Latest news with #Books
Globe and Mail
13 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Globe and Mail
The Globe and Mail Bestsellers for the week of June 21, 2025
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Tom's Guide
3 days ago
- Tom's Guide
There's a much faster way to access your iPhone app settings — try these shortcuts
The Shortcuts app is easily overlooked. While it's capable of creating scripts to automate tasks and processes, it can initially seem overwhelmingly complex — enough that many may have written it off as an app just for pro users. But in reality, it's relatively straightforward, and more importantly, it's incredibly useful. In fact, it's now more useful than ever. If you've installed iOS 18.4 or later, you can gain single-tap control over certain Apple app settings without needing to open the apps themselves. These new actions are available for the Books, Calendar, Freeform, News, Reminders, Safari, Voice Memos, and Weather apps. Hopefully, this list will expand to include more — including third-party apps. For now, you can create a shortcut for a frequently used setting (such as turning on Optimize Storage in News or enabling Time to Leave in Calendar), place it on your Home Screen, and tap it to make an instant change. Let's see how it's done. To start the process of creating a settings shortcut, you need to launch the Shortcuts app and tap the + icon in the top-right corner. Next, you have to tell Shortcuts which app you want to work with. There are two ways of doing this. You can simply browse the list of apps — just tap an app you want to use bearing in mind that some apps won't let you set up a settings shortcut. Alternatively, type settings in the search box. This will list apps that definitely have associated settings shortcuts and it's generally the quickest approach. In either case, you need to tap an option called Change [app name] Settings related to the app you want to work with. You will see a customizable shortcut action. For example, if you selected Change Safari Settings then you'll see the action Turn AutoFill Use Contact Info Off. You will see text highlighted in blue. In our example, both Turn, AutoFill Use Contact Info and Off are highlighted in this way. You can tap any blue highlighted text and select an option from the dropdown menu. When you're finished, tap Done. Let's give an example. With Safari, you can tap Turn and change it to Toggle. You can select AutoFill Use Contact Info and choose from a large number of options from Block Pop-Ups and Close Tabs to Open Links and Search Engine. The action will change depending on the options you choose. For example, you could select Search Engine and the action will become Set Search Engine to Search Engine. If you then tap the second instance of Search Engine, you could choose from the likes of Google, Yahoo!, Bing, DuckDuckGo and Ecosia. The resulting shortcut would allow you to run an action that instantly changes the default search engine. It's worth playing around. You can run a shortcut from the Shortcuts app. You just need to tap the Shortcuts tab at the bottom of the screen and then select the shortcut you'd like to run from those that are listed. A shortcut can also be added to the iPhone's Home Screen and run with a simple tap. Doing so means you won't even need to launch an app to use it. To do this, find a shortcut in the Shortcuts app and long-press its title. Tap Details and select Add to Home Screen. And there you go. You now know how to create custom iPhone shortcuts to control settings without opening an app You may also find it handy to learn 7 iOS Shortcuts that will transform how you use your iPhone and, should your iPhone come into contact with water, check out how to order Siri to eject water from your iPhone. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. Shortcuts can also be assigned to the Action button, so check out how to set it up.
USA Today
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Books shape our identities: LGBTQ+ titles we hold close to our hearts
Books shape our identities: LGBTQ+ titles we hold close to our hearts Books are more than just escapist entertainment – reading has the power to transform your outlook and expand your worldview. It's especially important, then, to feel represented in the books we read. For some LGBTQ+ readers, seeing ourselves in literature was the first time we felt permission to be ourselves. Hearing stories from queer elders offers a glimpse at the joy to come for youth who may not feel supported in their families and communities. In celebration of Pride Month, these are the books that raised us as LGBTQ+ journalists. 'Old Enough' by Haley Jakobson This college campus novel is brimming with queer joy while carefully handling topics like mental health, sexual assault and outgrown friendships. 'Old Enough' closely holds anyone who is a survivor of sexual assault, which bisexual women face at disproportionately higher rates. I found so much comfort in Sav's journey. Jakobson is a witty and lyrical contemporary writer and an Instagram must-follow for anyone identifying as bi+. – Clare Mulroy, Books reporter 'Secret City' by James Kirchick I'd read plenty of LGBTQ+ fiction but hadn't dipped my (gay) toe into much nonfiction. This book taught me so much about the city I live in – how queer people's presence and lack thereof shaped presidential administrations, employment decisions and everyone's ability to be openly themselves. Today, as LGBTQ+ rights face pushback across the country, my queer predecessors gave me hope that equality will prevail. – David Oliver, Wellness editor 'Me Talk Pretty One Day' by David Sedaris On one of the final days of 8th grade, my class was given a list of books we could read over the summer. My English teacher recommended "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris. I think it was the first time I'd read anything by a gay author, and one of my first experiences with creative nonfiction as a genre. Aside from humorous essays about his family and his experience living in France with his partner, Sedaris silently confirmed to me that being gay didn't have to mean living a life of shame – a message I certainly wasn't getting otherwise. – Sara Pequeño, Opinion columnist 'Hola Papi' by John Paul Brammer Few memoirs have captured my attention the way John Paul Brammer's "Hola Papi: How to Come Out in a Walmart Parking Lot and Other Life Lessons" did. I had known I was gay probably before I had the language to express it (but, seriously, who plays with Barbies as rabidly as I did? Even at 5, it was obvious) and yet I found myself grappling with the same age-old questions of identity and community. Brammer's brilliant, witty memoir gave me a framework of self-compassion to reflect on all the messy, similar-but-different experiences we had. I closed the book feeling as if he had spoken directly to me. – Drew Atkins, Opinion digital producer 'Gay Bar' by Jeremy Atherton Lin "Gay Bar: Why We Went Out" is a beautiful blend of memoir and well-researched queer history, looking at how the closure of LGBTQ+ bars has impacted the queer community. I first read this in 2023 and have plans to read it again soon. Throughout the entire book, I felt as if I were there with Jeremy at the fantastic queer spaces he visited, while feeling simultaneously inspired as a writer of the community. There really is nothing like a hole-in-the-wall bar with permanently sticky floors and stained ceiling tiles. – Greta Cross, national trending reporter 'Delilah Green Doesn't Care' by Ashley Herring Blake I love romance books, and this is one of the first sapphic romance books I read. Just like any of my favorites from the genre, it had me giggling and kicking my feet. It was also so affirming to see a bisexual main character whose community didn't question her sexuality. Plus, I love that the romance trope of opposites attract was alive and well in this book! I recommend the "Bright Falls" series to any romance lover. – Kinsey Crowley, Trump Connect reporter for USA TODAY Network
Geek Girl Authority
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Geek Girl Authority
racquel marie Archives
Categories Select Category Games GGA Columns Movies Stuff We Like The Daily Bugle TV & Streaming Books List Articles Stuff We Like Pride 2025 is here, and it's bringing plenty of new books. Read on for 14 Young Adult LGBTQ+ books out this June to help you celebrate! Racquel Marie's You Don't Have a Shot is a rivals-to-lovers soccer YA novel. Should you read it? Check out our review!
Geek Girl Authority
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Geek Girl Authority
rory power Archives
Categories Select Category Games GGA Columns Movies Stuff We Like The Daily Bugle TV & Streaming Books List Articles Stuff We Like Pride 2025 is here, and it's bringing plenty of new books. Read on for 14 Young Adult LGBTQ+ books out this June to help you celebrate! Books List Articles Stuff We Like Yellowjackets is gone from screens for now, and we miss it! Click through for book recommendations to satisfy your cravings. Can you believe 2023 is already here? There are so many things to look forward to this new year, and ...
