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Learning

The Best Weather Apps for 2020

by Nettie Ali August 1, 2020
written by Nettie Ali
You can’t control the weather, but these Android and iOS apps can help you prep for Mother Nature’s plans.

When Mother Nature is in a bad mood (which is more likely than ever these days thanks to climate change), it helps to keep an eye on what’s happening in the sky. One of the most important tools for that is a mobile weather app. A good weather app helps you decide if you’ll need to bring an umbrella to work, or prepare for more serious conditions. With wild weather across the country, particularly hurricanes threatening coastal states, it’s a good idea to check the forecast or radar for upcoming conditions. A weather app lets you do that wherever you are, whenever you like.

When testing weather apps, we spent most of our time evaluating the effectiveness of their design. An ideal weather app is visually pleasing and easy to use. If you have to dig through several screens to find out when it’s going to rain, the app is off to a bad start.

What we didn’t look for is whether or not the predicted weather came to pass. Our reasons are twofold: First, most weather apps get the bulk of their data from the National Weather Service. Some also pull the predictions from services like AccuWeather, Dark Sky, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Some companies, like The Weather Channel, have their own predictive models, but many apps are just shells into which data flows.

Second, and more importantly, to really determine the accuracy of the service’s model, we’d have to perform exhaustive tests across the globe. We’re simply not set up to tackle that kind of challenge. As it stands, we’ll assume that if a company has invested the time and effort to create its own predictive models for something as complex as weather, then it probably knows more about meteorology than we do. 

For what it’s worth, the apps were all quite accurate during testing. Despite earlier conspiracies, the rollout of the 5G wireless network shouldn’t ruin these weather forecasts. Besides, right now you should be staying inside anyway to help curb the ongoing pandemic, even on the nicest of days. If you’re really concerned about accuracy, consider getting a weather station of your own. Though weather stations are more about recording your local data than about getting forecasts, setting up and maintaining a weather station is a fun science project—just maybe not right before a hurricane hits.

At first, we did not fully appreciate the sheer number of weather apps available for Android and iOS devices. In the end, we picked those we thought offered something unique, along with the most popular apps. The vast majority of these apps are free, so try them out until you find the sunniest one for you.

Dark Sky

Dark Sky is a weather app so good that Apple bought the company just to keep it exclusive to iOS starting August 1, 2020. Not only that, it’s the only app on the list without a free option. Still, app’s slick presentation and hyper-local accuracy make it easy to see what all the fuss is about.

What the Forecast

If you’re looking for another weather app unafraid to show its personality, consider What the Forecast. Severe snowstorms? Better stock up on toilet paper. The sun isn’t just shining, it’s shining out of your butt. If you ever lose your internet connection, the app just tells you the weather in Hell, which, in the long run, is probably the most useful information for most of us anyway.

August 1, 2020 0 comment
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Learning

iOS 14: everything you need to know

by Nettie Ali July 27, 2020
written by Nettie Ali

At Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference – WWDC20, we got a glimpse of what’s to come with iOS 14. From new features like App Library and updates to Siri to new privacy and security features, iOS 14’s going to be good.

A fresh new look

The home screen hasn’t changed much since Apple introduced the first iPhone back in 2007 but that’s about to change.

Widgets have been available for a while – you can find them by swiping right on your home screen. But they’ve been redesigned to give you more info at a glance. You can change their size and move them to your home screen now, too.

And then there’s Smart Stacks – a collection of apps that you use the most. The right widget will show up at the right time of day. So, if you like to check the headlines with your morning coffee, that’s when your news widget will appear. Nice.

App Library

It’s easy to fill your screen with pages and pages of apps – there’s an app for almost anything. And yes, you could organise them into folders, but who has time for that, really?

Enter the new App Library. It does all the work for you, organising your apps and displaying them on one easy to view screen.

They’re organised by category too, with your most used and recently added apps at the top where you need them.

Compact Calls

Gone are the days where an incoming call or FaceTime notification would take up your entire screen, interrupting you completely.

Now, they show as a new compact notification at the top of your screen. They’re easy to answer and can be flicked away if you don’t fancy a chat.

Picture in Picture

Video calling has become so important in recent months – we’re using it more than ever. And wouldn’t it be great if you could continue with your call, while you checked your calendar or used another app?

Well, now you can with Picture in Picture. Continue with your FaceTime call or carry on watching a video, while you use another app.  You can move the video around to suit you. And you can even move it off screen completely, all without the audio dropping out.

Privacy

This is a big one. With so much personal information stored on your iPhone, privacy’s hugely important, and Apple understand that.

iOS 14 brings with it enhanced privacy features that give you more control. You’ll be able to choose to share your approximate location, rather than your exact location when giving apps access. You’ll be asked if you want to allow apps to track you for personalised adverts, too.

And soon, app developers will have to be more transparent about how they collect and use data. These details will be displayed in an easy-to-understand way on App Store product pages so you’re in the know, before you’ve downloaded anything.

As an extra measure, a recording indicator will be available on iOS 14, too. An icon will show at the top of your screen to let you know when an app’s using your mic and/or camera. You’ll also be able to see if an app’s used your mic or camera recently, in the Control Centre.

App updates

There are updates and new features coming for Messages, Maps and Siri.

Messages

You can now pin your favourite or most important conversations to the top of your conversation list. And it’s easier to keep track of group chats thanks to the addition of inline replies and mentions.

Endless group chat notifications can be annoying – especially if you’re trying to get some work done. But you can now change your message notifications, so that you only get alerted when you’ve been mentioned in a conversation.

There are new Memoji options coming too – over 20 new hairstyles, head wear, and face covering options. And 3 new Memoji stickers have also been added: fist bump, hug, and blush.

Maps

If you’re a keen cyclist, then you’ll be pleased to hear that cycling directions have been added to Maps. They include elevation too, so you’ll know in advance if you’re in for a hilly ride.

Electric vehicle routing’s been added as well and automatically takes charging points into consideration, so you don’t get caught short.

Siri

Siri’s had a makeover too. Sporting a new compact design, it no longer takes up the whole screen. It’s smarter and able to answer more complex questions and you can now ask Siri to send an audio message, too.

Translation

Super-easy to use, the Translation app gives you quick, natural translations of voice and text in 11 different languages.  And with the on-device mode, you can use all the app features for private voice and text translation when you’re offline.

iOS 14 release date

Apple hasn’t shared the release date yet but have said that iOS 14 will be available to download this autumn.

Compatibility

If you’re hanging on to an older iPhone, you don’t have to worry about missing out. This update will be available on all iPhones from iPhone 6 onwards.

July 27, 2020 0 comment
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Learning

How to get 10% more when you add funds to your Apple ID

by Nettie Ali July 25, 2020
written by Nettie Ali

If you’re the type of person who regularly purchases music, apps, and other Apple ecosystem purchases, we’ll show you how to get the most bang for your buck. Here’s how you can earn an extra 10% when adding funds to your Apple ID through July 31.

An occasional promotion has been relaunched by Apple, providing those who added credit to their Apple ID.

Purchases will add an extra 10% on top whenever someone adds funds to their Apple ID, worth up to $200 in the United States, 200 GBP in the United Kingdom, and up to 300 euro in some European territories.

The bonus will only be applied to one purchase, according to the terms of the offer. That means that each user will only be able to get the 10% bonus the first time they add funds during the promotional period. This most recent offer stands until July 31, 2020, with users’ eligibility varying based on their account information and purchase history.

How to add funds to your Apple ID

1.On your iPhone, open Settings

2.Tap iTunes & App Store

3.Tap Apple ID

4.Tap View Apple ID

5.Tap Add funds to Apple ID

6.Add your funds, and then confirm your purchase.

As previously stated, you can only get this promotion once during this promotional period, so be sure to add as much as you’re comfortable with to maximize your bonus credit.

July 25, 2020 0 comment
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Learning

How to Set Up Dark Mode on Your Favorite Apps

by Nettie Ali July 22, 2020
written by Nettie Ali

Looking to give your eyes a break? Dark mode swaps white backgrounds for grays and blacks. Here’s how to enable dark mode in all your favorite apps.

We spend a good portion of our day staring at screens. Last year, US adults looked at mobile devices more than TV for the first time, averaging 3 hours, 10 minutes per day, according to eMarketer. Those numbers will only continue to grow.

All that bright light streaming into your eyeballs isn’t great. Blue light can confuse your brain about the time of day, disrupting sleep. Giving up mobile devices isn’t really an option for most people, though, so many of us opt for a dark mode, which swaps white backgrounds for grays and blacks.

Not all apps offer an official dark mode; some just have night themes that only work under certain conditions. But if you’ve updated to iOS 13 or your phone actually has the Android 10 update, both mobile operating systems support system-wide dark modes. But it will only apply to supported apps. The apps below support their own dark modes; here’s how to turn it on.

Skype

Video chat service Skype allows you to change the mobile app’s color theme by tapping on your user profile. From there, tap Settings > Appearance > Dark to make the app permanently black. You can also set the app to follow the OS theme and further customize by changing the accent colors.

Todoist

If you’re in need of a to-do list app, Todoist allows you to easily change the app’s color themes. If you’re just downloading Todoist now, part of the setup will be choosing a theme. Otherwise, you can open the hamburger menu and go to Settings > Theme > Dark to darken the whole app.

Wikipedia App

To go dark on Wikipedia, tap More > Settings > App theme, and choose between light, sepia, dark, and black. Preview the different themes right from the menu.

Pocket

To enable dark mode on Pocket for Android, navigate to your profile, tap the three-dot icon on the top-right and select Settings. Tap Change Theme and select Dark in the pop-up menu. On iOS (pictured), navigate to your profile, tap the gear icon on the top-right, and tap Theme. In the pop-up menu, select Dark.

Google News

On Android, the Google News app can be set to dark mode by tapping your user profile and going into Settings. From there, select Dark Theme and determine where you want dark mode applied. On iOS, you’ll have to turn on system-wide dark mode for it to apply to the Google News app. And while the Google News interface will change, the articles you click into will remain their default coloring.

Twitter

To enable dark mode on Twitter, tap your profile icon and select Settings and Privacy > Display and sound > Dark mode, and either toggle it on or select whether it should align with systemwide settings (iOS). On Android, select whether you want it on, off, or set to automatic. If the dark blue Dim theme is not dark enough for you, the lights out option offers a true black theme.

YouTube

Spare your eyes as you watch video after video on YouTube. On Android, tap your profile photo up top and select Settings > General > Dark theme and toggle it on. On iOS, tap your profile photo up top and select Settings > Appearance > Dark theme.

July 22, 2020 0 comment
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Learning

How to block nuisance calls

by Nettie Ali June 30, 2020
written by Nettie Ali

We all hate nuisance calls. Whether its insurance companies asking if you’ve had an accident, or telemarketers inviting you to do a survey. Worst of all are calls from fraudsters looking to steal your information. Ofcom has reported that the overall numbers are dropping. But around 37% of mobile phone users are still receiving at least one nuisance call every month. And this number can shift up or down considerably per season. Here’s a list of tips for how to stop the spam.

How to stop nuisance calls

Report calls

Please report any unwanted calls to 7726 by texting ‘Call’ followed by the number. You’ll then get a message to say when we’ve received it. Reporting allows us and other mobile networks to block numbers which are causing distress. And it’s free.

Register for the telephone Preference Service (TPS)

Anyone can do this for both landline or mobile. Register through their website or text ‘TPS’ and your email address to 85095. It does take 28 days, but after then companies are only allowed to contact you if you’ve already given them permission. Hint – take care with those tick boxes as some will try to trick you into giving permission. This is free too.

Apps
TrueCaller

One of the most popular free apps. You can get it on Android or iOS along with BlackBerry, Windows Mobile and Nokia. TrueCaller will show you who’s calling, even if they’re not in your contacts list. It pulls info from its 200 million active users. This means you’ll get alerted if there’s a dodgy telemarketer or unwanted call coming through. And you can build your own blacklist and block calls. It does have ads but they’re not hugely intrusive. Plus, it also allows you to search for contacts with a name or number.

However, the data security aspect does raise concerns for some people. When you register, it asks your permission to access a large amount of personal data including your phonebook, VoIP and messaging services. They do this for all users, and it’s called crowdsourcing. TrueCaller says it has safety and privacy measures in place to stop contacts being searchable –- unless you know them already. You can unlist yourself  and they say your number will be deleted within 24 hours.

Whoscall

This is another free alternative to TrueCaller and can be used on Android and iOS. It’s also a useful Caller ID service that has a billion numbers and around 70 million downloads. One of the main advantages to TrueCaller is that it’ll work offline without a Wi-Fi or data connection. The app lets you block numbers by keyword as well as by prefix or international codes. And, although the data is community generated, there’s less being pulled from your phone. Plus, they claim that it’s ‘anonymous’, which is reassuring to hear. And it’s compatible with your social networks too.

Hiya

Widely used by 3 million people, this option has no ads and is easy to use on both Android and iOS. Hiya has a free service and a Premium version. The free service can give you caller ID alerts to nuisance calls and blocking protection. You can even block by country or area code. While their business lookup is also free, the individual and reverse lookups are now part of its paid-for Hiya Premium service. You’ll also get automatic fraud and spam blocking rather than just detecting. Like TrueCaller, your calls are also analysed when you register, but the company says they don’t use any Personally Identifiable Information.

RoboKiller

Fancy giving those spammers a taste of their own medicine? RoboKiller is an app that can block calls or spam callers with prerecorded Answer Bots. Get it on Android or iOS. There’s a free 7-day trial but it’s paid- for afterwards. Unlike the other apps though, you can get your revenge by choosing an answer bot or even creating your own. Mark your own contacts as safe and let the app do the rest. Keep a check on the summary of activity over the past 3 months on your home page. It’s also shown to reduce spam calls by around 90% in 30 days.

Mobile phones with fraud detection features

Some mobile phones have their own fraud recognition, which you can set up.

Samsung Smart Call

Samsung have teamed up with Hiya to create Smart Call for Samsung Galaxy phones. Turn this on through ‘Settings’ and ‘Caller ID and spam protection’. When you start to get warnings about suspected spam or scam calls, you can choose to block or report the number.

Block numbers on Android phones
  • Open your phone app
  • Hit the 3 dot icon on the top right
  • Choose ‘Call Settings’ and then ‘Blocked Numbers’
  • Click the ‘+’ button and type in the numbers you want to add

There are many different options on Android, so you might want to check out video tutorials online for your specific device.

Block numbers on iPhone
  • Go to your recent callers – open the phone app then tap on ‘Recents
  • The ‘I’ symbol –- next to the unwanted number – will show a list of options
  • Choose ‘Block this Caller’ and confirm your decision
  • The number won’t be able to call you again

You can also review your blocked calls through the Call Blocking menu.

 

  • Choose ‘Settings’
  • Scroll to ‘Phone’
  • Under the ‘Call’ section, you’ll find ‘Call Blocking & Identification’
  • Here you can add more numbers
  • You can also click ‘Messages’ or ‘FaceTime’ from ‘Settings’ for the same Blocked menu option.
June 30, 2020 0 comment
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