Tips

How to block users on Vine, report abuse and flag sensitive content

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated March 8, 2017

If you're a Vine fan, chances are you have, or will encounter unwanted comments on the videos you post to the service. This can be especially worrisome if your vines are set to public, as anyone can read NSFW language in comments.

Of course, you can delete comments posted through Vine's iPhone app at any time. But if someone is repeatedly showing abusive behavior toward your followers and spamming you in comments, you should block them.

Though this won't block the user from commenting on your posts when they're viewed through searches or hash tags, it will prevent them from following or messaging you on Vine. In this post, you are going to learn how to block a user on Vine, report abusive behavior and flag sensitive media.

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How to make a profile video in Facebook’s iOS app

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated November 9, 2016

Facebook recently began allowing users to set a short video as their profile picture on the service. Users can now take or upload a video of up to seven seconds to use as their profile video. These profile videos appear at the top of your profile, just like static profile pictures, but you can currently add a profile video only from the iPhone.

If you feel your Facebook profile is too static, here's how to spice it up with a profile video in Facebook's iOS app.

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Eleven 3D Touch shortcuts in Messages for iPhone

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 31, 2019

There's no question that 3D Touch really does make the iPhone's Multi-Touch user interface multidimensional. By varying the degree of pressure applied to the screen of your iPhone, you can preview emails, websites, locations, messages and a variety of other items in Apple's stock apps.

We have already covered new 3D Touch shortcuts in iBooks and today we're taking a closer look at arguably the most-oft used iPhone app—Messages. In Messages, you can Peek and Pop most of the file types to your heart's content without needing to jump between multiple apps, which can save a lot of time.

In this tutorial, we're going to lay out 3D Touch basics in Messages before moving on to all of the items you can preview in your conversations.

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How to control the Nest using HomeKit and Siri

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated October 16, 2018

The Nest is one of the most popular home automation devices in existence right now, but due to incompatibility with HomeKit, iOS users can't control their Nest Learning Thermostats using Siri.

Fortunately, a workaround has been found. It's called Homebridge, and it's a NodeJS server that runs on your Mac. Homebridge allows iOS devices to interface with incompatible home automation devices like the Nest using HomeKit.

This means that it is now possible to control the Nest with Apple Watch, iPhone, and iPad using Siri. No jailbreak required.

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How to save serious money with Apple-Certified Refurbished hardware deals

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 19, 2018

I'm a big believer in taking advantage of Apple-Certified Refurbished hardware sales. Not only do its refurbished models undergo extra scrutiny, but each product is backed up by a 1-year warranty, are Apple Care eligible, and come with free shipping.

The real draw to buying Apple-Certified Refurbished hardware is the amount of money that you can save on hardware. It's not uncommon to find hardware going anywhere from 15% to 24% off retail price.

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How to purge iPhone memory without rebooting

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated April 14, 2017

As you use apps on your iPhone, iPod touch and iPad, iOS dynamically manages system memory (don't confuse RAM with storage), allocating chunks of RAM to foreground and background tasks and suspending memory usage for apps that are not actively running in the background.

For the most part, iOS manages RAM efficiently to ensure that your frequently-used applications are ready for action as soon as you switch to them. But as so-called garbage collection is not available in iOS, a poorly written application might keep large portions of memory to itself and refuse to release it at iOS's request, resulting in slower performance.

You can get around this by rebooting your device, but there's a more elegant way to purge the memory taken up by apps without rebooting, as explained in this tutorial.

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How to keep your free OneDrive space before Microsoft’s storage reductions take place

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 7, 2018

Has Microsoft's unilateral decision to reduce free OneDrive accounts from fifteen to just five gigabytes of cloud storage left you totally flabbergasted? If so, you're not alone. An online petition at the OneDrive feedback website has received more than 70,000 votes already. Feeling the heat, the Windows maker today announced an opt-in offer that will permit all affected OneDrive customers to keep their fifteen gigabytes of free storage space, as well as their fifteen-gigabyte camera roll bonus.

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Six 3D Touch shortcuts in iBooks for iPhone

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated February 2, 2017

Owners of the iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus can now use Peek and Pop gestures in iBooks to speed up common tasks such as checking out their notes and bookmarks, previewing pages in search results and more.

This tutorial takes you on a quick tour of 3D Touch gestures in iBooks, including six ways applying pressure helps you interact with your fav reads.

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