iPad

Auris turns any 30-pin music dock into a Bluetooth speaker

In my kitchen I have this great Fluance speaker dock -- well, great except that it doesn't have Bluetooth. If I want to listen to music, I have to plop my iPhone onto its 30-pin connector.

Or not, if I plop an Auris onto it instead. This Kickstarter-spawned gizmo can turn that dock into a Bluetooth speaker, able to play wireless audio from my iPhone, iPad, Android device, Windows phone, or anything else capable of Bluetooth streaming.

Neat, huh? No wonder this Kickstarter campaign earned more than three times its funding goal. I received a sample Auris from BiteMyApple.co (… Read more

iPad Mini to bury 9.7-inch iPad in 2013, says DisplaySearch

The venerable 9.7-inch iPad will get buried by the iPad Mini in 2013, NPD DisplaySearch said today in a research note.

If January is any indicator it could be a pretty sharp shift. Shipments of 9.7-inch tablet panels (iPad) "collapsed," falling to 1.3 million in January from 7.4 million a month earlier, DisplaySearch said.

But 7-inch and 7.9-inch (many of the latter are the iPad Mini) panel shipments grew to 14 million from 12 million in the same period.

And it will get pretty lopsided for the whole of 2013, DisplaySearch said.

"… Read more

iFixit outs tablet repairability list; Surface Pro in last place

iFixit, a company that takes apart technology products, analyzes what's inside, and determines their repairability, has launched a new platform to make it easier for folks to lean more about tablets.

The company's new "Tablet Repairability" list shows all of the recently released slates it's taken apart and discusses how easy it is to repair them when trouble erupts. Each device is given a score on a scale of 10, with the top product -- the Dell XPS 10 -- earning the highest score of a 9, thanks to it being easy to open, and … Read more

Conan bares the naked truth about the iPad

Conan O'Brien wants to be the most technologically savvy of all talk-show hosts.

He doesn't miss any opportunity to connect with the connected audience -- whether it's to mock Google Glass or to review something he can barely bear, like a video game.

His latest object of connection with you, the cool people, is the iPad.

Last night, he insisted that he'd got hold of a more honest -- and allegedly recently released -- spot in Apple's latest ad campaign.

You know the one, with vaguely jazzy music, subliminal words, and Apple cultists chanting.

Conan … Read more

TuneIn launches TuneIn Live for Web and iPad

The increasingly popular TuneIn streaming-radio service today gets a new feature that helps users better customize their listening experience. Dubbed TuneIn Live, the feature is available now both on the TuneIn Web site and in the updated iPad app.

On TuneIn's homepage, TuneIn Live can be found via a small Edit button atop the featured-content tiles. This button lets you pick up to eight different interests -- anything from Top 40 to Hip Hop to News -- to use as filters for recommendations. Once your interests are marked, the tiles update to show only stations that you might like.… Read more

Outbox delivers your snail mail to your iPhone or iPad

Mail service as we know it just doesn't work anymore. Too much junk. Too much hassle sorting, scanning, and/or filing the stuff we need to keep. And, let's be honest, so much of what arrives in our mailboxes could -- some would say should -- arrive electronically.

Austin-based startup Outbox wants to make that happen by digitizing all of your physical mail and delivering it to you electronically on your iPhone or iPad, or your PC.

Interesting proposition, wouldn't you say? Think about it: no more daily trek to the mailbox followed by the daily armload … Read more

Amazon launches Cloud Player app for iPad, iPad Mini

Amazon today launched its Cloud Player app for the Apple iPad and iPad Mini, expanding the online retail giant's footprint for its music streaming program.

The app allows customers to stream or download music stored in Amazon's cloud, play music already stored on the device, and manage or create playlists.

A quick check by CNET shows iPad users also can purchase songs from Amazon through the Safari Web browser like they can on iPhones and iPod Touches. In the past, iOS users were able to access Amazon's apps but weren't able to purchase items from Amazon. … Read more

How do you use your tablet? (poll)

When the iPad first came on the scene back in 2010, most people bought them without having much idea how they'd use them. It was more out of curiosity, to see if a tablet would indeed meld with modern life.

Fast-forward three years. Now we all know exactly what tablets are good for and what they're not. We buy different sizes to accommodate different needs and purposes. Heck, some of us are already moving on to our second or even third tablet.

But why? What drove you to buy one, and what's your primary use for it … Read more

The easiest way to create and share a link to an iOS, Mac app

Launching iTunes, the App Store app, or the Mac App Store just to find an app, copy its direct link, and then send it to someone is a process we all accept. Sure, it doesn't take up too much time, but if you're sharing apps on a regular basis, the entire process adds up. But there's a quicker, easier way to share an App Store link with your fellow iOS and Mac users.

During the Super Bowl, the AppStore.com URL shortener made its official debut when the "Star Trek: Into Darkness" commercial used AppStore.com/StarTrekAppRead more

2-in-1 iPhone Lightning cable inspired by Transformers

Cable clutter is the bane of gadget hounds everywhere. If you can find a way to ditch a cable, it's a beautiful thing. I guess that makes the Orobis Transform cable a beautiful thing. It combines an Apple Lightning connector with a Micro-USB connector leading to a standard USB connector on the other end.

The idea of a 2-in-1 cable isn't new. What's cool is how the Transform handles it. Inspired by the Transformers, the Lightning part of the cable fits over the Micro-USB part. To expose the Micro-USB, you slide a small latch, fold it over, and plug it in. It's cute and functional.… Read more