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8 Incredible iPhone Apps to Make Your Life Easier

by GeeksModo Staff

I admit, my iPhone is an extension of whom I am. The apps I have on it should serve two simple purposes; to make my life easier and to allow me to do the things I want to do. Here are 8 of the best iPhone apps to make your life easier in 2020. Enjoy!

Best iPhone apps to make life easier

Without any further ado, here are the best iPhone apps that make life easier:

1. Pocket Casts

Free

Best iPhone apps to make your life easier

Love listening to podcasts? Well. Having a dedicated podcast app that isn’t
Apple Podcasts
can be greatly beneficial. Unlike Apple Podcasts, Pocket Casts is highly customizable.

With Pocket Casts, you can create filters to organize episodes in a range of ways. I have a filter for new releases, downloads, and episodes that were released in the last week. Filters are essentially playlist with conditions. They’re great for tailoring the podcast experience to you and your favorite podcasts.

Another great feature of Pocket Casts absent in other apps of it’s nature is “Trim Silence”. This is especially useful if you want to cut out periods of empty audio to make your listening experience a little more efficient.
Best iPhone apps to make your life easier

If you are looking for the best entertainment apps for
iPhone,
you should definitely give Pocket Casts a try.

2. Carrot⁵

$4.99

Best iPhone apps to make your life easier

The inbuilt weather app is boring and can be very unintuitive at times. Carrot⁵ has a fantastic UI, shows you the most important information first, and has a great looking rolling forecast. There’s not much to say about this app other than that it’s one of the absolute best weather app out there.

Best iPhone apps to make your life easier

3. Unsplash

Free

Unsplash is a platform for professional-looking royalty-free photos. If you traverse across the internet, you’ve most likely noticed how most photos in popular Websites are from Unsplash. It’s no coincidence. It’s a great resource for finding photos for your blog posts, graphic design projects, or any project that requires nicely edited and professional-looking photos. Having Unsplash on your iPhone can prove helpful when you need to grab an image without so much effort.

Best iPhone apps to make your life easier

4. Things 3

$9.99

Best iPhone apps to make your life easier

Things 3 is a fantastic task manager that integrates very well into the Apple ecosystem. The app allows you to sort your tasks into projects, which can be further sorted into areas. Even better, you can drop your tasks into different categories with different functions, like “Today”, “Upcoming”, “Anytime”, or “Someday”.

Projects display a small progress pie-chart so that you can view your progress at a glance. Things 3 is designed to be simple and intuitive, which makes the process of storing and organizing tasks very easy.

Best iPhone apps to make your life easier

5. VSCO

Free

Best iPhone apps to make your life easier

When I’m writing a blog post I don’t always have the time to sit down and edit a featured image. VSCO’s presets and simple editing interface makes editing photos on the go pretty easy.

The presets are well crafted, and adding your touch on top of a preset is super easy. The featured image of this blog post was shot with an iPad Pro and edited on my iPhone 11 Pro using VSCO with the HB2-preset.

VSCO is definitely worth a try if you mind making your photos look a little bit professional!

6. Google Maps

Free

Best iPhone apps to make your life easier

The quality (or lack thereof) of Apple Maps has been a heated debate for the past few years. If you are looking to have a much better experience, with fewer hiccups, more features, and a more reliable navigation system, you should definitely give Google Maps a try.

If you love biking, you should give Google Maps a serious look. The app has fantastic cycling routes, while Apple Maps doesn’t offer any. It’s crazy that an app as big as Apple Maps doesn’t offer the simple feature of bike routes. Google Maps is the the only app you’ll ever need.

Best iPhone apps to make your life easier

7. Forest

$1.99

Best iPhone apps to make your life easier

Keeping your hands off your iPhone when you need to focus can prove challenging. At times, we are required to physically limit our impulses, which Forest does in an enjoyable way. With Forest, you can set a timer in which you plant a tree, and if you leave the app the tree dies. This gives you the incentive to stay away from social media and other distractions. It’s not good to kill an innocent tree, right?

Every minute you spend in an active timer gets tracked in a virtual forest which gives you an overview of the time you’ve spent focusing. For each timers you complete, you are offered coins, which you can spend on various tree species, or even to plant a real tree through the organization Trees for the Future!

Best iPhone apps to make your life easier

8. 1Password

$2.99/month

When it comes to password managers, 1Password is simply the best in the market. It does exactly what it describes, and it does it very well. The data you store in 1Password is end-to-end encrypted, so you can sleep well knowing you’re the only one with access to your information.

1Password can come in handy especially if you want to remember credit card information, passwords, or other information that you’d need ona daily basis.

Best iPhone apps to make your life easier
Best iPhone apps to make your life easier

And that covers everything about best iPhone apps to make your life easier. If you found this article helpful, please share it with your friends and comment with your app suggestions!

Which one of the above apps have you chosen? Do tell us about them and also let us know the names of the apps, which you think should be featured in this article.

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5 Best iPhone Productivity Apps in 2020

by GeeksModo Staff

Over the years here at GeeksModo, we’ve talked about plenty of iOS apps that you can use to improve your overall productivity. There are certain ones that many of our contributors and editors (past and present) have adopted over the long-term — there are always the stalwarts that stick around. But there are also new
productivity apps for iPhone
that emerge every day, adding more and more depth to the app category.

Some of iPhone productivity apps are incredibly basic and simple, while others are more robust and offer more features than you can shake a stick at. And everyone has the one they prefer.

It’s been our responsibility(and still is our responsibility) to keep abreast of all of the best iPhone productivity apps out there. As a result — and as a bit of a refresher — we’ve put together a list of 5 best iPhone productivity apps to make your day more productive, focused and entertaining

Best iPhone Productivity Apps 2020

Without any further ado, here are the best iOS productivity apps 2020.

1. Streaks

$4.99

Best iPhone Productivity Apps

Streaks is, while pricey, considered to be one of the (if not the) most robust and full-featured productivity apps for iPhone on the market. As far as getting into new habits is concern, some initial motivation is, in most cases, not enough to make you commit to them. For me, getting into an exercise routine and meeting my daily study goals were habits I wanted to build, but found it challenging to keep up… until I discovered the app Streaks.

On the surface, Streaks appears simple and plain, but beneath the straightforward landing screen, there are loads of features. Streaks allows users to create tasks and goals to achieve regularly (daily, or on certain days during the week). By keeping up your streaks, you’ll be less likely to break the habits you’re seeking to build. You can check your progress and reflect on what you need to do to improve your habits from the statistics screen.

The ultimate goal should be to not need Streaks at all since you want to get into a regular routine of getting things done. But it’s a great way to get into the mindset of building a lasting habit if you find it challenging to adopt one.

Best iPhone Productivity Apps

2. Audible

30 day free trial, then from $14.95/month

Best iPhone Productivity Apps

Audiobooks are becoming more and more common — and for good reason. You can listen to your favorite books any time and anywhere. As such, your are no longer limited by how much time you have during the day. Audible lets you absorb informationwhile also getting stuffs done, like doing the dishes, cleaning, or going for a walk.

Audible boasts a massive library of both books and podcasts, and you’ll be sure to find whatever book you need on Audible. For $14.95 a month you get One credit each month that you can redeem for any audiobook, irrespective of price, which is a great deal.

New users are offered one audiobook for free when they sign up for Audible membership.

If you join Audible, an expert tip is to slowly increase the speed at which you listen to books. At the beginning, I was listening at 1.0X speed and quickly found it way too slow, so over time I cranked it up to 1.8X which I find to be the most comfortable speed for getting through a book reasonably fast while still absorbing the knowledge.

Best iPhone Productivity Apps

3. Apollo

Free

Best iPhone Productivity Apps

Reddit is a fantastic source of meaningful discussion and entertaining content. In case you’ve never heard of Reddit (which is probably unlikely), it’s a forum platform where users can create forums or post in already existing ones. The topics range from tech news to the most niche subjects you’ve probably never heard about. Subreddits, as the forums are called, such as r/photoshopbattles or r/moviedetails are a good way to spend a few minutes to take your mind off a busy day.

If you’re a frequent Reddit user you may not have heard of an app called Apollo. Basically, Apollo is a Reddit client that enhances the experience of browsing Reddit greatly. With a an easy to navigate user interface, smooth comment sorting system, and many more features, you’ll want to use Apollo instead of the native Reddit app.

Best iPhone productivity apps

4. Calendar by 44

Free

Best iPhone Productivity Apps

I’ve tried dozens of calendar apps, and most of the time they are either too jam-packed with too much information going on at once or too bare-bones where I feel that they’re falling short of features. Calendar by 44 hits the sweet spot of being just in the middle.

Calendar by 44 is about being able to change your schedule without much effort on your side. It has a clean calendar view, and loads of features while still showing you only what you need to see. According to 44, the company behind the app, the goal of this app is for it to be used by only your thumb and to offer a simplistic take on the calendar.

It feels like Calendar by 44 shaves away the unnecessary details of some calendar apps and adds functions that others lack. It’s a fantastic combination of Gorgeous design and tremendous functionality, and definitely worth a try.

Best iPhone Productivity Apps

5. Hour Blocks

Free

Best iPhone Productivity Apps

I’ve been trying to move away from the to-do list and towards scheduling my tasks in a calendar, but I find there are advantages to both that partly get lost by only using one of the two systems. Hour Blocks offers a new take on your daily tasks.

By showing your tasks as a to-do list, but at the same time in a day-by-day format, Hour Blocks lets you enjoy both worlds. The app can come in handy when you want a very basic overview of what you need to get done. Having said that, I’m not sure if the app is ready to replace my to-do list app (or calendar for that matter) just yet, but it’s got huge potential of becoming a core part of my productivity arsenals. What separates Hour Block’sfrom the park is it’s clean user interface, which is lacking in many other scheduling-apps. With a clean and easy to navigate user interface, it achieves clarity when you might feel overwhelmed or busy.

If you’re looking for a free iPhone productivity apps, you should definitely give Hour Blocks a try.

Best iPhone Productivity Apps

If you enjoyed this article, please share it with your friends and comment if you have any good iOS productivity apps of your own!

Tag: Productivity
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5 Best Free Productivity Apps for iPhone in 2020

by GeeksModo Staff

Well, I concede. I’m somewhat of an app junkie. But I’ll blame that on iOS being such a great operating system, partly due to the support for developers to make fantastic apps that makes our lives a little bit easier. With that in mind, let’s look at the best free productivity apps for iPhone in 2020. Enjoy!

Free productivity apps for iPhone

This list of free productivity apps for iPhone highlights only the very best in class based on our (the writers and editors at GeeksModo) experience with the platform and our knowledge of
productivity.

With that in mind, here are the Best free Productivity Apps for iPhone

1. Shift

Free

Best Free Productivity Apps for iPhone

Shift is a bit of a niche app when it comes to workout apps for iOS. Basically, the app allows you to quickly switch between listening to podcasts when you’re resting between sets and listening to music while you’re working out. You just need to tap pause and it’ll switch over to the other mode. This app is a fantastic workout companion in the era of working out at home.

Best Free Productivity Apps for iPhone

The app features one of the cleanest user interface of any app on the market. It’s incredibly easy to tune the timers for each mode, and the main screen simply features a toggle button between podcasts and music. One feature that I truly like about this app is that you can import podcasts from your favorite podcast player. I use Pocket Casts and the process of importing my podcast library was smooth and quick.

If you’re looking to make your workouts just a little more fun and focused, Shift might be the app you’ll ever need.

2. Collect

Free

Best Free Productivity Apps for iPhone

Collect is a simple idea and image sharing platform created by WeTransfer. It allows users to save images, files, documents, and notes in board-style formats, and then share it with others in an easy way. It’s perfect for collaborative assignments or projects, particularly now that remote work is becoming the order of the day.

Best Free Productivity Apps for iPhone

3. IFTTT

Free

Best Free Productivity Apps for iPhone

IFTTT is one of the most interesting productivity and automating services available today. The service allows users to automate processes and link different apps and services together to customize and automate workflows. An example of an applet (IFTTT’s name for workflows) is one that turns your Philips Hue lights on at your porch when the pizza delivery from Dominoes is on its way.

Best Free Productivity Apps for iPhone

IFTTT works by the simple formula “if X happens, Y will happen”. You set a trigger (pizza delivery on the way, for example), and then an action that will take place (Philips Hue lights turn on). As of 2020, IFTTT had over 500 connected services, so the supply of possible workflows is massive.

If you’re into smart homes and automation, IFTTT is definitely worth trying.

4. MindNode

Free

Best Free Productivity Apps for iPhone

I’m a visual learner, so I’m generally a huge fan of mind-mapping software. when it comes to creating really Fantastic mind maps, MindNode is one of the best tool in the market . The free iOS version has limited features compared to the pro version or the macOS app, but it gets the job done if you simply want to quickly create a mind map.

Best Free Productivity Apps for iPhone

5. Cardhop

$4.99Best Free Productivity Apps for iPhone

This is the only paid app in this list. If you’re looking to replace the native iOS apps with even better, third party apps, you should definitely try Cardhop. It’s a contacts app created by the company behind the fantastic calendar app Fantastical.

Just like Fantastical, Cardhop features a natural language input for search, adding and editing, and interacting with your contacts. The app gives you the ability to sort your contacts using groups (seriously, I don’t understand why Apple removed the group function for the iOS Contacts app!?) and Smart Groups. With Smart Groups, you can automatically group your contacts based on criteria that suits your needs, like contacts from a specific company or contacts that don’t have a listed birthday.

Best Free Productivity Apps for iPhone

Cardhop syncs with your iCloud contacts, so you don’t have to manually transfer your previously saved contacts to Cardhop. It’s the app
Apple
should’ve made, but choose not to.

If you enjoyed this article, please share it with your friends and comment if you have any favorite free productivity apps for iPhone of your own!

Tag: Productivity
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4 Best Free iPhone Apps in 2020

by GeeksModo Staff

Your iPhone is only as great as the apps you have on it. Finding great apps on the App Store can be quite challenging, which is why I’ve compiled four best free iPhone apps for you to try. Enjoy!

Best Free iPhone Apps

1. Apollo for Reddit

Free

Best apps for iPhone

Reddit is a very useful platform of knowledge and opinion that I use on my
iPhone.
There are forums for everything, no matter how niche. Some of my favorite subreddits are r/Apple, r/iPhone, and r/iOS. Apollo is a Reddit client that works a lot better than the original Reddit app.

Ever since I discovered Apollo (which, ironically, was recommended to me by a Reddit app user,) I haven’t looked back. The app has a clean user interface, and navigating the app is far way easier when compared to Reddit app. The app allows you to choose between different app icons and themes for the app, as well as other cosmetic settings and usability features.

Best apps for iPhone

If you use Reddit, you should definitely give Apollo a try.

2. VSCO

Free

Best apps for iPhone

If you ever want to edit photos on your
iPhone
, VSCO might be the only app you’ll ever need. The app offers you multiple great-looking filters and a super simple yet functional editing tool which makes it the best photo editing app in the market.

If you don’t want to edit your photos manually, you can simply use one of the filters built into the app. With a tap, your photos can be transformed from boring to amazing.

Best apps for iPhone

In case you’re looking to touch up your photos in a simple way, VSCO is worth a serious look.

3. Fantastical

Free

Best apps for iPhone

The inbuilt iOS Calendar app is plain and not very feature-rich. I discovered Fantastical a few years ago and has used it as my default calendar app since. Fantastical not only looks better than the iCal app, but it offers fantastic features that’ll speed up your calendar workflows and make your life a little bit easier.

Best apps for iPhone

Fantastical offers support for “natural language input”, a feature which allows users to enter a calendar item (and all its information) in one single line. Let’s say you type “Pick up dry cleaning at 6 pm”, Fantastical automatically sets the title to “Pick up dry cleaning” and the time to 6 pm. As such, you don’t have to manually type in the information, but can instead treat Fantastical as an assistant that types it out for you.

4. Vellum

Free

Best apps for iPhone

You might already know that finding great wallpapers is not easy. Most of the wallpaper apps in the App Store are plain and barebones. I like having a completely black wallpaper on my home screen but something stunning to display on my lock screen. Vellum is a super unique wallpaper app that regularly curates high-quality wallpapers by incredibly talented graphic designers and artists.

Best apps for iPhone

I trust you enjoyed this quick list of four best iPhone apps. If you found this article helpful, please share it with your friends and comment with your own app suggestions!

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Found a Lost or Stolen iPhone? Do These Things

by GeeksModo Staff

Even with the best of intentions, you might find it difficult to know how to proceed when you find a lost or stolen iPhone. Thankfully, there are a few simple steps you can take to help return the device to its rightful owner.

There’s no exception when it comes to other people’s property, so holding onto something that isn’t yours could be theft. Plus, all modern iPhone models are useless thanks to the Activation Lock feature. So here’s what to do if you’ve found a lost iPhone.

1. Is the Lost iPhone Charged?

What to do: Purchase or borrow a charger and keep the device switched on and charging.

Modern smartphone batteries don’t last for long, so in most cases, a lost device has a day (at best) before it runs out of battery. If there’s no charge, try Pressing down the power button (a single button on the right-hand side) to see what happens.

If the iPhone is off, you’ll first need to charge it. If you are not an iPhone user, you’ll either need to borrow or purchase a new Lightning cable.

2. Does It Have a Passcode Lock?

What to do: Check for a passcode, but don’t try to brute-force it. Check the call log and registered Apple ID for contact details if you can access them.

Once the iPhone boots up, a lock screen will appear. Pressing the Home button or swiping up at the bottom of the screen—depending on which iPhone model you’ve found—will probably ask you for a passcode, Touch ID, or Face ID.

But there’s a slight chance the phone will unlock. This may happen if the owner didn’t set a passcode, which is recommended for all iPhone owners.

If by chance the iPhone does unlock, there are two options to get more information. The first is to go to Settings > iTunes & App Store to see what the owner’s registered Apple ID email address is. You can then send an email to the owner, letting them know that you found their iPhone.

The second is to go to Phone > Recent and check the call log. You should be able to determine an appropriate contact to call so you can let them them that you’ve found this iPhone. You should also be able to find the owner’s name listed at the top of the Contacts list in the Phone app.

3. Look to Medical ID for More Information

What to do: Access the Medical ID feature, even with a locked iPhone.

If you’re still searching for the owner of a lost iPhone, give the Medical ID feature a try. While its core use is to provide important medical information to first responders in case of an emergency, it can also give you additional hints about the identity of the owner.

To reveal the Medical ID function, access the lock screen on any iPhone and then tap on Emergency button located at the bottom-left hand of the display. A number pad on the screen will appear. On the bottom-left of that screen, tap on Medical ID.

If the owner has configured the feature, their name and more information about them will become available. With any luck, that will help you trace the owner.

4. Is the Phone in Lost Mode?

What to do: Look for a message and make contact using the provided details.

Someone else’s iPhone is unusable to anyone other than the owner, so long as Find My iPhone is turned on. A feature called Activation Lock prevents the iPhone from being used even after a software reset, and the same feature allows the rightful owner to locate lost devices.

If the iPhone has been put into
Lost Mode,
the owner has signed into iCloud.com and marked the device as lost. You should see a message letting you of this, accompanied by a message left by the owner. This should include a contact number or email address you can use to get in touch with the owner.

If the iPhone connects to the internet, the owner will receive its location through iCloud. It’s always a good idea to have Find My iPhone enabled on your own device under Settings > [Name] > Find My. Make sure to take a closer look at
our explanation of the Find My app
and everything you need to know about it.

5. Try Asking Siri

What to do: Command Siri to provide you with information to locate the owner.

As long as the iPhone is online, Siri can perform numerous tasks even if the device is locked. This will only be possible if the phone was turned on when you found it, though.

After a restart, Siri is deactivated until you first unlock it. Pressing and holding the home button will activate Siri, which then gives you a chance to ask a question to help find the owner.

You could try asking the following:

  • “Call my wife”—Or husband, mum, daddy, boss, etc.
  • “Read my call log”—This may show you a recent call, so you can then ask Siri to call the contact (by name).
  • “Read my last message”—This will provide the contact’s name plus the message contents.
  • “Who owns this iPhone?”—This will give you the name stored in the owner’s contact entry.
  • “What is my email address?”—You could also try phone number, Twitter handle, and so on.

Apparently, Siri has a boundary on the amount of information disclosed before requiring a passcode. As such, asking Siri to read the call log, then calling any contacts you find, might be the best action you can take.

6. Take a Photo

What to do: capture a photo of your contact details that will sync online.

Most iPhone users have iCloud Photos enabled. That feature backs up every photo and video taken by devices using your Apple ID to iCloud. This lets you access your pictures on any iOS device, or a Mac, with the same Apple ID. That can come in handy when trying to find an owner of a lost iPhone.

The iPhone doesn’t have to be unlocked to capture a photo or video. On the lock screen, select the camera icon or swipe from right to left to reveal the camera. You can then capture a photo. The best idea would be to snap a photo of your contact details.

Hopefully, the photo will be backed up to the iCloud Photos account of the owner and they’ll see it on another device they use.

Found an iPhone? Make Contact or Hand It In

Note: if you find a lost iPhone, Activation Lock will inhibit you from using it if the Find My iPhone feature is enabled. It’s essentially a paperweight for as long as you have it in your possession. So don’t expect to use an iPhone you’ve found.

If none of the above methods work, you may need to eject the owner’s Sim Card and note their carrier and the number written on the SIM card. You can then contact the carrier, give them the number, and they might be able to assist contact the owner of the device.

If you’ve tried all the above possibilities with no luck, your last option is to take it to the police station that’s closest to where you found the iPhone. Explain that you’ve found the iPhone and you’ve tried making contact to no avail.

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Home office tips: Scan documents with your iPhone or iPad

by GeeksModo Staff

The corona virus brings everyday life out of the ordinary way and therefore requires a simple solution for the home office. Fortunately, Apple has already integrated a variety of options into iOS, iPadOS and macOS to master tasks – for example, scanning documents with the iPhone and iPad. We would like to show you some variants, because Apple allows scanning in many ways.

Scan documents with iPhone in the Notes app

A few years ago, Apple first started scanning documents in the Notes app, and that’s why we’re starting here. As usual, this works simply and allows sending via email, WhatsApp and storing in the cloud storage. To do this, open the Notes app and create a new note. Then tap on the camera icon and select “Scan documents”. Now hold the iOS device over the document so that it is completely captured by the camera. This happens automatically. With a tap on the shutter button you can also take a manual picture and only have to help with edge detection. Then you can scan the next page in the same way. As soon as you are finished, tap on “Save”. Then you select the scanned document and can share it with other applications.

Files app: Simply scan documents

A clearer method is to scan in the files app. In this way, the document is automatically synchronized in iCloud or other cloud storage, cross-platform and easy to use. In the files app, you first select a storage location – preferably a cloud storage. Once there, hold your finger between the folders and files and tap the additional icon on the right in the context menu. Then select “Scan documents” and follow the instructions on the screen.

Scan and send documents directly in mail

If you don’t want to save a document first, but want to send it by email, you can do that too. To do this, open Apple’s mail app and create a new email or reply. After tapping the text field, a quick entry field appears above the keyboard. SinceiPadOS 13.4 on the iPad there is a document symbol with a border on the right. In older versions, on the other hand, you tap on the normal document symbol and select “Scan document”. On the iPhone, however, the symbols are hidden on the right behind the continuing arrow above the keyboard. Then follow the on-screen instructions and send the e-mail with the attached document.
and that’s pretty much it on how to Scan documents with your iPhone or iPad.
we think you might also like40+ Incredible iPhone Tips and Tricks
If you like this tip, please share it with others. We also have plenty of other articles that I suggest you check right now.

Tag: iPhone Tips
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Clever iPhone Tricks Make Your Music Louder – so you can use it as a speaker

by GeeksModo Staff

NOT satisfied with your iPhone’s loudness? It’s pretty easy to crank up the volume with settings tweaks – and some real-world tricks.

If you want to know how to make iPhone music sound better, then this article is for you. We’ve explained some of the easiest ways to make your music louder so you can use that iPhone as a speaker.

And yes, one way to make iPhone speaker louder involves putting your device in a bowl.
Let’s get started:

How to make iPhone music louder

Here are all the ways you can make your iPhone music louder:

Turn off iPhone volume limiter

To start off, you need to turn off the volume limiter. This feature is designed to prevent you from hurting your ears by playing music in high volume. Of course, it’s not essential – and will be excessive for most people so feel free to turn it off.

  1. Start the Settings app and go toMusic.
  2. Scroll down to Volume Limit.
  3. Toggle it off and you’re ready to go.

Adjust iPhone EQ

Your iPhone features an equaliser that balances out the sound of your music. iPhone EQ are turned off by default, but they needn’t (and shouldn’t) be.
Here’s how to make iPhone speaker louder in settings:

  1. Start the Settings app and go to Music.
  2. Tap on Music EQ and turn it on.
  3. Check out all of the new equaliser settings you can use.
  4. Select the Late Night setting, which cranks up the volume of quieter sounds, making the overall music louder.

It’s the easiest way to boost your music’s loudness.

Put your iPhone in an empty bowl

Another way to make iPhone speaker louder is putting it on an empty bowl. This cool hack basically creates an echo chamber, which will amplify the sound. Be sure the bowl you put your iPhone in is empty and its speakers are facing downwards. If you don’t have a bowl, try using a mug.

Use your hands

Holding your iPhone and want it to sound louder? Well, try cupping your hand around the speaker.

This should in turn direct the sound towards you.

Wall method

  1. Try holding or putting your iPhone next to a wall.
  2. Ensure that it’s at a 45 degree angle.
  3. The sound will then reflect off the wall and come on louder.

Upside down iPhone

Another way to make iphone speaker louder when listening to music, is by turning it upside down so the sound is reflecting upwards. This is because iPhone speakers are fitted at the bottom of the device. Propping up your iPhone and using certain cases can also muffle the sound from these speakers.

iPhone tricks to try today

Here are the best iPhone tips and tricks you should try:

  • Typing cursor – When typing, press down the space bar to turn your keyboard into a trackpad, letting you navigate to any part of the text easily
  • Close all Safari tabs – To do this at once, simply hold the overlapped squares in the bottom right-hand corner of the screen, and tap on close all tabs
  • Delete multiple photos quickly – Hold down on a photo and then drag your finger diagonally in Photos to select multiple images at once, then tap on delete
  • Convert currency quickly – Swipe down from the center of your Home screen (or swipe left to right on an iPhone X), then tap on the search button and type a currency (like $100) and it will automatically covert to your local currency
  • Check if you need a battery replacement – Batteries inside smartphones degrade over time. Simply head over to Settings > Battery > Battery Health, and check out the Maximum Capacity of your iPhone’s battery. Generally a battery is considered significantly degraded when you’re down to 80% capacity. If you’re below, consider and battery replacement from Apple
  • Move apps around faster – touch and hold an app until it starts jiggling, then (while still holding) tap other apps, causing them to stack so you can move them around at once.

We think you might also like these amazing iPhone tips and tricks

Tags: Apple Music, iPhone Tips
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10 Best Tools for Working Remotely From Home

by GeeksModo Staff

For some, working remotely (or ‘working from home’ as it is popularly called) is not a strange concept, as technology companies have long adopted this style of working for their employees. Remote working styles are effective and increase productivity.

The recent worldwide outbreak of the Coronavirus is forcing many companies to adopt the remote working style for their employees. So if things don’t improve quickly (hopefully they do) and the virus continues to spread, you’ll find yourself working from home, which for many is the first time working remotely.

For those new to the concept of working remotely, the switch may be a little strange and overwhelming. Especially if you are not prepared and do not have the right tools to work with.

This article highlights the tools you need to ensure it is distraction-free and productive while you work from home.

Best Tools for Working Remotely From Home

Our best picks:

For chat / collaboration

1. Slack

Just like we have WhatsApp and Telegram groups,Slack is also a chat group, but this time designed for organizations and companies. It is a tool that allows employees to communicate online, both as a group and in personal one-to-one conversations.

It is a perfect tool for remote work as it offers features including permanent chat rooms (channels) for staff that can be organized by topic, private groups and direct messaging.

Slack integrates with many third-party services, including services such as Google Drive, Trello, Dropbox, Twitter, Mailchimp, GitHub, Stripe, Google Calendar and many more.

For video conferences

2. Zoom

Zoom is a remote meeting tool that allows users to meet online. Since its launch in 2011,Zoom has helped companies and organizations bring their teams together throughvideo conferencing,online meetings, chats and mobile collaborations to get work done.

When Zoom launched, it launched with the ability to host conferences with up to 15 video partners, but that has since grown to 500 attendees, allowing you to connect with as many company employees as you like.

3. Google Hangout

Google Hangout, a product of Google, is another means of communication that allows members to participate in text, voice or video chats (one-on-one or in a group). The service is accessible via Gmail or the website.

4. Skype

Perhaps the most popular video conference service first released in 2003,Skype is anotherVideo Conferencing App that enables video chat and voice calls between two or more individuals (teams) from their computers, tablets and smartphones.

For productivity

4. EverNote

EverNoteis a cloud-based note taking app. Aside from taking notes, Evernote supports capturing images from your smartphone camera, recording and saving voice notes. It also supports touchscreen and tablet screens with handwriting recognition.

The Pro (read: paid) version of Evernote integrates directly with Google Drive, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Teams and Slack. Also readBest Notepad Apps for iPhone and iPad

6. Google Docs

One of the components of the Google Office suite, Google Docs, is an online alternative to Microsoft Word.

Google Docsallows you to create, edit and even share your documents online with other users with Google accounts. It stands out in that it allows users to share their documents with others online and even work on them together online.

7. Trello

Trellois a task management collaboration tool that organizes your projects into boards and tells you which project is being worked on and who is working on what.

The service works just like the normal bulletin boards we use, where you paste notes to remind you of tasks and projects. It also integrates directly with Google Drive and Slack.

For the convenience

8. Headset with microphone

Working from home means that you occasionally experience distractions from the TV, roommates or even neighbors. To avoid this, you need to have a good noise canceling headset to block out noise while you work. This is one of the most important tools for working from home.

We also recommend buying one with a microphone. This is useful when you need to meet other employees of your company through a voice or video conference service. Read also Apple AirPods 2 review, the good the bad and the ugly

9. Laptop stand / desk / chair

Working from home means working for hours and you don’t want that from your bed or couch. You need a good workplace environment.

To ensure that you feel comfortable during your working hours, you should purchase a comfortable chair and desk. Instead of a desk, you might as well get a laptop stand (if you use a laptop).

Others

10. MiFi / router

This is important. Without it, you will not be able to use most of the tools we have listed in this article. Since you’re not going to work from your office, where you normally get access to Wi-Fi, you will need to purchase a MiFi or router.

The choice between a MiFi and a router depends, among other things, on the number of devices at your disposal that need the Internet, the availability of the power supply. Also read differences between Wi-Fi and Mi-Fi

It all comes down to productivity

I’ve been working remotely for almost a decade now and I can say with confidence that all the benefits associated with it require you to do one thing: maximize productivity. Once you do this, everything starts to fall into place and you begin to realize the full benefits of working remotely.

You get more done, feel better about your job and have more time to name your own. The domino effects of this are greater happiness, reduced stress and stronger relationships with the people who matter most to you.

However, this is not automatic. With the wrong approach, working remotely can eat your personal life, increase stress, and hinder your relationships in a way that a normal office job would never do – and I say this from experience, too.

Again, it all comes down to productivity.

These iPhone productivity tipsgive you the benefit you need to get more done faster. This allows you to develop healthy work habits (eg, turn off after work) because you can afford it knowing that you’ve already done enough today. As I said, maximize productivity and everything good for working remotely will fall into place.

Work productively from home

Have you ever worked remotely? How was the experience? What tools have helped you work productively at home? Which of the Home Work Tools Have Helped You Avoid Distractions? Please share it with us in the comments section, we would love to know.
And that covers everything about the best tools you should use while working from home.

Tag: Productivity
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30+ Best iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro Tips and Tricks

by GeeksModo Staff

Have you purchased a brand new iPhone 13 or iPhone 13 Pro and wants to get most of it? Here are the best iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro tips and tricks that will help you to get the most out of your new device.

From setting up focus modes to using Siri offline, we’ve got an assortment of iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro tips and tricks you probably didn’t know your iOS device could do. These iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro tips and tricks will have you showing off your abilities to your friends and having them ask you where you learned it all – you can link them here and share the knowledge, of course!

Without any further ado, here are the best iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro tips and tricks you should try first.

Best iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro tips and tricks

Here is a list of the Best iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro Tips and Tricks:

1. iPhone 13 tips and tricks: Set up Focus Modes

Focus creates a distract-free environment around you and disables irrelevant notifications from apps and users. Based on your activity and preference, you can customize a focus profile and select specific apps and contacts to send messages and notifications. It’s like Do Not Disturb mode on steroids. And thankfully, the focus profiles aren’t limited to Apple’s choice only. You can create a custom focus profile for different activities such as Writing, Yoga, Running, Driving, and more. In short, this iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro trick enables you to set up several profiles for different scenarios that give you more control over how you interact with your iPhone. On vacation? You can block notifications from your work apps and email. Sneaking out for a workout during lunch? Same thing, except you can opt to allow messages from Slack in case something urgent comes up. You can even create custom home screens that only show you the apps you want to see for a particular scenario.

You can set up Focus profiles by heading to Settings > Focus. You’ll find preset modes for generic Do Not Disturb, along with Sleep (formerly Bedtime), Personal and Work, with the latter two ready to be set up. Tap on either and follow the on-screen instructions to customize the focus mode, and once complete, you can activate it via the Control Centre. Focus profiles are extremely customizable, so you can really go ham experimenting on what works best for you.

2. iPhone 13 tips and tricks: Schedule Your Notifications

Scheduled Summary collects notifications that aren’t time sensitive and displays them at a certain time in the morning and evening. Or, you can add more summaries and control at what time they appear.

Using on-device machine learning, notifications are arranged by priority based on your interactions with apps. Notifications that the device deems more important are displayed at the top of the summary. Important messages will be immediately delivered.

To set it up, head to Settings > Notifications > Scheduled Summary and toggle it on. You’ll then be prompted to set up the system, adding the apps you’d like to contribute to the notification summary, and set the time(s) you’d like it to appear.
You can choose up to 12 summaries per day, and there are other configurable options including one that allows time-sensitive apps to break free from Notification Summary.

3. iPhone 13 tips and tricks: Re-order Home Screen Pages

Moving multiple icons from one home page to another took a long time. Sure ability to move multiple icons at once helped, but that too had its complications.

This iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro trick lets you re-order entire home screen pages. You can move the whole home screen page from first position to third position without having to individually moving icons.

The best thing about this hidden iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 trick is that all of your widgets and folders will also move along with the page, making it easier to quickly rearrange home screen.

You can move home screen pages by entering the wiggle mode and then tapping on the page dots located right below the home screen icon rows.

4. iPhone 13 tips and tricks: FaceTime Android and Windows users

This iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro trick lets you enable anyone, even if they don’t have an Apple device, to join a FaceTime call with you by creating a link to a ‌FaceTime‌ conversation that can be shared anywhere.

Using this new link facility, friends and family members who do not have an Apple account can log into a ‌FaceTime‌ call with you using a web browser opened on any non-Apple device, whether that’s a Windows PC or an Android phone.
This effectively makes ‌FaceTime‌ a platform-agnostic video service, although you do need to be an iOS or Mac user to start the ‌FaceTime‌ call and send the link. Here’s how this iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro trick work:

  1. Start the FaceTime app on your iPhone 13 or iPhone 13 Pro.
  2. Tap on Create Link.
  3. Give your ‌FaceTime‌ Link an identifiable name by tapping Add Name at the top of the Actions menu that appears.
  4. Select a method of sharing your link from the Actions menu, e.g. over Messages or Mail.
  5. Once you’ve sent the link and the recipient opens it, they’ll be directed to a web page where they can enter their name to join the conversation. Once they’ve joined the call, they’ll have the usual ‌FaceTime‌ options to mute their microphone, disable video, switch the camera view, and leave the call.

5. iPhone 13 tips and tricks: Zoom in QuickTake videos

The next cool iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro trick involves QuickTake. You can zoom in while recording a QuickTake video. To zoom in all you have to do is swipe up or down while recording to zoom in or out.

6. iPhone 13 tips and tricks: Use built-in Authenticator

Gone are the days when you had to rely on third-party Authenticator apps like Google Authenticator or Authy, as now iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro features a built-in Authenticator feature that gives you the ability to quickly generate verification codes and enter them into your online accounts. You can set up authentication code generator on your device by going to Settings > Passwords.

Once you have set up this feature, your device will automatically generate new verification codes when required and autofill them into the website you are trying to log into.

7. iPhone 13 tips and tricks: Organize Your Notes

If you’re a heavy Notes user, then you’ll be happy to try this iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro trick. You can now add tags such as #Work #Grocery or #list to your notes to sort them under these tags.

8. iPhone 13 tips and tricks: Enable iCloud Private Relay

iCloud Private Relay is a feature from Apple that is available on all iCloud subscription tiers. It lets you connect to virtually any network and browse through the Safari browser on your iPhone 13 or iPhone 13 Pro with more security and a private environment.

With iCloud Private Relay all the traffic that leaves your device is not only encrypted but it is also sent through two separate internet relays. This means no one, which includes Apple is able to see your iPhone’s IP address, location or browsing activity. This stops data companies and advertisers from creating a detailed profile based on your browsing history.

You can enable the options from Settings > Profile > iCloud > Private Relay menu.

9. iPhone 13 tips and tricks: Hide IP Address from All Websites

This iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro trick lets you hide IP address from both the third-party trackers and websites. Start the Settings app on your iPhone and head to Safari > Privacy & Security > Hide IP Address and select Trackers and Websites from the following menu.

10. iPhone 13 tips and tricks: Use your iPhone’s camera to scan any text

Have you ever wished you could point your iPhone’s camera at a sign or piece of paper and have it automatically identify then copy the text into an email or a document?

That’s where Live Text comes in – this new iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro trick lets you scan and copy text from photos and your iPhone camera, even if it’s handwritten. And once you’ve pulled the text, you can paste it into any text field. It’s great for quickly sharing addresses, phone numbers, and anything else you don’t want to type out manually.

To use the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro new scan text feature, long-press inside a text field as if you are going to use the copy and paste prompt. Only, you’ll now see a Scan Text button. You may also see a button that uses just the scan icon, which looks like a piece of paper with brackets around it.

Tap the button, which will then replace your keyboard with your iPhone camera’s viewfinder. Point your camera at whatever you want to scan, and then follow the prompts on the screen. For instance, if you’re moving the camera too fast, you’ll see a “Slow Down” message flash on the screen.

As you’re lining up the camera and text just right, you’ll see a live preview of the text your iPhone is identifying and ready to place in your document. Tap the Insert button when you’re ready.

11. iPhone 13 tips and tricks: Switch between tab bar and single bar in Safari

One of the best iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro tips and tricks is the ability to switch between tab bar and single bar. With Tab bar option you can move the Safari address bar to the bottom of the screen, and add new swipe gestures for switching between opened tabs.

When Single Bar option is selected, you get the classic Safari look in which the address bar is moved towards the top of the screen, just like iOS 14 or earlier.

You can switch between the two types of Safari address bars by following these steps.

  1. Go to Settings > Safari
  2. Choose between Tab Bar or Single Bar options
  3. Exit

12. iPhone 13 tips and tricks: Get real-time precipitation alerts from the iPhone’s weather app

Another iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro tip is that you can see real-time snow and rain alerts in the weather app. You can turn on the new precipitation alerts by opening the Weather app, then tapping the three-line icon in the bottom-right corner of the screen. Next, tap the circle icon with the three dots in the top-right corner of the screen followed by Notifications.

Slide the switch next to My Location to the On position and then tap Done. If you have more cities added to the Weather app, you can also turn on alerts for each one.

The next time rain or snow is getting close to you, your iPhone 13 or iPhone 13 Pro will alert you a few minutes before it’s going to start. You’ll also receive another alert when the rain is almost finished.

13. iPhone 13 tips and tricks: Drag-and-drop between apps

One of the best iOS 15 tips and tricks most people don’t know about is the ability to drag and drop items between apps. You can grab an item like a photo, screenshot, text, phone number etc and then drop into into another application. The drag and drop feature works on a system level and works on both stock and third-party apps.

Here’s how to drag and drop files between apps on iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro:

Start the Photos app and view your recent photos. Don’t tap on a picture to open it full screen, instead place a finger on the photo and start to drag your finger across the screen. Don’t lift your finger when the thumbnail starts to float over the rest of the photos, then switch back to the messages app.

You’ll see a green circle with a sign in it show up on the thumbnail indicating that you can lift your finger and the photo will be placed in the text field, ready for you to send.

Pretty easy, right? You can use this same iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro trick to attach a document from the Files app to an email as well.

14. iPhone 13 tips and tricks: Get more information about your photos

I’ve always had to use a third-party app if I wanted to view any of the finer details stored in the EXIF data about a photo I was sent or took myself. With this iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro trick, whenever you’re viewing a photo in the Photos app, you can swipe up on it to open an information view that will detail where you saved the photo from, as well as all of the EXIF information such as shutter speed, location, the camera used and so on.

The added information is a welcome addition even if you don’t care about all of the finer details. At the very least, being able to see where you saved the picture from (including who sent it to you) is enough.

15. iPhone 13 tips and tricks: change your iPhone’s text size for a specific app

Next on out list of best iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro tips and tricks is Per-App Settings feature. You can set and customize display and text settings on per-app basis.

Previously these settings could only be changed on system-level, so if you want to make text larger in one app you would have to make text large on all other apps as well.

With the new Per-App Settings, you can choose which apps you want to customize display and text settings for. You can change these settings for each individual apps, thus having more control over how your iPhone 13 or iPhone 13 Pro works.

To use this iPhone 13 or iPhone 13 Pro trick, open the Settings app, then go to Control Center and scroll down until you find the option labeled Text Size by tapping on the green sign.

The next time you’re in an app and you want to adjust the size of the text, open Control Center (swipe down from the top-right corner of the screen on your iPhone and tap on the Text Size button. Slide the button at the bottom of the screen to the left side of the toggle to indicate you only want your changes applied to the app you’re currently using, and then adjust the font size up or down.

16. iPhone 13 tips and tricks: Set background Sounds

Next up on our list of the best iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 tips and tricks is Background Sounds. With this trick, you can mask unwanted environmental sounds by playing calming background sound on your iPhone. This hidden iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro trick lets you minimize distractions and as a result can help you focusing on the task at hand or help you in getting calm and rest.

You get multiple background sounds including the following:

  • Balanced Noise
  • Bright Noise
  • Dark Noise
  • Ocean
  • Rain
  • Stream

To activate ‘Background Sounds’ on your iPhone 13 or iPhone 13 Pro, head to Settings > Accessibility > Audio/Visual > Background Sounds. From here, you can tap the toggle at the top to turn on the sound, set a volume level, etc.

17. iPhone 13 tips and tricks: Watch Movies and TV Shows Together Using FaceTime

Officially called SharePlay, this iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro trick lets you watch streamed movies and TV shows together. When you’re on a ‌‌FaceTime‌‌ call, everyone on the call will see the same synced playback and video controls.

The following steps explain how this iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro tip works. Note that both parties need to be using ‌FaceTime‌ on an Apple device that supports ‌iOS 15‌, ‌iPadOS 15‌ or MacOS Monterey, for SharePlay to work. SharePlay is not compatible with the browser version of ‌FaceTime‌ available to non-Apple device users.

  1. Start the FaceTime app on your iPhone 13 or iPhone 13 Pro and initiate a call.
  2. When the call has connected, tap the SharePlay button at the top-right corner of the screen in the new control panel.
  3. Tap Share My Screen in the dropdown. After a three-second countdown, screen sharing will initialize.
  4. Now navigate to the TV app or another streaming app, select something to watch, then press Play.
  5. Select SharePlay when the prompt asks you if you want to SharePlay content. Other people on the call will also be asked whether they want to join SharePlay with you.

That’s all there is to it. The video will stream to other people on the call. As you chat and watch the stream together in sync, the volume will automatically adjust so that you can hear everyone talking without missing the show, and if you fast forward or rewind the video, other people on the call will be notified.

Did you know that you can also listen to music together using SharePlay? Simply launch Apple Music and choose a song for everyone to hear it at the same time.

18. iPhone 13 tips and tricks: Adjust the Date, Time, and Location of Your Photos

Up until this point, you had to use the Photos app on a Mac, or rely on third-party iOS apps, to edit the metadata for your iPhone photos.

But now, this iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro trick offers a built-in way for changing these details right inside the Photos app on your iPhone. Here’s how:

  1. Start the Photos app on your iPhone 13 or iPhone 13 Pro.
  2. Select any photo you want to edit the metadata for.
  3. Tap the i icon at the bottom to view the image’s metadata. Alternatively, swipe up from any part of the image.
  4. Select Adjust.
  5. You should see the Adjust Date & Time page. Next, scroll through the calendar by swiping left or right and tap any date. Alternatively, you can also use the arrows to navigate. Remember, you can also choose a future date.
  6. Once done, tap the original time under the calendar and choose your custom time using the spinner.
  7. If you want to change the time zone, tap Time Zone and search for a city of your choice.
  8. Tap Adjust to save all your changes.

19. iPhone 13 tips and tricks: Track your iPhone with Find My, even if it’s turned OFF

Devices that have been turned off can still be tracked by the ‌Find My‌ network in ‌iOS 15‌. If a device was low on battery power or turned off by a thief, it can still be found when it’s close to another Apple device.

With this iPhone 13 or iPhone 13 Pro trick, an iPhone that has been turned off will actually enter an ultra-low power state that keeps the Bluetooth beacon active, effectively turning your iPhone into an AirTag.

You’ll see a little “iPhone findable after power off” notice under the Slide to Power Off interface, too.

20. iPhone 13 tips and tricks: Keep Night Mode off

For the most part, Night Mode in the Camera app on modern iPhones is a great thing. It can absolutely transform photos taken in very low light.

If the Camera app detects a dark scene, Night Mode is enabled automatically, but sometimes you want that dramatic dark effect, and it’s annoying to disable Night Mode to get it. You have to tap the Night Mode indicator and then slide the timer down to zero seconds.

If you wait a while before taking another photo, it will re-engage automatically.

With iOS 15, you can head to Settings > Camera > Preserve Settings to find an option to preserve your Night Mode settings (among other things). With this enabled, Night Mode will remember when it has been turned off and won’t re-enable itself. If you want to take a Night Mode shot, you can manually tap the Night Mode indicator to enable it yourself.

21. iPhone 13 tips and tricks: Adjust video playback speed

Apps like YouTube have had variable speed playback for some time now, but the default iPhone video player has not. In iOS 15, the default player (used for many web videos and by lots of apps) has playback speed controls.

When playing back a video, tap the overflow menu in the lower right (the three dots) and you’ll be able to select from up to five different playback speeds.

22. iPhone 13 tips and tricks: Share things with Siri

Sometimes it’s a pain to share that cool thing you found online. You have to copy URLs or images, switch to Messages, hold down to paste, hope it works…

With this iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro trick, you can finally just ask Siri. Simply say “Hey Siri, share this with [name]” (or something similar like “send this to [name]” and Siri will share the content on the screen to that person using Messages.

Items like images, web pages, Apple Music or Podcasts, Apple News stories, and Maps locations will share the actual content (or a link to it). For content Siri can’t share, it will warn you that it can only send a screenshot—but Siri will still automatically take that screenshot and drop it in a Message to that person.

It’s all very frictionless. Just ask Siri to share something, and Siri will prepare the item in a flash and ask “ready to send it?” Say yes, and you’re done. No finding and opening share menus, no copy/paste, no flipping back and forth to the Messages app.

23. iPhone 13 tips and tricks: Translate anywhere

With this iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro tip, you can translate text just about anywhere. In almost any app where you can select text!

Just tap and hold on a block of text to show the text selection window and drag the start and end points—just as you would if you were going to copy/paste. You’ll notice the little popup menu has a new Translate option (in some apps you might have to hit the right arrow to see more options).

You’ll get a warning that the text is going to be sent to Apple to process the translation. Tap Continue and a pop-up card will show the translated text and give you options to copy the translation, change languages, and so on.

Want to do the translation without sending data to Apple? Open Settings, then Translate and enable On-Device Mode. You’ll have to also open up the Downloaded Languages menu and download the languages for which you want to enable offline translation.

24. iPhone 13 tips and tricks: Keep an eye on app activity

Apple is always expanding privacy features, and with this iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro trick you have a powerful new tool to find out which apps are accessing your phone’s features and data.

Start the Settings app, then tap Privacy, and scroll to the bottom to Record App Activity. You’ll have to enable this at the top of the screen.

This will record a 7-day summary of exactly when and how often all your apps access things like your microphone or microphone, or which web domains they visit. Just come back to this screen a week later for a full report.

You can even tap Save App Activity to export a JSON file of all the data if you’re into that kind of thing.

25. iPhone 13 tips and tricks: Set Recovery and Legacy Contacts

Your Apple ID and iCloud account get more important every year. It’s full of purchases, services, cloud data, photos…if you lost access, a lot of that stuff would be gone forever.

Apple has two welcome new tricks on iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro. Account Recovery Contacts are people you trust that Apple can contact to help you reset your passcode if you ever lose it. They can’t actually access your data, but if you initiate a password reset but are locked out of your own devices, the reset code can be sent to that contact.

To enable it, start the Settings app then tap on your profile at the top. Then choose Password & Security, then Account Recovery. You’ll see an option to Add Recovery Contact.

What about accessing all your content should you pass away? In the event of your untimely demise, a Digital Legacy Contact is a person who can request access to your data after you die. They’ll get access to Messages, Photos, Notes, Contacts, Calendar events, App purchases, and your device backup, but not your iCloud Keychain or licensed media purchases.

26. iPhone 13 tips and tricks: Use Spotlight from the lock screen

Spotlight search is the tool you get when you swipe down on the screen to search your iPhone. iOS 15 adds another way to access Spotlight Search to another, extremely convenient area: the lock screen.

To use this iPhone 13 or iPhone 13 Pro trick, simply swipe down on the lock screen to pull down Spotlight Search. Your iPhone doesn’t even need to be unlocked first, so you can use this feature whether you’re holding your iPhone up or flat down on a desk. However, if you decide to tap on something, you will need to unlock your iPhone to continue.

27. iPhone 13 tips and tricks: Temporary iCloud Storage For Transferring Data

Have you ever ran out of iCloud Storage when backing up your iPhone? This can make transferring to another iPhone very difficult as without a complete backup you run into the risk of losing data. One of the hidden iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro tips and tricks includes temporary iCloud Storage for transferring data.

Now when you buy a new iPhone and use iCloud backup to move data, iCloud will detect that you are low on cloud storage and grant you as much storage as you need to complete the backup proceed. The storage is provided temporarily though and will go away in 3 weeks, however this is enough to move your data, apps and settings to your new device.

28. iPhone 13 tips and tricks: Use the Wallet app to open your hotel room or house

Companies that make HomeKit-compatible locks can add support for a Wallet-based house key that can be used to tap to unlock HomeKit door locks.
Home keys will be available in the Wallet app and can be accessed on ‌iPhone‌ and Apple Watch.

Participating hotels that use digital keys can allow customers to add those keys to the Wallet app after making a reservation, allowing them to bypass the lobby.

The digital hotel key stored in the Wallet app can be used to unlock a hotel room. After checkout, the hotel room key is automatically archived.

29. iPhone 13 tips and tricks: Use Siri offline

Did you ever trigger Siri on your iPhone and got disappointed after being told that you must connect to the Internet to perform certain tasks? Bother not, you are not alone to have felt dejected for being unable to use Siri offline on your iPhone to perform common and repetitive tasks. No longer! Finally, it’s possible to use offline Siri in iOS 15 on iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro.

Here are some tasks that you can perform using Siri without an Internet connection:

  • Controlling system settings such as enabling dark/light mode, low power mode, AirPlane mode, activate Accessibility features, etc.
  • Playing the next or previous song in the Apple Music app.
  • Opening apps.
  • Setting and changing timers
  • Setting and changing alarms.

30. iPhone 13 tips and tricks: Search the web by voice

Tap the Tab Bar at the bottom of the screen, and you’ll now see a microphone icon appear in the far right of the text field. Tap the mic and you can dictate your search term to Siri. The moment you’re done talking, the search takes place automatically, without you having to tap or type anything else. It’s very convenient.

31. iPhone 13 tips and tricks: Identify animals, items and plants in photos

Your iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro can now identify and tell you more information about an animal, a landmark, a plant or an object, such as a book. An icon is available on top of photos in your gallery and, with a tap, it can identify a pet’s dog breed and show you more information, for example. Or it can name a flower with some background on the plant. The feature is similar to the one that’s been available on Android phones called Google Lens.

32. iPhone 13 tips and tricks: Use new Clothing Options For Memoji

If you love Memoji, then you are going to love the 40 new outfits that are available for Memoji. In addition to new outfits iOS 15 also brings three different colors for clothes, two different eye colors for right and left eye, new glasses, new stickers and multicolor headwear. All of the new goodies are available under the Memoji editor.

Your Favorite iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro Tips and Tricks

So these were some of the best iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro tips and tricks you would love to try today. My favorite iPhone 13 tips and tricks include Focus,, FaceTime Links and Live Text. There’s surely plenty more hidden iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro tips and tricks to discover, so I’ll keep tapping, swiping and noting anything I find. Did we miss out on something important that needs to be added to the list? Which are your favorite iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro tips and tricks? Let me know in the comments section below.

Tag: iPhone Tips
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Why Do People Buy iPhones? Here’s The Truth

by Dave Johnson

Why do you buy what you buy? Why do you buy iPhones? Why do people buy iPhones? Do you ever stop to think about it? Do you ever stop to contemplate your reasons for buying something?

Why do i buy iPhones?

For the longest of time, I struggled to find the answer, even though i use iPhone for pretty much everything. It’s my wallet, my calendar, my notepad, my connection to work, and yes, the tool I use to get in touch with the world.

Let’s take this iPhone 16 Pro Max I’m using right now. Why did I buy it? Well, First of all, I truly needed it. Perfect, why else did I buy it? Is it because of what it does for me? Yes! Is this iPhone a device used to get things done? Yes! Is it for entertainment purposes? Yes! Is it a tool used to create entertainment? Yes! Is it to produce content? Yes! Is it to store and edit pictures? Yes! It is to stream music? Yes! Is it to handle my email? Sure! Yes. It handles all of these tasks. But those are the rational reasons why I buy iPhones. Let’s look at the far powerful, typically implicit, emotional reasons why i buy iPhones.

Far way back, before Apple totally and completely dominated the tech arena with the iPhone, iPad, new Macs, etc., Apple positioned itself as a brand for creators. It is practical to state that Steve Jobs created a cult, a Culture for Creators, by Creators, for people who take art, innovation and creativity seriously converging with nice, excellent design.

This philosophy was very specific. This philosophy was not for every person. This philosophy flew the black pirate flag over corporate headquarters in an act of disobedience
(yes, indeed). At the beginning, Jobs positioned Apple to care about art, innovation and creativity. Apple was — and still is — for people who care: People who care about innovation, people who care about the price, people who care about the quality, and most importantly, people who care about the customer.

Please keep in mind: Apple never was, nor is it currently, for every person. It is still for specific.

Because of this skillful positioning and completely careful attention paid to design through end user understanding, Apple enjoys “luxurious pricing” with very little discounting. Moreover, the company receives massive loyalty to the brand.

You know how some people gets thrilled when they land on Disney World in Orlando? As if they are finally seeing their childhood dream come true in front of them? Some people gets thrilled when they finally land on Cupertino, CA, to experience for themselves where it all started. And to see where the Real Magic gets created to this day. I belong to that group of people. (I’ll take the pilgrimage to Cupertino, not Orlando.)

Why do people buy iPhones?

We buy iPhones because of our profound emotional connection to the brand. Like loyalty to a beloved college football team, it is a resolute, inconspicuous connection, never to be broken. We buy the iPhone because it’s a phone that Apple built for enthusiasts. Using an iPhone is real enjoyment, real gratification, real pleasure. It is smart enough to know to get out of the user’s way and allow her to get to the significant job of productivity. This is a value that Android creators never got. They still don’t get it. And they never will.

That’s perfectly okay: it isn’t for them. iPhones are for people like us who do things like this. Apple knows exactly how to get the user experience aspect of their devices just right. The Cupertino company knows precisely what users want in a smartphone with regards to user interface and security.
Apple Bosses work very hard to ensure they don’t do anything to bungle this profound , emotional connection they and the brand has with tons and tons of people around the world. They are aware that they are in an extremely jealous business position with their luxury product pricing on consumer and professional goods.

The difference between Apple Bosses and bosses of other companies is Apple executives actually value what they do. They value music. They value art. They value bleeding-edge Tech. They value design. They value execution. They value the magic of small teams. They value building community around Apple Stores. They value emotions. They value people. They value legacy.

We buy iPhones because of emotional bond. We buy iPhones because of community. We buy iPhones because it makes us feel special associating with the brand. We buy iPhones because it is for Creators, by Creators. We buy iPhones because we want to make things better by making better things. And we want to look good while doing so.

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Tag: iPhone Products
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