A big theme at the 2019 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas was "Retro" and yet the cutest item I saw was both retro and futuristic at once. The folks from Divoom gave me a Tivoo ($59.90) to try and I love it. It looks like a small, old-fashioned CRT television set from the 50s or 60s, without the rabbit ears. It's sold in assorted colors for a reasonable price.
Apps
App Saturday: Amazon Music
By Hallei Halter
While you may think of Spotify or Apple Music when it comes to streaming music, if you're wanting to stay up to date with new music or browse your tried and true favorite albums, Amazon Music just about has it all. And you already have access to it if you are an Amazon Prime member. With the ability to find and listen to thousands of hours of music, you won't have to search for long to settle on something you enjoy.
The Best Apps for Reading, Podcast Listening & Cleaning
By Sarah Kingsbury
In the 108th episode of the iPhone Life Insider Podcast, tune in as the team shares their favorite apps for reading, listening to podcasts, and getting on a good cleaning routine at home. Stick around for an exclusive Insider discussion of how to manage your app subscriptions on the iPhone.
App Saturday: Grubhub
By Hallei Halter
Looking up your choices for "Food delivery near me" and not happy with the results? You can place a takeout order on Grubhub for restaurants (even those that don't offer delivery) and a driver will pick up your order and deliver it to your address. Grubhub orders can also be placed for pickup, but the real advantage of Grubhub is having the menus and pricing of local restaurants all on one app.
iPhone Photo Saving & Sharing Guide: Text, Email, AirDrop, Shared Albums & Social Media
By Leanne Hays
One of my favorite uses for my iPhone is taking and sharing pictures, but with so many different methods and platforms, it can get a little tricky. In this guide, I'll cover everything I've learned about saved images and photos, including how to save and share them from text and iMessage, from email, with AirDrop and iCloud, from Shared Albums, and even social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram. After we cover that range of topics, we'll go over how to transfer pictures from your iPhone to your Mac and PC so you can keep your photos and albums organized and safe. Let's get started!
App Saturday: Lyft
By Hallei Halter
On vacation or a business trip and hate trying to maneuver your way around unfamiliar territory? Lyft is a rideshare app that employs local people as an alternative to conventional taxis, and provides discounts for cheap fares. To save time and hassle, Lyft can get you to your destination with just a few taps.
How to Sign up for Apple News Plus on Your iPhone
By Hallei Halter
Apple News Plus, Apple's premium news membership that lets you access over 300 magazines and at least 2 newspapers, is here! Here's how to subscribe to Apple News Plus on your iPhone or iPad. There's no risk in giving Apple News Plus a try; you'll be able to browse the titles Apple News Plus has to offer before confirming your subscription and you can cancel any time during the 30-day free trial.
Everything Apple Announced at Apple's Spring Event: Video Streaming, News & Gaming Services, an Apple Credit Card, More
By Tamlin Day
Last week, to very little fanfare, Apple released the iPad Mini 5, the next generation iPad Air, and the new AirPods. Apple’s reason for the quiet soft-release of its new hardware was to avoid robbing attention from the March 25 announcement today in Cupertino, California. But was Apple’s services-oriented announcement worth quietly releasing the highly anticipated iPad Mini 5 ahead of the event? We’ve got all the details on Apple’s new subscription-based services, from the Apple TV Plus collection of original content to the brand new Apple Card. Read on to learn all about Apple’s pricing for their new services, availability, and all of the relevant details Apple didn't share today.
Apple finally announced its rumored TV streaming service at the March 25 event in Cupertino. The tech giant is branching out in a big way and bringing other streaming and cable subscriptions under the umbrella of a completely redesigned Apple TV app. As well, Apple will offer original content through its premium Apple TV Plus service. Let’s go over everything we know so far about the updates to the Apple TV app and Apple TV Plus streaming service.
Apple News Plus: What You Need to Know Before Signing Up
By Hallei Halter
Today during its services announcement, held at the Steve Jobs Theater in its Cupertino headquarters, Apple announced a new premium magazine subscription service called Apple News Plus. With the Apple News Plus membership, readers can access thousands of articles by hundreds of publications in one place. Having a single digital subscription to several magazines and newspapers can make it easier for you to read and know more about current events, be it news or upcoming trends. The service is available today with the iOS 12.2 update on both iPhone and iPad, and on macOS 10.14.4 on Mac. With the $9.99/month price, you'll have access to 300 magazine titles, which includes content from back issues, and at least two newspapers. You'll be able to share the subscription to up to six people at no extra cost with family sharing.
The Apple Credit Card Is Surprisingly Awesome with Solid Cash Back Rate & Financial Planning
By Mike Riley
Earlier today, Apple made a game changing announcement for the credit card industry. While it has been speculated about for years, Apple finally unveiled its intent to become a credit card company with the introduction of Apple Card. In addition to removing most of the sources of traditional credit card service revenue such as late fees, annual fees, and over limit fees to name a few, Apple also promised not to track payments or sell card activities to third parties. Although there will be a physical card available, this is clearly a card that is meant to be iPhone first. Users will apply for and be approved for the card via their iPhone, use it with Apple Pay, and even contact customer service via Messages. Apple is partnering with Goldman Sachs as the bank of record.
App Saturday: GoodRx
By Hallei Halter
Seeing the price of a medication at the register can cause a sudden case of sticker shock. GoodRx is an app that compares prescription prices between pharmacies and provides manufacturer prescription coupons. GoodRx can be used by anyone with or without insurance, including Medicaid, to help save money.
How to Add Funds to Your Apple ID Account
By Hallei Halter
You can add money to your Apple ID account for App Store purchases without buying an iTunes gift card. Here's how to directly add funds to your Apple ID. If you budget your app or iTunes purchases, you can load the balance you want to spend and make purchases accordingly.
App Saturday: Peloton Digital
By Hallei Halter
Having trouble making it to the gym on time? Peloton Digital is an exercise app that provides workout routines for beginners or any level no matter where they are. Created by the same company that sells the Peloton bikes, you don't have to use their exercise equipment to use this app. Think of it as mobile workout classes, you can select a variety of exercise classes for one person or routines for workout partners. Every class is either live or recorded in an actual studio, so even if you're working out at home you can still feel like you're part of a group.
5 Customized iOS 12 Shortcuts to Try at Home
By Jim Meeker
The Shortcuts app, a new addition to iOS 12, is designed to help you streamline your productivity on your iOS device. The shortcuts you create can be amazingly simple or incredibly intricate, depending on what you are looking for. Here is a list of my five favorite shortcuts that you can try for yourself.