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Remains of the Turkey: Black Friday deals

1Password: AgileBits is selling its password management software, 1Password, for 50 percent off, or $25, through November 30. you can get the discounted version from AgileBits’s website or from the Mac App Store. (The iOS version are also on sale.)

Art Authority: the Mac version of Open Door Networks and Project A’s Art Authority, a catalog of notable artwork accompanied by in-depth information on periods and artists, will be on sale for 50 percent off its usuasl $10 price tag on November 25. (The iOS version is also on sale.)

Appcuity: ProVue Development’s power search tool for the Mac App Store, Appcuity Pro, is available at a 40 percent discount until November 30; that’s $3 off a 1-year subscription, $6 off a 2-year subscription, and $9 off a lifetime subscription.

Hyrda 3: Creaceed has cut the price on the Express and Pro versions of its HDR photography application by 50 percent. the Express version costs $25, while the Pro version will sell for $50 for the next week.

Intego software: Security software maker Intego is offering a 40 percent discount on all its X6 security offerings on Friday. Products on sale include VirusBarrier X6, Internet Security Barrier X6, VirusBarrier X6 Dual Protection, Internet Security Barrier X6 Dual Protection, and Washing Machine 2. Customers should use the code BLACKFRIDAY2011 at Intego’s online store.

Runesoft: Mac game developer Runesoft will be discounting its game on the Mac App Store by up to 60 percent. Titles include Ankh, Jack Keane, Robin Hood: the Legend of Sherwood, Airline Tycoon Deluxe, Jade Rousseau: the Secret Revelations, the Legend of Rome, the Legend of Atlantis, and more. Offer valid until Sunday, November 27.

Sandvox: Karelia Software is cutting the price of its $80 website building software to $50 for one day on Monday, Nov. 28. the discount is available at both the Mac App Store and Karelia’s website.

StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty: Blizzard Software is selling its strategy game for $30, half off the usual price, at its online store. the offer ends Monday, Nov. 28.

TopXNotes: Tropical Software is taking 25 percent off its note management software. the sale price is available on the Mac App Store as well as on the TopXNotes website.

CleanMyMac: MacPaw will offer a 50 percent discount on all of its software, including its normally $30 CleanMyMac maintenance utility—only on November 25.

1Password: Like its desktop counterpart, the 1Password iOS apps are 50 percent off through November 30. There’s 1Password for iPhone for $5, 1Password for iPad for $5, and the universal 1Password Pro for $7.

1TapPhoto: MaPaCoPa is making its mobile offering for taking photographs with a single tap of the app’s icon available for free. the 1TapPhoto offer lasts through Sunday, Nov. 27.

Art Authority: Open Door Networks and Project a is putting the iPhone and iPad versions of Art Authority, the catalog of notable artwork, on sale for 50 percent off during Friday, November 25. the iPad edition will go for $5 while the iPhone version will sell for $4, both 50 percent off their normal prices.

Best Baby Monitor: Developer Martin Man has lowered the price on Best Baby Monitor, a 60 percent discount on the universal iOS app that turns two devices into a Wi-Fi video baby monitor. the sale runs through Monday, Nov. 28.

BulkyPix: Several titles from iOS developer BulkyPix are on sale this week, with Twin Blades, Twin Blades HD, Hysteria Project, and the my Brute Alchemist Pack on sale for $1 apiece from Thursday, Nov. 24 through Sunday, Nov. 27. in addition, the company’s most recent releases, Corpse Granny and Grave Defense HD, are on sale for $2 this Friday, Nov. 23.

CoPilot Live Premium USA: ALK Technologies has cut the price of its turn-by-turn GPS navigation app for the iPhone to $10 through the end of the Thanksgiving weekend. Other ALK iPhone apps on sale this weekend include CoPilot Live Standard USA, CoPilot Live Premium North America, and CoPilot Live Standard North America; the iPad versions of those apps are on sale as well.

The Dark Meadow: Phosphor Games is selling its first-person adventure and combat game for the iPhone and iPad for $1. the sale ends Sunday, Nov. 27.

FX Photo Studio: MacPhun has cut the price of its photo effects and filters app to $1. the sale runs for a limited time according to FX Photo Studio’s App Store page.

Garmin GPS apps: Navigation app maker Garmin is cutting 50 percent off the price of its Garmin U.S.a. and Garmin North America iPhone apps. the former will cost $25 while the latter will sell for $30 on Friday only. in addition, Garmin’s Navigon GPS apps will remain on sale through Monday, as part of a promotion marking the release of the 2.0 update.

iBlast Moki 2 HD: Godzilab is cutting the price of its physics-based puzzle game for the iPad to $1 from $5.

Localscope: the local business finder for iOS, Localscope, is on sale from Thursday, Nov. 24 to Monday, Nov. 28, for just $1.

MapPocket: Leaping Bytes will offer MapPocket, its universal app for storing online maps on your iOS device for easy access when you’re offline, for free on Fridays for the rest of 2011.

Mooniz: Adrenaline Monki’s family-friendly puzzle game for iPhone, Mooniz, is free during Black Friday weekend.

Pangea Software games: App maker Pangea will cut the price of its [iOS games] (itunes.apple.com/us/artist/pangea-software-inc./id281736538) to $1 starting Friday and running through Sunday. Pangea’s apps include Monkey Bongo, Cro-Mag Rally, and Nanosaur 2, among others.

Sega games: Sega is offering specials on 13 of its iPhone games, with prices cut by anywhere from 50 percent to 80 percent. Eligible games include Sonic Spinball, Sonic the Hedgehog 4, Altered Beast, and Super Monkey Ball 2. the specials last through Monday, Nov. 28.

U.S. Travler: GloboTrac.com’s travel information resource will be a free download through Nov. 28.

Telltale games: iPad games from Telltale—including back to the Future HD, Hector: Badge of Carnage HD, and Tales of Monkey Island HD—will cost $3 per episode through Sunday. Telltale is also dropping the cost of its iPhone games, including Hector: Badge of Carnage and Puzzle Agent 2, to $1 during the sale.

iBike: iBike is taking $100 off any of its bicycle trainer computer systems, which feature a case that can turn your iPhone or iPod touch into a high-end cycling computer. Systems on sale from Friday through Sunday include iSport (on sale for $299), iPro ($459), iAero ($559), and iBike Dash +Power ($649).

Uniea: Case maker Uniea is running a promotion from Friday, November 25 to Monday, November 28, giving customers 40 percent off their entire order from the company’s online store, as well flate rate shipping of $6. Use the promo code BLACK40.

id America: Case maker id America is offering 20% off all orders purchased by December 1, 2011. Use the promo code BLKFRI20OFF.

Pairing with a Bluetooth Device (iPhone 4)

Your primary uses for Bluetooth might be with Bluetooth headphones, Bluetooth stereo adapters, or a Bluetooth headset. any Bluetooth headphones should work well with your iPhone 4. To start using any Bluetooth device, you need to first pair (connect) it with your iPhone 4.

The first step to using Bluetooth is to turn the Bluetooth radio On.

1. Tap your Settings icon.

2. then, touch General.

3. you will see the Bluetooth tab in the right-hand column.

4. By default, Bluetooth is initially off on the iPhone 4. Tap the switch to move it to the On position.

TIP: Bluetooth is an added drain on your battery. If you don’t plan on using Bluetooth for a period of time, think about turning the switch back to off.

As soon as you turn Bluetooth On, the iPhone 4 will begin to search for any nearby Bluetooth device—like a Bluetooth headset or stereo adapter (see Figure 6-1). for the iPhone 4 to find your Bluetooth device, you need to put that device into "pairing mode." Read the instructions that came with your headset carefully—usually there is a combination of buttons to push to achieve this.

TIP: Some headsets require you to press and hold a button for five seconds until you see a series of flashing blue or red/blue lights. Some accessories, such as the Apple wireless Bluetooth keyboard, automatically start up in pairing mode.

Once the iPhone 4 detects the Bluetooth device, it will attempt to automatically pair with it. If pairing takes place automatically, there is nothing more for you to do.

Figure 6-1. Bluetooth device discovered but not yet paired

NOTE: in the case of a Bluetooth device, such as a headset, you may be asked to enter a series of numbers (passkey) on the keyboard itself. see Figure 6-2.

Figure 6-2. Type in the four-digit passkey when prompted during the pairing process.

Newer headsets like the Aliph Jawbone ICON, used here, will automatically pair with your iPhone. Simply put the headset into pairing mode and turn on Bluetooth on the iPhone—that’s all you have to do!

Pairing will be automatic and you should never have to re-pair the headset again.

If your headset is properly paired and on, all incoming calls should be routed to your headset. Usually you can just press the main button on the headset to answer the call or use the Slide to answer function on the iPhone.

Move the phone away from your face (while the iPhone is dialing) and you should see the indicator showing you that the Bluetooth headset is in use. in the image you see that the Speaker icon is next to the "Jawbone ICON" Bluetooth headset.

You will also see the options to send the call to your iPhone handset or to the "Speaker" phone. you can change this at any point while you are on the call.

Touch hide Sources and you will see the normal call screen on the iPhone.

Options when on a Call

Once the call is made and you are speaking with your contact, you can still re-route the call to either the iPhone or the speakerphone.

Move the call away from your face (if it is near your face) and you will see Audio Source

as one of the options for you to touch. Touch that icon and you will have all the options for rerouting the call, as shown previously.

Just choose to send the call to any of the options shown and you will see the small Speaker icon move to the current source being used for the call (Figure 6-3).

Figure 6-3. Changing from Bluetooth headset back to the iPhone while on a call

How to use Yipit on your iPhone

Just in time for Black Friday and the holiday-shopping season to follow, Yipit has released an iOS app that aggregates offers from Groupon, Living Social, and over 800 other daily deals sites. Like most daily deals sites, the Yipit app works best if you live in a major metro area. the app is free, however, and lets you select categories so that you get a manageable list of deals to sift through.

After you launch the app, it’ll ask you to allow it to know your location. If you allow it, you won’t have to then select your city (or the nearest large city) from the list. In my case, I’m located in Concord, NH, and the closest city to me that Yipit listed was Boston. (One reason I signed up for Living Social is that it has a Southern New Hampshire category, which will occasionally surface a deal in my town or the surrounding area.)

It will then ask for your e-mail address, which serves as your log-in. Don’t worry, you can limit or block Yipit from e-mailing you deals. Before you can so do, however, you’ll need to hit the green subscribe button to start hunting for deals.

After signing up, the first order of business is selecting categories of interest. Yipit has a fairly long list of categories, which are conveniently grouped by subject.

OK, back to e-mail management. If you click on the Account button in the lower-right corner, you can choose to receive e-mails daily, once a week, twice a week, or never. also from the account page, you can add and remove categories to follow. you can also add your address, though the only cities you can choose are from the 100 or so that Yipit tracks. so, while I could add my street address or ZIP code, Yipit maintained I lived in Boston, the nearest Yipit city to me.

Of the many ZIP codes in Boston, 03301 is not one of them.

(Credit:Matt Elliott/CNET)

If you tap on the my Deals button in the lower-left corner, you’ll be able to see either a list or a map view of the deals in your chosen categories. Click on a deal from the list or the red button icon on a map to view the details of a particular deal. you can then tap the green button to purchase the deal or the blue button to e-mail yourself the deal, including who is offering the deal and the time left before it expires. you can also e-mail the deal to a friend using the Share button in the upper-right corner. When you tap the green button, you are either taken to a deal site’s Web page, which isn’t always a great experience on aniPhone, or to a mobile version of a deal site.

(Credit:Matt Elliott/CNET)

If you want to browse for deals outside of your chosen categories, click on the all Deals button along the bottom of the screen. Here, you can browse all categories, via large topic area such as Fitness, or drill down down to a specific category such as pilates, yoga, martial arts, and so on.

And if you want to browse deals near your current location–good for when you are traveling, I suppose–you can tap the near me button to see a list or map view of a deal that is potentially lurking around the corner.

Yipit is a new app, and a few wrinkles still need to be ironed out. For example, the list view for my Deals was blank; I had to use the Map view to browse deals in the categories I chose. also, the map was slow to update when I changed categories, though I doubt the typical users will change categories with the same frequency as I did when testing out the app today.

Do you have a go-to daily deals app or site? If so, please share what it is and why it’s your favorite in the comments below.

(Via AddictiveTips)

Iphone App, Iphone Apps, Iphone apps review

Posted on November 15, 2011Filed Under Iphone Apps | Leave a Comment

Love your new Kindle Fire tablet but unsure of what apps to use? let us help

If you’re one of the reported millions of people looking to buy an Amazon Kindle Fire tablet when it goes on sale this week, you’re probably

going want to know what apps are available for it. Lucky for you, we’re here to help! after casually perusing the apps that Amazon has announced

have been developed specifically for the Kindle Fire so far, we’ve picked out some apps that you’ll want to have on your shiny new tablet once you

pick it up. here are eight apps that every Kindle Fire newbie should consider downloading to get themselves started.

First Look: Amazon Kindle Fire

Article source: cio.com/article/694067/8_Amazon_Kindle_Fire_Apps_for_Newbies?taxonomyId=3061

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Björk – Biophilia – Album Review

Buy / Listen: 7Digital | Amazon | eMusic | We7 | Spotify

Björk has always been a marketing dream. If you had Debut, chances are you also had the poster on the wall. with every release there are remixes, special edition box sets, DVDs, picture books, collector vinyls and so on – case in point, Björk’s most recent single has a series of versions available on four individual vinyl pressings. a grown-up indie-kid’s Hello Kitty, merchandise is a part of the deal with Björk.

Conceptually it is a continuation of Volta, “where as Volta is more about antropology, this is kind of without the humans.” Musically it works in the same spectrum too: organic sprawling songs that pulse with the fluidity of nature that suit the directionless manner in which Björk sometimes, well quite often, sings. there are electronics and polyrhythmics that hark back to Homogenic, and when she nails a melody, there are traces of Post-era pop too. Breaking new ground by revisiting old, the drum and bass break down on ‘Crystalline’ is cathartic to the point of goose-bumps and head spins. elsewhere there is true inventiveness; new instruments developed for purpose of composition and recording – a Tesla Coil is used and something called a gameleste (a cross between a gamelan and a celesta).

There’s timpani percussion, Icelandic chorals, rich organ, jarring digitals, grandiose bass, appropriate space and dramatic shifts. as a piece of art, Biophilia is very beautiful, there is no question of that. but songs about tectonics, genetics and human biorhythm are not easily communicated, and as just a musical record there is little by way of engagement, especially in the mid-section with the ‘Hollow’ and ‘Dark Matter’. Lyrically strong, ‘Cosmogony’ paints a whimsical tale of silver foxes and black eggs but it is the rhythmic moments of ‘Sacrifice’ and ‘Mutual Core’ that carry hooks on a record that otherwise plays out like an opera … one without a stage set.

More than just a music-box biology lesson, Biophilia successfully marries technology and nature. like her subject matter, Björk is perpetually evolving with audacious innovation. unlike them, well certainly nature, she is not always in tune. There’s something lost in the presentation of Biophilia on record, there’s a missing dimension. If the album was released before the apps, and without any mention of them, then maybe it would be digested differently. but the knowledge that these apps exist leaves a feeling of want. Now that is clever marketing.

Holiday Gift Guide: Buying an iPhone

welcome to TUAW’s 2011 Holiday Gift Guide! We’re here to help you choose the best gifts this holiday season, and once you’ve received your gifts we’ll tell you what apps and accessories we think are best for your new Apple gear. Stay tuned every weekday from now until the end of the year for our picks and helpful guides and check our Gift Guide hub to see our guides as they become available. For even more holiday fun, check out sister site Engadget’s gift guide.

two years ago, my best friend bought his wife an iPhone 3GS for Christmas. she totally wasn’t expecting it. when she opened the package and saw what was inside, she went crazy with glee. two years later she still has that phone, and it’s become an indispensable tool.

People refer to a lot of things as “the gift that keeps on giving,” but it’s especially true of the iPhone. Even the iPhone’s basic functions via Apple’s pre-installed apps can vastly expand the things you’re able to accomplish while on the go; once you factor in all the apps on the App Store, the iPhone turns into a full-fledged, powerful, portable computer that quite literally fits in your pocket.

Before I get into discussing which iPhone may be right for that special person in your life, there are a couple things to keep in mind before you decide to give an iPhone as a gift.

Contracts

I called the iPhone “a gift that keeps on giving” earlier, but it’s also a gift that keeps on taking. you may think you’re doing someone a favor when you give them a US$199 iPhone 4S (and they’ll probably think so, too), but that lovely gadget also comes with a significant monthly expense attached to it in the form of a carrier plan.

the cheapest possible (on-contract) iPhone plans in the US, according to the rate plan info on Apple’s site:

  • AT&T: $54.99
  • Sprint: $79.99
  • Verizon: $59.99

you might be able to tailor a cheaper pre-pay plan through one of these carriers if you buy an unlocked iPhone instead, but no matter how you look at it, the iPhone is going to incur a monthly expense. This may not be a big deal to you if you’re giving the iPhone to your spouse or one of your children, but buying an iPhone for one of your friends or someone outside your immediate family is kind of like buying them a pet: it’s not just a one-time gift, but an ongoing and expensive obligation.

Buying an on-contract iPhone also makes it a bit tougher to keep it a surprise, unless you’re planning on paying the monthly plan fees yourself. if you’re buying an iPhone for someone outside your immediate family and you want to keep it under wraps, the best option is probably going to be buying one of the unlocked, contract-free models — but keep in mind that those iPhones are significantly more expensive than they are when subsidized through a carrier.

Carriers

the carrier situation in the US is more involved than in most other countries due to the differing technologies US telcos use. Depending on which model of iPhone you’re looking at giving, this could considerably affect your options. Apple currently offers four iPhone models, but the carrier compatibility situation is quite complex in the States:

  • iPhone 3GS: AT&T only
  • iPhone 4: GSM version (AT&T only)
  • iPhone 4: CDMA version (Sprint or Verizon only)
  • iPhone 4S: Technically universally compatible, but all models are locked to their specific carrier when sold — even the “unlocked” iPhone 4S will only work on AT&T

different carriers also offer markedly different quality of service depending on where you are. AT&T is notorious for having terrible service in some parts of the US, so if your gift iPhone is going to someone who lives in an area with little to no AT&T coverage, Verizon or Sprint may be a better choice. Check each carrier’s coverage map first before you decide which one to go with; if you give someone an iPhone that’s locked to AT&T, but AT&T doesn’t offer coverage in their area, you might as well have bought them an iPod touch instead.

the three US carriers also have specific strengths to consider. While AT&T is the only one that supports simultaneous voice and data traffic (and also somewhat higher 3G network speeds, assuming you have coverage), Verizon’s overall network coverage and reliability is considered top-notch. Sprint’s data plans or support may also draw you in, especially if your intended recipient already has a phone on Sprint.

the carrier situation outside the US usually isn’t quite so byzantine, because almost all other countries use the GSM standard instead of CDMA. the only specific carrier recommendations I can make for countries outside the US apply to Australia and new Zealand. For both countries my recommendation is the same: avoid Vodafone if at all possible. My experiences with Vodafone’s networks in both nations have been almost universally terrible. your best bet for sussing out the ideal carrier for you is to ask neighbors or coworkers who already have iPhones (and who commute/hang out in the same general area as you) how they feel about their carrier of choice.

With that out of the way, let’s look at which model of iPhone fits your gift-giving mood.

Super-low budget: iPhone 3GS

the iPhone 3GS is available at a very attractive price: free from Apple and nearly free ($1) from AT&T, but both incur a two-year contract. It might therefore look like a great option for a particularly budget-minded gift-giver, and in fact if you’re looking at giving an iPhone as a Christmas gift to your teenager, this might be a good choice.

the iPhone 3GS is old, though — more than two years out of date. It lacks many features that owners of more modern iPhones have come to take for granted, like the Retina display, faster processors, and much-improved cameras (including the forward-facing camera for FaceTime or Skype use). It’s also only available on AT&T in the States, so if you wanted to go with Verizon or Sprint, you’re out of luck.

It also comes in only one capacity: 8 GB. That’s going to be quite cramped for even light users; between apps, music, photos, videos, and other data, 8 GB just doesn’t count for as much as it used to.

the iPhone 3GS is quite far behind at this point in terms of its feature set, and it’s unlikely Apple will continue to support the device with iOS updates for the same length of time that it will support more current iPhones. Although the iPhone 3GS is still a decent iPhone, I wouldn’t recommend giving one as a gift unless your budget absolutely cannot handle giving an iPhone 4 instead.

low budget: iPhone 4

For just $99 more than the iPhone 3GS, you can get last year’s flagship iPhone, the iPhone 4. Check out all the improvements that $99 gets you:

  • more powerful processor, leading to better overall performance (especially in games)
  • much higher quality Retina Display
  • Improved battery life
  • much better camera (5 vs. 3 megapixels in the iPhone 3GS) with an LED flash and improved video recording quality
  • Front-facing camera for FaceTime
  • Noise-cancelling microphone
  • Compatibility with Verizon and Sprint (CDMA models only)

the iPhone 4 is still a great phone, and it should offer plenty of power for most users with only one exception: like the iPhone 3GS, the iPhone 4 now comes only in an 8 GB capacity. that may feel even more cramped on the iPhone 4, because the pictures and videos it takes have much larger file sizes than on the iPhone 3GS.

the iPhone 3GS is a decent iPhone, but the iPhone 4 simply blows it away no matter how you look at it. It’s also a more attractively-designed phone, and Apple is likely to continue issuing software updates for the iPhone 4 for longer than for the iPhone 3GS. I know if I was receiving an iPhone as a gift, I would much rather receive an iPhone 4 than an iPhone 3GS. That’s likely to be true of just about everyone.

Higher budget: iPhone 4S (16 or 32 GB)

here we hit another $100-200 price jump (depending on which capacity you choose), but again that rise in price nets you some great improvements over the iPhone 4:

  • much more powerful processor — up to twice as fast as the iPhone 4 for some applications
  • Improved camera (8 vs. 5 megapixels in the iPhone 4) with face detection, 1080p video recording, and video stabilization
  • Higher data capacity (16 or 32 GB versus 8 GB on the iPhone 4)
  • Improved antenna (faster download speeds, better signal quality)
  • Siri voice assistant

the iPhone 4S will easily outperform the iPhone 4 at any processor-intensive task, especially gaming. its camera is much improved, too, especially in low light situations; in fact, the iPhone 4S is arguably a great replacement for a low- to mid-budget point-and-shoot camera.

the higher capacity the iPhone 4S offers over the iPhone 4 will also allow its user to store more music, photos, and apps on the device. 16 GB will probably be enough for light users — people with small music libraries, not many photos, and only a handful of apps — but it might start to feel cramped after awhile, especially if the user starts taking lots of videos with the built-in camera. A 32 GB iPhone 4S may be a better choice if the person using it has a lot of media; if this isn’t their first iPhone, the person you’re giving it to may already have lots of apps, too.

[iTunes Match users can spend less time worrying about how to fit a music library on to the portable device. –Ed.]

Let’s be frank, though: Siri is the biggest selling point for the iPhone 4S. It may or may not come to Apple’s other devices eventually, but for now the iPhone 4S is the only device that offers Apple’s revolutionary new voice-driven interface. As corny as talking to your phone may seem at first, Siri is the kind of feature that seems perfectly natural (maybe even necessary) after using it for awhile.

Money is no object: iPhone 4S (64 GB)

Even with a two-year contract, the biggest, baddest iPhone on the block is going to set you back almost $400. the unlocked, contract-free version is an even more staggering $849 — $20 more than an iPad 2 Wi-Fi + 3G model with the same storage capacity.

Though the 64 GB iPhone 4S offers no other improvements over the smaller capacity iPhone 4S models, the higher capacity is definitely going to come in handy for “power users” with huge music libraries, hundreds of apps, thousands of photos, or any combination of those items.

the 64 GB iPhone 4S is Apple’s first iPhone to come in that capacity, and that’s the model I snagged for myself. It holds all of my music (well, all the stuff I actually listen to anyway), almost 200 apps, over five hours of videos, and it still has enough space left over that I can take hundreds of photos or an hour of high-def video without worrying about deleting things first.

that having been said, once you get into this pricing territory you have to start wondering whether an iPad 2 might not be a better gift instead. Though it’s larger and less portable than an iPhone, it’s also available without a contract commitment to any carrier. A 64 GB Wi-Fi-only iPad costs $300 more than the on-contract 64 GB iPhone 4S, but that bigger $300 initial outlay also saves you over $1300 in carrier fees over the course of two years.

There’s an iPhone for every budget now, from the free iPhone 3GS all the way up to the credit-card-slaying 64 GB iPhone 4S. As you go up the ladder the feature set expands along with the price, but the 16 or 32 GB iPhone 4S is probably going to be the sweet spot for most users. regardless of which iPhone you give this holiday season, the person who receives it will almost certainly be very excited — so long as he or she can afford the monthly service costs.

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WTOL.com: News, Weather and Sport for Toledo, OhioFour apps to help with holiday travel

(WTOL) – Technology can help during those unexpected snags in a holiday itinerary. even the best laid-out trips can get detoured by a weather delay or other mishap during the holidays. Just like a smart phone can help plan a getaway, it can help salvage it too.

If a missed connection results in being stranded in a not-so-familiar place, the “Around Me” application for iPhone users has become a go-to for finding restaurants, hotels, ATMs and other necessities, with a simple touch.

When a flight gets canceled, avoid the rush to the counter with everyone else and use the “On the Fly” app to research other options among multiple airlines and airports.

At the rental car counter? Car sharing is an option in some big cities, and the “Zipcar” app for iPhone and Android will point to the nearest cars, their make and model, not to mention lock and unlock a car too.

When on the go, sometimes a person has to “go”, and the “Sit or Squat” app for iPhone and BlackBerry boasts a database of more than 100,000 restrooms. it helps find the closest – some with reviews and photos.

One other travel tip: Load up the smart phone, tablet or laptop with plenty of entertainment, and invest in a battery-operated charger. Minor delays can turn into longer delays, especially now that AAA is predicting more people will be traveling this holiday than last.

Check with the airline company since most offer text alerts to keep travelers informed about what is happening with flights.

Copyright 2011 WTOL. all Rights Reserved.

HTC Sensation XL: Review

review You’ve probably heard of Beats by Dr Dre by now. what you may not have heard is that HTC recently invested several suitcases worth of cash into the company, to the tune of a reported $300 million, for the rights to use its audio technology in HTC smartphones. the HTC Sensation XL and XE are the first fruits of that labour, and they’re both available today exclusive to Vodafone.

The first one we’re reviewing is the HTC Sensation XL, a music-oriented smartphone with a jumbo-sized 4.7” display, 16GB of internal storage, and bundled Beats Solo headphones. It’s a strong mix of features that results in one of the most appealing smartphones that HTC has released to date, but is it impressive enough to take on the iPhone 4S and other top-shelf smartphones? Read on to find out.

Design“A 4.7” screen? Surely that’s too big for a smartphone?” that was our first thought when we heard about the Sensation XL, but turns out it’s not as wide as we thought it would be. It’s actually quite nice in the hand thanks to the smoothly rounded edges, giving it the illusion of being a lot narrower than 70.7mm. of course, it doesn’t have the perfectly-proportioned hand-to-screen-size ratio that the iPhone supposedly has, but it’s not that much wider than phones with a 4.3” display. Off-hand, we couldn’t tell the difference between the width of the Motorola RAZR and Sensation XL, although the former is slightly narrower at 68.9mm.

The Sensation XL is the best-looking HTC phone we’ve seen, and we’d argue that it’s up there as one of the most attractive Android phones as well. the pure white front is reminiscent of the iPhone 4/4S and iPad 2, with silver accents that wrap around to the back to take up the majority of the rear casing. the extra space afforded by the larger display has enabled HTC’s engineers to spread the internal components thinner, and the Sensation XL is actually the company’s thinnest smartphone yet at just a hair under 1cm. It’s also surprisingly light at 162g – the 4.3” HTC Evo 3D is heavier at 170g.

The rest of the phone’s design is pretty standard. on the front, there are four capacitive buttons below the screen, an indicator light above the screen that flashes green when you have a new notification, and a front-facing 1.3-megapixel camera. the top houses a 3.5mm headphone jack and the sleep/power button, and the volume buttons (housed underneath a thin silver slab) are on the right. the microUSB port is on the left, and the rear houses the dual LED flash, eight-megapixel camera and speaker. Behind the rear casing, you’ll find the 1600mAh battery and SIM card slot, but sadly no microSD card slot.

FeaturesThe earphones that come bundled with smartphones have gotten a lot better in the last few years, but the Sensation XL bumps it up several notches with the inclusion of Beats Solo over-the-ear headphones. These are a special edition that have been tuned to specifically match the Beat Audio sound profile on the Sensation XL, but if you were to buy the regular Beats Solo headphones, you’d be looking at an RRP of $300. They’re smaller than a regular set of headphones, so even if you’re not usually the headphone-wearing type, you may not mind wearing these out in public. of course, it helps that they’re seriously stylish, with a white paintjob to match the Sensation XL, red-on-silver Beats logo on each ear, and a distinctive red cable.

While these come free in the box, HTC has had to cut some corners in other areas to compensate. the XL is less powerful than the original HTC Sensation, opting for a single-core 1.5GHz processor (with the same 768MB of RAM) and a lower-res 800 x 480 screen. This is the same display resolution that HTC uses on its mid-range 3.7” smartphones – a pixel density that looks normal on the smaller screens but results in extra-large text, buttons and other GUI elements on the Sensation XL. the up-side is that if your eyes aren’t what they used to be, this is something you’ll actually appreciate, and it makes the on-screen keyboard easier to type on.

The Sensation XL runs the latest version of Android (2.3.5) as well as the latest HTC Sense 3.5 graphics, and HTC has announced that it will be providing an upgrade to Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) next year. It also supports Vodafone’s new 850MHz 3G network, along with the standard 900/2100 UMTS bands. Among other things, the HTC Sense adds a few tweaks to the Android interface that makes the phone better to use as a music player. There’s a custom Music app that lets you browse through tracks from the now Playing screen by swiping the album art, download cover art directly from Gracenote, set tracks as ringtones and share them, and there are music widgets in the notification window, homescreen and lockscreen. the Sensation XL also comes HTC Sync desktop software (PC and Mac) that lets you sync music and playlists from iTunes.

HTC has also made some strides in the camera department. the Sensation XL is the first HTC phone (that we know of) to offer a backside-illuminated sensor, similar to the one found on the iPhone 4/4S. the camera app is fast to startup and snap a photo, and there are dozens of settings to tweak, along with a variety of scene modes and fun special effects that you can apply before or after the shot is taken. we were able to get some nice shots from the camera, including some interesting depth of field (albeit with extremely unattractive bokeh), but the auto white balance isn’t particularly good at judging the lighting (you’ll have to set the white balance yourself for best results), and we noticed a distinct red bias in all our shots.

PerformanceThe big question is, does the combination of the Beats Solo headphones and the Beats Audio sound profile on the HTC Sensation XL really make a difference? we listened to the same songs on the Sensation XL and an iPhone 4S through the Beats Solo headphones, and while there wasn’t much of a difference for many tracks, the Beats Audio sound technology (a mixture of hardware and software enhancements) springs to life whenever you chuck a little bass at it. Electronic music and R&B/Hip-hop tracks is where you’ll hear the difference most – on the Sensation XL, the bass was a couple of notches boomier compared to the iPhone 4S, with a not unpleasant throbbing in each headphone cup whenever the bass gets especially deep.

It’s worth pointing out, though, that the Beats Audio enhancements apply to sound out of the headphone jack only. Output from the external speaker, which is located on the rear next to the camera, is very ordinary. At maximum volume, it’s actually not that loud, and it’s almost completely lacking in bass. Similarly, the speakerphone and earpiece could do with a couple of extra levels in the volume output, although what does come out is clear.

If you’re wondering whether Vodafone’s 850MHz network is any better than its 2100MHz network for 3G data, our tests (which are by no means comprehensive and only slightly scientific) showed that there was a little improvement, but it still trailed behind the Optus and Telstra networks by a wide margin.

The Sensation XL also performed remarkably well in our benchmarks. its Quadrant score of 2030 is only slightly behind the score of the original HTC Sensation (which has a dual-core 1.2GHz processor), and it actually beat it in GL Benchmark (which tests a phone’s graphics performance) and Rightware Browsermark (which measures browser performance using a range of JavaScript and HTML rendering tests).

Battery life was a pleasant surprise. the 1600mAh battery isn’t especially large, but with medium usage (consisting of five text messages, five photos, 1.5 hours of web browsing over Wi-Fi, 1.5 hours of browsing over 3G, five phone calls of five minutes each, 30 minutes of playing music, and intermittent email checking throughout the day), we were able to stretch the HTC Sensation XL’s run-time to an amazing 34 hours and 22 minutes. This is an extraordinary result that outpaces every other smartphone we’ve reviewed recently by a good 10 hours.

ConclusionTo say we liked this phone would be an understatement. the HTC Sensation XL gets so many things right – the gorgeous hardware design, awesome Beats Audio technology (and bundled Beats Solo headphones) and excellent battery life – that it makes its shortcomings (namely the low-res screen, lack of microSD expansion and weak external speaker) easier to forgive.

Still, the limitation to 16GB of internal storage is a big strike against it that may be a deal-breaker for many music lovers. We’d love to see a version of this phone with either more internal storage or microSD expansion (and ideally both), and at the rate that HTC is churning out smartphones, we wouldn’t be surprised if just such a device was announced within the next couple of months.

The HTC Sensation XL is available exclusively from Vodafone for $5 per month for the handset on the $59 Cap over 24 months.

Jenneth Orantia turned her back on a lucrative career in law to pursue her unhealthy obsession with consumer technology. She’s known for having at least half a dozen of the latest gadgets on her person at a time, and once won a bottle of Dom Perignon for typing 78WPM on a Pocket PC with a stylus.

Image credit: HTC

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  2. Vodafone’s new top Androids: HTC Sensation XL, XE
  3. HTC Sensation: Review
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  5. Samsung Galaxy S II review