Apps

Where Did the Level Tool for My iPhone Go in iOS 12?

By Leanne Hays

If you've updated your iPhone or iPad's operating system to iOS 12, you may be wondering what happened to the level tool. Don't worry, the level hasn't disappeared, it's just been incorporated into the new Measure app. Third-party developers have long offered a level app, a tape measure app, or both, but owners of the iPhone 8 and iPad 5th generation, iPad Pro, or later devices can enjoy the old level feature along with the new tape measure feature for free. If you've been wondering where to find your smartphone or tablet's level (or spirit level as our British friends call it) read on. 

App Saturday: C25K 5K Trainer, A Running App for Beginners

By Hallei Halter

I hate running. This is something that has and always will be true. However, after deciding I need to take care of my physical and mental health, the one choice I kept circling back to was, "I need to start working out." My schedule doesn't always sync with my friends, so I typically go to the gym alone. And without anyone to spot me on weights or go with me to a class, the best solo workout for me is running around the indoor track. Zen Labs' C25K app guides users who are complete beginners with an eight-week course that can be used for running outdoors, indoors, or on a treadmill three times a week. In fact, the C25K stands for Couch To 5K, and the app aims to have its users reach a goal of being able to complete a 5K marathon at the end of the eight weeks. As someone who hates running, I really like using the C25K app. It's started a huge change for me. I've gone from just hating the thought of going on a run to hating it while I'm running.

App Saturday: RECaf - Caffeine Recorder

By Hallei Halter

Coffee is my co-pilot throughout the week. But if you asked me how much I drink on average, I'd draw a blank. Since my coffee habit was actually on auto-pilot, I chose RECaf - Caffeine Recorder as a a caffeine tracker for what, when, and how much caffeine I was consuming. This app is compatible with "Hey Siri" for logging entries and has customizable options so I can add specific drinks or food with their approximate caffeine content.

Shortcuts App Intro: Selecting, Editing & Creating Basic Shortcuts on an iPhone

By Tamlin Day

At WWDC 2018, Apple made a big deal about Siri & Shortcuts during the keynote presentation. Shortcuts is based on the app Workflow, which Apple bought in 2017. In this article, we'll provide the basics to get you going with the Shortcuts gallery and the editor's screen. Now that Shortcuts is available for iOS 12, it seems that no one quite understands how the app works. Even Apple's official guide to Shortcuts fails to answer some important questions. Grab yourself a cup of a soothing herbal tea and let's dive into this mess together.

How to Add a Free Thesaurus to Look Up on Your iPhone & iPad

By Leanne Hays

I love using a thesaurus when I write, so the absence of this option from the iPhone's dictionary feature, Look Up, used to be a sore spot for me. Beginning with iOS 12, I no longer need a third-party thesaurus app, because a thesaurus is included in Look Up on iPhone and iPad for free! Let's get started learning how to add a thesaurus to Look Up, so you can find just the word you're looking for, be it a synonym or antonym. 

New for iOS 12: How to Create a Driving Directions Shortcut in the New Shortcuts App

By Leanne Hays

One of the iOS 12 features I've been eagerly awaiting is Apple's new Shortcuts app. This new app allows you to instruct Siri to accomplish a task or series of tasks with native and third-party apps, all triggered by a phrase of your own choosing. In addition to creating your own Shortcut, Apple's latest help app also lets you choose from a Gallery of pre-designed shortcuts. Let's get started learning how to find the Shortcuts app on iPhone and iPad, and then use the Gallery to install a Shortcut we all need from time to time: finding directions home. Once you've installed the driving directions Shortcut, you can choose and configure as many other Gallery Shortcuts as you need. We'll go over how to create your own Shortcut in a future tip.

How to Photo Search by Location on Your iPhone

By Leanne Hays

Apple's Photos app lets you photo search based on location, as well as with multiple search terms. Now, instead of trying scrolling through vacation pictures looking for the photos you took in a specific place, you can just search for that area, and all the pictures from that location will pop right up! Let's get started learning how to use this iPhone Photos search feature right now. 

How to Use a Filter on a FaceTime Call

By Leanne Hays

FaceTime, the Apple live video chat app, is a fun way to connect with friends and family when hearing their voice just isn't enough. Now FaceTime is getting even better with a new filter feature in iOS 12. There are lots of filters to choose from, so you'll always find something to fit your mood: a cartoon filter, a few black and white choices, and much more. Let's get started learning how to use FaceTime filters on iPhone or iPad. 

Do You Read on Your iPhone?

By Sarah Kingsbury

In the 94th episode of the iPhone Life Podcast, members of the team discuss the pros and cons of reading books on their iPhones, using a Kindle, listening to audiobooks, or buying old-fashioned paperbacks. Other topics include how to take advantage of iOS 12's location-based Do Not Disturb settings, tuning apps for musicians, and an iPhone game that has recently become Sarah’s guilty pleasure.

App Saturday: Yelp

By Leanne Hays

I absolutely love going on road trips, or travel of any kind, really. One of the most fun aspects of any trip for me is finding places to eat, as well as museums and shops that are off the beaten path, local favorites that become part of my mental "must visit" list for future adventures. One of the best tools I've found for trip research to destinations near and far is the Yelp app. Yelp is a free app that collects professional and business reviews from all over the world including restaurants, movers, home cleaning services, shopping, and even doctors and clinics! Yelp has collected over 135 million reviews so far, and the number keeps growing as more and more smartphone users discover this handy app. If you're the type of person that likes to plan ahead and get the most for your money and time, you'll want to learn more about Yelp, including how to set up your own free account and use it to read and write reviews.

App Saturday: Pinterest

By Leanne Hays

Name any hobby, sport, interest, or diversion, and you'll find out more about it than you ever dreamed possible on the Pinterest app. Not so very long ago if you wanted to find guidance for your latest woodworking project, some fresh new garden ideas, inspiration for a unique vacation destination, or an exciting new craft idea, you'd have to pore over books and magazine articles or spend tons of time surfing the web to find all the most helpful links. Now, though, your search can be much more quick and rewarding; you can look to Pinterest as a clearinghouse for pictures, videos, and information about over 100 billion different topics ranging from wildly popular to extremely obscure, right on your iPhone or iPad. What's more, you can share your favorite Pinterest categories and findings with friends and family who are also using the site or app, and keep all your best pins (saved posts) for whenever you'd like to go back and refer to them. Let's get started learning about everything Pinterest now, so you can start pinning with the best of them! 

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