NEWS
4
APPS
13
FEATURES
27
how-to
35
PLUS WEIRD APPS! • HOW TO USE AIRDROP
iPhone SWIPE
NEWS • REVIEWS • TIPS
mag
HELLO! Welcome to this sample of Swipe: the iPhone magazine. We’ve put together a taster of what each edition offers, with all the hottest iOS news, reviews of the latest apps and accessories, plus expert advice from the people that bring you Tips & Tricks – iPhone Secrets. We hope you enjoy this small slice of what Swipe has to offer, and don’t forget to check out the full free trial on the App Store. Happy reading!
THE SWIPE TEAM
NEWS
Apple event Reaction to the new iPads
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his week apple held its second major press event of the year at the Yerba Buena Center in San Francisco, where Tim Cook and the senior Apple team unveiled new Mac hardware, updated iLife and iWork apps and – as expected – the longawaited upgrades to the both the iPad and the iPad mini.
iPad Air The new iPad has been dubbed the iPad Air, and replaces the current topof-the-range model (known as the iPad 4). The iPad Air is both smaller and lighter than its predecessor, at just 7.5mm and one pound (less than half a kg). Yet it gains the 64-bit A7 CPU of the iPhone 5s, alongside the M7 co-processor, plus dual microphones and improved cameras. It also boasts a graphics performance 72 times that of the original iPad! iPad Air will be available from November 1 in Silver and white or Space Gray and black (sorry, no gold). Prices range from $499 for the 16GB Wi-Fi version, up to $799 for the 128GB cellular. The iPad 2 remains on sale with a price starting at just $399.
iPad mini with Retina display The new iPad mini was also shown off at the Apple event today. It has received a major upgrade and now boasts a Retina display to match its larger sibling. This means it will have 2048 x 1536 pixels showing on its 7.9inch screen. The internals have also been updated and it too gains the 64bit A7 processor from the iPhone 5s to help display all those extra pixels, while also keeping the battery life at ten hours.
The new version will cost $399/£319 for the 16 GB Wi-Fi only model or $529/£419 with cellular connection. There’s no release date set, with Apple only stating that it will be available later in November. If you want to watch the whole event, Apple has uploaded a video to their Events page.
iWork update Pages, Keynote, and Numbers
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long with the new hardware, Apple also announced updates to its suite of iWork apps, which are Pages, Keynote, and Numbers. This brings them up-to-date with iOS 7 and have been completely redesigned to support the 64-bit architecture of the A7 processor in the iPhone 5s, iPad Air, and iPad mini Retina. These updates should make the iWork apps much faster to use. There were also some updates to iWork for iCloud, the online version of iWork accessed through icloud.com. Collaboration on documents has now been enabled and will work through most web browsers, meaning that you can edit documents even when using a Windows machine and invite your colleagues or friends to alter them too.
Edit your documents on any device using iWork for iCloud
iLife update The iLife suite of apps also got a much needed update, which are iPhoto, iMovie, and GarageBand. They have also been updated to look great in iOS 7 and receive support for the 64-bit architecture.
In iPhoto for iOS you will now be able to order high-quality prints of your shots as a hard cover book, something only previously possible with the Mac version. iMovie for iOS receives many features from the Mac version so you can create split screen and picture-inpicture effects, along with new mode iMovie Theater to watch all your clips in one place. GarageBand taps into the power of 64-bit and lets your record up to 32 tracks, way up from eight tracks in the older version.
iPhoto for iOS has a brand-new look for iOS 7 and plenty of new features
If you have recently purchased a new iOS device or a new Mac, then all of these apps will be available for free if you registered your device on or after 1 September 2013. If you had these apps already downloaded then you’ll receive the updates for free as well. If your device is older then you will still have to pay for these apps.
APPS
SpliTron2 WEBTRON INC.
It has a dreadful name but this is the best bill-splitter we’ve seen
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o: the name. It’s awful. Fortunately, the rest of the app isn’t. SpliTron2 is an iOS 7 overhaul of webtron’s original bill-splitter and tips calculator, the equally terribly named SpliTron. It provides the means, over several screens, to input and manipulate a total, figure out how much everyone needs to pay, and to also check all the money’s come in. The app’s reminiscent of Sophiestication’s Tipulator, an app potentially on borrowed time now its creator’s off to Apple. The Amount some scrolling but totals are always displayed at the top
Tipulator still has the edge over SpliTron2 in terms of immediacy and simplicity: you tap in an amount and local taxes, decide on a tip, and spin a wheel to define the total per person. SpliTron2, though, is the richer app overall in terms of features and flexibility. On the Amount screen, discounts and change can be added, and then on the second screen, guests can be split into arbitrary groups. On the third screen, these groups can each have their own amounts to pay assigned. The app initially (and rather dubiously) provides ‘men’ and ‘women’ options for groups by default (depressingly using gender-stereotypical blue and pink markers), but we can think of better use cases for this feature. For example, you could split a bill and give the driver a discount for not having had anything alcoholic to drink, or cater for someone having forgotten their wallet and not having enough on them.
In large groups, the ability to track incoming payments is useful.
Once you’re satisfied, you’re sent to a Receipts screen, which outlines your sums in a clear and concise manner. A Collect tab enables you to tot up the cash that’s come in, and completed receipts can be emailed, have notes assigned, and be accessed from the app’s history. You may not necessarily use all these extras, but they showcase the thought that’s gone into SpliTron2; similarly, you can adjust various settings, such as the default currency, local taxes, and how rounding works, along with disabling the sound effects if they get annoying. VERDICT
TIP TOP “A straightforward and usable bill-splitter that also has added depth for anyone who needs it”
DOWNLOAD SCREENSHOTS Turn over for tips on using SpliTron2
How-to: Split a bill with SpliTron2 1 Enter the bill amount Tap the Total figure to bring up the keypad and tap in your bill. To add a tip, tap the numerical field next to the label and type an amount. By default, this will be a percentage, but you can change this to a set figure by using the $/% key. Tap Done to continue.
2 Define your guests Tap Next or swipe from the right to access the Guests screen. Define how many people are in your group, using the +/buttons or by tapping the numerical field and setting a figure. If you want to define distinct groups, tap inside the fields and set figures for them. To add a different group type, tap New Group and define a label.
3 View payments Swipe to the next screen and you’ll see your payments outlined – in groups if you’ve used them. Payments will be evenly split, and also rounded depending on the options defined in the app’s settings (accessed via the three-bar button at the bottom-right of the screen).
4 Change payments To adjust the payments for any one group, tap the group to select it, use the +/- button to decide whether they should pay more or less, and enter an amount. Alternatively, you can define a specific currency amount by tapping the value and inputting a figure.
5 Collect money When content with your settings, tap Receipt. You’ll see how much everyone has to pay. If you’ve made an error, you can use Back to adjust things. Back in the Receipt screen, tap Collect and you can use SpliTron2 to track incoming payments. Groups are stamped ‘completed’ when everyone has paid.
6 Email your receipt Tap Details to return to your receipt. Drag the receipt down and you can provide a name for the event. Using the envelope and pencil icons, respectively, you can email the receipt’s figures or add notes to it. Tap + to start a new calculation; older ones can then be accessed via the History option from the menu mentioned in step 3.
FEATURES
Apple cases Style and substance?
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ith the release of the iPhone 5s and 5c, Apple also unveiled its own range of casses, but are they actually any good?
iPhone 5s case PRICE $39/£35 FROM APPLE
F
irst up is the range of covers for the iPhone 5s and 5. Made from real leather and available in six colors: brown, beige, black, yellow, blue, and red. We’re taking a look at the black one, so can’t comment on reports that the other colors start to wear at the edges with time, but our model has held up well. Looking closely at it, you can see the fine detailing that you would expect from real leather, while it feels good in the hand as well. The case is manufactured to perfectly fit the 5s and 5 and has a figurehugging form. The only holes left are for access to the Lightning port, headphone jack, silent switch, and camera on the back, along with some small perforations for the speakers on the bottom. This means the case adds barely any weight or width to the device and only feels a little chunkier to hold than sans-case units. Being so tight does mean it’s difficult to get off if you ever need to remove it, though.
With the case being so thin we’re not sure how much protection it actually adds if you were to drop your device. We’re unwilling to drop a lovely iPhone 5s so can’t provide a definitive answer. The edges do raise just above the screen so should allow you to place it face down on a table without worry. If you’re someone who likes to keep your iPhone near sharp objects, such as keys, then it’s still a good idea to get a screen protector though. If you’re looking for a case for your 5s or 5, then this is a good option. It may be a bit on the pricey side at $39/£35, but as always you pay slightly extra for Apple made products.
Buy the red model, and a donation is made to the (RED) against AIDS and other diseases
VERDICT
BUY IT NOW
HOW-TO
AirDrop how-to Wireless sharing
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irDrop is a new feature of iOSÂ 7 that you can use to quickly transfer items between iOS devices. Note that you can only use AirDrop if you have an iPhone 5, 5c, or 5s, or an iPad 4 or iPad mini. Many of the default apps let you send items via AirDrop, find out how:
Turn on AirDrop
Before sending or receiving any items, you will have to turn AirDrop on. To do so, open Control Center by swiping up from the bottom of the screen and tapping the AirDrop option. Two options will appear; Everyone or Contacts Only. Select Everyone if you want anybody to be able to see your device, or choose Contacts Only so that the sender will have to be stored in your Contacts app.
Share from Photos
To send a pictures, open the Photos app then navigate to the image you want to share. Tap the and across the top you will see who you can AirDrop to. Tap on their icon to initiate the transfer.
Share from Safari
Send a website using AirDrop. Open Safari and make your way to the page you want to send. Tap the and select your friend’s icon from across the top.
Share Apps or Songs
Let someone know about a favorite new app or song by sending them from the App Store or iTunes Store. Find the song or app in either store then tap the icon and then tap your friend’s icon. When they accept the link it opens the relevant store.
iPhone SWIPE
NEWS • REVIEWS • TIPS
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In your next packed issue... Organize your photos We replace Apple’s Photos app with some worthy alternatives
App reviews All the latest games, utilities, and creative apps reviewed and rated
More expert advice Top tips on getting the best from iOS 7, plus readers’ Q & A
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