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Posts tagged with "iPad"

Thoughts on Flipboard

Like I said in my first coverage of Flipboard, I didn’t have enough time to test the application and come up with an opinion about the innovations of this new way to consume and, to a degree, produce news content on the iPad. When Flipboard launched two days ago, the servers were immediately hammered down by Robert Scoble’s highly hyped preview, people tried to add their own Twitter / Facebook feeds and the application servers crashed. I guess McCue wasn’t expecting such a huge and positive response, probably because he didn’t know that iPad users were looking for something like this.

A new, fresh, revolutionary app that could prove that the iPad is indeed magical. We’ve seen some great apps on the iPad, but as Scoble puts it: “you’ve never seen one like this”. Is Flipboard revolutionary? It’s the first seed for a revolution in how people find interesting content on the crowded web, and this revolution is happening now. The problem with this revolution is that many people don’t think it’s a revolution at all. Strange, isn’t it? A company comes out with a greatly innovative product and many people don’t see that product as great or innovative.

They’re not looking at the big picture. They don’t get the concept, they don’t see the potential because they’re too busy criticizing some developers that made the wrong choice of not choosing the right amount of servers for day-one.

I’ve been testing the app with full Twitter and Facebook support since yesterday. Indeed, I was able to add my Twitter and Facebook accounts, other people’s profiles and Twitter lists, both the ones curated by me and others. So, I’m enjoying the complete Filpboard experience right now. Here are my thoughts about it.

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If the iPad is So Good, Can You Eat Off of It?

Occasionally there’s an article that’s just… weird. You know, the kind of stuff that’s instantly able to turn a sour day into something incredibly awesome. Leave it to the Japanese to provide me with the one iPad article that beats them all. In fact, I don’t think anything will be able to top this for a long time. If you’ve read the headline, I think you know where this is going.

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Twelvesouth Launches Compass Mobile Stand for iPad

The Twelvesouth guys are well-known for making awesome Apple-dedicated accessories.We reviewed the Bookarc for iPad months ago, and it’s still one of the best products available. A few days ago they launched a new stand for iPad, called “Compass Mobile Stand.” You can find all the details here.

“Compass is a stylish compact folding stand that lets you use your iPad in two different modes. First, as an easel, Compass displays iPad in both portrait and landscape modes. Second, flip open the secondary leg and Compass now holds your iPad at the perfect angle to let your fingers fly across iPad’s onscreen keyboard.

Forged from heavy gauge steel, this slim, travel friendly stand lets you enjoy both hands-free and hands-on use of your iPad anywhere your iPad goes. iPhoto slideshows to Keynote presentations, Compass lets you see and do more with iPad. Compass folds up to the size of candy bar, requiring very little space in your backpack, computer bag or purse. Store it in it soft travel sleeve, which matches the Apple iPad case, and you’re ready to go.”

In my opinion, it’s great, and looks very useful. Check out the images below.

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AirSketch Showcases Wireless Doodles. Review and Giveaway!

So you’re giving a presentation on stage. iPad in hand, you swipe through your presentation images, conveying different ideas. At the end, a quick Q&A question presents you with a scenario you couldn’t predict. “How would your website do this?” Quickly, you bring up AirSketch, and in front of an audience of dozens, begin sketching your plans. But whether it’s for presentations or fun, AirSketch is a seriously cool sketchpad for the iPad that allows you to wirelessly share your masterpieces via your local network.

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Digits Calculator for iPad: Beautiful, Powerful, Simple

The iPad lacks a built-in calculator but there’s no shortage of 3rd party ones in the App Store. I’ve already reviewed Calcbot for iPhone and iPad and I’m loving it, but this one’s good, too.

Digits Calculator by Shift looks like a simple calculator app for iPad, with very large numbers and a surprising attention to typographic details. There’s a tape on the left side to retrieve all your past calculations, numbers and some buttons are at the center of the screen. Don’t be fooled by the looks of it: Digits Calculator is powerful. It’s a scientific calculator, with a wide array of options to customize the way it works for you located in the settings.

You can change the colors of the app, enable the currency and scientific formats, show labels and color total values. The app rearranges items on screen with a nice animation when you change orientation.

I’m no math expert, but I can spot a good calculator when I see one. If you already own Calcbot, you may want to give this a try anyway, especially considering that it’s just $0.99 in the App Store and will be available soon as Universal for free to previous customers.

Go download it.

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Dear Apple, This Is What I Want On The iPad

I’ve been playing around with my iPad for three months now, and it has definitely changed many things in the way I approach my job, Twitter, news and the web in general. Is it magical? Yes, it is. Is it magical enough to completely reinvent the way people think of mobile devices? Maybe, but it’s personal.

The iPad is a highly personal device. Even more than the iPhone, which is and always will ultimately be a phone, the iPad has no defined purpose. Sure, Apple says that it’s the best way to read emails, surf the web and watch movies, but it’s up to you to turn the tablet into your machine. A productivity machine, an entertainment one or a gaming device? Your call.

For as much as I enjoy using my iPad, there are some things I’m missing. Features, let’s just say. Whether it’s about hardware adjustments I’d like to see, or software updates coming in the next months, I’ve put together a list of “stuff I want on the iPad”.

Maybe you’ll find something that you want in there, too.

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Flipboard - Revolutionary News App for iPad Available

Sometimes a new app comes around and reinvents a genre. A few times (a very few times, actually) a new app arrives and reinvents everything you thought about a device. I’ve mentioned the “second wave of iPad apps” before: I think that a new generation of applications for Apple’s tablet is ready to invade the App Store to show everyone, not just its 3 million users, what the iPad was meant to be since the beginning.

I think that the second wave starts today with Flipboard.

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