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Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last few weeks, you’ll know that Apple released the fifth version of their iOS operating system for iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad this week. This latest version is, arguably, their biggest update since version two which introduced native apps. So what does this mean for iPad users? Read on to find out the big new features along with five of my top tips for getting the most out of your iPad with iOS 5…
With the upcoming iOS 5 launch expected sometime in early October, a few people may still be wondering how the long battle between Adobe and Apple will pan out, clinging onto the hope that Flash may appear.
I can tell you now that Flash will not appear in an official form on iOS 5 or any other iOS update. Despite Steve Jobs stepping down as CEO, it is clear that Apple find Flash to be buggy and unstable – they are pushing the modern HTML 5 technology. However, that doesn’t necessarily stop you from having access to flash yourself…
The simple fact is that unless you plan on Jailbreaking and using Frash you are limited to Flash enabled browsers. Read on to find out the best way to get Flash on your iPad!
To test Flash we used 3 methods; Video, Flash websites, and Flash Games in order to provide a solid view of general performance.
Earlier this week we reviewed Air Display, a fantastic app that turns your iPad into a second monitor for your Mac or PC. The simple fact is that there’s not a great deal to the app itself, once you connect it with your computer (with a downloadable client that sits in your menubar), it doesn’t really function like an app at all.
What Air Display does do, though, is turn your workspace into a rather unique one. With Air Display you have a second screen that, while not really big enough for you to call your set up a “dual monitor” workspace, gives you extra space that’s not only versatile but touch sensitive as well.
I’ve been playing around with Air Display, developed by Avatron Software, and I’ve discovered that it helps create a workspace that, particularly if you’re a creative, can improve your workflow in ways a standard second monitor can’t. Read on to find out how.
“When you go out and about with just an iPad, you’re sending a message that you’re not going to contribute. You’re just there to consume.” – Paul Thurrott (October 6, 2010)
“That’s what we keep hearing about the iPad as the justification for all its purposeful limitations: it’s meant for consumption, we’re told, not creation….all of us comment on content, whether through email or across a Denny’s table. At one level or another, we all spread, react, remix, or create. Just not on the iPad.” – Jeff Jarvis (April 4, 2010)
“Today’s iPad, the one that I just bought, is just a demo of something that could be very nice and useful at some point in the future. Today it’s something to play with, not something to use. That’s the kind way to say it. The direct way: It’s a toy.” – Dave Winer (April 3, 2010)
Those are three big names in the world of tech pundits. You’ve probably heard of all of them. And that’s what they thought of the iPad when it was first introduced. You’ve probably heard similar things from colleagues and friends, on Twitter and in chat rooms. People seem polarized over this idea of “content creation”, and whether the iPad is capable of it. Is this an active piece of technology, or just a passive one?
I contend that it’s an active one, in fact I would say it’s revolutionary in the way content can be created on it. I think the issue is with the definition of content. Let me explain.
The EyeTV line is a pretty nice family of TV tuners for your Mac that allow watching, pausing/rewinding, and recording of regular TV channels. Instead of streaming over the internet, the Elgato-made products do so through an aerial connection, either on your rooftop or supplied with your device.
Few can doubt that we’ve increasingly started to watch video on devices such as personal computers, tablets and even phones in recent years, moving away from the traditional experience with a TV set. EyeTV helps to bridge the gap between these two markets, by allowing your Mac to be your TV.
Although the product is mainly Mac-focused, a complimentary (not in the sense of price, however) iOS app is also available at an additional charge, that allows you to access your tuner’s power from anywhere with an internet connection. In today’s article, we’ll show you how to get going.
With GarageBand installed, an iPad is a powerful and portable tool for musicians. However, just like its desktop version, GarageBand for iPad can also be employed by non-musicians too, as I’ll highlight with a step by step guide to making a podcast on your iPad, complete with accompanying music.
This How-To will be aimed towards those who have a basic understanding of GarageBand, or at least the principles behind music software in general, but I will endeavour to keep each step as beginner friendly as possible. If you have any questions or problems, please let us know in the comments and I’ll attempt to help you through it.
Ever since the introduction of GarageBand for iPad back in February, many iPad users have really immersed themselves into music creation because of how easy it is with the app. Today I’m going to teach you an easy way to create a guitar song using the built-in Smart Guitar instrument. To add to this, you can even learn a little bit more about the app in general.
Please note that this will require a little knowledge of how to use the iPad, some music terminology, and common sense on the side. Keep reading for the full guide.
Photography is a form of art especially close to my heart. It’s something I enjoy immensely, and something that I’ve always thought would be perfectly suited to the iPad. There has always been a vibrant community surrounding iPhone photography, and some truly great apps have appeared to help with editing and organizing your photos.
But what about where the iPad’s concerned? The iPad 2 has a camera, but it isn’t of the same quality as the iPhone’s. There’s the optional Camera Connector Kit, to import photos from your camera via an SD card or a USB cable too. That’s really what we’re going to be focusing on today.
Unlike the iPhone, where it’s both the photo capture and photo editing device, the iPad really only excels at the one aspect: photo editing. I mean seriously, are you going to be waving a 10″ tablet device around, taking snapshots on vacation? No, didn’t think so.
Let’s dig into what the options are for editing and organizing photos on the iPad, and where iOS developers still have room to grow and improve.
If you have worked with computers much at all, you’re probably well aware that one of the worst potential scenarios is when you have to work with a printer. There are few things in the computer world that can rival the printer as far as time wasting goes – the endless tinkering on, habitual issues created, and bewildering variety of selections available often make for a dire experience.
The drivers tend to be massive, and are only barely compatible with your computer. At least, that’s always been how it seems to me. If a printer is such a pain to get to work with a computer, can you imagine getting your iPad to work with one?
The mind boggles.
So I was somewhat surprised when I discovered that Printer Pro actually does an excellent job, and is easy to use. Here’s a quick rundown on how to get the most out of it.
Sunshine on a Cloudy Day?
So, its been a few of months now since the Dropbox dev team released an iPad version of the hugely popular Dropbox app, but what does this mean for iPad users?
It’s a cloud backup service, isn’t it? Shouldn’t you just sit tight and wait for iOS 5′s iCloud service? Well, in a word, no. I’m going to show you how to make this little gem of an app sing, dance, and do other cool stuff. You will begin to think differently about Dropbox, how you use it, and what untapped potential it has. Would you like to:
- Break out of the 1GB local favourite storage limit?
- Keep persistent copies of books, photos and music, even when you empty your Dropbox?
- Download music and films remotely, using only the iPad?
- Work in a new way to break out of the 2GB total free space limitation?
- Run scripts remotely?
Let’s take a closer look…
