It's still a bit odd seeing Microsoft deliver apps for Apple's mobile platform. And it's even stranger still to see one as sexy as the new Bing app for iPad, which brings a slick, immersive search experience to Apple's tablet. Just as a regular search on bing.com will, the Bing app for iPad tailors the results it displays based on what you're searching for. There are loads of custom views, covering everything from movies and maps to weather and shopping. The app also offers a heads-up display of currently trending searches, complete with related images, which is an iPad-exclusive feature. Navigation is a breeze thanks to multitouch controls, allowing users to flick or swipe through results. And while the development team refers to the app as "touch and decide," Bing Voice Search is also built in -- making it easy to start a query without using the iPad's on-screen keyboard. The Bing app for iPad is available for download now from the App Store.
UK network Three has announced that it will offer LTE on its network later this year and unlike other operators, there will be no premium for the service. Three UK announced that it plans to roll out LTE later this year on its 1800MHz spectrum which it acquired as part of the deal which gave EE (Everything Everywhere) a head start in the launch of LTE in the UK. Because EE has an exclusive, its deals are less than favourable to consumers with small data allowances at a premium price.
LTE, otherwise known as 4G, will be added to Three’s Ultrafast network later this year. Unlike some other UK mobile operators, it will be available across all existing and new price plans without customers needing to pay a premium fee to ‘upgrade’.
“Our customers choose Three because they love the internet and know they can get great speeds and great value on our award-winning network,” said Three UK chief executive Dave Dyson. “As we add the next wave of technology to our Ultrafast network, we’ve listened to our customers and thought long and hard about the right way to do it. We don’t want to limit Ultrafast services to a select few based on a premium price and we’ve decided our customers will get this service as standard.
So if you are planning on switching to EE to get some of that LTE action, you may want to think again. Three will offer true unlimited access to its LTE services at prices that are way more competitive too. The only downside is when Three will be in a position to turn on LTE. The only information they’re giving out is sometime this year; let’s hope it is sooner rather than later. I personally can't wait, I have been a Three subscriber for a couple of years now and find their unlimited data offers excellent value for money and have no complaints on service either.
Are you always misplacing your keys? The KEYWonder Automatic Key Holder is an easy way to secure your keys to your belt loop, purse strap, backpack, etc. without having to deal with latches or snaps that can pinch your fingers and take time to fasten / unfasten.
Note: Images can be clicked to view a larger size.
The KEYWonder is a 1 inch wide x 2.5 inch long key holder that is made of strong polycarbonate plastic and is available in Black, Red, Pink and Purple. As you can see, I was sent the Red version which reminds me of those rescue floats that lifeguards use.
One end of the KEYWonder has a small carabiner and the opposite end has a split ring.
The idea is to attach your keys to the split ring and then clip the carabiner on your belt loop or bag. When you need to use your keys you can release the keyholder section of the KEYWonder by pressing the two buttons on the lower section and pulling the two pieces apart.
I figured this would be where the KEYWonder would be more trouble than its worth. I thought it would probably require too much effort to separate the sections. I was actually surprised by how easy it is. Just a slight pinch is all that is needed in order for you to be able to remove the top section.
Reattaching the sections is even easier because both sections contain a neodymium (rare earth) magnet. You only need to bring the pieces together and they will automatically self-align and snap into place. Once attached, they will stay that way until you press the two buttons and pull the sections apart again. I tried to pull the sections apart without pressing the buttons and failed, so I don’t think there’s any worry that your keys will accidentally fall off. Also the two sections can rotate independent of each other.
Although I wish it was a bit smaller and made of metal instead of plastic, the KEYWonder is a simple accessory that is easy to use, rugged enough to withstand normal abuse and relatively inexpensive. If you happen to be the type of person who loses their keys on a regular basis, this key holder might help solve that problem.
Have you ever wondered what the Web was like before the Mosaic Web browser? If you were born in the last 20-odd years, or you only discovered your inner geek recently, did you miss out on monochrome monitors and the dial-up BBS era? Well, here's your chance to get a sneak peek at history: grab the ChromeLite extension and marvel as the entire Web is transformed into ASCII characters. Now, ChromeLite isn't really all that functional. For the most part, it simply strips images and converts text into a monospaced terminal font. There are a few Easter eggs inserted -- such as a fun message at the bottom of YouTube (image after the break) -- and some fun ASCII art, but that's about it. Rather oddly, most JavaScript continues to work -- so you can still enjoy Google Instant Search! ChromeLite was actually made by Google as an April Fools' joke -- and indeed, an annoying 'you can uninstall this!' message appears at the top of every page -- but we're kind of hoping that Google, or another developer, takes ChromeLite and turns it into a real ASCII browsing extension with configurable settings. If anything, it will provide an easy way to save bandwidth and CPU time.
It may pain you to add girth to the iPhone 5's slender frame, but when a little more junk in your iPhone's trunk means double the battery life, it's hard to say no. The new Mophie Juice Pack Helium case promises to do just that and be about 13% lighter than the iPhone 4's Air version. More »
What kind of photos can you get out of a cardboard box wrapped in some paper? You'd be amazed. For this week's Shooting Challenge, we asked you to scrap together your own cheap lightbox. The results were fantastic. More »
It's February and you know what that means? Mobile Nations Fitness Month! That's when we all get together to get in shape, share tips and tricks and recipes for success, review amazing apps and accessories, give away great prizes, and have a ton of fun! This year we're doing it a little differently, though. We're doing weekly themes, and that means every week you'll have new and exciting challenges, and new chances to win!
Week 1: Exercise!
We want to get in shape and feel great! Exercise helps us in so many ways. It helps us lose weight, reduce stress, feel energized, and improve our self-image. Getting moving reduces the likelihood of diseases, and keeps us healthy and as we get older.
As part of fitness month, we'll be reviewing a bunch of great apps and accessories that can help motivate, track, and train us to exercise better and smarter. We'll also be doing a couple of cool contests.
Stepping up contest
First is our Mobile Nations Stepping Up contest. Every day this week there'll be a thread in the iMore health and fitness forums, and all you have to do to enter is tell us what exercise or activity you did that day. It can be walking or running, playing soccer or doing yoga, swimming or dancing -- anything that makes you move. If you have a Fitbit, Nike Fuelband, JAWBONE UP, or any gadget with a pedometer, you can simply share your results each day.
This is a great way to keep us all motivated and accountable, and get a little healthy peer-pressure going! Plus, every day you enter is a chance to win a $20 gift certificate!
Second is our Exercise MY Way contest. Just head on over to the Exercise MY Way thread in the forums and tell us how you use your mobile device, your iPhone or iPad, to stay in shape. What are your favorite apps? What are your go to accessories for keeping fit? How does your device fit your active lifestyle? We want to know! We'll post the best entries on Friday, so get them in ASAP! Need more incentive? We'll pick one winner a week and send them a $100 gift certificate!
When someone tells me about a "platformer", my first thought is that it's probably a simple game that mainly revolves around running and jumping around, with a minimal plot. [Play a Zelda game! -Ed]Elephant Quest is one platformer that managed to prove me completely wrong. Yes, you do run and jump around, and you also shoot at stuff. But the game has much, much more going for it. Basically, as you run, jump and shoot, you gain experience points and level up. Hitting Space brings you into an interface where you can convert your experience points into Charisma, Intelligence, Agility and Dexterity points. Once you've "specialized" your points, you then get to pick what exact skills you'd like to enhance in each field. For example, you could use your dexterity to enhance your weapons or increase your swiftness. The game is played in a huge maze; you go through rooms using doors, and there's a large map. As the name implies, there are quests you can take, too. For example, one quest had me searching all over the place for ten balloons. The bottom line is that this is a surprisingly deep game that just might ensnare you for a good bit longer than you intended to play. Beware!
When Apple first showed off the new, unibody slate and black iPhone 5, I referred to it as Vader black. I liked the look so much, I escalated it by going retro-black with my Lock screen and Home screen wallpapers. Then, when AnoStyle was announced, I immediately wanted to take it one step further. I wanted the Blackout look you see on high-end watches and cars. Problem was, AnoStyle didn't offer black anodization. Not yet, at least...
So I bugged Ally and her Ano-Ninja accomplice, Rob, and volunteered to be test subject zero for their first-ever Blackout iPhone 5. They agreed, I bought a new phone for them to try it out on, and as you can see from the results above and below, they did not fail to delight.
If you turn it into the sun or bright light, it looks like a normal black and slate iPhone 5, only several shades deeper and darker. If you turn it away from the sun, it's matte black as the emptiness of space. It's so black, only the slight difference in refraction of the Apple logo and iPhone lettering can be seen, darker or brighter, shadowed or gleaming across its back.
If you hold the the blacker-than-Vader black iPhone next to a regular black and slate iPhone 5, the difference is immediately apparent. Above is a shot I took with a 5D Mark III and f/1.4 lens under Hue LED lighting. However, in normal use it's understated and subtle and almost no one will notice anything different about it all alone and at a glance. I love that, and more than one friend I showed it off to at Macworld|iWorld could only smile and mumble "damn" as well. Others may prefer being loud and colorful and shiny in red or blue or gold. I wanted something simple and pure and authentic and utterly capable of getting lost any and every time I leave it on a dark surface.