by Lucy McAdams | Sep 22, 2017 | Apple Pencil, Control Center, Dock
Apple has long argued that you can use the iPad for productivity but hasn’t backed that claim up with the necessary features in iOS. Until now, that is, with the new iPad-centric capabilities of iOS 11. These changes mean that an iPad running iOS 11 is more like a...
by Lucy McAdams | Sep 20, 2017 | Camera, Control Center, Do Not Disturb, Dock, Emergency SOS, iOS, iPad, iPhone, Messages, Photos
Even if you’re not buying a new iPhone this year, you can still enjoy a hefty dose of “New and Improved!” with Apple’s iOS 11, which provides a host of new capabilities. Hold on tight, there’s a lot to cover, and we have another article coming about the iPad-specific...
by Lucy McAdams | Sep 15, 2017 | iPhone X, macOS High Sierra
At its highly anticipated product announcement event at the new Steve Jobs Theater, Apple didn’t disappoint. The big news was the revolutionary iPhone X, which eliminates the Home button and unlocks by recognizing your face. Apple also announced the evolutionary...
by Lucy McAdams | Sep 11, 2017 | Battery, Mac, MacBook, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, Tip
If your MacBook’s battery charge is dropping faster than you think is reasonable, it’s time to look for the culprit. Click the Battery icon in the menu bar and wait a few seconds for the Battery menu to display power information, including which apps are using...
by Lucy McAdams | Jul 24, 2017 | Clock, Home button, iPad, iPhone, Tip
If you’re like us, your iPhone has replaced that old digital alarm clock by your bedside. But one way that the iPhone doesn’t match up is the ease of thwacking a big Off button to stop the annoying wake-up noise. Happily, you don’t have to open your eyes and find the...
by Lucy McAdams | Jul 19, 2017 | Dictionary, keyboard shortcut, Mac
You’re probably used to Mac apps using red underlines to mark misspelled words, but did you know that macOS has long included a fully featured Dictionary app as well? It provides quick access to definitions and synonyms in the New Oxford American Dictionary and the...
by Lucy McAdams | Jul 10, 2017 | Settings
Now that Apple has released a public beta of iOS 11, we have confirmation that Apple is kicking some old apps off the back of the train. If you’ve been using an iPhone or iPad for more than a few years, it’s possible that some of your apps won’t even launch in iOS 11....
by Lucy McAdams | Jun 30, 2017 | Camera, How-To, iOS, iPad, iPhone
It’s the time of year when fireworks fill the sky above celebrations of all sorts. As the crowds ooh and aah at glittering chrysanthemum and willow effects, you may be wishing you could capture some of those moments with your iPhone. With these tips, you won’t need a...
by Lucy McAdams | Jun 29, 2017 | iOS, keyboard shortcut, Tip
If you’re thinking, “Why yes, I do know that in iOS a double-tap on the Space bar after typing a word inserts a period and then a space,” award yourself a virtual gold star. If you weren’t aware of that super useful trick, well, you are now. Getting to the Period key...
by Lucy McAdams | Jun 7, 2017 | Apple Watch, High Sierra, HomePod, iMac, iMac Pro, iOS, iPad Pro, MacBook, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, macOS, Siri, watchOS
Apple used the keynote address at its annual Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) in early June to unveil new versions of macOS, iOS, and watchOS, new iMacs and faster notebooks, and new iPad Pros. In a “one last thing” announcement that hearkened back to the days of...
by Lucy McAdams | Jun 1, 2017 | iOS, Mac, passwords, Security, Tip
Apple is increasingly encouraging us all to turn on two-factor authentication for our Apple IDs because it adds an extra layer of security on top of the password. With two-factor authentication, when you log in to iCloud or iTunes for the first time on a new device,...
by Lucy McAdams | May 31, 2017 | Mac, Tip
No matter how good your eyes are, at some point there will be something on your Mac’s screen that’s just too small to see well. With just a minute of setup, you can take advantage of a macOS feature that lets you zoom the screen right where the pointer is. Open System...
by Lucy McAdams | May 22, 2017 | Backup, Mac
“To go forward, you must back up.” Sure, it was an advertising tagline for backup software from the 1990s, but it’s still true. When it comes to losing data, the question is not “if,” but “when.” If you store valuable information—whether personal or professional—on...
by Lucy McAdams | May 18, 2017 | iPad, iPhone, Mac
It can be hard to ante up for a quality Lightning or USB-C cable when just a little searching reveals cables that cost only a couple of bucks each. “Surely,” you might think, “the cheap cables might not be as good, but so what if they wear out sooner?” Points for...
by Lucy McAdams | May 10, 2017 | Apple Pay, Home button, iPhone, Tip
When it’s an option at a cash register, Apple Pay is faster, easier, and safer than using a credit card. But accessing it from the Wallet app is way too slow! Here’s the trick to pull up Apple Pay quickly. In Settings > Wallet & Apple Pay, under “Allow Access...
