Tips

How to clear duplicates from Open With menu on Mac

Sébastien Page ∙ Updated May 30, 2017

I love my Mac but sometimes it does some strange things, such as showing me duplicate entries in the "Open With" contextual menu you get when you right click on a document. While I'm not sure why it happens, I hear it's due to the Launch Services database.

Of course, there probably is a valid explanation as to why and how it happens. Some people might even be able to convince me it's more of a feature rather than a bug, but the fact of the matter is that it drives me absolutely insane.

If like me, you are annoyed by this, I'll show you how to delete duplicates from the "Open With" menu on your Mac.

How to quickly navigate through the iOS Calendar app

Cody Lee ∙ Updated December 22, 2022

Last week we showed you how to delete individual digits from the iOS Calculator app by swiping. It wasn't a major revelation, by any means, but a lot of folks seem to have found it useful.

In the same fashion, we have another trick to show you today. And if you've ever thought to yourself that it takes too long to navigate through the iOS Calendar app, you'll want to see this...

Accented characters make iOS passwords stronger, not enough to keep your data secure

Mike Schnier ∙ Updated January 22, 2018

There's a suggestion floating around on tech blogs for setting 'unguessable passcodes' in iOS. The idea is to use alternate accented characters, which are hidden but easily accessible by holding down letters on the virtual keyboard. The thinking is these accented characters could be especially effective at thwarting guesses, as English speakers might not even realize that there are accents beneath the keys...

Use iFunBox’s ‘Power Saving Mode’ to prevent select apps from running in the background

Mike Schnier ∙ Updated December 25, 2017

Want to take a load off your iOS device's CPU, battery life, and cellular bandwidth by preventing certain apps from running in the background? Sure, you could install a tweak like WeeCloseApps, but it doesn't set automatic profiles for app behavior, and it doesn't work on non-jailbroken devices.

Luckily, there's a powerful iOS file browser for Mac and PC called iFunBox, which works on both jailbroken and non-jailbroken devices. Among its features, iFunBox allows users to edit 'Power Saving Mode' profiles. Right click on an installed app and you can set one of three multitasking states: allow background, always background, and kill switch. 'Allow background' is the default state of most apps, while 'always background' is normally applied to music and podcasting apps that you'd want active in the background, and 'kill switch' is applied to power-hungry games...

When AirPlay is too laggy for games, use DisplayOut with a wired AV adapter

Mike Schnier ∙ Updated February 25, 2013

There is recent post on Reddit where a user was attempting to play classic NES games from an iPhone 4S, using a Wii remote for controls, with the whole thing mirrored to a TV through AirPlay. The redditor asked if there was any way to compensate for the 1 second lag he was experiencing through AirPlay, and I thought some of our readers might have come to the same question. Unfortunately, without resorting to time travel, it's not possible to technologically compensate for latency in current version of AirPlay.

While wireless displays are now feasible for gaming, just ask anyone with a WiiU, AirPlay mirroring is not your best option for streaming fast-paced games. A better solution is to plug your phone directly into a TV...

10 tips for getting the most out of Google Maps

Cody Lee ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

Google Maps made its triumphant return to iOS last week, and there's no question that it's a massive hit. It saw 10 million downloads in its first 48 hours, and it's still the #1 free app in the App Store.

For those of you who haven't tried Google Maps yet, or haven't figured what all of the commotion is about, Google today published a list of 10 tips that will help you get the most out of the software...

How to get directions in Google Maps via Siri, no jailbreak required

Cody Lee ∙ December 17, 2012

After months of rumors and speculation, Google finally launched its standalone Maps app for iOS last week. And it's been pretty popular thus far. It's currently the top free app in the App Store, and it's also listed first in Apple's featured 'Maps' section.

The app does have some caveats though. Perhaps most notably, unlike the built-in Maps app, you can't get directions in Google Maps via Siri. Luckily, a workaround popped up over the weekend that takes care of that. And it doesn't require a jailbreak...

Hey Siri, where’s the nearest Wi-Fi hotspot?

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 6, 2017

Have you ever found yourself looking for a public Wi-Fi hotspot? Maybe you were nearing your monthly wireless data cap, or were on a laptop or some other non-cellular device.

How'd you go about finding it? Sure there are websites you can look at, and apps that you can download. But if you're looking for an easier way to do this, you can just ask Siri...

How to change the direction of Panorama mode

Cody Lee ∙ Updated January 7, 2016

One of the headlining new additions in iOS 6 (headlining, as in featured in its own TV ad) is the Panorama camera mode. Once activated, the feature allows you to easily take extra-wide panoramic photos.

By default, Panorama mode has you pan your iPhone from left to right as it captures the image. But did you know there's an easy way to change it so you can pan from right to left?

Play more than 100 old school Nintendo games in your iPhone’s browser

Cody Lee ∙ Updated October 11, 2018

Nintendo hasn't released games for its NES or Game Boy systems in more than 20 years, but that doesn't mean people have forgotten about them. Emulators for old Nintendo games exist on nearly every platform imaginable — even iOS.

Until now, however, your iOS device had to be jailbroken to play these older games. That, or you had to snatch up one of the handful of emulator apps that popped in the App Store before Apple pulled them. But we've found another way...

How to enable 3D maps on older devices

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 28, 2017

One of the biggest new features of iOS 6 is the new reinvigorated Maps app, which no longer relies on data from Google. The new Maps app also features turn-by-turn directions, and 3D capabilities.

Sadly, for owners of older devices like the iPhone 4 or the iPhone 3GS, you'll get the new Maps app sans 3D capabilities or turn-by-turn directions. As usual, the jailbreak community has come through with a solution to at least one of the omissions — 3D maps.

Check inside as we walk you through adding 3D maps to your officially unsupported older device...

How to run Absinthe 2.0 on OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated February 7, 2016

It has been brought to our attention that Absinthe 2.0 doesn't work normally on OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion. When you click on the app icon to open it, nothing happens, and the Absinthe interface doesn't load. That's not entirely a surprise considering that Mountain Lion is still in beta, but more than a few of you have expressed troubles with the issue.

Likely, this was just an oversight by the hard working folks behind the Chronic Dev Team, and it will probably be fixed in an updated version of Absinthe. Until then, it's incredibly easy to work around this problem and run Absinthe 2.0 successfully to untether jailbreak your iOS 5.1.1 device. We show you how inside...