Very recently, major price drops and device updates were announced for Amazon’s Kindle and Barnes & Noble’s Nook, further increasing competition between these e-reader devices and the iPad. Because of these new revelations, the absence of connectivity fees (whereas the iPad still costs to connect), and the fact that they are made specifically for book-enjoying purposes, these e-reader specific devices are beginning to look more attractive to avid readers. On the flip side though, the iPad does allow its users to do a wide range of things that e-reader devices do not. While it certainly depends on how one intends to use the device and how much they actually take advantage of reading capabilities, the changes in this market beg the question of how consumer trends might change: will it make sense to invest in these other devices, even if you have an iPad or iPhone? Will people begin making a switch from Apple products to e-readers? Will apps continue to suffice — or not?
This article was published by iphoneapplicationlist.com

Very recently, major price drops and device updates were announced for Amazon’s Kindle and Barnes & Noble’s Nook, further increasing competition between these e-reader devices and the iPad. Because of these new revelations, the absence of connectivity fees (whereas the iPad still costs to connect), and the fact that they are made specifically for book-enjoying purposes, these e-reader specific devices are beginning to look more attractive to avid readers. On the flip side though, the iPad does allow its users to do a wide range of things that e-reader devices do not.

read more

Very recently, major price drops and device updates were announced for Amazon’s Kindle and Barnes & Noble’s Nook, further increasing competition between these e-reader devices and the iPad. Because of these new revelations, the absence of connectivity fees (whereas the iPad still costs to connect), and the fact that they are made specifically for book-enjoying purposes, these e-reader specific devices are beginning to look more attractive to avid readers. On the flip side though, the iPad does allow its users to do a wide range of things that e-reader devices do not.

read more

South of the border, down Mexico way, that's where you can now purchase an iPhone 4 from Mexico's Apple Store online. Oh, and just to make the North American AT&T customers envious, the phone is unlocked. You know, just like in Canada.

read more

This weeks tips are for the iPhone, iPod touch, and the iPad, with some helpful tidbits on how to save money on your AT&T bill, type faster, discover Safari's hidden Bookmarks Bar on the iPad, and add bookmarks to the Bookmarks Bar. 

 

Drop Your Texting Plan and Save Money

 

We know--you're scratching your head about the headline on this tip, but seriously, you can drop your texting plan and still "text" your friends using e-mail instead of SMS/MMS. You are, after all, using an iPhone, so why not take full advantage of its mandatory data plan?

Here's how you can send a text message to your friends on AT&T and other carriers. Simply send them an e-mail as follows:

AT&T: phonenumber@txt.att.net 

Sprint: phonenumber@messaging.sprintpcs.com

T-Mobile: phonenumber@tmomail.net

Verizon: phonenumber@vtext.com

Make sure you tell your friends to send future text messages to your e-mail address after canceling your texting plan.

Tip: If your friends don't do as you ask and continue to send you traditional SMS text messages you may incur charges. Therefore, you should ask AT&T to block all incoming or outgoing SMS/MMS text messages. Be sure to tell your friends, who are not lucky enough to own an iPhone, that this tip will even work for them on different carriers.

Compatibility: iPhone 

 

Zippy Fast Typing with Double Spaces

 

Typing a period at the end of sentence is so last century. These days, you can type a lot faster on any iOS based device by double-tapping the space bar. This will automatically enter a period followed by a space.

 

Compatibility: iPhone, iPod touch and iPad 

 

Enable the Bookmarks Bar in Safari for iPad

 

The Bookmarks Bar in Safari on the iPad isn't turned on by default. So, we'll show you how to turn the book marks on using the following steps: launch Settings > Safari > tap Always Show Bookmarks Bar to turn it ON.

 

Compatibility: iPad 

 

Adding Bookmarks to the Bookmark Bar

 

Once the Bookmarks Bar is turned on you can add your own bookmarks to it by completing the following steps: Launch Safari on your iPad, surf to a website you want to bookmark (i.e. Maclife.com), then tap the plus sign (+) to add a bookmark in the pop-up tap Bookmarks, tap Bookmarks Bar, and finally tap Save.

Your new bookmark will appear on the Bookmarks Bar for quick and easy access.

Compatibility: iPad

 

I wasn’t entirely sure how I felt about Halfbrick Studios’ new game, so I decided to split my regular Thomas self into “Tom” and “Ash” and held an awkward Q&A between the two halves to find out what I really thought:

read more

TeleNav is the developer of a lot of mobile navigation applications, including AT&T Navigator for the iPhone. Now the company has come out with an iPhone version of a popular app that originally launched for the BlackBerry platform -- OnMyWay.

read more

(Image courtesy of phonedifferent.com)

 

Does AT&T still see iPhone exclusivity in their crystal ball?  Well, based on some comments from their Emerging Devices head, the company plans on moving forward with their plans, with, or without iPhone exclusivity in their pocket, according to Electronista.

 

Emerging Devices head Glenn Lurie went to bat today, stating that AT&T would be "plugging along" without making amends to their plans, and that they would still be as successful as before.  Of course he wouldn't own up to Bloomberg as to when AT&T's exclusivity ceases, but as has oft been mentioned, signs are pointing to January.

 

On a side note, Lurie was also "bearish" about tablets such as the iPad, and thinks that the category will go both higher and lower end simultaneously.  While Apple's iPad spread is currently between $500 and $830, Lurie is anticipating that it could go $300 on the lower end and $1000 on the high end of the price spectrum within about the next five years.  At some point, the units will be "full-on computers," he noted.

 

Follow this article's author, Matthew Tilmann on Twitter 

 

If you were looking to buy a contract-free iPhone 4 from the online AT&T or Apple stores, you're now officially out of luck. Customers looking to purchase an iPhone 4 from either online store are now required to enter into a two-year contract.

read more

There has been some confusion amongst iPhone fans who want to buy the smartphone without a wireless service contract. Apparently, the only way to get one without a wireless service contract is to go into an AT&T retail store, you can't get them online.

read more