Mac notebook and other portable computing is covered in The 'Book Review, and general Mac news is in
Mac News Review. Older Macs are
covered in Vintage Mac News. All
prices are in US dollars unless otherwise noted.
Purchases made through links to Amazon.com and
Apple's iTunes/iBook/App/Mac App Store support Low End Mac.
iOS 6 News, Reviews, & Opinion
iPhone 5 News, Reviews, & Opinion
Other News, Reviews, & Opinion
iPad mini Rumor Roundup
Apps & Services
Accessories
iPod Deals
These price trackers are updated every month.
iOS 6 News, Reviews, & Opinion
Does Apple Have a Problem with Israel?
The Huffington Post's Rabbi Jason Miller notes that The
Algemeiner was the first to report this week that Apple's new
iOS 6 Maps app, doesn't show Jerusalem as the capital of Israel,
even though every other country on the map has its official capital
listed. Moreover, on the built-in World Clock app included in
iOS 6, Jerusalem is the only city listed without an affiliated
country, and some users of Apple's new mobile operating system have
also noticed an inability to locate Jerusalem hotels using Apple Maps,
while finding hotels in other Israeli cities, like Tel Aviv, was
possible.
Rabbi Miller says this leaves Israelis and Israel supporters
wondering about Apple's political views toward the Jewish state, what
with the Maps application and the World Clock both omitting Israel from
being associated with Jerusalem, and cites Forbes' Peter Cohan listing
Apple's omission of Jerusalem as the capital city of Israel as one of
the six epic fails of the new Apple operating system. Peter Cohan
opines in the article, "Let's hope this Apple Map epic fail does not
set off another Middle East conflagration." While this story is making
headlines, it is not the first time that there have been questionable
omissions of Jerusalem in mobile apps or on the Web.
He further observes that Google Maps does list Jerusalem as Israel's
capital - and notes the irony in that without Israel there would be no
iPhone, since newer iPhone versions use a microchip that was developed
in Israel by Qualcomm Israel.
Link: Apple's Jerusalem
Problem
Consumer Reports: iOS 6 Maps Not So Bad After
All
Consumer Reports has posted results of a navigation app shootout
they conducted Apple iOS 6 vs. Google Android 4.0.4, noting that their
first impressions of Apple Maps was disappointment, that they had
expected Apple's app to match the state of the art, and perhaps even
advance it.
But it didn't.
They now say that having put Apple Maps through the paces, their
original criticisms remain, but testing Apple Maps alongside a Samsung
Galaxy S3 running Android 4.0.4 (Ice Cream Sandwich) with Google Maps,
they have a more favorable opinion of Apple's offering - it doesn't
suck so much after all.
Link: Apple iOS 6 vs.
Google Android: Smart-phone Navigation Showdown
Top Tier Alternatives to iOS 6 Maps
Apple'N'Apps' Trevor Sheridan says if iOS 6 Maps aren't working out
for you, you're not alone - but luckily the App Store is full of great
alternatives to appeal to your tastes no matter what, noting that he
hasn't used the stock Maps app for years simply because there are so
many better third party apps in the App Store ranging from free to
premium navigation apps.
If Apple's new maps aren't cutting it for you, Sheridan suggests and
profiles as alternatives:
Publisher's note: I've been using Waze on my iPhone for a few months
now and really like it. In addition to offering maps and driving
directions, Waze lets users report accidents and traffic slowdowns,
share gas prices, and update the maps as they discover changes. It even
speaks turn-by-turn directions as you drive. Recommended. dk
Link: Top Tier
Alternatives to Apple Maps for iOS 6
WinSuperSite's Paul Thurrott on Apple iOS 6
Always interesting to hear what Paul Thurrott has to say about Apple
products, since he has no inclination to be an Apple cheerleader. His
take: iOS 6 is in need of a complete overhaul, but Apple tends to
innovate once a decade on core products and then pile on a bunch of new
features and fixes for free, which is hard to argue with, rather than
making the sweeping changes that are increasingly needed.
Thurrott disputes Apple's claim that iOS in "the world's most
advanced mobile operating system," one that is both elegant and
intuitive, saying that's not just a stretch, but out of touch with
reality. In his estimation, iOS is not elegant or intuitive - just
familiar, because so many people have been using it for so many years,
and furthermore the real reason iPhone users profess to love iOS is
because of the 700,000 apps that run on it - more than what's available
for Android (600,000) and about seven times the app selection on
Windows Phone.
However, he acknowledges that there's a lot of good in iOS - the
notification center is well done and infinitely configurable, Safari is
an excellent mobile browser, and the content apps and stores are
full-featured and well-stocked, and backed by Apple's iCloud online
service, plus iOS provides best-in-class accessibility features, and
excellent email, calendar, and phone experiences.
But then there's Siri and Apple's new Maps app....
Link: Compete Report:
Apple iOS 6
iPhone 5 News, Reviews, & Opinion
A6 Processor in iPhone 5 Varies Clock Speed to
Optimize Performance and Battery Life
TUAW's Victor Agreda, Jr. notes that a possible reason the iPhone 5
has such great battery life is the clever way the A6 changes its clock
speed. While originally thought to be clocked at 1 GHz, Agreda
notes that the chip has been
clocked at 1.1 GHz as well as 1.3 GHz by Current Editorials, while
9 to 5 Mac saw the chip's speed drop as low as 550 MHz.
He reports that it appears the chip can change speeds, resulting in
better battery life and dynamically tuning itself to demand on the
CPU.
Link: The A6 Inside the
iPhone 5 Varies Its Clock Speed for Performance
How Much Does It Cost to Charge an iPhone 5? Would
You Believe 41¢ per Year?
Outlier's Barry Fischer says the popularity of the new iPhone 5
begged the question of how much juice does it take each year to charge
a next-generation smartphone? And how does the energy consumption of
smartphones compare to that of other consumer electronics?
To find out, Opower got its hands on a new iPhone 5 and also a
Samsung Galaxy S III - currently the hottest Android handset - and then
headed into the Opower Lab for some testing.
The resulting estimate: charging an iPhone 5 will cost roughly
41¢ per year, while the Galaxy costs 12¢ more to charge
annually than the iPhone 5, primarily because of its larger
battery.
That sounds trivial, but Fischer notes that the growing scale of
smartphone use (i.e. a projected soon-to-be 1 billion smartphone users,
putting pressure on millions of data centers worldwide) will have a
substantial cumulative effect on global power consumption.
On the other hand, due to smartphones displacing use of clunkier,
more energy-intensive devices such as computers, televisions, and
gaming consoles, an increase in smartphone usage is likely to cause
lower overall energy consumption.
Smartphones and tablets use much less energy than the larger devices
(e.g. PCs) that they are displacing, and the energy savings are
substantial, for example about 20x less than a laptop and 68x less than
a desktop.
Link: How Much Does It
Cost to Charge an iPhone 5? A Thought-Provokingly Modest
$0.41/year
Despite the Maps Controversy, iPhone 5 Gets
Accolades from Users
The iPhone 5 is praised for speed, call clarity, and battery life on
Viewpoints, a consumer reviews and product rankings website. Based on
consumer sentiment, the 32 GB iPhone 5 ($299) is rated 94/100, ten
points higher than the average smartphone rating.
Speed
Besides a larger screen, the most significant changes from the
iPhone 4S are a faster processor and the ability to use advanced
cellular networks, 4G LTE.
Battery Life
Nearly everyone reports the iPhone 5 battery is stronger compared to
older iPhones.
Maps
Apple replaced Google Maps with its own program, which lacks
functionality, like display of public transportation, an "epic fail"
according to one reviewer. The maps do offer turn-by-turn directions,
as well as restaurants as landmarks. Most Viewpoints reviewers aren't
inconvenienced and like the look.
Viewpoints General Manager Denise Chudy says, "Based on early
reviews, people are obviously passionate about the iPhone 5. It's our
hope that those insights help others decide if the iPhone 5 is the
right choice for their needs and budget."
Link: iPhone 5 (32
GB)
How Does iPhone 5 Rate as a Camera?
dpreview's Barney Britton and Kelcey Smith say that while Apple
might not have set out to make some of the most popular cameras on the
planet with its iPhone range of smartphones, that's exactly what has
happened, with iPhone cameras having evolved from 2 MP mediocrity
with the original iPhone and iPhone 3G, to the more serious 5 MP
iPhone 4, and the genuinely very nice 8 MP resolution of the
iPhone 4S - and the iPhone 5 brings a larger screen, faster processor,
and redesigned camera compared to its predecessor, although the pixel
count is unchanged at 8 MP.
Britton and Smith take a look at how the iPhone 5 stacks up against
the iPhone 4 and 4S, noting that the iPhone 4S and iPhone 5 actually
offer genuinely useful image quality that in favorable conditions, is
hard to tell apart from the output from "proper" cameras.
Link: Quick Review:
Apple iPhone 5 Camera
Study Finds iPhone 5 Has Less Toxic Chemicals than
Galaxy S III
PR: For the first time, the Ann Arbor-based Ecology Center
teamed up with technology gurus at iFixit.com to research toxic
chemicals in 36 different cell phones, including the recently released
iPhone 5 and Samsung's Galaxy S III. The results were released on
October 3 at HealthyStuff.org
and iFixit.com.
The Motorola Citrus ranked the least toxic phone, followed by the
iPhone 4S and the LG Remarq. The new iPhone 5 ranked 5th, versus its
primary competitor, Samsung Galaxy S III, which ranked 9th. The most
toxic phone tested was the original 2007 iPhone. The full list of
rankings can be found at HealthyStuff.org.
iPhone 5 toxic chemical rating
Every phone sampled in this study contained at least one of
following hazardous chemicals: lead, bromine, chlorine, mercury, and
cadmium. These hazardous substances can pollute throughout a products
life cycle, including when the minerals are extracted, when they are
processed, during phone manufacturing, and at the end of the phones
useful life. Emissions during disposal and recycling of phones as
electronic waste, or e-waste, are particularly problematic. The mining
of some tin, tantalum, tungsten, and gold used in mobile phones has
been linked to conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
"Even the best phones from our study are still loaded with chemical
hazards," says Jeff Gearhart, research director at the Ecology Center
and founder of HealthyStuff.org. "These chemicals, which are linked to
birth defects, impaired learning, and other serious health problems,
have been found in soils at levels 10 to 100 times higher than
background levels at e-waste recycling sites in China. We need better
federal regulation of these chemicals, and we need to create incentives
for the design of greener consumer electronics."
A 2004 study found that three-quarters of all cellphones leach lead
at levels that would qualify them as hazardous waste. While tracking
e-waste is difficult, it is estimated that 50-80% is exported to
countries such as China, India, Pakistan, Vietnam, and the Philippines,
where there is a labor-intensive, informal recycling infrastructure
that often lacks environmental and human health safeguards.
"In 2009, 2.37 million tons of electronics were ready for what the
Environmental Protection Agency calls end-of-life management - code for
broken, dead, outdated, and unwanted devices," says Kyle Wiens, CEO of
iFixit.com. "Of the digital castoffs, only 25% made it into recycling
centers. We can't allow the other 75% of our old electronics to become
waste. All those toxics add up. E-waste is an enormous problem that can
result in toxic chemicals seeping into drinking water and poisoning the
environment."
Most of the 36 cell phones analyzed were models released in the last
5 years. The phones tested represent 10 mobile phone manufacturers,
including Apple, Hewlett-Packard Development Company, HTC Corporation,
Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd., LG Electronics, Motorola, Nokia
Corporation, Palm, Research in Motion, and Samsung Electronics. The
sample represents the largest set ever released for any electronic
product. In total, 1,105 samples were analyzed for 35 different
chemicals and elements. The phones were completely disassembled and
interior and exterior components were tested using X-ray Fluorescence
(XRF).
Consumer demand for more sustainable mobile phones is driving
companies to produce better products, said Gearhart. We also need
better federal and international policy to manage both chemicals and
e-waste, as well as to promote sustainable design.
Highlights of Findings
- 100% of cell phones tested contain chemical hazards.
- Samsung phones had the highest average rating of all phone
tested.
- Apple, now among industry leaders, showed the greatest improvement.
The iPhone 2G, introduced in 2007 rated as the poorest phone tested.
The two most recent Apple phones, the 4S and 5, are among the best
phones tested.
- Newer phones are better than older phones. Overall product ratings
have improved significantly (33%) since 2007. This reflects an
increased focus on reducing chemical hazards by the industry.
- Transition to safer alternatives is underway. Leading
manufacturers, including Apple, Sony, Samsung, and others, have started
the shift to safer materials and chemistries.
Manufacturers are cleaning up their act in part by:
- Using less hazardous resins, including thermoplastic copolymers and
polyamide to replace PVC in cabling and other applications.
- Avoiding the need for cabling through simplified design.
- Using mercury-free LCD displays and arsenic-free glass.
- Using bromine- and chlorine-free printed circuit board
laminates.
- Moving to less toxic, reactive phosphorous-based flame retardant
chemistries.
Link: HealthyStuff.org Mobile
Phone Toxics (video)
Progress Being Made on Cellphone Toxics, but
Problem Remains Massive
iFixit CEO Kyle Weins says:
"High technology feels so clean - no coal or steam or mess, just
cool aluminum, sleek plastics, and polished glass. But that clean
surface hides an interior that is far messier and more toxic. In
partnership with HealthyStuff.org, we bring you a chemical analysis of
36 mobile phones, including the iPhone 5...
"The highly neurotoxic n-hexane, used during manufacturing to clean
glass, is still poisoning cell phone plant workers more than a year
after reports of sick workers first surfaced. But its easy to forget
that toxic chemicals also lurk behind your phones smooth face and
behind your computers keyboard. Yet lurk they do: high tech parts are
made up of hazardous flame retardants, PVC, bromine, and heavy metals
such as lead, mercury, tin, cadmium, and chromium. The list is long and
rightfully intimidating. These are not things we want in our water or
air....
"Newer phones are being made with fewer hazardous chemicals: every
phone that was ranked of high concern was released before 2010. The
newest phones, including the iPhone 5, are some of the best.
Nevertheless, many toxics remain..."
Link: Chemical Analysis
Reveals That New Phones Have Fewer Toxics
Other News, Reviews, & Opinion
Apple's Dominance of Tablet Market Fading
Rapidly
PR: Pew Research's journalism.org reports that while tablet
computer ownership has rapidly increased from 11% of US adults in July
of 2011 to 18% in January of 2012, and a separate survey by the Pew
Internet & American Life Project on July 16 through August 7, 2012
that found 25% of all US adults now have a tablet computer, this rate
of growth in tablet adoption likely being related to the advent of
lower-priced tablets in late 2011. The researchers note that about
two-thirds of tablet-owning adults, 68%, got their tablet in the last
year, including 32% in 2012 alone.
One consequence has been to diminish Apple's dominance in the media
tablet market, with just over half, 52%, of tablet owners in this
latest survey reporting owning an iPad, compared with 81% in the survey
a year ago. Android-based devices make up the bulk of the remaining
tablet ownership, 48% overall, dominated largely by the Kindle Fire.
Two in ten, 21%, own a Kindle Fire, 8% the Samsung Galaxy, and the
rest, a mix of others. The report notes that these numbers match very
closely with sales data which put the Apple iPad at 61% of world sales,
Android devices at 31% and Windows at 4%.)
It's notable that this survey was conducted before the introduction
of Google's Nexus 7 or Amazon's Kindle Fire HD, or the new Nook series
of tablets from Barnes & Noble.
The researchers observe that the influx of Android-based devices has
changed the tablet market, much as it did for smartphones over the past
several years. Of the 44% of adults who have a smartphone, 46% have an
Android phone, 38% have an iPhone and 10% have a Blackberry.
it is also noted that among users with both a tablet and a
smartphone, there is some operating system loyalty, with a majority of
iPad owners who also have smartphones owning an iPhone (57%); while
just 32% have an Android phone. Similarly, 66% of those who have an
Android tablet have an Android phone and 29% have an iPhone.
Link: Future of Mobile
News: Device Ownership
iPad mini Rumor Roundup
Momentum Builds for iPad mini Launch
The Register's Tony Smith suggests that Apple PR is covertly
building coverage momentum in mainstream and business media ahead of
its new iPad mini tablet's formal unveiling, leaking intelligence that
the new device will have a 7.85" (20 cm) display with lower screen
resolution than the iPad 3's 2048 x 1536 Retina panel. Smith notes that
while a 1024 x 768 screen resolution to that of the iPad 2 has
been widely rumored, logic dictates that with the iPhone 5s new display
dimensions it's entirely possible that the iPad mini's display will
have a 16:9 rather than a traditional 4:3 aspect ratio.
Link: Momentum Builds
for iPad mini Launch
iPad mini Production Underway at Foxconn Plant in
Brazil?
Japanese blogsite Macotakara reports that according to reliable
sources, production of Apple's new iPad mini seems to have commenced at
the new Foxconn facility in Brazil, although they have not been able to
verify whether the production has been started in China as well.
Link: iPad mini
ブラジル工場で生産開始？
(Japanese-to-English
translation by Google Translate)
AU Optronics Building Display Panels for iPad
mini
DigiTimes' Julian Ho and Alex Wolfgram report that TFT-LCD panel
maker AU Optronics (AUO) has reportedly landed panel orders for Apple's
rumored 7.85" iPad, which is expected to be released in November
2012.
Link: AU Optronics
Building Display Panels for iPad mini Coming in November
(subscription required)
iPad mini Could Complicate Things for Windows 8
Tablets
Slashdot contributor Soulskill cites Nerval's Lobster writing that
if Apple is planning to reveal a smaller iPad sometime in October, the
unveiling of an iPad mini in that timeframe could prove very bad news
for the upcoming Windows 8 tablets.
Link: Apple iPad mini
Could Complicate Things for Windows 8 Tablets
Apps & Services
Intego Releases New Version of VirusBarrier
iOS
PR: Intego has announced VirusBarrier iOS 1.4, an important
update to their popular malware scanner for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod
touch devices. Based on the award-winning technology of
Intego's Mac OS X anti-malware tool, VirusBarrier iOS allows
users to scan files attached to email messages in the cloud for malware
that could affect Macs or Windows PCs. Version 1.4 improves usability
by allowing you to view most common document types directly from
VirusBarrier iOS immediately after scanning them.
With its easy-to-use interface and integrated functionality,
VirusBarrier iOS makes scanning email attachments quicker and simpler
than ever before.
As mobile and portable devices continue to gain popularity, it's
absolutely crucial to ensure that infected files and attachments aren't
getting passed from devices to home computers. VirusBarrier iOS takes
security a step further by scanning email attachments to make sure
they're safe to open. Once installed, the app prompts to scan email
attachments that the user tries to open. The scanner's intuitive
interface allows users to launch safe files and alerts them whenever
suspicious attachments have been discovered.
In addition to scanning email attachments, VirusBarrier iOS lets
users manually scan remote locations such as websites, FTP sites,
Dropbox shares, or WebDAV disks. Automatic updates ensure ongoing
protection from the latest, most recent Mac, Windows, and Unix threats.
VirusBarrier iOS is powered by Intego's award-winning VirusBarrier X6
scanning technology and includes the following functionality:
- Prevents the transfer of malware from your iOS devices to your
computers by scanning files, ZIP archives, and email attachments for
Mac, Windows and Unix viruses and malware
- Protects your devices by scanning files for spyware, adware,
keyloggers, Trojan Horses, and more
- Repairs infected files and keeps a log of all scans
- Scans your folders stored in remote locations such as Dropbox,
iDisks and WebDAV disks
- Updates with the most recent malware definitions to ensure you're
protected from the newest and latest threats
Device Requirements:
- iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad
- Requires iOS 4.0 or later
- 50.9 MB
VirusBarrier iOS 1.4 is 99¢ (or equivalent amount in other
currencies) and available worldwide exclusively through the App Store
in the Utilities category.
Link:
VirusBarrier iOS
YouVersion Offers Free Multi-Translation
Cross-Platform Bible App
PR: Bible.com features a free online Bible from
YouVersion.
Take your choice from nearly 300 Bible versions in more than 150
languages. Compare two versions side by side. You can also choose your
font and display size.
Study the Bible
Highlight in your favorite color, bookmark your favorite Bible
verses, and make notes about what you're learning, building a history
of your interaction with the Bible.
Subscribe to Bible Plans
Cover the
whole Bible, focus on a topic, or read a devotional from a gifted
teacher. Choose your plan and each day you'll find a Bible selection
waiting for you.
The free Bible App from LifeChurch.tv includes a huge selection of
200+ free Bible versions and 200+ plans to help you track your Bible
study progress. Now the Bible reads to you with audio Bibles. No in-app
purchases - everything is free.
Offline Access/Airplane Mode
Download many great translations to use while you are offline (no
data connection) or in airplane mode: The Message, NKJV, KJV, NET, NCV,
Gods Word, ASV, WEB, Reina-Valera 1960, ELB, LSG, CUVS, CUV, NB88/07
and many more.
Many Great Translations
Free
access to many modern English translations including the NIV, ESV, NLT,
NKJV, AMP, NASB, CEV, NET, WEB, NCV, TNIV, HCSB, The Message, and
more.
Free access to many modern Spanish translations including the
Reina-Valera 1960 (RVR60), NVI, LBLA, NBLH, and more.
Free access many foreign language Bibles including German, French,
Italian, Chinese Simplified and Traditional, Swedish, Korean, Japanese,
Norwegian, Czech, Bulgarian, Dutch, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, and
more.
Many Special Features
Easily search the Bible for either a reference or a keyword. Search
results are displayed quickly for fast navigation. Choose from dozens
of daily reading plans to help you read the Bible consistently. Track
your reading progress, sync your changes back to YouVersion.com where
you can join millions of other YouVersion users and discuss what you've
read.
Connect your Twitter and Facebook account to easily tweet and post
verses. Bookmark your favorite verses and sync those verses with
YouVersion.com
Notes
Take notes and keep them public or private. Notes are synced with
YouVersion.com. View public notes (used to be called contributions)
from other Bible App users.
Use the Bible App in Church
Interact with
church services and conferences. Just tap the Live icon in the dock at
the bottom when attending a church service or event where YouVersion
Live is being used. Take notes, respond to polls, answer questions,
tweet about the event, and more.
Coming Soon - tons of daily reading plans many new Bible versions in
many languages.
Take the Bible with You
You can also download the Bible App for free on any mobile device.
When you use the mobile app, your notes, bookmarks, highlights, plans,
and more will be synced with Bible.com. You'll have access to it all,
no matter if you're reading the Bible on your phone, tablet, or
computer.
New in Version 4.0.1
Features:
- iPad: Select book sorting preferences
- iPad: Update your profile picture
- iPad: Plans: Set reminders, email delivery
- Turn on/off Show Today at launch
- Added British English
Fixes:
- Improved stability on iOS v3.x
- Corrected VoiceOver, accessibility issues
- Plans: Complete a plan on any device, and all its reminders
stop
- Plan search: No results doesn't crash
- iPad: Plans: Fixed switching to different day
- iPad: Plans: [Done]/[Action] no longer overlap
- iPad: Offline mode: Fixed book selection
System Requirements
- iOS version compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. Requires
iOS 3.0 or later
- YouVersion is also available for Android, BlackBerry, Windows
Phone, Windows 8, HP/Palm, Java, Symbian, Mobile Web, and Kindle
Fire
Free
Link: YouVersion
website
Link:
YouVersion for iOS
Accessories
Koala Mount Sticks iPad to Any Vertical
Surface
PR: Dockem's Koala Mount lets you conveniently use and view
your tablet while keeping it safe from spills, smears and damage.
Whether you're using your iPad or other tablet to follow a new dinner
recipe, 
Skype
with family or to watch the morning news while you're performing your
morning ablutions in the bathroom, you can now enjoy handsfree viewing
without getting a crick in your neck. The Koala Mount securely holds
your iPad or other compatible tablet device in place on any wall or
hard, vertical surface.
Designed to fit all versions of the iPad and several Android tablets
including Samsung's Galaxy tablet line, the Koala Mount can be
installed in seconds using 3M Command Strips. Simply attach the strips
to the back of the mount and affix it to a wall above an outlet for
safe charging, next to the bed, your bathroom mirror, at eye level at
your desk for video calls or anywhere else you need to be able to use
and view and your tablet without having to slouch or bend over to see
the screen.
The Koala Mount features a hidden cord clip to keep your charger
easily at-hand. To use the Koala Mount, simply slide your iPad or
tablet into the side brackets for a snug and secure fit. 
When you're ready to take
your device on the go again, just slide it out of the brackets with one
hand. Furthermore, the Command strips can be removed without damaging
your wall, so if you ever want to move your Koala Mount from one wall
or room to another, you never have to worry about repairing screw holes
or repainting. New 3M Command Strips can be purchased at a variety of
retailers to hang your mount over and over again.
The Koala Mount uses two independent brackets allowing you to space
them at the correct distance apart for your tablet. You also have the
flexibility to use the Koala Mount to hold your tablet with a landscape
or portrait view. The Koala Mount can be used along with many
protective cases including the Apple Smart Cover, and you can charge
any tablet while it is resting in the mount.
The
original Dockem prototype was a duct tape pouch created by company
cofounder Chris Moyer when he needed a way to store his cellphone next
to his bed in college. Lacking a bedside table, Moyer created a pouch
out of the tape and stuck it to the side of his dresser. But, it left a
mess to clean up when removed. Knowing there had to be a better way to
safely store his phone within easy reach, Moyer developed the idea for
the Dockem and the Koala Mount. Dockem is headquartered in East
Stroudsburg, PA and is run by cofounders and brothers, Chris and Colby
Moyer.
The Koala Mount retails for $19.99 and includes 2 Koala brackets, 2
Standard 3M Command strips, a surface prep pad, and full
instructions.
Link: Koala iPad
& Tablet Wall Mount
Scottevest Fleece 7.0 Technology Enabled Jacket a
Perfect Accessory for iPhone 5
PR:
Scottevest, Inc. specializes in pocketed clothing marketed toward
travelers, gadgetphiles, photographers, and urban adventurers, and
their new Fleece 7.0 Jacket is available now as a preorder to ship
October 31, 2012.
The Fleece 7.0
is the successor to Scottevest's signature jacket, the Fleece 5.0. The
Fleece 7.0 features a new patent pending pocket, the Quick Draw pocket,
inspired by London based blogger, Documentally. This allows you to
access your iPhone 5 (or other smartphone) through the Clear Touch
Fabric in the hand warmer pocket, which they say is something you truly
need to test out for yourself.
Scottevest believes this feature will fundamentally change the way
you interact with your mobile devices. You can plug it in to your wired
in headsets or use Siri and FaceTime right through the clear touch
fabric, without ever removing your phone from your pocket. You can
check out video demos.
More Fleece 7.0 key features:
23 innovative,
purposeful pockets for are perfect for gadget lovers, travelers and
photographers on the move- Speaking of pocket innovations, this updated style also includes a
new iPad/tablet pocket design, which adds extra security and better
ergonomics when pocketing a large device.
- The In-and-Out Pocket debuts on the Fleece 7.0, allowing you to
access the interior chest pocket from the exterior of the jacket.
- An updated eyeglass pocket with both top and zippered side access
contains a cleaning chamois with a map showing each of the jacket's
many pockets.
- Since the sleeves are removable with cleverly hidden zippers, a
dual-access back lumbar pocket has been included to hold them if you
are wearing the Fleece 7.0 as a vest.
Fleece 7.0 can turn into a
vest- Inside, just in case you need to "show your papers" or "stow your
papers" in a hurry, there's a travel documents pocket with a red zipper
and a locking zipper pull, making it nearly impossible to
pickpocket.
- Attention to detail continues inside with a silky lining and a
subtle "fractal" design comprised of our logo in shades of black and
gray.
- Ergonomic zipper pulls make getting into your pockets easy (even
with gloves).
- Totally stealthy, the Fleece 7.0 is black with gray accents and has
NO reflective piping. And if stealth isn't your thing, it's also
available in a limited edition Red version.
The Fleece 7.0 sells for
$160 and is now available for preorder on the company's website and
will be shipping at the end of October.
Scottevest was named the #41 apparel ecommerce site in 2011 by
Internet Retailer Magazine and #77 fastest growing Consumer Products
& Services Companies by Inc. Magazine. SeV specializes in stylish
jackets, shirts and pants with a unique hidden pockets for travelers,
and a patented system of conduits and pockets for carrying, using and
enjoying personal electronics, and is the first clothing company to
provide a pocket for the iPad.
Link: SeV Fleece Jacket
7.0
