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7 hidden tips and tricks every iOS Mail user should know

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If you use the default iOS Mail app on a regular basis, here are 7 tips and tricks you definitely need to know!
If you use the default iOS Mail app on a regular basis, you definitely need to learn these tips and tricks.
Photo: Ally Kazmucha/The App Factor

app-factor-logo-thumbnail No matter how many email apps I try, I just keep coming back to the stock iOS Mail app. While some of the things I’ve come to love about the iPhone’s built-in Mail app are obvious, some are not — such as shortcuts or gestures that make using it even more intuitive. Here are a few favorite iOS Mail tips I think everyone should know.

Quick tip lets you take control of Apple TV video

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tvOS changes the default scrubbing behavior of your Siri Remote, and we couldn't be more glad.
tvOS changes the default scrubbing behavior of your Siri Remote, and we couldn't be more glad.
Photo: Rob LeFebvre/Cult of Mac

There’s a new Apple TV update in town, and it adds a few obvious features, like Bluetooth keyboard support and Siri Dictation in search and user name/password fields.

tvOS 9.2 also has some less-obvious improvements, though. For instance, it’s easy to locate the exact spot you want to find in any video. Here’s how to scrub through video on Apple TV with your Siri Remote in tvOS 9.2.

How to monitor all 3 credit scores free on iPhone

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Looking for a hassle free way to monitor your credit? Here's how to do just that, for free!
Looking for a hassle free way to monitor your credit? Here's how to do just that, for free!
Photo: Ally Kazmucha/The App Factor

app-factor-logo-thumbnailThere are lots of finance apps available for iPhone these days. Some of them make tasks that used to be painfully irritating easier than ever — like monitoring your credit report and viewing your credit scores. Even better, if you have the right combination of finance apps, you can regularly monitor all three of your credit scores for free, right from your iPhone. Here’s how!

How to use a Bluetooth keyboard with Apple TV

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Apple TV with the wireless keyboard
With tvOS, your newer Apple TV can work with Bluetooth keyboards.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

With this week’s release of tvOS 9.2 for Apple TV, the fourth-generation set-top box now works with Bluetooth keyboards. While the splash screen specifically calls out Apple wireless keyboards, the truth is that you might be able pair pretty much any Bluetooth external keyboard with your new Apple TV.

Here’s how. (And here’s how to upgrade to tvOS 9.2 if you haven’t already.)

How to choose the best iPhone for you

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New options for all of us.
New options for all of us.
Photo: Stephen Smith/Cult of Mac

The iPhone line just got more expansive, with the new, smaller-yet-powerful iPhone SE dropping into the fray to compliment the bigger and still powerful iPhone 6, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6 Plus and 6s Plus handsets.

So how do you choose the best iPhone? That depends on your own needs, of course, but we’re here to help you figure it all out with our iPhone buyer’s guide.

How to decide which iPad is best for you

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Which one is best for you?
Which iPad model is best for you?
Photo: Rob LeFebvre/Cult of Mac

With the iPad lineup now verging on unwieldy, it’s harder than ever to decide which Apple tablet to buy. Which iPad is best for you? That’s going to depend on your needs, desires and budget — but your iPad buyer’s guide can help!

Do you go for the massive appeal of the 12.9-inch iPad Pro or opt for the smaller-but-newer (and slightly gimped) 9.7-inch iPad Pro? Will a tiny iPad mini suit you, or should you opt for an iPad Air 2, which is still a very capable, thin tablet?

All good questions! We’re here to help you answer them with this handy iPad comparison, just in time for when the new iPad Pro goes on sale Thursday, March 24 (most likely at 12:01 a.m. Pacific, according to Apple Support).

How to control your home media with 3D Touch and Launch Center Pro

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Want faster access to home audio? Here's how with the help of Launch Center Pro and 3D Touch!
Want faster access to home audio? Here's how with the help of Launch Center Pro and 3D Touch!
Photo: Ally Kazmucha/The App Factor

app-factor-logo-thumbnailWhile some apps haven’t quite figured out best use cases for 3D Touch yet, a handful of apps have gotten it right. One of those apps is Launch Center Pro, which lets you choose what apps you get access to through 3D Touch actions.

I’ve chosen to take advantage of this by using Launch Center Pro to launch my most-used media apps: Rdio (RIP, now replaced), Sonos, Music.app and Pandora. By doing this, I’ve freed up four additional spaces on my first Home screen for other apps.

How to update your iPhone or iPad to iOS 9.3

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Get your iOS device up to date fast and easy.
Get your iOS device up to date fast and easy.
Photo: Rob LeFebvre/Cult of Mac

iOS 9.3 is perhaps the biggest “dot” upgrade Apple has created for its mobile platform. Apple usually doesn’t show off incremental iOS upgrades at its carefully staged keynotes, but iOS 9.3 clocked some time at Monday’s iPhone SE event, and you should update right now.

If nothing else, you’ll get some great new features like Night Shift to make your mobile digital life just a bit better. Here’s how to get iOS 9.3 on your iPhone or iPad.

Cool new things you can do after your iOS 9.3 update

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iOS 9.3 Beta 4

Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

iOS 9.3 is out now for everyone, and the upgrade delivers some great new features that make Apple’s mobile platform better than ever.

With sweet additions like password-protected Notes, sleep-saving Night Shift and data-friendly Wi-Fi Assist, iOS 9.3 might be Apple’s biggest “dot” release yet.

Here’s a quick rundown of all the coolest things you can do once you’ve downloaded the iOS 9.3 update, which Apple released Monday.

How to change where screenshots are saved on your Mac

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Tired of screenshots cluttering your Mac's desktop? Here's how to change where they're saved!
Tired of screenshots cluttering your Mac's desktop? Here's how to change where they're saved!
Photo: Ally Kazmucha/The App Factor

app-factor-logo-thumbnail I take a lot of screenshots on my Mac. This typically results in my desktop being cluttered with files I don’t really need to be there once I’m done with them.

That’s why I decided to change the location where my Mac screenshots are stored. My desktop is now clean and I still have quick access via a folder on my desktop. Here’s how you can do the same.

How to clock in for the Night Shift in iOS 9.3

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iOS 9.3 Night Shift
Here's how to turn the lights down and settle in for the Night Shift.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Yesterday, the launch of iOS 9.3 added Night Shift to Apple’s mobile devices. It’s a really cool feature that might help make you healthier. Jailbreakers have enjoyed an app with the same functionality for years, but now it’s legitimate and poses less of a risk of completely jacking up your iPhone or iPad.

Night Shift gives you the option of warming up the light your display emits so that you get less harsh, blue rays before bed. The idea is that your screen’s usual output tricks your body into thinking that it’s still daytime, and that can make it harder to fall and stay asleep. So if you’re used to checking some e-mails or reading some news before you conk out, it might help you rest easier.

Here’s how to activate Night Shift’s soothing beams.

How to organize your Apple TV with folders

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Get your OCD on with folders on Apple TV.
Get your OCD on with folders on Apple TV.
Photo: Stephen Smith/Cult of Mac

The latest Apple TV has 5,000 apps and every one I’ve installed on my Home screen is a pain in the ass to find.

That is, until now. Apple just introduced tvOS 9.2, which brings the organizing power of folders to your 4th Generation Apple TV, and boy are we excited.

Here’s how to organize all those media and gaming apps on your Apple TV with folders.

How to update the software on your Apple TV

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appletv
Apple TV's new app could give us the interface we've dreamed of.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

The fourth-generation Apple TV is ready for a new update to tvOS (9.2), bringing Siri dictation to the whole system, including search, user names and passwords. It’s also got a new Folder system like iOS does, which will let you organize your Home screen to your heart’s content, and it will support Apple wireless keyboards and your iCloud Photo Library on the big screen.

If you want to update your Apple TV right now and get all these great new features, just follow the directions below.

101 things to draw and send with your Apple Watch

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Learn to draw like Leonardo with Apple Watch Digital Touch Sketches
Learn to draw like Leonardo with Apple Watch Digital Touch sketches.
Photo: Graham Bower/Cult of Mac

The ability to send tiny finger drawings — or “Digital Touch sketches,” as Apple calls them — is probably the least-popular Apple Watch feature. Which is a shame, because once you get the hang of drawing them, they can be a lot of fun.

To help get you started, I’ve put together a compendium of 101 Digital Touch sketch ideas you can quickly and easily draw with your Apple Watch. I’ve sorted them by theme, and given them star ratings to indicate how difficult they are to draw. (Don’t miss the holiday section for some Easter greetings ideas.)

But first, a few tips on how to copy my drawings — and create your own — using your Apple Watch.

How to find your lost iPhone with Tile

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Stick your Tile somewhere like a wall, where you won't lose it.
Stick your Tile somewhere like a wall, where you won't lose it.
Photo: Tile

Chances are, you’ve lost your iPhone a time or two, even in your own home. I’ve found myself stalking around the living room, kitchen, and even bathroom trying to remember just where I left that darn iOS device.

Tile, the popular “find your stuff” tracker, has a trick you can use to find your lost iPhone, even if you’ve put the iPhone on silent.

Here’s how.

How to save only your most treasured iMessages in OS X

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Keep only what you want, get rid of the rest.
Keep only what you want, get rid of the rest.
Photo: Rob LeFebvre/Cult of Mac (Original image by Patryk Sobczak/Unsplash)

When it comes to the Messages app, saving all your iMessages can be a good thing, letting you go back in time and see the delightful conversations you’ve had with your loved ones or even just checking to see where you’re supposed to meet up on Friday.

Of course, there might be a few of them, however, that you’re not super keen on saving. You may not want to get rid of an entire iMessage conversation thread, but there might be bits of it you’d rather forget.

Here’s how to get rid of parts of your iMessages while saving only your most treasured iMessages in OS X.

How to record your iPhone or iPad screen with QuickTime

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iPhone Screen Capture
Start capturing your iOS gaming with this handy trick!
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

There are many reasons you may want to record your iPhone screen: demonstrations, tutorials, gaming and much more.

Sure, there are apps out there that can do this for you, but the only downside is that they use up valuable storage space on your iPhone or iPad. In this week’s Quick Tips video, I’m going to show you how to record your iOS device to your Mac in under a minute.

4 quick ways to speed up a slow iPhone

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If your iPhone feels a little sluggish, here are 4 easy tips to help speed it up again!
If your iPhone feels a little sluggish, here are 4 easy tips to help speed it up again!
Photo: Ally Kazmucha/The App Factor

app-factor-logo-thumbnailIs your iPhone slow? Whether you’ve just updated iOS or you’ve been experiencing performance issues for a while, there are several things you can do to get things humming again. Regardless why your iPhone is slow, here are my top four tips to help you speed it up again.

How to view your Google Drive files faster with Launch Center Pro

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Want even faster access to your most-used Google Drive files? Let Launch Center Pro do the heavy lifting!
Want even faster access to your most-used Google Drive files? Let Launch Center Pro do the heavy lifting!
Photo: Ally Kazmucha/The App Factor

app-factor-logo-thumbnail Launch Center Pro has solved many workflow problems for me over the years. Most recently it’s been an immense time-saver when it comes to accessing Google Drive files I need often. While the Google Drive app itself is decent enough, it only acts as a hub to Google’s other apps, which is somewhat annoying.

That’s why I started using Launch Center Pro to speed up the process. Here’s how you can, too.

How to keep creepers off your WhatsApp profile

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WhatsApp on iPhone
Don’t ignore the latest WhatsApp releases.
Photo: Rob LeFebvre/Cult of Mac

WhatsApp is a messaging app popular with people all over the globe, but you probably don’t want it to turn into a tracking app for your stalker.

Plus, it probably has private information in it that you’d rather not have other people know about, right?

Here’s how to lock it all down so you can keep creepers off your WhatsApp profile.

How to make EarPods play nicely with Xbox One

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Xbox One controller Apple EarPods
Controller support is better than ever.
Photo: Evan Killham/Cult of Mac

You’re probably used to using your EarPods to listen to music or make hands-free phone calls, but we’ve recently discovered another cool trick they can do. If you have a headphone-compatible Xbox One controller, you can also use Apple’s standard earbuds to pump your game and chat audio directly into your head.

You’ll have to adjust a setting or two first, though. And that’s only fair considering you’re asking Apple and Microsoft products to work together. Here’s what you need to do.

How to find hidden gems streaming on Netflix

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Netflix has a plan to win over new subscribers in an age of Apple TV+
Netflix has a plan to win over new subscribers in an age of Apple TV+
Photo: Netflix

Bruce Springsteen once lamented that there were “57 Channels (And Nothin’ On),” and it’s only gotten worse. How do you find something good to watch in an era where Amazon, iTunes, HBO/Showtime, and a ton of network-specific apps and online sites threaten to overwhelm your screens, big and small?

It’s not as easy as you’d think, either, especially if you have more than one person controlling the remote.

I’ve gotten less happy to let Netflix choose what I watch these days and have tried to found new ways to see hidden treasures that might not end up on the main home screen.

Here are our suggestions on how to find the buried treasure on Netflix.

4 Snapchat tips that will make you a pro

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Here's more snap for your chat.
Here's more snap for your chat.
Photo: Rob LeFebvre/Cult of Mac

Snapchat is one of those essential social networking apps that makes a ton of sense to early adopters (read: young folks) and not much sense at all to those who arrive later to the party.

As obfuscated as most of Snapchat’s features are, it takes a bit of guidance if you want to go beyond simply snapping a shot and sending it to a buddy. These four easy Snapchat tips will turn you into a master.