Author: Admin

Great photography isn’t a one-and-done task, ending with the click of a button on your camera or phone. It often involves an editing process to truly make your pictures shine. Spending time on edits allows you the opportunity to polish up your pictures, transforming your images into works of art. But unless you’re a professional, you may not have the skill set to create a flawless finish. If you’re looking for a program that can lend a hand, StackSocial is offering an excellent deal on Luminar Neo, an AI-assisted editing software to make your pictures look almost as good as if a pro shot them. You can grab it for just $150 right now, compared to the usual $752 price tag, meaning you’re saving over $600.

Adobe Photoshop is the most popular photo-editing software out there, but it takes serious training to be able to use it effectively. Luminar Neo offers many of the same functions and features, but is much easier to use thanks to the AI assistance. You can use it to improve the detail and clarity of a photo, adjust the lighting and composition or even remove and replace entire objects. It comes with tons of incredible presets that allow you to transform your photos with the push of a button.

It’s also compatible with both Windows and Mac devices, and can be used as a plug-in for Photoshop and Lightroom. This deal also includes tons of helpful add-ons, such as the Tender Blushing Skies add-on, which allows you to completely replace your skies with 25 different presets, or the Wintertime Overlays add-on, which contains 10 unique overlays to give your images a cool and cozy atmosphere. And with lifetime access, you won’t have to worry about recurring subscription costs.

And if you’re looking to upgrade your whole setup, be sure to check out our roundup of the best laptop deals currently available so you can grab a new PC or MacBook for less.

Read more: 6 Tips (and Phone Settings to Change) for Taking Stunning Landscape Photos

If you want to add some bling to that new laptop you got for Christmas, or maybe you need to guard your phone from the sticky hands of a toddler, a protective case is the way to go. Casetify is known for a huge selection of cases and tech accessories compatible with a wide variety of items, from iPhones to earbuds. And right now, Casetify is having a buy-two, get 24% off New Year sale but don’t wait because it ends Jan. 3.

Whether it’s to protect your iPhone from scratches or you want to personalize your tech, Casetify’s New Year sale offers a 24% discount when you buy any two tech accessories. All you need to do is enter promo code NewYear24 during checkout to get the discount. Note that some exclusions apply, including any newly released products as well as licensed accessories from brand partners.

Casetify includes cases for all the Apple line including iPhones, iPads, MacBooks, and even AirTags. You’ll also find cases compatible with Samsung and Google devices, including all of the Google Pixel phones. There are hundreds of patterns and styles to choose from.

While some of the best iPhone cases also function as wallets, letting you carry your phone and credit cards in one hand, this also means you’re putting your most sensitive personal belongings together. So if someone steals or finds your lost iPhone and case, it could cause you a real headache. But changing your iPhone settings can help keep others locked out of your phone — and your bank account.

If someone has your credit card information and tries to make a large purchase, your bank might send you a text message, asking to verify it. If an unauthorized person also has your iPhone, they could respond to your bank’s message, verifying the purchase without unlocking your iPhone. One Reddit user wrote that a thief charged more than $9,000 to their card when this happened to them.

Replying to messages from the lock screen was first introduced in iOS 8. When you receive a text notification, you can swipe text notifications left on the lock screen to reveal an option to reply to the message. If you tap that option, you can craft and send a reply without unlocking your iPhone.

Replying to messages from your iPhone’s lock screen is easy for you — and scammers. Thankfully, you can help protect yourself by turning this feature off. Here’s how to turn off Reply from lock screen.

Turn off Reply from lock screen

1. Tap Settings.
2. Tap Face ID & Passcode.
3. Enter your Passcode.
4. Under Allow Access When Locked, tap the slider next to Reply with Message.

Now when you receive a text, you’ll need to unlock your phone to reply.

Turn off other lock screen features

There are other features you — and anyone else — might be able to access from your lock screen without unlocking your iPhone, too, like Siri. Without unlocking your phone, you or someone else can make phone calls, send text messages and can find some devices your iPhone has connected to, like your car, just by asking Siri. Someone with access to your iPhone could track your car’s location if this setting is turned on.

You can also access your Home app without unlocking your iPhone lock screen. In the Home app, you can see smart home devices connected to your phone, like lights and security equipment and any digital door locks. Someone with access to your iPhone could monitor your security cameras and door locks, potentially giving them a way into your home if you left any doors unlocked.

There is also an option to access your Wallet app without unlocking your iPhone. Someone might find it difficult to send themselves cash directly from the app, but someone could use your iPhone to access digital keys or pay for a transit fare without unlocking your screen.

The process for turning off these features is the same as before.

1. Tap Settings.
2. Tap Face ID & Passcode.
3. Enter your Passcode.
4. Under Allow Access When Locked, tap the sliders next to the features you want to turn off.

You can turn off the features mentioned above, or you can turn off all the features so your lock screen is truly locked down to everyone except you.

Turning these features off won’t affect what notifications you receive on your lock screen. (To change that, you need to go to Settings > Notifications.) You just won’t be able to interact with these notifications until you unlock your screen, which will help protect your security and privacy in case you lose your iPhone.

For more, check out other settings to keep off your lock screen and how and why you should use use the Find My app on your iPhone.

If you’ve got a Google account, you may know that you’ve only got 15GB of free space that you can use. If you’re like many people, that storage is already full and now you’re seeing a message that says you’re out of room. To avoid upgrading to a paid storage plan and to make some extra room in your digital filing cabinet, read up on these tips to free up some space.

We recommend doing this on your desktop rather than a mobile device, as you’ll have an easier time sorting through and managing files, but we’ll walk you through both processes.

1. Delete large files first

If you want to keep the majority of your items in Google Drive and Gmail, you can free up space by sorting each service by file size and deleting only one or two large files instead of a few dozen smaller items. Deleting one or two videos that take up multiple megabytes of space is easier than sorting through hundreds of old documents of the same file size to decide which can be deleted.

Here’s how to delete files by size in Google Drive on your desktop:

1. Log in to your Google Drive account.

2. Once you’re logged in, click Storage in the menu on the left side of the screen.

3. The Storage page should list your files from largest to smallest, but if not, click Storage used on the right side of the screen. The files should now be ordered from largest to smallest.

4. Click on the large files you want to delete to select them, then click either the trash bin that appears near the top of the screen once items are selected or drag the large files to Trash on the left side of the screen.

5. Click Trash on the left-hand side menu to go to the Trash menu.

6. Click Empty trash in the top-right corner of your screen.

7. Click Delete forever and your files are gone.

You can do this in the Google Drive app as well. Here’s how:

1. Open your Google Drive app and log in to your account.

2. Tap Files in the bottom-right corner of the screen.

3. Tap Name underneath My Drive near the top of the screen.

4. Tap Storage used. This will arrange your files from largest to smallest.

5. Tap the three dots (…) next to the item you want to delete.

6. Tap Remove.

7. Tap the hamburger icon (three stacked lines) in the top-left corner of the screen next to Search in Drive.

8. Tap Trash.

9. Tap the three dots (…) in the top-right corner of the screen.

10. Tap Empty trash.

You can also arrange and delete files by size in Gmail on the desktop. Here’s how:

1. Log in to your Gmail account.

2. Type has:attachment larger:10MB, for example, into the search bar and hit Search. This will show you all emails that have attachments larger than 10MB, from largest to smallest. You can use this format to filter by other size files, not just 10MB files.

3. Check the boxes to the left of each email you want to delete, then click the Trash icon in the top-right corner of the screen.

4. Click Trash on the left side of the screento go to the Trash menu. If you don’t see Trash, click More and Trash should be in the expanded menu.

5. Once in Trash, click Empty trash now at the top of the screen.

Here’s how to arrange and delete files by size in the Gmail app:

1. Open your Gmail app and log in to your account.

2. Type has:attachment larger:10MB into the search bar and hit Search. This will show you all emails that have attachments larger than 10MB, from largest to smallest. You can use this format to filter by other size files too, not just 10MB files.

3. Tap into the email you want to delete.

4. Tap the trash bin icon in the top-right corner of your screen.

5. Tap < in the top-left corner of your screen.

6. Tap the hamburger icon in the top-left corner of the screen next to Search in mail.

7. Tap Trash.

8. Tap Empty trash now.

Note that once a file goes to Trash, it’ll automatically delete after 30 days.

2. Empty your Gmail spam folder

It’s easy to forget about emptying your spam folder, and it can take up unnecessary data in your Gmail account. Emptying your spam folder — and your social or promotions folders — is another way to make space.

Here’s how to empty your spam folder on your desktop:

1. Log in to your Gmail account.

2. Once you’re logged in, click Spam on the left side of the screen. If you don’t see Spam, click More and Spam should be in the expanded menu.

3. In your Spam folder, click Delete all spam messages now.

Here’s how to empty your spam folder in the mobile app:

1. Open the Gmail app and log in to your account.

2. Tap the hamburger icon in the top-left corner of the screen next to Search in mail.

3. Tap Spam.

4. Tap Delete all spam messages now or Empty spam now.

3. Clean up your Google Photos

Google also includes Google Photos in the 15GB of free storage it gives its users. Photos and videos can take up more space than text-based files, especially higher-quality ones, so it’s a good idea to go through and delete old photos and videos to make room.

There’s no option to arrange your photos and videos from largest to smallest like in Google Drive and Gmail, so you’ll have to go through and delete items manually. You can check how much space a file is taking up by selecting it and clicking the “i” for information from the top menu.

Here’s how to delete photos and videos from Google Photos on your desktop:

1. Open and log in to Google Photos.

2. Scroll your mouse over photos and videos you want to delete and click the gray checkmark icon in the top-left corner of the photo or video.

3. Click the trash icon in the top-right corner of the screen.

4. Click Move to trash.

5. Click Trash on the left side of the screen.

6. Click Empty trash near the top-right corner of your screen.

7. Click Empty trash again, and you’re set.

Here’s how to delete photos and videos from the Google Photos mobile app:

A heads up for Apple users: If your Gmail is linked to your iCloud account, the two digital storage spaces may be also linked. This means that when enabling the Backup & sync feature on Google Photos, all your local photos on your iPhone will be displayed on Google Photos. If you delete a photo on Google Photos, then the local photo on your iPhone will also be removed. And when the local photo is removed, it won’t show up on iCloud. You’ll be able to tell if this is you when you try to delete an image on Google Photos — a pop-up window will let you know you’re about to delete from both places.

1. Open and log in to Google Photos.

2. Tap the photo or video you want to delete.

3. Tap the trash can icon in the bottom-right corner of the screen.

4. Tap Delete.

5. Tap Library in the bottom-right corner of the screen.

6. Tap Trash.

7. Tap the three dots (…) in the top-right corner of the screen.

8. Tap Empty trash.

9. Tap Delete.

If you don’t click or tap Empty trash on either platform, the photos and videos you’ve deleted will automatically be deleted after 60 days.

Bonus tip: You can reduce the file size of some photos and videos in Google Photos. Doing so will allow you to regain some space, but it will reduce the quality of your media. You can learn more about this from Google Support here.

4. When all else fails, download your files

If your storage is still almost full and you can’t part with any more items from your Google Drive, Gmail or Google Photos, you can download your items and store them directly on your computer.

Here’s how to download your Google Drive files, Gmail messages and Google Photos for storage on another hard drive:

1. Open and log in to your Google Drive, Gmail or Google Photos account on your desktop.

2. Select the files, emails or photos you want to download.

3. Click the three stacked dots in the upper-right corner of your screen.

4. Click Download. Note that Gmail will download messages as a .eml file.

5. Once the items are downloaded and moved onto your hard drive, feel free to delete them from your account and empty your trash bins.

For more, check out these 10 Gmail tips and tools, nine Google Drive features you might have missed and five Google Photos features to try now.

It’s almost guaranteed, but if you’ve got an older Windows computer, you’re probably low on disk space. And unfortunately for you, a hard drive with little to no space will be a drag on your computer. Inevitably it’ll slow down and your apps will freeze and crash more frequently, making your PC difficult and frustrating to use.

The fix is obvious — you need to clean up your drive — but you may have a difficult time deciding exactly which files to get rid of. Fortunately, Windows 11 makes it easy to delete the files that you don’t need and free up some space on your computer.

Instead of downloading third-party software to free up disk space, Windows 11 has a few settings you can configure to quickly delete temporary, system files and old downloads you might not need.

And if you’re worried about getting rid of important files, don’t fret — Windows 11 will help you decide what to get rid of to improve your PC’s performance.

If you want to learn more, check out more features we love on Windows 11. You should also read about the best desktop computers this year.

How to automatically free up storage space on Windows 11

On your Windows 11 computer, go to Settings > System > Storage. If this is your first time visiting this setting, wait a few seconds for your computer to analyze your data storage. Once Windows has collected what it needs to know, you’ll be able to see your total free memory at the top of the page. Underneath that you’ll see a breakdown of your storage, divided into apps and features, temporary files and other. You can also click Show more categories to view a further breakdown.

The setting we’re interested in, however, is Storage Sense, which automatically frees up space on your computer whenever your disk space is low. It does this by deleting temporary files, emptying your Recycle Bin and getting rid of old downloads, in the background, without you having to manually do it.

To turn on Storage Sense, simply toggle it on here. If you click the setting, you can configure several features:

• Run Storage Sense: Run Storage Sense during low disk space (default) or every day, week or month.
• Delete files in my recycle bin if they have been there for over: Choose 1 day, 14 days, 30 days (default) or 60 days.
• Delete files in my Downloads folder if they haven’t been opened for more than: Choose never (default), 1 day, 14 days, 30 days or 60 days.

These Storage Sense settings can help you limit which files are removed, and when they’re removed, so that you don’t have to worry about any important files getting wiped from your computer.

At the bottom of the page, you can click Run Storage Sense now to use the feature then and there.

And if you want to get rid of more files to clear up space, use the Cleanup recommendations feature underneath Storage Sense. If you click on it, it will scan your system and recommend files for you to manually delete, such as temporary files, large or unused files, files synced with your cloud and unused apps.

Want to learn more about Windows 11? Check out the biggest differences between Windows 10 and Windows 11. Also, these are the best features on Windows 11 you need to know about. And if you haven’t downloaded Windows 11 yet, here’s how what you need to do.

If you’re looking to upgrade your TV for the new year, the LG C3 is one of our top recommendations. With a sleek design and stunning OLED display, it’s our favorite high-end TV of 2023 — and right now, you can grab one for $400 off at Woot. Better yet, the 65-inch smart TV comes bundled with a $160 Visa gift card, which is as good as getting that money back in cash.

At $1,597, this LG is still a sizable investment, but Woot is matching Amazon’s current all-time low pricing with the gift card sweetening the deal further. Also, unlike a lot of Woot deals, the TV is brand new with a full manufacturer warranty.

According to CNET’s resident TV expert, David Katzmaier, the LG OLED C3 “sets the standard for high-end TV picture quality.” It has a stunning self-lit OLED 4K display, as well as Dolby Vision, HDR10 and HLG support for vibrant colors, sharp contrast and dazzling brightness. Its sixth-gen A9 processor uses AI to automatically upscale the look and sound of your shows and movies for a better experience. It also supports Dolby Atmos for immersive, room-filling sound, and it has a dedicated filmmaker mode, which makes it a great choice for serious cinephiles. It’s an awesome pick for gamers, too, thanks to its fluid 120Hz refresh rate and impressive 0.1-millisecond response time. With an ultra-thin bezel, it has a sleek look that won’t clash with your home’s decor.

The LG C3 is probably one of the most versatile OLED TVs you’ll find right now. That said, if you want something a bit different, check out these other OLED TV deals.

Over the past three years, Apple has rolled out a number of new features to ensure its users’ privacy. One of the biggest privacy features is Apple’s App Tracking Transparency, which gives users the ability to control which apps can track their activity and access their data.

Apple’s App Tracking Transparency feature offers Apple users a simple choice, to allow apps to track their activity or not. If you choose to opt-out, Apple will prevent the app from accessing identifiers that link your device with your activity on an app, usually shared with advertisers to create targeted ads. Unless you give an app explicit permission to track you (including apps made by Apple), it can’t use your data for targeted ads, including sharing your location data, advertising ID or any other identifiers with advertisers or third parties.

The feature was first unveiled at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference in 2020 and was subsequently rolled out to users later that year in iOS 14.5. Since then, Apple has built on these efforts to increase transparency and privacy. In the new iOS 17, Apple made a change that lets users select their default search engine when in private browsing mode, giving users the option to choose a search engine other than Google while in a private Safari tab. Coming in a future iOS update, Apple recently previewed a feature that would make it harder for thieves to access sensitive information on stolen devices.

The impact of Apple’s App Tracking Transparency feature has been wide-reaching across the tech industry. The feature drew support from privacy advocates but criticism from companies such as Meta, which said the move would hurt its ad business. Meta’s concerns manifested across the board for social media platforms, with a 2021 investigation from the Financial Times estimating that the feature cost Snapchat, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube a collective $9.85 billion in lost ad sales, as most Apple users opted out of tracking.

Even if you didn’t initially opt out, you can change whether or not to allow tracking at any time. Here’s how to use the App Tracking Transparency feature.

How to turn off app tracking on new apps

When you download and open a new app, you’ll get a pop-up notification that asks if you want to let the app track your activity across other companies’ apps and websites. You’ll also see information about what the app would track. You can tap Ask App Not to Track to block that activity or Allow.

You can also opt out of app tracking across every app you download by going to Settings > Privacy & Security > Tracking and toggling off Allow Apps to Request to Track. This means any app that tries to ask for your permission will be automatically blocked from asking and informed that you have requested not to be tracked. All apps (other than those you’ve given permission to track in the past) will be blocked from accessing your device’s information used for advertising, according to Apple.

It’s important to note that this doesn’t mean ads will disappear. It just means that you’ll be more likely to see generic ads, not one for that pair of shoes you clicked on one time.

How to turn off app tracking on already downloaded apps

You can also turn app tracking permissions on or off on a per-app basis.

To do that, go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Tracking. You should see a list of apps that have requested to track you. Tap the toggle next to the apps you want to stop tracking you.

All app developers are required to ask for permission for tracking. If Apple learns a developer is tracking users who asked not to be tracked, they will need to either update their tracking practices or else potentially face rejection from the app store.

Apple believes that privacy features like these are a differentiator for its products, compared to other tech giants like Google and Samsung. Cook has said that because the company’s business model isn’t built on selling ads, it can focus on privacy, which he has called a “fundamental human right.”

Even so, it’s important to bear in mind that when you ask apps not to track you, what you’re saying is that you don’t want app developers to have access to your unique identifier that Apple creates specifically for advertisers — your IDFA. Denying access to your iPhone’s IDFA doesn’t necessarily mean app developers won’t track you through other means, so it’s critical to be mindful of the apps you use and how you interact with them.

For more on security and privacy, check out the best VPNs of 2023 and how to stop Google from tracking your location.

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle can be a tough balancing act, but having the right tools, like a fitness app, can help you stay motivated and on the right track. The Fitness App by Jillian Michaels has plenty of expert advice that you can carry around in your pocket at all times. Right now new users can get $300 off a lifetime membership to The Fitness App at StackSocial, which brings the price down to just $150. If you’re looking to prioritize your health and wellness, this is a great offer worth taking advantage of — but be quick, as this deal expires Jan. 2.

The app has audio-only workouts for indoor and outside exercise, audio-only meditations for focus and mental well-being, an advanced meal planner system and access to fitness expert Jillian Michaels’ DVD collection. You can follow along with over 1,000 workout exercises, all shot in HD. Whether you’re looking for an advanced workout, you want the bare-bones basics or you’re somewhere in the middle, this app has the workout you need. You can swap out exercises and even ban ones that don’t work for you, and you can adjust transitiontime and target which places you want to tone.

Have your own exercise equipment at home? You can select workouts that use what you have. Features like Beat Sync mean that your workout can adjust to the pace of the music you’re listening to, making it easier to stay engaged and draw inspiration from your favorite soundtrack on the road to your better self. And with lifetime access, this investment will be a tool you can always rely on as you improve your overall health and wellness.

And if you want to invest in other great workout tools, be sure to check out our roundups of the latest Apple Watch deals and best Fitbit deals currently available.