Wednesday, March 24, 2021

iPad Basics - Intro - Day 1

Zowie - this class has 90+ registered members! 

Carol will introduce 
Melissa will introduce

Apple Productivity Software Guides for Pages, Keynote and Numbers.

These notes give you hints - the more you explore your iPad the more you will learn about it and the apps available. 

Carol shared ... 

Control Center - top right corner > swipe down from the bezel corner to see Control Center overlay
  • TL Block with Airplane AirDrop WiFi Bluetooth
  • Lock Rotation for landscape or portrait mode
  • Do Not Disturb - stop sound alerts and notifications
  • Audio button for music
  • Volume up/down
  • Screen Brightness
  • Screen Mirroring (Apple TV and Zoom Share Screen)
  • Alarm/Timer/Stopwatch/World Clock
  • Timer
  • Camera
Add features to Control Center - open Settings > Control Center
  • Included are red circles
  • More Controls are green circles
  • Rearrange Included list with touch and hold
  • Review options under Accessibility Controls

Guided Access > search inside User Guide (Hint: iPad owner can set limits - choose an app for others to use - think grandkids and a game app).  Go to the Resources page of this site to find links to Apple iPad User Guide as a Book or the online version. 

Home Screens show many apps
  • Group apps into Folders & rename folder
  • Initiate Edit Home Screen mode where all the apps wiggle
  • Touch an app icon and drag over another app
  • Folder created and a name created - tap the suggested name and edit with keyboard
Dock has constant apps no matter what Home Screen is visible
  • Dock has preferred apps on left and recent apps on the right (look for vertical line)
  • Tap and hold to see pop-up menu > Edit Home Screen > wiggle mode
  • Touch and hold app icon to move to Dock (left side)
Search function - swipe down in the space in-between apps to search device for an app and more

Melissa's PDF handout Gestures, Seminar Blog and Widgets 


Tips from Barbara
Watch TV from your provider - get the app from the App Store for your cable service
Search for Xfinity or AT&T or Dish …

MacNexus - local Apple User Group - $40/year has Zoom sessions on Saturdays and Wednesday - see the Resources page on our website
iPhoneLIFE daily email or join iPhone Insider for SENIORS (make sure you are getting senior discount)
- see the Resources page on our website

Sunday, March 21, 2021

iPad Basics - Meet & Greet

March 24th is the optional Meet & Greet session at 10 am.  It’s an opportunity to see if you can log in to Zoom and test your audio and video. It should take less than an hour. 

Thank you for your interest in our iPad basics class! We meet on Wednesdays at 10:00 to 11:45 am. PDT The actual classes will begin on March 31. And meet weekly until May 5th. 

Attend our meetings using a computer if one is available. That way you can participate and watch our demonstrations and use your iPad at the same time. 

Our team has worked out a lot of the 'kinks' associated with Zooming, but we are still learning every week.  We cover a lot of things that were covered in the iPhone basics class and things that are uniquely different on your iPad.  

Housekeeping: 
  • Mute Audio and Video to save bandwidth for all 
  • Use Chat feature to write questions > to Everyone
  • Join the meeting from a computer with your iPad so you can watch and do iPad actions
  • Open for questions at 9:30 am
  • Read this website/blog for notes on session topics 
  • Check each week for Zoom updates on computer and iPad 
Our Zoom sessions are not recorded. 

ZOOM IS UPDATED OFTEN TO IMPROVE SECURITY - Zoom is a free for participants. You do not need an account. Check for Zoom Updates on your computer and iPad. COMPUTER look for Zoom.US menu > Check for updates. IPAD if automatic updates on then device will update. Also, open App Store app > tap Search > ZOOM Cloud Meetings > tap Update (or Open means you are at current version). 

Get the current operating system for iPad - our demonstrations will show this version. 
Settings > General > Automatic Updates > iPad OS 14.4.1 

WHAT DEVICE DO I HAVE: 
Settings > General > About > Model Name / Model Number 
Read about the devices at Identify your iPad Model 

TYPING ON IPAD IN PAGES - is difficult . Consider getting a Bluetooth keyboard or Apple Magic Keyboard as external device works for iPad and Mac computer. Keyboard folios and cases are specific to each model! (If you know someone who purchased a Mac computer, they may have upgraded to a full-sized keyboard and might trade a $25 gift card for the rechargeable magic keyboard. Good request to make if you are a member of the local Apple Support Group - MacNexus. ) You will want to explore topics by searching the Internet or searching YouTube. For example, go to http://youtube.com and in the search bar type "apple pages on ipad" - this search limits the 'hits' to the apple pages app and limits the hits even further to ipad videos because Pages is available on Mac computers too. Read the description of the video and comments to see what is covered and responses from the creator. 

I AM A VISUAL LEARNER - besides this class, you want to explore YouTube video tutorials. 

PAGES HELP PLEASE - how to insert photos to a Pages document and how to add new pages to a Pages document (crazy...).  This is a great question to pose with a Google Search or YouTube Search. But wait, there's more ... in Apple Books search for the Pages User Guide or view/search/read the online version. 

61 participants online today. 

iPhone Day 6 - Siri

Thanks to Barbara and Tom for taking notes today. 

Renaissance iPhone Seminar Notes 03/17/21

Tom discussed Fall class 2021 will have a different format.  Each class will have a theme (scenario) or two. Eg: using your iPhone when walking, using your iPhone when cooking, using your iPhone when gardening. A current class member indicated interest in an Apple Watch class and Tom suggested that watch applications could be included.

SIRI & DICTATION - The things you can do without typing. And works on iPad too! 

According to Wikipedia - Siri is a speech recognition and intelligent personal assistant application developed by Apple Inc. for its mobile and computer platforms. 

Checkout the official Siri website or how to Dictate Text on iPhone 

Siri helps bypass the (tiny) keyboard, prevents typing errors

2 forms:  voice/voice response and textural form

Tom reviewed how to set up. Settings > Siri & Search > toggle it ON.  The first time you will be asked to say various statements so Siri can learn your voice. Toggle on Press Side Button or Home Button for Siri (depending on your model). Toggle on Allow Siri When Locked.

Siri is a computer service that translates/interprets the sounds (words, commands) that you input. You can ask things in different ways (Will it rain tomorrow? Will I need an umbrella tomorrow?) and the Siri will interpret your request and report back. 

Siri works only when you are connected to the internet.

Tom's ten-page list of things Siri Commands & Questions will help you with and suggested some as follows: set an alarm or timer, open a rarely used app from the app library, make phone calls, reminders, location based commands (when I get home remind me to  ____, when I leave this place ask "How long until I get to home?"), open Maps (give me directions to the nearest _____), invoke Siri to send a Message to _____ . 

So, don’t be embarrassed to talk to your phone in public. If dictation is not working be sure Enable Dictation is toggled on.  Settings > General > Keyboard > Enable Dictation. 

Privacy issues: none; info transmitted is encrypted.

Productivity: Tom showed a calendar example of an upcoming museum program. He used Siri’s contextual awareness in the event to bring up options: create event, create reminder, calendar, copy event. We will delve deeper into productivity in the upcoming iPad class - “meet and greet” next Wednesday.

PS The Pocket-lint website has 61 funny things to ask Siri for a good giggle or you can invoke Siri and just say ... repeatedly "Tell me a joke." 

Wednesday, March 3, 2021

iPhone Basics Day 5 - Camera Tricks & Photos

Session PDF handout: All things Camera and Photo Besides photography (mostly)Participants added ideas for the following apps that use the Camera: SeeClickFix, Plantnet, Picturethis, Plantsnap, Seek by iNaturalist, Insect Identification.

2:15pm 3/10/21 Link updated and should not be requiring permission. Reload your browser to get the new link.

The following links are references for you to explore and review to begin your mastery of your iPhone Camera. You will not be able to absorb all of the features in one class session. Revisit this post and watch the videos again and again. 

Actually - Renaissance is asking for fall semester seminar proposals. Are there 6 to 8 members of this seminar (out of 65+ participants) who want to learn more about the camera and photos features? Form a team to explore what the camera can do.  The links on this page are a great starting point. 

The online version of iPhone User Guide iOS 14 > Camera or Photos - critical reference for you. 

Apple gives us a wonderful preview for Photos in the Relive, edit, and share your picture-perfect moments web page. 

While you are at the Apple website, try navigating to the online iOS 14 User Guide for iPhone. Tap on the Support link > tap iPhone > scroll down the page to Capture the moment - Use your Camera 

Watch this video! Emil Pakarklis of iPhone Photography Academy has just posted a new video  (on March 3, 2021) - How to Pick the Correct iPhone Camera Settings. He is using an iPhone 11Pro on iOS 14. 

YouTube has many videos for ideas on using the Camera app, for example: 


Camera and Photos was the Basics October 6, 2020 topic. Review the notes there. At least seven other articles cover photos and camera features in this blog. Use Search to find photography topics. 

The included apps for practice today include: 
  • Settings > Camera 
  • Settings > Control Center > Camera & Magnifier 
  • Lock Screen > Camera 
  • Camera 
  • Contacts > add Photo 
  • Camera for QR Codes 
  • Measure 
  • Magnifier 
  • Notes > Scan Document 
  • Screenshot 
  • Markup 
  • Mail > add Photo or take photo with Camera 
  • Messages > add Photo or take photo with Camera 
  • Camera to document health concerns > Photos app > select > Hide 
Additional apps demonstrated but not required: 
General tips for taking pictures: 
  • Don't use digital zoom - use 0.5X, 1X and 2X settings when available. 
  • Don't use flash - it is not strong enough to help make good photos
  • Tap the screen to set focus
  • Tap then move finger up or down on the glass to adjust exposure
  • Photos are stored on your device and up in iCloud - you still need a device backup

Privacy. That's iPhone - Oversharing can relate to photos you take and share via social media.  

Barbara's quote "There are two types of technology: Prototype and Obsolete."

Create your own QR Codes Qrafter Pro $4 app or use Generate QR Code from Shortcuts Gallery that lets you pick from a Contacts card, a website, Calendar event, email or message. Learn more about Apple Shortcuts for automation in the Shortcuts User Guide. 

iPhone Basics Day 4 - Phone, Messages & Contacts

Highlights of Tom's presentation today.  

  1. ... but before you dig in, Create a Medical ID in the Health app and practice how to find the Emergency info on Home Screen for EMS. Don't unlock your phone with fingerprint, passcode or face id to see options. 
  2. Play Telephone with two or more friends. Practice the features mentioned below.  If you don't have two iPhone friends, send the messages to yourself. Also, search YouTube for answers. 
  3. Turn on Do Not Disturb to send calls automatically to voicemail. Open Control Center and touch and hold the half moon icon to see options.

iPhone best kept secret is that it can make phone calls!

(Previous iPhones can drop the cellular service but continue to use WiFi as iPhone Touch.)

Phone app 
iOS14 incoming calls arrive as a banner at the top of the screen instead of taking over the whole screen. Want calls to show on the entire screen. Settings > Phone > Incoming Calls > Full Screen.
  • Answer a call > tap Accept (green button)
  • Many buttons on screen for Mute, Keypad, Speaker, Add Call, FaceTime, Contacts.
  • Conference call - Add Call opens Contacts to add a number.
  • Top left corner of screen is a green button with current calling time indicated. Tap the green button to return to phone call screen.
Don't want to answer a call? Two options: 
  • Click the side power button silences ringer and sends call to voice mail.
  • Tap Decline red button to send directly to voice mail.
Unknown Callers - Settings > Phone > Silence Unknown Callers > On 
All calls that are not in Contacts go immediately to voicemail. When you are expecting a phone call from an unknown number then turn this off temporarily so all calls ring through. Plus - slide the Ring Switch button on the side of your phone to black. 

Blocked Callers - add numbers to this list from the Phone app. Tap Recents to open this view. Tap the ( i ) on the right side of a number > scroll down the screen and tap Block this caller. The list is text and will not take up lots of space on your devices. See the list at Settings > Phone > Blocked Calls. When you change the status of a number from "blocked" you can swipe right to left on the number > Unblock. Or you can tap the > for a number and Create a New Contact. 

Manage phone ringtones Settings > Sounds & Haptics > Ringtones; use Contacts to set individual ringtones. 

Text message when not answering calls 
Settings > Phone > Respond with Text. Has three default messages or type your own to customize a message. 

FaceTime calls with multiple phone numbers. Group Message > tap faces > 3 options for combined audio call, FaceTime call and Info. Up to 32 callers can be on FaceTime. 

FaceTime app will show some names listed in Contacts

Settings > Phone > Allow calls on other devices - for phone calls on iPad and Mac computer logged in with same Apple ID. 

Ask Siri to make calls to people in your Contacts

Group email lists cannot be made on iPhone or iPad - make groups on your Mac computer or Windows computer. Copy all the email addresses separated by comma to a Notes page. Copy all the addresses from the Notes page to the BCC field of an email message, type your message in the body of the email and send. 

Settings > Phone > WiFi Calling - when your cellular service is spotty then calls can use local wifi to boost signal.

Message app

Send a new message > tap top right button to address Message by name or phone number > tap blue arrow to send.
  • Apple devices are colored blue; non-Apple devices are colored green.
  • Some special effects will not be sent to non-Apple devices.
  • iPhone shows green? Settings > Messages > Send as SMS > ON
  • Settings > Messages > MMS Messaging > ON
  • Apple Messages to other Apple users are fully encrypted.
  • Add emphasis to message > hold down on blue button for Send with Effect options > Bubble Tap rainbow flower button to send a photo or take a photo.
  • New Message > Addressee > tap Rainbow Flower or Camera icon to see photo albums. Tap photo to see a checkbox on the photo.
  • When you receive a message with a photo you can use the Share button to Save to Photos.

Many features are buttons above the keyboard, swipe right to left. These options depend on apps you have installed on your iPhone.
  • Send Money - with ApplePay button. (PS - Tom has still not sent me money.) 
  • Special Words - Happy Birthday, Congratulations and Happy New Year include automatic effects.
  • Look for red button above the keyboard Photo Search and type keywords to find fun images for birthdays, holidays, congratulations …
  • Look for YouTube button above the keyboard and search for snippets to send. 

Contacts app

Enter Area Codes for all contacts.

Contacts is a reference for other apps, Mail, Messages, Phone, Maps …

Add a new Contact with the + sign and fill in related fields. Like Birthday for a reminder a week before the anniversary.

Related name field for family members and business associates.

Add Ringtone

Add to Favorites - Phone app > tap Star icon to see list

Add Notes - info for reference

Make update to a Contact card - tap Edit.

Add a photo to Contact card

Share Contacts - make a reduced info Contact Card for sharing with others.

Manage Contacts by contextual awareness

Get a phone call from a number > tap ( i ) button to create a new contact card or add to an existing card.

Email from someone > tap the email name/address to add a new contact.

Email message with event information can be added to Calendar app as new event.


Questions 
Sending Messages on iPad are problematic but iPhone sends OK. Settings on iPhone controls Messages. Settings > ... mystery continues 

Photos changes in iOS 14 - sending a picture … The several ways to send photos is confusing. From Messages or from Photos app. Read the User Guide to find out the different ways to send photos. Choose the best approach for you. 

Can’t find the Cancel button to stop the Share option. So I shut off my iPhone. You are working too hard. Swipe up on the screen to return to a Home Screen (Face ID). Swipe up slowly to activate the Multitasking view and then swipe up on the misbehaving app to close it. Tap the Home Button to return to a Home Screen (Home Button model). Swipe up slowly to activate the Multitasking view and then swipe up on the misbehaving app to close it. 

Many websites are open on my iPhone. Can I dismiss all at once? Touch and hold bottom right icon with two boxes. Option to close all tabs. There is no lag time in using Safari if many tabs are open. They are dormant unless they are the front-most tab. 

What is taking up space on my iPhone?  Videos, Photos, Podcasts, Audiobooks …
Settings > General > iPhone Storage >

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