Expert Blogs
Rumors had said that the invitations to an October 17 event to announce the iPad mini would go out on October 10. That was yesterday. No invitations have appeared. Maybe we'll still see them this week. But it's also possible that Apple may be delaying the introduction. Apparently the iPad mini is facing the same production issues as the iPhone 5: low yield rates on the new in-cell display technology and problems with nicks in the finish out of the box. If they're already having production issues with one new device, it would make sense to hold yet another new device until things smooth out.
According to The Verge, a Micrsoft product manager in the Czech Republic has confirmed that Microsoft Office will be coming to iOS devices next March. Microsoft has said for some time they'd be bringing the software to mobile devices, but they haven't officially announced a ship date. The Verge also saw a draft press release that announces the new products. The coming of Office to the iPad was reported as long ago as last February, when The Daily reported that it was in the works and even published a photo of an iPad running a test version of Office.
We've seen renderings, we've seen photos of parts. Now we're supposedly seeing leaked photos of an actual iPad mini. The photos were posted to a Twitter feed by Sonny Dickenson, who's affiliated with the 9To5Mac website, and have now been posted by other websites, such as PC Advisor. The photos certainly look real, and they conform to what all of the rumors have been saying. They show the smaller lightning connector and that the iPad mini is about two-thirds the size of the current iPad. So is all of this a pipe dream? We'll have a better idea tomorrow, which is the date that rumors say Apple will send out invitations to an event next week.
The Maps app in iOS 6 has taken a lot of heat, and the narrative has become that it's a huge blunder that would never have happened had Steve Jobs been around. Yet some of the latest, in-depth reviews are pointing to specific ways in which the new Maps app is superior to the iOS 5 version. Also, MacRumors is reporting that users are already seeing improvements in the app, such as a fixed Flyover image of the Statue of Liberty.
If you go to Apple's website today, the home page is exclusively a 2-minute video honoring founder Steve Jobs on the anniversary of his passing. The menu bar across the top appears once the video finishes. After the video plays, the image fades and a message from CEO Tim Cook appears noting the anniversay of his death and praising what he achieved. It's a moving video, and all tastefully done -- a fitting tribute.
As I noted in an earlier blog post, if you've updated to iOS 6 and miss the familiar Google-based Maps app, one option is to simply use Google's Maps app that you access via your web browser. While some people liked that option, others said they missed having the popular Street View available the web app. Happily, Google has a new version online today that includes Street View. You can read more, and see screen shots on AppleInsider. What's the appeal of Street View?
The rumors have moved beyond the blogs to the mainstream press, yet another familiar step leading up to the official announcement. Today the Wall Street Journal is reporting that mass production of the iPad mini is underway, with the information coming from component suppliers. Their sources say that the new tablet will have a 7.85-inch display, as has been rumored. And again they say that it will have a lower resolution than the current iPad with retina display. Many expect it to have the same resolution as the iPad 2, meaning that apps won't have to be rewritten to accommodate the new size.
In keeping with the usual progression, first we had rumors, then photos of mockups, and now photos of purported iPad mini parts. The images suggest that rumors regarding the size are true. They also suggest that the headphone jack will continue to be on top (unlike the iPhone 5), that the iPad mini will have the new Lightning dock connector, that there will be a version that connects to the cellular data network, and that it will have the nano-SIM tray. The photos appeared on the website UkranianPhone.com.
You have to admire fine artist Jonathan Marks: every day for over two years he’s posted a photo to his Tumblr site that he’s taken with his iPhone. You can see quality in each photo, and clear evidence for his artistry. But he takes things a step further. For each photo, he posts both the original and then his version that has been tweaked for effect, exclusively using iPhone photo-editing apps. The differences are remarkable and give the viewer insight into how an artist sees things.
Take the following photo as an example. It’s a competent photo that shows off the ability of the iPhone’s camera, and shows his sensitivity to lighting and color.
Wow, the iPad mini rumors are really heating up. I'm really looking forward to the announcement this month. Today AppleInsider shared the rumor that production of the mini has begun in Brazil. And the French website NWE has posted a ton of photos comparing a mockup of the iPad mini with other tablets and phones. It gives a clear picture of how the new device compares with the current iPad and with tablets such as the Kindle Fire HD and the Google Nexus 7.
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