If there's one thing TiPb loves even more than iPhones and iPads, it's giving cool iPhone and iPad accessories and apps to our awesome readers. This week we have...
Missed a compelling piece of iPad news, a great app review, or a killer how-to? We're not collecting absolutely everything in iPad here -- you can hit up TiPb.com/iPad for that! -- but we're carefully picking what we think is the best of the last 7 days and presenting it here. For you.
And hey! -- these double as show notes for our iPad Live! podcast tonight at 9pm Eastern. So join us and follow along!
The DracoDesign DRACO IV is an absolutely stunning aluminum bumper for the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S. I tested a limited edition Jewel Beatle on both the iPhone 4S and iPhone 4 for a couple weeks and came away impressed.
It does take a little bit of work to get the DRACO IV installed. It comes in two solid pieces. You need to properly place all the button caps into the proper cutouts and angle the larger of the two pieces so they don't fall out while you slide your iPhone into place. (Yes, it took me a couple of tries!) You can then slide on the other piece and secure it into place with two screws. Of course, that also means if you want to take it off you need to remove the screws, so it's not as convenient as a slide on case if that's important to you. But oh, the look!
The Jewel Beatle has an opalescent finish that alternates from blue to green to purple. It looks terrific. It also has nicely designed curves and angles that make it easier to grip and hold onto.
All the ports are accessible and widely cut, and fit Apple and most 3rd party dock and 3.5mm cables well. I did have a problem with a few extra thick cables, including a car charger and the POP phone receiver. So while you shouldn't have any trouble, do check your accessories if they tend towards the large size.
With aluminum bumpers there are always questions about what, if any, effect they may have on reception. In two weeks of use on two devices, iPhone 4S and iPhone 4, I did notice a drop of about 1 bar on average, on a few occasions, 2 bars. That's compared to other iPhones on the same network at the same time and place. It never caused any dropped calls or loss of data, but if you live or spend time in an area of really poor reception, it's something to keep in mind.
Overall, the DracoDesign DRACO IV is one of the most gorgeous cases I've used on my iPhone. It has a beautiful, sculpted look and the finish of the Jewel Beatle in particular is just fantastic.
Comparing the pros and cons, costs and features, between Apple's iPad 2 and iPod touch, and Amazon's new Kindle Fire
Trying to decide between an Apple iPad 2 or iPod touch and an Amazon Kindle, either for yourself or as a gift for someone else? There's a lot to consider -- the quality and dimensions of the hardware, the features and flexibility of the operating system, the availability and diversity of the content, the difference in cost and value, and we'll take you through all of it, point by point, to help you decide.
Just in case you weren't already getting tired of 4-inch display rumors for the iPhone 5 (or whatever Apple decides to call the 2012 iPhone), here's Macotara:
According to Asian source, Hitachi Displays, Ltd. and Sony Mobile Display Corporation started to ship 4-inch LCD for new iOS device and LCD for iPad 3. These 2 companies will be merged their business with Toshiba Mobile Display Co., Ltd., as "Japan Display" in 2012 spring.
It’s amazing how decades later, Microsoft still doesn’t get it. A feature isn’t just a feature isn’t just a feature. It’s more than the sum of its technology and design. Android had great voice control going back to the Nexus One. But Siri isn’t voice control. Siri is context and relationships and Siri is absolutely personality. That Apple programmed Siri to feel like a Pixar character is what made it engaging and what got the internet to flood itself with screenshots showing hundreds of funny, witty, strange, and engaging Siri moments. It isn’t that Siri can transcribe a text message to Eric, it’s how it does it and how you feel doing it.
Windows Mobile and others had touchscreens for years before Apple debuted the iPhone. Then and now, it wasn’t about the spec but the experience.
Every week a few of us from team TiPb will bring you our current favorite, most fun and useful App Store apps, WebApps, jailbreak apps, even the occasional accessory, web site, or desktop app if the mood strikes us. As long as they’re iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch related, they’re fair game.
To see what we picked, and to tell us your pick, follow on after the break!
Ahh yes, Black Friday. The day where everyone flocks to the malls to hopefully get their hands on some great deals. Were you among them? If so, hop on into the TiPb forums and let us know what deals you scored. If you're looking to offload some old gear, make sure you check out the Marketplace Forum. Selling off some of your old gear is a great way to offset the cost of the new. So, head on over and register now!
Perfect365: Are you curious to see what you’d look like with different styles? Always think that you can look better in photos? Make a change! Create new looks with Perfect365 that provides the ability of touching up and making up. [$1.99 for iPhone - App Store link]
Christmas Wishes: Send Christmas wishes to your friends and family. [Free for iPhone - App Store link]
Triple Entendre: If you've ever played an online riddle like notpr0n or qwizzle, you'll love this game. Triple Entendre is a riddle, a puzzle, a quiz, and a trivia game all rolled into one. Each level includes a combination of clues and photos where you need to figure out not just what the answer is... but what the question is. [$0.99 for iPhone - App Store link]
The Birth of Jesus Christ in Pictures: Fascinating 3D scenes, amazing light effects, crystal-clear pictures, interactive features and quotes from the Bible will guide you through two thousand years of history. [$4.99 for iPad - App Store link]
Whatto: Have you ever felt lost and confused in a new city, not knowing Whatto do? Wondering where is “THE” place to be right now? Then think no more: Whatto is the right app to help you and just simply at the palm of your hands! [Free for iPhone - App Store link]
If you took advantage of the big moderate sales on Apple iOS devices today to score yourself a brand new iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, or Apple TV, you might have opened the box, powered up... and then wondered what the heck to do next? No problem! TiPb's got you covered!
And if you already know what you're doing, just save this link to send to family and friends so you can get off the tech support hook and get on with having fun. We'll do the heavy lifting for you!
