iPad News, Updates, App and Accessory Reviews
February 4th, 2011 at 11:05 AM EST
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inu846W
Editor’s note: This article was reposted from cultofmac.com.
Web developer Chris Galzerano has been digging through the latest beta of iOS 4.3, and his digital archeology has uncovered some interesting hints about what the iPad 2 will look like and what hardware it will boast.
First, iOS 4.3 seems to strongly imply that the Verizon will have its own iPad. The firmware describes iPad 2,1, iPad 2,2 and iPad 2,3, which suggests three models in WiFi, 3G GSM/UMTS and 3G CDMA flavors.
In other plist files, Galzerano has spotted references for a 3MP camera, which contradicts reports that the iPad 2 would share the current gen iPod Touch’s camera innards. Sure, it’s not as beefy as the iPhone 4s 5MP sensor, but 3MP is quite respectable for a camera you’re realistically not going to be using very much anyway (the FaceTime camera is likely to get more casual play).
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February 4th, 2011 at 10:18 AM EST
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inu846W
Editor’s note: This article was reposted from tabletpcreview.com.
This third entry in a series on iPad keyboard case options focuses on the ZAGGmate. This accessory is a keyboard that also doubles as a cover for the relatively vulnerable screen of Apple’s tablet computer. It is currently available for $99.99. There is also a non-keyboard version available for $69.99 if you just want a protective front cover for your iPad.
The ZAGGmate is made of aluminum that is designed to match the finish of the Apple iPad. On the outside it is completely plain, with no logos or words of any kind. As you can see from the photos, it is designed to snap onto the front of the iPad and it completely covers the front, sides, and corners of the device. The only thing left exposed is the charge/sync port, which is handy if you need to charge the iPad without having to remove it from the case.
First Impression
When I first opened the retail box I was surprised to see that instructions were included that illustrated exactly how to use the ZAGGmate. It slips onto the front of the device easily enough, and it’s easy to tell which end is which because of that charge/sync port cutout. The slightly more difficult part, and the reason it needs instructions, is that it can be hard to take the ZAGGmate off of the iPad.
The effort required is minimal, but the manufacturer suggests that you rest the iPad on a firm surface like a table and then use both hands to hold the iPad and remove the cover. You have to keep a firm grip to avoid dropping the iPad, because the process is a little awkward, especially the first few times. After some experience it gets easier, but it is still best to support the device on a table or desk to ensure that you don’t drop it.
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February 4th, 2011 at 9:43 AM EST
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inu846W
Editor’s note: This article was reposted from tuaw.com.
According to macstories, the iPad’s App Store app just gained a very useful new feature: search filters. There are now five different filters you can assign to app searches: Category, Release Date, Customer Rating, Price, and Device. Popovers allow users to adjust or clear filters.
This added search functionality hasn’t made it to the iPhone/iPod touch App Store apps yet, but considering how cramped the screens are on those devices, it might never show up. Notably, these filters also aren’t yet available on the desktop version of the App Store, so right now the iPad seems like the best way to search for apps.
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February 3rd, 2011 at 11:12 PM EST
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inu846W
ABC took another shot with its interactive iPad app tonight, providing live content, character bios, trivia and polls to users as they watched Grey’s Anatomy. ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy Sync iPad app is the second app of its kind. The first app, ABC’s My Generation Sync, fell by the wayside last year as the tv show only aired two episodes. It was a shame because this new type of technology shared with Nielsen shows promise for what can be done in the future, bringing viewers interesting and interactive content live.
For those who had the chance to test out ABC’s My Generation Sync, there was not much new to see. Still, it’s great to see the app in action. The app syncing process was the same. Trivia, poll questions and other content were provided at the same time corresponding scenes were shown on tv. There was a new Facebook interface that popped up a few times asking questions like, "Do you think Callie and Arizona will get back together?" Facebook users’ comments were shown and the app user had a chance to comment as well.
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February 3rd, 2011 at 7:04 PM EST
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inu846W
Editor’s note: This article was reposted from appleinsider.com.
John Ridding, chief executive of the Financial Times, named the iPad among mobile devices driving 20 percent of the paper’s new online subscriptions, noting nearly a half million downloads of his newspaper’s iPad app.
A report by Reuters quoted Ridding as saying, "The rapid emergence of tablet devices is a potentially profound development for publishers."
The Financial Times has erected a paywall on its website that seeks to charge viewers a subscription after reading a set threshold of stories, a business model that has run into resistance from web viewers used to accessing content for free. However, iPad users are increasingly seeking out sources of quality content, and prepared to pay for apps that deliver this. The paper said its iPad app had been downloaded 480,000 times.
Apple is seeking to set up in-app subscription support for newspaper publishers, starting with yesterday’s launch of the Daily with News Corp. It is expected to release iOS 4.3 soon to deliver the technical support for billing users for regular updates.
Newspapers and journalism in general have been battered by emergence of the web, which facilitates widespread distribution with very little revenue in return. Newspaper’s own print advertising has been replaced with banner ads and paid search, a market that is largely owned by Google, which has increasingly lowered the value of content producer’s ad placements as it increasingly becomes the only way to monitize web content.
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February 3rd, 2011 at 3:21 PM EST
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inu846W
Editor’s note: This article was reposted from ismashphone.com.
This is one of those ideas we see fun through the patent office from Apple that looks as if we will probably never see it happen. It’s not that it’s a bad idea, but Apple has a tendency to keep all their designs as free of extra pieces and bits as possible. That said, it’s doubtful we will see a feature like this on the iPad 2. That doesn’t mean it’s not interesting to see some of the ideas cooked up by tech companies.
Still, an iPad with a kickstand similar to what is on the back of the EVO sounds rather interesting. Especially when that kickstand can be moved to any position and locked. That’s what this application seems to be for, according to the abstract and the drawings.
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