Expert Blogs
Let's cut to the chase. The iPad 2 was just announced and here's the scoop: 1) Two cameras. A front facing camera was overdue, but two brings the iPad 2 up to par with the iPhone 4 and latest iPod touch. I can't wait for FaceTime chats with the big screen! 2) A 2X faster A5 dual core CPU with 9X graphics performance! There's a gyroscope, too. 3) Thinner and lighter, at 1.3 pounds instead of 1.5 pounds for the original iPad. At 8.8mm, not only is the iPad 2 thinner than the 13.4mm original iPad, but it's thinner than the original iPhone 4, which is 9.3mm! 4) A white model will be available on Day 1, which is a nice surprise. March 11th in the U.S. and March 25th in 26 more countries.
In an earlier article, I wrote about several cases that make it easier to get a good grip on your iPad. This article builds on that one and includes additional cases that let you wear your iPad on your shoulder or neck. A comparison chart is included for your convenience.
So you're moving from AT&T to Verizon. What should you do with your old iPhone? You could hand it down to someone who is already under contract with AT&T. Or use it as an iPod touch, without a voice or data plan. You could also try to sell it on eBay or Craigslist. But if you just want some quick money, there are several firms waiting to turn your phone into cash. Many of these firms guarantee that they wipe the data on your device, so that might be worth some peace of mind. They also typically offer volume deals for businesses.
Today, millions of new users are joining the iOS ecosystem, thank to the Verizon iPhone, and for many it will be there first introduction to iTunes and the App Store. Those of us who have lived with an iPhone for years take many things for granted, but I thought I'd point out some of the idiosyncrasies in iTunes for our new friends.
When people ask me what to get the person who has everything, I always reply "something to keep it in!" So if you or someone you know is fortunate enough to have an iPad, you're probably looking for a case and/or stand to keep it in. Vendors at MacWorld were happy to oblige. In fact, there were several products that overlapped each other in functionality that I repeatedly experienced déjà vu! Here are four such products designed to let you hold your iPad in one hand and/or display it on a stand. I have included a handy (pun intended) chart that shows the similarities and differences.
A consistent theme at CES has been battery life, or the lack thereof. iPhone Life has covered a number of gadgets and cases that can double or even triple the battery life of an iOS device thanks to a 2,000mAh battery. So imagine the technolust when we saw a device with eight times that capacity! They promise 480 hours for five devices!
iPhone Life does NOT recommend driving a car over your iPad or iPhone or over anything other than paved roads for that matter, but if you should drive over the "3feet stand" it should survive. The 3feet is rugged, flexible, and compact. You can use it with an iPad, iPhone, iPod, Kindle, Nook or similar device.
We love our touchscreen devices but they can get dirty in an instant. Parkside Optical, the folks behind the LensPen, a patented carbon cleaning based device originally created for cameras, have put their technology to work for touchscreen devices. Unlike a simply chamois cloth, their SideKick Screen Cleaner uses chemistry to remove smudges and fingerprints. But unlike liquid cleaners, the SideKick is a solid substance so there's no mess and you can throw it in your gadget bag without worrying about airport security.
Pocket God, I am T-Pain and Angry Birds have taken the app world by storm, and I guess it was only inevitable that the real world would want their own versions.
Pocket God now has models of their characters available for purchase. You can act out your own scenes of destruction (or benevolence) as you see fit, or just display them in a glass case, the way your grandmother displayed Hummel figurines!
I've written about Drawing Pad for the iPad before and it's great for kids, but for the serious artist, check out ArtRage. ArtRage is almost like Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator in the sophistication, yet they are able to accomplish this with an elegant iPad interface.
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