Chargers and batteries

The second-generation iPad is equipped with a dock-connector port and has the same power requirements found in the original iPad. It may mean if you have a battery pack or charger for the original iPad, it can be compatible with the new model.

But if your battery or charger was not developed for the iPad, then one can face a problem. As a matter of fact, the iPad needs more juice compared to any iPod or iPhone and power accessories created for those devices that do not feature the Made for iPad badge will not be capable to charge the Apple’s tablet. As for iPhone chargers, including some AC, iPhone Power Adaper for Apple and auto chargers, they will charge the tablet slowly.

Just the same happens with external batteries. Most batteries for the iPod and iPhone will charge the battery of iPad when it sleeps. So if you want to charge the battery of iPad quickly, you will need a Made for iPad battery.

Headphones

As the iPad 2 is not bundled with headphones, you will have to take your own. The new tablet comes with a standard headphone jack, which means it is supportive to the same type of headphones as recent iPod touch, iPhone as well as Mac models.

Protection: Cases, bags

As the iPad 2 is redesigned and it has become thinner, form-fitting cases including silicone “skins,” rigid shells as well as folio-style cases created for the iPad 1 will not fit the iPad 2. It is better for users of iPad 2 to look for new cases that are already available in the market. When it comes to existing sleeves as well as zippered sleeves, they fit the new tablet. As for iPad packs and bags created for the original iPad, they also accommodate the second-generation iPad.

Now that the issues surrounding Intel’s Sandy Bridge chipset have been corrected, the floodgates have been opened for the various computer companies to finally release updated products. This includes Dell’s updates to their XPS line of performance laptops. While Dell’s XPS series is about performance, they also offer a fair amount of value for those that might want to also dabble in mobile gaming. Find out more in Christine McKee’s review of Dell’s updated XPS 15 laptop.

• Dell 2011 XPS 15 Laptop Review

kindle 3 from amazon sleek, slim and light weight

When iPad appeared, as I recall many people predict that such a Kindle eBook reader would be jeopardized his position. Well, I luckily to read an article in Business Insider about Kindle. In the article, predicted Amazon (Kindle developers) will sell up to 8 million units of the Kindle by the end of 2010.

Sales figures are quite large due to relatively tight eBook Reader market competition, not to mention Apple iPad tablet computers and other cheap eBook reader that supports the feature.

I’ve met some people who use the Kindle. Some of the reasons that I can recall from them about why they prefer the Kindle than iPad example is as follows:

• Kindle is the digital versions of books that “actually”, compared to non-iPad digital versions of books. So they treat like a book.
• Easy to use
• The view and the experience “does not differ much” as when reading a book or newspaper
• Can be used for a long time before the battery runs out
• Ability to focus on reading, not distracted by other features such as when using the IPAD
• The price is relatively cheap

I use the mark “at some point because I own a little hard to grasp what the purpose of them but what I can recall from them, using the Kindle is almost like when reading usual books / newspapers compare to iPad which is the goal not only focus on the eBook reader.

kindle 3 brings new experience in reading a book!

Well … what do you think readers, especially the users of Kindle ? What makes you prefer a Kindle than iPad and his friends? Please share your comments here!

Color, the result of $41 million dollars of investment and an ‘a-list’ team of entrepreneurs, has been released on the App Store for all your photo-sharing needs

Is it a photography app? Is it social networking? No, it’s Color, newly released app for iPhone and iPod Touch.

Color, which is the result of a massive $41 million dollar investment and a dream-team of entreprenurial muscle, lets you take photos using your iDevice and share them with others in your local area – the range is 150ft.

Once you’ve entered your first name, and only your first name, you are prompted to take a photo and bam, it’s all systems go. Now your photography genius can be seen by all within a certain range, and it can be commented on or given a thumbs-up (but not a thumbs-down) in social networking style.

At this stage the hope is another user has also heard of the app or read this story within your vicinity, because otherwise it will just be your photos populating the screen. If that’s the case, wait patiently, because it’s strangely addictive to see what might pop up.

In fact, a scenario where you manage to secure a date with another Color user is both slightly mad but strangely feasible. A few clever pictures could well brake the ice at your local bar.

Functionality is reasonable, but like with many good ideas its greatness isn’t so easy to discover. You can share photos with groups, which on the surface sounds a little obvious, but it means you can have one labelled ‘Photography course friends’ and another for family.

This feature is emphasised with a image that encourages you to take photos or videos together, which basically means you group-up.

It’s important to note anything you photograph, video, thumbs-up or comment on is public, so be careful what you snap, unless of course your intention is to send explicit photos to a loved one in some sort of voyeuristic manner. In which case, hope a family member isn’t nearby.

If keeping your life private means a lot to you, plastering photos around your local area is not going to float your boat. But for those of you who embrace being e-social, Color will be a strangely satisfying experience that you will find hard not to like, especially as it’s free.

We like that it feels distinctly different in a crowd of apps all vying to be the next Facebook and Twitter, and we like how it’s done so with a touch of style. It’s not quite beaten Word Lens for the sheer cool factor, but it can sleep well knowing it came close.

Color is available now from the App Store for free.

We review the ethereal music-making iPhone app Techno Acid, which creates a virtual mixing desk on your touchscreen that’s impressively simple to master

Techno and acid music obviously isn’t to everyone’s taste, but there’s a certain tribal component to the fast, rhythmic sounds of this electronic genre that makes it surprisingly easy on the ear – even if you wouldn’t necessarily dance to it.

This ethereal techno-chanting is even more alluring when you can take control of the virtual soundscape, which is the purpose behind the artistic Techno Acid app.

Music making and mixing apps aren’t at all uncommon, but creating one that’s accessible to the acoustically challenged is no small task. Techno Acid manages to keep the display impressively uncluttered, and bypasses any form of musician’s jargon or requirement for musical understanding.

The screen is divided up into a grid of three-by-five squares, with four icons along the bottom edge used to lay down your beats (apologies if that sounds like an attempt to be “with it,” in this case it’s actually more of a literal description of the app’s mechanics). Your instruments, if we can call them that, are beats, bass, lead and effects, each with their own icon.

By moving an icon into one of the squares it plays a particular looped sample from that category. The samples have been carefully selected to fit together perfectly, so no matter how heavy-handed or talentless you are, the resulting music is always in harmony. Each instrument therefore features 15 high-quality loop samples, provided by DanceMidiSamples.com, which can be swapped and changed seamlessly by moving the icon around the screen.

Your workflow can be recorded, and not just the sounds. During playback the movements of the icons are displayed exactly as you performed them, adding an unexpected and very stylish visual component to the music-making action. Each composition can be saved and given its own title, and doesn’t seem to create huge files since it’s more of a composition than a direct sound recording.

A graphic equaliser is also included so you can give precedence to particular instruments if required, or tone others down so they don’t take over and pierce your ears.

What Techno Acid is lacking is any kind of output system. You might not be creating the kind of tunes you’d necessarily be interested in listening to on an iPod, but these sounds would make great custom ringtones. With an hour’s mixing and musical dabbling, you could reasonably create custom ringtones for your entire contacts list, but currently there’s no way to get your creations out of the app.

This unfortunate stonewall at the last stage hamstrings Techno Acid somewhat, which is otherwise an entertaining and fascinating way to spend a few minutes at the mix master’s table.