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The telephone in your hand can exercise more than the computers we had years ago. It's a communication device, a camera, a scanner, a fitness tracker, a camcorder, a GPS, a game console — I could go on.

There's also a lot your telephone can practise that you would not recall was possible. Tap or click for seven brilliant means your smartphone can help you get things done, from measuring someone'southward top to remoting into your estimator.

But sometimes, you lot just need to talk. If your service is spotty, there are a few ways to boost your signal forcefulness.

When it comes to texts, information technology's squeamish to know if your message went through and the person read information technology.

On an iPhone

Apple's default text messaging app, iMessage, makes it easy to know if your recipient has read your message. There is one caveat. Both the sender and recipient must be using iMessage on an iPhone or iPad and have Read Receipts enabled.

When you text someone with Read Receipts turned on, you'll find the word "Read" beneath your message, and the time it was opened.

To turn on your Read Receipts in the iMessage app, click Settings, scroll down, and tap Messages. Enable Ship Read Receipts. These steps piece of work with Macs and iPads as well.

Speaking of texts, I know you're sick of spam messages. I am, as well. Tap or click for tricks to stop all the junk.

On an Android

Like iPhone users, Android read receipts require both sender and recipient enable the feature. Instructions may vary according to your device'south manufacturer, model, and operating system.

First, open your Messages app and navigate to the settings. Depending on your telephone model, operating system, and cellular provider, you will notice one of the following: Read Receipts, Send Read Receipts or Asking Receipt. Turn on the applicable option.

On a Samsung phone, go to Letters > Card > Settings > Chat settings. Hither, y'all can enable read receipts.

In Google Letters, open up Letters. Tap the three-dot card (More) > Settings > Chat features. Tap Send read receipts.

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What almost Facebook?

Read receipts are enabled by default in Facebook Messenger. If yous wish to plow them off at some point, sorry, Charlie. Y'all can't. A sneaky workaround allows you to read messages without producing a read receipt.

Just turn off your Wi-Fi and cellular connection to read all received letters. Open the app, then turn on Aeroplane mode. When y'all finish reading your letters, strength quit the Messenger app.

Are you 1 of those people with a perpetually low phone battery? Here'due south how to become more life out of your smartphone.

File photo - The Facebook Messenger logo seen displayed on a smart phone. 

File photo - The Facebook Messenger logo seen displayed on a smart phone. (Photo by Igor Golovniov/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

WhatsApp lets you choose

Different its parent company Facebook, you can opt out of read receipts in WhatsApp.

How do you know when someone views your message using WhatsApp? Wait for the checkmarks:

A single gray checkmark indicates a successfully sent message.

The appearance of a 2d greyness checkmark shows your message was delivered to the recipient's phone.

The two checkmarks will plough blueish if the recipient has viewed your message.

To turn off this feature, click Settings and tap Account. Cull the Privacy option and disable Read Receipts.

Once you have your read receipts enabled on all your apps, yous volition no longer have to wonder or worry most whether a recipient has viewed your message.

File photo: The WhatsApp messaging application is seen on a phone screen. (REUTERS/Thomas White)

File photo: The WhatsApp messaging application is seen on a telephone screen. (REUTERS/Thomas White)

Bonus Tip: Essential tech cleanups to do earlier 2022

Is your digital life in need of a piffling TLC? Listen for smart means to tidy upwardly your tech, inside and out. You'll learn a few cleaning secrets, forth with simple methods of sorting the ataxia, clearing out junk and freeing upwardly space on your devices. It looks like you lot just found your new holiday projection.

Check out my podcast "Kim Komando Explains" on Apple, Google Podcasts, or your favorite podcast actor.

Listen to the podcast here or wherever you get your podcasts. Simply search for my last proper name, "Komando."

What digital lifestyle questions exercise y'all take? Call Kim'south national radio evidence and tap or click here to find it on your local radio station. You can listen to or lookout man The Kim Komando Show on your phone, tablet, television, or figurer. Or tap or click here for Kim's gratuitous podcasts.

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Learn almost all the latest engineering science on The Kim Komando Evidence, the nation's largest weekend radio talk show. Kim takes calls and dispenses advice on today'due south digital lifestyle, from smartphones and tablets to online privacy and data hacks. For her daily tips, free newsletters, and more than, visit her website at Komando.com.