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Tag: ipad

  • See Foxconn’s Apple Operations In China

    We’ve been covering the unfolding saga of Apple and their supplier Foxconn and the supposed worker abuses at their plants in China. We have covered everything from worker suicides at the plants, to petitions from concerned citizens, to inside interviews with Foxconn employees. Most recently we reported that Apple has partnered with the Fair Labor Association to conduct audits of operations in China and that workers compensation was increasing. Now, we are able to bring you exclusive footage from inside Foxconn’s walls. ABC News and Nightline bring us the following video:

    video platformvideo managementvideo solutionsvideo player

    As the video shows in the Nightline preview, Bill Weir traveled inside China and inside Foxconn in hopes of discovering evidence to support accusations of abuse by the Apple supplier. Perhaps the tour is an effort by Apple to illustrate their commitment to enhancing working conditions in China. On the other, hand it could be a contrived production put on by Foxconn to appease outraged consumers and to minimize any damage caused by the recent negative press. Either way, on tuesday you can view the entire Nightline story as they go into Foxconn and out on the production floor. I’ll be watching to see what they find and reporting back to you.

  • Image Of iPad 3 A5X Processor Leaked

    Image Of iPad 3 A5X Processor Leaked

    An image of the motherboard in Apple’s next tablet, presumably to be called the iPad 3, has leaked. The image (see above) shows the tablet’s A5X central processor, as well as a pair of flash memory chips. Unfortunately, nothing in the picture gives any hint about what the processor’s capabilities are. Rumors have suggested that both the iPad 3 and the next generation iPhone would be getting a quad-core A6 processor, which would represent a significant upgrade in speed over the current-generation A5 model.

    It remains to be seen (assuming this picture is genuine) whether the A5X is the rumored quad-core chip, or whether it is an incremental upgrade, and the quad-core A6 will begin appearing in later devices. It’s worth noting, though, that the original rumors (see the second linked article above) about the quad-core A6 came from information found in the code of the current beta version of iOS 5.1, which will almost certainly launch with the iPad 3. That suggests that this A5X is the quad-core chip in question, and that Apple simply chose to give it another name. Keep an eye on the iPhone rumor mill, which is sure to start ramping up as soon as Tim Cook walks off the stage from the iPad 3 event, for more information on that front.

    As the rumored March 7 unveiling of the iPad 3 draws near, more details about the tablet are making their way to the light of day. On Friday we brought you news that an iPad 3 display – apparently a 2048×1536 retina display – had leaked. Before that, images of the iPad’s back panel and several internal components also leaked, suggesting that the iPad 3 would have the same basic form factor as the iPad 2, but with several internal upgrades, including a better camera.

    The motherboard image was posted to WeiPhone.com (Google Translation).

  • iPad 3 Definitely Getting A Retina Display

    Rumors that the iPad 3 would be getting would be getting a retina display appear to have been confirmed today. MacRumors appears to have actually gotten their hands on an iPad 3 display. The new display is the same size as the iPad 2 – 9.7 inches – but packs in double the amount of pixels. While they could not actually power the display, the did put it under a microscope. Check out a comparison of the iPad 3 and iPad 2 displays below:

    iPad 3 vs. iPad 2

    As you can see from the image, the pixel density on the iPad 3 is double that of the iPad 2, making it a 2048×1536 display.

    Rumors of a retina display iPad have been floating around since the launch of the iPhone 4 in the summer of 2010. It was widely believed that iPad 2 would be getting the same technology. Though the iPad 2 did get a bump in screen resolution, it did not get a retina display. Consequently, most Apple watchers have been predicting a retina display for the iPad 3. Assuming that what MacRumors has is an actual iPad 3 display – and it certainly seems to be – it looks we’ll soon get to see what a retina display looks like on a 9.7-inch screen.

    While the launch date for the iPad 3 has not been officially confirmed, reports surfaced on Tuesday that Apple was planning an event for March 7. Several reputable sources appeared to confirm these rumors.

    [Source: MacRumors]

  • Apple Sells More iOS Devices Than Macs

    Apple Sells More iOS Devices Than Macs

    Apple has been making Macintosh computers for the past 28 years. The company’s newer iOS devices, while only being on the market for a relatively short time, have already outpaced the Mac business.

    Speaking to Fortune Magazine, Apple CEO Tim Cook, spoke on iOS growth especially that of the iPad which has sold 55 million units to date:

    This 55 is something no one would have guessed. Including us. To put it in context, it took us 22 years to sell 55 million Macs. It took us about 5 years to sell 22 million iPods, and it took us about 3 years to sell that many iPhones. And so, this thing is, as you said, it’s on a trajectory that’s off the charts.

    The fine folks at Asymco have created a graph that shows just how amazingly fast Apple’s iOS devices have sold in comparison to its Mac business:

    ipad sales

    Overall, Apple sold 156 million iOS devices last year. The company has sold 122 million Macs over its 28 year lifespan. That should blow your mind.

    Cook spoke more on how the iPad has grown into almost its own economy. The device currently has 170,000 apps built specifically for it. That’s on top of the already massive amount of apps for the iPhone that are compatible with the iPad.

    Apple bet on the tablet market overtaking the PC market which seems to be happening to an extent. While Apple still supports the Mac with the upcoming Mountain Lion release, it seems that they are moving towards more of a unified OS that will look similar on both their portable devices and home computers.

    Microsoft is moving towards a unified OS as well with their Windows 8 release that will use the Metro style that is the same across both Windows phones and desktops.

    The important thing to take from all this is that Apple’s iOS devices have changed the way we interact with computers. They are going to continue to change how we interact with our world. While people like myself are going to stick to our old-fashioned PCs, the new wave of interactivity will help more people use computers in new and interesting ways.

  • Study: Retailers Not Optimized for Tablets

    Study: Retailers Not Optimized for Tablets

    According to a study released today by Zmags, most retailers are not ready for the tablet revolution.

    While many businesses are aware that mobile is the way to go when trying to reach their customers, apparently quite a few are content to let their existing websites stand as “good enough”. They are not planning to optimize them for mobile, either phone or tablet.

    “What we discovered, unexpectedly, was that very few retailers—even among this elite group of marketers—are tapping into the full shopping potential of mobile and tablet devices. In fact, not even close to it,” said W. Sean Ford, COO and CMO of Zmags.

    In the study, the key finding was that less than one-third of retailers have optimized their sites for tablet commerce. The rest are relying on their standard websites to deliver an “adequate enough” tablet shopping experience. Some retailers’ approach has been to develop iPad apps to address the tablet shopping market, but one-quarter of these apps don’t allow shoppers to buy directly.

    Retailers are more evolved when it comes to smartphones, with more than half of retailers having developed smartphone-specific offerings; but those are still falling short. While more than two-thirds of the retailers have developed iPhone apps, only half of that group offers the ability to purchase via the app.

    Only 19 of the top 100 retailers studied extended beyond ordinary HTML-type content to include more engaging material such as look books, catalogs, editorial picks, etc. However, none of them extended the dynamic environment or optimized the brand experience across the full range of smartphones, tablets and Facebook.

    Social commerce is another channel that is still in its infancy but growing in significance and ripe with opportunity. All 100 retailers evaluated have branded Facebook pages, but just one lets consumers directly purchase from within its Facebook page.

    The tablet’s user interface, in particular, is so well suited to the creation of an immersive and engaging shopping experience. Not to harness it renders the device into nothing short of a small, flat laptop. Connected consumers plan to shop even more on tablets and on Facebook; they are seeking inspiration, an experience that is discovery-based and not limited to the confines of directed purchase typically found on PC-based ecommerce sites. Today, they face a range of inconsistent and unfulfilling experiences. Retailers are leaving their customers hanging. By not treating every touchpoint as a truly revenue producing storefront, retailers are neither capturing the imagination of, nor driving purchases from their highly valuable connected consumers.

  • iPad’s Biggest Competitor Is iPhone 4S, Not Kindle Fire

    According to a recent study by iSuppli, the iPad so thoroughly owns the tablet market that its nearest competitor isn’t a tablet at all: it’s the iPhone 4S. In the fourth quarter of 2011 Apple shipped 15.4 million iPads. That number was lower than expected for the quarter, but the hit to the iPad’s market share came from the iPhone 4S, which launched at the beginning of the quarter, and which ate up a lot of disposable income that might otherwise have gone toward iPads.

    Amazon, meanwhile, had a strong showing with their Kindle Fire tablet, which sold 3.9 million units during the fourth quarter. Unlike the iPad, the Kindle Fire met analysts’ expecations almost exactly. Sales of the Kindle Fire also allowed Amazon to surpass Samsung to take second place in the tablet market for the quarter, after the iPad. Samsung retained second place for the year, however. In both cases, Amazon and Samsung were in second by a huge margin. Apple’s 15.4 million sales in the fourth quarter are almost quadruple Amazon’s Kindle Fire sales, and their 40.5 million sales for the year are nearly seven times Samsung’s sales.

    The study also predicted that Apple would make up for its losses in market share in the first half of 2012 with the launch of the iPad 3. The tablet market as a whole continued to grow in 2011. Total tablet sales came to 65.2 million units, beating analysts’ expectations by half a million units.

  • AOL’s New iPad Optimized Site Goes Live

    AOL has announced the launch of a new iPad-optimized version of their site today. The site is designed to take advantage of the iPad’s touch screen and to provide iPad users with easy access to AOL’s content and services.

    The new page, which was announced on AOL’s blog this morning, incorporates touch gestures like tapping and swiping to browse content. Users can swipe through headlines or images, and tap to read an article. The site also provides convenient access to AOL Mail, games, apps, weather, news, music, and more.

    AOL's New iPad Site

    There is recourse, however, for those who don’t like the new iPad site and want to go back to viewing the desktop version on their tablets. The site includes a link to the desktop version. Tapping the link sets a cookie on the user’s tablet that will direct them to the desktop version until they clear cookies or until they decide to switch back to the tablet version (accessible through a link at the top of the page). The new site can also access the tablet’s location information, allowing users to see localized news and weather reports.

    Are you a tablet user? Check out AOL’s new site and let us know what you think of it in the comments.

  • Apple’s Stock Drops After Proview Trademark Troubles

    Apple’s Stock Drops After Proview Trademark Troubles

    How big is Apple? Their individual share price is above $500. Well, it used to be. Now it’s gone below $500 a share. What could have caused this? A tiny Chinese company that is giving Apple a big headache.

    We reported earlier this week that Proview, a Chinese display manufacturer, holds the trademark to the iPad name. The Shenzhen Intermediate People’s Court rejected Apple’s claim to the iPad name and now the company is appealing to the Higher People’s Court.

    The implications of this are huge as Proview is asking for a ban on iPad exports and imports. While sales of the iPad are already being hurt in China with reports of government officials seizing iPad shipments, the export ban would hurt the most. Since all the world’s iPads are made in China, none of the product could leave the country.

    All of this is hurting Apple’s shares as it has dropped individual share price to below $500. Apple’s share price is now at $492 at the time of writing.

    If Proview has its way, expect Apple’s shares to take an even bigger hit. The iPad is one of Apple’s biggest sellers and with the iPad 3 rumored to launch in March, any delay could hurt their bottom line.

  • iPad Adoption Reducing Business Printer Use

    A recent study conducted by Morgan Stanley has some interesting implications for one of historical mainstays of the modern office: the printer. The forward march of computer technology has prompted more business to switch to paperless operations, or at least to reduce their paper use considerably. Now it seems that the growing tablet market – and the iPad in particular – is speeding the demise of the office printer.

    Morgan Stanley conducted a survey of 700 tablet users. They found that 46% did not print as much as they had before, and 41% of all tablet users listed decreased need to print as a main benefit of tablet use. That number was higher among those who answered that they printed “significantly less.” Of that group, 79% called print reduction the main benefit of tablet use. The study found that businesses reducing printer and paper use saw enormous monetary savings.

    Tablet Impact On Printing

    The study saw potentially dire implications for the printer industry. They noted that companies like Lexmark, which gets more than 70% of its revenue from printers, were especially endangered by the decrease of business printing due to tablet use. Companies like HP, which only gets 20% of its revenue from printers, were endangered but not as significantly.

    To read the complete study in PDF form, click here.

  • Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Digital Editions: Kate Upton, Zoomed

    Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Digital Editions: Kate Upton, Zoomed

    People, it’s that time of the year again. Winter might be bearing down for one last push, but you can use your tablet to warm things up.

    That’s because the 2012 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue has dropped. And unlike your father’s SI Swimsuit Issue, you won’t have to flip through pages to see this year’s models.

    The SI Swimsuit Digital Editions are ready to go and are now available for download on your iPad, Android tablet, Nook Color, or Kindle Fire. Other than the ability to zoom, digital edition buyers will have access to a variety of extras including extra photos and videos. SI makes a point to say that the digital editions go “well beyond the printed magazine.” For instance, here’s what you can expect on the iPad version:

    Video Q&As with each model and profiles of the rookie class.
    Behind-the-scenes video footage of the bodypainting shoot, featuring athletes Natalie Coughlin, Natalie Gulbis and Alex Morgan.
    On-location videos from Australia, the Gulf Coast, Panama, the Seychelles and Zambia.
    “Beauties and the Beats”- a collection of songs that capture the feel of Swimsuit from 18 of today’s hottest bands, including Black Lips, Delta Spirit and White Denim.

    There are some minor details when you switch tablets, but most of the special features remain the same. For the iPad and other Android tablets, users can download the issue through the Sports Illustrated app. The app itself is free but the Swimsuit Issue will run you $6.99. For the Nook, you can download the e-book for $6.99 as well.

    This year’s cover model is the lovely Kate Upton, the 19-year-old model who enjoyed a bit of viral success before making it big. Here are some videos, you know, to get a sense of what you could see with the digital editions – or something like that….

  • “Goodnight iPad” Is A Bedtime Story For The Tech Age

    Have you ever wanted a children’s book that speaks to the current tech obsessed generation? You’re in luck then.

    Ann Droyd brings us a parody of “Goodnight Moon” called “Goodnight iPad.” The book is billed as “A parody for the next generation.” It’s a bedtime story like the stories we grew up with that calmed our hearts and taught us valuable lessons.

    What lesson is that, you ask? We’ll let the book’s summary fill you in:

    Like the rest of us who cannot resist just a few more scrolls and clicks, you may find yourself ready for bed while still clinging to your electronics long after dark. This book, which is made of paper, is a reminder for the child in all of us to power down at the end of the day. This hilarious parody not only pokes loving fun at the bygone quiet of the original classic, but also at our modern plugged-in lives. It will make you laugh, and it will also help you put yourself and your machines to sleep. Don’t worry, though. Your gadgets will be waiting for you, fully charged, in the morning.

    I know that I’m like a kid when it comes to technology and can not bring myself away from it, even for sleep. The book is a fun, little parody that’s good for both parents and their kids. It’s no “Go the F**k to Sleep,” but it’s hard to match that.

    Here’s an animated version of the book:

  • Chinese iPad Trademark Could Halt Global Sales

    Chinese iPad Trademark Could Halt Global Sales

    Proview International Holdings is a company in China known for their CRT and LCD monitors. They also own the iPad trademark in China which is causing a bit of trouble for Apple.

    Since Proview owns the iPad trademark in China, they can do what they want with it. Apple is fighting them in China over the use of the name, but so far, it’s not working very well in their favor. To add even graver wounds to injury, Proview is asking for a block of all iPad imports and exports.

    In a statement to Bloomberg, Proview’s lawyer, Roger Xie, said that they are unable to reach an agreement with Apple which has led to the surprising move to attempt a block of iPad exports from the country.

    “We are applying to customs to stop any trademark- infringing products from imports to China and also for exports,” Xie said. “Apple wants to postpone and continue infringement of the iPad in China.”

    Carolyn Wu, Apple’s Beijin spokeswoman, said that Apple bought Proview’s worldwide rights to the iPad trademark in 10 countries, including China.

    “Proview refuses to honor their agreement with Apple in China,” Wu said. “Our case is still pending in mainland China.”

    If Proview is granted the export ban, it would be a major blow to Apple as all iPads are made in China. This increases the pressure on Apple to just settle instead of trying to fight since Proview has the home court advantage.

    While it seems that this whole mess started recently, it’s actually a pretty old fight between the two tech companies. Apple sued Proview back in 2010 over the iPad trademark. Apple took the case to the Shenzhen Intermediate People’s Court where they rejected Apple’s claim to the iPad trademark. Apple is now appealing that decisioin to the Higher People’s Court of Guangdong province.

    Proview fired back with a trademark infringement case against Apple in Shanghai in an attempt to halt iPad sales in Apple’s stores in China. The case is scheduled to begin February 22.

    Proview separately filed trademark infringement complaints with 20 local government agencies. Those officials have begun seizing iPads in local markets according to Xie.

    Proview has yet to set a final claim amount, but initial reports are pegging it at 10 billion yuan, or $1.6 billion.

    If Apple and Proview can’t reach an agreement, expect very interesting things from the iPad maker.

  • 104th Annual American Toy Fair: Care Bears And Ninja Turtles Still Big

    Technology was the big seller this past year. While physical toy sales fell by over two percent, iPad and other tablets sold like hot cakes at breakfast time. Toymakers have latched on to that trend and are hoping to turn things around this year by integrating the physical toy into applications for tablet-style devices.

    EVP of Marketing for Jakks Pacific Inc., Jeremy Padawer comments on what motivates sales:

    “Although the down economy still presents many challenges, at the end of the day, kids will always want the latest and greatest toys. Technology and value will continue to be key factors in purchasing decisions,”

    Mattel for example, is now going to offer a scratch resistant toy car that can be ran across the screen of an iPad on virtual racetracks (AppCessories). Hasbro offers a gaming platform just for younger children and Crayola offers another gaming app. that would fall under the AppCessories category.

    Adrienne Appell, toy trends specialist with the Toy Industry Association comments on the trend:

    “It’s a nice way to bridge the generation gap because a lot of these games are games that adults are going to have fun playing too,”

    While it may be a current trend, I don’t know if I would be passing off my $600 iPad to my kids so they can play cars on it. An entirely separate gaming system might be okay, but I think it would still be pricey for something that will most likely be cast aside in a couple months. Regardless, that is probably why the old favorites are still a big hit.

    What are those old favorites? The same stuff we had when we were kids; Legos, Care Bears, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and other comic book-based action figures are still the big hits at the show. I believe these are still favorites because they allow children to make believe and fantasize about the characters and their adventures; it’s good for stretching their imaginations. True, interactive games on the iPad and other gaming systems may be superior for learning and instruction, but sometimes playtime is just playtime.

    I think it’s is very interesting that toy makers choose to bring back old favorites every ten years rather than creating new characters and providing different icons for a different generations. Perhaps there isn’t enough creativity in the business? I guess we haven’t come with anything better since Transformers, Star Wars, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Care Bears stole the show in the 1980’s and 90’s. That’s kind of sad.

  • eBooks Are Beginning to Replace Textbooks in the Classroom

    Technology has forced changes in the role of textbooks in education, and e-books have been gaining popularity, along with standard textbook rental. Companies like Chegg rent both standard textbooks and e-textbooks, and Amazon’s Kindle Store claims students can save up to 80%, as well as designate the length of the rental.

    Two of the most popular e-book readers are the Apple iPad, and the Amazon Kindle Fire. The Amazon Kindle Store offers over 1 million publications for use on both platforms, and Apple’s iBooks 2 allows students to engage in interactive material, as well as take assessments.

    Advances in the online classroom have harbored a more student-oriented approach to learning, as tablet devices can be linked to projectors in the classroom setting. Also, all formerly written materials can be more easily accessed, making note-taking more efficient, and digital library research functions make student publishing easier.

    With these advances comes the concern of content ownerships, copyrights and plagiarism, and it is important for educational institutions to properly manage online ethics, without getting in the way of the classroom learning process. More information can be found at Online Universities.

    The Digital Classroom
    Via: Accredited Online Universities Guide

  • Apple iPad Beats Samsung Galaxy Tab In Its Own Country

    Apple iPad Beats Samsung Galaxy Tab In Its Own Country

    Samsung is a Korean company. Apple is an American company. Who does South Korea prefer? When it comes to tablet computers, it appears that Apple is the clear winner.

    The Korea Herald is reporting that the Apple iPad has sold more than 1 million units in South Korea since its launch on November 30, 2010. The iPad 2 was introduced in the country on April 29, 2011.

    The newspaper reports that many early adopters in South Korea imported their iPads so the actual number of iPads in the country is most likely much larger.

    An interesting statistic is that two in three iPads sold in South Korea were the Wi-Fi only models. It just goes to show you that many users in the country don’t want to be attached to a data plan from mobile carriers.

    The iPad’s share of the Korean market is at 70 to 80 percent. Samsung’s Galaxy Tab probably wishes it could be as popular.

    With the impending release of the iPad 3, it’s going to get even sadder for Android tablet market shares everywhere.

    Considering that Apple and Samsung have been at war over patents and devices for the past year, this sales new is probably not going to make things any better between the two tech giants.

  • Watch the Grammy Awards Backstage Live on the iPad or iPhone

    Download a free app for your iPad or iPhone and you can watch backstage action while you watch the live Grammy Awards on CBS TV. With this app or by watching on the Grammy Live website, the 54th Grammy Awards become a multi-screen experience.

    Learn more about downloading the Grammy Live app here …

    Here is how the Grammy Live site describes its new live stream:

    Tune in to Music’s Biggest Night like you never have before with an exciting “multi-screen experience” — as you watch the 54th GRAMMY Awards on CBS, keep the GRAMMY Live stream on your mobile device, tablet or computer! Don’t miss a set change with our behind-the-scenes load-in cam! And learn what happens AFTER an artist wins a GRAMMY with our official portrait photographer cam featuring renowned photographer Danny Clinch, live one-on-one interview room and full access to the official TV/radio room.

    Following the Grammy Award telecast on CBS you can join the after parties via the app according to the Grammy Live website:

    Bask in the aftermath of Music’s Biggest Night as GRAMMY Live gives you a first-class ticket to the hottest after-party in town, the GRAMMY Celebration.

    The Grammy mobile app, includes the latest photos, videos, news, trivia and quite a bit more.

    Additionally, the Grammy telecast will include tributes to Whitney Houston who died yesterday.

  • iPhone, iPad And Android Games On Sale: Sega’s Valentine’s Day Present

    Sega announced on its blog that it is offering a number of mobile games at discounted prices from now through Valentine’s Day. Most of them are for iOS, but there are a couple for Android as well.

    Here’s the full list:

    iOS

    Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 (iPad) – $2.99/£1.99 was $4.99/£2.99

    Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 (iPhone) – $1.99/£1.49 was $3.99/£2.49

    Sonic CD -$2.99/£1.99 was $4.99/£2.99

    Streets of Rage 2 -$0.99/£0.69 was $2.99/£1.99

    Streets of Rage 3 – $0.99/£0.69 was $2.99/£1.99

    Altered Beast -$0.99/£0.69 was $2.99/£1.99

    Golden Axe 2 -$0.99/£0.69 was $2.99/£1.99

    Golden Axe 3 -$0.99/£0.69 was $2.99/£1.99

    Gunstar Hero -$0.99/£0.69 was $2.99/£1.99

    Virtua Fighter 2 – $0.99/£0.69 was $1.99/£1.49

    Super Monkey Ball- $0.99/£0.69 was $1.99/£1.49

    Super Monkey Ball 2 – $0.99/£0.69 was $1.99/£1.49

    Super Monkey Ball 2: Sakura Edition – $0.99/£0.69 was $2.99/£2.99

    Android

    Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 – $1.99/£1.28 was $3.99/£2.56

    Sonic CD – $2.99/£1.92 was $4.99/£3.20

    Discounts can make a huge difference in app downloads, and there’s just something about the 99 cent price tag that is much more appealing than even $1.99.

  • iPad Vs. Textbooks: By The Numbers

    The iPad is widely looked at as a revolutionary device. Even non-Apple fanboys have to acknowledge the tremendous success the device has had and the quick impact it has had on quite a few facets of society, including education. Take this story about the Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce at the University of Kentucky using the device to train diplomats, for example. And that was a year ago, before the iPad 2 even came out. Now the iPad 3 is expected to be unveiled as soon as next month.

    During Apple’s Q1 earnings call, the company said there are 1.5 million iPads in use in educational institutions. Apple is expected to sell at least 48 million iPads this year.

    Last month, Apple unveiled iBooks 2, iBooks Author, and the iTunes U App. Apple sold 350,000 textbooks in just 3 days.

    OnlineTeachingDegree.com released the following infographic looking at iPads vs. textbooks:

    iPads vs. Textbooks
    Created by: Online Teaching Degree

  • Microsoft Releases MSN For iPad In The U.S.

    Microsoft has released their MSN iPad app in America following the successful launch of the app in France, Germany, Britain, and Canada last month. The app provides access to MSN’s news, photos, and videos. Users can also access Hotmail and Windows Live Messenger.

    The app also includes a variety of sharing features. Users can email links to what they’re viewing, as well as post them to Facebook and Twitter. It also sports a Bing search box at the top of the screen.

    The app is available now in the iOS App Store as a free download. There aren’t many reviews up yet in the App Store, but so far users seem pretty pleased. Check it out and let us know what you think in the comments.

  • Amazon Commercial Takes Shots At iPad’s Price

    Amazon Commercial Takes Shots At iPad’s Price

    Amazon has released a new commercial for their Kindle line of e-readers and tablets. The first part of the commercial focuses on Amazon’s standard response in the Kindle vs. iPad debate: the Kindle is easier to read in the sun.

    Then the focus shifts to the price. When the dorky iPad owner points out to the hot, bikini-clad Kindle owner that he can watch movies, she points out that her kids can do the same on their Kindle Fires, and that her Kindle and their Kindle Fires together cost less than his iPad.

    Whatever your feelings about the iPad, the Kindle Fire, Amazon has taken pretty much the only option open to them from a marketing standpoint. A recent survey showed that the iPad ranked much higher than the Kindle Fire in terms of customer satisfaction. In fact, the feature Kindle Fire owners said they were most satisfied with about their device was its price tag.

    What do you think of the commercial? Check it out below and let us know in the comments.

  • Apple iTV Rumored To Be Much Like iPad

    iPods, iPhones, iMacs, iPads, iTV? It certainly seems so according to recent news. As technology grows, the possibilities for advancement in personal conveniences for everyday life grows. The conveniences that Apple Inc. has given us certainly surpass any past technologies from other companies and they just keep rolling out the tech.

    It was reported some time ago by WebProNews that Apple might throw their TV hat into the ring and as time has passed it seems to be more prevalent that the super-company may indeed introduce a groundbreaking smart-TV.

    Reportedly, the new iTV will sport many of the same features as your iPad and iPhone sporting apps, games and even Siri voice control. According to the article a Canadian research team has been testing an iTV prototype in their labs and their findings about the device are fairly similar to the other iDevices Apple has.

    It seems you will be able to do all your favorite TV activities from the comfort of your couch with Siri voice control. Much like the 4S, you’ll be able to give Siri vocal commands and then set back and relax while you enjoy your entertainment; movies, television and more.

    It’s also been rumored that the new device may support an iPhone link that will allow you to possibly do many of your iPhone activities, such as stream Netflix, on the iTV. The TV is also said to support Skype and and an iSight camera, which would be an interesting feature.

    With all this supported technology, it has to be able to support games and apps, right? Speculation says the new device will be able to support apps and games. With that technology, you’ll be able to enjoy your iTV much like your other iDevices. Apple is very quiet about their work, but it’s rumored that the TV could be released sometime in 2013, although not much is certain.