Touch User Guide

iPad 3 to be announced in March

Touch User Guide — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 04:00:31 +0000

Apple is planning to unveil its next-generation iPad 3 at a media event in early March and it will launch the new tablet later that month, Japanese blog Macotakara reported on Thursday. Prior to that press conference, however, Apple is said to be planning a separate “unusual” media event in early February.

The subject of Apple’s supposed February event is unknown, however Macotakara states that it will not be product-focused. The iPad 3 is widely expected to feature a slightly thicker case than its predecessor to accommodate an upgraded high-definition display and a larger battery pack that will reportedly double the battery life of the iPad 2.

BGR published evidence on Wednesday that Apple’s next-generation iPad will also feature a quad-core A6 processor and embedded 4G LTE connectivity.

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Apple will not hold an event in Feb?

Touch User Guide — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 03:59:37 +0000

pple has no plans to hold a media event in February according to a new report. Loop Insight’s well-connected Jim Dalrymple on Thursday debunked part of a rumor that began circulating early Thursday morning. The original report claimed Apple had plans to hold an “unusual” media event some time this month that would not be product related, and then its highly anticipated iPad 3 would be unveiled at a separate event in early March. While Apple’s plans for the iPad 3 may or may not align with Macotakara’s report, Apple will not be holding any type of media event this month according to Dalrymple. “This is not going to happen, according to my sources,” he wrote in a blog post. “Apple will not hold an event in February, unusual or otherwise.”

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New iPads may feature Magsafe Charging

Touch User Guide — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 05:17:40 +0000

The magnetic MagSafe connectors Apple uses on its MacBook laptops was first introduced in 2006 and it has become a signature design element used across all Apple notebooks, but MagSafe technology is about much more than just aesthetics, of course.

Rather than using cable and port combinations with male and female connectors that can wear down or pull a notebook computer off a desk when a cable is accidentally stepped on, Apple’s solution marries the power cable and MacBook charger port using small magnets that hold the connector in place. New patents uncovered by Patently Apple reveal that Apple is working on expanding its use of magnets across several product lines, and we may soon be introduced to a variety of new magnet-driven features in Apple’s upcoming MacBook and iOS device lines. Read on for more.

Newly published documentation surrounding multiple Apple patents describes a variety of functionality involving coded magnets that Apple is currently investigating. An example of one solution covered by Apple’s patent applications is a connector that might replace the company’s current 30-pin dock connector. Connections would be made just as they are now with Apple’s MagSafe cable, but the magnets contained in both cables and in devices would be coded with information that could be transmitted when the magnets come in contact with one another.

This would allow different accessories to utilize a single connector port on Apple’s iPhone, iPad, iPod touch or MacBook. “The magnets create a universal port that detects the coded magnet ‘signature’ of a particular cable type and reconfigures itself accordingly,” according to Apple’s patent application, allowing pins within the MagSafe-like connector to pass different kinds of data depending on the type of device being connected.

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How to jailbreak the iPad 2 untethered on Windows or Mac

Touch User Guide — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 06:14:14 +0000

Owners of the iPad 2 can now get a full, untethered jailbreak for iOS 5.0.1 (the latest version of iOS). This uses the same Absinthe tool that the iPhone dev team released for the iPhone 4S (see our iPhone 4S jailbreak instructions here). The method is able to beat out the protection Apple put around the A5 chip that powers both the iPad 2 and the iPhone 4S. It’s an untethered jailbreak, so there is no annoying requirement of tethering to a PC when you reboot.

1. Download the jailbreak tool

The first thing you’ll want to do is get the Absinthe jailbreak tool. It can be downloaded from here for Mac and here for Windows.

The package comes in a zip file, so you’ll want to unzip it before proceeding.

2. Backup your iPad 2

This isn’t necessary, but it’s a good idea to back everything up before ever doing any kind of hacking on your device. You can backup locally using iTunes or to iCloud, but the former is faster.

3. Run the jailbreak tool

First, connect your iPad 2 to your PC via USB,. Then open the Absinthe jailbreak tool. It should detect your device and show a “jailbreak” button. Click that button.

You’ll then be guided through several steps (this takes some time). You can see the process in the screenshots below:

The next stage of the process will show a “restoring device” screen on your iPad. This is normal.

Your device will start to reboot. Again, this is normal.

After rebooting, you will see that it’s “sending payload data”:

Finally, you’ll see “almost done”:

It then tells you to look for a “jailbreak” icon on your device’s home screen. The icon is actually called Absinthe:

Your device will then reboot, and return with a Cydia icon in its place. You’re jailbroken!

* If you get an error when opening Absinthe, it’s because the Greenp0ison servers are down. You can do the following workaround: turn on the “jailbreak” VPN by going to Settings>General>Network>VPN. After turning on VPN, choose the option called “jailbreak.” This shouldn’t, however, be necessary anymore.

[via geek.com]

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350,000 textbooks downloaded from new iBooks in just three days

Touch User Guide — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 06:12:53 +0000

The first metrics for Apple’s new textbook sales initiative are beginning to roll in, and it already looks like Apple has a success on its hands. According to independent third party Global Equities Research (GER), users have downloaded over 350,000 textbooks in just three days, making the launch of iBooks 2 a signal flare to the industry that consumers are ready to make the move away from traditional, printed books.

Announced just four days ago at Apple’s Winter press event held at the Guggenheim in New York City, the new iBooks package lived up to the hype by not only making textbooks available on an iPad but also giving you the power to create your own publications via the free iBooks Author software. As with any release from Cupertino, there were both advocates and critics of the announcement, with most of the negative comments coming about the cost of putting iPad hardware in the hands of school children. With the economic recession causing several cash-strapped school districts to cut back on teachers and other necessities, critics pointed out that buying thousands of high-priced iPad devices for kids to carry around may not make the most sense.

While Apple has opened the “walled-garden” up to K-12 schools (formerly iTunes U was only available at the university level), I don’t think that is the primary target for the technology giant. The numbers listed above bear this out in the idea that most likely it was college students who rushed to their iPads to download cheaper versions of their texts. Looking at the demographics of iPad users pictured below, 48% are people of college age. While it costs Apple nothing to open the gates to elementary and high school educators, it knows that the majority of revenue is going to come from higher-education, where people already buy texts and spend considerably to do so. Cupertino is obviously on to something if the numbers that were released by GER hold up as being accurate.

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Apple to innovate iPad like crazy, says Tim Cook

Touch User Guide — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 06:11:52 +0000

Amidst Apple’s earnings call for the December quarter (which saw record growth and revenue), some of the most interesting talk came from Tim Cook when he was asked about the iPad. Though it’s along the same lines as what we’ve heard in the past, Cook dropped some hints about Apple’s future and dismissed concerns about the Kindle Fire.

When asked about the competition from budget tablets like the Kindle Fire and Nook Tablet, Cook didn’t sound particularly worried. He said that these devices are basically eReaders with limited functionality. He acknowledged that some customers will buy them, but said that people who want an iPad won’t want to settle for such a “limited function” device. Take that, Jeff Bezos.

Cook then continued with the frame that Steve Jobs presented at the iPad 2 event last year. In that keynote, Jobs had said that 2010 was “the year of the iPad,” and then asked rhetorically whether 2011 would be “the year of the copycats?” Of course not, he said; 2011 would also be the year of the iPad. Today Cook referenced that, saying that 2011 wasn’t, in fact, the Year of the Tablet, but was the second consecutive Year of the iPad. It’s all rhetoric, but sales figures agree with this assessment. Cook did throw us a little bone about the future of the iPad.

Though Apple isn’t going to reveal any secrets until a product is being unveiled, he said that Apple is going to “continue to innovate like crazy” in the iPad area. What does this mean? Well, it’s the type of thing a CEO typically says about a product, but it also doesn’t sound like the point of view of a company that’s planning on sitting still. The next iPad will likely sport a 2048×1536 Retina display, an A6 (possibly quad-core) system-on-a-chip, and upgraded cameras. Would this constitute “innovating like crazy?” Probably — but don’t rule out Apple having something else up its sleeve come March. Siri? An Apple gaming platform? We’ll probably know in less than two months.

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Epson iProjection gives wireless projection on iPad

Touch User Guide — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 06:30:47 +0000

All you need is to make sure your iPod/Pad/Phone is on the same network as the projector, launch the app and make sure the first thing on show isn’t that candid shot of you on a beach. You’ll be able to pull PDF, JPEG and PNG image files from your handheld, Dropbox and Gmail from the cloud and via Word, PowerPoint, Excel and Keynote files from the desktop. It’s available today for free from the App store.

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Akai releases MPC Fly for iPad

Touch User Guide — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 23:03:06 +0000

We already knew Akai was refreshing its legendary MPC range, but the newest member to the family — the Fly — has to be about the cutest. It kinda looks, initially, like a knock-off MPC novelty case, until you realize those pads are real, and that software on screen is legit. The case-and-device approach seems a smart idea, so it feels like one unit — it even juices your slate when you charge its built-in battery. The trade-off is an extra two pounds of weight, and almost an inch of thickness. Somewhat lighter is the app which rocks effects, a sound library, sampling, supports WIST (Wireless Sync-Start Technology) and works on any iPad — but you’ll need a second-gen tab to use the hardware.

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Alesis brings a pair of new musician-friendly iPad docks to NAMM

Touch User Guide — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 22:47:46 +0000

If there’s been one must have accessory at NAMM this year it’s been the iPad. That’s right, no mixer, instrument or microphone is stealing the show, it’s Apple’s 9.7-inch slab of touchability that everyone is after. Alesis is just one of many companies creating compelling musical offerings around the iOS tablet with its latest products, the AmpDock and DM Dock. The DM Dock turns your iPad into the thumping, bumping and crashing heart of an electronic drum system.

You can tap out rhythms and build drum sets with the touchscreen, but it’s when you start plugging triggers into the 13 1/4-inch inputs that it really comes to life. The AmpDock, as you may have guessed, turns that A5 processor’s attention towards your axe. There’s a standard 1/4-inch jack as well as a combo XLR / 1/4-inch plug for connecting a second guitar or a mic. The AmpDock also has a separate pedalboard that allows you to control some program parameters while keeping the tablet safe from stray stomps.

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Publishing your books with iBooks Author

Touch User Guide — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 23:56:00 +0000

Today Apple announced iBooks Author. iBooks Author makes it simple to flow in text, graphics, movies, and more, so your book looks exactly the way you want. Drag and drop a Pages or Microsoft Word document to the Book navigator to add it as a new section. Then, when you drag and drop in images, your type automatically flows around them.

iBooks Author has everything you need to create a great-looking book. Add text, shapes, charts, tables, and Multi-Touch widgets anywhere on the page with a single click. Mask images, use alignment guides — even add reflections and shadows. It’s as easy as using a word processor, but powerful enough to design more advanced layouts.

Widgets add Multi-Touch magic to books with interactive photo galleries that bring images to life, engrossing 3D objects you can’t help interacting with, animations that burst off the page, and more.

iBooks Author lets you create books that people with disabilities can read and experience. The table of contents, glossary, widgets, main text, and more are built to automatically take advantage of VoiceOver technology. Add accessibility descriptions to any widget or media — including movies and quizzes — so even those with vision impairments can use them.

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