpful features beyond basic chatting. Implement these handy tips and tricks to become a WhatsApp power user.
Save time, stay organized, improve workflows and collaborate better using WhatsApp to its full potential. Try these five tips to boost productivity and streamline your usage.
While Excel is undoubtedly a powerful tool for data analysis and number crunching, it often hampers the collective effort when working in teams.
Google Docs, on the other hand, offers a range of collaborative features like real-time editing, comments threads, and easy sharing options that make working together seamless and efficient.
Need to gather input from multiple stakeholders? Convert that bulky Excel sheet into a Google Doc to enable simultaneous editing by multiple users no matter where they are.
Convert Excel Sheet into Google Spreadsheet Instead of Google Docs
While is possible to convert an Excel sheet into Google Docs, the right application suite from Google for Excel Sheet is Google Spreadsheet. However if you still want to convert excel sheet into Google Docs, Skip to this section.
Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets have very similar core functionality and features for spreadsheet creation and data analysis. I would estimate the similarities to be around 90% or more in terms of basic spreadsheet capabilities. Here’s a breakdown:
Interface layout – Nearly identical with cells, rows, columns, tabs, toolbar buttons, etc. Around 95% similarity.
Calculation and formulas – Excel and Sheets support the same formula syntax and most of the same built-in functions like SUM, AVERAGE, VLOOKUP, etc. Around 95% overlap.
Charting – Both allow creating charts and graphs from data. Chart types and customization options are comparable. Around 90% similarity.
Data analysis – Both provide pivot tables, sorting, filtering, conditional formatting and other data tools. About 90% similarity.
Collaboration – Google Sheets includes real-time co-editing, comments, version history. Excel’s collaboration features via Office 365 are roughly 80% similar.
Mobile apps – Fully functional apps available. Usage and features are about 90% alike.
Add-ons and integrations – Excel has more third-party add-ins. Sheets has more built-in integration with other Google services. This area differs the most. Maybe 60% similarity.
Good thing about using Google Spreadsheet is you can open the Excel Sheet files in it without using any conversion tool. Simply open Sheet.new in your browser, it opens a new spreadsheet.
When the new Spreadsheet opens in your browser, click on file and then click on import. Google stretch sheet will allow you to import .xls files which is format for Excel spreadsheet.
99% of the chances are you will not lose in functionality which you have any excel spreadsheet. All the formulas for calculations would be like a different, for which you can take the help of Google.
Now let’s come back to how you can really convert excel sheet into google talks.
How to convert Excel Sheet in Google Docs
You can open a new document in google docs by typing Docs.New. This will open a new Google docs file. you will not find any option to import like you did in Google spreadsheet and the open option will not let you open any unsupported format including .xls.
So for that, you will require a third-party converter to 1st convert the XLS file into Docx, which is the file format for Microsoft Word. And then only you will be able to upload that file through Google docs..
I am using a website called Online2PDF to convert the XLS file into Docx. Once you get your converted file and save it on your computer. The file in Google docs.
Here, the new file might be opened in a new tab via pop-up. So keep an eye whether your browser blocks in pop-ups.. if it does, you just have to allow the pop-ups for Google Docs (which can be done from the address address for), and when you upload the Docx file to Google docs it will be opened in a new tab.
You will get the complete data. Whatever date you had in the excel sheet file, he will be able to see it Google docs you will not be able to use any functions or formulas, to do that, please refer to the first section of this article, where we import the excel sheet file into Google spreadsheet.
Also look for the method #3, which works like the native Airdrop feature.
Method 1: Cross Platform Apps
This is where you require to install the app on both devices (receiver and the sender). It is required because both the apps will create a personal Wi-Fi connection and use that connection to send files wirelessly..
Xender
I have used Xender app a lot in the past. Although the installation process is simple, it’s tricky to understand how to send files from Android to iPhone or from iPhone to Android. Check out the video below if you find it confusing.
Airdroid
Airdroid is also is a super useful app that can let you send files across platforms. This one is so good for Phone to PC transfers that it is among one of my first apps I recommend to install on an Android mobile.
Apart from the ability to send file from mobile to laptop, this also has the feature of sending files between Android to iPhone or vice versa.
Method 2: Almost Native Solution
This is the method you have to install the app on only one device. i.e, Your Android. The app is called Snap for Android. You can install it from the Play Store.
And on your iPhone, you can open Safari and open this website (Snapdrop.net), it will give you an interface similar to Snap for Android on your Android mobile.
For this work, both Android and iPhone device need to be on the same Wi-Fi network. the devices will be visible in the app interface. If you want to send file to iPhone, you have to select the iPhone icon on the Android device, and if you want to do the opposite, you have to tap on the Android icon, visible on the interface on Snapdrop.net on iPhone.
It’s quite useful solution for people who share files, like songs, photos or other file format with your friends once in a while.
Method 3: The Native Solution
This method was just like AirDrop, although it requires a bit of technical knowledge.
I came across this post on X (former Twitter), which shared a brilliant that works like the native feature, although you will still have to install an app on your Android device, there is no action needed to be taken on Mac apart from accepting the file which you usually do when you receive AirDrop files from other iOS devices.
This app uses AirDrop to send files from your Android phone to your Macbook!
Yes, it actually uses AirDrop. That means you don't have to install ANYTHING on your Mac to send files from your Android phone!
The user shared the Github Repository which has all the source code for the app. Unfortunately I couldn’t find the APK file so that it can be easily installed, which means, you will have to figure it out by reading this post, which gives you the magic of combining an APK from the source code.
Note: Using this feature requires both devices to be on the same wi-Fi network.
Airdropping files from Android to Mac
Like I said in the article above, you have to combine the source code of Warpshare on Github into an APK and install it on your android. And then next time you have to share something, you can tap on the share button, find WarpShare, select the Mac, and send the file.
Airdropping files from Mac to Android
The above solution only works when you have to send five from android to Mac, but if you want to do the opposite opposite, sending from a Mac to android, you can use another app which you need to install on mac computer, and nothing on android.
Well, if you forgot the password to your WiFi, there is an easy way you can find out what the password is.
The only thing you will need is a device – computer (Windows/Mac) or iPhone/Android – that was previously connected.
How it works?
When a device connects to a WiFi network, it saves the password automatically by default. This means even if you didn’t manually save the password, it is stored on that device for any WiFi networks it has connected to before, like your home, a local cafe, or a friend’s place.
So how do you find the saved WiFi password?
On a Windows computer, here are the steps:
1. Open the Control Panel and go to Network and Internet > Network and Sharing Center.
2. Click on the WiFi network name and then Wireless Properties.
3. Go to the Security tab and check the Show characters box to view the password.
the exact method for each windows, operating system would be little different, but the above instructions will give you an idea how to look for this option. If not, you can check out this article that goes in detail about finding Wi-Fi passwords on specific Windows operating system.
Find Wi-Fi Password on Windows using Command Prompt
Open Command Prompt: Press the Windows key, type “cmd”, and press Enter to open Command Prompt.
List Wi-Fi Profiles: Type the following command and press Enter:netsh wlan show profiles This command will display a list of all the Wi-Fi profiles that have been saved on your computer.
View Password for a Specific Profile: To view the password for a specific Wi-Fi profile, type the following command, replacing “WiFiProfileName” with the name of the profile you want to see the password for, and press Enter:netsh wlan show profile name="WiFiProfileName" key=clear Look for the “Key content” field under the Security settings.
This is where the Wi-Fi password for that profile will be displayed in plain text.
To view Wi-Fi passwords using this method, you typically need administrative privileges on the computer. Also, this method only works for Wi-Fi networks that your computer has connected to in the past and for which the password has been saved.
1. Open Settings > WiFi and long press on the network.
2. Tap on the password to view it.
Some android phones, however will not let you see the password. But here is the work around for that.
mostly all android phones will let you share your mobile phones Wi-Fi with others by giving you a QR code. Any user can scan the QR code and their phone will be connected to the same Wi-Fi network.
You can use this method to connect connect other mobile devices or you can also extract the password from the QR code. Here is how you can do it.
As you can see, it’s very easy to find the saved password for a WiFi network you’ve connected to before on any device. Thank you for reading! Let me know if you have any other tech tips you need help with.
The Apple Watch is an amazing compliment to the iPhone. One of its best features is the ability to use WhatsApp directly from your wrist. Here is a guide on setting up and using WhatsApp on your Apple Watch.
Prerequisites for Using WhatsApp on Apple Watch
Before diving in, an important note – using WhatsApp on the Apple Watch requires having an iPhone paired with the Watch.
If you have the Apple Watch non-cellular version, then you will have to keep your iPhone with you all the time because it will rely on your iPhones connection.
Although you are still required to have iPhone with you for setting up the ability to use WhatsApp on your Apple Watch. Continue reading the article for the tutorial.
First step is making sure you have an iPhone with the latest version of WhatsApp on it, and an Apple Watch paired to that iPhone.
Managing Watch Apps from the iPhone
Once you have your Apple Watch set up, you can customize it using the Watch app on your iPhone. This is where you manage Apple Watch settings.
Open the Watch app and select “Apps” to see which installed iPhone apps have an Apple Watch version. These Watch apps are automatically enabled.
Note that not every iPhone app offers an Apple Watch app. Select apps like WhatsApp provide some level of Apple Watch support.
WhatsApp’s Limited Native Watch App
Currently, the native WhatsApp support on Apple Watch is limited. You can receive WhatsApp notifications on your Watch and read full messages. However, you can’t directly reply to messages from the Watch interface.
The workaround is using Siri on your Watch to record and send WhatsApp voice messages. Say “Hey Siri, send a WhatsApp voice message to [contact].” Then your message will be sent hands-free.
So with only the native app, WhatsApp capabilities are restricted to reading notifications and Siri voice replies.
Using a Third-Party Watch App for Full Chat Access
To gain full WhatsApp access directly on your Watch – viewing chats, sending messages, etc – you need a third party Watch app.
Search the App Store on your Watch for “WhatsApp” and you’ll find several options. Find the best apps list at the end of this article. Install one of these apps to enable full WhatsApp chat functions from your wrist.
Follow the selected app’s setup instructions to link it to your WhatsApp account. Most provide step-by-step guidance during first launch.
WatchsApp is one such app you can use, although, the process of installing it and setting it up on your Apple Watch is pretty simple. Just follow the instruction mentioned after the installation.
You have to link the WatchsApp with your WhatsApp. Follow the steps.
Open your WhatsApp on your iPhone.
Go to WhatsApp settings tab on linked devices and then
Open WatchsApp app on your Apple Watch
Scan the QR code.
WatchsApp pretty much works like WhatsApp web but on a smallest screen like on your Apple Watch, you will be able to do all the things you can do on WhatsApp web.
Unlocking WhatsApp’s Potential on Apple Watch
While native support needs improvement, with a third-party app you can enjoy the full WhatsApp experience on your Apple Watch.
View chats, send messages, even initiate calls – all without needing your iPhone in hand. It becomes an independent communication device.
So if you regularly use WhatsApp, be sure to install a companion Watch app for maximum convenience. Your inner wrist is the new home for WhatsApp.
Pro Tip: instead of using the tiny keyboard of Apple Watch, series 7 and above, use the dictation feature or try sending voice notes as it’s less frustrating and more practical to use WhatsApp on such a tiny device.
Best Apple Watch Apps to use WhatsApp on the Watch
WatchsApp: This is the app we talked about in the article article above. Below some other apps, you might find useful for using WhatsApp on your Apple Watch.
Chatify: Chatify is a live chat software designed to help businesses strengthen their customer relationships. It offers features such as team collaboration, unlimited agents, automated answers, and more1.
WhatsUp: WhatsUp is not an app, but it might be a typo for WhatsApp. WhatsApp is a freeware, cross-platform, centralized instant messaging (IM) and voice-over-IP (VoIP) service owned by Meta Platforms2.
WatchChat: WatchChat is an app that allows you to send and receive WhatsApp messages on your Apple Watch. It offers features such as access to all of your WhatsApp chats, sending and receiving voice messages, replying to chats via keyboard, quick replies, dictation and scribble, and more3.
WristChat: WristChat is an app that brings the WhatsApp experience to the Apple Watch. It uses the WhatsApp Web API to access user messages in a watchOS app and provides an interface designed for the Apple Watch
I would recommend you use your iPhone to install the app.
When dealing with large numbers of files, having clear and organized file names is crucial. But renaming files one by one is tedious and time consuming. Thankfully, MacOS offers batch renaming to rename multiple files in just a few clicks.
Watch the Video
Why Batch Rename?
You may find yourself needing to rename many files at once for various reasons:
Making file names more descriptive after importing media files from a camera.
Organizing screenshots by adding a descriptive prefix to their names.
Standardizing file names to a consistent naming convention.
Adding sequence numbers to duplicate filenames to distinguish them.
Removing long unwanted prefixes or suffixes from file names in bulk.
Manually renaming each file would take ages. Batch renaming completes the task rapidly.
Selecting Files to Batch Rename
First, gather the files you want to rename into a folder or on your desktop. You can select files from multiple locations too.
Select the files you need to rename en masse. On Mac, you can click and drag to select multiple files at once. Or press Command+A to select everything in a folder.
Accessing Batch Rename
With your files selected, right click on one of them. In the menu, choose “Rename ## Items…” where ## is the number of selected files.
Alternatively, you can press Control+Click while files are selected. This also brings up the batch rename menu.
Adding New Names and Formats
In the batch rename window, you’ll see renaming options. Choose “Name and Index” from the Format dropdown menu.
This lets you set a custom text name, followed by an incremental number added to each file.
Type your custom name in the Custom Format field. As an example, “Project Report Draft” would rename files as Project Report Draft 1, 2, 3 etc.
You can also choose other formats like adding/removing text, date, and more.
Executing the Batch Rename
Once you have your new naming convention configured, click Rename.
MacOS will rapidly run through and rename every selected file sequentially. Even hundreds of files just takes seconds.
The filenames are now updated en masse with your new consistent naming format applied.
Additional Batch Renaming Tips
A few extra batch renaming tips:
Add a prefix instead of full name, like “HR – ” to label files.
Start file names with numbers to force alphabetical/numerical order.
Add date stamps like year-month for chronological ordering.
Test run first by renaming copies instead of originals.
Give very long names to reduce likelihood of accidental overwriting.
With the ability to rename masses of files in a few clicks, you have no excuse for disorganized file names. Put MacOS batch renaming to work for you!
So just after writing a few days after this article, Elon musk, the owner of Twitter has changed its name. It’s called X now. and every feature that had the reference name of Twitter is replaced.
For example, Tweets are now Posts, Retweets are now Reposts, Twitter Blue was Blue for a few days and now it’s called Premium. X uses the term Verified on the left side bar, and also gives a notification on the right side bar to let people subscribe to Premium. Tweetdeck is also rebranded as XPro and some Pro features have been added to it. More info about XPro here.
Twitter has made an announcement regarding their decision to restrict access to TweetDeck by introducing a paid subscription model under the name XPro.
This change is part of a series of recent modifications implemented by Twitter with the aim of increasing their number of subscribers and overall revenue.
However, it remains uncertain whether this strategy of limiting access to the tweet tracking tool will successfully encourage more users to pay or if it will instead lead to frustration among them.
More reasons to subscribe to XPro
Want to subscribe to Twitter Blue and save up to 30%? The verification badge, or BlueTick, now comes with this subscription. In addition to the badge, Twitter Blue offers other features too.
Key features offered under Twitter blue subscription
Edit Tweet: This feature allows you to edit Tweets for up to an hour after they have been published.
Half ads: This feature reduces the number of ads you see in your For You and Following timelines by 50%.
Bookmark folders: This feature allows you to organize your bookmarked Tweets into folders.
Reader Mode: This feature turns long Tweets into a more readable format.
NFT profile picture: This feature allows you to set an NFT as your profile picture.
Custom app icon: This feature allows you to customize the app icon on your device.
Custom app color theme: This feature allows you to customize the color theme of the Twitter app.
Early access to features: Twitter Blue subscribers get early access to new features before they are released to the general public.
In addition to these features, Twitter Blue also offers a few other benefits, such as:
Support from a dedicated team of Twitter experts.
The ability to give feedback on new features and products.
How to save 30% on your Twitter Blue Subscription?
Twitter blue would be cheaper if you subscribe through the website not from the app store or play store. It would be up to 30% cheaper.
Currently twitter allows users to subscribe to twitter blue we are app store or play store but the thing is it includes the platform fee as well which is 30% that’s why it is hulk expensive if you subscribe via the app store or the play store.
Best option is to go to the website if you don’t have a desktop computer you can open twitter in your browser on your mobile phone you will get the 30% cheaper subscription rate.
Save 20% More with the Annual Subscription
If you are looking to try what’s the fuss about Twitter Blue, you can go for the monthly subscription, but if you are certain that these features will be helpful to you, you can go for the annual plan which will save some more money.
Go for the annual plan which will get you more savings in comparison to the monthly plans.
Save even more by becoming a creator
Elon Musk has tweeted that Twitter will be sharing revenue with the creators.
Twitter has been testing out ads placements and now the ads are visible between the tweets of the users.
Also, in a recent tweet in reply to YouTuber MrBeast, Elon said that they will be trying to match the per view ad rate of YouTube on Twitter and asked him to upload his videos on Twitter as well.
So while twitter is not ready as a video sharing platform, but with increased video limit under twitter blue subscription, it opens a lot of possibilities for creators.
So, if the Twitter user is browsing your tweets and they come across the ads, the revenue from the ads generated will be shared with you.
So it means that you will be indirectly earning back your twitter blue subscription money.
If you are on this page looking to learn how to create Twitter Threads, you might already know how powerful Twitter X can be. So I’ll not get into why you should be creating content on TwitterX. Let’s talk about with athletes straightaway.
So just after writing a few days after this article, Elon musk, the owner of Twitter has changed its name. It’s called X now. and every feature that had the reference name of Twitter is replaced.
For example, Tweets are now Posts, Retweets are now Reposts, Twitter Blue was Blue for a few days and now it’s called Premium. X uses the term Verified on the left side bar, and also gives a notification on the right side bar to let people subscribe to Premium. Tweetdeck is also rebranded as XPro and some Pro features have been added to it. More info about XPro here.
Twitter X was created as a microblogging tool where users didn’t have to overthink about forming long from the point they could say whatever they wanted to say in 140 character limit later this was doubled. Right now, at the time of writing, it is 280 characters.
But since it is a place where almost every celebrity, politician, sportsperson, TV journalist, and entrepreneur is available, it has many people coming on the platform to see what these people are up to.
And while they are at it, they would also be using it as content consumption to enhance their knowledge on a particular topic. The feature, Twitter thread, allows users to combine the bunch of tweets to put up information in a friendly format that could be easily propagated on the platform.
How to create Twitter X Threads
To create a Twitter thread, you need to:
1. Start with a tweet that introduces the thread.
2. Add a tweet for each point you want to make in the thread.
3. You can also add images to the Tweet if there is something complicated you want to share.
4. The last tweet should be a CTA (call to action) asking The Reader to follow you for more similar content. You can also quote another thread you created similar to the thread you are creating.
How to create a Thread on the Twitter X
Although it is pretty easy to create Twitter Threads on your mobile phone, it is suggested you use a laptop because this will also give you more room to visualize the tweet, it and you also can type faster. It also allows you to form all your tweets all at once and then tweet them.
When you try to do a similar thing on your mobile phone, the keyboard obstructs half of your screen, preventing you from viewing all your tweets.
To create two Threads on the Twitter page natively, you can click on the plus icon (+) to add another tweet that would be 280 characters or less.
Third-Party Apps to Create Twitter Thread
I also discovered it an excellent tool for creating Twitter threads. It’s called Typefully, and it’s a pretty straightforward tool. Authorize using your Twitter profile, and you are good to start the threads.
The UI of type looks as if you are creating a blog post, and the only thing is you can separate each paragraph into different sweets. There is also a feature that shows you preview the tweets how they would look when it is Tweeted.
We also offer a premium plan, where you also get options to schedule your Twitter threads, which is pretty powerful for consistency if you want to grow on Twitter. The premium version also gives you stats to show how your products are performing.
The Chirr app is another excellent tool for creating Twitter threads. And it is also recommended that you use this app on your laptop instead of your mobile phone because this way, you will also be able to preview what your Twitter thread will look like on the page itself.
The app automatically splits your writing differently when you put a period after the sentence. Although the UI is not as intuitive as on TypeFulley, it’s still a good alternative.
The Chirr app also puts its features like Scheduling and Stats behind a paywall, which is not too much if you are getting Great Value out of it.
Few Tips to Enhance Your Tweets
Use Features Like Quotes, Media, Retweet
Once you have created a Twitter thread and these tips can be helpful to promote them on Twitter. Whenever you find the relevant conversation on Twitter, you can reply by quoting your thread.
Not only with other people’s conversations, but you can also use this tip in your threads. Whenever you find something that needs more elaboration and have created a thread around it, you can Court that thread.
I have consumed a lot of Twitter trades that way.
Twitter allows you to add photos and videos to add weight which can help create stunning Twitter threads. Use web apps like Canva to create stunning graphics. It has templates for infographics where you can put up information that would be difficult to put up in text format.
Keep it Simple
Don’t use complicated language. If you are talking about something for the general public, try avoiding jargon that only people working in that industry understand.
I would instead follow someone and read their content it who would write a sentence to define something instead of using a technical term of which I will have to find the definition myself.
So if you are out there who want to create the best Twitter trends, I hope this article will help you think about that goal.
