Every Friday, Brett Burney and I record a new episode of the In the News podcast. Although most of the show is devoted to discussing the top iPhone and iPad news of the week, we always end the podcast with an "In the Know" segment, in which we share a tip of the week: a useful feature of the iPhone or iPad, a cool feature in a specific app, an app that you might not know about yet, a useful service, etc. Our In the Know segment started with our second episode, so now that we have recorded twenty-two episodes, we've shared 42 tips. And as any fan of the writings of Douglas Adams knows, 42 is a pretty important number.
If you have missed one or more podcast episodes, then you may have missed out on a tip that you would find quite useful. But fear not because today's post will make it easy catch up. This post contains every one of our In the Know tips so far. I have these broken down by episode, and I have provided the precise timestamp in the YouTube version of the episode so you can jump directly to the point where Brett or I explain the tip.
What if you want to jump straight to the tips in the audio podcast? That is even easier. Use the Chapters feature of your podcast app (such as Apple's Podcasts app, Overcast, or Pocket Casts) and you can jump directly to each of the two In the Know segments of each podcast.
If you like the idea of learning tips for getting more out of an iPhone or iPad, then I encourage you to use your podcast player of choice to subscribe to our podcast and to subscribe in YouTube. That way, you will get all of our tips where they are still fresh.
Episode 2
Brett: Use The Microsoft Office app on your iPhone to convert a PDF file to a Word document, so that you can edit the document in Word. 23:26
Jeff: Use the Metapho app on your iPad to change the location, date, or time associated with the photo. Many months after I shared this tip, Apple added a similar function to the Photos app in iOS 15 and iPadOS 15, but it isn't quite as powerful as Metapho. 25:00
Episode 3
Brett: Using an iPhone 12 or newer device, you can use the Measure app to measure the size of a physical objection or the height of a person. 31:34
Jeff: SongPop Party, a fun game to play with your family or friends if you have an Apple Arcade subscription. After first discussing this game with Brett, I then wrote about it on iPhone J.D. 34:20
Episode 4
Brett: Using the Walkie Talkie app on an Apple Watch. 26:47
Jeff: The great apps included in the 2021 Apple Design Award finalists. 29:43
Episode 5
Brett: Two tips this week. First, in the built-in Notes app, instead of a blank canvas you can use a grid background, a lined background, etc. Second, in the Messages app, you can forward a specific text message to another person. 28:53
Jeff: Use the Deliveries app (my 2017 review) to track pages being sent to you (or that you have sent to others). 30:50
Episode 6
Brett: All of the cool features of the AirPods Pro (which I reviewed in early 2020). 22:10
Jeff: I explained how you can use the HyperDrive 6-in-1 USB-C Hub (my 2019 review) with the 2021 version of the iPad Pro, which is a little thicker than the prior models. And if you have an iPad with Lightning instead of USB-C, I explained that you can use Apple Lightning-to-USB3 adapter to do some of the same things. 26:04
Episode 7
Brett: Use an Apple Watch to locate your iPhone by making your iPhone play a ping sound. 20:20
Jeff: Use the Camera Remote app on your Apple Watch to remotely control the camera shutter on your iPhone. Prop up your iPhone on a surface, and then you can be in a picture with your friends of family. 22:30
Episode 8
Brett: When you are on a road trip, use the iExit app to find out about the restaurants, gas stations, and other places at the upcoming exits on the Interstate. I wrote a review of an earlier version of this app in 2014. 32:17
Jeff: Use the Google Voice app to create a free phone number that you can give out to businesses or other third parties when you don't want them to have your real number. And then you can adjust whether or not you are interrupted by notifications when people text or call that Google Voice number. 34:42
Episode 9
Jeff: If you are creating a PowerPoint presentation that will contain graphics in it, start by creating the presentation in the Keynote app on an iPad where it is far easier to work with graphics. Then you can export to PowerPoint and finish up the slides using the PowerPoint software on a PC or Mac. 28:40
Brett: Use the iPhone as a remote when you are giving a presentation using Keynote on a Mac. 33:00
Episode 10
Brett: Use the Calculator app on an Apple Watch to calculate the tip at a restaurant. 35:40
Jeff: The "Honest Trailer" for Ted Lasso Season 1. 38:33
Episode 11
Brett: In the Messages app, you can hide alerts from a specific group of text messages, also called a "conversation" in the Message app. 27:48
Jeff: In the Messages app, if you are going to meet someone, here is a quick way to let them know how far away you are or let them track you until you get to them. 30:11
Episode 12
Brett: Use the Thwip app on an Apple Watch to create funny sounds effects such as air horn, rim shot, sad trombone, crickets, and many more. 32:22
Jeff: Use the Swipe Scoreboard app on an Apple Watch to track the score of a game that you attending, such as your child's soccer game. 35:43
Episode 13
Brett: When you have the Live Photos feature turned on, you can add photo effects: loop, bounce, and long exposure — an effect that is particularly interesting when you take a picture of a waterfall. 27:45
Jeff: I provided about a dozen examples of things that you might want to keep track of using the built-in Notes app. 31:56
Episode 14
Brett: Use two fingers to drag across a list of emails (or other items) to more quickly select and act upon multiple items. 31:08
Jeff: Tips for taking a picture as quickly as possible with a locked iPhone. 33:15
Episode 15
Brett: Share albums in your Photos app with other people. 27:00
Jeff: Using the Studio Neat Glif and Hand Grip (my review) to more easily take long videos with your iPhone. 32:36
Episode 16
Brett: Using the Shazam feature on the iPhone to identify a song. 33:04
Jeff: How to secure your Wi-Fi router using Apple's HomeKit. 37:29
Episode 17
Brett: Using the iCloud.com website to access notes in the Notes app — an especially useful tip for accessing your Notes on a PC. 34:47
Jeff: The Midland ER310 weather radio, a great device to have in your possession if you encounter a natural disaster. 39:34
Episode 18
Brett: How to reply to a specific text among many text messages in the Messages app. 27:20
Jeff: Tips for using the Reader View mode on Safari on an iPhone. 30:26
Episode 19
Brett: A quick way to determine which model of an Apple device you are using. 48:30
Jeff: The advantages of using the Apple Store app on your iPhone to purchase new products from Apple. 52:44
Episode 20
Brett: Using the Safari Tab Bar in iOS 15. 33:46
Jeff: Using widgets on the iPad in iPadOS 15. 40:20
Episode 21
Brett: Adjusting the Workout view on the Apple Watch. 33:02
Jeff: Using drag-and-drop on an iPhone using iOS 15. 36:50
Episode 22
Brett: Using the Group feature in the Files app on the iPad. 29:44
Jeff: Using the Medical ID feature on the iPhone. 33:03
Now you know 42 tips. There are more to come, every week!
