Make sure you have iTunes on your computer first, as well as an MP3 or WAV of the song you need to convert. Import the audio or music file into iTunes on your PC/Mac, and convert the file to AAC. Rename the file extension to .m4r, followed by syncing the file to your iPhone. If you have GarageBand, there's a feature to save audio as a ringtone.
Sometimes, you and your neighbors will have intersecting and overlapping WiFi networks in the surrounding area. Normally, these impacting factors are quite hidden from sight, but the tool "inSSIDer" allows you to see the details. With the software, you can assess channel, channel width, signal strength, WiFi generation, maximum data rate, and security. You can download a Windows version or a Mac OS version for your computer, and use what you learn to improve your speed!
If you want to back up your important and sentimental text messages on your iPhone, go to the Messages app, tap/hold the text you want, and paste it into the mail app. Email the content to yourself and print away! For voice messages, try eCamm Phone View for about $30.
A tip from "droplets" in the chatroom. Local channels have been moving and changing frequencies for over-the-air television. If you are missing a channel on your TV, hit "rescan" to find it again! Chances are, the channel didn't disappear into thin air, just scooted over elsewhere! If you have a neat tech tip you want to share, hop into our chatroom at irc.twit.tv while watching The Tech Guy!
If you are shopping for a decently large TV with a good price tag, check out products from brands TCL and Hisense. They are Chinese companies that are trying to break into the United States market, so their prices are quite affordable. Plus, they often have Roku built-in, which is arguably better than creating their own smart TV software.
If you want to download and back up all those pictures on Google Photos over the years, try using Google Takeout. It's a lot faster than backing up manually, especially for people with huge batches. Google Takeout allows you to see the data you've given to Google in other areas too, like Google+ (rest in peace).
While working from home, we'll all need better WiFi if we want to move our laptops around from desk to couch and back. For improving your WiFi reception, try moving the router higher up to a shelf/wall so that people (bags of water) do not impede the signals while they're sitting or walking around. Also, try a mesh router to extend the WiFi out with a fast backchannel. While ethernet is often the best option to connect, there are indeed ways to plan your device/router placements in a more optimal way. Check out this article by Leo's friend Jim Salter:
If you're going to college soon and need a new MacBook, choose carefully between the Pro and the Air. The new 16-inch MacBook Pro is a great choice if your student workload will involve some intensive operations like video-editing, gaming, rendering, etc. But for the majority of majors, the new 2020 MacBook Air will get the job done at a more affordable price. Plus, on the recent models, the keyboards have been fixed!
In these tough times, everyone is using the internet to watch videos online since there is often nothing better to do. However, if you do not need to watch a video in the highest resolution available, try to tolerate a slightly lower clarity in order to save some bandwidth for others. Videos like podcast discussions, news shows, and vlogs can arguably be viewed just fine in 480p or 720p.
Apple's iPhone photos are currently in the HEIC (high-efficiency image coding) format, an unusual file type that not every app/software support at the moment. If you do not want to use this standard, such as when editing images, you can change the format in Camera settings. Just open "Settings", find "Camera", and then tap "formats". Finally, select "most compatible". This will also allow your videos to come out as H.264 instead of HEVC.
