iOS Today (Audio)

By TWiTTechnology

iOS Today (Audio) episodes

April 10, 2025iOS 747: Cooking & Food - TempSpike, Meater, and Crouton
Find out how technology can revolutionize your cooking experience as Mikah Sargent and Rosemary Orchard explore smart cooking thermometers, recipe management apps, and clever kitchen timers in this food-focused episode of iOS Today.
Smart Meat Thermometers - Rosemary shares her experience with the TempSpike by ThermoPro, featuring dual probes, WiFi connectivity, and a convenient display that shows cooking temperatures without needing to check your phone.

Meter Plus Thermometer - A Bluetooth-enabled alternative to TempSpike that helps monitor meat temperatures, though Rosemary notes its Bluetooth range isn't as reliable.

Crouton Recipe App - A comprehensive recipe management app with meal planning features, weather integration, hands-free cooking mode (using winks and mouth gestures), and smart device integration.

Kitchen Timers with HomePod - Using HomePods to set multiple named timers for cooking, and how to check your active timers through the Home app when you're away from your kitchen.
News
iOS 18.4 Update - Apple released iOS 18.4 with several new features including Priority Notifications, a new "Sketch" style in Image Playground, and the Apple Vision Pro companion app.

Apple News+ Recipes - The update adds curated recipes with a special catalog and cooking mode.

Matter-Compatible Robot Vacuums - HomeKit now supports Matter-enabled robot vacuums from brands like Roborock, Ecovacs, and SwitchBot.

New Emoji - iOS 18.4 introduces new emoji including face with bags under eyes, root vegetable, fingerprint, harp, leafless tree, purple splatter, and shovel.

Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Rosemary Orchard

Contact iOS Today at [email protected].

Download or subscribe to iOS Today at https://twit.tv/shows/ios-today

Want access to the ad-free video and exclusive features? Become a member of Club TWiT today! https://twit.tv/clubtwit

Club TWiT members can discuss this episode and leave feedback in the Club TWiT Discord.
39 min
April 03, 2025iOS 746: Managing Health & Illness - Visible, Plume Labs, Pedometer++
Struggling with allergies, symptoms, or invisible illnesses? Mikah Sargent and Rosemary Orchard explore a range of iOS apps and features designed to help you track your health, monitor symptoms, and manage illness right from your iPhone and Apple Watch.
Built-in Health app features - Apple has added an extensive list of symptoms you can track directly in the Health app, from abdominal cramps to sore throat, allowing users to log severity and duration.

Peak app - A widget-focused app that displays your health metrics on your home screen, with options to track heart rate, blood oxygen, time in daylight, and other metrics related to health conditions.

My Pollen Forecast Pro - A $4.99 app that shows local pollen counts with color-coded indicators and forecasts, plus a diary feature to help correlate symptoms with specific pollens.

Plume Labs - Free air quality tracking app that provides localized air quality index measurements, pollution maps, and recommendations for outdoor activities based on current conditions.

Pedometer++ and Sleep++ - This pair of David Smith apps track your steps and sleep patterns, with badges for achievements and integration with Apple Health data to monitor trends and potential health indicators.

Visible - A subscription service using a Polar armband to track heart rate and daily exertion, designed for people with long COVID or invisible illnesses, providing "pace points" to help manage energy throughout the day.
Feedback
Separate volume controls - Robert shared a tip about iOS having separate volume channels for Siri/navigation and media, explaining how to adjust the Siri volume by asking Siri to read a message and then changing the volume while it's speaking.
Shortcuts Corner
Symptom logging shortcut - Rosemary created a simple one-action shortcut to log health symptoms directly from your home screen, using the "Log Health Sample" action with customizable options for tracking different symptoms.

Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Rosemary Orchard

Contact iOS Today at [email protected].

Download or subscribe to iOS Today at https://twit.tv/shows/ios-today

Want access to the ad-free video and exclusive features? Become a member of Club TWiT today! https://twit.tv/clubtwit

Club TWiT members can discuss this episode and leave feedback in the Club TWiT Discord.
40 min
March 27, 2025iOS 745: Space Discovery! - Spaceflight Simulator, Solar Smash, NASA app, & more
Space is calling, and your iPhone is your intergalactic guide! Join Mikah Sargent and Rosemary Orchard as they explore stellar apps and features that bring the cosmos right to your screen.
Night Sky App
Augmented reality app that helps identify stars, constellations, and celestial objects

Shows real-time sky mapping with translucent constellation overlays

Can track satellites and display multiple viewing modes
NASA App
Free app with comprehensive space exploration content

Features include space news, mission updates, live events, images, videos, and podcasts

Offers AR models of rovers and spacecraft
Solar Smash
Planet destruction simulator

Allows users to destroy planets using various weapons like nuclear missiles, asteroids, and spaceships

Free app with in-app purchase options to remove ads and unlock additional features
Space Flight Simulator
Free app that lets users build and launch virtual rockets

Simulates the challenges of rocket construction and space flight

Tutorial mode helps users understand the complexities of space exploration
Astronomy Watch Face
3D models of Earth, Moon, and solar system

Can scroll through time to see planetary movements and moon phases
Solar Watch Faces
Multiple styles showing sun's movement and daylight progression

Includes solar dial, solar analog, and solar graph options
Astronomy backgrounds
Dynamic planet views that change based on time and location

Earth view particularly impressive, showing day/night transitions
News Segment
AirPods Max USB-C Update
Upcoming firmware update in April will add lossless audio and ultra-low latency

Requires USB-C AirPods Max and specific cable

Targeted at music creators and professionals
Feedback
Geocaching App Recommendation
Cachly app suggested by listener Carson

Provides comprehensive geocaching tools and offline map support
Shortcuts Corner
3D Printing Air Filtration Automation
Listener Carson seeks a way to automatically control air filter during 3D printing

Rosemary suggests solutions like OctoPrint, Controller for HomeKit, and Home Assistant

Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Rosemary Orchard

Contact iOS Today at [email protected].

Download or subscribe to iOS Today at https://twit.tv/shows/ios-today

Want access to the ad-free video and exclusive features? Become a member of Club TWiT today! https://twit.tv/clubtwit

Club TWiT members can discuss this episode and leave feedback in the Club TWiT Discord.
41 min
March 20, 2025iOS 744: Cultivating Your CarPlay Experience - A tour of CarPlay with Rosemary!
Drive into the world of Apple CarPlay as hosts Mikah Sargent and Rosemary Orchard provide a comprehensive visual tour of this automotive technology, explaining how it works, what it can do, and how to customize it for your driving needs.
What is CarPlay? - CarPlay is an extension of your iPhone that projects to your car's display, not software installed by car manufacturers.

Connection Types - Available in both wired (USB) and wireless versions, with wireless CarPlay using a combination of Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.

CarPlay Interface - The interface includes a dashboard with maps, media controls, and customizable app icons that can be organized based on frequency of use.

App Management - Users can control which apps appear in CarPlay through Settings > General > CarPlay on their iPhone, removing distracting apps like Zoom or Teams.

CarPlay Settings - In-car settings include options for driving focus mode, message announcements, appearance (light/dark mode), wallpaper selection, and accessibility features.

Accessibility Features - Options include bold text, color filters for colorblindness, voice control using iPhone's microphone, and sound recognition for car horns and sirens.

Apple Intelligence Integration - New feature allows Siri to remain on screen without blocking the map view, plus automatic message sending.

Siri Suggestions - Calendar events, HomeKit controls, and other contextual suggestions appear on the dashboard and can be toggled on/off.

Third-Party Apps - Apps like Carrot Weather are now available for CarPlay, showing weather information while driving.
Feedback
iTunes Match Question - Bill asked what happens if he discontinues iTunes Match. Will his music be safe even if he hasn't downloaded it all?

Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Rosemary Orchard

Contact iOS Today at [email protected].

Download or subscribe to iOS Today at https://twit.tv/shows/ios-today

Want access to the ad-free video and exclusive features? Become a member of Club TWiT today! https://twit.tv/clubtwit

Club TWiT members can discuss this episode and leave feedback in the Club TWiT Discord.
33 min
March 13, 2025iOS 743: Dialing in your Data - Airtable, Tap Forms 5, DEVONthink To Go 3
Head into the world of data management with hosts Mikah Sargent and Rosemary Orchard as they explore essential apps to help you organize and action your data more effectively. From storing manuals to creating databases and automating with shortcuts, this episode provides practical solutions for both personal and professional data needs.
DEVONThink - A powerful app for storing and searching documents like manuals, with annotation features and the ability to create links to specific sections of documents

Tap Forms - The spiritual successor to Bento, allowing users to create custom forms and databases with various field types and options for viewing and organizing data

Airtable - A versatile database service that integrates with automation tools and offers various views (grid, Kanban, calendar) to organize and visualize data

Notion - Described as a great "dumping spot" for storing all kinds of information, offering a different approach to data management than Airtable
Apple News
New iPad Air with M3 Chip - Apple announced the new iPad Air with M3 chip supporting Apple Intelligence, available in 11-inch ($599) and 13-inch ($799) models

New Magic Keyboard - Features a 14-key function row and larger trackpad, priced at $269 for 11-inch and $319 for 13-inch models

Updated Base iPad - Now includes double the storage capacity and features the A16 chip
Feedback
CarPlay Directions - Addressed a viewer question about stopping CarPlay from automatically suggesting directions home, with tips on using alternative map apps

Procreate App - Acknowledged viewer feedback about Procreate being an excellent graphics app for iPad that deserved mention in a previous episode
Shortcuts Corner
Smart Bulb Automation - Solved a problem where smart bulbs were turning on too dim when returning home, showing how to properly set up HomeKit automations with specific brightness levels

Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Rosemary Orchard

Contact iOS Today at [email protected].

Download or subscribe to iOS Today at https://twit.tv/shows/ios-today

Want access to the ad-free video and exclusive features? Become a member of Club TWiT today! https://twit.tv/clubtwit

Club TWiT members can discuss this episode and leave feedback in the Club TWiT Discord.
45 min
March 06, 2025iOS 742: STEM Apps for iOS - Swift Playground, BrainPOP, Lab O
Head into the world of educational technology with Mikah Sargent and Rosemary Orchard as they explore cutting-edge iOS apps that make learning science, technology, engineering, and mathematics engaging and interactive. From virtual anatomy lessons to coding playgrounds, these apps transform your device into a powerful learning tool.
Skeleton 3D Anatomy: A free app for exploring human anatomy in 3D, allowing users to tap and learn about different bones, their Latin names, and skeletal structures. Perfect for students, medical enthusiasts, or anyone curious about the human body.

Swift Playground: Apple's coding education app that helps users learn Swift programming. Recent updates include the ability to create and publish entire apps directly from an iPad, making coding more accessible than ever.

Khan Academy: A comprehensive learning platform offering free courses in mathematics, sciences, computing, and more. Features include partner content from NASA and the California Academy of Sciences, with the ability to track progress across devices.

BrainPOP: An educational video platform featuring engaging content about scientific concepts, historical figures, and educational quizzes. Known for its animated robots and human characters that explain complex topics in an approachable manner.

Enki: A coding learning app supporting multiple programming languages like Python, JavaScript, SQL, and CSS. Offers flexible subscription options for those wanting to expand their programming skills.

The Elements by Theodore Gray: An interactive periodic table app with beautiful images, 3D representations, and fascinating stories about chemical elements.

Froggipedia: A $3.99 iPad/iPhone app that provides a digital alternative to traditional frog dissection, teaching the amphibian life cycle through interactive experiences.
Lab O Bundle: A collection of science apps including Beaker, Space, Chemist, and more.
Shortcuts Corner
VPN App Notification Shortcut: A listener seeks a way to create a notification/automation that reminds him to close work-related apps before launching NordVPN to avoid false security alerts.

Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Rosemary Orchard

Contact iOS Today at [email protected].

Download or subscribe to iOS Today at https://twit.tv/shows/ios-today

Want access to the ad-free video and exclusive features? Become a member of Club TWiT today! https://twit.tv/clubtwit

Club TWiT members can discuss this episode and leave feedback in the Club TWiT Discord.
30 min
February 27, 2025iOS 741: Start a New Hobby! - Imprint, GeoGuessr, Birda, & more
Pass the time productively! Mikah Sargent and Rosemary Orchard explore apps that can help listeners start and maintain new hobbies. From geocaching to coloring apps, learning piano to birding, they showcase versatile options for various interests.
Geocaching - Rosemary showcases this app that helps users find hidden caches around the world, offering a purpose-driven outdoor activity with puzzles and challenges.

Brilliant - Mikah demonstrates this learning app that teaches coding and computer science through interactive puzzles, also offering courses on math, data analysis, and more.

Coloring Book Painting Games - A free, ad-supported coloring app recommended by Rosemary as an alternative to subscription-based options, featuring thousands of designs and Apple Pencil support.

Imprint - Mikah highlights this app that distills complex concepts and books into bite-sized summaries, featuring daily reads on topics like Andrew Huberman's morning routine.

GeoGuessr - A geography game that drops players into Google Street View locations around the world, challenging them to figure out where they are with single and multiplayer options.

Simply Piano - An app that helps users learn piano through progressive lessons, featuring popular songs and keyboard calibration.

Apple News+ - Rosemary reminds viewers about hobby-related magazines available through Apple News+, including titles for crochet, photography, and other interests.

Birda - A birding app recommended by Mikah that helps users identify and track bird sightings, featuring a free version and AI identification with a subscription.
News
Apple Account Purchase Migration - Apple has introduced the ability to migrate purchases from one Apple account to another, with some limitations including regional restrictions and requirements that accounts can't be child accounts.
Feedback
Trip Planning Apps - In response to a listener named Reid asking about alternatives to the soon-to-be-discontinued Tripcase app, Mikah recommends Tripsy as a great option for tracking travel information with various subscription tiers.
Shortcuts Corner
Timer Controls for Audio Apps - Rosemary addresses Rick's question about creating a shortcut to open iHeartRadio and set a sleep timer.

Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Rosemary Orchard

Contact iOS Today at [email protected].

Download or subscribe to iOS Today at https://twit.tv/shows/ios-today

Want access to the ad-free video and exclusive features? Become a member of Club TWiT today! https://twit.tv/clubtwit

Club TWiT members can discuss this episode and leave feedback in the Club TWiT Discord.
42 min
February 20, 2025iOS 740: Photo Editing on iOS - Annotable, Picsew, Pixelmator
In this episode of iOS Today, hosts Mikah Sargent and Rosemary Orchard show viewers the powerful photo and video editing capabilities available on iOS and iPadOS devices. They explore both built-in editing features and third-party applications that can enhance one's photo editing experience.
Built-in Video Editing Tools: Mikah demonstrates how iOS lets you quickly mirror, rotate, crop, and trim videos without needing third-party software, saving significant time compared to desktop video editors.

Built-in Photo Editing Tools: Rosemary walks through editing photos with the Photos app, showing how to adjust Live Photos (turning them into loops, bounces, or long exposures), adjust styles, make exposure adjustments, and crop images.

Live Photo Key Frame Selection: Rosemary demonstrates how to select the best frame from a Live Photo to ensure everyone's eyes are open or to capture the perfect moment.

Clean Up Tool: The built-in cleanup feature uses Apple Intelligence to remove unwanted elements from photos, which Rosemary demonstrates by removing a clip from a keyboard image.

Markup Tools: Rosemary shows how to use built-in markup tools to add shapes, text, and annotations to images when explaining something to someone.

Copy/Paste Edits: A useful feature that lets you copy edits from one photo and paste them to others, especially helpful when selling items online and maintaining consistent white balance.

Annotable App: Mikah showcases this powerful annotation tool that offers features like magnification loops with adjustable positions, redaction tools, text tools, arrows, and shapes for detailed annotations.

Picsew App: Rosemary demonstrates this screenshot management tool that automatically stitches screenshots together, removes status bars and scroll bars, adds device frames, and helps keep a photo library organized.

CleanMyPhone App: Rosemary mentions this app (formerly Gemini) that helps identify similar shots and duplicates to clean up the photo library.

Pixelmator/Photomator: Rosemary highlights these powerful photo editing apps (recently acquired by Apple) that bring Photoshop-like capabilities to iOS and iPadOS, allowing for layer-based editing with advanced blending modes for just $4.99.
Shortcuts Corner
Adding Country Codes to Contacts: Rosemary creates a shortcut to help Lauren, who had issues with text messages not showing contact names while traveling internationally.

Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Rosemary Orchard

Contact iOS Today at [email protected].

Download or subscribe to iOS Today at https://twit.tv/shows/ios-today

Want access to the ad-free video and exclusive features? Become a member of Club TWiT today! https://twit.tv/clubtwit

Club TWiT members can discuss this episode and leave feedback in the Club TWiT Discord.
43 min
February 13, 2025iOS 739: Sharing the Love on iOS - Ink Cards, Felt, and Givingli
In this Valentine's Day-themed episode of iOS Today, hosts Mikah Sargent and Rosemary Orchard explore a few iOS apps and features perfect for sharing love and appreciation with others. From physical card-sending services to digital solutions and customizable widgets, they cover multiple ways to make Valentine's Day special using Apple devices.
Felt: Physical card-sending app with various card styles, custom designs, and the ability to add special items like confetti, chocolates, and stickers to your mailings

Ink: Another physical card service that offers photo cards, calendars, and customizable gifts like mugs and socks

Widgetsmith: App for creating custom widgets, including countdown timers and photo displays perfect for showcasing loved ones on your home screen

Givingli: Digital card and gift service that lets you send virtual cards with attached gift cards from popular retailers like Starbucks, Amazon, and Taco Bell

Valentine's Gifts and Stickers: App offering themed stickers and GIFs for Messages, with both free and paid options

Messages "Send Later" feature: Built-in iOS capability to schedule messages in advance for special occasions
Shortcuts Corner
Question about creating a shortcut to dynamically adjust sleep schedules based on bedtime routine. Plus, adorable dogs!

Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Rosemary Orchard

Contact iOS Today at [email protected].

Download or subscribe to iOS Today at https://twit.tv/shows/ios-today

Want access to the ad-free video and exclusive features? Become a member of Club TWiT today! https://twit.tv/clubtwit

Club TWiT members can discuss this episode and leave feedback in the Club TWiT Discord.
41 min
February 06, 2025iOS 738: Notes Apps Showdown - Cheatsheet, Freeform, Notion, & more
In this episode of iOS Today, hosts Mikah Sargent and Rosemary Orchard dive into a comprehensive comparison of popular note-taking apps for iOS, examining their unique features and use cases. They also discuss Apple's surprise launch of a new event planning app called Apple Invites.
Apple Notes: New iOS 18 features including Math Notes, collaborative note-taking capabilities, and family wish list sharing functionality

Freeform: Apple's infinite canvas app that enables collaborative brainstorming, room planning, and freeform content organization with drawing support

Bear: A beautiful Markdown-based notes app with custom keyboards and nested tags, available with a free tier and subscription options

Obsidian: A powerful, customizable note-taking app with community plugins and the ability to create personal wikis

Drafts: An advanced text editor that creates new drafts automatically, featuring powerful actions, custom themes, and extensive widget support

Notion: A versatile workspace tool with templates for various use cases, featuring databases, calendars, and collaborative features
News
Apple launches new "Invites" app requiring iCloud+ subscription to create invitations. It features shared photo albums, weather information, Apple Music playlist integration, and Apple Intelligence for custom backgrounds
Feedback
Question about limiting group chat notifications in driving focus mode

Request for help with continuous reading of non-Kindle ebooks using iOS accessibility features

Discussion of potential workarounds including sending content to Kindle and exploring alternative solutions

Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Rosemary Orchard

Contact iOS Today at [email protected].

Download or subscribe to iOS Today at https://twit.tv/shows/ios-today

Want access to the ad-free video and exclusive features? Become a member of Club TWiT today! https://twit.tv/clubtwit

Club TWiT members can discuss this episode and leave feedback in the Club TWiT Discord.
47 min

About iOS Today (Audio)

From the publisher's feed

Join Rosemary Orchard and Mikah Sargent for iOS Today, TWiT.tv's podcast for all things iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Apple TV, and more! From app reviews to helpful tips and tricks, from the latest news to the coolest accessories, Rosemary and Mikah will help you make the most of all your iOS devices.

Submit your Apple device and shortcut queries through email at [email protected] or via TWiT's social media. You might hear your question answered on the show!

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