The iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus are going to be available in Apple Retail Stores on the 25th of September, or at your door if you pre-ordered one.  If you’re like most iPhone owners, you’re probably planning to purchase a case.  I used to be part of a small percentage of users that did not purchase or want a case, but my opinion of cases has recently changed.

I bought my first iPhone seven years ago, an iPhone 3G, 16 GB White, and with it I bought a Power Support AirJacket.  It made my iPhone thicker, and that’s about it.  I would always appreciate how thin the iPhone was whenever I removed the AirJacket.  So I stopped using the case.

Often friends and customers would remark about my bravery for not using a case with my iPhone.  I didn’t need a case, as found out when I went to Cupertino for my Apple Certified Mac Technician training.  My training class was given an opportunity to experiment with the durability of various iPhones.  The iPhone was more resilient than I expected.  I’ve seen and repaired many broken Apple devices, so I know that the iPhone breaks, but I didn’t for my iPhone. 

With the protruding camera module of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6s devices, it has been proposed that Apple manufactures a naked, robotic core (ATP Ep. 129 60:20) for user’s customize with the case of their choice.  So for the second time, I think I will get a case for my iPhone 6s, and it’s going to be the Apple silicone case.  (I have always used an Apple Smart Case for my iPad, and I like how it has performed.)

Ever since I saw the Otterbox for the first time, I was disturbed by such a big case, and I was not convinced that this type of case adds any more protection to the device inside than any other case.  Why would someone take such a beautiful device to put it into something so hideous.

When I was an Apple Genius, I saw many broken iPhones in the Otterbox and LifeProof cases; it’s size does not compensate for the false sense of protection the user has.  The Otterbox and LifeProof case warranties don’t offer protection either.  And these cases caused functionality issues with the devices inside (with the exception of the LifeProof Nüüd, the cases don’t comply with Apple’s MFi Program.

Practical Advice:

If you want a case for your iPhone, but you don’t want an Apple case, look at the Apple website or for the MFi logo.  Any case in the Apple Store, on the Apple website, or with an MFi logo has been extensively tested by Apple.

iOS 9 iPhone Faves

By Alan Oliver

If you have been waiting for an iOS update, your wait is over. iOS 9 is available now,  and let me tell you it is worth the wait. Thanks to the Apple Beta program, I've had the privilege of getting to use iOS for a few months and I want to share my excitement and knowledge with you here. 

iOS 9 comes with tons of features and will not look all that different from iOS 8 which means you can keep using your phone the way you always do and have a greater opportunity to explore and enjoy the new features. 

Battery Life

One feature that everyone will love is the promise of better battery life and the ability to switch to a power saving mode (called Low Power Mode) should your battery run low and you not be able to charge it soon. Essentially, lower power mode turns off of the battery draining services that you might turn off individually if you were trying to conserve power now (like push email, background activity like weather and such, etc). But it will turn off all those plus more so you don't have worry about it and in just the tap of a button. Don't want it on, it can be managed through the Settings App or by charging up your device. See pictures below:   

App switching enhanced

One of my favorite new features is called Back to. What this feature does is allow you to return to the last app you were in without double tapping the home button. For example, say you were checking your email and you click a link that opens Safari. You sufficiently read the article or shop the sale and decide you want to go back to Mail. All you have to do is simply tap the Back to Mail (top left hand corner of the screen) and you are taken back to Mail. This saves you time and wear  and tear on your home button. 

Proactive Suggestions

This is one of those features you didn’t know you needed or even wanted until you have it. When at you are the home screen you simply swipe left to pull up Search (which has a voice feature, too) and the screen will also display apps you maybe interested in or  contacts you may want to reach out based off how you use your phone day to day.

For example (not pictured here), everyday when my wife is making her trek home from downtown Atlanta I continually check the Find My Friends app to see how she is getting along and so I can know when to start dinner. So, typically around 4:00pm when I pull my screen left my wife's contact will show up and the Find my Friends app will be ready to access. So, I can quickly call her to get an ETA or just check the app to see where she is at the moment.

These are only three of my favorite new features in iOS 9. There are a ton more that I am sure you will find useful and welcome them into your daily iPhone use, If you would like more information on iOS 9 before downloading follow this link 

http://www.apple.com/ios/whats-new/.

Let us know in the comments what your new favorite features are from iOS 9. 

Apple Upgrade Program

On Wednesday Apple® unveiled the latest update to their iPhone line up. The 6s and 6s Plus are the most advanced smart phones ever created and the demand will be great. This annual announcement always brings questions about if and how we should go about upgrading. We are going to attempt to answer most of these commonly asked questions.

To start, should you upgrade and if so, which phone should you get? The answer to this is always upgrade when you have the opportunity and always get the latest model available. I know what your thinking, why? Your phone is maybe two years old and the iPhone 6 is a $100 cheeper. Surely it’s good enough, right? The answer is simple…no.

If you are on a contract plan, which most carriers are doing away with, by waiting to upgrade you are leaving money on the table. Every contract renewal, the carrier pays $450 of the purchase price to get the two year agreement from you, leaving you with the other $200 to pay. That $450 they pay is built into your contract pricing and by waiting past your upgrade date, you are continuing to pay the elevated plan price but not getting the value of the upgrade that you are actually still paying for.

As to the last years phone vs this years, always get the newer one. It’s only $100 and the technology inside is worth the extra money. Even if all you do is make phone calls, send texts and take pictures, the newer phone does all of that better. Your carrier is constantly upgrading the technology their towers use and by staying on a newer phone, you ensure that you have the best thing to connect to those towers. Technology changes fast and it is best to stay up with the curve.

Another thing to consider is that the older, less expensive model also has less internal storage. This is a big deal these days with as many photos as we like to take. Everyone needs a minimum of 16 gigs in their phone and most of us should consider the model above that to make sure you don’t run out. Look at it like this, you may not use a lot of the bells and whistles, but if you are going to use the camera at all, consider the fact that you don’t have to buy another camera and devote that investment into your phone.

So now you are ready to get your order in, what is the process? When the iPhone launches there is always a preorder day. That day is tonight, September 12th at 12:00 midnight Pacific or 2:00 am Central. The website for Apple and the various carriers will go live with a preorder upgrade page. These are for deliveries to arrive on September 25th. This is the only way to guarantee you will get your iPhone on that launch day. You can still arrive at the Apple Store or your local carrier store and try your luck (Apple Store will have the most available, but also the longest line). 

For the first time, Apple is also offering their own iPhone upgrade program this year. After reading, please let us know if you have further questions! Our lead technician, John Sahawneh is going to explain that process for us…

In just a few hours, you’ll be able to pre-order the new iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus.  And there is a new way to buy iPhone.  Apple, along with the major carriers, is offering an upgrade program.  The upgrade program allows you to get an iPhone, but instead of paying for the device in full or through subsidy, you pay for the device via installments.

Apple’s upgrade program is great because it offers features the carrier upgrade programs do not offer:

• An unlocked iPhone, so you can choose your carrier
• With AppleCare+, you are covered from defects and accidental damage* (coverage is for two years)
• Upgrade after 12 months

With an unlocked iPhone, you can choose any carrier that supports iPhone.  You’re not tied to a contract, so you can change carriers at any time.  If you’re traveling internationally or moving to a new city, this is brilliant.  You can simply put a new, compatible SIM card into your iPhone when abroad, or change carriers for best coverage.

AppleCare+ is great because you’re covered for defects and flaws as well as accidental damage, and you can contact AppleCare via phone support.  If something happens to your device or accessories, repair or replacement is covered.  (Plus, if you’ve bought an Apple AirPort or Time Capsule, AppleCare+ for your iPhone covers repairs of this accessory.)  If there is accidental damage to your iPhone, repair or replacement is at a reduced price, $99.  Without this AppleCare+, repairs can be as much as $329.

Apple’s upgrade program may seem a little more expensive than the carriers, but the carriers don’t show the cost of insurance in their prices, with the exception of T-Mobile.  A distinction that should be made is that AppleCare+ is not insurance, and it does not cover loss or theft, carrier insurance typically does.  Carrier insurance has a higher deductible than the reduced repair fee of AppleCare+ for accidental damage, so these differences should be considered for each individual or family.

*AppleCare+ Terms and Conditions

A Note from our CEO, Jeff Mann

Since our my last note, I had the chance to attend training at the Apple world headquarters in Cupertino. I was there during what would have been Steve Jobs’s 60th birthday, so naturally it was an exciting time to visit! While I was having lunch at Cafe Macs and looking up at Steve’s old office, I couldn’t help but think how awesome it was that I had the  opportunity to pursue knowledge that would help our customers in the place where all the magic happens.

I thought about how inspired I have been over the years by Steve and by one of his speeches in particular. In 2005, Steve, a college drop out, was invited to deliver the commencement address at Stanford University just up the road from Apple’s headquarters. If you haven’t heard the speech, I highly recommend it. As I sat in the grass listening to the speech for the 100th time, I became inspired all over again. For a man known for being a perfectionist, it is surprising to hear him advocating for failure but the message is to accept failure and then try again. It is acceptable to fail but it is not acceptable to give up.  

Striving to reach perfection in an imperfect world seems crazy but we thrive on it and it is our passion. All this technology is great but it’s not perfect and sometimes the solutions are not perfect either. There is trial and error and steps forward and setbacks–yet we keep working to find the right answer because when we do, it makes life better. If Apple gave up every time something failed, there would be no iPhone and the iPad wouldn’t have changed the world as the iPod did. We have to aim for the stars and keep reaching when we come up short. As Steve said “Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick. Don't lose faith.” 

In closing, Steve tells the class to “Stay hungry, stay foolish”. I think there’s an important lesson for all of us in that. To me it’s never be satisfied with the status quo, always reach further. If we fail, we try again until we get it right. If we think we know everything, realize how little we actually know and study harder. If we are foolish enough to think we can change the world for the better, then maybe we can…as long as we don’t loose faith when we fail and keep trying. 

Apple TV®, More than a Hobby

The Apple TV® has been in my house since the day it released. It’s often talked about as nothing more than a hobby. Some speak of it as little more than iTunes for your TV, but I must say the Apple TV® is so much more. 

At my house, the Apple TV® is the center of my family’s entertainment universe. Our family movie night is brought to you by Apple TV®. Every Friday night, one of my kids chooses the movie (usually a Disney or Pixar classic) and our living room transforms into a private movie theater where it doesn’t matter how loud we laugh or if we need to pause the movie to take a restroom break. And if we aren’t watching a movie then we are having a family dance party listening our favorite songs in surround sound thanks to Home Sharing.

Our Apple TV® also serves as up a way to play games together. My family has become particular fond of the Sweetland apps:

       

        SweetLand — Family Board Game - Tipitap Inc. (like CandyLand) 

        Slides & Ladders - Tipitap Inc.

Thanks to Apple TV® we put the game on the TV and use our iPhone® or iPad® as the game board. All of this is accomplished via feature called AirPlay®. We can even view the photos and videos we take on our iPhones® when we get together with family or friends.  

I have not experienced the Apple TV® as just iTunes for my TV. My family and I have experienced as a way to connect, spend quality time together, and have fun as a family. We enjoy our Apple TV® everyday and in a lot ways. Don’t you think it’s time you started enjoying your own Apple TV®?

- Alan Oliver

Demystifying the Apple Store Part 1: The Sales Floor

Walking into any Apple Store can be a bit overwhelming, to say the least. However with 

these few tips and tricks in the coming series you'll look like a seasoned customer when it 

comes to navigating the waters of a crowded Apple Store. One thing that will always be in 

your favor: Apple tries really hard to make their stores seem as similar as possible. Whether 

it be the store on 5th Avenue in New York or the one in Birmingham, Alabama, there are 

sections to the store that once explained, are easily recognizable. 

When you first walk into the store you will be greeted by the sales floor. Here you'll see

products neatly lined up on particular tables of the classic light grained wood. Each product

is paired with an iPad set into an acrylic stand full of information to help the researching or

buying process easier. 

At some point in time you will be greeted by a sales specialist or even a manager to check

and see how you are doing. No, don't worry, they won't be pushy, instead Apple employees

across the board are just curious as to what you're look for and want to make sure you find

what you need. Don't be alarmed if they ask for your name - it's a courtesy thing, especially

in the busier stores. This way, should you want make a purchase they can make sure you are

paired with the right person. 

Two neat facts to know about Apple Retail stores. Each sales person carries around a mobile 

payment device. There's no need to walk towards the back or search for a cash register. You

probably won't find one. The second fact: you can actually purchase lower price accessories

from the Apple Store App. It has a location services setting that recognizes when you are in

an Apple Store and turns into your own phone into your own payment device! The funds are

deducted from the card attached to the iTunes account and once the transaction is

completed, out the door you go with your new accessory in hand! 

The "Why" behind Tech⌘Ease

Technology has become an essential part of everyday life. People use it to create harmony in their personal lives and fuel growth within their businesses. And, that’s ‘why’ we’re here! As part of Apple’s Consultant Network, Tech⌘Ease specializes in delivering consulting and professional services that fit your needs - spanning the spectrum from basic ‘how to’ questions to advanced solutions (on-site or remotely) as a way of getting the most from your technology investments. At Tech⌘Ease, we love Apple products and are passionate about sharing that knowledge with you to create a solution that fits your needs! Let us show you how to streamline what you ‘need’ to do and have fun doing what you ‘want’ to do.

- Cindy Morgus