“iPad is our most advanced technology in a magical and revolutionary device at an unbelievable price,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “iPad creates and defines an entirely new category of devices that will connect users with their apps and content in a much more intimate, intuitive and fun way”

The Hardware
The Apple iPad is about a half-inch thick, 9.56 inches tall, and 7.47 inches wide. The WiFi-only model weighs just 1.5 pounds. It sports a 9.7-inch capacitive touch screen IPS display with a 1024 x 768 pixel resolution. There’s plenty of connectivity as well, with support for WiFi a/b/g/n and Bluetooth 2.1. It is also offered in a 3G flavor for AT&T’s network. It works well with mapping software since it has an assisted GPS module and can also use cellular towers for better accuracy. The unit comes in four storage capacities: 16GB, 32GB, or 64GB flash storage. It runs at 1 GHz on Apple’s own A4 custom-designed processor. Like the iPhone, it of course features an Accelerometer to detect when rotated and an Ambient light sensor to automatically control display brightness. For video formats, it should be able to play just about all the formats that the iPhone and iPod Touch support, but in HD quality. Just like the iPhone OS, it supports display all the office file formats that the email client currently supports. (e.g. jpg, pdf, doc, xls, ppt) There’s no physical keyboard, but rather an on-keyboard that’s apparently large enough to type on with two hands. Apple did demonstrate a special keyboard dock accessory. There’s a built-in non-replaceable battery that Apple claims will offer 10 hours of productivity on a full charge. A regular Apple USB cable charges the device with an AC adapter or with a computer. Other than that, it has a regular 3.5mm headphone jack, speakers, a microphone, but no webcam.

The Apps
The iPad’s OS isn’t the same as the iPhone OS or even Mac OS X. It’s a special version that stands between the two. If anything, it’s more like the iPhone OS. That’s because it can run just about any App that’s currently available for the iPod Touch or iPhone. If you didn’t notice the screen’s quite larger. That means that an iPhone-optimized App won’t fit properly. Apple lets you run the App surrounded by unusually large black border in the center of the screen. If you prefer, there’s a magnify button that doubles the size of the App, however leaving you with a low-resolution program. It doesn’t seem to support multi-tasking or running multiple programs simultaneously. While that might take previous iPhone and iPod Touch owners some getting used to, the built-in programs are fortunately redesigned and well polished. Everything from the Safari web browser to mail client, photo viewer, maps, notes, calendar, contacts, and more have all be optimized for a 9.7-inch display with plenty of new features. Even multimedia support has improved with an improved iTunes browser interface for browsing and purchasing content on the go. The iPod app now has an interface that looks somewhat of a mix between the desktop version of iTunes and the iPhone player. It all seems a bit risky of a play on Apple’s part, however we’ll see how it holds up and if it plays well with customers in sometime.

iBooks
Yes that’s right, Apple did just take a stab at the Amazon Kindle and Barnes & Noble Nook. The iPad makes for a better device than the iPhone for reading books since it has a larger display. As expected, all books will be available for purchase through a new section in the iTunes Store. Books from both independent and major publishers will be available. Apple demonstrated a “Bookshelf-like” interface for browsing through a collection of downloaded titles.

Notice: Sorry for the delay, we were having some server issues, we’ve updated the content below.

iWork
Apple also ported the famous productivity suite, iWork, over to the iPad’s keyboard-lacking touch-screen interface. Pages, Keynote, and Numbers won’t just be document viewers, but rather will allow creating and modifying documents. And of course, the entire package works seamlessly in a multi-touch environment. It supposedly supports handling Microsoft Office documents as well. Each of the iWork Apps will run you $9.99. It’s hard to tell whether being truly productive and working at a fast pace with solely an on-screen keyboard will be possible.

Pricing
As mentioned previously, the iPad will be available in two versions. The WiFi-only model will be available worldwide in late March at retail price of $499 for the 16GB model, $599 for the 32GB model, and $699 for the 64GB model. The WiFi + 3G model will become available in April at a slightly higher cost: $629 for the 16GB model, $729 for the 32GB model, and $829 for the 64GB model. The 3G version will surprisingly sell without a AT&T contract with two data plans offered. A $15/month plan has a 250MB data transfer cap while $30/month plan offers unlimited data. As a bonus, iPad users will have free access to AT&T’s WiFi hotspots as well if subscribed to a plan.

Links: Apple.com iPad

Verizon Wireless: Motorola Droid

The Motorola Droid is probably the most powerful phone offered through a domestic cell phone carrier. While there may be a few critics, the majority of reviews are favorable about the Droid and tout it as superior to the famous iPhone. While I could go on about the features it sports, here’s a few for starters: Touch Screen, QWERTY Keyboard, WiFi, GPS Navigation, Camera, and plenty more. While that’s my number one choice, if you’re looking for another good alternative on the Verizon Wireless network, check out the HTC Droid Eris. It’s lighter, looks friendlier, and costs a fraction. The Eris will be receiving the Android 2.0 update that the Motorola Droid uses early next year.

Buy: Motorola Droid $150 | HTC Droid Eris $10
Links: Motorola Droid Review | HTC Droid Eris Review

Sprint: Palm Pre

Palm’s device is a fairly new entry into the Smartphone market. After being announced at the Consumer Electronics Show in January, it made  official debut on Sprint’s network this summer. It runs on Palm’s fresh WebOS that offers multi-tasking, streamlined interface, and organizes your data. There’s even an App Store with a few steps behind the Apple App Store and the Android Marketplace, but still has a good selection. With QWERTY keyboard, WiFi, GPS, and a 3G network, there’s plenty this phone has to offer. If that’s not in your taste, check out the HTC Hero. It was a hard choice deciding between the two, but the HTC Hero was also one of our favorite picks. It also sports all the essential features to make a good Smartphone and will even be getting the Android 2.0 update in the near future.

Buy: Palm Pre $80 | HTC Hero
Links: HTC Hero Review

T-Mobile: myTouch 3G

While T-Mobile is a fairly open network and can accommodate devices such as the iPhone unofficially, they don’t exactly have a best Smartphone. Sure, they offer the HTC Touch Pro2, but that’s not exactly the most ideal device as we pointed out with our review for the Sprint version. While this was a hard call, I would recommend the myTouch 3G. It’s compact, looks good, and has plenty to offer. With a good battery life, 3G network, WiFi, a 3.2 mega pixel camera, and running on the Android OS, it’s definitely a great device. If there’s another device I would recommend, I’d pick the BlackBerry Bold 9700 for business users and the Motorola Cliq if you’re looking for a cheaper Smartphone.

Buy: myTouch 3G $99 | Motorola CLIQ $99

AT&T: Apple iPhone

If I had to choose my favorite smartphone asides from the Motorola Droid, there’s no question it’s the Apple iPhone 3GS. It’s that simple. What’s there the iPhone can’t do? With over 100,000 Apps in the store, you’ll probably never get bored. Despite AT&T scoring last for 3G network quality, there’s always WiFi. With every iPhone supporting software upgrades, it’s fairly future proof. Just keep in mind, rumor has it that a 4th generation iPhone is almost out the door. If security and enterprise features are essential or necessary, the iPhone is probably not the best choice. I’d highly recommend the BlackBerry Bold 9700 as it’s a more traditional business phone. And of course, although not as fancy, it still has a 3.2 mega pixel camera, multimedia player, a web browser, and even an App Store.

Buy: Apple iPhone $200 (16GB) | BlackBerry Bold $0

Unlocked Device: Nokia N900

If there’s a device I’d have to select that isn’t available through any U.S. cell phone carrier, there’s no question that the Nokia N900 is my current pick. In all honesty, I wouldn’t know where to begin with this phone. It seriously has that much to offer. If there’s a feature available on the iPhone or Droid, this phone probably has it or can do it even better. With 3G, WiFi, a slide out keyboard, a 5 megapixel camera (plus another front-facing camera), unrestricted Bluetooth, 32GB of storage, microSD expansion, a Mozilla-based web browser, multitasking, Linux-based Maemo OS, and extensive media file format support, it’s simply a robust device. Unfortunately you won’t get a subsided price when picking one of these up. It’s now goes for about $500 through Amazon.com.

Links: Nokia.com N900 | Skatter Tech N900 Unboxing

This is a part of our ongoing Skatter Tech Holiday Gift Guides.

After grabbing the Delivery Status Touch from the iTunes App Store, it’s quite easy to start using. Just tap the Edit button, and click the ‘+’ icon to add a new item to track. Just about every major domestic delivery service I’ve used was listed and there are quite a few international ones as well. There’s even tracking tools for Amazon, Apple, and Google Checkout orders. Once you choose the service, you’ll have to key in the tracking number and pick a name. Fortunately since the iPhone now has copy and paste, it’s quite simple to grab the code from an email and enter it into this App. Although it might be overkill, I would truly be impressed if they added Optical Character Recognition (OCR) for use with the Camera. I would love to be able to just take a snap of the tracking number on a sheet of paper.

The home screen will display a list of the active packages you are tracking. You can manually sort them or have it automatically organized by delivery dates. Each item updates each time the App is started and will display the number of days until delivery besides each app. There’s also a one-line message of the latest status provided by the carrier and the estimated delivery date. Once delivered, the countdown will be replaced with a check mark. The items are also color coded by each company’s most prominent color. You can click on an item for further details. The map link will display the last known location of the package and your current GPS location. The entire Delivery Status Touch App has a landscape mode and there’s even a Junecloud web page to sync tracking numbers. The application is quite responsive, well polished, and easy to use. The only feature that’s missing that I would love to see in a future version is Push Notifications for deliveries, exceptions, or even progress updates.

There’s plenty of ways to track packages on the iPhone, however none are as well designed as this. If you rarely track packages, you can probably survive just fine using email updates and using the browser to check on packages. On the other hand if you are always have a number of shipments going in and out, this is an excellent tool to stay organized. It’s available for just $3 from the iTunes App Store.

Buy: Launch iTunes App Store
Links: Junecloud.com Delivery Status Touch

As you may be aware by now, all of us here at Skatter Tech strongly recommend buying a protective case for your phones and other expensive gadgets.  Spending a couple bucks is well worth the investment.  Today I’ve reviews of two new cases for the iPhone 3G and 3GS by OtterBox. The Commuter and the Commuter TL are both are quite similar, but have a few differences, keep reading to find out which one’s right for you.

Installation – 5/5 stars
Some cases that I’ve come across have been a pain to install. For example the Griffin Wave even ended-up scratching my iPhone. Both the Commuter and Commuter TL are truly easy to install. It took less than a minute to place my iPhone into the silicone sleeve then attach the hard case onto it. I was a little worried that the silicone might tear when the plastic portion was going on, but it went on just fine with some caution. OtterBox also includes a screen protector with both the Commuter and the Commuter TL. It’s a decent screen protector, but it does slightly reduce the screen’s sensitivity.

Protection & Usability – 4/5 stars
The OtterBox Commuter and Commuter TL cases offer great protection all around the phone. Unlike most cases, both offer protection of the power button, dock connection, volume control buttons, and the headphone jack. The only parts which are left open are the silent switch, the speaker, the microphone, and the camera. Adding a cover for the dock connector was a great idea since it almost always gathers dust and lint. Unfortunately that also means that your iPhone won’t fit into any docks while this case is on. Doing the same for the headphone jack was great idea as well, but will definitely take two hands to get the headphone cable in. I found that the volume and power buttons were even easier to use since they bulged out even more. The ringer switch was the only one that was a bit difficult to use since the case around it was a bit too thick. For the most part, both cases are functional.

There are a couple of differences between the two models. The Commuter has a cutout for the Apple logo which reduces protection, but the Commuter TL covers it with a plastic window. The Commuter’s hard case extends onto the side of the device for additional protection, while the Commuter TL only goes from the top to the bottom on the back side. The Commuter has a solid colored hard plastic shell while the Commuter TL has a transparent one. Although I would have appreciated protection over the Logo on the Commuter and protection on the sides for the Commuter TL, they are still some of the most rugged cases I’ve used. Plus they don’t look bad either.

Verdict
Overall the OtterBox Commuter and OtterBox Commuter TL are both now my favorite cases. Unfortunately each one has one flaw in protection such as the huge hole on the back or no hard case to cover the sides, but they both are still great choices. The Commuter is only available in Black, but the Commuter TL is now offered in Black Blue, Green, Pink, Red, White and Yellow. If you are looking for a case, I’d definitely recommend picking up one of these. The Commuter and Commuter TL are available for purchase now for about $35 and $30, respectively.

Buy: OtterBox Commuter Cases for $20-$30
Links: OtterBox.com Commuter | TL

As the name suggests, this product is the portable version of Kensington’s larger Battery Pack and Charger for iPhone and iPod. While the larger version offer a more powerful battery, the unit is almost the size of an iPhone and requires a cable to connect to your device, which is a bit messy. On the other hand, the Mini Battery Back is only about one third the size of its counter part and plugs directly into your devices dock connector. It clings on well enough that you can continue to use your device while it’s getting charged. The unit is roughly the width and thickness of an iPhone but is only two inches tall, small enough to slip away into your pocket or purse. An included plastic cap prevents dust from building up on the dock contacts and also doubles as stand. It is supposedly suppose to be able to hold your device upright to watch a movie, but it’s quite flimsy and I wouldn’t count on it. Irrespective of that small quirk, it doesn’t deter from the quality of the rest of the product. Kensington also includes a USB cable, which winds up itself, for charging the battery pack.

Kensington uses a lithium-ion polymer battery cell in their device. The Mini Battery Pack is compatible with any iPhone, iPod Touch, or iPod with a dock connector. (Except for 3rd generation iPod.) If you are on the go and your device runs out of fuel, the Mini Battery Pack extends run-time for another 30 hours of music, 6 hours of video, or 3 hours of talk time for iPhones. I tested the battery pack by charging my 2nd generation 32GB iPod Touch starting with fully drained batteries. It was able to bring my dead unit back to a full charge with more power left to spare. Plus it impressively took just about the same time it would have taken to charge my device with my computer. An LED indicator displays how much power is left in the Battery Pack. You can charge both the Mini Battery Pack and your iPhone/iPod Touch at the same time using the included USB Cable.

There’s one major downside for iPod Touch owners, the location of the headphone jack. Since both the headphone jack and dock connector are on the bottom, you won’t be able to plug your headphones in while charging the device. iPhone users on the other hand are safe from this flaw since the headphone jack is on the top. Either way, that won’t stop you from playing games, browsing the web, or using the tons of available applications while recharging.

The Kensington Mini Battery Pack is convenient and compact product, which is great for those who are heavy iPhone or iPod Touch users. It’s also great for road trips or planes when there’s no access to a computer with a USB port for charging. iPhone users will love this as it almost doubles the battery life of their device for tasks such as movie playback. Overall, if you are someone who uses your iPhone enough that it keeps running out of power before the day ends or just travels a lot, this is an excellent solution. It’s available for an affordable price of $32.99 on Amazon.

Buy: Kensington Mini Battery Pack for $32
Links: Kensington.com Mini Battery Pack

The iPhone App Store has a variety of  unique applications and Air Mouse Pro is one of those special ones. It literally turns your iPhone touch screen display into a wireless mouse and keyboard for your computer. The App is compatible with both Macintosh and Windows computers. It’s easy to use and offers just about all the functionality one would possibly need.

By default it offers the ability to point, click, scroll, type with the onscreen keyboard, and use hand motions to control cursor. It’s also been neatly designed to change the set of controls presented to you depending on the type of application you happen to be using. For example, if you were in the standard view it would show function keys, enter, home, delete, and escape. If you switch to the web view, the commands change to the Back, Forward, Home, Refresh, Stop, Bookmark, and Search buttons. And once again if you were handling media, the keys would change to Play, Pause, Previous Track, Next Track, Mute, and a few more. Most App Developers usually squeeze every button possible into onto a single screen. Fortunately the developers of this app kept usability in mind and kept things clean, organized, and simple. The alternate screen views will help you be more productive.

To get the Air Mouse Pro to work, you’ll actually need to install a small program on your computer named Air Mouse Server. It uses your local Wi-Fi network to establish a connection between your iPhone and your computer. The desktop server program includes options to select hot keys for specific programs and modify the sensitivity of the track pad.

There are a couple of ways to use the Air Mouse Pro. First it can be used as a touch pad, similar to the functionality on a laptop. The second method is to hold down a finger and wave the phone in the air to utilize the iPhone’s accelerometer. The touch pad method was practical and worked fairly well, but on the other hand the accelerometer method was a bit of a gimic. It was quite rather difficult to use. Finally, you’ll also be able to input text using the iPhone built-in on-screen keyboard.

Overall, Air Mouse Pro is a great app and does what it was designed to do, except for the accelerometer portion. The user interface is clean, fancy, and just works. This is especially handy for presentations and for those with Media Center PCs. It is available from the App Store for $2.99.

Links: Air Mouse Pro (iTunes Link)

iPod Shuffle
The smallest of Apple’s lineup, the iPod Shuffle received a price reduction, some new colors, and an increase in capacity. Pricing starts at just $59 for the 2GB model and $79 for the 4GB model. Both those capacities will be available in silver, black, pink, blue and green. Apple also threw in an extra feature, VoiceOvers. This feature lets the iPod shuffle speak song titles, artists, and playlist names.

iPod Nano
Apple took an interesting step with their next upgrade. They decided to squeeze in a Camera and Microphone into the popular iPod Nano. The new built-in speakers will allow listening to clips that you have recorded. And with the latest version of iTunes, recordings can be easily uploaded to YouTube. Also thrown in was a built-in FM radio, which many competing products such as the Microsoft Zune have had. The radio can also identify and tag songs for future purchase in iTunes.  The Nike workout accessory is no longer needed since the device has a built-in pedometer. Data can be uploaded to Nike when synced as always. Pricing is now set at $149 for 8GB and $179 for 16GB. Both versions will be available in nine colors: silver, black, purple, blue, green, orange, yellow, (PRODUCT) RED and pink.

iPod Touch
Apple’s focus at the media event would probably be the iPod Touch. It’s the most powerful of the iPod line up and only a notch below what the iPhone offers. The biggest news would be the extreme price cut. The 8GB now costs just $199. This gives a larger audience much more affordable access to the iTunes Application store. For those who were seeking more storage space, a 32GB model is available for $299 and a 64GB model for $399. Apple also increased the graphical performance making room for better games. Over 20,000 games are already available in the App Store. The one missing feature would probably be the Camera. The iPod Touch will ship with the 3.1 OS.

iTunes 9
The other update of the day was a major upgrade to iTunes. It features an upgraded and redesigned interface, a new iTunes Store, and improved syncing. Home Sharing, also included in the new version, allows easily transferring music, photos, and videos among a maximum of 5 authorized machines. iPhone and iPod Touch users can organize their downloaded Apps from the iTunes interface. There are plenty more minor enhancements, such as Jump Lists for Windows 7, but we won’t go into details. The new version of QuickTime, isn’t included for anyone other than Snow Leopard users.

Final Notes:
The new iPod Shuffle, iPod Nano, and iPod Touch are all available for purchase in retail stores today. The latest version of iTunes 9 is also available for download on Macintosh and Windows now.

Links: Apple.com | Apple Store
Buy: Amazon.com – New iPods

Installation – 4/5 stars
Some cases I’ve come across have been quite a pain to install. Placing the iPhone 3GS into the OtterBox Impact Case takes just a few seconds. The silicone case easily stretches to let the device slide in. The Screen Protector wasn’t too difficult to install. Just clean the screen with a microfiber cloth first, then wipe it down with the cloth they provide to clear off any lint.I aligned and placed the screen protector onto the display from the top to bottom. A few large air pockets got caught in between, but they weren’t to difficult to push out with the included “application card.” Afterward just peel off the remaining layer.

Screen Protector – 4/5 stars
It’s quite tricky to find the right type of screen protector for touch screen devices. Although the included OtterBox screen protector looks clean once installed and is a welcome inclusion with the case, it has a few issues. First, visibility of the display is slightly reduced. Second, some of the touch screen’s sensitivity and responsiveness is lost. Third, it doesn’t feel too great on the finger either. We can say for sure it’s better than leaving your screen unprotected, however there are better iPhone screen protectors available. But considering the price of the entire package, it’s reasonable. In the end, you need something that will be durable enough to prevent scratches while being still sensitive enough to use. And that’s exactly what you get.

Protection & Usability – 4/5 stars
The Impact Case protects just about the entire iPhone 3GS. The touch screen display is of course left open. OtterBox also made a poor choice to design a circle cutout for the Apple Logo on the back of the device. I personally thing it looks horrible and just makes room for another vulnerability. Other than those openings, there’s also small incisions made for the dock connector, speakers, the ringer switch, the headphone jack, the earpiece, ambient light sensor, and camera. The volume rocker, power button, and home key are all functional while in the case. One issue was the usability of the home button. In the beginning it was quite easy to press, however after a few days of use, the case covering that portion began to become thinner making it more difficult to click. If there was a small bulge over that area as there is with other buttons covered by the case, that might help. The thickness on the sides of the case were a bit too thin as well. They might be useful to prevent scratching the bezel of the phone from scratches, but not from shock absorption. The silicone is extra thick around the top/bottom ends of the case and is designed in that fashion for a purpose. Those two areas obtrude enough that they would be the first part of the device to touch the ground during a fall. As implied by the name of the product, the case is designed help reduce the impact the iPhone 3G faces if it were to be dropped. And after handling it for a couple days, I definitely feel it will do a good job at what it was intended to do!

Verdict – 4/5 stars
Overall the Impact Case, deserves to be well noted and considered when looking to purchase a new case for your Apple iPhone. The case OtterBox provided us was white, which didn’t go along so well with my Black iPhone. OtterBox offers the case in black as well, so no need to worry. I would recommend sticking with a matching color. In the end, the bottom line is how well it protects your device. The OtterBox Impact Case will go a long way to saving your device from total destruction in the event of a collision. It’s available for purchase at a reasonable price of $19 directly from OtterBox’s website.

Buy: OtterBox Impact Case for iPhone 3G/3GS

Users will notice refinements including a more responsive Finder; Mail that loads messages up to twice as fast; Time Machine with an up to 80 percent faster initial backup; a Dock with Exposé integration; QuickTime X with a redesigned player that allows users to easily view, record, trim and share video; and a 64-bit version of Safari 4 that is up to 50 percent faster and resistant to crashes caused by plug-ins. Snow Leopard is half the size of the previous version and frees up to 7GB of drive space once installed. System applications including Finder, Mail, iCal®, iChat® and Safari are 64-bit and Snow Leopard’s support for 64-bit processors makes use of large amounts of RAM, increases performance and improves security while remaining compatible with 32-bit applications.

Don’t know if your computer is compatible with the new OS? It’s quite simple to figure that out. Just click on “About This Mac” from the “Apple Menu.” If you are running Mac OS X v10.5 Leopard on an Intel based machine, you are good to go! All you’ll have to do is purchase Snow Leopard and pop in the disk to upgrade! So what are you waiting for? Head on over to Apple’s Online Store which even guarantees FREE delivery to your door on August 28th, 2009!

Buy: Snow Leopard – Apple Store | Snow Leopard – Amazon
More Info: $10 Up-To Date Program | Snow Leopard Info

2009 is the year for the launch of two new next generation operating systems: Apple’s OS X Snow Leopard and Microsoft’s Windows 7. Just as with every prior version of both those operating systems, they come with a set new stunning backgrounds. If you aren’t willing to spend the cash to upgrade or can’t afford to do so in these difficult times, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be able to enjoy these new wallpapers. So as a treat, our readers can download the entire set of backdrops included with both Windows 7 and Snow Leopard in full high resolution glory!

The download includes 31 Windows 7 Backgrounds plus two bonus ones we’ve thrown in all at a 1920×1200 resolution. And it also includes 35 Snow Leopard Backgrounds, all at a whopping 2560×1600 resolution. So what are you waiting for? Download a copy and let us know which set you like best!

Download:
next-gen-wallpapers.zip (~79.8 MB)
Note: Download only contains JPG images, we never distribute spyware/malware/adware.

Pre-Order: Snow Leopard | Windows 7

If you own an Apple iPhone 3G or 3GS you were provided an “Apple USB Power Adapter” in the box. It’s a great little device mainly due to the fact that it’s so small. The charger doesn’t add much bulk to packing and just simply works. It isn’t just for an iPhone, but can also charge most other USB-powered devices. Here’s where my dilemma came in, I wanted a second one so I could charge my iPhone both at work and at home. After spending a minute or two on the online Apple Store to realize that they charge $29, I decided to hold back from purchasing another. If you add tax and basic shipping to the equation, it totals in at just about $36. I felt that was just a bit too expensive for just a USB charger.

I soon came across the Ultra-Mini USB Charger, a third party accessory, that caught my attention. Not only did it look exactly the same in the photos, but it only cost $3 and would be shipped for free. After taking a look into the online retailer, DealExtreme, I decided to take the $3 plunge after deciding it was a fairly reliable site. Everything worked out just fine, I was charged the correct amount and even received the look-alike USB Charger within a week. I was a bit worried to attempt charging my expensive iPhone 3GS, so I tested it on some older USB devices first. After those all charged just fine, I plugged in my iPhone 3GS. It worked no differently then Apple’s $30 charger and took no longer to fully power my iPhone’s battery. What was even more stunning was the design, it was literally identical in terms of size and color. If you held them up to someone, they probably wouldn’t think they were both the same.

If you are looking to replace a broken Apple USB Power Adapter or just purchase an additional one, I highly recommend taking a look at the Ultra-Mini USB Charger. I’ve been using mine for a little under a month and it’s been great. Considering the bottom-line that Apple charges between $30 and $36 depending on whether you buy it online or at their retail store for the same functionality, the Ultra-Mini is great deal. Although I faced no issues, I highly doubt the Ultra-Mini will be put through as much quality testing as Apple’s Charger, so be warned if you run into a faulty one. Nonetheless, if you want to save some cash during this economic downturn, give the Ultra-Mini a shot.

Buy: DealExtreme.com Ultra-Mini USB Charger | Apple USB Power Adapter

Feature Comparison:

Price Comparison:

For the prices, the totals were the cost shown after configuring the machine straight off Apple.com and Dell.com before taxes were calculated in. Both companies are offering free shipping which is a plus. Dell is offering the next generation Operating System, Windows 7, for free. Apple will charge just $9.95 for those who purchased a qualifying computer after June 8th, 2009 to upgrade Snow Leopard. Even with those details set aside, the Studio XPS 13 totals in $273 less than the same configuration for the MacBook Pro 13. Plus if you are willing to shell out more cash, there’s a lot more features Dell seems to offer with their model than Apple does. What are your thoughts on this?

Links: Apple MacBook Pro | Dell Studio XPS

Note: This article was co-written by Sahas Katta and Sharath Shroff

Update: Since publication, we have updated a few elements of the chart and article. These changes include: Apple OS X Snow Leopard Price is $10, not $29 for purchases of MacBook Pros since June 8th, 2009. The screen resolution is WXGA for 16:10 aspect ratio, meaning a 1280×800 resolution, not 1366×768. The Studio XPS also has a multi-touch trackpad, similar to the MacBook Pro.

Phil Schiller, the SVP of Marketing at Apple, filled in for Jobs. He began by presenting a lot of new software applications that would soon become available to Mac users: iLife ‘09 and iWork ‘09.

Let’s start with the applications included in iLife ‘09. The new version of iPhone features Facial Recognition, which will automatically scan through your entire library and tag people in each image once you assign a name to a face. Users will then have the ability to browse through their photos by “Faces” to find every instance that a person appears throughout your entire photo gallery. iPhoto will now also support Geo-tagging, which will take coordinates from GPS enabled imaging devices such as the  iPhone (or Blackberry Storm) and assigns locations to where they were taken. A built-in interactive mapping tool, based on Google Maps, will allow browsing through your photos by locating them as pinpoints on a map. Finally users will also have instant way of uploading images directly to Facebook or Flickr. Tagged faces will be tagged on Facebook while Geo-tagged images will be noted on Flickr. iMovie ‘09 and GarageBand ‘09 also received upgrades which add new functionality. iLife ‘09 will be included on all new Macs, but if you have an older machine it will become available for $79 this month.

Next up was iWork ‘09. Keynote ‘09 now offers the ability to create advance transition effects with simple commands.  The program will be able to support displaying 3D graphs and charts. A new iPhone and iPod Touch application will also become available for 99 cents, turning your portable device into a remote control. Unlike a standard clicker, the application will display presenter notes and slides, which many speakers may soon adore. Pages ’09 and Numbers ‘09 also received upgrades. Apple also announced iWork.com, which allows users to easily upload and share their documents online with others. iWork ‘09 is now available for $79 in retail stores; however it will only run you $49 if you buy it at the time you purchase a new Mac.

Last but not least was the new 17-inch MacBook Pro. When Apple released the new 13-inch MacBook and the 15-inch MacBook Pro late last year, the 17-inch model was left in the dark with the old body. Today Apple refreshed the design giving the 17-inch MacBook Pro the new single piece aluminum body that its smaller siblings share. Most notable about this monstrous machine might be the fact that Apple claims a whopping eight hour battery life. And the unit isn’t too bulky either. It retains .98-inches thick body throughout and weighs about 6.6 pounds making it both the thinnest and lightest 17-inch notebook on the market. The unit is loaded with a LED-backlit 1920×1080 resolution display, now offered in glossy and matte. Also has the newly introduced large glass Multi-Touch trackpad, which clicks. It can be configured with Intel latest Core 2 Duo processor running at 2.93 GHz, up to 8GB of DDR3 RAM, and either a 320GB 7200RPM HDD or a 256GB SSD. And just like the 15-inch MacBook Pro, it comes with both the NVIDIA GeForce 9400M and 9600GT for either saving battery life or for high performance, respectively. It all sounds great, but I personally don’t know too many people who are willing to spend $2,799, which is the starting price. But if you happen to be interested, units will begin to ship at the end of this month. Apple has already begun taking pre-orders.

Finally Schiller announced the new variable pricing scheme on iTunes. Previously all songs were priced at 99-cents; with the new scheme, songs will be available for download for as low as 67-cents, the standard 99-cent price, or for as high as $1.29 cents. Although Schiller claims more songs will become available at the lower price than the higher, time will show whether this will be beneficial to everyone. And as a bonus, Apple will begin to turn 8 million of its 10 million songs DRM Free, by the end of March. Those who wish to upgrade to the DRM Free tracks will have the ability to do so by paying 30 cents per song or 30% of the album price. I’m personally glad to see this day finally coming!

Overall, the entire Keynote seemed to be bummer. Other than the software, there’s wasn’t much that would excite the average Apple Fan or consumer. Unless you’ll planning on buying a notebook for nearly three grand, of course. Either way, CES in Las Vegas gets kicked off tomorrow with Press Day. Skatter Tech will be on the ground with coverage, so stick around!

Links: Apple.com | iLife 09 | iWork 09 | MacBook Pro 17-inch

I was in the market to buy a new laptop earlier this year and I came down to comparing to machines: the Dell XPS M1530 and the Apple MacBook Pro. I compared both of them to every aspect I could possibly come up with. Anyways both machines recently have received some upgrades so I thought I should update both comparison lists for those of you who might be looking for a new 15-inch notebook.

Update 4/20/08: Dell is now offering a 1440×900 LED and 1920×1080 Full HD displays.

I gave Apple a point for the Screen since they offer a non-glossy option which I truly prefer due to glare. Dell was expected to push out a LED screen over a month ago, however it hasn’t happened yet. The body of the MacBook Pro is cleaner, simpler, and lighter compared to the XPS 1530. In terms of Operating Systems, if you want OS X Leopard, chances are you won’t be able to get it working on a XPS; however it should a breeze to install Vista/XP on a MacBook Pro with Boot Camp. Leopard can use 4GB of RAM; however you’ll need 64-bit editions of Vista or XP to utilize all of it. Dell offers many more options for HDDs including a 64GB SSD which would be unusual for a 15-inch laptop. Dell also lets you turn your XPS into a Blu-ray player with an optional Blu-ray read/write drive which is great for watching high definition movies. I was irritated to find out that the XPS didn’t have gigabit Ethernet, which is great for transferring large files on a local network, especially when most new laptops have it. Apple won the keyboard war with its beautiful backlit keyboard with an ambient light sensor. However the XPS makes up with a Finger Print Sensor, which is great for bypassing typing passwords when people are around, and a better Web Camera. The XPS comes with a media remote control which tucks away into the express card slot while Apple now charges an additional $20 for their Front Row remote. The XPS M1530 can also be configured with a Sprint or Verizon mobile broadband card which will utilize the laptop’s antennas for better signal gain. I choose the 6-cell battery for the XPS since it was the best one which didn’t stick out. It offered only 2.5 hours of work time while the MacBook Pro gets about 3 hours.

If you didn’t already notice, there’s one major factor I left out on the chart: price. This part is what made me make my final decision which was to go with the Dell M1530. Dell offered a pretty good student discount in addition to their constant promotions. Apple also offers such discounts, but are incomparable to what Dell offers. With both configured to the highest similar specifications, the MacBook Pro was getting very close to $3000 while the Dell XPS was about $500 cheaper costing about $2500. In addition for those of you on a strict budget like I was, there’s more flexibility to remove unneeded components with the Dell to bring the price down. Anyways, that’s my two cents so please feel free to make comments.

Links: Apple MacBook Pro | Dell XPS M1530

Earlier today Apple announced the iPhone 2.0 software and the iPhone Software Development Kit (SDK). A beta version of the iPhone 2.0 software will be available today, however the finalized version won’t be available to consumers until June. The phone will also be getting much demanded business features such as the compatibility to function with the widely used Microsoft Exchange Servers, which will bring wireless push email, contacts, calendars, and access to encrypted private networks.

“We’re excited about creating a vibrant third party developer community with potentially thousands of native applications for iPhone and iPod touch,” said Steve Jobs – Apple’s CEO.
“iPhone’s enterprise features combined with its revolutionary Multi-Touch user interface and advanced software architecture provide the best user experience and the most advanced software platform ever for a mobile device.”

The iPhone SDK is available for download for free. With the SDK they’ll have access to the iPhone Simulator and all the information they’ll need to create native applications and distribute it through the Application Store for iPhone and iPod Touch owners. Apple boasts that their Multi-Touch interface, Core Animation, storage space, 3-axis accelerometer, and triangular cellular tower locater will allow creation of even more unique and powerful iPhone Apps.

Developers who create iPhone Applications will be able to retain 70% of the sales revenue of the amount sold through the new Apps Store. Developers will also have to purchase either a $99 standard license or a $299 enterprise license. In addition to the SDK-related content, the iPhone will also be getting other heavily demanded features such as the ability to view PowerPoint, Word, and Excel Documents and to mass delete messages. Anyways for the rest of you folks that aren’t interested in make applications but instead using them you’ll have to wait another three months for the final upgrade.

Video: March 6th Event with Steve Jobs
Links: iPhone Dev Program | iPhone Enterprise | Apple iPhone

Earlier today, Apple announced new models of the iPhone and iPod Touch, both of which now are available in double their previous storage capacity. The iPhone is now available in a 16GB model and the iPod Touch in a 32GB version. (Previously 8GB max for iPhone and 16GB max for iPod Touch.) It isn’t a surprise that Apple made this move and it was even expected to have been announced during MacWorld last month. It would also be good timing on their part since competitors such as Creative plans to be pushing out their 32GB ZEN very soon.

“For some users, there’s never enough memory,” said Greg Joswiak, Apple VP of Worldwide iPod and iPhone Marketing. “Now people can enjoy even more of their music, photos and videos on the most revolutionary mobile phone and best Wi-Fi mobile device in the world.”

All new iPhone and iPod Touch units will now come pre-installed with the new software upgrade and all the new features that were released last month. Both the 32GB iPod Touch and 16GB iPhone will be available in stores and online for $499. The main reason for the high price is probably the cost of the NAND flash going into the device, but prices are dropping quickly. Despite this, I would assume many would be interested to purchase either device as it is the only way to get more memory on board since neither device supports memory expansion.

Links: Apple iPhone | Apple iPod Touch

If you are an iPhone owner and you have not already heard, a major update (v1.1.3) became available last Tuesday during MacWorld. The update brings many anticipated features such as the ability to SMS multiple people at once and watch iTunes Rental Movies. The upgrade added an easier interface for bookmarking web pages through the Safari browser and the ability to add shortcuts to websites called “web clips” to home screen. The home screen also got a bit of a makeover, now allowing icons to be re-arranged and moved to multiple pages.

“iPhone doesn’t stand still—we’re making it better and better all the time,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “We’ve delighted millions of users with this revolutionary and magical product and it’s great to share these improvements with them.”

The most notable upgrade is probably the Maps application. The iPhone can now utilize cell phone tower data to triangulate your exact location. We tested this feature a few times, but unfortunately it didn’t function as well as I had hoped for it to perform. In most scenarios the best it could do was to narrow down my location the the city I was in. In reality it wouldn’t be of much help. Hopefully it will do a better job when it’s used in areas with stronger cell phone signals. Another neat addition to the Maps was the new “hybrid” view feature which will display satellite images with a overlay of street names.

If you’ve got an iPhone and you would like to upgrade it, just connect it to a machine running the latest version of iTunes (v7.6) and press “Check for Updates” on the iPhone page. It should download a file about 150MB in size and then install the new firmware. It took us over 10 minutes to update our unit. Although it was successful, the installer wasn’t very clear about what was going on during certain points. Just be sure not to disconnect your iPhone if it is taking too long since that could brick the unit. Anyways if you have an iPhone spend a few minutes “upgrading” since it’s got quite a few neat features.

Links: Apple iTunes | Apple iPhone

I recently reviewed Proporta’s screen protector for the iPod Touch, which I highly recommended all owners to purchase. Although that was good step towards protecting your iPod, it won’t be able to protect the other parts of the device from rough handling or drops. This is where Proporta’s Leather Case for the iPod Touch plays a role. The iPod touch slides in and the case’s clamps hold the device in place and it’s actually quite durable. As the implied in the title with the word “Alu-,” Proporta has actually embedded a strong lightweight aluminum sheet in between the leather layers to protect the iPod Touch even further. The case will be able to protect the iPod Touch from a fairly good amount of pressure. Proporta also includes a belt clip which can easily be removed. All ports and buttons are accessible and no functionality will be lost. As seen in the picture, the bottom is left open so headphones can connected even if the case has been closed.

As I’ve mentioned before, it’s a good idea to spend a few bucks to protect your $300-400 investment. Especially since it is something you’ll be carrying around with you everywhere you go. Purchasing a screen protector to go along with this case will offer just about all the protection you can get without loosing usability. If you aren’t a fan of leather cases, take a look at our review of iFrogz’s Silicone Case. Anyways the Alu-Leather case by Proporta is available for purchase on their website. It will cost you $45.95 USD, however you’ll receive a 10% discount if you use the promotion code “skattertech” (no quotes) during checkout. If you know of any better products or have a case you would like us to review, please leave us a comment or send us an email.

Links: Proporta Alu-Leather iPod Touch Case
Promotion Code: skattertech

Although the iPod Touch features just about all the hardware components that the iPhone has, except for the cellular chip, but despite this it lacks many essential applications. Fortunately Steve Jobs came to the rescue yesterday when he announced a major software update which would bring Mail, Maps, Stocks, Weather and Notes to the iPod Touch, brining on par with the iPhone. In addition the upgrade will also include some of the features that were added to the iPhone upgrade such as web clippings, customizable homepages, and iTunes movie rentals support. Unfortunately the upgrade isn’t free as previous firmwares have been. Newly purchased devices will have the upgrade pre-installed, however current owners will need to pay $19.99 to get the extra features.

“These amazing new mobile applications make iPod touch not only the best iPod, but the best Wi-Fi mobile device in the world,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “With its revolutionary touch interface and software, plus its stunning 3.5 inch screen, iPod touch is evolving into the first mainstream Wi-Fi mobile platform of the 21st century.”

With the new Mail app and a WiFi connection, you now can check your POP3 or IMAP email accounts to read and compose messages. The Maps feature can now track your location using an IP Trace via a WiFi Hotspot and offers a Hybrid view to see Satellite Images and Street Names at the same time. And rental movies purchased from iTunes will transfer to your iPod Touch, but will retain the same 30-day retention and 24-hour limit after playback begins. This is a good improvement, but it should have already been in the iPod Touch when it was first released. Secondly the fact that they are charging $20 for the upgrade is even more annoying. Especially since newly purchased units with the upgrade will retain the same price. If you just purchased your unit and it is still eligible for return try to see if the Apple Store will offer the software upgrade for free, if they don’t agree return the unit and get another one.

Links: Apple iPod Touch | What’s New

After a week’s worth of speculation of the big announcement, Apple’s CEO Steve Jobs presented us with a ultra-portable notebook entitled the MacBook Air. We were on the show floor and had a chance to mess with the tiny laptop. We got a few pictures of the MacBook Air, its SuperDrive (aka CD/DVD reader+writer), and a few comparison shots with the Dell 15-inch m1530. The first thing you’ll notice when you hold the MacBook Air is that it doesn’t have any easily visible ports. The device only has a MagSafe power cord connector on the left and a USB port, headphone jack, and a proprietary connector on the right. The notebook weights just 3 pounds since it even lacks a CD/DVD drive. Keep reading for more pictures and to find out what it offers. P.S. The price tag won’t be as exciting.

“We’ve built the world’s thinnest notebook—without sacrificing a full-size keyboard or a full-size 13-inch display,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “When you first see MacBook Air, it’s hard to believe it’s a high-performance notebook with a full-size keyboard and display. But it is.”

MacBook Air Specifications:

• Intel Core 2 Duo 1.6GHz or 1.8GHz
• 13.3 inch Glossy LED Backlit (1280×800)
• 2GB 667MHz DDR2 RAM
• 80GB 4200RPM HDD or 64GB SSD
• Optional External SuperDrive
• Large Multi-Touch trackpad
• Intel GMA X3100 144MB
• 1 USB 2.0, Audio Line Out, micro-DVI
• WiFi 802.11a/b/g/n and Bluetooth 2.1
• iSight webcam and omni directional mic
• Backlit Keyboard and Optional Remote
• Over 5-hours of Expected Battery Life
• Mac OS X v10.5 Leopard

The specifications look great, but the price is a bit ridiculous. Apple is going to charge $1,799 for the cheapest model, while the SSD configuration starts at $3,089. Although the tiny size of the notebook is the main reason for the high price, more powerful notebooks, which of course are a bit larger, from other manufacturers such as Dell are available for a fraction of the price. Portability is definitely something the MacBook Air offers, but there’s also other issues. For example you’ll need to carry adapters to connect the machine to a external display, there’s no microphone line in, and you’ll have to also carry an external DVD/CD burner. the worst part may just be the fact that the battery isn’t removable. Similar to iPods, the MacBook Air has a embedded battery. For a on-the-go laptop, Apple should have offered battery packs which anyone could just pop in when they run out of juice.

We took some comparison shots of the Apple MacBook Air versus the Dell’s 15-inch m1530. It isn’t exactly a great comparison in terms of specifications, but it does show how small this “ultra-portable” notebook is compared to a standard laptop on the market.

Overall the notebook is great for those willing to spend the cash, but might be overdoing for average consumers. In my opinion most people wouldn’t mind carrying a slightly heavier load if they can save a few hundred bucks. The laptop seems strong, durable, and is designed quite neatly. The encasing doesn’t seem like it leaves any weak spots for anything to get damaged. The only ports on the side all tuck away neatly into the notebook creating a smooth rounded body.

So what do you guys think? Anyone planning on buying one of these? Also if you guys have any further questions, please feel free to ask by replying in the comments!

Links: Apple.com/macbookair | Apple Store