Create Ideas On An iPad Whiteboard Together With People Across The Globe, In <b>...</b>

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By Eli Milchman (12:39 pm, Nov. 29, 2010)

Thanks to the inclusion of WebSocket support for the iPad’s Safari browser in iOS 4.2, the doorway for collaboration through the web between the iPad and assorted devices has been flung open.

One of the first apps to take advantage of the iPad’s new trick is $10 SyncPad, which presents users with a faux whiteboard to scrawl notes on, then lets other users of the app scribble on that same whiteboard over the Internet, with the results showing up in realtime (well, almost — the developer, Davide Di Cillo of development company 39 Inc., told us it updates a little slowly, but that the problem’s been fixed in the latest update, which is waiting for Apple’s approval).

There’s no limit to the amount of collaborators, although each has to have (of course) the app and an Internet connection; the iPad-less can view the whiteboard through a web browser for free, but have to make do without being able to add input for the time being — although Di Cillo says they’re working on a fee-based version that’ll allow collaboration via a browser as well. There’s also a view-only free version of the app for the iPad.

Posted in News, Software, iPad | Tagged: iOS, iPad apps, new apps, News | Comment on this article

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When he was eight, Eli Milchman came home from frolicking in the Veld one day and was given an Atari 400. Since then, his fascination with technology has made him an intrepid early adopter of whatever charming new contraption crosses his path. He calls San Francisco home, where he works as a journalist and photographer. Eli has contributed to the pages of Wired.com and BIKE Magazine, among others. Hang with him on Twitter.

Email the author | Read more posts by Eli Milchman.

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Watch Out for Online Scams This Holiday Season

George Frey/Bloomberg News Deceptive Apple iPad offers are one scam to be aware of.

The Internet security firm McAfee recently released a list of the online scams that consumers should be aware of this holiday season.

“As people jump online to look for deals on gifts and travel, it’s important to recognize common scams to safeguard against theft during the busy season ahead,” Dave Marcus, director of security research for McAfee Labs, said in a statement.

Here’s a quick rundown of some of the scams on the list, which McAfee called “The Twelve Scams of Christmas.”

1. iPad Offers — Think spam when you see an offer of a free iPad if you provide your credit card number. More details on these types of scams be found in this Bucks post on the subject.
2. Help! I’ve Been Robbed” — Friends and family receive phony distress messages requesting money. A New York Times article in May described one recent case of such fraud and what Facebook is doing to combat it.
3. Fake Gift Cards — Similar to the iPod offer scam, this one offers free gift cards in exchange for your personal information.
4. Holiday Jobs — Offers of high-paying, work-at-home jobs in exchange for personal information.
5. Smishing — Phishing texts that appear to be from a bank or retailer.
6. Holiday Rentals — Fake holiday rental sites.
7. E-cards — Fake e-cards loaded with links to viruses.
8. Dangerous Holiday Downloads — Holiday-themed screen savers, jingles and animations loaded with viruses.

You can see the full list on McAfee’s site. And if you come across such scams, learn more about how to report them in a recent Gadgetwise post on reporting e-mail scams and spoofs.

What has been your experience with online scams this holiday season?

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No Retina Display for iPad 2?

Flicking through my usual RSS feeds I came across an interesting post by Ryan Block over on gdgt.com. Block contemplates the impending arrival of Apple’s 2nd generation iPad and whether it will sport the Cupertino outfits impressive Retina Display.

It’s worth having a read of the whole post over on gdgt, but the post points out that in order to qualify as a Retina Display the screen would need a massive resolution, 2560 x 1920 to be exact.

Now lets just think about that for a moment. If the iPad 2nd generation is the same 9.7? form factor as the current model, that would give the device a DPI of 330, the same as iPhone 4. Any lower than that and we’re no longer in Retina Display territory.

Next, there’s the fact that the resolution needed is simply mind-boggling. A top of the range 17? MacBook Pro only sports a resolution of 1920 x 1200. My 24? monitor is the same. Apple’s own high-end 27? cinema display doesn’t even come close to such a massive pixel count (2560 x 1440 for those keeping up).

At the risk of saying I told you so, I’ve been saying this for a while now, and Block even points out another issue – what kind of GPU would be needed to move that number of pixels around, especially when rendering the 3D graphics we are starting see from games such as Rage HD. It’s all starting to sound very expensive, and certainly a far stretch if Apple wants to hit the magical (and revolutionary!) $500 price point.

Don’t get me wrong I’d love to see a super hi-res iPad next year, but I honestly don’t see it happening. That’s unless Apple decides screens don’t need 300dpi to qualify as a Retina Display!

I’m just glad someone finally agreed with me!

You may be interested in the following related posts: iPhone 4 Retina Display: Fact or Steve Jobs Fiction?Next Apple iPad to have 7-inch Retina Display, 128GB storage [Rumor]iPod Touch fourth gen (4G) with Retina Display and Two CamerasiPhone 4 Initial Impressions: Multitasking, Retina Display, Camera and Signal Issues (Part 1)iQuarium Free with Gorgeus Retina Display SupportPosted in: iPad.
Tagged: iPad 2 · iPad 2nd gen · Retina Display

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GRilli3D to Facilitate 3D Stereo Viewing on iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch

By Sujata Garud, TMCnet Contributor

GRilli3D LLC launched a revolutionary technology to facilitate 3D Stereo viewing on iPad, iPhone (News - Alert) and iPod touch. The company offers the very first of a next-generation utility that allows users to enjoy true 3D stereo depth by virtue of applying a simple and inexpensive plastic film to a 3D-enabled device.

GRilli3D films are known as "GRillis" and will be available worldwide starting Nov. 26. GRillis also serve as a screen protector when viewing all your other 2D content and provide exceptional excitement because they are:

Smarter and More Convenient - No more complicated 3D "sunglasses" worn indoors. A simple and easy-to-apply plastic film that changes life forever.

Inexpensive - GRilli MSRP is $29.99 for iPad and $14.99 for iPhone and iPod touch!

Social and Practical - Because more than one person can simultaneously view 3D Stereo, with no need for special glasses.

GRillis operate by interposing a series of "Barrier Lines" between the eyes and the projected image, blocking the view of each eye differently and providing the signal separation that result in depth perception at close intervals when used with mobile devices.

In a press release, Dwight Prouty, GRilli3D's inventor and founding partner, said, "GRilli3D really is the first of a new generation of 3D stereo viewing devices that completely eliminates the need for special glasses. Imagine that special moment when friends and colleagues can watch compelling 3D stereo content without the need to go 'incognito.' Well, that time is now! We have studied 3D technology from its inception and created a winning, no-hassle solution. Now we have married that technology to the needs of today's savvy, mobile entertainment and information users. We are very excited about the opportunity to establish relationships with the top distributors and creators of 3D stereo content to redefine the way the world sees 3D stereo."

Sujata Garud is a TMCnet freelancer with three years of writing/editing experience and two years of market research experience. As an editor she has covered the IT, electronics, banking, pharma, construction, mining and healthcare industries. To see more of her articles, please visit her columnist page.

Edited by Jaclyn Allard

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No one cares who iPad 2 camera supplier is, just that it has one

Home > Uncategorized > No one cares who iPad 2 camera supplier is, just that it has one

The headlines tease that the iPad 2 camera supplier has been revealed, unintentionally, and promise to tell you who that supplier is. They miss the point. Outside of the biggest iPad enthusiasts this side of Cupertino, no one cares about the name of the iPad 2’s camera maker. Here’s the vital part of the headline: the iPad 2 has a camera supplier. And therefore a camera. And therefore can do photos and video. And it can do FaceTime. And maybe even PhotoBooth. And, while this has been mentioned almost nowhere, the rise of a camera in the iPad 2 will open the floodgates for iPad-specific camera apps, which up until now have had no reason to exist. Will app developers gamble ahead of time and go ahead and start work on iPad camera apps now, or will they play it safe and wait until iPad 2 with a camera is official? Will the thousands of iPhone-oriented camera apps already in the App Store work with the iPad, and will their smaller size be a hindrance? With this story floating around about the iPad 2 having a camera, how many ears will it reach, and how many or few potential late 2010 iPad sales will be delayed to 2011 because of it?

So you start to see where the real iPad 2 camera story is, and the name of the vendor has little to do with it. Truth is, the iPad is such a mainstream product (as opposed to being solely a geek-oriented product) that most iPad users can’t name the microprocessor inside (A4) and almost none can name the technical specs of that processor or which vendor manufactures it. They sure do know that the iPad is faster than some past iProducts, and that’s what matters to them. With regards to the iPad 2 camera situation, all this news about the camera supplier being identified means is that the iPad 2 apparently has a camera. Keep in mind that this news doesn’t mean anything is certain. The 2009 iPod touch model was supposedly all but certain to have a camera, and then at the last minute it didn’t. Whether that was a strategic decision or technical problem is something that only Apple knows. But it shows that even with the iPad 2’s camera vendor having been tossed into the public spotlight, nothing is guaranteed. And that’s to say nothing about how the mere fact that this news has leaked might ultimately affect Apple’s decision making process. It wouldn’t be the first time a leak has caused Apple to change plans or change vendors.

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Hack allows streaming live TV from iPad to Apple TV via AirPlay

Monday, November 29, 2010 - 09:36 AM EST

"A 9 to 5 Mac reader managed to stream live TV from his iPad to his Apple TV via a modified version of AirPlay," Mark Gurman reports for 9 to 5 Mac.

Full article, which also includes a video demonstrating HTML 5 video playing functionality on the second-generation Apple TV, here.

[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader "Lynn W." and "Judge Bork" for the heads up.]

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Succumbing to Apple's iPad Marketing Machine

In an April Fast Company article, Gina Trapani offered three most excellent reasons not to buy the iPad, arguments I repeated to myself during the seven months I resisted buying one:

1. "First-generation Apple products are for suckers."

There will be problems … though I hadn't heard of any. The next round will be cheaper (remember what happened with the iPhone?). The next round will have more capabilities—a camera, maybe two! You will be able to FaceTime with it!

2. "You don't know if you need an iPad yet."

I already know that I don't! Of course I don't need it. It will be fun and convenient. It will likely change how I write, think and play. But I don't need it.

I am a rational person who understands the difference between wants and needs (most of the time). Needs include food, water, shelter, to be surrounded by my loved ones, but an iPad? No. No matter how awe-inspiring its features.

3. "New gadgets create friction in your life"

So true! New systems must be learned, which is time consuming and sometimes also aggravating. Yes, Apple products are totally intuitive and user-friendly, and Tyler Gray reported, also in Fast Company in April, that his five-year old son mastered the iPad within five minutes ( surely I'm as capable as a five-year old?). But still … right?

When, sometime in late August, the longing became dangerously severe, I invested a portion of the money I'd earmarked for an iPad into a pair of overpriced black suede boots with three silver buckles per boot. Very biker chic, because I'm tough. I can resist temptation. Plus, fall was looming.

Each time I zipped up my fabulous new boots, I'd think, Haha, take that, Steve Jobs!

Fast forward a month or so. I went to Long Island (via the Bridgeport Ferry) to visit my friend Stephanie. As we were timing our return to the ferry, Stephanie pulled out her iPad.

"I'm just checking to see if there's traffic," she told me as she plugged the addresses into the "Maps" program.

At the word "traffic," my ears perked up.

"Traffic? What kind of traffic are we talking about here?" I asked anxiously.

"Do not worry," she assured me. "The pad will tell us where to go. The pad is never wrong. I trust it more than my own senses."

And then she told me of the day she took an iPad approved traffic-free route, but cars came to a complete stop. To the naked eye, it appeared there was traffic. She rechecked the iPad, which still showed green.

"And would you believe? Not two minutes later, the road opened up, and it was clear sailing! Sense perception is limited," she concluded somberly.

A machine that can direct me away from traffic? At that moment, I knew I would succumb to the iPad. Because I may well be the nicest, friendliest, most polite person you will ever meet ... unless you meet me while I'm sitting in traffic (or after a flight whose duration exceeds eight hours, but that's another story).

Then, I mutate into Medusa, and anyone who looks directly at me turns to stone. (I do not recommend testing this claim.)

I grew up in New York City, public transportation mecca. For me, the only thing better than riding the subway is hailing a cab, and I'd rather do either of those than drive. I was 21 when I got my first driver's license, and then only because it provided me with identification (if you know what I mean).

I bought my iPad on Black Friday. It seemed karmically appropriate.

What I have come to conclude is this: Apple's success can be attributed not to its brilliant marketing or its many and sundry apps or its artfully designed devices or even their ease of use. It's the Gestalt culmination of these. In other words, Apple has tapped into our very psyches and allows us to fantasize that perhaps we can overcome human fallibility.

And really, can you put a price on overcoming the human condition?!

Sally Allen is a Sunday columnist for Westport Patch. She is a freelance writer and writing consultant in Westport.

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