iPhone:iOS 5 May Be Previewed At Next Week’s iPad 2 Event
You might have heard by now that Apple is holding a special event on March 2nd. The graphics on the invitation indicates that Apple will unveil the second generation iPad.
Engadget claims that according to their source, Apple will unveil iPad 2 and also give us a preview of the next version of iOS – iOS 5 at next week’s event.
Engadget reports:
Apple is also expected to release iOS 4.3 next week.
We can’t wait to find out what Apple has in store for us. How about you? What’s on your wish list for iOS 5? Let us know in the comments.
Engadget claims that according to their source, Apple will unveil iPad 2 and also give us a preview of the next version of iOS – iOS 5 at next week’s event.
Engadget reports:
It’s also almost guaranteed that we’ll see the next version of iOS (number 5 in all likelihood, along with its SDK for devs), and an expansion of Apple’s cloud services (that part is a little… foggy right now).Apple usually gives a preview of the next version of iOS in April and releases it in June.
Apple is also expected to release iOS 4.3 next week.
We can’t wait to find out what Apple has in store for us. How about you? What’s on your wish list for iOS 5? Let us know in the comments.
iPhone 5:Leaked iPhone 5 Front Panel Reveals Thinner, Larger, Edge To Edge Screen?
iDealsChina has posted a photo of what they claim is the front panel of the next generation iPhone – iPhone 5.
Based on the photo, the screen seems to be a thinner, larger 4-inch screen with a smaller bezel due to the edge-to-edge screen.
iDealsChina reports:
We’ve heard rumors that Apple is working on iPhone 5 with a 4-inch screen to compete with Android based smartphones such as Samsung Galaxy S that come with a 4-inch screen. The edge to edge screen is new piece of information as until now we’ve heard rumors that iPhone nano will come with an edge to edge screen (assuming it is launched).
Folks at 9 to 5 Mac had created a mockup of iPhone with a 4-inch and edge to edge screen to show how it may look.
Do you want iPhone 5 with a 4-inch screen or are you happy with the 3.5-inch screen? Please share your views in the comments section below.
Based on the photo, the screen seems to be a thinner, larger 4-inch screen with a smaller bezel due to the edge-to-edge screen.
iDealsChina reports:
China’s 1st iPhone 5 photo has surfaced! From this photo it seems that the screen size will be larger than iPhone 4. There has been a lot of specualtion about a larger screen and maybe this will be one of the upgrades we will see when iPhone 5 is released this summer.
We’ve heard rumors that Apple is working on iPhone 5 with a 4-inch screen to compete with Android based smartphones such as Samsung Galaxy S that come with a 4-inch screen. The edge to edge screen is new piece of information as until now we’ve heard rumors that iPhone nano will come with an edge to edge screen (assuming it is launched).
Folks at 9 to 5 Mac had created a mockup of iPhone with a 4-inch and edge to edge screen to show how it may look.
Do you want iPhone 5 with a 4-inch screen or are you happy with the 3.5-inch screen? Please share your views in the comments section below.
iPad 2 May Get Lightweight Carbon Fiber Body
John Gruber of Daring Fireball has indicated that there is a possibility that the next generation iPad, which is expected to be unveiled at a special event next week could get a lightweight high-strength carbon fiber body instead of aluminum.
However, Gruber who has a very good track record will Apple related news points out that he is only half sure about it as he has heard about it from a second-hand sources.
John Gruber revealed this in the footnotes of a blog post where he insists that there has been no last minute changes in the design of the iPad, which was reported by Engadget:
We feel that the iPad Wi-Fi only model at 1.5 pounds (0.68 kg) and iPad Wi-Fi + 3G model at 1.6 pounds (0.73 kg) is a bit on the heavier side so a lighter iPad 2 would be welcome.
Here is a look at the weight of some of iPad’s competitors to get some perspective: Samsung Galaxy Tab weights only 0.37 kg, BlackBerry PlayBook which is expected to be released soon is rumored to weigh only 0.41 kg while Motorola Xoom weights 1.6 pounds (0.73 kg).
We would love to hear your opinion on the weight of the iPad, do you think its heavy? If so, how much should iPad 2 weigh?
However, Gruber who has a very good track record will Apple related news points out that he is only half sure about it as he has heard about it from a second-hand sources.
John Gruber revealed this in the footnotes of a blog post where he insists that there has been no last minute changes in the design of the iPad, which was reported by Engadget:
I could publish things I’m only half-sure about, like the iPad 2 switching from aluminum to a lightweight high-strength carbon fiber body, but I don’t, because I’m only half-sure and I’ve only heard about it from second-hand sources who themselves are unsure about it. And even if I were to off-handedly mention such speculation, I’d do so in a footnote and take pains to emphasize the uncertain nature of the information and the second-hand status of the sources thereof. What I would never do is take a flyer and report uncertain speculation as a fact, and, if it wound up not panning out, chalk it up to Apple having changed things at the last moment rather than the report being flat-out wrong all along.Earlier in the month, iLounge had also reported the possibility of Apple using a new material similar to carbon fiber instead of aluminum in the next generation iPad to make it tougher and at the same time reduce its weight.
We feel that the iPad Wi-Fi only model at 1.5 pounds (0.68 kg) and iPad Wi-Fi + 3G model at 1.6 pounds (0.73 kg) is a bit on the heavier side so a lighter iPad 2 would be welcome.
Here is a look at the weight of some of iPad’s competitors to get some perspective: Samsung Galaxy Tab weights only 0.37 kg, BlackBerry PlayBook which is expected to be released soon is rumored to weigh only 0.41 kg while Motorola Xoom weights 1.6 pounds (0.73 kg).
We would love to hear your opinion on the weight of the iPad, do you think its heavy? If so, how much should iPad 2 weigh?
iPhone Game:EveryAir – Remote Desktop App Will Allow Users To Play PS3 Games On The iPhone, iPad And iPod Touch
Developers at PandaElf Labs have figured out a way to play PS3 games on the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch with a little wrangling of hardware and software.
EveryAir is the name of the remote desktop application that will allow users to play PS3 games on their iOS device.
Folks at PandaElf explain how it works:
everyAir (iTunes link) that is currently available on the App Store does not support this feature but PandaElf are planning to release a fully customizable version of everyAir that will allow iOS device users to play PS3 games soon. We’ll let you know as soon as it is released, so tuned here at iPhone Hacks or follow us on Twitter or subscribe to our RSS feed.
So what do you think? Let us know in the comments section below.
EveryAir is the name of the remote desktop application that will allow users to play PS3 games on their iOS device.
Folks at PandaElf explain how it works:
The trick is to connect a capture device and a USB mouse/keyboard device to the PS3. The capture device sends video data to the PC, and the USB keyboard/mouse sends the button presses. On the PC itself, you run a custom build of everyAir which understands custom gestures and pipes the input to the PC which then sends it to the PS3 via the input interpreter.
There are two problems to solve: sending the video signal to the iOS device and sending back input from the iOS device. Sending the video signal is solved by using an off the shelf capture device, and then sending back the input is a combination of a custom build of everyAir with an off the shelf mouse/keyboard device that connects to the PS3.They have also developed EveryAir – a remote desktop application that connects the iOS device to the PC.
everyAir (iTunes link) that is currently available on the App Store does not support this feature but PandaElf are planning to release a fully customizable version of everyAir that will allow iOS device users to play PS3 games soon. We’ll let you know as soon as it is released, so tuned here at iPhone Hacks or follow us on Twitter or subscribe to our RSS feed.
So what do you think? Let us know in the comments section below.
[iPad]Engadget: iPad 2 thinner, faster, has cameras, no SD slot or high-res display
Our buddies at Aol Tech sister site Engadget have heard some details from very reliable sources (Engadget’s Joshua Topolsky notes “these sources have been dead right on specific Apple plans and specifications for unannounced products in the past”) regarding the second-generation iPad that will be announced on Wednesday, March 2.
We’ve all been expecting that the new iPad will be somewhat thinner and feature at least a front-facing camera for FaceTime, but according to the Engadget sources, the planned SD slot and higher-resolution display will have to wait for a future device.
The good news is that the sources are stating that the iPad 2 will have more RAM at 512 MB, which means fewer app crashes when multiple apps running are at the same time. It’s also expected that the new device will be moving to a new generation of the Apple-designed CPU, rumored to be named the A5.
Engadget is also speculating that an announcement and demo of iOS 5.0 and the associated SDK will be made, although the new iPad will most likely ship initially with iOS 4.3 loaded. Any speculation about updated cloud services is just that — speculation.
Whatever Apple has up its spacious sleeves for us next Wednesday, you’ll find the best coverage here at TUAW. Be sure to join us as we liveblog the iPad event.
We’ve all been expecting that the new iPad will be somewhat thinner and feature at least a front-facing camera for FaceTime, but according to the Engadget sources, the planned SD slot and higher-resolution display will have to wait for a future device.
The good news is that the sources are stating that the iPad 2 will have more RAM at 512 MB, which means fewer app crashes when multiple apps running are at the same time. It’s also expected that the new device will be moving to a new generation of the Apple-designed CPU, rumored to be named the A5.
Engadget is also speculating that an announcement and demo of iOS 5.0 and the associated SDK will be made, although the new iPad will most likely ship initially with iOS 4.3 loaded. Any speculation about updated cloud services is just that — speculation.
Whatever Apple has up its spacious sleeves for us next Wednesday, you’ll find the best coverage here at TUAW. Be sure to join us as we liveblog the iPad event.
iPhone:Apps for the 2011 Academy Awards
With the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences 83rd Annual Academy Awards (or as we like to call them: The Oscars) airing this Sunday on ABC, iOS-using movie fans may want to enhance their viewing experience with a few Apps for their iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch.
So, we’ve put together a little list of some that might help you out, with descriptions from the App developers themselves and some context from us.
First off, if you’re interested in the fashion and glamour of the Oscars as well as who wins what award (and we know you are), you’ll need Live from the Red Carpet. This app “…lets you experience total VIP access to Hollywood’s hottest events, right at your fingertips.”
“You’ll have instant access to hundreds of E! articles, breaking down everything from the winners and upsets to the shows’ best (and worst) moments. Plus, connect with Twitter to share your VIP access with the world.”
This App is pretty useful, especially if you’re that person who always wants to know what everyone is wearing. Also, its a great way to keep up on that all-important celeb gossip and party info so even if you can’t really be there, you can at least feel like it for a bit.
Next up is an App that no certified cinefile can be without: IMDB (AKA The Internet Movie Database). With this App you have instant access to the entire online database of movie knowledge. Do you want to know which movie from 2001 starred Colin Firth and Hugh Grant? It’s in there. How about what movie won Best Picture in 1977? It’s in there.
Or, how about what was director David Fincher’s first movie? In there. All the information you could ever want about every actor, actress, movie, director or writer (well, who cares about the writers really?) is in the IMDB database. It’s an essential tool in any Oscar watcher’s aresenal.
Moving on, we’ve got an App from the folks bringing us the Oscar telecast, ABC Digital. This App, called Oscar Backstage Pass, gives fans “access to live streams from exclusive cameras placed throughout the Red Carpet, the Kodak Theatre and the Governors Ball so you can go beyond the tv broadcast and watch more live Oscar action as it’s taking place.”
That sounds like fun, right? Who knows, maybe one of those cameras will catch someone doing something they shouldn’t. Or better yet, a fight.
Finally, you can download the “official” Oscars App which, among other things, lets you “make Oscar predictions, access complete Nominee lists, get insider information on each film, watch viewable trailers and more.” You can also “compare with your group of friends and share your picks through Facebook, Twitter, text and email.”
We’ve got our predictions ready, how about you?
The Oscars air on Sunday at 8E/5P on ABC.
So, we’ve put together a little list of some that might help you out, with descriptions from the App developers themselves and some context from us.
First off, if you’re interested in the fashion and glamour of the Oscars as well as who wins what award (and we know you are), you’ll need Live from the Red Carpet. This app “…lets you experience total VIP access to Hollywood’s hottest events, right at your fingertips.”
“You’ll have instant access to hundreds of E! articles, breaking down everything from the winners and upsets to the shows’ best (and worst) moments. Plus, connect with Twitter to share your VIP access with the world.”
This App is pretty useful, especially if you’re that person who always wants to know what everyone is wearing. Also, its a great way to keep up on that all-important celeb gossip and party info so even if you can’t really be there, you can at least feel like it for a bit.
Next up is an App that no certified cinefile can be without: IMDB (AKA The Internet Movie Database). With this App you have instant access to the entire online database of movie knowledge. Do you want to know which movie from 2001 starred Colin Firth and Hugh Grant? It’s in there. How about what movie won Best Picture in 1977? It’s in there.
Or, how about what was director David Fincher’s first movie? In there. All the information you could ever want about every actor, actress, movie, director or writer (well, who cares about the writers really?) is in the IMDB database. It’s an essential tool in any Oscar watcher’s aresenal.
Moving on, we’ve got an App from the folks bringing us the Oscar telecast, ABC Digital. This App, called Oscar Backstage Pass, gives fans “access to live streams from exclusive cameras placed throughout the Red Carpet, the Kodak Theatre and the Governors Ball so you can go beyond the tv broadcast and watch more live Oscar action as it’s taking place.”
That sounds like fun, right? Who knows, maybe one of those cameras will catch someone doing something they shouldn’t. Or better yet, a fight.
Finally, you can download the “official” Oscars App which, among other things, lets you “make Oscar predictions, access complete Nominee lists, get insider information on each film, watch viewable trailers and more.” You can also “compare with your group of friends and share your picks through Facebook, Twitter, text and email.”
We’ve got our predictions ready, how about you?
The Oscars air on Sunday at 8E/5P on ABC.
iPhone:3D music video was shot with two iPhone 4s
Forget about the Android-powered LG Optimus 3D with its fancy 3D camera, all you need to make a 3D video is a couple of people, two iPhone 4s, and a healthy dose of enthusiasm for filming. The folks at Atomic Cheesecake productions were up to the challenge and put together a 3D music video recorded entierly using the iPhone 4 and its five-megapixel camera.
The 3d indie video aficiandos put together a semi-fancy rig to align the two iPhone 4s so they could record video and combine the two streams to create a 3D effect. The cameras on the pair of iPhones were controlled by the Almost DSLR app which gives your precise control over the individual settings of the camera. A little bit of post-processing to perfect the 3D and director Ryan Suits has an interesting and innovative video.
The video was produced for musician Luke Hagendorf who is using it for his song Changes We Don’t Understand. The 3D video requires those red and cyan glasses to enjoy the full 3D effect but, with or without galsses, you can check out his 3D test video and the music video after the break. Enjoy!
iPhone 4:Ouch! Consumer Reports slams the Verizon iPhone 4
Not the most breathtaking revelation, but Consumer Reports won’t put the Verizon iPhone 4 on its list of recommended smartphones. The Verizon iPhone joins the AT&T model in earning the ad-free publication’s lack of enthusiasm.
The problems cited are the same as those that led to the original criticism of the GSM iPhone 4. Put a finger on the gap between antennas and the signal drops. In at least once instance, where there was a low signal, a call couldn’t be placed while the gap was covered.
Other items of note involved voice quality. On the Verizon version, CR finds the voice quality superior when you make a call from it, but the testers thought the audio quality on received calls was better on the AT&T model.
Consumer Reports says most iPhone cases alleviate the antenna gap problem, but they are not about to recommend either phone. Apple had offered free cases to iPhone 4 buyers after the controversy last year, but that program has been discontinued. Apple has stated it will provide cases if customers experience issues.
The problems cited are the same as those that led to the original criticism of the GSM iPhone 4. Put a finger on the gap between antennas and the signal drops. In at least once instance, where there was a low signal, a call couldn’t be placed while the gap was covered.
Other items of note involved voice quality. On the Verizon version, CR finds the voice quality superior when you make a call from it, but the testers thought the audio quality on received calls was better on the AT&T model.
Consumer Reports says most iPhone cases alleviate the antenna gap problem, but they are not about to recommend either phone. Apple had offered free cases to iPhone 4 buyers after the controversy last year, but that program has been discontinued. Apple has stated it will provide cases if customers experience issues.
iPhone:First Hong Kong Apple Store to open this year
The South China Morning Post reports that Apple will open its first retail store in Hong Kong later this year. The International Finance Center (IFC) Mall in the central district of Hong Kong Island will host the new 15,000 square foot location. A second Hong Kong Apple store, a 20,000 square foot shop in Hysan Place in Causeway Bay, is planned for 2012.
According to the Morning Post, Apple negotiated a 10-year lease for the retail space in the IFC mall. The company will spend an estimated US$20 million to construct its first store in Hong Kong and up to $9.2 million a year on rent. An Apple spokesperson told the Morning Post the IFC store “will be similar” to Apple’s high-profile retail locations in London, Paris, and Shanghai.
Located near two office towers and a soon-to-open Four Seasons Hotel, The IFC mall houses approximately 200 shops representing about 100 different international brands. Hong Kong is home to about 7 million people and hosts approximately 32 million tourists a year.
Apple opened its first store in China in July, 2008. The four locations in China — two in Beijing and two in Shanghai — each receive over 40,000 visitors a day, says Ron Johnson, senior vice president of retail operations for Apple. That is four times the traffic to Apple’s stores in the rest of the world. The company plans to open a total of 20 new stores in China this year.
Apple has 323 retail stores worldwide.
iPhone:Lots of App Store sales going on this weekend
I can’t think of anything really special about this weekend (though GDC is coming up next week), but quite a few app developers have put their apps on sale for some reason. Here are some of the deals in Apple’s App Stores this weekend:
- 148Apps has a list of free apps, including an interesting card game called Shadow Era.
- Gameloft has put its whole library on sale, more or less, for just 99 cents each.
- iSlash is completely free over the weekend.
- The great Lemmings-like Spirits (and its iPad counterpart) are on sale for 99 cents as well.
- The minimalist writing app, WriteRoom, is on sale on the Mac App Store for just $4.99. It’s usually $24.99, but this sale is a great deal, designed for those who already have a WriteRoom license to transfer their purchase over to the MAS.
- An app called FX Photo Studio has dropped its price to 99 cents, and Translation Fire, which will do a variety of translations for you, is free for the next few days.
- Finally, Grokion, which does a pretty good impression of a Metroid game on iOS, has also gone free for GDC.
- Here’s one more late arrival: Battleheart is on sale for the amazing price of 99 cents. That’s a must-buy at that price — here’s why.
iPhone:South Korea’s SK Telecom to offer Apple iPhone starting in March
SK Telecom has confirmed it intends to carry the iPhone 4, ending KT’s exclusivity with the popular Apple smartphone. According to the statement, SK Telecom will announce launch and pricing details at a later date. Currently, the wireless carrier leads the pack in South Korea with slight over half of the cellular market. Its current smartphone profile is peppered with Android handsets from local manufacturers LG and Samsung.
With the introduction of the iPhone 4, SK will soon compete directly with its smaller rival KT which has sold various models of the iPhone since November 2009. KT has seen a boost from the iPhone and recently announced it has sold over 2 million units during this time of exclusivity.
Overall, this Asia-Pacific region is a hotbed for Apple products with sales of the iPhone and Mac more than doubling year over year, according to Apple’s latest earnings report. This move to bring the iPhone to SK Telecom is part of a larger plan by Apple to expand its user base and boost it sales in the Asia-Pacific region.
iPhone:iMainGo X iPhone / iPod speaker system cranks the volume up to 11
When it comes to portable speaker systems that work with the iPhone and various flavors of iPod, the iMainGo 2 (US$39.95) from Portable Sound Laboratories has been an inexpensive and powerful favorite of many Apple fans. Now the company is turning up the volume — literally — with a new version known as the iMainGo X ($69.95).
What It Is:
Like the previous version, the iMainGo X is a deceptively simple box that looks like a large clutch case for an iPhone or iPod touch. One half of the case is made up of the tech — a rechargeable Lithium-ion battery pack, the speakers, and the electronics — while the other half holds your device behind a waterproof shield. The rechargeable battery pack is a solid improvement over the 4 AAA batteries that were required with the iMainGo 2. They don’t last as long (12 hours as opposed to 30 hours for the AAA batteries), but will save you money in the long run over the disposable batteries.The iMainGo X also has slightly larger bass speakers as well as the ability to daisy-chain up to three of the devices for loud surround sound. It does this through the addition of another headset port on the front of the box, which can be used to connect your iMainGo X up to two more devices.
Test Drive
After the initial recommended battery charge of six hours, I zipped my iPhone 4 into the iMainGo X to give it a try. The controls of the iPhone 4 are easily accessible through the waterproof / sandproof cover, making it a piece of cake to keep your phone or iPod safe when listening to tunes on the beach. I initially tried fitting the iPhone 4 into the iMainGo X while it was wearing a Mophie Juice Pack Air, but the added thickness made it a very tight fit. The iMainGo X comes with foam padding in several thicknesses so you can make sure that your touch-screen device is flush with the clear plastic cover.There’s an auxiliary microphone / instrument jack as well, making the iMainGo X perfect for musicians on the go. Of course, it’s not just made for an iPhone or iPod; you can plug in anything that can be connected with a 3.5 mm audio jack. Put together three iMainGo X boxes with an iPad running Algoriddim’s DJay app, and you have an instant party.
The best way to test a speaker system is to listen to it, so that’s what I did. My iPhone 4 contains a huge cross-section of music ranging from classic rock, classical, and opera to punk and electronic music. The sound quality has improved, with more kick to the bass and very clear highs. You don’t get a tremendous amount of separation between the channels, as you’d expect with a device with only about three inches of space between the speakers, but it still sounds pretty good.
Although I didn’t test the iMainGo X with a microphone, it seems like this would turn the device into a great little portable PA system for would-be buskers or crazed conspiracy theorists spouting nonsense in parks… not that TUAW or Portable Sound Laboratories would condone the latter.
Issues
There was only one issue that I had with the iMainGo X when using an iPhone 4 in it — the clear plastic cover doesn’t extend far enough down to make the Home button easily accessible. You can see this in one of the photos in the gallery. This problem would also occur with other iPhone and iPod touch models. I also felt that the included audio in cable with 3.5 mm connector was a bit short for use with a laptop or desktop computer — it would be great if it were a bit longer or if the kit included a 3-foot (1 meter) extension adapter. My final gripe? The size of the external power supply / charger. It’s about half the size of the iMainGo X, which for me would be a deal-killer in terms of taking this on vacation with me. A smaller charger or just a common USB adapter for charging would take up much less room.Conclusion
If you’re in the market for an inexpensive yet powerful speaker system to connect to your iPod, iPhone, iPod touch, or computer while on the go, the iMainGo X speaker system is an excellent choice, It’s compact, seals out sand and moisture, and pumps out sound at an astounding volume.We’ll be giving away our review unit soon, so keep your eyes open and locked onto TUAW for all of the details.
iPhone:MLB At Bat 11 apps for iPhone, iPad now available
With the wintry weather that seems to be hitting a lot of the U.S. today, most people probably aren’t thinking about the start of the 2011 Major League Baseball season. There are two sure signs of spring today — the MLB players started playing Spring Training exhibition games today, and the MLB At Bat 11 apps for iPhone/iPod touch and iPad are now available for sale in the App Store.
At this point you’ll be able to watch about 150 Spring Training games through a free preview of MLB.TV, and listen to available radio broadcasts of Spring Training games. Like the 2010 version of the app, you can get a close-up batter’s view of every at-bat, breaking news, schedules, rosters, and players stats. The description of the app notes that additional features and functionality will be released for Opening Day on March 31.
Major League Baseball apparently didn’t listen to user complaints from last year, however. The iPad and iPhone apps are still separate apps, and each costs $14.99. On top of that insult, the league advertises in articles found in the app. Once the MLB season begins, you’ll be able to watch one free televised game per day and listen to as many games on Internet radio as you’d like, but there’s no way to purchase a package to watch all games for a specific team in the app or beam the games to an Apple TV via AirPlay.
Early reviews on the App Store are saying that the performance of the MLB At Bat 11 app does seem to have improved over last year’s iteration, which was notable for slow loading of articles and videos.
[iPhone]Jack and Joe: A lovely interactive book for small children
Jack and Joe (US $2.99) is the first of what will surely become a series of interactive storybooks for small children from the Stupid Art Company. This is an independent universal app written and illustrated by Bard Hole Standal and programmed by his brother Odin Hall Standal. It’s a 27 page buddy story about the friendship of Jack, a cute blonde haired boy, and his Siberian Husky puppy Joe. The illustrations are appropriately simple and colorful, telling a warm and comforting story that is sure to please the smallest of readers. There’s nothing scary here outside of a threatening bee. With the excellent narration of Katie Leigh, the story is read with no words being highlighted.
This isn’t one of those books where you need to touch everything to start animations. On most pages there is movement, but little to no interactivity. I don’t consider this to be a problem since too many similar books make kids go on treasure hunts, touching everything and losing the track of the simple story. The straight reading is mixed up with activities that seem just right. At one point you need to shake the iPad or iOS device to shake Jack and Joe out of a tree. In another, there is a coloring page where five colors of chalk let you color a picture on the sidewalk. The centerpiece is a nicely animated and choreographed dance sequence that I really enjoyed. Check out the video after the break to get the feel of the book. I think that small kids will be delighted.
[iPad 2]The silly season: Two fun, fan-made videos of the iPad 2
With all the buzz of anticipation of the iPad2 expected release on March 2nd I thought it would be fun to put up a couple of videos circulating the Internets on just what to expect.
The first one by Exkild is a full and detailed explanation of all the new magical features of the new 27″ device. My favorite part of this 6:45 tour is expaining the new features in iTunes which will automatically download good music, delete bad music and if it finds a song by Justin Bieber, it self-destructs.
The second one is a 1:45 action movie opus made by Evan Larimore, a guy who is really into movies. A huge iPad2 with the eye of HAL from 2001: A Space Odyssey descends from space and wreaks havoc in the hand-held style of Cloverfield.
Take a look. They’re bound to give you a chuckle or two.
iPhone:Watch this iPhone get dunked in a goldfish bowl
It’s the weekend, and what better time to watch somebody try to destroy an iPhone than that? After the break below, you can watch video of a presentation at this week’s Launch Conference in San Francisco, in which LifeProof, a company that makes iPhone cases built to withstand the elements, dunks said iPhone in said goldfish tank. They also put condiments all over it, cover it in dirt, and just generally make a mess, all to prove that their iPhone case can protect against whatever gets thrown at it.
The case itself is $69.95, which is a little pricey, but LifeProof of course says that replacing the iPhone completely is much more expensive. I’d suggest that if your iPhone is getting dunked in water or covered in dirt, it might be better to just leave it at home (although I guess there are certain jobs that require a smartphone in less-than-ideal conditions). At any rate, even if you don’t need a case that can withstand a tornado, the video below (the demo starts around 1:40) is an entertaining watch.
iPhone:iTunes could get cloud-based backup solution
Late last year I predicted 2011 would be the year of the cloud for Apple, and so far I’ve been right. I said OS X Lion would be sold via the App Store, and it certainly will. Here’s the other part of Apple’s cloud strategy: the company is reportedly looking to use the cloud for iTunes, not as a streaming service, but as “insurance,” a sort of backup system for the music you already own and have downloaded to your own computer. Specifics are vague; it’s not clear how much this would cost or exactly how this would work, and obviously Apple is keeping it all under wraps until it’s ready to announce the service completely.
The signs are there: MobileMe is reportedly going online-only, the North Carolina data center is about to come online, and Apple seems primed to introduce a service which would connect your media (and possibly even your contacts and other downloads) across all of your iOS and Mac devices, accessible from any device wherever you happen to have it. I’d bet such a service will be online by the end of this year. We’ll have to see what comes of this, but we certainly seem closer than ever to Apple introducing some connection to the cloud in iTunes.
iPad:Engadget awards iPad best gadget of 2010
Apple won big in our sister website Engadget’s annual editors’ awards yesterday, taking the top prize with the iPad winning ‘Gadget of the Year‘ and a number of other Apple products either winning or coming runner-up in their categories.
“The iPad won this one going away — there’s just no denying the influence Apple’s tablet had on the industry this year,” said Engaget’s editors. The iPad also won Tablet of the Year and was in the runner up position to Netflix in the Home Entertainment category.
The iPhone 4 won Phone of the Year, beating the HTC Evo into second place, although the Engadget editors did say that “the Evo 4G will be remembered as the first of an entirely new breed of smartphones.”
The Apple MacBook Air came in second in the Laptop of the Year contest to HP’s Envy 14 due to its “aluminum chassis, Core i5 power, and Radiance display…[but]that said, there’s no denying the significance of the MacBook Air’s new solid-state storage and speedy resume times.”
Display of the year went to Corning’s Gorilla Glass — as used in the iPhone 4, whose Retina Display won runner up.
Portable media device of the year went to the iPod touch. “[t]he iPod touch is more dominant than ever, and with good reason. It’s caught up to the iPhone 4 in terms of most key specs, and the App Store remains a huge advantage over the rest of the non-phone competition.”
The iPod Nano came runner up to the Jawbone Icon in the Wearable Device of the Year category, and Airplay runner up to Verizon LTE in the Wireless Device or Technology category.
[iPhone]My top 3 iPhone apps: Sam Levin of AppMinute
As a guy who regularly checks apps for a living (on AppMinute), Sam Levin knows which apps work and which ones don’t so when he recommends and app, you know he’s using it. This week Sam tells us his ever-rotating list of top 3 apps (again, called his favorites, but they happen to be often-used).
The apps discussed are:
Say it and mail it recorder
SoundHound
Photogene
The apps discussed are:
Say it and mail it recorder
SoundHound
Photogene
iPhone 5 part surfaces, shows larger display and thinner bezel?
A purported image of an iPhone 5 part has appeared on a Chinese reseller of Apple parts’ website. Specifically, this part may be the digitizer panel for the fifth generation iPhone’s touch screen. The part’s design appears to be similar to that of the one found on the current iPhone 4, and past iPhone models, but the screen cutout of the panel appears to be much larger. No measurements for this cutout have been posted, but the cutout could be for a four-inch display, and this matches up with reports from Apple’s production lines in Asia.
Apple is said to be working on a “completely re-designed” iPhone for debut in Summer 2011 with a four-inch display to take on the larger screens found on some of the latest smartphones running Google’s Android operating system. Apple’s next generation iPhone is said to cost less and might feature a new integrated SIM card to be easily configurable on any supported carrier. The iPhone 5 may also carry an upgraded A4 processor, already dubbed the A5 chip, in addition to a new Gobi WWAN chip already found in the Verizon iPhone, designed to work on both CDMA and GSM networks.
The purported iPhone digitizer (above) also appears to have a thinner bezel on all sides: right, left, top, and bottom. This matches up well with a well-sourced report claiming that the next smartphone from Apple will feature an edge-to-edge display. This would allow Apple to increase the display’s size, while keeping the actual device’s size the same or even smaller. Information about this rumored display’s resolution is yet to surface, but one concept pegs the rumored 4 inch display to stay “Retina” with the new bottom portion being a stationary control switch bar for iOS multitasking.
We have a lovely mock up below:
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