Rick's Daily Tips

Q&A: How do I remove the PIN from my Android phone?

Posted on October 18, 2021

Question from Angie: I started dating a guy a few months ago. I really liked him but he had an annoying habit of picking up my phone and looking at my called logs.

I think he was checking up on me to see if I was calling other guys. I didn’t like him spying on me that way and I told him so, but he kept on doing it.

I finally put a PIN on my phone so he wouldn’t be able to get into it.

We recently broke up so I no longer need the PIN. The problem is it won’t let me remove it (that option is grayed out).

What do I need to do to remove the PIN from my phone? [Read more…]

Q&A: How do I make Safari show the entire URL in the address bar on my Mac?

Posted on October 17, 2021

Question from Kyle: Hi, Rick. I’m hoping you can help me solve a problem I’m having.

After using Windows computers for years I decided to try a Mac after my last Acer laptop stopped working on me.

I ended up buying a MacBook Pro and I think I’m really going to like it, but there’s one thing that’s driving me nuts.

When I’m using Safari it only shows the website’s domain name and not the entire URL in the address bar.

I hate that because I like knowing exactly which page of a website I’m on at any given time.

How can I force Safari to display the entire URL of the current page? [Read more…]

How make your Android phone’s battery charge last a little longer

Posted on October 16, 2021

Does it seem like the battery in your Android phone dies a lot sooner than it should? If so, you’re certainly not alone.

A while back I wrote a post listing 7 tips for extending your Android phone’s battery life, and they all help quite a bit.

Well, here’s a bonus tip that will make your battery last even longer. All you have to do is change your phone’s wallpaper to one that’s solid black!

You’re probably wondering why using a black background can save battery life, and that’s a good question. And the answer is really pretty simple: The brighter the screen, the more current the battery must supply to keep it lit up.

Bottom line: Changing from a light colored background to a solid black one allows your phone to operate with less current being drawn from the battery.

Switching your phone to a solid black wallpaper is easy. Here’s how: [Read more…]

Q&A: Will I have to buy a new copy of Windows if I replace my motherboard?

Posted on October 11, 2021

Question from Paul: I have a custom built gaming PC that I bought in January 2014. It came with Windows 8.1 on it.

I then updated the machine to Windows 10 while Microsoft was allowing the upgrade for free.

Now I’d like to upgrade the machine itself by installing a new, more powerful motherboard.

My question is will I be able to reinstall Windows 10 and have it activate after replacing the motherboard? [Read more…]