Drag and Drop Apps for iPad Now Widely Rolling Out on App Store

iOS 11 brings systemwide drag and drop to iPad, providing users with a quick way to move text, images, files, and more from one app to another.

Over the past few days, leading up to today’s launch of iOS 11, a number of iPad apps have been updated to support the functionality.

Todoist

You can now drag text messages, URLs, emails, images, PDFs, files, and more into Todoist, a popular task management app for iOS.

Dropping in a project, label, or filter view will create a new task.
Dropping in the comment screen will start a new comment pre-populated with the relevant information.
Dropping in the Quick Add button will start a new task pre-populated with the relevant information.

Todoist is free on the App Store [Direct Link] with the option to upgrade to Todoist Premium for $28.99 per year.

Zipped

Eytan Schulman, a three-time WWDC Scholarship winner, is releasing a modern archiving utility called Zipped with drag and drop support.

iPad users can simply drag and drop files onto Zipped’s cardboard box icon to zip/compress or unzip/uncompress them.

Quickly open a ZIP file and selectively share or save the contents.
Files can be named manually or automatically.
Save your compressed or uncompressed files to the Files app on your iOS device, share them to any app, or send them via AirDrop.

Zipped currently supports the following file types, with more to come: zip, .png, .jpg, .html, .pages, .docx, .pdf, .numbers, .xlsx, .pptx, .rtf, .txt, .mp4, .mov, .aiff, .mp3, .wav, .psd, .caf, .md, .csv, .json, and .js.

Zipped should be available on the App Store [Direct Link] for 99 cents later today or by tomorrow at the latest.

1Password

You can now drag and drop your 1Password-generated username and password right into login fields while in Split View.

You can also drag and drop other items like credit card numbers and contact information from 1Password into web fields.

1Password is free on the App Store [Direct Link]. A subscription costs $3.99 per month or $35.99 per year.

Others

1Writer

Airmail

Astro

Castro

Things 3

Bear

Procreate

Terminology Dictionary

GoodNotes 4

Related: How to Use Drag and Drop on an iPad and iPhone With iOS 11

Related Roundup: iOS 11
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Kuo: If Face ID is ‘Well Received,’ It’s Likely 2018 iPhones Will Fully Adopt TrueDepth Camera

KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo this afternoon published a new research note for investors where he speculates about what Apple might do in future iPhones regarding Touch ID and Face ID. Investors, like many of us, are curious whether Apple plans to eliminate Touch ID in favor of Face ID, embrace a dual biometric solution, or swap back to Touch ID once a viable under display solution is available.

Kuo believes Apple’s future plans will hinge on whether or not Face ID is well received by the public.

A key question on the minds of many investors is whether the new iPhone models to be launched in 2018 will support Touch ID (fingerprint recognition). We believe the key factors are: (1) whether or not Face ID (facial recognition) of iPhone X provide a positive user experience; and (2) the technical issues that Apple (US) will have to address with an under-display fingerprint solution. We believe Apple will replace the existing Home button-based Touch ID with the under-display solution for higher screen-to-body ratios, if it decides to bring back Touch ID.

Should Face ID be well received by consumers who purchase the iPhone X, Kuo believes there’s a higher likelihood 2018 iPhone models will adopt the TrueDepth Camera and support Face ID.

Should Apple choose to return to Touch ID as either a dual biometric solution or a Face ID replacement should Face ID not fare well, Kuo believes any forthcoming Touch ID option will be built under the iPhone’s display. 3D Touch, though, will make it challenging for Apple to develop an under-display solution.

This is because the iPhone’s 3D Touch module makes the entire panel module even thicker, and could potentially undermine the scan-through performance of the under-display solution. If Face ID fails to impress consumers, Apple may turn its focus to the development of under-display solution. However, even if that happens, Apple will still have to find ways to overcome the aforementioned technical issue.

If Face ID does indeed go over well with consumers and makes its way into additional iOS devices in 2018, Kuo believes Apple’s Android competitors will make an effort to speed up facial recognition development, boosting manufacturers who supply facial recognition components.

Face ID will be in the hands of consumers this November, following the launch of the iPhone X. As Face ID is a new biometric system, there have been a lot of questions and doubts about privacy, security, and functionality, but Apple’s Craig Federighi has attempted to alleviate the uncertainty with a series of interviews.

In a recent discussion with Daring Fireball’s John Gruber, Federighi said that once Face ID is in the hands of consumers, all of that uncertainty will just “melt away.” The feature “just works,” he says. “You don’t even have to think about it.”

Related Roundup: iPhone X
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How to Use the iPad App Switcher in iOS 11

On the iPad, iOS 11 merges the Control Center with the App Switcher as part of an overhauled interface that’s meant to put more of a focus on multitasking. The update also adds new ways to access the App Switcher and it brings new, enhanced app switching functionality.

Accessing the App Switcher

On the Home screen, simply swipe up to bring up the App Switcher.
Within an app, swipe up to bring up the dock and continue the swipe further to access the App Switcher.
Alternatively, the App Switcher can still be accessed by a double press on the Home button.
The new App Switcher displays the Control Center options on the right side of the screen, the dock at the bottom of the screen, and your most recently used apps in a tiled view with large icons so you can see exactly what’s open. Swipe left and right to see all of the apps you have open and tap to choose one.

When you open two apps at once using multitasking functionality, the app arrangements are preserved in the App Switcher, so you can quickly switch between multiple multitasking windows with a simple swipe and tap.

Closing Apps

There’s normally no need to close apps on iOS because Apple manages the device’s power needs and keeps apps from using resources when not in use, but if you need to close an app, here’s how:

Bring up the App Switcher.
Swipe upwards on any app to close it.
As mentioned earlier, the App Switcher is linked to the Control Center. You can change what’s displayed in the Control Center portion of the App Switcher by going to Settings –> Control Center –> Customize Controls.

Related Roundup: iOS 11
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Electric bus sets record with 1,101-mile trip on a single charge

Think it was impressive when a Tesla club drove a Model S nearly 670 miles? It has nothing on what Proterra just managed. The startup just drove a Catalyst E2 Max electric bus a whopping 1,101.2 miles on a single charge. That’s the furthest any EV has managed before recharging, and well past the 1,013.8 miles driven by the previous record-holder, a one-seat experimental car nicknamed “Boozer.” It’s not hard to see how Proterra managed the feat when you know about the technology, but this still bodes well for eco-friendly public transportation.

Not surprisingly, a bus can hold a much larger battery than just about any regular car. The Catalyst E2 Max carries 660kWh, or nearly nine times the capacity of a 75kWh Tesla Model S. Also, Proterra was driving in optimal conditions, with no passengers, no stops and a gentle test track. It’d be another story with a fully-laden bus wending its way through a city.

Even so, that kind of range is very promising. In many cases, it could likely handle a long bus route for several hours — it might only need to recharge at the end of a driver’s shift. While it could take an hour or more to top up even with Proterra’s fast charging system, bus drivers are no strangers to changing vehicles. The first E2 series buses are due to reach Los Angeles streets later in 2017, so it might not be long before you can witness this longevity first-hand.

Via: Ars Technica

Source: Proterra

Apple Updates iOS iWork Apps With Drag and Drop Support, Other iOS 11 Features

Following the release of iOS 11, Apple today updated its iWork line of iOS apps with support for the new update. There are new versions of Pages, Numbers, and Keynote available today, all with new features like Drag and Drop support.

All three apps include a redesigned and updated document manager that makes it easier to access files stored in iCloud Drive or third-party cloud storage solutions. Along with the new document manager, the iWork apps now support Drag and Drop, allowing users to drag and drop text, images, links, and more between apps.

iWork documents can be accessed within the new Files app on the iPhone and the iPad, and with the new iPad Dock, it’s easier than ever to use the multi-tasking Slide Over and Split View features.

There are new Unite, Intersect, Subtract, and Exclude commands to create shapes in each of the apps, and Align, Distribute, Flip Vertical and Flip Horizontal commands can be used to arrange objects. There’s also a new “Break Apart” command for use with complex shapes from the shapes library.

In Pages specifically, there’s a new option to select a paragraph of text with a triple tap gesture, and an improved PDF export feature now lets you view a document’s table of contents in the sidebar in PDF viewer apps.

In Numbers, there are new date, time, and duration keyboards to make it easier to enter values, along with new “smart steppers” for entering the values more quickly.

All three of the iWork apps also have improvements to performance and stability and can be downloaded now from the App Store.

Pages for iOS – [App Store]
Keynote for iOS – [App Store]
Numbers for iOS – [App Store]

Tags: iWork, Pages, Keynote, Numbers
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Have a Mac with a Fusion Drive? Be careful when upgrading to High Sierra

Why it matters to you

The High Sierra upgrade might force Fusion drive owners to jump through a few hoops, but it does offer some benefits behind the scenes.

If your Mac system has one of Apple’s Fusion caching drives, then you may need to take some extra steps when upgrading to the new version of MacOS — High Sierra. The new Apple File System (APFS) will only support flash-based storage devices at launch, so if your drive, Fusion or no, is currently using APFS, you will need to convert it back.

The High Sierra update for MacOS didn’t blow us away when we first got out hands on it, but it will bring a number of changes to the operating system when it launches on Monday, September 25. One of those is a move toward a more modern file system, APFS. It adds a number of new features, including native support for encryption, support for snapshots and clones, optimizations for solid-state storage and support for many more individual files and folders.

However, while beta versions of the High Sierra update did help convert Fusion drives to the new standard, the actual launch release won’t support traditional hard drives or Fusion Drives.

If you haven’t used the High Sierra beta, or didn’t convert your Fusion Drive or hard drive to the APFS file system, you have nothing to worry about. However, if you did, you need to follow Apple’s instructions on how to downgrade your system back to the HPS+ format, according to Ars Technica.

It’s a somewhat lengthy process that involves backing up your data, removing all data on your storage drive and then reinstalling MacOS with the latest version using the legacy HPS+ file system, so make sure you’re well prepared before starting. Don’t be put off though, Apple’s guide is clear and has easy-to-follow instructions at each step of the process.

Since it’s not clear if or when Apple will make the APFS file system compatible with more traditional storage mediums like the Fusion Drives, it’s probably a worthwhile endeavor to update your system to the new operating system version, even if it doesn’t add much for most users. It will help futureproof your system in a number of behind-the-scenes ways and it’s always possible that you will be able to upgrade to the new file system in the future.

HP had abusive students in mind when designing its rugged Chromebook x360 PCs

Why it matters to you

If you’re looking for a new mobile PC for your young student, HP’s new Chromebook x360 devices are designed to take their abuse.

HP added four new models to its Chromebook x360 portfolio on Tuesday, September 19. They follow the Chromebook x360 11 G1 Education Edition released in March, and are the company’s first rugged touch-enabled Chromebook x360 solutions for the mainstream market. They’re designed to handle all the drops, spills, and scratches stemming from abusive young students.

For starters, there are two base configurations, but the only difference between them is the amount of internal storage: One sports 16GB while the other packs 32GB. HP also provides two different colors — Smoke Gray and Snow White — totaling four individual models in the overall rugged HP Chromebook x360 family.

Take a look at the specifications:

11-ae010nr
11-ae020nr
11-ae030nr
11-ae040nr
Screen size:
11.6 inches
Screen type:
In-Plane Switching (IPS) technology with Touch
Screen resolution:
1366 x 768
Processor:
Intel Celeron N3350
Graphics:
Intel HD Graphics 500
Memory:
4GB LPDDR4
Storage:
16GB
32GB
16GB
32GB
Camera:
Front-facing HP TrueVision HD webcam
Connectivity:
Wireless AC (up to 867Mbps) / Bluetooth
Audio:
HD Audio with stereo speakers
Ports:
2x USB 3.1 Gen1 Type-C
2x USB 3.1 Gen1 Type-A
1x Headphone/microphone jack
1x Micro SD card reader
Battery:
47.36WHr Lithium-ion
Up to 11 hours and 30 minutes (mixed usage)
Size:
8.18 x 12.04 (D) x 0.76 (H) inches
Weight:
2.98 pounds
Color theme:
Smoke Gray
Smoke Gray
Snow White
Snow White

As the specs show, the new Chromebooks are extremely thin and light for easy mobility. They also have a great battery life according to HP’s numbers, lasting up to 11 hours and 30 minutes on a single charge. What helps is the 11.6-inch screen that doesn’t draw as much power as a 15-inch screen, and the power-sipping Celeron dual-core processor packed inside.

What’s notable about these four Chromebooks is that they include four USB 3.1 Gen1 ports. These can be used to expand the student’s desktop across two additional external monitors. There’s no speed difference between the Type-A and Type-C versions, but at least with the latter, students aren’t required to remember which side of the connector faces up.

The Chromebooks also sport touch-based screens, and a special 360-degree hinge to convert them into four cool form factors: Laptop, stand, tent, and tablet.  Other features include Wireless AC networking, Bluetooth for connecting wireless peripherals, and a full-sized island-style keyboard that’s spill-resistant, although don’t expect a hardware miracle if the laptop is completely drenched at the water fountain.

Finally, the Chromebooks are based on the latest version of Google’s Chrome OS operating system that provides access to millions of Android-based apps on the Google Play store, along with everything listed in the Chrome Web Store. Chrome OS is an ideal platform for students, as it’s easy to use, fast, and highly secure. Chromebooks typically have low price tags too, and HP’s new rugged x360 convertibles are no different.

All four are available now with a starting price of $300 at Amazon, Costco, Micro Center, Sam’s Club, Target, and Walmart.

HP had abusive students in mind when designing its rugged Chromebook x360 PCs

Why it matters to you

If you’re looking for a new mobile PC for your young student, HP’s new Chromebook x360 devices are designed to take their abuse.

HP added four new models to its Chromebook x360 portfolio on Tuesday, September 19. They follow the Chromebook x360 11 G1 Education Edition released in March, and are the company’s first rugged touch-enabled Chromebook x360 solutions for the mainstream market. They’re designed to handle all the drops, spills, and scratches stemming from abusive young students.

For starters, there are two base configurations, but the only difference between them is the amount of internal storage: One sports 16GB while the other packs 32GB. HP also provides two different colors — Smoke Gray and Snow White — totaling four individual models in the overall rugged HP Chromebook x360 family.

Take a look at the specifications:

11-ae010nr
11-ae020nr
11-ae030nr
11-ae040nr
Screen size:
11.6 inches
Screen type:
In-Plane Switching (IPS) technology with Touch
Screen resolution:
1366 x 768
Processor:
Intel Celeron N3350
Graphics:
Intel HD Graphics 500
Memory:
4GB LPDDR4
Storage:
16GB
32GB
16GB
32GB
Camera:
Front-facing HP TrueVision HD webcam
Connectivity:
Wireless AC (up to 867Mbps) / Bluetooth
Audio:
HD Audio with stereo speakers
Ports:
2x USB 3.1 Gen1 Type-C
2x USB 3.1 Gen1 Type-A
1x Headphone/microphone jack
1x Micro SD card reader
Battery:
47.36WHr Lithium-ion
Up to 11 hours and 30 minutes (mixed usage)
Size:
8.18 x 12.04 (D) x 0.76 (H) inches
Weight:
2.98 pounds
Color theme:
Smoke Gray
Smoke Gray
Snow White
Snow White

As the specs show, the new Chromebooks are extremely thin and light for easy mobility. They also have a great battery life according to HP’s numbers, lasting up to 11 hours and 30 minutes on a single charge. What helps is the 11.6-inch screen that doesn’t draw as much power as a 15-inch screen, and the power-sipping Celeron dual-core processor packed inside.

What’s notable about these four Chromebooks is that they include four USB 3.1 Gen1 ports. These can be used to expand the student’s desktop across two additional external monitors. There’s no speed difference between the Type-A and Type-C versions, but at least with the latter, students aren’t required to remember which side of the connector faces up.

The Chromebooks also sport touch-based screens, and a special 360-degree hinge to convert them into four cool form factors: Laptop, stand, tent, and tablet.  Other features include Wireless AC networking, Bluetooth for connecting wireless peripherals, and a full-sized island-style keyboard that’s spill-resistant, although don’t expect a hardware miracle if the laptop is completely drenched at the water fountain.

Finally, the Chromebooks are based on the latest version of Google’s Chrome OS operating system that provides access to millions of Android-based apps on the Google Play store, along with everything listed in the Chrome Web Store. Chrome OS is an ideal platform for students, as it’s easy to use, fast, and highly secure. Chromebooks typically have low price tags too, and HP’s new rugged x360 convertibles are no different.

All four are available now with a starting price of $300 at Amazon, Costco, Micro Center, Sam’s Club, Target, and Walmart.

The upcoming $50 Google Home Mini leaked in all its colorful glory

Why it matters to you

If you’re looking for a Google Assistant speaker to place in all your rooms, the Google Home Mini might be the affordable option for you.

The Amazon Echo has been well received for a number of reasons, including the fact that you don’t necessarily always have to buy a full Amazon Echo for each room. Google has already launched its full-sized Google Home speaker, but now it’s launching a more affordable speaker that you can put in each room — rumored to be called the Google Home Mini.

The Google Home Mini has been rumored for some time now, but the latest leak gives us a pretty good look at what the speaker is supposed to look like. The leak, which comes from Droid-Life, shows off a puck-shaped speaker in three colors — which happen to match the leaked colors for the Google Daydream headset.

According to the leak, the speaker will be available in Chalk, Charcoal, and Coral colors, and it seems as though the speaker will be powered — not wireless — based on the leaked images. That’s not necessarily a bad thing — the idea here is that you’ll be able to get a speaker for each room.

Of course, if you’re buying one for each room, you’ll probably want something pretty affordable, and thankfully the Home Mini reportedly will be. You’ll be able to get one for $50.

The Home Mini should be able to do pretty much everything the standard Google Home can. It’ll come with Google Assistant, and will allow you to schedule things, set reminders, and so on — like Google Assistant on the Home speaker and on an Android phone. The speaker in the device may not be as loud as the standard Google Home, but it will be great for those who don’t necessarily need a loud speaker or those who simply want things like smart home control.

The Google Home Mini isn’t the first non-Home speaker to be launched with Google Assistant. In the past few months, we’ve seen a few devices launch from the likes of JBL, Mobvoi, and even Panasonic, coming in at different price points and with different focuses. The thing that really brings them all together, however, is Google Assistant, which powers all of the speakers. Check out our full list of the Assistant-powered speakers to be launched so far.

August Home’s smart locks and doorbell are available for pre-order

Why it matters to you

August Home’s new line of smart locks and a smart doorbell connect your home’s security with your smartphone to give you peace of mind.

August Home recently unveiled a trio of smart home security products — including two new smart locks and a smart doorbell — designed to improve the safety of your home. The devices come equipped with DoorSense, which August says is an intelligent, integrated sensor that can give you information on whether or not your door is closed.

The August Smart Lock Pro, which the company calls “the most advanced smart lock on the market,” supports Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Apple HomeKit and Z-Wave Plus and connects with your smartphone to ensure you are the only person who can unlock the device with a digital smart key.

The third-generation August Home lock includes a Wi-Fi hub and a Z-Wave Plus radio that is compatible with Samsung SmartThings and Wink. The company says that the new Bluetooth chipset has a longer battery life compared to its predecessor. 

Forget to completely shut the door when you left for work this morning? The Smart Lock Pro can tell you that. The device connects to the cloud service in order to monitor how long the door has been open, if it opens accidentally, or if it’s forced open by someone else. It retails for $249.

“With the Smart Lock Pro, we’ve created a lock that gives people total control over their front door in ways that aren’t possible with a traditional lock,” said Jason Johnson, CEO of August Home, in a press release. “Now, people can make sure their door is closed and locked from anywhere. We’re also expanding our offering to include a more affordable lock so everyone can make their door safer and smarter.”

The August Smart Lock, which will set you back $149, doesn’t include the Wi-Fi hub, but is a good entry point for consumers seeking to test out smart locks. Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant are compatible with this device, allowing you to lock or unlock your door through voice commands. The lock features a new-generation Bluetooth chip and a traditional door knob design. 

The Doorbell Cam Pro will tell you who is at your door in real time with motion detectors — even if you’re not at home. The $199 gadget also has a built-in flood light. Another feature of the doorbell is HindSight, which records any movement that takes place behind your door. The smart technology records these movements, as well as several seconds of footage that took place before any motion was detected. The device is waterproof and retails for $199.

The products are now available for pre-order and will be shipped starting October 10.