iOS 5 Tips
Apple rolled out the new operating system for iPhones and iPads. Lots of cool stuff, but this update was anything but easy. Sync errors aside, they didn't explain things well. I had to try shit, delete, start over. It took awhile before I finally understood how everything worked.
iCloud Identity
We all use iTunes... which means we have an Apple ID. Some of us had a MobileMe account, as well. You'd log in with something like "jackass@me.com" and access your files. Apple is telling everyone that all you'll need is your Apple ID. Bullshit. Well... it's true if you didn't have a MobileMe account, but if you did... you're going to need two identities. You'll still use your Apple ID for iTunes, but that old MobileMe account will be used for iCloud. Don't worry... iTunes gets backed up to the cloud, too. iCloud is for everything else - calendar, contacts, Find My iPhone, Reminders, Bookmarks, Documents, and... Photo Stream. So if you were a MobileMe user, do NOT use your Apple ID for iCloud. Stick with the "@me" or "@mac" address.
Photo Stream
Here's how it works. You take a photo using your iPhone (or iPad) and it immediately shows up on all devices - iPhone, iPad and via iPhoto on a Mac. You have 30 days to move your images into an album or they'll disappear. Here's something Apple doesn't tell you, though. If you save a photo from SMS or via email, it gets added to the stream. So... if your friend sends you pics of that "lost night" in Guadalajara with the meth lab and a donkey... don't save them to your phone thinking you'll just delete them later. No go. They'll be in that stream for 30 days. "HOLY MOTHER OF GOD!", you say. Yup. Relax. There is a way to delete it, but you'll lose ALL photos in your stream (so make sure to move the others first, keeping in mind that albums don't sync across devices... so move them on each device). Log into your iCloud account, click on your name at the top right, then Advanced. Select "Reset Photo Stream." You're not done. Now go into the iCloud setting on your iDevices and turn off the Photo Stream, then turn it back on. That's it. Everything that was in your stream prior to the reset goes bye bye.
iMessage
This seemed simple enough. An SMS-like chat app... available on your iDevice. If you go to message someone and they have the same app installed, it's free. Otherwise... if you're using it via your iPhone, you'll need to go through your carrier as you normally would. It lights up in blue if they're on an iDevice. If not, it's green. Whatever. I was texting a friend on my iPhone and noticed that the messages weren't showing up on my iPad. Hmm. I did a little Google search and found out that you need to use that damn Apple ID on both devices (settings page for Messages where it says "Receive at"). I made sure I had the same email/Apple ID thingy and voila... a text from my iPad shows up on my iPhone. All convos in perfect harmony.
Shortcuts
Create your own shortcuts for words/phrases. It can be anything you want. Maybe you'd like "imw" to convert to "I'm on my way" or have "wfw" translate to ... "What the fuck are you still doing at work?" Saves a lot of time. To start creating a few and make life easy, navigate to Settings/General/Keyboard. Works the same as auto correct, but it's using your rules.
Split Keyboard (iPad only)
So much easier to type this way than using the giant keyboard. Same location as the shortcuts.
Multitasking Gestures (iPad only)
Four-finger swipe up or right/left to reveal recently-used apps. I love being lazy.
Buddha
Reader Comments (1)
This was funny and informative! I haven't updated my phone, everyone I know who did said it took a couple of hours, because it kept failing. But I wanna cloud!