Do you know there’s a shortcut to type “.com” and other top-level domains? Do you receive a lot of spam calls that you wish you could block? Do you keep a large music library on your Mac that you’d like to control from another device?

.com Shortcut

When typing an email address on iPhone in the Mail app or in a website form field, the iPhone keyboard layout normally changes to provide the @ and . keys in the main view. This way, you don’t have to tap the 123 key.

However, there’s a quick way to type .com at the end of the address: Just long-press the period and release. Or, long-press and choose .org, .edu., or .net from the menu that appears.

Additionally, if you have keyboard layouts of other languages enabled, top-level domains of associated nations may also appear. For example, I have the Hebrew layout available so .il and .co.il show up as choices.

Block Spam Calls

Some cellular carriers offer a spam blocking service. This may also be associated with a Caller ID service. Verizon has Call Filter, AT&T has Call Protect, T-Mobile has Name ID, and Sprint has Call Screener.

After you download the app associated with your carrier and sign into your account, you can enable the integration with your phone in Settings > Phone > Call Blocking & Identification.

Remote Control Your Music

Do you have a music library on your Mac that you enjoy listening to? Is your Mac connected to speakers that fill the room with sound? What if you’re sitting elsewhere and don’t want to get up?

You can control playback using the Remote app on your iPhone. On Macs with the Music app, go to System Preferences > Sharing. Choose Media Sharing and enable Home Sharing. For Macs with iTunes, open iTunes and go to File > Home Sharing > Turn On Home Sharing.

Finally, open Remote and connect to your iTunes or Music library. Then you can browse your library and control playback from anywhere on your local network. Plus, if you have other AirPlay-connected speakers on your network, you can also control which ones to use as output sources.

As always, email me if you get stuck or have additional questions. If you discover hot tips on your own, feel free to send them my way and I might feature them in an upcoming edition.