Apple

How to disable suggested search terms in Safari

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated December 28, 2022
Google Suggestions while typing in Safari address bar

Safari Smart Search Field lets you type in either an URL to visit or a search query to send to the default search engine. It's also a place where search suggestions automatically pop up as you type. With this cool feature, you can type just the first few letters of a query and rely on the search engine (Google, Bing, Yahoo, etc.) to help you complete the search term without needing to type out the rest of your query. But, certain users may not be fond of this feature for privacy reasons.

If you're among them, use the step-by-step instructions provided in this tutorial to turn off suggested search terms in Safari for iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

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How to delete your old iPhoto library

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated July 23, 2018

After upgrading your Mac to OS X Yosemite or later, the new Photos app gets installed automatically.

On first launch, Photos will auto-upgrade your default iPhoto library to its new library format. People with multiple iPhoto libraries must manually convert them to the new format by holding the Option (⌥) key when clicking the Photos icon in the Dock.

Upon completing migration, you'll have two sets of photo libraries on your machine: the original iPhoto libraries and their Photos counterpart.

In order to free up a significant amount of storage space on your Mac, you can safely delete any iPhoto library that has been migrated to the new Photos app.

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How to quickly redial the last number on your iPhone

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 31, 2018

Using a 3D Touch gesture on the Phone app icon gives you shortcuts for calling your favorite contacts right from the Home screen. But aside from 3D Touch, the Phone app has received little innovation in years past.

That being said, a lot of iPhone owners are not completely familiar with the ins and outs of the Phone app beyond making and receiving phone calls. Many of my friends, for instance, routinely go to Phone → Recents to call the last dialed number.

Apple's interface designers have thought of that, too, but unfortunately their solution is not readily apparent in Phone's interface. In this quick tutorial, we'll teach you how to call the last dialed number right from Phone's Keypad section.

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Final Fantasy IX hits iOS with 20% launch sale

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 9, 2016

In a surprise launch this morning, publisher Square Enix unleashed Final Fantasy IX upon the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad. This classic role-playing game, which originally released for Sony's PlayStation console back in 2000, is now available in the App Store with a special 20 percent launch sale for $16.99.

Designed to let players relive the adventures of Zidane and his crew in the palm of their hands, Final Fantasy IX brings Game Center achievements, autosave, crisp graphics with high-def movies and character models, seven game boosters like high-speed and no-encounter modes and other perks.

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Vine app gains 3D Touch, caption editing and post ordering features

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated October 16, 2018

Vine, a Twitter owned mobile application for short-form video sharing, has been updated in the App Store this morning with three new features. For starters, owners of the iPhone 6s or iPhone 6s plus can press Vine's icon on the Home screen to access a shortcut menu with a pair of options to make a Vine or jump into the Explore feed.

In addition, you can now edit your Vine’s caption for a brief period after you post and watch an account’s Vines in any order you want.

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Gmail gains lock and question mark icons to indicate if emails are encrypted and authenticated

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 9, 2016

In honor of the Safer Internet Day, Google on Tuesday announced in a blog post that it has added a lock icon in Gmail's web interface to denote whether or not your emails are encrypted. Additionally, a question mark icon on a sender's avatar indicates messages that are not authenticated.

Gmail has supported encrypted connections between a user's machine and its servers for some time now, but this doesn't provide the full protection if a sender's email client or email service does not support encryption in transit using TLS.

The new lock icon makes it easier to see if a message you received from someone is encrypted or not, and whether or not it can be authenticated.

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Apple’s Notes app in OS X 10.11.4 El Capitan can import files from Evernote

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 9, 2016

The forthcoming OS X 10.11.4 El Capitan software update, currently in testing, will bring out the ability to import Evernote content into the stock Notes application, Apple's Vice President of Marketing, Brian Croll, has confirmed in an interview with Japanese publication PC User, as relayed yesterday by the Japanese blog Mac Otakara.

Through a new Import Notes menu command, Mac owners will be able to import Evernote files into Notes, which in OS X 10.11.4 supports Evernote's proprietary .enex file format.

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iPhone screen protector installation service is now available in Apple Stores around the world

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated March 19, 2019

A new retail service by Apple, which offers to apply screen protectors on customers' iPhones using dedicated in-store machines, is now available at Apple Stores in the United States and around the world, MacRumors reported.

Based on Belkin's ScreenCare+ Application System, the system allows store employees to apply Welkin-Branded screen protectors (either a Belkin TrueClear InvisiGlass Screen Protector or a Belkin TrueClear Anti-Glare Screen Protector) on the iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus devices.

Apple rolled out the system a week ago in its retail stores in Japan. As of this morning, the service is available across Apple Stores internationally.

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IGN names Heroes Reborn: Enigma for iOS its Free Game of the Month

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 9, 2016

IGN has named Phosphor Games Studio's first person action-puzzle game Heroes Reborn: Enigma its free title for the month of February 2016, marking the first time the $4.99 game has gone free since its October 2015 debut.

The game has you playing as Dahlia, an evolved human with incredible powers. You must solve various puzzles and survive tests in order to escape captivity at The Quarry, a secret government facility.

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Error 53: Apple could get sued over iPhone bricking

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 9, 2016

'Error 53,' the infamous cryptic message that appears on an iPhone after iOS 9 renders the device inoperable due to an unauthorized Home button repair, is attracting attention of top law firms which are reportedly considering taking Apple to court over the snafu, reports The Guardian.

“At least one firm of US lawyers said it hopes to bring a class action against the technology giant on behalf of victims whose £500 phones have been rendered worthless by an Apple software upgrade,” the British paper said.

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How to move Photos library to an external drive

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated October 1, 2018

In addition to moving your multi-gigabyte iTunes library to an external drive, a significant amount of Mac storage space can be freed up by moving your photo libraries onto a separate drive.

If you take a lot of pictures with a DSLR camera or your iOS devices and import them in Photos, you'll fairly quickly run out of free space on most Macs.

This tutorial will guide you through the process of moving an entire library of photos to an external drive, preferably to a much larger external hard drive, in a way that won't disrupt your photography workflow.

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