Table of contents for No. 225 in iCreate

How often do you visit the App Store? If you’re an infrequent app browser then there is every chance that one of the truly special ones – the likes of which are often showcased in the store window around the time of release or after a significant update – could go undiscovered. It’s good practice to evaluate your iOS App Library every so often, just to make sure that the apps you use frequently haven’t been superseded by something flashier that perform key tasks better. So we have mined for App Store gold this month to bring you the 100 greatest apps currently available for iPhone. Remember, not even Apple’s default iOS apps are the best available for the stuff we do every day, so why not give your apps…

APPLE HAS BROUGHT A SPLASH OF COLOUR BACK TO THE IMAC WITH A NEW SUPER-THIN 2021 MACHINE AVAILABLE IN SEVEN GORGEOUS COLOURS. The 2021 iMac also has a super-fast M1 processor a 4.5K Retina display, new camera, mics and speakers, plus it brings Apple’s Touch ID to the iMac range for the first time. “M1 is a gigantic leap forward for the Mac, and today we’re excited to introduce the all-new iMac, the first Mac designed around the breakthrough M1 chip,” said Greg Joswiak, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing at the Spring Event launch in April. The new iMac colours – green, yellow, orange, pink, purple, blue, and silver – mimic the original coloured iMac that Apple launched in 1998. This time around the iMac features softer colours…

Photos Developer Apple Inc Difficulty Time needed One way to create eye-catching content on your social media feeds is to shoot scale models (or toys) in such a way that they look like full size objects. If you do it right people will be intrigued to know the actual size of the subjects in your shots. For a successful miniature shoot you need to avoid snapping the subject from a high angle. To shoot a small object you’ll be tempted to get close to it, resulting in a sharp looking toy against a blurred background. This background blur (bokeh) gives the game away that the subject is a scale model. We’ll give you some shooting tips to make your toys look full size. How to shoot miniatures Make toys look…

Garage Band Developer Apple Inc Difficulty Time needed Regardless of how you record, GarageBand works in stereo, so every track you work with has a left and right channel to position the sound. Playback is then split across stereo speakers to provide a more panoramic listening experience. Track audio is balanced down the middle – but left and right panning controls can vary this. Stereo panning is a crucial mixing technique that can give audio more impact. It can be automated to make audio ‘move’ and enhance the expressiveness of your music. Here, we look at using automation to ‘bounce’ a track’s output left to right, as well as tips on using panning to create a more rounded mix. Panning Points Picking out the GarageBand controls that matter most to…

Preview Developer Apple Inc Difficulty Time needed Preview is a handy multi-function tool that can be used for a variety of tasks. Its main one is for marking up things, and here we look at its features and functions for annotating PDF files. Many documents and books are available in PDF file format – there are 78 million at pdfdrive.com, for example. As you read, you might want to make notes, highlight important sections and even draw on them. Preview can do all of these activities, and is perfect for reading and annotating PDFs. Although some features are obvious, some are not. We look at less known features, like the annotation inspector panel. Step-by-step Annotate a PDF ebook or document 1 Select a tool It is tempting to select text,…

Pages Developer Apple Inc Difficulty Time needed Pages is the natural software choice for creating documents for Apple Mac users. It is an excellent app that can be used to create beautiful reports, letters, brochures, CVs and even ebooks. However, many businesses work with Google Docs or Microsoft Word, so you might be forced to use them instead of Pages at your place of work. This raises problems, like how do you edit a Pages document in Google Docs? How do you open a Google Docs file in Pages? One way or another, the Microsoft Word file format is involved and it has become an open standard that many applications can understand. Step-by-step Convert Pages to Google Docs 1 Save as Word There is no option in Pages to save…

Taskade Developer Taskcade Inc Difficulty Time needed Taskade is an excellent organiser, task and project manager with collaboration features that can be used for work, personal projects and hobbies. Its uses range from a shopping list to a work project shared with co-workers, and it works across all Apple devices. Here, we look at the Mac version, which is free on the Mac App Store. When you create a free account, it provides unlimited storage, tasks, projects and collaborators. There are paid accounts with a few extras, but the free account is perfectly serviceable. It can be used very simply, but dig deeper and there are advanced features that enable you to organise your projects. Step-by-step Create your first Taskade project 1 Get started Install Taskade from the Mac App…

iOS 14 Developer Apple Inc Difficulty Time needed Many iPhone users have images stored on their devices that they’d rather others didn’t idly swipe through. Perhaps you have some goofy photos of yourself on holiday, or snaps of an ailment you’re hoping to show the doctor. Or maybe you simply just don’t like people nosing through your photos. If you want to show someone a specific image, how do you hand over your iPhone and know that they’re not going to start swiping left and right? Unless you’re ready to snatch the device back, you may want to prepare by popping certain photos into a hidden album, or by temporarily disabling the swipe function. Hide photos in a folder Lock photos, store photos in albums, and hide them View your…

Google News Developer Google LLC Difficulty Time needed Publishers have long looked for ways to better monetise their content online. One way is to strike licensing deals with tech companies, and that’s what many publishers are doing, with Google News Showcase among those working with local and national publications to attract more readers. Content is curated by each publication’s editors, giving them control over the articles placed within Google News (and in Discover, which is part of the Google app and website). Editors also control how articles are presented, and the result is a service that gives access to lots of interesting content – including articles that may otherwise be behind a paywall. Step-by-step Read news relevant to you 1 Log into account Ensure you’re using the latest version of…

Broadcasts Developer Steven Troughton-Smith Difficulty Time needed The ability to stream multiple radio stations is not a new phenomenon, but many of the solutions available to allow this are overly complex or only include the radio streaming as an additional feature. Broadcasts, however, takes a different approach: one that focuses solely on ease of use and the quickest possible building of a varied and interesting collection of streamed content. The interface is not futurist in any way, and offers a somewhat traditional aesthetic, but this actually makes perfect sense, because it reduces the learning curve and allows the audible content to shine through. We will show you all of the main features and how to build a new collection, and then you can enjoy every station you want to listen…

StepDog – Watch Face Dog Developer Yingchi Wang Difficulty Time needed It seems as though there are hundreds of different fitness apps available that work with the Apple Watch and that is, of course, a good thing. The problem is that many of them either struggle to differentiate themselves from the default Fitness app or they fail to provide the same level of motivation. This is not a problem that Stepdog suffers from because it is truly a different solution and it is one that brings some fun to the exercise regime that you may be putting yourself through. It feels like a virtual pet on your watch, and your iPhone, but there is a real-world benefit behind it that will help to ensure that you are trying just a…

Price Arcade subscription Requirements iOS 13.5 or later • 878.2 MB Learn more ftxgames.com Available from iOS App Store AS THE FATE OF THE GALAXY RESTS IN YOUR HANDS, it would be rude not to dive into this Star Trek themed turn-based RPG. You get the keys to the USS Artemis to pilot into the Nexus, where you’ll get to beam down and explore new worlds, recruit new team members, and engage in combat with all manner of unsavoury types. The game is well-structured with multiple routes through each mission so that you have ample reason to replay them. As your team grows in size, you can assign them tasks onboard the ship to boost their stats and purchase upgrades to make them more powerful in battle. The turn-based combat…

David Crookes This issue, our iOS expert shows you how to block messages from unwanted callers and stop people from swiping through your iOS photos and seeing things that they really shouldn’t. Shaun McGill Our resident tech specialist shows you all of the best Mac and iOS apps that you can use to maintain your workflow and look after yourself while continuing to work remotely. George Cairns Our creative genius shows you how to create miniature photography with your iPhone, record better quality audio in iMovie and create captivating POV shots in Final Cut Pro.…

Introducing AirTag Apple expands the ‘Find My’ ecosystem with AirTag Apple’s long-awaited AirTags have finally been released. Whether attached to a handbag, keys or backpack, AirTag taps into Apple’s global Find My network and can help locate a lost item, all while keeping location data private and anonymous with end-to-end encryption. AirTag can be purchased singularly or in packs of four for just £29 and £99 respectively, and are available now. Attractive leather key rings to house them are also available for £35. iOS news New iOS 14.5 adds Siri features and App Tracking Transparency Apple has released the latest iOS 14.5 which adds AirTag support, improved Siri functions and the ability to unlock your iPhone with your Apple watch while wearing a face mask. Just glance at your Apple…

iMovie Developer Apple Inc Difficulty Time needed Download available When recording a handheld selfie your footage will sound great. However, if you record yourself talking to the camera from a distance then the audio may sound very poor, especially in a windy location. By recording audio from an Apple AirPod into an iPhone you can capture clearer, wind-free audio, then use iMovie to replace the distant tripod-mounted camcorder’s poor quality sound with the iPhone’s clearer audio track. In effect, your iPhone becomes a wireless radio mic. We tried out this technique in a windy Scottish location and you can download and work with our example footage and audio in iMovie. Sync sound tracks Replace poor sound with a better quality version Poor quality The audio recorded on our tripod-mounted video…

Logic Pro Developer Apple Inc Difficulty Time needed Logic’s piano roll editor is an absolute tour de force when it comes to programming MIDI parts, but editing MIDI notes by hand, one at a time, can be a somewhat time-consuming process. For instance, what if you’ve recorded a part using your MIDI keyboard and want to find a way to quickly join all the notes up together? This is known as legato playing, where the notes all flow smoothly into one another without gaps in between, and is typically used for string and pad parts. To avoid having to change all the note lengths individually by hand, Logic has a timesaving feature known as Force Legato that can close up the gaps for you in the blink of an eye.…

Mail Developer Apple Inc Difficulty Time needed There is huge pent-up demand for holidays and it’s likely you’ll be away from work and home sometime soon. What about emails when you are away? Do you ignore messages or spoil your holiday by dealing with them? Set up your email account to deal with messages automatically by sending replies to enquiries and forwarding work-related ones to someone else. This is great for handling work emails when you are away, but it can also be used with personal emails, too. Here we use iCloud because it’s much better for this sort of thing due to being online 24/7. Step-by-step Set up email forwarding 1 Open iCloud Mail Open Safari and go to iCloud.com. Sign in if necessary and then open the Mail…

Magnet Developer Pavel Kozarek Difficulty Time needed Magnet is a very simple app, but it is one that you may use multiple times a day as you eventually forget that it is not a default part of macOS. The way it has been embedded into the interface is extremely subtle, as you have to control each of the customisations you have created using keystrokes only. It never displays anything apart from a tiny icon in the status bar, and will only do its work when you combine the right keys for a specified action. You have full control over how each feature is enabled – the only tricky part will be remembering the combinations. Over time, and with enough use, you will find that it becomes second nature. Step-by-step Effortlessly…

HomePaper for HomeKit Developer Pearce Media Ltd Difficulty Time needed You may find yourself using the Home app more often these days. Smart home devices are growing in popularity, and the app is a great way of controlling your HomeKitcompatible gear. Home is certainly not the bestlooking of Apple’s apps, but you can change that by altering its wallpaper. Simply do this using an image from your Photos app. Or you can download the HomePaper for HomeKit app and create something more special. It offers gradient backgrounds to which an image can be added and blended. The app is free, but there’s a one-off sum of 99p to pay in order to use the export feature more than once. Choose a new Home app background It’s easy to change the…

It’s always nice to receive a message – unless it’s from a company you’d rather not hear from, a scammer, or people you’d prefer stay in the past. Thankfully, it’s easy to block them, though this means you won’t get calls from them either. Unfortunately, it’s not 100 per cent effective. People may hide their caller ID to disguise their number, call from another phone, or spoof a number you ordinarily want to receive texts from. Now, we have a solution to the first instance, and you’ll have to keep blocking to stay ahead of the second situation. The third, however, can only be solved by being alert and watching out for anything that looks suspicious. Messages Developer Apple Inc Difficulty Time needed Step-by-step Stop texts arriving in Messages 1…

comiXology – Comics & Manga Developer comiXology Difficulty Time needed As we know, reading on your iPad feels totally natural. The screen dimensions are similar to the printed page of a book, magazine or comic and you can swipe to turn the pages. There are many options open to you to read comic books on your iPad, but to ignore comiXology would be like ignoring Netflix and Apple TV, and watching just terrestrial TV. The library included with comiXology is huge, you will have instant access to any of the titles that are listed and, of course, the fact that Amazon is involved opens up your options immensely. The trick is setting up your account correctly to ensure that you can get new comics easily and then the rest is…

Apple TV Developer Apple Inc Difficulty Time needed Sure, you’ve bought a PlayStation 5 or an Xbox Series X or S to play the latest and greatest games that the next-generation of consoles have to offer, but your fun doesn’t have to stop with these amazing machines. It may have taken a little while for the powers that be in Cupertino to catch up but they’re now letting you connect the gamepads made for these consoles to your Apple TV, allowing you to take advantage of these next-gen controllers for lots more apps and games. Connecting them to Apple TV is simple and you can even customise the controls. Don’t forget, you can also use older PS4 and Xbox One S pads if you have some of those knocking around.…

Price Free Requirements macOS 10.15 or later Learn more corkulous.com Available from Mac App Store AS MACS ARE SYNONYMOUS WITH CREATIVITY, it’s good to have one place where you can dump your ideas. This app lets you store notes, labels, photos, contacts, mindmaps and PDFs and also provides sketch tools, shapes, lines and loads of other creative resources to help you generate your ideas. When you first launch the app you’ll be presented with subscription options to unlock all of the features, but you can ignore these and crack with populating your own personal cork board with content. Just click on an item in the sidebar and it will appear on your board. From there you can add text and various other embellishments and then drag it where you want.…

Download available Tutorial project files All the assets you’ll need to get creative with our projects. Look out for the above icon to see if there are downloads available. Exclusive video tutorials Discover how to get more out of your devices with a selection of iOS and macOS video guides from MacMost. Loads of other cool stuff! Customise your Mac with stunning wallpapers, grab some royalty-free fonts and watch more how-to guides. Log in to www.filesilo.co.uk/icreate Register to get instant access to this pack of must-have creative resources, how-to videos and tutorial assets Free for digital readers too! Read on your tablet, download on your computer The home of great downloads – exclusive to your favourite magazines from Future Publishing Secure and safe online access, from anywhere Free access for…

We all have our favourite apps. Apps that deliver our daily news, apps to work out with, apps to entertain us, apps to stay in touch with our loved ones, plus a smattering of others that have no doubt been offloaded from our iPhones through lack of use. Well now is the time to give your app sets a makeover by ditching those tired, bordering-on-obselete apps in favour of the newer, shinier stuff. Here we present the 100 best apps available for the iPhone today, including plenty of replacements for the default Apple ones. Discogs Anyone with a slightly obsessive compulsion to collect music will love this app’s cataloguing capabilities and the way it provides a running total estimated value of your vinyl records, CDs, cassettes, etc. You can also…

Final Cut Pro Developer Apple Inc Difficulty Time needed Download available In TV and film, we often see the action unfold from the protagonist using a POV (point of view) shot. We might view the action through the lens of an SLR camera, or in a wildlife documentary we could see a POV shot from the multi-faceted eyes of a bee flying in search of flowers. You could create graphical components for various POV shots in Photoshop, but Final Cut has a comprehensive collection of drag and drop effects that you can easily modify to customise their look and behaviour. Postproduction POV effects tell a story in an interesting visual way and add an extra layer of texture to your programme’s footage. Video effects Add and modify effects Keyframes Click…

System Preferences Developer Apple Inc Difficulty Time needed You probably never thought about the login/lock screen on the Mac. It is what it is and there isn’t any way to change it. It just works. Well, actually there is a lot you can do with this screen and you can make it more secure or more user friendly. There are many settings and options and you can add information to it, like a message for anyone that starts your Mac. For example, you could put ownership details there. You can hide all the users of the Mac, including yourself, for security. In case you forget your password, you can set it to show hints that will help you remember it. Here we explore all the options. Step-by-step Customise the login/lock…

Pages Developer Apple Inc Difficulty Time needed Apple iWork apps are great for both work and personal projects. Microsoft Office is popular, but iWork apps are free for Mac users and as good or better for many tasks. Every so often, Apple quietly updates Pages, Keynote and Numbers with new features and if you have automatic updates turned on, you may have missed some recent ones as the apps update in the background. Here we take a look at a couple of features, making phone calls from within the iWork apps and the new media browser that makes finding and inserting photos, videos and music easier than ever. New Keynote features Use these in all iWork apps Phone links If there are contact details, like a phone number, select it…

Music Developer Apple Inc Difficulty Time needed If there is one downside to a streaming service such as Apple Music, it is the fact that when you stop subscribing, you own no music at all. You are effectively paying to rent access to millions of tracks, and while it is good value for money, there are reasons to want to still own a library of music you can retain access to. The problem is that the process to add your tracks to an iOS device is not displayed in an obvious way, so you have to know how to complete the process to take advantage of a dual streaming and local music setup. The process is a one-time event, but it can take time, and you will likely repeat it…

Google Translate Developer Google LLC Difficulty Time needed Every now and then, we here at iCreate find books and magazines that we’d love to read, only to discover that they’re written in a foreign language. So we can either bite the bullet, splash the cash and work our way through an online translation dictionary, or we can grab our iPhone, fire up the Google Translate app and let it do all of the hard work for us. Built into this app is the ability to take a photograph of a page. From that point, it’s possible to make use of all of the text that the app is able to pick up. We’ve used it to quickly photograph chapters of books, watching with glee as text is quickly translated into…

Copied Touch Developer Kevin Chang Difficulty Time needed You probably copy multiple text snippets or web links throughout a normal day without even realising. When you need to use them you have to go through a process of opening them in alternative apps or sharing, which can be time consuming, but there is another way. Copied Touch can act as a repository for anything that you copy, and you can then deal with every clip in your own time. The app lets you organise all of your clips into lists, or you can manage multiple clips and deal with them faster. Simplicity is paramount in this app – it’s functional, efficient and works brilliantly on iOS and macOS. Step-by-step Copy and share in style 1 Let it work You need…

Apple Music has grown over time to become a very efficient and easy-to-use service that you will rarely think about. It does not matter how often you play music or interact with the service, it is so seamless in use that you will quickly become so familiar with how it works that you will feel little incentive to see what options are available. The fact is, however, that there are some features buried within Apple Music and more widely within iOS that will help you to get even more from your mobile music experience. Each one differs in terms of impact, but we are sure that the seconds they take to learn will more than pay off in the long run as you enhance your music library and experience new…

Apple Fitness+ Developer Apple Inc Difficulty Time needed At first glance, the new Time to Walk feature embedded in Apple Fitness+ may not appear to offer much that is new. You can already play a podcast when walking with your Apple Watch, as well as other kinds of audible entertainment, such as audio books and music, but there are small features in Time to Walk that make it worth checking out. For starters, you get to listen to some highly motivational speakers tell you interesting stories, which are timed to correspond to a set walking distance, plus there are bonuses included that may surprise you. We will detail all of the features that are included and highlight the benefits they offer, but it is true to say that it is…

“160 presets provide a mind-blowing insight into what this digital instrument is capable of” Price £28.99/$29.99 Requirements macOS 11.0 or later • 149.5 MB Learn more moogmusic.com Available from Mac App Store FOR THIS MODULAR SYNTHESIZER and synthesis educational tool, Moog cannily utilised Apple’s Metal tech to ensure that every zoom, pan and modular patch feels completely natural – which is key to this app’s appeal. Every facet of Moog’s iconic Model 15 modular synthesizer has been meticulously recreated to capture the character, harmonic complexity and mystique of the Model 15’s modules, including the 921-series oscillators and 904A Low Pass Filter. You can instantly access a traditional Moog keyboard, a 1150 ribbon controller, an eightstep sequencing arpeggiator and the award-winning Animoog Keyboard that has 22 built-in scales and polyphonic modulation…