Smart Phone Tips Archives - Page 8 of 65

How to use your smartphone as a metal detector (yes, really)

Posted on July 9, 2025

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Most folks love upgrading to a new smartphone at every opportunity, and chances are you have several unused, but working phones tucked away in a drawer somewhere.

If you’re like me, you probably hate having a perfectly good portable computer (that’s really what a smart phone is) doing nothing more than gathering dust.

I’ve written several posts in the past explaining how to give an old smartphone a new life by turning it into something useful simply by installing an app. I have another such tip for you today. [Read more…]

How to make full-screen YouTube videos always fill the entire screen

Posted on July 8, 2025

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Do you enjoy watching YouTube videos on your smartphone or tablet?

If so, you’ve probably noticed how some videos don’t fill the entire screen even when you’re watching them in full-screen mode.

Most videos are formatted to cover the entire screen, but the ones that aren’t show up with black bands on at least two sides.

You can always use the “pinch and zoom” technique to expand the video to fill the screen, but there’s a simple setting in the YouTube app that will automatically force oddly formatted videos to cover the entire screen by default. [Read more…]

Use your old smartphone or tablet as a wireless security camera

Posted on April 15, 2025

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Like most households these days, yours probably has one or more old smartphones and/or tablets that were retired to a junk drawer after upgrading to a new device.

Well, here’s a little tip for putting those outdated, but completely functional devices to good use… [Read more…]

7 tips for effectively dealing with Robocalls

Posted on March 27, 2025

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Do you have a phone? If you do (and who doesn’t these days) it’s a good bet that you receive a robocall every now and then.

Even worse, if you’re one of the unlucky folks whose number has found its way onto an active caller list you probably receive several of these irritating calls per day.

Robocalls are incredibly frustrating because there’s really very little you can do to prevent them from coming in, but you can manage them and prevent them from causing you a bunch of grief.

[Read more…]

Q&A: How can I make the text bigger on my phone?

Posted on March 20, 2025

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Question from Carol: Hi, Rick. I need your help with a problem I’m having if you don’t mind.

I recently had a stroke and it affected my eyesight. My recovery is going well but I still don’t see nearly as well as I used to.

One of the biggest problems I have is reading the text on my phone. It would help a lot if I could make the letters bigger.

Can you tell me if that’s possible and how to change it if it is? [Read more…]

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