In the past, when a stranger on Facebook sent you a message, you didn't receive a notification the way you would with messages from friends. These messages used to be filtered into a section of Facebook Messages called the Other Inbox, but now Facebook has split the Other Inbox into two separate areas: Message Requests and Filtered. The Message Requests Inbox is for messages from people you've communicated with in the past, although you might not be friends with them on Facebook. The Filtered Inbox is for completely unknown senders. There’s actually an easy (though unintuitive) way to access your hidden messages. Most of the time, these messages aren't important. But every now and then, there’s a message you need or want to read. Here’s how to view your hidden Facebook messages on iPhone.
iPhone
Best To-Do List & Note-Taking Apps for iPad & iPhone
By Rheanne Taylor
Using the right task-management app and note-taking app can make all the difference to your productivity. Unfortunately, the iPhone Notes app and Reminders app aren't quite up to handling more than the basics. On the other hand, the App Store offers so many alternatives that it can be hard to know which of the options will end up being the right app for your particular needs. Whether you're looking for the best task-reminder app, the best Evernote alternative, the best checklist app, or the best iPad note-taking app, we've assembled this list of our favorites and shared which functions each app does really well. There's sure to be an app in this list that can meet your requirements!
How to Use Siri with Third-Party Apps on iPhone
By Conner Carey
Starting with iOS 10, when Siri got the ability to complete tasks in third-party apps, a lot of third-party app developers added Siri voice command compatibility, including Pinterest, Skype, and Uber. You can even make Siri open Google Assistant for you. But how can you know what apps can Siri use? We’ll cover some top third-party apps Siri is able to use and how to make sure those apps are enabled for use with Siri. Here’s how to use Siri with third-party apps and some top apps to try.
How to Set Up Out of Office on iPhone: Outlook
We'll cover how to set up out of office for Outlook, Gmail, Yahoo, iCloud, and more. Here is how to set up out of office for Outlook. It's reccomended you set up your out of office reply on a computer.
- Sign in to Outlook.com.
- Tap the Settings icon that looks like a gear in the top right corner.
- Choose Automatic Replies.
- Check the box Send Automatic Replies.
- Choose the start and end date, then check the box Send replies only during this time period.
- Below that is a blank body of text. Enter the message you want people to receive as your out of office reply.
- You can check the box for sending Ooo replies to everyone or just to your contacts.
- Click Ok at the top when you’re done.
If you set a start and end time and check the box, “Send replies only during this time period,” your out of office reply will automatically turn off. If not, you can easily turn off by revisiting settings, clicking Automatic Replies, and checking the box, “Don’t send automatic replies.”
How to Turn On iPhone X & Turn Off iPhone X
By Conner Carey
Without a Home button, how do you shut down the iPhone X? There are a couple ways; in a previous tip, I went over how to power off your iPhone without buttons, which is more of an iOS 11 feature than an iPhone X one. You can also hard restart your iPhone X, but you only need to do that if the device is frozen or glitching. However, you can still power down your iPhone X with buttons; the process is just a bit different than you’re used to. Let's get started learning how to turn on and off your iPhone X.
The Ultimate Guide to Selfie Sticks
By Tamlin Day
While planning your next family vacation or tropical getaway, you might find yourself wondering how some people grab those great group selfies without losing their iPhone over a waterfall. If you’ve ever found yourself fumbling for the shutter button while trying to take a perfectly framed self-portrait, then it might be time to consider a selfie stick. Read on to learn about the different types of selfie sticks and how to incorporate one into your next group selfie.
This is something I’ve always wondered about but didn’t realize there was a solution for until recently. When someone dies, what happens to their Facebook page? This must have been a question posed by many users because Facebook allows you to designate someone to manage your Facebook page if you should happen to die, this is called a Facebook legacy. You can also set your profile to automatically delete once Facebook has been notified of your death. Either way, here’s how to create a will for your Facebook page.
What Comes After iPhone X? Product Rumors for Apple’s Next Event
By Sarah Kingsbury
This is the episode every Apple fanboy and fangirl should listen to in preparation for Apple's fall event! Members of the iPhone Life team will cover all the latest product rumors leading up to September. Find out what Apple will call the next generation of iPhones following the iPhone X and iPhone 8, get the details on new iPad Pros with Face ID, and learn why the Series 4 Apple Watch models will likely sport larger displays. The team will also discuss AirPod, AirPower, and Mac rumors as well as likely release dates and prices.
Beginning with iOS 9 the Mail app included Markup, a photo editor that lets you write, draw on, and add shapes and signatures to your images. Now there's no need for a separate app to sketch and add text to pictures; iPhone and iPad users can insert images into the body of emails, then mark them up right there without ever leaving the Mail app. Let's get started learning how to use Markup on your email images.
Maybe you've learned a bit about iPhone photography already; you already know how to take good pictures, but now you're ready to learn some tips and tricks to take really awesome pictures. If you're hoping to master some photography techniques that will result in creative, artsy, amazing photos, then it's time to start paying more attention to lighting. When it comes to photography, there’s no doubt that light is one of the most crucial aspects of creating a great image with your iPhone, but did you know you can also have a lot a fun with it? Whether you’re new to iPhoneography or you’ve been working at it for years, here are some lighting tricks you should try for great, unusual images.
How to Use Markup to Insert a Drawing into an Email on iPhone
By Conner Carey
Apple's Mail app just keeps getting better; in the past, you could attach a document to an email, you could also send multiple photos. Now, ever since iOS 11, you can also use a feature called Markup to create a quick, simple drawing and insert it into an email on your iPhone; it's easy! So if you’ve been dying to send your masterful iPhone works of art (AKA drawings) through email, now you can. Here’s how to create, insert, and send a drawing in an email on your iPhone.
Never Forget to Water Your Plants Again with Happy Plant
By Conner Carey
Whether indoors or out, plants add oxygen to the air and bring a sense of calm to those who look upon them. I’ve always dreamed of an apartment filled from top to bottom with sprawling green plants, but remembering the various watering schedules amid my busy schedule means more plants die on my watch than thrive. No longer! If your thumb ain’t so green, the Happy Plant (Free) app is what you need. The app lets you create a little profile for each of your plants and set a watering schedule. For each plant you add, the app prompts you to take a picture of the plant. And each time you water it, the app asks for another picture. Overtime, all of those photos are strung together for a time-lapse of your plant and its growth. I’ll go over more of what Happy Plant does and why I love it below.
How to Track Flights Using iPhone Search
By Leanne Hays
Airline travel can be so draining, especially when flights don't stay on schedule; one thing that can help is to have all the information you need to track a flight right on hand. It's possible to get information about a flight with JetBlue, Spirit Airlines, Frontier, or any other airline by turning to Google or using an airline's app or a flight tracker app. But there's an even faster way that doesn't require opening an app. iPhone users can track flights using Search on their devices. Let's get started learning how to track a flight right from our iPhones; all you'll need will be the airline and flight number.
Send Beautiful Online Invitations & e-Cards with Paperless Post
By Conner Carey
Whether they're for a summer dinner party with a group of friends or an extravagant wedding for 200 people, sending invitations and keeping track of who all is attending can be a lot of work. Particularly for weddings, acquiring or creating invitations is either lots of time or lots of money. But with the Paperless Post app, you can create invitations, ecards, and textable flyers to send to all of your guests. Learn more on what this app does and why we love it below.
This is 2018; geeks and nerds are cool now. You’re quirky, weird, and smart—that’s nothing to be ashamed of! Write that fanfiction, go to that convention, wear that cosplay. Geeks change the world with their passions, most often making it a better place. There are many different kinds of geeks and nerds, and this roundup will feature a little nerd and geek shopping for everyone. Whether you nerd out over audio, appreciate modernized remnants of the past, enjoy 3D printing the future, or just want to show off your fandom with geek gear, I think you’ll be happy with the gear you find below. So please, go create. Let your passions lead you; the world needs that genius.
Apple’s Struggle for Software Stability: Can iOS 12 Win Back Our Trust?
By David Averbach
Apple didn’t invent the personal computer. Nor did it create the first smartphone or tablet. Throughout the tech company’s history, from its origins with Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak tinkering in a garage all the way to the present, the key to its success has been in taking emerging technologies and making them user-friendly for the masses. One of Jobs’ catchphrases when introducing a new product was, “It just works.” He said it so frequently it might as well have been Apple’s motto. Apple’s ability to create user-friendly products has not only allowed it to sell products to the masses, but also to charge a premium in the process. Today there are countless Android phones and tablets on the market that cost a fraction of what Apple sells its products for. For example, you can buy a brand-new Kindle Fire for $80 whereas an iPad costs anywhere from $329 for an entry-level model to $1,279 for a fully loaded iPad Pro. It’s no exaggeration to say that Apple’s reputation for making easy-to-use products is its most valuable asset. In the past year, Apple has struggled to meet its own standard. With iOS 12, Apple is attempting to repair the damage incurred by iOS 11 and reclaim its mantra of “It just works.”
Keep Your Location & Browsing Private with TunnelBear VPN App
By Conner Carey
Establishing a Virtual Private Network (VPN) is important for keeping your personal information safe, especially when on public Wi-Fi. We often think about using a VPN on our computers, but it's worth getting on for iPhone as well. With TunnelBear VPN on iPhone, you can browse the web securely at home and in public. Each month you can use 500 MB of data completely free, and TunnelBear offers affordable options thereafter. With super strong encryption and security that’s been verified by a third-party company, TunnelBear has positioned itself as a VPN to trust. Learn more on what TunnelBear does and why we love it below.
The developer of anxietyhelper, Amanda Southworth, was one of the recipients of Apple’s WWDC scholarship program this year. Her main focus is on helping people, and both of the apps she’s created so far have already done this. anxietyhelper is a mental health toolkit that provides easy-to-access information, resources, and tools for anyone struggling with anxiety, panic attacks, depression, bipolar disorder, or recovery. Her app has already made a big difference in my life; but I’m just one of many, which quickly becomes apparent reading the reviews. Learn more on what this app does and why we love it below.
How to Share Apple Music Playlists on iPhone
By Conner Carey
Apple Music has a plethora of playlist choices, and Apple heavily promotes the fact that humans curate these playlists instead of computers. There are various options for finding Apple Playlists from the For You section of Apple Music, and you can create playlists as well! If you discover or create a playlist you particularly love, you might be wondering how to share Apple Music playlists. It’s easy to share music on your iPhone with Apple Music playlists; let's learn how now!
When you set out to learn coding, it can be overwhelming. There is a lot to learn, and the best way to learn something big is to break it down into manageable sections. For this reason, I was immediately drawn to Mimo. I tested competing code-learning apps and quickly felt like what I didn't know was pilling up around me. But with Mimo, I chose my goal (ie. build an app, make a website, etc.). Then the app set me up on a Track starting with the absolute basics. Plus, at the end of each course, Mimo has a section for practicing what you’ve learned. I’ll go over more on what the Mimo app does and why we love it below.