iPad By Davis

---

• Which missing features do you most want Apple to add to iOS?
• Last chance: Enter to win a ton of great iPhone and iPad accessories now!
• Shockingly, Steve Jobs wasn't against the idea of an iPad mini...
• Forums: Music in the cloud, Configuring VPN, Setting up Google Calendar
• Copying
• Remains of the Day: Do not want
• Belkin Rotating Charger 2.1 + ChargeSync for iPhone and iPad review [Giveaway]
• AT&T will end-of-line 2G EDGE network by 2017
• EA files copyright suit against Zynga over The Sims Social
• Judge rejects Apple's punishment against Samsung
• The realities of running Cydia, the jailbreak app store
• Opinion: Apple v. Samsung highlights insanity of tech patents
• Destroy Internet tracking files with PrivacyScan
• The Week in iOS Accessories: Mr. Roboto
• Bugs & Fixes: Troubleshooting Mountain Lion
• OmniFocus vs. Todo vs. Things: Task management apps for iPhone shootout!
• Retro Decathlon 2012: Running, Jumping & Throwing Fun on the iPad
• TechHive: Control the keys to your cloud-storage castle
• iPad at Work: iPads to Replace Computers and Sales Counters in AT&T Retail Stores
• Review: Hand Stylus has remarkably tiny nib, one major flaw

Which missing features do you most want Apple to add to iOS? Posted: 04 Aug 2012 04:35 AM PDT Shortly before WWDC 2012 and the unveiling of iOS 6, Rene wrote a monumental article on the "higher hanging fruit" that Apple could still add to the iPhone and iPad to make them more competitive. Sure, iOS isn't for geeks, but that doesn't mean Apple can't show the geeks some love! I for one wish they'd added a few of the things on his list! Since WPCentral is asking what users want on Windows Phone, I figured I'd ask if anyone here at iMore feels like I do -- that Apple could give us more! How about you? Even if you just look at what Android, Windows Phone, and BlackBerry have announced for this year, never mind the existing features, there's a lot Apple could do to add some sizzle to iOS and make those who've chosen non-Apple devices a little more envious of iPhone and iPad owners. So I'm asking -- if you could have any feature or features added to iOS, what would they be? A new Home screen experience? Maybe actionable notifications? How about direct document access? A permanent widget area? A better fast app switcher? How about some theming options? Or a universal Spotlight search that hooked into Siri? Synergy, contracts/intents, better navigation gestures, a Flash video player, Gatekeeper, app demos and update pricing? The list can go on and on, but I only want your most important missing features! No poll this time, just wide open comments and your chance to sound off and tell Apple what you think their feature priorities should be! What do you want to see Apple add to iOS? ios 6 Imore Asks Missing Features Featured iMore Asks

Last chance: Enter to win a ton of great iPhone and iPad accessories now! Posted: 03 Aug 2012 08:41 PM PDT It's the weekend and you know what that means -- it's your last chance to win a bunch of great accessory prizes on iMore before the contests end and we announce the winners on Monday! Here's what's up for grabs this week: Weekly Photo Contest: Sexy Beach! $117 (not billion) dollar giveaway! Tell us what you would buy... and you could win it! Jabra FREEWAY Bluetooth Car Kit review Qmadix iharmonix Q-i-sound Stereo Bluetooth Speakers review [Giveaway] Belkin Rotating Charger 2.1 + ChargeSync for iPhone and iPad review [Giveaway] Announcements

Shockingly, Steve Jobs wasn't against the idea of an iPad mini... Posted: 03 Aug 2012 07:10 PM PDT In 2011, Apple SVP of Internet Services, Eddie Cue, apparently emailed Apple SVP of iOS, Scott Forstall, that Apple's then CEO, the late Steve Jobs was open to the idea of a Samsung Galaxy Tab sized iPad mini. This came to light as part of the ongoing Apple vs. Samsung, according to The Verge's Bryan Bishop: Forstall is shown a 2011 email from Eddy Cue, in which Cue forwarded an article that a journalist wrote about dumping the iPad after using a Galaxy Tab. Cue writes "Having used a Samsung Galaxy [Tab], i tend to agree with many of the comments below... I believe there will be a 7-inch market and we should do one. I expressed this to Steve several times since Thanksgiving and he seemed very receptive the last time." One of the most oft-repeated, and often taken out of context, criticisms levied against the very idea of a 7.x-inch iPad is that in October of 2010, Steve Jobs said that 7-inch tablets were terrible and would be DOA when they hit the market. That's the same Steve Jobs, of course, who once said no one wanted to watch video on an iPod, before introducing the iPod video, and that Apple would never make a phone, before introducing the iPhone, and that no one wanted to read, before introducing iBooks. The public statements of CEO's are just that -- public statements, with all the strategy, including misdirection, that that can imply. They're not indicative of anything other than they're exactly what a CEO, in this case Steve Jobs, wants everyone to hear at a certain point in time. This email correspondence between on the other hand, if accurate, is different. It's an internal communication. It's what Eddy Cue wanted Scott Forstall to hear at that specific point in time. It doesn't negate any effect Steve Jobs saying 7-inch tablets were terrible could have on the likelihood of Apple making an iPad mini, however, because there never was any beyond misquotes and misunderstandings. The 7-inch tablets Jobs was referring to were exactly that -- 7-inches in size, made by competitors, not running iPad iOS, and were, frankly, terrible and were, as it turns out, DOA. What it does show is, perhaps, part of Apple's process and thinking around bringing the rumored iPad mini to market, and their timeline. And that's interesting. Tim Cook once said the thing that most impressed him about Steve Jobs was Jobs' ability to change his mind, and to change direction with incredible speed. If and when Apple chooses to release an iPad mini, it will be different in kind from existing small form factor tablets that were on the market at the time. Whether it succeeds or not, it will be different than what Steve Jobs was referring to in 2010 -- it will be what he was "receptive" to in 2011, and for very specific reasons. It won't be a 7-inch tablet. It'll be a 7.85-inch or thereabouts iPad. Source: The Verge Ipad Mini Apple Vs Samsung Eddy Cue Scott Forstall News

Forums: Music in the cloud, Configuring VPN, Setting up Google Calendar Posted: 03 Aug 2012 06:41 PM PDT Found an interesting article you want to share with iMore? Have a burning question about that feature you just can't figure out? There is ALWAYS more happening just a click away in the forums. You can always head over and join in the conversation, search for answers, or lend your expertise to other members of our community. You check out some of the threads below: - Configuring VPN in iOS for a Cisco Router - Google Calendar not working, how can I make it work? - Facebook "save for later" feature not working (iPhone) - iPhone 5 Notification LED - Best Bluetooth Speaker? - Music in the Cloud or on iPhone?? If you're not already a member of the iMore Forums, register now! From The Forums Regular Features From the Forums

Copying Posted: 03 Aug 2012 05:41 PM PDT Blazing trails is hard work. Following them is easy. Whether you're an explorer, twin machetes in hand, hacking your way through the densest of underbrush, a developer launching a breakthrough app into a crowded app store, or a consumer electronics giant, packaging existing technologies in a way that finally makes them exciting and accessible to the mainstream, it can cost a fortune and take a tremendous amount of time and effort to bring a winning product to market. And relatively little to copy it. That's simply the reality of the modern market. Whether you're a boot-strapping indie dev who managed to produce a hit game only to see a giant gaming house replicate it almost exactly, or a mega corporation who releases market-changing -- even market-creating -- mobile devices only to see a string of like-designed products take over that market -- or at least make the attempt -- that's how the world works. Samsung almost embarrassingly copied Apple products from power plugs to icons, mobile to desktop, and the massive manufacturing partners and retail competitors are now fighting it out in court solely to determine how much, if any, of that copying was legal. And Apple has copied their share of ideas and implementations as well over the years. Indeed, innovation stands on the shoulders of what came before, great artists steal inspiration from the great artists that came before, and everything is a remix. While that might suck for the indie dev who watches the replicated versions of their hard work hit the app store -- in some cases over and over again -- and it might suck for Apple seeing their delightful interface ideas get promiscuously given away for free, it changes nothing. Even in the case of smash hits, innovators enjoy only a narrow lag between launch and replication to truly reap the profits of their creations. If something is good, if something works, if something is successful, it will be copied, it will be cloned, it will be knocked off. Is it really any coincidence that the company whose products copied Apple's the most have also been the most successful in their own platform space? The only way to combat copyists and hold copying at bay is to take those windows of success and build on them, and do it in a way that's not as easy to copy. That's why Apple doesn't just sell phones and tablets. They sell iTunes and iCloud. They sell AirPlay and Siri. They sell an experience that becomes something that "just works" together. They sell something that, once you buy in, buying in even more provides even greater value than the sum of the parts. You can own an iPad and a different company's phone or media box or computer. But owning an iPad and and iPhone and an Apple TV and a Mac brings you far greater value. Your apps look the same and work the same across your devices. Your music and movies and TV shows play across devices. Your personal information, browser tabs, and reading positions sync across everything you own. You can download a network-sponsored app on your iPhone, have the same app just appear on your iPad, and your family can be AirPlaying any event in the Olympics on your big screen TV only minutes later. That's just one example of many that Apple absolutely nails. It's functionality, customer experience, and brand affection that's non-trivial to copy. It's a product strategy that's almost incomprehensible to those who's strategy is to copy. Right now, Apple is spending millions of dollars on lawyers, battling Samsung across continents, and revealing prototype devices and product histories they would never have otherwise revealed, because they're indignant that Samsung has copied the iPhone and iPad the way Samsung has likely copied refrigerators and countless other products for decades. When Steve Jobs launched the iPhone he said Apple was 5 years ahead of the competition. Now, 5 years later, even the competition's best new devices can't match the multitouch user experience of iOS in consistency or quality, or the content of iTunes in accessibility or availability. But they are matching and even beating Apple when it comes to individual features and functionality. Apple's reaction to Samsung is understandable on a very human level. Most of us have likely wished we could do the same thing when we've felt copied or ripped off. Including those who have felt copied by Apple. It sucks, really and truly. But ultimately it's a losing battle at best, and a distraction at worst. Tim Cook said Apple couldn't be the developer for the world, but the alternative is much, much worse. Regardless of how Apple vs. Samsung plays out, or individual app copying plays out, it's not in the courtroom that innovation has to win. It's in the product design labs, go to market strategies, and retail shelves. Because the copying never stops. And the only thing worse than being copied is losing the ability to innovate and becoming a copyist. Featured Editorial

Remains of the Day: Do not want Posted: 03 Aug 2012 04:30 PM PDT CBS doesn't want to help Apple build a business on the back of its content, a Russian carrier doesn't want to submit to Apple's autocratic demands, and Mountain Lion apparently doesn't want MacBook users to get their full battery life.

Belkin Rotating Charger 2.1 + ChargeSync for iPhone and iPad review [Giveaway] Posted: 03 Aug 2012 04:07 PM PDT Want a chance to win a Belkin Rotating Charger 2.1 + ChargeSync of your very own? Subscribe to our YouTube channel and leave a comment on the video above! The Belkin Rotating Charger 2.1 + ChargeSync is for a) people who can never seem to have enough chargers around for all their Apple gear, be it iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, and b) need plugs that can swivel and fit into any spare outlet that's available, regardless of how cramped they may be, or which direction they're in. The 2.1 in the Belkin Rotating Charger 2.1 + ChargeSync signifies the amount of amps. That'll handle any iPhone, iPod, or iPad on the market, though the time it takes to charge will vary depending on the battery size of the device in question. The included Dock to USB cable is 4 feet, which is okay but not exceptional. I originally thought, upon getting the Belkin Rotating Charger 2.1 + ChargeSync, that it would be the cable end that rotates. Since the USB to Dock cable is separate from the charger unit, and the charger unit is rather large, that would be a handy feature to have -- it would greatly reduce the chances for the cable becoming detached or the plug falling out due to torque or tension from handling your device on the other end. However, it's actually the prong assembly that swivels and then locks into position at 90 degree intervals. It does come in handy when you have a powerbar already jam packed with plugs and the one free outlet, of course, isn't in the right direction to fit. Rather than unplugging and rearranging the entire strip -- which can be especially annoying if computers, TVs, gaming systems, and other machines that don't like being disconnected are involved -- you simply swivel the Belkin Rotating Charger 2.1 + ChargeSync into whichever orientation fits, and plug it right in. Belkin markets the Rotating Charger 2.1 as a "ChargeSync" cable, which a lot of other companies do, but I find it irksome. Any USB to Dock cable is a "ChargeSync" cable because that's the kind of cable that can both charge over USB and sync with iTunes on the Mac or PC at the same time. The cable that comes in the box with your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad does just exactly that. You know what Apple calls it? "Apple Dock connector to USB cable". Yeah. So basically, you're getting Belkin's much bulkier version of that, with a more functional sounding name, and much bigger AC adapter that rather than simply fitting into tight spaces the way Apple's iPhone AC adapter does, it swivels to make up for its big, bulkiness. If you're looking for an iPad adapter, it's not as big of a size difference, but compared to the iPhone and iPod touch adapter, it's big. And wait, it gets worse. The 30-pin part of the Dock connecter doesn't fit into the iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad anywhere nearly as well as Apple's cable. On a naked device, it sticks out and is loose. On a case, the bulkiness greatly reduces the odds that you can plug it in at all. The thicker gauge of the cable might prove more rugged and durable, but the sheer size of the Dock connector makes it a poor tradeoff. You can, of course, use an Apple cable -- or any other cable -- with the Belkin swivel AC adapter, but that kinds of defeats the purpose of the Belkin Rotating Charger 2.1 + ChargeSync combo. (And again, the AC adapter has chunkiness issues all its own...) On the plus side, the prongs can also fold down to keep the safe and sound in a bag or luggage while traveling. The good 2.1 amps Prongs can swivel The bad Connector is bulky Adapter is big The conclusion Unless you specifically need a heavier gauge iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad cable, or prongs that can fold away for travel, there's little reason to recommend the Belkin Rotating Charger 2.1 + ChargeSync over other options. $24.95 - Buy now Giveaway Want to win a Belkin Rotating Charger 2.1 + ChargeSync of your very own? Easy! Just subscribe to our YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/iMoreVideo and leave a YouTube comment at the bottom of the the Belkin Rotating Charger 2.1 + ChargeSync ! We'll pick a winner and that winner will get a Belkin Rotating Charger 2.1 + ChargeSync! Ready, set, enter now!! Accessories Accessory Giveaways Featured Video Charger Reviews

AT&T will end-of-line 2G EDGE network by 2017 Posted: 03 Aug 2012 02:38 PM PDT AT&T has announced that, come 2017, they'll be hitting the off switch on their 2G EDGE network. That's the network the original iPhone used when it launched in June of 2007, and was bound to until the iPhone 3G launched roughly a year later in 2008. Thomas Gryta reports for the Wall Street Journal: The telecom giant said about 12% of its contract wireless customers, or roughly 8.4 million people, were using 2G handsets at the end of June, but it will work "proactively" in coming years to move them to more advanced devices. Like the other major carriers, AT&T's customers mostly use phones with third-generation technology, and it is aggressively rolling out a nationwide fourth-generation network. The next generation iPhone 5 is expected to run on 4G LTE networks, as well as HSPA+ and legacy CDMA networks. The least technologically advanced iPhone that Apple continues to sell, the iPhone 3GS runs on 3G HSPA 7.2. Unlike modern networks, 2G EDGE doesn't handle simultaneous voice and data, but it does still pick up connectivity when faster HSPA networks fail to connect. Hopefully by 2017 LTE failing back to 3G will be the new 3G failing back to 2G. Anyone here still stuck on EDGE? Source: Wall Street Journal News

EA files copyright suit against Zynga over The Sims Social Posted: 03 Aug 2012 02:40 PM PDT Electronic Arts has sued Zynga, developer of the popular -Ville brand of social media games, alleging that the company violated EA copyright pertaining to its Sims Social Facebook game.

Judge rejects Apple's punishment against Samsung Posted: 03 Aug 2012 02:05 PM PDT The judge in Apple's patent-infringement suit against Samsung Electronics turned down Apple's request to impose harsh sanctions against Samsung for distributing inadmissible court exhibits to some media outlets. Friday's session also saw testimony from Apple executives Phil Schiller and Scott Forstall.

The realities of running Cydia, the jailbreak app store Posted: 03 Aug 2012 01:41 PM PDT How profitable is Cydia, the jailbreak app store, and what happened to the Mac version of Cydia? Jay Freeman (Saurik), the founder of Cydia, recently provided some answers. The explanations were prompted by disgruntled users venting over Cydia's lack of updates and the whereabouts of a Mac version, and ended up as a mini-interview of sorts. In response to claims that Saurik keeps 30% of every app sold in Cydia, like Apple does with the App Store, Saurik provided details on where a large portion of that 30% actually goes. From the ModMyi thread: 100% - 70% (developer) - 7.5% (PayPal) - 7.5% (EU VAT) is nowhere near 30%. Cydia also bears a greater cost than I thought it would for outgoing payments (as almost every developer makes no money, so the PayPal fees end up being really expensive every two weeks to send "almost no money" to thousands of people), and if you subtract bandwidth and servers and the two employees SaurikIT does have, you are left with quite little; what is left is spent back on the community, including bandwidth for non-Cydia things such as jailbreaks/TinyUmbrella, sponsorships of open conferences, etc. That TSS/SHSH server I run that people love so much alone costs many thousands of dollars a month. The difference between revenue and profit (revenue minus expenses) seems often to get confused, not only with regards to Saurik but Apple as well. Just like Apple's App Store and Android's Google Play, Cydia costs money to run, and a huge amount, if not all of the revenue generated from them go into bandwidth, hosting, transaction costs, and everything else that goes along with running such a large online store. Saurik also explained -- again -- why the Mac version of Cydia was never released, and what happened with efforts to create a Mac substrate. As I have stated on numerous other occasions: I got almost universally negative feedback from it when I announced it, including entire articles online calling me stupid for even having suggested it. I seriously left a conference early feeling like I had been half-laughed off of the stage for even suggesting the idea (yes: that's definitely an overstatement of reality, but I kind of felt that way at the time). It wasn't until half a year later (when Lion was released) that any reasonable number of people decided to say "maybe saurik isn't so stupid after all". Saurik also talked about the Rock acquisition, Winterboard vs Dreamboard, and a few other interesting topics. Source: ModMyi via iDB Jailbreak News Cydia Saurik cydia profits News

Opinion: Apple v. Samsung highlights insanity of tech patents Posted: 03 Aug 2012 01:50 PM PDT The Apple v. Samsung Case puts a spotlight on all that is wrong with the tech industry and the patent system, according to PCWorld's Tony Bradley

Destroy Internet tracking files with PrivacyScan Posted: 03 Aug 2012 01:00 PM PDT PrivacyScan offers a one-stop way to mitigate common privacy concerns by identifying and destroying Internet files placed on your computer that track your usage and reveal your online activities to others.

The Week in iOS Accessories: Mr. Roboto Posted: 03 Aug 2012 12:00 PM PDT This week's roundup of new iOS accessories includes our first hint that iPhones will lead the forthcoming robot uprising.

Bugs & Fixes: Troubleshooting Mountain Lion Posted: 03 Aug 2012 11:05 AM PDT The good news: The latest version of OS X appears to be a generally stable update. But that doesn't mean a few bugs can't crop here and there. Ted Landau looks at a few issues you may encounter when running Mountain Lion.

OmniFocus vs. Todo vs. Things: Task management apps for iPhone shootout! Posted: 03 Aug 2012 10:27 AM PDT OmniFocus by the Omni Group, Todo by Appigo, and Things by Cultured Code aren't simple todo list apps like the built-in Reminders. They're full on task managers with powerful features and work flows that help you get stuff done on time, and as efficiently as possible. Since your iPhone is almost always with you, if productivity is a priority, it only makes sense to take your task management with you. But which task manager should you take? Note: We're only looking at full task management apps here. Simpler task managers like Clear, Cheddar, etc. will be covered in a future app vs. app. OmniFocus vs. Todo vs. Things: User interface Finding a powerful task management app for iPhone that also has a great user interface can be a daunting task. Several of them confuse clutter for customization, with too many menus to navigate through and settings to tweak. That's not a problem for OmniFocus, Todo, and Things. They all have excellent interfaces. However, they all have their own unique strengths and weaknesses. OmniFocus starts you off with a main Home screen that allows you to view all your your lists and options in one place. You can tap into any of the sub categories to take a closer look at tasks, search for specific ones, and more. Your first tab, the Inbox, is a place where you can throw tasks that you may not know what to do with yet, or for tasks that are simply so urgent they need to sit at the top until done. Since there's always a badge next to the inbox when something resides in it, you'll always know there's something in there that requires your attention. The Projects tab allows you to add a main project or folder that can then contain and organize specific, individual tasks. Tapping the plus button in the main projects window lets you choose a new project or folder. You can also nest projects into folders where necessary. Once you've gotten into your Inbox, or list that you'd like to add a task to, you can tap the plus button inside of the list and give it a title. You can go beyond that and customize due dates and settings if you'd like, but it's never required. OmniFocus also allows you to order the tabs on your main Home screen in whatever order you'd like. If you never use the Maps or Forecast features, you can move them to the bottom and move the things you do use to the top. Todo's main screen gives you easy access to all your lists and tasks. From here you can either click into any of the sections or tap the edit button in the top left to create, delete, and edit existing lists. The four main sections are not editable and always stay static at the top of the app. These sections are: All, Focus, Starred, and Inbox. Underneath the sections are custom-made lists that you can create and edit as you wish. This is where a good amount of the tasks and to-do's you set up will go. For example, I can create an iMore list and nest projects and tasks inside of it. On the main screen are two buttons at the top right. A plus and a plus with a lightning bolt. The regular plus sign will allow you to add a task with all the bells and whistles from setting priority to due date and everything in between. The lightning bolt is a quick add feature. Just tap it and type in the task and click return. Todo will add it to your Inbox automatically for sorting later. Things has an Inbox at the top, which functions much like it does in OmniFocus or Todo. Add things quickly into the Inbox when you don't have a lot of time or if you aren't quite sure where to organize it just yet. Underneath the Inbox, Things gives you basic sections such as Today, Next, Scheduled, and Someday. These sections do exactly what they describe, and you can add tasks to them as you please. Below that you've got a Projects tab just like you do in OmniFocus. Tapping into it allows you to view all the projects you have set up as well as tap into them and add new tasks to them. Below that you will also find areas which can be compared to a folder. OmniFocus, Todo, and Things all have excellent interfaces, and you'll be well served by any of them. However, Things provides the most attractive interface, and the easiest navigation. OmniFocus vs. Todo vs. Things: Tasks, lists, and projects The most important criteria for any task management app is how it handles your data. Again, OmniFocus, Todo, and Things all make it easy to enter and organize your data, but do so in their own unique ways. OmniFocus treats tasks differently based on how you decide to categorize them. You can add what they refer to as contexts to tasks. These will typically be places where you will perform tasks, such as work, home, the grocery store, etc. If you assign a task that needs to be done at the office with a work context, all of your work items will show up as such. You can also flag tasks so they'll show up in the flagged section. It's a great way to stay on top of tasks that require urgent attention. OmniFocus' contexts feature also works hand-in-hand with Maps. You can assign contexts to the map and then, when you're out and about you can view the the map and see if you have any tasks with contexts in that area. If you're in the vicinity of the grocery store and you have things tagged there, they will show up on the map and remind you that you need to pick up some items. The Forecast section of OmniFocus aims to combine your tasks with your calendar and provide an overview of your week. At the top you can tab through days of the week and see what you've got in OmniFocus in relation to where you'll be and what you've got set up through your default Calendar app. You can choose between parallel, sequential, and single actions when creating a task in OmniFocus. If you have a project such as a grocery list that you'll be shopping in different stores for, parallel or single actions would work as you can do them in any order you'd like. If you have a project that needs to be ordered step by step you can choose sequential and OmniFocus will present the steps in order and grey out future steps until you've completed the current one. There is one feature of OmniFocus that sets is apart from the others and that's Siri integration. If you go into the settings pane and enable iCloud reminders within OmniFocus it'll sync all your reminders with OmniFocus and send them straight to your Inbox. Just use Siri to create a reminder in Apple's default Reminders app app and, once you've confirmed it, iCloud will sync everything together and bring it directly into OmniFocus. If you want to prevent duplicate alerts just disable alerts for the Reminders app. Todo utilizes four main sections in order to keep you organized. The All section will filter all your tasks that you currently have in one easy to read list. The Focus section will only show things what you currently need to focus on. This section can't be removed or renamed and you don't add tasks directly to it. It works by pulling in any tasks that match the specifications of the Focus list in settings. You can edit what the focus list pulls in by changing settings such as what prioritiy tasks it should show or if it should exclude certain lists or tasks that have no due date. The next section is Starred tasks. To add a task to the Starred list you can simply toggle the star next to the task's title. This is a good feature if you need to remember to do something in the short term and can make a habit of frequently checking your starred items. It's also a good place to stick tasks and projects that you need quick access to as scrolling through lists can get a bit daunting if you've got several lists. Just like OmniFocus and Things, you've also got an Inbox in Todo that you can put tasks in that you aren't sure what to do with yet and then move them later when you have time to figure out what you want to do with them. Below that you've got custom made lists that you can create. Inside of lists you can create projects, checklists, and single items. Tasks also have presets such as call, e-mail, text, visit a location or website, and more to make adding tasks quicker. One more feature worth pointing out in Todo is that is integrates with other apps such as Notebook, GoodReader, Gas Cubby, and more. If these are apps you use extensively, Todo may be a no brainer for you. Things organizes projects in a more detailed view by having things under time-based categories such as today, next, scheduled, and someday. Underneath that you've got a projects tab that you can create lists of tasks under one single project. Underneath projects you'll find a feature called Areas. While projects can have due dates and be completed, areas can not. They are meant to be a virtual work space that you can set up for different needs such as a work and home area. You can add new areas to your main screen through the settings menu. Things reminders can't be set for a specific time, just a date. I find this odd as most other task management apps allow you to set an actual time for a task. In Things you'll only be able to set up a task for the day that it's due and you'll receive a reminder for when the task is approaching based on how you've got your notification settings configured. OmniFocus, Todo, and Things all let you organize projects, tasks, and lists, but OmniFocus goes above and beyond with Maps and forecasts, making it even easier to get things done. OmniFocus vs. Todo vs. Things: Notifications and reminders OmniFocus, Todo, and Things all have built-in notification systems that integrate with Notification Center. While all of them will remind you of things, some are flexible than others. OmniFocus features a badge app icon that you can change to show any combination of overdue, due soon, and flagged tasks. To change what the badge shows you, just pop into the settings section and check or uncheck the appropriate options. You can also go under the notifications section in settings and tweak how reminder notifications will show up through Notification Center. You can disable/enable sounds and alert banners for regular reminders or location-based reminders. Location-based reminders will alert you when you are close to a task location that you've scheduled through the Maps section of the app. Another neat feature of OmniFocus is its ability to provide calendar intergation with the default iPhone Calendar app to provide alerts for Calendar events. If you prefer receiving reminders all from one app instead of two separate ones, this is the option you'd want. Todo also allows you to edit reminders through in-app settings, including badge count and alert sound and time. You can change badge count under the application icon section to show badges for due and overdue tasks, overdue tasks, all tasks, or just focus list tasks. If you don't want a badge app icon, you can just disable it by changing the option to no badge. Scrolling further down in settings you'll see an alerts section. You can change the universal alert tone and the time you'd like the alerts to go off such as 5 minutes before, 1 hour before, etc. If you don't want alerts, you can also disable it completely. If there's a task you'd like to change to a different type of reminder you can do so within the task options when setting it up. If you don't change anything the app will abide by the universal settings. Things allows you to change badge settings just like OmniFocus and Todo. You can choose between no badges, just due items, due plus today, or due, today, and Inbox. Since Things doesn't allow you to set individual times for tasks you can only choose between one time each day to receive notifications for that day. Under settings go to the notifications area and choose a time each day you want to be reminded of upcoming tasks. Things' lack of granular time settings hurts them here. When it comes to notifcations and reminders, it's a tie between OmniFocus and Todo. OmniFocus vs. Todo vs. Things: Syncing If you've got more than one iOS device that you want to schedule and view reminders on, having a task management app that will sync all that data for you is important. OmniFocus, Todo, and Things all have an iPad counterpart but their syncing options are different across the board. OmniFocus have iPad and Mac versions available to complete the product on every device, but you'll need to pay for them separately. Syncing services work through OmniFocus' own sync server, Wi-Fi sync with your Mac, or you can use a webDAV server if you choose. Todo has separate iPad and Mac versions available as well. It also has several sync options including their own sync service which will keep the most recent 14 days of your data synced unless you opt for premium which will run you $19.99 per calendar year. If you don't want to use their own service, you can choose to sync with iCal, Outlook, Dropbox, and Toodledo.com as well. Things also has iPad and Mac counterparts that you can purchase separately. Unfortunately Things has consistently disappointed with sync over the years, taking a long time to offer it, and still not offering anywhere near the options of their competitors. Things Cloud is currently in public beta. Unless you're using the beta, Things still only offers Wi-Fi sync between your iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Things is an excellent product, but it's beyond baffling how they could let sync languish for so long. When it comes to syncing, Things is rapidly becoming too little, too late. OmniFocus and Todo, however, both offer options that'll allow you to keep your data in sync. Tie between OmniFocus and Todo. OmniFocus vs. Todo vs. Things: Pricing When it comes to price, task management apps are among the more expensive apps in the App Store. If you use an iPhone, iPad, and Mac, you're looking at a good sized bill across all those devices. To put in context, however, it's less than you'd pay for a great dinner at a great restaurant, and unlike a great meal it won't be gone in a few hours -- you'll be using and benefitting from proper task management for months and years to come. But the price does mean you should choose carefully. OmniFocus will run you $19.99 each for iPhone and iPad. If you want to add the Mac app on top of that, it'll run you an additional $39.99 in the Mac App Store. That brings the grand total to around $80 for the complete suite of apps. Todo is less expensive. The iPhone and iPad apps cost $4.99 a piece. If you'd like to add the Mac version, it'll run you another $14.99. That brings the total for all three to around $25. Things for iPhone will cost you $9.99, while the iPad version is $19.99. The Mac version is the most expensive at $49.99. That brings the total to $80. When it comes to price, if you're buying the full suite of apps, Todo is clearly the least expensive. Things is the same price as OmniFocus for the full suite, but if you don't want or need the Mac app, Things is cheaper for iPhone and iPad than OmniFocus. Likewise if you only want the iPhone version. Either way, Todo wins on price. OmniFocus for iPad - $19.99 - Download Now OmniFocus for Mac - $39.99 - Download Now Todo for iPad - $4.99 - Download Now Todo for Mac - $14.99 - Download Now Things for iPad - $19.99 - Download Now Things for Mac - $49.99 - Download Now OmniFocus vs. Todo vs. Things: Conclusion OmniFocus, Todo, and Things are all at the top of their game and offer some of the best task management apps currently available on not only the iPhone, iPad, and Mac -- but anywhere. Which one is right for you is heavily going to depend on what you need to do. Todo is the cheapest option. Unless you need a specific feature not found in Todo, or really want a different interface and organization structure, it's hard to overcome the sheer difference in price. Things has a fantastic interface but their continued lack of sync is impossible to ignore. By 2012, a beta just isn't enough. Given the price, unless their specific interface is a must have for you, Things is hard to recommend. OmniFocus is a great choice for those who want an easy syncing solution and fine tuned control over all their tasks across all the Apple platforms. It's hard to beat some of the features OmniFocus offers such as Siri integration, location-based reminders, and Forecasts. If you want all that, don't look further than OmniFocus. When it comes to task management on the iPhone, Todo is the best value and OmniFocus is the best overall package. OmniFocus - $19.99 - Download Now Todo - $4.99 - Download Now Things - $9.99 - Download Now App Vs App task management apps iphone task apps Omnifocus Todo Things best task apps for iphone App Store Apps Featured App vs App

Retro Decathlon 2012: Running, Jumping & Throwing Fun on the iPad Posted: 03 Aug 2012 10:34 AM PDT Retro Decathlon 2012: Run, Jump and Throw with us is a new iPad game that's been released this week just in time for the London Olympics and the start of the Track and Field events today. The decathlon has long been considered one of the signature Track & Field events and is said to crown the world's greatest all-round athlete, and this game promises to let you have a crack at it in a playful retro style. Here's a bit of its App Store intro: Retro Decathlon 2012: Run, Jump and Throw with us! allows you to experience ten track and field events in an adorable retro graphics and compare your results with the rest of the world in online leaderboards. 10 games in one: 100 meters sprint, long jump, shot put, high jump, 400 meters run, 110 meters hurdles, discus throw, pole vault, javelin throw, and finally the exhausting 1500 meters run. I've been giving the game a try over the last couple of nights and though I'm far from a master of it, I'm finding it to be good fun. (...) Read the rest of Retro Decathlon 2012: Running, Jumping & Throwing Fun on the iPad (405 words) © patrickj for iPad Insight, 2012. | Permalink | One comment | Add to del.icio.us Post tags: iPad app reviews, iPad game reviews, Retro Decathlon 2012 iPad game

TechHive: Control the keys to your cloud-storage castle Posted: 03 Aug 2012 10:00 AM PDT Cloud-based storage and synchronization services, like Dropbox and Apple's iCloud, offer convenience for those of us who are on the go, and need (or want) access to our data no matter where we are. But as useful as these types of services are, they introduce significant risks for data you store there. Here's what you should know about how cloud storage services keep your data safe, and some ways to make sure that it doesn't fall into the wrong hands.

iPad at Work: iPads to Replace Computers and Sales Counters in AT&T Retail Stores Posted: 03 Aug 2012 08:59 AM PDT Here's another fine example of the iPad being used for far more than just consumption. As Mark Gurman reports at 9to5Mac, AT&T are planning to rollout iPads  to replace computers and sales counters in their retail stores. iPads will be replacing computers that run point-of-sale system software called OPUS – and a feature-complete version of the software will run on the iPads. … this iPad-based system will replicate all functionality from the older, desktop-computer OPUS system. These new iPads will function as a point-of-sale system, an upgrade check system, a system to research customer accounts, and will be capable of doing everything the computers are capable of doing. The iPad rollout to all of AT&T's retail outlets is expected to be done within a couple years, but 9to5Mac are hearing that the early stages of the rollout program may already be well underway: …according to sources, AT&T will begin aggressively deploying these new iPads for a larger test phase in a certain amount of markets by early next year. We've heard that a handful of markets have begun testing these iPads already within the past couple of weeks. We have a very new AT&T store just five minutes away from where I live that looks a lot like the Chicago concept store shown above – but I didn't see any iPads in use by staff when I was in there a couple of weeks ago. Have any of you spotted AT&T staff using iPads in one of their retail stores? © patrickj for iPad Insight, 2012. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us Post tags: iPad at work

Review: Hand Stylus has remarkably tiny nib, one major flaw Posted: 03 Aug 2012 08:30 AM PDT The $30 Hand Stylus, which started out life as a Kickstarter project, gets points for innovation with its retractable 4mm nib, but it may displease those who like writing softly on their device.

You are subscribed to email updates from iPad By Davis To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610