iPhone Quick Tips

Some cool tricks for your iPhone

• Holding the Home button while pressing the top (lock) button will take a screenshot of whatever is on your screen at the time.

•  You can use either of the volume buttons to snap a photo.

• You can change any of the buttons on the dock (bottom row) by pressing and holding them (same way you would move normal icons around). You may also add folders to the dock the same way.

• Tapping the top of any scrollable screen will take automatically scroll it back to the top.

• Hold the Home button for 5 seconds to close current app. This is different from just clicking it for a second because it remains open in memory, the 5 second hold closes it out completely.

• Double tap for period when typing text anywhere.

• Shake to undo typing.

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iPad 3 To Feature More Battery Life, Retina Display, Faster CPU

Apple's release of the iPad 3, expected some time in early March, is rumored to have a larger battery and a redesigned camera. Also included is an A6 processor and their patented Retina display, which used OLED technology, the same as iPhone 4 which will dramatically enhance the resolution.

On it's heals are tablets from several other manufacturers at lower prices. There is a lot of buzz for Windows 8 for tablets, expected out later this year and since jumping into the tablet market, Samsung has also made great strides with it's Galaxy Tab. Kindle has a loyal following as well and with competing prices they are all cheaper than the iPad.

Regardless, it seems they are always chasing the iPad, who always has a jump on the latest technology with just the right amount of leaks peppered as they keep us guessing.

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Apple TV Features

While the new Apple TV is shrouded in secrecy, as most of their products are, there have been some presumed leaks. Recently Best Buy took a digital survey to its customers to rate their interest in a $1,499, 42-inch, iOS-laden Apple HDTV. The survey listed a series of intriguing features: a 1080p LED display, iPad/iPhone remote control, and access to the App Store and the cloud, among other alluring specs. After this was leaked Best Buy claimed it was "hypothetical."

It appears the Apple TV will rely heavily on streaming content, this includes shoring up content providers in which Apple must demo their latest toy, hence leaks are to be expected. According to The Globe and Mail there is an Apple TV prototype sitting in the offices of telcos in Canada. Aside from the typical streaming content that comes bundled on most TV's today, here's a glimpse at what we might expect.

Purported Apple TV Features

• Siri integration that includes gesture controls (like xbox?)

• iCloud integration

• On-screen keyboard

• Streaming chat

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Securing Your iPhone Photos

Did you know that anyone can access your photos/videos, even if your iPhone is locked? All anyone has to do is plug it into the USB port of a PC or Mac and they can view it as an external drive. In fact, Apple even officially tells you how http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4083 Additionally, once your photos are accessed, they can also be deleted.

Unfortunately, this is not identified as a security risk that I can find, although I think most assume that if their iPhone is locked that it would prevent their information from being accessed.

With that said, there is no settings to change this within the iPhone and we must rely on third party apps to keep our photos private. Here are a few that I have found that can achieve this:

iPhone apps that will prevent photos from being viewed externally

Folder Lock
Description:
Folder Lock is the iPhone/iPod Touch version of the popular Folder Lock for Windows by NewSoftwares.net, offering full password protection of all your private files. Now you can keep all your private stuff password protected in your iPhone!

$3.99
Link to Website
Open in iTunes

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Lock My Photos
Description:
Organize, browse, and share to your heart’s content, because all your important photos are PASSWORD PROTECTED with this app. Manage your photo collection with ease, and never compromise on security.

Free and Paid Versions
Link to Website
Open in iTunes

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Secret Folder Lite
Description:
Perfect photo privacy & video privacy collage manager! Free app protect my private hd/hq pic plus fun photos data and lock in safe keeper vault for iPhone

Free
Link to Website
Open in iTunes

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I Forgot My iPhone Passcode

If you've forgotten your iPhone's passcode and it's either disabled from too many attempts or warning you that it will be disabled you don't have many options.

In the event this happens the only way to access it is to restore it with the last computer it was synced with, this will also allow you to reset your passcode. Please make sure you backup your iPhone daily so you have the most recent data possible.

Note: This process will wipe all data from your iPhone. You will be able to put back your latest synced backup.

1.    Disconnect the USB cable from the iPhone, leave the other end connected to your Mac/PC

2.    Launch iTunes
  
3.    Press and hold the Home and Power button on the top of the iPhone to turn off the device
  
4.    Press and continue to hold the Home button while you reconnect the USB cable to your iPhone, this will cause the iPhone to turn on
  
5.    Continue to hold the Home button until an alert message in iTunes appears that an iPhone in recovery mode has been detected

6.    Now that the iPhone is in recovery mode, you must restore the device:
  
7.    From iTunes, look under the “Summary” tab
  
8.    Click on the “Restore” button within iTunes

Additionally, as long as you have a passcode set, if your iPhone is stolen it will have to be wiped out before it can be used again by the thief. Not a lot of comfort for a victim I know but at least your data will not be compromised.

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Setting iPhone Custom Vibrations

With iOS 5 you may now add or create customized vibration patterns and assign them to different contacts. It comes with 5 preloaded patterns and gives you the ability to create your own custom patterns as well.

To enable this feature we will turn it on through the accessibility option which will give us the option to assign it to specific contacts. Aside from the provided stock vibrations, you may also create a new custom vibration. This will allow you to tap your own beats to create a more personalized pattern.

Enabling Custom Vibrations

1. Go to Settings

2. Tap on General

3. Tap on Accessibility

4. Locate Custom Vibrations and turn it on

Assigning a vibration pattern to a contact

1. Go to your contact

2. Tap Edit to bring modify their information

3. Tap the vibration button to bring up the options

4. Either choose a stock pattern or create your own (this option is already in the steps above, it just offers it here too)

That's it!

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My iPhone Is Lost What Should I Do?

If you have lost your iPhone and have no tracking installed/enabled there are a few steps you can take, appealing to the better nature to the finder. Carefully trace your steps and backtrack where you can, if the iPhone is lost and out of sight there's a good chance the battery will die before it can be retrieved by contacting it.

Appealing people's better nature

There are many people who will do the right thing if they find your iPhone, and there's nothing to lose in at least trying a few common sense approaches.

1. Call the iPhone - Leave a number where you can be reached
2. Send a text message - Leave a number where you can be reached
3. Ask your friends to also call and text it, different numbers may get a result

When all else fails deactivate it

If you do not get a response within a fairly short amount of time after attempting to contact it, it's probably best to contact the provider and have it deactivated. This will at least prevent the phone from making calls that could cost you.

If all else fails you may have no choice but to cut your losses. Many of us have been there and feel your pain, but hey, you probably needed the latest model anyway! The best thing you can do is to move on and get your new device and then follow the steps outlined in the Protecting Your iPhone guide. This will at least ensure you have the phone backed up and the ability to locate it.

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