Years ago, I was convinced emojis were a fad. That like many tech trends, it would come and go and we would soon forget about the miniature emotion depictions. Fast forward to today and those tiny images have permeated just about every form of digital text. Emojis are included in the vast majority of my …

Now playing: Watch this: Mac malware gives attackers full access to your computer 1:30 On Tuesday, Bitdefender announced its researchers had discovered new malware that’s targeting Macs. The malware is referenced as Backdoor.MAC.Eleanor and it’s capable of fully compromising your system. With the malware present, attackers can steal files, control your webcam, execute code and more. So how does it …

It may be a little daunting, but Workflow is one of the most useful applications you can install on an iPhone. With simple automations, it reduces multi-step processes to a single tap and makes some actions that weren’t previously possible on iOS, such as downloading and extracting ZIP files, quite simple. Knowing where to start with Workflow (currently $2.99, £2.29 …

Amazon’s Prime Day is less than week away now, but the discounts have begun in the form of Countdown Deal. The biggest savings, of course, are reserved for next Tuesday, July 12, when more than 100,000 items will go on sale throughout the day. But Alexa — the personality and voice of Amazon Echo — suggests there’s even more in …

The idea of a subscription is nothing new. People have subscribed to newspapers and magazines for decades. And now, millions of people sign up for subscriptions for all sorts of digital and physical goods — monthly boxes with themed surprises, video or music streaming services, cloud storage, etc. In most cases, the subscription model is one that is mutually beneficial …

On iPhones and iPads, swiping up from the bottom edge of the screen, from anywhere within the operating system, unveils a panel of quick settings toggles for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Do Not Disturb, Night Shift, volume, brightness, Airplane Mode and more. Officially, the closest thing to you can get to that on a Mac are settings toggles in the menu bar. …

Evernote, once considered a tech “unicorn” with a valuation of over $1 billion, is on the receiving end of much criticism and scrutiny this week, following the announcement of a price hike and device limitations for free users. One thing is clear about the recent changes: no one is happy, since Evernote wants you to start paying for features that …

When you think of smartphones and automation, your mind might immediately gravitate towards IFTTT or even Tasker for Android. Automation apps let you create “recipes” that enable devices and services to intermingle and act based on “triggers.” For example, you can make your smart lights pulse a certain color if you’re mentioned on Twitter or have Youtube videos you’ve selected …

How long has it been since you last changed your desktop wallpaper? It may be time to mix it up a bit. Changing your wallpaper to something inspirational can help you jump right into work without procrastinating in the morning, or one of beautiful scenery might remind you to take a walk and enjoy the outdoors for a change. But …

When everything is operating smoothly and all your devices and services are working together, it’s still cumbersome, at best. Whether you’re traveling for business or setting up a complex smart home, taking the time to set up some IFTTT recipes is worth the investment. Things you used to spend several minutes doing will happen in the background, automatically — thereby …