Great ways to get more from all your Apple gear

Written by Ian Osborne

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Remember that now-infamous Apple advert, showing an entire creative studio suite being crushed and replaced by an iPad? It proved controversial among content creators, but its underlying message was clear; your iPad – and other Apple gear – can do an amazing amount of things.

In this feature, we’re going to explore exactly this (the creation bit, not the crushing), as well as throwing in a few general tips and tricks you might not know about. Whether you’re making a podcast, or recording a meeting of lecture for later perusal, writing a letter to your bank manager in Pages or working on your first novel in Scrivener, making a ringtone for your iPhone or recording the next chart hit, your Apple devices can get the job done. So let your creative juices flow as you explore some of the great projects you can try out with your Mac, iPhone and iPad.

All the apps featured here are designed to make the experience of embarking on a new project as easy and fun as possible, so take a look through the options, and try your hand at a brand-new skill or venture with your Apple device.

Record a podcast

Before investing in equipment, try GarageBand to record an interview

Regular readers of our reviews section shows will know that you can buy all sorts of gadgets and gear for recording podcasts. But if you’re a complete beginner, you already have everything you need to make your first show. GarageBand is free on Mac, iPhone and iPad and is a great way to get started.

Open GarageBand on your chosen device, and start a new project. On a Mac, when asked to create a track, choose Mic or Line for recording audio for a podcast. Click Create, and you’re away. The controls you need, such as Record,

Stop, and Play Back, are all in the app’s menu bar. Then, when you’re done, choose the Share option in the menu bar, then ‘Export Song to Disk’ to save it in a format of your choice.

It’s a similar story if you’re using GarageBand on a mobile device. First tap the ‘+’ to start a new project, then select the Audio Recorder option. You can then record your podcast using the iPhone’s or iPad’s in-built microphones. You get to choose from some great effects such as Monster, Robot, Bullhorn and Sci-Fi, or just record your voice using the Clean option.

When you’ve recorded a podcast, you can submit it to Apple for inclusion in the Podcasts app at podcastsconnect. apple.com. Your work then has the potential to reach millions of listeners.

Naturally, there are some great third-party apps for creating podcasts such as Riverside, Podbean and Streamyard, and as you become more experienced as a podcaster you might want to use external microphones, headphones and other such home studio gear. But for your first podcast, all you need is an Apple device, an internet connection and a little imagination.

4 great podcast accessories

Shure MV7+ Podcast Mic

> £269

> FROM shure.com

> It’s a good idea to invest in a decent microphone. The Shure MV7+ is easy to use, and boasts excellent audio quality and noise reduction. For connectivity, it has dual USB-C and XLR outputs, a quick mute function and three styles of onboard reverb.

Edifier MR4 Powered Studio Monitor 2.0

> £109.99

> FROM edifier.com