Tag: iPad 2

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News

iPad 2 Zooms by the Motorola Xoom

How fast is the iPad 2? How about adding a dual core A5 chip and 9 times the graphic speed. When you’re flipping through your pages on the home screen, you will notice the changes. The faster graphics make games smoother and more realistic. Certain games with video will show a smoother transition and not as sluggish you could say. The A5 dual core will do two times the work at once. While your multitasking to get to your applications faster or watching a movie, your whole iPad will seem like it’s hyped up on steroids. Everything just works faster and better with dual core. The new iPad two went face to face with the Motorola Xoom, and let’s just say it wasn’t a fair battle.

 

The iPad 2 and Xoom both share a dual core chip, but nothing can compete with the A5 chip, especially the Android powered chip. Our friends at AnandTech ran some benchmark speed tests, and it completely tore the Xoom apart. The iPad 2 beat the Xoom by almost 3.7 times faster. It also topped the original iPad by 5.4 times faster by framerate. With the faster speed of the new iPad 2, the developers will be able to create better apps that offer better graphics and faster performance. I think that the Xoom will never be as fast as the iPad because of who it’s built by. Apple’s A5 chip is the new best thing, but this certain chip will always be fast and will tear apart the competition.

 

The new iPad 2 is a different type of tablet and also has new technology then the original iPad has. It comes with the dual core A5 chip and 9 times the graphic speed which I talked about before. It kept the same 10 hour battery life which to me is astonishing considering the fact that the iPad is technically doing twice the work then the original iPad. The new iPad 2 also has the three-axis gyroscope which is really cool. You get to see apps in a different way, and it may also seem like it’s more realistic. The iPad 2 has the new Smart Covers which make the iPad look more colorful. The Smart Covers are a magnetic attraction for the iPad 2. The iPad 2 it self has built in magnets that align perfectly with the Smart Covers. The Smart Cover can fold backwards so that you can turn it into a keyboard stand or a FaceTime/video stand. The Smart Cover comes in two textures, Polyurethane and Leather.

 

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Average Joe's Tips

How to: Enable Four and Five Finger Gestures a.k.a Multitasking Gestures

One of the biggest disappointments of the iOS 4.3 was that we knew the neat four- and five-finger gestures wouldn’t be there. But, we didn’t realize they were actually there and just needed a few clicks on the mouse to be enabled. These gestures allow less use of the Home screen and more use of your fingers; after all it is a tablet.

So how do we enable these four- and five-finger gestures, a.k.a Multitasking Gestures? First we need to start with Xcode which comes standard on your Mac depending on your settings, alternatively you can download Xcode from the App Store if your willing to spend the $5. We’re using a little older edition of Xcode, Xcode 3.2.5, surprisingly after downloading a few files from the Internet it was ready to set into development mode.

After you have installed Xcode, fire up Xcode and plug in your iPad. The Organizer should pop up immediately. Under the “Devices” tab on the side, find and select your iPad.

Once your iPad is selected, click on the large titled “Use for Development” button. It will ask you for the “Developer Account” information, just click cancel if you do not have the $99 account. Depending on the version of Xcode, it might need to download a few files, then it will process them — so let Xcode do it’s thing. When Xcode doesn’t show any activity, move down to the next step.

On your iPad, launch the Settings app. Then select General and scroll down until you see the Multitasking Gestures. It’s flip should already be in the on position, and away you go, no more need for the Home button.

Could the Home button be ditched in future versions of iDevices? How did this work for you?

 

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News

iPad 2: The Breakdown

As many of you may know by now, earlier today Apple confirmed the rising swell of rumors by releasing the iPad 2. Apple boasts that it’s “Thinner. Lighter. Faster.” on its website, but what exactly makes this version of the iPad different from the original iPad model? Well, there are a few major changes that make this new iPad stand out as the best tablet computer on the market.

 

First, Apple made a new chip specifically for the iPad 2 that they call the A5. This chip has duel-core processors, which translates to double the speed of the first iPad, and 9 times the graphics speed. This allows for amazing games and faster-loading apps. The new chip plus an LED-backlit display translates to amazing graphics for all of your games and movies on the iPad 2, and absolutely no lag, even in graphic intensive games like Infinity Blade, opening the App Store up to even more graphic intensive games than ever possible before. Apple once again revolutionized the market, creating not only the first tablet with a duel-core processor, but also the most beautiful.

Apple also made the iPad 2 33% thinner than the original iPad. This makes it much more portable than the original, and .2 pounds lighter. Reading ebooks at the beach or taking an all-in-one travel companion with you has never been easier!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One of the most expected updates for the iPad 2 was rear and forward-facing cameras, with FaceTime support built in, and Apple didn’t disappoint. With the new 4.3 software update, not only will FaceTime be added, but PhotoBooth, the iPad equivalent of the Mac app, and iMovie for iPad, which allows you to edit the HD videos you take with your iPad camera, will also be added. PhotoBooth looks almost identical to the Mac version, with the same effects that make this app so fun to play with.

 

Another important update for the iPad 2 is the addition of a gyroscope. This allows the iPad to better track its movement, making games that rely on the accelerometer more accurate and allowing for increased screen-rotation accuracy. If you own the original iPad, you know that it can sometimes be frustrating to lift your iPad up to reorient it when you changed its orientation on a stand, but the gyroscope on the iPad 2 fixes this problem.

 

Surprisingly, Apple claims that the battery life of the iPad 2 is the same as the original iPad, at 10 hours of standard use. This, to quote Steve Jobs, “legendary” battery life is part of what made the iPad so popular

 

Apple also announced its own accessory for the iPad 2, dubbed the Smart Cover, that magnetically attaches to the iPad, acting as a cover, stand, screen cleaner, and screen protector, all in one. When the cover is rolled up, it acts as a stand, both in landscape and portrait, while rolled down it covers and protects the iPad screen. The microfiber lining on the inside of the case cleans your screen when you put it on, and the iPad 2 detects when you are rolling the case on and off and responds by waking itself up. The smart cover comes in polyurethane and leather in a variety of colors.

The iPad 2 starts at $499, with the same pricing model for the original iPad. The 3G model will offer a choice between AT&T or Verizon. Smart Covers are sold separately.

*All images are from apple.com

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News

iPad 2.0, believe it’s here already?

A new generation full of surprises is coming to a new destination. The iPad was a hit and many people bought into the idea of a large screen with the capability of an iTouch and many more uses. The iPad can be used for many things such as reading a book without having to squint at a small screen, watching HD movies at your hand, and many more uses that don’t come with an iTouch. Everybody has wondered, when is the new iPad coming out? The so called iPad 2 has been swirling around the cult of the Apple world and rumors have been approaching us. Rumors have said that the iPad is to come in April, but then again, many did say it was suppose to come in December 2010 or January 2011. Neither of these two dates seems true because there has been no huge rumor that makes this true. The new iPad will come with cameras, CDMA, and a faster CPU. It will also be thinner and lighter then the original iPad. If you want to buy an iPad now, I would advise you to hold off on doing so. The new iPad will come with better upgrades and it will be lighter to use. The display will also be a lot better compared to what the iPad has now.

Compare the iPhone 3G and iPhone 4. When you see the phones, the first thing you notice is the design. Then you click the home button, and BAM, the screen resolutions hit you like a hammer. The iPhone 4 makes the iPhone 3G look incredibly low. The iPhone 4’s screen resolution is startling and that is what the iPad 2 is supposed to improve on. The screen resolution may take up more battery life, but I wouldn’t mind giving up battery life for better movies and clearer images from my photo booth. I cannot promise you any price differences. Of course by the time the new iPad comes out, many new tablets will already be out on the market. Apple will need to compete with the price differences and maybe lower their prices a little bit. Rumors have said that the iPad may start at $450.00 but rumors are usually never true. The iPad first started off at $500.00 and the success it has had, it seems no reason for Apple to change the price. It all depends on the competitive market when the iPad comes out. Samsung and RIM have been on top of their game. Researchers have been very impressed by the RIM tablet and have said that it is capable of competing with the iPad. Who will win this race of tablets? Stay tuned to find out more.