Ask Maggie: Can I really live without unlimited data?
What might concern consumers is that Nielsen also found that people are rapidly ramping up how much data they use. In the past 12 months, average data usage has grown by 89 percent in a year. In the first quarter of 2010, smartphone customers on average consumed 230MB of data. Twelve months later, they were using on average 435MB in the first quarter of 2011. Data consumption grew even faster for the heaviest data users. Nielsen found that data usage for the top 10 percent of smartphone users, or the 90th percentile, is up 109 percent. And the top 1 percent, or the 99th percentile, has grown their usage by 155 percent from 1.8GB in the first quarter of 2010 to over 4.6GB in the second quarter of 2011.But before you panic and try to future-proof your data plan, take a deep breath and keep a couple of things in mind. First, people who rack up more than 2GB of data per month are typically people who stream a lot of music or video. For example, according to Verizon's data calculator, if you stream music for 1 hour a day every day of the month, you'll hit the 2GB threshold. If you watch 1 hour of high-resolution video every day on your phone, you will rack up over 10GB of data per month. Even 30 minutes of high-resolution video every day will take your usage to about 5GB per month. And 2 minutes of low-resolution video every day of the month will get you to the 2GB limit pretty quickly. By contrast, watching 30 minutes a day of low-resolution video will eat up about 690MB of data per month.Here's a little guide put together by Verizon to give you an idea of how much data certain activities eat up:Email (text only) = 10KBTypical Web Page Lookup* = 1.5MBAudio Streaming = 40MB/hrLo-Res Video Streaming = 200MB/hrHi-Res Video Streaming = 400MB/hrDigital Photo download/upload (Hi-Res) = 1MB* Can exceed 2 MB with graphically intense pages or with video.Keep in mind, not many people watch that much video on their phones every day.I supposed if you are a commuter and you like to watch Netflix on your phone on the train in the morning and evening, you might. Or if you throw your smartphone in the back of the minivan on a regular basis to entertain the kids while you cart them around, this could be a problem.If you're one of those people then an unlimited plan is definitely the right plan for you. But if you're someone like me--who checks Facebook and Twitter from a smartphone regularly and uses Google maps when I get lost, but who barely gets above 300MB of data per month because I don't watch a lot of video on-the-go, and who typically streams music while in a Wi-Fi hot spot--then you'll be fine with the tiered plans. Also, remember that using Wi-Fi hot spots will reduce how much data you consume on your carrier's network.If you use these data hefty applications in Wi-Fi hot spots, that usage doesn't count against your monthly allotment, because you've offloaded the data consumption. So even if you're a commuter, who likes to watch lots of video on the train, the train may have Wi-Fi, which will allow you to catch up on your TV and movie viewing without breaking the bank, even without an unlimited plan.And finally remember that no matter what you do, Verizon or AT&T or any other carrier for that matter, can change their pricing plans at any time. And if you're not in a contract at that point or you're ready for an upgrade, you're at their mercy anyway.Apple Borg or Google Borg? Which do you want to be?Mags,Here is what I know.I need a new phone, and I want a tablet.I'm either getting an iPhone 4 or an iPhone 5 and an iPad2. Or I am getting Android-based tablet and whatever Verizon comes out with that is halfway decent this summer (the Droid Bionic or Samsung Function, hopefully).Here is what I don't know:I don't know what I'd be better off with.I've never used an iPhone, iPad, Android tablet, or Android smartphone.I've played with them, yes.Owned, never.I'm sick of hearing the one-sided Apple junkies who will only buy Apple products, which is why I'm kind of getting pushed away from the Apple side of things. But in the end I want to buy the better product.Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against Apple and in the end it won't really matter. But is there anything an iPhone can do that an Android phone can't?Same idea for tablets, is there anything the iPad 2 can do that for example the Asus Transformer can't, and vice versa.I know each product has itspros and cons.And I know it's all about what's important to me and what features I'd use most often. I guess I'm stuck, and rambling.You're probably going to tell me to go to the mall and play with them all aren't you?Either way, thanks!MatthewDear Matt,I know you don't want to hear this, but it really does come down to your personal taste.And yes, you have to play around with each of the products to see which you like best.As far as I can tell, there are subtle differences between what an Android phone can do and what an Apple iPhone can do.And with Apple's iOS 5, which is due in the fall, the iPhone will have almost all the same features as an Android phone, such as over-the-air updates and access to a free cloud-based storage service for music. Even in the real world, and not just in spec-land, I've noticed that my boyfriend, who has the Android-based Motorola Droid X, can pretty much do everything on his phone thatI can do on my iPhone 3GS. Of course, Apple has more apps than Google for both smartphones as well as tablets, but the number of apps doesn't really matter so long as you can get all the apps you want to use. And according to my boyfriend, who uses far more apps than I do, he's cool with what Android has to offer.The situation may be slightly different on the tablet side, since Android is further behind in the app department than Apple. But I have no doubt that with all the Android-tablets coming out, Google will catch up quickly.What it comes down to is which behemoth Borg do you want to be a part of? (In "Star Trek," Borgs were a pseudo-race of cybernetic organisms.) The Apple Borg or the Google Borg? Personally, I got sucked into the Apple Borg early on. I have a MacBook. All my music is in iTunes. And I've owned an iPhone for the last few years. I long for a beautiful iMac, and I've considered getting an iPad, but right now I'm too cheap to spend $500.By contrast, Mark, my boyfriend, is in the Google Borg. His entire life is tied up with Google, from his Gmail account to Google docs to the cloud-based music service that Google just announced. He owns a Motorola Droid X and the new 10-inch Samsung Galaxy Tab. He says that since he is already using so many Google services, he finds it easy to sync his devices to the Google cloud. The new music service has been an especially happy addition to his life, since he can listen to his full catalog of music on which ever device he has handy whether it's his Droid or his Galaxy Tab. So here's a general rule of thumb to help you make your decision. If you're more of a PC person, who likes to have control over what can be done with your device, become a Google Borg. But if you want something easy to use, you have no desire or plans to monkey with the software at all, then you might be a good fit for the Apple Borg.So my suggestion is that you take yourself to the mall, and check out the products yourself.But I honestly don't think you'll regret either choice. Just pull the trigger and stop thinking about it so much! Instead, get outside and enjoy your Fourth of July weekend!Good luck!Help for a smartphone newbieHi Maggie,I desperately need to upgrade my very ancient Nokia phone to one of the new smartphones in the market.I sit in front of the PC every day at work, and I really don't want to touch another PC when I get home.I check e-mails and use the Internet all day.Most of my work is e-mail or portal driven. I love texting, need to be on top of e-mail (from work & leisure), and use the Internet quite a bit and sometimes GPS. Which phone do you recommend for prices I've found at Sam's Club with a two-year contract? iPhone 4 for $150 Blackberry Torch for $1 HTC Inspire 4G for $50Thanks!LinnyDear Linny,First, these are some great bargains. Sam's Club rocks!So good for you! Honestly, I think you'll be happy with any of these three devices that you've selected. Since you are new to the smartphone world, any of these phones will be a huge improvement over what you currently have. And they will each offer you so much more than your current Nokia feature phone.But to help guide you a little further here's what I think. AniPhone is a great device for smartphone newbies, because it's so easy and intuitive. It's a piece of cake to sync the device to your iTunes music collection. And the apps are easy to find and download. Soon with iOS 5, all the software updates and syncing will be done automatically. But the iPhone 4 is now over a year old, and Apple will likely be coming out with a new version of the device this fall. So I'm not sure I'd recommend buying it now. For one, the pricing will likely drop on this model once the new iPhone is available. And secondly, Apple doesn't always do a great job of supporting older iPhones as it upgrades software. It may be fine for another year, but there will be some things that the older model won't be able to do that a newer iPhone will do.The HTC Inspire is a Google Android phone. The great thing about Android phones is that they come loaded with great Google apps. You mentioned you really wanted to use GPS. And while the other smartphones you have listed also have GPS and can use Google Maps, I find that the implementation on Android phones is just better. I love the turn-by-turn navigation that comes with all Android devices. The downside as noted in Bonnie Cha's review of the phone is that it's big and heavy.And even though it supports AT&T's faster HSPA+ network, Bonnie didn't experience a noticeable increase in speed when she tested it.The BlackBerry Torch is the slickest BlackBerry on the market today. Research In Motion, the company that makes BlackBerry phones, has fallen behind in terms of innovation. It's supposed to be coming out with more devices this summer, but so far no word on exactly when. That said, if e-mail and texting are the main reasons you need a smartphone, then this is a great device for you. (It doesn't hurt that it's only $1 with a one-year contract too!)BlackBerry does e-mail better than anyone else. Again, you can get e-mail on Android phones and iPhones, but if you use Microsoft Exchange for work, getting those e-mails can be slow. BlackBerry push e-mail is fast. And the Torch comes with a touch screen as well as a keyboard, so if you're new to smartphones, and you still like the feel of buttons, you might like this phone better. Another added benefit is that if you have other friends, work colleagues, or family using a BlackBerry you can use the BlackBerry Messenger feature, which allows you to message other BlackBerry users without using the SMS text network. Lots of people love this about BlackBerry smartphones.The downside for the BlackBerry Torch is that the Web surfing experience isn't that great. It's better on the Torch than other current BlackBerry devices, because it uses BlackBerry OS 6, which offers an improved browser experience. But the Web experience is still not as good as what you'd get with an iPhone or Android smartphone. For more details on each of these phones check out CNET Reviews. Kent German and Bonnie Cha give you the full low-down on the good, bad, and the ugly on each of these phones. iPhone 4HTC InspireBlackBerry TorchHappy smartphone shopping!
Oceanhorn- A loving tribute to The Legend of Zelda
Oceanhorn: A loving tribute to The Legend of Zelda
Nintendo has stated, firmly and more than once, that it won't be bringing its proprietary titles to mobile formats. If The Legend of Zelda were to come to mobile, though, we don't think it could do a better job than the newly released Oceanhorn.After being in the works from the Finnish developer behind Death Rally since 2011 (and promised for a 2012 release), it's landed for iPhone and iPad -- and the time in development shows. As does its inspiration. The Cornfox & Bros. team wrote on its blog when it announced the game in 2011, "Development of Oceanhorn began from our love towards old console adventure games, where instead of looting dungeons and grinding XP, you explored the world and solved puzzles and followed dusty maps to find treasures from the remains of old temples and castles. We want to deliver that experience, where instead of taking care of boring chores, you can have an adventure of your lifetime on a fantasy land." Cornfox & Bros. But the tribute to The Legend of Zelda is clear, with strong elements of The Wind Waker and A Link to the Past. The game starts on a small island, where our unnamed protagonist lies sleeping. Some time ago, his father disappeared on a quest to slay Oceanhorn, the monster of the seas. Upon waking, his quest begins with seeking out the sword and shield his father left behind, hidden on the island.Related storiesBask in the glow of Zelda: Wind Waker in HDNintendo cracks open door to smartphones, tablets -- sort of As you explore the island, smashing pots, cutting grass, opening chests, slaying monsters (bats, crabs, and rock-spitting octopodes), collecting keys, the feel of the game is deeply familiar, but it has a few key differences. Our hero can swim, as well as walk and drop over low ledges, and you collect achievements and blue gems to level your character up from "Vagabond" to "Master" in the adventurer ranks. The story is not quite the same, either: 1,000 years ago, a great catastrophe gave rise to the monster Oceanhorn. Now it seems to be hunting our hero, and a large part of the narrative involves discovering exactly what happened during the catastrophe, what led up to it and why you're now the target of the beast. Cornfox & Bros. The game looks absolutely beautiful on the screen, with stunningly rendered environments and animations, and a soundtrack by Final Fantasy composer Nobuo Uematsu and Mana and Saga composer Kenji Ito adds to the polish.The controls are a little finicky: the left side of the screen has an invisible floating D-pad, which we were able to slide off very easily. We recommend playing on an iPad (you'll enjoy the graphics more that way anyway) with a Fling joystick. The right side of the screen has a fixed, context-sensitive action button and an item button, which are a little easier to manage. Oceanhorn is available from the iTunes Store for $8.99. It's worth every penny.(Source: CNET Australia)
Nintendo has stated, firmly and more than once, that it won't be bringing its proprietary titles to mobile formats. If The Legend of Zelda were to come to mobile, though, we don't think it could do a better job than the newly released Oceanhorn.After being in the works from the Finnish developer behind Death Rally since 2011 (and promised for a 2012 release), it's landed for iPhone and iPad -- and the time in development shows. As does its inspiration. The Cornfox & Bros. team wrote on its blog when it announced the game in 2011, "Development of Oceanhorn began from our love towards old console adventure games, where instead of looting dungeons and grinding XP, you explored the world and solved puzzles and followed dusty maps to find treasures from the remains of old temples and castles. We want to deliver that experience, where instead of taking care of boring chores, you can have an adventure of your lifetime on a fantasy land." Cornfox & Bros. But the tribute to The Legend of Zelda is clear, with strong elements of The Wind Waker and A Link to the Past. The game starts on a small island, where our unnamed protagonist lies sleeping. Some time ago, his father disappeared on a quest to slay Oceanhorn, the monster of the seas. Upon waking, his quest begins with seeking out the sword and shield his father left behind, hidden on the island.Related storiesBask in the glow of Zelda: Wind Waker in HDNintendo cracks open door to smartphones, tablets -- sort of As you explore the island, smashing pots, cutting grass, opening chests, slaying monsters (bats, crabs, and rock-spitting octopodes), collecting keys, the feel of the game is deeply familiar, but it has a few key differences. Our hero can swim, as well as walk and drop over low ledges, and you collect achievements and blue gems to level your character up from "Vagabond" to "Master" in the adventurer ranks. The story is not quite the same, either: 1,000 years ago, a great catastrophe gave rise to the monster Oceanhorn. Now it seems to be hunting our hero, and a large part of the narrative involves discovering exactly what happened during the catastrophe, what led up to it and why you're now the target of the beast. Cornfox & Bros. The game looks absolutely beautiful on the screen, with stunningly rendered environments and animations, and a soundtrack by Final Fantasy composer Nobuo Uematsu and Mana and Saga composer Kenji Ito adds to the polish.The controls are a little finicky: the left side of the screen has an invisible floating D-pad, which we were able to slide off very easily. We recommend playing on an iPad (you'll enjoy the graphics more that way anyway) with a Fling joystick. The right side of the screen has a fixed, context-sensitive action button and an item button, which are a little easier to manage. Oceanhorn is available from the iTunes Store for $8.99. It's worth every penny.(Source: CNET Australia)
Clean up your Mac desktop with Moom
Clean up your Mac desktop with Moom
Once Moom is running, you will experience a different interaction when you click or hover on the green icon located at the top of each window. In the past, this button would change the size of the app window, often to seemingly random sizes. As you can see above, there is now a dialog that pops up that gives you the option to relocate a window by either centering it, or moving it into a respective corner on your desktop. There is also a grid below the five location options that will allow you to draw the desired location and size of the app window. Screenshot by Jason CiprianiWhen viewing the settings screen, under the General tab, you can control the basic settings of the app. Here you can set Moom to run at log-in, decide where the app icon is displayed (menu bar or dock) when the app is running, or you can have no icon present and leave Moom always running in the background.Screenshot by Jason CiprianiThe grid below the five icons shown above is turned off by default, you will need to turn it on under the Mouse tab; check the Enable Move & Zoom grid option you will then see the grid displayed beneath the five icons. Screenshot by Jason CiprianiUsing your mouse, you drag out the size and location of the current window. You will see a blue overlay on your screen that shows you were the window will be placed. Once you let go of your mouse, the window will then be placed in the area you specified.Screenshot by Jason CiprianiYou can also set keyboard shortcuts under they Keyboard tab in Moom. To use keyboard shortcuts, you will need to set the keyboard trigger; we found Control-Delete to be one shortcut that Moom didn't alert us as having been used by another application. Your experience may vary. After you have set the trigger keyboard shortcut, you can set the actions for key combinations. Experiment with your preference for actions and figure out what is going to work best for you. Screenshot by Jason CiprianiOnce you invoke the keyboard trigger for Moom, you will see the Moom icon, as well as a cheat sheet, revealing your keyboard actions. By pressing the key combination, that designated action will be carried out. You can set custom actions under the Custom tab; again, experiment with actions to find a good combination that works best for you. Bonus tip: By creating an Arrange Windows custom setting, you can take a snapshot of your current window placement of open apps, then quickly access the same layout in the future. We have offered just a small glimpse into what Moom is fully capable of. There is so much more that can be done through the customization of settings and actions. The value of Moom can be seen to those who are obsessive when it comes to keeping a clean desktop. There is even an option in Moom to send windows to a secondary monitor with a click or keyboard shortcut--the possibilities and options are endless. Download the free trial, which is good for 100 actions; that's more than enough to get the hang of the app and decide if it's worth paying for.
Once Moom is running, you will experience a different interaction when you click or hover on the green icon located at the top of each window. In the past, this button would change the size of the app window, often to seemingly random sizes. As you can see above, there is now a dialog that pops up that gives you the option to relocate a window by either centering it, or moving it into a respective corner on your desktop. There is also a grid below the five location options that will allow you to draw the desired location and size of the app window. Screenshot by Jason CiprianiWhen viewing the settings screen, under the General tab, you can control the basic settings of the app. Here you can set Moom to run at log-in, decide where the app icon is displayed (menu bar or dock) when the app is running, or you can have no icon present and leave Moom always running in the background.Screenshot by Jason CiprianiThe grid below the five icons shown above is turned off by default, you will need to turn it on under the Mouse tab; check the Enable Move & Zoom grid option you will then see the grid displayed beneath the five icons. Screenshot by Jason CiprianiUsing your mouse, you drag out the size and location of the current window. You will see a blue overlay on your screen that shows you were the window will be placed. Once you let go of your mouse, the window will then be placed in the area you specified.Screenshot by Jason CiprianiYou can also set keyboard shortcuts under they Keyboard tab in Moom. To use keyboard shortcuts, you will need to set the keyboard trigger; we found Control-Delete to be one shortcut that Moom didn't alert us as having been used by another application. Your experience may vary. After you have set the trigger keyboard shortcut, you can set the actions for key combinations. Experiment with your preference for actions and figure out what is going to work best for you. Screenshot by Jason CiprianiOnce you invoke the keyboard trigger for Moom, you will see the Moom icon, as well as a cheat sheet, revealing your keyboard actions. By pressing the key combination, that designated action will be carried out. You can set custom actions under the Custom tab; again, experiment with actions to find a good combination that works best for you. Bonus tip: By creating an Arrange Windows custom setting, you can take a snapshot of your current window placement of open apps, then quickly access the same layout in the future. We have offered just a small glimpse into what Moom is fully capable of. There is so much more that can be done through the customization of settings and actions. The value of Moom can be seen to those who are obsessive when it comes to keeping a clean desktop. There is even an option in Moom to send windows to a secondary monitor with a click or keyboard shortcut--the possibilities and options are endless. Download the free trial, which is good for 100 actions; that's more than enough to get the hang of the app and decide if it's worth paying for.
The 404 432- Where we'd rather have C than P before BS
The 404 432: Where we'd rather have C than P before BS
Now, don't get any wrong ideas, the show title might sound dirty, but it's actually just a reference to our parent company, the wonderful Columbia Broadcast System, or CBS. Unfortunately, Dan the Former Mantern is no longer with us, but we're happy that he just moved laterally to PBS and WNET.org's Thirteen. In fact, he joins us on today's show to help promote a local documentary he's working on featuring yours truly! It's a spotlight on New Yorkers whose lives were changed after visiting one of America's National Parks, and what a coincidence--I just got back from a trip to Yosemite!Dan and I collaborated on this project, which will air on Thirteen this Sunday, September 27, at 10 p.m. EDT. Everyone else can catch the special on the Thirteen Web site, which we'll also link to after the premiere.Dan sticks around after this shameless self-promotion to help us discuss a few stories from around the Internet, including a horribly offensive Ching-Chong iPhone App. The cheesy little game produces the same ambiguous messages you find in fortune cookies, but the catch is that the app actually reads the message outloud in a voice that bears a disturbing similarity to Verbose Asian Guy. Of course, Jeff, Dan, and even Wilson (shame on you, Wilson) practically force him out of retirement, and we even get a glimpse of Jeff's priceless Woody Allen impression...TONS of laughs in today's show! After we play the second Caribbean Call From the Public, we run through Rotten Tomatoes' Top 25 Worst Movies of the Decade. We're not surprised to see most that most of the titles are straight to DVD movies, so we take it upon ourselves to name off a few of our own picks, including "Gigli," "Jersey Girl," "Kangaroo Jack," "Cool World," and more. Let us know in the comments what your top picks are, or call us at 1-855-404-CNET and leave a voice-mail for Monday's Jeff-less show. Have a great weekend!EPISODE 432PodcastYour browser does not support the audio element. Subscribe in iTunes audio | Suscribe to iTunes (video) |Subscribe in RSS Audio |Subscribe in RSS Video This content is rated TV-MA, and is for viewers 18 years or older. Are you of age?YesNoSorry, you are not old enough to view this content.PlayFollow us on Twitter!The 404Jeff BakalarJustin YuWilson TangAdd us on Facebook!The 404 Fan PageThe 404 GroupJustin YuJeff BakalarWilson Tang
Now, don't get any wrong ideas, the show title might sound dirty, but it's actually just a reference to our parent company, the wonderful Columbia Broadcast System, or CBS. Unfortunately, Dan the Former Mantern is no longer with us, but we're happy that he just moved laterally to PBS and WNET.org's Thirteen. In fact, he joins us on today's show to help promote a local documentary he's working on featuring yours truly! It's a spotlight on New Yorkers whose lives were changed after visiting one of America's National Parks, and what a coincidence--I just got back from a trip to Yosemite!Dan and I collaborated on this project, which will air on Thirteen this Sunday, September 27, at 10 p.m. EDT. Everyone else can catch the special on the Thirteen Web site, which we'll also link to after the premiere.Dan sticks around after this shameless self-promotion to help us discuss a few stories from around the Internet, including a horribly offensive Ching-Chong iPhone App. The cheesy little game produces the same ambiguous messages you find in fortune cookies, but the catch is that the app actually reads the message outloud in a voice that bears a disturbing similarity to Verbose Asian Guy. Of course, Jeff, Dan, and even Wilson (shame on you, Wilson) practically force him out of retirement, and we even get a glimpse of Jeff's priceless Woody Allen impression...TONS of laughs in today's show! After we play the second Caribbean Call From the Public, we run through Rotten Tomatoes' Top 25 Worst Movies of the Decade. We're not surprised to see most that most of the titles are straight to DVD movies, so we take it upon ourselves to name off a few of our own picks, including "Gigli," "Jersey Girl," "Kangaroo Jack," "Cool World," and more. Let us know in the comments what your top picks are, or call us at 1-855-404-CNET and leave a voice-mail for Monday's Jeff-less show. Have a great weekend!EPISODE 432PodcastYour browser does not support the audio element. Subscribe in iTunes audio | Suscribe to iTunes (video) |Subscribe in RSS Audio |Subscribe in RSS Video This content is rated TV-MA, and is for viewers 18 years or older. Are you of age?YesNoSorry, you are not old enough to view this content.PlayFollow us on Twitter!The 404Jeff BakalarJustin YuWilson TangAdd us on Facebook!The 404 Fan PageThe 404 GroupJustin YuJeff BakalarWilson Tang
More iPhone 4 woes; 5-megapixel camera takes yellow photos
More iPhone 4 woes; 5-megapixel camera takes yellow photos
Adding to the whirlwind of issues surrounding the latest mega-hit from Apple is an apparent inconsistency with the automatic white balance selection incorporated in iPhone 4's camera.iPhone 4's 5-megapixel still camera may be the next feature to get hit with unsatisfied Apple customer complaints, joining the antenna issues, signal bar issues, and Exchange Server ActiveSync issues in iOS 4. The question on the yellowing camera issue is whether or not the problem is software or hardware related.The photo comparison provided by Heather Kelly over at MacWorld illustrates the white balance discrepancy between various camera models. According to the article, the issues are present with, or without, the newly added LED flash.Heather Kelly, MacWorldI was not able to replicate the issue on my iPhone 4 (nor the signal bar/antenna issues, for that matter), but all signs point to this being a software-related bug. iPhone 4's capability to determine which white balance settings to use are software-based, analyzing the light environment detected by the camera and judging which white balance profile would be best suited to create the truest color.If you are experiencing this issue, there may be some things you can do to help. First, as with any software issue on iOS devices, try resetting your iPhone 4. Hold the Home button and the Sleep/Wake button until the screen goes black and the Apple logo appears. Should the issue still exist, plug your iPhone 4 into your computer, let it create a current backup, then click to Restore in iTunes. When iPhone 4 comes back, first choose to restore from your last backup. If the problem persists, restore iPhone 4 again and choose to set it up as a new phone, keeping in mind you will lose some data, such as text messages, in the process.Should the idea of restoring your iPhone 4 as a new phone not suit you, or if doing so fails to solve the issue, a workaround is to edit the photos in a photo-editing program on your computer. For Mac users, iPhoto provides a great and easy to use tool for simple editing, including white balancing. On a PC, try an application like Google's Picasa (using the Tuning tab). This should fix the look of your photos until Apple releases a software update for iOS 4. Have you experienced any issues with your iPhone 4 camera? Let us know in the comments!
Adding to the whirlwind of issues surrounding the latest mega-hit from Apple is an apparent inconsistency with the automatic white balance selection incorporated in iPhone 4's camera.iPhone 4's 5-megapixel still camera may be the next feature to get hit with unsatisfied Apple customer complaints, joining the antenna issues, signal bar issues, and Exchange Server ActiveSync issues in iOS 4. The question on the yellowing camera issue is whether or not the problem is software or hardware related.The photo comparison provided by Heather Kelly over at MacWorld illustrates the white balance discrepancy between various camera models. According to the article, the issues are present with, or without, the newly added LED flash.Heather Kelly, MacWorldI was not able to replicate the issue on my iPhone 4 (nor the signal bar/antenna issues, for that matter), but all signs point to this being a software-related bug. iPhone 4's capability to determine which white balance settings to use are software-based, analyzing the light environment detected by the camera and judging which white balance profile would be best suited to create the truest color.If you are experiencing this issue, there may be some things you can do to help. First, as with any software issue on iOS devices, try resetting your iPhone 4. Hold the Home button and the Sleep/Wake button until the screen goes black and the Apple logo appears. Should the issue still exist, plug your iPhone 4 into your computer, let it create a current backup, then click to Restore in iTunes. When iPhone 4 comes back, first choose to restore from your last backup. If the problem persists, restore iPhone 4 again and choose to set it up as a new phone, keeping in mind you will lose some data, such as text messages, in the process.Should the idea of restoring your iPhone 4 as a new phone not suit you, or if doing so fails to solve the issue, a workaround is to edit the photos in a photo-editing program on your computer. For Mac users, iPhoto provides a great and easy to use tool for simple editing, including white balancing. On a PC, try an application like Google's Picasa (using the Tuning tab). This should fix the look of your photos until Apple releases a software update for iOS 4. Have you experienced any issues with your iPhone 4 camera? Let us know in the comments!
Get a Flip MinoHD pocket camcorder for $39.99
Get a Flip MinoHD pocket camcorder for $39.99
This is kind of hard to believe, but three years ago, when the Flip Video MinoHD pocket camcorder made its debut, it had a price tag of $229.99.Flip is gone, of course, having been acquired by Cisco and then shuttered earlier this year. But the products live on, at least for a while, and there are deals to be had. Oh, yes.TigerDirect, for example, has the Flip MinoHD pocket digital camcorder (silver) for $39.99, plus a very reasonable $2.29 for shipping. That's after redeeming a $20 mail-in rebate (PDF), which comes in the form of a prepaid debit card (same as cash, basically).The Mino should have been called the "minnow" for how tiny it is. The camera weighs all of 4 ounces and measures a hair more than half an inch thick. Translation: you can slip it into any pocket and barely know it's there.It records up to an hour's worth of 720p (HD) video--not a ton, but enough for most of the events you'd want to record anyway (a birthday party, a day at the beach, etc.). Alas, there's no option to expand the storage.When you're done shooting, just pop open the built-in USB connector, plug the MinoHD into your PC, and run the preloaded FlipShare software--which you can use to upload vids straight to Facebook and YouTube, perform basic editing, and so on.I have one of these little guys, and although the 2-inch LCD is a bit small, it's a breeze to use and very convenient to keep on hand. Plus, the video quality is excellent.You'd be crazy to pay $230 for a MinoHD, but $40? Not a thing wrong with that price.Bonus deal: Gotta give a shout out to hometown legend Bob Seger, who's making his iTunes debut today. And what better way to celebrate than with a free six-track Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band EP? These aren't a bunch of throwaway B-sides, either; the tracks include "Mainstreet," "Ramblin' Gamblin' Man," and "Hollywood Nights."
This is kind of hard to believe, but three years ago, when the Flip Video MinoHD pocket camcorder made its debut, it had a price tag of $229.99.Flip is gone, of course, having been acquired by Cisco and then shuttered earlier this year. But the products live on, at least for a while, and there are deals to be had. Oh, yes.TigerDirect, for example, has the Flip MinoHD pocket digital camcorder (silver) for $39.99, plus a very reasonable $2.29 for shipping. That's after redeeming a $20 mail-in rebate (PDF), which comes in the form of a prepaid debit card (same as cash, basically).The Mino should have been called the "minnow" for how tiny it is. The camera weighs all of 4 ounces and measures a hair more than half an inch thick. Translation: you can slip it into any pocket and barely know it's there.It records up to an hour's worth of 720p (HD) video--not a ton, but enough for most of the events you'd want to record anyway (a birthday party, a day at the beach, etc.). Alas, there's no option to expand the storage.When you're done shooting, just pop open the built-in USB connector, plug the MinoHD into your PC, and run the preloaded FlipShare software--which you can use to upload vids straight to Facebook and YouTube, perform basic editing, and so on.I have one of these little guys, and although the 2-inch LCD is a bit small, it's a breeze to use and very convenient to keep on hand. Plus, the video quality is excellent.You'd be crazy to pay $230 for a MinoHD, but $40? Not a thing wrong with that price.Bonus deal: Gotta give a shout out to hometown legend Bob Seger, who's making his iTunes debut today. And what better way to celebrate than with a free six-track Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band EP? These aren't a bunch of throwaway B-sides, either; the tracks include "Mainstreet," "Ramblin' Gamblin' Man," and "Hollywood Nights."
Get a flexible USB adapter for $2.98 shipped
Get a flexible USB adapter for $2.98 shipped
You may think I'm scraping the bottom of the deal barrel today, but hear me out.While supplies last, Cctveworld via Ebay has the Flexible Swivel Twist Angle 360 USB Adapter for $2.98 shipped.Update: Sold out, but this seller has the same thing for $2.99 shipped.Why would you want such a thing? Simple: To make USB cables go where you want them to go, rather than sticking out of your PC at aesthetically displeasing angles.See, my laptop doubles as my desktop. Thus I keep various USB peripherals plugged in at all times: iPhone dock, USB mouse, and so on. But all laptops nowadays have USB ports on the sides, which is great for convenience but lousy for aesthetics. My system looks downright Borg-like with all the wires coming out of it.With this adjustable connector, which can swivel a full 360 degrees and work at almost angle, I can run those cables along the sides of the laptop, thus reducing cable clutter considerably.These are also handy for floor-standing towers that have their USB ports positioned near the bottom (making you get down on your hands and knees, literally, when you want to plug something in). With the adapter, you can angle your port out and up. Nice!Yeah, I know, this isn't as sexy as a $40 Blu-ray player or $19/month Android phone. But it solves one of my longstanding pet peeves, and for only three bucks. I'm ordering three!Bonus deal: If you're a fan of "Mad Men," the 60s, and/or cutie stewardesses, you might want to check out ABC's "Pan Am." iTunes is currently giving away all nine episodes of the series (which returns this month). Can't say I'm a fan (well, I do like cutie stewardesses), but if you're looking for something to pass the time, it's a decent freebie.Bonus deal No. 2: Game time! For a limited time, Amazon has Rockstar's L.A. Noire: The Complete Edition (Win) for $12.49. This well-reviewed crime thriller routinely sells for at least $40. Note that this is the download, not boxed, version.
You may think I'm scraping the bottom of the deal barrel today, but hear me out.While supplies last, Cctveworld via Ebay has the Flexible Swivel Twist Angle 360 USB Adapter for $2.98 shipped.Update: Sold out, but this seller has the same thing for $2.99 shipped.Why would you want such a thing? Simple: To make USB cables go where you want them to go, rather than sticking out of your PC at aesthetically displeasing angles.See, my laptop doubles as my desktop. Thus I keep various USB peripherals plugged in at all times: iPhone dock, USB mouse, and so on. But all laptops nowadays have USB ports on the sides, which is great for convenience but lousy for aesthetics. My system looks downright Borg-like with all the wires coming out of it.With this adjustable connector, which can swivel a full 360 degrees and work at almost angle, I can run those cables along the sides of the laptop, thus reducing cable clutter considerably.These are also handy for floor-standing towers that have their USB ports positioned near the bottom (making you get down on your hands and knees, literally, when you want to plug something in). With the adapter, you can angle your port out and up. Nice!Yeah, I know, this isn't as sexy as a $40 Blu-ray player or $19/month Android phone. But it solves one of my longstanding pet peeves, and for only three bucks. I'm ordering three!Bonus deal: If you're a fan of "Mad Men," the 60s, and/or cutie stewardesses, you might want to check out ABC's "Pan Am." iTunes is currently giving away all nine episodes of the series (which returns this month). Can't say I'm a fan (well, I do like cutie stewardesses), but if you're looking for something to pass the time, it's a decent freebie.Bonus deal No. 2: Game time! For a limited time, Amazon has Rockstar's L.A. Noire: The Complete Edition (Win) for $12.49. This well-reviewed crime thriller routinely sells for at least $40. Note that this is the download, not boxed, version.
iMac the next touch-screen Apple device-
iMac the next touch-screen Apple device?
Apple's put a touch interface on so many of its other products, could an iMac be next?If a patent application filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office is any indication, the answer is possibly yes. Patently Apple, a blog that keeps tabs on Apple's USPTO filings, noticed an application on Monday that depicts a hinged-screen version of Apple's iMac desktop that has a touch-sensitive screen. The hinge appears to allow the computer to alternate between a traditional vertical desktop configuration and a flat, iPad-like surface when rocked back on its hinge.Because this would be a desktop computer and a touch-screen device at the same time, it appears the user can choose whether to use the touch-focused iOS operation system from the iPhone and iPad, or the traditional Mac OSX desktop operating system. Moving between the OSes, according to the application, would be activated by touching specific areas of the iMac's screen.The patent also describes how an accelerometer would be used for alternating between touch input and mouse/keyboard input when the device is in horizontal surface mode versus vertical desktop mode.While it's true patent applications aren't always good indicators of actual products being developed, this one doesn't seem that much of a stretch. Touch-screen all-in-one desktops have been a great way for PC makers such as Hewlett-Packard, Dell, and Asus to reinvigorate desktop sales, a category of sales that was plummeting a few years ago, only to bounce back recently.Plus, Apple applied for a similar patent on a touch-screen version of an iMac in July 2008, and Apple has managed to insert touch into a variety of its products, including the iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, MacBooks, and most recently the Magic Trackpad.
Apple's put a touch interface on so many of its other products, could an iMac be next?If a patent application filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office is any indication, the answer is possibly yes. Patently Apple, a blog that keeps tabs on Apple's USPTO filings, noticed an application on Monday that depicts a hinged-screen version of Apple's iMac desktop that has a touch-sensitive screen. The hinge appears to allow the computer to alternate between a traditional vertical desktop configuration and a flat, iPad-like surface when rocked back on its hinge.Because this would be a desktop computer and a touch-screen device at the same time, it appears the user can choose whether to use the touch-focused iOS operation system from the iPhone and iPad, or the traditional Mac OSX desktop operating system. Moving between the OSes, according to the application, would be activated by touching specific areas of the iMac's screen.The patent also describes how an accelerometer would be used for alternating between touch input and mouse/keyboard input when the device is in horizontal surface mode versus vertical desktop mode.While it's true patent applications aren't always good indicators of actual products being developed, this one doesn't seem that much of a stretch. Touch-screen all-in-one desktops have been a great way for PC makers such as Hewlett-Packard, Dell, and Asus to reinvigorate desktop sales, a category of sales that was plummeting a few years ago, only to bounce back recently.Plus, Apple applied for a similar patent on a touch-screen version of an iMac in July 2008, and Apple has managed to insert touch into a variety of its products, including the iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, MacBooks, and most recently the Magic Trackpad.
Iger sees six-figure payday for joining Apple's board
Iger sees six-figure payday for joining Apple's board
Disney President and CEO Robert Iger will be pulling in just over six figures after joining Apple's board, when you consider both his annual retainer and his initial grant of restricted stock units.In an SEC filing today, Apple noted that Iger--who joined Apple's board of directors yesterday--will get "the standard $50,000 annual retainer" which is to be paid out in quarterly installments. Additionally, Iger gets an initial grant of 142 restricted stock units, as part of the company's Director Plan, worth about $55,000 based on Apple's current trading price. According to Apple's annual proxy filing earlier year, those shares are set to vest in February. Other perks Iger gets as an Apple board member include "one of each new product" Apple introduces, free of charge, under the company's Board of Directors Equipment Program; that's if he requests them, the program's description says.As a frame of reference, Iger's base salary last year as the CEO of Walt Disney was just shy of $2.8 million. However he pulled in more than $28 million when including a mix of performance-based bonuses and annual equity awards. Besides Apple, Iger is on a handful of other boards, including the National September 11 Memorial & Museum and New York's Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. This is also Iger's second board appointment this year. In June, he joined the board of the U.S.-China Business Council.
Disney President and CEO Robert Iger will be pulling in just over six figures after joining Apple's board, when you consider both his annual retainer and his initial grant of restricted stock units.In an SEC filing today, Apple noted that Iger--who joined Apple's board of directors yesterday--will get "the standard $50,000 annual retainer" which is to be paid out in quarterly installments. Additionally, Iger gets an initial grant of 142 restricted stock units, as part of the company's Director Plan, worth about $55,000 based on Apple's current trading price. According to Apple's annual proxy filing earlier year, those shares are set to vest in February. Other perks Iger gets as an Apple board member include "one of each new product" Apple introduces, free of charge, under the company's Board of Directors Equipment Program; that's if he requests them, the program's description says.As a frame of reference, Iger's base salary last year as the CEO of Walt Disney was just shy of $2.8 million. However he pulled in more than $28 million when including a mix of performance-based bonuses and annual equity awards. Besides Apple, Iger is on a handful of other boards, including the National September 11 Memorial & Museum and New York's Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. This is also Iger's second board appointment this year. In June, he joined the board of the U.S.-China Business Council.
iFixit outs tablet repairability list; Surface Pro in last place
iFixit outs tablet repairability list; Surface Pro in last place
iFixit, a company that takes apart technology products, analyzes what's inside, and determines their repairability, has launched a new platform to make it easier for folks to lean more about tablets.The company's new "Tablet Repairability" list shows all of the recently released slates it's taken apart and discusses how easy it is to repair them when trouble erupts. Each device is given a score on a scale of 10, with the top product -- the Dell XPS 10 -- earning the highest score of a 9, thanks to it being easy to open, and to its collection of color-coded screws and labeled cables.Apple and Microsoft have been listed as the least repair-friendly companies. The Surface RT could muster only a 4 in iFixit's scale owing to how difficult it is to open the tablet. The iPad 2, iPad 3, iPad 4, and iPad Mini all received scores of 2 for the difficulty iFixit found in trying to open them. Still, it was the recently released Surface Pro that received the worst score in iFixit's list, earning a 1 for its "tons of adhesive holds," among other issues.iFixit has been releasing its thoughts on repairability for quite some time. However, it hasn't previously listed a single place for would-be DIYers to go and find out how easy it is to take apart a tablet."We weren't able to list every single tablet, but this list is a good start," an iFixit representative told CNET in an e-mail. "We have to disassemble each tablet to score it, so additional hardware will show up as we perform more teardowns. Our hope is that through customers' votes, manufacturers will create long-lasting, easy-to-repair hardware that we can all love."
iFixit, a company that takes apart technology products, analyzes what's inside, and determines their repairability, has launched a new platform to make it easier for folks to lean more about tablets.The company's new "Tablet Repairability" list shows all of the recently released slates it's taken apart and discusses how easy it is to repair them when trouble erupts. Each device is given a score on a scale of 10, with the top product -- the Dell XPS 10 -- earning the highest score of a 9, thanks to it being easy to open, and to its collection of color-coded screws and labeled cables.Apple and Microsoft have been listed as the least repair-friendly companies. The Surface RT could muster only a 4 in iFixit's scale owing to how difficult it is to open the tablet. The iPad 2, iPad 3, iPad 4, and iPad Mini all received scores of 2 for the difficulty iFixit found in trying to open them. Still, it was the recently released Surface Pro that received the worst score in iFixit's list, earning a 1 for its "tons of adhesive holds," among other issues.iFixit has been releasing its thoughts on repairability for quite some time. However, it hasn't previously listed a single place for would-be DIYers to go and find out how easy it is to take apart a tablet."We weren't able to list every single tablet, but this list is a good start," an iFixit representative told CNET in an e-mail. "We have to disassemble each tablet to score it, so additional hardware will show up as we perform more teardowns. Our hope is that through customers' votes, manufacturers will create long-lasting, easy-to-repair hardware that we can all love."
IDC device maker ranking shows Apple value, Samsung volume
IDC device maker ranking shows Apple value, Samsung volume
In the brave new world of connected personal computing devices, Hewlett-Packard is a distant No. 4, with Samsung and Apple leading the way. Think of IDC's "Worldwide Smart Connected Device Market" report as the 21st century equivalent of PC maker rankings.Personal computing today includes tablets and smartphones, not just the laptop in your father's home office.That global smart-connected device market grew 27.1 percent year-over-year in the third quarter to a record 303.6 million shipments valued at $140.4 billion, IDC said today in a research note."HP, which is virtually non-existent in the mobile space, has dropped its share from 7.4% in 3Q11 to 4.6% in 3Q12 with shipments declining -20.5% during that time," said IDC. Related storiesTablet sales to stay sizzling, IDC saysThat's telling because HP still leans heavily on traditional PCs, while Apple and Samsung have shifted their product emphasis to smartphones and tablets. And while Samsung leads in shipments (see chart below), Apple leads in value. "The fact that Apple's [average selling price] is $310 higher than Samsung's with just over 20 million fewer shipments in the quarter speaks volumes about the premium product line that Apple sells," Ryan Reith, an IDC analyst, said in a statement. Translation: Apple's products are pricey but consumers buy them anyway.And what does the future hold?In 2011, PCs -- a combination of desktop and laptops -- accounted for 39.1 percent of the smart connected device market. By 2016 it is expected to drop to 19.9 percent, IDC said. Smartphones will be the "preferred product category" with share growing from 53.1 percent in 2011 to 66.7 percent in 2016, while tablet share grows from 7.7 percent in 2011 to 13.4 percent in 2016. IDC
In the brave new world of connected personal computing devices, Hewlett-Packard is a distant No. 4, with Samsung and Apple leading the way. Think of IDC's "Worldwide Smart Connected Device Market" report as the 21st century equivalent of PC maker rankings.Personal computing today includes tablets and smartphones, not just the laptop in your father's home office.That global smart-connected device market grew 27.1 percent year-over-year in the third quarter to a record 303.6 million shipments valued at $140.4 billion, IDC said today in a research note."HP, which is virtually non-existent in the mobile space, has dropped its share from 7.4% in 3Q11 to 4.6% in 3Q12 with shipments declining -20.5% during that time," said IDC. Related storiesTablet sales to stay sizzling, IDC saysThat's telling because HP still leans heavily on traditional PCs, while Apple and Samsung have shifted their product emphasis to smartphones and tablets. And while Samsung leads in shipments (see chart below), Apple leads in value. "The fact that Apple's [average selling price] is $310 higher than Samsung's with just over 20 million fewer shipments in the quarter speaks volumes about the premium product line that Apple sells," Ryan Reith, an IDC analyst, said in a statement. Translation: Apple's products are pricey but consumers buy them anyway.And what does the future hold?In 2011, PCs -- a combination of desktop and laptops -- accounted for 39.1 percent of the smart connected device market. By 2016 it is expected to drop to 19.9 percent, IDC said. Smartphones will be the "preferred product category" with share growing from 53.1 percent in 2011 to 66.7 percent in 2016, while tablet share grows from 7.7 percent in 2011 to 13.4 percent in 2016. IDC
iCloud not working properly- Check status page
iCloud not working properly? Check status page
Apple has a system status support page for iCloud where it posts information about how the iCloud service is running, and also lists recent outages in the system. Today's outage is listed as having been out between 10:58 a.m. and 12:50 p.m. PST, so if you were unable to access your e-mail during that time, then this was likely the reason.Apple's status page is available here, but can also be accessed by going to the "Support" section of Apple's Web site, clicking "Other Products," and then selecting the iCloud section of the support page. The current service status should be listed on the main page, but you can click the link underneath it to get to the detailed status page.Unfortunately Apple does not supply too detailed of an explanation about the outages, but this should be a useful location you can check if some of your iCloud services are not behaving as you would expect.The use of status pages is often overlooked when troubleshooting online services, even though numerous companies have them. Check the support section of the online services you use and make a note of where (if any) the service status indicators are. It may be useful to create a bookmarks folder of these service pages so they are easily accessible, but if they are showing any outages, then hold off on troubleshooting your software setups until they are cleared.Questions? Comments? Have a fix? Post them below or e-mail us!Be sure to check us out on Twitter and the CNET Mac forums.
Apple has a system status support page for iCloud where it posts information about how the iCloud service is running, and also lists recent outages in the system. Today's outage is listed as having been out between 10:58 a.m. and 12:50 p.m. PST, so if you were unable to access your e-mail during that time, then this was likely the reason.Apple's status page is available here, but can also be accessed by going to the "Support" section of Apple's Web site, clicking "Other Products," and then selecting the iCloud section of the support page. The current service status should be listed on the main page, but you can click the link underneath it to get to the detailed status page.Unfortunately Apple does not supply too detailed of an explanation about the outages, but this should be a useful location you can check if some of your iCloud services are not behaving as you would expect.The use of status pages is often overlooked when troubleshooting online services, even though numerous companies have them. Check the support section of the online services you use and make a note of where (if any) the service status indicators are. It may be useful to create a bookmarks folder of these service pages so they are easily accessible, but if they are showing any outages, then hold off on troubleshooting your software setups until they are cleared.Questions? Comments? Have a fix? Post them below or e-mail us!Be sure to check us out on Twitter and the CNET Mac forums.
Apple quietly updates Maps in Japan
Apple this week quietly made behind-the-scenes changes to its mapping service in Japan, fixing a handful of shortcomings.Chief among them are changes to pronunciation during turn-by-turn navigation, a key feature introduced in Apple's own mapping service in iOS 6. The app now also alerts drivers to toll roads, and has better point-of-interest labels for things like subways, freeways, and hospitals.Other tweaks include 3D buildings for some Japanese landmarks like Tokyo Station and Tokyo Tower, as well as changing the freeway color to green.The changes rolled out without an additional software update from Apple. That's because they were tucked into an earlier build of the iOS, which was released to users in early February. Apple has stayed relatively quiet on improvements to Maps since launching it as part of iOS 6 inSeptember. When asked about progress on the software during an earnings call with Wall Street analysts in January, Apple CEO Tim Cook said that the company had already made "a number of improvements" including improved satellite and flyover imagery as well as local information for businesses.Apple frenemy Google released its own, standalone maps app for iOS in December. That software was updated for the first time last weekwith a quick search tool and integration with Google's contacts service.The changes to Apple's maps in Japan were noted yesterday by 9to5Mac.
Apple quietly trims down older iPad Smart Cover, Case line
If you want a colorful cover or case for your older iPad, you'll no longer get it through Apple.Alongside the launch of its iPad Air tablet, the company quietly shelved all but one color for both its iPad Smart Cover and Smart Case accessories for second- through fourth-generation iPads.AppleApple will continue to sell the polyurethane accessories, which run for $39 and $49 respectively, but only in a dark gray color.Those who want one of the five other (now discontinued) colors will have to find it from another retailer, or go with another similar accessory, which Apple still sells on its online store. The change was spotted earlier Wednesday by iLounge. The older Smart Cover design was introduced alongside the iPad 2 in 2011, and continues with the iPad Air and iPad Mini. Apple later added to it with a Smart Case, which ditches the magnets and fits the entire tablet in a protected compartment.Apple changed the design of the covers with the new iPad Air, which is narrower than previous models, adopting the same portrait-style design found in last year's iPad Mini. Nonetheless,Apple's still selling the iPad 2 alongside its newer tablets, leaving reason to keep this accessory around.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)