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The Productive-Life Edition Thursday, March 10, 2016

How To Use Workflow For iOS When You Don't Know Where To Start, by Federico Viticci, iMore

Whether it's sending a message to a group of people or organizing documents, you've likely come across a task on your iPhone or iPad that you'd like to speed up. Our iOS devices have evolved into powerful modern computers, but there are still some areas where we can be slowed down by app limitations, or, more simply, by the tedious process of performing the same task over and over.

Thankfully, we have a solution to this: automation. And when it comes to automating tasks on iOS, Workflow is the undisputed king. Learning to master Workflow is the first step to living an efficient, productive life on iOS, and it's how I've been working on my iPad for years now.

Listen To This, Now

Apple Updates Radio Tab With Live Beats 1 Show Details And Artwork In iOS Music App, by Benjamin Mayo, 9to5Mac

Rather than displaying the same static image of the Beats 1 logo with a Listen Now subtitle, the Radio tab now updates along with the live schedule … displaying live show titles, host names, description and artwork for the current show. This change allows users to quickly find out what’s on right now and could convert more people into actively listening to the free Beats 1 radio station.

Stuff

Add Signatures To Important Docs With Your Mac's Preview Tool, by Becca Caddy, Lifehacker

Mac-owners know about the handy preview feature that usually enables them to look at photos or PDFs without properly opening them. But there's also a very useful (and smart) digital signature utility lurking in Preview too, which allows you to add your signature to PDFs, emails and Pages documents.

Setting Hourly Alarms On Apple Devices, by J. D. Biersdorfer, New York Times

If you just want a simple hourly beep or chime, start with a visit to the online App Store and search for “hourly chime” or “hourly alarm.”

Window Tidy Won't Wash Your OS X Windows, But It Will Tidy 'Em Up, by Dennis Sellers, Apple World Today

Window Tidy offers a way to arrange, tile and organize windows without having to remember hotkeys. Its customizable layouts allow a window to be positioned and resized using nothing but drag and drop.

WhatsApp Launches Five New Features iPhone And Android Users Are Going To Love, by Jeff Parsons, Mirror

Develop

Apple Pulls 'FlexBright', Says iOS Apps That Adjust Display Temperature Aren't Allowed, by Juli Clover, MacRumors

The developer behind FlexBright was using some questionable features to get the app to function, but its ability to slip past the App Store review process even through multiple rejections again puts a spotlight on Apple's inconsistencies and failures when it comes to reviewing apps.

Notes

Sonos Announces Layoffs, Refocuses On Streaming And Voice Tech, by Mat Smith, Engadget

In an (admittedly vague) blog post, CEO John Macfarlane doesn't say exactly how many jobs are going to be cut, but he says its's a consequence of the still in-transition music industry. "Everyone in the ecosystem is adjusting to a world of streaming services," he added, citing the addition of The Beatles back-catalogue across the top music streaming services.

Why The Poor Pay More For Toilet Paper — And Just About Everything Else, by Emily Badger, Washington Post

There are several ways to save money on, say, a roll of toilet paper. You can reach for the cheaper version: the store brand, or the singly-ply TP, or the stuff that feels like packing paper. Or you can buy in bulk, saving on each roll per unit. Or you can stock up when the deal is good, like when the corner store offers two packs for the price of one.

The poor, who need all of these strategies, are much less likely to use the last two. They can't afford to, according to some revealing research by University of Michigan professor Yesim Orhun and Ph.D. student Mike Palazzolo (hat tip to Mi chigan Radio).

Bottom of the Page

I do enjoy having a picture-of-the-day on my Windows 10 computer's lock screen, as chosen by Microsoft. I do want to have something similar on my iPhone's lock screen.

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Thanks for reading.