iPad

Recycle old iOS devices into always-on video messaging units

Perch is an iOS app, though there isn't an iPad-specific version yet. The idea is you take an iOS device like an iPhone, attach it to your wall, and start up the Perch app. It just hangs out there, waiting for someone to come along.

Perch is always on. It uses facial recognition to identify a person who steps up to it, gives you a countdown, then automatically starts to record. You share your message ("I finally reached Level 60 in World of Warcraft!") and it sends it along to the remote users in your Perch family. Those people can check the message at their leisure and then record and send replies. … Read more

iPad Mini vs. Kindle Fire HD 8.9 vs. Nook HD+

Life in the tablet category used to be simple. There were 7-inchers and 10-inchers and comparisons only occurred within each tablet's size category. This year however, Apple, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble have successfully muddied the once-clear waters by respectfully releasing 7.9-inch, 8.9-inch, and 9-inch tablets.

So how do they compare? Let's find out.

Screen The iPad Mini's 7.9-inch, 1,024x768-pixel screen has wide viewing angles and good color reproduction, but when it comes to resolution, it can't hold a candle to either the Kindle Fire HD 8.9 nor the Barnes & Noble Nook HD+. … Read more

Best Buy trims $50 off 3rd-gen iPad, kicks in $75 gift card

iPad buyers can score a decent deal on a 3rd-generation model through Best Buy, but the offer is good only for today.

The retailer is selling the 64GB Wi-Fi-only black version for $649 and the 32GB Wi-Fi black and white variants for $549. Both prices are $50 off the original retail price for the 3rd-gen model, which Apple discontinued after introducing the 4th-generation iPad.

Apple does offer refurbished editions of the third iPad, selling the 64GB Wi-Fi model for $549 and the 32GB Wi-Fi model for $469.

But Best Buy has sweetened its deal by throwing in a $75 gift … Read more

Top travel apps for iOS

Between crowded airports, winter delays, and luggage loaded with gifts, holiday travel can be stressful. But with a little planning, you can make your trip a little easier from start to finish. So rather than gathering up a collection of apps that help you book flights, we decided to make a different kind of travel collection.… Read more

iPads once again the top holiday gadget among kids, study says

Kids in the U.S. sure do like Apple gear, says a new study.

According to a recent poll of children ages 6 to 12 in the U.S. by research firm Nielsen, Apple's tablet once again came in first as the most-wanted gadget this holiday season, followed closely by iPods and iPhones. Of those polled, 48 percent said they wanted an iPad.

This is actually the third year in a row Apple's tablet has topped the list. Since 2010, the gadget has beat out computers, and Apple's own iPod Touch. This year's list also includes … Read more

Apple moves to trademark 'iPad Mini' in the U.S.

Apple has applied for a trademark on the "iPad Mini" brand.

The company filed the trademark application with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office last week. In the application, Apple describes its tablet as a full-featured slate, offering everything from Web connectivity to calendaring.

Here's Apple's description of its tablet: A "handheld mobile digital electronic device comprising a tablet computer, electronic book and periodical reader, digital audio and video player, camera, electronic personal organizer, personal digital assistant, electronic calendar, and mapping and global positioning system (GPS) device, and capable of providing access to the … Read more

iPad gaming wheel gives you something to hang onto

The iPad is the perfect size for holding in your hands and playing racing games, it's just not very comfortable for long sessions behind the imaginary wheel. Kolos, an iPad racing wheel, is looking to give your sweaty iPad hands a better grip.

The Kolos wheel can be held on its own or attached to a base with an auto-centering mechanism. A table clamp keeps the base secure. The hand grips are made with an anti-perspirant rubber coating for those times when your heart is racing as you take a corner at full speed.… Read more

iPad, iPhone can pick up live TV with EyeTV add-on

Dyle took another step towards bringing mobile live television to the masses with the debut of the EyeTV plug-in for any iOS device, which essentially turns it into a small television.

EyeTV, manufactured by Elgato, is the second product to run on Dyle's mobile live television network. The device, which costs $99.95, plugs into any iPad, iPhone, or iPod Touch's dock connector, allowing it to pick up local broadcast channels such as NBC and Fox. The device has a little antenna that sticks out to pick up the airwaves.

Dyle is an initiative formed by several major … Read more

Top Black Friday apps for iOS

Black Friday is rapidly approaching and we all know that means people are going to be hitting the stores both online and at brick-and-mortar locations to grab gifts for friends and family. But if you want to find the best deals, you're going to need a little help, and I have just the right apps for the job on iOS devices.

Whether you plan to brave the crowds on Black Friday or stay home and shop online, these apps will get you the best deals and hopefully make your gift shopping a little easier.

Editors' note: For Android shopping … Read more