Ben PattersonSenior Writer, PCWorld
Ben has been writing about technology and consumer electronics for more than 20 years. A PCWorld contributor since 2014, Ben joined TechHive in 2019, where he covers smart speakers, soundbars, and other smart and home-theater devices.
6 easy ways to customize Safari on iPhone and iPad
Keep oft-visited sites to yourself, hide the Favorites and tabs bars, pick a new font and background for Reader mode, and more.
6 ways to make the most of iOS 9's Notification Center
If you find you aren't using the Notification Center in iOS 9, maybe you just don't have all the widgets set up the best way for you.
4 ways to be a considerate late-night iPhone or iPad user
Keep your iPhone or iPad dark and quiet by switching to dark mode in Safari, inversing screen colors, tweaking your Do Not Disturb settings, and more.
5 handy mobile Dropbox features you need to try
Scan receipts directly from Dropbox, create and edit Office files, trade comments with collaborators, and more.Dropbox app with a passcode.
5 ways to take charge of the iOS Home button
Slow down the double-click speed on your iPhone or iPad's Home button, keep the Home key from accessing Siri from the lock screen, turn on triple-click shortcuts, and more.
5 quick ways to recover storage space on an overstuffed iPhone or iPad
You'd be surprised at how quickly your iPhone or iPad can chew through storage, particularly the tiny 16GB model. If you're feeling jammed, try these easy ways to find a few gigs of breathing room.
7 ways to keep your dying Android phone or iPhone alive
So there you are, running from meeting to meeting on a particularly busy day when you suddenly notice your iPhone or Android phone’s battery gauge is deep in the red. These tips will help staunch the bleeding.
10 tips for getting started with iMovie for iOS
Splice together your iPhone & iPad videos with slick-looking transitions, add titles, lay down custom soundtracks, and more.
9 gotta-know Instagram tips for newbies
Set your account to private, block random followers, see all your "liked" photos, get alerts when your favorite Instagrammers post new photos, and more.
11 gotta-know iOS camera tricks for beginners
Take a tour of iOS's best camera features, from photo filters and burst mode to panoramic images and slow-motion video.
Switching from Mail to Airmail on iOS: 7 tips to get started
Learn how to customize Airmail's sidebar, choose your own swipe actions, "snooze" messages, and more.
4 ways to take charge of iOS's Background App Refresh feature
Too many apps refreshing themselves in the background can put a dent in your iPhone or iPad battery life. Keep an eye on which apps are doing the refreshing, and when.
4 smarter ways to search on your iPhone or iPad
If you're hunting for a specific mail message or looking for a name in a lengthy web page, skip Spotlight and try a specialized iOS search tool instead.
Articles by Ben Patterson