Top 10 Best Things About iOS 9

Back on June 8th, Apple announced its latest and greatest mobile operating system at its annual WWDC event then released the beta version to developers. And now, anyone can "try it out" with the recent release of their public beta program.  But to be honest, if you already have iOS 8.4 and the new Apple Music app, you have the most exciting new feature launching this year. Siri 2.0 is still not up to par with Google Now. And there's no major design overhaul like iOS 7. So unless one of these ten things excite you, you might as well just wait. However, it's much less buggy than past versions of iOS betas -- so there is that.

Here are the ten (not so-exciting yet) best things about iOS 9:

1. Navigation Suggestions: iOS 9's Maps app has built-in navigation suggestions to let you know about a better/faster way to get to your destination.
   
2. New Universal Search Results: The new universal search in iOS 9 has many more suggestions to help you find what you're looking for -- including websites, Wikipedia entries, movie showtimes, reminders, notes, documents, music, videos and more!
   
3. More Organized Photo Album: Updates to the Photos app in iOS 9 include new albums for all of your selfies and screenshots (just like for panoramas and videos last year).
   
4. New Multitasking Features: iOS 9 boasts lots of cool new multitasking features (especially on the new iPads i.e. picture-in-picture videos) but the iPhone also gets a cool new design (see below) and a nice new "Back to..." feature in the top left of every app when you jump from one app to another -- making it stupid simple to get back to what you were doing after you answer a text or look at a Facebook notification.
   
5. Lowercase Keyboard: This is one of those "no-dugh" features you won't believe took this long to come to fruition. Now, when typing on the keyboard in iOS 9 you'll whether that highlighted shift key arrow-up button means you're currently in ALL CAPS mode or lowercase mode because the letters on the keyboard will either be in ALL CAPS or lowercase.
   
   
6. News App: The new News app in iOS 9 still needs some work (by far the most buggy new feature in this release) but once it is complete it should put LinkedIn's Pulse app and other RSS feed reader apps out of business. 
   
7. Passbook renamed Wallet: I always hated the name of the Passbook app -- so a rename alone is worth noting -- but the new app also has some new features including the ability to scan in your loyalty rewards program cards (i.e. Dick's Scorecard, Target Cartwheel, AMC Stubs, Giant Eagle Advantage, etc.)
   
8. Notes App: The new Notes app has tons of handy new ways to quickly jot down notes including an easy checklist creator and the ability to sketch things with your finger.
   
9. Settings Search: I can't tell you how many times I've had to explain to someone how to find something in settings i.e. Go to Settings > General > Storage & iCloud Usage > iCloud > Manage Storage. Now you can just search for it!
   
10. Low Power Mode: And lastly, the new "Low Power Mode" in iOS 9 gives the ability to squeeze every last bit of power left in your battery in those desperate situations. 
    

Did I forget something in iOS 9 that you think is really cool? Add it in the comments below:

My 8 favorite features in iOS 8

iOS 8 for iPhone & iPad

Well I've had iOS 8 BETA installed for almost two weeks now, and though it is still a bit buggy and lacking some of the new integrations that will make this next software update really exciting once it's released to the general public this Fall (i.e. Health, Homekit, Family Sharing, iCould Drive, etc.), there are still some pretty cool new features you can take advantage of right now if you have a $99/year Apple iOS Dev Center account.

There is a laundry list of significant upgrades you can read about on Apple.com, but these are my top 8 favorite new features in iOS 8:

1. Group Messaging Details: My absolute favorite feature in iOS 8 is the beefed up group message "Details" tab in the top right of every iMessage, which includes: naming your conversations; reviewing all of the photos/videos inline; sharing your location with everyone in the group; and the all-new"Do Not Disturb" and "Leave Conversation" features.
2. Battery Usage: Extend the life of each iPhone and iPad charge by seeing which apps are the biggest drain on your battery under your General Settings menu.
3. Voice iMessages: When you can't look at your phone (i.e. while driving), Siri can't translate your mumbling voice to text, or you just want a faster way to respond to someone it's now easier than ever to quickly record your voice and send it as an audio file via iMessage with a single click-and-swipe.
4. Photography: The Camera and Photos apps have some great new features as well, including: smart composition tools, smart adjustments, new filters, camera timer, separate exposure & focus selections when taking photos, and time-lapse videos.
5. Hands-Free Siri: Get Siri's attention without pressing the "Home" button by simply saying "Hey Siri" when your iPhone is docked at home or charging in the car.
6. Swipe Notifications: The notifications system in iOS 7 was a drastic improvement over iOS 6 but nowhere near perfect. With iOS 8 Apple has made a few more tweaks that really improve notifications, including a single Notification Center and inline swipe-to-respond and swipe-to-dismiss controls.
7. Keyboards: The keyboard in iOS 8 now not only allows third-party developers to create completely new keyboards (i.e. Swype) to be used as default, universal keyboards -- but the all-new QuickType feature is a surprisingly smart new tool that predicts the next word you are going to type and gives you three options to choose from at the top of every iOS 8 keyboard.
8. Weather: Apple has finally ditched Yahoo! as the default data provider in it's integrated Weather app and added more details thanks to its new partnership with The Weather Channel.

Have you installed iOS 8 yet? What's your favorite feature? Or what you looking forward to most? Leave your thoughts in the comments below:

14 reasons I love iOS 7

iOS 7 on my iPad mini

iOS 7 isn't available yet. It won't go public until this Fall. But the beta version was released to registered Apple developers nearly 3 weeks ago. I downloaded it. And I love it! Here's why:

1. New Design: The new UI and UX is refreshing. I love the pastel, translucent design. I love the new fonts. And I love the redesigned native app icons.
2. Control Center: Easy access to Bluetooth, WiFi, airplane mode, and other settings is long overdue. Just swipe up from the bottom of any screen.
3. Flashlight: Control Center also includes quick access to your calculator app and a built-in flashlight on/off switch that controls your camera's LED flash -- one of the handiest apps I had in iOS 6 that I can now delete in iOS 7.
4. Photo Moments: The photos app now automagically gathers all your camera roll pictures into "moments" based off time and location.
5. Safari: Safari has been updated to include swipe navigation, bookmark icons on new browser windows, and new browser tabs that look like your flipping through a filing cabinet -- you can even tilt your phone to look down the page to get a better view of each tab.
6. AirDrop: I guess it's pretty cool functionality -- being able to share things with other iOS 7 users in your vicinity -- but the best part about AirDrop is stuffing a sock in the mouth of all those Galaxy S4 fanboys who think sharing playlists with friends is the "coolest thing ever!"
7. Group iMessages: A few subtle updates in iMessage, like photos of those involved, make group chats better than ever.
8. Integrated YouTube / Vimeo: I take tons of photos, but I always wish I shot more videos. With system-wide YouTube and Vimeo integration, hopefully I will.
9. Auto-Update Apps: Apps automatically update in the background so you never have to open up the AppStore again -- which should save you some money too. 
10. Camera App: The camera app has been updated with built-in filters and an Instagram-like square lens. I'm one of those people who take photos outside the social network then import it into the app later, so being able to frame the photos correctly on my first attempt is a big deal.
11. iTunes Radio: I've honestly never been a huge fan of Pandora Radio, but Apple always outdoes the competition, so I have no doubt I'll become an avid iTunes Radio user. Plus, it's integrated with your Music app which means it already knows what songs & artists you like, making it an immediately more powerful music discovery tool.
12. Notification Center Today: The new Notification Center includes a "Today" tab that gives you a personalized overview of your day, including appointments, weather, stocks, tasks, and more. And it's accessible from the lock screen!
13. Unread Mail Folder: The mail app now includes smart inbox folders including an "unread" folder of just new email messages.
14. New Siri Voices: Siri has been updated with a more natural sounding woman's voice as well as a brand new male voice.

Have you downloaded iOS and found other cool features I've missed? Add them in the comments below:

iDo: the top 10 best wedding apps for iOS

Well, I finally popped the question. And yes, she said "yes!"

And now, just days later, we're waist deep in wedding planning.

But we're millennials, so we didn't go to the bookstore and pick up magazines, nor did we check the yellow pages for wedding planners and venues. Instead, we got an app for that. Actually, apps, plural. And there are plenty to choose from -- but here are the top ten:

1. Appy Couple: Appy Couple is simply the most stylish way to share your wedding with guests. Appy Couple makes the journey from engagement to honeymoon and beyond even more chic, social, and fun. Once you have your app set up, your guests simply download Appy Couple and sign in to your wedding to find out everything they need to know about your big day.
2. Pinterest: Pinterest is where you can dream about, plan, and prepare for the things you want to do in your life, including and especially your wedding! Whether it's vacation plans, new gadgets, favorite recipes, fashion, the latest home decor, or your wedding, Pinterest is an easy way for you to make the most of it. Quickly and easily save and organize your inspirations with this iPhone or iPad app.
3. The Knot Ultimate Wedding Planner: The Knot Ultimate Wedding Planner has the features couples love -- and need -- most, including: counting down the days to your wedding; the ultimate wedding checklist; budgeting and tracking payments with an easy-to-use budget tool; browsing through 1000s of wedding dresses; and browsing 1000+ of ideas for cakes, decor, hairstyles and more!
4. Wedding Countdown: Getting married is one of the biggest milestones in life is and surely worth anticipating! Wedding Countdown is a highly customizable countdown app that lets you look forward to your wedding day.
5. Destination Weddings & Honeymoons: Find ideas and expert advice from the leading bridal magazine devoted exclusively to romantic travel and weddings away. 
6. Wedding Budget: This app is a necessary tool for today's bride and groom to set up their wedding budget, keep track of expenses and shows a clear view of over/under budget status. You can easily adjust budget of each wedding component as planning goes along.
7. Wedding Scan: WeddingScan is an intuitive wedding registry application that allows you to register for any item, at any store simply by scanning a product’s barcode with the WeddingScan iPhone app. If a product doesn't have a barcode, WeddingScan allows you to take a picture of it and add a brief description.
8. Fun Wedding: So you want a fun and memorable wedding reception? Ensure your guests have the time of their life with incredible music that keeps the dance floor packed! Not your typical boring music lists, Fun Wedding gives you access to 19 unique music charts updated monthly from millions of actual song requests made through the DJ Intelligence® request system at real wedding receptions around the world. 
9. Wedding Flowers Moodboard: The Wedding Flowers Moodboard App, helps you create the image you want for your wedding bouquet. The app takes you through a large selection of images and tips to help you choose the shape of your bouquet, the style, the colour and also looks at the season your wedding is going to take place. You are able to select the photo’s you like and add them to your moodboard, adding notes as you go. You can also take your own photo’s and add them to your moodboard directly. Show your Moodboard to your friends, your florist or your wedding planner. 
10. Wedding Dash: Take a moment to relax and forget about the real wedding to play a game where you plan ultimate dream weddings for picky brides and grooms! Help Quinn launch her fledgling wedding planning business, starting with simple backyard weddings and advancing to elegant ballroom receptions. Choose all the details, manage comical disasters, and keep guests happy – or risk the wrath of Bridezilla!

Are there any I missed? Add them in the comments below:

whatchya readin?

Whatever it is, it's probably not an actual printed book with paper pages and black ink.

Today, over 20 million people own e-readers and another 25 million own tablets with e-reader apps. That's a lot of eyeballs still interested in reading. Good news for our nation. Good news for the publishing industry. And good news for the rain forest. Bad news for the print industry.

But there is still hope. Many "ole-fashioned" people still enjoy flipping the crisp pages of a book. And even I, an over-indulgent technophile, love the smell of the dusty worn paper. But I may never pick up a hardback again. And yet, right there on the end table on the flip side of my bed sits a pink cover with 300 pages inside. She has an iPad sitting right there in the living room but won't touch that iBook or Kindle app. Why? Where is the line? And what drives an avid reader to e? I'll let you know if she ever does.

Should I Buy an iPad?

Hm... some background on how I use my iPad might help.

I've had mine for just over a year now. At first, I used my iPad for everything - read, write, consume and create. I never even turned on my computer at home (though I still needed a PC between 9 and 5). My iPad was my coolest newest toy.

It is not anymore.

Today, I have found the perfect balance between iPad, computer(s), AND iPhone. This is a key point, because if you don't have an iPhone (or smartphone for that matter) you will use the iPad more often and much differently than I do.

Today, I use my iPad almost exclusively to consume: read news, check Facebook and Twitter, surf the web, do research (aka Google stuff), and shop online. If I didn't have an iPhone I would probably use it to listen to music (iPod, Audible and Pandora) and watch movies (iPod, Netflix, Hulu, Slingbox and YouTube) as well. And I don't read many books, but if I did, I am sure I would use it for that as well (Amazon just announced a milestone that they are now selling more eBooks than print books).

The iPad is not a great tool for creating: typing is awkward, functions aren't intuitive, apps don't exist, and file management is a mess. If you want to write documents, edit spreadsheets, create presentations, or edit photos and movies, your computer will still be your main tool (though the iPad can add some cool new features to this process). I will say that my iPad has completely replaced pens and notepads in my life - which I used to have beside my bed, on the fridge, and on my desk. At the office, I ONLY need my iPad for meetings - no need for a laptop or a notepad, and it often comes in handy to quickly look something up that someone forgot to bring or wanted to know.

I can't really speak to how you might use it, because our lives are likely so different, but as a multi-tasking millennial and early-adopter of all technology, I love my iPad. It has simplified and and streamlined so many processes in my life - and am quickly nearing a time and place where, like my iPhone, I can't imagine living without it.