iPad 2 Browser Showdown

If there's one thing that most iPad users like to do is surf the internet.  And the iPad 2 is perfect for that because of it's thin and light form factor with a 9.7" screen.  With iOS 4.3, the default iPad browser Safari just got a boost.  Apple says JavaScript runs up to two times as fast compared with the previous iOS.  But, how does it do in real world web surfing?

I tested four browsers to see how each of them loaded web pages on the iPad 2.  The browsers I tested are: Safari, Atomic Web Browser, PERFECT Browser, and Mercury Web Browser Lite.

My First iPad iMovie Video

The other day I went hiking to the top of the Diamond Head trail.  This was a great chance for me to finally use iMovie for iPad.  This can only be used on the iPad 2 unless you have a Mac and can do this workaround, which is not for the faint of heart.

I only took pictures with my iPhone 4 when I went hiking but that's okay.  iMovie makes your still shots come alive with pans and zooms, which are editable.  Some of the pictures I took I used a filter with the app Instagram, which I highly recommend.

Update: I forgot to put in one more app that I used.  The final picture, which is a 360-degree view at the top of Diamond Head, was made using an awesome app called You Gotta See This!

The amount of themes is limited, so I hope they update it more than once a year.  In fact, Apple should create an app to make iMovie themes and let users create their own themes and share them.

I'm a veteran of the iMovie for iPhone and the iPad version is even better.  The great thing is that it's a universal app so the $4.99 I dropped down last year now gets me the iPad version for free!  One caveat:  iMovie may not work with every single type of camcorder video format.  Personally, I always use my iPhone 4 so that's not really a problem for me.

My iPad 2 (Early) Review

Although I had to work a lot before and after I bought my Apple iPad 2, I think I've had enough time to use it and write down my thoughts on the device.

I got the ultimate iPad 2 device - the 64GB AT&T 3G model with my unlimited data plan grandfathered in from last year.  As I explained in my previous post, I had to get white because black ran out for my specific model.  So far, the white border has not distracted me but, of course, this is a subjective matter.

Now on to the review:

My iPad 2 Story

In between working through the tsunami coverage here in Hawaii, I was able to pick up an Apple iPad 2.  I got the 64GB AT&T 3G model in white and left the Apple Store at Ala Moana Center a happy man.  But, I had to endure some trying times.

Let me explain:

Looking At iPad 2 Accessories

Okay. I've decided to upgrade to the iPad 2.  I'm able to get some money from Gazelle to fund this project.  Plus, I have a nice tax return.  So which accessories do I want for the iPad 2 this time around?

Photos courtesy of Apple

To iPad 2 Or Not iPad 2?

Now that I've had a few days for the features of the new Apple iPad 2 to sink in, it's time for me to give my two cents about the new tablet.

Although I've been telling most everyone that I don't plan to upgrade, I've been rethinking that now since this seems to be a good time when people are thinking about picking up the iPad 1 for reduced prices.  Still, in my mind it's NOT a done deal.

Let's take a look at the pros and cons of buying the iPad 2.

Photos courtesy of Apple

Fling iPad Game Controller

Wow. I've been seriously lagging.  In the half month since I last posted many things in the iOS world have changed:

• Verizon iPhone 4 preorders launched last Thursday and at least one guy received his Verizon iPhone.
• The first iPad-only newspaper, The Daily, launched last Wednesday.  I'll review it in an upcoming post.
• Love is in the air as iOS 4.3 is rumored to be released on February 14th.  That will most likely include the subscription model for The Daily and other publications, improved support for AirPlay and bug fixes.

But what really pushed me to write this post is a piece of hardware for the iPad that won Best of Show at MacWorld 2011 - the Fling Game Controller (pictured, above).

iOS 4.3 Preview

iOS 4.3 beta has been released to developers.  iOS 4.3 will be available for the iPad, iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, 3rd and 4th generation iPod Touch and the Apple TV.  Sorry, iPhone 3G users.  So what can we look ahead to?

The Verizon iPhone: No Longer A Myth

Unicorns, the Loch Ness Monster, Bigfoot and the Verizon iPhone - what do they all have in common?  No one has real proof that any of them existed... until today.

Verizon announced that the iPhone 4 will be available on its network by early next month.  Existing Verizon customers will be able to preorder their iPhone on February 3 at VerizonWireless.com.  On February 10, everyone else will be able to purchase an iPhone 4 at Verizon Wireless stores and at Apple Retail stores.  It's the same price with a two-year contract: $299 for the 32GB version and $199 for the 16GB version.  The main difference that is that the Verizon iPhone is running iOS 4.2.5 which allows using the iPhone as a mobile hotspot. Nifty.  Plus, there's the obvious differences between a CDMA phone and a GSM phone.

So should you get a Verizon iPhone?

YES, if:
1) You don't have AT&T 3G coverage in your area and you know you have Verizon 3G coverage in your area.
2) You constantly drop calls on AT&T but you know Verizon is more reliable in your area.
3) You have a great Verizon family plan and/or you get discounts that you wouldn't get with AT&T.
4) You don't travel internationally often.
5) You don't need a simultaneous voice and data connection.
6) You would like your iPhone to be a mobile hotspot.
7) You don't mind not having a micro SIM card slot.
8) You can't wait until iPhone 5 is released in June or July of 2010, assuming Verizon is getting it at the same time as AT&T.

NO, if:

1) You are happy with your AT&T coverage.
2) You don't drop calls on AT&T often enough to switch.
3) You have a great AT&T family plan and/or you get discounts that you wouldn't get with Verizon.
4) You have a grandfathered unlimited data plan.  Verizon has not yet released its data plan for the iPhone and there's no guarantee that there will be an unlimited data option.
5) You travel internationally often.
6) You constantly use the simultaneous voice and data stream.
7) You don't need or want to use your iPhone as a mobile hotspot.
8) You have a need for a micro SIM card slot.
9) You'd rather wait for the next iPhone that comes out in June or July even though there's no guarantee that Verizon is getting a new iPhone at the same time as AT&T.

I'm sure there are other issues I haven't even touched on.  But for those Verizon customers waiting for years hoping that an iPhone would come to your network - CONGRATULATIONS!

More iPhone and iPad news is coming out in the next several weeks...

Glif: The Definitive iPhone 4 Tripod Mount

Since the iPhone 4 came out back in June, I have been looking for a low-cost way to get a tripod mount for it.  While I love my 1080p video camera, most of the time I'd rather use my 720p iPhone 4 just for the convenience.  Back in October, I was really excited about the startup company that makes the Glif and I donated $20 to the cause in return for the nifty little device.  It arrived in the mail just in time for Christmas!

The packaging is minimal (pictured, left).  It shows you how you can use the Glif as a tripod mount and a stand.  I think anyone who has a Glif should watch this Glif montage for all the ways you can use it.

There are other iPhone 4 tripod mounts on the market but they are fairly bulky and weren't to my liking.  When I had the iPhone 3G I bought the Joby Gorillapod for it.  There is an iPhone 4 version of the Gorillapod but I didn't want to spend $40 for it and it doesn't allow me to use a real tripod.

With the Glif, I can use it with my Gorillapod knockoff as well as my full-sized video camera tripod.  It also doubles as a landscape or portrait stand for internet browsing, movie watching or the occasional FaceTiming.  It costs only $20 and it can fit in your pocket.  You can order the Glif here.

Angry Birds Seasons For iOS

Angry Birds Seasons is now available in the App Store.  If you already have the Halloween edition, this is a free update.  If you didn't then it's available for the iPhone for $.99 [iTunes link] and the iPad for $1.99 [iTunes link].

By the way, your Halloween Edition is still in the app.  You just have to find it.

My Take On AirPlay

With the coming of iOS 4.2, AirPlay is now enabled on the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch.  Here's a little demo from Apple about AirPlay:



Looks good right?  Well, it's not as easy as it seems.  There are some important limitations to AirPlay that, in my opinion, makes it not-ready-for-primetime.

Final Thoughts On The Element Case Vapor 007

I guess my YouTube video has set off a little firestorm about the Element Case Vapor 007.  The video I made was not a review - it was just my initial thoughts after taking it out of the box and making one phone call.  I even updated my video with an annotation saying that others have reported signal issues with the case and I updated my original blog.  It was getting so nasty on YouTube I had to pull the video.

With that said, I am no longer using the Element Case as my everyday case, which is sad considering how much I paid for it.

We Farm Goes To The Safari!

Just as ngmoco did with We Rule, We Farm is now upgraded to We Farm Safari [iTunes link] and We Farm Safari for iPad [iTunes link].  But unlike We Rule Quests, there is no real change in game play mechanics (yet).

You get a free expansion of land called the Savanna and the ability to buy extra parcels of land.  There's also two new animal enclosures:  the Reptile House and the Big Cat Habitat.  Other than that, the difference are mostly cosmetic.

So, you can delete that old We Farm app.  It won't work anymore.  Only We Farm Safari works now.

If you want to keep up with the latest We Farm news, check out its blog.

iOS 4.2 Update To Be Released Today

Apple says that iOS 4.2 is being released today.  The official press release doesn't give a time but The Unofficial Apple Weblog says it is coming at 10 a.m. PST (8 a.m. HST, 11 a.m. MST, 12 p.m. CST, 1 p.m. EST).

I'm glad I have my days off on Mondays!  Most of you will probably still be at work.  So, I'll be updating my iPad and iPhone and I'll post my thoughts back here after I get to use it a little bit.

Don't forget to update to iTunes 10.1 before installing iOS 4.2.

UPDATE #1:  TUAW is also reporting that Apple TV 4.1 is also coming out around the same time as iOS 4.2.


UPDATE #2:  I'm downloading the iOS 4.2 update for the iPad.  If it tells you the 3.2.2 update is the latest keep trying.  Also, "Download only" seemed to work for me.  If I tried to "Download and install" then nothing would happen.


UPDATE #3:  One thing I learned today:  you cannot simultaneously download the iPad and iPhone iOS update on the same computer.  You also cannot install iOS while iTunes is downloading another version of the iOS update.  Might be here for a while.  Also, I'm downloading and installing iOS 4.1 for the Apple TV.

Pro Music Apps Exploding On The iPad

Back in April, I talked about one of the apps that convinced me the iPad was worth getting and it was the Korg iElectribe [iTunes link].  It was $9.99 at the time (it's $19.99 now) so I grabbed it.  I still haven't used it to its fullest potential but it's an awesome app.  Check out this video comparing the real $500 professional gear with the iPad app:




Recently, professional apps and hardware for the iPad have been exploding.  Here's a rundown of my favorite:

Games, Games & More Games!

I guess instead of whining about why iOS 4.2 isn't here yet, we can play some GAMES!

A hot one is in the App Store today.  RAGE HD [iTunes link] is the first of a new generation of games for iOS that really shows off what a mobile phone can do.  Check out this video:




For $1.99 and being a universal app, meaning it is optimized for the iPad, this game is awesome.  However, for you veteran first-person shooters, this may be a bit of a letdown because the whole game is on "rails."  You can't just explore the world - you have to follow the story.  But for me, who really sucks at FPS rails are fine.  Rage HD is also optimized for the retina display.  I just wish you had the option of using the gyroscope on the iPhone.
Actually, a new game that does use the gyroscope is Star Wars Arcade: Falcon Gunner [iTunes link].  Now, I don't remember a Falcon Gunner game that was actually in the arcade.  This not only uses the gyroscope but it is also an augmented reality game:




Falcon Gunner also supports the retina display and Game Center.  If you don't want to look silly spinning around, you can disable the gyroscope controls and you can disable the AR view.  It's $4.99 but it's Star Wars.  I got it anyway.
Here's a few more games and apps that are noteworthy today:
GravBot [iTunes link] - FREE - Plus+ NetworkGuitar World Lick Of The Day [iTunes link] - FREEHarry Potter:  Spells - Free [iTunes link] - FREE
Also Street Fighter IV [iTunes link] for the iPhone has an important update.  You get two more characters:  Sagat and DeeJay;  Game Center is now supported;  there is a new fight request feature and you can buy Street Fighter II backgrounds and music for $.99.

Official Google Voice App Hits App Store

You may not have liked today's iTunes announcement.  But, there is hope.  The official Google Voice [iTunes link] app for the iPhone just hit the App Store.  I don't really have much use for Google Voice, but I know many people who do.  Maybe I'll just get a Google Voice number so I can receive and send free text messages.  Or maybe the new Facebook Messages can help me in that department.

Here's a few other noteworthy iPhone apps that have come down within the last day or so:

• -KingdomConquest- [iTunes link] - FREE
• Need for Speed™ Hot Pursuit [iTunes link] - $4.99
• Orbitz Flights, Hotels Cars [iTunes link] - FREE
• Path™ [iTunes link] - FREE

Apple Can't Buy Me Love

Okay.  We knew this was coming.  Still doesn't make it easy to digest. That's because we know what we don't have:  iOS 4.2, iTunes cloud streaming and iTunes cloud syncing.  It was nice to dream for a while.  And we'll probably get them in due time.  But, Apple was right about one thing:  today is just another day that I'll never forget - how disappointed I was.

The Beatles on iTunes

New iTunes Announcement On Nov. 16

Whilst we all wait for iOS 4.2, Apple has decided to sidetrack us a bit by posting a cryptic announcement of an announcement:

So, that'll be at 7 a.m. PST, 10 a.m. EST, 3 p.m. London, 12 a.m. Tokyo (Wednesday) and 5 a.m. HST.  Thankfully, it won't be another keynote but rather we just have to check back at Apple.com.

Usually, announcement of keynotes are done months in advance and we kind of know generally what the topic will be.  But this is not a keynote.  Normal Apple announcements with less pomp and circumstance are done normally on the day of.  So why this "big" announcement done in a "small" way?

The tech blogs are furiously speculating what will be in the announcement: