Latest news with #Shortcuts
Geeky Gadgets
3 days ago
- Geeky Gadgets
5 Essential Apple Reminders Hacks to Simplify Your Life Instantly
Have you ever felt like your to-do list is more of a burden than a solution? With endless tasks piling up and no clear way to organize them, staying on top of your responsibilities can feel overwhelming. Enter Apple Reminders—a deceptively simple app that's anything but basic. Designed to do much more than just jot down tasks, it's packed with features that can transform how you manage your day. From intelligently sorting your grocery list to automating repetitive chores, Apple Reminders is a tool that can help you reclaim your time and mental clarity. If you're not already using it to its full potential, you could be missing out on a powerful ally in your productivity arsenal. In this guide, you'll uncover five practical tips to unlock the hidden capabilities of Apple Reminders. Whether it's learning how to set custom recurring reminders for those irregular tasks or discovering how to automate your routines with Shortcuts, these strategies are designed to make your life easier and more efficient. You'll also explore clever ways to integrate Apple Notes for extra context and save time with reusable templates for recurring lists. Each tip is crafted to help you streamline your workflow and stay organized without the usual stress. Ready to rethink how you manage your tasks? Let's explore how Apple Reminders can simplify even the most chaotic schedules. Apple Reminders Productivity Tips 1. Organize Your Grocery List Automatically Apple Reminders can transform the way you handle grocery shopping with its automatic categorization feature. When you add items such as 'milk' or 'bread' to a Grocery list, the app intelligently sorts them into predefined categories like Dairy or Bakery. This feature makes it easier to locate items in the store, especially in larger supermarkets, saving you time and effort. To maximize this feature: Create a dedicated Grocery list in the app. Add items to the list as they come to mind. Let the app automatically categorize the items for a smoother shopping experience. By organizing your grocery list in this way, you can reduce stress and make your shopping trips more efficient. 2. Set Custom Recurring Reminders Not all tasks fit into a standard daily, weekly, or monthly schedule. Apple Reminders allows you to set custom intervals for recurring tasks, such as every 4 days, every 10 days, or even every 2 months. This flexibility is ideal for managing irregular activities like watering plants, replacing air filters, or scheduling health check-ups. To create a custom recurring reminder: Open the app and create a new reminder. Tap the calendar icon to access scheduling options. Set a custom repeat interval that matches your specific needs. This feature ensures that even infrequent tasks are accounted for, helping you stay on top of your responsibilities. How to Use Apple Reminders to Stay Organized Watch this video on YouTube. Uncover more insights about Apple Reminders tips in previous articles we have written. 3. Save Time with Reusable Templates If you often create similar lists, such as packing lists for trips or weekly cleaning checklists, reusable templates can save you significant time and effort. Instead of starting from scratch each time, you can duplicate an existing list and modify it to suit your current needs. To use reusable templates: Build a comprehensive list with all necessary tasks. Duplicate the list to save it as a template. Edit the duplicated list to fit the specific situation. This approach ensures consistency and reduces the time spent on repetitive planning, allowing you to focus on more important tasks. 4. Link Apple Notes for Extra Context For tasks that require additional information, Apple Reminders integrates seamlessly with Apple Notes. This feature allows you to attach notes directly to reminders, keeping all relevant details in one place. For instance, if you are preparing for a meeting, you can link the agenda stored in Notes to a reminder. To link a note: Open the Notes app and find the relevant note. Tap the share icon and select 'Add to Reminders.' This integration eliminates the need to switch between apps, making sure you have all the context you need to complete your tasks efficiently. 5. Automate Tasks with Shortcuts The Shortcuts app enhances Apple Reminders by allowing automation for repetitive tasks. You can create shortcuts to handle tasks like adding expiration dates to groceries, generating daily checklists, or setting location-based reminders. For example, you can set a reminder to pick up dry cleaning when you are near the store. To get started with automation: Open the Shortcuts app and create a new shortcut. Set triggers, such as a specific time, location, or action. Link the shortcut to a reminder for seamless task management. By automating routine tasks, you can maintain consistency and focus throughout your day, freeing up mental energy for more complex activities. Maximize Your Productivity with Apple Reminders Apple Reminders is a robust and feature-rich tool that can significantly improve your task management and productivity. By organizing grocery lists, setting custom recurring reminders, creating reusable templates, linking Apple Notes for additional context, and using automation through the Shortcuts app, you can streamline your daily routines and ensure no task is overlooked. Start incorporating these strategies today to take full advantage of Apple Reminders and simplify your life. Media Credit: The Joy of Adulting Filed Under: Apple, Guides Latest Geeky Gadgets Deals Disclosure: Some of our articles include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, Geeky Gadgets may earn an affiliate commission. Learn about our Disclosure Policy.
Geeky Gadgets
4 days ago
- Geeky Gadgets
How to Create the Siri Chatbot Apple Should Have Built
Siri has long been a central feature of Apple's ecosystem, offering users voice-activated assistance for a variety of tasks. However, its limitations in contextual understanding, conversation history management, and advanced conversational capabilities have left many users seeking more. By using tools like Apple Intelligence, Apple Notes, and Shortcuts, you can create a custom Siri chatbot that addresses these shortcomings, transforming Siri into a smarter, more context-aware virtual assistant. In the video below from Stephen Robles, we get to find out how to create an improved Siri for your iPhone Watch this video on YouTube. Understanding Siri's Limitations Despite its widespread use, Siri's current design falls short in several critical areas. It struggles to maintain context across multiple prompts, making it less effective for tasks that require follow-up questions or deeper engagement. Additionally, Siri lacks the ability to save conversation history, which limits its utility as a productivity tool. Its inability to seamlessly integrate with advanced tools like ChatGPT or handle complex data parsing further restricts its potential for sophisticated applications. These limitations highlight the need for a more robust and versatile solution. Key Features of the Custom Siri Chatbot The custom Siri chatbot offers significant improvements over the default experience by addressing Siri's most pressing limitations. Key features include: Conversation History: Interactions are saved in Apple Notes, allowing for easy access and future reference, which enhances productivity. Interactions are saved in Apple Notes, allowing for easy access and future reference, which enhances productivity. Contextual Awareness: The chatbot maintains context across multiple prompts, allowing more natural and productive conversations. The chatbot maintains context across multiple prompts, allowing more natural and productive conversations. Enhanced Processing: By using Apple Intelligence's private cloud compute, the chatbot ensures secure, reliable, and efficient performance. These enhancements make the custom chatbot a more capable and responsive assistant, suitable for a wide range of tasks and scenarios. Steps to Build the Chatbot Creating this enhanced Siri chatbot involves combining Apple's existing tools into a seamless workflow. The process includes: Apple Notes Integration: ChatGPT conversation history is stored in Apple Notes, providing the chatbot with the ability to reference past interactions for improved context and continuity. ChatGPT conversation history is stored in Apple Notes, providing the chatbot with the ability to reference past interactions for improved context and continuity. Shortcuts Workflow: Apple's Shortcuts app is used to handle data parsing and response generation, making sure smooth and efficient operation even with complex prompts. Apple's Shortcuts app is used to handle data parsing and response generation, making sure smooth and efficient operation even with complex prompts. Performance Optimization: Fine-tune character limits and model preferences to balance the use of on-device AI models with private cloud compute, making sure responsiveness while managing system resources effectively. This setup allows you to create a chatbot that feels intuitive, performs reliably, and integrates seamlessly into Apple's ecosystem. Practical Applications of the Custom Chatbot The enhanced Siri chatbot excels in a variety of real-world scenarios, offering capabilities that extend beyond basic virtual assistant functions. These include: Content Creation: Generate summaries, blog posts, or social media content quickly and efficiently. Generate summaries, blog posts, or social media content quickly and efficiently. Conversation Archiving: Save entire conversations in Apple Notes for later review or reference, making it a valuable tool for productivity and organization. Save entire conversations in Apple Notes for later review or reference, making it a valuable tool for productivity and organization. Contextual Interactions: Handle follow-up prompts with contextual understanding, allowing fluid and intuitive conversations. These features make the chatbot a powerful tool for enhancing productivity, streamlining workflows, and improving user experience. Technical Architecture and Workflow The architecture of the custom Siri chatbot integrates several key components to deliver its enhanced functionality. ChatGPT conversation history is stored in Apple Notes, allowing the chatbot to draw on past interactions for context. The Shortcuts app is used to efficiently parse data and generate responses, making sure the chatbot remains responsive even under heavy use. By fine-tuning character limits and model preferences, the system achieves a balance between performance and resource management, making it suitable for a variety of use cases. Challenges and Considerations While the custom Siri chatbot offers significant improvements, it is not without challenges. Key considerations include: Resource Management: Managing large datasets and conversation histories can strain system resources, requiring careful optimization to maintain performance. Managing large datasets and conversation histories can strain system resources, requiring careful optimization to maintain performance. Balancing AI Models: Striking the right balance between on-device AI models and private cloud compute is essential for making sure both security and responsiveness. These challenges underscore the importance of thoughtful configuration and ongoing refinement to maximize the chatbot's potential. Future Opportunities for Expansion The custom Siri chatbot demonstrates the untapped potential of Apple's ecosystem and opens the door to broader applications. Beyond personal productivity, this solution could be adapted for: Automating knowledge queries for businesses or educational institutions. Assisting with content creation for marketing, journalism, or creative projects. Supporting customer service workflows with context-aware and efficient responses. By addressing Siri's current limitations, this approach not only enhances the virtual assistant experience but also paves the way for more advanced and versatile applications in the future. Unlock more potential in Siri chatbot by reading previous articles we have written. Source & Image Credit: Stephen Robles Filed Under: Apple, Apple iPhone, Guides, Top News Latest Geeky Gadgets Deals Disclosure: Some of our articles include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, Geeky Gadgets may earn an affiliate commission. Learn about our Disclosure Policy.
Geeky Gadgets
03-07-2025
- Geeky Gadgets
Build an AI Butler For Your iPhone (No Code)
Have you ever wished for a personal assistant who's always on call, ready to handle your emails, schedule meetings, or manage your to-do list—all without lifting a finger? What if you could build this assistant yourself, right on your iPhone, without writing a single line of code? It might sound like a futuristic luxury, but with tools like Zapier, Apple Shortcuts, and Webhooks, this dream is now a reality. By combining these platforms, you can create a fully functional AI Butler that listens to your commands, automates repetitive tasks, and frees up your time for what truly matters. The best part? You don't need to be a tech wizard to make it happen. Creator Magic shows how to transform your iPhone into a productivity powerhouse by building your own AI Butler. From automating mundane tasks to streamlining complex workflows, this no-code solution uses natural language commands and seamless app integrations to simplify your life. Whether you're looking to send emails with a quick voice prompt or update your project boards while multitasking, this guide will show you how to make it all possible. By the end, you won't just have a tool—you'll have a digital ally that works tirelessly to keep your day running smoothly. So, what would you do with more time and less hassle? Create an AI Butler How Zapier Drives Automation At the core of your AI Butler is Zapier, a powerful automation platform that connects over 8,000 apps and enables them to work together seamlessly. Zapier uses 'Zaps,' which are automated workflows designed to perform tasks across platforms like Gmail, Google Calendar, and Notion. These workflows are triggered by Webhooks, which act as intermediaries, sending data between apps based on specific events. For instance, you can create a Zap that automatically sends an email whenever a new task is added to your Notion board. Here's how the process works: You give your AI Butler a natural language command, such as 'Add a task to my Notion board.' The Webhook captures this command and sends it to Zapier. Zapier processes the request and executes the task across your connected apps. This seamless integration ensures that tasks are completed efficiently and without manual intervention. By automating these processes, Zapier becomes the engine that powers your AI Butler, allowing it to handle complex workflows effortlessly. Integrating the AI Butler with Apple Shortcuts The Apple Shortcuts app acts as the bridge between your iPhone and the AI Butler, providing a user-friendly interface for interaction. Setting up a shortcut involves creating a series of actions that allow you to communicate with the AI Butler through voice commands. Here's a step-by-step outline for creating a shortcut: Use the Shortcuts app to record your voice command, such as 'Schedule a meeting.' Integrate a transcription service to convert the audio into text. Send the transcribed text to Zapier via a Webhook URL for processing. Once configured, the shortcut becomes a powerful tool for interacting with your AI Butler. You can assign a custom name, icon, or Siri voice command to the shortcut, making it even more intuitive and accessible. This hands-free functionality allows you to activate your AI Butler with ease, whether you're at home, in the office, or on the go. How to Build an AI Butler on Your iPhone Without Coding Watch this video on YouTube. Explore further guides and articles from our vast library that you may find relevant to your interests in AI assistants. How the AI Butler Works Once your AI Butler is set up, it can process natural language commands to perform multiple tasks simultaneously. For example, if you say, 'Schedule a meeting with Sarah next Friday at 10 AM,' the AI Butler can: Create a calendar event with the specified details. Draft and send an email invitation to Sarah. Update your task management app with the meeting information. After completing the tasks, the AI Butler provides confirmation, making sure you're always informed about the status of your requests. This eliminates the need for manual input, saving you both time and effort. The ability to handle multiple tasks in response to a single command makes the AI Butler an invaluable tool for managing your day-to-day activities. Everyday Applications of the AI Butler The versatility of the AI Butler makes it suitable for a wide range of personal and professional tasks. Here are some practical ways you can use it: Send emails based on spoken instructions, such as 'Email John the project update.' Add detailed events to your Google Calendar, including reminders and notes. Update project boards or to-do lists in apps like Notion, Trello, or Asana. Trigger workflows using Siri for hands-free convenience while multitasking. These capabilities allow you to manage your responsibilities more effectively, whether you're coordinating with a team, organizing personal errands, or balancing both. By automating repetitive tasks, the AI Butler helps you focus on higher-priority activities. Customizing and Expanding Your AI Butler One of the most significant advantages of this setup is its flexibility and scalability. You can customize the AI Butler to suit your specific needs by integrating additional tools or modifying existing workflows. For example, you could: Connect apps like Slack or Microsoft Teams to streamline team collaboration. Incorporate advanced tools like Airtable or for project management. Expand the functionality of your Apple Shortcuts by adding new actions or triggers. The Apple Shortcuts app also allows for extensive personalization. You can rename shortcuts, change their icons, or adjust their settings to make them more intuitive and aligned with your preferences. This adaptability ensures that your AI Butler evolves alongside your changing needs, providing a tailored solution that grows with you. Boost Your Productivity with an AI Butler By combining the capabilities of Zapier, Apple Shortcuts, and Webhooks, you can transform your iPhone into a powerful AI Butler that simplifies your daily tasks. This no-code solution uses natural language processing and task automation to save you time and effort. Whether you're managing emails, scheduling meetings, or updating task lists, the AI Butler ensures everything runs smoothly with minimal input from you. With its scalability and customization options, this setup can adapt to your evolving needs, making it an indispensable tool for staying organized and efficient. Take the first step today to create an AI Butler that works tirelessly to keep you on top of your game. Media Credit: Creator Magic Filed Under: AI, Apple iPhone, Top News Latest Geeky Gadgets Deals Disclosure: Some of our articles include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, Geeky Gadgets may earn an affiliate commission. Learn about our Disclosure Policy.
CNET
25-06-2025
- CNET
You Can Open Any App By Tapping the Back of Your iPhone: Here's How
The newest iPhones made headlines for the addition of the Camera Control button. But there's already a way to open the camera app without unlocking your device or touching the screen -- and it works even if you're using an iPhone that's several years old. In fact, if you have a Shortcut for it, you can open any app just by tapping the back of your iPhone. All you need to do is set up the secret "button". You can use this feature to not only launch apps, but also turn on your flashlight or activate Shazam to identify a song before it ends. You can summon your iPhone's Control Center or Notification Center without having to swipe down from the top of your screen. With a little bit of imagination, you can use this feature to perform almost any of your phone's functions. The feature is called Back Tap, and like the Action Button on newer iPhones, it gives you one more way to interact with your device without touching the screen. You can activate it by tapping anywhere on the back of your phone, including on the camera module. The best part is that it works even if you have a fairly thick case on your iPhone. Back Tap is available on iPhones as old as iPhone 8, as long as they're running iOS 14 or later. We'll show you how to enable it and how to use it with your Shortcuts app for nearly endless possibilities. Read more: All the Ways the iPhone 16's Camera Control Button Will Change Your iPhone Photography What is the iPhone Back Tap feature? Back Tap is an iPhone feature introduced in iOS 14. It lets you perform shortcuts on your iPhone by double or triple tapping on the back of the device. You can customize Back Tap on your iPhone to easily perform common actions like pulling up the Control Center or Notification Center, especially useful if you have a larger phone and can't swipe down from the top of the screen without some complex finger gymnastics. You can even have two separate functions enabled at the same time: Back Tap can distinguish between a Double Tap and a Triple Tap. Depending on the number of times you touch the back of your iPhone, you can set Double Tap to open your Notification Center and Triple Tap to take a screenshot. Or, you can make Double Tap open the Control Center and Triple Tap launch the Magnifier app. Experiment with Back Tap to find the right combinations of taps and functions that best fit your needs. And you aren't just limited to the Back Tap options that are available by default. Thanks to the Shortcuts app, you can set up Back Tap to perform specific functions or launch any app. For example, you can create a simple shortcut that opens Shazam or starts a voice recording, then activate it with a quick Double Tap or Triple Tap. You can also use Back Tap to trigger a more elaborate shortcut, such as automatically sending photos and videos to specific photo albums. How do I set up Back Tap on my iPhone? To enable Back Tap, go to your Settings app. Then go to Accessibility → Touch → Back Tap. There, you'll find a list of options for configuring Double Tap and Triple Tap. Here is the full list of functions that you can map to a Double Tap or Triple Tap: None Accessibility Shortcut System App Switcher Camera Control Center Flashlight Home Lock Rotation Lock Screen Mute Notification Center Reachability Screenshot Shake Spotlight Volume Down Volume Up Accessibility AssistiveTouch Background Sounds Classic Invert Color Filters Control Nearby Devices Dim Flashing Lights Live Captions Live Speech Magnifier Smart Invert Speak Screen VoiceOver Zoom Zoom Controller Scroll Gestures Scroll Down Scroll Up At the bottom of the menu, you'll also see a list of Shortcuts. These options will vary depending on what's available in your Shortcuts app. The one potential downside to Back Tap is that you don't get any tactile feedback when you use it, so you might accidentally trigger it at the wrong time and not realize it until later. For instance, you might double tap without meaning to and set off your flashlight by accident. In that case, you might want to remap your Double Tap to a less conspicuous function. Or, you can leave Double Tap off and only use Triple Tap, which you probably won't trigger as often. How do I use Back Tap to take a quick photo? One way to set up Back Tap is to map Double Tap to the Camera and Triple Tap to Volume Up or Volume Down. Because you can press either of the volume buttons to instantly take a picture, you can get the same effect if your volume buttons are mapped to Back Tap. With this combination, you can capture a photo with five quick taps on the back of your iPhone (though you'll have to pause briefly between performing the Double Tap and Triple Tap, so that your phone can distinguish between the two actions). This Back Tap combination even works if your phone is locked. Again, spend some time trying out different combinations of taps and features to find which ones are most useful for you.
Mid East Info
24-06-2025
- Mid East Info
Apple thanks Positive Technologies for discovering a vulnerability in its Shortcuts app - Middle East Business News and Information
PT SWARM expert Egor Filatov found a critical vulnerability in Shortcuts, a built-in macOS app that streamlines device management by automating repetitive user actions. If successfully exploited, the security flaw could allow an attacker to gain full control over the device, including the ability to read, edit, and delete any data. If the compromised device happens to be a laptop connected to a corporate network, the attacker could also infiltrate the internal company infrastructure. The vulnerability, tracked as BDU:2025-02497 and rated 8.6 out of 10 on the CVSS 3.0 scale, affects Shortcuts 7.0 (2607.1.3). The vendor was notified of the threat in line with the responsible disclosure policy and has already released a software patch . Users are advised to upgrade to macOS Sequoia 15.5 or later. If updating the OS is currently not possible, Positive Technologies recommends users to pay close attention to the downloaded shortcuts before running them or avoid using them altogether. The Shortcuts app was introduced with macOS Monterey back in 2021 and has been supported in macOS Ventura, Sonoma, and Sequoia versions over the past four years. With the app, users can create shortcuts to automate various tasks, such as starting a timer, playing music, or converting text to audio. Users also have access to macros that provide ready-made shortcuts. A threat actor could leverage this functionality by uploading infected templates to the library. For the security flaw to be exploited, it would be enough for the victim to inadvertently run a malicious macro on their device. 'An attacker could exploit this vulnerability to target any Shortcuts user,' said Egor Filatov, Junior Mobile Application Security Researcher at Positive Technologies. 'Before remediation, the vulnerability allowed an attacker to bypass macOS security mechanisms and execute arbitrary code on the victim's system.' According to the expert, the potential consequences of successful attacks include the following: Theft of confidential data or deletion of valuable information Malware execution Installation of backdoors aimed at maintaining access to the system even after vulnerability patching Ransomware infection Disruption to the organization's business processes (if a corporate device is compromised) Positive Technologies experts have been studying Apple products for over a decade. In 2018, Maxim Goryachy and Mark Ermolov, while looking for security flaws in Intel Management Engine, found a firmware vulnerability ( CVE-2018-4251 ) affecting personal computers made by Apple and other manufacturers. In 2017, Timur Yunusov warned the community about multiple security gaps he discovered in Apple Pay: by exploiting the vulnerabilities, attackers could compromise users' bank cards and make unauthorized payments on external resources. Before that, another Positive Technologies researcher found and helped eliminate a critical vulnerability in the website, which could allow an adversary to conduct a directory traversal attack and gain access to private data. In addition to the macOS version of Shortcuts, there is also an iOS version of the app for mobile devices. To prevent threat actors from infiltrating the corporate network via vulnerable mobile apps, companies should protect their apps against reverse engineering. This can be done with solutions such as PT MAZE , which turns the application into an impenetrable maze, making attacks too resource-intensive for adversaries. Positive Technologies is an industry leader in result-driven cybersecurity and a major global provider of information security solutions. Our mission is to safeguard businesses and entire industries against cyberattacks and non-tolerable damage. Positive Technologies is the first and only cybersecurity company in Russia on the Moscow Exchange (MOEX: POSI), with 220,000 shareholders and counting. Follow us on X , LinkedIn , and in the News section at
