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10 Best iPhone Learning Apps to Increase Your Knowledge

by GeeksModo Staff

There are much more opportunities to boost your brain than you think. Just try to count how many times a week you wait for your order at a cafe or how much time you spend reading your social media feed. But you can turn these wasting periods into useful activities. For instance, try a learning app.

What is learning software?

Open App Store, and you will see that people want to get more from their gadgets than ever before. There are numerous options to learn foreign languages, improve your skills in different areas, scale your knowledge in any subject.
That’s why using iPhone learning apps does make sense. All you need is to find good software and install it on your device. Do your lessons for fun and achieve new skills without huge effort and wasting time? Nowadays, it is as easy as ABC.
Don’t you believe it? Well, it means you haven’t tried a good learning app yet.

The best learning apps

Pay attention to these examples of iOS apps. We have collected the best learning apps for people with wide interests and demands.

1. YouTube

This is probably one of the most well-known applications ever. Kids use it, and adults use it; even cats adore watching virtual aquariums online. So it may be surprising news that you can consider YouTube a learning app.
Well, you can’t ask anyone there for help, but YouTube is a real treasure trove! Just imagine how many videos about anything you can find here. Just be ready to filter useful channels from useless ones. Besides, you can use YouTube for free or pay $12.99 per month to skip all ads.

2. PhotoMath

If you want to fix your knowledge in math, then you need a narrow learning app for this. Don’t spend much time searching because a perfect app is here!
PhotoMath matches its name. This app teaches you all you may need about math. From the beginning to the end, it contains all topics for students of different grades.
PhotoMath is a free app with an easy interface. It uses OCR technology to read your tasks and prepare solutions for you. You get not only answers to your homework but also great explanations.

3. Duolingo

If you want to learn a foreign language but have zero knowledge, then your mission is almost impossible. Usually, people start learning German, Korean, Italian, Spanish, and other languages in groups or individually with a teacher. Everyone who tries to do it without help usually fails.
Duolingo was launched in 2014 and changed the game. There are many available languages now you can learn for free. An extended version costs $9.99 per month or $95.99 per year. It is said that 34 hours in this app means you complete a whole semester in school.
Why is this learning app so powerful? It teaches you funnily and playfully but gives you real knowledge. Thanks to this software, you can improve your grammar, vocabulary, and reading skills. You will start with the simplest lessons and go through challenging tasks. As a result, you can start using a foreign language for any purpose.

4. Curious

You can type any request in Google and get an answer. This is why this search engine has become so popular. Now we have many iPhone learning apps with similar ideas. One of the best options is Curious.
This app helps you to become smarter in several minutes per day and doesn’t require you to type requests. Developers publish exciting content on different topics to let you satisfy your curiosity.

5. Khan Academy

Whether you are a student or an adult, you need more precious knowledge in your life. Sometimes we want to complete a school program successfully, develop additional skills for work, or just boost our brains. No matter your desire, Khan Academy is one of the greatest iPhone learning apps.
Khan Academy is well-known for its wide array of choices. You can learn here plenty of classic subjects like economics, science, math, physics, etc. It is great to get new knowledge or refresh your memory.
Khan Academy is a free app. It includes more than 2,000 courses from actual college programs and nearly 10,000 useful videos.

6. Magic Cube Puzzles 3D

Doing puzzles helps to develop your attention, analytical skills, and planning abilities. It’s almost a game, but gaming will bring you real advantages.
So try Magic Cube Puzzles 3D. This is not an example of traditional iPhone learning apps because it doesn’t contain specific courses and lessons. But this software is worth your attention and can funnily boost your brain.

7. Cerego

If you love to improve your experience and always want to get more from your education, then try this learning app. It is popular among both teens and adults, has many downloads and positive reviews in the App Store, and may suit you too.
The general idea of the Cerego is microlearning. It means small but regular and personalized steps to boost your knowledge in the exact field. Such an approach helps you to stay in touch with your education progress and don’t lose your motivation in the future.

8. Flipboard

Education must be connected with current events. Otherwise, your knowledge may be useless and not worth a cent. The best you can do is to stay relevant and read interactive content.
Flipboard helps you to find exciting and useful information from different sources and curate your favorite pieces of articles, podcasts, videos to your digital library. You may store such content for future assignments or use it as inspiration.

9. Asana

You can’t be productive if you are bad at time management. That’s why Asana may become your holy grail. So it’s highly recommended to use such a to-do app to plan your activities.
Well, this is not one of the numerous iPhone learning apps everyone needs, but you will thank yourself in the future for using it today. It allows you to schedule your leisure and learning activities, track your productivity, and make plans.

10. LinkedIn Learning

Adult people want to improve their skills in management, communication, creativity, and so on. Compared to high school or college students, they clearly understand what they need. But usually, they have no idea how to do it.
So welcome to LinkedIn Learning. This is one of the latest learning apps in the App Store. It is dedicated to the demands of modern adults who work now and want to gain better positions in the future. Here you can get more knowledge about corporate culture, time management, content creation, and other well-known and required skills. Well, there are no courses for knitting or cooking. But this is part of the general LinkedIn goal.
This app is free too. So let it a try if you want to improve your experience as a worker.
As you can see, there are so many great iOS apps for people who are seeking new knowledge. You may need a short refreshing of the school program – there are endless opportunities for you. So if you have free time, then there are many options to spend it with benefits!

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NordVPN Review | Is NordVPN the Best VPN Around?

by GeeksModo Staff

What does NordVPN offer that others don’t?
Most VPNs use the same underlying technology, so how much better can it possibly be?
Is it better than ExpressVPN, PIA, Cyberghost, IPVanish, Surfshark and other highly rated services?

How fast is NordVPN?
Can NordVPN unblock region-locked websites (Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime Video)?
Is NordVPN safe and private?
Does NordVPN work in China?
Is it really better than the cheaper alternatives?
I’ll cover all that and more in this NordVPN review.

During my time with NordVPN I used it to secure my connection while traveling to China and for unblocking video streams that I couldn’t normally access from my home in Turkey. I also put it through a battery of tests to gauge its speed and security.

I summarized my thoughts on NordVPN below, but read the full review to get a comprehensive look at this premium VPN service.

NordVPN Review Summary

NordVPN is a true jack of all trades, able to unblock all sorts of region-locked content, bypass China’s Great Firewall, and quickly download files. It boasts better performance than most when it comes to streaming. I challenge anyone to find a VPN with more advanced security while keeping the experience simple and novice-friendly.

What Is a VPN?

A VPN is a piece of software that helps to make you more anonymous online, encrypts your internet use, and lets you effectively trick your laptop or mobile device into thinking it’s in another location. And in case you’re wondering… it’s short for ‘virtual private network’!

In short, VPNs have become really handy, affordable everyday tools. By choosing the best VPN service out there, you’ll be equipping your laptop, PC, mobile – even your games console – with a potentially game-changing bit of software. VPN has so many benefits. You may want to use them to help keep your online life completely anonymous from prying eyes – especially now that so many of us are working or schooling at home. Maybe you’re a keen torrenter and you don’t want your ISP to know. Or perhaps its the eyes of your government that you want to avoid.

But because the best VPNs also let you change your IP address to one in a completely different city or country, these services have taken on a much wider use. VPNs are fantastic for streamers, for example, who want to have access to a whole world of shows and films on Netflix and more. While if you’re on holiday and find your favorite app is banned (think about some of the internet censorship in Cuba, Turkey, China – even Canada), an online VPN will let you use the internet in the way you’ve become accustomed. And that’s just for starters…

But these days, VPN services are a dime a dozen. When you search on App Store or on Google, you’ll find hundreds of VPN services, with names you’ve never heard of and with backgrounds you can’t trust. How then, can you pick a safe, secure, fast and feature-rich VPN service? A VPN service that will actually protect you? We’ve simplified your search by picking the best VPN app for iPhone, iPad and Mac.

The best VPN on the market today is NordVPN. In this NordVPN review we’ll show you why this popular VPN is one of the best VPNs around.

NordVPN is one of the most popular VPN services online and it’s easy to see why. A lot of VPN apps have old and convoluted apps. NordVPN’s app is simple and modern. Just turn it on, select the location if you want and then forget about it. The iOS app is simple and the Mac app provides you with pro customization tools if you wish to tweak the settings.

The VPN market is a tough one, with a lot of competition around, but NordVPN knows exactly how to stand out from the crowd: it piles on the professional features, delivering way more than just about anybody else.

Top-notch platform support includes apps for Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, and Linux.

Pros:

  • Consistently tops the list of best VPNs for reputable sources
  • Automated kill switch disables the internet on the device when VPN is not connected
  • Double VPN feature encrypts your internet traffic twice
  • Clear and easy-to-use interface
  • Works in China
  • Works with streaming services like Netflix, HBG Go and more

Cons:

NordVPN pricing

NordVPN offers tiered pricing depending on the length of the plan you can commit to. NordVPN has a very clear pricing policy with no hidden fees. They also offer a 30-day money-back guarantee for all pricing packages. Here’s what NordVPN costs:

  • The 1-month plan costs $11.95
  • The 1-year plan is $4.92 per month
  • The 2-year plan is $3.71 per month

Is There a Free Version of NordVPN?

Unlike TunnelBear, ProtonVPN, and other ‘freemium’ VPNs, NordVPN has never offered a completely free VPN service.

However, you can get a seven-day 100% free trial on mobile (iOS and Android) devices.

If you need more time before deciding to purchase, you can try NordVPN out for free with its 30 day money-back guarantee (

What methods can you use to pay for NordVPN?

The company accepts payment by all major credit cards, PayPal, and other services such as Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies (via CoinPayments), and assorted other systems (AmazonPay, UnionPay, SOFORT Banking and more).

Is NordVPN really better than the cheaper alternatives?

No matter how broke you are or how desperately you’re in need of security, you should never resort to a cheap VPN. The likes of TigerVPN, TunnelBear, Hola and more may actually be sabotaging your security and anonymity.

Come to think of it, there’s no such thing as a cheap VPN, a catch is always there. Once you operate with a cheap VPN, you’re actually paying the price with your personal info, data, and credentials. So are they worth the risk? NO. Let’s read why.

WHAT ELSE IS AT RISK?

According to the Threat Research Center president:

“The lower the cost of the app, the greater the chance they have security problems.”
Well, I agree with him 100%. Nothing good comes out of entrusting a cheap VPN. Shall I explain why?

  • First of all, cheap stuff attracts millions. Can you imagine how many of those are using the same servers? There goes speed.
  • They sell your personal information for profit.
  • There are a few cheap VPNs that impersonate a legit software. In other words, they’re present to steal your information, send you spam emails, or make your device vulnerable enough for hacking.
  • Their encryption is very limited, that’s of course if there is any, to begin with.
  • Over time, you’ll be bombarded with unwanted ads.
  • Privacy is everything and you won’t be able to sleep at night knowing that these VPNs collect user-data and store them for further use. (Sell them to sister companies).
  • You might be suddenly directed to websites with malicious software that might target your device.

With all that being said, we can safely say that you have been warned. Subscribe to a real VPN service provider and avoid subjecting yourself to attacks and theft of that nature.

NordVPN Servers and Server Locations

Part of what you are paying for with a VPN subscription is access to the company’s fleet of VPN servers. These are the machines through which your web traffic will flow. Generally speaking, it’s good to have a diverse distribution of servers, since this will ensure that you’ll be able to find one close by, no matter where you travel, and likely get better service because of that closeness. It also gives you more options for spoofing your location.

NordVPN offers 5542 servers distributed across 59 countries. Among my top-rated VPNs, NordVPN offers the best balance of hardware and virtual servers in the most countries. In addition to having the most server locations, NordVPN also excels in geographic diversity, with several in Asia and excellent coverage across Europe and America. This means you can specifically select a server nearer to you within a certain country, so you can enjoy better speeds, lower latency, and more reliability.

NordVPN Security, privacy, and logging

Many VPNs make big claims about their security features and privacy, and NordVPN is no exception. I was curious to find out whether NordVPN can walk the talk.

When you use a VPN, you’re entrusting it with access to your web traffic. If the VPN company were lacking in morals, it could easily monetize your personal information much the same way an ISP can. The VPN might also be targeted by law enforcement to hand over information relating to its customers. This is why it’s important to read and understand a VPN’s privacy policy. Don’t worry, I’ve read the fine print for you. I’m happy to say that NordVPN goes to impressive lengths to protect customer privacy and secure its data and infrastructure. It’s one of the few companies whose claims have been tested by crisis, and clearly makes the effort to do well by consumers.

NordVPN does an excellent job of being transparent to customers in an understandable way and more companies should emulate its efforts.

NordVPN is clear about the limits of its data gathering. The company says: ‘Nord guarantees a strict no-logs policy for NordVPN Services, meaning that your internet activity… is not monitored, recorded, logged, stored or passed to any third party. We do not store connection time stamps, used bandwidth, traffic logs, IP addresses or browsing data,’ That’s what you want to hear from a VPN company. Better still, NordVPN makes it clear in its policy (and verified to me) that it only generates revenue through the sale of VPN subscriptions. The company does not sell user data.

Kill Switch

This is an advanced security feature that keeps your IP address and traffic secure, even if the VPN connection drops.
It’s designed to block traffic if your connection is compromised, keeping your data and IP address hidden.

NordVPN offers you two options:

  • Internet Kill Switch will completely shut down your internet access when you’re not connected to the VPN or if your connection drops. Mac OS OpenVPN client doesn’t feature this option, but its IKEv2 client has both types of switches. This is great for added security (you can be sure that your data won’t leak) when you’re torrenting or using Tor.
  • App Kill Switch gives you the ability to choose which apps will get closed if your connection fails. So, for example, you can choose to only shut down Google Chrome or a different browser but not your other apps. This is available on Windows and Mac OS. It’s good to use when you’re streaming, so the streaming platform won’t detect that you’re using a VPN and block you.

This feature isn’t enabled by default, but it’s really easy to set up. You simply need to turn it on in settings and select the apps if you decide to use the app Kill Switch.

NordVPN browser extensions

The NordVPN clients are generally very polished and user-friendly, but they’re not your only way to work with the VPN. The company also offers Chrome and Firefox extensions which allow you to control the client and service directly from your browser.

You install the add-on directly in your browser and just click on the extension to connect. It’s ideal if you’re just looking to encrypt your browser traffic quickly, like when using Chrome and a public WiFi connection.

Is NordVPN customer service any good?

Much like any other networking technology, a VPN can misbehave in many ways, and figuring out exactly what’s going on can be a real challenge. That’s why even the most experienced user can benefit from quality VPN support.

NordVPN’s support site gets off to a good start with its lengthy list of troubleshooting guides. Whether you’re trying to diagnose slow speeds or dropped connections, understand error messages, change your password or cancel your account, there’s useful information to hand.

Most articles are well-written and deliver in all the key areas. They don’t assume technical knowledge, instead taking the time to explain the background, offering multiple suggestions to resolve most problems, and linking to other relevant articles. For example, where other VPNs might have a single line suggesting you “try another server” to help diagnose speed problems, NordVPN also links to a detailed article explaining how to find the best location for you.

Competent customer support staff are available around the clock via live chat on the NordVPN website.

I’ve contacted NordVPN’s 24/7 live chat support on several occasions, and never have I had to wait more than five minutes to get a response.

Besides the live chat option, you can send a direct email.

Streaming – Does NordVPN Work With Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Other Services?

Yes

To get a feel for NordVPN’s unblocking abilities, we ran several tests, checking whether we could access Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, Disney+ and geoblocked YouTube sites while connected to various NordVPN servers.

I started with the UK and US Netflix libraries, both of which were a success. I even tested the US Netflix library across NordVPN’s US servers, and I was able to unlock content to stream in HD easily on each one.

Then I headed over to Netflix Australia, which I was also able to access hassle-free.

South America was my final test. I tested Netflix libraries in Brazil, Chile, and Peru, and I was able to stream in HD across all.

Netflix results were great, with five out of five locations unblocking the service. It’s no surprise that it’s the best Netflix VPN in 2021.

Amazon Prime Video worked, too. After connecting to a US NordVPN location, we logged into Amazon.com rather than our usual Amazon.co.uk, and were able to stream US content.

(Keep in mind that Amazon’s Prime Video terms states the company will ‘use technologies to verify your geographic location’ and ‘you may not use any technology or technique to obscure or disguise your location’, so you break these rules at your own risk.)

Unblocking YouTube is always much easier, and sure enough, NordVPN gave us instant access from each of our test US servers.

BBC iPlayer has far better VPN protection than YouTube. Getting access proved far more difficult, too, but one of the servers got us in, and that allowed us to stream whatever content we liked.

NordVPN ended on a strong note, too, instantly bypassing Disney+ protection with the first location we tried (the second and third worked, too.)

While testing, I found that NordVPN can stream Netflix, Hulu, Disney Plus, BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime Video, HBO Go, and more in Full HD.

NordVPN is also reliable for unblocking Google, Facebook, and other popular sites that are often blocked in schools and workplaces, as well as in heavily censored countries like China and Russia.

If streaming is your primary reason for choosing a VPN, NordVPN is a sure bet.

Does NordVPN allow torrenting?

Yes.

NordVPN has unlimited bandwidth and data caps for completely unrestricted torrenting. But it also allows torrenting and P2P sharing across any of its servers.

Since NordVPN keeps no logs and is headquartered in a privacy-friendly location, your torrenting activity or history cannot be leaked to anyone. It’s safe to use with uTorrent or any other BitTorrent client, with guaranteed anonymity.

DNS protection through NordVPN’s own DNS on every server further protects you from leaks and revealing your torrenting activity. It’s a solid choice for torrenting and P2P sharing, not just for security, but also for its speed and performance.

Unlike most VPN providers, NordVPN doesn’t even push me to torrent on specific servers. I usually just pick a fast server near where I live and start downloading.

kill switch stops all internet traffic if the VPN unexpectedly disconnects. That means your P2P traffic is always encrypted no matter what. NordVPN excels here for actually having two kill switches. A general internet kill switch blocks all net access when you’re not connected to the VPN (this can be easily turned off if it’s inconvenient), while an app kill switch closes your chosen applications if the connection goes down.

Does NordVPN work in China?

Yes.

NordVPN is a veteran VPN provider in China and provides fairly reliable access to the free and open internet from the mainland. I spent some time in Beijing shortly before writing this review and kept NordVPN connected on my iPhone pretty much the whole time. I didn’t have to change any settings; it just works. In addition, NordVPN has features like the Kill Switch which will make sure that your online activity is never exposed, even if your VPN connection fails. Plus, since it doesn’t have servers in China, it doesn’t have to apply strict local laws when it comes to internet usage and data logging. This means that nothing you do online will reach the Chinese government.

The only downside is that you can’t use it if you’re already in China. NordVPN doesn’t have a website there, so you won’t be able to download it. If you’re going to China, make sure that you install and set it up before you leave your country.

Speed: Is NordVPN fast?

NordVPN is the fastest VPN we’ve tested to date, thanks largely in part to its new, proprietary protocol: NordLynx. It’s based on WireGuard which is currently the fastest protocol on the market.

I was really impressed by NordVPN’s consistently fast speeds. Every VPN will slow you down a little bit as it sends your traffic to different servers (and the further away a server is, the slower your speeds will be). But while testing different NordVPN servers across the world, I didn’t notice the speed drops at all as there was no difference in my browsing, streaming, or even gaming experience.

With NordVPN’s servers, you’ll get fast speeds no matter how far the server is from your location
NordVPN’s fast download speeds allowed me to stream shows for hours without lag or buffering, while the low ping made it easy for me to play games. I even managed to have high-quality video calls thanks to its upload speeds.

Apps: What devices work with NordVPN?

NordVPN makes apps for more devices than any other VPN provider I know of. NordVPN offers apps for Android, iOS, macOS, and Windows. I highly recommend that people use an app with a VPN, since it is easier to use, requires no manual configuration, and grants access to additional features. Another thing that impressed me was that NordVPN has an app for Linux as well. Most VPNs don’t have Linux clients but you can install NordVPN on Ubuntu (I tested this one and it worked great), Debian, Linux Mint, and Elementary OS. What’s even more surprising is that its app is really easy to use on Linux so you don’t have to operate it through command prompts.

Simultaneous Device Connections — One Account Supports 6 Devices

I can connect six devices at once to my NordVPN account. . This is quite beneficial considering ExpressVPN offers 5. I tested this out by installing NordVPN on 2 of my iPhones, my MacBook, Linux laptop, and LG TV. With all of these devices using the connection simultaneously, I still didn’t notice any drop in speed.

In addition, you can install it on your router. This way, your entire network will be under VPN protection. Not all routers support VPNs, so make sure that you choose one that does. It’s also worth mentioning that you might not be able to install any VPN if you use an ISP modem.

App design is fairly consistent across all platforms, so if you know how to use one, then using another should feel familiar. NordVPN apps are simple to set up and easy to use.

NordVPN Client setup

Getting a VPN client installed and working properly can sometimes be a challenge, but the well-designed NordVPN app has clearly been set up to keep hassles to an absolute minimum. NordVPN is really easy to install and set up.

Once you download the app, it will open and prompt you to log in. When you click on that button, a web page will open up and ask for your login credentials. You can enter them, and the app will open again and you can start using NordVPN immediately.

NordVPN doesn’t require any special setup. Everything is ready for you to use it.

Mac client

NordVPN’s macOS app is notable in its simplicity. After logging in and agreeing to give access to your Apple Keychain, you can Quick Connect to any of NordVPN’s many servers around the globe. If you want a bit more control over your experience, you can scroll through the list of countries on the left side of the app window, choose a country, and open a drop-down menu that reveals a list of all of the servers in that country. It’s easier to just choose a spot on the map and use the VPN server located there, but it’s useful that the macOS version gives you a choice when it comes to servers. That isn’t the case with the iPhone version.

iOS app

From the Settings menu you can choose your VPN protocol, find auto-connect options, and set up your VPN profile. There’s also a “Tools” menu, which allows you to turn on an ad and malware blocker, a “Dark Web Monitor” which tells you if information related to your email address is included in Dark Web leaks, and Siri shortcuts so you can connect and disconnect with your voice.

Final verdict

This is a top-quality VPN which exceeded our expectations in everything from platform support and privacy, to ease of use, unblocking abilities and its excellent support. This is a polished, powerful and professional service. NordVPN is one of our favorite VPNs. It excels in speed, security, and torrenting. It has a network of 5,515 servers in 59 countries, and it unblocks fifteen Netflix libraries on its user-friendly apps. Currently, NordVPN is one of the best VPNs you can get and it’s affordably priced.

Overall Rating: 9.5/10.

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10 must-have iOS Apps for students

by GeeksModo Staff

Nowadays, there’s almost an app for everything. As a student, there are apps to make your life easier, cheaper, safer, and more fun. Whether you want help with taking notes, revising, waking up on time, or keeping fit, keep watching for our pick of the best iOS apps for students.

While these apps are very helpful, most student will also benefit from writing which is especially useful for students who don’t know how to structure their papeers.

Best iOS apps for students

Without any further ado, here are 10 best iOS apps for students in 2021:

iStudiez pro

iStudiez pro is a great app for both school and college students. Allows you to create a schedule with recurring pairs or lessons, as well as mark holidays and weekends. Each item can be marked with its color so that you can easily navigate the schedule in the future. Besides, you can save useful information about your classmates and teachers. In general, a very convenient and useful application for every student.

MyScript calculator

‎MyScript Calculator is a very useful calculator that can calculate handwritten data. It calculates all the formulas, from the simplest to the most complex.

Lingvo dictionaries

As a linguist, I can assure you that Lingvo dictionaries are used by all students of the Romano-Germanic department. Why carry around thick books when all the information you need can be stored in a single application? It is, indeed, very well done, and it contains numerous translation options. Also, if necessary, it is possible to purchase additional dictionaries with specific topics.

Duolingo

Duolingo is a great app for those who are just starting to learn a foreign language. In a simple game form, you will learn new words and rules step by step. You can choose different European, Eastern, and African styles. You can learn from scratch from lessons or take tests, speeding up the process.

Geo walk HD

Geo walk HD is the app that will let you learn about the incredible facts about our entire planet. Flora, fauna, architecture, various countries and cities of the world — you can immediately learn interesting information from many areas of knowledge.

Wolfram Alpha

Wolfram Alpha is a reference book for almost all areas of knowledge. Here you will find various mathematical formulas, data from the field of physics, chemistry, information about natural disasters, various places and cities of our planet, history, books, movies, music, and much more. The app is in English only.

Penultimate

Penultimate is a user-friendly app from the creators of Evernote. This is a simple notepad for notes, in which you can easily write something by hand or make any useful notes for yourself. It is widely used by students instead of a physical notebook, very convenient.

Zoom

ZOOM is a simple and convenient way to create a meeting on any of your devices, which can be attended by up to 100 people. The ability to replace the background, create open and closed chats, send files, links, and messages. You can also use the app to make phone calls and as an answering machine. And most importantly-safe driving with Apple CarPlay.

W1D1

W1D1 is an application for creative development with the help of daily tasks that allow you to switch off from the routine and devote 10 minutes a day to exploring the world. Complete daily tasks to discover new creative facets, learn about the cultural context of the past, and explore new things.

Notability

Notability is a convenient and functional notepad designed for the efficient creation of multimedia notes. A powerful and surprisingly simple application will be a faithful assistant for keeping notes, diaries, and drawing with the ability to use handwriting, work with text and even sound. Take notes on imported and scanned documents and images. Add photos, GIFs, and web pages to your notes, and share them in presentation format. Among other things, it’s a great way to save paper and space. The app is also equipped with a data protection function using Face ID and Touch ID.

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Best online video editing software for your MacBook

by GeeksModo Staff

The last few decades have seen Mac systems providing much superior hardware and software systems. Naturally, this establishes that editing a video on a MacBook gives a much better result. However, you need to realize that the editing tool will play an instrumental role in deciding the editing quality.
These days, there are several video editing tools available for MacBook users. Due to the sheer variety of available options, it becomes a Herculean task to make a pick on the one that is the best for you. To simplify things, here is a list of the best video editing software for MacBook users.

Best video editing software for MacBook

Apple iMovie

Among all the available tools, iMovie is the one that is the best compatible with the Apple ecosystem. The tool lets you input the footage in HDV, DV, AVCHD MP4, and other formats. The tool is available for free on all Apple devices such as the iPad, iPhone, and MacBook.
The interface is clean, and it is suitable even for those people who do not have any prior video editing experience. While this tool has a diverse video library, the only challenge of this robust tool is the fact that the audio is copyrighted.

InVideo

With more than 3500 readymade templates, InVideo offers several solutions for you to quickly edit your videos to perfection. While using your MacBook for video editing, you can add unlimited team members to the project, and all of you can collaborate on the video creation. InVideo is one of the few tools that allows you to efficiently create multilingual videos from your MacBook. The dedicated support team makes video editing a cakewalk even for those people who do not have prior experience in this field.

Avidemux

For people who are fond of open-source tools, Avidemux is the finest video editing software on a Mac device. The interface is clearly defined and there is no hassle of built-in purchases. The USP of the app is the fact that you can export the edited video file in AVI, M1V, M2V, MKV, FLV, MP4, MPG, TS, MPEG, and OGM formats. Thus, irrespective of the place you intend to upload the video, the use of Avidemux will be suitable.

HitFilm Express

The auto stabilizer feature of HitFilm express is a godsent feature for those who capture shaky footage. You can create surreal video effects by animating two shots simultaneously and working on the composite shot enhancements.
Irrespective of whether you need an editing tool with cropping features or are keen on exploring the color pickers and motion tracking, HitFilm Express is the best bet for you. The tool has a free version that you can try, while the Pro version comes at a one-time payment of $349.

DaVinci Resolve

DaVinci Resolve has some of the most advanced visual effects and color correction features and is often used for professional video editing. If your video requires you to save it in processor-intensive formats such as H.264 or RAW, you can go for DaVinci Resolve. The tool has a facial recognition feature that automatically detects the faces in each clip and comes up with dedicated bins for the people in the shot. The tool’s free version should suffice for more advanced personal projects. However, if you are looking to create professional videos, you should pay $269 and opt for the full Studio version of the tool.

Blender

If you are looking for an open-source 3D creation suite, then you should consider using Blender. The functional video edit has the tools needed for complex video editing. The simple interface ensures that it can be used by people with diverse editing experience.
Blender is available completely free of charge and has an extensive community of developers who are dedicated to improving the functionalities of this tool. If you are using this tool for video game development or to edit gaming videos, then you may code the game logic into the software for better animation.

Lightworks

Lightworks is the perfect choice for people who are new to video editing and would want to start with tutorial videos. The detailed videos ensure that you can make the most of the high-precision trimming and video editing features of the app. Lightworks has a library of music and video clips that you can use while editing videos on this platform. The tool has a free version, but if you are keen on exploring the different library features you may want to opt for the Pro version that is available at $24.99 per month. One of the best features of this editing tool is the fact that you can directly export your edited video to social media platforms such as Facebook, Vimeo, Instagram, and Facebook without any hassle.

VideoPad

If you are on a tight budget but cannot afford to compromise on the quality of your videos, then the VideoPad is a good editing tool for you. The tool has a double built-in screen and you can use one of the screens to preview the clip that you selected while the other can be dedicated to previewing the complete sequence.
Such features combined with the auto stabilization make VideoPad an ideal choice for people with no editing experience. If you are a novice but would want polished professionalism on your videos, then the customizable templates and text inlay features will be suitable for you.

OpenShot

If your editing needs are basic and you need a tool for clip resizing, snapping, rotation or trimming, then OpenShot is a free tool that you may want to use. The tool has unlimited layers for the watermark, audio tracks, and tile-card templates that allow you to edit videos in a matter of minutes. The tool also comes with keyframe animation features that come in handy while creating animated videos.
With the above video editing software, you can now explore the realms of video editing and come up with professional-quality videos on your Mac. As you begin the journey, here’s wishing you the very best for the same.

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10 best free iPhone apps for students

by GeeksModo Staff

The truth of our modern times is that you probably won’t find a student who does not use innovative gadgets today. It is also true that students use different mobile applications not only for entertainment, but for studying as well. Apple provides tons of apps for students that can be very informative and useful if you want to keep up with the times and boost your studying process. Every student probably knows plenty of applications that fit his or her needs most, but there are still some iPhone apps no student should live without. Continue reading to learn about 10 best free iPhone apps for students in 2021.

Best free iPhone apps for students

Without further ado, here are the best iPhone apps for students in 2021:

1. PhotoMath

An application for solving mathematical problems using a smartphone camera and Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology. Using PhotoMath is very simple: just point the camera at a mathematical problem, and PhotoMath will immediately give the answer and provide a detailed step-by-step solution. The program features allow you to recognize not only printed but also handwritten text, as well as make edits to scanned formulas and equations. PhotoMath can build graphs, solve linear, square, trigonometric equations, and easily solves all the exercises with roots, modules, powers, fractions, integrals, factorials, matrices, and polynomials.

2. Microsoft Math Solver

Another software product that provides assistance in solving problems related to arithmetic, algebra, trigonometry, calculus, statistics, and other areas. As with the Photomath mentioned above, the Microsoft Math Solver uses an OCR engine to recognize printed and handwritten texts. In this case, the solutions are accompanied not only by detailed step-by-step explanations but also by links to similar examples on the Internet and video lectures that explain in detail the mathematical concepts associated with the problem.

3. Brainly

An application that works in conjunction with a platform for mutual assistance of students. The Brainly distinctive feature is its impressive knowledge base, which covers a fairly wide range of educational areas: from chemistry and humanities to social studies and linguistics. You can find a detailed answer to almost any question in the Brainly app, and if the appropriate material is not in the archive, you can always ask for help from the community members, of which, according to the curators of the project, there are more than 100 million worldwide!

4. Coursera

A mobile client for the eponymous distance education service that cooperates with the world’s leading universities. Thanks to the broad reach of the academic community, Coursera offers users more than 3,900 training courses in various thematic areas, ranging from Physics and information technology to social sciences, be it law, economics, and pedagogy. The project also allows you to complete training and pass official exams of such vendor companies like Google, SAS, IBM, and many others, confirming your knowledge with an international certificate. The duration of each course varies depending on its complexity and ranges from 4 weeks or more.

5. Microsoft OneNote

An app for creating quick notes and organizing personal information that can be used equally well in an educational environment. With Microsoft OneNote, you can create lesson plans and courses, track homework, write by hand, draw diagrams, make sketches, save audio and video, record lectures and interesting ideas, structure learning materials, share them with classmates, and work together on graduation and research projects. Thanks to the support of OCR technologies and integration with the Microsoft Translator service, the program can recognize handwritten and printed texts and translate them into other languages. User data synchronization functions between different devices are supported, and password protection of notebooks with confidential information is also provided. Special mention should be made of the possibility of solving mathematical equations with a step-by-step explanation of all the stages of solving the problem out loud.

6. ABBYY FineScanner AI

An application for scanning and recognizing documents. An ideal option when you need to have at hand digitized copies of lectures, notes, essays, and other educational materials. FineReader allows you to create PDF or JPG files from any printed documents. The program has built-in OCR technology, which recognizes texts in 193 languages and, with the preservation of formatting, uploads the results in 12 popular formats, including DOCX, XLSX, PPTX, PDF. Ready-made documents can be transferred to any of the eight cloud storage, printed, sent by e-mail, or opened in another PDF application. For scanning book and magazine publications, FineScanner AI provides the BookScan function, which automatically divides the photographed spread of the book into two pages, removes defects, straightens the bends of lines and pages, and makes a scanned copy that can be recognized and get an editable file.

7. ABBYY Lingvo

Mobile dictionary translator that allows you to quickly and accurately translate a word or a stable expression in a foreign language. An indispensable assistant for students of all specialties and directions. Lingvo Dictionary & Translator can be used not only as a regular dictionary (translation of words entered using the keyboard) but also for recognizing and translating words in real-time via the smartphone camera. The program has more than 170 dictionaries for 30 languages, which you can use at any time without an Internet connection.

8. Microsoft To Do

For group work, Microsoft To Do is the perfect app, and it’s also completely free to use. In it, you can create task lists and share them with other people. This way, everyone will know what they need to do at any time, and you will be able to track their performance.

We recommend using it in other contexts, such as a shopping list or organizing a party. Like any student, you probably have thousands of things in your head, but with this app, maximizing your time won’t be a problem.

9. Strorytel

To read all the “program” literature, the training time is definitely not enough. It is much faster and more profitable to listen to books: you will not “plant” your vision, and you will remember them faster, and you will not have to take a weighty volume with you. This also applies to Audible.

The Storytel app offers more than 10,000 works in Russian voice acting and 50,000 in English. Supports synchronization between different devices, allows you to listen from where you left off on another device. The books are available in offline mode with pre-download.

10. Mint

This application will be extremely useful to anyone who came from other cities and is forced to independently maintain personal accounting.
It will calculate everything for you: membership fees, the cost of books and printouts, paying for tutors, buying food – Mint will help you keep track of all expenses and not get into debt.
There is a free version on iOS and Android.

Any student will benefit from using the mentioned apps, that’s for sure. Whether it’s Maths, or English literature these apps will make College life much easier. So if you are struggling with the assignment, writing or other comprehensive College tasks. In these situations, the apps discussed in this article can be of great use.

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Best online logo design software for your iPhone

by GeeksModo Staff

As a new business owner, you often need to operate your business functions on the go – usually from an iPhone or iPad. But being on the move does not mean you can’t create a logo for your business. One does wonder how to create an entire brand image when running around, trying to get everything else done.
In such a case, using a custom logo maker tool is the best option to create an attractive logo for your business on the go. The logo designing tools are easy to use on every device including Android, IPhone or windows etc. These tools allowing you to design the perfect logo even on a smaller screen without sacrificing the design’s quality.

Why Do You Need a Logo for Your Business?

It is essential that your company’s logo looks creative, as it represents your brand. Even when you aren’t present to promote your business, your logo will do the job on your behalf. For instance, if an online user visits your social media page and finds your logo attractive, which is usually the first look, then maybe they will lure further to check out your products and services.
Let’s further find out how logos have helped businesses create an identity.
Grabs attention: You literally have around 2 to 6 seconds to convince your potential customer to get your products or services. With an attractive looking logo, you can quickly attract your viewer’s attention and communicate your company’s values in an appealing way.
Makes a strong first impression: As a businessman, you just get one chance to convince your audience. Your logo acts as the company’s primary introduction to your target customers. If the logo is not well-designed and does not alienate a potential customer base, then you may end up sinking your business.
When you use a free logo designing app, you will come across industry-specific templates that you can adjust according to your theme and business values; thus, creating a logo that can pique the public’s interest.
It is memorable: Logos are symbols that customers use to identify or recognize your business. The sight of this sign should be such that people can instantly connect with your company and what it does. A logo, which is visually attractive and has a message, triggers positive recall about your brand.

Best Logo Maker Apps for iPhone and iPad

Finding a versatile logo maker app for iPhone or iPad can be a tough job. So, here’s how we have tried to help you. We have compiled some of the best names of the market that you would find suitable for your business.

Logo Maker by logomaker.net

Logo Maker by logomaker.net is truly one of its kinds. This logo designer allows you to create logos effortlessly by using 2000+ templates and 5,000+ logo icons and styles. The free logo creator also offers different categories like Fashion, Business, Lifestyle, and Colorful logos. Once you choose your related category, you can make changes to the text, background, colors, or theme. The easily customizable templates available on this logo maker tool will enable you to design a stunning logo for your business without going through any hassle at all. A few touches on your device will be enough to create a fabulous emblem for your brand with this free logo design tool.

Logo Pit Plus by Iris Studios

You can create logos, flyers, posters, and pins using a Logo pit Plus by Iris Studios. This tool works like a treat as it takes you to tons and tons of free templates. So, you don’t have to create a logo from scratch. Plus, the tool offers fascinating designs, bright colors, and a huge range of font styles.

LogoScopic by Road Rocks

Just like the Logo Maker tool, here you can start by choosing your logo category. The tool is quick to use, and you can easily manage to craft simple and nice-looking designs.

Why Use a Logo Maker Tool?

If you have started a new business and have limited funds, then hiring a logo designer can prove expensive. Why spend money on something that you can create yourself using a free logo maker app. You don’t even need to have an experience of designing to operate these apps.
Let’s discuss in detail on how a free logo maker app can benefit your business.
Easy to use: An online logo maker app is extremely easy-to-use software. With minimal designing experience, you won’t have any issue while operating the app. The tools offer a user-friendly interface and work seamlessly.
Quick to work with: If you want to create a logo overnight or while you are traveling, then these logo creator apps should be your first choice. They are faster than a professional designer. The apps have multiple pre-made designs, and you just need to choose the one that fits with your business theme and values.
Allows customization: An online logo creator offers flexible features, which allows you to make changes as per your needs. These apps offer different fonts, styles, graphics, colors, and effects. Once you have chosen the template, you may make changes that you find appropriate.

Final Words:

Start using one of the best and free logo maker tools mentioned above to give your business identity. There’ no need to rely on freelance designers anymore, as the logo maker tools for iPhone are here to save your time and money.

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Top Dating Sites for iPhone Ranking in USA

by GeeksModo Staff

People looking to start a relationship online have turned to the various websites made for that purpose. Online dating has become one of the most popular ways to start a relationship, but not all sites are made equal. If you use an iOS device in the U.S. and want to get involved with dating online, then you need to know about the best dating sites for iPhone users. We have come up with a list of the best free dating sites for iOS, and we will share with you some reasons to join these sites if you want to find a partner for romance.

Best dating sites for iPhone

Whether you are heartbroken or in a quest for true love or just looking for casual dating, the best dating sites for iPhone in 2021 can help you discover the person you have been waiting for long. So, instead of letting yourself down and out, keep the fingers crossed and go through our list of free dating sites for iPhone ranking in USA.

Maturetenders.com

The dating site Maturetenders.com is one of the new breeds of romantic services designed to help singles find typical dating experiences. Unlike some of the other dating sites available for iPhone operating systems, this one is designed to connect singles seeking long-term relationships. The service is designed to provide singles with multiple means through which they may communicate with others. Chat rooms and individual chats are the most common methods that are available on the site. Moreover, the dating service makes great use of the profile searching system to connect members with individuals that have the highest chance of being a good partner. All in all, this is a very effective albeit somewhat typical site.

Maturexmatch dot com

Whether you are on the look out for a casual dating or wish to embrace a long-term relationship, you cannot go wrong with this site. The site has many of the same features as other dating sites, including the chance to build very detailed dating profiles and search for individuals according to personal features that they put on their profiles. This service is fun and flirty for singles seeking a serious relationship.

Seniormatch dot com

This website is a platform made for more of the senior crowd than any of the services we have mentioned so far. The senior dating site is geared towards helping people over 55 find love, although younger people have used the site to great success. The design of the site is relatively simple compared to other dating services, but it is meant to be approachable and usable by seniors that are less technologically inclined. This site is very effective and easy to use.

Maturedating dot com

This website is notable for a few reasons. First off, the website is highly secure, offering people the opportunity to date without worrying about negative outcomes happening. The site has many features that protect personal information and work to educate older members because they are the most likely targets of online dating scams. Moreover, the site has a lot of active members seeking partners on the site. The site’s great searching features, numerous dating outcomes available, and ease of use are all reasons to consider this site among the best available.

Elitesingles dot com

This site is built for singles who have had a lot of success with their professional lives. The service is filled with people looking for all sorts of outcomes, but it’s mostly used as a serious dating site by those who are too busy with other aspects of their life to find love. The service is highly populated, simple to use, and filled with people looking to find the perfect fit for their lifestyle, something that is backed up by the dating service’s amazing matching system.

Conclusion

Dating online offers so many unique benefits compared to trying to find partners without them. The ability to find dates whenever one wants is a fantastic benefit that is found with online dating since they can operate day and night without interrupting someone’s lifestyle. Moreover, dating online tends to fit better in the schedules of people that are busy with their everyday lives. Using apps to host a relationship online provides flexibility with schedules, whether you are busy throughout the week or have a wide-open availability. All told, online romances are blossoming throughout the world, offering everyone the second chance they need to seek out the amazing love lives they desire. Using any of the dating sites for iPhone listed throughout our review will provide you with the best outcomes available on modern romance services that operate on the iOS system.

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6 Best iPad Keyboard Tips and Tricks

by Moses Johnson

Here are the best tips and tricks for the iPad keyboard.

The Cupertino based Company has gone out of its way to make the iPad a powerful competitor against PCs and laptops. Even if you don’t own an iPad Pro, every iPad is a great device for students and professionals alike. Not only do you get a powerful device capable of editing video and photos just as well as some other computers out there, but you can also carry it around anywhere at any time. With the Magic Keyboard’s addition, Apple turned the iPad into an actual laptop replacement. Of course, not everyone wants or needs a Magic Keyboard. Sure, having a physical keyboard is wonderful, but the iPad’s digital keyboard is just as great. All you need to do is learn a few iPad keyboard tricks and shortcuts to make it really work for you. If you want to make the most out of your tablet, continue reading to learn six iPad keyboard tricks you didn’t know about.

See also: Top 10 iPhone Keyboard Tips and Tricks You Should Know

iPad keyboard tips and tricks

Here are the best iPad keyboard tips and tricks in 2021:

Split in Half

Granted, you might have come across this feature by accident while using your iPad, but it’s still worth mentioning. Apple makes it easy to split iPad keyboard in half to improve typing experience. Please follow these steps to enable this feature:

  1. Start the Settings app on your iPad.
  2. Go to General.
  3. Tap Keyboard.
  4. Make sure Split Keyboard is enabled.

Here’s how to split or undock your keyboard.

  1. Start any app you want to type in.
  2. Once your keyboard appears, press and hold the keyboard key located at the bottom right of your keyboard.
  3. Tap on the word Split.
  4. If you want to go back to normal, just tap the same keyboard button one more time and tap on Merge.

Please note, although the Split Keyboard feature isn’t readily available in the 12.9″ iPad Pro models. Why I hear you ask? Beats me. But there may be an easy workaround.

Use Hidden Keys When Using a Split Keyboard

Now that you tried using the Split Keyboard on your iPad, you’re probably having some issues typing certain letters. You might want to type the letter T with your right hand, but the key is on your left side.
Pretty annoying, right? Well, Apple actually thought of this and added some extra hidden keys on the Split Keyboard to make it easier to type.
When you’re using the Split Keyboard, try pressing next to the letter Y with your right hand, and you should see that you actually type the letter T in the text field. The same goes if you try to type the letter Y by pressing next to the letter T on your left side. How cool is that?

You Can Also Make Your Keyboard Float

Not only can you split your iPad keyboard, but you can also make it float as a smaller keyboard that’s better to write with one hand.
To try using the floating keyboard, just do the following:

  1. Tap on any text field until your keyboard shows up.
  2. Put two fingers on the keyboard and pinch it to make it smaller.
  3. Drag your keyboard to your desired location.

Pro tip: You can also slide your finger on the floating keyboard to write without actually tapping. Your iPad will help you by auto-correcting what you write.
If you want to make it go back to normal, just put two fingers on your floating keyboard and spread them apart to enlarge it back again to its full size.

Use Your Keyboard as a Trackpad

As you can already tell, the iPad keyboard is packed with features to make your work as easy as possible, but the great news is that it can also work as a trackpad.
That’s right! You don’t need to get a fancy new Magic Keyboard or another Bluetooth mouse for your iPad. All you need to do is place two fingers on your keyboard when it appears. Your iPad’s keys will disappear, and you’ll be able to navigate any chunk of text by sliding your fingers.
Using this method also makes it easier to select text with your keyboard. Just tap twice with two fingers and immediately hold. You should see the iPad highlights one word from the text. You can slide to the left or right to keep selecting more text.

Use Key Flicks to Type Faster

to save time typing on the iPad, you need to master it.
To use Key Flicks on iPad, all you have to do is drag any key down on your keyboard and then release it. You’ll see that the “second key” from your keyboard immediately appears.
The iPad’s Key Flicks are enabled by default, but if you want to make sure you haven’t disabled it, or in case you want to, here’s what you need to do:
Open the Settings app on your iPad.
Go to General.
Tap on Keyboard.
Make sure Enable Key Flicks is turned on.

Undo and Redo with Three Fingers

If you’re used to typing each day, one of your favorite keyboard shortcuts might be Command + Z or Control + Z.
Unfortunately, the iPad’s keyboard doesn’t have a Command key, although that would be a game-changer. Instead, you need to use a different way to Undo or Redo a misspelled word.
The good news is that it isn’t hard at all, and there are different ways to do it.
If you want to undo something you just typed, instead of deleting it, you can simply place three fingers on the iPad’s display (it doesn’t have to be on the keyboard itself), and swipe to the left. This will undo your most recent text.
Pro Tip: There’s another way to undo what you just wrote. All you need to do is shake your iPad, and a pop-up message will appear asking if you want to undo the last thing you wrote.
Now, if you want to redo something you just undo, you can use the same trick, only instead you have to do it the other way. That is, to redo, all you need to do is place three fingers on your iPad’s screen and then swipe to the right. A small message will appear at the top saying “Redo” or tell you that there’s nothing to redo at the time.

Your Favorite iPhone Keyboard Tricks

What are some of your favorite tips and tricks for the iPad keyboard? Share with us in the comments below.

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5 iPhone Accessibility Features You Didn’t Know About

by GeeksModo Staff
Accessibility options iPhone

You can say whatever you want about Apple, but one thing’s for sure; the company is constantly working to make its devices more inclusive. Apple’s hardware and software are incredibly easy to use – additionally, every device has accessibility features to aid those who need extra help. People with visual impairments or even blindness can use an iPhone fairly easily, and so can people who have hearing issues. The best part? Anyone can use these iPhone accessibility features on a day-to-day basis. You can turn on these iPhone accessibility features to make it easier to read things or even become more productive. Continue reading to discover five iPhone accessibility settings to try right now.

Let Your iPhone Alert You of Urgent Sounds

If you’re someone who’s always putting on your AirPods Max, or other noise-canceling headphones, you should give this iPhone accessibility feature a try. Sound Recognition is a feature that makes your iPhone listen for specific noises. That way, if you have trouble hearing or you’re using headphones, your iPhone will give you a notification whenever it hears something urgent like a knock, a doorbell, or a fire alarm.
Keep in mind that you shouldn’t rely on Sound Recognition in dangerous situations. It should be used as an aid to hear sounds you can’t. Plus, it’s still far from perfect. Here’s how to use it.

  1. Open Settings.
  2. Tap Accessibility.
  3. Scroll down and tap on Sound Recognition.
  4. Turn on the switch next to Sound Recognition.
  5. Afterward, tap on Sounds and select the sounds you want your iPhone to “hear.”

As you can see, this accessibility feature will need to use some storage on your iPhone. That is because this feature uses on-device intelligence so that you can use it even offline. Plus, you can rest assured Apple itself isn’t constantly listening and recording anything.

Make Your iPhone or iPad Read for You

Podcasts and audiobooks are really popular these days—and for a good reason. Hearing books is the perfect way to multitask and learn at the same time. That being said, audiobooks can be pretty expensive.
Fortunately, Apple users have another way to listen to books. Thanks to an iPhone accessibility settings called Spoken Content, you can make your iPhone or iPad read for you. And not just books, websites, and more work too! Here’s how to use it:

  1. Start the Settings app.
  2. Tap Accessibility.
  3. Tap on Spoken Content.
  4. Turn on Speak Screen and Speak Selection.

Speak Screen makes your iPhone read everything that’s on your screen, whereas Speak Selection will show a Speak button when you select text.
If you’re using Speak Screen, simply swipe down with two fingers from the top of your screen. A small menu will pop up, and your iPhone will start reading whatever is on the screen.
Granted, it’s not the most soothing voice you’ve heard, but it’ll get the job done if you need to read something for school or work.

Control iPhone with Your Voice

Apple has this iPhone accessibility feature called Voice Control, which does what you’d expect. You can give orders and control your iPhone with your voice.

Think of Voice Control as a more accessible and customizable Siri. You can give your iPhone orders, such as opening apps, showing the Control Center, or asking your iPhone for more details on what’s on screen. You can even dictate and edit text.
The best part is that, unlike Siri, this feature works offline, and you can change the language if you need to. You can even create specific commands with whatever words you want to use. To use Voice Control, do the following:

  1. Open Settings.
  2. Tap Accessibility.
  3. Tap on Voice Control.
  4. Select Set up Voice Control.
  5. Tap on Done.

You can also enable Voice Control by asking Siri to turn it on or off, making it easier to use your iPhone if you have your hands full.

Use the Built-in Magnifier App

Isn’t it crazy how some people can just see without glasses? I wonder what that’s like.. Some of us do need to wear glasses, but not everyone likes them. Or, if you’re like me, you probably forget about them every now and then. If that happens to you, you can rely on your iPhone to use it as a magnifying glass.
The Magnifier is an accessibility feature that does what you think; it lets you use the camera on your iPhone as a magnifying glass. You can zoom in or out to see better, and you can even turn your flashlight on or take pictures. Keep in mind any picture you take with the Magnifier won’t be saved on your iPhone. Here’s how to enable Magnifier.

  1. Open Settings.
  2. Tap Accessibility.
  3. Tap on Magnifier.
  4. Toggle Magnifier on.

A new Magnifier app should be added to your Home screen.
After you enable this feature, you can also access the Magnifier app in your App Library or by searching Magnifier on your Spotlight Search. You just need to open the app and use the controls to zoom in on fine print you need to read.

Add Two Buttons to Your iPhone

We’ve previously talked about Back Tap, but it’s such a cool iPhone accessibility feature we needed to remind you it exists.
You can add one or two “buttons” on the back of your iPhone with the Back Tap feature. When enabled, you can tap twice or three times on the back of your iPhone to make it do a specific action, like taking a screenshot or opening the Notification Center.
Keep in mind that you can only use this feature on any iPhone that supports Face ID. It’s because the technology to register your taps isn’t available on iPhones with Touch ID, so this won’t work on any older iPhone or the second-generation iPhone SE.

  1. Start the Settings app.
  2. Tap Accessibility.
  3. Tap on Touch.
  4. Scroll down and tap on Back Tap.
  5. Select Double or Triple Tap and assign an action to them.

Once you’re done, tap twice on three times on the back of your iPhone to test it.
Please note that if you’re using a case, Back Tap won’t work perfectly. This is a fairly new feature, so we should expect Apple to improve it in upcoming software updates.

Conclusion:

Accessibility has long played an integral role in Apple’s major iOS releases, and things are no different in iOS 14. With the ability of VoiceOver to recognise and describe unlabelled elements in apps and websites, a redesigned Magnifier, a new Back Tap gesture, as well as other notable enhancements, blind and vision impaired iPhone users have lots to smile about.

Tag: accessibility
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How to clean your MacBook the right way

by GeeksModo Staff

Gunk happens! Here’s how to clean your MacBook screen and keyboard without inflicting harm. (It’s easy, and you can use products you have around the house.)

To be sure, the last year has made all of us more suspicious than ever of the surfaces we deal with every day. The constant hand-washing. The wiping-down of groceries. And the scrambling for that rarest of treasures: a legit can of Lysol on a store shelf. But that’s all to deal with invisible, harmful invaders. What about the gunk and grunge you can see?

Dust, coffee stains, oil from your fingertips, food particles, plain old grime: If your MacBook shows any of those, it’s time for a spring cleaning and disinfecting. Basic cleaning supplies and 15 minutes of time can make your Mac look brand new again. This guide goes through all aspects of Mac cleaning, including how to deal with its screen, the keyboard, the outside surfaces, the vents, and the ports. We show you what to do and what to avoid, as well as share some handy tips on keeping your Mac looking clean all the time—not just when it achieves grunge “critical mass.”

On Your Marks, Get Your Cleaning Supplies
Most of the cleaning supplies that you need may already be in your home. A proper cleaning cloth is first. Instead of a cotton rag or paper towels, which can leave behind dusty debris (some brands are better than others, that way), use microfiber. It’s easily found from major e-commerce sellers like Amazon, or in grocery, automotive-supply, and dollar stores. The least expensive microfiber will work fine.

Next, invest in a can of pressurized canned air, found online and in grocery and electronics stores. It’s quite effective for blasting debris from hard-to-reach spaces—with a key caveat we’ll get into in a moment. You’ll also do well to buy a packet of plastic dental cleaners, the type with tiny bristles, like a miniature bottle brush. They can coax hairs, crumbs, and other stubborn debris from their hiding places. (Oh, and the leftovers are great for teeth, too.)

For cleaning solutions, tap water or distilled water can be used for just about everything. However, simple water doesn’t disinfect, or remove oil and other substances particularly well by itself. Dish soap (a strong mix at first, diluted 50/50 with water) or vinegar are appropriate for any surface. In addition, isopropyl alcohol and hydrogen peroxide are effective for disinfecting the keyboard. The alcohol has the nice side benefit of drying quickly.

Definitely avoid ammonia and bleach-based products. These are too harsh for many surfaces, especially the screen. For the MacBook panel, electronics stores sell dedicated screen cleaner solution (usually in a pump-spray form) if you prefer a specialized product. (One such example is CleanScreen.) When in doubt, stick to products that are skin-safe.

Let’s get going. Completely turn off and unplug your MacBook before cleaning. It might seem obvious to do that, but you’ll be inadvertently pressing many keyboard keys while cleaning. You wouldn’t want to accidentally hit Delete over an important document, or wipe out desktop shortcuts due to key-mashing.

If you’re working with cleaners or compressed air, do the job in a ventilated area. Also, use a hard, flat surface, such as a table or desk for your venue. Put a clean towel (preferably microfiber) down, then place your MacBook on top so it has some cushioning and protection from scratches when you flip it over on the lid.

Last, wash and dry your hands before you start and after you’re done. If you intend to use cleaning products other than water and have sensitive skin, consider wearing latex or plastic gloves.

Before You Begin: Pro Tips for Handling Your MacBook
Though your MacBook will be stationary while you’re cleaning it, you’ll need to manipulate it in unnatural ways throughout the process to get at every surface. Doing so improperly can damage or break it. Observe the following tips even when you’re not cleaning your MacBook to keep it in running order.

The ground rule for MacBook handling is to put as little pressure as possible on its surfaces. Respecting this principle helps avoid one of the most common causes of MacBook failure: cracked circuit boards, or at least broken solder traces on a board. These usually occur not because the MacBook was dropped, but because the chassis was flexed or pressed too much.

Use both hands to support either side of the MacBook while picking it up or moving it, especially if grabbing it by the keyboard deck. This more evenly distributes pressure from your fingertips, creating less stress on the chassis. Avoid picking up the MacBook by one of its corners, since doing that concentrates extreme pressure in one area.

Lifting the MacBook by any part of its lid is another no-no. Close the lid before moving it to make its footprint smaller. A closed MacBook is also less likely to get damaged if dropped.

Another often-ignored rule? A no-liquids perimeter! Keep open liquids out of spill range of your MacBook. This is especially important if you have pets or children who tend to surprise you at odd moments. Accidents occur all the time.

Remember, you won’t be holding the MacBook while cleaning it. Not only would that be difficult, but it would violate many of the “Don’t do this!” guidelines outlined above.

Square One: Clean Debris With Canned Air

Particles, dust, and hair can lodge themselves anywhere that gaps exist in your MacBook: under the keyboard keys, around the screen edges (inside the bezel), and both in and around the touchpad buttons, the physical ports, and the cooling vents. Clearing that debris before doing anything else is logical; you wouldn’t want to clean a larger surface only to scatter dislodged crud from crevices all over it a moment later.

Start with the canned air. Follow the directions and warnings on the canned air package. If a straw is included, insert it into the nozzle to concentrate the air stream. Use short bursts (of less than a second), keeping the can at about arms’ length. Crucially important: Keep a slight distance between the nozzle and the target of the airflow, and close in only as much as you must to dislodge the material. Touching the target with the nozzle or sticking it in a port, then letting the can rip, can cause condensation, a dangerous side effect of canned air. You definitely don’t want moisture forming, say, inside a USB port, on the contacts under a keyboard key, or inside the chassis through a seam. Err on the side of safety.

Also, another important tip: Never use the canned air with the can in anything but an upright position, to avoid water vapor from coming out. If the can gets too cold, let it rest for a few minutes before continuing. One spot to be prepared for is in the exhaust vents, where clotted dust tends to accumulate in the fans and heat spreaders. Be ready for a little burst of dust if you blow the canned air into the vents. Don’t inhale.

How to clean MacBook keyboard

To clean the keyboard, start at the bottom row and work your way up. Two bursts per key ought to produce results. You might need to approach the keyboard from different angles, such as from the side, to get everything. Some bagel crumbs are really stubborn.

Canned air isn’t an end-all debris clearer. Try the dental cleaners if a few bursts don’t do the job. Focus on gently loosening debris with the brushes; you can use canned air to blast gunk out, if needed, once it is stirred up. A key thing: Like with canned air, don’t overdo it or get too aggressive. Don’t force the cleaners into places, poke too hard, or pry under the keyboard keys.

Mild scrubbing around the edges ought to do most of the job, if your cleaners have bristles. Plus, if pet hair is a factor for you, guiding the bristle brushes along key edges can grab hairs and pull them out.

Removing the debris was half the battle. Now, let’s focus on cleaning surfaces.

Don’t Type Another Word! Clean and Disinfect That Keyboard
The touchy-feely keyboard is an obvious candidate for a thorough cleaning. Dirt, grime, oil from your fingertips, and lots of bio-critters live here. Use microfiber for this.

The (potentially) wrong way to clean your MacBook keyboard is to simply wipe your microfiber (or any) cloth straight across it. Depending on the keyboard design, the towel can catch on key edges and rip them clean off. (Ouch—not the kind of clean you are looking for!) Instead, spend a couple of seconds on each key.

Start by lightly dampening a quarter-size area of the microfiber with your preferred cleaning product—and we do emphasize “lightly.” (For disinfecting power, use vinegar, isopropyl alcohol, or hydrogen peroxide.) If liquid drips out when you squeeze the towel, you’ve used too much. You don’t want the chance of droplets getting inside anything.

Put the dampened portion in gentle contact with a key. Use just enough pressure to depress the key, then slowly move the microfiber in a circular motion with a finger.

Watch the microfiber as you clean. As the section you’re using gets soiled (don’t be embarrassed if it does…cleaning is a good thing!), dampen another section and keep going. Clean between the keys, too, if the keyboard is the “island”-style shown here.

Clean the Chassis and TouchBar

The next phase is cleaning the MacBook’s outer surfaces. Dampen a larger section of your microfiber with your cleaning product (again, not to the point of dripping). Moving outward from the keyboard, start with the palm rest and touchBar, then move to the screen border or bezels. (You’ll clean the screen itself in the next section.) After that, close the MacBook and work on the lid and underside.

As with the keyboard keys, circular motions are effective. Never rub too hard, but only use about as much pressure as it takes to push down a keyboard key.

For stubborn stains, especially coffee, you can apply a tiny amount of diluted dish soap directly to them and let it sit for a minute to break down the stain. Only try this on level surfaces, so the soap doesn’t run or drip anywhere. Afterward, work the stain with microfiber dampened with water. Remove any soapy residue, and be liberal with using clean sections of your cloth.

How to clean Mac screen

Cleaning the display panel is the final, and most delicate, task. To clean Mac screen safely, start by dampening a fresh section of your microfiber with water and see how much you can accomplish with just that. Start from the edges and work your way inward, to avoid lodging cleaner or gunk bits under the bezel as you wipe.

It’s important to support the MacBook’s lid with your free hand behind where you are cleaning, so the Mac doesn’t flip backward and the lid doesn’t twist. And use no more pressure than is required to make the microfiber contact the screen. (The towel should do the work, not pressure.)

Like with cleaning the chassis, diluted dish soap works well for tough stains or marks. You might try a dedicated screen cleaner as noted earlier. Whether water or that, be careful not to let any liquid drip into the edges of the screen. And most important: Never, ever spray the screen directly with any cleaner or water. Always apply it to your cleaning cloth first, and test for non-saturation and dripping before you apply cloth to screen. If you spray your liquid straight on, runoff can easily get under the screen’s bottom bezel, and critical electronics often live right there.

Tips for Always Keeping Your MacBook Clean

Now that your MacBook is clean, there’s no need to use any protective product, such as wax, on any of its surfaces. Don’t think of it like a car finish! In fact, using something like that might cause problems, especially if it were to get on the screen. Bear in mind, for example, that when the MacBook is closed, depending on the design, the keytops or the keyboard deck may make contact (or near-contact) with the display. And any material on there could transfer to the panel.

However, a MacBook is like a car in a different sense: Cleaning a MacBook takes much longer if you put it off for a long time. So save yourself time and have a cleaner-looking MacBook all the time with regular attention. You don’t need a calendar reminder. Simply keeping microfiber within reach (in your MacBook bag or on your desk, for instance) will give you little excuse to ignore sticky food and coffee spots. Tap water should be all you need if they aren’t allowed to dry.

Nonetheless, a little disinfectant is always handy for keeping the keyboard sanitary. These days, peace of mind can be hard to come by, and keeping your MacBook free of invaders you can see—and those you can’t—is an easy way to regain a bit control in your world. So show those germs who’s boss!

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