iPad Tip of the Day: Swipe to See InBox in Mail

I spotted this tip on MacWorld.com today and it's a nice little timesaver.

When you're using Mail on the iPad in portrait mode, you can see the body of the message, but you can't see the list of messages. You CAN see both the list and and actual message in landscape mode.

How can you quickly get to that list after you've read the current message?

You can always press the "File" button in upper left corner to bring it up, but there's a faster way. Just swipe one finger from the left side of the screen to the right and, what do you know, the list of messages appears! It's just a little bit easier than pressing a small button so that it makes it all worthwhile!

To dismiss the list, just tap anywhere in the message on the right and the list will slide off the screen.

A simple tip, but one I'll start using all of the time.

SpotOn iPhone App Brings Pandora-Like Radio to Spotify

If you don't use Spotify, and you love music, then stop reading right now and get it. For $10/month Spotify gives you on demand access to around 15 million music tracks. You can listen to the music on your Mac or PC, and on your mobile phone or iPad. There are several services which offer this experience, MOG, Rdio, Rhapsody and Napster, for example, but Spotify is the one with the most "buzz" and is emerging as the winner.

While Spotify is great when you have an idea what you want to listen to, it's still a bit weak for discovering new music. Fortunately, Spotify has opened up their system to 3rd party programs, and the first major one has emerged. It's called SpotOn, and it essentially takes the vast library of Spotify and gives you a Pandora-like radio experience. You just type in the name of the band you like, just like Pandora, and SpotOn will create a radio station from Spotify's music.

The SpotON Radio app requires a $9.99 Spotify premium membership for mobile access. Users of iCloud can sync their playlists and stations between devices. And best of all, the app is free!

Get Spotify, then get SpotOn. It's currently only available for the iPhone, but will also work on the iPad.

Oh Where Have You Been, My Blue-Eyed Son?

OK, I do have blue eyes. And I've been ... busy ... with a changing work environment, to put it vaguely. But after a week of dealing with the five stages of grief: overeating, under-eating, obsessive listening to one hit wonders, talking to the dog about the meaning of milkbones, and shopping for new shoelaces, I am back! And we're ready to report the news to our faithful readers.

The good news is that you didn't really miss anything in the last week which was important enough to interrupt the grieving process. 

Sure, Apple had a record quarter, about 100 new Android tablets were introduced, along with around 20 new phones, Blackberry lost their CEOs, the usual tech news. But, nothing too exciting happened.

So stay tuned. We're back and ready to keep you up to date.

Oh, and anyone who may need a tech type like me to work for them ...

Rumor of the Day: iPad 3 Announcement Next Month?

Most blogs are covering a rumor from Japanese blog Macotakara claims which Apple that will announce the iPad 3 early next month along with iOS 5.1, the latest version of the operating system.

Other rumors call for the iPad 3 to have a 4X resolution screen, better battery life, 4G LTE, better front and rear cameras and a faster quad core processor.

The rumor mill is filling up, which usually indicates that something is about to break. Whether the details are on the mark, it's clear that the iPad 3 isn't very far off.

Rant: Say Goodbye to Your Unlimited Data Plan - I Had To!

A funny thing happened to me on Saturday. I received a text from AT&T, my iPhone's data provider. It warned me that I was in the top 5% of data users, and that my data speed may be adjusted until the end of the current billing cycle.

This isn't the first text I've received from them on this topic. I have received two previous texts, warning me that I am in the top 5% and that I should use wi-fi more. On both occasions, I called them and asked what I can do about this. They said that I was only using a little over 2GB and that was "pretty low compared to the heavy users" and not to worry about it. I asked them how I could reduce my 3G data usage, and they told me that they had no way of knowing which apps were pulling the most data, so I was essentially on my own to discover the solution.

I thought I had, reducing my data usage from 3GB+ to around 2GB.

Apparently not.

When I received this latest text with its different wording, I wondered. So I went outside, turned off the wifi and did a speed test. Instead of the usual 1-5 MB download speed I get from AT&T, I was seeing a consistant speed of 10KB/sec!. That's KB. That's 2G speed, slower than the old dial up modems! So they did what they threatened to do.

I checked my usage for the month ... 2.1GB! Hardly a massive amount considering I pay $30/month for "unlimited" data and their newer plan, 2GB/month is $25. I exceeded the cheaper plan by 100MB, and that put me in the top 5%? And even so ... so what? Don't I have an unlimited plan which costs $5 more? Isn't unlimited ... unlimited?

Sorta. My plan, I was told was still unlimited. It was just I could only get to it via 2G after I exceed 2GB of usage a month. This was the new policy I was told ... exceed 2G/month and you are dropped from 3G and live on the old 2G system until the next billing cycle. And yes, it's in the fine print of your agreement.

I couldn't believe it! Wanting to lash out, I was also having a problem, because the supervisor I was speaking with was a very nice person who essentially agreed with me as much as he could under the constraints of his job. This nice guy was giving me the bad news and we both hated it.

I was told that this was a new policy and even if they could reinstate me back to 3G speeds, which he couldn't, it'll all happen again next billing cycle if I go beyond 2GB on my unlimited plan.

Was he telling the truth? I don't know. Will this still be true once the public finds out about it? Maybe, maybe not.

All I know I had 2G speeds which were useless. Even Google Maps wouldn't load.

So we worked together on a solution. It's clear that AT&T is trying to pressure those legacy unlimited 3G users into one of the newer metered data plans, and this is their latest way to do it. Horrible decision which won't bode well ... except that Verizon is also doing it, so maybe it's the new way. Is it legal? Is it really in the contract? Who knows.

What were the options? Drop AT&T and go to Verizon. But they don't offer unlimited data plans and their 3G network is slower, so nothing is gained there except the satisfaction of sticking it to AT&T, along with paying a massive penalty for breaking my contract.

OK, drop AT&T and go to Sprint. They DO offer true unlimited data plans, but their 3G network is so slow that it's an industry joke.

Option 3, give in to AT&T and go to a metered plan, but somehow make it work out.

Stepping back for a moment, this blog entry isn't so much to blast steam (OK, maybe it is) but to offer you a solution in case this happens to you. Here's what we came up with.

I have an iPad which is also on the unlimited 3G plan which costs $30/month. Between the iPhone and iPad it costs $60/month to be connected, all with unlimited data. But now that unlimited means 2GB/month, it's time to do some math.

If you switch the iPhone to the 2GB plan, you save $5/month. They charge you $10 for each GB you use over that amount. So I would pay $35 for the essentially the service I was paying $30 for previously.

Not good.

OK, let's try again. For $45/month you get 4GB of data but you also get the ability to create a wifi or bluetooth hotspot. This means that your iPhone can generate a wifi signal which can get other devices, like your laptop, or yes, your iPad onto the internet.

This means that for $45 for 4GB, you could power both the iPad and the iPhone via 3G. If you go over, you will pay $10, so for $55 you get 5GB between the devices, which is a lot of data. This is $5 cheaper than what I am paying now, so it begins to look like a winning solution!Take the plan, drop the month to month iPad plan and save $5/month, plus I can power a laptop on 3G if I ever need to, also.

But it got better, and if this happens to you, try it out.

I told that AT&T supervisor that the 4GB plan might work, but that it will cost me $15 more a month to have it. "Would you like a $15 credit for the next six months," he asked.

That clinched it. Now I am paying $30/month for 4GB of data, more than I have ever used with the ability to cancel the iPad account and use tethering to have the iPhone power the iPad when I need 3G on the iPad. This was very winning. It saves $30/month if I don't exceed 4GB between the two devices, which isn't likely since I use the iPad mostly at home in wifi.

I was nearly sold. But I had a feeling he was try to tell me something between the words.

I asked, "why six months?" He said, with knowledge, "well, you know what happens this summer."

Of course! The iPhone 5 comes out with 4G LTE and almost assuredly a brand new data plan we'll all have to go to use to use 4G. In other words, he was offering me a way out of the 2G barrier with no additional cost, knowing I will almost certainly purchase an iPhone 5 and want one of the new 4G plans and would have to surrender my unlimited plan at that point, anyway.

Maybe he really was on my side.

So if this happens to you, work with them, try to boost your plan to the 4GB plan and get the credit like I did.

In review, their new policy is horrible and will likely get very bad press once it emerges widespread. But it is possible to make it a positive.

And if the press is so negative that they reverse the policy, it won't be hard to get them to reinstate the unlimited plan. According to various forums, they definitely have the power to reinstate the unlimited plan if you pressure them.

Now, back to the news ...

Update on Tuesday, January 17, 2012 at 11:28AM by Bob Penn

Here's a video demonstrating what throttling looks like:

Update on Tuesday, January 17, 2012 at 11:30AM by Bob Penn

OSXDaily.com is also covering the story.

Bloomberg: iPad 3 Due in March with 4G + Quad Core Processor

There are many, many rumors out there regarding the iPad 3. You take them for what they are, guesses. But when Bloomberg passes along a rumor, everyone listens, because they're generally right on the mark.

Today, they released information from the usual unidentified source which claims that the iPad 3 will come out in early March. It will contain the high resolution retina display screen, the same type used on the iPhone 4 and 4S, as most rumors have indicated.

But, they also claim that it will contain a quad core processor, which would make it incredibly fast. The iPad 2 has a dual core processor, so quad core would certainly result in a noticible increase in speed and allow for more powerful applications to run on the tablet.

Finally, to top of the tease, they say that it will definitely support 4G LTE from day one. LTE is the "real" 4G supported by all the major carriers. Currently LTE is widely available with Verizon, and is available in several major markets on AT&T, including Los Angeles and New York. A 4G iPad 3 is big news, making the the unit a very competitive product going head to head with the Android tablets which were just announced at the Consumer Electronic Show this week.

They claim that full blown production of the iPad 3 has already begun. We will keep a close eye on the developments and report significant movement as it happens.

Amazon Makes it Easy to Send Files to Your Kindle

Amazon today released a new plug in for Windows PCs to allow you to easily send your documents to your Kindle.

After loading the program, a new item will appear when you right button click on your mouse, allowing you to send the file to your Kindle.

It also provides a "print to Kindle" option if you prefer to simple click the print button. It also allows you to save documents to download at a later date and synchronize your bookmarks, notes and highlights across all documents

A Mac version is coming very soon.

Here is the link to download the Send to Kindle app.

Where Are They Now: The Tablets of 2011

The CES show in early 2011 demonstrated a slew of iPad like tablets. They've generally vanished off the face of the earth. The Atlantic magazine released an article tracking the rise, and quick fall of these offerings. Click here to read it.

CES iPad "Killer" Roundup: Ship May Have Already Sailed

The Consumer Electronics Show is this week, and iPad killing devices are everywhere to be seen. Sound familiar?

Last year dozens of iPad killing tablets were shown at CES, a few actually came to market, and every one of them is now either discontinued or in the bargain bin. The only tablet which has made a dent in the market is the Amazon Fire, which wasn't even shown at CES and is arguably not an iPad competitor.

So will this year's batch of iPad killers do the job and take down Apple? Here's an excerpt from an article which just came out from PadGadget.com which takes a critical look at the new tablets being introduced at CES:

Lenovo IdeaTab S2 – Lenovo makes a nice tablet and this new IdeaTab is really close to a homerun with the optional dock that really hits it home as a laptop-replacement. The problem is that the lack of a quad-core processor puts this one in the proverbial stone-ages even before it rests in our laps.

Toshiba Excite X10 – Sure it’s thin. Sure it’s light. I say big deal. If you’re willing to tote around a tablet with a 10″ display then being an ounce or two lighter than the next guy seems pretty insignificant. Overall the specifications on this device are overwhelmingly average but the price-tag rivals that of the iPad.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 – Launching another 7″ tablet may be the smartest thing Samsung has done in a while. I personally think it shows that they recognize their true competition is found in devices like Amazon’s Kindle Fire and not in the iPad.

Acer Iconia Tab A700 – The high quality screen on this device may deserve a few kudos but unfortunately Acer’s new tablet is completely unremarkable otherwise.

Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime – With a screen that is dressed-to-impress, the Transformer Prime may have been best situated to give the iPad a good dose of competition. Problem is, the costs are high and delivery is loosely scheduled for the second quarter of this year so chances are good you will have forgotten about it by the time it ships.

 

Asus Eee Pad MeMo Me370T – This tablet looks interesting with a 7″ screen and a price-point that comes in much closer to that of Amazon’s Kindle Fire which has me advising Amazon to keep a close eye on this one. No matter how lovely, I find it hard to believe a smaller-format Android tablet is much of a competitor for the iPad.

Fujitsu Arrows – Okay, electronics that are waterproof without using a third-party case are actually kind of cool. Too bad Fujitsu spent all of their R&D money on this novelty feature.

Looks like Apple has nothing to worry about from this group. Too bad, really, because some competitive pressure never hurts the market.

Update on Friday, January 13, 2012 at 8:56AM by Bob Penn

CultofMac.com also has a well researched article on the Ultrabook (read: MacBook Air ripoff) CES offerings, too.

Did You Know That Your iPhone and iPad Have a Built In Dictionary?

I didn't until I read this article from Mactrast.com. But it's true.

To get the definition of any word, just hold your finger over to word to highlight it. A menu will pop up, and one of those choices will say "define." Tap on it, and a dictionary will pop up with a full definition:

And you thought your $500/month subscription for this blog may not have been worth it! Stay tuned for more lively tips and taps.