iPad - page 254

It’s back-to-school time. And with so many universities handing iPads to students, parents may wonder how many devices they truly need.

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Following this morning’s discovery of a new Apple patent for inductive charging, MacRumors points to a video from WiTricity, the company that develops magnetic resonance charging technology, which demonstrates a much better method for wirelessly charging our Apple gadgets using our Macs as a power source.

Apple’s intentions to introduce a wireless system to its iOS devices has been well documented over the past few months, but just exactly how it plans to do it remains to be seen. However, a new patent application published by the U.S. Patent & Trademarks Office today could reveal all.

Although its public release isn’t scheduled until this fall, Apple has already begun approving apps for its upcoming iOS 5 software for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch — suggesting the firmware could launch as early as next month alongside the iPhone 5.

Smart Cover? IntelliCase? Yeah, there’s no product-naming rivalry going on there. And just like its name, Griffin’s IntelliCase, is a cooler version of Apple’s ubiquitous iPad 2 Smart Cover, because it adds something sorely missing from Apple’s version: a back.

“I just bought this iPad, but I’d like to return it.” OK, the Walmart clerk must have thought.

Duh. Who would buy an iPad, then return it a few minutes later?

The U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), founded in 1901 as the nation’s first federal physical science research laboratory, launched a pilot program for the iPad 2.

The iPad is being trounced in the enterprise. Good news for Apple, the iPad’s rival is another Cupertino product: the iPhone. The competitors are single-digit cellar-dwellers, according to a new study of business-oriented mobile devices.

Now that Lion on your Mac looks just like iOS on your mobile device, Apple is now considering dropping its desktop and laptop software in favor of a single OS platform based on apps and the cloud. The idea has so many advantages, an OS merger is likely to begin next year.

Fresh from its purchase of the Nortel patent cache, Apple is in the hunt to purchase mobile technology owned by InterDigital. Cupertino “frenemies” Google and Samsung are also bidding, hoping Apple won’t lay claim to another piece of technology that Android is dependent upon.

Twitter’s mobile site for the iPhone was overhauled to sport a fancy new interface earlier this year, but the larger mobile site for iPad users was left behind. This week, however, Twitter is rolling out the much-improved new look to the iPad site as well.

All the senators in the West Virginia Legislature will tote iPads in a move to make them more efficient politicians.

Finally! After a false start earlier this morning, Skype has finally rolled out their long waited for native iPad app.

While Apple’s tech support line isn’t the nightmare of most automated phone systems, it’s tarnishing the Cupertino, Calif. company’s sterling reputation with customers. That’s the finding of a study showing HP and Dell service calls are catching up with the tech giant.

Iomega has announced its latest external hard drive for Mac users today. Named the Mac Companion, the drives are available with either 2 or 3 terabytes of storage at 7,200 rpm and start at $195. But what’s great about this baby is it fits beautifully under your iMac and will also charge your iOS devices while you work.

After a series of lengthy delays, the re-release of Final Fantasy Tactics: The War Of The Lions from Square Enix is set to hit the App Store this Thursday, August 4. While its release will be a chance the Americans among us to reminisce, for those of us in Europe, it will be the first time we get the opportunity to experience this PlayStation classic.

If the upcoming next-gen iPhone likely won’t get 4G LTE, what will keep consumers’ interest? Turns out the iPhone 5 (or whatever the handset is eventually named) is going to be a ‘bigger upgrade than expected.’

The huge demand of Apple’s second-generation iPad meant that for some time following its launch back in March, customers purchasing through the Apple online store were faced with a four- to five-week delay before their device left the Foxconn factory. Now, things are a lot different.

Following the launch of the iCloud.com beta, Apple unveiled the pricing structure for its iCloud storage upgrade options. For the first 5GB, iCloud is completely free, but if you need need more storage, subscriptions start at $20 a year for 10GB.

That’s right  — the next time you watch a pirated feed bringing you announcement of the next iPhone (like, say, next month), you could be kicking back and watching it on the iPad, thanks to Ustream’s new iPad app.

Developed by a crime victim, a new app called ThugsMug promises to snap pics of perps while misdeeds are in progress to provide evidence.

Launched July 24, the $4.99 app bills itself as “World’s First Safety Protection App for iPhone & iPad 2.” That’s not strictly true, we’ve alerted you to a number of ICE (in case of emergency) apps like Silent Bodyguard which equips users with a panic button.
This may be the first one, though, that activates your camera to capture evidence at regular intervals.

The developer suggests you activate ThugsMug in potentially dangerous situations, putting it in “armed” mode when at ATM machines, parking lots, bus stops, subways, train stations and malls, or while on vacation or walking or jogging alone.

Should danger strike, by hitting “active,” the app sends email messages with pictures to your designated emergency contacts. It can be set to take pictures every 10 seconds, with flash if your device supports it. The app will also alert 911, too.

The person who developed it was victim of a motorcycle jacking incident, which ended up in a crash and violent beating. There were witnesses, but no one was ever caught.

The developer, who remains nameless in the account, says:

“Reflecting back, I wish I could have captured a picture of them the moment I jumped up from the crash. I had immediately grabbed my phone from my back pocket and had it in my hand when I was assaulted however, my phone did nothing more than block a few blows. Even if they had taken my phone and destroyed it, the pictures would have already been automatically sent to my emergency contact.”

Do you think these emergency apps are useful?

This video of the “iPad Head Girl” walking around New York City is a new viral marketing campaign from Hearst, the company behind the new Cosmo For Guys publication that launches today on the iPad. Her expensive headwear features four iPads that show her head from different angles. But the best thing about this pricey hat is that when you’ve finished looking at her face, you can read her like a book. (Or magazine.)

To those of you who scoffed at Steve Wozniak when he said that machines will one day take over as superior beings, leaving us humans as the “dogs of the house,” take note: It seems Woz’ vision is very much becoming a reality for some Foxconn workers, who are set to be replaced by robots over the next three years.

If you’re a member of the Mile High Club, chances are that you own an iPhone.

A new report from AllThingsD says that two-thirds of Gogo in-flight WiFi users favor the iPhone as their browsing device of choice. 20% of mobile WiFi usage is attributed to the iPod touch, while Android only accounts for 12%.

Apple sold 9.2 million iPads in the last business quarter of 2011, and the company’s CFO even went on record to say that Apple is selling “every iPad we can make.” This has been evidenced by the delayed shipping times for the iPad 2 since its release, with the tablet finally receiving a normal online shipping estimation only a couple weeks ago.

To contrast the iPad’s unprecedented success in the consumer tablet market, the Motorola Xoom shipped 440,000 units last quater. And, no, “ship” does not mean “sold.”