Tips

Jailbreakers are accustomed to respringing their iOS devices when implementing a mod or installing tweaks. Sometimes the software has a convenient respring button built-in. Otherwise, it can be tricky to respring and it can even be easier just to reboot. Now the jailbreak tweak PullToRespring brings this functionality right into iOS 8.

Once installed, PullToRespring adds respring access directly to the Settings. Simply swipe down on the Settings menu and the Springboard will respring immediately. It's the same gesture that is used as a reload or refresh command in many apps. The only option that will be added to the Settings is a toggle to disable the tweak entirely.

Taking a screenshot on an iOS device means pressing the home and sleep buttons simultaneously. While this copies whatever is on the display to the Camera Roll, the image always covers the entire screen. Cropping the screenshot normally involves editing the photo, but with the CroppingScreen tweak installed the process is simplified.

Users with jailbroken devices can control what subset of the display is captured in a screenshot when CroppingScreen is installed. Simply perform the routine method for taking a screenshot, but instead of the photo being instantly taken an interface is presented. The display will appear grey, and a tap and drag reveals a lighter box. Resize the box to select which portion of the screen you wish to capture, then let go.

There are several ways to view content from the iOS Photos app on a larger screen. Many iPhone, iPad and iPod touch users are familiar with Apple TV, which uses the built-in AirPlay feature of iOS. Chromecast owners can get in on the action, too. All that's needed is a free, third-party iOS app named Photo Cast.

With Photo Cast installed, video from Albums or the iOS Camera Roll can be streamed to the Chromecast device on your TV at up to HD 720p resolution. 1080p resolution is possible with a $2.99 upgrade to Photo Cast PLUS. Custom photo slideshows with a soundtrack can also be cast, or just swipe through some Camera Roll photos on the TV.

Screenshots of your iOS device can come in handy, and not just for those of us that write about such devices. They are useful for demonstrations and obviously for advertising, just look up any app on the App Store and you'll see plenty of screenshots. Screenshot videos are even more useful, allowing developers to give virtual tutorials of their apps. They are especially popular with the gaming community for showing tips and tricks, how to beat levels, et cetera, and just to show off their prowess.

You used to need a third party app to record screen capture video of your iPhone, but with iOS 8 and Yosemite it is fairly simple to do. Here's how:

1. Connect your iPhone to your Mac with the lightning cable.

2. Launch QuickTime Player

3. From the QuickTime File menu, select "New Movie Recording."

There are a lot of iOS features that can majorly mess things up when you are playing games on your iPhone or iPad. For example, receiving a text message can be annoying, and accidentally opening Control Center when swiping up can easily screw up an important jump. Thankfully you can disable most of these features when you just want to kickback and enjoy some games. Here's how to disable the most annoying iOS features when using an app.

Thanks to iOS 8 you can quickly respond to any message without leaving an app. Just swipe down on the text notification, like shown above, to open the reply box and keyboard. You can then type your reply without leaving your game and without opening the Messages app.