iPadfanzz

iPad Mini with Retina display, iPad Air launched in India

2013-12-07T22:06:00.004-08:00

By: iPadfanzz staff on December 8, 2013

After a long wait, Apple has today introduced the iPad Air as well as the iPad Mini with Retina display in India.

The new iPad Mini will be available with Retina display at a starting price of Rs 28,900 for the 16GB Wi-Fi only model.

The new iPad Air, which is the thinnest iPad ever, will have a starting price of Rs. 35,900 for the 16GB Wi-Fi version. The iPad Air features a 9.7-inch Retina display in a body that weighs just 453 grams. It is 20 per cent thinner and 28 per cent lighter than the fourth generation iPad.

The earlier versions will continue to sell alongside the new devices.

iPad Air Pricing

16GB, WiFi only – Rs. 35,900 | WiFi + 4G – Rs. 44,900
32GB, WiFi only – Rs. 42,900 | WiFi + 4G – Rs. 51,900
64GB, WiFi only – Rs. 49,900 | WiFi + 4G – Rs. 58,900
128GB, WiFi only- Rs.56,900 | WiFi + 4G – Rs. 65,900

iPad Mini with Retina Display

16GB, WiFi only – Rs. 28,900 | WiFi + 4G – Rs. 37,900
32GB, WiFi only – Rs. 35,900 | WiFi + 4G – Rs. 44,900
64GB, WiFi only – Rs. 42,900 | WiFi + 4G – Rs. 51,900
128GB, WiFi only-Rs. 49,900 | WiFi + 4G – Rs. 58,900

First impression: iPad Mini with Retina display

2013-10-23T23:08:00.003-07:00

By: iPadfanzz staff on October 24, 2013

The second generation iPad mini is out and it is slim, sleek and fast. Without changing the basic formula of the first generation iPad mini the company has upgraded the 7.9-inch tablet’s screen to Retina Display quality.

The screen resolution now has 2048×1536 resolution at 326 pixels per inch (ppi), much better than the previous version which had a 163 ppi screen resolution. That makes the text sharp and readable. The 326 PPI is also the same density of the iPhone 5 and 5S screen and pretty much the same as the Nexus 7 and Amazon Kindle Fire HDX, which show 323 pixels per inch. Like on all of those tablets, the graininess of the old mini's screen is gone. This year's mini is also slightly thicker and slightly heavier than last year's.

The good thing about a higher resolution display is that pinch-to-zoom pinches and zooms incredibly quickly and sharply.

The new iPad mini with Retina display comes with a 64-bit A7 chip which also powers the new iPhone 5s. Apple says the new chip offers up to four times faster CPU and up to eight times faster graphics performance than the previous generation one. The tablet runs a 64-bit version of iOS 7, designed to take advantage of the A7 chip. The A7 chip supports OpenGL ES version 3.0 to deliver gaming console-level detailed graphics and complex visual effects.

In addition, the iPad mini also sports the M7 motion coprocessor. The chip takes care of measuring motion data from the accelerometer, gyroscope, and compass sensors, sending them to apps without waking up the A7 processor, leading to improved battery life. It also recognises different types of motion.

The new iPad mini comes with two antennas to support MIMO (multiple-input multiple-output) for up to twice as fast 802.11n Wi-Fi, according to Apple. The Wi-Fi + Cellular model comes with more LTE bands to support more 4G LTE networks.

Further, Apple has placed two two microphones inside the new iPad Mini - one at the top edge and the other one at the back. The company claims that the two microphones work together to capture better sound by suppressing audio from the source the user is not focused on, improving the quality of FaceTime calls, making video recordings better and enhancing Siri's voice recognition capabilities.

The iPad Mini with Retina will sell for $399 for the 16GB WiFi model. Wi-Fi plus cellular connectivity is $529. iPad mini with Retina display goes on sale in November end.

Apple unveils redesigned 9.7” iPad Air

2013-10-22T21:56:00.001-07:00

By: iPadfanzz staff on October 23, 2013

As expected, Cupertino-based Apple has given a major design overhaul to fifth-generation version of its 9.7-inch flagship tablet.

It's now the "iPad Air" and has the same 9.7-inch display as all of its predecessors, but with an updated shape following the design language of the iPad mini.

It weighs just one pound, making it the lightest full size tablet in the world. It is .4 lbs lighter than previous generations. Also, the iPad Air only 7.5mm thick, which is 25 percent thinner than previous iPads.

The new iPad Air is 20 per cent thinner, 28 per cent lighter and has 43 per cent smaller bezels than last year’s iPad 4. According to the tech giant, the new tablet is the thinnest full-sized tablet in the world. The 9.7 inch iPad Air with Retina display looks a lot similar to the iPad mini.

The new tablet does not have the TouchID feature the company last displayed on the iPhone 5S.

Giving some performance boost, Apple has now upgraded the iPad’s processor to the A7. The iPad Air now has the same 64-bit A7 chip and the M7 motion co-processor that was introduced recently with the iPhone 5S. That means the new tablet is eight times faster than the original iPad and renders 72 times faster graphics as compared to first version. According to Apple, the iPad Air now comes with a 2x improvement in CPU performance and a 2x improvement in GPU performance over last year's fourth-generation model.

The A7 chip is accompanied by that M7 motion co-processor that was used in the iPhone 5s, which focuses on computing information generated from the sensors to make the device smarter all around. The 64-bit architecture chip contains more than 1 billion transistors.

The device also gets its Wi-Fi upgraded to MIMO technology, gaining multiple antennas that provide data transfer at up to 300Mbps over 802.11n.

On the camera front, the iPad Air just have a 5MP iSight camera. The 1.2 megapixel 720p FaceTime camera has been upgraded to a camera that can shoot in FullHD 1920 x 1080 resolution, though.

Overall, the new iPad has taken most of its design cues from the iPad mini and the more recent iPhones, starting with the chamfered edges and the new silver and "space gray" rear shells.

Apple marketing chief Phil Schiller hailed it as a "screaming fast iPad," noting that it is eight times faster than the original model that came out in 2010.

The iPad (fifth generation) will be available in black, white, silver, and space gray (no gold, for some reason), and will replace the current generation (fourth) iPad at a $499 starting price. Wifi + Cellular starts at $629.

Meanwhile, the iPad 2 will remain in the line up for $399.

New iPads will be available on November 1, just in time for the holidays.

Sketchy photo claims iPad 5 will have Touch ID fingerprint scanner

2013-10-17T22:37:00.000-07:00

By: iPadfanzz staff on October 18, 2013

CtechCN.com has published an image featuring an iPad 5 with Touch ID, the fingerprint recognition system Apple introduced last month with the iPhone 5s. The site, however, has little track record to judge.

The photo shows that the Home button seems to be larger and more noticeable than on the iPhone. That also means that the Apple’s Home button design would differ on the iPad from the iPhone if Touch ID were to be integrated.

The company is all set to announce the next update to its iPad lineup on October 22.

Apple released the Touch ID fingerprint scanner at its September iPhone event with the iPhone 5s, but notably left the Touch ID feature out of the cheaper iPhone 5c.

iPad 5 timeline

2013-10-13T23:50:00.000-07:00

By: iPadfanzz Editor on October 14, 2013

Oct 9

New Photos Offer Clear Look at Fifth-Generation iPad Ahead of October 22 Event

Oct 9

Supply Chain Sources Feed Speculation on Apple's Display Plans for Future Devices

Oct 8

Apple's iPad-Centric Event to Take Place on October 22

Oct 8

iPad Mini and Fourth-Generation iPad Have Most Responsive Tablet Touch Screens

Oct 3

New Report Summarizes Display Rumors for Future Apple Devices

Oct 2

New Video Explores Possibility of Touch ID in Fifth-Generation iPad

Oct 2

iPad 5 and iPad Mini 2 to Be Equipped with 8-Megapixel Rear Cameras

Oct 1

Delta Employees 'Fought Hard for the iPad' as Microsoft Announces Surface 2 Deal

SEPTEMBER

2013

Sep 30

Refurbished 128 GB iPad Models Begin Appearing in Apple Online Store

Sep 30

Staples Now Selling iPad, iPad Mini and iPods in U.S. Online Store

Sep 29

Detailed Video Showing iPad 5 Physical Changes

Sep 27

MacRumors Roundups: iPad 5, iPad Mini 2, Mac Pro, MacBook Pro and More

Sep 27

Design Drawings Purportedly Show Exact Dimensions of Smaller, Thinner iPad 5

Sep 26

iPad 5 Smart Covers Begin Surfacing in Multiple Colors [Update: Fake]

Sep 26

L.A. School District Halting Home Use of Issued iPads After Students Bypass Content Restrictions

Sep 24

Next-Generation Full-Sized iPad Rear Shell Emerges in 'Space Gray'

Sep 24

Apple May Be Working With Quanta Computer on Larger iPad

Sep 18

Sapphire Home Buttons Coming to New iPads?

Sep 18

Next-Generation iPad Mini Rear Shell Surfaces in 'Space Gray'

Apple iPad 5 release date, price and specs rumours

2013-10-13T23:39:00.000-07:00

By: iPadfanzz Editor on October 14, 2013

Apple is all set to release the new 9.7-inch (2048 x 1536 pixels) iPad 5 that will feature an iPad mini-style design with a smaller size, thinner side bezels, and an improved processor. The fifth-generation iPad can be summed up with three words: thinner, smaller, and lighter.

Reports suggest that Cupertino-based Apple is all set to release two new iPad models at an Oct. 22 media event, including the second-generation iPad mini, or the so-called iPad mini 2.

The iPad 5 actually takes several design cues from the iPad mini, featuring the same thin size and small bezels found in the mini while retaining its 9.7-inch Retina screen. Picture it as a larger version of the iPad mini based on leaked prototypes, cases, and specs.

Under the hood, the tablet will come with an A7X 28-nanometer chip from Samsung as well as increased RAM. It is also reported to include an 8-megapixel rear camera with a larger aperture, providing better picture taking capabilities in low-light conditions.

Recent design drawings from a case maker suggested that the new tablet will measure 7.5 mm thick, 2 mm thinner than the current iPad and 0.3 mm thicker than the iPad mini. The iPad 5 will be 1 mm shorter than the current iPad, but its narrower side bezels will reduce the width of the device by 16mm, or nine percent.

With the iPad mini's thinner and more power efficient screen technology, along with more efficient LED backlighting, the iPad 5 is also able to adopt a battery that is roughly 15 to 20 percent smaller than the battery in the fourth-generation iPad.

Reports suggest that the fifth-generation iPad will incorporate the same GF2 film-based touch sensor used in the iPad mini. Previous iPads used a glass-based G/G touch sensor, which is significantly thicker than the film-based touch sensors.

Rumors also suggest that Apple may introduce its Touch ID functionality to the iPad 5S, as it should ideally be on all its devices. . Though Touch ID is currently used to unlock the iPhone 5S and make purchases on iTunes, it is expected to be used with other apps and payments in the future. A number of leaks suggest that Apple is designing the iPad 5’s front panel with the fingerprint scanner in place.

The iPad 5 is likely to sport an 8-megapixel snapper. If Apple follows its tradition, it will give the new iPad the 8-megapixel camera of the iPhone 5 which will improve its imagery manifold.

The iPad 5 is likely to cost £399 in the UK. Whether that's a 16GB or 32GB model is anyone's guess.

Apple iPhone 5S, iPhone 5C set for October launch in India

2013-10-06T03:54:00.001-07:00

By: iPadfanzz staff on October 6, 2013

Apple is set to launch its new iPhones – the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C – in India as early as this month.

The India launch for the new iPhones was apparently revealed during a high-level meeting with some of the biggest retail chains in the country earlier in the week, where Apple also announced plans to increase its presence in the top 50 towns of the country. It is expected that the company would launch the smartphones before Diwali.

Apple is expected to host an event on October 15 to unveil the new iPads where it could also possibly announce the second wave of countries where the new iPhone will launch.

iPad Mini 2 and iPad 5 release date drafted as October

2013-08-13T23:08:00.000-07:00

By: iPadfanzz staff on August 14, 2013

The iPad 5 and iPad Mini 2 with Retina display could launch by the end of October. A report in Bloomberg mentioned that Apple will launch the two tablets in tandem to try and regain control over the market.

The iPad 5 and iPad Mini 2 are both said to be thinner and lighter than last year's releases and the iPad 5's design will move closer to that of the iPad Mini.

The iPad 5 is reported to include a 9.7-inch display with thinner bezels. It will still be constructed of aluminium and is rumoured to include an updated A7 processor.

The iPad Mini may come with a Retina display, measuring 7.9-inches.

iOS 7 may allow iPhone and iPad control with head movements

2013-06-30T03:14:00.000-07:00

By: iPadfanzz staff on June 30, 2013

A left tilt of the head can be used to swipe through screen menu options, or head movements can be choosen to activate a number of other functions, including the home button, to start Siri, open the Notification Center or App Switcher, or change the volume.

The feature, called Switches can be activiated in the Switch control option, which is in the accessibility section of Apple's iOS7.

On enabling the option, the Switch Control will scroll through onscreen menus and apps, and users only need to move their head to the left to select their choice.

At the same time, the head movements can be customized to stand for different actions, like a finger tap.

For iOS 7, Apple said it dramatically redesigned the look and feel of the user interface. The company has revamped its icons, buttons, and color schemes. The screen is said to take on a 3D appearance and will have a swipe feature at the bottom of the device for quick access to brightness, volume, airplane mode, Bluetooth, do not disturb, and flashlight.

ECG Check iPhone case now available

2013-06-20T23:17:00.000-07:00

By: iPadfanzz staff on June 21, 2013

Cardiac Designs has released its ECG Check mobile heart monitor and analysis engine for iPhone 4S/5 which helps patients to record their heart rhythm anytime, anywhere and have it automatically analyzed for arrhythmias.

The ECG Check, which makes cardiac rhythm analysis quick and easy, is the first FDA-cleared Over The Counter ECG monitor that is compatible with iPhone 4S and 5.

Since it’s a wireless device that doesn’t have to be physically connected, it will also work with iPhone 5, iPad (3rd gen & 4th gen), and iPad Mini.

To check the heart beats, one has to place his fingers on the sensors with no need of electrodes or special devices. Since it wraps conveniently around the iPhone, the ECG Check monitor remains with the user at all times and ensures availability whenever and wherever the need arises. ECG readings are instantly displayed on the iPhone screen, stored on the iPhone, transmitted to and analyzed by the ECG Check Web Center, and results are returned in seconds.

“The ability for consumers to have access to this type of diagnostic tool is key to helping people take more control of their heart health and to collaborate with their care team, wherever they are and whenever they want,” said Karim Marrouche, President and co-founder of Cardiac Design.

The ECG Check is available for $99.

Los Angeles to give every student an iPad in deal worth ‘hundreds of millions’

2013-06-19T23:07:00.000-07:00

By: iPadfanzz Editor on June 20, 2013

Every student in the nation’s second-largest school district, the Los Angeles' school system, will get an 32GB 4th-generation Apple iPad. Los Angeles Unified School District will initially roll out the program to 47 campuses in a deal worth $30 million. The LA Board of Education found that the iPad was the least expensive option that met its specifications.

The decision represents a major success by Apple in making the tablet computer a replacement for textbooks.

The massive LA district has 640,000 students at 1,087 schools spread over 720 square miles, and by choosing Apple as the sold vendor, the school board commited a deal worth over $30 million.

“Education is in Apple’s DNA and we’re thrilled to work with Los Angeles Unified public schools on this major initiative as they plan to roll out iPads to every student across 47 campuses this fall,” Apple senior VP Philip Schiller said in a statement. “Schools around the world have embraced the engaging and interactive quality of iPad with nearly 10 million iPads already in schools today.”

The school district is paying $678 for each iPad, since it includes the pre-loaded educational software, the Los Angeles Times reported. Retail price for the 32GB 4th-generation iPads is $599. The initial order is for more than 31,000 iPads, Apple said.

The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) said it chose the iPad for quality ratings, high scores from its student and teacher review panel, and for being its least expensive option.

“The vote is another step forward in the District’s plan to equip every one of its students with a device by 2014," Jaime Aquino, district deputy superintendent of instruction, said. "When completed, the LAUSD will become the largest district in the nation to provide each of its students with the technology.”

The deal clinched by Apple comes at the end of a long bid process that included testing and scoring of various devices by students and teachers as well as district office staff.

And it is not just Apple, Dell has earlier scored deals with at least six school districts across the country to distribute its Windows 8-powered Latitude 10 tablets.

The on-board software includes Apple’s iWorks productivity suite, iLife, and iTunes, as well as other educational apps. In addition, Pearson’s new Common Core System of Courses, an integrated solution with digital classes based around core standards, is included. Those courses were built with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

How to encrypt your email

2013-06-18T04:06:00.000-07:00

By: iPadfanzz Editor on June 18, 2013

With all the talks of government snooping over your emails, collecting your Internet data and listening to your phonecalls, lots of people are now feeling the need to protect themselves from such attacks. Making your computing life more private is important. It is because there’s every chance in the world that the NSA and other government agencies may want to read your email.

It is true that a vast majority of mails that we generate are of no internet even to our close ones, leave alone the government. Still, these recent events do provide a perfect excuse for running through the steps for encrypting your email. Besides capturing your email content and attachments, a miscreant could hijack your entire email account if you failed to secure it properly.

First Step:

To secure your email, you need to encrypt three things: the connection from your email provider; your actual email messages; and your stored, cached, or archived email messages. While sending or receiving email messages, it is important to encrypt the connection from your email provider to your computer or other device. This can pose problems if you use a public network (the Wi-Fi hotspot in a restaurant). Encrypting your messages before sending them makes them unreadable so that they can have a safe journey from one point to another. There is equal vulnerability when you leave your saved or backed-up email messages on your computer or mobile device, even if you've password-protected your email program and your Windows account or mobile device.

Second Step:

To secure the connection between your email provider and your computer or other device, you need to set up Secure Socket Layer (SSL) and Transport Layer Security (TLS) encryption--the same protection scheme that you depend on when checking your bank account or making online purchases.

Before checking your email, make sure that SSL/TLS encryption is active. You can check it as the website address (URL) will begin with https instead of http. Depending on your browser, you’ll also see a green lock appearing before the website address of your email.

If you don't see an 'https' address and other indicators after logging into your Web-based email program, type an s at the end of the 'http' and press Enter. If your email provider supports SSL/TLS, that instruction will usually prompt it to encrypt your current connection.

However, unlike a website, it is hard to verify or to set up the encryption in program like Microsoft Outlook or to an email app on your smartphone or tablet.

To do so in your mail app, go to settings menu, and there will be options including POP/SMTP, IMAP/SMTP, HTTP or Exchange account. Now look for an option to activate encryption; it's usually in the advanced settings near where you can specify the port numbers for incoming and outgoing connections.

In Outlook, go to advance settings to encrypt the service.

Third Step:

Moreover, you can also download encryption software or client add-ons. You can also use a Web-based encryption email service like Sendinc or JumbleMe, but doing so forces you to trust a third-party company. Most forms of message encryption, including S/MIME (Secure/Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions) and OpenPGP, require you to install a security certificate on your computer and to give your contacts a string of characters called your public key before they can send you an encrypted message. Likewise, the intended recipients of your encrypted message must install a security certificate on their computer and give you their public key in advance.

For a mobile device it's best to use an operating system that provides full device encryption by setting a PIN or password to protect your email and other data. BlackBerry and iOS (iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch) devices have offered this type of encryption for years; Android supports it only in version 3.0 and later.

Huawei Ascend Mate 6.1-inch phablet launched in India for Rs 24,900

2013-06-18T03:19:00.000-07:00

By: iPadfanzz Editor on June 18, 2013

Chinese communications giant Huawei launched its Ascend Mate smartphone in India. The 6.1-inch phablet is now available at online retailer Infibeam with a price tag of Rs 24,900.

The device weighs a hefty 198 gram and measures just 6.5mm along the waistline, making it thinner than iPhone 5.

The phablet comes with a 6.1-inch IPS (720×1280 pixels) display with Magic Touch technology, similar to the one on Nokia Lumia 920 that allows users to use gloves with the panel.

Its specs are pretty respectable too, with a quad-core 1.5GHz processor and 2GB of RAM, an 8-megapixel camera and Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean). It comes with a massive 4,050mAh battery.

In comparison, the Galaxy Mega has a 1.7GHz dual-core processor, 4G and the more up-to-date Android 4.2.

Connectivity options include 2G, 3G, Wi-Fi, microUSB 2.0 and Bluetooth 4.0. The Ascend Mate will play nicely with 802.11 a/b/g/n bands of Wi-Fi. It comes with support for dual-band Wi-Fi, DLNA, Wi-Fi Direct and, of course, Wi-Fi hotspot. The phablet competes against the like of the Samsung Galaxy Mega 6.3 and the Samsung Galaxy Note II.

The Mate will be available in stores and online retailers in Crystal Black and Pure White colours.

HTC Desire 200 goes official: 3.5 inches of low-end Android with Beats Audio and 5MP camera

2013-06-18T02:49:00.001-07:00

By: iPadfanzz staff on June 18, 2013

HTC has officially announced its latest budget offering dubbed Desire 200. It's running HTC's own Sense UI skin on top of unspecified version Android and packs Beats Audio music enhancement.

The device sports a 3.5" LCD screen with 320 x 480 pixels resolution. The HTC Desire 200 comes with a p Qualcomm Snapdragon S1 chipset with single-core 1GHz CPU and 512MB of RAM. The internal memory is 4GB, expandable via the on-board microSD card slot.

The Desire 200 has a 5MP, f/2.8 fixed focus camera with 34mm lens that supports VGA video recording. The battery has a capacity of 1230mAh and is user-removable. HTC claims that it will offer you with 7 hours and 30 minutes of 3G talk time and 812 hours of stand-by.

Connectivity options include Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, microUSB and GPS. There's a trio of sensors, too - accelerometer, proximity and ambient light.

By looks, the Desire 200 appears to be an entry-level smartphone with the limited factor being the screen resolution and the phone's 512MB RAM. The phone's earpiece resembles the HTC One's front speaker grills. It has three capacitive touch buttons below the screen like most recent HTC phones. The phone's back looks similar to that of the HTC Desire C. It will also feature Beats Audio as apparent from the branding at the back.

Tailored specifically for HTC, the device comes with in-ear headphones to bring your music to life.

Pricing and availability are unknown at this point.

Skype Video Message now available globally for Android, iOS, and BlackBerry

2013-06-18T02:03:00.001-07:00

By: iPadfanzz staff on June 18, 2013

Skype has ended the beta period on its video-messaging feature, which lets users send short videos to friends when they're offline. Starting now, the service will be available for Skype users on Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, and BlackBerry for free.

Skype said on its blog, "You can now record and share a personal video message, even when your friends and loved ones are not available. The best part is that they'll be able to view your video message as soon as they sign into Skype. Skype Video Messaging is easy and convenient, and only the contact you've chosen to receive your message can view it."

To avail this feature, users need to tap the Video Message button within a Skype app, followed by the record icon to start filming a new message. The duration of videos can be up to three minutes and you’ll be able to see them before you send them.

"Want to say goodnight to your kids while traveling, but you'll be up in the air? Need to wish your dad a happy birthday, but can't seem to catch up? Skype can help you connect with the special people in your life—even when your schedules conflict," Skype said.

Video Messages can be extremely useful in situation when a video call is not available and sending a photo or email just won't do. Though it was originally intended to work as a premium subscription service, now the company has decided to offer the service for free.

Skype announced Video Messaging in February, and since then it has supported customers leaving video messages that contacts can view on their smartphone, tablet, or desktop. It says the recipient will be the only person who can view your video message.

However, the Skype versions of Android, iPhone or iPad, and BlackBerry 10 can access the feature, but not those who use Windows Phone.

Skype’s video messaging service will face competition from the likes of Snapchat and Vine.

It’s a smart move from Skype to come out with video messaging which will fetch it some loyal Skype users on its platform instead of jumping ship for more “fun” apps that include video messages.

Digg’s Google Reader replacement to launch next week, available to all by June 26

2013-06-18T01:59:00.000-07:00

By: iPadfanzz staff on June 18, 2013

A beta version of news-curation service Digg’s long-awaited RSS reader is scheduled to arrive next week. It’s called Digg Reader and will be available to everybody by June 26.

For many, this will replace the nearly retired Google Reader. Google Reader was really good at collecting RSS feeds of all your favorite news sites and blog posts as they were published throughout the day.

Digg Reader would aim to provide all the same RSS aggregation while keeping the experience simple, quick, and easy to navigate.

The Digg expects the service to be a free product while remaining all of the features it is releasing now as part of this free beta.

Digg showed off a web version of Digg Reader along with screenshots of an iOS app. In near future, the company will also release an Android app, as well as integration with third-party services like Buffer, Evernote and IFTTT. Digg Reader will get search and notifications in one of its next updates.

Digg says it plans to add tools to “sort, filter and rank your reading lists and feeds, based on your networks, interests, likes, and so on.”

AT&T's Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 arrives June 21 for $399, $199 with phone

2013-06-18T00:27:00.001-07:00

By: iPadfanzz staff on June 18, 2013

AT&T has announced that it'll start selling the LTE-enabled Samsung Galaxy Note 8 from June 21.

With a new two-year service agreement, the 1.6GHz quad-core Android Jelly Bean phablet sells for $399.99, not including the monthly data connection.

The Note 8.0 is a midsized tablet that comes with an 8-inch TFT LCD display with 1280 x 800 pixels. That gives it a pixel density of 189 ppi, which means it is not the sharpest display ever.

The tablet is powered by a quad-core ARM Cortex A9 processor with each core rated at 1.6 GHz. The processors are paired with 2 GB of RAM and up to 32 GB of onboard storage. The device comes with two cameras: a 5-megapixel main camera and a 1.3-megapixel user-facing camera. The main camera doubles as an HD videocamera for Google Hangouts.

The Note 8 includes a wide range of Samsung's software and applications that take advantage of the S Pen, or stylus. For instance, customers can use the S Pen to pull up secondary menus and use Air View to see previews of links and other content. For instance, Awesome Note, provides power users with a to-do list on steroids. The Note 8 is also equipped with an IR blaster and Samsung's WatchOn software. Together, these let people control their television sets and search for content worth viewing.

AT&T's LTE network covers more than 200 million Americans in more than 270 markets. AT&T's HSPA+ network reaches 97 per cent of all Americans, which means even when LTE isn't around, you'll still have speedy Internet access.

Saudi Arabia to block WhatsApp over regulation refusal

2013-06-18T00:13:00.001-07:00

By: iPadfanzz staff on June 18, 2013

The Saudi Arabian government has threatened to block messaging app WhatsApp if the U.S.-based firm fails to comply with requirements set by the kingdom's telecom regulator.

Negotiations between WhatsApp and Saudi Arabia's Communications and Information Technology Commission (CITC) have broken down, according to the body's governor Abdullah Al-Darrab.

The state’s telecoms regulator is cracking down on social apps, as earlier the Communications and Information Technology Commission (CITC) banned Viber, a text messaging tool, which the government said was hard to monitor and deprives telecom companies of revenue from international calls and texts.

The CITC is also focusing on Skype and Tango for failing to "comply with existing regulations" in the country.

CITC said the WhatsApp services are likely to blocked before the holy month of Ramadan, expected to begin July 9, 2013.

Conventional international calls and texts are a lucrative earner for telecom operators in Saudi Arabia, which hosts around nine million expatriates. Analysts say these foreign workers have been increasingly using using Internet-based applications such as Viber to communicate with relatives in other countries.

Globally, WhatsApp has an estimated 250m users worldwide, Viber has 200m, Tango 120m and Skype more than 280m when it last announced figures in October 2012.

Jay-Z to release 1 million advanced copies of new album to Samsung Galaxy owners for free

2013-06-17T06:59:00.001-07:00

By: iPadfanzz Editor on June 17, 2013

Jay-Z will release a new album, "Magna Carta Holy Grail," on July 4. The rapper has teamed up with Samsung to give the music to 1 million users of Galaxy mobile phones.

Reports suggest that the Korean company has paid $5 million for the content, although other media claim the deal could be worth as much as $20 million.

The video shows Jay-Z and his production team — including Rick Rubin, Timbaland, and Pharrell Williams from The Neptunes — at work in the studio developing the album, and features a Galaxy Tab being used.

"Magna Carta Holy Grail" will be available for free download on July 4, 12:01 a.m. EST, to the first one million Samsung Galaxy S III, Galaxy S 4 and Galaxy Note II users. Fans will be able to unlock the album on the phone's Magna Carta app.

The deal may also help Samsung’s Music Hub, a streaming music service available on Galaxy devices, compete with Apple’s iTunes Radio.

But one may ask: if Samsung bought 1 million copies of the album already, does that mean it's already platinum?

Apple announces 575m iTunes accounts, 900,000 apps, $10b paid to developers

2013-06-17T06:42:00.000-07:00

By: iPadfanzz Editor on June 17, 2013

Apple says its iTunes music store is now home to 575 million users. The company is now adding around a half-million new accounts on average per day. That means by the end of 2013 the company would have added another 100 million iTunes accounts.

Analysts say that despite the fact more consumers are using the service, revenue per account have declined over the past few years. What’s good about Apple is that it enjoys high customer satisfaction and loyalty.

At WWDC 2013 today, Apple CEO Tim Cook had said that the iTunes store now has more than 900,000 apps available to customers. Furthermore, the company revealed it has paid out over $10 billion to third-party developers, half of that in the last year alone.

Of the 900,000 apps, 375,000 are optimized for the iPad, it said. Cook said 93 percent of them are downloaded each month.

Apple says it is hopeful to achieve the 1 million apps mark in its store before the end of the year.

Apple issues statement on customer privacy in wake of PRISM allegations

2013-06-17T06:07:00.000-07:00

By: iPadfanzz Editor on June 17, 2013

Apple has issued a public statement regarding customer privacy, following accusations that it is involved in a US government-run PRISM program that offers up user data without warrant.

In the statement Apple said it had never ever heard of the NSA snooping scheme prior to being asked about it by news organizations. Apple’s statement elaborates on how and when it cooperates with U.S. law enforcement agencies seeking private data about its customers.

Like other companies that have been accused of PRISM involvement, Apple says that it asked the government for permission to report how many requests it receives related to national security and how it handles them.

Earlier this month, The Guardian and Washington Post revealed the existence of the US government's PRISM program, which gave the NSA access to user data held on the servers of tech firms including Microsoft, Yahoo, Google, Facebook, PalTalk, AOL, and Apple. Following the disclosure the tech companies have been under pressure to release the release about the data passed to the National Security Agency.

The NSA later confirmed the existence of the surveillance scheme as well as a separate phone records programme which it said had helped it thwart terrorist plots in the US and more than 20 other countries.

Earlier, Facebook and Microsoft announced they had been given permission to reveal the number of data requests from US officials in aggregate, and Apple has now followed with its own statement.

Aggregated numbers

Microsoft said it received between 6,000 and 7,000 requests from US government agencies affecting between 31,000 and 32,000 customer accounts.

Facebook said it received between 9,000 and 10,000 requests covering between 18,000 and 19,000 accounts.

Google has said that over the course of 2012 it received between zero and 999 National Security Letters - foreign intelligence-related requests from the FBI involving US citizens which are distinct from the agency's investigations into other criminal, civil or administrative matters.

Below is the statement in full.

Apple’s Commitment to Customer Privacy

Two weeks ago, when technology companies were accused of indiscriminately sharing customer data with government agencies, Apple issued a clear response: We first heard of the government’s “Prism” program when news organizations asked us about it on June 6. We do not provide any government agency with direct access to our servers, and any government agency requesting customer content must get a court order.

Like several other companies, we have asked the U.S. government for permission to report how many requests we receive related to national security and how we handle them. We have been authorized to share some of that data, and we are providing it here in the interest of transparency.

From December 1, 2012 to May 31, 2013, Apple received between 4,000 and 5,000 requests from U.S. law enforcement for customer data. Between 9,000 and 10,000 accounts or devices were specified in those requests, which came from federal, state and local authorities and included both criminal investigations and national security matters. The most common form of request comes from police investigating robberies and other crimes, searching for missing children, trying to locate a patient with Alzheimer’s disease, or hoping to prevent a suicide.

Regardless of the circumstances, our Legal team conducts an evaluation of each request and, only if appropriate, we retrieve and deliver the narrowest possible set of information to the authorities. In fact, from time to time when we see inconsistencies or inaccuracies in a request, we will refuse to fulfill it.

Apple has always placed a priority on protecting our customers’ personal data, and we don’t collect or maintain a mountain of personal details about our customers in the first place. There are certain categories of information which we do not provide to law enforcement or any other group because we choose not to retain it.

For example, conversations which take place over iMessage and FaceTime are protected by end-to-end encryption so no one but the sender and receiver can see or read them. Apple cannot decrypt that data. Similarly, we do not store data related to customers’ location, Map searches or Siri requests in any identifiable form.

We will continue to work hard to strike the right balance between fulfilling our legal responsibilities and protecting our customers’ privacy as they expect and deserve.

How to force iPad Mini reboot

2013-06-16T03:37:00.000-07:00

By: iPadfanzz Editor on June 16, 2013

If you are experiencing repeated crashes, freezing, slowdown, random restarts occurring in your iPad Mini then it is easy to solve it. All you have to do it force a reboot.

To do this, just hold down the Power button and the Home button simultaneously for 10 seconds. Do it until you see a black screen. Now remove your finger only from the home button. Keep on pressing the Power button until the Apple logo appears on screen.

After seeing the Apple logo, release your fingers from the power button and wait for the device to start up.

Note: This process of forcing a reboot will not delete any of your personal information from the iPad Mini.

How to restore iPad mini to factory settings

2013-06-16T03:23:00.001-07:00

By: iPadfanzz Editor on June 16, 2013

Restoring the iPad Mini to its original factory settings is important if you are looking to sell or give away your iPad Mini to someone else as you can fully erase your personal info from the device before it leaves your hands.

Here are 2 simple ways to do that:

1. Restore to factory settings without ITunes

Go to Settings > General > Reset and tap on Erase All Content and Settings.

After giving confirmation to continue you are ready with an iPad Mini being restored to its original factory settings. The Apple logo together with a loading bar will also appear on screen. As a result, all content, apps, music, photos, and personal account information will be erased from the iPad Mini.

2. Restore factory settings with ITunes

Connect the iPad Mini to your desktop computer. Start iTunes. Locate your iPad Mini under ‘Devices’ on the left panel and click on Restore. Confirm to proceed.

BMW to integrate Apple's Siri Eyes Free across entire range by 2014

2013-06-16T03:08:00.001-07:00

By: iPadfanzz staff on June 16, 2013

BMW has announced that it will be offering Siri Eyes Free functionality to all 2014 models via an update to its ConnectedDrive Internet service.

The integration, part of BMW's reworked ConnectedDrive integrated driver and multimedia interface, will also see voice support for a number of apps including Pandora and Glympse, as well as receive Google mapping data. The service will be delivered over-the-air.

The system will also support S-Voice, the Samsung Galaxy S equivalent of Siri.

Not only Siri but Samsung’s S Voice Drive interface can also be accessed through the voice command interface in the vehicle.

To activate Siri the driver need to hold down the voice control button and the system will activate. After activation, the driver can ask questions or give voice commands. If in case the driver wants to activate the i-Drive interface instead, he has to tap the voice command button.

Eyes Free integration saw slow adoption, but more manufacturers seem to be picking up the pace with which they are integrating the technology. Siri Eyes-Free was first revealed at the 2012 Apple World Wide Developers Conference as a way of keeping drivers safe while they access smartphone apps, and eight car makers -- BMW, GM, Jaguar and Land Rover, Toyota, Audi, Chrysler, Honda and Mercedes-Benz -- were announced as initial supporters of the feature. Earlier this year, Hyundai also pledged support for its integration.

Mercedes-Benz was the first company to integrate the feature in its cars with the 2013 A-Class supermini, launched in Europe in September.

As of now it is hard to tell how people will choose a vehicle based on a smartphone integration. Would you consider Eyes Free for your car when your favorite manufacturer hops aboard? Do send us your comments?

It’s official! Apple launches iPad trade-in offer, gives minimum of Rs 4,000 off for old tablets

2013-06-16T02:21:00.001-07:00

By: iPadfanzz staff on June 16, 2013

Apple is now officially offering trade-ins. The tech giant is giving a minimum Rs 4,000 off if users trade-in their old tablets or notebook computer. The offer is valid on all models of the iPad mini and the 16GB model of iPad with Retina Display.

Consumers will get an additional discount if they bring their old iPad under the exchange offer. For instance, buyers will get back Rs 4000 if they bring Samsung Galaxy Tab 5100, Blackberry PlayBook, Karbonn tablet and the iPad 1 Wi-Fi , Galaxy Tab 2, or Samsung Galaxy Tab 620. Similarly, you’ll get Rs 5,500 for an iPad 1 3G+Wi-Fi, Rs 7,000 for an iPad 2 Wi-Fi, Rs 9,000 for an iPad 2 3G+Wi-Fi, Rs 9,500 for an iPad 3 Wi-Fi and Rs 11,500 for an iPad 3 Wi-Fi+3G.

Does this trade-in/recycling program make you feel better about buying your second or third iPad in as many years? Let us know in the comments.