By Aldo Panessidi

With the announcements at the recent CES – one has to wonder – what is 2012 the year of?” Will it be SmartTVs?  Perhaps it’s the year of the interactive technology?  Or maybe it is 4G LTE smartphones that will steal the spotlight this year. As of this early date, it is Android devices that look to have the competitive advantage this year. It very well could be a great opportunity to win over mind and market share, but they need to leverage the lead before Research In Motion (Blackberry)  and Apple bring their own 4G LTE devices to market later this year.

What kind of growth are we looking at? According to DigiTimes who published 2012 estimates, Monday, they are anticipating between 4% and 5% of smartphones shipped this year will be 4G LTE capable. When reviewing their sources it is really clear that Android manufacturers are months ahead of the competition. Samsung, LG, Pantech, Motorola Mobility and HTC were named as industry players that will be launching 4G LTE handsets.

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Depending on how quickly Apple and RIM work and how effective their messaging is, the gap could be quickly closed and the opportunity lost. More specifically, there is buzz around Apple’s to-be-released products this year, the iPhone 5 and iPad 3, which based on rumor will be 4G LTE capable.

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One point this writer would like clarified is what the ramifications of this technology coupled with the race to get smartphones with the capability to  use it will be.   Will the current trend continue  pattern of “sign long-term contract with service provider, get free smartphone”?    Or will we be able to break free from this carrier imposed yoke with unlocked cell phones that will empower us to choose our preferred service provider and negotiate a service contract that best meets our interactive needs at the right price!

Only time will tell what the implications will be. At the moment, 4G LTE has not been well-explained to the public and is potentially cost inhibitive. So, without a little tweaking it may turn out to not be the year of the 4G LTE network after all.

By John Castell

Get excited iBooks users! The iOS jailbreak known as Corona that was released last month for the iPhone4S and iPad is now updated to support Apple’s e-reader, iBooks. Be sure to get your updates though, as it is the build for version iOS 5.0.1.

But what does this new jailbreak upgrade mean for your Apple experience? While not as gratifying as playing with a new acquisition from the phenomenal family of accessories for each of the tablet, iPod media device and smartphones that will be covered by this new software update, it could address some of the issues occurring during browsing sessions on these same devices.

Because if you have experienced the launcher crashing on occasion, it is this upgrade that will doctor it up. There are some other bugs that will be fixed as well, but the addressed launcher is the biggie (for the really technical of you out there, the build is also included in redsn0w 0.9.10b4). So, with this update you need not fear having to remove your favorite Apple handset or tablet from its cozy protective case to play tech detective.

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For those of you who already have jailbroken iPhone4 or iPad devices, Corona can be found and run through the Cydia store. Another option is downloading the updated OS X for Windows version (redsn0w) which will have the same impact.

And if you do not yet possess this untethered jailbreak, you can find more information on compatibility for iPhone 3GS, iPhone4, the first generation iPad, iPod Touch 3G and the iPod Touch 4G. Clearly this development team has been hard at work to bring this jailbreak technology to Apple’s various device offerings of smartphones, tablets and media players. Now, if we can keep that open concept movement to empower customers at other levels of purchasing and freedom of customization, amazing innovation is in the works.

Now to await their next upgrade to include iPhone4S and iPad2…

By Mitch Stevens

Since the release of the first iPhone in 2007 I have been jail breaking the iphone. I have been caught up in conversation many times about the ability of the iPhone. When I referred to the iPhone it’s often hard for me to perceive it without being able to include the many Cydia applications I use with the wonderful IOS operating system.

Many people have often looked at me as if they were very confused, and say.  What is jailbreaking? This is the single most question I am asked when discussing the iPhone. I have thought long and hard on the simplest way to explain jailbreaking to a person who does not understand what it is at all about.   To this nd, I have crafted the following jailbreaking overview So I have tried to think about this as elementary as possible to facilitate reader  understanding.

Jailbreaking allows the iPhone or other  idevices such as the iPad and iPod user more freedom. When Apple developed the iPhone in their mega-billion-dollar factories, the developers, at their own discretion determined what we could and could not do with our iphones. That is a decision , I do not agree with that in any terms.  Like many people I paid for this product with my personal money and believe  that I should be able to decide on changing its appearance or the sounds it makes when it rebooting.  Yet in  2008 or 2009 jailbreaking your iPhone was declared illegal.

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Jailbreaking allows the user to download third-party applications from a store called Cydia. In this store many developers have been denied the chance to sell their application in the  ” Apple store”.    Many of the applications in the Cydia store are better applications than many I have downloaded from the Apple store.  That being said these applications are hosted on repositories which are sources in the Cydia store.  These applications have gone through a screening process as the Cydia operators are stand up characters and would not ruin their reputation by enabling  applications that are unethical or damaging to your device.

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I have often had many people argue that they were afraid to download the applications from Cydia because they weren’t signed from Apple.   There is a huge open source environment on the web… wherein different developers collaborate together to create new or enhance existing application with more powerful features.  As such, just because an application does not originate from Apple it does not mean it hasn’t been fully screened or the code has not gone through an extensive testing process to filter or eliminate viruses.

Many of the applications from Cydia are just small tweaks. Such as, being able to swipe the status bar to open what’s called SB settings.  Inside Sbsettings you can control Bluetooth, reboot, and much more. This is just an example of some of the applications that are available in Cydia. Also in Cydia you can download themes for your idevices. What I mean by theme is you can change the physical appearance of the iPhone. Whether it’s the size of the icons or the color of the status bar and much more. Needless to say, the question, What is Jailbreaking?  could revoke a 500 page book. I’m trying to do it in just a few paragraphs. So to putt short and sweet. Jailbreaking allows the user to download third-party applications and themes.  This will allow the user to use their phone however they wish. If you want to open the settings menu by swiping the status bar, that can be accomplished. There are many great applications and tweaks inside Cydia. Since this article is about what is jailbreaking? I am going to include a few must have applications from Cydia.

Top Must Have Cydia Applications :

·        SBswitcher  a tweak for iOS which will basically add a new pane over the multi-tasking pane, which will allow you to bookmark nine of your most-used apps. Now this new pane will allow a very quick access to all your favourite apps.  This app also gives you an easy access to a few of your System Settings. Bundled with its core feature, this app is definitely worth $0.99.  Props to the developer Tolani.  He has added in the release notes that this tweak is not yet available for iPad but should be soon.

·        Activator-Free- add gestures to open application.

·        Infiniboard-$1.99Vertically scroll the springboard.  Addis many applications as you wish to each page. No limits

·        Packagebackup-$7.99 Simple way to save your Cydia application in one centralized location.  Should you need to do are store simply do so with a couple clicks.

·        iFile $4-Great way to SSH into the device without connecting to a computer.  Do things such as change icons to much more advance task.

·        Springtomize$2.99- This application has over 50 tweaks inside it.  You can change the color of status bar, size of icons, change carrier, and more.

·        Winterboard- FREE This is how you add themes to the device for changing its physical appearance.  You can also add themes to the lock screen, change reboot sounds. This application is free however many of the themes are paid.

By Megan Fleet

In my formative school years, there were always concerns of what toll hefty textbooks and toting them around in backpacks would be.  Luckily, The students of the 21st century may  not have to share in that burden with Apple’s announcement that it would begin offering digital  textbooks on their iPad via its iBooks 2 app.

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Apple is setting its sights on the textbook industry – Textbooks for iPad, which became available by way of a new textbook category in iBooks 2, which requires iOS 5 and is currently available as an update to the original iBooks app, provide students with a modern, interactive replacement for conventional printed textbooks. They support multi-touch gestures and also feature dictionary look-up integration and annotation. Students can highlight text, take notes and even create virtual note cards to reference later while studying.

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The books, which currently focus on high school-level subjects but will later expand to cover the entire K-12 curriculum, can cost up to $14.99, and Apple is working with publishing companies such as Pearson, McGraw Hill, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, and DK Publishing to make it happen.

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To create interactive textbooks and other digital books for the iPad, Apple has also introduced iBooks Author. The Mac application provides robust tools that let anyone build and publish interactive digital books for Apple’s iBooks store. It has the same look and feel as Apple’s iWork apps, and includes features like gallery support, 3D animation, video and interactive image support and more. Users can even insert custom Javascript or HTML5 code into eBooks using iBooks AuthorPaired with the fact that multiple universities have launched test programs for distributing iPads to students and this looks to be a recipe for success. And, when the iPad3 is released later this year, its predecessor will be that much more affordable and accessible to students.

Now we just have to worry about early-onset carpal tunnel and “texting thumb” syndromes. But even there, with the number of hands free technologies out there, students could easily address those issues as well with the simple purchase of a few key accessories. God bless innovation!

By Aldo Panessidi

Apple’s bid for the number one PC vendor spot has been in the works since the success of the Apple II back in 1984 and continued success of the MacBook According to Asymco’s Horace Dediu, that was the year the company enjoyed 15.8% market share unfortunately did not launch it into ever-sunny skies until Steve Jobs returned back to the company and brought us the iRevolution. And if Mr. Jobs was present to see this achievement, one would have to assume he would be thrilled.

A recent poll of 42 analysts conducted by Fortune shows that Hewlett-Packard will soon topple from its ranking as the number one PC vendor in the world and be replaced by Apple. Based on the spike in iPad sales in the “holiday quarter” last year where sales jumped up from 11.12 million in Q3 to 14 million in Q4. Tally up the sales from Apple’s other PC product line of Macs (which had over 5 million units sold over the holidays), and the company exceeds 20 million units taken off their hands in the fourth quarter. When calculating market share, the NorCal company trounces HP 17.8% to 13%.

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2011 could just not have been HP’s year with some serious changes to their business and product offerings. Losing the prestige of this spot could also have been facing the marketing and development machines of Apple whose growth continues year over year (never fear for those who noted the less impressive results from last month, December reports will crush expectations).

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No doubt the Cupertino company will be able to continue its crusade to win over new customers, especially with the aid of its partners and complementary accessories. No more than ever, tablets are a lightweight, flexible choice that also doubles as a media device (and a GPS, browser, stereo and any other number of functions).

Keep posted as these numbers will all be confirmed and then the post-CES month rolls around. We are in for a ride!

By Aldo Panessidi

Apple marketing is sure to have their paws all over the latest IDG business survey which finds that the iPad is gaining explosive momentum in the business community all over the.

The survey shows that 91% of IT and business professionals use their iPads for work. The kicker is that despite this high percentage of usage, only a quarter of these devices are issued by companies.

A surprising 51% of those surveyed always use the device at work, almost as many who always use it at home (54%).

Perhaps this is because professionals use the sleek tablet for media consumption in typical consumer behavior in addition to using it to increase their productivity on the go. The trends point to very high levels of use while they are on the road (a full 79% of IT professionals surveyed always use their iPad on the road). The smaller size of the device makes it easier to tote around when traveling; the array of accessories accessories such as; stylus & pens, micro SD memory cards, batteries, docking stations, Bluetooth headsets, data cables and glider gloves all specifically designed to makes this device more functionally efficient and performance rich.

So where is the monumental shift of iPads replacing notebooks and desktops at the corporate level? It seems to be a different kind of shift, more of an evolution than a revolution. Most of those IT and business professionals surveyed said that despite their high level of iPad use, they have not abandoned their other desktop or laptop computers. iLuv and some other accessory manufacturers did roll out some great docking stations and workstations that may help increase the adoption rate of iPads for businesses.

Apple itself should look into how to better leverage its products and the accessories to make it a clearer choice for consumers. We have brought Apple’s smartphones, media devices, and now slate computers into our homes and now into our offices. There is an incredible amount of loyalty to the brand, but their messaging has largely been centered on the consumer and its media uses. They have to help bridge those gaps and work on their solution selling where companies or individual professionals can buy a comprehensive solution to fit their changing needs.

By Megan Fleet

Apple’s iPhone and iPad are undoubtedly two of its most iconic products. They were also revolutionary, creating demand for tablets, smartphones and apps that tied into customers’ existing iTunes infrastructure. With these kinds of accolades and cult-like following, there have been twinges of disappointment for Apple’s more recent launches of the iPad2 and iPhone 4S as they were so comparable in “look” and functionality at first glance.

This trend towards subtlety (and maybe towards a safer path in the post-Jobs era?), looks to be continuing with the iPad3. Attendees to the Consumer Electronics Show this past week could have perused the Apple booth and have had the iPad3 right in front of them without recognizing it as a the latest version of the tablet.

Like the iPhone 4S, there are differences, but touting this particular version as the iPad3 instead of the iPad2 or some other such moniker seems a bit overdone. This potential newest tablet addition has a body that is approximately 1mm thicker than its antecedent. For cases and various other accessories this minimal change will allow customers to recycle their previous purchases. The exception is for those protective cases designed to be exactly form fitting.

Another similarity to the iPhones 4S, this latest iPad contender has a noticeably larger rear camera, but does not have the LED flash. These improved features in camera quality and images will win over some customers. But, the front of the device is very much the same as the iPad2.

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The iLouge writer who viewed the device at CES did note that the display model appeared to be six months old or so. That particular detail points to the many possible changes that could take place in revamping the iPad3 in the coming months. As we await the actual release of the tablet, current Apple users can continue to indulge their love of accessories without fear of them being obsolete when the new kid in town makes its debut.

By Aldo Panessidi

When Apple launched the iPhone 4S there were plenty of bystanders that were disappointed that the latest smartphone was not the elusive iPhone 5. The silver lining is that this prolonged release has given plenty of fodder for the tech gossip mill as we all speculate if the next generation iPhone will be drastically different.

Latest reports note that Apple’s upcoming device will be slimmer than the iPhone 4S and iPhone handsets and will also strut some new tech as well. The iPhone 5 may have a quad-mode chipset from Qualcomm that will work on all 4G LTE and 3G networks which has the implication of making this unlocked cell phone device more widely available across mobile carriers.

Giving credence to these details is a BGR exclusive last month that reported Apple’s intention to launch a completely redesigned iPhone in the fall. It will have an aluminum case and a rubber or perhaps plastic bezel that will protect and cover a new wrap-around antenna. Possibly more dependable accounts came from Morgan Stanley’s analyst, Katy Huberty, who noted that Apple sent a communication to clients last Friday. Those statements assured that Apple’s business will continue to grow even with a slowing demand for high-end smartphones. There is no question that the company’s strength is in its iTunes, iCloud and other proprietary technologies that marry customers so closely the OS platform.

Included in Huberty’s comments was the mention of Apple’s next generation tablet, the iPad3 which is slated to launch at some point in the first half of the year. With traditional pricing strategy in play, the iPad2 will be lowered in cost to attract additional customers to the iOS platform and to Apple’s strength in the tablet market.

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App Downloads and Virtual Goods at CES

By Megan Fleet

Anyone with a tablet, smartphone, or is in the vicinity of someone with these devices knows about apps. Downloads of apps on smartphones and tablets are projected to be in the 41 billion range for 2012. With those kinds of numbers, there is some serious cash to be made on the focus and popularity of apps. The industry knows it and these small applications have become all the rage at this year’s CES.  More and more consumer are leveraging the power of unlocked cell phones to choose their preferred service providers and break away from long term service contracts… while customizing their phones with both apps and cell phone accessories of their choice.

The flip side of this is that costs of downloads is ever decreasing with the increase of competition. To counterbalance these declining revenues, players are looking to virtual goods. Already ahead of the curve, both Apple and Android are evolving to inhabit this space. In turn, they will keep customers hooked into their ecosystems and continue to diversify the different kinds of devices and accessories are integrated into consumers’ lives on their platforms.  Experience the mind blowing clarity of XMI Speakers.  Uncompromised sound quality and a revolutionary design accentuating today’s interactive lifestyle.   Our earpieces and headsets combine sophisticated style and precision engineering that deliver brilliant sound for your total listening pleasure

Both Apple and Android own the lion’s share of app downloads to date, but according to Josh Martin, Director of Apps Research at Strategy Analytics, “The introduction of tablets from Amazon and Barnes and Noble and a renewed push for Windows Phone ensure an intensifying battle for the third horse in the apps ecosystem race.” Customers are bound to vote with their wallets and their thumbs with consideration of unlocked devices as well. The industry is changing, becoming more competitive and giving consumers more options of how they receive their data and how they communicate.

Luckily for us customers, this spirited competition is the recipe for lower prices, more choices, and better technology as developers scramble to win us over with must have accessories that make life better and faster speeds. Clearly this is the free market at its best (ignoring carrier exclusivity in this last statement!).

Are Carriers Prepared?

By John Castell

When the iPhone 4S was released, there were a fair number of naysayers out there questioning if this latest Apple smartphone would make the kind of mark its past devices have. Sure it has Siri and some other upgrades, but it looks similar. It fits the same protective case accessories and docking stations and the like, so many were speculative of the impact this one would make. According to a recent research by Arieso, this latest generation iPhone is definitely having an impact.

How? Data is showing that iPhone 4S consumers use practically twice the amount of data as its predecessor, the iPhone 4. Throw in the statistic of these hyper-users consuming more than 3 times the data of the original iPad 3G and jaws start to drop. Even Arieso’s chief technical officer, Michael Flanagan marveled “the data usage numbers I am seeing make me wonder what I am missing.”

The likely culprit is Siri. Michael Flanagan and other iPhone 4 users are bereft of the virtual assistant’s powers that aid in searching which (although not stated in the report) is the obvious suspect for the increased data consumption.  Enhance your mobility and turn your device into a power tool!  Discover select accessories such as; stylus & pens, micro SD memory cards, batteries, docking stations, Bluetooth headsets, data cables and glider gloves all specifically designed to make your devices functionally efficient and performance rich.

Also striking is Arieso’s reporting that it is a mere 1% of data users consuming half of all downlink data. Flanagan did need to note, “while the report provides general trends, the studies on which they’re based demonstrate the importance to operators of understanding the increased consumption each type of smartphone brings.” But are carriers listening? Data usage will only continue to increase as tablets and smartphones become more prevalent, but mobile providers don’t seem to be heeding the trends that will eventually compromise the quality of service for their subscribers.

With this kind of ostrich behavior from carriers, consumers should be clamoring for more unlocked phone options so they have the freedom to seek out services that will provide the speeds, complimentary accessories, and forward moving innovation that consumers are paying for.