Apple MacBook Pro MD311LL/A 17-Inch Laptop Review

Apple MacBook Pro MD311LL/A 17-Inch Laptop Review | Apple MacBook Pro MD311LL/A Review | Apple MacBook Pro | Apple MacBook | Cool Gadget  | Latest Price | In Stock | Specifications

Introducing the 17-inch MacBook Pro. The state-of-the-art quad-core Intel i7 processor delivers up to 2x faster performance (over the previous generation of MacBook Pro). New Thunderbolt technology lets you connect high-performance peripherals and high-resolution displays to a single port, and transfer files at lightning speeds. And with the built-in FaceTime HD camera, you can make astonishingly crisp HD video calls.

The MacBook Pro offers excellent graphics flexibility with two video processors--the discrete AMD Radeon HD 6770M processor (with 1 GB of GDDR5 video memory) for heavier workloads and an integrated Intel HD Graphics 3000 processor for better battery life on the go. When gaming or using processor-intensive applications like Aperture or Final Cut Pro, you'll appreciate the power of the AMD Radeon HD 6770M, which lets you see more frames per second and experience better responsiveness. And the automatic graphics switching feature determines which graphics processor an application needs and switches instantly between the processors.

This version of the 17-inch MacBook Pro (model MD311LL/A) features a second-generation 2.4 GHz Core i7 quad-core processor, 750 GB hard drive, and 4 GB of installed RAM. Other features include ultra-fast Wireless-N Wi-Fi networking, Bluetooth connectivity, an ExpressCard/34 slot, three USB 2.0 ports, and a FireWire 800 port.

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Specifications

• 17-inch LED-backlit glossy widescreen display with edge-to-edge, uninterrupted glass (1920 x 1200-pixel resolution).
• 2.4 GHz Intel Core i7 quad-core processor ("Sandy Bridge") with 6 MB shared L3 cache for excellent multitasking.
• Dual graphics processors with automatic switching between AMD Radeon HD 6770M (with 1 GB of GDDR5 video memory) for demanding applications and integrated Intel HD Graphics 3000 (with 384 MB of DDR3 SDRAM shared with main memory) for power savings.
• 750 GB Serial ATA hard drive (5400 RPM)
• 4 GB installed RAM (1333 MHz DDR3; supports up to 8 GB)
• 8x slot-loading SuperDrive with double-layer DVD support (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
• Built-in FaceTime HD camera for video chatting
• Wi-Fi wireless networking (based on 802.11n specification; 802.11a/b/g compatible)
• Gigabit Ethernet wired networking (10/100/1000)
• Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR (Enhanced Data Rate) for connecting with peripherals such as keyboards, mice and cell phones
• Three USB 2.0 ports, one FireWire 800 port
• ExpressCard/34 slot
• Thunderbolt port with native Mini DisplayPort output plus support for DVI, VGA, dual-link DVI, and HDMI (requires adapters, sold separately)
• Multi-Touch trackpad for precise cursor control with support for inertial scrolling, pinch, rotate, swipe, three-finger swipe, four-finger swipe, tap, double-tap, and drag capabilities
• Full-size backlit keyboard
• Stereo speakers with subwoofers
• Dimensions: 15.47 x 10.51 x 0.98 inches (WxDxH)
• Weight: 6.6 pounds
• Up to 7 hours of battery life

Apple iPad 2 MC770LL/A Tablet (32GB, Wifi, Black) NEWEST MODEL

Apple iPad 2 MC770LL/A Tablet (32GB, Wifi, Black) NEWEST MODEL | Apple iPad 2 MC770LL/A Tablet | Apple iPad NEWEST MODEL | Apple iPad 2 MC770LL/A Tablet Review | Apple iPad | Cool Gadget | Where To Buy | Latest Price | In Stock | Specifications 

Apple doubled the RAM in the iPad 2 from 256MB to 512MB. What does that mean? For most casual users, probably not a whole lot. There is a performance bump that everyone will see the effects of in things like loading times for webpages that are open in the background, but 256MB was sufficient for most daily use and games. If you're planning to use your device for some of the more graphically intense games the iPad 2 does offer a better method of graphics processing that'll help deliver faster images with fewer jerky movements. If you're just playing Angry birds and reading e-mail you're not going to know the difference.

The screen is the same for all real purposes. It is technically a "new" part in that it isn't identical to the old, it's a bit thinner and more efficient, but it's the same resolution. The Glass is thinner though, and this amounts to a fair bit of the weight loss from one generation to the next. In playing with the device it seems surprising but despite feeling lighter it actually feels more sturdy in your hands. I still wouldn't suggest dropping it, but if it were to fall the iPad 2 certainly feels like it might stand a better chance to survive. Try not to drop it though.

 

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Apple iPad MB292LL/A Tablet (16GB, Wifi)

Apple iPad (first generation) MB292LL/A Tablet (16GB, Wifi) | Apple iPad MB292LL/A Tablet | Apple iPad | 16GB | iPad | Apple iPad MB292LL/A Tablet | Review | Cool Gadget | Where To Buy | Latest Price | In Stock | Specifications

A magically and revolutionary product at an unbelievable price.

Product Features

• 9.7-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit glossy widescreen Multi-Touch display with IPS technology. 1024-by-768-pixel resolution at 132 pixels per inch (ppi).
• 16GB flash drive with 1Ghz Apple A4 custom-designed system on a chip.
• Wi-Fi (802.11a/b/g/n) Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR technology
• Box Contents: iPad Dock Connector to USB Cable, 10W USB Power Adapter, Documentation

• Hardware Platform: Mac
• Number of Processors: 1
• RAM: 256 MB
• RAM Type: DDR SDRAM

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Premium Reusable LCD Screen Protector with Lint Cleaning Cloth for Apple iPhone 3G 8GB 16GB

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100% brand new high quality NON-OEM This screen protector has been specially cut to fit the screen of your compatible mobile phone. Three layer screen protector for the best possible results when applying the screen protector (main screen protector layer protected by two outer layers) Specially made for the phone and NOT universal. Highly scratch resistant, Super thin and crystal clear for practicality, Easily removable with no sticky residue left behind FREE cleaning cloth for easy application (Phone not included) Package Included: 3 x iPhone 3GS 3G 3rd Screen Protectors 1 x Polishing Cloth 1 x Scrape Card

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Apple vs Google. "Closed" vs "Open".

Image by marcopako  via Flickr

I hate when some people give name calling to companies like Apple. Below is my respond to one of the Forum post in Low Yat Net.
This is also a continuation of my article posted regarding "Are you an Android or iOS Fan?"

------------------------------------------------------

Both Apple and Google have to different business strategy.
You cannot simply start calling names Apple as "n00bs" market segment or "kiddie toys" when you don't know how much Apple is worth as a Company nowadays.

Google makes money out of its advertising business. Thus, data, information and knowledge is very important for them. Google is not in the business of hardware like Apple. That's why they gave out Android almost for free (or totally free probably) to handset makers. Google is very clever in trying to make all smartphones to have Android. When people use their device, they will capture the user profile. Smartphones are more personal than normal desktops. Thus, usage of smartphones can be leverage by Google for Advertisements. Users are being profiled this way.

Now Google is moving another step further into the realm of "Internet of Things" or IoT. Why Google is interested in this? My personal opinion is that they would like to capture the profile of "Things" such as Fridge, Cars, Electrical appliances etc. These "things" will have sensors that sends out data. And this data is what Google is interested. In future, Google will exactly know what devices or "things" in your house and what are your buying preferences (brands, types etc).

But Apple Inc, is not trying to capture this market. They have tried to open their Macintosh OS to other hardware players previously but it failed. To understand why Apple have a "closed" system is to understand Apple history and how Steve Jobs built the Company. This is a long story and I suggest read the latest "Steve Jobs" book. But to make it short, Steve wanted to make his product a perfect product and closed. That's why people even have difficulty to open up Apple products without a proper tool (Apple even design a special screwdriver to open up their product). They don't even allow user to change the iPhone battery so easily! (Take a look at Samsung phone - see how many people in the Forum is trying to buy spare batteries!!).

Steve Jobs is meticulous in designing Apple products. Before Steve joined back Apple, the company has so many products that they need a Chart to show the product line. Steve terminated so many and finally chose a few to continue. Apple iOS is closed and they never allow users to mod it. But the hackers are always 1-step ahead of Apple. This cat-and-mouse game of Jailbreaking will always continue but that's what excite some of the users.

But why Apple chose a "closed" system as their business strategy? Apple not only in the software business but also in hardware business (unlike Google). Thus, selling hardware is also their main business and the only way is to ensure they control the Quality of their products is to have a "closed" system. Apple has Millions of users even before they launched iPhones. iPods and iTunes are the beginning of their Apple eco-system - now they have entered the music industry with iTunes and iPods/iPod Touch, TV industry with their Apple TV, phone industry with their iPhones, Games and Media industry with their iPads, Computing industry with their Macs and Cloud business with their iCloud.
As for the "closed eco-system" users, they will benefit from high quality and seamless usage experience (if you were to choose all products from Apple). What's more important for these kind of users are productivity and change the world with Apple products. Unlike most Android users who always "kill their time" with "modding" their gadgets but not doing so much about productivity (my personal opinion when reading the Forum posts).

Thus - Apple is not a eyeing a "n00b" market segment and neither its iPhone is a "kiddie" toy.
Learn more about both Companies and you will respect both of them. Its either you are in the "open" market segment or "closed" market" segment.

Its either you love it or hate it.

Apple MacBook Pro MD313LL/A 13.3-Inch Laptop (NEWEST VERSION)

Apple MacBook Pro MD313LL/A 13.3-Inch Laptop (NEWEST VERSION) | Apple MacBook Pro MD313LL/A  | Apple MacBook | Apple MacBook On Sale | 13.3-Inch Laptop | Where To Buy | Latest Price | In Stock | Specifications

Product Description

Introducing the 13-inch MacBook Pro. The state-of-the-art dual-core Intel i5 processor delivers up to 2x faster performance (over the previous generation of MacBook Pro). New Thunderbolt technology lets you connect high-performance peripherals and high-resolution displays to a single port, and transfer files at lightning speeds. And with the built-in FaceTime HD camera, you can make astonishingly crisp HD video calls.
With the revolutionary Thunderbolt technology, you'll be able to achieve bi-directional channels with transfer speeds to peripherals like external hard drives and servers up to an amazing 10 Gbps--while also connecting to a DisplayPort-compatible high-resolution display.

The 13.3-inch unibody MacBook Pro with Thunderbolt technology

As with previous models, the MacBook Pro features a precision unibody enclosure crafted from a single block of aluminum, creating a thin and light mobile computing workhorse (less than 1 inch thin and just 4.5 pounds) that's also highly durable. And it includes a 13.3-inch, LED-backlit glass display as well as a glass trackpad that doesn't include a button (for larger tracking area) that features Apple's Multi-Touch technology. You'll also get up to 7 hours of battery life while on the go.

This version of the 13.3-inch MacBook Pro (model MD313LL/A) features a second-generation 2.4 GHz Core i5 dual-core processor, 500 GB hard drive, and 4 GB of installed RAM. Other features include integrated Intel HD Graphics 3000 graphics, ultra-fast Wireless-N Wi-Fi networking, Bluetooth connectivity, an SDXC card slot, two USB 2.0 ports, and a FireWire 800 port.

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OS X Lion

Every Mac comes with OS X Lion, the latest release of the world's most advanced desktop operating system. With over 250 features including Multi-Touch gestures, Mission Control, full-screen apps, and Launchpad, OS X Lion takes the Mac further than ever

Key OS X Lion Features

Mission Control provides a bird's-eye view of everything running on your Mac. Launchpad puts all your apps front and center for easy access. View apps full screen and switch between them with a swipe. Interact with your Mac using intuitive new Multi-Touch gestures.

Key Features

Revolutionary Thunderbolt Technology

FaceTime HD camera built into the bezel for crisp

Developed by Intel with collaboration from Apple, high-speed Thunderbolt I/O (input/output) technology delivers an amazing 10 gigabits per second of transfer speeds in both directions. Built into the MacBook Pro, the Thunderbolt port allows you to connect to new Thunderbolt-compatible peripherals as well as existing USB and FireWire peripherals using simple adapters. You'll be able to move data up to 20 times faster than with USB 2.0 and more than 12 times faster than with FireWire 800, and you can daisy-chain multiple high-speed devices without using a hub.
And because Thunderbolt is based on Display Port technology, you'll be able to connect to a high-resolution display from the same port. Any Mini Display Port display plugs right into the Thunderbolt port, and you can also connect displays that use Display Port, DVI, HDMI, or VGA connections with an existing adapter. You'll also be able to include your display into a daisy-chained set of peripherals.

Next-Generation Dual-Core Intel Processor

This MacBook Pro is powered by a second-generation Intel Core i5 dual-core processor, which provides breakthrough digital media management, content creation, and 3D gaming capabilities. With updated Intel Turbo Boost Technology 2.0, the latest Core i5 increases speed automatically for whatever you're doing, dynamically accelerating performance to match your workload. Intel's Hyper-Threading Technology enables each core of your processor to work on two tasks at the same time, delivering the performance you need for smart multitasking. And you'll enjoy a rich set of new features for a stunning and seamless visual experience with no additional hardware. The Core i5 processor also provides faster access to the installed RAM, with an integrated memory controller to connect fast 1333 MHz memory directly to the processor.
With new microarchitecture, the graphics processor resides on the same chip as the central processor and has direct access to the 3 MB of shared L3 cache--helping your applications run at peak performance. And an integrated video encoder enables HD video calls with FaceTime, while an efficient decoder gives you long battery life when you're watching DVDs or iTunes movies.

backlit keyboard--great for typing in low-light settings

Buttonless Multi-Touch Trackpad

With no button on the glass trackpad, there's more room to track and click--left, right, center, and everywhere in between. Without a separate button, the trackpad gives your hands plenty of room to move on the large, silky glass surface. It also incorporates Multi-Touch gestures--including swipe, pinch, rotate, and four-finger swipe. And it also now supports inertial scrolling, an intuitive way to scroll through large photo libraries, lengthy documents and long web sites.

Specifications

• 13.3-inch LED-backlit glossy widescreen display with edge-to-edge, uninterrupted glass (1280 x 800-pixel resolution).
• 2.4 GHz Intel Core i5 dual-core processor with 3 MB shared L3 cache for excellent multitasking.
• Intel HD Graphics 3000 with 384 MB of DDR3 SDRAM shared with main memory.
• 500 GB Serial ATA hard drive (5400 RPM)
• 4 GB installed RAM (1333 MHz DDR3; supports up to 8 GB)
• 8x slot-loading SuperDrive with double-layer DVD support (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
• Built-in FaceTime HD camera for video chatting
• Wi-Fi wireless networking (based on 802.11n specification; 802.11a/b/g compatible)
• Gigabit Ethernet wired networking (10/100/1000)
• Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR (Enhanced Data Rate) for connecting with peripherals such as keyboards, mice and cell phones
• Two USB 2.0 ports, one FireWire 800 port
• SDXC card slot
• Thunderbolt port with native Mini DisplayPort output plus support for DVI, VGA, dual-link DVI, and HDMI (requires adapters, sold separately)
• Multi-Touch trackpad for precise cursor control with support for inertial scrolling, pinch, rotate, swipe, three-finger swipe, four-finger swipe, tap, double-tap, and drag capabilities
• Full-size backlit keyboard
• Stereo speakers with subwoofers
• Dimensions: 12.78 x 8.94 x 0.95 inches (WxDxH)
• Weight: 4.5 pounds
• Up to 7 hours of battery life
• Meets Energy Star 5.0 requirements
• Rated EPEAT Gold

Apple iPhone 4S 16GB - AT&T -

Apple iPhone 4S 16GB - AT&T - | Apple iPhone 4S | Apple iPhone 4S | Apple iPhone 4S On Sale | Where To Buy | Latest Price

16GB iPhone 4S locked AT&T model. Will work on AT&T.Now you can use your voice to use your iPhone. Just talk to Siri as you would to a person: "Do I need an umbrella?" or "Any great burgers around here?" or "Where's the closest ATM?" Siri not only understands what you say, it knows what you mean.1 It figures out the right apps to use to find the right answer. Then, just like a personal assistant, it answers you. Siri makes phone calls, sends messages, schedules meetings, sets reminders, and more. How much more? Just ask, and Siri tells you that, too.Two cores in the A5 chip deliver up to two times more power and up to seven times faster graphics.2 And you'll feel the effects. Fast. iPhone 4S is quick and responsive, which makes all the difference when you're launching apps, browsing the web, gaming, and doing just about everything. And no matter what you're doing, you can keep on doing it. Because the A5 chip is so power-efficient, iPhone 4S has outstanding battery life.This just might be the best camera ever on a phone. And with all-new optics, it just might be the only camera you need. Because behind every shot, you've got 8-megapixel resolution and a custom lens with a larger f/2.4 aperture. Not to mention an improved backside illumination sensor, excellent auto white balance, advanced color accuracy, face detection, and reduced motion blur. It all means that no matter how many people, how much light, and how much action you capture, everything looks exactly as it should. And just wait until you see the photos.Shoot stunning 1080p HD video everywhere you go. With all-new optics, the light is always right, the color is always vivid, and everything will look even better than you remember. Video stabilization steadies shaky shots. And you can edit video right on iPhone and share your lush life as fast as you shoot.

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Product Features

• 8 mega pixel camera with full 1080p video recording
• Siri voice assitant
• iCloud / App Store / Air Print / Retina display
• UMTS/HSDPA/HSUPA (850, 900, 1900, 2100 MHz); GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz)
• 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi (802.11n 2.4GHz only)

iPhone 4S + More

Apple recently hosted a keynote announcement , announcing its new iPhone, as well as a few minor updates to the iPod line.

Siri on the iPhone 4S

iPhone 4S:


Although some were expecting a completely new and redesigned iPhone 5, Apple will probably wait for 2012 to announce the iPhone 5. Until then, we will have to live with the more minor updates of the new iPhone 4S.

The 4S keeps the same beautiful and elegant design as the iPhone 4, but now comes packed with the same Apple A5 processor found in the iPad 2. This new chip allows for a much snappier experience, along with the ability to carry out more powerful tasks on the iPhone. Although the 4S has a much more powerful processor, battery life is still great, with up to eight hours of talk time on a single charge.

Another major update in the iPhone 4S is the camera. The iPhone 4's camera was always known as a great one, especially for a cell phone camera. The 4S's camera is even greater than its predecessor, with an 8 megapixel sensor, as well as many other improvements to the picture quality. The camera can also now provide 1080p video recording.

The iPhone 4S will also come pre-loaded with Apple's newest mobile operating system, iOS 5. Click here for an overview of iOS 5.

The most talked about feature on the new iPhone 4S is most probably Siri. In April of 2010, Apple bought the voice-command recognition company Siri. Apple is now integrating Siri into it's newest iPhone. To activate Siri, one just holds down the home button on the iPhone, and the Siri window pops up. Users can ask Siri almost anything, and it will answer. It can be used to schedule tasks, play music, dictate emails, look up facts, and much more.

The new iPhone 4S will cost $199 with a two year contract, and will be available on AT&T, Verizon, and now Sprint.

iPods:

The iPod Nano

There really weren't many major updates to the iPod line. The two devices they changed slightly are the iPod Nano, and the iPod Touch.

The Nano has a few new features, including a new, simpler user interface, a built in sensor for exercising right out of the box, and many new clock face options. The Nano's price was lowered to $129 for the 8GB model, and $149 for the 16GB model. The Nano keeps it's same design.

The iPod Touch also got a price decrease, starting now at $199 for 8GB, and is now available in white.

Steve Jobs: 1955-2011

Steve Jobs, former CEO and founder of Apple Inc., has passed away earlier today. Steve was the spark of the success of Apple, and the one who changed the technology industry for all of us. Rest in peace, Steve Jobs.

Read about Steve on Wikipedia, and hear what president Barack Obama said about the great visionary.

Apple TV, Entertainment made Simple

When looking for a device that hooks up to your TV that streams movies and other content to the big screen, there are quite a few choices. These devices are called set-top boxes, and there are at least 10 well know and popular devices, with prices ranging from $55 to $299.

So if you're looking for a good set-top box, one that combines a pretty good price with a slick interface and great content selection, Apple thinks they have the device for you.

The Apple TV is a $99 device that allows you to stream content directly from the Internet. Unlike some of the other options, the Apple TV has no built in storage, so, while you can connect via a network to iTunes on your computer and stream content from there, everything else is just streaming it directly from the "cloud".

The Apple TV can access and stream movies and TV shows from the iTunes store. However, there is no way to purchase movies, only to rent them. An update out today allows users to buy TV shows directly, and stream them on demand from wherever they are. Users can also access and listen to or watch free podcasts, as well as access Apple's "Radio" feature.

Besides for Apple's own iTunes content, users can access content from Netflix, YouTube, and with this latest update, Vimeo. Netflix, which we have mentioned in the past, allows instant streaming of thousands of movies and TV shows, for a price that, at $7.99 a month, is probably cheaper than consuming all of your content via iTunes. YouTube and Vimeo, however, are free to use, and deliver a seemingly never-ending flow of great (and not so great) content.

And, if you aren't already watching way too much stuff, you can also watch every MLB or NBA game live with a subscription to MLB.tv or NBA.com League Pass Broadband. Both of these services are a little pricey, and you might run into blackout restrictions if the game you are trying to watch is available on "real TV" in your area.

Apple TV's Small Size

But of course, there's more. Connecting your Apple TV to your computer running iTunes over WiFi will allow you to stream your entire music collection through your home theater setup. Pictures from your computer can also be viewed on your big screen TV.

To top it all off, the Apple TV can stream content playing on any iOS device (iPhone, iPad, iPod touch). To stream this content on the big screen, all you have to do is tap the "AirPlay" button, and, after initial setup, the content will suddenly be playing on the big screen.

At $99, and a 3.9 inch square size, the Apple TV seems like a great buy, and the recent update that adds Vimeo and TV show purchasing definitely makes it even more compelling. If you're in the market for a set-top box, and you have 100 bucks to spare, the Apple TV is a great choice for you.

5 iPhone Apps you Need: App 5

This is the last post in a series of five. Read the fourth post here.


I don't have to go over it again. But I will. So you're managing your money, cooking, listening to music, and traveling to the Chumbe Islands, now that you've done all this, you probably want to sit down and relax. And share pictures of your new-found stacks of money, your beautiful onion soup, you dancing around to that new band you just found out about, and of course, the wonderful vacation you just had. There's an app for that.

Instagram, recommended by my friend AJ Goren of TechLand, is available, for free, from Instagram.com. Instagram allows you to take photos with your iPhone or iPod touch's camera, and, after putting the photo through one of the many vintage filters, post it for all to see.

Instagram is not only a way for you to share photos, it's also a great way to find beautiful photos that others have taken, either by following a specific person, or by just browsing the popular section. You can also easily export your photos to Flickr, Facebook, and Twitter.

One of the biggest parts of Instagram is the filters. Although you can keep a photo "normal" there are also many filters that make the photo look like it was taken before today's technology existed.

You can download Instagram at Instagram.com, or directly from the AppStore. I hope you enjoy Instagram, and I hope you enjoyed this entire five part series.

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5 iPhone Apps you Need: App 4

This is the fourth post in a series of five. Look out for the fifth on Thursday, July 14th. Read the third post here.


Now that you're cooking, managing your budget, and listening to music all at the same time, it's time you took a break and traveled to Chumbe Island in Zanzibar (Where else?). Now, when someone goes to Chumbe Islands, they want to do it right. The right flights, the right hotels, and the right rental cars. All at the right price. Kayak is here to help.

From Kayak.com, this free app allows you to look for hotels, flights, rental cars, as well as keep track of your trip with their My Trips feature, although some features require a free Kayak.com account.

When you first launch the app, you see a list off features to take advantage of. You can look for hotels, flights, and rental cars, as well as look at your planned trip agenda (which you set by emailing your booking conformations to Kayak). You can also track flight times, get price alerts on rates, and call airlines directly from the airline directory.

Although Kayak does not do the booking itself, it allows you to book a hotel, flight, or rental car either directly from the company, or through a few booking services.

If you're traveling anytime soon (even if it's not to Chumbe Islands), you might want to check out Kayak. It's free, and you can learn about it from Kayak.com, or download it directly from the AppStore. Free's always good, so check it out.

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5 iPhone Apps you Need: App 3

This is the third post in a series of five. Look out for more every Tuesday and Thursday. Read the second post here.

So, in this series we have dealt with money management, as well as cooking. Now we're heading on to something less important in everyday life, but still something done by most people in the world, and that is listening to music. There are thousands of apps in the AppStore that are designed for doing just that. Some are paid services, some you just pay for the app, and some are completely free. This one app, called Pandora, is available for free from Pandora.com, and is one of the best apps dedicated to listening to music.

Pandora allows you to type in a song, an artist, or a genre, and it will automatically create a "radio station" based on what you entered. The station might play the song you entered first, and then go on to something of a similar style, or something by the same artist, every song has a thumbs up or thumbs down button, and Pandora will learn, as you go along, what kind of music you like.

Pandora has a clean and simple interface, one that looks very iOS-like. However, the only negative of Pandora is the ads. Advertisements appear when you open a station. Audio ads also come up every few songs played. If the ads really bother you, you can sign up for a premium account, and completely eliminate the ads.

Pandora is a great, free way to listen to music, and discover new artists and tracks too. If you aren't already using it, no better time to start. It can be downloaded from the Apple AppStore. You can also find out more at its website.

There are two more posts to this series, that's two more apps, any of which can be your suggestion. Leave a comment below telling me about your favorite iPhone App, and it might make it to the next post in this series. Plus, if you leave your name, and any website you want me to plug, I'll put it in in the post. Comment below!


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Apple's Lion To Launch On Wed. July 6, 2011 ?

Bad news for those like me who’s waiting for Apple OS X Lion to be launch on July 1, 2011.
Most likely, according to rumours, it will be July 6, 2011 (Wednesday)

Source from T-GAAP.

“We’ve just received word from our source in the San Francisco Bay Area that Apple is planning to release Mac OS X 10.7 Lion on Wednesday, July 6th at 9:00 am Pacific Time.
One particular item of interest about this news is that with OS X Lion being an online-release-only, Apple can wait until the 11th hour to release new OS. They don't have to first lock it down, then press it onto DVDs, then box it, then ship to their hundreds of stores and through distribution in order to meet a certain publicly announced launch date. With an online release, Apple just needs to upload the final release to their servers and then make it available.”

UPDATE (Jul 3, 2011)
According to 9to5Mac, reliable sources said the Release of Lion might be July 14, 2011.

Apple Unveils iCloud, iOS 5, Shows off Mac OSX Lion

It's that time of year again! Apple holds a developer's conference every year in San Francisco called WWDC (Worldwide Developers Conference, discussing, usually from more of an app developer's point of view, some of the new products or services that Apple is creating. This year's event was sold out in less than ten hours, and tickets weren't cheap either, so we'll see what they paid to see.


Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO (Currently on medical leave), with the help of some fellow Apple employees, announced three new products/services, and showed off one more, that had already been announced. None of these three products are actual physical products, but they are just as interesting.

Apple's iCloud logo

iCloud: The first product announced is called iCloud, and is an online service similar to the current, and slowly phasing  out, Apple service Mobile Me. iCloud is an online service that stores and syncs "your music, photos, apps, documents, and more", as written on the Apple website. The service then syncs all of that data with any other internet-connected Apple device. iCloud will also work on a Windows 7 or Windows Vista device will iTunes. Best of all, it's all free, for up to 5GB of storage.

iCloud will store any music bought via the iTunes Store, but you will also be able to store music you got any other way, be it a ripped CD or the Amazon MP3 store, for $24.99 a year. iCloud does this by scanning the song and matching it with an existing song in it's library of over 18 million songs. iCloud now knows you have the "rights" to the song, and will stream it at your command. This won't work for any song not in the library of 18 Million, so if you have music you created yourself, or an unpublished remix of an existing track, this won't work. One of the major benefits of this service, though, is the fact that if you have a song saved as a very low quality track, iCloud will play it back as the 256Kbps quality that iTunes currently offers.

iCloud in Action

iCloud also will take any picture you take with your iPhone, upload it to the cloud, and sync it with any of your other devices. The service lets you see your already purchased apps, and allows you to download an app again, for free on up to five devices. iBooks will also be synced between devices, as well as any documents created with iWorks, which apple just released the iPhone version of.

Another really important feature, iCloud backs up all of the data on your iPhone or iPod touch over the air, so there is no need to connect your device to a computer.

iCloud will be available for free this fall, along with iOS 5, which will be discussed later in the post.

Mac OSX Lion: After discussing iCloud, Jobs handed over the presentation to Phil Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of worldwide product marketing, who talked a little bit about the latest edition of Mac OSX, called Lion.

Mac OSX Lion will be available as a 4GB download from the Mac App-Store, and will cost $29.99. Most of the new features in Lion, at least the ones that Apple showed off, were already talked about, and you can read my post about those here.

iOS 5: The last service talked about at today's keynote was iOS 5. iOS, Apples mobile operating system that's used on the iPhone and iPod touch, is updated every so often, but a major release, like iOS 5, is released only around once a year.

iOS 5 will be available in July as a free update for your iPod touch or iPhone, and will many new features. One of those is the "Notification Center".

The notification center is accessed by simply swiping down on the screen. This will show a list of notifications, including email, text messages, and notifications from other apps on your phone. Notifications will also no longer interrupt everything you are doing, rather they will just slide in above the app you are currently using, and disappear quickly. Notifications are also accessible from the lock screen, and you can easily respond to a notification from the lock screen.

Revamped Notifications for iOS 5

iMessage will replace the SMS app for the iPhone, and will also be available on the iPod touch. iMessage allows users to send text messages via their 3G data provider, or they can send free text messages over a data connection to anyone else with an Apple iOS device. Messages can also include pictures, sound, and video.

iMessage for iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch

Newsstand, one of the new additions in iOS 5, is the iBooks for magazines. Newsstand differs from all other apps, because instead of opening up like a normal app, it opens as a regular folder currently in iOS would. The folder differs from a regular folder, as it contains digital magazines, instead of apps. The background in the Newsstand folder looks like the wooden bookshelf currently found in the iBooks app.

Newsstand, a folder of magazines

Reminders is a new app that will be found in iOS 5. Reminders allows one to set reminders for himself, and organize reminders in to do lists. Reminders syncs with iCloud, Outlook, and iCal, so your to do's will be everywhere.

Reminders for iOS 5

Although Twitter already has an iOS app, with iOS 5, it will be integrated as an app that comes with the device, similar to what Apple is doing already with YouTube. Twitter will now be integrated into many of the apps Apple already has on their devices, such as Safari, Photos, Camera, YouTube, and Maps. One will be able to tweet directly from any of those apps.

Twitter, integrated into iOS 5

The camera is now accessible from the lock screen, so if you ever have a photo you really need to capture, and fast, your iDevice will help you. The camera button on the lock screen even bypasses any passwords set on the device, so your camera will be ready when you need it. The camera also has a new grid that you can use for better alignment while taking a photo.

The camera app, accessible from the lock screen

The Photos app will also be improved, with new photo editing features such as crop, rotate, enhance, and remove red-eye. The camera app also allows you to organize the photos in albums right on your iDevice. Of course, with iCloud, your photos will be synced to all of your other Apple devices.

The new photos app, now with editing

Safari, Apple's built in web browser, is also improved with new tabbed web browsing, a reader function that strips out all of the junk from a website, and just shows you the content you want to see, as well as a reading list that allows you to save articles for reading later. Procrastination at it's finest.

Safari with tabbed browsing

With iOS 5, any iDevice is completely PC free, no computer is needed to set up the device, or to put on music movies, or anything else. The new iCloud service takes care of backup, so you can easily restore a device wirelessly.

Some of the smaller improvements include some new features for the Mail and Calendar apps, an update to GameCenter, Apple's gaming social network, which allows users to set a profile picture, WiFi sync, which allows you to sync music, podcasts, and videos wirelessly with your computer over a WiFi connection. Apple also added multitouch gestures to the iPad, which allow you to swipe through apps by swiping your fingers across the screen, etc. The iPad 2, with the iOS 5 update, will be able to mirror the image you are seeing on it's screen wirelessly, instead of using the HDMI cable currently available.

I myself got extremely excited when writing this post, because this update to iOS 5, along with iCloud, really takes care of many of the problems people had with iOS devices. The only negative is that iOS 5 and iCloud will only be available in the fall, so we've got a while to wait.

The reason that Apple announced these products so early is because they need developers to write apps for these platforms, which takes a while. Apple developers have access to Lion, iCloud, and iOS 5 now, and can start developing for those platforms. If these new products really have you salivating, you could shell out the $100 is costs to become an Apple developer, but you have to own a Mac computer.



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