Get updated on Apple iPhone sales: Both a Win and a Fail.
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Safari 5?
At the WWDC last Monday, in addition to iPhone 4, Apple released Safari 5. What’s different in Safari 5? At first, it appears that not much is new. . . visually. But, it turns out that Safari now includes some features that may determine the future of surfing the Internet. (By the way, notice how I capitalized the ‘I’ in Internet? That is because Internet is a proper noun, and thus, it is grammatically correct to capitalize it. Yes, it’s true. Weird, but true.) Anyway, what has been supposedly the world’s fastest browser just got faster. That’s one of the non-visual things in Safari 5. The other is better HTML 5 support including full-screen view/closed-captioning for video and geolocation.
Then there are a couple visual things. Let’s see, there is now a tab on Topsites that allows you to quickly switch to full history search mode. And the Google search bar in the upper right corner now works with Yahoo! and Bing as well. Oh, and they brought back to old blue loading bar, which kind of annoys me. But, perhaps most noticeably and importantly, there is a new feature called “Reader.” Reader allows the user to view a ‘quick-look-esque’ enlarged view of an article on a webpage without the clutter of ads and graphics. Safari 5 automatically detects when a webpage has an article and displays an icon in the address bar that says “reader.” If you click on it, you can read the article in a front-and-center view. It’s very nice. For a demonstration, visit the download page to download safari, then revisit this site and continue reading this article in Reader! The other nice thing about Reader is that you can download the article while in Reader mode with the click of a button. Could this type of viewing be the future of Internet surfing?
Well, to conclude, the reason I included a question mark in this article’s title is because I’m not sure if this updated version of Safari deserves its own number. Perhaps Safari 4.5 is more fitting. However it is a worthwhile update and I urge you to download it. After all, it’s free!
What do you think? Leave a comment.
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Apple Releases New Mac Mini
Though most hype today may revolve around the ability to pre-order the new iPhone 4, Apple also gave us a new present-a unibody Mac Mini. From comparing the specs of previous models to the newly released unibody Mac Mini, they crush the previous generations and give current line models such as the iMac a run for the money. With the new slick design of the Mac Mini, the model looks extremely stylish and finds it way home to the unibody MacBook Pro. Here are the specs:
2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
2 GB RAM
320 GB hard drive
$699
or the “server class” Mac Mini:
2.66 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
4 GB RAM
Dual 500 GB hard drive
$999
Additionally, the new Mac Mini sports HDMI and an SD card. The new Mac Mini could fit comfortably instead of your current DVR. Could we expect HDMI to come in future updates? Also, unlike previous generations, the RAM is now more easily accessible. Twist the panel from the bottom of the Mac Mini and your good to go.
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The iPhone 4 Antenna Fiasco
Apple is now saying that their antenna issue on the iPhone 4 is only a software issue and will be fixed with a software update. Apple announced that the problem was not with the antenna placement, but by the formula used to calculate how many bars your iPhone really has. They said the miscalculation could show you have two extra bars. They are going to be switching over to AT&T’s formula to calculate the bars in the next update, which should be rolling out in the next few weeks. I’m guessing you can expect the update in two weeks, but this is only a guess.
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AT&T: 3G On the iPad or Not?
To buy 3G or not? That is the question on most people’s minds when they are considering buying an iPad. If you are like most people, you are already paying for internet access at home and with your current phone carrier. Should you spend the money and incur another 3G charge with AT&T? Or is there a less expensive or better alternative? When considering alternatives you should factor in the cost of a 3G iPad which is about $130 more than the WiFi model and the AT&T monthly charge of $29.99 for unlimited 3G access. One option to consider is purchasing a mobile hotspot from Verizon or Sprint. In addition to giving your iPad access to the internet, you can connect up to a total of 5 devices to the hotspot so you may be able to get rid of your home internet service. The Verizon MiFi sells for $49.99. The monthly charge on the MiFi is $59.99 a month for 5GB of 3G service. The only bummer is if you exceed the 5GB cap, you would have to pay extra for the additional data which is not cheap. Similar to the MiFi, Sprint’s Overdrive 3G/4G Mobile Hotspot costs $149.99. Sprint’s monthly charge is the same as the MiFi at $59.99 a month for 5GB of 3G service or UNLIMITED 4G service. However, only 13 out of 50 states have Sprint’s 4G service – so if you are lucky enough to live in a city with Sprint 4G coverage, this might be the most cost effective solution around. Bottom line – if you expect to be an iPad data hog, then AT&T’s 3G service may be the most economical as the plan allows unlimited data or if you live in a Sprint 4G area. If you don’t expect to exceed to the 5GB service and have a family or multiple people that need to connect when you are on the go, then the Verizon and Sprint options may be more beneficial.