speaker 1: What's up?
I'm Brian Tong and welcome to the Apple Byte.
It's all the good, the bad and everything inside the world of Apple.
Now, we're back from Las Vegas.
I've taken a shower from that dirty dirty place and now my skin is smooth as better.
Now Apple dropped a whole bunch of news at the recent education event in New York and let's start with the iBooks update.
It's now called iBooks 2 and it will support digital textbooks from 3 major textbooks publishers that use interactive slide shows, videos and 3D images for a more engaging textbook experience.
There's currently only 8 books available that's start at 1499 and they're targeting the K2 12 market.
It's a nice push for the digital classroom but reinventing the education system is going to take a lot more than just the 15 buck interactive book with an iPad that has a current entry level price of $499.
Now, teachers will need to be trained differently to shape their curriculum around this new digital format and guess what.
Not everyone is going to have an iPad unless Apple starts giving them away and you can bet they won't.
Now, you can beat the hell out of a textbook but you can't beat up an iPad and this could also create even a greater digital divide for iPad haves and have nots.
Now, my take, I really like the idea my parents and sister are all educators but this is just a small step in the right direction in the digital classroom and public education is still years and years away.
What if you wanna create your own books?
Apples making the ibooks author free at all Mac OS online users and only line users.
How convenient.
But think of it as key note and pages fuse together for book creation.
It will include Apple design templates text charts and shapes, the ability to add multi text functionality and you can add your own JAVA Script and HTML widgets and the ability most importantly to upload your book directly to the iBooks store for purchases by complete strangers.
Now it's bringing book publishing to the consumer Apples way and finally I can bring the Brian Tong autobiography to the masses.
That's right.
(??) should have taken my call.
Now, in the last piece of education news.
iTunes U gets its own free app giving students and non students access to course material including video content and documentation and notes.
You still have to purchase the actual textbooks for most of the classes.
The iTunes U becomes a go to hub for college professors and students and allows them to post messages , send out assignment and more.
For example, I'm learning about volcanoes right now.
Whoa, thanks iTunes U!
All right, let's take a quick break with a how to tip using your iphone as a keyboard and mouse.
Speaker 2: Hey, guys.
Sharon Vaknin here to show you how a free app turns your iPhone into a keyboard and mouse that you can use to control your computer from the distance.
The use for this might not be obvious but with this set up you can connect your computer to your TV and leisurely navigates from the couch or even use your iPhone or any IOS device as a PowerPoint remote.
To get started, head to logic.com/ touch mouse on your Mac or PC select your OS from the drop down hit download software and complete the installation.
Now, open the new app and grab your iPhone.
First make sure you're currently on the same WiFi network as your computer.
That's how your iPhone w ill communicate with your computer.
Now, from the apps (??) download touch mouse.
When you launched it select your computer from the list on the screen and you can start controlling your computer right away.
To use the mouse drag one finger around on the virtual track pad, select tab once or select center.
To scroll, drag 2 fingers up and down the track pad and to prompt the key board tap this icon here.
There is also a bunch of settings to play with.
So tap the settings button and adjust the app to your liking.
For instance, you might want to adjust the scrolling speed or change the clicking sounds.
Whenever you're done with the App or wanna switch computers just tap this disconnect button here.
And you didn't hear this from me but quickly installing the touch mouse server on the friend's computer opens doors to a lot of fun crinking.
Speaker 1: Thanks for that, Sharon.
And that prank is already coming pretty handy.
All right let's talk with Apple fans because we're not going to talk about the new make believe iPad rumors that drop every week, including one from (??) that says we'll be announcing a new iPad in February.
That's way too soon and if they do, I will shave off my armpit hair and mail it in the buggy for the first new (??).
I know you're out there.
Now, there are plenty of you who want Apple to release the perfect dream TV.
And currently, Apple reports the big A has been granted a patent relating to the method of organizing episodic content such as TV shows on in Apple TV.
Media menu items could correspond to television shows that have either been recorded from a broadcast or purchased from a content provider.
It could be nothing or it could mean DVR capabilities.
Yup, in the next Apple TV.
The patent also mentions an Apple TV working with a cable network.
It was filed in 2006 and Steve Jobs is listed as one of its inventors.
Another patent that has not been granted yet involves taking Syria to another level and hopes to give users the ability to purchase items from online stores using only their voice.
It's being referred to as the intelligent automated assistant and (syria?) in it's current form cannot make purchases yet.
The (??) also suggests it could be used in Apple's iTunes and App store but (Syria?) could also be integrated with online retailers to purchase through a retailer like Bestbuy and then pick up their goods at a local store.
Now the Apple and Android battle continues with a new survey by meals and finds that the (Cupertino?) kids are finally closing the gap.
(??) found over the last 3 months that customers who purchase a Smart phone in the past 3 months will 44.5% of them bought iPhones compared to the 46.9 who purchased an Android phone.
Now, that's significant because in an October study , just over 25% of people said they went with the iPhone while 61.6% went with Android.
And if you listen to Apple co founder, Steve Wozniak, in an interview with Daily biz comparing iPhones with Android phones the (??) said my primary phone is the iPhone.
I love the beauty of it.
But I wish it did all the things my Android does.
I really do.
And you know what, he's absolutely right.
I also like the Woz because I got a chance to dance with them a few years ago.
Speaker 3: There you go.
And you guys swing your hips a little.
It's all in the hips.
Go like this.
Speaker 4: Oh, my gosh, of course.
Speaker 1: And he's a really super nice teddy bear kind of guy.
All right , guys last story and sad news that (realistics?) (??) Steve Jobs we told you about.
It looks like the creator is shelving the project after intense legal pressure from Apple and Steve Job's family, probably a good idea.
So...
the fully (??) value all we've been waiting for is no longer a reality and I'm sorry.
All right, (??) for this weeks show.
E-mail us at Apple Byte at cnet.com.
We'll get to your e-mails when we can and we keep our favorites.
I'm Brian Tong.
Thanks for watching and we'll catch you guys next time for another byte of the Apple.
Speaker 1: I didn't see you there.
Speaker 5: Perfect.
