iNews Review

Bad Time to Buy an iPad, Rush Limbaugh and Bible Apps, First Flash Drive for iPad and iPhone, and More

This Week's iPad, iPhone, iPod, and Apple TV News

Compiled by Charles Moore and edited by Dan Knight - 2011.01.07

Mac notebook and other portable computing is covered in The 'Book Review, and general Mac news is in Mac News Review.

All prices are in US dollars unless otherwise noted.

News, Reviews, & Opinion

Apps & Services

Accessories

iPod Deals

These price trackers are updated every month.

News, Reviews, & Opinion

Buying an iPad Now Would Be a Huge Mistake

Motley Fool's Rick Aristotle Munarriz says that if you're contemplating the purchase of an iPad, now is not the time. With the iPad 2 coming, it's going to be worth the wait. Munarriz says he's loving his iPad but is already suffering buyer's remorse, asking rhetorically why anyone would buy an iPad now that's going to feel obsolete in a few weeks?

How Useful Is an iPad?

The New Zealand Herald's Mark Webster reports:

"Apple lent me an iPad for seven days, here are my impressions. Like most, I was immediately impressed with the form factor and build quality. This is no plasticky toy - it's solid, sleek and slick, yet also very thin. And the screen looks lovely.

"After playing around with it for a couple of hours, I decided it was not an essential device. I don't need one. But the paradox here is that, although everyone in my family agreed with my assessment (that's a 17-year-old college student and another adult), the iPad was in constant use."

How to Use the iPad to Be Super Productive

TC Geeks' Shane says:

"Do you want to be productive? Super productive? Well, I have a way you can do it using your iPad and it involves using some apps that help you get things done where ever (sic) you are. I'm going to show you how you can take advantage of a few great apps and ways of working to be super productive using your iPad....

"Here are the things that can make you productive:

  1. A good calendar for meetings and reminders
  2. A place to store files and retrieve files
  3. A good To Do list that can be accessed from anywhere
  4. Access important documents from anywhere"

How to Do Everything on the iPhone

Steve Thomas, who evidently is not a native English speaker, says in a widely republished article:

"Apple iphone is greater than a digital gadget and a 'life-style-device'. A lot could be stated about the way in which that Apple came out to dominate the wise telephone market with apple iphone. Research within the Cellular market has proved that with regards to making decisions about which design of smart telephone customers will purchase; several go for the iPhone 4G 3GS at features, they are not prepared to compromise."

Apps & Services

Rush Limbaugh ShowRush Limbaugh Rush Limbaugh Available on the App Store

PR: Rush Limbaugh, developed by 2010 Premiere Radio Networks, Inc., is now available from the App Store and has made Apple's Top 300 iPad/iPod applications list. The app was last released on December 20, 2010 and sells for Free.

The application developer's description of the application is: "Exclusively from the EIB Network! Get the Rush iPhone App and enjoy these great features:

  • Transcripts: Full records of Rush's segments.
  • Videos: Rush's TV appearances & landmark speeches.
  • Stations: A list of local radio stations where you can tune in to America's Anchorman all across the fruited plain.
  • Contact Rush: Phone or email El Rushbo.

Rush 24/7 Members-Only features:

  • The Dittocam: Peek into Rush's studio and watch him broadcast from behind the Golden EIB Microphone.
  • Rush Limbaugh app Show Audio: Listen to the full show or hour-by-hour.
  • Morning Update Video: Watch Rush deliver his pithy, minute-long updates in high quality, crystal clear video.
  • Rush's Broadcast When YOU Want to Hear it: If you miss Rush live, you can listen to the entire broadcast.
  • Plus: The exclusive, super-secret e-mail address! Reach out to the Truth Detector with a few taps of your fingers.

Note: Usage of the live stream and on-demand podcast on the EDGE or 3G networks may result in additional data charges. Check with your provider for more details.

If you're not familiar with the Apple App Store, it's the premier way to download applications for your iPod Touch, iPhone, iPad and iPod devices. Apple curates the best applications for your mobile device and lists them conveniently on iTunes. The App Store is the world's largest collection of mobile applications, provides an easy way to keep your apps up-to-date and makes installing applications simple. There are more than 300,000 iPhone and iPod Touch applications available on the App Store alone and thousands more for the iPad.

The Bible Goes Digital

The Episcopal Examiner's Coralie Jensen reports that with both Barnes & Noble and Amazon claiming the biggest Christmas for readers and ebook sales ever, it's no wonder that the e-Bible would make an appearance too, so it's no surprise that, according to USA Today, Christian book publisher Zondervan wanted the newest translation of the New International Version of the Holy Bible to go digital before going print, making it the first time any Bible translation has gone directly to digital.

Jensen observes that the move worked, and after its release on December 21st, the e-Bible flew up the charts to become the top seller in the Apple Store under Religion/Spirituality, No. 13 in all categories over Christmas, and No. 3 on Amazon.

Jensen also notes that e-Bibles' popularity is easy to explain, because it's so much easier to look up information on a reader than to thumb through pages and pages in print when searching for specific information.

She reports that e-Bibles are now 25% of Zondervan's ebook revenue.

Accordance Bible Software for iPhone and iPad

PR: Oak Tree Software announces that the much-anticipated Accordance Bible software app for iOS is now available for download through the iTunes app store. This free Bible study app now brings Accordance power and an enormous library to your iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch.

With Accordance for iOS, you can read your favorite English Bible, access in depth commentaries and study aids, see photos of Biblical places, or perform sophisticated searches in Greek and Hebrew - all in the palm of your hand!

Accordance Bible Software for iPhone and iPadThe initial download includes the English Standard Version, courtesy of Crossway Bibles. Strong's numbers link the English words of the ESV to the underlying Greek and Hebrew, enabling you to do in depth word studies. Also included are:

  • the WEB translation
  • Outlines of each book of the Bible
  • Margin notes and cross-references
  • Easton's Bible dictionary
  • The Bible Lands PhotoGuide Sampler
  • Greek and Hebrew dictionaries, and samples of the Greek New Testament and Hebrew Bible.

Those who create an Accordance online account will be able to download a free Starter collection including:

  • The King James Version with Strong's numbers (KJVS)
  • The King James Version Apocrypha (KJVA)
  • The 1901 American Standard Version (ASV)
  • French La Sainte Bible, Nouvelle Edition de Genève 1979 (NEG79)
  • Italian La Sacra Bibbia, Nuova Riveduta 1994 (NR94)
  • German Schlacter translation 1951 (SCHLA)
  • Spanish Reina Valera 1909 (RVR09)
  • Greek and Hebrew Strong's Dictionaries
  • Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
  • Hitchcock's Dictionary of Bible Names
  • Nave's Topical Bible
  • Maps Sampler
  • Timeline Sampler
  • Daily Bible Readings
  • Classic Passages
  • Parables & Miracles

Accordance Bible Software for iPhone and iPadAccordance also offers an extensive library of materials for purchase, including everything from Christian classics to Jewish publications to high-end reference works to the Dead Sea Scrolls in Hebrew. Any downloadable Accordance module can also be used with the Macintosh version of Accordance.

Capable of running your Accordance modules, as well as giving you many of Accordance's impressive search and study functions, this brilliant application will revolutionize your Bible study on-the-go.

Convenience, speed and privacy are maximized; there is no need to be on-line to use it. Once you download your modules to your mobile device, you can search and read your modules and edit your notes off-line. Dig into the Bible, compare multiple translations, look up original Greek and Hebrew words, access your Bible reference library, broaden or narrow seaches, dive into the original launguages and benefit from the very best in Biblical scholarship and software design.

Accordance Bible Software for iPhone and iPadThe application adapts to both the iPhone's and iPod touch's smaller screens, as well as the iPad's larger screen. Other than that, the application is identical on all devices. However, you can look forward to iPad specific advancements soon!

Accordance for the iPhone/iPad allows you to bring the elegant interface, powerful features and remarkable capabilities of your Accordance software with you wherever you go. Core features of Accordance, such as simple search commands, grammatical searching, and instant parsing can now be accessed on your mobile device. Simply download your modules, and continue your study using Accordance's unique searching capacity whether you are on a trip, waiting for a lecture to begin, or simply standing in a long line. Or, look up Bible verses and access commentaries and lexicons while in class, chatting with friends, or in the midst of a theological discussion.

Intelligent and sophisticated, this application will astound you with its impressive abilities and its simplicity of use. Be sure to tell your friends about this free application, which comes with the KJVS, Strong's Dictionaries, Easton, Outlines, and WEB before you download anything else. It even includes a PhotoGuide Sampler which illustrates the Bible lands with high quality images. Log in to your account to download the rest of the free Starter 9 Collection and to add your purchased modules.

Accessories

AirStash with WebDAV, World's First and Only USB Flash Drive for iPad and iPhone

PR: Wearable Inc. has announced the launch of AirStash with WebDAV. AirStash is the world's first and only USB flash drive for iPad and iPhone, and is available for demonstration upon request at the 2011 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. The WebDAV firmware update will be available in the first quarter of 2011 and is free to all AirStash owners.

AirStash with WebDAVThe WebDAV enhancement to AirStash remedies a common iPad problem expressed by industry reviewers and consumers alike - the lack of a USB drive. Now, users can wirelessly save and share documents from their iPad to AirStash instead of emailing files over the Internet to another device in the same room. AirStash provides complete versatility with both wireless and USB operation. Users can quickly transfer gigabytes of files either wirelessly or via USB with the convenience, reliability, and security of a standard USB drive.

AirStash is an easy to use pocket-sized wireless flash drive with built-in media streamer that offers consumers expandable iPad, iPhone, and iPod storage for movies, photos, music, ebooks, and documents. Users can download more apps and still carry dozens of movies or thousands of photos and wirelessly stream them to their iPhone or iPad. The AirStash SD card slot offers unlimited storage with up to 32 GB per SD card.

AirStash with WebDAVAirStash features:

  • Two-Way Wireless Connectivity to iPad with WebDAV - iPad users are able to wirelessly save documents from their tablet to the AirStash and share the documents with others immediately using industry standard WebDAV technology. It works with new and existing applications including Apple's Pages, Keynote, and Numbers. With AirStash, there's no more need to email files from one device to another in the same room.
  • Premium Media Streaming - Users can store and stream video and audio from their pocket thanks to the compact nature of AirStash. The premium social multimedia server gives users the freedom to enjoy movies, TV shows, and music wherever they go. Users can even share and play different media files on multiple devices simultaneously with the use of one AirStash.
  • AirStash with WebDAV New App for Easy Photo Browsing & Importing (available January 2011) - A new native app for iPad and iPhone users is launching later this month, pending Apple's approval. The app, built at the request of professional photographers, allows AirStash owners the ability to browse and batch import photos quickly and easily. Users can browse photos up to 35 megapixels directly from their camera's SD card without downloading them. Photos can also be imported either at full resolution or resized to a space-saving resolution that matches the device display. This allows professional in-field editing and emailing with 3rd party apps.

"We created AirStash to solve the problem of portable expandable storage for multiple mobile products, which is needed more every day due to gigabyte size apps and larger media files that fill up the internal storage on iPad and iPhone devices," says Matthew Klapman, CEO of Wearable Inc. "Our goal is to become the essential accessory for all mobile devices just as the USB flash drive is for computers. Industry standard WebDAV storage delivered wirelessly and securely from your pocket makes AirStash the universal USB flash drive for all smart mobile devices."

AirStash costs $99.99 and is available to USA and Canada for direct purchase at airstash.com. It will be available to additional international customers in the first quarter of 2011 and through retailers later this year.

The product measures 3.6 x 1.9 x 0.5 inches (92 x 47.8 x 12.2 mm) and weighs just 1.5 oz (43 g).

Innovative XShot iPhone 4 Case

XShotPR: XShot LLC, creator of the popular XShot Camera Extenders, announces that their innovative XShot iPhone 4 Case with detachable tripod adapter will be on display at CES 2011 along with the rest of XShot's product line including the popular XShot camera extenders designed to get photographers in the picture.

Exclusively designed for the iPhone 4, the XShot iPhone case provides full protection, versatility and functionality, and integrates the ability to mount to any tripod, XShot camera extenders, and other stabilizing device with ease using a detachable tripod adapter.

XShotXShot's cofounders Michael Daoud and John Stump will be on hand to talk about the innovative design of the iPhone 4 Case, which was created with the goal of helping camera users extend the capabilities of the iPhone while making it easy to get the photographer in the picture too. With its all-in-one sleek hard case that provides an innovative detachable tripod adapter, the case enables iPhone 4 users to take great pictures and make HD films in both landscape and portrait modes.

XShot LLC produces the popular XShot telescopic camera extenders and iPhone cases for photography. The camera extenders attach to any compact digital camera or handheld video camera (including the Flip) so that the photographer can be part of the picture too. Depending on the camera extender model, the XShot telescopic extenders can increase a person's reach by up to 3 feet and close to a mere 6.5 inches. Everyday photographers no longer have to try and stretch their arms as far as possible to get a picture, let alone capture the full background.

The XShot camera extenders are precision-engineered devices that are durable and compact. This digital camera accessory has become popular with travelers, social media users, bloggers, honeymooners, outdoor lovers, families, and digital scrapbook fans.

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