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November 11, 2018

iPhone Fix: When Videos Won’t Rotate to Play in Landscape Mode

Can you identify every status icon in this image? If not, you may find yourself in trouble the next time you play a video on your iPhone…

How do you encourage videos on your iPhone to play horizontally? Well, that’s easy… you simply rotate your device on its side to cue the video to rotate and play full screen in landscape mode. Right?
(Barrett’s being a little silly.)

And to be clear, I’m not talking about vertical videos. I’m referring to horizontal videos that first pop up at a fraction of their size to fit in your vertically oriented iPhone as you typically palm it.

But what do you do when your gravity-driven iPhone reflex stops working, and your video remains locked in its portrait orientation after you’ve turned your phone?

Well, that’s exactly what happened to me!

The Icon Holds the Answer
So, I figured some setting had gone awry. It was just a matter of figuring out exactly which one it was…

The irony was my iPhone was trying to tell me the answer all along, but I didn’t recognize the hint…

In the status bar at the top of its screen, my iPhone had been displaying a little ‘lock icon’ with a curved arrow around it.

 

I had noticed the icon before. I just didn’t know what it meant!
(lazy Barrett)

Portrait Orientation Lock
After a little Googling, I discovered the answer. It means… ‘Portrait Orientation Lock.’ And when it’s on, that mode disables the phone’s ability to play videos horizontally.

So, here’s how you turn it off…

  • From your iPhone’s home screen, open the Control Center
  • Find the lock and arrow icon on the left side in the middle
  • Tap it to deselect it
  • Close the Control Center

It’s embarrassingly simple.

Cautionary Tale
There’s just one final unexplained piece to my original mystery… How did Portrait Orientation Lock get turned on in the first place?

Perhaps I accidentally tapped it when I was trying to use my iPhone as a flashlight. Beyond that, I’ll just chalk it up to a practical joke from the video gods.

The lesson, of course is to always pay attention to every new icon that mysteriously pops up on your smartphone. You can ignore it for a while. But eventually, its purpose will reveal itself, and not always in a positive way.

Mobile devices are constantly evolving. You’d better keep up or your digital life is going to get squeezed… just like a video that refuses to rotate properly on your smartphone.

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November 4, 2018

How to Export a Great Photo from a Video Freeze

Why do video editing platforms offer the option to save a frame of video? Well, if you’re the family videographer who captured the video but missed the photo moment, a little video editing can generate the photo of your dreams. Here’s how…

Have you ever realized that you’ve recorded a great family moment on video, but you didn’t snap a single photo? Well, don’t despair! If you’re living in the world of 4K video, you can steal a frame from your video file to create a high-res image that you can frame!

Here’s how you do it on a Mac…

QuickTime
If you’re watching your video in QuickTime, there’s the quick-and-dirty way:

  • Simply find your desired frame and pause the video
  • Copy the specific section of your screen that contains the video window by pressing Apple/Shift/4 and then drag the crosshair pointer to create the appropriate box
  • That screenshot will pop onto your desktop as a PNG file
  • From there you can easily convert it to a JPEG or TIFF

iMovie
JPEG creation is really easy to do in iMovie:

  • In your timeline, simply scrub your playhead to a specific moment
  • Click on the ‘Share’ icon in the upper right corner
  • Click on ‘Image’
  • Then, select where you want to save your new JPEG

Final Cut Pro X
Note: ‘Save Current Frame’ isn’t a default option in FCPX. You’ve got to add it if you’re doing this for the first time:

  • In your timeline, scrub your playhead to your magic moment
  • Click on the ‘Share’ icon in the upper right corner
  • Click on ‘Add Destination’
  • Drag ‘Save Current Frame’ over to the left column to create this choice if necessary
  • Then, click out of Destinations and start your process again
  • The next time… choose ‘Save Current Frame’
  • Click Settings and choose your file format
    (There are more options here than what iMovie offers.)
  • Then, select where you want to save your new photo file

A Video Frame Can Create a Great Portrait
Surprisingly, this technique can also be quite useful when you’re trying to capture a more natural portrait of someone who has a difficult time posing for the camera.

Sure, it’s hard to choose a good freeze when someone’s talking, but the trick is to grab a frame immediately after a sentence. If it’s also at the end of a complete thought, there’s usually a second of a pause to select from.

Find Your Favorite Photo in Your Next Video
Other video editing platforms like Adobe Premiere Pro also have the same freeze frame capture capabilities. So, essentially you’re totally covered to create the photo of your dreams… as long as you can mine a good video clip.
(Yes, those pesky details)

Good luck!

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October 21, 2018

Diary of a New Apple Watch User

I’ve joined the growing crowd and strapped an Apple Watch to my wrist. Now, I’ve just got to figure out how it works! Here’s my experience so far…

I was in a meeting at work, and I must have leaned on my new Apple Watch. Suddenly, Siri loudly proclaimed, “Is there something I can help you with?” The whole meeting stopped, and everyone looked at me.

I apologized for Siri, (literally) and we continued.

I’m not exactly sure what happened, but let’s just chalk it up to human error.

Wearing HAL on Your Wrist?
It’s moments like these which remind me that wearing my Apple Watch Series 4 takes some getting used to. It’s not difficult to figure out the basics, but I’ve definitely had to go through a learning curve as a first-time Apple Watch user (GPS-only model).

Case in point:
I like displaying the weather complication that shows off the day’s predicted temperature range. But I’ve realized when you travel to another city… the watch’s complication doesn’t automatically update its location. Sure, you can easily select the new city to check out the weather, but my Apple Watch always defaults back to my ‘home city.’

I discovered this little frustration when I traveled to Orlando last week. I figured the fix had to be buried in the settings somewhere. It was… but not in the Apple Watch. It was in the Apple Watch app on my iPhone…

  • Scroll down and tap on ‘Weather’
  • Tap ‘Default City’
  • Choose your town!

Easy, right?
Well, it is…now.

Prepare for Impact
My biggest problem has centered around my fear of accidentally whacking my wrist against a wall’s edge or a door handle and scratching up my precious Apple Watch. I know the thing is supposed to be impervious to daily bumps and bruises, but I’ve read enough online commentary to know it will eventually show wear and tear just like any watch.

I’ve definitely banged up some of my other watches over the years. So, I know it’s just a matter of time for my Apple Watch.

Over these early weeks, I’ve found myself consciously leading with my body’s right half to protect my left wrist.

That’s kind of silly, right?

So, I made the decision to Frankenstein my Apple Watch and give it a little armor with ‘bumper’ protection. I know that kind of move totally destroys the beautiful design of the Apple Watch, but I figured any hideous add-ons could be discarded as training wheels down the road.

As I looked on Amazon to review my choices, I realized there weren’t many options available yet due to the slightly different sizing of the Apple Watch Series 4. All of the existing third-party Apple Watch cases and bumpers had to be redesigned and rushed into production.

I went with a “Shock Resistant Bumper Cover” From Alritz.
$9.90 on Amazon

It’s a plastic bumper that’s rigid in some parts and rubbery in others. It covers the watch’s sides and also sports a raised bezel, which for me is the key. I’m figuring the greatest dangers to my Apple Watch will come from side or edge impacts as opposed to a direct assault to the screen.
(That said, I know I can always add on a screen protector to further shield my Apple Watch from life’s dangers.)

And how would I rate my Alritz bumper…?
It’s absolutely fine…
(In Amazon speak, I’d give it 4 stars.)

I wouldn’t exactly call it a design triumph, although I do like its raised bezel. The bumper fits properly, and blends in with my Apple Watch’s form factor.

Most importantly, it’s given me a whole lot more peace of mind.
I’d say that’s worth ten bucks.

Down the line, I’m sure there will be other choices to considering buying.
For now, I’m happy.

Technology That’s Good for You
One other realization I quickly discovered is how many other people are wearing Apple Watches or other fitness trackers. It’s not at all something unusual anymore.

What makes it special is how you integrate it into your own life. And yes, I’m paying a little more attention now to my fitness and how many steps I’m taking every day. And yes, I’m pleased when I hit my ‘Move’ goal for the day.

So, I’m enjoying my Apple Watch, and it helps me to be healthier. I’d say that’s worth the price right there!

…Now, I’ve just got to figure out how to make Siri behave when I’m at work!

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