Tag: apple

Get more life out of your iPhone battery

You’re on the go today – out of the office, out of the house, and attending a business event. Everything is going fine and dandy until you look down at your phone to see your worst nightmare come true. Your iPhone is at 25 percent battery life. Before you panic, know that the answer to your dilemma may just be in the palm of your hand: in the Settings of your phone. So when a battery emergency strikes, try these five tips first before screaming into a pillow.

Activate Low Power Mode

Perhaps the easiest way to save iPhone battery life, Low Power Mode can be activated with a single tap. When switched on, it automatically adjusts several settings to extend the life of your battery: it reduces the brightness of your screen and the amount of battery power your apps are using, disables the automatic fetching of new email, and it powers off the display more quickly.

To activate Low Power Mode, press Settings > Battery and then tap Low Power Mode so that the green light is on.

Lower the screen brightness

The brighter your iPhone screen, the more battery it drains. And really, there isn’t much of a need to have an excessively bright screen because in most instances (being outside in the sunshine excluded) you can easily see everything on the screen at a lower brightness level.

To adjust the brightness of your iPhone, there are two simple ways to go about it. First, flick the Control Center tab upward from the bottom of your screen. There you’ll find a brightness adjuster that looks like a vertical bar with a sun icon on it. Simply slide the adjuster up or down to increase or decrease your display’s brightness level.

Alternatively, you can adjust your iPhone’s brightness in Settings > Display & Brightness (it’s called Brightness & Wallpaper in iOS 7). You can also turn on Auto-Brightness to automatically adjust the brightness of your phone by going to Settings > General > Accessibility > Display Accommodations. When you turn this setting on, you’ll save energy because your screen will need to use less power in dark places.

Switch off Wi-Fi

As much as you love using the Wi-Fi on your phone, it is a proven battery life killer. The funny thing is, the degree it drains battery life varies by location. For instance, if you’re at home (where iPhone battery life is less of a problem to begin with), Wi-Fi will use less battery. But when you’re out and about, your phone is often searching for a Wi-Fi signal to connect to, and this drains battery. So if you can hold off on your mobile browsing and email till you get home, your phone will stay powered on quite a bit longer.

Switch off cellular data

Like Wi-Fi, cellular data can also eat up battery quickly – especially if you’re in an area where there’s no cellular coverage. When this happens, your phone begins to search non-stop for a signal, which is a huge battery drainer. So if you’re short on juice and don’t need to browse the internet, turn off your cellular data function. Doing this can easily provide an extra hour or two of additional battery life.

Activate Airplane mode

Desperate times call for desperate measures, and this is exactly when you need Airplane mode. If you’re down to 20ish percent battery life and need your phone to last for a few hours longer, Airplane mode may just be your savior. By switching it on, your phone will shut down all wireless activity, including cellular, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. Doing this is obviously not ideal, but if you have little battery life and want your phone available in case of emergencies, this is your best option (next to switching it off). Once in Airplane mode, you can individually turn on certain wireless functions, such as Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, while staying in Airplane mode.

To switch on Airplane mode, you can do so from the Control Center screen or by going to Settings and then clicking on Airplane mode.

Any other options?

If you must have your cake and eat it too, there’s an alternative choice that provides an extra battery bump with the ability to use Wi-Fi, keep your screen bright, and use your iPhone without adjusting any settings. The answer is to buy a power supply, also known as a power bank, which you’ve likely seen for sale at your local Best Buy or on Amazon. These delightful portable chargers are continually shrinking in size, with some even as small as lipstick, so it’s no longer a hassle to carry them around. You can simply slide it into your pocket and plug it in when needed.

If you’re looking for more ways to get the most out of your iPhone or are looking to service your Apple technology, feel free to shoot us a message. We’re happy to help in any way possible.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

Head to head: iPhone X vs. iPhone 8 Plus

Deciding between two different iPhone models may not seem much of a dilemma, but if you are presented with two highly functional phones with excellent sets of features, it comes down to your personal needs and preferences. Let’s compare the two most recent iPhones.

Price

Being the higher end model, the iPhone X is more expensive than the iPhone 8 Plus, with a price difference of at least $200. But that doesn’t mean the iPhone X is the all around better option. Most of the price difference can be attributed to the edge-to-edge display and overall design. Typically, iPhone users require several accessories for their phone, so you may end up needing that extra $200 later.

Design

While the iPhone 8 Plus has a smaller screen and thicker bezels, it’s actually bigger than the iPhone X. Although most people prefer the X’s screen, the notch at the top can cause problems when displaying certain apps and videos. Put the two units side by side and you’ll see that the 8 Plus is wider and if you compare their weight you’ll notice the 8 Plus is also heavier.

The iPhone 8 Plus features a physical button that you can tap once for the home screen and twice for a list of recent apps. The iPhone X has no such button and relies on screen gestures for navigation. It also has a “Super Retina HD Display,” which means its screens have higher resolutions and pixel densities. If you think any of these factors will affect your experience dramatically, you know what to choose.

Camera

Both models have two rear cameras and are loaded with lighting tools. However, the iPhone X has a faster aperture and optical image stabilization capabilities on both lenses — which translate to sharper, more detailed photos and videos. The X model also has a depth-sensing front-facing camera that can capture portraits and high-resolution selfies.
If you aren’t too fond of taking photos and videos, you should be perfectly fine with the iPhone 8 Plus as there isn’t much difference between the two in terms of image quality.

The iPhone X also ekes out small wins in a number of other issues, such as the inclusion of Face ID and a slightly better battery. If there is anything else you want to know about the latest Apple products, contact our team today.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

5 new features to macOS Mojave

Apple had recently announced macOS Mojave, the successor to the current macOS High Sierra, and the new features that will arrive with the new operating system. Here are our top five picks.

Dark Mode

Did you ever wish your computer windows were not just plain ole white? If yes, you’re in for a treat. The new Dark Mode feature changes the appearance of all your screen elements, such as the dock, taskbar, and windows, from deary shades of white to classier shades of black, making the screen much easier to view at night.

Desktop Stacks

Are you having a hard time finding a specific file on your desktop because it’s cluttered with documents, pictures, and music files? Mojave’s new “Desktop Stacks” automatically organizes and stacks your documents in one pile based on the type of files. For instance, PDFs will be stacked in one pile while JPEGs will be stacked in another. When you want to find a specific file, simply open the pile and go through them until you find the right one.

iOS apps on Mac

Your dependable iPhone allows you to read current news, check how your stocks are performing, record voice notes, and control your home accessories. But what if you’re on your computer, your phone is out of reach, and you wanted to do all these things? You won’t need to get out of your seat anymore with MacOS Mojave as popular iOS apps like Voice Memos, Stocks, Home, and Apple News will now be available on Mac.

What’s more, third-party developers will soon be able to make iOS apps available on Mac as Apple plans to implement UIKit, a framework Mac programmers use when developing iOS applications, to macOS. This function is expected to roll out in 2019.

Markup Screenshots

Markup, one of the most convenient tools in iOS, will soon be available for Mac users. This function allows you to write or draw over your screenshot, which is especially useful if you need to pinpoint a specific point on the image and send the file to someone else.

Continuity Camera

Remember the days when you had to email photographs to yourself, move them to iCloud, or sync your phone so it’s accessible on your computer? Say goodbye to this tedious process with macOS Mojave’s Continuity Camera. This new feature lets you capture images on your phone and have it appear on your Pages document instantly. It also allows you to scan documents on your phone and have it automatically sent to your Mac.

There are many more features that are new to macOS Mojave. If you wish to learn more about it, or understand how this update can benefit your business, call our Apple experts today.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.