Category: Technologies

Google’s Pixel devices are already straightforward and easy to use, but digging into the settings can help you tailor certain aspects of your phone to your taste. For example, you can optimize your phone’s storage, increase the screen’s refresh rate (or decrease it to save battery life) and use the volume key as a shortcut for the camera.

Google launched the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro in October, and both phones include a refreshed design, face unlock, the new Tensor G2 processor and improved cameras. But many of these settings options below should also be available on older devices too, including the Pixel 6 lineup.

Follow the steps below to learn more about how to get the most out of your new Pixel.

Turn on themed icons to make your icons match your wallpaper

One of the biggest features that debuted in 2021’s Android 12 update is Material You, which customizes the software’s color palette to match your wallpaper. To give your app icons a colorful refresh, long-press any empty space on your Pixel 7’s home screen. Then tap Wallpaper & style and make sure the switch next to Themed icons is toggled on. Now app icons on the home screen should match your wallpaper. You’ll notice that some elements within certain apps — like the keyboard in Messages and Gmail’s Compose button — will have colored accents that match your wallpaper, too.

Unlock your Pixel 7 just by looking at it

Google’s Pixel 7 and 7 Pro both support face unlock, unlike last year’s Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro. If you own a Pixel 7 and haven’t set it up yet, you can do so by launching the Settings menu and tapping Security. Tap Face and fingerprint unlock and enter your PIN. From there, choose the Face Unlock option to register your face to your phone.

Google cautions, however, that your phone can be unlocked by someone who looks like you, such as a sibling, when using this feature. As such, the Pixel 7’s face unlock functionality is meant just for quickly unlocking your phone rather than authenticating payments and other transactions. That makes it significantly different than Apple’s Face ID, which creates a depth map of your face by “projecting and analyzing thousands of invisible dots,” according to Apple’s support page.

Google Pixel 7

$499 at Google

Use Quick Phrases to dismiss an alarm or phone call without saying, ‘Hey, Google’

We’ve all been there. It’s 6 a.m., your alarm starts blaring and you barely have the energy to reach for your phone. Google makes this a little easier on the Pixel lineup by enabling you to pause or dismiss an alarm by simply saying, “Snooze” or “Stop” without requiring the “Hey, Google” trigger phrase. You can do the same for phone calls by saying “Answer” or “Decline” without having to grab your device.

To turn this on, open the Settings menu and choose Apps. Then, select Assistant and tap Quick phrases. You should see options for alarms and timers and incoming calls. Tap the switch next to each one to enable this feature.

Read more: Best Android Phones in 2022

Have Google Assistant wait on hold for you and transcribe automated phone menus

Tired of waiting on hold? Try using Google’s Hold For Me feature, which has Google Assistant wait on hold and then notify you when a customer representative becomes available. If you don’t want to remember which number to punch the next time you’re sitting through automated voice prompts, you can also turn on Direct My Call. This transcribes automated menus so that you don’t have to remember which number to press to get directed to the correct extension. Direct My Call should work even faster on the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro, since Google says these phones may show some transcriptions before they’re even spoken.

Both of these features are accessible from the Pixel’s phone app. Hold For Me works on the Pixel 3 and later, while Direct My Call is available on the Pixel 3A and later. Open the Phone app and tap the three dots in the top right corner to get started. Choose Settings and you should see Hold for Me and Direct My Call under the Assistive section.

The Direct My Call feature seems promising, but it only works for toll-free numbers in English right now. That can make its transcriptions a bit confusing since many automated phone menus typically read options in Spanish, too.

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Choose whether you want to extend battery life or boost performance

Google’s Pixel phones can optimize battery life depending on how you use your phone. While that’s a useful perk, there may be times when you’d prefer to turn this feature off so that you can get better performance out of your device. You can turn this setting on or off anytime by opening the Settings menu, choosing Battery and tapping Adaptive preferences.

Turn on Smart Storage to avoid running out of space

If you take a lot of photos and videos, you know how precious your device’s storage space can be. As one way to deal with that problem, you can choose to have your Pixel phone automatically delete old photos to free up space. If you enable this feature, your Pixel device will erase photos backed up to your Google Photos account that have been on your device for 60 days if your phone’s storage is less than 25%.

To turn this on, open Settings, choose Storage and tap Free up space. Then tap the menu icon in the top left corner and select Settings. Toggle the switch next to Smart Storage.

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Use Storage Saver to optimize your Pixel’s photo and video storage

If you want to save space, there’s another option: Enable Storage Saver on your Pixel device. This changes settings that use large amounts of storage, such as saving RAW images as JPEG and recording videos in 1080p instead of 4K. If you care more about saving space than having the best resolution possible, you might want to try this.

Launch the Camera app and tap the settings icon in the top left corner. Then, tap More settings and select Device storage. Toggle the switch next to Storage Saver.

Customize what happens when you press the volume key while taking photos

You can use the volume button to snap a photo, adjust the zoom or control the audio volume on your Pixel device. Open the Camera app, press the Settings icon and choose More settings. Then, choose Gestures and select Volume key action to choose your preferred option.

Make sure your Pixel’s screen automatically switches orientation when needed

Few things can be more annoying than having your phone stuck in portrait mode when you’re holding it in landscape mode to watch a video. Avoid this on your Pixel phone by opening the Settings menu, choosing Display and tapping Auto-rotate screen. You can also choose to turn on face detection to make autorotate more accurate. Google says images used in face detection are never stored or sent to the company.

Identify songs playing nearby on the lock screen

Ever heard a song playing at a restaurant and wondered what it’s called? Google Pixel devices can recognize songs and display the name of the song and artist on your phone’s lock screen. Open the Settings menu, choose Display and tap Lock screen. Press Now Playing and toggle on the switch next to Identify songs playing nearby.

Choose whether you want smoother scrolling or longer battery life

Certain Pixel devices can boost their refresh rates to enable faster scrolling and smoother animations, which makes the software generally feel more responsive. The Pixel 7 can bump its refresh rate up to 90Hz like the Pixel 6, while the Pixel 7 Pro can go up to 120Hz just like the Pixel 6 Pro. But since this feature increases battery usage, there are times when you might want to turn it off.

To access this option, open the Settings menu and choose Display. Scroll down to Smooth Display and toggle the switch to turn it on or off. This feature isn’t available on the Pixel 6A.

Add captions to videos, podcasts and phone calls

Google’s Live Caption feature generates captions for media playing on your device, and it works on older Pixels dating back to the second-generation model. It’s an accessibility feature, and it can also be useful for times when you’re stuck without headphones and need to hear the content of a video or podcast in a public setting. To turn this on, press the volume button and tap the Live Caption icon, which looks like a speech bubble. Just remember that using Live Caption can use additional battery resources.

Edit your quick settings to easily access shortcuts

Pulling down from the top of the screen will launch the quick settings menu. Tap the pencil icon to edit this menu and add the settings you use most often. Google offers a wide variety of options ranging from battery saver to enabling and disabling the microphone and accessing alarms. Here you’ll find staples including airplane mode, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.

Looking for more advice for your other Google devices? Check out our tips for boosting your productivity on Chromebooks and getting the most out of your Google Nest.

A smartwatch is more than a computerized time tracker, and the best versions excel at three tasks. They monitor various health data, look attractive on your wrist and provide peace of mind when you’re away from your phone. But not all smartwatches are the same: Some are better phone alternatives, while others have a more stylish, watch-like appearance. That’s the main distinction between hybrid smartwatches like the Withings ScanWatch Horizon, which I reviewed, and conventional smartwatches (like the Apple Watch).

Traditional smartwatches do a little bit of everything. They’re relatively chic, have plenty of health and activity tracking functionality, and are packed with phone-like features such as NFC for mobile payments and a speaker and microphone for taking calls. The Apple Watch, Samsung Galaxy Watch 4, Fitbit Sense and Pixel Watch fall into this category.

But hybrid watches usually combine the qualities of analog timepieces and smartwatches, as the name implies. They tend to look more like regular watches with traditional faces that have physical hands for the hour and minutes instead of digital numbers. Hybrid watches don’t have as many “smart” features, but they typically last longer on a single charge and pack plenty of health-tracking options.

I prefer traditional smartwatches and usually wear an Apple Watch. But spending a couple of weeks with the $500 Withings ScanWatch Horizon reminded me why hybrid smartwatches can be appealing — and also how they fall short compared with general-purpose smartwatches.

Read more: Google Pixel Watch: What We Know (and Don’t) So Far

Tethered to my phone

I felt more reliant on my phone when switching from the Apple Watch to the ScanWatch Horizon. Withings’ hybrid watch can show notifications (like calls, texts and app alerts), and you can also use the watch to set timers and alarms.

But even these basic tasks are easier to accomplish on traditional watches. Since the ScanWatch Horizon only has a small circular screen that occupies a fraction of the watch’s face, it’s not ideal for reading full notifications. As I wrote in my review, the ScanWatch Horizon’s lack of a touch screen and voice controls also made it less convenient to set times and alarms from my wrist.

If you want a smartwatch that can take some of the burden off your phone when it comes to everyday tasks, the ScanWatch probably isn’t it. Think of the ScanWatch Horizon as a watch first and a smartwatch second. Even though I don’t have my Apple Watch connected to my data plan, it’s still a useful surrogate for my phone. I don’t have to take my phone out of my pocket for tasks like replying to text messages, browsing news headlines while I’m waiting for the elevator or checking out at the cash register at my local Rite Aid.

That’s not the case with the ScanWatch Horizon. I grabbed my phone almost immediately whenever I felt the buzz of a notification. The ScanWatch Horizon feels more like a fashion accessory with built-in health tracking. I loved the way it looked on my wrist, but didn’t find myself using the screen for much other than to check the time or start a workout. Most of my engagement happens within the Withings HealthMate app, which provides a breakdown of bodily metrics and activity.

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Read more: How the Apple Watch Can Become an Even Better Fitness Tracker

The ScanWatch Horizon is more limited than the Apple Watch when it comes to mimicking your phone’s functionality, but it has a different advantage. With its stainless-steel casing, rotating laser-engraved bezel and analog watch face, the ScanWatch Horizon is one of the most elegant smartwatches you’ll find.

Amazing battery life

The Apple Watch may have more smarts, but it can’t come close to the ScanWatch Horizon’s battery life. Withings claims the ScanWatch Horizon can last for 30 days on a single charge, far outlasting standard smartwatches. In my experience, the ScanWatch Horizon’s battery depleted to 35% after a little more than a week. I haven’t spent long enough with it to see if it lives up to Withings’ 30-day claim, but that’s impressive nonetheless.

The Apple Watch Series 7, on the other hand, usually lasts for one to two days on a single charge. But that’s also because the Apple Watch has a lot more technology built into it. The OLED color touchscreen alone has a huge impact on the battery compared with the ScanWatch Horizon’s tiny display. Some other wearables like the Garmin Venu 2 Plus that also use OLED displays can last up to nine days. It is possible to get more battery life out of today’s smartwatches without sacrificing a bright color display.

Both watches go deep on health, but have different strengths

If there’s one area where neither watch compromises, it’s health tracking. The ScanWatch Horizon and Apple Watch Series 7 can both measure all of the hallmark health metrics found on high-end smartwatches. That includes electrocardiogram (EKG or ECG) measurements — both watches have Food and Drug Administration clearance for this feature — along with general heart rate data, activity and exercise, sleep and blood oxygen saturation levels. Withings’ blood oxygen feature also has FDA clearance, unlike Apple’s.

Even though they share many similarities when it comes to health tracking, the smartwatches have their own strengths. Withings, for example, has more sleep data to offer. You can see a breakdown of how much time you spent in light or deep sleep, sleeping heart rate and breathing disturbances, similar to the Apple Watch. Beyond that, Withings also issues a sleep score that assesses the quality of your sleep, similar to products from Fitbit, Oura and Amazon.

The Apple Watch shows sleep duration, time spent in bed and sleeping respiratory rate. When WatchOS 9 launches this fall, it will also show sleep stages, which addresses one of the Apple Watch’s major shortcomings compared to other sleep trackers. That information is useful too, but having access to a sleep score helps me understand why I might be feeling tired or energetic in the morning. It also motivates me to hit the sack earlier than usual if my sleep score hasn’t been very high lately.

The Apple Watch’s design gives it an advantage over the Withings ScanWatch Horizon in a few other areas. It’s smaller and lighter, which makes the Apple Watch much more comfortable to wear during workouts and to sleep (although I usually charge my Apple Watch overnight instead). Plus, the Apple Watch has built-in GPS for tracking outdoor runs, while the ScanWatch Horizon must rely on your phone’s GPS. The Apple Watch is also more effective at encouraging me to stay active throughout the day since I can customize the display to show my Activity Rings.

The bottom line

The Withings ScanWatch Horizon inherits some of the biggest advantages of analog watches: a classy design and a battery that doesn’t need to be charged nightly. It’s also a top-notch fitness tracker that doesn’t require a subscription to unlock deeper insights like devices from Fitbit and Oura do.

That said, it hasn’t convinced me to stray from more traditional smartwatches like the Apple Watch. I value the convenience of being able to verbally ask my watch to start a workout, or respond to texts from my wrist, more than having the best-looking watch. I might have appreciated the ScanWatch Horizon’s distinguished design more back in 2013 when smartwatches still looked like this. Now that smartwatches have gotten smaller and lighter and they’re more common, they don’t seem out of place on your wrist at weddings and dinner parties.

The ScanWatch Horizon is ideal for those who want both a classic watch and a fitness tracker in one device. I could see why some might prefer the ScanWatch Horizon’s simplicity, since it means the watch itself is less distracting. But the Apple Watch does a better job of freeing you from your phone, and that matters more to me.

Microsoft Office is an essential suite of tools for both your professional and personal computing needs, but if you don’t already have access to its apps on your own computer, the cost of a license or commitment to a monthly subscription can be off-putting.

Rather than stumping up full price directly at Microsoft, you can snag a lifetime license to Microsoft’s Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, OneNote, Publisher and Access for just $30 instead via StackSocial. That’s back at the lowest price we’ve ever seen, and a whopping 91% off the usual price of $349.

The offer applies to both the Windows and Mac version of the software, which means you can ditch the subscription (with recurring charges) that Microsoft offers for these essential apps. However, this deal expires in just a few days, so be sure to get your order in soon.

Microsoft

Microsoft Office Professional 2021 lifetime license: $30

Save 91%

This wildly popular offer for a Microsoft Office lifetime license is still available for $30. It’s available for both Mac and Windows, so be sure to grab the right one for the computer that you use regularly.

• Microsoft Office for Windows: $30
• Microsoft Office for Mac: $30

$30 at StackSocial (Windows)

$30 at StackSocial (Mac)

StackSocial’s deal is a phenomenal bargain when compared to the online Microsoft 365 subscription suite that costs $10 per month or $100 per year. There is a free online version of Microsoft Office, too, but it has far fewer features.

While the price almost seems too good to be true, we tried it ourselves, and it worked like a charm. (The two big caveats: You get a single key — which only works on a single computer — and there’s no Microsoft OneDrive Cloud Storage included.) In fact, StackSocial has been offering a version of this deal since the beginning of 2022. But this lowest-ever price won’t last, so take the plunge while you can.

The deal for Mac users expires Jan. 1 and the discount on the Windows version will end Jan. 4.

The Fitbit Charge 5 and Luxe are unable to sync correctly on Samsung Galaxy phones running Android 13, according to a report from 9to5Google Friday.

Threads on the Fitbit community forum show people unable to sync their Charge 5 and Luxe devices on Samsung Galaxy phones. A Fitbit moderator replied saying, “Our team has identified the root cause of the bug and we are working on afix, which we anticipate releasing via an app update in early 2023.” At the moment, Fitbit recommends users sync to another phone that can install the Fitbit app to try syncing or setting up a device.

Samsung and Fitbit didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

The wearables industry continues to push impressive numbers, with 41.7 million devices shipped globally earlier this year. Apple remains the largest individual player thanks to its Apple Watch, although its devices only work with the iPhone. This means that both Samsung and Google-owned Fitbit are important players in the Android market in the US.

With the Pixel Watch, launched in October, Google is starting to slowly integrate more Fitbit features into its own watch. The search giant also partnered with Samsung in 2021 to integrate its Wear OS with the Galaxy Watch series. While Apple enjoyed a healthy 36.1% global market share as of the first quarter of 2022, Samsung and Fitbit sit at 10% and 2.7%, respectively, according to a May report from Counterpoint Research.

Your iPad‘s App Library is an easy way to navigate all of the installed applications on your tablet. Apps are grouped by category: social, finance, productivity, travel and music, to name a few. And if you tap on the search box at the top of the App Library, you’ll get a full alphabetical list of your apps.

However, while the iPhone stashes the App Library neatly to the right of all your home screen pages, the iPad version of the App Library sits squarely in your dock. It takes up valuable real estate on your screen — and it’s frankly a bit of an eyesore.

If you don’t use the App Library (maybe you use Search instead), you might want to remove it from your iPad’s dock — but it’s not that simple. Unlike the other apps in your dock, the App Library can’t be removed simply by pressing down on it and tapping an “x” button.

Luckily, there’s a way to remove the App Library. It’s just hidden in your iPad settings. As a bonus, you can also remove “Recent Apps” from your dock at the same time if you’d like.

Pro iPad Tip – iCloud isn’t the only way to get more storage for your tablet

If you’ve used up almost all of your iPad’s storage and you don’t want to upload everything into the cloud, you can use this 128GB USB thumb drive to store movies, TV shows, music, photos and more. All you need to do is plug the drive directly into your iPad’s Lightning port and you’ll be able to quickly transfer and access all your important files.

$40 at Amazon

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Read on to learn how to remove the App Library icon from the dock on your iPad. For more, read 10 fun features to check out on your iPad and 9 things to do immediately after you get a new iPad. And if you’re in the market for a new tablet, check out the best iPads this year.

How to remove the App Library from your iPad dock

On your iPad, go to the Settings application and do the following:

1. Tap Home Screen & Dock.

2. Under the Dock section, toggle off Show App Library in Dock.

As soon as you do, the App Library icon will disappear from your dock, giving you more room for other apps. Don’t worry, though — you’ll still be able to access the feature by swiping left on your home screen until it appears. You can also use the search feature by swiping down anywhere on your home screen and then typing the name of the app you’re looking for, if the App Library just isn’t your thing.

As we head into 2023 and await the newest releases on Netflix, Disney Plus, HBO Max and more, you may be thinking about updating your budget. Crunching numbers for your streaming subscriptions could leave you with the realization you’re spending $500 per year or more. But this is one set of expenses you can easily tweak.

Here’s the scenario: You’re subscribed to multiple streaming services, you watch one or two of them until your favorite series ends its seasonal run, then look for the next thing. But is it worth keeping all those accounts active if you’re not watching anything on them? I don’t think so.

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Take a look at this money-saving strategy to help you tame your streaming costs.

Read more: Best Live TV Streaming Service for Cord Cutting in 2022

Rotate your streaming services

Dumping cable for good and switching to streaming is a crafty money move for cord-cutters. Because you’re able to sign up for monthly plans, it’s easy to jump into a streaming service and jump out when prices increase or content dries up. But according to Deloitte’s 2022 Media Trends report, the main reasons people cancel their streaming subscriptions are because of costs and lack of fresh content. Media companies call this behavior “churn.” We’re calling this the rotation method, and you should try it.

The incentive? You save your coins and avoid content droughts. Let’s say a popular title like The Last of Us or Willow is set to premiere on a service. Find the total episode count and wait until they’re all available at once on a platform. You cancel HBO Max, Disney Plus or other service and then, once all the episodes are available, resubscribe to catch up. Alternatively, you can start streaming a show midseason to cut costs. My monthly guide on which streaming services to cancel can help you keep up.

The downside? You won’t have immediate access to every show you want to watch and will have to wait until the full season airs. And since many streaming services release new episodes weekly, you might not be caught up at the same time as your friends. If you’re someone who prefers to watch episodes immediately when they drop, you may decide it’s worth it to have multiple subscriptions at a time. If you have patience, however, you can save some money.

The strategy can also work if you have a live TV streaming service to watch a particular sport or major event like the Super Bowl. Once the season wraps, cancel the service or move to a cheaper platform with fewer channels, like Sling TV.

Read more: Best Streaming Device for 2022: Picks From Roku, Google, Amazon and Apple

Tip No. 1: Cancel your subscription before getting charged

Set calendar reminders for your billing cycle and upcoming TV show or movie release dates. Give yourself enough warning to begin or end a subscription. Apps such as JustWatch, V Time and Hobi help you track when and where TV shows and movies appear on a streaming service. And JustWatch recently added a tracker specifically for sports. If you have a smart home device from Google or Amazon, you can set reminders for specific dates and allow a voice assistant like Alexa to notify you of an upcoming bill or streaming release date.

Amazon Echo Dot (5th Generation)

$28 at Amazon

Tip No. 2: Sign up for streaming service deals

Look for discounts on streaming services. For example, Starz is now $3 per month for three months, a drop from its regular $9-a-month rate. You can also take advantage of the Disney Bundle, which provides access to Disney Plus, Hulu and ESPN Plus in a single package for a reduced price. And eligible Hulu subscribers can add on Disney Plus for $2. Lastly, be sure to check with your mobile carrier to see which ones offer free streaming subscriptions.

Read more: Best Streaming Service Deals From Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile

Tip No. 3: Pick one or two default streaming services

Subscribe to one or two must-have services for the year, and select only one or two more options to fit your monthly budget. Rotate the bonus service(s) according to what you want to watch, ensuring you don’t miss your favorite shows while sticking to your monthly spending cap.

Tip No. 4: Use monthly billing only

Avoid annual subscriptions and pay attention to your auto-renewal payment dates. Your billing cycle can help determine when it’s the best time to quit a service, even if you’ve only signed up for a free trial. The only advantage to signing up for an annual plan is when the price is drastically cut down.

Tip No. 5: Don’t cancel your subscription, pause it

Hulu allows you to pause your subscription for up to 12 weeks, and Sling has a similar option with stipulations. Check with your streaming provider to see if you can take a temporary break without canceling.

Give it a shot, and if you don’t like it you can always resubscribe. For more excellent tips on streaming TV, check out this guide to Netflix’s hidden tricks and our tips on the best VPNs.

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• Put an Alexa Device in Every Room of Your Home — Really. Here’s Why
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2023’s Best TV and Streaming Shows You Can’t Miss on Netflix, HBO, Disney Plus and More

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Next-generation chips from Apple partner Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. just entered mass production, the company announced on Thursday. TSMC is highlighting the new chip’s reduction in power consumption, possibly signaling longer battery life for the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max.

The new chips will be built on a 3-nanometer process, which TSMC says will require 30% to 35% less power compared to its 5-nanometer chips. However, since Apple designs its own iPhone processors, it’s impossible to know exactly what to expect from the next iPhone solely based on TSMC’s advancements. Instead, the news suggests that TSMC’s 3-nanometer processor technology will be available for Apple to use in the next iPhone if it chooses to do so. Hardware also doesn’t tell the whole story when it comes to battery life; software plays a big role, too.

TSMC is also drawing comparisons between its 3nm and 5nm chips when it comes to power consumption. The A16 Bionic processor that powers the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max is built on a 4-nanometer process. Still, miniaturizing circuitry generally results in better performance since more features can fit inside the chip, as my colleague Stephen Shankland points out in his coverage of the A16 Bionic.

If Apple maintains the strategy it followed with the iPhone 14 generation, its new smartphone chip will only arrive in what we’re expecting to be called the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. The iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max, for example, run on Apple’s new A16 Bionic chip, while Apple’s previous-generation A15 Bionic processor powers the regular iPhone 14 and 14 Plus. Assuming Apple keeps the same naming convention, its next iPhone chip will likely be called the A17 Bionic.

Apple didn’t immediately respond to CNET’s request for comment about what TSMC’s new chip could mean for the iPhone 15.

Apple usually releases new iPhone models in September. There’s a chance the iPhone 15 lineup could be the company’s first phones to use USB-C charging instead of Apple’s proprietary Lightning connector thanks to new regulations from the European Union. Otherwise, rumors suggest a periscope-style telephoto lens and new solid-state buttons could be in store for Apple’s next iPhones.

The new year is coming up in just a few days, and there are Amazon deals going strong with more to come for the new year. If you’re a Prime member, there are a slew of perks included with your subscription that you’ll want to use all year round.

No, we’re not just talking about free two-day shipping. Amazon Prime members have access to tons of other perks and bonuses you might not know about.

Want to improve your cybersecurity?

We’ll teach you why protecting your identity and data is important. Plus, get recommendations for VPNs, Password Managers and Antivirus Software.

For example, Amazon Prime members can get deliveries much faster than two days, sometimes in a few hours. They can also schedule delivery dates for convenience or to avoid times when they’ll be away from home. And they even get exclusive deals simply by using Alexa on an Amazon Echo.

If you’re thinking about signing up for an Amazon Prime account (here’s how) or don’t know much about all of the included features, here are some ways you can get the most out of your membership while shopping for Black Friday deals.

Read more: New Amazon Prime Perk: How to Get Free Grubhub Plus Food Delivery

Pro Amazon Tip

When you’re looking for basic essentials, check out Amazon Basics for affordable products for the entire home.

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You can get free same-day delivery on qualifying items

If there’s a product you want immediately, you can see if it’s available for delivery the same day you order. To check a product’s eligibility, look for delivery that’s marked as “Prime FREE Same-Day” while shopping. Note that your order will need to contain over $35 of qualifying items. If not, you’ll have to pay a small fee.

Amazon will deliver from morning until evening, so you won’t have to worry about receiving your order at 3 a.m. However, same-day delivery isn’t available in all locations, so enter your ZIP code on the Amazon Same-Day Delivery page to see if you’re eligible.

Alexa can share extra discounts when you shop on Echo

You can use your Amazon Echo to ask “Alexa, what are my deals?” anytime. Alexa will then share Prime-exclusive deals and you’ll have the option to add the item to your cart, buy it now or move on to the next deal.

Schedule a convenient shipping date for your package

Everyone knows about Amazon’s free two-day shipping, but another option is to choose a delivery date during checkout. It’s called Amazon Day and it’s helpful if there’s a specific day you know someone will be at home to answer for packages — especially if it’s something pricey that you don’t want to risk leaving unattended.

If you order multiple items on different days, you can have them delivered on the same day as long as they’re eligible for this offer.

Use your Amazon Echo to help track packages

If you have an Amazon Echo of any kind, you can use it to track your orders.

Just say “Alexa, where’s my package?” and your Echo will let you know where it is, who it’s for and when it’ll arrive. Once your order has been delivered, the Echo’s ring light will pulse yellow and if you have the Echo Show, the delivery notification will appear on the screen.

Shop Early Access deals before non-Prime members

If something you’ve been eyeing says “Prime Early Access,” as a Prime member you can shop that sale 30 minutes before non-Prime members. However, you’ll still have to compete with other Prime members who are interested in the product before it sells out.

Amazon can leave your package inside your house

When you know you’re not going to be home for a while and you’ve got a shipment on the way, it’s much safer to have an Amazon employee leave your items inside your house to avoid theft.

For in-home delivery, you’ll need a Key-compatible smart lock and an (optional) Amazon Cloud Cam. The Amazon driver will send you a notification when they’ve arrived at your house and will request to unlock your door. Amazon will verify the package is at the right address and the driver is near the door, then will turn on Amazon Cloud Cam and unlock your door.

If you’re wary of letting a complete stranger into your home, keep in mind that you’ll also receive notifications during the entire process. Note that you can opt to block delivery access to your home — for example, if you know you’ll be home during that time.

You can also have packages delivered inside your garage

“Porch pirates” — thieves who steal packages left in front of homes — are no joke. Security site SafeWise told CNET that about 260 million packages have been stolen from home exteriors in 2022. The Amazon Key in-garage delivery service can stop porch theft completely and is free for all Amazon Prime members.

When you use Amazon In-Garage Delivery, select Key Delivery at checkout. The garage kit is $29 right now and turns your garage into a smart garage. It works the same as in-home delivery so Amazon will do all the verifying for you.

Send a gift to someone without knowing their address

An Amazon Prime feature lets you send someone a gift, even if you don’t have their address. For instance, if you’d like to send a coworker something for the holidays or their birthday but don’t know what their address is, you can still send a gift. But there’s a catch — that person must also have a Prime account and you need either their phone number or email address associated with the account.

Just note that not every item on Amazon is eligible.

Share Prime perks with family

If you’ve got another adult living in your household, like a significant other or friend, you can share your Prime membership with them. You’ll still be able to keep your personal accounts separate, but you’ll both have access to all the same Prime benefits.

You can also share your account with up to four teens and up to four children in your household. While they’ll have their own logins, you can still manage their profiles.

For more shopping tips, here’s how to send your Amazon packages back the fast, easy and free way.

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Ready to relax on the couch and wind down from the holidays? A Netflix marathon is a great place to start. If you’re tired of seeing the same list of Netflix TV show and movie recommendations, scrolling really isn’t the best way to find something new to watch. It’s also not a great way to find other niche genres you might be interested in.

But there’s a secret trick for filtering Netflix’s library by genre to find exactly what you’re browsing for: Netflix codes. Instead of passively accepting the algorithm’s picks, learn how to use Netflix codes to find your own next binge-watch.

Read more: How to Turn Off Netflix’s Pesky Autoplay Trailers

What are Netflix codes?

Netflix codes are based on a number system that corresponds to a different genre or subgenre, which the algorithm uses to categorize and serve up recommendations. For example, instead of scrolling through Horror, you can search Small Town Scares (81496215) for more specific results.

So far, Netflix has about 36,000 codes. Note that codes can only be used on Netflix’s website and not in its apps.

Where do I find Netflix’s secret menu?

Check out netflix-codes.com for a full list. There are about 20 categories like anime, foreign movies and classic movies. Those categories are broken down into more specific subgenres. For example, horror movies — coded 8711 — houses 12 more codes like deep-sea horror movies, zombie horror movies, teen screams and more.

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How do I use Netflix codes?

The easiest way is by installing the Better Browse for Netflix extension for Chrome. Here’s how:

1. Go to the Chrome Web Store and search “Better Browse for Netflix.”
2. Click Add to Chrome.
3. Click Add Extension.
4. Log into your Netflix account in a new tab.

At the top of the Netflix home screen, you should see a new option — Browse All — next to My List. Click that to search manually or scroll through the subgenres available.

Another way is through the Netflix codes website. Here’s how:

1. Visit netflix-codes.com in your PC or mobile browser.
2. Find the genre or subgenre you want to explore.
3. Tap the code next to the genre or subgenre you want.
4. If you’re on a device that has the Netflix app installed, the app should open and take you directly to the genre or subgenre you chose. If you don’t have the app installed, it’ll open Netflix through the browser and you can view the specific movies and shows available.
5. Tap the title you want to watch.

You can also use the Netflix codes manually in your browser. Here’s how:

1. Visit netflix-codes.com in your PC or mobile browser.
2. Find the genre or subgenre you want to explore.
3. In another tab, type in <http://www.netflix.com/browse/genre/INSERTNUMBER>, but replace INSERTNUMBER with the specific genre or subgenre code.
4. You’ll be taken to Netflix to peruse the titles available in that section.

From there, you can either make a mental note of the movie you want to watch and go back to the app on your preferred device, or log in to watch in your browser.