Jew or not Jew iPhone app lawsuit dropped

French anti-racism groups have dropped a lawsuit against Apple over an iPhone app called Jew or not Jew? after it was removed from circulation worldwide.

Lawyer Stephane Lilti, representing four anti-racism associations, said the decision was “motivated by the removal of the application in all countries of the world”.

Lilti said at a hearing in a Paris court on Thursday that the app's designer, Johann Levy, decided to remove it. Lilti said while the groups agreed to drop the lawsuit, their complaint “had beneficial effects.”

Representatives of Apple in France would not comment on the decision, nor did a lawyer for Apple at the hearing, Coline Warin.

The app let users consult a database of celebrities and public figures to see if they are Jewish or not. The app was removed from the French online App Store after anti-racism groups initially complained about it in September.

The app remained available outside France, however, selling through Apple's US App Store.

SOS Racisme, MRAP, the Union of Jewish Students of France and a group called J'accuse joined in a lawsuit against Apple, arguing that the app violated France's strict laws banning the compiling of people's personal details without their consent.

Under the French penal code, stocking personal details including race, sexuality, political leanings or religious affiliation is punishable by five-year prison sentences and fines of up to 300,000 euros ($A411,663.81).

Such laws were enacted in the decades following the Holocaust, which saw some 76,000 Jews deported from Nazi-occupied France to concentration camps. fewer than 3000 returned alive.

In an interview published in September, app developer Levy said he developed the app to be “recreational … as a Jew myself I know that in our community we often ask whether a such-and-such celebrity is Jewish or not”, Levy was quoted as saying in Le Parisien newspaper.

Apple has removed numerous apps from the App Store since it launched in mid-2008 for violating the myriad restrictions it imposes on developers.

Biz Break: Reviews mixed on Kindle Fire, but pain still seen for Apple

Today: Amazon begins shipping the Kindle fire one day earlier than planned, as reviewers generally agree device is worth the low price. also: Another analyst jumps on Apple (AAPL), sees lessening demand for iPad, and stock fall across the board.

Amazon’s low-price tablet hits market, reviews mixed

The Kindle fire tablet began making its way to consumers Monday, a day earlier than the company expected, and reviews began to pour in on Amazon’s low-price tablet offering.

When Amazon announced the full-color touch-screen tablet, it said the product would ship on Nov. 15 for pre-orders. They beat that by a day, however, sending them out Monday along with a congratulatory news release that confirmed recent reports about production increases.

“We’re thrilled to be able to ship Kindle fire to our customers earlier than we expected. Kindle fire quickly became the bestselling item across all of Amazon.com, and based on customer response we’re building millions more than we’d planned,” Dave Limp, vice president of Amazon Kindle, said in the release.

Some reviewers have had access to the fire for a few days, and reviews are rampant. Mercury News writer Troy Wolverton has been playing with the new tablet on the other side of the newsroom, and has had plenty of staffers sidling up next to him for a look. his TechFiles review will be released later this afternoon, but his immediate reaction: “Low cost, feels good to hold, easy to set up and use. but missing a lot of features that people may notice.”

Wired focused its mostly negative review on the missing features, which include a camera, connectivity to 3G wireless networks and a slot for removable storage. Wired reviewer Job Phillips summed it up by saying, “Small screen size and insufficient processing power. Crap browser performance. Near useless as a magazine reader, and roundly trumped by superb e-ink Kindles as a book reader.”

Other reviews noted some of the same problems Wolverton and Wired noted about missing features, but noted that the $200 asking price more than makes up for that fact. The general consensus from sites such as Mashable, Business Insider and CNet was that it may not live up to the iPad as a full-service tablet, but as a content-delivery device, the amount of amusement it offers more than exceeds its price tag.

The Verge summed up its ridiculously in-depth review thusly:

“There’s no question that the fire is a really terrific tablet for its price. The amount of content you have access to — and the ease of getting to that content — is notable to say the least. The device is decently designed, and the software — while lacking some polish — is still excellent compared to pretty much anything in this range (and that includes the Nook Color). It’s a well-thought-out tablet that can only get better as the company refines the software. It’s not perfect, but it’s a great start.”

And even if it doesn’t live up to the iPad’s example, many users will find that it does enough to avoid buying Apple’s tablet, MSNBC reviewer Wilson Rothman writes.

“Turn it on and you know what to do, like with an Apple product. So much like an Apple product that Apple should be scared. … The Kindle fire can handle about 80 percent of what I want to do on an iPad, for 40 percent of the price. And much of what’s missing won’t be missing for long.”

Analyst says demand for iPad decreasing

According to Goldman Sachs analyst Bill Shope, Rothman is right about Apple needing to be scared. a report Shope issued on Sunday says that demand for the top-selling tablet on the market is declining in advance of the holiday shopping season.

“While improving holiday demand into late November could certainly push the momentum in the other direction, we believe it is prudent to assume the iPad is facing some near-term demand challenges,” Shope wrote.

Shope’s analysis follows reports last week that Apple was ramping down production on the iPhone 4S and possibly the iPad, which caused the Cupertino tech giant’s stock to drop more than 2.5 percent on Wednesday and Thursday.

Apple’s stock declined for the fourth consecutive trading day Monday, closing at $379.26 — a loss of $5.36, or 1.4 percent.

Wall Street falls amid continuing European uncertainty

Apple wasn’t the only stock that feel on Monday, as all three major stock indexes declined after signs showed that Italy will not jump right back to financial stability after the resignation of Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.

“There’s still a lot of work to be done to make Italy an ongoing financially viable situation,” Kevin Shacknofsky, of Alpine Mutual Funds, told Bloomberg News. “At some point, the market will end up becoming a bit desensitized to it. at the moment, it’s still taking the cues from Europe.”

Bank of America and JPMorgan Chase both dropped more than 2 percent to send the Dow down on the day. Tech stocks fell across the board, with Advanced Micro Devices declining 2.7 percent despite announcing new chips it will help reverse its slide, and Netflix (NFLX) continuing its recent roller-coaster with a 2.3 percent dip.

Silicon Valley tech stocks

Up: Google (GOOG), VMware

Down: Apple, AMD, Netflix, Yahoo (YHOO), eBay (EBAY), Intuit (INTU), Tesla, SunPower (SPWRA), Nvidia

The tech-heavy Nasdaq composite index: Down 21.53, or 0.8 percent, to 2,657.22

The blue chip Dow Jones industrial average: Down 74.70, or 0.61 percent, to 12,078.98

And the widely watched Standard & Poor’s 500 index: Down 12.07, or 0.96 percent, to 1,251.78

Check in weekday afternoons for the 60-Second Business Break, a summary of news from Mercury News staff writers, the Associated Press, Bloomberg News and other wire services. Contact Jeremy C. Owens at 408-920-5876; follow him at Twitter.com/mercbizbreak.

Beacon Hill entrepreneur breaks through in world of apps – Beacon Hill – Your Town – Boston.com

Three years ago, after the inception of the first generation of iPhones, Waites quit his job as an operating-room technician at Massachusetts General Hospital to turn mobile development into a full-time gig. Now, his company creates customized apps for businesses and private clients around Boston.

Waites has assembled a team of five — three programmers and two graphic designers. The company, housed in Cambridge, offers development, marketing, graphics and consulting services.

Since 2008, Waites has created iPhone, iPad and Android apps that include: a medical terminology and abbreviations dictionary; a pet owners

Case-Mate Tank: Hard-core iPhone 4S protection

There’s a new kid on the toughiPhone 4/4S block and it’s name is Tank.

Case-Mate, the company behind Tank, is touting how protective the new “military-grade” case is, and thanks to a partnership with the folks behind the SharkEye cases, it has a unique retractable window that covers the screen but also gives you full access to the screen when needed.

The Tank comes in a few different colors, including the color you see pictured, as well as a simple black-and-white with pink trim. It’s got a nice textured finish, and while it’s somewhat bulky, it is lightweight. A belt clip is also included and protects the screen further.

This is a universal case that fits both theiPhone 4 and 4S. while it’s not waterproof, it does offer some protection from rain and sand. You can drop it from 4 feet, but don’t drop it in the toilet.

The $80 LifeProof is probably is the best tough case out there right now (it is waterproof), but it has one drawback: you can’t plug most headphones into your iPhone without using an included dongle. with the Tank, accessing the headphone jack isn’t an issue.

Apple IPad 2 Buying Guide

Maybe last year, the iPad seemed too new and exotic to be on your holiday wish list. maybe you were hesitant to buy the first generation of a new type of device. maybe the oohs and aahs of iPad-owning friends hadn’t yet convinced you that the time was right to take on Apple’s tablet. Whatever the reason, things have changed: as the 2011 holiday shopping season gets underway, you’ve decided to give the gift of an iPad–either to a loved one or to yourself.

We’re assuming that you didn’t spend a lot of time considering some other tablet. That’s in part because you’re reading Macworld.com and therefore, a person of discriminating taste. but also, a quick glance at the tablet market finds very few compelling challengers to the iPad’s crown. Android tablets led by the Motorola Xoom and the Galaxy Tab 10.1 suffer from a wildly inconsistent experience–apps may run differently on one kind of Android tablet than they do on another–and your ability to get your hands on the the latest OS updates hinges upon the hardware you own. You’re taking a pass on the BlackBerry PlayBook because you’d prefer to be able to send and receive email without tethering a phone to your tablet. the Kindle Fire has failed to impress in its initial release, and the HP TouchPad has been consigned to the remainder bin of history. the iPad may not be the only game in town, but it’s the only one worth playing if you’re serious about owning a tablet.

In fact, opting for the iPad over its nominal competition may be about the easiest decision you make. there are a few other critical questions you need to answer, though, before you can grip an iPad 2 in your eager hands.

The iPad 2 comes in three different capacities: 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB. How much capacity you’ll need depends on what you plan on using your iPad for.

Do you envision storing your entire music library on your iPad? if so, be prepared to opt for a higher-capacity model. if you use Apple’s iTunes to store your music, a glance at the application can tell you just how big a library you have. For example, my iTunes library contains about 20GB of music–fairly modest as music libraries go, but it would preclude me from using a 16GB iPad 2 if I wanted to carry every last song on my tablet. the recently introduced iTunes Match offers some relief in this area: if you opt to pay that service’s $25-a-year fee, you can store much of your music in the cloud, freeing up capacity on your iPad.

If you envision using your iPad to store a lot of movies that you can watch when on the road, you’ll need to set aside some space for that. After all, even digital rentals from the iTunes Store–which disappear into the ether after you’ve finished watching them–need some room to be stored on your iPad. I’ve got a copy of the vastly under-appreciated 1993 western Tombstone that weighs in at 1.45GB. And that’s a standard definition video–high-definition video is likely to take up much more space. That’s something to take into consideration if you plan on turning your iPad into a mobile multiplex.

There are a few other storage considerations as well. Apps from Apple’s App Store don’t take up much space, generally speaking; they’re usually not any larger than 50MB. I’ve got about six dozen apps on my iPad at the moment: They take up around 3.4GB of space. that said, if you plan on loading up your iPad with games–and why wouldn’t you since it’s a great gaming device-the more graphically-intense apps can eat up hundreds of megabytes worth of storage. Photos can add up too, particularly if you plan on using the iPad’s camera to shoot any video.

If you plan on using your iPad to surf the Web, send email, and dabble with a reasonable number of apps, the 16GB model should serve you just fine. Otherwise, plan on getting a higher-capacity iPad than you think you might need. There’s no way to tack on storage to your iPad after you’ve bought it, so it’s better to have room to grow.

Just because the iPad 2 comes in three capacities, don’t think your selection is limited to three choices. Each iPad features the ability to connect to a Wi-Fi network, but you can also order the 16GB, 32GB, or 64GB models with the added ability to connect via a 3G network. And if you opt for the 3G version, you’ve then got to decide whether you want an iPad capable of connecting to AT&T’s GSM-based network or the CDMA network of Verizon.

Let’s tackle the 3G-or-not-3G question first. as with storage, you should base your connectivity decision on how you plan on using your iPad. if you’re going to stick close to home or limit your iPad use to locations where you’ll be able to access a Wi-Fi network, the less expensive Wi-Fi-only models are the better choice. on the other hand, if you expect that you might be out and about with your iPad fairly often, you might be better off paying up for a model that includes 3G connectivity.

Unlike iPhones, which require two-year commitments and monthly data and voice plans, the 3G version of the iPad comes with no contracts and no commitments. you can go month-to-month with a carrier and drop your service at any time. For that reason, if you want to keep your options open, you can always opt for the 3G model and leave the service unactivated until you need it. you will have to pay for this flexibility, though: 3G-equipped iPads cost $130 more than their Wi-Fi-only counterparts.

As for choosing a carrier, the plans offered by AT&T and Verizon are fairly similar, though there are some key differences. we go into greater depth about iPad 2 data plans elsewhere, but here’s the executive summary. AT&T charges $15 a month for 250MB of data and $25 for 2GB. Verizon offers a range of plans, starting at $20 for 1GB of data, and ranging upward to 3GB ($35), 5GB ($50), and 10GB ($80). the bottom line: if your data needs are modest, AT&T’s the better choice, while Verizon’s offerings are more appealing to people who plan to frequently connect to a 3G network. Anyone who plans on taking their iPad overseas will want to opt for AT&T’s 3G iPad; the GSM technology used by the carrier is more predominant overseas than the CDMA technology Verizon relies upon.

Whichever carrier you pick, choose wisely. Your hardware choice locks you into a particular network, so there’s no jumping back and forth between AT&T and Verizon once you’ve ordered your iPad.

(If you also happen to own an iPhone, you can use that device’s tethering capabilities to connect your iPad to a network, which could spare you the expense of having to buy a 3G-capable model. you will have to pay for tethering on your iPhone plan, but depending on your plan it could be cheaper to turn on tethering than to pay separately for a 3G plan for your iPad. plus, tethering can work with any Wi-Fi-capable device, including your laptop.)

Finally, if you’re eager to use a GPS navigation app with the iPad’s big screen, you’ll want to opt for a 3G-capable model: only 3G iPads come with GPS capabilities.

Next: Accessories, Color Choices, Updated Model Coming Soon?

Review: Mophie Juice Pack Plus Outdoor Edition and Mophie Outdoors App

Okay, so first off, I have to admit that I have never really used any of the plethora of battery backup cases available for iOS devices before. I’ve had a couple of backup batteries that just plugged into the dock connector, but never a case that would extend the life of my iPhone. I can also say that I’ve never really had any accessories for my iPhone that definitively changed the way that I used it. That is, until now. the Mophie Juice Pack Plus Outdoor Edition isn’t a perfect device, but it is extremely useful, and can definitely change the way you use your phone and think about battery life.

Don’t get me wrong. I’ve certainly heard of the Mophie Juice Pack line of products before, and I knew that they are high-quality accessories with excellent reviews and a solid reputation. I just never thought I needed one before, so the price seemed a bit high to me. I always thought I got pretty good battery life from my iOS devices, and that, unlike other devices that I’ve used in the past, I wasn’t limiting my usage based on battery concerns.

However, after living with the Mophie Juice Pack Plus Outdoor Edition for a couple of weeks, I am seeing things a little bit differently. your attitude and usage change quite a bit when you suddenly get double the battery life of your device, without doubling the size and weight.

When you unbox the Juice Pack Plus, you find that it is very simple in both design and operation.

The case comes in two pieces, the bottom portion with a built-in dock connector that the iPhone fits into, and the top section that simply slides and interlocks over the top. the case provides a snug, but not too tight fit. in fact, it manages to pull off the rare feat of being compatible with a rear screen protector. It is VERY snug, but it hasn’t marred my Best Skins ever shield, and even though it takes a little more effort now, the iPhone comes out without too much trouble. Also, because the Juice Pack slides over the metal antenna band rather than the front of the phone, it doesn’t damage most front screen protectors, either. I always use screen protection, but not all hard cases designed for the iPhone play very well with them, so this made me very happy, right off the bat.

Having never used a Juice Pack, I was curious what I would think of the size and weight of the case during my testing. I have been using an Incipio NGP soft case for the last year, so I have gotten used to a fairly light case. well, I have used the Juice Pack for two weeks now, and I have hardly taken my new iPhone 4S out of it. It is definitely a lot bigger and heavier than I am used to, but the extra battery life is worth the added size and weight.

The size tradeoff works for a couple of reasons. first of all, the design of the case is top-notch. if the Juice Pack didn’t feel good in the hand and didn’t have a great fit with the iPhone, then what would be the point? That isn’t the case here, as the rounded, soft-touch plastic back feels great in the hand, and is easy to grip.

Also, all of the ports, buttons, and cut outs line up perfectly and work reliably.

Mophie also went the extra mile of including a four step light up battery indicator on the bottom of the case.

The indicator shows the battery level when the button is pushed, so the lights aren’t unnecessarily draining the battery. when plugged into AC power, the indicator notes the charge level as it rises. So, as far as look and feel go,the Juice Pack is worth the extra weight, and even better, worth the price.

Second, the extra size of the Juice Pack adds plenty of protection to the back and sides of your precious iPhone. Under the soft touch exterior, the case is a double-injected hard shell.

Also, Mophie states that the rubberized color band around the outside of the case is shock-proof, adding to the Juice Pack’s fall protection.

Unfortunately, if there is one major shortcoming of this case, it is in the screen protection department. while a lot of iPhone cases, including my current Incipio NGP, stand out up to a 1/16″ off of the screen to protect it in a face-down fall, the Juice Pack is almost flush with the glass. if your iPhone 4 does anything besides falling straight down onto a completely even surface, then the glass will take a hit. for a case that is so good in every other respect, I would love to see Mophie address this in future models. Doubling the amount that the plastic protrudes past the screen would make a significant difference in the screen protection, without sacrificing the feel of the device.

Last, and maybe this is just me, but the extra size of the Juice Pack case actually works in favor of those with big hands and thumbs.

Since I got my iPad, my iPhone typing skills have steadily degenerated into a huge steaming pile. I am really bad at this point, especially with the phone in portrait orientation. a big part of the problem for me is not just the combination of small keys and big thumbs, but the size of the iPhone itself. because the iPhone 4 and 4S are so small, it is difficult for me to hold the phone at an angle where it is easy to type accurately. However, with the added size of the Juice Pack, the iPhone is now MUCH easier to type on, especially in landscape. It now fits comfortably and naturally in my hand at the perfect angle. in fact, I typed a large portion of the draft of this review on my iPhone, which I would have never considered doing in the past.

So that covers size, weight, and feel. How about looks? As for the pure aesthetics, I’ll be honest. I personally prefer the color choices of the standard Juice Pack Plus line, especially the black case with purple trim (LSU fan here. Geaux Tigers!). However, the gray with orange trim of the Outdoor Edition certainly isn’t offensive, and this is a pretty common color combo for outdoor gear. Also, if you are planning to use the Juice Pack Plus Outdoor Edition in the woods or on the trail, the orange band is bright enough to come in handy if you drop it in a place where the iPhone would normally be difficult to see.

As good as the size and feel of the Juick Pack are, its best feature is definitely the battery life that it adds to the iPhone 4 and 4S. the Juice Pack Plus has a 2000 mAh rechargeable battery on-board, which more than doubles the iPhone 4′s normal output. It also includes a hardware switch on the lower-left side of the orange band that allows you to turn the Juice pack on and off as needed.

The inexpensive backup batteries and battery cases that I am familiar with charge your device any they are connected, so this was a big eye-opener for me. having control over when you use the battery insures that you always have that reserve when you need it, which helps set the Juice pack apart from the cheaper competition.

Mophie states in their specifications that the Juice Pack Plus adds the following:

8 hours of talk time on 3G, 16 hours on 2G 7 hours of Internet on 3G, 11 hours on WiFi 44 hours of audio playback 11 hours of video playback

Wow! Even though the iPhone is a device that has a reputation for great battery life, the Juice Pack really takes things to the next level. (Well, until recently, that is. I know. Apple is working on it. Just to note, though, I have not had the extreme battery issues that some are seeing with iOS 5, even with the Juice Pack turned off.) I have used the Juice Pack Plus exclusively with my new iPhone 4S over the last two weeks. However, since I have only had my 4S for a couple of weeks and with those issues and Apple’s updates in mind, I didn’t do any formal battery analysis. My testing was purely anecdotal, but the results were no less impressive.

Like I said before, having the Juice Pack changed the way I use my 4S, because battery just wasn’t a big concern anymore. That is an important point, however, because I am pretty tough on devices when it comes to battery life. I tend to be a heavy GPS user, especially in the car. That’s usually not an issue for me, since it’s easy to top off my charge with a car adapter, but I found myself going without the cable on short car trips over the last week, and I never had a problem with the battery running too low at the end of the day. It’s really nice to not have to plug in EVERY TIME I get in the car, especially since I am on the go a lot during the work day. And as anyone who uses GPS navigation apps while driving will tell you, if you use the iPhone alone and don’t plug it in in the car, your battery won’t make it a full day.

The primary purpose of the Juice Pack Plus Outdoor Edition is to turn your iPhone into a reliable, portable GPS for outdoor use. a big part of making that happen is not having the battery die within an hour of firing up a navigation app, and if you’ve ever tried using an iPhone as a GPS on foot, that’s easier said than done. I’ve tried using Navigon’s MobileNavigator in pedestrian mode to get around in a couple of unfamiliar cities, and it killed the battery FAST. in fact, the first time I did this was with a 3GS, and it was under 20% by 1 PM. Ouch. Even with a fully charged backup battery I didn’t make it all day. what good is a mobile GPS with a dead battery? How about one you can’t use the way you want or need to because you fear the dead battery? both equally suck, and aren’t of much use to anyone.

Armed with the Mophie Juice Pack Plus, this becomes much less of a concern. I’ve taken it on a couple of outdoor excursions, and have been very impressed with the results. I went to the Memphis Zoo this last weekend with my family and used the Juice Pack and its Outdoor Edition (more on this in just a bit) to track our progress around the park. the Juice Pack had a full charge when we arrived, but my phone wasn’t quite there, registering 81% when we parked the car. after over three hours of constant use with the GPS active the entire time, the screen at near max brightness and on a lot, and several pictures taken with the camera, the Juice Pack was just about empty, but my iPhone was still at 100%. I’d say that’s pretty impressive. It definitely exceeded my expectations.

Just for good measure, I recently gave the Juice Pack another go in the car with ALK’s CoPilot Live Premium on a roughly two hour drive from my home to Tupelo, MS for work. Unlike Mophie’s Outdoor Edition app, CoPilot Live keeps the screen on all the time by default. Also, since it was a bright day, I again had to turn the brightness up to near max to see the screen clearly. At the beginning of this test, the Juice Pack was again fully charged, but my iPhone was down to 61% this time. when my drive, which included 2 hours of constant GPS usage, a couple of phone calls, and some Siri dictation, ended, the Juice Pack was near empty, but my iPhone had increased its charge to 75%. Also, there was enough left over in the Juice Pack with one light on the battery meter to get the iPhone back up to 80% after it slipped due to heavy usage in a building with very poor AT&T reception.

I don’t have long-term personal experience with portable outdoor GPSs, but I have been using auto navigation apps since they first appeared in the App Store, and in my experience, the Juice Pack performed phenomenally. the iPhone 4S on battery alone would have been near death after two hours of that heavy a load, but with the Juice Pack Plus’ extra juice, I made it with a solid day’s use left to spare. for the mobile professional that relies on their iOS device for more than just occasional email and phone calls, and sometimes pushes the limits of normal battery life, the Mophie Juice Pack Plus is a true difference maker.

One thing to note here is that, to get all of that extra battery life, it can take a while to charge the Juice Pack Plus. this is especially true with the iPhone still inside. I use my iPhone to listen to music in bed, so I have gotten in the habit of taking it out and charging the Juice Pack alone at night, which insures a full charge to start the day. this isn’t a problem at all, but something to be aware of.

One thing you quickly learn as a reviewer is that nothing is perfect. All products or software inevitably have some drawbacks. I can even find a couple with the Juice Pack Plus, despite the fact that I love it and use it every day. I already mentioned my minor concerns with the lack of screen protection. However, there is another related to the Juice Pack Plus Outdoor Edition’s intended purpose to be aware of. Despite the name and unique color, there are not any other hardware differences between this and any other Juice Pack cases. while the case’s back is certainly substantial and durable, we’re talking about a device meant to be used outdoors, in places where you often can’t get out of the elements when rain or snow move in. the Juice Pack is not water proof or water resistant in any way shape or form, and just to be clear, it isn’t designed to be or marketed in this way.

However, since this particular model is geared toward outdoor use, it might be a good idea for Mophie to consider adding the kind of removable port plugs that you see on many ruggedized cases in their next version. this would at least give you a minimum amount of protection against water, or sand if you head to the beach with your phone in hand. this certainly isn’t a deal-breaker for me, but for users who are going to hit the trail for multiple days with using the iPhone and Juice Pack plus as their primary GPS, you need to be aware and plan ahead. in the Juice Pack Plus Outdoor Edition’s current form, packing something waterproof to store the Juice Pack and your iPhone in is essential.

Now that we have gone over the hardware, it’s time to take a look at the software side of the Juice Pack Plus Outdoor Edition. That comes in the form of the Mophie Outdoor GPS Maps and Tracking app, which is available free in the App Store.

The app was developed for Mophie by NeoTreks, and is based on their already-available AccuTerra app, which won the 2009 Apple Design Award. It is a full-fledged GPS mapping and tracking app that is geared toward the needs of hikers, hunters, and other outdoorsmen. while there are only a handful of reviews logged so far for the newly released Mophie Outdoor app, it is off to a very promising start with a solid five stars. while I wouldn’t say it is perfect just yet, I do agree that it is well-executed, and that it is a very good fit with the Juice Pack hardware.

When you first start the app, you are welcomed with a few different options in a Main Menu.

You can view the Users Guide (which unfortunately, is not a part of the app and requires Internet access), Download Offline Maps, go to your Library of saved excursions, or go into Tracking Mode. One of the few issues that I have with this app is its interface, and this menu is a good example. the menu itself is fine, but once you go into the app, you can’t get back to it unless you completely close and re-open it.

Also, the interface inside of the app isn’t impossible to follow, but it isn’t the clearest and most intuitive, either. It doesn’t follow the typical iOS model, with a menu bar at the bottom of the screen, but spreads the menu triggers across the screen. I’m guessing that this decision was to maximize screen real estate for viewing maps, but locations of all the app’s features isn’t completely clear to a new user. Thankfully, this isn’t a deal-breaker by any means. It just means that you have to spend a little time getting used to the layout, and where to go to get to different features.

The tracking features are the core of what the Mophie Outdoor app offers, and they work very well. when you first enter the Tracking Mode, you are taken to a default location of Yosemite National Park.

Tapping the Locate button in the bottom-left corner of the map triggers the GPS to find your current location.

Once the iPhone’s GPS is triggered, you can not only see your location on the map, but also your current latitude, longitude and elevation. for hikers and outdoorsmen, this information can be as important as looking at the map itself. Another positive to note here is that, despite the fact that the Mophie Juice Pack Plus covers the entire antenna surface of the iPhone 4 or 4S, the GPS reception is not negatively effected. I was able to get a lock, even inside of some buildings, without any trouble. However, I did have issues while in the center of a couple of more heavily constructed buildings. At this point, the iPhone GPS switches to using approximated location with cell sites, which you DEFINTELY don’t want if you are recording your journey. Fortunately, the Mophie Outdoor app gives you the ability to pause your journey if you stop or enter a building, so that your track doesn’t go crazy when you lose GPS lock.

Once the GPS lock is established, the Track feature menu becomes visible on the right side of the map.

This menu can also be triggered by the Track button at the top-right corner of the screen. You can start recording, pause, or stop a track, place a Marker on the map, take a picture with the iPhone’s camera, look at the Stats of your journey, or Clear your current trip.

Once you start recording, a green marker is automatically placed at your starting point, with green dots placed at intervals along your way.

Any markers, which show up as blue flags, that you place on your trail can be named and have a story added to them, and any pictures that you take will not only be saved to your Camera Roll, but will also be geo-tagged and embedded inside the KML file.

You can tap on the camera icons on the map screen to view the pictures in sequence.

When you are done with your journey, Mophie Outdoors saves everything in a KML file. the KML file type is the only one that Outdoor is compatible with at this point, but since it gives you access to track and trail information from Google Maps and Google Earth, it is a versatile way to start. It is my understanding, however, that other file types may be added at some point down the road.

Another great feature of the Mophie Outdoor app is the ability to not only share your KML files, but also export them to and import them from other sources.

For sharing your adventures or placemarkers, you can either email them, or post the details of the journey to your wall on Facebook.

Mophie Outdoor also gives you a variety of settings to use to customize your email output.

Again, since these files are compatible with Google Maps and Earth, it will be easy for the recipient to view the details of your journey without having this app, or even an iOS device.

While sharing lets others review your past journeys, Mophie Outdoors’ import and export features allow you and others to prepare for current and future excursions. there are websites with popular trail tracks and information recorded in KML format, primarily for use with Google Earth. However, you can make use of this same information with the Mophie Outdoors, giving you trail mapping and detailed information for an upcoming journey ahead of time. Also, thanks to the included export features, you can send your trail information, either past or present, to other travelers using the Mophie Outdoors app.

I have to say, I really like the fact that Mophie went beyond just sharing information for social or backup purposes, and added these very practical import and export features, as well. this can allow groups of people using multiple iPhones to get in sync before hitting the trail, as well as allowing users to share their past outdoor experiences for the benefit of others.

Unfortunately, there is a negative aspect with the Adventure and Placemarker features, but it actually has nothing to do with Mophie or NeoTrek. to cut down on the space and time taken for iOS backup of app information, many developers put files that could be imported and exported from other sources in the Cache and Temp directories inside their respective app’s sandboxed folders. in the past, these folders weren’t automatically deleted or altered by the OS, so they were a safe place for devs to “stash” app information. Unfortunately, without any warning, Apple changed how they handle Cache and Temp information in iOS 5, as the OS now periodically purges these directories.

This change to iOS was pointed out by Marco Arment, the developer of Instapaper, in a recent blog post. Unfortunately, as he points out, many apps will be affected by this, including his own very popular Instapaper app. Mophie Outdoor is another app that has been negatively affected, as well. I found this out the hard way, as the two lengthy adventure files that I originally saved during my testing were purged before I shared or exported them. Now they are gone for good. Again, however, this isn’t Mophie’s fault. Apple really should have given devs more of a warning on this, as not all of iCloud’s Document and Data features were rolled out for an extended period of the iOS 5 beta. Hopefully, Mophie and NeoTreks can come together and find an automatic solution, possibly using iCloud, for this issue so that users won’t suddenly lose their recorded data. for now, be warned that you need to share or export your saved data do it doesn’t disappear on you.

What good is an app dedicated to navigating if the maps aren’t any good? Fortunately, you don’t have to worry about that with Mophie Outdoors, since you have real-time access to Google Maps, and on-demand access to AccuTerra’s maps.

If aren’t familiar with AccuTerra, they make highly detailed and accurate topographical maps that are geared toward outdoor and trail use. As well as having on-demand access, you can also pre-download the AccuTerra maps that you need, and take them with you for use while you are offline. this is an absolutely essential feature, as you can often find yourself in places with spotty cell coverage, or none at all, when you are hiking or camping in the great outdoors.

Mophie Outdoors’s mapping features can be accessed via the Map button in the top-left corner of the screen.

First off from the Maps menu, you can select which Web Maps to view from Google’s Road or Satellite Maps, or AccuTerra’s Maps to view your tracks on.

There is one thing to note if you use the AccuTerra maps. They do not stream, like Google Maps do, and only high a regional zoom level is pre-loaded in the app. when you select AccuTerra from the Web Maps menu, if the map is zoomed in, the you get a message to put Mophie Outdoors into Grid Mode to select areas to download.

The Grid Mode is activated with the orange button at the top-center of the screen. Once activated, a message appears at the bottom of the screen, instructing you to tap and hold the areas of the grid that you want to download.

This ultimately helps to keep the size of the app down, as the AccuraTerra maps can be quite large when you have many loaded.

Another of the cool mapping features of the app is the ability to switch maps on the fly. Since your track is saved separately from the map data, you can switch between the map types whenever you want, even when viewing past adventures in your Library.

This is especially helpful, since the different map types have very different features. the AccuTerra maps are very accurate and show all of the topographical features very clearly, as well as trail and camping information that may not always appear on Google Maps. However, you cannot zoom in as closely with these maps. when you need to get closer and get more fine detail, as long as you have Internet access, you can use Google Maps. Google’s Satellite maps are especially helpful for this.

Next up from the Maps Menu, you have the Maps button, which allows you to pre-select AccuTerra maps to download to your phone in advance of a trip.

You are automatically presented with maps that are nearby your current location, but you can also select or search for the maps you need, as well. in addition to maps of all the US States, there are also maps available for specific State and National Parks.

Next, we have the Library, which stores all of your previously saved Adventures and Placemarks.

From here, you can view all of the saved content on your device, or access all of the aforementioned sharing functions. this is also where you access the app’s import and export features.

So overall, the Mophie Outdoors app is a very solid GPS mapping and trip recording application. It gives you access to up-to-date maps wherever you go, and does a great job of not only recording your journeys, but sharing them as well. Now we get to the rub- price. while the app itself is free in the App Store, many of the features actually require a subscription. when you purchase the Mophie Juice Pack Plus Outdoor Edition, you get a slip in the box that allows you to register for a one-year subscription to the app. after that, however, you will have to pay a $19.99/year subscription fee to retain access to all of the app’s features.

While the details aren’t necessarily spelled out on Mophie’s website or the app’s App Store page, my PR contact at Mophie informed me that the app will still partially function without a subscription. All of the mapping features will still work, but none of the track saving, photo, or sharing features will. Also, for those who want to purchase the app without the Juice Pack, it is still free in the App Store, but you have to pay for the first year’s subscription via an in-app purchase for $29.99. this accounts for the Juice Pack Plus Outdoor Edition’s higher retail price of $119, as opposed to $99 for a normal Juice Pack Plus. like the Juice Pack Outdoor Edition, the subscription fee is also $19.99 after the first year for other users, as well.

While paying $19.99/year may not seem all that appealing, it is far cheaper in the long run than what you would pay for an PND geared toward outdoor-activities. That particular class of device tends to be quite expensive, with name brand units with color maps often running between $300-$500. when you consider the enhanced battery life that the Juice Pack Plus brings to the table, the convenience of carrying just one device, and the ease of updating the app and its content, the combination of the Juice Pack Outdoor Edition and Mophie Outdoor app becomes a very attractive option for iPhone users, and an amazing value to boot. As with so many things, you get what you pay for, and with the Mophie Juice Pack Plus Outdoor Edition, that is definitely the case. those users who require a more rugged or waterproof device for their travels may want to look elsewhere or at least take some extra precautions, but for the majority of users, this product will be more than enough to meet their outdoor GPS needs.

The Mophie Juice Pack Plus Outdoor Edition is available from Mophie and a variety of other retailers for $119.95.

The Mophie Outdoors app is available for free in the App Store here. Subscription fees of $29.99 for the first year for other users, and $19.99 after the first year apply.

The Mophie Juice Pack Plus Outdoor Edition and Mophie Outdoors app were provided by Mophie for review on iSource. for further information regarding our site’s review policies, please see the “About” page.

Android Apps Development Differs from iPhone Apps Development

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Thumbs Up Desktop Phone • reghardware

Accessory of the Week I use a USB handset with Skype on my Mac, and I’ve been looking for something similar to use with my iPhone when I’m in the office. Bluetooth headsets just make me feel silly, so I’ve opted for the distinctly low-tech and unpretentious Desktop Phone from Thumbs Up instead.

The Desktop Phone is a simple dock for your iPhone, and includes a short 3.5mm cable that plugs into the iPhone’s headphone socket in order to route your calls to its own receiver. It routes control signals too.

Thumbs Up Desktop Phone

There’s a Function button on the handset that allows you to accept or end incoming calls, or you can leave the handset in place and just use the Function button to switch the unit into hands-free speakerphone mode using the iPhone’s own speaker and mic.

At just £20, the Desktop Phone isn’t exactly a gleaming example of hi-tech engineering. The plastic support legs seem a tad fragile, and the ‘cradle’ into which you insert your iPhone could more accurately be described as a ‘hole’. It’s designed to hold the larger iPhone 3G as well as the newer 4 and 4S models, and my iPhone 4S rattled around loosely in the cradle at first.

Thumbs Up Desktop Phone

However, the unintentional advantage of this is that the iPhone actually fits quite well if I just leave it in its protective bumper. There’s also a slot at the bottom of the cradle so that you can plug in the iPhone’s USB charger cable.

It’s handy to be able to see the iPhone screen while taking calls, and if you press-and-hold the Function button you can even activate Siri on the iPhone 4S in order to make a call or run a web search using just voice commands.

Thumbs Up Desktop Phone

Yes, it’s distinctly non-essential, but the Desktop Phone will earn its keep if you prefer to use a conventional handset when making calls from your desk. ®

Reg Hardware chooses its Accessory of the Week every Friday. got one in mind you want us to consider? Please let us know

More Accessory of the Week WinnersHengeDockingStation LogitechTouchPad BelkinChef Standand Stylus Surc remotecontrol case LG LSM-100mousescanner

Can Motorola’s ‘Thinnest Smartphone’ Droid RAZR Outrun iPhone 4S?

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Though the iPhone 4S is not the “iPhone 5” forecast by rumor mills, it is certainly not a lesser device. The phone has significant hardware upgrades even though it looks identical to the iPhone 4.

Apple has brought speech recognition to the masses with the 4S. The device is equipped with an intelligent assistant – Siri. The new smartphone received positive reactions from technology gadget reviewers especially for this piece of software.

The iPhone 4S has a 3.5-inch TFT Retina multi-touch display and is loaded with Apple’s latest operating system, iOS 5. In addition, the phone comes with alternating antennae for better call reception, CDMA and GSM support, a personal assistant called Siri, iCloud and Bluetooth 4.0 wireless technology.

Here’s a comparison of the features of the two contenders.

Size: Droid RAZR will come in 130.7 x 68.9 x 7.1 mm dimension and weighs 127 grams, while Apple iPhone 4S measures 115.2 x 58.6 x 9.3 mm and weighs 140 grams.

Display: Droid RAZR will come with a 4.3-inch qHD screen paired with Super AMOLED touchscreen that may give a resolution of 960 x 540 pixels with about 256 ppi pixel density. The iPhone 4S has a marginally smaller screen – at 3.5 inches – but boasts a Retina display of 960×640-pixel resolution at 326 ppi.

Operating System: Droid RAZR runs on the latest version of Google’s smartphone Operating System, the Android 2.3.5 Gingerbread OS. it will also probably be getting the Ice Cream Sandwich, Android 4.0 mobile OS upgrade, early next year. although the Android OS is capable of giving the user a very considerable amount of computing power, the fact that the Android apps market is cluttered with so many applications can make navigating it an annoying process.

Meanwhile, the iPhone 4S runs on iOS 5 – a free software update bringing over 200 new features to the iPhone, the iPad and the iPod touch, including wireless syncing, Twitter integration and widgets. The iOS 5 is touted as being very simple to use. The apps are arranged in grids of 12 across multiple screens, making navigation a potentially easier task.

Processor Droid RAZR will feature 1.2 GHz dual-core Cortex-A9 CPU, PowerVR SGX540 GPU, TI OMAP 4460 chipset with 1GB RAM. on the other hand, the iPhone 4S features a 1GHz dual-core ARM Cortex-A9 processor, PowerVR SGX543MP2 GPU and an Apple A5 chipset.

Camera: Both Droid RAZR and iPhone 4S sport a rear-facing 8-megapixel camera with 1080p HD video capture capability. 

Storage: Droid RAZR will have a fixed 16 GB internal storage and a 16GB microSD external card pre-installed that can be expanded up to 32GB. The iPhone 4S comes in 16GB, 32GB and 64GB models. it doesn’t support a MicroSD card slot. Apple has not revealed the RAM capabilities of the iPhone 4S.

3G/4G Capabilities: Droid RAZR will come with Rev. a up to 3.1 Mbps, 4G LTE, HSDPA and HSUPA. The Apple iPhone 4S, on the other hand, has HSDPA 14.4 Mbps and HSUPA 5.8 Mbps support. The iPhone 4S also has CDMA EV-DO Rev. a (800, 1900 MHz) technology.

Battery Life: Motorola Droid RAZR has standard 1780 mAh battery offering talk time of up to 12.3 hours and standby time of 204 hours, while the iPhone 4S has a Li-Po 1,420 mAh battery, with 8 hours of talk time on 3G and up to 14 hours on 2G networks (GSM).

Price: Droid RAZR will be available on Verizon at $299.99, with a two-year contract. While the iPhone 4S costs $199 for the 16GB model, $299 for the 32GB model and $399 for the 64GB model with a two-year contract. Apple-listed prices for a contract-free phone in the United States are $649 for the 16GB model, $749 for 32GB and $849 for the 64GB.

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iLuv products for iPod, iPhone and iPad

iLuv is the producer of countless great accessories for your iPod, iPhone and iPad, whether you need a case, an alarm clock or speakers.

One of their best new products available this winter is the imm178 Vibe plus Dual Alarm Clock with Bed Shaker for iPod and iPhone. this alarm clock also doubles as a bed shaker that is guaranteed to wake up even the heaviest sleeper by also shaking their bed or pillow. once you shut off the speaker, the vibrating continues, making sure that you are the only person that wakes up. you can set it to an iPod, iPhone or FM radio to play your favorite music during the day.

For those on the go, but want to listen to your iPad without headphones, the iSP210 MusicPac is perfect. It not only acts as a protective case for the iPad or iPad 2, but it also delivers powerful sound from a portable speaker. It uses a simple zipper-closure, which makes sure that the iPad will not get ruined or move around during travel.

If you’ve always wanted to share the sounds of your iPad or iPad 2 with the rest of your family, the iMM514 ArtStation Pro is a wonderful product that delivers cinematic sound quality while looking great to your entire house. It is practically the ultimate docking station, making it easier to enjoy TV shows or movies. the system also includes a free app that allows you to turn your iPad into a stylish clock and radio and also includes a weather program.

iLuv also has plenty of smaller products that work as great stocking stuffers. First up is the iEP322 City Lights Collection In-Ear Headphones. these in-ear headphones are stylish, coming in a variety of holiday-themed colors, while also delivering high-performance speakers that have extended frequency range, high power handling and lower distortion.

Next is the iBA300 Portable USB Rechargeable Battery Kit that not only works for iPhones, but Blackberrys as well. the rechargeable battery pack can be used for other USB powered devices. It gives you the extra hours of music and video playing time that a fully-charged battery by itself will not give. It’s a perfect device for emergencies.

Finally, the iCB107 5-Way Audio Splitter with Apple remote is a compact device that lets you share music to five different headphones. so, if you are listening to something you want to share, just have the other person plug in their pair of headphones and you both can privately listen to the music without annoying those around you. It is great for families with children that want to use an iPad to watch a movie together.