iPad 2 Described as Evolutionary, Not Revolutionary

Although we mentioned some things we didn't like about the iPad 2 yesterday, many first round reviews are still calling it the best tablet on the market. That could also be due to lack of competition.

While there will be many competitors launching their first tablets this year (HP, Blackberry, Microsoft?), Apple is on the brink of releasing their 2nd iteration of their smash hit, the iPad. Selling 15 million iPads in its first 9 months, Apple's iPad hoarded 73% of the tablet industry in the 4th quarter of last year. But do the folks at Cupertino have another juggernaut on their hands?

It would appear so. Judging by the general consensus amongst early iPad 2 testers, the new features make for a better tablet experience. Confirming Apple's claims, many reviewers are finding the new iPad to be noticeably lighter, especially with extended use.

Macworld is also reporting that this is the fastest iOS device ever, by a long shot. Other testers seem to agree. Slashgear even brags that their iPad 2 was able to software decode a side loaded 1.4GB .avi file on the fly using Oplayer, while watching it, without lag or stutter. Something, they say, the original iPad more than struggled with.

There were mixed reviews on battery life. Some sites reported the iPad 2 exceeded the original by giving them 10 hours and 26 minutes of continuous playback. Others reported just under the 10 hour mark.

So it's faster, it's lighter, it has the same 10 hour battery life, but what about those new cameras? Well it's easy to see why Apple doesn't go too much into detail about the cameras. Multiple sources are describing the new cameras as taking mediocre stills and only decent video. I assume we'll see higher resolution cameras in the next iPad, in conjunction with better display.

Love it or hate it, Apple seems to have another hit on their hands. Starting at $499, the iPad 2 has a more attractive entry price than most of its competitors. Though the iPad 2 is more evolutionary than revolutionary, it still has to be the best consumer tablet on the market right now. Walter S. Mossberg, of The Wallstreet Journal, thinks the new features aren't enough to warrant upgrading from the current iPad, what do you think?

Will you be in line tomorrow at 5 PM ? Let us know below!

Gamerami: The Ultimate iPhone App for Gamers

If you consider yourself a hardcore gamer, you most likely own multiple consoles and a vast collection of titles. Or perhaps you like to stick with one or two of the more popular games, like WoW or Call of Duty.

It can be daunting to swim through the vast ocean of video game-related news and releases. Gamerami, by Ballpark Apps, is an iPhone app that offers on demand news and game info. If you've been looking for a way to sift through the new releases and info in the world of gaming, Gamerami might be just what you need.

‘ON Voicefeed’ Makes Customizable Voicemail Greetings for iPhone Easy

When Sebastien suggested that I try out this new voicemail app from Orange Vallee, I was definitely skeptical. I've tried 3rd party visual voicemail apps before on Blackberrys and Android alike, and have always been disappointed. I've yet to try any on the iPhone though, and this promised a few new tricks so I figured why not.

The download is free and available here. Where the other visual voicemail programs floundered, this one shined. The most dreaded part about setting these 3rd party voicemail services up is the activation process. ON Voicefeed, like most other services, requires you to setup an account. This is done by entering in a tiny bit of info and authorizing it with a code that is sent directly to your iPhone via text...

OtterBox Defender Series Case: This is the Real Deal

This is a guest post by my friend Guy, who's owned more iPhones and cases than anyone I know. Because Guy is a heavy (and very picky) case user, I figured he would be the best person to review the OtterBox iPhone 4 Defender Series Case.

I have had more iPhones than I can count since my first $600 2G back in 2007. Of those, I've broken the glass on a half-dozen or so. Such was the case with my last iPhone which I broke last week. At the time, I was using the OtterBox Commuter. While it was pretty effective at absorbing most of the shocks caused by dropping it - even on concrete - it didn't do a thing to protect the screen when it fell and landed face down on a small rock...

TinyUmbrella Updated Again, Adds iOS 4.3 and iPad 2 Support

Now that the official version of iOS 4.3 has been released, @notcom has released an updated version of TinyUmbrella to support the new firmware.

In addition to iOS 4.3 support, the updated TinyUmbrella (version 4.30.00) also brings iPad 2 support for all models (WiFi, CDMA, and GSM), and a new tweak requested by the creator of Cydia, @Saurik. Notcom also mentions that users who do not update to the latest version of TinyUmbrella, may experience significant slowness when saving their SHSH blobs in the future...

iOS 4.3 Reveals Next-Generation iPhone 5 Will Have a Dual-Core A5 Processor

With the official release of iOS 4.3 today, Chronic-Dev Team member, @chronic has been digging deep into the code and has found some new details regarding the next-generation iPhone.

Looking deeper into the iOS 4.3 code reveals that the next-generation iPhone 5 will sport the same dual-core Apple A5 processor as the upcoming iPad 2. The devs have found references to a device with the model number N94AP, which supposedly is the next-generation iPhone 5. Taking a look inside the N94AP kernel reveals the model number "S5L8940", which happens to be the same model number as the A5 processor chip inside the iPad 2...

Bad News About the iPhone 4 Unlock

If you're one of those people patiently waiting for an unlock for iPhone 4 other than baseband 01.59.00, we've got some bad news for you.

According to a recent tweet from Dev Team frontman MuscleNerd, it is taking longer than expected to get the unlock figured out. With the official release of iOS 4.3 earlier today, the Dev Team most likely encountered new bumps on their road to unlock...

iOS 4.3 Brings iTunes Home Sharing

We announced earlier today that iOS 4.3 is now available to download. Among many of the new features highlighted by Steve Jobs and company during the iPad 2 announcement last week, was iTunes Home Sharing.

This will give you the ability to stream music from your iTunes library, to any iDevice in range of your WiFi. This is different than Remote, an iOS application by Apple, that lets you control iTunes playback on your computer with your iPhone. So what's the advantage of iTunes Home Sharing? That's easy....

White iPhone 4 Shipping Next Month?

Here we go again! The rare and much anticipated White iPhone 4 is supposedly coming next month.

According to a new report from Concord Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuofrom, Apple will begin production of its White iPhone 4 sometime this month, with the launch taking place sometime in early April...

iOS 4.3 is Now Live

As we reported yesterday, iOS 4.3 became available for download today at 10 A.M. PST.iOS 4.3 is available for iPad, iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, iTouch 4G and 3G. Oh and I almost forgot, iOS 4.3 is for GSM iPhone only. That means that if you have a Verizon iPhone, then no iOS 4.3 for you!

As a reminder, jailbroken iPhone users, please stay away from the new firmware until the official 4.3 jailbreak has been announced. The new software could potentially disable some of your jailbroken applications.

With several jailbreak methods already working on beta versions of iOS 4.3, an official jailbreak can't be too far off. That being said, the long awaited iPhone 4 unlock shouldn't be too far off. As always stay tuned to iDB for the latest in jailbreaking information...

Control Your Mac From Across the Room with Your iPhone

Wireless keyboard and mouse solutions can be pretty expensive. So if you find yourself in need of controlling your Mac or PC from across the room, get ready to shell out some serious cash. Apple's own bluetooth keyboard will run you $69.99 and the bluetooth mouse the same price.

Other wireless solutions from Logitech and other hardware companies get a little less expensive, but nothing under $10. What if I told you, using your existing iPhone, you could control your Mac or PC for just $4.99? Here's how....

AT&T iPhone 4 Beats Android 4G in Upload Test

4G Android handset users are pretty upset over their not so 4G upload speeds. This past month, AT&T rolled out their first pair of 4G phones which operate on the carrier's 4G HSPA+ network. Even though AT&T has upgraded their entire network to HSPA+, it is only available in areas that have the new backhaul to support it.

How fast are these 4G devices? AT&T is claiming that in areas where 4G is lit up, they are seeing download speeds of up to 6 Mbps. There is no mention of upload speed. But Android users are flocking to web forums, claiming their 4G phones are losing to 3G iPhones in data speed tests....