Dropping a smartphone or tablet into the water, or dumping a bottle of water or cup of coffee on a laptop, can make it worthless (if it is not waterproof). It also makes you feel uneasy about the files stored on such systems. However, few individuals are prepared for what will undoubtedly occur.

Water damage is amongst the most prevalent risks to portable electronics. Still, you can often recover devices if you dry them off correctly. This article discusses several strategies for preserving water-damaged electronic gadgets.

What to Do When Your Electronic Device Gets Wet

Moisture is one of the most dangerous enemies of electronic gadgets. Unfortunately, considering the increasing mobility and popularity of cellphones, cameras, and tablet PCs, it is all but guaranteed that each of your essential electronic gadgets will have a fateful meeting with H2O at some point in the future.

If your gadget falls into water, there’s a good chance (roughly 70%) that you’ll be capable of drying it out and getting it back to function in a matter of hours. It won’t be quick in most circumstances, so you’ll have to be prepared to make a mess. However, you may avoid a trip to the electronics store by replacing it yourself.

Here’s how to get damp cellphones, cameras, and other electrical gadgets to dry:

Basic Rescue Steps

Although the drying methods for cellphones, laptops, cameras, and tablet PCs differ in certain aspects, the general approach for any of them after substantial touch with water or other fluid is the same.

Here’s what to do:

• As soon as possible, get it out of the water. Water begins leaking into the hardware of an unsecured device in less than thirty seconds.
• Remove the battery from the device. It is more prone to be destroyed by water than the actual gadget because it is the source of power.
• If at all feasible, unplug the memory & SIM cards. Since your data is often saved on them rather than on your computer or phone, you’ll want to safeguard them.
• Remove any chargers, headsets, and other devices which may be connected to the device.
• Keep an eye out for symptoms of water damage. In the case of phones, a liquid damage indicator has been installed on the interior near the battery. You may have water damage if it’s a solid color (typically red or pink).

Drying the Device

The procedure varies slightly depending on the device. Still, the majority of the steps are the same whether you’re using an MP3 player or a tablet:

• Remove the water. Shake it out gently, avoid throwing it, and use a cloth and paper towels to absorb as much of the leftover water as you can.
• Try using a can of pressurized gas. Spray the can straight ahead to expel just air, not the freezing liquid. Aim it towards the keys, crevices, speaker, microphone, or any holes to drive extra liquid out.
• Dry the item in a warm location, turning it on every several hours. A bright windowsill will suffice. Do not use an oven, hairdryer, or heat gun to heat the device because these electronic heating elements can damage it.
• You can encourage or quicken up the water evaporation process by directing a fan at the damaged gadget.

Use Q-tips with Alcohol

If water gets stuck in tiny components of the device, soak a Q-tip in alcohol and apply this to the affected areas.

Alcohol will increase evaporation, which occurs when the gadget is left out in the open air. It will operate well for the internal components of several electronic devices which have circuit boards.

Use Desiccants

Regrettably, many individuals employ techniques for curing wet devices that are either inefficient or may cause the gadget to be damaged. For example, because dried grains like rice may absorb liquids, many individuals use them to dry out a gadget as a desiccant.

On the other hand, rice is generally efficient at collecting moisture from the atmosphere but might not be of much use.

Furthermore, because heat causes water to evaporate, individuals have occasionally cooked their gadgets in ovens or even with hairdryers, resulting in burned parts and fried circuits.

Check Your Device

Re-insert the device’s original, now-dry battery after 24 hours and check whether it turns on. You’re back in business if it succeeds!

Change the battery, insert the charger into the gadget, and switch it on if it doesn’t work. If it works now, you’ll need to replace the battery.

Waterproof Your Gadget

There are several methods for waterproofing your technology.

• Purchase a waterproof case or bag. Cases are classified into three types: standard, tough, and heavy-duty. Keep an eye on the submersion factor, which indicates how many feet underwater the case can be submerged for at least 10 minutes.
• Zippered plastic storage bags are ideal. This genuinely low-tech alternative protects your gadget from water as well as other environmental risks like sand, grime, or dust.
• Choose custom-fit bags. Try a device that is meant to tightly fit your phone and enable you to keep it in your bag while chatting for a little enhanced experience. The same holds for the use of headphones and other external devices.

Conclusion

When combining summertime fun with electronics, water damage is a risk. Even though there are some really good headphones for swimming available, be aware of your surroundings. Most gadgets are not waterproof. So, avoid carrying your devices near the pool or even other bodies of water.

If you find yourself in this accident, responding quickly and trying to follow the steps outlined above will give you the best chance of saving your device.

Furthermore, sensitive wires and shielding are within your USB, FireWire, or Cat cable intended for high transmission speed and noise reduction. Although reasonably robust, communication faults may occur if the cables are folded, bent, or squeezed.

To resolve these issues, cables and wires must be adequately maintained. Some of the fundamental dos and don’ts of suitable cable and wire installation, maintenance, and preventative actions must be understood.

In this article, there are some general suggestions and preventative steps that can help you extend the life of your cables. But first, let’s discuss the types of cables in our everyday use.

Types of Cables

There are many types of cables, i.e., charging cables, earphones, fiber optics, electric wires, etc. Some of them are the following.

• Ribbon Electric Cables: Ribbon cables are made up of several conducting wires that are strung up side by side to form flat, broad cabling. It gets its name from the fact that its structure resembles a ribbon. It’s sometimes referred to as flat cable or multi-planar cable. This cable is typically found in electronics that require several data buses to connect internal devices such as disk drives to their drive controllers.
• Twisted Pair Cables: A twisted pair cable is a type of cable formed by twisting two independent shielded cables and running them parallel to one another. This cable is frequently utilized in several types of data and communication infrastructures.
• Coaxial Cables: Coaxial cable is a type of copper wire specially designed with a metal shield and other elements to prevent signal interference. Cable TV companies primarily use it to communicate their satellite antenna facilities to client businesses and homes. Telephone companies may also utilize it to link central offices to telephone poles near users.
• Shielded Cables: A shielded cable is an electrical wire with one or more conductive shields encasing the conductor and its surrounding insulating layer. Typically, these are made of metallic foil or braided cables. A protective jacket typically forms an outermost part. This reduces the electromagnetic interference (EMI) that the cable emits and receives.
• Fibre Optics Cable: A fiber optic cable is a type of network cable that consists of strands of glass fibers enclosed in an insulated casing. They are intended for long-distance, high internet connections, and communications. Fiber-optic lines have a higher bandwidth than conventional cables and can carry data across long distances.

To improve the longevity of all these cables, certain measures must be taken. Read on to find out!

Tips To Improve Cable Longevity

It happens – cables fail. But this does not have to happen regularly. The life of cables is usually about 40 years.

Here are some tips for ensuring that your cables endure as long as possible.

1. Wrap Carefully

Every cable is constructed from twisted wires. Sometimes there are more wires, but even the most basic cable has a copper wire within the plastic coating. Taking care of the cable entails caring for the copper contained within the wire.

While the copper wire is flexible, it is not indestructible. Most cables’ tiny copper strands will break over time, producing signal deterioration and, finally, failure. Mishandling cables increase the wear process; thus, the less cautious you are with them, the shorter their lifetimes will be.

Wrap a cable around your arm, hand, or wrist only if necessary. That is the most straightforward technique to snap a cable. Wrap the cable loosely in a circle, following the outlines of the natural curvature of the wire.

2. Store Carefully

After you’ve wrapped your wires correctly, attach them with a Velcro tie or a twist-knot leftover from electronics packing. Cables of comparable sizes, once securely wrapped, can be stored next to one another like records or pizzas, depending on the form of your container.

Smaller cables can be organized in a variety of ways, including paper tubes, grid boxes, plastic containers, hooks, and other storage options.

3. Avoid Sharp Bends and Stretches

Sharp bends should be avoided to protect your cables. For example, if the socket is too far away and you are charging your gadget but still want to use it, you may, but the cable could be bent or stretched to the maximum.

It is advised to refrain from doing so. It will deteriorate the insides of your cable, and doing so regularly will result in the connection sliding off – the cable will break open and reveal the wires internally, rendering your cord worthless.

4. Installation Temperature

To improve cables longevity, you need to install cables while the cable and ambient temperatures are between 0oC and +40oC.

Suppose the cables were stored at temperatures below 0⁰C or above +40⁰C. In that case, they should be allowed to achieve the installation temperature as specified above. Otherwise, extremely high or low temperatures can damage the cable and decrease its life.

5. Cable Management in Use

Cables typically fail around their connecting points, i.e., mobile charger, USB-C cable, external hard disk cable, etc. This is because these junctions are subjected to the highest stress.

The connectors are the most often modified parts of the cable. Making a practice of yanking or bending a plugged-in wire will ultimately destroy the connection, so avoid doing so. And it would help if you also prevent your PC cables from damaging, for doing this, you need to manage the cables properly.

6. Improve the Life of Fiber Optic Cable
To increase the longevity of fiber optic cable, follow these steps.

• Don’t bend the cables any further than the recommended bend radius.
• Make sure there is no stress on the wire or cable.
• During the installation, avoid twisting and kinking.
• Make sure that cables and wires do not come into touch with anything that might damage them.
• Keep wires and cables away from the heat of a naked flame.
• Maintain a frequent analysis of the performance of wires and cables.

Conclusion

If you are an electrician or cables usage is a frequent thing for you, the above tips and suggestions will ensure that your chargers, earbuds, and cords last longer and save you from spending more money on cables.

When it comes to data cables, remember that it is preferable to prevent damage than to repair afterwards.

How to Save a Webpage as a PDF

Luckily, such an operation can be easily done in the majority of today’s popular browsers, and this what needs to be done to manage it.

How to Save a Webpage as a PDF in Chrome

In the case you want to save the webpage in the Chrome browser this is the procedure that needs to be followed:

1. First, open the page that you want to save

   

   and go to the Chrome menu (three dots in the top-right corner).



2. Select Print, from the drop-down menu,

   

   and choose that the file saves as the PDF, in the newly opened window.



3. Go to Print,

   

   choose the location where you want to save the .pdf file, name it, make sure that you choose the .pdf format, press Save and that is pretty much it.

How to Save a Webpage as a PDF in Microsoft Edge

Saving the website as the PDF in Microsoft Edge is not much different from saving the webpage in Chrome and involves the following steps:

1. To begin with, go to the page that you want to save and press Ctrl + P, on your keyboard.



2. Choose that the file saves as the .pdf

   

   and press Print.



3. Select where you want the save the .pdf file, name it, press Save and there you go.

How to Save a Webpage as a PDF in Firefox

In the case you want to save the webpage in the Firefox browser this is the process to be followed:

1. First, open the page that you want to save and press Alt on your keyboard.



2. Go to File,

   

   choose Print,

   

   and select to save the webpage as the PDF, in the newly opened window.



3. Press Print,

   

   select where you want to save the .pdf file, name it, go to Save and that is it.

How to Save a Webpage as a PDF in Safari

If your preferred browser is Safari, the process of saving your webpage as the .pdf is almost the same as in the case of Microsoft Edge and includes the following:

1. Open the webpage that you want to save and press Command + P on your keyboard.



2. Go to the drop-down menu located in the bottom left, select to save the webpage as the PDF,

   

   press Save and your webpage will now be saved as a PDF file.

However, there are also some functions that can annoy you and create unwanted situations, and one such thing is your Instagram Active Status that shows all your followers you are online. Of course, in general, that isn’t something bad. Nonetheless, sometimes you just want to have the time for yourselves and scroll through the Instagram posts, without the hassle and constant replying to messages or calls, and the best way to manage that is by hiding your Instagram Active Status.

How to Hide your Active Status on Instagram

Hiding your Instagram Active Status is an operation that shouldn’t take too much of your time, yet should let you have the time for yourself and prevent feeling guilty, or being called out because you didn’t reply to a certain call or message, and requires the following:

How to Hide your Active Status on Instagram App

If you are accessing your Instagram over the dedicated app, the whole process of hiding your Active Status consists of the following steps:

1. First, enter the Instagram app.



2. After that, go to Profile

   

   and enter Menu (three lines in the top-right corner).



3. Once you do that, enter Settings

   

   and then go to Privacy.



4. Enter Activity Status

   

   and turn the toggle next to Active Status to off and that is it. Your job is done.

How to Hide your Active Status on Instagram when Accessing it through a Browser

Hiding your Instagram Active Status, when you are accessing Instagram thorough a browser is somewhat similar to the previous approach, used on the dedicated app, and includes the following steps:

1. To begin with, enter Instagram from your browser.



2. Go to the Menu

   

   and select Settings.



3. Enter Privacy and Security,

   

   uncheck the box next to Show Activity Status, and there you go.

Whatever the reason, having certain videos previously downloaded on your phone, would save you from a lot of stress and boredom. For that reason, this article will help you find out how to easily download YouTube videos on your Android device.

How to Download YouTube Videos on Android

If downloading YouTube videos to the Android device is what you need, this is the process that you need to follow:

1. To begin with, you need to install the download app, such as Tube Mate that can be found here.



2. Access this address with the help of your phone’s browser

   

   and click to download the Tube Mate app from one of the certified sites.



3. Confirm the download

   

   and go to Settings and allow apps to install from unknown sources.



4. Open the file

   

   and install it.



5. Open it,

   

   and search for the video that you want to download.



6. Once you do, tap the red download button,

   

   select the format of the downloaded file, press the red download button once again, and that is it.



7. Also, if you want to change the file’s name, saving location, and similar things, you can do that by going to the Downloads List icon.



8. Find your video and enter its menu (three dots, next to it). Here, you will be able to make the changes.That’s it!

However, constant downloading of the files will eventually fully load your mobile device storage, which will make problems for the devices functioning and generally do more harm than good. The matter of fact is that the majority of users download all sorts of files that are used just once, or never, in most cases. In other words, they can be removed.

Nonetheless, your storage doesn’t make a difference between useful files and the ones that you can live without. In other words, you’re going to have to make that distinction and delete the unnecessary files, which will certainly bring back you precious storage space and give your device a bit of a performance push.

Therefore, knowing how to delete the unwanted downloads may be crucial for the health of your mobile device and here, you are going to learn the process of how you can delete downloads on an Android device.

How to Delete Downloads on Android

As you may guess, deleting your download files is no hard task and it only requires the following:

1. First, you have to open the Apps Tray,

   

   find the Downloads app, and tap on it. Have in mind that some Android versions don’t have the Downloads app, in which case you should enter the File Manager and then find Downloads.



2. Once you do that, tap and hold the file that you want to delete and the “Select” mode will be activated.



3. Now, you will be allowed to select any file that you want to delete, by tapping on the circle next to it.



4. Once you select all the files you want to delete, tap “Delete”,

   

   tap on “Delete local files as well” and press “OK”. Your unwanted files will now be deleted and your job finished.

In this climate, a lot of new content creators, from celebrities to authors, scientists, and political figures, all joined in to bring people together with their stories, through their voice, and by unique interviews and comedy. Knowing how to start podcasting has never been more valuable.

If you’re not sure about where to start, or if you have no knowledge at all of how to start podcasting, this article is the one for you.

The Big W: Why?

With a lot of content competing for a limited amount of attention from people all at once, your podcast must have a unique tone. Scott Aukerman, a comedian whose podcast launched into a sketch show on cable television as well as multiple live shows and spin-offs, encourages people to ask what they can do differently as his first tip for starting a podcast.

Finding your unique voice (no pun intended) allows you to have something people would want to lend their ears to, as well as lets you be excited about it yourself.

The Microphone Question

On the technical side, the first question people who want to learn how to start podcasting would ask themselves would be of wondering what the best microphone for podcasting is.

While it might be tempting to go with the biggest and the best thing, the tradeoff between cost and benefits is important. Before your podcast starts making money, you might not want to make big investments that might not pay off.

A lot of microphones today, even those in some high-end smartphones, are actually good enough to produce audio clearly (with entire music albums being recorded on iPhones sometimes), and with a little padding, sound editing, post-production, and a little trial and error, you can start a podcast with minimal cost.

The most important thing would probably be to understand microphone polar patterns: cardioid, omni-directional, figure-8? Knowing which one(s) work best with your budget, setup (room or otherwise), and voice is essential. From there on, you can narrow down your options.

Microphones now don’t need a lot of setup. Most microphones are directly connectable via USB! On top of that, there are podcast-creating apps – from free to paid (more on this in the next section) that just require a mic and can even do some basic editing for you.

The Best Places To Record

Knowing “how” to start podcasting also includes where to start podcasting: what app records audio, and, in the same vein, what place in your house captures audio the best?

Wherever you record needs to be a relatively soundproof room. White noise from fans, electrical devices, or external noise from outside the house (or inside the house!), when captured, can be very distracting at the least and very annoying in the worst-case scenario. Some simple precautions, such as having a dedicated room, making sure to record in a small and cozy room, padding the walls, windows and door, installing soundproofing measures such as hanging up fabrics around you, will all go a long way.

In terms of applications and software, read on.

Where To Host Your Podcast

You now know the bare bones of how to start podcasting. From here on, the question is of where to host your podcast, or, in other words, how to make sure people can actually access it and listen to it easily.

The same platforms that allow you to host your podcasts also have tools to help you record them. Namely, Anchor.fm, a partner of Spotify, allows you to record podcasts via your app, and even collaborate remotely, take calls, or monetize your podcast with ads and Listener Support – all for free.

There’s also Audioboom and Spreaker, although different platforms have different pricing models and different rights of ownership.

Retaining The Rights

Finally, before you start your podcast, knowing your rights is important here just as it is in any other place. Different platforms, and yes, that includes both that distribute your podcast for free like Anchor or those that take a fee or a cut of the profit, differ in how much control you have over your podcast. This is important for you to be clear on with yourself or your collaborators and co-creators, since this means that your podcast might not totally be your property, meaning if terms and conditions change tomorrow (or you change your mind and want to change distributors), you might be limited in your rights to do so.

These are the basic ABCs of how to start podcasting. Get out there and be heard!

Many of us might have recently seen – during this period of online learning, remote work and increased digital communications – that some of the best streaming and webcam software such as XSplit or video communication software such as Microsoft Teams offer virtual backgrounds, utilizing simple but effective AI technology.

However, a green screen is not all fun and games.

Whether you’re using one in a professional capacity or for a DIY or indie production, the green screen’s history goes as far back as the 19th century where chroma key and matte techniques were used to achieve more than the physical limitations (or budgetary restrictions) allowed.

Why Use A Green Screen?

The simple reason for the usage of a green screen lies in two factors: green is the least likely color to be worn by a person on-screen or be present anywhere on the body (as compared to natural reds and blues, and so on) and can easily be manipulated and the sharpness of the color allows for more accurate separation of the foreground and the object, the primary purpose of a green screen.

The foreground is then digitally manipulated to be removed all at once and replaced with any other image or visual while the objects stay unaltered, giving the impression of anything from high-level battles and sci-fi landscapes to weather maps, plain and professional backdrops and, more importantly, to place separate objects together, such as actors on different sets or the same actor reacting to themselves in a dual role with split-screen.

How To Use A Green Screen

Green screens can be used, as we stated above, to either add an otherworldly element to your videos or to do the exact opposite and add a grounding and professional presence with a consistent and mature backdrop, even utilizing graphics and texts if you need.

How to use a green screen is not so much of a science as it is an art that not only gets better with experience but also with keeping an eye on certain pointers:

• The type of green screen used is important. Having a uniform color running throughout your chroma key background is… well, key. It’s for this reason that we recommend a proper muslin green screen instead of simply, say, painting a wall.
• A proper kit with lights will help in achieving consistency not only with the green screen but with your subject/object as well. Cameras with zebra functions can help you out with this.
• Deep wrinkles in the green screen will cause shadows and cause problems in the feathering and refining phase. Use a steamer and a stand and clips to set up your screen so that it’s fully stretched.
• Make sure your subject is placed neither too close to the green screen to create shadows nor in a place where the green reflects off of it in a way that causes spillage.
• If the software you’re using doesn’t allow for green screen editing and removal, look around for a software that works best for your specific needs – but in most software, you can find one as some variation of a “key effect”. Some software names that we recommend include Lightworks, Blender, or Filmora, ranging from free to professional to flexible.

With knowing how to capture footage and images that are ready to be green-screened, let’s look at how green screen is used on different software – namely, OBS, Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe Photoshop, and iMovie.

How To Use Green Screen In OBS

A popular option for those opting for a green screen as they live stream, chroma-keying in OBS is extremely simple.

• Under Sources, add your main camera as your video source.
• Right-click on the camera or video source and click on Filter.
• In the Effects Filters section, click the plus (+) sign and select Chroma Key, and enter a name for the layer when prompted.

The settings that will show up will be automatically generated and will require some fine-tuning to get working for what you need to achieve.

How To Use A Green Screen On iMovie

OBS isn’t unique in how simple the green screen option is. The maximum complication that can arise in knowing how to use a green screen on iMovie is knowing the two different types of ways that it’s done on a computer versus a phone/tablet.

On both options, whether it’s the iMac or an iPhone/iPad/iPod Touch, add the image or visual you want as the new background to your timeline. Add the clip for the green screen above the background clip in iMovie’s timeline (for phones and tablets, scroll the timeline to move the playhead’s vertical white line over the background clip, then from the Add Media button, go to the category that houses the green-screen clip, and tapping the More button, tap Green/Blue Screen).

On phones and tablets, you can tap “Auto” and then the color you want to remove, and then trim and move the background video clip. On a Mac, trim and move your “background” clip first, then select Video Overlay Settings (from the button present above the viewer, and then select Green/Blue Screen).

How To Use Green Screen In Premiere And Photoshop

Chroma keying in Adobe Premiere is surprisingly intuitive, with the Ultra Key tool present under the Effects panel in Pro. From there, The Eyedropper tool helps you choose the key color, and as soon as you select the area you wish to remove, voila, it’s gone. Fine-tuning presents itself in the form of sliders for Matte Generation and Cleanup, Spill Suppression, and Color Correction.

Knowing how to use a green screen in Premiere helps you learn how to use a green screen for Photoshop, where the basic principle is the same, but some more steps are involved – you don’t essentially remove the background so much as you isolate the subject.

It would be good to crop your image in Photoshop to only keep the object to make sure artifacts aren’t copied over by accident.

From the Select menu in Photoshop, select Color Range. Holding down your keyboard’s Shift key, move your cursor around and click on the green areas you wish to remove. Holding down the Shift key allows you to hold the Alt key, alternatively, to deselect areas as you go.

Click OK, go back to Select, and click on Inverse. Go back to Select a second time and select Refine Edge. Fine-tuning presents itself in the form of various sliders for Radius, Smooth, Feather, et cetera. Going back to select to choose Inverse again, delete the background.

Your subject is now ready to be placed on another background, image, or video, or to import another background into this image. Enjoy!

Actual webcams can be difficult to set up as well, and sometimes they still create problems afterward. Android phones are better suited for this use, but you can achieve it with Apple devices as well. There are a couple of options for each, so let’s look into those.

How to Mount Your Phone as a Webcam

Stability is the first thing you need to consider because no one wants webcam footage that is shaky and constantly blurring. A smartphone would need to be mounted in the same way as a USB webcam, but you can use holders to improve stability.

Mini-tripods are easy to find, and there are some that are designed specifically for smartphones. If you don’t want to get an actual stand, then something like a pop socket will also do.

How to Use an Android Phone as a Webcam

Here are the best apps to turn your android phone into a webcam for your PC. These work best for streaming in general, and for streaming on platforms like Twitch in particular.

IP Webcam

IP Webcam is a free app that is available on Google Play, and it has two components, one for your phone and one for your PC. There’s also a premium version that you can update to, but the free one should get the job done for the most part.

Make sure that your phone and computer are connected to the same network because this method is Wi-Fi based. Once the app is downloaded, you can go to its connection settings and log in to the local broadcasting option.

The password here is also used on your PC when you connect it to your phone, and it also ensures safety. IP Webcam, as the name suggests, allows you to stream through a browser (Chrome or Firefox), and to access your phone’s footage on your PC, you need to go to http://[IP ADDRESS]:8080/videofeed using the IP address that shows up on your phone.

You can go to the Actions tab on your phone to make sure that everything is up and running, and Google Play also has a Dropbox plugin for IP Webcam that you can use to store footage.

DroidCam Wireless Webcam

DroidCam is similar to IP Webcam; you download the two components for your phone and PC, unzip them and run them. If you choose to stream via an IP address like with the last option, then the process remains the same. However, DroidCam also lets you connect your devices using the USB cable that came with your phone.

Other options that DroidCam gives you is adjusting video quality on your PC, along with resolution, zooming, and brightness. Most of these options are limited with the free version though, so you can upgrade to the premium one if you feel the need.

How to Use an Apple Phone as a Webcam

As we’ve already mentioned, iPhones aren’t as efficient when it comes to webcam substitutes. Here are the methods that come closest.

EpocCam

This is an app you can download from the Apple Store, and it works with drivers that you download from their website. EpocCam is a pretty good app overall; it supports Skype and Google Hangouts, it has a wireless range of twenty feet and supports both the front and rear iPhone cameras.

Footage from EpocCam has a watermark though, and the premium version allows you to remove it. It also has added features such as recording audio through a mic and adjusting resolution and focus.

iCamSource Pro Mobile

iCamSource Pro Mobile is, unfortunately, a paid app that offers no free version for you to try out, so this might not be for everyone. This apps works along with the iCamSource Pro Webcam app, and once you have both installed you can stream between any iOS devices.

This method works best if you’re trying to set up a makeshift security cam, rather than as an actual webcam. Apps like Presence also work well for this purpose.

Conclusion

While these options, and the Android ones, in particular, are easy to set up and don’t need you spending too much, you might want to consider other factors as well. For instance, if you need higher quality footage than a phone can offer, then you might as well just invest in a good webcam. On the other hand, if you only need a webcam for Skype and such, then it’s best to skip the hustle overall and just Skype on your phone!