MyPad maker brings Facebook Timelines to iPad with new app

Loytr, the company that makes the popular MyPad app, has once again beaten Facebook itself to the iPad.   

The company debuted Timelines for Facebook on Tuesday, a native app that brings the social network’s new Timeline user interface to the iPad.

“This is the only way you can interact with the new Timeline profile in your iPad,” Loytr’s CEO Cole Ratias said in a recent interview. “You can’t do it if you go to the Safari browser.”

Ratias walked me through a demo of the app, and it was a solid experience. The Timelines interface, which is heavy on photos and encourages browsing around, is uniquely well-suited to the iPad. You can use the app to flip through your friends’ Timelines alphabetically or randomly, so it’s a nice way to casually rediscover friends’ profiles you may not have checked out in a while.

For now the app is quite basic; for instance, it doesn’t have all the extra features that MyPad has, such as the ability to post the same updates to both Facebook and Twitter through the app. Also, some of the third-party apps that incorporate with Facebook’s open graph initiative may not work so smoothly within Loytr’s new iPad app. But Ratias says more updates are in the works, as Facebook itself continues to work out kinks with the new Timelines experience.

As far as Loytr’s flagship MyPad app goes, Ratias tells me growth and user engagement is stronger than ever, even though Facebook finally debuted its own native iPad app last month. If anything, MyPad has seen a boost in recent weeks, Ratias said: “We saw a 25- to 30-percent spike after Facebook’s own iPad app launched, while all our original competitors have fallen behind.” According to Loytr, MyPad is currently on one in four iPads — more than 8 million unique devices — with more than 25 million downloads and upwards of 2.5 million daily active users.

That success has allowed Loytr to become very stable financially. “We’ve been profitable since the day we launched,” Ratias said, noting the company’s apps serve some 10 million ads per day. That’s more than a lot of startups can say — but when one of your competitors is Facebook itself, you can’t be too well-prepared.

2:20 PM | 0 comments | Read More

Kindle Fire vs iPad 2

 

Move over smartphones, the tablets are going at it! The competition in the tablet market is getting hotter and while many still prefer the iPad, there seams to be a new player in the market that really brings the heat! Amazon’s long-awaited tablet is finally here and they’re calling it the “Kindle Fire.” Yup, hot stuff right from the start is what they’re claiming…but can they take the heat in the kitchen when matched up with Apple’s latest tablet, the iPad 2? Read on to see what tablet should be on your tech wish list this holiday season! 

Size

The iPad weighs in at 1.33 lbs., while the Kindle Fire is only .09125 lbs., so the Fire wins here. But it’s smaller, with size specs that look like: 7.5 x 4.7 x 0.45. The iPad measures in at 9.5 x 7.31 x 0.34. Amazon’s claim to fame here is that it’s “easy to hold in one hand, so it’s small enough to fit anywhere….but so is an iPad, really.

Appearance

Apple likes black and white, so guess what? Those are the two colors available for the iPad 2! Amazon kept it simple and left the Kindle Fire in only a black option. But it did give it a sleek appearance that somewhat resembles the iPad 2.

Display

Amazon didn’t want to make the Kindle Fire too big, so it opted for a pretty standard 7-inch 1,024 x 600 touch screen. On the other hand, Apple’s iPad 2 boasts a 9.7-inch screen that’s almost about the same in terms of resolution, coming in at 1,024 x 768. But Amazon is claiming that its Fire display is state-of-the-art and is “chemically strengthened to be 20 times stiffer and 20 times harder than plastic,” making it very durable. Another feature worth mentioning is that the Kindle Fire and an IPS display while the iPad is LED Backlit AND IPS. This IPS screen allows you to lay the Fire down and still be able to look at it from the edge and see everything clearly since IPS screens have a 178-degree viewing angle.

Operating System

Amazon’s Kindle Fire is Android-based, running a customized version of the OS, but it’s unknown just how customized it is. It has a proprietary web page processing system that’s part of the OS though. So everybody knows that Apple’s stuff runs off of the iOS, so knowing that fact puts the iPad 2 over the Kindle since there are no surprises when it comes to the OS. Also, iOS is a lot easier to navigate and is much more user friendly. But Amazon does have some cool web processing stuff going on with its new Kindle Fire thanks to its “Amazon Silk.” It’s claim is that it’s a “revolutionary, cloud-accelerated browser” that uses a a “split-browser” architecture, which leverages the computing speed and power of Amazon’s Web services cloud. It also learn which sites you visit most and saves them, sort of like how Amazon stores what you look for and then suggests things to based on what you buy most. Oh, and it supports Adobe Flash Player, too!

Processor

Like most of Apple’s products at the moment (or at least their latest ones), the iPad 2 features an A5 process. Amazon decided to put a dual-core TI OMAP 4 processor in the Kindle Fire. Really, both are based on the same dual-core ARM processor, so it’s pretty even here.

Storage

Well, Apple is known to have various options when it comes to storage capability for its devices and its iPad 2 is no different. It comes in various versions, including 16 GB, 32 GB and 64 GB options. The Fire has only 8 GB of internal storage (with no micro SD slot to ad more, which is a bummer). However, you might not be able to save that much stuff on the tablet itself, but Amazon is offering unlimited storage on its cloud service, but you’ll need Wi-Fi to access it though. With that said, the Kindle Fire has 16,683 apps available, while the Apple iPad 2 has a whopping 500,000 with 90,000 made for the iPad alone!

Wireless Connectivity

The Kindle Fire is Wi-Fi based with no 3G option. Apple offers BOTH a Wi-FI and 3G option on all of its iPad 2 GB models, but the 3G ones increase the price. Both have Wi-Fi specs of 802.11 b/g/n. Oh, and if you’re wondering about Bluetooh ability, the Fire has none while the iPad is Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR.

Camera and Video

Sadly, Amazon skipped putting in a camera so that obviously means no video, either. The iPad 2 has a front and rear camera, allowing you to take pictures and more. The back camera has HD video recording (720p) up to 30 frames per second with audio, as well as a still camera with 5x digital zoom. The front camera features: Video recording, VGA up to 30 frames per second with audio; VGA-quality still camera.

Battery Life

Amazon made its Kindle Fire have an 8-hour battery life, but the iPad boasts up to 10 hours of surfing the web on Wi-Fi, watching video or listening to music.

Carriers

So far, Verizon and AT&T are the only carriers for the iPad 2, with Sprint later jumping on now that they offer the iPhone so who knows. But, with carriers, there is extra data plans, which means more money to your monthly bill! There’s no carrier for the Kindle Fire, with Amazon being the main and only place that can light your Fire…literally. But Amazon offers this “Prime” membership ting where Kindle owners can enjoy: unlimited instant videos, Kindle Owners’ Lending Library and more for a yearly price of $79 a year and a one-month free trail.

Price

Amazon has priced its Kindle Fire reasonably low at only $199 for a tablet of its caliber, which features a heavily modified version of Android, can download books from Amazon’s huge store and is designed to be an e-reader and more! Although Apple has been dropping its prices on many of its older gadgets, the iPad 2 didn’t get that price drop and goes for $499 all the way up to $829 depending on the size of GB you want and if you want it to be 3G or Wi-Fi.

 

Winner

The iPad is by far a more impressive tablet, but that doesn’t mean anything to a lot of users. For those who want an e-reader disguised as a tablet, the Kindle Fire will rock your world! But for those that want more from their tablet, might still want to ask Santa for the iPad 2. The Kindle Fire ships November 15, but it’s now available for pre-order now.

7:06 AM | 1 comments | Read More

TouchFire iPad Keyboard

Typing on the iPad is anything but analogous to that of a standard keyboard.  As a result, a number of after market products have seen success, or at least production – case in point Logitech’s Foldup Keyboard (which we loved).  Unfortunately, they add bulk and negate the iPad’s svelte form factor.  As a result Steve Isaac & Brad Melmon built the TouchFire.

It’s an ultra thin and light weight (less than one ounce) keyboard that fits over the iPad’s virtual keyboard and provides the much needed force feedback to enable touch typists and those with an aversion to onscreen keyboards to type as if they were using the real thing.  Course it won’t solve the issue of keyboard size, but by using micro-structures and some sort of special manufacturing process, it can not only produces force feedback, allow you to partially see the screen as well as swipe, but leave the TouchFire in place even with Apple’s smart cover is in place.

So at this point the two have designed and built a working prototype.  But they need your help to get the TouchFire into production.  Pledging (it’s another Kickstarter project) $45 will buy you your own TouchFire, though if you pledge $25 more you’ll get two and some additional goodies.  So far they’ve raised $14,000, which exceeds their $10,000 funding goal, so it’s not a question of if it will ship, but when.

8:07 PM | 0 comments | Read More

iTar : iPad Guitar

Since their inception, the iPad and iPhone have been transformed, thanks to an array of apps, into a variety of instruments.  But despite the touchscreen of these device’s boasting an unparalleled sensitivity not found in other handsets and tablets, they still lack the visceral experience many a musician have come to desire.  That is until now.  Say hello to the iTar.

The iTar transforms the iPad into a guitar using Starr Labs patented button-based guitar fretboard.  The iPad’s touchscreen can serve not just as a point of contact to strum the guitar’s string, but can be converted to a keytar (piano guitar) or a drum set thanks to their durable, time test fret board – the possibilities are almost limitless.  But to Starr Lab’s point, the are other applications to their iTar.  They’re thinking guitar education, music-mixing software, jamming over the Internet, interactive gaming and even a soundboard/lighting controller.   Assuming the project is funded they’ll also create an iTar music app for strumming and using the whammy bar, as well as customizing the finger board to your liking.

So here’s the deal.  Starr Labs is a small shop and their goal is to mass produce the iTar so they can place it in musicians hands at a reasonable price.While you can pledge any amount, you’ll need to toss $200 into the pot to get your very own iTar.

 

Starr Labs?  These guys have been in the game for sometime now, building custom instruments for Vernon Reid (of the endlessly awesome Living Color), the Chemical Brothers, Pendulum, Linkin Park, Lou Reed, and many TV/film studios. In other words, they’re the real deal.

12:50 PM | 0 comments | Read More

How to Download iOS 5

iOS 5 has arrived.  It’s Apple’s biggest update yet to their mobile operating system and with it comes iCloud, a free service (up to 5GB) that can automatically backup your contacts, photos and more.  For additional storage you’ll have to pay, though the price is some what reasonable.  iTunes Match is a separate service all together, designed to sync your music to the cloud and is actually a rebranded and polished version of LaLa, a company Apple purchased a few years ago.

To download iOS 5 follow these steps:

 

1. Download iTunes 10.5

Unlike other iOS updates, Apple is making its customers download the latest version of iTunes.  While there are no distinct changes to iTunes it has probably been modified to play nicely with their iCloud service.  Without this update you will not be able to download iOS 5.

 

2. Plugin your iPhone

This update is applicable to the iPhone 3Gs, iPhone 4 and iPhone 4s.  Once you plug it in, hit iTunes, select your device in the left menu and check for updates.  If you’ve installed iTunes 10.5 the update should appear allowing you to download or download and install.

 

3. Installation

No action is needed on your part, though you’ll need to be patient since the update takes about 20 minutes to download and install on a decent connection.  Some of you will probably start to notice delays since we’re getting close to lunch time in PST, which is probably when many people will grab the latest iOS.

 

4. Using the new iOS

After installing the new iOS your iPhone will walk you through a few screens.  The most pertinent one will be logging in using your Apple ID.  This is used to connect to iCloud.  You’ll also be able to choose if you want to sync contacts and enable “find my iPhone”.  To access the notification center, just drag your finger from the top of the screen down.  Your iPhone will need to be unlocked for this feature to work.  Other features you can use immediately are the new camera functions, which allow you to snap pics with + volume button, edit red eye out of the picture, crop and rotate photos.  During initial startup of the camera your iPhone will ask you if you want to use Photo Stream.  You’ll need to enable this in your setting’s menu.  Photo Stream syncs your photos to the cloud and automatically pushes them to your other iOS devices and compatible computers.  Check out our 30 Best iOS Features for more.

 

5. Using iCloud with your computer

In order to use iCloud you’ll need to have Apple’s lastest operating system, Lion. Additionally, you’ll need to download a rather large update to use the service, so again, you’ll need to be patient.  You can always opt to download the Lion update at a later time since it’s not pertinent to using iOS 5.

11:10 PM | 0 comments | Read More

Apen A4 Digital Pen for iOS

Digital pens that can capture your strokes and transfer them to a computer are nothing new.  They’re great if you want to instantly takes your notes from the morning’s meeting and distribute them to the team. But how many of them are designed to work directly with the iPad?  None of them, at least to our knowledge…until now.

E FUN today introduced the APEN A4.  It works just like your typical digital pen and included is a 30-pin USB connector allowing you to transcribe your notes instantly to your iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch.  Alternatively, the receiver can store up to 100 pages of data and be uploaded to a computer or iOS device at a later time.  E FUN says that the APEN A4 works like a standard ink pen, which means you can write as you would normally, though when the battery runs dry (8 hours) it will just be, well, just a standard pen.

In addition to a free iOS app, E FUN includes the following software: Photo Sketcher, Note Taker and OCR Software.  The latter one will convert your notes, assuming your penmanship isn’t too wacky, into a standard type face allowing your coworkers to benefit from your attention to detail without having to whip out a decoder.

The APEN A4 is available today for $129.99.

12:16 AM | 0 comments | Read More

30 of the Best iOS 5 Features

Tomorrow, Apple will unveil the next iPhone, presumably the iPhone 4GS or iPhone 5.  Not only will it be faster and have an upgraded camera, but it will be powered by iOS 5.  Here are the top 30 new and improved features that users are going to love.

1. Wireless Sync and activation

Literally right out of the box, new iOS devices will be able to activate without a PC with wireless activation.  That’s something that Apple customers have been screaming for as some don’t want a computer, they just want an iPad.  This new feature fills that need.  And iOS devices don’t have to sync through a USB connection to iTunes.  Using a WiFi connection, users can backup to iCloud, as well as sync to iTunes on their PC.  And with new over the air (OTA) updating, users won’t have to sync to iTunes to get the latest iOS updates, something Android users have enjoyed since day one.  And any time you plug your iPhone into an AC outlet to charge, the iPhone will automatically sync to the Cloud via WiFi and look for a software upgrade.

2. Notification Center

The next new feature is another that isn’t really new to Android users, but that iOS 5 does quite elegantly … it’s the new Notification Center.  When users receive a message, whether text or email, iOS 5 will drop down a notification bar in the upper edge of the screen without kicking users out of the app they’re using at the moment.  Users can then swipe down to pull down the bar for more details. If there’s multiple messages, users can simply swipe to reply to messages.  For messages that come in when the iOS device isn’t being used, the Notification Center has lock screen notification, and a simple swipe will reveal and swipe to reply.

3. Greater Accessibility

This is so high on the list because Apple has always made accessibility to iOS a priority.  And these tweaks really help those who are hard of hearing or blind to further use their devices.  Features include LED Flash and vibration activation for incoming calls, improved voiceover support, a hearing aid mode for altering voice and voiceover, and custom gestures to perform key tasks.  Other improvements include a  larger text option, New speak selection, New assistive touch settings, and the ability to sSet Mono Audio left or right

4. Twitter Integration

With iOS 5, Twitter comes built in.  All users need to do is go into settings, select to install the official Twitter app and sign in.  New users can register within iOS 5 without having to launch the browser and go to Twitter to sign up. Once installed and activated, users will find Tweet options in several places from the Safari browser, the camera app, maps, and contact information where Twitter handles can be added.  Additionally, the keyboard has been redesigned for more prominent #(hash-tag) and @ (mention) keys.  Location services can also be added to any Tweet, making Tweet ups easier to create.

5. Greater phone support

You remember that the iPhone is actually a PHONE right?  It can make and receive calls!  That’s what my wife likes to joke about.  Well with iOS 5, users have greater phone support including deleting of individual phone calls with a wipe, unsecured call warnings, location notifications for calls not in contacts, and users can now edit their phone number in settings.

6. Enhanced email features

With iOS 5, users can now add a little more flair to their emails with rich text editing of italics, bold, underline, and even indenting.  And to make addressing an email even easier, users can now drag email addresses to address fields.  Email also will have the ability to organize messages easier with the addition of custom folders. And users can now select & mark multiple emails as read.

7. Enhanced contact features

iOS 5 brings a few extra fields for contact management.  Users can now add family relations, as well as social media links

8. iMessage between iOS devices

Users can also send unlimited messages directly to users of other iOS devices with iMessage.  iMessage allows you to send pictures, video, text messages, group messages, and contacts to any other iOS device – iPhones, iPads, and the iPod Touch.  Users can set up to receive delivery notification and receipts.  iMessage works on both 3G and WiFi, and messages are encrypted.  And just for fun, users can now use animated GIF images in iMessage (only).

9. Airplay wireless mirroring

Airplay mirroring comes to iOS 5, allowing users to use their iOS device through AppleTV on their TV set.  Suddenly, that iPhone or iPad screen is 50″, making it ideal for meetings or even game play.  And the image will also rotate on the TV as it does on the iOS device as you alter it.

10. Enhanced camera control

Users have been screaming for this feature and now they have it.  In iOS 5, users will be able to take capture those instant moments with a Lockscreen camera control, meaning that they don’t have to go into the camera app to snap a picture.  Additionally, users can use the up volume button to snap photo.  And users have greater control over what the iPhone focuses on with one tap auto focus.  In camera editing features are also added including with red eye reduction, rotating, and cropping.   Users can also organize their photos in camera roll with the addition of albums. And here’s a great additional option – users can use their iPhone earbuds as a remote trigger by using the Volume UP button.

11. Photostream

Through Photostream, users can now automatically upload images and videos to the Cloud and directly to all iOS devices and their Desktop PCs.   Additionally, iCloud stores every photo for 30 days and every iOS device will store the last 1000 snapshots.  Your Desktop, however, can store them all.

12. Improved Facetime features

Apple has also finally freed Facetime from the confines of WiFi.  Users can now video conference over 3G.  And they don’t need a SIM to initiate a call either as calls can be made via phone number or email address.  And what could be better?  How about airplay support?  Facetime now enjoys airplay mirroring for video conferencing over your TV set through AppleTV.  And video quality is improved.

13. iCloud

Here’s the biggie.  Users can take advantage of the Cloud with wireless backup and restore.  Users can also schedule daily over the air backup or disable iCloud syn via 3G to save bandwidth.   As previously mentioned, iOS 5 will also automatically sync and backup to iCloud every time users plug in their phone to recharge and look for updates.   Images, videos and files are also backed up to the Cloud and synced down to other iOS devices as well as your PC via iTunes.  And speaking of iTunes, users have the option of a free 256kb upgrade of songs if backing up to iCloud, with any apps or music purchased not counting towards their monthly cap.  Users get 5GB free, with additional storage options ranging from $20-100 annually.  And  Find My iPhone is also available as a part of iCloud integration with an option to disable it.

14. Calendar enhancements

Calendars become more useful with a tap to add event option, tap and drag to adjust time and duration of an event, swipe left or right to view a different day, and viewing of event attachments.

15. Location based Task manager

iOS 5 makes people more productive now with the Reminder Task Manager.   Tasks can be created and checked off, as well as syncd w/ iCal and Outlook.  Reminders can also be location based, meaning when your iOS device sees where you’re in the vicinity of a task, it’ll remind you to do it. reminders. Reminders — Instead of taking notes on your iPhone’s notepad app or putting a reminder in your calendar, you can now use Reminders in iOS to create a digital to-do list right on your iPhone. The geo-location abilities will trigger surrounding events for you to choose from.

16. Storage usage and clean-up

Here’s a nice feature for housekeeping of your iOS device.  iOS 5 brings Storage Usage Clean Up so that we not only see what files have taken up space but also the option to empty that space of Apps, Game saved data, Music, Videos etc. with single wipe.

17. The Assistant

iOS 5 brings a Voice activated assistant feature.   With a long press of the home button, your iOS device will interact and respond to voice commands. Users will be able to drive hands free and tell the phone to send email, texts, get maps, tweet, and even make phone calls.  Based on the popular Siri app, which Apple recently purchased.

18. Split keyboard for iPad

If you’ve ever used an iPad, you know how hard it is to thumb type.  So iOS 5 adds a split keyboard option to make it easier to type in portrait mode.

19. Video and music now separate apps

With iOS 5, the iPod app is retired in exchange for separate video and music apps.  Seems kind of odd, but it was actually done with the iPod Touch, so this change makes it consistent across all iOS platforms.  Users can also move between tracks with a swipe to the left or right (iPad only) and a slide will delete a song right away.

20. Custom Tones

To make the iOS experience more personal, users can now add custom tones for Calendar events, send/receive mail, voice mail, week view on calendar, year view on calendar (iPad) and more.  And of course, that means a new TONES App store!

21. Dictionary

Not an earth shattering feature, but it’s nice that dictionary has been added and is available in every app.

22. News stand subscriptions

Available through iBooks, users can now subscribe to magazines and newspapers.  Searching by popularity of subscriptions is also a plus.

23. Cellular Network for App Store

If users want to be stingy with their bandwidth and only download apps over WiFi, they now have the option to Enable or Disable App Store downloads via GPRS and 3G.

24. Faster Safari

Safari has become streamlined and is faster to load.  Users can also save web pages in reader mode which eliminates all ads to make them easier to read.  They can also be saved off line to read later.  And in the iPad, Safari also offers Tabbed Browsing support.

25. Alternate Routes in Google Maps

Ever frustrated when Maps gives you a route that’s longer or goes out of the way?  In iOS 5, users can choose alternate routes that are more to their liking.  For those who prefer things old school, users can now print directions from their iOS device.

26. HD YouTube

Users now have the option to stream HD/HQ videos through YouTube over 3G.  For those concerned about bandwidth, the ability to disable HQ video playback is also available in settings.  Nice.

27. Disable In-app Purchases

As a dad, I really appreciate this option.  With iOS 5, users now have the option of disabling in-app purchases.  No longer will I have to pay for things I didn’t want to buy because the purchase was done in-app without our knowledge or consent.

28. Game Center Enhancements

By contrast, Game Center now allows in app purchases of games.  Users can also further personalize their account with photos, and decide if your profile is private or public.

29. Weather updates

The iOS weather app becomes more useful with hourly updates, local weather, and the ability to swipe the weather widget in Notification Center to see a 5 day forecast.

30. MultiTasking

Users can now do gesture based multi tasking (iPad only).  With a swipe of 4 fingers, the app switcher appears.  Pinch will return to home screen.  And a swipe left and right to switch between  any actve apps

There are over 200 new features to iOS, and depending on which iOS device you use, some or all are available to enjoy.  But it’s certainly a well thought out and welcome update which will only get better with the addition of the new iPhone!

9:32 PM | 0 comments | Read More

Disney Cars 2 Appmates for iPad

The days when kids head outside and play are officially over.  And who do we have to thank for that?  Disney.

Okay, so that’s complete hyperbole, but when you get a load of their Appmates Mobile Application Toys you’ll start to understand what we’re getting at.

The car toys are designed to be driven across the screen of the iPad, literally, and the accompanying app interacts according to their movements.  In other words the iPad becomes a virtual play mat, so gone are the days of sand boxes and “forts”.

The app, Cars 2 Appmates, is free, but the cars, which come in two packs, cost $19.99.  And like any good toy maker Disney has plans to roll out additional versions of the cars, though they’ll start with 4, selling October 1st at major retailers including Apple, and they’ll add two more in November.  Each toy will unlock new content.  Before you buy, you can download the free app and test it out with your finger, though the full experience, otherwise know as magic happens when you buy the toys.

They’ll of course spin this tech off into other products that do what else…promote their movies.  Cash cow?  You bet your ass it is.  The toys don’t interact with the screen using Bluetooth or cable.  Instead Disney has outfitted the bottom of the cars with a sensor, which probably isn’t any more than a magnetic tip that allows the iPad to detect their presence.

Kids will guide the cars over the iPad, which will display a set of roads depicting Radiator Springs, which we believe is the town in “Cars 2″.  There they’ll be able to engage in a variety of options and games.  This includes an exploration mode, which allows them to discover secret spots, discover landscapes and even see a virtual reflection of their car.  There will also be a directed game play mode requiring your tots to complete missions for each character and collect hub caps (the virtual currency) that can be exchanged for car mods such as a new horn, customized tire racks, rocket launcher (what?) and more.  Lastly, they’ll be able to engage in a race.  The winner will be awarded with hub caps.

2:58 PM | 0 comments | Read More

ColorWare’s Grip For the iPad Is Awesome

ColorWare is doing a good thing for iPad users. If given the choice to enshrine my iPad in a strong, light, and barely noticeable aircraft-grade aluminum wireframe briefcase handle, I would do it in a heartbeat.

And that’s the thing, now I can do it, and ColorWare’s site for their Grip offers a lot of customization options. The Grip looks good on the iPad, and their online ‘design studio’ gets it right with a slew of color possibilities and finishes like “gloss”, “softtouch” and “chrome”.

Let me say this again, I’m excited about this little gadget just looking at the photos, it looks gloriously easy to set up, makes it easier to carry your iPod, and seems to protect it from bumps and bruises from quite a few angles.

The only downside is that it costs a whopping $300!

4:29 PM | 0 comments | Read More

Rover App-Controlled Spy Tank

Spying on friends, family or your girlfriend is never a good idea, but if you’re gonna do it you might wanna consider the Rover App-Controlled Spy Tank.  Okay, so the odds of you actually pulling off a spy mission with this is slim at best, but you can’t knock any RC toy that can be controlled from an iOS device and its sure as hell quieter than the A.R. Drone.

It uses a direct WiFi connection and an accompanying app to let you view the onboard video camera, snap pics and move it from room to room.  You can opt for the good old onscreen arrows to move it from point A to point B or go with the accelerometer option which lets you tilt and angle your way into the cubicle of your choice, though total range is limited to 100 feet through walls or 200 feet with a direct line of sight.  The camera is equipped with a night vision for capturing nefarious night time activities, but we have no clue what you’d use that for.

The  Rover App-Controlled Spy Tank takes 6 AA batteries. In our experience, specifically with the the A.R. Drone, this is a better option since a proprietary battery can be costly and not as accessible or versatile.  Though you’ll probably want to invest in a set of rechargeables for the sake of your bank account.  Speaking of which the Rover App-Controlled Spy Tank costs $149.99 and is available now.

2:54 PM | 0 comments | Read More

Valet Seat Bolt Mount for iPad

Getting busted for texting on your iPhone while driving is slim at best, but this iPad mount, called the Valet Seat Bolt Mount for iPad, all but guarantees a hefty fine from the strong arm of the law for using your iPad while operating a motor vehicle.

The Valet Seat Bolt Mount for iPad is made from carbon fiber, which supposedly will reduce vibrations and shaking, or at the very least appeal to the tuner heads out there.  A hinge allows you to control the height, while the mount looks to use a ball and socket design enabling you to rotate the iPad 360 degrees.  Remove the iPad holder and the arm can be folded out of the way, though it will obstruct the passenger’s leg room.

Now, the major crux of any smartphone, let alone car iPad mount is the installation.  Those silly dual sided stickers never last and mar the interior of your vehicle when and if you remove it.  However, The Joy Factory says that this system is simple to install thanks to a Snap-n-Roll design, which can be installed by just “Snap it in and go”.  We know it mounts below the car’s seat, but onto what isn’t detailed on the product page.

In addition to an unclear mounting method, we also don’t know if the Valet Seat Bolt Mount for iPad is iPad 2 or just iPad 1 compatible.  Joy Factory says “Versatile iPad In-car Retractable Carbon Fiber Seat Bolt Mount (First Generation)” so safe to assume they’re still working on a mount for the iPad 2. 

You can purchase the Valet Seat Bolt Mount for iPad for $149.95

1:53 PM | 0 comments | Read More

Crimson Alliance Review

Diablo 2 was one of those games I spent so much time on as a youth, that it’ll forever be burned into me. That’s also partly why I rarely play RPGs anymore. As we get older, who has the time? But that format and style of play has kept players enchanted to this day. Now picture the guys who make DLC map packs creating an Xbox Live Arcade RPG with the same basic design.

Welcome to Crimson Alliance.

Crimson Alliance (800 MS Points, 1200 for access to all three characters) looks and feels just like many top-down RPGs while maintaining the simplicity so desired by console players. Featuring three characters (assassin, mercenary and wizard), players journey through a city long since left for dead and embark on an accidental mission while on their way to earn some moolah from some local royalty. With 18 total levels to play through, the short 4-hour campaign isn’t the kind to just leave alone after one playthrough. No, you’ll be begging for more.

Developer Certain Affinity, known best for their work on major franchises like Halo, Call of Duty and Left 4 Dead, made sure that players wouldn’t be satisfied with a single go through the game. That’s why they’ve included three characters that are vastly different from one another, and a cooperative play style that allows for a fun single-player experience, but is clearly made for three people to embark on the true quest. Every level has areas only certain characters can unlock and puzzles that require at least two players.

The real trick behind Crimson Alliance’s multiplayer is that it isn’t required…up to a point. For the first half of the game, an individual can solve simple two-player problems alone with a little creativity, and combat never requires more than one badass, but at some point midway through the campaign a team becomes a requirement for fully unlocking levels. Like the developer is telling players “ok, you’re smart…now get some friends and have even more fun. This clever method doesn’t force players to find others to play with, it gently nudges them towards the idea to make the game more easily accessible.

Even with a throwaway plot, Crimson Alliance is all about massive skirmishes, taking down evil hordes, and collecting as much loot as possible to find better weapons, armor, and equipment. These three staples of the game support character attacks and health points, and any receivable can be found either in one of the game’s three major storefronts or hidden somewhere in a chest in the game. Items are collectable, but can’t be sold, so everything you purchase has to be hard earned.

In this way the game is very similar to Castle Crashers, except with grown-up art and with significantly less content. There aren’t nearly as many levels or weapons, nor is it as complex with alternate worlds for difficulty. However, this action-RPG is a grind in the greatest sense. It wasn’t until I saw my self-inflicted deadline looming that I realized I was playing the same levels again just to get that really expensive armor and weapon.

At first I was very critical of the game’s pricing scheme. 800 Microsoft points ($10) for the game with one character, and an additional 400 points to unlock two others. Why the hell wouldn’t I want access to all three characters? The answer is simple: starting a new character is starting from scratch, and while some players are completionists, others just want to have a good time until the next game comes along. For the latter, there’s a lower price. This pricing doesn’t punish the hardcore gamer, it opens the entry point for more casual or unsure players.

Suffice it to say, after playing through the game as the wizard, I wasn’t interested in starting over as the mercenary or assassin. Each character has something unique, but specialty only matters when playing with friends. I’ve already invested so much time into my wizard that I won’t be using my assassin or mercenary for online play, nor do I have any real incentive to. Except – and this is where Certain Affinity screwed the pooch – if I want to earn all of the achievements. Achievement whores, you’re going to have to pay to get the full 200 achievement points (or, as someone from Certain Affinity [presumably but accurately] pointed out, players can just play through the trial level for free with all three characters to earn all achievements).

My bigger concern is the difficulty, or lack thereof. There are five difficulty settings – easy, normal, hard, immortal, and RIDONKULOUS – and after playing through the game on normal, I was able to switch to ridonkulous without a hitch. Enemies don’t get smarter or faster. They just inflict more damage. What would have previously cost half a heart could now cost three, and multiple hits at once can end the game obnoxiously fast. Worse yet, replaying levels on harder difficulties doesn’t unlock new items better suited for the harder level. All upping the difficulty does is earn more points and make enemies harder. It doesn’t actually make the game more difficult.

There’s nothing inherently new about Crimson Alliance. Instead, it’s a delicious blend of different action RPGs, fresh for Xbox 360 owners to sink their teeth into. The 800 point starting price feels a bit steep (making the 1200 point full purchase even harder to stomach), especially considering the lack of difficulty and leveling, there’s little incentive to want to play more, to want to explore levels more than once. It’s fun while it lasts, and fun again when playing with a friend or two, but eventually the grind is done and we have time well wasted.

3:23 PM | 0 comments | Read More

Movie Mount for iPad 2

The iPad 2 can record 720p video.  In other words hi-def.  Unlike the iPhone, though, it’s form factor doesn’t make it a practical shooter. On the other hand, editing footage on the iPad is far more suitable than the iPhone since it sports a much larger screen.  So what’s the answer?

Enter the Movie Mount for the iPad 2.  It’s a case that securely wraps the iPad 2, which supports not only 2 hot shoe mounts for adding lights, a view finder, and a shotgun microphone, but includes a mount for attaching a wide angle or telephoto lens and a tripod mount for achieving those professional shots.

The “slide on the fly” lens mechanism allows you to fast switch between lenses without having to remove them. It’s compatible with any lens that has a 37mm thread and you can purchase an adapter, though we’re not sure on compatibility.

The design of the case allows for the iPad 2 to be stood up in landscape mode without any support, though it doesn’t look like the most stable of incarnations we’ve seen.

If you plan on using an additional microphone you’ll need to invest in a y-cable, though those can be found at a Radio Shack on the cheap.  Initially, we weren’t convinced that an additional mic would be necessary, but after viewing the below product video our minds have been changed.

3:11 PM | 0 comments | Read More

Colorware iPad 2 is Here

The Colorware iPad 2 is here.  So pick your poison, or should we say color.  It’ll cost you, though.  They don’t specific the capacity, but we’re assuming it’s 16GB.  The WiFi version starts at $900, while the 3G version sells for $1030.

2:55 PM | 0 comments | Read More

Logitech Fold-Up Keyboard for iPad

The corner stone, or shall we just say selling point of the iPad is its portability.  

The tablet is a robust device that can be used in variety of formats and easily extends its versatility beyond the home and into the board room.  However, all the practice in the world with its virtual keyboard will never lead to an equivalent ‘words per minute’, or accuracy, as using a physical keyboard.  Sure, there are a variety of Bluetooth compatible keyboards to choose from, but most if not all don’t offer a full sized keyboard.  Plus who wants to lug around an additional item in their already over weighted bag.

Logitech’s Fold-Up Keyboard for iPad solves the majority of these conundrums.  It attaches to the back of the iPad 2 providing additional protection to the rear of the device, all the while doubling as a stand for viewing the tablet in landscape mode.  But that’s not all.  There is also a hidden, slide out, full-sized Bluetooth keyboard.  Unfold the keyboard and the Bluetooth powers on. Fold it up and it turns off to conserve battery life.

Logitech hadn’t planned to announce the product this soon, so they are a bit remiss when it comes to the device’s weight and size.  But from the images alone it appears to be pretty lightweight and svelte.  There are, though, some caveats.   In this case (no pun intended) it’s the price, which is $129.99.  That’s more than a fourth of the cost of the lowest end iPad 2, so in theory to justify this purchase your productivity has to probably increase a fair bit, but what that is is for you to determine.

Additionally, Logitech’s Fold-Up Keyboard for the iPad doesn’t protect the screen, though they say it works seamlessly with Apple’s Smart Covers.

We’ll try to get our hands on one for a review, but in the meanwhile you can preorder it from Logitech’s website.  No word on an official ship date, but we’re assuming sometime in September of this year.

2:53 PM | 0 comments | Read More