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Apple iPad 3 Rumor Roundup: Retina Display, Announcement Coming in March

Kristy Korcz — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 10:23:36 PST

It's that time of year again - the iPad 3 rumor mill is working overtime! According to a new report, the iPad 3 could be announced in March alongside the iOS 5.1 update, said to be coming on March 9. Though the iPad 3 is said to be coming with a similar form factor as the iPad 2, it should include a 2048×1536 Retina display and a larger battery.

Rumor Mill: The Apple iTV Will Cost $1,499

Kristy Korcz — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 10:36:52 PST

According to internal Best Buy documents, the Apple iTV could cost $1,499 when it hits stores. Alongside built-in iOS, iCloud, and iTunes support, the iTV could come with a 42-inch screen, 1080p playback, and stocked with an iSight camera for Skype calling. The documents also reveal that the so-called "Apple HDTV" can be controlled with an iPad or iPhone.

The iTV info comes from Best Buy customer surveys that are aimed at gauging interest on upcoming products and releases.

First Look at iTunes U App For iPad

Kristy Korcz — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 11:50:36 PST

With student loan costs rising to astronomic levels, those on a quest for learning may be forced to find less expensive alternatives outside the traditional classroom. Thank your lucky stars for iTunes U's free online classes, now neatly compiled into an awesome iPad app so you can take your lessons on the go. Apple announced the new iTunes U iPad app this morning during its education-themed event (learn more about their iBooks 2 and iBooks Author apps as well) that brings together hundreds of open courses and lectures from some of the most prestigious colleges from around the globe. Free classes from ivy league schools? Don't mind if I do.

The iTunes U app is free to download and the classes are free to take and stream, so what do you have to lose? We browsed through the iTunes U app today and snapped a few pics, so check them out in the slideshow and tell us - will these new apps and free courses urge you to buy an iPad if you don't already have one?

Apple Supplements iBooks 2 and iBooks Author With the iTunes U App

Kristy Korcz — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 07:59:59 PST

Over 700,000 people have taken in a free class or lecture on iTunes U, and Apple wants to make things easier for teachers to create an interactive online environment with their iPad. Educators can compile all the information needed for a class right inside the iTunes U app - syllabus, assignments, office hours, and teacher notes, and they can even stream from a full classroom. Over 100 courses have already been created from a number of prestigious colleges across the country, including Yale, Duke, Stanford, MIT, and more.

But now iTunes U isn't just for college levels. Apple is opening up iTunes U to K-12 levels as well, allowing teachers to create full courses and students to study, stream, and view assignments, teacher notes, and course details from their iPads.

The iTunes U app is available today for free in the App Store.

Create Your Own Interactive Books With Apple's New iBooks Author App

Kristy Korcz — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 07:28:01 PST

Want to write and build your own interactive book? Apple just made it a lot easier with the iBooks Author app for your Mac. iBooks Author feels like a mashup of Pages and Keynote, allowing you to choose templates, interactive elements, and drop-down controls for configuring the details and layout of each interactive page. Made with educators in mind, iBooks Author makes it super easy for teachers to create interactive elements for study materials, including galleries, videos, review notes, diagrams, 3D models, and HTML. Interactive elements are added to the page by dragging and dropping images and even Word documents into various templates. Then, you can publish your interactive books to the iBookstore for students or readers to download straight to their iPads.

Of course, while this app was built for education, I can see how iBooks Author can take novels and biographies to the next level as well. We'll get some hands-on time and bring you our first impressions soon!

The iBooks Author app will be available for download today for free from the Mac App store.

Apple Announces iBooks 2: a Textbook Experience For Your iPad

Kristy Korcz — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 07:27:54 PST

Apple's Phil Schiller announced iBooks 2 this morning in NYC's Guggenheim Museum. The app will put textbooks in the hands of students without all the extra weight. With over "20,000 education and learning applications built specifically for the iPad," Apple wants to take learning to the next level with interactive textbooks that will engage students with interactive maps, 3D models, videos, glossary terms embedded right into the text, and Q&A sections at the end of each chapter. Taking notes also gets a 1-UP since all the highlights and notes you take in an iBooks 2 textbook get turned into virtual flash cards that you can study with right on your iPad.

In addition to interactive textbooks, high school textbooks from McGraw-Hill, Pearson, and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt are also available in the App Store today, all priced at $15 or less, alongside four new publications from DK Publishing and author E.O. Wilson.

Watch Out, Siri: Vlingo May Beat You to the TV

Kristy Korcz — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 08:10:13 PST

Steve Jobs said he "cracked the code" on TVs, which led analysts to believe that there will soon be a voice-controlled Apple TV set on the horizon. Only thing is - Vlingo may beat Apple to the punch.

Seen at the Consumer Electronics Show last week, Vlingo (most known for its voice recognition software on the Android, iOS, BlackBerry, Windows, and other smartphone platforms) had a video demo of what its software will soon be able to do on the big screen, thanks to app platforms being stocked in so many "smart" TVs in 2012. It's very Siri-like, as you use your voice to control channel changes, DVR recordings, messages, social media, and more. Imagine Siri partnered with your Xbox Kinect, and you start to get an idea of how it would work. I only wish there had been a live demo to try out, but Vlingo has me very excited for the future of TV. Well, that and the amazing LG 55-inch OLED TV.

See what Vlingo's onscreen action really looks like from the screencaps in the gallery!

Is a Steve Jobs Action Figure Too Much?

Kelly Schwarze — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 13:39:45 PST

While it's been three months since Apple CEO and technology innovator Steve Jobs passed away, two toy manufacturers are already eager to memorialize the man as a toy figurine. The iCEO mini Steve Jobs action figure ($100) from toy companies in icons and Dragon in Dream is scheduled for retail sale at the end of February.

The 12 inch figure is already garnering attention for the convincing look-alike depiction of the man who told us to "Stay hungry, stay foolish." From the black turtleneck to the faded jeans, round glasses and gray beard ever, the action figure doesn't miss a single iconic detail, but is it too much? The Jobs family blocked a toy likeness of Steve from production in 2010, so it's likely this figurine will meet the same response. What's your take on the toy unveiling?

Gifts For the Apple Fanatic

Kristy Korcz — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 07:49:16 PST

Apple fans are some of the most dedicated around, which also makes them kind of hard to please if you can't afford a new MacBook Air or iPhone 4S. Don't default to an iTunes gift card - instead, grab one of these gifts that will sure to make your Apple fanatic smile.

Apple Fans Add Elusive Grand Central Gear to Wish List

Kelly Schwarze — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 14:15:36 PST

You might think the biggest draw for Apple fans camping out for the latest company store opening is the privilege of being among the elite first people to set foot in the store, fresh with the smell of clean MacBooks and new employees so eager to help. But the major bragging right associated with an Apple opening is snagging the limited edition t-shirt handed out to the first thousand or so customers to enter the store.

Last week's unveiling of the New York City Grand Central terminal store also showcased the free t-shirts with the store's location spelled out in graphic letters resembling the train station's arrivals board. Four thousand shirts were distributed to the Grand Central store's first customers. Just like their tech products, the shirts are carefully packaged into a white box fitting of the Apple logo despite its free contents.

As expected, those who scored the rare t-shirts after camping out in Grand Central are looking to cash in on the cult of Apple, listing the shirts on eBay, with current bids varying from $25-$385. Have you ever stood in line for an Apple store's grand opening? If so, tell us about your experience in the comments!

Photo Source: eBay user spictacular002