Category: iPad

How to Use a Mouse With an iPad & Customize Controls

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An overhead view of a bluetooth keyboard and mouse on a desk surface

When Apple released iOS 13.4, it included the ability to use a Bluetooth mouse or trackpad with your iPad. At first, it seems strange to use a mouse with an iPad, but you will be surprised at how quickly you get used to using one, especially if your main device is a laptop or desktop computer. It’s easy to get started, but the nuances of customizing it to meet your needs are hidden a little deeper than you might expect. In this post I will show you how to connect a mouse to your iPad and give you some options to customize it to work the way you want. Here’s what you need to know.

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Thoughts on MacOS 11: Big Sur, Big Changes

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A Bluetooth Apple Keyboard. Text reads, iPad Apps on a Mac: Coming Soon.

At WWDC this year, Apple unveiled its annual slew of software updates for iOS, iPadOS, WatchOS and tvOS. However, the update for the Mac may well be one of the biggest changes in recent memory. MacOS 11, or Big Sur as it was dubbed, could very well change how future Macs are defined. It has big implications for schools, families and everyone else who is using Apple devices as part of their daily routine. Here’s why.

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A Guide to Using Shortcuts on iPhone & iPad

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The Shortcuts app for iOS is one of those apps that I didn’t spend enough time with when it first came out. It was packed full of potential, but it looked complex and difficult to learn. I was wrong. You don’t need to be a programmer or even know very much about shortcuts at all, so long as you have a few basics under your belt. That’s what this guide is all about. It introduces the iOS Shortcuts app from the ground up and gives you the tools and resources you need to be successful.

How to Share Your iPhone or iPad Screen in a Zoom Meeting

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Two dogs in a Zoom video call. Title reads, how to share an iOS screen on Zoom.

Zoom is becoming the video conferencing tool of choice in many homes, schools and workplaces. However, many people are only scratching the surface for what you can do with this powerful communication tool. For instance, most people know how to share their screen on a Mac or PC, but what about sharing the screen from an iPhone or iPad? As it happens, there are three different ways to share the screen of an iOS device in Zoom, so here’s what you need to know.

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The New 2020 iPad Pro & Magic Keyboard

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The 2020 iPad Pro: Worth the Upgrade? Learn more: www.jonathanwylie.com

Today, Apple released an update for the iPad Pro. The new 11 and 12.9-inch models are available for pre-order today, and they will be arriving in stores on March 25. These new iPads replace the previous generation from 2018, but is the 2020 version really that much better? In this post, I am going to go over the major differences and try to help you decide if the 2020 iPad Pro is a worthy upgrade or not.

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Jamboard: Google’s Best Kept Secret!

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A long table with five chairs. Text on the wall above the chairs reads, Jamboard: Google's Online Collaborative Whiteboard.

In October, 2016, Google unveiled their vision for the future of interactive whiteboards. They called it the Jamboard, and it began shipping to customers in May of the following year. The Jamboard has a 55″ 4K touchscreen display that includes WiFi connectivity, an HD camera, microphone and speakers. The $5000 price tag puts it out of reach for many people, but the software that powers it is free for anyone to use, whether they have a physical Jamboard or not.

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Statue of Liberty App Review

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Statue of Liberty. Text reads, Interactive AR tours of the Statue of Liberty

This week I was browsing the Today tab on the iOS App Store when I came across a free app that piqued my interest enough to dig a little deeper. It’s called Statue of Liberty, and it was created by The Statue of Liberty – Ellis Island Foundation. Although it is a little limited in its scope, there is no doubt in my mind that it is one of the best educational apps I have seen recently. Here’s why.

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Making Reading Accessible With the Immersive Reader

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Man sitting cross legged reading a book. Text reads, the power of the immersive reader.

In August 2015, Microsoft held an internal hackathon where employees competed with other Microsoft staff from around the world to solve a problem with technology. Many of these pet projects never saw the light of day again, but the winning entry quickly grew to become an indispensable tool for a huge number of students and their teachers. It launched in January 2016 under the guise of Learning Tools for OneNote, but today you may know it better as the Immersive Reader.

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iMovie: A Free Green Screen App for iPad

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As much as I enjoy using Green Screen by DoInk, there are still teachers that find it hard to get paid apps approved, or to raise enough money to put a paid app on all the devices that they want it on. Consequently, I still get a lot of questions about the best free green screen app for the iPad. Up until today, there weren’t a lot of options, but a recent update to iMovie has opened up a whole new world of possibilities.

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What’s New With Osmo for Schools in 2019?

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I got an email today from Osmo. It was announcing two new mobile apps that they have just added to their platform. It reminded me that I haven’t spent much time thinking about Osmo in a little while, so I thought I would take a look at some of their latest offerings to see what was new. As it happens, there have been some significant developments since the last time I visited their website, so I wanted to share some of those below. Some affiliate links are included.

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