European Doctors Love iPads, TouchDocs Makes Google Docs Easy, New MSN iPad App, and More

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

• European Physicians Who Own iPads Spend 27% of Their Professional Online Time on the Device
• iOS Passes Mac OS Share of Web Traffic on Chitika Ad Network

Apps & Services

• TouchDocs: Google Docs Made Easy
• Free MSN for iPad App
• Longform Reader Focuses on Longer Articles
• Edmunds.com Takes Next Step in Mobile Car Shopping with New iPad App

Accessories

• Rokbed Fuzion: CNC Machined Aluminum iPhone 4/4S Case Made in the USA
• IvySkin Unveils iPad 3 Crackled Cases

iPod Deals

These price trackers are updated every month.

• Best iPad deals
• Best classic iPod deals
• Best iPod touch deals
• Best iPod nano deals
• Best iPod shuffle deals
• Best iPhone deals

News, Reviews, & Opinion

European Physicians Who Own iPads Spend 27% of Their Professional Online Time on the Device

PR: A new study of European physician digital trends indicates strong interest among iPad owners in using device for professional functions.

Online European physicians who own an iPad spend 27% of their professional online time on this device, according to the new Taking the Pulse Europe study from pharmaceutical and healthcare market research company Manhattan Research. Additionally, this audience relies on desktops and laptops for 55% of their professional Internet use, with the remaining 18% of access time occurring on smartphones. Taking the Pulse Europe explores how physicians in Europe use digital channels for clinical purposes, pharma communication, and patient interaction. The study was fielded online among 1,207 practicing physicians in Germany, France, Spain, Italy, and the United Kingdom in Q4 2011.

26% of online European physicians own an iPad, with an additional 40% reporting they plan to purchase one within the next six months. iPad owners primarily use their devices to look up information, browse articles, and watch videos. Overall, physicians show significant interest in using iPads to manage and educate their patients.

"We discovered that iPad-owning physicians spend an impressive 27% of their professional online time on the device, likely replacing desktop time and probably some offline media time too," says Christina Anthogalidis, Principal Analyst at Manhattan Research. "Use of these devices at the point-of-care to educate patients and manage records is also promising at this stage."

To download a complimentary data snapshot of key trends among European physicians, visit http://bit.ly/xE27XO

Taking the Pulse Europe is fielded online annually in Q4 among more than 1,200 physicians. The data can be segmented across a variety of target specialist audiences, including PCPs, pediatricians, cardiologists, oncologists, gastroenterologists and OB/GYNs.

Key topics addressed in the study include:

• Physician use of smartphones and tablets for professional tasks and patient care
• Traditional and digital professional channel mix, including search and website behavior
• Sources and devices used to learn about Rx products and access services from pharma
• Evolution of professional social media and opportunities for pharma
• Role of tablets in the rep-physician relationship

iOS Passes Mac OS Share of Web Traffic on Chitika Ad Network

Advertising analytics firm Chitika Insights' Gabe Donnini reports that according to IDC metrics, Apple shipped 93.2 iPhone units and 40 million+ iPads in 2011, noting that in Q4 alone, Apple sold 17.07 million iPhones, 11.12 million iPads, and 6.62 million iPods, but only 4.89 million Macs.

Donnini deduces that more than ever, mobile devices are playing a key role in the lives of consumers and will likely become the predominant method for consumers to access and interact with the Web in the near future, which has to have implications for the computing industry.

To investigate whether Apple is on the edge of cannibalizing its desktop market by focusing on its mobile device product mix, Chitika Insights compared overall web traffic market share of iOS and Mac OS, analyzing several data sets composed of a series of US traffic taken from August 2011 to February 2012 out of the Chitika Ad Network (covering hundreds of millions of ad impressions). User agents of individual impressions were then aggregated to determine relative overall share of the different operating systems. The theory proved true as seen in the graph below.

Donnini notes the data track web market shares of iOS and OS X converging steadily since August, iOS posting regular gains, and experiencing an overall growth of nearly 50%, while OS X's market share has declined by 25% since September. February marks first time the iOS has passed the Mac OS, accounting for 8.15% of all traffic compared with the Mac OS logging 7.96%.

Analyzing these findings, Donnini suggests that they may indicate more consumers choosing to go mobile instead of purchasing more expensive Apple computers.

Publisher's note: Bear in mind that Chitika Ad Network puts a focus on mobile and local ads, so its figures will be skewed accordingly. For instance, NetMarketShare reports 5.76% for Mac and 4.7% for iOS. It also shows Macs increasing from 3.66% of desktop traffic in March to 5.13% in January, while iOS has grown from 47.85% to 53.65% of mobile traffic in the same time frame. I would put a lot more stock in NetMarketShare and Google figures than those from Chitika or Low End Mac. (Over half of all visitors to Low End Mac use Macs, and 7.6% use iOS, but you'd expect a strong skew towards Macs. I also run a website that isn't OS-specific, and there Mac users account for 12.26%, with iOS users at 5.31%. Android is just under 3%, and Windows totally dominates at just over 74%.) dk

Link: iOS Passes Mac OS in Share of Web Traffic Propelled by Sales for Mobile and Tablet Devices

Apps & Services

TouchDocs: Google Docs Made Easy

PR: Kabuki Vision, LLC says its TouchDocs app is the easiest way to use Google Docs on your iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch, and that too celebrate the launch of TouchDocs, the app is on sale for 25% of its regular price.

Google Docs Made Easy

TouchDocs features:

• Stunning graphical interface, designed for superior ease of use.
• Navigate through your files and collections (folders) with ease. Files can be sorted by date, name, or type.
• Jump quickly to any collection (folder) with a single tap.
• Search directly for file using full-text search.

View Your Documents - Any Time, Anywhere

• Document viewer presents a stunning view of your files. Documents, spreadsheets, presentations, PDFs, images, movies, and music can all be displayed.
• Files are automatically downloaded to the device (cached), and can be viewed even without an Internet connection.
• Email files, print files, open files in other apps.

Edit And Modify Your Documents

• Edit your documents and spreadsheets while online. Uses Google's mobile web editor directly within the app.
• Star, rename, or delete any file.
• Create a new empty document or spreadsheet.
• Import new files from other apps and upload them to Google Docs.

New in Version 2.0:

• DocsPortal is now TouchDocs. And that's not all that's new . . . the app has been completely redesigned, has numerous new features, and is now a universal app that runs on iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch.
• Completely redesigned interface
• Ability to edit documents or spreadsheets while online (uses Google's mobile web editor directly within the app)
• Star, rename, or delete files from within the app.
• Create new documents or spreadsheets.
• Supports many more file types for uploading to Google Docs.
• Print a file to any AirPrint-compatible printer

System requirements:

• Compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad
• Requires iOS 5.0 or later

99¢

Link: TouchDocs

Free MSN for iPad App

PR: MSN is now available on your iPad. Easily swipe to find your favorite news, sports entertainment, autos and money articles & videos in one place. Easily share what you find with your friends on Facebook,Twitter or email a link to the article.

 

Of course you can view articles, photos and videos in either portrait or landscape modes with MSN for iPad. Need to dig deeper on something you just read? We've built Bing right into the top of the app for easy searching.

Additional Features:

• Popular photo galleries and slideshows
• Quick access to Hotmail and Windows Live Messenger
• View in portrait and landscape modes, whatever is easier for you
• Send feedback to the MSN team to let them know what you think

System requirements:

• Compatible with iPad
• Requires iOS 4.3 or later.

Free

Link: MSN for iPad

Longform Reader Focuses on Longer Articles

PR: Longform delivers all of the latest in-depth articles from the world's best magazines, plus un-missable reads curated from across the web by the editors of Longform.org. Perfect for commutes, flights, or Sunday afternoons.

Longform.org posts new and classic nonfiction articles, curated from across the web, that are too long and too interesting to be read on a web browser.

You pick the stories you like, then save them to read later when you have the time using Instapaper or Read It Later. (Or, if you want, read them right away in your web browser.)

Longform.org recommends enjoying articles using read later services like Instapaper and Read It Later,a pair of services that allow you to save the text of a web page - just the text, no ads or formatting to mobile devices so you can read long articles later, when you have time, and features buttons to save articles with one click.

To save a story with Instapaper, which is available on the iPhone and iPad, click the Read Later button. You'll know its worked when the button says Saved.

To save a story with Read It Later, which is supported on several devices, click the Share button, then click Read It Later.

Stop browsing, start reading.

Features:

• The first reader designed exclusively for longform writing
• Elegant, reader-friendly design
• All articles fully accessible offline
• Toggle between original web page and a reading-optimized view
• Comes with a Readability Reading List: bookmark articles in-app and from across the web then read them back later in Longform
• Bookmark articles directly to read later in Instapaper and Read It Later
• Share articles via email, Twitter, Facebook, and Tumblr
• Customize the reading experience with adjustable fonts, margins, and text size
• Powered by the Readability API

System requirements:

• Compatible with iPad
• Requires iOS 4.3 or later

$4.99

Link: Longform

Edmunds.com Takes Next Step in Mobile Car Shopping with New iPad App

PR: Edmunds.com, a premier online resource for automotive information, has announced that its new Edmunds App for iPad is now available on the App Store. The new app was unveiled last week at the LA AppShow, which was hosted by Edmunds.com at its Santa Monica headquarters.

"A recent study found that research is the single largest cause of stress in the car buying process even greater than visiting the dealer," says Stephen Gandee, Vice President of Mobile Technology at Edmunds.com. "When developing the new Edmunds App for iPad, we made a deliberate effort to offer a clean, intuitive approach to researching a car in order to alleviate some of that stress."

"We leveraged iPads large high resolution display and Multi-Touch interface to create a feature that helps users learn about the latest advances in automotive technology and assists them to determine which models include them as options," explains Mr. Gandee. "In-car technology is rapidly gaining in importance to consumers as they decide on competing models, since they now rely on the integration of their mobile devices in their vehicles."

Edmunds iPad app is available free of charge to consumers, thanks to an exclusive sponsorship deal with Lexus. The luxury automotive brand will use the platform as part of a campaign to promote its all-new GS Sedan.

Edmunds.com's apps for iPhone, iPod touch and now iPad provide the most important information for new car and used car shoppers, including True Market Value pricing, incentives, car reviews, model specs and new car inventory at local dealerships.

The Edmunds App is available from the App Store on iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch.

Car enthusiasts have also given rave reviews to the free Edmunds Inside Line App, available for iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch, which provides customizable automotive information and entertainment, including videos, photos, blog updates, and car reviews from the award-winning InsideLine.com team.

Link: Edmunds App for iPad

Accessories

Rokbed Fuzion: CNC Machined Aluminum iPhone 4/4S Case Made in the USA

PR: Orange County, Calif. based Rokform LLC, manufacturer of Made In USA protective cases, stands, and accessories for the iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPad, iPad 2, and iPod touch, claims to have reset the standard for quality in the import dependent electronics industry.

"At Rokform, delivering the most functional cases, stands, and accessories for the latest iPad, iPhone, and iPod devices is our top priority," says Jeff Whitten, Vice President of Rokform. "From our raw material sourcing to design and engineering, every aspect of Rokform product development is done right here at our facilities and with our domestic factory partners and suppliers. Our approach to manufacturing and design is unique to the industry. Through this start-to-finish, hands-on method we can ensure the best performance for our customers in every Rokform product."

The newly released Rokbed Fuzion Aluminum/Polycarbonate iPhone 4/4S case is the most recent result of top-quality domestic production.

The Rokform Rokbed Fuzion is CNC machined from 6061 T-6 aircraft grade aluminum and injection molded polycarbonate. The polycarbonate lower portion quickly snaps in and out of the aluminum but fits snug enough for a safe and secure protective fit. The new case is available in a variety of anodized colors to fit almost any taste.

Rokbed Fuzion Highlights

• 6061 T-6 Aluminum CNC machined upper frame.
• Injection molded polycarbonate lower cap.
• 6 sided protection defends iPhone against shocks, drops and movement.
• Ultralight; weighs less than 1 ounce.
• Balanced feel and easy access to all buttons, SIM card, headphone jack and charging slot.
• Provision for optional included lanyard.
• Available in a variety of anodized colors

Launched in January 2011, Rokform has quickly established itself in the mobile accessory marketplace by manufacturing uniquely designed and engineered products for the iPhone and iPad. Rokform products include Billet Aluminum and Polycarbonate Cases, Screen Protectors, Lanyards and Stands. Rokform products are available through select resellers and from rokform.com.

Link: Rokbed Fuzion iPhone 4/4S Case (Rokbed cases available through Amazon.com)

IvySkin Unveils iPad 3 Crackled Cases

PR: IvySkin, a manufacturer of accessories for mobile devices, audio, power, and laptop accessories, has announced new iPad 3 sleeves. Crafted from high-quality and on-trend materials, Crackled's iPad 3 sleeve designs protect iPad 3 devices at all times and in style.

Supple Crackled leather gathered into softly pleated waves is accented with ultra plush interior and delicate hardware. This case is designed for the new iPad 3 and MacBook Pro

Modeled after a classic saddle bag but with all the fine details of a quality leather case, the product is hand crafted in Crackled leather style, with an ultra plush interior to protect and safe keep the iPad in case of a drop. Handmade in gently distressed crackled leather-like tanned exclusively for IvySkin, each case is carefully antiqued and made to fit the new iPad.

Crackled Sleeve

Blending fashion and function, IvySkin's iPad 3 and MacBook Sleeve brings a new look to the iPad 3 collection. Comprised of high-quality Crackled Leather mixed with a super plush shock absorbent inner layer, the Crackled case defends against water and scratches.

The complete Crackled Collection by IvySkin is available immediately and a selection of the collection will be available at select premium outlets in the coming weeks.

Link: Crackled Case for iPad 2