iPad By Davis: “Apple’s iWork Apps for iPad Updated – Improved Compatibility with MS Office Apps” plus 15 more

Apple’s iWork Apps for iPad Updated – Improved Compatibility with MS Office Apps
Kindle for iPhone and iPad gets its X-Rays on
Official YouTube app now supports iPhone 5, iPad and Airplay
How to manually transfer media to your iPhone and iPad with iTunes 11
Apple updates iWork apps Pages, Keynote, and Numbers
Apple removes two-iPhone 5 order limit
Gmail for iPhone and iPad gets redesigned, adds multiple account support, more
How to replace the volume buttons in an iPhone 4S
Part of agreement between Apple and HTC to become public
AnoStyle anodized color options for iPhone, iPad now available
TechRepublic’s Half Assed Surface RT to iPad Comparison
Review: INVELLOP Leatherette Case Cover for iPad mini
Mikey microphone for iPhone and iPod review
WordPress iPad App Updated, Becoming Much More Useful
The iPad mini Display – Not So Bad After All
How do you like iTunes 11? [Poll]

Apple’s iWork Apps for iPad Updated – Improved Compatibility with MS Office Apps

Posted: 04 Dec 2012 04:44 PM PST

Some big iPad app update news this evening. Apple has updated their suite of iWork apps for iPad and iOS – and the headline addition is improved compatibility with Microsoft Office apps.

The iWork suite for the iPad consists of the Keynote, Numbers, and Pages apps. Each of them has been updated to Version 1.7 today. The update description for each notes improved compatibility with their counterpart Microsoft Office app (Powerpoint for Keynote, Excel for Numbers, Word for Pages) and also with their companion Mac apps.

The list of compatibility improvements is specific to each app of course. Here are the change list details for Version 1.7 of each, starting with Keynote:

In this release Keynote for iOS is updated for improved compatibility with Microsoft PowerPoint and Keynote for Mac.
• Import and export all Microsoft PowerPoint and Keynote for Mac slide sizes
• Import and export presentation themes, complete with master slides and preset styles
• Play back all Keynote action builds including Move, Rotate, Scale, and Opacity
• Add new slide transitions including Shimmer and Sparkle
• Preserve calculations in tables when importing from and exporting to Keynote for Mac
• Add reflections to shapes
• New print layouts include options to print with presenter notes, with builds, and without backgrounds
• Lock and unlock objects

(...)
Read the rest of Apple's iWork Apps for iPad Updated – Improved Compatibility with MS Office Apps (285 words)

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Post tags: iPad Apps, iWork apps for iPad

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How to manually transfer media to your iPhone and iPad with iTunes 11

Posted: 04 Dec 2012 03:17 PM PST

How to manually transfer media to your iPhone and iPad with iTunes 11

iTunes is still vital to iPod nano, iPod shuffle, and iPod classic users, and even if you have an iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad, and are a big iCloud and iTunes Match user, there may still be times when you have to do some heavy tethered lifting. That's why iTunes 11 still offers a lot of options for managing your music, TV shows, movies, apps, and more.

How to sync apps to your iPhone and iPad with iTunes

Launch iTunes 11 from your Mac or PC.

Plug in your device if you haven't already.
In the upper right hand corner you will see your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch appear. Click on the name of your device.

You will be taken to the summary screen. From here you can see a list of tabs along the top.

Click on the Apps tab.
Here you will see a list of all the apps you have purchased and downloaded. To add an app to your device that isn't currently installed, click on the Install button to the right of the app name.

Click the Apply button in the lower right hand corner and let iTunes do its thing.

That's it, your app will start installing to your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.

You can also perform the same process to remove apps. Any app that is already installed with have a Remove button next to it. Just click on it in order to remove the app.

How to sync tones, music, tv shows, and more to your iPhone and iPad with iTunes

Launch iTunes 11 from your Mac or PC.

Plug in your device if you haven't already.
In the upper right hand corner you will see your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch appear. Click on the name of your device.

You will be taken to the summary screen. From here you can see a list of tabs along the top.

Click on the tab for the type of media you'd like to sync to your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch. You can choose from tones, music, movies, tv shows, podcasts, books, and photos.
Make sure the checkbox for the media type is checked and where applicable, select the media items you'd like to sync.

Click the Apply button in the lower right hand corner after you're done selecting all your media.

Wait for iTunes to finish syncing your content before unplugging.

As with apps, to remove content such as a movie, book, or podcast, simply uncheck it. For music, you can even choose only specific playlists or songs.

How to sync contacts, calendars, and mail accounts to your iPhone and iPad with iTunes

Launch iTunes 11 from your Mac or PC.

Plug in your device if you haven't already.
In the upper right hand corner you will see your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch appear. Click on the name of your device.

You will be taken to the summary screen. From here you can see a list of tabs along the top.

Click on the Info tab.
If you're syncing over-the-air, you don't need to worry about manually syncing contacts. If you aren't, you'll have the option to choose what contact groups, calendars, and mail accounts you'd like to sync. Select them by making sure the checkbox is checked.

Once you've made your choices, click the Apply button in the lower right hand bottom corner.

Let iTunes do its thing and wait to unplug until the sync is complete.

How to enable syncing over Wi-Fi on your iPhone and iPad

If you have a strange aversion to cables and they make you cringe when you think about having to plug in to sync, iTunes also offers Wi-Fi sync which allows you to sync your device wirelessly.

Enable Wi-Fi sync

Launch iTunes 11 from your Mac or PC.

Plug in your device if you haven't already.
In the upper right hand corner you will see your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch appear. Click on the name of your device.

You will be taken to the summary screen.
Under the Options section, turn On the option to sync your device over Wi-Fi by checking the box.

Click on the Apply button in the lower right hand corner to save your changes.

You'll now be able to apply changes to your iPad over Wi-Fi as long as you're sharing the same Wi-Fi connection as your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.

How to manually back up your iPhone and iPad with iTunes

Launch iTunes 11 from your Mac or PC.

Plug in your device if you haven't already.
In the upper right hand corner you will see your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch appear. Click on the name of your device.

You will be taken to the summary screen.
Under the Backups section, make sure the This Computer option is set for where you want to back up if it isn't already.
Now click on the Back Up Now button.

Let iTunes do it's thing.

Apple updates iWork apps Pages, Keynote, and Numbers

Posted: 04 Dec 2012 03:09 PM PST

Apple has just pushed out an update to all three of their iWork apps for iPhone, iPad, and Mac: Pages, Keynote, and Numbers. The iPhone and iPad versions now have improved capability with Microsoft Word, Excel, and Powerpoint as well as as the Mac versions of the iWork apps. iWork for Mac has simply been updated to support the new versions of the iOS iWork apps.

In Pages, you can now use Change Tracking to track changes to a bod text in a document, accept and reject individual changes when reviewing a document, and all these changes (and calculations) will be preserved with exported in Microsoft World or Pages format. You can also add reflections to shapes and lock/unlock objects.

In Numbers, now you can hide and unhide rows and columns (great news for me as a teacher!), import and export Numbers for Mac spreadsheets with filters and turn them on/off, preserve rich text in tables when importing and exporting. And just as in Pages, you can also add reflections to shapes and lock/unlock objects.

In Keynote, you can now import and export all Powerpoint and Keynote slide sizes and themes, play back all Keynote action builds including Move, Rotate, Scale, and Opacity, and new slide transitions including Shimmer and Sparkle, preserve calculations when importing and exporting to Keynote for Mac, and the option to print with present notes, with builds, and without backgrounds. Of course, you can also add reflections to shapes and lock/unlock objects just like you now can with Pages and Numbers.

I'm very excited about the compatibility improvements with iWork for Mac and really hope a lot of the errors I see when importing to my iPad go away. Has anyone had a chance to give any of these a test drive? Pleased with the updates?

Here's the links for the iPhone and iPad versions.

Pages for iOS - $9.99 - Download Now
Numbers for iOS - $9.99 - Download Now
Keynote for iOS - $9.99 - Download Now

And here's the links for the Mac versions.

Pages for Mac - $19.99 - Download Now
Numbers for Mac - $19.99 - Download Now
Keynote for Mac - $19.99 - Download Now

Apple removes two-iPhone 5 order limit

Posted: 04 Dec 2012 03:03 PM PST

Apple removes two-iPhone 5 order limit

Apple is lifting restrictions on the number of iPhone 5 handsets a single customer can buy at once. Customers were previously allowed to buy two phones per transaction, with a ten-phone lifetime limit. That now appears to have been increased to a ten-phone limit per transaction, with no lifetime limit. This could indicate that Apple's iPhone 5 supply may be normalizing, with shipment times dropping lately. Jordan Golson of MacRumors explains:

In recent days, we've seen ship times for some countries drop as low as 2-4 business days. Additionally, an Apple Retail source tells us that the prior restrictions on retail iPhone 5 purchases -- two per transaction and a ten-phone lifetime limit -- have been changed to ten phones per transaction and no lifetime limit.

Additionally, one of the larger reasons for the limits was most likely the large market of resellers, people who buy iPhones in bulk and then sell them to people in countries where the iPhone is not yet available. Many of these devices go to China, where the iPhone 5, iPad mini, and iPad 4 are launching later this month, and the demand on resellers could dwindle after the launch. If this is true, it would give Apple the increased control over the customer experience that they desire, as well as giving customers a more direct relationship with Apple.

Anyone adding 10 iPhones to their cart now?

Source: MacRumors

Gmail for iPhone and iPad gets redesigned, adds multiple account support, more

Posted: 04 Dec 2012 12:40 PM PST

Gmail for iPhone and iPad has been updated with a completely new design and, multiple account support, and more. This update comes only 5 months since Google's acquisition of Sparrow and it's pretty clear that the Sparrow guys have been hard at work with Gmail's new app. For the first time, I'm able to say that the official Gmail app for iPhone and iPad is really great.

The highlights of Gmail 2.0 for iPhone and iPad include the new beautiful interface with hidden sidebar, gestures, and the perfect amount of animations, the ability to easily attach photos and scribbles with a tap of the paperclip icon when creating emails, support for up to 5 accounts, push notifications, threaded conversations, and separate signatures for each account with the option to use the desktop signatures you've already created.

The search in Gmail is also more sophisticated with autocomplete predictions as you type and you can RSVP to Google Calendar invites and +1 and comment on Google+ posts directly from the Gmail app.

Navigating around the Gmail app is great experience. The team behind this new app took great care in making sure everything was perfectly polished. I have not experienced any lagging while scrolling, switching quickly between screens, searching, or anything. Honestly, I hope Apple and Jony Ive are taking notes, because the overall design of Gmail's app is much better than Apple's Mail app.

The good

Beautiful new interface with tasteful animations and gestures
Easily attach photos and scribbles when creating emails
Support for up to 5 accounts
Push notification support
Separate signatures for each account with option to use the desktop signatures you've already created
Sophisticated search with live predictions
Threaded conversations with profile pictures
Auto-complete contact names
Respond to Google Calendar invites
Read and respond to Google+ posts
Organize mail by archiving, labeling, starring, deleting and reporting spam
Universal for iPhone and iPad

The bad

No unified inbox

The conclusion

I'll admit, when I first got wind of a Gmail update for iOS, I was far from thrilled because of Google's track record with the Gmail app. Within moments of downloading it, I realized how very wrong I was. The official Gmail app for iPhone and iPad is now a great app and could very easily replace Apple's built-in mail app for some users.

Personally, I have more that just Gmail accounts, so I will not be using Gmail 2.0 as my go to mail app, but I do plan to use it when I know I'll be spending a significant amount of time in a particular Gmail account (like going through the huge amounts of app review requests I get each day).

What are your thoughts on the new Gmail app? Is anyone planning to replace Apple's built-in mail app on their home screen with Gmail's?

Free - Download now

Source: Gmail

How to replace the volume buttons in an iPhone 4S

Posted: 04 Dec 2012 10:28 AM PST

How to replace the volume buttons in an iPhone 4S

Like any other metal, steel can become sharp or jagged when damaged. If you've got an iPhone 4S and you've physically damaged the volume buttons, a DIY repair can get them back into like new condition in no time. If you didn't opt for AppleCare+ and your normal warranty won't cover the damage, taking matters into your own hands may not be a bad idea.

Follow along and we'll walk you through how to get those buttons back into perfect condition for a lot less than what the cost of a new iPhone is.

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 your iPhone 4S volume buttons

We recommend 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 volume buttons - Link to part
#00 Phillips screwdriver - Link to part
Security screwdriver - Link to part
Spudger tool - Link to part
SIM removal tool or paperclip
Tweezers (option but recommended)

Power off your iPhone 4S

iPhone 4S slide to power off

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.

Unscrew and move the volume button bracket

To get at the volume buttons themselves, we'll have to unscrew the volume button bracket. We won't be removing it altogether but we'll need to lift it out of the housing in order to access the buttons.

Using your #00 Phillips screwdriver, remove the three screws outlined in the photo below remembering which screw came from where.

Use your pry tool or fingers to gently back the volume button bracket away from the outer casing.

Take care not to pull it out too far as it is still attached to the board. We only need to move it enough to get to the actual volume buttons.

Replace the volume buttons

Using tweezers or your fingers, gently lift the old volume buttons out of the casing.

Now line up the new buttons inside the casing making sure that you are inserting them the correct way (+ and - symbols in the correct orientation).
Make sure the buttons remain flush with the casing and move on to the next step in order to secure them in place.

Replace the volume button bracket

Line up the volume button bracket so it covers the volume buttons.
Using your #00 Phillips screwdriver, carefully replace the three screws you removed earlier.

Test the volume buttons to make sure they press down correctly. If they don't, the bracket probably is not lined up correctly. Remove the screws and try again.
If the buttons are clicking properly, go ahead and move onto the next step.

Replace the battery and grounding clip

Line up the grounding clip you removed previously over the screw hole before snapping down the battery.

Snap down the battery in place to the logic board and then position the battery and press down firmly to make sure the adhesive sticks.
Replace the two screws you removed in a prior step starting with the top one using your #00 Phillips screwdriver. Make sure the grounding clip stays positioned. Use your other hand to hold it straight while you replace the top screw if you need to.

Now replace the bottom screw.

Replace the back plate

To replace the back plate line up the hinges around the edges. It should fall right into place. There will be a gap at the bottom.

Using slight pressure slide the cover down into place with your thumbs. If there is resistance make sure the hinges are lined up correctly and don't force it down and you can easily snap the hinge if it's caught up on something.
Once the back cover is securely in place and flush with the antenna band, replace the two screws on either side of the dock connector using your security screwdriver.

And ...done!

Once you've finished putting your iPhone 4S completely back together you can go ahead and turn it back on. The first thing you'll want to do is test out the volume buttons and make sure that they are functioning properly. If they are, you're in great shape!

Want to know how to perform another type of iPhone repair or modification? Send me suggestions and questions to ally@imore.com. If you had issues performing this repair, our DIY and mod forums are a great place to start. If you still can't find an answer, you can contact me at the e-mail address above.

To inquire about repair service, you can follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, e-mail us directly, or request a repair straight from The Pod Drop website.

Additional resources:

Part of agreement between Apple and HTC to become public

Posted: 04 Dec 2012 10:22 AM PST

Part of agreement between Apple and HTC to become public

A judge in California has ruled that major details surrounding the Apple-HTC settlement will be publicly available. The pricing and royalty rates will remain confidential, but the patents that were part of the settlement will be open to the public. Previously, Samsung's lawyers were given access to the list of patents in this settlement as part of their preparations for a hearing that will determine the final details of Apple's legal victory over Samsung in August. Apple had sought to keep the list of patents confidential, but Judge Lucy Koh saw no compelling reason to keep these details from the public. CNET reports:

In an ruling tonight, U.S. District Court Judge Lucy Koh said that while details of pricing and royalty rates for patents from both companies should be kept under wraps from public view, the same does not hold true for the rest of the agreement.

Some of the patents in question include methods and behaviors of scrolling and zooming, which Apple may license, while others are so-called "untouchables", unique user experience patents, which Apple rarely shares with other companies. Samsung may hope that if Apple did indeed reach an agreement with HTC on these untouchable patents in particular, that they can avoid an injunction. Apple and Samsung's hearing is scheduled for this Thursday, December 6.

Source: CNET

AnoStyle anodized color options for iPhone, iPad now available

Posted: 04 Dec 2012 09:04 AM PST

AnoStyle anodized color options for iPhone, iPad now available

In case you've been living in a drab black-and-white world and missed the preview last month, our own Ally Kazmucha has teamed up with The Pod Drop and is now providing a fancy new color service for the iPhone and iPad. It's called AnoStyle and it's anything but your typical color modification service.

AnoStyle not only adds color to your iPhone or iPad, but also provides an anodized finish (just like the iPhone 5 and iPad mini) with enhanced durability that actually meets military grade requirements. In the case of the iPhone 5, it will greatly minimize the scratching and scuffing issues in addition to providing fantastic new color options.

Since Anostyle is a modification of your original iPhone 5 parts, failure rates often associated with third party color kits do not apply. And since the repair experts over at The Pod Drop will be the ones handling the process, your device will be in good hands the whole time.

AnoStyle is now available for order online. Turn around time will be about 1 week.

Need to know more? Hit up their new website for all the details.

Source: AnoStyle

TechRepublic’s Half Assed Surface RT to iPad Comparison

Posted: 04 Dec 2012 10:11 AM PST

Image Source: writerdood.wordpress.com

TechRepublic has a post up this week from Patrick Gray that is billed as a hands-on comparison of the Microsoft Surface RT and the iPad. It's a half-assed piece that's full of apples to watermelons style comparisons.

For starters, when discussing the quality of the displays, Gray compares the Surface RT to the iPad 2. So that's a tablet released very near the end of 2012 being pitted against the iPad released near the beginning of 2011 – and iPad that is now two generations behind the latest model. Lame.

Then Gray trots out a bit of tired, way overused, and misinformed nonsense about the iPad being a 'just for consumption' device (emphasis is mine in the excerpt below):

The aim of Microsoft's tablet was to be easy to use and finger friendly, plus incorporate the best elements of a traditional computer, like running full-fledged productivity applications, which the iPad has never done well.

Bullshit. What are full-fledged productivity applications then? Over 90% of the Fortune 500 are deploying or piloting the iPad. That's the heart of the enterprise arena there – so what,. they're all using the iPad to watch movies and do some fun web browsing?

Local, state, and national governments are using the iPad. Healthcare professionals are using the iPad for everything from patient records to diagnostic usage. NFL teams are replacing their playbooks with iPads and have coaches and players using them heavily. The US Air Force and many commercial airlines are using iPads as electronic flightbags. Authors are writing entire novels on iPads, musicians are creating and producing entire albums on iPads.

The iPad has the iWork productivity suite, a number of apps that offer MS Office editing compatibility, cloud-based apps that offer access to Windows and the Office suite, and a huge array of great productivity apps from 3rd part developers.

Which tablet is the one that lacks for even half-decent app choices? The one that needs to pay developers to encourage them to develop for the disjointed half mobile / half desktop Surface RT? Hell, Office itself doesn't even run on the 'RT' side of the Microsoft tablet.

Overall, Gray's piece is a half-assed look at the Surface RT vs. the iPad, and a regurgitation of a delusional theory that Microsoft's new tablet is somehow better for 'real work' than the iPad. Most reviews of it I've seen have left the reviewers not even wanting to carry on using the Surface RT after a day or two, nevermind getting any work done on it.