Review: GumDrop Drop Tech Series Military Edition Case for iPad 2

Need a super sturdy iPad 2 case? The GrumpDrop Drop Tech Series: Military Edition iPad 2 case is one designed for civilians but inspired by the military. This little gem contains not just one or two, but four layers of protection! And it does that without adding too much bulk. This rugged case features multiple barriers of shock absorption, a built-in polycarbonate screen protector, and microfilm dust filters.

Layers of Protection. The first layer is the polycarbonate front. This is an interior layer that protects the front edges of the iPad 2. It completely covers the front edges, leaving only cutouts for the Home button, front camera, dock port, and headphone jack. The cutout for the front camera has a thin film on it to protect it from any scratches. Before putting this layer on, you need to slide in the second layer, the screen protector frame.

The screen protector frame is nice because you don’t have to deal with any sticky situations. No adhesives to worry about, just simply place it in the first layer and put these two layers on top of the iPad screen. It protects your screen without any of the mess!

The third layer is the Polycarbonate back. This pieces is placed onto the back of the iPad and snaps into the front layer. This piece covers the entire back of the iPad 2 with cutouts for the headphone jack, mic, back camera, rotation button, volume buttons, and dock port. There are also some narrow holes in the back to add in some design. The speaker area has a cutout, but has a thin mess around it to keep dibris from getting into the speaker. The camera has a clear protective film so it doesn’t get scratched.

Finally, the last layer is the military green silicone skin. This piece completes the whole look of the iPad case. When you have all of the other layers snapped in place, put this silicone skin cover around it and push in the edges in place. The soft texture and grooves in this skin makes it easy and nice to hold. This layer covers up the Home button, dock, and headphone jack so no dust or dibris will get in.

Overall. With all the layers together, you have yourself a highly protective case. It protects both the front and back, and all edges and ports. The best part is that it doesn’t feel as clunky as some folio cases and other ones that have this much protection. And because theres a protective film layer, you won’t see as many smudges and fingerprints on your iPad.

There are two minor downfalls with this case. One is that a little difficult to remove once you get it in. It will take a little bit of work to take it apart. You probably won’t need to do this often though, unless you want to put your iPad in a certain stand. The other thing I noticed is that if you need to tap something on the edge of the iPad screen, it may not respond as quickly. You will have to press a little harder since that’s where the film and the interior case meet. There may be a small gap. Again, just a minor issue.

Overall, it’s an excellent accessory choice for your iPad 2, especially if work (or play) in a rough environment. The Military Edition is available in an army green color for $69.95. The Drop Tech Series iPad 2 cases are also available in other colors such as black, black/red finishings, white, and pink for $59.95.

Rating: 4.8 out of 5 · GumDropCases.com · $59.95 – 69.95 · Amazon

Disclosure: This product was sent by GrumDrop Cases for review purposes. This is part of Beatweek Magazine’s coverage of iPad products. Opinions expressed in this article are my own.

Popularity: 2% [?]

iPad Stand Review: Just Mobile Slide

The Just Mobile Slide iPad stand is one or the more interesting iPad stands available today. It’s made of two pieces — a holder that matches the back of the iPad exactly, and a mini rolling pin that fits right in the holder (when not in use).

To use the Slide, slide your iPad into the holder and put the rolling pin behind the iPad. Set the rolling pin at the angle you would like your iPad to stand.

When in use, the Slide has a very nice elegant look. The iPad can stand in both portrait or landscape mode. However, in portrait mode, the stand does cover part of the Home button. Although still accessible, it is still partially covered.

If you constantly remove your iPad from the stand, you may find that this stand may not be the one for you. The moment you take the iPad out, the rolling pin rolls down, and you have to adjust it again to the right angle before putting it in. I find this a little frustrating since I change the direction of my iPad all the time because some apps only work in landscape or portrait mode. Besides this one point, it does look very nice and is small enough to pack away in a suitcase or bag if you travel a lot.

Although it’s marketed for the iPad and iPad 2, this stand also works with other tablets and eReaders on the market.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars · Xstand.net · $34.95 · Amazon ($32.49)

Disclosure: This product was sent by Just Mobile for review purposes. This is part of Beatweek Magazine’s coverage of iPad products. Opinions expressed in this article are my own.

Popularity: 2% [?]

Review: Moshi Concerti for iPad 2

If you have an on-the-go lifestyle, the Moshi Concerti may be just the iPad 2 case for you. Not only is it stylish, but it also provides complete protection for your precious device. In addition, there are many ways to use it, making your iPad 2 experience quite enjoyable.

The Concerti is a folio-style case made of a beautiful microfiber material from the inside and out. On the inside of the case is a silicone enclosure that securely holds the iPad in place. This soft silicone interior case covers the edges of the iPad, keeping it safe from everyday wear and tear. It has cutouts for the dock, speakers, on/off button, camera, headset jack, and mic. The volume buttons are not cut out, but the material is soft enough that you can easily press on the side.

This case offers many different functional positions. After you put your iPad in, you’ll notice that it’s on the left side, unlike most iPad 2 cases. This allows it to open up in a way where you can use the camera without needing a camera hole in the microfiber part of the case. If you’re holding it in portrait position, open and fold the cover to the left to expose the camera.

Another way to use the case is to turn it into a stand. The case allows three different stand positions in landscape mode. All great for web surfing, gaming, and video viewing. To use, open the case and have the iPad in landscape position (Home button will be on the left). Select a position to stand it in — there are three set of bumps on the interior of the case that will hold the iPad in the position you wish it to be.

Also, if you enjoy carrying your iPad around in your hand — like to take roll in a class or notes while you’re walking, there’s a built-in hand pocket to help alleviate wrist stress in the case.

To keep the case closed, there’s a convenient elastic strap that holds the front cover in place. Simply lift up the strap and wrap it around the case.

Overall, this a great case to dress up your iPad 2 in. It’s stylish, functional, and quite versatile. Not only does it fully protects the iPad 2, but it feels so soft in your hands as well. The Concerti is available in three colors — Tyrian Purple, Sahara Beige, and Falcon Gray. You can purchase it for $55.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars · MoshiMonde.com · $55.00 · Amazon ($54.95)

Disclosure: This product was sent by Moshi for review purposes. This is part of Beatweek Magazine’s coverage of iPad products. Opinions expressed in this article are my own.

Popularity: 3% [?]

iPad Stand Review: Bracketron iTilt

Are you always on the go? Need an iPad stand that can keep up with you? The iTilt by Bracketron is probably the thinnest tablet stand on the market. You can tuck it away in your suitcase without taking much valuable space!

This ultra slim iPad stand can hold your device in both portrait and landscape mode in eight convient viewing angles. The non-slip feet at the bottom of the stand holds your iPad securely on your desk.

With this stand, there’s just one thing you have to be careful of. When lifting your iPad out of the stand, you may pull onto the back of it and then unhook the stand’s back support. This doesn’t matter too much if you were taking the iPad out of the stand. But if you were just moving the stand onto another position on your desk, the back support could make the whole stand fall down.

Overall, the iTilt iPad stand is highly portable, functional, and quite affordable. It’s also compatible with both the iPad 1 and iPad 2., as well as most other tablets and eReaders on the market.

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5 · Bracketron.com · $19.95 · Amazon ($9.46)

Disclosure: This product was sent by Bracketron for review purposes. This is part of Beatweek Magazine’s coverage of iPad products. Opinions expressed in this article are my own.

Popularity: 1% [?]

Hands-on Review of the HP TouchPad

The HP TouchPad came and left without a warning. But for those lucky few who got their hands on one, congratulations! For $99, this device is worth every penny.

Read my complete review of the HP TouchPad on GeekBeat.TV

Popularity: 1% [?]

Review: Incipio iPad 2 Smart Feather Ultralight Hard Shell Case

If you own an Apple smart cover for your iPad, I bet you love it. It flips, folds, stands, protects the front screen and makes your iPad more useful. But sometimes, you may find that the smart cover falls off too easily. For example, when you’re reading in bed and you slightly shift the iPad’s position, the cover just pops off. Although the magnet is strong, oftentimes, it will remove itself from the iPad when you prefer it not to.

That’s where the Incipio iPad 2 Smart Feather Ultralight Hard Shell Case comes in! It’s a light back cover for the iPad 2 that works seamlessly with your Apple Smart cover. It’s form fitting, looks great, and you’ll hardly notice it’s there. It protects the back side of your iPad 2 very well, but what makes this back cover stand out is the side hinge holder (custom molded feather, as they call it) that holds your iPad 2 smart cover in place. Yes, that means no falling off when you don’t want it to. You can have the Apple Smart cover open and hold onto that, and it won’t shake off.

The Smart Feather also has cut outs so all your buttons and ports are available. In addition, the Smart Feather also comes with the Incipio^® Vanity Kit, which is one clear screen protector, applicator card, and cleaning cloth.

The Incipio iPad 2 Smart Feather Ultralight Hard Shell Case comes in an array of colors that compliments the Apple Smart Covers — black, gray, blue, green, orange, pink, red, cream, tan, navy, and frost (lovely if you want to see the Apple logo through it).

Rating: 4.5 starts out of 5 · MyIncipio.com · $34.99 · Amazon ($24.86)

Disclosure: This product was sent by Incipio for review purposes. This is part of Beatweek Magazine’s coverage of iPad products. Opinions expressed in this article are my own.

Popularity: 1% [?]

Review: Toddy Smart Cloth

I love all my gadgets and devices, especially the iPhone and iPad. I use them everyday, and constantly throughout the day. The one thing that really annoys me is all the fingerprints and smudges that appear on the screens from the heavy use. Lucky for me, there are Toddy Smart Cloths!

Toddy are microfiber smart-clothes that make cleaning your device simple, easy, and at the same time, is quite stylish! Without the need of any liquids, these clothes come in many beautiful colors and patterns.

Each cloth is 5″x7″ inches, small enough to carry around, yet big enough to clean with about two swipes. One side has a beautiful pattern on silk microfiber. The other side is made of a soft microfiber in a color that matches the pattern.

To use, simply wipe the screen of your iPhone, iPad, laptop, smartphone, or tablet screen on this microfiber side. This cleans the screen of dirt, smudges, etc. It may take 2 or 3 swipes before all the fingerprints and smudges are removed. Next, polish the screen up using the silk pattern side.

Although there are many brilliant patterns and colors to choose from, you also have the option of branding the cloth with your own design and logo! To find out more, see the branding part of their website.

Here is more information the company would like you to know about the Toddy smart cloth:

• Made of 100% premium microfiber for effective removal of dirt, smudges and grime from your iPad or any touchscreen device without the need of any liquid
• Perfect for Toddying smaller surfaces such as iPods, iPhones, Blackberry and Android devices
• Double-Sided screen cleaner: plush to clean and buff – silk to polish
• Environmentally friendly – machine washable, cold, tumble dry low
• Treated with AEGIS Microbe Shield® to protect it from germs, mold and mildew making it the perfect antibacterial touch screen cleaner

Overall, I think the Toddy smart cloth would make a great companion for any gadget lover. It’s both beautiful and functional! And note, a lot of us geeks also wear eyeglasses — they’re great at cleaning those too!

ToddyGear.com · $9.99 · Amazon ($9.99)

Disclosure: This product was sent by ToddyGear for review purposes. This is part of Beatweek Magazine’s coverage of iPad products. Opinions expressed in this article are my own.

Popularity: 1% [?]

Bargain iPhone and iPad Apps: Fragger, Hello Kitty, Weezer, and more!

Looking for new apps for your iPhone and iPad? Here’s my weekly round-up on the latest bargain apps! This blog post was recently featured on BlogHer.com!

Fragger – Remember the old Worms game where you had to fire at the other team? Fragger is similar, but you throw grenades at the enemy instead. Bounce off walls, knock down the enemy, or just blast them away! Highly addictive and currently free for both iPhone and iPad!
iPhone / iPod Touch Version (Free) | iPad Verion (Free)

Hello Kitty Skins and Shelves – If you’re addicted to Hello Kitty and her friends, try adding some Hello Kitty pizzazz to your device! This app is loaded with many wallpapers and even ones that have shelves to hold your icons. Find the ones you want and download. Change your wallpaper in the settings and you got yourself a pretty wallpaper and home screen!
iPhone / iPod Touch Version (Free)

Weezer – one of my favorite bands have released a new app so you can keep track of their tour dates. Post your pics and videos or use weezerxfest in your Tweets or Facebook status to get included in the content time-line. What a great way of getting Weezer fans together! More featured content to be added soon! iPhone / iPod Touch Version (Free)

Michaels Stores – Are you a crafter? You’re in luck! Michaels finally has a new iPhone app out. Browse through ads, search for projects to do, but most importantly, get those coupons conveniently on your phone! You can also search for the nearest Michaels store, but if you’re a crafter, you probably already frequent your nearest store. ;) iPhone / iPod Touch Version (Free)

GetGlue isn’t new, but it’s definitely an app you need to get! If you enjoy watching shows, listening to music, reading a book, and more… you can check in and see who else is doing the same, and earn real stickers and badges along the way! Many shows, music, books, etc. have exclusive stickers you can earn. Once you earn 20 stickers or more, you can request for the real ones through mail! It’s a fun new social network.
iPhone / iPod Touch Version (Free) | iPad Version (Free)

Breast Cancer: Beyond The Shock – I’m sure you may know at least one person affected by breast cancer, whether it be a mother, sister, grandmother, or friend. This app helps to educate us of what a person goes through when dealing with breast cancer. View videos, ask questions, and find support. Universal App (Free)

Pix’n Love Rush – So retro and so much fun, this game will take you back to the time of pixels and short attention spans! Help the little critter make it through the levels by moving, jumping, and shooting. Collect yellow pieces and avoid or shoot purple ones. Rush through all the short levels quickly and safely. The iPad Version was $3.99, but is on sale this week for just 99 cents. iPhone / iPod Touch Version (99 cents) | iPad Version ($1.99)

Zulily – Are you a mom (or mom-to-be) who loves to shop? Check out Zulily, a daily deals place for moms, babies, and kids! Lots of huge markdowns on the cutest outfits and many other things. This app will keep you on top of all the deals. Set the type of notifiations you want and never miss a cool deal! iPhone / iPod Touch Version (Free)

PopSugar – If you’re a fan of PopSugar, you’ll absolutely love their apps! Flip through visual stimulating photos of celebrities, as well as browse all their other editorial branches. My favorite is GeekSugar! Beautiful, sleek, and easy-to-use user interface.
iPhone / iPod Touch Version (Free) | iPad version (Free)

Popularity: 3% [?]

iPad Stand Review: Just Mobile Encore

Just Mobile is known for their simple and elegant designs and their latest iPad Stand, the Encore, is just that. It’s light, portable, and highly functional.

The Encore iPad stand has a beautiful circular base with a silver finishing that matches the back of the iPad perfectly. This makes it look seamless, as if it was part of the Apple iPad suite.

Attached to the back of this circular base is a hinged arm that holds the iPad in place. This hinged support is easy to move up or down so you can place the iPad in your preferred viewing angle.

On the front of the base is a 2 inch rubber stopper that follows the circular pattern of the stand. This soft base holds the iPad in place, and at the same time, prevents any scratches to your device.

To use the stand, simply place your iPad in the middle — between the front stopper and the hinged back. Move the hinge to the angle you want and you’re ready to play your game, read a book, or just surf.

The iPad can stand in either landscape or portrait mode in the Encore. What’s nice about this stand is that even though you may put it in portrait mode, you still have access to the Home button. The front stopper is low enough to not cover the button.

This iPad stand is recommended for the frequent traveler since it’s portable, or if you enjoy playing games, or reading a book at your desk. Although it does fold down into a typing mode, the angle is still steeper than what you may be use to. I don’t recommend using this stand if you plan on typing long documents on-screen.

Overall, the Encore is quite a beauty, and would make any iPad own really happy. In addition to just holding iPads, this stand will also hold other tablets and eReaders (even the small 6″ Nook). The Encore is more than just a tablet stand, it’s a work of art, adding beauty and elegance to any desk.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars · JustMobile.com · $59.95 · Amazon ($49.99)

Video demo of Just Mobile Encore

Disclosure: This product was sent by Just Mobile for review purposes. This is part of Beatweek Magazine’s coverage of iPad products. Opinions expressed in this article are my own.

Popularity: 5% [?]

Bargain iPhone, iPad, and Mac Apps: Zombie Restaurant, Cut the Rope, iBlast Moki, and more!

Get through the rest of summer with some sizzling new apps! Below are a few bargain must-have apps for the iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Enjoy!

Zombie Restaurant – The city around you is surrounded by brain-eating zombies! Luckily, you’re a restaurant owner and you figured out how to keep the zombies at bay. As long as you feed them gruesome brain and guts dishes, they’ll stay away from you! Build and expand your restaurant in this hilarious game. Universal Version (Free)

Cut the Rope: Experiments – Little Om Nom has been dropped off at a scientist’s house and he’s trying all sorts of candy experiments on Om Nom! Help Om Nom get the candy in these whacky new levels. Highly addictive and recommended for lovers of puzzle games and problem solvers. Never played Cut the Rope before? Try out the full universal version of the Holiday Gift edition, or the original game. The games are just 99 cents, which is such a treat!
iPhone/iPod Touch Version (99 cents) | iPad Version ($1.99)

iBlast Moki – Send the Mokis to safety by bombing their way through the mysterious lands! This is similar to Rolando, but there’s definitely more bombs and a whole lotta blasting of things in this game. It’s a game of physics where you have to place bombs in certain places and have them go off at different times. The object is to have the blast bounce the Moki’s into the portal holes. iPhone/iPod Touch Version (Free) | iPad Version (99 cents)

Glowfish HD – Oh no! Your lady friend, Coralline, has been captured by the evil Dr. Urchin. Bring her to safety with the help of your powerful Glow Chums friends! Navigate through gorgeous water sceneries. With over 50 levels of beautiful graphics in stored, it’s hard to put down! It’s very similar to a game like Spore, but instead of eating smaller species, you collect powerful Glow Chums to help you through each level.
iPhone/iPod Touch Version (99 cents) | iPad Version (Free)

Pucca’s Restaurant – If you love Pucca, or just restaurant games in general, here’s a fun one. Cook and serve moon cakes, as well as a big variety of Asian dishes to your customers! Have Pucca run all around the restaurant managing the cooking, menu, and serving customers. Cute and fun music while you play. Plus the app is optimized to use on both iPhone and iPad. Find your friends via Plus+ gaming network. Universal App (Free)

Google+ – is the shiny new social network by Google. It’s fun and addictive once you have all all your friends join. Add friends by adding them to “Circles” and you can share your updates with the Public, all of your Circles, or just specific ones. You can leave comments and +1 (saying you ‘liked’ something) on your friends’ updates. There’s also a feature called Huddle, which is like group texting, for specific Circles or groups of people. You also get notified of various updates on your Google+ profile. Definitely worth the download if you use Google+ a lot.
iPhone Version (Free)

BabyCenter Birth Class – if you’re pregnant, or planning to have a family soon, this is a wonderful app to have on your iPad. It takes you through 3 hours of a birth class, explaining signs of labor, as well as various stages of labor. There’s also great tips and guidance from doctors, midwives, and birth educators, and much, much more. This app use to be $40, but was recently reduced to being free. iPad Version (Free)

Photovine – Created by Google, this is my new favorite photography social network! Start off with a picture (a seed) and watch it grow! Basically, you upload a photo and categorize it. Watch your ‘vine’ grow as more people add photos to your category. You can add photos to ther people’s categories as well. It’s an interesting and new way of displaying your photos. Plus, I’m sure you have lots of unsorted photos on your phone that you can definitely categorize and have fun with this app! iPhone App / iPod Touch 3rd gen (Free)

Google Catalogs – Get ready to do some windowshopping! Recently released by Google, this app lets you flip through many rich and beautiful catalogs. Watch videos and save your favorite products (requires Google account) in a scrapbook. You can even create photo collages of your favorite items and share them. And there’s about a catalog for everyone’s taste! From Apparel & fashion for men, women, and children; to beauty; jewelry; home goods; gifts! More will be coming soon. iPad Version (Free)

Amazon Student – The Fall college school year is just around the corner! So it’s best to arm yourself with this new app. It lets you instantly check prices on textbooks and more. Just scan a barcode to check a price, or use one-click access to scan items you want to buy or sell back. Amazon also has a convenient trade-in program that can turn your books, games, movies, and electronics into Amazon Gift Cards. Plus, join Amazon Student to get FREE Two-Day Shipping for six months with Amazon Prime shipping benefits! Best of all, this app is absolutely free! Amazon account is required for trade-in, and only certain items are allowed to be traded. iPhone / iPod Touch version (Free)

Wunderlist – is a beautiful, yet simple way to keep track of your tasks or to-do list. With a very intuitive UI, you’ll find yourself using this pretty quickly. Sign up for a free Wunderlist account and you can sync your list on every device, including iPhone, Android, Windows, iPad, and Mac desktop iPhone / iPod Touch Version (Free) | iPad Version (Free) | Mac App (Free)

Popularity: 4% [?]

iPad 2 Case Review: Speck Fitfolio

With protection from front to back, the Speck Fitfolio can keep your new iPad 2 safe and sound. This form-fitting case is easy to use and can be set in many functional positions.

To put you iPad 2 in the case, you’ll need to first align all the ports to hard cover interior. Then just snap it in place. It’s as simple as that.

There are cutouts for all the ports. The cutouts also make it easy to get to all of the buttons without much trouble.

Folio. The Speck FitFolio, as the name suggests, can be nicely used as a folio for your iPad 2. It covers both the front and back of your new device and looks highly elegant and professional.

There’s also a handy bungee cord that holds the front cover in place when it’s closed, or secures it to the back of the case when it’s open. This works very nicely for both landscape and portrait mode. Again, the multiple use for this case is very nice.

Upright positions. The Fitfolio is also a stand for the iPad 2. On the soft interior cover, there are four different indentations that you can place the iPad in, ranging from position angles between 45 to 75. This makes it really handy to watch movies and videos from your iPad 2, or even games.

Typing position. Flip the case around and you got yourself a nice typing stand for your iPad. Talk about universal! To get the case into this position, hold the iPad 2 in landscape mode with the front cover pointing down. Now take the front cover and pull it backwards. Pull the front cover so it meets the back cover and pull the rest of the cover around. This will form a nice pedestal for your iPad in landscape typing mode. This makes it very convenient to type when the iPad is in your lap or on a table.

Overall, the Speck Fitfolio iPad 2 case is slim, form-fitting, and stylish. As an added bonus, it has multiple uses which makes it a nice all-in-one case. Best of all, the Fitfolio protects both the front and back of the iPad and costs just under $40; that’s the cost of just an Apple Magic cover that only protects half of the device.

The Speck FitFolio is available in red, black, and grey.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars · SpeckProducts.com · $39.95

Disclosure: This product was sent by Speck for review purposes. This is part of Beatweek Magazine’s coverage of iPad products. Opinions expressed in this article are my own.

Popularity: 3% [?]

Review: HyperShield Back Cover for iPad 2

Do you love your iPad 2 and it’s special magical cover by Apple? But do you also feel something is missing? Like the back cover? How do you keep that precious Apple logo and back side from being scratched? Not to worry, HyperMac has you covered!

The new HyperShield is a back cover for the iPad 2. The HyperShield is made of a durable TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane) which is a gel-like material that not only protects your device from scratches but also has shock absorbing properties for any bumps along the way.

Putting the HyperShield back cover on is quite easy. Simply pop in the cover by matching the ports and cutouts. Press around the iPad 2 to snap on the cover and you’re done. You’ll notice that the back cover has all the cutouts for your ports, speakers, buttons, and camera. To finish it off, add the Apple iPad 2 cover and you got yourself beautiful matching ‘case’ for your iPad 2.

The HyperShield has many desirable qualities any iPad 2 user would love. First, it comes in an array of colors — all matching any of the Apple iPad 2 covers you may have already purchased. Second, for those of you who love the new slim look of the iPad 2, you don’t have to worry about this back cover adding any extra bulk. It’s slim, yet protective. Third, it’s completely compatible with the Apple iPad 2 front cover. There’s a side cutout that allows the hinge on the Apple cover to attach nicely. Lastly, it’s quite stylish as well. It covers the iPad 2 where protection is needed, and also add a beautiful bevel around the edge of the iPad to bring the colors together.

The only drawback is that the cutout on the left side for the hinge is wider than the hinge itself, so part of the aluminum back of the iPad 2 is exposed. The reason it’s there is so the hinge of the Apple iPad 2 cover would have a place to fold back on. It’s about the size of a pinky finger, so not too wide, but this may be a concern for some people.

The HyperShield for iPad 2 is available in a big range of colors, including all the matching Apple covers and clear — gray, blue, green, orange, pink, cream, tan, black navy, and clear.

Overall, I think the HyperShield makes the iPad 2 feel more complete, especially with an Apple iPad 2 cover. It’s also reasonably priced at $19.95.

Rating: 4.5 out 5 · HyperShield.com · $19.95

Disclosure: This product was sent by HyperMac for review purposes. This is part of Beatweek Magazine’s coverage of iPad products. Opinions expressed in this article are my own.

Popularity: 10% [?]

Use an iPad to Add Some Light to Your Photos

I was having dinner with my friend, Mark, at Daliah Lounge in Seattle last week. The restaurant looked lovely, and so did the food! You know how I love taking photos of food, especially for Foodspotting. The restaurant was a little bit dark though. I was going to use my regular camera (with a flash) until I saw Mark pull out his iPad and raised it over his food. Then he took out his camera and snapped a photo. I thought it was funny at first, but then I found myself doing the same. It was quite a clever idea. ;)

Albert snapped this photo of me putting just the perfect amount of light on my food. :)

And here are the photos I took of my dinner and desserts with iPad lighting. Yes, it’s another awesome use for the iPad. :)

How to use an iPad as a light source for photos

1. On your iPad, go to Settings -> Tap on Brightness -> Move the scrollbar to the max
2. Hold the light at the right angle on your subject.
3. Snap a photo on your other device in the other hand.

Popularity: 3% [?]

Roundup of iPad 2 Cases, Covers, and more!

Looking for a new iPad 2 accessories? Here is a roundup of iPad 2 cases, covers, and accessories that you should keep an eye out for. Of course, this is only a partial list. Most are available for pre-order. More in-depth reviews to come once they’re available!

Apple Smart Cover · $39.99 (Polyurethane) / $69.99 (Leather) · Apple.com
This Smart Cover is actually quite magical. So slim, yet so strong. It comes in an array of 10 beautiful bright colors. 5 of the colors are made with polyurethane, and the other 5 are aniline-dyed Italian leather. There’s a strong magnet on them to securely hold onto your iPad. The side with the hinge makes the cover feel like it’s seamlessly part of the iPad. It also doubles up as a stand — for viewing and typing positions.

Belkin Folio for iPad 2 · $TBD · Belkin.com
This fashionable case hugs your iPad 2 in place. It’s a folio-style case that also converts into a viewing stand. Turn it around and it’s set in typing position, perfect for email, writing, or chatting. The pocket in front gives you space to store your cord and other gear. Will be available in black and black/gray woven. Coming soon.

Belkin also has three other iPad 2 cases, which will also be available soon.

Booq Booqpad iPad Agenda · $99.95 · Booqbags.com
The Booqpad Agenda combines an iPad 2 case and notepad into one. It keeps all the business things you need organized, whether it’s a pen or stylus, business cards, cash, tickets, or notebook paper. Each Booqpad ships with a blank, 50-sheet A5 notepad made from at least 30% post-consumer materials and printed with soy ink. This is a surface perfect for sketching, writing, note-taking, or laying out the next app, printed piece, product, story, or website. It comes in a variety of colors. Next shipment estimated to be 04/12/2011.

Casecrown Denim iPad 2 Pocket Case · $38.95 · CaseCrown.com
Impress your gal pals with this unique Denim case! Made by Casecrown, this case has four exterior pockets, just like your jeans! The interior is made of shock absorbing foam to protect your new investment. Carry it in your hand, or use the adjustable strap to carry it like a messenger bag. Made of real denim, this case is stylish for a tech girl on the go. Currently on sale and available for order.

Casecrown iPad 2 Royal Standby Horizontal Case · $35.95 · Casecrown.com
The exterior of the CaseCrown Royal Standby case is made of synthetic leather, while the interior is lined with felt to protect the front glass. Inside of the case is an open pocket where you can easily slide in your iPad 2 and it will hold it in place. The cover is designed to flip back and turn the case into a viewing stand. All ports of the iPad 2 are accessible, even with the case on. It comes in three colors — red, brown, and black. Black is currently out of stock, but the other two are available for order.

Dodocase for iPad 2 · $59.95 · Dodocase.com
This case is handmade and constructed using traditional book binding techniques. The cover of the DODOcase Classic for the iPad 2 is designed to fold back to be used as a stand. The case perfectly matches the curvature of your iPad2 while providing access to all buttons and ports. The case can be in positions appropriate for both typing, video viewing, and camera views. There is a 2-3 week expected ship date for iPad 2 cases.

Enki Genius Case · $29.99 · EnkiGear.com
The Apple Smart Cover is great, but what about the delicate back side of your iPad 2? Not to worry, Enki has you covered! They made a new Genius Case that’s compatible with the Apple Smart Cover. Available in clear, smoke, blue and pink. Each order comes with a screen protector. And a lifetime warranty. Pre-orders start April 15th and shipping by the end of April.

Gear4 Angry Birds iPad 2 Case · $49.99 · Gear4.com
Are you a big Angry Birds fan? Show off your love for the game with this a super slim hard plastic Angry Birds case. It clips onto your iPad 2 and has openings around all the ports for easy access. There will be three different designs to choose from. You will have your choice of: Pig King vs. Red Bird, Red Bird, or Angry Birds Family. The three designs will surely put a smile on anyone’s face. These cases are not yet available for pre-order, but will be soon.

Griffin Technology Elan Folio Slim · $39.99 · GriffinTechnology
With the new slim design of the iPad, we’re all looking for protection without the bulk, and that’s where Griffin Tech delivers! The Eland Folio Slim is a new design that’s made of a textured black polyurethane on the outside cover and a soft microsuede lining inside. All access ports for controls, headphone jack, speaker, and rear-facing camera are all accessible. The case also folds into both landscape typing position as well as a viewing stand. Available for pre-order.

iLuv Smart Back Cover · $TBD · i-Luv.com
Already have an Apple Smart Cover? Why not get a matching back cover for it? iLuv has come up slim back covers to complete your magical device. Price and shipping date for this accessory is unknown. Back covers come in 10 colors, each matching the corresponding Smart Cover by Apple.

In addition, iLuv has many more iPad 2 accessories to choose from, including a bluetooth keyboard case.

InnoPocket Elite Folio for iPad 2 · $199.99 · Innopocket.com
For the trendy executives and race car enthusiasts comes this special new iPad 2 case called the Elite Folio. Made of two real carbon fiber shell, this case also has a Patent swivel hinge that rotates 360 degrees on a stainless steel hinge pin. This allows the top panel to fold completely underneath the bottom panel, keeping the clean design. It’s also made by hand which explains the expensive price point. They are available for pre-order and will begin shipping at the end of April.

Marware Microshell Folio · $69.99 · Marware.com
Here’s Marware’s take on the new iPad 2 design. It’s ultra sleek! The MicroShell Folio wraps the iPad 2 in a smooth rubberized shell for the back and a protective lid for the front. Opening the front flap wakes up your iPad and closing it puts it back to sleep. The front flap also doubles up and can be folded into a stand.

A version without the front flap called the Microshell iPad 2 Case ($39.99) is also available, as well as other Marware iPad 2 cases and accessories.

Miniot Cover · $70.34 · Miniot.com
Here’s a unique take on the iPad 2 cover. Not only is it a cover, but it’s also a 3-in-one stand. And it’s made of wood! This sleek and stylish cover has a microfiber lining to prevent any scratches on your iPad 2. Roll the Miniot cover to put the iPad 2 in a viewing landscape stand, a portrait camera stand, or a typing position. These cases are made in Holland from a single piece of the finest wood. All wood is obtained from well-managed forests and certified supply. Free engraving of your logo, art, etc, for a limited time. So order yours soon!

SFBags iPad Travel Express · $69 · SFBags.com
The Travel Express is made for the gadget lover on the go. It can store and protect your iPad or iPad 2 along with its many accessories. Stash your wireless keyboard, cables, power brick and accessories in and off you go. There are plenty of soft and scratch-free pockets to prevent bumps from any of the items. This case is small enough for you to toss it into another bag, or you can carry it with you over your shoulders with the optional D-rings and straps.

This case comes in six earthy colors. The case is $69. The additional D-Rings are $5, and optional straps are $12 or $22 (depending on size). Items are currently sold out, but you can pre-order for the April 7th shipment.

Speck PixelSkin HD Wrap for iPad 2 · $49.95 · SpeckProducts.com
Love the Apple iPad 2 Smart Cover but worried about the back of your iPad? This PixelSkin Wrap has your covered! There’s a protective cover on the back, and a front that wraps the screen. The front cover also folds into two types of stands, perfect for viewing shows, or typing. The PixelSkin HD Wrap will come in three colors — pink, colbalt, and black. They are not yet available for pre-order, but will be soon. Add your email to their mailing list to be notified when they’re available. Speck Fitfolio is also another interesting case for your iPad 2.

Speck iGuy · $39.95 · SpeckProducts.com
Who can resist this cute iGuy case? This whimsical case will put a smile on your face, whether you’re a kid or not. It doubles up as both a case and a stand, with a whole-lotta personality! Best of all, it fits both the iPad and iPad 2. Gotta have it? It will be available for $39.95 in three fun colors — green, aqua, and yellow.

STM Skinny for iPad 2 · $39.99 · STMbags.com
Does this case make your iPad 2 look skinny? Yes it does! It’s sleek and protective without the bulk. Both the back and front flap are made of a hard shell, making it durable for and easy to clean. The front flap also has the power to walk and put your iPad 2 to sleep. The inside flap is lined with a soft micro suede, protecting the glass. And lastly, this case is also a stand. Fold the front flap back and slide it in a back loop. Currently available in three colors – black, mushroom, & sage. Available for pre-order. In stock 4/5/2011. Also see STMbags for more iPad 2 accessories.

Targus Versavuâ„¢ 360° Rotating Stand & Case · $59.99 · Targus
Here’s a sophisticated case that has a unique cover that frames the beautiful Apple logo and allows your iPad 2 to rotate both vertically and horizontally while in the case. It could be used in three viewing positions.

You may also see this case already in stores like Best Buy as Targus 360° Rotating Stand & Case for iPad® 2. A version without the 360^o capability is also available. It’s called the Targus Vuscapeâ„¢ Cover & Stand for iPad® 2 ($39.99).

TwelveSouth BookBook for iPad/iPad 2 · $69.99 · TwelveSouth.com
Love technology, but miss the feeling of holding a good book in your hand? You can have the best of both worlds with the BookBook iPad Case! This handmade leather case also doubles up as a fully adjustable stand. The hardback cover and spine provide impact protection from drops. And the hard protective interior offers crush protection. This unique design also disguises the iPad from any potential thefts. Fitting both iPad 1 and 2, this one-of-a-kind case is available in two colors — dark brown cover with black spine or vibrant brown cover with red spine. Available now.

Popularity: 23% [?]

Finally Got my iPad 2!

I had plan on getting my iPad 2 on launched day (March 11, 2011), but so many things were going on that day that I didn’t aggressively try that hard to get one. For some reason, I didn’t think it would be in such a high demand so I was just going to stop by my nearest Apple store to pick one up after work. Boy was I wrong.. My nearest Apple Store (still about 45 minutes away from me) already had 500 people in line before I even left work.

So plan B was to go to my local Best Buy. At 5:30pm, they only had two iPads left — both were the 64GB+3G on Verizon. I decided to stop by a few Walmarts and Targets after that. Of course, they’re all gone. I did surveyed them so I know what to expect with the iPad 3 comes out.

Target had about 5 iPads. One Walmart only had 2. Another had 5. Best Buy had 150 but sold out within an hour (or less). Yes, I was all over California that night!

The next day, I went to Best Buy and reserved my iPad. There’s a $100 deposit, but they gave me a $100 gift card in exchange. I waited about a week before calling back to check on my status. They said the iPads didn’t come in yet. So I waited another week, and they told me the model I wanted isn’t in.

Well, I couldn’t wait anymore. Any longer, I might as well wait for the iPad 3 to come out. So when I saw
Macmall’s Tweet about getting a shipment in, I hopped to the opportunity. I called them the next morning (3/26/2011) and they said they had plenty in stock! The nearest MacMall from me was about 75+ miles, but well, it was worth it. Torrance has plenty of great food so I had a yummy lunch and got to do some grocery shopping as well, and plus, I got my new iPad 2!

They only had the 32 and 64 GB wifi black ones available, so I settled for the 32GB. I desperately need the space anyhow. My current iPad barely has space for another email to download.

The funny thing is, Macmall didn’t even get a shipment of iPads on launch day. The customer service was great. If I miss launch day for iPad 3, I know where to go next time. ;)

I’ve only had my iPad 2 for a few days but I’m already testing and abusing it. New reviews for iPad 2 cases will be coming soon, so be sure to come back for those. You can also read my iPad 2 Review here as well as my list of Top 50 Essential iPad Apps.

Popularity: 4% [?]

Top 50 Essential iPad Apps

Are you a lucky and proud owner of a new iPad2? With hundreds of thousands of apps in the iTunes App store, your next task of finding just the right ones may become a daunting experience! But not to worry, I’ve got you covered! Below is a list of the top 50 iPad Only and Universal apps (works both on the iPhone and iPad) for you to get started. There are plenty more, but I had to keep the list to just the essentials!

Jump to the various categories: Music and Video, Books and Reading, Productivity, Photography, Games, Social Networking, Education, Shopping

*Unless noted, these apps will also work on the iPad 1st generation.

Music and Video

Pandora Radio – Create you own unique radio stations and stream them anywhere. Learn more about the artist and what inspires them. There’s even an option to bookmark your favorite songs and artists so you can refer back to them, as well as share to your social networks. There is also a link to iTunes so you can purchase the song. Create an account to further personalize your music-listening experience. Universal App (Free)

Hulu – Watch your favorite shows and movies right on your iPad! Glee, Saturday Night Live, Family Guy, The Simpsons, Bones, The Office, Grey’s Anatomy, House, 30 Rock, Food Network shows, movies, and much more. See the current listing. You can try Hulu+ for a week for free. To continue using the subscription, it’s $7.99 a month. Universal App (Free)

Netflix – Already have a Netflix subscription? Now you can watch the shows and movies on your queue right on your iPad! This is part of your Nextflix unlimited membership. You can also resume watching where you left off on your computer or TV. Video out is supported on the iPad, iPhone 4, and iPod Touch 4G. Universal App (Free)

ABC Player – Turn your iPad into a TV! If you enjoy ABC shows like Modern Family, Desperate Housewives, Grey’s Anatomy, Castle, The View, and others, you’ll love this. Put your iPad in the kitchen and catch up on your favorite shows while cooking or washing dishes. Commercials are short and Internet connection is required. iPad Version (Free)

Discovery Channel – Watch your favorite Discovery shows on your iPad! Episodes of Dirty Jobs, Gold Rush, MythBusters, American Chopper, and many more are available. Tap around to see extra photos and learn more about the characters. Internet connection required.
iPad Version (Free) | iPhone Version (Free)

Glee Karaoke – Sing your heart out to your favorite Glee song! You can sound like a star with the option to auto tune and harmonize. Compete online to earn the stars and prizes. Additional songs are available for in-app purchase for 99 cents.
Universal App (99 cents)

Shazam for iPad – Ever heard of a song you like but just don’t know who sings it? This app helps you identify that song simply be recording a few seconds of it. A link to download it on iTunes, artist’s page, similar tracks, and social network sharing, along with part of the song are displayed after it recognizes the song. iPad Version (Free) | iPhone Version (Free)

Magic Fiddle – Learn how to play a fiddle right on your iPad! Holding it may be hard at first because of the iPad’s shape, but you’ll get the hang of it soon enough. Try out Twinkle Twinkle as your first song in the songbook. Additional song sets are available for 99 cents.
iPad Version ($2.99 cents)

Garage Band – What if you could carry a portal music studio with you? Garage Band on your iPad is just that! It includes instruments like guitars, basses, keyboards, and drum sets that you an use to record and mix. Create music by mixing up to 8 tracks and easily share them with your friends. It is a big app, taking up 369MB of space. And it works best on the iPad 2. iPad Version ($4.99 cents)

Books and Reading

Goodreader – This is a wonderful PDF reader for the iPad. You can highlight and annotate text in your PDF. In addition, it could also read other file types such as: MS Office – .doc, .ppt., .xls, iWork ’08/’09, HTML and Safari web archives, High resolution images, and even audio and video! To my surprise, it also read Zip files! It’s like a Swiss Army Knife to file management on the iPad. iPad Version ($4.99) | iPhone Version ($4.99)

Dr. Seuss Books – These books are simply amazing on the iPad. Buy them for the child in your life and watch how they interact with the book. Or just buy it for yourself and bring back a piece of your childhood. I loved watching Dr. Suess’ characters come to life. All the apps are universal and have options to auto-read, have you read and manually turn pages. Tap all around the pages to make the drawing come to life. My favorites are How The Grinch Who Stole Christmas, the Cat in the Hat, and Fox in Socks. Universal Apps: Fox in Socks ($3.99) | The Grinch ($4.99) | Cat in Hat ($3.99) | Cat in the Hat Lite (Free)

iBooks – The iBooks store is fun place to look for new books to add to your iPad. Books simply look gorgeous in this app. When downloaded, your books are displayed nicely on a bookshelf. Each book comes with a chapter preview, so you can try before you buy. There are also many setting options to make your reading experience more enjoyable. Change the font size, font type, screen brightness, toggle sepia on and off, and add a virtual bookmark to your page. Search for text, highlight and leave notes in your book. Universal App (Free)

Kindle – If you already have a great Kindle/Amazon collection of books, this app is perfect. You can import all of your purchases over to your iPad easily. Just login and hit sync to bring your books over. Best of all, the pictures in your Kindle books will be in color! Enhanced books (ones with audio or video) are also available. Universal App (Free)

Google Books – Now you can buy your books from Google too. Access over 2 million Google eBooks on your favorite device. There are options to change font size/typeface, search within the book, more book info, page turns, night-reading mode, and offline reading mode. All you need is to log into your Gmail account to access your books. Universal App (Free)

Epicurious – Download recipes from the fabulous site, Epicurious.com right onto your iPad and read it in the kitchen while you cook! Choose from over 30,000 different recipes. Save your favorites, and create a shopping list of the ingredients you’ll need to cook it. It’s a delightful app for the most seasoned chef, to a casual cook. Universal App (Free)

InstaPaper – Instapaper is a free web service that allows you to save web articles and links for reading at a later time. The Universal iOS app caches the articles you save for offline reading on your device. This is really handy when you want to save articles to read on the plane or when traveling. Many apps also have Instapaper built-in so you can send links to it too. Highly recommended if you enjoy reading a lot of webpages and news. Universal App ($4.99)

Productivity

Penultimate – a great notebook app. Take notes by writing (preferably with a stylus) and organize them in separate notebooks. Choose from graph, lined, or plain paper for your notes. The app is fast and simple to use. There are also options to email your page (or entire notebook) to someone, save it to your photo roll, or print. iPad Version ($1.99)

ToDo – If you ever carried a daily planner with you in the past, you’ll fall in love with this app. It’s a gorgeous To-Do list that’s wrapped up in a beautiful interface. Create your list of To-Do’s and reminders and check them off as you complete them. The simple and beautiful interface is what makes this app unique. Change out the theme as your mood changes. Additional themes can be purchase in-app for 99 to $1.99. iPad Version ($4.99) | iPhone Version ($4.99)

SketchyPad – This is perfect if you’re an web or app designer. Add your design on the canvas, along with various components. Double tap on the component to customized and change. This is the perfect app when you need to jot down your ideas for a client. Design a page/app quickly to demonstrate your ideas. There’s even an option to email the design or save in your photo roll. This works well when you need to share your design idea with your development team. iPad Version ($4.99)

Dropbox – store your files in the clouds. It’s like a hard drive that follows you everywhere, no matter what device you use. Your files will be synced all across your devices. A Dropbox account is required. The free Dropbox account comes with 2GB of space that you can use for as long as you like. You may upgrade up to 100GB. Universal App (Free)

Bento – create your own personal database. Have a collection or cds or inventory you need to keep up? Store it in Bento and sync your databases across your devices. Bento comes with 25 ready-to-use database templates that can be easily customized to organize any type of information you have. You can manage contacts, track projects, organize your album collection, plan events and so much more. iPad Version ($4.99) | iPhone Version ($4.99)

Brushes – Love to doodle, paint, or draw? This app has a beautiful interface that’s simple to learn, yet powerful enough for professional artists. This app comes with 19 high-quality brushes, up to 6 layers, a quick zoom, in-app replay of your paintings (amazing feature), VGA/TV output, and much more. iPad Version ($7.99) | iPhone Version ($4.99)

Evernote – this is the app that can remember everything you can’t! Store your thoughts, pictures, and anything you want to remember in the cloud. You can even tag, search, and organize all your thoughts too. Creating an account is free. You can also go premium if you would like to be able to upload any file time, and up to 1GB of space per month.
Universal App (Free)

Pages – If you edit or create a lot of formatted documents, this is the app you’ll need. Simply type your text like you would in MS Word or Pages. Select and highlight text that you would like to bold or change color. Add, drag, and drop images into your file and move them around easily. Spell checking and word count also available. iPad Version ($9.99)

iMovie – Now that the iPad 2 has cameras, you’ll probably be taking more videos! Edit them right on your iPad with this easy-to-use app. Add photos, music, sound effects and give it the whole Hollywood treatment with 8 different themes to choose from. Some features exclusively on the iPad 2 are the Multi-Touch Precision Editor and Audio waveforms. Overall, it’s a great app to edit videos on the go without the need of a computer.
Universal App but compatible with iPad 4, iPod Touch 4, and iPad 2 Only ($4.99)

Photography

Photoshop Express – Now that there’s a camera on the iPad 2, this app will come in handy. It’s like Photoshop for your fingers! Import your image and edit away. Pinch and zoom to apply filters, and then save the image, or upload to Photoshop.com.
Universal App (Free)

Coolibah – This app is probably geared more for the crafty people. You’ll be taking a lot more photos on your iPad now. What better way to spruce up your photos than with a splash of patterns and colors. Digitally scrapbook your photos on the fly and post them to your favorite social networks. Export higher quality versions to make prints as well! The app is free to download, but your creations will have a watermark on them. You can upgrade via in-app purchase ($4.99), as well as purchase more scrapbook templates for 99 cents each. Universal App (Free)

Games

Plants vs Zombies HD – This is one of the best games out there. And it’s even more fun on the iPad because you can get your tapping-action going. Protect your house from the zombies by planting super-power plants in front of your house. Don’t let the zombies get close.. or you may lose your mind… iPad Version ($6.99) | iPhone Version ($2.99)

Angry Birds HD – You got to have the number one game of all time on your iPad. Your favorite birds are at it again, terrorizing the pigs and scaring them out of their homes. The adventure puzzle game just get better and better, especially being on such a nice big iPad screen. Hit your targets with better accuracy. And if you do miss too many times, call on the help of the big Mighty Eagle! Be sure to join Game Center and see how you rank in the world. (Angry Birds Seasons is a seasonal version of the game.)
iPad Version ($4.99) | iPad Lite Version (Free) | iPad Seasons Version ($1.99) | iPhone Version (99 cents)

Scrabble – Gather your friends around to play a round of Scrabble — everyone’s favorite word game! In party mode, the iPad becomes your game board. Have everyone else with iOS devices download Scrabble Tile Rack (Free) and they’ll be able to throw their letter pieces onto the board! It’s quite amazing to watch how the devices communicate with one another. Other modes are also available, but Party Mode is certainly the most entertaining. Best of all, you won’t lose any game pieces when it’s over. ;) iPad Version ($9.99)

Words with Friends HD – Play one-on-one with a friend with this word game. You can play quickly or take your time making your moves. There are more Triple Words (TW) places on this board, so you’ll be surprised how quickly the scores dramatically change. This game is available on both iOS and Android platforms, so you can play with all of your friends.
iPad Version ($2.99) | iPad Lite Version (Free) | iPhone Version ($2.99)

Cut the Rope HD – Who doesn’t love physics games with something as adorable as a green pet that only eats candy? Candy dangles on a rope and you must cut it so that it falls right into the mouth of your cute pet. Collect stars along the way to advance to the next levels. Trust me, you’ll love it. iPad Version ($1.99) | iPad Lite Version (Free) | Universal Holiday Version (Free) | iPhone Version (99 cents)

World of Goo – Winner of many design, puzzle, and game awards, this game is a must-have. Drag and drop moving and squirming globs of goo to build structures, bridges, canonballs, etc. Unused balls of goo will climb up your structure to reach and end point. Save and rescue enough Goo to advance to the next level! The World of Goo has beautiful graphics and an amazing soundtrack. It’s one of the best games for the Mac and even better on the iPad. Explore and get lose in the World of Goo! iPad Version ($4.99)

Smurfs’ Village – Hooray, hooray! The Smurfs are in here! Get ready for the smurfy cuteness to invade your iPads! If you enjoy games like We rule and Farmville, you’ll love Smurfs’ Village even more. Based on the original cartoon and comic art, this game brings back a lot of childhood memories. Universal App (Free)

Super Monkey Ball 2: Sakura Edition – Your favorite monkeys are on the loose again! Keep your monkeys rolling in orbs as you collect bananas and race to the finish line. Mini-games include Monkey Base, Monkey Target, Monkey Golf, and Monkey Bowling. Have an endless fun time with this accelerometer game! This iPad game was $14.99 but is now on sale for $3.99. iPad Version ($3.99) | iPhone Version ($2.99)

HoloToy – While you’re waiting for the new Nintendo 3DS to come out, get a taste of the 3D effect on your iPhone or iPad! HoloToy a series of 3D games you can play on your iDevice. Believe me, it’s not like anything you’ve seen in the app store before. New games are added frequently and best of all, it’s only 99 cents! Universal App ($1.99 cents)

Social Networking

Flipboard is an amazing and beautiful interactive magazine designed just for you. As you flip the pages, you will see personalized pages filled with your friends Tweets, Facebook updates, and posted photos. At least that’s who it would work if you were allowed to connect your account. They’re currently still working on the accounts portion, but it’s definitely worth the download. I suggest adding the “Tech Influencers” to your content list to get tech news, tweets, and announcements. iPad Version (Free)

Friendly Facebook – Facebook doesn’t have an official app yet, so this app is the best next thing! It displays your Facebook profile, wall, and status updates nicely. Not to mention, the photos are gorgeous as well. You wouldn’t want to go back to the website after trying it. It also allows you to have multiple accounts, but from my experiences, the inboxes seem to get mixed up it there are two or more accounts. iPad Version (Free/99 cents – ad free)

IM+ – Sign into chat with this app and connect to your GTalk, Yahoo, MSN/Live Messenger, AIM/iChat, ICQ, MySpace, Twitter, Facebook, and Jabber accounts. There are push notifications when you receive a message. And it’s a universal app, so you only need to purchase once. Universal App (Free / $9.99 – ad free)

Twitter – Follow your friends and their tweets, real-time news searches, and your interests on the official Twitter app. It has a clean user interface, but is quite powerful underneath it all. Tap, swipe up and down, and reveal hidden features. The one thing I’d like to see add is the ability to manage users in lists. This feature seems to be absent on the iPad version.
Universal App (Free)

GetGlue – this is a social network for people who want to ‘check-in’ and rate movies, tv shows, music, books, and more! Earn stickers and badges along the way. You can also have your stickers mailed to you! Best of all, it’s free!
iPad Version (Free) | iPhone Version (Free)

Education

NASA App is a fabulous app if you want to dive deep into space exploration. Explore each of the planets closely. Read tweets from space, read NASA news, see thousands of images from space, and much much more. Internet connection is required.
iPad Version (Free) | iPhone Version (Free)

WebMD – This app lets you check your symptoms, access drug & treatment information, get first aid essentials, and check local health listings. To check your symptoms, simply tap on the picture of the body to narrow down your affected area.
iPad Version (Free) | iPhone Version (Free)

WolframAlpha – Love information? Now you can access expert knowledge no matter where you are. Computer solutions to difficult math problems, balance complex chemical equations, get help with a crossword puzzle, and much much more. This app was at one time selling for $49.99 and is on sale for just 99 cents this week. It’s universal, so you’ll be able to use it on your iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad! Universal App ($1.99 cents)

EMD PTE Periodic Table – If you’re taking Chemistry, or need to review the periodic tablet of elements, this comes in pretty handy. Click on the elements to get more information on it. The app is universal, working on iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad!
Universal Version (Free)

3D Cell Simulation and Stain Tool is perfect for students taking Biology. Learn about what makes up the cell structure with a 3d model, as well as stain your own cell by selecting colors for each structure. Have fun rotating the cell around and finding the Golgi, Lysosomes, and Nucleus! iPad Version (Free)

Shopping

Zappos – As if your weren’t addicted to shopping at Zappos.com already, they just made a gorgeous iPad app that let’s your browse through all of your future accessories! Select an item and swipe up and down to scroll though the different angles. It sure makes shopping a lot of fun! Tab through reviews, more details, and more info about the brand. Shop for shoes, clothing, bags, beauty products, as well as housewares. Great user interface and that’s both functional and easy to use! Universal App (Free)

Target for iPad – Getting ready for some Christmas shopping? Be sure to check out the weekly ads on the Target iPad app. Just set your store location and the ad will appear. Flip through the pages and when you see something you like, tap and add it to your list. When you’re done browsing, email the list to yourself and you’re ready to go shopping. The apps makes it a fun and green way to read the weekly ads! iPad Version (Free)

Windowshop by Amazon is a fun way to browse what’s available on Amazon.com. Pictures of products are displayed according to categories and you can tap and swipe away. Tap on a category and the entire screen is filled with items from only that category. It does make shopping and finding gift-giving ideas much easier! iPad Version (Free)

Boutiques – Shop or “window browse” the latest and largest collection of curated boutiques. These have been created or inspired by celebrities, designers, fashion trends, and popular users. If you love fashion, you’ll love this app. Beautiful interface to tap and browse. iPad Only App (Free)

Popularity: 40% [?]

iPad Stand Review: TwelveSouth Compass

The TwelveSouth Compass iPad stand is one of the most compact, yet sturdy, iPad stands you’ll find on the market. It’s lightweight and perfect if you’re always on the go with your iPad. When folded, the Compass reminds me of a Japanese fan — thin and compact. But the magic is when you unfold it into a functional stand.

Upright Stand. Pull all three legs of the Compass out to form an “A” or easel-like shape. Once you have it in position, pull out the smaller tab parts at the bottom in the front two legs. This is where you would put the iPad. It’ll lean against the stand and sit on these two tabs in the legs. The parts where the iPad rests on are lined with a soft rubber to ensure no scratches are put on your iPad.

Typing Position. Another nice feature in this stand is that it also folds into a typing position. Pull out a metal tab on the back tripod leg and put this new leg on the table. The back leg will fall into place. Lay the Compass in its new position on the table, then put your iPad on top of it. This puts the iPad in a perfect position for typing. It’s lifted off the ground and protected by the soft rubber on the stand.

There is one thing to keep in mind though. In this position, the tabs in the front legs get in the way of your typing, so it’s not recommended to type for long periods of time with the stand.

Overview. With the Compass, the iPad could be displayed in either portrait or landscape mode in both positions. Because of the compact size when folded, this stand is the most ideal for travel. It’s lightweight, sturdy, and quite functional. Beautifully crafted and designed, this stand deserves to be in a class all its own.

Note: The TwelveSouth Compass Stand for the iPad is compatible with both iPad 1 and iPad 2 as well as various eReaders and tablets.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars · $39.99 · TwelveSouth · Amazon ($39.99)

Disclosure: This product was sent by TwelveSouth for review purposes. This is part of Beatweek Magazine’s coverage of iPad products. Opinions expressed in this article are my own.

Popularity: 3% [?]

iPad 2: Review and Upgrading Tips

Are you an iPad (1st generation) owner? Did you also just upgrade to an iPad 2? Here are a few things you should think when moving your data over to your new tablet.

Syncing your iPad 2 with your iPad 1 Backup¹

The iPad 2 isn’t that useful until you sync your collection of apps, books, and documents from your first iPad onto it. Downloading each app, one by one can be a large task. The best thing to do is to move a backup copy of your iPad 1 over to the new device. Here are the steps:

1. Sync and backup your iPad 1 in iTunes.
2. When this is done, plug in your iPad 2. On the left side in iTunes, find your new device. Right click so a menu comes up.
3. Select “Restore from backup”
4. Select the name of your backup (whatever you named your previous iPad device) from the menu.
5. Click “Restore”
6. Syncing your iPad 2 may take a while depending on how much data you had in your backup.

Be sure that both devices are running the same iOS version. The iPad 2 is shipped with iOS 4.3. If you’re running iOS 4.3.1 on your iPad 1, this will not work completely.²

What you should be aware of:
Be aware that restoring from a backup does not move everything over exactly the way they were. The apps, their data, and most of their settings are moved over, except they’re installed on the new device in alphabetical order. It’ll start installing on page 2 and end on page 11. If there are more apps, it’ll install on page 1 and then the rest will be on page 12+ (but these will not be visible on the display). You’ll need to use the search bar to find the apps that aren’t visible on screen.

Another strange thing is that folders are not moved over. So once you finish syncing your apps, you’ll have a bit of app sorting and organizing to do.

If you download a lot of book previews in iBooks, they will not be added onto your new iPad either. However, full books and PDFs will be moved over (if you sync/select them in the Books tab).

New Default Apps

Once you’re done syncing, you’ll notice a few extra icons on your iPad 2. These are the new default Apple apps available for the updated device.

• Camera – This app is the optimized version of the iPhone camera app. You can select camera or video mode in the bottom right settings. The option to use the front-facing or the back-facing camera is on the top right. When you run it for the first time, it will default to the back-facing camera. Change the settings if you like. The next time you open up the app, it will pick up your new settings.
• Photobooth – Like with most Apple products, the iPad 2 now comes with the classic Photobooth app. This app takes photos of the subject in 9 various modes including Thermal Camera, Mirror, X-Ray, Kaleidoscope, Normal, Light Tunnel, Squeeze, Twirl, and Stretch. Besides the Normal mode, I find the other modes just takes creepy photos of you. This app only works with the front-facing camera.
• Facetime – Now you can make video calls and video chats with other Apple users. Facetime is available on iPod Touch 4th generation, iPhone 4, and Macs running Snow Leopard 10.6.6+. You’ll need to sign in with your Apple ID (could be the same as your iTunes account). Both cameras will work on this app. Simply switch the camera used in the top right settings.

Camera Placement

Now that there are cameras on the iPad 2, there is a wrong and right way of holding it, at least when you use the cameras apps. The camera on the iPad works best when it’s on top and the Home button is at the bottom (portrait mode).

At first, I thought that having the back-facing camera on the left side would have photo alignment issues. But after testing, it seems fine as long as you look on the screen to center and focus your subject.

This position also works very well when you want to make a video in landscape mode. In portrait mode, if you turn your iPad clockwise, the back-facing camera will be on the top left, making it easier for you to hold the iPad and record video at the same time. Because of the size and shape of the iPad, recording video on it isn’t that practical, but it’s nice to have the option to.

Placement of Various Ports

Microphone. In the iPad 1, the microphone is located in the top left, next to the headphone jack. This is somewhat of an odd placement, but there were not many apps that needed to record sound, so it wasn’t so bad.

Now that Facetime has been added on the iPad 2, sound and voice quality is more important. The microphone has been moved right in the top center of the iPad, making talking to someone on Facetime much better. You’re not talking to just one side of the screen (which would look funny on video).

There’s a major improvement in the speakers as well. The speakers are much bigger in the iPad 2, starting from the bottom left edge of the iPad 2, and abut a finger size in height. Audio is spread much further, making your audio and music much clearer.

Processor

The addition of the Dual-core A5 chip has made the latest iPad much faster. If you play a lot of graphic-intensive games (or apps in general), you’ll noticed how much quicker the game responds to your actions. If you’re just using mostly text-based productivity apps, you may not see much of a difference at all.

Design and Weight

Design. The significant differences between the iPad 1 and iPad 2 are their designs and weight. The new design borrows the best parts of the iPhone 3G/GS and iPhone 4 designs. It takes the rounded concave edges to make it appear much thinner, and the back is completely flat like the iPhone 4. When the iPad 2 lays flat on a table, it’s still easy to pick up since the edges don’t touch the table.

In the iPad 1 design, they also mixed the designs of the iPhone 3G/GS and iPhone 4. The edges took the trait of the iPhone 4 and had a straight flat edge all around the iPad 1. However, on the backside of the device, it had a more rounded feel. So if it was to lay flat on a table, only a little part of the device would actually touch the table. This was intentional also so you can pick the iPad up easier.

That’s two design concepts for solving the same problem. I’d have to say the iPad 2 approach is much sleeker and makes the iPad appear much thinner than it is. The optical illusion on the sides gives it the edge.

Weight. If you hold the iPads in one hand, the iPad 2 is significantly lighter. However, you still can’t compare it to the Kindle which feels as light as a feather. The trade-off between a Kindle and iPad is the ability to do multiple things though.

Should I Upgrade?

So the big question is, if I already have an iPad 1, should I upgrade to an iPad 2? The iPad 2 is one of those devices that you don’t need, but instead, just want. It also comes in two colors now — white and black. iPad 2 are scarce, but iPad 2 in white are even more rare. The cameras and speed upgrades aren’t compelling enough to have to get a new iPad. But if you’re interested in using apps like iMovie and Garage Band, you may want to think of an upgrade. More and more interesting apps that require an iPad 2 will start to pop into the app store soon enough. If you’re app-dicted, getting an iPad 2 as soon as you can is a good idea to maximize your time with one. The iPad 3 after all is rumored to be releasing soon!

¹You can also use an iPhone or iPod Touch backup, but most apps will require the 2x view. It’s recommended to start fresh instead and download iPad optimized apps.

²This article was based on iPad 1 and iPad 2 running iOS 4.3.1. Some parts may be different in future versions of iOS.

Popularity: 6% [?]

iPad Stand Review: Griffin Loop

At first glance, this stand looks ordinary, but once you use it, you’ll love how elegantly it holds you iPad in a few different configurations.

The Griffin Loop is basically an oval-shaped piece. On the bottom of the Loop are three non-slip pieces. This keeps the stand in place. There are two cutouts that holds the iPad in an upright position. This is the perfect angle for watching videos. The iPad could be placed in either portrait mode or landscape.

The more interesting position is when you lay the iPad right on top of the Loop. This angle and position is perfect if you’re playing a tapping game like “Plants vs Zombies” or “We Rule” or just surfing websites. It’s one of few stands that hold the iPad in a comfortable gaming position.

Although, packing this stand is not recommended due to the space it takes up, it’s perfect to put in the kitchen or near your work area to hold up your iPad. It’s a strong and sturdy stand that you’ll definitely enjoy.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars · $29.99 · GriffinTechnology.com

Disclosure: This product was sent by Griffin Technology for review purposes. This is part of Beatweek Magazine’s coverage of iPad products. Opinions expressed in this article are my own.

Popularity: 4% [?]

Fling, a Joystick for Your iPad!

Tapping on your iPad screen is great for most games, but do you ever wish you had a joystick for other games? Ten One Design, the maker of the first capacitive touch-screen stylus for the iPhone, just announced their revolutionary game controller for the iPad called Fling!

For more information, see GeekBeat.TV

Popularity: 2% [?]

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