Archive for March 2011
Apple Release iOS 4.3.1
March 25, 2011 | 
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On 25th March 2011, Apple released the iOS 4.3.1 update, bringing several minor fixes and improvements to Apple’s operating system for mobile devices. The update deals with certain graphics and mobile connectivity issues as well as providing some minor enhancements.
The minor security and performance update was released to coincide with the launch of the iPad 2 in 25 countries including the UK. Apple released the update a week or so earlier than many had expected.
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Should I Get an iPad or MacBook Air?
With the launch of the Apple’s 11-inch MacBook Air many prospective Mac owners have to decide whether to get the petite and ultra-portable MacBook Air or the amazingly powerful and small iPad 2.
Just like the iPad 2, the MacBook Air has flash storage and no optical or hard drive, as standard. But like previous versions of the Air, the 11-inch MacBook Air runs OS X and has a beautifully compact aluminum unibody laptop form factor.
So, if you had to pick just one device, and you specifically wanted an Apple device, for travelling, using at home or using at school or college, which one would you choose?
Feature Comparison
The first thing to consider is the software and what your needs might be. If you choose an iPad, you will have a range of applications to choose from including Apple’s iWork productivity suite. But importing and exporting files between the iPad and your desktop is still a bit of hassle requiring you to use iTunes and each app’s Document Manager.
Apple Release iOS 4.3
Apple on Wednesday released iOS 4.3 for the iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. The update is now available to all users for free via iTunes. It brings a handful of new features to Apple’s mobile devices including AirPlay for all third-party apps and personal hotspot support.
New Features
Headlining the iOS 4.3 update is support for AirPlay across all apps. This feature allos Apple’s iOS apps to stream audio, video, and photo slideshows to a second-generation Apple TV.
iOS 4.3 also brings support for creating a personal hotspot. This feature allows your iPhone 4 to act as a portable Wi-Fi router for up to five devices, powered by the device’s wireless data connection (you can connect up to three devices via Wi-Fi, three via Bluetooth, and one with a USB cable). You’ll need a qualifying data plan from your carrier and any necessary hotspot or tethering options to enable this feature.
What is the iPad 2 Smart Cover?
With the launch of the iPad 2 Apple are also introducing what they call the Smart Cover. The slim yet sturdy Smart Cover protects the iPad screen without covering up its durable aluminum back.
The Smart Cover itself is a rectangle exactly the size and shape of the iPad’s screen, folded in 4 parts. The side that is against the screen is made of a soft microfiber cloth that will help clean the screen. The outside is either leather or polyurethane. On one side is a metal hinge with small magnetic parts at both ends; these magnets attach to magnets build into the iPad 2 when you drag the Smart Cover near the iPad 2’s edge.
When you close the cover over the iPad’s screen, it snaps closed and stays closed. The iPad 2 senses that the Smart Cover has been closed, and immediately locks itself. When you peel the Smart Cover back the iPad 2 automatically wakes back up.
Apple Announce the iPad 2
A year ago, nobody had an iPad. Then Apple sold 15 million of them in just nine months, creating a whole new category of technology product. The original iPad wasn’t a game changer, it was a game creator.
Whilst other manufacturers have tried to jump on the bandwagon, Apple has now gone and moved the goalposts again. The iPad 2 is twice as fast, has 9x faster graphics than before, and includes front and rear. All this in a slimmer, lighter, sexier chassis that’s thinner than an iPhone 4. The new iPad 2 it arrives in the US on March 11 and 23rd March the rest of us.
What’s New
At the heart of the new iPad 2 is an Apple-Designed dual-core A5 processor and the improved graphics performance. The processor is twice as fast as the original iPad and the graphics are 9x faster. The display remains the same 9.7 inch size and the same resolution of 1024-by-768-pixel resolution at 132 pixels per inch (ppi). Memory capacities remain the same with either 16GB, 32GB or 64GB of storage.