What's new in iOS 14?

Apple iOS 14.0.1

iOS 14 has just been released and it comes with a plethora of new features!

Widgets

It’s all about the Widgets this update. You can expect the following…

1. Redesigned widgets

2. Widgets for everything

3. Widgets on the Home Screen

4. Widgets in different sizes

5. Widget Gallery

6. Widget stack

7. Smart stack

8. Siri Suggestions widget

9. Developer API

App Library

So much customisability, developers are going wild! There is also now the added App Library which is a new space located on the Home Screen. It automatically categorises your Apps into categories such as Social, Productivity and Entertainment. Not only does it organise your Apps by category, but it also organises them based on your usage on them. How smart!

1. App Library on the Home Screen

2. Automatic categorisation

3. Suggestions

4. Search

5. Hid Home Screen pages

6. Recently Added

Compact UI

The minimalist movement is truly making its move and so you’ll see that the user-interface has changed quite a bit in iOS 14. Everything is a little more stream-lined. Rather than taking up your whole screen when receiving a call, it pops up just as a banner so you can continue viewing what was on your screen while taking the call.

1. Compact Phone Calls

2. Compact UI available for Third-Party VoIP Calls (ie. Skype)

3. Compact FaceTime calls

4. Compact Siri

5. Picture-in-Picture

6. Resize Picture-in-Picture window

7. Move Picture-in-Picture window to any corner

8. Minimise Picture-in-Picture window off-screen

These are just a few of the new features and updates in Apple’s new iOS 14. There’s even a built in Translation app now too! Check out these best iOS features by 9to5 Mac to find out more.

Everything new that's coming to Apple

So Apple just held their annual World Wide Developer Conference and made it available online via streaming. If you, like me, couldn’t be bothered staying awake to watch it (I am not that crazed an Apple follower, good sleep comes first!), here’s a comprehensive list of new things coming to Apple that was announced!

1. Apple will start running their Macs on Apple-made chips instead of Intel

2. iOS 14 is coming and it will give you more options to customise your phone

3. Apple is re-inventing the car key fob

4. iPadOS 14 is making your iPad more like a computer

5. MacOS along with Safari is going to get significant upgrade as Big Sur comes into development

6. Seamless device switching when it comes to using your AirPods

7. Sleep and handwashing features for WatchOS 7

PHOTOGRAPH: BROOKS KRAFT/APPLE

You can read more about these announcements thanks to the good folk at Wired - “Here’s everything Apple announced at WWDC.”

iOS 13: A Whole New Look On A Whole New Level

iOS 13 is finally here! Are you ready to experience a new level on your iPhone? Check out some of these features that you will find in iOS 13…

1. Dark Mode - See your iPhone in a new light! Dark Mode is finally here, designed to make screen viewing a little easier on your eyes. You can simply turn it on in your Control Centre or have it automatically turn on at night.

2. Portrait Mode - Yes, there’s new updates to make your portrait photos even more beautiful. The new update allows you to have more control over your light intensity with the new Portrait Lighting controls. You’ll also be able to create beautiful black-and-white portraits with the new High-Key Mono filter in Portrait Mode.

3. New tabs in Moments - A new way of organising your special moments into days, months and years.

4. New powerful editing tools for Photos and Video - Refine your photos a videos further with new and updated editing features. Need to rotate a video? You can finally do it with iOS 13!

5. Privacy and Security - Apple has always taken its Privacy and Security seriously so be prepared for a few upgrades here. One of the biggest updates is the introduction of "Sign In With Apple” which simplifies the way you can sign in to apps and websites with your privacy in mind.

These are only a few of the many new things in iOS 13. You can find out more here on Apple’s website. Don’t forget to make sure your phone is backed up before the update. Not sure if it is or how to? Go to your Settings > ‘Your Name’ > iCloud > iCloud Backup - check that this is on.

Coming Soon: Mac OS Catalina

With the fall season approaching fast (in the US) we are getting closer to Apple’s release of its new OS Catalina. There are a lot of new features coming through, such as Music, TV, and Podcasts. You’ll also be able to enjoy your iPad apps on your computer instead too! There’s also been improvements to familiar apps such as Photos, Notes, Reminders and Safari. The feature I’m looking most forward too is Sidecar which enables you to use your iPad as an extension of your desktop! Check out all the features of Catalina in further detail on Apple’s website!

10 Things to look forward to in Apple’s iOS 12!

As you may have already heard Apple will be releasing iOS 12 soon. Here are 10 features to be looking forward to in the upcoming update…

1. Turn yourself into an animated emoji! (for iPhone X) You saw Apple introduce Animojis in it’s last update, but now you can create a personal animated emoji called Memoji!

2. Group FaceTime. Finally! You’ll be able to FaceTime multiple people at once. The new update will be able to support 32 people in one FaceTime call.

3 Siri just got smarter. Siri will also be seeing a significant update in iOS 12. She’ll be able to answer a larger variety of questions, even about famous people, and is integrated with more third-party apps.

4. Screen Time. This new feature is part of the comprehensive set of time management and focus tools in the new update. This feature provides repost on your weekly activities based off how you use your device. This includes how much time you spend with individuals apps, how often you pick up your phone and the duration you spend on your iPhone or iPad. You can also set a time limit on specific apps as part of the new Parental Controls.

The iOS 12 update introduces a comprehensive set of built-in features designed to help you focus, limit distraction, monitor your iOS device usage, and get a better understanding on how you're using your time throughout the day. (Source: MacRumours)

5. Do Not Disturb. There are two new updates to Apple’s Do Not Disturb feature. There will be one for bedtime, allowing you to turn off notifications at night, only being able to see the time, and you can also control it’s ending time. You will also be able to control the duration of Do Not Disturb while at a particular location or in a meeting.

6. Grouped Notifications. This feature has been added into the new update to make viewing and managing notifications from a single app easier.

7. Improved Privacy and Security. One of the new features you’ll be seeing in iOS 12 is strong password suggestions. It’ll also be able to let you know if your password is weak or strong.

8. Multiple Faces in Face ID (for iPhone X). An update that you may have not heard is the ability to “Set Up An Alternative Appearance.” This may be for people who may want more than one face to unlock a phone, like a couple who shares their phone perhaps?

9. Face ID Rescanning (for iPhone X). If you’re like me and sometimes get frustrated when the Face ID doesn’t recognise your face straight away, there fore having to lock and then unlock your phone again to rescan, the new update takes this issue away. Instead, to re-initiate the scan, your just have to swipe up from the bottom of the phone.

10. Battery Info. Finally, after much beta testing, the new iOS 12 will see a more comprehensive way of viewing your battery’s information. With a detailed usage chart you’ll be able to see usage data from the last 24 hours or the last 10 days.

So with these updates coming soon to your iDevice, I hope you’re just as excited as we are. These are just the few features coming soon as there is plenty more!

You can preview more of iOS 12's features on Apple's website.

New Apple Goodies!

Did you manage to catch Apple's Special Event this week online at their World Wide Developers Conference? No need to have the feeling of FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) as you can watch the whole presentation on their site here.

Image: Apple

To put it in a nutshell for you, here are the new things that Apple announced at the latest WWDC.

1. The all-new 10.5-inch iPad Pro
2. The new iOS 11 coming soon to your iDevice packed with new features!
3. Finally a significant upgrade to the iMac range as well as the new iMac Pro
4. A new OS X coming soon called MacOS High Sierra
5. An update to Apple Watch's OS to watchOS 4
6. A newly redesigned App Store
7. Introducing a new housemate, the HomePod, a high quality speaker and AI for your home or office.

Stay tuned to our blog to learn more about the new things coming out of Apple by following and liking us on Facebook!

What Is Ransomware & How To Protect Yourself From It

As previously mentioned in our article on “2 Easy Steps To Keep Your Device Up To Date With Security” there’s a lot of bad stuff happening in the cyber-world with a current Ransomware called WannaCry. But what exactly is Ransomware? Here’s what ransomware is and how you can deal with it and avoid it…

What Is Ransomware? In a nutshell Ransomware comes in two forms. The first is where all your data becomes ENCRYPTED and then a pop-up will occur asking for payment to decrypt your data. This is one of the most popular forms of Ransomware, but rarely has it affected Apple. The second form is when you are LOCKED out of your device and a pop-up notification can appear asking again for payment to have your device unlocked. This form of ransomware has personally happened to me, but lucky enough I was able to recognise it and deal with it.

How Do I Deal With Ransomware? When hit with a Ransomware attack there’s no blaming a person for panicking. It can be quite overwhelming and also invasive. There are quite a few simple steps though into dealing with it.

1. Always have a back up - I cannot stress enough how important it is to always back up your iPhone, iPad or Macbook! It’s as simple as backing up your iPhone/iPad to iCloud or to your computer via iTunes. For you MacBook users you can easily go out and buy an external hard drive and set it up with Time Machine.
2. Change your passwords - Log in to your AppleID account and change your password. Majority of the time this is the case in Ransomware attacks where your account has been compromised.

When my iPhone was affected by Ransomware the first thing I did was log on to my AppleID account, reset my password and then restored my phone from a previous backup.

How Do I Avoid Ransomware? As my father taught me, it’s always better to prevent than to find a cure. Here are a few simple things you can do to avoid getting caught up in a

1. Keep your devices updated - Apple has always been on the ball with keeping its security up to date so it always good to make sure your iOS and OS X are always updated.
2. Read before you click! - Sometimes the easiest way to be affected is via email by clicking on random links, or by clicking on random pop-ups in your browser. If you do get a window pop-up that you don’t recognise simply shut it down. Not by clicking on the red ‘X’ in the top left hand corner though, but by pressing COMMAND + ‘W’ because sometimes the window itself can have an ‘invisible link’ or a fake ‘x.’ These cyber buggers are tricky like that!
3. Try to avoid unprotected websites - The most simple way to tell if a website has good security is to look at the web address at the top of your Safari browser. If there is a padlock icon next to it then the site is protected.

Apple has just released the latest update for your iPhones/iPads with iOS 10.3.2, so please back up and update your devices ASAP! If you do find yourself in a pickle with Ransomware though and are feeling overwhelmed with how to deal with it, you can always give us a call or an email to book a meeting for us to help you out.

2 Easy Steps To Keep Your Device Up To Date With Security

In the past days you may have heard news of the recent cyber attack that disabled computers in Britain’s National Health Service, Russia’s Interior Ministry, various companies, and homes across numerous countries (read more about it here). Thankfully this attack did not affect any Apple operating systems, which proves evermore why it’s so important to keep your iOS and OS X devices up to date always!

1. BACK IT UP!  - The last thing you want is to lose all your data and documents if your system get compromised, so always make a habit of backing up your devices. It’s not too hard to get it done either! With your iPhone or iPad it’s easy to back up your contacts and other settings via iCloud…

SETTINGS > iCLOUD > iCLOUD BACKUP (enable)

I personally believe the best way to back up your iPhone/iPad is to manually back it up via iTunes. Here’s how you can do it…

On your Mac you can back it up by using Time Machine…

1. KEEP IT UPDATED! - The one excuse you can’t give is that you didn’t know there was an update. A lot of the time when there is a new update to an iPhone, iPad, or Mac you get a pop-up notification. Truth is, I know most of you ignore this! Please don’t, as these updates contain the latest security measures against any undesirables from hacking your device.

It’s quite easy to make sure you have the latest updates…

On your iPhone/iPad navigate your way to your device’s SETTINGS > GENERAL > SOFTWARE UPDATE

For Mac computers… Click on the Apple symbol at the top left of your screen  > ABOUT THIS MAC > OVERVIEW > SOFTWARE UPDATES

**Be sure to backup everything before doing any updates!

So, to keep your devices safe make it a habit to backup and update whenever you can!