2

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I've spent the weekend gathering my thoughts and impressions of the iPad 2 compared to the original iPad, and I have to say, I'm very impressed with the iPad 2.

Speed

The iPad 2 feels considerably faster than the original iPad. To me, this is most noticeable in iBooks. When opening a large, image-heavy eBook on the original iPad, it would take a while to load, and turning the pages would often be a bit choppy. On the iPad 2 loading is fast and page turning is super smooth and responsive.

Apps load much faster, and more apps stay in memory for multitasking. Also, Safari keeps all 9 tabs cached, whereas the original iPad kept 3-4 of the 9 tabs cached, needing a refresh of the page otherwise.

I don't have any games that would challenge the 9x faster graphics, so I can comment on that aspect.

Build

The iPad 2 is incredibly thinner than the original iPad. It is also marginally thinner than an iPhone 4.

I find the iPad 2 to be much easier to hold than the original iPad. I attribute this mostly to the thinness rather than the iPad 2 being 0.2 lbs. lighter than the original iPad, even though I'm sure that helps. The original iPad had a curved back, which I always had a hard time finding the sweet spot for holding it in a balanced manner.

The iPad 2 curves only on the edges, and has a flat back. Combined with the thinness, holding the iPad 2 is akin to holding a notepad (though, obviously, heavier than a notepad). The iPad 2 also has two more advantages over the original iPad that I have noticed over the past couple days. The first is that the iPad 2 feels more balanced than the original. I suspect the internal components are arranged specifically for this (I haven't compared any teardowns between the two). Second, the aluminum back, although it looks like the exact same finish, feels different. The original iPad's finish felt almost slippery, and made the iPad hard to casually hold. The iPad 2 definitely feels slightly, and I mean slightly, rougher. But this slight difference makes all the difference. I find the iPad 2 to be a night and day difference of being able to hold the device comfortably.

Screen

It is exactly the same. I wasn't disappointed that the iPad 2 didn't have a retina display, as that seems impossible with current technology whilst keeping the price the same. I am, however, a little disappointed that the iPad 2 doesn't have the LCD bonded to the glass like the iPhone 4. Hence, in the right lighting, a little bit of shadowing can occur at the edge of the screen because the bezel sits a few millimeters above the screen.

I really would have loved having the screen bonded to the glass to give that effect of the pixels being painted on the glass like the iPhone 4.

Cameras

The cameras are indeed sucky resolution, but perfectly fine for FaceTime, which is their intent. My kid absolutely loves Photo Booth.

Cover

The Smart Cover is probably one of my favorite things about the iPad 2. I abhorred the look and feel of Apple's case for the original iPad (but I loved its function for inclining the iPad for typing, and propping it up for viewing video). The Smart cover replicates the incline for typing and the propping for viewing video, all while dismissing the things I hated: added thickness & weight. The Smart Cover is barely there. And it is wonderful.

I also love how the Smart Cover locks the iPad 2's screen when closed, and instantly wakes the device when opened. It is also easy to remove, unlike the original iPad's case.

If you're buying an iPad without a Smart Cover (or a similar third party case, when those arrive), then you are doing it wrong.

The iPad 2, in my book, is a true second generation device. Not because of any one thing (except maybe the case), but a sum of all the little things. After only a couple days, I can say without a doubt, that I like the iPad 2 far more than the original iPad.

iOS 4.3

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Grab your sync cable and fire up iTunes, because iOS 4.3 is out.

Some of the update goodness for all devices includes a faster JavaScript engine in Safari, called Nitro; enhanced AirPlay features; iTunes Home Sharing; HD Video Out; Push Notifications for Ping; and bug fixes.

The iPhone 4 gets Personal Hotspot, which lets you turn your iPhone's 3G connection into a WiFi hotspot to connect your laptop, iPad, or any other WiFi device. This pretty much guarantees that I'll never buy a 3G-capable iPad.

And specifically for the iPad, 4.3 gives users the option of whether the side switch acts as a mute switch or orientation lock. The iPad initially shipped with the switch as an orientation lock, which Apple switched to being a mute switch in 4.2.1. I've missed the orientation lock and am resounding hallelujahs.

Safari does indeed seem snappier and iTunes Home Sharing works like a dream.

Overall, a fantastic update.

VeriFone is Spreading FUD about Square

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VeriFone, a payment processor that makes those credit card readers you see in virtually every store (the big gray ones with a number pad), has launched a smear campaign against my favorite payment processor, Square.

Here's the gist:

Today is a wake-up call to consumers and the payments industry. Last year, a start-up named Square introduced a credit card reader for smartphones with the goal of making it very easy for anyone to accept credit cards through a mobile device. Seems like a great idea, but there is a serious security flaw that Square has overlooked that places consumers in dire risk.

In less than an hour, any reasonably skilled programmer can write an application that will "skim" – or steal – a consumer's financial and personal information right off the card utilizing an easily obtained Square card reader. How do we know? We did it. Tested on sample Square card readers with our own personal credit cards, we wrote an application in less than an hour that did exactly this.

And:

A criminal signs up with Square, obtains the dongle for free and creates a fake Square app on his smartphone. Insert the dongle into the audio jack of a smartphone or iPad, and you've got a mobile skimming device that fits in your pocket and that can be used to illegally collect personal and financial data from the magnetic stripe of a payment card. It's shockingly simple.

You know what else is shockingly simple? Someone taking a picture of both sides of your credit card. Or writing down your name, card number, security code, and expiration date.

The key is the word criminal. If a nefarious person wants your credit card info, and they have access to the actual card, they're going to get it. And it is a lot easier to take pictures than code an app.

The moral of the story is "don't give your credit card to someone you don't trust."

Lastly, to cross the boundary from being a jerk to being a troll, VeriFone says:

Don't take our word for it. See for yourself by downloading the sample skimming application and viewing a video of this type of fraud in action.

Today we are handing a copy of the application over to Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express, and JP Morgan Chase (Square's credit card processor), and we invite their comments.

So not only is VeriFone handing this app they concocted to Square's business associates, they release it out there for anyone — including criminals — to download and use. I guess criminals don't have to devote an hour to writing an app, because VeriFone did it for them.

Here's my take on this whole thing: VeriFone is spreading a metric ton of FUD, because they are scared of Square. See, Square's reader is free, whereas VeriFone's PAYware Mobile requires a contract, or costs $149 without contract. Square's reader fits in the coin pocket of my jeans. PAYware Mobile is anything but comfortably pocketable. Also, VeriFone requires a merchant account, Square doesn't.

What VeriFone is really scared of is people like you and me being able to accept card payments on the cheap at our garage sales, then telling our friends and family who own businesses how they could be saving money. See, Square went after VeriFone's lunch (and they're eating it). So now VeriFone is playing dirty.

Do yourself a favor and go sign up for Square.

The Year of iPad 2

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By now I'm sure you've heard a lot about the new iPad 2. I wanted to take a couple days to really get my thoughts in order on it. It's nice to see that the specs were bumped a bit, with the dual-core A5 processor and 9x faster graphics. I presume the RAM has been bumped from 256 MB to at least 512 MB, if not 1 GB. But are specs all that we care about?

The Post-PC Era

Apple is labeling the iPad as a "Post-PC Device." With PCs (as a whole, Mac, Windows, etc) we have always focused on how fast the processor is, how much RAM, and countless other things to measure by. But I tell you what, the only people I know who care about those things are geeks like me. My wife, my parents, my sisters- and brothers-in-law, and a fair number of my friends don't care about those things because they don't even truly understand what all that stuff means.

What normal folks really care about are whether something is easy to use, reliable, and, most importantly, how fast it feels.

By all rights and means, the first iPad is a slouch compared to my MacBook Pro. Heck, you might even say it's a slouch compared to the iBook G4 that I used through most of college. But it feels faster. Everything is absolutely fine-tuned, and absolutely, utterly responsive. And the iPad 2 will take that even further.

Here is my big "the iPad is the future" story:

My grandmother is absolutely afraid of touching a computer. She will not touch my grandfather's Mac out of fear of breaking something. For someone who has lived since before computers were even invented, and has seen them evolve before her eyes, she is afraid of them. Only recently has she started to use an old iMac my grandpa picked up, but she really only uses it for little card games.

Shortly after I got my iPad, my grandparents visited, and I was excited to show off my new device. I handed it to Grandma first.

"What is this?" she asked?

"It's an iPad. I think this is the future of computers." I replied.

She tried to hand it back immediately. I assured her she couldn't mess it up. She stared at it a moment, then pressed the home button. The screen lit up, and prompted her to slide the unlock bar. She did so. I told her to open iBooks.

Then, all on her own, without me explaining anything, she tapped on Winnie-the-Pooh. She began reading, and instinctively dragged her finger on the edge of the "page" and "flipped" it. All this without me telling her how to use it. And then something interesting happened: after reading for a few moments, I observed my grandmother forget that she was holding a slab of aluminum and glass — because she lightly licked the tip of her finger before turning the page. The iPad became a book to her.

When she was finished, she inquired how to close iBooks, but before I could answer, she figured it out by pressing the home button. She said it just made sense since it was the only thing on the front.

People like my grandmother are who the iPad is really made for. The future of computing is dissolving the perception of hardware, and letting the software tell a story and establish a relationship with the user.

One of the best apps for that is FaceTime.

FaceTime

FaceTime has been on the iPhone 4, latest iPod touch, and Macs for the better part of a year now. I know a lot of folks who don't really get FaceTime. Granted, a lot of those people I know don't have kids, and kids make FaceTime invaluable.

My family uses FaceTime at least once a week. My wife, son, & I live quite a way everybody in our family. We use FaceTime to talk with our parents, with my sister-in-law, and each other when one of us has to be away. Now, I think we could get by with audio calls to the folks if we didn't have a son. FaceTime would be used less frequently. But kids grow up fast, and grandparents love to see their grandkids. And my wife's youngest sister is halfway across the country, we rarely see her. So FaceTime is great.

And hey, my mom is psyched to have an iPad with FaceTime.

Smart Covers

The one thing that really captures my attention with the iPad 2 is the case. It attaches magnetically, and puts the iPad to sleep when the cover is closed, and wakes it when pulled away. It just seems like it was done right. I have Apple's case for the first iPad, and I mostly like it. That said, the reasons why I like it are the same reasons I'd like a Smart Cover for the iPad 2. I like that it can set the iPad at an incline for typing and that it can prop it up as a view screen.

But the parts I don't like are what a Smart Cover fixes. The first iPad case makes the iPad noticeably thicker, and it is difficult to remove or put on. The Smart Cover fixes those two gripes. See for yourself below.

Overall, the iPad 2 is a small update that means big things for the future. The goal for this iteration is focused on being thinner, lighter, faster, and connecting people. If you don't believe the kind of impact the iPad can have on people's lives, watch the video about the first year of the iPad. The last few moments will grab your heart.

More Features of Mac OS X Lion Revealed

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Apple seeded developers with a preview of the next iteration of Mac OS X, dubbed Lion. They also put up a nice site for the rest of us to start drooling over.

Some of this we saw at Apple's media preview in October, and some of it is new. For instance, Launchpad, Mission Control, and full screen apps are things we knew about. Heck, the Mac App Store is listed as a feature, which is something we have now on Snow Leopard.

But the new stuff looks equally great.

Auto Save & Versions

Lion is bringing a system-wide ability to end manually saving a file. This is just one of those quality of life features. Here's how Apple describes it:

Say good-bye to manual saving. Auto Save in Mac OS X Lion automatically saves your work — while you work — so you don’t have to. Lion saves changes in the working document instead of creating additional copies, making the best use of available disk space. The lock feature prevents inadvertent changes from being saved and automatically locks documents after two weeks. And the revert feature returns you to the state the document was in when you last opened it, so you can feel free to experiment with confidence.

Tying into Auto Save is Versions, which records the evolution of document as you create it. It's kind of like Time Machine for an individual document. I like the idea of reverting to a previous state, but more so, being able to copy and paste from a past version. This would have been amazing to have in college for research papers.

Resume

You know when you install an update that requires a reboot, and you have to stop everything you are working on, save, quit apps, reboot, then reopen all those apps and documents back up? Yeah? Annoying, isn't it? Lion's Resume feature lets you restart your Mac to the state it was when you turned it off, with all your apps exactly where you left them.

In an even finer grain detail, Resume works for just closing an relaunching an app. Close Safari, reopen it, and it starts on the page you were on when you closed it, not back at Top Sites or your homepage. (I also noticed from the photos, the "active app" lights on the Dock are gone. It doesn't look like quitting an app will be a thing in Lion).

Mail 5

Can we say "hallelujah"? Mail is getting a major overhaul, losing a lot of visual bloat, and becoming a lot like the iPad Mail app. Looks absolutely stunning, especially in full screen mode.

I'm also digging the conversation view.

AirDrop

AirDrop lets you send files to anyone with Lion on your network. Click an AirDrop button in Finder, your Mac shows you who is around, then you drag a file onto their name. They are notified, and when they accept, the file zips to their computer wirelessly.

Lion Server

Typically, Mac OS X comes as either a client version (what most of us use) or a Server version. In Lion, Server is included, so anyone can set up a Mac as a server without anything extra.

New Gestures and Animations

I love gestures in Snow Leopard. The multitouch trackpad in my MacBook Pro is amazing. So amazing, that I immediately purchased the Magic Trackpad when it was released. Lion is what the Magic Trackpad was made for. Gestures are a huge focal point of Lion.

I am loving the idea of being able to tap or pinch to zoom content in my browser. Swiping between Spaces looks fantastic, and the animation of swiping back and forth between pages in Safari looks stellar. See for yourself. If you use a Magic Mouse now, I highly recommend moving to a Magic Trackpad for Lion.

All in all, Lion is shaping up to be amazing. I can hardly wait until summer.

FaceTime for Mac Officially Released

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FaceTime for Mac is out of beta as of today. Honestly, I didn't think it would leave beta until Mac OS X Lion's release this summer. The big new feature is HD video calling if you have a FaceTime HD camera (currently exclusive to the MacBook Pro line that was refreshed today).

FaceTime for Mac comes with the new MacBook Pro, or is available for 99¢ on the Mac App Store for the rest of us.

Some folks I've spoken with that had the beta installed say they are sticking with that. Your mileage may vary. Me? It's a buck, and I use it quite a bit.

MacBook Pro Updated, Thunderbolt Included

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Today Apple did a refresh of their MacBook Pro line, something that has been due for some time, as the previous refresh was in April of 2010.

Processors & Graphics

The entire MacBook Pro line is on the latest Intel processors. The 13-inch models have finally graduated from the Core 2 Duo processors to dual-core Core i5 on the low-end and Core i7 on the high end. Apple says the new 13-inch model is twice as fast as the previous generation. The 15- and 17-inch models all sport Core i7 processors instead of i5 processors, and they are quad-core!

All models have shifted to Intel HD 3000 integrated graphics. I am unsure how I feel about this as Intel's integrated graphics have never been known as fantastic. However, Intel blocked NVIDIA from making integrated chipsets for the Core i-Series of processors (this is why Apple stuck with the Core 2 Duo for so long on the 13-inch MacBook Pro. They preferred NVIDIA's chipsets).

Whereas the 13-inch model relies solely on the Intel graphics chip, the 15- and 17-inch models can automatically switch to higher-end AMD discrete graphics when some extra horsepower is needed. The low-end 15-inch sports the AMD Radeon HD 6490M with 256MB GDDR5, and the high-end 15-inch and the 17-inch models have the AMD Radeon HD 6750M with 1GB GDDR5. Nice.

FaceTime HD

The new MacBook Pro's have a new HD camera in the monitor bezel. These used to be called iSight's, but since the iPhone 4 was introduced, Apple has been rebranding with FaceTime. The MacBook Air was the first Mac to receive the FaceTime Camera moniker, and the MacBook Pro now has FaceTime HD.

Thunderbolt — One Port to Rule Them All

This section quite possibly deserves a post all in itself. Thunderbolt is a new port that handles, well, everything. It was a project by Intel to create a port that just about anything can plug into. Intel and Apple worked together to make this port, which has taken on the form-factor of Apple's mini-DisplayPort plug.

Thunderbolt can transfer data at 10 Gbps (USB 3.0 does 5 Gbps), connect storage devices, storage arrays, displays, and even connect to networks. It even supplies 10-watts of power to power devices.

So, what does this mean for future Macs? Well, one of the things I was hoping for in this refresh was that the MacBook Pro would become more like the MacBook Air. Especially in adopting the thin wedge profile. There are four main things that stand in the way of the MacBook Pro getting much thinner: hard drive, optical drive, Ethernet, and FireWire.

The hard drive will eventually go solely SSD in portable Macs, I am convinced of this. The optical drive can go the way of the floppy, and users who need it can have an external drive, like we see with the MacBook Air today.

But Ethernet and FireWire are large ports that aren't going away in the near future — or at least weren't, since there wasn't a viable replacement. Thunderbolt is that replacement.

Apple and Intel designed Thunderbolt to continue to support existing USB, FireWire, Gigabit Ethernet, and Fibre Channel networks using simple adapters. And since Thunderbolt is based on mini-DisplayPort, users can still use existing adapters to connect DisplayPort, DVI, HDMI, or VGA displays.

Thunderbolt literally wraps all the ports on the side of the MacBook Pro into one connector. This is just the first step.

As Thunderbolt takes off and is included with other devices natively, Apple (and other manufacturers) could offer a bunch of Thunderbolt ports on their computers, and retire ports such as Ethernet, FireWire, and maybe even USB.

Imagine if thumbdrives had a Thunderbolt plug instead of USB. This one port design could very well be the future.

Conclusions

This is an impressive update to the MacBook Pro line. If you've had your eye on a new MacBook Pro, now is the time to get one. Mine is doing fine, and I am honestly waiting for the MacBook Pro and the MacBook Air to hook up. Not to mention that the inclusion of Thunderbolt has me waiting to see a simplified I/O and thinner designs.

Happy 56th Birthday, Steve Jobs

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Steve Jobs by tsevis

Just wanted to give warm wishes to Steve Jobs, who has been quite the influence on my life. The products he and his team at Apple have made over the years have become essential in my daily life. There literally isn't a day that goes by that I don't use something from Apple. Thanks, Steve, for helping make insanely great stuff. Happy birthday, and good health to you.