iPad mini

You can now add money to your account directly in Skype for iPad

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 4, 2013

Microsoft-owned Skype has some nice mobile clients on the iPhone and iPad (unlike its fugly Mac app). Though it's a tad heavy on CPU and battery, Skype on iOS offers excellent voice quality and image clarity in video chats. At least that's what my experience's been, your mileage may vary. Today, a new iPad build has surfaced on the App Store with some new nice capabilities worth a mention.

If you use Skype credits to text people and make inexpensive calls, no longer do you need to buy these on the Skype web site as the iPad build now supports adding money in-app, but only if you live in the United States, United Kingdom, France, Sweden or Estonia (more countries to follow soon).

Experiencing poor reception (it's Skype's way of letting us know we should buy some credits)? No problem, the new version now automatically reconnects a dropped call. More tidbits right after the break...

Next-gen iPad mini said to have a 324ppi Retina display

Cody Lee ∙ Updated October 12, 2018

Taking a break from all of the jailbreak excitement this afternoon, we have a new report out of Taiwan claiming that sources close to Apple's panel suppliers have divulged new information about the next-generation iPad mini.

The 7.9-inch tablet has been extremely popular for Apple thus far, as supply is just now starting to catch up to demand three months after launch. And if this news is accurate, the next model is going to be an even bigger hit...

Tweetbot gains support for Chrome, Flickr, Vine and 1Password

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 22, 2018

Here's another nice Tweetbot update for your iPhone or iPad. A new version, Tweetbot 2.7, is now live on the App Store with some interesting new features. For starters, Tweetbot can now open links from tweets in Google's Chrome browser, provided it's installed on your iDevice. The app will also render Flickr images in-line, as well as 6-second clips tweeted out using Twitter's new Vine app. Lastly, links from tweets can also be sent to the 1Password app's built-in browser in order to access password-protected web sites without having to remember your credentials...

Apple wants to ‘re-imagine’ iLife and iWork apps

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated February 13, 2018

Apple is looking for some fresh blood to join its iLife and iWork development teams and "re-imagine how user interfaces should be built and work", a series of job ads posted on its web site indicates. In addition to engineers in the iLife Frameworks QA department, Apple is also seeking a QA engineer to help test new features in iPhoto, a Senior User Interface Designer for iWork and two Senior Software Engineer positions which explicitly mention improving the user interface of iLife apps...

Bureaucracy preventing French from getting LTE on their iDevices until year’s end

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 4, 2013

Owners of LTE-enabled Apple devices in France won't get to enjoy the benefits of speedy cellular downloads before the end of 2013 amid lobbying between the country's wireless carriers and the agency for telecommunications ARCEP.

The country's local carriers like Orange and SFR last year spent to the tune of €1.2 billion, or approximately $1.6 billion, to acquire the 800MHz band.

The problem is, this radio frequency is supported neither by the iPhone 5 nor by many mobile devices from other vendors, including Samsung. Moreover, these carriers are now asking the ARCEP to wait until at least end of 2013 before refarming the 1,800MHz spectrum, which is compatible with Apple's handset...

iPad mini shipping times drop to 1-3 days in some countries

Cody Lee ∙ February 4, 2013

Apple has had a hard time catching up with demand for its new iPad mini. Since the tablet debuted last November, supply has been extremely constrained, and shipping estimates only recently dropped below a month.

But things are starting to even out now—either due to Apple ironing out supply chain issues or a recent drop in demand—because the mini is now showing shipping times (in some countries) of just 1-3 business days...

Android market share falls 13 percent amid Apple increase

Ed Sutherland ∙ Updated April 18, 2016

We have long believed that many Android devices wind up in desk drawers, gathering dust, while Apple gadgets go bopping around on the web. That suspicion was confirmed Friday morning by new browser data showing Android usage is down 13 percent while iOS use is up. The figures by Net Applications once more illustrate the many ways to pick winners and losers.

According to Net Applications, an Internet measurement firm that tracks browser usage, the percent of mobile browser using Android has fallen 13 percent after peaking at 28 percent in November 2012. By contrast, browsers on iOS rose since October 2012 following Apple introducing the iPhone 5 and iPad mini...

New Apple TV could hint at A5X iPad mini with Retina display

Cody Lee ∙ January 31, 2013

The unknown 'Apple TV 3,2' device caused a lot of commotion when it was first discovered in iOS 6.1 earlier this week. It has a faster processor than the current model, and a lot of folks figured it was the next-gen Apple TV.

Apple, however, crushed the hype when they announced yesterday that the 3,2 ATV was nothing more than a component change. But according to some recent chatter, there may be more to the device than meets the eye...

You don’t wanna miss this: National Geographic World Atlas goes free

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 22, 2018

National Geographic Society produces some of the most compelling, fact-checked content money can buy and their World Atlas iPad app has long been my go-to reference source, not just for checking out interesting facts and trivia but for doing serious research related to the world's countries, their economies, demographics and so forth.

They updated the app on January 11 with high-resolution Retina graphics, revamped UI and added a new feature which lets you explore a full 3D view of the globe.

Today, they're making the app free for a limited time and you're advised to download it now before the price goes up. Note that this is the first time ever the app has become available as a free download since its 2010 App Store debut...

iPad sales up 8M units in Q4, market share down 8 percent

Ed Sutherland ∙ Updated April 18, 2018

New research shows number one tablet maker Apple shipped more iPads while also losing market share during the 2012 holiday fourth quarter. The company shipped nearly 23 million tablets during the period, a dramatic increase from the same time in 2011, when 15.1 million Apple tablets shipped.

At the same time, Apple's overall share of the tablet market fell for the second quarter in a row, slipping to 43.6 percent from 46.4 percent during the third quarter of last year - and down from 51.7 percent a year ago, according to IDC.

Apple ended the year with 48.1 percent year-over-year growth while number two tablet rival Samsung saw its growth more than double. A combination of Android and Windows-based tablet sales helped push the South Korean firm's share of the tablet market to 15.1 percent, up from 7.3 percent in 2011...

Angry Birds Star Wars updated with ‘Escape From Hoth’ levels

Christian Zibreg ∙ January 31, 2013

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hQ5fFRG25k

Rovio just updated Star Wars Angry Birds with a new content pack named Escape from Hoth. It brings with it twenty new levels as well as two bonus levels to find and unlock. Brand new piggies need stopping, including the mynock pigs in the belly of the asteroid. You'll also be making a daring escape in an epic moving boss fight. This updated is free to anyone who purchased the game (99 cents for the iPhone/iPod touch, five bucks on iPads)...

Evernote’s Penultimate handwriting app goes free, Hello gains business card scanning

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated February 21, 2018

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ItRaJBmdOL0

Acquired last year, Evernote's Penultimate iPad app helps you jot down notes and draw sketches using your finger. It's like having a Galaxy Note just without, you know, a pen. Penultimate 4.0 was launched this morning and Evernote kindly decided to offer it free of charge (it used to be a paid download). It's tightly integrated with Evernote and your handwritten notes now sync fully via the cloud with your other Evernote content.

In fact, you can now open handwritten notes on any device that has the Evernote app. Plus, Evernote search is fully baked in and it's quite clever, too: the cloud is able to parse your digital ink notes and turn them into easily searchable text. The new version also comes with more sharing options and support for eleven languages. Did I mention that Penultimate now doesn't cost a dime?