Spoiler Alert: That brand new iPad under the Christmas tree is about to be old news, if the latest rumors targeting March 2013 for the introduction of the fifth-generation iPad and second-generation iPad mini with Retina display are accurate. Forgive me if I've dampened anyone's enthusiasm or spoiled anyone's surprise, but considering the rate at which iPad 4s and iPad minis have been flying off the shelves I'd reckon that many of you already guess/hope/suspect that one of those wrapped gift boxes under the tree is a new iPad just waiting for you to get your hands on in a few short hours. So I know it might not be the most welcome news to hear the latest iPad rumors floating around today, hinting at a possible March 2013 release date for the new, fifth-generation iPad and the second-generation iPad mini.
The world continues to turn, and the rumor mill continues to churn out details of the inevitable...
This is what I'm talking about! So many Apple pundits had complaints and negative words to say about the iPad mini before it was released, and now that this tablet-that-should-never-be has hit the market, it is one of the best selling devices in the industry. So mark my words when I say the iPad mini isn't the end of the line for new and different iDevice form factors.
This should really go without saying and yet, when I suggest that Apple will need to continue to create new iDevice size options to keep up with the competitive nature of the game (see HERE for my previous post on the topic), the backlash and nay saying can be intense. However, to remain relevant I feel Apple must continue to do as they have done and diversify their line to remain a top player in a world where the lines between tablet, phone and even PC continue to blur more and more with each passing year.
Got to love the holiday sales, right? In the spirit of the season, several vendors are proving their "non-Scrooge-iness" by offering up reduced pricing and FREE apps to close out 2012! But some only appear to be free, so FREE buyer beware! First up, you can grab great Activision re-styled classics like Pitfall (uh, TOTALLY FREE), Guitar Hero ($1.99), Call of Duty: Zombies ($1.99) and more great games at reduced prices (search App store for Activision). You can also grab a slew of cool games like Shoot the Zombirds (FREE) from Infinite Dreams, iQuarium HD (99 cents), and Jelly Defense (99 cents), plus several more low-priced titles. While you are up in the App store nabbing these great games, you might check out Sleigher and Ears the Astronaut, both pseudo-FREEBIES that I must now sadly report require in-app purchases to advance, which RUINS FREE, IMO (and must now pull from my review queue)...
To celebrate the holiday season many top apps are now on sale for a limited time. Read on to find out which popular apps have had their prices slashed! Great apps that are sure to be on your holiday wish list or gift list are on sale now.
Apple is currently airing a Christmas-themed commercial for the iPad that features FaceTime. A young girl performs "I'll Be Home for Christmas" via FaceTime while her grandfather watches. It's a simple commercial, with no cuts -- just the song. You see the girl on the grandfather's iPad, and the grandfather on the girl's iPad mini. This sort of commercial shows the wonderful way in which Apple makes technology warm and friendly.
Cinema Trix is a fun app which allows you to add filters and other effects to your device’s camera while you’re shooting video or still images. Unlike many other apps, you can use this one to look through your camera at the world as you want it to be. The augmented reality features allows you to feel like you’re in the matrix or some other exciting world. It’s also great for making fun and interesting videos which are altered in a wide range of ways.
Every weekend we will be raffling off tons of great apps and accessories for FREE. Here's how it works: Every Friday we will announce the prizes being given away through iPhoneLife.com, Facebook, Twitter and Google+. To enter the giveaway, go toiPhoneLife.com/giveaways. On Monday morning we will randomly select the winners. If you win an app, we will email you the promo code to redeem the app for free. If you win an accessory, send us your address then we will mail it to you.
I previously reviewed Battle Fleet from Capital j Media--a unique iOS naval strategy game--and so was stoked to check out their new game, Starbase Gunship, which just went live (you can grab it now for intro price of 99 cents)! The game requires you to play the 3-D space gunner lucky enough to be on duty just as waves of incoming ships, missiles, etc. careen towards your home station. I'll post up a full review later, but you can check out the trailer above to get the idea...
No doubt about it, the iPad mini is a hit. According to DigiTimes, which has sources in Apple's supply chain (but which isn't always accurate), Apple had initially estimated they would sell 10 million iPad minis in 2012. But then due to the shortage of components, which was caused by the challenge of manufacturing defect-free devices, Apple adjusted their expectation downward to 6-8 million units. Apple always pushes the limits of the technology, and the result is that during initial production many of the devices have defects simply because they're difficult to build. But then the manufacturer gradually gets better at it, yield rates improve, and more units are produced at a lower overall cost. Yield rates for the iPad mini have now improved, and according to DigiTimes, Apple has increased its 2012 order for iPad minis from 8 million units to 10 million. DigiTimes says that Apple should sell over 10 million units and could sell as many as 12 million this year.
In an age when overstimulation and processed pop culture pervade every aspect of children’s lives, it can be difficult to use new learning technology without overwhelming little ones with commercial messages. Art ABC is a beautifully designed educational experience that takes the high road.
What's bigger than an iPhone, smaller than a MacBook, and the most anticipated Apple product since the original iPhone? On January 27, at a special invitation only event at the San Francisco's Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, Steve Jobs announced Apple's new "magical, revolutionary product" -- the iPad. Meant to fill the gap between the laptop and phone, Jobs said it was "way better" than either. Let's take a look at it.
Thin, lightweight, and powerful
The iPad shares many hardware features with the iPhone, including an accelerometer, an orientation sensor to switch from portrait to landscape mode, solid-state memory, and the same 30-pin doc connector. Connectivity is also virtually the same, with wireless 802.11n WiFi and Bluetooth 2.1 EDR included on all models.
iPad runs iPhone apps!
The iPad will run a version of iPhone OS, and the new device can run virtually any app developed for the iPhone or iPod touch. Aps developed for the iPhone can run on the iPad in native resolution but is large enough to touch type on.
The larger screen not only makes familiar iPhone apps like Calendar, Mail, and Safari look stunning, it also provides screen real estate for more complex elements in the UI. For example, Calendar display a split-sreen view that describes the day's appointments on the left and shows you a color map of used time slots on the right. The split-screen view in Contacts displays you contacts list on the left and the full information for the contact you've selected on the right.
An ebook reader and more
Although not build into the iPad, Apple will offer a free app called iBooks, which will allow you to download and read books from it's new virtual bookstore. The new iBooks store will be accessed from and as easy to use as iTunes.
The ultimate media device?
The iPad is not the world's first tablet PC or the first eBook reader. Toshiba, Lenovo, Acer, and others sell Windows-based tablets, and Amazon has had considerable success with it's Kindle. But Apple thinks the iPad will reinvent the category by offering a vastly superior multi-touch interface an easy access to a wide-variety of apps and media via iTunes. Aple hopes to make the iPad the ultimate media device by leveraging it's existing assets which include over 100 million paying iTunes customers, established relationships with music and video content providers, and over 100,000 iPhone OS app developers.
