Kenny Wayne Shepherd: guitarist talks talks music, iPad, tour at NAMM

by Bill Palmer

“I’m an analog guy in my approach to my music,” says Kenny Wayne Shepherd even as he sits with his guitar in hand connected to his iPad at a booth for a music technology company. Moments earlier he was jamming on a stage here at NAMM with impromptu support from Mike Huckabee on bass (yes, that Mike Huckabee) and he may have bumped into Beach Boys legend Brian Wilson who took the stage immediately afterwards. The product which Kenny Wayne is here to show off is the AmpKit from Agile Partners, and he says it simply makes his life easier when he’s on the road.

“You can crank up your guitar in your hotel room and not have to worry about disturbing the people next door to you,” he points out. “”For a guy like myself who travels all the time, I don’t want to have to lug a practice amp around with me everywhere I go as well. But I do always have my iPad in my backpack. It’s really convenient and it’s a cool way to jam out and put down some cool ideas on the fly.”

The product allows a guitarist like Shepherd (or the 99.9% of guitarists who don’t happen to have his talent) to use an iPad as a virtual amp for those times when a physical one isn’t accessible. And despite his old school approach to making music, he says he does in fact enjoy tech in general. “I’m not the kind of guy that can write a source code or anything like that,” he admits, “but I definitely am all about checking out the latest in technology.”

The NAMM conference for musicians has been around since before consumer technology existed, but here at the 2012 show there are as many booths offering tech-inspired guitar products like the AmpKit as there are booths selling actual guitars. One thing that hasn’t changed is that musicians, even famous ones, come here year after year to check out the latest in music gear which they end up taking with them on the road and taking into the studio. It turns out Kenny Wayne Shepherd is gearing up to do both this year.

“We’re going out on Saturday for the Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise,” he says of the upcoming concert at sea, “and then we’re gonna be out all year in the United States and Australia and Europe. I’m looking forward to a great year in 2012, and I’m gonna start working on the next album. Our newest album came out in August and we’re supporting that one now, but we’re already getting ready to start working on the next record.”

Why two albums in such rapid succession? As he puts it, “In today’s world you’ve got to keep the product coming and keep the fans engaged.”

Navigon 2.0 Update for iPhone + iOS – Gone are the large map downloads

by Jason Tucker

Navigon recently released Navigon 2.0 which brings a new feature named “MyMaps”. This feature allows you to save precious space on your iOS device by letting you select only the maps that you need vs all of the maps for your specfic region. I live in North America and purchased the “Navigon North America” version which includes all of the US and Canada and back when this app first came out it was a hefty 2GB+ download. Now with MyMaps the select-able map files on average are less than 30MB excluding California at 100.1MB and Texas at 96MB.  The Virgin Islands comes in at 639KB and Puerto Rico at 7.7MB and Hawaii at 8.0MB just to name a few smaller ones.

Navigon also announced “Fresh Maps XL” their new service for supplying quarterly map updates at a cost. Customers of “Navigon North America” have been given their first set of downloads for free…

UI Improvements:

Gone are the clunky and obscure list of options in the main user interface menu in favor of a drawer like interface with previous list split up by function. From the main map interface you can select from the menu button on the left or the options button on the right. The Menu button shows Address, POI, My Destinations and Take Me Home.  The Address field still requires you to input the address somewhat backwards fashion asking for State, City, Street and Number. One thing to note is that State will only allow you to select states that you’ve downloaded a map for. This may make things tricky when going cross country, so plan ahead. Overall the UI update is quite welcomed and easy to use when navigating while driving.  I like the fact that Navigon has listened to its customers and has studied its competitors and has come up with an interface that more modern and understandable.

My Experience:

When I loaded the new version on my iPhone 4S I was presented with a list of maps to download for free, at completion I went into the “extras” (in app purchase) area and saw that I’d need to pay $14.99 in order to get the 3 years of map updates delivered quarterly. I was able to restore my previous purchases with no problems. Below are the prices as of 11/18/2011.

What’s New in Version 2.0

• Fully refined and even easier to use UI
• Fresh Maps XL: Guaranteed quarterly map data update (via In App Purchase)
• MyMaps: Install only the maps you need*
• Free map update for all

* PLEASE NOTE: After installing the app the maps need to be downloaded separately. This requires an internet connection.

Navigon Prices:

• NAVIGON for iPhone North America: $39.99 changed from $59.99
• NAVIGON for iPhone USA: $29.99 changed from $49.99
• NAVIGON for iPhone Canada: $29.99 changed from$49.99
• NAVIGON for iPhone West, Central or East: $19.99 changed from $29.99

Promo Video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7kmwXDHSjQ

Review: Incase Nylon Backpack for MacBook Pro, Air, and iPad

by Bill Palmer

The Incase Nylon Backpack isn’t a flashy product, but it’s a highly useful one. It leaves behind the traditional backpack motif of one ever-smaller zippered compartment in front of the other in favor of a more uniformly tubular shape. Two full-height zippered compartments comprise the bulk of the storage. One contains twin flaps for a laptop and a tablet along with additional open space; the tablet slot is of standard material, but the laptop slot is padded with a very soft felt-like layer. The second major zippered compartment contains an assortment of pockets for small items along with more open space.

What I found remarkable during testing is that while it’s big enough to hold my seventeen inch MacBook Pro and my iPad 2 along with as much other assorted stuff than I’ve been able to cram into any other backpack I’ve ever tested, the Nylon isn’t a large product overall. Rather than offering undulating layers of external zippered pockets which tend to leave most backpacks bulging in all directions when packed full, the Nylon instead makes efficient use of its core space.

There are a few hidden exterior stash points, of course. Zippers run across the front and top to reveal small felt-lined pockets. The back of the Nylon is lined with thick mesh which felt nice and soft up against my back, and to my surprise, I found yet another slip-pocket hidden under the mesh. But these pockets aren’t there to fatten things up. The backpack tends to retain its consistent tube-like shape even when full, which makes it easy to slip into airline compartments or car trunks full of luggage. It’s comfortable as well.

The only thing I found less than ideal is that unlike some competing backpacks, the laptop and tablet pouches don’t have their own tight velcro lids. As long as you’ve got the main zipper closed, nothing is coming out of the bag. But if it gets turned upside down, there’s some play for your laptop and tablet to slide around a bit within their respective pouches.

The Incase Nylon Backpack comes in eight color choices to black to pink, some of which offer a strikingly different color for their front zipper mechanism, creating a two-tone look. Incase says the Nylon is aimed at MacBook laptops specifically, and it fit my 17″ MacBook Pro just fine, meaning it’ll fit all smaller MacBook Pro and Air models as well. But you’re on your own if you’ve got a thicker PC laptop.

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5 • Price: $99 • incase.com

Gmail iPhone app lands today, also for iPad, pulled due to iOS bug

by Jason Tucker

We heard that Google recently submitted an official Gmail for iOS devices including the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch last week and today Apple approved and made the application available. The app provides uses with many much anticipated features such as push notifications, search your entire inbox, uploading of attachments, auto complete from Gmail contacts or local iOS address book contacts. Threaded conversations, access to the priority inbox and the ability to assign various labels are also included in the app. On the iPad the app sports a split view akin to the built in Mail app. One thing that is lacking is the ability to support multiple inboxes which we’d imagine will be added in at a later date…

As it turns out, the Gmail iPhone app has gone poof from the App Store, at least for the moment. Notification Error – no valid ‘aps-enviroment’ entitlement string found for application’ was being displayed on some uses iOS devices and Google has pulled the app from the App Store and will be re-released once this bug is worked out. We’ve been told this is occuring on both jailbroken and non-jailbroken iOS devices…

So the wait continues, for least a few hours or days. The Gmail iPhone app has been a long time in coming, as Apple launched its App Store in mid 2008. Some have pointed to increasingly strained relations between Apple and Google as possible reason for the lack of an official Gmail app for the iPhone or iPad, with Google preferring the public buy an Android phone or tablet instead, and Apple preferring its users not use any Google services at all. However, Google did release an iPhone app for Google+ within weeks of the social network’s launch earlier this year (and Apple approved the app), so the late arrival of the Gmail iPhone app may have been due to other reasons instead. In any case, despite the temporary quandary, the day that iPhone users who use Gmail have long awaited has finally arrived. Gmail for iPhone

Losing touch: iOS 5 on iPhone, iPad signifies death of iPod branding

by Bill Palmer

I finally saw the sign I was looking for today, and it’s one I hadn’t spotted on my iPhone or iPad despite having been staring it in the face for a few days now: as of iOS 5, the iPod brand name is dead to Apple. Take a look at the icon in the lower corner of your iPhone’s dock. For the first four years of the iPhone era, it was called “iPod” and it housed your music, video, podcasts. Now Apple has segregated video out into a separate app, leaving the main one on the dock called “Music” instead. Sure, it’s the same way Apple has been handling things on the iPod touch from the start. But as of now, the iPod brand name has been banished from the iPhone. Whether it’s by intention or mere happenstance is unclear. But the fact that so few are talking about it, and the fact that it took me three days into the iOS 5 era so much as even spot it despite having noticed the orange new music notes icon and having tapped on it a dozen times, represents a remarkable revelation in terms of just how forgotten the iPod is. This despite the fact that Apple still has four different iPod lines and sells them by the millions. You have to wonder how much longer that lasts.

When the iPhone launched in mid 2007, I confidently predicted that the iPod had five years of life left in it. Nine months short of that mark on the calendar, it seems I’m only half right. I’ll leave the iPod touch out of this for the moment, for two reasons. One is that it’s more a part of the iOS/iPhone/iPad family than the iPod family. The other is that at the time I made my prediction, the iPod touch didn’t exist yet and I was specifically referring to the traditional iPod lineup: the nano, the shuffle, and what is now known as the classic. All three are still around, and at least two of them will be by the time the launch of the first iPhone reaches its fifth anniversary. So much for my prediction of the traditional iPod lineup being dead and gone.

Instead, “commoditized” might have been the more accurate prediction. The iPod nano and shuffle are barely more than trinkets, useful ones at that but thoroughly lacking in comparison to the kind of music and content playback offered by the iPhone (and iPod touch). The iPod classic with its hundred-something gigabyte hard drive capacity is still around for the singular reason that the iPod touch and iPhone are still topped out at sixty-four gigs of lightweight solid state storage; the classic will be discontinued the microsecond iOS devices are revved to 128 gigs. But still, I suspect that the enduring sales of the nano and shuffle are at least partially a result of one of the biggest mistakes in recent Apple history. The company gave the iPhone to AT&T (and generally one carrier per nation) exclusively for its first several years, getting god-only-knows-what in return. As a result plenty of would-be iPhone users ended up with either the Brand-B smartphone their preferred carrier was pushing, or no smartphone at all as they clung to a basic cellphone. In some instances their other pocket became occupied by an iPod touch, while in other instances a traditional iPod fit the bill.

My point is this: while there are some exceptions, most typical iPhone users don’t also own an iPod. Unless they want something small like the nano or shuffle to go jogging with, or a bulk-capacity device like the classic to store their full music library, owning an iPod on top of an iPhone just doesn’t make sense unless you’re an Apple enthusiast. The rate of adoption of the iPhone has been far, far, far slower than it should have been thanks to that idiotic AT&T deal which Apple is still working to dig out from under while attempting to do damage control in terms of reclaiming all those legions of would-be iPhone users who would rather have gone phone-less altogether than go with AT&T. And those would-have-been iPhone users are one of the remaining drivers of iPod sales. As a result, the iPod lineup still has more life left in it than it rightly should.

Now that the iPhone has recently expanded to most carriers in most nations, I’m left to wonder just what kind of increased negative impact this will have on traditional iPod sales. Last night I had dinner with a Sprint customer who had an iPod touch in one hand and a Brand-B Sprint phone in the other, and intends to trade them both in for an iPhone once upgrade eligibility arrives. This trend will impact sales both iOS-based and traditional iPods to some extent. How much? That remains to be seen in Apple’s upcoming quarterly reports. But in the mean time, the fact that Apple has banished the “iPod” name from the iPhone home screen in iOS 5 means that it’s now giving up on the once-everywhere brand name one symbolic step at a time. How quickly will users do the same? My arbitrarily defined five year deadline beckons in nine months. We’ll see. Here’s more on the iPhone 4S.

iOS 5 new features for iPhone + iPad: camera, Siri, iMessage in depth

by Jason Tucker

I’ve spent the past two days glued to my iPhone and iPad, parsing the various new features and niceties of iOS 5 on both. From taking pictures to web surfing to email to gaming and messaging and more, here’s a list of the best changes in iOS 5 that I’ve found so you can check them out as well. Found your own iOS 5 features and discoveries that aren’t on this list? Add them below in the comments section…

Siri

After the purchase of Siri back in April of 2010 we had a feeling our underused friend Voice Control was going to be replaced by something with a more robust feature set. Siri is currently beta and is only available on the iPhone 4S.
Click here to read about some of the funny things you can ask Siri and the response she gives you

Camera / Photos features:

• Double click the home button when device is asleep to bring up a camera shortcut on iPhone 4S, iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS and iPod touch (4th generation)
• Volume Up button to take a picture
• Optional grid lines to line up shots
• Pinch to zoom in the preview screen
• Swipe left to access the camera roll from preview screen
• Tap and hold to lock focus and exposure, iPad 2 and iPod touch (4th generation) only support exposure lock
• Tap Edit to access Rotate, Auto Enhance, Red Eye Reduction and Crop
• Organize Photos by tapping upper right arrow and selecting photos, below you can Share (Email, Tweet, Message, Print), Copy, Add To (an album) and Delete.

Found your own iOS 5 features and discoveries that aren’t on this list? Add them below in the comments section.

iPhone 5 to Google+ to iPad to QR, five signs geek influence is waning

by Bill Palmer

The iPhone 5 is a lock for the most popular product launch in consumer technology history, even as geeks beg the mainstream to use Android instead. Facebook is as popular as ever, even after the geeks all left in favor of Google+. The iPad is more popular than every other tablet put together, despite so many public geek meltdowns declaring it the worst product ever brought to market that you’d think a new wing need to be built on the local insane asylum. And even as geeks spend their days hunting for QR codes in public, most people merely muse at the pretty-looking square that’s part of the decor. Welcome to an era in which geek influence is at its lowest point since the consumer technology era began, and yet many geeks are under the impression that their waning influence is instead at an all time high. Part delusion, part honest misinterpretation, here’s a look at five ways in which the mainstream continues to separate itself from geek influence and why the geeks can’t see it for what it is…

The geeks really thought their influence was returning to form when Android came along. The iPhone had been the first smartphone popular with consumers (BlackBerry before it had largely been a business-assigned product), but then along came a collection of unrelated hardware devices which all ran the Android operating system, a mobile variant of Linux, which geeks have long worshipped. What really happened was that Apple tied the iPhone to one carrier per nation for its first several years, and the non-iPhone carriers all rallied around Android based phones because they need something to fight back with. If it hadn’t been Android, it would have been a Windows Phone, or the Palm Pre, or whatever else the non-iPhone carriers could grab onto. But the geeks misinterpreted this as the mainstream forsaking the iPhone in favor of the geek-blessed Android. In reality, the mainstream’s attachment to Android runs only as deep as the fact that their preferred carrier happened to offer it and didn’t offer the iPhone. Now that Apple has gotten wise and is expanding the iPhone 5 to Verizon and unofficially Sprint (T-Mobile will follow once that merger mess is resolved), suddenly the shift is on. One study shows that a third or more of the general public plans to buy the iPhone 5. Another study shows that nearly half of current Android users plan to move to the iPhone 5. Geeks have fought back against these studies by proclaiming that “no one I know uses an iPhone anymore!” without stopping to consider that they’ve intentionally surrounded themselves by nothing but fellow geeks. iPhone and Android are far from the only instance in which geek influence isn’t what most geeks think it is, and in other areas, the evidence is more glaring…

It was never clear why the geeks hated Facebook, until Google launched its own competing Google+ social network. It was invite-only, and only the geeks were initially invited. Those geeks turned around and invited more geeks, creating an insulated geek paradise. The most frequent reason cited by geeks for favoring Google+ was along the lines of “the mainstream isn’t here and we get it all to themselves.” That in hindsight explained why the geeks were never comfortable with Facebook: from their family to their old high school classmates, they were forced to interact with non-geeks on a regular basis. But while the geeks hid out in Google+ and stated their fear for how it would be “ruined” once the mainstream showed up, that never happened. The few non-geeks who got invited into Google+ found nothing of interest and left. This week Google opened the doors so everyone can sign up without an invite. Geek headline writers proclaimed that Google+ “set traffic records” when all it did was eclipse its own previous traffic levels (some record, eh?). In reality, here’s what actually happened: the mainstream is sticking with Facebook because the mainstream is on Facebook. The mainstream chooses its social networks based on who all is there. Geeks choose theirs by who isn’t there. That makes Google+ the first anti-social network. Not only did the mainstream not follow the geeks over to Google+ as the geeks were expecting, the mainstream didn’t even notice the geeks had disappeared from Facebook.

The iPhone 5 isn’t the only Apple product which the geeks would seemingly give their lives to keep you from buying. When the iPad was unveiled a year and a half ago, prominent geeks across the internet staged public meltdowns, declaring it the worst thing to ever happen to consumer technology. This wasn’t merely an Android/Linux gambit either, as Android tablets didn’t exist at the time. Most geeks were so convinced that the iPad and its “closed” nature would spell doom for the future of humanity that they told the mainstream they were better off not owning a tablet at all. The mainstream took that advice, inverted it, and bought the iPad in such large numbers that the consumer tablet market was born overnight. The iPad still owns that market in 2011, even amid a slew of middlingly popular Android tablets. The geeks can’t figure out why Android tablets aren’t as popular as Android phones, but of course that’s because they failed to understand that the popularity of Android phones was based primarily on carrier availability (and the iPhone’s lack thereof) and nothing to do with the virtues of Android.

And then there’s the QR code craze that’s sweeping the nation… except it isn’t. Those black and white squares with smaller black and white squares inside of them that look like something out of The Matrix? Scan those with a QR app on your phone, and you’ll learn secret details about the place you’re standing in, or receive special deals from the business who posted it. Except outside of the geeks, no one knows what these things are. They’re so subtle that most among the mainstream mistake them for being part of the ambience. Businesses are displaying these because their pet geek told them they should. But in most cases that pet geek is under the delusion that “everyone” knows what QR codes are, when in reality, it’s more like “every geek” knows what they are. Part of why they haven’t caught on is that geeks are so self-assured in assuming everyone knows what they are, no explanation is even offered. The other part is that unlike geeks, who want to “play” their entire day like a puzzle or video game, the mainstream doesn’t place much value on having to scan a square on a signpost into their phone just to receive bits of information which could just as easily have been displayed on the sign instead of the square.

Finally, the fifth and defining sign that geeks are losing their influence is the fact that most of them think their influence is at an all time high. They mistake mainstream Android sales (nearly all of which have been to customers whose carrier didn’t even offer the iPhone at the time) as a sign that the public suddenly wants Linux on their phone. They conflate “every geek I know” has moved to Google+ with “everyone who matters” having done so, despite Google+ already being a mainstream flop by any measurable standard. They conclude that the iPad is only popular because of the mainstream are “iSheep” or “Apple fanboys” or “fashionistas” or ” brand name slaves” or whichever propaganda term comes in most handy this week, as the concept of “ease of use” simply doesn’t exist in their world despite being the primary driver of iPad sales. But that’s okay, because they’re getting that ten percent discount from the QR code at the local chicken shack while the rest of us are paying full price.

HTC looks at webOS over Android amid Google Motorola bid, iPad lawsuit

by Timmy Falcon

HTC is set to cast off the Android OS from its tablet and smartphone products in what is predictably the next domino to fall after the double-whammy of getting sued by Apple for copycatting the iPad hardware while watching Google acquiring Android hardware maker Motorola. And the target? The just-won’t-die webOS, which Hewlett Packard is looking to jettison after killing the TouchPad and Pre which ran it. HTC would be the first company to ever succeed with webOS on its devices, after the ill-fated operating system destroyed Palm and left HP’s consumer line gutted. But HTC may not have a choice if it wants to remain in the tablet market. Apple has made it clear that it’ll enact a scorched earth policy against any Android vendor it can, and Google appears more intent on creating its own in-house Android hardware line than in bailing out its troubled partners.

The troubles can be traced back to when Google launched the Android OS while its then-CEO Eric Schmidt was still on Apple’s board of directors and privy to internal iPhone secrets. Apple has been looking for revenge ever since. And while it hasn’t (yet) found a pathway for suing Google, it’s instead filed patent suits against nearly every company which manufactures hardware which runs Android OS. Thus far the suits against Samsung have been highly successful, with the Galaxy Tab 10.1 and now 7.7 having been banned from various nations and regions. Apple’s suits against HTC are still ongoing, and when Google acquired Motorola it was widely assumed to be so the former could lend the latter’s patents to HTC as a defense against Apple’s lawsuits. Sure enough, that’s happened. But at the same time Schmidt has been speaking publicly about how Google plans to take advantage of Motorola’s engineering prowess, hinting that its Android hardware products including the Droid and Xoom lines could become Google’s “official” in-house Android product line. That would leave little room for third party vendors such as HTC and Samsung in the Android space. And that leaves HTC looking at webOS even as HP is giving up on it. Two questions immediately arise…

First, there’s the unpredictable question of whether switching from Android OS to webOS would appease Apple to the point that it would drop its suits against HTC. While the suits are based on hardware design not OS, Apple appears to be targeting Android hardware makers specifically. In contrast, Apple never sued HP despite the TouchPad being at least as physically similar to the iPad as any of Samsung’s or HTC’s tablets. But the TouchPad was easily predictable as being a flop from the start, so Apple may have merely not considered it worthy of its legal department’s resources. By moving to webOS, HTC would be gambling that Apple would pull back its legal troops simply on account of HTC no longer using Android OS. The only way to fully safeguard itself against ongoing legal action would be to scrap its entire hardware lineup and redesign its products from the ground up. Even then, Apple could still sue for past damages…

Then there’s the issue of just what Google really has in mind for Motorola, and whether those plans will leave companies like HTC at a disadvantage. If Google merely plans to design future Android OS iterations to be optimized for Motorola hardware, then all HTC would need to do is build its hardware to the same specs in order to remain on par. But if Google ends up releasing new Android OS updates for Motorola hardware first, or play favorites in other ways, then HTC would have a hard time retaining an edge. That uncertainty is most likely what has HTC looking at acquiring webOS and abandoning Android, even as it would be setting itself up for potentially being the third company to be ruined by trying to make a go of webOS. Then again, the alternative is to stand its ground even as Apple continues stabbing at HTC’s success from the outside as Google potentially guts its success from within. Here’s more on HTC and Google.

iPad stand review: Bracketron iTilt for iPad 2 and iPad 1

By: Daynah

Are you always on the go? Need an iPad stand that can keep up with you? The iTilt by Bracketron is probably the thinnest tablet stand on the market. You can tuck it away in your suitcase without taking much valuable space!

This ultra slim iPad stand can hold your device in both portrait and landscape mode in eight convient viewing angles. The non-slip feet at the bottom of the stand holds your iPad securely on your desk.

With this stand, there’s just one thing you have to be careful of. When lifting your iPad out of the stand, you may pull onto the back of it and then unhook the stand’s back support. This doesn’t matter too much if you were taking the iPad out of the stand. But if you were just moving the stand onto another position on your desk, the back support could make the whole stand fall down.

Overall, the iTilt iPad stand is highly portable, functional, and quite affordable. It’s also compatible with both the iPad 1 and iPad 2.

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5 · Bracketron.com · $19.95 · Amazon ($9.46)

Game over: HP TouchPad in blowout sale as iPad 2 dominates Galaxy Tab

by Timmy Falcon

Another day, another round of bizarro-world headlines in which the HP TouchPad did something other than flop embarrassingly. After less than two months on the market, the iPad copycat running the leftover operating system from the failed Palm Pre was yanked by Hewlett Packard in one of the more humiliating mea culpas in recent consumer tech memory. But the tech headlines paint a different, largely imaginary picture. One publication claims that the $99 HP TouchPad firesale, designed to all but give away remaining inventory so that HP wouldn’t need to cover the cost of having retailers return to the units for landfill disposal, was a sign that the TouchPad was a popular product after all. It then goes on to claim that the iPad, which accounts for the vast majority of tablet marketshare, is vulnerable to competing tablets like the Android-based Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1. Nevermind that at $99, the TouchPad was being handed out at significantly below cost, and that Android tablet makers could never sustainably deliver $99 or even $199 tablets to compete with the $499 iPad. But these are the tech headlines we’re stuck with, as long as geeks are the ones writing most of them. It’s one big ball of hype and fury signifying nothing that anyone outside the geekiest one percent of the population cares about. But it’s nothing new.

If more evidence is needed that the geekdom is growing more irrelevant by the day, one need look no further than the fact that the majority of the tech headlines right now are about the HP TouchPad despite the fact that almost no one in the mainstream has even heard of the product (or ever will). In fact the majority of those headlines are of the positive variety, an odd thing to find for a product which thoroughly flopped and was pulled from the market in record time. There’s talk of what great things will happen to the geek-worshipped webOS next (hint: it’s already dead), talk of how some company no one’s heard of is offering to port the Android OS to the TouchPad (which might be of some use if more than a small handful of TouchPads were manufactured before the plug was pulled), and talk about how Microsoft is courting webOS developers to make apps for Windows Phone 7 instead. All fifty of them. Contrast that with the tens of thousands of iPad app developers. It’s all mere geek self-delusion as they watch yet another of their cherished geek-leaning products go down in flames. So what does it mean for the ninety-nine percent of the population who aren’t geeks?…

For starters, it means ignore headlines written by geeks who aren’t aware that the rest of the population exists. But beyond that, the failure of the TouchPad despite HP’s visibility, retail presence, and resources is just another marker in the long line drawn in the sand over the past decade in which the public has gradually declared its independence from geek influence. Sure, the geeks are still needed in order to build and code the tech products which the rest of us use. But even as the geeks have spent the past decade championing products like the Archos MP3 Player over the iPod and the Touchpad over the iPad, the public has increasingly ignored that advice and instead bought what felt right to them or relied on non-geek peers for first hand advice. When it comes to Apple products specifically, the geeks have almost uniformly lined up in opposition to every Apple product in the past decade, except for two which they championed: the Mac Mini and the Apple TV. Not coincidentally, they’re the only two consumer hardware flops which Apple has had during that time. But this isn’t just about Apple products…

The geeks champion Android, the lone new geek-leaning tech product to succeed this past decade, because it’s hacker-friendly (which they use the propaganda words “open” and “customizable” to describe) in a wild west-inspired landscape in which geeks often prefer to write their own apps rather than buy them. If it sounds like a horrifyingly inappropriate product for the non-geek mainstream, that might explain why studies show that the majority of Android users plan to switch to another platform with their next purchase. That’s because most of them only bought an Android phone because their carrier didn’t have the iPhone or because a geek salesman convinced them that it would offer the same experience as the iPhone. But the geeks instead view the marketshare success of Android as a sign that their fortunes are turning, the age of the geek is on its way back, and that they’re once again winning. One little problem. Two, actually.

The first is that Android’s success isn’t for the reasons the geeks think it is. The second is that Android is the only geek-oriented product to have found major success in recent years. The HP TouchPad, as you’ve learned this week if you were wise enough to dodge the geek headlines claiming otherwise, was canceled in an embarrassing failure. MP3 players like the Zune and the Archos all failed. The Palm Pre smartphone was such a flop that it killed Palm, which how its webOS operating system ended up in the hands of Hewlett Packard in the first place. Even Microsoft, which dominated back in the day with the PC operating system Windows (a geek’s warped vision of what a consumer might want from a computer), can’t find any success these days with its Windows Phone 7 efforts…

Each time the geek headlines predict that a new tech product will succeed or lavish it with praise, it almost always fails (the geeks proclaimed the failed Mac Mini to have been the perfect Mac computer). Each time the geeks have a collective meltdown about how horrid a product is (the anti-iPad rants of 2010 might have been enough to get some tech writers Baker-acted), that product tends to take off and succeed. The flop of the geek-leaning HP TouchPad, then, after the geek headline writers had collectively positioned it as a superior and viable challenger to the iPad, is nothing to be surprised about. The only surprise this week would have been if the geek-written headlines regarding the quick demise of the TouchPad had been more accurate. You know, something along the lines of “$99 HP TouchPad still gets outsold by $499 iPad.” Here’s more on the end of the HP TouchPad.

iPad app review: BabyCenter Birth Class prepares pregnant parents

By: Daynah

Having a baby can be both joyous and scary at the same time, especially when you reach the end of the 9 months and it’s time to give birth. But the more you know, the less anxious you are of the upcoming changes. An app called “BabyCenter Birth Class” by BabyCenter may be just want you need to empower you in this exciting time!

This iPad app is a complete birth course that will take approximately 3 hours. The material is divided into 10 chapters and there’s space for you to take notes after each section.

In this virtual couse, you’ll learn:

• Learn the signs and stages of labor
• Hear real birth stories from new parents
• Get tips and guidance from doctors, midwives, and birth educators
• Explore your pain-management options
• Get suggestions for creating your birth plan
• Discover the keys to a positive birth experience
• Start, stop, pause, and view the material at your own pace and in the order you choose

Each section has a video of Linda Murray, BabyCenter editor in chief, reading and explaining the topic at hand. There are also extra video footage of parents’s real childbirth experiences. After going through each birth class section, a little “note” section pops up and you can type your thoughts and notes in it. The next section pops up in about 10 seconds if you choose not to type any notes. On the lower right, there is also a “workbook” button that will take you to related links so you can read more about the topic.

What I really love about this app is that you can start, stop, and pause anywhere in the app. This gives you some time to take breaks to absorb all the information, and move along at your own pace. There are some very graphic video parts, and I highly suggest taking a break after watching them. Childbirth is a beautiful thing, but at the same time, can be very intense.

I found this app to be very informative and useful for expecting parents. Although it doesn’t completely eliminate the fear of labor, it does empower you to know more about the topic. So when you or your doctor have to make an emergency decision, you’re more prepared. Material presented in the video are from experts and offer general information, not medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Of course, you should consult a medical professional if you have questions about your pregnancy, your health, or your child’s health.

What is more amazing is that the app used to be $39.99, but recently became Free! So get it now before the price goes back up. The app is only available for the iPad running iOS 4.2+ and certainly worth the time if you’re thinking about or expecting a baby in the near future.

• Download the iPad Version (Free) (3.5 megs)

Review: Just Mobile Encore Stand for iPad 2 and iPad

By: Daynah

Just Mobile is known for their simple and elegant designs and their latest iPad Stand, the Encore, is just that. It’s light, portable, and highly functional.

The Encore iPad stand has a beautiful circular base with a silver finishing that matches the back of the iPad perfectly. This makes it look seamless, as if it was part of the Apple iPad suite.

Attached to the back of this circular base is a hinged arm that holds the iPad in place. This hinged support is easy to move up or down so you can place the iPad in your preferred viewing angle.

On the front of the base is a 2 inch rubber stopper that follows the circular pattern of the stand. This soft base holds the iPad in place, and at the same time, prevents any scratches to your device.

To use the stand, simply place your iPad in the middle — between the front stopper and the hinged back. Move the hinge to the angle you want and you’re ready to play your game, read a book, or just surf.

The iPad can stand in either landscape or portrait mode in the Encore. What’s nice about this stand is that even though you may put it in portrait mode, you still have access to the Home button. The front stopper is low enough to not cover the button.

This iPad stand is recommended for the frequent traveler since it’s portable, or if you enjoy playing games, or reading a book at your desk. Although it does fold down into a typing mode, the angle is still steeper than what you may be use to. I don’t recommend using this stand if you plan on typing long documents on-screen.

Overall, the Encore is quite a beauty, and would make any iPad own really happy. In addition to just holding iPads, this stand will also hold other tablets and eReaders (even the small 6″ Nook). The Encore is more than just a tablet stand, it’s a work of art, adding beauty and elegance to any desk.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars · JustMobile.com · $59.95 · Amazon ($49.99)

Bargain iPhone-iPad Apps: Angry Birds Rio, LEGO, Hop, Pacman, more

by Daynah

Looking for some new apps for your iPhone and/or iPad? Here are some of Beatweek Staff favorite bargain apps for this month, including some fun games, photography apps, and more!

100 Cameras in 1 – Take a lot of photos on your phone? Make them even more beautiful by adding some filters. Choose from one of 100 filters, tap, and add. It’s fast and simple to use, and has a lovely interface. iPhone version was $1.99, and iPad version just came out.
iPhone/iPod Version (99 cents) | iPad 2 Version ($2.99)

Angry Birds Rio – If you love Angry Birds, than you probably already have this version! The Angry Birds have been captured, but you know them — a little cage can’t handle them. They made their escape and are freeing the other birds with them! Slingshot and break the cages to help the birds escape in the first episode. In the second episode, you can to take flight in the jungle. Smash the monkeys that get in the way of your escape! 60 new levels altogether, and more coming in the next few months! iPhone/iPod Touch Version (99 cents) | iPhone/iPod Touch Lite Version (Free) | iPad Version ($2.99) | iPad Lite Version (Free)

Bird Zapper – Help Skippy the Squirrel get rid of the pesky birds on the wires! You have the power of electical shock, so tap, swipe, and zap those birds. It’s a fun match-3 game with plenty of moving parts to get your brain in a frenzy. Accumulate points by zapping birds with stars and special powers. Match, zap, and clear those power lines! Universal App (99 cents)

Bing – Experience searching the internet in new way! Type or speak to find what you’re looking for. Or swipe through popular searches for each day. Bing has a beautiful interface that’s filled with spectacular photos.
iPhone/iPod Touch Version (Free) | iPad Version (Free)

Bug Village – Think of this game as Smurf’s Village with A Bug’s Life theme! Beautiful graphics, where your favorite insects can roam around. Build homes for the ants and bees, and watch them harvest food. The game is free to play. To advance quickly in levels, you can purchase extra coins or download specific apps.
Universal App (Free)

Chimani National Parks – The five national park iPhone Apps from Chimani are free in celebration of National Park Week. This offer starts today through 4/24/2011. Apps are normally between $4.99-$9.99 each. They include detailed information about the park such as maps, photos, audio tour, sunrise and sunset data, and bus schedules. iPhone/iPod Touch Apps: Yosemite National Park (334 MB) · Grand Canyon National Park (132 MB) · Acadia National Park (167 MB) · Cape Cod National Seashore (115 MB) · Cuyahoga Valley National Park (152 MB)

CarZen – Shopping for a car but want to avoid the hassle? Do it right on your iPad! With CarZen, browse numerous makes and models and find exactly what you want. When you find something you like, send an request for a quote (right in the app). You’ll receive an email with the quote and continue your shopping from there.
iPad Version (Free)

Doodle Jump: HOP the Movie – E.B., the Easter Bunny’s son is about to take over the family business, so he needs to be super-efficient at jumping. And who should help him out than Doodle the Doodler himself? Help E.B. jump and hop on pedestals and make it up as far as he can. Gather Easter eggs on 25 unlockable levels. Universal (Free)

Eggs vs Chicken – So what came first — the chicken or the egg? I’m not sure what the answer to that is either, but you can find out who’s stronger! Assemble and align the eggs into rows of matching colors. Tap to release and have them roll over the attacking chickens! Fun game at an introductory price of 99 cents. iPhone/iPod Touch Version (99 cents)

Halftone – Add a beautiful vintage halftone-style printing effect to your photos. Choose from 21 paper styles, 9 layouts, and 6 talk bubble styles to decorate your photos. Take photos right from the app, or import from your photo roll. Fun app to create comic-like photos.
iPhone/iPod Touch Version (99 cents)

LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4 – Big Harry Potter fan? Than you got to get this! Visit the Lego version of Hogwarts as Harry Potter, Hagrid, and all the characters you can think of. The graphics are amazing, and the game play is even more fun! It feels like you’re watching a movie in between each level. Run around and collect Lego pellets while fulfilling the level’s quest. Currently on sale for just $2.99 and worth every penny. Universal App ($2.99)

LEGO Ninjago Spinjitzu Scavenger Hunt – Welcome to the land of Ninjago! Train with the Sensei and his ninjas to the protect the and of Ninjago from Garmadon and his evil skeleton army. Spin your way in the arena to defeat your opponents and win coins and unlock new gear for your ninja. Tap on the screen to spin, and tilt your device to move your ninja.
Universal App (Free)

Tiny Wings – Fly little birdie, fly. But your wings are too tiny! But lucky for your, your world is full of hills that you can slide down on and jump as high as your can. Flap as you’re in the air! Get as far as you can before nightfall. Game Center and OpenFeint enabled with 30 achievements. The game is filled with beautiful colors and graphics. iPhone/iPod Touch Version (99 cents)

Pac ‘N Jump – Think Doodle Jump meets Pacman! Bounce as high as you can without falling and avoid the ghosts and other enemies, unless you chomped a power pellet! Chomp on pellets and bonus items to bounce even higher. Complete each mission to unlock additional stages. Universal App (99 cents)

Postagram – Do you use Instagram, the mobile photo-sharing app? Now there’s Postagram, an app that easily turns your cool Instagram photos into a postcard! Login with your Instagram account, select your photo, add the appropriate addresses, and send. Each postcard is just 99 cents, and the first one is free! iPhone/iPod Version (Free)

Words with Friends – Play the most popular word game on the iPhone and iPad. Newly acquired by Zynga, this game now has many more social features built-in. Connect to Facebook to display your avatar and find even more friends to play with. The latest updates comes with better graphics and faster game play.
iPhone Version ($2.99) | iPad Version ($2.99) | iPad Lite Version (Free)

iPad 2 case roundup: Smart Cover plus 18 third-party options examined

by Daynah

Looking for a new iPad 2 case? Of course you are! Beatweek’s got you covered, whether you’re looking for something stylish, unique, or functional. Here is our roundup of iPad 2 cases and accessories you should keep an eye out for. Of course, this is only a partial list and most cases are available for pre-order. Once cases are available, we’ll have more in-depth reviews for you.

Apple Smart Cover · $39.99 (Polyurethane) / $69.99 (Leather) · Apple.com
This Smart Cover is actually quite magical. So slim, yet so strong. It comes in an array of 10 beautiful bright colors. 5 of the colors are made with polyurethane, and the other 5 are aniline-dyed Italian leather. There’s a strong magnet on them to securely hold onto your iPad. The side with the hinge makes the cover feel like it’s seamlessly part of the iPad. It also doubles up as a stand — for viewing and typing positions.

Belkin Folio for iPad 2 · $TBD · Belkin.com
This fashionable case hugs your iPad 2 in place. It’s a folio-style case that also converts into a viewing stand. Turn it around and it’s set in typing position, perfect for email, writing, or chatting. The pocket in front gives you space to store your cord and other gear. Will be available in black and black/gray woven. Coming soon.

Belkin also has three other iPad 2 cases, which will be available soon.

Booq Booqpad iPad Agenda · $99.95 · Booqbags.com
The Booqpad Agenda combines an iPad 2 case and notepad into one. It keeps all the business things you need organized, whether it’s a pen or stylus, business cards, cash, tickets, or notebook paper. Each Booqpad ships with a blank, 50-sheet A5 notepad made from at least 30% post-consumer materials and printed with soy ink. This is a surface perfect for sketching, writing, note-taking, or laying out the next app, printed piece, product, story, or website. It comes in a variety of colors. Next shipment estimated to be 04/12/2011.

Casecrown Denim iPad 2 Pocket Case · $38.95 · CaseCrown.com
Impress your gal pals with this unique Denim case! Made by Casecrown, this case has four exterior pockets, just like your jeans! The interior is made of shock absorbing foam to protect your new investment. Carry it in your hand, or use the adjustable strap to carry it like a messenger bag. Made of real denim, this case is stylish for a tech girl on the go. Currently on sale and available for order.

Casecrown iPad 2 Royal Standby Horizontal Case · $35.95 · Casecrown.com
The exterior of the CaseCrown Royal Standby case is made of synthetic leather, while the interior is lined with felt to protect the front glass. Inside of the case is an open pocket where you can easily slide in your iPad 2 and it will hold it in place. The cover is designed to flip back and turn the case into a viewing stand. All ports of the iPad 2 are accessible, even with the case on. It comes in three colors — red, brown, and black. Black is currently out of stock, but the other two are available for order.

Dodocase for iPad 2 · $59.95 · Dodocase.com
This case is handmade and constructed using traditional book binding techniques. The cover of the DODOcase Classic for the iPad 2 is designed to fold back to be used as a stand. The case perfectly matches the curvature of your iPad2 while providing access to all buttons and ports. The case can be in positions appropriate for both typing, video viewing, and camera views. There is a 2-3 week expected ship date for iPad 2 cases.

Enki Genius Case · $29.99 · EnkiGear.com
The Apple Smart Cover is great, but what about the delicate back side of your iPad 2? Not to worry, Enki has you covered! They made a new Genius Case that’s compatible with the Apple Smart Cover. Available in clear, smoke, blue and pink. Each order comes with a screen protector. And a lifetime warranty. Pre-orders start April 15th and shipping by the end of April.

Gear4 Angry Birds iPad 2 Case · $49.99 · Gear4.com
Are you a big Angry Birds fan? Show off your love for the game with this a super slim hard plastic Angry Birds case. It clips onto your iPad 2 and has openings around all the ports for easy access. There will be three different designs to choose from. You will have your choice of: Pig King vs. Red Bird, Red Bird, or Angry Birds Family. The three designs will surely put a smile on anyone’s face. These cases are not yet available for pre-order, but will be soon.

Griffin Technology Elan Folio Slim · $39.99 · GriffinTechnology
With the new slim design of the iPad, we’re all looking for protection without the bulk, and that’s where Griffin Tech delivers! The Eland Folio Slim is a new design that’s made of a textured black polyurethane on the outside cover and a soft microsuede lining inside. All access ports for controls, headphone jack, speaker, and rear-facing camera are all accessible. The case also folds into both landscape typing position as well as a viewing stand. Available for pre-order.

iLuv Smart Back Cover · $TBD · i-Luv.com
Already have an Apple Smart Cover? Why not get a matching back cover for it? iLuv has come up slim back covers to complete your magical device. Price and shipping date for this accessory is unknown. Back covers come in 10 colors, each matching the corresponding Smart Cover by Apple.

In addition, iLuv has many more iPad 2 accessories to choose from, including a bluetooth keyboard case.

InnoPocket Elite Folio for iPad 2 · $199.99 · Innopocket.com
For the trendy executives and race car enthusiasts comes this special new iPad 2 case called the Elite Folio. Made of two real carbon fiber shell, this case also has a Patent swivel hinge that rotates 360 degrees on a stainless steel hinge pin. This allows the top panel to fold completely underneath the bottom panel, keeping the clean design. It’s also made by hand which explains the expensive price point. They are available for pre-order and will begin shipping at the end of April.

Marware Microshell Folio · $69.99 · Marware.com
Here’s Marware’s take on the new iPad 2 design. It’s ultra sleek! The MicroShell Folio wraps the iPad 2 in a smooth rubberized shell for the back and a protective lid for the front. Opening the front flap wakes up your iPad and closing it puts it back to sleep. The front flap also doubles up and can be folded into a stand.

A version without the front flap called the Microshell iPad 2 Case ($39.99) is also available, as well as other Marware iPad 2 cases and accessories.

Miniot Cover · $70.34 · Miniot.com
Here’s a unique take on the iPad 2 cover. Not only is it a cover, but it’s also a 3-in-one stand. And it’s made of wood! This sleek and stylish cover has a microfiber lining to prevent any scratches on your iPad 2. Roll the Miniot cover to put the iPad 2 in a viewing landscape stand, a portrait camera stand, or a typing position. These cases are made in Holland from a single piece of the finest wood. All wood is obtained from well-managed forests and certified supply. Free engraving of your logo, art, etc, for a limited time. So order yours soon!

SFBags iPad Travel Express · $69 · SFBags.com
The Travel Express is made for the gadget lover on the go. It can store and protect your iPad or iPad 2 along with its many accessories. Stash your wireless keyboard, cables, power brick and accessories in and off you go. There are plenty of soft and scratch-free pockets to prevent bumps from any of the items. This case is small enough for you to toss it into another bag, or you can carry it with you over your shoulders with the optional D-rings and straps.

This case comes in six earthy colors. The case is $69. The additional D-Rings are $5, and optional straps are $12 or $22 (depending on size). Items are currently sold out, but you can pre-order for the April 7th shipment.

Speck PixelSkin HD Wrap for iPad 2 · $49.95 · SpeckProducts.com
Love the Apple iPad 2 Smart Cover but worried about the back of your iPad? This PixelSkin Wrap has your covered! There’s a protective cover on the back, and a front that wraps the screen. The front cover also folds into two types of stands, perfect for viewing shows, or typing. The PixelSkin HD Wrap will come in three colors — pink, colbalt, and black. They are not yet available for pre-order, but will be soon. Add your email to their mailing list to be notified when they’re available. Speck Fitfolio is also another interesting case for your iPad 2.

Speck iGuy · $39.95 · SpeckProducts.com
Who can resist this cute iGuy case? This whimsical case will put a smile on your face, whether you’re a kid or not. It doubles up as both a case and a stand, with a whole-lotta personality! Best of all, it fits both the iPad and iPad 2. Gotta have it? It will be available for $39.95 in three fun colors — green, aqua, and yellow.

STM Skinny for iPad 2 · $39.99 · STMbags.com
Does this case make your iPad 2 look skinny? Yes it does! It’s sleek and protective without the bulk. Both the back and front flap are made of a hard shell, making it durable for and easy to clean. The front flap also has the power to walk and put your iPad 2 to sleep. The inside flap is lined with a soft micro suede, protecting the glass. And lastly, this case is also a stand. Fold the front flap back and slide it in a back loop. Currently available in three colors – black, mushroom, & sage. Available for pre-order. In stock 4/5/2011. Also see STMbags for more iPad 2 accessories.

Targus Versavu™ 360° Rotating Stand & Case · $59.99 · Targus
Here’s a sophisticated case that has a unique cover that frames the beautiful Apple logo and allows your iPad 2 to rotate both vertically and horizontally while in the case. It could be used in three viewing positions.

You may also see this case already in stores like Best Buy as Targus 360° Rotating Stand & Case for iPad® 2. A version without the 360^o capability is also available. It’s called the Targus Vuscape™ Cover & Stand for iPad® 2 ($39.99).

TwelveSouth BookBook for iPad/iPad 2 · $69.99 · TwelveSouth.com
Love technology, but miss the feeling of holding a good book in your hand? You can have the best of both worlds with the BookBook iPad Case! This handmade leather case also doubles up as a fully adjustable stand. The hardback cover and spine provide impact protection from drops. And the hard protective interior offers crush protection. This unique design also disguises the iPad from any potential thefts. Fitting both iPad 1 and 2, this one-of-a-kind case is available in two colors — dark brown cover with black spine or vibrant brown cover with red spine. Available now.

Sara Bareilles gives away 2 iPads at 2 million Twitter mark

Sara Bareilles is feeling generous on the day she’s reached two million Twitter followers. First she gave an iPad to her two millionth follower, after confirming with Twitter itself as to who exactly was precisely the landmark follower. Then she gave another iPad to another follower selected at random. iPad winner @moosechunks predictably replied “omg! Thank you so much!” while winner @minikimmi had a more unique take: “Thanks so much! It’s ironic…a seagull pooped on me 2 weeks ago + no such luck came from that ordeal, until now.”

Bareilles remarked that she also had something, albeit less tangible for her other two million followers: “To the lucky 2,000,000th follower: I’m giving you my love. Oh, and an iPad. To the rest of you, you’ll be getting just mostly my love.”

It’s no secret that Sara is a Beatweek favorite around here, and she spoke with us not too long ago about her new album Kaleidoscope Heart (and her early-adopter Twitter status) in an interview you can read here.

iPad Stand Review: TwelveSouth Compass

By: Daynah

The TwelveSouth Compass iPad stand is one of the most compact, yet sturdy, iPad stands you’ll find on the market. It’s lightweight and perfect if you’re always on the go with your iPad. When folded, the Compass reminds me of a Japanese fan — thin and compact. But the magic is when you unfold it into a functional stand.

Upright Stand. Pull all three legs of the Compass out to form an “A” or easel-like shape. Once you have it in position, pull out the smaller tab parts at the bottom in the front two legs. This is where you would put the iPad. It’ll lean against the stand and sit on these two tabs in the legs. The parts where the iPad rests on are lined with a soft rubber to ensure no scratches are put on your iPad.

Typing Position. Another nice feature in this stand is that it also folds into a typing position. Pull out a metal tab on the back tripod leg and put this new leg on the table. The back leg will fall into place. Lay the Compass in its new position on the table, then put your iPad on top of it. This puts the iPad in a perfect position for typing. It’s lifted off the ground and protected by the soft rubber on the stand.

There is one thing to keep in mind though. In this position, the tabs in the front legs get in the way of your typing, so it’s not recommended to type for long periods of time with the stand.

Overview. With the Compass, the iPad could be displayed in either portrait or landscape mode in both positions. Because of the compact size when folded, this stand is the most ideal for travel. It’s lightweight, sturdy, and quite functional. Beautifully crafted and designed, this stand deserves to be in a class all its own.

Note: The TwelveSouth Compass Stand for the iPad is compatible with both iPad 1 and iPad 2 as well as various eReaders and tablets.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars · $39.99 · TwelveSouth · Amazon ($39.99)

Review: IK Multimedia iKlip mic stand adapter for iPad

By: Al Morita

Looking for a new way to learn new songs on your iPad? The IK Multimedia iKlip iPad microphone stand adapter is a good option for those tired of carrying music or lyric sheets to practice. It works by mounting onto a microphone stand via a quick and simple install. Once installed, the iPad easily slides onto the iKlip and there are adjustments for multiple viewing angles. It also has the capability for mounting the iPad in either portrait or landscape orientation, but requires disassembly to change between the two settings. To help with portability, it is made out of lightweight durable Italian-made plastic.

The main draw of the iKlip is that it allows you to use the iPad on stage. A musician can read tweets during a performance or learn new songs via songbook apps. Vocalists can use it for displaying lyrics and guitarists can use it for jam sessions with the Amplitube apps. It will fit onto just about any mic stand, making it a convenient addition for many musicians. Another possibility is for reading lyrics on the numerous karaoke iPad apps.

Note: The IK Multimedia iKlip is currently only compatible with the iPad 1.

Rating: 4 stars out of 5 · $39.95 · iKMultimedia.com · Amazon ($36.93)

iPad 2 release and review: tips on upgrading from an iPad 1

by Daynah

Are you an iPad (1st generation) owner? Did you also just upgrade to an iPad 2? Here are a few things you should think when moving your data over to your new tablet.

Syncing your iPad 2 with your iPad 1 Backup¹

The iPad 2 isn’t that useful until you sync your collection of apps, books, and documents from your first iPad onto it. Downloading each app, one by one can be a large task. The best thing to do is to move a backup copy of your iPad 1 over to the new device. Here are the steps:

1. Sync and backup your iPad 1 in iTunes.
2. When this is done, plug in your iPad 2. On the left side in iTunes, find your new device. Right click so a menu comes up.
3. Select “Restore from backup”
4. Select the name of your backup (whatever you named your previous iPad device) from the menu.
5. Click “Restore”
6. Syncing your iPad 2 may take a while depending on how much data you had in your backup.

Be sure that both devices are running the same iOS version. The iPad 2 is shipped with iOS 4.3. If you’re running iOS 4.3.1 on your iPad 1, this will not work completely.²

What you should be aware of:
Be aware that restoring from a backup does not move everything over exactly the way they were. The apps, their data, and most of their settings are moved over, except they’re installed on the new device in alphabetical order. It’ll start installing on page 2 and end on page 11. If there are more apps, it’ll install on page 1 and then the rest will be on page 12+ (but these will not be visible on the display). You’ll need to use the search bar to find the apps that aren’t visible on screen.

Another strange thing is that folders are not moved over. So once you finish syncing your apps, you’ll have a bit of app sorting and organizing to do.

If you download a lot of book previews in iBooks, they will not be added onto your new iPad either. However, full books and PDFs will be moved over (if you sync/select them in the Books tab).

New Default Apps

Once you’re done syncing, you’ll notice a few extra icons on your iPad 2. These are the new default Apple apps available for the updated device.

• Camera – This app is the optimized version of the iPhone camera app. You can select camera or video mode in the bottom right settings. The option to use the front-facing or the back-facing camera is on the top right. When you run it for the first time, it will default to the back-facing camera. Change the settings if you like. The next time you open up the app, it will pick up your new settings.
• Photobooth – Like with most Apple products, the iPad 2 now comes with the classic Photobooth app. This app takes photos of the subject in 9 various modes including Thermal Camera, Mirror, X-Ray, Kaleidoscope, Normal, Light Tunnel, Squeeze, Twirl, and Stretch. Besides the Normal mode, I find the other modes just takes creepy photos of you. This app only works with the front-facing camera.
• Facetime – Now you can make video calls and video chats with other Apple users. Facetime is available on iPod Touch 4th generation, iPhone 4, and Macs running Snow Leopard 10.6.6+. You’ll need to sign in with your Apple ID (could be the same as your iTunes account). Both cameras will work on this app. Simply switch the camera used in the top right settings.

Camera Placement

Now that there are cameras on the iPad 2, there is a wrong and right way of holding it, at least when you use the cameras apps. The camera on the iPad works best when it’s on top and the Home button is at the bottom (portrait mode).

At first, I thought that having the back-facing camera on the left side would have photo alignment issues. But after testing, it seems fine as long as you look on the screen to center and focus your subject.

This position also works very well when you want to make a video in landscape mode. In portrait mode, if you turn your iPad clockwise, the back-facing camera will be on the top left, making it easier for you to hold the iPad and record video at the same time. Because of the size and shape of the iPad, recording video on it isn’t that practical, but it’s nice to have the option to.

Placement of Various Ports

Microphone. In the iPad 1, the microphone is located in the top left, next to the headphone jack. This is somewhat of an odd placement, but there were not many apps that needed to record sound, so it wasn’t so bad.

Now that Facetime has been added on the iPad 2, sound and voice quality is more important. The microphone has been moved right in the top center of the iPad, making talking to someone on Facetime much better. You’re not talking to just one side of the screen (which would look funny on video).

There’s a major improvement in the speakers as well. The speakers are much bigger in the iPad 2, starting from the bottom left edge of the iPad 2, and abut a finger size in height. Audio is spread much further, making your audio and music much clearer.

Processor

The addition of the Dual-core A5 chip has made the latest iPad much faster. If you play a lot of graphic-intensive games (or apps in general), you’ll noticed how much quicker the game responds to your actions. If you’re just using mostly text-based productivity apps, you may not see much of a difference at all.

Design and Weight

Design The significant differences between the iPad 1 and iPad 2 are their designs and weight. The new design borrows the best parts of the iPhone 3G/GS and iPhone 4 designs. It takes the rounded concave edges to make it appear much thinner, and the back is completely flat like the iPhone 4. When the iPad 2 lays flat on a table, it’s still easy to pick up since the edges don’t touch the table.

In the iPad 1 design, they also mixed the designs of the iPhone 3G/GS and iPhone 4. The edges took the trait of the iPhone 4 and had a straight flat edge all around the iPad 1. However, on the backside of the device, it had a more rounded feel. So if it was to lay flat on a table, only a little part of the device would actually touch the table. This was intentional also so you can pick the iPad up easier.

That’s two design concepts for solving the same problem. I’d have to say the iPad 2 approach is much sleeker and makes the iPad appear much thinner than it is. The optical illusion on the sides gives it the edge.

Weight. If you hold the iPads in one hand, the iPad 2 is significantly lighter. However, you still can’t compare it to the Kindle which feels as light as a feather. The trade-off between a Kindle and iPad is the ability to do multiple things though.

Should I Upgrade?

So the big question is, if I already have an iPad 1, should I upgrade to an iPad 2? The iPad 2 is one of those devices that you don’t need, but instead, just want. It also comes in two colors now — white and black. iPad 2 are scarce, but iPad 2 in white are even more rare. The cameras and speed upgrades aren’t compelling enough to have to get a new iPad. But if you’re interested in using apps like iMovie and Garage Band, you may want to think of an upgrade. More and more interesting apps that require an iPad 2 will start to pop into the app store soon enough. If you’re app-dicted, getting an iPad 2 as soon as you can is a good idea to maximize your time with one. The iPad 3 after all is rumored to be releasing soon!

¹You can also use an iPhone or iPod Touch backup, but most apps will require the 2x view. It’s recommended to start fresh instead and download iPad optimized apps.

²This article was based on iPad 1 and iPad 2 running iOS 4.3.1. Some parts may be different in future versions of iOS.

app review: Notability

by Enuh Iglesias

Got an iPad for school or work? Then you must know how it feels to be on perpetual quest for a note taking app that will fit right in with your needs.

Having tried a fair number of note taking apps, Notability comes as a welcome discovery.

The first thing you’ll notice is its clean user interface. This makes it quite easy to find your way around the app. The clean UI, in fact, is almost misleading because beneath the simple and elegant veneer is a slew of powerful features. Everything that you need is right on the screen, such as navigation buttons for your notes, a share button, some text formatting tools, a plus button that allows you to create notebooks and separate notes within them, with a handy search button that lets you search for text across all notebooks (by title or by content), within a particular notebook and within a note itself. In addition, you can upload your photos (with limited editing capability), create scribbles, record audio and insert web clips for reference.

The large default font size (22 pt) makes the text easier to read, but there are plenty of customizable options for font, font size, text color,  and effects.  Notability also offers many ways by which you can share files and in a variety of formats, whether as RTF or PDF or via email, Dropbox, iTunes, iDisk and WebDAV. In addition, files are not only ready to print, you can even choose to protect your document from further editing.

There are only very minor tweaks that I’d like to see addressed in future updates. One is to provide just a little more photo editing capability – namely the ability to rotate pictures and a way to edit the captions of photos in such a way that the keyboard doesn’t obstruct the view of the picture. In addition, I hope that the app can preserve the original size of the photo when imported into the app or at least when exported in RTF. In addition, the ability to highlight text would be a great update as well.

Notability stands out because it makes note taking intuitive, easy and enjoyable for a broad spectrum of users. It’s a near-perfect notetaking app/word processor in one that is indispensable on my iPad as it should be on yours.

5 out of 5 stars · Ginger Labs: Notability ($2.99 – on sale at 40% off)

app review: Braveheart HD for iPad

by Enuh Iglesias

What to do when you’re an uncouth knight who has to bring back the Holy Grail and win the princess within one month, or die?

Well, in Braveheart, that’s precisely your mission. Braveheart HD is an action adventure game that has you primed and ready to do battle against warriors, powerful mages, wild animals, and an assortment of supernatural creatures as you take a perilous journey in search of the Holy Grail. The storyline itself is nothing new, but there is more to the game than meets the eye.

There are two things that make Braveheart HD different from the usual, hack-and-slash-anything-in-sight-that’s-out-to-kill-you fare: extensive character customization and a unique and equally extensive game controls system.

You essentially have two different kinds of weapons to work with – a flail and a crossbow. Gaining loot from successful kills means more money to upgrade your stuff, buy ‘perks’ (special powers and skills), elixirs and more. There are even temporary power-ups that help you out in a level to help you beat the level.

Each level consists of three waves which you must survive before moving on to the next. There are several levels in a particular location. An additional game mode (hunt) lets you play outside of the fixed storyline. In addition, there are three additional game modes in the challenges section which let you play endless mode in different scenarios.

The controls system is also quite extensive. By default, you swing your flail in a circular motion. On the other hand, using the crossbow requires a different set of controls.

You can opt for the sticks control system where you have the d-pad on one side and buttons for controlling which weapon to use on the other side.

On the other hand, there’s also the intuitive controls system which relies largely on gestures. Tapping and holding one position while using another finger to direct and release your arrows allows you to take out enemies from a relatively safer distance. This is particularly useful when taking out mages and wizards who cast spells from a distance and are generally difficult to take on in head-to-head combat because of their speed and elusiveness. In addition, you can also opt to use gestures to move from one point to another.

Character customization is extensive. At the end of each level you earn points which you can use to improve your character’s attributes and skills. In addition, you have numerous options for your weapons, skills and other perks.

The graphics are polished, and animation is fluid. With respect to the locations, the environment is rather static and boredom sets in after several levels in a single location. More creative effort in making the environment an essential part of the game and not just static and secondary to the overall feel of the game would be a major improvement.

In-app purchases for additional gold or permanently increasing the rate of loot drop are tempting if you want to advance quickly in the game in terms of purchasing power. Nonetheless, you can thoroughly enjoy the game without resorting to these.

All in all, the depth of customization, the range of controls, perks and upgrades make Braveheart a compelling buy. It’s accessible enough even for newcomers to these kinds of games yet complex enough for the hardcore gamer to appreciate.

What do you think? Do you want to add Braveheart to your apps collection?

Price: $1.99 • Braveheart HD in the App Store

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