Author Archives: Doug Holcomb

Ask Siri: Did you know that Siri in iOS 6 can give you nutritional information on most foods?

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Siri is able to tap into Wolfram Alpha, which is a computational knowledge engine. Because of this, there is an entire bank of knowledge that can be drawn upon by simply asking Siri. One helpful piece of information that can be computed by Wolfram Alpha is nutritional information for food. For example, you can ask things like, “What is the nutritional value of an Egg McMuffin?” Siri will look up the information and present it all in a nutritional value label right on your iPhone, iPad (Mini), or iPod Touch screen. You can also ask Siri to calculate specific quantities or Continue Reading →

Quick Tip: Hold down the backspace key on your iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch to begin deleting whole words

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If you have written a lot of text in an email or a pages document or anywhere else, you can quickly delete large sections of text. To do this on your iPad, iPhone (Mini), or iPod Touch in iOS 6 simply hold down the backspace key for 4 seconds. For the first 4 seconds, the normal delete function will happen where one letter is deleted at a time. Then, after 4 seconds, your device will enter rapid delete mode where it will delete entire words at once as long as you hold the backspace key. Remember, if you delete too Continue Reading →

Two iPad Cases I Recommend

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I discovered a company on Amazon called New Trent that makes iOS accessories. They have two cases for the iPad that I own and especially like. The first is a bluetooth keyboard case. It completely protects the iPad screen and back. It easily clips in and out of the keyboard attachment to be used on its own for reading or playing a game. The iPad can swivel from landscape to portrait and can adjust to multiple viewing angles. There are special function iPad keys at the top of the keyboard that include a home button, brightness controls, a search button, Continue Reading →

How to create a custom reminders list in iOS 6 and use Siri to add items to that list

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This is a short tutorial on how to add a custom reminders list in the Reminders App on your iPhone, iPad (Mini), or iPod Touch in iOS 6. Once you have created your custom list, you can ask Siri to add items to that list. Watch Tutorial

Learn a new language for free with Duolingo App for iPhone, iPad (Mini), and iPod Touch

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Have you ever wanted to learn a second or third language? Have you been discouraged by the high prices of many language learning software applications? Well, Duolingo has an incredible method of teaching you a new language through their new iPhone/iPad app – and it is completely free. No ads or other distractions. They are currently offering 4 languages: Spanish, German, French, and Portuguese. So, what’s the catch? How can this language learning website (Duolingo.com) and app be totally free? Here is a Ted Talk that explains the origin of Duolingo. Basically, a tech genius by the name of Luis Continue Reading →

Quick Photo Tip: Tap and hold on the screen for 3 seconds to lock focus (AF) and exposure (AE)

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One of the features in the camera app that I use all the time is the AE/AF Lock. This is where the focus and exposure settings lock in even if you point your device at a different location. For example, sometimes if I am trying to take a photo of someone or something where the object is off center, the camera will automatically focus on the background but I want it to focus on the foreground. There is a simple way to remedy this. Here is how: 1. Open up the camera app. Point the camera directly at the foreground Continue Reading →

Free iPhone/iPad app that will revolutionize the way you plan meals, cook, and grocery shop!

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I was recently introduced to the PepperPlate App. It is simply incredible. My wife and I always have a hard time planning out our meals since we are so busy. Often times we just eat cereal or a sandwich – that gets old really fast. However, this app gives me hope that we can change that. Here is what I mean: 1. First of all, this app has done a great job combining recipes (you can choose from hundreds of thousands of recipes on partner websites that will import directly into PepperPlate), a menu planner (complete with calendar), and an Continue Reading →

Apple has released iTunes 11 for Mac – New Design

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Apple just released (11/29/12) their most recent version of iTunes – iTunes 11. It comes loaded with a new look and some great new features. Here is a list of the changes: – Completely Redesigned. iTunes makes it more fun to explore and enjoy your music, movies, and TV shows. You’ll love the beautiful edge-to-edge design, custom designs for each album, movie, or TV show in your library, and getting personal recommendations any time you click in the Store. – A New Store. The iTunes Store has been completely redesigned and now features a clean look that makes it simpler than ever Continue Reading →

The best hidden secret about Siri – How to edit mistakes

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Siri is the personal digital assistant that Apple introduced in iOS 5 and the iPhone 4S. Since then, Siri has been expanded to include the iPhone 5, iPad 3, iPad 4, iPad Mini, and the new iPod Touch. The most amazing aspect of using Siri is that you can talk in normal language (for the most part). You can ask Siri things like, “Will it rain today?” And, the interpreted response will include the weather forecast for the day. Siri can also send text messages and emails for you. All you need to do is say, “Send a message to Continue Reading →

Create custom vibration alerts for incoming calls on your iPhone in iOS 6

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iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPhone 5

With iOS 6, Apple introduced custom vibration alerts. This not only allows you to select one of 8 built in vibration variations, but it also allows you to create your own. I am often in meetings where I need to have my iPhone on vibrate only. I do this by flipping the little switch on the left side of the iPhone to reveal a little red line. Up until iOS 6, I was unable to distinguish between the various incoming calls I was receiving. Now, I have a custom vibration alert set up for when my wife calls. That way, Continue Reading →