So, an unofficial iPad 2 announcement for Wednesday, March 2. Do you believe? Here are today’s deals on iOS, Mac, and Mac App Store apps that are on sale for a limited time, so get ‘em while they’re hot!
Posts tagged with "iPad"
#MacStoriesDeals - Tuesday
Wunderlist For iOS Gets A Hefty Update To 1.2.0
Wunderlist is an excellent, cross-platform alternative to apps like Things if you want to access your to-do lists anywhere, and today there’s a big update that brings even more functionality to the already flexible manager. Alongside visual improvements to the interface between a new icon, some sidebar adjustments, and three new backgrounds, the iOS version has been updated to support landscape mode, push notifications, and email tasking (manage your tasks from your inbox). Wunderlist also sports a new date picker and an “optimized” detail view for tasks. If you’re a Wunderlist user, check the App Store to download the latest free update.
Another Leaked Case Suggests iPad 2 Will Simply Be Called ‘iPad’, Comes with Rear Camera Hole
As noted by Apple Bitch, a new leather case for the next-generation iPad leaked to German website Macerkopf.de (Google Translation) confirms a series of rumors we’ve been hearing about the device like tapered edges, thinner design, rear-facing camera and flat back, but also provides some details on the actual name of the ‘iPad 2’. The term ‘iPad 2’ was indeed created by journalists and bloggers to indicate the second iteration of the tablet likely to ship in April; the retail packaging of this new case, however, comes with a simple “For the new iPad” label that may or may not suggest the ‘iPad 2’ will actually be called…iPad.
Of course, we can’t confirm on the authenticity of this leather case – which was allegedly leaked from a Swiss dealer that received more than 100 of these cases. The accessory also puts a lot of attention on the larger speaker cutout, supposedly implemented to let the new iPad achieve a much higher volume output comparable to Apple’s MacBooks.
Check out more pictures of this new case here. Another case surfaced on the internet last week reaffirmed other iPad 2 rumors such as smaller design, cameras and tapered edges.
Update: it also needs to be noted that current iPhone 4 accessories don’t come with labels like “Made for the iPhone 4”. Instead, Apple went for a simple “Made for iPhone” that doesn’t point to the “iPhone 4” name in any way. Still, we think ‘iPad 2’ isn’t really a great product name at all - especially considering Apple hasn’t named a product “x 2” since the Apple II and the iPhone is the only product that has gotten some kind of a numeric update on each generation.
On a personal note, I remember reading on videogame magazines a few years back that Microsoft didn’t choose to name the second-generation Xbox ‘Xbox 2’ to avoid the sound of an “inferior product” against Sony’s PlayStation 3. And so Microsoft went for the Xbox 360 brand that would play nice with PS3. Following this theory, Apple might not want to call the second-gen iPad ‘iPad 2’ to avoid confusion and confrontation with the iPhone 4, or even iPhone 5.
Amazon Takes Another Swing at Apple with New Kindle Commercial
Amazon released another Kindle commercial today, titled “The book lives on”, which is – again – clearly targeting the issues with the iPad as an eBook reader. Just like in the first commercial posted months ago, Amazon points out you can’t read books in direct sunlight on the iPad because of screen glare – something the Kindle addresses with its digital ink paper-like technology.
The latest commercial, however, showcases more features than direct-sunlight reading. The Kindle is touted as a lighter device with battery life “up to a month”, is being used by people in their mid twenties / thirties (Apple’s typical userbase) and has access to more than 800,000 books available in the Kindle Store. Last, the commercial is backed up by a catchy pop song that’s very similar to Apple’s usual commercial strategy. It’s a very nice commercial if you ask me, but I do see a trend here.
Check out the video below. In the meantime, Apple is rumored to introduce a Kindle-like display technology for a better reading experience in the iPad 2. [via TechCrunch] Read more
#MacStoriesDeals - Monday
Ah Monday, so will we see new MacBooks this week? Tuesdays are usually hardware update days for Apple. Here are today’s deals on iOS, Mac, and Mac App Store apps that are on sale for a limited time, so get ‘em while they’re hot!
T-Mobile & Orange iPad Price Drop Hints at New iPad Soon
Numbers are starting to point toward the arrival of Apple’s iPad 2 (and 3?). UK Carriers T-Mobile and Orange have dropped their iPad pricing, possibly making room for the iPad 2 arrival very soon, maybe in a matter of weeks.
When new versions of products are on their way, it’s very typical for retailers to drop pricing to clear out current stock. It’s not just a “sale” price either, but more significant. Now T-Mobile and Orange are both selling the iPad for £99 on their 24-month contracts. Previously, Orange was offering the iPad WiFi + 3G at £199.99 to existing customers and £229.99 for new customers - this price drop is offering a savings of at least £100 on each. T-Mobile, meanwhile, is only offering the discount to existing customers.
Last year Apple unveiled the game-changing iPad in late January with sales starting on April 3rd. Since we’re currently in-between those dates, and have yet to hear anything official from Apple, we could see the iPad 2 peek it’s beautiful head within the next few weeks. On the other hand, the reduced price could just be Orange and T-Mobile offering customers a bargain; but who wants to believe the later? Not us, that’s for sure.
[via TechRadar]
WiFi2HiFi Makes Streaming Music From Your Computer to a HiFi Easy
Just released today is WiFi2HiFi, a new iPhone and iPod Touch app that effectively allows you to use your device to stream audio from your computer to an iPod dock, stereo system or anything else that can connect to the 3.5mm jack or the 30-pin port. It virtually emulates the AirPort Express feature of streaming audio from a computer to connected sound system, but how well does it work? I was given a pre-release build to review and a review follows the break.
‘I Am Number Four’ Director On Hollywood & iPads→
‘I Am Number Four’ Director On Hollywood & iPads
(Above: Michael Bay using his iPad on the set of ‘Transformers’)
Film director DJ Caruso describes his experience of using the iPad as a productivity tool while shooting ‘I Am Number Four’:
I got it, I don’t want to say as a toy, but then I realized about a week into prep that my storyboards were coming on it, my previs was on it, my script was on it, I don’t carry my script anymore. I started getting emails from two of my storyboard artists who work in Los Angeles and I have this application where I can mark up the boards – I’m a terrible drawer – and I can mark up the boards and send them back. It just became this amazing production tool.
There’s more than a director discovering this new tablet computer as a useful gadget, though. In fact, DJ Caruso says almost everyone at Hollywood from assistants to actors to directors now has an iPad, and not just to play Angry Birds during breaks. He even tells the story of when he got into an email conversation with Spielberg about the apps they had installed and used for work purposes.
The coolest part, however, is about the supernatural powers of the main character of his movie being controlled by a custom-made iPad app:
Pettyfer’s character John Smith, an alien, discovers during the film he has several supernatural powers. One of those powers is that he can control light through his hands. During filming, Alex wore a flashlight-like contraption wired up through his jacket and it was activated… by an iPad off screen.
It turns out, some people do create content on their iPads. Looks like Hollywood is indeed hooked on iPads. [via TUAW]
#MacStoriesDeals - Super Saturday Special Edition!
Friday wasn’t so great for iOS deals so we’ve added a special Saturday edition today! Here are today’s deals on iOS, Mac, and Mac App Store apps that are on sale for a limited time, so get ‘em while they’re hot!