HBO-Go Coming soon to your iPad
HBO Go is a service which allows paid HBO subscribers to access HBO original TV shows, movies, and sports on their computers all in HD. This service is phenomenal for those who enjoy HBO’s content and in movies in general but aren’t always able to get to the TV. In an interview with Bloomberg, HBO CEO Reed Hastings stated the service will make its way to iPads and other mobile devices in 6 months.
Sounds very cool, especially if it’s free with your existing HBO subscription. I don’t subscribe to HBO, but I imagine if I did, this would be quite good news
Tags: iPad apps, ipad apps news, ipad news
Apple App Store now truly Genius
Aug 25, 2010 News
Apple has quietly added Genius functionality to the iPad App store. Genius offers users recommendations for other apps based on those you have already downloaded using data collected from other users who have also downloaded that app.
It is not a complete overhaul to the store by any means, but does offer a useful tool for those looking to expand their App library. No update is required and is available now.
Tags: apple news, appstore, iPad apps
Multifl0w 2.0 : Expose style multitasking on iOS4
Multifl0w, a task-switcher for jailbroken iPhones, iPads, and iPod Touches has been redesigned to support iPad running iOS 3.2 and iPhone on iOS 4. Multifl0w 2.0 now with expose like interface, lets you switch between applications running in background and is said to be much easier, faster, and more intuitive and uses very less memory.
Multifl0w multitasking app displays upto 9 applications preview that are running in background in a sleek interface with the thumbnails of the applications on-screen, for easy and quick task switching. You just need to shake your iPhone and then tap (or double-tap) on the thumbnail to switch to that application.
The tabs are re-arrangeable, just drag and drop! In iOS4, Multifl0w can work alongside or totally replace Apple’s task switcher! In order to use Multifl0w 2.0 on iOS 3.1.X, make sure to install the Backgrounder app. Notably, on iOS4, Backgrounder enables more customization so you can get the multitasking style you want.
Multifl0w – Expose-like multitasking on iOS4 and iPad – Video in Action
How to install Multifl0w on iPad and iPhone
Step 1: Jailbreak your iPhone, ipod Touch or iPad
To get awesome Exposé-Style task management with Multifl0w 2.0 you need to have a jailbroken iPhone, iPad or iPod touch. If you haven’t upgraded to iOS 4.0.2 on your iPhone or 3.2.2 on your iPad, then jailbreaking with JailbreakMe is darn simple. You can follow the guide to jailbreak your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch with JailbreakMe by visiting jailbreakme.com.
Step 2: Purchase Multifl0w app via Cydia to install it
Multifl0w multitasking app is available on Cydia for $4.99 and is fully compatible with iOS 3.1.x, iOS 3.2.x and iOS 4.x. After purchasing just install it.
Once Multifl0w is installed, when an app is running, just hold down the iPhone button for a few seconds to send it to the background. Doing that brings up the home screen, and a second app can be launched. This can be done for as multiple apps, as long as it does not stress the iPhone too much.
Multifl0w was originally a cards-style interface like on Palm’s WebOS, but Multifl0w 2.0 is an Expose-like interface. To switch to a new app in a cards style interface then three things needed to be done: Open, then swipe, and then tap. That’s it!
Tags: iPad application, iPad apps, ipad apps news, ipad cool news, ipad news, ipad tips
26% of the Mobile Employees Will Get iPad Soon, Survey Revealed
Aug 25, 2010 iPad development, News
If you have a doubt about the future of iPad in near future with the news that Dell, Samsung and many other biggies are planning to launch tablet, this may be a piece of news which can show you the sign of a brighter tomorrow for iPad.
The Mobile Workforce Report of iPass, a leading enterprise mobility service provider, published Tuesday, has reveled that more than 25% of the ‘mobile employee’ are planning to get an iPad in coming six months or so. It is interesting to mention that the iPass has defined Mobile employees as “any worker using any mobile device (including laptop, netbook, Smartphone, cellphone or tablet) who accesses networks (other than the corporate LAN or WLAN) for work purposes.”
The survey, which has been done in July, on a sample size of more than 1,100 enterprise users from North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific, can get the iPad app developers literally delighted.
Among the users surveyed, 9.3% have an iPad, and 6.8% have tablet PC. About 1.7% of them have the both. The most interesting part is that 26.3% of the respondents are planning to get an iPad in the upcoming 6 months, while 6.9% of them are planning to get a tablet PC. The result indicates that iPad apps and the iPad app developers will be in high demand in near future.
A majority of the respondents told that they would use iPad for some work, when asked about how they want to use an the iPad or tablet PC. 90% of the respondents, who either already use a tablet PC or iPad or are planning to get one over the next 6 months, want to use it for a professional reason. The survey has also revealed that the employees who pay the bill for their mobile phone, are more likely to get an iPad.
The Mobile Workforce Report has the similar tune like a report by The Wall Street Journal published recently that shows a growing iPad adoption rates among the IT departments at different organizations. In another survey on its customers in the month of June, Citrix has found that 80% of its enterprise users are planning to purchase and use an iPad soon for business.
Recently in July, Apple has announced that more than 50% of the Fortune 100 are presently deploying or testing the iPad for corporate usage.
Tags: iPad use, iPass, Survey, Tablet PC, Wall Street Journal
BlackPad Might Get a Different OS, not BlackBerry 6.0
Aug 24, 2010 News
The new BlackBerry tablet from RIM which is going to be named as the BlackPad will run an operating system that is used in US Army robot vehicle and also for the latest BMW cars.
The speculations about the proposed BlackPad first has emerged late last month, when a Bloomberg has reported that the Blackberry maker RIM are planning to introduce a tablet with a 9.7in touch screen, Wi-Fi connectivity and Bluetooth which might cost around £315.
Now there is fresh report highlighting the operating system has come to the air. However the information given in the report are yet to be confirmed by RIM.
Bloomberg commented that in order to keep the the BlackPad separate & unique from all other tablets, (read the Apple iPad), RIM has decided to use the operating system developed by QNX Software Systems, rather than the Blackberry OS6, the latest operating system of RIM.
“The yet-to-be-announced tablet will run on software developed by QNX Software Systems, which RIM bought from Harman International Industries Inc. for $200m in April,” the report claims. However the BlackPad is due for a November release.
BlackBerry app developers think that the similarity in terms of the look and feel of the BlackBerry OS 6.0, with the iOS 4 and Android platforms may explain well why BlackBerry want a different OS this time. In addition to it some of the experts think that the disappointment with the performance of the new OS might have played another important role.
Tags: BlackBerry OS 6.0, BlackPad, ipad, QNX Software Systems, Tablet from RIM
Apple Patent Claims iMac & Mac Book Transformed in to iPad
Aug 24, 2010 News
A recently approved patent filed by Apple has claimed that it can add the iOS functionality to Mac OS and your Machintosh computer or Mac Book can work like an iPad. This has promised that you can soon have an iMac or MacBook with a multi-touch, iPad-style usability.
Apple has described how will it be possible. The computers could be switched from a more traditional desktop based UI to a UI meant for the touch input. Actually this can be done with a differentiated operating system. Such a machine could use a kind of hybrid between the Mac OS X and the iOS, and it would be switching the UI layers.
Earlier this year, the Mac OS X developers have agreed that the iOS was having some more influence on the fate of Mac OS X over the other way around.
iPad application developers speculates a possibility that the applications could be clubbed with both a “regular” User Interface (UI) and a “touch” based UI, with shared basic codes.
The apps developed exclusively for an iOS device could easily run in a compatible layer, just as the iPhone and iPad apps now can run on Mac OS X systems in a simulator that is used during its development.
Tags: iMac, ipad, Mac Book, Touch based UI
Apple sold 3.27 Million iPads Since Launch
Aug 24, 2010 News
Apple reported in their earnings for the previous quarter that a total of 3.27 million iPads has been sold.
The Company began selling iPads during the quarter, with total sales of 3.27 million.
- April 3rd – 300,000 WiFi iPads sold on launch day
- April 8th – 450,000 iPads Sold total 5 days after launch, 3.5 Million iPad Apps and 600,000 iBooks downloaded (iPad application development rocks)
- April 10th – 500,000 iPad Units sold in its first week
- May 3rd – 1,000,000 iPad Users in 28 days since launch
- May 31st – 2,000,000 iPad Owners after its International Launch
- June 21 – 3,000,000 iPads in 80 day
Tags: facts and figures, ipad news, ipad sold, statistics
New iPad model being tested on iOS 4.1
Aug 23, 2010 News
Apple is internally testing the first material update to its iOS 4.0 mobile operating system against a handful of new devices, including next-generation iPod touches, an iPad revision, and an “unknown” product, AppleInsider has discovered.
According to people familiar with the matter, the latest beta of iOS 4.1, due to ship in the coming weeks, includes three new “Configuration Descriptors” within its USB configuration files — all of which pertain to devices that list “Apple, Inc.” as their “manufacturer” … The second unreleased product referenced in the USB configuration files is “iProd 2,1.” All indications are that this device represents a material update to the company’s iPad, as the inaugural version of the device released this past April was similarly listed in configuration files as “iProd 1,1″ prior to its announcement.
Very cool to see that a next gen iPad may already be in testing with the upcoming iOS 4.1. It still feels very early to be talking about new models , but these will be the one’s to fill the gap between uPad and netbooks ,and drive in more mobile application developers towards ipad application development.
Universal Player from Vimeo for iPad, iPhone, Android and Other Devices
Aug 20, 2010 News
You probably know that the Vimeo is now available on the iPhone for last ten months or so. Of course you may say that it is available only for selected videos!!!
Yesterday the video sharing site has launched a brand new “Universal Player” which will allow you to watch embedded Vimeo videos from any device. Now you don’t need any iPhone app or Flash.
The Universal Player will detect the type of your device, and then deliver the “optimum player” to render the video on your device. The optimum player would fuction as: a full-fledged H.264 video to HTML5 devices like iPad or desktop, a mobile player for Android and iPhone etc.
Now you may think why did it take Vimeo so long to implement an Universal Player? Andrew Pile has answered it in the company’s blog saying, “While it was relatively easy to build an HTML5 player that worked on Vimeo.com, making an experience that could live and work anywhere is actually a big undertaking. For example, we had to write several new video players to replace what used to be just one: behind the scenes there is a new Flash player, new Flash mobile player, new iPad player, new iPhone player, and new HTML5 player. And we expect to add more.”
However, it’s worth a mention that not all the videos are compatible with this player, and you require a Vimeo Plus account to enjoy the non-HD videos on your mobile device.
It’s interesting to see how the players like Flash combat this challenge. Probably they would take the help of iOS developers and iPad developers to get some better app.
Till then let’s enjoy the videos on iPad, iPhone, Android or any other device.
Tags: Android, ipad, iPhone, Universal Vimeo player, Vimeo player
Gmail for iPad smoother than ever
Aug 20, 2010 News
Like it or not, technology has a vain side, one that strives to make things pretty as well as functional.
That’s the side Google is appealing to with Gmail for iPad’s new “stacked cards” interface. Now, when you select an e-mail from the left column, the message slides out into the right column with a smooth animation. Selecting more e-mails creates a pile of messages, like hastily stacked index cards (hence the name), which can be deleted, archived or moved in bulk.
Sure, the stacked cards have a function. They address a problem with Gmail for iPad in which the two columns were controlled independently. Previously, if you checked off an e-mail on the left side, and then hit “delete” on the right, Gmail would delete whatever e-mail you were currently reading, instead of the one you selected. The stacked cards eliminate confusion by treating the two columns as one.
Being a vain geek, I’m more interested in the cards’ smooth animations. Google says it used CSS3 transitions, and posted a lengthy technical description to the Google Code Blog. On the main blog, the company says that CSS3 gives mobile web apps “a similar look and feel to native applications.”
See where this is going? For Google to have great faith in Chrome OS (especially if a tablet is in development), and cloud software in general, web apps have to have like native apps. Sometimes, that means coming up with solutions like Google Cloud Print and HTML5 gaming.
Other times, it’s all about looking good lets see what the iPad developer can do about it .
