Issue 302 August 2016 macformat.com @macformat
Improve your
iCloud Drive Sort, search, open… do it all from your Mac and iOS devices
Say hello to
macOS
iOS 10 Apple’s biggest update yet to iPhone & iPad
watchOS 3
Now’s the time to get the Watch into your Apple life
Sierra Supercharge your Mac with powerful new features for the desktop and beyond ✓ Search with Siri ✓ Apple Pay on the web ✓ Better Photos ✓ Unlock with Watch
Edit shots like a pro! Forget the Camera app, do more with your iOS photos
How Apple gear can make your home a healthier place
Lifetime storage: which drive is best?
Get to know the new iTunes 12.4
All the recent changes explained
Mac
iPhone
HOME HEALTH
iPad
Terabytes of testing for your Mac
Watch
iCloud
iTunes
Photos
iOpener Game-changing tech from the world of Apple and beyond A silk thread almost resembles a lock of hair under an ioLight.
Up close, a fly’s eye reveals thousands of tiny lenses.
ioLight can show its scanned images on your iPhone or iPad.
ioLight A high-quality microscope for your iPhone The ioLight is a device that claims to solve a problem you hadn’t even thought of. High-end laboratory microscopes cost upwards of £3,000 and are fiddly to use, while cheap options simply aren’t good enough for the pros, so ioLight claims to be the mid-range solution that promises the best of both worlds. Okay, it’s not for everyone, but it’s great for people who need a portable microscope for fieldwork or teaching. It displays the resultant images on your iPad, so you can view them in even greater detail and back them up to iCloud for safekeeping. £840 includes ioLight microscope website iolight.co.uk works with iPads running iOS 8.1 or higher
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August 2016 | MACFORMAT | 3
What’s inside 8–10 RUMOUR & NEWS The core Apple news you need to know about
11 APPS & GAMES
Edited by
christian hall
Our top picks of the month for Mac and iOS APPLE RUMOUR
12 apple facts Amazing stats from the world of Apple
14–15 NEWS FEATURE How is Apple looking after factory workers?
16 opinion Adam Banks finds his app aims swiftly limited
18 SPLIT VIEW The team’s views on the latest Apple tech
Contact us Email your queries and your questions to letters@macformat.com Keep up to date by following us on Twitter @macformat Join the conversation at facebook.com/ macformat
8 | MACFORMAT
13-inch MacBook Pro Apple’s powerbook gets a whole-body makeover While there was much to whet our appetites at Apple’s WWDC event on 13 June, we still can’t help but feel a little disappointed there was no mention of an updated MacBook Pro. Sure, we can’t wait to get stuck in with macOS Sierra, and Apple Music is getting an overhaul, but what about Apple’s well-loved workhorse notebooks? Given the recent updates meted out to the 12-inch MacBook and the MacBook Air range, the Pro is sticking out like a sore, neglected thumb. But it’s not all bad, if you believe the rumour mill. There has been a barrage of news, opinions and ‘leaks’ regarding the MacBook Pro, so much so that 1 it’s hard not to feel that something is just around the corner. We’ve seen shots of the alleged keyboard OLED bar layout (sans function keys), we’ve heard that the The MacBook’s physical Thunderbolt ports will not be present, and we’ve function keys are on the way out, read that the internal specs are going to get a boost according to rumours. Instead, in the form of new Skylake processors. Apple will treat us to an OLED Of course, with so little information at WWDC, bar with touch-sensitive buttons. a pinch of salt is recommended with all rumours. These will change depending on But with an autumn launch date supposedly pegged the app you’re using – to show a down and ‘leaked’ photos in abundance, it looks like song progress bar in Spotify, say. something wicked this way comes. Fingers crossed.
Alan says…
After last year’s fairly small addition of Force Touch, finally we’ll get an update to be excited about
2
Lots of USB-C We expect Apple is going full steam ahead on USB-C, which has only appeared on the 12-inch MacBook so far. The new Pros are said to feature four USB-C ports (also used to carry Thunderbolt 3 data) and a headphone jack.
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Rumour APPLE CORE
3
Touch ID After the announcement that Siri is coming to Mac, the next MacBook Pro could gain even more from the iPhone with the introduction of Touch ID. Code snippets containing the word ‘Biometric’ in the macOS Sierra beta have got tongues wagging.
THE POLL We asked… Which of Apple’s operating systems won the day at WWDC?
watchOS
macOS
35% 17% tvOS
1%
47% iOS
Log on and see next issue’s big question! twitter.com/macformat facebook.com/macformat
2
RUMOUR MILL
Hot on the heels of the tech giant’s latest moves…
1
1
Maps Street View Nothing was announced at WWDC, despite a Maps update, but there have been an awful lot of Apple vans with weird cameras seen on the streets…
2
Apple Pay
3 4 4
Butterfly keys Apple took a new approach to the keys on its 12-inch MacBook with the debut of the ‘butterfly’ mechanism, and that’s set to migrate to the MacBook Pro. Could this thinner key design mean more internal space for batteries or better components?
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It looks like you will soon be able to pay people within iMessage conversations, but we’d like this to be possible outside of that platform.
3
Apple home device
After Google launched its own Amazon Echo competitor, many suspected Apple would follow suit. We still think this is an area Apple can really own, so keep your eyes peeled.
August 2016 | MACFORMAT | 9
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HOW TO ENTER... 20 | MACFORMAT | August 2016
footage at 60fps and an 8MP still image resolution, you’ll be able to record all the action wherever you go. We’ve also thrown in a wrist control device and waterproof case for the X150 to complete the setup. The case is waterproof up to a massive depth of 30 metres depth, so it’ll keep the camera safe and secure if you take a dip, while the wrist strap lets you start, stop and pause recording on the X150 camera remotely – useful if you want to make changes on the fly without having to stop the action.
The Question For your chance to win this amazing drone and camera bundle, just answer the following question: What is the flight time of the Kaiser Baas Delta drone? A) 10 minutes B) 13 minutes C) 17 minutes For more details about the full range of drones and action cameras from Kaiser Baas, visit kaiserbaas.com.
To enter, you can visit our website at futurecomps.co.uk/deltabundle. or full terms and conditions, go to futurecomps.co.uk/deltabundle. By sending your entry, F you agree to these competition rules and confirm you are happy to receive details of future offers and promotions from Future Publishing Limited and carefully selected third parties. This competition closes on 1 August 2016. Over 18, GB residents only.
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What’s inside 22–25 Home health Get yourself in tip-top shape using your Apple kit and amazing add-ons
26–27 TUTORIAL How to use Withings’ Health Mate app to track weight and more
28–29 HOME GADGETS Essential kit to elevate your abode from ‘home’ to ‘smart home’
Edited by
Cliff joseph
LIVE SMARTER The smart home is here – live the Apple dream today!
Apple devices have been part of many people’s health and fitness regime ever since the company released the first iPod in 2001 ack in 2015, Apple unveiled its HealthKit API as a way for developers to record and share health and fitness data tracked by accessories or even entered manually by you. In March of this year, it announced CareKit to assist with the development of apps that help you to manage medical conditions, tracking your symptoms and medications and optionally feeding that data back to your doctor. Built-in features of Apple’s devices can help save lives, too. One Massachusetts teenager’s Watch drew attention to a serious injury by showing his heart rate was abnormally high for a sustained time. Apple’s initiatives here go back years, to motivational iPod workout playlists and 2006’s Nike + iPod Sports Kit. The basics are now built in to its newer devices, yet there’s a plethora of accessories that talk to them to help keep you fit and healthy.
B
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Even if you aren’t into serious workouts, the iPhone and Apple Watch can track regular movement and walking activity.
AUGUST 2016 | MACFORMAT | 21
Apple home Home Health
Home Health Get started with
From your morning run to night-time dreams, there’s a plethora of fitness tech to keep you hale and hearty
What is HealthKit? HealthKit is software technology available in iOS that allows health and fitness apps from different developers to combine and share data – such as the number of steps you have taken or jogging statistics recorded by one app and calorie intake tracked by another. HealthKit takes all that information and then combines it within the main Health app on your iPhone in order to provide you with a comprehensive overview of your personal fitness data.
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or many people, modern simple digital display that shows just a few fitness technology arrived in key statistics for your daily workout. In fact, the form of the iPhone 3G, one of the most popular fitbands is the with its built-in accelerometer Jawbone UP2 (£90, jawbone.com), which and GPS features that enabled it to track doesn’t have a screen, but allows you to your location, distance and speed while you transfer all your fitness data into its free were out jogging around your local park. companion app on your iPhone or iPad. But, running around with an iPhone The more sophisticated fitness trackers strapped to your arm isn’t an ideal solution, tend to be a bit larger, with a screen more especially if you own one of the Plus-size like that of a traditional watch. Of course, models. This has led to an explosion of new the Apple Watch is one of the leading fitness-tracking devices that are small and products here, although its starting price light enough to be worn on your wrist while of £259 has left plenty of room for less you’re exercising. These fitness trackers are expensive rivals to flourish. Withing’s Go a lot less expensive than an activity and sleep tracker TomTom’s Spark offers activity iPhone too, as they tend to (£50, withings.com/uk) and GPS tracking, and the Spark focus on just a few specific has a simple black-andCardio adds a heart rate monitor. activities, such as measuring white E Ink display, and the distance you run, the it’s also water-resistant calories you burn, or even just to 50 metres, making it the number of steps that you an affordable option for walk during the day. swimmers. At the other end of the market is the Fitbit Blaze (£160, fitbit. Flick of the wrist com/uk), which looks a The simplest and smallest lot like the Apple Watch devices, often known as and includes similar fitbands, tend to have a very
F
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Home Health Apple home
iFacts… 26% The percentage of clinically obese men in the UK in 2013. (Office for National Statistics)
194% The increase in women with diabetes in the UK since 1994. (ONS)
37 inches
Withings says the battery in its Go activity and sleep tracker runs for eight months.
The waist size at which the risk of diabetes is increased in men. (ONS)
What happens to my personal data? Withings’ Wireless Blood Pressure Monitor measures systolic and diastolic pressure along with your heart rate.
100,000 The total number of avoidable deaths caused by unhealthy lifestyles in the UK each year. (Department of Health)
Withings’ Smart Body Analyzer can measure your heart-rate through the soles of your feet features, such as a heart rate monitor and a colourful touchscreen that can display notifications for calls and text messages. Some of the latest fitness trackers also include built-in storage, which enables them to store and play music without a connection to a smartphone. TomTom’s Spark fitness trackers (tomtom.com) start at around £110 for the basic model, while the Spark Music is £150 and has 3GB of storage, which can hold about 500 songs for your workout.
Sleep on it The motion sensors used in fitness trackers have another use too, as some can monitor your movements while you’re asleep at night in order to produce a diary that tracks your sleeping patterns. For greater accuracy, you
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can also buy specialised sleep monitors that can be attached directly to your mattress. Serious athletes can use the Emfit QS (£325, emfit.com), which is a bit pricey but aims to improve your sleep in order to reach peak levels of fitness. Another option for more general use is Withings’ Aura Sleep System (£250). This two-part system includes a sensor that goes under your mattress to track your nocturnal breathing and movement patterns, along with a digital alarm clock that can play you soothing music at night, and also monitor temperature and light levels to see if there are external factors affecting your sleep.
Weigh in One health device that can be useful for your entire family is a set of smart scales. There are several of these available at the moment, from about £100 for the Fitbit Aria,
As well as sharing data via HealthKit, many fitness apps will also want to store your personal data in the cloud, so make sure you check the developer’s policies on privacy and data sharing. You can also control how apps use your data by going to Settings > Privacy > Health; there, tap the name of an app to choose which of the health and fitness metrics it’s able to read from or write to the Health app provided by Apple.
Jawbone’s UP2 fitband lacks a display, so you need to fish out your iPhone to check the data it has gathered.
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Say hello to
macOS Your Mac is about to change, and this time you really will be saying “hello” with Siri’s arrival on the desktop
A
pple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) once again brought us the major software announcements that we expect to see in the middle of the year. This time around, updates were announced for each of Apple’s four operating systems at the same time, and their names were brought into line too. All of their names now end in ‘OS’, and so our beloved OS X made way for macOS, the new name for your Mac’s operating system. That wasn’t the only naming update: macOS is actually version 10.12, and carries the more casual-sounding name Sierra. If El Capitan felt like Yosemite enhanced, Sierra looks like it’s
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really going further, introducing a whole new way to control your Mac with Siri, more Continuity features, the ability to shop securely online with Apple Pay, copy and paste between macOS and iOS, and a new file system (though that won’t exit beta until 2017). iOS 10 goes even further in what looks like the biggest update in years. There’s a totally redesigned Lock screen, and more customisations in Messages than you’ll know what to do with! Siri has also been enhanced, and HomeKit finally gets its own app to make it easier to control your smart home. Here we get right to the heart of what matters and show you how many features, such as Photos, are changing across the whole Apple ecosystem. We can’t wait for September to come!
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Sierra Introducing Apple’s new OSes tvOS
watchOS
Not the biggest update, but it’s good to see Apple TV getting a dark mode and a smarter version of Siri.
This is looking like the version that will make the Watch the desirable wearable we hoped for. Fast-loading apps ahoy!
macOS
iOS If iOS 9 felt like a tweak to iOS 8, iOS 10 is the overhaul you’ve been waiting for, with major upgrades to features.
Although it’s no longer called OS X, it’s still the OS you know and love. Now with Siri, Apple Pay, Auto Unlock and more.
Try it yourself… A public beta of macOS Sierra will be available a matter of days after you read this. Just like El Capitan last July, Apple will make iOS 10 publically available for beta testing, too. Sign up to participate in the public beta at beta.apple.com.
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If you choose to test out either system, remember that you could encounter some issues so make sure you back up your data. Also, for macOS it’s wise to put it on a separate drive away from your existing installation of OS X.
See what all the fuss is about by installing the public macOS beta in July.
AUGUST 2016 | MACFORMAT | 31
macOS
Siri on the Mac Now the way you use your Mac has really changed…
W
e had hoped for Siri to debut in Yosemite, then expected it in El Capitan, so frankly it just had to happen in Sierra. The clever, voice-controlled assistant has been a central part of iOS since 2011, debuting in iOS 5 on the iPhone 4S. As macOS and iOS continue to converge in various ways, Siri‘s appearance on the Mac needs to add real productivity gains if it’s to be anything more than a nice bolt-on. Judging from Apple’s demo, users of Siri for the Mac will be able to command Siri and ask it questions with their voice to give a much more intuitive way of performing everyday computing tasks. Sports results, making appointments, checking the weather; sure, they’re all there, as you would expect, but what really makes Siri work on the Mac is how it works with your files.
“What can you do?” By adding Siri to the Mac, Apple is offering the same service across all its key devices, including Apple Watch and Apple TV. Siri is deeply integrated into the new macOS. That said, the pace of development is out of kilter with iOS 10, which will include an API, SiriKit, to enable third-party apps to add voice control (see opposite page). Siri’s reach on the Mac might be more limited due to its infancy, but its intelligent search facility is why it’ll be an instant hit with Mac owners come the autumn. On the WWDC stage, Senior Vice President of software engineering Craig Federighi demoed
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Siri lives in Sierra’s Dock and displays all results in the top-right corner of the desktop.
how Siri can help with sophisticated queries for files on your Mac, such as: “Show the files I worked on last week about the off-site”. That command brings up a list of found files (under a Finder Search window), and from there users can narrow down their search based on specific words such as “annual”, “just the ones Marc sent me” or “the ones I tagged with draft”. What’s more, you can pin Siri’s results to Notification Centre, so you can go ahead and close Siri’s window but still keep the results near at hand. Federighi says this facility works with many results, from which we infer that it’s not for everything. It certainly will work with lists of files, Twitter feeds and sports schedules, though. Siri can access other parts of macOS, including apps such as iTunes, making personal requests such as playing a particular genre or playlist a hands-free
Can’t remember where you saved that report? Just ask Siri to search your Mac and dig it out.
experience. It integrates with Safari web searches, too. Federighi showed this off by using Siri to search for falconry images, and then dragged one of the results into a Pages document he was working on.
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macOS
Siri in third-party apps Thankfully, Siri isn’t just for the default apps. Until now, Siri on iOS could be used to open third-party apps, but it couldn’t do much else with them. Finally, that’s changing with SiriKit in iOS 10, which enables developers to tap into Siri’s amazing abilities. They can use Siri in just six kinds of app, though those encompass a wide range of popular App Store offerings, such as apps for voice or video calls, messaging,
In iOS 10, Siri is open to developers.
making payments, booking transport, workouts, and searching through photo libraries. Notably, Apple hasn’t mentioned integration with music and TV services.
Siri’s waveform is similar to that introduced in iOS 9.
One popular use for Siri on the iPhone and iPad is to quickly send messages to your contacts. Well, by saying something like “tell John we should meet somewhere later”, Siri on your Mac will compose that message and display it for your approval. You can then speak back to Siri to confirm that it should be sent, at which point the message is passed to the Messages app to actually do that.
System commands
would normally require you to press a key, such as “increase brightness” or “increase volume”. Say those things and you’ll get a slider in the results window that you can tweak. It’s been noted that there’s no ‘always on’ mode for Siri on the Mac, (the “Hey Siri!” command), but it’s unknown if this will filter down to the final version in the autumn. You will be able to tweak how Siri sounds, however. As on your iPhone and iPad, you can pick an accent in its settings, and if you like you can add a Siri icon that triggers interaction with the feature to the menu bar as well as the Dock. So, Siri is Sierra’s headline feature but will it become your favourite way of searching for files and the web? There’s a lot of crossover with existing, more manual methods – Finder and Spotlight – but we think that once you get used to speaking to your Mac more regularly (perhaps just at home) it’ll help you to be genuinely more productive.
siri can access apps such as itunes, making requests a hands-free experience
Siri will be incredibly useful in making searching for information more convenient. Federighi even demoed how to search for “new movies playing this Friday” and completed a booking using the new ability to buy things on the web using Apple Pay (see page 36). However, Siri can also be used for simple commands that
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You know Siri is a proper assistant when it can do the things you don’t have time to do, such as find a restaurant.
“Hey Siri…” “Show the PDFs in my downloads folder” “Play the top 40 jazz songs” “What’s the weather looking like tomorrow?” “Show my photos from yesterday” “What time is it in Paris, France?”
One interesting take on Siri for the Mac is that unlike Microsoft’s Cortana there’s currently no text interface, just voice control. Perhaps that isn’t surprising given its absence on iOS and watchOS, but for Mac owners who make extensive use of a keyboard, it might have been a useful addition.
AUGUST 2016 | MACFORMAT | 33
macOS
iOS
Photos
Your devices now recognise faces, places and even objects
A
pple’s changes to the Photos app in iOS and macOS this year are focussed around organisation, but without you having to put in any effort. Expanding on the facial recognition technology that’s been available for a while on the Mac, the Photos app on both platforms will now scan your photos, using ‘machine learning’ (the same kind of rudimentary AI Google uses for its Google Photos platform) to automatically identify not just who is in your photos, but what else is: objects and animals can be identified, and even types of places, such as a beach. This will make your library searchable in amazing new ways: by location (the type of scene), people, dates, or anything vague you remember from it. Want to find that nice photo of you, your dad and the family dog in London? You can now search for any of those things. The identification is done on your device, too – Apple doesn’t need all your photos to be stored in the cloud for it to work, unlike Google. The information generated is available everywhere
Apple says analysis of faces, scenes and objects in your photos is done on-device with your privacy in mind.
your photos are though, so you can take photos using your iPhone, then view the categories created in Photos on your Mac, iPad or Apple TV.
Stroll down memory lane Apple is also organising your photos using a new feature called Memories. It will collect groups of photos and videos that seem connected: if you went somewhere new for a weekend, if you took lots of images of a group of people at a party, and so on.
Moments seems like a great way to revisit memorable times in your life and share them with others.
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It creates albums that are a bit like smart folders for these collections, then presents them to you in the Memories tab. After you open one, you can create a video from its contents – you pick an audio theme and the app edits your photos and videos into a fun movie that matches it. Choose another theme and the video is re-edited.
Camera and editing improvements When it comes to taking and editing photos, updates are fairly low-key. The Camera app will open faster, so you’ll be able to grab pics you might have missed otherwise, and it has a new interface on iPad. The Photos app has a new adjustment slider for Brilliance, and the auto-enhance feature has been improved. Live Photos are improved with stabilisation to make them a bit smoother to view, and you’ll be able to edit them and apply Live Filters.
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tvOS
iOS
The Home app will be available on iPad too, and watchOS 3 also has Home controls built in.
Home automation Upgrade your home with tech that makes life easier
A
pple’s efforts to give you control of your home – from alarms and cameras to lighting, window locks and much more – will be more approachable in iOS 10. A new app, Home, consolidates controls for all your HomeKit-certified devices, rather than you having to learn several with often very different designs. Although HomeKit-compatible devices have been on sale for a while, interest has depended on existing awareness of home automation. Putting the Home app on millions of Home screens might encourage more people to consider the concept and invest in it. The app’s opening page displays a list of your favourite scenes and accessories, with a customisable wallpaper behind them. Tapping an accessory in the grid of large icons toggles its status, so you can quickly turn on a light, say, or you can press harder or longer to access more options, such as a slider that you adjust simply by moving your finger up
or down the screen. There are also shortcuts in Control Centre for sending instructions to your HomeKit devices.
Tea, Earl Grey, hot If all that tapping sounds like too much work, just tell Siri to switch to a preset scene or make fine adjustments. The experience is further enhanced by the level of interactivity available in iOS 10’s notifications. Tapping one that informs you someone just rang your doorbell might show video from its camera, along with buttons to activate your intercom or unlock the door, all from the Lock screen. Controlling your home needn’t be done manually. For example, you can set a geofence that triggers the lights in an entrance in case your hands are full when you get home. You’re even able to control your home remotely by connecting your Apple TV to iCloud, with end-to-end encryption for security. Don’t have an Apple TV? An iPad that’s always at home and on mains power can be used instead.
The Home app enables you to control all your devices from one place
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Notifications in iOS 10 can offer much greater interactivity to save you unlocking your device.
Stay aware of Home happenings You don’t have to wait for iOS 10’s arrival to keep up with the latest smart home happenings. Read our Apple Home pages for discussion of a different category of home automation in every issue, as well as freshly announced gadgets for every room of your dwelling – or even outdoors! Turn to page 21 in this issue to learn more.
AUGUST 2016 | MACFORMAT | 39
APPLE SKILLS Mac/iOS Software
1
3
4
Search Drive Tap the search bar and then type to look for files and folders in iCloud Drive. Matching items appear below.
Folders with icons are used by respective iOS apps to store docs. Mac apps are able to save outside of these.
1 2
2
3
Sort the view
App folders
Swipe down past the first items listed to reveal sorting options. Tap one to sort the view on that attribute.
4
Manage items Tap Select to add checkboxes that enable you to select multiple items and then move or delete them.
Manage your iCloud Drive
Work with files on OS X and iOS, and even recover what you’ve deleted it will take 15 minutes you will learn How to restore files you’ve deleted from iCloud Drive. You’ll need An iCloud account. A Mac, or an iOS device running iOS 9.
iCloud Drive’s integration with Finder and its iOS 9 app offer easy online storage management
Apple’s relationship with online storage and syncing tools hasn’t always been a good one. From iTools through to MobileMe it made one misstep after another. Even when it first introduced iCloud, there was no easy way to use the service as cloud storage like you would Dropbox or OneDrive, for example. That changed with the introduction of iCloud Drive. It’s integrated into OS X’s Finder, making it simple to add files to and retrieve them from your online storage. The iCloud Drive app added in iOS 9 (see above) allows for file management on your iPhone or iPad. When it comes to working with your files, there’s a handful of tips and tricks that are worth knowing. Moving them to iCloud Drive on your Mac is easy: drag and drop them onto its row in Finder’s sidebar, or click that row and then drag and drop items onto a folder within. The iCloud Drive app for iOS is largely straightforward, yet it provides several ways to get certain things done. It gives you two ways to view your files and folders: as large icons or in a list. To switch between them, go to the top level of your iCloud Drive, then tap the bulleted list icon at the top-right corner.
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There are three ways to sort your files and folders: by date, name or tags. To use tags, you’ll need to create and attach them in OS X, as there’s no way to do so in iOS. In OS X, click iCloud Drive in Finder’s sidebar, ≈-click the file you want to tag, then choose Tags in the contextual menu. The easiest way to create tags is in Finder > Preferences > Tags.
Move mountains of files Back in the iOS app, the list view enables you to move a file by tapping the ‘i’ to the right of its name, then the toolbar’s folder icon, and choosing a folder. You can move multiple files at the same time by tapping Select at the top of the screen, then the items to move, and finally Move at the bottom of the screen. A third option for moving files is to swipe left over a file’s row in list view and tap More, then ‘Move to Folder’. In icon view, hold a finger on a file, choose More when the options bar appears, then tap Move to Folder. The Select and swipe methods also let you delete files. If you delete files from iCloud Drive, you can recover them for up to 30 days after deletion. See how to on the opposite page. Kenny Hemphill
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Advanced iCloud Drive APPLE SKILLS
How to Recover deleted files Jargon Buster
1 Log in to iCloud on the web 2 Complete authentication To recover files you’ve deleted from iCloud Drive, sign in at iCloud.com on your Mac. Next, if two-factor authentication or two-step verification is enabled on your account, pick a device to receive a verification code.
After you’ve picked a device, wait for the verification code to arrive on it, then type it into the box on the iCloud.com sign-in form. Once you’re successfully signed in, click the Settings icon on the site’s Home screen.
3 View deleted files
4 Sort and search for files
Scroll down to the bottom of the page. Under the Advanced heading, you’ll see four options, allowing you to restore different types of data. Click Restore Files to see a list of files deleted within the last 30 days.
A cache is a local copy of data that’s stored and maintained on a remote server. In El Capitan, your iCloud Drive files are cached in Mobile Documents within your account’s Library folder. Don’t exclude that from your local backups.
By default, files are sorted by date deleted, with the most recently deleted at the top of the list. To sort them by name or size, click the ‘Sort by’ option at the top-right corner of the file list and pick an order.
Genius Tip!
5 Choose a file to restore
Once you’ve sorted the files the way you want, scroll down the list to find items you want to restore. Click the checkbox to the left of each’s name. Alternatively, click the Select All box at the bottom of the list. Click Done.
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6 Sign out and wait
Click your name at the top-right corner of the page, then Sign Out. Next, go to iCloud Drive in Finder on your Mac or open its app on your iOS device. Your restored file(s) should soon reappear there.
OS X Server 5 caches personal iCloud data by default, including your iCloud Drive, so data only has to travel over the internet once to reach multiple devices on your network.
AUGUST 2016 | MACFORMAT | 47
Easy
pro photo editing on iOS
Angela Nicholson shows you how to use the best Photos extensions – and how to get pro-style results from them!
74 | MACFORMAT | AUGUST 2016
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Improve your photos with these brilliant extensions egardless of whether you take photos your iPhone or with a pro-level R on DSLR, the camera isn’t psychic, and it can’t always produce exactly what you had in mind, so there are times when you need to do a little editing. There are also times when you need to fix errors, such as rotating to adjust a sloping horizon or brightening a shot that’s too dark. Or, perhaps you want to get a bit more creative by turning your image black and white and boosting its contrast to add atmosphere? There are plenty of really great apps for doing the job, with some offering one-click fixes or a selection of retro-style filters, and others that allow you to take manual control and make carefully measured adjustments. A problem with many tools, however, is that you have to check the shot in Photos and decide
what to do with it, then close it and track down the appropriate app before locating the image again and making the edits. If you use apps that provide extensions for the Photos app, you can access their tools within Photos and start editing right away, making it easier to use them, or mix their effects. Read on to discover more.
> The extensions you’ll need
> Fhotoroom > LUCiD by Perfectly Clear > MaxCurve – Curve image editor > ProCam 3 - Manual Camera & Photo Editor > Quick Mask – Easy Bluring [sic] > SKEW
Free £2.29 £2.99 £3.99 Free £1.49
h ow to | U s e e x t e n s i o n s i n t h e P h otos a pp
Download the app
1 First, grab the photo-editing app you’re going to use from the App Store. Once it’s installed on your device, you may need to open it and allow it to connect to Photos; if the app doesn’t immediately ask you for permission, tap whatever option it provides for browsing and opening items from Photos’ library and it should then ask for access.
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You want more?
2 In Photos, locate and open the photo that you want to adjust, then tap the Edit option in the top-right corner of the screen. Once you’re in the editing view, tap the icon that looks like three dots in a circle (in the bottom-right corner) to reveal and choose from any activated extensions. Tap the ‘More’ icon at the right end of the row.
Switch ’em on
3 You’ll now see the list of installed apps that provide extensions for the Photos app. Switch on any you want to be able to access from the three dots icon in the previous step. Drag from the three lines to the right of an extension to reorder it in the list, so you can reach your favourites quickly. Tap Done, then tap an extension’s icon to use it.
AUGUST 2016 | MACFORMAT | 75
APPLE CHOICE Apple Kit
MacBook Air (13-inch)
The Air gets a (rather small) boost Reviewed by Matt Bolton £849 (128GB); £999 (256GB) from Apple, apple.com/uk Features 1.6GHz Intel Core i5 processor, Intel HD 6000 graphics, 8GB RAM e’ve been saying for a while that we think the MacBook Air’s clock is ticking, and Apple’s tiny update to the line this year hasn’t exactly changed our minds. While the super-thin MacBook got faster, new-generation Intel processors, the 13-inch MacBook Air got… some more memory. And that’s it. Still, that’s better than the 11-inch Air, which received no updates at all. So the 13-inch Air has the same 1.6GHz fifth-gen Intel dual-core processor as last year, with Intel integrated graphics, but it’s now backed up by 8GB of memory. This is what we recommend for most people as the minimum these days anyway, so it’s good that Apple’s caught up there – though the 11-inch Air is still stuck with 4GB as standard. There are two versions of the 13-inch model in Apple’s line-up, and their only difference is storage capacity: 128GB or 256GB. That storage is still monstrously fast, though, capable of read speeds up to 1.4GB/sec on this model in our tests. That’s truly pro-level stuff. The unchanged processor and graphics performance from last year (which was only a small improvement from the 2014 model) is not so much pro-level, but it’s still a fairly capable machine – it has no problem with
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The MacBook Air doesn’t have a huge amount of storage, but what it has is incredibly fast.
Christian says… It’s good to see Apple finally turn its attention to the MacBook Air’s memory – 4GB just isn’t enough in my eyes. But without an upgrade to the non-Retina display, the Air range is looking increasingly outdated. We’d love to see Apple give the Air the display it deserves and help keep it relevant.
The non-Retina display is really feeling the strain now – compared to Apple’s Retina offerings, it feels seriously lacking.
light photo and video editing, and very light gaming. For prolonged complex tasks, it’s still lacking power, but it’s got more grunt than the MacBook if you want to do iMovie work, or compile apps in Xcode. However, there’s also been no change in the screen – a 1440x900-pixel, non-Retina display – which might put you off if you’re thinking of using it for creative tasks on its
We’ve long recommended you go for 8GB of memory, so it’s nice to see Apple making it standard.
90 | MACFORMAT | August 2016
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MacBook Air APPLE CHOICE
Alternative choices
MacBook £1,049 Specifications 1.1GHz dual-core Intel Core m3 processor 8GB memory (1866MHz) 256GB flash storage Intel HD Graphics 515 USB 3.1 (Gen 1), 802.11ac Wi-FI, Bluetooth 4.0, dual microphones, 3.5mm headphone jack
own, due to the relative lack of detail. We can live with non-Retina displays (if we really have to) for general office work or simple web browsing, but it’s not just the number of pixels the Air misses out on here. Its display also lacks brightness, vibrancy, and visibility compared to all the other MacBook models.
Mac in business Still, the MacBook Air has other usability factors in its favour. The keyboard is the same style as the MacBook Pro’s, rather than the 12-inch MacBook, which some prefer. It also has two USB ports, Thunderbolt and an SD card reader, so it offers connectivity beyond what’s found on the MacBook, but without the extra weight of a MacBook Pro. Then there’s
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MacBook Pro £999 Specifications 2.7GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor 8GB memory (1866MHz) 128GB flash storage Intel Iris Graphics 6100 USB 3.0, Thunderbolt 2, SDXC card reader, 802.11ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, HDMI, dual microphones, 3.5mm headphone jack
VERDICT The chassis is exactly the same as the previous MacBook Air – once again, the only change comes to the internals.
the battery life, which remains fantastic – lasting for over nine hours in our real-world tests. These attributes mean the Air is a great option for some people, but in general we recommend the portability of the MacBook, or the power of the MacBook Pro.
Still a reasonable option for new Mac owners (shame about the display), but sadly lacking a real update.
HHHHH 8GB of memory Excellent battery life Very fast storage No processor or display improvements
August 2016 | MACFORMAT | 91
APPLE CHOICE Watch/Mac Hardware
Twelve South TimePorter Watch gets its own luggage £45 from Twelve South, twelvesouth.com features 180° case hinge, magnetic closure, cable clips ravelling with a watch didn't used to take up any space in your suitcase because it would stay on your wrist. Try that with your Apple Watch and you'll be out of juice in a day or so. That means you have yet another charger to pack, and though Apple finally introduced a folding plug with the Watch, we've been crying out for a good way to pack it and its cable away with the rest of our luggage.
T
VERDICT
For now, a unique travel solution for all your crucial Apple Watch gubbins.
HHHHH Nice travel solution Hard to pack it all in
Just remember that the TimePorter isn't actually for your glasses too!
TimePorter is a Watch charging stand and carrying case all-in-one. Pack your magnetic charging cable by wrapping it around the rubber loop at the case’s edges and hold it neatly in place with the three clips. The centre of the case allows you to put in a spare strap and a portable battery. Crucially, you can pack the Watch’s folding plug, but not alongside a spare strap
and the cable – the lid just won't close. A shame, but for true portability you should consider buying a portable battery that can connect to the USB cable anyway – just make sure it's thin enough to go in this case. As a stand, TimePorter is superb: just pull the rubber stopper out, poke the cable’s disc through, and the strong hinge holds your Watch steady. CHRISTIAN HALL
Porsche Design Mobile Drive 4TB Masses of storage for the MacBook £210 from LaCie, lacie.com features USB-C port, USB-A adaptor ore than a year since USB-C’s debut on the 12-inch MacBook, storage with this port is becoming more common. This new model of the Porsche Design Mobile drive adds USB-C to the aluminium design, and also stands out for its 4TB capacity – more than enough to back up a MacBook, and plenty if you own a desktop Mac as well. Unlike most desktop drives, you won’t need external power, either.
M
VERDICT
Though pricey, the USB-C port and 4TB capacity are a good fit for the MacBook.
HHHHH Works with MacBook Premium price
94 | MACFORMAT | AUGUST 2016
Though the onboard port is USB-C, LaCie also provides a USB-A adaptor.
There’s a price to pay for the capacity though, and we don’t just mean in money. LaCie also sells 1TB and 2TB models, which are just 10mm thick and weigh 193g, but the 4TB model is a bit chunkier at 21mm and 315g. However, it’s still small and light enough to carry around, and for many people the huge storage capacity will be worth a little extra weight.
Porsche Design USB-C drives cost quite a bit more than USB 3.0 versions. The 5,400rpm disk here reached 135MB/sec when reading and 75.8MB/sec when writing – good, though for the price we’d have liked a 7,200rpm drive. But, 4TB portables are few, especially with USB-C, so this one’s worth attention if you need lots of portable space. CLIFF JOSEPH
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TIME MACHINE Classic Apple kit given a unique makeover
Above: This tiny Apple III model cleverly includes a slot for an SD card reader in the floppy drive bay. Left: Apple Watch docks based on classic 1980s Macs, and an Apple IIc Raspberry Pi enclosure.
Retro Apple miniatures Dinky, 3D-printed replicas of early Apple hardware Retro Apple gear makes us all warm and fuzzy inside, but its sheer bulk can be a turn-off. So thank goodness for 3D printer artist Charles Mangin, who came up with these diminutive replicas of classic Apple products. Mangin channelled his inner geek to reproduce a range of the company’s vintage devices in miniature form, including functional versions, like the 1984 Mac that holds an Apple Watch, and even an Apple Lisa that works as an SD card reader. Now anyone can enjoy a retro office without having to sacrifice essential desktop space. They’re available to buy prebuilt at the Etsy page below, or you can get the 3D printed parts from Shapeways (bit.ly/1UkLsYZ), enabling you to paint, customise and finish them yourself. From £22 website etsy.com/shop/RetroConnector
next issue ON SALE Tuesday 2 August 2016 114 | MACFORMAT | AUGUST 2016
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