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Apple Rumors, iTunes Updates, and App Store Gifts

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Apple releases iTunes update. Credits to LifeHacker.

Send to KindleTweetRecently, more news unfolds with Apple’s progress, particularly with its upcoming iDevices. While most of these are rumors – yes, rumors about Apple just doesn’t seem to stop right? – such as the iPhone 5s, or maybe iPhone 6, there is more news that should be taken seriously. Here is some of the latest Apple news: 1. iTunes 11.0.1 By now, most of iTunes users must have familiarized themselves with the recent iTunes update, which featured a whole lot of user interface improvements /changes. But these users have also found themselves thrown into a bit of confusion with some of the useful features of the previous iTunes 10.xx versions removed, especially the Duplicate Track Finder, where you could, obviously, remove or merge some repeating songs across your library. With iTunes 11.0.1, Apple re-includes the very useful feature.  Other than that, Apple also fixed some issues with the AirPlay button as well as some other small bug fixes. To do the update, simply open your iTunes program, go to Help menu and select Check for Updates. You can also opt to go to the Apple website and download the updated installer.   2. Gift Apps from the iOS App Store  Further acknowledging its customer demands, Apple is bringing the holiday spirit across its platform by re-adding app gifting for iOS App store, as reported by 9to5mac. It must be recalled that Apple removed this feature since the iOS 6 iteration, but now the guys decided to bring it back, just in time for the holiday season. If you want to send someone an app as a gift, just click the action button located on top of any paid app, and you may purchase the app up to 90 days before your scheduled gifting date. Apple was kind enough to add a scheduling feature to assist you with your plans of gifting.   3. iPad Mini with Retina Display If you are one vigilant Apple fan, you must be too familiar with the news, as well as the skeptic predictions regarding the rumor. While the thought of an iPad Mini to be built with Retina display is all too tempting, some reviewers noted the “impossibility” of one simply because of the fact that Apple wanted the iPad Mini to be as light and as thin as possible, while keeping all the iPad features. Adding a Retina display onto the iPad Mini would mean a bit of an added thickness, not to mention additional weight. And now, Digitimes has reported that Apple now has plans to increase the resolution of the iPad Mini. Reports state that Apple’s next generation iPad Mini will “focus on enhancing the device’s display resolution.” Although it wasn’t directly stated that a Retina Display is to be integrated into the system, the news is big enough to create a stir, most especially to individuals all too excited to have a taste of the iPad Mini. Have more news about Apple? Let’s talk about it in your comments below! Read more »

Review – Is the iPad Mini Worth the Cost?

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Send to KindleTweetDo you ever get the feeling anyone who reviews Apple products is getting paid to give it a good review? So let’s do some research to see if the iPad Mini really is as good as people say it is. We’ll delve into the specs of it and while were at it we’ll compare it’s specs with a top competitor, the Google Nexus 7. Specs First the iPad Mini The iPad Mini has a 7.9 inch screen with 1024 x 768 resolution and 162 ppi density, weights 11.01 oz, Dual core 1000 MHz processors, 512 ram, 16 gb of storage and 2 cameras at 5 megapixels back and 1.2 front-facing. Now lets take a look at the Google Nexus 7 The Google Nexus 7 has a 7 inch screen with 1280 x 800 resolution and 216 ppi density, weights 11.99 oz, Quad core 1200 MHz processors, 1024 ram, 16 gb of storage and with only 1 front-facing camera at 1.2 megapixels. The Differences The iPad Mini is lacking in the power and display department whereas the Google Nexus 7 has a smaller screen and only one camera. Now here’s where it gets dicey for the iPad Mini, price. The iPad Mini sits at a base of $329.00 and the Google Nexus 7 goes for $199.00. That’s 130 dollar difference in price for .9 inches of a screen, an extra camera on the back and the Apple name on your tablet. Read more »

iOS 6.0.1 Rolls Out, Several Known Bugs Fixed

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iOS 6.0.1 released

Send to KindleTweet Following reports of several glitches that has been plaguing the latest iOS 6, Apple has taken action by releasing an update, iOS 6.0.1. Although this is basically a bug fix update, several improvements are provided to continue giving satisfaction to Apple customers. This update is now available to all Apple devices running iOS, including the iPod, iPad, and the iPhone. The update reveals several improvements on reported bugs, such as: prevention of wireless software installation on the iPhone 5 horizontal lines appearing across the touch keyboard camera flash bug Wi-Fi and carrier network bugs passcode lock bugs Exchange meeting bugs   Out of these reported bugs, the most notable, and probably the most economically damaging, is the Exchange meeting bug, wherein the glitch actually causes an entire meeting to be canceled whenever a single user declines an invite via Exchange. In terms of privacy concerns, the Passbook code glitch has also been fixed. It was reported that the bug causes all your personal information to be out in the open. To update your iOS software, simply go to Settings, then go to the General settings tab, select Software Update, and allow your iOS device to refresh to detect the software update. Depending on the strength of your internet connection, the software update may take about 9 to 10 minutes to download, then less than five minutes to install on your iOS device. Your mobile device should have enough power for you to successfully install the update, or you may have to plug it into a power source. If you are having problems with your wireless network, you may opt to update your iOS software via iTunes. You can do this by opening your iTunes software, then connect your iOS device via USB, letting your mobile device sync into iTunes. This will automatically detect your iOS software, and then let you know that there is an available update.   Read more »

Amazon Kindle Fire Ignites iPad Mini With Comparisons Chart

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Kindle Fire and iPad Mini

Send to KindleTweet Just last week, Apple held another press conference where it announced a brand new 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display. A new line-up of iMacs, a new Mac Mini, a new retina iPad, and the rumored iPad Mini was also announced. Apple released the iPad Mini as a competitor to 7-inch tablets such as the Nexus 7 and the Kindle Fire. The specs in the iPad Mini are decent. It comes in 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB versions in black and white colors. The screen resolution is not retina, but it’s an ok 1024×768 display with 168 pixels per inch. The processor is a dual-core A5 processor and it also has an HD front and back facing camera along with 1080p HD video recording and stabilization. The battery lasts up to 10 hours on such tasks as web browsing and watching videos and 9 hours on a cellular data network for the same tasks. The iPad Mini is available on Sprint, AT&T, and Verizon Wireless. Now onto the Kindle Fire specs. The Kindle Fire comes with 32GB and 16GB of memory depending on which model you get. Amazon has a “Special Offers” feature on their website that takes off $15 from the original price. The screen resolution on the Kindle Fire is 1280×800. The Fire comes with Dolby audio and dual-speakers. You also get free unlimited cloud storage after you purchase the Kindle Fire to store everything you download on the device. Amazon has even put up a full spec comparison list against the iPad Mini. After viewing the specs chart, you can obviously see the Amazon Kindle Fire offers much more for much less. Coming out with this list is a very smart move, especially including a quote by Gizmodo, a major tech blog. Amazon is also trying to wake consumers up by showing them that Apple is not always ahead in the game when it comes to specs and pricing of products. Apple, however, does have one advantage and that is the App Store. The App Store is what has made Apple’s iOS devices so successful in today’s market. Amazon, on the other hand, uses Google Play and it’s own Amazon App Store for their apps. For video, Amazon uses its own service called “Prime Instant Video.” However, since it is Apple, a lot of people might still buy the iPad Mini just for the name and the way the device looks. Apple, as a matter of fact, sold out of their white iPad Mini as soon as it was made available. Does this move by Amazon change the way you think about the Kindle Fire and iPad Mini?  IMAGE SOURCE: Amazon.com Read more »

WWDC 2012 Recap: New Macbooks, iOS 6, and OSX Mountain Lion

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Send to KindleTweetJune 11th, was the day we had all been waiting for. It was the day Apple would announce new products and push out new features to current laptops. It was the first WWDC without their co-founder Steve Jobs. In my opinion, current CEO Tim Cook did a fantastic job hosting his first WWDC. He spoke very well and dressed a little more casual. No black turtleneck for Mr. Cook. After Siri introduced a crowd of thousands with some jokes, the CEO went up on stage to a huge round of applause. Is it just me, or does Apple really know how to do brand marketing? The Macbook Airs and Macbook Pros were upgraded. They now have Ivy Bridge processors and updated Intel HD Graphics. The prices for the Macbook Air did also drop $100, and 2GB of RAM is no longer an option. There is no longer an option to purchase a 17-inch Macbook Pro. I am actually really happy Apple took away the 17-inch Macbook Pro, because it was too big and too heavy. The only Macbook Pro models you can get are 13-inch and 15-inch. Wait though, Apple did announce something new and awesome. The announced a 15-inch Macbook Pro with a Retina Display. The specs of this computer are incredible. It is thinner than other Macbook Pro models, and weighs just under 4.5 lbs. Not as light as a Macbook Air, but it is lighter than a Pro. All of these Macs are on the Apple Store right now. There were no Mac Mini announcement and no iMac announcements. The Mac Pro did receive a small unannounced upgrade though. They upgraded the CPU of the Mac Pro but otherwise nothing else has changed. Read more »

Rumor: Apple Ditching Google Maps on iOS Later This Year

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Send to KindleTweetJust recently, former Apple and current Apple employees came out to the Wall Street Journal and said that their company is ready to ditch Google Maps. Apple is instead creating a “technology of its own,” said the report. An unnamed source also said that Apple may be revealing this new application at its World Wide Developers Conference or WWDC 2012. Another report suggested that the quick rise of Android sales is the reason why Apple is also making this jump. Apparently, Apple’s intentions of buying companies related to Google Maps all started from at least 2009. The company bought Placebase in 2009 and then later bought Poly9 in 2010. In 2011, Apple bought a Swedish 3d-mapping company called C3. Google, however, hasn’t been reacting negatively towards these reports. We can only wonder if Google will have to use fire extinguishers to put out this fire, as they aren’t going to be very happy with this announcement. Maybe Last Friday, the company sent out invites to a event that will show off the “next dimension of Google Maps.” According to the invite, it is citing that Google Maps maybe launching a 3D map service and features of its own. Google’s press event comes just five days before Apple’s WWDC 2012 event on June 11th. What are your opinions on this? Is Apple making a move that could ruin Android? Or will Google’s announcement make more people ditch the iPhone? Leave a comment below! Source: AppleInsider  Read more »

Rumor: Next iPhone to have LTE and a Smaller Dock Connector

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Send to KindleTweetAfter Apple’s big iPad release, you all probably knew this was coming. I mean, what other Apple rumors were you expecting? Anyways, new rumors came out today via CNET. Of course, the obvious one, the next iPhone is going to have true 4G; LTE. Now, don’t get me wrong everyone knew about this one, it doesn’t surprise me at all. The last iPhone and iPad did not include 4G LTE and now the new iPad does. However, no iPhone announcements yet. The next rumor that no one would’ve guessed is a smaller dock connector. You all are probably asking yourself, “What is the significance of a small dock connector.” Well, I will be glad enough to answer that question. The reason why the current iPod connectors are so small is because they are very thin. The signs of this rumor point too a MUCH thinner iPhone. However, how thin can you get? I will be overall impressed if Apple makes a much thinner and faster phone compared to what it already has. However, due to the fact that 4G requires more battery life, therefore a larger battery, therefore more weight, I doubt this one is true but I will be overall surprised if it is. So readers, what are your overall thoughts about this? Please let me, and the rest of the OTN crew know in the comments below! [CNET] [Image] Read more »

Minecraft – Pocket Edition is out in the wild for iPhone and iPad

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Minecraft - Pocket Edition on an iPhone

Send to KindleTweet Minecon, the Minecraft convention, is only a few short days away. In anticipation for this large gaming event, the Mojang team have pushed out Minecraft – Pocket Edition for iOS. Right now it’s only available in Australia, but will be available at midnight (November 17th, 2011) in the US. Suprisingly, this version of Minecraft is $10, which is a few dollars more expensive than the Android version ($6.99). That being said, this version has a dedicated version for both iPhone and iPad for that same price, unlike the Android version which is phone-only. Minecraft Pocket Edition for iOS is available for $6.99 USD. Here are the features of the iOS version: * Randomized worlds * Build anything you can imagine * Build with 36 different kinds of blocks * Invite and play with friends to your world (local wireless network) * Save multi-player worlds on your own phone Did you get the newest version of Minecraft – Pocket Edition? Leave a comment below! Read more »

Twittelator Neue: The Next big Twitter app on iOS?

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Send to KindleTweet Robert takes a look at a new Twitter app for iOS, called Twittelator Neue. Find more info about Twittelator Neue on their website. ============================================= OmniTechNews: Twitter: www.twitter.com/omnitechnews Website: Omnitechnews.net YouTube: www.youtube.com/omnitechnews Read more »

Let’s Talk iPhone

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Send to KindleTweetWhat a day! Today’s “Let’s Talk iPhone” event was somewhat of a disappointment for me, as I was hoping to see Apple unravel a completely new, innovative iPhone 5. Instead, Apple introduced the iPhone 4S, an upgraded version of the iPhone 4. It contains the dual-core A5 CPU (the one in the iPad2), which is claimed to make the iPhone 4S up to 7x faster. To emphasize this change, Tim Cooke showed a demo from the new game Infinity Blade 2 to demonstrate the iPhone 4S’s crisp, fast graphics, allowing for more details in gaming. This aspect didn’t surprise me, but the 1080p video capture and the 8 megapixel  camera seems to be Apple’s response to the huge increase in iPhone photography and now video. All those pieces of news were great, but I was still waiting for something that would really blow me off my feet. And sure enough, the voice-recognition  software Siri was introduced. After being asked, “Who are you?” Siri replies, “I am a humble personal assistant. Siri really is a voice-controlled personal assistant, but should be far from being humble. It can define words, check the weather, look for restaurants, plan meetings, send text messages, and a plethora of other tasks. One key ability it has is to remember names and subjects. One example of a text message exchange was provided (this was all done with Siri): Text: “When can we have lunch?” User: “Do I have any meetings this Friday at noon?” Siri: “You do not have anything on you calendar for this Friday at 12pm.” User: “Reply I can do Friday.” After sending the text, Siri then makes an appointment for lunch at 12pm Friday. I am seriously impressed by this demonstration, and enjoy seeing Siri interpret different ways of saying the same thing. At the end of the demonstration, Siri was asked to “Do shopping”, and  instead showed you how many days were left until Christmas. Genuine. As I already mentioned, the iPhone 4S will have a dual-core A5 CPU chip and maintains the same in-facing camera. The iPhone 4S will be only .1 oz heavier and the same size as the iPhone 4. It will start selling at 199$ for the 16GB model, 299$ for the 32GB model, and 399$ for the 64GB model. It’s definitely affordable, and the Siri assistant makes it all the more appealing. Of the other things discussed at the event, Tim Cooke explained Apple’s development and impact globally, and how its presence has increased dramatically over time. He also showed a new Cards app which allows users to design their own greeting cards and send them anywhere in the U.S. for 2.99$ and 4.99$ for anywhere else in the world. iTunes Match and iCloud were also discussed, but those were both old news. The one presentation that was new other than the iPhone 4S was the new iPod Nano, which has been upgraded to make exercise records easier and has more apps. Read more »

HTC Hero Review

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The HTC Hero

Send to KindleTweetThe HTC Hero is one of the biggest milestones in Android’s expansive selection of phones. It introduced the ever popular HTC Sense skin for android as well as the flip clock. With a five megapixel camera and five hundred mhz processer it may not be the most speced up device, but it is sure to please fans of HTC and the best custom skin to ever hit Android. First let’s talk about the body of the phone. It is made of a soft touch plastic similar to the Evo and the Nexus One. It also has 3.2 inch screen with a resolution of 320×480 so screen junkies should stay away. Other features included on the front are six physical buttons that consist of an end key, a send key, home button, back button, menu button, and a search one as well. On the sides of the device we find a MiniUSB port as well as a volume rocker and a 3.5 mm headphone jack. And lastly on the back it says “with GOOGLE” and also features a five megapixel camera. Why the Hero? When you are choosing between different phones you probably want to find what a phone can provide you with that others can’t. The best thing about the Hero (when it was released) is that it was the only phone with Sense UI. What was great about it was the custom widgets, the ability to run Flash content right on the phone, and beautiful interface. When it came to the marvelous interface HTC took a stylized yet functional approach. When you turn on the phone you will find missed calls, the time, and the date. To unlock the phone you just swipe down to unlock and up comes the famous flip clock. This thing is famous for a reason, it works and it looks cool. It tells your location, time, date, and weather. On the bottom of the screen you will find a phone button, a plus button that is used for adding widgets, and the app droor. You are given 7 home screens that can be filled up with icons and widgets. And because this is Android you can also change the launcher (home screen styles) to be stock Android or even Windows Phone 7.  All in all this is a very functional phone when it comes to interface and style. Browsing If you are like me you probably like to browse the web on your phone A LOT. The Hero also has you covered with a full-featured browser complete with Adobe Flash. This means you can visit sites like ESPN that require Flash to run without a need for a mobile version. Though the video is choppy at least you have the option to use it. The phone was also the first Android phone to have pinch to zoom in the browser. Like the Flash though, it does stutter when used so it is probably best not to use it. My favorite feature in [...] Read more »

Apple’s Earnings Much Better Than We Anticipated

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Send to KindleTweetI know you all were expecting an OSX Lion review. Well, do not worry that will come later. On Tuesday, Apple held a meeting discussing there new quarter earnings. Now, I know this news is two days old, but its very incredible. Apple absolutely blew the doors off with their new earnings. Apple had a 124 percent year-on-year sales increase according to the IBTimes. The main player in the meeting, was CFO of Apple Peter Oppenheimer. He said that the iPad 2 absolutely cannibalized the Mac along with destroying PC (Microsoft Computer’s) sales. I now see why Apple would want to add some iOS technology to OSX Lion, so both products get a fair share. Oppenheimer also announced that day that Lion would be coming out on Wednesday and that iOS 5 would be coming “later this Fall.” I am not surprised Apple is at this position. They are, indeed, a very successful tech company. However, bad news leaked later that day concerning about a Steve Jobs replacement. That took a hit at Apples stock. Your thoughts on this are very much appreciated, leave a comment below! Source: IBTimes Read more »

Google+ App Now Out for iOS Devices! Should we be Excited?

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Send to KindleTweet Too late? Maybe, but the official Google+ app is now available for all iOS devices! This includes the iPad, iPod Touch, and iPhone! This the official link I found for the Google+ app. Google+ started at about early June 2011m and is still currently in “field trial.” I actually did get invited to Google+ but there is one issue. You currently have to be over 18 years to participate in the field trial.Google+ is expected to be out of field trial on July 31, 2011. Google has already released and Android app for its social media service. As exciting as this is, the new Google+ app, for some reason, is not compatible with my iPod Touch 3rd Gen. device. Another strange thing thats occuring, is that Apple’s servers for updating your iOS device are currently not working. I think this is in preparation for OSX Lion. Also, when you look up Google+ on the App Store on your iOS device, you get no results. Its a weird situation I know. Well, just follow the link I posted above and download it from there. Read more »

RUMOR: RIM to Make BlackBerry Messenger Available on Android and iOS

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Send to KindleTweet According to BGR, a website that seems to be the ultimate source for BlackBerry leaks these days, RIM is planning on extending their popular service BlackBerry Messenger (better known as BBM) to another two platforms- Android and iOS. Although BGR confirms this will happen, there is no official word yet (they were supposedly contacted by ‘multiple trusted sources’), which means we can only take this as a rumor. They also state that the Android/iOS BBM will only be a stripped down copy of the BlackBerry BBM, having the capability of transferring any type of files taken away unless you own an actual BlackBerry device. It is unknown whether the app will have a price at all or a recurring fee at the moment. Finally, they say that the Android version will probably be the first one to be released, due to the fact that Android is open source and Apple’s iOS approval process is very strict. This is great news for iOS and Android users (even BlackBerry users who are tired of their BlackBerries), but, in my opinion, a terrible decision by RIM, if it’s actually happening. Why? Because a lot of BlackBerry users own BlackBerries for the sole reason of this great functionality, and would trade their phones for an Android or iOS-powered smartphone as soon as this was made official. It’s sad, but it’s true. What do you think? If you’re a BlackBerry user, will you trade your Blackberry for an Android phone/iPhone if this happens? As always, leave your comments below. [BGR] Read more »

Deal.iz.io Review

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Send to KindleTweetThere are tons of deal sites spread across the internet. Some are good. Some aren’t so good. Deal.iz.io is a neat app for iOS that lets you check on all the latest deals from multiple websites and services. This app is cool because it simplifies your daily life and allows you to find great deals that you might not have found elsewhere. When you first load up the Deal.iz.io app you are greeted with a simple, main interface. You can view all deals, your favorite deals, or set up filters for deals from specific sites, or using specific keywords like “camera” or “iPod.” From that page, you also have the option to enable or disable deals from certain sites.  If you tap the “all deals” button at the top, as you may have guessed, you will see all the deals. Now while a lot of this page is filled with random crap, there are some useful things every now and then. You can refresh this page by scrolling up and releasing. When you click on a deal, a new page opens to tell you more about the deal. This page also gives you a link to the website where the deal was found. Overall, Deal.iz.io is really pretty neat. It’s a handy app to have if you’re looking for good deals. Not all of the deals presented are necessarily useful. Only a small chunk of the deals are actually worth your while. This is definitely a well-made app though and I give it an 8/10. Deal.iz.io is available in the App store for 99 cents: www.deal.iz.io. Read more »