eBay iPad App Actually is Awesome

"eBay pushed out version 2.0 of its iPad app a few days ago."

Not exactly known for apps but eBay has really come out with a great one with their latest update. And I have to agree with the reviewer when he asks Facebook if they are listening. I hate the Facebook iPad app. They need to hire the same guys that did the eBay app.

Need a Translation App That Works? Try SayHi

"Talking to someone who doesn't speak English? (Or a language that's other than your native language.)Well, finally, there's an app for that."

It works pretty well if you talk slow per the review. But it is highly rated in the app store and it's on sale now in iTunes for $0.99 USD

AT&T Announces Home Security Service Called Digital Life

"AT&T has announced a new home security and automation service called Digital Life that comes with an iPad and iPhone app with a bunch of security and remote control options."

I like these home automation set ups, makes it easy to monitor things in case you aren't home. And with this one you actually get them to install and monitor. If you are in Dallas or Atlanta, you might want to go to the AT&T site for this since those areas are the first to go live this summer.

Adobe's Creative Cloud Subscription Service - Worth It?

"Today is a big day for Adobe. Not only is the company officially unveiling the next versions of virtually all of the applications in its Creative Suite, but Adobe is also launching its Creative Cloud online offerings. This marks a major change in how Adobe is selling and marketing its flagship product: while the company will continue to offer a shrink-wrapped version of CS6, it's also introducing a subscription service with this update. For $49/month with an annual subscription or $79/month for month-to-month memberships, users can now get full access to any CS6 tool, including Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, Premiere Pro and AfterEffects. The suite will also include Adobe's new HTML5 design and development tools Muse and Edge, and will be deeply integrated into the company's tablet apps. Users will be able to download and install these apps on up to two machines."

Adobe recently announced the newest release of Creative Suite, the sixth version (CS6). As shown in the graphic above, there are numerous feature enhancements across all the products in the suite. Upgrading even one of the Abobe apps can be an expensive proposition for most people. Personally, I have a copy of Photoshop that is a few revisions behind, but would like to upgrade it. It is probably a good time to do so from a functionality perspective. What is intriguing with this latest release of apps, is that a new option purchase option is available. Called Creative Cloud, this new purchase option is actually a subscription service. For $49/month (US) with an annual subscription or $79/month (US) for month-to-month memberships, users can now get full access to any CS6 tool. For me, this is an incredibly tempting offer.
The Read link article has all the details about the new edition of Creative Suite, and the new subscription service. Once you've had a chance to read it, drop back here and let me know if you think the subscription service is a good deal.

Windows 8 DVD Playback Will Require Extra Media Center Pack

"Here is something interesting, you may already know that Microsoft plans to sell Windows Media Center as a separate paid pack, but now the company has just revealed that Windows 8 will also stop the support for DVD playback."

If you want to watch DVD movies on your Windows 8 computer in the future, you will have to get the Media Center Pack or the Windows 8 Pro Pack. The basic consumer version of Windows 8 will not include the ability to playback DVD movies. Microsoft's reasoning behind the omission is that more and more consumers are getting content from streaming sources so DVD playback is no longer on the top of the required capabilities list. No word on the pricing of the Media Center Pack yet.

Amtrak Using iPhones to Scan Tickets

"Here's a modern twist on a time-honored tradition for train travelers. Since last fall, Amtrak has been training conductors to use an iOS device to scan passenger tickets on some selected routes, including Boston to Portland, Maine, and San Jose to Sacramento, California."

You can either print out your ticket before hand, or just show the ticket barcode on your iPhone screen so they can scan it. Going paperless, I love it.

iOS Update 5.1.1 Released

"Apple has just released iOS 5.1.1 update for the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. This update fixes a number of bugs, including a particular annoying one affecting the iPad 3 which resulted users losing access to their cellular data connection until they rebooted their tablet."

The biggest fix is for the bug that causes problems on the new iPad when switching between 2G and 3G networks. But the annoying bug that is supposedly fixed is the one I've experienced, namely the one that displayed the "unable to purchase" message when you actually have purchased the item. You can find out more at Apple about this "first ever" iPad 3 update.

Microsoft Welcomes You To Your Home

""More than a decade ago, Microsoft execs, led by Chairman Bill Gates, were touting a future where .Net coffee pots, bulletin boards, and refrigerator magnets would be part of homes where smart devices would communicate and inter-operate. Microsoft hasn't given up on that dream."

Desktop computers, check. Laptops, check. Gaming console, check. Mobile phone, check. Home automation... it looks like Microsoft is intent on offering services for every aspect of your life. Their latest innovation comes to you in the form of HomeOS, a home automation system. Home automation is nothing new, and there are numerous specialized companies ready to offer you fancy, expensive automation systems so you can stand outside your home constantly turning your lights on and off from your phone. If you have an appetite for tinkering, there are more home grown solutions such as LinuxMCE, that while it handles media streaming, also integrates with many other things such as automation and security. Apple is slowly approaching this sort of service as well though right now, it seems mostly just focused on media.
I think that HomeOS could go really well, especially if it integrates with Windows Home Server. It would not make sense if you needed two separate servers to handle your home server-like needs. I have to wonder if there is a great use for this, as them young ones seem to be living a much more mobile lifestyle than before, and whatever you have at home is not as relevant anymore.

Clean Up Some Space by Clearing Up Your Dropbox Cache

"I use Dropbox to sync files across my Macs, but also to collaborate with others using shared folders. One day, I discovered that the disk space on my MacBook Air had dropped substantially."

Once he started poking around he found some files that he didn't really need, all within the dropbox.cache file. Simple but something I hadn't really thought about. I guess this happens in a variety of programs, such as Chrome, so it makes sense to find out where these hidden files are and if you really need them.

iPad as Another Took in System Administrators Toolbox

"John Welch over at Ars Technica wrote a wonderful post about using an iPad as a system administrator's tool, noting that Apple's tablet is "an addition, not a replacement" to the many tools that IT pros currently use to complete their daily tasks."


You can read the Ars Technica article here, but why not right? I mean it makes sense to me, since it has great battery life and easy to use, why shouldn't it be another tool in the toolbox? But whatever your opinion, it's still an interesting article about how one person uses it.

TWC TV App Adds Several Sports Options

"On Friday, Time Warner Cable added a number of national and regional sports networks to the free TWC TV app for iOS and the TWCTV.com Web portal."

If you are an Expanded Basic or higher customer with Time Warner Cable then you can access more things on your iOS device. Unfortunately, you have to be inside your home. I hate apps that restrict you to staying in your home, but if you are one of their customers it will give you mobility, with limits of course.

Skydrive Apps for iOS

"SkyDrive, Microsoft's online storage service, is one of the core elements of the company's cloud strategy."

And now, with these new apps for PCs, Windows Phone, Macs and iOS devices, Microsoft is making a play for Dropbox users. With these apps it adds a folder to your computer, and any changes to files in that folder are automatically sync'd to your iOS devices. But for new users it will cost you 18GB of storage since Microsoft is dropping the free storage amount from 25GB to 7GB. Microsoft says it's because less than 7GB is the amount most of their users have been utilizing. Another advantage for Windows users is the ability to stream or access files remotely via this app. I like the added functionality but not the decrease in storage. What are your thoughts, or do you even use Skydrive?

iPhone at Work

"Apple is pushing the benefits of using an iPhone in business with the launch of a new webpage on its site."

"iPhone at Work" has a pretty extensive list of apps to help you in whatever business needs you may have, some of them of course the standard Apple ones. But there are also some other apps that you might find useful. Worth a look, it's well done as is everything Apple does, in my opinion of course.

Google Drive to Offer 5GB Storage

"Sometimes we get lucky, and today is one of those days. I got a draft release from a partner of Google’s upcoming Google Drive service and it gives away a wealth of information about how Google plans to take on the incumbent Dropbox. The short story? 5 GB of storage, and it launches next week, likely on Tuesday at http://drive.google.com"

Cloud storage seems to be pretty hot these days. With long time storage providers like Dropbox and Box, it looks like Google is finally jumping into the fray. Is what they provide good? Time will tell. I think it will partly be a matter of how well integrated their offerings are and how it plays with other applications. I do wonder just what Google will do with the data you store though, as I suspect, much like most of their offerings, they will use it to data mine everything about you, but for 5GB of free storage, off the bat, instead of after referrals, it is tempting.
This does raise the question about cloud storage in general and where it is heading. It looks to become much more generic, and could pose a threat against more specialized storage providers such as imgur. If Google also better integrates its other services with it, it could also compete against companies like Evernote as well. The next few years will prove to be interesting to see who wins out.

Ars Technica: Challenges Getting Windows Phones Updated

"If these rumors are true, buying a Lumia 900-or any other Windows Phone handset-is a risky proposition. If you buy subsidized, on-contract handsets, you'll typically be eligible for a new subsidized upgrade every two years. A reasonable expectation, then, would be two years of software support in the form of bugfixes and updates. But if current handsets can't run Windows Phone 8, they'll essentially be cut off from future support in about six months. Developers might still target the older handsets to some extent, but many more will be targeting Windows Phone 8's extended capabilities and richer APIs."

If you are contemplating buying a Windows Phone it will be of interest to you to understand the update strategy from both Microsoft and the carriers proving the phones. As is outlined in this article, it is clearly an uneven playing field and playing strategy from the participants. Ars Technica goes so far as to warn you that buying a Windows Phone like the Nokia Lumia 900 could lead you down a path where you cannot get your phone software updated, depending on which partners are involved. Note that the Android world also has some of these types of issues. It is an in-depth article, but well worth the read, and only takes one click to get there.

Mastered For iTunes for High Fidelity Music

"Apple's trying to differentiate iTunes from its competitors with a new "Mastered for iTunes" section that's filled with high-fidelity, ear-pleasing music."



If you aren't happy with the run of the mill iTunes music, head to the Mastered for iTunes section to get some higher quality tracks. These files minimize the lost data that happens when music is compressed, so you get more of the dynamic range of the original 24-bit source file. You can get much more detailed information than I am able to provide by heading over to the Mastered for iTunes site.

InstaCam: New Photo App For Windows Phone

"InstaCam is a Windows Phone Instagram client that just hit the Marketplace yesterday. It allows you to take pictures on your phone, add different effects, and then share them via Facebook, Twitter or email. You can log into your Instagram account to check "likes" and comments on your uploaded content. You can also view other people's photos and leave comments, or follow them if you're a fan of their work. The search function can find photos based on key words in pictures' tags. Not an Instagram user? No worries, you can still use InstaCam to browse content anonymously."

Instagram is a very popular iPhone app and service. While Instagram is not currently available for the WP7 platform, this new app enables Windows Phone users to get in on at least some of the fun. Hit the Read link for additional details, but be aware that with this version you cannot actually upload photos to the Instragram service.

Another Option for 5GB of Free Online Storage

"Dropbox is dead simple for syncing files across your computers, but doesn't offer much in the way of customization or advanced features."

Signup couldn't be easier, and it gives you some flexibility and customization about what you want to sync from your computer. You can also keep files in sync across various devices. Free storage is always a good thing and they also offer reasonable storage rates should you need more than 5GB. But remember that you should also keep a stored copy that you can access in case the online version gets lost. Stranger things have happened. You can check it out here.

The Hidden iPad Keyboard Keys

"If you're an iPad "power user," you're probably familiar with its useful split keyboard for typing with your thumbs.But did you know that Apple snuck in six hidden virtual keys to ensure that you never stretch your thumbs too far?"


I will have to give this a go the next time I have my iPad out, it might help my typing speed!