Posts tagged with "iPad"

Link Your Computer And iOS Device With myPhoneDesktop: Double Pass Giveaway!

We’ve talked about myPhoneDesktop before on MacStories but we thought it deserved a short ‘re-review’ to accompany today’s giveaway. Keeping it simple, the premise of myPhoneDesktop is that it provides a portal through which you can easily transfer data and information from your desktop computer to your iPhone or iPad.

Broadly speaking the app transfers four types of data including phone data (both numbers and text messages), website URLs, text and images. When you send any of that data from your computer, and there is both a desktop and web client, it will be pushed straight to your device with a notification.

But where I think the app becomes most powerful is when you have the data on your iPhone or iPad. In the corner of the app it has the “Open in” icon where it literally has a wealth of options for your data. There is everything from the obligatory search with Google, to send by email, add to contact, send SMS or launching another app with that data. Importantly, the developers aren’t resting on their laurels, since we last talked about myPhoneDesktop there have been a few updates that continue to add more app integrations including Navigon and InstaTodo.

In reality I have only just scraped the surface of what this app can do, for example it also integrates with Google Voice and Skype, so make sure to check out the myPhoneDesktop website to learn more and get your own copy. Today we’re giving away 5 ‘double passes’ of myPhone desktop – in other words the five winners will receive two promo codes, perfect to give one copy to a iPhone-toting friend or family member, or (god forbid) use it as a belated Father’s Day gift. Details of the give away are past the break.

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Apple Posts New iPad 2 Commercial: “Now”

Apple has posted a new iPad 2 commercial on its website and official YouTube channel entitled “Now”. Similarly to previous commercials, “Now” puts the focus on what is possible to do with an iPad 2, things like holding a book store in your hands, “listen to a magazine” or “touch the stars”. Apple’s short, elegant and concise iPad commercials want to capture the essence of the iPad as a personal device to do things that were impossible before.

Now, we can watch a newspaper; listen to a magazine; curl up with a movie; and see a phone call. Now, we can take a classroom anywhere; hold an entire book store; and touch the stars.

Because now, there’s this.

Among the featured apps, FaceTime, Spin Magazine, iBooks and the award-winning Star Walk. Apple’s previous iPad 2 commercials were called “We Believe” and “If You Asked”. Check out the new video below.
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Cupcases: Tasty Accessories for your iPhone and iPad

There’s nothing more delightful than a delicious cupcake to brighten up your day, and Cupcases has opened up shop to deliver the same joy of a homemade dessert to your family of iOS devices. Sporting three hand crafted cases for your iPhone and iPad, there’s certain to be something for everyone. While the leather iPhone wallet is great for stashing credit cards, and the cotton case – frosted with dark chocolate leather – would be an excellent companion for the winter months, I really like the stitched iPad sock that’s currently available for $9.99. While I hate to admit I actually love those little adorable socks for iPods, the giant iPad sock can keep an iPad warm and cozy (and keep your screen safe from nicks) as you carry your device and toss it in a bag. One of our writers has already purchased the green koozie, and I just might have to do the same.

Check out Cupcases’ range of products at Cupcases.com.

#MacStoriesDeals - Friday

In case you missed yesterday’s Deals, we kept them in today as well. Happy early Father’s Day! Here are today’s @MacStoriesDeals on iOS, Mac, and Mac App Store apps that are on sale for a limited time, so get them before they end!

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NYT: Facebook iPad App Launching “In The Coming Weeks”

Nick Bilton at The New York Times reports Facebook is in the final stages of testing its first official iPad application, which should launch in the App Store for free in the coming weeks. The lack of an official Facebook app for the tablet contributed to the rise of third-party solutions in the past year that were nothing but redesigned versions of Facebook’s website wrapped inside the iPad’s screen; according to The New York Times, Facebook’s iPad app has been carefully designed and tested by Mark Zuckerberg himself to ensure the quality of the product and a great Facebook experience on the tablet. For instance, the app will sport chat and Groups integration and will allow users to upload photos shot with the iPad’s cameras. Or, users will be able to browse photos in full-screen in a completely new, beautiful Facebook UI.

People briefed on Facebook’s plans say that in coming weeks the company plans to introduce a free iPad application that has been carefully designed and optimized for the tablet.

The app has been in production at Facebook for almost a year, going through several design iterations, and is now in the final stages of testing, according to these people, who declined to be named because they were discussing confidential product plans.

With more than 600 million Facebook users out there and 25 million iPads sold since April 2010, the potential for adoption is huge. There’s been some talks lately as to whether Facebook is really planning to launch an HTML5-based development platform to take on Apple’s Mobile Safari, and indeed The New York Times is also reporting Facebook will launch a new version of the regular website for the iPad’s browser. It’s unclear when all this will launch (NYT says the iPad app will be available in the “coming weeks”), but it’s safe to assume the new website won’t offer as many features as a native app. The Facebook app for iPhone has been around since 2008 and it’s the most popular free App Store download of all time.

BBC iPlayer Rolling Out To Western Europe By Year’s End

A number of countries in Western Europe will be the first to experience the BBC iPlayer outside of the UK as the BBC begins its international rollout this year. Fans of BBC content such as Doctor Who that live in Western Europe will be the first that will be able to access it and other BBC shows (including archive content) on the iPlayer app available on the iPad.

The BBC will begin the rollout for Western Europeans sometime before the end of the year and at a monthly cost of something under $10 – the fee has yet to be finalised. The content library will be available on the iPad app but only in English at this stage.

For its international rollout of the BBC iPlayer, Jana Bennett who works for BBC Worldwide said to The Guardian that they are looking forward to adding collections of content for various genres including music, comedy and documentaries. She says that the international version is a “different proposition” from its British counterpart that is primarily for catch-up content.

The freedom from catchup means that we’ve got a lot more flexibility in terms of what we put on there and how we present it.

[Via The Guardian]