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iMovie on iPad 2 beats most Macs in benchmarks
Benchmark information from AppAdvice.com If the results of benchmarks run by Tim Chaten at AppAdvice are any indication, anyone looking for a good, fast iMovie workstation for doing editing in the field should take a close look at the app running on an iPad 2. Chaten wanted to see how iMovie for iOS running on the dual-core A5 iPad 2 would stack up to the Mac OS X edition of the app running on a variety of Macs, so he took a set of files to an Apple Store to run three tests on all of the stock Macs in the store with the exception of the Mac mini. The results were astonishing. In the first test, copying a two-minute test video shot on a fourth-generation iPod touch to an iPad or Mac, the iPad 2 was the hands-down winner. It copied the files in just 25.5 seconds compared to 56.5 seconds on the fastest Mac -- a Mac Pro. The second benchmark encoded an unedited movie to 720p. Once again, the iPad 2 bested the rest of the Apple family by speedily encoding the file in 1 minute and 56 seconds. The fastest Mac in the bunch (hardly a portable machine) was a Mac Pro at 2 minutes and 15 seconds, while the fastest laptop was the 17" MacBook Pro; it timed in at 2 minutes and 20 seconds.
Lots of iPad games go on sale this weekend, likely more to come
iOS developers have realized that there will probably be a whole lot of iPad 2 apps sold this weekend (since there will be so many new iPad 2s wandering around), so they've dropped prices on quite a few iPhone apps. AppAdvice has a good list up -- EA's apps are in there, including Mirror's Edge and the recently released Dead Space, and Firemint's Flight Control HD is down to a buck this weekend. Minigore HD is also on sale for a dollar, definitely worth a purchase if you haven't grabbed it yet. Bulkypix is also putting most of its iPad games on sale, though that sale doesn't start until tomorrow morning. I doubt this is the last we'll see of these sales -- there's going to be a pretty big rush for the top apps lists in iTunes this weekend, as developers try to take advantage of the incoming flood of iPad 2 owners. The good news is that you, as an iPad 1 owner or someone lucky enough to get a shiny new iPad 2, will get to grab some great apps for cheap.
Analysis: U.S. pre-orders for Wi-Fi iPad likely to begin this week
If you're ready to buy that Wi-Fi iPad, then get your credit card out of your wallet and start practicing your fastest clicking and typing techniques. According to a rumor on iPad / iPhone site AppAdvice, a "reliable source" has told them that Apple will begin pre-sales of the Wi-Fi iPad as soon as Thursday, February 25. As noted on 9 to 5 Mac, Apple traditionally begins selling new products like iPhones or iPods on Fridays. The closest Friday that is approximately 60 days after the iPad announcement on January 27th is March 26th, 2010. If Apple decides to take pre-sale orders of the device online for express delivery on March 26th, they would probably do this about a month in advance in order to better judge the demand for the product. The iPad must pass muster with the FCC before it can be offered for sale in the U.S., so if this rumor is true we'd expect to see the device approval sometime in the next week. The 3G model, which will be offered about a month after the Wi-Fi version, will require separate approval due to the inclusion of a cellular modem in the device. [via 9 to 5 Mac]
BargainBin keeps you on top of app sales
In a perfect world, every iPhone app would be free, fun, and washed in unicorn tears -- but alas, that's not the case (and just as well for the app developers trying to make money on the store). With more than 65,000 applications available, it's hard to tell what's worth the money and what isn't. In addition, developers are constantly updating their apps, changing prices, adding features and so on. BargainBin [iTunes Link] is here to help (and it's free). The free application constantly watches over the App Store and lets you know when items go on sale. In the latest update of the app, you can now even receive push notifications whenever a price drop or sale occurs. In addition, you can view screenshots and descriptions of the apps right within BargainBin. Users can set up a "watch list" that will inform them of changes to specific apps they're looking for or you can broaden your scope and have BargainBin keep you informed on changes to your favorite type of apps instead. Sporting a nice custom interface, many customizable settings and filters as well as push notifications, BargainBin is a great addition for those looking to score great apps for low prices. Here's a few shots of BargainBin in action: %Gallery-70213%
