The new iPad gets way too hot says Consumer Reports

Consumer Reports has reported today that the new iPad runs a lot hotter than its predecessor, the iPad 2.

While playing games, the new iPad runs 13 degrees hotter than the iPad 2 playing the same game. 

The firm used a thermal imaging camera to record temperatures, and the new iPad got as shockingly high as 116 degrees while playing "Infinity Blade II." Consumer Report's article follows numerous complaints around the Web of the iPad overheating when playing games, streaming movies or during heavy downloads. 

Consumer Reports say:

We ran our test while the new iPad was propped on the iPad SmartCover, plugged in, and after it had run Infinity Blade II uninterrupted for about 45 minutes. The device's 4G connection was not turned on, though its Wi-fi link was. The ambient room temperature was about 72 degrees. (Apple recommends not using the iPad in environments over 95 degrees.) 

We also ran the test with the new iPad unplugged. Then we compared the temperature of the new iPad to that of the iPad 2 using the same tests. 

When unplugged, the back of the new iPad reached temperatures as high as 113 degrees Fahrenheit. It was only when plugged in that it hit 116 degrees. The hottest areas weren't evenly distributed throughout the iPad's back, but were concentrated near one corner of the display as shown in the images taken from the rear of the device above. 

So, when plugged in, the back of the new iPad became as much as 12 degrees hotter than the iPad 2 did in the same tests; while unplugged the difference was 13 degrees.

The most important detail is that some customers say that it made using the new iPad very "uncomfortable" and it "hurt".

The New iPad: Magnets, how do they work?

A manufacturing change in the new iPad appears to have broken compatibility with certain Smart Covers, as well as some third-party cases that use the iPad's built-in magnets. From video and photo evidence posted at Mark's Hangout, it appears that the new iPad now uses a polarity-sensitive sensor to wake the device from sleep upon opening the cover, meaning that the magnet must be correctly aligned — apparently early Smart Covers were initially made with the magnet in question facing either way. Opening the cover and reversing the panel fixes the issue, though obviously somewhat hinders the cover's visual appeal.

Newer Smart Covers don't exhibit the problem, suggesting that Apple has changed the design specification at some point — possibly last October, when the line got a color refresh. Reports on the Apple support forums say that the company will exchange defective covers for new ones at the Apple store, and third-party manufacturers including Targus and Maroo are also offering replacements.

iTunes 10.6 rolls out same day as iOS 5.1

It's not just iOS device users getting a software update today. Apple has also now made iTunes 10.6 available for download, which includes support for 1080p movies and TV shows to match those available on the new Apple TV. The update also brings with it a number of improvements to iTunes Match, including better song matching, and improvements to the way album artwork is downloaded and displayed. You can find it at the link below or download it via Apple's Software Update tool.

iOS 5.1 rolls out today for iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch UPDATE: Adds 4G symbol to AT&T connected devices

Well, it looks like we didn't have to wait long for that iOS 5.1 update promised for today. The update is already rolling out to iPhones, iPads and compatible iPod touches. That brings with it a number of improvements and bug fixes, including the previously-announced Japanese language support for Siri, a redesigned camera app for iPad, the ability to delete individual photos from Photo Stream and, somewhat curiously, an "updated AT&T network indicator." What's more, as previously rumored, the camera shortcut is now also always visible on the lock screen for iPhone and iPod touch users.

Update: As a number of commenters have pointed out, it turns out that update to the AT&T network indicator is a change to display "4G" in the status bar, even though the device's connectivity of course remains the same speed as ever.

New iPad is official. Retina display, Siri, A5X chip, LTE

Apple told us they had something to show us that was "Resolutionary" and we had to see it to believe it.  This new piece of hardware is definitely a step above its predecessor, but not as crazy as some would have prophesized.  The device is available for pre-order right now and will be released in the United States on March 16th. The features of the new iOS device are as follows:

• 1080p Retina Display
• Siri Dictation
• The new A5X Dual-Core CPU, Quad-Core GPU
• 4G LTE attennas with 3G "world" connectivity
• 5 Megapixel iSight cameras

Photos and more information to come, so stay tuned.

Official: Apple iPad 3 event to be held on March 7th in San Fransisco

The date has been booked, the invitations have been sent, and the cake has been prepared.  Apple has officially sent out their invitation for their upcoming iPad 3 event.  In just one week, on March 7th, Apple will hold an event at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Theater in San Fransisco.  Apple, as always, is keeping the details hush hush, but they are telling us they have "something you really need to see. And touch." We will be covering that live to find out what that "something" might be.

iPad 3 to have LTE on both Verizon and AT&T says the WSJ

Citing sources "familiar with the matter," The Wall Street Journal is now stating rather unequivocally that both AT&T and Verizon Wireless are set to begin selling LTE versions of Apple's iPad. The latest revelation is hardly a leap of faith, as rumors to this effect have been swirling for a month now. Still, it coincides rather nicely with the recent chatter surrounding the launch of Apple's next iPad, which is currently thought to launch during the first week of March. It remains unknown whether Sprint will be stocking a 4G version of the iPad to call its own. Perhaps Sprint will be forced to sit this one out. 

Netflix updates iOS app. Optimized for iPad

We've already seen Netflix's more tablet-optimized interface in the latest version of its Android app and now, as promised, the company has brought much the same UI to its iOS app. In addition to giving iPad users the ability to view more content at a glance, version 2.0 of the app also brings with it support for Netflix users in Latin America, as well as a number of stability fixes. As always, it remains free for Netflix members. Hit up the App Store to download it now.                                                      

E-Book Publishers being investigated in the United States as well as Europe for price fixing

Just two days after the European Commission announced that it was investigating Apple and major international publishers for possible e-book price fixing, the US Justice Department has made it clear that it's also launching a probe into the possibility of "anticompetitive practices involving e-book sales." Although Justice Department officials didn't name which companies they're looking into, it's very likely that they're focusing on the same agreements between publishers and the major e-book platform owners -- either Apple or Amazon or both.                                                      

Flipboard finally releases for iPhone and iPod Touch

Flipboard has now arrived on a slightly smaller board. Previously available as an iPad-only app, the popular magazine and social media app has now launched on both the iPhone and iPod Touch, bringing graphics-laden aggregation to a larger spectrum of the iOS community. This new universal version features much of the same functionality you'll find on its iPad predecessor, along with a new Cover Stories interface, which collects and displays all your recent photo uploads, shared articles and status updates from select social networks. If you're intrigued, you can download it for free from the app store right now.

Office for iPad in 2012???

Microsoft's released a few apps here and there for the iPhone and iPad but has kept one of its big ticket items out of the iOS family. According to The Daily, that all might change in 2012 with the launch of Office for iPad. The publication claims that this new release will play nice with Office 365's cloud-based service, and iPad documents should be compatible with the desktop versions of Office. In fact, this closely mirrors both Office for Windows Phone and iWork on the iPad, with document syncing and compatibility between mobile and desktop apps. Office for iPad's price point also is rumored to be similar to iWork on iOS's $10 per app pricing. The Daily claims a new Office for Mac will be coming out closer to the end of 2012, but the iPad apps are likely to launch much sooner. It looks like Microsoft's big 2012 is getting bigger.

Apple iOS 5.1 beta hints at new iPad in code

The first beta of iOS 5.1 is just now making its way to iPad, iPhone and iPod touch developers, and it's already given out some hints — namely, a string of code that references a brand new product, the "iPad 2,4". In case you're not familiar, Apple typically provides such product codenumbers in new releases of the software, though it's unlikely that the iPad 2,4 is a next-generation iPad 3. 9to5Mac, which found the digits, speculates that it probably refers to a soon-to-appear Sprint version of the existing machine. We'd like to think that the number-three US carrier would get a special nod from Apple, after risking $20 billion to make the iPhone 4S deal. 

Apple cuts prices for Black Friday

It's not exactly official yet but 9to5Mac has what appears to be legitimately leaked collateral detailing Apple's Black Friday plans for 2011. Each year Black Friday rolls around and Apple announces its sale without any prices. It then starts rolling out the deals globally, starting with New Zealand, before finally making its way to the place where this ritual of crazy consumer mayhem began: the US. Consider this your shortcut through all the noise.

As usual, the sale reflects cuts in the range of about five to ten percent on Apple gear, although deeper discounts are available on third-party items. Read on after the break for all the deals.

Click to read more ...

Stuck on what Tablet to get this Christmas?

For a little while, I really wasn't buying into the whole tablet thing. I felt like the concept was cool, but overall the whole idea was a waste of time and money. Now however, with "Black Friday" quickly approaching, I find myself longing for an iPad, or even an HP Touchpad. Of course, now comes the long grueling process of research on the best deal, and the best buy. To help you out this holiday season, I listed a few choices, and some of their pro's and con's.

Click to read more ...

A Very Geeky Christmas

Here at The Geek Domain, Christmas is important. During this special time of year, families get together and drink eggnog, eat delicious meals, spend some quality time together, and best of all, exchange super amazing presents that have the potential of making our geeky lives all the better. I decided to put together the most epic Christmas list of all time. This list has everything that your geek needs, ranging from vanity items, to elite gaming equipment. Read on after the break for this super awesome, Diablo III-themed, mega-Christmas list.

Click to read more ...

Gmail for iOS is back and it works

A few weeks back, Google released a Gmail app for iOS users and then in less than a half an hour, they removed it from the app store.  Well as of this morning, the app has reappeared and is available for download on your iOS devices.  It is optimized for iPad as well, so load it all over.  A couple of glaring omitions however, are multiple account support, robust notifications, and only 25 messages at a time.  The Gmail team responded to the omitions with this:

We’re just getting started with the Gmail app for iOS and will be iterating rapidly to bring you more features.

IOS users can use Apple’s Mail app to manage their Gmail accounts, but the Gmail app does provide some extra convenience, delivering all the features you’d expect from a Gmail service via a straightforward, mobile web-like interface. A handy slide-out menu provides access to your inbox, starred items, sent mail, and folders you’ve created.

Minecraft comes to iPhone!

According to the description, the game will allow players to "move beyond the limits of your computer and play Minecraft everywhere you go." Gameplay is limited to Creative Mode (no Survival Mode) and features randomized worlds with 36 different kinds of blocks for building. Players will be able to invite friends to visit their world via local Wi-Fi, and multiplayer worlds can be saved to your device.

The release date isn't confirmed for other territories, but it's likely to be the same since MineCon begins on Friday in Las Vegas.

The Friction Between Amazon & Apple is Fire Like

Just a few months ago, we all got wind of the new line of Kindle's Amazon was going to be offering.
The most anticipated of all these was the Kindle Fire.

Now the Kindle Fire, is just like your every run-of-the-mill tablet. However, Amazon's popularity seems to have caught up with them in a recent study regarding peoples desires.

The Study of 2600 people is showing that,

...5% of respondents had already ordered the Kindle Fire with another 12% saying they were somewhat likely to buy it. A similar study around the original iPad’s launch in 2010 showed that 4% of respondents were likely to buy an iPad with 9% only somewhat likely to purchase.

But there is some fluff to this.

When Apple first launched the iPad, it was the first company to create a tablet. They were exploring in unexplored territory.

The demand is somewhat higher now for tablets in general, and with the Christmas season coming these numbers are sure to fluctuate slightly.

The Kindle Fire, is to be released this very November 15.

For full coverage on this story, head on over to Mashable Tech.

GTA III on iPad is weird at best

So GTA III on iPad.  Yeah.  Weird.  To put it mildly, I feel as though I have never played a video game before in my life.  I once considered myself a semi-competant, quasi even, GTA player. But after playing this iOS title, I am back at square one.  The visuals are up to par with other iOS games of the genre, and in all respects doesn't dissapoint.  With the exception of the controls.  A 3D, open world environment, is hard to indtroduce on a device that has no analog or capacitive controls.  Pick this one up and give it a try, but be prepared to be frustrated for awhile.

iOS 5, Lion 10.7.2, and iCloud are here!

iOS 5, iCloud, and OS X Lion 10.7.2 are all here!  Go plug your devices in and get to updating!  About 3 GB worth of updates, but bring on the fun!