Apple appears poised to increase iOS’s integrated social networks by adding Flickr and Vimeo to iOS 7.

According to a 9to5Mac report, an unnamed source familiar with the software claims Flickr and Vimeo would be “integrated deeply into the new operating system”.

In the same vein of Twitter and Facebook integration in iOS 6, iOS 7 users will be able to log into their respective social network accounts through “Settings”, signing in just once for full-sharing access.

The report also mentions a “very real ...]]>

Apple appears poised to increase iOS’s integrated social networks by adding Flickr and Vimeo to iOS 7.

According to a 9to5Mac report, an unnamed source familiar with the software claims Flickr and Vimeo would be “integrated deeply into the new operating system”.

In the same vein of Twitter and Facebook integration in iOS 6, iOS 7 users will be able to log into their respective social network accounts through “Settings”, signing in just once for full-sharing access.

The report also mentions a “very real possibility that any feature in testing could be removed prior to the announcement”, because iOS 7 has not been announced officially, similar to when Apple once planned to Facebook integration in iOS 4 before Facebook’s getting cold feet and Apple completely removing it until iOS 6.

If Apple does follow through with Flickr and Vimeo integration, users could easily share their social network content through iOS’s system-wide sharing options and apps.

Vimeo, in particular, would be a huge addition to iOS.  Apple severed its ties to a dedicated YouTube app, forcing Google to develop a native app, but it still offers video-upload capability to YouTube. Vimeo, as 9to5Mac notes, would be a competing – and compelling – video-sharing option for users not wanting to use YouTube.

Apple is expected to unveil iOS 7 at WWDC 2013 in June.

[9to5Mac]

For those of you who love Apple so much that you make it a part of not every gadget you own, but practically everything you do, you may wonder how you could cram even more Apple into your life. From Macs, to iPhones, iPads, iPods and more, you may think there’s no Apple experience you haven’t had, but you’d be wrong.  

Perhaps an Apple-themed vacation interests you?

The State of California has just what you are looking for when it comes ...]]>

For those of you who love Apple so much that you make it a part of not every gadget you own, but practically everything you do, you may wonder how you could cram even more Apple into your life. From Macs, to iPhones, iPads, iPods and more, you may think there’s no Apple experience you haven’t had, but you’d be wrong.  

Perhaps an Apple-themed vacation interests you?

The State of California has just what you are looking for when it comes to Apple. Seriously, picture yourself on an all Apple road trip where you witness first-hand the places that make Apple great, both historically and currently.

So grab a cooler, load up on snacks and gas up the car as you visit 17 places that make Apple is what it is today.

[Cheap Flights]

Have an iPad that ends up in the hands of young kids? Then you owe it to yourself to take advantage of this sale and get this app. It’s one of those my kids can’t put down! It’s Madagascar Preschool Surf N’ Slide.

Download one of the top-rated games for free on iTunes for a very limited time. Now is your chance to experience what some of the top critics are all raving about! Better hurry, this won’t last long.. and who knows ...]]>

Have an iPad that ends up in the hands of young kids? Then you owe it to yourself to take advantage of this sale and get this app. It’s one of those my kids can’t put down! It’s Madagascar Preschool Surf N’ Slide.

Download one of the top-rated games for free on iTunes for a very limited time. Now is your chance to experience what some of the top critics are all raving about! Better hurry, this won’t last long.. and who knows when it will go on sale again, this is the first time that Madagascar Preschool Surf N’ Slide has ever gone on sale.

Madagascar Preschool Surf N’ Slide  [Link]

What I said in my previous review:

“If you’re looking for a fun game that will challenge your preschooler with different skills, such as numbers, letters, colors, and more…all with the accompaniment of a recognizable theme, Madagascar – Preschool – Surf n’ Slide is worth taking a look at.”

Yea, I liked it…a lot. More importantly though, my kids did, and now is your chance to get it free…don’t pass it up.

I recently started a series of review for products from Just Mobile, one of my favorite companies making Apple accessories. They consistently impress with quality, dedication, and vision when it comes to creating these outstanding products. I hope to be able to bring you more of these in the future, based on feedback many of you are learning very quickly how great Just Mobile is.

Today I’m looking at the AluFrame, an aluminium bumper shield for the iPhone 5. I am using the ...]]>

I recently started a series of review for products from Just Mobile, one of my favorite companies making Apple accessories. They consistently impress with quality, dedication, and vision when it comes to creating these outstanding products. I hope to be able to bring you more of these in the future, based on feedback many of you are learning very quickly how great Just Mobile is.

Today I’m looking at the AluFrame, an aluminium bumper shield for the iPhone 5. I am using the Silver version, but a Black style is also available.

The AluFrame takes the high-design of many of the Just Mobile products and creates a bumper for the iPhone 5 with this in mind. It’s a black or silver aluminium armor that surrounds the edge of your device beautifully  It wraps the edges and protects them in layers of rubber and metal, helping to stop scratches and chips. Also, the bumper has enough of a lip on the front glass and the back that the phone doesn’t actually touch the surface when placed down. This is always great!

The AluFrame has an interesting mechanism for attaching and removing. It’s extremely secure, but unlike other metal frames I’ve used, it doesn’t require tools…instead relying on an innovate clasp system. It works great and the iPhone 5 is tightly secured and wrapped with the AluFrame. The inside of the frame is lined with silicone that helps to protect the antenna band from losing signal as well as the device from scratches. Along the bottom there is an opening for the headphone port, microphone, Lightning port, and the speakers. The volume buttons are built into the case and are raised, feel very nice, and work easily.

Click To Enlarge

As I said, the AluFrame is beautifully crafted. It looks perfectly at home surrounding the iPhone, and the aluminium material stands out and looks great alongside other Apple products. While it doesn’t a ton of much bulk to the iPhone (there is some for sure), I did have an adjustment period while using it. It’s not heavy, it’s not bulky, it’s just different.

All that great stuff said, I did have an issue with the signal strength degrading while using this frame. I found that after installing the AluFrame I lost at least a bar of cell signal strength. I found installing the included screen protectors on the front and back surfaces surprisingly *improved* this, but by very little. I suppose I shouldn’t be too shocked, as I am essentially wrapping my iPhone 5 in a aluminum case, but I was a little let down by the loss in signal strength. I wouldn’t say it impacted my to the point where my iPhone 5 was useless, and certainly it wasn’t as bad as the old “death grip” from a few years ago, but it was noticeable unfortunately.

Overall, I do really like the AluFrame. As someone who gets VERY good signal strength the loss of a bar isn’t the end of the world. I’m not happy about it, but I had no issues using the iPhone or placing calls as normal. I could however see how someone who already has poor coverage may find this an impossible accessory to use. So be aware.

AluFrame [Link] – $69.95

Just Mobile [Link]

In Case You Missed It

There is always so much going on in the world of technology and Apple, that sometimes things fall between the cracks.

Here are a few stories I’d like to toss in your direction.

New or old, just in case you missed them.

Can Knockdown 3 Available – On Sale

One of my favorite games for the iPad, Can Knockdown has had updates over the last few years and new versions released. The latest is Can Knockdown 3…you should really check ...]]>

In Case You Missed It

There is always so much going on in the world of technology and Apple, that sometimes things fall between the cracks.

Here are a few stories I’d like to toss in your direction.

New or old, just in case you missed them.

Can Knockdown 3 Available – On Sale

One of my favorite games for the iPad, Can Knockdown has had updates over the last few years and new versions released. The latest is Can Knockdown 3…you should really check it out as it’s on sale for 50% off. Also, be sure to check out the trailer as well!

via App Store and YouTube [Link] [Link]

Apple Announces 50 Billionth Download Winner

Yesterday the 50 Billionth app was downloaded via the App Store, and as promised, today Apple announced the winner of the $10,000 iTunes Gift Card for downloading that milestone app. The winner is Brandon Ashmore from Ohio, and the app he downloaded was Say The Same Thing.

via Apple [Link]

Bill Gates Talks About His Last Visit With Steve Jobs

Steve Jobs and Bill Gates were competitors, they were pioneers, they were richer than rich…and they were also friends. In an emotional interview Bill Gates recalls his final visit with Steve Jobs and discusses their friendship and more.

via The Verge [Link]

Comparing iPhone Cameras

Here Camera+ takes an amazingly in-depth look at the history of the iPhone camera, and shows just how different the cameras are and how they’ve improved over the years. Amazing read!

via Camera+ [Link]

Apple Wins Trademark Case Over iBooks

Apparently there is a small publishing firm that uses the term “ibooks” and has since 2006…they were trying to stop Apple from using “iBooks”, but have lost their case according to this report. It appears the court battles never end…

via Gigaom [Link]

Today at I/O, Google announced some significant changes to its Maps offering, starting by bringing Maps to the iPad, completely rebuilding it with a new interface, search capabilities, and speedier performance.

A major part of the Maps overhaul is the use of vector imagery through WebGL. What this means is that maps should download and refresh more quickly, with intelligent street name additions and labels in real-time.

Some of the more exciting features of Google’s new Maps include:

Back in February, Square introduced “Business in a Box”, a solution for small businesses that included a slick iPad stand made by Heckler Design, a Square Reader, a locking cash drawer, and a receipt printer. Nice, but Square wanted more.

Today, the Square unveiled a new option for businesses, Square Stand, a cash register/iPad stand/credit card reader all-in-one.

Square Stand, when used in conjunction with Square Register, turns the iPad into a complete point-of-sale system. The company also recently updated Square Register ...]]>

Back in February, Square introduced “Business in a Box”, a solution for small businesses that included a slick iPad stand made by Heckler Design, a Square Reader, a locking cash drawer, and a receipt printer. Nice, but Square wanted more.

Today, the Square unveiled a new option for businesses, Square Stand, a cash register/iPad stand/credit card reader all-in-one.

Square Stand, when used in conjunction with Square Register, turns the iPad into a complete point-of-sale system. The company also recently updated Square Register to allow for customizable orders so that you can create restaurant kitchen tickets with special requests.

Jack Dorsey, co-founder and CEO of Square:

“Local business owners take as a given that they need an ugly, slow, expensive, and complicated point of sale system cluttering their counter. Square Stand is elegant, fast, affordable, and easy to use. Whether you’re selling cupcakes, cardigans, or cappuccinos, running your business with Square has never been easier.”

Square Stand features an integrated card reader, it connects the iPad to the stand and allows for use with a receipt printer, kitchen printer, cash drawer, and barcode scanner.

Users can lock the iPad to the Square Stand and then mount the stand to a countertop to ensure a secure cash register device. The stand features a swivel base so that you can turn the iPad’s screen around to let the customer sign their name.

Square Stand can be pre-ordered for $299 and is compatible with the iPad 2 and third-generation iPad, with a Lightning Connector model available later this year.

[Square]

Quickly, quietly, and without any warning, T-Mobile has increased the price of the iPhone 5 it sells by $50, raising the down payment to $149.99.

It was only last month when T-Mobile began selling the iPhone 5 at a price of $99.99 plus 24 payments of $20 – a total cost of $579.99. Now it seems the carrier claims the initial $99.99 down payment was a promotional price that ended Sunday.

AT&T, Verizon and Sprint charge $199 for the iPhone 5 with ...]]>

Quickly, quietly, and without any warning, T-Mobile has increased the price of the iPhone 5 it sells by $50, raising the down payment to $149.99.

It was only last month when T-Mobile began selling the iPhone 5 at a price of $99.99 plus 24 payments of $20 – a total cost of $579.99. Now it seems the carrier claims the initial $99.99 down payment was a promotional price that ended Sunday.

AT&T, Verizon and Sprint charge $199 for the iPhone 5 with a two-year service contract.

In a move that makes absolutely no one feel better, T-Mobile said the full price for the iPhone 5, $629.99, is still lower than purchasing an unlocked iPhone 5, typically $650.

As if that news wasn’t “tremendous” enough, T-Mobile also said customers can take advantage of their trade-in an old iPhone 4S or iPhone 4 get the down payment cost of a new iPhone 5 for $0 until June 16, Father’s Day.

[The Verge]