iPhone News Blog

My Thoughts on Apple's iPad - The Beginning...

2010-02-02T05:56:20Z

Unless you've been living under a rock, you know what the iPad is. Even more surprising, is that it's only been five days since Steve Jobs unveiled the iPad and already in that short span of time, there has been a lot of product analysis made by so-called industry pundits. At first glance, the iPad has been overlooked by casual observers as an oversized iPod Touch. By the same token, there are others that feel that the iPad represents Apple's vision of the future of computing.

As for me, I find myself gravitating towards the second group. When I hear the griping and groaning for all the the iPad is not, I think that the detractors should just step back and see what the iPad for what it is. In an nutshell, for me, the answer is simple:

It is an actual shipping product, not some proof of concept/prototype
It's operating system is ready for mass consumption, not half-baked
At it's heart lies an Apple-designed CPU, called the A4 which will most likely drive all of Apple's future mobile devices.
It's .5" thin and 9.7" diagonally across (enough said)
The UI (user interface is not just a scaled down version of an existing OS, but rather one that has been custom-tailored to a specific form factor - ie. Windows OS based tablets)
Users will be able to organize, buy and search almost all forms of media: music, videos, games and now books
Access to a HUGE library of software already 140K strong
An interactive eBook reader
The capacity to run a version of iWork specifically re-designed for the touch form factor (I think that this is Apple's litmus test: to see if people can be productive with a product designed from the ground-up to be optimized for a touch interface)
Starts at $500

I know there's more but that's what I could think up off the bat. I think the industry was expecting wonders for that price point. They wanted Apple to bring features such as video conferencing, a futuristic 3D interface and much, much more I can't even fathom. There was no way Apple could satisfy industry pundits. If they had included all the features that were rumored, I feel that the iPad's placement as a third product line might be confused with laptop replacements. Whether or not Apple wants to do this in the future is beyond me, however, Apple will not make the transition overnight...more than likely is the fact that the iPad will probably prove to be the pivotal point in which Apple begins to transform it's business.

Either way, I think that for the price, the iPad brings quite a lot to the table. I will be one of the first in line to pick one up, because succeed or fail, I appreciate what it represents...a fundamental shift in consumer computing. And remember for all the whining, Apple is the ONLY company doing something about the future of personal computing.

Keep watching this site as more details on the iPad are unveiled...I'm sure I'll be able to provide more insight as well.

Thoughts on iPad

2010-01-29T18:20:06Z

After almost 2 years of speculation, Apple Inc released their first product in a new category called the iPad.

With so much hype and anticipation, it was almost impossible for Steve Jobs and company to fulfill everyones expectation of what this device could/should be. It wasn't very long before comparisons to other products began and folks started pointing out what they saw as shortcomings of the device. Voices from all over the interwebs quickly made comparisons to netbooks and others began calling it a "Bigger iPod Touch".

First of all, for full disclosure purposes, I am an Apple follower. My primary job (employment) is taking care of over 100 Apple Macintosh computers and servers at a private school. I also own shares of Apple Inc. stock. That said, I have not yet tried the iPad, nor have seen it other than the pictures and videos that are scattered across the net.

"You can't just ask customers what they want and then try to give that to them. By the time you get it built, they'll want something new." - Steve Jobs

It's not about what's missing.

The internet is abuzz with everything that is missing from the iPad. It doesn't have a camera. It's to heavy. It doesn't have HDMI. It doesn't do multitasking, and so on. If we take a look back at 2007, the same thing happened with the iPhone.

The internet declared that features missing from the iPhone would lead to it's doom. The iPhone circa 2007 had no 3G, no MMS, no copy/paste, no apps. Many predicted it would fail or that announced that they wouldn't buy one because of these shortcomings. We all know how that turned out, right? The biggest thing to remember here is that in 2007, right after the announcement, NO ONE had even held one in their hands or tried one out. The demo units were all behind a glass. There were no sample units for anyone to touch.

Today we know that the iPhone was a huge success... a 40 million sold and growing kinda success. Yeah.

iPad like the iPod?

I think what some folks are feeling with the iPad is liken to my first notion of the iPod back in 2001. When Steve Jobs walked out on stage and introduced the iPod, I thought it was the stupidest thing for Apple to do. I really thought that Apple was losing it. "Why in the world did they bring out an mp3 player? And why is it so expensive?!" were my words before even trying it out. It was only after I reluctantly tried an iPod out in the Apple Store did I understand how cool it really was. The feel of it in my hands and the way it operated were just amazing. It was simple and elegant and I just had to have it. I bought it on the spot... and eventually so did millions of other people.

Update: Read forum reactions to Apple's 2001 Announcement of the iPod and see if there are any similarities to today.

If you read the blogs of anyone that actually had hands on with the iPad yesterday, you know how each had their own opinions of the device before the hands on. It's what they said or wrote after the hands on that really caught my attention. Almost all of them said it's something you have to touch and experience to really understand. They also mentioned how fast it was!

I believe that this is one of those devices you'll just have to try for yourself in order to understand what it means to you. Not reading about it. Not imagining what it's like. Not watching videos of it, but actually using it with your own hands. It's not about what features are missing. The things we feel are missing today, will be here before we know it. Then folks will move on to the next thing and this will happen all over again. No one is ever satisfied with tech, right?

What folks are missing

I think there are two things that most folks missed about Apple's iPad announcement.

The first is that they are using their very own processor, the Apple A4. Why is this important? Apple now controls all the ingredients to their pie. They no longer have to rely on anyone else's off the shelf microprocessor that might have specs that are "close" to what they are looking to use it for. Instead, they built a custom made one just for the iPad. By fabricating a chip set of their own, they can now control the speed, the battery life and just about any of the intricacies that might have been limiting using an off the shelf processor from Intel or anyone else. Apple's R&D will pay off because I do not think there is any other mobile device maker that actually controls all of the pieces of what they make the way Apple does. From industrial design, to the OS, then the battery and now the processor. Apple controls it all to bring an elegant user experience.

I can only imagine that Apple will be fabricating their own chip set for the next iPhone and iPod Touch. The Apple A4 was a huge step forward and probably one of the most important announcements that was overlooked yesterday.

Second is the iPad OS. Sure it might look just like what you're used to in an iPhone but it goes even deeper now. Whether you know it or not, the iPad is preparing you for the future of computing. The iPhone and iPad do something that I didn't even notice at first. It obscures the entire file system from you. The user experience is so well thought out that you don't even bother to worry about where your files are stored, unlike in a regular computer. We spend less time worrying about files and more time using the device.

Thinking about this made me realize that the iPad is exactly what a lot of people want. A computer that does the things easily and elegantly; without fear or worry that you'll mess something up. The iPad OS is so nice, I think even my grandparents could use it without much trouble. There are no discs to install, no virus to be afraid of, no files to accidentally misplace. It just does what it's meant to do. This to me, is the future of computing... where the abstraction of the underlying "computer" is removed from the user experience. Perhaps one day, computers as we know them today will be only for professionals who need file level access to do their jobs.

Lastly, yes, I am getting one. I don't have to touch it to know that this is the next step in mobile computing. I am not entirely sure where the iPad will take me, but I'm going to find out.

Editors note: This article originally appeared on my personal blog but i thought it fit here as well.

Chillingo's 3-Day Wild $0.99 sale

2009-12-19T06:40:30Z

To celebrate Christmas, Chillingo has some great games for sale and they include:

Touch KO ($.99)
Defender Chronicles ($.99)
Jules Verne's Secrets of the Mysterious Island ($.99)
Julse Verne's Return to Mysterious Island ($.99)
Cash Cow ($.99)
iDracula ($.99)
Toki Tori ($.99)

I have also posted video reviews at http://www.youtube.com/user/typezero3. Enjoy and Merry Xmas!

Pinger's TextFree Unlimited SMS Review

2009-11-20T19:50:53Z

Are you tired of carriers (well, AT&T) charging you some insane monthly fee to get an unlimited amount of text messages? Well, Pinger's TextFree Unlimited application might just be your answer.

TextFree is able to use a phone number or email address to get messages to and from iPhone to iPod Touch. Not only that, all the replies are free.

The developer says that TextFree is:

The fastest and most reliable texting application
Is able to notify you of texts even when you're NOT in the app
Able to assign a different tone to each friend
Able to customize look and feel of chats/conversations
Horizontal keyboards
Emoticon support
Supports many U.S. carriers

Anyway, this is pretty much a straightforward app. Take a look at it in my vid review:

My New iPhone: 52 Simple Projects to Get You Started - Book Review

2009-11-19T19:50:05Z

I've never been a fan of reading books on any of Apple's devices. I mean I've owned desktops, laptops, and now an iPhone and till this book, I've never had to read a book on how to operate Apple's devices.

However, this book, "My New iPhone: 52 Projects for Every iPhone User" is unlike any other book that I've read and I think the format actually works for me.

My past experiences tell me that I learn best by doing and this book provides that in spades. The 500 pages guide readers through projects that are meaningful, fun and useful at the same time.

Not only does this book feature included applications but it also goes into some of the third party applications and that I found useful too....I really appreciated that this book was up to date (covering up to iPhone OS 3.0, if I'm not mistaken).

I really like the book and if I think if I could think of anything for the next revision, it would be to include a chapter or two about movie editing and using the compass feature.

I believe that this book is a deal for $29.95 especially since you've already took the plunge for what many would consider the best smartphone to date...Why not find out how better to utilize this wonderful tool. I've included a link to the table of contents and amazon's listing ($10 off list price).

iON Universal Mobile Power Bank

2009-11-10T19:24:33Z

iON - Universal Mobile Power Bank

We've all be told at "great things come in small packages", but upon receiving this particular power bank from iON from FSP Direct, the package itself was the object of admiration!

Roughly the size of a 5 stacked credit cards, the iON charger has a tacky, soft-silicon type cover for easy grip. There is a single pin hole for the ipod or USB connector and a hidden USB charger cord imbedded in the body.

The cords are all flexible so your iPhone, iPod, PDA, or even perhaps your digital camera can be attached and laid on top of the device while it charges.

Additionally, the charger itself has a LED indicator that quickly and easily informs you of the remaining charge.

The power bank comes with a small velveteen pouch with inner pockets to hold your adapters.

The timing couldn't have been better for this product's arrival. I was just getting ready to head out on a trip and couldn't pass up the opportunity to put this power bank to the test.

After draining my ipod during the flight, I immediately charged it back at the hotel. Within a few hours, it was ready to go. Likewise, during a long 7-hour drive, we found our iPhones precariously close to dead and the charger came in handy to keep one phone alive to get us to our destination.

Small, discreet and unassuming, this credit card sized power bank will quickly and quietly power any 5V or less device. For $29.99 at the FSP Direct shop, this is a great deal for an easy-to-use, and easy-to-carry device!

Chillingo's Horror Racing Review

2009-10-20T19:28:20Z

When I was growing up, I played A LOT of video games. Needless to say, one of my favorite video games of all time, was a game called Rock 'N' Roll Racing by Blizzard, Horror Racing is just like Rock 'N' Roll racing.

In an nutshell, this is a top down racing game where you can blast your opponents with weapons that you find along the racetrack. I guess its sorta like Super Mario Kart, but from a top-down perspective. Can you tell that I really enjoyed this game, maybe I'm a little biased but I think that this game just nails the gameplay head-on.

You can create profiles to accommodate more than one player and each player can upgrade their cars depending on how much they win from the races they play. There is a great help option and the controls are marked clearly.

Now on to the gameplay: the car is controlled by a virtual steering wheel and there are various obstacles as well as weapons littered around the course for you to pick up as you and three other cars race around the track. Sometimes I found it a little frustrating to use the virtual steering wheel but after a while it became more intuitive...If I could suggest anything, I think that perhaps the developer could add in some options for other control schemes in the future but it's not necessary...

At the time of this writing, the game is 20% off and is selling in the AppStore for $2.99. Have a look, it'll be well worth your time.

The IconFactory & DS MediaLabs Ramp Champ Review

2009-10-19T19:16:47Z

I have been eagerly awaiting this game. I've heard and read all about Ramp Champ before it was published to the AppStore and when it came out I eagerly watched to see how people reacted to it. All the reviewers had very good things to say about it and all cited the high quality graphics and playability.

With that in mind, I'd like to say that Ramp Camp lives up to all the hype and is well worth the wait. After the initial purchase, users are greeted with four different "ramps." The four ramps are: Clown Town, Breakwater Bay, Icon Garden & Space Swarm.

As you play each level, there are specific goals you can strive for and points to earn. Every 500 points earn you a ticket and tickets can be used to earn virtual prizes. After you've finished the four ramps and completed all the goals, you can purchase two more ramps for $.99...there are about 4 theme packs available for download.

In any case, before I go on any further, I'd like to show you a video on how the game is played..it's really simple, challenging and fun at the same time and at $1.99 in the AppStore you can't go wrong.

YACA: Yet Another Camera App: Snapture

2009-10-14T20:00:57Z

There are a ton of apps that take advantage of the iPhone's built-in camera. There was a lot of hype surrounding the release of Snapture so we decided to take a look and see how this camera app compared to the standard camera app that already comes with the iPhone. We gave a demo copy to our good friend Mr. Lee who did a lot of testing and had this to say: In reviewing and critiquing Snapture I needed to realize a few things. First, I needed to understand that a cell phone camera was not meant to be a replacement or the equal to a digital cameral. Second, I'm an old guy and don't like taking pictures of myself by holding the camera a foot away from my face. Okay, with those caveats, here goes: The good:

Zoom capacity: terrific. It is very convenient and useful to be able to zoom by finger tips. No more walking a bit closer or post pix cropping.
Thumbnail on screen: extremely great idea. No more switching camera function.
Level Aid: I like it. Okay, it may not be for everybody, but I found it to be very useful. Heh, nothing like a level sunset, or a proportioned group shot.

Mixed:

Touch screen shutter: maybe it is a learning curve, but I took a ton of accidental shots. Nothing like getting three pictures of your feet.
One touch email: convenient feature, but a little limited. "Camera" allows for email, MMS, Assign to Contact, and Use as Wallpaper options.
Multi-shot: why? maybe it is just me, but multi-shots are primarily for sporting events and other action type moments. These type of moments require a fast shutter speed and a high quality lens. Not the real forte of Snapture.

Not so good: Saving shots: your shots (4) stay on the screen as thumbnails. If you take more shots, the pixs either get automatically or manually saved. Guess where they get saved to? The Camera roll in Camera. So how do you review pre-4 shot photos? Yep, open Camera and review the Camera Roll. You be the judge: Side by side photos: attached are side by side photos taken close in time with similar lighting and distance. Photo from the built-in camera app. Photo via snapture. Overall: C+. Remember the caveats. Snapture is ON SALE NOW (75% off) in the iTunes App Store for a limited time. Get Snapture NOW!

Gamevil's Hybrid: Eternal Whisper RPG Review

2009-10-14T19:29:04Z

Gamevil is quickly becoming one of MY favorite game publishers. I feel they are off to a great start with their porting of RPGs to the iPhone...originally, they arrived on the scene with Zenonia, the awesome RPG i reviewed here. But, this review isn't about Zenonia, but rather an action/adventure RPG called Hybrid: Eternal Whisper . I think that for the most part, Hybrid can be classified as an sort of a side scroller with RPG elements (weapon/armor/skill upgradeability.)

If i'm not mistaken Hybrid: Eternal Whisper was created the ground up for the iphone OS and it's amazing multi-touch capabilities. Not only do you slash at enemies using special button combinations, you can also "draw" spells on the screen to activate powers such as fire, wind and gravity to name a few.

Another fun aspect of this game is that you can "link" both physical and magical attacks for an insane amount of damage....Then at the end of the stage, you will get a letter ranking a la "Devil May Cry." Most of the times, I'd get a B or C, but I've earned an A in one level...this alone may keep the game fresh for some perfectionist gamers.

Other than that, I really enjoyed the excellent graphics and the wonderful soundtrack...While I was doing this review, I heard that more RPGs are coming our way in the future...I have to say Gamevil is the company to watch..I'd even liken it to the SQUARE/ENIX for the iPhone platform, these guys are THAT good...

Anyway, have a look at my two part vid review, I'm very proud of it..Enjoy and when you've had enough, buy it now in the AppStore, it's only $5.99.

Whatsapp Inc. Whatsapp Messenger

2009-10-13T16:58:54Z

For some time now, I've been looking for an app to be written that was similar to the BlackBerry messenger but for the iPhone. In fact, it was one of my project ideas when I was starting to learn Objective-C. In any case, Whatsapp has provided iPhone users with an app that provides just that; a direct messaging network that is exclusive to iPhone users.

Whatsapp makes use of the iPhone's built in Addressbook as a cross-reference to see if any of your contacts are using whatsapp. If they are, the people are instantly added to your whatsapp contact list. There is an upside and downside to this as 1) you need to know your contact's phone number BUT the feature comes in VERY handy because there is almost ZERO configuration when it comes to finding your friends.

In my vid review, I mentioned that whatsapp messenger is going to be integrated into this app...shortly after I published the review, the developer contacted me and told me that although this feature is coming in the future, it may be arriving in the form of a separate application.

Another thing that the developer mentioned was that intention of the application was to duplicate the SMS functionality without incurring costly charges. I'm happy to say that if that was their goal, then they have achieved that goal and more. Not only can you direct push a message to another iPhone user, you can also update your status in your address book and on Facebook...this is a very interesting and amazing capability for anyone that is socially connected.

Anyway, without further delay, here's my vid review, Enjoy and if you like it have a look in the AppStore, at $1.99 it's a deal

Chillingo's Defender Chronicles - Legend of the Desert King

2009-10-07T16:15:25Z

Review note: At the time of this review, Defender Chronicles is on sale in the iTunes AppStore for $3.99; that's a 20% discount from the normal price.

Defender Chronicles is, in it's most basic gameplay design a tower defense game...However, where it differentiates itself is in the fact that it allows you to upgrade your hero character and give him/her more armor/weapons/abilities.

If you've been watching the AppStore, you'll notice that Defender Chronicles has been amongst the top games and with good reason...the graphics are top notch and the gameplay is easy to pick up and put down in a pinch.

Other features include an epic storyline with over 20 different types of units, abilities and upgradability. There are 5 difficulty levels and 5 modes and Chillingo's even included the ability to email your friends for a challenge.

The latest release, includes tons of features, some of which are:

OpenFeint integration
New map - Helegom
New enemies and new bosses
Option for Vibration & HQ Graphics
and many more...

So, instead of writing more about what the game is like, I'd like to show you my vid review...it exemplifies the gameplay of this amazing app...for $3.99 in the AppStore, you can't go wrong.

Lingopal Holdings Lingopal - Fun Multilingual Phrasebook Review

2009-10-05T15:59:08Z

Lingopal's Fun Multilingual Phrasebook is a fun little app that will give you access to commonly used phrases in over 44 languages. It is however not meant to be used as a comprehensive dictionary by any means.

The application takes into account your native language and the language that you want to hear the phrase in. That's right, you read that right, the application will "speak" your phrase for you with the correct foreign inflection and pronunciation. No more bungled pronunciations and taking a chance that you might be saying something sillier than you originally meant...that alone is worth the $10 in my book.

I'm not sure if I'd rely on this application if I didn't know how to speak a foreign language at all, but it does come in handy for a quick reference and it does include over 900 phrases.

In any case, there's not much more that needs to be explained, I'd rather you watch the application in action...Here's my vid review, Enjoy and if this app is something you're interested in, please check it out in the iTunes AppStore, for $10, you can't go wrong.

Shape Services IM+ Review

2009-09-30T05:52:10Z

One of the most comprehensive all in one instant messenger apps for the iphone is the IM+ from Shape Services. In a nutshell, this little program can login to these following services:

Twitter
Skype
Facebook
MySpace
GoogleTalk
Yahoo
MSN
AIM
ICQ
and Jabber

Overall, this program is pretty straightforward and if you have accounts is more than one of these services, an application like this one makes a LOT of sense. Additionally, this app features in-app purchasing with speech recognition available as a download.

All of the basics are here: push notifications, the ability to send photos, voice and video over chat...And, much much more.

I really enjoyed this program and if you're like me and have tons of instant messenger accounts, IM+ is for you, at $9.99 its a deal. Watch my video review for some other details and enjoy! Thanks for watching.

Gamevil's Zenonia RPG Review

2009-09-28T16:28:31Z

In my opinion, Zenonia by Gamevil has to be one of the BEST action RPG games in the iTunes AppStore to date. At $2.99 this game has amazing replay value and longevity. You can play as up to three different character classes and choose between good and evil.

So far I've played about 50 hours and I think the closest game that describes the gameplay is Zelda or Secret of Mana. I know what you're thinking, it's a tall order and yes it is. I have to say in my opinion, Zenonia delivers on all fronts.

Zenonia is complete with a free-ranging surface world as well as dungeons. Of course, monsters are easily found throughout the world and are more than happy to provide you with equipment (potions, weapons, etc.).

One of the initial problems that I had involved not having a physical D-pad control, but that is not the fault of Gamevil and rather just an issue involving virtual controls. In any case, as I put in more hours, my fingers seemed to find the area where they were supposed to go....maybe I'm just imagining it, but I didn't seem to get as much finger drift in later parts of the game.

Anyway, I just wanted to get right into the videos because there are two of them...It's a two part series, try to sit through them because I feel that they're worth watching. Enjoy

Zenonia Part I

Zenonia Part II

If you enjoyed my review, head on over the AppStore, Zenonia is available NOW on sale for $2.99.