brightness Archives

7 annoying Android problems and how to fix them

You love your Android smartphone, right? There’s a lot to like. The operating system is fast, flexible and usually safe. It’s also highly customizable when compared to iOS.

Of course, no device is perfect, and Android has a few annoying features. We have solutions to fix these annoyances. Note: Several manufacturers make Android smartphones. So the steps you use to fix these problems may vary from the ones below.

1. Stop those annoying notifications in their tracks

As much as we daydream about shutting off our smartphones for a week, we quickly realize that our continual connection with the rest of the world is simply how we live these days.

Your phone alerts you for everything from a comment on your social media post to an incoming email. You don’t need to be informed of every new event — especially not at four in the morning.

That’s where the Do Not Disturb feature comes in. Turn it on to immediately mute all incoming calls and alerts, or schedule it to activate at a certain time or day of the week. If you’re worried about emergencies, you can allow certain contacts and apps to break through by adding them to your list of exceptions.

You can schedule your smartphone to be silent at certain times of the day, like 11:30 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. Don’t worry — you can also make exceptions so your family and friends can get through.

Set up Do Not Disturb on your Android phone

Go to Settings > Sound & Vibration > Do Not Disturb.
Tap Turn on now.
Below the Turn on now button, you’ll find exceptions for Do Not Disturb. Tap on each option and select the alerts that you want to come through even when Do Not Disturb is on.
Tap Schedules to set up a time for Do Not Disturb to be active.

Set up Do Not Disturb on your Samsung phone

Go to Settings > Notifications > Do Not Disturb.
Toggle on Do Not Disturb.
Tap Add schedule to set up a time for Do Not Disturb to be active.
Look under the exceptions for Do Not Disturb. Tap on each option and select the alerts that you want to come through even when Do Not Disturb is on.

2. Auto Brightness

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Replace your old flashlight with this powerful, compact model

We all have that flashlight we keep handy for emergencies. It’s in the drawer near the fridge or at the bottom of the basement stairs. But it’s not that good, is it? It helps you stumble around to the circuit breaker during a storm, but what other utility does it provide?

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Bonus bathroom lighting

I’m a big fan of lighting. I was clicking through Amazon, looking for something to brighten up a dark corner, and stumbled onto a new-to-me category: Bathroom novelty lights.

Vanity light: This string of 10 LED bulbs attaches to your mirror with adhesive strips. With 10 brightness levels and three color temperatures, give your bathroom a dressing-room vibe. They’re 20% off ($11.92).
Roll light: A battery-powered nightlight ($12.89) that cleverly replaces your regular toilet paper spindle. It’s motion-activated and shuts off automatically after two minutes.
Rim light: Hang this little light over your toilet rim and never wonder if the seat is down again. It’s motion-activated, and you can cycle through its 16 colors or choose your favorite. A two-pack is 37% off ($13.77).

We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

🔦 Light it up: Your iPhone’s flashlight has more brightness levels than the default like-the-sun mode. Hold down the flashlight button and drag the slider up or down. Sweet. Btw, you can also say, “Siri, turn on the flashlight” when you need it (and tell her to turn it off, too).

Bravo! Samsung has a new TV that comes with a free 8K TV, valued at $8,000. The 114-inch “ultra-premium” set costs $132,630 and uses Micro-LED display tech for enhanced colors, brightness and response times. They’re also throwing in a discount on a new pair of speakers and a $2,200 hotel stay. Sorry, but this offer’s for Korea only for now.

Simple steps to improve your new or old TV’s picture quality

TVs are cheap this time of year, but people are often disappointed after buying a new set. The picture quality doesn’t live up to expectations. Fortunately, a better picture is just a few adjustments away.

Let’s say you snag a great deal on a fancy new TV. All you have to do is plug it in and start watching your favorite TV shows and movies. But as soon as you start, you notice that the colors are off or too bright.

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Can TV really hurt your eyes? Change these settings to reduce eye strain

Does watching too much TV cause eye strain? While sitting too close to the TV won’t likely cause you any lasting vision damage, it’s safe to say that an optimized viewing environment can make for a more enjoyable experience.

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Keys-y does it: To set the brightness level on the keyboard on your MacBook, click the Apple menu > System Settings > Keyboard. You can also have the backlights turn off after a certain time. Perfect if you’re watching a movie in the dark.

Make life easier with these 9 essential Android Quick Settings

With so many helpful Android features, there are probably at least a few that have bypassed your radar. Tap or click here for hidden Android features you should be using.

There’s another cool Android trick that you probably use daily. We’re talking about Quick Settings. So, what are they? They let you quickly adjust Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Do Not Disturb and more.

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Correcting this simple mistake could improve your iPhone's battery life

How do you charge your iPhone? It might seem like a ridiculous question, but if you say you plug in the cable (or put it on a wireless charger) and walk away, you’re doing it wrong. Well, that is according to Apple.

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Quick photo tip: Digitally restore old photos

Does your family have old photo albums? Have you ever spent time looking at all the old black and white or wonderful vintage sepia-colored images?

Old pictures capture lovely moments in time, like your serious-faced ancestors. They posed for their first photo with the family’s first Brownie or Polaroid camera. While it’s great to look through all those snapshots, it’s sad to see how faded, scratched or torn some can be.

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Have this phone? Running your battery to zero could disable a feature you use most

Mobile phones are our lifeline to the outside world and loved ones. With many things dependent on them, most of us can’t afford the struggles when the battery dies. But when it does happen, a quick recharge will have you texting in no time.

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Tech tip: Get more life out of your dying phone battery

When was the last time you left the house without your phone? Me neither.

The moment your phone goes missing, panic sets in. Tap or click for a method to find your phone, even if it’s buried somewhere where you can’t hear the ringer.

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Tech tip: How to get more life out of your phone battery when it's about to die

Our phones control just about everything we do. We use them to communicate with our friends, pay our bills and track appointments, among numerous other things. This is convenient as long as your battery stays charged.

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How to calibrate your PC monitor to get the best picture possible

Home computers have come a long way since the early days. Processors are much faster and storage size is incredibly large in comparison.

They have also come way down in price. You can now pick up a powerful desktop or laptop computer for a fraction of the cost that you would have paid for a lesser machine in the mid-1990s.

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3 simple steps to improve your TV's picture quality

A common complaint we hear from readers is how disappointed they are after buying a new TV. The main problem is the picture quality doesn’t live up to expectations.

The thing is, it isn’t necessarily the TV’s fault. Any new television can be a disappointment when you first get it home. That’s often because they aren’t always calibrated correctly for your home’s lighting.

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5 ways to extend the battery life of your Android

Ever been traveling, only to discover you’re down to only 5% battery left on your phone? And, of course, you need your phone’s map app to get where you’re going.

You can also use one of many apps for travel assistance. But if your battery is low, no app can help you. Luckily, if you have an Android, there are ways to extend your phone’s power.

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