Many people struggle with the question of whether or not to bring their iPad along on a holiday. After all, it is an expensive device and losing it or damaging it would certainly be a problem. Some travellers also don’t want to spend a lot of time on their electronic devices instead of exploring new cultures and cuisines in an exotic destination. Although it may seem like a bad idea to bring along your iPad while on holiday, it can actually be a very smart choice especially if you’re going on a family holiday. Here are five reasons to bring along your iPad while on holiday:

1. To Stay in Touch: Since most hotels offer the option of wireless internet, your iPad can serve as a way to communicate with friends and family when you are abroad. It is lighter to bring along than a full laptop computer and it is also more affordable than roaming charges for a mobile phone. Use the device to video chat with family, send emails to colleagues in the office or chat online in your spare time with friends.

2. For Maps and Directions: Whether you are walking around a city, trying to find an isolated beach on an island or taking a road trip across Australia, an iPad can help to get you wherever you want to go. Download apps of city transit systems, road maps or just use the Google Maps app to help find your exact location from anywhere in the world.

3. Entertainment During Travel: Even when visiting the most exotic destinations on Earth you can expect to have some downtime. An iPad is a great way to pass the time while on a train, bus, plane or while waiting to check in. It can be a nice way to unwind before going to bed at night and can be easier to pack than several books.

4. To Review Restaurants and Nightlife: Discovering new restaurants is an exciting part of travelling. If you are a food enthusiast or just want to pick the top restaurants in the area while on holiday, use one of the many apps that offer reviews of dining and drinking establishments around the world. If you have internet connection, you can quickly pull up the website of local restaurants and view their menus and prices before entering.

5. To Translate or Learn About Culture: If you happen to be visiting a country where you do not speak the native language, having the ability to translate can be very helpful. Download a vocabulary app to your iPad or even a foreign language dictionary so that you can quickly and easily translate words. Before your trip be sure to download a book on local culture to read in your spare time.

Thinking of booking a family holiday this summer? Then check out deals with Travel City Direct!

Apple once again sets the bar a little higher with the newly released iPad 3. Generally, the new version of Apple’s famous tablet has similarities as well as differences when compared to its most recent predecessor, the iPad 2. However, no one can deny that the iPad 3 has topped many techie buffs’ must-have lists.

Appearance

In terms of appearance, the iPad 3 looks very much like the iPad 2. However, it’s actually one millimeter thinner than the latter, making it easier to store and lug around. The fact that it’s 2.5 ounces lighter shows that Apple has been making improvements on the iPad’s mobility.

The original plan was for the iPad 3 to come in six colors: white, black, steel blue, gray, cobalt, and tie-dye. Currently, however, it is only available in its classic steel gray shade.

Retina display

While the iPad 2 had great graphics, the iPad 3 kills it by going one step further. Taking up the front line, the Retina Display is one of the most notable changes in the iPad 3, and the crisp image quality turns the already remarkable iPad visual experience into something more. Apple has definitely outdone itself, paking a chock full of pixels into the 9.7-inch screen, which now boasts a 1536 x 2048 pixel resolution, 44% more color saturation, and an astounding 3.1 million pixels packed into its screen.

This has noticeable implications on the iPad 3’s screen, and viewing photos and videos are practically eye candy on it.

Camera

There’s also Apple’s inclusion of a 5 megapixel rear camera on the back (an improvement on the iPad 2’s resolution), and the standard VGA camera on the front for Facetime. Called the iSight camera, the image quality is a considerable improvement from the previous model’s, as well as the ability to shoot 1080p videos.

The iSight camera features advanced optics, such as a f/2.4 aperture and a five-element lens, meaning the latest iPad is capable of capturing more light, resulting in fresher looking photos. The hybrid infrared filter is worth mentioning, too, as this feature is generally only seen in SLR cameras.

Software

Application speeds are also substantially faster, what with the A5 processor, quadcore graphics and the upgrade from the previous iPad’s 512 MB to 1 GB of RAM. A lot of people were looking forward to Apple’s installation of the A6 processor in the new iPad, but the A5 processor does relatively fine, compared to processors of old iPad models.

The iPad 3 also comes preinstalled with iOS 5.1. It’s a great combination really, as the iPad 3 gives you both the updated operating system, and the necessary speed capacity to perform multiple commands with minimal lagging.

***

Critics have dismissed the iPad 3 as a buffed up remake of the iPad 2, but a quick run through the specifications show that it is clearly not. With infinitely better graphics, higher speeds and a more than passable rear camera, the iPad 3 has definitely upgraded its capabilities as a tablet.

About the Author:

Amy C. is a gadget junkie who likes writing about the latest in mobile technology. When she’s not researching recent software releases, she spends time working for Greyside Group, a maritime security and executive protection company, with its office administration and blogging activities. To learn more about Amy’s take on everything techie, stay tuned for her next post.

The new third generation iPad3 is finally in the market and has started attracting the customers with its eye-catching Retina Display apps. The Retina Display is one of the most applauded features of Apple’s new iPad 3. Apple’s new tablet has a 2048*1536 resolution screen that supports 1080p high definition graphics with which it is referred to as a wonderful, visually stunning device.

With its razor sharp text and vibrant colors, the Retina Display offers you an incredible iPad experience and much more than you could ever imagined. And so we are showcasing you the best 10 Retina Display apps that will provide you an amazing experience when using the new apple iPad as felt never before.

1. Star Walk for iPad - This wonderful iPad app is specially developed for astronomy geeks and planet- gazers. It brings you all the animations, planets, satellites and other heavenly bodies’ pictures with super high resolution visual screen.
2. iPhoto - With this interesting retina display app, you can edit, browse or share your pictures and photos with your friends. This app allows your photos to appear on a larger tablet screen of your iPad. The high resolution of new iPad3 screen gives you a detailed and better appearance of the pictures.
3. Kindle - This retina display app from Kindle offers you an access to read eBooks, magazines and newspapers. It includes a whisper sync feature that enables you a sharper and clearer visual experience that makes your eyes smile.
4. Infinity Blade II – A gaming app which is an advanced version of the famous sword fighting game and was declared as the best mobile game of the year. Now the game has been updated that looks simply amazing on the high resolution screen on the new iPad. It also supports various languages such as Portuguese, Swedish and Russian.
5. Incredibooth - Do you remember those booths at some of the fancy parties organized by your friends? Where you stumbled into them very drunk and your friends used the photos to take fun of you the next day?  Well funny booth is now available on the new iPad3. Having retina display app allows you to take photos from the rear view camera in a high resolution display and is also localized in various languages too.
6. Sky Gamblers: Air Supremacy – Created by NAMCO, this high flying action game is specially made for this new iPad to offer you an incredible flight simulator experience with super high resolution images. If you want to set off in jets, this is really the right app for you.
7. Mass Effect Infiltrator - Developed by the creators of Mass Effect 3, this is the real new generation sci-fi space shoot game that gives you a wonderful experience of gaming with the super high resolution display of your new iPad3. It is a high quality game that offers you to explore 9 uniquely rendered gaming environments in your iPad.
8. Tweetbot - It’s a great Twitter app that gives you a crisp and clearer text with high resolution graphics and also the flexibility of different sound settings to impress your friends.
9. iStopMotion - This fun app of new iPad 3 enables you to create stop motion animations. With the high screen resolution of iPad 3, you can enjoy this retina display app with full HD support and HD capturing.
10. New York Times - If you want to check out the latest headlines in the country or know about the multimedia journalism, this is the best iPad app for you. It provides a higher resolution to the articles that you want to read coupled with quality definition photography.

What goes through your mind when you hear the words draught, keg or cask? Does your mouth water when someone says Stout, Pale Ale or Lager? It’s a beer lover’s obsession we suffer from. There’s little that compares to the roasted malts or slow fermenting yeast; except when we get to drink it, of course.

So why not carry that appreciation for beer with you all the time? This list of top apps will provide fun, education and even a measure of safety, so you can continue to enjoy one of your favorite pastimes. National Beer Day happens on April 7, 2012, be prepared with these apps.

Beer Battery $0.99

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/beer-battery/id338195796?mt=8

The first two apps in the list spruce up your iPhone with some fun visuals. Beer Battery is a unique, visual way to keep track of your phones power level. When your phone’s unplugged, the app shows an ice-cold glass of beer on your screen. The moment you start charging your device, the bubbles start to rise. The greater the charge, the more beer you get. The app will sound when fully charged, and features a detailed display of the battery life left, according to the functions being used.

iBeer $0.99

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ibeer-5-beers-coffee!-milk/id283914070?mt=8

One of my favorites, I bought the iBeer app the moment I saw the demo. Choose from six different drinks, including Lager and Stout. Watch the foam and nectar of the gods’ rise, with full sound effects included. Shake the phone and the foam thickens, tilt the phone to your mouth and drink. Follow up with a hardy burp and a good laugh with your friends. If you want the app to do even more, you can purchase add-on packages to include milk, soda, wine and even celebrity voices.

iBeers Pro $3.99

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ibeers-pro-2700-beers-at-your-fingertips/id295196547?mt=8

If you’re looking for information on your favorite beer, there’s no better app than iBeers Pro. With a solid database of information, added to by thousands of user-submitted ratings, this is a must have reference.

• Over 2,700 Beers in the app database.
• Ability to update the database with user-entries.
• Add your own beer.
• Beer type, images, alcohol volumes, ratings (including “Must Try”).

iBeers Pro is an all-in-one app for those who want to learn more about this diverse drink, loved all around the world. A little pricy compared to its digital brothers, but worth every penny to the beer connoisseur.

Beer Match $0.99

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/beer-match-beer-food-cheese-pairings/id326255719?mt=8

The only thing that might improve the wonderful flavor of cold beer is the right food, of course. BBQ’s are great, but beer can compliment more than just a slab of beef. What goes best with Asian Food, Fish or your favorite type of cheese? With Beer Match, all you have to do is pick the food you’re thinking of serving and you’ll be given the best selection from 31 styles of beer to compliment your choice. This isn’t about beer companies, it’s about the styles of beer; you choose the company. With 500 foods to choose from, you’ll never get overwhelmed again with beer choices and what’s right for the main course.

Find Craft Beer $0.99

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/find-craft-beer/id340206461?mt=8

I’m a huge fan of the micro brews. There’s something unique about enjoying a delicious, nutty flavored beer made right in your own home town. Well, now you can enjoy the local bliss of Brew Pubs, Breweries, Beer Stores, Beer Bars and even Homebrew Shops by using the GPS feature of this app. Use your iPhone or iPad to find locations with your desired beer criteria and even share info through social networks. A finalist in the 2009 BestAppEver awards, this tool is well worth a buck.

Drink Tracker $1.99

http://itunes.apple.com/app/drinktracker-breathalyzer/id316993951?mt=8

The last pick is the hands down, must-have app of them all. Drink Tracker is a Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) Calculator and Breathalyzer Simulator for your iPhone or iPod Touch. It takes a little time to set up initially, but once your personal information is programmed in, this baby does it all.

• Automatically compares your blood alcohol intake and metabolic removal rate, updating every 60 seconds.
• BAC uses age, height, weight and gender for accurate calculation.
• If your phone is turned off, it will update the moment the phone is turned back on.
• Set a target BAC according to your profile and the app creates a timer to show how long until your target BAC is reached.
• The OUTTA HERE! feature uses Google Maps to get directions to home or next pub.
• Travel feature includes taxi services in the immediate vicinity, walking, bus and driving.
• Email a friend or SMS a contact to come get you.

There you have it, the best Beer Loving Apps for National Beer Day, and everyday. Have fun, be safe and cheers!

Greg Buckskin writes about technology, and gadgets on behalf of CableTV.com. Check them out to get XFINITY Internet for your home and ipad.

Apple launched ‘the new iPad’ and the retina display is the USP of this new offering. A resolution of 2048 X 1536 with PPI (Pixel per Inch) of 264 will provide a stunning experience when using images and videos. While everyone is drooling over these specs, the suppliers of these displays are having a tough time. According to analysts, the yields of producing these displays are not as high as Apple expected and this could very well result in display shortage and thus delay. Already the pre-orders are getting delayed.

These retina displays are being manufactured by Sharp, Samsung and LG. According to NPD DisplaySearch , Sharp is facing troubles in producing these on a large scale. The reason is the distinct technology used by Sharp. Sharp is using IGZO (Indium Gallium Zinc Oxide) thin-film transistors whereas Samsung and LG are using Silicon based. IGZO allows for higher brightness with a reduced number of LED’s in the backlight.

IGZO is important as it reduces the number of LED’s and thus power consumption. iPad 2 has 36 LED’s and according to DisplaySearch’s analysts, the new iPad (iPad 3) should have at least 72. This increases power consumption and thus battery life gets affected. Rumors are flying that Sharp already switched to Silicon based thin-film transistors to ramp up the production. Do you think that the retina display may prove to be a dampener on the new iPad’s battery life?

Dongles in 2012 = NO NO

The new iPad is released and selling like hot cakes. Our previous post listed some of the much anticipated features that went missing in this third generation tablet from Apple. Here are some more of the coveted features not available currently. We might see them in next release in 2013 or may be in this year only if that rumor about two or more tablet releases in same year is true.

Siri: The new iPad features just the voice dictation and not the full-blown Siri. Too much load on the backend servers might be the reason for not featuring this on iPad. Apple might have thought of saving this trump card for the next release.

SD Card Slot: The entire Mac lineup with the exception of Mac Pro now features a card slot. It would have been a good addition to the iPad and something that many people have been crying out for.  I still cant believe this has’nt been included in an Apple tablet!

Smart Cover: A cover smart big enough to cover the backside of the iPad would have been a nice addition. It would have saved the scratches on the back side that we all have from lumping the thing around in our bags.

Single 4G LTE version: AT&T and Verizon use different spectrums for their LTE operations and this leaves with no option to hop between networks. The only saving grace is both models of the new iPad are capable of using GSM/UMTS networks worldwide, thus we can use a local SIM card and browse at 3G speeds.

USB Port: As tablets are becoming a replacement for PC, it is surprising how Apple missed this point. Tim Cook’s talk of a post-PC era doesn’t make much sense without the ability to plug-in external devices directly.  There is the option of using a dongle from the camera kit but who on earth still uses dongles!  I’m always losing mine and that’s good enough reason to have a port built in to the ipad.

Can you think of any other that Apple (and we too) missed that should have been featured in this version of iPad?

‘The new iPad’ is revealed and now the debate moves from features to market share and dominance. Though the new iPad is not radically different from iPad 2 look wise, analysts believe that people will flock to buy the third-generation tablet. Of course we cannot forget the fantastic sales of iPhone 4S even though it looked similar to iPhone 4. If Siri was the big differentiator for iPhone 4S, the retina display might just do that trick for the new iPad 3. Isn’t it amazing how the little senses like talking, hearing and touching do the trick for Apple? 4G LTE might also be attracting the restless consumers for whom 3G is passé.

According to research firm IHS iSuppli Apple will gain global tablet market share increasing it from 57 percent in Q4 2011 to 61 percent. According to Rhoda Alexander, Senior Manager of IHS, “Apple is resetting the bar for the competition”. None of the iPad competitors are able to compete with Apple on the technical features. Apple’s CEO Tim Cook clearly alluded to this in the beginning of the iPad event by saying that only Apple can beat itself and no one else.

Apple’s $100 price drop on iPad 2 will also do the trick in attracting other Android tablet customers. With still no sight of the release date of Windows 8, Apple will enjoy its lion share of the tablet market. According to IHS Apple will be selling around 75.3 million iPads in 2012 against 48.3 million of all other tablets. And with a pile of cash and a string of new product cycles like LTE enabled iPhone 5 and iTV down the line, there’s no stopping Apple. Till the time Microsoft pulls a rabbit out of the hat, trade analysts will be busy giving ‘strong buy’ calls on Apple. Should we be buying Apple shares also along with the new iPad 3?

As the new iPad’s features are being analyzed, it is also time to go over some of the much expected features and rumors that were missing.

Look

First things first! The new iPad doesn’t differ much from the iPad 2 looks wise. Though the casing is slightly tapered, it is not a radical change. But the lack of a design and look change is more than compensated with many under the hood configuration changes.

Smaller option?

Amazon Kindle Fire’s success raked up lot of debate on the 8-inch iPad Mini and about giving choice to the customers in choosing the form factor. We couldn’t even find a trace about this in the iPad event, but still rumors are strong that a tablet with different size will be released by Apple later in this year only. If they do release, at least we have a name for it – ‘the small iPad’.

Quad Core Processor

Many analysts expected debut of A6 quad-core processor .This made more sense as the quad-core market is heating up with Nvidia’s Tegra 3 and Qualcomm’s Snapdragon processors. The new iPad comes with A5X and Apple claims it is four times faster than Tegra 3. But it is still not an A6 and there’s a lot in the name! Siri’s integration with iPad was taken for granted by everyone, but there’s no mention of whether Siri and the new iPad will allow only dictation.

Only 64gb

Other features that were expected but missing includes a 128 GB version and reduction of weight. The new retina display and 4G antenna did not help much on the weight. But it would have been good to have 128GB option. Apple has increased the 4G file download limit to 50 MB and with all those HD pictures and videos 64GB limit can fill up quite quickly.

iO6 please???

No iO6, well it was a bit of a long shot but there were some rumors of it popping up in logs.  I guess we will have to wait till June 2012 for the Apple’s World Wide Developers conference.

The ‘New iPad’ is ready and will be available in the stores from March 16th 2012. As the rumor mill takes a breather, it is time to take stock of the new features that will be available. The big surprise is the name of this third-generation iPad. It is neither called iPad 3 nor iPad HD. Apple stumped everyone by calling it ‘the new iPad’. It features the touted retina display with a resolution of 2048 X 1536. This translates into 3.1 million pixels, a million more than an HDTV. Now imagine the visual treat on offer! Apple aptly calls it ‘the best mobile display ever’.

Till a few days back the web was buzzing if the new iPad features an A5X processor or an A6 processor? Now we know that it’s an A5X processor. It is a dual-core processor with quad-core graphics. According to Apple, A5X GPU is twice powerful than iPad2 and four times more powerful that Nvidia’s Tegra 3. Thus the A5X quad-core graphics deliver all those 3.1 million pixels with the same smoothness and makes swiping, scrolling etc incredibly responsive.

‘The new iPad’ doesn’t feature an 8 mega-pixel camera. But it comes with an ‘iSight’ camera which has a 5-mega pixel sensor, auto focus, five-element lens, exposure functions and face recognition. Add to these the amazing software that helps in editing your pictures. The ‘iSight’ camera can capture HD videos in 1080p. It is no coincidence that Apple also introduced an updated Apple TV which can now display full HD content.

‘The new iPad’ supports 4G LTE for faster web experience. All those extra pixels, quad-core graphics and LTE battery are not going to affect the batter life and the new iPad can last up to 10 hours in standard and 9 hours with 4G enabled. Now coming to the big question – price. Apple keeps the pricing of the ‘new iPad’ unchanged. Wi-Fi enabled 16GB base model starts at $499 and the high-end 64GB 4G enabled model costs $829. And as expected Apple is giving 16GB Wi-Fi iPad2 at $399, a discount of $100. The new iPad features a smart cover. Not only does it protect from dust and scratches it is smart enough to wake and sleep with a simple open and close. It just sums up Apple’s attention to detail. So are you ready to pre-order ‘the new iPad’?  Was it as good as you were expecting, if not what do you think is missing?

Check out new pics of the iPad 3 here.

It is official. Apple will be showcasing iPad 3 to the world on March 7^th. Apple distributed the invites to select media for the big event to be held at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco at 10 AM PST. The invite per se does not list any of the features. But as always with anything associated with Apple, the invitation is being scrutinized to find any hidden clues. This makes sense as Apple does everything for a reason with attention to even minute details.

The invite shows a display that is of much higher quality than an iPad 2. The Web is buzzing with pictures comparing the invite picture with an iPad 2 featuring the same apps. A higher resolution display can be easily distinguished and this might very well confirm the retina display.

The invite says “We have something you really need to see. And touch”. If the “see” is a clue for retina display, what is it with ‘touch’? Interestingly the display on the invite doesn’t feature a physical home button. Analysts view the absence of this Home button got to do something with the ‘touch’. Absence of home button is from the observation that the invitation shows the device in portrait mode, which is deduced based on the spacing between the apps featured on the invite display. It is surprising how and why Apple missed the ‘hearing’ part of iPad 3 in the invite! Is it deliberate to surprise us or does it mean no Siri integration on iPad 3? Come March 7^th we can ‘feel’ the iPad 3 with all our senses.

Images via Gizmodo