Author: Alan

Apple Introduces the iPad mini (Details and Pricing)

iPad mini / News
October 23, 2012
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Apple today announced the iPad mini, a smaller, thinner, lighter, and cheaper version of Apple’s iPad tablet hardware. The mini shares much of same specifications of the iPad 2, including the same processor and screen resolution, but it’s a much lighter device, and that’s really the mini’s killer feature. Below is a collection of details on the new iPad mini, including pricing and release date.

Screen. The mini’s screen is 7.9 inches diagonally compared with the iPad 3’s 9.7-inch display. The mini is not, however, a Retina Display. It has the same resolution as the now “ancient” iPad 2 at 1024×768, but that resolution is packed into a smaller screen, so it has a higher pixel density of 163 ppi compared with the iPad 2’s 132 ppi, so it will appear slightly sharper. (163 ppi is the same as the iPhone 3GS’ screen.)

Weight. The iPad mini is a much lighter device, weighing a mere 0.68 pounds, 53% lighter than the iPad 3’s 1.44 pounds. As an iPad 1 and iPad 3 owner, my lone complaint has always been the weight—it really starts to grow uncomfortable after 20 minutes of use. The iPad mini is a big step toward solving that.

Pricing and Colors. The iPad mini comes in either black or white, with 3 different storage sizes, each with Wi-Fi only and Wi-Fi + Cellular versions. US carriers for the iPad mini are Verizon, AT&T, and Sprint (this is Sprint’s first time on an iPad). See the pricing table below.

iPad Mini Wi-Fi Only	Price	iPad Mini Wi-Fi + Cellular	Price
16 GB	$329	16 GB	$459
32 GB	$429	32 GB	$559
64 GB	$529	64 GB	$659

Preorder and Ship Dates. Preorder starts this Friday, October 26. The Wi-Fi only version ships Friday, November 2. The cellular version ships one week later on Friday, November 9.

Videos. Apple showed off two videos featuring the iPad mini at its event today. The first is a TV commercial (which is great) and the other is the usual video featuring Apple execs explaining the iPad mini. Check them out below.

Other Features:

Dual-core A5 processor (same as the iPad 2)
Supports Siri
Lightning port replaces the old 30-pin connector
Thinner bezel on left and right sides. Apple has updated the iPad’s software to cope with the increase in accidental touches the thinner bezel may cause
5-megapixel camera on back with 1080p video recording. Front-facing camera does 720p video and 1.2MP photos
10-hour battery life for surfing web on Wi-Fi, watching video, or listening to music (9 hours using cellular)
Bluetooth 4.0
Wi-Fi 02.11a/b/g/n (802.11n 2.4GHz and 5GHz)
New Smart Covers for the iPad mini ($39). Apple already has a commercial for it (see video below).

Review: SwitchEasy Tones Case for iPhone 5

iPhone 5 Case Reviews
October 21, 2012
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The SwitchEasy Tones ($25) is one of the better-looking early iPhone 5 cases thanks to its two-tone color scheme that mimics the iPhone 5’s stylish exterior. In addition to the black and gray version I reviewed, there is a white/gray version and 5 other color combos. The Tones is a thin, hard-plastic polycarbonate case that maintains the iPhone 5’s thin and lightweight feel, and its surface is slightly textured, giving it a comfortable feel in the hand.

No Protective Lining. The one thing I’ve learned from reviewing iPhone cases over the years is that the case itself can scrape up an iPhone pretty well over time. This usually occurs with hard plastic cases that don’t include a protective lining as a buffer against the iPhone’s surface. Unfortunately, the SwitchEasy Tones lacks such a lining. Because the iPhone 5’s rim and edges are unusually susceptible to scuffs and scrapes, the SwitchEasy Tones is not an ideal case for the iPhone 5.

SwitchEasy Tones case for iPhone 5 inside view

Lack of Shock Absorption.The SwitchEasy Tones is much too thin to take on much shock absorption, and its hard-plastic polycarbonate material doesn’t dampen shock energy from accidental drops much. Even though the iPhone 5 is a more durable phone from a shock absorption point of view, it’s definitely not invincible. The SwitchEasy Tones case won’t give you much peace of mind in the area of protection.

Video Review:

Buttons and Ports. It’s not all bad news with the SwitchEasy Tones—all buttons and ports of the iPhone 5 are accessible and work as expected with the case on. The lone problem area is the ringer/mute switch, which requires some finger digging to reach with the case on thanks to a narrow opening.

Review Summary

SwitchEasy Tones iPhone 5 Case

Price: $25

Art of the iPhone’s Rating:
★★★★★ (2 stars out of 5)

Review Summary: A nice looking case that unfortunately lacks a protective lining to prevent the hard-plastic case itself from scratching the iPhone 5’s delicate rim.

Reviewed by: Art of the iPhone

Fit. Another design element the SwitchEasy Tones gets right is fit. The Tones case snaps on tight and fits like a glove. There is no creaking or loose gaps. The iPhone 5 feels just as solid with the case on as without. The fit is impressive considering how fast the Tones came to market after the release of the iPhone 5.

Review Conclusion

The SwitchEasy Tones ($25) is a good-looking case that mimics the two-tone style of the iPhone 5’s exterior, but it lacks a protective lining inside, which means the hard-plastic case itself can scratch the delicate edges of the iPhone 5. A lack of shock absorption and a hard-to-access area for the iPhone’s ringer switch make this case a dud. Too bad, because it’s quite styling.

Pros:

Maintains the two-tone look of the iPhone 5 (available in 7 different color schemes).
Tight and slim fit maintains sveltness of iPhone 5.
Does not interfere with use of iPhone’s buttons and ports, with one exception (see Cons below)

Cons:

Not much shock absorption.
Lack of protective lining means case itself could damage iPhone over time.
Ringer switch is hard to access.

iPhone Tip: How to Insert a Photo Into an Email Without Leaving the Mail App

iPhone Tips
October 17, 2012
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Want to send a photo via email on the iPhone? Apple has now made it easier. Used to be, you had to start in the Photos app (not very intuitive, I know). But now, you can do it right inside the Mail app itself. Here’s how.

Quick Instructions:

In an email, hold your finger down until a pop-up menu appears. Tap the right arrow in the menu, and tap Insert Photo or Video.

Step-by-Step Visual Instructions:

1. Begin by creating a new email message by tapping the Compose button:

2. Hold your finger down in the body of the email until you see the following pop-up box:

3. Tap the arrow on the right:

4. Tap Insert Photo or Video:

5. Find a photo you want and tap Choose:

6. The photo will be inserted into your email. Repeat steps 2 through 5 if you’d like to add more photos.

And that’s it. Just tap send! You may be asked what file size of the image you want to send. Choose one depending on your connection (keep in mind your recipient’s download speeds as well).

Extra Tip

You can only insert one image at a time using the above instructions. If you want to attach multiple photos at a time, start in the Photos app. Instructions here.

Apple Officially Announces Special Event for Tuesday, October 23

News
October 16, 2012
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Apple has a “little more” news for everyone this year. The company has sent out invitations for a media event to be held Tuesday, October 23, at the California Theater in San Jose. Apple is widely expected to announce an iPad Mini with a 7-inch screen at the event. Also rumored is an updated iPad 3 with the new Lightning connector, as well as updates to the iMac, Mac Mini, and a Retina 13-inch MacBook Pro.

The California Theater in San Jose, California, has been used by Apple before. It is the same location that Apple announced the U2 iPod in 2004 and the video iPod in 2005.

The CW Network App: Tons of Free TV Episodes

iPad Apps / iPhone Apps
October 13, 2012
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Like America’s Top Model? The CW Network app (free) for iPhone & iPad lets you watch it, for free. The app can stream the latest 5 full episodes of every primetime show on the CW, for free. Here are some of the shows available:

Gossip Girl
90210
The Vampire Diaries
America’s Next Top Model
Hart of Dixie
Supernatural
Nikita
Emily Owens, M.D.
Arrow
Beauty & the Beast

There are commercials interspersed throughout each episode, of course. They’ve got to pay the bills somehow. But the streaming video works beautifully, although it wasn’t quite HD quality. And if you have an AppleTV, there’s a tricky way to get AirPlay to work. More on that later.

The app other features are Twitter and Facebook integration, the CW Network TV schedule, photos, etc, but who cares about all that? It’s all about the free TV.

AirPlay Support. The app supports AirPlay out to AppleTV, but there’s a trick to it (AirPlay isn’t found in the app itself). To use AirPlay, start playing a show, then double-click the home button to bring up the fast-app switcher. Swipe to the right to bring up the iPad’s media controls, then tap the AirPlay button. It will stream both audio and video to your AppleTV.

If you want more free movies and TV shows, check out our list of Apps That Stream Free Movies & TV Shows. Now get rid of that $100-a-month cable bill.

The 20 Best Games That Fill Out the iPhone 5’s Bigger Screen

App Lists / iPhone 5 / iPhone Games
October 12, 2012
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Order and Chaos Online game for iPhone and iPad

1. Order & Chaos Online ($6.99) is the most popular massively multiplayer RPG on the iOS platform, and it beautifully fills out all 4-inches of the iPhone 5 screen. Not only that, but the iPhone 5’s LTE means you can now play World of Warcraft, oops, I mean Order & Chaos, practically anywhere. Quest, trade, and collect equipment, join guilds—explore the huge world and grind your way to a powerful character.

2. Galaxy on Fire 2 HD ($4.99) is a space-adventure game that beautifully fills out the iPhone 5’s screen like few others. The game is equal parts fast-paced flight combat and slow-paced strategy and spaceship building and management. A truly massive world to explore with deep gameplay, iCloud support, and professional voice-acting.

3. Phoenix HD (free) is a spaceship-on-rails bullet dodger that delivers 60 frames per second of beautiful chaos. I admit, I don’t know what the hell is going on half the time in this game. The object is not so much to avoid all bullets but to fly where there aren’t so many. Being free is a nice touch, although there are some in-app purchases as well.

Pinball Crystal Caliburn II for iPhone 5

4. Pinball Crystal Caliburn II ($3.99) is a realistic pinball machine with three dimensional ramps. It’s pinball at its finest—learn the board, hit the sweet spots, make love to the multi-ball. Rack up a high score on this beautiful pinball simulator.

Pinball Crystal Caliburn II iPhone 5 screenshot

5. The Dark Knight Rises’ ($6.99) storyline is based on the 3rd and final installment of Christopher Nolan’s excellent trilogy, but its gameplay style borrows heavily from the popular Batman Arkham console game (I guess you could say its developer, Gameloft, is the Samsung of iOS gaming). Beat up thugs, discover a vast array of Batman tool ands weapons, and utilize the dark of the night to sneak up on your enemies. A beautiful game that stays true to the modern Batman aesthetic.

Dark Knight Rises iPhone 5 Game screenshot

6. Wild Blood ($6.99) uses the Unreal Engine to create a stunning medieval RPG/hack-and-slash game. The story revolves around a battle between Sir Lancelot and a jealous King Arthur. It seems ol’ Lancelot has been pimpin on Queen Guinevere. You control Lancelot as he hacks his way to save her. Collect gold and upgrade your weapons. This one even features online multiplayer. Push your iPhone 5’s graphics to the limits and watch it explode!

7. The Amazing Spider-Man ($6.99) is a fighting adventure game that follows the storyline of the 2012 hit movie. A combination of free roaming, structured quests, and RPG elements keep the game compelling from beginning to end. And the end is where you’ll meet the Lizard. Can you save that blonde hottie Gwen Stacy? I know I can, if you know what I mean. Bow wow wow!

The Amazing Spider-Man iPhone 5 game screenshot

8. Asphalt 7 ($0.99) is a racing game with stunning sharp graphics. Race on 15 tracks based in real-world locations like Hawaii, Paris, London, Miami and Rio. Unlock and race 60 brand-name cars. Go online for multiplayer that supports up to 5 racers at a time. Here’s another game that pushes the iPhone 5’s graphics to its limits.

9. Temple Run (free) is an endless running game that is quite addictive. And quite popular too. How long can you leap, slide, and juke your way along the neverending stone path? This game, with its pursuing apes, makes no sense to me, but it’s fun. And it’s free.

10. God of Blades ($2.99) is a hack-and-slash game with stunning visuals and themes that harken back to the covers of fantasy novels from the 70’s. Sword slashing is the name of the game here. Upgrade your blades to take on more powerful villains. Drink in the gorgeous world and the beautiful soundtrack.

11. Sky Gamblers ($2.99) is a air combat game with a realistic look but an arcade dogfighting style. Play through the campaign or test your skills in Dogfight Missions, Survival mode, Free for All, etc. There’s even online multiplayer to establish whether your Maverick, the Ice Man, or Kelly McGillis.

12. Slingshot Racing ($0.99) is a unique racing game designed exclusively for the iPhone’s touchscreen. Use your car’s grappling hook to swing around corners and pick up speed. Play through career mode and 80 different races, or go online to test out your driving skills against random strangers.

Slingshot racing iPhone 5 game screenshot

13. Final Freeway 2R ($0.99) is a homage to the classic arcade racer Outrun. Race your red convertible through 13 different environments. Just don’t crash, else you’ll flip the car and spill the hot blonde riding shotgun. An inexpensive yet addictive game that fills out the iPhone 5’s screen with retro racing goodness.

14. The Bard’s Tale ($4.99) is the classic humorous RPG game ported onto the iPhone platform. This game is huge, it weighs in at 1.3 GB in size! Bard’s Tale features a funny storyline that keeps things interesting throughout the entire game. It even features voice-acting from the actor who played Westley in Princess Bride (Cary Elwes).

15. Blast Away ($4.99) is a physics 3D puzzler. Guide your robots to the exits using various bombs as your tools. A clever and unique game.

16. Paper Monsters ($2.99) is one of the best platformers for the iPhone/iPad, unabashedly borrowing a lot from the world of Super Mario. And it’s a gorgeous game to boot.

17. Beast Boxing 3D ($0.99) is a boxing game with controls friendly to the iPhone platform. You play a human who sneaks into a beasts-only boxing league. Fight your way through 8 opponents, each with their own unique style (think classic Mike Tyson/Nintendo boxing style). This game’s got some really good graphics and animations as well.

18. Doodle Jump ($0.99) is the iPhone classic stretched to filled out the iPhone 5’s screen. Jump ever upward and use the various boosts to quicken your journey. How high can you go?

19. Vs. Racing 2 ($0.99) is a top-down racing game with a straightforward arcade racing style. Progress through 36 tracks and 3 different cars, each with unique handling, upgrades and pimping.

20. Squids Wild West ($1.99) is a unique game where you sling around squids and other various underwater creatures by their tentacles, taking out bad guys in a wild-west setting under the sea. Cute, relaxing, yet challenging. And it fills up the iPhone 5’s screen, and that’s the whole damn point of this list.

iPhone & iPad Basics: How to Use Flagged Emails and the New Flagged Inbox

iPad Basics / iPad Tips / iPhone Basics / iPhone Tips
October 10, 2012
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The Flagged inbox is a new feature introduced in the iOS 6 software update that is useful as a way to sort important emails into one central place so you can find them easier. Flagged emails from different accounts all go into the same Flagged inbox.

To send an email into the Flagged inbox, you simply tap the flag icon in the bottom right corner of the individual email, like this:

Flagged emails still remain in their original email account’s inbox but also appear in the Flagged inbox. To remove the email from the Flagged inbox, just tap the flag icon again, then tap Unflag from the pop-up menu.

Extra Notes & Tips:

Don’t see the Flagged inbox? It doesn’t appear until you flag an email for the first time.
You can move a flagged email out of the Flagged inbox into another sub-inbox of the email account it belongs to by tapping the move email button in the Mail app, which is the second button from the left. The email will remain flagged, it just won’t appear in the Flagged inbox. You can move it back into the Flagged inbox via the same “move email” button.

iPhone Tip: How to Receive Notifications for Emails From VIP Contacts Only

iPhone Tips / Notifications
October 8, 2012
2

Want to get a notification for only when a specific contact sends you an email? It’s now possible thanks to the VIP contacts feature in the Mail app. It’s easy to set up, just follow the step-by-step instructions below.

1. Open the Mail app:

2. Tap the buttons in the top left corner to navigate to Mailboxes view:

3. Tap VIP:

4. Tap Add VIP…:

5. Tap a contact to add it to your VIP list (see note below if you aren’t able select a contact):

Select a Contact for VIP Notification Treatment

Note: A contact must have an email address assigned to it in order to add it to the VIP list. To add an email to a contact, quit out of Mail, open the Contacts app, tap the contact’s name, tap Edit in the top right corner, and enter an email.

6. To add another, tap Add VIP… again:

Note: To add more contacts to the VIP list in the future, tap the blue and white arrow button in Mailboxes view:

7. When finished adding contacts, next tap VIP Alerts:

8. Adjust the various settings to your liking:

And that’s it, you’ve set up VIP email notifications. Also note that VIPs get their own special inbox, so emails from VIPs will appear in the VIP inbox in addition to the original inbox (in other words, your Gmail account, etc).

Be sure to check out more of our iPhone Tips.

A Complete List of iPhone Passbook Apps

App Lists / iPhone Apps
October 5, 2012
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Starbucks (free) app lets you add your Starbucks Card to Passbook. With Passbook, you can pay for drinks and scan in your Starbucks Rewards account at the register. Starbucks is changing the rewards program on October 16, 2012, so no more free syrups and milk, but say hello to free drinks and food on your birthday and free refills in-store.

Discover (free) is the official app for the credit card with all the requisite account features. It also lets you add reward eCertificates to Passbook, which you can redeem in stores, rent cars, etc.

Target (free) features a weekly coupon that’s good for several deals in Target stores. You can send the coupon into Passbook, where it can be scanned at the register. You can read my review of using the Target Passbook coupon here.

Fandango (free) allows you to send movie tickets into Passbook, which theaters can then scan to confirm your ticket purchase. Few theaters currently support Passbook, however. You can read my rant about this here.

Walgreens (free) app lets you connect your Walgreens Balance Rewards card to Passbook. You can even sign up inside this app then quickly add your new Walgreens rewards card to Passbook. It even works with your prescriptions, so scan the Passbook barcode and get instant refills on all your drugs!

Sephora to Go (free) lets you add your Beauty Inside card to Passbook. Earn points with your purchase by scanning the Passbook barcode at purchase, then redeem your rewards points using this app. You even get a free iPhone sleeve by downloading the app and making an online purchase.

TicketMaster (free) lets you send your Ticketmaster tickets into Passbook. The Passbook tickets can then be scanned to get into events, but only select venues support the feature. Select venues, got it? No whining because you thought Passbook would get you into the Justin Bieber concert.

Mlb.com At Bat (free) lets you send your MLB tickets into Passbook, where they can be scanned for entrance to the ballpark. The feature was only supported by 4 teams, the San Francisco Giants, New York Mets, Boston Red Sox, and Kansas City Royals, in the 2012 season. Hopefully by the time 2013 rolls around, more teams will support Passbook.

Lufthansa (free) app lets you send your mobile boarding passes into Passbook, where it can be scanned to board the plane. Scan it mach schnell!

American Airlines (free) allows you to add your mobile boarding pass into Passbook. An alert will automatically appear on the iPhone’s lock screen close to departure time. Tap the info button on the ticket to show departure date, duration of the flight, and Wi-Fi flight availability. Passbook ticket automatically updates with changes in flight times. The Passbook ticket can be scanned to board the plane. Sweet.

United Airlines (free) lets you add your United airline to ticket to Passbook, which can be scanned for entrance to the plane. Unfortunately, TSA will probably still want to pat down your naughty spots.

Gyft (free) lets you add your gift cards to major US retailers into Passbook, where they can be scanned at the register for redeeming. Leave your wallet at home. You have to sign up with a Gyft account first, though, to be able to send cards into Passbook. But when you do sign up, you get a free $5 gift card from Gyft! Tight.

WallaBee (free) is the first iPhone game to utilize Passbook. WallaBee is a scavenger-hunt game that uses GPS where players travel to certain locations and check-in to collect virtual items. They’ve recently added branded items to the game, and you can use Passbook coupons with branded items and earn prizes.

ValPack Local Savings (free) automatically finds local coupons for restaurants, stores, etc, near you. You can then add those coupons into Passbook and scan them for discounts. (Tap the small arrow in the bottom left, next to the coupon, to add it in Passbook).

AirBNB (free) app lets you send your upcoming reservations to Passbook (go into the upcoming tab to add).

Expedia Hotels (free) helps you find and book hotels at bargain prices. The lastest update lets you add your hotel reservations into Passbook so you can keep all your bookings in one place.

Jetsetters Hotels and Exclusive Travel Deals (free) is a service that provides special deals on 5-star hotels and other classy vacation packages. The app lets you add your hotel check-in info into Passbook, and the pass will then pop up when you arrive at your destination, making check-in a snap.

Living Social (free) is the Groupon clone that offers daily deals in your area. The app allows you to send your purchased deals into Passbook, so your vouchers can be accessed lickity split when you arrive at the business.

AMC Theaters’ (free) Passbook integration is for their AMC Stubs card, which is a rewards card. It’s not for tickets (you’ll need the Fandango app for that). Still, spend $100 and get a $10 AMC gift using AMC Stubs. Not bad.

Apple Store (free) app (Apple’s official app, in case you’re wondering) recently added the ability to buy and gift Apple gift cards inside the app. The cards can then be added to Passbook for easy access when buying things at an Apple Store. Buy a new iPhone using your old iPhone and bathe in the sun-soaked warmth of optimistic progress.

Non-Apps That Work With PassBook:

American Express and AmexPassbook.com. View your balance and be notified of recent purchases in Passbook.
Coupons.com. Visit the site on your iPhone & iPad and add coupons to your Passbook.

More Passbook Apps in our forum thread here!

To make your own Passbook coupons, check out the website Passdock.

Glitch Causing iPhone 5 to Ignore Wi-Fi Connections and Use Cellular Data Instead

News
October 1, 2012
0

You’ve heard about Apple Maps and Scuffgate, but the iPhone 5’s real problems so far have revolved around boring old Wi-Fi. Today it’s been confirmed that the Verizon iPhone 5 is suffering from a strange software glitch that is causing the iPhone 5 to ignore some Wi-Fi connections and instead use cellular data.

Frustrated customers are reporting a surprise jump in cellular data usage despite being connected to Wi-Fi networks most of the time. In some cases, customers have been billed for data overages. This forum thread and numerous others at Apple’s discussion boards are quickly growing in size with user complaints.

Both Apple and Verizon have confirmed the error involves the iPhone 5 ignoring Wi-Fi connections, and Apple has released an update to fix the problem. Click here for the official support page for installing the update. Verizon released a statement to The Loop saying customers will ultimately not be charged for the data usage.

The issue, however, may not be limited to Verizon customers. Glenn Fleishman from TidBits has published reports from AT&T and Sprint users who are experiencing Wi-Fi/cellular data-usage issues as well. AT&T and Sprint have not yet commented.

Strangely enough, in a beta version of iOS 6, Apple briefly included a new feature called “Wi-Fi Plus Cellular” in the iPhone’s settings that, when turned on, would revert to cellular data usage when Wi-Fi performance was poor. That toggle was eventually removed from the final version of iOS 6. However, it seems that this is exactly the problem that customers are experiencing.

For customers wanting to quickly and easily check on their monthly data usage, check out our handy tip here.