One of the interesting new features in iPadOS 14 is Scribble, the ability to use an Apple Pencil to write text into a text field instead of using the on-screen keyboard. I wasn't sure how useful the feature would be when it was announced, but now that I've been using it, I really like it. I often have the Pencil in my hand as I am reading and annotating briefs, caselaw, exhibits, etc. in an app like PDF Expert (which is a sponsor of iPhone J.D. this month) or when I am taking handwritten notes in GoodNotes. When I then need to enter some quick text — such as to search for something in Safari or Mail — it is incredibly convenient to just write a few letters or words with the Pencil that is already in my hand. Alexander George of Popular Mechanics interviewed Craig Federighi, Apple's senior vice president of software engineering, to discuss the new Scribble feature. If you haven't tried it out yet, I encourage you to do so. It is yet another reason that the Apple Pencil makes me more productive in my law practice. And now, the news of note from the past week:
- Legal technology consultant Brett Burney of Apps in Law offers tips for using Zoom on an iPad or iPhone.
- Michael Simon of Macworld reviews the new Apple Watch SE.
- Lori Gil of iMore reviews the new Apple Watch Series 6.
- In an article for TidBITS, Julio Ojeda-Zapata explains why the Apple Watch is especially useful during the pandemic. I've had some of these same thoughts.
- Apple has brought its new map data (that it is building in-house with its own vehicles equipped with cameras) to Ireland and the United Kingdom, according to a report by Benjamin Mayo of 9to5Mac. And the Apple Look Around feature of Maps now works in London, Edinburgh, and Dublin.
- I'm a big fan of the Deliveries app, a centralized place to track any packages that you are receiving or sending. My family has been purchasing even more items online as a result of the pandemic, and it is nice to have one place to go to find out where items are and when they should arrive. As Chance Miller of 9to5Mac reports, the Deliveries app was updated to add a new design and new features. The app is also switching to a subscription service, so instead of costing $4.99 to purchase, the app is now $4.99/year, with complimentary subscriptions of four months (for long-time users) up to 18 months (for newer users).
- The GoodNotes app updated its shape and line tools so that you no longer have to tap on a different tool to draw a perfect shape or line. The new features are explained in this post on the GoodNotes blog. I've used this quite a bit, and it is a great improvement.
- Now that it is so easy to use a keyboard and a mouse with your iPad, you may want a good way to carry them around. A keyboard cover is a good idea to protect the keyboard; you don't want to shove it into a briefcase and have something catch a key and pop it off. For over three years, I've been a happy user of the Canopy by Studio Neat, which is not only a keyboard cover but a stand to prop up your iPad. But if you want something different that also holds a mouse, I see that Waterfield now has a Dash Sleeve for Magic Keyboard, and it looks nice. They also have a version for the Magic Trackpad 2.
- The new spatial audio feature for AirPods Pro is really neat, creating the illusion that different sounds are coming from specific locations. You can use it with some TV shows, such as the fabulous Ted Lasso on Apple TV+ — which just realized its amazing Season 1 finale. Brent Dirks of AppAdvice reviews a free app called SpatialBliss which creates rich environments with 3D sound but you get to control where each sound comes from. Definitely check this one out if you own AirPods Pro.
- And finally, if you are looking for something fun to watch, a week ago, my wife and I watched the debut of the new short move Father of the Bride Part 3 (ish). We both enjoyed it. It features the actors from the prior movies — Steve Martin, Diane Keaton, etc. — as well as some surprise new actors, and it is well-done and funny. (I didn't realize that their son from the movies, Kieran Culkin, is the same actor who now plays Roman Roy on HBO's fantastic show Succession.) The writer and director of the movie, Nancy Meyers, wrote an article for the New York Times to explain how the actors used iPhones to film their parts in the movie, which Meyers then turned into the final movie. The article is spoiler-free so you can read it before or after you watch the movie. And the movie is free to watch, part of a fundraiser for the great World Central Kitchen. You can watch the 25-minute movie on YouTube, or I've embedded it below:
