Via: Android Police
Showing posts with label Apple. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Apple. Show all posts
Monday, 2 December 2013
Via: Android Police
Nearly 20 months after the launch of FileMaker Pro 12 by Apple subsidiary FileMaker, Apple appears to have prematurely revealed the upcoming debut of the next-generation database software, FileMaker Pro 13, with new entries in its online stores in several countries. Several versions of FileMaker Pro 12 are also shown as discontinued in those stores, while the new versions are listed as shipping "within 24 hours" despite no official announcement of their launch having been made yet.
Screenshots accompanying the new listings show a new "Share" button in the toolbar, as well as an iOS 7-styled makeover for the FileMaker Go apps for iPhone and iPad. The listings otherwise appear to primarily be placeholders for the time being, using the same box art as their predecessors with the exception of replacing "12" with "13". Product descriptions are also fairly generic, lacking any discussion of new features or other details on the upcoming software.
FileMaker Pro 13 versions currently showing in Apple's UK online store include:
- FileMaker Pro 13 for iPad, iPhone, Mac, PC and web (£286.95)
- FileMaker Pro 13 for Non-Profit and Education (£199.95)
- FileMaker Pro 13 Advanced for iPad, iPhone, Mac, PC and web (£454.95)
- FileMaker Pro 13 Advanced for Non-Profit and Education (£272.95)
New versions of FileMaker Server are not currently listed in Apple's stores.
In addition to FileMaker Pro, FileMaker had previously offered a series of consumer-focused Mac and iOS database apps under the Bento name, but that line was discontinued several months ago.
Source
Screenshots accompanying the new listings show a new "Share" button in the toolbar, as well as an iOS 7-styled makeover for the FileMaker Go apps for iPhone and iPad. The listings otherwise appear to primarily be placeholders for the time being, using the same box art as their predecessors with the exception of replacing "12" with "13". Product descriptions are also fairly generic, lacking any discussion of new features or other details on the upcoming software.
FileMaker Pro 13 versions currently showing in Apple's UK online store include:
- FileMaker Pro 13 for iPad, iPhone, Mac, PC and web (£286.95)
- FileMaker Pro 13 for Non-Profit and Education (£199.95)
- FileMaker Pro 13 Advanced for iPad, iPhone, Mac, PC and web (£454.95)
- FileMaker Pro 13 Advanced for Non-Profit and Education (£272.95)
New versions of FileMaker Server are not currently listed in Apple's stores.
In addition to FileMaker Pro, FileMaker had previously offered a series of consumer-focused Mac and iOS database apps under the Bento name, but that line was discontinued several months ago.
Source
Friday, 29 November 2013
While Apple provides Bootcamp, a built-in OS X application for installing Windows on your Mac, the virtualization program VMWare Fusion 6 ($59.99) allows users to run Windows without restarting their Mac, which Bootcamp requires. This is why we have added Fusion 6 to our Best of Mac page.
On occasion I use or test Windows only programs like Dragon Naturally Speaking, MarkdownPad, and DesignPro 5, and I can easily do so by firing up VMWare Fusion and it, in turn, launches Windows inside a separate window on my Mac desktop. There’s little or no hassle using Fusion, and in fact the only learning curve may be how to get around the Windows platform.
Getting Started
VMWare Fusion (download here for free trial or upgrade purposes) can run on any 64-bit capable Intel Mac running OS X 10.7 or later, with a minimum of 4GB of RAM, 750MB of disk space for Fusion itself, and another 5 gigs for the virtual machine. Fusion can also run other operating systems, including Linux and Ubuntu. The VMWare.com site provides step-by-step instructions for installing Windows 8 using Fusion, or for upgrading from VMWare Fusion 5 to 6.Important Features
If you’re a long time Mac user like me, you might not be too familiar with the Windows platform, and running the OS on your Mac may feel odd at first. You can download our free Getting Started Guide to Windows 8 guide to learn more about the platform.Using VMWare Fusion, I run Windows on my Mac as if I’m running any Mac application. Fusion opens Windows in a separate application, and all of the OS’ features are made available.
Viewing Windows
Fusion allows you to view the Windows OS either in a separate window, full screen, or through what is called Unity. The separate window view allows you to use Windows applications right alongside your Mac programs. You can also drag files from your Mac Finder onto the Windows desktop, and vice versa, as well as copy and paste text between platforms.
If you want even better access to Windows applications, you can enable the Unity feature. In Unity mode, the Fusion window and Windows desktop spaces disappear, and opened Windows applications appear squarely on your Mac desktop right alongside OS X applications. While working in Unity mode, you may forget you’re working on the Windows platform. To exit Unity, click on the Fusion icon in the dock and deselect View > Unity in the Fusion menu bar.
Other Features
What’s great about Fusion is that it provides full access to the Windows platform without having to exit OS X. Fusion even connects to the printers connected to your Mac so you don’t have to open Windows documents on your Mac to get the job done.If you need to keep Fusion open and accessible throughout the day, you can select to suspend or pause Fusion. The suspend button is located in the Fusion toolbar for quick access.
You might be surprised to know that the OS X voice-to-text feature also works in Windows via Fusion; click on Edit > Start Dictation.
Bottom Line
VMWare Fusion is fairly easy to set up and it pretty much tucks out of the way while you work with your Windows software. If you have never used Fusion before, take it for a test drive to see how the Windows applications you plan to use perform in the virtualization setting – you might be pleasantly surprised!Download: VMWare Fusion 6 ($59.99)
Source
If I’m honest with myself, I would have to admit I’m quite a lazy person. If I’m lying on the sofa, I don’t like to get up unless I absolutely have to, and anything that involves using energy is something which I generally don’t like doing. Think of how lazy Garfield the cat is and then multiply that by 100. Then you will have a rough idea of what I am like.
Setting It Up For The First Time
After installing it for the first time and opening it up, the first thing you need to do is log in with your iTunes account.
Turning On Home Sharing On iTunes
Put your iPhone or iPad to one side for a moment, and open up iTunes on your computer. Go to iTunes preferences followed by the tab called Sharing. This is where you can grant access to your iTunes library to anyone in your local Internet network, including any iDevices.
Go back to the Remote app on your iPhone or iPad. Access the settings, and tap on Add An iTunes Library. Before doing this, make sure that iTunes on your computer is still open and that Home Sharing is still enabled.
Connecting To iTunes
When you click on Add An iTunes Library, it will immediately give you a PIN number. The PIN number is how you will connect your iDevice to your iTunes. For security reasons, if you do not connect to iTunes within a certain period of time, then the PIN number will refresh to a new one.
Controlling iTunes
That’s the setup of Remote now finished, so let’s now take a look at how to operate the Remote. After tapping the link to your home network, you will see everything that you have on your iTunes. So as an example to show you how it works, let’s pick a movie that I recently purchased.
When I tested the app, everything worked perfectly. There was never a problem with anything. And those are the kinds of apps that I love. Ones that work right away, as advertised.
Now let’s take a quick look at playing some music, and yes I like ABBA. What can I say? I was an 80′s child.
That is pretty much it. I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to discover the Remote app. Until now I have been wasting precious energy getting off the sofa to switch songs or movies. From now on I will be the ultimate couch potato with my pizza in one hand, and my remote in the other.
Download: Apple Remote (free)
Tuesday, 26 November 2013
By tracking how many Apple iPhone users install its SDK, Fiksu can track sales of individual iPhone models and knows which versions are being used. The latest figures show that as of Monday, the Apple iPhone 5s made up 7.53% of all active iPhones in use 66 days after its launch. That compares with the 6.16% of active iPhones that the Apple iPhone 5 controlled during its 66th day on the market.So what explains the better performance by the iPhone 5s compared to the iPhone 5 last year? One reason is the new model's lack of any manufacturing issues that would make the phone hard to find. In fact lead times on Apple's website are declining and are currently at 3 to 5 business days. It took 60 days for the iPhone 5s to reach this mark. Last year, it took the Apple iPhone 5 70 days to have its lead time drop down to 2 to 4 business days. In 2012, the Apple iPhone 5 struggled through a period when it was extremely hard to find, although some vendors went out of the way to make sure that they were not blamed for the shortages.
Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster has been tracking availability of the iPhone 5s in stores belonging to the four major U.S. carriers. Two weeks ago, 31% of Verizon, AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile stores had the full-featured Apple iPhone in stock, a number that has since risen to 90%. The analyst estimates that Apple will sell 55.5 million units this quarter.
Apple iPhone 5s has a larger percentage of the phone's installed base than the iPhone 5 had 66 days after launch
1. The Apple iPhone 5s makes up 7.53% of active iPhones
2. Over 90% of carrier's stores have the Apple iPhone 5s in stock
source: Fiksu via Forbes
Introduction
Come on folks, this is something we knew that was bound to happen! Apple and Google have been waging war against one another for a long time now, and considering that this year meant that we would see refreshes to several popular tablets, which we did, it’s only fitting to see how their two compact tablets stack up against one another.
The 2013 edition of the Google Nexus 7 has proven to be one heck of a popular tablet, as it continues to be red hot thanks to its killer price point, high-end specs, and diverse platform experience. Meanwhile, Apple’s iPad mini saw itself get outfitted with a Retina Display to prove that it’s with the times – while also being treated to the same usual set of hardware and software upgrades.
Now comes the hard part: finding out which of the two is exactly the better choice to fork over your hard earned money into. Even though they both saw increases to their prices, the iPad mini with Retina Display saw a significantly higher tally than what most people would like, but nevertheless, if compact tablets are what you seek out, these are no doubt the two that should come into mind.
Design
Naturally, their prices influence their designs, which shouldn’t be a shocker seeing that one is grossly higher than the other. Aesthetically, there’s a premium element with the iPad mini with Retina Display, as it continues to boast the sturdier construction thanks in part to its brushed aluminum casing. Unlike the grandeur attached to the iPad mini, the Nexus 7 still manages to get our attention with its soft touch matte body – though, it’s definitely not as premium as the iPad mini.
Due to the smaller sized display it’s carrying along, the Nexus 7 benefits by having a more comforting and form-fitting size – best served for those with smaller hands. In comparison, Apple’s tablet has a wider figure, which in turn, requires more stretching by our hands to grasp with a single hand. After some time, it becomes tiresome, to the point that it just no longer feels as natural holding it.
Either way, the designs can be deemed as pleasant depending on how you look at it. If cutting edge and premium elements are what attracts you the most, there’s no arguing you’ll see all of that in the iPad mini. However, the smaller size of the Nexus 7 combined with its modest looks can appease others as well.
Around the trims of both tablets, we don’t really find anything too surprising with either of them, as they feature nearly the same set of buttons and ports. Specifically, they consist of their power buttons, volume controls, various microphones, 3.5mm headset jacks, and respective power/data ports.
For small tablets, they’re armed with some pretty snazzy cameras. Around the rear, they’re both packing 5-megapixel auto-focus camera sans flash – the typical arrangement we’re seeing nowadays with prized high-end tablets. In the front, it’s also the usual configuration, as they’re graced with 1.2-megapixel front-facing cameras.
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Just like last year’s comparison, there’s a slight size disparity between these two ground shakers. Like how its name implies, this year’s iPad mini benefits from having a Retina Display – a 7.9-inch 2048 x 1536 IPS LCD display, giving it the very slightly higher pixel density count of 324 ppi. On the other hand, we can’t count out the Google Nexus 7’s 7-inch 1920 x 1200 IPS LCD display, which pops out an equally crisp 323 ppi pixel density figure. Detail isn’t an issue with either of them, as they’re more than capable of producing sharp visuals that allow our eyes to distinguish even the finest of text in the web browser.
Colors are warmer with the iPad mini’s Retina Display, and the Nexus 7 casts a more natural tone with its display. Outdoor visibility is pretty good with the two, seeing that they feature wide viewing angles and strong brightness outputs to make them extremely visible. At the end of the day, it’s a tough call which one of the displays we like better – more so when they exhibit very similar qualities that we find exquisitely pleasant.
Interface and Functionality
Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock for the last few months, then you’re probably aware that these two tablets have been updated with brand spanking new experiences. Visually, there’s more of a dramatic change with the presentation of iOS 7 with the iPad mini with Retina Display, seeing that it receives one fancy new design overhaul that comes to life with its translucency, layered design concept, and fancy new animations. At the core, however, iOS 7 continues to retain the same principle of having a very simplistic operation – making it easy for first time users to navigate around.
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UI of the Apple iPad mini 2 | |||
We’ve recently received the new Android 4.4 KitKat update for the Nexus 7, but to tell you the truth, it doesn’t deviate much from the look and feel we saw with Android 4.3 Jelly Bean – albeit, it does come with some new features. Nevertheless, the vanilla experience has its own set of perks that prove its depth over its rival. And with that folks, it goes to show why the platform continues to provide us with a deeper level of functionality.
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The Google Nexus 7 is running a vanilla Android 4.3 Jelly Bean experience | |||
In the multi-tasking department, each tablet employs its own unique way of executing the task at hand – so we don’t necessarily find one implementation that’s superior over the other. Sticking firm to its process, the Nexus 7 has its multi-tasking menu that allows us to quickly jump in-and-out of different apps at a moment’s notice. Oppositely, we like what the iPad mini has to offer with its various 5-finger gesture operations – like the swipe one that offers quick app switching.
Notifications are handled in a very similar manner, but yet again, Android’s baked-in secondary features overpowers the iPad mini. Indeed, it’s nice that the two populate all notifications in one central, unified area that’s accessible at any time, but we like how we’re presented with different functions with Android’s notification panel – like how we can archive emails, share screen shots, and much more.
With the introduction of the updated software experiences, we naturally see a bump with their respective digital voice assistant services – Siri and Google Now. Needless to say, they’re smarter than ever before, but despite all of its advancements, Siri still trails Google Now. Specifically, it just seems that Google’s offering is basically more aware than its rival.
There are several notable things that makes the experience on the Nexus 7 so much more encompassing than the iPad mini. In addition to new features such as Tap & Pay and wireless printing, it’s just the simple things on the Nexus 7 that shows its value. For example, the option to have more than one user is a pleasant thing to find on the Nexus 7, which makes for better organization if the tablet is used by many people in the household.
However, the iPad mini with Retina Display continues to have apps that are more optimized for tablet – so they make great use of the added real estate. Android is home to several tablet-centric apps too, but in comparison, they don’t seem to be as polished as its iOS 7 counterparts. Regardless of that, the gap between them is closing with each passing day.
Processor and Memory
They’re fast, like really fast. Thanks to their beefy processors, these two prized tablets perform smoothly with various operations on the surface. Diving deeper and meticulously looking at them, we realize a slightly more elevated level of snappiness seen with the iPad mini’s 64-bit based dual-core 1.3GHz Apple A7 processor. Well, it’s still pretty snappy with the Nexus 7’s quad-core 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro processor, but it’s just a notch below the level of snappiness put forth by its esteemed competitor. Honestly though, most people would barely be fazed by the difference, since it’s so miniscule to the eye – well, unless you’re looking very hard.
There are more storage configurations with the iPad mini with Retina Display, as it’s available in 16GB, 32GB, 64GB, and 128GB capacities – giving consumers more variety, obviously. On the other hand, we only have between 16GB or 32GB to choose from with the Nexus 7. Without any way of easily supplementing their capacities, you’ll really need to think long and hard what best suits your needs.
Internet and Connectivity
These tablets make the web browsing experience so much more pleasurable, especially when they produce the same level of performance. Specifically, they include speedy page loads, instant page rendering on the fly, and silky smooth navigational controls. However, the Chrome browsers boasts several different features that help to complement the experience – like quick tab switching via gestures, the ability to search for keywords, and a diverse set of ways to share web pages.
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Browser of the Apple iPad mini 2 | |||
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Web browsing on the Nexus 7 | |||
Expected to sell like hot cakes, there are variants that pack along 4G LTE connectivity for constant data access when Wi-Fi is lacking. Beyond that, they pretty much are home to the usual set of connectivity features – such as aGPS, Bluetooth 4.0, and dual-band 802.11 a/b/g/n Wi-Fi. However, the Nexus 7 is stuffed with an NFC chip to make sharing between devices a lot easier to juggle – albeit, iOS 7’s AirDrop feature offers almost the same function.
Camera
Worried about missing out on the opportunity of snapping that candid shot? Well, it’s nice that we’re able to launch their respective camera apps right from their lock screens. Looking at the two interfaces, we’re not too surprised to find that they’re basic and devoid of any meaningful manual controls. On the iPad mini, we’re given options such as an HDR photo and a square shot mode. In comparison, there isn’t much either on the Nexus 7, seeing that we’re presented with a panoramic and Photosphere modes – while being given a few options to modify white balance and exposure in its settings menu.
Interestingly, they’re both outfitted with 5-megapixel auto-focus cameras that feature f2.4 aperture lens and 1080p video recording. The numbers might be the same, but the results are slightly different. To tell you the truth, there’s little differentiating the two with shots that are taken outdoors where lighting is prevalent. Details are okay with the two, but the photos from the Nexus 7 seem to have a profound over-sharpening tone. Meanwhile, depending on the angle, the iPad mini is more susceptible to casting a saturated tone with its color reproduction. And finally, it seems as though that the Nexus 7 is more equipped at taking macro shots.
Under lower lighting situations, we naturally see a diminished look with their qualities, but the Nexus 7 seems to be riddled with more noise – thus, softening its tone more than the iPad mini. The shots might be brighter with the Nexus 7, which seems to be caused by its longer exposure, but the downside is that it’s prone to blurring and more noise. At the same time, the Nexus 7 has a noticeably cooler color preproduction – whereas it’s warmer with the iPad mini. It’s not like the iPad mini takes better shots under lower lighting, but the results from the Nexus 7 sometimes appear too painted-like.
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37. Apple iPad mini 2 - Low light
38. Google Nexus 7 - Low light
It’s a close race with their still image qualities, but the iPad mini with Retina Display is better at capturing 1080p videos. For starters, the iPad mini’s quality is just crisper, less prone to artifacting when panning, and has the clearer audio recording. Under lower lighting situations, again the iPad mini comes to the rescue by dishing up the video that’s brighter and more detailed – at the expense of more noise though. Despite that, it just looks better than the dark and mushy visuals put out by the Nexus 7.
Multimedia
With their respective photo galleries, the Nexus 7 provides us with a deeper set of editing tools that give us better control. Indeed, the two have several color effects to choose from to liven up our shots, but we like how we can manually adjust brightness, contrast, colors, and much more with the Nexus 7.
Brandishing new music players, they don’t differ much with their functions and presentations. Quite frankly, we’d go to as much as saying that they’re a bit conventional. Now, due to the placement of the Nexus 7’s dual speakers, its volume output is a smidgen below the iPad mini – so it doesn’t have nearly the same commanding presence.
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Music player of the Apple iPad mini 2 | |||
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The Google Play Music app of the Nexus 7 | |||
Size is probably the differentiating factor for some people when it comes to watching high-def videos, but honestly, the size here is almost negligible. Therefore, that’s why we can side with both of them in this category, as their sharp displays help to keep us entertained. However, it’s worth pointing out that getting videos is an easier process with the Nexus 7, since it’s pretty much a copy and paste kind of thing – whereas with the iPad mini, videos require some conversion before being properly played.
Battery
In our experience, the Google Nexus 7 seems to give us a longer battery life than the iPad mini with Retina Display. To be more exact, we typically pull in an average of 2.5 days of normal usage with Google’s offering – while it’s only about 1.5 days with the iPad mini with Retina Display. Even though the longevity goes to the Nexus 7, we’re just grateful that the two are equipped at providing us even with a single day of life with heavy usage.
Conclusion
Another year, another red hot comparison pitting the two best in the compact tablet segment. From what we’ve seen, they deliver the goods in providing us with a well-rounded performance, but at the end of the day, there can only be one that can reign supreme.
First, let’s talk about pricing, which unlike last year, is now greatly divided between the two. With its sticker pricing of $230 for its base model, the Google Nexus 7 undoubtedly shows us that it provides us with more bang for the buck – and that’s despite having a more modest design and construction. Additionally, the Android 4.4 KitKat experience has bridged the gap by featuring a more straightforward and intuitive interface that closely follows the simplistic nature of iOS 7.
To tell you the truth, this comparison would’ve been harder to decide if the iPad mini with Retina Display were sporting the same price point as its predecessor, but at a staggering $400, it goes to show that it’s moved away from that affordable segment. Rather, budget conscious consumers are going to be more inclined to look at the Nexus 7 – well, that’s unless they’re invested into the iPad mini’s apps ecosystem, or if they simply prefer a premium constructed tablet.
Taking everything into consideration, we’re going to say that the Nexus 7 takes the checkered flag with this comparison!
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