Apple announce new iPad with Retina display and 4G LTE
As expected Apple have today announced a refreshed version on the iPad calling it the iPad 3.
Display
The new device features a new retina display with improved colour saturation. The device is powered by Apple’s new A5X processor and a quad core graphics processor.
Camera
The new iPad features the same camera found in the iPhone 4S.
Video
Apple have worked to improve video capture on the iPad and have some new stabilisation technology to make your videos actually usable.
Voice Dictation
Powered by Siri you can use your voice for text entry.
4G LTE
In addition to supporting 3G around the world the new iPad will offer download speeds of up to 72mbs in North America using the 4G LTE networks.
The device boasts a battery life of 10 hours, 9 if using the 4G network and will sell for the same prices as the current lineup. Apple will ship the iPad 3 on March 16th and will begin taking pre-orders today.
Apple announce new Apple TV
Apple have announced a small update to the Apple TV today. The device has an improved user interface, works better with iCloud and 1080p playback. All for $99. Ships next week and you can order today.
Apple iPad event – Pre-show predictions
Good morning all, we’re just a few minutes away from getting started with our coverage from the Yerba Buena center this morning. Before we do however, let’s take a moment to reflect on some of the rumours.
Here is what has been doing the rounds:
iPad
- Will be called iPad3 or iPadHD
- Will have a retina display doubling the current resolution.
- Will support 4G/LTE in some markets
- Might forge the home button in favour of a haptic button
- Might be smaller
- Might have new cases
- Might ship by March 16th (I’d say sooner, today or March 13th)
- Probably retail at the same price points
- Probably still assembled by Foxconn
Apple TV
- New Apple TV might launch today
iPhone
- New iPhone might get an early launch today (unlikely)
Software
- iOS 5.1 available today
- Update to iTunes within the week
- Maybe a major update to iTunes too
Apple Store is Down
The Apple Store is down. No other online store in the world needs to take their website down to update a few pages and something tells me that, technically, neither does Apple. It all adds to the drama.
Live blog: March 7th Apple iPad event
Join me here tomorrow when I will be live-blogging the Apple keynote event. It is widely rumoured that this event will see the launch of the next generation iPad by the name of iPad 3 or iPad HD. Also floating around the rumour circuit is an updated or entirely new replacement for the Apple TV.
As always I will be tweeting on the AppleLive Twitter account.
When to check back?
The Apple keynote is timed for 10am Pacific Time on Wednesday March 7th 2012.
East Coast: 1 pm
United Kingdom: 6 pm
Western Europe: 7pm
Live Blog
How to show ‘hidden’ files in Mac OS Lion
Today I needed to change a configuration file for a game I wanted to play on my new Mac OS Lion install.
Doing so is really simple:
-
Open up Terminal
-
Paste in defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles -bool true and press return
You’ll need to restart finder before the changes come into effect:
-
Open terminal
-
Paste in killall Finder and press return
Finder will then restart and you’ll see all the hidden files on your system.
To stop showing the hidden files and folders repete the steps above using the command defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles -bool false.
Doors Closing ringtone from the Montreal Metro (Free Download)
Dou-dou-dou!
In October 2011 I moved to Montreal, Canada and within days I had fallen in love with STM*. That’s right, the Société de transport de Montréal! A few months later the STM introduced an audio signal to announce the closing of metro train doors – a feature standard on many subway systems but something new to the Montreal Metro system.
When I first heard the new signal (a reproduction of the sound made by MR-73 train’s power converter as the train leaves the station) last week I decided that it would make a great SMS ringtone for my iPhone.
As they say in Montreal**, il fait beau dans l’métro!
Instillation
The downloads are formatted into MP3 and iPhone compatible file-types – just download the version appropriate to your device and install according to your handset manufactures instructions. The iPhone version is compatible with iPhone, iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S handsets.
If you are using an iPhone all you need to do is download the iPhone version of the ringtone and drag the downloaded file into iTunes. With that done just sync the iPhone and you should be good to go.
Doors Closing Signal from the Montreal Metro (iPhone and MP3)
STM Metro Ringtone - Free Download (iPhone) (204.5 KiB, 246 hits)
STM Metro Ringtone - Free Download (MP3) (68.1 KiB, 543 hits)
To save, right-click (ctrl-click on the mac) the link(s) above and ‘Save File As’ or ‘Save Link As’ or ‘Download Linked File’ etc.
Comment and Share
I hope you enjoy the Doors Closing ringtone from the Montreal Metro as much as I have enjoyed making it for you. Please leave a comment below to tell me how you get on.
* Please don’t tell my girlfriend, I doubt she’d be impressed.
** I’ve not actually heard anyone say this. Most people comment on the temperature!
iPhone is tracking my movements?
Looks like it! The above picture shows various data points extracted from an unencrypted, but hidden, file on the iPhone called ‘consolidated.db‘. More…
Goodbye Section Key; Hello Hash Key
I have been a Mac computer user now for some five years I’ve got to say the experience has been fantastic bar one little yet highly annoying shortcoming: lack of a labeled hash key on the standard British keyboard layout. You see, here in the UK we use a currency called the Great British Pound and thus need a key for the pound sign (£). Now the simplest solution might have been to replace the Dollar ($) key for that of a pound key but that’s not what Apple decided was best. Instead, us Mac users lose the hash (#) key as to enjoy both the Pound and Dollar keys. More…
Looking for a WordPress plugin
I’m looking to add ‘content review’ type functionality into WordPress. In in idea would it would work like this:
When authoring a post/page:
The plugin would prompt, by means of a form field, for a content review date. This date will be the date that the content needs to be reviewed for accuracy/relevance. For example 6 Months, 1 year or 5 years after publication.
On the public facing website:
The post meta data would include the review date.
On the content review date for a specific post:
The plugin would send an email to the content/post/page owner prompting them to log into the website, review the content and set a new review date.
Does anyone know of such a plugin that has the above of similar functionality? I’m working on a proposal for a small organization and such functionality would be the cherry on the cake.
If no plugin exists, how difficult would it be to write such a plugin?