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Average Joe's Tips

What is Photostream

Photo stream is a great way to privately share your photos with friends from computer to computer and iPhone to iPhone. The way photo stream works is by wirelessly sending photos to designated devices using iCloud. Before we get started on using photo stream make sure you have all of the requirements: IOS 6.0 or later on all iPads, iPhones, and iPod touches, iPhoto 9.4, and an iCloud account. Now getting started is very simple, go into Settings (System Preferences) > iCloud > select photo steam On. For personal photo syncing, remember to use the same iCloud account for all devices that way everything will sync up (for example when you take a photo with your iPhone it will sync to your computer). To get shared photo streams on your iPhone start by going into Photos > Photo Stream > + > send to a friend’s email > Create. After the shared photo stream is setup, putting pictures in is the next step. Start by clicking on Edit > Add > then select desired photos. One great feature shared photo stream has is being able to like and comment on photos. All in all, photo stream is great because you are able to share photos privately without having to put it on a social networking site.

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The iPad mini

On October 23, 2012, Apple released the new iPad mini. It is said to be 23% thinner and 53% lighter than the previous iPad. It starts at $329 for a 16 GB Wi-Fi model. It is also available in 32GB and 64GB and in Wi-Fi + Cellular models. There are two color choices: Black & Slate and White & Silver. The iPad mini is very similar to the iPad, except that it is a lot lighter and can easily be held in the palm of your hand, like other tablets in the market, mostly those running Android OS. Can the iPad mini compete?

Some of the features of the iPad mini are nothing new to those who have seen or used an iPad before. It has the standard built-in apps such as FaceTime, Email, and Message, and it also has access to the App Store, which houses over 275,000 iPad apps. In terms of tech specs, it uses the fast A5 chip that provides speed and fluidity to the tablet screen. It is stated to have a 10-hour battery life as well.

One feature specific to Apple products is FaceTime. It is a built-in app and can be used over Wi-Fi or cellular data. While using the iPad mini, you can take advantage of the front-facing FaceTime HD camera or the iSight camera on the rear. The iSight camera even lets you capture videos in 1080p HD and takes full advantage of the 5-megapixels to capture photos.

The iPad mini features dual-band 802.11n Wi-Fi, which means faster Internet connection with download speeds up to 150 Mbps. If you do get the Wi-Fi + Cellular model, you also have access to LTE, HSPA, HSPA+, DC-HSPDA, and cellular and wireless networks.

The iPad mini also comes with Siri: the intelligent assistant, iCloud: Apple’s cloud service, and iOS 6: the most recent and advanced of Apple’s operating systems. However, the most recent iPad contains these features, so the iPad mini is essentially only a miniature third generation iPad. It has the same resolution as the previous iPad, 1024×768, but has a smaller screen to pack all those pixels. On the downside, it doesn’t have the Retina Display that most iPads have. It does have the same front and rear camera as the iPad with Retina Display, but lacks the Dual-core A6X with quad-core graphics, meaning slightly slower performance.

For approximately $170 cheaper, you can get a miniature version of the newest iPad with slightly less advanced tech specs. Whether it can compete against the iPad with Retina Display or other similar tablets, has yet to be determined. Your best bet is to go to the nearest Apple Store and try it out yourself. Who knows, you may end up walking out with a brand new iPad mini.

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Apple iOS 6 to come this fall

Apple has announced that this fall, iOS 6 will be released. Most current iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch users will end up upgrading to iOS 6 in hopes of new features, and we hope that Apple doesn’t let us down. Based on what Apple has announced so far, most people are excited to get iOS 6 on their devices and take advantage of the newest features. I will go over some of the new features that Apple has announced so far.

The first thing that iOS 6 will provide is an upgrade for the Maps app. For those who have used the Maps app on previous iOS, they will notice that Apple has completely redesigned the app and has made it much more vivid and detailed. The new Maps app also provided turn-by-turn directions and offers different routes if traffic conditions have changed. Maps uses real-time traffic conditions to help you avoid traffic accidents and slowdowns. The app also has a 3D view of major areas that gives you a very clear image of the location you are viewing. Siri works well with Maps to help you get to your destination. You can even tap a pin on the map and view different information about that location, especially with the integration of Yelp into the Maps app.

Siri has also been improved. Siri works in more countries, understands more languages, and will now be available on the new iPad. You can tell Siri to look up the scores for a sports game, look up movie show times, find local restaurants, and even tweet or update your Facebook. Siri can even launch apps for you.  Apple is also working on getting Siri integrated in cars, a feature called Eyes Free. This will allow you to press a button on your steering wheel to communicate to Siri and allow you to call people, select music, text message your friends, and much more, without even lighting up the device’s screen.

Facebook will now be integrated into iOS 6. You can share photos from your Camera or Photos app, post your location from Maps, post your score from Game Center, integrate your friend’s profile information into Contacts and integrate events into Calendars.  Facebook is now part of every aspect of your device and you can even click the Like button in iTunes and the App Store. Not only are Apple apps integrated with Facebook, non-Apple apps can also connect to Facebook. This update is definitely going to be attract those who use Facebook frequently to post updates and pictures because it adds even more convenience to the use of mobile applications.

iOS 6 also gives you the option to Share photos from the Photos app with friends and family. If they are using iCloud on an iOS 6 device or a Mac running OS X Mountain Lion, the photos you share with them are delivered straight to their Photos app or iPhoto.  People can even like or comment it, similar to Facebook. If you want to share it with someone who doesn’t have an iOS 6 device or Mac running OS X Mountain Lion, they can view it on the web on the iCloud website.

A new application that Apple is adding is Passbook. Passbook is your organizer that replaces a wallet for coupons, tickets, boarding passes, etc. Passbook also takes advantage of time and location to coupons and passes will appear on your lock screen when it is appropriate, like when you are about to reach the airport or walk into the store where you will use the coupon. Airplane tickets also update if the airline announced changes. Passbook provides convenience in one simple application. The only problem is that companies need to support the app for it to be useful.

Apple has finally announced the use of FaceTime over cellular networks, instead of only Wi-Fi. This means you can FaceTime with your iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, and Mac, wherever you are as long as you have Wi-Fi or a cellular network. This feature is something I would have expected of FaceTime previously, but it’s better late than never.

iOS 6 also improves the Phone app. This improvement will be very useful for those using the iPhone.  The new feature gives you the option to send a preset text message or custom text message if you can’t answer a call. You can also set a time- or location-based reminder to alert you to call someone back. There is also a Do Not Disturb setting that will silence all incoming calls and notifications for a certain period of time or schedule, depending what you choose. It can even allow calls from specific people but silence the rest. This provides you with a whole new set of features for your iPhone.

With iOS 6, even the Mail and Safari app is updated. In the Mail app, you can set up a VIP list for important contacts. When you receive an email from someone on your VIP list, there will be a notification on your lock screen and those emails can be found in your VIP mailbox. Apple has made it easier to add photos and videos with just a few taps and allows you to use the swipe down to refresh your mailbox. Safari now has iCloud Tabs to keep track of webpages open on any device connected to your iCloud account. Safari also saves webpages in your Reading List so you can view them while not connected to the Internet. You can also post a photo or video from your Camera Roll or take a photo or video to post without even leaving Safari.

There are many new features on the new iOS, but some features will also be removed. Something of note is that Apple will remove the YouTube app with the update of iOS 6. Its license with Google to include the YouTube app has expired, but Google is already developing a standalone app for the Apple App Store. This isn’t a major difference but may be taken as a move by Apple to deviate away from Google apps.

With all these new features with the coming of iOS 6, who can wait? Improvements to many of the apps already provided by the previous iOS will make a big impact on the user experience. I’m definitely going to upgrade to iOS 6. The most exciting thing about iOS 6 for me is the new features with Maps and Phone, and the use of Passbooks. What are you looking forward too?

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Apple Looking for Cloud Executives

Based on the Wall Street Journal, Apple has started to search for senior-level executives that are familiar with the cloud. Apple has also approached an Internet entrepreneur about a job position, but the information is undisclosed.

Apple is taking steps to improve their products and appeal to those who don’t want everything to be separated by device and want to have everything made available to all computers and devices that rely on Apple’s operating systems and programs. The first step is with the new iCloud that allows content stored in the cloud to be pushed wirelessly to devices.

The company has already begun to employee lower level positions that are related to Web software and services. Apple doesn’t have a solid record when it comes to past Internet products that did not succeed as expected, such as MobileMe and Ping. iCloud is a big improvement and is currently working very well.

One difficulty that Apple faces is that many higher level potential employees are more interested in other companies rather than working for Apple. Apple’s Web services don’t appear to be as high of a priority to Internet engineers and look elsewhere for jobs. Nonetheless, Apple is a strong company and turnover rate is low in Apple’s higher positions.

What do you think? Feel free to leave comments and suggestions.

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Meet the iPhone 4S

Is it the iPhone 5? No, but it is an upgrade. Apple has released the features of the iPhone 4S including Siri, a voice control system that exemplifies why the iPhone is much more then a phone. The new iPhone comes with a dual-core A5 chip, an 8 megapixel camera with 1080p HD video, iOS 5, and iCloud. Apple has not changed the look of the iPhone 4S, unfortunately. As many sources thought that Apple would change the look of the iPhone, it was not meant to be. Since we can’t talk about the look of it, there are many differences of the hardware for the iPhone 4S.

 

Thanks to www.engadget.com, they did a comparison between the iPhone 4 and the iPhone 4S and came up with these differences:

iPhone 4S                                                                  iPhone 4

Price (on contract) $199 16GB, $299 32GB, $399 64GB $99 8GB
Processor Dual-core Apple A5 Apple A4
Display 3.5-inch IPS 960 x 640 3.5-inch IPS 960 x 640
Primary camera 8 megapixel AF with flash and f/2.4 aperture 5 megapixel AF with flash
Secondary camera VGA at 30fps VGA
Video recording 1080p at 30fps, optional iMovie 720p at 30fps, optional iMovie
Cellular Hybrid GSM / CDMA “World Phone”, Bluetooth 4.0 Quadband GSM, pentaband HSPA
WiFi 802.11b/g/n 802.11b/g/n
Orientation sensing Accelerometer, digital compass, gyroscope Accelerometer, compass, gyroscope
FaceTime video calling Yes Yes
SIM standard Micro SIM Micro SIM
Battery life Up to 8 hours talk time on
3GUp to 14 hours talk time on 2GUp to 6 hours data on 3G

Up to 9 hours data on WiFi

Up to 40 hours audio

Up to 10 hours video

Up to 200 hours on standby

Up to 7 hours talk time on
3GUp to 14 hours talk time on 2GUp to 6 hours data on 3G

Up to 10 hours data on WiFi

Up to 40 hours audio

Up to 10 hours video

Up to 300 hours on standby

Weight 140 grams / 4.9 oz 137 grams / 4.8 oz.
Dimensions 115.2 x 58.6 x 9.3mm 115.2 x 58.6 x 9.3mm

 

As you can see, there aren’t as many changes as we thought there would be. The changes are on the inside where the iPhone 4S has the dual-core A5 chip, it also has the hybrid GSM/CDMA “World Phone”, Bluetooth 4.0. The battery life is a little strange. With the iPhone 4S, you only get 200 hours of standby time. With the iPhone 4, you get 300 hours of battery life. Maybe it has something to do with the dual-core A5 chip.

 

 

The iPhone 4S has a dual-core A5 chip which delivers up to two times the power and seven times faster graphics. With the dual-core A5 chip, everything runs faster and you will notice the difference. With just a couple minutes playing games, multitasking, and more, you will feel the power from the dual-core A5 chip. The iPhone 4S comes with an 8 mp. camera, compared to the 5 mp. camera from the iPhone 4. The iPhone 4S also shoots video in 1080p HD. The iPhone 4 only had a 720p video camera. With the new iOS 5, there are over 200 new features. With the notification center, you can view stocks, latest texts, email messages, friend requests and more. With iMessage, you can send an unlimited amount of texts to iPhone’s, iPad’s, and iPod’s that are running with iOS 5.  One other thing that I think makes the iPhone a user friendly phone is the Reminders. The Reminders lets you create a list of things to do that you can check off as you go.

 

The highlight of the iPhone 4S is Siri. Siri is a voice control application that is as smart as human, maybe smarter. You can ask Siri a question just by talking the way you talk. Siri understands the way you talk, it’s almost like you are having a normal conversation with your phone. If you ask a question like “Are there any good malls around here?” Siri will look up your question and answer you. If you asked “Are there any good hot dog places around here?” Siri will respond “There are many around here.” Then you ask, “How about chow mein?” It will look up a Chinese restaurant because you asked about a restaurant in the previous question. Siri will continue to look up more information until you are satisfied. If you ask Siri to remind you about a certain date, it will remind you about it. Siri knows your address book, information, and more so it knows what you are talking about. If you ask “Please text Brittany Gonzalez.” Siri will automatically know what to do. Siri responds almost as if you are talking to a person in front of you. If you ask Siri “Will the weather be nice in Miami.” Siri will look up the weather in Miami and respond to you with “Bring your sunglasses; it’s going to be nice in Miami.” Ask Siri to write a text a contact, it will write what you are saying and send it to the person. The iPhone 4S also takes dictation. All you have to do is click on the microphone icon on the keyboard, say what you want to say, and the iPhone listens. Tap done and the iPhone will convert your words into text.

 

The iPhone 4S has three different plans. For $199, you get 16GB of memory, for $299, you get 32GB of memory, and for $399, you get 64GB of memory. Apple is also selling the iPhone 4S in white and black. You can purchase the iPhone 4S through AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint. Sprint is supplying the iPhone 4S with unlimited data. AT&T and Verizon are still selling the 200MB and 2GB of data. Prices may change so I can’t say for sure what the prices will be.