Kindle Fire

Kindle Fire

The Amazon Kindle Fire is the first full tablet device from the world`s largest online retailer. It comes from a family of eBook readers but sets out on its own to give you a connected, interactive experience which focuses on content delivery, multimedia and gaming.

The Kindle Fire is arguably not a direct rival to the iPad 2, but tablet fans will certainly be keen to take a look at it given that Amazon is pricing it at half the cost of Apple`s tablet. The Kindle Fire features a seven inch display with a generous black bezel surrounding it. A native resolution of 1024×600 means that text and images will look crisp, sharp and colourful.

Onboard storage comes in the form of 8GB of Flash memory and there is a dual core processor doing all of the hard work under the surface. You can plug in a standard pair of headphones to listen to music and watch videos in peace, or use the built-in speakers if you wish. The whole device weighs 413 grams, which is quite a bit lighter than the iPad 2, although the Kindle Fire`s smaller screen and form factor accounts for this difference.

The software platform which brings the Kindle Fire to life is Android 2.3, but whilst most will know this as a mobile phone operating system it has been heavily modified by Amazon in order to drastically alter the way it looks and operates. You will be able to carry out all of the tasks typically associated with tablets, including browsing the internet, viewing and sending emails, playing videos, listening to your tunes and of course reading eBooks and comics. However, it is the Amazon-specific changes that are making the headlines.

Firstly it will come with access to a whole host of cloud-based services run by the retail giant. This includes Amazon Cloud Storage, Cloud Player, App Store, Kindles Store, Prime and many more. The ultimate goal is to allow users easy access to the content they want at a price they can afford. Downloading games, videos, books and much more media content will be simple and Amazon is ultimately relying on this to help it monetise the Kindle Fire because analysts predict that it is actually selling it at a loss and looking to recoup the costs further down the line.

Connectivity comes in the form of Wi-Fi and at first there will be no 3G option available for the Kindle Fire, although Amazon is developing such a device that will allow for web access and file downloads across a wider area. Because the Kindle Fire uses cloud based services there is little need for it to have as much storage as the up to 64GB available on the range-topping iPad 2. This is due to the fact that you can put all of your files online and stream or download them as appropriate.

The Kindle Fire is a compelling alternative to the standard Android-based tablets on the market as well as the iPad 2. Those who want an affordable tablet which combines the features of digital media players, laptops, eBook readers and many more should give it a look.

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iPhone 4S Introduces iOS 5

iOS 5, which now can be downloaded on the iPhone 3GS and above, is certainly an integral part of the Apple operating system family and of central importance to the success of the new iPhone 4S phone deals.

This new operating system has a number of features that were not found on earlier versions. With little changing cosmetically on the iPhone 4S we will need to take a look at the new iOS 5 features to see what the iPhone 4S really has to offer.

iCloud

iCloud is an ingenious and ultra useful and well thought out service from Apple. The new cloud feature allows you access to your whole iTunes library on your device anywhere you want, once you have an internet connection. Unlike traditional Cloud services you won’t even have to upload the tracks. Apple has set the iCloud up in such a way that it stores the iTunes track IDs you have and then allows you access to them straight from the library on iCloud.

iMessages

Just like with the blackberry, Apple has included a free messaging service between all the different Apple devices. This will be a huge bonus for the company in the younger market who now won’t have to pay for the messages to their friends with the new app.

Notifications

The new notification section on the device is well thought out and homage to the way it is done on Android. Instead of the message system, Apple has included a drop down notification menu with all the information and changes on the device in one place – a huge help and a lot tidier.

Camera

It is also now possible to access the camera on the phone straight from the lock menu. This is a nice addition and means you don’t have to shuffle through unnecessary menus. If you’re someone who takes spontaneous photos this will be of huge help and will allow you a lot more freedom on the device.

iOS 5 also adds many new software features to the iPhone’s camera bringing it more in to line with competitors. This includes various effects that can be added to photos, and for the first time the iPhone comes with built in face detection.

Siri

The new voice control feature on the iPhone has gotten a lot of press, mainly because of the answers it gives to silly questions. However, its uses are more integrated than that and it works brilliantly with all the iPhone apps on the device.

This new integrated system can be used to keep your diary, voice dialling, sending messages and also a number of other features. It is also able to adapt to accents and learns as it goes, meaning it won’t be so likely to miscomprehend you as other voice control systems.

While most of the new iOS features are available to older devices making the upgrade, Siri is the one feature that is limited to just iPhone 4S use. Apple claim this is because only the iPhone 4S has the processing power to cope with it. Obviously this is not true because prior to Apple’s purchase of Siri it was available on other iOS devices as well.

This is no longer so. Although the iPad surely has the technical power to deal with Siri, and even though some diehard Siri enthusiasts have already managed to create a hacked version of Siri for jailbroken iPads and iPhones, Siri still will not work. This is because all of your voice commands and questions are fed through a central Apple system, rather than being managed directly from your iPhone 4S. Because of this, if you truly wish to enjoy the wonders that Siri brings – you will only be able to do so by purchasing a new iPhone 4S contract.

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Apple iPhone 5

What Will iPhone 5 Offer?

The tech world is abuzz with rumors about Apple’s upcoming iPhone 5, most likely the next in its famous line of smartphones. The exact release date and specs of the iPhone 5 are still not certain, but a number of persistent rumors point to some highly probable details of the much anticipated device.

A New Look?

Until recently, the closest anyone outside of Apple could get to knowing the appearance and form of the iPhone 5 was through countless mockups by designers with no connection to Apple, faint rumors, and other near-fantasy. However, Apple may have recently revealed the iPhone 5′s new look on accident.

The beta of their new Photo Stream program shows an icon of an iPhone-like device, but there is no precedent for its details. It has a rounded rectangular Home button, in contrast to the circular button seen on all previous iOS devices. This button has been vertically truncated to compensate for the new screen size; the screen stretches to cover nearly the entire front surface of the device, with the camera and speaker pushed up to the very top to compensate. Mockups created with this icon as a blueprint indicate that the body of the iPhone 5 is smaller than the iPhone 4, but that the screen is larger, perhaps 4 inches.

Still the Best Screen with Maybe the Best Camera

Even though it has a larger screen, the iPhone 5 is unlikely to have a higher screen resolution than the iPhone 4. The iPhone 4′s infamous 960×640 “Retina” screen is still unparalleled among smartphones in terms of dots per inch, and even if this resolution is spread out from 3.5 inches to 4 inches it will still rank among the densest displays in the touchscreen smartphone world. Another popular rumor is that the iPhone 5 will improve on the iPhone 4′s 4-megapixel camera, doubling its resolution to 8 megapixels, which is the latest standard for high-end smartphones.

Worldwide Compatibility but No LTE

The iPhone 5 is almost guaranteed to be a “world phone,” capable of receiving calls from both CDMA and GSM networks. Verizon’s CFO has hinted at this dual network functionality. Also, a popular app developer who logs use of his apps has reported detecting iOS devices sporting two distinct sets of mobile network codes (MNC) / mobile country codes (MCC) for Verizon and AT&T. The iPhone’s ability to receive signals from the two most popular network styles will make traveling around the world while receiving calls with an iPhone much easier. However, there is no indication that the iPhone 5 will support LTE, and therefore will not have the potential connection speed of 4G devices.

Processing Power

Just as the iPhone 4 inherited the original iPad’s single-core A4 processor, it is likely the iPhone 5 will contain the iPad 2′s dual-core A5 processor. Older apps won’t directly take advantage of the dual-core, although they won’t be so easily hamstrung by background tasks. Benefits will be most noticeable for new apps that feature both complex rendering and complex processing, like games and media production apps.

SIM Only plans may be available for the iPhone 5. AT&T, the iPhone’s longest-standing carrier in the United States, has been offering these plans for several years. This will allow users with existing SIM Only plans to trade up to the iPhone 5 on their own terms, or to easily replace the iPhone 5 with an even more advanced phone sometime in the future. Such plans also tend to have cheaper rates and are not bound by contracts.

The iPhone 5 is heavily rumored for a mid-October release. This will coincide with Sprint’s adoption of iPhones and the finished production of ad agency TBWAChiatDay’s iPhone apps.

Blake Sanders is a tech writer at broadband comparison site Broadband Expert where he specializes in writing on mobile broadband, sim only plans, and the latest in internet service provider news and information.

Note: Photo courtesy of dpolicarpo via FlickR Creative Commons.

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Fake Apple Store In China

I recently went to China (Beijing and Shanghai) a few weeks ago and came across a fake Apple Store in a mall in Shanghai. It was located right next to a fake Sony Store. Here is the picture of me at the fake Apple Store. The products did look legitimate. One of the sales clerk was on a MacBook running Windows XP playing video games. He could have been running BootCamp, Parallels, or VMWare for virtualization.  Flying back to the US, ironically I sat next to an Apple Retail Manager for China. We talked about counterfeits as well as the problem of fake branded stores becoming more popular. I also saw a fake iPhone 5 and fake iPad 2 running Java operating system in Budong district in Shanghai. The performance in the fake products was very unresponsive and therefore unuseable.

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New MacBook Air SSDs are replaceable

The limited harddrive space on the new MacBook Air was holding me back. Now you can upgrade it to 480 gb. I currently have 500 gb on my Macbook Pro 17 2007 running Parallels (Windows XP Pro, Final Cut, Logic Pro, lots of music, some movies, photos), and still have 137 gb free. The New MBA Spring 2011 is also twice as fast as last years MacBook Pro 17! The holy grail has arrived! It will cost you though. Prices are range

• 180 gb $399.99
• 250 gb $519.99
• 360 gb $779.00
• 480 gb $1399.99

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Trent iCruiser IMP1000 External Battery Pack iPad 2

Is 12 hour battery life not long enough for your iPad 2? then you need to get the Trent iCruiser IMP1000 External Battery Pack for iPad 2, iPad, iPhone 4 4G 3Gs 3G (AT&T and verizon) , iPod Touch (1G 2G 3G 4G), HTC Android EVO, Blackberry, Kindle DX, Samsung Galaxy S, Droid, Nintendo, Sony PSP and much more.

Never let your smart phones or tablet PCs run out of battery with this extra battery pack.

The design is compact and portable for the long-lasting backup battery for you to carry whatever you need to go. It can get you an extra 50 hours of iPhone 4 usage and 17 hours of iPad 2 movie time.   This backup battery pack will work with almost every device in the market, such as your iPhone 4 4G 3Gs 3G (Verizon and AT&T), and 1G 2G 3G 4G iPod Touch, Motorola Droid, HTC Android EVO phones and Amazon Kindle DX, Samsung galaxy. IMP1000 can also power Sony PSP and Nintendo DS lite, DSi and Gameboy with additional adapters.  Includes 6 month product warranty.

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The Human Media Lab at Canada’s Queen’s University have created a fully-functioning paper computer using E-Ink smartphone. Tthe Paperphone can do things like making and receiving calls, storing e-books, and playing music.   However, its unique physical properties allows it to be flexible like paper and write on with a pen says Roel Vergaal, director of the Human Media Lab.

It is 9.5-cm (3.74 inch) thick with flexible E-ink display.  The sensors allow it to be recognized differently based on bending gestures while navigating menus, making phone calls, selecting music, or other common smart phone functions. It does not even use electricity when not being used. The team also created a similar device called the Snaplet that can be worn on the wristband.

Via Gizmag

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Cut the Rope HD

This game has confirmed that casual titles need not be unimaginative or fleetingly interesting. Rather than ripping off Bejewelled or Angry Birds, this inexpensive puzzle game asks you to do one thing, using its very title. In its HD form it is perfect for the iPad`s display and the simple, cartoony graphics are instantly appealing.

TweetDeck

One of the best third party Twitter clients around, TweedDeck is designed to let you make the most out of this microblogging service which is quickly becoming one of the most important tools for communication, promotion and activism in the world.

GarageBand

This popular desktop app arrived on the iPad 2 at its launch and is also available for the original model. It is the most comprehensive portable music studio software around, letting you record tracks while you are on the move and play thousands of virtual instruments to craft tunes solo or with friends.

Scrabble

Regularly listed as one of the top iPad apps of all time, Scrabble continues to attract users thanks to its perfect match with the iPad`s touchscreen interface. You can play against the computer for hours of boredom-stifling entertainment and the tactile nature of the controls really works to enhance the experience.

Needs for Speed: Hot Pursuit

This premium racing game is a little more expensive than the competition, although there is a Lite version which will let you try before you buy. Great 3D graphics and exhilarating road-based action where you take the role of a cop or a racer as you tussle for first place behind the wheel of exotic supercars.

Atari Greatest Hits

If you are looking for value for money then this has got to be one of the best collections around. There are 100 games in total covering all of the classic arcade titles from Atari and you can buy them in packs of four or shell out for the whole lot. Anyone who grew up with an Atari 2600 console or spent hours in the arcade will get a kick out of playing them on their iPad, which is a much better platform for this type of title than the iPhone.

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Apple iPad 2

Apple iPad 2

Apple has unveiled the sequel to its iPad tablet, one of the biggest surprises of last year. The iPad 2 launches in March 2011 and although it is evolutionary rather than revolutionary it is certainly a step in the right direction.

From a physical point of view Apple has achieved the impossible, reducing the thickness of the iPad 2 by 30 per cent to its predecessor and actually making it slimmer than the iPhone 4. It is also 90 grams lighter than the original iPad, which may not sound like a lot but can make a big difference when you are holding it for extended periods. The iPad 2 is designed to be held in the hand for a majority of the time, but Apple has made it easier to lay on a flat surface or rest on a stand by flattening its back, eliminating the curve which could prove problematic.

Inside the iPad 2 is a brand new dual core A5 processor which is up to twice as fast as that in the original. Apple CEO Steve Jobs said that it would be nine times more powerful in the graphics department, which is quite a boast and one which should excite gamers and app designers who really want to stretch the visual capabilities of the device.

Apple has embraced the world of photography by equipping the iPad 2 with not one but two cameras. The front-facing camera is designed for FaceTime, its video calling service which uses Wi-Fi to make personal conversations easy over the airwaves. On the rear you have a high megapixel unit for taking still photos and also recording video clips in HD, just like the iPhone 4. Whether users will actually ditch their standalone digital cameras in favour of their tablet is debatable, but it is good to see Apple keeping up with the competition.

All that extra processing power is put to good use not only in games like the gorgeous Infinity Blade but also in the running of new services which will be integrated into the iPad 2`s software. GarageBand, a favourite of Apple computer owners, is becoming available for the iPad, bringing with it virtual instruments, amps and recording which will surely win over more musicians to the device. Apple has also improved iMovie to make editing and playback a doddle and it is harnessing the full dual core setup to its advantage.

The one area in which the iPad 2 has not moved forward is the display. Early indications suggest it is almost identical to the LED backlit model seen on the original. This is fairly acceptable, although its lack of a true widescreen resolution and the rumours of a Retina Display with improved pixel density make it something of a letdown to anyone who has been following the device up to its launch. The iPad 2 may still not feature the same capabilities as notebook computers and laptop deals will typically offer you more bang for your buck, but as a piece of modern technology there is nothing more desirable today.

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Edifier MP250

The Edifier MP250 “Sound to Go” micro speaker for Mac and PCs is small, compact and portable and selling very well in airport stores in the U.S. for laptop use on the road. The MP250 has been honoured with a Product Innovation Award from the 2011 Consumer Electronics Show to be held in Las Vegas January 6-9, 2011. Price: $49.99. Available online in Canada at NCIX.com and at local computer stores. More info: www.edifier.ca

Attached is a spec sheet and an image, let me know if you’d like a higher res image.

Details:

The Edifier MP250 USB is an elegant all-in-one micro speaker system housed in a beautiful brushed aluminium tube finish. Fully portable, this micro speaker system is USB powered with full USB audio streaming capability an an elaborately designed bass passive radiator. Connected to the USB port of a laptop, PC or home-based computer system, MP250 USB provides exceptional audio with far greater performance than any built-in audio solution. Volume control comes from the host device. The system is compact, robust and fully portable, protected by a soft-carry case during transit, enabling audio on the go, for personal or business use.

Price: $49.99. Available online in Canada at NCIX.com and at local computer stores. More info:www.edifier.ca

A technical specification sheet for the MP250 is attached.

About the company:

Edifier has its North American headquarters in Vancouver and, at one time, had its world headquarters in B.C. Its international head office is in Hong Kong and it is one of the largest speaker companies in China with eight million sets sold annually.

Other great Edifier speaker products to feature as Christmas gifts (if you have room).

M20 laptop speaker, iF350 and iF500 from Edifier. Let me know if you’d like product photos and information.

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Every great leap encounters a few hurdles.

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You can now also do FaceTime on the Mac as well. Apple also announced their upcoming Mac App Store.

I’m very tempted to get the MacBook Air 13″ but just concerned with the maximum disk space of up to 256 GB. 512 GB would have been the sweet spot.

What are your thoughts?

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How To Convert iPod Touch to iPhone

The Apple Peel 520 allows you to convert your iPod Touch to an iPhone by installing an add on SIM chip.  The Apple Peel 520 is planning to come the US.   It will convert your favorite portable music device into a fully function iPhone without paying for 3G. You will still have use of WiFi

The Apple Peel 520 is designed like a protective case and comes complete with a dock connector, battery and SIM card. It will provide five hours of talk time and 120 hours of standby use.

The Apple Peel 520 is easy to use after installing the required software. There are two apps that appear on the iPod Touch home screen: Yosian and YsSMS, which provide voice and text support. When the communication module is switched on, a signal bar and a battery icon will appear in the middle of the iPod Touch’s status bar. To make a call, users simply tap the Yosian app icon which loads the numpad screen

The device is currently available in China for 520 Yuan but North American distributor, GoSolar USA said that the first demonstrations of the Apple Peel 520 are expected to arrive in America sometime next week.

“We’re obviously very confident that consumer demand is high for the Apple Peel 520, and we’re looking forward to getting our hands on the first batch,” said GSLO President and CEO Tyson Rohde.

“As soon as they arrive, we’ll begin distributing demonstration models to retail buyers across the country. The amount of interest in this product that we’ve received from distributors has been staggering.”

GoSolar are looking to sell the peripheral in Radio Shack, Best Buy, Walmart and Fry’s Electronics but no details regarding its retail price in the USA have been released as of yet.

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o2 dongle laptop

The internet used to be all about sitting in front of a computer at home or in the office. Now though, thanks to the evolving world of mobile technology we can all stay online pretty much wherever we go. With a bewildering array of gadgets on the market it can be a tough call deciding on which one to go for though, and new products and deals hit the shelves on an almost daily basis.

If you’re looking for a mobile device that can keep you hooked up to the internet both at home and while you’re out and about then there are essentially two options – the laptop or the smartphone. There are pros and cons for going down either route and while laptops have been around for longer, smartphones are fast becoming a real challenger to mobile computing on a laptop, although smaller screens and keyboards will always be the major drawback for some.

Now that laptops have come down in price (you can even sign up for free laptops with mobile broadband) and have been joined by the smaller netbook option it’s possible to pick up an excellent machine for a very small outlay. Some mobile broadband deals even offer a laptop for free, although these generally fall under longer-term mobile contracts of around 24 months. Laptops will need a dongle connected to a USB port on the machine in order to access a mobile broadband network of your choice, but lookout for coverage and data limits when comparing the many and varied deals out there. Lookout for battery life if you’re planning on computing on the move too and durability is another important factor.

A smartphone, meanwhile, makes a great deal of sense if you’re looking for a powerful computing experience on the go, but don’t want the bulk of a laptop or netbook. The screen and keyboard will, of course, be rather more limited, but thanks to a smartphone being an amalgam of the best bits of a computer and the choice cuts from a phone, there’s not much you can’t do on one of these devices. The smartphone also has all of its connectivity options built-in to the unit, so there’s no messing around with dongles.

However, a smartphone can suffer similar problems to the laptop when using mobile services, with coverage and network traffic issues contributing to a slow performance. You may not be able to connect at all in some cases. Data usage is also something to watch out for with smartphones, and both handsets and laptops shouldn’t be seen as a replacement for home broadband services. Current technology doesn’t really make either gadget ideal for downloading large amounts of data such as movies. Things will improve as technology evolves, but mobile gadgets are currently more of a supplement to existing services rather than a replacement.

Whatever mobile computing device you choose, it’s likely that the mobile broadband speed you get will generally be less than the ‘up to’ advertisements you see all over the place. However, it’s a good idea to get some impartial advice from a comparison website like Broadband Genie, which will not only show you the best deals but also save you money on a laptop, smartphone or both.

About the author: Rob Clymo writes on behalf of www.broadbandgenie.co.uk, the independent comparison website for broadband, mobile broadband and smartphones.

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Following the tablet footsteps laid by Apple, Google has built a Chrome OS tablet with help from HTC, and the device will launch on Verizon Wireless’ network come November 26th, 2010 — a date known otherwise as “Black Friday” in 2010.

The tablet is speculated to sport a 1280×720 display, 2GB of RAM, a 32GB solid-state drive, and WiFI/Bluetooth/3G wireless connectivity. Not bad. No word on front face or back camera yet though.

As for now, we would advise you to take the above information in with a grain of salt, at least until some more information on this so-called tablet is made available.

What are your thoughts? You want one?

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Top 5 Useful and Free iPhone Apps

There are thousands of apps available to use on your iPhone, iPod and now your iPad as well and, surprisingly, many of the best are free to download.

The following list shows 5 of the very best free apps that also happen to be extremely useful as well.  There are loads of apps out there that can help make your life that bit easier so it’s well worth going through them to find the ones that will apply to you and your life.

Here are a few of the best useful apps out there that are well-worth a look.

Thetrainline – For those of you who commute to work by train, Thetrainline is a free transport app that outshines all of the others – and it’s free. The app can help you to plan your journey, obtain offline results and timetables and also has a location-aware ‘next train home’ option.  All of these features are available on Thetrianline’s clear and streamlined interface. There are of course other train apps available but many will cost you upwards of £5 and when you can get this one for free and it does the job – why look elsewhere?

Skype – This is a great money-saving app and allows you and your friends to chat to each other for free via your Skype app. The interface is simple and usable, enabling anyone with a Skype account to make free calls to other Skype users and also offers you the ability to make cheap calls to anywhere in the world. Pay as you Go users will find this app particularly useful but so will iPod touch owners as this app also allows them to make calls to other Skype users.

Dropbox – There are many apps out there that transfer content between your computer and your device but this one is free and actually a lot easier to use than many of the paid ones out there.  Any files you want to sync up – just drop them in to a folder on your computer and Dropbox will enable you to access them.

Around Me – Around Me is a great app for when you’re out and about.  It works out where you are and then shows you all the local banks, bars, petrol stations and restaurants etc that are in your vicinity.  The app is really useful when you happen to be in unfamiliar surroundings and the ‘augmented reality’ landscape mode is great for getting to know the area, just be aware that this new technology isn’t completely there yet so expect that you may come across a few little errors.

Moneysupermarket.com Voucher App – No matter what you’re looking for, moneysupermarket.com will no doubt have a voucher for it that will help make savings on your purchases. There are thousands of free discount codes and vouchers on this iPhone app that can help all UK shoppers save money on whatever they want to buy.

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Apple iTunes Cloud Lala Very Cloudy

Many people expected that Apple would offer your iTunes music and movies over the cloud after it acquired Lala.com last December. That is of course after Apple obtained the appropriate music licenses to do so. Lala, the music serviced, shut down after being acquired by Apple this past May.

The Lala team leadership that went to Apple after the acquisition seems to leaving. Bill Nguyen, Lala’s founder, is known to be press friendly and against Apple’s culture of secrecy. Another founding member has left the company leaving Apple’s media cloud plans in a haze.

Google, on the other hand, hired Elizabeth Moody, an attorney with deep experience negotiating digital-music deals. Record executives expect Moody will help cut the first cloud music licensing agreement. Google has told label managers that it wants to launch a music service this year.

Apple is not worried though since it is still the #1 online and offline music store and jukebox.

However, in this fast pacing media game, tables can turn very quickly.

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Features

• Clip-on, sleek looking table and desktop stand for your iPad
• Solid and strong aluminum base
• Precision molded polycarbonate frame to hold the iPad securely
• Hold iPad in both landscape and portrait orientation
• Multiple viewing angles for surfing, reading or movie viewing
• Cutout gives access to iPad’s dock connector for charging and syncing

MSRP: US$49.99

About InnoPocket

Founded in 1999, InnoPocket designs and manufactures a complete line of custom cases for laptop, PDA, smartphones, MP3 players and gaming devices.

GadgetMETER’s Take

This would be great for a keyboard and desktop solution as well.

Contact
InnoPocket
Website: http://www.innopocket.com

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After years of rumors, Apple will finally open an Apple Store in Philadelphia on Walnut Street! I walk by here almost every day. It’s amazing how Apple can keep its store openings and product releases so secret.

Apple will hold the grand opening celebration for Apple Store Walnut Street in Philadelphia on Friday, July 30, 2010 at 5pm ED

Address: Apple Store Walnut Street
1607 Walnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103

The Apple Store Walnut Street is the best place to learn about all the latest products from Apple, including the new iPhone 4 featuring FaceTime, which makes the dream of video calling a reality, and Apple’s stunning new Retina display, the highest resolution display ever built into a phone. Customers can experience Apple’s entire product line hands-on including the magical new iPad that lets users browse the web, read and send email, enjoy and share photos, watch videos, listen to music, play games, read ebooks and much more. Visitors to the store can also try the updated MacBook and MacBook Pro with the NVIDIA processor for up to 80 percent faster graphics, and the incredibly popular iPod touch with access to more than 225,000 apps offered on the revolutionary App Store.

Every Apple Retail Store offers a range of free services designed to help customers get the most out of their Apple products, including face-to-face support and advice at the Genius Bar, hands-on workshops and special programs for kids. Customers who buy a Mac®at the Apple Retail Store or Apple’s Online Store can also join the popular One to One program. For just $99, owners of a new Mac get Personal Setup to customize their computer and transfer files from their old Mac or PC, plus a year of Personal Training sessions and Personal Project support on a wide range of topics, from getting started on a Mac to advancing their digital photography or moviemaking skills.

UPDATE BY JAY: Here are some more pictures I took when the family and I stopped by after dinner on Friday night.  As you can see, quite the mad press!

And the requisite panoramic view!

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3. Apple iTunes Cloud Lala Very Cloudy

On Protection.

Over the long weekend, I did a bunch of tech stuff I’d been meaning to do for some time. Most importantly, I installed a clear protector onto our new iPhones. For the first time, I used the BodyGuardz line of protective sheets rather than the InvisibleShield line. The BodyGuardz are a much better value. For $25 you get two sets of protective sheets that fully cover the iPhone’s front, back, and sides. Installing them was relatively straightforward but it conclusively proved why I would never be a surgeon.

There is a level of mental comfort in having these shields on our phones. But to cover up that amazing screen with anything is just a darn shame. No film application is ever perfect, and any bubbles are incredibly annoying. The liquid applicator they provide does create a thin glaze under the film which detracts from the beauty of the iPhone’s screen when it’s off. On the plus side, it does give a little bit more tactile grip to the iPhone. I also think it helps a bit with the attenuation issues people have been suffering when they touch the sides. The side films seem designed to exactly fit the phone but it is exceedingly difficult to apply them so that they run the full length properly. I ended up overlapping the antenna gaps just slightly, which seemed to act as a non-conductive layer between my fingers and the band. I don’t know if this is an intended benefit or not, but it’s relatively cheap to try out if you’re having major issues. I personally haven’t noticed a huge problem with attenuation or service interruption but that could just be me.

For now, I’m planning to keep these on the phone, at least until the cases I ordered come in. This phone is never going to be outside a case anyways so I may decide to remove the front film to let the gorgeous screen shine through.

And if anyone has a good case recommendation for the iPad, could they please contact me?  All the cases I’ve tried out so far suck.  I don’t want a sleeve and I don’t want a backside-only protector.  I need something that I can use on a desk as well as on the sofa, and it needs to support the iPad in portrait and landscape modes.  I like the Apple case, but it’s just a little too cheap-looking for me and I’d ideally love a case that has a latchable/securable front protector.

UPDATE (7/14/2010): I’ve had the Bodyguardz film on the iPhone for about a week now, and the glaze underneath has vanished completely.  The screen protector is still visible (you can see where the cutouts are for the speaker and the front facing camera) and it feels like there is more “depth” when hitting the Home button.  I gotta say that I am really liking the Bodyguardz.  I no longer think they interfere with the Retina Display and for all intents and purposes, they’ve disappeared from my perception, which is kind of the point of these things.  I’ve definitely noticed a decline in the number of dropped calls as well, though that needs to be heavily caveated.  First off, I don’t make a ton of calls so I’m not a great sample.  Second, since the issue has been covered to death in every tech blog and news rag, I’ve been more aware of how I hold the phone.  Finally, I could never consistently reproduce the issue, so I may not have been impacted.  Having said all that, I routinely hold the iPhone 4 in my left hand with the antenna gap perilously close to be covered by the base of my thumb and I’m sure I’ve covered that gap on calls, both before and after the film application.  Since I’ve applied the Bodyguardz, I have not had a single dropped call.  Period.  So perhaps the combination of the side protection plus my clumsy application have created a nice little insulated zone around the antenna openings that is helping my calling?  In any case, I’ve become a big fan of these things, and their customer service can’t be beat.  They were prompt to answer my emails about returning my extra films, and they were prompt about issuing me a refund.  Good on ya, guys – keep up the great work.  I am seriously considering buying a set of the iPad 3G protection skins to replace my InvisibleShield cover.  The InvisibleShield just seems to attract more dirt, though that could just be due to the increased surface area.  But definitely something I’m considering in the longer term…

iPad vs. iPhone

I’m fairly sure that if I had gotten the iPhone 4 before my iPad, I would have skipped the first gen iPad in hopes that the second gen would come with a Retina Display. Apple probably knew this, which is why they didn’t pull out the iPad as a “One More Thing” during the iPhone launch.  I still love my iPad but the iPhone is proving good enough for almost everything I need to do when I’m mobile.  I have used the iPhone for navigation, for checking newsfeeds, and for recipes.  It’s perfectly fine as a quick reference device, especially since the Retina Display makes it so much easier to read despite its small screen real estate.  But for consuming books and video, for gaming, and for productivity, the iPad is still the superior device.  Am I glad I have both?  Yes.  Should I have gotten the unlimited data plan for both?  Probably not.  I’m spending $60/mo on data access for the i-Devices, which is a bit much.  I’m seriously considering dropping my unlimited plan on the iPad, except that I’d still like roaming access, so I’d only be saving $5/mo (I refuse to pay for tethering, which is just AT&T saying “please bend over” while holding a very thick broom).  I’m really annoyed that Apple didn’t put a decent GPS chip inside the Wi-Fi only version, since that’s the main reason I went with the 3G iPad.

iPhone Antenna Issues

One of my best friends is a bigshot at M&M/Mars.  He was once asked to participate on a panel discussion at a telecom conference.  The audience consisted of telecom providers who wanted to know how to best sell into the large enterprise market, especially because things like data and messaging were just starting to become popular.  One of the audience members stood up and asked him what he looks for in a mobile phone.  In response, my friend pulled out his Nokia phone (which was at least 2 generations out of date) and said “I’d like it to work as a phone.”  Tech companies really seem to forget this basic concept – it’s a smart phone.  If it can’t make calls, it’s not a phone, it’s a mobile device.  Apple is being disingenuous when they blame the iPhone‘s attenuation problems on their inability to do math.  Too many people are complaining about a problem making calls, which is humorous if you’re not the one suffering from the problem.  But when you’re trying to call 911 late at night after you’ve witnessed a crime or been in an accident, it’s really not funny.  The bad thing is that I can’t rely on the iPhone as an emergency contact device, issues with AT&T service aside.  When I’m trying to call for an ambulance, I really don’t want to worry about whether I’m levitating the phone correctly to maximize signal strength.

It also means that every time I see one of those Apple videos featuring their internal designers talking earnestly about how hard they tried to create beauty and how magical the i-Device is, I’m going to just laugh and blow them off (even more so than I already do) as self-loving nerds.  No matter how good they think they are and no matter how pretty their end result, I know they failed.  Gizmodo had a great post about just how huge a failure this is on Apple’s part – they’ve fallen so in love with themselves that they are ignoring the fact that good industrial design means that it works, not just that it’s pretty.  If I have to think about how to use a product, something’s wrong, and Apple has only themselves to blame.  They’ve been promoting that mode of thought ever since they released the first iPhone.  Yet now here they are saying, basically, “yes always think about how you’re using your iPhone to make sure you’re not using it wrong”.

Luckily, phone calls are rare and far between in my household, and 90% of my calls are to my fiancée, who is also on AT&T, so those minutes buckets are pretty much unlimited.  I really hope, though, that she’s never stuck late at night on a bus coming home from work and trying to reach me.

iPad’s Video and iPod apps

These apps suck.  Suck suck suck suck suck.  No other way to put it.  Why they are split into two apps rather than the single iPod app that’s provided on the iPhone is beyond me.  There is obviously some higher design principle at work that I am too pedestrian to understand.  But when I can’t skip through a list of video podcasts using the CONTROLS PROVIDED FOR THEM, I consider that a pretty major design flaw.  The only way I can move from one video to the next without picking and choosing each one is if I create a playlist.  That’s just stupid, Apple.  Why should I create a playlist of video podcasts when the Videos app has a podcast section?  And is there any reason why you decided that TV shows don’t need to have any identifying information aside from a still image from the show itself?  Maybe I’d like to, oh I don’t know, see the SHOW’S NAMES?!?!?  You guys are starting to approach Microsoft levels of stupidity with these issues, and I sincerely hope that you fix them in the next version by providing an iPod app, rather than this craptastic Video/Music split function junk.

On the plus side, you seem to have fixed the issue with Smart Playlists not being synced when Live Updating is checked.  I think it’s only been about a year now since that issue’s been reported?  So I guess I should expect an iPod app on the iPad when you release iPad 3.0?

UPDATE (7/14/2010) – Yea, Apple, your Video app sucks hairy moose testicles.  What is the sense in showing one sequence of videos on the iPad and a completely different sequence in iTunes?  This weekend I was playing through some TV shows I’d ripped and I realized they were completely out of order on the iPad.  Since I’m a metadata FREAK, I quick checked the iTunes versions to see what I’d screwed up.  Lo and behold, the iTunes list was in correct order.  After much trial and error, I realized that the iPad sorts TV shows using the Track Number while iTunes uses Season and Episode Number.  Can someone tell me how the team that created the Video app thought this was a good idea?  It’s like they decided to remove the Video functionality in the iPod app but just do a half-assed job of it so that they could piss off as many people as possible.  So for those of you trying to figure out why the hell the iPad isn’t sequencing your shows correctly – either fill in both Track Number and Episode Number fields for each show, or just rely on Track Number to do your sorting.  Of course, if you choose the latter, I fully expect that one day Apple will fix this stupidity and then you’ll have to go back and re-enter the Episode Number data so you might as well do both now.

iPad memory issues

I’m running a jailbroken iPad, primarily because I can.  Now I understand that jailbreak tech is really young on the iPad and developers are still trying to figure out how to do it right.  But I’m seriously concerned about the iPad’s lack of RAM.  I think Apple made a bad choice when they went with 256MB in the iPad vs the 512MB in the iPhone 4, because when multitasking comes along, apps are going to be seriously memory constrained.  Apple’s limited implementation of multi-tasking in iOS (a name I predicted here on this blog well before His Jobs-ness announced it) is a lot more memory-efficient than traditional multitaskers a la Backgrounder.  But still  - I see memory leaks all the time running apps like Reeder and TweetDeck under the jailbroken iOS 3.2.  And I’m pretty sure that it’s not due to leaks in the jailbreak code.  TweetDeck reboots itself regularly on the half-hour, even when it’s the only app running on the iPad.  Running it on an unjailbroken iPad, the reboot periods are longer but I know they still were happening.

My guess is that iPad iOS 4.0 is going to be based a lot on iPhone iOS 4.0.  It’s a little aggressive to have the entire code base made common between the two platforms, but it’s inevitable that that will happen.  My guess is iOS 5.0 next year will be the first true common iOS base for all Apple platforms.  They can’t keep doing this multi-version iOS thing forever, especially if they release an iOS for AppleTV and for the Mac.  That would be four different fragments of the same base, which would make Android look like a bamboo shoot in terms of variety.

Multiple users on the iPad

The iPhone is intended to be a single-user device.  No bigs – it’s (marginally) a phone, it’s small, it’s got a fixed identifier (the phone number) attached to it – it’s very personal.  The iPad, for all its “magic”, is a multi-user device.  I’d like to share my iPad with my fiancée and a regular basis and my son has basically adopted the iPad as his own when he’s with us.  I’m totally cool with that, but it means that I’ve removed all my email accounts from the iPad.  I’d like some way to have user profiles and app sharing rules set up so that I can control what others accessing my iPad have access to.  I know user accounts are a big OS overhead issue, and there would be all kinds of complaints that Apple didn’t allow fast switching etc etc.  But basic user-level customization would go a long way to making the iPad a viable family device.  There’s no way I’m buying iPads for every member of the family and it’s stupid for Apple to think that people actually will do this.

And while we’re on the subject, Apple’s lack of controls on their Safari browser means that there is no way to control/limit kids’ access to the Internet.  Apple only allows binary control – either Safari is on or it’s off.  There’s no way to firewall or block access to non-approved sites.  Tools like OpenDNS’s Family Shield are a good start, but it’s relatively easy to circumvent.

So what do you guys think?  Am I way off base?  Spot on?  Comment up any of your complaints or compliments!

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iPhone 4

Steve Jobs says the new iPhone is beyond any consumer product that’s ever been seen, only 9.3mm thick and 24 percent thinner than the iPhone 3GS, making it the “thinnest smartphone on the planet.”

Availability
The new iPhone 4 arrives on June 24, while preorders begin on June 15. It is available in the same prices and capacities as last year’s model: $199 for 16GB, and $299 for 32GB. The iPhone 3GS will be available for $99.

Internals
The new hardware also has a larger battery that offers longer uptime, including 7 hours of talk time 3G, 6 hours of 3G browsing, 10 hours of Wi-Fi browsing, 10 hours of video, 40 hours of music, and 300 hours of standby.

Dual cameras
The iPhone 4 also includes a whole-new camera system that includes LED flash with a 5 megapixel lens that records HD video. The new rear camera will record 720p video at 30 frames per second. Users can also use built-in video editing to trim their HD clips right on the phone.

The handset’s forward facing camera can be used for video chat with the application FaceTime, allowing users to see someone using another iPhone 4 as they talk to them. Videos can also be edited using the new iMovie application, which will cost $4.99 on the App Store.

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Captcha Fail - Hideous Secretaries

Captcha is the scrambled text that shows up requiring the user to enter manually to prevent automated bot systems from spamming. Every once in awhile, a funny captcha appears that is worth sharing. This particular captcha comes from craigslist.org. How many hideous secretaries have you seen?

In similar news, Google acquired reCAPTCHA, which is a service to secure websites while at the same time helping computers learn to read old and scanned text. The scanned text and the second is a random. reCAPTCHA determines statistically how often users get the scanned word correctly. If it is a high degree of accuracy, then the system assumes that is the word.

Leveraging user input through captcha text is a scalable approach to scan all the books that Google wants to do with a high level of accuracy. You know how they say that eventually, we all work for Google?

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Docs by Microsoft and Facebook

Look out Google because Microsoft and Facebook are teaming up to challenge Google Docs online document sharing.

Microsoft Docs looks like a real threat to Google Docs because simply Microsoft still makes a better word processor than Google. Facebook’s crowd sourcing and social networking platform creates a true online desktop and utility for productivity. Docs also have a simple domain name that people can remember http://www.docs.com.

Google needs to respond with a true social networking strategy by merging their Gmail, YouTube, and Picassa audience to a single destination to share and communicate more seamlessly. They have made a pathway so far with integrating Buzz into Gmail. It was disappointing, however, that Google Wave was still a separate destination that needed another active conversion for adoption. Furthermore, their UI across different sites like Gmail, YouTube, and Picassa do not have similar look and feel.

Via http://docs.com

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Never thought my words would actually be heard from Google. They must have found it through Search

Why is Google building a high speed network? It is because the faster the network, the more people will be online which means the more ads they can display. Furthermore, Google can charge a subscription for access that is competitive to other ISPs. Google can also lease its fast fiber network to other ISPs as well for further revenue.

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It’s one of 18 finalists in this year’s Greener Gadgets Design Competition. The mouse uses kinetic energy to power it and is also made from 100% recycled plastic components and recycled and biodegradable cork. The Corky mouse uses piezoelectricity to generate energy every time you click, use the scroll wheel, or even move it around.

Plans for the mouse include regional sourcing and assembly, product take-back and recycling, and disassembly data will be easily accessible for recycling centers. So this mouse seems all around to be a more sustainable option. And cork feels nice, doesn’t it? Much nicer than plastic any day.

Go vote for it at Greener Gadgets Design Competition!

Via Inhabitat.com

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All it requires is access to a USB port and the installation of a preference pane and BAM! You have BASS!

So whether you are sitting around the apartment listening to the latest Massive Attack while writing macabre short stories (like me), or surfing the internet while taking a trip down memory lane with The Pharcyde’s Bizarre Ride II (also like me), you won’t be missing out on half of what makes both of those album’s great, i.e. the bass-line.

Via Wired’s GadgetLab

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Captured at 1/1 11:11

Happy New Year to everyone from the folks at GadgetMETER. GadgetMETER is now officially 1 year old and I am proud of what we’ve accomplished in that time.

One of my New Years resolution consists of simplifying my online and offline lifestyle.

• Get rid of junk in my house I haven’t used in years
• Eat less or no meat.
• Reduced the number of RSS subscriptions.
• Deactivated my Facebook account. (I’ll talk more about this later).
• Discovered http://mnmlist.com and http://minimalmac.com. These are two great websites if you feel you are too distracted with todays bombardment of information.
• Run a 10k
• Enrolled at UPenn for Graduate School.
• De clutter my MacBook desktop and menu bar

Now, if you are wondering how this screenshot is appropriate for this post. Well, I just happen to look at my iPhone at exactly 1/1 11:11pm so I quickly captured it. The background is a picture of Monica Belluci on my jail broken iPhone. Pretty cool huh? It must be a sign because I see it as a way to reset our tech lifestyle and look back at what’s really important: family, friend (true friends, not the persons you don’t know on your Facebook), health, and the environment. Today, we have way too many distractions in our life that really clouds our judgetment on what’s really important. Let’s take time to get rid of online and offline baggage and welcome the New Year!

So I propose this New Years Challenge for you.

• Go take a walk.
• Meet with a friend for coffee.
• Enough with Twitter already. It’s really just for celebrities!
• Delete contacts on Facebook you don’t ever engage with. Heck, deactivate your Facebook account like I did!
• Delete LinkedIn. Who really uses this anyway?
• Stop texting while having lunch or dinner with someone. Enjoy the moment.
• Volunteer at a community center or shelter.
• Donate to a charity: time, money, clothes, food. It can be anything.
• Read a long form book.
• Go camping or hiking.
• Call up a friend. No texting!

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Adam explains that Internet search engines such as Google, Bing, Yahoo, are becoming gate keepers of information and that their results should be unbiased and ranked on relevance. There is truth to this. If Search Neutrality should be the case, we would essentially have a single search engine for all our needs because they would all share the same algorithm to rank sites and content. However, what search neutrality implies is that all the engines would have the same exact results which would be anti-competitive. A user is not forced to user Google or any other search engine. The openness of the Internet allows for anyone with the best service to succeed without prohibition. Isn’t that what Net Neutrality is all about? Google itself hardly ever advertise it’s service. Users flock to Google because it does provide the most simple and effective search results. By having different search engines with varied results and services, creates competition for all sides and ultimately benefiting the users.

Adam Raff does disclose that he works for Foundem – a search site to compare products. Raff alleges that his site’s Google search rankings disappeared and thus stunted his company’s growth. Writing an article against Google on the NY Times is also a sure way to bring exposure to your company doesn’t it? What Raff doesn’t explain is why his site disappeared from search results. Gaming the system by adding keywords hidden behind background colors can do this. Listing your site on link farms solely for the purpose of Search Engine Optimization can also put your site in the “bad neighborhood”. Raff does not explain how his site might have been black listed by Google or what he tried to do to remedy the situation.

Raff further claims that Google isn’t innovative as people expect but instead buy a lot of other companies such as YouTube and Applied Semantics (now AdSense). AdWords is developed by Google but licensed under its inventors Overture. My response to this is – so what? Is buying another company a moral crime? What does acquisitions have to do with search neutrality? My understanding of what Raff is trying to say is that Google can provide preferential treatment to search rankings for it’s affiliated services as somehow it is not beneficial to the user. Hey, Raff, remember, you can still use Bing or Yahoo if you want Search Neutrality as you claim. Why is Google singled out in your article? You didn’t mention Microsoft’s interest in providing Bing as the search engine for Yahoo. I take it because your site wasn’t black listed from them.

Raff has a lot of superfluous reasons for search neutrality. However, he can best support his argument by presenting a case where if a site is black listed from a search engine without justifiable cause, then there should be an explanation and process to fix this. However, Raff’s article seems more like a kid ranting he didn’t get picked to play basketball. Maybe Raff’s next article should be on Sports Neutrality where every player no matter what his skill set, gets to score.

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MacBook Touch iTablet

Oppenheimer released their report on the rumored Apple Tablet predicting the size and functionality of the potential game changer. It also suggested the pricing and sales structure for publishers and the app store.

You can download it here (right click save as).

Thank you Kevin Rose for this.

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Google doodle featuring Popeye

• Google doodle depicts Popeye eating spinach
• 115th anniversary of E.C. Segar’s birthday

When I was 5 years old, I went through a phase where I was really into Popeye. I remember as a kid walking around acting tough (and even enjoying my spinach). An aunt still calls me by Popeye till this day. I even had a pipe through blew out bubbles!

When I opened up Chrome this morning, it went straight to the Google home page where I saw this latest doodle. It brought back a lot of childhood memories. Popeye was an inspiration to me where the little guy can beat the brute (his nemesis was Bluto) and still get the girl Olive Oyl. Whenever Popeye and Bluto fought, Popeye would lose at first until he finds a can of spinach in his back pocket or laying around some where. As soon as he eats it, his fore arms grew 3x its size. I always wondered why Bluto wouldn’t just eat the spinach as well. Heck, even Olive Oyl could use some calories.

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First, the Macally ECOFAN Bamboo Laptop Stand with Fan from Amazon.com ($36.69).

I’m on my laptop a good portion of every day and yes, it does get hot, even with the Lap Desk I currently use. Not only is the bamboo laptop stand stylish, but it has a built in fan to keep my laptop cool.
Strangely the Pro version, which features three height adjustable levels, is actually cheaper. But I still haven’t found one I can comfortably put on my lap (my preferred modus operandi).

Keeping in the sustainable and stylish spirit of bamboo, next is the VerseAudio iPhone Bamboo Hard Case.

$39.99 from Vers Audio. It’s beautiful, practical, sustainable, and not too expensive. Except that I’d also have to get an iPhone for x-mas (hint hint). Excellent dual gift, imo.

Finally, if I do get said iPhone for x-mas, well then it would only make sense to get the first Apple-licensed iPhone solar charger to go along with it.

The Surge for iPhone, $70 from SolarArcadia. Two hours of direct solar exposure provides 30 minutes of talk time on a 3G network, or 60 minutes of talk time on a 2G network.
It also includes a USB port so you can charge or sync with your computer without taking it out of the case.
My preferred color is green, btw.

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Google Wave Invite

Google Wave is a hot topic now. It is Google’s ambitious project for next generation unified real-time communication and collaboration tool. I finally got my invite and can now invite up to 8 others. I’m giving them away so if anyone is interested contact me through the web form. It even works on the iPhone!

What is a wave?

A wave is equal parts conversation and document. People can communicate and work together with richly formatted text, photos, videos, maps, and more.
A wave is shared. Any participant can reply anywhere in the message, edit the content and add participants at any point in the process. Then playback lets anyone rewind the wave to see who said what and when.
A wave is live. With live transmission as you type, participants on a wave can have faster conversations, see edits and interact with extensions in real-time.

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From The Manufacturer

Flexible Paper Handling and High Yield Toner for Volume Applications
Using Brother’s high-yield replacement toner cartridges (TN-115 series cartridges sold separately), you can enjoy lower operating costs and greater output for increased efficiency. And with a generous 300-sheet total paper capacity consisting of a 250-sheet paper tray and a 50-sheet multi-purpose tray, the HL-4040CDN can handle large-scale print jobs with ease. Plus, with flexible paper handling that accepts a wide range of media types and sizes, you can print high-quality business materials using letter- and legal-sized paper, envelopes, and more.

Fast Printing in Brilliant Color
Create professional-quality documents in color or monochrome at speeds of up to 21 pages per minute (ppm). Produce brilliant color documents at print resolutions up to 2400 x 600 dpi for exceptional clarity when printing business materials with both text and graphics.

Automatic Duplex Printing for Easy Two-Sided Documents
Create two-sided documents quickly and easily thanks to the HL-4040CDN’s duplex feature that automatically prints on both sides of the paper for professional-looking business documents. Automatic duplexing also helps to reduce paper consumption, as well as mailing and filing costs.

Built-in Ethernet Network Interface
The Brother HL-4040CDN offers Ethernet networking capabilities for added versatility. Its standard network interface allows multiple computers within a workgroup to connect to a single printer.

Direct Printing via USB Flash Memory Drive and PictBridge
Sometimes you just need a printout fast, and the HL-4040CDN has got you covered. Simply connect any USB flash memory drive to the printer’s USB Direct Interface, and enjoy fast printing without the need for a computer. This saves time and provides added convenience in a fast-paced office setting.

The HL-4040CDN also supports quick and easy direct printing of images from any PictBridge-enabled digital camera without having to download them to a computer first.

Compatible with both Windows and Macintosh, the Brother HL-4040CDN Color Laser Printer measures 16.5 x 18.7 x 12.5 inches (WxDxH) and weighs 64.2 pounds. It is backed by a one-year express exchange limited warranty.

What’s in the Box
HL-4040CDN Laser Printer, one TN110BK Standard Yield Black Toner Cartridge (approx. 2,500 pages), TN110C Cyan, TN110Y Yellow and TN110M Magenta Standard Yield Color Toner Cartridges (approx. 1,500 pages each), and one DR110CL Drum Unit (approx. 17,000 pages.) [Toner yields are approximate and are based on 5% coverage (letter). Drum life may vary based on various types of use.]

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Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Instead of the usual answers to what are you thankful for? Family, friends, blah blah blah. I want to ask you what Free Apps are you thankful for?

It takes a lot of effort to develop applications. We should recognize the author’s efforts.

Here is my personal list to start:

• WordPress
• Shazam
• Pandora
• YouTube
• Gmail
• Google Chrome
• Google Voice
• Google Calender
• Google Apps
• Google Docs
• Firefox
• Dropbox
• Cydia (iPhone Jailbreak)
• LogMeIn Free

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Sithsense Paper Laptop

I have been following Pranav Mistry’s SixthSense technology since his debut at TED conference in which he had a standing ovation. SixthSense allows for an ultra portable and interactive augmented reality based on genstures. It enables interactions between the real world and digital information.

His latest invention which he displayed at TED will kill any iTablet rumor from Apple or likes. Better yet, it is the introduction of the paper “laptop”. It works by attaching a microphone on the paper to sense the touch. Check out the whole video.

Via Engadget

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Previously, I used ProTools LE. It has great workflow but wasn’t very reliable. I didn’t get the performance as I did with Logic Studio. Furthermore, I had to purchase a lot of 3rd party software synthesizers that required the despicable USB dongle. The USB dongle is essentially a hardware USB drive that has your authorization code in it to run the program. I received this email from KORG (music equipment supplier) a few days ago that tells me they no longer support USB dongles but now authorizes the key to your computer. It is very confusing and it just reinforces my hatred towards these things. Why am I as a legitimate buyer have to suffer while software pirates do not have to deal with this issue?

This is another reason I switched to Logic Studio. I don’t need USB dongles sticking taking up slots on my MacBook Pro. It comes with world class plugins that meets me musical creative needs.

Dear KORG Legacy Collection user,

We hope you are enjoying your KORG Legacy Collection software suite.

This email is to inform you that we have released the latest updater. Thank you for your patience.
Please be sure to read the following notice with regards to the changes in copy protection for Korg Legacy products.

******************************

************************************
Important notice regarding changes to the copy protection method for Korg Legacy software titles
******************************************************************

November 9, 2009

Korg announces that there is a change to the copy protection method for the KORG Legacy Collection series. Korg is switching from the USB Key Copy Protection to the Challenge/Response License Authorization where a unique license code is issued to your computer.

To all KLC series customers, we apologize for any inconvenience associated with this change, and greatly appreciate your cooperation and understanding.

Today, we have released KLC updaters* where you can choose either copy protection method. Please note that we are going to stop providing user support services for the USB Key Copy Protection system effective from April 30, 2010. And from May 2010, any updates we issue will support only the Challenge/Response License Authorization system, not the USB Key Copy Protection system.

We appreciate your continuing support for Korg’s KLC series products.

KORG Legacy Collection team

*… KLC-1/Virtual MS-20/ANALOG EDITION/ANALOG EDITION 2007 v1.2.3, KLC-DIGITAL EDITION v1.3.2

For information on downloading/installation of the new license authorization based versions, please visit the following web page.
http://www.korguser.net/shop/software/support/copyProtection/

For Frequently Asked Question concerning the new copy protection method, please visit the following web page.
http://www.korguser.net/shop/software/support/copyProtection/faq.asp

******************************************************************
KORG Legacy Collection series update
******************************************************************

KLC-1/Virtual MS-20/ANALOG EDITION/ANALOG EDITION 2007 are updated to v1.2.3 respectively, and KLC-DIGITAL EDITION is updated to v1.3.2.

The stability has been improved (including bug fixes), and this version now supports Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard (32-bit).
*Regarding Windows 7 support, we will check the compatibility after DAW applications support this OS.

You can download the updater freely from the “Download for registered users” section of KORG USER NET (http://www.korguser.net). Enter your registered e-mail address and password into the provided fields on the right side of login page, log into KORG USER NET and click [Download for registered users].

==================================================================
Please do not reply to this e-mail address. This is not an active reply desk. All queries should be directed to your local Korg distributor:
http://www.korguser.net/html/distributors_list.html
==================================================================

Sincerely yours,
KORG USER NET

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Google Voice Quick Reference

Google Voice is really quite an amazing service with a lot of features – for free. Granted if you have a smart phone with browser or near a computer to manage your calls. For those of you still sticking to your dinosaur phone lacking an Internet browser, this Google Voice Quick Reference is for you. Just print it out and put it into your pocket. I didn’t even know some of these features were available such as conversation recording. Managing Google Voice features is now whole lot faster.

Via TechCrunch

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Transfer Your Mobile Number to Google Voice

I’ve been using Google Voice since it was owned by Grand Central. It is a great platform for managing free calls, SMS, and contacts with intelligence. Now Google Voice lets you port your mobile number from your carrier to Google as well. This way, your voicemail is accessible from the cloud. By allowing Google Voice to manage my voicemail, it solves my issue with AT&T which prevents me from receiving voicemail notifications. Once you receive a voicemail, you can be alerted a number of ways by transcribed email or SMS text messages.

Google Voice can let you have a single phone number that automatically rings to your mobile, work, home and other phones based on rules and settings. For example, calls from your kids will ring all numbers while office related contacts only ring your work number.

The process to move your carrier number to Google Voice requires a few steps. However, it is very worth it in the end.

Via TechCrunch

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This steamer trunk turned portable office, as far as design goes, is really quite beautiful. I would totally consider having it in my office (if I had an office) and would actually use it as my storage and work space if it wasn’t for the $4000 price tag.
As for traveling with it, I don’t think that is was actually the intention of the designers.
I wonder if I could get a faux-leather version for cheaper?

Via Boing Boing

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Google Wave iPhone App

Google Wave has been making headlines in the tech world. Not many people know this since not everyone received the official invite yet but it already works in the iPhone. It looks quite fantastic.  You can simply go to wave.google.com in mobile Safari on your iPhone and wil be prompted that you are using a browser not supported during the preview, however, once you click through, it actually works well.

You can save a bookmark on your Home screen and it creates a little icon like other Web pages on the iPhone. However, Google Wave is a bit different. Once you launch it it removes the Safari wrapper which allows you to nagivate to another page or search the Web. It actually looks like a regular native iPhone app.

The screen shot on the right is what Google Wave looks like on the iPhone launched from the Home screen bookmark. The screen shot at the bottom is what it looks like from within Safari.

Via TechCrunch

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Dropbox Online Storage and iPhone App

Dropbox is an easy to use online file storage that syncs your files across all your computers. I installed it recently and must say it is very intuitive, easy, and fast! You simply go to their website, create and account, and then install on your computer (both Windows and Mac compatible). You can then select your drop box folder to by synced. Files or folders that are in your Dropbox folder are then synchronized online. The performance is great. When you make a change, Dropbox sends the “delta” only to the server thus making the change very quickly. You can also access your files through the website.

The free version begins with 2 Gig of storage space with an additional 1 Gig by referring friends. There is also premium paid version which offers much more.

Dropbox recently released an iPhone application to make it even easier to access your files anywhere in the world. This new iPhone app will let you get access to all your Dropbox documents, PDF’s, pictures, videos and much more. Dropbox also introduced offline viewing in the iPhone app, with “Favorites.” If you add a file to your ‘Favorites’, they’ll be accessible at any time. To do so, just hit the star at the bottom of any file, and it’ll be added. Otherwise, your files stay in the cloud. This is great for people who complain that the iPhone does not offer local file storage. Dropbox offers this and more with automatic sync with their cloud!

Dropbox can also let you share files and folders to anyone in the cloud. The iPhone app also lets you upload pictures and video (with iPhone 3GS).

In just a few days, Dropbox reached over 2 million users. Impressive.

When is Google’s rumored GDrive coming? Google???

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Google Wave Collaboration

Google recently released their new web-based collaboration tool called Wave to developers, volunteers and select Google Apps members. The shortest way to describe Google Wave is real-time Gmail on steroids. Wave is the entire Google Product while a wave (lower case) is an individual message or document. Google is initially targeting students, colleges, and collaborative teams to test out this new paradigm of communication.

A wave can include a message with rich content (images, YouTube video, links, maps) and can be shared with other users. There is also a video playback feature that shows a new member coming into the wave the history of the changes.

A wave can also be embedded on another site such as a blog. Currently, there are still bugs to be worked out but this does seem to be a promising step forward for Google to compete with Facebook, Twitter and other crowd sourcing social networks.

Google Wave Header

Here is the Google Wave 3 Panes: Navigation, List, Rich Content.

Google Wave Default View

A wave with rich content

Google Wave Rich Content

Google Wave is similar to Gmail with search features, tagging, file uploads, and even folders. The rich web interface is completely drag and drop.

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For 3rd party webapps or services that uses Google Docs, they can use this URL parameter to accept JPG, PNG, and GIF files for conversions. Keep in mind this is still in beta.

Tell us what you think of Google Docs OCR performance. Was it good for you?

Google Docs OCR Convert Images To Text

Via Life hacker

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AT&T Introduces A-List for Free Unlimited Calling

AT&T’s recently announced A-List plans on September 20, 2009. This calling feature lets customers talk with up to five people on any network for free, including landlines. The service is very similar to T-Mobile myFaves, which provides free and unlimited calling to customers’ five favorite people. The A-List feature is available on individual Nation plans that cost $59.99 or more. FamilyTalk customers with plans costing $89.99 or more can choose up to 10 people to talk with free of charge.

Want even more free calls beyond what AT&T offers? Add your Google Voice number to your A-list so now you can talk to anyone in North America without using your minutes. Google Voice acts like a conference call with the number you want to talk to (incoming or outgoing). The call with Google Voice is free which connects you to the number you want to talk to. When someone outside your network calls your Google Voice number, your Google Voice then redirects that call to you. So now the conversation is between your AT&T number and Google Voice. If you want to make a call outside your network, call your own Google number and sign into the Google voicemail system, you’ll have the option to place a call. Just press 2 and enter the number. You can also visit Google Voice mobile on your phone.

So what are you waiting for? Log into www.att.com/alist now and add your out of network numbers for free unlimited calls.

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iPhone Visual Voicemail Notification Fix

One of the most frustrating and surprisingly under reported issues is with AT&T and iPhone Visual Voicemail notifications. When you receive a voicemail on your iPhone, an alert appears and you can play your voicemail as if its a song. There is now a solution!

Since the iPhone 3GS was released, some customers experienced lack of alerts for voicemail (me being one of them). I recently found a fix for it while I was researching tethering for 3GS. Apparently, tethering your iPhone may cause this issue.

So here’s the fix. Navigate to Settings → General → Network → Cellular Data Network and within the Visual Voicemail section add “acds.voicemail” into the APN field. Your visual voicemail will now work once again.

CAUTION: This fix does break the tethering. You can’t have voicemail notifications and Internet tethering work at the same time.

Via Apple Blog

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Google Liberates Your Data

Google officially launches DataLiberation.org to inform users their expectations on how their private data is exported. Actually, Google has already provided some of this to a certain extent. A few weeks ago, I helped my brother and his wifey export the content from their Blogger site to a self hosted WordPress installation. It was very easy to do. The only things that weren’t transferred were the images which I haven’t figured out how to do yet.

Imagine you want to move out of your apartment. When you ask your landlord about the terms of your previous lease, he says that you are free to leave at any time; however, you cannot take all of your things with you – not your photos, your keepsakes, or your clothing. If you’re like most people, a restriction like this may cause you to rethink moving altogether. Not only is this a bad situation for you as the tenant, but it’s also detrimental to the housing industry as a whole, which no longer has incentive to build better apartments at all.

Google’s Data Liberation movement plans to give users greater control over their data and easier facilities to export and import with Google apps.

Via The Data Liberation Front

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Steve Ballmer grabs Apple iPhone from Microsoft employee and ‘stomps’ it into ground

Microsoft is having a tough time these days with its image. Google forced Microsoft to to launch the free vaporware Office Online to compete with Google Docs. The Zune player which was meant to compete with the iPod is a dud. The Zune’s slogan “Welcome to the Social” has got to be one of the worst in history. You kind of need a crowd to market with that slogan first don’t you think?  Let’s not even talk about the horrible name of Zune itself.

Now it looks like Microsoft has another publicity stunt they have to dampen.  Microsoft Steve Ballmer, at a conference to showcase Bing 2.0 and a new Windows 7 commercial, saw an employee take pictures with his iPhone. He then grabbed the iPhone, threw it to the ground, and pretend to stomp on it after much booing from the audience.

The good news is that no one threw eggs at Ballmer this time. If Ballmer spent the same energy trashing the iPhone, Microsoft might have some relevancy left in the mobile market. Otherwise, Ballmer should just c:\>format himself

Via TechFlash

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Google Voice Now Fowards SMS To Email

One of the most popular feature requested from Google Voice was the obvious forward inbound text messages to email. You can now receive incoming text messages to your email. Furthermore, you can even reply from email as well. Users previously could respond to the Google Voice text message on their phone but email forwarding was previously not an option.

Now, once we can have Gmail push to our iPhones then I can cancel the ridiculously priced text messaging plan from AT&T.

Via TechCrunch

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