jueves, 22 de noviembre de 2012

iPad By Davis: “Sparrow for iPhone updates with iPhone 5 and Passbook support” plus 18 more

iPad By Davis: “Sparrow for iPhone updates with iPhone 5 and Passbook support” plus 18 more

Sparrow for iPhone updates with iPhone 5 and Passbook support

Posted: 21 Nov 2012 10:16 PM PST

Sparrow, the email client for iPhone that was recently acquired by Google, surprisingly received an update that includes support for the iPhone 5's larger display and the ability to open Passbook attachments. The is surprising because with the acquisition, the developers said that there was no plan to release new features to the Sparrow apps.

Now, iPhone 5 and Passbook support aren't exactly huge new features, but still more than I was expecting. However, there are many reports of this new version causing the app to crash and be unusable, so if you use Sparrow as your primary mail client on your iPhone, you may want to stay clear of the update for now.

Do any of you still use Sparrow? How's the update working out for you?

Free - Download Now

Heroes of Order and Chaos brings lane defense to iOS

Posted: 21 Nov 2012 04:57 PM PST

After a few teasers, Gameloft has released their lane defense game, Heroes of Order and Chaos. Up to five players join forces and play against others online. The two sides clash in three primary corridors, using special powers and equipment to overcome minions, opposing players, defensive towers, and ultimately the headquarters at the other side.

Aside from gathering coins for goods on a per-match basis, players also win currency which can be spent on unlocking new heroes. Every hero has a particular role, either as guardian, mage, fighter, or support, not to mention a very unique style, complete with dedicated voice acting. Players also earn talent points over time, which can tailor to your particular playstyle's strengths. Of course, there are plenty of the standard social elements, including guilds, friending, and profiles with custom avatars and play stats. 

Heroes of Order and Chaos is a free title that leans on in-app purchases, and it's as close to Dota 2 that you're going to get on iPad for the time being. So, who's in? Any big Dota 2 or League of Legends players out there? 

Free - Download Now

CloudMagic offers super fast search for Gmail, Twitter, Facebook, Dropbox, and more

Posted: 21 Nov 2012 04:32 PM PST

CloudMagic is a fantastic little app for searching through all of your favorite online services including Gmail, Twitter, Facebook, Dropbox, and more. It simply creates a stream that contains all the places you're logged into and a search field at the top. As you type what you're searching for, CloudMagic brings up items that match -- and it does it lightning fast.

CloudMagic supports multiple accounts, so if you have 3 different Gmail accounts and 2 Twitter accounts, CloudMagic has got you covered. You can scroll down your feed to the seem the most recent items from each account you're logged into, but in reality, you'll probably primarily use that awesome search bar.

If you want to search through all your data at once, simply use the toolbar at the top of the feed, but CloudMagic also lets you search individual categories like messages, people, files, posts, and events.

The most recent update of CloudMagic includes the ability to not only search for Dropbox files, but to download and preview them as well. You can also open tweets in the Twitter app (only the official Twitter app), open Evernote files in the Evernote apps, view large Facebook photos in search results, and more.

CloudMagic supports the following services: Gmail, Google Apps, Facebook, Twitter, Evernote, Dropbox, Box, Microsoft Exchange, Office 365, Google Docs, Google Calendar, Google Contacts, Google Chat, iCloud email, AOL, Mail.com and GMX.

Does anyone use CloudMagic? I'm surprised I didn't know about it before, as this truly is an extremely useful and fast app.

Free - Download Now

Rene's gift picks: 2012 holiday guide

Posted: 21 Nov 2012 04:09 PM PST

Rene's gift picks: 2012 holiday guide

This season we're asking everyone here at iMore to share some of their favorite gift ideas. Sure, there'll be iPhone, iPad, and Mac apps and accessories included on everyones' lists, just as you'd expect, but there'll also be other stuff, great, geeky, gorgeous other stuff that's as multi-facted and fun as the people themselves. I'm up first, and don't be surprised if I hit every cliche in the nerd handbook. Hard. With an Uru hammer.

Batman: The Dark Knight Returns

I read this book at least once a year. Often several times. It was written in the 80s and served as the inspiration for everything from Tim Burton's Batman to Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight Rises, to Batman: The Animated, to... you get the idea. It's safe to say almost every incarnation of The Batman since then has been informed by Frank Miller's story of Batman's end. The story is a tad fascist but the dialog is among the best ever put to word balloon, and the character among the best ever done in any form. If someone you love loves the Batman, and hasn't read The Dark Knight Returns, you need to fix that. Now. (Part 1 of the story has recently been released as a animated movie, with part 2 due in January. They stupefyingly chose not to include the killer inner monolog from the book, but they nailed almost everything else.)

Screens

Just because I'm paranoid doesn't mean my computers aren't out to get me. I render a lot of video and that takes a lot of time, and I don't want to be slaved to my Mac while it's crunching all those codecs, but nor do I want it to error out the moment I remove it from my cold, steely glare. So I use apps to keep track of what's going on, whether I'm across the room, or across town. For light stuff -- if I just want to make sure all the cores are grinding away on all the things -- I use iStat 2. It's every bit of monitored data I need in on slickly packaged app. For more detailed stuff, including for times when I have to take over my Mac with an iPhone or iPad and fix those things, I use Screens. It just works. From table side or pool side, I can pull up my Macs over VNC, see exactly what's going on, and use them about as well as multitouch allows. Which is pretty well. If you have an IT geek who needs a gift, or really anyone who'd like the freedom to control their Mac or Windows PC from anywhere, get them Screens.

  • $19.99 - Screens for iPhone and ipad - Buy Now
  • $29.99 - Screens for Mac - Buy Now

Netflix

I'm still watching Netflix quite a bit. Mostly on the Apple TV, but occasionally on the iPad and the iPhone as well. While the Global, CTV, and Citytv apps remain my source for new TV programming, and iTunes for movies, Netflix is where I go for back catalog. Sometimes it's movies or TV shows I simply missed when they first aired, and sometimes it's stuff I really enjoyed and want to watch again. There's a ton of stuff, from action to comedy, for adults and kids alike. And while the Netflix app itself is free, the service requires a subscription. That makes it a great gift, and since you can choose to gift it for 1 month, 2 months, 3 months, 6 months, or an entire year, you can make as small or as big a gift out of it as you like.

Griffin PowerJolt Dual

I use my iPhone and iPad mini a lot. And that means I need to charge them a lot. Sometimes both of them at the same time. At conferences, I've been using the mophie juice pack powerstation duo But for when I'm in the car, it's the Griffin PowerJolt Dual. Just put it in your car's adapter, plug two Lightning cables in, and you can charge two devices -- yours, or a friend, family member, or co-worker's. It means never fighting for a charge again, either between people or devices. If you've got someone in your life who's always on the go, and multiple devices need to go with them, the Girffin PowerJolt Dual is a great gift.

Tonx Coffee

I found out about Tonx from Daring Fireball's John Gruber and subscribed immediately). If you know someone who loves -- really loves -- great coffee, they likely already have a burr grinder, cheap or expensive and a French press or an AeroPress But what they might not have easy access to is freshly roasted beams to burr grind and brew to perfection. That's where Tonx comes in. Every other week, Tonx ships you a bag of beans that have been roasted within the last 24 hours. If there aren't many people in your household, or you don't drink that much coffee, you can get them a 6 oz. bag. If there are a lot of people, or you drink a lot of coffee, you can get them a 12 oz. bag. Either way, it's best damn coffee gift for the coffee lover in your life.

  • Starting at whatever you like - Buy now

The iPad mini

So what do you think of your iPad mini?

You knew it had to be on here, right? From the moment I got my iPad mini and my 4 year old godson tried at it and said "Oh, an iPad my size!", and my mother picked it up and smiled at how light it was, I knew I'd be giving away more than one this year. Sure, it's on the pricier end of the gift-giving spectrum, but I'll be chipping in with other family members and that makes it more than manageable. And you know what? No one who wants one or is getting one gives a flying fig about Retina display. So if someone in your life has been holding out for a small tablet, seriously, don't waste your time with the cheap stuff. Get together and get iPad minis. Everyone will be glad you did, and for months and years to come.

Your gift picks?

So that's what I'll be gifting this season to more than a few friends, family, and colleagues. (Spoilers! D'oh! Sorry!) How about you? What apps, accessories, media, food, and fun stuff comprise your favorite gifts this year?

Announcing the winners of the Mobile Nations Passport Contest Ultimate iOS Prize Pack!

Posted: 21 Nov 2012 03:44 PM PST

Ultimate iOS prize pack!

 

Last week, in celebration of the successful rollout of Mobile Nations Passport, we were given the opportunity to pass on some amazing prize packs to our awesome readers. With over 51,000 entries across the Mobile Nations sites, it was obvious how excited you all were to win these incredible prizes. So without further ado, the winners of the Ultimate Prize packs, courtesy of Gogo and Mobile Nations are...

 

iMore

Grand Prize - afazel
Runner up - breen63

 

Android Central

Grand Prize - papo81585
Runner up - Richard46

 

CrackBerry

Grand Prize - apache1680
Runner up - Jon_shiflett

 

Windows Phone Central

Grand Prize - dwain77
Runner up - ThePodgineer

 

webOS Nation

Grand Prize - thedynamicuno
Runner up - legacybass

 

Congratulations to all the winners! We'll be in touch in the next few days with information on claiming your prizes.

 

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City 10th Anniversary Edition arrives on iOS December 6th

Posted: 21 Nov 2012 03:09 PM PST

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City

With Rockstar Games having already announced the eventual arrival of Grand Theft Auto: Vice City on iOS, they've now outlined the full details including official release date and pricing.

Rather than just releasing an unmodified version, Rockstar Games will be releasing a revised Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and dubbing it the 10th Anniversary Edition. Thanks to the celebratory nature of this release, they've gone ahead and gave it some special love and attention:

This 10th Anniversary Edition brings the full experience of Grand Theft Auto: Vice City to mobile devices, with native high-resolution graphics and several enhancements unique to the iOS and Android platforms including updated character models and lighting effects, new and more precise firing and targeting options, a fully customizable control layout and native support for Retina display devices.

If you've been waiting for this one, your wait will soon be over. Rockstar Games has announced pricing as well, which is set at $4.99 when it arrives in the App Store on December 6th, 2012.

Source: Rockstar Games

Flirting with the Dark Side

Posted: 21 Nov 2012 01:17 PM PST

Nexus 7

I received my Nexus 7 32GB with Mobile Data last night. I think I was likely one of the last stops on the UPS route, as it hit my doorstep at around 7PM.

I'm not actually flirting with the dark side or planning a switch to Android. But I do think the Nexus 7 looks interesting and it seems to rated as one of the top small tablet rivals to the iPad mini. I've tried out both the 2011 Kindle Fire and this year's Kindle Fire HD and wasn't particularly impressed with either – so I figure it's about time to spend some time with a tablet running 'real' Android as opposed to the Kinde's heavily 'forked' version.

I have not spent much time at all with the Nexus 7 yet, so no impressions to share just yet – other than that my 9 year old daughter thinks it is ultra cool, despite being told she is not allowed to like Android devices.

Once I've got to know it better I'll share some thoughts on the Nexus 7 of course – but I'll likely do that over at my more general tablets site: 247 Tablets, while keeping the focus 100% on the iPad here.

Have any of you tried out the Nexus 7? If so, please share your thoughts on it in the comments.

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Best of the Black Friday app sales [Updating often]

Posted: 21 Nov 2012 11:59 AM PST

Black Friday app sales

There's a ton a iPhone and iPad apps going on sale this week for Black Friday. Some will be on sale all week, some all weekend, some for a couple days, and some only for Black Friday proper. If there's an app you've been waiting to buy, but have also been waiting for it to go on sale, check it out on Friday. There's a chance it might be. In fact, so many apps are likely to be on sale, we're not even going to try listing all of them. We're going to list some of our favorites, however, and some of our most recommended apps.

If you find out about others, and you think they're great, please add them to the comments. We'll keep updating throughout the week and over the weekend, so check back here often for the latest, greatest information... after the break!

Black Friday app sale roundups

Black Friday app sale apps

Black Friday games sales

Again, we'll be updating often, so add your favorite sales to the comments below!

Introducing the first annual Mobile Nations Community Awards!

Posted: 21 Nov 2012 11:39 AM PST

Be it Android Central, CrackBerry, iMore, Windows Phone Central or webOS Nation, you need only dive into any of our forums for a few minutes to realize what makes them so special is the amazing group of individuals who go above and beyond the call of duty every single day to make them a helpful, friendly and fun community to be part of.

With the introduction of the first annual Mobile Nations Community Awards, we are going to better acknowledge and reward the members and volunteers who have made outstanding contributions to our Mobile Nations community across our individual sites and give them the full recognition they truly deserve.

And there are so many people too recognize. Passionate members who share their expert knowledge freely, answering and troubleshooting the questions and issues of new users at all times of the day. We have many volunteer moderators, advisors and ambassadors, who not only keep the forums organized and under control, but also produce guides and tutorials to help device owners get the most out of their ownership experience. And then you have somebody like Cory Streater, our Android-loving Forums Administrator, who has put literally thousands of hours into the forums on all of our sites over the years behind the scenes, squashing bugs and adding new features that make the forums rock.

We have a lot of categories planned for the Community Awards. Next week we'll be following up with another post here and in each of the forums, opening up nominations and voting for some of the different categories. In the meantime, if you have any ideas for specific categories of awards you would like to see us acknowledge, be sure to let us know!

EA slashes prices on iOS games for Thanksgiving

Posted: 21 Nov 2012 10:29 AM PST

EA Mobile has kicked off a great sale on many of its games. Over 60 of their titles have upwards of 90% cut, so get ready to stock up! EA is branding this as sale #5, so it's entirely possible that we'll see another four by the end of the weekend. It's a safe bet that there are going to be some huge savings to be had on Black Friday. Most of what's up for grabs is now $0.99, but here's the full list. 

Universal

iPad

iPhone

There are some really excellent games on that list. Which are tickling your fancy the most? 

Sponsor: MOBiLE CLOTH wants to just say thanks to iPad Insight readers for making 2012 a break out year!

Posted: 21 Nov 2012 10:08 AM PST

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iPad mini Ghost Armored & A Lesson Learned

Posted: 21 Nov 2012 09:23 AM PST

iPad mini Ghost Armored

Last Saturday I managed to acquire my new iPad mini LTE model. . I know this one is the one I'll be keeping – and I wanted to get a bit of screen protection for it as soon as possible. My iPad 3 has no screen protector on because I don't want anything to diminish the impact of the gorgeous retina display. With the iPad mini that's not a concern – so I headed to my local Ghost Armor kiosk yesterday afternoon to get some protection for my new little pal.

I've written here before on how much I like the Ghost Armor product and the excellent service I've always had from them here in Austin. Yesterday was no different. They took just 15 minutes to get my iPad mini's display and back covered for $45. They mentioned that the front/display screen protector might have a few little bubbles that would work themselves out over about 48 hours. It turns out there were none and the display has looked flawless ever since I got home with it – no bubbles at all.

I did learn one valuable lesson this time round with Ghost Armoring the iPad mini though: the slate back does not lend itself to using a back screen protector / clear cover at all well. In fact, in my opinion, it looks pretty hideous. I've used screen protectors on the back of the larger iPads, and they look OK with the iPad's aluminum back. They look OK because you hardly notice them on the aluminum back. That's not the case on the slate back. The screen protector stands out like a (very ugly) sore thumb on the back of the iPad mini.

Mine didn't last 24 hours. I peeled it off this morning. I'll be extra careful with the back of the iPad mini and maybe think about a thin skin for it, but I definitely can't stand the look of a clear screen protector on it.

Oh, and if you happen to live in Austin and want to get your device Ghost Armored, check out their kiosk one floor below the Apple store at the Barton Creek Mall.

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AT&T may be further expanding FaceTime over cellular

Posted: 21 Nov 2012 08:19 AM PST

AT&T may be further relaxing its restrictions on FaceTime over cellular, allowing anyone with access to the feature to use it. AT&T had previously announced that all iPhone 5 customers, including those on individual plans, would be able to use the feature. Anyone with an iPhone 4S or a grandfathered unlimited data plan on AT&T was left out in the cold. However, it now appears that several customers previously unable to use FaceTime over cellular have been able to activate it. MacRumors reports that some of their users are seeing FaceTime enabled on their grandfathered unlimited data plans with the iPhone 5, with some users reporting that their 4S has recieved the feature as well:

This finding has been confirmed by a number of users in this discussion thread -- though some users have been unable to activate it so it may still be rolling out to some areas. AT&T had said the original rollout for tiered plans could take 8-10 weeks. Most of the positive responses have been those with the iPhone 5 and grandfathered unlimited data, but the original poster also had luck with an iPhone 4S.

Right now, AT&T has not confirmed that this is. Not everyone is seeing this, so it's possible that this is an accidental activation that occured as AT&T was flipping the switch on the original expansion plan for FaceTime over cellular.

To check if FaceTime over cellular has been enabled on your device, go to Settings, FaceTime, and scroll to the bottom to see if Use Cellular Data is set to 'On'. You may need to restart your phone before you see it.

Are you an AT&T iPhone 5 user with unlimited data or an iPhone 4S user? Are you seeing this? Let us know below in the comments.

Source: MacRumors

How to set up, configure, secure, and start using Siri

Posted: 21 Nov 2012 07:43 AM PST

Complete guide to getting started with Siri

Siri is one of Apple's flagship features, a virtual, personal, digital assistant with a personality straight out of a Pixar film. If you've got an iPhone 5, iPod touch 5, iPad mini, or iPad 4, then you've got Siri! With Siri, you can do all sorts of amazing, time-saving things, from keeping in contact, to keeping on time, to keeping informed. But first, you may need to get Siri set up and up to speed.

Here are a few things you can do to help Siri along and shorten the learning curve for both of you.

How to use Siri

Using Siri is simple.

  1. Press and hold down the Home button until you see the screen slide up, the Siri microphone icon begin to animate, and hear a tone.
  2. Ask Siri a question or tell Siri what you want to do.
  3. Say "Options", or tap the i (information) icon to the right of the "what can I help you with" word bubble to see a list of available functions.
  4. Wait for Siri to process what you said. (It can take a while).

How to edit a Siri question or command

If Siri miss-heard you, you made a mistake, or you simply changed your mind, it's easiest to just tap the microphone icon and ask Siri the question or issue the command again. However, if you'd rather edit your original question or command, you can do that too.

  1. Scroll up to the word bubble containing your original question or command.
  2. Tap the word bubble. It'll turn white and a cursor will appear.
  3. Edit the text contained in the word bubble (like you'd edit text in Notes).
  4. Tap the blue Done button at the bottom right of the keyboard.
  5. Wait for Siri to process the new query.

How to enable Siri in the Settings

iOS will typically ask you if you want to enable Siri when you first set up your iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, or iPad mini. However, if for some reason Siri isn't already enabled, you can turn it on at any time in Settings.

  • Launch the Settings app from the Home screen.
  • Tap on General.
  • Tap on Siri.
  • Toggle the Siri switch to ON.

How to configure Siri

You can configure Siri to work in several languages, with or without voice feedback, to know your contact information, and to activate whenever you raise your phone.

  • Launch the Settings app from the Home screen. (Or tell Siri to "Launch Settings app!)
  • Tap on General.
  • Tap on Siri.
  • Tap on Language to change languages and dialects. Current choices include Cantonese, Mandarin (China and Taiwan), English (Australia, Canada, United Kingdom, United States), French (Canada, France, Switzerland), German (Germany, Switzerland), Italian (Italy, Switzerland), Japanese, Korean, and Spanish (Mexico, Spain, United States).
  • Tap on Voice Feedback to choose whether Siri always talks back to you, or only when in Handsfree mode.
  • Tap **My Info* to select your Contact card so Siri knows who you are, what your numbers are, and what your locations are (so it's easier to say "call home, or give me directions to work").
  • Toggle Raise to Speak on to have Siri pop up whenever you bring your iPhone to your ear, and you're not on a call. (Note: Some believe this reduces battery life.).

How to secure Siri with a Passcode Lock

Since Siri is usually activated by just holding down the Home button, it can pose a security risk for the data on your phone. If you are security conscious and have activated a Passcode Lock for your iPhone, you may want to make sure Siri isn't allowed to bypass that lock. (It's less convenient, but that's always the cost of security.)

  • Launch the Settings app from the Home screen. (Or tell Siri to "Launch Settings app!)
  • Tap on General.
  • Tap on Passcode Lock.
  • Toggle Siri to OFF under "Allow Access When Locked".

How to get more help with Siri

How to set up, configure, secure, and start using Siri

If you still need help with setting up or using Siri with your iPhone Contacts, or any other Siri feature, head on over to our Siri Forum and ask away!

Note: This article is an updated version of a previous how-to, adding video as well as new features from iOS 6, and newly supported devices.

Deal of the Day: 40% off the Belkin Grip Candy Sheer Case for iPhone 5

Posted: 21 Nov 2012 07:28 AM PST

Today Only: Buy the Belkin Grip Candy Sheer Case for iPhone 5 and save $11.99!

The transparent, two-tone design of the Candy Sheer Case adds some aesthetic punch while the innovative, flexible material is easy to grip. This case is extremely slim and the beveled edges protects your screen from scratches while allowing access to the ports and controls of your iPhone 5. Color options include gravel, blue, and glow.

List Price: $29.99     Today's Price: $18.00

Learn More and Buy Now

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Best Buy selling iPad 3 for $50 off, with $75 gift card, today only

Posted: 21 Nov 2012 06:50 AM PST

Best Buy selling iPad 3 for $50 off, with $75 gift card, today only

If you don't care about a Lightning connector, an A6X processor, or a FaceTime HD camera, and you want a full-sized, full-on Retina display iPad, Best Buy has a deal for you. Today only, you can grab the last generation iPad 3 (introduced March, 2012) and not only save $50 off the original retail pricing, but get a $75 gift card thrown in for good measure.

If this deal is just what you've been waiting for, act fast.

Source: Best Buy

ITC to take closer look at Samsung case against Apple, FRAND patents are at issue

Posted: 19 Nov 2012 05:17 PM PST

ITC to take closer look at Samsung case against Apple, FRAND patents are at issue

The International Trade Commission has opted to review a decision from September that held that Apple had not violated any of Samsung's patents with its iOS devices. The commission could have upheld the initial ruling, but they have decided that the case needs further investigation. Apple devices could be banned from import into the US if they are found to infringe on Samsung's patents. Samsung's case is based on multiple standard-essential patents, including one that deals with 3G wireless technology. The commission has asked for guidance on how standards-essential, or FRAND, patents should be treated, as Diane Bartz of Reuters reports:

In its announcement that it would review the case, the ITC asked for briefings on how it should consider standard essential patents, which are normally expected to be licensed widely and on fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory terms. The use of standards helps companies ensure devices are interoperable.

This case comes after another ruling of an ITC judge found that Samsung violated four of Apple's patents. That decision is also under review. If the final judgement in February upholds the original ruling, then Samsung faces a possible import ban on the offending products. Apple faces a similar ban if found to have infringed on Samsung's patents. The ITC will decide if Samsung is using its FRAND patents in an appropriate manner in seeking an import ban on Apple products. The commission will give its ruling on the case in January 2013.

Source: Reuters

Epicurious vs. In the Kitchen vs. How to Cook Everything: Recipe apps for iPhone shootout!

Posted: 21 Nov 2012 06:34 AM PST

Epicurious vs. In the Kitchen vs. How to Cook Everything: Recipe apps for iPhone shootout!

With the holidays approaching fast, cooking and recipe apps for iPhone are a great way to find something new and interesting to make for your friends, family, and colleagues. Whether you simply want to spice up your existing arsenal, or are looking for something completely new, Epicurious, In the Kitchen by Food Network, and How to Cook Everything can all help you take your culinary game to the next level. But which one is best for you? Let's find out.

Epicurious vs. In the Kitchen vs. How to Cook Everything: Layout and navigation

Epicurious vs. In the Kitchen vs. How to Cook Everything: user interface

Upon first launching Epicurious you'll be presented with recipe categories as well as a search bar for you to scour through their database. The receipt category section will change periodically based on the time of year. With Thanksgiving fast approaching, a lot of the sections will be to help you prepare food for the holidays.

The main navigation of Epicurious runs along the bottom of the screen and consists of 5 sections: home, search, favorites, shopping list, and about. Home simply lays out the recipe categories and allows you to search for recipes on your own based on meal type or main ingredient. The search tab brings you to the same search you can access from the main page which to me seems quite redundant. The favorites section will populate any recipes you've favorites within Epicurious. The last section is your shopping list. This section works by putting in any ingredients for any recipe you've chosen to add to your shopping list.

In the Kitchen by Food Network functions in a similar fashion to Epicurious but lays out the main home section differently. Instead of having a list of recipe categories you'll see tiles. You can filter by chef, time of the year (featured), and collections. The featured section, like Epicurious, will change based on the time of year. Right now In the Kitchen features lots of food for Thanksgiving such as stuffing and dressing, turkey recipes, and more. Tapping any of the tiles will bring you into that section where you can scroll through the list of recipes contained in that section. At a glance you can see a thumbnail image, user ratings, the cook, and the difficulty level.

Along the bottom of In the Kitchen you will find your main navigation. The first tab is your featured (home) section followed by shopping list, quick list, and recipe box. The last tab, the more tab, allows you to change measurement types and configure a timer. Shopping list functions the same as it does in Epicurious. Just find a recipe you'd like to make and you can add all the ingredients to your shopping list. The quick list section allows you to quickly compare recipes. The recipe box functions in almost the exact same way which is a little confusing to me. There are no comparative features under quick list that really differentiates it from the recipe box section.

How to Cook Everything is laid out slightly differently than both Epicurious and In the Kitchen. The home page gives you quick links to things like browsing recipes, kitchen basics, times, popular recipes, and featured items. Along the bottom is your main navigation which consists of the home page, search, favorites, shop, and more. Search allows you find ideas and recipes based on certain criteria such as key ingredient, cooking technique, and more.

Favorites will list anything you've marked as a favorite within How to Cook Everything. One nice feature of favorites is the recent recipes tab. If you really liked a recipe but forgot what it was and didn't favorite it, you can most likely find it under this section. The last feature is the shopping list feature which just like Epicurious and In the Kitchen, you can add the ingredients to any recipe and How to Cook Everything will auto-populate the shopping list for you.

Epicurious and In the Kitchen both have useable layouts and interfaces but feel quite cramped. In the Kitchen also features a ton of ads which are easy to accidentally click on. How to Cook Everything's layout is easy to use and understand. It's also the only app that has already been updated for the iPhone 5.

Epicurious vs. In the Kitchen vs. How to Cook Everything: Recipe availability and browsing

Epicurious vs. In the Kitchen vs. How to Cook Everything: recipes

When it comes to recipe selection, all three apps have an excellent selection. Whether you're in the mood for Asian, Italian, or any other kind of cuisine, you shouldn't have an issue finding something to suit your needs. How they break them down though is where they differ.

Epicurious allows you to search by main ingredients, what meal you are cooking for, dietary needs, dish types, and seasons and occasions. You can also choose a specific type of cuisine which is broken down by countries in most cases. Under dish type you can choose things such as bread, cake, pastas, frozen desserts, and more. If you're looking for something very specific, you can find it. If you're looking for ideas, you can find those too by not using as many search criteria.

In the Kitchen by Food Network doesn't have as robust of a search feature as either Epicurious or How to Cook Everything does. Tapping on search will bring you to nothing other than a general search field. Once you've input a search term, then you are offered the ability to filter by chef, type of food/course, difficulty level, and length of time.

How to Cook Everything allows you to search in a similar way to Epicurious. You can perform a general search or refine it by inputting criteria such as key ingredient, cooking technique, style, and recipe type. For recipe type you can choose from fast, make ahead, vegetarian, and essential. For style you can choose anything from a type of cuisine such as Italian or something as broad as salty or sweet. Cooking technique allows you to choose the type of technique you'd like to use such as grilled, deep fry, roast, sauté, and more.

While Epicurious, In the Kitchen, and How to Cook Everything all have a wealth of recipes, being able to find what you're looking for is crucial. Epicurious and How to Cook Everything provide the best way to find the recipes that interest you through their excellent search functions. In the Kitchen's search just doesn't feel as robust as the other two options.

Epicurious vs. In the Kitchen vs. How to Cook Everything: Step-by-step instructions

Epicurious vs. In the Kitchen vs. How to Cook Everything: instructions

Once you find a recipe you decide to make you'll probably want easy to understand directions in order to make it. Epicurious, In the Kitchen, and How to Cook Everything all offer step by step instructions with all their recipes.

Once you tap on a recipe that interests you in Epicurious you'll be given a recipe card that shows three tabs across the top: recipe, photo, and reviews. The first tab is where you'll find your ingredients and instructions. The ingredients section will show you how much of each ingredient you need along with any directions on how things should be cut. Underneath that you'll find preparation instructions. In my experience, some recipes are spelled out a lot better than others. Some will only consist of a few steps that are all run together while others will be broken down a lot more thoroughly. Considering recipes are pulled from all kinds of sources, the step by step instructions aren't always consistent.

In the Kitchen will also pull up a recipe card like Epicurious does. You'll see an image of the finished product as well as preparation time, the difficulty level, ingredients, preparation instructions, and more.

When it comes to instructions, In the Kitchen will lay out ingredients in the same way Epicurious does. For actual directions, while it's the same general format and technique, In the Kitchen tends to break down steps a lot better than Epicurious does. A lot of this probably can be contributed to the fact that the Food Network is posting their own recipes by the in-house chefs. This creates a more consistent experience. In the Kitchen also allows you to increase the font size in case the default is too small to read.

How to Cook Everything lays out ingredients and instructions quite differently than both Epicurious and In the Kitchen. Once you're inside a recipe you can simply tap on overview, ingredients, or steps. Under ingredients the format is easier to follow and shows the amounts in a clearer way in the left hand margin. Steps are also broken down into groupings. You'll see how many steps there are in the navigation. The step you are on will be represented by a red circle. You can easily tab through the steps or go back in case you missed anything. If there are steps that require a timer, they will be hyperlinked and tapping on them gives you instant access to the in-app timer which will populate the time the recipe calls for automatically.

How to Cook Everything provides the most consistent experience when it comes to following step by step instructions. While Epicurious and In the Kitchen both provide step by step instructions, they aren't nearly as detailed or as easy to follow.

Epicurious vs. In the Kitchen vs. How to Cook Everything: Cross-platform support

Epicurious vs. In the Kitchen vs. How to Cook Everything: cross platform support

Epicurious and In the Kitchen are universal apps for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. If you download them on one, you've got access on the others. Since the app is a single download, there is no separate version to purchase.

While How to Cook everything has support for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch - the set up is a little different. You can get the iPhone app as a standalone app for a little cheaper or you can purchase the universal app for a little more and have access on both.

Regardless which app you choose to use, you have the support across all iOS devices, if you need or want it.

Epicurious vs. In the Kitchen vs. How to Cook Everything: Pricing

Epicurious vs. In the Kitchen vs. How to Cook Everything: Pricing

Epicurious is a free download for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. If you'd like to sync your recipes across all your devices, you can purchase syncing as an in-app purchase for an additional $1.99. It's not a bad deal for the amount of recipes you get.

In the Kitchen by Food Network is available for $1.99 and is a universal download for all your iOS devices. There aren't any in-app purchases available but it would be nice to see one to remove the ads. It's very easy to tap on one by mistake as they are presented in between recipes while scrolling.

How to Cook Everything is available for iPhone and iPod touch for $4.99 but you can grab the universal version for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch for $9.99. It's quite a bit steeper than both In the Kitchen and Epicurious but what you get out of the app still makes it a good buy.

When it comes to price, Epicurious is the cheapest option if you don't need syncing since it's free and offers a better search function than In the Kitchen.

Epicurious vs. In the Kitchen vs. How to Cook Everything: The bottom line

Epicurious vs. In the Kitchen vs. How to Cook Everything: the bottom line

Kitchen by Food Network doesn't have as robust a search feature, which makes it hard to find recipes, and hard to recommend the app.

Epicurious is for those who want to easily find recipes based on seasons. It's free and you can purchase syncing any time you like.

How to Cook Everything is the best kitchen companion on your iPhone. Even though the price tag can be higher, everything from step-by-step directions to searching and exploring new recipes, makes the purchase well worth it. It's simply the easiest cooking app to navigate and find what you're looking for fast.

Epicurious - Free - Download Now

In the Kitchen - $1.99 - Download Now

How to Cook Everything - $9.99 - Download Now

Apple’s new futuristic headquarters facing delay, new completion date set for 2016

Posted: 21 Nov 2012 05:22 AM PST

Apple's new futuristic headquarters facing delay, new completion date set for 2016Apple has said that its high spec futuristic new headquarters will not be completed now until mid-2016 due to planning changes. The new timetable was presented to the city of Cupertino earlier this month according to a report by Bloomberg.

The iPhone maker included the new timetable in an updated proposal it submitted to the city on Nov. 14. While Apple, the world's largest company by market value, had wanted to break ground on the 176-acre campus this year, the city may not complete its environmental impact report until June, and Apple may not be able to start work until 2014.

"They could conceivably break ground in 2013, but only if everything goes smoothly," said David Brandt, Cupertino's city manager. That depends on the city council approving the project quickly, and on residents not filing legal challenges. "The project is running a little bit slow." Apple notified the city in August that it planned to update its proposal in September. By filing in November, possible approval in early 2013 became unrealistic, said Brandt. In its original plan, the company said it envisioned moving in by 2015.

The resubmitted proposals do not include any major design changes and the "Mothership" design is still the one that Apple will go ahead with. The changes did include moving the proposed position of a 1000 seat auditorium further away from an existing road, an additional building to house utility equipment and additional parking spaces. The changes were all instigated by Apple trying to improve on the initial design of the project and not forced upon them by the city.

Source: Bloomberg
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