Apple dropping the need to enter password for free apps

With the upcoming release of iOS 6 it appears as if Apple will make it much easier for users to install free applications. Users running the third beta of iOS 6 have discovered that they no longer have to enter their password to download free applications from the App Store.

This will be sure to please iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch users who currently have to enter intricate passwords on a 3.5 inch display every 15 minutes. This improves the App Store further, following the removal of the need to enter your password to update applications or re-install previously purchase applications; which was first witnessed in the first iOS 6 beta. Furthermore, after selecting to download and install an application the user will no longer be returned to the home screen.

Apple ‘mini’ iPad planned to take out Google and Microsoft

Industry insiders are confirming that Apple plan on releasing a smaller 7 inch iPad later this year. This model will be cheaper and won’t have the retina capable screen featuring in the 9.7 inch version already available. We already reported on this before, however two people close to the matter have confirmed the release, asking not to be identified, according to Bloomberg.

Apple have yet to make the plans public although it may be announced as soon as October, only a few months away.

Apple’s plans will mean customers have yet another competitor against Google and Microsoft who are both planning to release their new tablets later this year.

Analysts suggest that Apple will target the price ‘closer to the Google Nexus 7 tablet and Amazon’s Kindle Fire’, both of which are 7 inch models priced at $199.99. This will really throw a spanner in the works for Apple competitors, especially as they command the market today.

DisplaySearch have predicted that the tablet market will be worth $66.4 billion this year, with Apple holding 61 percent of the total share. Much of  the Apple strength is in their class leading online App Store. Many customers simply won’t move from this platform due to the unmatched software support.

Google said on June 27th that they are releasing a tablet style device called the Nexus 7. Microsoft have plans to release their Surface tablet which will have a similar screen size to the current 9.7 inch iPad.

Google’s Nexus 7 will be built by Asustek Computer Inc and will have a faster processor and better battery life than the Amazon Kindle Fire. It will also ship with a front facing camera.

Apple are making a gross profit of 37 percent on the current iPad according to industry experts. If they use a cheaper screen on the smaller version they could make a similar profit level. Amazon on the other hand are losing money on every Kindle Fire they sell, aiming for sales on software and books.

A Smaller iPad Could Compete with Kindle Fire

A Smaller iPad Could Compete with Kindle Fire Tablet

Many people have been asking if the rumor is true.  Will Apple release a smaller, seven, or eight inch iPad?  I’m not sure if even Apple knows the answer to this question, but personally I would like to see it. Some of the newer Android tablets aren’t bad, but the iPad is simply the de facto standard in tablets. Many say that could change now that Steve Jobs has passed, but it remains to be seen if current Apple leadership can maintain their high standards.

Kindle Sales are Up – So Wouldn’t Apple Release a Smaller iPad?

 Amazon has probably close to 5 million Kindle Fires sold.  Why wouldn’t Apple won’t a piece of that action?  It seems like they are leaving money on the table, and Steve Jobs didn’t become an icon for that.

I’m sure we’ll find out in the coming months if the smaller ipad rumors are true or not.  But with Amazon capturing around 15% of tablet sales, I believe Apple will step up to the plate and dominate the smaller tablet market just like they have the 10″ tablets.  After all, Apple has been working with developers on smaller tablet touch screen displays for several months now.  Are they testing a smaller iPad prototype?  I sure hope so!

Protect Yourself When Buying Cheap Laptops

In these tough economic times, we’re all looking to get good deals and score great bargains. But be careful – if you apply this same logic to your future laptop purchases, you could be stuck with a machine that doesn’t meet your needs (or worse, doesn’t function at all!). Here’s what you need to watch out for when buying cheap laptops in today’s market:

Warning #1 – Buy direct from manufacturers

When you first start searching online for cheap laptops, you’re going to encounter a number of different potential buying sources. Not only can you buy directly from the computer’s manufacturer, you can also purchase used or refurbished laptops from classified ad websites (like Craigslist), auction websites (like Ebay) and third-party merchant sites (like Overstock.com). However, each of these sources has some potential limitations…

Craigslist and other classified ad sites are the riskiest options for buying cheap laptops. Anyone, anywhere can list their computers for sale here, so there’s really no way to know for sure if you’re buying a good, working machine or if you’ll wind up stuck with a laptop that has serious virus or hardware issues.

Buying from auction websites and third-party merchants are only a little better. While they may offer limited customer protection measures such as warranties or return windows, it’s worth remembering that these companies aren’t in the computer manufacturing business. Their job is to sell merchandise, and there’s really no way for them to guarantee that the laptop you got on a great clearance deal will still be functioning optimally in a few years’ time. That leaves buying laptops directly from the manufacturers. But if that sounds too expensive, consider the following option…

Warning #2 – Look for outlet deals

Most computer manufacturers offer outlet deals or special sales on refurbished or “scratch and dent” laptops. These are laptops that were either returned as defective and repaired, or that were damaged cosmetically in the production process.

The key here is that, because the laptops have been routed back through the manufacturer, you can rest assured that any issues that would affect the long term performance of your laptop have been repaired by qualified technicians. But to protect your purchase even further, most of these manufacturer outlet models also come with a warranty that far exceeds anything you’ll find from third-party merchants or auction sellers.

Warning #3 – Know what you need

One final tip when looking for cheap laptops is to know what you need. When searching through laptop listings online, it can be easy to convince yourself that you need all the “latest and greatest” bells and whistles being offered. But if you’re only planning to use your laptop to browse the internet and send email messages, you don’t need to spend the extra money to buy a fitted-out laptop designed for gamers or graphic designers.

Instead, look for a small laptop with a minimum of 2 GB of memory and a 250 GB hard drive. Buy the highest processor speed you can afford, but be aware that there are plenty of cheap laptops out there that can meet these specifications at around $600.00.

==== About the Author =====
This article was authored for Novatech, a UK computer manufacturer and retailer that was founded with a simple ethic of supplying high quality products at the lowest possible prices with excellent customer service. The company holds true to that philosophy today and has now grown to be one of the UK’s most trusted technology companies.

The Microsoft Office for iPad Saga: Allegations, Denial, and Somehow, Confirmation

Today was quite insane if you were following the crazy sequence of events pertaining to a certain alleged screenshot of Office for iPad that surfaced earlier this week. The outcome? Well, we’re still lacking substantial confirmation or evidence of anything. But, Microsoft might have at least acknowledged the intent to develop a version of Office for the iPad. Let me provide a rundown of today’s events, starting from the beginning: 

Earlier this morning, The Daily — the blog that sparked the rumors of an impending Office for iPad release — claims to have gotten a brief hands-on with the app. They posted two images of the supposed app (in the tradition of the infamous Mr. Blurrycam) on their blog: One depicting what appears to be a “start screen”, where you can create or open documents, and another showing the “Office” app icon. They claim that the user interface of the app is similar to OneNote, though it has some Metro aspects to it. They also stated that the app supported the creation and editing of Word, Excel and PowerPoint files locally and online, but it was unknown if other Office apps will be supported at launch.

Curious, ZDNet’s Mary-Jo Foley pinged Microsoft PR inquiring about this leak. The response that she received was interesting and unusual. To quote MJ:

A Microsoft spokesperson said the screen shot accompanying The Daily’s story is not a picture of a real Microsoft software product. But the spokesperson also said Microsoft is declining to comment as to whether or not the company has developed a version of Office for the iPad and/or when such a product may come to market.

When you request comment from a Microsoft spokesperson on something that’s a far-fetched leaked, rumor, or piece of speculation like this, it’s highly unlikely that they will provide a comment beyond “we do not comment on rumors and speculation.” That wasn’t the case today, however. They actually essentially claimed that the screenshots are “not of a real Microsoft software product.” What do they mean by this? Are they saying that they are screenshots of a prototype that have no bearing on a future Microsoft product release, or are they suggesting that the photos in their entirety are fake? Whatever the case, Peter Ha, an editor from The Daily, responded to Microsoft’s comment on the matter in a string of tweets:

Samsung Galaxy S Android 2.2 Update Rolling Out In India

At the beginning of this month, Samsung started rolling out the Android 2.2 update for the Galaxy S in the U.K. Samsung is slowly rolling out the update in various regions of the world. Today, the company has released the Android 2.2 update for the Galaxy S in India.

Samsung had earlier released the Android 2.2 update for the handset in October but it was later pulled back due to numerous bugs and performance issues.

However, the new firmware update being rolled out now is considerably much better. Galaxy S owners in India need to use Samsung KIES to update their handset to Android 2.2. The Android 2.2 update for the Galaxy S will bring with it better performance, speech-to-text, voice search, Flash 10.1 and other Froyo goodies.

WSJ: iPad 3 to Support 4G LTE

Just a few hours back it was “confirmed‘” that Apple will announce the iPad 3 on Wednesday, March 7th, 2012. Now a new report from the Wall Street Journal reveals that the iPad 3 will come in 4G LTE versions for Verizon and AT&T.

WSJ said that the devices will use a “slower network technology” when LTE isn’t available (probably 3G or EDGE). In addition, the next iPad is expected to have a high-resolution Retina Display, a quad-core A6 processor, which would be in addition to the LTE capabilities. No signs indicate that the AT&T and Verizon iPads will be one model that can operate on both networks or separate models with individual SKUs, as they are currently.  4G LTE is the fourth generation of cellular wireless standards and provides much faster speeds versus 3G.

Verizon Communications Inc. and AT&T Inc. will sell a version of the coming iPad that runs on their newest fourth-generation wireless networks, according to people familiar with the matter, as the battle to cash in on big investments in mobile broadband heats up.

Apple Inc. appears to be planning to announce the latest version of its tablet computer in the first week of March, according to another person briefed on the matter.

Whether other carriers will also sell the device couldn’t be learned.

In the past, ex-Apple employees have said that the company  frequently engages in the practice of “controlled leaks”, which is the practice of partially notifying trusted reporters with product information before the launch of a new product.