Expert Blogs
As you may have noticed, Apple has been overhauling their search algorithm for the App Store, and while no official statement has come from Cupertino, it appears to be designed to eliminate some of the confusion and the 'gaming' of the system that has been prevalent. This is a good thing.
However, as with any change, the new method introduces it's own set of problems. Here's what I've observed:
Apps that have sold a lot, historically, are ranked higher. One might say this is class warfare, as the rich get richer, but this makes some sense. Proven apps are likely to continue to be desirable. There's safety in numbers.
Regular readers of my articles will know I am a big fan of Kickstarter and crowdfunding, and I do my best to find the coolest projects and share them with you. But I can't always find the best items, and once they have been funded, they fall off my radar. Fortunately, there is TinyLightbulbs.com.
Sometimes iOS product vendors overstate their product's abilities. So it's refreshing to see Crimson's Pocket EAZL which, if anything, underestimates what it can do.
I'm a sucker for classic, old-school styling married with modern technology. The juxtaposition of old and new just satisfies something in me. So I was really excited when I saw the Edifier Tick Tock Dock.
In what may be the final nail in the coffin for RIM and their BlackBerry product line, SoloMatrix has developed a compact, non-Bluetooth, non-battery powered keyboard that does its job and gets the heck out of the way when you don't need it. The Spike is a combination case and reversible keyboard. Surprisingly, starting at just $20, the Spike is priced similarly to traditional cases that don't have the added keyboard functionality.
I get to try out a lot of cases for my iPad 2 and new iPad, but it's rare to find a case that protects the screen while in use, but doesn't add a ton of bulk. The Leisure Case from M-Edge is unique in that it is a rigid fabric shell that the iPad 2 or new iPad zips into, and has a clear cover that lets you use the touchscreen. In fact, I'm typing this review while my iPad is in the Leisure Jacket case!
I've written before about the iCade retro arcade cabinet for the iPad, and again when I saw a preview of the mobile version for the iPhone and iPod touch, at the Consumer Electronics Show, but I've finally had a chance to play with that mobile version, and get some hands on time.
I go to a lot of tradeshows and I see a lot of iOS accessories, especially speakers. It's rare to find a speaker, especially a small one, that can make a nice sound and be heard in a noisy trade show environment. So when I saw, and heard, an early version of the Mighty Dwarf Blue II at January's Consumer Electronics Show, I was impressed. It's now shipping and I was able to test a unit. It's well made, in a sleek, black glossy casing that looks like a futuristic UFO! The unit even comes in a solid gift box that uses magnets to keep a 'sneak peek' flap closed.
In the good old days, I used to edit photos of the kids, turn them into black and white images, and restore some color in a few select areas. I probably could have made a business of it. Now, you can do it on your iPhone or iPad in a few minutes. But change is a good thing, and so is Color Splash Studio from MacPhun. MacPhun has had a popular app for the Mac for a while, so it's nice to see iOS users get some loving. I just received my new MacBook Pro with Retina display, so I thought I would celebrate by editing this photo from last week's WWDC event when I saw Apple's Phil Schiller introduce the new MacBook.
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