It was another big day for Apple aficionados. As announced, Apple held their [now] annual “Music Event.” There were predictions across the blogosphere about what would be announced (even some here), and what people doubted we’d see.
Well, after the live streaming of the event (a first in years), we can now rest happy with what we got and a little disappointed by what we didn’t.
I’ve taken my initial reactions and kicked them around so that I could provide you with some expert advice.
Apple has traditionally used this platform to announce new iPods & updates to existing models and this year’s event was no exception. Apple refined almost all of their existing iPod models: the shuffle, the nano, and the iPod Touch. The iPod Classic (the only non-flash based iPod) hasn’t been updated, but hasn’t disappeared either).
The iPod Shuffle:
In its last refinement, the iPod Shuffle lost ALL buttons. That iPod Shuffle introduced “VoiceOver,” but was essentially controlled by the few click controls on the ear buds.
With the newest release, Apple has brought back the shuffle’s buttons, but managed to keep the iPod small, and still maintain the VoiceOver controls. As expected, the shuffle comes in five colors: pink, blue, green, orange and silver. It is available in a 2GB for $49 US.
The iPod Nano:
Of all the new iPods, the new iPod Nano has seen the biggest physical adjustment this time around. Apple completely redesigned the Nano to more closely resemble the iPod Shuffle (built-in clip, size, etc), but added its incredible “touch” technology. While I haven’t had my hands on one of these new iPods [yet] I find the design and concept very appealing.
For a long time, the Nano was Apple’s best selling iPod (it has since been eclipsed by the iPod Touch…likely because of the available apps). This new design could help re-popularize the Nano. For $149 US (and starting at 8GB), it’s a far better value than the shuffle. The touch features seem a little strange (compared to the touch we’ve learned to love in the iPhone, iPod Touch and the iPad), but still seem intuitive enough to replace the shuffles limited feature set. Unfortunately, unlike the iPod Touch, the new nano doesn’t have access to Apple’s App store and (at present time), users cannot load additional applications onto their nano. I wouldn’t be surprised if that changed. Additionally, the video recording and camera capabilities that Apple introduced into their nano last year, are now gone. The iPod Nano still comes in six different colors.
The iPod Touch:
While this iPod received the smallest update, it has gained the most exciting changes. As the blogosphere predicted, both a front & rear camera have been added (nearly matching the iPhone 4′s specs, but aren’t quite as good/powerful). The rear camera now adds HD recording and it also takes advantage of Apple’s new “FaceTime” video conferencing. Prior to this updated Touch, only iPhone 4 users could video chat [with one-another]. Now, even non-iPhone 4 users can get in on the fun. I assume that integration with the desktop computer (mainly Apple’s iChat application) isn’t far off.
The iPod Touch is also a smidge thinner and steals from a few other iPhone 4 features: the Retina Display, an A4 processor and a 3-axis gyroscope. Aside form the brilliant image quality the Retina Display provides, most of these other updates will go unnoticed. They are under-the-hood adjustments that dramatically improve the overall user experience. The iPod Touch starts with 8GB at $229 US.
iTunes 10:
I admit that I’m surprised that Apple unleashed iTunes 10 in the manner and with the features that it did. Previously, I suspected that they might abandon the name “iTunes” in favor of something else, like “iHub,” since listening to “tunes” is hardly the main usage for the application these days. Further, I assumed that with a major number like “ten” Apple would have finally rewritten the application so that it was 64bit. They didn’t do either.
That aside, Apple did make some interesting adjustments/improvements: they’ve have changed the overall user interface to (as they call it) be “more streamlined, sleeker.” After using the new interface for a few days, I admit that I’m a fan. As a modernist, I like the way that iTunes 10 has toned down its color combinations, accents and buttons. Interestingly enough, there are many people tweeting, and blogging that they do not like the interface and have said, “if this is a sign of OX 10.7, [they] are switching back to windows.”
Not only is that a little dramatic, it’s probably not true. It’s not the type of interface that we’ve come to love & expect from Apple, but it is a nice update. And, no random visual-interface-adjustments are going to send us away from the features, stability, reliability and intuitiveness that we’ve come to love from our Macs.
Apple did decide to change the icon that has represented iTunes for nearly ten years. Jobs, in his keynote, said that they no longer felt it was appropriate to have the “CD” in the icon because far fewer people are actually using CDs and CD-Rs these days. The icon isn’t the only place Apple has killed the compact disc: in iTunes 9, if you were looking to burn a CD, you simply created a playlist, inserted a CD-R and clicked the “burn” button in the lower left corner of the application. That “burn” button no longer exists. If you decide to burn a playlist to your CD, in iTunes 10, you must go into the File menu and select the “burn playlist to disc” option.
Apple has also introduced a few other small enhancements including changes to “airtunes,” now “airplay,” a new list view option and “improved device syncing.” Airplay will certainly become more interesting in the future (it’s only been renamed for now…but the features are set to change with the next iOS software release).
Apple has also managed to re-negotiate with the television networks, now providing their shows, commercial free, for just $0.99 US. Movies are now available in HD for just $4.99 (rented).
The big news to come out of iTunes 10 is the addition of “Ping.” Ping is Apple’s take on social sharing and social networking. According to Apple, Ping is a way to “…discover new music by going social…learn even more about your favorite artists and friends starting with their bios. See what they’ve been up to — even listen to 30-second previews of music they like. Find out when and where artists and bands are on tour, and check out photos and videos they’ve posted. With Ping, a community of the world’s most passionate music fans is just a click away.”
At the moment, Ping’s features are a little confusing and not all that interesting. If Apple can find interesting ways to incorporate Ping into services like Facebook or Twitter, I think they may gain a larger market, and subsequently kill the beleaguered MySpace. While Apple has officially announced that over a million people have signed up to join Ping in just a few days, the social network still feels a little anemic. And, a lot of the content that people (celebrities) are posting already exist on Twitter and Facebook. Who wants ANOTHER network to check, if it can all be combined in one magical place?
Finally…Apple’s big surprise (sort-of) announcement…
AppleTV:
While the AppleTV has been around for a while, Apple has always proclaimed that it was just a “hobby” project of theirs. In the few years that it’s been on the market, it has never seen a physical change, and only saw minor changes to its interface. That ALL changed with Apple’s newest announcement. On Wednesday, Apple announced the first major update to their AppleTV product and, that it is no longer considered a hobby for them. The physical design is simple and appropriate: the new AppleTV box is all black and is 80% smaller than its predecessor and it no longer requires a big, bulky, external power supply. NICE.
Jobs admitted that they’ve been using all the feedback they’ve received [from users] to modify, update and improve the AppleTV experience.
He even gave a checklist of the “most desired” user features:
- More movies and TV shows on demand
- HD
- No computer required
- Silent
- No local storage, storage management or syncing
- Smaller
- Cheaper
With the largest library of online content Apple is moving everything to full HD and adding more and more movies and TV shows. “Purchasing” movies on the AppleTV will no longer be an option (the device no longer has onboard storage). With the new AppleTV, you will only be able to rent or stream your content. That being said, if you want to buy and own your shows or movies, you can always purchase them on your Mac (via iTunes), your iPad, your iPod Touch or iPhone and stream them directly to the AppleTV. Smart.
Another excellent addition to the AppleTV is its ability to link to your Netflix account for instant movie streaming. Prior to this update, users that wanted to access Netflix through their AppleTV were forced to hack and modify all sorts of things. Even then, IF it worked, the experience wasn’t very pleasant (I can attest with personal experience). In addition to streaming from Netflix, the new AppleTV will stream content from YouTube, Flickr, MobileMe and from your home computer (and iDevices).
The best part? It’s no longer $229 US (to start), but instead is just $99 US. It is expected to ship in the next few weeks.
I am already and AppleTV owner, but admit that it’s feature set hasn’t been all that ideal, until now. While no mention has been made, I’m hoping that the software update will not be exclusive to new AppleTV owners and devices, but also to those of us with previous models.
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Apple announced today that some of it’s MobileMe service will be down for “scheduled maintenance” later today/tonight.
Email, syncing, Back To My Mac, and other local services shouldn’t be affected, but all web applications (at www.Me.com) will be down from 10p to 12:30a, PST.
Apple doesn’t really keep a viable log of the active services, but status and unexpected hiccups would be reported here.
Now, while Apple is saying that this downtime is being used only to doing typical, routine maintenance, the hopeful skeptic [in me] can’t help but wonder if they are installing something that may be connected to the September 1st Music Event. Perhaps we’ll finally see iTunes stream music with the LaLa service that Apple previously acquired? Hmmmmm…
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Well folks, it’s that time of year: Apple’s fall music event. While it’s not written in stone, Apple has held a music oriented event for the last few years and has used the platform to announce all sorts of things: AppleTV, new iPods, etc.
If you’ve been following some of the rumors circulating in the blogosphere, you’ve no doubt heard about the possibilities of a revamped AppleTV (tho we heard this earlier in the spring too). The rumors seem to continue and now are gaining more buzz because of the apparent negotiations Apple has been making with major television networks like Fox & ABC. The rumors seem plausible…and building a device to circumvent traditional cable TV is something that only Apple could pull off.
iPod revisions are almost always a “for sure” occurrence. Last year, Apple added some features to iTunes (album LPs, syncing improvements, etc) and beefed up specs on their iPod line. Most notably, they added a video camera to their popular iPod Nano.
There is little doubt that Apple will again update the iPod line, but the question remains: how?
I think it’s safe to bet that the iPod Touch will be getting a major upgrade. The overall design hasn’t changed [much] in years, and with Apple’s latest “FaceTime” creation, i think our little Touch is going to be sporting both a front & rear camera.
I’m also hoping to see a rewrite (64bit) of iTunes, possibly even a rename (i mean, iTunes does a lot MORE than play tunes); perhaps Apple might call it the iHub? Wishful thinking.
Other rumors are pointing to upgraded versions of iLife, but i doubt that. The event has traditionally been focused on music, so i think that iLife will wait until early next year.
Lastly, it’s possible that Apple will announce the release (or release date) of the much anticipated “white iPhone 4.”
What do you think?
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Our friends over at Apple have started off there summer’s “Back to School” promos already.
If you buy a new Mac computer, you will qualify to get a FREE iPod Touch 8GB. Of all those scams on the web, this is the ONLY deal that i know is legit.
Bear in mind that you must order online, you must be a student or educator and you must purchase the iPod touch at the same time that you purchase your new Mac for the rebate to be valid. It’s also worth noting that this offer doesn’t apply to iPhone or iPad sales, only Mac computers.
So if you’ve been waiting to get a new computer the time is now…ALTHOUGH, if you’re smart you’ll wait until just after Steve’s June 7th keynote. The offer will still be valid and we just don’t know what kind of tricks he may have up his sleeve!
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It certainly hasn’t been slow in Apple’s world of news, but I must admit that nothing particularly juicy has enticed me to comment. I’m curious by the 2nd accidental “4th-generation iPhone” leak, but now even more eager to get my hands on one. The idea that MobileMe may soon become a free service is awesome, but not so compelling. I still think that the $100 price tag is more than reasonable when compared to all the features the service provides. Then there is Apple getting investigated by the Federal Trade Commission, but who cares? They aren’t cornering the development market for smartphones —- they are isolating the development market for THEIR smartphones. I think it’s justified, and I suspect the government will too.
So what does have me smiling in the world of Apple, right now?
For those of you that are regular readers, and for those of you that comment on posts I provide here, you’re sure to have discovered the recent debate between those of us that prefer the iPod over the Zune. It’s obvious (with a website dedicated to getting the most out of your Apple products), that I lean towards the iPod camp. And, to be fair, it’s not just because it’s something that Apple has produced. I’ve owned and played with every model iPod that Apple has ever created, and toyed with every Zune Microsoft has created, and thus, determined my opinions without major bias.
At the end of the day, I’m left to acknowledge that everyone is entitled to their OWN opinion. My job (with this blog) is to simply give my opinion to help each of you make the decision that is best for your purchasing future…and or day to day life.
I found this amazing graphic analysis of the iPod [and Zune] on Mashable, recently. I thought it was just too awesome to not share. If nothing else, the statistics speak for themselves. One has caused a revolution (I think justifiably so), and the other is still wearing training wheels:
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Well, his royal Steveiness has weighed in on all the Flash broo-ha-ha. I’m proud to say that he reaffirmed my earlier arguments, and has hopefully shed some light on the masses that might (GASP) not read this blog…yet.
via Apple (emphasis is my own):
“Apple has a long relationship with Adobe. In fact, we met Adobe’s founders when they were in their proverbial garage. Apple was their first big customer, adopting their Postscript language for our new Laserwriter printer. Apple invested in Adobe and owned around 20% of the company for many years. The two companies worked closely together to pioneer desktop publishing and there were many good times. Since that golden era, the companies have grown apart. Apple went through its near death experience, and Adobe was drawn to the corporate market with their Acrobat products. Today the two companies still work together to serve their joint creative customers – Mac users buy around half of Adobe’s Creative Suite products – but beyond that there are few joint interests.
I wanted to jot down some of our thoughts on Adobe’s Flash products so that customers and critics may better understand why we do not allow Flash on iPhones, iPods and iPads. Adobe has characterized our decision as being primarily business driven – they say we want to protect our App Store – but in reality it is based on technology issues. Adobe claims that we are a closed system, and that Flash is open, but in fact the opposite is true. Let me explain.
First, there’s “Open”.
Adobe’s Flash products are 100% proprietary. They are only available from Adobe, and Adobe has sole authority as to their future enhancement, pricing, etc. While Adobe’s Flash products are widely available, this does not mean they are open, since they are controlled entirely by Adobe and available only from Adobe. By almost any definition, Flash is a closed system.
Apple has many proprietary products too. Though the operating system for the iPhone, iPod and iPad is proprietary, we strongly believe that all standards pertaining to the web should be open. Rather than use Flash, Apple has adopted HTML5, CSS and JavaScript – all open standards. Apple’s mobile devices all ship with high performance, low power implementations of these open standards. HTML5, the new web standard that has been adopted by Apple, Google and many others, lets web developers create advanced graphics, typography, animations and transitions without relying on third party browser plug-ins (like Flash). HTML5 is completely open and controlled by a standards committee, of which Apple is a member.
Apple even creates open standards for the web. For example, Apple began with a small open source project and created WebKit, a complete open-source HTML5 rendering engine that is the heart of the Safari web browser used in all our products. WebKit has been widely adopted. Google uses it for Android’s browser, Palm uses it, Nokia uses it, and RIM (Blackberry) has announced they will use it too. Almost every smartphone web browser other than Microsoft’s uses WebKit. By making its WebKit technology open, Apple has set the standard for mobile web browsers.
Second, there’s the “full web”.
Adobe has repeatedly said that Apple mobile devices cannot access “the full web” because 75% of video on the web is in Flash. What they don’t say is that almost all this video is also available in a more modern format, H.264, and viewable on iPhones, iPods and iPads. YouTube, with an estimated 40% of the web’s video, shines in an app bundled on all Apple mobile devices, with the iPad offering perhaps the best YouTube discovery and viewing experience ever. Add to this video from Vimeo, Netflix, Facebook, ABC, CBS, CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, ESPN, NPR, Time, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Sports Illustrated, People, National Geographic, and many, many others. iPhone, iPod and iPad users aren’t missing much video.
Another Adobe claim is that Apple devices cannot play Flash games. This is true. Fortunately, there are over 50,000 games and entertainment titles on the App Store, and many of them are free. There are more games and entertainment titles available for iPhone, iPod and iPad than for any other platform in the world.
Third, there’s reliability, security and performance.
Symantec recently highlighted Flash for having one of the worst security records in 2009. We also know first hand that Flash is the number one reason Macs crash. We have been working with Adobe to fix these problems, but they have persisted for several years now. We don’t want to reduce the reliability and security of our iPhones, iPods and iPads by adding Flash.
In addition, Flash has not performed well on mobile devices. We have routinely asked Adobe to show us Flash performing well on a mobile device, any mobile device, for a few years now. We have never seen it. Adobe publicly said that Flash would ship on a smartphone in early 2009, then the second half of 2009, then the first half of 2010, and now they say the second half of 2010. We think it will eventually ship, but we’re glad we didn’t hold our breath. Who knows how it will perform?
Fourth, there’s battery life.
To achieve long battery life when playing video, mobile devices must decode the video in hardware; decoding it in software uses too much power. Many of the chips used in modern mobile devices contain a decoder called H.264 – an industry standard that is used in every Blu-ray DVD player and has been adopted by Apple, Google (YouTube), Vimeo, Netflix and many other companies.
Although Flash has recently added support for H.264, the video on almost all Flash websites currently requires an older generation decoder that is not implemented in mobile chips and must be run in software. The difference is striking: on an iPhone, for example, H.264 videos play for up to 10 hours, while videos decoded in software play for less than 5 hours before the battery is fully drained.
When websites re-encode their videos using H.264, they can offer them without using Flash at all. They play perfectly in browsers like Apple’s Safari and Google’s Chrome without any plugins whatsoever, and look great on iPhones, iPods and iPads.
Fifth, there’s Touch.
Flash was designed for PCs using mice, not for touch screens using fingers. For example, many Flash websites rely on “rollovers”, which pop up menus or other elements when the mouse arrow hovers over a specific spot. Apple’s revolutionary multi-touch interface doesn’t use a mouse, and there is no concept of a rollover. Most Flash websites will need to be rewritten to support touch-based devices. If developers need to rewrite their Flash websites, why not use modern technologies like HTML5, CSS and JavaScript?
Even if iPhones, iPods and iPads ran Flash, it would not solve the problem that most Flash websites need to be rewritten to support touch-based devices.
Sixth, the most important reason.
Besides the fact that Flash is closed and proprietary, has major technical drawbacks, and doesn’t support touch based devices, there is an even more important reason we do not allow Flash on iPhones, iPods and iPads. We have discussed the downsides of using Flash to play video and interactive content from websites, but Adobe also wants developers to adopt Flash to create apps that run on our mobile devices.
We know from painful experience that letting a third party layer of software come between the platform and the developer ultimately results in sub-standard apps and hinders the enhancement and progress of the platform. If developers grow dependent on third party development libraries and tools, they can only take advantage of platform enhancements if and when the third party chooses to adopt the new features. We cannot be at the mercy of a third party deciding if and when they will make our enhancements available to our developers.
This becomes even worse if the third party is supplying a cross platform development tool. The third party may not adopt enhancements from one platform unless they are available on all of their supported platforms. Hence developers only have access to the lowest common denominator set of features. Again, we cannot accept an outcome where developers are blocked from using our innovations and enhancements because they are not available on our competitor’s platforms.
Flash is a cross platform development tool. It is not Adobe’s goal to help developers write the best iPhone, iPod and iPad apps. It is their goal to help developers write cross platform apps. And Adobe has been painfully slow to adopt enhancements to Apple’s platforms. For example, although Mac OS X has been shipping for almost 10 years now, Adobe just adopted it fully (Cocoa) two weeks ago when they shipped CS5. Adobe was the last major third party developer to fully adopt Mac OS X.
Our motivation is simple – we want to provide the most advanced and innovative platform to our developers, and we want them to stand directly on the shoulders of this platform and create the best apps the world has ever seen. We want to continually enhance the platform so developers can create even more amazing, powerful, fun and useful applications. Everyone wins – we sell more devices because we have the best apps, developers reach a wider and wider audience and customer base, and users are continually delighted by the best and broadest selection of apps on any platform.
Conclusions.
Flash was created during the PC era – for PCs and mice. Flash is a successful business for Adobe, and we can understand why they want to push it beyond PCs. But the mobile era is about low power devices, touch interfaces and open web standards – all areas where Flash falls short.
The avalanche of media outlets offering their content for Apple’s mobile devices demonstrates that Flash is no longer necessary to watch video or consume any kind of web content. And the 200,000 apps on Apple’s App Store proves that Flash isn’t necessary for tens of thousands of developers to create graphically rich applications, including games.
New open standards created in the mobile era, such as HTML5, will win on mobile devices (and PCs too). Perhaps Adobe should focus more on creating great HTML5 tools for the future, and less on criticizing Apple for leaving the past behind.
Steve Jobs
April, 2010″
To see my original thoughts on the Flash debacle, check out this earlier post >>
Well some startling news hit the blog-o-sphere today: According to Adobe’s Principal Product Manager for Developer Relations for the Flash Platform (ummmmmm…is that REALLY his title?), Adobe no longer plans to fight with Apple —- they have given up trying to port Flash and Flash applications for use under the iPhone OS now that Apple has announced, with the iPhone OS 4.0 Preview, that ALL of the applications available within the App Store must be created with Apple’s own software developer kit.
This marks significant news since Adobe’s recently announced Flash CS5 contains a specialized compiling agent that can translate Flash applications (built with Adobe’s acquired ActionScript language) into applications that could run on the iPhone OS.
Some developers were thrilled to hear the news, while others barely batted an eye. It’s my opinion that the ballyhoo drummed up has been from Adobe’s PR machine and some critics —- specifically those that don’t understand technology and/or computers like some of the “rest of us.”
I first learned the Flash platform about 10yrs ago. I dabbled in ActionScript, but found it laborious and time consuming, so I spent most of my time focusing on other evolving web technologies like JavaScript, CSS, XML and the new JQuery. It was a smart move, I think, because Flash hasn’t really changed. In 10yrs, only minor strides have been taken to improve the platform. Most of the “refinements” have been cosmetic and allow developers to build with more intuitive ease, an admittedly important feature, but not the only one. Optimization is paramount in a world of technology and Adobe’s Flash platform is far from optimized. An overwhelming majority of known web browser crashes occur because of an error loading the flash player plug-in. This, so much so, that new browsers have developed ways to protect individual pages: Apple’s Safari will continue to load the page, even if the plug-in crashes, but will display a broken-link-icon over its expected placement to alert the user that it couldn’t be loaded. Google’s Chrome separates each tab/page into difference operational processes so that if a plug-in crashes one, it doesn’t bring all of your sites down. Both are smart options, but feel a little “backwards” to me. I believe that Adobe’s focus shouldn’t be on getting Flash on the iPhone OS, it should be on evolving Flash to take advantage of the next generation of web development technologies. It’s no longer King.
Flash Video did a great job of bringing “quick-loading” web videos to the masses. But, many of its early adopters have already abandoned it because its stayed stagnant for so long. Some of the biggest websites (that use to host Flash Video) have already converted (or are in the process of converting) to HTML5: YouTube, CNN, NYTimes.com, Vimeo, Netflix, ESPN, Flickr, CBS, ABC, etc.
Aside from websites (mostly portfolios) that are built in 100% Flash markup, I haven’t stumbled upon anything that I couldn’t see on my iPhone or iPad in the last year and a half. I actually pity those sites that are built in 100% Flash for two major reasons: for one, users get knee-deep while surfing a Flash site on their desktop computer and then hit the “back” button in their browser one time only to be stunned when they are forced to start over at the site’s homepage or “skip intro.” STUPID. Secondly, and as a web developer, I never recommend building a site that is composed of only 1 development language because no one language is without its flaws; I develop sites that utilize HTML, HTML5, Quicktime, RSS, XML, JQuery, JavaScript, CSS, etc. The design is more sophisticated and the user experience ends up being much cleaner. To boot, the site is more accessible whether it is being accessed on a desktop computer or any [of the many] smart phone/mobile options.
So after Adobe’s public tantrum today, am I the least bit worried about the iPhone OS’ future without Flash?
Am I the least bit disappointed that their compiler won’t work for the App Store?
Do I think the iPhone/iPad/iPod Touch are missing out because Flash won’t play on them?
No. And, I think an apple representative said it best when she commented on the news this afternoon:
“Someone has it backwards—it is HTML5, CSS, JavaScript, and H.264 (all supported by the iPhone and iPad) that are open and standard, while Adobe’s Flash is closed and proprietary.”
She’s 100% right.
new iPad owners (and potential buyers) may be wondering…what does an expert keep on their iPad’s homepage?
here’s what i have on mine & why…
let’s start with the dock (located at the bottom of the screen, regardless of orientation); they are the primary applications that are visible now matter which home “screens” you are on:
Mail:
Obviously, the core method of communication for the iPad. I have more than 10 active email accounts to manage, so having Mail at my fingertips is a must.
Safari:
the iPad version of Safari is almost as robust as the desktop version. it’s amazingly capable and super-easy to use. Notice there isn’t a facebook app on the homepage? there’s 2 reasons for that: 1) no facebook app for iPad exists (yet). 2) and more importantly, it’s not necessary. Safari on iPad renders facebook’s site as well as you could ever need. No smartphone app required.
iBooks:
it’s a little funny to hear Steve Jobs talk about “iBooks” now that moniker refers to digital books apple sells, and not their previously named laptops (now macbooks). But, the application is easy to use and a major reason to purchase the iPad: eReading. Tho the kindle soars in bright light, the iPad is surprisingly easy (and comfortable) to read on. I already have a number of books in my queue just begging to be read.
Videos:
the iPad is ideal for watching movies and tv shows while on the go. although the screen isn’t your standard 16×9 letterbox, the issue is lost when you see the stunning clarity of anything in playback. to know that i have 6 tv shows (all aired episodes) and several movies, just in case i have the time to catch up, is amazingly satisfying.
Zinio:
i know i’ve been watching a little too much of A&E’s “Hoarders“, but i regularly start to panic if clutter begins to take the main stage in my home. As an avid reader, i devour over a dozen periodicals each month. Occasionally there are stories, or articles that i’d like to share or reference later. I’ve resorted to a “clip file” of torn pages that i almost never reference because they are all tossed together without any rhyme or reason. Enter Zinio. For years they’ve provided digital versions of some of the worlds most popular magazines. Up until now, i thought the company was a bit irrelevant; WHY would i ever want to pay full price to read a magazine on my computer when i could just get the print version? Then…the iPad arrived. Now i’m longing to receive as many magazines “digitally” as i can. the iPad is perfect for reading periodicals on the go, archiving stories for reference later, sharing with friends, etc. And, to boot, it’s eco-friendly. score.
now…onto the other apps, populating the bulk of the screen:
Contacts:
much like mail, my contacts are essential to my work & personal lives. thanks to MobileMe syncing, my contacts always match my iPhone, and my desktop Macs.
Calendar:
see “contacts” above.
Notes:
i’m a big fan of many of the “pre-installed” apple applications. i’m constantly brainstorming and thinking about things to do/write/share. the Notes app helps me keep me organized.
Maps:
although i’ve yet to use the google maps app for iPad (outside of just messing around), i’m sure it’s something that i’ll find of value in the future. i’ve long been a fan of google maps on my desktop and don’t know how i could live without the app on my iPhone.
Photos:
there’s been a lot of criticism [towards apple] for not including a photo editor [on iPad] more akin to iPhoto, but i disagree. i rarely need to edit pics en-route, and would rather do it on my 27″ iMac than on a 9″ iPad. i know, i’m spoiled, but i can’t really tolerate doing it on my MacBookPro’s 17″. the photo app for iPad is beautiful & simple and allows me to do exactly what i need: show off my favorite photos…while on the go.
YouTube:
the youtube application has made a giant leap forward with iPad. while i can tolerate the app on iPhone/iPod Touch, it’s usable at best. the iPad version is remarkable. watching video is easy, tracking user pages is easier. And, with HTML5, the quality of video that you can watch [instantly] will blow you away.
iPod:
now, here’s an application i have mixed feelings about. i’m never without my iPhone, and i have 16 (i know, i have a problem) various other iPods…why bog-down my iPad’s hard drive with music? I’ve opted not to. While i have synchronized some music onto my iPad, it’s not nearly as plentiful as what i have on my iPhone or other iPods. I think that even on the go, i’d rather listen to music on my iPhone (in case a call were to come through) than on my iPad. The application is lovely, but the usability? not totally up my alley.
eWiFi:
this application was a diamond in the rough. sadly, it’s been discontinued by apple from their app store. with one touch, it can show you all the open/closed/locked & unlocked wifi networks within range. it was far superior (and easier) than apples [built in] system utility. i’ve yet to find another app with the same set of capabilities. considering my iPad is only wifi capable, knowing the networks around me is crucial. for those that have it, embrace it; for those that missed out, send a prayer to apple that it can come back.
Briefcase:
this is another miracle app, for iPhone. essentially, it allows you to connect (wherever you may be) to your home mac’s files. you can plow around looking for a file you meant to share, a video, anything. once you find it, you can transfer it to your iPhone and then view/play it locally, email it, etc. it’s surprisingly helpful. and, their support team is incredibly responsive & helpful. an iPad version has yet to be announced, but those of us who realize the power of the iPhone app, we are eagerly awaiting the debut of it’s big brother.
iTeleport:
formerly, Jaadu VNC, this is one bad-ass application. unlike most VNC applications, iTeleport does a beautiful job of combining touch with remote access. for those of you that need a computer when you only have your iPad, this, plus an Internet connection, is a dream come true. For those of you that are unfamiliar with VNC: it stands for “Virtual Network Computing“, but i hear you, “huh?” In layman’s terms it means that you can remotely control your home (or office) computer anywhere. You “virtually” log into your machine from another, securely. If someone is sitting in front of your machine while you were “controlling” it, they would see the cursor move as if the machine were possessed. VNC is particularly helpful for those of us that have many computers, computers in various other locations, or when helping people troubleshoot computing issues. Although this application will set you back $24.99 in the app store (expensive compared to most $5 or lower apps), it’s well worth the price & has a beautiful, native, iPad interface. A MUST have for anyone looking to use their iPad as a portable computing replacement.
iDisk:
having access to my iDisk is an awesome luxury. i store many files on it, and it’s super simple to share those without having to go into a whole VNC environment.
Numbers:
it’s apple’s answer to Microsoft’s Excel application…only this is the iPad, portable version. i spent many years working with and understanding the complexities of excel and have really fallen in love with the desktop version of Numbers. it manages all the power of excel, with a lot more aesthetic finesse. as a designer, i always want to control the look and feel of any product or document that i create —- even if it’s just a spreadsheet. only Numbers gives you that power, easily. the iPad version of Numbers admittedly takes a little getting use to, however, it’s amazingly robust for a tablet app. i was easily able to manipulate large, powerful spreadsheets i’d previously built. my biggest gripe? accessing excel or numbers files in your idisk isn’t at all seamless. it can be done, but you’ve gotta be cleaver to pull it off. here’s hoping it’s a feature in the next version…
Pages:
the other apple answer to Microsoft’s Word application…again…it requires a little getting use to, but is impressive and full-featured. it beautifully exports word files, pages files (duh) and pdfs —- a must have when on the go. Again, my only one complaint is the lack of iDisk integration. are you listening apple??
reQall:
it’s a pretty savvy website & iPhone/iPod Touch application, but i use only one feature: things to do. when i think of something (typically groceries), i jump online, click the bookmark and add it to my list. when on the go, i can add them by voice, or text through the app. it syncs with the cloud, so i always know what i need when i’m out and about. once i’ve gotten it? a tap, and it goes away.
Read It Later:
while some people prefer the InstaPaper app, i like Read It Later, just fine. What is it? it’s a free website (sign-up required) that tracks any and every web article you’d like to read…later. i’m always plowing through the net, but rarely have the time to read everything i stumble upon. with one click (a Javascript enabled Bookmarklet), any page i mark is saved to my account so that i can read it at my leisure (either on my desktop computer or portable). while an iPhone/iPod Touch app does exist, i prefer the “web app” that i grabbed from my “Read It Later… List” webpage. With 1-click i pop into Safari and see all the articles that i want to read. once i’m done, i check them off and they disappear. awesome.
AIM:
while i’m a big fan of AIM & instant messaging (my handle is maximizeurmac), i don’t really love chatting via AIM on my iPhone or the iPad. I prefer the “forward to SMS” method (not sure what that is? ask.). That being said, sometimes, when SMS isn’t available (say in flight), this application would be invaluable. And, the iPad native version is easy to use and very nice looking.
USA Today:
the newspaper is dead, but news reporting is not. this simple little app brings the news to your fingertips, beautifully.
Settings:
much like the first few months with an iPhone, there are tweaks and adjustments that need to be made. most of those require the system settings. i like to keep them on hand so that i can change things quickly.
iTunes Music Store & App Store:
i’m always hunting for new music, so when i hear something i like, i buy it. as for apps? i’m love discovering new things and searching for solutions to hurdles that i uncover. this “app” needs to be at my fingertips.
there you have it. my iPad homepage, explained.
