Another year, another operating system for your iOS device.
And
boy, is this a sizeable upgrade. Depending on which generation of
device you're rocking, this iteration offers everything from panoramic
modes to Facebook calendars and even shareable Photo Streams.
So
here are 20 quick-fire tips for exploring some of the new features of
iOS 6, which go that bit further towards integrating your iPhone, iPad
and iPod touch into your digital lifestyle.
But
before we start, make sure to back up your device to iCloud or iTunes,
then you're safe to upgrade: with your device attached to your computer,
hit the Check for Update button in the Version tab of iTunes, or simply
tap into Settings > General > Software Update on the device in
question, and we'll go from there.
1. Decline calls
This
isn't the time for calls! If someone's ringing you and you don't want to
take it, simply swipe up on the phone symbol next to Decline and
Answer, and you can send a text or add a diary note to return the call.
To define in advance a custom range of quick-fire texts, go to Settings
> Phone > Reply with Message. That's all there is to it.
2. Do not disturb
You
want to check out your iPhone's new OS without interruption, that's a
given. So lay down a new rule by selecting Settings > Do Not Disturb.
That moon by your clock means no more calls until you're ready to take
them. Now let's crack on.
3. Send media from within Mail
Now
you can insert a photo or video straight into the email you're
currently composing. Just tap and hold in the body of the email for the
contextual menu to appear, tap the rightmost arrow and select 'Insert
Photo or Video'. From there you're free to search your Camera Roll and
albums, find what you're after, and get attaching.
4. Mail VIPs
Anyone
savvy to Mail in Mountain Lion will know about VIPs - important senders
you define whose messages get sent to their own dedicated folder. Well
now you can do the same in iOS 6. To define a sender as a VIP, tap their
name in the sender field and tap Add to Vip. A star against the address
signals their newfound prominence in your inbox.
5. Refresh your inbox
The
way to refresh your inbox has changed. Just drag down past the latest
email you've received and the refresh icon stretches. Release, and your
messages are updated accordingly. Simple.
6. YouTube - gone!
As
you may have noticed, the stock YouTube app has vanished from your iOS
device. Hear Google CEO Larry Page seethe! He needn't worry. Some bods
he employed saw to it that a free YouTube now appears in the App Store.
Go there now and reinstate your favourite video portal to its rightful
place.
7. Share Photo Streams
Now
you can build folders of photos to share on the fly, with iOS 6's new
Shared Photo Streams feature, turned on from Settings > iCloud >
Photo Stream. Once enabled, tap into a section in the Photos app and hit
edit, selecting images to include. Choose Share and you're presented
with a menu that includes Photo Stream: tap it. From here you can tap in
a recipient's email address, give the Stream a name and even define
whether it's a Public Website or not. Next!
8. Apple Maps?
Google
must be fuming: Apple also dropped its Maps app in favour of a
home-grown version. Unfortunately, while it may look good and feel
snappy, it lacks the deep search of Google's well-established geography.
Still, the flyover feature is cool. Search a major city and go for a 3D
trip by hitting the 3D icon where you see it (not available for all
devices or cities).
9. Full-screen browsing
Safari
now features a full-screen for web browsing. Just switch to landscape
mode and tap the button with the outward-facing arrows for more online
screen real estate.
10. Facebook integration
As
with Twitter previously, Apple has promoted Facebook to the premier
social network camp by allowing deep integration into iOS. To control
that level more finely, go to Settings > Facebook and choose whether
to allow the site access to your Calendar and Contact apps. With these
functions turned on, you'll find Facebook Events and friends' birthdays
appearing in your Calendar, as well as their Facebook photos populating
your Contacts.
11. Tap to post
Pull
down the Notification Center from the top of the screen and you'll
notice two new buttons - Tap to Tweet and Tap to Post. Like it or not,
that's the level of baked-in social media integration you can expect
from iOS 6 onwards.
12. Guided Access
Ever
given your iOS device to your son or daughter for them to play their
favourite game, only to later find them watching Tory party broadcasts
on YouTube? Let's ensure it never happens again: open Settings and tap
through to General > Accessibility > Guided Access. Turn it On,
and you can now lock them into the app of your choice choice. First
define an unlock passcode, then open the app in question and
triple-click the Home button. Now, with a finger, circle any areas on
the screen you'd like to prevent them from interfering with. You can
also choose to turn off motion, touch, and hardware buttons by hitting
the Options button. Problem solved!
13. Send more photos
Get
into the Photos app and tap edit, then tap each photo you want to share
as a group. Simply hit Share when you're happy and you can send them in
an email, over Messages or via Facebook - the choice is yours...
14. Read it later offline
Got
too much stuff to read online? Just tap the button in Safari with the
arrow jumping out of it, and you can Add to Reading List. This makes the
page available offline, and it syncs with Safari on your Mac and any
other iOS devices you own, if you bought into that ecosystem.
15. Lost phone
If
you activated Find my iPhone in Settings > iCloud, you can make use
of Lost Mode. In the event that you lose your phone, log into
icloud.com, select Find... and you may well be able to see where it is.
Lost Mode lets you input a password and display a number on the phone
screen for the finder to call.
16. Reskinned iTunes
The
iTunes app has received an 'update'. But it's questionable whether it's
lost more than it gained. By adopting a slicker but less content on
screen, the app offers a more expansive view of your search results. But
it's time to stop looking for podcasts and iTunes content in iTunes,
for example - these now have their own apps. Go get them from the App
Store now. Oh, and you can forget about Ping. We doubt you'll lose any
sleep over it...
17. Privacy
Thankfully
iOS 6 isn't all about sharing your life with the world. In Settings
you'll see a new option called Privacy. Use it. There you can control
any apps that attempt to access your Reminders, for example - swinging
the social media frenzy back in your favour.
18. Sounding off
Want
to select a special alert to distinguish it from your Calendar or
Reminder Alerts? Sounds > Settings is where it's at; From Facebook
alerts to tweets, you can define each one's sonic output here.
19. Panoramic feature
If
you're the proud owner of an iPhone 5, 4S, or fifth-gen iPod touch,
check out the new panoramic feature in the Camera app. Just move your
device continuously when taking the panorama. For everyone else, go
download Microsoft's free Photosynth app, pronto.
20. Bedtime!
So
you've explored iOS some and now it's time for a bit of well-earned
shut-eye. The good news is iOS 6 thought of this too. Remember Do Not
Disturb? It goes deeper than you think. Tap into Settings >
Notifications > Do Not Disturb and you can schedule a timeframe for
its action. There's no need to fret about emergencies either - just
allow your favourite Contacts through your phone call firewall, and
block out everyone else. You can even turn Repeated Calls on to allow
for any persistent types. Easy. See you again for iOS 7!
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