Archives For Apple

Kevin Tofel Inspires Apple To Build Smaller iPad

Dave Zatz —  August 9, 2012 — 19 Comments

kevin-tablet

As you’ve probably heard, Apple and Samsung are going at it via a variety of legal challenges across the globe. And, while litigation generally bores me, I was pretty stoked to discover my buddy Kevin Tofel cited in evidence.

Kevin’s the biggest 7″ tablet evangelist I know. In fact, he recently penned an article declaring small tablets will replace smartphones… and believes it. While I have my doubts, Kevin routinely carries a 7″ tablet with him — here I am holding his Nexus 7 loaner while we wandered around Vegas last month and he recently “called” me from his yard, given the video, from another tab using Google Chat.

So it’s amazingly acknowledging to see Apple execs literally sharing Kevin’s interest in this particular form factor as you can see from the email (below) that Eddie Cue sent to Tim Cook, Scott Forstall, and Phil Schiller. Continue Reading…

In Apple, Gadgets, Patent
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Shattered, Shattered. (iPhone)

Dave Zatz —  August 3, 2012 — 36 Comments

shattered-iphone

After possessing literally dozens of caseless phones over maybe a 15 year span, I finally did the unthinkable. Or, perhaps, it was the inevitable. And it was a boneheaded move. Overtired on an 8 hour drive, we stopped for a Starbucks pick-me-up… yet, before making it into the store, I managed to launch my iPhone straight into the pavement face first and shattered the display.

Oh, the phone was fully functional, but trying to use it led to a glass-pierced bloody finger. Reading email was also a bit challenging. Despite that, my first thought was Continue Reading…

In Apple, Gadgets, Mobile
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Scanner Pro for iPhone & iPad (On Sale)

Dave Zatz —  August 2, 2012 — 9 Comments

A few months back I was pretty stoked to learn Epson provides a free iPhone app for my multi-function device. Yet, while print functionality has come in handy, scanning isn’t all that efficient. Enter Readdle who reached out around WDCC and introduced me to their line of productivity apps, providing a copy of Scanner Pro to check out. And, as we prepare to purchase our new home, it’s been extremely effective at turning my phone into a mobile scanner. In fact, its ability to easily scan multiple documents into a single PDF bests my scanner in both ease and capabilities. I’ve been so pleased, in fact, I purchased a second copy for my wife’s iPhone and business. There are multiple iOS scanning apps available, and I haven’t tried them all, but Scanner Pro routinely comes out on top. At $6, I’d say it’s a solid app. On sale today for $2, it’s really a no brainer.

In Apple, Software
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Amazon Instant Video Arrives On iPad

Dave Zatz —  August 1, 2012 — 38 Comments

amazon-instant-ipad5

At long last, Amazon has brought their digital video service to the iPad. And, presumably, iPhone access isn’t far behind.

Amazon Instant actually consists of two distinct tiers, and both are available via the new iPad app. Perhaps the most familiar these days is Prime Instant Streaming, which is similar to Netflix or Hulu Plus in that it provides unlimited streaming of a wide range of television and movie content. However, instead of levying  a monthly fee, video is provided “free” to Amazon Prime subscribers ($79/year) – originally pitched as a shipping service but, given new benefits, is more akin to a loyalty club these days. Beyond that, Amazon Instant also offers video rentals and sales. But, of course, to bypass Apple’s hefty 30% commission, it’s not actually handled in-app and requires a trip to Amazon.com.

It just so happens that I purchased the first episode of Breaking Bad, Season 5 for viewing on our TiVo Premiere but fired it up on the iPad. Non-Prime video can be streamed or downloaded, which makes for a mighty flexible solution. However, Amazon streams by default and the only way I could trigger local copy playback was by disabling WiFi. It’s also safe to assume the HD video quality pales in comparison to what the TiVo download provides. Yet many of us will periodically made the trade in quality for convenience… and I’m looking forward to catching up on Fringe with my iPad from the gym treadmill.

(via 9to5 Mac)

In Apple, Video
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Half Off Slingbox Mobile Apps

Dave Zatz —  July 16, 2012 — 9 Comments

For the first time in recent memory, Sling Media is running a sale on their mobile apps – that enable you to watch your home video service while on the road (or, perhaps, in other areas of your house) via smartphone or tablet. The SlingPlayer apps are a hefty 50% off through July 22, and I’m told the promotion is available worldwide. So if you were holding back on a purchase due to the steep $30 (US) fee, now may be a good time to get your placeshifting fix for a reasonable $15. FYI most current apps require Slingbox SOLO or PRO-HD hardware, versus prior generation devices.

In Apple, Deals, Mobile, Software
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