restore

Performing a security wipe, also called a factory reset, on the BlackBerry PlayBook is a fairly straightforward process. Resetting the device to a like-new state is ideal if you want to sell your PlayBook, or if you are running into issues and want a fresh operating system install. … Read more

Tablets running Google's Android 3.0 Honeycomb software do an amazing job connecting you to all of your personal online accounts. But how do you remove all of that personal information once you're done with it? How do you literally wipe the slate clean?

In this How To, you'll learn about erasing an Android Honeycomb tablet and restoring it to its factory settings.

Google Contacts has plenty of room for storing the addresses and information for all your friends and business associates. Unfortunately, it isn't too choosy about who it adds, leaving you with info you didn't plan on keeping around. So you start deleting contacts and suddenly delete the wrong one from your address book. Luckily, Gmail Contacts has a restore feature nestled into one of its "more actions" menus.

Step 1: Log in to Gmail and click on Contacts in the top left corner.

Step 2: Click on the "More actions..." menu, just above your … Read more

If you've tried every potion available to stop your hair loss, you might consider getting a robot to harvest your remaining locks for hair transplant surgery.

The FDA has given clearance to the Artas System, a machine that uses "image-guided robotics to enhance the quality of hair follicle harvesting," according to maker Restoration Robotics.

First the patient sits in the Artas chair, and his hair is cut to about 1 millimeter. A camera-equipped robotic arm under the control of a doctor then initiates "small dermal punches" while harvesting individual follicles.

The follicles are later manually transplanted. They develop blood supplies and gradually produce their own hair over months. No sutures or bandages were required in the prototype (PDF) of Artas, and the company expected to improve extraction rates to 750 to 1,000 follicular units per hour. … Read more

In this first video, we show you how to gain root access on your Android phone or tablet using the program SuperOneClick (and we give a shout to Unrevoked for HTC phones). If you're not able to watch the video, check out our written instructions on how to root your Android device.

So you've rooted your phone. Now what? How to install a custom Android ROM video and instructions details how to install a custom ROM, which is a heavily customized version of Android. Using a custom ROM can give you super-Android powers, such as better battery life, … Read more

You've rooted your Android device, flashed a custom ROM, and reaped the benefits of better power management, extra features, and the radiant glow that comes from treating that phone like you own it. Because you do own it, right? Now it's time to get a new phone. How can you make your old Android-powered hardware resalable?

We've got a way for you to restore the stock version of Android, thanks to the rescue guides at DroidForums.net. The procedure requires caution, because just like when you rooted your phone and installed a custom ROM, there's a … Read more

With Earth Day just around the corner, Sprint and Samsung are teaming up to offer the eco-friendly Samsung Restore on Virgin Mobile USA, a Sprint-owned prepaid brand. The Restore first made its debut on Sprint last June.

The messaging phone features a slide-out QWERTY keyboard, a 2-megapixel camera and camcorder, Bluetooth, e-mail and texting support, Google Maps, and Virgin Navigator. It's 4.6 inches tall by 2.1 inches wide by 0.6 inch deep and it weighs 3.7 ounces. The Restore has a 2.4-inch QVGA screen with support for 262,000 colors.

As for its Earth-friendliness, … Read more

Most utilities that promise to clean, tweak, and protect your PC share a shortcoming: they do too much and too little. They give users little control over the sweeping changes they make, sometimes disastrously. WinSettings Pro from FileStream offers plenty of control, but it requires more knowledge and effort than the "all-in-one" tools. However, that's precisely why we recommend it over the free and cheap alternatives.

WinSettings Pro's primary access point is an icon in the Notification Area, aka system tray. The program's stylishly skinned interface and Windows-style layout is anchored by the Group Bar, … Read more

Windows comes with so many fonts you'd need a warehouse for them all if they were old-fashioned metal typesets. Digital fonts are virtual, but they do consume disk space and memory. They can slow down your boot-up if you've got a lot of them, which is quite possible if you've installed any software. Lots of programs add their own font sets, and Windows loads them all every time you start your PC. FontFrenzy from Sound Doctrine is a free utility that can boost your system's performance by removing and backing up all non-Windows fonts. Most programs … Read more