Swipe Issue 42 Sampler

NEWS APPS FEATURE HOW-TO

4 11 26 30

iPhone SWIPE

NEWS • REVIEWS • TIPS

Welcome

mag

A note from the editor Three words – that’s all it takes to send me into a spiral of frustration, cold-sweats and anxiety.

Those words are: “Storage almost full”.

And I can’t be the only one that has to constantly dive into my Camera Roll to hastily delete some blurred selfies everytime I want to take a proper photo. Thankfully, we can all become more efficient together thanks to some expertly written articles in this month’s issue of Swipe.

First up, we have a big piece on managing your storage, with plenty of advice for what you do and don’t need on your device, while elsewhere, we get a little more specific on iCloud.

Because, while device storage can be tricky enough, iCloud is a whole other beast. Read on and learn how to make the most out of that free 5GB. But if storage isn’t a concern because you were that sensible individual that plumped for a 64 GB 5s, then congratulations, you can make the most of this month’s app reviews – download to your heart’s content.

In the meantime, let’s all see how much space we can free up before our next issue in two weeks – see you then.

Thanks for reading Andy Price Editor

Meet the team

Contributors Steve Jarratt Craig Grannell Joe White iOS, iPhone, iPad, AirPlay, AirPrint, iTunes, Safari, iCloud, iMessage, and any other trademark is a trademark of Apple inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.

Screenshots are for illustrative purposes only and all prices are correct at the time of publishing.

NEWS

iPhone 6 rumors Renderings bring to life leaked designs

N

ew renderings of the possible iPhone 6 have surfaced, based on leaked schematics thought to have come from Apple HQ. Japanese magazine MacFan is set to publish this drawing of what is believed to be the next iPhone in its upcoming May issue:

The leaked designs show two versions of the next iPhone

In the meantime, tech site NowhereElse jumped on the news and teamed up with concept artist Martin Hajek to fully realize the leaked designs.

Curvy The designs show a number of changes between the potential iPhone 6 and the current 5s: • 7.1 mm thick (the iPhone 5s is 7.6 mm in comparison) • Curved edges • Unified volume buttons (back to the iPhone 3G and 3GS design) • Headphone jack moved to the right side (though the original sketches could have just been mirrored) They even posted a rendering of a white iPhone 6, just for good measure:

The rumored device is 0.5 mm slimmer than the current iPhone 5s

The rendering, in which the thinning looks drastic, has led plenty to question the legitimacy; how could Apple possibly fit the battery in?

In reality, the change is only half a millimeter, but the curved edges of the design gives the impression that the device will be much thinner.

The publishing of the schematics was first uncovered by the website Macotakara at the end of March. Hajek took just a weekend to create probably the most exciting iPhone 6 concepts to date.

Weight loss The images also add weight to the likelihood of two separate versions of the iPhone – one with a 4.7 inch screen and the other at 5.5 inches. The thinning of the iPhone lends plenty of credence to the idea that Apple could name it the iPhone Air, following the path of their MacBook and iPad product lines.

iPhone 5c sells big Don’t believe the (lack of) hype

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nyone that’s read anything about the sales of Apple’s budget handset, the iPhone 5c, would not be blamed for thinking it was a complete flop.

However, the notion has been proved to be completely false by a recent report from Apple Insider.

Second the best It turns out that not only did the 5s outsell every other flagship smartphone, the 5c wasn’t far behind.

In response to the huge success of the 5s, Apple Insider writes: ‘Apple’s critics have been forced to pounce upon the supposed “failure” of the iPhone 5c instead; a phone that sells so “terribly” that it also outsold the ostensibly successful Samsung Galaxy S4 on half of America’s top carriers, and pushed every other Android phone out of the top U.S. sales charts entirely, from the first month it went on sale.’

We’re still not too sure on that green color though...

APPS

D

o you want to give your brain a workout? Then these are the games to install on your iPhone.

The iPhone’s portability and touchscreen makes it the perfect platform for the puzzle genre, and a natural home for games that are all about thinking and responding in a deliberate, considered, controlled manner (rather than frantically swiping like a loon); and this is even more so if said games can be played out over bite-sized chunks of time.

On that basis, it was a mammoth task for us to zero in on just a few apps to recommend above all the others, which means that our five favorites this issue really are must-haves for anyone who wants to test their brain rather than their reflexes. However, we’ve also added a rather large list of extras, but every entry is worthy of your time – assuming your brain hasn’t melted down and leapt out of your ear to freedom, desperate for some mindless arcade fodder!

Threes!

Price: $1.99/£1.49 Version: 1.0.3 Size: 36 MB

A

perfect puzzle game should cleverly marry a simple idea with intuitive controls – but they come along so rarely. Threes! is certainly one of them, boasting underlying mechanics that enable you to finetune your strategy for years.

A blue tile is up next so we need to make some space next to a red tile.

The aim is to merge tiles together on a four-by-four grid. Blue 1s and red 2s merge to make 3s. After that point, identical pairs can be merged — two 3s make a 6, two 6s make a 12, and so on. As you drag, every tile moves, and a randomly generated new tile appears on an empty slot on the edge you dragged from. Once the grid is full your game is over, so you must carefully consider how each turn will affect the board, not only at that moment but also in the future.

Slowly pull the board to preview what will happen next.

It’s the details that propel Threes! from excellent to essential. Each tile has its own characteristics, adding personality to the game, while the scoring system hugely rewards highervalue tiles. Reaching them is critical to top the leaderboards.

When Threes! first arrived, it took over our life, and it shows no sign of letting go. It’s a classic that can easily sit alongside the best puzzle games regardless of the platform. You absolutely should not miss this.

Elegant and polished Surprisingly deep Random tiles can irk Possibly too addictive DOWNLOAD

Device 6 Price: $3.99/£2.49 Version: 1.1 Size: 137 MB

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evice 6 skilfully combines literature with adventure gaming, taking the player through the story with each chapter of the strange tale providing a puzzle that needs solving.

Could this projector screen be an elusive clue?

Everything about Device 6 is awash with style, strutting about with all the confidence of a ballsy 1960s thriller.

After a dazzling intro, you enter the story as Anna, who has found herself alone on a desert island, with no idea of how she arrived. Her words form the geography of the game, while her sentences fashion the very corridors along which you move.

you’ll need a key

Numerous images are peppered throughout the chapters, while audio elements buzz around your head as you approach certain locations. With careful observation, you can make the leaps of logic required to access certain machinery on the island, and thus potentially solve the mystery.

This part requires you to rotate your device to follow the corridors of text.

Device 6 is one of the finest moments iOS gaming has ever seen. And while Device 6 is perhaps better suited to the iPad (where the text is more comfortable to read), it’s still a musthave puzzle game for those with smaller Apple devices.

Gripping storyline Brilliant puzzles Some text is a bit small Very much a finite game DOWNLOAD

REVIEWS

Star Horizon Tabasco Interactive

Star Horizon is an iPhone shooter that’s out of this world.

S

tar Horizon is a new ‘on-rails’ space shooter for iOS that mixes engaging gameplay with an immersive plot to create an impressive, enjoyable gaming experience for iPhone owners.

Star Horizon may be on-rails but it allows– you to concentrate on the important stuff.

Developed by Tabasco Interactive, the app puts gamers in control of John, a star pilot who’s just regained consciousness following 1,000 years of ‘cryopreservation’. He’s on board a ship controlled by Ellie, the vessel’s A.I., and over the course of the game John must unravel what’s happened to this particular corner of the universe during his long hibernation.

Star Horizon’s action begins almost immediately with the app’s first chapter. After a brief tutorial John heads off on his first mission, and gamers get to control his ship as it accelerates towards battle. Being on-rails, Ellie maintains control of the direction the ship is moving in, but it’s no bad thing because this setup allows users to better focus on attack and defense, which in itself is a challenging task.

The auto-lock targeting system makes it easy to gun down enemy ships.

The control system in the app is fairly straightforward: gamers can move their right thumb across the screen to steer their ship, and a swipe lets you perform a barrel roll. On the other side of the screen are three virtual buttons, and each is assigned to a weapon: there’s a standard gun, a torpedo, and swarm missiles, though the latter two require a brief recharge between use.

The graphics are outstanding, offering gamers a true console-quality experience.

In order to get through chapters unscathed, gamers will need to help John attack and defend his position as he cruises through space. Your vessel auto-locks onto targets which makes gunning down enemy ships relatively easy, and the swipe-to-barrel roll mechanism means you should have no trouble avoiding enemy fire – provided your reactions are quick enough.

The entire game is made up of multiple chapters, and in each chapter you’ll need to complete a series of missions in order to progress onwards.

Interestingly, Star Horizon actually allows players to make essential decisions throughout the app; at crucial points you’ll be presented with an on-screen dilemma, and be given only five seconds to input your choice.

This adds a new dimension to a game that may otherwise have felt a little too familiar.

You’ll need to make on-the-spot decisions which have a big effect on how the story pans out.

Star Horizon will give players a starrating for each completed chapter, and you’ll also be rewarded with ingame currency which can be spent upgrading your ship’s weapons and armor. There are no in-app purchases available, meaning you’ll need to put in the effort and spend your cash wisely in order to progress throughout the game.

Objectives will need to be achieved in order for players to complete each chapter.

Last but not least, it’s worth stressing that graphically, Star Horizon is a real feast for the eyes; the app looked great and performed exceptionally well on our iPhone 5s. There’s also an impressive soundtrack and a good range of sound effects, both of which really add to the overall experience.

VERDICT

A BLAST “If you’re a fan of space shooters, don’t hesitate to take Star Horizon for a spin. It’s a well-thought-out game that’ll leave you wanting more. ”

DOWNLOAD SCREENSHOTS PLAY VIDEO

FEATURE

Manage your iPhone Storage Time for a Spring clean?

I

n case you hadn’t noticed, iOS devices aren’t particularly cheap. This is one reason why Apple now banks a staggering amount of cash every fiscal quarter. It’s also the source of many complaints about the company – Apple should, argue some, release cheaper kit.

This is presumably part of the reason for the new 8 GB iPhone 5c, which was recently released and now available in a handful of territories.

Back when it debuted, the iPhone 5c disappointed some, perhaps the deluded, who imagined Apple going toe-to-toe with low-end Android devices, ditching profits in favor of market-share; but presumably Apple does now see a market for a slightly lower-priced device, even if the 8 GB iPhone 5c can hardly be described as resembling a bargain.

Go large!

In fact, you might even argue that an 8 GB iOS device is a false economy. That amount of storage is quite limiting in this modern age of high-definition video, high-quality photographs, and more apps and games than you can shake a stick at. This is especially so when you realize you only have something like 5 GB of space left once iOS itself is taken into account; and without being able to upgrade the storage in any iOS device, the advice we can give is: buy the largest you can afford, or at least one size up from what you think you’ll need.

But what if you’ve eagerly downloaded this issue of Swipe to your brand new 8 GB iPhone 5c? Or what if you have an iPhone of some other specification, which is bursting at the seams, warnings flashing up every few minutes stating that the device is out of space? Fortunately, there are quite a few things you can do to clear out the cruft and be more efficient regarding storage.

Examine your apps Some apps take up a truly staggering amount of space. The worst offenders are undoubtedly games; it’s not unusual for just one to devour well over 1 GB on your iPhone. Also, the figures Apple provides in the App Store are for download sizes – when an app archive subsequently unpacks and installs, it can balloon.

A particularly extreme example is one of our favorite games – Device 6, which is a 131 MB download but when installed takes up over 750 MB! To find out which apps are taking up the most space, go to the Settings app, then General, and then Usage.

You’ll see a progress indicator whirring away, and this will (eventually – it can take several minutes) turn into a list of apps, listed by size.

At the top, it’s fairly likely you’ll see Music, and Photos & Camera – at least if you have a reasonable number of music tracks and pictures stored on your device. We’ll deal with those later.

Otherwise, you’ll see games and apps.

Do not close this screen or even let your iPhone screen lock, or you’ll have to reload the list. Instead, grab a pen and paper (we’re going analogue for a second) and note down large apps or games you no longer use. Tap your screen occasionally to keep it active.

Apps that save content like videos, books or magazines can take up a lot of space too. Tap a relevant list item to see a screen that details the app’s size and also the size of the documents and data stored within. Often, you’ll find an app is quite svelte (iBooks is 39 MB installed) but might have several GB of saved data. Note down the worst offenders. When you’re done, it’s time for the next step…

Save app data Don’t go on a deletion spree just yet.

First, safeguard documents and data, where relevant, because when you delete an app, any data stored within is gone for good. You can reinstall the app later (App Store, Updates, then Purchased), but it’ll be a blank copy, unless data was saved to a cloudbased source (such as iCloud or a linked Dropbox account). Therefore, before you remove an app, save or export any data or documents you want to keep.

For apps where doing so isn’t obvious or doesn’t exist, Mac/PC app iExplorer can help. To use it, connect your device to your computer and launch iExplorer. The software has a solid and functional demo mode if you don’t want to register.

From the sidebar’s Apps list, select the app from which you want to save data. On doing so, you’ll see the app’s own file system. Select the Documents and Library folders, right/ Ctrl-click and export them to your computer. Generally, app data and game progress will be in Documents.

Sometimes, it’ll be in Library. In either case, save these folders and you can explore them on your computer and later load the data back into a fresh install of an app by again using iExplorer. (This can be a useful way of picking up where you left off from a deleted game, rather than starting from scratch.)

Delete unwanted apps Removing an app from your device is simple. Tap-hold any icon until they all jiggle, and then tap the cross at the top-left of the one you want to remove. Tap Delete and it’ll be erased from your device. (With games, you may also be asked if you want your scores removed from Game Center.)

With any apps you’re totally convinced you’ll never again use, get rid of them immediately. The space will free up within seconds.

For any app or game you’re a bit unsure about removing, there’s a good system for sanity checks.

Create a new folder (enter ‘jiggle mode’ and drag one app icon on to another) and name it with a future date that’s a few months away. Add to that folder all the apps you’re thinking about removing. If you use one of the apps before then, give it a reprieve by moving it elsewhere. But when the date is reached, trash any apps still lurking in the folder.

Prune other content We earlier mentioned other types of apps, where the apps themselves might be small but contain loads of data. If you’ve downloaded magazine apps, the actual magazines can often be weighty, especially when they’re replicating print publications. If you’ve read all the old issues, delete them from within the app. (Most publications from Newsstand, Zinio and similar services will allow you to later download back issues if your subscription remains active, including Swipe.) If you want a faster option for clearing a magazine app, delete it and reinstall. The fresh copy will have no data but you will have to restore your subscription. Similarly, check inside the likes of iBooks, GoodReader and Kindle for PDFs and books you no longer need.

Safari also holds a cache, if you often use Reading List; this can be deleted by selecting Safari in the aforementioned Usage list in the Settings app, tapping Edit, tapping the red button next to Offline Reading List, and then tapping Delete.

Music, photos, and video can also take up a lot of space. Check the Podcasts and Videos apps, and delete content you no longer want. If you’re regularly sent photos and videos in Messages, save those you want to keep to your Photo Roll. To do so, tap the photo within the message balloon to expand it to full-screen; tap the image and then the standard share button; select Save Image. The menu at the bottomright of the screen provides quick access to other images you can save – essentially any already loaded into the message stream.

HOW-TO

iCloud backups Take control of the cloud

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pple’s iCloud Backup service is a useful feature, but its 5GB free storage limit leaves countless users scrambling for space. Of course, you can increase your 5GB to 10GB, 20GB, or even 40GB, but doing so results in a yearly fee that starts at $20/£14 and climbs as high as $100/£70.

Instead, through careful management users can safely back up the contents of their iPhone to Apple’s iCloud while dodging the company’s additional charges. Read on to find out how you can take control of your iCloud backups in four simple steps.

Check your backups This might sound obvious, but we’re starting with one of the most common mistakes iPhone and iPad users make.

Most of us upgrade our iOS devices every couple of years, yet a surprising number forget to manually delete backups for old iOS devices from their iCloud account – a move that could waste a huge chunk of your backup quota.

To remove old backups, launch the Settings app and navigate over to the iCloud preferences pane. Here, open ‘Storage & Backup’ and then ‘Manage Storage.’ At the top of the screen you’ll see a list of iOS devices associated with your iCloud account: if an unused iPhone or iPad is listed, touch the device’s name and select ‘Delete Backup’. The backup will then be deleted from your account, freeing up anywhere between a few hundred megabytes or several gigabytes of precious iCloud storage.

Dealing with photos Regaining control over the Photos app is a key, since its contents will likely be eating significantly into your 5GB iCloud backup quota.

The quickest and easiest way to slim down your Camera Roll impact is to disable HDR duplication. From the Settings app, go to Photos & Camera, then turn off the ‘Keep Normal Photo’ option at the bottom. This will stop duplicate images from appearing in your camera roll and in turn, being uploaded to iCloud.

Your Camera Roll will often take up the most space in your iCloud backup as we all take so many pictures However, even with HDR disabled, the Photos app still requires a lot of iCloud storage. It might be worth considering using another option altogether, such as Dropbox. You can set up a free Dropbox account and take advantage of the service’s intuitive ‘Camera Upload’ feature, which enables users to wirelessly route images from the Photos app to their computer before deleting their Camera Roll iCloud backup, potentially saving gigabytes of iCloud storage.

iPhone SWIPE

NEWS • REVIEWS • TIPS

mag

In your next packed issue...

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