Mac notebook and other portable computing is covered in The 'Book Review, and general Mac news is in
Mac News Review.
All prices are in US dollars unless otherwise noted.
News, Reviews, & Opinion
The Competition
Apps & Services
Presentation & Protection
iPod Deals
These price trackers are updated every month.
News, Reviews, & Opinion
AT&T Bumps 'Free' iPhone 3GS to 99¢
AppleInsider Staff report:
"After making the iPhone 3GS free with contract last month, AT&T
has now raised the price of Apple's two-year-old smartphone to
$0.99."
Link: AT&T Bumps
iPhone 3GS Price to 99 Cents
AppleCare+ Now Available Up to 30 Days After
Purchase
AppleInsider's Mikey Campbell reports:
"Apple has amended the terms for its
AppleCare+ iPhone warranty and accidental damage coverage, allowing
customers 30 days to opt in to the service that was previously only
available at time of purchase."
Link: AppleCare+ Now
Available 30 Days After Purchase
62% of iPads Never Leave Home
iDownloadBlog's Cody notes that AppleDesigned its tablet to be a
portable device, and even shaved inches (and weight) off of the
original iPad to make its second generation tablet more mobile, but
queries that at nearly one and a half pounds, with a 10" display, how
portable can the iPad really be?
Cody reports that results from a recent survey by McKinsey and
Company suggest that there aren't many folks using their iPads on the
go, with the living room found to be the number-one place that people
pull out their iPads
According to the report, McKinsey surveyed over 15,000 consumers
across 15 countries as part of its iConsumer profile project,
presenting its findings last week at Forbes' Techonomy conference.
As reported by GigaOM, 62% of iPad owners McKinsey surveyed never
take their iPad outside their house, indicating that it's being used as
just another home computer - a replacement laptop for doing things like
watching videos or browsing the Web, and with 70% of iPad usage
happening in the living room.
Link: Research Finds
That 62% of iPads Never Leave Home
Tablets 'Aren't Really Necessary'
ZDNet's James Kendrick says he may be the biggest tablet lover on
the planet, but to be totally honest, he has to concede that they
aren't really necessary for anyone.
Kendrick affirms that he loves using his several tablets for all
sorts of purposes, noting that they are great for entertainment - and
even for getting work done. But he says he has to be honest and admit
that there's not a single thing that he can only do on a tablet, and
that it is constantly being pointed out to him that with laptops
getting thinner and cheaper, why use a tablet without a full OS?
He adds that the fact of the matter is that if tablets disappeared
off the face of the earth, life would go on pretty much as it does now,
and everything we do on tablets could still be done on smartphones or
computers, especially laptops, just not as conveniently, so basically
tablets are tools of convenience, not necessity, and not remotely the
life-changers some assert that they are.
Link: Who Really Needs a
Stinking Tablet, Anyway?
Tablets Tap into Our Intuitive Side
The Montreal Gazette's Jason Magder says that while many predicted
the iPad and other tablets would kill laptops - or at least
lower-priced laptops called netbooks - that hasn't been the case.
Instead, tablet computers have become devices unto their own, with many
using them for leisure activities, like reading, playing games,
browsing the Web, or watching videos.
But he notes that tablets are more than just computing devices -
they can be educational tools for preschoolers, full of games and
interactive stories for children, notepads for an artists, photo or
video editors, and even a way to keep in touch with friends or family
using a video-calling application like Skype.
Magder cites Duncan Stewart, Deloitte Canada Research's director of
Technology, Media, and Telecommunications, noting that while any of
this can be done with a computer, there's something about the tablet
that has people changing their habits, deducing that the tablet has
made computing more interactive because of its touchscreen and that
removing the keyboard has eliminated a psychological barrier, making
the tablet a more personal experience than so-called personal
computers. "Just touching a tablet is a more intimate experience than
using a computer. We hold tablets right up to our bodies, and so it
comes into our personal zone of intimacy."
However, Stewart doesn't envision tablets displacing PCs, especially
laptops, anytime soon, predicting that even by 2016 only about 30% of
Canadians will own tablets, while PCs will have increased worldwide to
about 1.5 billion laptops, netbooks and desktop computers worldwide, as
well as 400 million tablets (up from the current c.70 million, with
iPads accounting for about three quarters of the total) and 4 billion
mobile phones - about half of them smartphones.
Stewart perceives the tablet being seen as a companion device by
most users, and not a replacement for a computer.
Link: Tablets Rap into
Our Intuitive Side
Amazon Fires at Apple as Tablet Demand Soars for
the Holidays
PR: The launch of the
Amazon Kindle Fire is the most explosive development in the tablet
market since the release of the original
iPad, according to a new survey from ChangeWave Research, a
division of The 451 Group.
The ChangeWave survey points to the recent surge of the Amazon
Kindle Fire and suggests that Amazon is going to leapfrog the
competition and become the number two product in the tablet market, as
long as the Kindle Fire can provide a quality user experience.
Dr. Paul Carton, Vice President of Research at ChangeWave, presented
key findings from this survey during a webinar at 2:00 p.m. EST on
Monday, November 21st, 2011.
The November survey of 3,043 North American consumers shows an
extraordinary level of initial demand for the Amazon tablet, with 2% of
respondents having already pre-ordered the device and 5% saying they're
Very Likely to buy it. Another 12% say they're Somewhat Likely.
The launch of the Amazon Kindle Fire represents a shot across
Apple's bow, with the iPad until now having almost completely dominated
tablet space. But the most immediate impact of the Amazon device is on
the rest of the competition, where the survey shows it wreaking a
devastating blow to a range of second tier tablet manufacturers,
including Motorola, RIM, Dell, HTC, HP, and Toshiba.
Overall Tablet Demand: Explosively Accelerating Growth
The primary focus of ChangeWave's survey was on future demand
trends, including tablet purchasing for the holidays. A total of 14% of
respondents say they'll be buying a tablet in the next 90 days - 8 pts
higher than an August ChangeWave survey and more than triple the level
of a year ago.
Apple continues to show enormous strength in the tablet market,
where it's enjoying the best quarter in its history, according to the
survey. But while two-out-of-every-three future buyers plan on
purchasing an Apple iPad (65%), for the first time since the launch of
the original model, there is a double-digit contender for the number
two spot.
Better than one-in-five planned purchasers (22%) say they'll buy a
Kindle Fire.
The November survey of 3,043 North American consumers shows an
extraordinary level of initial demand for the Amazon tablet, with 2% of
respondents having already pre-ordered the device and 5% saying they're
Very Likely to buy it. Another 12% say they're Somewhat Likely.
Importantly, with the exception of the Samsung Galaxy Tab (4%) no
other manufacturer is garnering more than 1% of future tablet demand
among consumers.
Customer Satisfaction
As seen in previous ChangeWave surveys, a key reason for the Apple
iPad's market dominance can be found in its customer satisfaction
rating. A total of 74% of all iPad owners say they're Very Satisfied
with their device. This compares to a 49% Very Satisfied rating for all
other tablet manufacturers combined.
Summary
The ChangeWave survey shows the Amazon Kindle Fire is going to
leapfrog the competition and become the number two product in the
tablet market, as long as it can provide a quality user experience.
But the Amazon surge may also contain a silver lining for Apple, by
damaging the tablet market hopes of the remaining competitors in the
field.
Other Findings
- Two-in-five respondents planning on buying a tablet say Price (40%)
is the number one factor affecting their purchasing decision, followed
by Long Battery Life (21%).
- Price is far more of a factor for planned Kindle Fire buyers (75%)
than iPad buyers (22%) not a surprise considering the $199 price tag
for the Fire vs. $499 for the lowest cost iPad. eReading Features (22%)
are also far more important to planned Fire buyers than iPad buyers
(3%).
- Of major importance to iPad planned purchasers are the # of Apps
Available (20% iPad vs. 6% Fire), Operating System Used (20% iPad vs.
6% Fire), and Brand Loyalty (17% iPad vs. 2% Fire).
Link:
ChangeWave Consumer Tablet, PC and eReader Demand
An iPad Lover Plays with Fire
MacNewsWorld's Chris Maxcer says that from the moment you open the
Kindle Fire's box, it's clear that someone at Amazon is paying close
attention to the user experience. Sure, it's no iPad 2, but it's quite
a gadget for a mere $200. Its build, interface, and software all make a
good first impression, even for someone who's been using Apple devices
for years.
Being a happy owner of an iPad 2, Maxcer says he bought a Kindle
Fire anyway, a seemingly silly purchase on the surface - after all,
what can a Kindle Fire do that an iPad can't? Not much of anything,
really, he says, except run Android apps and play nicely with
Amazon.com's growing world of content.
On the other hand, what can an iPad 2 do that a Kindle Fire can't?
Well, for example, there's the ability to take pictures, do video
calling, and even check your pulse, GPS, and available 3G support.
Link: An iPad Lover Plays
with Fire, Part 1
Windows 8 PCs May Resemble Big Smartphones
InformationWeek's Paul McDougall reports that PCs and tablets that
run Microsoft's forthcoming Windows 8 operating system will be more
like big smartphones than traditional desktops, say executives from
mobile chipmaker Qualcomm.
MacDougall cites Qualcomm CEO Paul Jacobs, during a presentation to
financial analysts Thursday in New York City, saying, "The notion of
instant on, always on, always connected, always updated - that idea is
in your smartphone, and we're going to increasingly see it in the
computing space."
The article notes that Qualcomm's Snapdragon mobile chipset already
powers a number of Android and Windows Phone devices, and Jacobs
believes it could also be a fit for a new breed of laptops that will
take advantage of a number of Windows 8 features and capabilities
inspired by smartphones.
Link: Windows 8 PCs May
Resemble Big Smartphones
How Microsoft Can Beat the Kindle Fire and the
iPad
WinSuperSite's Paul Thurrott says that while the
Kindle Fire clearly has the iPad in
its sights, it's prudent to remember that the media tablet market is
still in its early stages, and by the end of 2012, Microsoft should be
a third major player in the field, which in tandem with its many
hardware partners will unleash a diverse lineup of tablet devices based
on Windows 8. Thurrott believes Windows 8 will account for a
huge chunk of this market and speculates how it could happen.
Thurrott suggests that newly-supported ARM-based Windows 8 tablets
should be iPad-like devices, not ARM-based PCs, and that they should
eliminate all of the classic Windows UIs and complexities, offering a
true device experience. Users who want or need the full PC experience
will simply be able to choose a traditional x86/x64-based PC, a
category that will include a variety of tablets as well, including
including big, powerful PC-based tablets. He projects that Microsoft
(and its partners) will consequently have a platform that is a pure,
no-excuses iPad competitor, while still retaining everything that is
good, and right, about the PC.
Link: How Microsoft Can
Beat the Kindle Fire . . . and the iPad
Bentley Adopts Apple Tech for Connected Mulsanne
Concept Car
Cnet's Wayne Cunningham reports from the L.A. Auto Show that luxury
car maker Bentley is showing off a network comprising iPads and a Mac
mini in the Mulsanne sedan.
Cunningham observes that it speaks volumes about the typical Bentley
customer that the company's connected car concept focuses on rear-seat
passengers. With the cost of the large Mulsanne sedan being about
$350,000, most buyers can leave the driving to a chauffeur, and to
oblige this type of customer, Bentley has tapped Apple technology in
creating its connected concept, fitting a Mac mini and 4G-connected
router in the trunk, and iPads in the rear-seat tray tables. The
various computers in this system are integrated, so the iPads can
control and call up media and files from the Mac mini.
Besides being cool, Cunningham notes after trying the setup out, it
offers plenty of functionality, and he had only begun to exploit the
capabilities of this system.
Link: Bentley Taps
Apple for Connected Mulsanne Concept
The Competition
World's Lowest Cost Tablet Computer Launched
PR: The UbiSlate Aakash is the brainchild of Indian-born,
Canadian-raised brothers and entrepreneurs Raja Singh Tuli and Suneet
Singh Tuli, whose company DataWind, plans plan to retail their tablet
for about $60 in India. DataWind is based in London, with offices in
Montreal and Toronto, and has established a manufacturing facility at
Hyderabad, India to produce the ultra low-cost tablet.
Aakash is a
7" Android 2.2 touchscreen tablet with a HD video coprocessor for a
high-quality multimedia experience and core graphics accelerator for
faster application support. The Aakash tablet is the only Android
device in the market to offer DataWind's UbiSurfer browser. Based on 18
international patents, the UbiSurfer browser accelerates web pages by
factors of 10x to 30x, allowing for a reasonably speedy web experience
over slow networks.
The device includes WiFi connectivity and support for optional 3G
modems. Two full-sized USB ports are integrated into the unit allowing
pen-drives, external keyboards, web-cams, dongles and other inexpensive
peripherals to be attached. "Pen drives are a common medium for storing
and sharing content in India. They are even used by people that are not
computer savvy, for access to music and videos. We felt it was very
important to include full sized USB ports allowing regular pen-drives
to be plugged-in" says Suneet Singh Tuli. They are even used by people
that are not computer savvy, for access to music and videos. A full
sized USB ports allowing regular pen-drives to be plugged-in is also
available as an added advantage over other tablets.
A key
accessory offered with the Aakash tablet by DataWind, is the Leather
Keyboard Case. The leather case not only protects the device, but has
an integrated keyboard case allowing fast typing and conversion of the
device as a small notebook.
DataWind will offer a commercial version, called the UbiSlate,
starting late November at a Maximum Retail Price of under Rs.2,999
(inclusive of all duties and taxes) - about $58 at the current exchange
rate. The price difference between the Aakash and UbiSlate is because
the commercially available product will include a cellular modem,
allowing it to deliver web access anywhere there is a cellular
connectivity, and also to function as a mobile phone.
The Indian government is buying 100,000 tablets from DataWind at an
all-inclusive price of Rs.2,250 per unit (inclusive of all taxes,
levies, and charges like freight and insurance, servicing and
documentation) - the low cost device being part of the government's
plan to connect over 1,000 institutions across the country with high
bandwidth WiFi networks and web-enabling tons of course content for
free. The government intends to deliver 10 million tablets to
post-secondary students across India. The target price of the 10
million units is Rs.1,750 per unit. DataWind has provided a firm
proposal at the Rs.1,750 price point also.
Specifications
Hardware
- Processor: 366 MHz Connexant with Graphics accelerator and HD Video
coprocessor & graphics accelerator
- Memory (RAM): 256 MB RAM / Storage (Internal): 2 GB Flash
- Storage (External): 2 GB card included. Expandable up to 32 GB
Supported
- Peripherals (USB 2.0 ports, number): 2 Standard USB port
- Audio out: 3.5mm jack
- Audio in: 3.5mm jack
- Display and Resolution: 7" display with 800 x 480 pixel
resolution
- Input Devices: Resistive touch screen
- Connectivity and Networking: GPRS and WiFi IEEE 802.11 a/b/g
- Power and Battery: Up to 180 minutes on battery.
- AC adapter 200-240 volt range.
- CE certification / RoHS certification
Software
- OS: Android 2.2
- Document Rendering - Supported Document formats: DOC, DOCX, PPT,
PPTX, XLS, XLSX, ODT, ODP
- PDF viewer, Text editor
- Multimedia and Image Display - Image viewer supported formats: PNG,
JPG, BMP and GIF
- Supported audio formats: MP3, AAC, AC3, WAV, WMA
- Supported video formats: MPEG2, MPEG4, AVI, FLV
Communication and Internet
- Web browser - Standards Compliance: xHTML 1.1 compliant, JavaScript
1.8 compliant
- Separate application for online YouTube video
Nimbuzz software
Additional Web Browser: UbiSurfer-Browser with
compression/acceleration and IE8 rendering.
Link: UbiSlate
Apps & Services
Google Search: Chrome Enters Apple's Walled Garden
by Increments
MacPrices' Charles Moore says:
"I like Google's Chrome Web browser a lot more than I do Apple's
Safari. I keep Chrome up and running all the time on my Mac, but can go
for weeks without ever starting Safari. However, Chrome isn't available
on iOS devices.
"To be fair, relatively speaking, the iOS version of Safari holds up
a lot better in comparison with other Web browsers that support the
iOS, like
Opera Mini,
Dolphin,
Diigo,
Mercury, and more. Actually, I would rate Safari at or near the top
of the iOS pack along with Dolphin and Diigo, especially now that the
iOS 5 version has real tabs. On the other hand, while I prefer Opera to
Safari as well in their respective OS X versions, Opera Mini on
the iPad has been a disappointment, with a clunky user interface and
distinctly less lively performance than iOS Safari, Diigo, and the very
speedy Dolphin especially. These are all pretty good Web browsers, but
I do miss cool Chrome features like the slick and seamless Google
Translation for non-English language Websites. Until now.
"This week Google released its new Google Search app for iOS
(see below), hard on the heels of a new Google Gmail
app (also below) a week or two ago. I've downloaded
both, and between them, they can cover a large proportion of what I do
with Web browsers, without a browser.
"Google's Gmail app works pretty much the same as Gmail does on a
browser page, which is to say well. It's a convenient addition to one's
email tools if you're a Gmail user, but the new Google Search for iOS
is just outstanding. This is a lovely piece of work, obviously tailored
and carefully optimized for the iOS, working with the same speediness,
fluidity and smoothness I've come to expect from the Chrome browser for
OS X. It's not quite Chrome for iOS, but in some respects it's
even better.
"For one thing, one-click ease of machine translation for other
language Web pages is there. Cool!"
Link:
New Google Search App: Chrome Enters Apple's Walled Garden by
Increments
Google Search for iOS Completely Redesigned for
the iPad
PR: Search the web faster and easier with the latest
Search app from Google. Get exclusive search features only available in
this app for the best search experience. Completely redesigned for the
iPad.
New for the iPad
- See search results and websites side-by-side to quickly browse
pages and results
- Swipe through the image carousel to see image results in
full-size
- Compare search results as webpage snapshots in Instant Previews
mode
- Use Google Instant and search suggestions to get to search results
faster
- Revisit past searches with Visual Search History
- Highlight what you want to see on a webpage with the new Find
button
- Easily share pages and +1 sites
- Quick access to other Google apps like Gmail, Calendar, Docs and
more
Search Made Easy
Voice Search: Search by voice and skip the typing- Google Goggles: Snap a photo of what you see to find more
information about products, landmarks or famous paintings, and even
solve Sudoku puzzles
- Search Nearby: Find places near you without typing your
location
Note: Gmail push notifications are no longer part of the Google
Search app. You can install the newly released Gmail app from the App
Store
New in Version 1.0.0.8117:
- New design for the iPad
- See search results and websites side-by-side to browse pages and
results
- Get to the right answer faster with Instant Previews and Google
Instant
- See images fullscreen with image browsing
- New visual UI for search history
- Easy access to other Google apps
New for the iPhone
- Minor bug fixes
- Fullscreen mode for search results and pages
Requirements: Compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. Requires
iOS 4.0 or later.
Link:
Google Search for iOS
Gmail App for iOS Re-released
PR: Google has re-released
its Gmail App for iOS, bringing the official Gmail experience to the
iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.
With the Gmail app, you can:
- Receive notification badges for new messages
- Read your mail with threaded conversations
- Organize your mail by archiving, labeling, starring, deleting, and
reporting spam
- Keep track of important messages with priority inbox
- Autocomplete contact names as you type
- Send and receive attachments
- Search through all your mail
System requirements:
- Compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. Requires iOS 4.0 or
later
- This app is designed for both iPhone and iPad
New in Version 1.0.2: If you already have the Gmail app 1.0.1
released on 2 Nov, you will need to uninstall or log out of the old app
prior to installing the new app.
Link:
Gmail for iOS
Type2Phone Uses Your Mac as a Keyboard for Your
iPhone or iPad
PR: Houdah Software has announced Type2Phone 1.1 for Mac OS
X. Type2Phone turns your Mac into a Bluetooth keyboard for your iPhone,
iPod touch or iPad. Type2Phone running on the Mac will emulate a
Bluetooth keyboard. Pair your iOS device with the Mac while Type2Phone
is running. Now every character you type is funneled through to the iOS
device.
Type2Phone also
allows for pasting text from the Mac to the iOS device. Every character
that could by typed can also be pasted. Just hit cmd-shift-V. It also
supports text selection and copy-paste operations on the iOS device.
Navigate text using the arrow key. Hold the shift key while navigating
to select text. Use the cmd-C, cmd-V shortcuts to trigger copy-paste
operations.
Type2Phone supports the following 11 iOS keyboard layouts: US
American, Dvorak, French, German, Hebrew, Hungarian, Japanese, Korean,
Serbian, Slovenian, Swiss-French. On the Mac, Type2Phone shows every
character it has sent to the iOS device. An animated display of key
tiles serves as stylish typing history.
System Requirements:
- Mac with Bluetooth enabled
- Mac OS X 10.6.6 or later
- iOS device that supports external keyboards. E.g. iPhone 3GS or
later or iPad
- iOS 3.2 or later
- 0.3 MB
Type2Phone 1.1 is priced at $4.99 or local equivalent. It is
available exclusively from the Mac App Store.
Link:
Type2Phone
Line2 Adds a Second Line to Your iPhone, Can Turn
iPod touch or iPad into a Phone
PR: Line2 is a great
gift for business people, travelers, or anyone that wants to add
functionality to their device and save money on their phone bill.
The latest release from Line2, Line2 for iPad, adds a phone line to
your iPad and acts as a hub for all your communications and organizes
your interactions around people rather than the type of communication
(SMS, email, calls, etc.).
Line2 is the perfect gift for people that:
- Want to separate their business and personal lives (Line2 gives you
a second line on your mobile phone with a separate number)
- Travel internationally (Line2 allows you to make UNLIMITED calls
back to the US or Canada over WiFi or 3G/4G no matter where you
are)
- Want to turn their iPad into a complete communications hub or their
iPod touch into a mobile phone
- Have poor cell service at home/work (With Line2 you can place and
receive calls over WiFi)
- Just want to save some money on their phone bill (make the majority
of your calls over VoIP and completely cancel your SMS plan)
Line2 offers a free 7 day trial with an account created at the Line2 website. After the trial,
service costs just $9.95/month for the basic plan with unlimited
US/Canada calling and texting, or $99.50 for a one year prepaid
plan.
Link:
Line2 HD for iPad
Link:
Line2 for iPhone
HotTorque High-Performance Auto App
PR:
HotTorque has announced the release of their HotTorque application,
claimed to be the world's first social media network for the
performance vehicle enthusiast, on the iTunes Store.
Users can connect with fellow enthusiasts and give us all a place to
show off our pride and joy.
The app features include:
- Accurate and Attractive Speed GPS
- Post And Show Off Your Vehicles Features
- Measure And Share Your Vehicles Performance
- Kilowatt To BHP Brake Horse Power Converter
- Community Driven Speed Trap Warning System (On Its Way!)
HotTorque is the world's first social network with an iPhone app
specifically designed for the vehicle enthusiast. With the new
HotTorque app, users can post and view images, share information, and
track performance. Viewers can see the progress being made, provide
tips and advice, and more.
Founded and developed by four guys passionate about modified and
performance vehicles alike, Hottorque.com was designed to help connect,
communicate and share with other like-minded automotive enthusiasts
worldwide, male and female, as symbolized in their logo.
Their involvement
within the various automotive clubs and communities is constantly
inspiring them with new ideas that keep Hottorque.com innovating
constantly.
"We spend hours working on our own toys from classic cars to modern
high performance vehicles, and part of the fun is showing off our hard
work, finally seeing how it runs," says HotTorque Developer/Owner Laz
Till. "Being in technology, it was our way of being a part of it. We
thought 'why not build a social network site about it, about you, about
your car?' While I'm working on the GTS I can connect and show what I'm
doing-it also helps if you need a hand. Mechanical work requires
precision and is complicated at times. We have built the website and
the app so you the driver can connect and get some straight answers.
Now we can connect with fellow enthusiasts and give us all a place to
show off our pride and joy. Just wait for what's on the way."
"Hottorque.com experts share information with a library of technical
articles, case studies and other information," Till continues. "It's
about sharing the knowledge. If you know a better or easier way to
achieve something, you simply send a message to your fellow enthusiast
and share the knowledge in the quest to build your dream ride."
Link:
HotTorque
Presentation & Protection
BlueLounge Kicks Protect iPads from Slips and
Scratches
PR: Protect your iPad or tablet
without hiding its beautiful design with BlueLounge's Kicks: small,
thin, silicone-rubber rails that prevent your iPad from slipping,
scratching and surface damage.
The protective rails run
along the backside, providing minimal safekeeping for your 'Pad. They
adhere to your device using 3M Damage-Free adhesive, making them easy
to use and apply, and come off without leaving any marks, yet strong
enough to remain securely in place for everyday use. You can reposition
and replace at-will without leaving any marks.
The delicate design and light grey
color of Kicks blend with your iPad to look completely integrated and
inherant.
A Little Protection Goes a Long Way
Set your iPad down on your workspace
or prop it up against the edge of a cafe table while reading your daily
news without worry of scratching the beautiful aluminium back. The
protective Kicks run discreetly along the underside slightly elevating
the device from its support surface without adding any bulk or weight,
and preserving the beauty and elegance of the original design.
Kicks are completely compatible
with Apple's smart covers and provide the basic required protection to
the backside of your device in most situations. Smart Covers can still
be folded for vertical viewing.
Kicks sell for $11.95
Publisher's note: I suspect these could be used on 12" to 15"
iBooks, PowerBooks, and MacBooks to replace lost feet. We'll see about
getting some samples so we can try this! dk
Link: BlueLounge Kicks
ClamCase iPad 2 Keyboard Case Released in
White
PR: ClamCase all-in-one keyboard, case, and stand for
the iPad 2 is now available in white.
ClamCase, creator of the first all-in-one keyboard, case, and stand
for the iPad, has announced the launch of their most anticipated model
to date, the all-white ClamCase for iPad 2. The accessory is now
offered in an alluring pure white. The latest addition to the ClamCase
fleet arrives just in time for the holiday season and might be the
perfect present for under the tree.
Survey metrics indicate that the iPad is this year's most
sought-after gift, and accessory options can enhance the iPad
experience. With this latest model of the ClamCase product line, the
ClamCase not only elevates the iPad's efficiency, but the new sleek
white design also gives it an extra touch of style.
Thinner, Lighter, and Whiter
The newly released ClamCase adds an aesthetic element to a
product that is inherently practical and efficient. The fresh white
design perfectly compliments the white iPad 2 and continues to offer
all the versatility that users have come to know and love. It features
a white ultra-durable high-grade plastic shell, the signature hinge
(now in white) and a scissor-action white chiclet style keyboard,
creating a balance between beautiful design and the ultimate in
functionality.
The White ClamCase for iPad 2 will include the Bluetooth Easy Sync
system and an extended battery life (with over 100 days of standby).
The white hard shell case includes all the necessary cutouts, which
expose the back camera, headphone jack, built-in iPad speakers, and
serial-port just as the previous models have offered.
The White ClamCase for iPad 2 is currently available at the ClamCase
online store for $149.
Link: ClamCase
Q Card Case Holds iPhone 4 or 4S with 3 Credit
Cards and Cash
PR: CM4, a premium designer and manufacturer of innovative
cases for mobile devices, augments the functionality of Apple's iPhone
4 and iPhone 4S with its Q Card Case.
CM4's exclusive soft-touch rubber and premium fabric blend to
form a streamlined pocket to carry three cards such as IDs and credit
cards as well as cash, allowing iPhone users to exchange the bulk of a
wallet for the slim Q Card Case. Available for $39.99 at CM4.com and
soon at online retailers including Amazon, GameStop and Wal-Mart, the Q
Card Case is a must-have for consumers seeking to simplify with
style.
The Q Card Case fuses soft-touch rubber with a premium fabric
pocket. This patent-pending construction forms a surface that provides
comfortable grip but wont stick to the liner of a pocket. The case
features a lay-flat Screen Guard design, which protects and keeps the
iPhones screen in pristine condition, and Natural Throw buttons are
designed to maintain the organic connection with the iPhone interface.
Through sleek simplicity, the Q Card Case marries the essentials of a
wallet to the form factor of an iPhone 4/4S.
"The Q Card Case fully embodies the four pillars of our brand: High
Design, Function, Quality, and Innovation, says Matt Altschul,
president and CEO of CM4. "We designed this product around the
philosophy that convenience should complement style. With the Q Card
Case, users can ditch the wallet and carry everything in one sleek
iPhone case."
The Q Card Case comes with the following:
- Premium soft-touch and fabric pocket case
- Scratch-resistant screen protector
- CM4's distinctive microfiber cloth
- One-year premium warranty
Link: Q Card Case for
iPhone 4
Skinny Case for iPad 2
PR: Does this make my iPad look skinny? The Skinny
case's sleek hard shell back and magnetic on/off front flap protect
your iPad 2 from scratches and external abuse.
Features:
- Auto on and off front cover wakes up the device and puts it to
sleep
- Lightweight, slim and protective construction for a comfortable and
easy carry
-
- Snap in, hard shell back with soft lining provides enhanced
protection from scratches and bumps
- Easy to access device ports and control buttons
- Foldable front cover folds for both typing or viewing
positions
- Complete protection for the iPad 2
List
Price: $49.99
Specs and Dimensions
- Main fabric: 300D water resistant micro ripstop polyester
- Lining: micro suede
- External dimensions: 9.5 x 7.5 x 0.5 in / 24 x 19 x 1 cm
- Weight: 0.35 lb / 160 g
Link: Skinny Case for
iPad 2 (currently $32.67 at Amazon.com
with free super saver shipping)
Targus Lap Lounge for iPad 2
PR: The Targus Lap Lounge for iPad 2 offers optimized
user comfort by combining a soft, beanbag-filled cushion that conforms
to your lap, with a functional stand that provides multiple viewing
angles.
A zippered pocket conveniently stores a tuck-away carry handle and
can also double as an accessory pouch. The stand creatively frames the
iPad and provides built-in sound amplification, by redirecting the
sound toward the user. A built-in stylus loop on the side of the Lap
Lounge keeps the accessory within reach when you need it.
On-the-go or at home, the Lap Lounge provides portable comfort
to maximize the use of the iPad 2 wherever you are.
Lap Lounge Specifications
- Color - Beige
- Device Compatibility: Designed for the iPad 2
- Exterior Dimensions: 12 x 10.75 x 3
- Weight: 1.7 lb.
Warranty: Limited One Year
Lap Lounge sells for $49.99
Link: Targus
UNIEA Launches 25 New Design-Series iPhone 4/4S
Case Designs
PR: UNIEA has announced the launch of 25 new iPhone 4/4S
case designs as a part of their new 'Design Series.' Using the UNIEA
U-Feel polycarbonate shell case as a base, the company has created
several new product lines based on cutting-edge illustrations from the
world's top designers.
Link: UNIEA iPhone 4/4S
Cases
