10 Tips for the iPhone

Did you get an iPhone for Christmas? Depending on when you are reading this, you might not know yet. Regardless, here are 10 tips to get you better acquainted with your new device.

1. Using your Head Phones

The EarPods that are shipped with the newest iPhones are great for listening to music, making hands free calls, and navigating your phone. There are the obvious features as shown on the headphone remote: (+) volume up / (-) Volume down, and the centre unlabelled button is Play/Pause. But there is more than that packed into the centre button. A double-click will jump to the next track. A triple-click will go to the previous track. And a press and hold will start a conversation with Siri.

2. Take better Selfies

Does the length of your arms interfere with the quality of selfie you are able to take? Not to worry Apple has an accessibility option for that... well kind of. Your EarPods can give you a wired remote shutter button. Simply open your Camera app and with EarPods plugged in use the (+) button to activate the shutter. This can be especially useful to get the group shot selfie without having any faces cut off.

3. Shutter Button

In keeping with the camera, you do not need to use the on-screen button to snap photos. Just as the EarPods can be used as a shutter button, the iPhone's (+) volume hardware button will also activate the camera's shutter while that app is open. It's function does not stop there either, the same works with the stop/start recording of video. I particularly like this feature as it promotes proper orientation for capturing video. Together we can stop VVS, the key is awareness!

Troubleshooting American Netflix Errors From Other Regions

Netflix provides region specific content based on what that area is interested in seeing. They explain it further in this video. Apparently their research methods are not very accurate as myself, and many of you, have decided to apply a DNS mask to gain access to the better (American) content.

If you have stumbled upon this page looking for the "How To Get American Netflix" instructions, click the linked text for your device: Apple TV or iPhone/iPad.

 If you have been using the DNS mask for any length of time, more than likely you have had some type of error or loading issue. Below are the most popular problems that I come across or have been asked about on twitter (I do make an effort to respond to each cry for help).

Here are a few things you should know right off the top. Changing your DNS setting to gain access to the American content is a loophole in the system. Netflix has not authorized this to be a working function and therefore it will be prone to errors, glitches, and slow loading. That being the case, here are a few things you can do to keep your content alive.

iWork / iLife Apps Free with Device Activation

During Apples iPhone keynote event last month Tim Cook announced that Pages, Keynote, Numbers, iMovie, and iPhoto would be given away for free with a new device activation after September 1, 2013. That's $40 worth of apps for free! This offer is restricted to the iPhone 5S, iPhone 5C, iPod Touch 5, and iPad.

Any device set up from new will provide a prompt to download all five of these app at no cost. If you are restoring your new device from a back up, as I did with my iPhone 5S, you may not receive the prompt to take advantage of this offer. Not to worry, you can still get he apps for free!

The steps are very simple.

Hide Any App Icon While Keeping Full Functionality (iOS 7) - No Jailbreak

Do you have one of those apps that you don't want people looking at? Perhaps you don't like having Game Center or Compass on your home screen. There is a simple way to solve both these problems.
Allow me to explain, any app that is on your iOS device can be hidden from the home screen but will remain on your device with full functionality.
The method in which this is accomplished takes some practice to get right but once you figure it out you will be greatful.

Here's how

Untitled Folders - No Jailbreak (iOS 7)

Every iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch owner has that one folder which contains those never used apps. You know what I am talking about, the folder that contain Stocks, Voice Memos, Game Center, Compass, Newsstand (That's right, iOS 7 allows Newsstand to be placed in a folder!!). What do you call that folder? "Junk," "Hardly Used," "CrApple?" Why not call it nothing at all.

The other problematic folder is the one that contains the apps that you use the most. This folder does not need a name because you know exactly what is in it.

If you have ever tried to make a label-less folder you will know that it will always autocorrect back to the default name. But that all ends now.

How to

How to: Watch American Netflix on Your iPhone or iPad

With the content difference between American Netflix and other regions (such as Canada where I live) it is no surprise that people are looking to "unlock" that content. With the popularity of my How to: Watch American Netflix in Canada using AppleTV post, I thought it was time to take this Netflix content unlock to the iOS platform.

Please note: For this unlock to work you are required to be connected to a Wi-Fi signal.

This may be the deepest you have ever dove into you Wi-Fi settings on your iOS device, but the new Netflix content is well worth the effort.

iOS 7 Screenshot Tour

It should not be long now before Apple releases the "Gold Master" iOS 7 to the public. At the (still rumored) September 10th presentation, I can hear the words "iOS 7: the biggest thing to happen to the iPhone since the iPhone." The difference between this and the last time those words were said, this time it is true.
Scroll through the gallery below to see the side-by-side comparison of iOS 6 and iOS 7.

Lock Screen

Create Custom Vibration Notifications for iPhone - No Jailbreak

Custom ring and text tones are great for knowing who's attempting to contact you without having to actually look at your iPhone. However, this feature is useless when your device is in silent/vibrate-only mode.

With a simple change in settings, you can unlock custom vibrations for anyone in your contact list. This way you will always know who is on the other side of communication and if it is important enough to pick up.

iPhone Carrier Editor - No Jailbreak (iOS 6)

A common misunderstanding among iPhone owners is that Jailbreaking is required to achieve any type of customization. While this was mostly true in earlier versions of iOS, the 6th release (iOS 6) has a nice handful of tweaks. CarrierEditor is one of my favorites; it allows the ability to stop advertising for you carrier, and chose your own logo as a replacement. As you can see pictured below, my phone is on BatSignal.

Hidden Apple TV Features

Apple TV is a wonderful little set top box with some powerful features. Here are four of my favorite hidden features. 

Install iOS 7 BETA for Free - EXPIRED

iOS 7 has Officially been released to the public. On you compatible device navigate Setting>General>Software Update to download and install the new operating system.

Compatible Devices

• iPhone 5
• iPhone 4S
• iPhone 4
• iPad 2,
• iPad Mini
• iPad w/ Retina display
• iPod Touch 5th gen.

Enjoy!

How to: Watch American Netflix in Canada using AppleTV (Updated Jan 19, 2014)

It is no secret that Netflix streams different content to you based on your location. Myself, I live in Canada and thus have watched through the Canadian content. Crossing the US boarder will automatically switch the content that is available for me to watch (to a much better catalogue I might add); though I much prefer to watch from the comfort of my own home. This is possible with a simple change in network settings. 

For the AppleTV, which is my preferred Netflix hub, the steps are surprisingly simple. You would have gone through a similar process on the initial set up of your AppleTV.