iPad

Apple patent envisions wireless charging on convertible laptop

Despite Apple CEO Tim Cook having knocked the idea of a convertible MacBook-iPad hybrid device, the company has filed a patent application for just that. The proposed patent, titled "Wireless display for electronic devices," was published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office today.

The application describes a computer display that is removable from its base -- basically a convertible laptop. But, what's different about this idea from other convertibles made by other companies is that it has wireless display technology. That means the device could be charged wirelessly.

Here's how Apple describes it in … Read more

Best Buy chops older iPad prices as much as 30 percent

Consumers looking to pick up an iPad will find discounts as high as 30 percent courtesy of Best Buy.

The retailer is offering the 16GB version of the 3rd-generation iPad $314, down from $449. The 32GB will run you $384, down from $549. And the 64GB edition is on sale for $454, down from $649.

The discounts also extend to the cellular flavors of the iPad 3, mostly with A&T but at least one with Verizon.

Consumers not interested in the iPad can also land a few discounts at Best Buy.

The first-generation version of Amazon's Kindle Fire is on sale for $99, … Read more

Apple's iPad, 3 years in: Magical? Some beg to differ

Apple released "the magical and revolutionary iPad" three years ago today.

So, what's trending on its anniversary? Well, there's the iPad Death Watch, which highlights what non-believers have said through the years.

Here are some of the comments:

Unnecessary: "It seems like a high priced, unnecessary trinket to me." Paul Thurrott, SuperSite for Windows, January 2010. (Note: this kind of comment wasn't that unusual in 2010. Though I quickly became a heavy user, I dismissed it initially as inadequate in some respects. And, even today, while some might consider excessive dumping on the … Read more

Set Twitter's Connect tab to only show mentions on Android, iOS

When using Twitter on your Android or iOS device, the Connect tab is where you can find all of your interactions (by default as of an update in February) such as mentions, retweets, and new followers. While this may be the desired view for some, for others it can lead to a cluttered experience.

Luckily there's a simple solution to remove retweets and new followers from the Connect tab.

Using either the iOS or Android version of the app, you'll first need to navigate to your "Me" or profile tab. From there tap on the Settings … Read more

Apple stops blocking Microsoft's Skydrive app for iOS

Microsoft released an update of its SkyDrive for iOS app today, indicating that Apple is no longer blocking the app's updates from the App Store.

Until today, Microsoft hadn't updated its cloud storage service app since June 1. This was reportedly due to a dispute between Microsoft and Apple over fees. The app's 3.0 version includes support for iPhone 5 and the iPad Mini, and the ability to download full resolution photos to an iPhone or iPad.

In December, a report surfaced that Microsoft allegedly didn't want to pay Apple a 30 percent fee for … Read more

Apple application to trademark iPad Mini denied

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has denied Apple's bid to trademark the term "iPad Mini," contending that "mini" is "merely descriptive" of goods or services sold in miniature form.

In a letter sent to Apple in January but only recently published, the USPTO reviewer denied Apple's application because "the applied-for mark merely describes a feature or characteristic of applicant's goods." Apple can appeal the decision, but to win a reversal the company will need to address the office's reasons for denial.

The reviewer argues that "… Read more

The Room you won't want to leave

The Room is an intensely challenging puzzle game with beautiful 3D graphics where the object is to unravel a mystery by opening steampunk-style boxes.

Though "opening boxes" may sound boring, with The Room, each box has several hidden secrets and clues that keep you engrossed, trying to find the right sequence of actions to open the box. There are dials to turn, complex safe combinations to figure out, hidden compartments that contain keys, and much more. You also have an inventory on the left where you store the various keys and other items you find as you search … Read more

Forecast.io is a beautiful weather app for any Web device

Earlier this week Forecast.io was announced by the same team behind the iOS weather app Dark Sky. The app would provide alerts based on the immediate weather forecast, allowing you to get inside just moments before the weather would get nasty. With the launch of Forecast.io, the team is able to get the same type of forecasting into the hands of more users since it's a Web based app.

To use the app simply visit Forecast.io using your browser. You can then create a Web shortcut and save it to your mobile device, or a bookmark … Read more

iOS ups lead over Android among business users, Citrix says

iOS continues to be the preferred mobile platform in the business world, at least according to a recent report from Citrix.

Looking specifically at business customers who use its cloud-based management software, Citrix found that iOS was No. 1 with 58 percent adoption in last year's fourth quarter. Android took second place with a 35 percent share, followed by Window Mobile with only 7 percent. Among all deployed iOS devices using Citrix's sofware, iPads accounted for 53 percent and iPhones for 46 percent.

iOS actually showed a two-percentage point gain from the previous quarter, while Android's share … Read more