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Apple Debuts the New iPad

Thu Mar 08, 2012 at 10:00 AM ET
Tags: iPad, Apple TV, Apple TV 3rd Generation (all tags)

Both get upgrades to handle 1080p content and more.

One big complaint with both the iPad 2 and 2nd generation Apple TV is that neither can display 1080p content in its proper resolution. The newest installment of both devices changes all that. The new iPad boasts a resolution of 2048 x 1536 – double that of the last generation.

In addition to the display upgrade, the iPad boasts 4G compatibility for both the AT&T and Verizon versions. You shouldn’t run into any issues with download speed with one of these handy. Even better, you can use the iPad 3 as a wireless hotspot so you can get internet on your phone, laptop, or even a videogame system no matter where you are.

The newest iPad is due out next Friday, March 16th.

eCoustics

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Apple Removes 59 Clone Games from the App Store

Tue Feb 07, 2012 at 11:30 AM ET
Tags: Apple, iPhone, iPad, iPod, Shovelware (all tags)

Games made to confuse users into buying them are starting to get booted - it's a nice start for eliminating needless clutter. Now if only we'd see this on major consoles.

Copycat products are nothing new. When 'Transformers' came out in theaters, for example, the movie 'Transmorphers' was released on DVD. For every pet or baby game on the Nintendo DS there are at least a few cheaper versions of the same game. Where it's worst though, is on the iPhone.

Developer Anton Sinelnikov had 68 games on the App Store and is now left with nine. A whopping 59 of those games were clones of other games, created to trick users into buying them. Even the names were tricky. To profit off of the game 'Plants vs. Zombies,' for example, he created a game called 'Plant vs. Zombie.' A customer not up on their videogame literacy might not know the difference.

"This was really upsetting to us and damaging to our brand," says Natalia Luckyanova of Imangi. If you're not familiar, Imangi is the company behind the popular 'Temple Run,' which was ripped off in a title called 'Temple Jump.' She says that there's much more at stake here than just lost sales. "We work really hard to put out very high quality polished games and win the love of our fans, and we don't want them to think that we would put out crap to steal a dollar from them."

This incident prompted swift movement from Apple which is certainly a positive precedent for game developers. If only the Xbox Live Indie Games were as policed as this, people may actually be able to find games worth playing.

Source: Gamasutra

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Logitech Harmony Link Makes your iPad or phone a Universal Remote

Mon Sep 26, 2011 at 12:00 PM ET
Tags: Logitech, Remotes, iPad, iPhone, Android (all tags)

The highly customizable setup even allows for multiple user specific iPads.

There are a few devices out there that give you tablet and smartphone control. As cool as that is - and it really is pretty cool - controlling just one device in your home theater isn't enough.

Logitech is known for making some impressive universal remotes, but the Harmony Link takes things in a different direction. It turns your existing smartphone or iPad into a fully featured remote that uses gestures and on-screen menus to let you navigate with ease.

The menus and the navigation options are incredibly nice looking - check out the video - and are simple enough for even the family technophobe to handle. You can get a fully customized experience by using multiple iPads, but smartphones won't have that capability at launch.

The Logitech Harmony Link will launch in October for $99.

Source: eCoustics

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The Vudu Movie Rental Service Comes to the iPad

Thu Aug 11, 2011 at 10:00 AM ET
Tags: VUDU, iPad, Apple, Walmart (all tags)

Unlike many other services, Vudu hasn't launched an app, but simply made their site iPad friendly.

We're sold on the awesomeness of Vudu. You get streaming HD videos with excellent quality - the closest thing to Blu-ray out there - and the price isn't too bad all things considered. We're also sold on watching movies and TV shows on portable devices like the iPad. Clearly some movies are better suited for the home theater, but it's nice to have some entertainment with you.

Vudu on the iPad is a bit less exciting. The primary advantage of Vudu over other services is the ability to watch those gorgeous HD movies, but the iPad version is like the PC version - it only streams in SD. Of course, the iPad isn't an HD device to begin with.

Still, if you've rented a movie at home and you want to watch it on the iPad, you can do it. It works the other way around too - you can rent a movie on your iPad and then watch it on the big screen. At the very least, it's an easier way to navigate than your TV remote.

Source: Walmart

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Boxee Launches iPad App, Updates Boxee Box, and Adds AirPlay

Wed Aug 10, 2011 at 02:00 PM ET
Tags: Boxee, AirPlay, iPad (all tags)

They've also announced a new feature that will allow you to bookmark media for future viewing.

Now this is what we like to see in an update. Not only has Boxee launched an iPad app, but they've added experimental AirPlay support, updated the Boxee Box and more. That's pretty impressive for one day's worth of announcements.

Boxee for iPad works pretty much like Boxee for other devices. You can watch videos, save online videos for later viewing on Boxee, automatically adds videos that your friends link on Twitter or Facebook - assuming that's something you want - and send video to your TV via the Boxee Box. Not too shabby for a free app.

The update to the Boxee Box brings it to firmware 1.2 and adds a "Featured Apps" section, the ability to filter premium sources, better support for different video files and the ability to receive beta versions of the firmware in the future. It also adds AirPlay, though the implementation is still in the experimental stage.

There are a few more new announcements from Boxee and plenty more details, so check out the Boxee Blog for more.

Source: Boxee

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iPad Users Get a Sneak Peek at the Star Wars Blu-rays

Fri Jul 22, 2011 at 01:00 PM ET
Tags: Star Wars, iPad, iPod, iPhone (all tags)

iPhone and iPod Touch owners will be able to get their hands on it on August 2nd

Despite not including the pure, unedited, non-special edition versions of the original trilogy, the 'Star Wars' Blu-ray set is still one of the most hotly anticipated releases of the year.

If you're one of those folks that's craving the 'Star Wars' experience on Blu-ray and you own one of Apple's iDevices, you can check out a preview of what's to come. If you're an iPhone or iPod Touch owner you'll get your preview starting August 2nd, but if you rock an iPad you can jump on it now.

It's just a sampling of over 40 hours of footage of course, but you'll get to check out some never before seen content and a few interviews to boot. If you're going to Comic Con - and if you are, we who are left behind are incredibly jealous - you can stop by booth #3528 to see even more.

Source: iTunes

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Discs mentioned in this article: (Click for specs and reviews)
Star Wars: The Complete Saga (Blu-ray)

Smart Homes Gain Popularity Thanks to iPhones and iPads

Tue Jul 12, 2011 at 10:00 AM ET
Tags: Home Automation, iPad, iPhone (all tags)

Consumers are more eager to control their homes from one device thanks to Apples touchscreen devices.

It's been just over four years since the launch of the original iPhone and much has changed since then. The cell phone industry has been transformed of course, but there have been some big developments in home theater as well.

In the last year or two, we've seen an increase in the amount of devices that can use smartphones for control, starting with the iPhone and then moving to Android and other platforms. Now it's not uncommon for a Blu-ray player or receiver to have iPhone compatibility.

The iPhone and iPad have also had significant effects on the automated home market - one that's tied in closely with home theater. Folks are getting used to the idea of controlling things with a touchscreen and one analyst expects four percent of mainstream homes to have some sort of automation by 2015. Compare that to now, where only a tenth of a percent feature automation.

Source: CE Pro

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Fox Wants Time Warner To Stop Streaming to iPads

Fri Apr 01, 2011 at 10:00 AM ET
Tags: Fox, iPad, Time Warner (all tags)

An official cease-and-desist has been sent, but Time Warner isn't stopping.

Just a few weeks ago, Time Warner launched an iPad app that allowed customers to stream their content directly to the iPad. There were a few issues at first where channels got taken down, but they went back up shortly after. Time Warner said that the removal of the channels was an issue of functionality, but there's a new problem on the horizon.

The folks at Fox don't want their shows streaming to iPads, especially without consent. A cease-and-desist letter has been sent, and the next logical step would be a lawsuit, since Time Warner isn't budging. "The app continues to be available and continues to function the same as the day we launched it," says Time Warner spokesman Alex Dudley.

Entertainment lawyer Jonathan Handel says that the issue is really one of advancing technology. "These cases occur under a cloud where contracts were signed in a pre-existing world when new technologies weren’t around yet," he says. "If they had anticipated the new technology and talked about it specifically, you wouldn’t have the problem."

Source: Bloomberg (via Engadget

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Time Warner Debuts iPad Streaming - Then Cuts Available Titles in Half

Thu Mar 17, 2011 at 12:00 PM ET
Tags: Time Warner, iPad (all tags)

Time Warner says the new app is running into problems with authentication and a surge in users.

Time Warner was much celebrated for the release of a new iPad app that allowed iPad owners to stream content directly to their device, but things have quickly turned around. The cable company has cut the available channels from 32 to 15.

The folks at Time Warner say that this is due to server authentication issues. A massive surge of users all trying to get to the same content at once can certainly take its toll on a network infrastructure. Analyst Richard Greenfield has his own idea.

"We believe several cable network groups are seriously considering filing lawsuits against Time Warner Cable," writes Greenfield, "and sending cease and desist letters to TWC to stop them from in-home live streaming to iPads without a new contract."

Source:

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The iPad 2 Features HDMI Out, Coming March 11

Wed Mar 02, 2011 at 03:35 PM ET
Tags: Apple, iPad, Industry Trends, High-Def Retailing (all tags)

In addition to plenty of new apps, the iPad 2 offers dual cameras, a new processor, and an HDMI output accessory.

Apple is known for a lot of things, and big announcements is one of them. The reveal of the iPad 2 is no different. Sure, it has amazing capabilities, but the first big shocker was the release date. It's coming out next Friday.

Of course, there's plenty more to love about the iPad 2. For starters, it features a brand new dual-core processor known as the A5. It boasts up to twice the speed for tasks requiring the CPU and up to nine times the speed for graphics.

The iPad 2 features cameras on both the front and the back of the device to allow FaceTime calls to be made between iPads, iPhones and computers. It's a pretty slick setup.

In the home theater realm, one of the most useful new features is the adapter that allows you to output 1080p video from your iPad 2 to your TV via HDMI. It detects orientation, shows exactly what you have on the screen and you can even charge your iPad while you do it. Of course, that adapter is going to cost you an extra $39.

The iPad 2 starts at $499 and goes up to $829 for a 32GB model with 3G. Versions are available for AT&T and Verizon.

Source: Apple

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