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Siri is the built-in virtual assistant for the iPhone and iPad, but there are plenty of ways to use Google Assistant instead. If you use Google Maps, you can enable the “OK Google” voice command while using navigation. Let’s do it. Google Maps for the iPhone and iPad has a Google Assistant shortcut button in navigation mode. However, it’s important to keep your eyes on the road while driving, which makes the “OK Google” feature quite handy....

Unblock Someone From His or Her Instagram Profile The easiest way to unblock someone is by visiting that person’s Instagram profile. This works whether you’re using the Instagram app for iPhone or Android, or Instagram on the web. Even if you’ve blocked someone, you can still search for their profile and visit it at any time. So, first, open the profile you want to unblock. RELATED: How to Block Someone on Instagram...

If you have an Apple iPhone, you might wonder whether you’re running the latest version of Apple’s iPhone operating system (called “iOS”). Here’s how to find out—and how to upgrade if there’s an update available. Check for iOS Updates Using Settings The quickest way to find out whether there are iOS updates is by using the Settings app on your iPhone. First, make sure that your iPhone is connected to the internet so that it can communicate with Apple’s update servers....

When you want to test your data and receive a simple True or False result, the IS functions in Excel are just what you need. You can check for blank cells, errors, text, numbers, references, and more quickly and easily. There are currently nine IS functions, also known as information functions, in Excel. This includes ISBLANK, ISERROR, ISTEXT, and more. When you use these functions in conjunction with others, like the IF function, you can put parameters around your true/false statements....

It’s important to lock down exactly what you need, starting with performance. If you have a 600Mbps connection through your internet service provider (ISP), you won’t want a cable that only supports 100Mbps. Most modern Ethernet cables offer Cat 6 compatibility or above, offering at least 10Gbps performance. You’ll also want to pay attention to what each cable is made of. Some offer poor designs that can lead to accelerated aging or fraying over time, while others can withstand harsh weather conditions for years on end....

For example, if you are not using your PC for anything taxing such as gaming or streaming 4k content, a cheaper, non-NVMe/PCIe SSD is probably your best option. Granted, it will use a SATA connector and have a lower theoretical maximum speed compared to M.2 drives, but it’s going to be cheaper. Even if you are going to use your SSD for gaming, not all games can benefit from faster read/write speeds, the primary boost you’re getting from going the M....

Apple has introduced several different iPad models since the original came to market in 2010. This includes the “mini” range of smaller iPads, higher-end “Pro” models, and a premium “Air” range that offers a step up over the base model. Depending on which model you opt for, you can expand your tablet’s capabilities with a range of first-party accessories like snap-on keyboards and the Apple Pencil stylus. The iPad’s status as a premium tablet also means many third parties produce accessories like cases, flash storage, charging docks, and even game controllers....

If you have a relatively new car, it probably has a USB port in the dashboard, glove box, or center console. So naturally, you should just use them to charge your devices, right? Not so fast: if you want speedy charging, those built-in ports just don’t cut it. RELATED: How to Choose the Best USB Charging Station for All Your Gadgets Unfortunately, the built-in ports in your car are pretty anemic when it comes to amperage....

RELATED: It’s Official: Windows 11 Has a Release Date According to The Verge, the latest version of Office will launch on the same day as Windows 11 is set to start rolling out to eligible users. Microsoft didn’t announce much in the way of details for Office 2021, so we’re not sure exactly what it’ll bring to the table to make it worth upgrading. Additionally, Microsft didn’t announce pricing for Office 2021, but we’d expect the company to reveal that critical detail soon, as the release date is less than a month away....

A file with the .dat file extension is a generic data file that stores specific information relating to the program that created the file. Some apps that use them are CCleaner, Porteus, and Minecraft. They might even show up in your email as an attachment from a Microsoft Exchange Server. What Is a DAT File? In short, a DAT file contains important information for software to handle. The information contained inside a DAT file is usually either plain text or binary, although in rare cases you might encounter them as the actual data of a video file for programs like VCDGear or CyberLink PowerDirector....

Adobe Photoshop Lightroom confuses a lot of new photographers. It has Photoshop in the name, but it isn’t Photoshop? What gives? Lightroom is a really important piece of software for photographers, so let’s look at what it does and why it’s useful. Lightroom is available on Windows, macOS, iOS and Android (although the mobile versions aren’t quite as powerful) as a standalone app for $149 or as part of the Adobe Creative Cloud Photography Plan which comes with Photoshop for $9....

Whether you are downloading videos from the Internet or getting them from other people, there is a high chance that you will come across MKV files. Let’s talk about what they are and how you can use them on your computer. From Humble Beginnings Before we talk about what MKV files are, let’s look at a little history. MKV files, also known as Matroska Video files originated in Russia in 2002....

Fanmade Stories Fanfiction, or “fanfic,” is a type of fictional story based on another work of fiction. These stories are published on the internet by amateur writers who are fans of the existing property. There are also fanfics written about non-fictional settings and people, such as celebrities and historical figures. The length and content of these stories can vary wildly. Some fanfics are barely a few paragraphs long, while others have hundreds of thousands of words and span the length of multiple novels....

Remember the days when gaming on Linux was hard to imagine? Thanks to the Proton compatibility layer and firms focusing on Linux, gaming on Linux has gotten much better over the past few years. But what exactly is Proton, and why is it important for Linux gaming? What Is Proton Compatibility Layer? To understand what Proton is, first, we need to understand two technologies—DirectX and Vulkan. Think of them as driver applications for gaming....

RELATED: The Best iPhone 12 Screen Protectors for Your Device What Is Hardness For Screen Protectors? While many screen protector manufacturers love to boast about 9H hardness, they don’t often explain what this means. The first thing to know is that 9H is the highest level of hardness you’ll find on a screen protector, and you won’t typically find screen protectors offering lower levels of hardness. But what does 9H indicate?...

Linux desktop environment GNOME 41 was released on September 22, 2021. Coming hot on the heels of GNOME 40’s paradigm-shifting workflow changes, does GNOME 41 deliver anything of substance? We spin it up to see. GNOME 41 Library Changes Although GNOME 41 doesn’t pack the iconoclastic punch of GNOME 40, the developers haven’t rested on their laurels. GNOME 41 contains plenty of interesting improvements of its own. One of the more significant changes is the introduction of the libadwaita shared library....

If you’ve tried Windows 11, you might have noticed Microsoft making an effort to bring the Windows desktop experience on par with contemporary Mac and Linux desktop environments. But in some areas, Microsoft’s latest release doesn’t compare. We’re taking a hard look at the Windows 11 desktop experience in its present state and comparing it to the Linux desktop environment KDE Plasma. What Is KDE Plasma? KDE Plasma is a desktop environment, providing a graphical user interface for several different Linux operating systems....

What Is Geo-Blocking? Geo-blocking, also called geo-filtering or region-locking, is when a company restricts the locations where a user can view a piece of content. All types of content can be geo-blocked, including articles, websites, and services, but it’s most prominent for videos. Virtually every streaming website and video sharing service, from Youtube to Hulu, has some form of geo-blocking enabled. Even if you’ve never had content explicitly blocked from your view, you’ve likely still experienced some form of geo-blocking....

AirPods Pro’s New Conversation Boost Feature Apple first previewed the new conversation boost feature at WWDC, and now it’s actually available for AirPods Pro owners, as spotted by MacRumors. While not quite a hearing aid, the feature is designed to help you hear people talking more clearly and louder. Instead of your earbuds blocking conversation with the outside world, AirPods Pro earbuds will help you hear better. Obviously, the feature is designed to help people with minor hearing issues, and it won’t replace an actual hearing aid....

Google Pixel 6 The Pixel 6 comes with a solid 6.4″ screen with a 1080×2400 resolution. It has a refresh rate of up to 90Hz. In addition, the screen supports Always-on technology with At a Glance and Now Playing, which lets you see essential information without unlocking your phone. Google touted the phone’s battery life, claiming that it would last more than 30 hours on a single charge with its 4614 mAh battery....