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iPad mini online ad views outpace Kindle Fire
Here's some impressive (if anecdotal) evidence that consumers are going gaga for the iPad mini. Mobile advertising platform Millennial Media says that the tiny tablet has seen a big increase in the interest level surrounding it since launching last month. According to the company's data, views of ads for the iPad mini increased by 28 percent every day in November, something that's lead Millennial Media to declare the device a "game changer." To provide some perspective, the company noted that following its launch in November 2011, the Kindle Fire -- no slouch in terms of popularity itself -- saw a 19 percent increase in ad impressions on its network each day during its release month. The comparison prompted Millennial Media to predict a strong holiday 2012 season for Apple, but we don't think you need an MBA to know that's a given. [Via AllThingsD]
Waterfield's CitySlicker is a luxurious home for your iPad mini
The iPad mini hit at the perfect time. There are a growing number of cases available for the holiday season, and after an initial dearth of decent iPad mini cases, many are now available. Waterfield Designs' CitySlicker falls on the high end of the spectrum. It's a luxurious sleeve that can easily be customized into a shoulder bag and look professional and stylish. Design The CitySlicker is styled like a small messenger bag, with a butter-soft leather flap that secures to the sleeve with two snaps. The main interior pocket is made of three layers: impact-resistant plastic, high-grade neoprene and a padded liner. There are two mesh pockets in the front of the sleeve and a zipped mesh pocket that shares the liner with the inside of the case. Additional options from the Waterfield Designs' site allows you to customize the color of the leather flap, add on a carrying handle or strap or just have the D-rings installed so you can use your own strap. %Gallery-173137% Functionality The CitySlicker does one thing really well, and that's hold an iPad mini. Once you start loading items in the pockets, then you start adding issues with bulk. Waterfield's site suggests that you can put pens, your iPad charger and iPhone in the pockets. You can, but the iPad mini's wall charger creates a noticeable bulk when the case is closed. Depending on the case on your iPhone, you might have to remove it before stowing it in the CitySlicker or the bag won't snap shut. Because of the tight sleeve, you can't keep a regular case on your iPad mini in case you fancied a stand for your iPad. Filling the pockets makes the CitySlicker pretty heavy quite quickly, and you might find you want to add that carrying handle or strap if you're using it on its own. It easily tucks into larger bags, such as my backpack and messenger. Still, you're not going to be able to get a lot into the CitySlicker without creating unsightly bulges or a lot of weight. At the most, I'd suggest adding an iPhone (sans case), the Lightning USB cable without the wall charger and a couple of pens to these pockets to save on weight. The protection for the iPad mini is fantastic though. This bag can easily survive an accidental fall off the desk -- kids, don't try this at home. The liner is plush and very soft. You won't have to worry about the front or back of the iPad mini getting scratched up in this case. Conclusion The CitySlicker is a beautifully built case, and you can't dispute the quality. All of Waterfield's bags are made in San Francisco, so nothing is outsourced. The CitySlicker is the Rolls-Royce of iPad mini sleeves. However, if you plan to pack a lot of accessories, it's not the right sleeve for you. You might want to check out Waterfield's iPad Travel Express, which is more geared toward carrying a lot of accessories with your iPad. Or, if money isn't an issue, check out a Muzetto. The CitySlicker for the iPad mini is $89. A model for the third- and fourth-generation iPad is available for $99. Given the materials used and the fact that it's produced in the US, I think this is an excellent price for what you're getting. Pros Extremely high quality. Built in the USA. Looks fantastic. The sleeve for the iPad mini is plush and provides a lot of protection. No worries about getting scratches while using this case. Easily fits in larger bags. Cons Have to carry a separate stand if you need one for your iPad. Not a lot of room for accessories. Creates a lot of bulge and weight if you add too much. Who is it for? People who want a stylish iPad mini sleeve with a lot of protection. Giveaway And now, you get the chance to win a Waterfield CitySlicker for the iPad mini! Please be sure to read the rules: Open to legal US residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 and older. To enter, fill out the form below completely and click or tap the Submit button. The entry must be made before December 14, 2012, 11:59 PM Eastern Standard Time. You may enter only once. One winner will be selected and will receive a CitySlicker iPad mini case valued at $89. Click Here for complete Official Rules. Loading...
Griffin's take on charge and sync Lightning cables now up for grabs
Sure, Belkin and Scosche have already offered up Lightning accessories, but now Griffin has its own solutions up for sale: Lightning charge and sync cables, which it says are the first of their kind from a third party (authorized by Apple). Ringing up at $25, the four-foot coiled USB to Lightning cable aims to put the kibosh on kinks and tangles. Those who prefer a more straightforward solution, however, can pick up a two-foot cable without the curls for $17, or a three-foot flavor for two additional greenbacks. There's also mention of a 9.8-foot-long version, but it doesn't appear to be available on Griffin's site just yet. To snag the wires, give the neighboring source link a jab.
Scalpers greet iPad mini launch in Beijing
In the past when new Apple products have been released in mainland China, near-riots have taken place at Apple Stores when crowds of legitimate customers and groups of scalpers have descended upon the stores to grab the limited stock of new product. Apple instituted a system called iReserve to quell the crowds and make sure that legitimate purchasers can get their new goodies -- but a Wall Street Journal China Real Time Report post shows that scalpers are still getting the bulk of newly released products. A Wall Street Journal reporter saw a herd of scalpers (see picture above) standing by collecting iPad minis -- which went on sale today in the mainland -- from Chinese customers in exchange for cold, hard cash. The reporter was trying to film the scene, and was then surrounded by angry scalpers who were upset with the "invasion of their privacy." The reporter responded that they were doing business in a public place, after which point they began to "kick, swat and push him as Apple and mall security stood by." Despite the action at the Sanlitun Village mall in Beijing, many iPad fans were able to get their hands on the new device. Apple currently has a 71.4 percent market share in China, with Samsung -- makers of the rival Galaxy Note -- at a distant 3.5 percent share.
Make text more legible on iPad mini
While the iPad mini is smaller, lighter and cuter than the regular 9.7-inch version, some people find text on the smaller screen to be hard to read. Some apps -- Kindle, Instapaper, iBooks and more -- have their own controls for making text larger, but what do you do for those built-in iOS apps? Macworld's Lex Friedman supplied an easy solution to the mini's small text problem today that we're passing along to you. Pick up that iPad mini, fire up the Settings app, then tap on General > Accessibility. You'll find a button that says "Large Text" on it. Tap it, and select a font size from one of the many that are displayed. Once this is accomplished, text in apps like Messages, Notes, Mail and Contacts are all much easier to read in the larger font size. Friedman warns that this doesn't work in all iOS apps, of course. For example, Apple's Calendar app still displays text in the usual tiny font, and many third-party apps ignore the accessibility settings anyway. There's one more thing you can do to read those tiny letters on your iPad mini screen -- use the handy reverse-pinch gesture to magnify the text. While that's only a temporary solution, it may make it possible to read that message from your girlfriend and figure out if it says "I'm leaving you" or "I'm loving you"...
iPad mini ship times improve to 1 week in US
Good news for those of you hoping to get (or give) an iPad mini this holiday season: shipping times for the smallest iPad have improved to just one week. That includes all models of the iPad mini -- 16, 32, and 64 GB in black or white and of the WiFi or cellular variety. Right now the one-week ship time is only showing in the US Apple online store. There's a chance that international stores may see similar ship times soon, however when shipping times improve globally the reduced times usually show up in Asia Pacific regions first. The fact that the reduced times are currently only showing up in the US online store could signify that Apple is allocating a significant portion of their stock to give priority to US market holiday sales. As of the time of this writing Apple is promising US customers that orders placed before midnight on December 12 will arrive in time to put under the tree on Christmas.
iPad, iPad mini win battery life shootout among tablets
UK consumer watchdog site Which? has tested the world's leading tablets to see how their battery life compares and both the iPad with Retina display and the iPad mini came out on top by a large margin. To be fair to all tablets, Which? took into account the screen size and brightness of each one. First, testers divided the tablets into two categories: those with screen sizes of 9.4-inches and larger and those with screen sizes of 7.9-inches and smaller. Then the company used a light meter to set the screen brightness of each tablet to 200 nits. For its tests, Which? measured the battery life of the tablets while using WiFi and 3G connections (if applicable) for web browsing and while watching videos. Out of the seven tablets tested in the 10-inch category for WiFi browsing, the iPad with Retina display handily beat out the rest of the competition. It tallied up a total of 811 minutes of WiFi browsing (that's 13.5 hours). The iPad 2 came in a distant second place at 590 minutes (9.8 hours). By comparison, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 came in at 532 minutes (8.8 hours) and the Microsoft Surface RT came in at 501 minutes (8.3 hours). The Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime came in at the bottom with a mere 335 minutes (5.5 hours). Of the five tablets tested in the 7-inch category the iPad mini was the big winner -- and by a wide margin. It came in at 783 minutes (13 hours) while the runner up, the Amazon Kindle Fire HD, came in at 591 minutes (9.8 hours). The Nexus 7 scored third at 550 minutes (9.1 hours) while the Amazon Kindle Fire came in at 437 minutes (7.2 hours) and the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 came in last at 425 minutes (seven hours).
Apple confirms iPhone 5 coming to China on December 14th, iPads due December 7th
Tim Cook may love secrecy, but those pesky government notices always seem to rain on his classified parades. Apple has confirmed that the fourth-generation iPad and iPad mini will arrive in China on December 7th, while the iPhone 5 turns up a week later on December 14th. Customers eager to reserve the devices can do so the day before launch, and while the company hasn't detailed which networks the hardware is coming to, we're reasonably sure that China Unicom and China Telecom will be making some announcements of their own very soon.
This iPad mini ad in Time is pretty fantastic
With its Newsstand initiative, it would seem that Apple is seeking to speed the decline of traditional print publications. In the case of its latest print ad, however, the company partnered with one of the industry's biggest names with results that can only be called perfect. We're talking about the iPad mini ad Apple ran on the back cover of Time Magazine's latest issue, which you can see above (larger version here). A similar cover-clone ad appears on this week's New Yorker. Posted on Reddit by redditor Royale-w-Cheese, the ad features an actual-size iPad mini on a white background. On its screen is the cover of the same Time issue, just as it would appear on the real device. The only text is the official iPad mini logo. It's a great example of minimalist design sometimes being best, and gets across the point that iPad mini is capable of delivering magazine content -- even showing what it will look like. It's worth noting that historically, such tight alignment between advertising and editorial probably would have fallen afoul of Time Inc.'s legendary church and state separation, but in this case it appears that Apple (a major Time advertiser) managed to overcome any objections. In a way, it's a win-win for Apple and Time, as the cover is technically promoting Time's own presence on the iPad Newsstand. What do you think of the ad? Share your thoughts in the comments!
Samsung adds new iPad, iPad mini and iPod to lawsuit, will peek at Apple / HTC settlement
Ready for some more legal mumbo-jumbo? We're happy to oblige: Samsung is asking Judge Paul Grewal to amend its patent infringement allegations to include Apple's latest 4th and 5th generation iPad and iPod Touch, as well as the 7.9-inch iPad mini. Sammy says it's arguing on the side of efficiency, noting that the new hardware is up against the very same claims as the iPhone 5 it added to the case last week, asserting that their inclusion wouldn't be a burden to the court. Grewal, who was expecting this motion, is also being asked to decide if older iPod hardware is covered by Samsung's original infringement contention, which vaguely described "all Apple products including a built-in speaker and an external audio output port," as violators. The Judge also recently approved Samsung's request to sneak a peek at HTC and Apple's recent settlement agreement. The proceedings seem to keep Grewal and his gavel busy, but at least your legalese loving uncle will have something to drone on about over Thanksgiving dinner.
The Daily Roundup for 11.21.2012
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
JFK worker who helped steal 3600 iPad minis nabbed by FBI
Justice has prevailed! The FBI has arrested a worker at New York's JFK airport who acted as a lookout for a pair of accomplices who stole 3,600 iPad minis last week. Renel Rene Richardson (not to be confused with René Ritchie of iMore.com) was arrested after co-workers told Port Authority detectives that he had made inquiries about when the iPad minis were supposed to arrive, as well as where he might get a forklift. The New York Post stated that after being arrested, Richardson accompanied Port Authority detectives on a search for the getaway truck on Long Island. It's not known whether the stolen iPads have been recovered, or if they're in the process of being fenced. Apple 2.0's Philip Elmer-DeWitt noted that Apple probably has the serial numbers of the heisted minis on file, but won't be able to trace their location until they are activated. Elmer-DeWitt also pointed out that dozens of new iPad minis were being listed Sunday morning on Craigslist (see listing at the top of this post). While this might not be associated with the JFK iPad heist, the advertiser is certainly trying to move the merchandise...
Add an iPad mini with Verizon 4G to an existing Family Share Plan
Many of you may be receiving your iPad mini with WiFi + Cellular today or in the next few days, and there was some concern that people who already had a Verizon Family Share plan and were adding the mini to the plan would have to wait for postpaid SIM card to arrive from VZW prior to being able to use it. Well, David Chartier crossed his fingers and tried adding the mini to his plan from the Verizon website, and it worked just fine. While Chartier has all of the necessary screenshots and verbiage over on his website, here's the short version of how it works: Log onto My Verizon and select Activate or Switch Device. Add a new line. Type in your device ID, also known as the IMEI for the iPad mini. Chartier noted that he couldn't find it under Settings > General > About, and Megan Lavey-Heaton here at TUAW verified that it's no longer listed there (see screenshot below). You can get the IMEI from the box that your iPad mini came in ... you did keep the box, didn't you? Verify your current plan and that you want to add the line. At one point, you'll be asked if you want to upgrade your shared data plan to account for that extra data you'll be using. That decision is up to you. You'll be asked to verify your billing information and -- lucky you -- you'll get to pay another $35 activation fee. Verizon only shows that they'll charge you the standard $10 fee at the time you add the iPad mini to your plan, but they will also list the full charge that will be added to your next bill. Restart your device. At that point, your iPad mini will be on your Family Share plan and you'll be able to use your little device on Verizon's LTE network all you want. Thanks, David Chartier, for pointing out how to do this.
iPad mini and fourth-generation iPad available in Sprint stores today (Update: AT&T and Verizon, too)
Update: Verizon Wireless and AT&T also announced that the iPad mini and the fourth-generation iPad will be available starting today. Sprint announced today that the cellular versions of the iPad mini and the fourth-generation iPad will go on sale in select retail stores. The carrier will sell the devices off-contract with data plans that are compatible with its 4G LTE network. Sprint lists the LTE mini with a starting price of US$459 for the 16 GB version. Prices climb $100 for the 32 GB version ($559) and $200 for the 64 GB model ($659). The fourth-gen iPad is priced similarly with the 16 GB model selling for $629, the 32 GB for $729 and the 64 GB for $829. 4G LTE plans compatible with the two iPads start at $15 for 300 MB and go up to $80 for 12 GB. If you're a Sprint customer with a smartphone plan, you can add a 1 GB iPad data plan for a very reasonable $15 per month. Sprint says the iPads will be available in limited quantities, so you may want to visit your local Sprint store today to pick one up. If they sell out before you get to the store, Sprint will let you reserve one from future inventory by purchasing a $50 gift card. Show full PR text 16 November 2012 Sprint to Offer iPad mini OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (BUSINESS WIRE), November 16, 2012 - Sprint today announced it is now offering iPad mini and fourth generation iPad. Sprint is offering these new iPads with a range of attractive data plans that allow customers to connect to its 4G LTE network. The data plans are available without a contract providing customers with the freedom to activate or cancel a plan at any time. iPad mini, a completely new iPad design that is 23 percent thinner and 53 percent lighter than the third generation iPad, features a stunning 7.9-inch Multi-Touch display, FaceTime HD and 5 megapixel iSight cameras, ultrafast wireless performance* and an incredible 10-hours of battery life.** The fourth generation iPad features a gorgeous 9.7-inch Retina display, new Apple-designed A6X chip, FaceTime HD camera and ultrafast wireless performance. Both iPad mini and fourth generation iPad come with iOS 6, the world's most advanced mobile operating system with over 200 new features. "iPad mini and the fourth generation iPad, combined with Sprint's 4G LTE network and our aggressively priced rate plans, offer customers an outstanding tablet experience," said Fared Adib, senior vice president, Product Development, Sprint. "Sprint doesn't put its customers on shared pricing plans like some carriers. With Sprint you get the best pricing for all the data you need without the worry of overages." Limited quantities of the new iPads are now available at select Sprint retail locations. For more information on plans please visit www.sprint.com/iPad or www.sprint.com/iPadmini For more information on iPad please visit www.apple.com/ipad. * LTE is available in select markets. See sprint.com/4glt3 for details. ** Battery life depends on device settings, usage and other factors. Actual results vary.
iPad Mini, 4th generation iPad hit Sprint retail stores in limited quantities, (update: Verizon and AT&T, too!)
Eager to size up Cupertino's latest tablets on the Now Network? Better call your local retailer -- Sprint is now offering the iPad mini and Apple's 4th generation revision at select brick and mortar locations. Existing smartphone customers who make the trek down to their local mini-mall will be able to add the slates to their account at a discounted rate, scoring a 1GB data plan for $15 per month or 100MB for $10. Sprint will also be enacting a waitlist system for customers who miss out due to the company's admittedly limited stock, asking customers to purchase a $50 gift card in exchange for a guaranteed device when the next wave of tablets hit stores. Check out the official press release after the break for Sprint's full announcement. Update: Looks like Verizon and AT&T have the mini on shelves starting today as well.
LTE iPad mini pre-orders begin arriving
If you've been waiting on the delivery of a shiny new iPad mini with LTE capability, you should probably get ready to sign for it. That's because, as MacRumors and some of our readers report, pre-ordered LTE iPad mini units are starting to arrive at the homes and businesses of Apple aficionados. Unless, that is, a thief happened to snag yours somewhere along the way. LTE fourth-generation iPads are also said to be showing up as well. There's still no firm date for when you should be able to stroll into your nearest Apple Store and buy an LTE iPad Mini or fourth-generation iPad, however. AT&T stores are expected to begin selling on Friday.
Daily Update for November 15, 2012
It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get all the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world. You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the inline player (requires Flash) or the non-Flash link below. To subscribe to the podcast for daily listening through iTunes, click here. No Flash? Click here to listen. Subscribe via RSS
Thieves steal 3,600 iPad minis from JFK airport
Those new iPad minis are popular -- everybody wants them. In fact, two thieves wanted them so badly that they stole 3,600 of the little tablets in a well-organized heist at New York's JFK airport. The pair showed up at a cargo building at the airport around midnight on Monday, November 12 and used a forklift from the facility to load two pallets loaded with US$1.5 million worth of iPad minis into a white tractor trailer truck marked with CEVA on the side. According to an exclusive report in the NY Post, the crooks would have probably made off with three more pallets, but were "challenged by an airport worker returning from dinner." Investigators believe that the theft of the minis was an inside job, and have been questioning airport workers. Three of the workers have been given polygraph tests. Someone apparently let the thieves into the secured area, then let them out after the iPad minis were loaded onto the truck. The cargo facility is the same one where almost $5 million in cash and $900,000 worth of jewelry were stolen in 1978 in a heist that was the inspiration for portions of the gangster flick Goodfellas.
Belkin bulks up iPad mini with $80 Portable Keyboard Case
If you decided to go small by getting an iPad mini but find yourself needing to do some serious work (like blogging, for instance), Belkin may have just the accessory: the Portable Keyboard Case. The removable chiclet-style keyboard marries up wirelessly with the 7.7-inch tab via Bluetooth and has "well spaced keys for its size," including custom iPad shortcuts, according to the peripheral maker. The battery lasts a whopping 155 hours between charges, and when the Starbucks staff finally kick you out, you can fold all your kit up into the built-in folio, complete with a camera-lens cutout. If that sounds like your cup of chai latté tea, hit the PR after the break.
JBL intros first Lightning-equipped speaker docks, we go ears-on
That larger JBL speaker dock looks familiar, doesn't it? Near the end of September, Harman gave us a peak at its latest consumer audio products. Curiously, however, a slew of new iOS-focused speaker docks were shown off, each lacking a Lightning connector. Today that's changed, as JBL has announced a duo of systems that are equipped with Lightning docks. To start, the larger unit is dubbed as the OnBeat Venue LT ($200). This speaker is essentially a Lightning-enhanced version of the 30-pin loaded Venue we recently spent time with, featuring the same 30 watts of power and Bluetooth connectivity with Apt-X support. Like it's sibling, the dock can be set flush with the front, and better yet, you'll even be able to dock your iPad mini into it. Sizing things down a bit is the OnBeat Micro, a $100 bedside system that'll play nice with the iPhone 5 and the new iPod nano. While it doesn't benefit from Harman's Bluetooth know-how (a pricing consideration, as we're told), it can be loaded with four AAA batteries for quick bouts away from wall power. Based on a quick listening session, we can report that the Venue LT sounded very full and clear. Even with the optional bass- or vocal-boosts enabled, it didn't seem like the speakers were having trouble pushing out high levels of volume. The Micro on the other hand sounded decidedly tinny, which we're frankly not surprised about given the size. Both systems are compatible with JBL's MusicFlow app as well, giving you some extended options for tweaking EQ. The rigs felt fairly sturdy, but we were immediately able to notice some niggles with the Lighting connector. Our iPhone 5 and Harman's iPad mini and iPod nano clicked into place easily with the connector, but the hinge it's built on is very loose without any tension. A slight knock could potentially send an iOS device leaning forward, which would have us concerned in a party situation (the problem is more apparent on the Venue). Secondly, the docks won't play nice with common cases like Speck's CandyShell, so you'll need to have your devices naked before docking. JBL noted the quirks, stating that they have little control over the behavior of connector itself, as it's supplied by Apple. %Gallery-170981% JBL expects that the OnBeat Venue LT and Micro will be the only Lightning-packing speaker docks for at least the holidays, so check out the press release after the break for more details if you're interested. As for us? We'd say the Venue LT is definitely worth a look, but we'd just as easily pass on the Micro given the myriad options out there for smaller Bluetooth-equipped speakers.