GeekwithEnvy

Product Spotlight

iOS 6 Rundown

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So, we got the update but.. what changed? I notice a few different icons on the screen but what else has happened? Well, we round up some key features of iOS 6 here so you don’t have to. Apple Logo

Facebook

Facebook is now fully integrated into the OS it self, which is really nice for Facebook users out there as it allows you to connect with Facebook without you having stop what your doing and switch apps. Facebook events are tied directly into Calendar and sharing links is super easy. ‘Likes’ are now part of iTunes and the Apps store.  It almost feels as if Facebook was meant to be a part of iOS from the start.

Maps

Well, no more Google Maps as Apple has decided it’s time to do the map business all by itself. The new map application looks really good and it would seem that, at least initially, Google Maps users should’t miss much. The new maps are quite detailed and look really slick even standard mode. I test drove the the 3D view by flying around Los Angeles and everything seemed to work really well. Turn-By-Turn navigation also makes an appearance with this map update, which has been long overdue.

Siri
Our old friend Siri gets some improvements as well, including movie reviews,facts and trailers from Rotten Tomatoes. Siri can also help you find something to eat by listing restaurants by price and rating. Need to know any sports scores? Siri covers that for you too, simply ask what the score is of a specific team and you’re good to go. You can also open applications by simply asking Siri what to launch.  Siri has seen quite a few improvements with this update and I can see Siri becoming more and more useful in the future, especially if Siri is to be integrated into new automobiles.

 

Safari

Safari gets iCloud Tabs which will allow you to view any open tabs form one iOS device on any other connected iOS device. Safari now features full screen landscape browsing, which looks great. Safari will also save entire webpages so you can view them offline later.

 

Facetime

Facetime will now work over a cellular network. Simple enough but I have yet to see it in action, I am wondering how the overall quality will be.

Phone

Well with everything the iPhone can do I think we tend to forget that it actually makes phone calls. Apple has added some features for the phone including being able to instantly send a text message to a recently declined phone call. You can also set call reminders when you decline a call or use a do-not-disturb mode to completely block all calls or only allow calls from high priority contacts.

 

Mac will also see the integration of Facebook into OSX Mountain Lion along with a few other updates in the new version 10.8.2. These are just a few of the new features on iOS 6, if your interested in everything head to Apple’s official site.

Free My Apps!

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I was browsing the web and tinkering around with apps when I stumbled upon this little gem.

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FreeMyApps.com is a site that allows you to try out free apps and in return you get some points. Each app you download needs to be ran for at least 30 seconds and each app will offer a differing amount of points for using it. Once you accumulate enough points you can then turn them in for gift cards. Sound to good to be true? Yeah, I though so myself until I recieved my first gift card of $25 for Amazon.com. Yep, it really is that simple and you can access FreeMyApps through your favorite mobile iOS device (iPhone,iPad, iPodTouch).

What’s nice about this site is that quite often I find I actually enjoy some of the apps I try out. Some apps that I really like I may not have ever found or thought of trying, but did because I wanted the points. So, this actually works out really well for both you and the software developer. In fact, if you are a developer you can work with FreeMyApps to get your app put on their site. Simply head here to add your app to the list.

Test driving apps isn’t the only way you can earn points. If you can get a friend to use FreeMyApps on their iOS device and try one app from the list of apps to download, you will get rewarded even more points.

The website is offering iTunes gift cards in $10,$15,$25,and $50 amounts along with Amazon gift cards in amounts of $1,$2,$5,$10,$15,and $25. You can also get a $4 Postagram Gift Card.

All you need to do to get started is visit FreeMyApps on your iOS device then install the device profile for FreeMyApps, then start downloading and using free apps to earn points.

Get Ready For The WiiU

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Nintendo will be releasing the Wii U on November 18th, 2012 and it looks pretty awesome. The Wii U will come with the all new WiiU game pad which has a 6.2″, 16:9 aspect ratio, LCD touch screen which has developers coming up with some pretty unique ways for you to interact with your favorite games. The handheld device also has a front facing camera and motion control. The new gamepad controller is a mini gaming powerhouse on it’s own that will allow Wii U owners to play their favorite games even when you can’t use your TV. With TVii you will be able to watch movies, TV shows and more right on your Wii U gamepad.

WiiU Controller

The Wii U console it self  is similar to the original Wii but with a more rounded look which comes in both black and white. Nintendo also has released a new Wii U Pro controller that looks similar to another well known controller on the market and should be useful when more precise controls are needed. Of course, the new WiiU just wouldn’t feel new unless it was capable of delivering HD graphics, which it does at 720p,1080i,and 1080p. What about your old Wii games? Well most all of your Wii games will work just fine with the new console, though I’m not sure how they will look with an HD output.

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The Wii U will be available in two versions, the Deluxe Set which will have 32GB of internal storage along with a Nintendo Land video game, Wii U Game pad Stand, Wii U Game pad Cradle, and Wii U console stand, Wii U Game pad with stylus and a Digital Promotion that will allow gamers to accumulate points for future downloads on the Nintendo eShop. The Basic Set will include 8GB of internal storage, Wii U Game pad with stylus, sensor bar, and power adapters and both versions will include an HDMI cable.

The Deluxe Set will be priced at $349.99

The Basic Set will be priced at $299.99

I personally am glad to see the return of Pikmin which looks absolutely amazing in HD on the new Wii Console. The new console will really help Nintendo match up with other gaming console features and not only that but I think in many ways, with the new gamepad, I think it should really stand out. The idea of bringing a mobile concept and merging it with the WiiU I think is really smart. The timing of the release feels right too and I think it should sell well in the U.S. Again, the console goes on sale 11-18-2012.

Want the full rundown of WiiU information? Head on over to Nintendo’s official page.

Kindle Fire HD

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KindleFire8Web

Amazon has recently shown off their new kindle fire HD which will be available in three different models. There is a 8.9″ model with 4G capabilities, an 8.9″ model with out 4G, and a new 7″ model. The new lineup features faster processors and higher resolution screens. The 8.9″ model has a 1920×1200 HD display and a 1.5Ghz dual core CPU. The 7″ model offers up a max resolution of 1280×800 and a 1.2 GHz dual core CPU.  All models utilize anti-glare technology and dual-band Wi-Fi antennas. Amazon notes that dual-band antennas are not being used in other tablets and that it increases download speed by 40%.

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The Kindle Fire HD will also feature a PowerVR 3D graphics core that promises to keep HD games looking great and running smooth. The 7″ and the 8.9″ Wi-Fi only model will be available with two different storage sizes, 16GB and 32GB. The 8.9″ 4G model will be available in 32GB and 64GB.

Kindle Fire HD 8.9″ 4G owners will be able to get 250MB per month for 12 months for a one time payment of $49.99. This will also include 20GB of Cloud Drive storage. Here is the price line up for Amazon’s new hardware:

Kindle Fire HD 8.9″ 4G LTE Wireless 32GB $499 64GB $599.
Kindle Fire HD 8.9″ Wi-Fi only 16GB $299 32GB $369.
Kindle Fire HD 7″ 16GB $199 32GB $249.

I think that overall this is a really nice tablet but what really makes this stand out from the crowd is the Amazon brand it self. Amazon is a brand that people trust and with the added benefits of an Amazon Prime membership, going with Kindle seems smart. It is also important to note that Amazon remains very dedicated to the Kindle as it is really Amazons primary focus and hardware counter part of it’s successful online business.

Here is the Amazon press conference about the new product line up from Amazon.

Spotify, Something That Rocks

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spotify logoHave you heard of Spotify? If you haven’t you should definitely check this out. Spotify is a music collection that contains millions of songs that you can play live from just about any device including PC, Mac, and Mobile. There is no need to download tracks, you simply stream them live. Spotify also integrates into Facebook allowing you to see and hear what your friends are listening to.

Whats could make this better? Oh yeah, it’s Free! You only hear an occasional advertisement which is used to pay the artist. This is one of those applications that actually makes piracy less appealing. Piracy has been happening for years and even well before the days of the Internet, but with Napster and the Internet it turned into a major controversy.

Spotify has a user interface that will look familiar to iTunes users with the addition of a social area to see what your friends are listening to. Setting up a unique account that fits you is easy as you guide Spotify by letting it know what songs you like and don’t like. The more you let Spotify know about your music taste the better the overall experience becomes, so you should definitely put in your input to get the best out of Spotify. You can begin setting up a play-list or listen to one of the many radio stations that stream the music type of your choice. You can see what’s hot by checking out the top lists tab or add one of the many apps available for Spotify that integrate right into the interface allowing for an even better experience. Spotify also allows you to share your iTunes playlists as well as playlists from Windows Media Player. The application even has an offline mode to use when you can’t get connected.

Spotify was founded by Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon in the UK in 2006 and now has over 10 million registered users. Spotify is a free download and can be obtained here.