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News, Reviews, & Opinion
Wozniak: Tablets Are for 'Normal People'
IDG News Service's Stephen Lawson reports that Apple cofounder Steve
Wozniak said Monday during a keynote session at Storage Networking
World in Santa Clara, California, that tablets are the culmination of
what Steve Jobs wanted to create at Apple from the beginning, noting,
"The tablet is not necessarily for the people in this room
. . . It's for the normal people in the world."
Link: Wozniak: Tablets
the PC for 'Normal People'
iPad 2 Tops Consumer Reports' Tablet
Ratings
PR: After almost a year during which Apple's iPad has been
virtually the only game in town in tablet computers, some serious
competitors are finally hitting the market. Yet in Consumer
Reports latest tests of the 10 most-promising tablet computers, the
Apple iPad 2 with WiFi and 3G still
topped the ratings. The full report including ratings of tablets is
available at ConsumerReports.org.
In Consumer Reports lab tests, the Motorola Xoom revealed
itself as the iPad 2's chief rival. Like the iPad 2, the Xoom boasts a
10" screen but adds conveniences that the iPad lacks, including a
built-in memory card reader and support for Adobe Flash videos and
animations found on many websites, as well as standard USB connectivity
and the ability to run desktop applications.
"So far, Apple is leading the tablet market in both quality and
price, which is unusual for a company whose products are usually
premium priced," says Paul Reynolds, Electronics Editor at Consumer
Reports. "However, it's likely we'll see more competitive pricing
in tablets as other models begin to hit the market."
Consumer Reports tested tablets from Archos, Dell, Motorola,
Samsung, and ViewSonic, as well as several models from Apple. Each
tablet was evaluated on 17 criteria, including touchscreen
responsiveness, versatility, portability, screen glare, and ease of
use, and testers found several models that outperformed the rest. The
iPad 2 with WiFi plus 3G (32 GB), $730, topped the ratings, scoring
excellent in nearly every category. The first-generation iPad, $580,
also also outscored many of the other models tested but tied with the
Motorola Xoom, $800.
The largest gap in performance among the 10 tested tablets was
evident in Consumer Reports' battery-life test, measured by
playing the same video clip continually on each tablet and timing how
long it played until the battery ran down. The top-scoring iPad 2
lasted 12.2 hours, but one of the lowest rated, the Dell Streak 7,
$450, lasted just 3.8 hours.
Before choosing a tablet, Consumer Reports recommends that
consumers consider the following points:
- Many features are almost universal. Easy-to-use touch screens based
on capacitive technology are now widely available. All the models
Consumer Reports tested feature WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity, a
front-facing webcam, and GPS capability. Android-based models can be
expanded using built-in USB ports or slots for SD flash-memory cards,
but the iPad 2 lacks both.
- You get what you pay for. With prices for the best tablets still
too high for many budgets, consumers may be tempted by lower-priced
competitors. Don't be, says Consumer Reports, whose tests have found
the performance of models costing $300 and under to be at best
mediocre. Buying a tablet with a data plan may lower the initial cost
of the device, but canceling early may result in a stiff penalty.
Otherwise, it might be cheaper to buy a 3G-capable model without a
contract.
- Future-proofing will pay off. Hardware specifications don't tell
the whole story. Portability, storage capacity, and weight are
important. But less obvious differences in software, connectivity, and
upgradability are critical too. And with faster 4G data networks
becoming more widely available, 4G capability (or at least the ability
to upgrade to it) is also a plus.
For additional buying advice and model recommendations, check out
the May 2011 issue of Consumer Reports on newsstands.
Link:
Tablet Computers: Will New Challengers Overtake the iPad 2?
iPad 2 Supplies Getting Closer To Meeting
Demand
Computerworld's Gregg Keizer reports that Apple's supply of the
iPad 2 edged closer to demand on Monday with the company's online store
showing a two-to-three week shipping delay, which represents an
improvement over the three-to-four week delay between ordering and
shipping that Apple had been quoting customers since the iPad 2's
release more than two weeks ago.
The Canadian Apple Store still has all three capacities of 3G
capable first generation iPads available, discounted to the former list
prices of the WiFi only models, starting at Can$549 for the 16 GB
model. The WiFi 16 GB iPad 2 is listed at Can$519, but with that 2-3
week wait.
Link: iPad 2 Supplies
Creep Closer to Demand
How Apple Converted the World to Onscreen
Keyboards
Cult of Mac's Mike Elgan notes that it's hard to recall now, but the
number-one complaint about the iPhone when it first came out was the
onscreen keyboard, while others complained about the visibility of
finger smudges on the screen when you turn the power off.
Elgan contends that these concerns seem quaint now, comparing iPhone
skeptics to people a hundred years ago complaining that their new
automobile wouldn't to slow down when they said, "whoa, Nellie" and
didn't speed up when they whipped the fender with a riding crop.
He admits that he was among the tech pundits who griped about
Apple's global ban on the sale of third-party physical keyboard and
refusal to create one of its own, but says he now thinks Apple
deliberately used the popularity of its iPhone to force the world to
accept and learn to appreciate onscreen keyboards, which have opened up
vast new vistas of keyboard input evolution.
A lot of interesting points made in this thought-provoking
piece.
Link: How Apple Made the
World Safe for the Future of Keyboards
Satisfaction Ratings Similar for AT&T and
Verizon iPhones
PR: A new ChangeWave survey of 4,068 consumers has taken a
close up look at key comparisons between Verizon iPhone 4 owners and
AT&T iPhone 4 owners, including customer satisfaction and dropped
call rates.
The ChangeWave survey, completed March 28th, was conducted several
weeks after Verizon began offering the iPhone 4. Among other things,
the results provide insight into how owners believe the AT&T and
Verizon iPhones stack up against each other in a couple of key
areas
ChangeWave Research's Vice President of Research Paul Carton says
that while the overall satisfaction ratings are very similar for
AT&T and Verizon iPhone 4 owners, there is a difference when it
comes to reported dropped calls, according to the latest survey from
ChangeWave Research, a division of industry analyst and data firm The
451 Group.
For several years ChangeWave Research has been tracking the wireless
service providers industry and the ongoing battle between heavyweights
AT&T and Verizon. But now that both Verizon and AT&T offer the
iPhone 4 are there any major differences reported by owners?
In terms of customer satisfaction, the ChangeWave survey found
virtually no difference with 82% of Verizon iPhone 4 owners saying
they're Very Satisfied compared to 80% of AT&T iPhone 4 owners
saying they're Very Satisfied.
When it comes to dropped call rates, however, Verizon iPhone 4
owners reported a lower percentage of dropped calls than their AT&T
iPhone 4 counterparts.
Additional results include:
- iPhone 4 Dropped Call Rates - Verizon vs. AT&T
- Overall Dropped Call Rates for 4 Major Wireless Providers
- A Historical Perspective on Overall Dropped Call Rates Verizon vs.
AT&T
Full report details include:
- Demand for Apple iPhone (AAPL), Motorola (MMI), Research In Motion
(RIMM), Samsung, and HTC smart phone handsets, among others
- Customer Satisfaction Ratings by Manufacturer and Operating System
including a historical comparison of Apple iPhone vs.
RIM-BlackBerry
- Planned Buying Trends by Operating System
- Biggest Winners and Losers
- Comparison of Android OS Demand vs. Apple iOS Demand
- Features Most Important to Planned Smart Phone Buyers
- Growth Trends: Overall Smart Phone Market
24 pages|PDF Format (167K)
Price: $1,500
Link: ChangeWave
Consumer Smart Phone Report: Latest Survey Looks at Aftermath of
Verizon iPhone Launch
iPad 2 vs. iPad Head-to-Head Review
V3's Khidr Suleman reports that despite some flaws, the iPad 2 is
the best tablet on the market at this time, offering high-end
performance and a well rounded experience with its sleek design, fast
performance of applications and Internet, and excellent battery life,
but on the downside no adapters are included, there's no Flash support,
and the new cameras aren't up to much.
Link: Apple iPad 2
Versus iPad - Head to Head Review
iPad 2 'Not Exactly a Quantum Leap Forward'
Laptop Mag's Brian Oliver Bennett says there's no argument that the
original iPad set the standard for the media tablet category, combining
a topnotch display with a fun and intuitive multitouch interface, and
while the iPad 2 certainly is an improvement with its size reduction
(33% thinner and 15% lighter) and faster processor (dual-core A5 CPU),
it's not exactly a quantum leap forward.
Link: iPad 2 vs. iPad
Original: Worth the Upgrade?
Apple's Digital AV Adapter for iPad Reviewed
The Register's Cliff Joseph notes that it's not often that a mere
cable merits a review of its own, but the Digital AV Adapter that Apple
recently launched along with the new iPad 2 is important enough to
justify a closer look.
He reports that the cable is compatible with the iPad 2, the
original iPad, the iPhone 4, and the current fourth-generation iPod
touch, with the other end of the cable providing a full-sized HDMI
interface so you can connect it to an HD TV, along with a pass-through
dock connector so that you can still charge the battery at the same
time. With the iPad 2, it can also support video mirroring, allowing
you to view the full iPad screen on your HD TV.
Link: Apple Digital AV
Adapter
Apple's New iOS 30-pin Connector Compatible with
Thunderbolt, USB 3.0
Digital Trends' Andrew Couts reports that a newly-granted Apple
patent reveals the company's next-generation 30-pin iOS connector that
can support connection to the recently debuted high-speed Thunderbolt
port, as well as USB 3.0 and 2.0, according to a report on
Patently Apple, with the next-generation connector expected to be
implemented on all iOS devices, as well as Mac computers - possibly as
early as this year with the iPhone 5 or in 2012 when Intel Macs are
projected to finally get USB 3.0.
Link:
Apple's New iOS 30-pin Connector Compatible with Thunderbolt, USB
3.0
Apps & Services
Facebook 3.4 for iOS
PR: Facebook for iPhone makes it easy to stay connected
and share information with friends. Use your iPhone to start a
conversation with Facebook Chat, check your friends' latest photos and
status updates, look up a phone number, or upload your own mobile
photos to Facebook while on the go.
New in Version 3.4
- Added Map View for Places
- Added the ability to Check in to Events that you're attending
- Added the ability to unfriend from the phone
- Improved News Feed
- Improved notifications UI
Rated 4+
Requirements: Compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. Requires
iOS 3.0 or later
Free
Link: Facebook
for iPhone (App
Store link)
Adobe Demos Photoshop Express 2.0 for iPad
AppleInsider's Daniel Eran Dilger reports that Adobe showed off new
imaging technology for the iPad during the keynote address of the
company's Photoshop World conference, with the new technology expanding
on the free Photoshop Express tool Adobe already offers on the iOS App
Store, which offers basic camera, photo editing, and picture sharing
tools. A $3.99 Camera Pack in app purchase option adds a self-timer
shutter, auto review, and noise reduction technology derived from
Lightroom 3.
Link: Adobe Demos New
iPad Photoshop App During Photoshop World (App
Store link)
Free Adobe Photoshop Express 2.0 for iPad
Reviewed
The Register's Cliff Joseph reports that having taken the plunge
into iPhone photography with the Slow Shutter Cam app, he decided his
next step should be Adobe's Photoshop Express, which has just been
updated to version 2.0.
Joseph notes that Photoshop Express is by no means the most
sophisticated photo-editing app available, but the basic version is
free and is very quick and easy to use, although, oddly, Adobe seems to
have overlooked the cameras in the iPad 2, so you still have to shoot
photos using Apple's Camera app and then import them into Photoshop
Express for editing.
Link: Adobe Photoshop
Express 2.0 (App
Store link)
Keyboard 2 Give the iPhone a Full Screen
Keyboard
PR: Beer Sheva, Israel-based Independent developer Tal
Shumski announces the official launch of Keyboard 2, his new
application for iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. The utility is already
proving immensely popular. Keyboard 2 provides a full screen keyboard
with double sized buttons to facilitate sending text messages and other
communications.
The keyboard
features an ABC and numeric layout, complete with common punctuation
marks on the main keyboard. Users can customize configurations for ease
of use. Numbers are presented in a typical keyboard layout that
includes all the accompanying special characters. The keyboard is
semitransparent and content is displayed behind the buttons. Users can
adjust the level of the keyboard's transparency, text color, font size
and button color to accommodate a variety of personal preferences.
Keyboard 2 allows users to type in content before posting to a
variety of platforms. After content is entered, user can post to their
Facebook account, send SMS and email messages and Google It. Users can
copy to the clipboard and use it anywhere else. The application is also
compatible with third party apps. Keyboard 2 contains a multitasking
feature, allowing users to easily switch between apps and utilize Super
Keyboard for Twitter, Awesome Notes, TO-DO and similar functions.
With Keyboard 2, there's no need to put off responding to messages
or posting on social media sites due to a small keyboard. The
application allows users to respond and post on the spot without the
frustration of using a small keyboard. Some messages deserve immediate
attention and can't wait until the user is in front of a computer with
a large keyboard. The utility provides an easy way for users to take
care of important business in a timely manner.
The application grew out of a combination of the developer's
personal need and a chance encounter on a train. The engineering
student was searching for ways to fund his college tuition. While
riding the train, Shumski observed a man with rather large fingers
become angry over the size of the keyboard on his iPhone. The man was
having difficulty typing a simple message through a combination of
large fingers and the iPhone's small keyboard. Shumski immediately saw
the advantage in a keyboard app to remedy the situation and set about
developing Keyboard 2.
The new app provides an easy and convenient means of responding to
messages and posting online without the need to wait for access to a
computer. Keyboard 2 offers a large keyboard format that includes the
alphabet and numerical keys that makes it easy to conduct business,
respond to communications and interact online.
Device Requirements:
- iPhone and iPod touch
- Requires iPhone OS 3.0 or later
- 10.8 MB
Keyboard 2 (v1.1) is 99¢ (or equivalent amount in other
currencies) and available worldwide exclusively through the App Store
in the Utilities category. For more information, visit the website.
Link: Keyboard
2 (App
Store link)
iBuildApp First Company to Offer Free Digital
Publishing for the iPad
PR: Thanks to the Apple iPad and new tools like
iBuildApp.com, digital publishing is easier than ever. The Silicon
Valley based startup iBuildApp recently added an iPad publishing
solution to its suite of iPhone templates designed for the
non-coder.
iPad publishing
has created new revenue streams for businesses who can publish
materials without printing and shipping costs. The iBuildApp iPad
solution will be integrated with blogging and CMS platforms for easy
publishing.
Create your own iPad magazine, catalog, or book app. iBuildApp
solution has templates, is automated, and totally free to create and
update.
"We want people to be part of the trend of digital publishing. Its a
great way to build a global audience around your niche without the cost
of print. With iBuildApp's publishing tool you don't need a developer.
Its easy and free to publish your monthly magazines, newsletters,
catalogs, or books on the iPad," says Rafael Soultanov.
The solution also delivers a
good experience for the reader. We believe that a digital magazine or
newspaper should feel like a media app, not like a magazine reader,
said Soultanov. When someone swipes from page to page they can choose
different stories to read. Images are vivid, video is optimized. If a
reader wants to comment or share what they're reading, they just tap a
button.
The fully functional publishing app takes just 2-3 hours to create
and publish content. Just copy/paste content into our pre-made
templates for the iPad, for free. The iBuildApp iPad solution will be
integrated with other CMS platforms such as Wordpress, Drupal, and
Joomla. It simply requires snippets of code from iBuildApp to be
inserted into the CMS code.
Services make it less complicated for authors to publish and manage
their own publishing (magazines and books). By using a service,
publishers can focus on their content and leave the formatting,
publishing and distribution to iBuildapp. Unlike other services
iBuildApp Self-Publishing Solution provides authors with a free online
editor, free formatting and design templates and integrated publishing
for iPad and Web.
iBuildApp
believes in the power of ideas and the creativity of the crowd. Their
automated self-publishing solution lets creators of all kinds - from
individuals to enterprises - make and monetize content on iPad.
iBuildapp lets content owners quickly create and publish their content
on iPad with ability to monetize the content.
The Association of American Publishers (AAP) released its figures
from January 2011 book sales, and the news is that more readers are
turning to e-books, and they're doing so in droves. In fact, ebook
sales have more than doubled since the same time last year. According
to the AAP, ebook sales are up 115.8%, from $32.4 million to $69.9
million year-over-year.
As of end of March, the iBuildApp solution produced about 2,000
iPhone apps, which is near 0.5% of all apps on iTunes. Many small
businesses from news to radio to soccer fun clubs have used iBuildApp
to mobilize their business.
Link: iBuildApp
Accessories
RokForm Rokstand Adjustable Desktop Stands for iPhone and
iPad
PR: RokForm is a new division of Two Brothers Racing,one of
the world's premier aftermarket manufacturers for the powersports
industry, with a passion, design philosophy, stringent testing and
really cool products that have firmly planted TBR on the global map
with motorcycle enthusiasts. They say it was only logical to turn this
passion towards performance accessories for personal mobile devices
such as the iPhone and iPad.
RokForm Rokstand
V.1 Adjustable Desktop Stand for iPhone and iPad
The RokForm Rokstand V.1 Desktop Stand is a mechanical piece of art.
You might think its developers are crazy to build a stand this complex
just to hold an iPhone, until they say, you get a chance to hold one in
your hand and use it with your phone.
This stand is touted as form and function working together in
perfect mechanical harmony; a true conversation piece on any desk or
airline flight. Each stand is hand assembled and inspected to ensure
flawless performance; then serial numbered as authentic one of a kind
RokForm.
Specifications:
- 6 angles of adjustment
- Precision High speed bearing and cam adjustment.
- All CNC machined from Billet 6061 T-6 Aluminum with Anodized
finish.
- Soft rubber Contact surface rings provide a soft feel and non slip
performance.
- Holds iPhone in landscape or Portrait
- Built in Sound enhancing speaker ports.
- Works with Standard iPhone 4 charger plug.
- Charges while on the stand in portrait.
- Comes in a variety of colors to compliment any taste.
- Designed, manufactured and assembled in Orange County, California
USA
Price $169
RokForm Rokstand
V.1 Folding Stand for iPhone
Have you ever tried watching a movie on your iPhone on a plane, at
home or at work? The Rokstand folks have, and say that's why they
created the Rokstand V.1 Folding Stand. Simple, convenient and compact
the Rokstand V.1 Folding Stand is your friend in the air, at home or at
the office. Each stand is hand assembled and inspected to ensure
flawless performance; then serial numbered as authentic one of a kind
RokForm.
Specifications:
- 2 adjustment angles in landscape or portrait
- Simple stainless steel spring loaded push button adjustment
- Adjustment arms ride on double sealed 36,000 RPM bearings
- All CNC machined from Billet 6061 T-6 Aluminum with Anodized
finish.
- Soft rubber Contact surface rings provide a soft feel and non slip
performance.
- Holds iPhone in landscape or Portrait
- Built in Sound enhancing speaker ports.
- Works with Standard iPhone 4 charger plug.
- Charges while on the stand in portrait.
- Comes in a variety of colors to compliment any taste.
- Includes Padded travel case for convenient storage
- Designed, manufactured and assembled in Orange County, California
USA.
Price $119
Link: Rokstand
iPad Case with Integrated Bluetooth Keyboard
PR: Turn your iPad or iPad 2 into a productivity tool
with the RightShift case & keyboard. This elegant, protective case
integrates a Bluetooth keyboard that features a right shift key so you
can actually touch type. When fully charged, the keyboard provides 90
hours of continuous use.
Features:
- Bluetooth keyboard connects to your iPad with a few simple
steps
- 90 hours of continuous use when fully charged
- Includes USB to micro-USB charging cable
- Dimensions: 9.75 x 8 x 1 inches
- Weight 1 lb.
- One Year Warranty
Technical Specifications:
Broadcom 2042 Main Control Chip with 2.0 Bluetooth
Interface- Built-in lithium ion battery
- Fully charges in 4-4.5 hours
- Lithium ion battery life: 3 years
- Key Life: 500 million keystrokes
- Can be used with other Bluetooth products
Orders for custom cases are filled within 72 hours.
Link: RightShift case &
keyboard
Solid Line 'Make My Case' iPad Case Uses Your
Favorite Image
PR: Solid Line Products, LLC has announced its Make My Case
service which makes custom iPad cases from customers favorite images.
Using recycled materials, the company's patent-pending design allows
customers the option of adding the company's RightShift keyboard to
enable true touch typing.
"These new covers are light and
durable, analogous to a hardcover book," says Henry Lo, CEO and founder
of Solid Line Products, LLC. "They're a fun and environmentally
friendly way for iPad users to express their individuality while
protecting their iPads from nicks and scratches. The covers are also
water and stain resistant."
Among the first to take advantage of Solid Line's Make My Case
service is New York-based AHAlife. AHAlife enlisted the talents of
fashion designer Christian Joy to create two images to be used in the
lightweight case. In collaboration with Jason Crisell, the case
features the Monster Face print on the front of the case and Bug
Monster for the back of the case. The portable works of art are
available exclusively through AHAlife.
iPad Cases That Express Individuality or Corporate Identity While
Enabling Greater Productivity
Starting at $39, custom-printed cases from Solid Line Products
provide a great way for consumers to showcase their own photography or
images of their artwork. The company also provides online editing tools
that allow consumers to add text to their images or convert them to
black & white or sepia tones.
They're also affordable branding tools for corporations. With an
optional RightShift keyboard, expressing individual or corporate
identities can also make the iPad more productive. The RightShift, a
Bluetooth 2.0 silicone keyboard, is designed for quiet typing. It uses
a micro-USB cable for charging the built-in lithium battery, which,
when fully charged, enables 90 hours of continuous keyboard use.
Link: Make My Case
