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ISSUE 229

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“It’s an iOS that you grow into – with more nuances revealing themselves over time” I was initially a little sceptical about iOS 15, Apple’s major new mobile update that is due to drop any day now. While swiping, tapping and prodding my way through the beta software (version 6, at the time of going to press), I was thinking, “who cares?” to the FaceTime enhancements, new Messages gubbins and Focus thingies, as I seldom use those apps anyway. But then some of the other stuff really started to grab me. The new Safari interface that felt very wrong to begin with soon began to feel so indelibly right, and the new LiveText feature in Photos, while a little gimmicky, felt like a new app. It’s an iOS that you grow into with more and more nuances becoming apparent the more you scratch away at it and let it into your daily life. You can explore the extent of our scratchings, starting on page 14, as we help you hit the ground running with everything you need to know.

Also in this issue, we provide a range of proven methods to get your old Mac hardware firing on all cylinders, help you discover if your iPhone has been hacked (topical – with all of that Pegasus paranoia floating around) and provide tips for saving iCloud storage space and managing with the bare minimum. Enjoy!

Ryan Butt Editor

Meet the experts David Crookes This issue, our iOS expert will

help you find out if your iPhone has been hacked, and show you how to bring Amazon Alexa voice control on your Home Screen to compete with Siri.

Shaun McGill

Our tech expert will show you how to supercharge your Mac, by providing proven solutions for speeding up old hardware and making your Mac run super-efficiently.

George Cairns Our creative genius will show you how to turn day into night in your photos, create captivating trailers in iMovie and turn photos into moving pictures in Final Cut Pro.

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Contents

Discover the creative treats in store this month

iCreate regulars

News, look-backs and expert advice

08 Trending: News

Apple is facing some strong adversity to its plans to build surveillance capabilities into its devices. Read all about it!

10 Trending: 5 Things

New stuff that we’ve discovered this month, including new GarageBand soundpacks and a brand-new model of iPhone

12 Trending: iCandy

Apple hardware new and old, like you’ve never seen it before

84 Genius Bar

Our resident Apple Genius solves all of your tech troubles

98 Time Machine

iOS 15 GENIUS On the cover

BECOME AN

Just updated your iPhone?

Then read our instant-expert tips for mastering every new feature!

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Take a trip down memory lane with classic Apple hardware

iCreate reviews

Latest hardware and apps, rated

90 Audio-Technica AT2040 Dynamic Microphone 92 Edifier TWS NB2 Pro Wireless Earbuds 94 Accessories 96 Software

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Create smart folders using tags Manage your internet bookmarks Transfer Android files to Mac 10 ways to fix your dodgy Wi-Fi

70 Block website location access 72 Send vanishing media in WhatsApp

iPadOS Tutorials

74 Free up your iCloud storage and get by on the free allowance 76 Learn how to record your iPad screen using Control Centre

Creative projects and guides for getting more from your Apple devices

watchOS Tutorials iOS Tutorials

58 Find out if your iPhone has been hacked using iVerify 60 Discover how to merge your fitness data into Health from any tracker 62 Learn how to play superior-quality lossless audio in Apple Music 64 Manage your Google search history and protect your privacy Turn day into night with our expert 66 Search like a pro and find things easily in Safari web pages photo-editing tips Discover how to make terrific trailers 68 Add the Amazon Alexa voice assistant to your iOS Home Screen using the magic of iMovie Learn how to make your photos move with Final Cut Pro Tech feature Record guitar signals in GarageBand using an iRig Make your tracks explode with our Mute and Solo Logic Pro power tips

78 Listen to Spotify offline on your Apple Watch 80 10 ways your Apple Watch can replace your iPhone

Creative Tutorials 24 26 28 30 32

tvOS Tutorials 82 Discover how to use your Apple TV’s picture-in-picture mode

SUPERCHARGE YOUR MAC

Proven solutions for speeding up old hardware and making your Mac super-efficient!

macOS Tutorials 36 Learn how to run apps with keyboard shortcuts on a Mac 38 Browse the web at super-speeds using Cloudfare WARP 40 Discover how to install and use optional fonts in macOS

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#Trending The big story

90+ groups want Apple to drop CSAM plans Open letter demands Apple drops plans to “build surveillance capabilities” into devices

A GROUP OF MORE THAN 90 INTERNATIONAL POLICY GROUPS HAS BANDED TOGETHER TO DELIVER AN OPEN LETTER TO APPLE CEO, TIM COOK, THAT DEMANDS APPLE DITCHES ITS PLANS TO CHECK iPHONES AND iPADS FOR KNOWN CSAM CONTENT IN iCLOUD PHOTOS AND INAPPROPRIATE PHOTOS SENT TO AND FROM KIDS. The letter is in response to Apple’s CSAM efforts that involve checking on-device iCloud Photos images against known CSAM content.

CSAM Detection enables Apple to accurately identify and report iCloud users who store known Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) in their iCloud Photos accounts. Apple servers flag accounts exceeding a threshold number of images that match a known database of CSAM image hashes so that Apple can provide relevant information to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). Apple claims that this process is secure, and is expressly designed to preserve user privacy, but 90+ international policy groups have expressed their doubts.

In an announcement headed “International Coalition Calls on Apple to Abandon Plan to Build Surveillance Capabilities into iPhones, iPads, and other Products,” the groups appear to have two main issues with Apple’s new child safety plans. In particular: “1. The scan and alert feature in the 8

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Messages app could result in alerts that threaten the safety and wellbeing of some young people, and LGBTQ+ youths with unsympathetic parents would be particularly at risk.

2. Once the CSAM hash scanning for photos is built into Apple products, the company will face enormous pressure, and possibly legal requirements, from governments around the world to scan for all sorts of images that the governments find objectionable.”

It’s important to note that both of the issues raised here have already been addressed by Apple. On the first issue,

alerts will only be triggered based on images sent and received via the Messages app. No text messages will trigger any kind of alert whatsoever. Further, Apple also confirmed during press briefings that kids will be warned before any sort of parental notification is triggered. They’ll need to expressly click through that warning to see the photo in question, having been told that their parents will be notified. So, parents won’t be notified of anything without a child’s knowledge.

On the second issue, Apple has repeatedly said that it will not be swayed by governments and law enforcement if

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The new child protection features are scheduled to arrive as part of iOS 15 and macOS Monterey

and when demands are made to use the CSAM detection system to detect other types of material. Apple also points to the fact the hashes to which iCloud Photos are matched are only provided by known child protection agencies. What’s more, all of this is auditable, says Apple.

Despite this, the coalition believes that Apple will be “installing surveillance software” on iPhones – something Apple will no doubt strongly refute.

The new child protection features are scheduled to arrive as part of iOS 15, iPadOS 15, watchOS 8, and macOS Monterey later this fall, but only in the

United States of America for now. Apple has said they will consider adding more countries and regions on a case-by-case basis in the future. In keeping with local laws, and as Apple deems appropriate.

They include new Siri and Search features. If a user asks for help in reporting instances of child abuse and exploitation or of CSAM, they’ll be pointed to resources for where and how to file those reports. If a user tries to query Siri or Search for CSAM, the system will intervene, explain how the topic is harmful and problematic, and provide helpful resources from partners.

These queries are not reported to law enforcement authorities. They’re built into the existing, secure, private Siri and Search system where no identifying information is provided to Apple about the accounts making the queries, and so there’s nothing that can be forwarded to any law enforcement. There’s also a new Communications Safety feature. If a device is set up for a child, meaning it’s using Apple’s existing Family Sharing and Parental Control system, a parent can choose to enable this opt-in feature and get notified if the child’s device tries to send or view explicit images.

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#Trending iPhone news

Things we learned this month GarageBand

Apple TV+

The new Foundation trailer has got everybody going wild GarageBand has new soundpacks from Dua Lipa

GarageBand for iOS and iPadOS now has all-new Sound Packs from some of today’s top artists and producers. For the first time, you can learn the art of remixing right within the app, with two all-new Remix Sessions offering step-by-step video instruction, and featuring hit songs from artists such as Dua Lipa and Lady Gaga. Musicians can also now create songs with seven new Producer Packs full of beats, loops, and instruments.

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Apple has dropped a new trailer for Foundation, its stunning new Apple TV+ series, which will air on September 24. Based on the award-winning novels by Isaac Asimov, Foundation chronicles a band of exiles on their monumental journey to save humanity and rebuild civilization amid the fall of the Galactic Empire.

Foundation could be one of the biggest shows ever to debut on the streaming platform. According to a previous report, Foundation’s showrunner sold the project to Apple after being asked to pitch the idea in a single sentence. That’s no small feat considering the story of Foundation spans an entire millennium.

Led by showrunner and executive producer David S. Goyer, Foundation is produced for Apple by Skydance Television. You can find the new trailer for Foundation on YouTube and Apple TV+.

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iPhone 13 expected later this month

Apple is expected to hold an iPhone 13 launch event this September, but we might see more than one new Apple product get released, according to the latest rumours.

A new Digitimes report regarding Apple’s iPad, claims Apple plans to host a “series of product launch conferences in September.” Digitimes indicates a new base model iPad, rumoured for a slight redesign, will be announced at one of these September events.

Apple campus

Apple keeps delaying its return to the office

Apple has once again delayed plans to bring staff back to its corporate offices.

Apple staff were supposed to return to the office in September on a hybrid scheme, a move that was initially pushed back to October. But now, according to a new report from Bloomberg, Apple is telling staff they won’t be back in their office chairs until at least January 2022.

The company’s plans to bring staff back to places like Apple Park on a hybrid model, where they work from home two days a week, has proven controversial with some staff.

Apple employees have written two letters to Tim Cook asking for more flexibility with its plans, and some staff have even quit.

So what can we expect? The rumour is that Apple is planning to release a new Apple Watch Series 7, new entrylevel AirPods, a new iPad mini 6, and new mini-LED MacBook models. Last year Apple held an event in September, October, and November, and the prospect of multiple events in one month would certainly be an unusual one.

The iPhone 13 is set to offer a 120Hz LTPO display on both Pro models, improved battery life thanks to a more efficient 5G modem, and substantial upgrades to the all-important cameras.

Apple news

Tim Cook reveals that he loves a bit of competition, in new interview

”I can’t think of a case where competition is bad,” Apple CEO Tim Cook says in a new interview with Australia’s Financial Review. In the interview, Cook stated that any sort of regulation in tech should be justified by being great for the user, and should improve people’s lives. He also touted Apple’s App Store, Privacy, and more. His comments on back doors are pertinent because of Apple’s recent Child Safety announcement. Cook’s comments, given before the announcement state: “It’s the reality. If you put back doors in a system, anybody can use a back door. And so you have to make sure the system itself is robust and durable; otherwise you can see what happens in the security world. Every day you read about a breach, or you read about a ransomware.”

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iCandy MacBook Air (2017)

The last of the second-generation, tapered unibody MacBook Airs, the 2017 model included a 1.8 GHz Broadwell processor, and was the final model of MacBook to sport a backlit rear Apple logo.

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iOS 15 GENIUS BECOME AN

Instant-expert tips for mastering the huge new iPhone update

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B

y the time you read this, or at the very least very soon after, the iOS 15 update should be with us and that magic exclamation mark should appear over our Settings app icon to signify that the update is ready to install (go to Settings>General>Software Update to initiate it). Many features in iOS 15 are universal across iOS and macOS – meaning that we have covered some of the marquee features in the previous two issues, including the extensive new enhancements to FaceTime. We’ll provide a rundown of the standout features that we’ve covered before below, leaving us more space to really delve into the finer nuances of iOS 15 across the following pages. Read on to hit the ground running with the new update when it lands and impress everyone with your superior early knowledge.

Top 5 new features

1

We’ve already talked about these a lot over the previous two issues, but here is a quick rundown of the most significant new additions to iOS 15

SharePlay

A new feature that allows users to share experiences on FaceTime calls, such as listening to Apple Music together or watching a movie through Apple TV. Includes shared playback controls.

3

Shared with You

Content sent to you over Messages automatically appears in a new ‘Shared with You’ section in the corresponding app, so you can enjoy it when it is convenient to you.

2 Interactive 4globe More 5Memories FaceTime Links

You can now create a link to a FaceTime call and share it through Messages, Mail, Calendar or other third-party apps.

These links can also be opened through a web browser so nonApple users can join in.

The Maps app boasts some significant improvements, like zooming out to a fullyinteractive globe, new driving features and much more information at your fingertips.

The Photos app now lets you build your Memories to be more dynamic and engaging. You can add your own music, try out various Memory mixes and generally make them look epic!

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Become an iOS 15 Genius

Your new Notification Centre

The iOS 15 update brings a redesigned Notification Centre to your iPhone that is easier to digest and can deliver a personalised summary of non-urgent notifications at a time when you are free to process them.

Swipe down

Manage notifications

You can access your new-look Notification Centre by swiping down from the top of the screen (but not the right-hand corner, as that launches your Control Centre).

If you swipe left on a notification you will see two buttons for ‘Options’ and ‘Clear’. Tap ‘Options’ and a pop-up menu will allow you to mute the notification for one hour, or one day, and quickly access the specific Notifications settings page for that app. It’s simple.

Bigger badges

Your notifications feature enlarged app icons and contact pictures so that you can see more easily, at-a-glance, which apps they apply to and which people have contacted you.

Alternative scheduling

If you are unsure of how to add apps to your notification summary after the initial setup process, then you can do it by going to Settings>Notifications and tapping on a specific app. You will now see a new set of Notification Delivery options. From here, tap ‘Scheduled Summary’ to add the app.

3D Touch

As before, you can long-press on notifications to trigger specific actions for the various apps and tap on the ‘X’ icon in the top-right corner to clear all of your current notifications.

Schedule a summary

A personalised notification summary collects all non-urgent notifications together and delivers them at an appropriate time. The notifications are then organised by priority based on how often you interact with the apps. Here’s how to schedule your summary.

1Open Settings

Go to Settings>Notifications and you will see the ‘Scheduled Summary’ option at the top of the screen, which is turned off by default. Tap on this option to get started.

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2Enable options

3Adjust schedule

Turn on the ‘Scheduled Summary’ option, You can now set a time for a first hit ‘Continue’ and then start choosing what summary, second summary and even more. will appear in your personalised summary.

Tap on the time to change it and then finish Tap ‘Add X Apps’ when you have finished. by tapping ‘Turn on Notification Summary’.

Get more from Weather

Become an iOS 15 Genius

The Weather app has been significantly overhauled in iOS 15, and now features more data displays to convey the current and future weather conditions to you in a more dynamic way. Here’s what you can expect to see when you fire it up for the first time.

1Heat map

2More data

3Get notifications

4Weather settings

5Add locations

6More info

Scroll down past the forecast and air pollution graph to see a temperature map.

Tap on ‘See More’ for a larger map that you can use to see the temperature anywhere.

Tap on the ‘…’ icon in the top-right corner of this screen to view various options relating to the default temperature scale and your saved locations.

Scroll down beyond the temperature Tap on the list icon in the lower rightmap to see the UV Index, wind scale, corner of the screen to see ‘Stay Dry’. Tap pressure and more, displayed in handy panels ‘Turn on Notifications’ and tap ‘Continue’ to that collapse as you scroll upwards. allow location services and notifications.

Add locations to Weather by entering the name into the search field, tapping on a match and then tapping on the ‘Add’ option.

You can then access it from this screen.

The Weather app gathers information from breeze.com and weather.com. You can instantly head to these by tapping on their icons at the bottom of the main screen.

Share your Health data

The iOS 15 Health app has gained a new ‘Sharing’ tab that allows you to share selected health data with family members or carers, as well as some other useful features that we’ll make you aware of here.

1Share data

Launch Health and then tap on the new ‘Sharing’ option at the bottom. Then tap ‘Share with Someone’ and enter names into the search field. Add them to the app.

2View the trends

On the Health summary screen, there will be a new ‘Trends’ section. Tap on ‘View Health Trends’ to view any new changes within your personal health metrics.

3New metrics

Tap ‘Browse’ at the bottom and then select ‘Mobility’. A new ‘Walking Steadiness’ metric has been added to monitor the fall risk of the elderly or mobility-impaired users.

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Become an iOS 15 Genius

Manage your Safari tabs

There are more ways to manage your tabs in the new-look Safari, including Tab Groups, which records a collection of current tabs and allows you to start and open them at the touch of a button, whenever you need to. Here are those tab options in full.

1Tap tab icon

2Start managing

3Create a group

4Name the group

5Private browsing

6More gestures

To start managing your tabs, tap on the tab icon within the new floating URL bar at the bottom of the screen. All of your open tabs will then be displayed on one screen.

From here you can close open pages by Tap on the ‘X Tabs’ text at the bottom of tapping on the ‘X’ icon in the top-right corner the screen for more options. From here, you of each one, or search for keywords within can create a new empty Tab Group or create open tabs by typing into the search field. a new Tab Group from your open tabs.

Give your new Tab Group a name and hit If you wish to browse without leaving To save time, you can also swipe up on ‘Save’, then you can simply access this menu history, simply select the ‘Private’ option from the floating URL bar to access your screen of of options again and tap on the name of your the Tab Groups menu, and then tap ‘Done’ to open Safari tabs quicker. Like we said, it’s all Tab Group to instantly open those tabs. enter Private Browsing Mode. geared towards one-handed use.

Create a Safari Start page In iOS 15, the Safari app gains a customisable Start Page for the first time. Having been available on Mac since the release of Big Sur, the Start Page puts everything you need within easy reach every time you open a new web page. Here’s how to create one.

1Your Start Page

2Start editing

You can create a Start Page by swiping Scroll down to the bottom of your Start left through your tabs (it will launch after your Page and tap the ‘Edit’ button. Then turn off last tab). If you have a Mac Safari Start Page the ‘Use Start Page on All Devices’ option to then the layout will be synced via iCloud. create a page that is unique to iOS.

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3Tweak the settings

Use the switches to choose what’s displayed on your Start Page, and then pick a background image. Tap the ‘+’ icon to add your own image to use as a background.

Master the new Safari

Become an iOS 15 Genius

The iOS 15 update brings a fresh new design to Apple’s mobile browser, moving the controls to the bottom of the screen, so that the app may be navigated more easily with one hand. Here’s everything you need to know.

Share alike

Tap on the share icon within the URL bar to see options to share, reload, translate, change the text size and many more. You can also tap on ‘Privacy Report’ to see which websites are tracking you.

Use extensions

Refresh pages

In iOS 15, Safari gets mobile web extensions for the first time. Search for ‘Safari Extensions’ in the App Store to find and download them. Once installed, these extensions will be added to the Safari share menu. Tap ‘Edit Actions’ at the bottom of the menu to add more.

Compact navigation bar

Swipe tabs

You can tap the reload icon next to the URL to reload the current page, or you can pull down from the top of the screen to refresh the current page.

A new, more compact URL bar floats at the bottom of the screen to afford the user more screen space for the actual websites. This bar is still reduced further down the bottom of the screen, when scrolling through websites.

You can swipe left or right on the URL bar to access your other open tabs, or tap the tab icon within the floating URL bar to view all of your open tabs on one screen. You can then tap the ‘X’ icons to close each individual tab.

Using the reader

Familiar options for adding bookmarks and accessing the Reader are less apparent in the new-look Safari. But don’t worry, they’re just as quick and easy to access as ever – and here’s how…

1Tap share

Of course, you can just tap the share icon within the floating URL bar to access an extensive array of options, including those to bookmark and access the Reader.

2Long-press

Alternatively, when you are notified (via small text in the URL bar) that the current page is available in Reader, simply long-press on the floating URL bar…

3Access the menu

The screen will go blank and a menu of 3D Touch options will appear. Tap ‘Show Reader’ to instantly remove all clutter from the current page and make it easier to read.

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Become an iOS 15 Genius

New features in Find My

Apple’s Find My network has been expanded in iOS 15 to include the latest AirPods, give more accurate location information (especially when tracking people), separation alerts and more. Here are the key things to know.

At-a-glance info

Other Apple hardware, such as AirTags, will be listed in the ‘Items’ section. Tap ‘Add New Item’ and your iPhone will detect new, unregistered devices and allow you to add them to the app.

Change the widget

If you are using the Find My widget (see below), you can instantly change which items or people appear in it, by long-pressing on the widget and then choosing ‘Edit Widget’ from the popup iPhone menu.

More devices

Find My network support has been extended to AirPods Pro and AirPods Max, both of which appear under ‘Devices’. You can even locate an erased device.

New widgets!

Live people tracking

As well as the Find My widget, iOS 15 also introduces new widgets for Game Center, App Store Today, Sleep and Mail. Go to the widget screen, tap ‘Edit’ then the ‘+’ icon, and scroll down to see the complete list of available widgets that you can edit and add to your Home Screen.

Friends and family members that have shared their location with you (go to Settings>Privacy>Location Services>Share My Location to do this) will now have their location livestreamed, for a more accurate sense of speed and direction.

Add the Find My widget

Along with the features added to the parent Find My app, iOS 15 also provides a handy new widget for tracking devices or people at-a-glance. Here’s how to set up and use this widget.

1Access widgets

Go to the right of your Home Screen to access your widgets, then scroll down and tap ‘Edit’, followed by the ‘+’ icon in the topleft corner of the screen.

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2Add the widget

3Drag and drop

Type ‘Find My’ into the Search Widgets When your new Find My widget has been field and tap on the match. Scroll through the added to your screen, press and hold on it Items and People widgets, select the one you and then drag it into position on your Home want to use and then tap ‘Add Widget’.

Screen. Tap the screen to set it into position.

Create your Focus groups

Become an iOS 15 Genius

The iOS 15 update introduces Focus, a new system that separates your day into individual periods, such as Work and Personal, and allows you to determine which notifications you receive during these periods. Here’s how it works.

1Open Settings

2Manage groups

3Select a Focus

4Create a Focus

5Schedule Focus

6Easy access

Launch your Settings app and you will notice that the Do Not Disturb setting has been replaced by ‘Focus’, although the icon remains the same. Tap on this to get started.

Tap ‘Custom’ to set up a new Focus personalised for you. Name it, select an icon and then select which people, and apps, can contact you during this Focus period.

You will see the basic Focus groups A list of suggested groups will appear. If listed, including Personal, Work, Sleep and one is useful, tap on it – to trigger it to turn Do Not Disturb. We’ll show you how to set up on when the actions occur, such as when you a new Focus, so start by tapping ‘+’. start a Fitness+ workout.

Now, you can tap on ‘Add Schedule or Automation’ to determine if the Focus kicks in at a certain time, location or when you use a particular app.

Turn on a Focus at any time by accessing your Control Centre, tapping ‘Focus’ and then tapping a group to turn it on. More options are available by tapping the ‘…’ icons.

Easy organisation

As well as the marquee additions, iOS 15 also brings some other cool lesser-known features to the table, including options to re-order your Home Screens and Smart Stack widgets. Allow us to demonstrate.

1Enter Edit mode

2Re-order screens

Long-press on a blank part of the screen Tap on the Home Screens icon at the to enter ‘Edit’ mode. App icons will shake and bottom and you’ll be able to turn Home display small ‘–’ icons, meaning you can start Screens on or off. You can press and hold on customising your Home Screen(s). a Home Screen to drag and reposition it.

3Re-order stacks

If you use the Smart Stack widget comprising of multiple widgets, then tap on it in ‘Edit’ mode. You can then long-press on individual widgets and drag them around.

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Become an iOS 15 Genius

Use Live Text in Camera

Your iOS photography experience is improved with better Panorama captures, and the option to swipe while taking a QuickTake video to zoom in or out. But it is Live Text within the iOS 15 Camera app that is perhaps more useful. This is how it works.

1Turn it on

2Tap Live Text

3Look it up

4Translate text

5Try Photos too

6Discover more

Go to Settings>Camera and then make sure that the ‘Live Text’ option is turned on.

Now launch your Camera app and point your iPhone at something containing text.

To capture foreign text, tap the ‘>’ icon to the right of the options bar and then choose ‘Translate’. Go to Settings>Translate and download the language first.

The Camera app will recognise that it’s text, and frame it with yellow markers. You should then see the Live Text icon appear in the lower-right corner. Tap this!

Live text also works retrospectively on photos you have already taken. Open Photos and find an image containing text and then double-tap on the text within the image.

The text will be separated from the main image and a bar of options will appear, including ‘Look Up’, which will search various apps, including the web, for matching results.

The text will become highlighted and the same floating bar of options will appear. Tap the ‘i’ icon to highlight recognised objects and scenes and learn more about them.

Record App activity

One of the much lesser known features of iOS 15 is the option to save a seven-day summary of when apps access your data. This report can then be saved and shared with whoever you want.

1Open Settings

2Turn it on

Head to Settings>Privacy and then scroll Turn on the ‘Record App Activity’ all the way down to the bottom of the screen. option and then go back to using your Here you will see the new ‘Record App iPhone exactly how you would on any given Activity’ option – tap on this. day. Check back a few days later.

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3Save the report

Tap on ‘Save App Activity’ to save an App Activity report for reference. Here, you can share it with other people or save it to your Files app, for example.

Become an iOS 15 Genius

AThe iOSwider search net 15 update greatly expands the depth to which your iPhone’s Spotlight search facility drills down for matches. It is now much more of a one-stop search for absolutely everything…

Easy access

You can now swipe down from your Notification Centre screen for the Spotlight search facility, and even pull down on your Lock Screen to access it without even unlocking your iPhone.

Photos search

Spotlight now uses more information from your photos to provide results based on things pictured within the photo. It even provides results based on text seen in the images.

Web images search

Spotlight allows you to search for images of people, animals, monuments and much more from the web, so there is no need to fire up your web browser.

New Memoji!

Like with all major updates, iOS 15 introduces new Memoji options to better express yourself. Go to Messages>Edit>Edit Name and Photo, and tap ‘Edit’ under your image to create a new Memoji. You will find more customisation options, such as oxygen tubes and soft head-gear.

Maps results

Businesses that support App Clips will feature an action button in the Maps app Spotlight results, allowing you to dip into the service that you need, without launching the App Store and downloading the full app.

New app (sort of) Although there aren’t any totally new Apple apps to accompany the iOS 15 update, it does turn a previous Accessibility feature into a standalone app – introducing Magnifier!

1Find the app

After updating, the new Magnifier app may not be on the Home Screen – you may have it set so that new apps go to ‘App Library Only’ in Settings>Home Screen.

2Move the app

The app will be in ‘Recently Added’ in your App Library. Press and hold on the icon and choose ‘Add to Home Screen’. You can also add it to Control Centre in Settings.

3Use the app

Launch the new Magnifier app to zoom in on objects framed in your iPhone camera.

Tap the settings icon to edit the secondary controls, such as Brightness and Torch.

229 23

Photos Developer Apple Inc Difficulty Time needed

10

Download available

Turn day into night with these useful photo-editing tips Create an atmospheric night-time shot on your Mac without having to wait for the sun to set

A

location photographed at night can look much more dramatic than the same scene captured during the day.

Nocturnal shots can be more moody, with strong moonlit shadows accentuating the shape of objects and adding mystery. However, we may not have the time to hang around until dark for a night shoot. There are also technical challenges to capturing night-time shots that aren’t blighted by artefacts such as noise and blur. Fortunately, Photos has all the colour and tone tweaking tools we need to create a high quality atmospheric night-time shot from the comfort of our desktop Mac.

Create a nocturnal scene by adjusting tone and colour temperature

Change colour and tone Mimic a night time look Knowledge base

Less light

The Light panel’s selective tone tweaking tools enable us create a moonlit wash of contrasting shadows and highlights that add a moody nocturnal look to a day time shot.

Export RAW files

A quick way to get a Raw .dng file out of Photos is to hold down the option/ alt key and drag the thumbnail to the desktop. This will download the original .dng from iCloud Photos rather than a .jpg copy. You can then edit the full quality .dng in a third-party app, such as Photoshop CC.

Vignette

By increasing the value of the Vignette slider we can darken the edges of the frame and add a sense of mood and mystery to our day to night conversion.

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Weaker colours

At night, the reflected sunlight produces weaker colours. We can mimic this look by dragging Vibrance to the left. This selectively desaturates typical landscape colours such as blues and greens.

Colder colours

Traditionally, day to night conversions in film and TV have a wash of blue. This helps emulate the colder colour temperature of moonlight with its blue cast.

Creative Photos Step-by-step

Create a nocturnal look

1Import image

2Getting dark

3 Weaker colours

4 Cool it

5 Night draws in

6 Transplant adjustments

Go to File>Import. Browse to select our Night_start.DNG file. Click the ‘Import’ button. Go to Imports, double-click on the imported image’s thumbnail and click ‘Edit’.

The colour temperature of moonlight is low, so go to the White Balance panel and set the drop-down to Temperature/Tint.

Drag Temperature to a cooler 3200K.

In the Adjust panel, drag the Exposure slider left to -0.35. Drag the Shadows slider left to -0.75 to reduce shadow detail. Boost Contrast to 0.60 to mimic moonlight.

To add mystery, go to Vignette and set the Strength slider to 0.30. Make the edge shadows close in by dragging the Radius slider to 0.60. Set the Softness to 0.25.

For even more contrasting shadows, drag Black Point right to 0.50. The colours should be weaker, so drag the Colour panel’s Vibrance slider left to -0.50.

Now that you’ve got a day to night look go to Image>Copy Adjustments. Click ‘Done’. Browse to another shot, click ‘Edit’ and choose Image>Paste Adjustments.

Step-by-step Shooting at night

Shoot it for real at night

In low light conditions we need to use a faster (higher) ISO to make our camera more sensitive to available light. However, this can add ugly artefacts such as digital noise.

We can also use a slower shutter speed to capture more detail at night but this runs the risk of adding camera-shake blur. The latest iPhone models have a handy Night mode that helps us capture effective night-time shots with a minimum of artefacts. Now, you can venture out late at night to capture some interesting, improved nocturnal shots with more confidence.

1 Flash off

By default, the flash may deploy in low light locations. Flash light is not effective when shooting distant subjects and can be forbidden in locations such as museums.

Swipe up, tap the flash icon and tap ‘Off’.

2 Night mode

Night mode chooses an exposure time, but you can swipe the countdown slider to choose a duration. During the exposure a ‘Hold Still’ message appears. Keep the central crosshairs aligned to avoid blur.

229 25

iMovie Developer Apple Inc Difficulty Time needed

10

Make terrific trailers with the magic of iMovie Share your holiday highlights as a slick (and short) movie trailer that holds your audiences’ attention on social media sites

T

Download available

hanks to social media sources such as Facebook and Twitter we are flooded by content choices. As a result our attention spans have grown short as we flit from one clip to the next without watching anything through to the end. An effective way to share your summer holiday highlights is to present them as a Hollywood trailer. Trailers are short, give a flavour of the story and show the best bits! iMovie’s trailer template has a handy shot list that you can quickly populate with a variety of clips. It then automatically places the shot list’s clips into an ordered story complete with Hollywood trailer titles and graphics.

Create a quick trailer Use templates to edit footage You can tell which sections of a clip have been added to the Shot List by viewing the orange bars below their thumbnails. The Shot List automatically trims long clips to short trailerfriendly sections.

Preview trailer

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Knowledge base

Source footage

iMovie’s trailers tend to run for around a minute and a half, and most clips in the trailer have a duration of a couple of seconds. This means you’ll need to shoot a lot of clips to create the content for a trailer. Our tutorial’s trailer has a duration of one minute and 22 seconds, so we needed 34 clips of various shot sizes and subjects.

Used content

Place the cursor onto a field in the Storyboard, and then tap the spacebar to play the trailer. This helps to see how the clips cut together and you can also view animated text and graphics.

You can customise the text in animated studio idents to brand your trailer as a family production

Storyboard

All the clips added to the Shot List are automatically arranged in a narrative order in the Storyboard tab. It also juxtaposes a variety of shot sizes and subjects for a smooth-flowing trailer.

Shot List

After personalising your family members’ names in the Outline tab, the placeholders in the Shot List tab help you gather the appropriate clips for the perfect trailer.

Creative iMovie Step-by-step

Create a movie trailer

1Import clips

2Customise outline

3 Fill the shot list

4 Orange bar

5 Storyboard

6 Convert to movie

In the Projects panel choose File>New Instead of the usual timeline you’ll see Trailer. Play a trailer to preview it. Click three trailer tabs instead. In the Outline Create>New Event>Import Media. Browse tab, personalise the text fields to add your to our supplied clips. Click ‘Import Selected’. names and select a holiday destination.

Once you add a clip, an orange bar appears at the bottom of the clip’s thumbnail in the media bin. This helps you find clips you haven’t added to the shot list.

Step-by-step

Click on the Shot List tab. Here you’ll see placeholders for family members, landscapes and action shots. Click a placeholder, then click on a suitable clip to add it to the shot list.

The Shot List isn’t in a particular order, Go to Edit>Convert trailer to Movie. it’s just a collection of clips needed for the This turns the trailer into a standard iMovie trailer. When you click on the Storyboard tab timeline. You can trim and re-order clips you’ll see the trailer has been edited for you. here, as well as tweak the content of titles.

iMovie on iOS

Create iMovie trailers on the go

To edit a trailer in the macOS version of iMovie, you need to get your clips into your Mac. You can use AirDrop to share them from your iPhone to your Mac, or sync them via the iCloud and then access them in iMovie by clicking on the Photos icon in the Library panel. For quicker trailer creation you can use the iOS version of iMovie which has the bonus of letting you create and share a trailer while still on holiday. This is convenient if you want to keep your friends and family updated while you’re still on your trip, or when you have a bit of spare time on your travels.

1 Choose a template

In iOS iMovie, go to ‘Projects’ and tap the ‘+’ icon. Tap ‘Trailer’ and you have 14 trailer templates to choose from. Tap the Play icon to preview the trailer. Tap ‘Create’ to choose the template you want.

2 Add assets

Customise names in the Outline template’s text fields. There’s no Shot List tab in this version of iMovie so you need to go to the Storyboard tab, tap on a placeholder and choose a clip from your Photos library.

229 27

Final Cut Pro Developer Apple Inc Difficulty Time needed

15

Download available

Make your photos move with Final Cut Pro How to bring your boring old static photos to life by adding a dynamic 3D camera effect to them

T

he 3D photo effect is a new trend that’s popular on social media sites. This involves adding a camera move to a photo. As the camera tracks forward, the foreground and background move at different speeds, creating a sense of 3D depth. Before adding a 3D effect to a photo in Final Cut Pro, you need to use a third-party app to select a photo’s foreground, midground and background so you can turn them into three layers. We’ll talk about creating the layered file in Photoshop so you can prepare your own photos, but we’ve also provided you with a layered Photoshop document so you can dive in and create the 3D photo effect.

Make some moves Add movement to image layers Knowledge base

Preparing your layers

To prepare our photo in Photoshop, we selected and copied the foreground rocks then pasted them onto a new layer. We did the same with the person to create a midground layer. We used the Clone Stamp to fill the person-shaped hole in the background layer so we could move the camera without seeing any gaps in the sky. Check out our edited example clip.

Crop

Click here to access the Crop tool. The Ken Burns effect enables you to add virtual camera moves to each layer to give a standard flat photo a sense of 3D depth.

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Layered document

We prepared our photo in Photoshop by placing the foreground, midground and background on separate layers.

Double-click on a layered document in the timeline to access and animate its layers separately.

Zoom into a photo while creating a sense of 3D depth and perspective

Zoom in

The trick to giving your photo a sense of 3D perspective, is to zoom in more with the foreground shot and zoom in less on the more distant midground layer. Control the zoom amount using Start and End windows.

Blur

Enhance your animated 3D zoom by adding a blur effect to the foreground layer. This mimics a camera’s selective focus and helps add a sense of depth to the animation.

Creative Final Cut Pro Step-by-step

Add camera moves to photos

1Prepare a photo

2Import layers

3 Add to timeline

4 Trim layers

5 Choose Crop

6 Zoom in

7 Move midground

8 Test the moves

9 Add foreground blur

Use the Quick Selection tool to select Choose File>New>Event. Label a photo’s foreground, midground and the Event ‘3D Photo Effect,’ then background. Paste them onto separate layers. File>Import>Media. Click our Animate_ Check out our Knowledge base for more. start.PSD file and ‘Import Selected’.

Double-click on the timeline’s clip to access its layers. Trim the end of each layer so that they only run for 10 seconds. This will speed up the camera moves that we’ll add.

Play the clip. The camera tracks forward. Click to select the Mid layer. Apply the Ken Burns effect. Reframe the End window so the move will be more subtle.

Click and hold on the Transform tool icon and choose the Crop tool. Select ‘Ken Burns’. A Start and End window will appear.

By default the camera will pan around.

Play the clip. The foreground is closer so it moves faster towards the camera compared to the more distant midground.

The background remains static.

Drag the Photoshop file onto the timeline. Most photos are larger than typical video sizes so set the Video drop-down to 1080p HD. Click ‘OK’.

Set the Viewer to 50% so you can see the frame edge. Resize the Start window to fill the frame. Resize and reposition the End window so the camera zooms in. Tap ‘Done’.

Drag the Gaussian effect onto the Foreground. Go to Frame 1. In the Inspector set the Amount to 0. Click ‘Set Keyframe’.

Go to the last frame and set Amount to 35.

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Garage Band Developer Apple Inc Difficulty Time needed

06-18

How to record guitar signals with iRig Whatever your interface, capturing your instrument’s sound correctly is crucial to making great original music

F

or guitarists, the ability to just plug in and play effortlessly is crucial. GarageBand is ideal here with so much for players to enjoy without much hassle. But you might be looking at your Mac and scratching your head over how to connect the instrument. For this you require an interface, a device to take a guitar lead and input the signal. One such solution that offers performance and portability is IK Multimedia’s iRig. Compatible with iOS and macOS too, the latest iRig HD 2 model takes that further with 24-bit/96khz sound and USB support. In this guide we’ll use iRig to show the basics of recording a guitar or bass signal correctly.

Plug iRig into your Mac with its USB cable

Recording Settings Pointing out the recording controls within the Smart Controls inspector Knowledge base

Record Level

Switchable Output

This slider sets the input level of the input source for the selected track. The ‘Automatic Level Control’ checkbox, if checked, will adjust this on the fly to boost or reduce the level for optimum response.

Input Source controls

The first button here toggles between single channel (mono) and two channel (stereo) input. From the adjacent dropdown, you select the input source (in this instance the iRig) or choose no input source at all.

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Some interfaces, including the iRig HD 2, have switchable output. On the right side of the unit there is a THRU/ FX switch and volume wheel. When you send an additional 1/4” guitar cable out from the amplifier plug, these controls come into play. It either sends a dry input signal (THRU) or the effected signal (FX) out of GarageBand to an amp or monitors.

Noise Gate

The Noise Gate slider is actually a plugin. Check the box to turn it on, and move the slider along the scale from -100db to 0db. This limits the sound getting through to reduce unwanted noise.

Monitoring/Feedback

The monitoring button toggles on signal monitoring through the speakers or headphones. Check the ‘Feedback Protection’ box to let GarageBand detect any feedback and lower the input level accordingly to protect your ears and speakers!

Creative GarageBand Step-by-step

Record guitar inputs with iRig

1Wired up

2Sound Preferences

3 Source selected

4 Pick Preferences

5 Input ready

6 Signal volume

The iRig connects to Mac via its included USB cable. When hooked up, the indicator light initially shows blue, then green. Ensure the guitar cord is in the left plug as shown.

Similarly, you can confirm this via the GarageBand>Preferences dialog. View the Audio/MIDI tab, and ensure your interface is selected under the Input Device drop-down.

Step-by-step

Advanced options

Any sound interface you connect should be in System Preferences>Sound. You can make sure it’s selected here, primarily as the input source, before launching GarageBand.

Show the Smart Controls (B). Hover down to the Inspector and the Recording Settings. The Input Source menu also allows selection between available interfaces.

When you now add a new Audio track in GarageBand, the dialog shows those selected inputs. So here we can see iRig HD 2 as ‘Input 1’ with headphone monitoring on.

Alongside iRig’s gain control, the Record Level slider sets the signal volume. You can manually adjust this, left or right, to lower or raise the input level being recorded.

Recording controls

Beyond the basics there are a number of additional recording controls. Two of these relate to the input channels your interface may support (mono/stereo) and record level.

Firstly, everything you do in GarageBand is stereo so the single, mono input channel is fine by default. Secondly, the Automatic Level Control can help you capture a loud enough, consistent signal in conjunction with volume or gain controls on your chosen interface. A good rule of thumb is to never record too loudly! Although, we know that can be a bit tricky for the metalheads out there…

1 Channel choice

The Input button toggles between a stereo input channel pair or a mono input channel. For a guitar and single microphones you would pick ‘mono’ – a single circular icon, with stereo showing two interlocked rings.

2 Level assistance

If you tick the ‘Automatic Level Control’ checkbox, GarageBand helps optimise the input volume. As your instrument makes noise, you will see the slider move up or down so the recorded signal is never too low or too loud.

229 31

Logic Pro Developer Apple Inc Difficulty Time needed

20

Make your tracks explode with our Solo and Mute power tips We help you uncover some of Logic Pro’s soloing secrets and muting mysteries to add some punch to your tracks

T

he concept of Logic’s Track Mute and Solo buttons is based around the same features you’d find on a real mixing desk – the Mute button removes a track from the mix and stops it sounding, while Solo removes everything other than that track from the mix, allowing you to hear what you’ve solo’d in isolation. However, there are several different ways in which you might want to use these functions, such as soloing more than one track at once, toggling between solo’d and unsolo’d states or muting individual regions rather than a whole track. Luckily, Logic features a wealth of keyboard shortcuts and power user commands.

Learning the keyboard commands can really speed things up in Logic Pro

Mute points Enhance your workflow using mute and solo shortcuts

Use this to solo selected regions or to engage Solo Lock mode. If not already visible, summon it by ticking the ‘Solo’ checkbox in the Customize Control Bar pane.

Solo colours

Whenever a solo mode is enabled on any track or region, Logic’s LCD transport display will change colour from blue to yellow to indicate this.

One click fits all Channel strip buttons

The Mute/Solo buttons in the track headers are duplicated beneath the fader on each track’s Channel Strip.

Clicking either one will have the same effect on the track.

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Control bar Solo button

If more than one track is selected, you only have to click the mute or solo button on one of the tracks (or tap the M or S key on your computer keyboard) to affect all of them.

Knowledge base

Solo endeavour

The practice of soloing and muting individual tracks is one that comes into its own most when mixing your project, but is also useful at the programming stage when making decisions about what sounds work well together in the first place. Getting a firm grasp on the shortcuts shown here should thus help to streamline your workflow no end.

Creative Logic Pro Step-by-step

Using Solo and Mute shortcuts

1Solo venturep

Each track header features a solo and mute button specifically for that track. You can freely mute or solo tracks, as many as you like, in any combination by clicking these.

2Using keys

You can achieve the same effect using your computer keyboard, simply by hitting the S key to solo the selected track(s), or the M key to mute tracks.

3 Solo toggle button

Above the track header list you’ll find the Solo Toggle button. Click this to switch states between no tracks solo’d and the previous combination of solo’d tracks.

4 Solo or mute regions 5 Solo region toggle

6 Select all muted regions

7 Unmute all tracks

9 Name of step

As well as soloing and muting tracks, you Once you’ve solo’d a region using ctrl+S, For a quick way to unmute a bunch of can use keystrokes to mute or solo individual you can click a different region to solo that muted regions, use the shift+M keys to select regions. Just select the required regions and one instead without stopping playback. Use all muted regions in your project, then use hit ctrl+M for mute or ctrl+S for solo. ctrl+S again to toggle solo on and off. ctrl-M to unmute them all in one click.

8 Solo Lock

If you have several muted tracks that you Solo Lock mode lets you solo a bunch of Hold down ctrl and click a track’s ‘S’ want to quickly unmute, the ctrl+shift-M key regions, then lock that selection so you can button to put it in solo safe mode. This is like command will instantly unmute all currently edit another region with the original selection immunity from solo – you’ll still hear this track muted tracks in your project. still solo’d. Engage it with option+S. if you solo any other track.

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229 35

Automator Developer Apple Inc Difficulty Time needed

10

Run apps with keyboard shortcuts on a Mac Run any app instantly, just by pressing a key combo. Add Montereystyle Quick Notes and more using Automator

Q

uick Note is a great new feature coming to macOS Monterey that enables you to call up a notes window by pressing a keyboard shortcut. You can then write or paste notes and save them. This got us thinking: how do you run an app with a keyboard shortcut? If we could do that, we could simply open the Notes app to simulate Monterey Quick Note.

All it takes is a simple Automator service with a single command. It couldn’t be simpler. Although we run the Notes app in this guide, use the same technique to run any app you want from a keyboard shortcut. Many other apps can be run with keyboard shortcuts, too.

Run apps with a keypress Automator and keyboard shortcuts Automator actions

Automator can perform many tasks and they are conveniently organised into categories. Select ‘Library’ on the left or the ‘Files & Folders’ category and add the ‘Launch Application’ action to the project.

Open Notes, or any app in the Applications folder, with a simple keyboard shortcut

Launch an app

The Launch Application action can run any app, not just the Notes app. Click here and a list of apps in the Applications folder is displayed. Create more keyboard shortcuts to run your favourite apps.

Knowledge base

Automator services

Services created in Automator are not like normal apps and they are not saved to the Applications folder.

Instead, they are placed in the Services folder in the Library folder. In Finder, click ‘Go’, hold down option and click ‘Library’. Then open Services. Delete the .workflow file to remove it or double-click it to open it in Automator.

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Find your service

We created an Automator service.

When using any app, click the app menu and it will appear on the Services submenu. However, in System preferences>Keyboard> Shortcuts we can assign a key combo to run it.

Where is it?

After quitting Automator, you may wonder where the service is saved, how to delete it and how to edit it. Ctrl+click the service you created and choose ‘Show in Finder’ or ‘Open in Automator’.

macOS Automator Step-by-step

Run Notes with a keyboard shortcut

1Quick action

2Choose no input

3 Add the action

4 Select an app

5 Save it

6 Name the action

Run Automator and click ‘New Document’ The type of Automator workflow we in the file selector window that opens. When are creating does not require any input from asked to choose a type for your document, whatever app is running. Click ‘Workflow click the ‘Quick Action’ button. receives’ and select the ‘No Input’ item.

The Launch Application action defaults to Contacts.app, but we want to run Notes.

Click ‘Contacts.app’ and select ‘Notes.app’ from the app list. (This works with any app.)

That is it, the whole application! It is nothing more than a basic action to launch an app and it couldn’t be simpler. All that remains is to save it. Click ‘File’, then ‘Save’.

7 Keyboard preferences 8 Create a shortcut Open System Preferences and click ‘Keyboard’. Click the ‘Shortcuts’ tab, select ‘Services’ in the list and scroll down to the bottom. There’s the service we created.

Click ‘Add Shortcut’ and the next keys will be used to run that item, our Automator Launch Application workflow. Make sure it is unique, such as option+cmd+N.

Select Library in the first column and find ‘Launch Application’. Double-click it in the list or click and drag it to the right side of the Automator window and drop it.

You are prompted to enter a name for the quick action and since it will run Notes, call it ‘QuickNotes’, like Monterey’s Quick Note. You cannot choose where to save it.

9 Try it

Open an app, like News for example. If you want to create a note, press the shortcut, option+cmd+N, and Notes opens with the last used note, which we called QuickNotes.

229 37

Cloudflare WARP Developer Cloudflare Inc Difficulty Time needed

15

Step-by-step

Browse the web at WARP speed with our top tips Increase privacy and security when using the internet with Cloudflare WARP on your Mac. It’s simple and free

T

here are privacy features coming soon in macOS Monterey, and iCloud Private Relay for iCloud+ users is great. However, it’s only for subscribers – and only for Safari.

Cloudflare WARP is similar in some ways, but has more features, is free for everyone, works with all apps and even Big Sur. Unlike Apple’s service, WARP is actually a type of VPN, which is great for boosting security and privacy while using the internet with any browser or app.

WARP is a VPN that has been stripped down to basics with just a simple on/off switch. There is no need to create an account, provide any details or payment and it just works.

Boost internet privacy and security

1Download WARP

2Install WARP

Go to https://1.1.1.1 in Safari and Double-click the .pkg file in the download the WARP app for Mac. Go to the Downloads folder to start the installation.

Downloads folder and double-click the zip file Enter your password to continue. It checks to extract the installer from the archive. for updates immediately after. Install them.

4 Boost security, privacy 5 Show the menu

When you want privacy and security on Click the gear icon to access two the Internet, click the cloud icon and then options, 1.1.1.1 and 1.1.1.1 with WARP. The click the switch to enable WARP. Unlike VPNs, first offers DNS speed and privacy, the it is instant. All apps are protected. second adds security through encryption.

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Go to https://1.1.1.1 to get WARP on macOS, and for links to the iPhone and iPad app store

3 Help and privacy

An icon is added to the menu bar and a help panel automatically appears. There is also privacy information. Click through each of the panels until they go away.

6 DNS privacy options

Click the gear>Preferences>Connection tab. For speed, security and privacy, select WARP for DNS Protocol. HTTPS and TLS are for rare cases of compatibility problems.

Configure WARP WARP interface and configuration settings

macOS Cloudflare WARP

Add Wi-Fi exceptions

You may not want WARP at home or work, or maybe there is a compatibility issue with a particular Wi-Fi. Click the ‘+’ button and add the network to automatically deactivate WARP when connected.

DNS and VPN

1.1.1.1 is Cloudflare’s fast and private DNS service.

To prevent ISPs or Wi-Fi hotspots seeing sites you access, 1.1.1.1 with WARP is DNS plus VPN for extra security and privacy. It’s two levels of privacy.

Choose filtering options

Choose whether the internet is filtered or unfiltered. It is useful to block malware and adult content on a Mac used by a child, and at least malware on your own Mac, but unfiltered is an option.

Enable/disable WARP

When you need privacy and security on the internet, click the WARP icon and turn on the switch. Notice that even though it is on, it says ‘Disconnected’.

That’s because this Wi-Fi network is an exception.

7 Unfiltered vs filtered 8 Add exceptions Click 1.1.1.1 for Families. ‘None’ provides unfiltered internet access and is the default.

However, you may want to block malware or adult content on kids’ Macs.

• Image credits: Cloudflare Inc

WARP creates encrypted Internet connections like a VPN, which is great for public Wi-Fi hotspots. Click ‘+’ to add exceptions, like your work Wi-Fi network.

Knowledge base

How to uninstall Warp

Some Mac apps can simply be dragged to the ‘Trash’ to remove them, but WARP needs to be uninstalled a certain way. Go to https://1.1.1.1 in Safari and click ‘macOS Installation Instructions’ under the big macOS button. Scroll down the page to ‘How to remove the application’ and there are two lines to copy and paste into a Terminal window.

9 Advanced options

The DNS Logs and Advanced tabs have expert features, but the statistics are useful for everyone. See the amount of data sent and received. Don’t worry, WARP has no limit.

229 39

Font Book Developer Apple Inc Difficulty Time needed

10

Install and use optional fonts in macOS Not all fonts are installed on the Mac; some are optional. We’ll show you how to install them and use them in documents

I

f you like to try different and unique looks for documents, like Pages newsletters and fliers, or Keynote slide shows, you probably spend time searching through fonts. A good font can make a big difference, and there are many to choose from.

We don’t know why, but there are actually more fonts available in macOS than are installed in the system. There are extra fonts that appear in name only, and they are not currently available. However, if you want to use these additional fonts, they can easily be added using the Font Book app. Let’s see how to enable these optional fonts.

Use Fonts Add extra fonts and use them Preview fonts

There are two ways to preview fonts. Doubleclicking them in the list opens a small window containing letters and numbers.

The first icon in the Font Book toolbar also shows a preview.

Show all fonts

Some apps only show a small selection of fonts. Open the Fonts window to see the full list. Look on the app’s Format menu or press cmd+T. However, apps can change menus and keyboard shortcuts.

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Browse fonts and download extra fonts that are listed, but not installed using Font Book

See all fonts

Select ‘All Fonts’ in Font Book, and both installed and optional (not installed) fonts are listed. Fonts in black type in the list are installed, while grey fonts are not installed. Select fonts to view the details.

Knowledge base

Fonts use resources

Fonts use system resources, including disk space and memory.

This is not a problem for new Macs, but can be an issue for very old Macs with limited disk space and memory.

Installing an excessive number of fonts on an old Mac can begin to affect performance, so it’s best to only install fonts you intend to use.

Font options

Ctrl+click a font for a menu. If it is not installed, there is an option to download it, which makes it available in apps. If it is installed, there are options to disable it or remove it.

macOS Font Book Step-by-step

Enable extra fonts in macOS

1View fonts

2Preview fonts

4 Download fonts

5 View downloaded fonts 6 Disable, remove fonts

Open Font Book and select a category of Select a font to see the details on the fonts listed on the left. Expand a font to see right, and double-click a font to open a the variations, and then hover the mouse over preview window. Click the menu at the top, one to see brief information about it. and choose Light, Bold and so on.

There are many optional fonts, which must be downloaded before use. Click the downloadable font asset link or ctrl+click the font in the list and select ‘Download Family’.

Step-by-step

The font is downloaded, installed and activated. Once this is done, which takes only a few seconds, double-click it to open the preview window to view all characters.

3 Find optional fonts

Select ‘All Fonts’ and optional ones not installed are grey. Click the toolbar icon to preview the font. The preview may be in a foreign language, but this one is fine.

If you download a font and find that it is not one you want to use, maybe it doesn’t look as good as you thought, ctrl+click it in the list, and choose ‘Disable’ or ‘Remove’.

Activating fonts

Use downloaded font sets

After downloading and installing the fonts that you need, they should become available for use in apps straight away. You should not need to restart the Mac in order to use them, but it might be a good idea to do this anyway. If you do not see the downloaded font in an app straight away, then it could be because the app is limiting the number of fonts that are visible and selectable. In this section, we will take a look at Pages, and in the process show you how to find the downloaded font, which is initially hidden from view.

1 Fonts in Pages

Open a document in Pages and show the Format Inspector on the right. Click the font in the inspector to see a list of fonts. This is not a complete list, as some are missing, including ones we downloaded.

2 Show all fonts

Go to the Format menu, mouse over ‘Font’, and click ‘Show Fonts’. A small Fonts window opens – when All Fonts is selected in the first column, the newly downloaded fonts can be seen. Select the one you want.

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Finder Developer Apple Inc Difficulty Time needed

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Step-by-step

Create smart folders using tags in Finder Don’t lose files again; tag them, then view them in smart folders that display them no matter where they are

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e are not as organised as we would like when storing files on the disk.

We create photos, documents and videos, but then forget where we put them.

Spotlight search is great for finding files, but it only finds one at a time. What if there are several files stored in different places on the disk?

One solution is to use tags, which are keywords attached to a file. For example, you could add the ‘Work’ tag to all work files, or the ‘Project’ tag to ones that are used or connected to a particular project. Use a smart folder to show all files with a tag in a virtual folder. Smart folders show files regardless of where they are.

Ctrl+click a smart folder in the Finder sidebar and select ‘Add to Dock’.

This adds an icon to the Dock that shows the smart folder’s contents

Create smart folders with tags

1New Smart Folder

2Where to search

3 Search for Other...

4 Search for tags

5 Add a tag

6 Save to sidebar

Open a Finder window, open your home folder and then click the File menu and select ‘New Smart Folder’. Smart folders can be made anywhere, but the home folder is best.

Scroll down the list of file attributes, and select ‘Tags’. Tick the checkbox on the right so the next time Tags will be on the menu, making it easier to select. Click ‘OK’.

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A special Finder window opens and, next Smart folders are like saved searches, to Search, you can choose between this Mac and we can search for file attributes. Click the and whatever folder you are in – home in this first list, and a few attributes are listed, but case. Select it and click the ‘+’ button. not what we want. Click ‘Other…’.

Set the second list item to ‘matches’, then type in the name of the file tag you want to find in the third box. Files will then appear. Add more tags if required.

Click the ‘Save’ button in the top-right, then name the smart folder. It will be stored in Saved Searches. Tick the checkbox ‘Add To Sidebar’ to add it to Finder’s sidebar.

Master smart folders Use tags with smart folders

macOS Finder Add more rules

These are rules for finding files.

Create multiple rules by clicking the ‘+’ button. Add more tags or add other items to narrow the search, like only files created in the last six months.

Tags and searches A smart folder is like a saved search and with recent versions of macOS, you can search for tags. Select ‘Tags’ in the first list, ‘matches’ in the second, then tag name.

Add to sidebar When a smart folder is saved, tick the option to add it to the sidebar.

View all files and folders in the smart folder by clicking the sidebar item. Ctrl+click it for a menu of actions.

Knowledge base

Delete smart folders

If a smart folder has been added to the Finder sidebar, ctrl+click it to show a menu and select ‘Remove From Sidebar’. That does not delete it though. Instead of removing it, click ‘Show in Enclosing Folder’. This opens Finder and shows the Saved Searches folder in your Library folder. Delete the smart folder in here to really remove it.

Apply tags

You must add tags to files and folders yourself. Whenever you create a file, ctrl+click it and select a tag. Even if you forget where you saved it, the smart folder will show it.

Step-by-step

Configure your tags

Create and apply file tags

Smart folders can show all files with a particular tag, no matter where they are located on the disk, but how do you go about creating tags and attaching them to files?

Tags are built in to Finder, but they are not particularly useful in their default state. You must configure them by first naming them, and then adding them to files and the Finder sidebar. When a file is created, you must remember to add a tag yourself, as it is not automatic.

1 Name tags

Open a Finder window and go to Finder> Preferences>Sidebar. Tick the checkbox next to ‘Recent Tags’, then select the ‘Tags’ tab and Tick tags to add to the sidebar. Select a tag, press enter, and then rename it.

2 Add file tags

In any finder window, ctrl+click any file or folder, mouse over the coloured dots, and click one to add that tag. The name is shown below. More than one tag can be applied to files and appear as coloured dots.

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Tab Space Developer Yuan Difficulty Time needed

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Create and manage your bookmarks in seconds Clicking one icon will now let you instantly save all of your live websites for future reference

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ookmarks do not receive the attention they used to and for many of us it is likely that we use the same selection of favourites today that we have for some time.

There will be times, however, when saving new sites and reference points will be of benefit and this is where Tab Space comes in. If you are researching a topic, Tab Space will let you save all of the live sites you are viewing with just one click, at which point you can turn them into a collection to access later. It is in effect a live project manager which can store everything you need in one handy space. Sometimes simple is the best way forward.

Logical and effective Tab Space can be anything you want it to be Curate a collection

Tabs are used to help you split all of the links you save, and to keep your work separated depending on the task and projects you are working on. Multi-tasking is built in.

The manual method

With an emphasis on speed and automation Tab Space can be used very efficiently, but the ability to make adjustments and create manual collections is also available. It covers all of the bases.

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It is unlikely that you will have used a Safari extension as powerful as Tab Space before

Share your work

Tab Space lets you share your work through various mediums and in many different formats. This gives it excellent flexibility for use in many other apps and services. It is a superb research tool.

Media works

YouTube links and other media connections can be saved and activated as well, giving you the potential to build reading and viewing lists for your personal needs. Many aspects of your life can benefit from it.

Knowledge base

Added features

You can open Tab Space by clicking the extension icon and then selecting ‘Open Tab Space’. This saves you from having to save tabs to manage your collections. The small icon in the Tab Space panel lets you view all of your saved tabs in a file structure similar to the way Finder displays all of your files.

macOS Tab Space Step-by-step

Speed up your online research

1Purchase and install

Tab Space is available in the Mac App Go to Preferences>Extensions in Safari Store for a one-off price which is set low. and then tick the box next to Tab Space As always, we would suggest to check the to enable it for future use. This is not a reviews, which in this case are mostly positive. standalone app and works fully within Safari.

2Enable the extension 3 It is ready

The extension is now ready to use via a handy icon at the top. Take note of the fact that the extension can see sensitive information, so choose carefully what to save.

4 Click to save

5 Make it yours

6 Share your results

When you click the Tab Space icon, a It is worth looking at the preferences new tab will open showing the recently saved early on to tweak it for your specific needs. tabs. Each of the links within a group can be The ability to avoid duplicate tabs, even from clicked for immediate access. So simple. different sessions, is especially useful.

Step-by-step

You can share the tab collections that you create with ease. The ability to add a simple text list of your collections is very useful for including it in third-party apps.

Extra features

Customise your collections

Tab Space is not just a space to capture links and tabs quickly. It can also be used as a tool for saving a huge number of links and documents, and in turn each of your collections can be edited and tweaked to fit into a wider workflow. Are you working with a team of people, or do you need to send documents across multiple apps? Luckily, these collections can be shared with other apps, and people who may benefit from your work. The learning curve to understand Tab Space is fortunately not steep at all, which is an added bonus.

1 Name your collections 2 Edit the links You only need to click on the title of a tab collection to then start typing and give it a more relevant name. This is needed so that you can quickly find the tab sets that you need to refer to.

Click the edit icon at the bottom of any collection to tweak any of the saved URLs, or to add a new URL that you found after saving the collection. This really expands the potential research benefits of Tab Space.

• Image credits: Yuan

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OpenMTP Developer ganeshrvel Difficulty Time needed

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Step-by-step

Transfer your Android files to a Mac effortlessly Take your pic of these applications and copy files between Android tablets and phones and your Apple Mac with ease

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here is no denying that Android devices are popular. Even though we’re firmly on the side of Apple, and couldn’t imagine life without the iPhone or iPad, there are times when we end up using Android devices, and we certainly come across other people who do.

During these dalliances with the ‘other side’, we sometimes find the need to transfer files to a Mac. More often than not they’ll be attached to an email, but that’s not an elegant solution.

Here, were present some alternative methods, the primary one being to physically connect an Android device and access the files. We also look at an AirDrop-like service.

OpenMTP shows the progress and speed of any file transfers

Manage Android files on a Mac

1Install OpenMTP

2Copy to Applications 3 Capture the text

4 Grab your device

5 Change the setting 6 Manage your files

For a straightforward way of transferring files from Android, the free and open source app OpenMTP is ideal. Download it from https://openmtp.ganeshrvel.com.

Copy the app to your Applications folder and launch. When shown the settings, select Kalam mode (transfers are faster), and enable auto-device detection to make life easier.

Close the settings window, and you’re ready. The left pane shows your Mac’s folders. The right pane is where your Android files will show when the device is connected.

Your Android device must be set up to Tap the notification and, under Use USB To move files from Android to your allow file transfers. Connect it to the Mac via For, select File Transfer (you may be asked to Mac, drag and drop between the two panes a USB cable, swipe down on the screen and allow access). You can now go back to your (you can even transfer multiple files). Tap the look for the notification Android System.

Mac and tap the Refresh icon in OpenMTP. Storage icon and you can select an SD Card.

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Send files through the air AirDrop isn’t available for Android but there’s another service that allows the simple sharing of files

macOS OpenMTP Knowledge base

Show hidden files in OpenMTP

Can’t find a file, but you’re sure it’s on your Android device? Then launch OpenMTP and access its settings.

There, under File Manager, you’ll find an option to show hidden files on your Phone. You can also select to show hidden files on your computer soo.

While you’re there, why not decide if you want to display files as a grid or a list – whichever makes it easy for you to find things.

Make use of Snapdrop

There are two very simple things you have to do to ‘AirDrop’ files between your Android device and Mac: visit snapdrop.net in a browser on both. In fact, you can go to the website on any device (even iPad or iPhone) and use it to transfer files.

Play around

Here, you can install Snapdrop as an app on your Android device. You can also switch the screen to Dark Mode and allow notifications to be received.

Select a destination

Maroon Nightingale is the name that Snapdrop has assigned to our Mac – it will give you a different name.

Copper Ermine is being used to identify the Android device that we’re using. This helps to work out where files are coming from and going to.

Step-by-step

Send a file

By tapping the destination (here, Maroon Nightingale), the tool lets you take a photo or video, or browse your files. When the file was tapped, it appeared on the Mac. It was then a case of clicking ‘Save’ to download it.

Try the Google way

Use Google’s own transfer app

Before OpenMTP came along, the app of choice (primarily because there was no other choice) was Google’s own Android File Transfer. It has barely been updated over the years, and it doesn’t always work as smoothly as you’d expect, but it’s still worth looking at just in case OpenMTP doesn’t work with your particular Android device. There is also an outside chance that you may actually prefer it over the newer, independently created app.

So let’s see how it works.

1 Set everything up

Install and run the app. Go to android. com/filetransfer, and click ‘Download Now’.

Then open AndroidFileTransfer.dmg and drag it to Applications. Plug your Android device into your Mac and follow steps four and five.

2 Transfer your files

Having ensured your Android device is allowing file transfers, any stored folders should now appear. You’ll need to open another Finder window so that you can transfer files from Android to your Mac. 229 47

10 ways to fix your Wi-Fi

Having problems with Wi-Fi on your Mac? Try these quick fixes that aim to get it working again The internet is reliable for most people, most of the time, but occasionally problems arise, and it is either very slow or not working at all. Sometimes it is not even the Mac’s fault, and it is useful to check social media using your phone and see if the internet, a particular website or internet service provider is down for anyone else.

Problems with the Mac are often easy to fix and obvious when you know how, and the first item in our list is the most obvious solution to network issues. Some of the other possible fixes are slightly less well known, like renewing DCHP leases or deleting the networking settings and letting macOS create new ones. The simplest fixes are first, but none of them are particularly hard. Try them.

Wi-Fi quick-fixes

Get your Wi-Fi working again

1Restart the Mac

When your home or work Wi-Fi is not working, there could be any number of reasons for it. One of the best fixes for almost any type of problem, and the one you should try first, is to switch off and switch back on. It’s amazing how many things it fixes.

Knowledge base

Reset network settings

Experts Only: Clear the Mac’s network settings to reset them and fix problems. First turn off Wi-Fi, then go to Library>Preferences>System Configuration in Finder. Move these files elsewhere and save them as: NetworkInterfaces.plist, com.apple.wifi.messagetracer.plist, com.apple.airport.preferences.plist, preferences.plist. Restart the Mac and turn on Wi-Fi. If it does not help, copy the files back again to put things back as they were.

Choose a network

Normally, you click the menu bar Wi-Fi icon, but a list of Wi-Fi networks is also available in System Preferences. Make sure you connect to the right one. Try a different network in public places.

Advanced network settings

Click the ‘Advanced’ button and then the ‘Wi-Fi’ tab.

Delete the current network and then reconnect. Select the TCP/IP tab and renew the DCHP lease. Select the DNS tab and now finally, enter 1.1.1.1 to try an alternative.

Generate a report Router options

Log into the router using Safari (see your router instructions) and check the status page for any connection problems. Restart the router either through a button here, or turn the power off and on.

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Hold down the option key and click the Wi-Fi icon in the menu bar, then select the option to generate a diagnostics report. See the suggestions and open the live Performance window above.

10 ways to… Fix your Wi-Fi

2Restart the router

3Turn everything off

4Check your provider

5Forget the network

6Check for updates

7Try alternative DNS

In addition to restarting the Mac, you should also restart the router. Sometimes it seems to get its settings in a muddle.

This disconnects all devices, reconnects to the internet and connects devices again. It often cures some Wi-Fi problems and is worth trying.

Networks the Mac connects to are remembered to speed connections.

Remove the network and create a fresh connection. Open System Preferences> Network>Advanced>Wi-Fi tab. Select the network and click the ‘–’ button.

Reconnect to the Wi-Fi in the usual way.

Households have multiple Wi-Fi devices like computers, phones, tablets, TV boxes and so on. They should work nicely together, but occasionally they don’t. Switch off everything except your Mac. Log in to the router to see a list of connected devices on the network.

Problems occasionally arise with macOS that may affect the reliability of network connections. When they are discovered, a macOS update is released, so open System Preferences>Software Update and check that the latest version of macOS is installed.

8Switch Wi-Fi network 9Try Ethernet The Mac may connect to the wrong Wi-Fi. Some routers enable two networks, one full and one limited, and public places often have multiple networks. Click the Wi-Fi icon and select the right network at home. Try a different Wi-Fi if there are several, such as public hotspots.

Desktop Macs and some older MacBooks have Ethernet ports. If the router is in the same room, run a cable to the Mac and plug it in. Wired connections are fast, stable and reliable. Open System Preference>Network and disable Wi-Fi to use Ethernet.

There may be nothing wrong with your Mac and the problem may lie with your internet provider. Search Twitter for others having problems. Go to downdetector.co.uk and search for your broadband provider. It logs reports of problems from users.

DNS turns URLs into IP addresses and it affects your web access. Try alternative DNS servers. Go to System Preferences> Networ>Advanced>DNS and enter 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4 for Google DNS or 208.67.222.222 and 208.67.220.220 for OpenDNS servers.

10 Renew DCHP lease

Devices on a network come and go as people turn Macs and devices on or off. Things can get in a muddle. Open System Preferences>Network>Advanced >TCP/IP and click ‘Renew DCHP Lease’.

It’s not important what it is, just that it sometimes fixes connection problems.

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SUPERCHARGE YOUR MAC S Proven solutions for speeding up old hardware and making your Mac super-efficient ome people assume that once you buy a Mac, this is the default setup that you’re stuck with for the life of the product. Many of the newer MacBooks, and even the iMacs, are not user upgradable, unless a specialist is involved – so you can be quick to jump to the conclusion that it will eventually need to be replaced.

Fortunately, most Apple products offer lifespans that beat the

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competition, so you can look forward to years of intense use.

However, there are ways you can increase this longevity further. You can even virtually increase the available storage, and the performance of your Mac using simple processes. We will highlight the many useful methods to supercharge your Mac, but most of the benefits will come from using only the best hardware and software that are suitable for the task. A conservatively used Mac will serve you well, and will last for years and years!

Optimise your storage

The first place to start, no matter what Mac you use, is to optimise your storage. This involves some quick manual steps as well as enabling features that will work in the future automatically, but no matter how it is done, the end result should be more available space. You have the reassurance that you are saving space where you can.

The big change

Find the settings

Automate your bin

A possible surprise

Using iCloud for storage is a big step, but it will have the most dramatic impact on your available physical storage.

We will also be highlighting how you can ensure that your iCloud files are backed up for your peace of mind.

Click the Apple logo in the top-left and then ‘About This Mac’. Click ‘Storage’ and then ‘Manage’ to be presented with four options. You will see the available space displayed, so that you can understand what needs to be done.

It makes sense to empty the bin automatically by allowing macOS to permanently delete files that have been trashed for 30 days. If this feature makes you wary you need to consider why you put these files in the bin.

The Optimise Storage option will work with one click and can surprise you with how much space it frees up.

Click ‘Optimise’ and within seconds you could have many gigabytes freed up for future use. Use it on occasion.

A clean start

When you turn your Mac on from a powered off state, the amount of time this will take depends on how many apps you have selected to open when you log in. This is less important for M1 powered Macs, but the premise still stands that the fewer apps you have enabled, the better. It will add much greater efficiency.

1Find the panel

Go to System Preferences and click ‘Users & Groups’. You will see a ‘Login Items’ tab, which when clicked will display a list of apps that open when you log in.

2Unlock the list

Click the lock at the bottom to allow changes and then carefully check each app listed. Do you really need every app in the list to open when you log in?

3 Remove an app

Click on a listed app and then click the ‘–‘ option at the bottom to remove it from the login list. Each app you remove will speed up overall performance.

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Supercharge Your Mac

Find every bit of wastage To help with obtaining enough of that essential space to work within, we would suggest you look at an app like Disk

Space. It will break down every file that is using space on your Mac, and present them in a way that allows you to easily decide what you really need to keep.

Take action

Blue and white

Big means big

Hover and understand

You can delete files and folders that are chewing up your Mac space, but we would suggest to spend a lot of time ensuring that you will definitely not need them again in the future.

Just be aware that this process could be lengthy.

The blue boxes signify blocks of files split down into their respective areas.

This is useful because a block of many small files can easily be bigger than a block with fewer big files.

It helps you find every file.

Disk Space will present each file in a visual way that is consistent with the actual space it is using. You can immediately see which files, apps and folders are taking up the most space on your Mac disk.

If you hover over any file, you will be shown more information, including the size of the file, with the created and last modified date. These dates help you understand how useful the file really is.

Increase your ports Many perceive most newer Macs to have a lack of ports. This helps to keep the size of the Mac itself smaller. For more complex tasks, however, it may be necessary to attach more than one device at a time. There is, fortunately, an easy way to increase the number and flexibility of your ports.

1Boost your ports

2Change your port

3 Add portable space

The obvious way to increase the number and screen An SD card adaptor lets you carry around of Mac ports is to purchase an accessory that You don’t need to dispose of older peripherals important files with you and they potentially offers more on the other end. USB-C adaptors because there are many adaptors available increase the Mac space available. Many offer are the most useful. that let you use older equipment. more space than most standard Macs.

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Save space with iCloud Drive

Supercharge Your Mac

For many, the jump from physical files to those stored in the cloud is a leap of faith, but if you want as much physical space as possible and also want a backup of your important data, this could be the way to go. We will detail how to set it up, and also what the benefits are in the long-term.

1What do you need?

2Enable everything

3 Exclude some apps

4Manage your cloud

5A double-check

6 Everything is online

Check the pricing plans for iCloud Drive from Apple and decide on what you need.

For some, Apple One can be cost effective because so many services are bundled in.

At the bottom you will see a colourful bar showing how your iCloud Drive is currently being utilised. Click ‘Manage’ to fully understand where your space is going.

Go to System Preferences>Apple ID and tick every item in the list that appears. All files derived from these apps and services will be added to your iCloud Drive.

In Finder, you can click on any folder that is stored on iCloud Drive and the select ‘Get Info’. Here, you can also see the amount of space each folder is taking up.

If there are specific apps you definitely do not want added to iCloud Drive click ‘Options’ at the top, and untick those that you wish to exclude from the list.

Your desktop and other folders will now display in Finder as normal. The reality is that they feel no different, it’s just that all of the files are stored in iCloud Drive.

Buy the best

One way to ensure that your Mac works in a usable fashion, for as long as possible, is to buy the best you can afford in the first place.

Despite the longevity of Macs in general, every specification really does count to make the experience smoother and faster over extended periods of time. Remember that physical upgrades can be difficult later.

1Ignore the marketing 2Compare and contrast 3 Do not overspec

It is very easy to look at the clever visual Most Macs have at least two core models.

Hardware upgrades make sense during tricks Apple uses to make every feature look You will need to think carefully, but if you can, the initial purchase, as they are often cheaper amazing. Try to look past that and concentrate then definitely go for the bigger option to than add-ons later. Try not to overspec your more on the numbers. avoid any regrets later. product, as it can become very expensive.

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Supercharge Your Mac

Two drives are better than one

One of the hardest parts of a Mac to upgrade, and thus supercharge, is the internal disk. Great strides have been made in terms of performance, but Apple is obviously aiming at customers using iCloud – and for most consumers with Macs, the standard amount of space is limited. The obvious solution is to add a second disk outside of the Mac.

1Just another folder

2Check the space

3 Full integration

4 Protect your hardware 5Don’t overdo it

6 Treat it the same

When you have installed your external disk, whether it is wired or wireless, it will appear in Finder as a new folder. Many drives are plug and play.

For wired drives, please remember that you should ‘Eject’ them when not in use.

Simply removing them should cause no damage, but it’s not advisable.

Right-click on the disk and then click ‘Get Info’ to check the amount of space available to you. This is worth doing over time to check upgrade needs.

The general rule is to use external drives that have a maximum of twice the storage of your internal Mac drive. This helps to preserve general system performance.

You can add the disk to your Dock to ensure that it is accessible at all times.

Potentially, you can create a seamless virtual space for all of your needs.

Treat an external drive with the same security considerations as your Mac space. Go to ‘Security & Privacy’ in System Preferences and check app access to files and folders.

Small and efficient

It is easy to underestimate just how much difference using the correct apps can make. Also, how you use them is just as important, and over time they can have as much impact as a Mac having a processor upgrade. This is a situation where lots of little events can come together to supercharge your Mac in a surprising way.

1The right tool

It is tempting to buy expensive software for specific tasks. If your needs are reasonable though, a simpler app, such as Seashore for image editing, can be more efficient.

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2Use the defaults

3 Close apps when not

needed Apple’s own apps are tailored to work efficiently on your Mac so if you can, try to use It is good practice to close apps when not in them instead of third-party offerings. They are use. This creates better battery performance, surprisingly flexible and capable. available RAM and general Mac speed.

Supercharge Your Mac

Connect anywhere For some time now, there has been a growing clamour for MacBooks which have built in connectivity outside of Wi-Fi, but Apple has not risen to that challenge to date. You can, however, use your iPhone and the personal hotspot feature to get quick Mac connectivity, no matter where you are. It’s very easy to set up and use.

Stay secure

Limit your connections

Use the most secure password you can for your personal hotspot, and don’t worry about its length because trusted devices will be able to connect automatically. If you carry your iPhone anyway, you will now have a 4G MacBook.

A mobile connection can only go so far, so where possible try to only use the personal hotspot for yourself. Family members can be automatically included, but more connections will inevitably reduce your speed when working outside.

Feel the speed

The best wireless option

A small USB-C to lightning cable will be a handy accessory to give you the best mobile connectivity when out and about with your Mac. It also has the potential to slightly save the battery on both devices as well.

If you are in a situation where using the USB port is not practical, we would suggest to use the Wi-Fi option for the quickest wireless speed.

Check for potentially bogus connections to your network.

Manage outside factors The best way to truly supercharge your Mac is to consider outside factors, as well. With so much of what we do requiring a live

internet connection, it makes sense to ensure that you are doing all you can to give yourself the best possible environment for your Mac to work within. This investment will also work for your other devices.

1Upgrade your router 2Increase your reach Routers are simple products at heart, and the standard network provider option will work for most. Spending big can, however, greatly speed up your home connection.

3 Upgrade your

Dead spots are common in most homes, connection but Wi-Fi extenders can be a cost effective Your home connection is really important for way to ensure you and your Mac can work and how efficiently your Mac works. Full fibre would play in any available space. be a good supercharging option to have.

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Supercharge Your Mac

Keep your Mac running This doesn’t fall within the supercharging banner as such, and it is not always recommended, but if you are using an older

Mac that often struggles to keep running, then you may want to look at a software solution. Some apps are able to free up RAM for a temporary period of time to keep you working.

Grab a solution

Memory Diag is an app that will sit in the menu bar at the top, and will display your current memory state. It does so using a colourful chart that lets you understand why your Mac may be slowing down instantly. It’s so useful.

An automated fix

The ability to automatically free up memory is included.

For older Macs that are struggling with available RAM due to their age, this can enable you to cling onto it for an extended period. A new Mac would solve this.

Check the numbers

The five sets of numbers are important and can help you diagnose why your Mac may not be performing as it should be. Don’t be surprised, however, if you see little free memory because this is to be expected now.

The big hitters

At the bottom of the panel you will see icons denoting the apps that are using significant memory, compared to their peers. It enables you to close non-essential ones and to carry on working.

You need power If you are using a MacBook in various locations, the state of your battery will be of the utmost importance. There are some ways in

which you can keep the battery as healthy as possible, and also check its current state. It is always worth knowing if you are likely to run into problems in the near future.

1Your battery health

Click the Apple logo in the top-left and then ‘About This Mac’. Now, click ‘System Report’ and then choose ‘Power’ to see your current battery health as a percentage.

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2Optimised charging 3 Use frugal apps

Go to System Preferences>Battery and If you use an M1 powered MacBook, try to make sure that ‘Optimised battery charging’ is use M1 optimised apps where possible. Also, enabled. This greatly increases the longevity Safari is likely the most power-efficient web of your MacBook battery. browser for any Mac. Try to use it.

Take it further with Terminal hacks

Supercharge Your Mac

The largely neglected Terminal can be used to tweak all manner of system behaviours, to help speed up your daily usage. From automating repetitive tasks to enabling functions that would otherwise be out of reach, the Terminal is one of the most powerful apps available within macOS. It can be the icing on the cake of your Mac supercharging project.

1Automatic restarts

2Hold and repeat

3 Quicker macOS updates

4 Tiny improvements

5Speed up Spotlight

6 Shutdowns and restarts

Input ‘sudo systemsetupThe command ‘defaults write -g Change the macOS update checking setrestartfreeze on’ to make your Mac sense ApplePressAndHoldEnabled -bool FALSE’ schedule from weekly to daily, using ‘defaults a crash and automatically restart. It only saves will repeat letters and numbers when you hold write com.apple.SoftwareUpdate a few seconds, but it helps to speed things up. the keys. These time savers really do help.

ScheduleFrequency -int 1’.

To highlight the tiny improvements you can make ‘defaults write com.apple.dock autohide-delay -float 0’ followed by ‘killall Dock’ will make the Dock appear faster.

‘sudo mdutil -E /Volumes/DriveName’ will rebuild your Spotlight and help with any stability problems your Mac has. It should also speed up performance in the short-term.

Instantly shut down your Mac with ‘$ sudo shutdown -h now’ and restart it immediately with ‘$ sudo shutdown -r now’. This is useful if you are in a rush and need to leave urgently.

Build a bigger Mac playground

Supercharging a Mac is about more than increasing performance and the available space you have. A larger display offers a completely different feel, and the ability to do many more things at once which can lead to much improved efficiency. The fact that you have multiple options available to you is an added advantage.

1A bigger workspace 2A second display The obvious improvement for any Mac is a larger display. Apple offers the very high-end Pro Display XDR, but you can spend less and still gain huge improvements.

3 Mirror your screen

On newer Macs you can use an iPad as a You can also mirror your Mac display via an second screen. The feature works in real-time Apple TV to a compatible TV. This is useful for and it could save money by taking the place of flexible working and makes use of one display new hardware. for two required tasks.

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iVerify Developer Trail of Bits Difficulty Time needed

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Step-by-step

1Install iVerify

Find out if your iPhone has been hacked with iVerify Don’t let anyone spy on you when you’re using your device by massively improving its security

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sst! Here’s a little secret: Your iPhone is generally safe but it can be hacked with spyware. Recently, it emerged that the surveillance outfit NSO Group had created software called Pegasus which is capable of infecting our devices, no matter how new they are. And while the company says it is only used to “investigate terrorism and crime”, Pegasus has been found on the phones of many journalists around the world.

Luckily, it’s possible to discover if your iPhone is infected while also checking for other potential hacks. All you need is an app called iVerify. It scans your device and keeps a lookout.

Ensure your iPhone is secure

First things first: iVerify is not free. It costs £2.99/$2.99, but that’s a small price to pay for peace of mind. Download it from the App Store and launch it. Tap ‘Continue’.

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The US National Security Agency says regularly rebooting a phone can stop hacking

2Scan your device

Whenever you open iVerify, it will scan your device for potential threats. This only takes a few seconds to complete and it requires no effort on your part.

3 View the report

Once it has done this, it will then let you know if there have been any signs of compromise. In most cases, your iPhone will be deemed safe and secure so you can relax.

Stay one step ahead of the spies Turn your iPhone into the digital equivalent of Fort Knox!

Allow notifications

Yes, notifications can be annoying but getting the heads-up from iVerify will likely prove useful.

You can be kept informed if the app detects any threats and get alerts to important security news.

Install the widget

If you want to instantly see how secure your iPhone is, then install the widget. It replicates the main screen of the iVerify app and will alert you to any updates you may need.

Browse in peace

iVerify includes a Secure Browsing extension for Safari. It can be activated by going to Settings> Safari>Content Blockers and toggling it on.

4 Take some action

If a threat has been detected, however, then iVerify will inform you. Tap to find out more and discover the steps that you will need to take in order to resolve the issue.

• Image credits: Trail of Bits

iOS iVerify Knowledge base

A simple way to secure your iPhone

Apple regularly issues updates to iOS and these often include patches for known security vulnerabilities. It’s a good idea to keep your device updated and iVerify recognises this, which is why one of its notifications will keep you informed if an iOS Update is available. You can also be reminded to regularly reboot your iPhone. Doing this also refreshes its memory and cache.

Enable DNS over HTTPS Although some security experts have cast doubt over the effectiveness of forcing Domain Name System (DNS) requests to be encrypted, iVerify gives you the option of enabling its service.

5 Be notified of problems 6 Read the guides You don’t need to keep opening iVerify to benefit from its service. Turn on ‘Notifications’ in the ‘Options’ tab to be kept informed whenever your device is vulnerable.

With iVerify, you’re also paying for knowledge. Its series of guides let you know about iOS’s vulnerabilities. These include step-by-step instructions to mitigate them.

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Health Developer Apple Inc Difficulty Time needed

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Merge your fitness data from any tracker Apple Health can accept fitness data from non-Apple devices if you tweak some crucial settings

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e all know that Apple likes to keep their services and products secure within their ecosystem and this works well, but it can cause problems if you want to use non-Apple products with some of the more useful Apple services. Add to this the fact that other manufacturers, such as Fitbit and Garmin, try to urge users to use their own ecosystems and it can lead to a lack of choice for the consumer when it comes to managing all of their health data in one place. There are, however, a few things you can do to bring your data together, and although it means jumping through some setup hoops, the end result will be well-worth the effort. We will cover example options in this tutorial, but there are more available.

The ultimate goal is to close all of your Activity rings, but you need to use tweaks to do this

Step-by-step

1 Beat the rings

Trick yourself to succeed

Making the Activity rings more important in your mind than they should be is actually not a bad thing, because you will need a goal every single day. These simple circles really do help to keep you motivated.

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2 Consistency is key

Studies show that a consistently high activity level over long periods of time is more important than brief periods of extreme exercise. The Activity rings are the perfect virtual guide to help you reach consistency.

3 Trust the trackers

In our tests the sensors on Garmin, Apple and other trackers and smart watches provided very similar numbers. You can trust the tracking and leave the software to present the data as you want it to.

iOS Health Step-by-step

Get your health data together

1Exercise will work

For some devices, your exercise’s minutes will be displayed in the Activity app and also within Apple Health. You need to enable this in the first setup.

2A third party

4 Check your settings 5 View your activity

Check in the Garmin Connect app that You will be able to view your activities in Strava is listed as a connected app. Be careful Strava, which offers a similar view to what’s in not to have too many connections active to the Apple Activity app. It is a duplication, but avoid duplicated fitness data. you need both apps to merge data.

7 Even more data

A third set of data will be stored within Garmin Connect and it can be confusing. The trick is to let Strava do its work and to only view one source to track your progress.

3 Enable the tracking

For Garmin, your exercise will be The idea is to sync Garmin to Strava, and counted, but not your calories and thus your then Strava to Apple Health, which should Move ring will not be progressed. Download offer the end result of your workouts filling Strava and connect your Garmin account. your exercise rings without an Apple Watch.

6 Check the data

First, check the numbers from each activity and then view them in Apple Health to make sure that they match. You should see complete parity between the two.

8 Keep things calm

It is all too easy to download multiple health apps and to try many different trackers, but this will take time away from improving your fitness. Stick to the basics and exercise.

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Settings Developer Apple Inc Difficulty Time needed

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Step-by-step

Play lossless audio in Apple Music Enjoy your tunes in the best possible quality

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udiophiles rejoice! Apple Music subscribers can now listen to millions of songs in a lossless audio format for the very first time thanks to the use of the Apple Lossless Audio Codec (ALAC).

It means every bit of the original recording can be retained when playing tunes through an iPhone or iPad, delivering sound that is at least CD-quality.

Even so, there are some restrictions. The main one is the inability to listen to lossless audio on a pair of wireless headphones and that includes AirPods or wireless Beats. Instead, you will have to physically connect a pair of wired headphones via the Lightning port. Also, lossless audio doesn’t include radio or videos either but the feature has been added for free.

Music downloads need to be re-downloaded to enjoy them in lossless audio…

Activate lossless audio on iPhone

1Launch Settings app

To listen to lossless audio on an iPhone (or an iPad), open the Settings app and ensure the device is updated (the feature was introduced with iOS 14.6). Then tap ‘Music’.

2Tap Audio Quality

Lossless audio is only included on an Apple Music subscription. If you have it, you now havd two new options: Dolby Atmos and Audio Quality in the Audio section.

3 Enable Dolby Atmos

Some tracks are being made available in Dolby Atmos, letting you enjoy Spatial Audio.

Tap ‘Dolby Atmos’ and ensure it’s set to ‘Automatic’ or ‘Always On’ to enjoy.

4 Activate Lossless Audio 5 Stream or download? 6 Select the quality Tap ‘Music’ in the top-left corner to go Stream music using your mobile data or back and tap ‘Audio Quality’. Here you simply Wi-Fi or by downloading it to your iPhone. need to toggle the ‘Lossless Audio’ button to You can tap on any of these methods to on. As you do so, more options appear. determine the music quality.

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If you’re streaming audio on Apple Music via Wi-Fi, tap ‘Wi-Fi Streaming’. There are two types of lossless compression. Decide the one that’s most appropriate.

iOS Settings

Explore the different types of audio Decide which quality of audio will be most suitable for your ears and data usage High-efficiency streaming

HE-AAC is a lossy compression method for digital audio data used for streaming audio with MPEG-4. It’s ideal if you are on a limited data plan but it’s not the best audio quality you can enjoy.

High-quality audio

Apple’s own implementation of the Advanced Audio Codec (AAC) delivers top quality sound that, to most ears, won’t be too dissimilar to the sound of the original studio recording.

Lossless audio

If you want sound without compromise, opt for lossless.

The 24-bit/48 kHz option will work with a pair of wired headphones connected to the iPhone’s Lightning port, thanks to a built-in digital-to-analogue converter (DAC).

High-resolution lossless audio

This is the very best sound quality offered by Apple Music but the 24-bit/192 kHz option will require you to connect an external USB DAC to your iPhone. It uses the most data, as well.

Knowledge base

Choose lossless audio on other devices

Lossless audio can also be enjoyed via your Mac by opening the Apple Music app and selecting Music>Preferences> Playback>Audio Quality. On an Apple TV 4K, go to Settings>Apps>Music> Audio Quality. Support for HomePod and HomePod mini is coming soon.

Apple has also rolled out the feature to Android phones.

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Google Developer Google LLC Difficulty Time needed

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Step-by-step

Manage your Google search history Protect your privacy by keeping a close eye on the searches you have saved in your account

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henever you look for something using Google, the company keeps a log of your search history and uses it to deliver more personalised results. It also lets you view that history, but – what if you’re not the only person to use your account to search the web?

What if someone grabs your phone to look at your search history?

Maybe you’ve been searching for a present or a surprise getaway. To prevent anyone seeing this, Google now lets you delete the last 15 minutes of your search history. Protect your searches by locking them away, and determine how long searches should remain in your history.

Delete or hide your searches

1Open Google app

2Delete recent history 3 Enable auto-deletion

Install the Google app on your iPhone and An option to remove the last 15 minutes log into your Google account. Now, access of your search history was recently added the settings by tapping on your profile image – simply tap ‘Delete Last 15 Mins’. Hit it by in the top-right-hand corner of the screen. mistake? There’s an ‘Undo’ option.

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Tap ‘X’ to remove individual searches from your history

It is also possible to force Google to automatically delete your search history after a set period of time. To see how long this is currently set for, tap ‘Search History’.

Take control over your search history Essential settings to protect your privacy Select the Control tab

Go to Google’s settings in the app by tapping your profile image and select ‘Search History’.

Tap the ‘Control’ tab and to see these options.

Turn off your activity

If you don’t want Google to save your activity when you use its apps and sites – preventing it from using your location, for instance, then you can tap ‘Turn Off’.

Check the apps

To change the time period, tap ‘Autodelete’ and select the button next to ‘AutoDelete Activity Older Than’. Use the dropdown box to choose 3, 18 or 36 months.

• Image credits: Google Inc

Knowledge base

Change your default Safari search engine

Safari for iOS and iPadOS uses Google for searches but if you value privacy then you may want to consider switching to another, with DuckDuckGo in particular promising never to track you online or store your information.

To do this, open the Settings app, tap ‘Safari’ and select ‘Search Engine’. You can now choose which one to use.

Getting personal

View your activity across Google’s apps with any of these icons (or swipe across and tap ‘View All’). When you see your history, tap ‘X’ to remove a single entry or bulk remove them.

4 Change the time

iOS Google

Search results can draw upon the information held in your Google account but you can stop this from happening by turning it off in this box.

5 Protect your history 6 Verify yourself

It’s now also possible to hide your search Having selected ‘Require Extra activity so that its viewable only if you input Verification’, you’ll be asked to input your your password or use two-factor verification. password. Now your history is locked. Tap Tap ‘Manage My Activity Verification’.

‘Verify’ and follow the steps to unlock.

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Safari Developer Apple Inc Difficulty Time needed

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Step-by-step

Search like a pro in Safari for iOS Find websites quickly and search within pages effortlessly

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iven how vast the web is, we’ve become very accustomed to using search engines to help us find the information we need. Many of us also use a few search tricks to speed things up, such as typing ‘define [word]’ or ‘weather [location]’ to view dictionary definitions or check if it’s going to rain.

More advanced users will search within a site using ‘site:[url] [word]’, and it’s also possible to ensure words are included or excluded by using a ‘+’ or ‘–’. Even so, there’s more you can do. Why not search using your voice by saying, “Hey Siri”, or by using the keyboard’s microphone button. Take a look at the tips on these pages to make Safari work much harder for you by becoming familiar with the browser’s many functions.

Search for a word on a page

1Visit a website

So you’re viewing a website in Safari and want to find a particular word on the page.

There are two methods. The first is to tap the search field at the top of the screen.

2Enter a word

Input the word you want to find, then scroll past the suggestions. You’ll reach the section, On This Page. It shows the term you’ve entered and the times it appears.

4 Use the Share Sheet 5 Search across tabs The second method uses the Share Sheet. Tap the Share button at the bottom, select ‘Find on Page’ and enter a word. Use the arrows to see the highlighted words.

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Allow suggested terms and bookmarks to appear for easy-tap

What if you want to find a word across more then one of your open websites? In this instance, you’ll need to tap the Tabs icon in the bottom-right corner of the screen.

3 Use the arrows

Safari will highlight the first instance of the word. If there is more than one, you’ll be able to use the arrows to move to the next.

You can also enter a different word.

6 Select a website

Pull down on the screen, and the search bar appears. As you type, Safari filters away open tabs that don’t contain your word. Tap the site you want and search the page.

iOS Safari

Explore your search options Delve into the Settings app and tap ‘Safari’ to discover other ways of refining your searches

Choose a different search engine

Google isn’t the only search engine in town. Tap here, and you can change the default to Yahoo, Bing, Ecosia or the nontracking DuckDuckGo.

See suggested search terms

Safari is able to suggest words and phrases that could aid or speed up your search when entering a term. You can turn this function on and off by toggling this button.

Perform a quick website search

Enable this feature, and you can search within a website using Safari’s address field by typing its name and a term. Visit the website and use its search field as a one-off first so Safari learns.

Knowledge base

Can I find a word in Reader View?

Yes! For those unaware, Reader View is a way of stripping away the ads from a website by presenting a clean version.

You can access Reader View by tapping the ‘aA’ icon in the top-left corner and selecting ‘Show Reader View’. From there, you can follow all of the same steps mentioned in our tutorial and see any instances of your search term highlighted in yellow.

View favourites

Safari can show bookmarked websites. If you’ve placed your favourites in different folders, you can identify which the browser should use.

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Amazon Alexa Developer AMZN Mobile LLC Difficulty Time needed

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Add Alexa to your iPhone’s Home Screen A new widget has been released that lets you quickly call upon Amazon’s digital voice assistant

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e love Siri. Apple’s virtual assistant lets us carry out tasks and answers our queries, but we also love Alexa.

Amazon’s equivalent offers answers that, in a lot of cases, beat Siri hands down. Alexa is also compatible with more smart home devices.

Trouble is, Siri is baked into iOS and iPadOS while Alexa needs an app. To use Alexa, you have to open the app and tap the blue button to talk – or at least that was the case. With a new widget, you can go direct to Alexa’s listening mode, issue your command, and get immediate answers.

Having the widget so prominent also reminds you that Alexa is always there to help.

Step-by-step

1Update the app

Find and add the Alexa widget

2Tap the face

You will need the latest version of the On the Home Screen, tap and hold Alexa app to make use of the new widget, so any space between the icons, then tap ‘+’. head over to the App Store and either update Alternatively, swipe right for the Today View, or install it to your iPhone (or iPad). hold a widget and select ‘Edit Home Screen’.

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Where’s Alexa? With this widget, she’s always close to hand…

3 Find the widget

You will be able to select the ‘Ask Alexa’ widget. If you can’t immediately see it at the top of the screen, scroll down. Otherwise, tap ‘Search Widgets’ and type ‘Alexa’.

Explore the Amazon Alexa app What else is at your fingertips?

Tap for follow ups

If you tap the widget and issue a voice command, you will be taken to this screen once it’s been carried out. Tap this large blue button and speak again if you have something else you want to do.

Add some skills

One of the great things about Alexa are the number of skills that are available. They expand Alexa’s capabilities, and lots of third-party skills are available. Tap ‘Browse Skills’ to look.

Enjoy a chat

You can call or message friends and family who have Echo devices. Tap the Play button if you want to listen to radio stations or Amazon Music.

4 Add the widget

Tap the widget, and you will see that it only comes in one size. That’s absolutely fine, because you don’t need it any larger. It’s now simply a case of tapping ‘Add Widget’.

• Image credits: Amazon.com, Inc

5 Move into position

The widget will be added to your Home Screen. To move it into an ideal position, tap, hold and select ‘Edit Home Screen’. It’s now possible to touch and drag it elsewhere.

iOS Amazon Alexa Knowledge base

Will Alexa let me control my iPhone?

Short answer? No. Alexa will not be able to alter any of the settings on your iPhone or iPad. If you want to switch your Wi-Fi on or off, activate your torch, alter the brightness of your screen or any of the other tasks involving the device itself, you will need to use Siri. For everything else, there’s Alexa.

Just say “Alexa”

Another nice addition to the Alexa app is a new ‘hands-free’ mode. Tap ‘More’ and go to Settings>Alexa App Settings. Toggle the switch next to ‘Enable Alexa Hands Free’. Now, with the app open you can say, “Alexa [command]” for instant results.

6 Use the widget

When you want to call upon Alexa to answer a query or carry out a task, you only need to tap the widget. This will open Alexa and automatically listen for a command.

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Safari Developer Apple Inc Difficulty Time needed

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Block website location access for one or all How to use the global location settings and per-site location settings to manage privacy issues in Safari

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ebsites can access the iPhone’s location information to tell where you are in the world. This raises privacy concerns, so the iPhone lets you control location information and choose who can access it.

There is a master location on/off switch, but this is a blunt instrument, and sometimes websites (and apps) need to know where you are. For this reason, there are extra controls and individual settings for each website.

This enables you to block location access for some sites, but allow it for others. You can change your mind later and block, or allow on a site-by-site basis.

The precise or approximate location is a Safari setting for all sites, not individual ones.

Website location requests Manage the location information sites can access Access site settings

If you want this website’s location access to be different to other sites, it can have its own settings.

Tap the ‘aA’ button, press ‘Website Settings’, and then tap ‘Location’ to see the options.

Precise location

Your location can be precise, or just the area you are in, like the town. Tap here to switch from one to the other. Some sites need to know your exact location, but others don’t. Choose here.

Allow only once

‘Allow Once’ means to ask every time you visit the site. For this to work, the master Location Services must be enabled, and Safari’s location settings must be set to ‘Ask’ and not ‘Deny’.

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Knowledge base

Location settings

There are several levels to location access, the iPhone, Safari and websites, which can be confusing. If iPhone location is off, Safari is always off. If iPhone location is on, Safari can be on or off. If Safari is off, websites are always off, but if Safari is set to ‘Ask’, sites can be set to on or off.

It can be very confusing.

Access denied

If Location Services are enabled and Safari is set to ‘Ask’, tap ‘Don’t Allow’ to block this single site. If you change your mind, tap the ‘aA’ icon at the top, then Website Settings>Location.

iOS Safari Step-by-step

Take control of location information

1View privacy settings 2Location master switch 3 Safari location settings Open Settings on the iPhone, and tap ‘Privacy’. You can see that Location Services are set to On, but that doesn’t mean websites can definitely see your location.

Tap ‘Location Services’ for the Location Tap ‘Safari’ in the apps list. If Location Services master switch. This determines if Services is on, select ‘Never’ to block all the iPhone calculates its location. It does not websites from seeing your location. Tap ‘Ask mean websites can access it.

Next Time’ to allow individual site settings.

4 Site location options 5 Choose fuzzy locations 6 Allow site access Visit a website that uses location information and a pop-up map shows what info the site can see. Tap ‘Don’t Allow’ to stop it from seeing your current location.

Not all websites need to know your Choose ‘Allow Once’, and there are exact location. Tap ‘Precise’ and turn it off ‘Don’t Allow’ and ‘Allow’ options. If you so that the website can only see your rough allow the site access, it only knows your location. This is good enough for many sites. approximate location, not your exact one.

7 Website settings

8 Custom site settings 9 Site location settings

You might assume the ‘aA’ button is for adjusting the text size, but it does more than this, providing access to a useful menu.

Press aA>Website Settings.

These settings apply only to this website. Among the items are some useful privacy features, like Camera, Microphone and Location options. Press ‘Location’.

For these location options to work, Location Services must be turned on, and Safari not set to ‘Deny’. Choose whether to allow or deny this site access to location.

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WhatsApp Developer WhatsApp LLC Difficulty Time needed

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Send disappearing media inWhatsApp WhatsApp lets you send media that can be viewed only once

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hatsApp is an encrypted messaging service, but it doesn’t mean you have total control over what you send. If you share a video or image, it can sit in a chat thread for ages.

It’s one of the reasons why many will welcome a new feature that lets you send media that disappears after it has been viewed once. Those images and videos can’t be saved, forwarded or starred and they won’t automatically end up saved on the recipients’ phone.

Likewise, if you take a fresh snap, it won’t end up in your Camera Roll either. This is ideal, says WhatsApp, for sharing an image of a Wi-Fi password, perhaps, or something fleeting that you don’t necessarily want to be taking up space. Let’s check it out.

Photos or videos unopened within 14 days will be automatically removed

Step-by-step

Share ‘once-viewable’ images and videos

1Open a chat

2Take an image

3 Use existing media

4 Make it once-only

5 Send the media

6 Check the chat

Photos and videos can be made to disappear in individual and group chats, so either find an existing conversation or tap the icon in the top-right to start a new one.

Whichever method you choose, your media will be made ready to send. Add a caption if you wish, but to ensure it can only be viewed once, tap the ‘1’ icon.

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If you want to take a photo or video, tap the Camera icon, line up the shot and hit the Shutter button. To view your Albums, tap the icon left of the Shutter button.

Another way to use existing images is to tap the ‘+’ icon from a chat screen. Tap ‘Photo & Video Library’ and browse your Camera Roll for a suitable image.

The first time you use this feature, you’ll A message saying Photo or Video will be prompted to tap ‘OK’. In subsequent uses, appear in the chat thread next to a ‘1’ icon. a message will appear saying, ‘Photo set to When tapped, it will change to ‘Opened’. It view once’. Now just press the ‘Send’ button. means the media cannot be viewed again.

• Image credits: WhatsApp LLC

iOS WhatsApp

Manage your WhatsApp account Explore the app’s other options and make sure that it is functioning exactly as you’d like it to

Toggle Read Receipts

Tap ‘Account’ and select ‘Privacy’.

Disallowing Read Receipts means others won’t know if you’ve read their message. But it also means you wouldn’t know if someone has read your message either – or if they’ve opened your photo or video!

Auto-save images

Another way to ensure that you don’t waste valuable space on your iPhone is to prevent WhatsApp from saving photos and videos your receive to your Camera Roll. There’s an option within Chats to turn off this function.

Chat backup

Also in Chats is an option to back up your conversation history and media to iCloud. Unopened pictures and videos can be viewed from the backup. Those opened won’t be backed up, however.

Knowledge base

Does this mean people can send dodgy media?

No! Although a photo or video will disappear from a chat thread, there is nothing to stop a recipient from taking a screenshot or recording the screen.

Recipients can also report media that is set to disappear, and this will allow WhatsApp to access it. WhatsApp will also retain an encrypted copy of any media sent via the platform “for a few weeks”.

Also visit iPhone Settings

As well as using these internal settings, launch your iPhone’s Settings app and tap ‘WhatsApp’. At the very least you’ll need to allow WhatsApp access to some of your Photos in order to be able to send media.

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Settings Developer Apple Inc Difficulty Time needed

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Step-by-step

Free up iCloud storage: Manage with 5 GB Can you cope with 5 GB of free iCloud storage?

Yes, if you are careful. Here’s how

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very Apple account receives 5 GB of iCloud storage for free. It sounds like a lot, but it is easy to reach the limit and then you must either pay for more storage or free up some space. We think the 50 GB plan for just 79 pence a month is good value for money and goes a long way towards solving iCloud space problems, but some users may want to stick with the free plan.

How do you cope with just 5 GB of online storage in iCloud? Here we look at ways to reduce the space being used, and free up storage if you run out. We use an iPad for this and look at the ways it uses iCloud, and how to reduce its need for storage.

If you are short of space on iCloud and still have the free plan, consider the 79p upgrade

Manage iCloud storage

1View iCloud usage

2Choose Photos options 3 Apps using iCloud

There is more than one way to view iCloud Tap ‘Photos’ and there is an option storage use and the best is to go to Settings, not to use iCloud. It is the biggest user of tap your Apple ID at the top and then iCloud. storage. Turn it off to save storage space.

The usage bar is shown at the top. iPhone photos use iCloud, so check that too.

Go back a step and swipe up the screen to see all the apps that are using iCloud. Use the switch to prevent any apps that do not need iCloud storage to save some space.

4 Manage the storage 5 Delete app data

6 Shrink backups

In Step 1, tap ‘Manage Storage’ to see the apps that have stored files on iCloud.

They are ordered by the most space used at the top. Are there any you can live without?

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Files on iCloud are not deleted when Back at Step 4, tap ‘Backups’ and then apps are deleted from the iPad. This means tap the iPad backup to see the contents. apps you no longer have, use storage. Tap Some backed up items are optional. Storage any app you deleted and then delete its data. space is saved by turning off the switches.

Manage your iCloud storage See which apps and services are using the space View space usage

The bar at the top shows the amount of used and free space on iCloud. The coloured areas show how the space is divided. This iPad is okay, but yours may be nearer the limit.

iPadOS Settings Configure backups

This backup is quite small and could be over 1 GB. Tap here and then tap the backup on the next screen to choose which apps are backed up.

Shrink backups by removing optional items.

Knowledge base

iPhone and Mac

iCloud is shared and used for the iPad, iPhone and Mac. The screen is smaller on the iPhone, but all the same settings are there. Repeat this tutorial on the iPhone if you have one. The Mac is less dependent on iCloud, but does have options to use or not use iCloud for some features. Check System Preferences and Finder for iCloud usage.

App storage usage

Apps can store files and data on iCloud, but they remain long after removing the apps. Look down the list of items and tap and delete any files or data from apps you removed from the iPad.

7 Delete old messages 8 Delete iCloud files

Messages are backed up automatically, Documents on iCloud could be moved but use a lot of storage if there are media files to your Mac’s disk or other online storage. attached. Go to Settings>Messages>Keep From Step 4, tap ‘iCloud Drive’ and delete Messages and tap ‘1 Year’ to shrink backups. everything after saving the files elsewhere.

Reduce Messages usage If you send and receive a lot of photos, videos and audio, Messages could use a lot of storage. Go to Settings>Messages>Keep Messages and auto-delete them after one year.

9 Browse with Files

Deleting all files may be a step too far.

Open the Files app, and browse the iCloud storage to select and delete only the files you no longer need, to free up storage space.

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Control Centre Developer Apple Inc Difficulty Time needed

05

Discover how to Record your iPad screen Rather than tell someone how to do something on an iPad, why not show them by making a video?

T

here are many reasons why you would want to record your iPad screen. Perhaps you want to showcase your gaming skills, or need to demonstrate how to perform a particular task or find a new feature. Whatever the reason, it’s easy to do. But there are some things to bear in mind first.

Everything on your screen will be recorded, so watch out for notifications or accidentally exposing messages

and emails: maybe flick the iPad into Do Not Disturb mode. Be aware too, that videos gobble up storage.

Going to share on social media? Why not clean up the Home Screen (is the wallpaper suitable?), or place the app that you’re demonstrating on a clean page. You should also consider locking the orientation to stop the screen flipping about, and find a quiet spot if you’re adding a voiceover. Right, let’s get started…

Long-press the Record button to see more options…

Step-by-step

Set up and use Screen Recording

1 Find the button

2 Check the controls

The screen recording button is located Select ‘Control Centre’ from the options within the Control Centre (swipe down from listed in the left-hand menu. To show, the the top-right corner). If it is not there, then you screen recording option needs to be placed will need to add it. Open Settings. within the section called ‘Included Controls’.

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3 Add the button

Scroll down within the section called ‘More Controls’, and you will find Screen Recording. Tap the green ‘+’ icon next to it, and the option will be ready for you to use.

iPadOS Control Centre

Play, edit and share your recordings Once you’ve made your screen recording, it’s time to do something with it…

Find the video

All of your screen recordings are saved in the Photos app, and are placed within the videos album.

Tap on the thumbnail and it will open, ready to be used.

B A l a n o i t a n r et n I y l d a e R : t i d e r c e g a m I •

Share the video

A tap of the Share button, and the video can be sent via AirDrop, social media, email and Messages. It can also be added to an album, duplicated and saved to the Files app.

Knowledge base How do I get sound on my screen recordings?

Play the video

By default, your screen recordings will record whatever sound is being used by your apps. But what if you want to add a real-time voice over, perhaps to talk someone through what you’re doing on screen? Long-press on the Record button in the Control Centre, and tap the Microphone button. Ensure the iPad isn’t muted too.

4 Grant app access

There’s one last thing to do: scroll to the top of the Settings screen and turn on ‘Access Within Apps’. This will let you activate screen recordings when you’re using an app.

Our video shows how to find iCreate in the amazing Readly app! We could view it by tapping the Play button.

There’s also a timeline of the video is shown at the bottom of the screen. We can also turn sound on and off.

5 Start a recording

Let’s get down to business. Open the Control Centre as in the first step and, when you’re ready, tap the Record button (it’s at the bottom here). It will count down from three.

Edit the video

Tap ‘Edit’, and you can trim or rotate your screen recording, or add filters and effects using the on-screen tools, just as you are able to do with any video you take on your iPad.

6 Do your thing

Close the Control Centre and get ready.

A red icon top-right indicates a recording. To stop, you can tap this or re-open the Control Centre, and tap the Record button again.

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Spotify Developer Spotify Difficulty Time needed

02

Step-by-step

Listen to Spotify offline on Apple Watch Leave your iPhone at home – take your music with you by downloading songs to your Watch

I

t’s taken a long time, but you’re now able to download songs available on Spotify straight to your Apple Watch. This means you can go for a jog or nip to the shops, without having to pop your iPhone in your pocket if you fancy listening to some tunes. Simply fire up the songs you’ve downloaded and play them offline, using Spotify’s playback features to control what you’re listening to.

It’s not perfect. The biggest restriction is that you’re going to need a Premium subscription which is sad – but understandable news for all those on the free tier, who will have to continue using a cellular or Wi-Fi connection. That said, you can often find some offers to upgrade to Premium for free, for a short spell, so watch out for those online. It’s also long been possible to download audio to your Watch via Apple’s Music app and Apple Podcasts, if you don’t fancy using the Spotify service.

Download songs to your Watch

1Open Spotify app

Update Spotify on both iPhone and Apple Watch, and ensure you’ve subscribed to a Spotify Premium account if you haven’t already. Now open the app on your iPhone.

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Can’t see the Downloads folder?

Spotify has been slowly rolling out the feature so keep trying

2Find a playlist

3 Download to Watch

You can’t download individual songs to If you have a cellular or Wi-Fi connection, your Watch but you can download playlists, you can tap ‘Download to Apple Watch’ and albums and podcasts. Search for one and tap have the playlist, podcast or album made the ‘…’ icon for your options. available to you for offline listening.

watchOS Spotify

Enjoy and manage your downloaded playlists Ensure you always have your favourite tunes available on your Watch Have the right Watch

Knowledge base

To be able to download songs, you must have an Apple Watch Series 3 or later running at least watchOS 6.

It’s a good idea to only download songs when you’re connected to Wi-Fi, to save data.

Are there any limits?

Yes. As you can probably guess, the number of songs you can download to your Apple Watch is going to depend on how much space you have available.

Spotify says that you should be able to download as many as 10 hours worth of audio and, in truth, that’s probably more than enough. It’s also worth bearing in mind that you are also limited to 50 tracks per playlist.

Play a playlist

If you tap a ‘Playlist’, you may be asked to choose whether you want to play the audio through your iPhone or through your earphones.

Remove the downloads

Check your downloads

Want to remove a download? Tap ‘Edit Downloads’ and you’ll be prompted to select the playlist you don’t need.

Simply go on to tap ‘Remove’ and it won’t be available offline anymore.

The download section will show all of the playlists saved to your Watch.

Completed downloads have a green arrow next to them, and you can also see how many songs are available.

4 Check the progress

You’ll have to wait for the songs to download but you are able to check where your Watch is up to by launching Spotify on the wearable and visiting ‘Downloads’.

• Image credits: Spotify Ltd

5 Get confirmation

A small green arrow is confirmation that the tunes are downloaded. At this point, you can launch your Library on Apple Watch, tap ‘Playlists’ and select the list of songs.

6 Listen offline

From this point, it’s simply a matter of hooking up some headphones and playing a song. It won’t matter if you only have your Watch with you and no internet connection.

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10 ways to replace iPhone The Apple Watch is fast becoming an adequate replacement for the iPhone, here’s how…

The Apple Watch was not designed to replace the iPhone, and to this day there is no signal to suggest that Apple wants it to perform this function.

However, as time passes and third-party app developers make ever more ingenious solutions, we are fast reaching the stage where an Apple Watch can perform the majority of functions that you would normally undertake on your iPhone, and it is getting more sophisticated every day. A 4G enabled Apple Watch will help a huge amount when using many of the more sophisticated solutions, away from home, and with so many services now available it may be time for you to consider a connected Apple Watch, rather than one that truly needs the iPhone in daily use. Our list of iPhone-like functions may well surprise you.

A multitasking marvel

1Waking up

The Apple Watch will wake you up when you have set an alarm, whether it is a one-off or a repeating event. You can either set one directly on the Apple Watch, or on your iPhone, at which point the watch will alert you slightly before the iPhone alarm audibly sounds. This will make sure you always wake up on time.

Wear your organiser, your communicator and your entertainer Instant alerts

Subtle alerts will appear from time to time, and they literally cover everything. Emails, messages, social network pings, news alerts and alarms are available – ready to alert you in a discreet manner.

Manage your life

You can manage your tasks, your calendar and any personal planning from your Apple Watch. The number of organisational Apple Watch apps being released is growing all of the time. The quality is also improving.

Grab information instantly

The Apple Watch is especially good at offering real-time information such as the weather, fitness progress and the latest news.

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Play your way

Whether you want to listen to your favourite music, podcast episodes, audiobooks or live radio, you can do it all if you use a 4G connected Apple Watch. It replaces the iPhone perfectly for these tasks.

Knowledge base

The best of both worlds

Using your Apple Watch more alongside your iPhone can produce unexpected benefits, such as improved battery life for your iPhone as you will likely use it less. If you use them in a realistic way and do not try to overload your Apple Watch you can achieve a balance where they compliment each other rather than compete for the same tasks. This way you shouldn’t have to worry about having to recharge either device before the end of the day.. .

10 ways… to replace iPhone

2Check your schedule

3The morning news

4Choose your music

5Keep in touch

6Move around

7Do it all

8Stay social

9Capture your thoughts 10 Control your home

You can now check your schedule for the day ahead in the Reminders app, or a third-party offering. The ability to complete tasks is available on the watch itself, and you can also add new events as you are alerted to the need for them. It adds great efficiency to your day.

Messages work brilliantly on the Apple Watch and you have access to all of the important features from the iPhone setup. The fact that the text input has been tweaked over time and that voice recognition is now extremely accurate means you can keep in touch every day.

WatchChat brings a realistic and feature-laden WhatsApp experience to any Apple Watch, which is otherwise unavailable. You can also manage your LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram feeds from your watch through third-party apps. Every box is ticked through apps.

The Radioplayer app is designed to work on the iPhone and also wirelessly on the Apple Watch. You can set up your favourite stations so all you need to do is pop in your AirPods, open the app and listen to the morning news in real time.

Although, be aware of your battery life.

Apple Maps is built into watchOS, and the ingenious way in which you are alerted to junctions, etc means that it can get you anywhere without a phone.

There is a learning curve to ascend, but once you have done that, the system works much better than you may expect.

The simple voice record feature lets you capture ideas and audible notes at any time, which means you can, in effect, live with just your Apple Watch. You can also use your voice to create text notes, reminders and almost anything else that is required when out and about.

Apple Music is perfectly placed to let you decide what songs you want to listen to on your commute, or when doing other things. You can download tracks to the Watch if you have no 4G connection, and the AirPods audio performance is just as good as through the iPhone.

You are likely thinking that not everything is possible on an Apple Watch, and this is kind of true, but even email isn’t out of reach. The excellent data input means that you can deal with emails as they come in, and keep up with the business tasks you need to manage.

With some apps you can even control your smart home devices via the Apple Watch. When you consider that you can also control your Apple TV, or even your smart TV, from your watch it truly starts to come home just how versatile the Apple Watch can be.

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Apple TV Developer Apple Inc Difficulty Time needed

02

Step-by-step

Use Apple TV’s picture-inpicture mode Play your videos within a mini-window and get on with other tasks on your device

S

ometimes you want to keep up with a video while you’re doing something else, so having to quit what you’re watching, perform the task and then jump back in can feel frustrating. If you’re using the Apple TV app, however, you don’t need to do this. Instead, you can allow it to continue playing in a picture-inpicture window.

The feature is available for users of the fourth-generation Apple TV and Apple TV 4K as long as you have tvOS 14 or later installed but, it has to be said, with a lack of third-party support it can feel a little limited. Thankfully, there’s good news on that score (see Knowledge Base) and the more you play around with these features, the more you’ll discover how useful they are. Let’s take a look at how to use them.

Watch a show in the background

1Use compatible apps 2Find a show The picture-in-picture mode only works with a small selection of video apps but one of those just so happens to be Apple TV, so let’s start by launching that particular app.

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If an app supports picture-in-picture then an icon will appear for you to click on

Browse through the catalogue of programmes and click on your Remote to play any one of them. Picture-in-picture will work for all content on the Apple TV app.

3 Watch the show

When your programme or film is playing, you can tap the Touch surface of your remove control. This will not only display your timeline, but a picture-in-picture icon too.

Control the picture-in-picture window When videos are running in their own mini-player, you have a few options at your fingertips

Move the window

Sometimes, having the video window in the bottom righthand corner means it’s in the way of other content. Use this icon to move the video into a different corner of the screen.

Press the Home button

To view your options at any time, just click the Home button on your Remote.

Audio will also switch to the picture-in-picture window when you do this.

Knowledge base

AirPlay videos to Apple TV

You can get around the lack of Apple TV third-party apps supporting picturein-picture by launching a video on your iPhone or iPad. Use the AirPlay icon to beam a video to your Apple TV device and you will still be able to use picturein-picture as detailed in our tutorial.

Of course, this depends on whether the iOS/iPadOS app supports AirPlay.

Netflix doesn’t, for example.

Expand the window

The first button lets you maximise the picture-inpicture window, taking it back to the full screen after which you’d need to tap the Remote and select the minimise button again if you wish.

4 Click picture-in-picture 5 Use your device Swipe up on the touch surface of the remote (we found it can be a little fiddly but persevere) and then click on the picture-inpicture icon. This will minimise the video.

tvOS Settings

As the video plays in its own window, you can get on with other tasks on your Apple TV device, browsing for and opening other apps. The video will continue.

Close the video

Had enough? Just click the ‘X’ button with your Remote to close the window. If you simply want to pause the video, use the Play/Pause button on the Remote instead.

6 Watch something else

You could start another programme and have two videos play at the same time. Tap the touchpad on the Remote and select the left-side icon to switch between them both.

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Genius Bar

Our Apple devices and the software on them are some of the finest products on the planet, but even they have their moments. We’re here to give you expert advice and get you back up and running in no time

Contact us today Glossary

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macOS System Preferences

The place to come for key terms made easy ------------------------------

Control Centre

An easy-to-access panel of essential settings for Mac and iOS. You can access it on iOS by swiping up or down from the top/ bottom of the screen, (depending on your device) and in macOS Big Sur it resides to the right of the menu bar.

------------------------------

Screen Time

This is a relatively new feature on Mac and iOS designed to make users aware of how much time we are spending on our devices. Located in System Preferences or the iOS Settings app, Screen Time monitors how long you spend in apps and allows you to impose restrictions.

------------------------------

Spoken Content

This is the new name for the Speech Accessibility settings in your Mac’s System Preferences. In macOS Big Sur, these settings include the new ‘Speak typing feedback’ option that echoes every character you type.

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I have just updated to macOS Big Sur and was wondering how I can edit my Control Centre, like on iOS? Andre LeClerc

1 Find the settings 2 Add settings 3 Enable options Unlike in iOS, you are currently quite restricted in what can be displayed in Control Centre. Go to System Preferences>Dock & Menu Bar and you will see ‘Control Centre’ in the sidebar.

Most of the Control Centre settings will be the ones that are enabled by default, but you can scroll down to ‘Other Modules’ to see a few extra options, such as Accessibility Shortcuts and Fast User Switching.

Click on either one of those options and tick the ‘Show in Control Centre’ option to add them. When you next open your Control Centre they will reside at the bottom of the panel.

Geni s r macOS System Preferences

Apple Expert The one-stop column for Genius advice

-----------------------------I heard that it is possible to use my Apple Watch to bypass Face ID and unlock my iPhone when I’m wearing a mask, is this correct?

I like to type with my head down, and have heard that there is a feature to hear exactly what you type, so is there? Paul Lock Accessibility’s Speech System Preference has been renamed ‘Spoken Content’ in macOS Big Sur, and within those settings you will find a new

feature called ‘Speak typing feedback’. Here we will show you how to set up and use this feature in your day-to-day Mac use.

1 Open Preferences

2 Set it up

3 Change the voice

4 Add to menu bar

Yes that is correct, although you must own a Series 3 Apple Watch or later for it to work.

Make sure your Apple Watch has been updated to watcOS 7.4 or later, and that your iPhone is running iOS 14.5 or later then, on your iPhone, go to Settings>Face ID & Passcode. Enter your code to unlock these settings and then turn on the ‘Apple Watch’ switch and then an alert will appearing saying that your Apple Watch will unlock your iPhone when any mask is detected. Tap ‘Turn on’ to finish.

Go to System Preferences>Accessibility> A pop-up window will appear that allows Spoken Content, and then tick the box to enable you to select exactly what will be spoken back the new ‘Speak typing feedback’ option. Then to you as you type. Characters and words are click on the ‘Options’ button next to it. selected by default, but you can add more.

Click on the System Voice menu and then Sadly, ‘Speak typing feedback’ isn’t click ‘Customise’. You can now select voice styles available as an Accessibility shortcut, but you from all around the world to use as your Mac’s can tick the ‘Show Accessibility status in menu spoken feedback voice. bar’ option to make it quicker to access.

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G niu Bar VinylStudio Is there a way to digitise my vinyl collection on Mac? If so, what equipment and software would I need to perform this task?

Phoebe Griffiths To digitise your vinyl records you will need a USB turntable, although it is possible to use a standard turntable with a separate phono stage and analogue-to-digital converter (with USB output), and an app such as VinylStudio. The latter can either be purchased from the Mac app store or you can go to alpinesoft.com and download a trial version. Once you have got everything up and running, launch the app, slap a record onto your turntable and then follow these quick and easy steps.

1 Set up the app

When you launch the app for the first time, you will go through a setup process that includes creating a folder on your Mac for your recordings.

2 Check the levels

Click on ‘Check Level’, make sure that ‘USB AUDIO CODEC’ is selected for the Input Device and start playing your record.

Follow the instructions to set the level.

3 Record an album

If you intend to record an entire album, then click on ‘Create Album’ and then enter all of the required information, such as the artist and title. Click ‘Apply’.

Knowledge base

Splitting tracks

4 Start recording

You’re all set to go. Click ‘Record’ and then await instructions on when to lower the needle, and start playing the record.

Now sit back and enjoy the music.

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5 Remember to flip!

Once the first side has finished recording, click ‘Stop’, flip the record over and then click ‘Record’ before lowering the needle on the second side.

At the end of this process you will have successfully recorded two sides of an album. Click on the ‘Split Tracks’ tab and then you can either split and name the tracks manually or click on ‘Lookup Track Listing’.

This will match your album name and artist with Discogs and provide a track listing that you can autoapply to your recording.

Geni s r Facebook How can I check and monitor which apps and websites have access to my Facebook information? Neil Watson

Find the setting

In Facebook, tap on the menu icon in the lower-right and then select Settings & Privacy>Settings and then scroll down and select the ‘Apps and websites’ option.

Monitor active

You may see that some apps and services have ‘expired’.

Don’t worry about these for now. Instead, concentrate on the ‘active’ ones and then tap on one that you would like to remove from the list. You will then see the ‘Remove’ option, tap that.

Turn off option

We sometimes use our Facebook account as a quick means of logging into apps and services, which means sharing data. To remove this temptation, scroll down and tap ‘Turn Off’ under ‘Apps, websites and games’.

See them all

The list may be extensive, so tap on ‘See more’ to reveal the full list and then you’ll be able to prioritise which apps and sites you no longer wish to share data with. You can’t batch-remove.

iOS Settings

Apple Expert

Apparently there is a way to lock apps on iOS? Is this true, if so how is it done? Ngan Nguyen

The one-stop column for Genius advice

-----------------------------How do I play Apple Music through my Alexaenabled speaker?

1 Open Settings 2 Add apps Go to Settings>Screen Time and make sure that this feature is turned on. Next, tap on App Limits>Add Limit and you will be able to set time limits for the apps that you use every day.

You can now tap on a category of app from the list provided and then select the apps you wish to apply limits to. Once selected, set a time limit to apply to the app(s) and then tap ‘Add’ to finish.

3 Guided access

Alternatively, go to Settings>Accessibility>Guided Access, turn it on and then launch an app to stay focused on. You can now triple-click the side button to stay on one app and lock the others.

Refer to the Amazon Alexa app that you will have installed when setting up your speaker, and then tap the menu icon in the lowerright corner. Tap Settings> Music & Podcasts and then choose ‘Link New Service’ to see a list of possible services, including Apple Music. Select this and then tap on ‘Enable To Use’.

You will then need to sign into Apple Music with your Apple ID. Once set up, say, “Alexa, play [song name] on Apple Music”.

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G niu Bar Settings Is there a way to find out how many times my iPhone has been charged?

As I understand that the battery capacity depletes over time.

Knowledge base What is optimised battery

Nasia Tzaras Unfortunately, the iPhone battery is only designed to retain up to 80 percent of its original capacity at 500 complete charge cycles. But how do you know how many charge cycles your iPhone has completed, given that this information is not included in the Battery section of the Settings app?

There is a way, and it involves turning on the analytics sharing features that you may instinctively turn off to retain a greater degree of privacy on your device. Follow the steps here, and we’ll show you how to obtain that magic charge cycle number from within your iPhone’s detailed analytics report.

charging on iPhone?

Go to Settings>Battery>Battery Health and you will see the ‘Optimised Battery Charging’ option. Activating this allows your iPhone to learn from your daily charging habits and determine how long it usually takes for you to pull out the charger. It can delay charging past 80 per cent – for example, overnight – by only doing the final 20 per cent before it thinks you’ll need to unplug it. This lengthens the battery’s lifespan.

1 Turn on Analytics

2 View your analytics

3 Check the data

4 Copy the text

5 Launch Notes app

6 Find the count

To create a log of your iPhone’s battery If you have only just activated the option charges, go to Settings>Privacy>Analytics for the first time then you will have to wait & Improvement and then turn on the ‘Share two or three days for logs to be created. At iPhone Analytics’ option. that point, tap ‘Analytics Data’.

When you tap the latest log, you’ll be Leave the Settings app and launch confronted with text. Don’t worry, it is easy Notes. Tap the ‘New Note’ icon in the corner to identify the bit you need. Select all of the and then tap on the new note and select the text and then tap ‘Copy’.

‘Paste’ option to transfer the text.

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You will see a screen that is packed with data files. Scroll down the screen until you see those beginning with ‘logaggregated’ and select the latest date.

Tap the top-right ‘…’ icon, select ‘Find In Note’, and type: BatteryCycleCount.

Notes will locate the word in the text and the number will be your cycle count.

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Reviews

Audio-Technica AT2040 Dynamic £89/$99 Microphone Key features

Hypercardioid • Dynamic • XLR connection • Internal Shock Mount

DESIGNED TO BRING Editor’s PRO-QUALITY SOUND TO Choice PODCASTERS and other discerning content creators at a more accessible price, Autio-Technica’s AT2040 Hypercardioid Dynamic Podcast Microphone features a highly directional, precision-made hypercardioid pickup that stays focussed on your voice and helps to minimise unwanted room noise. This ensures professional-quality broadcasts, even from less-than-ideal locations.

To further reduce unwanted noise, the mic also features a specially-designed, integrated shock mount that dampens bashes and vibrations transmitted through the mic stand, boom or mount.

Cables not included

The AT2040’s multistage windscreen combines a nonwoven filter with foam mesh to provide superior internal pop filtering, allowing close-up use with exceptional clarity and without any of those annoying pops. For the best combination of sound quality, robust operation and versatility, the AT2040

“The AT2040 isn’t ready to use with your Mac or iOS devices straight from the box – extra cables are needed” has an XLR output that connects to a conventional analogue microphone input, providing easy pairing with everything from multi-input home studio computer interfaces to professional mixing consoles.

As such, the AT2040 isn’t ready to use with your Mac or iOS devices straight from the box – you will need to purchase an XLR to USB or Lightning cable to make 90

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Learn more

audio-technica.com

the necessary connection. Also please be aware that this mic isn’t self-standing – it needs to be connected to a stand, boom or other type of mount and, weighing 615g, it doesn’t exactly offer slip-in-thepocket portability. This is a serious mic for professional set ups.

“It doesn’t exactly offer slip-in-the-pocket portability. This is a serious mic for professional set ups” The AT2040 provides a frequency response of 80-16,000 Hz and an impedance of 600 ohms, producing professional, broadcast-quality sound for all types of media content. The mic is nicely rounded off with a rugged, all-metal construction and sonic signature that has been built upon Audio-Technica’s six decades in the audio trade.

Included with the AT2040 is a pivoting stand mount 5/8”-27 to 3/8”-16 threaded adapter and a soft, protective pouch to keep the microphone in when not in use – which probably won’t be very often.

One-two, one-two…

The sound quality that you can broadcast with the AT2040 is incredible. No matter what environment you are recording in, it always seems to stay trained on the subject while reducing all unwanted background sounds. Of course, there are quick and easy, plug-in-and-record mics

Available from amazon.co.uk

available for the more casual content creators. But if you really want to take the quality of your broadcasts to the next level, then the AT2040 is a cost-effective option. Just make sure to factor in the additional kit that you may need, such as cables and stands. This would definitely make a sound addition to any semiprofessional studio setup, though.

Verdict

A serious mic for serious content creators, the AT2040 may not be ready to use from the box, but the quality it captures will take your podcasts to the next level.

The AT2040’s multistage windscreen provides superior internal pop filtering…

The precision-made hypercardioid pickup keeps the mic focused on your voice…

The AT2040 has an XLR output that connects to a conventional analog microphone input 229 91

Reviews

Edifier TWS NB2 Pro Wireless Earbuds £89.99/$99.99 Key features

Bluetooth 5.0 • Hybrid ANC • 20Hz – 20KHz • 7-9 hours playtime

LOOKING NOT UNLIKE A PAIR OF AirPods that have been re-imagined by the Decepticons, Edifier’s TWS NB2 Pro earbuds are a similar shape to Apple’s earphones but are clad in sexy metal and feature bulb-like shells that sit comfortably in your auricle, while feeding the tips gently into your external canal.

Hybrid theory

Within each bulb is a 10mm driver with a composite diaphragm that delivers a chasm-like soundstage. Every rich detail in your music is lovingly picked out and polished to perfection and always sounds all-encompassing, thanks to the hybrid ANC technology that these earbuds employ. Hybrid ANC combines the best of freeforward ANC (that uses a mic

Learn more edifier.online

“Every rich detail of your music is pulled out, polished to perfection and always sounds allencompassing”

Available from amazon.co.uk

outside the earcup to hear the outside noise before the user) and feedback ANC (where the mic lives inside the earcup and in front of the speaker so it hears as the user would). The result is that the outside noise can be suppressed at a broader range of frequencies and cut out more effectively. These earbuds elevate their noise cancellation to -40dB, which is 30 per cent deeper than Edifier’s previous generation of headphones.

The ANC can be turned on or off by touching the left earbud, and in-ear detection means that your music is automatically played or paused when inserting or removing the earbuds.

They come in an attractive charge case that provides an additional 23 hours of playtime, should you need it.

In the box is the pebble-shaped charge case containing the earbuds, a USB-C charge cable and a tote-sack carry-case

The earbuds deliver nine hours of playback (seven with ANC turned on) and a fully-charged case can provide an additional 23 hours

Verdict

Comfortable to wear, easy to control and long-lasting, Edifier’s new flagship true wireless earbuds sound incredible and keep you as zoned in/out of the real world as you want to be.

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Available in two different colours, these attractive earbuds know exactly when they’re placed in the ear or removed and will play/pause the music

Reviews

Accessories

Oblio Wireless Charging Station £79.90/$79.90 lexon-design.com

Perfect for the hyper-diligent, post-COVID age, this attractive wireless charging station from Lexon Design is like a decorative vase that you place your iPhone in. But why does it encapsulate your device? Because it also doubles as a sanitiser too, so all of those beastly germs will be nuked as your battery power is restored. The advanced, anti-bacterial UV-C light with ionizer technology within the unit is capable to killing up to 99.9 per cent of germs and an LED light indicates correct handset placement and charge status.

MyFirst£93.50/$95.99 Camera Insta 2 myfirst.tech

If you want your children to enjoy the magic of photography away from the glare of a smart screen, then this pick-up-and-snap camera is perfect. The robust unit – available in pink or blue – features a 2.4-inch IPS screen and a 12 MP camera that is also capable of filming 1920 x 1080 videos (that can be saved to microSD). But the best feature is the quick and easy printing. Just take a picture, tap the print button and the image will be instantly printed out on thermal paper. It’s great fun to use!

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NURATRUE ANC Wireless earbuds £199.99/$199.99 nuraphone.com

While other brands may promise personalised sound, Nura’s patented technology truly delivers it. Using highly-sensitive microphones, these earbuds listen for otoacoustic emissions containing information about the user’s hearing, NURATRUE’s self-learning engine then creates a unique hearing profile to provide depth, detail and clarity that is unique to the user. They require an app to set up properly, but sound amazing!

Take Brighter Selfies – Selfie Light £9.99/$9.99 firebox.com

What’s that – you want to glam-up your iPhone selfies? Then why not treat yourself to this gadget from Firebox Creations, a clip-on light for your smartphone, tablet or laptop designed to always show you in your best, er, light. It features a ring of LEDs for an even distribution of light, three levels of brightness to help you achieve that ‘natural’ glow, and is portable enough to slip into your pocket. It requires two AAA batteries (not included) and can easily be attached to any device for instant illumination when using your camera.

Groov-e Radio Curve £19.99/$19.99 argos.co.uk

In-keeping with the old-school tech (see the MyFirst Camera Insta 2), Groov-e has just launched this portable, rechargeable alarm clock radio that is ideal for the home, garden, travel, anything. The Radio Curve features a large, white LED display (with dimmer), and a built-in FM radio with up to 20 different presets. It also sports a 1200mAH rechargeable battery that delivers up to nine hours of playback on a full charge.

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Software “Using the software is as easy as dragging in a music file, selecting which elements to extract and then kicking back…”

Price

£79/$79

Requirements

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macOS 10.12 or later 2.16 GB

Learn more hitnmix.com

Available from

hitnmix.com/download_ deepremix

Extraction time again

After dragging files into the app, you select which elements to isolate…

Delta machine

Once the audio has been extracted, you can apply additional effects

Music for the masses

Done tinkering? Then you can export the audio for use in other projects 96

229

RipX DeepRemix Intuitive audio extraction software for music makers MORE FOCUSSED AND AFFORDABLE than stablemate Infinity, RipX enables you to extract vocals or instruments from your audio files and then mix them with other samples or export them for use in other digital audio workstations, such as Logic Pro. Utilising the software is as easy as dragging a music file into the window, selecting which elements to isolate and then kicking back until the ripping process is complete (typically six to ten minutes). Thankfully, it also accommodates a queuing system, so you can stack up multiple tracks in multiple formats to rip in the background. Once the required audio strands

have been ripped into the app, you can move notes or phrases, change the pitch or tempo and add in extra effects. There is lots of fun to be had with the toolsets here, as you can tweak the vocals and even detune guitar parts to create something new.

Though RipX generally does a good job of extracting the elements you need from a track, excelling in drum parts particularly, often the same high standards weren’t evident in the vocal extractions, often sounding like they’ve been dialled in via Zoom. There are various correction tools you can use to rub out unwanted phrasing and harmonics and, while these had some impact, the end result was never amazing.

Verdict

The interface may be a little ghastly, but generally the app is highly efficient at extracting key components from music files for easy exporting.

iOS game

Monster Hunter Stories+

Price

Arcade subscription

Requirements

Learn more

iOS 8.0 or later • 4 GB

us.capcommobile.com

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WE WERE CURIOUS AS TO HOW A GAME AS SPRAWLING AND EPIC as Monster Hunter would transition to iOS, and the results are certainly mixed. As a straight port of the Nintendo 3DS version with slightly better graphics, the game makes effective use of touchscreen control as you start to explore the mystical world in your pursuit of monster eggs to nurture, hatch and then recruit the muscle-flexing might of whatever beastie emerges from the shell fragments.

You’ll need to dedicate hearty chunks of time to it to make any significant progression, so delving in here and there is tricky. And the saves are too infrequent.

Available from iOS App Store

Webworm David Farrier

You can complete against other players in epic arena battles

Collect monster eggs, hatch them and strengthen your squad

macOS app

HomeControl Menu for HomeKit Price

£8.99/$9.99

Requirements

macOS 11.0 or later

Learn more pvieito.com

otieiV ariereP ésoJ ordeP :stiderc egamI •

IT SEEMS STRANGE THAT APPLE hasn’t made any moves to incorporate easy access to your HomeKit devices into macOS beyond the Home app. Even adding it as a Control Centre item, let alone offering a specific menu bar item would be most welcome. But no, even Monterey is starved of such support.

Thankfully, this app provides the easy access HomeKit menu we’re missing for a decent price, and it is packed with options. Through the menu you can control your smart devices, trigger scenes and even switch homes, if you frequent various properties. You can create smart groups to control all devices in a specific room, and all of the actions can be automated.

Available from Mac App Store

Netsuretsu! Anison Spirits the Best “Naruto”, Vol 5 Various artists £2.99/$2.99

If you love the soundtracks to Japanese Anime cartoons as much as we do, then this 11-track collection really mashes the genres to provide some true gems.

Books

The app brings easy HomeKit accessibility to your menu bar

How to Kill Your Family Bella Mackie £7.99/$8.99

Verdict

If you have multiple smart devices, then this app provides the easy access that macOS is crying out for.

The journalist and filmmaker explores various rabbit holes, trying to make sense of the increasingly crazy world around him. He covers a range of cultural topics in bite-sized, half-hour segments for you to digest.

Music

Verdict

Perfect for players that want something meaty to get their teeth into, but not without fault.

Podcast

Everything can be fully automated to save you time and effort

Killing Eve meets American Psycho, the debut novel by journalist Bella Mackie is deeply dark, but very funny.

229 97

Time Machine Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA To email, enter firstname.surname@futurenet.com

Editorial

Editor Ryan Butt Art Editor Newton Ribeiro Production Editor Olivia Weaver Head of Art & Design Rodney Dive Senior Art Editor Jo Gulliver Photographer Phil Barker (Future Photo Studio)

Macintosh Plus January 1986 Release date

• Processor: Motorola 68000, 8 MHz • Memory: 1 MB RAM (expandable to 4 MB) • Hard Drive: N/A (relies on a double-sided 800K disk drive) • Display: 9-inch monochrome, 512 x 342 • Graphics: 72 ppi • Original macOS: System 3.0 • Connectivity: SCSI port • Original price: £1,999/$2,599 • Price now: £130/$140

Launched against a backdrop of neon fashion and huge hair, the Macintosh Plus – Apple’s third Macintosh model – was a huge deal. Dubbed the ‘Big Mac’, it shipped with one megabyte of RAM (expandable to four) and was the first Mac to feature a SCSI port, which allowed users to connect a range of external devices including, crucially, hard drives. The Macintosh Plus didn’t have a built-in hard drive, instead it relied on an 800 KB double-sided floppy disk drive as the default storage, which certainly wasn’t great. The Mac Plus also sported 128 KB of ROM on its motherboard, double the amount found in previous Macs, and operated extremely quietly due to no fan being present within its beige casing. This omission, unfortunately, lead to overheating problems and the fracturing of solder joints within the machine that, in the worst case scenario, could result in a complete loss of power. Needless to say, cooling fans were added to new Macs going forward.

Next issue…

iCreate 230, on sale 07 October 2021

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