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How-To - page 81

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.

How to warm up and cool down with your Apple Watch

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Doing a warm-up before your workout and a cool-down afterwards can reduce your risk of injury
Warming up before your workout and cooling down afterward can reduce your risk of injury and improve your performance.
Photo: Graham Bower/Cult of Mac

When you start a workout, Apple Watch only gives you a three-second countdown. There’s no time for a warmup first. And when you’re done, the Workout app does not prompt you to cool down either.

That is very different from the treadmills and bikes you find in most gyms, which ease you gently into your workout and steadily lower your pace at the end.

Apple Watch may not (yet) support the warmup and cool-down phases of a workout, but that does not mean you should skip them. These Apple Watch fitness tips will help you get the most out of your workouts.

How to supercharge your Netflix watch list

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Watch it your way.
Watch it your way.
Photo: Rob LeFebvre/Cult of Mac (original image Volkan Olmez/Unsplash CC

It was a good day when Netflix added My List to the list of awesome features it has to allow us to watch anything we want on our TV, computer, or game console. It lets us all keep track of what we want to watch while helping corral the overwhelming amount of distracting movies and TV shows on offer.

However, Netflix still wants to manage what you watch; My List is ordered by some magic Netflix algorithm that makes sure it puts movies it wants you to see up front.

Switch your Netflix My List queue to Manual sorting, then move some stuff around, and you’ll supercharge your Netflix watch list in no time.

Here’s how.

Beat Netflix region restrictions to watch whatever you want

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Watching a UK-only  movie on Netflix from the US.
Watching a UK-only movie on Netflix from the US.
Photo: Rob LeFebvre/Cult of Mac

If you live in the United States and use Netflix, you might be disappointed to find out that some shows, like Kajaki: The True Story, are unavailable due to region restrictions.

These are based on licensing agreements that Netflix has with content providers. Many shows and movies are region-locked, which means that you can’t watch a show in the U.S. if it’s only available in the U.K., and vice versa.

There is a way around it, however. Here’s how to beat Netflix region restrictions to watch whatever you want, whenever you want, from wherever you want.

How to report Game Center cheaters on iPhone and iPad

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If you come across someone cheating in a game that supports GameCenter, you can easily report them.
If you come across someone cheating in a game that supports Game Center, you can easily report them.
Photo: Ally Kazmucha/The App Factor

app-factor-logo-thumbnailUp until recently, I almost always accepted Game Center invites from whoever. I like playing games on my iPhone and iPad and always welcome a worthy opponent. However, there are a lot of people out there cheating and faking scores. While I handled some of this by just deleting them, I also realized that there is a way to report these accounts via Game Center.

5 Netflix keyboard shortcuts that put you in charge

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Netflix on a MacBook
You now have to pay more for the best Netflix package.
Photo: Stephen Smith/Cult of Mac

When you’re binge-watching a show like Walking Dead or Person of Interest on Netflix, you may at times need to get up for a snack or bathroom break (or both).

Fumbling around for the mouse to bring up the playback overlay is fine, but using the keyboard to pause your streaming media is much faster. Here are five hidden keyboard shortcuts that will put you in charge of your Netflix experience.

Netflix’s hidden streaming menu will solve your buffering woes

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Netflix
Expect Netflix to stay in the no. 1 spot for the foreseeable future.
Photo: Global X / Flickr CC

It’s happened to all of us: We get to the thrilling conclusion of the latest Daredevil or Jessica Jones episode, and suddenly Netflix’s “buffering” logo appears, bringing our TV binge to an abrupt and unwelcome end.

Luckily, you can use Netflix’s hidden streaming menu to set your streaming speed to a lower tier, which should bypass the buffering foolishness. Here’s how to find it.

5 tips to keep your iPhone on lockdown

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iphone_disabled
Secure your iPhone with these handy tips.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

iPhone security has dominated the news for the past couple of weeks, so it’s understandable if you’re worrying about your own iPhone.

Have no fear, though: here are some handy tips to help keep your iPhone secure, from both hackers and the FBI.

Today’s video will walk you through 5 easy-to-do tips that will make your iPhone more secure.

Stay distracted: Keep Netflix video running in the foreground on your Mac

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Watch your favorites while getting work done, too.
Watch your favorites while getting work done, too.
Photo: Stephen Smith/Cult of Mac

Sometimes, work is boring. You might need a distraction from whatever routine task you’re doing on your Mac, like entering data into a spreadsheet or replying to email. Netflix is a great idea, but you have to portion your screen or move windows around in order to both watch a show on Netflix as well as get your work done.

Not anymore, though, as NEnhancer lets you use the magical power of Chrome to get a Netflix movie or TV show in a small window that will float on top of any other apps you’re running, making sure your Netflix video running in the foreground on your Mac.

Just be sure to actually get your work finished, too.

How to make grocery lists with Fantastical 2 and Apple Watch

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If you have an Apple Watch, Fantastical 2 makes managing grocery lists super simple!
If you have an Apple Watch, Fantastical 2 makes managing grocery lists super simple!
Photo: Ally Kazmucha/The App Factor

app-factor-logo-thumbnail

Grocery shopping isn’t anyone’s favorite activity — and while using a list can make it a bit more manageable, constantly pulling out your iPhone to check items off can be inconvenient. However, creating an iOS grocery list in the Reminders app and syncing it with your Apple Watch can streamline the process significantly.

While walking through a local grocery store, I found myself pulling out my iPhone, launching Fantastical 2 and systematically checking things off as normal. I then remembered that my Apple Watch also had Fantastical 2 built right in, so I figured I would give that a go this time.

After a little experimenting, I figured out the perfect way to interact with checklists in Fantastical 2 on my Apple Watch.

10 iOS Safari tips you need to know (but don’t)

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Safari iOS 11
Get up to speed with these awesome Safari tips
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

The mobile web browser of choice for most iPhone and iPad users is still Safari. As the stock browser for iOS, it has been a staple of the iPhone since its release in 2007, but Safari has a few subtle features you’ve probably never heard of.

With Safari going through so many changes with each new iOS version, some tricks may have sneaked past your attention. In today’s video, we’ll show you 10 killer Safari tricks every iPhone and iPad users needs to know.

How many of these Safari tips have you seen?

How to eliminate the adware that’s plaguing your Mac

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Mac malware
Don't get caught like this.
Photo: Stephen Smith/Cult of Mac

In addition to various viruses that can harm your Mac, there’s a different kind of annoyance you might have stumbled upon: adware.

This might manifest itself as a web page that tells you you’ve been infected, with an accompanying phone number to call or malicious website to visit, or it might even show up as an ostensibly helpful Mac app you don’t remember installing.

If you’re experiencing the pain of malicious adware, we’re here to help. Here’s how to eliminate the adware that’s plaguing your Mac.