Ok, I know not all of you have an iPhone or an iPad, but my love of all things nerdy has me excited about the new iOS7 update for Apple devices. If you have a Droid, continue as you were and catch the blog the next time. For those of you who have an Apple device this is for you. On September 18, the update became available. I spoke with a teacher friend of mine last night and she had already updated her system and deemed it "pretty slick". So, I tried to update mine. It was a no-go because the update was not yet available on my phone. But no worries. When I woke up this morning there it was! It took my phone about an hour to update to the new system. That was from my home internet which has medium speed levels. I felt like it was a reasonable amount of time. How do you update your system?
1. Go to settings.
2. Click on General.
3. Click on SYSTEM UPDATE.
4. Download and Install OS7. **Because it is a big update, you need to be on WiFi to download it. In addition, it is smart to plug into a power source, as updating it can drain your battery.
5. These same steps apply when updating your iPad!
There seemed to be quite a few "policy" screens. I hate to say it, but I click agree and continue without reading a word. C'mon, you know you do it, too. I'm trusting that I haven't promised anything too outlandish by doing so.
The next part is the fun part because it's time to play. Seriously, just like a kid does with a new toy, you have to allow yourself time to investigate all the new functions and the new look of your device. A few sites that I have found to help you are here:
Apple This is Apple's website. They have a short video that will show you the new features of the iPhone and iPad with the update.
iOS7 Tips and Tricks This is a blog created by an Apple employee. She and her husband got the download early and have had a chance to check things out. Read further to hear their opinions.
Troubleshooting Tips This site offers help with downloading the update and information about auto-updating apps and how to turn certain functions off.
There are a plethora of sites out there that will help you. Simply Google "iOS7 tips and tricks" and you'll see quite a few.
My verdict: While I love all things nerdy, I'm not completely sold yet. The look is a little too bright and shiny for my tastes. I know I'll get used to it eventually, but right now I'm not loving it. My battery seemed to drain at rapid speed today. Not sure if that can be attributed to the update or the fact that I kept playing with it. I would recommend that to save battery you swipe UP to show the control center and tap on AirDrop. Turning this function off will save your phone from searching for other phones or iPads nearby. There are several other new features one can turn off to improve battery life, but until I try them I don't want to recommend them. I do love the swipe feature for the control center. That is pretty cool. In addition, by double tapping the home key and swipping up on the pages you see, you can close your apps. For some reason that seems to entertain me more than waiting for the wiggly x to show up. Have fun with the update. If you stumble upon a great tip that could help others navigate the update, please comment here!
