IOS Tutorials

The third and final part of our indepth look at Drafts v3

At its core, Drafts is a simple way to enter text on your iOS device and then use actions to process the text, and send it to other applications.

Drafts v3 takes this to a new level with a vastly expanded range of support actions and capabilities. In the final part of this three part series, I review Markdown support, Email Actions, TextExpander Touch integration, Open In... actions, and some mor eadvanced custom actions including Dropbox and Evernote Actions.

With expanded support for URL schemes, Drafts has become a hugely powerful application, now with Email, Message, Dropbox, Evernote, Message actions, reminders integration and ways of chaining multiple apps together - it has become a veritable productivity powerhouse on the iPad or iPhone.

This full tutorial includes sections on:

• Email Actions
• Open In... Action
• DropBox Actions
• Evernote Actions
• URL Actions & Backup

Exploring further the wonderful application which is Drafts V3

At its core, Drafts is a simple way to enter text on your iOS device and then use actions to process the text, and send it to other applications.

Drafts v3 takes this to a new level with a vastly expanded range of support actions and capabilities. In the second part of this three part series, I review Event and Messaging Actions, Reminders integration plus a look at Fantastical integration.I also start looking at creating your own Custom Actions.

With expanded support for URL schemes, Drafts has become a hugely powerful application, now with Email, Message, Dropbox, Evernote, Message actions, reminders integration and ways of chaining multiple apps together - it has become a veritable productivity powerhouse on the iPad or iPhone.

I'll take a look at some of the more advanced features in part 3.

This full tutorial includes sections on:

• Event Actions
• Send To Fantastical
• Reminder Actions
• Importing Reminders
• Messages Actions & Custom Action

Daylite is an application that allows you to keep everything related to your business in one place - Customers, calls, emails, appointments, notes and more - all in a single multi user application.

Tim Stringer has been leading us through the Mac version of Daylite for the past two weeks. In this tutorial, Tim demonstrates the Daylite iOS app which allows you to access and sync with your Daylite database.

This full tutorial includes sections on:

• Daylite 4 for iOS
• Home View
• Daylite Objectives
• Daylite Contacts
• Creating Opportunities in Daylite
• Daylite Calendar
• Daylite Tasks
• Daylite Settings

I've covered Drafts before, but the latest version demands an update!

At its core, Drafts is a simple way to enter text on your iOS device and then use actions to process the text, and send it to other applications.

Drafts v3 takes this to a new level with a vastly expanded range of supported actions and capabilities. In the first part of this three part series, I review the basics of Drafts and some of its new syncing and organisational features.

It's now possible to both archive and pin your drafts, as well as sync between your iOS devices. With expanded support for URL schemes, Drafts has become a hugely powerful application, now with Email, Message, Dropbox, Evernote, Message actions, reminders integration and ways of chaining multiple apps together - it has become a veritable productivity powerhouse on the iPad or iPhone.

I'll take a look at some of the more advanced features in part 2.

This full tutorial includes sections on:

• Introduction
• Using the Extra On-Screen Keys
• Creating and Organising Drafts
• Syncing Drafts
• Link Mode & Screen Formatting
• Introduction to Actions

Following on from this week's Mac show, I take a look at using Google Drive on iOS.

Create and manage sharable Google Docs and Spreadsheets directly from your iOS device and have them synced across all your devices.

Using a free Google account, you can get up to 5GB of storage space on the web, and seamless syncing across all your devices.

You can even use the free Google Chrome browser or many of the Google Mobile apps to print PDFs to your Google drive, or to Google Cloud printers across the web.

This full tutorial includes sections on:

• Introduction
• Google Drive for iOS
• Printing PDFs to Google Drive
• Settings

Following on from the previous episode, I take a look at Voice search, accessing Google Apps from the Google Search app, as well as using Google Goggles on the iPhone or iPod touch.

This full tutorial includes sections on:

• Introduction
• Voice Search
• Access to Google Apps
• Google Googles

One of the latest Google technologies to cause a stir is Google Now. This is a service usually found on Android phones and tablets that automatically and intelligently pushes information to your device, based on context. Location based information, appointments, weather, travel information... it all just appears when you need it.

Well Google Now is also available for your iOS device.

In this first part of a two part series, I take you through the updated Google Search app, which has now been updated with Google Now.

The Google Search app is more than just Google Now, it acts as a 'hub' for many different Google applications and services.

This full tutorial includes sections on:

• Introduction
• Google Search UI
• Google Now Cards
• Google Now on iPhone/iPod touch
• Searching with Google Search

Imagine an ad free service or platform that put its users first. One that was wasn't beholden to advertisers or offered a free service but didn't sell on your data making you the product. One that offered a rich development platform embraced by many of the leading Mac and iOS developers, crafting new and exciting applications.

Well you don't have to imagine any more, because we have App.net!

Seen by many as just a Twitter replacement or alternative, App.net is now showing it has the potential to be so much more. As well as the standard social media features you might expect, App.net also includes public and private messaging, chat rooms, photo sharing, video sharing and file storage, with lots more functionality to come.

This tutorial covers the basics of App.net and explains exactly what it is and how you can use it.

It also previews a number of iOS clients and applications to demonstrate the rich functionality currently available.

To try out App.net using a free account, visit this special Link

This full tutorial includes sections on:

• App.net via Alpha
• App.net Directory
• App Preview - Netbot for iPad
• App Preview - Patter for iOS
• iPhone Apps
• App Preview - Netbot for iPhone
• App Preview - Riposte
• App Preview - Climber
• App Preview - #PAN
• Wrap Up

Status Board is a beautiful notification panel for your iPad. Gather together multiple information sources and turn your iPad into a live status panel with weather, time, email, twitter, RSS feeds, graphs, tables and more.

All gorgeously rendered on your iPad Retina display.

This second and final part looks at how you can create charts and tables using your own data, as well as integrating Status Board with 3rd party services.

Purchase the optional TV Out module to view the screen on a full HDTV and use it as a status board for groups or teams.

This full tutorial includes sections on:

• Status Board Graphs
• Creating Tables
• DIY Panels
• 3rd Party Panels & Integration

Released just a few short days ago, Status Board is a beautiful notification panel for your iPad. Gather together multiple information sources and turn your iPad into a live status panel with weather, time, email, twitter, RSS feeds, graphs, tables and more.

All gorgeously rendered on your iPad Retina display.

Purchase the optional TV Out module to view the screen on a full HDTV and use it as a status board for groups or teams.

This first tutorial gives you an introduction to many of the customisable features of Status Board and leads you through setting up most of the predefined modules. In the next episode, I'll take you through some of the more advanced features and demonstrate how to turn your data into live charts.

This full tutorial includes sections on:

• Introduction
• Initial Default Panel
• Customising Modules

An excerpt from the SCOtutor for iPad Application

An excerpt from the SCOtutor for iPad Application

[Originally published Aug 2008] Twitter! If you haven’t used it, you don’t know what you are missing!

Launched in 2006, Twitter has become the de-facto standard for micro blogging and even after suffering problems with downtime and the famous “failwhale” people still go back to it, refusing to jump off Twitter onto the other micro blogging platforms.

Ok, they might try others out, but they always keep one foot firmly in the twitter camp!

Twitter has long transcended its original intended usage and has been transformed by the user base into an indispensable social and business communications tool. Basically it’s a simple centralised messaging system, which allows you to post text messages of up to 140 characters.

Simple!

You can follow other like minded people, news sites, commercial organisations, friends, family, colleagues, in fact all sorts of people and organisations and exchange messages with them. Twitter is both a noticeboard and a conversational tool allowing you to have your own “virtual watercooler” and feel more connected in this ever increasingly digital age. You really have to try it to fully understand the benefits it can bring.

So this weeks show takes you through the basics of Twitter. The show covers:

• Setting up a Twitter Account
• Twitter Settings
• Using the Twitter Web Interface
• Finding People Using Twitter
• Twitter Messages
• Twitter @Replies
• Twitter Direct Messages
• Using Twitter Notices

That’s just for starters and will give you a good grounding in Twitter basics and using Twitter on the web.

[Originally published Sept 2010] In this supplementary show, I describe the features of the new iOS application for the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad. In detail, the show covers: Using Plex on your iPhone

• Using the iOS app as a Remote Control
• Accessing any media library directly from your iOS device
• Initiating Playback on your Mac from your iOS device
• Streaming media from your Mac to you iPhone

Using Plex on your iPad * Using your iPad as a Remote Control * Streaming media from your Mac to your iPad"

1Password for iOS allows you to securely store all your passwords, personal information, credit cards, software licences and much more on your iPad, iPhone or iPod touch.

This tutorial shows how to effectively use 1Password within the limitations of iOS multitasking and fast application switching, and demonstrates the use of the built in 1Password browser,

The tutorial also demonstrates the use of a Javascript bookmark in Mobile Safari, to rapidly look up your login information from any site in 1Password.

The full tutorial includes sections on:

• Introduction to 1Password
• Setting Up a Login Entry
• Using the 1Password Browser
• Setting Up A Shortcut Bookmark
• 1Password Information Types

Links

Unofficial "Look Up in 1Password" bookmarklet for iOS 5

Text Snippet for Javascript Bookmarklet

javascript:window.location='onepassword://'+window.location.href.substring(window.location.href.indexOf('//')+2)

An excerpt from the SCOtutor for iPad Application

[Originally published March 2008] One of my favourite devices revisited this week - the Apple TV. Now revitalised with a brand new software update, this is the Apple TV Take 2.

As announced at this years Macworld, Apple have released a brand new software update for the Apple TV that turns it into an amazing entertainment hub for the Living Room. For the first time, the Apple TV no longer needs a Mac or PC and can function as a network connected media center. This weeks full Extra Members show takes you through some of the new features of this ground breaking device including:

• Installing the Apple TV Software Update
• The Revised Interface for Movies, TV Shows and Music
• Podcasts On Demand
• Viewing Photos via .Mac Web Galleries
• Viewing Photos via Flickr
• Adding Flickr Contacts
• iTunes Automatic Sync
• iTunes Custom Sync
• AirTunes in the Apple TV