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Apple: Lots of free, not-so-new and new-ish stuff coming

By WTOP Staff

By Gregg Stebben, Men’s Health

WASHINGTON — Apple users can now look forward to new iOS and Mac features — coming this fall — with Monday’s announcements at its 25th annual developers conference in San Francisco.

A lot of what Apple announced is very similar to stuff already offered by other companies.

Apple is promising a lot of free stuff, a lot of new-ish stuff and a lot of not-so-new stuff for iPhone, iPad and Mac owners.

Free stuff from Apple

  • There will be a free public beta for the new Mac OS X Yosemite operating system starting this summer; click here to sign up.
  • Everything new that was announced by Apple on Monday will be free to most Mac, iPhone and iPad users when released in the fall.

Not-so-new stuff announced by Apple Monday

  • Android-like widgets on your iPhone and iPad Just like on an Android phone or tablet — or maybe just a little bit better.
  • Finally, better Android-like keyboards on iPhone and iPad: Finally, Swype and SeifKey on iPhone and iPad, and Apple has developed its own predictive keyboard as well.
  • Better texting from Apple: Many of these new features are offered by companies we’ve talked about before, such as ZipWhip and MightyText.
  • Better Apple iCloud Drive: Think Dropbox, but by Apple.
  • Better Apple Search: Think Google search, but by Apple.

And, some new-ish stuff that was announced by Apple, too

  • Health Kit: Your iPhone and/or iPad will track your personal health metrics like blood pressure, sleep, calories consumed. Then if, for instance, your blood pressure reading is too high, your iPhone or iPad can alert both you and medical professional.
  • Home Kit: As more and more of our appliances and systems in our home are connected and automated, Apple’s Home Kit will let ou control them all with an iPhone and/or iPad.

For instance, you could tell Siri that “It’s time for bed,” and Siri could:

  • Make sure all the doors are locked.
  • Turn off the water boiling on the stove.
  • Turn down the thermostat.
  • Alert you that you forgot to set the alarm to wake up in the morning in time for your first meeting at work.
  • Handoff: A new feature available for Mac computers, iPhones and iPads, this feature instantly and automatically syncs whatever you’re doing on one device with all the others. This means, for instance, that if you are surfing the Web or writing an email on one device, you can pick up another device and what you were looking at or working on will already be there waiting for you.

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Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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