Tag Archives: iPad News

Apple’s iPad Mini Campaign Wins International Advertising Award

ipad mini campaign - wired Every year, the Cannes Lions festival honors contributors to the marketing and advertizing industry for their innovative and creative techniques. This year, TBWA Media Arts Lab took the Grand Prix award for its magazine ads for Apple’s iPad mini.

The winner was a series of five different advertisements, each presented on the back cover of five different magazines. The entire page was blank, except for the lower left corner, which displayed an image of the iPad mini, full sized, showing the cover image of that magazine’s current issue. The magazines involved were Time, Surfer, Wired, The New Yorker, and Wallpaper*.

ipad mini campaign - the new yorker ipad mini campaign - wired ipad mini campaign - wallpaper ipad mini campaign - time

The campaign stood out for its strong effect. “It has kind of a guerrilla feeling,” said Marcello Serpa of Almap BBDO. “It’s a product that goes inside the media and says ‘I’m going to kill you, [then] I’m going to save you.’ Let’s embrace. It’s redemption.”

Serpa is referring to the fact that tablets in general, and the iPad specifically, have been an adversary to print media by offering a way for the world to go completely digital.

Apple’s iPad mini campaign was one of three top contenders. Dove’s “Sketches” campaign by Ogilvy was the iPad mini’s biggest opponent. The judges were split down the middle on which one should win the Grand Prix. The iPad mini campaign won out in the end because it embodied the theme that the judges were looking for. “Dove is a beautiful, emotional piece and a beautiful insight and it’s going to win a lot,” Serpa said. “In the end we were looking at a piece that makes print, the category itself, a hero.”

[Via: Adweek, Adage]

» Related posts: Apple Taking Over Several Magazines with Clever iPad Mini Ad Campaign First Official iPad mini Accessory now Available in the Apple Store Apple iPad Mini Event Finally Announced (Official)

Steve Jobs Talks About his Legacy in Previously Unreleased Interview

Steve Jobs 1994 Interview SVHA

It seems like every few months or so, someone finds an interview with Apple’s former CEO Steve Jobs that has never been seen before. PBS aired a never-before-broadcast interview with Jobs and Magnolia Pictures released a movie in theaters with found footage of an interview with the enigmatic executive. There is even audio footage from Jobs’ 1983 International Design Conference speech floating around out there. That is just a small list of the various interviews, speeches, and other clips of the world’s most popular CEO that have come to light since his passing in October of 2011.

Recently, the Silicon Valley Historical Association offered up a clip of a 20-minute interview that that was conducted in 1994 when Jobs was the CEO of NeXT. The footage, which was released on EverySteveJobsVideo, shows the dark-haired entrepenuer remarking on the nature of technology and its fleeting existence in our world.

“All of the work I’ve done in my life will be obsolete by the time I am 50,” says Jobs. “This is a field where one does not write a principia which holds up for 200 years.”

Basically, Jobs is saying that his own legacy of taking part in the creation and population of the personal computer is a fleeting as the technology itself.

The 60-minute documentary, title “Steve Jobs: Visionary Enterpreneur” is available as a digital download for $14.99, a DVD for $24.99 or an audio-only track for $4.99 from the Silicon Valley Historical Association.

http://youtu.be/zut2NLMVL_k

[Via: MacRumors]

» Related posts: Steve Jobs’ House Burglar Sentenced to Seven Years Enormous iPhone Installation in Russia Honors Steve Jobs Steve Jobs Wanted to Create an Apple iCar Before his Death

L.A. School District to Give Every Student an iPad in Deal with Apple Worth ‘Hundreds of Millions’

Image Via: L.A. Times

The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) is the largest in California and the second largest in the United States. In the 2011-12 school year, LAUSD housed more than 600,000 students. The enormous school district could be considered a “taste maker” when it comes to enacting new programs that others in the nation might follow. Yesterday, the L.A. Times reported that Apple won a $30-million contract from the LAUSD to provide every student with an iPad.

According to the L.A. Times, the Board of Education voted unanimously on Tuesday to approve the contract that will ultimately create a commitment on the part of the school district to spend hundreds of millions of dollars with Apple over the next two years.

Deputy Supt. Jaimee Aquino told the L.A. Times that Apple’s iPad “received the highest scoring by the students and teachers” who tested out different devices.

Of course, the entire affair was met with opposition from teachers unions and tech companies alike. One teachers union president proposed that resources would be better spent on rehiring needed staff. However, money spent on staff hiring comes from a completely different fund. So, even if the LAUSD didn’t buy a single iPad, they still could not use money from the facilities and inventory fund to hire new staff.

Microsoft was at the Board of Education meeting as well, pushing for the Board to rethink offering an exclusive contract to Apple. Microsoft’s senior director of state government affairs told the Board that it would not be in schools’ best interest to rely on one platform because it would cut off the District from future price reductions and innovations.

Even though there were considerable trepidations regarding approval of the contract, Aquino stood behind the decision. “I can sleep tonight with my conscience clear that you did the right thing for the kids.”

Because the LAUSD is such a large school district, it is the perfect test market to determine if iPad programs are worth investing in. If the program goes well and ultimately saves the school district money over years, it could be the argument other districts can point to when requesting funding for their own iPad program.

» Related posts: San Diego School District Buys No Less Than 26,000 iPads for Students Successful iPad Pilot Spurs School District Move to 1:1 iPad Initiative Houghton Mifflin’s One-Year Experiment Improves Student Skills

Researchers Discover Vulnerability in iOS Wi-Fi Hotspot Passwords

Image Via: TUAW

When you are taking the commuter train to work in the morning and activate your iPhone or iPad’s Wi-Fi hotspot, do you use your own, complex multi-symbol password or a randomly generated series of letters and numbers that Apple provides? If you are using Apple’s randomly generated password to secure your mobile hotspot, you may be vulnerable to a hack.

According to a recent research report from the University of Erlangen in Germany, Apple’s randomly generated passwords are not particularly secure. The report, “Usability vs. Security: The Everlasting Trade-Off in the Context of Apple iOS Mobile” addresses the pre-share key (PSK) authentication that Apple provides users to protect their mobile hotspot. It appears that the automatic generator offers weak passwords that make users’ hotspots susceptible to brute force attacks.

Apple Randomly Generated Password 1

A major part of the problem is that the generator creates a password based on less than 2,000 short words that are not actually random. Because the list is too simple, it makes it possible for hackers to gain access to your mobile hotspot in less than 50 seconds.

Apple’s automatic generator creates a password that is a combination of short words found in an open source list of Scrabble words followed by a series of numbers. Using the unofficial Scrabble word list, the researchers had a 100 percent success rate of cracking any iOS hotspot default password.

According to the research, the most commonly used words in Apple’s random password generator are 10 times more likely to be selected as a default password than any other words.

Apple Randomly Generated Password 2

To hack into an iOS user’s hotspot, the attacker has to monitor the traffic, wait for a wireless client to connect to a mobile hotspot, and then deauthenticate the connection, forcing the client to have to reauthenticate. This would make it easy to capture the WPA handshake.

The researchers involved in this report created an iOS app called “Hotspot Cracker” that creates a list of likely passwords that would be generated by Apple’s random generator. “The app also gives explanations and hints on how to crack a captured WPA handshake using well-known password crackers.”

This is from researchers at a University in Germany. Imagine what morally ambiguous or even criminally minded hackers have already created.

There are two lessons to take from this research. The first is for Apple. The company needs to change the software of their random password generator to create stronger passwords. The second is that users should make sure that their password is long, includes letters numbers and symbols, and is complex enough to be hack proof.

[Via: ZDNet]

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Russian Video Shows iOS 7 Running on iPad

Well, the elusive iOS 7 on iPad is starting to show its face more and more. Yesterday, we saw some screenshots from tech tweeter Sonny Dickson that gave us an idea of what the beta looks like on the larger tablet screen. Today, a Russian YouTube video appears to be showing a demonstration of the as-yet-unreleased beta of iOS 7 for the iPad.

The video, which cannot be verified as real but seems to be legitimate, shows the iPad with no slide-to-unlock bar. Instead, you just swipe your finger across the screen from anywhere to unlock your screen. You can see what it looks like when an app folder is opened. When the demonstrator brings down Notification Center, you can see that it now has the same design as the iPhone version.

One of my favorite new features of iOS 7 is the Control Center, which is the pull-up menu that shows things like, the music player controls, Airplane mode, and other options from the Settings app. On the iPad, the big Control Center screen looks pretty cool.

iOS 7 Control Center on iPad

The video is in Russian but features subtitle. The translation is a bit awkward, but understandable for the most part.

According to the video, there are a few features that are included in the beta of iOS 7 for the iPhone that are missing in the beta for the iPad. For example, there is no flashlight or calculator in Control Center.

Again, there isn’t much to go on, this video didn’t show iTunes Radio at all, but as time goes by, we will probably see more and more of these images and videos of iOS 7 on the iPad. It is odd that Apple hasn’t already released the official beta for it. But it is better to wait until it works than to launch it prematurely.

[Via: AppleInsider]

» Related posts: Russian iPad and iPhone Music Fans May Get iTunes Store Tomorrow Russian Railways Sues Apple for Trademark Infringement Apple Works to Block Russian Hacker’s In-App Purchase Exploit

PadGadget’s DIY iPad Project Spotlight: DIY Shoebox Charging Station

DIY charging station It is time again for another edition of PadGadget’s DIY project spotlight column. We love finding interesting and innovative do-it-yourself projects and sharing them with our readers. So far, no one has ‘fessed up to having tried one of these fun projects. Feel free to share with is if you do. Last week, we told you about a fat-tipped stylus made from an EXPO pen tube and conductive foam.

This week, we have a sweet looking, but unbelievably useful project for hiding your massive amount of charging cords. This DIY Shoebox Charging Station will make your desk at least 30 percent tidier.

So many people have that moment in their life where they’ve just taken a new pair of shoes out of their perfectly shaped box and thought it was a shame to throw away something that has such potential for being reused.

Dagmar Bleasdale found something to do with her empty shoebox that helps organize her desktop at the same time. If you are tired of having a nest full of charging cords lying around, or even getting tangled up, you could use a good charging station and here is a great DIY project to help you make it happen.

You will need a sturdy shoebox, some decorating paper, like wrapping paper, glue, an X-Acto knife, metal grommets, a pen or pencil, and a glue gun.

The first thing you will need to do is turn your Nike branded box into an actual decorated box. Bleasdale recommends wrapping paper. However, this is where your own creativity comes in. You could use comic strips from the newspaper, cotton material, or even wallpaper. If you can wrap it around your shoebox, it will work. Bleasdale has some very specific instructions for covering your box properly.

Once the entire box has been covered so that it no longer resembles a shoebox, you’ll need to measure and cut out holes for your cords to fit through. You will need to cut enough holes for each of your chargeable gadgets, plus one more to hold the plug for the wall.

DIY charging station-6-9

After you’ve measured and cut to wholes to match your grommets, glue the grommets to the outside of the box. This will make your box look cool and will keep the holes from wearing out and tearing over time. You can either use hot glue, or any other kind of adhesive that will ensure the two materials will stick together. Personally, I’d use hot glue.

Then, stick your multi-plug extension cord or power strip into the box and pull the power cable through one of the holes. Obviously, it is important for your power strip to fit inside your shoebox, so keep that in mind when creating this project.

Then, plug your various wall adapters into the power strip and thread the device cables through the other holes. When the box is tidy and ready to go, put the lid on it and you’ve got yourself a charging station that looks good and keeps things organized.

Thanks again to Dagmar Bleasdale for creating such a fun and easy-to-do DIY project.

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Logitech Easy Switch Keyboard Supports Apple TV

Easy-Switch-Main Did you know that Apple TV supports Bluetooth technology? I guess I never even looked for that. I know that the iOS app Remote from Apple can be used on the set top box in conjunction with the iPad. It is a bit clunky and tends to freeze up. It is good in a pinch, but I always end up using the physical remote instead. Which makes entering text a real pain.

Logitech recently reminded consumers of TV connectivity from their company blog. Since we reviewed the Easy-Switch Keyboard from Logitech in January, I thought I’d try it out on my Apple TV. Guess what? It works great.

Thanks to the Easy-Switch technology, I was able to connect the Logitech keyboard to my Apple TV in just a few seconds. I paired it with channel 3 and was typing into the YouTube search bar like a pro.

To connect the Easy-Switch Keyboard to Apple TV, go to the settings section on the set top box. Then, select General. Then, select Bluetooth.

The next step is to push the Bluetooth button on the back of the Easy-Switch Keyboard so that it becomes discoverable. When the three channels start blinking, touch the key you want to pair the keyboard with. Once paired, your keyboard will be usable on Apple TV.

Apple TV 2
The Easy-Switch Keyboard is designed to be compatible with Apple related products. It works great with Apple TV. There are command keys specifically related to Menu, Media Control, Select, D-Pad, Pause/Play, and Tab. Of course, the best part is that you can type text so that when you are searching for a movie with a really long title in Netflix, you don’t have to use the remote to move around and find the letters. You can just type it using the full keyboard.

Now, they just need an Easy-Switch Keyboard that has four channels so I can pair all of my Apple devices instead of having to leave one out.

You can purchase the Logitech Bluetooth Easy-Switch Keyboard for $99.99 from the company’s website. This little gadget will come in very handy when Apple TV is upgraded to run iTunes Radio.

» Related posts: Logitech’s Bluetooth Easy-Switch Keyboard Is Just That, Easy: Hands-On Accessory Review Logitech Announces Easy-Switch Technology for Mac, iPhone, iPad Logitech’s New iPad Keyboard Features Cool Backlighting and Hand Sensors

AT&T Quietly Turns On FaceTime over Cellular Support for iPhone and iPad

When Apple launched iOS 6, FaceTime over cellular was the big news. Users could finally video chat with friends and family while on the go. Unfortunately for AT&T subscribers, the ability was limited by what your carrier wanted to allow. At first, AT&T claimed that it would charge a fee to use FaceTime over cellular. Then the company announced that it would only offer the service to subscribers on its data share plan. Then, the shared data plan restriction was lifted, but still limited only to LTE-enabled devices. That left out all iOS devices running on unlimited data plans that AT&T doesn’t even offer anymore, but can’t force customers off of.

Last Month, AT&T announced that it would enable first-party video chat apps on its network over the course of 2013, which would finally make FaceTime over cellular available on all devices. It looks like the Internet provider is finally making good on its promise. With no official announcement, activation of FaceTime over cellular is taking place all over the U.S. for customers on all plans.

According to AppleInsider, activation has been verified in New York, Maryland, Georgia, Louisiana, California, and Hawaii. The quality of the video stream appears to be just as good as it is on Wi-Fi networks. This suggests that AT&T is not throttling the use of the feature to customers.

Since AT&T has not officially announced the rollout, there is no news as to which cities will be next or how fast the service will spread out. However, based on confirmed activations, it appears that the cellular provider is targeting large metropolitan areas first.

» Related posts: AT&T Allows Cellular FaceTime for Non-Mobile Share Devices AT&T now Allows FaceTime over Cellular on all iOS Devices AT&T Announces FaceTime Over Cellular on Any Tiered Data Plan

Apple to Add iTunes Radio and Conference Capability to Apple TV

iOS 7 on Apple TV

Thanks to the recent demonstration of iOS 7 at this year’s Worldwide Developer Conference, the main focus of our attention has been on the new look of our mobile Apple devices. There was one device that was noticeably missing from the keynote, Apple TV. Even though Apple has been talking a lot about television in the past year, their only connection to the living room was not mentioned at all. However, it appears that the company’s “hobby” will get some love this fall. Apple TV will be compatible with iTunes radio.

According to a demonstration video from Isaac’s Computer Tips channel on YouTube, You can jailbreak your Apple TV to upgrade your software to version 5.4, which is being called iOS 7.

The video clearly shows Apple TV running iTunes Radio; complete with stations you can listen to, the ability to add artists to your playlist, and a direct link to purchase music from iTunes. You can create playlists based on preexisting station or create a new one by entering an artist’s name into the search bar.

Apple TV is also going to have Conference Room Display, which makes it possible for users to share content in meeting rooms. This mode allows everyone in the room the ability to connect their iOS devices to the Apple TV using AirPlay.

There is still very little known about what “iOS 7” on Apple TV will feature in its final release, but it is great to see the set top box getting some love.

[Via: Apple Insider]

» Related posts: Apple Makes it Official: iTunes Radio Coming This Fall ‘Assertive Display’ Technology for iPad Demonstrated at IFA Conference Top Radio Apps for the iPad

PadGadget Daily App Deal – 8 iPad Apps on Sale

PadGadget Daily App Deal – 8 iPad Apps on Sale For today’s Daily Deal we’ve found 8 great apps to add to your iPad collection. We have 6 productivity / entertainment apps and 2 game apps in today’s bundle.

We used our PadGadget Apps Tracker to find these great deals and we’ll continue to look for the best app deals as they pop-up. Some of these apps are up to 67% off, a couple are even free, so be sure to check them out because they are on sale for a limited time.

Game Apps

Battle Academy – This iPad strategy game has a 4.5 star App Store rating and is now on sale for $9.99 instead of $19.99. Commando Jack (

) – This fun game has a 4.5 star App Store rating and is now available for Free instead of $0.99.

Productivity and Entertainment Apps

CIA : Operation Ajax – This book app has a 5 star App Store rating and is now available for Free instead of $4.99. This app weighs in at 407 MB so please be sure that you have enough space on your iPad before downloading. CurrencyGo: Currency Exchange Rates Converter with Multiple Sources (

) – This helpful finance app has a 4.5 star App Store rating and is now on sale for $0.99 instead of $1.99. Hitpad – See What’s Up – This very popular news reader has a 4 star App Store rating and is now on sale for $0.99 instead of $2.99. LIFE 75 – This Life Magazine photo app has a 4 star App Store rating and is now on sale for $4.99 instead of $9.99. This app weighs in at 506 MB so please be sure that you have enough space on your iPad before downloading. Little Dead Riding Hood – This entertaining storybook has a 4 star App Store rating and is now on sale for $0.99 instead of $2.99. This app weighs in at 310 MB so please be sure that you have enough space on your iPad before downloading. Remoter VNC – Remote Desktop (

) – This remote desktop app has a 4 star App Store rating and is now on sale for $1.99 instead of $2.99.

Also be sure to check out yesterday’s Daily Deal to find more great savings.

= Indicates app is Universal and will run on an iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch.

We use our PadGadget Apps Tracker to constantly monitor the App Store to find the biggest price changes on iPad apps. Our editorial team goes through the data, picks the best deals on the most interesting apps and then brings them to you on a regular basis. All app prices are checked at the time of posting but prices are subject to change without notice. When developers put their apps on sale it’s usually for a very limited time, often 24 hours or less, so be sure to check pricing on iTunes before making a purchase.

» Related posts: PadGadget Daily App Deal – 15 iPad Apps on Sale PadGadget Daily App Deal – 19 iPad Apps on Sale PadGadget Daily App Deal – 15 iPad Apps on Sale

Telltale Games Announces New Chapter in The Walking Dead: The Game

400Days keyart WIDE Fans of Robert Kirkman’s decade-old comic book drama, The Walking Dead, were treated with a new television series in 2010. Thanks to the success of the first TV drama staring zombies, The Walking Dead has since spawned a line of toys, board games, and video games. Telltale Games’ choose-your-own adventure game based on The Walking Dead sold more than 17 million episodes worldwide and diehard fans are still waiting for Season 2.

Luckily, fans will get a sweet treat this summer with the upcoming launch of The Walking Dead: 400 Day.

This bridge story chronicles the aftermath of the zombie outbreak through the eyes of five new characters as they fight for survival during the first year-and-a-half of the apocalypse. The five connected stories are centered in a Georgia truck stop where players are faced with terrifying experiences that will test their morals. Just like the first season of the game, players must make fast decisions that will affect how other characters interact with them and ultimately, how the game will end.

400Days_roadtrip 400Days_cornfield

“After the incredible response to the first season of The Walking Dead, we wanted to surprise fans with something that offers a new angle on the world they love that’s connected to Season One and the upcoming Season Two through the choices that they make,” said Dan Connors, Co-Founder and CEO of Telltale Games. “400 Days is a great piece of connective tissue for fans to sink their teeth into.”

400Days_PrisonBus

400 Days will be available in July for $4.99 as an in-app purchase from inside The Walking Dead: The Game. You must, at least, have the first chapter downloaded to access 400 Days. The first chapter is currently free to download with additional content available for $4.99 per episode, or $14.99 for all of Season 1.

» Related posts: Telltale Games Gets Into The Holiday Spirit, Makes The Walking Dead Ep. 1 Free The Walking Dead: The Game is Like Watching An Episode of The Walking Dead- iPad App Review All Episodes of The Walking Dead: The Game On Sale for a Limited Time

What Does The New iOS 7 Skin Look Like on the iPad?

iOS 7 on iPad When Apple showed us the new and amazing features of the upcoming iOS 7, we were excited to see the complete redesign and all new look. The iPad, however, was noticeably absent from the Keynote. All of the pictures on Apple’s website show the new operating system running on an iPhone. Over the weekend, tech tweeter Sonny Dickson posted pictures of what iOS 7 looks like on the iPad to his Twitter feed so that the world has an idea of what to expect in the fall.

Dickson shows a screenshot of the Settings app, the Contacts app, Spotlight, Control Center, Notification Center, Newsstand, and more. There is also a side-by-side comparison of the current app icons and the app icons in iOS 7. The biggest complaint I’ve heard so far from beta users for iOS 7 has been the unattractiveness of the app icons. Maybe Apple is still working on those designs.

Settings on iPad iOS 7 Newsstand on iPad iOS 7

While I’m looking forward to seeing iOS 7 in all of its flat-design glory, I have to admit that some of the screenshots posted by Dickson look kind of awkward on the iPad. It seems like the font is too small and there is not enough visual appeal to cover the entire screen. Spotlight is a good example of what I mean. The app icons and text sits on the far left of the screen with these long dividing lines taking up the rest of the screen.

Notification Center on iPad iOS 7 Spotlight on iPad iOS &

No matter whether you love it or hate it, iOS 7 is the new look for Apple products. Unless you don’t plan on updating, you will have to get used to it.

[Via: CultofMac]

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Apple Discloses Government’s Data Collection Requests for iPhone and iPad User Data

Печать You’d have to be living off the grid to not have heard of the recent exposure of the “PRISM” program, which is a covert program that allows the NSA and FBI unprecedented access to U.S. citizens’ personal information by way of major tech companies like Microsoft, Google, Facebook, and yes, Apple.

Apple’s initial response to media questions was, “We do not provide any government agency with direct access to our servers, and any government agency requesting customer content must get a court order. “

Today, Apple is responding more fully with an official statement that details its involvement in the PRISM scandal.

While you couldn’t say that Apple hasn’t done its share of sharing private information with government officials, they can’t be considered to be colluding with the NSA or FBI to spy on U.S. citizens, either.

According to Apple, from December 1, 2012 to May 31, 2013, Apple received between 4,000 and 5,000 requests from U.S. law enforcement for customer data. Between 9,000 and 10,000 accounts of devices were specified in those requests. The most common requests were for police investigations involving robberies, searches for missing children or Alzheimer’s patients, or attempts to prevent suicide.

Apple conducts an evaluation of each request and gives customer information if they deem appropriate and only the “narrowest possible set of information” is given to authorities.

You can’t exactly say this is only given upon request by a court order.

Apple claims that it doesn’t collect or maintain very much data from customers. We heard a report from CNet earlier this year that Apple’s messaging service makes it difficult for government agencies to access conversations.

Apple also claims that it does not store data related to customers’ location, Map searches or Siri requests in “any identifiable form.” However, Wired recently reported that Apple keeps your conversations with Siri for up to two years. Your device is given a randomly generated number that is not linked to your personal information, but there are ways to connect the two if necessary. Apple spokesperson Trudy Miller told Wired, “Siri works for Apple, so make a note to yourself to really think before you speak.”

That sure makes it sound like Apple is storing more information than they are willing to admit to.

» Related posts: Apple Says it may Store Your Siri Information for up to 2 Years Samsung Plays Nice With Apple, Drops Injunction Requests in EU Apple Accused of Patent Infringement in China Over Siri

This Week’s App Store Editor’s Choice: Solstice Arena

Solstice Arena 2 This was another big week for gaming releases. Not only has Superman made a splash in the App Store with the Man of Steel arcade game, but also Sony just launched Pinball Rocks HD, and the board game Agricola is now available on the iPad. Every week, Apple picks a handful of apps that stand out for being unique, innovative, or just plain fun. Last week, Apple spotlighted FitStar. Are you getting in shape for bikini season?

This week, Apple awarded the Editor’s Choice to a player-versus-player battle arena game that trims the fat and leaves you with nothing but the fight.

Solstice Arena is Zynga’s newest freemium game that puts you into the arena with others in a three-on-three fight to the top. Grab your sword and two friends because you won’t be raiding any dungeons or looking for quests. This game is all battle.

Solstice Arena 3 Solstice Arena 4

Players start by taking a quick training course, and then are ready to head out into battle. Choose a class to fight with and add gear to make him stronger. Then, head for the arena to fight against three others.

In the arena, players can collect gold, unlock chests, and gather discipline points. The main goal is to destroy the enemy’s towers, but there is plenty to do along the way.

As you battle in arenas, you will earn gold that can be used to upgrade your fighter, purchase gear, and customize your playing style. You can buy heroes with special gems that you get through in-app purchases.

If you are shy about playing against other people, or just want to hone your skills, you can play solo against bots to earn gold and practice your fighting skills. You can also choose whether to play easy, medium, or hard.

Solstice Arena 3

You can also play the game in co-op mode by inviting friends to play alongside you against bots.

Of course, the real game is player vs. player where you can team up with friends or be connected with random opponents to fight against your worst enemy – the guy with better gear.

Solstice Arena can be downloaded for free and is available in the App Store today.

» Related posts: This Week’s App Store Editor’s Choice: Magicka This Week’s App Store Editor’s Choice: Dungeon Hunter 4 This Week’s App Store Editor’s Choice: Running With Friends

PadGadget Daily App Deal – 10 iPad Apps on Sale

PadGadget Daily App Deal – 10 iPad Apps on Sale For today’s Daily Deal we’ve found 10 great apps to add to your iPad collection. We have 8 productivity / entertainment apps and 2 game apps in today’s bundle.

We used our PadGadget Apps Tracker to find these great deals and we’ll continue to look for the best app deals as they pop-up. Some of these apps are up to 80% off, a couple are even free, so be sure to check them out because they are on sale for a limited time.

Game Apps

Around the World in 80 Days HD (Premium) – This popular puzzle game has a 4 star App Store rating and is now on sale for $0.99 instead of $2.99. World War Z (

) – This summer movie inspired iPad adventure game is now on sale for $0.99 instead of $3.99. This app weighs in at 726 MB so please be sure that you have enough space on your iPad before downloading.

Productivity and Entertainment Apps

Drum Beats+ (Groove Machine & Rhythm Metronome) (

) – This percussion app has a 4.5 star App Store rating and is now on sale for $2.99 instead of $3.99. miTypewriter for iPad – This convenient text app has a 4 star App Store rating and is now on sale for $0.99 instead of $1.99. Over (

) – This very popular photo captioning app has a 4.5 star App Store rating and is now on sale for $0.99 instead of $1.99. Safe Gmail : fast and easy email app to access multiple Gmail and Google Apps accounts (

) – This useful Gmail iPad app has a 4 star App Store rating and is now on sale for $0.99 instead of $1.99. ScrapPad – Scrapbook for iPad – This popular iPad scrapbooking app has a 4 star App Store rating and is now available for $0.99. That’s a savings of 80% off the apps’ normal price of $4.99. This app weighs in at 391 MB so please be sure that you have enough space on your iPad before downloading. Tapatalk Forum App (

) – This online forums app has a 4.5 star App Store rating and is now available for Free instead of $1.99. Toontastic Jr. Pirates – for iPad – This fun educational app has a 4 star App Store rating and is now available for Free instead of $1.99. WorkoutJournal for iPad – This fitness app is now on sale for $0.99 instead of $1.99.

Also be sure to check out yesterday’s Daily Deal to find more great savings.

= Indicates app is Universal and will run on an iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch.

» Related posts: PadGadget Daily App Deal – 12 iPad Apps on Sale PadGadget Daily App Deal – 14 iPad Apps on Sale PadGadget Daily App Deal – 8 iPad Apps on Sale

PadGadget Daily App Deal – 11 iPad Apps on Sale

PadGadget Daily App Deal – 11 iPad Apps on Sale For today’s Daily Deal we’ve found 11 great apps to add to your iPad collection. We have 3 productivity / entertainment apps and 8 game apps in today’s bundle.

Game Apps

Dream of Pixels (

) – This fun puzzle game has a 4.5 star App Store rating and is now on sale for $0.99 instead of $2.99. Final Freeway (

) – This retro styled arcade racer has a 4 star App Store rating and is now available for Free instead of $0.99. LetterLasso (

) – This fun game has a 5 star App Store rating and is now available for Free instead of $0.99. Sky Gamblers: Air Supremacy (

) – This aerial battle game has a 4.5 star App Store rating and is now on sale for $0.99 instead of $2.99. This app weighs in at 707 MB so please be sure that you have enough space on your iPad before downloading. STREET FIGHTER X TEKKEN MOBILE (

) – This very popular Capcom arcade game is now on sale for $0.99 instead of $2.99. This app weighs in at 567 MB so please be sure that you have enough space on your iPad before downloading. Sugar High (

) – This fun iPad game has a 4.5 star App Store rating and is now on sale for $0.99 instead of $1.99. What’s the Phrase (

) – This challenging phrase game has a 4.5 star App Store rating and is now on sale for $1.99 instead of $2.99. Words With Friends HD – This insanely popular word game has a 4.5 star App Store rating and is now on sale for $1.99 instead of $2.99.

Productivity and Entertainment Apps

FileApp Pro (

) – This file utility has a 4 star App Store rating and is now available for $0.99. That’s a savings of 80% off the apps’ normal price of $4.99. Turnplay – The #1 vinyl record player for iPad – This cool music app has a 4 star App Store rating and is now on sale for $0.99 instead of $1.99. V1 Golf (

) – This popular golfing aide has a 4 star App Store rating and is now on sale for $2.99 instead of $7.99.

Also be sure to check out yesterday’s Daily Deal to find more great savings.

= Indicates app is Universal and will run on an iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch.

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The Surprising Story Behind the Inception of iBooks

According to Eddie Cue, Apple’s senior senior vice president of Internet Software and Services, who testified yesterday in Apple e-books trial, Steve Jobs did not initially back the creation of Apple’s iBooks. In 2009, prior the the iPad’s release, Cue first approached Jobs about the idea, but discovered that Jobs thought the Mac and iPhone wouldn’t lend themselves to use as reading devices. It wasn’t until the iPad was on the horizon that Jobs reconsidered.

All Things D reports Cue’s testimony as follows:
“He wasn’t interested,” Cue said. “Steve never felt that the Mac or the iPhone were ideal reading devices. In the case of the phone, the screen was smaller, and in the case of the Mac, you had this keyboard and device, and it didn’t feel like a book.”

Cue broached the subject with his boss again once the iPad launch was near.
“… When I got my first chance to touch the iPad, I became completely convinced that this was a huge opportunity for us to build the best e-reader that the market had ever seen,” Cue said. “And so I went to Steve and told him why I thought [the iPad] was going to be a great device for ebooks. … and after some discussions he came back and said, you know, I think you’re right. I think this is great, and then he started coming up with ideas himself about what he wanted to do with it and how it would be even better as a reader and store.”

Jobs’ recognition of the potential of the iPad as an e-reader was welcome news for Cue. There was, however, a catch.

“This was in November,” said Cue. “We were launching the iPad in January. And so Steve said, ‘you can go do this, but you’ve got to get it done by January. … I want to be able to demo it onstage.’ And so that was the sort of challenge presented to me.”

Cue took up the challenge with zeal, and followed through by creating a product that would source of income for Apple, and would also (unfortunately) lead them to the court case of the present day.

Sony Launches Free Music-Based Pinball iPad App For Metal Heads

About three years ago, Sony released a couple of rocking pinball apps. Slayer Pinball Rocks HD and AC/DC Pinball Rocks HD were the most shredding pinball apps you could ever imagine playing on your iPad. Now, Sony has launched a free pinball app that makes if possible for you to play along to Slayer, ACDC, Alice in Chains, and more.

Pinball Rocks HD is a five-table pinball compilation app that lets fans of bands like Hatebreed, All That Remains, and Bullet for My Valentine play a mighty game of pinball to the tunes of their favorite genre of music.

The app is free to download and comes with one rock themed table that features music from guitarist Richie Kotzen, Chevelle, The Sword, Filter, Red, All That Remains, Hatebreed, and Nonpoint.

The four premium tables feature music from Slayer, AC/DC. Alice in Chains, and Bullet for my Valentine. Each premium table costs $2.99 a piece and if you have already purchased the individual tables before, you cannot incorporate them into this app.

So, prior pinball fans of Slayer and AC/DC will want to keep their separate apps on their iPad in addition to downloading Pinball Rocks HD in order to add more tables. Even if you are not a fan of Alice in Chains or Bullet for my Valentine, Sony has plans to add more tables over time, so you may be playing pinball to the tunes of some other rocking bands in the future.

In addition to premium tables, players can purchase multi-ball modes and extra ball packs for $0.99 each.

Download Pinball Rocks HD for free in the App Store today.

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Microsoft Releases Office 365 for iPhone – Could the iPad be Next?

Office 365 iPhone Microsoft made a big announcement today. The company has finally launched the long-awaited Office 365 productivity suite on the iPhone. Unfortunately, the iPad version is still MIA and it seems the company has not plans to make an optimized version.

Office 365 is Microsoft’s subscription-based productivity suite that lets users share and collaborate on documents through SkyDrive. Until today, it was only available as a mobile app on Windows-based devices.

With the iPhone launch, users can open, read, edit, and make comments, but it is not the full-service program of Word, Excel or PowerPoint. Microsoft’s marketing manager Chris Schneider told the Associated Press that the app is intended to be a supplement for the desktop version. “We designed the Office Mobile for iPhone to meet the scenarios that make the most sense.”

For example, if you are preparing for a speech and notice a typo while reviewing your presentation, you can fix it on your iPhone. However, you won’t be able to actually create a PowerPoint document from your iOS device.

You also won’t get Microsoft’s email service, Outlook, on the iPhone. But, you will be able to send and receive files through SkyDrive if you subscribe to Microsoft 365.

The real issue here is the missing iPad version. The company recently launched its own line of tablets that come stock with Office 365. It is possible that they are holding out on making a version for the iPad because they want to keep their advantage in the tablet market.

Whether Office 365 does or doesn’t ever make it onto the iPad is not much of a problem for Apple. Sales of their tablets have not been harmed in the past three years with the lack of Microsoft’s productivity suite.

Still, it sure would be nice to have Office 365 on the most popular tablet in the world.

» Related posts: Apple – Microsoft Issue, Office 365 Not SkyDrive Microsoft Support Site Leaks References to Office for iOS Office Web Apps Now iPad Friendly, Sign that Office for iPad is Still a Possibility?

PadGadget’s Flashback Friday: Duke Nukem 2

Duke Nukem 2 Main Well, it’s finally Friday and we are all antsy to get this weekend rolling. While having a couple of days to recuperate from a hard workweek is nice, so is reliving our youth. Every Friday, we flashback to decades ago and spotlight games from our childhood. Last week, we reminded you of the first-person shooter game, Doom.

This week, we have another shooter game from around the same time. Duke Nukem II launched in 1993 and quickly became a cult classic for its whit and humor.

In the early 1990s, gritty shooter games were all the rage. By the time Duke Nukem II came out, it was poised to be a big hit with older teens and grown up gamers. It is a side-scrolling platformer that has you blasting away evil scientists and invading aliens in order to save the world.

The iOS version of the game launched in the App Store only a few months ago. While some were expecting a port of Duke Nukem Forever, this is a good substitute while we wait for the full series to be playable on the iPad.

Players can grab new weapons, activate a cloaking device, and collect letters that spell out the word “Nukem” to earn bonus items.

The story takes place in the “near future,” which at the time, was 1998. Our snarky protagonist is kidnapped by the Rigelatins and spends his time in this sequel game escaping his prison and putting the bad guys down.

Duke Nukem 2

This is a near-identical port of the original DOS-based game from the early 1990s. The main difference is that Duke now wears a pair of sunglasses and the music soundtrack is a bit different. For a truly retro gaming experience, hook up your iPad to the iCade, or slap on a JOYSTICK-IT. The game is compatible with multiple third-party controller accessories.

Duke Nukem 2 is available for $1.99 in the App Store today. Download it now and you’ll be kicking butt and chewing bubble gum in no time.

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