7 secret iPhone features you need

7 secret iPhone features you need

Did you know you could turn your iPhone’s camera flash into a blinking alert light, or that you can shake your iPhone to “undo” a typo? No? You’re not the only one.
Read on for seven clever iPhone features that you might not have known about, from how to take a screenshot to an easy way to baby-proof an iPhone app.

1. Turn the camera flash into a blinking alert light

Want to see rather than just hear that your iPhone is ringing? You can, with a little help from the iPhone’s camera flash.
In just a few taps, you can set the LED flash for the iPhone’s rear-facing camera to blink anytime a calls comes in, whenever a text pops into your message inbox, or for any other iPhone event that would normally set off an alert tone or vibration.
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Typo in your text message? Just give your iPhone a shake.

2. Shake to “undo”

So, say you just typed a lengthy text message on your iPhone (or iPad, or iPod Touch), but you’ve had a change of heart and want to start over.
You could delete what you typed by tapping the backspace key a few dozen times, or you could select the text with your fingertip and tap “Cut.”
Or, you could try a third, well-hidden option: just give your iPhone a shake.
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3. Create custom keyboard shortcuts

Tired of repeatedly tapping your street address, your job title, or common phrases like “on my way” or “you there?” on your iPhone’s virtual keypad?
If so, good news. iPhones, iPads and iPod Touches (not to mention Android phones) will let you create your own, custom keyboard shortcuts for … well, just about anything.
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You can turn your baby loose on your iPhone once you activate Guided Access mode.

4. Baby-proof an iPhone app

Worried that your iPhone-addicted little one might wipe your work email with an ill-timed swipe?
Never fear. You can temporarily “lock down” just about any iPhone app, freezing all the hardware buttons (including the “Home” button) and letting you draw zones on the screen that won’t react to taps or swipes.
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5. Take a screenshot

Ever wanted to take a quick snapshot of your iPhone’s display? Or have you taken a screenshot by accident, without quite knowing how you did it?
Well, taking a screenshot on the iPhone (or iPad, or iPod Touch) is a nifty, easy trick—so easy, in fact, that more than a few puzzled readers have written in, wondering how snapshots of their iPhone’s home page wound up in their mobile photo albums.
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You can zoom the entire iPhone display with a tap and a swipe.

6. Zoom in on the display

Having a hard time reading the tiny type on your iPhone’s screen? Believe me, you’re not the only one.
Springing for a new pair of reading glasses is one solution, or you could always “pinch” to zoom, say, a web page in Safari.
But here’s another idea: by tweaking a key setting, you can zoom the entire display on your iPhone, no matter what app you’re using.
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7. Zip to the top of a web page

Dreading having to flick your way all the way back to the beginning of a web page on your iPhone? Here’s a quick and easy shortcut.
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7 secret iPhone features you need

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Facebook for iPhone 5 handy features you need to try

Want to turn that photo you just shot on your iPhone into your Facebook profile picture? Sure thing—and yes, you can do it directly from the Facebook mobile app.
Read on for more gotta-try features in the rapidly evolving Facebook for iPhone app, from how to filter your news feed to an easy way to save snapshots posted by your friends.

Tap an option to see just the most recent news feed updates, only photo posts, stories from close friends, and more.

1. Filter your news feed

Don’t have time to scroll through dozens of random news feed updates? I know the feeling.
Instead, try this: when you first open your news feed on the Facebook for iPhone app, pull down on the first update you see.
When you do, you’ll open Facebook’s mobile news feed filter, which lets you view only the most recent updates, posts from those on your various Friend Lists (such as Family and Close Friends), photo posts, and more.

2. Save a photo to your Camera Roll

Until recently, there was no way to save a photo from your Facebook news feed to your iPhone other than taking a screenshot.

Thanks to a recent Facebook for iPhone update, you can now save photos posted by friends to your iPhone’s Camera Roll.

Thanks to a recent update, though, you can now save Facebook photos to your iPhone’s Camera Roll in just a few taps.

• Tap a photo in your news feed to open it.
• Tap the three-dot menu button at the bottom of the screen.
• Tap the “Save Photo” button.

3. Change your profile photo or your “cover” image

Want to customize the look of your Facebook timeline while you’re on the go?
No problem—and in fact, you can easily replace your Facebook profile image or the “cover” photo at the top of your timeline with a fresh snapshot from your iPhone.

• Tap the menu button in the top-left corner of the screen, then tap your name to go to your timeline.
• Tap either your profile photo or the larger “cover” photo, then tap “Choose from Library” to pick a new image from your iPhone’s photo library, or “Take Photo” to snap a new image on the fly.

Tap the little arrow (see it?) to hide an unwanted post from your news feed.

4. Hide a post

Want to zap an annoying update or advertisement from your news feed? Easy.

• Look closely at the top-right corner of a news feed post, and you’ll see a faint downward arrow. Tap it, and a trio of buttons will slide into view.
• Tap the “Hide” button to hide an unwanted update from your news feed, or tap “Report/Mark as Spam” if you think a post is “spammy” or particularly offensive.

5. Generate a security code

Ever heard of Facebook’s “login approvals” feature? If not, you should, because it’s one of the best way to keep hackers from hijacking your account.
Once login approvals are turned on (here’s how to do it), Facebook will demand a six-digit code whenever anyone tries to log into your account from an unrecognized browser or mobile device.

Once activated, the mobile Code Generator will spit out a new six-digit security code every 30 seconds, no data connection required.

Normally, those special security codes are sent to your cell phone via SMS—but what happens if you’re trying to log into your account and there’s no cellular connection?
Luckily, the Facebook for iPhone app has its own “Code Generator” that spits out fresh six-digit codes every 30 seconds—and yes, the Code Generator works even without a data signal.
Just tap the menu button in the top-left corner of the Facebook mobile interface, scroll down, then tap Code Generator.
Once you tap the “Activate” button, a six-digit code will appear on the screen, and it’ll be refreshed every 30 seconds.
Source: http://heresthethingblog.com
Facebook for iPhone: 5 handy features you need to try

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8 new iOS 7 features that are worth the update

The latest version of iOS (the software that powers the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch) will be available for free starting September 18, and Apple is busy crowing about such features as camera filters, iTunes Radio, and—biggest of all—its radical new design.
Buried beneath the hoopla, though, is a series of handy features and enhancements that many of us will keep on using long after the thrill (or not) of sepia-tinged camera filters and free streaming music has worn off.
Read on for 8 new features that’ll make you glad you installed (eventually, anyway) iOS 7, starting with…
Note: I’ll be posting tutorials for most of the following features once Apple makes iOS 7 available for download.

1. Call and message blocking

At last, you’ll be able to block annoying callers and text messages (particularly annoying group message threads) directly from your iPhone, no third-party app required. (Source)

2. FaceTime voice calls

Love the crystal-clear audio quality of FaceTime video chat, but don’t feel the need to actually see the person you’re talking to? With the arrival of iOS 7, FaceTime will let you make audio-only calls, perfect for making distortion-free voice calls without worrying how your hair looks.

3. Apps will update automatically

Begone, red badge on the App Store icon. With iOS 7, all your apps will update silently and automatically, no tapping required. Hallelujah. (Source)

4. Bigger app folders

Up until now, app folders on the iPhone home screen have been restricted to just nine apps. Once you install iOS 7, though, app folders will be able to contain more than 100 apps, which you can swipe though with your fingertips.

5. Do Not Disturb will silence your iPhone/iPad while you’re using it

The “Do Not Disturb” mode that made its debut with last year’s iOS 6 update would only silence incoming calls, alerts and notifications when your iOS device was locked. The iOS 7 version of Do Not Disturb, however, gives you the option of muzzling calls and notifications even when your iPhone or iPad is unlocked and in use, perfect for watching movies, playing Candy Crush, or reading a Kindle book without annoying banners or buzzes whenever a text message arrives. (Source)

6. Activation lock

Here’s an clever iOS 7 feature that’ll make thieves think twice before swiping your iPhone. Once you enable “Activation Lock,” your lost iPhone will required your iCloud password before it can be reactivated—essentially turning your handset into a paperweight if it falls into the wrong hands.

7. Find out which apps are the biggest data hogs

At last, iOS 7 will let you find out which apps are taking the biggest chunk out of your monthly mobile data allowance, and you’ll even be able to shut off cellular data use for specific apps. Long overdue. (Source)

8. Turn the camera flash into a flashlight, anytime

Sure, the Apple App Store is already littered with flashlight apps, but none that’ll let you turn the camera flash into a flashlight directly from the iPhone lock screen. Enter iOS 7′s Control Center, which lets you pull up a panel of controls—everything from Airplane mode and Bluetooth to screen brightness and, yes, a flashlight button—by swiping up from the bottom of the display, even from the lock screen.
iOS 7 for iPhone is slated to arrive September 18, and you’ll be able to update your device by tapping Settings, System Update.

Repost from http://heresthethingblog.com/2013/09/10/ios-7-tip-8-features-worth-update
8 new iOS 7 features that are worth the update

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