Find Our Latest Video Reviews on YouTube!
If you want to stay on top of all of our video reviews of the latest tech, be sure to check out and subscribe to the Gear Live YouTube channel, hosted by Andru Edwards! It’s free!
Latest Gear Live Videos
Apple Aperture 3 now available with Faces, Places, and Brushes
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Software,
This morning, when the Apple Store went down, Twitter just about blew up with everyone posting that the new Core i5 MacBook Pros would be launching. Alas, Apple pulled a fast one on us, and instead we’ve got the launch of Aperture 3, the latest in Apple’s professional image management software line. Here are the major bulletpoints of the release, which seems to focus heavily on being more accessible to new users:
- Organize photos by the people in them using Faces.
- Use Places to find photos based on where they were taken.
- Perfect images with nondestructive, edge-aware brushes.
- Use adjustment presets to apply imaging effects.
- Browse your entire library with the new full-screen Browser.
- Create stunning multimedia slideshows that weave together HD video, audio tracks, and custom titles.
We will be giving it a spin, and we’ll let you know what we think. Aperture 3 sells for $199, but if you are upgrading, the price drops to $99. You can grab a 30-day free trial of Aperture 3 as well.
Read More 
| Aperture 3
Gallery: Apple Aperture 3 now available with Faces, Places, and Brushes
Advertisement
MacBook decals aren’t new to us, heck I have mine decked out in the Snow’s Revenge vinyl myself, but this Iron Man decal kind of takes the cake in the awesomeness department. What do you think? Are you a fan of the decals? We like them way more than stickers, because they can be easily removed without leaving any sort of residue.
Read More | Etsy
Gallery: Iron Man MacBook decal is awesome
iPhone OS 3.1.3 now available
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Smartphones, Handhelds, Software,
Apple has just released an iPhone firmware update in iPhone OS 3.1.3. It’s basically a big fix release, focusing on:
- Improving accuracy of reported battery level on iPhone 3GS
- Resolves issues where third-party apps would not launch
- Fixes bug that may cause an app to crash when using Japanese Kana keyboard
Doesn’t seem like a huge deal, but for those of you who like your iPhone to be fresh, there you have it.
Gallery: iPhone OS 3.1.3 now available
iPad bezel has spot for a camera
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Cameras, Handhelds, Rumors,
Looks like those of you who were sure that the iPad would have a camera were almost right. If the iPad internal bezel component is anything to go buy, it looks like Apple decided late in the game to not include a camera in their soon-to-be-released tablet - that, or they were keeping their options open. In the image above, you see the iPad bezel at the top, and a bezel for a unibody MacBook at the bottom. In the middle is the camera that slips into the MacBook frame, and as you can see, it fits perfectly into the iPad frame as well. I guess this means we can hold out hope for a camera in iPad version 2?
Read More | Mission:Repair
Gallery: iPad bezel has spot for a camera
If you’re of the iTunes-using persuasion, you’ll want to know that Apple has just released iTunes 9.0.3, which includes a few bug fixes, including:
- iTunes no longer ignores your “Remember password for purchases” setting.
- Addresses problems with syncing some Smart Playlists and Podcasts with iPod.
- Resolves a problem recognizing when iPod is connected.
- Addresses issues that affect stability and performance.
Launch iTunes and check for updates to pull in the new version.
Gallery: iTunes 9.0.3 now available
In case you didn’t watch that iPad introduction keynote, someone’s gone through the trouble of condensing the entire 93-minute event event into 180 seconds. It does a great job at explaining what Steve Jobs and company think of their latest creation. Check out the iPad announcement video above to see what me mean.
A little excessive?
Gallery: How awesome is the iPad?
AT&T providing iPad 3G service without contracts
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Handhelds, Wireless / WiFi,
If you’re considering picking up an Apple iPad when they launch a couple of months from now and you plan on taking it on the go, you’ll want to know about the extra fees you’ll incur if you choose to go the with AT&T-provided 3G access plans. First, though, your 3G iPad will cost $130 more than the Wi-Fi-only version. Once you get it, you’ve got two options with AT&T:
- $29.99 per month unlimited data plan
- $14.99 per month for 250MB of monthly data
It’s a good deal for monthly 3G access, especially when you consider the fact that both plans are pre-paid month-to-month plans that don’t require any sort of contract. The other benefit that you get from picking up a 3G iPad model is assisted GPS, which the Wi-Fi-only iPad lacks.
Gallery: AT&T providing iPad 3G service without contracts
Looks like Apple is realizing that if you are going to be building a larger-form factor device like the iPad, you’ve gotta realize that some of the people that use it are going to want a physical keyboard. With that knowledge, they’ve prepared a keyboard accessory for the iPad. It’s actually both a keyboard and a dock for charging the iPad as well, which can be used to plug in to a USB power adapter, sync with a computer, etc. It also has an audio jack that let’s you connect the keyboard dock to a stereo system or powered speakers. No word on price just yet.
Gallery: iPad keyboard accessory
It’s been a long, rumor-filled road, but today Apple has finally revealed a tablet, called the iPad. Steve Jobs seemed genuinely thrilled to demo the iPad, which weighs just 1.5 pounds, is a half-inch thin, and has a 9.7-inch capacitive touchscreen IPS display. More interesting, Apple has built their own custom 1GHz processor, called the Apple A4 chip, to power the iPad. According to Jobs, the A4 chip “just screams,” and as a result, the iPad boasts a 10-hour battery life, with a full one month of standby time. You’ll be able to get one in 16, 32, or 64GB sizes,
prices listed below. Bluetoth, 802.11n Wi-Fi, speaker, microphone, and dock connector round out the offerings.
One of the big draws of the iPad is that all current iPhone apps will run just fine on it, and you can choose to run them at the original resolution, or in a pixel-doubled mode for fullscreen on the iPad. Apps can also be optimized for iPad to take advantage of the full screen resolution, as well as enhanced gestures. A new iPhone SDK, which includes iPad support, will be released later today.
The goal with the iPad is to do the tasks like web browsing, email, photo viewing, video watching, and e-book reading (Apple is including a new ereader app called iBooks) better than a netbook ever could, but also better than a smartphone ever could. The iPad has a “gorgeous” keyboard that actually looks very easy to use, and the actual built-in applications look more like the full version of OS X than what you’d find on the iPhone or iPod touch. In fact, you even get full-featured applications like iPhoto, iTunes, iBooks, and even Pages, Keynote, and Numbers in iWork for the iPad.
As far as 3G data plans, the iPad has two plans available from AT&T in the US. $14.99 per month for up to 250MB of data, or $29.99 per month for unlimited data. The best part? There are no contracts. You pay on a pre-paid month-to-month basis, so there are no cancellation fees. You activate your plan directly from the iPad, with no reason to hit an AT&T Store. All iPad 3G models are unlocked and use GSM micro SIMs, so in theory, you could get a better plan of your own elsewhere and just use that.
Let’s talk pricing - each model of the iPad is available as a Wi-Fi-only or Wi-Fi + 3G configuration. 16GB is $499 / $629, 32GB costs $499 / $729, and the 64GB model will be $699 / $829. As far as availability, iPad without 3G will start shipping at the end of March, while the 3G models will start shipping at the end of April. Choose wisely!
Gallery: Apple iPad revealed
At this morning’s Apple tablet event, Steve Jobs revealed the latest creation from the company, the Apple iPad. More details as we get them!
