Well, I’ve managed to save up and buy an iPad 2. It’s a white one (they had run out of black ones at Covent Garden, but this looks pretty cool) and I’ve stuck with 16Gb and WiFi only. I used it for a couple of days without any case, but I couldn’t keep that up. I like my kit to look good for much of its time with me so I felt that I had to get myself a case. I like Apple’s Smart Case, but it doesn’t cover the back, so I look on Amazon and found the Snugg case for the iPad 2; it will hold the iPad in 2 positions (as well as flat), has a band at the back with which to hold the whole thing safely if you want, and it uses magnets to activate the sleep mechanism.

I’m very pleased with the whole assembly; now to get to grips with Bento and OmniFocus . . .

Chris

The new iPad is out, although not in the shops in the UK yet, and it is a stunner. Apparently Apple sold 1 million of the lovely gizmos within 3 days of their being available in the shops in the USA.

Now, wouldn’t it be great if we had one to show at the next meeting – on 11 April at 1830 at CB2?

Chris

Well that is surprising! I took my iPhone to France with me a few weeks ago and switched off Data Roaming to avoid running up roaming charges. That was no trouble as there was a WiFi broadband in the place we were staying (in Brittany, and very fast too). But the by-product of that limitation was that the iPhone’s battery lasted much longer. In fact switching the device off at night, I charged only twice in 2 weeks, and the second time was only to ensure that there was a full charge for the journey home.

Since being at home I have switched data to Manual; that it, I have set it so that it the device to sync with MobileMe and other servers only when I select that App. So iCal synchronises only when I run it, likewise with Mail. Finally, I set it to Airplane mode overnight, using it only for its alarm clock. Again, the result has been to lengthen the battery life.

As an example, I charged the device overnight on Monday, used it quite a bit on Tuesday, while I worked around London and then used it normally at home and at work on Wednesday and Thursday. By Thursday night the charge was down to 62% . . .

So, to summarise: leave off 3G and Location Services; set Data to Manual; and don’t use the network at night.

Chris

Well I bought my iPhone 4. I’ve had it for around 3 weeks and it is great. I knew about the aerial/signal limitation before I got it; I knew that I might have to adjust my grip or get a cover of some sort; and I knew that it would be great nonetheless.

I’ll bring it along to the meeting tomorrow, in case anyone wants to have a (non-destructive) fiddle with it.

Chris

Well, it should be here soon – iPad in the UK, I mean. No doubt there will be a rush for the lovely device, but I am inclined to save my dosh for the new iPhone, later in the year. Whether or not the loss of the protoype in the bar not far from Apple’s place in Cupertino, it is an intriguing mix of performance and functionality. It will be quite a bit faster than my old 3G, and enough of an advance on the 3G(S) to make it worth a good, heavy yearn

Chris

I must admit, it’s an attractive proposition. You have a presentation to make to small group of people; you have your iPad, loaded with said presentation (preferably in Keynote, naturally); and you face it towards your audience and play the slide show.



But I have a MacBook Pro. I have the presentation on that, where I have been making last-minute amendments on the way to the audience. It needs no stand, it has an array of output ports to connect to the AV system at the venue and I already have a remote control with which to make the presentation without having to touch the device itself.

Hmmm ...

However, I do like the iCal display, and that of the Address Book.

Chris
p.s. the image came from the Apple (US) site. cb

I should like to like the iPad. I can see that it might form the basis of a new way of working, or playing, or working and playing. But the price is very important; the Mac Mini is a pretty pricey piece of kit, but the only iPads currently available in the UK are priced at over that. I do hope that the Apple site starts stocking the cheaper iPads at lower prices than that.

The iPad is an aspirational piece of kit; a purchaser is supposed to value the device more because it was pricey. By that token however it had better be useful as well: otherwise there might well be a section on that Internet Auction Site devoted to iPads; and that would be a shame ...

Chris

Well, NetLogic in Stevenage sorted out my MacBook with its poorly hard drive and that meant that I had to reinstall Leopard from scratch. But that works beautifully and it has made me sort out all the useless extraneous rubbish that I had on the hard drive. I could really do with replacing it with a larger one ...

Chris

It has been reported to me (by my son) that the wired keyboard is excellent as well. He has just bought a 20" iMac 2.4GHz and is delighted with the whole setup.

Chris

I bought myself a wireless keyboard on Thursday. I decided to go to the Apple shop on Regent Street, purely because I was in London with an hour to spare, and it was in stock. It's a darling little gadget and it works immediately, although you do have to download the Keyboard Preferences update (which happens automatically with Software Update, don't know how). It just works eh ...

It is the same size and feel as my MacBook keyboard, but without the numeric keypad alternative layout. The power indicator is a tiny green LED on the right, just inboard of the power button, and there is a Caps Lock LED in the normal place. Apart from those lights it looks inert, but it comes alive with a touch on any key. It fits nicely in my Crumpler 'pooter bag, although I shall keep it in my Apple carrier bag (very nice) to save its being scratched too soon.

I now use this keyboard on the train or otherwise out and about. I shall continue to use the wired keyboards at home with my Griffin iCurve levitation device.

Chris