• We regularly renting and watching movies.
  
• Over the summer, we watched a TV series that we had missed during the year - something has been great during the 'non-rating' period.
• When we had friends over recently, we 'mirrored' an iPad screen to the TV so that everyone could see something that we were discussing
• I use a second Apple TV for my classes, to run presentations and demonstrations.
• We will use it soon for my daughter's 21st, to show a photo slideshow and some embarrassing family movies!
• We also stream movies and TV shows stored on a hard drive in the study (at the front of the house) to our family room TV (at the back of the house).

However, as far as 'free' content provided by apps on the Apple TV, until recently we only really utilised the YouTube app.  So many of the other apps are only relevant to those in the US.

The other day, however, I noticed that there are now a couple of Australian apps showing on our Apple TV.  One is Cricket from Cricket Australia, and the other is TenPlay - catch-up TV for channel 10!

Yes, that's right, Australian catch-up TV seems to be finally coming to the Apple TV.

Here's hoping that the other stations, especially ABC with ABC iView, follow suit soon.

(For those of you interested in the Cricket app, it provides highlights, news and clips, but not any live streaming.)

Here is an article featured in The Age today about these additions to the Apple TV.

iTandCoffee in Camberwell can help with any issues, questions, setup or other information about the Apple TV.   

Call 1300 885 420 to make an appointment, or email enquiry@itandcoffee.com.au.

It's time again to organise those student concession forms for public transport. 

It's always such a pain to have to go somewhere and get these photos done - and costly if, like us, you have several students needing new concession photo ids.

So, this morning, I went looking for an app that would allow me to take these photos myself.    

This is the one that I will be using this weekend to sort out all the 'passport' photos for our family!

Well, there you go - I did not know this one until recently!  And it's a great tip that I now use regularly.

I use the flashlight/torch on my iPhone very, very regularly - almost daily.  It is such a handy feature, and the light it offers if pretty good.  While it's not that difficult to turn the light back off, it involves a couple of actions (a swipe and a tap).  

This great tip shows you how to turn off your flashlight with just one quick, easy action.  

And, just in case you haven't yet discovered your iPhone's amazing flashlight, this tip also tells you where to find it.

Find out more here >>

Wendy H says: We saved docs on Big Mac computer in Dropbox but I don't have Dropbox on my laptop. How do I get this?? Need to access it while away.

Click this link to download Dropbox for Mac.  

You will see a file drop it into your Downloads area in the dock of your Mac (usually found on the left of your Trash can).  Click on this Downloads folder and you will see a list of files that have been downloaded.

The file downloaded in this case will be DropboxInstaller.dmg.  Click on that file to open the Dropbox installer and just follow the instructions to install - just double-click on the 'box' icon to get started.  

You will have to log in with the same email address and password that you used when you installed Dropbox on the big Mac.  (Hopefully you will remember that password!)

Join iTandCoffee for an upcoming evening session, where we will look at these two great apps and how they can really help you keep on top of your busy life and all your important information.

Apple has today released software updates for both iOS (ie for iPhones and iPads), and for OS X (ie for Mac computers running Yosemite).  

If you are not in a rush to try out these new updates, perhaps wait a couple of days - just in case there are any gremlins not ironed out before the release!  

It is safer to let others (like me!) find these issues, and then decide if you want to proceed with the update - once you hear the feedback.

Here are the articles I have just 'scooped' about the upgrades to iOS and OS X

• Time to update: Yosemite 10.10.2 and iOS 8.1.3 are here
  
• Apple Officially Releases OS X Yosemite 10.10.2 With Security Updates and iCloud Drive Browsing Options in Time Machine

Have you ever lost your car in a car park?  Or, have you, for some other reason, ever needed to mark a position so that you can find you way back to it later - for example, finding your way back to your hotel when you are travelling.

Here's a a incredibly simple app that is just perfect for these requirements.  It is called AnchorPointer.

I love it so much, that it has made it onto my first Home Screen.  

For those of you who have seen how many apps are jostling for that special position on my iPhone, THAT is really saying something about how impressed I was when I saw it in action!

I must say that I got it when it was 'free for a day' recently, but if you want to pay a little money, it will only set you back $2.49.  Not too high a price to pay to save your sanity when you find yourself a bit lost!

Get it from the App Store here.  

And, if you are an iTandCoffee Club member, keep an eye on the iTandCoffee Daily News feed for details of when this app is next 'free for the day'.

Wow!  This is one of the better quality phishing emails that I have received recently!  

It even tries to tell me how I can tell that it's not fake!  Definitely a scam, but one would be forgiven for thinking it might be real.

My message once again?  Always be suspicious.  Check the 'from' email address.  Go directly to the site to check if they have sent you a message - do not click any links in emails unless you are ABSOLUTELY, COMPLETELY, DEFINITELY, POSITIVELY convinced that the email is legitimate!

In only a few more days, we mums with school-aged kids will be getting back into the swing of school, sports, activities, taxi-driving services and more.

One of the things that I always find so hard to keep on top of at the start of the school year (and during the year) is all the notices, fixtures, invitations to information nights, morning teas, fees statements, etc. that come with the mum-territory.  

Over the last couple of years though, I have found management of all of these things so much easier by using various features and apps on my iPhone, iPad and Mac.  

In the iTandCoffee class 'Bring your Busy Life Under Control Using your iPhone and iPad', we cover all sorts of ways that busy mums can reduce stress and be more organised, using their technology.  (PS. This class is next scheduled for Feb 16.)

Just to give you a taste of what we cover in that class ...

Here's one of my very favourite tips for mums

When you get a notice, invitation, fixture, etc, here's what to do.

1. Scan it straight into your Evernote using the Evernote App on your iPhone (or iPad)!  (You can now also use the new Scannable app to scan straight into Evernote.)
2. Then set a reminder in Evernote for the note you have just created.  
3. Throw out the piece of paper!

Magically, on the date and at the time you have nominated, you will get a reminder popping up on your device/s, and also receive an email.

You will be able to tap a link provided in the reminder/email to be taken straight to the picture of the document that you scanned - with all the information that you need!!

Here's an example from this week.  

At the end of last year, we received a notice with the stationary list requirements for my son for Year 6.  

So, straight away, I scanned that notice into Evernote with the note name 'Jacob Stationary 2015' and put it in my Education Notebook.  

I also set a reminder for that note for Jan 15th, 9am.  I then threw out the paper version of the stationary list!

On Jan 15 at 9am, the reminder popped up on all my devices - which was great, because (as usual) I had completely forgotten that I needed to pay my annual January visit to Officeworks.

Before I went to Officeworks, I sat down with my son to go through the list and see what he needed.  It turned out he already had several of the items on the list.  

So, I opened the image of the stationary list in the Evernote note (using the 'Annotate' feature) and put a red line through each item that I did not need to buy).

This YouTube video, called 'Can We Auto-Correct Humanity, is really worth watching, and showing all of our kids. 

It's message is so powerful.

Have you found your very own Personal Assistant on your iPhone or iPad?  If not, I highly recommend that you do so soon.  

Introducing yourself to Siri really can your make life so much easier, saving you lots of typing and tapping.  Siri can remind you, guide you, notify you and provide all sorts of information.  I would be lost without 'her'.

Don't be afraid to try to get to know 'her' (or 'him'!).  

Find out here how easy it can be to get Siri working for you >>

This week's Handy Hint looks at the Preview app on the Mac - one of the handiest built in features available on every Mac computer.  It has a long list of capabilities - from simply viewing PDF and images, to 'marking up', reformatting, resizing, etc etc.  

No need for any Adobe products on my Mac - the Preview app has, to date, satisfied all my requirements.

Find out more about what the Preview app can do for you >>

(Note.  This handy hint is can be accessed freely using the above link until Fri 6th Feb 2015, after which it will only be accessible to iTandCoffee Club members.  Join the club today!)

iTandCoffee Camberwell is proposing some great new classes for early 2015, and is taking registrations of interest for these classes now.

Here is the list of proposed new classes:


Safely managing all your passwords (2 hours)

In today's online world, it is essential that you use strong passwords, that you use different passwords for all your online accounts (iCloud, iTunes, eBay, PayPal, your email, your banking, Groupon, Deals.com, etc etc.), and that you consider something called 'two-step verification' some key online accounts.

But how do you keep track of all these passwords, especially when they need to be so different?!

Find out how to safely manage all your password, and have easy access to them whenever you need them - without storing them in hard-copy, or in Notes or Contacts on your iPad or iPhone (or computer).  

Introduction to iCloud (2 hours)

For most people, iCloud is just a glorious mystery - something to perhaps fear, and steer clear of due to misunderstanding of what it is and what it offers.

This session will unravel that mystery, and show you how iCloud can be a wonderful way of protecting valuable information on your iPad and iPhone - especially your photos and your contacts, but perhaps also valuable notes, calendar events and reminders.  

Managing your Life in Evernote (2 hours)

Evernote is my very favourite app, that I use every day on my iPad, iPhone and Mac.  It is where is store all my family information - school notices, health information, recipes, receipts, property records, etc - but also where I store all my business information.  

It allows me to have a largely paperless life, and can even remind me of things I need to do and provide instantaneous access to the information I need for those things.

Find out how Evernote can make a massive different in your own life.  I'm sure you'll become an Evernote convert, just like the many other mums and small business owners I have introduced to this amazing app.



Are you interested in attending one (or more) of these classes?

Visit the 'registration of interest' web page and let us know that class/es you are interested in attending, and any preference/s you have for day/time for the class/es.

Check out our other scheduled classes

A variety of classes have been scheduled form Feb 2015.  View the class schedule here.

Do you have a suggestion for a different class topic?

We would love to hear from you!  Just email classes@itandcoffee.com.au with details of your suggestion.

Do you use the Notes app (or some other app) to create shopping lists on your iPhone?

Well, I found an app that I now use in place of Notes - an app that magically sorts your shopping list into categories that match the different aisles/sections of the supermarket, so that you have 'like' things grouped together.

It is called Organizly, and it costs $2.49 in the App Store.  (I got it when it was free for a day, but I think it is worth spending a little money on.)

Here is the link to view it in the App Store.

I would have found this very useful yesterday, when I was trying to get Siri to understand my request to 'Call Anne Watts'.  

'She' could not understand, and thought I was saying 'Call and what' - so kept asking me for more information.   So I was forced to ditch Siri and look up the contact to make the call!

Do you want to learn more about using Siri?  Members of The iTandCoffee Club can view the below handy hints and tips about Siri.  

• Handy Hint 94: A guide to using Siri | My most frequently use Siri commands
  
• Handy Hint 5: Set alarms without typing
  
• Handy Hint 6: Quick Conversions with Siri
  
• Handy Hint 14: Tell Siri all who you are!
  
• Handy Hint 15: Tell Siri about your relationships
  
• Handy Hint 37: Control music tracks when walking without touching your phone 
  

Not yet a member of The iTandCoffee Club?  Join here.

I know that when my own kids started university, the whole area of academic referencing was a real challenge for them at first.

I'm not sure if this app would have helped, but it may be worth trying if you are are a student or academic.

• RefME's iPad: an App for Quickly Organizing Reference Lists

Leave a comment if you do end up trying it out, to let me know what your thought of it.

Here is the developer's description and some screen grabs from the iTunes store.

Check out this pathetic attempt at a phishing email that I received on Jan 3 - appalling grammar , no punctuation, and without even an attempt at a PayPal logo!

With my daughter's 21st coming up very soon (eeek!), there was, over the weekend, the need to send out a batch of invitations to some family members.

Here is yet another thing that I love about my Mac!

Printing of addresses on envelopes is just so easy, as long as you have people's addresses in your Contacts (which I do).   It is all done using the Contacts app on your Mac.

You can either 

• print each envelope one-by-one, by selecting the applicable Contact and then choosing Print, or 
• you can print a whole batch in one go, by creating a Contact Group made up of the people for whom you need envelopes printed, then choosing Print.

So, I set up an 'Amy Party' group in Contacts, then dragged the required Contacts into that group.  Once I had the list set up , I clicked on my new Group in Contacts, and selected all of the names in the list using Command-A.

I then chose File->Print, chose my envelope size, then hit the Print button!  

There are standard envelope sizes provided in the Print dialog, or you can customise your own envelope size and the positioning of the address on the envelope.  You can even choose whether or not to include a return address at the top left of the envelope.

For the envelopes I was using, I needed to quickly create a custom envelope of the required size, which I called Std Envelope (which will now be available for any future envelope printing requirements).

I found a couple of interesting article in the last few weeks, about how you can put both your Mac and an old iPhone to use as video surveillance cameras in you home (or anywhere else), and be able to view the footage over the internet when you are away from home.

In both cases, the surveillance can be achieved by installing an app on the iPhone and Mac.

I particularly like the iPhone app , as you can remotely turn it's surveillance on or off via the app on another device, or via a web browser.

Here are the articles - check them out!

• Wondering what to do with your old iPhone? Turn it into a home security system
• How To Turn Your Mac Into A Video Surveillance Tool With This App

Wow - here is a brand new app that I am now using multiple times every day!  

It is the easiest scanning app that I have come across to date, and it takes such clear 'scans' of whatever it is I am 'scanning'.

It is a app that is part of the Evernote suite of apps, and is called Scannable.  Best of all, it is free!   (For iOS 8 users only.)

All I have to do is launch the app, point my iPhone (or iPad) at whatever piece of paper (or business card, credit card, etc) I am scanning, and it automatically detects the page/card and it's borders and TAKES THE PHOTO!  I don't even have to touch a button to take the photo!  

(Just make sure your page/card is on a surface that has a plain, different colour than the page/card/etc itself, so that Scannable can work out the boundaries.)

The photo that it takes is such good quality - it focusses, removes shadows and other 'defects' like folds and marks so that the end-product looks even better than when scanned by a 'real' scanner! 

I can then choose to scan another page (to make a multi-page document) or, if I am finished, choose the 'Share' option, and choose what to with one or more of the scanned pages.  I can email, send as message, export, save to Camera Roll, and more.

I have set mine up to directly sync with my Evernote!  Love it!  (Note.  You don't have to be an Evernote user to use Scannable.)

Here is what the developers say about the Scannable app in the App Store.                                                     

If you need more information about this great new app, here is an article published by CNet on 12/1/15.

• Getting started with Evernote Scannable        
  

iTandCoffee Camberwell is looking to schedule a class (or a series of classes) on the topic of

• Getting organised with some great iPad and iPhone Apps.
  

We will look at a fantastic array of apps that can help you get yourself better organised - so that you get reminders when you need them, know what's on when, have easy access to information when you need it, and are able to access your long list of passwords easily, quickly and securely.

In particular we will look at 

• Evernote and apps in the Evernote 'suite'
• Dropbox 
• Password keepers
  
• Using calendars and reminders on your iPad and iPhone.

Click/touch here register your interest in attending such a class or series of classes.  

The winners of the $25 iTuness gift and PadPod are as follows:

• $25 iTunes gift:    Michelle Galloway
  
• PadPod:                Marlene Salmon
  

iTandCoffee will Inbox or email these winners shortly with further details.