GADGET REVIEW: iPad vs. Samsung Galaxy Tab

AppleApple iPad

So when I was recently given the chance to not only check out an Apple iPad, but also the new Samsung Galaxy Tab, I was in gadget heaven.

Unless you've been living under a rock , you've heard of the iPad thanks to the mighty juggernaut that is Apple's public relations department. The Galaxy? What's that? And I must confess that I immediately went into the comparison of the two gadgets assuming that the iPad would be superior in every way.

But, surprisingly, the Galaxy gives Apple a bit of competition in the tablet computer wars, and after playing with both of them for a week, I have to say both offer some mighty cool and useful features.

The iPad did it all first, so the Galaxy comes off initially as just an iPad clone, and since the Galaxy is about two-thirds the size of the iPad, you might be tempted to call this clone a "Mini-Me" ... or in this case a "Mini-i."

In the end, it was really hard for me to decide which device I liked better because both have so many similarities. The Galaxy runs on the Android operating system, so being a Droid phone user, that had quite a bit of appeal for me. It was tough to say which tablet was ultimately superior, so I'm going to run down some of the pros and cons for each device and let you -- and Santa -- decide.




SIZE MATTERS -- OR DOES IT?

Samsung Galaxy Tab

This comes down to a matter of preference. The iPad has a 9.7-inch screen while the Galaxy's screen is only 7 inches. But the resolution on both are so close that it might actually come down to pure psychology. Both screens are so crisp, that only the weakest eyes would have a problem with the Galaxy's smaller display. The iPad also weighs about half a pound more than the Galaxy as well. But it's bigger, so you'd expect that.

WI-FI
If you're wanting to surf the Web when there's no Wi-Fi around, then you will be out of luck with the iPad. The Galaxy has an integrated Mi-Fi which turns the tablet into a mobile hotspot. Verizon offers a separate Mi-Fi with the iPad, but who wants to lug around yet another device? The caveat with mobile hotspots is, of course, data usage. And that can run your bill up quickly. You can opt out of the Mi-Fi altogether if you want. Both tablets are pretty speedy when picking up a standard Wi-Fi connection.

CAMERAS
Sorry, no camera for you, iPad. But the Galaxy offers a 3 megapixel camera in the back as well as a 1.3 megapixel camera in the front for video conferencing using Skype. This is an obviously absent feature on the iPad that left everyone scratching their heads when it debuted. My guess is this won't be a minus for Apple for long, but why it was left off to begin with will always be a mystery to me.

MEMORY
The iPad comes in three standard memory sizes: 16 gigabytes ($499), 32 GB ($599) and 64 GB ($699). The Galaxy comes standard with 2 GB of internal memory and a 16 GB of external. Unfortunately, you can't add more memory to the iPad, but you can add more to the Galaxy with an SD card. Of course, more memory comes with a bigger price tag, and if you add the external 3G Mi-Fi to the iPad, the 64 GB model will run you $829. The Galaxy is $599. Unfortunately, the external capacity for the Galaxy maxes out at 32 GB.

The pricing for me is the only deal breaker in the comparison wars. With the Galaxy being so much smaller, I would expect the price to be at least $100 below the iPad's lowest price option.

You can get the Galaxy for as low as $400, but that involves a two-year contract that would probably include data usage for the 3G network.

APPS
Apps for the iPad are as abundant as they are for the iPhone. But since the Galaxy uses the Android operating system, the ever-expanding app store for that tablet is growing exponentially.

So, it all boils down to a matter of taste and preference. If you think Steve Jobs hung the moon, then it's doubtful that your eyes will ever lose sight of the iPad. But the Galaxy has a lot of things going for it, too. My advice is: Before you buy, give both of them a test drive. No doubt you may come away from the experience as much of a fence-sitter as I am.


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New App From Peel Aims To Turn Your iPad Into A TV Remote

Peel is looking at turning your iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch into a all bells and whistles universal remote control.

With Peel’s new Wi-Fi “fruit”, your iOS device will be able to find your favorite TV shows, recommend programs to you, also being able to operat your home theater system and posting your reviews on Facebook or Twitter.

Peel is the maker of a free iPhone app launched in October that’s like a mashup of TV Guide, Netflix and Flixter. The app lets you use your iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch to search for your favorite TV shows, giving you time and channel information. It recommends more TV based on the shows you liked and then hooks you up with social networking sites so you can chat about your favorites.

Peel has also taken the next step in turning the app into a TV controller. Instead of buttons and onscreen menus, you would use the iOS device’s gesture based interface. It finds the shows, changes channels, adjusts volume, all the controls you expect from a universal type remote control.

The Peel hardware consists of two pieces: the Peel cable and Wi-Fi-enabled Peel fruit. There aren’t a lot of details available yet on the system and we’ve pressed Peel to tell us more.

Peel says: “The fruit so named because it was designed by Yves Behar of fuseproject to look like an orange must sit within line-of-sight of a user’s entertainment system. The cable plugs into a power outlet and an Ethernet port on a wireless router.”

Like all universal controls, Peel also promises that its system works with thousands of models of TVs, DVD and Blu-ray players, cable and satellite boxes, Internet connected streaming devices like Roku, Tivo and Apple TV, and home theater receivers. It does however require iOS 3 or above.

As for the price, the company wants prospective customers to log onto its Web site and vote on what price they would be willing to pay although it does suggest that “comparable systems cost about $200″. The company say they have some test units that it’s willing to give away via a “Priceline like make me an offer” deal.

http://www.worldtvpc.com/blog/app-peel-aims-turn-ipad-tv-remote/

Custom iPhone Made of T-Rex Tooth and Meteor

A new phone by Stuart Hughes features meteoric rock and dinosaur tooth.

Looking for something "fierce"? The British jeweler who brought the world the $8 million Apple iPhone 4 has gone for something a little more prehistoric

The newly designed iPhone 4 History Edition by Stuart Hughes is not only encrusted by diamonds, it features the actual tooth of a Tyrannosaurus Rex.

Instead of the typical glass, the back is custom fitted with a T-Rex tooth -- splintered and shaved into polished meteoric stone that dates back 65 million years. The phone also boasts a bezel of diamonds and sports a platinum Apple logo.

It’s not the first time Hughes has worked with dinosaur. His company GoldStriker specializes in custom made luxury electronics ranging from mobile phones to notebook computers -- even aquariums that made headlines in October for offering an iPhone sporting 500 diamonds that cost $8 million.

Hughes will be producing 10 of the T-Rex iPhone 4s, which are going for about $62,700 -- the perfect stocking stuffer for any dino-enthusiast.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2010/12/08/custom-iphone-features-t-rex-tooth-meteor/#ixzz17an1ewjP

iPadLock Protects Your iPad From Thieves

iPadLock Protects Your iPad From Thieves

There's no doubt that Apple's iPad is a popular device, and the downside of that is that many folks will be eyeing your iPad, possibly with the intention of stealing it too. Since the iPad doesn't offer a built-in security slot like most notebooks out there, the folks over at MacLocks have come up with the iPadLock, which is a clear case that you can use to protect your iPad which happens to provide a security slot too, giving your previous tablet an added layer or protection. The case is currently available for pre-order on its own for $40 without the cable lock and $65 for the version that bundles the cable lock together.

http://www.ubergizmo.com/15/archives/2010/12/ipadlock_protects_your_ipad_from_thieves.html

Top 10 Pointless iPhone and iPad Accessories

10 Pointless iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad Accessories

There's a huge, lucrative accessories industry based on tricking out Apple's iPhone, iPod, and iPad. Some of the accessories are genuinely useful--or at least undeniably cool (such as Parrot's AR.Drone iPhone-controlled quadricopter)--but others look dumb and serve no discernible purpose. In this slideshow we gravitate toward the latter, spotlighting accessories that are, at best, pointless money wasters and, at worst, awkward destroyers of the user's social life.

You can thank us later for preserving your bank balance and your contact with other people.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/212689/10_pointless_iphone_ipod_touch_and_ipad_accessories.html

Speck’s DustJacket now Available for iPad

We get to play with a lot of iPad accessories here at PadGadget HQ, some of the stuff we get is pretty cool but a lot of it is just ho-hum. One brand we always enjoy checking out is Speck. So we were happy to hear that they just released their popular DustJacket case for the iPad.

The DustJacket for iPad is based on the company’s well known Kindle 2 folio case design. The case opens like a book but allows you to angle the iPad in a number of positions for watching movies or typing emails. The cover of the DustJacket flips over and acts as a stand, holding your iPad in a number of preset positions thanks to special ridges integrated into the case.

While in the case, your iPad is protected from the bumps and bruises of daily use thanks to a padded leatherette exterior and the microfiber interior helps keep your iPad’s screen scratch free. You also have full access to all of the iPad’s ports and controls so you don’t need to remove your iPad when syncing with your computer.

The DustJacket’s is available in black or red and has a MSRP of $49.95.

http://www.padgadget.com/2010/12/07/specks-dustjacket-now-available-for-ipad/

iPad 2 shipping Feb 2011 for April release tip insiders

iPad 2 manufacturer Foxconn is tipped to be preparing for shipment of the second-generation iPad “within the next 100 days”, putting the new slate shipping in late February 2011 and, according to the sources, on sale in April 2011. That’s according to DigiTimes, whose component manufacturer sources are suggesting that firmware development delays have pushed mass production of the iPad 2 back by around a month.

The company apparently intended to begin mass production in January next year, but longer than expected testing of the firmware has meant that schedule had to be pushed back. Initial shipments are tipped to amount to 400,000 – 600,000 units.

As for the hardware itself, there have been various rumors about the iPad 2′s functionality, including talk of an iPhone 4-style Retina Display and a carbon fiber frame. The iOS slate is also expected to have a front-facing camera for Face Time video calls.

iPhone App Tracks Your Own Flight Without Network Connection

Runway Girl Mary Kirby got a sneak peek of WindowSeat, an iPhone app that lets passengers track their continental US flights as they fly without GPS or network connection. The apps tells you about the points of interest in your route.

It's like having a tour guide telling you about the places you are flying over. But how does it work without GPS or network connection? The app has a database of flight routes in the continental United States. After entering your departure and arrival points, you choose the flight path and tell the when you are taking off. From that moment, the app will tell you the estimated arrival time, as well as showing your plane in its built-in map and give you information about the points of interest near you.

As you can imagine, it's not exactly accurate. The creator of WindowSeat says that "one of the app's core features is the dialogue between it and the user. In this way, a user can make the flight prediction even more accurate by using their own observations as well as information they gather from the cabin staff."

It seems to me like a flaw-turned-into-a-feature that could be solved with GPS support. After all, GPS support is active on the iPhone even with Flight Mode on.

Still, it sounds like a nice pastime to those people who like flying and maps. Unless the flight crew decides that you are asking too many questions and decide to hand you to the police at arrival, that is. [Runway Girl]

Send an email to Jesus Diaz, the author of this post, at jesus@gizmodo.com.

http://gizmodo.com/5707387/iphone-app-tracks-your-own-flight-without-network-connection

Apple iOS 4.2 For iPad Reviewed

AirPlay, AirPrint, folders and multitasking come to the iPad with Apple's latest software update, but is it the enterprise tablet we've been waiting for? Here we put it through the paces to find out.

By Eric Zeman , InformationWeek
December 6, 2010 04:00 AM

iOS 4 was first offered for the iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS and iPhone 3G earlier this year. The big new features for iOS 4 were the addition of folders, multitasking and a unified inbox for the email program. The iPad, however, wasn't party to the iOS 4 update and has been stuck on iOS 3.2.2 for months without access to these features.

Last month, Apple finally made iOS 4.2 available to the iPad for the first time. The update installs a bevy of new features above and beyond folders and multitasking for iPad users to get excited about. After spending a week with the new system software, InformationWeek shares its thoughts about the iPad's renewed productivity possibilities.

Multitasking and Folders

As on the iPhone with iOS 4.x, double-tapping the home button of the iPad brings up a list of open apps that users can jump to quickly. The sliding dock that appears on the bottom of the screen can be slid to the left or right. To the left, users find easy access to brightness, screen orientation, media player, AirPlay and volume controls. Sliding the dock to the right reveals a string of the most recently used applications. This dock is accessible from most applications on the iPad and is the best way to jump between active applications.

The most important aspect of iOS 4.2's multitasking ability is that the iPad preserves the "state" in which you leave apps. In other words, if you've started typing an email, and jump to the browser, you won't lose your spot in the email when you return. In practice, this works just as Apple describes and is especially helpful in the browser. Using the multitasking tool prevents the browser from refreshing the current web page, which means users can pick up right where they left off.

http://www.informationweek.com/news/smb/hardware_software/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=228500278&cid=RSSfeed_IWK_All

Create your own iPad home theater cheaply

If you've got Bluetooth speakers, add a display stand to amp up your iPad movie-watching.
(Credit: Zerochroma)

If you don't have US$150 to toss around for the Altec Octiv Stage iPad dock and speakers, there are other, cheaper ways to milk the iPad's 10-inch screen for its home theater potential.

If you've already got Bluetooth speakers, simply pair them with a pivoting stand, like the swiveling, tilting Zerochroma Vario iPad case. It offers basic protection of the sides and back, but the main draw is the pop-out kickstand, which swivels 360 degrees and has 16 angle settings so you can position your iPad just so as you kick back with your movie from your airplane tray table, couch, or bed.

TK-421 iPhone Case with Flip-out Keyboard Review

Finally, an iPhone with a physical keyboard! Some of us have been waiting for this day since June of 2007. ThinkGeek is the first to endow iPhone with such a feature. The TK-421 iPhone Flip-Out Keyboard is a case for your iPhone 4 or 3GS that uses bluetooth connectivity to give iPhone the 36+ buttons you’ve been craving. The keyboard works universally for all iPhone apps. So, the big question: how is it? Dive in to find out….

About the Design

Apple’s iOS 4 update enabled the use of bluetooth keyboards on iPhone 4 and iPhone 3GS (sorry iPhone 3G, you’re not fast enough). That’s how the TK-421 works; it does not need to connect to iPhone’s dock connector. The TK-421 has its own battery and comes with a Micro-USB cable to charge it. The TK-421 is one piece with two parts: the bottom half is a bluetooth keyboard, and the top half is regular iPhone case. These two parts are attached by a hinge that swivels. The swivel is not spring-loaded (like a sidekick), but it has magnets to lock it into its open and closed state. The user manual states that the magnet will not affect wireless signals, but can affect the compass.

TK-421 is lighter than you’d think. It weighs less than two and half ounces. The case is pretty plasticky and has a flimsy feel that’s caused by a gap between the two parts of the case. The swivel hinge does not seem super durable, though it’s apparently durable enough to support the weight of iPhone. The iPhone housing has cutouts for all buttons, ports, and the camera too. To insert iPhone, squeeze and slide the bottom off of the case. TK-421 for iPhone 4 is more than twice the thickness than twice the width of iPhone 4.

The Keyboard

The keyboard is big and well spaced. It’s very large for a mobile keyboard, but not overly large. There are 49 keys, 5 rows of 10 (space is two keys wide). The keys are plastic and have a good click feedback; we preferred this to the rubberized keyboard. We like that all numbers and letters have dedicated keys, as do space, period, comma, semicolon, shift, and slash. We also like that there are arrow buttons, multimedia buttons, and a lot of special characters. They are accessed using the function (Fn) or shift buttons. We don’t like that the backspace is on the bottom next to the space button. We also don’t like that certain functions don’t work like brightness, expose, escape, menu, home, end, insert, and print screen. The multimedia control features were convenient to have, they include play/pause, track back/forward, and volume up/down. We made the discovery that the keyboard aspect of this case can actually be purchased, standalone, at DealExtreme.com–which explains why there are functions on it that don’t work.

Using TK-421

Syncing the Bluetooth keyboard was a pretty easy process; it works just like pairing any other bluetooth device. Once the keyboard is paired you can start typing, regardless of whether or not iPhone is in the case. If your phone is in lock mode, a key press will automatically unlock it. The typing works in all applications, anywhere that the virtual keyboard works. When you begin typing the virtual keyboard disappears, maximizing your screen real estate. Unfortunately, in most cases the enter key functions as a carriage return rather then an enter button, but this is a limitation of iOS, not the keyboard. It’s comfortable to type on, both with one hand or two. Though it would be tough for people with smaller hands to successfully type with one hand. The large keys make it easy to type accurately and quickly. iPhone’s autocorrect still works, and sure helps. The hinge on the side makes it awkward and uncomfortable to use when the case is closed. It’s still possible to type and use your phone in closed mode, it’s just not optimal—the hinge juts out relatively far from the case. TK-421 has an On/Off button hidden on the back of the case; you never really have to shut it off, as it goes to sleep mode after a couple minutes of no use. To conserve battery on your phone, don’t leave Bluetooth running all the time.

Conclusion

Is the TK-421 iPhone Flip-Out keyboard what we’ve all been waiting for? Probably not. TK-421 is a pretty bulky case, and thus makes regular tasks on iPhone more cumbersome then usual. It is, however, a great accessory to have for iPhone. If you know you’re going to be doing a lot of typing on your 3.5” screen, then it’s ideal to maximize screen real estate and use a portable keyboard that’s easy to type on. The TK-421 costs $50 from Thinkgeek.com, which is a pretty reasonable price for what it is, even if you’re going to just use it as an accessory. If you’re in dire need of a physical iPhone keyboard, this is not a bad purchase. Alternatively, you could wait it out for a few months; since we’re most likely going to be seeing more and more of these keyboard cases hit the market.

The Good: Good keyboard with a multimedia keys and special characters, easy to type on, light, inexpensive, maximizes screen real estate.

The Bad: Bulky, Hinge is large and awkward, flimsy feeling, optimized for landscape use only (not portrait)

http://www.chipchick.com/2010/12/tk-421-iphone-case-review.html

5 True Stories of iPhone Apps That Saved a Life

We've heard stories of people tracking down criminals thanks to Find my iPhone. How about Apps saving people's lives? It's happened a few times, and the stories are amazing. While we wouldn't recommend simply relying on an App to save any life, we will say that when people are left with little to no options, some have found ways to turnaround an otherwise deadly situation.

Let's take a look at some of the times iPhone Apps have been used to save lives:

1) iPhone App Saves Life of Haiti Earthquake Victim

Everybody remembers the horrible tragedy that was the earthquake in Haiti. One story that made its way around the internet in early 2010 was that of a man who was trapped in rubble, but used an iPhone app. Dan Woolley was an aid worker who volunteered his time was trapped underneath rubble.

"I had an app that had pre-downloaded all this information about treating wounds. So I looked up excessive bleeding and I looked up compound fracture."

The App he used had information on CPR from the American Heart Association as well as information on how to treat his wounds as well as how to keep himself from succumbing to shock. He then used set his iPhone's alarm clock to go off every 20 minutes and keep him awake. Though the battery ran out, he was able to train his body to stay awake and it turned out to be just enough to save his life.

2) Kayakers Found Thanks to GPS App

Two couples on a kayaking trip ended up meeting some severe weather. After hours of fighting currents, getting separated and becoming totally lost, one of the kayakers decided to use his phone and call the Coast Guard.

The Coast Guard had trouble finding the vacationers at first, but being that he was the traveling type, he happend to have an App called Basic GPS and was able to give them his exact coordinates. That was enough to help the Coast Guard find both parties within minutes. Otherwise, they could have been out there for days. At worst, they never would have made it home.

3) Coach Saves Student's Life with iPhone App

During basketball practice on the day before Thanksgiving, a teen by the name of Xavier Jones stumbled and fell down. The high school senior's heart had stopped and he wasn't breathing.

Luckily, his coaches, Eric Cooper and John Osorno were able to get him breathing again by administering CPR. Just by chance, Coach Cooper had been reading up and refreshing himself on CPR with an iPhone App called iPhone Aid. Given, all coaches are trained in CPR, but since the information was again fresh in his mind, he was able to administer CPR quickly. Things could have been worse, and just before Thanksgiving as well. Luckily, good fortune, or whatever you want to call it, was in these guy's hands and things turned out much better than they could have been.

Photo credit: Panix.com

4) Doctor Saves Life By Amputating Arm

To be fair, this wasn't an App Store app--it was the stock Messages App for SMS. Still, the story is amazing. Keep in mind that the fact that the man with the iPhone was a trained surgeon had a lot to do with it.

While visiting the Congo in Africa, a British surgeon by the name of David Nott had to perform some lifesaving techniques on a boy whose arms were ripped off in what was likely to be a hippo attack (Yeah, those bastards are meaner than they look) had become gangrenous. The infection meant he would die within days if not treated.

Fortunately, the surgeon was able to text a colleague by the name of Meirion Thomas who happened to be one of the few surgeons in the UK with knowledge of the difficult process of removing the collar bone and shoulder blade. With a lot of luck, and help from his friend, Nott was able to save the life of the boy and monitor his condition through recovery.

Things could have ended up much worse...

Photo Credit: Red Truhitte

5) Boaters Again Saved by GPS App

Yet another story of travelers nearly being lost at sea. This time it was a boater and his brother-in-law doing some fishing and a bit of drinking. Unfortunately, a few things went wrong, and none of them involved alcohol (in case you were wondering): Their on-board GPS failed, weather and visibility took a turn for the worst, and their fuel was running low. They were also in danger of bottoming out their boat in low water thanks to the tide.

Luckily, he had an App called Boatie, which helped them pinpoint their GPS location. They were able to find their way to the harbor thanks to the App. While it doesn't seem they were in too much danger, their being lost could have easily turned into a panic. People do irrational things when they panic. Luckily, it never got that far and they were able to find their way to safety.

On Lifesaving

Once again, we can't say that we would trust a 99-cent App with a human life. However, when put in a bad situation, some people have found that their iPhone Apps made the difference between life and death. It's an experience we hope we never have to encounter, but if someone found in one of these situations is able to rescue or be rescued, it's worth something.

ttp://www.ismashphone.com/2010/12/true-stories-of-iphone-apps-that-saved-a-life.html