Apple Watch bulks up, speaks up with watchOS 5
Apple’s preview of watchOS 5 demonstrated a significant update to the world’s most popular watch. And as most wearers focus on fitness and communication, Apple Watch® will become an even stronger companion to the healthy and connected with a host of new features.
On the fitness side, Apple Watch can now automatically start many workout types when it detects you are exercising, and automatically end a workout when it senses you’ve stopped. It even provides retroactive credit for what you did before the workout was detected. Apple has added new Yoga and Hiking workouts, each with their own metrics, and the running and walking workouts now measure cadence in steps per minute. Apple Watch now offers 14 distinct and dedicated workout types.
Friendly reminder — Apple’s Reminders app is here to help
Among the Swiss-army-knife capabilities of your iPhone®, iPad® and even your Apple Watch®, there’s an innocuous and highly underrated app just waiting to help get you through your busy day.
It’s called Reminders, an onboard app that automatically syncs through iCloud® and cross-pollinates both your iOS and macOS® platforms.
Reminders makes it really difficult for you to ever forget something important again. It is super simple to use, and every reminder you post is guaranteed to follow you on every device you own.
Let’s focus on the Mac® in particular, with some useful Reminders tips you may want to learn.
Open List in New Window
By default, Reminders is a single-window app with a sidebar that shows all your lists. You can hide the sidebar to focus on a single list at a time, at which point you navigate between lists by clicking the dots at the bottom of the screen or swiping on a trackpad.
But what if you want to see multiple lists at once? Can do — open any list in its own window by double-clicking it in the sidebar or by choosing Window > Open List in New Window. You can also resize and position that window as you like.
Reminders even remembers which lists you had open if you quit and relaunch. And if it doesn’t, just deselect the “Close windows when quitting an app” checkbox in System Preferences > General.
Apple Introduces HomePod
Back in 1984, Steve Jobs introduced the Macintosh®. Or rather, the Mac® introduced itself to the audience by saying “Hello, I’m Macintosh. It sure is great to get out of that bag.”
Apple's introduction of HomePod™ demonstrates just how far we’ve come from those early days of technology intelligence. HomePod can not only introduce itself, but teams with Siri® and Apple Music® to create a brilliant home assistant capable of managing everyday tasks and bringing the music listening experience to an entirely new level.
Designed to compete against — er, crush? — Amazon Echo and Google Home when it begins shipping this month, HomePod is a powerful intelligent speaker in an elegant mesh-covered cylindrical package that stands just seven inches tall and boasts seven beam-forming tweeters for high-frequency acoustics and a large woofer for deep, clean bass. Driven by its A8 chip, HomePod software enables a spatial awareness that can sense its location in the room and automatically adjust the audio for the optimal listening — or command-executing — experience.
Cherry-picking the top features in iOS 11
With every upgrade comes the opportunity to improve your user experience. The trick is to pick-and-choose just those features and capabilities that offer you value and address your needs.
You’ll have just that chance with iOS 11, the most ambitious update yet from Apple®, offering a host of tweaks, upgrades and changes.
Open me first.
Let’s start with compatibility. You will need an iPhone® SE or an iPhone 5S or later to upgrade to iOS 11. That means all new iPhone shipments — right through the iPhone X arriving next month — will feature iOS 11 onboard.
After you install iOS 11 — either via Software Update on your iPhone or from iTunes® — you will immediately notice some new features. Dock icons no longer have names, and many Apple apps now have the same bold text design Apple brought to the Music and News apps in iOS 10. Read More...
Apple’s TV App Creates a Unified Viewing Experience
Apple® has discovered a way to bring harmony and order to an otherwise crowded and often chaotic field of television content.
The new TV app is an innovative, simplified and — might we add — free way to provide one central location to access all the content you enjoy. By loading content from across all your apps as well as iTunes®, your library and your subscription services, you command instant access to your personal cache of TV shows and movies. The TV app is transformational in the way you can watch TV on your Apple TV® as well as on your iPhone® and iPad®. Plus, it always stays in sync so you can begin watching a show on one device and easily continue where you left off on your other Apple devices.
A Closer Look at macOS Sierra
A few months ago we told you a little about macOS Sierra, Apple’s newest operating system for Mac which was released in September. This month we’re taking a closer look and highlighting a couple of the system’s more useful features.
Siri integration is the biggest new feature of macOS Sierra. Get started by clicking the Siri icon on the dock and simply asking “What can you do?” A list of actions that Siri can perform will be shown. Actions Siri is capable of performing on the Mac range from basic – opening a folder or launching an app – to more advanced such as starting a FaceTime call, setting up a meeting via Calendar, or finding photos based on date. Siri can even post updates on Twitter and Facebook for you.
iOS Tips and Tricks, Part 1
Wouldn’t it be nice if there was a handy cheat sheet listing a few of the many shortcuts available to enhance your iOS experience? It’s your lucky day! We’ve put together a slew of tips and tricks that will have you slapping your forehead wondering how you managed to get through the day before you learned these little pearls of wisdom. And here’s some more great news: this is just Part 1 of our summer series on iOS Tips and Tricks. Check back next month for more. For all your Apple, Mac and iOS support needs, contact Cranston IT at 888-813-5558 or support@cranstoninc.com.
Manage a Group Chat
To add someone to an iMessage group chat, tap Details, then tap Add Contact. If you want to mute notifications during a lively exchange, turn on Do Not Disturb.
HomeKit makes your home smarter
Homekit is not an application that runs utilities or anything else in your home. Rather, it’s a technology certification platform that developers can integrate into their hardware enabling it to communicate with your iOS device. For example, if you have a smart lighting system and that system is certified through Apple’s MFI program for HomeKit, you’ll be able to use your iPhone to turn your lights on and off. The same goes for all those other automated home functions like locks, heating, and cooling.
One of the features that puts HomeKit at the front of the class is its encryption protocol. The certification process requires manufacturers to include a custom encryption co-processor. This is big. While using smart technology is handy and helpful, it’s not worth the box it came in if someone can tap into your home’s automated locks and security cameras. According to Apple, HomeKit data is encrypted 100 percent of the time so, for example, only you or someone in your household knows when your lights are set to turn on/off. Read More...
The New Apple TV Adds Apps, Siri, Touch for Your Viewing Pleasure
This is not your father’s TV, folks.
Apple TV takes the phase “there’s an app for that” to heart by giving viewers access via apps to entertainment from an ever growing selection of content providers. Users can rent and purchase streaming movies and TV shows in 1080p right through the App Store. The set top box comes equipped with apps like Netflix, Hulu Plus, and ESPN, giving access to everything you want to watch at anytime. Read More...
iOS9 Features Some Much Anticipated Improvements
Everyone’s favorite personal assistant is about to get even better when Apple rolls out its newest operating system for iPhones and iPads. Expected to be released in September 2015, iOS9 will feature some highly anticipated updates to Siri, the voice responsive, talking assistant that changed the way we use smart phones. According to Apple, the new Siri will be able to do more than ever before and understand with greater accuracy what you say.
With more intuitive capabilities, Siri will be able to set reminders based on the content of an email or text message, and anticipate your needs based on location. For instance, it will offer your playlist at the gym, or suggest when you need to leave for an appointment based on your current location. Read More...
iOS 7 releases September 18th
The camera app in iOS 7 makes taking pictures even more intuitive. You can shoot stills, video, slow-mo, panorama, and square, switching between these different options with just one swipe, so you’ll always be ready to capture a moment. Now you can take a still shot while recording a video to take advantage of both options in a can’t miss moment. There’s also a new filter features that allow you to add filters to your photos. You can either shoot using filters or add them later. The new camera app is sure to add even more beauty to all of your photos and videos. Read More...
The Newest iPad and iPhone Features in iOS 6
Some of the most notable changes are to Siri. She will be able to open apps, pull up sports scores and stats, and even make restaurant reservations through Open Table. Siri will also be able to integrate into the hands-free systems of many vehicles.
A new application called Passbook can organize movie and sporting event tickets, store membership cards, retail coupons and airplane boarding passes. You can even use Passbook to check in for a flight, buy movie passes and redeem coupons.
The new iOS will also have its own mapping app with real-time traffic updates and turn-by-turn navigation spoken by Siri. Maps are vector based which means graphics and text are incredibly detailed. You can tilt and rotate to view an area and the Maps app will keep the names of streets and places where they belong. Read More...