For all you iPhone fanatics out there, the release of the iPhone 5 is just like receiving your Christmas gift early. However, the big question is: Is the iPhone 5 truly worth all the hype?

Well, in my personal opinion, the answer to this lies within the user. After all, different people have different uses for the iPhone, so it is only natural that it is judged in different ways and receives different ratings and reviews.

Let me just go on ahead and add my little review to the huge mix already available out there. Ahem.

I know that with the tons of features that the iPhone 5 has, it is impossible to get every single thing in a short article. Therefore, I just want to throw out a disclaimer and state that I will only focus on what I personally consider to be the main things to talk about the iPhone 5.

These things are:

Design 

• The new iPhone 5 is now lighter (by about 20%, I’m told) and thinner as well. This poses an increased risk of dropping, sadly.
• It looks taller because of the larger screen, and it is sleeker as well
• However, I have found that this particular design is quite easily scratched. ( A total let down)
• More advanced antenna for a better signal
• The earphone jack has been moved to the bottom of the device. I have yet to decide if I like this or not.
• New Lightning port connector that is smaller and thinner.

Display

• There is now a larger 4 inch screen. Whether you like it or not depends on what you use the device for. The larger screen actually makes it difficult for my thumb to reach all the corners. But that’s just me.
• Apple has brought the display as close to the front glass as possible. This makes the screen brighter and sharper. This is of course, a plus. However, to be honest, I don’t consider this a revolutionary sort of change.

Maps

• This is probably the most controversial issue with the iPhone 5 today.
• To be honest, I find the new Apple Maps to be absolutely horrid when it comes to actually giving directions. This is especially when compared to the wonderful Google Maps.
• However, I feel that an attempt to develop this sort of program is a good idea on Apple’s part. Though admittedly, it does need a lot of work.

In conclusion, to be completely honest, I feel that while the iPhone 5 is quite a good device to have, it decidedly does not offer a whole lot to the existing iPhone user market.

To be sure, if you own a much older iPhone model – say the iPhone 2 – or a very simple mobile device and then switch to the iPhone 5, you will be pleasantly surprised.

However, that is simply my personal view on things. One thing that I will say though, is that the iPhone 5 certainly is a good product from Apple once again, and can prove why Apple is still pretty much on top of the smartphone industry today.

Check out the iPhone 5 here – at Amazon it is much cheaper than at the Apple Store

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Yep. You read that right. You can get a Time Capsule from Apple! No, this is not a future thingamajig. It is a wireless router and an external hard drive all in one.

If you are just starting to build your Mac computer area and you have yet to buy a wireless router and an external hard drive, then this is a really great option for you. Care to know why? Then go ahead and keep on reading.

Let me go ahead and tell you all about the Mac Time Capsule and you will absolutely love it just as much as I do. For convenience’s sake, I will show you a list of the features that it has, as well as the pros and cons.

Features

• Functions as a wireless router and an external hard drive.
• Supports Time Machine to back up your Mac.
• The wireless router function can support up to 50 devices.
• Supports Guest Networking.
• Supports Dual band speeds.
• Can connect wirelessly to printers.
• Has 3 Ethernet ports.
• Has 1 USB 2.0 port.
• It is offered at 2TB and 3TB.
• It is offered for $299 for 2TB and $499 for 3TB.

As you can see, the Time Capsule does have a lot of things to offer you if you opt to add it to your Mac collection. To help you in deciding whether or not this device is for you, let me point out some of the pros and cons that it has.

Pros

• It offers 2 functions in 1 compact device.
• It is very easy and intuitive to set up and use.
• It syncs and works perfectly with your other Mac devices.
• The Guest Networking capability enables safe and secure sharing.
• Works at Dual band for best speeds.

Cons

• It is quite on the pricey side considering the functions and storage capacity that it has.
• There is no web interface to allow more in depth control of the router functions such as Quality of Service options.
• There are quite a few ports (only 3 Ethernet and 1 USB port).
• The hard drive can be limited and is not user replaceable as well.

In my opinion, this is a really nifty and convenient gadget to have, only if you do not yet own a router and or an external hard drive already. This is because it is a 2 in 1 kind of device and it is the kind of gadget that is best for just starting out.

However, if budget will be affecting your decision heavily, you may be better off looking for another device to suit your needs.

Again, I want to point out that this is a really great device, but heavily depends on your needs at the moment.

Hmm.. So, should you or should you not buy this device?

You can get it cheaper on Amazon here

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External hard drives are becoming more and more popular nowadays despite the increasing popularity of Cloud storage. Why is this, you ask?

Well, despite the claims of Cloud storage, external hard drives are:

• Easier to use
• Less expensive
• More reliable

But, what should you look for when it comes to external hard drives? At least that was the question I had when I started to sort my files. Here are the criteria I looked for:

Design

You may want to consider the body of the external hard drive and consider its dimensions. Is it portable and convenient to carry around? Can it easily fit in your laptop bag? Will it have a suitable place near your desktop pc?

Power supply

You want an external hard drive that is bus powered or which can use the power from whatever device you will plug it into. Some larger external hard drives need their own power supply, which can be a big hassle.

Performance

You want an external hard drive that can provide all of your needs, especially your storage needs. External hard drives are available in all capacities from 500 GB to 1 TB.

Find a device that has high connectivity rates (such as USB 3.0) and high transfer rates (in Mb/s or Gb/s) as it will make file transfers that much faster.

Features

Make sure that you also have a look at the added features that the device has, most especially the security and back up features that it can offer.

Help & Support

You also want an external hard drive which has a good manufacturer’s warranty and a good help & support program as well. This will ensure that you will get the most out of the money you spend on your external hard drive.

Now, here are the top 3 best external hard drives that I found, together with the features that they have:

1. ioSafe Rugged Portable SSD (120 GB)

• SSD
• USB 3.0
• Extremely durable. It can withstand immersion in up to 10 feet of water for 3 days and can remain intact even after a 20 foot fall. It can even be frozen solid in a block of ice and remain functional.
• Recovery services for 1 year even if you are at fault for the damage.
• 3 year warranty
• Costs $499 (a bit on the pricey side)

  You can get it here on Amazon

This external hard drive is great for those who constantly travel around, especially in differing weather, terrain, and climate conditions.

Seagate GoFlex Turbo (750 GB)

• Runs at 7,200 rpm
• GoFlex compatible 
• SafetyNey Data Recovery services
• Best for laptops and notebooks
• Much cheaper than the ioSafe Rugged Portable but it is not an SSD

If you have a laptop or notebook and you are looking for fast file transfers, then this is definitely one of the best external hard drives for you.

You can get it on Amazon here

Western Digital My Passport 1 TB USB 3.0 Portable Hard Drive

• Looks great!
• Slim, light-weighted
• automatic backup software
• password protection
• Data Transfer Rate on USB up to 5 Gbps

This one is my personal favorite – I love the design and definitely the price. It does not cost even $100 and has 1 TB of storage

Grab it at a low bargain price here

So, which one of these external hard drives do you think is best for you? Do not worry about compatibility for Mac or PC – with the correct formatting they work on both.

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Now, what exactly does Apple iOS 6 have to offer you this time? Let me go on ahead and enlighten you with the new functions and features of iOS 6.

Total Facebook Synching capabilities

Facebook is really the biggest social networking site today. It is a part of the lives of pretty much anyone! With this in mind, iOS 6 now lets you Sync pretty much everything (and I mean everything) from your Facebook account to your device.

This includes synching your contacts, calendars, photos, and pretty much everything else you can think of.

New and improved Siri

The beloved Siri is now better and brighter than before! She can now launch your apps for you (just say “lauch (app)”)! Also, she can now tell you movie schedules, sports scores, restaurant ratings, and get you restaurant reservations as well!

However, she still does have quite a bit of trouble understanding “normal” speech. For now, you will still have to try and speak in computer-mode.

Passbook

This is a wonderful feature that I personally love. It lets you store all of your membership cards and whatnot in various stores and shops. Imagine never having to lug around 20 membership cards in your wallet ever again! Your device will now function as a scannable voucher, membership card, and even a plane ticket!

Facetime using WiFi and 3G

Now, you can use Facetime using your mobile phone’s plan instead of having to search for a WiFi hotspot.

Panorama photo 

Easy panorama photos – ‘nuff said.

Improved Privacy settings

You can now access the full list of apps that requests access to your location and you can turn them on or off accordingly.

In addition to this, you can set a “Do Not Disturb” timer which will only allows the most important people to call you. Yes, your boss may count as one of those people.

Call rejection with a twist

Now, you can reject calls with a message or a reminder to call back later. Neat!

iTunes and App Store makeover

Prettier and easier to use iTunes and App store. Period.

Improved Maps 

This is something that has received quite a bit of flak recently due to the inaccuracies and whatnot. However, we do appreciate the effort that Apple has put into it! This features offers several modes such as driving, walking, and even public transit directions.

Accessibility improvements

Apple has certainly not forgotten the needs of those with handicaps and special needs. Suffice it to say that their efforts (and results!) are awesome.

Aside from these main changes, you also have quite a lot of hidden upgrades as well. Here is a list of them to check out!

1. Option to receive messages only from your contacts
2. Pull down to refresh function
3. A more modern iPod look
4. Emoji upgrades
5. Set a song for your Alarm
6. Find My Friends
7. Lost Mode

See? With all of these fantastic features that the iOS 6 has to offer, there is absolutely no reason for you to skip out on this fantastic upgrade! With the iOS 6, you are sure to be able to get the most out of your whole Apple experience. Have fun!

For a new iPhone or iPad check out the Amazon Store here:

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 Age of Wind – An Adventure Game

Age of Wind 2 is an adventure and exploration game, incorporating some elements of RPG.  It puts you in the shoes of a captain in what appears to be the Caribbean Sea, in the Middle Ages.  Throughout the adventure, you get to accomplish missions of increasing importance, at the same time experiencing more and more danger.
In gaming terms there are several major phases which can be distinguished. The first to which you are confronted is fighting.  Confined to a sort of arena, these phases begin when you meet a hostile ship.  You must then, very simply, eliminate the threat while avoiding getting hit. Relatively simple tactics are all that are needed to manage recharge timing cannons, dodging the crossfire and using enemy movements and recharge times to your advantage to destroy the enemy’s ships.  Going through these several phases can also earn you experience to improve ship performance.

The other phases are very important and occur during stops in port.  Once ashore you can improve the boat with the money earned (better weapons, better hulls, etc), or even, buy a new ship.  But that’s not all because it is where we pick up new missions, sell the fruit of rapine or legal trade.   The last phase and the simplest, involves the exploration of the ocean. From browsing the waters, you discover new lands, new ports and new adversaries.

All in all, by cleverly mixing genres, Age of Wind 2 offers a complete and rich gaming experience.

All the Best,

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The following step-by-step instructions will guide you to work out the proper time zones in iCal, so you can schedule your iCal events at the right time.

1. Open iCal
   1. First you will need open iCal from your Applicationsfolder, as illustrated in the following image.

1. Turn on Time Zone Support
   1. Once your iCal application is opened, click the iCal menu, located at the top left corner of your iCal application.
   2. Now select Preferences.
      1. A dialog box will appear.

1. Now click on the Advanced tab and check the Turn on time zone support check box.

When your time zone support is enabled in Preferences, you should be able to see your current time zone in iCal. This is located at the top right of your iCal application, as illustrated in the following image.

1. Adding Time Zones
   1. Click on the time zone drop down menu in the top right. Click on it, then select other.

1. The time zone dialog box will appear. It should look like the image below.

1. To add a time zone, click on the location of your city on the map.
2. Then, select your city from the Closest city drop down box.

1. Adding a Time Zone Example

1. In this example, Caracas-Venezuela time zone will be added.

Note: Once you add a time zone, you are unable to remove it in iCal, you will need to remove it from the command line. However, you can disable the time zone in Preferences.

1. Click on South America (located below the United States).
2. Then click on the Closest city drop down box, then choose Caracas-Venezuela for the city. Now click OK.
   1. The VET – Venezuela time zone is now added.
3. Click on the time zone menu to see the time zone you added. It should have an additional time zone.

1. Work out Time Zones

You can work out times for your events by selecting the time zone in your time zone menu. Just switch the time zones to see the time difference. The following images are examples of the same event in different time zones. If you notice, there is only a 30-minute time difference.

Eastern Time Zone – Venezuela Time Zone

In Conclusion 

In time zones, 30 minutes is a not a big difference, but it does make a difference when you have meetings, deadlines and appointments to meet. Therefore, it is essential to work out time zones for events occurring in different countries or states with different time zones.

Do you like iCal? Then you’ll love the new version! Update painless to Mac OS X Mountain Lion:

All the Best,

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These tasks can be accomplished and managed with Apple’s iCal. iCal call these tasks, events. You can create and edit events such as meetings, birthdays, appointments and activities. These events are created and edited in the iCal Calendar.

The following step-by-step instructions will help you create and edit an event in iCal.

1. Open iCal

1. Type iCal in Finder’s Spotlight, located on the top right of your screen.

1. Then click on either the Top Hit or the Application option to open iCal.

1. Select a Calendar.
   1. Click on the Calendars button.
   2. Now select a calendar.
      1. You will need to select a Calendar that is located below the “On My Mac” option. iCal does not allow you to create events for calendars you subscribed to. If you have subscribed calendars, they are located below the “SUBSCRIPTIONS” option.

1. Create an Event Example
   1. Click on the Day option, located at the top of the iCal application.
      1. You can choose to create events for the Day, Week, Month or the Year. However, this example will show you how to create an event for the Day.
   2. Click on the plus (+)sign, next to the Calendar button.
      1. You will get the Create Quick Event text box.
   3. Type the name of the event and enter.
      1. iCal will then add the event to a time-slot located on the right.

1. Click on Done. Your event is now created.

1. Edit Your Event
   1. Click the Event, then right click and select Get Info.
      1. You can also, click Edit from the menu and select Get Info.

1. You will now click and edit Name, Date and Time, Note and the Location sections of the Get Infodialog box.
   1. The date and time are represented by from and to sections. From is the start date and time and to is the end date and time of the event.
   2. You can also make changes to other options, such as, URL and attachment, including others.
2. When you are done, click on Apply. You should now see all the changes.

You have now created and edited an event in your calendar.

Do you like iCal? Then you’ll love the new version! Update painless to Mac OS X Mountain Lion:

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Do You Always Need To Buy The Newest iPad?

But what I’m thinking lately more and more often is – Do we really need always the newest gadget or is it maybe – under the one or other circumstances – worth to buy the older one?

A week ago we had a friend here who saw my iPad and was pretty busy for the rest of the evening – he simply couldn’t get enough from watching videos on YouTube, listening to world wide radio stations and learning how to check emails. He is an unexperienced computer user and he will never need it for anything business related – just for the fun.

When he asked me where and which iPad he should buy I checked online and figured that the iPad 2 was still available and for a much better price. He decided to buy the “old” version – without a Retina Display and with a less powerful processor. He won’t miss it as he will always be able to watch music videos and listen to music.

So if you are like my friend and don’t mind to save some bucks rather than investing in the newest gadget – look out for the bargains. The “old” devices – by no means with old technology as new versions come out quicker than you can blink with your eye – are usually available for a much better price.

Check out the iPad on Amazon

All the Best,

PS: Be sure to get what you need rather than what is newly released. You can always compare online which version is the best for you. You can find iPads here

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My most favorite online shopping center is Amazon. I do not often use Google to find an even better price – that is, of course, possible – but I buy there. My reason is simple. If I buy something like a computer which can easily cost me some thousand Dollars, I prefer to have a great customer service. And if I really stick to Amazon and not the 3rd party retailers I had nothing but the best experience. Lately my not even one-year-old notebook bag had a problem. I asked Amazon to call me, they told me to send it back and once I had it in the post office (yes, I did not have to wait several days for them to check) I got an email that they refunded my money. Sure thing that I got the same bag again from Amazon

It also happens that Apple products are much cheaper on Amazon than in local stores or on Apple itself so here is the list of the bestselling Apple desktop computers in August:

1. Apple iMac MC309LL/A 21.5-Inch Desktop (NEWEST VERSION)

This computer is rated with 5-Stars only on Amazon. It has a 2.5 GHz quad-core Intel i5 processor, a 500 GB Hard Drive, and a 21.5″ LED-backlit display with a 16:9 widescreen ratio. There are faster processors available but the i5 is all you need. It is working like a charm. My Mum has the same processor in her 2010 Macbook Pro and I can’t see any difference to my 2011 Macbook Pro although it has an i7. You can’t go wrong with this iMac.

2. Apple Mac Mini MC815LL/A Desktop (NEWEST VERSION)

The Mac Mini comes with a 2.3GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 with 3MB on-chip shared L3 cache, 2GB of 1333MHz DDR3 memory, 500GB (5400-rpm) hard drive, and Intel HD Graphics 3000 processor with 288MB of DDR3 SDRAM shared with main memory. This computer requires a screen, such as Apple’s Thunderbolt Display. Although the Mac Mini is Apple’s small computer it lets you connect all kind of peripherals such as your mouse or keyboard. It does not have an optical device but “borrows” the one from a nearby Mac or PC. You can connect an external though.

3. Apple iMac MC813LL/A 27-Inch Desktop (NEWEST VERSION)

Another iMac in the bestselling list! And yes, it deserves to be here – it comes with a bigger screen (27″), a 2.7GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 with 6MB on-chip shared L3 cache, 4GB 1333MHz DDR3 SDRAM, a 1 TB Hard Drive. All iMacs come with the bluetooth keyboard and mouse included. If I could choose, I’d rather take this one because I love my big screen.

4. Apple iMac MC814LL/A 27-Inch Desktop (NEWEST VERSION)

And the last iMac in the bestseller list. It is comparable to the former mentioned 27″ iMac but it has a 3.1 GHz Intel iCore 5 processor. Beside that, it is pretty much the same. In my opinion – you can rather spend the money on some nice Mac accessories than a slightly better processor.

 5. Apple Mac Mini MC816LL/A Desktop (NEWEST VERSION)

A slightly better Mac Mini than the previously mentioned: The MC816LL/A comes with a 2.5 GHz Intel iCore 5 processor, a 500 GB hard drive, and 4 GB SDRam. In this case I’d invest in the better Mac Mini as it comes not just with a slightly better processor but with double as much RAM and this really increases speed and saves money in the long-run.

Whatever you go for – you can’t be that wrong with a Mac computer. It just depends on your needs but for all basics the iMac as well as the Mac Mini are more than enough. Even if you enjoy video editing you will work with high speed on any of the mentioned machines. The only thing you need to consider: the Mac Mini needs not just a screen but also an optical device.

All the Best,

PS: My first Mac Computer was an iMac and I really loved it – I just sold it because I wanted a portable system and I’m very happy with my Macbook Pro and Thunderbolt Display. Go here to check out the best Mac computers

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Don’t get me wrong. I’ll still ask for iTunes cards whenever I can – because of the mentioned reasons. But if I buy something more expensive such as a book I will check Amazon.com before. In the past I’ve been pretty blue-eyed and just assumed that things would cost the same or nearly the same but I got taught something else. In many occasions Amazon is a little cheaper than iTunes.

For example, I recently bought a book about Google Adwords. It costs on Amazon around $15 while it costs on iTunes about $10 more – maybe also due to the fact that I can just shop in the German iTunes store. So it might be not just the Amazon price compared to the iTunes price but also the different countries.

Amazon Just Got Better

As I mentioned before – I enjoyed purchasing from iTunes because of the gift cards and because of them syncing between my devices. That reason is no longer valid. Amazon recently released an App for iPhone and Android, which allows you also to play the music directly from the cloud. You can check it out here

To give you an idea – here are the top 5 music albums from Amazon, you can compare them with the iTunes price. Don’t forget, these prices can change daily so please check out where you can find the best price for your product:

All the Best,

PS: I will still recommend and review Apps you can buy on the iTunes and Mac App store but be sure I will compare the prices so you know where to get the best deal.

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