It’s nearly impossible to impress on children the permanence of things they share online through social media, emails or via text. Once they click “send,” that text message, photo or video is out there, available for sharing, forwarding and re-posting by anyone who gets ahold of it. A recent law passed last month in California is aimed at giving kids a chance to delete their digital mistakes, but there are some pretty big loop holes.
In September 2013, California Governor Jerry Brown signed into law Senate Bill 568 which, among other things, requires that operators of any website or online service remove content posted by a minor (18 and younger) if the minor requests it be removed. Postings that fall under the requirements must be removed from public access but can be maintained on the website’s server. The law will apply to websites housed outside of the state, provided that the minor is a California resident. The law will take effect as of January 1, 2015.
While this sounds promising, SB-568 offers little protection in reality. The web site operator must only remove content posted by the minor themselves, a pivotal distinction. If your child wants to remove something that was posted by someone else, for example a photo their friend (or enemy) snaps of them doing something questionable and then posts online, they’re out of luck. Since many websites already include provisions that allow anyone to delete accounts or content that they themselves have posted, critics question what this law really offers other than legal enforcement to pre-existing privacy practices.
This is another step in California lawmakers’ work to protect minors from the long term repercussions of childhood Internet indiscretions. Last year, California lawmakers passed SB-1349, a law that prevents both public and private post-secondary schools in California from demanding social media usernames or passwords as a condition of enrollment, or from threatening or taking pecuniary actions against students or student organizations that refuse to comply with a request for login information.
However, schools can continue to search out any publicly available data linked to a minor. A school district in Glendale, California recently hired a 3rd party firm, Geo Listening, to monitor student’s public posts on social media. While the disclosed intention is to identify at-risk students, those who may be contemplating suicide or violence toward others, the overlap between data posted to social media and intervention by school officials leaves some to question the extent to which the information gathered may affect their child’s academic future. Other parents welcome the “second pair of eyes” monitoring their children’s online activities.
While it is promising that lawmakers are aware of the ongoing challenges faced by minors with access to the Internet and taking actions to try to offer them some legal protections, the protections are still minimal. While some children are certainly posting questionable things about themselves, the vast majority of things that they would want to remove from the Internet are more likely going to have been posted or shared by others. Once something is made available online, if it’s truly shocking, funny or compromising it’s likely to get shared and re-posted almost instantly, and not always by friends kind enough to listen when little Johnny wizens up and asks them to take it down.
This law offers no protection from cyber bullies who post nasty comments, images or videos about others intentionally, though to be fair that isn’t the intention of the law. The bill’s author, California Senate President pro Tempore Darrell Steinberg says it’s intended to help kids “who often act impetuously with postings of ill-advised pictures or messages before they think through the consequences. They deserve the right to remove this material that could haunt them for years to come,” (http://sd06.senate.ca.gov/news/2013-09-23-governor-signs-steinberg-bill-protecting-minors-privacy-internet).
[pullquote]the world of technology continues to evolve faster than lawmakers can keep up[/pullquote]
Unfortunately, the world of technology continues to evolve faster than lawmakers can keep up. With a generation of kids that learn that anything worth doing should be posting online, and many of whom judge their worth by how may “likes” or “views” their postings generate, what’s a parent to do? I’m glad that California lawmakers are making an effort to help minors reduce the long term ramification of their own childhood indiscretions, but I know that it’s ultimately up to me to teach my children about the consequences and permanence of things posted online.
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
Chromecast Review
There are bevy of devices on the market aimed to allow you to stream content from the Internet to your TV, most notably Roku and Apple TV set-top boxes. Google has officially entered the fray with their $35 Chromecast device (www.google.com/intl/en/chrome/devices/chromecast), leaving many to ponder how it’s different and whether it can serve their streaming needs.
The Roku (www.roku.com, $50-100 depending on model) and Apple TV (www.apple.com/appletv, $100) are “set-top” boxes that connect to your TV with a cable and connect to the Internet or compatible devices over your home’s WiFi. The initial buzz for Google’s Chromecast is based on its rock bottom price of $35, quick and easy set up, and its small size: the Chromecast is about the size of a USB dongle and plugs directly into any HDMI port. This allows you to quickly stream to a multitude of devices including HDMI-compatible TVs, monitors and projectors.
Once you plug in the Chromecast and it finds your WiFi network, your Smartphone, tablet or computer controls what it plays. There is no remote and content is streamed directly to the Chromecast from any app that supports it (currently Netflix, Hulu Plus, and YouTube) or from the cloud via GooglePlay.
Chromecast also offers the ability to send content from the Chrome browser on your computer to your TV, an intriguing feature since none of the set-top options include an integrated browser. In theory, this means that any content you could watch online such as NBC.com, CBS.com, HBO Go, or webcasts from your favorite websites, could be seamlessly sent to your big screen through Chromecast “mirroring.” Simply pull up the website in a Chrome browser on your computer and send it instantly to your Chromecast.
In practice the Chromecast’s mirroring functionality is a bit buggy, leading to video lags, audio drops and the occasional crash. Video image quality is poor because it’s converted when sent to your Chromecast. Apple’s AirPlay lets you mirror the screen of your iPhone or iPad to your TV using the AppleTV (audio too with supported apps), but you can only see content supported by Apple - a smaller library of file types than that supported by Chrome.
The Chromecast works best with the apps that support it, but they’re woefully limited (only Netflix, Hulu Plus and YouTube) due to its recent entry into the market. AppleTv offers those AND Disney Channels, HBO Go and sports channels (including ESPN, NBA, and MLB.TV). Roku is the clear front runner, offering Netflix, Hulu Plus, HBO Go, Amazon Instant Video, Redbox and Blockbuster on Demand, PBS, Fox, SyFy and many more.
The one that will best fit your needs depends largely on the platform of equipment you already own. If your home is filled with iPhones, iPads and Macs, you should splurge on an Apple TV. AirPlay sends content seamlessly from your iOS devices and it’s the only streaming device that lets you watch the media content you have stored in your iTunes without a 3rd party work-around. If you have Android devices and purchase video or music content through the Google Play store, the Chromecast offers the best solution to view or listen to it on your TV or home theater.
The Chromecast also wins for portability. While you do need to connect the device to a USB power source with an additional cable (so you can’t just toss the dongle in your pocket and go), the size and quick set up means the Chromecast will be my go-to travel device, whether I’m headed to a hotel or need to project a presentation at the office. As more app developers build in Chromecast integration, it’s sure to get even more useful.
The Roku (www.roku.com, $50-100 depending on model) and Apple TV (www.apple.com/appletv, $100) are “set-top” boxes that connect to your TV with a cable and connect to the Internet or compatible devices over your home’s WiFi. The initial buzz for Google’s Chromecast is based on its rock bottom price of $35, quick and easy set up, and its small size: the Chromecast is about the size of a USB dongle and plugs directly into any HDMI port. This allows you to quickly stream to a multitude of devices including HDMI-compatible TVs, monitors and projectors.
Once you plug in the Chromecast and it finds your WiFi network, your Smartphone, tablet or computer controls what it plays. There is no remote and content is streamed directly to the Chromecast from any app that supports it (currently Netflix, Hulu Plus, and YouTube) or from the cloud via GooglePlay.
Chromecast also offers the ability to send content from the Chrome browser on your computer to your TV, an intriguing feature since none of the set-top options include an integrated browser. In theory, this means that any content you could watch online such as NBC.com, CBS.com, HBO Go, or webcasts from your favorite websites, could be seamlessly sent to your big screen through Chromecast “mirroring.” Simply pull up the website in a Chrome browser on your computer and send it instantly to your Chromecast.
In practice the Chromecast’s mirroring functionality is a bit buggy, leading to video lags, audio drops and the occasional crash. Video image quality is poor because it’s converted when sent to your Chromecast. Apple’s AirPlay lets you mirror the screen of your iPhone or iPad to your TV using the AppleTV (audio too with supported apps), but you can only see content supported by Apple - a smaller library of file types than that supported by Chrome.
The Chromecast works best with the apps that support it, but they’re woefully limited (only Netflix, Hulu Plus and YouTube) due to its recent entry into the market. AppleTv offers those AND Disney Channels, HBO Go and sports channels (including ESPN, NBA, and MLB.TV). Roku is the clear front runner, offering Netflix, Hulu Plus, HBO Go, Amazon Instant Video, Redbox and Blockbuster on Demand, PBS, Fox, SyFy and many more.
The one that will best fit your needs depends largely on the platform of equipment you already own. If your home is filled with iPhones, iPads and Macs, you should splurge on an Apple TV. AirPlay sends content seamlessly from your iOS devices and it’s the only streaming device that lets you watch the media content you have stored in your iTunes without a 3rd party work-around. If you have Android devices and purchase video or music content through the Google Play store, the Chromecast offers the best solution to view or listen to it on your TV or home theater.
The Chromecast also wins for portability. While you do need to connect the device to a USB power source with an additional cable (so you can’t just toss the dongle in your pocket and go), the size and quick set up means the Chromecast will be my go-to travel device, whether I’m headed to a hotel or need to project a presentation at the office. As more app developers build in Chromecast integration, it’s sure to get even more useful.
Thursday, October 10, 2013
Chromebook 11 Announced
Google added to its collection of “Chromebooks” yesterday, with their announcement of the HP Chromebook 11. If you haven’t been following the search engine giant’s every move, they’ve already produced four Chromebooks and announced another three, including today’s 11-inch mini-laptop.
The Chromebook 11 is produced by HP, like the HP Pavillion Chromebook and the upcoming Chromebook 14. Available immediately for $279, the device sports a sleek new design and is promised as “the Chromebook for everybody,” although that moniker has been applied to Chromebooks in the past.
The Chromebook 11 comes in five different accent colors: Google Blue, Yellow, Red and plain black. With the exception of black, which has an all-black shell, the chosen colors serve as an accent ring around the keyboard and the rest of the device is white plastic.
The Chromebook 11 actually has an 11.6 inch screen with a resolution of 1366x768px. This puts its screen density at 150dpi, about twice a standard screen and half a high-density screen like the Chromebook Pixel. The high density means that images appear crisper on-screen. Google also claims a viewing angle of 176 degrees, meaning it can be viewed comfortably from awkward angles. Mounted above the screen is a webcam.
Also included on the Chromebook 11 are two USB ports, a combined headphone/microphone jack, 2 gigabytes of RAM and 16 gigabytes of solid-state hard drive space. The solid state hard drive means that the device can store less information, but is not as sensitive to shock and other hazards, avoiding expensive hard drive repair. To supplement the small hard drive, Google includes access to 100 gigabytes of cloud storage via Google Drive for two years. However to access cloud files, the user must have access to the internet.
The Chromebook charges via micro-USB, which has long been used for mobile devices like phone and tablets but not laptops. Google claims this will allow for consolidation of power cords, using one style to charge every device.
The HP Chromebook 11 sells for $279 and is available immediately on Amazon.com, Google Play Store, and Best Buy.
Image from Google
The Chromebook 11 is produced by HP, like the HP Pavillion Chromebook and the upcoming Chromebook 14. Available immediately for $279, the device sports a sleek new design and is promised as “the Chromebook for everybody,” although that moniker has been applied to Chromebooks in the past.
The Chromebook 11 comes in five different accent colors: Google Blue, Yellow, Red and plain black. With the exception of black, which has an all-black shell, the chosen colors serve as an accent ring around the keyboard and the rest of the device is white plastic.
The Chromebook 11 actually has an 11.6 inch screen with a resolution of 1366x768px. This puts its screen density at 150dpi, about twice a standard screen and half a high-density screen like the Chromebook Pixel. The high density means that images appear crisper on-screen. Google also claims a viewing angle of 176 degrees, meaning it can be viewed comfortably from awkward angles. Mounted above the screen is a webcam.
Also included on the Chromebook 11 are two USB ports, a combined headphone/microphone jack, 2 gigabytes of RAM and 16 gigabytes of solid-state hard drive space. The solid state hard drive means that the device can store less information, but is not as sensitive to shock and other hazards, avoiding expensive hard drive repair. To supplement the small hard drive, Google includes access to 100 gigabytes of cloud storage via Google Drive for two years. However to access cloud files, the user must have access to the internet.
The Chromebook charges via micro-USB, which has long been used for mobile devices like phone and tablets but not laptops. Google claims this will allow for consolidation of power cords, using one style to charge every device.
The HP Chromebook 11 sells for $279 and is available immediately on Amazon.com, Google Play Store, and Best Buy.
Image from Google
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
Best App Sequels
From Mario Brothers to World of Warcraft, I've tackled my fair share of games in my day. It tickles me that now I can play a game on my hand-held device from anywhere, whether I am early for an appointment or waiting to pick up the kids from school. A few of my favorites have recently released sequels, so I was eager to check them out.
Angry Birds Star Wars 2 ($.99): Angry Birds, published by Rovio, was one of the first games I downloaded on my phone, and our super-nerd family jumped at the chance to play the Star Wars version. One beef I had about the original was the challenge of duplicating a move: I could shoot a bird once and make a perfect shot, but try again and I could never get the trajectory right. Angry Birds Star Wars eliminated this with projected trajectories shown with a dotted line, eliminating most of the guessing and frustration and making for a nicer game play, in my opinion.
Where the first version of ABSW let you play all your favorite characters from Episodes IV, V and VI, ABSW2 revolves around Episodes I, II and III. Jar-Jar Binks is, ironically, one of the most enjoyable characters to play. You can also play as Qui Gon, Obi Won and Yoda; each has their own special moves. There's even an opportunity to "join the Pork Side of the Force" and fire pigs at the birds: definitely a fun twist on previous versions.
This time around the game is compatible with optional “Telepod” toys. Buy a small plastic Chewbacca “pod,” for example, put it up to your mobile device and Chewbacca will appear in game. A cool but potentially costly addition to gameplay. Otherwise, prompts for in-app purchases can be annoying and much of the content is a re-hash from what you've already seen throughout the Angry Birds sequels. Still, if you're a fan of Star Wars and Angry Birds, it's worthwhile.
Plants vs. Zombies 2 (Free): I played Plants vs. Zombies a few years ago on the X-Box 360 and was completely addicted, so I was eager to check out the sequel. Currently only available for iOS, the Android version is due out soon. It's challenging to see the whole field of play on an iPhone so if you have an iPad opt for the tablet version.
The object of the game is the same as the original: protect your space against swaths of attacking zombies by planting defensive and offensive plants in front of them. PopCap gets it right again with the sequel, with new plants and new challenges. You begin defending your home in the suburbs, but you're quickly whisked off to Ancient Egypt, Pirate Seas and the Wild West themes. The zombie onslaught is slow, but you can get overwhelmed quickly, and that's definitely part of the fun and intensity of the game. Can you kill them all before they eat their way through? Spend your earned coins on new powers to take down lots of zombies at once, or in-app purchase some crazy-fun plants and abilities. You don't need to spend cash if you play your earned-coins smartly. All-in-all, a great sequel to a great game.
Where's My Water? 2 (Free): If you missed “Where's My Water?” you really should check it out. Published by Disney Mobile (read: safe for the younger crowd), Water follows the mis-adventures of a loveable alligator named Swampy who just wants to take a shower. Your goal? Clear a path through the dirt from a big pool of water to the end of his pipe so he can achieve his shower-bliss. You're challenged with obstacles along the way like walls that block your path, sections of moss that suck away your water and giant chasms where water is simply lost. Get as much water to Swampy as you can to win, and try to collect all the rubber duckies along the way for extra points.
The sequel offers over 100 new challenges and the same puzzle-style gameplay of the original. I was excited to try it, but I found myself quickly exasperated with the game model. The "free to play" mode gets you through the first few levels, but then you're required to wait before you can play again, or pay a $0.99 fee to "refill your energy," and the wait times can be as long as an hour. My recommendation? Download the original if you haven't played it already, and if you can't get enough of Swampy play “Where's My Water? 2” with plenty of patience.
Angry Birds Star Wars 2 ($.99): Angry Birds, published by Rovio, was one of the first games I downloaded on my phone, and our super-nerd family jumped at the chance to play the Star Wars version. One beef I had about the original was the challenge of duplicating a move: I could shoot a bird once and make a perfect shot, but try again and I could never get the trajectory right. Angry Birds Star Wars eliminated this with projected trajectories shown with a dotted line, eliminating most of the guessing and frustration and making for a nicer game play, in my opinion.
Where the first version of ABSW let you play all your favorite characters from Episodes IV, V and VI, ABSW2 revolves around Episodes I, II and III. Jar-Jar Binks is, ironically, one of the most enjoyable characters to play. You can also play as Qui Gon, Obi Won and Yoda; each has their own special moves. There's even an opportunity to "join the Pork Side of the Force" and fire pigs at the birds: definitely a fun twist on previous versions.
This time around the game is compatible with optional “Telepod” toys. Buy a small plastic Chewbacca “pod,” for example, put it up to your mobile device and Chewbacca will appear in game. A cool but potentially costly addition to gameplay. Otherwise, prompts for in-app purchases can be annoying and much of the content is a re-hash from what you've already seen throughout the Angry Birds sequels. Still, if you're a fan of Star Wars and Angry Birds, it's worthwhile.
Plants vs. Zombies 2 (Free): I played Plants vs. Zombies a few years ago on the X-Box 360 and was completely addicted, so I was eager to check out the sequel. Currently only available for iOS, the Android version is due out soon. It's challenging to see the whole field of play on an iPhone so if you have an iPad opt for the tablet version.
The object of the game is the same as the original: protect your space against swaths of attacking zombies by planting defensive and offensive plants in front of them. PopCap gets it right again with the sequel, with new plants and new challenges. You begin defending your home in the suburbs, but you're quickly whisked off to Ancient Egypt, Pirate Seas and the Wild West themes. The zombie onslaught is slow, but you can get overwhelmed quickly, and that's definitely part of the fun and intensity of the game. Can you kill them all before they eat their way through? Spend your earned coins on new powers to take down lots of zombies at once, or in-app purchase some crazy-fun plants and abilities. You don't need to spend cash if you play your earned-coins smartly. All-in-all, a great sequel to a great game.
Where's My Water? 2 (Free): If you missed “Where's My Water?” you really should check it out. Published by Disney Mobile (read: safe for the younger crowd), Water follows the mis-adventures of a loveable alligator named Swampy who just wants to take a shower. Your goal? Clear a path through the dirt from a big pool of water to the end of his pipe so he can achieve his shower-bliss. You're challenged with obstacles along the way like walls that block your path, sections of moss that suck away your water and giant chasms where water is simply lost. Get as much water to Swampy as you can to win, and try to collect all the rubber duckies along the way for extra points.
The sequel offers over 100 new challenges and the same puzzle-style gameplay of the original. I was excited to try it, but I found myself quickly exasperated with the game model. The "free to play" mode gets you through the first few levels, but then you're required to wait before you can play again, or pay a $0.99 fee to "refill your energy," and the wait times can be as long as an hour. My recommendation? Download the original if you haven't played it already, and if you can't get enough of Swampy play “Where's My Water? 2” with plenty of patience.
Chromec
There are bevy of devices on the market aimed to allow you to stream content from the Internet to your TV, most notably Roku and Apple TV set-top boxes. Google has officially entered the fray with their $35 Chromecast device (www.google.com/intl/en/chrome/devices/chromecast), leaving many to ponder how it’s different and whether it can serve their streaming needs.
The Roku (www.roku.com, $50-100 depending on model) and Apple TV (www.apple.com/appletv, $100) are “set-top” boxes that connect to your TV with a cable and connect to the Internet or compatible devices over your home’s WiFi. The initial buzz for Google’s Chromecast is based on its rock bottom price of $35, quick and easy set up, and its small size: the Chromecast is about the size of a USB dongle and plugs directly into any HDMI port. This allows you to quickly stream to a multitude of devices including HDMI-compatible TVs, monitors and projectors.
Once you plug in the Chromecast and it finds your WiFi network, your Smartphone, tablet or computer controls what it plays. There is no remote and content is streamed directly to the Chromecast from any app that supports it (currently Netflix, Hulu Plus, and YouTube) or from the cloud via GooglePlay.
Chromecast also offers the ability to send content from the Chrome browser on your computer to your TV, an intriguing feature since none of the set-top options include an integrated browser. In theory, this means that any content you could watch online such as NBC.com, CBS.com, HBO Go, or webcasts from your favorite websites, could be seamlessly sent to your big screen through Chromecast “mirroring.” Simply pull up the website in a Chrome browser on your computer and send it instantly to your Chromecast.
In practice the Chromecast’s mirroring functionality is a bit buggy, leading to video lags, audio drops and the occasional crash. Video image quality is poor because it’s converted when sent to your Chromecast. Apple’s AirPlay lets you mirror the screen of your iPhone or iPad to your TV using the AppleTV (audio too with supported apps), but you can only see content supported by Apple - a smaller library of file types than that supported by Chrome.
The Chromecast works best with the apps that support it, but they’re woefully limited (only Netflix, Hulu Plus and YouTube) due to its recent entry into the market. AppleTv offers those AND Disney Channels, HBO Go and sports channels (including ESPN, NBA, and MLB.TV). Roku is the clear front runner, offering Netflix, Hulu Plus, HBO Go, Amazon Instant Video, Redbox and Blockbuster on Demand, PBS, Fox, SyFy and many more.
The one that will best fit your needs depends largely on the platform of equipment you already own. If your home is filled with iPhones, iPads and Macs, you should splurge on an Apple TV. AirPlay sends content seamlessly from your iOS devices and it’s the only streaming device that lets you watch the media content you have stored in your iTunes without a 3rd party work-around. If you have Android devices and purchase video or music content through the Google Play store, the Chromecast offers the best solution to view or listen to it on your TV or home theater.
The Chromecast also wins for portability. While you do need to connect the device to a USB power source with an additional cable (so you can’t just toss the dongle in your pocket and go), the size and quick set up means the Chromecast will be my go-to travel device, whether I’m headed to a hotel or need to project a presentation at the office. As more app developers build in Chromecast integration, it’s sure to get even more useful.
The Roku (www.roku.com, $50-100 depending on model) and Apple TV (www.apple.com/appletv, $100) are “set-top” boxes that connect to your TV with a cable and connect to the Internet or compatible devices over your home’s WiFi. The initial buzz for Google’s Chromecast is based on its rock bottom price of $35, quick and easy set up, and its small size: the Chromecast is about the size of a USB dongle and plugs directly into any HDMI port. This allows you to quickly stream to a multitude of devices including HDMI-compatible TVs, monitors and projectors.
Once you plug in the Chromecast and it finds your WiFi network, your Smartphone, tablet or computer controls what it plays. There is no remote and content is streamed directly to the Chromecast from any app that supports it (currently Netflix, Hulu Plus, and YouTube) or from the cloud via GooglePlay.
Chromecast also offers the ability to send content from the Chrome browser on your computer to your TV, an intriguing feature since none of the set-top options include an integrated browser. In theory, this means that any content you could watch online such as NBC.com, CBS.com, HBO Go, or webcasts from your favorite websites, could be seamlessly sent to your big screen through Chromecast “mirroring.” Simply pull up the website in a Chrome browser on your computer and send it instantly to your Chromecast.
In practice the Chromecast’s mirroring functionality is a bit buggy, leading to video lags, audio drops and the occasional crash. Video image quality is poor because it’s converted when sent to your Chromecast. Apple’s AirPlay lets you mirror the screen of your iPhone or iPad to your TV using the AppleTV (audio too with supported apps), but you can only see content supported by Apple - a smaller library of file types than that supported by Chrome.
The Chromecast works best with the apps that support it, but they’re woefully limited (only Netflix, Hulu Plus and YouTube) due to its recent entry into the market. AppleTv offers those AND Disney Channels, HBO Go and sports channels (including ESPN, NBA, and MLB.TV). Roku is the clear front runner, offering Netflix, Hulu Plus, HBO Go, Amazon Instant Video, Redbox and Blockbuster on Demand, PBS, Fox, SyFy and many more.
The one that will best fit your needs depends largely on the platform of equipment you already own. If your home is filled with iPhones, iPads and Macs, you should splurge on an Apple TV. AirPlay sends content seamlessly from your iOS devices and it’s the only streaming device that lets you watch the media content you have stored in your iTunes without a 3rd party work-around. If you have Android devices and purchase video or music content through the Google Play store, the Chromecast offers the best solution to view or listen to it on your TV or home theater.
The Chromecast also wins for portability. While you do need to connect the device to a USB power source with an additional cable (so you can’t just toss the dongle in your pocket and go), the size and quick set up means the Chromecast will be my go-to travel device, whether I’m headed to a hotel or need to project a presentation at the office. As more app developers build in Chromecast integration, it’s sure to get even more useful.
Wednesday, October 2, 2013
iOS 7 Reviewed
Last week Apple released iOS 7, an update that CEO Tim Cook called the biggest change to the platform since the iPhone was introduced. Available for free for every iPhone after the iPhone 4, the latest iPod Touch, the iPad 2 and later versions, and the iPad mini, millions will be seeing iOS 7 in the coming weeks. Here’s what you can expect.
The most dramatic change is visual: everything looks different. Icons for core functions like Photos, Settings and Newstand have new images, there’s a new palette of colors and everything looks brighter. Icons appear flat while visually layered over the background to give the illusion of floating over the wallpaper image. As you move your device, the icons float slightly to match your movement (Apple calls this the “parallax effect”), making it look like the wallpaper is moving.
Many love the new look, while others complain that it seems cartoonish and overly bright. If you hate it, you can update your background image to one that’s more sedate and reduce the brightness of your screen via Settings – Wallpapers & Brightness. You can turn off the parallax effect by going to Settings – General – Accessibility – Reduce Motion.
You’ll be using finger swipes more than ever before. While the Notifications menu is still launched by swiping down from the very top of the screen, if you place your finger lower on any icon screen (not from within an application) and swipe down you’ll now launch the search function (known as Spotlight). This was previously accessed by swiping left to right on your home screen.
Swipe up from the bottom of your screen at any time to launch another new feature, Control Center. This semi-translucent menu gives you quick access to Airplane Mode, WiFi, Bluetooth, brightness and locking the screen’s orientation. You can also control your audio player (to pause or restart music and change volume, for example) and quickly access the flashlight, alarm, calculator and camera. All that functionality crammed into one menu makes it a bit cluttered, and you can’t customize it to choose the features that you want quick access to, but it’s an improvement over having to launch Settings to modify these commonly accessed functions.
Double click the home button to view open apps, as usual, but instead of seeing just a bar of icons at the bottom of the screen you’ll now see a preview image of each app. Swipe left or right to find the app you want or swipe up on a preview image to close the app.
Apple has added the option to have apps automatically install updates (previous versions of iOS require that you launch the App Store and manually install updates). You can control which apps you allow to auto-update. Apps can also refresh content when they’re not running so that you don’t have to wait for info to update upon launching the application (this can be turned off via Settings – General – Background App Refresh).
The camera now includes integrating filters that offer tints and image customization effects that you previously needed to use a third party app to get. Photo organization has also been overhauled, now grouping photos by date and location.
Siri can control more functions than before. Change settings like Bluetooth or brightness, play voicemail or have your latest text message read to you, though integration with 3rd party apps is still lacking. You can even change Siri’s voice.
All these new animations, movement and apps that can update themselves independently comes at a cost: many have noted that battery life seems remarkably diminished. Some 3rd party hardware like non-Apple chargers, Bluetooth keyboards and printers may not work as smoothly until the manufacturers release driver updates for iOS 7.
The most dramatic change is visual: everything looks different. Icons for core functions like Photos, Settings and Newstand have new images, there’s a new palette of colors and everything looks brighter. Icons appear flat while visually layered over the background to give the illusion of floating over the wallpaper image. As you move your device, the icons float slightly to match your movement (Apple calls this the “parallax effect”), making it look like the wallpaper is moving.
Many love the new look, while others complain that it seems cartoonish and overly bright. If you hate it, you can update your background image to one that’s more sedate and reduce the brightness of your screen via Settings – Wallpapers & Brightness. You can turn off the parallax effect by going to Settings – General – Accessibility – Reduce Motion.
You’ll be using finger swipes more than ever before. While the Notifications menu is still launched by swiping down from the very top of the screen, if you place your finger lower on any icon screen (not from within an application) and swipe down you’ll now launch the search function (known as Spotlight). This was previously accessed by swiping left to right on your home screen.
Swipe up from the bottom of your screen at any time to launch another new feature, Control Center. This semi-translucent menu gives you quick access to Airplane Mode, WiFi, Bluetooth, brightness and locking the screen’s orientation. You can also control your audio player (to pause or restart music and change volume, for example) and quickly access the flashlight, alarm, calculator and camera. All that functionality crammed into one menu makes it a bit cluttered, and you can’t customize it to choose the features that you want quick access to, but it’s an improvement over having to launch Settings to modify these commonly accessed functions.
Double click the home button to view open apps, as usual, but instead of seeing just a bar of icons at the bottom of the screen you’ll now see a preview image of each app. Swipe left or right to find the app you want or swipe up on a preview image to close the app.
Apple has added the option to have apps automatically install updates (previous versions of iOS require that you launch the App Store and manually install updates). You can control which apps you allow to auto-update. Apps can also refresh content when they’re not running so that you don’t have to wait for info to update upon launching the application (this can be turned off via Settings – General – Background App Refresh).
The camera now includes integrating filters that offer tints and image customization effects that you previously needed to use a third party app to get. Photo organization has also been overhauled, now grouping photos by date and location.
Siri can control more functions than before. Change settings like Bluetooth or brightness, play voicemail or have your latest text message read to you, though integration with 3rd party apps is still lacking. You can even change Siri’s voice.
All these new animations, movement and apps that can update themselves independently comes at a cost: many have noted that battery life seems remarkably diminished. Some 3rd party hardware like non-Apple chargers, Bluetooth keyboards and printers may not work as smoothly until the manufacturers release driver updates for iOS 7.
Clean up Your Email
I established my Yahoo email account many years ago. In those days, email was something to look forward to, usually a nice correspondence with a friend or family member. Boy have times changed. My account now receives upwards of 500 spam messages weekly, and most of the messages I receive are certainly not from family and friends, which is what used to make reading email fun. Can we get back to the way it used to be? Probably not, but we can "get to the good stuff" quicker with a few tweaks to the system.
Create and use a "junk mail" account. That one time I used my email address for something and didn't UN-tick the box next to "receive special offers" was the point of no return. My Yahoo account has become my catch-all “junk mail” account. I give out this email address to every Tom or Harry website that requires me to enter an email address to use their site. This way if I am signed up for a "member newsletter," or if the company wants to send me their "Internet-only special deals," they all go to one place. I then created a pristine special email address that only the important people in my life know, and I don't give it out to anyone else. In this way, I have a personal email address that is junk-free. Ahhhh.
Use disposable addresses. If you need a quick email address and you don't care about getting a response or keeping a record of correspondence, Mailinator (www.mailinator.com) is your answer. It's a public mail service, meaning there is zero privacy, but who cares about that when we're talking about spam, right? Simply create any email name you like and attach it to @mailinator.com. Any mail sent to that email address is publically-accessible on Mailinator's site, so you can view it if you like and forward it to your "real" email address if it turns out to be important. No passwords or sign-up required. A few things to note: all mail is deleted within a few hours so if there’s a chance you’ll need to view a reply message, you probably shouldn't use Malinator. Also, all attachments are removed from incoming mail. Good for stripping viruses, but lousy if someone sends you something important.
Use automatic filtering and sort incoming messages quickly. Most email programs have options for automated message filtering. Sort specific senders into special folders you set up, or color code them within your inbox so important threads grab your attention faster. Try sorting important contacts into an “Act Now” folder and have subscriptions or coupon offers sort to category folders you create like “shopping,” “school news,” or “recipes.” I’ve got mine set up to automatically move mail from certain senders right to the trash. The options are really endless. Thunderbird (www.mozilla.org/en-US/thunderbird/) is a free email application that can help you sort out several email mailboxes in one easy location. Have Thunderbird sync all your email addresses so that all your mail is in one place, and then use its advanced sorting features to consolidate and organize all your messages so you only have to login once to see everything, or at least everything you want to see.
Cut down on clutter. Once you’ve reviewed an email, make sure that you either sort it into a folder or delete it. If you don't use your Inbox as your storage area it won’t get so crowded and overwhelming. Don't forget to clean out your folders periodically too. Use the view options to sort messages by date and/or sender to purge quickly. You probably don't need to save that email you got from your sister in 2009, or the purchase confirm for the toaster that you tossed out last spring. Turn off social media notifications. Sign up for Facebook and Twitter and suddenly you're being spammed by them too. Yikes! Shut it down by going into the settings for each one and turning off email notifications for everything you possibly can. You really don't need to be notified within the application that you've got a new message and then receive an email that you've got a new message. Wow, that's a lot of notification!
Create and use a "junk mail" account. That one time I used my email address for something and didn't UN-tick the box next to "receive special offers" was the point of no return. My Yahoo account has become my catch-all “junk mail” account. I give out this email address to every Tom or Harry website that requires me to enter an email address to use their site. This way if I am signed up for a "member newsletter," or if the company wants to send me their "Internet-only special deals," they all go to one place. I then created a pristine special email address that only the important people in my life know, and I don't give it out to anyone else. In this way, I have a personal email address that is junk-free. Ahhhh.
Use disposable addresses. If you need a quick email address and you don't care about getting a response or keeping a record of correspondence, Mailinator (www.mailinator.com) is your answer. It's a public mail service, meaning there is zero privacy, but who cares about that when we're talking about spam, right? Simply create any email name you like and attach it to @mailinator.com. Any mail sent to that email address is publically-accessible on Mailinator's site, so you can view it if you like and forward it to your "real" email address if it turns out to be important. No passwords or sign-up required. A few things to note: all mail is deleted within a few hours so if there’s a chance you’ll need to view a reply message, you probably shouldn't use Malinator. Also, all attachments are removed from incoming mail. Good for stripping viruses, but lousy if someone sends you something important.
Use automatic filtering and sort incoming messages quickly. Most email programs have options for automated message filtering. Sort specific senders into special folders you set up, or color code them within your inbox so important threads grab your attention faster. Try sorting important contacts into an “Act Now” folder and have subscriptions or coupon offers sort to category folders you create like “shopping,” “school news,” or “recipes.” I’ve got mine set up to automatically move mail from certain senders right to the trash. The options are really endless. Thunderbird (www.mozilla.org/en-US/thunderbird/) is a free email application that can help you sort out several email mailboxes in one easy location. Have Thunderbird sync all your email addresses so that all your mail is in one place, and then use its advanced sorting features to consolidate and organize all your messages so you only have to login once to see everything, or at least everything you want to see.
Cut down on clutter. Once you’ve reviewed an email, make sure that you either sort it into a folder or delete it. If you don't use your Inbox as your storage area it won’t get so crowded and overwhelming. Don't forget to clean out your folders periodically too. Use the view options to sort messages by date and/or sender to purge quickly. You probably don't need to save that email you got from your sister in 2009, or the purchase confirm for the toaster that you tossed out last spring. Turn off social media notifications. Sign up for Facebook and Twitter and suddenly you're being spammed by them too. Yikes! Shut it down by going into the settings for each one and turning off email notifications for everything you possibly can. You really don't need to be notified within the application that you've got a new message and then receive an email that you've got a new message. Wow, that's a lot of notification!
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