Blogroll

How to Change the Keyboard on Your Android Phone

How-To Geek - Fri, 12/28/2018 - 21:00

There are more keyboard apps available on Android than you’d care to try, but we do recommend trying at least a few of the best keyboard apps to find something you like. When you do, here’s how to get it going on your Android phone.

First, a couple of notes. For our example, we’ll be showing you how to switch to the SwiftKey Keyboard, but the process of switching to any other keyboard is the same. Also, we’re using a OnePlus 6T device for this example. The method on your Android device should be similar, but with countless Android variations, it’s hard to say for sure.

The first thing you’ll need to is head to the Play Store and download the keyboard you want. If you want to follow along, you can go ahead and download the SwiftKey Keyboard we’re using here. Once you’ve installed the app, head over to your device’s settings.

Inside the settings, you’ll need to head to the “Language and Input” settings. For some phones, it might be buried inside another menu, just like ours is under “System.” If you can’t find it, you can always perform a search.

Once you see it, tap the “Languages and Input” option and then tap the “Virtual Keyboard” option. Some devices might list the setting as “Current Keyboard” instead.

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Categories: IT General, Technology

How to Control a Chrome Extension’s Permissions

How-To Geek - Fri, 12/28/2018 - 19:26

Google promised control of each Chrome extension’s permissions back in October, and that long-promised feature finally arrived near the end of December. Extensions no longer require “all your data on the websites you visit.”

You won’t see any sort of prompt when installing an extension. If that extension asks to “Read and change all your data on the websites you visit,” all you can do is agree and click “Add Extension.” But, after the extension is installed, you can now revoke that permission.

How to Change an Chrome Extension’s Permissions

To control an extension’s access to your data, right-click the extension’s icon on your toolbar and point to “This can read and change site data.” Choose your preferred option:

  • When you click the extension: The extension can’t see any of your data until you click it. When you do, it can access data from the current tab. If an extension does something automatically whenever you visit a website, it won’t work until you click it.
  • On [current website]: The extension can only run and see data from the current website. It can’t see data from all websites.
  • On all sites: This is the default. The extension can see and change data on all websites. It can automatically run and do things whenever you load any website.

Which option you choose depends on what you use the extension for and how much you trust it. But you now have a choice. You can now install an extension but only give it access to your data on a handful of websites, or just when you click it.

The “Learn more about site access” button takes you to a Google support page that explains how this works.

How to Customize the Websites an Extension Can Access

You can also manage the list of specific sites an extension can run on from the Extensions page. To access it, click menu > More Tools > Extensions.

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Categories: IT General, Technology

How to Set Up and Use an iPhone X, iPhone XR, iPhone XS, or iPhone XS Max

How-To Geek - Fri, 12/28/2018 - 18:34

So you got yourself a shiny new iPhone, but it’s all…. different. Apple’s 2018 iPhones, along with iPhone X, are a huge departure from everything that came before, and we’re going to tell you how to use them.

You don’t need to have been keeping the closest of eyes on the iPhone over the last couple of years to know that Apple has been changing things up. The iPhone X ushered in a new wave of iPhones that are sans Home button, and that changes the way the iPhone works in many more ways than just how you back out of an app. The removal of Touch ID and the arrival of Face ID is one of the biggest small changes the iPhone has seen, and it impacts how iOS works from authenticating purchases to entering passwords. The loss of the Home button was huge, and that changes much of the muscle memory you built up over the years.

But boy oh boy, is having to relearn some gestures a small price to pay for what you get in return. We know that there’s a learning curve to deal with, no matter how great the new iPhones are. That’s why we’ve put together a collection of the most useful how-tos that we have, all aimed at helping you get to grips with your new phone. By the time you’ve read everything here, you’ll be an iPhone-toting ninja warrior.

With that said, let’s get started.

Tap the Screen to Wake Your Phone

With the removal of the Home button, waking your iPhone up is now a matter of just tapping its screen and watching it spring into action. Phones have been doing this for years, but it’s great to be able to do it with an iPhone. There’s some fancy tap detection going on to try and avoid accidental touches waking the screen, too.

Swipe the Bottom of the Screen to Switch Apps

The new iPhones have plenty of gestures to get around iOS, but entering the app switcher can be a little fiddly. Here’s the easy way to switch between recently used apps. This is a feature that a lot of people don’t take the best advantage of, but when you add it to your repertoire of swipes, you’ll never want to go back.

RELATED: How to Quickly Switch Apps by Swiping on the iPhone X, XR, XS, and iPhone XS Max

Learn All the Useful Gestures

There are plenty of other things you can do with a quick gesture, and we cover them all right here. Who knew that there were so many different ways to wave a finger at a screen?

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Categories: IT General, Technology

How To Redeem an Xbox One, PlayStation 4, or Nintendo Switch Gift Card

How-To Geek - Fri, 12/28/2018 - 17:23

If you’re an avid gamer, there’s a good chance you got a gift card for your console for the holidays or as a gift. Being able to use that gift card doesn’t take much work, regardless of your platform.

Gift cards give your family something to wrap up or stick inside a hilarious card. The gift cards are available for specific games, downloadable content, online multiplayer, or just as cash for each of the digital stores. Then, you’ll be able to use those gift card funds to buy games and other content at any time.

How To Redeem an Xbox One Gift Card

Grab a coin, paperclip, or another piece of metal to scratch the coating off the back of the gift card. Next, go to your Xbox One, and open the Microsoft Store.

Next, navigate down with the left stick of the controller and select “Redeem a code.”

Enter the 25-digit code from the gift card, then select “Next.”

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Categories: IT General, Technology

How to Change the Default Heading Styles in Microsoft Word

How-To Geek - Fri, 12/28/2018 - 16:24

Word provides built-in styles for several different levels of headings and subheads—Heading 1, Heading 2, and so on. The styles define the font family, size, color, and more. While you can create your own styles and use those as headings, or adjust the formatting of headings look on the fly, you can also change the default styles if you want.

How to Customize a Heading Style

On the “Home” tab in Word, you’ll find some built-in styles in the “Styles” group, including the Heading 1 and Heading 2 styles.

You can right-click either of those heading styles and then select “Modify” to get started customizing them.

But Word also includes a bunch of other heading levels—nine in all. To see them, click the little arrow at the bottom right of the “Styles” group.

By default, the Styles window that opens shows only recommended styles, which is the same group Word shows on the Ribbon. To change that so you can see all the styles, hit the “Options” button.

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Categories: IT General, Technology

How to Manually Control Your Mac’s Fans

How-To Geek - Fri, 12/28/2018 - 15:00

By default, Apple runs your Mac’s fans automatically—with no way to configure them—and it ramps them up when your system gets too hot. The free Macs Fan Control app lets you manually control your fans. There are two reasons you’d want to do this—to allow your Mac to run faster but louder, or slower but quieter. Apple’s auto control aims for somewhere in the middle.

A Few Warnings

Your Mac throttles your CPU when it gets too hot, slowing it down significantly until the temperature gets under control. Usually, this kicks in before the temperature gets too high, but you can manually push your CPU farther by turning the fan speed up farther than Apple usually allows. This makes a lot of noise, which is why the auto-control tries to slow it down.

On the other hand, if you hate fan noise, you can manually turn them down. Keep in mind that this will make your system run a lot hotter, and could lead to system instability if you let it go too far.

With either option, you should monitor the temperatures of your CPU and other components and make sure you’re not causing damage to your system. It’s also possible that running fans at max speed for extended periods could lead to damage, so try not to torture your laptop.

Controlling Fans

Get started by downloading the Macs Fan Control app and moving it to the Applications folder. When it starts, you’ll see a list of all your fans and the option to set custom controls. “Auto” keeps the default behavior, but opening up “Custom” allows you to set a specific RPM value, or set a target temperature.

The sensor-based value option mimics the automatic behavior but lets you select how hot you want your system to be. You can push the maximum temperature higher if you want more performance, or lower if you’d like your fans to be quieter.

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Categories: IT General, Technology

The Best Outlets With USB-C For All Of Your New Devices

How-To Geek - Fri, 12/28/2018 - 14:00

You’ve got a shiny new device that charges via USB-C. Why wrestle with yet another power brick an instead go for a dedicated USB-C outlet?

Whether you’re thrilled about another standard or not, USB-C is here to stay. It’s smaller, more powerful, and more convenient than Micro USB or USB-A connections, and it’s quickly becoming the charging standard for cellphones. Even larger devices, like laptops, are adopting the USB-C charging standard. Hey, they’re cheaper than those bulky DC cables and easier to use across devices.

So, how do you plan on charging all of your USB-C compatible devices? You could leave a bunch of USB bricks in the outlets around your house, but not all power bricks are created equally. Some of them charge your phone a lot slower than they should, and they tend to take up some valuable outlet real-estate. No, it would be better to replace your old-fashioned outlets with some new USB-C outlets. That way, you can always charge your devices quickly, without sacrificing any AC outputs.

But if you’ve found yourself in the electronics section of a hardware store, then you know how overwhelming it can be to shop for a new outlet. Manufactures seem to enjoy their confusing variety of USB outlets, and two similar looking outlets can sometimes come at very different price points. That’s why we’ve taken the time to find the best USB-C outlets, and to explain how their minor differences may appeal to different people’s needs.

TOPGREENER 6.0A High Speed Duel USB-C Outlet ($28)

If you’re ready to fall into the loving arms of USB-C, then you should take a look at the TOPGREENER duel USB-C outlet. It has two USB-C ports and two AC outlets, so you can quickly charge your devices without hogging any outlet space. This kind of outlet would be especially useful in a bedroom or office, where you have to charge and power a lot of electronics. It may even save you from having to buy a bulky surge protector.

But if you want the option to plug USB-A cables into your outlets, then this clearly isn’t the way to go. After all, your USB-A or Micro USB powered devices may last for a few more years.

Buy on Amazon TOPGREENER 5.8A High Speed USB Outlet ($26)

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Categories: IT General, Technology

How to Make a Good Live Wallpaper for Your iPhone

How-To Geek - Fri, 12/28/2018 - 14:00

Live Wallpapers are one of iOS’s neat if underused, features. It’s fun—and very Harry Potteresque—to have a bit of motion on your lock screen. But setting any old live photo isn’t going to give you great results: here’s how to make sure you’ve got a good one to use for wallpaper.

How to Set a Live Wallpaper

To set a live photo as your wallpaper, go to Settings > Wallpaper > Choose a New Wallpaper and then select your Live Photos album.

Select the live photo you want to use, make sure “Live Photo” is selected, and then tap Set > Set Both (or either “Set Lock Screen” or “Set Home Screen” if you only want it on one).

And just like that, you’ll have live wallpaper. Now, let’s look at getting a good live photo to use.

Taking a Good Live Wallpaper Photo

A live photo is, first and foremost, a photo. Most of the time your background will be still. This means that you need to make sure the still photo part looks great. You also want the transition to when the wallpaper is in motion to look natural. There are a couple of other key things you need to bear in mind:

  • Wallpapers are vertical on iOS. For one of the first times ever, I’m recommending you shoot with your iPhone held vertical.
  • A Live Photo records a few seconds before and after when you take the photo. This means you need to have a shot set up before you press the shutter button.
  • For the transition to look good between the still and motion parts of the live photo, you need to keep your iPhone as still as possible while you take the shot. If you’ve got a tripod, use it. Otherwise, brace or rest your iPhone as well as you can.

The easiest good live photos to take are landscapes, especially if there’s moving water. You have plenty of time to line up the shot, make sure your camera is stable, and, since the motion is cyclical, they almost always look good.

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Categories: IT General, Technology

How to Create a System Image Backup in Windows 7, 8, or 10

How-To Geek - Fri, 12/28/2018 - 12:40

The built-in backup utilities in Windows are pretty solid. Let’s take a look at how to create a full backup image of your PC without the need for a third party utility.

  1. Open the System Backup Image Tool. In Windows 10, head to Control Panel > Backup and Restore (Windows 7) > Create a System Image.
  2. Choose where you want to save the backup image.
  3. Select the drives to back up.
  4. Start the backup.
  5. Optionally, create a system repair disc that you can use to start your computer and restore a backup image.

Normal backup programs, like CrashPlan or Windows’ built-in File History feature, essentially copy your files to another location. A system image backup, on the other hand, is like a full snapshot of an entire hard drive. The advantage of a system image is that if a hard drive crashes, you can replace it, restore the image, and have your system right back to where it was when the image was captured. No need to reinstall Windows or your apps.

The biggest disadvantage with system image backups—other than taking a bit longer—is that you can’t restore the backup to a different PC. You’re creating an image of your full Windows installation and, since Windows is set up specifically for your hardware, it just won’t work as-is in another PC. It would be like trying to plug your hard drive into another PC and expecting everything to load well. With that in mind, though, image backups can still be really handy.

Third-party apps like like Macrium Reflect or Acronis True Image—at least, the paid versions—do offer some advanced features you won’t find in the Windows system image backup tool. For example, both support incremental backups, password protected images, and the ability to browse backups for individual files. But free is free, and if you don’t need the extra features, the Windows tool offers a solid way to perform a full backup of your system.

Step One: Open System Image Backup

The process of finding the System Image Backup tool is different in Windows 7 than in Windows 8 and 10, so we’ll show you to find the tool in all versions, and then explain how to create and use the system image.

Open System Image Backup in Windows 10

In Windows 10, hit Start, type “backup,” and then select the entry.

In the “Backup and Restore (Windows 7)” window, click the “Create a system image” link.

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Categories: IT General, Technology

Geek Trivia: Los Angeles Is The First Major City To Synchronize What?

How-To Geek - Fri, 12/28/2018 - 08:02

Los Angeles Is The First Major City To Synchronize What?
  1. Traffic Lights
  2. Restaurant Hours
  3. Video Game Releases
  4. Movie Showings

Think you know the answer?

Categories: IT General, Technology

How to View Song Lyrics on an iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple TV

How-To Geek - Thu, 12/27/2018 - 21:00

Apple Music is the way to listen to music on Apple’s devices, and while there are alternatives, the integration is second to none. There are some pretty great features, too—like being able to follow along with song lyrics.

Apple Music isn’t the only music streaming service available on Apple’s platforms, but even though Spotify and others are more than capable, there’s something about using software designed specifically for a platform and Apple Music is a great example of that. There’s plenty to love in there, too, and song lyrics is one of those features that you might not use an awful lot but are very glad to have when you can’t quite make out that one word in your new favorite song.

Unfortunately, Apple has a history of failing hard when it comes to making features discoverable, and this may be another example of that. It’s likely that you didn’t even know that Apple Music supports lyrics, so we’re here to not only remind you they exist but also to show you how to get to them. The method differs slightly depending on whether you’re listening on a Mac, Apple TV, or an iOS device, so let’s take a look at both options.

Viewing Song Lyrics on iPhone or iPad

To get started, open the Music app and start playing the song for which you want to view the lyrics. Then, swipe up on the music controls at the bottom of the screen to see the “Now Playing” screen.

Finally, tap the “Show” button beside where it says “Lyrics.”

Viewing Song Lyrics on a Mac

On a Mac, open iTunes (sorry, it’s the only way!) and start playing the song for which you want to view the lyrics. Next, click the “More” icon at the top of the screen and then click “Lyrics.”

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Categories: IT General, Technology

You Can Still Take Advantage of Some Awesome Amazon Echo and Google Home Deals

How-To Geek - Thu, 12/27/2018 - 17:15

The holiday shopping season is over, but that doesn’t mean stores have stopped offering great deals. If you’ve been in the market for a smart speaker, there’s still time to grab an Echo or Google Home at a nice price.

Amazon is offering its own discounts on some Echo devices, including the 2nd-generation Echo for $69 (down from $99) and the 3rd-generation Echo Dot for $29 (down from $49).

Google is also still discounting its Google Home lineup in its online store, where you can grab a Home Hub for $99 (down from $149), a regular Home for $89 (down from $129), or a Home Mini for $29 (down from $49).

If you prefer to shop in-store, you’ll be pleased to know that many of these same deals are also still going on at most retailers, including Walmart, Target, and Best Buy. Best Buy even has the Apple HomePod on sale for $100 off.

Granted, these aren’t necessarily the best deals we’ve ever seen (Target recently offered an amazing deal for a Home Hub and two Home Minis for just $99), but if you missed all of the great deals during the shopping season, there’s still time to snag a smart speaker for less than retail price.

Categories: IT General, Technology

PSA: Don’t Download the Fake “Setup for Amazon Alexa” iOS App

How-To Geek - Thu, 12/27/2018 - 17:14

If you happened to get an Amazon Alexa device for the holidays, be careful when setting it up. There’s a new fake Alexa Setup app in the iOS App Store that is up to no good.

As pointed out by 9to5Macthe app, called “Setup for Amazon Alexa,” is quickly climbing the Top Free app charts, even finding its way to the sixth spot in the Utilities section. Oof.

The good news is that it doesn’t seem to be as bad as it could be because it doesn’t immediately ask for your Amazon username and password, which could be catastrophically bad for many users (this is a good time to mention that you should always use 2FA on your Amazon account!). Instead, it simply asks for your Alexa device’s IP address and serial number. What they’re doing with that information is still the bigger question.

What’s more troubling is that the developer of this app, One World Software, has a couple of other questionable apps in the App Store—“Marketplace — Buy/Sell” and “Any Font for Instagram,” the former of which carries the same colors as Facebook. Shady, shady crap.

As always, pay attention to what you’re installing. In this case, if you’re trying to set up a new Alexa device, Amazon will always be the developer of the application (the exact name is AMZN Mobile). If it’s anyone else, it’s not the right app. And if you’re looking for help setting up your Amazon Echo (or other Alexa device), we have you covered.

RELATED: How to Set Up and Configure Your Amazon Echo

via 9to5Mac

Categories: IT General, Technology

The Best Smart Light Switches for Your Amazon Echo

How-To Geek - Thu, 12/27/2018 - 17:00

If you have an Amazon Echo in your home and want to take your voice commands to the next level, installing some in-wall light switches will let you control your lights using your voice. Here are the best options that work with your Echo.

Granted, you could also go with smart bulbs, as they’re easier to install, but smart light switches are already a familiar format, so there won’t be any confusion for house guests. Plus, they already work with your existing light bulbs. As long you know how to change out a light switch (or know someone who can help), then smart light switches are a great way to go.

With that said, here are the best smart light switches that will work with your Amazon Echo.

Lutron Caseta Smart Dimmer Switch Starter Kit ($99)

If you’re looking for the best overall smart light switch, Lutron’s Caseta product line is pretty much the gold standard, and it works great with Alexa. You can grab a starter kit for $99 that comes with the hub, one smart dimmer switch, and one remote control.

Perhaps the one downside is that it requires the hub in order to connect the switches to your network and control them remotely, since it uses a proprietary RF wireless protocol. However, this makes for a incredibly reliable experience.

These switches come with all of the necessary features you would need out of a smart light switch, including setting schedules, timers, and randomizing lights, as well as create different scenes where you can set specific brightnesses for specific switches.

Caseta switches also don’t require a neutral wire, which is great for older houses that may not have one in the light switch box. Most modern houses have a neutral wire present, so this isn’t a big deal, but this makes Caseta switches a recommended buy for just about any house, new or old.

Buy on Amazon A Wi-Fi Option: WeMo Dimmer Light Switch ($59)

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Categories: IT General, Technology

How to Create Multiple Columns in Google Docs

How-To Geek - Thu, 12/27/2018 - 16:24

Google Docs can split a document up into columns, which is excellent for making newsletters, pamphlets, and brochures. Here’s how you can separate parts of your document up into two or three columns in Google Docs.

How to Create Multiple Columns in Google Docs

Adding multiple columns to your documents in Google Docs is still a relatively new feature that people have been demanding for a while. With this addition, Google Docs continues to inch closer to the capabilities of Microsoft Word.

To start using columns in your file, click the “Format” menu, point to “Columns,” and choose either two or three columns.

You can also click the “More Options” option for some additional choices.

If you clicked “More Options,” the Column Options window that opens lets you choose how many columns you want, the exact spacing between columns, and whether or not to add a line between columns. Make your choices and then click “Apply.”

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Categories: IT General, Technology

[Update: Dead] Buy an Office 365 Subscription, Get a $50 Amazon Gift Card

How-To Geek - Thu, 12/27/2018 - 15:44

If you’ve been thinking about picking up a Microsoft Office 365 subscription, Amazon’s Deal of the Day is a solid one for you: buy an Office 365 subscription for $99 and get a $50 Amazon gift card. It’s like paying $49 for Office 365.

Update: Despite having several hours left at the time of publication, this deal appears to be dead.

For the unfamiliar, Office 365 is Microsoft’s online, available-anywhere version of Office. Since it’s online, it stays up-to-date and saves your work in the cloud so your important files are always available. An Office 365 subscription also means you get full access to the suite of Office apps available for Android and iOS, making Office 365 the most versatile Office solution you can get.

Office 365 is always $99 a year for the Home version, but today’s deal is especially sweet since it essentially gets you $50 off (assuming you already shop at Amazon, of course). The deal is available for both new and existing users—the additional 12 months of access will stack on top of the current subscription for anyone who is already using the service.

If you’re in, head here to buy yours before the deal expires.

Categories: IT General, Technology

20 Keyboard Shortcuts Every iPad Owner Should Know

How-To Geek - Thu, 12/27/2018 - 15:00

The iPad is great for watching YouTube or web browsing, but it’s increasingly common for people to use it instead of a laptop. Having a keyboard changes the game, and some great keyboard shortcuts can save you time when working.

The arrival of the iPad Pro and a keyboard that you can attach to the tablet 24/7 brought with it a change in approach for Apple. No longer is the iPad only a media consumption device; having a keyboard always at hand transforms the iPad into a more-than-capable computer. If you’re a long time Mac user who knows just which keys to press to bend macOS to your will, you’ll feel like a fish out of water when tapping away at an iPad. But that needn’t be the case.

Here, we’re going to run through twenty of the best keyboard shortcuts—ones that everyone who is serious about using an iPad instead of a laptop really ought to know.

Let’s get started!

System Level Shortcuts
  • Cmd+Space: Opens Spotlight from anywhere in iOS
  • Cmd+H: Returns to the Home screen.
  • Cmd+Tab: Opens the iOS app switcher from anywhere in iOS and behaves similarly to the app switcher in macOS.
  • Shift+Cmd+3: Takes a screenshot.
  • Shift+Cmd+4: Takes a screenshot and immediately enters markup mode.
  • Option+Cmd+D: Opens the Dock when inside an app.
  • Press and hold Cmd: Displays a list of shortcuts for the app that you are currently using.
Text Editing Shortcuts
  • Cmd+Up Arrow: Jumps to top of the page.
  • Cmd+Down Arrow: Jumps to bottom of the page.
  • Cmd+A: Selects all.
  • Cmd+C: Copies the selected text.
  • Cmd+X: Cuts the selected text.
  • Cmd+V: Pastes the contents of the Clipboard.
Safari Shortcuts
  • Cmd+F: Opens the “Find” dialog.
  • Cmd+N: Opens Split View.
  • Cmd+T: Opens a new tab.
  • Cmd+W: Closes the current tab.
  • Cmd+R: Refreshes the current tab.
  • Cmd+[: Goes back a page in the current tab.
If You’re Using a Hardware Keyboard
  • Press the Down Arrow, then tap and hold the keyboard icon on-screen: Switches to the software keyboard, perfect for accessing the emoji picker.

Categories: IT General, Technology

And The 2018 Smartphone Of The Year Is…

How-To Geek - Thu, 12/27/2018 - 14:00

Every year, smartphones come and go. Some stand out in the crowd, while others fall to the wayside. Regardless, every year one phone generally stands above the rest. This year is no different.

Picking an objective “best” smartphone of the year isn’t always an easy task, especially given the current state of smartphones. It’s no longer about major metrics like performance or battery life—most phones are just really good now. Really good. And in that respect, it’s hard to go wrong with any of the flagship phones.

But when you spend enough time using a variety of phones, as we do here at Review Geek, then you start to understand that it’s about refinements and a premium experience. The amount of smartphone you get for the money plays an important role in which device can be called the best one of the year. It’s a tight race, but despite that, this year’s pick was a surprisingly easy choice.

Our pick for smartphone of the year is…

The iPhone XR

When it comes down to it, selecting our pick for smartphone of the year was pretty simple. The XR is an incredibly premium device that offers the newest fit and finish that Apple has to offer. As we said in our review, it’s 98 percent of the XS experience at 75 percent of the cost. It’s not only one of the best smartphones of the year, but it offers an unprecedented value where the new iPhone are concerned.

That last bit is a key point, because while it’s still not what we would call “cheap,” it’s the most affordable new iPhone on the market while still offering a remarkably similar experience to the company’s pricier models. While many people consider the XS and XS Max Apple’s “flagship” smartphones, that’s not totally true—the XR is the flagship of this family; the XS and Max are the luxury models. Simply put, this is the smartphone for everyone.

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Categories: IT General, Technology

What Is Focus Stacking?

How-To Geek - Thu, 12/27/2018 - 14:00

A big part of photography is coming up with creative ways to overcome the limits of the laws of physics. One of these techniques is focus stacking.

Even wide angle lenses at narrow apertures—a combination which gives you the broadest possible depth of field—can’t have both the extreme foreground and extreme background in sharp focus. You can come close, but if, say, there’s a cool shell right in front of you, and something else of interest in the distance, one or both of them is going to be a little bit blurry. Just look at this photo.

While it’s not bad, the shell is less sharp than I’d like while the castle on the island is in focus, or as much in focus as is possible with my setup.

Here’s a photo where I focused on the shell instead.

While it looks much the same at web resolution when you zoom in on the high res file, you can see the shell is in sharper focus—look at the rings around the shell as well as the small pebbles nearby to see it—while the castle on the island isn’t.

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Categories: IT General, Technology
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