Category Archives: iPad

AirPlay – and AirPlay video in particular – is one of my favorite new features on the iPad and iOS. Now that a nice handful of good apps support AirPlay video, I’ve found myself using the feature more and more – with apps like Squrl, ShowYou, TED, PBS and several others.

The only thing detracting from enjoying this feature right now is that its performance is very inconsistent for me of late. If I play a video with AirPlay, let it run all the way through, then don’t fire up a new video right away, then when I do start a new video audio only will play on the TV. The same thing happens often if I switch away from the app playing AirPlay video and return to it and restart the video (which stops automatically when you switch out of the playing app).

When this happens, I’ve found no consistent quick fix. I always have to go through an odd dance of quitting the app playing the video, changing the source on the TV away from Apple TV and returning to it, and powering the TV on and off. Sometimes just one of these will work, sometimes it has to be two of them and I’m never quite sure which order they need to be done in. Sometimes doing all of them still won’t get AirPlay video to play properly again.

This does not appear to be a connectivity issue, as audio continues to work. I’ve browsed and searched the Apple Discussion forums a couple times looking for advice on this issue – but so far I’ve seen nothing on it.

So … am I the only one seeing this problem? Anyone else seeing these glitches? If so, any clever suggested fixes?

iPad

iTunes Updated, Fixes Issues with iPad Sync

April 19, 2011 Patrick Jordan 4 Comments

iTunes was updated yesterday, to Version 10.2.2. The update contains a handful of bug fixes – including one for issues with iPad sync. Here’s the list of changes / fixes:

Addresses an issue where iTunes may become unresponsive when syncing an iPad.
Resolves an issue which may cause syncing photos with iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch to take longer than necessary.
Fixes a problem where video previews on the iTunes Store may skip while playing.
Addresses other issues that improve stability and performance.

I hadn’t noticed any sync problems with iTunes, but I don’t sync often. Have any of you experienced the sync issues mentioned above? If so, hopefully this update will resolve those for you.

iPad, iPad 2, News

A look at Hitpad & Zite for iPad

April 18, 2011 AliciaB

Flipboard for iPad has set the bar quite high for up and coming news aggregating iPad apps who aim to imitate their secret formula: a simple clean elegant UI, fun and compelling to use, one that makes you keep coming back for the experience. I recently discovered two apps – Zite and Hitpad – that both aim to please in much the same way as Flipboard does, bringing news you can use in an iPad-friendly smart-swiping way. The two have slightly different approaches – I can’t help wondering which one will find a permanent place in my app habits. Continue reading →

iPad

Happy Birthday to the iPad – One Year Old Today

April 3, 2011 Patrick Jordan 3 Comments

The iPad went on sale for the first time one year ago today, on April 3rd of 2010.

Wow. I guess magical tablets grow up almost as fast as children. And time definitely flies when you’re having fun writing about a great device.

This time last year I was already at home with my shiny new iPad. I was Number 7 in the reserved line at my local Apple store on iPad Release Day, having arrived at around 6:30AM, I was out of the store and on my way home by 9:40. A much smoother and shorter experience than on iPad 2 launch day.

When I first laid hands on the iPad I thought it was an amazing device. My appreciation of it has grown throughout this year and grew again when I got my new iPad 2 a few weeks ago. It has become by far and away my most used mobile device, and is catching up with my MacBook Pro for most used device overall.

Happy Birthday iPad – and many happy returns.

iPad

If You’re Going to Trash-talk About Numbers, Shouldn’t You Be Able to Count?

March 31, 2011 Patrick Jordan 3 Comments

Image Source: excitingwallpaper

Just in case you haven’t already seen the latest bit of really poor iPad trash talking, I’ll share it here. A gent called Andy Lark, who is Dell’s global head of marketing for large enterprise and public organizations (does that even fit on a business card?), had this to say about the iPad while talking to CIO Australia recently:

An iPad with a keyboard, a mouse and a case [means] you’ll be at $1500 or $1600; that’s double of what you’re paying. That’s not feasible.

Lucky the words knowledgeable or ‘math whiz’ didn’t make it into that long job title of his. Small point for Mr. Lark to note: there is no such thing as a mouse for an iPad. Spending on one would be almost as dumb as Lark’s math. For how dumb that is, I’ll defer to my friend Joshua at Macgasm:

We know, addition is hard.

All prices in USD

iPad = $499

Apple Wireless Keyboard = $69.00

iPad Dock = $29.00

iPad Smart Cover = $69.00

Grand Total = $666.00

I guess if Lark could actually do math or notice small details like the industry’s runaway leader in the tablet market not being mouse-driven, they might up his title to head of marketing in this galaxy for humungous enterprises.

iPad

Signs That You’re a Heavy iPad User – When Your Labrador Recognizes the Sleep Click

March 26, 2011 Patrick Jordan 10 Comments

My big Labrador, Baz, is a pretty smart guy. Like most dogs, he appreciates routine – and gets a little excited when he knows it is time for meals, a good walk or a play session. He has an incredibly accurate body-clock and knows when to start bugging me if I fall a little behind on the dinner schedule.

Over the last week or so, I’ve noticed a new trick in his timekeeping and awareness. Most every morning, I grab my iPad 2 as soon as I’m sort of conscious and go through my email and check out news from various sources – before I ever get up on my feet. Generally when I close the iPad 2 smart cover, it means I’m getting up. Which for Baz means, it’s breakfast time and time for a long walk.

The result is that now whenever Baz hears the click of the iPad 2 going into sleep mode in the morning, he’s on his feet, bouncing around in excited and happy circles, nudging against me with his big schnoz, staring at me intently, and generally letting me know that I better not even think of doing anything else other than getting him some food.

I guess the takeaway from all this either that I’m way too predictable and need to vary up my mornings a little or that Labradors are smarter than iPad smart covers, or a little of both. Smile

iPad, iPad 2

We’ll Be Talking All Things iPad Tonight, Live at 10PM Eastern – Come Join Us

March 20, 2011 Patrick Jordan

Once again, James and I will be hosting ‘The Magical Revolutionary iPad Show’ tonight – live on Talkshoe at 10PM Eastern. There’s still plenty of iPad 2 topics to discuss, as well as our general run-through of all things iPad-related.

I hope some of you will get a chance to come join in. You can call in live with questions or thoughts to share, do the same via live chat in your browser, or just kick back and listen to us ramble on.

Here’s the link for the show:

http://www.talkshoe.com/talkshoe/web/talkCast.jsp?masterId=95020&cmd=tc

And the number to call in on and Call ID:

Phone Number: (724) 444-7444
Call ID: 95020

If you don’t manage to catch the show live, you can download it, livestream it, subscribe via iTunes, and more good stuff via that link above. Hope to talk to some of you tonight.

iPad, iPad News

Need a Good Home for Your Original iPad? Donate It To Teach for America

March 19, 2011 Patrick Jordan 1 Comment

If you don’t need to sell your iPad V1 in order to help finance your iPad 2, or just find yourself with extra iPads laying about your house, here’s a great way to re-home them.

Apple now has a program that can match your obsolete iPad with someone who really needs it — an educator in a low-income school district. Through alink on the Apple Retail web page, Apple is directing those who want to share the magic of the iPad with an appreciative audience to the Teach For Americawebsite.

Teach for America is an organization that aims to end ‘educational inequity’ and help ensure that even children in low income communities receive an excellent education. I think that’s a great objective and a very worthy cause – especially now with all the looming cuts to schools and teachers here in the US.

To donate your iPad to Teach for America you just need to take it into an Apple retail store. They’ll do the rest and get it prepped and delivered to a school district that can put it to good use.

For those of you who have recently got an iPad 2, what did you do with your first-gen iPad, or what do you plan to do with it?

Via: TUAW

iPad

AT&T Selling iPad V1 64GB 3G Model for Just $529

March 19, 2011 Patrick Jordan

Yesterday AT&T dropped the prices on all the iPad V1 Wifi + 3G models, to all-time low levels.

They’re offering the 16GB WiFi + 3G model for just $429, and the top-of-the-line 64GB WiFi + 3G model for just $529 – which is $300 less than its original price!

The 32GB models are already sold out an these offers are while supplies last. Stock is thought to be extremely low on these units by now, so if you’re looking for a great deal on a first-gen iPad 3G model, you may want to check out these offers real soon:

iPad 64GB WiFi + 3G

iPad 16GB WiFi + 3G

News Via: BGR

iOS, iPad

List of AirPrint-enabled Printers Is Still Pathetically Short and Lame

March 18, 2011 Patrick Jordan 3 Comments

It’s been nearly four months since iOS 4.2 for the iPad was released, with AirPrint as one of the headline new features included in it. Initially, AirPrint was touted by Apple as bringing ‘universal’ wireless printing to the iPad and iOS.

By the time the 4.2 update was released that had been scaled back enormously – it offered wireless printing only to AirPrint-enabled printers and the list of those was pathetically short. Back in November the list contained only seven printers, all from only one manufacturer, HP.

Today I had a quick glance at Apple’s list of Airprint-enabled printers again – hoping and expecting that it would have expanded quite a bit. Sadly, it hasn’t. There are now only 17 printers on the list – still all from HP. I realize it is probably legal and licensing reasons that are crippling this list right now, not technology-related ones, but even so it strikes me as very lame on Apple’s part that they promised the world on this feature and they’ve not even come close to delivering on the promise.

Luckily if you use a Mac, there is this clever and painless tweak that enables you to use AirPrint with just about any printer you like.

I really hope will get things sorted out soon and make AirPrint somewhere at least close to as universal as it was promised to be.

iPad

iPad User Guide for iOS 4.3 Free (for pre-order) in the iBookstore

March 6, 2011 Patrick Jordan 1 Comment

Apple is releasing a new User Guide for the iPad running the soon-to-be-released iOS 4.3, which is set to release on March 11 like the iPad 2.

The guide looks like it will cover all the basics of using the iPad – including topics like email setup, using Safari to browse the web, using the App Store, syncing with a PC, and so on.

It’s a free eBook, and is available for ‘pre-order’ right now in the iBookstore. It adds the book to your library, and presumably will download it once iOS 4.3 is released on March 11th.