How-To

If you have a 3D Touch-supported device, starting with iPhone 6s (but not including the iPhone SE or XR), you can add a 3D Touch multitasking gesture by way of AssistiveTouch. So, instead of pinching to zoom, you can use the AssistiveTouch button and zoom with a tap instead! Zoom and other gestures or actions can become a shortcut accessible by 3D Touching the AssistiveTouch button. This is an ideal option if you have a Home button that isn't too reliable or just want to take advantage of the convenience. 

A while back, Apple added more racial diversity to the faces on its emoji keyboard. While none of the emoticons or family groups offer options for different skin tones, the single human characters and body parts (hands, noses, etc.) all come with the diversity options. At this point, we’ve all seen Apple keyboard emojis in all their diversity, but not everyone knows how to use or change what emoji they select. Here’s how to use the diverse emoji keyboard on iPhone or iPad.

Sometimes Do Not Disturb will still let messages and calls through in certain circumstances depending on your Do Not Disturb settings. Want to use your phone without receiving ANY notifications and calls? Here's the best way to set Do Not Disturb so your phone won't go off for any reason. I use it for when I'm listening to podcasts or just trying to get some work done.

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.  

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.

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.

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.

The new Apple Watch ECG app works with your Apple Watch Series 4 to read your heart's rhythm and detect any irregularities that might indicate atrial fibrillation (AFib), while letting you take note of any additional symptoms you want to record. To use the ECG app, your Apple Watch Series 4 with watchOS 5.1.2 or later needs to be paired with iPhone 5s or later with iOS 12.1.1 or later. Older Apple Watches do not have this feature.

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.

We use the internet for just about everything; shopping, banking, communicating with friends and family, and storing music, photos, and videos. It's vital to safeguard all the personal data associated with these services with a different, strong password for each account. A password manager can help you generate and keep each password safe. There are lots of reputable, free password keepers to choose from, including 1Password, True Key, and LastPass. We'll go over the features of these apps so you can choose the best option for your needs. We'll also cover how to install a password app, and how to use it once you have. Let's get started.  

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!   

If you're worried that your child is spending too much time on their iPhone or iPad, and may even have a screen addiction, Apple's new operating system, iOS 12, is here to help. With iOS 12, parental restrictions are easy to put in place, and you can limit not only the total amount of time spent on a device but also set restrictions for individual apps, as well as content and privacy. Let's get started learning how to set up Screen Time restrictions for a child or teenager on iPhone or iPad.  

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.

Pages