These iPhone 12 Camera Tips Will Make You a Phone Photographer Pro

Do you enjoy dabbling in photography? Are you thinking about upgrading to a photographer-friendly iPhone? Then this blog is just for you! The iPhone 12 Pro and the iPhone 12 Pro Max have advanced camera features that excite both amateur and professional photographers alike. Keep reading to learn more about iPhone 12 camera tips and more.

iPhone 12 Camera Tips and Features

Three Cameras

Yes—you read that correctly! The iPhone 12 has a camera for telephoto, wide, and ultrawide photos. The dual-lens cameras are arranged similarly to previous models (on the back of the iPhone). The primary camera has the largest aperture in iPhone history—ƒ/1.6—which significantly improves low-light shots.

Tip: The three cameras really come in handy when you are trying to perfectly frame your photograph. First, put your phone in portrait or landscape mode and zoom past 0.7x. As you zoom, the screen will continue to show you the area that is outside of the frame. Can’t fit everything in? Then that’s your sign to switch to a different camera mode!

Night Mode

Night Mode is a feature that is on several other iPhone models; however, on the iPhone 12, you can use it on all lenses (even the selfie lens!). Even better—Night Mode is automatic, meaning it turns on anytime it detects low light. Whenever Night Mode automatically activates, a moon icon will pop up to let you know.

Tip: To get the perfect low light photo, select the number next to the moon icon. This number shows how many seconds to keep your phone still before it snaps the photo. It also allows you to choose the exposure level yourself, giving you more creative freedom and control over your photos.

QuickTake

QuickTake is essentially a quick way to take a photo, video, or series of photos. On the iPhone 12, if you press on the white shutter button, it will take a photo. But if you hold the button for an extended period of time, it will switch to Video Mode and begin recording. If you press the white shutter button and swipe to the left, it will begin to take burst mode photos.

Tip: Trying to shoot a lengthy video? Hold down the white shutter button and swipe to the right. This will lock your phone into video mode, allowing you to remove your finger from the button and giving you more freedom.

Dolby Vision

Don’t worry videographers—we haven’t forgotten about you! Perhaps the coolest feature of the iPhone 12 is its ability to shoot and edit HDR videos with Dolby Vision. As you may know, HDR videos are more colorful, detailed, and visually advanced. Dolby Vision is simply a HDR video format. The iPhone 12 implements Dolby Vision HDR recording capabilities, which significantly improves video content. You can also edit your Dolby Vision videos on your iPhone 12, which makes the iPhone 12 the first phone to shoot and edit Dolby Vision videos.

Tip: To quickly turn on Dolby Vision video, go to Settings > Camera > Record Video > HRD Video.

Feeling ready to take on the world as an iPhone 12 photographer? We hope this blog taught you some iPhone 12 camera tips and tricks you didn’t know before! For any questions, concerns, or assistance with the iPhone 12 Pro or iPhone 12 Max, feel free to give iKrack a call.

Productivity in 2021: Apps That Work on Mobile and PC

Need to boost your productivity this year, but you’re not sure what tools to start with? We understand! There are seemingly endless productivity apps available, with almost all of them offering you the latest and greatest tools. If you’re already struggling with getting all of your work done, you definitely don’t have time to sift through each and every productivity app and find one that suits you.

Luckily, in this blog, we will cover what we consider to be some of the best workplace productivity apps out there! We’ll discuss the benefits of each app so you can quickly and efficiently decide which app(s) will assist you the most.

1. Slack

Function: Slack is a communication and messaging tool that allows both in-office teams and global, remote teams to communicate, collaborate, share files, and more all in one place. Slack is a wonderful alternative to emails because it allows real-time responses and conversations. If you’re looking for a productivity app that will bring your team together and produce successful outcomes more efficiently, then Slack is the way to go!

Benefits: Perhaps the largest benefit Slack offers is streamlined, simplified lines of communication. It offers three basic communication features: open channels (visible to everyone), private channels (visible to select team members), and direct messages (visible to one coworker). Another benefit is Slack’s ability to easily integrate with other apps (Google Drive, MailChimp, the list goes on). When you keep everything in sync with Slack, it becomes a one-stop platform for all of your productivity, communication, and sharing needs. You can also drop and share all kinds of files within your Slack conversations (images, PDFs, Word Docs, Google Docs, etc.).

Mobile vs. PC: Slack has released updated versions of both its desktop and mobile apps this year, and the apps complement each other quite well. The mobile app is simple, organized, and easy to navigate. It can also be downloaded on both iPhones and Androids. Like the desktop app, it offers a “Mentions & reactions” screen, where users can quickly find Slack messages that mention them and/or reactions to their messages.

2. Airtable

Function: Airtable is a platform that allows you and your team to create and share databases. You don’t have to be a database expert to use it, either! Other than creating databases, the platform also lets you store, organize, and collaborate/communicate on tasks within the database. 

Benefits: Airtable is a lot like a spreadsheet, except simpler and more user-friendly. With Airtable, you can organize a large amount of information as well as the relationships between that information, which means you can better categorize your information as well. Additionally, Airtable has an Import feature, which allows you to upload existing data from other apps. The true beauty of Airtable lies in its flexibility—it will adapt to whatever organizational tasks you need it to.

Mobile vs. PC: Airtable’s mobile app has a few functionality limits. For example, you cannot create new fields in mobile; you can only view existing fields. You also can’t create or view Forms or Apps in mobile. That being said, navigating Airtable is equally as simple in mobile as it is in desktop.

3. Microsoft Teams

Function: Microsoft Teams is another collaboration platform that offers chat channels, document storage and sharing, online meetings and video calling, and more. These features make it quite similar to Slack, except Microsoft Teams is free with Microsoft365 and Office365.

Benefits: Because of its integration with Office365, Microsoft Teams makes it incredibly easy to collaborate on Word, Excel, and PowerPoint documents. You can create the document in Microsoft Teams rather than having to open up a separate app. Another excellent feature is the user’s ability to follow channels that they are interested in/a participant in and hide whatever channels they do not what to see. This makes Microsoft Teams more customizable than other collaboration platforms.

Mobile vs. PC: With Microsoft Teams, you can stay connected anytime and anywhere by using the mobile smartphone app. With the app, you not only have access to all of your conversations and documents, but you can also respond to channels and join meetings as you would via desktop, PC, or laptop web browser.

There are many other productivity apps out there, of course. But we believe our top three choices will improve your overall workflow, help you get more done, and keep you self-motivated to accomplish more!

Benefits of a Battery Replacement

You’ve probably noticed that your phone battery begins to drain more quickly as your phone ages. When you first purchase the phone, you hardly ever have to hook it up to its charger. But the more you use it and the older it gets, the shorter its battery lifespan becomes. As soon as this happens, many people choose to purchase a new phone without considering other options like phone battery replacement. At the right local cell phone repair shop, replacing the phone’s battery is a much cheaper solution than dumping your old phone and buying a new one. Stay tuned to learn why!

Fortunately, if you’re noticing any issues with your phone battery, we can quickly and affordably replace it for you here at iKrack. Our technicians will have your phone running optimally again in no time!

Here are a few reasons you should consider phone battery replacement:

1. Cost Efficiency

Smartphones are more expensive than ever, and as tempting as it is to simply purchase a new phone when your old phone’s battery is giving out, it will likely be a far more expensive purchase than a basic battery replacement. Plus, your phone’s battery life may start to give out before the performance of the phone itself slows down. This means everything except your battery is functioning perfectly, and it would be a bit of a waste to throw out a phone that is only experiencing one particular problem.

2. Time Efficiency

Another benefit to getting your phone battery replaced (especially at a local repair shop like ours) is the fact that it will save you a significant amount of time. Most local cell phone repair shops can replace your phone battery the same day you bring it in, or they can even replace the battery within the hour. So getting your phone battery replaced is both cheaper and faster than buying a new phone!

3. Security

Most cell phone repair shops offer some kind of warranty on their work as well. This means that if they replace your battery and it fails only weeks or months later, you’ll be covered. No time or money wasted!

4. Safety

At this point, you’re probably thinking, “Hey, I can replace my battery myself and save even more money!” Although you might be a smartphone expert and capable of replacing the battery on your own, we highly recommend taking it to a professional. It’s the safest, easiest, and most reliable way to replace your phone’s battery. Here are a few things that could go wrong with DIY phone battery replacement:

  • There’s a strong possibility that you will break your phone. Opening your phone requires specific tools and specific skills like knowing how much pressure to use when opening up the phone.
  • You will have to purchase expensive tools and know how to use them. Most modern smartphones have embedded batteries, which means replacing them isn’t as simple as opening your phone and pulling out the battery. Removing the battery can entail heating, prying, and removing screws so you can access the internal components of the phone, all of which are time consuming and difficult tasks.
  • An exposed battery can release dangerous chemicals into the air if it’s broken or ruptured, meaning it could also start to swell and explode.

Your smartphone will be in good hands with the help of a local cell phone repair shop technician.

Perhaps the largest benefit of having your phone battery replaced by a professional repair shop is the comforting knowledge that it will be replaced with a battery of the highest quality, and it will be installed efficiently and correctly. So count on us for all of your smartphone or iPhone battery repair and replacement needs!

Sneak Peek: The Latest Apple iPhone Release

It’s official! The iPhone 12 is here, and it has some incredible features for both Apple lovers and Apple newbies alike. Launched on October 23, the iPhone 12 has a family of four models: the iPhone 12, the iPhone 12 Mini, the iPhone 12 Pro, and the iPhone 12 Pro Max. In this blog, we’ll cover the need-to-knows of each model. By the end of the blog, you’ll want to get your hands on one of these—trust us!

(Quick reminder before we get started: Our technicians are continuously trained on new Apple models as they are released. So if you ever experience any issues with your iPhone 12 or any other iPhone model, we’ve got you covered with our Apple iPhone repair experts!)

The iPhone 12

The iPhone 12 is a huge technological success, boasting a new design, exceptional dual-lens cameras, 5G connectivity, and a solid battery life. As far as iPhones go, it is the future! Its exciting new features include:

Design – Unlike the rounded edges of previous iPhones, the iPhone 12’s edges are flat, making it more comfortable to grip and hold. Perhaps the most exciting design aspect of the iPhone 12, however, is its color options—black, white, deep blue, light green, and red.

Display – The iPhone 12’s Super Retina XDR display makes colors intense and lifelike, transforming the viewing experience into something truly incomparable.

And more!

The iPhone 12 Mini

The iPhone 12 Mini is almost identical to the iPhone 12, holding all of the same features in a smaller, sleeker package. The iPhone 12 features a 6.1 inch display, while the Mini features a 5.4 inch display, making it the smallest iPhone since the iPhone SE. Its compact size is perfect for those who have been looking for a phone they can use one-handed. A couple of other features of the iPhone 12 Mini include:

Water Resistance – Less graceful iPhone users will be happy to discover that the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Mini can withstand up to six meters of water for up to thirty minutes. This means they can withstand rain, spills, and other common accidents with no problem! No one likes needing iPhone water damage repair, so this feature is a gamechanger.

Drop Protection – The iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Mini have four times stronger drop protection than other iPhone models due to the “ceramic shield” material protecting them. Ceramic shield is known as one of the toughest, most durable smartphone glasses. With a ceramic shield, you will rarely be in need of iPhone screen repair!

The iPhone 12 Pro

Photographer lovers, this one is for you! The iPhone 12 Pro offers advanced triple-camera setups and other photography features such as:

Telephoto Lens – This third telephoto lens is only a feature of the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max models. This lens is designed for taking accurate, precise images of distant objects.

Night Mode – Although the Night Mode feature is on the iPhone 11, Night Mode on the iPhone 12 Pro is a part of the ultra-wide camera, standard wide camera, and the front camera. This allows you to take low-light photos that are crisper without having to use the flash.

The iPhone 12 Pro Max

The iPhone 12 Pro Max offers almost all of the same features as the iPhone 12 Pro, except it boasts a larger and better display, battery, and camera system. Other features include:

A Wider Wide Camera – You read that right! The iPhone 12 Pro Max’s wide camera is even more improved with a 47% larger sensor and pixels.

Sensor-Shift Stabilization – Yet another incredible camera feature, sensor-shift stabilization makes your pictures and videos steadier. Say goodbye to blurry photos!

Convinced yet that you want to upgrade to one of these beauties? Whether you’re looking for a new iPhone, looking for iPhone repair help, or just looking to learn more, iKrack Mobile is here to help!