What happens when you turn on airplane mode?
We’ve all heard the flight attendant’s request: “Please ensure your electronic devices are in airplane mode for departure.” You tap the icon, your cellular bars disappear, and you go about your flight. But have you ever wondered what’s actually happening under the hood?
At its core, airplane mode is a master kill-switch for your device’s radio transmitters. When you toggle it on, your phone instantly powers down the hardware responsible for communicating with the outside world. This includes your cellular radio (for calls, texts, and data), Wi-Fi, and often Bluetooth. While you can usually turn Wi-Fi and Bluetooth back on manually after the fact, the cellular connection remains strictly off.
Read moreWhy use a VPN (virtual private network)?
Many people have never heard of a virtual private network, more commonly known as a VPN. Some tech enthusiasts have heard about them, but don’t happen to be worried about government spying, and haven’t conceived any other uses for a VPN. Whether you are completely new to the concept or have been thinking about it for a while now, GettingThingsTech has some answers for you.
Read moreShare Wi-Fi from your hotel or college dorm: Connect your XBOX, PS4, Roku, or other devices to college/university or hotel Wi-Fi
Did you bring your Roku or Chromecast on your trip, only to find out you could not get it to connect to your hotel’s internet? Were you really excited to play some multi-player on your new XBOX or PS4 at college, but you can’t get it to recognize your dorm’s wi-fi?
You may be able to create a wi-fi hotspot of your own to share that internet with your devices.
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