Google Confirms No Loss in Link Authority on HTTPS Implementation by @mattsouthern | Dramel Notes

In what should help satisfy a question on the minds of a lot of SEOs — Google’s John Mueller has confirmed via a comment on Google+ there’s no loss in link authority when moving from HTTP to HTTPS.

This comes as a response to the recent news that Google will now default to indexing HTTPS pages when a duplicate HTTP version also exists.

Understandably, that led to some concern over whether or not link authority would be lost as a result of inbound links to HTTP pages no longer being counted. Now we have the answer, and the answer is no.

This was again confirmed on Twitter by Google’s Gary Illyes after SEJ’s Brent Csutoras reached out for clarification.

Google will count the collective signals from inbound links pointing to both the HTTP and HTTPS versions of a page. Moreover, this will be done automatically, so there’s no need to worry about redirects.

A huge question on people’s minds has been answered by two top executives at Google. Go ahead and move to HTTPS without worrying about loss of link signals. You may even get a rankings boost from it in the process.

Image Credit: rvlsoft / Shutterstock.com

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15 Essential Chrome Extensions For Google Drive | Dramel Notes

Google Drive is pretty amazing as it is, but how can it be improved? With certain apps and extensions for Google Drive that integrate it with other services, you can make better use of the cloud storage service and do even more with it.

If you’re immersed in the Google/Chrome/Android system, you’ve probably got a bunch of files on Google Drive and you use Google Docs whenever possible. And if that’s the case, you’re going to love these extensions and apps to make better use of your Drive space and the files you keep there.

Note that some of these are really web apps with a Chrome app link, just as the official Google Drive and Google Sheets and Google Docs apps are, but they’re still worth installing (and bookmarking) to keep all the best tools at your fingertips in the Chrome App Launcher — especially if you’re using a Chromebook!

Kami (AKA Notable PDF)

Kami is one of many amazing PDF tools for Google Drive, but it also works with DOCX documents, PowerPoint files and popular image formats. It lets you annotate these documents and share them with Google Drive collaborators. It’s perfect for group research projects or researching personal projects, like weddings or renovations.

Music Player For Google Drive

If you keep audio files in your Google Drive storage (as opposed to in Google Play Music), you still want to be able to play them easily. There is an official Audio Player tool for playing your audio files, but it’s not for everyone. This extension lets you take those files and create a quick playlist you can save in a lightweight browser player.

Drive Template Gallery

Drive templates are a great way to get a particular type of document up and running quickly, and despite having a fantastic directory of templates, Google seems determined to obfuscate them from view so you forget they’re even there. This extension puts the template gallery back into the “Create” menu, so you’ll remember to check the template gallery before recreating the wheel.

DriveTunes

DriveTunes is yet another way to play your Google Drive audio files, but it’s a little more comprehensive. It loads up all of your available files (or whichever folders you want loaded) so you can browse them and play them really easily. As a Google Drive user, it’s an essential addition to the best music extensions for Chrome.

JoliCloud

JoliCloud is for people who use Google Drive along with a number of other cloud storage services. It lets you connect all of your accounts and search for files across them all at once. This is a neat service, but it’s just one of many ways you can manage multiple cloud storage spaces.

For instance, if you’re using a Chromebook you could always add these cloud storage services to your file system, then use your Chrome app launcher to search through them all.

Drive Notepad

This is mostly for Chromebook users, as they find there is a real need for an app that just lets you quickly add a few notes into a simple document. This is that app — plus, it syncs to Google Drive. It could be useful for anyone who wants synced notes.

Drive Migrator

If you’re setting up a new Google Apps account, you’ll note that you can’t change the owner of your old files to a new account. Instead, if you want to copy all your files to the new account, this tool is exactly what you need.

Drive Files To Dropbox

If you need to back up your Google Drive, the Drive Files to Dropbox extension will get you there. It downloads the files to your local hard drive and moves them to Dropbox, so you may find you need a lot of local drive space and bandwidth.

Translate For Drive

If you work with people on the other side of the world or have some other reason for needing to translate documents all the time, this is going to become your favorite tool. All you do is find your document on Google Drive and get a full translation immediately. Yes, you could cut-and-paste text into Google Translate, but this just makes things so much easier. Seriously, it’s the best thing for workplace translation since Gmail auto-translate.

DocuSign

DocuSign is the essential signing tool for Google Drive documents. If someone sends you any file that requires your signature, you can immediately add it and send the signed file right back to them — all within Google Drive.

It works the other way around too, in that if you want to ask for a signature on a Google document you can guide participants through the signing process using DocuSign. Use this for your banking, insurance, work, legal documents or whatever else life throws at you.

Gantter For Google Drive

Have you ever used Microsoft Project? Well, Gantter is a free cloud-based alternative that works almost exactly the same way and integrates seamlessly with Google Drive. You can easily attach Google Drive docs to your Gantt charts and save your Gantter files to Google Drive.

Besides being a solid project manager, Gantter also includes iCal export, easy Google-style collaboration and a collaborator chat, which makes it incredibly useful for group projects.

Simple Invoicing

Do you need a quick template to bill someone for a few hours of work? Would you want that invoice to appear in your Gmail ready to send? How about automatically logging the invoice in a Google Sheet? Simple Invoicing is a freelancer’s dream app. The only bad reviews this app gets is for the invoice itself being too simple, but it is absolutely perfect for simple invoicing, as it says.

LucidPress

If you’re a fan of InDesign, or just need a program to do the same things, LucidPress is your ideal Google Drive extension alternative, as it uses Google Drive seamlessly. Use it to make magazines, flyers, company reports or any other design work you’ve got planned. It’s entirely cloud-based and perfect for Chromebook usage.

Envelopes For Google Drive

If you ever need to do real-world posting of paper, you probably need a way to print up professional envelopes. This is basically the perfect envelope template maker for Google Docs, so you can get all the right information in the right places.

PDF Compressor – Small PDF

Of all the PDF converting tools out there, this is by far the most comprehensive and slick. Small PDF (AKA PDF Compressor) lets you grab files from your local drive, Google Drive or Dropbox, then manipulate them in all sorts of ways.

With Small PDF, you can convert Word documents, PowerPoint documents, Excel spreadsheets, and JPG images to PDF — or vice versa to convert PDFs to these file types. You can also make PDFs smaller, split them into multiple PDFs, merge them into one PDF, rotate PDFs, and protect or unlock PDFs.

What Else Should Google Drive Do in Chrome?

What more would you need Google Drive to do? Is there an app or Google Drive function that you really wish someone would emulate in a Chrome extension or app? Tell us!

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American Voters Exposed Online, Apple Endures Terrible 2015… [Tech News Digest] | Dramel Notes

American voters have their details leaked online, all Apple products sucked in 2015, Mark Zuckerberg doesn’t owe you any money, Google Glass is back, and the teenage gamer who sought revenge.

U.S. Voter Database Leaks Online

Voters in the United States have had their personal information exposed online for all to see, and there’s very little anyone can do about it. According to CSO Online, cybersecurity researcher Chris Vickery discovered a database containing the voter records of 191 million people. This database was live online for several days, and was wholly unprotected from prying eyes.

Vickery hasn’t revealed the whereabouts of the database, or who compiled it. However, it’s known to contain the full name, home address, voter ID, gender, date of birth, phone number, date of birth, political affiliation, and recent voting history or everybody included. Which, if the 191 million figure is accurate, is likely to include every single registered voter.

The FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation) has been notified of the database, but no investigation has yet been confirmed. Thankfully, the database is no longer publicly available.

Apple Failed to Impress in 2015

Apple has endured a troubled 2015, with most of the products it has released being received with a slight shrug of the shoulders rather than unbridled joy. Sure, the Apple faithful has continued to buy these products in bulk, making Apple richer than ever, but the company still seems to have lost its way. And that could have a knock-on effect in terms of attracting the next generation of consumers.

This isn’t an original statement, with Gizmodo kicking the whole thing off with an article titled “Everything Apple Introduced This Year Kinda Sucked”. Even The Verge, which usually has a high regard for Apple and its products, admits most of the new Apple products and features launched as if in beta. Which means they are, at best, works in progress, and not the finished article.

Part of the problem is the sheer number of products Apple launched this year. The company used to be known for concentrating on a handful of products, which were made as perfect as possible before they reached consumers. But now we have multiple Macs, multiple iPhones, multiple iPads, the Apple Watch, Apple TV, Apple Music, and more besides. None of which are quite as good as they should be. Unless you disagree, in which case you should tell us why we’re wrong in the comments below.

Facebook Is Not Giving Money Away

Just to clarify once and for all, Mark Zuckerberg is not giving money away to random Facebook users. Unfortunately, the post suggesting this is the case is spreading like wildfire. We really wish it was the case, and that we were first in line, but sadly, the truth is much less exciting.

At the beginning of December Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan launched the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative. However, while this charity (which is actually a limited company) will be the beneficiary of most of the value of the couple’s shares in Facebook, people like you and me will not see a penny of it.

In other words, STOP SHARING THIS RIDICULOUS LIE! Please. For the sake of the children. And my sanity.

New Google Glass Has Been Leaked

In January, Google announced the end of Google Glass, at least for the time being. Most people assumed the project was on hiatus, and Google Chairman Eric Schmidt confirmed as much in March. Now, almost a year on, it looks like Google Glass is set to make a comeback, with details of a new model having been published on the FCC website.

The new Google Glass looks, well, very much like the old Google Glass. The biggest change appears to be that the new Google Glass can be folded up like a regular pair of spectacles. The prism also looks larger, and the charging port has changed. But beyond that there’s very little to distinguish this from the previous model.

Despite this appearance on the FCC website there is no indication of when, or even if, the new Google Glass will be launched. Current speculation suggests this is the Enterprise Edition likely to be aimed at businesses, with a wildly different product being designed ahead of the consumer reboot, currently codenamed Project Aura.

The Perfect Xbox One Revenge Plot

And finally, Christmas is surely the perfect time to get revenge on someone. That someone being your dad. A good dad. A dad who bought you your first car when you were 16 years old. Because to your addled teenage brain, a Honda Civic just wasn’t as good a gift as an Xbox 360.

To get his own back, the teenage victim of the original prank recreates it eight years later. Now 24 years old, he fools his dad into thinking he’s got an Xbox One when in actual fact it’s just a box of rocks. Still, there’s a happy ending thanks to a satisfying twist.

Your Views on Today’s Tech News

Are you shocked to discover information on voters being exposed online? Which Apple product(s) disappointed you in 2015? Has anyone you know fallen for the Facebook money scam? Are you still interested in Google Glass? What’s the best gadget you have ever been given for Christmas?

Let us know your thoughts on the Tech News of the day by posting to the comments section below. Because a healthy discussion is always welcome.

Tech News Digest is a daily column paring the technology news of the day down into bite-sized chunks that are easy to read and perfect for sharing.

Image Credits: Iain Farrell via Flickr

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12 Essential Windows Apps to Make Your Life Simpler in 2016 | Dramel Notes

Many of us spend far too much time in front of our screens, whether for work or entertainment.

To help you start 2016 off on the right note, we’ve put together this list of the 12 must-have apps for Windows. Our list includes apps to make your work life easier, as well as ones to help you wind down after a hard day. We’ve also added a few apps to help you stay on top of the day’s news and weather. Welcome to 2016.

Making Your Workday Easier

f.lux: Eye Care

Working on your computer late at night shouldn’t ruin your eyes. Long popular on Macs, f.lux makes the color of your computer’s display adapt to the time of day for a more comfortable and engaging experience.

Best of all, tell f.lux what kind of lighting you have, and where you live, and then forget about it. The app will do the rest.

Download: f.lux for Windows desktop (free)

Microsoft OneNote: Notes & Data Collection

If you’re a Windows user, you’re probably already using Microsoft OneNote, a collaboration tool that seems to get better with each new product release.

With Microsoft OneNote, you can keep track of information through notes (handwritten or typed), drawings, screen clippings, and audio commentaries. Best of all, the application works across multiple platforms, so your lists can sync and be available wherever you need them.

Download: Microsoft OneNote for Windows desktop, from the Windows Store, and more (free)

Skype: Conference Calls

One of Microsoft’s most popular applications, Skype for Windows, features instant messaging, voice calls, and one-on-one as well as group videos calls for up to 25 participants.

Skype-to-Skype calls are free, while calls to mobile devices and landlines are available by buying Skype credits or signing up for a monthly subscription plan. Don’t like Skype? Choose from one of plenty alternative VoIP services, like Google Hangouts.

Download: Skype for Windows desktop and from the Windows Store (free)

Wunderlist: To-Do List & Tasks

Redesigned for Windows 10, this modern cloud-based task management application was acquired by Microsoft in 2015.

Now offering Microsoft Cortana support, Wunderlist features impressive backgrounds and themes. We expect big things from Wunderlist in 2016, courtesy of Microsoft.

Download: Wunderlist for Windows desktop, from the Windows Store, and more (free)

Drawboard PDF: PDF Viewer

This PDF viewer offers integrated annotation capabilities that let you read and create free-form markups, making it an excellent tool for those who are tired of printing out paper copies of documents.

Download: Drawboard PDF from the Windows Store ($5)

Stardock Fences: Desktop Organization

The start of a new year is a great time to get organized. With Stardock Fences, you can tame your cluttered desktop by separating app icons and files into shaded groups. Other features include the ability to swipe between multiple pages of fences, creating a desktop portal from any folder, and double clicking to hide or show icons.

One of the most important features is the ability to change the style and color of Fence backgrounds. This includes the capacity to tweak its transparency, color intensity, tint, and saturation.

Download: Fences for the Windows desktop (30-day free trial, then $10)

Sticky Notes Pro: Quick Notes

Sometimes, all it takes to remember things is a sticky note. However, instead of using a paper one, we suggest Sticky Notes Pro. Much better than the native Windows Sticky Notes tool, Sticky Notes Pro allows you to choose the color of each note, change its size and font, and much more.

If being better organized tops your New Year’s resolutions, you can’t go wrong with Sticky Notes Pro.

Download: Sticky Notes from the Windows Store ($8)

Catching Up on News and Weather

Flipboard: Digital Newspaper

Searching for news doesn’t have to be a chore thanks to Flipboard. Offering curated news and information, according to your personal interests, Flipboard features a beautiful and intuitive design for easy navigation.

With Flipboard, the latest news on the 2016 U.S. presidential election is just a few clicks away, as are the most recent scores from your favorite sports teams. More concerned with how your portfolio is doing? Flipboard has that covered, too.

Download: Flipboard in your browser or from the Windows Store (free)

StumbleUpon: Random Entertainment

With StumbleUpon, you can “discover the best of the web, one click at a time.” Enjoy videos, photos, and web pages personalized for you.

Don’t like a recommendation? Rate content giving it a thumbs up or thumbs down. The recommendations get better the more you rate a video, photos, or website.

Download: Stumble Upon in your browser or from the Windows Store (free)

The Weather Channel: Forecasts & Alerts

Don’t be caught off-guard on what’s happening on the outside. The Weather Channel application offers current conditions and forecasts, videos, weather maps, news, and special alerts.

When the weather forecast calls for higher-than-normal temperatures and sunny skies, or lots of snow, The Weather Channel has you covered.

Download: The Weather Channel in your browser or from the Windows Store (free)

When It’s Time to Relax

iHeartRadio: Custom & Broadcast Stations

Yes, you can still listen to free music from the Internet. With iHeartRadio, you have access to hundreds of broadcast and custom radio stations. You can also create a station to call your own, based on your favorite artist or song.

Currently, iHeartRadio is available to anyone in the United States, Australia, or New Zealand. The music streaming service is offered on dozens of platforms, including mobile, the web, and home entertainment. Did we mention that it’s free?

Download: iHeartRadio in your browser or from the Windows Store (free)

Netflix: Movies & TV Shows

An official Netflix Windows 10 application finally arrived at the end of 2015. Taking full advantage of Microsoft’s universal apps platform, Netflix for Windows 10 offers full integration with Cortana, making it easy to find your favorite movies and TV shows.

Netflix is available on multiple platforms and features some of the biggest movies and TV shows produced in the past 50 years. It’s also the home for original programs such as Daredevil, Orange is the New Black, and House of Cards.

Download: Netflix in your browser or from the Windows Store (free, service fees apply)

What Are Your Favorites?

My favorite app for Windows continues to be Wunderlist, which I tend to use every day to help me keep my work on track. Netflix is also something that I access a few times a week, but strictly to relax after a crazy day in the trenches. You can’t go wrong with any of the ones listed above.

Now you tell us: which are your favorite applications? Share them in the comments below!

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Best Free Android Apps to Achieve Your New Year’s Resolutions | Dramel Notes

This New Year, set yourself the challenge of changing or starting one habit. Yes, the idea of a New Year’s resolutions may seem old by now, but research shows that you’re more likely to achieve new goals this way. So make it easier on yourself and set that challenge.

It’s up to you whether the challenge is losing weight, quitting smoking, having a more positive outlook, or anything else. Whatever you set as your resolution, you need to visualize it and keep the big picture clear in your head. We’ve established three science-backed steps to achieve your resolutions, and this is one of them.

So if your goal is to lose weight, set a target weight for yourself — that’s your goal. Got it? Be realistic, don’t think up 10 new things. Just concentrate on one new habit to boost yourself. Now whip out your Android phone and let’s get to work.

Track Your Goal Regularly

Forming a new habit doesn’t happen overnight. It’s a marathon, not a sprint. You need to give it time and keep plugging away, day after day, to ensure you reach your goal. In the meanwhile, to know whether you are getting there or not, you should track your progress.

Almost anything can be tracked when you have an Android phone. But the more beautiful your data appears, the more motivated you will be to use the app. TrackThisForMe is perfect for this purpose.

The app is really simple to use, and the free version is ideal if you’re changing one habit. It lets you set up five different things to track at a time. Add a value, choose the date, and add a comment if you feel like. But remember, don’t track what you did, track how close to your goal you are.

For example, if you’ve set an ideal weight you want to hit, then track your current weight each and every time. Don’t track when you went to the gym, which days you stuck to your diet and cheated, and so on. Those don’t help as much; instead, keep your eye on the prize.

Over time, you can view graphs and charts of your progress. You can also set up a reminder to check in daily and update your data, so that you get a steady, beautiful graph going. Based on your data, TrackThisForMe will even calculate when you are likely to reach your goal!

It’s somewhat like Loggr for iPhone, but TrackThisForMe is free for all the aforementioned purposes. There’s a pro version which adds more than five categories, comparisons, and other doodads, but the basic free app is good enough.

Download: TrackThisForMe for Android (Free)

Keep a Streak Going and Tell the World

Jerry Seinfeld, one of the world’s leading entertainers, had a simple plan. When he was a struggling comedian, he made sure he wrote one joke every day and marked that date on the calendar. This productivity technique, often called “Don’t Break The Chain”, is among the more popular ones to build a new habit.

The Play Store is full of apps that do this. We’ve even featured Habit Track Pro in the past. There’s also Habit Streak, Rewire, and others, but the tool I liked most is Pledge.

Pledge is the epitome of the adage, “Keep it simple.” Set up what you want to track. Choose how often you intend to hit the target — daily or weekly. Log in and tap “Yes” if you did go to the gym.

The other big finding of that aforementioned research is that people who publicly announced their goals to others achieved them more often than those who kept goals to themselves. Of course, if you’re losing weight, you can make it even easier on yourself if you automate sharing with wearable tech. But whenever you log your daily/weekly accomplishment in Pledge, you can share it with others via a social network or email!

At any time, Pledge will show how long you have maintained your streak, your personal best record, and you can tap the notification to see a calendar with dates that are green and red to show your success rate.

Download: Pledge for Android (Free)

One App to Rule Them All

There’s a popular misconception that it takes 21 days to form a habit. Researchers at University College London found that 21 is far too few; the actual number is closer to 66 days — it still depends a bit on you, of course.

Personally, I think you should use either TrackThisForMe or Pledge, since it’s best to keep the tool simple and concentrate on the habit. But productivity and behavior are subjective. If you’d like to combine the two tools, and add the aforementioned 66-day target, check out HabitBull.

Set up a habit, add a reminder, and put a target of 66 days. HabitBull will then do the heavy lifting, tracking your progress to create a “don’t break the chain” calendar, turning the data into gorgeous graphs, and keeping you going with motivational phrases. Plus, the app’s interface is wonderful and it’ll have you coming back for more,

There’s a Pro version that adds extra features, but the free app is good enough to get things done.

Download: HabitBull for Android (Free)

Which App Achieved Your Resolution?

Using an Android device and attempting a New Year’s resolution? We want to know. Down in the comments, share which app helped you achieve your goal — we’d prefer it was free, but paid ones will do too.

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The 6 Best Ask the Experts Questions of 2015 | Dramel Notes

2015 has been a momentous year for MakeUseOf. We’ve grown tremendously as a site. We’ve seen a wave of new talented writers join our ranks, and we’ve seen old friends leave. But one of the biggest changes of this year was the launch of Ask the Experts.

This was a brand new section, launched from the remnants of MakeUseOf Answers. Readers with a tech problem could write in, and a team of dedicated writers (myself, Bruce Epper and Kannon Yamada) would respond with advice.

Already, we’ve helped dozens of readers with their tech problems. Here are some of the questions we answered this year (scroll to the bottom of this article to ask your own question).

How to Turn Off Automatic Updates on Windows 10

Windows 10 launched this year, and was an immediate success, largely thanks to Microsoft giving it away for free. It was lauded as the “Best Windows Ever”, thanks to the polished visuals, improved security, and significantly improved performance. But it was a more “locked down” Windows, with Microsoft uncharacteristically exercising a larger amount of control compared to earlier editions.

For example: Microsoft now makes updates mandatory for users of Windows 10 Home Edition.

One reader, unhappy at the change, dropped us a line to ask how he could turn these updates off. Bruce Epper looked into it, and found out that there’s two possible options. First, you can roll back to an earlier version of Windows 10 where you could turn off app updates. Another option is to pay $100 to upgrade to Windows 10 Professional Edition. One commenter suggested disabling the Windows 10 update service entirely, although that would render the machine totally unable to receive updates.

What Accent-Training Apps Actually Work

If you’ve ever learned another language, you’ll probably know how frustrating it is to have an accent that is noticeably different. From the moment you open your mouth, people simply know you’re a foreigner.

One reader wanted to know if we could recommend an accent-training app or website. We put a few through their paces, and found that most didn’t work as advertised. One American-accent-training iPhone app, for example, said my fiancé sounded like an “American wannabe”. She’s from New Jersey, while I’m from Liverpool.

The problem with accent training is that computers simply aren’t suited to it. It’s very much a personal and imprecise art. Which is why we suggested that the reader, rather than focus on using apps and algorithm-driven websites, instead try to speak to as many native speakers as possible. We recommended a few websites to accomplish that.

Windows Visual C++ Runtime Errors Demystified

One of the most common, and opaquest, Windows error messages is the all-too-common Windows Visual C++ Runtime Error. It will stop any program in its tracks. But what does it actually mean?

This is what one reader asked, who’d been repeatedly been seeing it while trying to access a part of the Windows file system on a Windows Vista laptop. Bruce Epper had a look, and found the problem. In the process, Bruce explained what a runtime error actually is, and what might cause them.

How to Know When Your Hard Drive Is Talking to You

Mechanical hard drives are prone to failing. After all, they’re mechanical. They’ve got motors and servos, and when these fail, your hard drive fails, taking your all-important files with them.

One reader had a Western Digital hard drive that was making mysterious beeping noises, and was worried that it might be on its way out. Bruce Epper investigated, and listed the various reasons why a hard drive would be making suspicious noises. It’s a must-read for anyone worried about the safety of their files.

How to Diagnose Google Play Problems

The Google Play Store is Android’s app store, offering access to millions of unique third-party applications. When it breaks, as it so frequently does, it’s hugely annoying.

One of our readers found themselves with a Play Store that wasn’t updating. Kannon Yamada looked into it, and explained how you can easily fix most Play problems, either by clearing caches, reinstalling the store, or solving Play account problems.

How to Use Periscope on PC or Mac

Periscope was one of the hit apps of 2015. Like Meerkat, it allows anyone to live-stream their current surroundings from their compatible iPhone and Android device, and was so popular it was even used at campaign rallies in the US.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t available for PC or Mac. One reader emailed in to ask if there was a way to get it working.

We tried using a number of emulators, including the Chrome ARC Welder, Andyroid, and Bluestacks App Player, but none failed to run the app to a satisfactory standard. Some refused to run. Some were prone to crashing, or persistently displayed visual artifacts.

MakeUseOf emailed Periscope to see if they had any plans to launch a desktop version, but they kept mum. The good news is they’ve launched an app for the new Apple TV, meaning you can now watch people’s livestreams from the comfort of your own home.

Here’s to 2016!

We’re looking forward to another year of Ask The Experts. If you’ve never asked us a question before, consider checking out these helpful tips. When you’re ready, click the button below and let us know what tech problem is ailing you.

Do you have a favorite Ask the Experts article of 2015? Were we able to help you? Let us know in the comments below.

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The Swipe Trick in iOS Calculator You Never Knew | Dramel Notes

Sometimes the answer to all of your problems is right in front of you. In fact, a calculator is a great way to find the answer you need. Do you want to use pen and paper to figure out the square root of 9877656? No, you want to type it into your calculator and have the answer displayed to you.

But what if you were in the process of typing that on your iOS calculator and you made a typo? You’d probably hit the Clear button and type the whole number again. But there’s a better way. All it takes is a swipe.

That’s right, you can delete a single number in the iOS calculator just by swiping the screen in the area where the numbers are displayed.

I’ve been using iOS since it first came out, and somehow this has eluded me this whole time. Learning this simple swipe trick literally changed the way I use my phone forever.

Is there any seemingly simple iOS trick that you think everyone should know? Share in the comments!

Image Credit: Picsfive via ShutterStock

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