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 →
About iPad Apps Rile
Working to be a great guitarist. Love the iPad and all iOS products. Big Apple fan and think Joe Satriani is the greatest guitarist ever!Skype iPad 2 App out soon?
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.
iPad 2 Keyboard and Case by ClamCase
Do you keep looking at your elegant new iPad 2 and wishing for more protection and a keyboard? We found a nice solution from ClamCase that may work for you.
The ClamCase is a clever little product which basically makes an iPad 2 look and feel a bit a Macbook and takes care of your needs for a case, stand and Bluetooth keyboard all packaged together.
Of course, the Clamcase has been out and tested with iPad first-generation for some time so by now they’ve worked out any issues in time for iPad 2. It has been redesigned to expose the back camera and built-in iPad 2 speakers as well as integrated magnets which will let your iPad 2 know whether your iPad 2 case is open or closed.
As the Bluetooth keyboard is concerned, the iPad 2 case by ClamCase has wireless connectivity via Bluetooth with Easy Sync, a proprietary standard that connects the keyboard automatically once you wake up your iPad 2. Clamcase claims that the keyboard battery will keep it’s charge for up 100 days in standby.
Or course, this is not the first product of this kind. Zaggmate case is another competitor and a much better product line and company. ClamCase is different in one big way with their keyboard for iPad 2. It is a patented 360 degrees rotating hinge which allows you to fold the ClamCase bluetooth keyboard onto the back of the iPad 2 as well as the front opening for a notebook pc feel. The ClamCase is at $149.00.
UPDATE: We’ve heard of some complaints with this company in terms of customer service. We also experienced very slow response time and “lost tickets” support system. It took multiple emails just to get a response which was from untrained customer support representatives. We don’t recommend Clamcase for this reason and think their product is not worthy of the premium price tag.
Review: iPad 2 Case by XGear
We all love the sleek design of both the iPad 2 and the Smart Cover. What Apple seems to imply with their Smart Cover is that the back of the iPad 2 device can go unprotected. Not all of us are comfortable with that because we dropped our iPad 1st generation and saw the damage. A friend of mine dropped his iPad and bent it pretty good while it was covered in a full case. So if you are like me you might wish that the innovative Smart Cover offered more rear protection in an iPad 2 case. XGear is a case maker and has a come up with a new iPad 2 case design that works along with the Apple Smart Cover. It is called XGear Smart Cover enhancer and the name gives it away in that it compliments the Smart Cover. Basically, XGear took the Apple design concept a little further so as to offer more protection on the back of the device. They kept in step with Apple be creating a thin and low profile design for this iPad 2 case. We like this idea and it is quick and easy to install with your iPad 2 without giving up any of the features that the Apple Smart cover offers. The XGear ipad 2 case comes in black and clear colors and the best price we could find was on Amazon for $16.60. (See video demo below the fold) Continue Reading →
NYPost marketing blunder-blocks iPad Safari
The NYPost.com made a marketing blunder in a recent move to block iPad readers from their website. They are forcing Safari web browsers on their iPad to download the NYPost iPad app in order to continue reading their website. Hmmm, could this be a desperate attempt to sell more of those monthly $6.99 subscriptions? The New York Post is owned by News Corp. Rupert Murdoch, the chairman and CEO of News Corporation has embraced the iPad as a legitmate platform for news and magazine publishers. We are guessing that other publishers might want to rethink this strategy as it frustrates the iPad user surfing the web and creates a backlash in the blogging world when you force user downloads with the free part of the news. Not smart and poor execution because you can still access the NYPost.com site by browsing with either Opera Mini or Skyfire iPad apps.
Soon a top iPad app for learning guitar
A Finish app development startup has launched an interesting iPad 2 app that is a game and learning tool for guitar. This iPad tablet app, called WildChords lets you learn guitar while interacting in a game-like atmosphere. This iPad 2 app recognizes the chords you play on your guitar and in essence your guitar becomes your game controller with this innovative iPad audio technology. The gist of the game is that you are surrounded by all types of exotic animals that have escaped from the local zoo. Your goal in this iPad game is to return the animals to the zoo by hypnotizing each animal with the strum of different chords on your guitar. Each of the animals will respond to a real-life chord, for example, ducks will follow you if you play in the chord “D”, elephants will be attracted to the “E” chord. You get the idea. When you correctly play the chords you become the hero and save the village from the wild escaped zoo animals. The animation and graphics alone will likely make this iPad tablet app an international hit for the beginning guitarists. This may be one of the best iPad 2 apps for learning basic guitar to arrive this year. We found a nice demo of the Wildchords app on Youtube (below) from Intomobile that shows how cool this app will be. As of yet it is not on the U.S. app store so we’ll update this post as soon as it hits the store along with pricing news.
