martes, 20 de noviembre de 2012

iPad By Davis: “Apple announces Black Friday one day shopping event” plus 17 more

iPad By Davis: “Apple announces Black Friday one day shopping event” plus 17 more


Apple announces Black Friday one day shopping event

Posted: 20 Nov 2012 01:23 AM PST

Apple announces Black Friday one day shopping eventApple is sending out emails confirming that it will have some items on sale on Black Friday. For those that don't know, Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving in the US and traditionally signifies the first shopping day of the holiday season. Apple hasn't revealed any details on what savings can be made by shopping on Black Friday as of yet but it may be worth holding off purchasing any Apple products until you see what it has in store.

If you want to grab a bargain, thankfully you don't have to physically visit an Apple Store on Black Friday unless you really want to of course. The same savings will be available online or through the Apple Store app on your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch. I am planning on picking up an iPad mini, not sure if it will have any special price reductions available on Friday but it's worth waiting to see, just in case.

Do you plan on picking up any Apple products in the Black Friday one day sale?

Source: Apple




Meet ‘Task One’, a Swiss Army type of iPhone case launching soon on Kickstarter

Posted: 20 Nov 2012 12:18 AM PST

Former Apple engineer, Addison Shelton has invented a rather unique iPhone case that combines a sturdy poly-carbonate body with aircraft grade aluminium. The unique part of this particular case is that it houses 16 tools within the case that can be pulled out in a similar fashion to the world famous Swiss Army Knife.

By diligently sticking to his design goals of combining the best features of a multi-tool with the protection and slim fit of a well-designed case, Task One bridges the gap between an iPhone case and a multi-tool. "I utilized advanced materials and manufacturing to create a slim multi-tool case that can stand up to heavy use, keep your phone safe and be so slim it adds little more bulk than other common cases," says Shelton. It can be used in any situation requiring a multi-tool, from a camping trip to a home repair – the tools are robust and always stored in the phone case for near instant access. Sliders on the back of the phone make for easy access to the tools, and integrated spring and detents assemblies lock the tools in place both when in use and during storage.

The iPhone case has tools for almost any quick job including a 2.5" knife, saw, various screwdrivers, bottle opener, pliers, wire cutters, allen keys and it even includes a kickstand so you can put your iPhone on a table to watch a movie.

The new ambitious project is set to make an appearance for funding on Kickstarter later this week where more details will be revealed. While I am sure having all of these tools available wherever you have your iPhone is a good thing, it worries me that using your iPhone as a screwdriver or saw handle is not the best way to keep that screen scratch free. Also taking your iPhone on a flight may prove very problematic trying to get it past airport security. If you are interested in seeing the case in action, you can visit the Task One Facebook page to see a video.

What do you think of the Task One case?

Source: 9to5 Mac




Bugs and Buttons/Bubbles for iPhone and iPad review

Posted: 19 Nov 2012 11:19 PM PST

Bugs and Buttons/Bubbles for iPhone and iPad review

Bugs and Buttons for iPhone and iPad and Bugs and Bubbles for iPhone and iPad are a pair of beautiful, entertaining, and educational games for kids that each feature 18 different games and activities with intriguing game play that progressively adapts to the player's skill level. Each activity also offers visual instructions making it easy for young players to understand the goal of each activity.

Bugs and Buttons/Bubbles become fun right at the start with their interactive home screens. You can pop bubbles, poke bugs, and have a trail of bees follow your finger. From the home screen, you can either hit start to begin playing through all the activities back-to-back, or you can head to the Explore screen to selectively choose which activity you want to play or visit your sticker collection.

Both games features 18 different unique games. In Bugs and Buttons, each game has bugs and/or buttons and in Bugs and Bubbles, each game has bugs and/or bubbles. The games are designed so that they start are very easy (borderline boring for adults), but as the player succeeds, the game becomes more difficult. In some of the of the activities, if the player fails at a level, they will just fall back to the previous level instead of immediately losing.

I'll spare you the pain of reading through a description of all 36 different activities, but here's a short list of the types of games include in Bugs and Buttons/Bubbles:

  • Fling bees at a target flower
  • Remove and sort bugs infesting the button production
  • Catch buttons falling off Uncle Bob's button truck.
  • Catch colorful fireflies in a jar
  • Pinch and collect bubbles from an experimental bubble garden
  • Trace letters on a foggy window with a green fly

The areas of learning that Bugs and Buttons/Bubbles focus on include counting, fine motor skids, path finding, patterns, sorting, tracking, shapes, letters, colors, balance, and more.

The good

  • Gorgeous graphics
  • 18 games and activities
  • More than 45 minutes of beautiful music
  • More than 36 achievement stickers to earn
  • Automatics game play with graduated stages
  • Advance multi-touch interactions
  • Visual instructions
  • Universal for iPhone and iPad

The bad

  • Bugs and Buttons does not support multiple user profiles

The conclusion

Both Bugs and Buttons and Bugs and Bubbles are great apps for kids. The graphics are simply gorgeous and the game play is entertaining while still being educational. I highly recommend both of these games for anyone with younger kids -- they are especially nice on the iPad and iPad mini.

$2.99 - Bugs and Buttons - Download Now

$2.99 - Bugs and Bubbles - Download Now




Stint for iPhone lets you track client time and manage invoices

Posted: 19 Nov 2012 08:28 PM PST

Track client time and manage invoices with Stint for iPhone

Whether you're a developer, consultant, or do any type of work that involves selling clients blocks of time and invoicing for them, you probably need a way to track the time you spend on projects and have a way to invoice clients. Stint for iPhone aims to simplify the tracking and invoicing process to make it easier to keep track of what's already completed and what still needs to be done.

Upon launching Stint you'll be brought to the main menu which consists of all the clients you've got set up within Stint. You'll see the project name followed by the client name underneath it. To the right you've got a progress circle that shows you how much time you're already spent on the project.

To create a new project, just tap the plus sign in the upper right hand corner and fill in the information. Stint allows you to customize how many days you consider there to be in a week and how many hours you work in a day. After naming the project you can pair it with a client. You can either use Stint's native client management system or pull directly from the contacts on your iPhone. And lastly, you can set up a rate at which you're billing the client. Once you've done all this, the project will be created and will be added to your main screen.

After tapping on a project you've got a few options, you can archive it if you're done with it, view what you still need to invoice, view the project, and add a timed entry. When tapping into a project you'll see a progress bar at the top that will show you have long you have left until the due date as well as how much you've completed. Tapping on the progress bar will show you how much revenue you've already made based on the work you've done and how much you still have left to collect.

Plugging in entries is simple enough. Tap on the clock from by any project or from inside the main project view you can tap "list entries" in the bottom right. To add an entry, just choose the date and then flick your finger up or down on the time for start and finish in order to set it. Dragging your finger left to right over the start and end time will allow you to fine tune down to minutes. Underneath time you can add notes such as what that block of time was spent doing. While it's an interesting way to enter time, it did take me a few minutes to figure it out and I'm not sure how obvious it will be to users. I'd personally prefer a ticker that comes up and allows me to change the date.

Invoicing clients is also easy. Tap on the dollar sign by any project name and you'll be shown a list of entries that haven't yet been invoiced. You can select certain ones or invoice for all of them. A detailed invoice can also be selected. Once you've selected all the blocks of time you still need to invoice for, you can send a PDF invoice straight to your client within the app and you're done. You can customize invoice info such as your company name, address, and more straight from the settings portion of Stint.

The good

  • The interface is much better than most project tracking apps that are currently available
  • Adding entries is quick and can be accessed from multiple locations
  • PDF invoices are a great feature that ensures you don't forget to bill clients and that they'll be able to open them
  • For users that sell blocks of time, it's a great way to know how much time clients have remaining
  • Archive feature is easy to use and projects can easily be restored in just a few taps

The bad

  • Entry input is a little confusing and a ticker would allow for even faster input
  • Detailed info fields beyond notes would be a nice feature that I'd like to see in an update
  • A ticker for rates would be great since not all consultants will bill at one of the presets

The bottom line

Stint for iPhone handles projects and invoicing in a much different way than how most existing apps in the App Store do, and that's not a bad thing at all. I enjoy using Stint for both consulting clients we have on retainer as well as clients we bill as we complete work. For retained clients, it helps keep track of when it's time to bill for another block of time while regular clients can be billed as we work. That's what really sold me on Stint.

The developer of Stint is currently working on iCloud support and an iPad version which will just make the experience even better. While professionals with many clients and employees across multiple platforms may want to hold off until there is more cross-platform support, smaller businesses and self-employed individuals can benefit greatly from Stint. I'd highly recommend anyone who wants to manage projects and invoices directly from their iPhone to give Stint a closer look.

$4.99 - Download Now




Forums: Choosing an iPad mini LTE internationally, What exactly is iTunes Match?

Posted: 19 Nov 2012 08:02 PM PST

From the iMore Forums

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:

If you're not already a member of the iMore Forums, register now!




Oprah tweets her love for the Microsoft Surface from an iPad

Posted: 19 Nov 2012 03:35 PM PST

Oprah tweets her love for the Microsoft Surface from an iPad

Oprah Winfrey is supporting the Microsoft Surface, and one of the ways she chose to promote the tablet was to sing its praises through a tweet claiming to have purchased several for Christmas -- from an iPad. Unfortunately, whoever runs Oprah's Twitter account, be it Oprah herself or an assistant, failed to realize that using an iPad to send a tweet promoting a Surface could send mixed signals. The official Twitter clients no longer show which app someone is tweeting from, but several third-party clients, in this case Tweetbot, do. In this screenshot from ZAGG, Oprah's account is clearly shown tweeting about the Surface from Twitter for iPad:

Oprah tweets her love for the Microsoft Surface from an iPad

Now, most of Oprah's Twitter followers won't notice or care, because they're probably using Twitter on the web or one of the official apps for their phone, but this is just lazy. If Oprah loves the Surface so much, it can't be that hard for her to find one to tweet from -- especially since she's apparently bought 12 of them. Oprah has an absolutely huge reach, so it's not asking too much to put a little more care into how she promotes products. If she loves the product so much, why is she choosing an iPad over a Surface? If this is the work of an assistant, there is a simple solution for that: give them a Surface.

Source: ZAGG




Nettelator for iPhone is Twittelator for App.net

Posted: 19 Nov 2012 03:17 PM PST

Next to Tweetbot, one of the most popular Twitter clients for iPhone is Twittelator neue, and just like Tapbots, Big Stone Phone has released an App.net (ADN) client that closely resembles their popular Twitter client; it's called Nettelator.

Nettelator is almost identical to Twittelator Neue when it comes to interface and design featuring the same inline horizontal strips of photos, gestures, and even a similar icon. I have always been a huge fan of Twittelator Neue, but am left feeling a little disappointed with Nettelator.

First of all, the icon of an egg doesn't make sense for ADN like it does for Twitter (Twitter's logo is bird, ADN's logo is the greek letter alpha). Second, the profile pages are a huge disappointment, because instead of taking advantage of one of the things that sets ADN apart from Twitter, cover images, Nettelator uses it's signature in-line photo with the user's profile image. That just feels like laziness to me.

In general, I am not a fan of having identical apps for Twitter and ADN. I do understand the appeal of a seamless transition between the two services, but for me, I want my experience of the new service to also be new. When I use apps like Netbot and Nettelator, I get confused and forget which service I'm using, Twitter or ADN?

Am I crazy, or do others share the same sentiment?

For those of you who do like to have an identical experience on both ADN and Twitter and are also Twittelator Neue users, what do you think about Nettelator? Sound off in the comments below!

$4.99 - Download Now




USA TODAY for iPad Gets Major 3.0 Update

Posted: 19 Nov 2012 02:05 PM PST

USA Today for iPad

USA TODAY for iPad has had a major update today, to Version 3.0.0. It's a significant enough update for the change list to refer to it as 'the new USA TODAY for iPad'. 

The app's UI has had a major overhaul in this new version. Here's the details:

- Choose the way you want to view the news: scan the headlines with "List" view or lean back and enjoy the image-rich "Grid" view
- New sliding panel allows you quick access to your favorite features like weather, scores, markets and puzzles
- Save your stories: Not enough time to finish reading an article? Do you have to power down your iPad on the plane? No problem, just save the article and read it later!
- Story highlights: Get a quick summary of a story on the first page with these new essential article highlights.
- Media index: Do you want to interact with the news? Now you can access a vast selection of USA TODAY photo galleries and videos.

I've only just installed the update a short while ago, but I have to say the fresh new look and interface make a very good first impression.

(...)
Read the rest of USA TODAY for iPad Gets Major 3.0 Update (142 words)


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Kaleidoscope 2 goes into public beta, compares your images, text, and code to keep you on track

Posted: 19 Nov 2012 11:41 AM PST

While Black Pixel usually operates quietly, behind the scenes, doing some of the best work you don't even realize you're using every day, they've also acquired and begun working on a small collection of their own apps. First out the gate is Kaleidoscope 2. Kaleidoscope, originally created by the now-Facebook owned Sofa, is a tool that lets artists, writers, designers, and developers compare versions of their work to spot subtle differences and merge best aspects to make sure they're producing the absolute best products possible. Here's what Black Pixel's CEO, Daniel Pasco, has to say about it:

Designers can use Kaleidoscope to compare photos and graphics in powerful ways to quickly spot the differences between comps or UI elements. Writers can use Kaleidoscope to tell the difference between text content and merge that content into a final document. Developers can use it to diff and merge their source files, powered by direct integration with your source control system of choice. And just about anyone can use it to compare folders to see what has changed and copy files back and forth.

Kaleidoscope 2 integrates with Git, Subversion, Mercurial, and Bazaar and best of all, the public beta is available as a free, 15-day trial so you can try it and make sure you like it before you buy. If you do like it, Black Pixel will make the full version available to you at 50% off retail -- $34.99. Why?

We want your feedback and you get a great product at a fantastic discount.

If comparing characters, pixels, and bits is something you can't get enough of, head on over to Black Pixel's fancy, fantastic-looking new website and grab the Kaleidoscope 2 public beta now.

Source: Black Pixel




How to shop for Apple products using Siri

Posted: 19 Nov 2012 11:24 AM PST

How to shop for Apple products using Siri

The Apple Store app for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch is a great way to shop directly from your device without ever having to get on a computer. If you've got a Siri enabled device, the task is even easier. Siri can help you get pricing and shop for Apple products quicker and easier than ever. All you have to do is ask!

Download the Apple Store app to your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch

If you haven't already, you'll need to have the Apple Store app installed on your Siri-enabled device before you can start asking Siri to help you shop.

Ask Siri to find what you're looking for

  1. Press and hold down the Home button to activate Siri.
  2. You can say things like "Help me order an iPad mini." or "I want to order an iPhone 5.
  3. Siri will then launch the Apple Store app based on what you've asked her.
  4. From here you can add items to your cart and continue to shop just as you would normally use the Apple Store app.



iMore show 326: Because Apple hates you

Posted: 19 Nov 2012 10:09 AM PST

Rene Ritchie is joined by Mobile Nations chief media officer, and Crackberry.com founder, Kevin Michaluk to talk iPhone 5 in a world where, following the launch of BlackBerry 10 in two months, Apple will have the oldest platform in mobile. This is the iMore show.

Guests

Hosts

Credits

You can reach all of us on Twitter @iMore, or you can email us at podcast@imore.com or just leave us a comment below.

For all our podcasts -- audio and video -- including the iMore show, ZEN and TECH, Iterate, and more, see MobileNations.com/shows




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AuthenTec sells security division to Inside Secure for $48M

Posted: 19 Nov 2012 09:20 AM PST

AuthenTec sells security division to Inside Secure for $48M

AuthenTec, whom Apple was rumored to be interested in buying for $350M, has just sold off their inside security division to Inside Secure for $48M. While we have our ideas of what Apple could be doing with AuthenTec and its list of patents, we can probably assume now that it is something other than their security technology. NFC World reports:

The sell-off of non-essential parts of AuthenTec's business today probably helps Apple accomplish a couple of things. If the initial Reuters report of the acquisition remains accurate (and it should, according to government records), it recoups investment on parts of the business which aren't essential to Apple's plans. It also ensures that once any deal is finalized, there will be less to worry about in terms of Apple gaining undue control over tech essential to the securing of its competitors products, which might raise red flags with regulators.

It is quite possible that the sale of AuthenTec's security division may help Apple in some ways considering acquiring patents that are heavily relied on by manufacturers such as Samsung, LG, Motorola, and more may put the FCC and other regulators up in arms.

It still remains to be seen exactly what Apple's plans are with AuthenTec but it's becoming more apparent that they are more interested in AuthenTec's NFC and fingerprint technology. Apple has stated that NFC was never planned for the iPhone 5 and that features such as Passbook more than solve consumer's immediate needs. It doesn't mean that won't change over time and Apple could simply be securing technology that could be implemented in the future as they've done in the past.

Source: NFC World




Notable New iPad Apps: This Day in Classic Rock

Posted: 19 Nov 2012 08:41 AM PST

This Day in Classic Rock iPad app

This Day in Classic Rock is the latest iPad and iOS app from This Day in Music Apps and the UK's Classic Rock magazine. It offers a set of daily classic rock facts for every day of the year and quite a lot of other fun content for rock fans.

Here's a quick outline of the app's content and best features:

– The On This Day section is where you'll see daily classic rock facts. There are over 2,000 in total, and each day has around 6-8. They range from notable album releases to artists' birthdays or anniversaries of artists' deaths, reports on famous arrests, details on what song or album was top of the charts, or even the day The Beatles back catalog was made available on iTunes. Here's one crazy entry that caught my eye:

11/16 2002 Texan multi-billionaire David Bonderman hired The Rolling Stones to play at his 60th birthday party, held at the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas. The band's fee was 4.4 million British pounds.

(...)
Read the rest of Notable New iPad Apps: This Day in Classic Rock (129 words)


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Apple reportedly working on Siri, Maps, for Mac with OS X 10.9

Posted: 19 Nov 2012 07:26 AM PST

Apple reportedly working on Siri, Maps, for Mac with OS X 10.9

Apple is reportedly working on bringing Siri and iOS 6 Maps to the Mac in the forthcoming OS X 10.9. If accurate, this would represent part of the 3rd wave of Back to the Mac which have seen hardware and software innovations from iOS devices and iOS brought to Mac laptops and desktops to both improve feature sets and consistency between platforms. Mark Gurman from 9to5Mac reports:

Early builds in testing of the next-generation Mac operating system, OS X 10.9, point to Siri and Maps integration coming to Mac computers next year, according to our reliable sources.

As with the Back to my Mac event itself in 2010, and OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion in 2011, it makes a lot of sense for Apple to keep leveraging assets between platforms. It's more efficient for them and more consistent for users.

While a lot of Siri and Maps' value come from being available on mobile devices, both would also provide huge benefits, including accessibility, on the Mac as well.

Plus, since Apple doesn't offer Maps on the web like Google does, and presumably won't any time soon, having Maps on OS X means locations shared from iOS will have a way to resolve on the Mac. Like iMessage, the functionality will become common between both of Apple's platforms. (Though, of course, with no-joy for Windows users.)

Given that Mountain Lion was previewed on February 16 of this year, there's a chance we could see the first real hints of OS X 10.9 in the next few months as well.

Now lets just hope someone at Apple is also working on getting iBooks ported over to the Mac. Because, damn.

Source: 9to5Mac




Deal of the Day: 46% off the Incipio LGND Hard Shell Convertible Case for iPad 4th gen and The new iPad

Posted: 19 Nov 2012 07:19 AM PST

Today Only: Buy the Incipio LGND Hard Shell Convertible Case for iPad 4th gen and The new iPad and save $15.99!

The Incipio LGND Hard Shell Convertible Case offers a unique folding design, giving you a viewing and typing mode, all in one. Featuring a soft microsuede interior, the LGND case has three sturdy clips to secure your tablet. The magnets embedded on the front cover allow you to take full advantage of the sleep function of your device. Color options include black, red, pink and gray.

List Price: $34.99     Today's Price: $19.00

Learn More and Buy Now

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Monday Brief: BBM Voice, the HTC Droid DNA, a T-Mobile Nokia Lumia 810, and more!

Posted: 19 Nov 2012 06:49 AM PST

Mobile Nations




    Ora case puts eight speakers around your iPad

    Posted: 19 Nov 2012 06:48 AM PST

    If you're dissatisfied with the audio quality of your iPad's speakers like so many others, you'll be happy to hear about Ora, a new accessory hitting Kickstarter today. Ora is an iPad case for audiophiles, complete with its own 10-hour power supply, data pass-through, and a reversible cover that doubles as a stand, much like Apple's Smart Covers. Eight speaksers built into the frame provide front-facing, finely-tuned audio output from the device while still sticking close to the original design aesthetic. The iPad is installed thanks to some quarter-friendly screws on the back, which should keep it nice and secure. On the downside, the Ora is built with 30-pin iPads in mind, so only second- and third-gen models. 

    Ora's Kickstarter campaign is offering a bunch of different models to backers, starting at $99 as an early bird special, going all the way up to the exclusive premium $199 model. The question is, is audio a big enough deal for you to warrant the added bulk, or would you need to be able to tap the Ora's power supply as back-up for the iPad for it to be worthwhile? What's your preferred solution for iPad audio while on the move? Who's backing?

     




    AC/DC finally gives iTunes the green light, complete collection now available to buy

    Posted: 19 Nov 2012 05:02 AM PST

    AC/DC finally gives iTunes the green light, complete collection now available to buyAfter The Beatles music finally made its way onto iTunes, AC/DC were one of the only huge bands that did not have a presence with the iTunes Store. Thankfully that has now changed and you can finally get all of their brilliant albums directly from iTunes.

    All of the albums have been specifically remastered for iTunes and are available at different prices depending on how popular they were. You can also buy single tracks if you prefer to do it that way. AC/DC also have two huge compilations, "The Complete Collection" which includes every AC/DC studio album to date as well as well as live albums and compilations, this costs $149.99. The other box set is called "The Compilation" and just includes all of the studio albums, you can pick this one up for $99.99

    If you're into rock 'n' roll, you really need to be adding some AC/DC to your iTunes collection, there are so many classic tunes like Highway to Hell, Thunderstruck, Whole Lotta Rosie and Back in Black to name just a few!

    AC/DC on iTunes




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