Use your iPhone or iPad FULLY

Laura Lynn Donahue of MomsOnMacs

We love the fabulous people who cross our path at StyleBlueprint! Case in point? Our guest writer today, Laura Lyn Donahue, owner of MomsOnMacs, a business that teaches you how to get the most out of your iPhone or iPad.

Macs clicked with me in 1986 when I was co-editor of my high school newspaper. We had to learn how to use an Apple computer for the newspaper layout and had only a manual for guidance.  From the get-go, Apple’s “tech style” just made sense to me and has made my life more manageable and even more fun.

For many of us, computers, cell phones and tablets have only been available for a portion of our lives; however, kids today haven’t known life without technology. While we don’t have to be as tech-savvy as our teenager, we should at least know how to put our devices to good use.

The iPhone is one of the greatest technological inventions EVER. Think about it: it’s a phone, a camera, a computer, a reader, a calculator, a gaming device, a Rolodex (if you don’t know what a Rolodex is, Google it!) and so much more…all wrapped up in an incredibly small package.

There are a myriad of uses for our iPhones, iPads and Macs just waiting to be discovered. Below I’ve put together a list of a few “didya knows?” Hopefully, you’ll discover a new use today.

1. Quick Camera: Did you know that when your iPhone screen is dark, you can double-click the home button and immediately get the camera? This feature makes for quick access when you want to take a picture right away. It’s one of my favorite features of the new 5.0.1 software upgrade (you have upgraded your software, right?!)
2. Instant iTunes: Did you know that if you double-click the home button on your Phone when it’s dark or in the lock screen mode, you get immediate access to your iTunes library, and you can play songs and adjust the volume? You can do the same on your iPad.
3. Ready Remote: Did you know that your iPhone and iPad can be a remote control for your stereo, AppleTV and more? At home, we have the Sonos wireless sound system, and with the Sonos app on our iPhones and iPads, any of us can operate the stereo from anywhere in the house. The kids LOVE this, and so do I! Makes playing music fun, and if you subscribe to a music service like Spotify or others, you have access to hundreds of thousands of songs right at your fingertips!
4. Prompt Printing: Did you know that you can print a document directly from your iPad? I use a great, free application called PrintCentral, and I can print wirelessly with the iPad. This feature comes in handy when I get an email or document on my iPad and don’t want to go fire up the computer to print. With just a few taps, I’m printing right away.
5. Easy Edit: Did you know that with the latest software update, you can edit your photos right on your iPad or iPhone? You can get rid of red eye right away with just a tap. You can also rotate, crop and enhance your photo on the spot. Pictures are quickly ready for sharing with friends on email, Facebook, Twitter and in text messages.

Those are just some of the gazillion things you can do iPhone and iPad. If you would like to learn more, or even get help with these tips, you’re in luck. I recently launched MomsOnMacs to help women (I’ve helped some men too!) just like you. For more information, visit www.MomsOnMacs.net.

I have always enjoyed helping friends figure out how to use Apple products and would love to help you too. I make house calls (less intimidating than visiting a “genius” — aka someone at the Apple Store — and much more convenient!) and have a personal, hands-on approach tailored to your needs. 

For readers outside of Nashville, I am available to help via Skype or GoTo Meeting!

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Thanks Laura Lyn!

It’s amazing how an hour or two of simple fun learning will save you buckets of time and frustration down the road. The MomsOnMacs rate is $40/per hour with a one hour minimum.  Most appointments take about 2 hours. Contact Laura Lyn through her website MomsOnMacs.net or email her at [email protected]

We use Macs each day and Laura Lyn has taught us just through this article! We are excited to share her expertise and passion for making iPads and iPhones easier to use, and used more fully, by all of us. No, you don’t have to be a MOM to use MomsOnMacs! But, as a mother of four, Laura Lyn’s does have particular expertise using the iPhone and iPad to make the daily requests of a mom easier.

MomsOnMacs