5 Things we learned this month

iCreate 233

“Until recently, my iPad was a 4th-gen model that couldn’t update beyond iOS 10.3.3”

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David Crookes Our iOS expert will show you

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How to create and access your FileSilo account

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Apple’s best apps & games of 2021

Apple has revealed the ten best apps of the past year

iCandy

Apple Pencil (2015)

iPHONE 13

A round-up of the most essential features and secret settings that every iPhone user needs to know

Genius Bar

Our Apple devices and the software on them are some of the finest products on the planet, but even they have their moments. We’re here to give you expert advice and get you back up and running in no time

Q Acoustics M20 HD Wireless Speakers £399/$599

Key features 2x32W • Bluetooth 5.0 • 55Hz-22kHz • RCA • AUX • USB • Digital optical

Edifier R33BT Wireless Speakers £69.99/$69.99

Key features Bluetooth 5.0 • 10W RMS power

Edifier NeoBuds Pro Wireless Earbuds £99.99/$129.99

Key features Hybrid ANC • Three-mic Call Noise

Accessories

Edifier GX High-fidelity Gaming Headset £74.99/$79.99 edifier.com

MusicHarbor

The app that tracks new music, concerts and news

Take manual control of your camera with Halide Mark II

How to shoot better pictures using a third-party camera app and then edit them in Photos

Edit Cinematic mode clips on your Mac

How to change focal points and depth of field blur in Cinematic mode footage

Save time with object tracking in Final Cut Pro

Our tutorial demonstrates how to make text automatically track a moving subject

Autotune your vocals with Pitch Correction

Discover how to use GarageBand’s built-in plugin for tuning tracks closer to project pitch

Tuning Vocals with Logic Pro’s Flex Pitch tool

You can use Logic’s advanced pitch editing features to knock vocals into shape quickly and easily

Create menu bar tools using Shortcuts

Add tools to the menu bar on the Mac by creating mini programs using the Shortcuts app

How to use hashtags to organise your Notes

Organise and find notes more easily by adding hashtags to them. Show them, sort them, manage them!

Use Notes’ activity and highlights features

Can you tell who wrote what and when in a shared note? Yes! Notes logs everything for you

Copy and translate text in web images

Copy text from images and translate it into English or other languages using Safari on the Mac

Convert Automator apps to shortcuts

Created Automator Apps in previous versions of macOS? Convert them to Shortcuts apps in macOS Monterey

Use persistent highlights on the web with Safari

Highlight important parts of web pages in Safari and make the highlights permanent on your Mac

How to unlock the secret debug menu in Safari

Access Safari’s ‘other’ hidden developer menu in macOS Monterey

SECURE YOUR MAC IN MONTEREY

How to utilise the new privacy features and tighten up your Mac security

Set up Driving Focus in your iPhone’s Settings

Enable Driving Focus and customise the settings on the iPhone to drive safely and inform your contacts

How to use photo collections in Messages

Send and receive collections of photos using the Messages app

Move photos from Google Images to Photos

This little trick will allow you to save images from search results

Make use of some great apps in Messages

Messages lets you go further than simply sending texts and photos. You can play games, use stickers and more using apps

Transcribe conversations with Otter

Save transcribing time by automating the process

Export your notes as PDFs using Markup

Sharing notes you’ve created in the Apple Notes app is easier if you export them as PDFs

Change the text size in apps with iOS 15

Decide if you want text in individual apps to be larger or smaller

Use SharePlay during a FaceTime call

Watching content on your iPhone doesn’t have to be a solitary pursuit. You can now watch stuff together using FaceTime

Master your iPad’s built-in floating keyboard

Change the position, size and layout of your iPadOS keyboard and discover other typing tricks to speed up your typing

Play Netflix’s new games on your iPad

Reckon you’ve completed Netflix’s TV offerings? Then it’s time to level-up and try playing its games as well

Maximise your Apple Watch battery performance

If your Apple Watch battery is not making it through the day, you can easily change that

Measure the oxygen level of your blood

Discover how much oxygen is in your blood and get an early warning of lung and heart problems

Use Shared With You on the Apple TV app

Receive TV show and film recommendations and have them automatically appear in the Apple TV app