Jordan Kahn

• iOS
• iPad mini
• iPad Air
• Samsung
• Retina

iPad Air conquers all in tablet battery test with 11-13 hour showing

Jordan Kahn Feb 12 2014 - 6:51 am PT

9 Comments

Apple boasted about maintaining its 10-hour iPad battery-life in the new iPad Air despite an overall thinner and faster design, but how does it compare to other tablets? Most reviews had good things to say about battery life (many even experiencing more than 10 hours), but it’s interesting to see how the device stacks up against the rest of the tablet market. While battery life largely depends on how you’re using your iPad, an extensive test from Which? shows that iPad Air comes out on top in just about any case and significantly beats out much of the competition.
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• Apps & Updates
• Apps
• iPhone
• Reviews
• App Store
• update

Rdio iOS app gets playlist editing, user & critic reviews, more

Jordan Kahn Feb 11 2014 - 1:04 pm PT

2 Comments

Rdio, the popular subscription music service, is rolling out an update today to its iPhone and iPad app that brings a couple of welcomed new features including playlist editing for iPhone and iPod touch and reviews. As for the new playlist editing features, Rdio explained in its blog post:

Now, you can update your playlists from your iPhone or iPod touch — in addition to creating playlists and adding new tracks, you can now remove and rearrange tracks until you’ve made the best playlist ever (or it’s dethroned by your next playlist, of course). You can also customize the playlist artwork, change its visibility and collaboration settings, and more.

The new Rdio app also includes reviews for albums and playlists from both users and critics. Not only will you now be able to write your own album and playlist reviews from within the app, you’ll also be able to browse reviews from critics in addition to reviews written by other users.

Rdio notes in its blog post that it has “also made tweaks to the app’s design, user interface, and overall performance.”

The updated Rdio app for iPhone and iPad is available on the App Store for free.

• iOS Devices
• iPhone 6
• Display
• comparison
• Resolution

Chart shows how much of your iPhone is actually display

Jordan Kahn Feb 11 2014 - 11:28 am PT

18 Comments

Have you ever wondered how much of your phone is actually screen? That is, how much of your phone is usable screen real estate in relation to the overall size the device? The chart above from @somospostpc shows you exactly that for some of the most popular devices from LG, Samsung, HTC, Nokia, Motorola and Apple. The LG G2 comes out on top at 75.7% display compared to 60% and below for the current lineup of iPhones.

Apple is at a disadvantage because of the home button/Touch ID  rather than the on screen buttons of Android. Also, the iPhone is symmetric meaning the same big bezel on the bottom is needed at the top so that the screen sits in the exact middle of the phone.

If the rumors are true, we could start to see manufacturers try to increase screen real estate by eliminating even more of the bezel. In Apple’s case, that would likely require eliminating the home button and moving the TouchID sensor under the glass.

• AAPL Company
• iPhone 6
• Tech Industry
• iWatch
• Display

Double debunk: bezel-free iPhones, sapphire iWatch only?

Jordan Kahn Feb 11 2014 - 10:24 am PT

7 Comments

Two Apple rumors have popped up today originating from the KoreaHerald and Chinese media outlet MyDrivers (via Gforgames) that claim to share new details about upcoming next-generation iPhones. The first report from MyDrivers claims that industry sources from Taiwan say Apple won’t move to sapphire for the next-gen iPhone display. It cites cost and limited production capacity, but claims Apple is prototyping an “iPhone 6” with sapphire display anyway. The biggest problem with this report— apart from the site’s track record— is that Apple recently acquired enough equipment for its new Arizona sapphire plant to produce 100-200 million 5-inch iPhone displays a year. While the report adds that Apple will likely use sapphire for the rumored iWatch display, it’s certainly preparing its Arizona plant to produce much beyond just that product.

Next we have the KoreaHerald report claiming that both Samsung and Apple are working on bezel-less displays and that Apple is prototyping one that includes a fingerprint sensor:
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• AAPL Company
• Apple News
• Mac Pro
• business
• discount

As it struggles to keep up with demand, Apple offering discount on Mac Pro lease program to big buyers

Jordan Kahn Feb 11 2014 - 7:00 am PT

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While shipping times for the new Mac Pro through Apple’s online stores continue to slip and scalpers are doubling prices on Ebay, we’ve learned that Apple is offering a special discount on large orders of the Mac Pro for business customers.

Apple is reaching out to select companies with an offer of up to 20% off leases for the new Mac Pro through Apple Financial Services. The deal is only available to business customers in the U.S. on orders of $25,000 or more on a 24 month lease and it appears Apple is only sending out the notice (above) to certain partners. Depending on configurations that would of course require a handful of new Mac Pros or more, but the discount represents big savings for businesses and hosting services like MacProColo.net that require that many Mac Pros.

What’s not clear is if orders would ship before the estimated April delivery quoted for regular customers on Apple’s site…

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• Apps & Updates
• Apps
• Google
• Google Glass
• admin
• domains

Manage Google Apps domains on your iPhone or iPad with new Google Admin app

Jordan Kahn Feb 10 2014 - 10:12 am PT

1 Comment

First launched for Android back in May, Google today started rolling out the Google Admin app for iOS to let Google Apps & enterprise Chromebook customers manage accounts. That includes the ability to “Add users, reset passwords, manage groups, contact support, view domain setting changes” and more:

It provides the following features:
* User Management Features – Add/Edit user, Suspend user, Restore user, Delete user, Reset password
* Group Management Features – Add/Edit Group, Add members, Email all members, Delete group, View group members
* Audit Logs – Review Audit logs, Filter logs by admin, date ranges and event types

Google hasn’t made an official announcement, but the app is already rolling out to App Stores around the world for iPhone and iPad. Screenshots of the iPad app below:

• Apps & Updates
• Apps
• App Store
• Design
• Shazam
• new features

Shazam iPhone app redesign incoming w/ new features

Jordan Kahn Feb 10 2014 - 8:07 am PT

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Update Feb. 25: The redesign we told you was incoming today started rolling out to iOS users globally. The updated app is available on the App Store now and the company notes that other new features are coming soon, including:

·  Quick access to lyrics with a preview as soon as a track is matched, and with direct access to the music video and additional videos related to a song;

·  Recommendations unique to Shazam;

·  Lightning fast access to the most important information about any show broadcast on over 160 TV channels in the US: music in the show, cast and crew, and more;

·  More engaging biographies and discographies, making it easy to go from discovering a great track to learning about and experiencing more from the band.

Shazam, the audio recognition app that lets users find currently playing songs and more, today announced that a redesign of its iPhone app is rolling out ahead of a larger change to the experience coming later this month. Today’s update replaces much of the light, baby blue color theme Shazam has long used and also introduces new features for accessing content and getting recommendations:

Over the coming weeks, Shazam’s more than 150 million iPhone users will see a new tag result experience as it is rolled out, with Android users getting it shortly thereafter.  The new experience means Shazaming becomes the beginning of a journey, giving users effortless access to:

· A brand new look and feel for music and television results with easy access to previewing, buying, and sharing a track;

· Quick access to lyrics with a preview as soon as a track is matched;

· Direct access to the music video and additional videos related to a song; and,

· Recommendations unique to Shazam

The updated Shazam iPhone app will be available through both the Free and Encore versions.

• Apps & Updates
• Apps
• App Store
• update
• download
• improvements

Infuse 2.2 for iOS incoming with new features & performance improvements

Jordan Kahn Feb 7 2014 - 5:56 am PT

1 Comment

We were quite impressed with the redesigned Infuse media player from developers FireCore when it first launched version 2 last month. The app, which supports 14 video formats and 1080p playback, is today getting an update to version 2.2 with a few notable new features and performance enhancements.

The update includes some features highly requested by users including the ability to download files form network shares for offline playback,  as well as new “rich cover art and video info” when browsing network shares. Other new features include a new list view option, a volume boost setting, and an option to disable metadata fetching.

A full list of improvements in today’s update below:

• Download files from network shares (for offline playback)
• Browse network shares with rich cover art and video info
• List view option
• Volume boost setting
• Option to disable metadata fetching (good for home videos)
• Improved streaming speed and reliability
• Improved detection of network devices
• Improved clarity of In-App purchase prompts
• Improved playback of some video formats
• Other performance and stability improvements

The Infuse 2.2 update should be hitting the App Store any minute.

• Apps
• iOS Devices
• iPhone
• Apple News
• iPhone 5

Incipio’s NFC-enabled iPhone case for ISIS payments now available to Verizon customers

Jordan Kahn Feb 6 2014 - 10:46 am PT

1 Comment

First launched by AT&T at the end of last month, Verizon announced today that it too will be selling Incipio’s Cashwrap iPhone case that builds in an NFC chip for using the ISIS mobile wallet service. The Google Wallet competitor was previously only available to Android users and is backed by a number of major mobile carriers and credit card companies. It’s supported at around 200k contactless payment locations in the US so far and, like Google’s Wallet app, also supports loyalty reward programs. To go with the case, the ISIS Mobile Wallet for Verizon app is also now available on the App Store.

To celebrate the national launch of the new Isis Mobile Wallet, Verizon Wireless customers will receive $10 when they download Isis Mobile Wallet and activate a new American Express Serve Account, as well as an additional $10 after their first tap-to-pay transaction at a Verizon Wireless location.

The Incipio Cashwrap ($69) is available now through Verizon for iPhone 4, 4S, 5, and 5s in Black and requires the ISIS mobile app for Verizon from the App Store. It’s also available in several other colors for the same price through AT&T.

• Apps & Updates
• Apps
• Made for iPhone (MFi)
• App Store
• support
• controller

Phonejoy app provides complete list of App Store games compatible w/ MFi controllers

Jordan Kahn Feb 5 2014 - 8:52 pm PT

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One of the complaints about Apple’s new MFi game controllers has been the lack of an App Store section that lists games updated with support. Some of the manufacturers are maintaining lists of their own online, but it would be nice to be able to browse the App Store and easily find games that work with the controllers. That’s why I’m pleased about a new app called Phonejoy that offers a slick UI to browse around 100 iOS 7 games and counting that are compatible with the MFi game controllers. It’s also listing games that support the popular iCade controllers and other gamepads released before Apple’s new MFi program.

Over the last month we’ve seen the first few Apple authorized game controllers released by manufacturers through Apple’s new MFi program hitting the market. While the program’s aim to implement a standardized controller framework brings a lot of potential for gaming on iOS, we’ve covered in detail how the first few controllers have had a bit of a rough start. On top of lack of support from developers and users not being able to easily find content, consumers also rebelled against the $99 price point leading several manufacturers to drop launch prices as low as $70.

We’ve covered some of the issues with Apple’s new MFi game controller program and also reviewed the first few to hit the market from Logitech, Moga, and SteelSeries.

The Phonejoy app is available on the App Store for free now and the company also has a Kickstarter project for its own controller that it plans to ship in March.