http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/features/ipo_quick_tip/ Daily news, opinions, editorials, reviews, tips, forums, comments, and podcasts all relating to the iPod, the iPhone, Apple, and the surrounding industry. en webmaster@ipodobserver.com Copyright 2009 Fri, 17 Jul 2009 07:47:06 -0400 http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/iphone_os_3.0_copy_and_paste/ http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/iphone_os_3.0_copy_and_paste/ One feature people have been waiting for since the release of the first iPhone was cut-and-paste. Thanks to iPhone OS 3.0, that feature is finally here, and it works. Mostly. Tips, iPO Quick Tip, iPO Reports, iPhone, iPod, iPod touch Wed, 01 Jul 2009 14:15:04 -0400 http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/iphone_os_3.0_enabling_push_notifications/ http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/iphone_os_3.0_enabling_push_notifications/ One of the cool features built into iPhone OS 3.0 is the ability to display alerts and messages from applications that aren't active, also known as "push" notifications. Push notifications aren't active by default, and if you don't have the right apps installed, you won't even be able to find the feature on your iPhone or iPod touch. Tips, iPO Quick Tip, iPO Reports, iPhone, iPod, iPod touch Fri, 26 Jun 2009 10:00:25 -0400 http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/iphone_memory_management_from_a_users_perspective/ http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/iphone_memory_management_from_a_users_perspective/ Dave Hamilton explains how the iPhone manages memory and why the increased RAM in the iPhone 3GS helps with the speed almost as much as a faster processor does. Tips, iPO Quick Tip Mon, 22 Jun 2009 17:13:03 -0400 http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/iphone_os_3.0_searching_with_spotlight/ http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/iphone_os_3.0_searching_with_spotlight/ One of the new features in iPhone OS 3.0 that should make finding things on your iPhone or iPod touch easier is Spotlight. It's easy to use, and while Apple worked to make the system-wide search feature easy to use, most new users have to spend a little time searching for Spotlight before they can looking for files and songs on their device. Tips, iPO Quick Tip, iPO Reports, iPhone, iPod, iPod touch Thu, 18 Jun 2009 09:00:13 -0400 http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/iphone_os_3.0_upgrade_guide/ http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/iphone_os_3.0_upgrade_guide/ iPhone OS 3.0 is here and, if you're an iPhone or iPod touch user, you're probably thinking about getting it now. Before you take the plunge, though, we've prepared this guide to help you with a smooth, successful migration. We've already updated it with one batch of post-release reports, and more will be coming. Bookmark the page and come back to ensure you get all the info you need to ensure a smooth migration to the next iPhone OS. Tips, iPO Quick Tip, iPO Reports, iPhone Wed, 17 Jun 2009 14:54:42 -0400 http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/iphone_3g_s_usa_order_and_upgrade_options/ http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/iphone_3g_s_usa_order_and_upgrade_options/ Apple's iPhone 3G S is due to hit the USA -- and many other countries -- this coming Friday, June 19th. TMO covers the details of what's available where, and for how much. The (updated) short version is that Apple's retail outlets are currently your best bet for getting an iPhone 3G S on June 19th. The rest of the details, including pricing and upgrade options for new and existing customers, are available after the jump. Tips, iPO Quick Tip, iPO Reports, iPhone Wed, 17 Jun 2009 14:34:42 -0400 http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/iphone_down-and-dirty_web_page_captures/ http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/iphone_down-and-dirty_web_page_captures/ The iPhone and iPod touch are great for Web surfing on the go, but they reload Web pages every time you hop into Mobile Safari, which can be a pain if you were viewing information that changes when a site reloads. There isn't a way to stop Safari from reloading those pages, at least not yet, but you can work around the problem with your handheld's built-in screen capture feature. Tips, iPO Quick Tip, iPO Reports, iPhone, iPod, iPod touch Fri, 05 Jun 2009 08:00:26 -0400 http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/iphone_wi-fi_sans_phone/ http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/iphone_wi-fi_sans_phone/ Apple's iPhone includes an Airplane Mode feature that shuts off the phone, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, essentially turning your combination iPod and smartphone into an iPod touch with a built-in camera. If you want Wi-Fi active for the full-on iPod touch experience, however, Apple has you covered. Tips, iPO Quick Tip Mon, 01 Jun 2009 08:00:53 -0400 http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/thanks_for_the_free_music_starbucks/ http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/thanks_for_the_free_music_starbucks/ Free and legit music downloads are always a nice find, so like everyone else, I always check out Apple's free song of the week at the iTunes Store. I also make a point to swing by my local Starbucks because they give away a free iTunes song each week, too. Tips, iPO Quick Tip Wed, 27 May 2009 08:00:49 -0400 http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/iphone_setting_data_self_destruct/ http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/iphone_setting_data_self_destruct/ Odds are the data you store on your iPhone or iPod touch is personal and important to you, which means you probably don't want other people seeing what you have stashed away. Since the average iPhone user can't easily delete their data if their handheld is lost or stolen, Apple included an option that automatically deletes the contents for you, and the feature is easy to turn on. Tips, iPO Quick Tip Wed, 20 May 2009 08:00:40 -0400 http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/Using_Free_ATT_Hotspots_with_your_iPhone/ http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/Using_Free_ATT_Hotspots_with_your_iPhone/ AT&T is finally giving iPhone owners free Wi-Fi access at its hotspots, including Starbucks locations and airports. Taking advantage of the wireless Internet access isn't hard to do -- you just need to follow a few steps to get online and surf. iPO Quick Tip Sun, 02 Nov 2008 15:00:00 -0500 http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/Halloween_On_the_Go/ http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/Halloween_On_the_Go/ Halloween is the time of year when we get to dress in costumes, eat someone else's candy, and break out our haunted decorations for trick-or-treaters. I've mentioned before ways to spook up your Mac, but this year it's time to bring Apple's iPhone in on the fun. iPO Quick Tip Thu, 30 Oct 2008 16:00:00 -0400 http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/iPhone_Mails_Little_Details/ http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/iPhone_Mails_Little_Details/ Apple's Mail application on the iPhone and iPod touch is fine for viewing messages on the go, but it doesn't show as much information about the emails you receive as your desktop email app does. The mobile Mail app does, however, include a handy option that lets you see a bit more about who sent the message, and even lets you change the message status back to Unread. iPO Quick Tip Thu, 25 Sep 2008 16:00:00 -0400 http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/iTunes_8_Counting_iPhone_Apps/ http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/iTunes_8_Counting_iPhone_Apps/ The iPod Summary tab in iTunes has offered a nice visual representation of how much space your music, video and photos take up, but other items, including applications have always been lumped together in the Other category. iTunes 8 finally added an Apps category so you can see how much space everything you download from the App Store is filling up on your iPhone or iPod touch. iPO Quick Tip Sun, 14 Sep 2008 16:00:00 -0400 http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/iTunes_8_Fine_Tune_Podcast_Settings/ http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/iTunes_8_Fine_Tune_Podcast_Settings/ Managing podcasts with iTunes has been pretty much an all-or-nothing deal because it limits you to setting how often new podcast checks happen and how many episodes to keep for all of the podcasts it watches. That changed with the release of iTunes 8 thanks to its new per-podcast settings feature. iPO Quick Tip Thu, 11 Sep 2008 16:00:00 -0400 http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/Checking_iPhone_iPod_touch_Software_Version_Numbers/ http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/Checking_iPhone_iPod_touch_Software_Version_Numbers/ The iPhone, iPhone 3G and iPod touch all run a version of OS X, just like the Mac, and that software occasionally gets updated. If you aren't sure if your iPhone or iPod touch is running the most recent software version, it's easy to check and you don't have to plug your handheld into your computer to do it. iPO Quick Tip Tue, 09 Sep 2008 16:00:00 -0400 http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/iPhone_Preview_URLs_in_Mobile_Safari/ http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/iPhone_Preview_URLs_in_Mobile_Safari/ Navigating with URLs in Web pages is easy in Mobile Safari on the iPhone or iPod touch: just tap a link on a Web page. If you want to see where that link is going to take you before you tap and go, that's easy, too. iPO Quick Tip Sun, 07 Sep 2008 16:00:00 -0400 http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/iTunes_More_Info_About_Whats_on_Your_iPod/ http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/iTunes_More_Info_About_Whats_on_Your_iPod/ iTunes offers all kinds of information about what's stored on your iPod or iPhone, like how much space the music, videos, photos and other data is using. iTunes isn't limited to just showing you how much of your iPod is loaded with your favorite stuff -- it can also show you how many items are on your iPod, along with how much time it will take to play your music and videos. iPO Quick Tip Thu, 28 Aug 2008 16:00:00 -0400 http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/iPhone_Web_Surfing_in_Airplane_Mode/ http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/iPhone_Web_Surfing_in_Airplane_Mode/ The iPhone's Airplane mode shuts off your handheld's built-in radios including cell service, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi with a quick finger tap so you can watch movies and listen to music when you fly. If you are in a situation in the air or on the ground where you need just a Wi-Fi connection, Airplane mode comes in handy, too, and essentially lets you turn your iPhone into an iPod touch with a camera. iPO Quick Tip Thu, 21 Aug 2008 16:00:00 -0400 http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/iTunes_Resetting_iPhone_and_iPod_Warnings/ http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/iTunes_Resetting_iPhone_and_iPod_Warnings/ The warning dialogs that iTunes displays, like to ask if you really want to delete applications from your iPhone, can get annoying after a while, so it's nice that Apple included an option to stop the dialogs from popping up. The problem is that Apple didn't exactly make it clear how to re-enable those dialogs if you want to see them again later on. iPO Quick Tip Tue, 12 Aug 2008 16:00:00 -0400 http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/Mobile_Safari_Quick_Domain_Suffixes/ http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/Mobile_Safari_Quick_Domain_Suffixes/ Enter the URL for a Web site you want to visit in Mobile Safari on the iPhone or iPod touch, and your handheld dutifully sends you to the appropriate page even if you didn't enter a domain suffix like .com. If you need to enter a complete URL, the domain suffix key automatically adds .com to addresses for you -- and you have to type out other suffixes, like .net, as long as you can manage some basic finger dexterity. iPO Quick Tip Sun, 10 Aug 2008 16:00:00 -0400 http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/iPhone_Better_Snap_Shot_Control/ http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/iPhone_Better_Snap_Shot_Control/ Apple's iPhone and iPhone 3G include a built-in camera that's great for those quick and spontaneous snap shots. Sometimes, however, it's hard to make sure you have just the right shot before tapping the camera application's photo button, but iPhone Software 2.0 makes it easier to frame your picture before snapping a photo. iPO Quick Tip Thu, 07 Aug 2008 16:00:00 -0400 http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/iPhone_Updating_App_Store_Applications/ http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/iPhone_Updating_App_Store_Applications/ Downloading applications for the iPhone and iPod touch from Apple's App Store means that eventually you'll be faced with version updates. iTunes isn't the only resource for downloading those updates. Your iPhone or iPod touch can handle the job, too, and it's easy to do. iPO Quick Tip Sun, 27 Jul 2008 16:00:00 -0400 http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/iTunes_Deleting_iPhone_Apps/ http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/iTunes_Deleting_iPhone_Apps/ The App Store is loaded with extra applications for the iPhone and iPod touch, and Apple did a great job of making it easy to download and install all of those programs. The problem is that not every app you download is something you want to keep, and deleting something from your handheld doesn't necessarily mean it will go away when you sync. iPO Quick Tip Sun, 20 Jul 2008 16:00:00 -0400 http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/iPhone_Typing_Special_Characters/ http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/iPhone_Typing_Special_Characters/ At first glance, the touch-interface keyboard on the iPhone, iPhone 3G and iPod touch might seem a little limited because special characters like accented letters aren't displayed along with other characters. In reality, getting at those accented letters isn't hard to do, and you don't even need any special keystroke combinations to do it. iPO Quick Tip Tue, 15 Jul 2008 16:00:00 -0400 http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/iPhone_2.0_Screenshots/ http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/iPhone_2.0_Screenshots/ Sometimes words alone aren't enough to describe something, and that holds true with the iPhone and iPod touch, too. The iPhone 3G, and iPhone or iPod touch with Software version 2.0, make it easier to speak with images thanks to the new screenshot feature, no extra applications needed. iPO Quick Tip Sun, 13 Jul 2008 16:00:00 -0400 http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/iTunes_Accessing_the_App_Store/ http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/iTunes_Accessing_the_App_Store/ Apple's new App Store is loaded with cool programs to add to your iPhone or iPod touch, but you have to find them first. If you aren't sure where the App Store is, don't worry: It only takes a couple of steps to make sure it's always close at hand. iPO Quick Tip Thu, 10 Jul 2008 16:00:00 -0400 http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/Cutting_iPhone_Speaker_Buzz/ http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/Cutting_iPhone_Speaker_Buzz/ Many cell phones, including Apple's iPhone, can make your speakers emit a really annoying buzz if they get too close together. Luckily, there are alternatives beyond leaving your iPhone in a different room, and the fix I went for cost less than US$10. iPO Quick Tip Sun, 29 Jun 2008 16:00:00 -0400 http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/iPhone_Backing_Up_the_Important_Stuff/ http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/iPhone_Backing_Up_the_Important_Stuff/ Connecting your iPhone to your Mac or PC automatically backs up the information on your handheld, which can be a real life saver if you have to replace it. Restoring that info to a different iPhone is just as easy, but only if you really do have all of the data safe and sound on your computer. In other words, backup your iPhone backup. iPO Quick Tip Tue, 13 May 2008 16:00:00 -0400 http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/iPhone_Saving_SMS_Messages_to_Your_Mac/ http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/iPhone_Saving_SMS_Messages_to_Your_Mac/ Odds are that not every text message on your iPhone is worth saving, but for those that are, Apple doesn't make it all that easy to copy them to a different device. That's why I'm glad I stumbled across Syphone for Mac OS X. iPO Quick Tip Sun, 11 May 2008 16:00:00 -0400 http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/iTunes_Automatic_Custom_iPod_Playlists/ http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/iTunes_Automatic_Custom_iPod_Playlists/ Depending on the size of your music library, it can be pretty easy to run out of space on your iPod before you run out of songs to load on it. No need to despair, since this is a perfect opportunity to avoid an over-filled iPod and keep your portable music selection fresh with a little help from Smart Playlists. iPO Quick Tip Sun, 17 Feb 2008 15:00:00 -0500 http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/Controlling_iTunes_Visualizer/ http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/Controlling_iTunes_Visualizer/ The Visualizer feature in iTunes is pretty cool because it displays a real time animated visualization of the songs you play. If you want to do more than just watch the visualizer, however, you are in luck. Apple tucked away controls that let you bend those dancing lights to your will. iPO Quick Tip Tue, 01 Jan 2008 15:00:00 -0500 http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/Fixing_the_Post-Leopard_iCal_Sync_Blues/ http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/Fixing_the_Post-Leopard_iCal_Sync_Blues/ Apple did a pretty good job of making the iPhone share information seamlessly with your Mac. After upgrading to Mac OS X 10.5 and 10.5.1, however, an ugly seam appeared in the fabric that stopped some iPhones from properly syncing with iCal. Luckily, there is a fix. iPO Quick Tip Thu, 06 Dec 2007 15:00:00 -0500 http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/iPod_touch_Fixing_Inaudible_Alarms/ http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/iPod_touch_Fixing_Inaudible_Alarms/ Apple's iPod touch is a great iPod and a good personal organizer. Relying in it for alarms, however, is a hit-and-miss endeavor thanks to an annoying little bug that can kill the audio for every alarm you set. That doesn't mean you can't use the alarm feature on the iPod touch, it just means that you need to know how to work around the problem until Apple releases a fix. iPO Quick Tip Sun, 25 Nov 2007 15:00:00 -0500 http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/iPhone_Web_Address_Lists/ http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/iPhone_Web_Address_Lists/ Surfing the Web on an iPhone is pretty slick, and typing Web addresses is easy especially since Safari suggests URLs based on sites you have already visited. Thanks to the iPhone's built in accelerometer, you can control just how Safari displays the Web site it suggests. iPO Quick Tip Sun, 14 Oct 2007 16:00:00 -0400 http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/iTunes_Quick_Change_Song_Formats/ http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/iTunes_Quick_Change_Song_Formats/ iTunes handles all kinds of tasks from organizing your music library to updating your iPod or iPhone software. It also converts music files to your preferred audio format with a single mouse click. iPO Quick Tip Sun, 07 Oct 2007 16:00:00 -0400 http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/iTunes_and_iTunes_Wi-Fi_Music_Store_Purchases/ http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/iTunes_and_iTunes_Wi-Fi_Music_Store_Purchases/ Now that Apple has released the iPhone 1.1.1 update with support for the iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store, it's not just iPod touch owners that can buy songs on the go. Regardless of which device you choose, your songs all end up in the same place once you sync with your computer. iPO Quick Tip Sun, 30 Sep 2007 16:00:00 -0400 http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/Unhacking_Your_iPhone/ http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/Unhacking_Your_iPhone/ Hacking your iPhone to add additional applications opens up a whole new world of software options, but there may come a time when you want to restore your nifty handheld back to its factory fresh condition. If you only installed additional applications, it's a pretty easy procedure. If you unlocked your iPhone so you can use it with any cell carrier, things get a little tricky. iPO Quick Tip Tue, 25 Sep 2007 16:00:00 -0400 http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/Adding_Real_Apps_to_Your_iPhone/ http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/Adding_Real_Apps_to_Your_iPhone/ Apple's iPhone is only a couple of months old, but it already feels like there are somewhere around a kajillion Web-based applications available. If you are looking for more that Web-based apps, however, that's an option too, even though Apple doesn't officially support adding applications to your iPhone -- and it's easy enough for mere mortals to do. iPO Quick Tip Thu, 20 Sep 2007 16:00:00 -0400 http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/Google_News_for_Your_iPhone/ http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/Google_News_for_Your_iPhone/ Apple's iPhone is a great tool for accessing the Internet on the go, and Google offers powerful tools for keeping up to date on news. Two great tastes that taste great together? Sure, especially if you throw iPhoneAtom into the mix. iPO Quick Tip Thu, 23 Aug 2007 16:00:00 -0400 http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/iPod_Speed_Reading/ http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/iPod_Speed_Reading/ Using your iPod or iPhone to listen to audiobooks is a cool way to catch up on those books you've really been meaning to get to. If you find, however, that you still don't have enough time to get through your audiobooks, you can speed them up. iPO Quick Tip Tue, 21 Aug 2007 16:00:00 -0400 http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/iPhones_Hidden_Caps_Lock_Feature/ http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/iPhones_Hidden_Caps_Lock_Feature/ Apple's iPhone sports a fairly impressive virtual keyboard that does its best to predict what you are typing. It even automatically activates the Shift key at the beginning of a sentence, and shuts it back off after you type the first letter. By default, however, entering a string of all uppercase letters is kind of a pain because you have to tap the Shift key before each letter. iPO Quick Tip Sun, 05 Aug 2007 16:00:00 -0400 http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/iPhone_Making_Task_and_Shopping_Lists/ http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/iPhone_Making_Task_and_Shopping_Lists/ One feature that is sorely lacking from the iPhone, at least for today, is the ability to create lists for shopping or tasks. Although OneTrip is designed to be an iPhone-based shopping list application, it handles both functions without any trouble. iPO Quick Tip Tue, 31 Jul 2007 16:00:00 -0400 http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/iPhone_Quick_Safari_Scrolling/ http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/iPhone_Quick_Safari_Scrolling/ Scrolling through a Web page in Safari on your iPhone only takes a flick of the finger, which is a stunningly easy way to move through a site. Jumping quickly back to the top of a Web page, however, isn't quite so easy since it involves flick after flick to work your way back up -- unless you know the short cut for jumping back to the top of a page. iPO Quick Tip Thu, 26 Jul 2007 16:00:00 -0400 http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/Control_Your_Mac_from_an_iPhone/ http://www.ipodobserver.com/ipo/article/Control_Your_Mac_from_an_iPhone/ An iPO Article iPO Quick Tip Sun, 15 Jul 2007 16:00:00 -0400