Greetings from MacXperience. After disappearance of certain time, the blog is going to be back in action with updates on Mac, the Lion, iOS and just about everything Apple. Since the last post on the blog many events have happened such as release of iPad 2, OS X Lion etc. As we anticipate release of iOS 5 (and much rumored iPhone 5), its important to look back and understand the state of iOS.

iOS is gaining maturity by heading towards release 5. Though the feature set is increasing by leaps and bounds, the competition is also heating up. Windows Phone 7 has came out to be a mature competitor where as Android is going through a massive fragmentation within. Even with the fragmentation, the Android ecosystem is evolving with massive gains in market share. Did I hear you say BlackBerry? Well, thats yesterday news. The once market leader in the smartphone category seems to be making sure that their once dominated segment is no longer attained by them. Analysts like Asymco’s Horace Dediu are all praises for the stock performance by Apple.

Back to iOS, the most important aspect to understand is the unique relation between the software and hardware which Apple products enjoy, which provides them an edge over the competition. And with iOS 5, Apple is adding the Cloud element to this equation which will result in an ever more addictive use case for customers. The iOS is designed around user behavior and their needs. With the addition of the cloud, Apple is making sure that whatever information is required by a user, be it music, apps or media etc., its available to them on any device they have.

If you look at the evolution of iOS and the products it runs on, its a true manifestation of Agile methodology where the requirements of the product/project mature with time and iterations. iOS in its 5th iteration is 5 times ahead of its predecessor. And with this pace, one can only imagine whats cooking up at Apple for us in the future.

So if you are not waiting for iPhone 5 (if that is coming in September) then go ahead and order yourself an Apple iPad 2 or the latest generation iPod Touch as these are the best devices out there in their own league.

It’s that time of the year when everyone is looking out to buy the perfect gift for their loved ones. And when it comes to technology, the options are limitless. Be it a phone, laptop, mp3 player and now even tablet, choosing the right gift for your loved ones is very important.

Thanks to Apple for their amazing product line up, the task to choosing a perfect gift is much easier. And from their product catalog may I recommend the new 4th Generation iPod Touch.

No Doubt, Apple’s iPod line up is the numero uno in the mp3 players list. Coupled with the powerful iTunes platform, it gives you access to unbeatable collection from classics to today’s hits. Now, even the entire Beatles catalog too. With the revolutionary release of the iPhone, Apple did another remarkable launch and that was off iPod Touch. Over the years the product has matured and now its an outstanding device on its own. From the Amazon description:

See friends while you talk to them with FaceTime. Shoot, edit, and share stunning HD video. Play games against friends, or unknown foes, with the new Game Center. And do it all on the Retina display–the highest-resolution screen on any mobile device. It makes graphics and text look even more amazing. The new iPod touch. It’s state-of-the-art fun.

You can read the complete feature list of the product here, but I’m going to highlight few.

• Audio and Video playbook was already superb, but now with the Retina display the quality is amazing.
• If you are into games, Game Center will keep you glued all day long for sure.
• And now it supports HD recording so can you can make remarkable videos.
• Apple’s perfectionist engineering is all around the device, from the new A4 processor to Gyro meter incorporated its one device to have.
• I can write a complete blog post on what a blessing Facetime is. I recently moved cities and talking to my family is sooo much easier now. They use the iPod Touch and I use the recently launched Facetime app on my mac and its just magical. Instead of being fixed to a chair, my wife can show me kids playing around in their own space. I can only imagine so many other benefits one can achieve through the application of facetime.

So who is it for?

Kids and teens, definitely. Adults, a perfect media player. And even if you have a mobile phone, like me and wouldn’t like to invest in iPhone, the iPod Touch makes a lot of sense. Atleast you are now going to miss the fun with Angry Birds.

Which one to buy then?

The iPod Touch comes in three configurations 8 GB, 32 GB and 64 GB. It seriously depends on the budget you have for the gift and the usage by the person. The bigger storage space the merrier it is, always!

I hope I have made your gift selection a bit easier with this post.

Hallelujah! The moment has arrived. Apple has finally raised the curtains of this mighty gorgeous LED screen. The 27 Inch LED Cinema Display is available now for $999.

The beautiful 27-Inch LED Cinema Display features a 2560 x 1440 resolution, a 178-degree viewing angle, a universal MagSafe connector for charging MacBooks, a built-in iSight, microphone and 49-watt speaker system, as well as three USB 2.0 ports. Buy Now.

Whether you are looking to connect with Mac Pro, Mac Mini or as I recently explored how to extend your display on iMac and Macbooks, the 27-inch LED Cinema Display is a great choice. Its an excellence of design and perfection. I’m trying to get my hands on one for review.

You must note there is a waiting period of almost 2 weeks in shipments.

The iOS 4.2 update is coming our way in this fall, Nov ’10. Although many of the features are already available on iPhone and iPod Touch. It will be a reborn experience for your favorite tablet device the iPad. The iOS 4.2 update will include:

Multitasking:
Thank you Steve Jobs. Don’t you want to run all your favorite apps and switch between them instantly without slowing down the performance of the foreground app or draining the battery unnecessarily. And most importantly jailbreaking?

Folders:
I have a confession to make. I’m free apps download junkie. I have about a gazillion apps on the iPad. It would be great to organize apps into folders with drag-and-drop simplicity. Get faster access to your favorites and browse and manage thousands of apps.

Printing:
I haven’t came across the need to print any document yet. But I guess it would be cool to print mail, photos, web pages, and more directly to a printer on a wireless network.

Airplay:
Now we are talking. If you have been converting DVDs to iPad, you know the process one goes through. It would be great to beam up video and audio to the iPad. Not only that but also wirelessly stream videos, music, and photos from iPad to the new Apple TV, and stream music to AirPlay speakers or receivers, including AirPort Express.

Other notable features:
Its promised that iOS 4.2 update will have more than 100 new features. Beyond the major ones mentioned above, I think the other notable features are:

• Game Center
• Better Email Support
• Enhanced enterprise support
• Accessibility enhancements
• Keyboard and dictionary enhancements

For any odd reason, you are still wondering what the fuss is all about the iPad. I seriously recommend you to get your hands on one of these magical machines now.

* images courtesy Apple.com

I have to admit the new iMacs are just to damn gorgeous. The LED-backlit display is really bright and inviting. Now, embracing new processor family from Intel and powerful graphics from ATI Radeon, the new iMacs are really an amazing All-in-one solution. If you are looking for a new desktop, get an iMac.

Recently, I wrote on Connecting Multiple External Monitors to your Macbook Pro. Many friends contacted me who are currently deciding between Macbook or an iMac. All of them had the demand to have an extended desktop available for their ever demanding increase in desktop real estate. As I’ve already covered the Macbook and Macbook Pro scenario, its time to look at the new iMacs.

iMac 21.5″

The 21.5″ iMac in my opinion is a very practical size and machine for a family computer and also a pro user. With 1920 by 1080 pixels resolution, using Mini DisplayPort output with support for DVI, VGA, and dual-link DVI (adapters sold separately), its quite easy and natural to hook up extra screens. The 21.5″ supports for extended desktop and video mirroring modes and allows simultaneously support full native resolution on the built-in display and up to a 30-inch display (2560 by 1600 pixels) on an external display.

Apple has decided only to make 27″ LED Cinema Displays now, so we have to look for other makes for our needs. Here are few which I think will do the job well.

The old 24″ LED Cinema Display, if you are lucky to grab one, is my first choice as it meets the size closely. At $780, its expensive but you are guaranteed the closest match to your new iMac display. Buy Apple LED Cinema Display 24-Inch.

Beyond Apple, the following are a good choice:

Samsung EX2220X 21.5-Inch 1920 x 1080 5ms 16.7M High Performance Widescreen LCD Monitor with LED
Buy Now $180

ViewSonic VX2250WM-LED 22-Inch (21.5-Inch Vis) Widescreen Full HD 1080p LED
Buy Now $165

HP 2210m 21.5-Inch Diagonal Full HD LCD Monitor – Black
Buy Now $194

iMac 27″

Ah! The 27″ iMac. Don’t you just love this mighty machine. Now, what I think can be one great setup would be add the upcoming 27″ LED Cinema Display with your iMac 27″. That would create an enormous 2 X (2560 by 1440 pixels) resolution at your disposal. Apple designed the 27″ Cinema Display to complement the bigger iMac. See the picture below:

Beautiful isn’t it? Costly, definitely!

More than 1 Screen?

Whoa! 1 extra screen with your iMac not enough? Well, ofcourse you can add more. And to achieve that you need to get yourself one these. I’ve discussed about using these gadgets to hook up your macbook / macbook pro with external screens, please do read it though it works around a particular need.

Make sure before purchasing any device, you must have answers to your following questions:

• What port it will hook up to e.g., USB, firewire, Mini DVI etc.
• What is the Max resolution available through this device e.g., 2560 by 1440 pixels
• What monitor I’m going to use and what max resolution it will support.

Conclusion:

The iMac is now a complete power house capable of delivering great results for both average and pro users. Extend the screen size to get maximum utilization. I hope you have enjoyed this article. So whats the solution you are going for?