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Five ways to avoid Windows 8

May 21st, 2012
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Some people are still sure Windows 8 is going to be the cat’s meow. I’m sure Windows 8 and its Metro interface will be more like a cat’s yowl of pain. The more I look at Metro, the more I’m sure that Microsoft’s new desktop will flop as badly as the Facebook IPO.

It’s not just me. Business analysts, who could care less about technology but care a lot about what customers think, are saying things like “Windows 8 will prove to be a disappointment.”

Windows users who were already unhappy about having to learn Metro, which doesn’t work or look a thing like Vista and Windows 7’s Aero interface never mind XP’s familiar appearance, are finding out there’s more trouble ahead for them. Windows 8 will cost more at launch to upgrade to from Windows 7. DVD playback and media-center functionality will now be an extra-price option.

Oh as for Metro-friendly applications, here’s what Matthew Baxter-Reynolds, an independent software development consultant, speaker, author, and trainer and all around Windows guru who’s writing the book “Programming Windows 8 Apps with C#” had to say: “does Metro actually work? In my opinion: No.”

I don’t care if your most prized possession is an autographed copy of Bill Gates’ The Road Ahead, you have got to be wary of moving to Windows 8. So what can you do to avoid, or at least delay, the day you have to start using it?

1. Stick with Windows XP

OK, so your PC is getting a little older, but it’s still working isn’t it? According to some estimates, most PC users are still using XP. Certainly hundreds of millions of users are still using it. If it’s not broke, why fix it?

Well, there is one reason: On April 8, 2014, Microsoft says it will officially end support for XP–and Office 2003 while they’re at it. Of course, Microsoft has extended XP’s life support before. Today, they swear they wouldn’t do it again. But, if say 20% of users still have XP running in their PCs in 2014… well let’s just say I won’t be surprised if Microsoft has a change of heart.

2. Stick with Windows 7 or move to it

So, let’s say its 2012’s holiday season and all the new PCs are coming out with Windows 8, what do you do? You don’t ask, you demand, Windows 7 instead.

Yes, I’m a Linux guy, but if you really want Windows, and I know most of you do, Windows 7 SP 1 is easily the best version of Windows to date. Yes, it’s not the same as XP. There is a learning curve. On the other hand, while it’s not as safe as Linux, Windows 7 is a lot more secure than XP. There are also plenty of useful, easy to-use tools to move your XP data and applications to Windows 7.

3. Move to a Linux or Mac Desktop

Since Microsoft wants to force a radical change on you, why not really make a change and move to Linux or a Mac? The Linux desktop is great for both power users and for users who just need a computer for the basics. Specifically, I think XP users will find Linux Mint with the Cinnamon interface to be inviting. And, Ubuntu 12.04’s Unity interface is much easier to use than Metro. Heck, my 80-year old mother-in-law is a successful Ubuntu user!

Macs, of course, are Macs. They’re pricy, you’re locked into Apple’s hardware and software in ways that Steve Ballmer can only dream about, and, and, gosh they’re pretty and easy to use. Well, easy to use so long as you do exactly what Apple thinks you should be doing anyway.

4. Move to the cloud with Google’s Chrome OS.

Chrome OS hasn’t really caught on yet, but I think Google’s Chrome OS is a real alternative to Windows for many users. It’s not so much Chrome OS itself, it’s the whole concept of being able to use a Web browser and the cloud for everything you need to do and that you want to do instead of a fat client desktop operating system.

Think about what you’re doing today. Web-browsing, e-mail, IM, VoIP, maybe using Google Docs, whatever, how much of that actually requires that you use a local application? If 99% of what you’re doing on your computer can be done on the Web, what more than you really need than the Chrome Web browser, or-and there’s the point–an operating system like Chrome OS, which is just the Chrome Web browser running on a barebones Linux structure?

5. Use an iPad or Android tablet instead.

Microsoft really wants people to switch to Windows 8, and its close cousin Windows RT smartphones and tablets. I’m not holding my breath. I actually think Windows 8/Metro on Intel actually makes sense–Windows RT, which doesn’t have Active Directory support, not so much. Metro looks and works better on a tablet than it ever will on a desktop. There’s just this one little problem: People love iPads and they’re getting fonder of the Android tablets with their lower price tags. If I were a Microsoft fan, I’d worry if there’s any room left in the market for a Windows 8 tablet.

At the same time, as Microsoft is painfully aware, tablets are becoming popular as desktop replacements. As ZDNet’s own James Kendrick points out, “It is now possible to get a full day’s work from almost anywhere, without compromise,” on a tablet.

So, come the day you go to a Best Buy and all you see is Windows 8 PCs from one end of the store to the other, just remember you do have other, better, options.

Source:http://www.zdnet.com/blog/open-source/five-ways-to-avoid-windows-8/11007

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iPad share of tablet market jumps as Kindle Fire slumps

May 4th, 2012
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Apple’s iPad reclaimed a larger share of the global tablet market last month, in part because of a more-serious-than-expected slump in sales of the hot Kindle Fire in the first quarter, IDC analysts said today.

The iPad’s share of the tablet business shot up to 68% in the first quarter of 2012, climbing more than 13 percentage points from 2011’s fourth-quarter share of 54.7%, said IDC’s Bob O’Donnell, program vice president for clients and displays.

At the same time, Amazon’s share plummeted from about 17% in the fourth quarter of last year to just 4% in this year’s opening quarter.

O’Donnell attributed the spike in Apple’s share and the drop in Amazon’s to several factors, including the U.S.-only sales of the Fire — which tightly tied it to the U.S. holidays — and the iPad’s international reach, including in China, where the tablet was a hot ticket in that country’s January holiday gift-giving spree.

“We expected to see a significant drop in Amazon Fire [in the first quarter],” O’Donnell said in an interview Thursday. “But honestly, the drop was a little bit more than we expected.”

The dramatic shifts in share show that tablets remain a seasonal product, said O’Donnell. That includes the iPad, which saw its sales fall off — even with the Chinese New Year at its disposal — some 3.6 million units in the first quarter compared to the previous three-month period.

But IDC also argued that the iPad has legs the rival tablets do not. “Apple’s move to position the iPad as an all-purpose tablet, instead of just a content consumption device, is resonating with consumers as well as educational and commercial buyers,” Tom Mainelli, IDC’s research director for mobile connected devices, said in a statement earlier today.

According to Mainelli — and O’Donnell echoed his colleague — Apple’s positioning of the iPad as more than a consumer product, one appropriate and salable to major markets like education and enterprise, sets it apart from the competition.

Apple has regularly beaten that drum. Last month, Apple’s chief financial officer touted a 10,000-iPad deal with the San Diego School District, and said the district planned to buy another 15,000 iPads in the second quarter.

In the same April earnings call with Wall Street analysts, Apple CEO Tim Cook called iPad sales to businesses “off the charts.”

“But it’s too early to say that the battle is over and done with,” cautioned O’Donnell, referring to Apple’s current dominance of the tablet market. “That would be an incorrect assumption.”

IDC expects that Amazon will introduce a larger-screen device “at a typically aggressive price point,” and that Google will move into the market with an Android tablet co-branded with Asian computer maker Asus that will “compete directly on price with Amazon’s Kindle Fire.”

Lurking in the wings are devices powered by Microsoft’s Windows 8 and Windows RT — the latter formerly called WOA, for Windows on ARM, by the Redmond, Wash. developer.

IDC hasn’t taken a firm stance on Windows 8/Windows RT, because devices, and more importantly, their prices, have yet to be disclosed. And pricing seemed to be foremost on O’Donnell’s mind.

“Imagine this scenario,” he said. “The Kindle Fire and Nook are at $199 with 7-in. tablets. Each will probably do a larger-screened device — 9- or 10-in. — at $299. Apple may do a 7-in. iPad at $299. It already has the iPad 2 at $399 and the new iPad at $499. That leaves very little room for the other guys.”

Those “other guys” include Google and hardware partners creating what the IDC analysts called “pure-play Android tablets,” in other words those that use a standard edition of Google’s operating system rather than one that’s heavily customized, as in the case of the Fire or Barnes & Noble’s Nook Tablet.

“They’re going to face some pretty serious competition on price,” said O’Donnell.

Mainelli echoed that. “To compete in the media tablet market with Apple, they must offer their products at notably lower price points,” Mainelli said.

Source:http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/423592/ipad_share_tablet_market_jumps_kindle_fire_slumps/?fp=4&fpid=18

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Mobile Application Testing – 01 Synergy

April 4th, 2012
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01 Synergy offers a complete and comprehensive range of Mobile Application testing servicesfrom Unit Testing to User Acceptance Testing. Complexities across handset makers, carriers, locations and operating systems has made building bug-free mobile apps really difficult.

Our areas of expertise include:

  • Requirements Capture and Analysis
  • Test Planning
  • Test case Design
  • Test Execution
  • Defect Tracking & Management
  • Reporting
  • Test Metrics

01 Synergy offers a wide range of Mobile Application testing services, including:

  • Functional Testing
  • Security Testing
  • Load & Performance Testing
  • Localization Testing
  • Usability Testing

Our QA professionals can help you with all your Mobile App testing projects,  including:

  • iOS Application Testing (iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch)
  • Android Application Testing
  • BlackBerry Application Testing
  • Windows Phone 7 Application Testing

01 Synergy is here to help, if you have a need to discuss Mobile application testing, agile testing, do count on us to help. Visit us online at www.01sqa.com or send us a mail here: mobile.testing@01synergy.com

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Google Heightens Rivalry With iPad

March 30th, 2012
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Google Inc., GOOG -1.12% undaunted by a short-lived attempt to market and sell smartphones on its own, is now trying the approach with tablet computers in a quest to capture market share from Apple Inc.’s AAPL -1.26% iPad.

The Internet search company will sell co-branded tablets directly to consumers through an online store like rivals Apple and Amazon.com Inc., AMZN +1.72% according to people familiar with the matter. The move is an effort to turn around sluggish sales of tablet computers powered by Google’s Android software.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1, an Android-powered tablet that will go on sale later this year.

Google went this route with Android-powered smartphones in 2010 when it offered a device called the Nexus One made by HTC Corp. 2498.TW -1.33% But the effort was scrapped after several months amid better sales of other Android-powered smartphones.

Like the Nexus One, some future Android tablets are expected to be co-branded with Google’s name, said people familiar with the matter. The company is expected to sell devices from a variety of manufacturers. Google won’t make the devices and its existing partners such as Samsung Electronics Co. and AsusTeK Computer Inc. 2357.TW -1.26% will be responsible for the hardware, these people said.

One co-branded tablet that may be sold in the online store is due to be released later this year by Taiwan-based Asus, said one of these people.

Details of the project remain unclear, including when Google plans to unveil the online store. Google is expected to release the next version of its Android software, called Jelly Bean, in the middle of this year, people familiar with the matter have said.

Google will soon manufacture its own tablets, due to its pending $12.5 billion purchase of Motorola Mobility Holdings Inc., MMI -0.13% which has been approved in the U.S. and in Europe and is awaiting approval by Chinese authorities. People familiar with the Google’s plans said Motorola tablets are expected to be offered in the online store.

A Google spokesman declined to comment, as did an Asus spokeswoman.

By selling tablets directly to consumers, Google is upping the ante against Apple, which debuted its market-leading iPad two years ago. Android-based tablets made by Samsung and others have been slow sellers by comparison. Last fall research firm Gartner estimated Apple would capture 73% of the tablet market versus 17% for Android.

Google also faces competition from Amazon.com, which last year jumped into tablets with its $199 Kindle Fire, in a move to scoop up the less-expensive side of the market.

Google is seeking to increase adoption of its Android software so that its search, maps and other services—which generate the vast majority of its mobile revenue through the sale of ads—become mainstays in the mobile-device world.

While that revenue is small compared to PC-based ad sales, it’s a fast-growing category for Google, and tablets can command better ad prices than smartphones. Google Chief Executive Larry Page said last fall the company was on pace to generate more than $2.5 billion in revenue from mobile devices, largely through selling online ads on smartphones.

Google believes the current model for selling tablets is broken, said people familiar with its strategy. Google has watched as wireless carriers, who helped Android become the No. 1 mobile operating system for smartphones, have struggled to replicate that success with tablets.

While some wireless industry executives said Google’s Nexus One smartphone effort was a failure, Google Android chief Andy Rubin said previously that the company sold more than 100,000 of these phones in three months and “broke even” on its investment.

Mr. Rubin said Google stopped the effort because other new Android-powered phones were on par with or better than the Nexus One. Google also couldn’t figure out how to sell the Nexus One online on a global scale, he said, and its resources would be wasted in trying to line up wireless carriers in foreign countries to sell plans for the phone.

This time, however, Google won’t have to worry about pairing with wireless carriers because tablets are primarily used with WiFi connections in people’s homes.

To boost the prospects of its new online tablet store, Google was considering subsidizing the cost of future tablets in order to compete on pricing with Amazon’s Kindle Fire, said one person with knowledge of the effort.

In addition, Google will lend huge marketing support to the online tablet store, said people familiar with the effort. Since the Nexus One experiment, Google has honed its mass-marketing skills, spending heavily on TV ads and other marketing to promote services other than its Web-search engine.

The first tablet running Android software optimized for tablets, Motorola’s Xoom, went on sale in February 2011, nearly 11 months after the first iPad arrived. Motorola has said it sold about one million Xoom tablets in 2011, below its expectations. Several other Android-powered tablets, including two versions of Dell Inc.’s DELL +0.51% Streak tablets, have been discontinued.

Other manufacturers have noted the disappointing results. “Honestly, we’re not doing very well in the tablet market,” Hankil Yoon, a product strategy executive for Samsung, said at the Mobile World Congress conference earlier this year.

Physical stores will still remain an important sales channel for Google.

Some U.S. retailers are anxious for an Apple rival to emerge in the market, said people familiar with the matter. Some retailers that sell iPads have chafed under Apple’s rules that require stores to promote its products more prominently, these people said, and the retailers generate less revenue per sale of Apple products versus other electronic devices.

Google has taken other steps to be a consumer electronics brand. The company is directly overseeing the manufacturing of a Google-branded music and video streaming device, to be used in people’s homes, which it is expected to sell to consumers later this year, people familiar with the matter have said. It is unclear whether Google will offer the device as part of its new online store.

Source:http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303404704577312043639469540.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

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Blairsville-Saltsburg students to get iPad tablets

March 27th, 2012
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Every student in grades 9-12 at the Blairsville-Saltsburg School District will be equipped with an iPad 2 tablet computer beginning next fall under a four-year lease agreement approved at the school board’s Wednesday meeting.

In an agreement with the manufacturer, Apple, the school board voted to pay no more than $135,000 per year to lease more than 750 iPad devices. Assistant Superintendent Ian Magness said he expects the actual payment to be closer to $116,000 per year, in part due to a recent price drop for the tablets.

In a presentation to the school board, Magness touted the iPads as the ideal solution for updating the district’s technology while addressing the complaints of teachers and students about the slow response of some current aging school computers. At the end of the lease, he said, the district will have the option to purchase the devices for a nominal fee.

“We’re going to take a progressive step forward” with the iPad lease, Magness said. “This is going to have an impact on every single one of our students in grades 9-12 as well as all our secondary teachers in all departments.”

The school board has said district finances are such that no property tax hike is envisioned for at least several years. Magness said the investment in the iPads won’t change that scenario as it won’t require a boost in the B-S technology budget.

“The technology budget has not been increased in over a decade,” Magness told the board, noting, “I’m still not asking you for any more money.”

“I think it’s great,” school board President Ed Smith said of the iPad lease. “This will bring our students into the 21st century.” He said B-S will become one of only about 10 districts in the state that have made such a sweeping commitment to the iPad technology.

Smith added that B-S board members are similarly planning to “go paperless” at their meetings, relying on electronic versions of agenda documents.

Magness predicted that the district is going to be “reconsidering the ways we use textbooks.” He suggested that a classroom set of hard-copy textbooks might be purchased along with related applications that can be used on the student iPads.

According to Magness, students will be able to take the iPads home with them throughout the school year. He said each device will come with a case and four core applications — an iMovie app and three others that correspond to PowerPoint, Word and Excel programs.

Proper care and usage

Regardless of when and where students use their iPads to access the Internet, a filtering system will direct them back to the district’s own network so that they will be blocked from viewing inappropriate content, Magness explained. That includes a restriction against use of Facebook and other forms of social media, he said.

Board member Holly Gibson expressed concern that students and parents be trained in proper care of the iPad devices. Magness said plans are for B-S to provide a multi-day orientation for students and an evening seminar for parents before the devices would be entrusted to the teens. As with any piece of district equipment, students and their parents would be liable for any damage caused to the iPads. Magness said he hopes to partner with a local insurance agent who could offer district families low-cost insurance for the iPads to provide “double protection” for the devices.

He also expressed hope that the district’s iPad investment would “become a community effort,” with students using them together with their parents and also at community centers and other public gathering spots “where we want our kids to hang out.”

Magness noted that the district will have wireless access points on its school campuses for more flexible use of the iPads — including displaying presentations in classrooms equipped with smartboards. In another nice feature, he said, all student and teacher files will automatically be backed up off-site each night. Expanded bandwidth will allow for greater speed in communications, he added.

He said the iPads will give students wider exposure to different computer technology. “They’ll be experienced on both Macs and PCs,” he said. “Those will be some pretty marketable graduates.”

Magness argued that the iPad lease is cost-effective. He indicated it would cost nearly $700,000 to replace the district’s outdated technology with conventional computer hardware. He said the existing equipment still will see use, explaining, “We’ll re-purpose our current hardware in the elementary schools.”

What else they did

In related technology matters, the board approved purchase of filtering and security hardware and software from CDW-G at a cost of $42,580. CDW-G also will supply printers, at a price of $7,380.

B-S also is purchasing: a Barracuda back-up server from the Capital Area Intermediate Unit at a cost of $12,465.20; BoardDocs LT, an electronic school board management system, at a cost of $3,700 including a one-time start-up fee, plus the cost of computers for board members and staff.

In other business, the school board approved the ARIN Intermediate Unit 2012-13 budget with a B-S contribution of $57,784, representing a 2 percent increase from the current year.

Blairsville-Saltsburg expects to save money, beginning July 1, by taking on some educational functions that had been handled through ARIN. Transferred to the district from ARIN will be two gifted teaching positions, two speech and language teaching positions and four learning support positions.

Superintendent Tammy Whitfield explained the instructors who currently hold those positions at ARIN will have the first option to continue in the same roles at Blairsville-Saltsburg. District officials said the move should save B-S $107,000 in each of the first two years after the transfer and another $188,000 in the third year.

The board also approved an agreement for Keystone Rehabilitation Systems to provide athletic training services to the district for three years ending July 31, 2015.

Approved as volunteer baseball coaches were John Yard, for the Saltsburg team, and Jaison Blystone, for the Blairsville team.

The B-S board also adopted a 2012-13 school year calendar, with Aug. 29 and June 6 as the first and last days for student instruction.

Magness reported that Blairsville-Saltsburg is one of 145 districts that will be considered as finalists for a Keystones to Opportunity grant, in a program that is meant to boost reading achievement. According to Magness, only 50 to 75 grants ultimately will be awarded from a pot of $38 million; B-S is seeking $852,000. Selection of the awardees is expected by early April.

Source:http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/blairsvilledispatch/s_787810.html

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New iPad is the ‘epitome’ of what a tablet should be

March 20th, 2012
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Two years ago, Apple side-swiped the computer industry by releasing the first iPad. Though dismissed by some critics at the time as an overgrown iPhone, the iPad has proved to be just as disruptive to the PC industry as the iPhone was to mobile. And 55 million tablet sales later — including an incredible 15.4 million last quarter alone — there’s a new king of the tablet hill: the latest iPad.

Unveiled by Apple CEO Tim Cook and other company execs on March 7, the new iPad arrived this past Friday to long lines and sold-out preorders, its popularity surprising almost no one. As was the case last year, the new iPad was available in a variety of retail locations besides Apple stores, including Best Buy, Target, Radio Shack, AT&T, Verizon, and assorted resellers. (Some Wal-Mart stores began selling the tablet just after midnight, eight hours before Apple’s own retail stores opened.)

I preordered my iPad — the 64GB model with Wi-Fi and 4G — for home delivery. As fun as chatting up other Apple fans is, the convenience of not leaving the house beat standing in line. I still got to talk with an Apple fan, though: the FedEx person who delivered my iPad. He immediately struck up a conversation, volunteering the fact that he’d been (enviously) delivering new iPads all day and was excited he was soon to get his own after missing the prelaunch window. (Just a few days after orders began, Apple ran out of stock; current delivery times are two to three weeks.)

[ Keep your finger on the pulse with the latest developments in mobile technology—such as phones and tablets—in Computerworld's Mobility & Wireless newsletter ]
I was struck again about how software encased in a bit of aluminum and glass can engender so much excitement, prompting perfect strangers to chat for hours on end while braving long waits to get the latest Apple hardware. Owners post unboxing photos online, on Facebook and in tweets; videos pop up in forums and on personal sites; and every mainstream media outlet from USA Today to the local neighborhood blogger feels the need to weigh in.

Clearly, the iPad has gone mainstream. But does it live up to this year’s heightened expectations?

The basics

At first glance, the new iPad is virtually indistinguishable from the iPad 2; if you loved/hated the design before, you’re going to love/hate this one just as much.

I’ve always been a fan of the aluminum-and-glass look, so I don’t mind that it’s unchanged. The new iPad, still encased in a 9.5-in.-x-7.3-in. aluminum frame, is just slightly thicker than the previous model. The oil-resistant oleophobic 9.7-in. glass display again comes bordered in either white or black, a minimalist design that’s still as sharp-looking and luxurious in quality and feel as ever. My first choice is always black.

While even the most experienced iPad 2 users would be hard-pressed to distinguish between the new iPad and an iPad 2 on looks alone, the same cannot be said regarding the weight. At 1.46 lbs. for the LTE version — 1.44 lbs. for the Wi-Fi-only models — the new iPad is a couple of ounces heavier than its predecessor; iPad 2 users will notice a difference, though it’s not enough to be off-putting. (For those who are still using the first iPad, this one weighs just slightly less than that model. So if you’re upgrading from version 1 to the new iPad, you should notice this one’s slightly lighter.)

Still, wrist fatigue could be an issue with extended use.

It’s unusual for Apple to take a step back from it’s lighter/thinner/smaller mantra; heavier is the wrong direction for technology, especially one as personal as a handheld tablet. But, and I’ll get to this in a minute, the improvements to the iPad overshadow the uptick in weight.

As before, the iPad comes in 16GB, 32GB or 64GB models and at the same price points: $499, $599 and $699, respectively. Opting for 4G/LTE adds another $130. My advice for buyers remains the same as last year when it comes to storage: While Apple services like iTunes Match and iCloud may offset the need for a lot of on-board storage, it’s always better to have too much than too little. (I would buy a 256GB model in an instant if Apple offered one.) Whether you want LTE depends on how often you need online access away from Wi-Fi networks — and how much you want to spend on data plans each month.

That screen

Unboxing the iPad is a familiar experience: Nothing has changed since last year. Inside the box is the iPad, a wall charger, the USB connection cable and a printed welcome packet that includes a SIM card ejection tool on the 4G models.

You immediately notice the difference when you turn on the iPad. From the startup Apple logo to the Setup Assistant, colors are more vibrant and graphics noticeably sharper. Having used the iPad 2 for a year now — and even though I knew the screen was improved — I was still confounded by how noticeably different the new 2048-x-1536-pixel backlit IPS LED screen is.

Apple calls it a Retina display, which is basically a marketing term for “Damn, that screen is amazing.” (Apple offers an even sharper, but smaller, Retina display on the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S.) The new iPad condenses four times the number of pixels into the same 9.7-in. screen as the iPad 2. The new display also offers 44% better color saturation, according to Apple, and that shows when you play high-def video. Put another way, the 3.1 million pixels packed into the new iPad’s display is a million pixels more than your 1080p HDTV has.

Numbers don’t impress me, but the results do: The display is gorgeous, with on-screen elements looking like backlit photos rather than objects on a computer screen. High-megapixel photos and 1080p videos look fantastic, even film-like, but you’ll notice the difference the most with text: Websites like the New York Times no longer require zooming in to read on-screen text; comic book apps can display entire pages full-screen without the requisite zoom and pans; text-heavy apps like iBooks and Kindle now look like backlit magazine pages.

While watching me compare the iPad 2 and the new iPad, a friend said seeing the Retina display was like “putting on prescription glasses for the first time.” It really is just like that.

To power all 3.1 million pixels, the new iPad offers beefed-up specs: It has 1GB of RAM (double the last model’s 512MB) and, not surprisingly, better graphics from Apple’s A5X chipset.

If you’re like me, specs matter less than the user experience, which is where Apple’s new iPad excels: Despite the massively higher resolution and graphics demands of the Retina display, the new iPad remains as responsive as ever. Games play without hiccups, application load times haven’t increased at all, and scrolling remains as smooth as before.

Most remarkable? There’s no appreciable decline in battery life. Apple predicts nine hours on battery over LTE, and 10 hours for most scenarios. My own (unofficial) tests clock the new iPad’s battery life at a little less than the iPad 2, but that model didn’t have LTE or a Retina display.

Apple pulled off this minor miracle by bumping the battery to 42.5 watt-hours, up from the iPad 2’s 25 watt-hours. What I like most is that Apple didn’t just dump a slightly bigger battery in the new iPad and call it a day. The iPad’s uptime (and standby time) is part of its appeal, and it’s clear that Apple engineers went out of their way to make sure battery life remained consistent with expectations. Besides weight, what’s the other caveat to the 70% increase in watt-hours? The new iPad seems to need more time to reach a full charge.

In short, if Apple took a needed half-step back in terms of weight, charge time and size, it took a full step forward by delivering extremely advanced technology in this iPad without sacrificing battery life.

Setup

If you’re moving from an older iPad, setup has never been easier. After turning on the new iPad, one of the first prompts is for an iCloud username and password. By entering this information, all of my apps, their placement on the Home screen, my iTunes purchases, Mail configuration, contacts, calendars, bookmarks, photos in Camera Roll app and iOS settings all downloaded to my iPad wirelessly. (Before starting this process, you’ll want to make sure to back up your old iPad using Settings> iCloud> Storage and Backup> Backup Now. That way, your cloud backup will be up to date.)

While iCloud imported my previous settings, I completed the process by tapping my way to Settings to enter more passwords for Home Sharing and iTunes Match, FaceTime, iMessages and email.

The out-of-the-box experience couldn’t be simpler. With Photo Stream and iTunes Match on the iPad, you now have quick access to your most recent 1,000 photos and 25,000 songs. In concert with iCloud, getting up and running is embarrassingly easy.

Though the iPad has come a long way in severing the cord when it comes to transferring content from iTunes to the iPad, many users may still want to sync their content using the USB cable. If so, plug in your iPad and use iTunes to select exactly what you want to transfer over. You can also choose to wirelessly sync content after the initial setup; just select the “Sync over WiFi” option in the main iTunes info tab.

A better camera

The new iPad gets a needed upgrade to the rear-facing camera system and the software that powers it. (The front-facing camera — largely designed for FaceTime calls — retains its mediocre VGA quality.)

The new 5-megapixel camera includes an f/2.4 aperture, a five-element lens system and an infrared filter; the results are photos that make the iPad 2 blush. There’s still no built-in flash, but noise in low-light situations is noticeably reduced and the rear camera now yields images similar to the iPhone 4. That’s not surprising, since the iPad now uses the same image sensor.

The video camera resolution has been raised to 1080p, and the built-in stabilization helps a lot when shooting high-definition video. Even better, the Camera app has been optimized a bit more for the iPad. The record button has been moved to the right on the lock screen, making it easier to initiate recording and photo-taking; the button is now located where your right thumb naturally falls when holding the tablet. If you prefer a manual trigger, you can use the iPad’s volume-up button instead.

What has not improved, however, is the inherent awkwardness of shooting videos and photos on a device with the iPad’s form factor. While the software tweaks go a long way to improving the results, you certainly won’t be choosing the iPad over an iPhone or dedicated camera for photos. Given the maxim that the most important camera is the one you have with you, at least you know that if you need a quick shot, the new iPad can deliver.

Connectivity: Welcome 4G/LTE

All new iPads support Wi-Fi (802.11a/b/g/n) access and, for the first time, Bluetooth 4.0, which is important because of its high energy efficiency.

The connectivity focus has been on the arrival of 4G/LTE, which delivers fast wireless transfers over cellular networks. 4G is at the opposite end of the efficiency scale from Bluetooth 4.0, however, and is one of the reasons the new iPad has a bigger battery.

But 4G isn’t free. For $129 more, the iPad WiFi + 4G models offer support for Verizon or AT&T’s LTE networks in the U.S. When connected to an LTE network — Verizon and AT&T are still rolling them out across the country — data throughput increases dramatically, literally quadrupling download and upload speeds. LTE has a theoretical peak of 100Mbps, although, of course, speeds will vary by location.

LTE is not available in most areas, so you should check to see if you have 4G in your area before deciding which iPad to get. If 4G isn’t available, the iPad reverts to the more common 3G network. In some areas, like where I live just outside of downtown Orlando, true 4G access isn’t available; instead, we get something of a hybrid — HSPA+. It’s faster than 3G, and AT&T calls it “4G.” But it’s nowhere near as fast as LTE.

Not sure whether to go with AT&T or Verizon? At the moment, Verizon’s LTE network reach far exceeds AT&T’s, though AT&T is rushing to catch up.

It’s also worth noting that Verizon allows the iPad to be used as a personal hotspot at no extra charge with a data plan; AT&T does not. But there’s a tradeoff: Verizon iPads are not as well-supported internationally, so if you travel abroad often, you should probably consider the AT&T version.

Two other points to note: While all models feature a digital compass, only the Wi-Fi + 4G iPads have an assisted GPS. (The Wi-Fi-only models rely on wireless networks to triangulate their location, which isn’t as precise as having a GPS.) And while Apple did not build Siri, its voice-activated personal assistant, into the new iPad, it added a dictation function: You talk to the iPad as if you were talking to Siri, and your words generate text for emails, iMessages, and so forth. It works quite well.

Conclusions

Before pronouncing judgment on the new iPad, I should explain my experience with the two previous models: They have both been the most reliable computers I’ve owned. In two years, I haven’t run into any issues that a reboot didn’t immediately remedy, and even saying that unnecessarily blemishes the iPad’s reliability.

To be frank: I believe that the iPad is exactly what the late Apple CEO Steve Jobs wanted all those years ago when he “borrowed” Jef Raskin’s vision for the Macintosh. Chris Espinosa — head of publications for the Mac team at the time — described an Apple computer like this: “When you show a Mac to an absolute novice, he assumes that’s the way all computers work. That’s our highest achievement. We’ve made almost every computer that’s ever been made look completely absurd.”

With the third-generation iPad, the crew at Apple has again crafted something beautiful, functional, reliable and intuitive — what I consider the Holy Grail of computing. The new hardware is dramatically improved, but what’s really grand is being able to use the apps I already love on the best display I’ve ever seen. The biggest drawback of the Retina display is that I’m now painfully aware of how lacking my MacBook Pro is.

The iPad’s success isn’t just about sleek hardware. When the computer in front of you is nothing more than a display in your hand, the overall experience hinges on software. The iPad effectively becomes whatever app you’re running. That’s why the number and sophistication of the apps available for it clearly make the iPad the winner, bar none, of the tablet wars. Nothing personal against Android or Windows tablets, but the software and ecosystems just aren’t as mature. And with its Retina display technology, Apple puts even more distance between itself and would-be rivals.

If you have the first-generation iPad and want to upgrade to the new one, my advice is simple: Go for it. If you already have an iPad 2, the answer is a little less clear: Are the new features worth the cost of upgrading to you? Do you mind the extra weight? For me, the new iPad is a better version of something I already use every day; upgrading was a no-brainer on the strength of the Retina display alone. Everything else — the improved cameras, LTE, 1080p support for videos — is just bonus.

If you’re intrigued by tablets but haven’t yet made a purchase, the iPad is still your best bet, with the most third-party peripheral support, by far. With its rich and diverse ecosystem of apps, media and accessories — all tied together with other Apple hardware through iCloud — you can’t go wrong.

After the loss of Steve Jobs in October, there was concern that Apple would lose its way. With the arrival of the latest iPad, the current Apple team has continued Jobs’ legacy of creating intuitive machines that people rightfully line up for. Of course, Jobs no doubt had a big hand in making this iPad what it is. We’ll know more about how Apple advances his legacy with the next iPad.

In the meantime, the new iPad remains the epitome of what a tablet computer should be.

Apple’s new iPad features a Retina display, LTE connectivity, and more — but is it advanced enough to stay ahead of rivals?

Source:http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/418942/new_ipad_epitome_what_tablet_should/?fp=4&fpid=18

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New iPad Available for Rent from Vernon Computer Source

March 20th, 2012
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IT and audio visual rental group Vernon Computer Source has announced that the new iPad from Apple, bringing the company’s leading tablet technology to the next level with enhanced cameras, an A5X quad-core graphics chip, high resolution retina display and faster browsing speed with 4G LTE connectivity will now be made available for rent as of March 19, 2012.

Businesses seeking iPad rental services from Vernon Computer Source often require various customizations, which the company supplies through a variety of additions including kiosk stands and security lock cases for trade shows as well as VGA adapters to connect with larger displays, compatible air printers, Bluetooth keyboards, stylus options, speakers and iPad “squares” for credit card processing. Vernon also pre-loads customized applications onto the tablets, in addition to those designed with professionals in mind, like iWork.

iWork, the app allowing users to create slideshow presentations, reports and compose on a word processor, also received an upgrade to accompany the new iPad.

Another software option includes ARS (audience response software) for event organizers seeking real-time audience interaction during a presentation.

Vernon also specifies that models with 4G LTE activation are included with this offering. The rental organization continues to recommend the tablet to professional users as it still very much holds the conveniences of portability with this latest round of enhancements. The new iPad still maintains a 10 hour battery life for Wi-Fi, and a nine hour battery life for 4G.

Vernon Computer Source General Manager Anthony Randazzo said, “We are very excited to be the first computer rental company to stock the new iPad with 4G for our customers’ trade shows and other events. We constantly strive to provide the newest, fastest hardware at a competitive rental rate to ensure the success of companies who trust us with their short-term IT and audio visual needs.”

Source:http://www.virtual-strategy.com/2012/03/19/new-ipad-available-rent-vernon-computer-source

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