Urgent reminders in iOS 26

Siena demonstrated the new urgent reminders feature in iOS 26, showing how to mark reminders as urgent to ensure they trigger alarms even when focus modes are active.

• Details
  • Siena: Demonstrated how to create an urgent reminder for taking medication, showing that urgent reminders will activate even when a focus is on or the device is muted
  • Siena: Showed how to access reminder details and toggle the urgent setting
  • Ali: Clarified that urgent reminders will go to your phone regardless of which device you set them on
• Conclusion
  • Urgent reminders are useful for time-sensitive notifications that shouldn’t be missed
  • The feature requires permission to allow reminders to schedule alarms
  • Alarms will bypass any focus mode settings

Creating and organizing reminder lists

Siena demonstrated how to create and organize lists in the Reminders app to better categorize different types of reminders.

• Details
  • Siena: Created a “School assignments and tests” list with custom icon and color
  • Jeroo: Asked how to create lists and navigate through the process
  • Liz: Inquired about creating a medical list for doctor’s appointments
  • Ivy: Mentioned having a birthday group under reminders to keep birthdays organized
• Conclusion
  • Lists can be customized with different colors and icons
  • Creating separate lists helps organize different types of reminders (medical, birthdays, school, etc.)
  • Multiple lists can be created for similar categories (e.g., family birthdays and friends’ birthdays)

Setting reminder details

The group discussed various options for setting up reminders, including dates, times, early reminders, and repeat settings.

• Details
  • Siena: Demonstrated setting dates, times, and early reminders for school assignments
  • Siena: Showed how to set reminders to repeat daily
  • Liz: Asked about how early reminders work compared to urgent alarms
  • Ivy: Clarified that early reminders send a notification rather than an alarm
• Conclusion
  • Early reminders can be set for various time intervals before the actual reminder
  • Reminders can be set to repeat at different intervals (daily, weekly, etc.)
  • The app offers flexibility in how notifications are delivered

Shared lists and advanced features

Siena demonstrated advanced features including shared lists, assigning reminders to specific people, and adding additional details.

• Details
  • Siena: Showed the Techstravaganza shared list where team members track upcoming tutorials
  • Siena: Demonstrated how to assign reminders to specific people in shared lists
  • Siena: Showed how to add location-based reminders and messaging-based reminders
• Conclusion
  • Shared lists allow for collaborative task management
  • Reminders can be assigned to specific individuals in shared lists
  • Additional context can be added through notes, tags, and other details

Google Tasks vs. Apple Reminders

The group discussed the differences between Google Tasks and Apple Reminders and which might be better for different workflows.

• Details
  • Ali: Asked whether to continue using Apple Reminders or switch to Google Tasks since he uses Google Workspace and PC
  • Siena: Suggested switching to Google Tasks for better integration with Google products
  • Ali: Noted he would lose features like urgent reminders but was okay with that
• Conclusion
  • Google Tasks integrates better with Google Calendar and Workspace
  • Apple Reminders offers more features like urgent reminders
  • The choice depends on which ecosystem a user primarily works in

Grocery list templates

Liz shared her experience with grocery list templates in the Reminders app.

• Details
  • Liz: Described how a CNIB person set up a grocery list template that automatically categorizes items
  • Liz: Explained how she can use Siri to add items to specific categories
  • Siena: Confirmed this would be covered in a future tutorial
• Conclusion
  • Smart lists and templates offer advanced organization features
  • Siri integration makes adding items to lists convenient
  • A dedicated tutorial on this feature is planned for March

Upcoming Techstravaganza workshops

The team discussed upcoming workshop topics and scheduling for Techstravaganza.

• Details
  • Siena: Showed the Techstravaganza list with upcoming tutorials including Perplexity, Uber app, Apple Music, and more
  • Siena: Scheduled a Google Tasks tutorial for March 4, 2026
  • Ashlyn: Mentioned Perplexity, an AI tool that was requested for a future tutorial
  • Ivy: Shared that Perplexity is more detailed than ChatGPT and provides references
• Conclusion
  • Google Tasks tutorial scheduled for March 4, 2026
  • Outlook tutorial by Amanda scheduled for February 18, 2026
  • Smart lists and templates tutorial scheduled for March 2026
  • Messages on Mac tutorial scheduled for the next day

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Scheduling a Zoom meeting on iPhone

Ali demonstrated the complete process of scheduling a Zoom meeting using the iPhone app

• Details
  • Ali: Showed how to access the schedule button in the Zoom app and fill out meeting details including topic, date, time, and duration
  • Ali: Explained that for basic (free) accounts, it’s best to set meetings to 15 minutes to avoid hitting the 40-minute limit warning
  • Ali: Demonstrated how to add invitees both within Zoom and through the calendar integration
  • Ali: Showed how to save the meeting to the calendar and complete the scheduling process
• Conclusion
  • The scheduling process involves multiple steps but is straightforward once familiar with the interface
  • Calendar integration helps manage scheduled meetings

Meeting controls and features

Ali demonstrated various meeting controls and features available during a Zoom meeting

• Details
  • Ali: Showed how to start a scheduled meeting and access the main meeting controls
  • Ali: Demonstrated the chat feature, including how to send messages to everyone
  • Ali: Showed the participants panel and how to view participant information
  • Ali: Demonstrated how to raise and lower hand
  • Ali: Explained that the raise hand button is now directly on the main screen, not in reactions or more menu
  • Amanda: Asked about the AI Companion feature
• Conclusion
  • The iPhone interface provides access to all essential meeting controls
  • Some interface elements have been relocated in recent updates

AI Companion feature

Discussion about Zoom’s AI Companion feature and its capabilities

• Details
  • Amanda: Asked what the AI Companion feature does
  • Ali: Explained that AI Companion provides meeting summaries after meetings end
  • Ali: Noted that it allows late joiners to ask questions about what happened earlier in the meeting
  • Ali: Mentioned that AI Companion requires at least a Pro account and is not available on basic accounts
  • Amanda: Asked about the cost of Pro accounts
  • Ali: Stated that a single Pro license costs around $25 Canadian per month including tax
• Conclusion
  • AI Companion is a premium feature that provides useful meeting summaries
  • The feature requires a paid Zoom account (Pro level or higher)

Personal Meeting ID vs. scheduled meetings

Discussion about when to use personal meeting ID versus scheduling a meeting

• Details
  • Amanda: Asked about when to use personal meeting ID versus creating a meeting
  • Ali: Explained that personal meeting ID is best for quick, impromptu meetings
  • Ali: Gave an example of wanting to meet with someone immediately rather than scheduling ahead
  • Ali: Cautioned that using personal meeting ID for all meetings could allow anyone with the link to join any meeting
  • Roueida: Asked if Zoom provides the personal meeting ID
  • Ali: Confirmed that Zoom provides the personal meeting ID
• Conclusion
  • Personal meeting ID is best for quick, impromptu meetings
  • Scheduled meetings are more appropriate for planned events
  • Using personal meeting ID for all meetings poses security risks

Meeting duration and limits

Brief discussion about meeting duration limits

• Details
  • Roueida: Asked what happens if a meeting scheduled for 15 minutes goes longer
  • Ali: Explained that on basic accounts, meetings are cut off after 40 minutes
  • Roueida: Confirmed understanding that meetings continue until the 40-minute limit
• Conclusion
  • Basic Zoom accounts have a 40-minute limit regardless of scheduled duration
  • Pro accounts don’t have this limitation

Email BCC functionality (unrelated to Zoom)

Brief side question about Mac email functionality

• Details
  • Roueida: Asked how to set BCC in email on a new Mac Pro 15
  • Ali: Suggested checking the view menu in the Mail app
  • Roueida: Acknowledged the suggestion and said she would try it
• Conclusion
  • The BCC option is likely available in the view menu of the Mail app

A Brief Note About Upcoming Workshops

Today’s was the last workshop for 2025. Workshops will resume again on Wednesday, Jan 7, 2026. Please stay tuned to the newsletters, as the schedule of topics for January and February will be posted within the next day or 2.

Wishing all of you the happiest of Holidays, and all the best for 2026!

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Gmail app navigation and interface

Siena and Ali demonstrated the basic navigation of the Gmail app interface.

• Details
  • Siena: Showed the navigation menu, compose button, and search field at the top of the screen
  • Siena: Explained that multiple email accounts can be added to the Gmail app
  • Siena: Pointed out the Gemini AI integration within the Gmail app
  • Ivy: Mentioned she has a different layout with compose and search at the bottom of her screen
  • Siena: Clarified that Ivy was likely using the native Mail app rather than the Gmail app
• Conclusion
  • The Gmail app has a consistent layout with navigation menu, search field, and compose button at the top
  • The app supports multiple email accounts and includes Gemini AI integration

Reading emails in Gmail

The presenters demonstrated how to read individual emails in the Gmail app.

• Details
  • Siena: Showed how to open an email by double-tapping on it
  • Siena: Demonstrated the email reading interface with options like close, archive, delete, and mark as unread at the top
  • Siena: Explained how to navigate through the email content by swiping right with one finger
  • Siena: Showed how to close an email using the close button at the top
  • Siena: Demonstrated using VoiceOver’s action menu to manage emails from the inbox view
• Conclusion
  • The Gmail app provides a straightforward interface for reading emails
  • Users can easily navigate through email content using VoiceOver gestures
  • Email management actions are available both within the email and from the inbox view

Navigating conversation threads

A significant portion of the session focused on navigating conversation threads (email chains) in the Gmail app.

• Details
  • Siena: Demonstrated how to identify and open conversation threads
  • Siena: Showed that Gmail displays the number of emails in a conversation
  • Siena: Explained that Gmail shows threads in chronological order (oldest first)
  • Ali: Demonstrated how to expand and collapse individual messages within a thread
  • Siena: Showed how to navigate between messages using headings or form controls in VoiceOver
  • Ivy: Asked about the difference between using headings and form controls for navigation
• Conclusion
  • Gmail app displays conversation threads in chronological order (oldest first), unlike the Mail app
  • Users can expand or collapse individual messages within a thread
  • VoiceOver users can navigate between messages using either headings or form controls

Replying to emails

Ali demonstrated how to reply to specific messages within conversation threads.

• Details
  • Ali: Showed how to select a specific message within a thread to reply to
  • Ali: Demonstrated that when the reply button is activated, it replies to the currently selected message
  • Ali: Compared this to the Mail app’s approach to replying to messages in threads
  • Siena: Noted that Gmail makes it clearer which message you’re replying to
• Conclusion
  • The Gmail app makes it easier to identify which message you’re replying to within a thread
  • Users can select specific messages within a thread to reply to them directly

Composing emails

Ali demonstrated how to compose new emails in the Gmail app.

• Details
  • Ali: Showed how to access the compose button
  • Ali: Demonstrated adding recipients in the To and CC fields
  • Ali: Showed how to add a subject and message body
  • Ali: Demonstrated using dictation for message composition
  • Ali: Showed options for discarding drafts and sending messages
• Conclusion
  • The Gmail app provides a straightforward interface for composing new emails
  • Users can easily add recipients, subject, and message content
  • The app supports dictation for message composition

Gmail app settings and customization

The presenters explored various settings and customization options in the Gmail app.

• Details
  • Ali: Demonstrated how to access settings through the navigation menu
  • Ali: Showed how to customize mail swipe actions
  • Ali: Explained signature settings and how they sync with web signatures
  • Siena: Noted that Gmail synchronizes signatures across devices, unlike the native Mail app
  • Ivy: Asked about how to establish and manage signatures
• Conclusion
  • Gmail app offers various customization options through settings
  • Users can customize swipe actions to personalize email management
  • Signatures can be synchronized across devices when using the web signature option

Advantages of Gmail app over native Mail app

Throughout the session, several advantages of the Gmail app over the native Mail app were highlighted.

• Details
  • Siena: Mentioned that Gmail delivers notifications more promptly than the native Mail app
  • Siena: Noted that Gmail integrates with Google Calendar for event invitations
  • Siena: Explained that Gmail’s thread navigation is more intuitive
  • Ali: Demonstrated that Gmail synchronizes signatures across devices
  • Siena: Pointed out that Gmail allows collapsing and expanding individual messages in threads
• Conclusion
  • Gmail app offers better notification delivery and calendar integration
  • The app provides more intuitive thread navigation and management
  • Gmail synchronizes settings like signatures across devices

Next week is our annual Zoom tutorial, on Wednesday, Dec 17. Depending on what time allows, there will possibly be a follow up on the evening of Dec 18, more information nearer to the day.

Contact the team:

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