iPad By Davis: “Weekly Photo Contest: Fall Colors!” plus 17 more

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• Weekly Photo Contest: Fall Colors!
• iMore Weekly Contest winners: iPad mini and Lens Flare photos!
• Apple's Cards app for iPhone and iPad update lets you swap photos
• MacBreak Weekly 323: Cook Cleans House
• Forums: Apple store iPhone 5 repairs, iPad mini impresses
• First iPad mini reviews
• iPod touch 5 vs iPhone 5: Camera shootout
• iMessage is down. Again.
• Google Search iPad App Adds Voice Recognition: Some Head-to-Head Testing vs. Siri
• Apple delays iTunes 11 refresh until the end of November
• iOS gets a new Google Search app, and it holds its own against Android
• iPad mini Smart Cover unboxing and hands-on!
• Microsoft CEO Believes Unicorns Exist, Pigs Fly, & Surface Is the First Tablet Customers Want
• How to replace the dock connector in an iPhone 4S
• No Tricks, Just Treats Halloween Sale - Save 15% on ALL Accessories at the iMore store!
• iPad mini Accessories: New Portenzo Line of Cases, Including the Composition Case
• iPad buyers guide (Late 2012)
• Deal of the Day: 47% off the Body Glove Icon Hybrid Case for iPhone 5

Weekly Photo Contest: Fall Colors! Posted: 30 Oct 2012 10:05 PM PDT It's time to announce this week's photo contest -- fall colors! We're in the heart of the autumn season which means colors, leaves, and more colors. This time of year is responsible for some of the most beautiful photos ever taken, so we want to see what beautiful photos you all are taking with your iPhones. I, personally, live in an area of the the world (central coast of California) that doesn't really have a fall season, so I'm dying to see all the photos that show me what I'm missing. Help me out iMore iPhoneographers and make me jealous! Congrats to jwgriffin for winning last week's lens flare photo contest! The prize: $30 iTunes gift certificate In addition to a thumbs up from the iMore crew and all of us yelling about how great of a photo star you are, the winner of this week's photography contest will receive a $30 iTunes gift card allowing you to stock up on some of those photography apps you've been dying to buy! The rules The rules of entry are very simple. The photo must have been taken with an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch (we'll check the EXIF data of the original file to verify) and any edits must have been done with an iPhone or iPad app. No Photoshop CS6! If you have external lens accessories you are more than welcome to use them. You can submit as many photos as you'd like, but remember, this is a contest, so make sure you submit your best work! Resources Now, before you run off to take your photo, remember that it's not technical skill alone that will claim this prize. Even if you're not the best photographer (yet!), a great eye and a great subject can still get you the win. However, a little help can never hurt, so make sure you check out our iPhone photography series for some tips. How to submit Submitting your photos is easy. just head over to the iMore Photography Forum and post your photos to the official contest thread. Don't forget to state which apps, if any, you used to edit your photo! That's it! Now go out and shoot! ENTER NOW iphoneography photography Photo Contest contest fall colors Contests Photo Contest Featured

iMore Weekly Contest winners: iPad mini and Lens Flare photos! Posted: 30 Oct 2012 09:56 PM PDT If there's one thing iMore loves even more than iPhones and iPads (and iPods!), it's giving cool iPhone and iPad accessories and apps to our awesome readers. This week we have... Win a free iPad mini from iMore! rednocturne307   Weekly Photo Contest: Lens Flare! Grand prize winner - jwgriffin!   Runner-up - Tre!   Congratulations everyone! Winners will be contacted in the next few days with information on claiming their prizes. Be sure to check out all the entries in the Lens Flare Contest over in the forums as there were a lot of awesome photos. Looking for another chance to win? We always have a contest underway for something cool, so keep your eyes on the blogs for those announcements. Contest Winners Contests Contest Winners

Apple's Cards app for iPhone and iPad update lets you swap photos Posted: 30 Oct 2012 09:58 PM PDT Apple has released an updated to Cards, a card-creation app for iPhone and iPad. Now you can easily swap photos in templates that contain multiple photos. A few bugs have also been fixed. To swap photos, you simply drag one of the photos to a different available location in the template and Cards will automatically swap the two photos. The update also includes a fix to the issue that caused previously mailed cards to display as drafts in Card History. And if you were experiencing random crashes while using Cards, that has also, supposedly, been fixed. Cards is an iPhone and iPad app that let's you create letterpress cards and then order physical versions to be shipped to whoever you want. Each card is crafted from 100 percent cotton paper and imprinted with an elegant debossed design. You can select up to 12 recipients for each card. Cards shipped in the U.S. are $2.99 each and cards shipped to anywhere else in the world are $4.99 each. Unfortunately, Apple does not offer bulk pricing to those who may be interested in sending a card to, say, 50 or more recipients. How many of you have actually ever ordered cards with Apple's Cards app? Are you happy with the app and the quality of the cards that Apple prints? If you don't use Cards, is there another app, like Sincerely Ink [Free - Download Now], that you prefer? I've used Cards a few times and have always been satisfied with the results, but I would love to explore other options. Free - Download Now Apps Iphone Apps Ipad Apps Cards Apple Apps App News Apps News

MacBreak Weekly 323: Cook Cleans House Posted: 30 Oct 2012 08:34 PM PDT Leo Laporte, Andy Ihnatko, Alex Lindsay, and yours truly talk about the leadership shakeup at Apple, the iPad mini, and the rest of the week's news. Subscribe or download: Twit.tv Macbreak Weekly Featured Video Podcast

Forums: Apple store iPhone 5 repairs, iPad mini impresses Posted: 30 Oct 2012 07:52 PM PDT Found an interesting article you want to share with iMore? Have a burning question about that feature you just can't figure out? There is ALWAYS more happening just a click away in the forums. You can always head over and join in the conversation, search for answers, or lend your expertise to other members of our community. You check out some of the threads below: Apple Store repairs? Anywhere to pre-order iPad Mini with PayPal? iPad Mini vs Kindle Fire HD I just might upgrade to iPad 4 iPad mini reviews, what do you all think? If you're not already a member of the iMore Forums, register now! From The Forums News Regular Features From the Forums

First iPad mini reviews Posted: 30 Oct 2012 06:53 PM PDT The first set of iPad mini reviews are now hitting the web and so far, so good. Obviously, it's an iPad only smaller -- or more concentrated, as Apple said. But how does it compare to other small tablets, and to the 9.7-inch iPad? Here's a roundup of opinions so far The Loop's Jim Dalrymple says he was wrong to doubt the usefulness of an iPad mini: I was really surprised with how much I used the iPad mini in my daily routine — more than the 10-inch iPad. There are a couple of things you have to remember with the iPad mini. First, it isn't just a smaller iPad, but rather it feels like its own device. Daring Fireball's John Gruber says the iPad mini is amazing in every way, except for the non-Retina screen: If the Mini had a retina display, I'd switch from the iPad 3 in a heartbeat. As it stands, I'm going to switch anyway. Going non-retina is a particularly bitter pill for me, but I like the iPad Mini's size and weight so much that I'm going to swallow it. Fox News Clayton Morris says the iPad mini is small but it performs big: After a few days I started to prefer the mini to my larger iPad despite its lack of a Retina screen. It even made my larger iPad look old fashioned. Awkwardly large. The mini is fast, impressively light -- weighing in at just over 10 ounces -- and easy to keep with me at all times. The only thing I don't enjoy as much with the mini is watching videos. It seems the crystal-clear Retina display in the newer (and larger) iPads has spoiled me. TechCrunch's MG Siegler says that with the iPad mini, Apple is putting the pedal to the metal. Apple has done a good job of making the case that the iPad mini is not just another 7-inch tablet — in fact, it's not a 7-inch tablet at all. It's a 7.9-inch tablet — a subtle, but important difference. As a result, it can utilize every iOS app already in existence. And it can access the entire iTunes ecosystem. And it will be sold in Apple Stores. Apple isn't looking at this as $329 versus $199. They're looking at this as an impossibly small iPad 2 sold at the most affordable price for an iPad yet. In other words, they're not looking at the tablet competition. This isn't a tablet. It's an iPad. People love these things. Time's Harry McCracken says the iPad mini is the first small tablet that's an iPad: If your budget's got more wiggle room, the iPad Mini is the best compact-sized tablet on the market. Apple didn't build yet another bargain-basement special; it squeezed all of the big iPad's industrial-design panache, software polish and third-party apps, and most of its technology, into a smaller thinner, lighter, lower-priced model. The result may be a product in a category of one — but I have a hunch it's going to be an awfully popular category. The Wall Street Journal's Walt Mossberg says that, with the iPad mini, Apple has pulled off an impressive feat: The $329 price may well tempt some budget-conscious buyers who have lusted for an iPad. But Apple believes the lower size and weight, not the price, are the key attractions. If you love the iPad, or want one but just found it too large or heavy, the iPad mini is the perfect solution. The Verge's Joshua Topolsky says the iPad mini isn't a step down from the iPad 4, but a step to the side. There's no tablet in this size range that's as beautifully constructed, works as flawlessly, or has such an incredible software selection. Would I prefer a higher-res display? Certainly. Would I trade it for the app selection or hardware design? For the consistency and smoothness of its software, or reliability of its battery? Absolutely not. And as someone who's been living with (and loving) Google's Nexus 7 tablet for a few months, I don't say that lightly. The iPad mini hasn't wrapped up the "cheapest tablet" market by any stretch of the imagination. But the "best small tablet" market? Consider it captured. Engadget's Tim Stevens says the iPad mini brings everything Apple has to offer in a tablet that fits in one hand. This isn't just an Apple tablet made to a budget. This isn't just a shrunken-down iPad. This is, in many ways, Apple's best tablet yet, an incredibly thin, remarkably light, obviously well-constructed device that offers phenomenal battery life. No, the performance doesn't match Apple's latest and yes, that display is a little lacking in resolution, but nothing else here will leave you wanting. At $329, this has a lot to offer over even Apple's more expensive tablets. CNET's Scott Stein says the iPad mini is the perfect size but comes at a price: If you want a tiny tablet to do everything but make calls, the iPad Mini is worth the $130 premium. For an e-reader plus apps, choose a cheaper, higher-resolution 7-inch tablet. BusinessWeek's Rich Jaroslovsky says the iPad mini is thin and light but not cheap: I can tell you the iPad mini is the best small tablet you can buy. The question you'll have to answer for yourself is whether it's that much better. SlashGear's Vincent Nguyen says the iPad mini is aimed at the everyman: In the end, it's about an overall package, an experience which Apple is offering. Not the fastest tablet, nor the cheapest, nor the one that prioritizes the most pixel-dense display, but the one with the lion's share of tablet applications, the integration with the iOS/iTunes ecosystem, the familiarity of usability and, yes, the brand cachet. That's a compelling metric by which to judge a new product, and it's a set of abilities that single the iPad mini out in the marketplace. If the iPad with Retina display is the flagship of Apple's tablet range, then the iPad mini is the everyman model, and it's one that will deservedly sell very well. The Guardian's Charles Arthur says the iPad mini is a five-star device: Apple is going to sell a lot of these – quite possibly more than the "large" iPad – in this quarter. The only way Apple could improve on this product would be (as some people are already agitating) to give it a retina screen and somehow make it lighter. That might happen at some point. You can wait if you like; other people, in the meantime, will be buying this one. If I missed any, let me know and I'll add them in. So far, so good though. Ipad Mini Featured News

iPod touch 5 vs iPhone 5: Camera shootout Posted: 30 Oct 2012 03:51 PM PDT Apple has released a new iPod touch and this time it actually has a decent camera on it. But is it half-way decent or all-the-way decent? If you go iPod touch instead of iPhone 5, and the camera matters to you, how much are you missing out? That's what we're aiming to find out by putting both to the test. It's iPhone 5 vs. iPod touch 5 in an iOS camera shoot-out, iMore style! Photo size: iPod touch 5 vs iPhone 5 Before we start comparing similar photos side-by-side, it's important to note that since the iPhone 5 has an 8-megapixel camera and the iPod touch 5 has a 5-megapixel camera, the full-resolution dimensions of the iPod touch 5's photos are smaller than the iPhone 5's photos. To be exact, the iPod touch 5 produces 1936x2592 images and the iPhone 5 produces 2448x3264 images. The photos above show how these two resolutions compare proportionally. In terms of print sizes, if you print at 200 ppi, photos from the iPod touch can print up to 9"x12" and photos from the iPhone 5 can print up to 12"x16". At 300 ppi, the iPod touch produces prints up to 6"x8" images and iPhone 5 photos print up to 8"x10". For the remainder of this review, the images from both devices have been scaled down to appear to be the same size. The photos on the left were taken with an iPod touch 5 and the photos on the right were taken with an iPhone 5. General photography: iPod touch 5 vs iPhone 5 In general, the iPod touch 5's camera takes very nice photos even when compared next to iPhone 5 photos -- but it's still clear that the iPhone 5 photos are better. The noticeable differences are that the iPhone 5's images are more vibrant, have more contrast, and are a little warmer. Overall, the iPod touch 5 photos just look a little flat when compared with the iPhone 5's versions. I always prefer the iPhone 5's photo over the iPod touch 5 when shooting with the rear-facing iSight cameras. Macro photography: iPod touch 5 vs iPhone 5 Both camera's performed well at macro, specifically with their ability to focus. The iPod touch 5 and iPhone 5 both do a better job at focussing on close subjects than the iPhone 4S. Again, the images from the iPhone 5 have more contrast and a warmer tone. Low-light photography: iPod touch 5 vs iPhone 5 The quality of the sensor on the iPhone 5 is very obviously better than the iPod touch 5 when comparing photos taken in low-light. You can also see that the colors are much more accurate in low-light than on the iPod touch. In the above images, the first image has an unflattering green tint and is also much darker. Low-light, indoor environments are almost equally bad on both devices as shown in the photos below. Front-facing cameras: iPod touch 5 vs iPhone 5 Both the iPhone 5 and iPod touch 5 are equipped with the same front-facing 1.2-megapixel FaceTime HD camera, so I was rather surprised to discover that the iPod touch 5 takes warmer photos than the iPhone 5. It's possible that there another variable like angle between me and the sun or the camera and the sun that is causing these results, but I took several images with both cameras at this time and all produced similar results: the iPod touch 5's photos are warmer than the iPhone 5's photo (from the FaceTime camera). Panoramic photography: iPod touch 5 vs iPhone 5 As with other images, the iPod touch 5 and iPhone 5 cameras produce similar panoramic photos except that the iPhone 5's version has more contrast and a slightly warmer tone. The bottom line There's no denying that the iPhone 5's camera is better than the iPod touch 5. The images are more vibrant, have more contrast, and have better color. Are the differences huge? No. In fact, in most cases, I can edit a photo taken with an iPod touch to look just like it's iPhone 5 counterpart with very little effort. Where the iPhone 5 really excels is at low-light photography and of course the resolution of the images. Overall, I was still impressed with the quality of the camera on the iPod touch considering it's housed in such an incredibly thin device. 5th generation iPod touch Ipod Touch 5 camera shootout photography Featured Reviews Device Features

iMessage is down. Again. Posted: 30 Oct 2012 02:47 PM PDT Apple's iMessage service, their iOS and OS X SMS- and MMS- like service, is currently down for a lot of users. It's been going down fairly regularly as of late, though not for lengthy periods of time. Game Center, Apple's online gaming service, has also gone down or suffered from poor service over the last week. Everything goes down. Google goes down. Amazon does down. RIM goes down. Microsoft goes down. We go down. But reliability is a feature and if something goes down or suffers from poor services too often, or even if perception starts to give people that impression, it's a problem. Apple's building more data centers and hiring more internet services engineers, but this is absolutely a problem they have to fix and fast. iMessage and Game Center -- iCloud in general -- has to feel like power, like something that's almost taken for granted as always being there. And when it does go down, it should be so rare as to be truly shocking. Not simply, "again?" As always, let me know if iMessage is working for you, and if it isn't, when it starts working again. Imessage Game Center imessage down News

Google Search iPad App Adds Voice Recognition: Some Head-to-Head Testing vs. Siri Posted: 30 Oct 2012 02:33 PM PDT The Google Search app for iPad and iOS was updated today, to Version 2.5. The headline new feature in this update is voice recognition. Or as the update change list describes it: Improved Voice Search ✓ Simply say what you want and get results without typing. ✓ Faster and significantly improved voice recognition with text streamed on the fly. ✓ Get answers spoken directly back to you with web results tailored to your questions. I gave the updated app a quick try on my iPad 3 and thought it worked quite nicely, so I then decided to do some quick head-to-head testing of Google Search vs. Siri on the iPad. The results were pretty interesting and pretty even. Here's how things went when trying out a number of topics that both should be able to cover well – I spoke simple, short phrases for each query and did my very best to say them identically to both: Weather: I asked for today's weather and both Google Search and Siri got it right. Siri had the current temperature listed a couple degrees higher and I love warm weather so I'll give that round to Siri. (...) Read the rest of Google Search iPad App Adds Voice Recognition: Some Head-to-Head Testing vs. Siri (352 words) © patrickj for iPad Insight, 2012. | Permalink | 4 comments | Add to del.icio.us Post tags: iPad Apps   Comments Your mention of no documentation made me remember I thought I'd ... by Patrick Jordan If you start your Siri command with "Google search…" then ... by Tim K I've been using Google Voice Search for years and I've been ... by Kaylin Google search has one more advantage if you are logged in, it ... by Shawn Dreelin Related Stories Weather HD for iPad Updated – Adds Halloween Theme Quick Look: Talking T-Rex Dinosaur for iPad Price Drops: Camera Boost for iPad Free for Today Only This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Apple delays iTunes 11 refresh until the end of November Posted: 30 Oct 2012 01:55 PM PDT Disappointing news today for those eagerly awaiting the promised October launch of iTunes 11. Apple has just announced that it has had to delay its release until the end of November. Apple talked about the iTunes 11 refresh back in September at the iPhone 5 media event and said that it would be out by the end of October. All Things D has received a statement from Apple spokesperson Tom Neumayr. The new iTunes is taking longer than expected and we wanted to take a little extra time to get it right. We look forward to releasing this new version of iTunes with its dramatically simpler and cleaner interface, and seamless integration with iCloud before the end of November. Very disappointing news but it is better that Apple delayed it now rather than releasing a version that would prove to be buggy and problematic; Apple doesn't need any more bad press in this regard. Delaying it for a month to iron out these problems is certainly the sensible route to take. It's doubtful that the delay has anything to do with the managerial changes which were announced yesterday especially as Scott Forstall had very little to do with iTunes; Eddy Cue is the man in charge of that.The refresh of iTunes includes a cleaner design, much needed performance improvements, better iCloud integration, enhanced library search and a redesigned mini-player. Were you looking forward to getting your hands on the refreshed iTunes 11 this week? Source:All Things D Itunes 11 Apple Delayed November News

iOS gets a new Google Search app, and it holds its own against Android Posted: 30 Oct 2012 01:08 PM PDT Google today announced an updated Search app for iOS devices. That in and of itself is should be cause for celebration, but it's the the new voice search that has us particularly excited. (Especially since Siri hasn't quite lived up to expectations.) So how's Google Search stack up? Set side by side with its Android counterpart, quite well. We gave it a gander from an Android Central point of view and came away pretty impressed. Lacking on iOS is the deep integration with the operating system, but that's to be expected. Have a look at the video after the break and see for yourself. Free Download now; More: Android Central Search Google Ios App Store Apps Featured Video

iPad mini Smart Cover unboxing and hands-on! Posted: 30 Oct 2012 10:53 AM PDT With the iPad mini official launching this Friday, several people who pre-ordered and decided to pick up a Smart Cover along with their purchase have begun to receive them ahead of receiving their actual iPad mini. I received mine today and found that while it's pretty much the same as the regular sized iPad Smart Covers, there are a few differences. Upon unboxing the iPad mini, the first thing I noticed was how the hinge is slightly different than that of the older Smart Covers. While there is a magnet running along the side just as you'd expect, it's covered. I actually prefer this design as it looks like one solid piece instead of a steel magnet breaking up the design. It's not a huge deal and most people would be fine either way, but it's one of the subtle design changes that makes a product look better. Other than that there aren't very many differences between the iPad mini smart cover and its larger counterpart aside from the fact that it is freakishly smaller. As you can see from the images above, holding the iPad mini Smart Cover gives you a pretty good idea of how much smaller the iPad mini really is. The Smart Cover will fold the same way you're used to with the traditional Smart Covers so you can elevate the iPad mini to type or to view media content in a more upright position. The only real difference is where the traditional Smart Covers required you to fold twice, the iPad mini's smaller size only needs to be folder over once. The iPad mini Smart Cover is available in the Apple Online Store now for $39, the same price as the traditional Smart Covers. I was honestly surprised they weren't slightly cheaper than the larger variants. The Polyurethane version is the only one available as of now and we aren't sure if Apple will offer a leather version for the iPad mini at some point in the future. Other than that, it's same Smart Cover that we've all come to either love or hate. If you enjoy using the original Smart Covers on your iPad and appreciate the minimalistic design even though it offers zero protection to the back of the device, you'll like the versions for the iPad mini. If you didn't, you won't like these either. We'll have more once we've gotten our hands on an iPad mini to test it out on but in the mean time, check out more images below. All photos taken with a Nikon D7000 and a 50mm f/1.8 lens and embedded at HiDPI for iPhones, iPad 3, and Retina MacBook Pro. Ipad Mini ipad mini smart cover accessory previews smart cover unboxing ipad mini accessories ipad mini cases Featured Video Reviews Accessory Reviews Case Reviews

Microsoft CEO Believes Unicorns Exist, Pigs Fly, & Surface Is the First Tablet Customers Want Posted: 30 Oct 2012 10:18 AM PDT OK, so the first two parts of the post title may be a little exaggerated, but Steve Ballmer, Microsoft's CEO, does apparently believe that the new Microsoft Surface 'PC tablets' are coming into a tablet market where nobody thus far has made a tablet device that customers want. In a recent interview with CNBC he has lots of fun things to say about the competition that the Surface may face in the tablet arena – and he dismisses it out of hand: I don't think anybody has done a product that is the product that I see customers wanting … You can go through the products from all those guys … and none of them has a product that you can really use. Not Apple. Not Google. Not Amazon. Nobody has a product that lets you work and play that can be your tablet and your PC. Not at any price point. A few things stand out here. Actually, 100 million things stand out for starters – as in, 100 million iPads sold in just 2.5 years. I think a lot of folks would class that as a pretty clear indication of customers wanting something – though apparently not in Ballmer's world. Ballmer talks about PC tablets, because of course he and Microsoft are not big fans of the idea of a Post-PC era. And he seems to believe that a PC tablet is what people really want. I think it's another example of Ballmer and Microsoft being blind to what's happening in the mobile space. I think MS has been clueless about mobile for years, and Ballmer's views on the tablet market just show that they still are. (...) Read the rest of Microsoft CEO Believes Unicorns Exist, Pigs Fly, & Surface Is the First Tablet Customers Want (388 words) © patrickj for iPad Insight, 2012. | Permalink | 5 comments | Add to del.icio.us Post tags: iPad rivals   Comments Ever notice Steve Balmer looks like Bozo The Clown without his ... by Quintin I just don't get that this guy is still the CEO of Microsoft. I ... by Werner Hey, you guys should be happy about and supportive of any ... by Steve I am a bit awed by this. I never liked the Microsoft Surface ... by Melodie I'd be more inclined to take offense at his shameless promotion ... by Marc Vaughan Related Stories Microsoft Exec Calls iPad Mini a 'Recreational Tablet' First TV Ad for Microsoft Surface: 'Movement' This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

How to replace the dock connector in an iPhone 4S Posted: 30 Oct 2012 09:54 AM PDT If your iPhone 4S doesn't want to register a charger is plugged in, the dock connector may be defective or damaged. This can commonly occur from using third party charges that are poor quality or just from old age. If you're out of warranty and aren't yet eligible for an upgrade with your carrier, a new iPhone can be costly. A DIY repair to replace the dock connector will cost you far less and you'll most likely get a lot more life out of your iPhone 4S. Follow along and we'll walk you through from buying the parts to performing the repair yourself. Disclaimer: As with any repair, neither iMore nor The Pod Drop can be held responsible for any damage you may do to your device. It's also worth considering that opening up your device to perform any repair or modification can and will void your Apple warranty. If you don't feel comfortable opening your device, don't. Use extreme care and caution when performing a repair on any device. Not comfortable with DIY repair? Leave it to the pros If you aren't comfortable performing a DIY repair on your own, don't. It is possible to cause more damage or run into issues you aren't ready for. In this case, it's probably better to either pay the money for a replacement device from Apple or use a local or mail-in service that will handle the repair and any issues that may arise for you. The Pod Drop has many locations in the midwest and is a rapidly growing company. You can check for a Pod Drop location near you, mail it in, or use another third party repair service. For more information on mail-in repairs or possible Pod Drop locations near you, you can visit their website. Pod Drop locations and mail-in options If you are comfortable with repairing your own device, put your ninja pants on and keep reading! What you'll need to DIY replace an iPhone 4S dock connector PXLFIX recommends using only quality and genuine parts from a reputable supplier like eTech Parts. They have quality parts, tools, and much more for all your repair needs. You will find links to the specific parts you'll need for this repair in the list below. iPhone 4S (any variant) Replacement dock connector - Link to black part, Link to white part #00 Phillips screwdriver - Link to part Security screwdriver - Link to part Spudger tool - Link to part SIM removal tool or paperclip Video walkthrough While the video walkthrough is pretty detailed, we still recommend using it in correlation with the written steps below. The video above is a complete teardown and you don't need to complete all the steps in order to replace the dock connector. Power off your iPhone 4S Before performing any repair you should always power off your device before opening it up. Remove the back plate Using your security screwdriver, remove the 2 screws on either side of the dock connector port. Set them aside. They are both the exact same size and length so it does not matter if you mix them up. They are interchangeable. Gently slide up the back plate by applying a bit of pressure along the bottom with your thumbs and sliding upwards. Now lift off the back plate and set it aside. Remove the battery and grounding clip Using your #00 Phillips screwdriver, remove the two screws holding the battery in place. These screws are different lengths so make sure you remember which one goes where. The one that is slightly larger is the bottom screw. There is a tiny grounding clip underneath the battery clip where the first screw is located. Use your spudger tool or finger to remove it before prying the clip up. Many times it can go flying if you don't remove it first and then you'll have difficulty locating it so it's best to remove it first. Now use your spudger tool and at the bottom of the battery clip, gently pry upwards so the clip pops up. Move to the edge of the iPhone where the volume buttons are located and use your spudger tool to carefully pry up the battery. It is stuck down with a good amount of adhesive so be careful when prying upwards that you don't bend the battery. This is why I do not use the plastic tab that is provided. It typically rips or bends the battery. If one part is resistant move your pry tool a little further down and gently start prying it up in different places taking care not to come too close to the volume button cables towards the top. Once you've gotten the battery pulled out of the iPhone 4S we can move on to inserting the replacement battery. Remove the top logic board shields Using your #00 Phillips screwdriver, remove the four screws that hold the top silver shield in place and the one screw that holds the small black shield in place. Now use your spudger or pry tool to gently lift the silver shield out of the iPhone. Use your spudger or pry tool to lift the black shield out of the iPhone. Set both shields aside and make sure your screws are organized for reassembly later. Unclip the top logic board cables & remove the rear-facing camera Using your spudger or pry tool carefully disconnect all the cables at the top of the logic board. There are seven cables total. One of the cables lies underneath the bottom most cable so you'll need to disconnect the cable over it before folding it back and revealing the shorter cable underneath. Once you unclip the seven cables, you can lift the rear-facing camera directly out of the iPhone. It was only connected by one cable. Disconnect the dock connector Using your #00 Phillips screwdriver remove the shield that is covering the dock connector cable towards the middle left of the iPhone. Remember which screw came from where as they are different sizes. Gently lift the shield out of the iPhone and set it aside. Take your spudger tool and gently pry up the dock connector cable and peel it back as shown below. Perform this step with caution as there is adhesive on the underside of the cable. Take care not to rip the cable by pulling up to quickly. Leave the cable in this position and move on to the next section. Pry up the Wi-Fi antenna Using your spudger toolcarefully pry up the round connection for the cellular antenna. It should come up easily so pry up gently. You'll notice that it is wrapped around a metal clip. Gently unwrap it so it's sticking upwards and leave it in this position. Remove the SIM card and tray Using a SIM removal tool or a bent paper clip, eject the SIM tray and set it, and the SIM card aside. Remove the logic board Remove the three #00 Phillips screws at the top, middle, and bottom left of the logic board with your #00 Phillips screwdriver. The top screw has a piece of tape over it you'll need to peel back. After removing it you'll also notice a gold grounding clip underneath it. Make sure you don't lose it as you'll need it for reassembly. There are two more screws holding the logic board in place and you'll need to remove them with your flat head screwdriver. They are located at the top right and bottom of the logic board. Now you should be able to lift the logic board out of the iPhone. Use the area that the rear-facing camera was located and the bottom of the logic board to lift it straight out. Remove the loud speaker assembly The loud speaker is held in with two screws that are located on both sides of the assembly. Use your #00 Phillips screwdriver to remove them. The screw on the left hand side of the assembly has a black triangular spacer underneath it. Make sure you don't lose it and set it aside for reassembly. After the two screws are removed you can gently lift the speaker assembly out of the iPhone. Disconnect the home button The home button fastens into your dock connector so in order to replace the dock connector assembly we'll need to unplug the home button. Use your pry tool to gently unfasten the clip holding the home button cable in place. This cable is very tiny and fragile so handle it with care. Next, gently use your pry tool and your finger to back the cable out of the clip. This is as far as we'll need to go with the home button. Once it is unhooked, just disregard it while we move on to the dock connector. Remove the dock connector assembly There are two screws and some adhesive holding the dock connector into your iPhone 4S. We'll need to remove those in order to pull the assembly out of the phone. Remove the two screws holding the dock connector in place with your #00 screwdriver. There is one to the left and one to the right of the actual docking port. The one to the left may be covered with yellow tape. Just peel it back. The left and right sides of the cable are held down with adhesive. Use your pry tool to pull up the cable and the left part of the assembly. Take care not to pry on the home button cable. Use your pry tool to hold it out of the way when removing the dock connector assembly from your iPhone 4S. Next move over to the actual dock connector cable which is also held in with just adhesive. Gently pry it up. The rubber gasket to the left just plugs right into the frame, so to speak, so just pull it out gently to separate it from the frame. You should now be able to remove the dock connector assembly from your iPhone. Now pull the rubber gasket from two steps ago off the old dock connector assembly as you'll need to place it on the new one. Install the new dock connector assembly Place the rubber gasket you removed from the old assembly onto the new one and now we're ready to install the new one. Peel the adhesive off the back of the new dock connector. Compare where the adhesive is on the old and new assemblies. Your iPhone 4S has grooves in the frame showing you where to line up the left and right. First line up the actual dock port and sit it flush. Replace the 2 screws on either side to hold it in firmly. Before going any further, go ahead and stick a dock connector cable into the port like you would to charge your iPhone. If it slides in nicely and feels like it should, continue reassembly. If it doesn't, remove the 2 screws and re-align it. It can be a bit tricky to line it up perfectly, but you'll get there. Plug the rubber gasket back into the mid-frame. Now line up the rest of the dock connector cable assembly. Make folds in the cable where necessary. It's helpful to compare how your old cable is folded and mimic those folds on the new one. Be careful not to dislodge or tear the home button cable while re-positioning the dock connector. Re-connect your home button Use your pry tool and finger to carefully slide your home button cable back in place. Once the cable is positioned where it should be you can go ahead and use your pry tool to push down the clip that fastens it in place. Reassemble your iPhone 4S Now that you've got your new dock connector in place, it's time to finish reassembling your iPhone 4S. You can follow all these steps in reverse or use our video guide above as a reference. We recommend using both as they are really meant to compliment each other. Since our video guide is a full breakdown, you'll only need to watch from about 4:30 on to complete reassembly. And... done! Once you've got your iPhone 4S completely put back together, go ahead and turn it on. First thing you'll want to do is make sure it's charging normally and that your bottom mic is functioning properly. If all is in working order, give yourself a pat on the back. If you run into issues, our DIY and mod forums are a great place to find some help or you can e-mail me directly with questions. Additional resources: How to replace a cracked or broken screen on an iPhone 4S How to replace the battery in an iPhone 4S Even more DIY guides and walkthroughs Weekly Mod DIY iPhone repairs broken dock connector iPhone 4S repairs Featured Regular Features Weekly Mod Tips and How-To Ninja Tips

No Tricks, Just Treats Halloween Sale - Save 15% on ALL Accessories at the iMore store! Posted: 30 Oct 2012 09:06 AM PDT Boooo!!! Scared yet? No? Good. We're looking to help you make it a HAPPY HALLOWEEN this year by celebrating with savings across our Mobile Nations stores. Until Thursday, November 1st at Midnight PST, you can save 15% on ALL iPhone and iPad Accessories at the iMore store using coupon code treat2012 at checkout. And if you have iOS devices in the house, you can use the same coupon code at our ShopCrackBerry.com, ShopAndroid,  and Windows Phone stores. Don't forget, we have free shipping on US and Canada orders over $50, and great low cost international shipping options available as well. Don't be scared out of these savings... click the link below to get started! Take me to the iMore store now!  Store Featured Video Sponsored Post

iPad mini Accessories: New Portenzo Line of Cases, Including the Composition Case Posted: 30 Oct 2012 09:12 AM PDT Portenzo has a nice lineup of their classic iPad cases ready for the iPad mini. These are all journal style cases, made with using bookbinding techniques right here in the USA. I've tried out a couple of Portenzo iPad cases in the past and been highly impressed with them – so I'm glad to see they're already creating iPad mini versions of some of their most attractive cases. Their lineup for the iPad mini currently includes the Alano, BookCase, HardBack, Wingtip, Designer, and Composition cases. The price range on these runs from $30 (for the HardBack) to $100 for the Alano. (...) Read the rest of iPad mini Accessories: New Portenzo Line of Cases, Including the Composition Case (111 words) © patrickj for iPad Insight, 2012. | Permalink | 2 comments | Add to del.icio.us Post tags: iPad accessories, iPad Mini, iPad Mini accessories   Comments Hi oso – yeah a few of the Alano styles are really gorgeous I ... by Patrick Jordan Thanks Patrick… the Alano/ Indiana journal looks like what I ... by oso Related Stories iPad Mini Smart Covers Priced at $39 Marware's iPad Mini Cases Apple's New 12W Adapter Will Charge New iPads More Quickly This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

iPad buyers guide (Late 2012) Posted: 30 Oct 2012 08:28 AM PDT Everything you need to know about choosing the perfect iPad mini or iPad 4 color, capacity, carrier, and more! There are a lot of things to consider when it comes to buying a new iPad mini, iPad 4 or any tablet for that matter. Once you've decided you do indeed need a new tablet, you still have to decide if the new tablet you need is an iPad. While we still believe the iPad is the best choice for most of the people most of the time, there are a lot of other tablets on the market these days and there might be one better suited to some people's individual needs. If you do decide the iPad is perfect for you, then comes the choice of model (iPad mini, iPad 4, or iPad 2), color (white & silver or black & slate), storage capacity (16GB, 32GB, or 64GB), and carrier network (in the U.S., AT&T, Verizon, or Sprint are the major ones). And what do you do with your old, broken tablet when your new, hot iPad arrives? Enter iMore's iPad buyers guide, late 2012 edition. If you need help deciding what to buy, we've got your back. And if you've already decided, just bookmark, email, Facebook, or Tweet this so we can help your friends and family and you can get on with enjoying your new iPad! iPad mini, iPad 4, or something else: Which iPad should you get? Just because Apple has released the new iPad mini and iPad 4 doesn't mean you have to race off and get it. Crazy, I know, particularly coming from the greatest iPad enthusiast site in the world, but that just goes to show you how true it is. When the time comes for you to get your next tablet, whether it's today or next year, and iPad or something else, you should look at what's on the market and decide what best suits your needs. If you want the sleekest, slimmest, easiest to use, most mainstream friendly, most content rich, most well supported tablet in the industry, the iPad mini might just be for you. If you want all of that but with far more power, and far more pixels on a much bigger screen, the iPad 4 might just be for you. If you're not sure, here's a breakdown of the pros and cons of upgrading to the iPad mini or iPad 4, whether you own an existing iPad, an Android tablet, a BlackBerry PlayBooks, an Amazon Kindle, or something else. Buy vs upgrade vs skip: Should you get the iPad mini or iPad 4? Now vs. later: When should you buy an iPad? Once you've decided to get an iPad, you may still be wondering when exactly you should get it. Apple releases new iPads every year... or so. So should you buy now or wait and get the next one, and hopefully more bang for your buck, when it launches? Here's the deal... For a brief sliver of time in 2010 Apple released a new iPad in the spring, new iPhone in the summer, and new iPod touch in the fall. Now, who knows? This year, we got new iPhones and iPods in the fall, and new iPads in both the spring and fall. The bottom line is this -- buy one when you need one. There will always be new and better iPads coming. If you need one, get one when you need one. If you don't need one, wait as long as you can until you do, check iMore for any rumors of impending updates, pick your date, and then pull the trigger and feel great about it. iPad 4 vs. iPad 2 vs. iPad mini: Which iPad should you get? The latest, greatest, iPad -- in this case the late 2012 iPad 4 -- can't be considered a no-brainer buy this year because Apple has now also introduced the all-new iPad 2. The iPad 2 has also stuck around in some sort of limbo-like middle ground, further complicating your purchasing decision. Power vs portability, starting at $329 vs. starting at $399 or $499 -- there's a lot of factors to consider. Here they are: iPad 4 vs. iPad 2 vs. iPad mini: Which iPad should you get? Black or white, which iPad mini or iPad 4 should you get? Apple has updated the iPad and launched the new iPad mini, so we're updating our buyers guides to help you choose just exactly the right devices for you. Now, ever since the iPad 2 launched with a choice of black or white faceplates, one of the biggest decisions we've all had to make is which color to get. This year, that stays the same for the iPad, but for the iPad mini, which has an iPod touch 5-style colored backplate as well, it's an even bigger -- make that smaller -- choice. Here's what you need to consider: Black or white, which iPad mini or iPad 4 should you get? 16GB vs 32GB vs 64GB: Which new iPad mini or iPad 4 storage capacity should you get? The iPad mini and iPad 4 come in three storage sizes -- 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB, and each step up in size costs an extra $100. Saving money and running out of space is no fun, but neither is paying for space you don't end up using. How many photos and videos you want to keep with you, how many apps and games, and how many TV shows and movies you want on your iPad will determine how much space you need. Also, online storage like iCloud or third party services like Dropbox, SugarSync, or Box.net might change the equation. Here's how the different price points work out, and what you need to consider when choosing between them. 16GB vs 32GB vs 64GB: Which new iPad mini or iPad 4 storage capacity should you get? AT&T vs Verizon vs Sprint: Which iPad carrier should you choose? If you're in the U.S. it's probably not so easy deciding which carrier is best for your iPad or iPad mini needs, AT&T, Verizon, or Sprint. Price is always a huge factor to consider when choosing a carrier, but coverage should be just as, if not more, important when making a decision. Since the iPad and iPad mini support LTE cellular technology, you're going to want to take a close look at which carriers offer the best LTE coverage in your area. Here are the prices and plans you'll want to consider. AT&T vs Verizon vs Sprint: Which iPad carrier should you choose? Apple Store vs. other stores: Where should you buy? So now that you know what you're getting, how about where? Carrier compatibility aside, the iPad you get will be the same, but the customer service you receive can vary greatly. Also, if you have specific loyalty rewards at a certain carrier or company, that can change the deal you get. Apple Retail: If you have an Apple Retail Store in your area, you can go there, and if it's in stock, leave with your new iPad right away. They also offer help with your purchase and will even help you get set your new iPad up and running free of charge. If you're worried about protecting your investment, they can also get you setup with AppleCare, and their Genius Bar can help you with hardware problems in the future. Corny as it sounds, It's not just shopping, it's an experience. Apple Retail has the best customer service in the business and it shows. There are no discounts, however, not ever. (Though your carrier discounts can still apply. Apple Online: If there's no Apple Retail store near you there's also Apple Online in many countries. Again, no discounts but you're dealing directly with Apple. If there are any shortages or shipping delays, you can still order and they'll get it out to you as soon as stock allows. Carrier stores and big box retailers: If you want brick-and-morter but don't have an Apple Store nearby, and you want a cellular iPad, your carrier may offer them and have one or several stores in your area. Drop buy or get it shipped to you. If you want a Wi-Fi iPad, big box and chain retailers typically carry the iPad. If you have loyalty points or they're just super convenient, check them out as well. Shady operators also try to sell discount iPads, sometimes devices that aren't even really iPads but cheap -- and highly breakable -- knockoffs. It goes without saying you should avoid those. Any deal too good to be true probably is. If you save money only to end up with a phone that doesn't run iOS and may not even run on your carrier you really just wasted your money. iPad mini and iPad 4 user guides Once you've bought your new iPad mini or iPad 4, it's time to enjoy. Here's how to set it up with iCloud over-the-air (OTA), including updates, backups, security, music and media, and apps and games, how to get Siri up and running and assisting you, and how to get started with iMessage and Notification Center, and even use your iPad as a camera. iCloud: The ultimate guide Siri: The ultimate guide Notification Center: The ultimate guide iMessage: The ultimate guide Photography: The ultimate guide More guides How to get more help with your iPad No article can cover every detail or address every unique circumstance or concern. Luckily iMore also hosts the iPad Forums, a vast community where users can ask questions, give feedback, and get help. iPad 4 discussion and help forums iPad mini discussion and help forums ipad mini buyers guide Ipad Buyers Guide Ipad Mini Ipad 4 Ipad Featured iMore Guides

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