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Category Archives for "Apple iPad"

Skype iPad 2 App out soon?

If you are addicted to Skype like we are you’ll be glad to know that a Skype iPad 2 app seems to be on its way soon. At least that is the impression you’ll get from the promo video released today by Skype. The original Skype released video has since been pulled which may mean someone over at Skype got a pink slip today. But you can check out a ripped version of the video after the break. It looks like the days of blowing up your iPhone using Skype are coming to an end. Skype hasn’t announced a date for the release of their iPad 2 app, but the fact that a video of the Skype app has leaked out on YouTube makes us think the app is expected to be approved for the app store soon. TUAW got on the phone with Skype’s Rick Osterloh about the upcoming iPad 2 app, and Osterloh says that you can expect most of the functionality to carry over from the iPhone app for this new Skype app for the iPad. This makes a lot sense for Skype since the release of iPad 2 with a camera on it, it was likely that we’d see a Skype iPad 2 app eventually. Continue reading

iPad 3 will squash Amazon tablet pc?

It might make sense for Apple to release the iPad 3 ahead of expectations in time for the 2011 holiday season. Research firm CLSA told the WSJ that Apple will unveil its new iPad 3 just in time for the 2011 holiday shopping season.
Now with the news that Amazon is going to jump into the tablet stream and will launch models in August or September makes us think that Apple may also move up it’s plans for an iPad 3 release. This will further crush the competition’s efforts to catch up to Apple’s dominance with the iPad tablet. With rumors of an iPad 3 due out this year may cause some to hold off on Amazon’s tablet offering and wait to see what the iPad 3 will bring.

Remember, that iPad 3 speculation started even before the launch of the new iPad 2 release. The most recent reports suggest that it’s possible early production on the iPad 3 has already begun according to well known supply chain blog Digitimes. Apple may be moving up release dates from every 12 months to every 6 months for the iPad and iPhone. This would be a shift in strategy and may cause some consumers to be a little frustrated with their current purchase. But with competition expanding with Amazon it makes strategic good sense.

Chinese iPad 2 case verdict

The worlds 2nd biggest economy, China, has rendered a verdict and sentenced three people to prison for collaborating to steal intel from a top  Apple iPad 2 supplier a few months in advance of the iPad 2 release. Leaks about Apple products continue to be a problem with world demand so high for the tech giant’s newest offerings. China is the tech manufacturing hub of the world so to see the Chinese government crack down on sharing trade secrets is refreshing and welcome news for westerners. We often think of China as this black market jungle for technology but now China has sent a message with this verdict.

According the the WSJ:

The Shenzhen Bao’an People’s Court, in announcing its decision, said the head of a Chinese electronics-accessories manufacturer allegedly paid a former employee and a then-active employee of Taiwan’s Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. for information about the iPad 2 in order to produce protective cases for the device.

The Chinese court in Shenzen sentenced two Foxconn workers the buyer of the iPad 2 secrets to between 12 and 24 months in prison for violating commercial secrecy. The man paid the Foxconn workers approximately $30,000 for the secret info. This trial was not about iPad 2 counterfeiting but was for an iPad 2 accessory manufacturer. That is kind of revealing that iPad 2 accessories and cases is a huge global business. Pilfering Apple specs for upcoming releases may be slowed with this verdict but the manufacturers know how big the iOS case and accessory business is globally and greed is constant.

iPad 3 with 3-D display


We are not sure about this video from the Display Taiwan show in Taipei since it could be a PR stunt. However, the concept of an iPad 3 having a 3D display is just an irresistible news item. iPad 3 with 3G in 3-D has a nice jingle to it. Don’t you think?
The iPad tablet could deliver an amazing 3D display that I know Apple can design and build better than anyone else. We just have our doubts that Apple will choose to go down this 3-D road for iPad 3.

New iPad app Quickoffice Connect

This new iPad app claims the functionality of MS Office which is a bold undertaking. The new Quickoffice Connect mobile suite for iPad was just released a few days ago and it comes pretty close. We did like some of the features. With the ability to create and edit Word, Excel, and Powerpoint documents, this app will appeal to the hardcore MS office users. However, this app isn’t the first office suite for the iPad tablet.

The Quickoffice iPad app allows you to upload and download files from a variety of services such as: Dropbox, Google Docs, Box.net, MobileMe, and SugarSync cloud. The layout of the document was easy to discern and visually appealing. The left column shows all of your local and cloud storage spots. The middle columns shows all the files and folders. The right column shows any documents inside a folder that is selected. From this screen is where you can create and edit documents, email them, or change your preferences. Continue reading