What to do When the iPad Won’t Turn On

Many of us heavily rely on our iOS devices to do common daily tasks such as waking up, reminding us about meetings or many other things that have become second nature to us. While our gadgets do a great job of keeping us up to date, electronics can and do fail, which can spell catastrophe for some.

Apple products are known for their reliability but there are times that they can malfunction. If you find yourself in the situation where the iPad is unable to power on, keep a cool head as it you might be able to fix it with a few easy steps. By performing a simple diagnosis of the device you might fix the issue and avoid a trip to the apple store. Follow this guide to find out what to do when the iPad will not turn on.

Inspect the iPad

To help get an idea on what is wrong with your device, give the iPad a good physical examination. Look for dents, new scratches or anything else out of the ordinary on the device. If you find any anomalies, this can help explain why the iPad is not turning on. After inspecting the iPad, if you don’t find any damage there are a few other things to try.

Check the Temperature

Another item to check on the iPad is how hot the device is. Sometimes leaving the device charging, or leaving it in the sun for too long, can cause it to overheat. If you see a message like the one below remove the device from the charger, or away from the heat source, and let it cool down.

It is important to let the iPad fully cool so that the device does not become any more damaged. Once the device cools down enough this message will go away, and you can then try turning the iPad back on.

Charge the iPad

Another obvious area to check is if the iPad has a good full charge. Use the official iPad charger and cable to make sure that the battery is charging correctly and, after an hour or so, check to see if the device will turn back on. By allowing it up to an hour this will give the iPad a chance to get a good charge, if in fact that is the problem behind it not turning on.

Head to an Apple Store

If all else fails go to the Apple Store to have them help fix your iPad. If there is no physical or water damage to the iPad you can sometimes get a replacement or the iPad fixed for a somewhat reasonable price. While this will solve your issue use this as a last call, as it will be the most expensive option. Also check your warranty if you have one with Apple care, Square Trade or with your wireless carrier to help resolve the problem.

How To Convert a DVD on a Mac for Use on an iPad

Watching a DVD on an iPad seems like an easy enough request. With great battery life and a beautiful screen, it makes perfect sense to want to take the iPad on long family trips. For many, using a streaming service like Netflix or Hulu+ are great ways to get content on the iPad. However, being able to stream a movie on an airplane is nearly impossible, even with in-flight WiFi. Let’s take a look to see what is actually involved in taking a DVD on a Mac and converting it to a file the iPad will understand.

Before beginning, it is important to have two pieces of software installed on the Macintosh that will be used for this process. The first piece of software is MakeMKV. This program will convert a DVD (that you own) into the MKV file format. The MKV file format can be played back digitally on a computer without the copy protection, or it can be fed into the second program that will be needed. That program is HandBrake.

Also, if you own a Mac that does NOT have a DVD drive, it is important to have the Apple USB DVD SuperDrive to make this work.

Step One: Convert DVD to MKV File

Insert the DVD into the DVD drive and close the DVD Player program if it loads.

MakeMKV converts a DVD to a MKV file.

Open the MakeMKV program. It will automatically load the disc’s information.

Click the image of the DVD in order to begin the processing of the disc.

MakeMKV allows for individual track selection (great for removing previews).

Uncheck the boxes except from the biggest file. Those additional files are often previews or DVD extras. Then click the Make MKV icon on the right to start the conversion.

Make MKV shows its progress graphically and textually.

Step Two: Convert the MKV File to an iPad Compatible File

Open up HandBrake on the Mac.

HandBrake opens up to a window asking for a source file.

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Locate the MKV file created by MakeMKV. Typically, it will be in the <users>/Movies/<dvdtitle>folder.

HandBrake provides a variety of quick and easy presets.

Select the iPad preset from the tray. If the preset tray is not open, click the Toggle Presets icon at the top right of the application.

Click on the green Start icon to begin the process.

HandBrake provides a progress bar on rendering.

HandBrake will show a progress indicator for how much time is remaining on the rendering job. Because this can be a computer-intensive process, the fans may speed up to keep the computer cooler. This is normal.

HandBrake informs the user the job is completed.

Step Three: Import into iTunes and Sync iPad

iTunes for Mac on Movies section.

Launch iTunes on the Mac.

Select the movie file from the Add to Library menu option.

Click on Add to Library from the File menu. Select the movie file (typically saved on the Desktop) and click Open.

Movie file loaded in iTunes, ready for sync.

iTunes will automatically copy a version of the movie file to the library folder. Click on Unwatched to see it on the list. It is now ready to go to the iPad!

Plug in the iPad and allow it to sync. Once the sync is complete it will be available by clicking on the Videos app on the iPad.

Although it requires a few steps and some additional software, it is fairly easy to load up hours of entertainment onto an iPad for travel and viewing anywhere in the world!

7 Tools to Make Samsung Galaxy S4 Battery Last All Day

We already showed users how to get more battery life out of their Samsung Galaxy S4, but sometimes tweaking the software and OS settings might not do the trick. We want to share some hardware accessories that can help push that battery life a little further and make the Samsung Galaxy S4 last all day.

Many people get enough battery life out of their Samsung Galaxy S4 without tweaking things or buying accessories. However, on a long trip, they use the phone more and the display stays lit all day. No amount of tweaking extends the life enough. When someone uses their phone more than normal and a power outlet eludes them, these accessories might save the day.

While we’re focusing on the Galaxy S4, our advice applies to any phone with swappable batteries. We put these solutions in order of most convenient to least.

Carry An Extra Battery

A replaceable battery makes the Samsung Galaxy S4 a great option over an iPhone or HTC One, though both are two great handsets. GS4 users can get a spare battery or two to double or triple their phone’s battery life. We like the Samsung Spare Battery Charging System for about $50 retail or $42 at Amazon, because it comes with the second battery and charges it for us while not in use. Charge overnight and grab it with the phone in the morning.

When one battery dies, pop off the back of the Galaxy S4 using a thumbnail in the tiny slot in the upper left corner of the back of the phone just above power button. The bottom left edge of the battery has a spot where the same thumbnail can get ahold of the batteries edge. Lift it out and then insert the new battery with the four gold-colored contacts towards the top left. It only fits one way.

An alternative comes from Mugen Power. The KiDiGi dock for the Samsung Galaxy S4 will charge the phone naked, or in some low-profile cases. It includes a slot for an extra battery. The dock costs $25. Add a Mugen Power 2750mAh battery for $44.50. We tested the battery over the past few weeks and found that the extra juice the battery offers in the same size as the stock Galaxy S4 battery gave us an extra hour or two beyond what the Samsung 2600mAh stock battery provided. It also comes with NFC, something most third-party batteries lack. With the two products, users get a dock, battery and spare battery charger for little more than the Samsung system.

An Extended Battery

Mugen Power also offers an awesome extended battery solution for the GS4.  An extended battery gives users far more power than the stock batteries. Mugen Power’s battery includes NFC and 5500mAh of power for $89.50. They throw in a cheap leather case, which we didn’t really like very much. There’s also a replacement phone back that accommodates the thicker battery. However, we loved running on a single charge for more than 24 hours. The battery adds bulk and thickness, ruining one of the Samsung Galaxy S4′s most attractive aesthetic appeals: its sleek and thin design. Don’t think of this as a permanent solution, but something to keep on hand for those special days when the phone gets a workout.

See how much thicker the Mugen Power 5500mAh battery is over the stock 2600mAh Samsung battery.

A Battery Case

The Incipio Samsung Galaxy S4 battery case.

The Incipio Offgrid Samsung Galaxy S4 Battery Case “…provides a 3100 mAh battery to keep the Galaxy S4 going all day.” That’s from our review of this battery case for the Samsung Galaxy S4. A battery case uses the phone’s built-in micro-USB port to connect to the case’s battery. It adds some bulk, but also adds battery life.

An External Battery

Get an external battery to extend the life of the phone. This works no matter which kind of phone a user carries, so long as it charges with a USB cable. We’ve tested a few of these, but the Satechi 10000 mAh Portable Energy Station gives us the best balance of power and cost. The battery sports a 10000mAh battery with two USB ports. Others offer more power, but this one comes at a great price. Get one at Amazon for about $57

This battery from limeade offers 18000mAh of power.

For people willing to spend more and need more, get the limeade 18000mAh battery at Amazon for $100. It will charge up to two USB devices. Similarly, NewTrent sells the PowerPack+ NT135T which includes a 1350mAh battery and two USB charging ports. They sell it for $70, making it a nice solution for those who want to save some money but need a little more juice than the Satechi 10000mAh battery. See their video below.

Each of these offer a 1amp and a 2amp USB port so users can charge phones like the GS4 while using it to listen to music, get GPS turn-by-turn navigation and offering other devices the personal hotspot connection to the Internet.

Galaxy Note 3 Slips as Samsung Hurries for Launch

The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 makes another appearance on the Samsung website just weeks ahead of the expected Galaxy note 3 launch event on September 4th at IFA 2013 in Germany.

While the overall design of the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 remains a closely guarded secret the Samsung Galaxy Note III or Samsung Galaxy Note 3 name is not.

Earlier this year a user agent on the Samsung Mobile website outed the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 with a UAProf for an expected Galaxy Note 3 model number, pointing to a 1080P HD display.

At this point, after telling fans to “Note the date.” on the Samsung Mobile Unpacked Episode 2 event invite, the Galaxy Note 3 is all but confirmed and on the way, but over the weekend the Galaxy Note 3 appeared online on Samsung once again.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 appears on the Samsung website as Samsung prepares for a swift release.

Android Central discovered numerous uses of the Samsung Galaxy Note III name inside an instruction manual for the Samsung SideSync software. This software is already showcased in some areas, but the Galaxy Note III name is noteworthy.

This document uses the Galaxy Note III name, which continues the Galaxy Note II tradition, but skips on a numeral like the Samsung Galaxy S4. Whatever Samsung officially calls the new Galaxy Note, we expect consumers will focus on the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 name, just as Galaxy Note 2 was adopted by users.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 is mentioned 13 times in the SideSync setup instructions.

As expected Samsung is preparing a number of documents and webpages for the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Note 3 launch and it looks like the Samsung SideSync software is going to be pre-installed in the Samsung Galaxy Note 3. This software allows users to put the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 display on a computer. The video below shows Samsung SideSync in action with a Samsung Galaxy S4.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 is expected to make an appearance on September 4th, possibly alongside a Samsung Gear Smartwatch. Well placed rumors point to a Samsung Galaxy Note 3 release date before the end of September in Germany, which could mean a late September or early October U.S. Samsung Galaxy Note 3 release date.

The latest details claim Samsung is working on Android 4.3 for the Note 3, which will very likely come with a TouchWiz overlay and numerous Samsung-only features like the eye-control and motion-control features on the Samsung Galaxy S4. Users can also expect a Galaxy Note 3 with a S Pen that should include special features as well. The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 will also likely feature a multi-window feature that lets users control multiple apps on-screen at once, a popular Galaxy Note 2 feature.

There is little known about the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 design, but the Galaxy Note 3 features are coming together with several leaks lining up in terms of what users can expect under the hood.

• 5.7-inch 1080P Display
• Samsung Exynos Octa 5 Processor or Snapdragon 800 Processor
• 3GB RAM
• 13 MP camera
• S Pen

The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 is reportedly on the way to AT&T, Sprint, Verizon and T-Mobile in the U.S.  AT&T will likely be one of the first carriers to delivery the Galaxy Note 3 to users, and Verizon could be on e of the last to offer the Galaxy Note 3 in the U.S.

How to Turn on Kids Corner on Windows Phone 8

Just as smartphones have become essential to productivity, for parents they’ve become essential to keeping kids occupied on long road trips and errands. Unfortunately, handing your child your Windows Phone could leave you vulnerable to whatever mistakes or changes they make to your device.

Thankfully, Windows Phone 8 enables an option called Kids Corner. With the option in enabled, parents can quickly rope their children’s mobile experience off into its own separate area complete with Start Screen and customization options.

Here’s how to turn on Kids Corner on Windows Phone 8 devices so that you can keep your children entertained and your information safe, all at the same time.

Open your Windows Phone’s Settings app.

Tap the Kids Corner option inside, underneath the System Settings.

Tap next to skip the explanation of Kids Corner.

Add the content that you would like to make available inside your Kids Corner Application. Tap to select each game, application, or album you wish to accessible from the Kids Corner. Then tapnext.

Tap Finish.

Your Windows Phone will immediately relock and show the Kids Corner area. On the lock screenswipe from right to left to trigger Kids Corner when your device is locked. You’ll need to enter the same PIN you’ve been using on your device if you’ve already enabled it.

The first time you or your child opens Kids Corner, they’ll be greeted by a small message reminding them to press the device’s power button to exit Kids Corner.

Kids Corner will now be filled with the apps and music that you decided to add to Kids Corner.

The Kids Corner can be customized for your child. Tap the Customize tile to add your child’s name, choose a picture for their Kids Corner lock screen or customize their Start Screen’s colors.

You’ve just enabled Kids Corner on your Windows Phone 8 device. For now on you can limit the access your children have to the applications and settings on your phone, while enabling them to watch their favorite videos and play their favorite games. You don’t need to follow these steps to activate Kids Corner every time. Instead just swipe from right to left on your device’s lock screen anytime.

iPhone 5S to Feature Protruding Sapphire Home Button Housing Fingerprint Sensorep

In a new report, it is believed that Apple will slightly alter the design of the iPhone 5S to feature a convex home button on the front panel, rather than the concave home button of previous iPhone models. The convex, or protruding, button will give Apple a bit more space to add a biometric fingerprint scanner, a feature that has been long rumored for the next generation flagship iOS smartphone.

Additionally, rather than the plastic home button part that’s being used on today’s iPhone, the iPhone 5S’s protruding convex home button will be made of sapphire glass, a material that will help the button be more resilient to scratches and cracks should the iPhone fall onto its face. This will help to protect the fingerprint sensor underneath.

This wouldn’t be the first time that Apple is using sapphire glass. The company created thecamera lens out of sapphire glass on the iPhone 5. The glass screen and rear glass housing components are still made with strengthened glass, likely Gorilla Glass from Corning.

News of the sapphire glass home button housing originates from KGI analyst Ming-Chi Kuo and was reported on AppleInsider.

Apple had acquired biometric security company AuthenTec and the fingerprint chips would likely come from that acquisition. Apple could potentially utilize the new biometric security to make a bigger push into the enterprise segment thanks to enhanced security while at the same time making cloud access–iCloud and iTunes access–more secure and convenient for consumers.Security has been a big focus of the company’s latest iOS 7 operating system, which will debut alongside the iPhone 5S.

The iPhone 5S and the rumored low cost iPhone 5C could debut as early as September 10according to the latest intelligence obtained by All Things D.

Hardware Problems Continue in New Nexus 7

While the new Nexus 7 is getting rave reviews for its new design and hardware improvements, it looks like Google and Asus still need to work out kinks with the new 2013 tablet. After we had reported about a GPS bug , it looks like there may be a glitch with the touchscreen.

We had previously reported of a highly sensitive touch panel as a potential dealbreaker for the Google tablet, but it now appears that the problem may be worse than we had originally believed.

On Google’s online product support forum, here’s what one user wrote about the touchscreen issue:

At first the keyboard seemed okay, though it would occasionally register double presses on the keyboard.  Now it has gotten progressively worse and the keyboard getting very erratic.  It is frequently registering double taps, and often ghost taps in areas not anywhere near where I’m touching on the keyboard.  It’s almost to the point where it is unusable.

A reboot seems to offer a temporary remedy for some users, though as many in the forum noted, the issue “gets progressively worse” as the device gets used over time.

The issue is also documented on support forums on XDA-Developers as well in several different threads.

Here’s what another user had noted about the tablet’s problematic touchscreen behavior, which may be a grounding issue.

My second nexus 7 only acts up if it’s laying on a non grounded surface (coffee table, couch etc). As soon as it’s in my hand it seems to work fine. I’m still not really satisfied with a partially messed up tablet.

Other users also note that when the tablet is plugged in, the touchscreen behavior returns to normal. While still other reports suggest that this may be a touchscreen issue unrelated to grounding:

I’ve tried gripping in both hands, from the bottom bezel, on the table and on the couch. Still, I see this behavior. It’s not constant, but it’s prevalent enough that I don’t know if I’m going to keep it.

Right now it’s unclear still if this is a software or hardware issue. If it’s a software issue, then Google could launch a fix to all units when the software update is available, but if it’s a hardware issue it would mean that users would either have to ship their units back for repair or swap out affected units for a new one.

Moving from last year’s Nexus 7 to the newly refreshed Nexus 7 hardware for 2013, Google and Asus had slimmed down the side bezels of the slate. It’s unclear if that design change is correlated with the glitchy touchscreen that’s being reported.

If it’s unapparent that your 2013 Nexus 7 tablet has a multitouch display issue, you can try to download an app to test the touchscreen. One such app is Yet Another Mulitouch Test through the Google Play Store.

Nexus 7 Flaws: 5 Potential Dealbreakers

While we love the new Nexus 7, we’ve got some complaints about it, including problems with apps and hardware issues.

As an owner of the original Nexus 7 and someone who loved the tablet, the new Nexus 7 couldn’t come soon enough. With high hopes for the new tablet, the old Nexus 7 found a new home with a friend who didn’t own a tablet. We waited expectantly for Google and ASUS to finally release the new Nexus 7. Our local Staples store started selling them a little earlyand we barely got our hands on one, buying the last 16GB model left in the store with no 32GB models available.

App Compatibility

HBO Go usually gets installed early on when we get a new phone or tablet. Not with the Nexus 7. The Google Play Store reports that the app won’t work because “Your device isn’t compatible with this version.” This happened with the first Nexus 7 too. Some apps just wouldn’t work because the app maker didn’t update in time for the launch. This could result from the Nexus 7 running Android 4.3. We expect a solution soon, just as we found with the original. A user at the XDA Developers Forum contacted HBO and got a response which said the update would come soon.

Tivo for Tablets originally didn’t support the device, but now installs fine, so most apps will likely receive updates to work soon.

Strangely, one incompatible app comes from none other than Google itself. The Google Wallet appwon’t work on the Nexus 7 and probably never will due to a lack of a “Secure Element.” Search the play store from the tablet and Wallet won’t even show up in the results. Here’s the word from Google’s Peter Hazlehurst commenting at Android Police.

Hi folks, there is no Secure Element in the new Nexus 7 (or the HTC One Play Edition) which is why Google Wallet isn’t supported.

Poor Quality Tablet Apps

Android developers made great strides in the past year tablet specific apps. However, we can’t find good apps in a few categories, like handwritten note-taking or inking apps. On iOS Notability ($1.99) does a great job with:

• fluid inking
• note organization
• note exporting and syncing
• typing and inking
• page layout with inserting photos
• zoom feature for fine inking

That last feature means the most to those who take notes in their own handwriting. Notability gives users a zoomed in box that lets them write in large print, but shows up on the page looking more like fine print written on a real paper tablet. The app shrinks the words and places them at the insertion point for precision inking.

Some Android apps give us a close facsimile to Notability, but nothing works as well on Android. Here’s a few apps, mostly free, with potential, but they’re frustratingly not close enough.

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• AntipaperNotes
• Handrite Pro – $3.99
• Note Anytime
• Papyrus

Papyrus offers fluid inking but no zoom feature.

Of those, Note Anytime (below) offers the best hope, but it’s still not good enough to replace Notability.

Note Anytime offers more Notability features than any other Android note taking app

Lack of LTE at Launch

We knew they’d leave out LTE at launch, but it still frustrates some users. The ability to jump online any time regardless of available Wi-Fi makes LTE tablets useful for mobile users.

Phone hotspots solve the problem, but they’re not as convenient, even with Android widgets that toggle the phone’s hotspot on and off. The iPhone hotspot feature doesn’t work as well since it forces the users to toggle it on/off every time from within Settings. iOS 7 promises to fix this, but it’s not proven and months away.

Hotspot drains the phone battery faster and could create a security risk.

An LTE version of the new Nexus 7 will come shortly, but impatient gadget freaks don’t like waiting. Apple had this problem with their first iPad, but the later versions dropped the same day as the Wi-Fi only models. Google needs to fix this with the next version.

Sensitivity of the Touch Screen

The display looks awesome on the new Nexus 7, but the touch screen’s sensitivity causes problems. Tapping and holding icons to drag them, like when a user wants to move an app icon, proves difficult. The screen is so sensitive that the finger must remain perfectly still. Any movement at all keeps the tap and hold feature from working.

Battery Life

The new Nexus 7 battery runs about as well as the old Nexus 7. We get about 8 hours with average to above average usage. On an iPad mini one can expect about 8 hours, so the Nexus 7 doesn’t run as long. We’re not too upset over an hour’s difference. Just keep it in mind if deciding between the two devices.

Not All Bad

While some people found the build quality suspect, we didn’t. It feels like a solid low-end tablet. We’ve played with other tablets that feel like they’d likely fall apart quicker than the Nexus 7. The original Nexus 7 held up well, so we’ve got high hopes. The iPad mini sat in a drawer for a few days while exclusively using the new Nexus 7. A full review will come later, but these were the few issues discovered early on.