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The new iPod Nano is quite a sight to behold. Having been released in September, it’s still making waves. A lot of tech enthusiasts are still talking about it, probably because it’s so very desirable.

The new design is quite interesting because it seems to mix and match elements from the iPod shuffle and the latest iPod touch. Small size is something that is mentioned a lot in relation to this new device, but only holding it in the hand gives a truly clear idea of just how small ‘small’ is.

Is the world ready for more form factor changing devices? After the impact the iPad had on the world, the nano was certainly overdue for an iOS style upgrade, and it needed a new look. Of course, the iPod Nano doesn’t sport an actual iOS, but it does have a very smooth interface that works a lot like the iPod Touch and iPhone.

The New Nano comes in a range of six colors, weighs a mere 21.1 grams, and sports a 240 by 240 pixel 1.54 inch color square screen.

Though getting the multiple fingers onto the thing to take advantage of it may be hard, the nano nevertheless sports multi-touch. The usual shake for shuffle feature is in there, as well as support for the sporty add-ons and step counters.

The big thing Apple’s advertising plays up is the new clip that has been added. Being so small it’s definitely something you want to clip securely onto your person to ensure it doesn’t get lost, and being so diverse, Nano users have no shortage of places to clip them – pockets, jackets, bag straps and so forth. Apple likes to play up that diversity. The worry though, is losing it, because it really is tiny.

While the package is a diminutive one there’s no need to worry about not getting value for the money. The second you pick it up and start fiddling around with the touch screen the high quality jumps out. The overall user experience speaks volumes for the device.

Indeed being so like an iPhone or iPod touch it’s a good alternative for those who were wishing for one of those devices but couldn’t quite come up with enough spare cash to be able to afford them.

Still, it has to be remembered that the nano is purely an MP3 player rather than a multi-purpose device like its bigger cousins, so expect nothing overly fancy. Added to that, the ability to play movies has been removed since it’s previous incarnation. Pity.

It does have a few great tricks to make it useable at its new small scale. There is a voice over mode that speaks out the contents of tracks or playlists in order to better aide navigation during those occasions that fiddling with the screen isn’t practical. It also has a bright screen to ensure it’s always easy enough to see what’s going on.

Though it has radio, this can only be accessed using the apple ear-buds plugged in, presumably as they aid the reception. Outwardly the rest of the nano is very stylishly finished, with the aluminium giving it a solid feel. It also has a rocker to control the volume just like the latest iPhone.

A music player isn’t much good without a mechanism for getting great music. The device supports iTunes 10. There’s plenty of room to place all the music bought from iTunes too, with both 8 Gigabyte and 16 Gigabyte versions being available.

Gone are the relics of the previous iPod generations, with the click wheel consigned to history, and oddly enough the video camera that only just saw its addition into the range in the previous generation absent as well. The new touch screen though does offer the tantalising possibility that apple might give it its own app store. Speculation on this point is naturally vigorous.

Overall the Nano is a very desirable MP3 player, though many may decide that the disappearance of movie playback makes the jump up to the iPod touch more pragmatic.

As if the road has not been bumpy enough already for the fourth version of the exceptional iPhone, new problems are now becoming known. Again, the problems come down to the basic design of the phone.

Immediately after the release of the phones, Apple was hit with the wave of scandal because it became clear that the antennae was defective.

When held in a certain way it shorted out, and all signal strength was lost, resulting in the call being dropped. It was almost impossible for a person to make a phone call when holding the phone normally. Apple’s solution was initially to sell users a bumper to prevent this from happening before pressure forced them to give them away.

The latest problem is caused because iPhone 4 has a glass back. At first glance this may seem like a good idea. It renders the finished look clean and shiny and quite attractive.

It also helps to give a solid feel to the finish, unlike the lightweight and cheap feel that plastic can give. Unfortunately glass is rather fragile, and Apple seems to have overlooked this when designing the phone.

Users of the device have often chosen to protect it from damage by putting it into a protective, rigid or semi rigid case that slide onto it.

Unfortunately, there is a risk that debris can become trapped between the phone and the case, and when the case is slid into place is can cause scratches. The scratches progress, become weak and can lead to the glass cracking or shattering.

Apple’s solution to this problem so far has been to remove from sale all of the officially supported phone cases that previously were available on their website.

They now only have the bumper, that was originally designed to overcome their previous major design flaw, that of the antennae bridging effect. This of course, since it only wraps around the phone does not hold any debris against the glass, nor does it scratch the glass.

The bumper offers no protection from impact or scratches to either the front or the back of the phone. Damage such as this can seriously effect a touch screen phone and could result in the delicate glass at the back of the phone becoming scratched badly enough that they may crack or even shatter as the damage progresses. The potential for damage if the phone is dropped is even greater.

Whilst the otherwise effective cases are being withheld from sale, the Apple development team are busy testing the various slide on cases in order to establish the scale of the potential for damage, and whether any are safe to use.

In the meantime the only cases that are available are those that are not officially supported, and users are left with a device that may easily break.

Will Apple recall the phones and replace the backs with something stronger? Only time will tell, but after the antennae debacle, it would appear prudent to finally do something to please their long suffering customers.

Unlike the iPods which could only offer variety in the colors they came in and the size of storage they could handle, the iPad conveniently comes in a number of different configurations to fit anyone’s need and budget.

An iPad review of the differences between configurations can help you decide exactly which iPad is the right one for you and to justify the cost of spending on extras.

Do you live or work in an area where there is a lot of wifi coverage? Do you plan on using the iPad as a portable media device?

These are just some of the many questions that can be answered in an iPad review, and if you need help in deciding how much storage you need or if you really need that 3G option then continue reading.

Currently, the iPad comes in 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB configurations. For many applications an iPad review will recommend 16GB is usually plenty of space, however on plan on downloading tons of content like music then upgrading the storage to 32GB should be fine for your audiophile needs.

Video can be especially taxing to storage requirements so bump up your iPad’s hard drive to 64GB since a single movie can take an average of 1GB worth of space.

If you live in an area that has few convenient wifi hotspots, or if you simply want to take advantage of an AT&T data plan that can subsidize the cost of your iPad then get the 3g option.

This will allow you to browse the internet no matter what your location is as long as you have coverage with AT&T. Also, it is best to get a backup external hard drive so that you can make copies of essential files, or simply offload some extra files and make more room on your iPad for more content.

Apple has decidedly made the tablet a much more appealing device than it ever has before, unlocking much of the true potential there is in such a device.

And while there may be a number of competing Android-based tablets, Apple still has the upper hand in design and reliability.

Reading the latest iPad review will reveal everything that you need to know about Apple’s revolutionary product and it will also be helpful to know that many apps that are available for the iPod touch and the iPhone are also compatible with the iPad.

Despite being famous for the signal conductivity issue that drastically impaired signal reception when held with the left hand, the iPhone 4 still has a ridiculous number of awesome features that justify its price tag.

The iPhone 4 addresses a number of significant issues that took 4 generations of the iPhone for Apple to finally get it right.

If you are planning to get a new smartphone, then this iPhone 4 review should be just for you, especially if you are an AT&T subscriber in which case you are going to find out just why it is your best option.

Every year, Apple seems to come up with a new version of the iPhone with improvements in build, quality, as well as the features themselves.

This year, Apple has overhauled the design and build of the iPhone 4, completely removing plastic from the design and replacing it with glass and aluminum.

This best represents Apple’s trademark in minimalist design, although it is radically different from the previous generations of the iPhone. One doesn’t have to worry about the glass being breakable as it is actually 30 times harder than plastic.

Aside from the signal issue previously stated in this iPhone 4 review related to holding the phone in your left hand, the reception is actually improved over previous models because the aluminum strip that wraps around the entire phone, separating the two pieces of glass, actually acts as an antenna to boost wifi, 3G, bluetooth, and GPS reception.

The resolution also gets a boost at 960×640 over the 480×320 resolutions on older versions of the iPhone and iPod Touch.

Although the screen hasn’t exactly become larger, the pixels per inch have been squeezed in to be accommodated by the 3.5 inch screen real estate. Most iPhone 4 reviews note that looking at the display is now similar to looking at a digital print. It’s that good.

There are also a number of secondary features that you will find on most smartphones. They may not be the driving factor for making your decision, but things like a standard 3.5mm audio jack, front-facing camera, noise-canceling microphone, and silent toggle are all noted on this iPhone 4 review.

What can affect your decision is the 1.0Ghz Apple A4 chip that is also used on the iPad, as well as the 512mb of RAM which is a definite upgrade over the iPhones of previous generations.

The iPhone literally has it all – phone, Internet access, games, music, and a built-in digital camera.  Playing around with the iPhone is so much fun – who cares if you have to wait in line at the post office?

Once you’ve learned the basics, here are a few tricks to get even more from your iPhone:

• Get more in less space – setting the font to the smallest size lets you read more of a story or email in the screen.  This makes checking email a faster process. But if you find it hard to see, just increase the font size for more comfortable reading. What’s great is that you can adjust the font to your personal preferences.
• Add to spell check – To make you look good, iPhone flags a word that it thinks is misspelled. Sometimes it’s a business related word or just a slang word, but it’s not an error. To “teach” your iPhone a new word, press 3 times to cancel the correction and the word will become part of your iPhone dictionary!
• Speed up scrolling – The touch-sensitive screen makes scrolling really easy. Sometimes you get to the bottom of an Internet article and want to start again. Instead of scrolling, just tap once at the top of the iPhone screen. That tap takes you right back to the beginning in the same way that you can quickly get to the top using your computer keyboard.
• Take a closer look – The iPhone has a magnifying glass that lets you zoom in on a section of words. Tapping and holding brings up the magnifying glass. Focusing on the area you’re editing makes it easier to focus on this smaller screen.
• Bring on the videos – The iPhone offers the option to watch videos but they have to be in the right format. YouTube is cozy with Apple, so the videos posted work well on the iPhone.
  Over 10,000 YouTube videos already have the H264 encoding, so there’s plenty of choices. If you want to watch any other videos, you may have to get the format adapted to your iPhone first.
• Get a designer theme – After spending all that money on an iPhone, you certainly don’t want yours to have the same theme as someone else has. Why not download free iPhone themes directly into the phone? Download the “Hack Toolkit” to get into the iPhone and change themes. Several Internet sites offer these themes.
• Can the Spam – By adding a Yahoo mail link in bookmarks you can use the “delete all” function to dump a pile of junk. That’s faster than deleting them one at a time.

iPhone enthusiasts are always sharing their personal techniques on how they maximize their interaction with their high-tech gadget.  In a society where shortcuts are highly revered, this cell caters to your cravings for more time.

The frenzy to get an iPhone focused so much attention on acquiring one, that now there’s time to evaluate how you feel about using it.  Is it the perfect phone?  It all depends on what you need, but it’s really close.

For those who still envy – but have yet to buy an iPhone – what are some of the downsides?  As with any new electronic marvel, a few bugs emerge with use. Battery life is a complaint for high volume users.

No one wants to get that annoying “low battery” signal right in the middle of an important text message or phone call. Even with a full battery, text messaging sometimes doesn’t work as well on some iPhones as on the cheap phone you trashed to get the hot new cell of the year.

Apple has been slapped with a lawsuit about the iPhone battery. Users get really upset because the iPhone battery is sealed and can’t be changed. If the iPhone owner tries to change the battery, forget it, it’s soldered solid.

Changing phone batteries is common with most phones so iPhone owners felt like they weren’t warned about this.  However, having a recharging dock in multiple places (at home and work) is the perfect work-around for the iPhone battery issue.

The iPhone comes with two choices of capacity – 6 GB or 8 GB. This is actually small compared to what you get in an iPod. Since the iPhone doesn’t have a memory expansion option yet, the memory size will cramp the style of some users if you’re used to a 20GB iPod.

Apple approved sites and the pirate sites offer massive quantities of downloads. Movies, TV shows, music, content, photos and games are among the download options. The problem is, the iPhone seems to balk at high download speeds and takes its time.  Slow downloads frustrate many iPhone users, but if you know about it ahead of time, you can plan your download schedule accordingly without frustration.

Cell phone users like to be mavericks. Dislike service at one provider and they walk to another. But the iPhone sticks users to AT&T as the exclusive provider of services for this phone.

Coverage limitations and service interruptions take away the cell phone user’s sense of independence.  There are no friendly calling circles between iPhone users and others. The cost of out of network calling is fierce – better stock up on quarters and find old fashioned pay phones because AT& T doesn’t play well with others!

With Internet connectivity as a major feature of the iPhone, some users complain that the search tools don’t function effectively and the browser won’t save passwords. Take heart iPhone fanatics – it’s the first of many models to come and each problem gets addressed as it comes up with a solution for all.

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If the iPhone is half as fantastic as the marketing that introduced it, then this really is THE phone to own.  With so many cell phone options available for so many brands, the iPhone kicked the competition and continues to deliver on its hype.

The iPhone is the true eye-candy of communication. The housing is sleek and definitely different than anything out there. Pull out the iPhone and everyone knows what it is.  No pushing, clicking buttons or breaking fingernails.

The iPhone responds to the slightest touch from the tactile sensors embedded in the surface of the screen. The user can do anything from dial, scroll or seek on the digital interface with the greatest of ease.

Camera phone buffs find that the photos taken by the iPhone are as good as those from a high-priced digital camera. Even in poor light, the iPhone’s camera adjusts so that the photo looks great.

Images from other camera phones are second-rate compared with the iPhone photos. You can transmit iPhone photos to your computer or send them to a photo lab for printing. Cameras are often too bulky when you’re on vacation and the iPhone can cater to the shutterbug’s need to capture everything on film.

If it’s available online, it’s coming right to your iPhone in an instant.  The iPhone has fully Internet capability. With a single touch, you can read and answer email, surf the ‘net, shop online or update your Facebook page.

As another of the “i” products, Apple makes it easy to download iTunes onto the iPhone.  Its 8GB size is small in comparison to the music collection that can go into an iPod, but then again, iPod only has one function – and the iPhone does so much more.  Without a doubt, iPhone is the hot success symbol. This is one gadget that combines functionality and fashion statement in one.

The new Apple mobile operating system, for the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad, named iOS4 was awaited with great anticipation. For owners of the Apple iPhone and iPod Touch, the promise of multitasking, and threaded emails with multiple email accounts viewable through one inbox was great. Yet what was delivered hasn’t met up to expectations for owners of the iPhone 3G.

The difference between the 3G and the 3GS is the hardware that the phone runs on. The 3GS has better specs-a faster processor and more memory and so is better able to handle the resource heavy operating system.

In fact, the operating system is so resource heavy that some of the features are not available to 3G users.

The problem is that on many, if not the majority of 3G iPhones that iOS4 is installed on, the new system makes the phone run very, very slowly. Read the rest of this entry »

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As many people probably know, Gizmodo has gotten their hands on the next iPhone.  It was found in a bar, and comoflouged on the outside to look like an iPhone 3GS, but on the inside and even somewhat on the outside, it’s a much different animal.

Firstly, the phone is much more sleek, and flat, similar to the MacBook style, and going away from the curvature presented in the previous models, which felt out of place compared to most other Apple products.

It has aluminum border around the sides, but everything else is black.  The back is black, and made of plastic, and the front is a black screen, of course, which is a little bit smaller than the 3GS, but has a much, much higher resolution.

The new plastic back is presumably to enable the phone to get better reception and connection.  As it is smaller than previous models, it has less area to receive connection, and with phones, this is very important, so the more connectible area, the better.

This version of the iPhone is so much smaller than the other ones, such that you can not even begin to put in any curvature in the design, not that it matters much, as this new sleek look will most likely be a welcomed change.  There is also an extra buttom on the side, which is presumably for the camera, which has been a heavily requested feature.

Speaking of the camera, there is now a front facing camera, as well as a larger rear facing one with a flash added as well.  This makes for the possibility of video chatting easier, as well as taking more detailed pictures.

There also seems to be a secondary mic, which will help increase voice clarity on calls and recordings.  The iPhone is also on the migration to micro-SIM, just like the iPad now.

I feel that this has pulled so much design inspiration from the currect Apple line it really is a work of art.

It’s a mix between current gen iPhones, MacBook laptops, the iMac, and finally the newest iPad. The Mac family continues to grow for the better and the design is something that many companies can dream about doing – but never produce.

Overall, this is the upgrade of the iPhone 3G that people wanted.  The exterior is all new, sleek and black, with metallic volume, camera, and power buttons.

The inside parts are smaller, allowing for a 16% larger battery.  The screen has a much higher native resolution, hopefully allowing for highly quality picture and video viewing, which you can even take with one of the two cameras.

Finally, being smaller, the new iPhone will be much more portable, and get back to being a totally mobile device, fitting into smaller pockets.