We’ve reviewed a few Evio iPad cases in the past year and found them to be well-built and functional. The products we’ve looked at thus far have been folio style cases, which are designed to cover the entire iPad and be used full time. But the iPad is an attractive device, and some users like…
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iPad mini In Depth: Thin, Light & Charming
Apple’s iPad mini is Apple’s newest size iPad with a 7.9-inch display and weighs just 11 ounces (312 grams). It has Apple’s traditional attention to fit and finish, has few compromises, and is easy for most to hold in one hand. Read on to find out if this new iPad is right for you. ____________________…
Reuter's The Wider Image, Free for iPad
There was a time when I thought I might make it as a photojournalist. I loved shooting photos and enjoyed writing, it seemed the perfect vocation for me. I was young and full of impractical dreams. I believed I could make it on natural talent alone. I didn't realize that I had none, at least…
Samsung Says the iPhone is for Old Folks. Really?
In Samsung’s latest anti-iPhone video commercial, a suggestion is made that the iPhone appeals to older people and, by implication, the Galaxy S3 appeals to hipper, younger people. Research data shows that not to be true. One technique in advertising is to take a kernel of truth, magnify and embellish, and drive a point home.…
iPhone 5 In Depth: A little Bit Longer & a Lot Stronger
It's been a week since Apple finally put the iPhone 5 in customer's hands, and we've been putting the new model through its paces ever since. The iPhone 5 is thinner, taller, and yet lighter than the iPhone 4S it replaces, and it has a sleek new look thanks to its brushed metal back and…
iPhone 5: Are You a Bottom Grabber or Head Puller?
Apple’s decision to move the headphone jack on the iPhone 5 to the bottom has customers talking. It turns out, there are two parallel universes, and neither side knew the other existed. __________________ The headphone jack has been on the bottom of the iPod touch for a few generations, but when Apple made the move…
Did Google’s Motorola Fake an Ad Critical of Apple’s Maps? Nope
Reports Thursday that Google's Motorola Mobility faked an advertisement comparing Google Maps to Apple's Maps app in an effort to artificially embarrass Cupertino’s new service are only partially correct. An examination of the issue shows that, while Motorola may have configured the comparison to act in its favor, the advertisement was a valid comparison, for…
Success and Criticism of iPhones and Movies
This article is ultimately about the iPhone 5, the people who initially found it “disappointing” or “boring,” and the people who lashed out at those iPhone critics. In the end, I also offer my own assessment of the new iPhone. But before I get to all of that…I need to talk about the movies. Movies…
iOS 6 Review: New Features & Rough Edges
On September 19, 2012, Apple released iOS6 with a customary wealth of new features. It’s a good upgrade, and worth installing. In fact, it's mandatory thanks to a myriad of security updates. But iOS is also showing some signs of strain. _____________________ The first thing you need to know about iOS 6 is that it…
The iPhone 5 is Critic-Proof
No one can stop the tide of the iPhone 5. Tens of millions of customers will buy the iPhone 5 in short order, and no critic, no publication can stop it, slow it down, or even have a quantifiable impact. It’s like the anticipation over a new Marvel Comics-based blockbuster movie. There’s no stopping those…
The Curious Evolution of the iPod nano’s Design
“Those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.” — George Bernard Shaw The iPod nano, now in its 7th generation, has traveled a convoluted journey through time. While first conceived as a smaller, more convenient iPod for youngsters and for exercise, its various incarnations have transmogrified according to shifting technical winds, never quite settling…
Business Apps Edition Part 1: Scanning Apps
My friend Carmen is a busy woman. She travels on business a lot, constantly on the go. When she went looking for a smart phone several months ago she originally bought an Android device. I forget which one, but she quickly found that incorporating it into her daily routine was not as easy as she'd…
iPhone 5 International LTE Support: Necessarily Confusing
Apple introduced its new iPhone 5 Wednesday as a “world phone,” capable of utilizing high speed cellular data networks in many countries. Like many things international, however, restrictions and limitations apply, especially when it comes to high-speed LTE support. Thankfully, Apple has updated its iPhone product information to assist LTE-obsessed customers with planning their next…
Braven 625s: a BT Speaker for Braving the Outdoors
If you need a speaker for your iOS device that can handle the outdoors, the Braven 625s Outdoor Portable Bluetooth Speaker might be the solution. The 625s is a Bluetooth speaker for the outdoor enthusiast, whether for camping trips, tailgating or just backyard barbecues. The speaker is just over 6 inches long, 2.5 inches high,…
Samsung Designer Denies Referencing Apple, Apple Shows Otherwise
Jeeyuen Wang is professional designer working for Samsung on the company’s smartphone user interface. According to her own testimony as reported by Forbes, she helped design the icons used in some of Samsung’s smartphones. She is also up for consideration as designer of the year within Samsung, an honor that includes a 100 million South…
The Walgreens iOS App is Superb
The Walgreens iOS app is superbly conceived, easy to use, attractive, and very useful. Need to renew a prescription? Scan the bar code on the bottle, and wait for the text message that it’s ready for pickup. Want some photos printed? Pull them out of the camera roll, click, then pick up the prints at…
Watch the Summer Olympics on Your Mac or iOS device
To Get Everything You’ll Need to Pay a Provider In the US, to watch absolutely everything on the Internet at NBCOlympics.com, you’ll need a cable or satellite provider which seems eminently unfair since anyone can get a local NBC affiliate with a digital antenna. I can see being prevented from seeing MSNBC or CNBC content, but…
Yahoo! Scores Coup by Tapping Google Exec for CEO
“I am honored and delighted to lead Yahoo!, one of the internet’s premier destinations for more than 700 million users,” Ms. Mayer said in a statement. “I look forward to working with the Company’s dedicated employees to bring innovative products, content, and personalized experiences to users and advertisers all around the world.” Marissa Mayer Credit:…
TV Stations: Get a Clue About Adobe Flash
_____________ The recent fires in Colorado Springs and near Ft. Collins, Colorado have made it very clear that some TV stations that have websites have dropped the ball when it comes to serving the public interest. That’s because residents, in any geographical area, for any kind of weather emergency, are likely to be on the…
San Francisco Blocks Mac Purchases After Apple EPEAT Pull Out
EPEAT is an environmental organization that certifies products based on their recyclability, among other criteria. Apple was one of the founding companies that established those criteria in 2006, and EPEAT certification is now required for purchases by some institutions, including cities like San Francisco. The news that Apple had pulled its Mac products from EPEAT…
The Apps That Came in From the Cold
______________ One of the things we know about the Mac App Store, from interviewing developers, is that many new or inexperienced customers look at the MAS first for solutions to their problems. It’s a convenient and trustworthy watering hole, and it provides many developers with incremental revenue. Historically, many experienced customers know how to go…
iOS-ification is Coming. Why It’ll be Good For Us
__________________ Once upon a time, companies built computers because there was money to be made by putting computational power into the hands of skilled individuals. In the Apple II days, people who bought them likely were already working with computers at work, and they revelled in the idea of having some computational fun at home.…
Apple Nano-SIM Design Wins ETSI Approval
ETSI stated,The fourth form factor (4FF) card will be 40 percent smaller than the current smallest SIM card design, at 12.3mm wide by 8.8mm high, and 0.67mm thick. It can be packaged and distributed in a way that is backwards compatible with existing SIM card designs. The new design will offer the same functionality as…
RIM Outlines BlackBerry’s Future, Previews BlackBerry 10
Research in Motion made the case for the continued relevance of its BlackBerry platform during its Blackberry World keynote Tuesday morning. Three months after taking the helm at the struggling company, RIM CEO Thorsten Heins took the floor to argue for the “unique value” that BlackBerry delivers to its customers. Distinguishing BlackBerry customers from those…