Tag Archives: iPad

Events, Hardware, Mobile

Everything Apple Announced at The Virtual 2021 iPhone 13 Event

CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA, Apple officially announced its 2021 new line of updated products including A new iPad and iPad Mini, a new line of the 7th-gen Apple Watch, a bunch of new iPhones with a few interesting updates – iPhone 13, 13 Mini, 13 Pro and 13 Max.  No new Airpods announced. Here are the highlights:

 

Apple Event — September 14

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iPhone 13 Highlights:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m43rh-pI0P0

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Apple announces iPhone 13 and 13 mini with a pretty similar look and design to iPhone 12, with a smaller notch, A15 chipset, diagonal dual-camera system, larger battery life, and five new colors. Apple iPhone 13 mini starts at $699 and iPhone 13 starts at $799, the same as the iPhone 12, now starts with 128GB base storage  and a 512GB option. More here:

  • – Super Retina XDR display
  • – A15 Bionic chip
  • – Improved power efficiency
  • – 6-core CPU, 4-core GPU

Apple today introduced iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini, the next generation of the world’s best smartphone, featuring a beautiful design with sleek flat edges in five gorgeous new colors. Both models feature major innovations, including the most advanced dual-camera system ever on iPhone — with a new Wide camera with bigger pixels and sensor-shift optical image stabilization (OIS) offering improvements in low-light photos and videos, a new way to personalize the camera with Photographic Styles, and Cinematic mode, which brings a new dimension to video storytelling. iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini also boast super-fast performance and power efficiency with A15 Bionic, longer battery life, a brighter Super Retina XDR display that brings content to life, incredible durability with the Ceramic Shield front cover, double the entry-level storage at 128GB, an industry-leading IP68 rating for water resistance, and an advanced 5G experience.

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iPhone 13 Pro Highlights:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKfgdkcIUxw

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Apple unveils iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max with the new ProMotion update for 10Hz-120Hz refresh rates, A15 Bionic chip, new camera system with 3x optical zoom, and more advanced updates. Apple iPhone 13 Pro starts at $999 and 13 Pro Max starts at $1,099, same as the iPhone 12 Pros, now with up to 1TB option; pre-order on Sept. 17, shipping Sept. 24. More here:

  • – Ceramic Shield glass on front
  • – IP68 water resistance
  • – Redesigned interior to support the new camera system and the bigger battery
  • – A15 Bionic chip
  • – New 5-core GPU
  • – Super Retina XDR display
  • – ProMotion

Apple today introduced iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in a smartphone. Redesigned inside and out, both models introduce an all-new Super Retina XDR display with ProMotion featuring an adaptive refresh rate up to 120Hz, making the touch experience faster and more responsive. The pro camera system gets its biggest advancement ever with new Ultra Wide, Wide, and Telephoto cameras that capture stunning photos and video, powered by the unmatched performance of A15 Bionic, more powerful than the leading competition. These technologies enable impressive new photo capabilities never before possible on iPhone, like macro photography on the new Ultra Wide camera and up to 2.2x improved low-light performance on the new Wide camera. New computational photography features like Photographic Styles personalize the look of images in the Camera app, and both models now include Night mode on all cameras. Video takes a huge leap forward with Cinematic mode for beautiful depth-of-field transitions, macro video, Time-lapse and Slo-mo, and even better low-light performance. Both models also offer end-to-end pro workflows in Dolby Vision, and for the first time, ProRes, only available on iPhone. iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max also include 5G with more bands for better coverage, big improvements to battery life for the best battery life ever on iPhone with iPhone 13 Pro Max, new storage capacity of 1TB, and the Ceramic Shield front cover, tougher than any smartphone glass.

iPhone 13 Pro Camera Updates:

Apple’s iPhone 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max will feature a macro photography mode for close-up shots, a Cinematic mode for more advanced “rack focus” techniques, more

  • – Telephoto (3x optical)
  • – Ultra wide, with a larger sensor to improve low light capabilities
  • – Wide camera with f.15 aperture
  • – Night mode now available on all cameras
  • – Macro mode
  • – New filters dubbed ‘Photographic Styles’ for real time photo edits while rendering

With new sensors and lenses for all three rear cameras, optimized to work seamlessly with iOS 15 and powered by the new image signal processor (ISP) in A15 Bionic for improved noise reduction and tone mapping, the iPhone 13 Pro lineup features the best camera system ever on iPhone. The all-new Wide camera has a larger sensor with 1.9 µm pixels, the largest ever on iPhone, for less noise and faster shutter speeds needed across lighting conditions, producing even more detailed photos. Coupled with the larger ƒ/1.5 aperture, the Wide camera on iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max offers a massive improvement in low-light situations, up to 2.2x when compared to iPhone 12 Pro, and nearly 1.5x when compared to iPhone 12 Pro Max. Sensor-shift optical image stabilization (OIS) — unique to iPhone — is available on both models, stabilizing the sensor instead of the lens, so images are smooth and video is steady, even when the user is not.

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iPad Mini 6 Product Update Highlights:

Introducing the all-new iPad mini | Apple

Apple refreshes its  iPad mini lineup with a larger 8.3″ display and rounded edges, Touch ID power button, USB C port, 5G connectivity, second-gen Pencil support; coming next week for $499.

  • – Four color options
  • – Beautiful 8.3” display
  • – TouchID
  • – USB C port
  • – 40% faster CPU, 80% GPU improvement
  • – 12MP camera
  • – Starting at $499, orders start today with shipping next week

Apple today introduced the powerful new iPad mini — with a larger 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display — in four gorgeous finishes. Featuring the brand new A15 Bionic chip, the new iPad mini delivers up to 80 percent faster performance than the previous generation, making it the most capable iPad mini ever. A new USB-C port allows faster connectivity, and cellular models with 5G bring more flexible mobile workflows. New advanced cameras, Center Stage, and support for Apple Pencil (2nd generation) enable new ways for users to capture photos and videos, communicate with loved ones, and jot down their ideas when creativity strikes. The new iPad mini is available to order beginning today, and will be in stores beginning Friday, September 24.

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New iPad Product Update

Apple announces an updated entry-level iPad model with A13 chip, 12MP ultrawide front-facing camera, iPadOS 15, basic 64GB minimum storage; available next week starting at $329

Apple today introduced the new iPad (9th generation), featuring the powerful A13 Bionic chip that packs even more performance and capability into the most popular iPad, all while retaining its all-day battery life.1 Starting at just $329, the new iPad features a 10.2-inch Retina display with True Tone, a 12MP Ultra Wide front camera with Center Stage, support for Apple Pencil (1st generation) and Smart Keyboard, the intuitive iPadOS 15, and twice the storage of the previous generation. The new iPad is available to order beginning today on apple.com, and in stores beginning Friday, September 24.

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Apple Watch Series 7 Highlights:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMdQ-gWBNZE

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Apple unveils Watch Series 7 in 41mm and 45mm sizes, with five colors, thinner borders, 20% larger displays, and IPX6, starting at $399 this fall. More here:

Apple today announced Apple Watch Series 7, featuring a reengineered Always-On Retina display with significantly more screen area and thinner borders, making it the largest and most advanced display ever. The narrower borders allow the display to maximize screen area, while minimally changing the dimensions of the watch itself. The design of Apple Watch Series 7 is refined with softer, more rounded corners, and the display has a unique refractive edge that makes full-screen watch faces and apps appear to seamlessly connect with the curvature of the case. Apple Watch Series 7 also features a user interface optimized for the larger display, offering greater readability and ease of use, plus two unique watch faces — Contour and Modular Duo — designed specifically for the new device. With the improvements to the display, users benefit from the same all-day 18-hour battery life,1 now complemented by 33 percent faster charging.

 

 

 

General, Hardware, software

Apple’s Fascinating 43-Year Journey From Small Project To $1 Trillion in Valuation

Is there any more fascinating success story in the world of tech than that of Apple Inc.? What began as a small project in the back of Steve Jobs’ parents’ garage has turned into the first trillion dollar company in the world.

It all started with Apple I, the first Apple product released by Jobs and Apple’s co-founder Steve Wozniak in 1976. Following the success of Apple’s first two personal computers – Apple I and Apple II – the company went public in 1980, and its founders became multi-millionaires overnight.

The 1980s saw the debut of the first personal computer with a graphical user interface (GUI), named Lisa, as well as the release of the Macintosh computer.

What followed, however, was a series of setbacks for Apple, including Jobs’ resignation in 1985. If you want to know what happened next on Apple’s journey to $1 trillion, take a look at the comprehensive infographic below by The Watchstrap.co detailing the success story of the biggest tech company in the world.

 

Mobile

Why Your Website Should Be Mobile Friendly

Have you ever visited a website while logged onto a desktop or laptop computer, only to visit the same website on a mobile device and find the experience clearly displeasing? That, of course, is an example of how to quickly turn off a customer (or potential customer): by denying them the ability to get the information they need in what is more and more the way of viewing the internet and interacting for the things we want.  In fact, more and more people are turning off their computers entirely and instead moving to a mobile-only experience.

And making sure the mobile experience is optimized affects you in a more practical way, too: You’ll get dinged by Google if your site doesn’t work well on smart phones and tablets. But luckily, diving in and re-adjusting the experience isn’t that hard and there are some good practices to put into place. This graphic reviews them.

tablets

The Top 3 Best Tablets on the Market

 

When you’re ready to dish out some money for a new tablet, you obviously want to buy the best there is on the market. So, when time comes to buy, what should you look for? What are the best new models you can buy today? These are a few of the best tablets you can find on the market today, if you are ready to buy right now.

Amazon Fire 
With a 1.3 GHZ processor, a 7” screen, and excellent picture resolution (1024*600 pixels) you won’t find many tablets at this smaller screen size which has such excellent colour contrast and resolution. Add in the very light weight of only 11 ounces and you can literally carry this thing around without even feeling it in a bag. The 8 GB built in storage, and Amazon OS are fast, and allows for added storage if you need it. Excellent touch screen, easy to use features, and a small, sleek, elegant design, make this a must have tablet, especially for such a low-price point in comparison to other top manufacturer names in the marketplace.

Surface Pro 4  
This Microsoft tablet is another great option. It is sleek, has the unique kick stand design, detachable keyboard, lighted keys, and a very cool looking exterior. It features a larger screen size at 12.3” you can use it like a laptop, eliminating the need to own two devices. The 2.3 processor speed is extremely fast, so you won’t experience lag time or slow speeds, even if you are down or uploading, watching, or playing games, on the device. 1920×1200-pixel resolution also means sharper images, better depth perception, and great color disparity on screen. A bit pricey, but considering it can be a tablet as well as a laptop in one, it is a bundle and a great bargain.


iPad Pro 7
Apple has done it again. If you love large screen sizes, the 9.8” design is truly a great size you won’t find with many competitors on the market today. With the iOS operating system, you won’t be disappointed with speed, ability to browse the web, or do nearly anything (work or play) on this device. It is very responsive, has built in safety fingers (like fingerprint technology), and the 2048×1536-pixel resolution, makes it the very best, and provides the best screen resolution and image quality, regardless of what you plan on using the iPad to do. It is very thin, it is very light, and it comes from the most trusted developer in Apple.

A true must have device, but do consider the high price tag if you are comparing this with other Android based devices which are much cheaper in the price spectrum. The  iPad Pro7 can be very expensive depending on the model you go for. Luckily catalogue companies have started to provide different payment plans like buy now pay later, pay weekly, pay monthly. Over the past few years buying tablets on finance has become more and more popular due to the price of the product.

No matter what you are looking for when it comes to buying a new tablet, you have hundreds of options out there. For the budget shopper, for the high-end shopper, and for those who are in between, these are three great models to consider, which will offer great resolution, speeds, and quality, for the price point you can spend when purchasing a new tablet.

tablets

Samsung’s iPad Killer The Galaxy Tab S2 To Launch Next Month

ipad-tablet-samsung-mobile

Samsung is going all-force with its Galaxy Tab tablet lineup. At this point, it would be safe to assume we’re all too familiar with the wildly successful Tab S series, right? I mean, seriously who hasn’t heard about it, especially if you’re into the tech and gadget worlds.

And Sammy has definitely put an honorable effort to create a nice, functional user-friendly slate that can be truly compared against the iPad. However, it doesn’t seem to have been enough. As it looks, the company still tries to improve it in a yearly basis.

The latest word on the street is that the S. Korean corp. is planning to announce their awesomely designed Galaxy Tab S2 next month. The new series, which will probably consist of 8-inch and 9.7-inch screen-sized slabs, is rumored to be much thinner (only 5.4mm) than the 6.4-mm iPad Air 2, and with a similar resolution screen at 2,048 x 1,536.

Samsung-Galaxy-Tab-S2-Tablet

What’s inside, you may ask? According to the leaked information, the Galaxy Tab S2 devices are said to be running under Samsung’s latest 64-bit Exynos processor, as well as 3GB of RAM and up to 32GB of internal storage with a microSD slot supporting up to 128GB.

There’s also an Android 5.0.2 Lollipop OS installed, along with an 8 megapixel main rear camera and a 2.1 megapixel shooter upfront. Battery wise, the 8-inch model will have a 3,580 mAh battery unit, while the 9.7-inch comes in with a bigger 5,870 mAh pack.

Same as previous Galaxy S lineup, Samsung is expected to launch four versions of the Tab S2, including both WiFi and Cat. 6 LTE-enabled models of the slates.

In all, this seems like a great upgrade, and while pricing and release dates are sketchy at the moment, we would definitely love to see them sometime next month.

 

[via nowhereelse]

Computers, General, Mobile

This Chart Shows Apple’s Premium Pricing Strategy and Product Differentiation

Apple has been on an incredible run, with shares value hitting world record high of $710 billion. Apple has become the first ever company to be valued at this value range, mostly because of that it is often associated with luxurious products and services which rank high on great quality, durability and Innovation.

Below is a chart showing how Apple is using the pricing strategy to sell the company’s products and the range they offer for each and every one of them.

apple-pricing-strategy-chart

 

 

[Via businessinsider]

Operating Systems, software

Apple Releases iOS 8.1.3 With Bug Fixes And Performance Update

apple-corp

Today Apple released iOS 8.1.3, with bug fixes and performance improvement to the line of devices running iOS 8. In this context, the new update reduces the amount of storage required to install software updates over-the-air. The rationale beyond this move is to provide effective solution to the common complaints about ridiculous requirements to have at least 5GB of free storage on your iDevices in order to successfully install the company’s firmware update.

Apple has also fixed some bugs in this update which address issues that prevented users from entering Apple ID passwords for use with Messages and FaceTime, as well as an issue that stopped multitasking gestures on the iPad, a bug that causes some absence of results on the Spotlight search, and additional configuration options education standardized testing.

The new firmware updates can be installed in the following devices: iPhone 4s, iPhone 5, iPhone 5c, iPhone 5s, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 PlusiPad 2, iPad 3, iPad 4, iPad mini, iPad Air, iPad mini 2, iPad Air 2, iPad mini 3, iPod touch, 5th-generation.

 

Apple-iOS 8.1.3-software-update

Accessories, tablets

Report: Apple’s Rumored 12.9-Inch iPad Pro Will Launch With a Special stylus Pen

Apple-iPad-Stylus-Pen

Apple’s rumored 12.9-inch “iPad Pro” is said to be released sometime in early 2015, with word on the street that a line of bigger screens is already in the works for at least one year or so. Now we’re learning from various sources close to the matter that the Cupertino giant is planning to extend the new breed of tablets with some new engaging features to enhance their work performance. One of the features worth noting is the handy stylus pen. Apple Insider reports that Apple might consider adding this tool to its upcoming lineup, while basing their info on a quote from Ming-Chi Kuo, a well reputed Apple analyst at KGI Securities, who has come to the conclusion by conducting his own research and observations of the company, along with the fact that Apple already filed for some patents of a stylus pen before.

To his words, “given that it’s more precise than a person’s fingers, a stylus can be more convenient to use than the combination of keyboard and mouse in some cases.” And “therefore, we believe Apple’s stylus will improve the user experience of 12.9-inch iPad.”

Apple-iPad-Stylus-Pen

 

That makes a lot of sense, considering the fact there are plenty of apps that actually require a stylus these days, either for painting and drawing or simply because your handwriting sucks. And what’s better than a bigger iPad tablet to help you improve your skillset and creativity, eh?

Moreover, according to Kuo’s report, the first edition of the stylus will not require any hardware modifications to the iPad itself, however, future iterations of the pen, which are likely to include support for 3D handwriting technology, might do.

If rumors are true, then Tim Cook is clearly going against Steve Jobs’ wishes (who stated in the past that “if you see a stylus, they blew it”). However, it also means that the company is slowly getting into its full stride again after the sudden departure of its late co-founder.

Naturally we are all just speculating out of our geeky minds here but yeah, I think that time has come for Apple to finally release a stylus product as it adds functionality and features that were missing from the iPad.

 

 

[Image Credit, Flickr, Elmastudio]
Games

Top 16 Highest Earning Gaming Apps on The App Store [Infographic]

Mobile applications are already an inherent part of our daily life. The average activity includes basic social networking elements, as well as taking photos, watching videos, streaming music and playing video games. Yes, the mobile phone has apart from communication also become a very powerful device for gaming, and game applications are the most popular apps on the App Store, according to any common standard rates.

Due to the growing popularity of these apps, Apple (and Google) has created an ecosystem that allows software developers to create applications that will work on multiple devices at a global level.

There are now over 1,300,000 apps on the iOS App Store, with the top-grossing games to offer free + in-app purchases, selling virtual goods and upgrades to improve a gamer’s performance and overall experience. 

The total revenue of top 200 iOS gaming apps has reached a staggering $9,001,403 collectively, with Clash of Clans taking the first place with a total revenue of $1,415,090, followed by Candy Crush Saga with $989,307 in earnings. The third spot goes to Game of War-Fire Age which makes revenue of $844,334 while the fourth is taken by the Farm Heroes Saga with $343,352 overall.

Take a look at the full results in the infographic below. What do you think? 

Top-Earning-iOS-Gaming-Apps

 

Infographic is courtesy of Top Apps and designed by Blueberry labs

Mobile, Operating Systems

Apple Releases iOS 8.1.1 To The World With Bug Fixes And Speed Performance Improvement

Apple-ios-8-1-1-OS

Apple has just released iOS 8.1.1 with some minor bug fixes for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. In addition to that, the new release is set to bring a few several improvements to Apple’s latest and greatest iOS platform including a few security updates, as well as an increased stability, and for the major part, performance improvements for some of the company’s oldest devices including the iPhone 4s and iPad 2, which have apparently become somewhat sluggish with iOS 8.

ios-811-update

iOS 8.1.1 is available immediately as an OTA download. Simply go to to Settings > General > Software Update. the update is relatively small and should be

iOS 8.1.1 is compatible with the following iDevices:

  • iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, iPhone 5c, iPhone 5s, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus
  • iPad Air 2, iPad mini 3, iPad 2, iPad (third-generation), iPad (fourth-generation), iPad Air, iPad mini, iPad mini with Retina display
  • iPod touch 5G

Get it now and  feel free to report back if you run into any problems.

Mobile, Operating Systems

Apple Releases iOS 8.1 With Apple Pay, iCloud Photo Library Services On Board

Apple-ios-8-1

Apple has just released iOS 8.1 to fix some issues that affected iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus users who have previously downloaded iOS 8.0.1 and 8.0.2 which have profoundly impacted cellular network connectivity and Touch ID handling. In addition to that most users have also reported problems with abnormal battery drain, and a slow performance in surfing Safari that the firmware update is going to solve (hopefully, once and for all).

iOS 8 was officially released to the world on September 17th, followed by iOS 8.0.1 which was instantly pulled out due to massive bug reports. Apple then released iOS 8.0.2 on September 26th, and now the iOS 8.1 update.

Apple-iOS 8.1-Update

With iOS 8.1, Apple will also introduce Apple Pay for iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. The service will be offering Apple users to tap their fingers on the rounded home button sensor in order to complete a mobile transaction through the terminal. The update will also include a beta version of the iCloud Photo Library service, which basically lets you auto-save your entire media library in the cloud , some further more continuity features and support for SMS messaging on both the iPad and Mac.

iOS 8.1 is compatible with iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, iPhone 5c, iPhone 5s, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPad 2, iPad (third-generation), iPad (fourth-generation), iPad Air, iPad mini, iPad mini with Retina display and iPod touch (fifth-generation). You can easily update to the latest version of iOS either manually, through iTunes, or using OTA. Mind you, that the servers might be painfully slow.

Let us know if you are experiencing any issues with your Apple iDevice after loading iOS 8.1 on board.

[Apple]

Events, tablets

Apple Announces the iPad Air 2, Retina iPad Mini 3 With Touch ID Fingerprint Sensor

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Apple today has officially announced its latest and greatest version of the iPad tablet. The newly named iPad Air 2, which was tagged by Apple’s Phil Schiller as “the world’s thinnest tablet,” is only 6.1mm thick and about 18% thinner than the original iPad Air.

Apple says that it has sold 225 million iPads to date, and the next generation is likely to add a whole lot more to the inconceivable numbers which, by the way, are already bigger than the PC sales all together. Going back to the iPad air 2, that has the same 9.7-inch display form factor as previous models (2048 x 1536 pixel resolution), only with a new A8X processor, which Apple says is 40 percent faster, has about 3 billion transistors and bags about 2.5x faster graphics performance than the previous iPad Air.

The camera on the iPad air 2 is also getting an upgrade in the form of a 8-megapixel iSight shooter with 1.12 micron pixels, f2.4 aperture and a whole new image processor on board. You can basically take 43mp panorama images with it and shoot some beautiful timelapse footage as well as Slow Motion videos and more. In addition, Apple will offer some cool editing software like the Replay and the Pixelmator. Moreover, the new tablet includes the M8 coprocesor that will track your motion whenever you go, as well as a better battery life with up to 10 hour per day. Apple says the iPad Air 2 has faster data transfer rate on Wi-Fi thanks to the new 802.11AC with MIMO support. And finally, the latest addition – An integrated TouchID fingerprints sensor that will work exactly the same as it does on the iPhone.

Apple-Tim-Cook-iPad-Air-2

The iPad Air will be available in silver, space grey and gold flavor options in the following storage/pricing configurations: 16GB ($499), 64GB ($599) and 128GB ($699). The cellular/LTE version adds $130 to those prices. Apple is also reducing the prices of some of its previous lineups with the iPad mini, iPad mini 2 and iPad Air first generation to start at $249, and go up to $299 and $399, respectively. All of the new iPads will be shipping with iOS 8.1, while pre-orders to start tomorrow and the shipping to begin by the end of next week.

 

Apple-iPad-Mini-3-Tablet

Apple has also revealed the iPad Mini 3. The third generation of the 7.9-inch tablet appears to remain pretty much the same from the outside look with the single exception of a new Touch ID sensor. Yes, the smaller Retina tablet device will also be housing the Apple fingerprint ID security scanner on the bottom, along with a 5-megapixel iSight camera and with the same A7 processor inside. While a relatively modest upgrade, you cannot help but appreciate the company’s efforts to provide all the users with the latest and greatest technology available. The Mini 3 will come with your choice of silver, space gray, and gold color options with pre-orders starting tomorrow (and shipping next week), at $399 for the 16GB version, $499 for 64GB and $599 for 128GB.

Apple-iPad-Air-2-Tablet

Here’s the full video of the event: http://bit.ly/1vA9ROJ

Events, tablets

Live Blog: Apple iPads Event

apple-event-october-2014

We have reached the day where Apple is expected to announce a new line of iPad tablets, including a second-gen of the iPad Air, the iPad Mini 3 and hopefully an Apple TV media device.  Follow our LIVE feed and the latest news as it happens over here

tablets

Apple Reveals iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3 Ahead of Official event

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Apple-Screenshot-iPad-air-2-iPad-Mini-3

Oops! Look what we have in here. Looks like Apple has officially unveiled its upcoming new line of tablets, which is due to be announced tomorrow. Though, of course, we’re not sure whether this is an intentional glitch (to draw some attention away from Google’s multiple announcements), or an unintentional mistake, the company released a few more details about the iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3 through iPad User Guide for iOS 8 within iBooks.

And while there’s not much to tell from the image, the visuals look both impressive and about the same as the previous versions, which is a good thing, when you come to think about it. As expected, the new devices will finally get a TouchID sensor, letting users unlock the tablet with their fingerprints ID, authorize app store potential purchases, and hopefully (hopefully) work with the company’s upcoming Apple Pay mobile payments system.

Price and availability are yet to be determined.

Update: Apple just pulled the screenshots from the iOS 8 guide.

[iTunes]

Events, Hardware, tablets

CONFIRMED: Apple to Hold an Event on October 16

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Apple has started sending out invites for a media event on October 16, which will be held at the company’s Cupertino headquarters, and is widely thought to be the launch of the next-gen iPad Air as well as a new line of Macs. The invites suggest a colorful teaser with some cropped lines of the Apple Logo and the upper leaf alongside a simple line that vaguely says:  “It’s been way too long.”

What does it mean? It is yet to be determined, but besides the new hardware, the company is also expected to be launching its latest Mac OS X update, dubbed OS X Yosemite, and may also debut Apple Pay, its mobile payment solution for users.

As always, we will continue to update as much as it takes.

tablets

LEAKED: Here’s What Apple’s Next iPad Air 2 Might Look Like

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If you’re in the market for a new tablet, what will you be going for? In case you are looking to nab a brand new iPad, mind you that Apple is rumored to launch the second-generation of its popular iPad air next week, on October 16. The next iPad may include a fingerprint scanner in its home button and the company is expected to bring its latest and greatest Touch ID sensor technology to the new line of tablets, along with a slimmer chassis (0.5mm thinner than previous model) and probably a new faster processor and with a Gold cover option.

That’s what we have heard so far from the rumored specs, and today, we are finally obtaining confirmation to those words, thanks to a bunch of new and pretty reliable photos, published by the Vietnamese blog Tinhte.vn. This isn’t the website’s first attempt to post what they are claiming to be Apple’s next iPad, which, as mentioned, appears to include a Touch ID fingerprint sensor and redesigned speaker grills, but with a proven track record, what could go wrong?

So what do you guys think so far, does it look like the real thing?  Are you planning to get the new iPad Air for yourself, or is the iPad mini with Retina display a more attractive option?

[smartslider3 slider=2]
Mobile, Operating Systems

Apple Releases iOS 8, Now Available For Free Download

4 Comments

 

Apple-iOS-8-system

Just In Time — Apple has officially released its new firmware update to the iPhone and iPad software. Apple’s new mobile operating system , iOS 8, is now available for free download for a number of products, but If you’re getting an error – please be patient – it’s probably because the servers are getting overloaded right now.

The new iOS 8 is compatible with:

iPhone 4, 4s and 5, iPod Touch 16 GB, 32 GB and 64 GB (5th generation), iPad 2, with retina display and iPad mini.

It’s not a big change, but it’s definitely a little better. People who buy an iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus will get iOS 8 pre-installed, while the rest will have to get it from iTunes. Here’s a short list of some of the best new features in iOS 8: Device Continuity, QuickType/3rd party keyboard support, HealthKit tools, HomeKit controls, iCloud drive, Family sharing app, Improved messaging features (photos and voice), New integrated Spotlight search system, Additional camera video capabilities (such as time-lapse), Interactive actionable notifications platform, Fresh Siri features (‘Hey Siri”), New “Contacts” look,  and a WiFi calling support.

There are two ways to get the new update for your iDevices:

1) Go to Settings > General > Software Update, and hit the “Download and Install” button. After you have it downloaded onto your slab, click the “Install” button and wait for the process to be over.

2) iOS 8 can also be downloaded on your computer via iTunes, and it requires Apple’s latest release version.

Update: Make sure you have at least 5GB+ to install iOS8.

Hit the Play to watch the video

[youtube id=”dcHCplLIU_A”]

Video courtesy of zollotech

General, Mobile, Video

13 Brands and Institutes That already Use Instagram’s New Hyperlapse App

Instagram-hyperlapse

Instagram has recently released Hyperlapse, a standalone app for taking time lapse videos on the iPhone and iPad devices. The app which already ranks #3 on the Apple App Store, is a very simple, yet sophisticated tool that lets you capture high-quality time lapse videos at a lower frame-rate than usual, but with a built-in stabilization technology that lets users create moving, handheld time lapses at a glance. Simply open up the app, tap to record video, and then choose the video speed, which can be varied from 1x to 12x, and tap again to end the session. Videos are given the opportunity to be shared directly to Facebook or Instagram.

We designed Hyperlapse to be as simple as possible. You don’t need an account to create a hyperlapse. Instead, you open up straight to the camera. Tap once to begin recording and tap again to stop. Choose a playback speed that you like between 1x-12x and tap the green check mark to save it to your camera roll. You can share your video on Instagram easily from there.

Instagram says that inner technology behind the Hyperlapse app is based on a video stabilization algorithm called Cinema, which basically helps us regular users to smooth our shaky videos out in a snap, and make them look very slick and professional. It’s like a “$15,000 video setup in your hand” said Wired and we couldn’t agree more.

[vimeo id=”104409950″]

We also witnessed a few popular brands and institutes that immediately decided to try the new app. It’s definitely a risky move from the marketing perspective, but you should know that whether you win or lose, at least you’ve done your best to engage with your audience in a fun and creative way.

Here are 13 brands already using the Hyperlapse application:

 

MERCEDES

Bud Light

THE WHITE HOUSE

Sonic Drive-In

NAKED JUICE

Polyvore

Sydney Opera House

Burton Snowboards

Taco Bell

Mountain Dew

Drink Arizona

Foot Locker

COSMOPOLITAN

If you have stumbled upon any other great examples of brands using Hyperlapse, please post them in the comments below.

tablets

Rumor: Apple To Release a 12.9-inch iPad Next Year

1 Comment

Apple-ipad-tim-cook

Earlier this year, reports suggested that a bigger Apple tablet could be released in the Fall. Today we get a little confirmation that the project is still very much alive with Bloomberg reporting that the Cupertino giant is set to launch a 12.9-inch iPad in 2015. According to various sources, close to Apple’s supply chain, the company is aiming at a bigger audience and will show another dimension of the popular iPad tablet next year, with production scheduled to begin by the first quarter of 2015. The leakers also reveal that a line of bigger screens is already in the works for at least a year now. Apple is rumored to hold a September 9 event where the company will probably unveil iPhones with screen sizes of 4.7 / 5.5 inches and an expected smartwatch gadget, but of course nothing has been made official by the company as of yet. 

Operating Systems, software

Apple iOS 7.1.1 Officially Released For iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch

Apple-ios-7-phone

Apple has just rolled out a new version for iOS 7. The update which is tagged as iOS 7.1.1 (Build 11D201) is now available for download via Software Update in your settings area, featuring some bug fixes to the operating system, as well as security updates.  More particularly, this minor update is offering a noticeable improvement in Touch ID fingerprint recognition, a small fix to an issue with the Bluetooth keyboards used with VoiceOver commands, Safari support for new top-level domains, and a slow keyboard responsiveness bug fix.

The latest version fully supports Apple devices such as iPad 2 or later, iPhone 4 or later, and fifth-generation iPod touch.

Apple- iOS 7.1.1-update

This update contains improvements, bug fixes and security updates, including:

  • Further improvements to Touch ID fingerprint recognition
  • Fixes a bug that could impact keyboard responsiveness
  • Fixes an issue when using Bluetooth keyboards with VoiceOver enabled

 

[Apple]

Applications, software

iPhone App Rollit Will Help You Sync Your Photos With Ease

Rollit photo transfer app

Yesterday, a friend of mine was asking for my help. He was going through a simple iphone restoring process (from his iTunes backup) but, alas! when he finished the update he was surprised to realize that all of his photos had gone missing. Thankfully, he had a second backup of the iTunes backup, and all he had wanted was to upload those pictures back onto the Camera Roll.

Sounds very easy, right? Well, not exactly. When you sync your iDevice with iTunes, you can easily add or remove your photo albums back and forth. However, it does not export directly to the Camera Roll. iTunes just doesn’t let you transfer your photos in there, but in whatever album you had organized them into.

Camera Roll is like your temporary portable SD card, which needs to be cleaned up and wiped off from time to time. You can easily import photos from the Camera Roll directly to your desktop or laptop computers, whether via Apple’s iTunes or some other popular software solutions such as the iPhoto for Mac. Normally, it would let you sync in one direction, then you make a backup of your personal media libraries from your desktop to external hard drive storage.

But what if you insist to get your photos back to the Camera Roll? Well, that’s where you may have a problem. If your iTunes backup simply doesn’t work, you’ll need to find a different third-party solution. And that’s where the Rollit app can come to your help. It would clean up the mess of transferring photos or videos from your average desktop onto your personal iPhone, iPad or even your iPod — All of that in a matter of seconds (the total time taken may depend on the size of your album)

How does it work?

The app works through a regular USB connection which is 3x faster than your average WiFi connectivity. Simply connect your USB compatible device to your personal computer (no third-party software is required), fire up your iTunes, pick up your iDevice from the top menu bar , then choose the “Apps” tab page and scroll all the way down to the File Sharing area. Now, click on the Rollit icon to your left, hit the “add” button and choose any photo or video that you are interested in adding to your iOS device. At this point you need to mark them all (there’s no limit of size or number of transferred items and the app supports a wide range of multimedia formats, including jpg, gif, png, tif, tiff, bmp, bmpf, ico, cur, xbm, mov, mp4, m4v). Now that you have chosen the files, you can easily add them to the Rollit area where it will auto-sync with your Cupertino gadget. Select the items that you’d like to transfer to the Camera Roll, click the “Transfer” button aannd DONE! Your items will immediately show up again in your iphone/ipad/ipod’s Camera Roll. That easy. The app retains all the data, including metadata like Exif information or geo-location, and the media will be transferred in its full quality.

The app is $1.99 U.S., but here are 12 promo codes to the Technologer community. Enjoy!

[toggle title=”Promo Codes”]

KRREFJ7XY7K6
PMAJLXN3TMXA
6XJE4JWLPMKK
Y9TLKP69EL49
JW9L39HJMRE4
7LWEHNAY3FET
YWFKPE3FWN4W
77KLE6M47XEW
7NXJT6YNE9JE
FMHA9PRP33NT
NPYXHPFAAMME
9WXLW4JKRKNP

[/toggle]

iTunes Link : http://bit.ly/1j4dXXy

[youtube id=”vJ76glTEKcc”]

Video courtesy of chamanchlach

Mobile, Operating Systems, Phones

Apple Rolls Out iOS 7.1 Update

Apple-iPhone-5C

Apple has just released to the public iOS 7.1, featuring a number of notable changes including official support for Apple’s in-car CarPlay system, a manual control how long Siri listens to your mobile devices, some calendar tweaks, a few minor bug fixes, and some tiny bits of integrated functions, such as faster iphone 4 experience, continued user interface refinements, an HDR auto settings improvement, and additional changes to the OS control.

Apple-iOS 7.1

Apple users with the following devices will be able to download the iOS 7.1 update over the air (OTA) or via iTunes: iPhone 5s, iPhone 5c, iPhone 5, iPhone 4S, iPhone 4, iPad Air, iPad mini with Retina display, iPad mini, iPad (3rd and 4th generations), iPad 2, and iPad touch (5th generation).

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3VLILsESFQ]

Here’s the complete list of fixes:

CarPlay
– iOS experience designed for the car
– Simply connect your iPhone to a CarPlay enabled vehicle
– Supports Phone, Music, Maps, Messages, and 3rd-party audio apps
– Control with Siri and the car’s touchscreen, knobs, and buttons

Siri
– Manually control when Siri listens by holding down the home button while you speak and releasing it when you’re done as an alternative to letting Siri automatically notice when you stop talking
– New, more natural sounding male and female voices for Mandarin Chinese, UK English, Australian English, and Japanese

iTunes Radio
– Search field above Featured Stations to easily create stations based on your favorite artist or song
– Buy albums with the tap of a button from Now Playing
– Subscribe to iTunes Match on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch to enjoy iTunes Radio ad-free

Calendar
– Option to display events in month view
– Country specific holidays automatically added for many countries

Accessibility
– Bold font option now includes the keyboard, calculator, and many icon glyphs
– Reduce Motion option now includes Weather, Messages, and multitasking UI animations
– New options to display button shapes, darken app colors, and reduce white point

Other
– New Camera setting to automatically enable HDR for iPhone 5s
– iCloud Keychain support in additional countries
– FaceTime call notifications are automatically cleared when you answer a call on another device
– Fixes a bug that could occasionally cause a home screen crash
– Improves Touch ID fingerprint recognition
– Improved performance for iPhone 4
– Fixes display of Mail unread badge for numbers greater than 10,000
– Continued user interface refinements

[Apple, video by DetroitBORG]

Mobile, Operating Systems, software, tablets

iOS 7 Finally Gets an Untethered Jailbreak

ios7-evasi0n7-jailbreak

According to a chart posted on Apple’s developer website in early December, iOS 7 adoption is already at 74 percent. This means that three quarters of Apple iDevices are closely familiar with the new operating system, and that’s A LOT. What else happened since then? Glad that you asked, because the iOS 7 officially has an untethered jailbreak, courtesy of the great Evasi0n7. The tool, which many of you may have expected to see, is now available for both Windows and Mac users and can snappily help you unlock any iPhone, iPad and iPod touch models running iOS 7.0, 7.0.1, 7.0.2, 7.0.3 and 7.0.4, including the new ones (e.g iPad Air and iPhone 5s). As usual you should proceed with caution and happy jailbreaking!

Click the source below to get the software.

[youtube id=”QcZaDZb3zcs”]

[Evad3rs]

tablets

iPad Mini With Retina Display Now Available On Apple’s Store From $399

 

Well, what do we have in here? Looks like Apple’s latest and greatest iPad Mini with Retina display has finally made its way online, after a very short period of store downtime. Although the tablet was announced exactly three weeks ago official US launch dates weren’t revealed. To be honest, we were expecting  the second-gen mini device to go live in a matter of two weeks time, but as it appears it has arrived far too early and boy, we’re glad it did. So now you can officially go and grab yourself one (or two) in all sorts of settings at your choice, starting at $399 for the 16GB WiFi-only Retina Mini and up to a whopping 128GB storage version with 3G high speed network connectivity which will run you $829. 

If you already own a first generation iPad mini and you’re looking to upgrade, now it would be a great time. The new iteration boasts a 2048×1536 Retina screen on board, with a 64-bit A7 processor and an M7 motion-tracking coprocessor. The iPad mini with Retina-quality graphics has the same size 7.9-inch display, and is very convenient for people on the go. It will be available in Space Gray and Silver colors, with 1-3 days of shipping. 

Are you getting one? We hear a limited number of units will be available on the first round, which officially comes to life as of today, in countries like the US, the UK, Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Spain, France, Ireland, Hungary, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Austria, Portugal, Switzerland, Finland, Sweden, United Arab Emirates, Canada, Mexico, Thailand and China.

tablets

Apple Announces The iPad Air and IPad Mini 2

2 Comments

It’s super Tuesday, and Apple had a few announcements to make. Again, it’s no surprise that the Cupertino company was planning to launch a new generation of its iPad tablets. The only question that remained was whether there will be a Retina Mini 2nd-Gen or not, and we’re glad to report the iPad Mini 2 will indeed receive a Retina display and an A7 chip. Although the new iteration will be in short supply at launch, be sure it will meet with a great demand. Apple has also released a thinner, and much lighter version of the 9.7-inch iPad. The fifth-generation delivered the biggest surprise of the evening and from now on is said to be called the iPad Air. Perhaps a sign that Apple is going to separate the lines, but we’ll see. 

iPad Mini 2

As expected, the iPad mini 2 will be released with the Retina display. The resolution in case you were wondering is 2048 x 1536 pixels on a relatively small 7.9-inch LED Backlit display. Too bad there is no substantial improvement in the rear camera department, the iPad Mini 2 will stay precisely with the same 5-megapixel iSight shooter on the back, while the front-facing camera will work with a new feature called FaceTime HD. The new iPad mini also gets Apple’s new 64-bit A7 chip that delivers up to 4 times faster performance on CPU, and 8 times faster in graphics. It comes with a 10-hour battery life and your choice of either Silver White or Space Grey colors. The iPad Mini 2 will be officially out this coming November starting at $399 (wifi) and up to $529 (cellular), with storage capacities range from 16Gb to 64GB. First iPad Mini price drops to $299.

iPad Air

First thing you’ll notice is that the iPad Air is CRAZY thin (about 20% thinner in profile). It measures only 0.75 mm thin and weighs just about 1 pound from head to toe. As expected, the new iPad Air features that same stunning 9.7-inch Retina display on board. Besides the fact it is thinner and lighter than previous iPad versions, it will also sport Apple’s A7 chip inside, as well as the new mysterious M7 motion co-processor (as seen on the iPhone 5s). Other features of the iPad Air include a 64-bit desktop architecture support with more than 1 billion transistors, a faster WiFi connectivity, improved backside illumination, dual mics, and two integrated cameras: a 5-megapixel iSight camera on the rear and a 1080p FaceTime camera up front. The battery is claimed to maintain a 10-hour battery life as well. The iPad Air will be available November 1, either in Space Gray or White hues, with prices to start at $499 for the Wifi-only version and $629 for the cellular one. 

Mind you, there’s no Fingerprint ID button on Apple’s next-gen iPads.

Apple has sold 170 million iPads since the tablet launched in early 2010. There are over 475,000 apps designed for iPad in the App Store

Here’s a link to the full video of Apple’s event: http://bit.ly/18Gd42s

[youtube id=”XOPZBbbF9bA”]

[Apple]

General, Mobile, Operating Systems

Apple iOS 7 Now Available Worldwide

Apple has officially begun to roll out the iOS 7 today, with users around the world now reporting to get the upgrade notification. Apple has made some significant changes to the interface of the new platform and has completely revamped the visual design of the operating system, including the apps, and much of the OS itself to be compatible with the 64-bit technology which the company will be using in future devices (starting with the new iphone 5S). Apple iOS 7, which includes a range of notable updates, is immediately available for download via iTunes or over-the-air (OTA), and supports iPhone 4 and later, ipad 2 and higher, iPad Mini, and iPod Touch fifth generation. As always, we recommend taking a full backup of your iDevice before updating the new firmware.

Update: Apple has just rolled out iTunes 11.1 with some notable features such as Podcast stations which sync over iCloud, Genius Shuffle which Apple defines as a magical new way to shuffle your music library, an expected sync compatibility with Apple devices that run under Cupertino’s “just-released” iOS-7, and probably the biggest of ’em all, the iTunes Radio that offers free music streaming based on your music preferences, a la Pandora.

Here’s the full Change log

iTunes Radio. iTunes Radio is a great new way to discover music. Choose from over 250 stations or start a new one from your favorite artist or song. Enjoy iTunes Radio ad-free once you subscribe to iTunes Match.

Genius Shuffle. Introducing a magical new way to experience your music library. Choose Genius Shuffle and iTunes instantly plays songs that go great together. Click it again to hear something new—enjoying your music has never been this easy.

Podcast Stations. You can now create custom stations of your favorite podcasts that update automatically with new episodes. Your stations, subscriptions, and current play position sync over iCloud to the Podcasts app.

Sync with iOS 7. You can now use iTunes to sync your favorite music, movies, and more to devices with iOS 7. In addition, iTunes now makes it even easier to quickly organize and sync apps to your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.

tablets

Report: Apple is Working On a New iPad Mini Without Retina Display, But Things May Change Soon

apple-ipad-mini-tablet

Apple is reportedly experiencing some major issues fitting a Retina Display in the next generation of its iPad mini. While the latest report suggests that the Cupertino giant is testing a high-res retina screen from Samsung (due out in the fourth quarter of 2013), a hidden line within iOS 7 code leads us to believe that the company is working very hard on some new iPad Mini forms, known as the “2,8,” “2,9,” and “2,10” and as opposed to the current iPad “Minis” which are commonly represented by “2,5,” “2,6,” and “2,7” codes (as pointed by the good guys over at 9to5Mac).

In terms of specs, the three suggested devices will presumably include the same A6 chip, one can find inside of Apple’s iPhone 5 and fourth-generation iPad. In addition to that, there are clear references to a similar array of cellular technologies and the usual gear of the good old baseband platform. Another report, by NPD DisplaySearch, suggests that the new Mini lineup, which is rumored to be launching in the first quarter of 2014, will be featuring a slimmer design than the current generation but specification wise, there is no clear evidence for a complete internal makeover.

As part of the ongoing debate about whether the next iPad mini would include a Retina display or not, the latest version of the iOS 7 code (the fourth) is ever more distressing given the absence of the double-resolution images found on Apple’s most popular Retina devices. To put it simply, there is no Retina Mini for you, at least not now. 

Sure, lots of things could be wrong because in the real tech world there’s no such thing as absolute certainty. But the iOS code is a good source of information to learn about Apple’s most secret plans for the near and distant future. Whether there will be a Mini Retina or not, we’ll have to wait and see.

Computers, Events, Mobile

Apple Unveils iOS 7, OS X Mavericks and New MacBook Air at WWDC 2013

5 Comments

Apple-wwdc13-event

Apple’s annual event for WWDC 2013 has finally come to an end. In a nutshell: no new Apple iphone or iPad. So what did we end up getting? Some rumors have indicated that we would see Apple laptop hardware updates this week, while other rumors pointed to a whole new software design. At the end of the day, I guess it was probably a good mix of both. From the hardware part, Apple has announced a refresh of its MacBook Air & Macbook Pro devices, and software wise, the guys over at Cupertino launched a new OS X (10.9) and the most anticipated iOS 7, which Tim Cook referred to as the “biggest change to iOS since the iPhone.”

But first, as usual they started with some numbers:

•  Apple says that under 5 years, users have downloaded from the App Store about 50b times.

•  There are now 900,000 apps in the App Store, of which 375,000 are for the iPad.

•  Over 600 million iOS devices sold.

•  800 billion iMessages sent.

•  240 million Game Center users.

Apple-Mackbook-Air-Haswell

Macbook Air & OS X Update

Apple just announced the next generation of MacBook Pro and MacBook Air products, with claims that the power consumption will be reduced for both machines (they call it the “all day battery life”). The new MacBook Air is distinctively similar to the previous model, but if you’re going to take a closer look you’ll find the new “Haswell” 4th-gen processors from Intel. In addition, the new line is said to offer a faster 802.11 ac Wifi connectivity, alongside Intel HD Graphics 5000, which is supposed to provide graphics performance that is 40 percent faster. Apple claims 9 hours of battery life for the 11-inch model, while the 13-inch MacBook Air now provides up to 12 hours of continuous work. They’re both available starting today, with the 11-inch Air going at $999 for the 128GB base model, and $1,199 for the 256GB version. The larger 13-inch Air will be priced at $1,099 for the 128GB entry model, and $1,299 for double the size (256GB).

Apple unveils its latest operating system, the OS X “Mavericks.” First thing you’ll notice, is that the company is replacing its traditional practice of calling Mac operating systems after cats. Instead, it is going after an undersea rock in California that apparently creates big waves. Symbolic, isn’t it? Anyway, the new operating system is said to extend battery life to the most, reduce boot-up time, and enhanced multiple display support (with the ability to tweak elements between screens). Furthermore, the Mavericks features a range of improvements and new features aimed at both users and developers alike. That includes the “finder tabs” addition, which will organize different finder windows into one, documents tagging, new iBooks and Maps app integration, a new version of Safari browser, including a whole new bookmark bar, a redesigned calendar, improved notifications, and a powerful iCloud keychain feature, an encrypted 256-bit AES functionality for password and private info management.

apple-itunes-radio

 iTunes Radio

Music streaming services are growing big these days. Google has recently unveiled its Google Play Music and the market is packed with some major streaming players such as Rdio, Spotify and Pandora. Today, Apple is joining that group with recent announcement of its iTunes Radio music platform, which was described by the A-team as “a new way to discover music.” At present, there is no need to pay any fee for this, but the free radio service supported by ads. You can either listen to the channels the service offers from various sources (e.g Twitter trending songs, integrated stations, your personal music collection), or simply create your private iTunes Radio station at your choice. You can also modify existing stations to your own taste by choosing the ‘Play more like this’ or ‘Don’t play music like this’ sections. The service is expected to launch in the U.S first and then expand globally, sometime in the future.

Apple-iOS-7

iOS7

And now we’re finally getting to the highlight of the show: Apple has revealed a completely new iOS 7 software, featuring a all-new design with a modern “Flat” approach. It has a much smoother look, and considered by the Cupertino-based company as “the biggest change to iOS since the introduction of the iPhone.”

With so many new options and  features installed, I think that iOS7 was definitely worth the wait. It has a nice clean form, some pretty colorful icons and a very friendly interface on top. What else can we find in there?

Control Center – An Android-like area where you can manage and adjust some of the most important settings on your phone. (Wi-Fi, brightness, volume, etc.). To get in there, you simply need to swipe the screen down from the upper area on your mobile device, and voila!

Airdrop – This is an OS X feature that Apple has finally imported to its mobile devices. What it basically does is to enable mobile users that have smartphones, tablets or laptops to send files or pictures to anyone around them in real time. Unfortunately, it only supports iPhone 5, fourth generation iPad, iPad mini, and fourth-gen iPod touch.

Multitasking – The multitasking app cards were a major feature of Palm’s WebOS platform. This is probably the best way to switch between the apps, monitor them and determine which ones are being used the most. With the card interface, you get a clear view of your content instead of multiple tiers of very tiny icons.

Siri – As you all probably know, Siri is a personal assistant built into the iphone. In iOS 7 Siri gets a whole new look and a new refreshing voice. From now on, you’ll be able to adjust your settings with Siri, conduct search queries from Bing and Wikipedia, and dictate your map navigation and messages, thanks to the in-car iOS support (Apple is said to bring iOS dashboard to Honda, Mercedes, Nissan, Chevy, Kia, Volvo, Acura and others).

Camera and Photos – There’s a new stuff going on in the Camera app and the Photos section. For a start, they both look very good now, with the latest and greatest iOS Seven. Users can now create Shared Photostreams  in a two-way collaborative system, while the new Photo app is now capable of intelligently organize and present your entire digital albums, by automatically clustering them into “Moments” or collections (chronologically). With the new Camera app, you can easily swipe between various modes such as video, still, or “square” (for Instagram shots), and even spice them up with a wide range of integrated filters.

Safari – Apple’s good ‘ol browser is getting a fresh new look in iOS7. The interface is much bigger than what we have known in previous versions, and there’s a new tabbed view (which is kinda similar to Chrome for Android), along with a vertical cover-flow carousel browser. The search field has been upgraded as well, to a unified search menu, and you are also getting access to the iCloud keychain password management control.

New App Store – The App Store segment is also getting a new design in your phone. In that regard, the apps will now start updating themselves automatically in the background, and you’ll be able to search for apps, based on rates, popularity and your personal preferences and location.

Activation Loc – Basically, if your iphone gets stolen and the thief tries to turn the Find My iPhone off, then he or she will not be able to reactivate it again, without including  your personal iCloud password.

Release Date

iOS 7 coming to developers TODAY, and for the rest of the world, sometime in the fall. The platform will support the following devices: iPhone 4 and later, iPad 2 and later, iPad mini, and iPod Touch 4th gen.

[youtube id=”H7KXr3tKGDg”]

 

[Apple]

General, Mobile

How To Clear Your iOS App Cache and Get a Lot of Free Extra Storage

apple-apps

Somewhere along the way people started complaining about the lack of available storage on their handsets. To help in that regard, here’s a tip for iOS users who are interested in solving this particular problem:

You all probably noticed the fact that many apps taking up big GB space from your personal iPhone / iPad storage (you can find out how much space they actually take by opening the Settings and clicking General > Usage and finding the app in the Storage section). The main reason for this, is because they are using some sort of a cache mechanism to optimize and improve their day to day performance. Unfortunately, you can’t control it that much, but the phone automatically resets the storage space of an app every week or so, anyway. However, if the app storage total capacity has grown beyond a reasonable range (or activity), you can either delete and re-install it back, OR you can clear the cache by simply using free third-party apps such as iFunbox. Choosing this path, you’ll have to hook up your iDevice either to your laptop or desktop machines, then pick up the app you want to clear the cache for, go to “Library” and delete the “Cache” folder section or the files that it used to house and store. That’s it, the cache is clean and the size of the app is back to normal again.

Update: You do not need to have a jailbroken iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad, for that matter.

Operating Systems, software

Apple Releases iOS 6.1.3 To Fix Lock Screen Security Breach

Apple-iOS613-update

Well, that didn’t take Apple too long to roll out a new iOS update, to correct several issues that cropped up with their latest 6.1/6.1.1/6.1.2 versions. The new release, which obviously gets the serial name of iOS 6.1.3, includes a few notable fixes for the iDevices platform, such as this small software trick that has given users the option to circumvent iPhone lock screen, without entering the proper code, and one or two performance improvements in the Japanese Apple Maps app, and some other pertinent security aspects. The update is now available in iTunes, and is also available over-the-air to existing iOS 6 users.

Update: You know what they say, it’s not over until it’s over. So, if Apple thought it has completely removed the lock screen bypass glitch, with the recent iOS 6.1.3 release, there seems to be another problem that may need a better solution. We won’t go into explaining the new issue again. Let’s just say it involves using the voice command feature and ejecting the SIM card tray. Hop past the break, and watch the walkthrough video (made by by YouTube user  videosdebarraquito).

[youtube id=”QCGJTuTZf8M”]

[Apple]

 

tablets

Did Apple Accidentally Reveal the Next iPad Design?

Apple-future-ipad-design

A lot of people have played down the question “What will the next iPad look like?” Well, thanks to Apple itself we don’t have to wait that long to know the answer. According to a patent filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (under serial number 228282), the Cupertino giant is planning to refresh the design of its highly popular iPad tablet lineup. The slate, which has become an industry standard in terms of look and feel, is expected to show off a slightly updated design, with a more boxy shape, and a better front-to-back alignment. 

We’re guessing that the body of this futuristic device will be constructed of durable high quality materials, possibly aluminum, or some sort of a light and strong type of  plastic (maybe polycarbonate). In addition, as tablets improve, we are happy to learn that Apple is planning to change the rear facing camera location, as well as adding a new heat baffle, for the processor so it can exhaust the heat, and either backside, or alternatively, a full edge speaker.

At this point, there’s no way we can tell if the changes will take effect immediately or at some time in the future. But one thing for sure, there’s plenty to be waiting for.

[via patentlyapple]

 

tablets

Alleged iPad Mini 2 Device Shows Up Online

ipad-mini-2-leaked-images

Apple’s next-gen iPad Mini 2 is obviously a hot topic these days. I think we all know that it’s gonna have a Retina display, right? Well, it’s still a guess at the moment, but a Chinese forum called WeiPhone took its turn today with a new report claiming the photos below are the actual design of Cupertino’s upcoming Mini 2 tablet. And while we can’t really decide whether this is true or not, the silver casing on the top, is somehow thicker than its predecessor. Perhaps more space for a bigger battery that is much needed to support a high resolution Retina Display device; pure speculation, but it seems reasonable. Anyway, judge for yourselves.

[via Ubergizmo]

tablets

Apple Unveils 128GB iPad with Retina Display, Starting at $799

ipad-4-tablet

The rumors have finally come true. Apple officially announces a 128GB iPad version for its fourth-gen tablet series, with Retina display on a 9.7-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit screen. Prices should peak at $799 for the WiFi-only model and up to $929, for for the WiFi-LTE iPad iteration. Besides the massive storage capacity upgrade, the specs are pretty much the same, with an A6X processor under the hood, paired with a quad-core PowerVR SGX554MP4 GPU, 1GB of RAM and a pair of cameras — 5-megapixel, rear-facing camera capable of 1080p video recording, and a 720p FaceTime HD camera on the front. And while you can’t find it available on Apple’s store yet, the company says it will be on sale come February 5th.

Update: The 128GB variant is now officially available on Apple’s online store, starting at $799 for the WiFi-only version, or $929 if you prefer the LTE 4G model.

 

[Apple]

tablets

Apple Reveals 4th Generation iPad With A6X Processor

1 Comment

It took only 2 years for Apple to sell more than 100 million iPad devices around the world. Two years. And today [drum-roll… please] the company officially announced its next iteration of the glamorous device, also known as the iPad 4. Mind you, this is a second major upgrade to this wonderful tablet, in less than a year – which may be frustrating for those who recently bought the iPad’s 3rd-generation – but obviously that’s how the story goes.  

This way or another, Apple’s 4th-generation iPad includes a new A6X processor, which has double the graphics and processing power of the A5X CPU. Furthermore, you’ll also find dual-band 802.11 a/b/g/n WiFi connectivity, as well as that tiny Lightning cable connector, expanded LTE, a 720p FaceTime camera up front, paired with a 5-megapixel rear shooter, and a 10 hours battery life that will deliver power for a long period of continuous work. Of course, there’s the same stunning 9.7-inch Retina display as that of the iPad 3, and you will get to choose between these two compelling black or white colors.   

Apple has decided to stick with the same price tags as the earlier iPad models, which basically means that it will cost you $499 for a 16GB WiFi version, and up to $629 for similar capacity with 4G LTE  with cellular data support.

Hit the jump to get the full PR.

 

Apple Introduces iPad mini
Unveils New Fourth Generation iPad with Retina Display, Faster A6X Chip, FaceTime HD Camera & Ultrafast Wireless

SAN JOSE, California―October 23, 2012―Apple® today introduced iPad® mini, a completely new iPad design that is 23 percent thinner and 53 percent lighter than the third generation iPad. The new iPad mini features a stunning 7.9-inch Multi-Touch™ display, FaceTime® HD and iSight® cameras, ultrafast wireless performance¹ and an incredible 10 hours of battery life²―every inch an iPad, yet in a revolutionary design you can hold in one hand. Apple today also announced the fourth generation iPad featuring a gorgeous 9.7-inch Retina™ display, new Apple-designed A6X chip, FaceTime HD camera and ultrafast wireless performance. Both iPad mini and fourth generation iPad come with iOS 6, the world’s most advanced mobile operating system with over 200 new features.

“iPad mini is every inch an iPad. With its gorgeous 7.9-inch display, iPad mini features the same number of pixels as the original iPad and iPad 2, so you can run more than 275,000 apps designed specifically for iPad,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “iPad mini is as thin as a pencil and as light as a pad of paper, yet packs a fast A5 chip, FaceTime HD and 5 megapixel iSight cameras and ultrafast wireless―all while delivering up to 10 hours of battery life.”

iPad mini comes in a beautiful new aluminum and glass design that is just 7.2 mm thin and weighs only 0.68 pounds. The 7.9-inch Multi-Touch display delivers the same iPad experience users have come to expect, in a design that has 35 percent more screen real estate than 7-inch tablets and up to an astonishing 67 percent more usable viewing area when browsing the web. The dual-core A5 chip delivers responsive graphics and a fast, fluid Multi-Touch experience, while still providing all-day battery life.

iPad mini features a front-facing FaceTime HD camera and a 5 megapixel iSight camera on the back with advanced optics for taking sharp still pictures and recording full 1080p HD video. The iSight camera includes video image stabilization and both cameras feature backside illumination to let users capture great pictures in low light. iPad mini also allows easy sharing of photos with friends and family using iCloud’s Shared Photo Streams.

iPad mini features dual-band 802.11n Wi-Fi support for speeds up to 150 Mbps,³ which is twice the Wi-Fi performance compared to previous iPad models. iPad mini is available in Wi-Fi + Cellular models which are world-ready with built-in support for ultrafast wireless standards, including LTE¹ and DC-HSDPA, so you can browse, download and stream content fast from wherever you are. iPad mini data plans will be available with no contract so you can simply sign up and activate service directly from your iPad.⁴ The Personal Hotspot feature means you can share a fast cellular data connection via Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or USB with up to five other devices such as MacBook® Pro, iPod touch® or another iPad.⁵

The new fourth generation iPad features the amazing 9.7-inch Retina display and includes a new Apple-designed A6X chip that delivers up to twice the CPU performance and up to twice the graphics performance of the A5X chip, all while delivering an incredible 10 hours of battery life in the same thin and light iPad design. Other new features include a FaceTime HD camera, twice the Wi-Fi performance when compared to previous iPad models and support for additional LTE carriers worldwide.⁶

iPad mini and fourth generation iPad both feature support for the Lightning™ connector that is smaller, smarter and more durable than the 30-pin connector. Lightning connector accessories are available to support cameras, SD cards and VGA or HDMI digital video.⁷ Existing iPad Smart Covers and the iPad Smart Case are compatible with fourth generation iPad, and new polyurethane Smart Covers custom-designed for iPad mini are available in pink, green, blue, light gray, dark gray and (PRODUCT) RED for $39.

iPad runs over 700,000 apps available on the App Store℠, including more than 275,000 apps designed specifically for iPad, from a wide range of categories including books, games, business, news, sports, health, reference and travel. iPad also supports the more than 5,000 newspapers and magazines offered in Newsstand and the more than 1.5 million books available on the iBookstore℠. The iTunes Store® puts the world’s most popular online music, TV and movie store at your fingertips with a catalog of over 26 million songs, over 190,000 TV episodes and over 45,000 films. The new iBooks® app for iPad lets users read ebooks in over 40 languages. iBooks also lets users experience an entirely new kind of ebook that’s dynamic, engaging and truly interactive. Ebooks created with Apple’s new iBooks Author offer gorgeous, fullscreen ebooks with interactive animations, diagrams, photos, videos, custom fonts, mathematical expressions and much more.

Pricing & Availability

iPad mini with Wi-Fi models will be available in black & slate or white & silver on Friday, November 2, for a suggested retail price of $329 (US) for the 16GB model, $429 (US) for the 32GB model and $529 (US) for the 64GB model. The fourth generation iPad with Wi-Fi models will also be available on Friday, November 2, in black or white for a suggested retail price of $499 (US) for the 16GB model, $599 (US) for the 32GB model and $699 (US) for the 64GB model. iPad mini and the fourth generation iPad will be sold through the Apple Online Store (www.apple.com), Apple’s retail stores, and select Apple Authorized Resellers in the US, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK.

iPad mini with Wi-Fi + Cellular and fourth generation iPad with Wi-Fi + Cellular will start shipping a couple of weeks after the Wi-Fi models, beginning in the US on AT&T, Sprint and Verizon. iPad mini with Wi-Fi + Cellular will be offered for a suggested retail price of $459 (US) for the 16GB model, $559 (US) for the 32GB model and $659 (US) for the 64GB model. Fourth generation iPad with Wi-Fi + Cellular for AT&T, Sprint and Verizon will be offered for a suggested retail price of $629 (US) for the 16GB model, $729 (US) for the 32GB model and $829 (US) for the 64GB model. Additionally, iPad 2 is available at $399 (US) for the 16GB Wi-Fi model and just $529 (US) for the 16GB Wi-Fi + 3G model where they are sold now.

Customers can begin pre-ordering all models of iPad mini and all models of the fourth generation iPad on Friday, October 26 through the Apple Online Store in the US, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK.

¹LTE is available through select carriers. Network speeds are dependent on carrier networks. Check with your carrier for details.
²Battery life depends on device settings, usage and other factors. Actual results vary.
³Based on theoretical speeds, actual speeds may vary.
⁴Only available on some carriers.
⁵Personal Hotspot requires supporting data plan. Customers should check with their carrier for availability.
⁶LTE is available through select carriers.
⁷Sold separately.

Computers, tablets

Apple’s Mini iPad Official, Smaller, Thinner and Lighter

4 Comments

The late CEO of Apple, Steve Jobs was not in favor of a 7-inch tablet; he repeatedly stated that “this size is useless unless you include sandpaper so users can sand their fingers down to a quarter of their size.” Fast forward couple of years later, the growing interest in small, cheap and simple tablet devices has now brought his  long-time company to finally release one of its own. At an event today in San Jose, California, Apple finally officially unveiled its new line of Mini iPad products.

The Mini iPad features the same casing we’ve already seen around its bigger brother, the iPad 3. In addition it boasts the same Lighting dock connector which has already been implemented into Apple’s latest iPhone 5 mobile phone. So what’s different, you’re asking? The size, ladies and gents, the size. Running Apple’s latest and greatest iOS 6 on board, the new Mini device features a 7.85-inch 1024X768 display, measures ONLY 7.2mm thick (.75-inch) and weighs 3.5 pounds. That’s small, and ridiculously thin for a portable slab, isn’t it?

As far as CPU goes, the iPad Mini ships with Apple’s A5 processor under the lid, alongside a 5MP camera, about 10 hours of battery time, Facetime capabilities, Apple’s brand new Lightning connector and last but not least, 4G LTE Network support.

Technically this isn’t a Retina display device, but that doesn’t appear to be stopping Apple from trying to sell this thing at high prices. Come November 2, the WiFi-only iPad Mini will hit your local shelves, at a $329 price point for the 16GB model, while the 32GB flavor runs at $429, and the 64GB $will set you back $529; pre-orders begin Oct 26th.

In addition, Apple will be selling what it is calling the “iPad Mini Smart Cover” in green, red, blue, dark gray, light gray, and pinkcolors.

Full PR after the break.

Update1: Cellular models to kick off only few weeks later, on AT&T, Verizon and Sprint, starting at $459 for the 16 gigs and up to $659 for the 64GB flavor.

Update2: We’ve just added a couple quick hands-on video after the break.

Update3: Make sure to checkout the comparison chart after the break: The iPad mini vs. the competition

[youtube id=”fYsqW9COuaE”]

[youtube id=”KYfbVd6jpHE”]

 

 

Videos courtesy of The Verge and Laptopmag.

 Chart via Engadget 

 

Apple Introduces iPad mini

Unveils New Fourth Generation iPad with Retina Display, Faster A6X Chip, FaceTime HD Camera & Ultrafast Wireless
SAN JOSE, California―October 23, 2012―Apple® today introduced iPad® mini, a completely new iPad design that is 23 percent thinner and 53 percent lighter than the third generation iPad. The new iPad mini features a stunning 7.9-inch Multi-Touch™ display, FaceTime® HD and iSight® cameras, ultrafast wireless performance¹ and an incredible 10 hours of battery life²―every inch an iPad, yet in a revolutionary design you can hold in one hand. Apple today also announced the fourth generation iPad featuring a gorgeous 9.7-inch Retina™ display, new Apple-designed A6X chip, FaceTime HD camera and ultrafast wireless performance. Both iPad mini and fourth generation iPad come with iOS 6, the world’s most advanced mobile operating system with over 200 new features.

“iPad mini is every inch an iPad. With its gorgeous 7.9-inch display, iPad mini features the same number of pixels as the original iPad and iPad 2, so you can run more than 275,000 apps designed specifically for iPad,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “iPad mini is as thin as a pencil and as light as a pad of paper, yet packs a fast A5 chip, FaceTime HD and 5 megapixel iSight cameras and ultrafast wireless―all while delivering up to 10 hours of battery life.”

iPad mini comes in a beautiful new aluminum and glass design that is just 7.2 mm thin and weighs only 0.68 pounds. The 7.9-inch Multi-Touch display delivers the same iPad experience users have come to expect, in a design that has 35 percent more screen real estate than 7-inch tablets and up to an astonishing 67 percent more usable viewing area when browsing the web. The dual-core A5 chip delivers responsive graphics and a fast, fluid Multi-Touch experience, while still providing all-day battery life.

iPad mini features a front-facing FaceTime HD camera and a 5 megapixel iSight camera on the back with advanced optics for taking sharp still pictures and recording full 1080p HD video. The iSight camera includes video image stabilization and both cameras feature backside illumination to let users capture great pictures in low light. iPad mini also allows easy sharing of photos with friends and family using iCloud’s Shared Photo Streams.

iPad mini features dual-band 802.11n Wi-Fi support for speeds up to 150 Mbps,³ which is twice the Wi-Fi performance compared to previous iPad models. iPad mini is available in Wi-Fi + Cellular models which are world-ready with built-in support for ultrafast wireless standards, including LTE¹ and DC-HSDPA, so you can browse, download and stream content fast from wherever you are. iPad mini data plans will be available with no contract so you can simply sign up and activate service directly from your iPad.⁴ The Personal Hotspot feature means you can share a fast cellular data connection via Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or USB with up to five other devices such as MacBook® Pro, iPod touch® or another iPad.⁵

The new fourth generation iPad features the amazing 9.7-inch Retina display and includes a new Apple-designed A6X chip that delivers up to twice the CPU performance and up to twice the graphics performance of the A5X chip, all while delivering an incredible 10 hours of battery life in the same thin and light iPad design. Other new features include a FaceTime HD camera, twice the Wi-Fi performance when compared to previous iPad models and support for additional LTE carriers worldwide.⁶

iPad mini and fourth generation iPad both feature support for the Lightning™ connector that is smaller, smarter and more durable than the 30-pin connector. Lightning connector accessories are available to support cameras, SD cards and VGA or HDMI digital video.⁷ Existing iPad Smart Covers and the iPad Smart Case are compatible with fourth generation iPad, and new polyurethane Smart Covers custom-designed for iPad mini are available in pink, green, blue, light gray, dark gray and (PRODUCT) RED for $39.

iPad runs over 700,000 apps available on the App Store℠, including more than 275,000 apps designed specifically for iPad, from a wide range of categories including books, games, business, news, sports, health, reference and travel. iPad also supports the more than 5,000 newspapers and magazines offered in Newsstand and the more than 1.5 million books available on the iBookstore℠. The iTunes Store® puts the world’s most popular online music, TV and movie store at your fingertips with a catalog of over 26 million songs, over 190,000 TV episodes and over 45,000 films. The new iBooks® app for iPad lets users read ebooks in over 40 languages. iBooks also lets users experience an entirely new kind of ebook that’s dynamic, engaging and truly interactive. Ebooks created with Apple’s new iBooks Author offer gorgeous, fullscreen ebooks with interactive animations, diagrams, photos, videos, custom fonts, mathematical expressions and much more.

Pricing & Availability
iPad mini with Wi-Fi models will be available in black & slate or white & silver on Friday, November 2, for a suggested retail price of $329 (US) for the 16GB model, $429 (US) for the 32GB model and $529 (US) for the 64GB model. The fourth generation iPad with Wi-Fi models will also be available on Friday, November 2, in black or white for a suggested retail price of $499 (US) for the 16GB model, $599 (US) for the 32GB model and $699 (US) for the 64GB model. iPad mini and the fourth generation iPad will be sold through the Apple Online Store (www.apple.com), Apple’s retail stores, and select Apple Authorized Resellers in the US, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK.

iPad mini with Wi-Fi + Cellular and fourth generation iPad with Wi-Fi + Cellular will start shipping a couple of weeks after the Wi-Fi models, beginning in the US on AT&T, Sprint and Verizon. iPad mini with Wi-Fi + Cellular will be offered for a suggested retail price of $459 (US) for the 16GB model, $559 (US) for the 32GB model and $659 (US) for the 64GB model. Fourth generation iPad with Wi-Fi + Cellular for AT&T, Sprint and Verizon will be offered for a suggested retail price of $629 (US) for the 16GB model, $729 (US) for the 32GB model and $829 (US) for the 64GB model. Additionally, iPad 2 is available at $399 (US) for the 16GB Wi-Fi model and just $529 (US) for the 16GB Wi-Fi + 3G model where they are sold now.

Customers can begin pre-ordering all models of iPad mini and all models of the fourth generation iPad on Friday, October 26 through the Apple Online Store in the US, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK.

 

tablets

Apple iPad Mini Event To Take Place October 23rd

Rumors have been floating around lately that Apple is about to release a smaller version of the iPad tablet, dubbed iPad Mini. Today, the Cupertino-based company has officially confirmed that it will indeed launch the slab on October 23rd. In addition, we just have some vague speculations which suggest that we might see a new version of the iPad 3 tablet equipped with Apple’s new Lighting cable on board, as well as a 13-inch Macbook Pro version, packed with the great Retina display on top. But these are just speculations, you know. The real thing is only one week away. Stay tuned.

[Apple]

Operating Systems, software

Apple’s iOS 6 Update Now Available For iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch

Apple’s iPhone 5 was announced a week ago, with sales hitting the 2 million mark in the first 24 hours. As part of the plan, the company is now slowly pushing out, via iTunes, its latest and greatest  iOS 6 as a free update for iPhone 3GS, 4, 4S, and 5,  iPad 2 and the new iPad, as well as iPod touch 4th generation and 5th generation players. The new platform which Apple claims, brings over 200 new features to your iDevices, includes the new Maps, a smarter Siri personal assistant, Do Not Disturb, some tweaked phone capabilities, Facetime over cellular, improved mail features and Panoramic camera mode.

The update is OUT so get it right away! Also, if you are doing an Over-The-Air upgrade you should plug the phone into the wall.

software

Untethered iOS 5.1.1 Absinthe 2.0 Jailbreak Released

This is coming as very good news to those of us who have been waiting anxiously to jailbreak they’re iOS 5.1.1 devices, ever since the latest firmware update was officially out. A “large collaborative effort between Chronic-Dev Team and iPhone Dev Teams” made this possible for you guys to finally let the magic happen, and for those who’ve been waiting, the day has finally come. An untethered jailbreak tool called Absinthe 2.0 is now available through the well-known channels, supporting the following:

iPad1,1 – 2,1 – 2,2 – 2,3 – 3,1 – 3,2 – 3,3

iPhone2,1 – 3,1 – 3,3 – 4,1

iPod3,1 – 4,1

(Support for iPad2,4 will be added at a later date)

For further instructions and software download please visit here.

Update1: Make sure to check out the video after the break.

Update2: It looks like the Dev-Team has already released version 2.0.1 to fix the hanging issue.

[youtube id=”xV30IeIx8vs”]

Operating Systems, software

Apple Rolls Out iOS 5.1.1 Update For iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch

1 Comment

Another day, another iOS update. This time, just a minor release from Apple that includes a number of bug fixes, HDR reliability improvement, a better Airplay video handling, a fix to the 2G/3G iPad issues and another one with the App Store notifications, where “Unable to purchase” alert could be displayed after successful purchase. The 5.1.1 version is also taking care of reliability for syncing Safari bookmarks and Reading List and it is now available for Cupertino’s iDevices via iTunes or over-the-air. Happy downloads!

And just in case you were wondering, iOS 5.1.1 has already been jailbroken.

[Apple]

 

iOS 5.1.1

This update contains improvements and bug fixes, including:

• Improves reliability of using HDR option for photos taken using the Lock Screen shortcut
• Addresses bugs that could prevent the new iPad from switching between 2G and 3G networks
• Fixes bugs that affected AirPlay video playback in some circumstances
• Improved reliability for syncing Safari bookmarks and Reading List
• Fixes an issue where ‘Unable to purchase’ alert could be displayed after successful purchase

For information on the security content of this update, please visit this website:

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1222

tablets

The New iPad Gets The Unboxing Treatment

1 Comment

If you are running out of patience and desperately want to get your hands on Apple’s New iPad, there’s still couple of days before the official release. But in the meantime, until the new Retina display iPad officially goes live, a group of Vietnamese bloggers has managed to snag a white flavor of the purported iPad 3 device, and have slapped together an unboxing video. Unfortunately, we hardly speak their language, but the 4G evidence is all over the  place. Not to mention the high-def 9.7-inch touchscreen on top, and the 5-inch camera on the back. Wanna take a closer look? Just hit the jump and watch the video, or click on the source link below to see more detailed images.

[youtube id=”9FCm_ggEhPQ”]

[via Tinhte.vn]

Events, tablets

Apple’s New iPad Officially Announced, Retina Display, A5X Chip, 5MP camera, LTE 4G. Goes Live March 16th

2 Comments

 

Apple’s third iPad series (known as the The New iPad) has officially debuted, and it is very impressive. For a start, Cupertino’s third-gen iDevice looks something similar to its predecessor, the iPad 2; measures in almost the same and weighs in at 1.4lbs. As for the 9.7-inch high-def display rumor, that one has been kicking around for nearly a year, and turned out to be TRUE. The new iPad variant will have a 2048-by-1536 screen resolution Retina display with a staggering amount of 3.1 million pixels on top.

Furthermore, The 9.4mm thick tablet device (ipad 2 is only 8.8mm) has a more powerful processor, a quad-core chip called the A5X (which according to Apple is four times faster than Nvidia’s Tegra 3). It will come with 3G and WiFi only models, boasting 16/32/64GB of internal storage capacities, that will be selling around the world for the same striking prices – 16GB $499, 32GB $599, 64GB $699 (+$130 for the 3G equivalent) – starting March 16 (Pre-orders start today in the US, Canada, UK, France, Germany, Switzerland, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore and Australia). Connectivity wise, the HD version will come equipped with LTE 4G networking that will substantially boost your internet usage, while the bluetooth specs retain the same values, along with WiFi,  native 3.1Mbps EV-DO / 7.2Mbps HSPA and new 21Mbps HSPA+, 42Mbps DC-HSDPA and 73Mbps LTE support.

As far as software goes, we’re looking at iOS 5.1 that will support a Japanese version of Siri. This one is said to be available today. Apple has also introduced to the world a new batch of apps, compatible with The new iPad most stunning display. Among them you’ll find out the Infinity Blade: Dungeons, SketchBook, and SkyGamblers. There’s also a new edition of the popular iPhoto, now available for both iPad and iPhone machines for $4.99 (Garage Band, iMovie and iWork updates are also available).

In addition, Apple has integrated a new iSight camera, sporting ‎5 megapixels sensor, backside illumination, 5-element lens, and 1080 video recording capture. The new iPad delivers the same 10 hours of battery life, and 4G work time is 9 hours.

Finally, iPad 2 prices will be slashed by roughly $100, respectively.

Full PR after the break

Update1: We’ve just added a quick hands-on video, so check it out after the break.

Update2: Hit the jump to watch The new iPad TV Ad and a quick hands-on review.

Update3: Apple reports that it has sold more than 3 million New iPads in the tablet’s first three days on the market; A “record weekend” for Tim Cook and the Cupertino fellows. To give you an idea of the business situation, two years ago, the company has managed to sell 3M pieces of its first-gen ipad device after 80 days in the market, and now it has reached exactly the same numbers in the first weekend ALONE. That’s crazy!

 

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[youtube id=”y9Oy6S3_xPY”]

[youtube id=”L51twQblnNk”]

 videoד courtesy of engadget and The Verge

 

Apple Launches New iPad


New iPad Features Retina Display, A5X Chip, 5 Megapixel iSight Camera & Ultrafast 4G LTE
SAN FRANCISCO―March 7, 2012―Apple® today introduced the new iPad®, the third generation of its category defining mobile device, featuring a stunning new Retina™ display, Apple’s new A5X chip with quad-core graphics and a 5 megapixel iSight® camera with advanced optics for capturing amazing photos and 1080p HD video. iPad with Wi-Fi + 4G connects to fast networks worldwide, including AT&T’s and Verizon’s 4G LTE networks, and still delivers the same all-day 10 hour battery life* while remaining amazingly thin and light. Beginning today, iPad 2 will be offered at an even more affordable price starting at just $399.

“The new iPad redefines the category Apple created less than two years ago, delivering the most amazing experience people have ever had with technology,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “The new iPad now has the highest resolution display ever seen on a mobile device with 3.1 million pixels, delivering razor sharp text and unbelievable detail in photos and videos.”

The new iPad’s Retina display delivers four times the number of pixels of iPad 2, so dense that the human eye is unable to distinguish individual pixels when held at a normal distance, making web pages, text, images and video look incredibly sharp and realistic. The 3.1 million pixels in the Retina display are more than one million more pixels than an HD TV, and with 44 percent increased color saturation the new iPad displays colors that are unbelievably richer, deeper and more vivid. Movies are now capable of playing at full 1080p HD-resolution, delivering an incomparable viewing experience on a mobile device.

The powerful new A5X chip with quad-core graphics was specifically designed by Apple to deliver a fast, responsive user experience while supporting the incredible Retina display. With double the graphics performance of the A5 chip, the A5X provides a superb balance between performance and power efficiency so users can enjoy all the benefits of the stunning new display while experiencing a smooth Multi-Touch™ interface, immersive gameplay, incredible visual depth and all-day battery life that iPad is known for delivering.

The 5 megapixel iSight camera features advanced optics for taking stunning pictures and recording full HD video. Backside illumination allows you to take great photos in low-light conditions and a new video image stabilization feature removes the bumps and shakes typically seen when filming with a hand-held device. Images can be enjoyed on the large Retina display, then edited, enhanced and easily shared with friends and family using the built-in Photos app on iPad.

iPad Wi-Fi + 4G with built-in next generation 4G LTE has the most comprehensive support for fast networks worldwide including HSPA+ and DC-HSDPA, and now both CDMA and GSM iPad users have the ability to easily roam internationally. The world-ready iPad delivers blazing download and upload speeds so web pages load incredibly quickly and email with large attachments can be sent and received easily. Personal Hotspot can be used to share the fast network connection on your iPad with up to 5 other devices using Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or USB**.

With iOS 5.1, the latest update to the world’s most advanced mobile operating system, the new iPad has a number of new features and enhancements including: a redesigned Camera app with video stabilization technology; the ability to delete photos from Photo Stream; support for dictation in English, French, German and Japanese; and Personal Hotspot. iOS 5.1 also works seamlessly with iCloud®, a breakthrough set of free cloud services including iTunes® in the Cloud, Photo Stream and Documents in the Cloud, that works seamlessly with your iPhone®, iPad, iPod touch®, Mac® or PC to automatically and wirelessly store your content and push it to your devices. When content changes on one of your devices, your other devices are updated automatically.

The new iPad also supports dictation, another amazing way to get things done just using your voice. Instead of typing, tap the microphone icon on the keyboard, then say what you want to say and the new iPad listens. Tap done, and iPad converts your words into text. You can use dictation to write messages, take notes, search the web and more. Dictation also works with third-party apps, so you can update your Facebook status, tweet, or write Instagram captions.

Apple also introduced the iPhoto® app, along with major updates to iMovie® and GarageBand®, completing its suite of iLife® apps for iOS. iLife and the iWork® apps, Pages®, Keynote® and Numbers®, have all been updated to take advantage of the new iPad Retina display. iPhoto includes breakthrough Multi-Touch features so you can use simple gestures to sort through hundreds of photos and find your best shots, enhance and retouch your images using fingertip brushes and share stunning photo journals with iCloud. iMovie now gives you the ability to create amazing Hollywood-style trailers as you record HD video, and GarageBand introduces Jam Session, an innovative and fun new feature that allows a group of friends to wirelessly connect to play instruments and record music together live on their iOS devices.

iPad runs almost all of the over 585,000 apps available on the App Store™, including more than 200,000 native iPad apps, from a wide range of categories, including books, games, business, news, sports, health, reference and travel. The iTunes Store® puts the world’s most popular online music, TV and movie store at your fingertips with a catalog of over 20 million songs, over 90,000 TV episodes and over 15,000 movies. The new iBooks® 2 app for iPad lets users experience an entirely new kind of ebook that’s dynamic, engaging and truly interactive. iBooks created with Apple’s new iBooks Author offer gorgeous, fullscreen ebooks with interactive animations, diagrams, photos, videos, unrivaled navigation and much more.

Pricing & Availability
The new iPad Wi-Fi models will be available in black or white on Friday, March 16 for a suggested retail price of $499 (US) for the 16GB model, $599 (US) for the 32GB model and $699 (US) for the 64GB model. iPad Wi-Fi + 4G for either AT&T or Verizon will be available for a suggested retail price of $629 (US) for the 16GB model, $729 (US) for the 32GB model and $829 (US) for the 64GB model. iPad will be sold in the US through the Apple Store® (www.apple.com), Apple’s retail stores, and select Apple Authorized Resellers. iPad will also be available in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Puerto Rico, Singapore, Switzerland, UK and the US Virgin Islands on Friday, March 16. Customers can begin pre-ordering their new iPad today, and the incredible iPad 2 is now offered at a more affordable price of $399 (US) for the 16GB Wi-Fi model and just $529 (US) for the 16GB Wi-Fi + 3G model.

iOS 5.1 and iTunes 10.6 are available today as free software updates. iPhoto, iMovie 1.3 and GarageBand 1.2 are available today for $4.99 (US) each from the App Store (www.itunes.com/appstore). Keynote 1.6, Pages 1.6 and Numbers 1.6 are available today for $9.99 (US) each from the App Store. Updates are available for free to existing customers. By the end of March iPad will be available in Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Macau, Mexico, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden.

*Battery life depends on device settings, usage and other factors. Actual results vary.

**Personal Hotspot requires supporting data plan. Customers should check with their carrier for availability.

Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices with iPad.

Events, tablets

Apple iPad 3 Event Officially Confirmed For March 7 in San Francisco

Many rumors have been floating around about the new upcoming iPad 3, but now it’s being confirmed – Apple’s next big media event is going to take place on Wednesday, March 7th, at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco, and as you can see from the invitation screenshot below, the star of the show is likely the highly anticipated third-gen ipad tablet. Word on the street is that we’re going to get a quad-core iPad 3 device, paired with 2048 x 1536 HD display and 4G LTE radio, but there’s still one week left to determine all this. So hold your breath and be patient!

tablets

iPad 3 Reported To Have 2048×1536 Retina Display On Board

While you should always take early reports with a little grain of salt, especially when it comes to Apple, the good guys over at MacRumors say they have managed to put their hands on one of those black market HD displays, claiming to be Apple’s next iPad 3 touchscreen surfaces (somehow labeled as OEM replacement parts for the iPad 3). And while current iPad 1 and iPad 2 displays feature a 9.7-inch screen size and 1024-by-768-pixel resolution at 132 pixels per inch, the new one, which may well be released early next month, boasts the same aspect ratio, but  offers a full resolution of 2048×1536 – twice the linear resolution of the first two Cupertino tablets. In other words a “game changer,” definitely when we are talking about online media and HD television. Full details are not yet known but the formal announcement is expected on March 7, so stay tuned.

Update: iFixit guys have gotten their paws on the alleged iPad 3 display and given us a very insightful look at what we should bbe expecting, hopefully this March. Hit the jump and watch their video.

[youtube id=”0PfcA4WcfNA”]

Applications, Mobile, software, tablets

Untethered iOS 5.0.1 Jailbreak for iPhone 4S and iPad 2 Finally Goes Live

The moment we’ve all been waiting for is finally here. A “Dream Team” of iOS experts have just rolled out an untethered jailbreak for Apple’s dual-core A5 iDevices, dubbed Absinthe A5, and designed to target iPhone 4S and iPad 2 running iOS 5.0.1 on board. Please note that it’s for Mac users only, at the moment, but a Windows version is probably going to be out very soon. As usual with most hacks, proceed with caution, but definitely proceed. Click the following link to learn more about the new release, get jailbreaking file here or hit the jump to watch the video.

Update: Well, that didn’t take long. Shortly after the Absinthe A5 untethered jailbreak released for OS X users, the Dream Team further extended their hacking solutions and returned back with a new jailbreak file, designed for Windows aficionados. So either click the source link below, or get the real thing right over here. Once again, you should plan carefully every step.

[youtube id=”ZKR7F-3kGvY”]

video by iJailbreak

[greenpois0n]

Operating Systems, software

Apple’s iOS 5.0.1 is Officially Out, Fixes iPhone Battery Problems

Apple has just rolled out iOS 5.0.1  (build number 9A405) for its iDevices lineup, now available through your iTunes app. The new update, which many iphone 4s owners have been waiting for, fixes the pesky battery-draining problem that users were suffering from in iOS 5. In addition, the new release is offering a bug fix for uploading documents to the iCloud service and brings some new multitasking gestures for iPad’s first-gen. Happy updates!

Update: It’s a 790MB download if you’ll choose the iTunes path, or 44.6MB delta for those who will update wirelessly (OTA).

Applications, Operating Systems, software

Apple iOS5 Now Officially Available

Apple has just pushed out iOS 5, one of its biggest updates ever, now available for download through your iTunes account, for  iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, third- and fourth-generation iPod touch, as well as both iPad 1 & iPad 2. iOS 5 includes more than 200 new features for your iDevices, among them: The notification center, iMessage, Newsstand, Reminders, integrated Twitter app, photo enhancements (plus grid & edit features), iCloud sync and backup for your mail/calender/contacts/notes/reminders etc. (you get 5GB of storage for FREE), WiFi sync capabilities, Airplay mirroring, multitasking gestures and more. In addition, Apple has also released iTunes 10.5 filled with iCloud support and plenty other goodies you will all get to try with iOS 5 on board. And speaking about the cloud, looks like iCloud.com is now officially LIVE and ready for use (in case you have iOS 5 or OS X  Lion client). Check out the video after the break.

Update: Apple has also released two new iOS apps, including AirPort Utility and Find My Friends, which can be downloaded via iCloud.

Continue reading Apple iOS5 Now Officially Available →

tablets

Apple Releases iOS 4.3.3 To Fix Location Tracking Problems (Update: Now Jailbroken)

Apple has just rolled out iOS 4.3.3, available now via iTunes for its iDevices – with fixes for the battery life problems, and of course the way your mobile devices (e.g iPhone and iPad) are tackling location tracking database, shrinking it and making it more encrypted. The new firmware update makes sure that the location data archive that was backed up to iTunes, will now be correctly removed from the idevices system upon switching location services off. Direct links for iOS 4.3.3 after the break.

Update: Yes, you’ve guessed that right boys and girls, the Dev-Team has just dropped in their latest and greatest jailbreak solution for Cupertino’s recently announced, iOS 4.3.3 update. In that regard, both PwnageTool and redsn0w are now capable of handling the 4.3.3 firmware and appear to be available for download from various vendors and sources. And while an iPad 2 jailbreaking solution is yet to be determined, the rest of the group (of iDevices) can be fully extracted and seem to support the new untethered jailbreak. Even more links after the break.

 

Continue reading Apple Releases iOS 4.3.3 To Fix Location Tracking Problems (Update: Now Jailbroken) →

tablets

iPad 2 To Be Released In Twelve More Countries

The iPad 2 is reported to be selling quite good throughout the States and beyond, but as time goes by and the popularity rise steadily, more and more countries are looking to be part of the overwhelming sales growth. As for that matter, Apple has additionally confirmed a WiFi iPad 2 release in Japan today, April 28, and in 11 more countries tomorrow, including Hong Kong, India, Israel, Korea, Macau, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Africa, Turkey and UAE, then in China on May 6. And while local prices are yet to be determined, suggested retail pricing is on par with the US market, at $499 for the 16GB model, $599 for the 32GB model and $699 for the 64GB model. As for the iPad 2 with Wi-Fi + 3G connectivity, prices are matching US MSRPs and said to be at $629 for the 16GB model, $729 for the 32GB model and $829 for the 64GB model. Full PR after the break.

 

Continue reading iPad 2 To Be Released In Twelve More Countries →

tablets

Apple Officially Rolls Out iOS 4.3.2 for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch Devices (Update: Jailbreaked)

Apple has just released iOS 4.3.2 for all iOS devices (e.g iPhone 4, 3GS, iPad 1 & 2, iPod touch), while at the same time Verizon models are getting the v4.2.7 upgrade. The new iOS version is now available through your iTunes software and claimed to fix a few pesky bugs, several security issues, iPad 3G connectivity problems and repeated frozen Facetime video calls – A minor update, but very essential. Happy downloads everyone! (666.2MB).

Update: And a few hours later… A tethered jailbreak has just been launched into the pond. Mind you, it will not unlock the new baseband on iOS 4.3.2 yet, so make sure you follow the link and read the step-by-step guide much more carefully.

Mobile, Operating Systems, Phones, software

Apple Officially Releases iOS 4.3.1, Grab It Now!

Apple has just rolled out a new firmware update for the myriad of iDevices, with the latest release of iOS 4.3.1 which should fix several pesky bugs that users have been experiencing in AV-out, enterprise apps, iPod touch graphics and mobile network connections. The new update is now available for download via iTunes, so hook your stuff and get it done right.