NZiPhone.com News

Bluetooth keyboard from NZBargain

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 22:17:29 GMT

Once again, we have another iAccessory from NZBargain. This time round, it's a bluetooth keyboard/case/screen protector. You've quite possibly seen something like this before, but let's see how it fares in comparison to some of the other options on the market at the moment.

I probably gave the wrong idea - this isn't going to be a direct comparison article to any other particular bluetooth keyboard. It's more of a value for money thing - can you afford to fork out the $129 that Logitech charge for their bluetooth keyboard, or would you prefer to spend the $65 you can get this one for? And that's really the question, isn't it - why are Logitech charging so much more?

I'm not entirely sure myself, to be honest. Having used both, there really isn't a whole lot of difference. But I'm getting off track here; Lets talk about this particular keyboard. We'll start with build quality, which isn't exactly going to fill the page with words, but it's important nonetheless. After unboxing said keyboard, you're greeted with a hard plastic... Well, a hard plastic keyboard. It's very well put together, quite light-weight, and clips over the screen fo your iPad when you're not using it, acting as a case-come-screen protector of sorts. And all that's well and good, until you try and take it off your iPads screen for the first time. It grips the thing like there's no tomorrow, and you'll most likely spend a fair amount of time trying the brute force technique to remove it. Trust me, it won't work. Once you do develop the required technique to remove the case, it's easy, and you'll be thankful for how well it clings to your iPad, but there is that initial moment of panic. Not necessarily sure this is a flaw so much as an ID-10T moment on my part, but thought it worth mentioning.

Moving on to practicality, which is where this thing really shines. Because it's so small, light, and... grippy, you can have it with you without really adding much extra wait to whatever it is you carry your iPad in. And for those of you who, like me, prefer an actual keyboard to a capacitive screen, that's more than enough reason to get one. The keyboard does have a few quirks, mind you. A couple of keys are too small, or laid out a little awkwardly, although after a few minutes you'll pick up what's what and be tapping away as fast as you would on your home computer. Another nifty little feature it has is the built in batteries that lock your iPad 2 when you clip the keyboard on to it, much like a smart cover. Add to that the built-in, counter-balancing stand, and we've got all the necessary pieces to make a fantastic little bluetooth keyboard.

Battery wise, this thing shines. It's got a 50 day standby lifespan, and only takes 4 hours to charge. Think, people; 50 days. That's almost two months. If only the iPad 2 lasted that long. It comes with a USB cable to charge either via computer or through a wall adaptor (which isn't included), and a little light lets you know once it's done, Again, all rather basic, but it does the job. And in reality, how fancy can a charging light be?

So, in closing, I'll say this. It's not the prettiest keyboard around. And it's not without it's (grippy) flaws. But it's far cheaper than any other bluetooth keyboard that I've personally seen, is easily on par when it comes to performance, and is light-weight enough to have with you always. Which may be the case, if you can't develop the technique to remove it. All jokes aside though, this really is a fantastic case, and you wouldn't be making the wrong decision if you decided to grab one. And if you're interested, you can pick them up over at NZBargain.

Tweens: New Addictive Game Released for the iOS Platform

Wed, 07 Dec 2011 07:11:00 GMT

Kokakiki has released Tweens, a new game for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch featuring 75 levels in the best classic manner of action puzzle entertainment with beautiful graphics.

Tweens is an addictive and funny, relaxing, mind sharpening puzzle which will improve your concentration, reflexes and hawk-eyes.

The goal of Tweens is simple - connect pairs of color matching pigs by making a clear path between them. Complete levels by clearing all the pigs from the screen before time runs out. The objective may sound simple and Tweens is easy to learn but difficult to master.

Behind eye-candy graphics, addictive music and authentic sounds, players will discover various bonuses, combos and rampages.

Tweens have been known to cause prolonged periods of laughter, fun and joy, but that´s not all! - Complete 75 levels and unlock Endless mode as a reward.

Game Center is fully supported with over 50 unique achievements and global leaderboards.

The game runs on all generations of iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch, requires iOS 3.2 or later. The Tweens HD game version is packed with high-definition graphics optimized for high resolution Retina displays, thus unlocking the full potential of the iPhone 4 and iPad screen resolution.

Pricing and Availability

Tweens can be downloaded from the App Store for $0.99 and Tweens HD version for $1.99.

Links:

Youtube game-play trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZ7s0XnpR9k

Youtube promo trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qv37KBPtF3E

Game website: http://www.tweensgame.com

Company website: http://www.kokakiki.com

App Store:

Tweens HD iTunes links: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/tweens-hd/id481601768?mt=8

Tweens iTunes links: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/tweens/id480637102?mt=8

About Kokakiki

Kokakiki is company of video games enthusiasts who share a common vision of the games they wanted to make and play. Our goal is to become recognized as a source of high-quality casual games for the entire family.

iBottleopener - iPhone bottle opener case

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 10:01:00 GMT

Finally an iPhone accessory that's as Kiwi as Fish ‘n’ Chips and Tomato sauce. Just in time for Christmas the “iBottleopener” is the original iPhone case with a built in reinforced bottle opener and is great for cracking open your brew at BBQ's, Parties, at the Bach or on the Beach. It has been described as.. “ A cool little innovation that will sell like hot cakes and may be the coolest invention since bottled beer. “ The case is a two part slider design, it features a soft touch rubberised finish with a built in reinforced stainless steel bottle opener, comes in 2 colours Black or Pink, and fits both the iPhone 4 & iPhone 4S models. FEATURES • Hard Shell Slider Case • Polycarbonate Soft-Touch Finish • Reinforced Durable Bottle Opener • Moisture Proof Backing • Fits iphone 4 / 4s

iPhone 4 Battery case

Thu, 24 Nov 2011 06:23:11 GMT

It's common knowledge that smartphones don't have the longest battery life, and the amount of times people (myself included) run out of power at the crucial moment is frustrating, to say the least. Many companies offer many different solutions to this problem, and today we've got another offering. What's different about this one though? What makes it stick out?

Well, for a start, we've got the leather finish. No cheap, peeling, sticky stuff here. The finish on this case makes for a case that grips in the hand and slips into the pocket without getting stuck on the way. The battery is implemented in such a way that it is spread across the entire surface area of the iPhones back, meaning that the added bulk is minimum, although still there.

That flippy bit at the front is the perfect screen protection device. Just watch the tab at the top...

There's a flip-over cover that protects the screen of your phone, and a small tab that holds said slippy-piece in place. The tab on our particular model wore out after a few weeks, although this may well be a fault in only our case. Still, we can only review on what we've seen, and we can't really say that the tab is the strongest thing since Arnold.

In spite of that minor flaw, the case does provide adequate protection for the thrills and spills of your average day. We did a few drop tests, all on carpet, mind you, but the iPhone is still intact after a couple of splats. This may be due to the way the case completely covers your phone, sides included. How it protects isn't really what matters though - suffice it to say it protects.

But on to the main feature of the case - the battery. We performed the usual tests, and while the results weren't quite to the stats listed on the site, they were close. We drained the battery to 4% and then turned the case on, and found that we got 33 hours of music playback through headphones, and 7 hours of video playback. We weren't prepared to talk for 7 hours purely for the sake of testing it, but we're confident to say that you'll get close to that number, judging by the other times noted.

So that's that really. If you're after something with a bit of class, and need something more than just a case, then this is more than likely exactly what you're after. The battery performance is brill, the protection offered is adequate, although not exhorbidant, and the build quality overall is good. The minor qualms we have about the tab can be glossed over by focussing on the high points, but if you've also had experience with this case and have had a similar issue let us know - we'd love to hear that we're the only ones with the problem. If you're after one of these, the only place you're going to find one is over at NZBargain.co.nz. Many thanks to them for providing us with the case.

iPhone 4S is now available from Telecom

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 01:57:46 GMT

The iPhone 4S is now available from Telecom and shortly also from Vodafone.

Telecom's pricing plan is available here. You can get the 16GB model for free if you sign up to Telecom's two-year contract and data plan for $120/month. The 32GB model costs $49 for the same plan and the 64GB. Telecom started offering the iPhone 4S from selected stores on Friday already, and should now be available in more stores.

Has anyone heard something regarding Vodafone pricing?

Candysoft Releases New iTunes Library Sharing Product

Thu, 10 Nov 2011 10:45:02 GMT

Candysoft has announced the release of iTunesAir for Windows, which allows to remotely copy, synchronize, share, and stream your iTunes library over the Internet. Marketed as being 'more than Home Sharing', it expands the functionality of iTunes by making new practical sharing options possible.

iTunesAir comes with several practical and user-friendly features for iTunes, including iTunes to iTunes sharing, which allows to easily copy music, videos, applications, playlists and podcasts from one iTunes library to another, along with all their related metadata. Just click, drag, and you're done.

Furthermore, iTunesAir lets you stream and copy E-books and TV shows over the internet from one iTunes library to another, so that user can enjoy reading a book, magazine, or watch a TV show on a computer screen instead of smaller iPod and iPad screens.

"iTunesAir lets you do so much more with little effort, from any computer with internet access," said Jack CEO of Candysoft. "It greatly increases the functionality and usefulness of iTunes, making an already amazing product even better."

With its ability to utilize the content of iTunesU, iTunes Air makes it far easier to access important academic content in your library from any computer with Internet access. You won't have to compromise your education or productivity because of having to lengthily re-download your files.

Moreover, given iTunes Air's inherent streaming abilities, users can seamlessly backup their iTunes libraries remotely, potentially saving them from the risk of loosing valuable data.

Candysoft provides all users with a lifetime of free automatic updates, assuring customers that they will always get the best out of iTunes Air.

Pricing &Availability:
iTunes Air is available to all Windows users for the affordable price of $19.95, and can be purchased online on Candysoft's website.

Links:
Product page: http://www.candysoft.com/itunesair
Download page: http://www.candysoft.com/itunesair/download/0/itunesair.exe
Company page: http://www.candysoft.com

Company:
Founded in 2002, CandySoft is IT Company that aims to produce user-friendly and accessible products that make life easier for customers. Its main focus has been on iTunes related programs, having made products such as iTunesAir for copying, synching and sharing ones iTunes library over the Internet, and TunesDoctor, which fixes music libraries.

BRAINBITER released!

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 22:26:00 GMT

TRellerby is a New Zealand Developer who has released one game to the appstore with positive reviews and is currently working on there second game. Gameplay footage : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DbvBygHc68 Brain Biter Description: You're an angry zombie who has just risen from the dead, the only thing on your mind is biting brains. Travel to five different zones to collect your delicious treats before moving on.

Fast, Fresh & Tasty (delicious dinner recipes using NZ products and what's in season right now)

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 04:13:00 GMT

Fast Fresh & Tasty is made to help you answer the question of what's for dinner tonight? It contains over 100 recipes that use local ingredients and what is in season right now. Better still, it delivers free seasonal updates to give you fresh ideas every season. The app also has a neat shopping list feature (lets you send the list to someone else)and received rave reviews from our testers "mandatory for the app collection".

Long wait for pre-ordered iPhone 4S

Fri, 04 Nov 2011 10:04:53 GMT

Apple's NZ website says that fans that pre-order the iPhone 4S will receive it between November 15th and 28th. Hence, it's going to be a long wait for many of us that pre-ordered it.

Another update is the handling of the battery problems on devices running iOS 5. Apple will release a fix the coming weeks, which should be around the time the first new iPhones are delivered.

iPhone 4S available on November 5th in NZ

Wed, 02 Nov 2011 05:10:39 GMT

Apple today announced that iPhone 4S will be available in New Zealand on the 5th of November (Saturday). Preorders can be taken online on Friday already from the Apple online store or through authorised Apple resellers in New Zealand.

The recommended retailer prices are as follows:

$1,049 inc GST for the iPhone 4S 16GB model
$1,199 inc GST for the iPhone 4S 32GB model
$1,349 inc GST for the iPhone 4S 64GB model

Will you preorder one on Friday?

Contractor Expenses - Expense, Mileage tracker and contracting News

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 16:31:00 GMT

★ Simplify tracking and submitting your expense and mileage claims with an app designed specifically for IT Contractors/Freelancers. Advanced features, ease of use, and great design all combine in an app that simplifies expense and mileage tracking as well as providing the latest contracting news. “I've had my own company for a couple of years now, and wanted an app which would track mileage and expenses all in one go. I have some other apps which do it separately, but none like this. This app has it all, and even throws in news relevant to my line of work as well. I love the ability to add a photo of a receipt too. Well done Eclipse.” – Slickricardo ★★★★★ Features & Benefits: ✓ Photo invoice/receipts ✓ Extensive support for VAT / Sales Tax / GST ✓ Record receipt reference ✓ Repeat feature - set regular expense items to repeat, i.e. mobile/cell phone bill to repeat each month/quarter avoiding unnecessary data entry each time ✓ Expense categorization ★ Advanced expense tracking simplified. ✓ Multi date entry – pick multiple journey dates from calendar, i.e. for visits to the same client ✓ Mileage expense item auto calculated based on configurable mileage rates/limits and cumulative calculation of miles driven during the financial year. ✓ Recent journeys – don’t enter where you travelled from and to each time, select from a list of recent journeys ✓ Full Miles and Km support ★ Reduced data entry and simplified mileage expense claims. ✓ Email your expense and mileage reports in either XML or comma delimited (CSV) format for easy import to Excel or Numbers. Photo receipts are also emailed as Zipped JPEG attachments. ✓ Export direct to your accountant or in a format to suit your own filing needs. ✓ Full control over CSV order (including spacing) providing total flexibility to achieve the output format that works for you. ★ Flexible and powerful Data Export ✓ Stay up to date with the latest contracting news from leading sites such as ContractorUK, ContractorCalculator, ContractEye and more (* UK, other site news feeds for other countries) ★ Whether you run a Ltd company, work through an Umbrella, are a W2 or 1099 contractor, Contractor Expenses was designed with you in mind. ✓ Many user defined preferences providing total flexibility ★ Get Contractor Expenses today and see for yourself how it simplifies expense and mileage tracking. Designed by IT Contractors for IT Contractors. Contractor Expenses now fully supports users in UK, US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Get organized, get Contractor Expenses – the advanced expense and mileage tracker on your iPhone (or iPod Touch) today.

Is it a case? Is it a battery? Well, it's kind of both

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 05:51:48 GMT

To be completely blunt, I've been skeptical of "battery cases" in the past. I haven't exactly had a clean run with this particularly breed of case, and I was extremely worried that the one I'm writing about here was going to have the same issues. If I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times - I was wrong.

Design and build quality

The first thing I was wrong about was the quality of the actual case. When I learned that the case actually housed a battery powerful enough to give your iPhone a full recharge, I was expecting one of two things - a ridiculously thick case, or a hugely extended iPhone. The case designers went for both, but in very subtle ways - the phone is slightly extended, and slightly thicker, but nothing serious. The added length is due to the "dock" attachment at the bottom, and the thickness is because of the battery that is spread across the back of the case.

Protection is minimal, but it will stop the basic bumps and bruises faced by your iPhone, but not anything serious. The design of the case leaves your screen completely exposed to the outside world and all its hazards, while the back of the case is thick enough to protect the phone from smashing.

As far as quality goes, it's a very sturdy case all round. It's a two piece, with the main back, sides, and bottom comprising the first piece, and a tiny, slightly flimsy piece making up the top. To get the phone into the case, you simply slide it down in to the case, and pop the top piece over the headphone hole/sleep button. The result of this is a tight fit, while at the same time making the phone easy to remove. If only the top piece was slightly sturdier.

There's one other thing that needs mentioning... There's this stand... thing, on the back of the case. But it's really useless. That's the only way to put it. It's fragile, it's difficult to get out, and it doesn't actually hold the iPhone up. Why it's there I'm really not sure, as the high standard of the rest of the case is somewhat let down by this sad excuse for a stand.

If it weren't for that stand thing, and the flimsy top, we may just have a perfect case

Battery life

Moving on, let's talk about the real selling point for this case - the built-in battery. The battery is supposed to effectively double the life of your iPhone, and it does just that. I'll be honest - I didn't listen to music for 400 hours straight, or spend 80 hours on the phone. What I did do, however, was completely drain the battery, all the way down to 2%, and then hit the cases on button. Sure enough, when I came back just over an hour later, the iPhone was almost full charged, and the case still had a bit of juice. It's good to see a case actualy deliver on what it advertises.

The battery is charged using a provided USB cable, and can be plugged in while in use - charging both the iPhone and the case at the same time. The case acts as a portable charger for the iPhone, rather than a drip feeder. This means that when your battery starts getting low, you can hit the power button on the case and you'll hear the oh-so-familiar sound of your iPhone being regenerated.

Conclusion

So what do we have? Well, in my opinion, we've got a case that is absolutely perfect for the traveller, heavy movie watcher, or 3G web-browser. If you consider yourself a conservative iPhoner, but still find yourself a bit short on the battery side by the end of the day, then a case like this might be just what you need. And if you just need a bit of extra protection, or want something to get rid of the dreaded death grip, then you may as well get this - chances are you'll need extra battery somewhere down the track. If you're looking for one of these, you can pick them up from here, exclusively.

I'd like to thank NZBargain for providing us with the case to review. They've been fantastic to work with, and we look forward to working with them again in the future.

Jelly Rescue Challenge

Mon, 10 Oct 2011 20:13:00 GMT

A challenging game of skill and timing. Use a seesaw to bounce your Jellies higher and higher until they are able to rescue their babies. You'll have to deal with Ice-Cream monsters, turrets, force fields, portals, slanderous balloons and lots more. 50 levels of challenging fun.

The underwhelming reality that is the iPhone 4S

Wed, 05 Oct 2011 03:57:35 GMT

So it's finally been announced, and has sufficiently disflated many peoples expectations. Enhanced design? No. Bigger screen? No. Hover engine? Definitely not. As a matter of fact, there's really nothing that spectacular about it. Has Apple finally lost their touch?

Well, it definitely looks as though they've given up on the revolutionary and settled for something much more regular. Boring, even. Here we were expecting something fantastic, and they tell us about a phone with a faster processor, and... Well, that's just about it, really.

Almost it, I should say. Yes, the upgraded processor is two times as quick for actual processing and seven times as good for graphics, and it is dual-core. And if you coupled the processor with other worthwhile upgrades to the iPhone, then it might actually be something to get excited about. But there's just nothing that fantastic, nothing mind-numbingly awesome. It's just not the face-eater we were expecting.

But I should stop sharing my depression, and actually give some of the facts related in the announcement. First, and probably most unbelievable, is that the new iPhone is completely identical to the iPhone 4. In shape, that is. Same metal band, same glass back. What remains unseen is whether it'll suffer from the same reception issues that the current model has to deal with. In my current state of mind, however, that wouldn't suprise me.

The second thing I should probably mention is about the processor - one of the three worthwhile features in the new phone. It's running Apples' dual-core, A5 chip, which means faster performance, and better graphics. Games will look better, and apps will load quicker, but that's really all that this advancement means.

The third, and, in my opinion, the most important feature, is the introduction of Siri - The PA of the new iPhone. Siri and its voice control features enable you to leave notes and control your phone using your voice - and from the sound of it, it'll actually work. Apple states that you can set an alarm, complete with description and date, using the same words you would if you were talking to someone. No more robotic, slow, and downright useless voice control for the iPhone. At least something's getting a revamp.

Fourth in line we have a camera, which is exactly what we were expecting. 8 Megapixels, a faster response time, and full HD video. Yes, 1080p will finally be available to the iPhone, and it's definitely something to get excited about. 8 Megapixels is a fantastic advance on an already brilliant phone camera, making picture taking that much more portable.

And that's just about it. There's a few other minor things - it's got a better battery, although that doesn't mean you'll get any more use out of it. The new battery is just there to power the A5 chip, so you'll get the same 40 hours of music that you get with the current gen. The 4S supports faster 3G download speeds, thanks to a dual-antennae design, and it support both GSM and CDMA networks. Whether or not this will actually make a difference with New Zealands network remains to be seen, as does the million dollar question - Will Telecom get the 4S straight off the bat, or will we still be stranded on the relatively sunny shores of Vodafone?

That's really all we know at this stage. I only hope that Apple has something fantastic up their sleeve that they're just waiting to announce. Oh, and when do we actually get this new piece of kit? Well, Apple is keeping that info to themselves for the time being. We have neither a price nor a release date, but we'll be sure to post as soon as we find out.

NZ Domain Name Lookup

Wed, 31 Aug 2011 10:12:00 GMT

FlexiHost Domain Name Lookup is an app for quickly searching for .co.nz, .net.nz, and .org.nz + more domain names & checking for domain availability. It is currently the only application that allows you to lookup and register New Zealand domain names. If a domain name is available, you have the ability to register the domain through FlexiHost’s Secure servers. A quick and lightweight domain name lookup utility that lets you find domain names from the palm of your hand. Have an idea for a domain name but you’re away from your computer? This is the ideal solution for securing your latest domain name idea.

Stay charged, tuned, and in touch with the RoadTrip

Thu, 18 Aug 2011 00:30:19 GMT

Not every car comes kitted out with the latest in handsfree bluetooth technology built in, or funky iPod connectivity. Especially not a car like mine ('86 Corolla. Should be classic in a few years), so we've got to make up for it by adding bits, which can not only get expensive, but ridiculously crowded. For example, if you wanted to make handsfree calls, play music through your stereo, and charge your iPhone, then you'd need three bits of kit, and ugly cables to boot. Or, you could save some time, cash, and space by getting something that does it all. Enter the RoadTrip.

Aptly named, this gadget from Griffin (makers of this and this) is a complete solution for your car, not only charging your iPhone (or iPod), but at the same time transmitting music to your FM radio, and acting as a bluetooth handsfree kit. I was a bit apprehensive at first, not thinking it could successfully pull off all three functions, but I was pleasantly suprised - Griffin's done it again.

Let's start off with the basics - build quality. As is the case with most things Griffin, the design feels refined and well tested, and everything works as it should - no sticky buttons or awkward functions in sight. The layout is simple, with 4 buttons and one little screen. The buttons do various things, depending on the "page" you're on, and the main menu button changes said page. There's a music page, for instance, which displays the name of the song that's playing, as well as options to pause/play, skip forward, or skip back. The options are displayed above their corresponding button, so it's easy to see what you need to press. Another option gets you to choose a frequency (more on that below), while still another option allows you to start voice control to make a call (Again, see below). The buttons are big and easy to press, so you can control the whole system without your eyes ever leaving the road. Just above the screen is the dock where you plug in your iPhone, and there's a bit of a backing that your iPhone can lean on, as well as a surround that grips your phone, removing the possibilty of it un-docking itself during a particularly aggressive corner. The backing is adjustable, so even if you've got a chunky case it'll still fit, so long as you've got clear access to the dock connector.

The neck is adjustable, so even if your lighter is hidden behind the steering wheel, you can still access the RoadTrip

The FM transmitting function of this gadget is brilliant. It has a "SmartScan" function, which checks for clear frequencies and then offers you three options. On all occasions the frequencies have been free, although remember - if you're travelling out of town, a frequency that is free when you start the journey may not be free when you arrive at your destination. Once you've chosen the frequency on your RoadTrip, you've just got to choose the same frequency on your radio, and you're good to go. Basically, you're creating your own little radio station in your car, and the RoadTrip is powerful enough for the transmission to be picked up by cars next to you at the lights, so it's plenty grunty enough to provide reception for your car. The quality of the music sent out is completely dependant on the quality of your speakers, and the quality of your antennae. For instance, if your stereo isn't capable of receiving FM transmissions, then the RoadTrip will be pointless. In my car, the quality of the transmission varies slightly depending on how sharply I'm turning a corner, although I'm fairly sure it's the fault of the archaic aerial and not the RoadTrip unit itself.

The other function of this delightful bit of tech is the handsfree calling option. Imagine this; You're driving down the road jamming out to your favourite song when all of a sudden you get a call. You'll know you get a call, because the music automatically dims and an option shows up on the RoadTrip to answer it. One push of the button and you can have a crystal clear, echo free conversation without an issue. The callers voice comes through your speakers, and a built in mic picks up your voice loud and clear to send back. Once the calls over, just hit end call and your music starts itself up again. This is not done via cables, but instead through a bluetooth connection with your iPhone (or any smartphone, for that matter). The advantage of this is that you can have your iPod sitting on the RoadTrip charging up, while your iPhone is in your pocket. You get a call on your iPhone, and the iPod stops playing its music to let you take the call. All it takes is an initial, pain-free pairing, and you're set for life.

So that's that - a simple kit to deck your car out with the latest tech, all in one hit. Gone are the days of cables, sun-visor mounted hands-free kits, and other ugly bits of gadgetry. It weighs in at around $180 over here, but when you think of everything your getting, it's not that bad. People pay more for hands-free kits alone, and this is that and so much more.

Rugby World Cup Quiz

Mon, 08 Aug 2011 21:57:00 GMT

Think you know your Rugby? How about the Rugby World Cup? Then you'll love this Rugby World Cup Quiz app for iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad. Choose your country, take the quiz and see if you can score enough points to lift the World Cup! (Hint - it's easier to win the World Cup with some teams!) Each quiz consists of 10 multiple choice questions, selected at random from a pool of over 100 questions - be sure to play again to try them all. (Hint - some questions will include an image to guide you!) Check the Scoreboard when you're done to see how you rank against other players and be sure to share your score with your friends using the link in the top right corner of the scoreboard. And with Rugby World Cup 2011 taking place in New Zealand, there has never been a better time to amaze your mates with your Rugby World Cup Knowledge, and challenge them to beat your score! So what are you waiting for!!! Some enhanced features of this app require a data connection, these are: - Rugby World Cup News Feed - Rugby World Cup Video Feed - Quiz Score Sharing

MotorMusic: Estimate All the Merits of the Music Player by Testing the Free Version

Mon, 08 Aug 2011 11:11:24 GMT

Squbo released the free version of MotorMusic - the iPhone and iPod application that allows you to play music files on your iPhone without looking at the screen. This player is created especially for convenient listening to the music while driving. The number of files you can download is limited in free version; all the other functions are represented in full.

Now, everybody who cannot live a minute without music will surely appreciate the safety and comfort which MotorMusic provides. It is an excellent choice for users who enjoy listening to music while working intently, driving, or who are not able to deal with their iPhone. The operating is realized by one-touch any point of the screen. Using common gestures you may easily change tracks and volume, start or pause the playback. After answering a call, the music will start to play automatically. The program plays tracks from your media library, supports playlists, shuffles, and allows you to listen to files downloaded from iTunes. Rejoice in your music without being distracted from your affairs!

Price and terms of use:
MotorMusic can be downloaded from the App Store. Compatible with the iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. Requires iOS 3.2.1 or later.

Links:

iTunes: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/motormusic/id441217934?mt=8
Company website: http://squbo.ru/

About the company:
Squbo specializes in the development of games and applications for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. Products released so far include Animotion, AccessBox, ContentLock, MotorMusic, and Shoot´em all.

Round up - iPhone 4 cases

Thu, 04 Aug 2011 01:58:33 GMT

Three cases today; two from Speck, and one from a relatively unheard of brand, The Joy Factory. They're all relatively similar and price, although the features are a very different between the three, hence the reason we're biffing them altogether for one write-up. Which one is best? Well, you'll have to read on to find out.

ToughSkin by Speck

Lets jump in first with the ToughSkin. In short, it's Specks rendition of the defensive line of iPhone cases that seem to be all the rage at the moment. Everybody who's anybody and a whole lot of nobodies are coming out with them, and a lot are just cheap clones of superior concepts. Not so with the TS (ToughSkin). The TS uses quite a different approach to the application of the case, and it has both pros and cons. It's a two piece, as most are, with the inside comprising of a hard plastic shell, and the outside being super thick silicon. The principal is simple; If you wrap your iPhone in that much silicon, surely nothing can happen to it. And, as is the case most of the time, the simple ideas are the best. The resulting effect of this case is a nigh-on indestructible iPhone. Walls or falls, the case simply bounces your iPhone safely out of harms way. On top of that, it comes with a holster, since the case is a bit fat for todays jeans. The holster doubles as a very capable stand, and seems very sturdy.

It's like a tank. With gills.

Unfortunately, it's plagued by one problem; While the case is easy to put on, and the silicon is easy to take off, the plastic shell is an extremely tight fit. More than once I was worried I would snap the shell in my effort to remove it, although those worries did prove to be unfounded. That being said, the tight fit does mean you could use the shell as a standalone case, which would provide some protection, albeit minimal. Add to that the free (And fantastic quality) screen protector they ship with the case, and the relatively low price tag of 39.95 USD, and you've got yourself a winner.

CandyShell Card by Speck

Moving on to the CandyShell Card, also by Speck, we've got a case that is completely different to the TS. While the card does offer relatively good protection, its main focus is practicality; ie removing the need for a wallet. What makes this case different is the slot in the back of the case, which is roomy enough for an EFTPOS card, drivers license, and even a Subway card, all at once. Obviously you could choose whichever 3 cards picked your fancy, but that's my setup.

What you see here is an awesome case. What you don't see is the strength of it's grip.

Anyway, on top of the obviously cool and probably useful feature of the card slot, the case itself provides excellent protection, combining a soft-ish rubber inside with a hard plastic outer shell. There're covers for both volume buttons and the sleep buttons, and while the volume buttons work fine, the sleep button was slightly less responsive with the case on, though it was barely noticeable. The camera cutout is great, with no bounce from the flash, and the hole for the silent switch is big enough for most fingers.

Again though, it's not all perfect. I don't know why, but it seems that a lot of Speck iPhone cases suffer from the same problem - they're notoriously hard to get off. It's just as difficult to get off as the 'View, so I've got the same advice - choose this case, but don't plan on getting it off without a fight. It's a shame that it has such a downside, since the case is great in every other way, but the problem is there nonetheless. If you're willing to put up with the removal problems, you can pick up the case online for around $44

RainBallet by The Joy Factory

Last, and, although as cliche as this is, not least, comes the RainBallet by The Joy Factory. This offers a feature completely different to the other two; Waterproofing. Don't get too excited - you can't get a feature like waterproofing without sacrifices, and there's a lot of sacrifices you'll have to make if you want this case.

For a change of pace, I'll start with the cons; First would have to be complete lack of access to almost any button, with the only exception being Home. No volume, no sleep, no silent. Now, I'm no case designer, but I can't see why, instead of plastic sides, they couldn't had done some kind of waterproof silicon/plastic. That way we could still use the iPhone. But alas, no such luck. Adding to the lack of access is the missing hole for headphones, and the cover over the bottom port. This means, if the case is on, you'll not be able to listen to music through your headphones, and you won't be able to charge your iPhone.

Those 3 metal discs on the side unscrew with an included coin thing, to seal the case shut.

Unfortunately, the downsides don't stop there. While the home button is still usable, it's definitely not easy. There's almost solid plastic covering it, so it requires a lot of force to get any kind of response. It uses a system called "Intelli-filter", which is supposed to let sound out of the case while stopping water from getting in. It does one thing - stop water from getting in. And it does allow sound to get out, although the quality is awful. Phone calls sound abysmal, even more so if the iPhone is wet.

There are a few silver linings to this otherwise black cloud, one of which is the fantastic waterproofing. They state on the case that you should test the case before actually entrusting it with your $1000 phone, so I tested by weighing the case down and dropping it in a pool for 48 hours. On checking the case I found it was bone dry inside, which was more than I was expecting. After the initial test I stuck my iPhone in, and with much trepidation tried the waterblocking abilities first hand. My iPhone's still working, which is a definite plus.

The build in screen protector and lens cover are both good, although if you try and use flash while taking underwater pictures you'll find you get quite a lot of bounceback, which will blow out your photos. In clear water, with the flash turned off, the photos look good, but not as good as photos taken on land.

So why would you get this case? Well, if you were heading to the beach, lake, or pool, then this'd be perfect. You could leave it on the sand with no worries about clogging up the holes, and if it happened to get wet, that wouldn't be an issue either. While definitely not the most practical case, I applaud TJF for making an attempt. It's not perfect, but it's a start. The case cashes in at a slightly heftier $49.99 American, but it's still reasonable.

So which is the best? Well, it really depends what you want. If you're after defense, then you'll want the ToughSkin. If you after practicality, then the CandyShell Card would be perfect. And if you're an aquatic kind of person, you'll probably be heading for the RainBallet. So which would you go for?

I'd like to thank Speck and The Joy Factory for sending me these cases pro bono. Again, we couldn't have done the review if they hadn't.

The tank just got bigger - Survivor for iPad 2

Tue, 26 Jul 2011 23:05:00 GMT

It's been a while since our review of the Griffin Survivor. It was a case that laughed in the face of danger, a case that wasn't afraid of things like dirt... or walls. It took away any fears iPhone owners may have about scratching their screens, or cracking that oh-so-fragile glass back. Since it was such a success, Griffin took it one step further. They brought it to the iPad. It passes all the same tests as the iPhone edition, and those tests happen to be for both the US and UK military, so they're not a walk in the park.

I won't bore you with tech-specs though, since it's practicality we're all really interested in. In almost all ways, it's the same basic principal as its smaller counterpart. A two piece plastic case snaps over your device, and the built in screen protector adds an extra layer of anti-glare, fingerprint resistant defense. An over-the-top thick piece of silicon goes, err, over the top of the plastic, and sits in snugly with tongue-and-groove style tabs. The overall process does take a little while, with the main time consumer being fitting the silicon over the top of the plastic shell, since getting all the tabs on the silicon into the holes in the plastic can be a bit of a hassle. The end result is worth it though, with the fit being super snug, not allowing even the tiniest speck of dust under the screen protector. For me, the process took a little over 5 minutes, but obviously it's going to vary slightly from user to user.

Let's break the rest of this down piece by piece; The silicon is the same type of thing previous Survivor owners are used to, with extra thick padding on the corners and sides. Everything on the back of your iPad is covered, including the speakers. Sound still passes through fine, funnily enough, and the silicon keeps all the dirt out, but should you want to uncover your speakers it's easy enough to pin back the silicon with the same tab system used in the previous edition. The camera is covered, but the tab is easy to pull back, and, like the speaker cover, it's just a case of placing tab a into slot b, and the cover stays put.

The screen protector is a good one, and while it's not scratch proof, it's certainly scratch resistant. It's relatively anti-glare, although I have used better. Fingerprints may still be a problem, but that seems to be largely dependent on the user; I can't get a single fingerprint on it, no matter how hard I try, but other people leave more marks than a... Well, use your imagination there. With the protector being built in, should it get heinously scratched down the line, it is a bit of a pain to remove, and doesn't go back on. That's just something that you get with built-in screen protectors though, and there isn't an easy way around that. The screen is still responsive, but if you have a second screen protector on underneath the Survivor's one, you'll notice a definite decrease in sensitivity, especially around the corners of the screen.

As far as the plastic shell, it's exactly what I was hoping for. It's a perfect fit for the iPad 2, and snaps over very easily. In essence, it's a larger version of the old plastic shell from the iPhone's Survivor. Unfortunately, that means it comes with the same problem - it's quite hard to get off. That said, because of the fit, you could use it as a standalone case, forgoing the silicon altogether. You'd still get a basic level of protection, and you'd be able to bypass the bulk that the silicon adds.

Which is a lot. A lot of bulk, that is. It more than doubles the depth of your iPad, and the bulk has its ups and downs. The downs are that it won't fit into any dock that I've tried. The upside is that it's a heck of a lot easier to hold. The other obvious positive is all the extra protection you get. But if you're an Apple purist who likes their iDevices as slim as they were out of the box, then this isn't the case for you. I did my own tests of defense, since I didn't want to base the review on what Griffin themselves say. Not that I don't trust them, but it's always good to prove it to yourself. So, with much trepidation, I proceeded with the "Frisby" test. I'm sure you can work out exactly what I did there; throw your iPad across a field and hope like hell that Griffin was telling the truth. Luckily for me, they were. The case was a little wet, but the iPad itself was as dry and unbruised as the day I bought it.

So what do we have altogether? Well, this case is perfect for almost anyone. Whether you're a tourist, a hiker, or an average joe who can't afford a new iPad 2, then this is exactly what you need. If you managed to break your iPad while it was in this case, you'd be doing well. It's available in two colours at the moment, black or pink. This is the part where I thank Griffin for sending it to me, free of charge, to review. If it weren't for them, you wouldn't be reading about the toughest damn iPad case there is.