Mac notebook and other portable computing is covered in The 'Book Review, and general Mac news is in
Mac News Review.
All prices are in US dollars unless otherwise noted.
News, Reviews, & Opinion
The Competition
Apps & Services
Accessories
Presentation & Protection
iPod Deals
These price trackers are updated every month.
News, Reviews, & Opinion
iPhone Cheaper to Support than BlackBerry and
Android
InfoWorld's Galen Gruman reports that BlackBerry users need more
help than iPhone users - and Android users need much more help than
either - according to ClickFox, a firm that analyzes customer
experience data to identify problems. ClickFox analyzed the support
calls related to smartphones received by the North American carriers,
and after factoring out the questions related to billing and carriers'
various plans, it found a startling pattern: iPhones cost less to
support than Android devices and BlackBerrys.
Link: Another Reason to
Go iPhone: It's Cheaper to Support
US States Divided Over Android vs. iOS
PR: New data from targeted
mobile advertising specialists Jumptap, shows that consumers in the
South and Southwest tend to be Android-biased compared to the rest of
the country, while those in the Midwest and Northeast lean towards iOS.
California, Texas, and Florida over-index for Android use and states in
New England and the Midwest over-index for iOS use. BlackBerry use,
which over-indexed in New York, was also included in the geographic
data. This new data establishes an evolving narrative of a North vs.
South divide in the ongoing battle of the two top mobile operating
systems.
Publisher's note: Looking at the map, north vs. south seems to be a
gross oversimplification. There seems to be a trend from Android in the
southwest to iOS in the northeast, but there are several exceptions.
I've also compared this map with red vs. blue states, as well as
education, income, and Mac use maps, and it doesn't seem to comport
with any of them. dk
Link: Jumptap
Is Social Media Turning Teens Into
Narcissists?
CTV News.ca reports that Larry Rosen, a psychology professor at
California State University, says people who spend a lot of time on
Facebook show more signs of narcissistic personality disorder.
The report says Rosen, author of "Rewired: Understanding the
iGeneration and The Way They Learn," has been researching the impact of
media and social media on the psychological health of kids and teens,
and says that the problem with Facebook and other social media sites is
that they can give budding narcissists a new platform to develop their
over-inflated sense of selves. Narcissism can then develop into full
psychological disorders.
Rosen says online narcissists are fairly easy to spot, and provides
some tips on how to detect them.
Link: Is Social Media
Turning Teens Into Narcissists?
Can an iPad Replace Your Laptop?
Old News blogger Jared Spurbeck says:
"When I went on vacation in New England about 10 years ago, I
couldn't bring my desktop computer with me to the hotel room. Instead,
I brought my laptop, a machine that was old even then. It had a
black-and-white screen, a floppy disk drive and a trackball, plus it
was extremely slow. But it could connect to the 'net, which was enough
for me on the go."
However...
"Things have changed now. The laptop has become the primary computer
for most people - it certainly is for me and my girlfriend. And now
tablets like the iPad are beginning to take the place of the laptop,
not as the primary computer but the portable machine. In a nutshell,
the laptop is the new desktop computer, and the tablet - or at least
the iPad - is, for many, the new laptop.
"So how did this come about, and is it a new reason to go out and
buy an iPad? . . . Can it replace your laptop? Maybe...."
Link: Are iPads
Replacing Laptops?
How to Share Your Mac's Printer with Your
iDevice
PixoBebo's Kate MacKenzie says you probably have two things that
have been bothering you. First, how do you print from your iPhone or
iPad. And second, how can you give more money to printer manufacturers.
She points to her Mac app of choice to do both.
Printopia is a Mac
app that lets Mac users share Mac printers with iPhones and iPads, and
lets you print over WiFi using printers attached to the Mac. It also
lets you send files directly to your Mac or to your
Dropbox
or Evernote account from your iDevice.
Link: How to Share Your
Mac's Printer with iPhone or iPad
iCloud: Apple's Web Services for iOS 5 and OS X
Lion
AppleInsider's Daniel Eran Dilger reports:
"Apple's iCloud services, announced this summer at the company's
Worldwide Developer Conference, are quickly maturing for their initial
release this fall. Here's what's new and what's changed."
Link: Inside iCloud:
Apple's New Web Services for iOS and Mac OS X Lion
DigiTimes: iPad to Account for 61% of 2011 Global
Tablet Market
PR: This year, approximately 65.2 million tablets will be
shipped from manufacturers to major brand vendors. While Apple is
expected to continue dominating the market with 40 million shipments
and a 61% share for its iPad device, other vendors will provide
consumers with more choice for operating system, product features and
screen size, according to a recent DigiTimes Research Special Report
titled "Expectations for the 2H 2011 tablet market."
Tablet shipments were up more than 420% from one year earlier in the
first half of 2010 and the market will continue with its positive
momentum in the second half of the year, with shipments expected to be
up more than 150% from one earlier. Apple's iPad shipments in the
second half of 2011 will reach 25.5 million units, up 76% compared to
the first half of the year.
While Apple remains the dominant player with its iPad line, other
major vendors have been looking to gain traction in this booming
market. The non-iPad group's shipments in the second half are expected
to reach 15.65 million units, up 65% compared to the first half of the
year and accounting for 39% of total shipments, the report stated.
Outside of the iPad, all eyes will be Android develop mens
[sic], as the platform has been extending its reach in the
tablet sector even more rapidly than it did in the smartphone sector,
with a penetration rate reaching more than 30%.
In terms of core application processors, Apple again will dominate
that market in 2011. And while Nvidia's Tegra series has been widely
supported by brands other than Apple, shipment figures from DigiTimes
Research suggest that Texas Instruments (TI) is likely to be the firm
to beat out for second place in the market.
However, tablet shipments in the second half of 2011 still face
uncertainties and the key quarter for 2011 will be the fourth quarter,
as a number of brand vendors have yet to firm up their strategies for
the last quarter of the year.
The DigiTimes Research Special Report "Expectations for the 2H 2011
tablet market" provides a breakdown of expected tablet shipments by
vendor for the second half of the year, as well as providing analysis
of the semiconductor, software, processor technology and Taiwan
manufacturing ecosystem shaping the market.
Contacts:
- Michael McManus (Michael.mcmanus@digitimes.com)
- Shannen Yang (Shannen.yang@digitmes.com)
Link:
Apple iPad to Account for 61% Share of Global Tablet Market in 2011,
Says a New Report from DigiTimes Research
The Competition
Pierre Cardin Tablet PC
PR: The Android-powered Pierre Cardin Tablet PC with its
7.0" display is sized to fit in the palm of your hand and packed with
an array of features.
Browse to your heart's content - WiFi or 3G (requires compatible 3G
dongle) - fully compatible with Flash. Visit your favourite shopping
sites to make last minute gift buying a breeze.
- eBooks: Download your favourite books and enjoy them on the tube or
the beach - wherever takes your fancy
- Front Facing Camera: A 1.3 Megapixel camera doubles as a camcorder
meaning you need never miss a special moment ever again.
- Android Market: Customise your Tablet PC by choosing applications
from the thousands on offer from the Android Market.
- Multitasking: Enjoy true multitasking thanks to a Samsung cortex 1
GHz processor - you can send emails, update a spreadsheet or maintain
your diary simultaneously.
- Extendable Memory: Increase the storage capacity up to 16 GB using
the Micro SD Card slot
- Touch Screen: Open menus, minimise windows and move between
different applications with effortless touches of the capacitive
screen.
Specifications:
- Display: 7.0 inch capacitive multitouch
- Resolution: 800 x 480 Pixel
- CPU: Samsung S5PV210 Cortex-A8 1.0 GHz
- Ram: DDR II 512 MB
- Storage: Internal 4 GB, Micro SD slot support up to 16 GB
- O/S: Google Android 2.2 (Froyo)
- PC Interface: Mini USB host (for keyboard, mouse 3G etc.), mini
USB, HDMI
- WiFi: WiFi IEEE 802.11b/g
- 3G Support: External 3G (3G Dongle Available Separately)
- Camera: 1.3 Megapixel Front Facing Camera
- Video: 720P HD Playback
- E-book: TXT, PDF, CHM, HTML, PDB, UMD
- Games: Download via Android Market
- Video: Supports RM, RMVB, AVI(H.264/H.263), MOV, WMV, MP4, ASF,
3GB, TS, etc...
- Audio: Supports MP3, WMA, WAV, APE, FLAC, AAC, OGG, etc...
- Photo: JPG, BMP, PNG, TIFF
- Battery: Lithium 4400 mAh
- Weight: 520g
- Dimensions: 19.5cm x 12.3cm x 1.4cm
- Software: Google browser, Google map, Gmail, Skype, Google Market,
Multimedia Player, Clock, Calculator, News, Weather, Voice Search,
Flash 10.1 viewer
- 1000s of other Apps are available free via Android Market
Price: £275
Link: Pierre Cardin
Tablet PC
Apps & Services
Boxee for iPad Goes Live
PR: Boxee for iPad takes the work out of finding, viewing,
and sharing online video by bringing videos from your friends, your
bookmarks, and your computer all into one easy to use app. No
converting, syncing, or payment required.
Video from you and your friends - all in one place that goes
anywhere. Boxee for iPad brings videos from Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr,
and your computer all onto your iPad so you can find and watch new
videos or favorites on the train, in bed, on the couch, on the john,
during boring conversation, on the patio, from the roof deck, in an
abandoned bunker, on the side of a mountain....
- Social: Never miss a hilarious or inspiring new video from your
friends again. Boxee connects to your social life and delivers every
video your friends share on Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr to your iPad.
Return the favor and share favorites with two taps. Boxee brings video
sharing to the iPad in a way that's simple and unique.
Watch Later:
Each day, were bombarded by video from everywhere. Collect them in one
place and save them for later with Boxee. Queue YouTube videos, TED
talks, and, well, whatever you want to watch on your iPad, whenever you
want. Your commute just got its own video playlist.- Media Streaming: Stop wasting hours converting and syncing videos
to your iPad. Boxee streams videos from your PC/Mac to your iPad over
WiFi. You pick the video, we handle the rest no cables or wires
necessary.
- Send To Boxee Box: Watching video on your iPad and want it on the
big screen? Send videos straight to your TV via a Boxee Box so everyone
in your living room can enjoy. Now you can go back to playing Angry
Birds on the iPad while you watch : )
PC to iPad,
Easily: Download the Boxee Media Manager to stream video files from a
Mac / PC to your iPad while on your home network.
Learn more at http://boxee.tv
System Requirements
- Mac OS X 10.5+
- Windows 7, Vista, XP
- Compatible with iPad. Requires iOS 4.0 or later
Link: Boxee for
iPad (App
Store link)
Camera Pro Plus for iPad 2 and iPhone 4
PR: KenigArt has announced Camera Pro Plus for iPad 2 and
iPhone 4 1.0. Camera Pro Plus features a simple and easy HD interface
with advanced photo optimization math algorithms and serves as an
upgrade for your iPad 2/iPhone 4 to a professional working old style
steampunk SLR camera that can take photos directly from your iPad 2 (or
load existing photos from your iPad/iPhone Albums), made advance HQ
math optimisation with taken photos and add some additional FX photo
effects.
Application Features:
- Steampunk HD Camera design and Style
- Simple and easy HD interface is fully optimized for iPad 2/iPhone
4
- Advance photo optimisation math algorithms
- 10 FX photo effects to make your photos awesome and nice
looking
- Shot optimised photos directly from application or load it from
iPad/iPhone Photo Library/Album
- Save FX'ed photos to iPad 2/iPhone 4
All that incredible features you will get in our one awesome Camera
Pro Plus steampunk application! Don't miss this Special offer!
Device Requirements:
- Compatible with iPad and iPad 2/iPhone 4
- Requires iPhone OS 4.0 or later
- 4.3 MB/4.7 MB
Camera Pro Plus for iPad 2/iPhone 4 HD v1.0 is $6.99/$3.99 (or
equivalent amount in other currencies) and available worldwide
exclusively through the App Store in the Photography category.
Link: Camera
Pro Plus for iPad 2 (App
Store link)
Link: Camera Pro
Plus for iPhone 4 (App
Store link)
Pimp Your Ride for Free with Cars.tomizer Lite
2.0
PR: Independent iPhones app developer, emirBytes has
announced that Cars.tomizer 2.0 Lite is available to download in the
Apple's App Store. The app is created specifically for the iPhone and
iPod touch platform, utilizing the touch interface.
The app update includes a major remake of the user interface,
including graphics support for iPhone 4 retina display. The
developer says: "We had some feedback about the ad blocking some of the
buttons in the previous version, so we fixed that issue in this version
as well. A new and awesome banner feature is also added to this update.
We hope Cars.tomizer fans enjoy the major update and we hope for good
ratings from them."
Cars.tomizer
Lite Now Features:
- Awesome graphics with Retina Display support.
- Fully customizable parts - move, resize, rotate and mirror
them.
- Introductory parts in the Parts Library - wheels, brake caliper,
side skirtings, rear spoiler, decals and stripes, and muffler.
- Fully customizable glow banner.
- Save to your device or upload to your Facebook account.
- Easy to use interface.
Device Requirements:
- iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad
- Requires iOS 3.2 or later (Tested on iOS 4.0)
- 12.2 MB
Cars.tomizer Lite 2.0 is available for free from Utility category of
the App Store. There is also a Pro version called Cars.tomizer Pro,
which has more awesome features and more parts varieties and types.
Link: Cars.tomizer
Lite (App
Store link)
Accessories
Bluelounge MiniDock iPhone/iPod Wall Charger and
Display Dock
PR:
Bluelounge has announced the market-wide availability of MiniDock, a
cord-free wall charger and display-docking station made for Apple
iPhone and iPod devices that uses the existing Apple USB Power Adapter.
MiniDock represents the latest in a series of sleek, innovative cord
management products from Bluelounge, all designed specifically for
Apple iPhones and essential for travel and household charging
needs.
MiniDock allows
consumers to charge and display their iPhone in an upright position in
any electrical outlet without disorganized cords. Intended for use with
existing Apple USB Power Adapter, iPhone or iPod can now plug directly
into an electrical outlet. Ideal while traveling or in any home or
office environment, MiniDock is lightweight, cord-free, and allows
users to simplify and de-clutter the charging areas normally occupied
with the unsightly and wayward cords. Users no longer need to deal with
untidy cords while packing or when charging their device. With
MiniDock, the user can charge their Apple devices upright, directly
into their Apple USB Power Adapter, conveniently and seamlessly
anywhere where an electric outlet is available.
"Our customers are passionate about
their iPhones and their accessories," says Bluelounge Principal and
Creative Director Dominic Symons. "People are proud of their devices so
they treat them with care and worry about their phones getting damaged
when in use or while traveling. MiniDock meets the public's desire
perfectly, with a sleek and innovative charging station that doubles as
a display stand, so proud iPhone owners can use their hardware
efficiently while they charge it. Our unique design keeps their phones
safe, off the floor and out of harms way - all at the same time."
The MSRP for MiniDock is $19.95 and the product is available in
three versions to fit US, UK, and EU adapter standards. MiniDock is
available on the Company's website and at retailers worldwide.
Link: MiniDock
NuVue Anti-Glare Screen Protector for Using Your
iPad Outdoors
PR: The NewerTech NuVue Anti-Glare Screen Protector for iPad
reduces eyestrain in the sun for easier studying or reading outdoors or
in sunny rooms. Its Anti-Glare static cling film provides clearer iPad
viewing by reducing both glare and smudges with no rainbow effect, like
other conventional antiglare shields. It is custom-designed to fit the
iPad perfectly with a peel-and-stick easy install that wont create air
bubbles like adhesive-based screen protectors.
Compatible with iPad (not iPad 2).
Pricing: $12.79 (available immediately)
Available at Other World Computing.
Link: NuVue
Anti-Glare Screen Protector for iPad
Presentation & Protection
Belkin Keyboard Folio for iPad 2
PR: Belkin has unveiled the Keyboard Folio, an
all-in-one Bluetooth keyboard and protective folio solution for the
iPad 2. The Keyboard Folio features TruType keys for a comfortable,
computer-style typing experience and complements the functionality of
the iPad 2 with separate, adjustable modes for viewing and typing.
Thanks to its ultra-thin design, the Belkin Keyboard Folio enables a
comfortable, computer-style typing experience wherever and whenever you
need it.
"People are pretty outspoken in their dislike for flimsy rubber
keyboards and the need for a solution that acts and feels more like a
true laptop keyboard," says Jamie Elgie, senior director of product
management for Belkin's mobility division. "We took these complaints to
heart and created a keyboard that people not only want to use, but also
outperforms other products in terms of typing speed and errors."
The Belkin Keyboard Folio features a larger keyboard with
TruType hard plastic keys for optimal tactical response and a more
computer-like feel. A spring mechanism underneath each key ensures a
tactile response with every stroke, helping you to type faster and with
less error than on a touchscreen. Plus, function-specific keys let you
easily copy and paste text, moderate volume and control music. A 1.7 mm
key travel improves typing accuracy and speed, making it easier to edit
documents or draft emails. Lightweight, slim and stylish, the Keyboard
Folio sports a unique trifold design that tucks the keyboard away when
not in use and keeps the screen protected on the go.
"With the explosion of the tablet market and more people using
tablets as a laptop stand-in, people really need accessories that
provide enhanced functionality and portability while on the go," says
Elgie. "Thanks to its ultra-thin design, the Belkin Keyboard Folio
enables a comfortable, computer-style typing experience wherever and
whenever you need it."
Cable-Free & Plenty of Power
A simple Bluetooth pairing process means you wont be tied down by
messy cables during use. And 60 hours of active battery life and 2,000
of standby battery life will keep you going simply use a USB cable when
its time to recharge.
A Perfect Fit
The premium, stitched case hugs your iPad and protects it from
scratches and scuffs, with a suede-like feel and inner lining that's
smooth against your device. The keyboard tucks away and the soft cover
folds over to protect your screen when you're on the go. Lightweight
and formfitting, it slips easily into another bag without bulk.
Features of the Keyboard Folio for iPad 2 (F5L090)
- Built-in computer-style keyboard with tactile, well-spaced TruType
keys
- Function-specific keys for copying and pasting text, moderating
volume and controlling music
- Unique trifold design tucks keyboard away and soft cover folds over
to protect screen
- Adjustable landscape screen angles for typing and viewing
- Rigid backplate for stand stability
- Pairs with iPad through Bluetooth - avoids messy cables
- 60 hours active battery life, 2,000 hours standby battery life
- Rechargeable using USB cable
- Durable construction protects from scratches and scuffs
- Premium, stitched exterior with a suede-like feel and smooth inner
lining
- Micro USB port for charging works with standard cables
- Sleek design to minimize bulk
- Camera lens cutout
- 1-Year Limited Warranty
- Compatible with iPad 2
The Keyboard Folio is available now for $99.99 at select retailers
in the United States.
Link: Belkin Keyboard
Folio for iPad 2 (Amazon.com
link)
