Category Archives: iOS & iPadOS (iPhone iPad etc.)

fixed : listen to Dutch-language live radio on Google Home or Nest speakers

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Question :

We have just gotten ourselves a Google Nest Hub in our Kitchen and a Google Home Mini in our living room. From the info in GoogleHome.app it seems like Spotify, YouTube Music and Google Play Music are the only options to play music on it…

…are we overlooking something ?

 

Answer :

The info in GoogleHome.app might be quite confusing, but what you’ve found is the list of music services that are supported by Google Assistant (Google’s voice-assistant that is like Apple’s Siri). For now, “Hey Google” can only voice-control Spotify, YouTube Music and Google Play Music…

But… you can use both the Google Nest Hub‘s and the Google Home Mini‘s speaker as a speaker to stream to using the Chromecast protocol from any app that supports it on your iPhone or iPad… (…and on your iPhone/iPad you can use the “Hey Siri” voice-control)

So, if you stream from your iPhone/iPad, you can use any online radio station’s app that supports Chromecast-ing to ‘listen to the radio’ on your Google Nest Hub or Google Home Mini.

If do not want to be limited to one radio station only, your best option probably is the TuneInRadio.app that you can download from the AppStore. Even though you might feel like you get tricked into buying the payed subscription for TuneIn Radio, you can just skip that, as even the FREE version will get what you want (for free !).

Note : the TuneInRadio.app can stream to both Chromecast-compatible and AirPlay-compatible speakers.

Dutch-language Live Radio stations that can be found in TuneInRadio.app are :

  • Radio 538
  • Radio Veronica
  • Q-Music
  • Sky Radio
  • Radio10 Gold
  • 100% NL
  • SLAM!
  • KINK
  • Arrow Classic Rock
  • ClassicNL
  • NPO FunX
  • NPO 2FM Retro
  • NPO 2FM Soul & Jazz
  • NPO 3FM
  • NPO 3FM Alternative
  • NPO Radio 4 Concerten
  • NPO Radio 5
  • VRT Studio Brussel
  • VRT Klara
  • Q-Music België
  • NRJ België
  • …and a lot of other local, national and international music stations

Just start the TuneInRadio.app on your iPhone/iPad, turn on the live radio station you want to listen to, and click on the Chromecast-icon (rectangle with WiFi-sign in the bottom left corner) or AirPlay-icon (rectangle with the triangle in the bottom) to select the Chromecast or AirPlay speaker you want to stream to.

That’s it !

enjoy 😉

 

fixed : stream video to Google Nest Hub from iPhone/iPad

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Question :

We’ve just gotten ourselves a Google Nest Hub (the Google Home pod with a screen) in our kitchen. Since it has a screen, we would like to watch Netflix and/or live TV on it.

Is that possible ?

 

Answer :

Yes, you can stream video (and live TV) from your iPhone (or iPad) to your Google Nest Hub’s screen as if you were streaming to a Google Chromecast…

But…  even though it uses the Chromecast-isch protocol, the app developers have to add support for streaming to the Google Nest Hub as an extra… most services have already implemented support, but some are still working on it…

International streaming services :

  • Netflix : not yet (for now real Chromecast streaming only)
  • Amazon Prime : not yet (for now real Chromecast streaming only)
  • AppleTV+ : no (no support expected for some time to come as Apple and Google have only recently started to consider more compatibility between Apple’s AirPlay and Google’s Chromecast streaming protocols)
  • Disney+ : yes
  • YouTube : yes
  • Vimeo : yes
  • EyeTV : not yet

Local Dutch streaming services ( video-on-demand/VOD, catch-up TV & live TV ) :

  • ZiggoGo : yes
  • Videoland : yes
  • RTL XL : yes
  • KIJK : yes
  • NOS Play : yes
  • NPO Start : yes
  • Pathé Thuis : yes

To stream video (or live TV) from your iPhone (or iPad) to your Google Nest Home’s screen, the procedure is nearly identical for all services :

  • make sure the Google Nest Hub is ON
  • make sure the Google Nest Hub is on the same WiFi network as your iPhone (or iPad) – you can check this in the GoogleHome.app on your iPhone (or iPad)
  • turn on the streaming video service’s app on your iPhone (or iPad)
  • start the video you would like to stream
  • click on the Chromecast-icon (rectangular icon with the WiFi-sign over the bottom left corner) that is displayed (somewhere on the screen, usually at the bottom, top or side – depending on the app’s layout)
  • from the popup-list select the Google Nest Hub (which you have given a name like “Kitchen Display” in GoogleHome.app)
  • and start watching on your Google Nest Hub

That’s it !

enjoy 😉

 

fixed : how to safely block caller without calling the untrustworthy number

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Question :

Over the past few days I’ve had several incoming phone calls from an unknown phone number. Since my iPhone warned me that these were from Algeria (the actual phone number started with +213…) and I don’t know anyone who currently is in Algeria, I did not answer any of these calls as I was expecting them to be fraudulent scams…

Now, I want to block this phone number from ever calling me again…

How do I do that safely ?

 

Answer :

By ‘safely’, you probably mean ‘without running the risk of accidentally calling this number’ right ?

To safely block a caller, this is the procedure :

  1. switch on Flight Mode
  2. block the caller
  3. delete the call from the recent calls list
  4. switch off Flight Mode

Since it isn’t clear from your question if you want to block a caller from calling you over regular mobile network (a.k.a. cellular) or from Whatsapp or from any other audio-calling app, I will outline the exact procedure for cellular (GSM) and Whatsapp-audio below.

Here’s how to safely bock a caller  from cellular (GSM) calls :

  • put your iPhone in Flight Mode
    • swipe down from the top right corner of the screen
    • in the window that opens, click on the Airplane-icon
    • now the Airplane-icon will turn orange and the icons for cellular (GSM), Bluetooth and WiFi will dim (grey out)
    • now your iPhone is in Flight mode
  • then, open the Phone.app (the green icon with the old-fashioned telephone hand-piece in it)
  • in the next window, click on “Recents” (in the bottom row, with the clock-icon)
  • in the “Recents” list, find the untrustworthy caller and click on the info-icon at the far right of it (the blue circle outline with the letter “i” in it)
  • in the next window, scroll down completely
  • there, click on “Block this Caller”
  • then, click on “< Recents” top right to return to the Recents list
  • in the “Recents” list, click “Edit” (top right)
  • now find the untrustworthy caller and click on the red “No Entry” icon that has appeared in front of it (far left of the phone number)
  • then, click “Done” (top right)
  • then, swipe up from the bottom of the screen to get back to the main screen
  • then, switch Flight Mode off
    • swipe down from the top right corner of the screen
    • in the window that opens, click on the orange Airplane-icon
    • now the Airplane-icon will turn gray and the icons for cellular (GSM), Bluetooth and WiFi will switch on (turn blue or green)
    • now Flight Mode is turned off

And here’s how to safely block a caller from Whatsapp calls :

  • put your iPhone in Flight Mode
    • swipe down from the top right corner of the screen
    • in the window that opens, click on the Airplane-icon
    • now the Airplane-icon will turn orange and the icons for cellular (GSM), Bluetooth and WiFi will dim (grey out)
    • now your iPhone is in Flight mode
  • then, open the Whatsapp.app (the green icon with the old-fashioned telephone hand-piece in a cartoon speech balloon)
  • in the next window, click on “Calls” (in the bottom row, with the telephone hand-piece icon)
  • in the “Calls” list, find the untrustworthy caller and click on the info-icon at the far right of it (the blue circle outline with the letter “i” in it)
  • in the next window, scroll down completely
  • there, click on “Block Contact”
  • then, click on “< Calls” top right to return to the Recents list
  • in the “Calls” list, click “Edit” (top left)
  • now find the untrustworthy caller and click on the red “No Entry” icon that has appeared in front of it (far left of the phone number)
  • then, click “Done” (top left)
  • then, swipe up from the bottom of the screen to get back to the main screen
  • then, switch Flight Mode off
    • swipe down from the top right corner of the screen
    • in the window that opens, click on the orange Airplane-icon
    • now the Airplane-icon will turn gray and the icons for cellular (GSM), Bluetooth and WiFi will switch on (turn blue or green)
    • now Flight Mode is turned off

As mentioned, the procedure is similar for all voice-audio calling apps.

That’s it !

Now the caller has been blocked from sending new messages, and you can no longer accidentally call back.

enjoy 😉

fixed : fingerprint not recognised when installing apps on new 2019 iPad

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Question :

Every time I try to download a new app from the AppStore on my new 2019 iPad, I am asked to install using my fingerprint, but when I put my finger on it, my finger isn’t recognized…

What is wrong ?

 

Answer :

What do you mean by ‘it’ ?

Do you mean that your finger isn’t recognized when you press it on the fingerprint-icon on-screen ? If so, you aren’t the first person that happens to misunderstand Apple’s directions, which can be quite confusing : on the 2019 iPad your fingerprint can only be scanned by the actual click-able menu-button that is below the screen (on the front-facing side, beneath the display), so just put your finger on the menu-button and it will be recognized 😉

note : since 2019, only the ‘regular’ iPads have Touch ID and a ‘traditional’ menu-button below the screen, the 2018 iPad Pro and newer all have Face ID (so those have face-recognition instead of fingerprint-scanning)

If that wasn’t the problem, check these :

  • make sure your fingers aren’t wet or greasy ; wipe them with a dry towel and try again
  • make sure the menu-button isn’t wet or greasy ; wipe it with a dry towel and try again

If that wasn’t the problem either, do this to reset your fingerprints :

  • login to your iPad using your on-screen unlock code
  • goto Settings.app (Gear-icon/Sprocket-icon)
  • in the list on the left, click on “Touch ID & Passcode”
  • in the window that opens, typ your passcode (the one that you use to unlock your iPad’s screen)
  • then, at FINGERPRINTS, click on “Finger 1” and delete
  • then delete all other fingerprints (like “Finger 2” and “Finger 3”) if there are any
  • then click on “Add a Fingerprint” and follow the on-screen directions
  • this info from the Apple-website might come in handy if you think this isn’t working as intended : https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201371
  • tip 1 : it is wise to replace all fingerprint namings like “Finger 1” and “Finger 2” to something that makes more sense like “Right Index Finger” to enable yourself to only redo one fingerprint if it turns out that one of your fingerprints isn’t recognized properly
  • tip 2 : the current version of iPadOS seems to have some problems recognizing fingerprints when holding the iPad in landscape-mode (so sideways, for instance when watching a full-screen video) ; this is probably due to the fact that the initial fingerprint-scans were all made while holding the iPad in portrait-mode ; so, as an extra, also include a fingerprint-scan of your right tumb while grabbing your fingers around the bottom-left side of your iPad (so a 90 degree clockwise rotated fingerprint-scan ; as if you were holding the iPad in landscape-mode)
  • then, back in the “Touch ID & Passcode”  make sure that both “iPad Unlock” and “iTunes & App Store” are switched ON (“Apple Pay” and “Password AutoFill” should be turned ON only if you intend to use them on a regular basis, else the should be turned OFF)
  • then exit Settings.app and go test if your fingerprints are being recognized (e.g. by getting a new app from the AppStore)

If that still doesn’t work, try setting up a fingerfrint-scan from a different finger and try again.

If you keep on having problems, go to your local AppleStore or the Apple-dealer where you bought the iPad (or else to an authorized Apple Repair Centre) and have your iPad checked for a hardware-failure of the menu-button.

That’s it 😉

enjoy !

fixed : quickly rotate a movie file in macOS 10.15 Catalina

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Question :

I have a movie-file that was shot on an iPhone in portrait-mode, but I think it will look better  when viewed in landscape-mode. It’s a video of you cat playing on the carpet, shot from above, so both portrait-mode and landscape-mode are okay for viewing, but as we prefer to view video’s on out TV it would make more sense to have it in landscape-mode.

How do I do that ?

 

Answer :

In MacOSX and OSX rotating photos was easily done in iPhoto or Photos.app, but rotating video couldn’t be done in iPhoto or Photos.app – that had to be done in video editing software like iMovie, or a dedicated video-rotation-app.

In macOS 10.15 Catalina, rotating video 90 degrees can be done extremely simple in the Finder :

  • open the Finder (click out of all apps until you have only the Desktop to look at)
  • open a New Finder Window by typing CMD and N keys on your keyboard simultaneously (or goto Finder > File > New Finder Window)
  • locate the video-file (if you know it’s name, typ it in the Search-bar, else browse to the file if you know where it’s located)
  • then click on the file name to select it
  • the video preview will now come up on the right side, with various info and some buttons below it
  • to rotate your video 90 degrees counter-clockwise, click on Rotate Left
  • to rotate your video 90 degrees clockwise, press the ALT key on your keybord and click on Rotate Right (in the same spot where the Rotate Left button used to be)
  • then wait for the processing to end…

…and you’re done 😉

That’s it – enjoy !

fixed : iPad mini 2 screen glass shattered

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Question :

My son slipped on the stairs this weekend and his iPad mini (2nd generation) fell down the stairs… the cover prevented any damage to the iPad itself, but the screen is completely shattered since it hit a staircase pole head-on…

The iPad mini 2 is still working properly, but the screen is no longer use-able…

What solution do you suggest ?

 

Answer :

The first thing to do is cover the broken screen with broad transparent tape, in overlapping lanes, to make sure you will not lose any glass pieces and keep your fingers and face safe when you use it.

Then, go to your local AppleStore or Apple Repair Center and ask them to check your iPad to get a price quote on the repair costs. If your iPad is still okay and only the screen has to be replaced, a repair at the AppleStore will probably cost you ca. €210, for that you will get a “remanufactured” unit of exactly the same specs as your original iPad, so an “Apple refurbished” / “factory refurbished” iPad mini 2 with a 6 month warranty.

Even from Apple’s point of view, that’s not a top deal, as they will try to talk you into buying a new iPad, iPad mini or iPad Pro, since the iPad mini 2 is quite outdated by today’s standards : it can run iOS 12, but not the latest iPadOS 13 (nor iOS 13).

So Apple is somewhat right : if this is your primary iPad, buy a new iPad or get yourself a 2nd-hand iPad that can run iPadOS 13.

And if it’s just a secondary iPad : fix it yourself.

If your screen is not completely shattered and the cracks in the screen are not blocking your view, they’re just hazardous to your fingers : buy a glass screen protector and put that over the original screen (after removing the transparent tape).

You can get glass screen protectors at various (online) shops, be sure to get tempered glass like Gorilla Glass or Panzer Glass.

This is one of the options available on Amazon :

Ailun Tempered Glass H9 Screen Protector for iPad mini 1/2/3 – 2 pack [buy on Amazon US] [buy on Amazon UK] [buy on Amazon DE]

However, if the cracks in your screen are preventing you from joyfully using your iPad mini 2 that is not your primary iPad, go and try to replace the screen yourself :

that’s it !

good luck & enjoy 😉

NOTE : to make sure you will not run into this problem again, you might consider a (semi) military grade protection case for your iPad mini 2 : Supcase Beetle Defence Case with integrated Display Protector for iPad mini 1&2 [buy on Amazon US] [Buy on Amazon UK] [Buy on Amazon DE] …for a relatively old iPad these are quite expensive cases, so it just depends on how, how often and for how long you will use your iPad mini 2 to decide if that’s a good investment…

 

fixed : iPhone 6s screen displays all red colours as pink

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Question :

While I was charging my iPhone 6s overnight, something weird has happened to the display : for some mysterious reason all red colors have turned pink overnight…

What can I do ?

 

Answer :

Since we cannot rule out that someone has pranked you, you should start out by checking your display settings – to do so in iOS 13, do this :

  • open the Settings.app
  • in the Settings window, click on Accessibility (so not Display & Brightness, but the one just below it)
  • in the Accessibility window, click on Display & Text Size
  • in the Display & Text size window, make sure Colour Filters is turned OFF
  • if the display color problem persists, this is not the way to solve it…

If that works, you’re good. If not… try a reset :

  • press both the round Menu-button (below the screen) and the ON/OFF-button (on the right side of the iPhone) to shut down your iPhone
  • keep both these buttons pressed continuously until the screen goes black
  • keep both these buttons pressed continuously until the white Apple-logo appears on screen
  • now release both buttons and wait for the iPhone to restart
  • if the display color problem persists now, it wasn’t a software problem…

If that works, you’re good. If not… it’s a hardware problem, so if this is your primary iPhone, go to your Apple Store or local Apple Repair Centre and have it fixed …or get yourself a new iPhone.

…if this is your secondary iPhone, you’re probably best of trying to repair it yourself (as the iPhone is getting more-and-more outdated every day, and an official AppleStore repair will cost you about €150…). To make sure you are ready to repair your iPhone yourself, watch some Youtube-video’s on this subject first :

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=iphone+6s+screen+replacement

If you think you are ready to replace your iPhone 6s display yourself, get yourself a new display with new LCD and touchscreen (and replacement tools), make sure you also get a cut-out film of glue-gel if that isn’t included, and follow the replacement manual that is available at iFixit :

https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/iPhone+6s+Screen+Replacement/62900

If you need replacement parts, here are a few suggestions from Amazon we’ve tested and work great :

Bokman Pre-assembled Display & Touch-screen for iPhone 6s – complete with tools [ buy it on Amazon UK ] [ buy it on Amazon DE ]

an alternative (similar but untested by us) from Amazon US :

Pre-assembled Display & Touch-screen for iPhone 6s – complete with tools [ buy it on Amazon US ]

and do not forget to order this too :

MMobile cut-out film of glue-gel for iPhone 6s – dual pack [ buy it on Amazon US ] [ buy it on Amazon UK ] [ buy it on Amazon DE ]

NOTE : on these pre-assembled displays, a new Home-button is included, but the new one doesn’t support fingerprint recognition, so if you want your iPhone to recognise you by your fingerprint (which is extremely convenient) you will need to swap the original Home-button back onto your iPhone (a fairly simple thing to do)

…and if your iPhone battery is getting old, you might want to replace that at the same time. to check the status of your iPhone battery, do this :

  • open the Settings.app
  • in the Settings window, click on Battery (just below Emergency SOS)
  • in the Battery window, click on Battery Health
  • if the Maximum Capacity listed there is 85% or lower, you should replace the battery (if not, it doesn’t need replacement)

If you need a replacement battery, here’s a suggestion from Amazon that we’ve tested and works great :

Icero Replacement Battery for iPhone 6s – higher capacity than the original [ buy it on Amazon UK ] [ buy it on Amazon DE ]

an alternative (similar but untested by us) from Amazon US :

iBestwin Replacement Battery for iPhone 6s – higher capacity than the original [ buy it on Amazon US ]

 

if you need to do a hardware repair : Good Luck & enjoy 😉