Apps

We've already gone over how to sign up for Instagram on your iPhone, how to create a second Instagram account, and even how to deactivate your Instagram account if you need a break, but there's one more thing we need to go over. A major frustration for Instagram users has been the inability to download Instagram on their iPads. After all, it would be great to edit photos or watch a video on a larger screen, to switch back and forth between watching a movie on the iPad and checking Instagram notifications, and to just have another option for using the app. In the past, you needed to use workarounds to download and install Instagram on your tablet, but now there's an official iPad version of Instagram. Unfortunately, the official version is tiny; it doesn't fill the iPad screen and leaves a large, black frame around the app. Don't worry, though, we'll go over a trick you can use to get fullscreen Instagram on your iPad 

App Saturday: Google Chrome

By Hallei Halter

Considering options for a web browsing alternative to Safari on your iPhone or iPad? Google Chrome is a fast web browser app that can quickly load pages and has loads of features you can easily learn to take advantage of. With so much to offer, here's why Google Chrome is one of our top choices.

App Saturday: Bumble

By Hallei Halter

If you've just moved into a new area or want to get outside of your normal social circles, Bumble can help. Bumble aims to connect people on romantic, professional, or platonic levels by letting users upload photos and bios to announce what they're looking for. With a growing user base and the ability to switch between different sections depending on your goals, Bumble could be the one-stop app for friends, dates, and career contacts.

This will sound strange coming from someone who works for a tech publication, but I’ve been so worried about buying my daughter a cellphone that I’ve put it off until she was literally the last kid in her grade without one. What have I been worried about? Everything from the more minor things like screen addiction and gigantic data overages, to larger, 60 Minutes-level fears of her getting cyberbullied or meeting an online predator. Now, though, she’s almost 14 and will be in high school next year. I’ve come to the realization that it’s part of my job as a parent to ease my teenager into the technology that’s an everyday part of all our lives, rather than keeping her from it so she has to acclimate herself all at once when she’s old enough to purchase her own smartphone.

App Saturday: YouTube

By Hallei Halter

I used to only watch YouTube when I wanted to do something specific, like looking up a how-to video or watching from a link someone sent me. With so many videos and not so very strict categories, I found it hard to find something I liked right off the bat when just browsing the app. But after liking some videos and subscribing to a couple channels, I began to better navigate YouTube's sea of videos. Now I can browse YouTube and enjoy videos relevant to what I like or branch out to discover new interests. 

App Saturday: Instagram

By Hallei Halter

Instagram may be one of the most well-known social media apps. Also called Insta, and gaining popularity with its Instagram Stories feature, it's one way to get a peek at people, businesses, and events. You can post a photo, add a caption, and throw in some hashtags to participate in the community, or just use it to browse accounts you like. Instagram can be used for as much or as little as you want.

College football fans watch their favorite teams all season long in the hopes they'll make it to one of the dozens of bowl games in December and January. NCAA football fans enjoy three final games before the end of the NCAA football season ends with the CFP Final. This year college ball fans can look forward to the Clemson Tigers facing off against the Alabama Crimson Tide, and you can watch the ESPN live stream, without cable, on Apple TV. Let's go through your different options for streaming the College Football Playoff National Championship on Apple TV. We'll discuss how to watch NCAA games on your Apple TV through a variety of methods including streaming TV options, and even packages and perks offered by your cell phone provider. Let's get started learning how to watch college football on your Apple TV ahead of the big game!   

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.

App Saturday: Two Dots

By Hallei Halter

Playing Two Dots seems simple enough: connect enough same-colored dots in the allotted turns to advance levels. However, the more you play the more it becomes clear that Two Dots is a thought-provoking strategy game with unrelenting charm. With visuals that strike the balance of cozy and quirky, an amazing soundtrack, and gameplay that keeps players coming back for more, Two Dots is worth checking out. 

There’s no doubt that kids absolutely love to play games on iPhones and iPads. But not all games are created for younger children, and you may prefer they don’t play those games. Luckily, you can set restrictions on your child’s iPhone or iPad. This will give you a little more control over the content your child consumes in the age of information. Here’s how to set Game Center restrictions on your child’s iPad or iPhone.

App Saturday: IMDb

By Hallei Halter

With all the movies and TV series coming out, it can be hard to keep track of what you might be interested in watching. IMDb is a source for discovering new and old movies and shows, current show times, ans if you're able to stream a show on Amazon. IMDb is great for any casual viewer or film buff, as the app also provides behind the scenes content and additional information about cast and crew, while recommending other titles you may enjoy. 

App Saturday: TripAdvisor

By Hallei Halter

Planning trips can go either way: you plan them to the minute or you have a general idea of what you want to do. TripAdvisor helps you to decide on the best travel ideas by finding local spots of interest based on reviews and photos by other regular people. This travel planning app features suggestions by travel magazines and famous personalities who you can follow in the app in order to find more travel destinations that appeal to you. You can also book transport, hotels, and restaurant reservations within this app, making it your travel-planning utility knife.

App Saturday: VSCO X

By Hallei Halter

Typical vintage filters for photos slap on a yellow tint and call it a day. VSCO, a photography app that doubles as a photo editor, imitates analog camera settings to make your images look like natural film photos. The app also offers VSCO X, a yearly subscription that bulks up the app to include over 100 filters and tools to edit your photos to look like professional pieces.

Anytime a new version of iOS is released there are bound to be some growing pains. Since the release of iOS 12.1, some users have reported that a few of their contacts have received question marks and other odd glyphs instead of the intended emoji. Why does this happen, and what can you do to fix the problem? Don't worry, we've got you covered. In this article, we'll go over all the reasons your contact might be receiving alien glyphs from your iPhone and what they can do to solve the problem. Read on to learn all about these strange Emojis and how to get you and your contact's phones speaking the same language.

Online shopping is more popular than ever. Not only is it super easy to click and have a product show up on your doorstep, but also shipping prices and wait times are low enough to make you want to buy just about everything online. But once you’ve ordered something (or many somethings), you start receiving tracking numbers. And then to check the status of a package, you end up searching through emails trying to find your tracking number again. But what if there was an app that seamlessly synced across all of your devices, tracked your packages, and alerted you about arrivals? Ah yes, say hello to Deliveries: A Package Tracker ($4.99). Whether on iPhone, iPad, or Apple Watch, you’ll always know the status of your packages. Here’s more on what Deliveries does and why we love it.

WatchOS 4 was probably the best Apple Watch software update we’d ever seen, especially for those who workout with their Apple Watch. In this update, not only did Apple add new workouts like HIIT, it also added the ability to quickly and easily swipe over to music from within the Workout app on Apple Watch. Now you don’t need to change apps and fumble around mid workout just to change the song. Here’s how to easily access music while working out with your Apple Watch.

In episode 98, the iPhone Life team focuses on the best apps for you to use this holiday season. Learn how Apple’s new augmented reality app called Measure can help with your festive baking and what app you can use to record a special moment every day with friends and family. Other topics include tips for the Notes app, Siri Shortcuts and navigation in Google Maps

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