Stolen Device Protection is an anti-theft safety feature that can be crucial in a situation where your phone goes missing. Enabling this feature restricts drastic changes being made to your iPhone or Apple Account in case your password is compromised when your iPhone leaves your home, workplace, or other saved locations. Once enabled, Stolen Device Protection performs two important functions:

1. Face ID/Touch ID authentication: Certain actions, like accessing your stored cards and passwords, will require biometric authentication, with no option to use your device’s passcode.
2. Security Delay: Like the security delay that occurs after entering your iPhone’s password incorrectly consecutively, a security delay will be triggered if your Apple Account password is changed (for an hour), ultimately requiring a second biometric authentication once it’s over.

Before you enable Stolen Device Protection, make sure these settings are in place:

• Your Apple Account uses two-factor authentication
• Your iPhone’s password, Face ID or Touch ID are enabled
• Significant Locations under Location Services is enabled
• Find My is turned on

To turn on Stolen Device Protection, go to Settings > Face ID & Passcode. Enter your iPhone’s password, then toggle on “Stolen Device Protection”.

If you regularly use Apple Wallet for your transactions or to store digital documents, regularly checking on your biometrics (Touch ID or Face ID) is a good precaution to take. As much as I can, I also try to avoid connecting to public Wi-Fi networks so I can reduce any safety risks that may come with a potentially insecure network. Apple offers other safety features for your iPhone, such as Check In, Emergency SOS, and Crash Detection, which can all come in handy in case of any mishaps during your travel or commute.

• Back Up to iCloud Regularly

Backing up your iPhone and other Apple devices to iCloud regularly is the most hassle-free way to ensure none of your data and account information is lost in case something happens to your device.

You can either back up your iPhone manually or enable iCloud Backup to automatically sync your data to the cloud. To back up manually, connect your iPhone to a (secure) Wi-Fi network. Then, go to Settings > Profile > iCloud > iCloud Backup > Backup Now.

You can enable automatic backup by navigating to iCloud Backup and turn on “Back Up This iPhone.” Then, connect your iPhone to a power source and a Wi-Fi network and lock your screen to complete the backup. Remember that if you’re traveling and not routinely connecting to a Wi-Fi network, backing up manually over a cellular connection might be necessary (assuming you have the spare data).

You can also consider upgrading to iCloud+ for more storage (starting at $0.99/month), in case your iCloud does not have enough storage for a backup. Summer calls for outdoor fun, but this comes with the risk of damaging your iPhone. Be it hiking, swimming, or bicycling, there’s no guarantee that your phone is completely safe from the perils of a summer adventure (especially if you use apps for summer activities on your iPhone).

Nothing beats a good old phone case when it comes to physically protecting your iPhone. When looking to buy a phone case, it’s better to stay on the side of caution and get a waterproof, sturdy one to prevent scratches, water damage, and breakage. While it can be painful to cover your iPhone’s color with another case (trust me, I hate covering my lilac, gloss finish more than anyone), a good phone case can save you a lot of worry and money in the long run. You can try silicone cases if you’re not a big fan of bulky phone cases, and I’ve found that these also go well with your iPhone’s skin color.

There are a few things to keep in mind when buying a suitable iPhone case (depending on the type of activities you’re into), such as MagSafe, card grip, and texture.

• Change your Screen Protector when needed

You can reduce the chances of your iPhone incurring damage by using a good screen protector that can prevent your screen from getting scratched in case of falls, bumps, or contact with rough/sharp materials. I am extremely clumsy with my phone and have dropped it on rough surfaces more times than I can count, and have paid my price with hairline stretches on my previous phones. I’ve now made it a habit to regularly check on and change my screen protector when needed.

Apple uses the durable Ceramic Shield for iPhone 12 and later, so a screen protector is not always a necessity. Not everyone is a fan of screen protectors: for the longest time, I was not too sold on the change in touch that comes with that extra layer of protection.

There are also some errors that could occur while applying a screen protector. But during the summer, having a screen protector on your iPhone can prevent scratches that could occur when you go outdoors to places like the beach, a hiking trail, or a mountainous area, since these places can expose your iPhone to materials like sand and rocks.

Regardless of whether you have opted to get a suitable sturdy iPhone case, be wary of where you leave your iPhone during the summer. It’s never a good idea to expose your iPhone to direct sunlight when you’re going out, since this can lead to overheating, battery issues, and temporary shutdowns. If you travel a lot in the summer, be wary of leaving your iPhone out in direct exposure to sunlight in cars, or in open spaces that could make your phone susceptible to spillage, loss, overheating, or other damage.

You can also carry accessories to protect your iPhone when you’re out. When I visit the beach, for instance, I tend to carry a waterproof bag/pouch to keep my iPhone despite having a sturdy case, so there’s no possibility of water damage.

One of the most crucial parts of protecting your iPhone in the summer is preventing heat-related damage. When exposed to high ambient temperatures, there’s a good possibility of your iPhone overheating, since it does not have an active cooling solution inside. If your iPhone overheats, you will receive a warning notification that says “iPhone needs to cool down before you can use it.”

But not to fret: if this does happen, there are some simple solutions to fix overheating. If you’re using a sturdy case to protect your iPhone, removing it and letting your iPhone rest indoors at a cooler temperature is a good starting point. Another solution is to stop using your iPhone (especially if you’re running apps that have a higher strain on your iPhone, like gaming or streaming apps) and put it to sleep. You can also temporarily switch it off while limiting exposure to high temperatures.

Be sure to never put an overheating iPhone anywhere cold like a fridge or directly under an air conditioner, as the sudden change in temperature could cause water damage due to condensation. Keeping your iPhone away from direct sunlight during summer is a good rule of thumb to stick by. Regular system updates and not overcharging are some other precautionary actions you can take to manage the temperature of your iPhone.

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First, let’s talk about messaging standards. The old guard is SMS messages. These traditional texts don’t rely on mobile data or Wi-Fi. They use the cellular network’s voice channel, meaning if you have even a faint cellular connection, an SMS message should go through. However, this only applies to simple text messages. If you’re trying to send pictures, videos, or group messages (which are typically MMS messages), you will still need a data connection.

RCS (Rich Communication Services) is the next evolution of SMS, and Google is trying to use it as the answer to iMessage. It includes familiar features like read receipts, typing indicators, and higher-quality media sharing. The cool thing about RCS is that it can work over Wi-Fi. So, if you’re in a Wi-Fi-enabled area but have absolutely no cell signal, you can still send RCS messages to anyone else who has RCS enabled on their Android phone or iPhone. At this point, that’s most people.

Now, the important thing to note for situations of poor cell signal is both SMS and RCS are available. RCS generally requires a better connection than SMS, so if you’re in a poor reception area, your phone will fallback to SMS to get the message sent out—as long as you’ve enabled it. As mentioned, that means you should be able to send a message as long as you have the tiniest bit of a cellular connection.

Satellite SOS on a Pixel Phone

But what if you have neither cell service or Wi-Fi? This is where things get interesting. If you own a Google Pixel 9 series phone, you have a feature called “Satellite SOS.” This isn’t for casual texting with your friends, but it can be a literal lifesaver in emergencies. If you find yourself in a truly remote area with no signal in sight, your Pixel 9 can connect directly to satellites to send emergency messages.

First, a few prerequisites. As mentioned, you need a Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro XL, or Pixel 9 Pro Fold (or presumably any model released after). Google Messages must be set as your default messaging app. Make sure you have as clear a view of the sky as you can get.

1. Dial the emergency service line for your area (911 in the US, for example).
2. If there’s no network coverage, you’ll see a “Satellite SOS” option in the dialer.
3. Tap “Satellite SOS,” then “Use Satellite SOS,” and “Start.”
4. You’ll be guided through a questionnaire about your emergency.
5. Next, you’ll have the option to notify your emergency contacts of your location.
6. Finally, follow the prompts to position your phone to connect to a satellite. Once connected, you’ll get a response from an emergency provider via text.
7. When you’re ready, tap “End” to finish the session.

So, while you won’t be sending photos of waterfalls from the middle of nowhere without a signal, your Pixel does offer options for communication in an emergency. The cool thing is that Google lets you try this out on your phone without doing it for real. You can go to Settings > Safety & Emergency > Pixel Satellite SOS and tap “Try a demo”.

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If you’ve never heard of Wacom tablets before, let me give a brief introduction to some of the best consumer drawing tablets that you’ll ever use.

Wacom has quite a few models of drawing tablets to choose from. Wacom has drawing tablets both with and without built-in displays, depending on what you’re looking for. Also, some tablets require a Bluetooth connection, while others are just over USB-C.  Drawing tablets come in a mess of different prices, but they all seem to have the same specs. How are popular drawing tablets actually different from one another, and which one is right for you?

A drawing tablet is a slate that uses a pressure-sensitive pen, allowing you to draw, sketch, write, or do anything else on your screen. Some Chromebooks have a built-in touchscreen that allows you to do this, and some even come with styluses.

However, if you want the most accurate drawing experience, or if you want to add drawing capabilities to a Chromebook that didn’t come with a touchscreen, then Wacom’s drawing tablet lineup is perfect for you.

For this article, I’m going to be using the Wacom One 13.3-inch Drawing Tablet with Display, with a USB-C connection to my Chromebook. I’ll still give some guidance on how to pair over Bluetooth if you opt for one of those drawing tablets instead.

Plug the Wacom Tablet in via USB-C (Or Pair Over Bluetooth)

My Wacom One only supports a USB-C connection, and not Bluetooth. USB-C provides the power, display, and touch inputs for the Chromebook.Your Chromebook does need to support USB-C display output for it to function optimally. If your Chromebook doesn’t have that, then it’ll still work, but only as a tablet and not as a secondary display.

If your Wacom is Bluetooth-enabled, then you can simply open the Bluetooth settings of your Chromebook, click Pair new device, and the tablet should show up there (once in pairing mode).

Truthfully, setting up the Wacom drawing tablet on a Chromebook is as simple as plugging the tablet in over USB-C (or pairing it over Bluetooth). Only a single connection is required for it to function, even though two are available on the Wacom One.

ChromeOS Automatically Identifies the Tablet and Recognizes Pen Input

Once the Wacom One is plugged into my Chromebook, it automatically detected the tablet and began recognizing pen input. I was a bit surprised at how flawless this was, but it really did work that easily.

As my Wacom One has a display, the Chromebook immediately extended my main display and added the Wacom as a second screen. It also put the pen input menu at the bottom of just the Wacom, and not the main screen, which was another surprise.

The pen itself worked right away and in everything I tried. It either functioned as a mouse input for things like Chrome, or as a stylus when I was drawing. There wasn’t a single thing that I tried to do that didn’t work properly. The best part is, I truly had to install no drivers and I had to do no configuration to get it to work. It was just plug-and-play.

Pressure Sensitivity Is Slightly Hit or Miss

Now for the not-so-fun part: not everything works fully when using a Wacom tablet in ChromeOS. Yes, all Wacom tablets will work with ChromeOS natively. However, pressure-sensitive drawing isn’t natively part of the Chromebook’s operating system yet.

There are a few workarounds here, though. You can download some Android apps if your Chromebook supports the Play Store, and those will typically support pressure-sensitive inputs. Sketchbook, Infinite Painter, and others will typically support pressure-sensitive drawing.

If your Chromebook supports Linux, then you can also use apps like Krita or GIMP. Some Linux apps properly work with pressure-sensitive drawing, and others don’t, with the list changing all the time. So your mileage may vary here a bit.

For me, Gimp installed on Linux via apt worked with pen input properly, but it did not work for pressure-sensitive drawing. On the other hand, Sketchbook from the Play Store worked flawlessly out of the box for pressure-sensitive drawing.

Chromebooks can be far more useful than you might think. In fact, they can even be capable gaming machines thanks to the new Steam Beta that’s out for ChromeOS! If you’ve not tried gaming on your Chromebook, you definitely should. While it might not play Call of Duty all that great, older retro titles are perfect on Google’s portable computers.

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Additionally, another great way to get the outdoor bass you want is with a speaker that packs enough power to get loud enough for the open space you’re in, be it by the pool or on the beach. Smaller, super-compact speakers might not do the job if a bigger, bassier sound is your priority, so we recommend choosing at least a mid-sized speaker.

Alternatively, compact speakers that can be linked together for a larger array (more on this later) can also sound big and cover larger areas, too.

“Ingress Protection” ratings are an internationally recognized and standardized code that identifies the levels at which everyday electronics such as speakers and headphones can repel water and/or dust and debris.

To understand what you’re reading with an IP rating—let’s say “IP67”— the first number after the “IP” represents the device’s level of protection from dust and debris (including insects), and it ranges from zero to six. The second number represents its water resistance, from light splashes to full immersion, represented by a current range of zero to nine. You may see an IP rating with an X, such as “IPX5.” This just means that the product either has no protection or it hasn’t been tested yet.

With regards to Bluetooth speakers suitable for outdoors, the one you choose is going to depend on how you plan to use it. On one end of the spectrum, for outdoor use I don’t recommend a speaker with anything less than an IPX5 rating—it’s only going to fend off light splashes, rain, and “low pressure water jets,” (read: you can rinse it off under the tap) but it might suit your purposes.

Next, a Bluetooth speaker with an IPX7 or higher will be great poolside, and most other places, and can actually be submerged in up to one meter of water for up to 30 minutes. IPX8 goes one step further, with up to three meters of immersion for longer periods, but this is rare with Bluetooth speakers. Many of these speakers are also buoyant; if you’re worried about a speaker, say, falling off your stand-up paddleboard.

Lastly, for sandy beaches, salt water, and dusty trails, I recommend no less than a dust/foreign object rating of 6—IP67, for example, which provides “dust-tight” protection and can also be submerged in water.

Bluetooth speakers come in all shapes and sizes these days, but it all depends on what your definition of portable is. It’s also worth keeping in mind that typically, the bigger the speaker, the more powerful and better sounding it will be. Smaller speakers are great, but you should expect less from them in the sound department.

For big family picnics and backyard parties that may or may not end in sing-alongs or karaoke, you might consider a party speaker that can pump out hundreds of watts of power. Sure, some of them (like the JBL PartyBox Stage 320) are big, but many are surprisingly movable, with sturdy wheels and retractable telescopic handles making them easy to fit in a trunk and roll to the festivities. Loads of them, like the Soundcore Rave 3S, also have fun features like karaoke and LED lights.

If you don’t need quite that level of power, a great mid-sized boombox-style Bluetooth speaker like the Soundcore Boom 2 Plus is a good option. If you’re not going too far from home or the car, like to the beach or car camping, these speakers often have sturdy handles and/or shoulder straps that make them manageable when toting around. Their bigger size means more power and volume, and they can often be used as a power bank to charge your devices.

Often designed with outdoorsy types in mind, compact Bluetooth speakers are among the most rugged on the market, able to take a beating and withstand the elements. Many, like the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4, JBL Clip 5, and Tribit StormBox Micro 2 also come with sturdy clips and straps for hanging off trees, inside tents, or mounting on your handlebars.

When you’re gone all day or even all weekend, battery life is key to making sure you keep the soundtrack going. If all-day use is your jam, like a beach day or trip to the local pool, a Bluetooth speaker with at least 10 to 14 hours of playback time should do the trick. A couple of options I recommend include the compact Sonos Roam 2 (10 hrs), JBL Flip 7 (14 hours), Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4, and the Bose SoundLink Flex (12 hours).

For extended parties that rage into the night or even weekend camping trips, you’re going to want to look at speakers in the 18-hour plus range, such as the compact JBL Charge 6 (24 hours), the mid-sized Soundcore Boom 2 (24 hours), and the new Sony ULT Field 3 and Field 5 speakers, that boast 24- and 25-hour batteries, respectively.

I’ve gone through all the main things to consider when looking for a Bluetooth speaker, but with there being so many to choose from, it could come down to one or two unique or premium features to nudge you towards one or another.

As I mentioned briefly above, many Bluetooth speakers can connect wirelessly to other speakers, either to create a stereo pair for a more traditional-like left-and-right profile for a more dynamic soundstage, or to link up several to simply expand the sound over a larger area. Some manufacturers do this with their own branded linking tech (with names like Party Link, Stack Mode, and Party Connect), while more companies are starting to use the newer Bluetooth-LE-based tech called Auracast to connect an almost limitless number of speakers together.

Most Bluetooth speakers also include companion apps that you can install on your smartphone to give you access and control over useful features like EQing, EQ presets, karaoke effects and AI-vocal removal from songs, speaker linking, lighting effects, firmware/software updates, and more. If you’re a tweaker and like things just-so, a speaker with an app is a must-have.

One of the more useful battery-related features to arrive over the years has been the ability of a speaker to double as a power bank. Charge up phones, tablets, and other devices over a USB cable to keep them powered up. This feature has come in handy more times than I can count while on camping trips when my phone has died. Of course, it means less music, but in a pinch, it’s good to know your phone will be good to go in an emergency.

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To understand how to preserve your phone’s battery health, it helps to know the basics of how a lithium-ion battery works. Every second you use your phone, tiny chemical reactions occur inside the battery to release stored energy. A lithium-ion battery has two terminals: a positive one (cathode) and a negative one (anode).

When your phone is in use (a.k.a. discharging), lithium ions move from the negative side to the positive side through a gel-like substance called the electrolyte, while electrons flow through the circuit outside in the same direction, powering your device.

When the battery is fully discharged, all the usable energy has been depleted, and your phone shuts off. Plugging in your phone reverses this process—electricity drives the lithium ions and electrons back to their original positions, recharging the battery.

Of course, the actual chemistry is more complex, but this covers the core idea. What matters is this: batteries don’t like staying fully charged or empty for long. These extreme states place more stress on the internal chemistry, which can speed up long-term degradation. In a perfect world, you’d keep your battery hovering around 50% all day, but that’s not realistic, so experts recommend keeping it between the 20-80% range whenever possible.

This doesn’t mean you should never fully charge your phone even when you know you’re going to need that extra 20%. The degradation escalates when you make it a habit to leave your phone empty or fully charged for extended periods of time.

Even overnight charging is safer these days, as modern phones can learn your charging habits to stop the charging at 80% while you’re sleeping and only resume it minutes before you wake up, so you start your day at 100%, but your phone doesn’t sit at 100% all night. It’s pretty clever. You should err on the side of caution if your phone doesn’t have this feature, though.

If you want to maximize your battery health, you can manually cap the charging at 80%. It’s a trade-off: you’ll need to charge your phone more often, which is a bit inconvenient, but you’ll have that peace of mind that you’re doing the right thing for your battery. Different companies label this feature differently in their UI, but you can easily find it in the battery menu.

A charge cycle isn’t just “one plug-in.” It’s defined as using the equivalent of 100% of your battery’s capacity, whether that happens in one go or spread out over time. For example, say you charge your phone from 0% to 50%, use it for a bit, then later charge it from 40% to 90%. You’ve plugged it in twice, but you’ve only used 100% total, so that’s one full charge cycle.

If your phone’s battery is able to retain 80% of its original capacity after 800 charge cycles, that’s usually considered normal by most manufacturers. Apple says the batteries of iPhone 15 (and presumably later) models are “designed to retain 80 percent of their original capacity at 1000 complete charge cycles under ideal conditions.” Xiaomi makes much bolder claims and says its 14T Pro can retain 80% capacity after up to 1600 charge cycles.

So, don’t stress about short charging sessions. In fact, frequent partial charges are healthier than letting your battery drain to zero and charging it all the way back up. It puts less strain on the battery chemistry and helps extend its lifespan.

One of the easiest ways to protect your battery is to keep it out of extreme temperatures. You probably already know that heat is bad for batteries as it messes with their internal chemistry; that’s very true, but being too cold isn’t good for them either. Some people assume that because heat is harmful, cold must be better. That’s not true.

Even if your phone overheats, you should never chuck it inside the refrigerator. The rapid change in temperature can permanently damage the internals far more than overheating ever could, and the humid environment inside the refrigerator can lead to condensation, which can result in water damage, which is usually not covered under warranty.

The correct, foolproof way to cool down your phone is just to stop using it, close all apps, or temporarily power it off. According to Apple, the ideal temperature range for smartphones is between 62° to 72° F (16° to 22° C), and beyond 95° F (35° C), there’s a risk of permanent damage. If you’re traveling someplace where you know the temperatures are harsh, get an insulated phone pouch like this PHOOZY phone case.

Fast charging isn’t as harmful as you might think, especially if you use it mindfully, but it’s not completely risk-free either. The faster your phone charges, the more current flows through it, and that generates a not-insignificant amount of heat. But there’s a nuance here: this heat does not start manifesting as soon as you plug in your phone.

Why? Because heat is essentially unabsorbed energy and lithium-ion batteries accept charge more easily when they’re running low. As the battery fills up—especially past 70–80%—internal resistance increases, and it becomes harder to force more energy in, and that’s when heat starts to spike.

Think of your battery like a dry sponge. At first, it soaks up water quite easily. But the wetter it gets, the harder it becomes to absorb more, until eventually, you’re just spilling water everywhere and making a mess. With batteries, that “mess” is heat.

Now, if you start using your phone while it’s charging, you’re adding to the problem. Your phone pulls energy from the battery to power its components, while the charger is trying to push energy into it. This tug of war generates more heat and leads to slower charging, higher wear, and long-term battery stress. So, if you want to extend your battery’s lifespan, try to avoid using your phone while it’s charging, especially when it’s already past that 70% mark.

If you’re using a budget or older phone, chances are it wasn’t built with high-end gaming in mind. Sure, there are exceptions—some Chinese brands offer solid specs at surprisingly low prices—but even then, it’s best to play within your device’s limits. Don’t push max settings unless your phone can handle it.

I don’t usually rely on synthetic benchmarks, since they can be (and have been) manipulated and often don’t reflect real-world use. But if you’re going to check them anyway, an AnTuTu score of 700,000 or more is a decent baseline for running most modern games on medium settings without serious heating, at least for short sessions.

Of course, that’s a rough estimate. Performance isn’t just about the chip; thermal management and software optimization matter just as much. If you’re planning to upgrade, test the phone yourself to see if it gets uncomfortably warm fast after intense gaming. If it does, it’s wiser to stick to lighter games.

If you’ve had a bad experience with Android updates in the past, it’s understandable why you might want to avoid them. But doing so means your phone might not get the bug fixes and optimizations that can prolong battery life.

Android 14, for instance, closed a loophole that allows apps to run in the background indefinitely, resulting in reduced background activity by 50%, said Dave Burke, former Google VP of Engineering, in an interview. The less battery consumed, the less often you need to recharge, and hence, the slower you will exhaust your limited charge cycles.

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The Wallet app is a great place to store your credit and debit cards, loyalty cards, and event passes, but it can quickly become disorganized. With how easy it is to import compatible cards and passes, your digital wallet can turn into a chaotic, card-filled mess.

The good news is that there are steps you can take to organize it, making it easier to navigate and quicker to access the card or pass you need. Here are a few ways to manage your digital wallet and keep it neat.

Before organizing your digital wallet, you must know how to add and remove different cards and passes. Fortunately, both are easy to do, but adding them depends on where it is coming from.

If you are adding a debit, credit, transit, or ID card, tap the plus icon in the upper right corner of the Wallet app, select the card type, and follow the on-screen instructions. Remember that digital ID cards and driver’s licenses are only available in select states, so check your state’s eligibility before trying to add one.

When it comes to importing loyalty and membership cards from stores, gyms, and food chains, you’ll need to get them from the company’s native app—meaning you will have to download their app first. However, not all companies offer compatibility with Apple Wallet, so if you’re looking to digitalize all your membership and loyalty cards, you can use a third-party app as a workaround.

While you can manually add a credit or debit card by entering your information, some card providers—like Discover and Chase—let you add your card directly to the Wallet app from their apps. This can save time and even allow you to use your card through Apple Pay before the physical version arrives.

Event passes, such as movie or concert tickets, will usually be imported from the app where you purchased them—like AMC or Ticketmaster—but you might also receive an email with a link to add them directly to your digital wallet.

If you need to remove a card, ticket, or pass, the steps are similar across the board. For passes or tickets, tap the three-dot icon in the upper right corner and select “Remove Pass.” For cards, tap the same three-dot icon, choose “Card Details,” and then tap “Remove Card” at the bottom.

Reordering Cards and Passes for Easy Access

When you add a new pass or card to the Wallet app, it typically appears at the top of the stack; however, this may not always be the most efficient location, depending on how frequently you use it. For this matter, you can easily change the order of your cards and passes.

After adding a card or pass, find it in the Wallet app, then tap and hold it; the item will lift slightly to show that it’s selected. From there, drag it up or down to reposition it, and once you find the right spot, release it, and it will stay in place.

However, please note that you cannot mix cards with passes and tickets or vice versa. Each type of item stays within its section. Digital house keys, car keys, credit cards, debit cards, and gift cards will remain at the top of the Wallet app. Loyalty cards, event passes, and tickets will be grouped separately toward the bottom.

While some may think that organizing your digital wallet is not a big deal, it can be pretty handy. For example, you could move your gym membership card to the top of the section for easy access or move your favorite-looking card to the bottom so you can see its whole design. Regardless of how you choose to organize your digital wallet, setting it up with accessibility in mind will save you time and hassle when you need to find what you’re looking for quickly.

Setting a Default Payment Card

The Wallet app’s best feature is its connection with Apple Pay, but there’s more to it than just adding cards. You can also select which card you want to use as your default.

Setting a card as your default allows it to automatically appear when you double-click the power button to bring up Apple Pay. This can save you time by eliminating the need to select your most frequently used card every time you check out manually.

To set your default card, open the Settings app and scroll down to “Wallet & Apple Pay.” Once there, scroll to the “Transaction Defaults” section, tap “Default Card,” and select the card you want to use.

Another way to set a card as your default is by dragging it to the bottom of your stack of cards, where a prompt will then appear, notifying you that it has been set as your default card of choice. Moving that card up will then make the next card inline the default, and the same message will appear.

Having your Passes and Tickets Show on the Lock Screen

While people may use the Wallet app primarily for their credit and debit cards, passes and tickets offer an advantage over them because they can be suggested on your lock screen based on the date, time, and current location.

To enable this feature, open the Wallet app, tap on the pass you want to show automatically, then tap the three dots in the upper right and select “Notifications.” From there, toggle on “Suggest on Lock Screen.”

This is great for easy accessibility, as you don’t have to dig through the Wallet app—the right pass will automatically appear on your lock screen, ready for use. For example, when you’re checking out at a grocery store, your loyalty card will appear on the lock screen for quick access and scanning.

The same applies to event tickets: if you’re near a venue like an AMC theater, your movie ticket will appear on the lock screen, and you can tap it to display your information without needing to search for it.

If you don’t want this happening, you can disable the feature by repeating the same steps as enabling it and toggling “Suggest on Lock Screen” off. Another way to organize your digital wallet is to group various passes by category. However, Apple does not offer this feature natively.

To do this, you will need to use a third-party app, such as Pass2U. With this free app, you can create personalized passes to import into the Wallet app and organize them into groups. However, you can only group passes you have made within the app, not ones already in there from other apps.

This is a good idea if you want to group all your loyalty cards in one section and all your membership cards in another. It won’t make your digital wallet look too cramped and allow you to organize it like a file system.

Until Apple adds this feature natively, this is the best way to organize your passes further. Just like you would group cards into different pockets in your physical wallet, you should do the same for your digital one.

As Apple continues to expand what you can do in the Wallet app, it is not too far off to think that other card types will become compatible with it. Additionally, as more states offer digital IDs, more people may add them to their digital wallets for convenience.

With this in mind, knowing how to organize your wallet and having a clear understanding of where each card, pass, or ticket is located can help you navigate it promptly when you need a specific one. Regardless of whether you have five cards or twenty cards in the Wallet app, it’s always a good idea to keep it organized and familiarize yourself with your digital wallet.

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An emulator is a piece of software that replicates a different piece of hardware or another piece of software. They’re especially common when it comes to gaming because you can use emulators to mimic older games consoles—like a Game Boy or even a Nintendo DS—on newer hardware.

For example, this is exactly how the Nintendo Switch Online service lets you play classic games from the NES, N64, and other consoles on a Nintendo Switch, by emulating those consoles. It’s also how you can play classic games like Pokémon, The Legend of Zelda, or Super Mario Bros on your smartphone.

Despite the fact that Nintendo has pressured some emulators, like Yuzu, into closure, it’s perfectly legal to download, install, and use emulators. When emulator developers get in trouble, it’s typically down to how they marketed their emulator or because they used directly copied the code of the original hardware instead of recreating it.

In fact, using an emulator can offer a wealth of benefits over the original hardware thanks to the modern quality of life features they normally include. For instance, most emulators let you save at any point, increase or decrease the speed of the game, install hacks and mods, and even alter the display to mimic different screen types. That’s not even mentioning the fact that you can get many emulators completely free and run them right from your phone.

One downside to running emulators on smartphones, though, is that you’ll need to use touchscreen controls to play games. This isn’t too much of an issue with turn-based titles like Pokémon, where timing isn’t important. But you still might prefer to get a smartphone controller like the Backbone One or other smartphone controllers for a more tactile and comfortable experience.

There are tons of emulators available for Android devices, but my recommendation if you want to play classic titles is to download One Emulator from the Google Play Store. This lets you emulate Game Boy, Game Boy Advance, and Nintendo DS titles for free, which will cover you for all the best 2D and semi-3D Pokémon games from Red & Blue up to Black & White 2.

If you want more emulation options—and a better app experience—go with RetroArch instead. The only catch here is that you can’t always download it from the Play Store, depending on your Android version, so you may need to manually install the app from the RetroArch website instead.

Apple finally allowed emulators on the iPhone App Store in 2024 and there are now several options to choose from. However, if your aim is to play Pokémon or other classic Nintendo consoles, I recommend Delta.

Delta is a clean, polished, and simple-to-use emulator that focuses on Nintendo consoles, combining emulators for NES, SNES, N64, Game Boy, Game Boy Advance, and Nintendo DS into one sleek package. It’s got everything you need to replay all the best Pokémon titles from Red & Blue up to Black & White 2.

If you want an emulator with even more options, then definitely check out RetroArch instead. This still includes all the Nintendo consoles listed above, but combines them with a range of other platforms from Atari to Commodore to PlayStation and more.

Emulators cover the hardware we’re aiming to replicate, like the Game Boy or Nintendo DS handheld consoles, but we still need some Pokémon games to run in those emulators. That’s where ROMs come in: these are digital game files with the code from the original cartridge or disc in them.

So, when you load a ROM file into your emulator of choice, the game will boot up, just like when you put the Game Boy cartridge into the back of the handheld and flick on the Power switch.

The issue with ROMs is that they aren’t always legal in the way that emulators are. It’s definitely illegal to download or distribute ROMs for games you don’t own. However, creating or downloading ROMs for games you already own falls into a gray area, as some claim it may be protected by fair use as a form of archival. Nevertheless, Nintendo takes a firm stance against even these use cases of ROMs.

With all that said, you’ll need to get your hands on some ROM files for whatever Pokémon games you already own that you want to play in your smartphone emulator.

Once you’ve gotten hold of some ROMs, add them to the file manager on your iPhone or Android. I create a dedicated ROMs folder and put all the files in here.

Finally, open the settings for your emulator of choice and look for an option to select a ROMs folder. Pick the folder with all your ROM files in it and hey presto, you should see all your games in the emulator library ready to boot up at your pleasure.

If you’ve played the classic Pokémon games a million times already, the novelty of playing them on your phone could wear off pretty quickly. Well, now that you’re emulating these games you can keep them fresh by downloading hacked ROMs to try out instead. There are all kinds of different Pokémon ROM hacks to experiment with, offering all new story lines, villain arcs, and quality of life improvements. If you really want to be the very best, you need to make sure you play ’em all.

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Excel’s PIVOTBY function allows you to group your figures without needing to recreate your data in a PivotTable. What’s more, data summaries created via PIVOTBY automatically update to reflect changes in your original data, and you can customize what they show by tweaking the formula.

If you already know how to use the GROUPBY function, learning to use the PIVOTBY function will be straightforward. The difference is that where GROUPBY only groups variables into rows, PIVOTBY has an additional argument that lets you also group certain variables into columns.

The PIVOTBY function lets you input a total of 11 arguments. Although this sounds daunting, the benefit of having so many arguments is that you can tailor the result to align with what you want the data to show.

However, only the first four fields are required.

Required Fields

The required PIVOTBY fields are where you tell Excel which variables you want to be displayed in rows, which variables you want to be displayed in columns, where to find the values, and how you want to aggregate your data:

=PIVOTBY(a,b,c,d)

where

• a are the cells containing the category or categories you want to appear as row headers down the left-hand side of your result,
• b are the cells containing the category or categories you want to appear as column headers across the top of your result,
• c are the values that will appear in the center of your result, according to the rows and columns you selected for arguments a and b, and
• d is the Excel function (or function you’ve created yourself through LAMBDA) that defines how the data will be aggregated.

Although arguments a and b are required for PIVOTBY to produce the type of result it was created to produce, you can omit them to group data in rows or columns only.

• First, let me show you how to use the PIVOTBY function in its simplest form with just the four required fields.
• Let’s say you’ve been handed this table of data named Sports_Viewers. It shows the live viewing figures (column D) for six sports (column B) across four regions (column C) over four years (column A), and you’ve been asked to generate a summary of total viewers by sport and year.
• You could use the GROUPBY function to do this, though you would need to use optional arguments to produce a result that makes analysis easier. What’s more, since GROUPBY only sorts data into rows, you could end up with a long list of information that is difficult to interpret.
• Instead, using the PIVOTBY function lets you take one or more of the variables and place them into columns, giving you a clearer picture of how your numbers stack up.
• Since the PIVOTBY formula produces a dynamic spilled array, you must type its formula in an area of your spreadsheet that is not formatted as an Excel table.

To do this, in cell F1, type

=PIVOTBY(Sports_Viewers[Sport],Sports_Viewers[Year],Sports_Viewers[Viewers],SUM)

where

• Sports_Viewers[Sport] is the named column in the named table that represents the six different sports. These will be the row headers down the left-hand side of your result.
• Sports_Viewers[Year] represents the table’s Year column, and these will be the column headers along the top of the result.
• Sports_Viewers[Viewers] is the column showing the number of people who have watched those sports in those years, so this data will be the focal part of the result.
• SUM tells Excel you want the total columns to add the figures together. On the other hand, if, for example, you use AVERAGE, the result will show you the mean of those figures instead.

• Instead of typing the table and column names in your formula (also known as structured references) manually, if you select the cells in the table using your mouse, Excel will input these for you.

• Because of the way PIVOTBY displays and organizes the data, you can draw insights from the result straightaway. For example, you can see that data is absent for certain sports in certain years. Also, in the absence of the optional fields, Excel automatically adds totals to both the rows and columns of the PIVOTBY result, meaning you can instantly see the total viewing figures per year and per sport.
• Without the optional arguments, Excel also sorts the result into alphabetical or ascending order by argument a, and doesn’t include column headers for argument a.
• Now, let’s say you want to include a column that divides each sport into the four different regions. To do this, you’ll need to include both the sport and the region in argument a:
• =PIVOTBY(Sports_Viewers[[Sport]:[Region]],Sports_Viewers[Year],Sports_Viewers[Viewers],SUM)

• PIVOTBY: Using the Optional Arguments
• Whenever you create an Excel formula, each argument is separated by a comma. This means that if you want to skip over any of the optional arguments, you simply need to type a first comma to open the argument, followed by a second comma to close it. The fact that there’s nothing between these two commas tells Excel that you’ve deliberately omitted this argument, so you want the program to adopt the default setting.

• Example 1: Grand Totals and Subtotals
• One way to make the PIVOTBY result in the previous example clearer would be to add subtotal rows for each sport.
• To do this, you need to type:
• =PIVOTBY(Sports_Viewers[[Sport]:[Region]],Sports_Viewers[Year],Sports_Viewers[Viewers],SUM,,2)
• Notice how, after argument d (SUM), two commas indicate that you want to jump over argument e (headers), but include argument f (in this case, 2 means that you want to include a subtotal at the bottom of each sport, as well as grand totals at the bottom of the overall result).

• To make the data even clearer, I have used conditional formatting to color any rows in the result where column F is not blank, column G is blank, and column F doesn’t contain the words “Grand Total.” Applying direct formatting to spilled arrays is not advised, as the formatting is attached to the cells, rather than the data. This means that if the data changes, the formatting won’t change with it.

• Example 2: Sort Order
• Now, let’s look at another way to manipulate your result: sorting by one of the output columns.
• Typing:
• =PIVOTBY(Sports_Viewers[[Sport]:[Region]],Sports_Viewers[Year],Sports_Viewers[Viewers],SUM,,2,3)
• means that, after skipping over argument e, as well as including grand totals and subtotals (number 2 in argument f), you also want to order your data by overall viewing figures in ascending order (number 3 in argument g).

Notice how sorting by total viewing figures places not only the sports in order according to their overall totals, but also the regional subcategories according to their subtotals.

• Example 3: Percentages (PERCENTOF)
• Here’s how to view your result using percentages.
• Typing:
• =PIVOTBY(Sports_Viewers[Sport],Sports_Viewers[Year],Sports_Viewers[Viewers],PERCENTOF,,,2,,,,2) tells Excel that you want the sports as the row headers (argument a), the years as the column headers (argument b), and you want to aggregate your data (argument c) in the form of percentages (argument d). The first 2 (argument g) represents the order, which, in this case, is by the values. Finally, the second 2 (argument k) tells Excel that the percentages should be relative to the overall data. The unpopulated commas tell Excel you want it to adopt the default for arguments e, f, h, i, and j.

Use the PERCENTOF Function to Simplify Percentage Calculations in Excel

• Now, select the cells containing the decimalized results, and click the “Percent Style” icon in the Number group of the Home tab on the ribbon. While you’re there, click the “Increase Decimal” and “Decrease Decimal” buttons to define the number of decimal places.

• Select extra rows beneath the result in case more data is added to the original table in the future.

• Finally, take a moment to digest what this result tells you.
• For example, the number of people watching softball in 2022 constitutes 11.5% of the overall viewing figures for all sports across all years. Also, because the data is organized by the total column in ascending order, you can see that nearly a quarter (23.7%) of the overall viewing figures came from people watching basketball.
• As well as using SUM, AVERAGE, and PERCENTOF for the function argument in PIVOTBY, you can also use other aggregation functions, like COUNT, MIN, or MAX.

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Personally, I like seeing live TV and free movies from Plex on my homepage, but I totally understand if you just use your library. Admittedly, it can get in the way when it’s the first thing you see rather than your own content. Additionally, if you’re setting up multiple users and parental controls, you may disable Plex’s free content entirely.

1. Open “Settings” (the wrench in the top-right corner)
2. On the left-hand side, choose “Online Media Sources” just below your name
3. Under “General,” you may remove Plex’s live TV, shows, and movies by selecting “Edit” and setting each one to “Disabled”.

You can also disable content that appears on your Discovery page under the “Discover” section.

To make your content much easier to see, or if you just want specific libraries up front and center, you should pin them. This is super helpful if you’re like me and create numerous libraries. I’ve also separated HD movies from Blu-rays I’ve ripped for my Plex server.

1. In Plex, select “More >” on the left-hand side. It’s just below the “Downloads” tab
2. Hover over a library you want to pin. You’ll see three dots appear to the right of it. Click on them.
3. From the drop-down menu, choose “Pin”
4. Leave the “More >” menu and hover over the libraries you’ve pinned to see three dots again. Click on them
5. Choose “Reorder” from the drop-down menu, then rearrange the libraries to your liking.

Now, your content will appear in the order you prefer, from top to bottom. This is particularly useful if you still want to keep Plex’s free content but want it to come after your own libraries.

There are 10 Spider-Man movies—eight live-action and two animated films. Wouldn’t it be easier to have them all in one place rather than scattered across your library? Plex lets you create collections using a tag system. You can fine-tune your collections to include a specific actor, director, writer, or even region.

• You’re welcome to do it manually by visiting each movie and TV show, clicking “Edit” (the pencil icon), going into “Tag,” and typing in a name for your collection in the “Collections” text field.
• Another way is Plex’s Smart Collection feature. Pick a library on the left, then select “Library” > “Add to…” (the plus symbol with three dashes) > “Create Smart Collection.” Using the drop-down menus, you have a list of tags to focus your search. When you’re ready, click “Save As…” and then “Save as Smart Collection.”
• The last option is letting Plex automatically sort your library into collections. Hover over a library and click the three dots. Go to “Manage Library” > “Edit” > “Advanced.” Scroll down to “Minimum automatic collection size” and set it to “2”. That means at least two movies have to share some characteristics for Plex to create a collection.

Whenever you use a Plex client app, you’re welcome to adjust the way it looks. Want less metadata, like Max? Go with the “Classic” layout. Want to emulate Netflix’s interface? The “Modern” layout is perfect. To do that, go into “Settings” > “Experience” > “Content Layout.”

Additionally, you may alter how libraries appear on your homepage by adjusting their order on the left. Highlight a library to reveal a triple-dot icon, and when selected, pick “Reorder” to change its position on your homepage or unpin it completely to hide it for good.

As easy as it is to get Plex set up and ready to go, it does take some tweaking to get it just right, especially with navigation. The option to hide content altogether is definitely helpful, seeing as Plex’s free content is enabled automatically. It’s also nice that you can prioritize libraries and create collections for a cleaner UI.

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You can add bookmarks to videos and audio clips in PowerPoint to trigger animations while the media plays. As well as making your slideshow more professional, this helps draw your audience’s attention to certain details in the video or audio clip.

However, rather than the labels showing for the whole video, I want them to appear and disappear at different points so that they stand out individually and don’t overwhelm my viewers with an overload of information. The way to do this is by adding bookmarks to the video, which can be used as trigger points for the other objects’ entrance and exit animations.

Adding a bookmark to a video or audio clip you’ve inserted in your PowerPoint presentation is straightforward.

• First, select the media item, and open the “Playback” tab on the ribbon.
• Now, in the playback control beneath the video or audio clip, either click “►” and then pause the media at the point at which you want to add the first bookmark, or hover over and click the appropriate position on the playback timeline.
• Finally, click “Add Bookmark” in the Playback tab you opened earlier, and see a yellow circle appear on the playback timeline.

When you continue playing the media or select a different point on the playback timeline, the yellow circle will turn white to indicate that it is no longer selected. Repeat this process until you have added all your bookmarks.

Before moving on to the next step, hover over each of the bookmarks in the timeline to reveal their names. Doing this will make using the bookmarks as triggers much easier because, frustratingly, at the time of writing (March 2025), PowerPoint doesn’t let you rename them.

Now that you’ve added the bookmarks to your video or audio clip, you’re ready to use them as trigger points for animations.

• Start by selecting the first object or objects you want to animate. In my example, I want the text box containing the words “Relaxed grip” and the corresponding green rectangle to fade in at the first bookmark.
• So, I’ll select those items together, open the “Animations” tab on the ribbon, and click “Fade.” Notice the numerical labels in rectangular boxes confirming that I’ve successfully added the animations.
• Once you reach this stage, it’s time to link the animation to the first bookmark. To do this, with the Animations tab still open, head across to the Advanced Animations group.
• There, click “Trigger,” hover over “On Bookmark,” and click “Bookmark 1.” The numerical labels I mentioned earlier turn to lightning symbols to confirm that the animation is linked to a trigger.
• Next, I want the same two objects to fade out at the second bookmark. To do this, I need to select the objects again, click “Add Animation” in the Animations tab on the ribbon, and choose the Fade exit animation.
• Finally, with those two objects still selected, click Trigger > On Bookmark > Bookmark 2.

Before you go ahead and add entrance and exit animations to the remaining objects, press Shift+F5 to launch your presentation at the current slide and check that the bookmark-linked animations you’ve just added behave as expected. When you’re happy, repeat the process for each object as necessary. Also, clicking “Animation Pane” in the Animations tab on the ribbon will help you manage the order of the animations, which is especially handy if there are many on each slide.

Unfortunately, PowerPoint doesn’t let you reposition existing bookmarks if you realize you’ve put one in the wrong place on the playback timeline. Instead, you’ll need to remove any stray bookmarks and, if you wish, replace them with new ones.

• To do this, hover over the video or audio clip, and click the bookmark you want to remove from the playback timeline to turn it yellow.
• Now, in the Playback tab on the ribbon, click “Remove Bookmark,” and see the yellow circle disappear from the playback timeline.
• If you add a new bookmark to replace the one you’ve just removed, remember to hover over it to check what it’s called. This will make using it as an animation trigger much easier later on.

Adding media bookmarks isn’t the only way to make your PowerPoint presentation more engaging. For example, creating a countdown timer, using the morph transition, and adding action buttons are all surefire ways to grab and maintain your audience’s attention.

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