One of the most important tips I have is setting your speakers to “small” mode, even if you have big tower speakers, and as long as you have a subwoofer, too. Most AV receivers automatically set the front speakers to “large,” which means they try to play the entire range of sounds. However, most speakers cannot handle the deepest bass (sounds below 80 Hz) on their own. Without a dedicated subwoofer, sound can be distorted.

By setting your speakers to “small,” you send those tough low sounds to the subwoofer instead, letting your main speakers focus on the sounds they handle best. The subwoofer is built to deliver strong, clean bass. If you don’t have a subwoofer, then you should set your speakers to “large.”

Setting the correct speaker distances is also key to making sure sound from all speakers reaches your ears at exactly the right time. Measure the distance from each speaker to your main listening spot and program these numbers into your AV receiver. The receiver will then adjust the timing, delaying sound from closer speakers so everything lines up perfectly.

Subwoofers often have extra built-in delays, so you might need to set the subwoofer’s distance in the receiver a little farther than it actually is. This fine-tuning, along with adjusting the subwoofer’s phase control, helps the bass blend smoothly with the main speakers, avoiding gaps or overpowering booms in the sound.

• Make Dialogue Clear and Special Effects Stand Out

Getting clear dialogue and powerful special effects in a home theater requires careful attention to your AV receiver’s speaker settings. I recommend focusing on the center channel and how low frequencies are handled.

The center channel speaker plays most of the spoken words and sounds that match what you see on screen, making sure speech comes directly from the screen. If not set up correctly, dialogue can sound unclear or low, and it’s incredibly annoying—I hate this about newer TVs because they sometimes prioritize explosions over dialogue by default.

For the best results, place the center channel speaker directly above or below your screen, with its tweeter as close to ear level as possible. If that’s not an option, angle the speaker toward the main seating area.

It looks cool, but please avoid putting it inside a closed cabinet because the wood can vibrate and make voices sound muddy and cause rumbling noises. This happens because the speaker has to work harder to produce low frequencies in a tight space, which can cause unwanted interactions with the cabinet walls.

Beyond these dialogue-specific settings, you can also adjust the equalizer (EQ) to improve clarity. While every speaker and room is different, small changes to the mid-range frequencies usually help speech stand out. Boosting frequencies to around 2.5 KHz can make general dialogue easier to understand.

For deeper male voices, a slight boost around 120 Hz can add richness, while for higher female voices, boosting to around 240 Hz can help. If dialogue sounds too nasal, try reducing frequencies between 2 KHz and 4 KHz. To reduce harsh “S” sounds in speech, cutting frequencies between 4 KHz and 8 KHz often works.

Make small adjustments (like 1dB at a time) and listen carefully, because boosting too much can create unwanted distortion. Like everything else, just take the time to do tests and you’ll find your perfect setting. Setting up an audio system for your home theater without paying much.

• Use Calibration Tools to Improve Sound

Modern home theater systems come with a variety of tools for adjusting sound beyond just the basic setup, all with the goal of achieving the clearest and most powerful audio possible. Most current AV receivers come with built-in automatic calibration systems like Audyssey, YPAO, Dirac Live, or Anthem ARC Genesis.

These systems make setup easier by using an included microphone and test tones to automatically identify speaker types, measure distances, set individual speaker volume levels, and adjust frequency responses to make the sound as good as possible for your room. While these automatic systems are convenient and often do a decent job with initial settings, they aren’t always perfect, and I always do a bit more.

For more detailed sound analysis and to work around the limits of automatic systems, advanced measurement tools are extremely helpful. A Sound Pressure Level (SPL) meter (either a dedicated device or a trustworthy smartphone app) is necessary for measuring sound levels accurately. When using an SPL meter, set it to C-weighting and slow response mode to get stable and precise readings across all frequencies.

Beyond just setting volume levels, software tools like Room EQ Wizard (REW), that you can get from their website), often paired with a calibrated USB microphone, such as the UMIK-1, allow for deep analysis of your room’s acoustics and speaker performance. The UMIK-1 usually works best with a 90-degree calibration file, meaning you should point the microphone upward during measurements. Using REW with a calibrated microphone gives you detailed information about how your room affects sound frequencies and timing, helping you make smarter manual adjustments.

For a full understanding of your room’s acoustics, move the microphone to different positions and heights around the listening area. Many systems recommend at least five measurement spots, often arranged in an X-shape, with slight height changes for each new position.

The room should be as quiet as possible during testing, with no talking, fans running, or other background noise. Most importantly, keep the microphone at least three feet away from walls, couch backs, or other surfaces to avoid inaccurate readings caused by sound reflections.

On Windows 10 or 11, we recommend using Rufus. It’s been around for a long time and is well known as reliable and powerful.

To get started, go to the official Rufus website and scroll until you see a list of downloads. If you’re not sure which option to choose, go with the first one, as that applies to the vast majority of people.

After it finishes downloading, run the Rufus EXE file. It’ll ask for permission to make changes to your device, which is required for overwriting a disk like we’re about to do. When you get to Rufus’ dialog, plug in the USB drive you want to use, and then make sure the drive is selected in the “Device” field. Click the “Select” button next to the “Boot Selection” field and find the ISO or IMG file you downloaded. Double-check everything is correct—the other settings’ defaults are usually fine—then click the “Start” button at the bottom of the dialog.

Rufus may give you an “ISOHybrid” warning, but just go with the recommended option. If something goes wrong, you can always go back and redo it with the other option. Rufus will also warn you that the selected device’s data will all be destroyed, so confirm you chose the correct device and click OK.

Now all that’s left to do is wait. How long it takes depends on several factors, so go get a cup of coffee while Rufus does its work. When the writing was successful, Rufus’s status bar will change back to a green “Ready” message. You’re now ready to boot your Linux USB drive.

For writing Linux images to a USB drive on Mac, I recommend Raspberry Pi Imager. While it was designed for use by people installing OSes on their Raspberry Pi, in our testing it actually works well for any Linux distro meant for any computer.

To get started, go to the Raspberry Pi software page and look for the “Download for macOS” button to get the Imager DMG file. Double-click it and drag Raspberry Pi Imager over to your Applications folder.

Next, plug in your USB drive and launch Raspberry Pi Imager. You’ll see a few buttons. Ignore the first “Raspberry Pi Device” button and instead, under Operating System.

• In the menu that appears, scroll until you see “Use Custom” and click it
• Browse to the location of your Linux distro’s image file and open it.
• With your image file selected, plug in your USB drive if you haven’t already, and in Imager click “Choose Storage”
• You’ll see a list of available drives. In our example image, there’s only one, but you may see multiple. Select the drive you want to write the image to, making absolutely sure it’s the correct drive
• With your image file and storage drive selected, click Next
• You’ll be asked to confirm you don’t mind erasing everything on the USB drive you chose, so if you’re sure, click “Yes”
• Now you just have to wait while the image writing happens. This can take several minutes, so be patient. When it’s complete, you’ll see a “Write Successful” message.

To make a bootable Linux drive on a computer that’s already running a Linux distribution, the most widely available and consistently reliable app that’s also easy to use is Impression. It’s available as a Flatpak, so it can be installed on any distro. You just need to already have installed Flatpak’s backend.

flatpak install flathub io.gitlab.adhami3310.Impression

Using Impression is very simple. Plug in your USB drive if you haven’t already, and then launch Impression and click the “Open File” button, which will bring up your file browser.

Next, Impression will ask you to select the drive to install the image file on. Confirm you’ve selected the correct USB drive—you don’t want to accidentally overwrite a different drive with important files! Then click the “Write” button.

Impression will ask you one more time to confirm you’re OK with erasing the drive and overwriting with the image file. You’ll then likely be asked to enter your root password, which is typically required for Linux apps that are trying to erase a disk. Then you simply have to wait. The time it takes will depend on the size of the image file, your USB port’s data rate, and the write speeds of the thumb driver.

You’ll get a nice big writing completion confirmation when the process is done. Click “Finish”.If you’re removing the drive, confirm it’s been ejected, and you’re ready to go with your bootable Linux drive.

Other Options for Writing Images

If the apps I went over don’t work for you for some reason, there are other potential options. On Windows and Linux, I also recommend Ventoy, which actually lets you write multiple ISOs to the same drive. It’s meant for advanced users, and that’s why it isn’t the first thing I recommend.

On Linux, there are several options specific to certain distros, like Fedora Image Writer for Fedora, KDE Image Writer for Kubuntu and other KDE Plasma-enabled distros, and Mintstick for Linux Mint. You’re welcome to give them a try, especially if you’re already using a relevant distro. In my experience, though, it’s hit-and-miss whether they’re available in your repo and how well they work outside the Linux distros they were designed for.

Not sure what to do once you have your bootable Linux drive created?

To boot a PC from a USB drive, you’ll need to enter the BIOS. Check out our guides to entering the BIOS on Windows 10 or entering the BIOS on Windows 11. Linux folks can enter the BIOS by accessing the GRUB boot loader and selecting the item labeled “UEFI firmware settings” or something similar. Then look for the boot menu. If you’re an Apple fan, see our complete guide to booting an external drive on Mac.

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.

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”.

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.

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.

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.

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.