Google has just released the too-long-in-coming Chrome for Android browser, and Phil from Android Central wasted no time loading it up on his Galaxy Nexus, and putting it up against an iPhone 4S running Safari, for a classic head-to-head, phono-e-phono, Mobile Nations browser showdown video.

Both browsers are based on WebKit, the project Apple adapted from the old Linux KHTML Konquerer browser and has been sharing back with the open source community ever since. So it’s no surprise both score 100/100 on the Acid3 rendering test. Safari makes use of Apple’s Nitro JavaScript engine, however, while Chrome has Google’s V8 under the hood. That let Chrome edge out Safari in the SunSpider JavaScript benchmarks.

Safari and iOS in general still offer smoother, more closely-tracked multitouch scrolling, panning, and zooming. (No doubt due to iOS placing priority on interface rendering tasks, while they’re left to fight as equals on Android.)

Interestingly, Chrome, like Safari, offers no support for Adobe’s Flash player, or any other internet plugin.

Chrome is still in beta and only available for Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich right now. No doubt the release version will be even better still.

Likewise, Apple isn’t slowing down. With iOS 5.1 on the horizon, Safari will improve as well.

Heck, now that BlackBerry has their new WebKit-based Torch browser, and Microsoft has embraced modern Internet Explorer builds on Windows Phone, it’s getting harder to find a bad browser out there.

Check out the video below for full out web rendering showdown.

Source: Android Central

The darling of hardcore iPhone twitter users comes to the iPad, but how does Tweetbot measure up on the big screen compared to Twitterrific and Twitter’s own app?

Twitter may not be as big a social network as Facebook, but you can’t turn on a television, let alone visit a website, without seeing an endless stream of @usernames and #hashtags. While smartphones are great for Twitter on the go, the iPad is perfect for sitting back and really getting engaged. But which Twitter app for iPad is the best to engage with? Not only do you have Twitterrific, the original iOS Twitter app, but you have Twitter’s official Twitter for iPad app, and now you have Tweetbot to consider as well, one of the most popular iPhone Twitter apps, just released for the iPad.

We’ve often said iOS and Twitter and like chocolate and peanut butter, two great tastes that taste even better together. And it’s true. Time after time, platform after platform, the best developers and designers always seem to gravitate towards making Twitter clients, and nothing proves that more than Twitterrific, Twitter, and Tweetbot.

So which one is best, or more importantly, which one is best for you?

Caveats

We’re going to be using a lot of Twitter-specific jargon here. If you’re not already familiar with Twitter and are reading this as a way to decide which app you should start with, be sure to check out our Twitter and social networking slang dictionary so you can get up to speed on also the latest terms. (Or just skip to the conclusion to find out which one you should get.)

Also, Twitter for iPad is currently still the version that began life as Tweetie for iPad by Loren Brichter of Atebits but was bought and rebranded by Twitter before release. Twitter has since redesigned the iPhone version of Tweetie/Twitter, and we expect will be redesigning the iPad version soon as well. When that happens, the pros and cons listed here will change dramatically, and we’ll do an update.

Similarities

Since Twitterrific, Twitter, and Tweetbot are all Twitter apps for iPad, there are a great many similarities. They all have timelines to see the tweets of the people you follow. They all show you mentions, lists, and direct messages. They all let you search and see favorites. They all let you compose new tweets and direct messages. But the way in which they go about doing this varies greatly.

Reading Experience

Twitterrific puts everything in one place with a unified timeline, full sidebar, and lots of popovers

Twitterrific has a combined timeline, so you see all the tweets of the people you follow listed alongside your @mentions and direct messages. You can read @mentions and direct messages as separate lists, but there’s no option to separate view just the tweets of the people you follow. The sidebar contains those tabs, as well as search, recent searches, lists, and current trends.

Twitterrific makes extensive use of popovers (a combination of popup and dropdown menu that Apple introduced alongside iOS for the iPad), but it can also make you feel boxed in, unable to expand content like pictures and lists to fill the screen. All this makes Twitterrific a good reading experience, but not a highly scalable one.

"Twitter for iPad uses sliding panels like something out of a sci-fi movie. It's innovative, even inspired, but it's not for everyone.

Twitter for iPad uses an almost futuristic feeling, highly table-optimized sliding panel user interface that’s also deeply divisive. Some love it, some loathe it. Everything you tap causes a new panel to slide in from the right, layer after layer, and you need to swipe them all away to get back to where you started. You can also pinch to zoom out on a tweet to bring up a user’s profile, and pinch to zoom in to fold it away again. Twitter’s sidebar contains a list of all your accounts (if you have more than one), and timeline, mentions, messages, lists, your profile, and search are shown for the currently active account. Overall, Twitter manages to feel scalable and spatial, but still simple to some, while annoying and needlessly fancy to others.

Tweetbot for iPad looks a lot like Tweetbot for iPhone, which lets them pack in the features while still keeping things clean, though not always immediately accessible.

Tweetbot has a charmingly distinct user interface that some adore and others feel is overly loud and heavy. Instead of popovers or sliding panels, Tweetbot simply replaces the main window content with whatever you tapped on, be it timeline, user, or picture. That makes it harder to quickly refer back to something, but also removes a lot of the visual clutter that can otherwise build up. Tweetbot’s sidebar presents tabs for timeline, mentions, messages, favorites, search, your profile, lists, retweets, and mute filters (so you can temporarily suppress people, hashtags, and even certain clients and services). The web view also has a toggle to switch between standard and Readability views.

Despite the distinctive design and gesture actions for more advanced users, Tweetbot behaves a lot like a standard iOS-app, making it easily accessible to new users as well.

Writing experience

Twitterrific keeps your tweets alive until you say to kill them, but doesn't offer as many auto-complete options.

Twitterrific’s compose window is unique in that the content persists, even after you close it. If you start typing a tweet, then close it to go do something else, when you tap compose or hit reply again, your text will still be there. (You have to tap the counter and then hit Reset Text to clear it.) There are no auto-complete buttons, but if you type an @ (at) symbol it will start offering username suggestions. If you type a # (hashtag), however, it won’t start offering trend suggestions, and you can’t change which account you’re replying from once you’ve begun to reply. Also, if you add a picture or video, no thumbnails are shown so if you come back later, you’ll need to go to the link if you want to remind yourself what it was.

Twitter for iPad keeps an enormous amount of information immediately at your fingertips, though it approaches visual overload

Twitter’s compose window can quickly start looking like an unruly stack of papers, one piled atop the other. However, it means you have instant, same-screen access to the contents of your timeline and of any conversations you’re joining, which makes checking references while you type a breeze. Twitter supports drafts, and offers auto-complete for both @mentions (which, ironically, brings up a popover in one of the few places Twitterrific does not) and #hashtags. If you add a photo or video with the camera button, you can preview it by tapping the camera button again, and there’s a location button to toggle your coordinates on and off as well.

Tweetbot is crisp and clean with great auto-complete options, but you have to exit out if you want to refer back to something.

Tweetbot has a clean, clear composition screen but, aside from the tweet you’re replying to, you lose out on the ability to reference any other content unless you cancel, save as draft, and come back later which is more cumbersome. There are buttons for auto-completing @mentions and #hashtags, and toggling location, and any photos you add are placed in the menu bar as thumbnails you can tap to view or remove.

Bells and whistles

Twitterrific's settings aren't found in Twitterrific but in the built-in Settings app. The dark theme is one of the standouts here.

Twitterrific doesn’t yet support native iOS Twitter integration, which means you have to authenticate through the web the first time you set it up. (I’m guessing this will be updated in the not-to-distant future). Twitterrific also doesn’t support push notifications, which means unless you have email or SMS alerts set up, you won’t know if you get any mentions or direct messages until you open the app.

Twitterrific’s settings are found in the built-in iOS Settings app, and there you can enable the Dark Theme for night-time use, set up Tweet Marker to sync your timeline position between different clients, like iPhone, iPad, and Mac, and toggle and customize services, including read later (called bookmark) and advanced features like custom media uploads as well.

Twitter for iPhone doesn't have a ton of options, but it does have push notification.

Twitter for iPhone supports native iOS Twitter integration and push notification, but not Tweet Marker. Despite having been on the market for a significant amount of time, it never got all the power features Twitter for iPhone enjoyed, and likely won’t given the almost certain redesign in its near future. You do have control over which image, video, and read later services you use. However, there’s still no pull-to-refrsh direct messages and while it marks messages as unread, frustratingly, there’s still no way to quickly mark them all as unread.

Tweetbot has an almost dizzying array of powerful options, and will even pause push notifications while you sleep.

Tweetbot supports a ton of features, including native iOS Twitter integration, push notifications, and Tweet Marker. For notifications, it not only has options for mentions and direct messages, but retweets, favorites, follows, adds to lists, and subscribes to lists. It’s almost too many, but they can be mitigated by sleep options that suppress them at night (just pick your start and end times).

You can also customize services, including read later and mobilizer (like Safari’s built in Reader feature, but with your choice of provider). Literally, the options threaten to burst out of their popover.

Cost

Twitterrific is free but requires a $4.99 in-app purchase to turn off ads and turn on tweet translation and multiple account support. A universal binary, it supports both iPad and iPhone.

Twitter for iPad is free and also universal for iPad and iPhone.

Tweetbot is $2.99. It’s not universal so the iPhone version will cost you another $2.99.

Conclusion

That part about there being an embarrassment of riches when it comes to iPad Twitter apps wasn’t fluff or filler — it was truth. Twitterrific, Twitter, and Tweetbot each come from brilliant designers and developers with sometimes very different visions for what the ideal Twitter app entails.

Twitterrific is great for new users who want a simple, stable experience, where everything is easy to find, and often all in one place. It doesn’t have as many features, and lack of push notifications might be a show-stopper for some, but those who have been using it since the beginning and like the way it works and syncs consistently across iOS and OS X will also do well to stick with it.

Twitter for iPad, in its current form, is great for those who want fast access to literally layer upon layer of information. It’s an audacious, inspired interface that’s likely going to be replaced with something much more like the Twitter.com website, which also makes it very difficult to recommend to anyone who isn’t already using it.

Tweetbot might feel over-designed to some, but it’s well-designed. It has a ton of features for power users, including the best push-notification implementation in the business. As far as general purpose Twitter apps go, Tweetbot hits the best balance for the widest range of our readers.

Twitterrific could update any time now, and Twitter for iPad will be going through a substantial change soon, but as of right now, if the $2.99 price tag — less than the cost of a fancy coffee, mind you — doesn’t give you pause, Tweetbot should be your go-to Twitter app for iPad.

- Twitterrific – Download now

- Twitter – Download now

- Tweetbot – Download now

“Tweetbot has made the leap from iPhone to iPad and brought with it’s excellent user-interface, best-in-class notifications, and powerful yet accessible feature set.”

Twitter is the social network antithesis of Facebook — limited amounts of content, no obligation to follow those who follow you, and most of the communication is done out in the open by default. Twitter launched around the same time as iOS, and the two platforms immediately seemed made for each other (something which became official with iOS 5 Twitter integration.)

Tweetbot came out only in the last year but has quickly become one of the most popular and most powerful Twitter apps on the iPhone, going so far as to sweep the social network category in both iMore’s readers choice, and editors choice awards. Now it comes to the iPad with the same distinctive, mecha-inspired interface, but not as a universal binary — meaning you have to pay for the iPad version separately, even if you own the iPhone version.

It’s only $2.99, which is less than the price of most burgers, but is Tweetbot worth it? Do the features and functionality that rocked the iPhone scale to match the bigger iPad screen?

Setup

Because Tweebot uses iOS 5 Twitter integration, you're only one "Authorize" tap away from getting started.

Thanks to support for native iOS 5 Twitter integration, setting up Tweetbot for iPad is as simple as tapping “okay” to the system popup requesting the access. Boom. All the accounts you’ve logged into in Settings.app are ready and waiting in Tweetbot.

Web-based authorization was always a pain, so this made for a delightful first impression.

Browsing for tweets

Twitter neatly organizes your navigation tabs in the sidebar and your tweets (or content) to the right

If you’ve ever used Tweetbot for iPhone, the biggest change you’ll have to get used to is also one of the easiest changes to get used to — instead of timeline, @mentions, messages, and the other tabs along the bottom of your tweet list, you now have them all available and un-nested in a handy sidebar. In landscape mode they’re fully expanded, with text labels and unread counts (where applicable), and in portrait mode they’re reduced to icons only but are no less easy to get to.

To switch accounts, just tap the tab at the top left with your name and avatar.

Simply tap your avatar to switch and manage accounts

If you’re new to Tweetbot, the sidebar is how you control what you’re looking at:

• Timeline shows you the tweets of everyone you follow
• @Mentions shows any public messages or replies other users have sent you
• Messages shows any private, direct messages (DMs) other uses have sent you
• Favorites lists the tweets you’ve marked as memorable
• Search lets you quickly find terms, people, #hastags and current trends (popular topics)
• Profile shows your information, including bio, locations, and link, as well as follower, following, listed, and tweets counts, and your most recent tweets.
• Lists shows your own lists, or groups of other users you’ve set up
• Retweets shows your tweets that others have retweeted (forwarded on to their followers), tweets you retweeted (forwarded on to your followers), and you tweets, retweeted (tweets of yours that have been forwarded on by others).
• Mute filters lets you temporarily and selectively suppress other users (such as the guy from work you can’t unfollow but who suddenly feels compelled to tweet an entire 2-day cricket match!), specific hashtags (like an event you don’t want spoiled or just find annoying), and clients (for example, if you don’t want to see any Instagram pictures)
• Settings, which lets to toggle and customize all the various options, including a lot of what appears in the sidebar.

The bulk of the screen is taken up by the tweets themselves. The rather heavy looking title bar on top tells you what you’re looking at at any given time. Tapping the list button at the top left gives you quick access to your Twitter lists. Tapping the compose button at the right opens up a new tweet, ready for you to write.

The layout was well thought out and it works.

Interacting with tweets

Tapping a tweet brings up all sort of options and actions

The tweets themselves function almost identically to Tweetbot for iPhone. Tap a tweet to get option to:

• Reply (or reply to all)
• Retweet (or quote a tweet)
• Favorite (or unfavorite)
• Get a popup list of actions (including Read Later services like Instapaper, Pinboard, Readability, or Read it Later), copy the link to the tweet, copy the contents of the tweet, email the tweet, or translate the tweet if it isn’t in a language you understand.
• Get a detail view, which includes the tweet by itself, a tab to get to the user’s profile, a list of replies to the tweet, a list of users who retweeted the tweet, and a button to go to the favstar.fm webpage for the tweet (to track who favorited or retweeted the tweet)

For more advanced users, Tweetbot gestures are also available on the iPad. Just swipe from left to right on a tweet to bring a view of the complete conversation, in context, if applicable, and swipe for right to left to bring up a list of all replies to a tweet, again if applicable.

Gestures are inherently hard to discover, but Tweetbot does a great job using them as shortcuts for those who do discover them, but leaving everything just as accessible via the tap-through buttons and tabs.

Composing tweets

While the compose window doesn't let you quickly refer back to any tweets, it does have a good set of options, well laid out.

With a tap of the compose button or quote button, you’re ready to type. And that’s about it. Unlike some other Twitter apps, in Tweetbot for iPad the timelines all disappear, and the text doesn’t stay persistent if you cancel out of the new tweet sheet (though you can save as a draft). If you were replying to a tweet, that tweet is shown below the typing area, which is very now.

It keeps the screen clear and focused, but it does make it slightly more cumbersome for those who like to refer back to other tweets and content.

Buttons along the top let you easily add location, auto-complete @usernames and #hashtag trends, and add pictures or video. The buttons aren’t the iOS default location arrow, @ symbol or # hashtag symbol proper, but rather icons of a compass, bust, and tag, which may make them less immediately recognizable but certainly not impenetrable.

While not easy to discover, users with multiple accounts can switch by tapping the avatar.

Speaking of which, you can switch accounts by tapping your avatar. New users probably don’t have multiple accounts, so the hidden nature of this feature isn’t a show-stopper, but throwing a visual bone our way certainly wouldn’t hurt.

If you have previous drafts, you can access them via the drafts button at the top right.

Searching for tweets

The search page lets you easily look for text, people, and trends.

Tap the search tab and your timeline is replaced by a search box, a Find People tab, a list of saved searches, and a list of worldwide trends (you can change that to country-specific trends in Settings). Having to tap through again to search for people may seem like a wasted step, but the find people search page includes a lot of additional options, like finding followers or people your following, as well as a list of interests such as music, sports, entertainment, and much, much more.

Finding people is just one extra tap away

While Tapbots’ implementation is good, Twitter focuses on real-time results which often means older tweets are frustratingly unavailable, even if you know exactly what you’re looking for. Also, tapping or searching for any trending topic is sometimes just as likely to produce an overwhelming abundance of useless, rather than valuable results. Again, Twitter’s fault, not Tapbots.

Muting tweets

If someone repeatedly makes fun of your math skills, or Canadian accent, you can give them a time out.

We’ve all been there — someone whose tweets we otherwise enjoy has gone off the deep end about sports, religion, politics, is spoiling a movie or TV show, has gotten drunk or is simply drowning out everything else in your timeline. You either can’t (boss, brother-in-law) or don’t want to unfollow them. That’s where mute filters come in. They’re like time-outs for Twitter, and Tweetbot excels at them.

You can mute or un-mute any user, at any time, by hitting the options button (which looks just like the location button), above their profile. You can choose to mute for a day, a week, a month, or forever. Once muted, the user appears under people in the mute filters tab.

Likewise, when #winning is driving you to #drinking, you can put it on pause.

You can also mute based on #hashtags, to stop anyone from ruining the game or the show, or otherwise filling your timeline with stuff you’d really rather not see. To mute or un-mute a #hashtag, just tap and hold down on it when you see it in the timeline.

You can even mute your boss when he won't stop tweeting his Smurf Village points... or whatever.

If there’s a particular service or platform you really don’t care for either for some reason, you can tap edit, tap + (add), and choose from a long list of easily mutable clients. Turning off tons of Instagrams, or game scores, or social marketers who live in TweetDeck are all potential uses, though you’ll likely miss some good stuff in the process.

Mute filters aren’t something everyone uses, but Tweetbot makes them so easy, I’m betting many more are about to start.

Settings

Settings are contained in the app, in an easy to access popup

To say Tweetbot has a plethora of settings is almost an understatement. There’s everything here from sounds (all, notifications, none), to display (font size, display name, date format, new tweets bar) to what’s in the navigation sidebar (you can toggle off everything but timeline, mentions, and messages), to quote format (standard, old style re-tweets, or via), triple-tap shortcut (set it to reply, retweet, favorite, translate, or launch Favstar), to post in background.

And that’s just the top level stuff. Phew.

Push notifications

Push notification options abound. Almost everything you can think of. Almost too much...

Account settings open the door Tweetbot’s phenomenal push notifications implementation. Not only can you turn on notifications for the standard @mentions (either everyone or just those you follow), or direct messages, but you can get notifications for retweets, favorites, follows, when you’re added to lists, or when your lists are subscribed to.

... Except for the fantastic sleep options that let you turn them off when it's time for you to turn off.

It’s almost too much, or it would be if Tweetbot for iPad didn’t also provide sleep options. Basically, you can tell Tweetbot to suppress all push notifications during certain hours of the day or night (depending on your schedule). You tell them when to go silent and when to come back on, and that’s what they do.

If you’re frantically waiting for an incredibly urgent tweet, and are paranoid the system will choose that exact moment to go down, you can even see when the last notification came in, and hit a test button and make sure it’s still working.

It’s not anything Tweetbot for iPhone users haven’t been enjoying for a while, but that doesn’t make it any less superb on the iPad.

Services

You can customize the services and there's support for Tweet Marker, Read Later, and Mobilizer.

All the usual services can be configured in Tweetbot for iPad, including your URL shortener of choice, image uploader, video uploader, Read Later host (they support Instapaper, Pinboard, Readability, and Read it Later), sync with Tweet Marker, and something akin to Safari’s super clean, distraction free Reader mode with Mobilizer (including support for Google, Instapaper, and Readability).

Tweet Marker stands out, especially if you have Tweetbot or another app that supports it on your iPhone or other smartphone, or your desktop Twitter app.

The good

• Features enough to make any power user happy
• Clean and accessible enough for new users
• Exceptional notification implementation
• Distinctive, charming user-interface

The bad

• Some might find the user-interface too distinctive and heavy
• Not as information-dense as some other Twitter apps
• No theme support

The conclusion

Tweetbot has made the leap from iPhone to iPad and brought with it’s excellent user-interface and best-in-class notifications. It’s not Tweetbot re-imagined for the iPad, but it’s Tweetbot brilliantly executed for the iPad. Powerful enough for the pro, accessible enough for the new user, it doesn’t have the audacity of Twitter for iPhone, but it has much more functionality — and everything needed to be the go-to Twitter client for the vast majority of iPad Twitter users.

2.99 – Download now

“Smash Cops brings the excitement of high-speed car chases to your iPhone and iPad with top-notch graphics, high intensity game-play, and interesting (if challenging) controls.”

Smash Cops recently hit featured status in the App Store, and after playing it for a few days, I can see why. It’s a deceptively simple racing game that provides excellent controls, fluid graphics, and has some signature local evening news flair to it.

The premise is that you’re driving a cop car, and you have to chase down bad guys through a winding route, and ram into their vehicle often enough to make them crash. There’s a healthy amount of variation on this theme, including timed challenges, obstacle courses to test your finesse, and scenarios where you’re the one being chased. Whatever the goals of the level may be, you’re usually provided with helpful waypoints at intersections so you know which direction to go. There’s plenty of civilian traffic in the way, posing slight obstacles, but for the most part, they can be plowed through with little worry.

The default control scheme was fairly new to me. You press the screen behind your on-screen vehicle to adjust its steering, letting go to stop the gas, or tapping the screen with your other hand for a quick burst of speed. You can switch this up to a traditional virtual joystick, but the default is novel to play with, if nothing else. The controls are certainly intuitive, but I find they’re often more challenging than they should be. At times, you can turn a corner very sharply, while at other times, you drift and lose a lot of control. There may be a trick to this that I’m just not getting, but so far it has made nimble driving difficult, especially in the obstacle course stage. Having played a bunch of Need for Speed on the PlayBook, I think an option for accelerometer control would be really nice.

Knowing if you'll be able to make a turn sharply or if you'll need to accommodate for drift can be tricky.

The overall gameplay is still great. There’s a real solid “Channel 9 Evening News” angle, where the camera following you is accompanied by the sound of a news chopper. Many of the UI elements are fashioned after TV fly-ins. I would have liked to see a few more unlocks beyond the five cars you made available over the course of gameplay. Maybe some vehicle tweaks to increase boost regeneration, or bump speed up a notch. There are a few microtransactions available, but they feel forced. For $4.99, you can unlock all of the vehicles without having to play through the game. For $0.99, you can pick up 3 Super Cops. These are one-shot upgrades the make your cop car awesome and help you blast through tough levels. While I appreciate being able to earn these in the challenge missions, I doubt my frustration would ever reach the point of spending money to beat a level, especially if I’ve already shelled out $2.99 for the game. Now, if there was a free version of Smash Cops, maybe with ads and fewer cars and missions, microtransactions might be a more viable route. Personally, I find the gameplay is polished enough that Smash Cops would do very well as a free title.

Smash Cops features a wide variety of game modes

The graphics deserve top marks. The lighting is extremely realistic, the models are believable, the animation is fluid, and though the physics are a little exagerrated, it suits the gameplay. Fans of the Burnout series will definitely appreciate the scinematic slow-mo crash sequences. The only graphical problem I’ve had is that that after being flipped over, sometimes a robber’s car will disappear and respawn further down the road. This makes sense if the wreck lands in undrivable terrain, but sometimes it doesn’t, and the respawn screws up plans for follow-up attacks.

Smash Cops goes into a cinematic slow mo every time you flip a perp's car

The audio is decent, but I really wish there was some high-octane racing music while you play. The menu screen has some great music and gets me in the mood to race, but once the game is launched, you’re listening to a police siren and a chopper sound interspersed with the odd crinkle of smashed bumpers.

Overall, Smash Cops is a fast-paced, challenging racing game with polished gameplay and graphics. With a few control tweaks and increased depth for unlockables, I could see myself killing a lot of time with this game. For $2.99, you’ll get your money’s worth so long as losing a few times drives you to steely determination, rather than flipping over to another game.

$2.99 – Buy now

The good

• Excellent graphics
• Polished (though sometimes difficult) gameplay
• Good variety of game modes

The bad

• In-app purchases aren’t compelling
• Limited variety of unlocks
• Controls are often too difficult

The conclusion

Overall, Smash Cops is a fast-paced, challenging racing game with polished gameplay and graphics. With a few control tweaks and increased depth for unlockables, I could see myself killing a lot of time with this game. For $2.99, you’ll get your money’s worth so long as losing a few times drives you to steely determination, rather than flipping over to another game.

Apple and Avid have been battling it out on the big screen for years, but now they’ve brought the video editing battle to the iPad — and the winner may not be who you think.

Avid Studio for iPad launched this week in the App Store, instantly becoming the first real competitor to Apple’s iMovie video editing app. What makes this so interesting is that Avid was king of digital video editing in Hollywood for a long time, and then Apple came out with the far more affordable Final Cut Pro/ Final Cut Studio, and enticed a few big name directors to give their new software a try.

So is Avid getting a little payback here by bringing the video editing battle back to Apple’s home turf? Most definitely, and as good as iMovie is — some of the best mobile software we’ve seen to date — Avid may be even better.

Similarities

Both iMove and Avid Studio can do the basics that you would expect from any video editor. You can insert videos, photos, and music, trim clips, add titles, and export to YouTube. Unfortunately for iMovie, this is where the similarities end.

Audio management

Layer up to 3 audio clips at a time with Avid Studio

In iMovie, the only thing you can do with music is insert it as the background of your movie – your entire movie. It’s impossible to take just a clip of the music to place where you wish – you’re stuck with playing the whole song. In Avid Studio, you can trim your music clips and insert them anywhere in your movie. You can also layer up to 3 audio clips at a time.

Inserting photos and videos as picture-in-picture

Insert picture-in-picture image over movie clips with Avid Studio

One of the cool features Avid Studio provides is the ability to insert photos or video over the main movie in the timeline. Meaning, if you want to have a photo or video play in the middle of a movie clip, you can do so while still having the audio and elapsed time from the main movie playing in the background. This is one the features I most like about Avid Studio. The only thing you can do in iMovie is split up the clip and put a photo or movie clip in the middle. Avid’s way — which Apple does support on the desktop version of iMovie — is more useful.

Video management

Access movies that were synced onto iPad from iTunes with Avid Studio

I was surprised when I learned that iMovie did not allow me to access videos that I imported onto my iPad with iTunes. The only videos accessible with iMovie are the ones in your camera roll or albums. What a huge disappointment. Avid provides just such access.

Titles and montages

Avid Studio come preinstalled with 15 montages

Both iMovie and Avid Studio allow you to insert titles for you movie, but iMovie requires that you do it with one of their themes. There is not an option to insert a black slide with text like Avid Studio. This means that all text inserted in iMovie must be overlaid with part of your movie.

Avid Studio also comes preinstalled with fun montages to add to your videos. These are made up of anywhere between 1 and 4 photos and may be static images or mini video clips.

Conclusion

Avid Studio is the clear winner!

Avid Studio may be iMovie’s newest competitor for video editing on the iPad, but it’s not a fair competition. Avid Studio is the clear winner. iMovie doesn’t offer any significant features that Avid does not, but Avid can do much more than iMovie. Since they both cost $4.99, it’s almost a no-brainer. Right now, the only thing iMovie has going for it over Avid Studio is that iMovie is a universal app and also works on the iPhone.

With iPad 3 on the horizon, I hope Apple has a more feature-rich iMovie 2.0 up its sleeves to help show it off. Either way, I can’t wait to try video editing on a 9.7-inch Retina display.

• Avid Studio – $4.99 – App Store link
• iMovie – $4.99 – App Store link

“The OverBoard waterproof case for iPad is a must-have for everything from the bath to the beach, but can be a little tough to close if your hands are covered in suds or tanning lotion.”

I absolutely love waterproof cases like the OverBoard for when I’m traveling. They work exceptionally well to keep your iPad or iPad 2 clean and dry, and can double as a handy place to store some cash and credit cards as well. They also work great at home, letting you enjoy a relaxing soak in the tub while reading, surfing the web, or playing your favorite iPad game.

OverBoard for iPad has a crystal clear front. Seriously, it's screen-protector clear.

The OverBoard waterproof case for iPad is exceptionally clear on one side and padded on the other. It might be nice to have it clear on both sides, so you could use the rear-facing camera for when you’re out and about. However, when you realize beaches, bathtubs, hiking trips, rafting excursions, and pretty much any place you’d like to use it is also not a place you’d want to drop it, you start to appreciate the padding more.

The handy hand strap lets you hold your iPad one handed, reducing the chance of it slipping out of your grip

To further protect against dropping your iPad, the OverBoard case has a hand strap conveniently located on the back. Not only does this let you easily use your iPad one handed, but if you are in the bathtub, it leaves the other hand free for a beverage as well. Decadent, but oh so worth it!

Now, the closures on this particular OverBoard case were more difficult to line up and seal than previous ones I’ve reviewed. Take your time, align everything carefully, apply sufficient force (use those guns, bikini chicks!), and you should be okay.

You can choose to use the OverBoard by itself, which is ideal for the bath, or you can use the included shoulder strap — water-murse, anyone? — or carabiner if you’re traveling or hiking.

To see how well waterproof cases in general, and the OverBoard in specific hold up to everything from the deep end of the pool and a car wash to a dishwasher and RC boat race, check out these torture tests;

• TiPb TV 20: Bond boat bash
• Overboard vs Aquapac in iPhone 4 water torture test

The good

• Crystal clear plastic on the front
• Protective padding on the rear
• Hand strap for one-handed use
• Shoulder strap and carabiner options

The bad

• Requires a little too much strength to close
• Padding covers up rear camera

The conclusion

The OverBoard waterproof case for iPad is a must-have for everything from the bath to the beach, but can be a little tough to close if your hands are covered in suds or tanning lotion.

- $44.95 – Buy now

The giveaway

Simply leave a comment below telling us where you’d most like to use an OverBoard waterproof case for iPad of your very own! Giveaway starts now and ends Sunday, February 5 at midnight PT. (U.S. shipping address required for delivery. Sorry!)

“As a case and app combo Griffin Crayola Trace & Draw for iPad 2 is great for letting kids learn art and have fun on the iPad, though it’s not something parents to just leave on a family device.”

The Griffin Crayola Trace & Draw for iPad 2 review brings together the classic crayon and marker maker with one of the biggest names in iPad accessories for a double-threat case and app combo that’s sure to delight kids of all ages. It required a screen protector, comes with a large enclosure and a marker, but put it all together and you get the best of old world art thanks to the latest in Apple tech!

It's not small or subtle, but the Griffin Crayola Trace & Draw for iPad 2 is durable enough for kids

The Griffin Crayola Trace & Draw is a contraption that fits over your iPad 2 like a case. A really big, really durable case. You need a screen protector, which I’m not a huge fan of, but your child will be drawing on paper on top of the screen and really, better safe than sorry.

The case holds the paper in place while the iPad 2 provides the light-box effect. And it holds your paper in place well. If your child is fortunate to have an iPad of their very own, having the Griffin Crayola Trace & Draw for iPad 2 on all the time won’t be a problem. It will probably help protect it immensely. If it’s a family iPad 2, however, you won’t want to keep this case on any longer than you have to. It’s just too big and bulky, and toy-styled to suit regular adult use.

And that presents a small problem — once your kids get used to drawing or tracing on the iPad 2 with the Griffin Crayola Trace & Draw case on, once you take it off, I worry they’ll find a way to keep drawing anyway, which would be no fun. (Keep a lot of washable markers handy).

Easy to set up and fun to use, your young artist will love it

The Griffin Crayola Trace & Draw for iPad 2 needs to be paired with the matching app from the App Store. It has a fair amount of content, including:

• On the Go – Connect the dots to create planes, trains and more
• Under the Sea – Animated friends guide you through undersea adventures
• Jungle Frenzy – Trace, draw and color a jungle full of fun
• Bot Builder – Swap bottoms and tops to make your own ‘bots
• Magical Mashup – Mix and match dragons, wizards and other magical characters to make a silly creation
• Superhero Swap – Swap tops and bottoms to create your own superheroes
• Family Fun – Trace and color fun family members, even the cat
• Sports Scramble – Use the clues to guess the game

So you’re likely to find something your child — and you! — might enjoy.

The good

• Fun to use
• Great way to get your kids drawing
• Easy to set up and use

The bad

• Requires a screen protector
• Could make kids think it’s okay to draw on iPad even without the case
• Not a case you can/want to leave on all the time

The conclusion

As a case and app combo Griffin Crayola Trace & Draw for iPad 2 is great for letting kids learn art and have fun on the iPad, though it’s not something parents to just leave on a family device. You do need a screen protector to use it, which is a drag, and it’s not the slimmest, prettiest case in the world, so you’ll be taking it on and off a lot, but if your child is learning to draw I can’t think of a funner, easier way to get them started than with the Griffin Crayola Trace & Draw for iPad 2

• Case – $32.75+ – Amazon Store link
• App – Free – App Store link

The giveaway

Simply leave a comment below telling us your most favorite thing your son or daughter, or child in your life, has drawn for you and you’re entered to win a Griffin Crayola Trace & Draw for iPad 2 of your very own! Giveaway starts now and ends Sunday, February 5 at midnight PT. U.S. shipping address required for delivery.

The amazingly functional and customizable BiteSMS takes on the deeply integrated and easy to use Messages+ in a battle of the jailbreak messaging apps

Are you jailbroken on iOS 5 and wondering whether you should purchase BiteSMS or Messages+? Both applications add quick reply functionality and make messaging more functional. But which is a better choice for you?

BiteSMS for iOS 5

BiteSMS has been a long time favorite when it comes to messaging enhancement applications. Many competitors have come and gone while BiteSMS seemingly manages to stay at the top of its game.

One thing that sets BiteSMS apart is its ability to customize almost every aspect of your experience. You can choose what buttons you’d like to show up on your quick reply windows such as send, open, close, mark for later, Skype, FaceTime, templates, and more. The quick compose feature provides the option of auto-populating contacts. You can choose for it to auto show favorites, the last person you messaged, and more.

If you send a lot of international text messages, Bite allows you to buy credits to use on their own network. I don’t necessarily recommend it as a way not to have traditional text messaging as the rates aren’t cheaper than most carriers domestic rates. They are, however, cheaper than most carrier international texting rates. AT&T, for example, charges $10/month for 100 international messages. After that, it’s $0.20 per message. You can set up per contact rules for sending messages as well. So if you have certain contacts in a different country, only then will Bite utilize your credits. Bite’s prices are as follows –

• $6 for 50 SMS credits
• $12 for 105 SMS credits (includes 5 free credits)
• $24 for 215 SMS credits (includes 15 free credits)
• $60 for 550 SMS credits (includes 50 free credits)
• $120 for 1200 SMS credits (includes 200 free credits)

While BiteSMS has a sleek user interface in its own right, you can definitely tell it isn’t something made by Apple. People who choose to theme and don’t like the stock look of iOS may actually prefer this. Those of you who like to stick with the stock look may have an issue with it. It’s also worth noting that BiteSMS is compatible with both LockInfo and IntelliscreenX.

Messages+ for iOS 5

Messages+ is an update of the messaging enhancement app TLert. The update not only brought a more streamline experience but deep integration into iOS 5. It literally looks like something Apple would release.

While BiteSMS aims to bring you an array of different customizations and user controls, Messages+ aims to be an easy to use add-on that just works. There’s next to nothing to configure. You just enable Messages+ and set up a quick compose gesture and you’re on your way. Messages+ also comes built-in to IntelliscreenX.

If your main reason for wanting a messaging enhancement app is to not have to stop what you’re doing to compose a message, Messages+ will provide this functionality without any added icons. It simply adds a quick reply and quick compose function to the default iOS messaging app.

While Messages+ ties in nicely with IntelliscreenX, it is not currently supported by LockInfo. If you’re a LockInfo user, BiteSMS is going to be your best option. We don’t know if LockInfo will add support for Messages+ in the future.

BiteSMS vs Messages+ – which is better?

There’s no arguing that BiteSMS still has plenty more features and controls than Messages+. It will really come down to what you personally need from a messaging enhancement application.

I personally prefer Messages+ over BiteSMS as I don’t send that many international texts and just desire quick reply and quick compose functionality. I also like the stock feel of iOS and Messages+ gives me that. There are no added icons or tons of settings to configure before you start using it. Enable it, set a quick gesture for composing, and you’re done.

There are no doubt users out there who care more about control and functionality than interface and ease of use. For those of you that think heavily of these things, BiteSMS is probably going to serve you much better over the long run. Let us know what you decide on and why. Make sure to check out our other resources below for tons of jailbreak apps, themes, tips, and more!

• Messages+ vs BiteSMS forum thread – See what our readers are choosing
• Jailbreak guides, how to’s, and news
• Jailbreak apps, hacks, and themes forum
• General jailbreak discussion forum
• iMore downloads section
• List of Cydia repositories

“The Incipio Hive Honeycomb dermaSHOT Silicone Case for iPad 2 looks interesting and feels great but it doesn’t fit exceptionally well around the edges, ruining the overall affect.”

The first thing you’ll notice about the The Incipio Hive Honeycomb dermaSHOT Silicone Case for iPad 2 is the look. It’s covered in more hexagons that a Dungeons & Dragons map. This honeycomb texture isn’t superficial either — it’s thick and structural and designed to absorb shock and keep your precious iPad from being hurt by accidental bumps or drops.

The hexagram design will stand out from a crowd -- if that's what you want!

The hexagons are a bold look for Incipio, something you’re either going to love or hate. I like that they’re taking risks and doing something different.

The feel is wonderful. The Incipio Hive Honeycomb dermaSHOT Silicone Case for iPad 2 is soft but not slippery or slimy. It almost feels like it’s been covered in baby powder, but that’s probably just the anti-static coating.

The major flaw in the design, however, is that the Incipio Hive Honeycomb dermaSHOT Silicone Case for iPad 2 is too soft to stand up to the long vertical edge of the iPad 2. It lacks both the elasticity to stay tight and the structure to keep position. And so the Incipio Hive Honeycomb dermaSHOT Silicone Case for iPad 2 hangs from the mid-point and makes me feel like it could just slide off at any moment. I don’t know if the case is too big or they just need a better material.

The same material that makes it soft and easy to put on also makes it more difficult to stay on

On the bright side, the Incipio Hive Honeycomb dermaSHOT Silicone Case for iPad 2 comes in black, red, and gray, slips on and off easily, and exposes all the ports. It also comes with screen cleaner and a screen protector to keep the front safe and sound.

The Good

• Excellent grip
• No stickiness
• Screen protector included

The Bad

• Side edges aren’t snug enough
• Highly distinctive look

The conclusion

The Incipio Hive Honeycomb dermaSHOT Silicone Case for iPad 2 looks interesting and feels great but it doesn’t fit exceptionally well around the edges, ruining the overall affect. It was just too loose.

• $29.95 – Buy Now

The giveaway

Simply leave a comment below telling us how the Incipio Hive Honeycomb dermaSHOT Silicone Case for iPad 2 could make your life easier and you’re entered to win one of your very own! Giveaway starts now and ends Sunday, February 5 at midnight PT. U.S. shipping address required for delivery.

“If you want your iPad 2 to finally be able to stand on its own, then the Case-Mate Pop! Case is for you. “

The Case-Mate Pop! Case with Stand for the iPad 2 brings the same blend of protection and kickstand-enabled performance to the iPad 2 as it’s younger, smaller sibling does for the iPhone 4S. And like with the iPhone version, that’s a very good thing.

Available in two-tone black or white, the Case-Mate Pop! Case with Stand for the iPhone 2 is composed of hard, protective rubber shell and soft, easy-to-grip rubberized sides. The shell feels strong and can handle any minor impact that might otherwise scratch or dent your precious iPad. The sides are what make the difference for me, however, as they really let you grab a hold, and keep a hold, on what’s sometimes a slippery device.

Unlike it's smaller iPhone sibling, the Case-Mate Pop! Case for iPad 2 is either open or closed -- there are no gradations.

The stand folds out from the back and does a great job either staying open or being closed. However, unlike the iPhone version, there’s no ability to set an angle in between. You either have to keep it closed, set it open, or watch it flap about. Awkward.

When open, the stand is a winner. It keeps your iPad 2 up and at attention in either landscape or portrait mode

The Case-Mate Pop! Case for iPad 2 does a great job protecting the back but the sides feel a little loose at times. I’ve seen this on numerous iPad cases and while it might just be that these materials don’t hold up well over long surfaces like the edges around the iPad’s 9.7-inch screen, I still wish they’d figure that out.

The front looks good, protects well, and yet I can't stop wishing the side were just a little less loose.

But this case is really about the kick stand, and how it lets you put your iPad 2 down yet keep watching your movies, following your recipes, reading your books, typing your notes, or any other of a dozen activities.

The Good

• Offers good protection for the back and sides
• Material provides for excellent grip
• Stand works in either portrait or landscape mode
• Rubberized edge keep the stand in place

The Bad

• Edges could be slightly more form-fitting
• No angle adjustments options for stand

The conclusion

If you want your iPad 2 to finally be able to stand up on its own, then the Case-Mate Pop! Case is for you. Wonderfully grippy, nicely protective, the Case-Mate Pop! Case for iPad 2 is everything you could want in a movie-watching, note-typing, kickstand-packing accessory.

• ###$39.95 – Buy Now

The giveaway

Simply leave a comment below telling us how the Case-Mate Pop! Case for iPad 2 could make your life easier and you’re entered to win one of your very own! Giveaway starts now and ends Sunday, February 5 at midnight PT. U.S. shipping address required for delivery.

“The iFixit Thirsty Bag can be a life-saver when it comes to salvaging water-damaged iPhones and iPads… if you happen to have one around when an accident happens.”

The iFixit Thirsty Bag is for those who worry about dropping their precious iPhones, iPod touches, or iPads in water. Whether you reach down to pick up something and your Phone slips out of your pocket and into the river or lake, or you turn too quickly and knock your iPod touch off the counter and into the toilet, a time may come when all that stands between you and a replacement is quick action, moisture absorbing materials like the Thirty Bag, and prayers to whichever Apple god you so choose to believe in.

iFixit's Thirsty Bag needs to be bought ahead of time and stored... just in case of water damage to your iPhone or iPad.

When your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad splashes down, and the waves of water crest over it just as the waves of panic crest over you, there are several important things to remember. First, retrieve your device as quickly as possible. Second, dry it off fast so as to minimize exposure time. Third, put it somewhere with highly moisture absorbing material to dry it out. In a pinch, if you have no other option, dry rice is the DIY option. If you’ve thought ahead, however, you can use materials specifically designed for moisture absorbing. The iFixit Thirsty Bag contains just such a material.

Inside the iFixit Thirsty Bag you’ll find two “molecular sieve packets”. Each of these contains powerful liquid absorption material that, according to iFixit, can reduce the atmospheric humidity to 1% RH and suck up pretty much all liquid inside your device over night. They don’t say exactly what the liquid absorbing material is, so I don’t know if it’s the same as the silica gel packets that sometimes ship with electronics to keep them dry, but they work in a similar fashion.

You can use the iFixit Thirsty Bag to remove potentially damaging water from and iPhone or something as large as an iPad, though for larger devices they recommend placing everything in a sealed, ziplock-type bag.

“iFixit’s iPhone transparent rear panel mod let’s you give your iPhone 4 or iPhone 4S an amazingly distinctive look in a world where tens of millions of them are otherwise all but indistinguishable.”

I ordered iFixit’s transparent rear panel mod kit + bonus iPhone liberation kit during their Black Friday sale last year because I absolutely adore Ally’s weekly iPhone mod columns and I’ve been dying to try it out for myself. Though the glowing Apple logo mod is my holy grail, this clear back-panel looked great and seemed like an easier mod to start with.

In addition to the rear panel, you'll need Pentalobe screws -- the Liberation kit works wonders here.

Now I need to preface this review by saying I’ve heard conflicting reports about wether or not swapping out the back plate on your iPhone voids your warranty. Obviously you should swap back to the original rear panel if you ever need to take your iPhone back to Apple for service, but I’d caution anyone who’s overly worried or concerned to think twice before doing any mods, especially if AppleCare still has you covered.

Onward. The special deal I got included both the see-through backing for the iPhone (iPhone 4 GMS/AT&T in my case, though they provide versions to fit the Verizon iPhone and iPhone 4S as well), and well as regular and Apple’s own Pentalobular-style screw drivers. If iFixit doesn’t have the special package deal when you order, get the Liberation kit anyway. It’s well worth it, especially considering Pentalobe screws are pretty much impossible to remove without the proper tools.

Once unscrewed, the iPhone back plate is easy to remove

Since Pentalobe screws aren’t designed for repeated use, the first thing I did was replace them with the ones iFixit includes in the kit. Removing the screws with the proper screwdriver was simple and fairly easy. Once the screws are removed, the iPhone back plate just pops out of place. It is a little bit tricky to get the transparent rear replacement panel properly aligned, however, so you’ll want to practice a few times.

I did have some trouble getting the replacement screws to fit all the way back in. I did make sure to order the proper back plate for the AT&T/GSM iPhone 4, but the screws still stuck out a little. I could have received some ornery parts, and the feedback to iFixit is pretty positive so it doesn’t sound like a widespread problem, but it’s something to keep in mind. Worst case you swap the original panel and screws back in and contact iFixit for a replacement.

And once your transparent rear panel is installed, your iPhone will really stand out from the crowd

Once the clear back plate is in place it looks spectacular. You can see the inner workings of your iPhone just like you could the inner workings of the original iMac. In other words — awesome.

I didn’t leave it on long — I’m testing some other parts now as well — so I can’t comment on longterm durability yet, but with a process this simple, if you have any interest in modding at all, it’s certainly worth a try.

Super social and incredibly integrated IntelliscreenX takes on quick content and plug-in powerhouse LockInfo in a battle of the jailbreak notification apps

Jailbroken on iOS 5 and wondering whether you should get LockInfo or IntelliscreenX? While both are utilities that aim to give you more control over your iPhone notifications and lockscreen, they do have key differences. Which is better for you?

LockInfo for iOS 5

LockInfo by David Ashman has been a long time favorite of mine when it comes to enhancing lockscreen functionality and gaining more control over native notifications. It still lives up to its reputation under iOS 5. LockInfo is really aimed at folks who’d like to have more control of how notifications behave and how they’re presented. If you don’t want certain information in notification center, you can disable it but still view it on your lockscreen, and vice versa. You can completely customize what appears where and how.

LockInfo also has built-in support for several different messaging applications including BiteSMS, Quickreply for SMS, iRealSMS, and more. Regardless what messaging replacement app you choose, LockInfo probably has you covered.

When it comes to content, LockInfo adds a few nice features that aren’t given to you stock. One of my favorites is access to your favorite contacts directly from notification center and your lockscreen. Tapping a contact allows you to call, FaceTime, or message them. It’s a nice little feature that you wouldn’t think you needed but quickly realize you don’t want to go without.

LockInfo also works in conjunction with many plug-ins. Some are distributed by David Ashman himself while others were created by other 3rd party developers. Given the amount of time LockInfo has been around, there are tons of plug-ins and add-ons for it. Some of the most popular ones include ToDo by Appigo, Twitter, Weather, and RSS.

You’ll find a few built-in themes that you can switch between such as a classic iOS version, the classic LockInfo version, and a few more. Since LockInfo has been around for quite a while many developers have made themes for it as well. Some complete themes will even have a LockInfo theme attached. Yes, it’s that widely accepted in the jailbreak community.

IntelliscreenX for iOS 5

Intelliborn has been around for a long time and has created many apps within the jailbreak community, including the original version of Intelliscreen. While I always preferred LockInfo over the original version, IntelliscreenX has come a long way in terms of functionality. Anyone who is heavy into social media and has to have quick access to Facebook, Twitter, and RSS feeds will want to look no further than IntelliscreenX.

You can add all these widgets as separate pages and reply or post status updates directly from your notification center or lockscreen. The only down side I’ve seen to this is the accelerated battery drain.

Messages+ also comes built-in to IntelliscreenX as well. While I’ve been a huge fan of BiteSMS for a long time, Messages+ will definitely give Bite a run for its money. I love the tight integration with the default messaging app. There’s nothing to install and very little to configure. It just works how it’s supposed to and adds quick reply support.

Considering Messages+ is typically $7.99 on its own, you get a pretty good deal considering IntelliscreenX is $2 more. So if you’re not keen on paying for LockInfo and Bite or Messages+, IntelliscreenX may be a better value for many people.

LockInfo vs IntelliscreenX — which is better?

Both LockInfo and IntelliscreenX are highly competitive jailbreak apps and which is better can change every time one of them is updated. For now I think IntelliscreenX has an an edge over LockInfo. LockInfo is an amazing utility, but users who are heavily into social networking and Facebook will benefit more from IntelliscreenX and its tight integration with iOS 5.

If you are more concerned with having control over plug-ins and where content is presented, go with LockInfo. But for now, I’m giving my vote to IntelliscreenX.

While I may personally prefer IntelliscreenX, I know there are tons of you out there who probably disagree. Let us know what you use and why! Make sure you also check out all our jailbreak resources below for more reviews, guides, and tips!

• Jailbreak apps, hacks, and themes forum
• Jailbreak and unlock help forums
• Jailbreak guides, how-to’s and news

“Classic arcade fighting game SoulCalibur has hacked and slashed its way onto the iPhone, with all of the vibrant characters and flashy moves you remember, but there are still a few gaps to fill.”

SoulCalibur recently launched for both iPhone and iPad, calling upon many nostalgic gamers to dive back into the classic 3D fighting title. The screenshots show many of the characters players will readily recognize, like the gruff samurai, Mitsurugi, the eccentric and mysterious Voldo, and the enlightened Kilik. There are 10 characters available from the get-go, with another 9 available through unlocks. All of ‘em have alternative costumes too, for those that are sensitive to combat fashion.

There are a ton of game modes, like the classic arcade style, where you plow through challengers one-by-one until reaching the final boss, a time trial where you try to get through them all as quickly as possible, and survival mode, to see how long you can play before being defeated. Practice mode is an essential and welcome addition for those that want to learn every little nuance of their favourite characters. Namco Bandai promises that even more game modes are on the way.

Unfortunately, SoulCalibur’s asking price at launch was a little on the high end: $12, and that’s with a 20%-off launch discount. That’s a hard pill to swallow when the game doesn’t offer multiplayer support, and sound quality is a little on the sketchy side…

SoulCalibur for iPhone has the traditional look, but with multitouch controls superimposed on top of the screen.

For the most part, the gameplay is fantastic and classic. You have an overlay of a joystick, and the four standard buttons – vertical attack, horizontal attack, kick, and guard. Control options let you customize button placement and opacity, as well as add a multi-button of your choice. This is particularly important, since a lot of SoulCalibur moves require you to hit two buttons at once, which is only really possible otherwise if you lay your device flat on a surface, so you’re playing with your fingers instead of thumbs. The extra button is helpful in that regard, but since you can only add one, a character’s full arsenal won’t be available to you when thumbing it out.

SoulCalibur's animations have been faithfully, beautifully reproduced

The animation is altogether great, and having played SoulCalibur plenty on the Xbox 360, I can say that all of the moves and animations have been faithfully recreated. The models themselves can be a little jagged at times, but given the speed and complexity of many of the animations, I’m happy enough that everything runs smoothly. Although the menus are laid out clearly, I occasionally had issues getting presses to register. Bigger buttons for each option would be really helpful.

Menu options are clearly laid out, though tap targets are small and can be hard to hit.

The one downer for SoulCalibur on the iPhone was the audio. The music was tinny and MIDI-style, the announcer’s audio files seemed low-quality compared to everything else, and the character taunts before and after each round are still in Japanese (even though the announcer and UI is in English). These are all things that could be fixed in a future patch, though, so I’m holding out for Namco Bandai to update the game sooner rather than later.

The lack of multiplayer is a a bit of a kick in the teeth, seeing as my favourite part of SoulCalibur, and really any fighting game, is beating the snot out of your buddies. There is Game Center support though, so at least your high scores are posted where your friends can see them and feel inadequate.

SoulCalibur supports Game Center leaderboards, but NOT multiplayer.

While SoulCalibur has buckets of nostalgia going for it, $11.99 is a lot to ask. While you won’t have as easy of a time playing on your iPhone or iPad as you would with a real console controller, you learn quickly and before long you’ll find your ass-kicking stride. There are some significant feature gaps, namely multiplayer support, but if Namco Bandai follows up with significant patches, SoulCalibur may very well merit this hefty pricetag.

SoulCalibur
$11.99 Buy now		The Good Combat animations recreated faithfully Gameplay and controls familiar and responsive Plenty of characters to unlock Universal app, works on iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad The Bad Currently too expensive No multiplayer Voiceovers need improved quality and translation The Conclusion While SoulCalibur has buckets of nostalgia going for it, $11.99 is a lot to ask (and that’s the 20%-off release sale price). While you won’t have as easy of a time playing on your iPhone or iPad as you would with a real console controller, you learn quickly and before long you’ll find your ass-kicking stride. There are some significant feature gaps, namely multiplayer support, but if Namco Bandai follows up with significant patches, SoulCalibur may very well merit this hefty pricetag.

“The ability to use the Case-Mate Pop! Case for iPhone in both portrait and landscape modes, at multiple angles, and without worrying about it slipping is simply brilliant.”

The Case-Mate Pop! Cases with Stand for the iPhone 4S and iPhone 4 is exceptionally protective without being overly bulky. It’s one piece which means you don’t get multi-layer protection but it also means it’s easier to put on and take off. Available in an array of bright, bold colors including pink and white, purple and black, yellow and gray, dark and light turquoise, and black on black, it manages to strike a good balance between functionality and stylish good looks.

This Case-Mate case for iPhone isn't just about good looks, it has a little secret...

The Case-Mate Pop! Case with Stand for iPhone 4S and iPhone 4 shows a lot of nice attention to detail. The cutouts around the camera are big enough to ensure there’s no problem taking pictures, and no chance of flash-back glare. The mute button is easy enough to access and the volume and sleep/wake buttons are covered but pass-through pressure well enough. The dock cutout, however, while fine with most cables, might give you issues with the chunkier media and car adapters.

Most of the cutouts are wide and the material is soft and protective

Because the case comes up a bit above the front of the iPhone bezel, it also means you can place it face-down on a table and not worry about scratches. Textured sides add to the design but also make it easier to hold onto the Case-Mate Pop! Case.

The kickstand not only supports multiple angles and portrait display...

The kickstand is the big story here. Just as the name describes, the Case-Mate stand pops out from the lower bottom of the back plate, but unlike some others it works in both landscape and portrait more. You can choose two different angles and the slightly rubberized finish prevents it from sliding away and leaving your iPhone to tumble. Well done.

... But can also go landscape, and the rubberized edge stops it from slipping!

Note: Currently on sale in the iMore Canada Store for only Can$27.95!

“Pairing the latest in Apple iPhone hardware with a 1980s style telephone handset, iCooly certainly demands attention even if its form sometimes overwhelms its function.”

The iCooly PhoneStand is an iPhone dock/cradle with a twist — a retro-future look like something out of the 1980s… or a 60s world’s fair. Instead of a rotary dialer or touchtone keypad, it has a tacky surface on which you can place your iPhone, and the handset plugs right into your 3.5mm audio jack. And that’s only the beginning.

You don’t need leg-warmers or big hair to rock the iCooly PhoneStand, though they certainly wouldn’t hurt. This is one sleek plastic and shiny white and silver finished 80s flashback phone. But it works; once the spiral corded handset is plugged in you can answer calls with the tap of a button. (You can also activate Siri on an iPhone 4S or Voice Control on an iPhone 4 or iPhone 3GS with a longer press.)

Your iPhone sticks in place but remains totally accessible.

The nice thing about the old school handset design is that it was an absolute breeze to tuck between the side of your head and your shoulder, so you could keep your hands free to keep working, cooking, gaming… whatever you want to keep doing. The cord isn’t incredibly long, mind you, but it’s long enough to go from your desk, counter, or comfy chair. iCooly even maintains the distance allows for a 96% reduction in cellphone radiation.

Big handsets are easier to use hands-free. Go figure!

The build quality is great. The iCooly PhoneStand aluminum so it feels strong but not heavy. The sticky surface that holds your iPhone in place can be a bit annoying the first few times you use it, but since it doesn’t obstruct the touch screen or buttons, your iPhone remains fully usable even while docked. Likewise, the 30-pin connector is completely exposed so you can charge your iPhone while it’s in the cradle as well. The iCooly PhoneStand even includes a place to keep a pen (or capacitive stylus!)

Now, I’m not going to lie. The iCooly PhoneStand isn’t for everyone. It’s a conversation piece. It’s something to have fun with, especially if you enjoy that retro vibe. It’s probably not going to be the go-to cradle solution for everyone, and that’s okay. Those who do want it, however, will want it a lot.

Source: iMore store

The giveaway

Leave a comment below and you’ll be entered to win an iCooly PhoneStand for iPhone of you very own! Giveaway starts now and ends Sunday, January 29 at midnight, PT. Enter now!

“Stylish and artisanal, the Copper River Bag Co. Voyager messenger for iPad is for those who put a premium on rugged good looks and hand-crafted quality.”

The Copper River Bag Co. Voyager for iPad is a messenger-style bag made in the USA from full grained, oiled leather and is truly designed to last a lifetime. The look is something straight out of Joss Whedon’s Firefly, a mix of old world workmanship intended for the latest and greatest in Apple electronics. “Perfect imperfections” is their motto and you can see it reflected in every cut and stitch.

Rugged leather meets polished steel, what more could a Browncoat want?

This is the iPad bag for the person who has everything. Copper River Bag Co.’s Voyager messenger for iPad is one of the most beautiful leather bags I’ve seen, and it’s built as good as it looks. Seriously, it’s water resistant and they offer a 100 year warranty. That’s standing by your products. Heck, that’s standing on them and then dragging them behind a horse in a light drizzle! (Kidding, but you get the point.)

With a 100 year warranty, it's no wonder you can see the attention to detail in every cut and stich

What better place to keep your iPad than something as stylish, and frankly stunning, in such a complementary and almost contradictory way. The buckles and shoulder straps are strong and secure, with big buckles that can be adjusted to suit your height, whether you be on the shorter side like me or Amazonian like Ashley.

Inside the Copper River Voyager there's plenty of room for your iPad, iPhone, laptop, and more.

In addition to the interior iPad pocket, the Voyager has a larger pocket than can fit up to a 15-inch MacBook or similar sized laptop. It also has pockets for 2 pens, 2 cellphones, and an extra pocket for magazines (for when your electronics are banned during takeoff and landing). Copper River also offers a selection of other bags as well as full grain leather wallets for iPhone.

“If you like the Smart Cover but don’t like its propensity to fall off or the lack of protection it provides the back plate, you’ll love the Choiix Wake Up Folio for iPad 2.”

The Choiix Wake Up Folio for iPad 2 is just like Apple’s Smart Cover but includes a back plate to protect the aluminum backing of your iPhone. That extra back case also means it won’t fall off the way Apple’s Smart Cover often does. In fact, the iPad 2 snaps right in and fits snuggly and securely enough that you can lift it by the cover, something impossible with Apple’s original.

Unlike Smart Covers, you can dangle your iPad by the Choiix Wake Up Folio

Since the Choiix Wake Up Folio includes the back case along with the cover, it is heavier and bulkier than Apple’s Smart Cover, but there’s always a trade-off between profile and protection. Like Apple’s Smart Cover, magnets in the iPad 2 and in the case allow it to turn your iPad 2 on when you open the cover, and off when you close it again.

Open the Choiix Wake Up Folio and -- surprise! -- your iPad 2 wakes up!

Also like Apple’s Smart Cover, you can fold the Choiix Wake Up Folio’s cover up to work as a stand in either flat mode for typing or stand-up mode for watching videos and movies. It’s perhaps not quite as bendable as Apple’s, but it’s close enough not to matter. The cover is polyurethane with a soft, plush inside to protect against scratches. It comes in just about every color you’d expect — white, gray, blue, green, orange, pink, and black.

Folding the cover back into itself can give a subtle boost for typing or a major tilt for video viewing

Cutouts provide access to all the usual ports and while most won’t cause a problem, they are cut close enough that some of the chunkier media cables or automotive chargers might have a tough time squeezing in. There’s also a grid over the back speaker and while minor, the more sound sensitive among you might notice the difference.

Source: Cooler Master

The giveaway

Leave a comment below and you’ll be entered to win a Choiix Wake Up Folio of you very own!

“From kitchen to office to bedroom, the Spiderarm holds your iPad in almost any position, at almost any angle, making it the perfect companion for reading, watching, and working.”

The Spiderarm is an enormously cool articulated stand for the iPad. While it might look like something out of Terminator, this decidedly non-robotic stand is composed of several sections, combined together with a ball joints that is both easy to move and solid enough to stay in place.

The Spiderarm is ideal for everything from holding up your recipes to serving as teleprompter for video recording.

I love the spiderarm and use it all the time. I even use it to keep track of the chat room during our live podcast shows. You can vary the amount of sections you use to change the length of the Spriderarm. You can also choose between clamping it somewhere convenient but non-permanent, or screwing it into a wall for the long term.

The clamp is ideal for securing the Spiderarm to a desk, shelf, or other thin, flat surface

The ball joint connects to the frame that holds your iPad in place and offers pretty much 360 degrees of movement so not only can you get the arm itself positioned just the way you want, your can angle the iPad to avoid reflections and create the best reading or viewing angle possible. Just tighten the joint to hold it in place, loosen to get it moving again.

The well-constructed ball joint allows for a remarkable range of motion

The giveaway

Leave a comment below to enter to win a FREE Spiderarm of your very own!

That, above, is a Sprint iPhone 4S. Physically, it’s the exact same iPhone 4S you can get on Verizon. Or AT&T. Or Rogers, O2, KDDI, Vodacom, or any other carrier that sells the iPhone 4S anywhere in the world. Apple makes one iPhone 4S (okay, technically six, when you include the storage variations and colors). But this one runs on Sprint. There’s no user-facing software difference – it’s an iPhone 4S inside and out.

So here we are, three months after the biggest network load freight train in history smacked into Sprint’s network. CEO Dan Hesse was begging for it. Literally, he really wanted the iPhone. After the long-term sales disappointment that was the Palm Pre (rest in peace, shiny webOS pebble) and the failure of the Android-powered HTC Evo 4G to really take the market by storm, Sprint found themselves really needing the iPhone, and publicly proclaiming such.

With three months of more-and-more users switching to the iPhone on Sprint (including myself, I know at least seven webOS, BlackBerry, and Android users on Sprint that picked up a Sprint iPhone), it’s time to check in and see just how well the pin drop network is holding up. And the answer is… quite well.

Unlimited data and Apple’s no bloatware policy make for calm, clean experience.	Sprint’s network isn’t as fast as AT&T or as expansive as Verizon.
The iPhone 4S is the best smartphone on Sprint. The iPhone 4S on Sprint is for people who want to be on Sprint. And as I want to be on Sprint, it’s the iPhone for me.

I’ve been on Sprint since 2004, and in seven years I’ve owned five-and-a-half phones on America’s perpetually third-place cellular carrier. The last phone-and-a-half before the iPhone (a Palm Pre and a hacked-together Sprint Pre 2 (there’s the half phone)) were on Sprint’s EVDO Rev. A 3G network, the same network used by the iPhone 4S. And the experience has been largely the same as far as that network is concerned.

Coverage

The iPhone on Sprint does just as well as any other Sprint smartphone as far as coverage is concerned – I can’t say I’ve noticed it picking up a signal any better in fringe-coverage areas than my trust old Pre did, nor has it performed more poorly. Pretty much right on the mark wherever my Pre failed the iPhone fails as well. That said, those failures were pretty rare. Sprint’s done a commendable job of expanding its network footprint, and nine times out of ten, if Sprint isn’t available, you can roam onto Verizon 3G without hiccup. As a caveat: I live in Ohio, and the Midwest is “Sprint Country” – the Ohio/Indiana/Illinois/Michigan area is one of Sprint’s strongest (along with Sprint home state Kansas).

Sprint 3G coverage: Orange is good

Call quality

Call quality is adequate, in that callers will be able to understand what you’re saying and you’ll be able to understand them. It’s not for broadcasting concertos to a remote audience, and as CDMA calls are routed over Sprint’s 1xRTT (2G) network, it never will be.

International roaming

Well, there’s one hiccup – the Sprint iPhone is carrier-locked internationally. Sort of. You can purchase an expensive international data pack and Micro SIM through Sprint for your international travels, or if your Sprint customer service rep is feeling particularly nice, they can unlock the iPhone’s SIM slot so you can just buy a prepaid card for your trip overseas.

Data speed

Speed-wise, the iPhone does seem to manage the Sprint network better than my previous Sprint smartphones, albeit marginally so. Does the iPhone get a stronger signal than other Sprint smartphones or is it just better at optimizing what it pumps through the datapipes? Hard to say, but the user experience is that it does its thing faster. The speeds are roughly comparable to Verizon’s 3G service (though roaming onto Verizon isn’t that speedy). Download speeds over 3G rarely cracked over 1.5mpbs, which is right around average for a Sprint smartphone. Yes, that’s rather pathetic compared to the HSPA+ service available on GSM carriers, which itself performs as-well-as if not better than Sprint’s ill-fated WiMAX network. There’s a reason Sprint’s going full steam ahead with LTE.

Bloatware free

The Sprint iPhone doesn’t hold an edge over AT&T or Verizon when it comes to speed or network coverage, respectively, and thanks to Apple’s no bloatware policy, it doesn’t bring any of Sprint’s gratis services like Sprint TV, Sprint Navigation, Sprint Music, or Sprint Anything Else. That’s a good thing, in that the phone isn’t loaded down with unwanted and undeletable apps like so many Android devices, but it’s also a bad thing in that these apps are not available in the App Store either. Will Sprint make them available for Sprint iPhone users? Only time will tell, but it’s been three months already and they’re not there.

Unlimited data

Sprint has one signature advantage over AT&T and Verizon. It’s something that the other carriers, with all their coverage and speeds can’t match. Or rather, something they won’t match. It’s unlimited data. Not “unlimited but really 5GB”, not “unlimited but throttled.” Just plain unlimited. With your Sprint iPhone you can download as much as you want. Well, as long as you’re doing it on the phone – like the other carriers, tethering requires an addition; $30-a-month tethering/hotspot plan and is limited to 5GB in a month. To be honest, 99% of users would struggle to break 2GB of use in a month, let alone 5GB.

Sprint’s advertising for the iPhone has focused almost exclusively on this unlimited aspect, because really that and the plan pricing are Sprint’s only true selling points. Every carrier at this point offers some form of unlimited mobile-to-mobile calling (a feature first implemented by Sprint), and with the exception of business and grandparents, most of your calling is going to be done to landlines. So who is the Sprint iPhone for? Sprint and Sprint customers. Just as customers didn’t flee en masse to Verizon or AT&T for the iPhone, they aren’t going to switch to Sprint for the iPhone.

Should you buy your iPhone 4S on Sprint?

It all comes down to our perpetual advise for smartphone buyers: pick your carrier first. Coverage where you live/work/play and how much you’re willing to pay for that service, by far the most expensive part of purchasing a phone on contract, should be the first decisions you make. It doesn’t matter if the iPhone or whatever other phone you’re looking for isn’t on the best carrier for your situation if you can’t use it. With the iPhone now on Sprint, AT&T, and Verizon, that makes the decision even easier.

• With AT&T you get spotty but improving coverage but fantastic speeds so long as you stick close to urban centers.
• With Verizon you get a generally reliable network with fantastic coverage and so-so speeds that you’ll pay out the nose for and still have to deal with Big Red’s meddling ways.
• With Sprint you get good coverage, underdog status, so-so speeds, unlimited usage, and cheaper prices.

Conclusion

There you have it – the iPhone 4S on Sprint. Sprint’s smartphone selection hasn’t been great recently, with the Samsung Galaxy S II, Epic 4G Touch (yes, the name has a comma) serving as the closest competition to the iPhone 4S. We might be a bit biased here, but it’s safe to say the iPhone 4S is the best smartphone on Sprint. It’s certainly going to be a sales king for the Overland Park, Kanasa-based network. The iPhone 4S on Sprint is for people who want to be on Sprint. And as I want to be on Sprint, it’s the iPhone for me.

“This Incipio SILICRYLIC is ideal for anyone who wants good protection without excessive bulk, and the ability to quickly prop up their iPhone for easy video viewing.”

The Incipio SILICRYLIC case with integrated kickstand stands (literally!) somewhere between a feather case and a full-on armor case, providing twin layers of protection without being overly bulky about it. The two layers consist of a silky, silicone core that slips onto your iPhone 4S or iPhone 4 almost like a wetsuit. The acrylic shell clamps over, on top, to provide greater impact protection to the back and sides. It does take a little bit of wiggling to line everything up perfectly, however.

Included in the box is the dual-layered case and the vanity kit screen protector set.

A “Vanity Kit” comes standard with the Incipio SILICRYLIC, and I’m not even going to lie, it’s just the sort of extra I love to see. The kit includes a cleaning cloth, screen protector, and applicator card, so you can protect the one thing the case itself doesn’t cover, that big, beautiful, scratch-able glass display.

And here’s the part where I unbury the lede — it also has a kickstand. I’ve often said I wanted a kickstand on the iPhone — and been made fun of because of it! — but where Apple continues to ignore me, Incipio has listened. Just pop the kickstand open on the back of the SILICRYLIC and you can prop up your iPhone and get down to some serious video watching. The only downside, and it’s a big one, is that the kickstand only works in landscape mode. If you try to stand it up in portrait mode, unless you have Crique de Soleil level balancing skills, it’s going to fall over almost immediately. Hopefully Incipio will engineer a more flexible kickstand in the future, especially if the feature is important enough to be included in the product’s name.

Incipio SILICRYLIC with kickstand is perfect for video watching...

...provided you only want to watch the Incipio SILICRYLIC in landscape mode!

“Mujjo capacitive touchscreen gloves are amust-have for any serious iPhone or iPad user caught in a cold, wintery climate.”

Why have I instantly fallen in love with Mujjo’s capacitive touchscreen gloves for iPhone, iPod touch and iPad? It’s simple, really. I live in Canada where it’s routinely been -20 celsius for the last couple of weeks — so cold that when you go outside your face freezes and the last thing you want to do is pull off your nice warm gloves just to use your iPhone while out and about. You’d rather miss a call, wait to answer a text, or forget about looking something up on the web than risk the frostbite inducing winds and bone chilling snow. But with Mujjo, I don’t have to give up my multitouch just to stay warm — thanks to the capacitive carry-through, I can slide to unlock and tap away all from within the comfort of my gloves.

Unlike some iPhone-friendly gloves, Mujjo doesn’t just weave capacitive thread into the thumb and forefinger, but they’re made of high-quality silver-coated nylon fibers knitted into the fabric of the glove. The entire gloves! You can tap away with any finger you like. You can tap away with your knuckles, palm, ridge of your hand — literally any part of the glove. That makes it so much easier to use in the cold weather and is a huge advantage over other gloves. The only downside is that they made two-sizes fits all, and I have fairly small hands so even the smaller size is a little loose on me, and I need to push a little harder to make the capacitive connection than I expect someone with larger hands might.

Wearing the Mujjo, I could do everything I needed to do with my iPhone, including making and answering phone calls, texting, and surfing the web at about 80% of my normal speed.

The giveaway

Leave a comment below to enter to win one of 10 free pairs of Mujjo capacitive touchscreen gloves for iPhone and iPad!

The Woogie by Griffin is a soft, plush, huggable, toy that doubles as an iPhone or iPod touch case. It’s meant for children, to give them something to hold up their iPod touch for easy game playing or video watching, or to protect your iPhone if you’re letting them use it.

With big round body and five legs, the Woogie is easy to position whether it’s on the floor, a table, in a car, or on a lap. It comes in either pink or blue and the big round body is soft and fuzzy/furry to the touch. Even on its own could be a fun toy for a young child but what makes it even better is the clear, capacitive window in the front that holds an iPod touch or iPhone. Kids can cuddle the toy and play with the device right through the window, and if they drop it or knock it or kick it, the plushie offers a lot of protection.

The good

• Soft, cute, and cuddly
• Weighted feet so stays in place
• Makes an iPhone or iPod touch harder to lose
• Hold up to the bumps and drops kids are likely to put it through.

The bad

• Larger to pack and carry than a regular case
• Would be nice to have strap/backpack option
• Don’t feed it after midnight.

The conclusion

The Woogie is great for young children, wether around the house or to take on a trip. It’s huggable, luggable, and colorful for them, and easy to find and safer to keep an iPhone or iPod touch in for you. That’s a really smart combination.

The giveaway

Leave a comment below telling us why you’d like a Woogie of you very own. Only one comment per person, please! Make sure you leave a real email address. We won’t share it but we’ll need it to contact you if you win! Contest starts now and ends Friday, January 13 at 12pm PT. Now hurry up and enter!

Source: Griffin

The Case-Mate Barely There Brushed Aluminum case for iPhone 4S and iPhone 4 adds some color, some texture, and some design tweaks to make one of the hottest cases of last year just that much hotter!

• Available at store.tipb.com for U.S shoppers
• Available at bluestore.ca for Canadian shoppers

Design wise, the Case-Mate Barely There Brushed Aluminum case is just as the name describes — barely there. It’s about as close a fit and slim a case as the materials and laws of physics allow. The new colors, silver, black, pink, red, and gold are really nice looking, and as always all the ports and buttons are cut extra wide so you don’t have to worry about your 3.5mm headset jack or dock connector fitting. I tried it on both a black and a white iPhone, both the iPhone 4 and the iPhone 4S, and it looked absolutely amazing on both.

Now because the Case-Mate Barely There Brushed Aluminum is such a slim and fitting case, and while they say it’s impact resistant — and show a picture of a hammer hitting it to drive the point home! — you’re not getting the same level of protection as you would from a bigger, bulkier case. It will, however, stop any scratches, bumps, and light impact along the back and sides. It also doesn’t protect the front, and there’s no screen protector included, so if that’s a concern you’ll need to pick up a BodyGuardz, InvisibleShield, or similar product separately.

Also, you need to know what you’re doing to remove it, especially if you’re a girl and don’t want to break a nail. I flipped it over and peeled the volume-control side off first, the popped my iPhone out. It took some practice to get good at, but if you plan on putting it on and leaving it on, you won’t need to worry about it much.

Overall I really like the look and feel of the Case-Mate Barely There Brushed Aluminum case for iPhone 4S and iPhone 4. I’ve always been a fan of Case-Mate’s Barely There line, and their metallic finishes, and this one is no exception. If you’re looking for something that’s stylish and sophisticated, give the Case-Mate a try.

• Available at store.tipb.com for U.S shoppers
• Available at bluestore.ca for Canadian shoppers

Giveaway

Would you like to win a Case-Mate Barely There Brushed Aluminum case for iPhone 4S and iPhone 4 of your very own? Wait, why am I even asking? Of course you would! Just leave a comment below telling us why this would be the perfect case for you. We’ll pick a winner, and you’ll get a case!

Giveaway starts now and ends December 29, 2011 at 9pm PT. So what are you waiting for? Enter now!!

Ally’s new series of weekly iPhone and iPad mods and repairs inspired me to try and see how well a total beginner like myself could tackle her projects. So, playing n00b to her ninja, the first thing I thought I’d try was a simple backplate swap.

And the folks at unyousual.net were kind of enough to supply me with a custom backplate to get me going. I picked the classic 6-colors Apple logo on a nice, dark wood textured background, uploaded it to their site, submitted it, then waited by the mailbox for it to arrive.

Swapping out the backplate was a little nerve-wracking, I’m not even going to lie. My iPhone 4 is out of warranty, so that wasn’t a concern. Seeing everything open, with the battery and components exposed, took a few deep breaths to get used to.

unyousual.net provided both types of screwdrivers, both regular and pentalobe, and they were magnetized so I didn’t have to worry about losing the screws — at least as much as I might have otherwise. Once the screws were out, swapping the backplate was quick and easy. Slide the original one out, slide the new one in, refasten the screws.

The results were super sweet too. The new custom backplate looks stunning — so stunning I had to immediately protect it from those around me who tried to make off with it!

If you’re at all interested in mods for your iPhone, a backplate swap is a really nice, simple way to get started. Just pick up your own custom kit from unyousual.net and give it a try!

Giveaway

The awesome team over at unyousual.net are giving our equally awesome readers a chance to win one of five (5!) free custom iPhone backplates! Here’s what you need to do to enter:

1. Go to unyousual.net and upload the custom picture you want to use.
2. Take a screen capture or picture of your custom backplate and
3. Post the screenshot in the official contest thread
4. We’ll pick 5 (five!) of you and unyousual.net will send you your backplate!

What are you waiting for? Enter now!

• Official custom iPhone backplate mod giveaway entry thread

The iPhone 4S has been on the market for two months now so it’s time for us — your TiPb and Mobile Nations editors, writers, and podcasters — to take a second look at it. Has it lived up to our expectations? Has our appreciation for the iPhone 4S grown deeper with time, or is the honeymoon over and the initial sheen long since worn off? Apple typically only releases one new iPhone a year, so how it holds up over time — especially when competing devices seem to drop daily by the dozen — is an especially important consideration.

If you’re still the considering the iPhone 4S, if you’re still on the fence, check out the material below and then read on for our re-review, 2 months later.

• iPhone 4S review
• iPhone 4S buyers guide
• iPhone 4S forum
• Top 10 iPhone 4S tips and tricks
• Top 10 iPhone 4S apps
• iPhone 4S accessories at the TiPb store
• iPhone 4S accessories at Amazon.com

Seth Clifford

It’s been two months since the iPhone 4S launched, and after using it consistently for that time, a few thoughts have materialized for me. Some of the more straightforward ones revolve around the quantifiable changes in the device and software itself. It’s faster, more responsive, the camera shutter is vastly improved – things of that nature. But the thing I didn’t realize until I actually lived with the device was how transformative something like Siri could be.

We all know other phones have (and had) voice controls long before the iPhone did, and it needs no repeating. But the defining factor lies in the experience Siri brings to the everyday use of the device. It possesses a personality, and an instant rapport with the user that no other phone can lay claim to, and its usefulness quickly went from a novelty “let’s see what she says when I say this” to indispensability. More importantly, this is only the beginning. As we see development grow, and services added, Siri will become even more useful and rewarding. Even now, I sometimes forget that it’s there, and rediscover little ways to make my day and my interactions with the device easier and more pleasurable.

And if that isn’t Apple’s mission in sheer user terms, I don’t know what is.

Alli Flowers

Unlike most of the others, I have not had my 4S since launch day. I decided to wait until I was eligible for an upgrade and save the money to use on accessories.

When the 4S was announced, I could not find a compelling reason to upgrade. Siri holds no particular interest to me, and at some point you are not going to notice a difference in speed if games are not your life.

I finally decided to do the upgrade based on the camera improvements. The move from 5 to 8 megapixels is not huge. (I’ve long maintained that unless you are enlarging or doing photo editing most people don’t need more than 3 megapixels.) However, the improvements in the lens and the addition of the 5 element design sounded too good to pass up. I use my iPhone camera for everything, and I really wanted to be able to stop carrying a camera unless I was attending a truly special event where I would need additional lenses. (You know, like going to see the Saints wallop the Jaguars.)

I’m very happy with the camera improvements. I have discovered that when I’m at home, I like being able to dictate my text messages – and they’re frequently correct, requiring little editing. As for speed, I don’t notice a difference coming from my iPhone 4 based on my frequently used applications. And Siri? I’m waiting for the novelty to wear off. If I want to make a calendar change or add a reminder, I don’t want to compete with people asking Siri what color her underwear are.

Ally Kazmucha

After using my iPhone 4S for some time now, I can honestly say I’m happy with my purchase. While the upgrade was probably more justifiable for 3GS or 3G users, I had some reservations about it really being a worthy upgrade from the iPhone 4. At the end of the day there aren’t a ton of feature changes and next to no design changes. The two features that really blow me away on a daily basis that make the upgrade worth it to me are Siri and the camera.

Siri has kept me a LOT more organized. I hate adding calendar events and reminders by hand. I love being able to tell Siri to remind me to do something at a certain time. I’ve also become a lot more efficient with utilizing my calendar. I don’t forget to schedule things anymore or to move them around. I just tell Siri to do it. Not to mention she keeps me pretty entertained during down time.

The photos that the iPhone 4S take are nothing short of amazing, considering we are talking about a camera phone here. Will the camera replace a DSLR for many people? No. But I don’t feel the need to take a second camera to family events or other functions anymore. I feel safe relying on my iPhone 4S to get the job done well. The camera is not only much better than the iPhone 4 camera but it responds quicker. The phone as a whole responds quicker than my iPhone 4 ever did. Everything from rebooting to opening and closing apps is quicker.

I was skeptical at first but I have to say I’m happy with my purchase.

Chris Oldroyd

Agh, I really don’t want to sound like a hater but I am going to tell it how it is. Two months after buying the iPhone 4S all I feel is disappointed. Siri doesn’t work very well at all for me in the UK. I would say on average it works less than 50% of the time for me and about 10% for my wife. With those sort of results, Siri is unusable for me.

The camera is the only part of the iPhone 4S that has been worth the upgrade. It takes great pictures and pretty good HD video too. The processor speed bump is nice too but I could happily live without it.

To sum it up, I sold my iPhone 4 before the iPhone 4S was announced. Because of that I had no choice but to upgrade. If I hadn’t sold it, I would still be more than happy with an iPhone 4. In my opinion the iPhones 4S is a great upgrade for those with a 3GS or earlier iPhone, but just not worth it for those already with an iPhone 4!

Leanna Lofte

Has it really only been 2 months since the release of the iPhone 4S? I feel like I’ve had this phone forever, and that’s a good thing. Its like a best friend – I can’t imagine life without it.

When all we had was rumors of Siri, I thought it was lame and couldn’t imagine myself using it. Now, it’s something I rely on. I use Siri to set my coffee timer in the morning and to remind me to do all sorts of things at certain times or specific places. I use Siri to write emails and send text messages during my commute, and I use Siri to make phone calls. When bored, I even use Siri as entertainment. The cool part? This is only the beginning of Siri.

Then there’s the photography of the iPhone 4S. I never in a million years thought I’d be getting photos this good from a cell phone.

I just wish Steve had lived long enough to see how much people have grown to love this phone – the most amazing iPhone, yet.

Matt Miller

It has been a couple of years since I owned an iPhone, but when the iPhone 4S was released I was looking for a new phone on Verizon and also felt it was appropriate to use the purchase as a symbolic gesture of thanks to Steve Jobs for his innovation with Apple products. I have been using it with my unlimited data plan every day since then and other than the rather disappointing battery life I am extremely pleased with the latest iPhone. Much of my pleasure comes from the outstanding camera, helpful Siri assistant, and amazing developers that create apps for just about everything you can think of.

Before the iPhone 4S was announced I swore I wasn’t going to buy a new iPhone unless the display was larger. Honestly though, I don’t feel too cramped by the 3.5 inch size and find the pocketability more than makes up for the display size. I love that Flipboard is now on the iPhone, along with cool new Evernote apps, Spotify, WordsByPost, Starbucks card, Jawbone UP, YouVersion Bible, Facebook, Twitter, and so many other apps and services that enhance my life. I don’t see this iPhone 4S going anywhere soon and imagine my next Verizon phone will be a newer version of the iPhone.

Mickey Papillon

As The self proclaimed Cell Phone Junkie, I find myself regularly purchasing and reviewing phones from various manufacturers running every OS out there. Though, when it comes to my day in and day out personal device, I’ve been consistently using the iPhone since 3G model in the winter of 2008. With each iteration of the device, I’ve either lined up at the Apple store to pick one up on launch day, or with the 4 and 4S, ordered them so I had them the day they came out. The 4S was a difficult choice for me, as I was very happy with my 4, but wanted that extras the 4S had to offer. Fortunately, i had a line upgrade available, so I was able to choose the 16GB Black version with only $200 out of pocket. Further, I sold my 4 to a family member for $300, making the decision a no brainer.

Two months later, I’m happy to report that the 4S is the best iPhone I’ve ever used. With the upgraded camera (used constantly for taking shots of my now 10 week old son), to the antenna enhancements (no more network pause button!), to the iPad 2 like speed, to the phenomenal iOS5 interface. The device has it all, and I couldn’t be happier. Sure, I’l still find myself picking up the latest devices on the other platforms, but when it comes down to it, I know the integrated ecosystem Apple has built, along with the simple and reliable nature of the iOS will keep me coming back.

Chris Vitek

Two months ago I opened my wonderful little box of white goodness, the iPhone 4S (first time I have gotten one in white). After two months of playing..er…using it, I have to say I am generally pleased with the new features (both iPhone features and iOS 5 features).

I like the new message system, although it took me a while to tweak the notifications to my preferences (I remember for a while that I would get inundated with messages every time I unlocked the phone). Siri has been surprisingly useful, both for hands free calling and texting, but I also find that I have been using it much more than I have ever used any reminder app. I never minded the fact that it was the same form factor – since I got a white one, it is like a new design me for me.

I got the 64GB version (which was a nice boost) and I have been pleased with the nice little boost in storage capacity (previously I was always very close to using my full 32GB). I don’t have multiple phone models sitting around, so I can’t really compare it to any new released from Android and Blackberry, but I have compared it to my wife’s iPhone 4. While I don’t notice a HUGE bump in speed or processing, there is a noticeable difference that makes everything more snappy and responsive. Overall, the phone has been a nice upgrade to the iPhone 4, even really the only new feature is Siri.

Rene Ritchie

Two months in and the iPhone 4S remains a no-brainer upgrade from a feature phone, older smartphone, iPhone 3G or iPhone 3GS, but one that requires some careful consideration for iPhone 4 owners.

Here’s mine.

The iPhone 4 was one of the best pieces of industrial design ever to grace consumer electronics and it still looks every bit as good on the iPhone 4S, even these many months later. But it’s what’s different that matters to me most.

Where my iPhone 4 would often lose signal at my mother’s house, the iPhone 4S has never faltered. The new, intelligently switching antenna array is rock solid. Where the iPhone 4 would flow smoothly for the most part, the iPhone 4S positively flies. The Apple A5 chipset is a monster. When the iPhone 4 would take good pictures for a phone, the iPhone 4S camera takes good pictures period. The glass behind that 8mp, 1080p camera is fantastic.

And then there’s Siri. I use it every day. It makes creating reminders — which is a chore in the app itself — ridiculously easy. It makes writing everything from texts to decent sized emails easy to do even while driving, cooking, or otherwise in a situation difficult or impossible to type. It’s not perfect, it’s still in beta, but it makes a hundred small tasks which previously caused friction almost delightful to get done.

Two months later and I consider the iPhone 4S, for me, an incredibly worthwhile upgrade.

And you?

Well TiPb Nation, you’ve read what we’ve had to say, now we want to read your opinions. If you’ve had an iPhone 4S since launch, or just since last week, how’s it holding up for you? What did you upgrade from and how worthwhile was the upgrade? What has amazed you and what has let you down? Give us your review, 2 month later!

The Qmadix Dual Mobile Charging Kit for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch lets you charge two iOS devices — even the power-hungry iPad! — at the same time. If you’re going on a long family trip, or even an extended drive for the holidays, this can make all the difference between peacefully playing children and happily tapping significant others, and the agony and pain of bored passengers with dead devices turning their angry gazes in your direction.

The Qmadix includes the twin-charging USB hub made out of “rugged” (rugged they say!) polycarbonate, advanced circuitry to prevent overheating/overcharging, and 10W (2.1 amps) of charging power. There’s also a 4-foot USB dock cable included for good measure.

There’s really not much more to say — the Qmadix performs as advertised and if you’re planning to be in the car with more than one iOS device for more than a couple of hours, you owe it to your collective family’s sanity to pack a couple of these babies with you!

• Get the Qmadix Dual Mobile Charging Kit for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch from the TiPb Store

Giveaway

Want to win a Qmadix Dual Mobile Charging Kit for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch of your very own? Just leave a comment letting us know how this little beauty might save your car trip this holiday season, and we’ll pick one of you to win!

Ready… set… post!

The For iPhone Lens for the iPhone 4S and the iPhone 4 comes with a tripod, a holder, a case, and large zoom lens that can take your photos all up close and personal.

Assembly is easy and the results are good. It’s not priced in the thousands like Nikon or Canon lenses, so set your expectations according, but it does exactly what it claims — adds an 8x optical zoom to your iPhone photography.

I tried it out on both an iPhone 4 and and iPhone 4S. Both take good photos and the iPhone 4S takes great photos for a phone, but the built in digital zoom is… really not great. So, my primary concern here was for something affordable that handled optical zoom but otherwise got out of the way and let the iPhone camera do the heavy lifting. And that’s what I got.

If you don’t want to lug around a DSLR or even a pocket camera, but still want something to help you take pictures of your kids soccer game, your favorite band in concert, your special someone accepting an award, wild life on your nature walk, or anything else you need to get a closer look at but just can’t get closer to, the For iPhone Lens is definitely something to consider.

Source: Photojojo

Phil Nickinson from Android Central has put the iPhone 4S vs. Galaxy Nexus head-to-head in an epic comparison, complete with videos, pictures, uncanny insight, and everything else you’d expect from a Mobile Nations showdown.

The bottom line seems to be, if you want a bigger screen (4.65 inches), a removable battery, NFC, an LTE option (if Verizon actually releases the darn thing before iPhone 5 gets announced next year!), and a more customizable, Google-centric system, go with the Samsung Galaxy Nexus.

If you want a smaller screen (3.5-inches), a better camera (huge 8mp, photon-friendly sensor), the Siri virtual assistant, the still overall better quality App Store apps and more robust iPhone accessory ecosystem, and the more user-friendly, Apple and iTunes-centric system, go with iPhone 4S.

If you’re simply stunned and amazed that we have two such incredible devices on the market these days, with more on the way, then join the club. For more:

• Full Galaxy Nexus review
• Full iPhone 4S review

Source: Android Central

The Choiix Wave Stand for iPad is an aluminum holder that will work for any tablet. It’s beautiful looking — almost Apple-esque — well-made, sturdy, and inexpensive, what’s not to love?

The Wave Stand has lots of nice touches like rubberized feet to keep it in place even when you’re tapping, typing and prodding at your iPad. The back of the stand is also rubberized and grooved to keep your iPad from slipping down or out. You can easily adjust angles and because it’s strong, it stays right where you want it. You can use it with your iPad in either portrait or landscape mode, though in landscape mode pushing the iPad home button does make it wiggle a bit. (You can use your iOS 5 multitasking gestures to get around that.)

I’ve been using it all the time and I find it absolutely amazing. I use it at the table so I can browse the web while eating, on the counter while cooking, and on the desk while typing.

Best of all, Choiix is going to give one away to a lucky TiPb reader, so if you want in all you have to do is leave a comment below telling me how you would use the Wave Stand.

Source: Choiix

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.

Source: DracoDesign USA

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.

• Full iPad 2 review | buy the iPad 2 now
• Full Kindle Fire coverage | buy the Kindle Fire now
• Full iPod touch review and iOS 5 update review | buy the iPod touch now

Location

The first and easiest filter is simple geography. If you live outside the U.S., Amazon has such limited content support that it might as well be non-existant. Apple by contrast has good support for apps and increasing support for music, movies, and more around the world.

• Kindle is U.S.-centric
• iPad and iPod touch have better international support

Cost

iPad is literally twice the price of the Kindle Fire and while an argument can be made that the iPad is by far a better value, if you only have $200 in your budget, you’re better off considering the Kindle Fire or the much smaller iPod touch.

• iPad starts at $499
• Kindle Fire is $199
• iPod touch starts at $199

Mobility

iPad has a 9.7-inch screen. Kindle Fire has a 7-inch screen. iPod touch has a 3.5-inch screen. The iPad is good for running more expansive apps and immersive content, the iPod touch for more on-the-go, interstitial use. The Amazon Fire is a great compromise between the two size.

• iPad is large and heavy, portable but not mobile, requires a travel bag
• Kindle Fire is medium sized, can fit in most large pockets
• iPod touch is small and ultra-mobile, easy to carry anywhere

Connectivity

If you need to access the internet away from your home, work, school, or other Wi-Fi hotspot, currently only the iPad has a 3G option. If you don’t have easy access to a Mi-Fi or tethering, Kindle Fire and iPod touch go offline.

• iPad has 3G option
• Kindle Fire and iPod touch are Wi-Fi only

Hardware

The iPad has amazing fit and finish and is absolutely best in class in most areas, with the notable exception of the rather pathetic front and rear cameras. The iPod touch is similar, though has a lower screen technology (no inter-plane switching) to keep costs down as well. The Amazon Kindle Fire uses the BlackBerry Playbook chassis which is great but not Apple great.

• iPad is high-quality glass and aluminum with excellent display
• Kindle fire is good quality, re-purposed plastic with good display
• iPod touch is high-quality glass and aluminum with okay display

Software

Apple built the iPad and the iPod touch to fully take advantage of their iOS operating system, including all the great features like FaceTime for free video calls, tons of great built-in apps, and Safari, the best mobile browser in the business. Amazon has built a special version of Google’s Android Gingerbread OS specifically tied to the Amazon store and to best show off Amazon store content. Because it’s a “fork” of Android, it doesn’t get Google’s apps like Gmail, Navigation, or Market.

• iPad and iPod touch run full version of iOS for multi-function usage
• Kindle Fire runs special Amazon fork of Android optimized for buying and consuming Amazon content

Support

Apple has retail stores throughout the U.S. and in many cities around the world. In addition to their online and phone support, the ability to walk into an Apple Store and take a free class on how to setup and use your device, or get a Genius Bar appointment to fix it, can be invaluable. Amazon is the world’s largest online retailer with a stellar reputation for online support.

• iPad and iPod touch have not only online and phone support, but Apple Retail and Genius in-person support.
• Amazon Kindle Fire has online support.

Apps and games

Apple still has the most apps in mobile, including over 100,000 specifically built to take advantage of the larger iPad screen and over a half-a-million for iPod touch. If games are a consideration, the App Store typically gets them first and with the best, most fluid graphics. Amazon has built their own version of the Android market with less content but arguably better curation than Google’s.

You can also get a Kindle and other Amazon apps — and Google apps — for iPad and iPod touch, but you can’t get Apple apps — or Google apps — for the Kindle Fire.

• iPad has access to purpose-built large-screen iPad apps as well as iPhone/iPod touch App Store apps
• Kindle Fire has access to Amazon appstore approved Android apps
• iPod touch has access to most iPhone App Store apps

Accessories

Both the iPad and iPod touch have been on the market for years and have tons of great cases and other accessories available. Also, Apple allows accessories to connect via dock port, Bluetooth or AirPlay, meaning you can connect your iPad or iPod touch to a wide arrange of gear and gadgets, everything from cars to cameras to Apple TV, to special-purpose scientific instruments. Amazon Kindle Fire is just hitting the market so it will take a while for a lot of accessories to come out.

• iPad and iPod touch have huge variety of accessories available
• Amazon Kindle will take a while to ramp up accessories

Future-proofing

There will likely be an iPad 3 sometime next spring, potentially with a double-density display and other hardware improvements. There was no new iPod touch this year but there might be one next fall. Both, however, are mature, well supported products and if you want either now, you’ll get a great device now. The Amazon Kindle Fire is a brand new device and inarguably an immature one at this point. Amazon will no doubt introduce a new, hopefully much better, hopefully much more internationally supported, Kindle Fire sometime next year. If you’re not dying for one now, you might be better off waiting.

• New iPad 3 likely in spring, but iPad 2 is solid now
• New Kindle Fire sometime next year, current Kindle Fire immature
• New iPod touch likely next fall, but current iPod touch is good now

Bottom line

While this is an iPad and iPod touch blog, and we’re no doubt biased, the Amazon Kindle Fire is so new, so U.S.-centric, and so obviously intended to be little more than a front end to the Amazon Store that it’s tough to recommend. Future versions could be outstanding, but right now you have to really not want an iPad or iPod touch, and really want an Amazon tablet to get the Kindle Fire.

• The iPad is best if the big size is a plus and not a minus for you, if you want the most apps optimized for the most screen real-estate, if you want 3G connectivity, and something that can better replace a laptop or netbook for light computing work.

• The Kindle Fire is best if you live in the U.S. and are a heavy user of the Amazon Store, if you want something smaller, lighter, and cheaper than an iPad but bigger than the iPod touch, and if media focus and pocket-ability is more important than flexibility for your needs.

• The iPod touch is best if you want the smallest, lightest, cheapest, most mobile solution possible, if you want the most app and accessory choice available, if you want something that’s as close to a phone-style experience that possible without being a phone.

Addenda: Other tablets

We didn’t include other Android tablets here because they’re simply not a mainstream alternative at this point, but if you’re a hardcore Android enthusiast head on over to Android Central for a ton of coverage and help choosing between the myriad brands, sizes, and implementations, including the Barnes and Nobles Nook Tablet, which may be something to consider if you’re leaning towards the Kindle Fire.

If you’re a diehard BlackBerry enthusiast, check out CrackBerry.com for all the PlayBook info, and if you’re lucky enough to find a webOS TouchPad still on the market, PreCentral.net has you covered.

If you’re the type of person that doesn’t like to put a physical case on their iPhone 4 or iPhone 4S, the Golla line of pouches may be more up your alley. While you aren’t using your iPhone they’ll do a great job of protecting it as well as giving you a bit of storage space for things such as credit cards or an ID.

I took a look at two different kind of Golla pouches – the Golla Jacinda Smart Bag and the Golla Bay Pouch. The main difference I noticed between the two were the material type. The Bay Pouch had more of a corduroy feel to it while the Jacinda pouch was more of a mesh on the inside.

Both cases fit the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S extremely nicely. I felt like the fit wasn’t loose enough that my iPhone would fall out but it wasn’t tight to where it was a pain taking it in and out each time. I also liked the ability to keep my credit card, bank card, and ID in the front slot.

I hate carrying a purse so anytime I can get away with not having one, I do. This case made that possible. I found myself frequently using the carabiner to attach my phone to my belt loop or laptop bag. I thought this was extremely convenient. I never really found a use for the lanyard.

Pros

• Very nice fit with both the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S
• I felt as if it honestly did protect the phone in most instances
• Great for anyone who wants to carry their device naked or with just a body shield
• Extra room for credit cards built into the case
• The included carabiner makes it super easy to clip the case onto virtually any bag or pair of pants
• A wide variety of colors, patterns, & styles to choose from

Cons

• Doesn’t play nice with form fitting cases which will make the phone too thick to fit. Certain thinner cases seemed to work but thicker ones won’t.
• Doesn’t provide protection while you are actually using the device
• You will have to take the device out or put it in bottom up when you need to charge your iPhone

Conclusion

I’d recommend this case for anyone that typically prefers keeping their iPhone naked. If you use an actual form fitting case on your iPhone you’ll most likely have to remove it in order for it to fit inside a Golla bag. This would probably go along nicely for those that use products like Wrapsol or InvisibleShield.

The Golla Bay Pouch and the Golla Jacinda Smart Bag are both available in the TiPb accessory store.

Giveaway

We’re giving away a couple (2) of Golla bags! Just head on over to the TiPb iPhone accessory store Golla bag page, pick the one you like best, and paste the URL into a comment below along with the reason you like it. If we pick you, we’ll send it to you! (U.S. shipping address required!)

Ready… set… go!

Here it is, the Native Union Moshi Moshi Retro POP Handset for iPhone! In case it isn’t completely obvious by the video up top or the picture below, the POP is a really cool, really retro receiver that plugs right into the iPhone’s — or any device’s — 3.5 mm headphone jack.

You can not only take and make calls with them at the press of a button, but you can activate Siri and VoiceControl as well, and even listen to music, all while tucking Ma Bell’s classic phone easily under your chin and against your ear. While black has that Matrix-chic about it, the Native Union Moshi Moshi Retro POP Handset for iPhone comes in a ton of of colors, even camo, so you can find just the perfect one for you.

Sure, walking around with a giant receiver on your hip like you’re a gunslinger from the age of telephone’s past might seem a little out of the ordinary, but when has ordinary ever been fun?

I absolutely love the Native Union Moshi Moshi Retro POP Handset for iPhone, and they were kind enough to send over a couple for me to try out, I want to share that love with a giveaway! If you want a POP Phone for iPhone of your very own, just leave a comment below telling me what you like about them. If you get picked, I’ll box up one of the review units and send it your way (it’s still in perfect condition).

So what are you waiting for? Leave a comment already before Agent Smith swings that truck around again!

• Get a Native Union Moshi Moshi Retro POP Handset for iPhone from Amazon.com now!

If you’re looking for a stylish pair of headphones without a hefty price tag – the RF3 LIVE natural wood stereo earphones may be worth taking a second look at. Everything from the design of the actual earbuds down to the elegant packaging makes these headphones stand out from a lot of others in the same price range. But what about the most important feature of a good pair of headphones? Sound quality. Follow along to see how we felt they performed.

When it came to sound quality I thought the RF3 headphones held up extremely well for the price. The headphones themselves are noise isolating and come with a few different sets of tips for a better fit. They were rather comfortable to wear but I wouldn’t suggest them as the best option for athletes or runners as I had them fall out of my ears a few times.

The 3.5MM headphone jack has a longer adapter which also allowed me to use them with virtually any case. One quirk I’ve never really gotten over with my Bose headphones is that the jack is shorter and some cases including bumpers don’t like to play nice with them. That isn’t the case here.

The headphones also have a built-in mic that you can interact with just like you can default Apple earbuds. This means iPhone 4S users can easily interact with Siri quickly and easily. I tested the mic on several occasions and had no issues with Siri picking up on what I was saying even in a semi-noisy environment.

As far as the acoustics and sound while listening to music, I thought they held their own against many other headphones in the same price range. They even performed better than some more expensive headphones I’ve used in the past. The only issue I did see was when it came to bass levels. I felt that they were rather shallow. Even with my iPod settings set to enhance the bass they didn’t seem to perform near as well as my Bose MIE2i headphones. That is not as fair of a comparison though since they are nowhere near the same price range.

Overall, I’d say they perform well for the price if you want a decent pair of headphones that stand out from the rest without breaking the bank. You can find the RF3 LIVE natural wood headphones in the TiPb accessory store for $34.95.

Pros

• Great price for a quality product
• A variety of ear tip pieces included
• Built-in mic works exceptionally well
• Noise cancellation works just as good as most expensive noise isolating headphones
• The sound doesn’t distort when at a high level like some lower priced ear buds
• The headphone jack seems to fit well with almost every case I have, bulky or not

Cons

• Not great for runners and athletes as the headphones don’t offer a very firm and secure fit (or I just have little ears)
• The bass levels seem to be rather shallow compared to other ear buds

Giveaway

Just leave a comment below telling us what you’d listen to if you were given a set of RF3 LIVE Natural Wood Stereo Earphones of your very own! A special song? A great audio book? A bunch of Mobile Nations podcasts? What?

Phil from Android Central put the brand new (and currently pulled for bug fixes) Gmail for iPhone and iPad app on an iPhone 4 and iPad 2 running iOS 5 against the Gmail app on a Samsung Nexus S running Gingerbread and a Galaxy Tab 10.1 running Honeycomb.

It’s easy to see Google took the easy way out with Gmail for iOS, going for a tragically thin native wrapper around the similar-old web content. Maybe they’re still limited by the iOS SDK, maybe they want to keep Android as the premiere Gmail experience (and who could blame them?), maybe it’s a hormone thing, or maybe they just want to prove Facebook isn’t the only rich, powerful web company that can’t release a stable iOS app, who knows?

Hopefully Google takes this as an opportunity to learn and gives their massive iPhone and iPad wielding user base a new Gmail app worthy of the name. And of Google.

Source: Android Central

Coffee lover, e-reader aficionado, and Instapaper developer Marco Arment put together what he describes as an informal survey of the current library landscape, including iPad and iBooks, Amazon’s Kindle and Kindle app, the Nook color, and Kobo.

If you’re going to primarily read periodicals, get the iPad. If you’re going to read books, all of these platforms look like safe options.

Check out his comparison charts for books, magazines, and newspapers. It’s not so much his results, which he cautions you take with a grain of salt, but the method he recommends for finding which device or app ecosystem is best for you that’s compelling.

Source: Marco.org

While at the most recent Show Stoppers event, I had the opportunity to check out the LifeProof case for iPhone 4S (and iPhone 4). Protection is always key for any of our beloved electronics, and whether you are a mountain biker, a swim lover, or a karate king trying to keep your iPhone protected while doing your favorite event is a struggle — until you meet LifeProof. The folks at LifeProof have spent a lot of time (over two years) designing this case, and a whole lot of money (over two million dollars) into making sure that their product was the best to hit the market.

Whether in rain, snow, ice, dirt, sand, or any other horrid condition you can think of with your device the folks at LifeProof know that their case can protect your device without you needing to take any additional precautions. So, does the case really hold up to its name? Let’s take a look at some video action and check out some more images of the case on the device.

Pretty impressive stuff, huh? Not just everyday would you trust a case enough to just toss it in a tank of water, or drop it from six feet onto the ground without cringing in fear of what damage was just done to the device. We know, you understand that it can keep the device protected, but you want to know how much bulk it adds to your device, and if it is comfortable in the hand, right? Well, short answer, yes — and let’s take a look at why.

Personally I always fear the super protective cases because I know you need to add bulk to protect, and often times companies love to go overboard with the bulk, and it makes holding the device feel unnatural, and it no longer comfortably fits in your hand and pocket, but this case is different, very different. Adding only 1/16 of an inch, or 1.5mm, and adding less than an ounce of weight, to say the case is surprisingly small would be an understatement.

Featuring a two piece snap together design the case fits very snug over the device, making getting the case on and off a bit of a struggle, but that is their intentions for the waterproof seal that the case offers.  The top piece includes an attached scratch resistant and waterproof screen protector that still allows for complete operation of the touch screen, and with the waterproof seal around the edge of the case you don’t have to worry about any dirt or dust getting under there.

The headphone jack is sealed by a screw in cap that can be removed and they include a headphone extension that screws in for those of us who wish to use their headphones will keeping the device protected. The charging port is covered by a flip down piece that seals very tightly. The cut out will allow chargers to be plugged in to the device without the removal of the case, and LifeProof also offers a dock extender that plugs into the charging port and allows the device to be docked with the case on.

Overall the case does an extremely good job at protecting the device while adding minimal bulk to the slim profile of your iPhone 4S (or iPhone 4). The look of the case is quite plain, but they do offer a few different color selections such as black, white, pink, and purple, and the color covers the complete device, including the front so you can make it appear as though you have a totally different color iPhone than you really do!

Giveaway

We are giving away our review unit; it was used slightly (don’t worry it isn’t the one in the test video!) and it is in near perfect condition. Simply leave a comment letting us know what kind of abuse you put your iPhone through that requires LifeProof to protect it.

More: LifeProof

We’ve already looked at new iPhone 4S features like the 8MP camera and 1080p video recording, but I’ve been taking it out to test the fancy new intelligently switching dual antenna array.

After all the backlash over antennagate last year, Apple claims they’ve rebuilt the technology to supposedly offer better voice quality and call handling. Until I got my hands on my iPhone 4S this past week I wasn’t too sure how much of a difference it would make. Turns out the newly designed antenna really does function better.

Death grip and death touch

We all know about the iPhone 4 death touch issue. So is the iPhone 4S affected by it? In short, no.

It appears whatever Apple did to the antenna design fixed not only the single-point-of-failure death touch, but also made it more resilient agains the industry wide death grip issue. I’ve been trying to reproduce the issue since the day I picked up my iPhone 4S in various locations and haven’t had any success. Sure a bar may fluctuate here and there but in my experience that’s simply due to signal strength in general. I fluctuate between 4-5 bars in my office. As you can see from the video above, the iPhone 4 drops bars when the bottom is held. The iPhone 4S does not seem to drop bars. It fluctuates a bit towards the end but I’m almost certain this is just due to signal strength in my office.

When tested in other locations and even in downtown Chicago I was not able to reproduce the death grip issue on my iPhone 4S.

Signal strength

As stated above, I haven’t noticed too much of a signal strength difference from what I experienced with my iPhone 4. This could be due to the fact that my area is heavily blanketed with AT&T HSPA+. I receive 5 full bars of service in most places.

To test this theory I made a note of my bars in the one area I typically have issues getting signal — the lake. In this scenario I seemed to maintain a signal (2-3 bars) and was able to make and receive calls or use data services just fine. My iPhone 4 has a few issues holding connectivity on a call or using data services on the lakefront. So the newly designed antenna seems to be a bit more constant when it comes to holding onto a signal.

Overall call quality

So far call quality on my iPhone 4S has been exceptional. I’ve not had one dropped call so far. I never had too many on my iPhone 4 either as we have very good service with AT&T in my area. It also appears that the volume when you’re on speakerphone has been enhanced and is quite a bit louder than my iPhone 4 ever was. (A volume increase would make sense given the addition of Siri.

I’ve had next to no issue with or without a headset either. It seems noise reduction is just as good if not better as well. Several times while on the phone I felt the need to ask if someone was still there since I could hear next to no background noise at all. I always noticed it a bit on my iPhone 4 but I can’t notice it at all with iPhone 4S.

Conclusion

All in all, the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S are both great phones. When it comes to call quality, however, the iPhone 4S is clearly ahead. If you’re in an area that has great service you probably won’t notice a big difference . If you’re in an area with somewhat spotty cellular service the iPhone 4S is a safer bet.

Full review of Apple’s 2011 iPhone 4S: Faster, better camera, smarter antenna, and Siri

iPhone 4S is minor spec bump over last year’s iPhone 4. Except it’s not. It’s a full on assault of the senses, with eyes, ears, and feel far beyond any previous mobile device. Yes, the hardware bumps specs to be certain — faster chipset, better camera — but it’s what Apple’s iOS 5 software and iCloud services do with that hardware that makes iPhone 4S so compelling, including one feature in particular that makes it the biggest leap forward in mainstream computer interfaces since multitouch on the original iPhone — Siri.

It’s fast, the antenna is rock solid, the camera is amazingly good, and Siri just might be the next big leap forward computer interfaces.	It’s the same design as last year, including the glass backing, which may rankle potential buyers who’d hoped for a change.
Apple has produced an incredibly compelling upgrade from feature phones, and the iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS. iPhone 4 owners have little reason to upgrade unless speed, camera, or Siri are unusually important to them.

Previously on iMore

iPhone 4S is the 5th generation iPhone, and one of three models on the market for 2011. While an incredible amount has changed, there are still a lot of features that have carried over from years past. Here, then, are those reviews.

• White iPhone 4 review (May 2011)
• Verizon iPhone 4 Review (February 2011)
• AT&T/GSM iPhone 4 Review (June 2010)
• iPhone 3GS review (June 2010)

iPhone 4S hardware

From the outside, the iPhone 4S looks almost identical to the iPhone 4. It’s the same iconic shape, the same Braun- and Leica-inspired slab of glass and stainless steel. It may no longer be as fresh as it was when it debuted some 16 months ago, but it’s still among the best designed and certainly the best built hardware on the market. It’s also just as fragile, with chemically treated glass on both front and back, and an exposed antenna array all along the sides.

There are some small, subtle differences between iPhone 4S and iPhone 4. They’re both 0.37 inches (9.3 mm) thin at 4.5 inches (115.2 mm) high and 2.31 inches (58.6 mm) wide but iPhone 4S is just a tad heavier at 4.9 ounces (140 grams). That’s 0.1 ounces (3 grams) heavier than the iPhone 4 and iPhone 3GS.

Like the original AT&T/GSM iPhone 4, all iPhone 4S models have a microSIM tray. Like the later Verizon iPhone 4, the iPhone 4S has symmetrically aligned gaps in the external antenna array — two on both sides.

All the buttons and ports are where you’d expect them. 3.5mm headset, noise-canceling mic, sleep/wake button, microSIM card slot (even on CDMA models, see below), speaker, 30-pin dock connector, phone mic, volume up and down buttons, and the ring/silent switch. On the front, below the screen there’s still a home button. Above the screen is the ear speaker and the VGA camera. On the back is the LED flash and the new 8 megapixel still, 1080p video camera.

Sensors also remain the same, with aGPS, a digital compass, ambient light, proximity, accelerometer, and gyroscope.

Design evolution

While iPhone 4S is the 5th generation iPhone, it’s only the 3rd major casing design in the product’s history. Here it is compared to the original iPhone (2007) and the iPhone 3GS (2009).

8 megapixel, 1080p camera

Apple chose not to improve the front-facing iPhone camera. Even though Macs have gone to FaceTime HD in 1280×720 (720p), iPhone 4S remains disappointingly 640×480 (VGA).

The rear-facing camera is another story entirely. It’s been increased to 8 megapixels and is capable of recording 1920×1080 (1080p) video. Apple has also improved the backlight sensor, added an f/2.4, wide angle lens to capture as much light and picture as possible, and added an extra piece of glass into the assembly to increase sharpness. There’s also an infrared filter to improve colors, face detection for better exposure and focus on portraits, and image stabilization to keep your videos from shaking.

We asked our app editor and resident photographer, Leanna Lofte to put it to the test.

• Complete iPhone 4S 8 megapixel camera review
• Complete iPhone 4S 1080p video review
• iPhone 4S photography examples

Overall, the iPhone 4S did a phenomenal job with landscapes, especially considering the broad range of lights and darks. With HDR (high dynamic range) enabled, the results were excellent. The f/2.4 lens lacks manual controls but handles motion far better than last year’s iPhone 4.

Face detection works impressively well, even when the subject is moving around and the face partially obscured. The improved backlight sensor does far better in low-light situations, capturing shots that were impossible with iPhone 4.

Macro photography, however, proved to be more of a challenge. They look great if focus locks on, but often the iPhone 4S fails to lock focus. This might be an iOS 5 issue, and if so, hopefully Apple will fix it in a future update.

The 5x digital zoom and flash are serviceable if you really need them, but are really only useful when you have no other options.

For video, the iPhone 4S 1080p camera did a terrific job adjusting between shade and light, though under bright backlighting the video remained slightly underexposed. Image stabilization worked well for walking and panning but couldn’t compensate for more extreme motion like running.

Low-light was better than iPhone 4 but wasn’t great. There was visible grain, and image stabilization didn’t work as well in low light conditions, but iPhone 4S’ ability to compensate for color distortion was impressive and a huge improvement over iPhone 4. Again, macro video was incredibly sharp but iPhone 4S had trouble locking focus on very thin objects.

Apple has also focused on reducing the time it takes to get your photo or video. You can now double click the home button and tap a new Camera button right on the lock screen to go directly to the Camera app (bypassing Passcode Locks, so beware of pranks if you leave it unattended). You can now also take photos with the Volume Up button. The time it takes the shutter screen to “open” — previously a area of frustration — is also dramatically faster. And, according to Apple, a dedicated Image Signal Processing chip speeds up picture taking, with the first photo taking only 1.1 seconds and subsequent photos taking only 0.5 seconds.

Overall, for impromptu, casual photo and video taking, low end point-and-shoots have just been made redundant. Even for special occasions, vacations and other events, non-photographers and non-videographers can realistically rely on an iPhone 4S and be well served. Apple has done a terrific job here, giving iPhone 4S an incredible new eye.

Antenna and reception

If iPhone 4 had an achilles heel it was the external antenna band. At 5 bars, touching the right antenna junction could drop it down to 3. At 1 or 2 bars, it could literally became a network pause-play button. Yes, the mainstream media blew it completely out of proportion, and a case made it go away completely, but it was a flaw.

And Apple has addressed it by adding a second antenna and giving the iPhone 4S the ability to intelligently switch between the two to make sure reception is more reliable, more often. It also doubles the previous HSPA 7.2 speed to 14.4 Mbps.

• iPhone 4S intelligently switching antenna hands on

The new Qualcomm RTR8605 chipset is technically HSPA+, but doesn’t include the much faster HSPA+ 21 or 42 Mbps data speeds. So data is faster if not dramatically so. In most areas those top speeds remain theoretical anyway, but it’s a shame people who can get them, can’t get them with iPhone 4S.

For CMDA users on Verizon and Sprint, none of this matters anyway, because iPhone 4S is still stuck on the 3 Mbps EV-DO rev A network, with all the limitations that come with it. These will likely only be overcome in 2012 or beyond, when LTE 4G (Long Term Evolution) chipsets are thin and energy efficient enough to meet Apple’s requirements.

However, the new Qualcomm chipset does support dual-mode CDMA/GSM. That makes it a world-phone, and means if you travel outside the US you can roam on international GSM carriers. Verizon and Sprint may even unlock the GSM radio for you, if you’re a good enough customer and ask nicely enough. Then you can use a local microSIM when you travel and avoid paying data roaming altogether.

Even so, you can’t switch between Sprint and Verizon, or put in an AT&T SIM and have it just work. The carriers are still locking that down. (Time will tell if the Jailbreak community can set it free.)

Here are the supported bands:

• UMTS/HSPA at 850, 900, 1900, 2100 MHz
• GSM/EDGE at 850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz
• CDMA/EV-DO Rev. A at 800, 1900 MHz

The AWS 1700 MHz band used by T-Mobile the USA, and Wind, Videotron, and others carriers in Canada, is still missing. That means T-Mobile is now the last major carrier in the US without an iPhone to offer, and it means that if you do run an unlocked iPhone 4S on T-Mobile US, it can still only run on the old, slow EDGE 2G network.

Wi-Fi has stayed the same as last year, with 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi. The 802.11n also remains 2.4GHz only. The Bluetooth radio on the other hand has gotten a boost and now supports Bluetooth 4.0, which offers lower power consumption and lower latency.

Speaker and mics

Every year we hope the inventor of the iPod will put a decent mic and speaker system into the iPhone, and every year we get made fun of by BlackBerry, and more recently, Android Beats users.

While there haven’t been any audio announcements by Apple, or stage demos by Apple executives similar to the kind afforded the optics, iPhone 4S does show real signs of improvement. The speaker is louder and clearer, making it easier to do hands-free calls.

The noise canceling mic does an excellent job in keeping both phone conversations and Siri voice commands functioning even in busy, noisy rooms.

And the vibration motor, which has reportedly been redone in a linear rather than rotational arrangement, is less annoying when it goes off, yet every bit as noticeable.

Audiophiles might still be waiting for Phil Schiller to give them the attention photographers got this year, but for average users the sound is an improvement.

Apple A5 System-on-a-chip

The iPhone 4S gets the dual core Apple A5 system-on-a-chip (SoC) that was first introduced last spring alongside the iPad 2. Reportedly based on ARM’s Cortex A9 central processing unit with Imagination’s PowerVR SGX 543MP2 graphics processing unit, Apple will only say it provides 2x the computing power and 7x the graphics power of iPhone 4. This lets it power everything from AirPlay Mirroring to the Siri virtual assistant.

Doing bigger things isn’t the only point, however. Doing more smaller things faster makes a difference as well. Launching apps, rendering and scrolling through web pages, playing games — all these things are palpably faster. Near-instant, in fact. You’ll feel it right away, and if you ever go back to an older iPhone or smartphone, you’ll miss it immediately.

Interestingly, Apple’s stuck with the same 512MB of RAM for the A5. While competing phones are sporting 1GB these days, Apple seems to believe they don’t need more RAM for better performance, or perhaps don’t need the potential tradeoff in power consumption. Given the immediateness of its feel and its ability to keep a large amount of everything from web pages to apps in ready and available, it’s hard to argue. Still, developers will keep pushing the silicon and it would have been interesting to see what 1GB would have let iOS 5 games achieve.

Battery power

With the monstrous new Apple A5 SoC, and demanding new features like location-based Reminders and voice-crunching Siri, battery life should be a legitimate concern. Apple impressively claims very little change from the iPhone 4, though standby time seems to have taken a very large hit (down 33%).

• 3G talk time: 8 hours
• 2G talk time: 14 hours
• Web browsing: 6 hours
• Video watching: 10 hours
• Audio listening: 40 hours

In our tests it’s hard to get a handle on. Reminders, Siri, and the other new features are so useful you end up using them more often, which leads to faster battery drain. If you stop using them (or turn them off in the Settings app), the battery seems just below iPhone 4 standards, but you lose out on all that great functionality.

If you charge frequently you can enjoy the best of both worlds, a phone doing what you need with power enough to do it when you need it. If you can’t get to power, you’ll have to moderate your usage.

We’ll keep an eye on battery life going forward and update.

Accessory compatibility

While iPhone 4S is almost identical to iPhone 4, it’s that almost that can get you. Depending on how well a manufacturer followed Apple’s tolerance guidelines, most iPhone 4 cases should fit iPhone 4S, with Verizon iPhone 4 compatible cases likely providing the best fit. If in doubt, check into the specific case you want and ask about iPhone 4S compatibility. Here are some examples.

• TiPb iPhone 4S Accessory Store
• Amazon iPhone 4S Accessories

Sticker skins, cables, chargers, and headsets should all be compatible, and with better Bluetooth support, track information and other features should be better than ever before.

Likewise, the iPhone 4S gets not only the iPad 2′s AirPlay Mirroring feature to get content to Apple TV and onto the big screen, but is compatible with the HDMI out Digital AV Adapter as well.

iPhone 4S Software

iPhone 4S ships with iOS 5, Apple’s fifth generation mobile operating system and arguably the biggest update in the history of the platform. It includes features like unobtrusive Notifications, iMessage, Twitter integration, and a location aware Reminders app. Check out our massive write up on all the new features:

• Complete iOS 5 feature walkthrough

iCloud

iCloud isn’t unique to iPhone 4S but it’s launching at the same time and for the first time it makes online services and integral part of iOS. From eWorld to .Mac to MobileMe, Apple’s previous Internet history has been one of high price and relatively low adoption. iCloud aims to change all that by not only being free, but far more functional than ever before.

We included iCloud in our iOS walkthrough, linked above, but here are the highlights:

• PC Free. iPhone 4S is the first iOS device you can take straight from the box and activate and setup with out ever plugging it in to a Mac or Windows PC. Backups and restores can likewise be done on-device and without a PC, and iCloud will also handle software updates over the air as they become available.
• Documents in the Cloud. For any app that supports it, like Apple’s own iWork productivity suite of Numbers, Pages, and Keynote, any file created on one device — iOS or Mac OS X — will be effortlessly stored up on iCloud and pushed down to every other device.
• iTunes in the Cloud. Previously applicable only to App Store apps and games, in regions where Apple has secured the licensing, you can now also re-download previously purchased music, and in some areas, even TV shows to your iPhone 4S.
• Find my iPhone, Find my Friends. While Apple has been letting you track your iOS devices for a while, now you can also share location with your friends, either persistently or temporarily. Privacy controls are friend by friend, time restrictions down to the hour, and a kill switch is always on hand.
• Photo Stream keeps the last 30 days or 1,000 images available on all your iOS devices, and all your iCloud-enabled images backed up in iPhoto or Aperture on the Mac (but not both at the same time). Other than deleting the stream or logging out, however, there’s no way to delete potentially awkward or embarrassing images — or stop them from appearing as your Apple TV screen saver, for example. So shooter beware.
• Mail, contacts, calendars. Previously the largest part of MobileMe, Apple @me.com accounts can now be created on, or converted to, iCloud accounts. (Sadly, there’s still no way to combine multiple accounts, for example MobileMe, iTunes, FaceTime, etc.)
• iTunes Match. Apple’s music locker service, while announced, is not yet publicly available. When launched, it will scan your iTunes desktop library and, for $25 a year, make it available to you via iCloud — in 256 bit ACC if it’s part of iTunes massive collection.

All in all, iCloud seems to be a solid foundation for Apple. It’s limited and has some flaws, like most first generation offerings. Hopefully it will grow to provide easier multi-device sync for things like game scores, and hopefully webOS-style Synergy services where multiple data types can be independently pulled, stored in separate silos, but presented in both single and combined views for users.

AirPlay Mirroring

AirPlay mirroring lets the iPhone 4S share it’s screen — any screen on any app — with the Apple TV over Wi-Fi. Since the Apple TV is designed to be plugged into an HDTV, this means you get your iPhone 4S content on the big screen.

While on the surface AirPlay mirroring might not seem like a major feature, it takes the personal, intimate experience of everything from gaming to FaceTime and makes it social. A keynote presentation projected in the boardroom or a group of friends playing a board game around the TV are just some of the obvious uses. Companies like Firemint are continuing to push the envelope as well, with concepts like multiple-device-to-Apple-TV Party Play. That’s where iPhone 4S becomes a controller, and iOS starts to become a serious threat to traditional consoles in the casual space.

Siri

Siri is a natural language interface for iOS that combines powerful voice recognition (rumored to be powered by industry leader Nuance) and synthesized speech with an artificially intelligent query and response engine designed to become your “virtual assistant”. It replaces the previous Voice Control feature introduced with iOS 3 on the iPhone 3GS.

Siri is also the single biggest feature of the iPhone 4S. The speed is impressive, the camera a remarkable eye, but the voice and ear of Siri is what could define the next generation of computer interfaces. While that may sound hyperbolic, it’s no more so than when Apple mainstreamed command line interfaces with the Apple II, mice and windows with the Mac, or multitouch with the original iPhone. All were derided as “toys” by those who lacked vision or merely disliked the idea of democratizing technology.

If Siri were simply a voice control and dictation system, like Android has had for a while, or like apps such as Vlingo or Nuance itself have previously made available on a variety of platforms, including iOS, that would be one thing. But Apple has imbued it with an almost Pixar-like humanity, a personality that while unmistakably artificial is also undeniably charming and engaging. That’s probably why Apple, atypically, didn’t rename Siri after purchasing the company behind it. Asking Siri a question creates a connection that would be far more difficult to achieve with a nameless “assistant” app.

Siri understands context. It understands relationships. It understands a smiley face. It can joke, even if canned. It makes you feel, for the first time, like you can have a conversation with your computer. You can ask Siri to tell your mother you’re running late and it will address an iMessage. You can ask Siri to wake you up in 15 minutes and it will set an alarm. You can ask Siri to find you breakfast and it will search for local restaurants. You can ask Siri for the cast of the movie you’re watching and it will query Wolfram Alpha. You can ask Siri her favorite color, and she’ll tell you. She’ll even present widgets, unique to her interface, if you prefer to tap than to reply.

Siri is activated by pressing and holding down the Home button, or by bringing the iPhone 4S up and to your ear, like you would to make a phone call. You can activate the dictations feature alone by tapping the new microphone button on the system-wide keyboard.

Siri is, of course, by no means perfect. It’s still in beta with limited language and even more limited location support. Siri’s voice is female in the US and male in the UK and you can’t alter that (unless you alter the region and your accent). Siri relies on servers that sometimes seem to be struggling to keep up with demand. There could be a customer insight play behind it. And, like humans or Pixar characters, it’s fallible and frustrating at times. It makes mistakes, and it tries to “learn” going forward.

Also, Settings can’t be toggle by Siri yet; there’s no turn on/off Wi-Fi or Airplane mode. It can’t launch apps to update your Facebook status or get you back into a game. It can’t plug into the camera for Google Goggle’s type searches, or into Apple’s Faces technology to find a photo of your child. Siri is at her beginning, but it’s a beginning that we’ve only ever seen in Star Trek. And that’s exciting.

Apps and games

iPhone 4S is compatible with all the hundreds of thousands of iPhone apps contained in Apple’s iTunes App Store. It’s still not ideal — there remain no upgrades, no demos, and Apple as single curator sets itself up as both bottleneck and — though increasingly infrequently — rejector of all apps on the platform.

With the power of the Apple A5 GPU, however, games have never looked better, and with the functionality of iCloud, apps have never been more useful. So while the app and game count remains the same, the potential has never been better.

• Complete TiPb app and game coverage
• Top 5 app and game lists

iOS also remains the most web app-friendly platform in mobile, with an incredibly powerful HTML 5 rendering engine and fast Nitro JavaScript engine now available within Safari, embedded Web Views, and web apps saved to the Home Page.

Accessibility

Apple finished the iPhone 4 FaceTime video by showing a deaf person signing to a loved one. Apple finished the iPhone 4S Siri video by showing a blind person replying to a message through voice alone. They’ve also added custom vibration alerts, AssistiveTouch gestures, and other features. I’d be hard pressed to think of another company in consumer electronics doing as much to increase accessibility as Apple. They once again deserves a ton of praise for continuing to make this a priority.

Pricing and Availability

iPhone 4S is getting the widest, fastest distribution in Apple’s mobile history. Starting October 14 in the US, Canada, Japan, France, Australia, and Germany, it will spread to over 70 regions by the end of 2011.

As always, Apple kept the pricing the same as previous years, offering more phone for the same money. This year, however, they’ve added a 64GB model for $399 on contract. And, while last year’s iPhone 4 drops down to 8GB and $99 on contract, they’ve taken the unprecedented step of keeping the 2009 iPhone 3GS on the market, also at 8GB, but at $0 on contract. That’s an iPhone at every price point from nothing to four hundred. No umbrella indeed.

Apple has also added Sprint as a carrier in the US, making it the 2nd CDMA carrier after Verizon.

• Sprint iPhone 4S review

They’re also shipping the white model day and date.

Should you upgrade or cross-grade?

Overall, if you’re thinking about upgrading from a feature phone or an iPhone 3GS or earlier model iPhone, do it. You’ll be getting a spectacularly improved experience and feature set. If you’re thinking about upgrading from an iPhone 4, then you need to make sure the major new features — speed, camera, antenna, and/or Siri — are compelling enough to warrant the cost. For most mainstream consumers, they won’t be. For gadget lovers or geeks, you’ve likely already found a reason to justify it.

If you’re thinking of crossing over from webOS, you should also do it. Now that Sprint is available and HP is floundering, iPhone 4S is a great choice. For BlackBerry lovers and Android aficionados, if you’re not tired and ready for a change, wait and see what RIM’s new QNX/BBX superphones and Google’s Ice Cream Sandwich powered Galaxy Nexus-lead generation brings to the table.

Either way, here’s some help in deciding which, if any, iPhone is for you:

• Should you get an iPhone 4S?
• Spec Wars: iPhone 4S vs. Samsung Galaxy S II vs. BlackBerry Bold 9900 vs. HTC Titan vs. Pre3
• iPhone 4S, iPhone 4, or iPhone 3GS: Which should you get?
• AT&T vs. Verizon vs. Sprint: Which iPhone 4S should you choose?
• Verizon and Sprint iPhone 4S and the limitations of CDMA
• 16GB, 32GB, or 64GB: Which iPhone 4S capacity should you get?
• Black or white: Which iPhone 4S color should you choose?

If you do decide to go with an iPhone 4S, here’s some help getting started.

• iPhone 4S glossary
• How to setup your new iPhone 4S
• How to transfer your data over from your old iPhone to your new iPhone 4S
• How to transfer your data over from your old Android, BlackBerry, webOS or Windows Phone to your new iPhone
• iOS 5 for iPhone and iPad walkthrough
• Top 10 best tips and tricks for new iPhone owners
• Top 10 best apps for new iPhone owners
• iPhone Live! podcasts (with video!)

Conclusion

iPhone 4S may be evolutionary hardware, faster than iPhone 4, with a better camera and more resilient antenna, but iPhone 4 was a great phone and iPhone 4S is even greater. While the design remains one of the best in the industry, it also remains unchanged. If you like Apple’s aesthetic, then you’ll be very happy. If not — if you would have preferred a larger screen or physical keyboard or a greater amount of standard ports — than Apple has done nothing here to win you over, and likely won’t ever on most of those counts.

In terms of software, almost everything about iOS 5 feels broader and better, and not only more functional, but more personal and more tactile as well. Apple has added more granular levels of control to things like Location Services and Data Storage, so you can keep private what you want to keep private and delete what you want to delete. They’ve also added more direct touch manipulation to the UI in Calendar and Mail, so the interactions are viscerally intuitive. At the same time they’ve increased the social, sharing aspects of iOS with services like AirPlay and apps like Find My Friends. It’s a clever balance. So is the interface, which Apple has kept as easy for novice users as it was in iOS 1 in 2007, and yet added ever greater layers of complexity for power users, including Fast App Switcher in 2010 and Notifications in 2011. For my sister, an iPhone makes calls, plays music, and takes photos. For me it can increasingly do almost anything.

Again, I can’t help but come back to Steve Jobs, the man whose vision and singular will drove Apple to create the future of consumer electronics, device by device, app by app, culminating in the iPhone 4S announced just a day before his passing.

Like Jobs did, it stands at the juncture of technology and liberal arts, powerful and yet accessible, capable and yet beautiful, incremental new hardware brought to life by ambitious new software.

It’s certainly not the device for everybody, but increasingly the iPhone is the device for most people.

One of the new features of the iPhone 4S is an 8 megapixel camera equipped with a fast f/2.4 lens. Without question, this was the feature I was most excited about, and I almost immediately started snapping pics.

For sample photos and a summary of my thoughts, follow along after the break! (All photos are original; none have been edited in any way beyond being resized to fit the page.)

Landscapes

The iPhone 4S does a phenomenal job with landscapes. These have the potential of being tricky for cameras because of the broad range of lights and darks, but even with HDR turned off, the iPhone 4S produces great results. The two photos above were taken without use of HDR.

HDR

That leads us to HDR. HDR stands for High Dynamic Range and refers to the range between the darkest part of the photo and the brightest part of the photo. Camera sensors can only record so much of this range, so if a photo’s dynamic range is too big, darks will be too dark and brights will be too bright. With HDR enabled, however, the iPhone 4S will take two photos, one exposed for the darks, and one exposed for the brights, and merge them together as one photo.

The photos above, although not the most interesting of subjects, does a great job of demonstrating the capabilities of the iPhone 4S HDR. The first photo was exposing for the shade, and thus blew out the sky. With HDR turned on, both the shade and sky look good.

Movement

Since the iPhone 4S is equipped with an f/2.4 lens, it has the ability to let in more light and speed up the shutter speed. Theoretically, this would mean that the iPhone 4S should do a better job of freezing motion. Without having full control of the settings, however, this can be hard to achieve.

In the end, I’m impressed with how the iPhone 4S handles motion. The above pic does have a little motion blur, especially on my face, but it’s not too bad. Below is a picture of my daughter that I took while she was bouncing up and down. On the iPhone 4, it would have never come out that clear.

Face Detection

The iPhone 4S now has the ability detect faces and use them as the focus and exposure point. It works great! I was impressed with how it recognized my daughter’s face even when she was moving around or when I was taking a profile shot with only one eye visible.

Macro

The Macro capabilities of the iPhone 4S camera are very impressive – when it can lock a focus, that is. Unfortunately, I was continually disappointed with the iPhone 4S’s inability to focus. I understand for objects that are very tiny and blend in with the background, but the camera even struggled with focusing on larger items that stood out from the background, like in the following image.

Digital Zoom

First of all, it’s important to emphasize that the iPhone 4S is equipped with a 5x digital zoom, not optical zoom. The difference is that the lens is not capable of zooming, but the software is. So using the digital zoom on the iPhone 4S is equivalent to taking the photo without the zoom and cropping it. This greatly reduces the quality of the photo and there are very few situations where you would want to use the digital zoom.

However, since the iPhone 4S has been upgraded to an 8 megapixel camera, there is an improvement to the digital zoom over the iPhone 4. The first photo above was taken with 0x zoom and the second one was taken with 5x zoom. You can see obvious damage done to the quality of the image, but it is, admittedly, better than I was expecting. I also believe that this is an example of a situation where you might want to use the digital zoom if you wanted to, say, show your kids a picture of the duck you saw earlier in the day.

Low Light

The iPhone 4 has a great camera, but it was always lacking in low light situations. I was very excited to test out the iPhone 4S in low light since it’s equipped with an f/2.4 lens and better sensor. I am definitely impressed with the improvement. My living room has the worst lighting on the planet and I could never get a decent photo of my daughter with the iPhone 4 while indoors at night. But with the iPhone 4S, I was able to capture the above shot! It doesn’t take much movement to make your shots blurry, however, but that should be expected.

Here’s an example of a macro shot in low, bad light.

Flash

The last thing I tested was the flash and it worked well! Just as with the iPhone 4, it is very slow and your photos are guaranteed to show any small amount of motion blur. I tend to hate camera flashes, but if you’re trying to capture a memory in a dark environment, it’s often times your only choice. For those times, the flash on the iPhone 4S will get the job done.

Conclusion

The iPhone 4S is equipped with a very nice camera that takes beautiful photos. The macro lens has the potential to be incredible, but struggles with focus more than I was expecting. At 8 megapixels, the iPhone 4S has the ability to produce nice 8″x10″ prints that can be displayed in your home.

The camera was the feature of the iPhone 4S I was looking forward to the most, and it has delivered – it turned out to be my favorite feature of the iPhone 4S. Yes, I like it even more than Siri.

Have you been taking some amazing shots with your iPhone 4S? Head on over to our forums to show them off!

One of the new features of the iPhone 4S is a 1080p HD video camera. This new camera sports an f/2.4 lens and improved sensor to capture more light. It also has video stabilization to steady those shaky shots. To see me put this new camera to the test, check out the video above.

Extreme lighting

The first thing I tested was how well the camera deals with harsh lighting – meaning environments that have both dark, shaded areas and brightly lit, sunny areas. The iPhone 4S did a fantastic job of adjusting the exposure to bring in more light in the shade and less light in the sun. However, I did notice that if I was filming my daughter in an area that had bright backlighting, the video was a little underexposed even if I tapped to expose on my daughter’s face.

Video Stabilization

The next thing I tested was video stabilization. First I tried out a non-extreme situation that has a similar amount of movement that the average person may experience – walking backwards while my daughter runs towards me. There was definitely still some camera shake present in these shots, but it wasn’t too bad. My stomach tends to be pretty sensitive when it comes to bouncy film, but these clips didn’t affect me.

However, the next test I did was to run down the street, and this one was pretty bad. It was still very shaky and I couldn’t image watching an entire video like that, but I also couldn’t imagine filming an entire video like that. This was an extreme scenario that expect not too many people will find themselves in.

The video stabilization performed best when panning the camera around. I was particularly impressed by the clips of me panning around the camera to follow my daughter as she walked past me. These were nice and smooth.

Low light

Next up was low light. The quality of the video in the low light environments of my house were not the best, but they weren’t particularly horrible, either. Camera shake was a little more obvious and the clips were grainier, but overall, I was satisfied with its performance as a cellphone camera. I was particularly impressed with how the camera was able to compensate for the pink lighting in my daughters room and choose a good white balance setting. This was a huge improvement over the iPhone 4.

Macro

The macro lens on the iPhone 4S camera is incredibly sharp – when it’s able to actually lock focus. On larger items, like leaves, the iPhone 4S has no issue focusing, but with smaller, skinnier items like twigs and sticks, the camera really struggles with grabbing a focus and often times never does. I tried to focus on some berries hanging from a bush for several minutes with no luck. It doesn’t seem to make a difference between direct sunlight, shade, or overcast light, the iPhone 4S seems to frequently have issues with focussing. This is a huge disappointment.

Conclusion

Overall, I am very impressed with the iPhone 4S video camera. It handles the changes in harsh lighting, poor lighting, and movement quite well and also has great audio quality. The biggest disappointment is that the macro lens frequently has issues focusing. However, when the lens does focus, it looks amazing.

It’s time to retire my Flip Video camera for good.

Have you been recording some amazing video with your iPhone 4S? Head on over to our Photography and Video forum to show them off!

iOS 5 is perhaps Apple’s most audacious update since iOS 2, which introduced nothing less than the App Store and MobileMe. The features are almost an embarrassment of riches, including unobtrusive Notifications, the carrier-consternating iMessage, Twitter integration, a location aware Reminders app, and an entirely new UI paradigm in the artificially intelligent Siri voice control system for iPhone 4S.

And for the first time what’s happening on the outside is just as compelling — iCloud. Apple called it “cutting the cord”, severing the post-PC from the PC, and the iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad from their subservience to Mac and Windows.

But is it truly transformation or just another bold yet ultimately evolutionary step forward? Let’s find out.

Note: This walkthrough is based on the iOS 5 gold master (GM). While I don’t expect any changes in the release version, I’ll update if any do show up. So, please consider this a living, breathing document for now, and expect additional screen shots, comments, and corrections going forward.

Previously on iOS

iOS 5 adds new features to almost every existing app on the iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad, and introduces new apps as well. Still, iOS 5 is built on the foundation of what came before, so for previously introduced functionality, please see our previous walkthroughs.

• iOS 4.3 for iPhone, iPad walkthrough
• iOS 4.2 for iPhone | iOS 4.2 for iPad
• iOS 4.1 for iPhone
• iOS 4 for iPhone
• iOS 3.2 for iPad
• iOS 3.1 for iPhone
• iOS 3.0 for iPhone
• iPhone 2.2 for iPhone
• iPhone 2.1 for iPhone
• iPhone 2.0 for iPhone

iOS 5

iOS 5 includes new system-wide features like Siri for iPhone 4S, PC free, Notification Center, AirPlay Mirroring, and Twitter integration, new apps like Reminders and Newsstand, and tons of new features for existing apps like iMessage, photo editing, Reader and Reading List, and much, much more.

Apple’s video above gives a good overview and I’m going to go over everything on an app-by-app, feature-by-feature basis below. But like I said at the beginning, this year iOS is only half the story…

iCloud

iCloud replaces MobileMe and iWork.com, and groups together functionality previously included in the iTunes, iBooks, and App Stores. It also does setup, backup, and restore, and a host of other things.

Unlike MobileMe, Apple has carefully avoided calling iCloud a sync service. Instead, they say it wirelessly stores your content on the server and then pushes it back down to all your devices. This probably better frames the relationship between cloud and devices. There’s no single master copy of “truth” on the server, but coequal copies on every device, and on iCloud.com (which Apple notes is ad free. Zing). And just like with iOS, there’s no end-user exposed file system. Your data no longer exists in folders like it did on iDisk. It exists in apps.

Storage capacity

Everyone gets 5GB of iCloud storage for free, and iTunes, iBooks, and App Store purchases aren’t counted against that, nor are Photo Stream images. Mail, documents, accounts, settings, app data, Camera Roll, etc. do count, however. In case they count far more than your free 5GB allow, you can purchase more storage.

• 10GB for $20/year
• 20GB for $40/year
• 50GB for $100/year

Documents in the Cloud

When apps like Apple’s own iWork suite, Numbers, Pages, and Keynote save copies of your files, those documents are stored on iCloud and pushed out to all your iOS, Mac, and Windows PC devices. Apple has made the same functionality available to 3rd party developers as well, so it’s likely many if not most apps that can create and edit files will soon tie into Documents in the Cloud.

(Hopefully games will as well. Starting Angry Birds on iPhone and having to start over to play on iPad or Mac needs to be a thing of the past.)

It’s not a Dropbox killer, or a name-your-favorite-sync-service-with-APIs killer of any kind. I can keep my home directory in Dropbox and use it like I use a filesystem, with the advantages of versioning and sync. iCloud doesn’t — and doesn’t want — to do any of that.

However, some apps that previously used Dropbox merely to sync documents may add iCloud as well or instead because it’s built in, and I’m fine with that. It frees Dropbox up to be my file system.

Find my Friends

Find my iPhone has been folded into iCloud, and joining it is Find my Friends, a Google Latitude-like social location sharing service that takes pains to point out its better privacy and security. Like Find my iPhone, Find my Friends isn’t built into iOS, but is available for free in the App Store [Link].

When you install it you’ll be asked to allow it to use Location. It’s pretty much useless without it. From the All tab you can see All your Friends and a list of specific friends and their current distance from you. Tap a friend to see their Info. Since it’s integrated with Contacts, if you already have their details you’ll see it here. If not, you’ll be able to add them. Tap through to see their location on an embedded Map. You can even curl up the page to get the basic Map-style options. Tap All Your Friends and see the world light up.

If you don’t have any friends yet, you’ll be given the opportunity to invite some. Tap the Edit button on the top left to remove friends.

Under the Temporary tab you get a separate set of more constrained friends. These friends can have location sharing enabled for an hour, a day, a week — whatever you decide. For example, your spouse or children might have permanent location sharing. A group of friends trying to find each other at a cafe might only have a couple hours of sharing.

The Me tab lets you see your own profile. Tap on your current location to see it on a map. Toggle Hide from Followers to go off grid for a while. You can also see a list of your followers and tap through to their Info.

Tap Account to sign in or out, choose from which Apple ID to send notifications, toggle Friend Request on or off, and tap through to get help.

The Requests tab lists friends who have invited you. Accepting shares your location with them. Inviting them back shares their location with you.

PC Free

Perhaps the single most profound change in iOS 5 is Apple’s cutting of the iTunes cord. Never again will a Mac or Windows PC be required to activate, setup, or update a new iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad (though you can still choose to do so if you wish.) From now on, you can activate, setup, and update directly on your device over the internet.

Other aspects of PC Free are more subtle but just as welcome, such as the ability to create photo albums and mail folders on-device. We’ll cover those in the appropriate app sections; here’s the big stuff.

Device Setup

When you turn on your new device, you’ll now be presented with a screen that says iPhone, iPad touch, or iPad (depending on which device you’re setting up). Just swipe to unlock and you’re welcomed and invited to choose your preferred language. The most common language options will be immediately available but you can tap the down arrow to see others. Hit the Next button to pick. Apple will also provide you a default Country or Region based on where you bought your device, but you can tap Show More to expand the choices.

Interestingly, neither here nor in any later step are default choices pre-checked for you. You can’t simply keep hitting Next to speed through. You have to look at the choices and tap one to check it before the Next button will even activate. Apple is forcing you to pay more attention than is often required on the web or in apps.

Next you’re given a choice to globally enable or disable Location Services. Location Services use GPS, cell-tower triangulation, and Wi-Fi router mapping to determine the approximate location of your device. This feature is used for turn-by-turn navigation (like TomTom), check-in games (like FourSquare), social networks (like Facebook), geo-tagging (like in the Camera app), and utilities (like Siri and Find my iPhone), etc. Unless you have a particular need to globally disable it, you probably want to turn on the Location Services feature at this point. You can change your mind or selectively disable or enable these services later on in the Settings app (e.g., turn off your Camera app’s geo-tagging, but leave on TomTom’s turn-by-turn navigation).

You’ll need to connect to a Wi-Fi network to continue iCloud setup (if none is available, you’ll have to switch to iTunes setup instead.) Your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch will then connect to Apple’s servers to activate (the cord was cut from iTunes, not from Apple).

You have the choice to

• Setup as a new iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad
• Restore from an iCloud Backup
• Restore from an iTunes Backup

Set up as New

To set up your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch as a new device, sign in with your Apple ID (or tap through to create one). If you have multiple Apple IDs, for example a MobileMe ID, an iTunes ID, an ID associated with FaceTime or something else, you’ll have to choose which one you want to use. If you change your mind, you can login with a different ID later (and you can also login to different apps, like iTunes and iMessage, with separate IDs later). Agree to Apple’s Terms and Conditions and Apple will setup your ID and ask if you want to use iCloud or not. If you do — and most people should because it’s 1) free for the base level service, and 2) highly functional — you’ll be asked to enable iCloud Backup — and again, most people should. (It will create daily backups when you’re connected to Wi-Fi.)

Decide whether or not you want to enable Find my iPhone to help trace lost or stolen devices, and then choose if you want to share diagnostic information with Apple to help them improve the iOS experience.

And you’re done.

Restore from iCloud Backup

You can also choose to restore based on a previous iCloud Backup. You’ll be asked to sign in with your Apple ID. Make sure it’s the same Apple/iCloud ID that you used to make your previous backups. Agree to the Terms and Conditions and you’ll be given a list of recent backups to choose from, including those of all iOS devices backed up to iCloud.

Pick your backup and iCloud will begin the restore. Then your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad will restart, all your settings nicely back where you left them, and iTunes will begin to re-download all the apps you had installed when the backup was made. If you live in countries where iTunes in the Cloud is available, iTunes will also re-download all the iTunes music, TV shows, and iBooks that were previously on your device. (You need to stay on Wi-Fi for large files to re-download.)

For security reasons, iOS may also prompt you to set a Passcode Lock, and not wait for you to go find it in Settings on your own.

Software Update

Gone are the days when, after Apple released a software update, you had to rush back to your iTunes-equipped Windows or Mac PC, download a 500MB+ firmware file, backup your data, install the new OS version, and restore you data back to your device. You can now do all that, better and faster, right on your iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad.

When a Software Update is available, you’ll get a notification popup. The Settings app will also get badged, just like Mail. To get your update, go to Settings, tap on General, tap on Software Updates, and if it isn’t there waiting for you, tap on Check for Updates. When you see the update, tap Install.

The firmware will download and then your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad will restart and update.

Apple is now doing bit-differential, or delta file updates. That means only the bits that have changed need to be downloaded, not the entire firmware anymore. The update also happens in place, so you don’t need to backup and restore your data. Much more efficient and hence much faster.

Wi-Fi sync

If you do still want to sync with your home iTunes library but don’t want to have to tether to your Windows or Mac PC over USB, you now have the option to sync over Wi-Fi as well. Wi-Fi sync needs to be enabled in the Settings app, and you need to sync with iTunes over USB at least once to set it up, and you need to be plugged into power throughout, but if none of that dissuades you, Zune-like Wi-Fi sync is finally yours.

Non-modal USB sync

If you do choose to keep syncing with iTunes over USB, or you sync occasionally over USB to move over large files, like movies, you can now continue to use your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad while syncing. (Previously unlocking your device would cancel the sync.)

Multitasking Gestures (iPad 2 only)

Back in iOS 4.3 Apple introduced Multitasking Gestures as a beta feature for developers to test. In iOS 5 they’re back and they’re for everyone. They include 4 or 5 finger multitouch navigation gestures that complement rather than replace the Home Button functions. They do, however, reduce the amount of times you need to single or double click Home, which could reduce concerns of hardware wear and tear post iOS 4 multitasking.

The new gestures can be done with 4 or 5 fingers and resemble multitouch trackpad gestures available on Mac OS X since the introduction of the original MacBook Air in 2008 and expanded upon in the recent Mac OS X 10.7 Lion. They currently include

• Pinch all fingers in to exit an app and return to the Home Screen (identical to single-clicking the Home Button).
• Swipe up from the bottom bezel to reveal the multitasking Fast App Switcher Dock (identical to double-clicking the Home Button).
• Swipe sideways from left to right or right to left to move between recently open apps (similar to double-clicking the Home Button to reveal the Fast App Switcher and tapping on an app icon immediately to right).

The sideways swipe is interesting in that it allows you to go left or right whereas the Fast App Switcher reorders the recent app icons so you always go backwards in “time” to the right. It seems perceptively faster for a single app-back movement since there’s no carousel animation, yet you can only swipe back one app at a time whereas you can tap on any of 4 immediately available app icons in the Fast App Switcher and jump back 4 additional apps at a time.

Either way, once you get used to them they make moving around apps on an iPad 2 a breeze.

Siri (iPhone 4S only)

Siri is a natural language interface for iOS that combines powerful voice recognition (rumored to be powered by industry leader Nuance) and synthesized speech with a context-aware, artificially intelligent query and response engine designed to become your “virtual assistant”. It replaces the previous Voice Control feature introduced with iOS 3 on the iPhone 3GS and is initiated the same way — a long press and hold of the Home Button.

Siri launches as a beta and supports English (U.S., UK, and Australian), French, German. Apple urges users to talk to Siri the way they would another person, and to ask similar types of questions. Here’s some of what Siri can do:

• Set up Reminders, Calendar appointments, and Clock alarms and timers.
• Send Texts, iMessages, and Emails
• Play Music
• Search for location based information like restaurant and business listings, and search for directions to locations
• Search Yelp (in the U.S.), Wolfram Alpha, and Google for information.
• Ask about Weather and Stocks
• Read your SMS/iMessage messages.
• Take dictation in any app.
• Silly questions. (Apple has actually programmed in funny responses to many of these.)

You can set relationships, so Siri knows who your spouse, parents, children, colleagues, etc. are, and even set a nickname for yourself so Siri knows what to call you.

More impressively, it can combine these functions together into interactions. Siri can read a message requesting a dinner date, search for a restaurant, get directions, send back a confirmation message, and add an appointment for the dinner, all as part of an interactive confirmation. Here are some examples of real-world things you can say to Siri.

• “Siri, remind me to call my mom at work when leave home.” Siri will start a Reminder, set the departure location as your home address, determine which of your contacts is defined as your mother, and popup an alert to with your mom’s work phone number ready to dial when you leave.
• “Siri, tell my boss I’ll be there soon.” Siri will get the contact that’s defined as your boss, find the mobile phone number, and send her an SMS/iMessage with the content reading “I’ll be there soon.”
• “Siri, read my messages.” Siri will read any new SMS or iMessages that have come in.
• “Siri, wake me up in 30 minutes.” Siri will set a Clock timer that will go off In 30 minutes. (Hopefully when your nap is over.)
• “Siri, where can I get Italian for lunch?” Siri will search for nearby restaurants and show them to you on a map. In the U.S. it can also order them by Yelp ranking.
• “Siri, do I need a raincoat today?” Siri will check the weather, see If it’s likely to rain, and let you know if you need to worry about Ig wet.
• “Siri, who starred In the movie Serenity?” Siri will search Wolfram Alpha and give you a cast list from the movie.
• “Siri, what’s your favorite color?” Siri will give you one of several replies, likely that your language lacks the dimensions to properly describe the right shade of green.
• “Siri, tell me a joke.” Siri might just start the one about the two iPhones that walked into a bar…

Siri will listen to and parse these and other questions, launch applications like Mail or Messages, search internet services like Yelp and Wolfram Alpha, and check the Weather or Stocks. It will then synthesize and speak a response, and if you ask a follow up question, it will remember the context and understand the next query and issue the follow up response accordingly.

Equally interesting is what it portents for Apple. Just like the App Store began the intermediation and exclusion of Google by offering users a better experience interacting with data in apps than via a web search, Siri continues it by theoretically making it easier and more enjoyable to engage in query/response with Siri than with Google. In typical fashion, Apple isn’t building a search engine to compete with Google, they’re building something to obsolete the current conception of search engines. And they’re not doing it by becoming a walled garden — there’s no profit in that. They’re doing it by becoming a walled gate with a multi-directional toll system.

Customer Insight is a hot industry topic for a reason — if done well it lets you increase revenue per user, turn users into products you can sell to advertisers, and even turn suppliers into customers of their own data, and complementary and competing companies’ data.

At least in theory. It remains to be seen how reliable and resilient it will prove when millions of new iPhone 4S users start pounding on it. Whether it’s the best new feature in iOS 5 and the future of user input, or just the best new feature no one will use for input remains to be seen.

Note: Apple says additional language and feature support will be coming to Siri in the future.

Dictation

In addition to Siri’s query/response engine, it also includes speech-to-text functionality. This manifests as a microphone key to the left of the space bar that, when tapped, brings up an speech input interface. Talk, tap Done, and Apple will parse what you said on their servers and return text to built in apps like Mail or Messages, or any App Store app that supports keyboard entry, including Facebook, Keynote, etc.

Siri also understands symbols, punctuation and other special characters, like period and question mark, “open parenthesis” and “close square bracket”, and “new line” and “new paragraph”, provided you use their proper name.

Notifications

iOS 5 brings non-interruptive, less intrusive notification alerts to iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. Similar to how Android’s notification tray works, or the basic functionality of the LockInfo Jailbreak app, it’s perhaps not quite as elegant as webOS’ system but it’s a huge leap forward from iOS’ previous implementation.

Notifications are presented in one of three different ways:

• Lock Screen Info
• Notification Center
• Notification Banners

All of the implementations show an icon of the app issuing the alert to the left and a brief except of the alert content to the right, but work in slightly different ways.

Lock Screen Info

Lock Screen Info is the most complex of the three. When an alert comes in, your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch wakes briefly from sleep to show you the notification.

• If it’s a single notification, you get a single popup.
• If it’s multiple notifications, you get a stacked list view.
• If it’s a single notification but there have been previous unread notifications, you get a single popup but can view the complete list by swiping down from the time/date bar (a small gripper icon indicates when this is possible.)
• If it’s a notification along with a secondary action, for example Snooze for an alarm notification, a secondary button will also appear for that action.

Touching and dragging the icon unlocks the device and sends you to the app to view the information. Unlocking the device clears all past notifications from Lock Screen info.

Notification Center

When your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad is unlocked, Notification Center can be revealed by swiping downwards from the status bar. It can be dismissed by swiping back up from the small gripper icon at the button of the screen.

Notification Center proper brings widgets of a sort to iPhone and iPod touch, though currently only Apple’s own Weather and Stocks app are enabled. Weather shows the current local or default temperature, hi and low, and precipitation, if any. Stocks shows a horizontally scrolling ticker of recent quotes and the delta changes since the previous close. Tapping on either one takes you to the full app.

Just like iPad has no Weather or Stocks apps, it has no widgets in Notification Center.

Beneath the widgets is the notification list. Each list is headed by the corresponding app icon and name to the left, and a far-too-tiny X icon to the right. Tapping the X icon clears all notifications for that app. Tapping anywhere on the alert will take you to the app to view the information. You can control which apps and how many notifications per app are displayed in Settings.

This is lightyears beyond where iOS notifications were before. Balancing the desire of power users for powerful notifications with the desire of casual users to avoid constant interruption is tricky. Notifications does a good job of it and it raises intriguing possibilities for the future. Developer access to the widget system, media controls in Notification Center as opposed to the Fast App Switcher, radio controls for fast Wi-Fi and Bluetooth enabling/disabling like SBSettings perhaps? Apple values simplicity, but they’re not afraid of hiding layers of sophistication beneath it.

Notification Banners

Notification Banners appear appear briefly at the top of the screen whenever your device is unlocked, and are animated with a roll down, roll back up effect. Tapping a Notification Banner sends you to the app that issued the alert and shows you the information. While far less obtrusive than the old-style popup notifications, the Banners can still obscure information and cover buttons, and when they roll-down unexpectedly can cause you to accidentally tap them rather then the top bar or button you’d begun to tap. Hopefully, as Apple matures the notification system and developers update their apps to support iOS 5, this issue will diminish.

If they’re really getting in your way, you can either touch, pull slightly, and flick them away, or swipe from right to left to dismiss them more quickly.

Note: Some apps will still default to old style popups to really get your attention, like Clock alarms and Calendar appointment alerts. You can manually assign your preference on an app-by-app basis in Settings.

Again, far better than what came before, yet there’s room for more to come. For example, the ability to tap and instantly reply to Messages without having to leave the current app — like BiteSMS?

Notification Accessibility

iOS 5 also adds new accessibility features that allow the camera’s LED flash to be used to signal notifications. Vibration patterns, including custom vibration patterns, can also be assigned and created to better identify incoming notifications, such as phone calls. These features are accessible in the Settings app.

Twitter

Twitter, the 140-character social network, has been integrated into iOS 5 at the system level. This means that everywhere you could previous Share content via Mail or Messages, you can also now choose to Share by way of a Tweet. Rather than handing you off to the official Twitter app, however, just like Mail and Messages are embedded views, so are the new tweet sheets. Just fill them out, choose if you want to add your location, and tweet away.

AirPlay Mirroring (iPad 2 and iPhone 4S only)

AirPlay was introduced with iOS 4.2 and allowed any video using Apple’s standard media control to beam image and sound over a local Wi-Fi network to an Apple TV for viewing on the big screen. It was… limited in its initial release but iOS 4.3 brought increased support for Apple’s Photo app and added support for 3rd party apps, and in general made it a solid, enjoyable feature. (Especially with on-the-fly transcoders like Air Video)

With iOS 5, Apple brings AirPlay Mirroring to iPad 2 and iPhone 4S. AirPlay mirroring lets iOS share it’s screen, any screen of any app, to the Apple TV over Wi-Fi.

iPhone 4S and iOS 5 brings AirPlay mirroring to the iPhone. Because Apple decided against adding a dual core Apple A5 chipset to the 2011 iPod touch, that’s now the only device left out in the cold when it comes to mirroring.

While on the surface AirPlay mirroring might not seem like a major feature, it allows the personal, intimate experiences of everything from gaming to FaceTime to become social, group activities, and allows videos and presentations to be shared by the whole family or entire meeting.

A keynote presentation projected in the boardroom, or a group of friends playing a big screen boardgames are just some of the obvious uses. As companies like Firemint continue to push the envelope with concepts like multiple-device-to-Apple-TV Party Play — where iPhone 4S and iPad become controllers for group gaming, an a serious threat to traditional consoles in the casual space.

To activate AirPlay Mirroring, start the app you want to mirror, double tap the Home Button to bring up the Fast App Switcher, swipe across the media controls, tap the Air Play button, and select Apple TV as the source.

Dictionary

Previously embedded only in Apple’s iBooks, with iOS 5 the entire system has access to a built in dictionary. Unfortunately, I’m lead to believe developers don’t have access to it yet for App Store apps, but hopefully that will change in the future.

Keyboard (iPad only)

With iOS 5, iPad gains the ability to not only undock the keyboard and slide it up and down, but to split it apart into two half-keyboards for easier thumb-typing. Just touch and hold the Keyboard button at the bottom right of the keyboard to popup the dock/undock and split/merge menu, or just touch it at both sides and pull it apart or put it back together again. (Yes, it’s very cathartic.)

Home Screen

Compared to iOS 4′s Fast App Switcher and Folders, iOS 5 changes either transcend just the Home Screen (Notification Center’s Lock Screen info) or blur the boundaries between Home Screen and app (Newstand). Still, there are a few additions that can probably be safely categorized under Home Screen.

Multiple app installs

Instead of Apps being installed one by one, multiple apps can now be downloaded and installed simultaneously.

Assistive Touch

iOS’ already industry leading accessibility has been augmented with a gesture based control panel called AssistiveTouch that can reproduce all the functionality of the existing hardware buttons, and much more.

Once turned on in Settings, the control panel can be activated by tapping the overlay on screen. It pops up with a menu containing Gestures, Favorites, Devices, and Home. Gestures has a sub menu for 2, 3, 4, and 5 finger gestures, and once you choose a quantity, blue circles in the appropriate amount appear on screen. Favorites contains defaults like Pinch and Swipe, and any custom gestures you’ve created. Device replicates the hardware features such as Rotate Screen, Lock Screen, Mute/Unmute, Volume Up/Volume Up, and Shake.

While some may think this heralds Apple ditching hardware buttons, remember, you would still need a way to reset your device if it locks up, to turn off the ringer or change volume if it’s in your pocket or purse, and to keep iOS accessible for children and people form whom the Home Button is easy and complex UI and gestures are a barrier to entry.

Still, this could turn out to be a very interesting addition to iOS 5, especially for advanced users who want to have a software-based interface. Most importantly, it shows that Apple — who is already incredibly far ahead of the competition when it comes to accessibility — is not slowing down.

Messages

The biggest change to Messages is one that’s as almost invisible as it is profound. Messages began as SMS, an in the beginning only offered text message functionality. In iOS 3 internationally and iOS 4 in the US, Apple renamed is Messages and added MMS functionality. Now, in iOS 5, Apple has replicated the carriers’ traditional cash cow by providing a method to send text and multimedia via iMessages — securely encrypted — over the Wi-Fi and cellular data networks.

Messages neatly handles both traditional SMS/MMS messages and iMessages, with iMessages integrated so seamlessly that only the color and faded text — green for traditional SMS/MMS and blue for iMessages betray which is in use at any given time.

There is one large limitation to iMessages, however, and for some users it might be a deal-breaker — it only works between iOS devices. That hasn’t stopped BlackBerry’s BBM from become a platform-locking success, but BBM has been around much longer and offers far, far more functionality.

That’s not to say it doesn’t have some BBM-like functionality. You can see delivery status and, if enabled in Settings, read receipts as well. You can see, via ellipses, when someone is in the midst of responding. Also, for users with limited text plans, especially expensive international text plans, and lots of friends on iOS, iMessage will be welcome.

Like FaceTime before it, iMessages uses an Apple ID-registered email address as a method of identification. This also means, like FaceTime before it, iMessages is available to iPad and iPod touch users. Yes, they get the iOS Messages app for the first time. Due to the data-centric rather than telephony-centric method of transmission, they can now send and receive iMessages from other iOS users when and where they never could — and still can’t — SMS or MMS.

The interface conventions are a little different. iPhone has a single pane view, for example, so hitting the edit button in the contact list view lets you delete whole conversations and in the conversation view allows you to delete or forward individual messages (bubbles). On iPad, both contact list and conversations are visible at the same time so the edit button handles conversations and individual message managements is switched over, strangely, to the action button. (You can also pop up and edit contact info via the contact button, topmost right.)

However, it does mean users with more than one iOS device registered on the same iMessages Apple ID, they can start a conversation on their iPhone while out and about and continue it on their iPad when home on the couch.

In a nice touch, you can now swipe down to dismiss the keyboard and read your messages full screen.

Calendar

With iOS 5, the Calendar app gets a couple of new features that users have asking for for a while now, including new views, more consistent iOS-style navigation, and more direct touch-based interactions.

Week and Year view

First, when in list, day, or month view on iPhone or iPod touch, turning to landscape orientation now gives you a week view.

On iPad, you now get a full Year view, complete with a color-coded heat map showing how busy your days are, from empty white days to blisteringly busy red days at opposite ends of the spectrum.

Touch-based event creation and editing

You can now also create a new event simply by touching and holding your finger down on the time (day view), or day (month view), or day and time (week view) you want to create it for, or in the all-day area (day or week view) for an all-day event. You can also touch and hold existing events to “float” them and drag them to new time time periods, or resize change (change start or end time to lengthen or shorten) using handles that appear at the top right and bottom left. The + button and edit buttons are still there and you can still use them, and you still have to fill out or change all the other information, but intuitively it’s always felt like something we should have been able to done so it’s nice to finally be able to do it.

Speaking of which, you can now swipe forward or backward to the next or previous day as well. Score one for perceived consistency.

iCloud also offers the ability to share calendars with family, friends, and associates.

Photos

Album management

While not specifically called out as part of Apple’s iOS 5 “cutting the (iTunes) cord” initiative, the ability to create and manage photo albums directly on-device for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch helps achieve just that. No longer are you stuck with what you sync over via USB.

Now, by tapping the edit and then album buttons, you can add a new album. By multi-selecting photos and tapping Add To, you can move them between albums and from Camera Roll and Photo Stream (for iCloud) to albums.

Only Photo Stream pictures appear to be synced stored and pushed to all your devices, however, not the folder structure. That’s a little disappointing. It would be great if whatever folder system you set up on your iPhone — family, friends, dogs, hawaii trip, etc. — would automagically be replicated on your iPad or iPod touch, but… baby steps.

Photo editing

Apple has also moved the powerful CoreImage framework from OS X to their mobile operating system, allowing the Photos app for iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad to do some basic image editing work. Now, by tapping on the edit button at the top right, you get access to several iPhoto-like tools:

• Rotate, to turn your image in 90 degree increments
• Auto-enhance, which waves a magic wand and tries to balance your image
• Red-eye removal, so you can just say goodbye to flash-induced evil possession
• Crop, which lets you cut away the parts of an image you don’t want, and includes all the standard presets.

As is the case with most built-in functions, it provides the basic set of tools but is by no means a feature complete photo editing app. Still, it’s free, its bundled, and very many it will be good enough.

Photo Sharing

MMS has been replaced with Messages, and gone is MobileMe Gallery, but new to iOS 5 is the ability to tweet a picture (not video) to Twitter.

Photo Stream

Photo Stream is part of iCloud and keeps the most recent photos from your Camera Roll, up to 1000 of them and for up to 1 month, in a special album that’s stored up to Apple’s servers and pushed down to your other iOS 5 devices. It can also stream photos to an Apple TV 2 without keeping any local copies, and will store all your photos, without limit of number and time, in iPhoto or Aperture on Mac, and on a Windows PC.

Think of it as a photo only (no video) duplicate of all the Camera Rolls of all your iOS devices — including photos you’ve saved to the Camera Roll from email and the web — all in one place.

Unlike Camera Roll, however, you can’t delete photos from Photo Stream. That means if you take any risqué photos, or save anything risqué from email or the web, that’s it. It’s in your photo stream until 1000 other photos force it off, a month passes, or you disable photo stream.

Camera

Camera’s updates don’t just include the ones it inherits from Photos by way of Camera Roll integration — it gets a lot of very convenient feature additions all its own.

First from the live Camera preview screen, you can now not only get to the Camera Roll and review your photos and videos by tapping the thumbnail button on the bottom right, but by swiping back as well. (No, you can’t get to the live Camera preview screen by swiping forward from Camera Roll in the Photos app.) You can either swipe back to the live Camera preview or tap the redesigned, and much brighter blue Camera button.

Faster picture taking

Double clicking the Home button from the Lock Screen doesn’t just bring up audio controls any more — it also brings up a Camera button. Tap the Camera button and you’re rocketed straight to the camera app, Passcode Lock or no Passcode Lock. (Though if you click the Home button from there, you’re intercepted by the Passcode lock.)

The Grid

HDR (high dynamic Range) has been moved into an Options button that takes it’s place top center on the screen. When HDR is on, you now get a small text label above the Camera icon informing you it’s on. That’s a nice touch since HDR photos take a much longer amount of time to save and can lead to cursing if you’re in a rush and take one accidentally.

Also under Options you now have the ability to turn on a 3×3 Grid overlay to help compose your shots.

Pinch to Zoom

The Zoom Slider isn’t immediately apparent any more but you can now spread and pinch your fingers to zoom in and out, just as you do photos in the Photos app, and once you start zooming the old slider reappears.

Hardware shutter button

Taking pictures and starting/stopping video recording has also become a lot easier in iOS 5, as you can now use the volume up button as a hardware shutter/recording button. If you plug in headphones, you can even use the volume up button on the headphones as a remote shutter/recording button.

Focus and Exposure Lock

While you could previously tap the screen to set auto focus and auto exposure, you can now tap and hold to lock both focus and exposure. Small text reading AE/AF Lock with appear above the Camera icon when enabled, and you can then move the shot around without it recalibrating. Tap the screen again to unlock.

Face recognition and image stabilization

iPhone 4S also gets both face recognition to improve focus and exposure for portrait shots, as well as video stabilization to help alleviate excessive shaking in your monstrous 1080p recordings.

Videos

The great sundering of the iPhone’s traditional iPod app begins with Videos. That’s right, while iPod touch and iPad have always had a separate Videos app, iOS 5 marks the first time iPhone has seen the same split between audio and visual content.

On iPad 2 and iPhone 4S, thanks to the powerful A5 processor, Apple has also enabled 1080p playback. (Though give the 1024×768 iPad 2 screen resolution, and the 960×640 iPhone 4S resolution, it’s a bit of a waste — though an eventual Retina display iPad at 2048×1536 or an Apple TV that could AirPlay 1080p could one day make it worthwhile.)

YouTube

YouTube gets little by way of updates this time around, but if you’re a frequent Twitter user you’ll be glad to know integration into iOS 5 means you can now tweet out links to your favorite videos.

Stocks (iPhone and iPod touch only)

Stocks now get “real-time” updates. Also, the Stocks you add in the app are also the Stocks that appear in the new Notification Center Stock widget. Add or remove a stock here and it will be added to or removed from a widget.

Maps

While Apple has purchased map-related companies like Placebase and Poly9, there’s no obvious indication they’ve deployed them in Maps to anywhere near the extent they’ve deployed Siri. What they have done is continue to use the Google Maps backend and improve existing features and make them even more useful.

Alternate Routes

Maps can not only give you directions now, but they can provide you with alternate routes to your destination. The default route will be labeled Route 1 and highlighted, but if traffic or personal preferences make it less than desirable, you can tap an alternate route, for example Route 2, it will become highlighted, and the directions will switch to that route.

AirPrint

The Page Curl button now reveals the additional option to AirPrint your current map.

Weather (iPhone and iPod touch only)

For starters, Weather now hooks into the Notification Center widget system. Whichever place is your default in the Weather app is the one that will be shown in the weather widget. So, change the default location in the Weather app and you change the widget.

Local Weather

Rather than choosing your home town as the default location for Weather, and manually changing it if and when you travel, you can simply enable Location Services in Weather and your iPhone or iPod will detect and display the weather for where you are at any given time.

Note: I live in Montreal, but Local Weather keeps putting me in Ottawa. So, work on the trust but verify principle — you may need to manually adjust if it Location Services gets it not quite right.

Hourly Forecasts

If daily forecasts weren’t enough for you, if just know it would rain or snow but not when wasn’t enough for you, iOS 5 weather adds hourly forecasts for the current day. Just swipe down and the rest of the week will fall away and hour-by-hour predictions will be revealed in their place.

Reminders

Reminders is the Apple task and todo app 5 years in the making. As with most built-in apps, the functionality is bare-bones — it won’t be replacing high end task managers any time soon — but well executed. Interestingly, you need to have either iCloud and/or Exchange sync setup to use Reminders (or it sort of curls up and won’t do anything.) Once you’ve enabled sync in Settings, iCloud will create a Reminders list and Exchange will create a Task list and you’re in business.

The default view is your default list and you can swipe forward to see other lists, or back to get to the special Completed list. To mark a Reminder as completed, tap the box immediately to its left and a check will appear. To unmark it, quickly tap the box again. Completed Reminders will disappear from the regular lists and move to the Completed List. To move it back, tap the box to uncheck it.

Tap the Date button and you’re taken to a Day view where you can view all your reminders for that date. You can swipe backwards and forwards to the previous or next day or use the iPad-style thumbnail scroller at the bottom of the page. Tap the Today button at the top right to return to — you guessed it — today. If you’d rather see a month at a time, tap the Month button at the top left. Days with Reminders are colored red. Instead of swiping horizontally between months, you can scroll vertically.

To create a new Reminder, either tap the + button on the right, or tap the next empty spot on the lined paper in List or Date view. Type a name for the reminder to create it. Unlike Calendar, which immediately pops up a page for you to enter additional information, you need to tap Done at the top right, wait for the Reminder to be created, then tap it to get to the Details page.

From the Details page you can edit the name of the Reminder, and set the Remind Me method. It defaults to the current day and time, but you can set the On Day to any future date (or turn it off), and you can also set At Location to create a geo-fence around a specified location that can be told to alert either When I Leave or When I arrive. You can either choose your Current Location, your default Work or Home locations, or Choose Address from your Contacts. (Unfortunately, you can’t use an embedded Map to search for an address — you have to have it in your Contacts first.)

A Reminder can have either a time or a location assigned to it, or both. Reminders will alert you when the time arrives or the location is triggered, whichever comes first. So you could use it to remind you to call home at 5pm, and/or to call home when you leave your office.

Note: only iCloud associated Lists can use location reminders. Exchange associated Tasks don’t have that functionality.

You can also set the Repeat frequency, if applicable, and by tapping Show More, you can change the Priority, change the List the Reminder is filed under, and add any Notes you might need. To delete a Reminder, tap the Delete button at the bottom.

If you want to create new lists to help keep things organized (like a packing list, shopping list, project list, etc.) just tap the Lists button at the top left, then edit at the top right, the Create New List… beneath the account you want to add it too (if you have both iCloud and Exchange sync setup.)

You can also delete lists from this page by tapping the red circle icon, then the red delete button. You can re-order lists by grabbing the gripper icon to their right and dragging up or down. You can also search for reminders in any list here, which is good functionality but it feels like a strange place to put it. Creating a unified master page that collects all your reminders from all your lists, and allows search, feels like it would be a more useful and consistent way of handling it.

Clock (iPhone and iPod touch only)

Now you can pause the countdown timer.

Game Center

Game Center, Apple’s answer to Xbox Live!, gets updates this time around where Ping, Apple’s social music network, does not. Like several other iOS 5 updates, they round out the feature set and better integrate the app with Apple’s store system.

Profile Privates and Pics

First up, you can now choose to keep your profile private, in which case your real name won’t be shared with Game Center friends. You can also add a picture or avatar to your profile, so you’re visually recognizable.

Friend Recommendations and Points Sorting

You get to see other people’s profile pics on the Friends page, along with a fanned out deck of friend recommendations, and the ability to sort friends by their achievement point total.

Game Recommendations and Purchase

Games are likewise recommended, and you can buy them right inside Game Center via an embedded version of the App Store. It included no non-game apps, and no search, so it’s limited but still convenient.

Which begs the question — will Apple continue this type of integration, similar to what they do in iBooks, and instead of a button in Music to take you to the iTunes Store, just embed the audio portion of the store in Music?

Newsstand

Newsstand is new to iOS 5 but isn’t a new app per se. It’s more like a permanent Folder than contains all your subscription magazine and newspaper apps. Tap the Newsstand icon and, just like for Folders, Newsstand opens up to reveal the apps inside. Instead of a dark linen background, however, you’re greeted with iBooks-like wooden shelves. And instead of the usual app icon, you’re shown the cover art or front page of the latest issue. Tapping a Newsstand magazine or newspaper app launches it the same as tapping any iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad app.

A Store button at the top right takes you to a special section of the App Store where you can subscribe to your favorite magazines and newspapers, from Elle to The Economist, the New Yorker to the New York Times, Cosmo to Car and Driver.

Note: Individual apps have to be updated to support Newsstand. If they haven’t been updated yet, they’ll download to your Home Screen as they did before Newsstand. Sadly, the Newsstand Store doesn’t indicate which apps have or haven’t updated up front, you need to tap through an examine the release notes for each one.

iTunes Store

iTunes Store has been integrated with iCloud to provide functionality that was previously exclusive to apps and games in the App Store. However, most of this new functionality is currently only available in the US — Apple is at the mercy of the record labels and Hollywood studios — but will hopefully expand in the future.

Music and TV re-downloads

iTunes — in the US — now offers the ability to re-download previously purchased iTunes music and TV shows without being charged again for the privilege. This isn’t exclusive to iOS 5 mind you. As of a few months ago, re-downloads have been available in iOS 4.3 as well. (iTunes is a native wrapper around web views, so Apple can update it outside of the firmware.) However, this is as good a place as any to go over it.

Just tap the Purchased tab on the bottom of the screen and then choose which type of media you want to re-download. You can either view All your previous purchases or just the ones Not On This iPhone/iPod/iPad. You’ll be given an alphabetical list of songs, topped by options for All Songs and Recent Purchases. All Songs can be further filtered by Most Recent, Song Name, and Artist Name. Tap the iCloud Download icon to start re-downloading.

Tapping the More tab and then Downloads will let you keep track of what’s being pulled from iCloud, and tapping the Purchased button at the top right will send you to the Music or Videos app where you can also track the downloads and start listening/watching.

Note: To prevent piracy, you can’t simply log into one iTunes account after another and re-download all the music from each account. Once your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch is associated with an iTunes account, it can’t be changed for 90 days.

iTunes Match

iTunes Match is a supplementary iCloud service available for $25 a year. It’s a music locker service that scans your desktop iTunes library and, if they’re part of the 20 million strong iTunes catalog, immediately makes any songs you already have in your possession available to you in 256-bit AAC format. If they’re not in the iTunes catalog — if they’re your favorite fringe Anime soundtracks, for example — they’ll be uploaded to Apple’s servers in the existing format and quality.

Note: iTunes Match is currently in beta and listed as “coming soon”.

Tone Store

Apple introduced the iTunes Ringtone store way back in 2008 alongside the first iPod touch. With iOS 5 Tones are no long restricted to phone calls and can be purchased in iTunes and assigned in the Settings app to a wide range of alerts, including Messages, Emails, etc. Same store, same prices, more places to use them.

App Store

App Store also gets integrated with iCloud, though in this case it’s mostly new management, same great service. Like iTunes, the updates here aren’t unique to iOS 5 — Apple has rolled them out to iOS 4.3 users already — but for convenience’s sake, here’s where we’re going to cover them.

App Re-downloads

You could always re-download previously purchased apps at no additional charge from the App Store, but now Apple has created a better, clearer interface for doing it. Just tap on the Updates tab and you’ll see a top-of-page option for Purchased apps. Tap it and you’ll get a list of All your previously purchased apps in reverse chronological order. You can also tap the Not On This iPhone/iPad/iPod button to filter out app you already have installed. Tap the iCloud Download icon to start installing them.

Note: If you share an iTunes account with your significant other or kids, iTunes will now rat out any risqué purchases you might have previously been able to keep hidden…

In the other App Store sections, there’s no more guessing as to whether or not you’ve already purchased an app. If you have, the price tag button is replaced with an Install button.

Settings

As is almost always the case, the greatest number of changes in iOS 5 appear in the Settings app — it’s where all the options for all the new system features, apps, and app features are to be found. Also, for the first time Settings gets notifications of its own. Any time a Software Update is pending, Settings will send you a popup and place a badge on its app icon.

Notifications

Notifications now houses all the options for Lock Screen Info, Notification Center, and in-app Notifications. Up top you can choose to Sort Apps Manually or By Time. Below that are two lists, In Notification Center for apps that are currently enabled to send you notifications, and Not in Notification Center for apps you’ve disabled.

The Edit button gives you little gripper icons on the right hand side to let you re-order apps within either list.

Tap an app and you’re taken to the individual Notification settings. For each app, you can toggle Notification Center on or off, choose to Show 1, 5, or 10 recent items, pick an alert style from None to Banners (new style) to Alerts (old style popups), and decide if you want to Badge the App Icon (the little red numbers on the top right), allow sounds (including vibration). You can also choose if you want to be able to see the alert in View in Lock Screen.

Note: Not all apps provide for the same options. For example, some apps have no sound alerts, so there’s no option to enable or disable them.

Location Services

Apple continues their emphasis on privacy by making Location Services far more granular. Not only can you globally disable them during initial setup, and toggle them all on or off in Settings, you can enable or disable each app on an individual basis, whether they’re built-in like Camera or Maps or App Store like Facebook or TomTom. You can also tap through to System Services and enable or disable Cell Network Search, Compass Collaboration, Diagnostics & Usage, Location-Based iAds, Setting Time Zone, and Traffic.

Moreover a purple arrow icon to the left of the on/off toggle tells you if any app or service is currently using location, and a gray arrow icon tells you if any app or service has used your location within the last 24hrs.

Sounds

Sounds also get far more granular, and more encompassing controls. In addition to Ringtones (iPhone only) and Text Tones (new to iPod touch and iPad), you can set tone for New Voicemail, New Mail, Sent Mail, Tweet, Calendar Alerts, and Reminder Alerts.

If you want to change one, tap it. At the very top of the tone page you have a handy button to take you right to the iTunes Tone Store (not just for Ringtones any more). You can then choose from None (no sound), or from a list of Alerts (previously Text Tones) and Ringtones.

Alerts now includes a Tweet Tone for the new Twitter integration. And yes, most Alerts are still inappropriate for the job for which they were intended — let’s hope they get shorter and snappier in the future.

While it may seem like a bit of an overlap to have alert sound on/off settings under Notifications and a None option in Sounds, it does increase discoverability for users.

Also, as part of Apple’s outstanding Accessibility features, you can now set Vibration Patterns in addition to the standard Alert, including Heartbeat, Rapid, S.O.S., and Sympathy, and you can even create a Custom Vibration via the Create New Vibration tab.

Just tap the screen to create a pattern, stop it and play it back to make sure it’s too your liking, and then hit Save. This way, if you can’t hear individualized alerts, you can feel them.

General: About

In the About section, there’s now a field for your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad Name. Tap it and you can change it on-device.

General: Software Update

Since iOS 5 has take iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad PC Free, instead of updating your firmware by connecting to iTunes on Mac or Windows, you can just tap Software Update and it will do it on-device. If there isn’t an update ready and waiting for you, Settings will check for it. When an update is available, tap Install and it will begin to download. Settings will restart your device and apply the update.

General: Usage

Usage gets a big makeover, and far more granular and interactive controls. First, Storage is broken down on an app by app basis. You can see how much memory each app is using, and if you tap through, you can see what it’s using it for, and even delete it if it’s an App Store app. (If you don’t see all your apps, just tap Show all Apps.)

iCloud shows off it’s stats here to, and lets you tap through, you can Manage Storage just like you can from the top level iCloud Settings area proper (see below).

Cellular Data now requires you tap through to see Call Time, Cellular Network Data, and Tether Data (if your plan allows tethering.)

General: iTunes Wi-Fi Sync

Once you’ve enabled iTunes Wi-Fi Sync, here’s where you can check and see your last sync day and time, and manually tell your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad to Sync Now.

General: Spotlight Search

You can now enable or disable Spotlight Search for Reminders.

General: Accessibility

Here’s where Apple hides all the really impressive Accessibility features. Along with previous options, you can now toggle on Hearing Aid mode, turn on or off Custom Vibrations, have the LED flash go off to signal notification alerts, set Mono Audio left or right, set Assistive Touch, and set Triple-click Home.

If you tap through to Assistive Touch, you can toggle it on or off, toggle Always Show Menu on or off, set the tracking speed, tap through to Create New Gestuers, or delete Custom Gestures via the Edit button at the top right.

Triple-click Home can now be set to toggle AssistiveTouch.

iCloud

iCloud shows you your current Account and lets you tap through to see the associated Apple ID, your current Storage Plan, and your Payment Information. You can buy more Storage right from this page if you want to.

Mail, Contacts, Calendars, Reminders, Bookmarks, Notes, and Find my iPhone can be toggle on or off, as can Photo Stream but oddly you need to tap through to a separate page to do this. (Perhaps more options are coming in the future?) You also have to tap through to a separate page to toggle Documents & Data, but have the additional option to toggle Use Cellular on or off as well. (If you turn it off, you can save on data but will need to be on Wi-Fi to store/push your documents.)

Storage & Backup shows how much total storage you have available (every iCloud user starts off with 5GB for free), and how much you have available out of that total. You can Manage Storage, Buy More Storage (using your iTunes account), toggle iCloud backup on and off, and even start a Back Up Now (if you’re on Wi-Fi).

Tap through to Manage Storage and you get a list of all your currently backed up iOS devices, along with the size of their individual backups. (You can Buy More Storage here as well). Tap a device name and you’re taken to its info page which shows the device name, device type, the time of the Latest Backup, the Backup Size, and the Backup Options.

Backup Options predict the Next Backup Size and then lets you see the current size of each individual app’s backup and toggle its backup state on or off. (If you don’t see all your apps listed, tap the Show All Apps tab at the bottom.) You can also tap the big red Delete Backup button to remove that device’s backup from iCloud.

Mail, Contacts, Calendars

All your accounts are listed here and tapping on one lets you toggle individual aspects on or off and set additional options.

If you have an iCloud account, tapping it here gives you the same options as tapping iCloud in its own settings tap. Again, more places means more discoverability.

If you tap into another account, like MobileMe or Exchange, and keep tapping into Advanced settings as deeply as you can, you’ll find and be able to toggle on S/MIME support, turn Sign and/or Encrypt on, and pick a Certificate.

There have been a bunch of other small changes as well. For example, showing 25 mail messages is now gone and 1000 has been added.

Twitter

Settings for Twitter include a handy button to grab the official Twitter app from the App Store, if it’s not already installed. You can tap Add Account to get started, and you can add multiple accounts without a problem. You can even Create New Account if you don’t have one (or enough) already.

For each account you can individually enable or disable Find Me by Email and Tweet Location. And you can use Twitter to update the info in your Contacts.

FaceTime

FaceTime was originally introduced in iOS 4 for iPhone using phone numbers as unique identifies. Later iPod touch and then iPad got FaceTime using Apple IDs as the identifier. Now in iOS 5, things go full circle and iPhone can use both phone numbers and Apple IDs for FaceTime.

Safari

You can now choose to have Safari open links In New Page (iPhone and iPod touch) or In New Tap (iPad), or In Background so you can stay on the same page/tab and go look at the new one only when you’re ready. On iPhone and iPod touch you have to tap through and check your preference. On iPad, just a toggle.

Desktop Safari stalwart Private Browsing makes the jump to mobile as well. When you toggle it on or off, you’ll be asked if you want to close all existing pages or tabs or leave them open. Since the point of Private Browsing is to turn off all cookies, caching, and tracking information so you can surf discreetly, closing existing pages and tabs is probably a good idea.

If you tap through the Advanced Tab, and into Website Data, you now get a list of websites that use HTML5 local storage to keep information stored on your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad (for example, Gmail.com so you can still access some recent mail when off of the network.) Not only can you see which sites have data on your device here, you can tap Edit to delete that data on a site-by-site basis or scroll to the bottom and tap Remove All Website Data to nuke every bit of it all at once whenever the mood strikes you.

Messages

With the addition of iMessage, the Message Settings now let you toggle the service on or off, and present the option to Send Read Receipts, so like BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) you can let people know not only that you’ve received their iMessage, but seen it as well.

On the iPhone, because it also ties into your carrier’s SMS/MMS service, you can choose to enable or disable Send as SMS for when iMessage is unavailable (say one of your writers has taken up with an Android phone for a week…) If you have both a decent text and data plan, leaving this on ensures smooth, uninterrupted messaging. If you’ve greatly reduced texts in lieu of iMessage, leaving this off means you don’t risk hefty a la carte SMS charges.

You can also choose which Apple ID email address you want to use for iMessage (much like you can for FaceTime), and add additional email addresses if, for example, you want friends and family to reach you through a different channel than colleagues at work. (Or if you’ve just collected too many Apple IDs, lost track of who has which one, and don’t want to miss anyone who might iMessage you on a whim.)

Photos

In Photos Settings, like in iCloud Settings, you can toggle Photo Stream on or off.

Store

If iTunes in the Cloud is available in your local iTunes Store, you can not only re-download Music and iBooks just like Apps, but you can now set your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad to automatically download any Music and iBooks, and Apps that you’ve downloaded on any other device or on iTunes desktop on your Mac or Windows PC. For example, if you buy All Along the Watchtower on your Mac, it’ll start downloading to your desktop library but also start downloading on your iPhone and iPad. The same holds true for apps provided they’re universal. So, if you buy Angry Birds HD on your iPad, it’ll download to your desktop iTunes library, but not your iPhone (because you can’t play iPad games on your iPhone). Likewise, buying an iOS version of an app or game doesn’t cause your Mac to start downloading the Mac App Store version.

If you have several family members with widely different tastes all on the same iTunes account, auto downloading can get messy. If you’re the only person on the account but you have a bunch of iTunes enabled computers and iOS devices, it can be miraculous.

On iPhone and iPad 3G, you can also choose to enable Use Cellular Data to automatically download purchases when away from Wi-Fi. If you have limited data, keep this off.

Phone

Phone has a number of new options in Settings, but in the app itself the major new feature is granular deletion of Recent Calls. You now get an Edit button at the top right and tapping it lets you go through and select and confirm individual calls for deletion.

Mail

Mail gets a bevy of new features in iOS 5 that bring it closer on par to a full desktop email client without losing the ease of use that characterizes Apple’s multitouch apps. Everything, from formatting to function gets an update, and the built in dictionary comes along for the ride.

Dragability

Have an email address in the To: field and think it really would be better off in the CC: field? Gone are the days of moving by way of deleting and retyping. Now just touch the address, it floats up, and you can drag it to just exactly where you want it.

Rich Text

Touch and hold to select as you would for copy and paste, and the popup menu now let’s you tap an arrow to get to formatting commands. Bold, italic, and underline are all options, along with decreasing or increasing the quote level.

Marking and Flagging

You can now Flag or Unflag messages to make important email stand out. It’s been included alongside Mark as Read or Unread.

Speaking of Marking, you can now Mark multiple messages as Read or Unread using the same Edit controls that previously allowed you to Move or Delete them.

Warning signs

If you try to send an email and the Subject is left blank, iOS 5 will popup a warning.

Folder Management

You can now add mailbox folders directly on your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad. Just go to the account you want to add a mailbox folder to, tap Edit up top, then New Mailbox at the bottom, and enter the name you want to use. If you want to make it a subfolder, just tap the account name and you’ll get a list of parent folders.

You can also tap the Edit button, choose a folder, and then change the name, change the parent folder, or even tap the Delete button to remove it from existence.

Safari

Several of Safari’s new features seem designed to allow users to consumer web articles faster, easier, and more elegantly than was previous possible on mobile devices. But at the same time, Safari for iPad behaves more than ever like a desktop browser.

Reader and Reading List

Safari Reader uses, in part, the open source version of Readability to re-render web articles text on a white background with big, legible text, and free from ads and other distractions that typically clutter up the ‘net. Just tap the Reader button at the top right of the address bar and Reader will slide in and take right over. To make it go away, tap the (now purple) Reader button again.

For hard-to-read sites, or those that have double-underline popup punch-the-monkeyed their souls to the monetization devils, Reader comes in really handy.

Reading List is a special type of bookmark that lets you quickly save a web article to read later. The combination of being easy to add and easy to find, and iCloud-powered sync across iOS and Mac OS X Safari browsers, makes it useful as far as it goes.

To save a page, tap the Action button and then tap Add to Reading List. To retrieve a page, tap the Bookmarks button and from the top level, tap the Eyeglasses icon or the Reading List label at the top.

But even taken together, while nice to have as built in features, they’re not a serious replacement for Instapaper.

Pop-over pulled

The less than ideal pop-over previously used to show the Mail list in iPad has been replaced with a slide-on, slide-off panel. It looks better but is a little harder to put away at time.

Nitro

The Nitro JavaScript engine, brought to Safari in iOS 4.3, has also been pushed out to UIWebView, the control used to display a web page inside an app, and for web apps bookmarked to the Home Screen. That means all web pages now enjoy the 2x software speed boost Nitro previously only provided Safari, and Apple continues to provide the most powerful HTML 5 support in mobile.

Tabbed browsing (iPad only)

While iPhone and iPod touch retains their customary Pages system to manage moving between multiple active web pages, iPad gets the full desktop treatment courtesy of tabs. And they work just as you would expect. Tap the big + button on the right to add a new tab and the tiny X icon on the tabs far left edge to close it.

Also like desktop Safari, touching and holding the Forward or Back button will now open a History popover.

Music

While iPod touch always had a separate Music app, iPad had a separate music app named iPod, and iPhone combined both video and music into a single iPod app. No longer. Whether Apple is winding down iPod as a brand — they didn’t update any of the iPod line of devices this year — or simply creating consistency across iOS devices, the iPod app is dead. Long live the Music app.

New interface, new iTunes Store integration

Music gets a face lift in general, with a new look to most of its views. The most impressive of which is the inclusion the download indicators for songs either freshly purchased or in the process of re-downloading thanks to iTunes in the Cloud. There’s also a new Store button at the top right so you can quickly get to the iTunes Store to buy or download more content.

Pop up names

In previous versions of iOS, long names were cut off. That meant, for example, if you wanted to find one of a dozen or more chapters in an audio book, it was a guessing game. (Tap. No, not 9-16. Tap. No, not 20-22. Where’s 25, frakdammit!) Now you just tap and hold and the full information pops up, making it easy to pick the right one. It works for most fields, track name, artist name, album name, etc. Again, a small addition but a helpful one.

Contacts

Contacts gets a relatively minor addition in iOS 5 — pun intended. You can now add a new field called Related People, and set it to mother, father, parent, brother, sister, child, friend, spouse, partner, assistant, manager, or other. You can then type in a name or choose from an another existing Contact.

Pricing and Availability

iOS 5 will be available as a free update for all supported devices on Wednesday, October 12, 2011. Although not all features are supported on all devices — or all generations of all devices — iOS 5 can be installed on the following:

• iPhone 4S (2011)
• iPhone 4 (2010 and 2011)
• iPhone 3GS (2009, 2010, and 2011)
• iPod touch 4 (2010 and 2011)
• iPod touch 3 (2009)
• iPad 2 (2011)
• iPad (2010)

Should you upgrade?

Yes, absolutely and immediately with 2 caveats. First, if you’re on older hardware like iPhone 3GS and you’re reading this just as iOS 5 becomes available, you might want to wait a few days and make sure there aren’t any reports of excessive sluggishness or other issues. Second, if you’re Jailbroken and rely on certain features, and don’t like tethered Jailbreaks, you might want to wait until a nicely packaged iOS 5 Jailbreak for your device is released (iPad 2 and iPhone 4S might take a while.)

Otherwise this is a fantastic update with incredible new functionality — and it’s free. What are you waiting for? It will make you feel like you have a while new device.

Conclusion

Almost everything about iOS 5 feels broader and better, and not only more functional, but more personal and more tactile as well. Apple has added more granular levels of control to things like Location Services and Data Storage, so you can keep private what you want to keep private and delete what you want to delete. They’ve also added more direct touch manipulation to the UI with Multitasking Gestures on iPad 2 apps like Calendar and Mail, so the interactions are viscerally intuitive. At the same time they’ve the social, sharing aspects of iOS with services like AirPlay and apps like Find My Friends. It’s a clever balance. So is the interface, which Apple has kept as accessible for novice users as it was in iOS 1 in 2007, and yet added ever greater layers of complexity for power users, including Fast App Switcher in 2010 and Notifications in 2011. For my sister, an iPhone or iPad can just make calls, play music, watch videos, and take photos. For me they can increasingly do almost anything.

And then there’s Siri. I’ve already written about what it might mean for Apple in the customer insight space. What it means for users is perhaps even more profound. It’s a whole new interface for computing and the next step in Apple’s relentless attempt to make technology ever more mainstream. From CLI on Apple II to GUI on Mac to multitouch on iPhone to Siri on iPhone 4S, Apple continues to tear down barriers of entry and reset expectations not about what we can do with devices, but about what they can do for us.

There are still things to complain about if you come from other platforms and miss specific features or have specific needs. Faster access to radio toggles. Quick message previews and responses. A Theme Store in case the 5-year old UI is starting to look a little less than fresh. A Files app that handles documents the way Photos handles images and videos. But with each version the list in undeniably growing shorter.

Still, it’s hard not to think about Steve Jobs at this point, and his standing beneath that giant slide showing the crossroads of technology and liberal arts, and see iOS 5 in the context of that vision. The man who was inspired by calligraphy to make elegant digital typography and lick-able interfaces has begun to obsolete them with voice. But that was his way and it remains Apple’s way. Future thinking and fearlessly so.

Some rough edges remain, and there will be an iOS 5.1 and iOS 6 after it, but iOS 5 is still beautiful and we can use it to make our devices and our lives better.

It comes in white now.

The Jawbone JAMBOX is my favorite audio gadget of the last year and one of my favorite gadgets in general. To put it in Aladdin-esque terms, it’s cosmically powerful sound… jammed into an itty bitty box.

Follow on after the break for a quick review and an awesome giveaway!

The JAMBOX connects to your iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad (or most any smartphone or tablet) via Bluetooth and that’s when the fun begins. Whether it’s your collection in the iPod/Music app, streaming internet radio, the soundtrack to your favorite movies or video games, or even the audio from a call or conference call, JAMBOX will blast is all around you. For something that small it’s got bass you can feel and remarkably clean sound in general.

Rather than a dock in every room and a speaker at the desk and in the car, JAMBOX can just go with you and pump sound for as long as its re-chargable battery lasts — which is pretty darn long. And yes, it’s phenomenal at parties. Heck, throw it in your bag, take it with you, and you are the party. We’re talking serious magnitude. Pop. Pop.

The TiPb Accessory Store has the Jawbone JAMBOX in stock and ready to go right now… and they’re also offering you a chance to win one of your very own. All you have to do is jump into the our accessory forum and leave a post in the Jawbone JAMBOX thread telling us why you want it. Go ahead, enter now!

Now that Apple has officially announced the iPhone 4S and put its specs on the table, we can put those specs up against the other baddest phones on the planet — the current flagship devices for Android, BlackBerry, Windows Phone, and webOS.

Each, of course, has its own unique advantages:

• iPhone 4S is blazing fast with the elegant and powerful iOS 5 and the jaw-dropping Assistant artificial intelligence-meets voice control system.

• Samsung Galaxy S II has a huge, incredibly bright display, ultra-thin profile, and Google’s Android 2.3 Gingerbread with TouchWiz on top.

• BlackBerry Bold 9900 brings touchscreen and QWERTY keyboard together in a way unseen since the best days of the Treo and combines in all the killer communication power of the BlackBerry 7 platform.

• HTC Titan makes other big phones feel small, with a gigantic screen, the polish of Microsoft’s Metro UI, and the features of the newly releases Windows Phone 7.5 Mango update.

• Pre3 may never see the light of day, thanks to HP, but we include it here so a) we can look at the battle that might have been, and b) our webOS friends don’t kick us in the shins.

It’s a more competitive market than ever before so check out the phones above and let us know — did iPhone 4S just vault Apple back to the top?

Another week, another baddest ass Android phone on the market, and right now that’s the Samsung Galaxy S II — and Android Central has their full Sprint Galaxy II Epic 4G Touch review up for your reading pleasure. Now Sprint doesn’t have an iPhone (yet?) so if you’re on Medium Yellow and you need a phone this week then the Galaxy S II is hard to beat. If you’re on AT&T, however, you have a tougher decision to make — namely iPhone 4 today, or perhaps iPhone 5 next month vs. the AT&T Galaxy S II.

Since we don’t live in the future, however, if really you really need that phone today, which should you get?

Hardware

iPhone 4 is compact, with a 3.5 Retina Display (960×640 IPS LCD) screen, stainless steel antenna band, and glass on both sides. It’s as much object d’art as mobile device, and some 15 months later it’s still one of the best designed, best manufactured, best finished devices on the planet. The AT&T Galaxy S II isn’t the almost obscene behemoth that Sprint has released, but at 4.3 inches and 800×480 pixels of Super AMOLED Plus, it’s by no means small — though it’s considerably less than dense than iPhone or even some other Android devices. Even the plastic feels slightly better on the new generation of Galaxy. It’s still Hasbro, but it’s the higher-end Hasbro.

While iPhone 4 has a great 5 megapixel rear camera with nice, big, photon-friendly sensor that also shoots 720p video, the Galaxy S II will do 8mp with 1080p.

3G vs. 4G

iPhone 4 uses AT&T’s 3G network with support for 7.2mbps HSPA downloads. The Galaxy II S uses AT&T’s so-called 4G network with support for — what, 14.4mbps? — HSPA+ downloads. In real life, will you see a difference? Hey, insert AT&T network joke here.

Galaxy S II wins in a pinch, but it’s only by a pinch.

iOS vs. Android

While iOS 5 is just around the corner, we haven’t rounded that corner yet so we can only base this on the current version available, iOS 4.3. It’s well polished, highly functional, and addresses previously lacking features multitasking, folder organization, FaceTime video calls, personal hotspot, and other features. Check out our complete iOS 4 walkthrough for more.

The Galaxy S II is running Android Gingerbread 2.3.4. You also get TouchWiz on top of that, which might look litigiously iPhone like, and could be a plus or a minus depending on your tastes. Still, Gingerbread is powerful, flexible and begins to address issues of consistency and UI polish. See Android Central for more on Gingerbread

Both iOS and Android handle Google services very well, though Android has more of them, including Google Navigation. However, only iOS gets Apple software and services.

Apps vs. Apps

Apple still technically has more apps in the iPhone app store than Google does in the Android Market, but the truth is most of the types of apps you’re likely to want are available for both platforms.

iPhone apps tend to look better and provide a better user experience but Android apps tend to be able to do more and offer more options.

Accessories

iPhone 4 has been on the market approaching 15 months so there’s a ton of accessories available for it (just check out the TiPb Store for a taste of what’s available). Plus it ties into the massive iTunes and Apple ecosystems. Chances are you can find everything from the perfect case to peripherals that will check your blood or fly your toy helicopter.

Because Galaxy S II is so new and there are so many different Android phones, you can still find the basics but it will take a while for more accessories to show up and they’ll fade faster when the next big Android phones splashes down in a few weeks (keep and eye on the Android Central store to see what I mean. Then again, it works with Motorola’s laptop-style keyboard and screen terminal, which is very cool.

Conclusion

Here’s what TiPb had to say about iPhone 4 when it launched:

An impressive new design, amazing new display, key features like multitasking, and an attempt to mainstream video calls, along with hundreds of other little improvements combine together to make this a substantial upgrade and clearly the best iPhone ever. (Given the success of previous iPhones, that’s no faint praise).

Here’s what Android Central had to say about the Galaxy S II:

Here’s the bottom line: The Galaxy S II is easily the fastest, thinnest and lightest Android smartphone you can get.

By now you’ve read our Epic 4G Touch review. (If not, go ahead. We’ll wait. … OK. Ready?) Much of what you read there stands for AT&T’s version. They both have the same 1.2GHz processor and 1GB (more or less) of RAM, and so they pretty much feel the same in our initial use.

So if you’re in the US and on AT&T, and you need a phone now, today, and are trying to decide between iPhone 4 and Galaxy S II, which should you get?

If you want the elegance of iOS and don’t want to fuss around, if you want it to just work, if you want the biggest choice possible of apps and accessories — as long as Apple approves them, if you want to stay in the iTunes ecosystem, and you want it wrapped up in what’s arguably still the most solid, most iconic hardware on the market, get an iPhone 4 and enjoy.

If you want the sheer power of Android and like to tinker, if you want the latest, greatest specs on the market — for the moment — if you want to be able to customize without having to hack your phone, and if you want a big phone with big functionality, get the Galaxy S II.

However, if you can wait, if October isn’t too far away for you, then hold off a few weeks. Apple just change the equation again with iPhone 5, and rumors of another Nexus are already in the wind.

If you need more help deciding, read TiPb‘s complete iPhone 4 review, compare it to Android Central‘s full Sprint Galaxy S II Epic 4G review and their AT&T Galaxy II S comparison, and if you have any questions, jump into our forums and ask away!

Ever wonder what an iPhone 4 would look like with a monster 4.5 inch screen, a scad of ports from micro USB to HDMI, and more logos stamped on it than you could shake LTE at? Well here you go! Thanks to the phenomenal Phil Nickinson of Android Central we can now see our glass and stainless steel iPhone 4 dwarfed by the immense slab of LTE powered plastic that’s the DROID BIONIC (yes, they had the technology).

There’s a lot to heart about both devices and if you’re on Verizon and having a tough time deciding, and the pictures below aren’t enough, check out TiPb’s breakdown of which one you should get and the pros and cons of each.

So Verizon faithful, which way are you leaning? Or are you waiting on iPhone 5 and Samsung Verizon Galaxy S II Facinate 4G Touch to make up your mind?

Theming your iPhone is definitely one of the perks of being jailbroken. Sometimes a really nice theme comes along that completely changes not only the design but the way you use your iPhone. This may be the case with the OS X Ultimatum theme by Modmyi forum member SirTimothy1.

OS X Ultimatium is a complete overhaul of the iPhone UI and brings it back to the look and feel of the full scale version of Mac OS X. The theme boasts of the following features –

• Fully usable and accurate finder bars and menus
• Launchpad – tap it from the dock to view all your apps at once
• Stacks – just like in Mac OS X, quick access to all your favorite apps with one tap
• Scrollable dock – add more dock icons and simply scroll through them
• Draggable windows
• Mission Control – quick access to any widgets or view all open windows
• Functional dashboard – view any widgets by swiping right
• Lockscreen – customizable and functional

The developer is also planning on optimizing the theme even more to free up more RAM. Although this theme is still in beta, donating $3.50 to the developer via Paypal will grant you access to the beta. Hit the link below for even more screenshots, information, and videos of the theme in action! And as always, if you test it out, let us know what you think of it!

Modmyi

Android Central has their full Motorola DROID BIONIC review up and if you’re trying to decide on a Verizon smartphone, suddenly you have something new to consider — iPhone 4 or DROID BIONIC, which should you get? Sure everyone is waiting on iPhone 5 this fall, but until Apple announces it, it doesn’t exist, and by the time it ships there’ll likely be a couple dozen more Android phones on the market to compete with it. As of right now, today, if you’re looking to get a new smartphone on Verizon and you just can’t wait, iPhone 4 and DROID BIONIC are the choice you have in front of you. So let’s help you decide.

It took roughly 8 month for Verizon to get the iPhone 4 after AT&T got it in June 2010, but it took Verizon just about as long to get the DROID BIONIC launched after announcing it in January 2011. So one is aging but proven and the other is late to market but chock full of all the latest goodies.

Hardware

iPhone 4 is small, with a 3.5 Retina Display (960×640) screen, stainless steel antenna band, and glass on both sides. It feels as much a work of industrial design art as it does a phone. Solid. Iconic. But did I mention — small? DROID BIONIC is as big as it’s shouty, all caps name implies. It’s got 4.3 inches of pentile display (960×540) in the typically Motorola top notch if top heavy design aesthetic.

Neither iPhone nor DROID BIONIC have front facing cameras worth writing home about — or taking much more than a profile pic or video chat with. On the back iPhone 4 has a 5 megapixel cameras that’s garnered rave reviews for it’s quality, while DROID BIONIC has 8 mega pixels but seems to be a more middling shooter. However, where iPhone 4 tops out at 720p video, DROID BIONIC keeps going all the way to 1080p.

3G vs. 4G

iPhone 4 uses Verizon’s CDMA network for voice and EVDO Rev A network for 3G data. DROID BIONIC uses the same CDMA network for voice but bumps it up huge notch with LTE 4G data. If CDMA Rev A is dial up, LTE is broadband. Not as many areas have LTE 4G as have CDMA Rev A, so if you’re outside the still-expanding LTE zone that might not mean much to you, but if you’re in it — zoom zoom. Enjoy the speed and the simultaneous voice and 4G data that come with it (alas, if you’re on Verizon 3G, you can’t talk and use data at the same time.)

Battery life

iPhone 4 gets phenomenal battery life, typically lasting through a day of moderate use on 3G. LTE demands more power, however, so while DROID BIONIC is better than previous 4G phones when it comes to battery life, it can’t work miracles. What it can do that iPhone 4 can’t is switch batteries out if it has to.

iOS vs. Android

While iOS 5 is just around the corner, we haven’t rounded that corner yet so we can only base this on the current version available, iOS 4 — and Verizon iPhone hasn’t even gotten a version of iOS 4.3.x yet (and it likely won’t, skipping straight to the free iOS 5 update when it’s ready this fall.)

Still, iOS 4 is highly polished, highly functional, and addresses previously lacking features multitasking, folder organization, FaceTime video calls, personal hotspot, and other features. Check out our complete iOS 4 walkthrough for more.

DROID BIONIC is running Android 2.3.4 Gingerbread (and speaking of corners, will likely get the free, next generation Android OS update, Ice Cream Sandwich, when it’s ready later this year) topped off with Motorola’s custom Blur UI layer. (So no stock Android experience; sorry Nexus lovers.)

Still, Gingerbread is powerful, flexible and begins to address issues of consistency and UI polish. See Android Central for more on Gingerbread

Both iOS and Android handle Google services very well, though Android has more of them, including Google Navigation. However, only iOS gets Apple software and services.

Apps vs. Apps

Apple still technically has more apps in the iPhone app store than Google does in the Android Market, but the truth is most of the types of apps you’re likely to want are available for both platforms.

iPhone apps tend to look better and provide a better user experience but Android apps tend to be able to do more and offer more options.

Accessories

iPhone 4 has been on the market approaching 15 months so there’s a ton of accessories available for it (just check out the TiPb Store for a taste of what’s available). Plus it ties into the massive iTunes and Apple ecosystems. Chances are you can find everything from the perfect case to peripherals that will check your blood or fly your toy helicopter.

Because DROID DROID is so new and there are so many different Android phones, you can still find the basics but it will take a while for more accessories to show up and they’ll fade faster when the next big Android phones splashes down in a few weeks (keep and eye on the Android Central store to see what I mean. Then again, it works with Motorola’s laptop-style keyboard and screen terminal, which is very cool.

Conclusion

Here’s what TiPb had to say about iPhone 4 when it launched:

An impressive new design, amazing new display, key features like multitasking, and an attempt to mainstream video calls, along with hundreds of other little improvements combine together to make this a substantial upgrade and clearly the best iPhone ever. (Given the success of previous iPhones, that’s no faint praise).

Here’s what Android Central had to say about the DROID BIONIC:

There are trade-offs. There are caveats. And there’s the fact that, yes, the Droid Bionic was overhyped. But there’s also this fact: The Droid Bionic without question is currently the best LTE-enabled smartphone in Verizon’s stable. How long will it remain on top? We’ll just have to see.

So if you’re in the US and on Verizon, and you need a phone now, today, and are trying to decide between iPhone 4 and DROID BIONIC, which should you get?

If you want the elegance of iOS and don’t want to fuss around, if you want it to just work, if you want the biggest choice possible of apps and accessories — as long as Apple approves them, if you want to stay in the iTunes ecosystem, and you want it wrapped up in what’s arguably still the most solid, most iconic hardware on the market, get an iPhone 4 and enjoy.

If you want the sheer power of Android and the speed of LTE, if you want the latest, greatest specs on the market — for the moment — if you want to be able to customize without having to hack your phone, and if you want a big phone with big functionality, get the DROID BIONIC.

However, if you can wait, if October isn’t too far away for you, then hold off a few weeks. Apple just change the equation again with iPhone 5, and Verizon may have an even better Android on the market as well.

If you need more help deciding, read TiPb‘s complete Verizon iPhone 4 review, compare it to Android Central‘s full DROID BIONIC review, and if you have any questions, jump into our forums and ask away!

Twelve South are well known for the uber-cool, finely crafted Mac accessories and now they’ve entered the iPhone market with BookBook, a wallet-style case that hopes to provide the perfect mix of looks, protection and function. How does it fare? Keep reading to find out… and to enter our giveaway!

[Twelve South]

Twelve South’s packaging has always been gorgeous and the Book Book is no exception. And the case itself — from the moment you remove it you can just smell the quality of the leather. If you close your eyes, you’d think you were in a fine Italian coat shop or had just cracked the door on a brand new luxury car.

The styling is meant to invoke an ancient tome, weathered and worn from hours of loving reading. It works but is just a tad overdone for me (though I appreciated the fleurs de lis!). My iPad I could see in a tome but for my iPhone I’d love the same quality and fit and finish in a slightly more modern wallet style.

I can see where this design holds appeal, however. If you miss the old address book you kept in your purse or the little black book that held all your phone numbers, if you yearn for the days of notebooks beautifully bound or pocket books from a shop in old Europe, the BookBook is definitely something to check out.

Inside you can store your iPhone 4 snuggly while still keeping access to all the major ports (though you’d have to remove it to change SIM cards while traveling). You’ve also got three slots for cards so you can keep your license, credit card, debit card and anything else you like handy — including cash and receipts. (Which is both a good thing, since it will force you to keep an extra close track of your stuff, or a bad thing because if you lose it, you lose everything.)

I tried the BookBook out for just over a week and it performed amazingly well. The stitching is perfect, the edging is clean, the surfaces smooth on the outside and soft on the inside. There is added bulk because of the leather and the cards but nothing over what a wallet by itself would require. (In other words, you might want to stay away from the skinny hipster jeans — cough, Derek, cough — if you want to pocket this bad boy.)

The one major annoyance I had is the lack of a camera hole on the back. I take a lot of photographs — a lot! — and having to slide it up so the camera could peek over the top quickly grew tiresome. Hopefully they can punch a hole in a future version.

Overall, it’s a great wallet style case. If you’re de-cluttering and want a really cool looking way to carry everything together in one simple, small package, check out Twelve South’s BookBook for iPhone 4 and let me know what you think!

UPDATE: Check out another review on the BookBook for iPhone 4 by @WyattLeCadre

Giveaway

Want to win our Twelve South BookBook for iPhone 4 review unit? Yes, we did test it for a week but it’s still in perfect condition and we’d love for it to find a loving home! Just leave a comment below telling us how much you want it (and how much you love TiPb giveaways wouldn’t hurt either!) and we’ll pick one of you for the win!

One of the most heart warming reactions to the ultra high tech aluminum, stainless steel, and glass aesthetic of Apple’s devices is the opposing trend in the case industry of traditional materials, forms, and binding techniques. Swathing something so precisely machined as an iPhone, iPad, and MacBook in something so handcrafted as a Pad&Quill Little Black Book, Contega, or Cartella just feels so right, so human.

When the best of old world craft meets the greatest in modern tech, however, how practical are the results? Follow on after the break to find out!

[Pad&Quill Little Black Book, Pad&Quill Contega, Pad&Quill Cartella]

Pad&Quill Little Black Book for iPhone 4

If you’re an iPhone owner tired of iPad users getting all the moleskin hipster fun, you’re in luck. Pad&Quill have brought both to iPhone with the Little Black Book. From the beautiful binding to the snap of the elastic close to the smell and texture of the materials, it’s just perfectly realized.

You’ve got the high quality bookbinding cloth inside and Italian bonded leather outside, framed by durable Baltic Birch. There are some modern concessions — the ports are all cut out for easy access, as is the camera so you don’t have to extricate your iPhone to snap a picture. You can flip it around and set it up in a tiny, typing position, or crack it open slightly to sit it up portrait style. Both features work better for iPad than iPhone, but it’s nice to have them none the less.

One thing that’s important to remember, however, is that the Little Black Book is made in the moleskin model, not the wallet model. There’s no place for ID or credit cards.

If you’re not into the hipster look, however, these types of cases add a lot bulk and the Little Black Book is no exception. While proportionately the iPad version feels less voluminous, the Little Black Books adds sufficient size that it’s impossible to notice. You have to want a case like this.

If old fashioned style is more important that the extra substance — the Little Black Book is gorgeous.

Pad&Quill Contega for iPad 2

Contega is Pad&Quill’s second bite at the moleskin-style iPad case apple and it’s an improvement in every way. You’ve got the same great materials — lacquered Baltic Birch, finely bonded Italian leather, and high quality book binding holding it all together.

It’s got an extra hinge that allows it to be set up at two different angles so you can get just the perfect movie watching experience, and the speaker cutout is caved to send the sound right where it needs to be.

Again, all the right cutouts for controls and for the camera are in place. There’s even a hidden pocket for any must-have-handy documents you want to keep with you. And to top it all off — it’s got magnets just like Apple’s SmartCover so your iPad turns on when you open it and off when you close it.

Nice.

Pad&Quill Cartella for MacBook Air

If the 11-inch MacBook Air is the “iPad Pro” then Pad&Quill’s Cartella is the pro-level case. Yes, you needn’t feel jealous of all those magnificently mole-skinned iPads you see on the streets and in the coffee shops. You can dress up your MacBook Air every bit as much.

Because a MacBook Air is fundamentally different from iPhone and iPad — it’s intermediated by a keyboard and trackpad, the Cartella didn’t seem as usable as the Little Black Book or Contega, but it felt every bit as carry-able.

With iPhone or iPad, you can just flip them open like a book and start using the multitouch screen. With MacBook Air you need to put it down and open the machine up, not just the case.

If you want the look, that won’t bother you one bit. Otherwise it’s an extra step and shows the advantage of the multitouch screen post-PC format when it comes to getting your hipster on.

As usual, I tried all three for a week (with the exception of the Cartella — Georgia tried that one since she has the 11-inch MacBook Air). All three, Little Black Book, Contega, and Cartella are wonderfully crafted, fantastically good looking, fabulously old world cases for Apple’s latest, greatest, most modern devices.

They’re a tradeoff — the bulk is enough that you have to want the look to put up with it. But chances are you’ve already made your mind up about that. If you’re all in on the moleskin, definitely give Pad&Quill a look.

Element Case’s claim to fame is solid, screw-bound aluminum bumpers for iPhone in hot hypercar-inspired design. Well, with Ion 4 and Formula 4 for iPhone 4, they’ve switched the metal bumper for high quality plastic cases but kept the Reventon design aesthetic in place. How do their new polymer and polycarbonate cases measure up? We take them for a few laps, after the break!

[Element Case Forumla 4, Element Case Ion 4]

Element Case Ion 4 for iPhone 4

The Ion 4 is a traditional skin case with anything but traditional look and crafting. It’s made from what Element says is an “ultra-high impact resistant TPU polymer” with reinforced corners and an aerospace-grade carbon fiber inlaid back plate. (Which just so happen to match the lines and look of their famed Vapor Case line.)

Durable. Light. Hawt.

You don’t need a screw driver to take this case on or off either; like any soft case you just slip it over and slip it out when and if needed. However, the extra protection does mean it’s a tad bulkier than an ultra-thin silicon skin-type case. In keeping with our car metaphor, this is a Hummer, not a Sidekick. I used it for a week and found it to be really solid, with great grip, and cutouts big enough to fit all my AV and in-car cables.

Sure, an iPhone 4 looks great naked, but glass slips off sofas and glass cracks on tile, so if you want to look good and not have to worry as much about breaks, the Ion 4 literally has you covered.

Element Case Formula 4 for iPhone 4

The Formula 4 is a two-part hard case that once again marries the best of the form factor with the now-classic Element Case flare. Special kudos to Element Case for showing that plastic doesn’t need to feel cheap (take a lesson here, Samsung.) The high-impact polycarbonate used for Formula 4 feels clean, solid, and high quality. Once again, they’ve also got the aerospace carbon fiber on the back, equal parts fun and function, and add a rubbery side panel for extra grip.

Because hard cases aren’t as easy to slim in and out of, Element Case went with a two-part design and it works. You can leave the full case on almost all the time, because the cut outs are generous and work with almost all cables, but if you want to dock you can just pull of the bottom and you’re good.

If you like the Element Case look but don’t want a soft case and need something you can remove faster than a screwed-on bumper, the Formula fits.

It’s hard to beat the pure accessory porn that is the Element Case Vapor. It’s just ridiculously high end. But it’s not realistic to expect everyone to carry a hex key with them for when they need to take it off.

Well now you have alternatives. One piece or two. Soft or hard. Between the two, I prefer the polycarb feel of the Formula, but if Element Case is the way you want to go, you’ll be well served by any of them.

(I tried both for a week each and ended up liking the Formula so much I kept it on for 2 weeks. If there had been a white option, I might have kept it on longer. Of course, I kept the Vapor on for a couple months, so we know where my superficial heart really lies…)

You knew it was coming, right? The moment Chris got his hands on the new touch screen, front-facing QWERTY BlackBerry Bold 9900, he just couldn’t wait to put it head to head against the other best mobile browsers in the business, Apple’s iPhone 4 Safari and Google’s Android browser as instantiated on the Samsung Nexus S.

This time around, as seen in the video above the BlackBerry Bold 9900 browser kept pace with the iPhone 4 and Samsung Nexus S we pitted it against and now, BlackBerry is enjoying the richer browsing experience it should have had all along.

It’s interesting to note that all three (and HP webOS) are now using WebKit, the Apple-driven open source web rendering engine, but each have their own JavaScript engine and their own unique implementations. Most importantly, they’re all pushing each other for better, faster, more powerful web support, and that’s good for us.

Of course, the BlackBerry Bold 9900 has a much smaller screen (in order to leave room for that keyboard), but we’re sure the good folks at CrackBerry will repeat this battle with the full screen BlackBerry Torch 9850 when they get their geeky little hands on it.

[CrackBerry.com]

While the big news for iOS 5 beta 4 is no doubt the over-the-air (OTA) update switch finally being pulled, there are a few other little tweaks that seem to have slipped in, and like always you folks are doing a bang up job of letting us know.

• OTA updates are now live. You’ll get a popup telling you an update is available and Settings will get an alert badge to prompt you to open it.
• Documents in the Cloud are now in iCloud Settings.

We’ll keep collecting the new and notable stuff right here, so if you find anything else, let us know.

Screenshots after the break.

[Thanks @jdipane for the top pic]

There’s bound to be something new in iOS 5 beta 3, a new icon, a new screen, a new setting… something that shows what Apple has been up to. Already the internet and our inboxes are filling up. A lot of it is, frankly, stuff we think we’ve seen before in previous betas, but some of it looks new to us as well.

• New location services opt-in/opt-out splash screen on setup
• Settings control for system-level location services (similar to what was previously available for App Store apps)
• Settings control to toggle status bar icon for location services on/off
• New iTunes Wi-Fi sync splash screen
• New icon for Reminders
• Some new stuff with tones (not sure about it yet)Text tones can be set from iTunes ringtones

We’re going to collect it here, in this gallery. If you find anything we haven’t come across yet, let us know.

Screenshots after the break.

Google+ is the search giant’s take on a social network, and while it will get its own iOS app eventually, it’s already got it’s own world-class web app (would you really expect anything else from the company that’s defined the modern web?). Here’s a quick look at it, primarily the profile, circles, and friends elements.

Check it out the photo gallery, after the break.

The Seidio Desktop Charging Cradle is exactly what its name implies, a docking and charging station for your iPhone.

In contrast to Apple’s white dock, this cradle is matte black. It is very sturdy which allows you to easily use and tap on your iPhone without the risk of knocking it over. With dimensions at about 4″x2.5″x1″, the Seidio Desktop Charging Cradle isn’t tiny, but it isn’t bulky either. The cradle connects to your computer via micro-USB and iTunes does recognize when you dock your iPhone.

My favorite feature of this dock is that it is compatible with cases. There is a removable plate included with the cradle; this ensures that your iPhone fits properly in the dock regardless if you’re using a case or not . I use an Apple Bumper on my iPhone 4, and it fits perfectly with the plate removed. If the plate is attached, my iPhone 4 fits nice and snug in its naked state. Although the Seidio Desktop Charging Cradle is advertised for the iPhone 4, I tested it with my 3GS, and it fit just fine with the plate accessory removed.

If you’re looking for a charging dock for your iPhone, I recommend checking this one out. In addition to being a stylish way to charge my iPhone, I also enjoy having a slideshow display on it at the same time. The Seidio Desktop Charging Cradle is available in the TiPb Accessory Store.

Pros

• Compatible with case -Includes removable plate to ensure proper fitting
• Sturdy
• Stylish matte black
• Compatible with iPhone 4 and 3G/3GS bodies

Cons

• A little bit big (but not too big)

For some strange reason, our tip box is now overflowing with 960×640 screenshots (what, no iPad love?) showing a few changes from today’s iOS 5 beta 2 release. Among the more interesting ones:

• Welcome screen now has an info button to give you your UDID number, should you have failed to record it previously (Thanks Apple!)
• The iCloud icon in settings is no longer purple. Long live brush metal cone fill!
• Lock screen notifications get a new, single pop up. You can pull down the full list if you like, and if you get multiple notifications, they start to stack again like they did previously.
• Wi-Fi sync in now working, but you need to be connected to a power source.
• iCloud has bumped Exchange from the top spot in mail account setup, while MobileMe has been condemned to the bottom.

We’ll update as we receive more. Screenshots after the break!

The Incipio DRX case for iPhone 4 is, in my opinion, one of Incipio’s best cases to date — and they’ve made some very good cases. Everything from the way it feels in your hand to how it adds virtually no bulk to your iPhone makes it a great investment. It also offers decent protection as well.

Click through for a complete review and some pictures!

The first thing you always notice when putting on a new case is how it feels in your hand. This case feels great. The material is slick but not slick enough that your phone is going to go flying out of your hand. It’s also extremely easy to put on and take off. I’ve had it on for a little over a week and it doesn’t seem to stretch out or lose its shape either.

Your buttons are all covered which means no dirt or dust can get in there. Covered buttons normally mean they are harder to press. That’s not the case with the DRX. The buttons are just as easy to push as they are when there is no case on the device. The case also produces a click feedback when pushing the buttons, which is nice.

The case comes all the way around and over the top of the antenna band which means you can set your phone face down for privacy and not have to worry about whether or not your iPhone screen is going to get scratched. The dock connector, headphone jack, and vibrate switch are easily accessible as well. I haven’t had any issues with any chargers, official or third party. They all fit perfectly. So do my Bose headphones.

The DRX provides a pretty substantial level of protection as well. It’ll protect you from moderate drops. If you plan on throwing your iPhone into a wall, I can’t promise any case would protect it except an Otterbox. Overall, if you are somewhat careful with your iPhone and just want a case that’ll protect you from moderate accidental drops, this case is perfect. You can find the Incipio DRX case in the TiPb accessory store. If you use this case or something else, let us know in the comments!

Pros

• Easy access to all ports and buttons
• Slim design means no added bulk
• The material is somewhat slick, slide it in your pocket and pull it back out just as easily (sans all that pocket lint!)
• Easy to take on and off without the case losing its shape over time
• The case curves around the screen edge, so setting your iPhone face down is a non-issue

Cons

• Not meant for heavy duty protection. Moderate, yes. But don’t throw your iPhone into a wall and expect it to come out unscathed
• Dust can sometimes accumulate around the edges of the screen by the corners of the case

How does Apple’s brand new iOS 5 iMessage compare to the stalwart Blackberry BBM on BB OS 6? Check out the video above as Kevin Michaluk and Bla1ze from CrackBerry.com bring their Berrys to the table against the iPhone for a one-on-one instant messaging show down! Does BlackBerry still own the crack, or has iOS just become leader of the pack?

BBM is far more functional — I joked it’s like the FaceBook of IM with groups, comments, and more — while iOS keeps things really simple and bundles it right into the SMS/MMS app.

They’re both really snappy, both show writing and delivered states, and offer read receipts, and both are proprietary (yeah) so no cross-platforming yet. BBM is a huge lock-in on BlackBerry and might be the same on iOS.

Could this be enough to make RIM finally bring BBM to iOS? Which would you prefer?

You’ve already sent us one set of iOS 5 beta screenshots, and you just keep them coming. So here we are with round 2, and here’s what they show:

• Photo Stream can support multiple Apple IDs
• Automatic downloads work for apps everywhere, but for music only in the US
• Game Center has a place for your picture now
• iCloud won’t work with Apple IDs that aren’t email addresses (older Apple IDs)
• Swiping in weather gives you hourly forecasts (first update since 1.0, yay!)
• You can Tweet a single picture but not multiple pictures
• If you don’t recall your password, there’s an iForgot button (we kid you not)

Anyone notice anything else?

[Thanks Rodney, Kevin, JD, and anon!]

You’re flooding us with screen shots of iOS 5 (sometimes without removing your personal info first — please do that!), and we’re going to keep adding them here. Here’s some of what we’re seeing:

• iPod app is dead. Long live Music and Video apps. (More consistent with iPad, iPod touch.)
• Tap and hold a lock screen notification icon, then slide to view it
• If you hate the new style notifications, you can turn them off or switch back to the old popups
• You can update more than one app at once
• The square toggle sliders are round now
• There’s a “buy more storage” button in iCloud
• There’s a wireless iTunes sync setting
• Calendar now has week view in landscape mode
• Move Camera Roll photos to existing albums or create new ones
• Add multiple Twitter accounts in Settings
• Storage usage by app
• On-device software updates
• Open Safari links in background
• SMS/iMessage are the same app, sends depending on what receiver can handle (AT&T/Verizon must hate that)

Photo gallery after the break, and we’ll update if/when we’re sent more.

[Thanks Ethan, Richard, K, and anonymous!]

The BodyGuardz Armor Carbon Fiber for iPad 2 is a skin that sticks to the aluminum black to give some texture and protect from scrapes and abrasions. They’re not the same as the thin, clear BodyGuardz films we’ve shown you how to apply before, and are actually even easier to apply. (Check out the video below to see just how easy.)

Now that I’ve been using it for a week, how do I like it? Am I keeping it? Read on to find out!

Allow me to quote myself from my previous review on the BodyGuardz Armor for iPhone 4:

First things first. BodyGuardz Armor aren’t really made out of carbon fiber. (Shocking!) So they won’t stop a bullet (and no, they wouldn’t actually let me test that! Grrrr!) They’re printed to look like carbon fiber, however, so if you want protection and style and don’t actually need real fibers made from carbon, this could be the skin for you.

When it comes to looks, I think BodyGuardz is even hotter on iPad 2 than on iPhone. The large surface really makes the texture stand out, especially as light hits the curved back. You still can’t see the Apple logo under the dark gray sticker, but that’s only going to be a deal breaker for the biggest Apple fans.

And yes, I have a pink SmartCover so once again, best there is, best there was, and best there ever will be color combination! (For those who asked, the anti-glare screen protector doesn’t interfere with the SmartCover magnets at all. It works great!)

With my iPhone, I really liked the grip of the BodyGuardz Armor since the glass would often slip and slide off chairs and sofas. The same applied to the iPad 2. I can put it down on the armrest of my movie chair, get myself some more popcorn, and not have to worry about it taking a dive to the floor. Apple’s backs look great, but they give me a heart attack at times. With the Armor, I feel much safer.

Unlike the iPhone version, there are no side stickers… because iPad 2 has almost no sides. I didn’t like the sides on my iPhone and am not using them any more, so this is fine for me.

Bottom line, I’m liking it and still using it. Great protection, great grip, and great looks, all with next to no added bulk or weight. Check out the BodyGuardz Armor Carbon Fiber for iPad 2, available from the TiPb iPhone 4 Accessory Store.

Pros

• Looks great
• Increases grip
• Almost no added bulk

Cons

• Edges of sticker can get caught
• No real protection against impact

Passwords are an important part of having an online presence. I always tell friends and family that you should never ever have the same password for all of your accounts. (Do they listen? Probably not.) Either way, having the same password means if someone gets hold of one of your accounts, they could potentially have access to all of them. Having separate passwords is the best idea but then comes keeping track of all of them. Apps like 1Password and DataVault set out to solve that problem.

I took a look at both of these popular password management apps and pitted them against each other. Follow along to see which one came out on top!

Management & Syncing

When it comes to password management, I want to have easy access to my passwords regardless where I’m at. Both of these apps seem to provide that. Both 1Password and DataVault have iOS apps, desktop apps, and syncing services. So if you need to reinstall your desktop client or iOS client, you won’t have to re-enter all your passwords.

I’ll have to give the edge to DataVault on this one simply for the fact that they offer many more ways to sync your data than 1Password does. 1Password currently offers wifi syncing and syncing with Dropbox. DataVault offers the same but also offers syncing with MobileMe, iTunes file sharing, ad-hoc, and sync servers such as Box.net. So if you don’t feel comfortable syncing with Dropbox or over wifi, DataVault may be a good option.

Features and control

Both apps have tons of features. You can create any kind of entry imaginable from logins, credit card accounts, bank accounts, and more. The desktop clients also offer a ton of profile options to auto-fill forms. Even though we are talking about the iOS version of these apps, I think it’s still important to talk about their desktop counterparts since they do work together for one single solution.

In my testing, both seemed efficient and did their job well. Feature-wise they’re about even.

Interface and ease of use

I’m the type of person that doesn’t want to spend an hour learning to use an app before actually being able to utilize it. (I’m a Mac user for a reason!) I somewhat felt this way while using DataVault. The interface felt uncoordinated and clunky. I had to figure out what exactly I was supposed to put in each field and a lot of times, I was entering things in the wrong fields. DataVault is definitely a powerful application but I just felt as though entering information was a task in itself.

1Password seems a lot simpler. Entering a login or password is easy and doesn’t require much work. I also like that I can set two passwords. One being a 4 digit number and the other being a master. I can easily require a master on sensitive passwords and only a 4 digit code for passwords that aren’t so sensitive. I use the 4 digit code option on things like forum passwords or membership passwords that don’t have any financial data attached. It allows me to access those passwords much quicker.

From a user experience standpoint, I much prefer using 1Password.

Pricing

DataVault and 1Password for the iPhone are both $9.99 at regular price. The desktop clients will vary. As of now, DataVault for Mac and Windows is on sale for $9.95 (regular price is $19.95). 1Password for Mac and Windows is a bit steeper as it starts at $39.99 and goes up from there if you’d like to purchase bulk or family licenses. The setup was a bit easier on the desktop version of 1Password opposed to DataVault.

Conclusion

When it comes down to it, DataVault may be a cheaper all-in-one solution if you want a complete password management solution but 1Password is definitely just as appealing. For me, I prefer the ease of use of 1Password over DataVault. Some users may want to save the $20 difference on the desktop client and spring for DataVault. The features and syncing capabilities are present in both apps. I do wish 1Password would add MobileMe syncing but for now, Dropbox syncing has always worked just fine. Since Dropbox is free, I somewhat consider it a non-issue for most.

If you decide to try one of these apps out (or already use one or the other), let us know which you prefer. If you prefer a different password management app, let us know why in the comments! Also check out the gallery below for more screenshots of both applications!

DataVault for iPhone – iTunes Link

1Password for iPhone – iTunes Link

The BodyGuardz Armor Carbon Fiber for iPad 2 is a skin that sticks to the aluminum black to give some texture and protect from scrapes and abrasions. They’re not the same as the thin, clear BodyGuardz films we’ve shown you how to apply before, and are actually even easier to apply.

The BodyGuardz Carbon Fiber for iPad 2 is available from the TiPb iPad 2 Accessory Store. Check out the video above and follow on for the how-to after the break!

Here’s how I apply the BodyGuardz Armor Carbon Fiber for iPad 2

1. Clean my iPad 2 screen thoroughly (I use iKlenz)
2. Peel off the front sticker carefully and lightly line it up on the front of my iPad 2.
3. Place the edge down, keeping a close eye on the alignment.
4. Push evenly and steadily out from the edge — I use a ruler to help
5. Check alignment and peel back and reposition as/if needed.
6. Smooth down to secure it in place.
7. Leave the outer layer on so I don’t damage the front while applying the back
8. Flip my iPad over
9. Clean my iPad 2 back the same way I did the front. I don’t worry about dust as much because you can’t see through the sticker on the back, but I want the best adhesion possible.
10. Peel off the back sticker carefully and again line it up. I use the camera and other cut outs to help guide me.
11. Same as above, place down and push out with the ruler when I’m sure it’s in the right place.
12. Smooth down the edges.
13. Flip it back over and remove the top layer from the screen protector.
14. That’s it!

I’ll be testing BodyGuardz Armor out for durability and report back in a review. If you have any tips for applying them, or any questions about them, let me know in comments.

The BodyGuardz Armor Carbon Fiber for iPhone 4 is a skin that sticks to the glass black and stainless steel antenna to change up the look and protect from scrapes and abrasions. They’re not the same as the thin, clear BodyGuardz films we’ve shown you how to apply before, and are actually even easier to apply. (Check out the video below to see just how easy.)

Now that I’ve been using them for 10 days, how are they holding up? Did they stay on or did I go running back to my favorite case? Read on to find out!

First things first. BodyGuardz Armor aren’t really made out of carbon fiber. (Shocking!) So they won’t stop a bullet (and no, they wouldn’t actually let me test that! Grrrr!) They’re printed to look like carbon fiber, however, so if you want protection and style and don’t actually need real fibers made from carbon, this could be the skin for you.

Overall I really like the look of the BodyGuardz Armor. A lot. The black on dark gray colors and woven texture have a sweet, apocalyptic vibe to them and make a really nice change of pace from the glass Apple look. Combine it with a pink bumper and it looks Hitman hot, I kid you not! (And no, you can’t see the logo through the skin so if you’re a hardcore Apple lover, you might want to steer clear.)

There’s also some function to the BodyGuardz Armor form — the texture is kind of grippy. It’s much easier to hold onto than a naked iPhone. It may not sound like much but if you’re precious iPhone ever slipped out of you hand, or off a chair or table, you know what a difference a little drag coefficient can make!

Since it’s just a sticker, the BodyGuardz Armor has almost zero profile, which is great for slipping into and out of pockets and purses alike.

So am I still using it? Mostly. I ended up taking off the side stickers but keeping the back sticker on. I prefer the feeling of the stainless steel antenna to the sticker cut outs, but I really like the look and protection it offers the glass back of my iPhone 4. I might go back to the security of a case eventually, but for right now I’m absolutely loving the BodyGuardz Armor. (Note: It’s not so thick that you couldn’t use it with some of the looser pouch cases if you wanted added protection when traveling or for just keeping it in your bag.)

So bottom line, if you need protection but want the minimum bulk possible, check out theBodyGuardz Armor Carbon Fiber for iPhone 4, available from the TiPb iPhone 4 Accessory Store.

Pros

• Looks really good
• Protects both back and sides from scratches
• Almost no added bulk

Cons

• Side stickers can feel a bit annoying
• No real protection against impact

Student enrolled in math classes? Have a job that requires the use of math? Simply someone with a love for mathematics? Whether it’s arithmetic, calculus, or hacking the code of the universe, there are dozens of iPhone and iPad math apps to choose from. Read on for TiPb’s Top 5, must have favorites to get you started!

WolframAlpha (Universal)

WolframAlpha is a much more than a math app, but the computational and mathematical abilities it possesses are phenomenal. Need to not only calculate a complicated integral, but know the steps to get the answer on your own? WolframAlpha can do it. Need to quickly solve a cubic equation? WolframAlpha will calculate all real and complex solutions. Or perhaps you want to look up Fermat’s little theorem or the Riemann Hypothesis – WolframAlpha’s got you covered. From basic mathematics to advanced calculus, statistics, physics and other topics, WolframAlpha is an excellent tool to have in your pocket.

[$1.99 - iTunes link]

Calcbot (Universal)

Calcbot is a beautifully designed calculator the iPhone and iPad. In addition to being UI candy, Calcbot offers many features that makes it a great candidate to replace the native calculator on the iPhone (and fill the gap on the iPad). The more advanced, scientific functions are accessible by a swipe and Calcbot records your history onto a tape that you can email or send values back into the calculator. And true to Tapbots’ style, Calcbot comes to life with finely machined animation and sound.

[$1.99 - iTunes link]

Also Check out:

• PCalc is a very robust and feature-filled RPN calculator and is universal for both iPhone and iPad. [$9.99 - iTunes link]

Apollonius (iPhone)

Apollonius is a must-have application for Geometry students. With it, you can make geometric constructions as if you were using a straightedge and compass. While making constructions, you can move points around to adjust the sizes, angles, and distances to visually see how these changes affect your constructions. Even with complicated constructions, the app runs very smoothly. If you’ve had any experience with Geometer’s Sketchpad, Apollonius is very similar. My only complaint it’s not a universal app for the iPhone and iPad.

[$3.99 - iTunes link]

Math Ref (Universal)

Math Ref is an excellent reference app for mathematics that includes over 1,400 helpful formulas, figures, tips and examples of the equations, and concepts. It also includes example problems and solutions that you may see in specific subject areas. Math Ref doesn’t have a fancy UI, but the information is there; it is clear; and it is easily searchable. Since the UI is basic, Math Ref is very snappy and runs smoothly. This is an app that deserves to be in every math student’s pocket.

[$0.99 - iTunes link]

Also Check out:

• iMathematics! is a universal reference app that contains over 700 formulas in over 120 topics as well as 8 solvers and calculators. [Free, with in-app purchases iTunes link]

SkyNumbers (iPhone and iPad)

For a fun game that will refine your arithmetic skills, check out SkyNumbers. In this game, you’re given a target number while other numbers fall from the sky. You must combine these numbers with addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division to reach the target number. If a single figure falls through the last cloud, the game is over. The speed at which the numbers fall increases with time making this game a fun challenge. SkyNumbers has Game Center support and you can also share your scores on Facebook and Twitter.

[Free for iPhone, with in-app purchases - iTunes link [$2.99 for iPad - itunes link]

Your top math apps?

So there you have it, our top 5 best math apps for iPhone and iPad, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t some other great ones floating around out there. Also, be sure to check out our Picks of the Week and the TiPb iPhone App and Games Forum for more recommendations, and if we missed any of your favorites, leave them in the comments below!

The X Gear Anti Glare film for iPad aims to make Apple’s very shiny iPad shine just a little less in our eyes. Now screen protectors have always been my arch nemesis — I have always much preferred the feel of the actual glass over the feel of any screen protector. But I figured I’d give the X Gear anti-glare version a chance to change my mind.

Did it succeed? Read on to find out!

I’m extremely careful with my devices and always have a case on them so I’m not too concerned with screen protectors. The one reason I “would” consider one is to minimize fingerprints. That’s what I was really hoping to do here. Some screen protectors seem to minimize the rate at which fingerprints take over your screen. I was left disappointed after applying the X Gear anti-glare film as it seemed to accumulate just as many fingerprints (if not more), than the naked glass did. It did seem to wipe down quicker than the glass does so I suppose that could be considered a positive. And it didn’t do too much to minimize glare either.

The process of putting the screen protector on was simple enough. If this process is something you’re unfamiliar with, check out our guide on how to apply a screen protector to your iPhone or iPad. I did end up with a few bubbles but I managed to get those out with the soft card that X Gear provides with the screen protector. They also include a cleaning cloth as well.

Overall, the quality of the screen protector was pretty good. It just doesn’t do much to minimize fingerprints. If you’re looking for something to add more protection from scratches, the thickness seems to be pretty substantial. It isn’t that noticeable when it’s on the device until you feel the screen. There’s a noticeable difference from what the glass feels like. When scrolling and sliding your finger around, it just isn’t as smooth. This is unfortunately the case with most screen protectors. It’s just not the same experience.

If you’re in the market for a screen protector that’s a bit more durable and you don’t mind getting used to your iPad screen feeling a bit different to the touch, I’d say this is a pretty decent screen protector. I still prefer the feel of other protectors better, such as the BodyGuardz screen protectors that are also available in the TiPb accessory store for around the same price.

You can check out the X Gear Anti Glare film for iPad in the TiPb Accessory store.

Pros

• Easy to apply
• Thicker than some other, flimsier screen protectors
• After applied, it’s barely visible

Cons

• Doesn’t do much when it comes to preventing fingerprints
• The area by the home button didn’t stick as well as it should
• The texture is a bit grippy so it takes some getting used to
• I wouldn’t really call it “anti-glare”

The DracoDesign Draco IV for iPhone 4 is all curves and industrial grade aluminum. Co-developed by Dëff, handcrafted, and 3D, 5-axis machine CNC’d by DracoDesign, they’re yet another example of hypercar aesthetic made iPhone case. And this one is Veyron sexy.

Like other aluminum bumpers, with the Draco IV there’s some assembly required. It’s a little fiddly, so take your time (or if you’re all thumbs like me, get someone with a far more skillful touch to do it for you). You place sleep/wake, ringer/vibrate, and volume pass-through keys into one half of the aluminum bumper, slide your iPhone 4 into place, cap it with the other half of the bumper, and then secure it into place with 2 screws. (They provide additional screws in case you lose one and don’t have a magnetic iPad 2 handy to sweep for them.)

The fit and finish of the bumper is superlative. The button pass-throughs do wiggle slightly but work perfectly and many might prefer them to trying to press inside deep cutouts. The curves of the chassis take some getting used to at first. They’re gorgeous but they’re very different to the flat sides iPhone 4 comes with. The first time you hold it as a camera, for example, you’ll double-check your finger position a few times to make sure your grip is secure. Then you won’t worry about it again. The bumper rises ever so slightly above the front and back surfaces of iPhone 4 so you can lay it flat without worrying about scuffing the glass. And the aluminum is almost deceptively solid given the silky smooth finish.

In the 8 days that I’ve been testing my review unit, I had no loss of signal or reception problems with it at all. Everything worked as good as it looked. In addition to the Space Black version featured in the pictures above and below, the Draco IV also comes in Ocean Blue, Passion Red, Metallic Gray, and limited edition Champaign Gold and Astro Silver.

If you’re on the market for a high-end, premium iPhone 4 case, and you like curves, the Draco IV should be on your short list.

[Draco Design - Amazon store link]

The BodyGuardz Armor Carbon Fiber for iPhone 4 is a skin that sticks to the glass black and stainless steel antenna to change up the look and protect from scrapes and abrasions. They’re not the same as the thin, clear BodyGuardz films we’ve shown you how to apply before, and are actually even easier to apply.

The BodyGuardz Carbon Fiber for iPhone 4 is available from the TiPb iPhone 4 Accessory Store. Check out the video above and follow on for the how-to after the break!

Here’s how I apply the BodyGuardz Armor Carbon Fiber for iPhone 4

1. Clean my iPhone 4 screen thoroughly (I use iKlenz)
2. Peel off the back sticker carefully and lightly line it up on the iPhone.
3. Place the edge down, keeping a close eye on the alignment.
4. Push evenly and steadily out from the edge — I use a card to help
5. Check alignment and peel back and reposition as/if needed.
6. Smooth down to secure it in place.

I’ll be testing BodyGuardz Armor out for durability and report back in a review. If you have any tips for applying them, or any questions about them, let me know in comments.

xBackup for iPhone is a new jailbreak tweak available in Cydia that allows you to easily create backups of all your jailbroken applications and tweaks. I have personally always dreaded restoring my iPhone and re-jailbreaking to a new firmware since the task has always been so daunting. This program sets out to make that task not so irritating anymore.

xBackup will simply save your backup as part of your iTunes backup. All you’ll need to do is open xBackup, tap Backup and it will create a backup of all your Cydia packages and settings. Then sync your iPhone with iTunes. After you’re done with that, upgrade or restore your iPhone like you normally would (or use PwnageTool or another custom upgrade method, however you prefer). After you are done jailbreaking again, instead of having to re-download and install all your jailbreak settings, simply download xBackup again from Cydia.

You’ll have to open xBackup and choose the restore tab this time. You should see your last backup. Just tap it and all your Cydia settings and apps will come back down. If you don’t see your backup, you’ll need to make sure that you chose to restore from your most recent iTunes backup.

You can also SSH into your iPhone and save your backup somewhere on your computer as well. I’d recommend this for safe keeping.

If you guys give this a try, let us know. xBackup is currently $1.50 in Cydia. Hit the jump for a few more screenshots of xBackup in action!

This isn’t a review of a color. It’s a review of the ramifications of a color — the white iPhone 4′s 10 month delay, what caused it, whether or not those causes should be of any concern to potential buyers, and how competitive a device first introduced back in June 2010 can be in today’s market.

Since we’re going to focus primarily on what’s different here, anyone interested in a more general look at the device should check out our original AT&T/GSM iPhone 4 review first, and our follow up Verizon iPhone 4 review if you’re considering that network.

Once you’re done, read on for the white addenda.

So what took so long?

The white iPhone 4 was announced back at WWDC 2010 — held aloft by Steve Jobs during his keynote no less. And then… nothing. Or rather, delays. First in July:

White models of Apple’s new iPhone 4 have continued to be more challenging to manufacture than we originally expected, and as a result they will not be available until later this year. The availability of the more popular iPhone 4 black models is not affected.

Then again in October

We’re sorry to disappoint customers waiting for the white iPhone yet again, but we’ve decided to delay its release until this Spring.

Rumors blamed the delay on the color itself; that it resulted in light leaks, proximity sensor malfunctions (worse even then the black iPhone 4), camera trouble, consistency issues, and more. Apple SVP of Marketing, Phil Schiller offered a very general explanation last week.

“It was challenging. It’s not as simple as making something white. There’s a lot more that goes into both the material science of it–how it holds up over time…but also in how it all works with the sensors. We thought we were there a year ago, or less than that, when we launched the iPhone 4, and we weren’t.”

Schiller said that it turned out there were a lot of unexpected interactions between the color of the device and various internal components. Also, like fair-skinned humans, white iPhones need a little more UV protection from the sun.

So challenging, in fact, Apple only made the launch official one day in advance, finally releasing the white iPhone 4 on April 29, 2011.

Hardware

The result of the delays is that the white iPhone 4 hits the market some 10 months after the black iPhone 4. And that means where the iPhone 4 hardware, with its retina display, external stainless steel antenna band, double sided glass were state-of-the-art of smartphones, now faces competition that’s had almost a year to catchup… or move ahead.

First, a look at the April 2011 white iPhone 4 beside the June 2010 black iPhone 4.

Getting white right

The white iPhone 4 looks good. It looks like an iPhone 4 but not exactly like an iPhone 4 rendered white. There’s the noticeable difference with the proximity sensor (we’ll get to that later) but there’s a qualitative difference about the white glass overall as well. Where the black iPhone 4 looks like its made of black glass, the white iPhone 4 looks like its coated in white glass. It’s a subtle difference but it’s noticeable around the edges. It could be something to do with achieving opacity with the white color, a UV coating made necessary to protect the color, or something that’s just more apparent with the white iPhone 4, it’s there.

It’s consistent though. The white iPhone 4 is uniformly white, the same shade of white, from back to front, and from plate to home button. Apple nailed it.

In terms of shade, it looks remarkably similar to the white iPad 2. That should come as no surprise since Steve Jobs said in the above-linked interview that getting the white iPhone 4 right benefitted the rest of the Apple product line, including the iPad 2.

The shade does look subtly different than the 2009 iPhone 3GS, however. The iPhone 3GS had a plastic rather than glass blacking, and kept the black rather than white front plate.

And I like it, and so do many people who thought they wouldn’t but have now seen it in person. Given none of what we’ll cover below is a deal-breaker for you, whether you go white or black will be a matter of personal preference.

Competitive landscape

When Apple introduced the 960×640 IPS LED retina display, with pixels so small they arguably disappeared and allowed the viewer to forget they were looking at bitmaps, there was nothing else like it. As far as Blackberry, HP/Palm, Windows Phone and Nokia are concerned, there still isn’t. It’s almost as though time has stood still. Android is another story. Since June Google’s OEM partners have kept pace… almost. They’re now releasing slightly skinnier but just as good looking 960×540 qHD (quarter 1080p) screens.

When it comes to overall build quality, however, very little else has come close. Nokia’s ability to churn out pure metal phones like the Nokia N8 is one of the few exceptions. HP/Palm, RIM, and Windows and Android devices from HTC, Samsung, Motorola (with their fine Corellian freighter inspired design aesthetic), etc. have eschewed glass and steel and stuck with plastic. They’re beautifully crafted, mostly sturdy affairs but they’re closer to Hasbro in the hand than the singular solidity of the iPhone 4.

Android is kicking apps when it comes to processors, however. While the white iPhone 4 uses the April 2011 released ARM Cortex A8-based Apple A4 processor, several Android devices have now been released — or are about to be released with dual core ARM Cortex A9-based processors. (iPad 2 has matched that with the dual core Apple A5 System-on-a-Chip but that probably won’t be coming to the iPhone until this fall.)

Cameras are another area where the competition have been keeping up the pressure. Nokia has always had great lenses but now Android and Windows Phone devices are entering the megapixel war, and LG has even gone so far as to introduce a 3D camera (and screen to go with it!). Luckily megapixels aren’t everything and the sheer size and quality of the iPhone 4′s rear camera has kept its place as one of the best shooters in mobile. (More on that later.)

Several other hardware innovations have also made their way into the market since the original iPhone 4 launch, including Near Field Communications (NFC) in the Google/Samsung Nexus S. It’s fairly useless for average consumers at the moment but could be important in the future, allowing payments to be made via your phone the same way they’re currently made via a credit card. (Apple might also match this with iPhone 5 in the fall.)

LTE 4G, roughly Wi-Fi speeds come to mobile, is probably the biggest if you’re on Verizon in one of their LTE markets, or a few international cities. Battery life isn’t great yet and coverage is terrible, but if you have it in your area and you’re not adverse to plugging in your phone a lot, Android devices like the HTC Thunderbolt will blow your hair back. (Apple probably won’t be matching this until iPhone 6 in 2012.)

All this to say that, except for a few specific technologies, the white iPhone 4 released today, while not the revelation of the black iPhone 4 released last June, is still competitive with the latest and greatest from Android and more than competitive with everyone else.

And yes, that’s a little crazy.

Proximity sensor

The iPhone 4 proximity sensor has been a challenge for Apple, with iOS 4.1 addressing it with a bug fix but problems persisting for many users. The white iPhone 4 was rumored to have more trouble, the color interfering to the degree Apple initially had a series of perforations over the sensor, an almost silver-looking grid. The release version has switched that for a black patch, presumably to allow even better sensing.

My black iPhone 4 has misfired on several occasions, muting calls while I was on them. But I’ve had that phone for months. I’ve only been able to test the white iPhone 4 a few days now and haven’t had any problems with it, but will update this section if and when I do.

Camera

Another rumor surrounding the white iPhone 4 delay concerned light leakage with the camera and LED flash. If that was the case with prototypes, there’s no evidence of it in the release model. Pictures taken with the 5mp camera look just as good as those taken with the black iPhone 4. Here are some example, the first three with HDR, the second 3 with the LED flash.

Accessory compatibility

With the exception of cases, all existing iPhone 4 accessories — cables, chargers, headsets, and Bluetooth, should work the same with the new white iPhone 4 as they did with the previously released black iPhone 4.

However, the white iPhone 4 — at least the first batch released so far — seem to be 0.2mm thicker than the black iPhone 4. Because of that ever-so-slight difference in thickness, you’ll need to pay special attention to cases. In our tests, cases that were the least little bit roomy on the black iPhone 4 fit perfectly on the white iPhone 4 while cases that were snug on the black iPhone 4 were a little tight on the white iPhone 4. This won’t impact stickers or film protectors, bumpers or pouches, silicone or leather cases, but could impact molded plastic skin cases.

• Top 5 cases to show off your white iPhone 4 [sponsored]
• Top 10 accessories for your iPhone 4

Software

The white iPhone 4 shipped with iOS 4.3.1 (AT&T/GSM) or iOS 4.2.6 (Verizon). Since Apple installed, boxed, and shipped them, iOS 4.3.2 and iOS 4.2.7 have come out and iTunes will prompt you to update the first time you plug it in.

• iOS 4.3 update walkthough
• iOS 4 software walkthrough

But the real story here is that Apple released 3 feature updates to the current iOS version since the original iPhone 4 launched, and another point update between the time they shipped and sold the white iPhone 4.

Given that many competing devices, even those made by or with the platform owners themselves, wait weeks or months for any update, or simply never get them, this is notable. Heck, it’s astounding. (It took a disappointing amount of time for Google to update my Nexus One — a device they have complete control over — to the latest Gingerbread OS, and it seems like my Palm Pre Plus will not be getting webOS 2.x).

And this extends throughout the ecosystem. Where the black iPhone 4 launched as Apple’s first, and hence only, FaceTime capable device, the white iPhone 4 enters a world where iPod touch, iPad, and Mac have all been updated to support the easy, if wi-fi-only video calling standard. Again, added value and longevity.

Where every other vendor struggles or doesn’t bother to release updates, or prefers you to buy a new phone, Apple’s constant stream of updates, major and minor, are a revelation and add enormous value and longevity. The white iPhone 4 you get now will almost certainly be updated with iOS 5 this fall, and if history is an indicator, a year of 5.x updates after that.

App and game compatibility

Needless to say, the white iPhone 4 is an iPhone 4, and so it’s fully binary compatible with pretty much every app in the app store. That means everything from Facebook to Angry Birds, Twitter to Infinity Blade, Documents to Go to Netflix will work just as you expect.

• Top 10 apps for your iPhone 4
• Top 5 apps for BlackBerry and Android switchers, and more top 5′s
• iPhone apps and games forum

Jailbreak

Likewise, the white iPhone 4 running iOS 4.3.2 (AT&T/GSM) and iOS 4.2.7 (Verizon) and can be Jailbroken using the same Jailbreak methods as any other iOS 4.3.2 device, or the new Jailbreak for iOS 4.2.7. (No iPad 2 style boot-rom exploit difficulties here).

• iOS 4.3.2 Jailbreak guide
• iOS 4.2.7 Jailbreak guide
• Jailbreak starters guide
• Jailbreak help forums

Conclusion

So, some 10 months later, is the white iPhone 4 worth getting?

If you don’t need an iPhone now, or in the next few months, then you can consider waiting on the next-generation iPhone 5, which will likely launch this fall. It will likely have the new Apple A5 processor, like iPad 2, and perhaps other new features as well.

If you need a phone now, however, whether it’s an upgrade, replacement, or first time smartphone, and the white iPhone 4 tempts you, then it’s certainly worth your consideration. That the it remains not only competitive, but inarguably — and almost shockingly –still one of the best built, best equipped smartphones on the market is a testament to Apple’s attention to detail and design. If none of the very specific functions competitors offer, like LTE or 3D are must-haves for you, or if any of the iPhone 4′s still industry-leading hardware and continuously updated software features are more compelling — and if white is your preferred color — then get this phone and you’ll be happy.

I deeply, truly love the story and spirit behind DODOcase — hand-bound, artisanal cases for the iPad that wrap the latest in aluminum and glass and computer innovation, with the wood and cloth craftsmanship that stretch back to antiquity. You can place your iPad into a DODOcase, snap the elastic closed, slip it under your arm, and stroll down any boulevard or into any coffee shop and be indistinguishable from academics or hipsters alike, until you unsnap the band, fold back the cover, and start tapping away.

There’s something wonderfully balanced and almost poignant about something as shiny and new as the iPad held in something as timeless and nostalgic as hand-bound book.

That it’s not for everyone, that a DODOcase can’t be used with other new bits of technology like Apple’s SmartCover, that even a smaller DODOcase wouldn’t be as practical for an iPhone as it is for an iPad hasn’t been lost on DODOcase either — they also make the BOOKback skin.

We’ll take a look at both after the break.

The original DODOcase debuted shortly after the original iPad and I ordered one almost immediately. My mother instilled in me a deep and abiding love for book binding from a young age and DODO had me at first glance. They didn’t disappointment then and they certainly don’t with the DODOCase for iPad 2. It’s everything that impressed about the first subtly redesigned to fit the latest form factor from Apple. Only better — they’ve since added a variety of colors for the inside.

The gist is similar, you have two solid covers, lavished the previously mentioned Moroccan cloth, but DODO has gone with a new bamboo tray design. It seems to fit better than the original. As before, all the ports and buttons are exposed but you will now have to remove your iPad 2 to use the rear-facing camera. (If you use the rear facing camera).

I ordered both the Limited Edition and the Classic to try out. The differences are cosmetic but last year my sister stole was given 2 of my first edition DODOcases so I knew I needed to stock up this time. (True enough, she left Easter Weekend, the Classic now adorned around her new iPad 2…) When I want to leave the house but don’t want to take a laptop or a bag with me, I just slide my iPad 2 into the DODOcase and off I go. For meetings, for working at the coffee shop, for heading out to family and friends, it’s a great, lightweight, inimitably beautiful solution.

(Note: I dropped the one seen in the pictures here but some carpenter’s glue and some pressure fixed it up fine. Had I dropped my iPad without the case for protection, it would likely have have suffered significant damage.)

Overall, DODOcase is a great accessory for iPad, but like I said at the beginning the same thing for iPhone would be impractical, at least for me. That’s where the BOOKback comes in.

An adhesive skin, hot-foil stamped with the DODO logo, you simply stick the BOOKback on the back of your iPhone and it gives you that same great Moroccan cloth look and feel with almost zero added bulk. (Georgia shows you how in the video up top.) You get protection from scratches and just a touch of the old world to go along with all that glass and stainless steel. BOOKback is also re-usable if you’re careful, so you can take it off if you need to and replace it later.

DODO also makes a BOOKback for the iPad 2, which you can use if you want a similar lack of bulk. It leaves the rear-facing camera exposed and also plays very nicely with Apple’s SmartCover.

DODO sent me one of each, iPhone and iPad to try out. Both look terrific, blending into the blackness of the original iPhone 4 while contrasting nicely with the stainless steel, aluminum, or the white iPhone 4.

The BOOKback start at $8.95, the DODOcase at $59.95.

[DODOCase.com]

The Dooney & Bourke Pouch for iPhone is a great case for the lady who is looking for something fashionable and practical to carry her iPhone in. This multifunctional pouch works as both a wallet and iPhone case.

This pouch is much larger than your average case and is designed to not only carry your iPhone, but replace your wallet. The inside flap has 3 card slots and there are pockets in the front and back of the pouch. The main compartment is big enough to hold additional items with your iPhone, such as make-up, cash, and earphones. Because the pouch is bigger than the iPhone, it is also possible to have another case, like a bumper or skin case, on your iPhone and it still fit inside the pouch. For some, the extra large pocket will be a welcomed feature, and for others, it will be a frustrating amount of empty space. The Dooney & Bourke Pouch is also equipped with a leather wrist strap, but it is easily removable if you prefer to toss the case into your purse without the strap.

The exterior of the Dooney & Bourke Pouch is made out of a durable nylon material with leather trim. The coffee color is dark brown and branded with large “Dooney & Bourke” lettering. The black and gray version is gray with Dooney & Bourke’s signature “DB” in black. The interior is lined with a material that isn’t exactly soft, but won’t scratch your iPhone either. The flap over the large pocket magnetically and securely snaps closed.

I find the Dooney & Bourke Pouch to be a great option when I’m looking to minimize the amount of items I’m carrying around. If I’m wearing an outfit without pockets and do not wish to carry around a purse, I grab this pouch, add my ID, credit card, random cash, and iPhone, and head out the door.

The Dooney & Bourke Pouch for iPhone is available in the TiPb Accessory Store.

Pros

• Extra pockets for ID, credit cards, receipts, etc.
• Big pouch has room for other items in addition to iPhone
• Compatible with thin cases
• Removable leather wrist strap
• Magnetic snap closure
• Fashionable

Cons

• Big pouch seems a bit awkward with only a (case-free) iPhone inside (too much extra space)
• Interior is not very soft

And here’s the white iPhone 4 gallery, also 10 months in the making. We’ve got it side-by-side with the black iPhone 4, focusing on whatever little details and differences we could find. There looks to be an almost translucent edging around every seem. The proximity sensor is white-free, and while my black iPhone 4 (bought back in July) shows no sign of it, my white iPhone 4 has bright, visible light coming out of the 3.5mm headphone jack.

Check it all out in full on gallery glory after the break!

Update: Added white iPhone 4 vs. white iPhone 3GS pics

The Giffin Wristlet for iPod nano is nice silicone holder for Apple’s tiniest screen-based music player. Just slip your 6th generation iPod nano into the stretchy case, then wrap the wrist strap around your wrist.

The case covers the on/off and volume buttons, protecting them from scuffs and scrapes and minor weather, but leaves the 30 pin dock connector and 3.5mm headphone jack clear for easy syncing, charging, and listening. There’s a cutout for the clip, so you can still clamp your nano onto a shirt or band or anything else if you so choose.

The wrist strap is quite comfortable, and the nice thing is you can really hang it on just about anything. And yes, it does let you weaponize your nano, kung-fu whip style — though it might not survive a lot of impacts. Unfortunately, it’s moulded out of the same single piece of silicone as the case itself so it’s not really adjustable.

All in all the Giffin Wristlet for iPod nano offers good protection, and the wrist strap an extra option for carrying around your music player. It’s available now from the TiPb iPod nano accessory store.

Pros

• Easy to put on and take off
• Protects sides and buttons
• Wrist strap works well

Cons

• Doesn’t protect the screen
• Wrist strap is not adjustable

TiPb review rating

RockMelt has released a free iPhone version of its popular desktop app, a social-network, orientated web browser, that integrates with your Facebook/Twitter accounts, to share sites with your friends/followers as you surf, or you can update your social network statuses directly from the app. RockMelt for iPhone, brings all of these to the iPhone.

Since RockMelt uses your Facebook login, the iPhone App offers real-time syncing for your bookmarks, RSS feeds or social networks, between your iPhone and other computer. As well as offering their new “View Later” feature, which allows you bookmark specific items, like sites or tweets which you can read on your computer.

Unfortunately, there is no iPad app, as of yet.

Are you a RockMelt user? Will the iPhone app be replacing your current iPhone browser? Check out screenshots and a video after the break.

[FREE - iTunes Link]

Tweetbot just hit the US App Store and boy is it a beauty. Tapbots has done it again and designed an application that is not only functional and pretty, but an artistic masterpiece that I cannot keep my hands off of. I was an instant critic when I read Tapbots’ claim that Tweetbot is “a twitter client with personality”, but they’re right.

A text review can hardly do this app justice because it is impossible to put into words how beautifully Tweetbot is made. Sure, I can describe how, at your touch, a tweet slides up revealing a navigation bar while simultaneous emitting the perfect sound. I can explain that swiping a tweet to right reveals the conversation and swiping to left displays related tweets. I can tell you about smart gestures, multiple timelines, and customizable navigation. I can even spew out a concrete list of every feature that Tweetbot includes. What I can’t provide you, however, is the experience.

The problem with Twitter clients these days is that they’re all the same. Yes, the same. Sure, the features vary (slightly) between them and some come with cool themes. The experiences, however, are too alike. I used to get excited when a new Twitter app was released because each app offered something different, something new. Today, they all feel the same. What happened? When users flocked to a particular Twitter app, other devs copied what made that app special. Individualization was lost. Now the App Store is basically filled with slight variations of the same app – with the exception of Tweetbot.

Tweetbot is different. It’s innovative and refreshing. Tweetbot isn’t an app you use, it’s one you interact with. Everything has an animation, a sound, a beautiful interface. And true to Tapbots’ style, the sounds are subtle and pleasant – enriching the experience.

In case you can’t tell, I’m a huge fan of Tweetbot, but it isn’t for everybody. Tweetbot is full-featured, but doesn’t have every possible feature known to those in the Twitter app world. Tweetbot doesn’t have a mute option or display in-line photos. It doesn’t have multiple themes or native push notifications (but it’s compatible with Boxcar). If these features are deal-breakers to you, then Tweetbot isn’t for you. Not yet anyway.

For those who are suckers for design, innovation, and dare I say, personality, Tweetbot will rock your world.

Check out the screenshot gallery after the break!

[$1.99 - iTunes link]

The Keru Pocket Pouch is for anyone looking for a slim, stylish pouch for iPhone 4. Its super trim form will fit nicely in your pocket and the designer print will make you look good.

The biggest appeal of the Keru Pocket Pouch is how slim it is. Your iPhone will fit perfectly. So perfectly, in fact, that without the pull ribbon, it would be too difficult to remove your iPhone from the case. Only a small portion of the iPhone is exposed on the top, and the case hugs it in a way to prevent your iPhone from being bumped or removed by hand. Only about 1 inch of ribbon sticks out of the case for quick and easy removal.

The exterior of the case is made from leather and is designed using a process that allows museum quality prints without sacrificing any of the performance. The interior is lined with a felt material that is mediocrely soft. I’m not worried about scratches, but it’s probably the least soft liner I’ve felt on a case.

The Keru Pocket Pouch is available in five different designs (both girly and manly) from the TiPb Accessory Store.

Pros

• Super slim
• Fashionable design
• Leather
• Draw string for easy removal

Cons

• Liner isn’t very soft

The Element Case Vapor Pro is the Lamborghini Reventon of iPhone 4 cases — cold carbon-colored aluminum chassis over space-aged, antenna insulation. And this year is works as good as it looks; on my review unit I didn’t drop a bar in over a week of constant testing. Not one, not ever. So while it may still look like a hypercar, it performs even better.

There have been other improvements to the limited edition as well. The bottom has been cut wider to allow for a greater range of dock connectors. An extra portly Monster Cable still might not fit but I had no problems with any recent car or A/V connector I threw at it.

The special edition comes in a box that includes the bumper, a carbon-fiber printed adhesive back protector, 2 extra screws (very welcome), a certificate of authenticity, and a newly re-designed key for screwing the case on and off. Now, instead of a simple bent bar you get a very nice keychain that twists open to reveal the tool. Since it takes a tool to put the Vapor Pro on or take it off, having it handy is paramount should you want to switch to a charge case, put it in a car or A/V mount, or just clean it.

But the Vapor Pro has never been about convenience any more than it’s been about economics. Like the Reventon, it’s purely about possession. If you want a Vapor Pro, you know it.

[Element Case]

The Griffin PowerJolt dual USB charger solves an age old problem: you and your significant other have both depleted the batteries on your iPhone and yet your car only offers one charging socket. Who gets to use it? Or worse: you’re in the middle of that big family summer trip and not only have both parents worn down their iPhones, all the kids in the back are near empty on their iPod touches as well. Do you get your internet or do they get the movies that keep them quiet and you sane for the remainder of the trip?

While I can’t claim the Griffin PowerJolt dual USB charger will save relationships and family trips, this simple adapter will at least hold power hungry creatures at bay for twice as long. Read on to find out how!

The Griffin PowerJolt dual USB charger is different from the PowerJolt Plus I looked at last time, which let you pass through a second car adapter. The PowerJolt Dual is much simpler in a way — an adapter for the power socket in your car capped by two USB plugs. Just plug in the USB to Dock cable that came with your iPhone or iPod touch and you’re off and charging.

In my tests with both an iPhone 4 and iPhone 3GS there didn’t seem to be any appreciable loss of charging power due to the shared connection. Both iPhones got to 80% quickly and then topped off to 100% in about as long as it takes with the single chargers I’ve used in the past. (And I’m typically listening to music, using Google Maps, powering videos for the little ones in the back seats, or otherwise working while I charge.)

This is just an adapter, so there’s no mount, no built in cable, and nothing else fancy in any way. Since it is simply USB in, you can also use it to charge your non-Apple gear as well, including other phones, devices, headsets, etc. That flexibility really comes in handy for family trips.

If you have more devices than you have charging ports definitely take a look at the Griffin PowerJolt dual USB charger, available from the TiPb iPhone Accessory Store.

Pros

• Compact
• Largely invisible when not in use
• Doubles charging ability of power socket

Cons

• Only the adapter: bring your own cables
• Doesn’t charge iPad

TiPb Rating

White Diamonds makes iPhone 4 and original iPad cases with artistic prints embedded with Swarovski crystals. We first saw them at CES 2011 and when they offered us the chance for a closer look we jumped on it. Frankly, we wanted to see how well these gorgeous cases stood up to daily wear and tear. White Diamonds was kind enough to send us an Angels Calling iPhone 4 case by Vince Fraser, a Rainbow collection iPhone 4 case by Livius Dietzel, and a Nafrotiti iPad case also by Vince Fraser.

[White Diamonds]

White Diamonds cases consist of clear plastic frames with artistic, crystal enhanced back plates. They come in a variety of colors and in several designs. I found them a little difficult to put on and take off but once on they fit well with no looseness or wiggle room. The sides come up slightly higher than the display of the iPhone or iPad which isn’t my personal preference (I like to be able to swipe and select without hitting an edge) but it does let you place your device face down without worrying about the screen if you so wish.

I was initially worried about the crystals falling off during day to day use or when placed down on a table but after several weeks of consistent use they’re all still there and look as good as the day I got them. That’s very impressive. I did drop my iPhone 4 while using the Angels Calling case and though the corner chipped slightly it’s sacrifice was not in vain — it protected my iPhone 4 completely.

If you want to add a splash of style and sparkle to your iPhone 4 or original iPad, check out White Diamonds!

Give away

We’re giving away the black Rainbow Collection iPhone 4 review unit — it’s been tested but is still in near-perfect condition. Just leave a comment below saying which artist you’d like to see get the crystal treatment and you’re automagically entered. (Real email address required. We won’t make it public but will need it to contact you if you win!)

The Belkin headphone splitter adapter is a great accessory to have on hand for long trips or nights at the coffee house. Its purpose is simple. It allows two people to plug their own headphones into the same device. This is great for a long flight where you and another person may want to watch the same movie on an iPad or iPhone.

Click through for a quick review, pics, and a video!

Headphone splitters are a relatively cheap way to share media with someone else from one device. I’ve always found headphone splitters extremely useful on long car rides or flights. Two people can watch the same movie or listen to the same music off one device. This was always great when I was traveling with a friend who didn’t have an iPad or iPhone.

Overall, I didn’t notice any sound quality reduction from using the splitter with the iPad or iPhone. I tried with just regular headphones and then with 2 pairs of headphones plugged into the splitter. This is an extremely cheap accessory that’s easy to place in a travel bag and forget about. It’s there when you need it. They are available in both black and white.

You can pick one up from the Belkin headphone splitter adapter from the TiPb accessory store for $4.95 right now (that’s 75% off).

Pros

• Easy to use and connect
• Small so it’s easily stowed away in any bag or purse
• Standard headphone jack size allows for virtually any headphones to be used

Cons

• If you use an Apple bumper on your iPhone 4, the adapter won’t fit. You’ll have to remove the bumper
• As the main connection is somewhat wide, you may have issues fitting it in the headphone jack with certain cases.

iPad 2 is simply the original iPad with a thinner design, a couple of cameras, and a faster chipset. Only it isn’t. Not any more than the original iPad was just a big iPhone. Device by device, year after year, Apple has slowly and now successfully changed the conversation from individual specs to unified experience, from reviewer and competitor driven checklists to mainstream consumer-centric usability. They’ve forced us to touch and feel our computing and not just click and think our way through it.

In that regard iPad 2 is the sequel to a smash hit that very few outside Apple ever saw coming. The only question is whether it’s Empire Strikes Back or Matrix Reloaded — whether it takes the same elements that made the original a success and builds on them and creates something even better, or if it adds unnecessary complexity, loses its focus, and kills the franchise. Apple has a great track record, arguably the best in the business these days, but they also have a habit of mixing a healthy dose of frustration into even their most fantastic products.

When Steve Jobs first introduced the first iPad in January 2010 (see our original iPad review) he showed it fitting somewhere between the laptop and the smartphone. He said it had to do better than both at browsing, email, photos, video, music, games, and eBooks. 15 million units and 9 months later it achieved those goals, though with varying degrees of success. Now it’s iPad 2′s turn. Does it make even more sense as a mid-position, mainstream computing appliance? Do the new atoms and bits make it better realize those 7 key features and do they add anything beyond them? Does iPad 2 build on iPad 1 and create something better or is it less than the sum of its new parts?

iPad 2 hardware

Apple claims iPad 2 is a complete redesign. Not really. It’s more of a partial redesign but only because of where Apple has placed so much of the external emphasis.

Same screen, different year

The part that arguably matters most — the window into apps and the web that Jonathan Ive was so careful not to distract us from — is essentially the same this generation as it was last. It’s still a 9.7-inches of LED IPS panel. It’s still 1024×768. It’s still 4:3. It’s still glossy. And none of that is a surprise. 9.7-inch is the size Apple brought to the dance, the size all their apps and all App Store apps are designed for (in terms of UI interactivity — how big a button has to be, for example) and the size they’re sticking with. At 9.7-inches 1024×768 is nowhere near Retina Display like iPhone 4 or iPod touch 4 gained last year, but until Apple can source panels that are cheap enough and plentiful enough at precisely double the density — 2048×1536 there’s really no other alternative. In terms of ratio, 4:3 is still the most logical choice for a multi-media device. 16:9 or 16:10 is great for precisely one thing, HDTV. For the same reason — compromise — it works for fixed landscape displays like on laptops or desktop screens. For a device that rotates like an iPad, however, it’s far too narrow in portrait for web or reading and still not narrow enough in landscape for most motion pictures.

There’s no such rational for keeping the same level of gloss. Sure it makes for really black blacks and looks great in stores but it also makes reading difficult in many common lighting situations. They don’t have to go matte — and I wouldn’t want them too because I like those black blacks for photos and video — but my eyes would appreciate their turning the reflectivity down just a notch.

The aluminum edge and the bezel surrounding the screen are ever-so-slightly smaller. (Two of our staff, Georgia and Leanna measured, likely with molecular telescopes). And this year the bezel comes in the same black as last year, but also comes in white. Yes, Apple managed to ship a white iOS device (insert your iPhone 4 jokes here). No LED flash and no proximity sensor might simply have made it an easier manufacturing process but whatever the reason it was announced as shipping from day one and ship from day one it did. Does a white bezel cause annoying reflections or create the illusion of lower contrast while watching videos or playing games? Not that Georgia, Leanna, or I noticed. Black is probably the color of choice for cinephiles and hard core gamers but I doubt any mainstream user will get too terribly offended by white.

Buttoned down, ported out

It turns out the one thing that does make a noticeable difference between the original iPad and iPad 2 is what surrounds the screen — the buttons. Aside from the home button, all the other controls — the sleep/wake button, mute/orientation lock switch, and volume rocker are all tucked away behind the newly (and highly) angled sides. That means you don’t see them when you’re looking at the screen and that window into apps and the web I mentioned earlier is more distraction-free than ever. It’s subtle but it’s appreciated.

The 30-pin dock connector is more of a mixed bag. It didn’t give me any problems because I’ve been trained by the just-as-steeply set iPod touch 4 dock but the curve can cause confusion when trying to figure out just what angle exactly to use when attaching the cable. (The answer is none, the cable goes in the same plane as the iPad, as if there were no curve.)

The 3.5mm headphone jack is the same story. The port is angled but the cable goes in and out the same as always. What has changed, vexingly, is the SIM-card tray. It’s angled to follow the curve but the SIM removal tool needs to be inserted perpendicular to that curve, not along the same plane like everything else.

The speaker is… the speaker. It’s got a new, larger surface covered with tiny perforations rather than the triple ovals of the previous iPad. But the sound is still mono. For a company that’s done so much to revolutionize music Apple might want to look into revolutionizing up some decent stereo speakers for iPad 3. (HP/Palm will be using Beats by Dr. Dre in their upcoming TouchPad tablet and while the brand is gimmicky the focus on audio quality is certainly not.)

And that’s it. Despite rumors, Apple didn’t provide a USB port or SD card slot. There’s a camera adapter dongle for that and like Jonathan Ive has said from the beginning, Apple is loathe to build in any feature most users won’t use most of the time. There’s also an HDMI dongle in-lieu of a port for the same reason (more on that later). And while Apple debuted the new 10GB ThunderBolt port on this year’s MacBook Pro family, it’s a PCI Express-based interconnect and that’s great for PCI Express-based architectures like Mac and other PCs, but meaningless to the non-PCI Express-based family of iOS devices, including iPad 2.

Cameras — in air quotes

Our editor-in-chief, Dieter, insists we render the iPad 2′s new lenses and sensors as “cameras” — with quotes — and I can’t say I blame him. To say they’re better than nothing is to damn them with exactly the level of faint praise they deserve. They’re the same lowest-end possible affair as the iPod touch 4. There’s a VGA FaceTime camera on the front and 720p HD video camera on the back (which equates to under 1 megapixel for stills).

Leanna, our resident photo enthusiast, took the iPad 2 cameras out for a test. She found that in well-lit situations, the HD camera produces excellent results and the VGA camera gives acceptable quality. Both cameras do an ok job in bad lighting situations, but do better than she was expecting and look better on the PC and YouTube than they did on-device.

Taking still photographs with the iPad 2 was not nearly as rewarding as video. Photo quality was mediocre even in excellent light conditions, though she was impressed with the close-ups. Digital zoom with the rear-facing camera, however, was awful.

• iPad 2 photo test gallery

iPad 2 also borrowed iPod touch 4′s placement for the cameras. The front camera is dead center, in line with and opposed to the home button. The rear camera is tucked in the corner directly beneath the sleep/wake button. That means you can easily cover it with your hand and waste a moment wondering why all your live-view is giving you is a blur of black and red. (Rotate the iPad 180 degrees to fix this.)

iPad 2 is too big to use as a regular camera anyway. There’s a reason no major manufacturer makes a consumer grade camera with a 9.7-inch screen. It’s just too loud and obnoxious to use as your daily shooter or tourist cam. Trust me, I tried.

However, many would argue that the iPad 2′s cameras aren’t for stills and are only nominally for video. They’re for Augmented Reality apps as exemplified by Apple’s own Photo Booth (see below). To those people I’d say — nonsense. iPhone 4 proved you can have a great rear facing camera in a thin device. Augmented Reality apps would likely look even better with a beefier sensor behind them. As we’ve repeatedly pointed out at TiPb, there’s thin and then there’s thin at the expense of functionality. I’d rather have a better camera than have an extra millimeter shaved off the iPad’s thickness. Here’s hoping Apple takes the iPad 2 and iPod touch 4′s rear facing 720p camera and puts that in the front of iPhone 5, iPod touch 5, and iPad 3 and gives the entire range of iOS mobile devices a better rear facing imagine sensor next time around.

Body by Venus

Georgia maintains the thinner, sleeker, dare-she-say-sexier casing means iPad 2 is from Venus while the original iPad 1 was from Mars. Her point is Apple didn’t only bring the cameras over from iPod touch 4 — it brought the curves. A slight bit shorter and skinnier than the original iPad, it’s also an unbelievable 33% thinner at only 0.34-inches. That’s thinner than iPhone 4 thin.

• Height: 9.50 inches (241.2 mm)
• Width: 7.31 inches (185.7 mm)
• Thinness: 0.34 inch (8.8 mm)

Apple accomplished this nearly fetishistic of thinness by flattening out the battery and reducing the depth of the glass used on front. That’s fine for the battery but unless the new glass is even more gorilla than the original I’m going to be even more paranoid about protecting it than I was about protecting the original. (Conveniently Apple provides a Smart Cover for that.)

Because of the reduced depth, instead of a flat side frame like the original iPad or like the antenna provides on iPhone 4, we have a curvaceous, completely unframed aluminum back like iPod touch 4. The result is that it sits flatter and feels even smaller when you hold it.

Thankfully it’s not chromed like iPod touch 4, it’s the same matte finish as the original iPad and even the original iPhone 2G. Not so thankfully it’s every bit as slick as those devices so if you’re at all clumsy (hi!) or worried about it sliding off armrests or car seats, you’ll have to look at soft-touch or silicon cases when they become available.

All this thinness contributes to a reduction in weight as well. It’s only 0.2-lbs lighter than the original iPad but on a 1.3-lbs device that’s appreciated. It by no means makes it a one-handed device but it makes it a tad less tiring to hold and whether it’s reading, surfing, or gaming, every little bit helps.

• Wi-Fi: 1.33 pounds (601 g)
• GSM/AT&T 3G: Weight: 1.35 pounds (613 g)
• Verizon 3G: Weight: 1.34 pounds (607 g)

New guts, new glory

In our review last year we said the original iPad’s specs weren’t interesting or even important — it was the experience. This year Apple clearly feels the same about iPad 2 only more so. However, while you can clearly throw specs at a device and fail to deliver an experience, a great experience requires good enough specs to deliver it. Enter the Apple A5 System-on-a-Chip (SoC) and 512MB of RAM.

According to benchmarks, Apple’s A5 is likely a dual-core ARM Cortex A9 CPU at 1GHz but dynamically clocked to 900MHz, alongside an Imagination PowerVR SGX 543MP2, souped up with 512MB of RAM. In CPU and JavaScript render tests iPad 2 was a little faster than iOS 4.3 on iPad 1 and Android 3.0 Honeycomb on the Xoom. In GPU tests it was devastatingly faster. Faster as in it digs a hole, stomps them into the mud, refills the whole, stomps it again, and repeats ten more times before the others even try to fight back. It’s fast.

What all these geekily benchmarked numbers mean in the real world is faster access to your web pages, especially JavaScript-heavy pages like Facebook, and far smoother, more detailed, and more high-performance graphics in everything from OS transitions to full 3D games. The extra RAM means you can keep more web pages in memory and apps and games in saved state longer. Maddeningly, the original iPad was so RAM-starved it would practically reload a web page every time you changed tabs. I’ve kept 5 or more — the entire Smartphone Experts Network in fact — live and instantly reachable in Safari tabs with nary a reload in sight. Same goes for apps and games. When before saved states would drop semi regularly I’ve barely ever seen that on iPad 2 even with several big games in the Fast App Switcher at once.

About the only internal spec that didn’t get a bump is storage. The options remain the same at 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB which is fine for almost all mainstream users but not the 128GB media aficionados have been clamoring for.

No other change from iPad to iPad 2 is more physically invisible but experientially meaningful than the new internals.

Smart magnets

iPad 2 has 10 magnets built into the frame. Currently they’re used to both attach Apple’s Smart Covers, and to sleep/wake-and-unlock the iPad 2 itself. Flick the Smart Cover and its 21 magnets anywhere near the left edge of iPad 2 and the magnets will grab it and align it near-perfectly. Lift them or close them over the right edge and the screen will go dark or light up instantaneously.

But the Smart Covers — despite the press they’re getting — aren’t the story. They’re just the introduction. Apple had first-party and hence first -mover advantage and will likely sell a ton of Smart Covers at launch. However, I’m more excited about what will come next, when every creative case maker and genius accessory company in the business starts to release succeeding generations of “smart” products.

Gryos and radios and batteries, oh my

Like iPhone 4 and iPod touch 4 before it, iPad 2 adds a gyroscope to its existing accelerometer which provides precise 3-axis rotation and control to games, Augmented Reality, and other motion-sensitive apps. (Real Racing fans, commence your celebrations.)

While Apple didn’t go LTE with their cellular radio, and didn’t even give us HSPA+, they did add a CDMA option for Verizon.

• GSM/AT&T: UMTS/HSDPA/HSUPA (850, 900, 1900, 2100 MHz); GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz)
• Verizon: CDMA EV-DO Rev. A (800, 1900 MHz)

The lack of LTE makes sense given its small footprint and Apple’s reluctance to even go 3G in the original iPhone. HSPA+ is a disappointment, however, considering it’s international deployment (though admittedly AT&T’s HSPA+ isn’t at the faster end of the spectrum…). With the Verizon iPhone launch earlier in the year, a CDMA iPad was almost a no-brainer. Coverage and competition will no doubt be welcome, though EVDO is slower than HSPA and there’s no voice network so no dropped calls to worry about.

iPad 2 has the same 802.11/a/b/g/n as last year, which is to say the latest and greatest still available. Bluetooth is also the same as last year, 2.1 + EDR. There is a Bluetooth 3.0 + HS spec, adopted in 2009, that boosts speeds by handing the connection over to Wi-Fi but Apple has shown no interest in that to date. Maybe they’re waiting on Wi-Fi direct…

Most impressively, even with all the new internals Apple to crammed into iPad 2, they managed to retain the same 10 hours of battery life (25-watt-hour). Whether that’s some black magic mix of highly efficient hardware and aggressive software I don’t know, but getting so much performance without giving up any battery life is a huge achievement.

Accessories and compatibility

Due to the very different form factor, original iPad cases (with the exception of pouches, which might be a bit roomy) aren’t compatible with iPad 2. Other accessories, especially those that connect via cable to the dock port or use Bluetooth should be just fine. Those that connect directly to the dock port, such as cradles and car kits may or may not work so keep that in mind if you’re upgrading.

Apple’s own Smart Covers come in pastel gray, blue, green, orange, and pink polyurethane for $39 or cream, tan, black, navy, or (PRODUCT) red for $69.

The Digital AV adapter (HDMI cable) is $39 and if you want to go wireless with AirPlay but no mirroring, an Apple TV is $100

Both the camera kit and VGA adapter from the original iPad continue to work with iPad 2, as do the component and composite cables and the 10w power adapter. There’s a new iPad 2-specific dock for $29 and while the original iPad dock and keyboard dock seem to still be available from Apple, I wouldn’t risk them. You can get a Bluetooth Keyboard for greater flexibility and compatibility.

The total package

Some say iPad 2 is an iPhone 3GS-style upgrade. They’re wrong. It’s not iPhone 3G (no next-generation radio) or iPhone 3GS (which didn’t get any extra cameras). As should be apparent by now, it’s an iPod touch 3 (2009) to iPod touch 4 (2010)-style upgrade. Thinner and sleeker, the glass and aluminum of iPad 2 still feels every bit as solid as the first iPad. It remains heavy but until Apple creates some liquid metal-unubtainium hybrid that’s just the reality of a 9.7-inch device. So it still needs a lap or a table or an armrest or something to lean on for extended use. It’s better than the original iPad but only slightly in that regard.

Likewise it’s even less cluttered and more completely that window into apps and the web, but only slightly so. It equals the screen and betters the original iPad hardware in almost every way, especially the A5 processor. It unbelievably fast and even more unbelievably — the iPad 2 stays cool to the touch even when pushing ridiculous amounts of video and hardcore gaming. (Enough to make me wonder what an ARM-powered MacBook Air could one day be like — the Intel chipset running Adobe Flash can serve double duty as a griddle.)

iPad Software

The original iPad shipped with iOS 3.2, which was new and exciting at the time. It got its first taste of iOS 4 — including fast app switching, multitasking API, folders, and more — with iOS 4.2 last November and again it felt like a huge update. iPad 2 ships with iOS 4.3 and it’s relatively conservative by comparison. We’ve done a complete iOS 4.3 walkthrough already but here I’d like to focus on those features designed to complement iPad 2-specific hardware, and those features that benefit the most from iPad 2-specific hardware improvements.

We’ll start with Steve Jobs’ 7 better features.

Safari and web browsing

As Andrew shows in the video above, the combination of iOS 4.3′s new Nitro JavaScript engine (ported over from the Mac), the new Apple A5 SoC, and most especially the boost to 512MB of RAM turns Safari from an excellent if frustrating experience on the original iPad to an excellent and now mostly fantastic experience on iPad 2.

Where the original iPad tended to “kill” background tabs whenever it ran out of available memory — which was pretty much every time you switched pages and an incredibly annoying quality in a web browser — iPad 2 can keep a ton of tabs “alive” That means it doesn’t have to re-load them after each switch and you can stop waiting and start reading immediately. Also, the dreaded “checkerboard effect” — where significant lag would occur before Safari could render the web page content — is minimal. If waiting for a complex page like Facebook to render used to make you tear your hair out, iPad 2 will make certain you get to keep what you have left.

If your primary iPad use is web browsing, this by itself might make iPad 2 a worthy upgrade. As we’ll see in a moment with apps and gaming, it’s like going from dial-up to broadband. Combined with their industry leading HTML 5 and CSS 3 support, iPad 2 Safari is an incredible browser and an unparalleled platform for mobile web development (web apps).

And yes, due to complacency on the part of Adobe and intransigence on the part of Apple, iPad 2 Safari still doesn’t support Flash. If Flash is critical to you and App Store apps like SkyFire or iSwifter (which transcode Flash to H.264 video on the fly) aren’t solution enough, iPad 2 may be a non-starter.

Email, Photos, Video, Music, and eBooks

Thanks to iPad 2′s Apple A5 processor the apps launch faster. Thanks to the “cameras”, Photos now has a real Camera Roll. Thanks to iOS 4.3 Home Sharing and AirPlay the media is more transportable than ever (streaming from your Mac or Windows PC to your iPad and from your iPad to your Apple TV). Thanks to a steady stream of iBooks updates and publisher additions, eBooks are better looking and less embarrassing when compared to Amazon’s Kindle catalog.

Most of these are incidental improvements, however. The Mail app hasn’t been redesigned to provide flags/stars, mark as spam, or mark all as read functionality. Photos hasn’t gotten any form of cloud-based sync. Videos and Music still haven’t gotten iTunes Extras or iTunes LP support (anyone remember those?!). And Apple’s new subscription service is controversial to say the least and hasn’t done anything to provide for a unified marketplace for periodicals — iMags, iNews, iComics are still in iLimbo.

Perhaps iOS 5 will address these issues and more (see below).

Gaming

Apple touted 9x graphics performance on iPad 2 and also introduced a gyroscope for 3-axis positioning. It’s safe to say they’re taking gaming very seriously. How does it all come together? According to Chad — awesomely well. They launch faster and play more fluidly with little or no slow down or skipping. The level of texture and detail is also much higher and because iPad 2 is thinner and a little lighter, it is much more comfortable to hold.

Of course developers need to update their games to take advantage of the better processing and graphics. Some have already and with spectacular results. Real Racing HD 2, Infinity Blade, and Dead Space HD are all incredible examples of what’s possible on iPad 2 — before the device even shipped. It will be interesting to see what developers can get out of it now that they have it in their hands, and in the months to follow.

• Top 5 apps and games to show off your new iPad 2

Apps

While not part of Steve Jobs’ original 7 key features, Apple spent a considerable amount of time during the iPad 2 introduction on iMovie and GarageBand. Both were no doubt created with three different but complementary goals in mind — to delight and astonish users with an incredibly immersive content creation experience, to raise the bar for developers and challenge them to make mobile software of the same caliber, and to programmatically walk up to the competition, pull out a Bugs Bunny glove, fill it with a brick, and smack them back to the drawing board.

They represent the next generation of tablet software, once again redefining perceptions and expectations on what can and can’t be done with multitouch and 9.7-inches of glass and aluminum. And interestingly, unlike last year’s suite of Pages, Numbers, and Keynote, this year Apple switched from iWork to iLife and with much better results. While it was fun to finger paint with productivity, I still found myself going back to my Mac when I needed to get work done. iMovie and GarageBand better fit the iPad vision, or at least Apple is getting better at articulating their vision with these apps.

But that’s big picture stuff. Mainstream users, when they’re laying down up to 8-tracks, tapping away on virtual drums, strumming virtual strings, tickling virtual ivory, and laying down some smoking hot vocals to top it off, you won’t care about any of that. They’ll be rocking out to GarageBand.

Both are $4.99 on the App Store and will hopefully be joined by a real iPhoto or Aperture app at some point soon.

• iMovie hands-on

FaceTime

FaceTime on iPad 2 is built-in and functions in the same manner as iPod touch 4. Enter and Apple ID, associate it with an email address you want to serve as the FaceTime “call number”, and you’re good to go. Because iPad 2 has the same cameras as iPod touch 4 the quality is similar but due to the large size of iPad 2′s screen, it feels better. It’s like doing FaceTime on Mac or Skype on Pac but without the annoying keyboard getting in your way. Dieter described it as the optimal shared experience. iPhones and iPods touch are great for a single user but if you want to have family moments — grandparents sitting on the sofa, parents with their children on their laps the iPad is better. Even classes and coworkers huddled together will benefit from iPad’s implementation of FaceTime.

It’s a question of scale really. iPad doesn’t show FaceTime in real size but it shows FaceTime closer to real size and it makes a difference, even if you’re just one person reclining on the sofa…

Unfortunately, Apple didn’t (yet?) choose to take advantage of the big iPad screen by giving us FaceTime conference calls so three long-distance family members or friends can share a video call. Maybe iOS 5 will also address that.

Also, while Apple uses open standards for FaceTime they don’t seem to have pushed out FaceTime itself as an easy to implement open standard so iOS users can easily video chat with Android, webOS, and Windows users. Until that happens, cross-platform solutions like Skype remain more appealing. (Especially because they work over 3G, unlike FaceTime — unless you tether to a mobile/personal hotspot, which makes the kind of sense that doesn’t.)

Photo Booth

Leanna took a look at Photo Booth, also built-in on iPad 2, and found it to be fun if silly, similar to Photo Booth on the Mac, and entertaining for kids and adults alike. Photo Booth is equipped with 8 different effects: Thermal Camera, Mirror, X-Ray, Kaleidoscope, Light Tunnel, Squeeze, Twirl, and Stretch. You can edit the effect before snapping the picture by pinching and dragging on the screen. As you take photos (from either front or rear camera) with Photo Booth, they are saved to your Camera Roll and you can see thumbnails of the images at the bottom of the screen. From here, you can easily email, copy, and delete multiple photos. Be careful though, deleting a photo from Photo Booth also deletes it from your Camera Roll.

Again, the quality of the photos taken with the VGA front-facing camera are not by any means outstanding, but given the nature of these shots – fun, quirky, and silly – it isn’t too big of a deal.

While kids might go back to Photo Booth again and again, and it might be fun to demo for friends and family, my guess is Apple included it on iPad 2 as more of a tech demo — to show how the Apple A5 SoC can handle 9 simultaneous camera live views, all with different, real-time reflections — and as a great in-store demo. Kids playing on Photo Booth for Mac has been a staple of Apple Store activity for ages. Now those kids will be playing on Photo Booth for iPad.

Video mirroring

With iPad 2 you can finally duplicate the iOS display onto an external monitor or HDTV via Apple’s Digital AV Adapter (which I’ll more sanely call the HDMI adapter from now on). That means anything on your iPad 2 from the home screen to videos to games to presentations can be shared with larger groups on a bigger screen. For video, AirPlay is probably better because it’s wireless but it requires an Apple TV on the receiving end. Because the adapter goes straight into the HDMI port it can handle up to 1080p and unlike AirPlay, it can show apps. (Hopefully AirPlay will gain that ability in the future.)

Since iPad is 1024×768 it shows up as letter- and pillar-boxed on a 1080p (1920×1080) display. That means it’s not as big as it could possibly be but it also means the pixels are mapped 1-to-1 and aren’t stretched and blurred to fill the screen. (You can use your HDTV’s zoom feature to fill the screen if you don’t care about pixel perfection and just want it BIG.)

Georgia and I tried it out on her wall mounted HDTV and while she had to maintain focus on the iPad to play Infinity Blade and Angry Birds, her family and I got to enjoy watching along. For group games it could be a lot of fun. For use in a classroom or conference room it could be game changing.

That Post-PC thing

Apple has taken to calling the iPad a post-PC device, and retconned iPod and iPhone into the same category. I don’t recall a PC being called a post-mainframe, but that’s neither here nor there. Dieter recently ranted on the iPad Live! podcast that iPad still needs to be plugged into iTunes to activate and that makes the post-PC rather PC-dependent. Apple Stores will do this for you but Apple won’t ship the device already activated, and any time you update iOS you need to re-tether to iTunes to re-activate. Apple may think that transfers over iTunes DRM authentication and promotes regular backups but in 2011 it’s also a bit of a pain.

Most Android devices and all webOS devices require a Gmail or Palm ID to activate them, which I’d argue means they’re still dependent on a PC, just one in the cloud. It would be nice if iPad 2 — if all mobile devices — tore down that dependance, local and cloud both, and made it optional. Then they could stop being post-PC, stop being transitional, and become a thing unto themselves.

Waiting on June

Beyond activation, iPad software in general is hamstrung by the fact that major new iOS releases are historically timed to coincide with major iPhone releases. That means any new iPad, the first one notwithstanding, is currently destined to wait 3 months for a really meaningful update. At least that’s the case this year. A couple of new built-in apps aside, iPad 2 is running a 9-month old, thrice point-bumped OS at the moment. While iOS 4, and in this specific case iOS 4.3 is impressive on iPad 2, I can’t help but imagine what iOS 5 will bring.

Settings restored from the cloud, Syngergy-style contact and status aggregation, App and game sync across iOS devices, a unified file repository, system-wide voice control, elegant notifications, a Theme Store, and any number of other improvements will no doubt be as big a deal for iPad 2 as iOS 4.2 was for the original iPad. That’s an exciting prospect.

Pricing and availability

iPad 2 launched on March 11 in the US and is currently scheduled to launch on March 25 in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK. Additional countries, including the rest of Asia will follow but no dates have yet been announced.

In the US iPad 2 is available online and in stores at AT&T, Best Buy, Target, Verizon Wireless, Walmart and select Apple Authorized Resellers.

Pricing remains the same: $499 for 16GB Wi-Fi, $599 for 32GB Wi-Fi, and $699 for 64GB Wi-Fi. AT&T GSM/HSPA and separate Verizon CDMA/EVDO rev A models are available for $130 more or $629 for 16GB 3G, $729 for 32GB 3G, and $829 for 64GB 3G.

All those models come in both white and black for a grand total of 18 SKUs for US shoppers to choose from, a dizzying 10 more than last year. (International shoppers will only have 12 SKUs to choose from — no Verizon models.)

Conclusion

iPad 2 is an evolutionary improvement to the original iPad, but that’s true of almost every iOS device update. Taken year by year each generation seems only slightly better than the last. It’s like children you see every day as opposed to just on holidays. The incremental growth escapes you. When looking back from the original iPhone 2G to the latest iPhone 4, however, the improvements are staggering. And that creates a bit of a challenge for consumers.

If you’re still not sure whether you’d even use a tablet device, whether you need something between your smartphone and laptop, head on over to your local Apple Store, big box retailer, or carrier store and try out an iPad 2. Read and watch a lot of TiPb to be sure but iPad is really something that you need to feel and experience before you can make an informed choice. For some it will be the easy-to-use PC alternative they’ve always dreamed of. For others it will be tertiary at best and something they just have no place for in their lives.

If you’re trying to decide between iPad 2 and a competing tablet running Android, BlackBerry Tablet OS (QNX), the webOS TouchPad, or anything else, frankly iPad 2 should be your default choice. Most competing tablets haven’t even shipped yet (almost all lack even a solid release date) and none of them have the apps, accessories, fit, finish or ecosystem of iPad 2. While things can and probably will change over the course of the next year, at the time of this review the tablet space is for all intents and purposes a one horse race. Unless there’s a feature a competing tablet has at the time you want to buy it, a feature compelling enough to make everything else take a back seat — like a 7-inch form factor, Flash support, not being made by Apple, etc. — it’s hard to recommend anything other than iPad 2 right now.

If you’re wondering whether or not you should upgrade, there are always only a few reasons to consider the next current year’s model over the last. Either you’re a gadget lover who simply has to have the latest and greatest, or there’s one or more features important enough to make the upgrade worth while. For those considering the short step from iPad to iPad 2 this year, those features include video mirroring (especially if you’re in education or business), the speed improvements (if Safari and apps performance was slow and RAM-starved enough to bother you previously), the gyroscope and 9x graphics improvements for hardcore gamers, the magnets for those who want in on Smart Covers and the other accessories that will no doubt follow them, the cameras if FaceTime is meaningful to you and your loved ones, and the Verizon 3G models if you need mobile connectivity and that’s the best network in your area.

(For more on whether you should get an iPad 2 and which model might best suit you, see our iPad buyers guide.)

I used my original iPad a lot… until iPhone 4 was released. I still kept most of my apps and games on iPad but because iPhone 4 was so much faster I just picked it up far more often. iPad 2 has changed that paradigm again. The combination of the big screen and Apple A5 processor has made it my go-to device once more (when I’m not in feet-down mobile, of course.) It’s by no means perfect, and we’ve listed many of the most glaring and frustrating imperfections above, but iPad 2 looks better, it feels better, and it just works better.

Neither Empire nor Reloaded, iPad 2 is closer akin to The Two Towers — a solid second part in the iPad’s ongoing story.

As you can see from the video above, the iPad 2 using the Apple A5 chip combined with more RAM performs much better than the original iPad when browsing in Mobile Safari. If you load up all nine tabs, you’ll see that the original iPad starts to choke up pretty badly when compared to the iPad 2. This is due to the original iPad only coming with 256MB of RAM while iPad 2 comes packed with 512MB. (We hoped for as much as 1GB in the video before getting more test results back. Maybe next year!.)

The original iPad tends to “kill” background tabs whenever it runs out of available memory, which can get pretty annoying if you use the iPad primarily for web browsing. The iPad 2 performed flawlessly and had no hiccups when browsing. Also the dreaded “checkerboard effect” — where significant lag would occur before Safari could render the web page content — is nowhere to be found. Scrolling in Safari is smooth as butter, and gone are the days when switching between tabs meant loading the entire page from scratch.

The difference in performance is quite clear, and browsing on the iPad 2 is definitely a step up from the original iPad in every way. If you were able to pick up an iPad 2 then let us know your thoughts on RAM performance and how it compares to the first iPad in the comments below!

Photo Booth on the iPad 2 is a fun application that applies silly effects to your camera when taking photos. It is similar to Photo Booth on the Mac and is entertaining for kids and adults alike.

Photo Booth is equipped with 8 different effects: Thermal Camera, Mirror, X-Ray, Kaleidoscope, Light Tunnel, Squeeze, Twirl, and Stretch. You can edit the effect before snapping the picture by pinching and dragging on the screen. As you take photos (from either front or rear camera) with Photo Booth, they are saved to your Camera Roll and you can see thumbnails of the images at the bottom of the screen. From here, you can easily email, copy, and delete multiple photos. Be careful though, deleting a photo from Photo Booth also deletes it from your Camera Roll.

The quality of the photos taken with the VGA front-facing camera are not by any means outstanding, but given the nature of these shots – fun, quirky, and silly – it isn’t too big of a deal.

Check out some images taken with Photo Booth after the break!

One of the new apps for iPad 2 is iMovie. It was originally released for the iPhone 4 this past June, but Apple recently updated it as a universal app for iPhone 4, iPad 2, and iPod touch 4. On the iPad 2, iMovie is fantastic.

The editing screen is set up similar to iMovie on the Mac and split into 3 different screens. On the bottom of the screen, you find the timeline for your movie, on the top left, you find available media, and video preview is located in the top right. The “My Projects” screen is beautifully designed to look like a vintage movie theater.

Editing movies is very easy on the iPad 2. You can preview clips by dragging your finger across them and trim the edges before adding them to your project. To move clips around in your timeline, simply drag it to where you want. If you want to split a clip, position the curser, select the clip, and swipe down along the curser. You can also easily record audio and video directly into the timeline.

iMovie is stocked with 8 different themes, each of which comes with its own title screen format, transitions, and theme music. It also comes with a plethora of sound effects to add to your movies. Sadly the new Trailer templates from iMovie ’11 on Mac didn’t make it into the iPad version but hopefully we’ll see those in an update.

Sharing your movies is a breeze and iMovie is equipped the the ability to send directly to YouTube, Facebook, Vimeo, and CNN iReport. Just tap the familiar sharing arrow from the projects screen and make your selection.

I am very impressed with how well iMovie runs on the iPad 2. It responds well and performs tasks quickly. iMovie on the iPad may well become my primary video editing software – yes, I will chose it over iMovie ’11 on my Mac.

To check out the movie I created in the video above, follow along after the break!

The iPad 2 is here! You’ve run down the specs – including the 2x as fast A5 processor, the lighter 1.33lb weight, and the crazy-thin .34 inch “thickness.” You’ve considered whether it’s worth it for iPad 2 owners to upgrade. You’ve taken a look at what’s new in iOS 4.3. Heck, you’ve even read up on how to transfer your data from your original iPad to the iPad 2. What’s left to do? Check out TiPb breathlessly unpacking and examining the real deal.

If you waited in line today and picked one up – congrats! If you are wondering what we think of Apple’s latest, here’s the short version: it’s a thinner, lighter, faster iPad with a couple of cameras. That may sound anti-climactic – but after using the iPad 2 for just a very short while we’re starting to suspect that it’s anti-climactic in the same way that “the iPad is just a big iPhone” was anti-climactic in 2010. In other words: it’s an experience that can’t quite be quantified but gets under your skin in the same way the original iPad did. There’s “nothing new” here to most people, but the execution of all the little details adds up to something pretty special.

As far as the hardware is concerned, we’re impressed. Looking at the spec differences between the iPad 1 and the iPad 2, you might be tempted to say that there’s not much improvement here. But .5″ vs .34″ only tells part of the story. The full story is that the tapered back of the iPad 2 makes it feel thinner than any device this size has a right to be. It’s kind of amazing. Unfortunately, we can’t quite say the same for the weight – while the iPad 2 is lighter, it’s still not something you’re going to happily hold at arm’s length unsupported for any appreciable length of time.

A full photo gallery is after the break and video is coming right quick – keep it locked to TiPb as we unpack our thoughts and impressions of the iPad 2 this weekend and, heck, for the months to come.

(Full disclosure: this white iPad 2 is for @CrackBerryKevin, who plans on putting the thing head-to-head with the RIM BlackBerry PlayBook when the time comes. He also opted for the “CrackBerry Orange” SmartCover. He’s a BlackBerry user at heart, but it’s hard to resist the iPad 2, innit?)

iOS 4.3 is now in gold master and scheduled for release on March 11, 2011 alongside iPad 2 with new features like Wi-Fi personal hotspot for iPhone, iTunes home sharing, improved AirPlay, faster Safari and more.

If you want a quick look at the new software but don’t have a lot of time, check out the video above for everything you need to know about iOS 4.3 in just 5 minutes. For a more in-depth iOS 4.3 guide, read on after the break.

Note: We’re combining iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad walkthroughs below since, post iOS 4.2 grand-unification the size of the updates are roughly similar. If it gets more complicated later, we’ll split iPhone/iPod touch out from iPad like last time.

What hasn’t changed

iOS 4.3 looks to have interesting albeit far from numerous changes thus far. Since we’re only covering what’s new and improved, here’s a list of previous walkthroughs for those new to iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad so you can learn about all the established features. Major releases in bold.

• iOS 4.2 for iPhone | iOS 4.2 for iPad
• iOS 4.1 for iPhone
• iOS 4 for iPhone
• iOS 3.2 for iPad
• iOS 3.1 for iPhone
• iOS 3.0 for iPhone
• iPhone 2.2 for iPhone
• iPhone 2.1 for iPhone
• iPhone 2.0 for iPhone

System-wide changes

AirPlay

AirPlay was introduced in iOS 4.2 and allows video and audio to be sent from iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, and iTunes on Windows or Mac to an Apple TV, or audio-only to a growing number of 3rd party speakers and other accessories. While iOS 4.2 only provided video-to-Apple TV support from the YouTube and iPod/Video apps, iOS 4.3 gives both App Store apps and web content the ability to send video to Apple TV. (Note: Apps like Hulu may well block this functionality due to Hollywood being catastrophically short sighted when it comes to the digital age.)

Video Mirroring (iPad 2 only)

With iPad 2 and either the old VGA adapter or new HDMI adapter, you’ll be able to mirror your device display on an external monitor.

Video mirroring, as the name suggests, means everything and anything you see on iPad 2, from Home Screen to apps, will be shown exactly the same on your external monitor or HD TV. (Hulu and similar apps might have a way to block this, we’ll have to test it and see.)

Previous devices like iPad and iPhone 4 will only be able to output video the way they currently do, if the particular app enables it. (like iPod, Video, Keynote, YouTube, Safari, Photos, and App Store apps that support it.)

Home Screen

SpringBoard, the app that runs the home screen and overall interface in iOS, gets its multitasking dock UI tweaked once again on iPad.

Multitouch navigation gestures (iPad only, developers only)

Apple has introduced 4 or 5 finger multitouch navigation gestures in the iOS 4.3 for iPad but only for developers to test. They won’t be available to regular users. To get them to appear in Settings, you need to connect your iPad to Xcode and enable the device for development. (See our how to enable iPad multitasking gestures in iOS 4.3 article for more.)

The new gestures don’t replace the Home Button but do reduce the amount of times you need to single or double click it, which could reduce concerns of hardware wear and tear post iOS 4 multitasking.

The new gestures can be done with 4 or 5 fingers and resemble multitouch trackpad gestures available on Mac OS X since the introduction of the original MacBook Air in 2008 and expanded upon in the recent Mac OS X 10.7 Lion preview given by Steve Jobs at the Back to the Mac event. The gestures currently include

• Pinch all fingers in to exit an app and return to the Home Screen (identical to single-clicking the Home Button).
• Swipe up from the bottom bezel to reveal the multitasking Fast App Switcher Dock (identical to double-clicking the Home Button).
• Swipe sideways from left to right or right to left to move between recently open apps (similar to double-clicking the Home Button to reveal the Fast App Switcher and tapping on an app icon immediately to right).

The sideways swipe is interesting in that it allows you to go left or right whereas the Fast App Switcher reorders the recent app icons so you always go backwards in “time” to the right. It seems perceptively faster for a single app-back movement since there’s no carousel animation, yet you can only swipe back one app at a time whereas you can tap on any of 4 immediately available app icons in the Fast App Switcher and swipe back 4 additional apps at a time.

Performance on the current generation iPad, however, is hampered by lack of RAM. With only 256MB many apps will need to reload when you swipe back to them (at least so far in the beta). If iPad 2 has at least 512MB — or better yet 1GB — it would fly with this system.

Mute widget (iPad only)

When iPad shipped with iOS 3.2 the hardware switch above the volume rocker was set to lock or unlock screen orientation. In iOS 4.2 it was changed to a mute/un-mute switch like iPhone. Uncharacteristically, Apple has now added a Settings toggle to let the user choose which function they want the switch to perform. Since iOS 4.2 added a software orientation lock widget in the multitasking Fast App Switcher dock, iOS 4.3 now also toggles between that widget and a software mute button to fill whichever function is no longer being provided by the hardware switch. (Hardware switch set to orientation lock means dock widget becomes mute button and vice-versa.)

Photos

As mentioned above, you now have the ability to send recorded videos out over AirPlay to Apple TV, something which was noticeably missing when the feature was introduced in iOS 4.2.

Notes

iOS 4.2 finally let us change the Notes font from Marker Felt to something — anything — else, as long as that anything else was Helvetica or Chalkboard. Well it turns out Chalkboard wasn’t long for this world as it has been replaced in iOS 4.3 with Noteworthy.

App Store

The App Store gets a new design for the Updates page.

Install buttons

Although it’s not an iOS 4.3 specific feature, App Store has also been updated recently on the server side with a few new features. On all devices, if you’ve already bought or downloaded an app but it’s not currently loaded on your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad, instead of the Free or price button, you get an Install button. (This doesn’t seem true in all regional App Store yet, but is working in the US App Store.)

Search filters

Also not iOS 4.3 specific but since the timing fits, on the iPad there are also new filters in place on the search page, including Category, Release Date, Customer Rating, Price, and Device, as well as a Reset Filters option. Since App Store, like iTunes is really just an app-wrapped, internet powered, WebKit UI Apple can make all sorts of changes without having to wait for a new iOS version to ship. Usually these are just content features, banners, etc. (or the addition of Ping…) but it’s nice to see new functionality sneak in every once and a while.

Also, if you leave a search to go to Featured or Top Charts, etc. and then tap the search field at the top right, you’re whisked right back the previous search results, sans keyboard.

In-app purchases

In-app purchases now always require a password. Previously iOS would remember a password for a short amount of time after it was last entered. This led to children purchasing huge quantities of Smurfberries and other “freemium” content, which in turn led to the new password challenge system. (Of course this does nothing to protect parents who give their children their iTunes password or use an easily guessed or observed password — be warned!)

iAds

For developers, iAds can now go full screen. That includes the big iPad screen, which Apple says allow for “immersive, interactive iAd experience”. They also say the new banner format is easy to implement.

HTTP Live Streaming metrics

HTTP Live Streaming, the technology Apple uses to stream high quality video including their own press conferences and events, now includes viewer engagement and performance metrics. This is intended to help developers fine tune and optimize their content.

iTunes

iOS 4.3 brings a new set of push notifications to the table — for Apple’s Ping social musical network. So if you’ve been dying to know what Phil Schiller — or Chad — has bought, liked, or commented on in iTunes as instantaneously as possible you’ll get your wish.

FaceTime (iPad 2)

iPhone 4 got FaceTime with iOS 4 and iPod touch 4 with iOS 4.1, and now it’s iPad 2′s turn with iOS 4.3. Just like iPod touch 4, there’s a dedicated — and newly redesigned — FaceTime icon so you can easily launch it (iPhone still launches from the Phone app). Since, also like iPod touch 4, there’s no phone number associated with an iPad 2, it uses Apple/iTunes IDs to map the connections.

Enter your credentials and you’ll be able to FaceTime with anyone on iPhone 4, iPod touch 4, iPad 2, or Mac.

[We'll update this when iPad 2 ships and we have a chance to test it.]

Photo Booth (iPad 2 only)

Photo Booth, like the Mac app of the same name, is a fun time-killer where you can apply effects to the live camera view and save the pictures for use in profiles or just to share with friends and family. Thanks to the new cameras in iPad 2 and the powerful A5 processor you can see 9 live video streams, with effects applied, in real time. Since iOS is multitouch enabled, you can also use gestures to manipulate the effects in real time.

[We'll update this when iPad 2 ships and we have a chance to test it.]

Settings

Not only does Settings hide the usually interesting tweaks found in any new iOS version but this time it’s home to one of the marquee new features — Wi-Fi Personal Hotspot.

Wi-Fi Personal Hotspot (iPhone 4 only)

Freshly sandwiched in between VPN and Notifications for iPhone users is the new top-level Personal Hotspot setting. (It also find it in Settings: General: Network: Personal Hotspot, where it replaces the previous Tethering setting, but why dig that deep when you no longer have to?)

When you tap Personal Hotspot you’re taken to a screen that lets you toggle it on or off (why can’t we do this top-level like Airplane Mode or VPN?) along with your — visible — current WPA access point password (with no choice to hide it). Instructions on how “to connect using Wi-Fi” have been added to the previous tethering instructions for Bluetooth and USB. As before with Bluetooth, if you don’t have Wi-Fi enabled you’ll get a popup asking if you’d like to enable it or if you’d prefer to tether via Bluetooth (if that’s enabled) or USB.

You can change your WPA password by tapping on it, and you’re warned the new password must be at least 8 characters long (we recommend something not easily guessed like “password”) and that changing the password will disconnect any currently connected devices.

When activated you get the same blue bar across the top of your iPhone that tethering presented under iOS 3 and iOS 4, though renamed Personal Hotspot and now indicating the number of devices connected (up to a maximum of 5 on Verizon, 3 on most GSM carriers like AT&T).

For iPhone 3GS users personal hotspot is there and in the same top-level position, but is limited to the old-style Bluetooth and USB.

Location Services

Location Services has also been promoted to top level in iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. (see iPhone screenshot above, iPad screen shot below)

Sounds

Mercifully, the new Text Tones for iPhone 4 introduced in iOS 4.2 have been made shorter as better fits Text Tones. Tragically, they haven’t been made any better. It’s bewildering.

Vibration has also changed for text/SMS alerts. Now you get two short vibrations for an SMS on both iPhone 4 and iPhone 3GS.

General: Restrictions

If you don’t want your children discovering new, electronic hipster songs on Apple’s social music network, Ping, iOS 4.3 lets you disable it via the Parental Controls.

General: Use Side Switch to (iPad only)

The iPad’s hardware switch, originally released as an orientation lock/unlock in iOS 3.2 and changed to an iPhone-like mute/un-mute switch in iOS 4.2 now becomes user assignable in iOS 4.3. Yes, with a simple checkbox you can choose which way you personally like it.

As mentioned up top, whichever option you do not choose becomes a software control in the multitasking Fast App Switcher dock.

General: Multitasking Gestures (iPad developers only)

A simple toggle allows you to turn on or off the new multitasking navigation gestures (see the description under system-wide changes, above). These are intended for developers only, not end-users so you need to connect to Xcode to enable them. (See our how to enable iPad multitasking gestures in iOS 4.3 article for more.)

Messages (iPhone only)

The settings for Messages now allow you to choose how many times you want SMS/MMS alerts to sound, repeated at two minute intervals. Choices include:

• Once
• Twice
• 3 Times
• 5 Times
• 10 Times.

iPod

New to iPod Settings, you can scroll down and enter your iTunes username and password to enable Home Sharing (if you enter the wrong information, you’ll get a popup telling you it can’t be enabled).

Notes

As mentioned previously, Noteworthy replaces Chalkboard in the Notes settings.

Phone + Contacts

A minor but likely very welcome change in iOS 4.3 beta sees the addition of a wait button to the add contact phone number’s extended keyboard and the rejiggering of some of the other buttons like pause.

This can also be used to setup single-tap conference call dialing, with the pause to send passcodes.

Safari

Hopefully Apple’s comments about AirPlay supporting web content means we’ll be able to stream H.264 video from Safari to Apple TV as well under iOS 4.3.

In addition we’d expect Apple adds whatever other HTML 5, CSS, and Nitro (their JavaScript rendering engine) improvements they’ve made since iOS 4.2 shipped.

iPod

iPod gains Home Sharing under iOS 4.3, the ability to stream media from your Mac or Windows PC the same way Apple TV (2010) has been doing since last fall.

Home Sharing

Once you enable Home Sharing in Settings (see above) you can tap on More on the bottom tabs, select the new Shared icon at the bottom, and tap on the computer name you want to access under Shared Libraries

You’ll be taken “back” to the iPod app media list but you’ll now be seeing your PC’s library instead of your local device library (it can be a little confusing at first but the PC library name is written on top of the scroll list). Choose your music, TV, movies, or other media just as you would have previously, but it’ll now stream from your PC over Wi-Fi.

To change back to your local device library, tap on More, tap on Sharing, and select your local device from the top of the list (you’ll see a checkmark next to whichever library is currently the active one).

So it’s a little complex and it can be confusing, but it works and for media you only want access to occasionally, it can save you a lot of occasional syncing

Ping

Apple says you can also post and like songs on Ping directly from the Now Playing screen but I haven’t seen the controls for it yet.

Apple TV

Apple TV is also getting the iOS 4.3 treatment. Major new features include:

• AirPlay for App Store apps and compatible web video
• Dolby Digital 5.1 for Netflix
• New slideshow themes
• An improved keyboard
• MLB HD streaming for MLB.com subscribers
• NBA HD streaming for NBA league pass subscribers

MLB and NBA are built-in, just like Netflix.

Pricing and compatibility

iOS 4.3 is available free of charge to all compatible iOS devices. Compatibility, however, is so far even more restricted that iOS 4 — namely iPhone 3G/iPod touch G2 do not have beta versions of iOS 4.3 to date.

• iPhone 4 (GSM), iPod touch 4 (2010): All features except display mirroring
• iPhone 4 (Verizon): No update announced.
• iPhone 3GS and iPod touch G3 (2009), iPad 1 (2010): No features requiring iPhone 4, iPod touch 4, or iPad2-type hardware (i.e. front facing camera)
• iPhone 3G and iPod touch G2 (2008): not compatible
• iPhone 2G and iPod touch G1 (2007): not compatible

Conclusion

iOS 4.3 gives AirPlay some much-needed improvements, adds Home Sharing, begins to fix the horrible text-tones for iPhone, and provides the fantastic personal hotspot feature for iPhone 4. It’s not a huge update but it’s a good one.

If you were expecting more major updates, like notification SIRI-infused, OS-wide VoiceControl system, etc. etc. then you’ll need to wait for a more major update like iOS 5. (Which should be previewed this month or next.) For now you have a few more toys to play with in your iOS chest.

As always, If you noticed we missed anything, drop us a note in the comments or send us an email and we’ll update as needed.

Apple announced the iPad 2 today so — of course — the first thing we did was drag in our friends from PreCentral.net, Android Central, and CrackBerry.com and get them to spec up with the Android 3.0 Honeycomb-running Motorola Xoom, LG Optimus Pad, Samsung Galaxy Tab 10, and the HP TouchPad and BlackBerry Playbook.

The results are above, and all we can say is — what a great time to be a consumer! Also, given the hardware being thrown around Apple’s going to have to work hard on their integrated software model — that means iOS 5 — to keep the lion’s share of the market. The space is literally exploding with new, compelling devices.

Except from Microsoft and Nokia. Will they field something in 2011 or will we have to wait until iPad 3 or iPad 4 to add them to the spec wars?

blueSLR is a bluetooth accessory for Nikon DSLR’s that pairs with your iPhone to embed GPS information into your files as well as allow you to use your iPhone as a remote shutter release. The folks at XEquals sent me a unit to test out and share with you. To find out what I think, follow along after the break!

[blueSLR]

The hardware is very compact and doesn’t add much bulk to your camera. It plugs into the slot labeled “GPS” and blends in with the camera rather well. There is a small light for indicating bluetooth connection to your iPhone. Once connected, you can use the blueSLR companion app to send GPS data to your Nikon camera to geotag your photos.

The app is very simple and strait forward. Your GPS location information is displayed on the main screen as well as a shutter release button. You can also easily set a timer and tell the camera to take as many as 10 shots. If you only want to use blueSLR as a remote shutter release, you can simply disable the GPS function and save battery life on your iPhone. I’m hoping that a future update adds the ability to adjust camera settings like shutter speed, aperture, and ISO.

There are three blueSLR models that cover compatibility with the following Nikon DSLR models: D3100, D5000, D90, D3(S), D200, D300(S), and D700. At this time, blueSLR is not available for Canon cameras, but XEquals hopes to bring that functionality soon.

If you use a compatible Nikon DSLR camera, blueSLR makes an excellent addition to your camera bag and can be yours for $149.

The Verizon iPhone is one of the most anticipated smartphones in recent memory, made even more so by the endless rumors and years of waiting those who wanted it had to endure. Now it’s here and while the radio has changed it’s still pretty much the same iPhone 4 Apple shipped on AT&T back in June 2010. A 7 month old phone on a brand new network is not something iPhone users have had to consider in the past. Is it worth the wait? Is Verizon really a better network? Does CDMA have important shortcomings you need to be aware of? Will the entire thing be rendered moot when Apple announces an iPhone 5 in June?

Figuring out the answers to these questions and more have kept all of us at TiPb extremely busy over the past couple of weeks. So hit the jump and on for our full Verizon iPhone review!

Since the Verizon iPhone 4 is still an iPhone 4 we’re only going to look at and compare the differences between the Verizon model and the AT&T/GSM model here. If you haven’t already, check out our original iPhone 4 review to see all the features that are similar including FaceTime video calls, Retina Display screen, 5mp camera and HD video recording, etc.

In the box

You’ll get the standard Apple headphones, the wall adapter, a sync cable, and your manuals. The only difference is really the phone and the back of the box.

The back of the box simply specifies the carrier. Other than that, everything should be the same. Oh let’s not forget that you won’t get a handy dandy micro-SIM removal tool, since CDMA phones don’t use them.

Hardware differences

The Verizon iPhone has different breaks in the antenna band than its AT&T/GSM sibling. Even though the antenna band was redesigned for CDMA, I don’t see any improvement when it comes to the “death grip” issue (see our explanation of “death touch” vs. “death grip” for more on this). If anything, I experience it more than I do on my AT&T iPhone 4. I’m not sure if attenuation on the Verizon version is worse because of a difference between CDMA and GSM or if it’s something else. I experience the issue on my AT&T iPhone but it seems that the signal doesn’t drop as quick and when it does, it goes up quicker when I’m not touching the break in the band. The Verizon version seems to lose bars a lot quicker and it takes a bit longer for them to come back.

As most people have already figured out, putting a bumper or a case on your phone will solve the death grip problem.

Other than the breaks in the antenna bands, the mute switch and volume buttons are moved down about 2mm on the Verizon iPhone 4. This is because of the break in the antenna at the top left of the phone. For users coming from an AT&T iPhone 4, this can be annoying as many current iPhone 4 cases will not work as the silent switch and volume buttons are positioned differently.

The only other difference I have found is that the Verizon iPhone 4 doesn’t have the FCC and other clearance marks on the back the way the AT&T/GSM version does.

Software differences

The AT&T/GSM iPhone 4 is currently running iOS 4.2.1. The Verizon iPhone 4 launched with iOS 4.2.6. The only major feature 4.2.6 adds is personal hotspot capabilities (called mobile hotspot on other devices). AT&T has announced that they will offer mobile hotspot as well but no dates have been given yet, and it will require an iOS 4.3 update. Currently AT&T offers internet tethering for iPhone users but you are limited to Bluetooth and USB tethering.

The Verizon version supports wifi tethering for up to 5 devices. This is extremely nice if you’re somewhere without wifi and need to access the internet from a wifi only device (like a wifi iPad). You can simply enable the mobile hotspot feature and it’ll show up as a wireless network on your other device. You can also choose to add a password if you’d like. We’ll cover that below.

Syncing data

If your’e coming from an AT&T iPhone, you’ll feel right at home. Actually, if you’ve ever used an iPod of any kind or an iPad, you’ll already know what to do. The Verizon iPhone is no different than its AT&T brother. Plug into iTunes, sync your content, and you’re good to go. Verizon also offers a contact transfer app for current customers that’ll easily bring down all your contacts wirelessly for you (given you use Verizon’s contact backup service). If you need more help:

• How to transfer data from your old AT&T iPhone to your new Verizon iPhone
• How to transfer data from your old Blackberry or Droid/Android to your new Verizon iPhone

There’s really nothing new here, both iPhones will sync and store data in the same manner.

Apps

All the apps that run on the current AT&T/GSM iPhone also run on the Verizon iPhone (with the sole exception of carrier branded apps, like AT&T Navigator.) Apple has hundreds of thousands of apps and games available for the iPhone and Verizon will be releasing some carrier-specific ones as well, hopefully something to tie into their NFL deal. Here are some good starting points:

• Top 10 best iPhone 4 apps
• Top 5 iPhone apps for Droid/Android switchers
• Top 5 iPhone apps for BlackBerry switchers

Call Clarity

CDMA is long known to handle calls better than GSM. But is that really true? When it comes to clarity, sure. But you do lose some features when using a CDMA iPhone. Conference calls are only good for up to 3 people, including yourself. The way calls are handled can differ too. On AT&T, if you initiate a conference call, you can merge the calls, split them off, and hang up separately. On Verizon, hanging up on one will hang up on both. This is also a downside of the current version of CDMA Verizon is utilizing.

In most of our Verizon voice tests, call clarity was always on par with AT&T or better.

Personal Hotspot

Personal hotspot is definitely a welcome feature to iOS. It’s also only available for Verizon customers at the moment. AT&T has stated they have plans to release it, presumably with the launch of iOS 4.3, but no date has been given yet.

This feature allows you to turn your phone into a wireless hotspot. Up to 5 devices at a time can connect and use your iPhone 4′s internet connection. We tested this pretty thoroughly and found that it works as promised. I was pretty impressed with the speeds and reliability.

Data Speeds

Verizon is offering their customers unlimited (though potentially throttled) data, while AT&T only offers 250MB and 2GB data tiers. This is a huge selling point for them. But can their network handle the traffic? From our experience, yet it can. Quite well actually. Leanna and I both conducted speed tests. Mine in the Chicago area and hers in the Denver area. While AT&T was much faster for me, in real world situations (even tethering), neither of us had issues with Verizon and it always loaded pages within seconds of our AT&T iPhones. Sometimes it even loaded them quicker.

Data speeds and network reliability will, of course, heavily rely on coverage in your particular area. AT&T typically handles well in larger populated areas while Verizon has been known to have a strong network in rural areas as well. We conducted several Verizon iPhone 4 speed tests and the results were more than respectable.

Verizon iPhone or AT&T iPhone?

That’s really a decision each individual person is going to have to make. As always, you should base it on what the coverage is like where you live. For some, AT&T and Verizon may both be strong players in your area. If you’re in that situation, take a look at each carrier and what benefits GSM has over CDMA and vice versa. We also did a Verizon iPhone 4 vs AT&T iPhone 4 comparison. We pitted them against each other, and both held their own. You’ll really have to weigh out what options are more important to you. Do you need simultaneous voice and data or are you more concerned with call clarity? The little differences can end up being annoying over time so it may be worth it to weigh your options and choose the carrier that’ll best fit your individual needs.

State of the Verizon Jailbreak

A lot of potential Verizon switchers have been asking if they’re able to jailbreak if they switch. The answer to that is a big fat yes! greepois0n supports the Verizon iPhone as well. I jailbroke mine on launch day without a hitch. We’ve also got a complete guide up on how to jailbreak the Verizon iPhone 4. So if you’re a jailbreaker (or want to be), make sure to give that a look.

Wrap Up

We had quite a week playing with the Verizon iPhone 4. We came away feeling that Verizon is definitely capable of delivering a great customer experience. I’d have no qualms about using the Verizon iPhone 4 if you don’t need simultaneous voice and data or don’t mind some of the little annoyances that come along with CDMA. The plans on both carriers are roughly similar with the exception of Verizon offering unlimited data while AT&T only offers tiered.

Now that Verizon finally has the iPhone, both businesses are going to have to compete for our business. For almost 4 years, AT&T hasn’t had to compete for iPhone revenue. If you wanted an iPhone, you were going to play by their rules. Those days are long gone and we have a feeling it’s going to get pretty interesting from here on out. Let the carrier wars begin!

The Griffin Slap for iPod nano is a fun, colorful watch adapter that children of the 80s will no doubt appreciate. It gets its name from how you use it — just grab it by the strap and slap it onto your wrist. It wraps around and voila — iPod nano watch!

But how does it hold up in use? Read on for the review!

To put your iPod nano into or take it out of the Giffin Slap you just pop it in and pop it out. Seriously. It’s that simple. It also wears really well and you don’t have to worry about it falling off.

It has cutouts for all the usual buttons like power and volume and a cutout for the 3.5mm headphone jack. Yes, I did wear it around with my earphones trailing from my wrist to my head and yes, I did get some stares. It’s not ideal but until Apple adds Bluetooth to the iPod nano its the only option for those who actually want to use it as an iPod music player.

Which brings me to my last point — this really is an iPod and not a watch. That’s too bad because it shows Apple could make a super sweet watch. The iPod nano in the Griffin Slap is really cool but a bit of a novelty. It’s not that quick to check the time, the UI remains a bit of a challenge to use and there are basically a lot of functionality gaps that still need to be overcome.

Still if you have an iPod nano the Griffin Slap is a lot of fun and definitely something to add to your case collection.

The Griffin Slap for iPod nano comes in black, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, and pink and is available from the TiPb iPod nano accessory store!

Pros

• Lets you wear your iPod nano as a watch
• Comes in a lot of colors
• Easy to put in and take out
• Slap on!

Cons

• A little big for people with small wrists, especially women or children
• iPod nano wasn’t really designed to be a watch (fix that, Apple).

TiPb review rating

AT&T boasts of being “America’s fastest 3G network”, so I’ve been putting that claim to the test by comparing the speeds with Verizon and AT&T iPhones side-by-side. The results were incredibly surprising. To find out what they were, watch the video above then follow along after the break!

First of all, I must preface this by saying that these tests took place in Denver, CO. Testing elsewhere could yield significantly different results.

When it comes to numbers, AT&T typically (not always) has faster speeds as you can see in the screenshots above. However, when it came to real world tests with Safari and Facebook, Verizon was neck and neck with AT&T and often times faster.

When out and about, I was consistently getting these results, but not at home. In my house, I have very spotty AT&T coverage and typically connect to a microcell to ensure I can make a phone call. In order to test AT&T against Verizon, I unplugged the microcell and got surprisingly mixed results. Even though I often only have 1 or 2 bars with AT&T, browsing with the AT&T iPhone is usually significantly faster than with Verizon. I say usually, because there are times when AT&T slows down to match Verizon. It’s very inconsistent to say the least.

I cannot emphasize enough how my results were obtained from Denver and cannot be generalized to all of America. In fact, Ally has been executing the same tests in the Chicago area and been getting significantly different results than me. Not only do the following screenshots show AT&T with must faster speeds, but Ally reports that the difference is undeniable in practice.

Now, Chicago is one of the best places to have AT&T because it is very stable and running HSPA 7.2. It just goes to show that location is very important when choosing a network. If possible, run tests yourself while within your return period before committing to a network. Here in Denver, I may be considering a switch to Verizon if the iPhone 5 is available on Verizon the same day as AT&T.

Your data speeds?

To help increase our sampling, please add your carrier, location, and current data speeds in comments. Lets see what iPhone 4 can do on Verizon and AT&T in different parts of the country!

Verizon boasts of being “America’s largest and most reliable network” and I’ve been putting that claim to the test. I’ve been comparing reception, voice quality, how quickly voice calls are placed, and messaging speeds with AT&T’s iPhone. To see my results, follow along after the break!

First off, it’s important to note that my testing took place in Denver, CO. Networks vary depending on location, so someone in a different parts of the country may obtain different results.

Reception

I must be going to all the wrong places, because I have yet to find a place where Verizon and AT&T both have 5 bars at the same time. One of networks seems to always have 1 or 2 bars more than the other and it’s an even split between who has more bars more often. So, in my experience, AT&T does not have “more bars in more places”, but only in some places.

With that said, I have not had a single dropped call on the Verizon iPhone 4 – not even a skip.

The dreaded 1xRTT

However, Verizon is not immune to that dreaded little circle that, on AT&T’s GSM network, indicates GPRS. In fact, minutes after purchasing the Verizon iPhone 4 from the Apple Store, Ally called my AT&T iPhone 4 as I was leaving the parking garage. As you likely guessed, the call dropped. I instinctively grabbed the Verizon iPhone to check the reception, and there it was – the circle! But what exactly does this mean on Verizon’s CDMA network?

When that ugly little circle appears on a Verizon iPhone, it is indicating a connection to 1xRTT which is basically CDMA’s version of GPRS. According to Wikipedia, it supports packet data speeds of up to 153 kbps with real world data transmission averaging 60–100 kbps. It’s probably not even worth trying to surf the web when connected to 1xRTT because of how painfully slow it is.

Voice Quality

I’ve heard many people praise Verizon for their superior voice quality, but I honestly didn’t notice a difference. Ally had the same experience; neither one of use could differentiate the voice quality between Verizon and AT&T iPhone 4′s.

Making a voice call

You know how there is always a pause between the moment you place a phone call and when you hear the ringing tone? Well, this pause is consistently shorter on Verizon’s iPhone. When placing the same phone call (regardless of network) on both iPhones at the exact same time, the AT&T iPhone was always sent strait to voicemail while Verizon’s iPhone went through with the call. To see the comparison in action, check out the video above.

Sending messages

The last thing I tested was sending SMS and MMS messages. In every instance, the Verizon iPhone sent out SMS messages faster than AT&T’s iPhone. We only talking a matter of seconds, however; so in the grand scheme, it’s not that big of difference. With MMS, Verizon usually sent the message quicker than AT&T, but as you can see in the above video, AT&T did win that race once.

Conclusion

Overall, I do agree that Verizon provides the iPhone 4 with a more reliable network in Denver, CO; however, AT&T isn’t far behind. AT&T’s network is very solid here and I generally only get dropped calls when in situations like in a parking garage. The best advice I can give is that before deciding which network to purchase your iPhone 4 with, ask around. Find out the reputations of the the networks in your area.

One of the news features introduced with the Verizon iPhone is personal hotspot. Personal hotspot allows you to connect up to 5 devices to Verizon’s 3G network through your iPhone 4 via Wi-Fi. Watch the video above for a quick look at how to connect a Mac and iPad to Wi-Fi with personal hotspot.

Connecting with Wi-Fi personal hotspot is a breeze. After enabling it in the iPhone 4′s settings, you just find the network with the device you want to connect with, enter in the password, and you’re good to go. Check out our tip on how to use Wi-Fi personal hotspot for more details and follow on after the break to see how it works…

Speed

So, personal hotspot is easy and convenient, but is it fast? Absolutely. I am very impressed with how quickly websites load on both my MacBook and iPad while connected with Wi-Fi personal hotspot on Verizon’s 3G network. I was expecting much slower results. Ally’s doing speed tests so check back soon for more details on the exact numbers,

Battery life

Personal hotspot does make an impact on the iPhone 4′s battery. In 20 minutes, I lost 7% battery life while connected to my MacBook. Because of this, when using a device that can double as a power source for your iPhone, like a laptop, I recommend doing so. You might think this defeats the purpose of Wi-Fi and doesn’t make it any different than tethering via USB – the speeds are comparable. However, the biggest advantage to Wi-Fi personal hotspot over USB tethering is the ability to connect devices like iPads or other mobile phones that don’t have USB ports. Additionally, Wi-Fi personal hotspot allows the connection of up to 5 devices at once. So if one device is helping power your iPhone that still leaves room for up to 4 others over Wi-Fi.

(If you really hate the idea of connecting for power, you can use an external battery case like the mophie juicepak air or juicepak plus)

Pricing

Personal Hotspot requires a 3G Mobile Hotspot plan on Verizon and is an additional $20 on top of your required voice and data plans. This plan includes a separate 2GB reserved just for 3G Mobile Hotspot and if you exceed 2GB, it’ll cost you an extra $20.

Simultaneous voice and data

Because Verizon’s CDMA EVDO Rev A network is incapable of handling voice and data simultaneously, the personal hotspot connection will be unavailable for the duration of any incoming and outgoing phone calls. You can ignore calls and continue using data but if you accept a call, the data gets paused. Once the call is ended, personal hotspot will automatically reconnect.

Personal hotspot on AT&T

As of now, Wi-Fi personal hotspot is not available on AT&T, but it has been announced that the feature will indeed be available soon, but no dates have been given yet, and it will require an iOS 4.3 update. However, AT&T does offer tethering over USB and Bluetooth.

The Verizon iPhone 4 and the AT&T iPhone look almost identical at first glance. There are, however, subtle differences between the two model’s hardware and software. The antenna band on the Verizon variant has been redesigned for CDMA and iOS 4.2.6 adds hotspot connectivity for Verizon users. Click through for a quick comparison and photo gallery.

What’s in the box?

The Verizon iPhone 4 is pretty much the same deal as the AT&T iPhone 4. You’ll get the standard Apple headphones, the wall adapter, a sync cable, and your manuals. The only difference is really the phone and the back of the box.

The back of the box simply specifies whether or not the phone is Verizon or AT&T. Other than that, everything should be the same. Oh let’s not forget that you won’t get a handy dandy micro-SIM removal tool, since CDMA phones don’t use them.

Hardware differences

The Verizon iPhone has different breaks in the antenna band than its AT&T sibling. Even though the antenna band was redesigned for CDMA, I don’t see any improvement when it comes to the “death grip” issue. If anything, I experience it more than I do on my AT&T iPhone 4. I’m not sure if attenuation on the Verizon version is worse because of a difference between CDMA and GSM or if it’s something else. I experience the issue on my AT&T iPhone but it seems that the signal doesn’t drop as quick and when it does, it goes up quicker when I’m not touching the break in the band. The Verizon version seems to lose bars a lot quicker and it takes a bit longer for them to come back.

As most people have already figured out, putting a bumper or a case on your phone will solve the death grip problem.

Other than the breaks in the antenna bands, the mute switch and volume buttons are moved down about 2mm on the Verizon iPhone 4. This is because of the break in the antenna at the top left of the phone.

The only other difference I have found is that the back of the Verizon iPhone 4 doesn’t have exactly the same certifications and FCC clearance marks the AT&T version does.

Software differences

The AT&T iPhone 4 is currently running iOS 4.2.1. The Verizon iPhone 4 launched with iOS 4.2.6. The only major feature 4.2.6 adds is personal hotspot capabilities (called mobile hotspot on other devices). AT&T has announced that they will offer mobile hotspot as well but no dates have been given yet, and it will require an iOS 4.3 update. Currently AT&T offers internet tethering for iPhone users but you are limited to Bluetooth and USB tethering.

The Verizon version supports wifi tethering for up to 5 devices. This is extremely nice if you’re somewhere without wifi and need to access the internet from a wifi only device (like a wifi iPad). You can simply enable the mobile hotspot feature and it’ll show up as a wireless network on your other device. You can also choose to add a password if you’d like.

Signal strength differences

I have noticed signal differences in both models. While the AT&T phone seems to keep a steadier signal when it comes to physical bars, the Verizon iPhone seems more finicky when it comes to maintaining and keeping a steady signal. I thought maybe this was just an issue at my home but after testing it out in several different environments, this does seem to be the case. It didn’t ever affect call quality so I don’t see it as a big issue. The picture above I took while writing this article, tethered to Verizon. The iPhone shows 3G with no bars yet I’m tethered on my MacBook, a friend is tethered browsing the web on her PC laptop, and my AT&T iPhone is connected. The internet is still functioning. I do not think the Verizon bars are extremely accurate.

The AT&T version, even with full bars, took quite a bit longer to connect a call than the Verizon version. The fact that CDMA has better voice quality is not a secret. This held true whenever testing call quality on both devices.


There were times when I had 2-3 bars on the Verizon iPhone and full bars on the AT&T iPhone and the Verizon version still seemed to have better call clarity.

This is one of those issues you’re going to have to look at closely before deciding which carrier to go with. While Verizon seemed to have better overall voice quality, AT&T did much better than Verizon when it came to data speeds. I’m still a bit freaked out by being able to tether with no bars. Extremely odd.

While testing personal hotspot, the Verizon iPhone faired extremely well. The connection was steady and barely ever cut out. When tethering on AT&T (using MyWi), the connection was faster but I didn’t think it was such a huge difference that Verizon users would be hindered by the slower data speeds. Unless you plan on downloading substantially large files or streaming media, the Verizon hotspot will work perfectly fine for browsing and basic internet use.

If you’re a frequent talker, Verizon may suit you better. If you rely heavily on e-mail, text, media, and web – AT&T is probably going to serve you better if you live in an area with 3G coverage. Again, this is really going to come down to what you want to use the phone for.

Syncing data

If your’e coming from an AT&T iPhone, you’ll feel right at home. Actually, if you’ve ever used an iPod of any kind or an iPad, you’ll already know what to do. The Verizon iPhone is no different than its AT&T brother. Plug into iTunes, sync your content, and you’re good to go. Verizon also offers a contact transfer app for current customers that’ll easily bring down all your contacts wirelessly for you (given you use Verizon’s contact backup service).

There’s really nothing new here, both iPhones will sync and store data in the same manner.

Conclusion

The Verizon iPhone is definitely a contender. AT&T should be concerned. Verizon is offering unlimited data and personal hotspot tethering. Their data speeds may not match those of AT&T 3G or HSPA+, but they’re going to be good enough for a majority of users. Likewise the Verizon CDMA iPhone can’t roam in anywhere near as many countries as the AT&T GSM iPhone can but many users are more concerned about a good network at home than abroad. Data hungry users could be swayed by Verizon’s unlimited data offering as well. I think it’s only a matter of time before we see AT&T bring back their unlimited feature. Unless Verizon switches to tiered data soon, AT&T will have to if they want to compete.

In the end, the Verizon iPhone is only going to benefit consumers in the United States. Up until now, if you wanted an iPhone, you had no choice but to be tied to AT&T. Now that we have a choice, things are only going to get better for the customer as two reputable carriers are going to have to compete for our business. So no matter how you look at it, the Verizon iPhone 4 is a winner.

If you’re looking for a stylish pouch for your iPhone, the Pamela Durkin Designs Vertical Pouch Case for iPhone may be exactly what you’re looking for. This leather pouch is slim, lightweight, and simply gorgeous.

The exterior of the Pamela Durkin Designs pouch is designed using a process that allows museum quality prints without sacrificing any of the performance of the leather. The design itself is very geometrical – evenly spaced rectangles with ovals and lines and comes in two different colors schemes: pink and green, or blue and green. There is a magnetic closure at the top and a belt clip on the back. The belt clip can be rotated 360 degrees into 8 different positions.

The interior of the pouch is lined with a soft, felt material that will protect your phone from scratches. There is also a little bit of padding for added protection.

One of my favorite things about this case is that it can be used simultaneously with any case similar to Apple’s Bumper case. This allows me to use the Pamela Durkin Pouch for protection when my iPhone is not in use, yet have the bumper for looks and minimal protection while using my iPhone.

The Pamela Durkin Designs Vertical Pouch Case for iPhone is available in the TiPb iPhone Accessory Store.

Pros

• Beautifully designed
• Durable leather exterior
• Rotating belt clip
• Magnetic closure
• Compatible with bumper case

Cons

• None

The mophie juicepak air for iPhone 4 is a lighter charging solution for highly mobile users. If you need to keep going but want the minimum of bulk to slow your down — if you need a case that can give your 70% of a charge at just about 70% of the size and slightly less cost than a juicepak plus, then here’s your solution. To see how it held up for me under the rigors of CES 2011, read on for the review after the break!

As I said in my mophie juicepak plus review, trade shows are the ultimate test of any battery for me. I’m on the go for 18 hours a day and my iPhone 4 is my lifeline to the world. It keeps me in contact, it lets me help run TiPb, and on top of all of that it lets me shoot all the show video and photos you see here on the site. It’s bad enough AT&T hits my iPhone 4 battery like a freight train but the constant usage would run any device down. Luckily the mophie juicepak air packs some extra charge in a fairly unobtrusive package.

Hardware

The mophie juicepak plus is black with a painted silver band meant to match the aesthetics of your iPhone. Mophie told me at CES that they’d done a lot of engineering work to prevent breaks around the cutouts and increase protection and it shows. It is a slider case and there have been some worries about slider cases scratching the glass but I didn’t have any problems. (I also wipe down my iPhone before sliding.) Also, it sometimes takes a few, wiggling tries to get the iPhone dock port lined up and properly seated.

There are cutouts for the 3.5mm headset jack, rear camera and flash, the mute switch and sleep and volume buttons. The cutouts are deep due to the size of the juicepak but didn’t interfere with usage. Not having button extenders like the juicepak plus was a different kind of compromise — less worry about them not depressing properly but you still have to dig for them sometimes.

The micro-USB charger is at the bottom right. Not using a dock cable to charge means you have to carry a separate micro-USB cable around with you, and doesn’t let you use your existing dock-compatible car or video cables while the mophie is on. Understandable given the size of a 30-pin dock port but still annoying at times.

On the handy side there’s a series of battery level lights so you can always tell how much of a charge your mophie is packing with the touch of a button

Usage

The juicepack air is the lighter, slighter charging solution in mophie’s stable. It weighs less than the juicepak plus but it also provides less power. About 70% of a regular charge. That’s still a good boost, though not as good as the plus given it’s still significant size.

In my CES tests those results weren’t just marketing. It’s really tough to judge consistently since usage patterns always vary but when I slapped on the juicepak air I could pretty much go as long as I had on the iPhone-only charge. (I carried a juicepak plus with me as well — them were long days!)

When you charge the mophie via micro-USB it passes the charge on to the iPhone as well, so at night you can charge them both without having to plug in multiple charges for each one, or get up and switch.

Conclusion

The mophie juicepak air is still bulky but not as much as the juicepak plus. It extends battery life but not as much as the plus. It doesn’t cost as much either. If you’re a hardcore road warrior the difference in bulk and price isn’t a big deal — get the juicepak plus. If you’re light user who only needs a little boost now and then, save yourself a few ounces and bucks and go for the air.

Get your mophie juicepak air for iPhone 4 now from the TiPb iPhone 4 Accessory Store…

Pros

• Convenient case form factor
• 70% recharge for iPhone
• Pass-through recharge for simultaneous charge
• Solid construction

Cons

• Uses Micro-USB so not compatible with dock accessories
• 70% charge still means big case

TiPb review rating

Photos