Looking for an easy and cost-effective way to visually enhance your office space? Adhesive vinyl is the hottest trend in wall decor, because it’s beautiful, functional and semi-permanent. The low-tac adhesive allows the vinyl to be repositioned, reused and removed without damaging paint or drywall. Adhesive vinyl works great on glass too and adds visual impact to store-front windows.
Celebrate your company history with engaging installations reflecting your brand story. Create energetic project boards and calendars to motivate your team and push goals forward. Or add instant color and character to a dull office space with a one-of-a-kind masterpiece on a focal wall. With the fantastic variety of shapes, sizes, and patterns, your design possibilities are limitless!
Whether it’s one wall or every wall, The Print Refinery helps you express your company’s voice and create custom, quality solutions that fit your brand communications!
https://f11photo.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2019/08/AdhesiveBlog1.jpg321845Natalie Gunnhttps://f11photo.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2023/06/PR-F11Photo-logo.jpgNatalie Gunn2019-09-09 11:00:062019-08-26 15:29:09INSTANT MAKE-OVER FOR YOUR OFFICE SPACE
If you have a friend whom you refer to only by his nickname, it can be annoying to feel like you should use his proper first name when adding him to Contacts. Worse, then he shows up in Messages with a name you don’t recognize as easily. Here’s how to convince iOS to use his nickname instead. Open his card in Contacts, tap Edit, scroll to the bottom, tap Add Field, and tap Nickname. That puts a Nickname field at the top, under his proper name, for you to fill in. To get iOS to use it, go to Settings > Contacts > Short Name and enable Prefer Nicknames. From then on, you can enter your friend’s nickname instead of his proper name in apps like Messages and Mail, and iOS will also display it instead of his name everywhere.
(Featured image by Yuri Manei from Pexels)
https://f11photo.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2019/09/nicknames-in-iOS-photo.jpg8001280F-11 Photohttps://f11photo.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2023/06/PR-F11Photo-logo.jpgF-11 Photo2019-09-03 14:08:002023-06-27 20:30:34Want to Use Your Friends’ Nicknames in iOS? Here’s How
Do you have a document that you open regularly, perhaps from your Desktop? If you’d like to make it stand out from other documents, why not give it a custom icon? This was common practice on the Mac back in the day, and it’s still possible in modern versions of macOS. Go to Google Images and search for “searchTerm icon” to see what images are available. (It’s fine to use any graphic for one-time personal use; if you’re planning to distribute the file or publish the icon in any way, make sure to read and honor any licensing requirements.) Download an image you like (Control-click it and look for a Save Image command), open it in Preview (where you can delete any background or crop as desired), press Command-A for Select All, and Command-C to copy the image. Then select the icon for the file you want to customize, press Command-I to open its Get Info window, click the current icon in the upper-left corner (it gets a faint highlight outline), and press Command-V to paste.
https://f11photo.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2019/09/custom-icons-Mac-photo.jpg8001280F-11 Photohttps://f11photo.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2023/06/PR-F11Photo-logo.jpgF-11 Photo2019-09-03 14:07:002024-12-10 11:08:06Personalize Your Mac with Custom Document Icons
Few people get so little email that they want an iPhone notification for every message that rolls in. But many of us have just a couple of people—our personal VIPs—whose messages are important enough to warrant an alert. If that’s true for you, and you want to know right away when your boss or your spouse or your child sends you a message, set up VIP Alerts. In Mail in iOS, in your Mailboxes list, tap the i button next to the VIP mailbox. If necessary, use the Add VIP link to pick your VIPs from your contacts, and then tap VIP Alerts to jump to the screen of Settings > Notifications > Mail > VIP. Once there, you can choose a banner style, alert sound, and other notification-related settings.
(Featured image by Noelle Otto from Pexels)
https://f11photo.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2019/09/Mailbox-with-dog-photo.jpg8001280F-11 Photohttps://f11photo.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2023/06/PR-F11Photo-logo.jpgF-11 Photo2019-09-03 14:06:002023-06-27 20:30:38How to Get Custom Alerts for Email from Your VIPs
Traditionally, extended keyboards come with a Forward Delete key that, when you press it, deletes characters to the right of the insertion point, unlike the main Delete key, which deletes to the left of the insertion point. Forward Delete still exists on Apple’s Magic Keyboard with Numeric Keypad, but it’s missing from the Magic Keyboard and all Mac laptop keyboards. If you like using Forward Delete (and well you should!), the secret key combinations that simulate it for any Apple keyboard that lacks it are Fn-Delete and Control-D. You can often add Option to the mix to delete the word to the right of the insertion point instead of just a character.
(Featured image by Adam Engst)
https://f11photo.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2019/09/Forward-Delete-photo.jpg8001280F-11 Photohttps://f11photo.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2023/06/PR-F11Photo-logo.jpgF-11 Photo2019-09-03 14:05:002023-06-27 20:08:27Two Secret Key Combos for Forward Delete on the Magic and MacBook Keyboards
As we get into September, it’s a good bet that Apple will be pushing out the next major versions of macOS, iOS, watchOS, and tvOS, along with the new iPadOS, which is iOS with iPad-specific tweaks. Apple previewed these new versions back in June, and they’ve been in public beta since. Once Apple makes macOS 10.15 Catalina, iOS 13, iPadOS 13, watchOS 6, and tvOS 13 available, the question looms large—when should you install them?
(Note that we say when and not if. There’s no harm in delaying major operating system upgrades until Apple has squashed early bugs. But waiting too long puts you at risk from security vulnerabilities and prevents you from taking advantage of compelling new features. Plus, should you have to replace one of your Apple devices unexpectedly, you will likely have to use the current operating system, which could be awkward if you weren’t prepared.)
macOS 10.15 Catalina
We’ll start with the hardest decision—when should you upgrade to macOS 10.15 Catalina? Two features might make you want to upgrade soon: Screen Time and Voice Control. With Catalina, Macs get the same usage monitoring and limit setting that Apple introduced in iOS 12, which will make Catalina a must-have for parents trying to help Mac-using kids focus on what’s important. Voice Control makes it vastly easier to control your Mac—and dictate!—with just your voice, so if that’s compelling, look into upgrading soon.
Other new features are also attractive, such as dedicated Music, TV, and Podcasts apps that replace iTunes; using an iPad as a second screen or graphics tablet; and improved versions of Reminders, Notes, and Photos. They won’t drive most immediate upgrades, though.
Catalina has one big gotcha—it won’t run old 32-bit apps. If you rely on apps you haven’t updated in the last few years, hold off on Catalina until you’ve figured out how to update or replace them.
Regardless, we recommend waiting until at least version 10.15.1 or even 10.15.2 before upgrading. That gives you time to make sure your key apps are fully compatible with Catalina and for Apple to resolve any unanticipated problems. When you’re ready, check out the ebook Take Control of Upgrading to Catalina if you want detailed advice on how to do it right.
iOS 13
While we urge caution with macOS updates, iOS updates are an easier decision. Apple boasts that iOS 13 improves performance, particularly with Face ID unlocking and app launches, which many people will appreciate. iOS 13 also now offers a Dark mode like macOS that may be easier on the eyes in dark rooms, though light-on-dark text is generally harder to read than traditional dark-on-light text.
Photos in iOS 13 significantly improves photo editing, with portrait lighting control, a high-key mono effect, and individual adjustment and filter controls. Nearly all these editing tools work with videos too! Apple completely rewrote Reminders, adding smart lists and integrations that let Siri suggest reminders, as well as a quick toolbar to add times, dates, locations, and more to your reminders. iOS 13 also enhances Maps with Look Around, a Google Maps Street View competitor that gives you a 360º view of supported areas. Maps also features a rebuilt map with more detail, favorites, and collections of places to see.
iOS 13 may not be life-changing unless you plan to rely on its addition of Voice Control instead of touch, but we think it’s a good upgrade. Give it a week or two to make sure there isn’t a major gotcha that Apple missed, but after that, install when you have some time to play with the new features.
iPadOS 13
iPadOS 13 is “new,” but it’s not an entirely new operating system to learn. Instead, it’s a superset of iOS 13 with iPad-specific features. The Home screen can hold more icons, and you can pin Today View widgets to the side for quick access. Safari in iPadOS is now a desktop-class browser that lets you use complex Web apps like Google Docs, Squarespace, and WordPress much as if you were on a Mac. Apple also extended the iPad’s multitasking features so you can switch between multiple apps in SlideOver, open multiple “windows” for a single app in Split View, and use App Exposé to navigate among app combinations.
If you already use your iPad for productivity, we think iPadOS 13 will be a no-brainer upgrade. As with iOS 13, though, it’s probably best to wait a week or so to install, or until you’re certain that your key apps have been updated to be compatible.
watchOS 6
Once you’ve updated your iPhone to iOS 13, there’s no reason not to update to watchOS 6. It’s not a huge update, but it has some nice features. Most interesting are the health-related improvements, a Cycle Tracking app for women and a Hearing Health app that warns you when the ambient noise in your environment has risen to dangerous levels. Apple has also introduced new watch faces that may float your boat, Siri can identify songs playing nearby and return Web search results to your wrist, a new Audiobooks app lets you listen anywhere, and Activity Trends help you track your workout progress over time.
tvOS 13
tvOS 13 is the easiest to agree to install, and it has some welcome new features. Apple redesigned the Home screen a bit and allows the apps in your top row to play video previews of their content (but you can shut those off if you don’t like them). More compelling is the addition of Control Center, which lets you put the Apple TV to sleep, control background audio playback, choose audio output, search, and switch between users.
That’s right, tvOS 13 introduces multi-user support that changes the content within apps based on the current user. (Speaking of multi-user support, iOS 13 on the HomePod also now differentiates based on who’s speaking—finally!) tvOS 13 can also display lyrics in the Music app and supports Xbox One and PlayStation 4 wireless gaming controllers for Apple’s upcoming Apple Arcade service. And it boasts a new collection of gorgeous underwater screen savers.
Change can be hard, but we’re excited about these new operating systems. Like you, we won’t use all the new features, but we’re confident that some of them will radically enhance the experience of being an Apple user.
(Featured image by Apple)
Social Media: So many new operating systems—macOS 10.15 Catalina, iOS 13, iPadOS 13, watchOS 6, and tvOS 13! We have a brief overview of the new features and calm advice on when you should upgrade each of your Apple devices to the new hotness.
https://f11photo.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2019/09/Upgrade-Catalina-iPad-photo.jpg8001280F-11 Photohttps://f11photo.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2023/06/PR-F11Photo-logo.jpgF-11 Photo2019-09-03 14:04:002023-06-27 20:08:39When Should You Upgrade to macOS 10.15 Catalina, iOS 13, iPadOS 13, watchOS 6, and tvOS 13?
There are over 10,000 trade shows held annually in the US, and standing out in the dense jungle of exhibitor booths is not an easy task. Here are some tips to maximize your visual impact and budget wisely for your next event:
Refresh your booth setup.
Check the condition of your backdrop, signage and furniture. Is it time for a cleaning, refresh or replacement? Avoid the unexpected by practicing your setup prior to the event. Remember any tools you’ll need to unpack, assemble and disassemble your exhibit booth. Getting setup in a timely manner will give you valuable extra time for networking and marketing.
Update your marketing materials.
Refine your positioning, features/benefits and pitch. Does your marketing communicate a clear and targeted message? Correct formatting issues, grammatical errors and outdated information. If you need help adding visual appeal to your marketing materials, The Print Refinery is here to make your brand shine!
Prepare promotional products.
Current design trends in branded promotional gifts are: popular retail brands, bright and bold colors and unique materials (like cork, wood grain and matte finishes). Cellphone accessories, insulated drinkware and wellness products are always top choices. A branded tchotchke or trinket that ends up in the trash is a waste of marketing dollars, so think “useful, creative and unique” when selecting promotional items.
From backdrops and signage to business cards and promotional branded items, The Print Refinery can fulfill all your commercial printing needs for your next trade show. So let’s create, collaborate and turn your vision into bold marketing statements!
https://f11photo.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2019/08/Tradeshow-Season.jpg321845Natalie Gunnhttps://f11photo.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2023/06/PR-F11Photo-logo.jpgNatalie Gunn2019-08-28 11:00:572019-08-19 12:58:54Are You Ready For Your Next Trade Show?
Did you know that 85% of your potential customers pass by your business each month? If you want to increase sales, you have to drive foot-traffic, and one the most effective ways to do so is with signage. Here is a list of our top 5 commercial sign requests and general guidelines for each:
Outdoor Signage
Like judging a book by its cover, customers gather first impressions of a business based on its exterior signage and appearance. So make sure your outdoor signs accurately convey the tone and experience you want a guest to expect upon entering your business.
Informational Signage
Informational signs help guests navigate your business and find what they came in for more easily. They should be self-explanatory and easy to read, so large, bold fonts and highly-visible colors work best.
Persuasive Signage
Persuasive signs influence purchase behavior through convincing language and visual appeal. They can encourage traffic flow to certain areas of the business, create interest in specific products or draw attention to promotions and add-on services.
ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) Compliant Signage
You want every guest, regardless of disability, to feel welcome and comfortable in your business. So if your business offers wheelchair accessible parking, doors, restrooms or elevators, you should have those accommodations clearly displayed on signs. Also, any permanent interior signs indicating an entrance/exit, stairwells, restrooms and elevators must have Braille and tactile characters and be mounted at specific heights according to ADA compliance and local fire codes.
Mats
Branded mats are perhaps the most versatile type of signage, because they serve a multitude of purposes. They can be marketing messages, directional tools, safety precautions during inclement weather – or just sheer ergonomic relief for retail staff standing on their feet all day!
A well-designed and properly-placed sign can drive traffic, build brand awareness and increase revenue. Remember to be specific and keep it simple, as too many signs or too much information can have the opposite effect. The Print Refinery is your creative partner for all your commercial printing projects. We consult and collaborate with you to design the best commercial signage that fits your specific business needs.
“Winter Wonderland” may be a great song to listen to when the snow flies, but if you’re sweltering in the summer heat, having it pop up while iTunes is shuffling through your music feels wrong. Happily, there’s a way to prevent holiday music from playing out of season—this trick is also useful for keeping children’s songs from shuffling alongside tracks from Abba, Beethoven, and The Clash. In iTunes, select the songs you want to prevent from being included when you shuffle all tracks, and choose Edit > Get Info. In the Get Info dialog, switch to the Options pane, select Skip When Shuffling, and click OK to save your changes. Note that the easiest way to find such music may be by selecting Genres in the sidebar and then Children’s Music or Holiday in the list that appears.
(Featured image by donnaskolnick0 from Pixabay)
https://f11photo.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2019/08/Holiday-music-photo.jpg8001280F-11 Photohttps://f11photo.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2023/06/PR-F11Photo-logo.jpgF-11 Photo2019-08-01 11:08:002023-06-27 20:30:29Annoyed by Your Holiday Music Playing out of Season? Stop It with This Tip
Most people are probably waiting until September to buy a new iPhone, but Apple is laying the groundwork for making the migration from an old phone to a new one even easier this time around. In iOS 12.4, Apple introduced a new way to migrate your data directly from one iPhone to another. This is an extension of the iOS 11 Quick Start feature that helps you set up a new iPhone with settings from your current device. All you have to do is turn on the new iPhone and place it next to a current iPhone running iOS 12.4 or later. When you see the prompt asking if you want to set up a new iPhone, tap Continue and scan the animation on the new iPhone using the current iPhone’s camera. Then you have to enter your current passcode on the new iPhone and set up Touch ID or Face ID, and tap Transfer from iPhone. Well, that and you’ll need to wait a while for all the data to transfer. If you don’t see this Transfer Your Data screen for some reason, you’ll still be able to restore all your data from an iCloud or iTunes backup.
(Featured image by Adam Engst)
https://f11photo.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2019/08/IPhone-migration-photo.jpg8001280F-11 Photohttps://f11photo.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2023/06/PR-F11Photo-logo.jpgF-11 Photo2019-08-01 11:07:002023-06-27 20:05:10Migrate Your Data from an Old iPhone to a New One with iOS 12.4’s New Feature
