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How To: Buy an iPad 2

On March 2, 2011, Apple introduced the iPad 2. We all know that it will be lighter and thinner and all those other features such as cameras for FaceTime and Photo Booth, but what we don’t know, is how to buy an iPad 2. The iPad 2 is going to be released on March 11, 2011. As far as you can tell by looking at the Apple website, it says it will be starting at $499. You also have to worry about the fact that you can’t pre-order it and you will have to deal with tons of other people fighting to buy an iPad 2 once it come out. So how should you deal with this? First of all, figure out where you can buy it. You can buy it at the Apple Store, the Apple Online Store, Best Buy, Walmart, Sam’s Club, and Target. The Apple Store will definitely have long lines. I think the Apple Online Store would be the best bet because you won’t have to wait in lines or get through crowds. You will have to wait for it to arrive because it ships on the day it is released, but it is the easiest way to get it. Patience is definitely required for the Apple Online Store method. Best Buy will have some on sale, but the amount is unknown. You will have to hope they have some in stock by the time you get there. Walmart, Sam’s Club, and Target are also the same story as Best Buy. They will have some available, but how much is unknown. AT&T and Verizon will also have 3G iPad 2 models available on March 11.

My recommendation is to just order it on the Apple Online Store. You just need to be patient. People who are patient always get rewarded. People will also try to sell it on sites such as Ebay, but don’t bother because they will just raised the price.

Now let’s go over the models and the prices. The iPad 2 with Wi-Fi will come in three models and two colors each. The prices are as follows:

16 GB = $499.00
32 GB = $599.00
64 GB = $699.00

The iPad 2 with Wi-Fi + 3G will come in three models and two colors each, but will be sold by two separate providers, AT&T and Verizon, at the same prices. The prices are as follows:
16 GB = $629.00
32 GB = $729.00
64 GB = $829.00

That is about it for the rundown of the iPad 2. Good luck buying one. Leave questions and comments!

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Zoom! Zoom! MacBook Pro

It’s off to the races. Talk about fast, the new MacBook Pro’s are coming in at blazing speeds. To put this is an understatement for sure. The new top of the line MacBook Pro 2011 is faster than the existing Mac Pro desktop. Basically, the ‘low-end’ base MacBook Pro 2011 13” is just as fast as last years top-end MacBook Pro models. The MacBook Pro 13” with Intel Core i5-2415M 2.3 GHz (2cores), which is the “slowest 2011 MacBook Pro’ is almost as fast as the last years fastest MacBook Pro. Osxdaily.com put together some benchmark speed tests and it shows that the new MacBook Pros’ are extremely fast. Some of the new Mac Book Pros’ are almost 3x’s faster then last years models. That is an incredible feat by Apple. Some companies make their computers maybe just double their speed. Sometimes companies just focus on the looks of the computer. Not Apple though, they focus on what really matters. A computer is good until it starts to become slow. Apple’s new MacBook Pros’ are faster then many computers out on the market. There are only so many things you can actually do to a computer until you can’t do anymore. Apple hasn’t changed the design, granted that it looks extremely good so it is probably unnecessary to change the outerwear, but they have definitely changed the inside. Isn’t that what matters though? The outside appearance is only good until you figure out what’s on the inside.

 

Last year’s version of the MacBook Pro 13” with 8GB RAM and a 2.4GHz Core 2 duo got a score of 3128. The new MacBook Pro 13” in 2011 with Intel Core i7-2620M 2.7 GHz (2 cores) got a benchmark score of 6796. That’s double the speed in one year. From what I can tell, that’s a pretty decent score in just a matter of time. The fastest MacBook Pro is the 17” model with Intel Core i7-2820QM 2.3 GHz (4 cores) with a score of 10164. That is extremely fast and it triples the speed from the previous MacBook Pro. I’m still rather curious about the MacBook Pro and if it is actually faster then a Mac Pro desktop. Osxdaily.com says that the MacBook Pro’s are, but until I see some tests, I don’t really believe that. The Mac Pro’s are extremely fast and I definitely say that as an understatement. No other desktop can even compete with the type of speeds that the Mac Pro pushes out. Put all the crazy fast technology, all the talk about Intels SandyBridge chips being blazing fast, and it is all true. If you didn’t buy a MacBook Pro last year, or you just want to upgrade, I would definitely buy the new MacBook Pros’. Tell us what you think about these new MacBook Pro models.

 

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Average Joe's Tips

Part Two Traveling with the iPad: Accessories

For Part Two of Traveling with the iPad I am going to show five great first-class accessories to bring with you on an international or domestic flight. These accessories will help keep you comfortable on the plane and get you to go through security fast. In the next post I will write about five economical accessories that could replace these accessories.

The five first-class options are more expensive, but well worth it. The first product is DODOcase for iPad and it cost about $60. It is very handy and protective of the iPad which makes it great for traveling. Next the Tumi Alpha T-Pass Small Screen Expandable Laptop Brief for $275 and the Electric Adapter that comes with a case for $50. The Tumi briefcase is great because it can be used for everyday use and for travel. It also has a feature that allows you to unzip the back of the briefcase and your computer will be in a safe cushion that is allowed to go through security check point scanners with out having to take your computer all the way out. Note the size of the bag for the size of your computer. Now for the Tumi adapter. The adapter is a little bulky, but it is very convenient, instead of having to carry a big box with a whole bunch of little clip ons you just have one whole piece. The way it works is that one end is where you plug in your end of your cord and the other end has a bunch of different converters, so all that you have to do is push out the one you need from the side. More over, for headphones I would recommend the Bowser’s and Wilkins P5 for $300. They are very comfortable to wear especially on a long flight. For the iPad keyboard you can get a great one from www.zagg.com for $100. It is great and if you don’t want to buy the DODOcase this works as a case too. Obviously, these are some really great products, but like everything good it comes with a price.

Stay connected at my new twitter handle to stay updated 24/7 @TRMGaveragejoes and @realmacgenius

What do you think? Let us know in the comment section.

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Targus 15.4″ Velos Messenger (Wheat)

Targus 15.4″ Velos Messenger (Wheat)

 

Targus has recently introduced the Velos Messenger line.  In this line, they focused on a stylish look with maximum portability.  I believe they met these expectations.  Before I go any further, here are the specs:

 

Device compatibility: 14.33″ x 1.69″ x11.81″

Exterior Dimensions: 14.57″ x 12.01″ x 3.54″

Exterior Material: Polyester Twill

Warranty: Limited Lifetime Warranty

Weight: 3.17 lbs

 

This bag is stylish, there’s no doubt about it.  The Velos Messenger bag comes in several themes: Chocolate and Wheat.  Each one of these come with two different colored straps.  One of Targus’ main features on this bag is incorporating interchangeable colored straps.  Now some may say this is not a big deal.  However, having a colored strap that goes around the bag, and with a single switch, you can change the entire look of this messenger bag.  That seems like a big deal.  The Velos messenger bag definitely receives some style points.

Targus also focused on keeping this bag slim, and allowing more portability.  First, they keep the pockets down to a minimum.  In my opinion, they were able to achieve this without sacrificing too much usability and compartments, but do not expect as much carrying space as a backpack.

Another step they took to keep the bulk down was a retractable handle on top.  This handle lies flat against the case when not used, and is able to be used just like a regular laptop handle when extended.

The Velos messenger bag has an inner compartment, and an outer compartment.  The inner compartment holds the laptop secure between two ventilated pads, and neoprene.  The laptop compartment is able to hold up to a 15.4” Laptop (measured diagonally).  This inner compartment also has space for several books or folders.  A small lid covers this compartment, and is attached by Velcro.

The outer part of the bag has a zippered pocket, which is useful for a charger, your business card, possibly even a keyboard. Also, on the back of the bag there is a slim pocket for a folder or a couple of sheets of paper.

The outside of the bag has three pouches that aren’t held together by Velcro or zippers.  For me, these pockets are mainly used to hold my portable mouse, and my iPod Touch. Not having any Velcro or zippers is not a problem if the bag is kept upright, but if not, it becomes a slight problem for holding valuables.  The colored strap goes through these two plastic attachers that remind me of those used on airplane seatbelts.  The strap goes all the way through the bottom of the bag, and out the other side.

If The Design of this bag seems difficult to understand through text, please refer to our photostream on the right.

Quality:  I found the quality of this bag to be above average.  Targus puts the quality where it needs to be, so the consumer is gets the best value.  For instance the strap attachments are made of plastic, but the most important part, the laptop compartment, is fully supported with air ventilated pads, and held tight by a flexible neoprene sheet.

I give the Targus Velos Messenger bag a 4.5 out of 5.

The Velos Messenger bag is great for those who want a slim, and protective case, but also want style.  Overall, I would recommend this carrying bag for stylish students, and those wanting to travel light.

 

 

 

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News

Walk through of Mac OS X 10.7

What is Mac OS X 10.7 Lion? It is Apple’s newest operating system in development. Our friends at lifehacker.com got a hold of the 10.7 Lion beta. Some features have been showed, but it may just be the start of the 10.7 Lion since it is only a beta version. 10.7 Lion now has full disk encryption. It is more secure than its current implementation. Once you install the OS X it asks you if oyu would like to encrypt the disk, which is one of the only ways to keep an SSD secure. Apple is starting to push the SSD usage, so it’s great that Apple is trying to make us feel more secure. AirDrop is a new feature in the finder that makes it easier to share files between computers. First, you open up Finder and see all the nearby computers with AirDrop enabled. You can send them files by dragging them onto their icon. AirDrop will create an ad-hoc Wi-Fi network between the two computers and transfer the files for you. Just like in Time Machine, there’s a new feature called the built-in version control which lets you roll back to previous versions of a file. Every time you save a document, it saves a new version of it. Closing the lid of your laptop is always an uncertainty. Will your documents be saved? 10.7 Lion has a feature called session saving. If you’re using a MacBook, this doesn’t really apply to you, but for desktop users it is. When you shut down your computer, you have the choice of having all your documents and such stay the same when your start the computer up again. It will resume the same state in which you left it in.

 

The interface has changed, and it is a bit different then what you would expect from OS X. Apple is sticking with the monochrome icons they use in iTunes 10, but it isn’t that big of shock right off the bat. When you start to use the desktop features, you will notice some pretty big changes. There is finally an iOS-style application launcher. You can still browse applications in the Finder, but if you hit the Launchpad icon in your dock, it presents it in a better way. It is full screen which you can fit more apps on the screen and do less scrolling which is a hassle. Nothing big has really changed with the Launchpad which means you don’t have to get excited about that. Misson control is Exposé, Spaces and Dashboard which is actually a nice improvement. Instead of spreading out all your windows, Exposé separates them by application, which makes it a bit less overwhelming when you have a lot of apps open at once. Your spaces are displayed at the top of the screen, you can drag windows to and from spaces easily form this view. The dashboard hasn’t changed so nothing to worry about. The new version of Mail looks much more like the iPad app than the old version of Mail which makes it a bit easier to view your messages. Threading support still isn’t great, but it’s nice! I like the full screen apps which Lion focuses on. It’s great so that you can flip through certain PDF images and focus on one certain image. I would expect this on the iPad, but on a desktop of laptop, it’s kind of unexpected and useless.

[Source]