Tag:

update

The Latest Google Update

by Lori Gracey March 3, 2017

written by Lori Gracey

Google announced a number of very nice updates to their products in February 2017, and you’ll definitely want to start using them. Here’s a quick look at what’s now available:

Android apps are now easily available on all Chromebooks launched from this point on (source).
Administrators will soon be able to manage Android apps on Chrome devices (source).
New features for the mobile app versions of Docs and Sheets are now available, including headers and footers; drag-and-drop text; resizing, moving, and rotating images; and more (source).
Insert videos into Slides from Google Drive (source).
Administrators now have privileges for managing custom templates in Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Forms (source).
Google Arts and Culture now includes a comprehensive U. S. presidential history (source).
Google Sites now supports dividers (source).
Meet by Google Hangouts, a new video conferencing app for business, has been launched (source).

If you want to learn more about Google, be sure to check out our other blogs on the topic by typing “Google” in the search box at the top of this page. Or join us for an in-depth, free-to-members monthly webinar that will really help to ramp up your Google skills. And take a look at our other Google-icious resources available here.

March 3, 2017 0 comments

Improved Teaching with Microsoft

by Miguel Guhlin January 19, 2017

written by Miguel Guhlin

“We sure wish Class Notebook worked in OneNote Online,” several teachers remarked to me at a Fall Microsoft Innovative Educator (MIE) session. Microsoft was listening. On January 18, 2017, Microsoft improved teaching and learning with OneNote! These new features expand integration for OneNote’s most popular add-ins, Class Notebook and Learning Tools.

Big Announcements

Today, in the announcement, Microsoft shared their two popular add-ins are now available for OneNote Online, as well as OneNote for Windows 10 (the free version that comes installed with Windows 10). Some additional enhancements were also covered.

OneNote Enhancements

You already knew that YouTube, Vimeo, Slideshare, Sway, Docs.com, MS Forms, and Office Mix could be embedded into a OneNote page for easy student access. As of today, you can also embed Quizlet, ThingLink, GeoGebra, Wizer and Sketchfab 3D! Check out Marjolein Hoekstra’s (@OneNoteC) example OneNote Notebook (as well as her demo of Padlet embedding!). OneNote has also been enhanced to include stickers for student feedback. These stickers won’t peel off!

improved

Class Notebook

For teachers, Class Notebook for OneNote Online and OneNote for Windows 10 means easier distribution of content to all students in a class. It also empowers teachers to review student work sequentially (click and grade your way through a class roster with ease). This is phenomenal since it adds class management functionality the online and app versions of OneNote 2016 (the cadillac version). These features are rolling out on January 18 for OneNote Online. A new version of the Win 10 OneNote app will allow you to enable the feature via the settings in the Options menu.

Learning Tools

Learning Tools, which provides access to the Immersive Reader, dictation, and more, has now been expanded. It works on Word Desktop, Word Online, OneNote Online and Office Lens for the iPhone. A great dictation feature translates you when you say “period” or “question mark” and inserts respective “.” or “?” inline. Other new features include six new languages, as well as the addition of three dictation languages.

Office Lens Adds Immersive Reader

Image Source: Microsoft Blog

You may have missed the message that Office Lens for iPad and iPhone now includes Immersive Reader, which “lets you hear text from a scanned page read back to you as words are highlighted,” functionality. This is an incredible addition!

Microsoftastic Updates!

Thanks to Microsoft for modeling continuous improvement, listening to teachers AND students, and implementing these changes.

January 19, 2017 0 comments

Google Tips and Tricks

Two New Features in Google Classroom

by Lori Gracey January 12, 2017

written by Lori Gracey

On January 11, 2017, Google announced some powerful new features for Classroom for both teachers and administrators. Both of these features really focus on providing the ability to personalize learning.

For Teachers

For teachers, the program provides for more differentiation. A teacher can now decide which student/s should receive a specific assignment or question, allowing her to personalize the learning more. To make this feature work best, the teacher should create subsets of students based on their unique needs. This is perfect for allowing struggling students to practice more or to provide an extension activity to students who have already mastered the content. And, with the update, teachers will also receive two new Classroom notifications: one when students submit late work after the due date and the other when students re-submit work.

Google Classroom

For Google Administrators

Google administrators will now see Classroom data included in the Admin Console Reports. You will be able to see the amount of time being spent on Classroom and how many posts are being created. You can also view this data schoolwide, on a class-by-class basis, or by individual user. This will make it easier to target professional development for staff who may be struggling with how best to use Classroom.

Thanks to Google for continually listening to educators about the needs for this wonderful tool!

January 12, 2017 0 comments

iOS Tips and Tricks

iOS 10 Features You’ll Want to Use

by Lori Gracey September 14, 2016

written by Lori Gracey

(New content was added to this blog on September 23, 2016.)

Apple released their latest software update, iOS 10, on September 13. Like most of their updates, it has some new features that you will definitely want to take advantage of. Here are some of my favorites.

Get Rid of Those Annoying Apple Apps! – We can finally delete the apps that Apple has forced on us for years. This includes Contacts, Maps, Podcasts, and Stocks. Once deleted, if you want them back (?), then you can just download them again from iTunes. There are still some Apple apps, however, that cannot be deleted, including Health, Messages, Safari, and the Clock app.

View Two Screens in Safari – If you want your students to compare two websites and so need to have two Safari windows open at the same time, you can now do that with iOS 10. There are several ways to enable Safari Split View once you have the app open:

Drag a tab to the side of the Safari screen.
Tap and hold a link from a website and select Open in Split View.
Use Command and N on the keyboard to open a new screen.
Tap and hold the Tabs button and select Open in Split View.

Find Your Car – If your car has Bluetooth or CarPlay, the Maps app will now automatically display its location, along with notes you make to yourself about where you parked (like garage level). You can also ask Siri “Where’s my car?” and she’ll give you directions to it.

Sort Your Mail – It’s now easier to sort the email that comes into your mailbox. Go into Settings — Mail — Swipe Options and select Move Message as your Swipe Left option. Now, in your inbox, swipe left on any email and be presented with the option to move it to another folder, archive it, or six other choices. After you’ve moved a few, Mail will start to offer suggestions on where you should file the message, which will save you even more time.

Magnify Your World – For people like me whose eyesight is not quite as good as it used to be, the new Magnifier setting in Settings — Accessibility is fantastic. When turned on, it uses your device’s camera to magnify things. To access it quickly, just triple-click the Home button.

Get Rid of Unwanted Email Subscriptions – iOS 10 attempts to identify emails for which you have subscribed and now gives you an unsubscribe banner that’s easy to see (no more searching for the Unsubscribe link at the bottom of the email). Just tap the banner to automatically unsubscribe. (Of course, you wouldn’t want to do that with any email coming from TCEA!)

Mark Up Your Photos – Ever wanted to draw on a photo you’ve taken to illustrate a point? Now you can. The Photos app uses the same Markup extension as Mail does (which lets you annotate or draw on an image in any email), allowing you to draw on your screenshots or images, add callouts, and more. If you don’t like what you’ve drawn, you can erase it with no changes made to the photo and try again.

Get More Sleep – Inside the Clock app, there’s now a Bedtime button that will help you get more sleep. Answer a few simple questions about how much sleep you think you need and what time you have to get up in the morning, and your device will now remind you when to go to bed to get enough zzz’s. It features a nice selection of reminder tones and a good, but basic, sleep analysis of whether you are going to bed on time regularly. I can see this being really handy for young children and teens.

Help for Those with Special Needs – The new update includes some very nice accessibility additions, which is amazing, considering that Apple is known for accessibility features on all of its devices. You can read an explanation of them here.

Use Third-Party Apps Inside Maps – Now you can use third-party apps, like OpenTable for reservations, inside the Maps app. To turn this feature on, go to Settings — Maps and toggle the switch to On for any apps that you want.

Access Street View – The free Google Street View app will now work on your iOS devices.

Have Your Voicemail Transcribed – Once you receive a voicemail message, the system will take a few minutes to try and transcribe it. Once it’s finished, just tap the message to expand it and you’ll find the transcription.

Empower Siri – Siri is now stronger than ever with apps that integrate inside it. This makes it even easier to have Siri call you a cab, leave a message, or make a reservation for you.

There are a lot of other new features in iOS 10, especially for the Messages app. But this list should give you enough to get started with. And remember that the update is always free from Apple. So what are you waiting for?

September 14, 2016 0 comments

Chromebooks Google Tips and Tricks

Updates to Google Classroom, Forms, and More

by Lori Gracey August 17, 2016

written by Lori Gracey

As another school year gets ready to begin, Google has announced changes and updates to a variety of its offerings. Most of these are welcome and will make learning a little bit easier this year.

Google Hangouts on Air

The first announcement came yesterday when they let us know that, effective September 12, they will be discontinuing Hangouts on Air and are instead encouraging people to move to YouTube Live or their new Duo app (available free for Android and iOS). While this may not be something to thrill your heart, it will help to combine two products into one and make it easier to schedule and host video conferences/discussions.

Google Classroom

For Classroom, Google now includes summaries of student work that can be automatically shared with parents by teachers. The summaries (or classroom announcements) can be sent daily or weekly, depending on what you prefer. This will make that home/school connection even stronger. There are also a few updates to the Classroom mobile app. Now it will allow you to annotate documents, turning them into whiteboard-like screens. You can use the annotations to mark papers, grade assignments, highlight mistakes or excellent work, and demonstrate concepts. In addition, the teacher can now add topics to posts and allow students to filter their own streams for topics of interest to them.

More Google Goodness for the Classroom

Google has also released Cast for Education, a free Chrome app that lets educators share their screens wirelessly to a projector. This is another great way to make the teacher more mobile and get him/her away from the front of the room while teaching. It’s very easy to use. Just install the app, give your device a name, and invite your students to cast. A GAfE account is required.

For Forms, Google has now added the ability to include images in questions or in multiple-choice answers. This is especially great for math, social studies, and science educators who want to have students focus on complex concepts that resonate better in graphics than in text.

If you’re using the Google virtual reality program Expeditions, you’ll be delighted to discover more virtual field trips have been added. Using smartphones paired with inexpensive cardboard viewers, Expeditions brings the world to your students with more than 200 trips now available.

Google continues its strong support for teaching and learning. And we definitely appreciate that!

August 17, 2016 0 comments

Google Tips and Tricks

Updates to Google Classroom

by Lori Gracey May 4, 2016

written by Lori Gracey

Google has come out with two new updates to Classroom that will make educators very happy. One is available now and the other will be available in the fall.

Scheduling for Later Posting – Google Classroom now allows the busy teacher to schedule announcements, assignments, and questions for a later date. Just look for the scheduling option when posting new items. You can find scheduled and draft posts in the “Saved posts” section of your class stream, and you’ll get email and mobile notifications when your scheduled posts go live. This is great for perhaps getting ready for the new year by scheduling things over the summer or for when you’re going to be out of school. Additional updates will also be added this next week for easier-to-read email notifications and improvements to the Classroom iOS and Android apps.

By the way, did you know that TCEA members are given access to free monthly webinars on everything Google, including Classroom, with their membership? Find out more about the Get Your Google On series and start your learning today. Want to try it out first? Here’s one recorded webinar from this year’s series on Making the Most of Google Classroom.

If you like that webinar, sign up for the new series of Google sessions here to make sure you don’t miss a one. All of the webinars are free to members. If you’re not a member, you can join with full benefits for just $49.

Keeping Parents in the Loop – In the fall, Google Classroom will allow parents and guardians to sign up to receive daily or weekly email digests of their child’s progress, upcoming work, and class announcements. Administrators will also be able to invite parents directly and set domain-wide policies for linking and notifications. This will be a great tool for keeping parents informed and engaged with their child’s learning.

If you want to learn more about the power of Google Classroom, check out our post Check Yes or No: Add Polls to Google Classroom.

May 4, 2016 0 comments

iOS Tips and Tricks

Apple Finally Gets It Right for Education with Shared iPads

by Lori Gracey March 22, 2016

written by Lori Gracey

Apple’s announcement and release yesterday of iOS 9.3 and the new Classroom app may at last make the iPad truly education-friendly. And frankly, it’s about time.

iOS 9.3

The free iOS 9.3 update includes the following enhancements (and is required in order to use the Classroom app):

Night shift (can be scheduled to remove some of the blue hues of the screen so that it is easier on your eyes when it’s darker outside; may help those of us on our devices late at night to sleep better; find it under Settings> Display and Brightness or in the Control Center)
Secure Notes (password protect individual notes in the app, keeping the information safe from others; to enable it, go to Settings> Notes> Password Protection)
News (better and more personalized story curation; new landscape reading mode; and new swipe gestures)

To upgrade to iOS 9.3, simply go to Settings> General> Software Update. It’s helpful to be plugged in and on WiFi when you perform the update.

Classroom Management

The new and free Classroom app has some great features to make it easier for teachers to manage iPads. Here’s what the app provides:

Assign Shared iPads to students
– Once configured, Classroom connects to nearby student devices
– Classroom intelligently assigns students to the Shared iPad they most recently used
– Log students out of Shared iPad at the end of a session to prepare for the next class
Start, focus, or pause student work
– Launch any app, website, or book on student devices with a tap
– Lock devices into a single app to help students focus
– Lock screens to pause work or refocus your class
See what your students see with Screen View
– See an overview of all student screens at once
– Focus on a single student screen
– Students are informed when their screens are being viewed
Share student work on the classroom Apple TV
– Showcase the great work your students are doing to the class
– Use AirPlay to wirelessly present a student’s screen
– Students are informed when their screens are being presented
Reset forgotten passwords right in the classroom
– Reset a Managed Apple ID password without calling IT
Organize student devices using groups
– Classroom automatically creates groups of students based on the apps they are using
– Teachers can create groups to break students into project teams
– Perform actions on entire groups or on individual students within groups

As you might expect, there are some requirements in order for Classroom to work. You must have:

iPad with iOS 9.3 or later
iPad (3rd generation) or later, iPad Air or later, iPad mini (1st generation) or later, iPad Pro
App configuration via Mobile Device Management server
Supervised Student devices enrolled in Mobile Device Management server
Bluetooth and Wi-Fi enabled on both student and teacher devices
Student devices within Bluetooth range of the teacher device running Classroom

What do you think? Do these improvements simplify the use of shared iPads in the classroom? Let me know your experiences as we try them together.

March 22, 2016 1 comment

Coding/Computer Science Robotics

LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 Software Gets an Update

by Peggy Reimers February 29, 2016

written by Peggy Reimers

The LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 software has a new addition. If you have not updated your EV3 software lately, now is the time to do it. Drum roll, please. The Lobby now has a new section called Teacher’s Support that is divided into four sections:

Teacher’s Information
Lesson Plan
Assessment
Element Survey

Available under the first section, Teacher’s Information, is a 17-page PDF that gives you a rundown of EV3 in the classroom. Topics include How Do I Get Started?, Classroom Management Tips, and Suggested Lesson Planning Routes. My favorite part in this section is the explanation of the Robot Educator. The Robot Educator has always been the hidden gem of both EV3 and NXT software. This jewel contains 48 tutorials which, through building and programming activities, guide and support teachers and students from basic to more advanced skills. As an added bonus, the tutorials are divided into lesson planning routes through the STEM subjects.

Next up is the Lesson Plan section with two main topics: lesson plans and rubrics. The Introduction to Robotics Lesson Plan has seven lesson plans, two master challenges, and four design brief challenges. Each lesson includes the build, programming examples, challenge design, and discussion questions. If you are looking for a student self-reflection form or teacher assessment for the lesson plans and master challenges, check out the matching rubrics PDF.

The third section, Assessment, is, surprisingly, all about creativity. Several behavioral indicators are covered and creativity self-report templates have been created for grades K-2, 3-5, and 6-8. Scientific research by Dr. Mark Runco provides the foundation for all of the procedure and concepts described in this section. My first impression was “Why include a whole piece on creativity?” But it is definitely worth the read and can be used outside of robotics in other subject areas where creativity and innovation comes into play.

Part 4 is the Element Survey. This section gives you easy access to the Language of LEGO (names of the LEGO pieces and parts). You can also find the five-page list of LEGO elements in the User Guide.

BIG BIG NEWS!! Most teachers in the LEGO robotics world know about the EV3 hardware and software. But did you know LEGO Education offers the following curriculum bundles:

EV3 Design Engineering Curriculum ($379.95)
EV3 Science Curriculum ($199.95)
EV3 Space Challenge Curriculum ($349.95)
EV3 Coding Activities (?)

Hold the fort or in this case, hold the robot! THE BEST NEWS is LEGO has taken away the price tag for these curriculum pieces. You can download each one here for free. In order to use these, the LEGO MINDSTORMS Education EV3 software must be installed on your computer. These resources focus on students aged 10-16 with links to national curriculum standards. Includes student-ready resources, full teacher support, assessment tools, sample programs, and building instructions.

One caveat:

If you are using the EV3 Science Curriculum you will need:

+ Renewable Energy Add-on Set ($109.95)

+Temperature Sensor ($39.95)

If you are using the EV3 Space Challenge Curriculum you will need:

+EV3 Space Challenge Set ($189.95)
These 4 pieces released by LEGO are such a bonus for robotics teachers. If you are looking for curriculum, I would certainly start here. Go Bot Go! (Additional resources for this blog were added on March 10, 2017.)

Featured Image: Photo taken by TCEA Staff

February 29, 2016 0 comments

iOS Tips and Tricks

Apple Device Updates You’ll Want to Use

by Dr. Bruce Ellis November 20, 2015

written by Dr. Bruce Ellis

Knowing about and using all the newest features of Apple’s latest update on iOS (9) and OS X (El Capitan) can be difficult. But luckily, we’ve got you covered. Here are a few of my favorite new tools to try.

Apple: Handoff – Ever pull up a website on an iPad that you would like to finish reading or using on your Mac? With Apple’s handoff feature, you can now easily pick up where you left off on any connected Apple device.
iPad: Picture in Picture Mode – Multitask much? Millennials (and busy educators) are noted for splitting attention between music, movies, and work. Instead of using another device to watch your favorite shows or educational media, use the new PiP in iOS 9.
iPad: Low Power Mode – Turn this feature on in Settings–Battery and it will ask you at 20% and again at 10% if you want to go into Low Power Mode to conserve battery life. Say “yes” and mail fetch, background app refresh, automatic downloads, and some visual effects will be reduced or disabled. But everything else will still work fine.
iPad: Sharing Content in Notes – The ability to embed websites, maps, and photos in a to-do list in Notes is wonderful. The next text formatting options such as titles, headings, lists, and more are also game-changing.
iPad: Easy Editing of Big Chunks of Text – With the update, you can now place two fingers down on the keyboard and it instantly becomes a trackpad, letting you select large chunks of text with one swipe. This makes it much easier to edit.
Mac El Capitan: Missing Cursor – Do you constantly lose where your cursor is on the screen? On the latest update of the Mac OS, you can now “shake” or “wiggle” one finger on the trackpad and your cursor will grow BIG.
Mac El Capitan Safari: Pin Tabs – Are you a fan of pinned tabs in Chrome or a Pinterest lover? You can now pin tabs in your favorite Safari Browser.
Mac El Capitan Safari: Whoa, That’s Loud! – Quickly mute a browser window from the address bar. Move your curser to the right side of the address bar. An audio icon will appear and you can click to mute/unmute.
Mac El Capitan: Split View – Are you constantly resizing your windows to fit two programs? That’s no longer necessary with the new Split View. Just click and drag the green maximize button on the left or right side of the screen. It will automatically fit and suggest another window for the other half.

November 20, 2015 0 comments

Image of a Macbook, iPad, and iPhone on a desk.

Announcements/Important Dates

Apple Special Event

by Diana Benner September 15, 2015

written by Diana Benner

Apple finally revealed what Siri wouldn’t give us a hint about. Here’s a quick recap of everything you need to know from their most recent keynote.

iPad Pro

After more than a year of rumors, a jumbo-sized iPad has landed! The new iPad Pro brings a slightly larger screen at 12.9 inches, roughly the size of a 13-inch MacBook. The device is powered by a new A9X processor that is 1.8 times faster than Apple’s previous generation chip. It has a four-speaker stereo sound system and is just 6.9mm thick. Best of all, the tablet will last for 10 hours on a single charge.

The device was designed to take advantage of the new multitasking features that Apple added to iOS 9 to make it more useful for productivity. Apple’s Phil Schiller said that the iPad Pro offered “desktop-class” performance and that it would enable new types of applications never seen on any previous iPad.

In an unexpected twist, a representative from Microsoft came out on stage to show off a new version of its iconic Office software designed specifically for the new iPad. Microsoft showed off the “multitasking” found in the iPad which allows you to work on two documents at once.

Pricing for the iPad Pro will start at $799 for a 32GB model, $949 for a 128GB model and $1,079 for a 128GB model with LTE connectivity. It will be available sometime in November.

Smart Keyboard

Apple unveiled a brand new keyboard accessory designed specifically for the iPad Pro. It’s basically a cover and keyboard in one. It magnetically connects with a three-port Smart Connector to accommodate landscape typing. The Smart Keyboard will cost $169 and will be available sometime in November.

Apple Pencil

In addition to the keyboard, the iPad Pro will also be supported by the new Apple Pencil, which is basically a sleek stylus that is precise and supports force data. Pressing lightly will result in a thin stroke, while a firm press will produce a broader stroke. The Pencil features a Lightning connector that lets you recharge it while hooked up to the tablet. When using the pencil, multiple scans allow for capturing more points in a stroke. The pencil can be used to mark up emails, images and others items directly via select iOS apps.

The Apple Pencil will cost $99 and will be available sometime in November.

iPad Mini 4

The iPad Mini 4 will be a slightly thinner version of the third-generation iPad Mini. It contains a faster processor, and it also has a better camera than the iPad Mini 3. The new iPad mini 4, says Apple, packs “the power and performance of the iPad Air 2” into a smaller mini enclosure, which now weighs just 0.65 pounds. Make note that the faster processor and more RAM in the iPad Mini 4 means that it will support “split-screen” apps, which will debut in iOS 9.

The iPad Mini 4 will start at $399 for 16GB and is currently available.

iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus

The iPhone 6s and iPhone 6S Plus look practically identical to the current iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. However, internally they are different. Highlights include Apple’s new 3D Touch technology, faster processors, twice the RAM as last year’s iPhones, new 12-megapixel rear cameras and 5-megapixel front cameras, Live Photos, and a new color option.

3D Touch

Apple has included a variation of Force Touch, called 3D Touch, on the newer versions of the phones, which will call up secondary menus and actions when you press and hold the screen. For example, if you’re in your email inbox, applying fingertip pressure to an element in the message will surface more information, like maybe the flight number on an emailed travel itinerary, for instance. Apple called this concept “peeking in” during the live demo.

Better Cameras

Apple’s new rear camera on the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus is 12-megapixels. The new phones feature better optics and it can record 4K video as well. The front-facing camera has been upped to 5 megapixels, and it supports full HD video as well as selfie panoramas. Both new cameras include a new software-based flash feature that should improve low-light photography.

Live Photos

When the iPhone 6s captures a standard photo, it also records a brief video automatically in the background. Simply force touch on any photo in your camera roll and you’ll see the brief animation play.

A New Color

The iPhones will now come in a new color, called rose gold. It basically looks like a blush pink, same as the new Apple Watch color option.

Hey Siri

With a new setting enabled, Siri will always be listening for the “hey Siri” trigger, even when the iPhone’s display is off. Earlier iPhone models have a similar feature, but the phone needed to be plugged in for Siri to listen.

New Touch ID

The new iPhones will include a brand new Touch ID sensor that Apple says is twice as fast as the scanner in the iPhone 6.

Apple’s new iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus will be available for preorder on September 12, with phone arriving in stores on September 25. On a two-year contract, the iPhone 6S starts at $199 for the 16GB model, and moves up to $299 for 64GB and $399 for 128GB. The iPhone 6S Plus 16GB model starts at $299, and costs $399 for 64GB and $499 for 128GB.

iPhone Upgrade Program

With Apple’s new iPhone upgrade program, you can now buy a new unlocked iPhone from Apple starting at $32 a month, and you’ll be able to trade it in next year and get the same tier iPhone at the same price with no lump payments.

Apple TV

The next-generation Apple TV will ship with a completely redesigned remote with touch controls and sensors that allow for motion controls. It’s powered by the 64-bit A8 chip and it’s the same size as the old Apple TV. The highlight is the fact that Apple is opening its TV platform up to third-party app and game developers with the new tvOS platform.

The remote is also a big component of the new Apple TV, featuring a menu button, a TV button, a Siri button and more. But the key feature is the glass touch surface, giving users the ability to scroll through a menu without having to tap or hold down any buttons. You can click and swipe to fast forward or rewind through shows as well.

Siri can be used to control Apple TV now as well, allowing users to ask Siri to find whatever they’re in the mood for, be it a new movie, a great game or live sports. You can also ask Siri about movies and TV shows (or basically anything you can think of) while you’re watching. Siri will show an update at the bottom of the screen without interrupting the show or movie.

The new Apple TV will be available in October at $149 with 32GB of storage and $199 with 64GB of storage.

Apple Watch

Apple announced new own-brand bands for the watch, new fashion partnerships for third-party bands, new Apple Sport colors, and it also shared details surrounding WatchOS 2’s upcoming release.

According to Tim Cook, the Watch has a 97% satisfaction rate so far. Examples of new apps coming to the watch include Facebook Messenger and an app that lets you control your GoPro camera from your wrist.

Beyond software, Apple announced a partnership with Hermes to bring a whole new range of bands to the Apple Watch. Bands will become available in select stores starting next month.

The company also announced two new colors for the aluminum Apple Watch Sport: gold and rose gold. Both new colors are available beginning today. There will also be new bands that accompany the new colors, and the Stainless Apple Watch will get a few new bands as well. Lastly, there will be a whole new range of Sport bands in fall colors, and WatchOS 2 will be released on September 16.

iOS 9

Apple’s new operating system, iOS 9 will include split-screen apps, a smarter Siri, content blockers for Safari and more. It will be released to the general public on September 16.

Featured Image: iDevices by Firmbee from Pixabay

September 15, 2015 0 comments

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