Article by Newsletter Editorial Board
Posted November 2016The new Apple update to iOS 10 also gives a much needed makeover to the whole iPhone. One of the biggest changes is that now you can get rid of all the apps that come with the phone that you never use! The notifications have also changed, along with some new things you can do with your text. Someone’s birthday? Send a text with balloons! Are you excited? You can make the text “Slam” onto the screen.
The iPhone 7 has done what no one thought they would actually do and REMOVED the headphone jack. No worries though, the new iPhone does come with headphones that plug unto the power port. However, if you want to charge your phone and use headphones you will have to invest in some Bluetooth headphones. Some other changes are the battery life, which is the longest in iPhone history, and the camera. This is also the first iPhone to be water resistant.
If you decide that the new iPhone isn’t for you, of course there are plenty of other options. However, hold off on getting the new Samsung. They recently had to do a recall on their phones, because they were exploding and melting when used!
Below are some helpful apps for the new iOS10 and the new iPhone 7 or any other smartphone device you may have. All of the following can be found on both Google Play and the Apple store, unless specified.
First off is Sticker Pal (Apple store only): Since the iMessage has changed with the new update, it now allows for you to make a few changes to your keyboard. This app allows you to put animated cartoon characters on your keyboard and send them to your friends.
Words with Friends (https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/words-friends-worlds-best/id8043 79658?mt=8): Most people know about this app already, however with this update it makes chatting with your friends during the game easier.
Next up is Doodle: Schedule Maker (https://play.google.com/store/): This is perfect app that lets individuals have a voting system within an iMessage. It’s great when you are trying to pin down a good time for everyone in a group message. The only downside? Everyone in the group message needs an iPhone.
Circle Pay (Apple store Only): Do you ever go out with friends and try to figure out how to split the cost when some of you have cash and some have a card? This free app lets you do a digital money transfer over iMessage.
This next app is very similar to Google Translate. It’s called translate (only at the Apple app store). It allows you to translate a conversation with an individual in real time. However, like google translate the text might come out sounding like Yoda.
The holidays are approaching; Thanksgiving and Christmas are just around the corner. Many of the following apps will help you in your travels to family and friends.
Hotspot Shield VPPN (free at https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id= hotspotshield.android.vpn): A VPN, or virtual private network, can disguise your online identity to help you access blocked websites/apps. This can be very helpful when traveling in a different country, where some apps that you use every day will be blocked. For a couple of examples, Southwest Airlines and StubHub are blocked in Bulgaria.
Memories app (https://www.memrise.com) isn’t just another language app. It was created by a neuroscientist who made learning a language into a game. It will teach you need to know phrases when traveling.
The Avast Photo Space app (https://itunes.apple.com/app/applestore/id 1099203586?m t=8) is perfect for the individual who take millions of pictures and doesn’t like getting the “Storage Full” notifications. This app puts your photos into the cloud so you don’t have to worry about not having enough storage.
The free app, Flight Stats, allows you to check the status of your flight. It’s available on iTunes, Google Play, and even the Apple Watch. (https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/flightstats/id572700574?mt=8)
Units Plus (https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/units-plus-converterbest/id593306 620?mt=8): This is another wonderful travel app that downloads local currency exchange rates every 15 minutes. It also converts weight, volume, area, distance and many other values.
The free Mobile Passport (http://www.mobilepassport.us/): app was created by Customs and Border Protection. It does away with the long customs forms you get before coming to the U.S. You answer all the questions on the app, and once you land you submit an e-form to Customs, skipping the line.
As this year comes to a close we can expect more new phones and tech for the holiday season. It’ll be interesting to see if Apple holds their own after removing the headphone jack, or if users go back to Samsung after their exploding phones. Whatever you decide, we wish you all a great holiday season.
Questions or comments? Drop me an email: jwh3@mindspring.com