We all are aware of the hype that is created by Apple before and soon after the release of their new touch screen tablet named iPad. This little piece of technology has a stunning look which has the power to mesmerize even the best technology critics and writers, but in the world of technology nothing is constant and therefore there are many new companies and manufacturers that are now launching their own tablet computers that would have some features that Apple iPad is missing which would give them a chance to race ahead of this giant innovator.

There is no doubt that Apple iPad will stay in the technology market for a long time because it has some of the best features like a bigger touch screen and a higher resolution that provides soothing effect to our eyes. Since iPad is just the size of a magazine the users can use iPad like a book to read their favorite eBooks and also to write down something important even when they are walking or standing in a queue. Apple iPad has 3G support to it for faster internet access along with Wi-Fi accessibility options.

However, Apple iPad has many shortcomings like it cannot handle multi-tasking and does not have USB port, SD card slot and even does not have customized hardware options for its users. The competitors of Apple iPad are now looking forward to get ahead of Apple iPad by coming up with newer designs and features that would help the users to perform all the activities that they cannot do with Apple iPad. Though, Apple is already working on the next model of iPad where these mistakes will be rectified but the other manufacturers will definitely launch their touch screen tablet computers much before the second edition of Apple iPad to ensure that they are well ahead in the race.

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We all know that Apple iPad is one state of the art gadget that is targeted for business class people but apart from business class people there are many other people who are equally interested in getting their hands of this sleek tablet computer. Students are more attracted towards the latest technology and therefore you cannot keep Apple iPad away from kids going to schools and colleges, but the questions is that should they go ahead and buy an Apple iPad?

Apple iPad has many features that would work for students as well like it is very lightweight and portable which means that students do not have to carry books for references. They can use eBooks because Apple iPad has a big high resolution screen that makes reading a pleasure. You can even write on iPad so it works as all in one tool that is so light that it might adjust itself in any backpack. The battery life of Apple iPad is for around 10 hours which is clearly a good point for student. The touch screen is big and iPad does not create any humming noise while it is functioning and therefore Apple iPad does have some features that would benefit the students.

However, students might have to slow down their work because Apple iPad struggles when it comes to multi-tasking. It would create a problem if the student has to take down notes quickly and if iPad does not allow the student to work efficiently. Another thing that students might not be happy with is the lack of keyboard. Though, iPad has an onscreen keyboard it might not be as useful as the real keyboard. Apple iPad lacks USB port and SD card slot which means students will not be able to share data quickly among themselves and this would go against Apple iPad.

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Recently, we have presented you sketches on iPad by Lawrence Yang. Now, let’s us see how a Japanese artist playing with the iPad. To begin with, Yoshitoshi Abe is a popular graphic artist, cartoonist and illustrator in Japan. His first gained reputation in his work on the avant-garde anime Serial Experiments Lain. He is also the creator of the doujinshi Haibane Renmei, which was then adapted into an anime. Recently, he got his first Apple iPad and really excited to try his drawing talents on the iPad. Following are his amazing demonstration on scribbling anime character (Ain) on iPad, taken from Gigazine Japan. The work was very fast (within 4 minutes) and the result was truly amazing.

Putting his finger on the iPad, ready to sketch.

Sketching the Eyes.

One minute has passed.

Nearly 2 minute at this point. Insanely fast.

And the painting was completed in less than four minutes.

YouTube – Yoshitoshi Abe Scribbles with iPad

The world of technology is fast moving and therefore equipment manufacturers and technology developers always have to think way ahead of the times to come out with products that are truly innovative and can help us communicate better in the future. Among the top companies that have a reputation of coming up with products that are truly world class is Apple. After the success of Apple iPhone 3G, Apple is now coming up with their new mobile phone Apple iPhone 4G which will change the way we communicate and handle our applications in mobile phones.

So far Apple has tried not to reveal much information about their latest mobile phone that will soon launched into the world market, but they have gone ahead and provided some information about their prototype and that would be made up of titanium and glass. The Apple iPhone 4G will have an OLED screen and a front camera which will be helpful for iChat because the users can use that camera as a webcam while they are on a chat with the other person. The phone will also have a 3.2 megapixel camera with auto flash for better pictures and videos.

To make the iPhone 4G better than the previous versions of iPhone, Apple has worked on the clarity of the screen and therefore you will find that the resolution of Apple iPhone 4G will be much higher than any other Apple iPhone model. There is a secondary mic at the top next to the headphone jack which can be used as a noise cancellation tool. It has split buttons for increasing and decreasing volumes. The buttons are all metallic and the back is absolutely flat with shiny plastic or ceramic. Apple iPhone comes with 3G services and other features that will definitely make iPhone 4G the mobile phone of the future.

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The success of every technological gadget depends on the number of features and application it has for the users. Most branded companies make sure that come out with new products that would help more and more users. When Apple announced that they will be coming out with a new touch screen mini tablet there was a lot of buzz in the technology market, but it was only after the release of Apple iPad that people knew about the pros and cons of Apple iPad.

One of the biggest plus points of Apple iPad is its superb sleek look. Apple iPad designers have worked really hard to give this small genie an awesome look that would attract anybody instantly. The iPad has a large flat screen that almost looks like a magazine in hand and becomes more convenient for the users to use multiple windows. Another good point about iPad is that it has 3G technology which means that users can switch between 3G and Wi-Fi technology depending on speed. Hence, with iPad users will always have faster speeds of internet connectivity. The makers of iPad are aware that people today use more and more gadgets and therefore they have added more applications and softwares.

However, Apple iPad does not support flash websites which means that most of the latest websites that incorporates flash will not be viewable through Apple iPad. If you like multi tasking than you will be disappointed with Apple iPad because it does not support multi tasking and does not even have a web cam like you will find in other touch screen mini tablets available in the market. The operating system of Apple iPad is also very much into controversy because it does not allow users to add additional hardware if the components are not approved by Apple which means that users cannot add all their favorite hardware components even if they want to unless Apple approves it.

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Apple iPad, which has been sold almost 600k in the United States has become a phenomena at the moment. Regardless whether you were a geek or not, iPad is truly something you must have. Lawrence Yang from San Francisco, an Information architecture, has tried Autodesk’s Sketchbook Pro app of iPad and his opinion is, “So much fun, so easy to use”. Below are some of his first trial on sketching digital arts on iPad. Thumbs up!

World’s most advanced gadget technology company, Apple has announced the Asia’s availability of its consumer software suite iLife 09, which includes upgrades to iPhoto 09, iMovie 09 and GarageBand 09.

New to iPhoto 09 is the ability to browse your photo collection by faces and places. A new way to organize your photos in iPhoto 09 is Faces, which automatically scans photos using face detection to identify specific persons in a picture and assign a name to them. From there you will be able to search for photos by a person’s name or through the new Faces View. Alternatively, the new feature can be used to create smart photo albums of groups of people such as family or friends easily in a matter of seconds. Another new feature in iPhoto 09 is Places, which automatically imports photo location data from a GPS-enabled camera to compile your photos by location into a map. Once iPhoto 09 knows where each photo is taken, you can easily explore your recent trip to, say Paris, using an interactive map. Don’t worry if you do not have a camera with geo-tagging capabilities because you will manually assign location information to any photo, group of photos or event. If you like sharing your photos online on Facebook and Flickr, iPhoto 09 allows you to publish photos and even includes assigned names and even retrieves name tags added on Facebook back to iPhoto 09.

If you are more into video editing, iMovie 09 brings to the table a new Precision Editor feature that allows users to skim and click on a magnified filmstrip to view clips up close and fine-tune them such as using sound from one clip with video from another. Another new addition to iMovie 09 is video stabilization that helps smoothen and reduce camera shake in clips added to your project. Other additions to iMovie 09 include new titles, transition effects, speed changes and animated travel maps ala the Indiana Jones films to add that professional touch to your movies.

Apple’s popular music editing software, GarageBand 09 now comes with pre-recorded instrument lessons that teach budding musicians how to play the piano and guitar. The lessons include some basic ones to learn the fundamentals at your own pace. GarageBand 09 also includes new guitar amp and stomp-box effects.

iLife is available now at $78 for a single user licence and $100 for a family pack through the Apple Store that allows the software to be installed on up to five computers. Users who have purchased a new Mac system from an Apple authorized reseller after January can upgrade iLife 09 for a minimal fee of $10 to have the software shipped over. For more details, please visit Apple iLife 2009 Website.

Many people has addicted to the iPod – walking, cooking, working, sleeping and even showering! Oh wait, how is so? Thanks to the newly-launched Zumreed Drop speaker by Dreams Japan, now people can bring their iPod into the shower with them. The water-resistant device, designed to look like a drop of water, can be detached in the middle – in goes the music player, connect the built-in stereo mini jack, close it and you can start enjoying your tunes.

It supports various iPod models from the high-end 5G, photo and all the way to the mini. The music is controlled by the four white buttons (volume level, stop, playback, increase volume) located around the bottom half of the device. It uses four AAA batteries, which provides up to 10 hours of playback time. The Zumreed Drop can be purchased online for US$65.99 excluding the shipping cost. For more details, go visit www.dreams6.com and www.audiocubes.com.