How to Use the Yo. App

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A simple guide to using Yeoman generator

Yeoman generates complete projects for a given set of client tools. Yeoman is an open-source tool that works like a Visual Studio project template. The Yeoman command-line tool yo works alongside a Yeoman generator. Generators define the technologies that go into a project.

Step 1: Download and install NodeJs

Download and run the nodejs installer here then reboot your pc.

Step 2: Install Yeoman

• Yeoman: npm install -g yo
• Bower npm install -g bower
• Install: npm install -g generator-aspnet

Step 1: Create a directory for your projects

Step 2: Run the ASP.NET generator for yo

• yo aspnet

This command shows a wizard for generating a new ASP.NET Core app for more options type yo aspnet –help

Select the template you want to generate

• Empty Web Application
• Empty Web Application (F#)
• Console Application
• Console Application (F#)
• Web Application
• Web Application Basic [without Membership and Authorization]
• Web Application Basic [without Membership and Authorization] (F#)
• Web API Application
• Web API Application (F#)
• Nancy ASP.NET Application
• Class Library
• Class Library (F#)
• MSTest Test project (MSTest)
• xUnit Test project (xUnit.net)
• Unit Test project (MSTest) (F#)
• xUnit Test project (xUnit.net) (F#)

Step 3: Restore, build, and run

Follow the sug g ested commands by changing directories to your new project directory, then run dotnet restore .

Step 4: Build and run the app

Step 5: Open your application in the browser

At this point you can navigate to the URL shown to test the newly created ASP.NET Core app.

You can add new generated files using Yeoman even after the project is created. Use sub generators to add any of the file types that make up your project. For example, to add a new class to your project, enter the yo aspnet:Class command followed by the name of the class. Execute the following command from the directory in which the file should be created:

@benjedwards
September 21, 2020, 12:56pm EDT

If you’re tired of seeing the same old app icons on your iPhone or iPad home screen, you can customize their look by creating new ones and “replacing” them. The trick is possible using Apple’s Shortcuts app, which allows you to use any image as an icon.

How Does it Work?

Currently, it’s not possible to truly replace an app’s icon on an iPhone or iPad. Instead, you can achieve a similar result by using the Shortcuts app. We’ll be creating a custom shortcut that opens an app and then using a custom image as its icon on the home screen.

This technique has been possible since the introduction of Shortcuts in iOS 12, but it became popular following the release of iOS 14, which allows you to officially hide home screen icons in your App Library.

iPhone owners running iOS 12 or iOS 13—or iPad owners with iPadOS 12 or 13—can do this same trick and place the original icons they don’t want to see in folders to tuck them out of the way.

Preparing a Replacement Icon Image

Before we begin, you’ll need to decide which app icon you’re replacing, and you’ll need to locate or create the image you’d like to replace it with.

The ideal replacement icon will be a perfectly square image of about 512 x 512 pixels in size, although you’ll have the opportunity to crop any image to a square shape in the steps ahead. For this example, we’ve created a simple purple mail icon in an image editor by using a simple envelope outline.

For your custom icon, you can use any image or photo you’d like as long as it’s in your device’s photo library. Try searching Google for custom icon designs and saving them, or you can draw your own icon and transfer it to your iPhone or iPad using AirDrop.

“Replace” iPhone and iPad App Icons With Custom Designs

First, open the “Shortcuts” app. If you don’t see it on your home screen, swipe downward with one finger in the middle of your screen to open Spotlight search. Type “shortcuts” into the search bar that appears and then tap the “Shortcuts” icon.

In the Shortcuts app, if you see the “Shortcuts” overview screen, tap the “My Shortcuts” tab and then select “All Shortcuts.”

On the “All Shortcuts” page, tap the “+” button.

Next, you’ll see a “New Shortcut” page where you add the steps to the automation, sort of like a computer program. We’re going to add a single step that opens an app. Tap the “Add Action” button.

When the actions panel appears, choose the “Scripting” option.

In the “Scripting” panel, select “Open App.”

Back on the new shortcut page, locate the box for the “Open App” action. Tap “Choose.”

In the “Choose App” panel that appears, select the search bar and type the name of the app you’d like to launch when you tap your custom icon. Then tap the app’s name in the results list. You can choose any app on your iPhone or iPad.

Next, tap the three-dot menu button in the top-right corner. On an iPad, these dots are at the very top-center of the screen beside the “New Shortcut” name.

A “Details” panel will appear. First, tap “Shortcut Name” and name the shortcut anything you’d like, so it will be labeled properly in the Shortcuts app. Then tap “Add to Home Screen.”

In the panel that pops up, locate the “Home Screen Name and Icon” section. Select the placeholder icon to the left of “New Shortcut.”

In the context menu that pops up, select “Choose Photo.”

Using the photo selection panel that appears, locate and choose the photo in your library you’d like to use as your new custom app icon. After you select it, you’ll have a chance to crop it to fit the square ratio of a standard app icon.

After that, tap the “New Shortcut” name. Enter the label you’d like to use for the icon on your home screen. Ideally, this will be the name of the app icon you’re replacing, such as “Safari” or “Mail.”

Finally, tap the “Add” button and your shortcut will be added to your home screen.

Once the custom icon is on your home screen, you can move the app icon wherever you like, including the Dock. To run the app, tap the shortcut icon you just created.

If you’d like to hide the original app icon (and you’re running iOS 14 or later), enter Jiggle mode by pressing and holding a blank area of your home screen and then move the icon to your App Library.

If you’re running iOS 12 or iOS 13, or using an iPad (which does not have an App Library), you can “hide” the original app icon by moving it to a folder that you can place on a different screen.

The only downside of this technique is that when launching an app through your shortcut, you first make a quick detour through the Shortcuts app before the actual app appears. At the moment, this is a necessary drawback, but the behavior may change in a future update. Have fun customizing your device!

In this tutorial we will walk through creating your very first Microsoft Teams app using the Microsoft Teams Yeoman generator. It assumes that you have enabled side-loading of Microsoft Teams apps.

Setup and prepare your machine

You need to install the following on your machine before starting to use the Teams Generator.

Install Node

You need to have NodeJS installed on your machine. You should use the latest LTS version.

Install a code editor

You also need a code editor, feel free to use whatever text editor you prefer. However most of this documentation and screenshots refer to using Visual Studio Code.

Install Yeoman and Gulp CLI

To be able to scaffold projects using the Teams generator you need to install the Yeoman tool as well as the Gulp CLI task manager.

Open up a command prompt and type the following:

Install the Microsoft Teams Apps generator – Yo Teams

The Yeoman generator for Microsoft Teams apps are installed with the following command:

Install preview versions

If you want to install preview versions of the Teams generator with this command:

Generate your project

Open up a command prompt and create a new directory where you want to create your project and in that directory type the command yo teams . This will start the Teams Apps generator and you will be asked a set of questions.

The first question is about your project name, you can leave it as is by pressing enter. Next question asks you if you want to create a new directory or use the current one. As we already are in the directory we want, we just press enter.

The following step asks for a title of your project, this title will be used in the manifest and description of your app. And then you will be asked for a company name, which also will be used in the manifest.

The fifth question asks you about what version of the manifest you want to use. For this tutorial select v1.5 , which is the current general available schema.

After this the generator will ask you for what items you want to add to your project. You can select a single one or any combination of items. For now, just select a Tab.

Based on what items you select, you will be asked a set of follow-up questions.

Now you need to enter a URL of where you will host your solution. This can be any URL, but by default the generator suggests an Azure Web Sites URL.

The generator has a lot of built-in advanced features that you can opt-in or opt-out of. Following the URL question you will be asked if you want to include unit-testing for your solution, default is yes. If you choose this the generated project will have a unit testing framework and some default unit tests for the different items being scaffolded. For this tutorial choose not to include a test framework.

In order to make logging easy for you, you will also be asked if you want to use Azure Application Insights for logging. If you choose Yes, you will need to provide a Azure Application Insights key. For this tutorial opt-out of using Application Insights.

The next set of questions will be based on your selection of items previously. For a tab you only need to provide a name and optionally choose if you want to be able to use this app as a SharePoint Online web part. Once you have provided this name the generator will generate the project and install all dependencies. This will take a minute or two.

Add some code to your tab

Once the generator is done you can open up the solution in your favorite code editor. Take a minute or two and familiarize yourself with how the code is organized – you can read more about that in the Project Structure documentation.

Your Tab will be located in the ./src/app/scripts/myFirstAppTab/MyFirstAppTab.tsx file. This is the TypeScript React based class for your Tab. Locate the render() method and add a line of code inside the

control so it looks like this:

Save the file and return to the command prompt.

Build your app

You can now build your project. This is done in two steps (or one step, see below).

First you need to create the Teams App manifest file, that you upload/sideload into Microsoft Teams. This is done by the Gulp task gulp manifest . This will validate the manifest and create a zip file in the ./package directory.

To build your solution you use the gulp build command. This will transpile your solution into the ./dist folder.

Run your app

To run your app you use the gulp serve command. This will build and start a local web server for you to test your app. The command will also rebuild the application whenever you save a file in your project.

You should now be able to browse to to ensure that your tab is rendering. However, not in Microsoft Teams yet.

Run your app in Microsoft Teams

Microsoft Teams does not allow you to have your app hosted on localhost, so you need to either publish it to a public URL or use a proxy such as ngrok.

Good news is that the scaffolded project has this built-in. When you run gulp ngrok-serve the ngrok service will be started in the background, with a unique and public DNS entry and it will also package the manifest with that unique URL and then do the exact same thing as gulp serve .

After running gulp ngrok-serve , create a new Microsoft Teams team and when it is created click on the Team name, to go to the teams settings and then select Apps. In the lower right corner you should see a link Upload a custom app, select it and then browse to your project folder and the subfolder called package . Select the zip file in that folder and choose open. Your App is now sideloaded into Microsoft Teams.

Go back to the General channel and select + to add a new Tab. You should see your tab in the list of tabs.

Choose your tab and follow the instructions to add it. Notice that you have a custom configuration dialog, for which you can edit the source. Select Save to add your tab to the channel. Once done your tab should be loaded inside Microsoft Teams!

Congrats! You built and deployed your first Microsoft Teams App

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To revist this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories.

Bloatware doesn’t sound pleasant, but it’s a fairly mild condition: It’s those apps that come preinstalled on your smartphone that you definitely didn’t ask for and probably don’t want. They’re often used by manufacturers to push their own apps and services on top of (or instead of) what the smartphone offers by default.

The term was originally used to refer to Windows computers, which could come with a long list of third-party utilities and software suites on top of Windows itself, depending on who you bought the computer from. The situation has improved in recent years, but even today you can open up a brand-new Windows laptop and find yourself running trial versions of a half-dozen different apps, utilities, antivirus, and office tools.

While the vast majority of bloatware won’t actually do anything harmful, these unwanted apps take up storage space and system resources that could be used by apps that you actually do want to use. They can also be confusing, leaving you with multiple apps on your phone that all do the same job.

From a security and privacy standpoint, it’s a good idea to remove bloatware apps that you’re not using. How you go about this will depend on the phone you’re using.

Bloatware is a much more common problem on Android phones because there are so many more phonemakers putting out Android devices. In some cases, you can find yourself with a dozen apps or more that you don’t really want or need (though the manufacturers themselves will be keen for you to give them a try).

To get rid of any app from your Android phone, bloatware or otherwise, open up Settings and choose Apps and notifications, then See all apps. If you’re sure you can do without something, select the app then choose Uninstall to have it removed.

In some cases, you won’t be able to completely remove an app because of the way the manufacturer has integrated it into its own version of Android. If this is the case, look for an option labeled Disable instead of Uninstall—this will at least prevent the app from running, using up vital system resources, and getting in your way.

Apps can be removed or disabled from Settings.

David Nield via Google

The process may differ slightly depending on the make and model of your phone and the version of Android that you’re running, but if you head to the main Settings app you should be able to remove or disable apps easily enough, leaving you with a phone that’s a little less weighed down by unwanted junk.

As we’ve said, some Android phone makers will preinstall apps that can’t be removed through the usual method. If you want to completely remove apps rather than disabling them, or you come across bloatware that can’t even be disabled, then a couple of more advanced and involved options are open to you.

The first is to install the Android Studio developer tool on a Windows or macOS computer—you’ll find the downloads on this page. Your phone also needs to be put into developer mode, which you can do by going to About Phone in Settings and tapping Build Number seven times: This will reveal a new Developer Options menu in the System section of Settings, in which you need to enable USB debugging. (There’s no harm in doing this, but it does open up a number of new options you should take care using, if you experiment with them.)

You’re now ready to connect your phone up to your computer via USB and get to work. Once the connection is physically in place, you need to open a PowerShell (Windows) or Terminal (macOS) window from the Android Studio folder where the Android Debug Bridge (ADB) is installed—on Windows you would head to C: Users AppData Local Android Sdk platform-tools (where ” ” is your Windows user account name), Shift+right-click inside the folder and choose Open PowerShell window here.

With the PowerShell or terminal window open, run the command “.adb devices” to initiate the link and then “adb shell” to get control of the connected Android device (on a Mac you don’t need the preceding “.”). The final command you need is “pm uninstall -k –user 0 “, with ” the package name of the app you want to get rid of: You can use the free App Inspector on your phone to find these package names.

You can remove more apps via Android Studio on a computer.

David Nield via Microsoft

That’s a brief, whistle-stop tour of what is quite a complicated and technical process. If you’re serious enough about removing bloatware in this way, we’d recommend researching details for your particular phone model and reading more about ADB first, as well as consulting the excellent XDA Developers guide to the process (you might also find guides customized to your specific phone).

The second way to comprehensively pull out bloatware is to root your phone. As with ADB, this requires a little bit of technical know-how, but it’ll also void your handset’s warranty and introduce a (small) risk of bricking your device. It’s a lot of trouble to go to to remove some unwanted apps, but the option is there if you need it.

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To revist this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories.

It’s been more than three years since the lip-syncing app Musical.ly, now known as TikTok, first became popular among tweens and teens. The social network has since spread far beyond Generation Z: TikTok has been downloaded over 1 billion times, including 96 million in the United States, according to estimates from the research firm Sensor Tower. It’s also owned by the Chinese company Bytedance, now considered one of the most valuable startups in the world. The app itself revolves around sharing 15-second videoclips, which are set to music often licensed from artists and record labels.

TikTok is now beloved not only by lip-syncing 14-year-olds, but also by comedians, athletes, and, yes, brands. Major corporations like Coca-Cola, Nike, ABC, and Google have run advertising campaigns on TikTok. Even Khloé Kardashian has been paid to post sponsored content on the platform. But the app isn’t just home to ads: TikTok is also ground zero for some of the internet’s most popular memes.

You can be forgiven if you feel like you don’t understand TikTok. The app is fast-paced and chaotic, combining elements of Spotify, Snapchat, Vine, and Twitch into a single social network. Here’s what you need to know to get started, from TikTok “Challenges” to Coins and Original sounds.

The first thing you’ll need is a pair of headphones. There’s just no way to enjoy TikTok with the sound off. After you download the app, you can immediately start browsing videos. But in order to post any yourself, you’ll need to sign up for an account.

You can make an account using your email, your phone number, or a third-party platform like Facebook. The app automatically assigns you a username. If you sign up for TikTok with your phone number, the app will generate a generic username such as user1234567. Using an email address generates a more personalized ID (although that may present a privacy issue for users).

To change your username, tap the icon in the right bottom corner that looks like a person’s upper body. Then hit Edit Profile. Here, you can change it to something more unique, as well as add a bio, picture, and Profile Video.

By default, TikTok accounts are public, meaning anyone can see your profile and view the videos you post. To adjust these privacy settings, tap the three dots in the top right corner of your profile.

Now that your profile is ready to go, it’s time to watch some TikToks. The app is divided into two main feeds. The default is For You, an algorithmically generated stream of videos akin to Instagram’s Explore page. Swipe left and you’ll find the other, Following, which features uploads from people you choose to follow. TikTok is like a never-ending variety show; it’s pure entertainment. Follow creators who make you laugh, like @k.chh, who posts hilarious skits, or opt instead for adorable accounts like @cute_puppies12, which posts the tiniest dogs I’ve ever seen.

You’ll notice to the right of every TikTok video a series of icons. The first will take you to the profile of the user who posted it. Then there’s a heart, which functions just like hearts, or likes, on Instagram. Next are comments, then a right-pointing arrow for sharing individual TikToks to other platforms. Click the arrow if you want to copy the link to a specific TikTok, for example, to share it on iMessage. (One note for left-handers: You might find TikTok hard to use, at least at first, since it’s often right-oriented.)

The very last icon is a spinning record with music notes emanating from it. This represents the song excerpt the user is playing in their TikTok. Click on it to see the track’s name and artist, as well as a feed of other TikToks that also feature it. For instance, “Fake ID” by Riton and Kah-Lo—a particu­larly popular track on TikTok—has been featured in over 1.4 million videos, which are shown on the song’s page. These clips are likely not the full extent of “Fake ID” TikToks on the platform, but more on that a little later.

Don’t want to see a certain kind of TikTok in your feed? Hard press on the video to reveal a Not Interested button.

Ready to share your own TikTok? First, tap the plus sign at the bottom of the screen. The camera will open, revealing a red record button reminiscent of Snapchat. Before you start recording, you can add a song, so that your lip-sync, dance, or skit is in time with the music. If you want to film something in the moment, you can skip ahead and start recording without a musical track, then add the music later.

Like Snapchat, TikTok has an array of AR effects that can be used in videos, which do things like change the color of your hair or eyes. Tap Effects on the left-hand side to browse them. The World tab includes options meant for the environment, such as a delicious-looking slice of augmented-reality pizza. There are even special effects designed to be used on dogs and cats.

On the right side of the recording screen is a Beauty button, which subtly erases the dark shadows under your eyes. Below it is the filters menu. Unlike Instagram, whose filters have now-iconic names like Mayfair and Valencia, TikTok’s are simply numbered. The last and most important feature here is the timer, which lets users film videos without continuously holding down the record button. It’s what makes TikTok’s signature dancing videos possible.

TikToks can be up to 15 seconds long, but users can also connect multiple clips together for up to 60 seconds of total recording. You can also upload longer videos that have been recorded outside the app itself.

Once you master regular TikToks, try experimenting with duets, which split the screen in half and let you sing the same song as another creator. To make a duet, tap the share button on the original video, and then hit Duet.

Music is at the heart of TikTok; picking a popular song can be the primary reason a video goes viral. Here’s how to choose one. First, tap Add a Sound on the right side of the recording screen. A Spotify-esque streaming menu of artists and records will appear. Here, you can browse the most popular tracks on the platform, as well as check out songs from Apple Music.

There aren’t full-length songs on TikTok; the platform is dominated by short clips, which can’t be edited. In other words, if you dream of doing the floss to a particular portion of your favorite song, you may be out of luck. But there’s a way around this problem. Many TikTok users simply play a song from another device—such as a computer or stereo—while they’re recording. TikTok will then register the track as an “Original sound,” which other users can then add to their own videos. A word of caution: Using this loophole may result in copyright violations.

On this same music streaming menu are the songs associated with TikTok #Challenges. Challenges are what unite the TikTok community, and they’re often sponsored by advertisers. Right now, for instance, ABC is running the #LikeAnAmericanIdol challenge on TikTok, which invites you to “show off your amazing voice!” (So far, 25.3 million videos have been created featuring the hashtag.) Google recently ran a similar challenge campaign with the hashtag #HeyGoogleHelp.

An average PC comes with two graphics cards. The first, the default one, is called the ‘On-board’ graphics card and it’s usually an Intel chip. The second one is the ‘Dedicated’ graphics card and Nvidia and AMD are the best ones available.

A dedicated graphics card is normally found on gaming PCs but it’s not uncommon to find a lower-end GPU on a non-gaming rig.

Do I use my dedicated graphics card?

When an application’s requirements exceed the capabilities of the on-board graphics card, your system switches to the dedicated GPU. This happens mostly when you play games. You can however force an app to use the dedicated GPU. Here’s how.

As mentioned earlier, there are two major GPU manufacturers that dominate the market; Nvidia, and AMD. We’re going to show you how you can force an app to use the dedicated GPU from both manufacturers.

Windows 10 Settings

You must be running Windows 10 1809 or later for this to work. It doesn’t matter which GPU you have because this will work for both.

1. Open the Settings app and go to the System group of settings.
2. Select the Display tab and scroll down.
3. Click the ‘Graphic Settings‘ option.
4. On the Graphics Settings screen, open the ‘Choose an app to set preference‘ dropdown.
5. Select the type of app you want to set the GPU use for; Classic app for desktop apps, and Universal app for UWP or Store apps.

Once selected, click the Browse button and select the app. Click the ‘Options‘ button under the app once it has been added.

In the window that opens, select ‘High Performance‘ and click ‘Save‘.

Force App To Use NVIDIA Graphics Card

It’s worth mentioning that NVIDIA uses Optimus Technology. Whenever it detects that an app needs additional, more powerful resources, the dedicated GPU kicks in. That said, you can still force an app to use the dedicated GPU.

With NVIDIA, it’s really easy

Open the NVIDIA control panel. Right-click on an empty area on your desktop and select the ‘NVIDIA Control Panel‘ option from the context menu.

Go to the Desktop menu and enable the ‘Add “Run with graphics processor” to Context Menu‘ option.

Return to your desktop. Right-click the app you want to force to use the dedicated GPU. The right-click context menu will have a ‘Run with graphics processor’ option. Select ‘High-performance NVIDIA processor’ from the sub-options and the app will run using your dedicated GPU.

Force App To Use AMD Graphics Card

You can force an app to use your AMD graphics card but it isn’t as easy, or as accessible as the NVIDIA option.

With AMD, you can select which apps will use the dedicated graphics card. You don’t have an option in the context menu. Instead, you add apps to the AMD Catalyst Control Center.

Open the AMD Catalyst Control Center app by right-clicking on an empty area on your desktop.

1. Select ‘Catalyst Control Center‘ from the context menu.
2. From the list of panels on the left, select ‘Power‘.
3. Under ‘Power’, select ‘Switchable application graphics settings‘.

Here you will see a list of apps that AMD already recognizes as needing better GPU support. On this panel is an ‘Add Application’ button.

Click it and select the EXE of the app you want to force to use the AMD graphics card.

After you add the application, open the dropdown next to it for setting graphics options. Select ‘High performance’ and you’re done. The app will always use AMD graphics card.

We should mention that some options may differ depending on your driver version and the GPU model you have. These solutions will still work but the options may be found under a different menu.

Windows UWP Apps – NVIDA GPU

Unfortunately, this doesn’t work for Windows UWP apps. That doesn’t mean you can’t force them to use the dedicated GPU, just that the process is different for an NVIDIA GPU.

Open the NVIDIA control panel and go to 3D Settings>Manage 3D Settings.

Select the Program Settings tab and click the ‘Add’ button. Browse for the Windows UWP app you want to run with the dedicated GPU, and add it.

From the ‘Select the preferred graphics processor for this program’ dropdown, select your GPU.

Parting words

For those of you who’d like to see everything that’s been said above, but in a video, check out our tutorial below.

It makes more sense than ever to put some Android apps on you laptop. As well as giving you access to apps that have no desktop or web equivalent (like Snapchat ), it’s great for playing games on the big screen—we got Alto’s Adventure up and running on the Pixelbook with no problems, and plenty of other games would benefit from the extra screen space too.

It’s also a boon for apps that can make proper use of a keyboard, like Word or Evernote , dramatically improving your typing rate. Or forapps that benefit from the extra precision of a mouse and trackpad—think SketchBook or Adobe Photoshop Sketch . Any app that’s ever frustrated you on a smaller screen can work well on a laptop or desktop.

Most of these apps are perfectly happy running on multiple Android devices too, so all your stuff gets synced over fairly effortlessly once you’ve signed in with your Google account. There are exceptions, like WhatsApp—which really needs a phone attached to work—but most apps will be fine with having your laptop registered as another device.

Whatever app you choose, there are a growing number of ways to get them on your laptop.

On Windows and macOS

Bluestacks for Windows has long been one of the best Android emulators out there for desktops and laptops, and is still one of the top choices. It’s focused primarily on gaming, but you can use it to run any kind of Android app you like. A macOS version does exist, but it seems to have been discontinued, so your experience with it will vary.

With the software downloaded and installed, you can browse through games on the Google Play Store straight from the opening splash screen or via the System app folder under the My apps heading on the left. For anything you can’t find, you need to click Home then Install APK and point Bluestacks towards a file you’ve downloaded from a repository like APK Mirror .

The application emulates a Galaxy Note 3 tablet running Android Lollipop, which is now four years old, so anything that won’t work on that device is going to struggle here too: We got Spotify running, for example, but couldn’t get Instagram to function. You certainly can’t fault the app in terms of ease-of-use and layout, with all your apps neatly laid out and new ones just a click away.

Bluestacks comes with a bunch of useful features too, like a full-screen mode, keyboard control support (where available), an integrated screenshot tool, and the ability to set your location manually (just so Android doesn’t get confused about where you are). It’s the slickest emulator experience on Windows, certainly as far as games go.

NoxPlayer for both Windows and macOS matches Bluestacks pretty much feature for feature, but is even faster and more intuitive to use. Again, you get full access to the Google Play Store so you’re not reliant on loading in APKs from third-party sources. The interface is slick and easy on the eye, and we had no problems getting the emulator up and running.

When you’ve opened the software, just head to the Play Store app in the Google folder and pick the apps you want to use: This time we could run pretty much everything we tried, including Instagram , so if you want a little floating Instagram window on the side of your desktop, NoxPlayer fits the bill.

Like Bluestacks, you get plenty of handy features for managing Android apps on a computer, like options for tweaking mouse and keyboard input commands, a built-in screenshot tool, and a full-screen mode. You can even transfer files between your computer and your virtual Android device, as well as run multiple instances of Android apps if you need to (for different user accounts, maybe), which Bluestacks can do as well.

You’re still on an older version of (virtual) Android (Lollipop) but you should find most of your favorite Android apps working in the Nox Player. Click the cog icon (top right) to set the application options, including the graphics rendering mode, how much of your system resources it can use up, and the default resolution.

On Chromebooks

Android app support is now rapidly improving on Chromebooks, and you can check out the current list of Chrome OS machines that can run apps from the Play Store here . To give you an idea of how well Chromebooks currently run Android apps, we’ll detail the process as it stands on a Google Pixelbook .

The Google Play Store appears just like one of your Chrome OS apps, and because you’re already signed into your Google account on the Chromebook, you can jump straight into the apps—browsing and installing them works just as it does on any Android smartphone.

One annoying result of this integration is that clicking on an app link on the web fires up the Play Store app rather than opening the Play Store site, and that’s not always going to be the behavior you want (you can get around this with an incognito window, but it’s still not ideal).

Despite a few imperfections and glitches, the experience of running Android apps on Chrome OS now feels much more polished than it used to be. You can drag around individual windows, minimize them to the app shelf, and even make them full-screen (though apps that haven’t been optimized for tablet use might struggle with this).

It’s getting rarer and rarer to find Android apps that won’t work on Chromebooks, although occasionally glitches can happen. Apps update automatically in the background, just as they would on any other Android device, and on most Chromebooks you now have the choice of touchscreen or even stylus input as well as using your keyboard and trackpad (which can be clunky depending on the app).

The Facebook app for iPhone is organized much like the Mobile Home page for Facebook. When you tap the top-left corner (represented by the three horizontal bars) of the screen, you see the drop-down menu to access the different parts of Facebook.

The different parts of Facebook you can access from this menu include the following:

Search: At the top of the menu is a blank Search box. Type the name of any person, object, or thing you’re looking for, and Facebook will attempt to autocomplete as you type. Tap the correct result when it comes up.

: This menu option takes you to your own Timeline. In general, Timelines are organized into the same format as Timelines on the regular site, with a few stylistic changes to make sure all the information can fit on the screen. Use the Write Post or Share Photo buttons located below your profile picture to add something to your Timeline.

News Feed: News Feed is the same News Feed you see on your computer screen, a constantly updating list of what your friends are up to at this moment. You can comment on and like posts from News Feed, as well as use the Status, Photo, or Check In buttons at the top of the page to add your own status update or mobile upload.

Messages: This is where you access your Messages Inbox. From here, you can compose a new message, delete a message, or reply to one. The number of unread messages is listed to the right of this option.

Events: This lets you view any events you’ve RSVPed to. This is incredibly useful when it turns out neither you nor your significant other remembers the exact street address of the dinner you’re going to.

Nearby (or Local Search): An extension of Facebook Places that lets you use your phone’s GPS check-in and share where you are with your friends. If you see a number next to Nearby, it’s the number of friends who have checked in close to you recently.

Pages: This option takes you directly to any pages on Facebook that you admin or manage.

Groups: This lets you interact with any groups you are a part of. This way, you don’t miss out on discussions when you’re out and about.

Apps: This brings you to your own Facebook apps, like Photos, Notes, and anything you installed on your Facebook account that will work on a mobile device.

Friends: The Friends section of the iPhone app should resemble your phone’s contact list. You can scroll through your friends from A to Z or search for them from the Search box at the top of the list.

The final section of the menu contains the settings and maintenance links you’ve grown to love. From here, change your account or privacy settings, reach the Help Center, or log out of your account.

To update your status from the iPhone, follow these steps:

Open the Facebook app.

Your News Feed appears. Three buttons are at the very top of News Feed: Status, Photo, and Check In.

This expands a large text box.

Type your status.

(Optional) Tap the person icon and/or the pin icon to add tagging and location information to your status.

(Optional) Tap the Privacy menu (represented by any of the privacy icons — the gear icon represents custom privacy) to choose who can see this status update.

You can choose from the usual options (Public, Friends, Friends Except Acquaintances, Only Me) as well as choose from any Friend Lists you’ve created.

Tap Post in the upper-right corner.

The post is added to your Timeline and your friends’ News Feeds.

Given how great an iPhone camera is, chances are you may want to add a photo to Facebook. Here’s how to do that:

Open the Facebook app.

Your News Feed appears. Three buttons are at the very top of News Feed: Status, Photo, and Check In.

You may be prompted to grant the app permission to access your photos. After this happens, you’re taken to your phone’s photo library. Choose a photo from the library or tap the camera icon at the bottom-left of the screen to take a new photo.

From your library, tap the photo or photos you want to upload. For each open photo, tap the gray check mark in a circle in the upper-right corner of the screen. The check mark turns green, and the photo is added to the Create a Post queue at the bottom-right of the screen.

Tap the Create a Post button (pencil in a box) in the bottom-right corner of the screen.

If more than one photo is in the queue, all the photos will appear in the post.

Write a caption to go along with the photo.

Type your caption into the Write Something text box that appears.

(Optional) Tap the person icon and/or the pin icon to add tagging and location information to your photo.

(Optional) Select which photo album you’d like the photo to be added to.

Tap the square-within-a-square icon to the right of the camera icon to add this photo to a specific photo album. If you don’t choose an album, the photo will automatically be added to your Mobile Uploads album.

(Optional) Tap the Privacy menu to choose who can see this post.

You can choose from the usual options (Public, Friends, Friends Except Acquaintances, Only Me) as well as choose from any Friend Lists you’ve created.

Tap Post in the upper-right corner.

The post is added to your Timeline and your friends’ News Feeds.

Bungie You’ve already beaten the Destiny 2 campaign, you’ve made a name for yourself in the Crucible, and you’ve beaten every strike a dozen times, but you might not be getting the most out of the game yet. While the game itself allows you to do plenty of micromanaging, the official Destiny Companion app lets you plan your next run when you’re away from your console. Once installed, the app allows you to keep up with game updates and use various chat features to better coordinate with your fireteam, among other things. Here’s what you need to know to get started.

Connect your account to the app

Once you’ve downloaded the official companion app for either iOS or Android — we’ll be using the iOS app in this guide — you’ll need to connect one of three accounts. First, open the app, tap the head icon in the upper-right corner, and sign in with your PlayStation Network, Xbox Live, or Battle.net credentials. Sign in with whatever platform you’re using to play Destiny 2, and all of your Destiny 2 information will automatically load into the app, including your Guardian’s power level, gear, and clan status.

Explore

The homepage for the companion app is called “Explore” — it’s marked with a globe icon on the far-left of the bottom menu. This section shows trending posts from Bungie, including the latest news on the game, fan creations, update information, and perhaps most importantly, the Destiny 2 forums.

If you click “communities” and select Destiny 2’s forums, you’ll be greeted with a list of the most popular posts, which discuss strategies for the game as well as various milestones, such as the recent completion of the “Leviathan” raid. If you want to reply to any individual forum post, just hit the arrow at the bottom and type directly in the app. You can also tap the “up” arrow at the bottom of a post to save it in your “favorites” tab, so you never have to search for it again.

You can even write your own forum posts from within the app by clicking the pencil icon in the upper-right corner. If you’re looking for help or want to give feedback to Bungie, head back to the “communities” section and you’ll find two options, labeled “feedback forum” and “help forum.”

Clan

Why wait until you get in front of your console or your computer to chat with fellow clan members? Hit the banner icon — located second from the left in the bottom menu — to head to the “clan chat” section of the app. Here, you can quickly send messages to your group asking them to take part in a mission, or let them know your schedule for the upcoming week. This section of the app also shows your clan’s progression toward weekly clan goals, which can give you additional glimmer and other benefits.

From the clan section, tap your emblem in the upper-left corner and you’ll see a few different options. “Season 1” will give you a detailed breakdown of your progression toward clan reward Engrams, as well as how much you’ve individually contributed to the clan in a given week. The “roster” tab will give you a breakdown of every member of your clan. There’s also a forum section specifically for the clan, so your group chat doesn’t get too messy.

Lastly, if you’re the clan leader, you can use the Destiny 2 companion app to customize your clan’s banner. This is actually easier than doing it on a computer, and you can choose various colors and symbols to make your clan stand out from the pack. Check out our guide on how to make a clan in Destiny 2 for all the details.

Milestones

The middle icon — aka, the spinning arrow — in the bottom menu will take you to a section called “milestones.” This gives you some of the same information you’d find if you were to pull up your milestones while in the director map in Destiny 2, including the progress you’ve made in patrol challenges, the Crucible, and the main story. Your Guardian’s power level is also visible at the top of this page. If you click on it, you’ll have the option to switch to any other character you’ve made in the game, allowing you to see their milestones instead.

Character customization

Think you have to wait until you’re actually playing Destiny 2 to switch out your weapons and armor? Think again. You can do this entirely in the app. The second option from the right in the bottom menu will take you to the character customization screen, which shows all the weapons and armor you currently have in your inventory, as well as the current sub-class you have equipped for your Guardian. Simply select any of these options and you’ll be able to equip them — provided you’re the required level — or click “details” to get a full breakdown on the statistics and mods of each piece of gear.

You can even click “3D” in the upper right of each item’s details page to view a moveable model, which you can zoom in on and inspect.

Recruitment

Looking to team up for a strike or a Crucible match as soon as you get home? Choose the “recruitment” option in the far right of the bottom menu, and you’ll be able to create a recruitment fireteam for any content in the game — and even content in the original Destiny. Just choose your platform and hit “create recruitment fireteam” to get started, or if you prefer to join someone else’s team, choose from the various missions and scroll down to find the group you’d like to join.

Next to the name of the mission, you’ll see how many spots are still available. If you click on one, you can immediately join the open fireteam (no invitation required).

Bonus: Stickers!

If you’re using iOS, you can also use the Destiny 2 companion app to send all sorts of stickers to your friends in iMessage. Just pull up the stickers section of iMessage when you’re chatting with someone and click the App Store icon. At the top of the screen, you’ll see this section labeled “manage.”

From here, just turn on the Destiny 2 app and you’ll be ready to send Guardians and Ghosts to all your friends! Just don’t overdo it, or they might not talk to you again.