The iPad 2

02Mar11

Over a year ago, I wrote a brief summary on the original iPad, which later launched on April 3, 2010.  Almost a year later, Apple is launching the iPad 2 on March 11th. Some notable features of the new iPad include a slimmer design, a faster processor, and two cameras.

I never did purchase the original iPad, as I always intended on waiting for the second-generation.  I’ll be purchasing the new iPad on launch day from Apple’s online store, so I should get it later this month.

While the new iPad will probably be great for those who never used the original, I probably wouldn’t have upgraded to the iPad 2 if I would have owned the first generation.  However, I’m probably going to get the 16GB model in black, along with a new iPad “Smart Cover” in gray.  I’m also considering buying the Digital AV Adapter to test out the new video mirroring feature.

Both the Wi-Fi and 3G models of the iPad 2 will be available in stores and online starting March 11th for the same prices as the original iPad.  And as of March 2nd, Apple doesn’t seem to be taking pre-orders for the iPad 2, so I”ll probably have to wait a little while longer.

Are you purchasing the iPad 2 or buying a discounted first generation iPad?  Vote below.

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.

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The above photo of the iPad is courtesy of Apple.

Filed under: Apple/Mac, Hardware   |  Leave a Comment
Tags: abyteofozz, app, apple, ibooks, iOS, ipad, iPad 2, iPhone, iPod touch, os, tech, technology, web

Lubuntu 10.04 Review

19Jun10

For the last couple of weeks, I’ve been trying out the new LXDE-based Ubuntu derivative, Lubuntu.  LXDE (which stands for Lightweight X11 Desktop Environment) offers a fast and stable desktop environment without taking up too much hard disk space.  The “lubuntu-desktop” package has been available in the Ubuntu repos since version 8.10, but is now available as a complete ISO image.

Lubuntu uses less hard disk space and RAM then Xubuntu, another lightweight Ubuntu derivative. I tested Lubuntu in a virtual machine with 768 MB of RAM and it booted to the desktop in about 20 seconds.

Google Chrome is included as the default web browser. Pidgin is the default instant messenger.  AbiWord, Gnumeric, and Sylpheed handle the word processing, spreadsheet creating, and email managing tasks.

If you would like to see some screenshots of Lubuntu, please click here.  The ISO image for Lubuntu 10.04 is available here:

http://people.ubuntu.com/~gilir/lubuntu-10.04.iso

And the BitTorrent download for Lubuntu is available here:

http://people.ubuntu.com/~gilir/lubuntu-10.04.iso.torrent

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.

Filed under: Linux   |  Leave a Comment
Tags: 10.04, abyteofozz, beta, browser, chrome, download, free, google, kubuntu, Linux, lubuntu, lubuntu-desktop, LXDE, open source, screenshot, Software, tech, technology, ubuntu, XFCE, xubuntu

iPhone OS 4.0 Feature Summary

14Apr10

Apple previewed iPhone OS 4.0 on April 8th, the next version of their operating software for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. With this latest update, users will be able to:

• Multitask – For the first time ever on iPhone OS devices, you will now be able to switch back and forth between multiple apps, as well as being able to listen to audio from 3rd-party apps in the background. Apple claims that this is done in a way that doesn’t reduce battery life.

• Read iBooks – The iBooks application from the iPad is now coming to the iPhone/iPod touch. All of the books for the iPad version will be available, along with a pocket-size virtual bookshelf.

• Create Folders for Apps – If you’re finding yourself with a cluttered home screen, the ability to organize apps by putting them in folders will probably come in handy. In the future, users will be able to manage folders using iTunes.

• Play Games Online - iPhone OS 4.0 will come with Game Center, which will supply developers with a set of APIs that will allow people to compete against their friends online, or be matched up with a random person to play a game online. Game Center will also be able to track achievements in games and submit scores to a leaderboard.

• Create “iAds” – iAd is Apple’s new advertising system built into iPhone OS 4.0. Developers will be able to create ads using HTML5 that “contain the emotion of TV ads” . iAd will allow developers to implement full-screen video and content such as a built-in mini-game right inside the app. This is supposed to make users actually want to view the ad, because it won’t open Safari and make it difficult to return to where they left off inside the app.

Registered iPhone developers can already download the preview release of iPhone OS 4.0. The final release will be available this summer for the iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS, and the second/third generations of the iPod touch. Multitasking support will only be available for the iPhone 3GS and the third-generation iPod touch. People that own the first generations of the iPhone/iPod touch will be forced to upgrade to a newer unit, or continue using iPhone OS 3.0. The iPad version of iPhone OS 4.0 will be available this fall.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.

Filed under: Apple/Mac, Software   |  1 Comment
Tags: 3G, 3GS, 4, 4.0, app, apple, apps, center, folders, game, game center, iAd, iBook, ibooks, ipad, iPhone, iPod touch, multitasking, os, store