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Apple Releases iMovie for iPad

As announced in a press releases earlier today, Apple has just released the new iMovie for iPad. It is available now in the App Store at $4.99 here. iMovie is a universal app for iPhone 4 and iPad 2, a free update for existing customers.

iMovie for iPad takes where the Mac and iPhone versions left off to bring a powerful yet easy to use movie editing experience to the iPad, deeply based on multitouch technology. Users of iMovie for iPad can easily import their photos shot on the iPad 2, or iPhone or iPod touch (or any other camera) through the Camera Connection Kit; movies recorded at 720p through the iPad 2’s back camera can be accessed from a Library popup menu to start editing right away. With a split-screen interface you can visualize the movie you’re editing in the top section, and manage or trim video and photo segments in the lower part of the iPad’s screen. You can pinch to zoom to additional parts of a video, use the precision editor to adjust videos with accuracy.

You can import songs from your iPod library to use for background audio, or use the built-in effects in iMovie. You can share videos on the web through Facebook, Youtube and a variety of other services, beam your creations to the Apple TV via AirPlay, or simply export to iTunes.

Go get the new iMovie 1.2 here. Read more

Developers Can Still Enable Multitasking Gestures in 4.3 Final with Xcode

With the final release of iOS 4.3 final yesterday, several readers asked us whether or not Apple pulled the multitasking gestures that had been implemented in developer betas of iOS 4.3. As we noted in January, multitasking gestures for iPad were only meant for testing purposes so developers could test the integration of gestures in their apps. The feature needed to be activated with Xcode.

We received word from several developers that the multitasking gestures can still be enabled in the final version of iOS 4.3 (build 8F190, same as GM), but you will need Xcode and an Apple Developer account to register the device for development and activate the gestures panel in the iOS Settings app. Again, the process takes less than a minute and you can find the instructions here.

The gestures in iOS 4.3 final are the same of earlier betas:  four or five finger pinch to Home screen, swipe up to reveal the multitasking bar, swipe left or right to switch between apps. So if you have Xcode and a dev account, update your iPad to 4.3 final and you’ll still be able to activate gestures. [via RazorianFly]

Flipboard CEO Talks New Version, iPad 2

With the release of version 1.2 last night, the team at Flipboard has one again raised the bar for social magazines on the iPad. Flipboard 1.2, not different in the design from the previous iterations but richer in content,  manages to extend the platform’s capabilities beyond articles and status updates with Instagram integration. The coolest iPhone-only social network these days is now baked directly into Flipboard thanks to an API that allows you to browse photos, comment on them and like them, discover and follow users without leaving the app or jumping to Safari. Everything happens through Flipboard. Together with that, a new feature called “social search” lets you browse for any term or hashtag within an easy-to-use popup menu that aggregates content from a variety of sources like Facebook, Twitter and the aforementioned Instagram.

In an interview with Robert Scoble, Flipboard CEO Mike McCue confirms Social Search is the first example of the implementation of Ellerdale, a company Flipboard acquired last year to build a smart algorithm for aggregating and displaying relevant and personalized content. Whilst this “intelligent system” is still in the works, all the members of Ellerdale are now working at the Flipboard office and have shipped the very first feature last night, social search. It’s very cool in the way it catches tweets, photos, articles and status updates from social media, but it’s not intelligent yet. More will come in the next months, we’re sure.

McCue also gives a hint at advertising coming in future versions of Flipboard. Some fullscreen, elegant banners have already been implemented in the Flipboard-formatted version of SF Gate, and he says they’re indeed targeting for this kind of ads: beautiful photography, fast and lightweight. The opportunity for publishers to team up with Flipboard (like SF Gate) and set up iPad-optimized versions of their articles is also something McCue is heavily betting on. Last night, Flipboard rolled out integration with Wired and Pictory, too.

Last, Flipboard is going to take advantage of the iPad 2’s improved hardware with the possibility to create more than two pages in the main screen – currently a limitation of the iPad 1 hardware and memory constraints. With the iPad 2 coming out tomorrow, we can’t wait to see how Flipboard will benefit from faster processor, graphics and more RAM. As for the competition and all the tablets coming out this year, McCue says they’re just going to wait and see.

Check out the video below.
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Apple Confirms: iPad 2 Online Sales Beginning At 1 AM PT Tomorrow

With a press release that went out a few minutes ago, Apple confirmed that the iPad 2 will go on sale tomorrow in the United States in all 236 Apple retail stores, plus AT&T, Best Buy, Target, Verizon Wireless, Walmart and select Apple Authorized Resellers. The good news is, if you’re willing to buy one online you’ll be able to starting 1 AM PT on the Apple online store:

Apple today announced that iPad 2, the next generation of its magical device for browsing the web, reading and sending email, enjoying photos, watching videos, listening to music, playing games, reading ebooks and much more, will be available tomorrow at 5 p.m. local time at all 236 Apple retail stores in the US and through the Apple Store® (www.apple.com) beginning at 1 a.m. PT.

If you’re going to get an iPad 2 at the retail store, however, Apple will offer a Personal Setup service for setting up email and iTunes accounts and learn the basics of the App Store with an Apple employee. It is unclear at this point how many units Best Buy, Walmart and Target will be provided, but previous speculation suggested Apple had to face shipment issues for an early March launch. Steve Jobs said at the iPad 2 event they were going to ship the new device “in volume” though, so it’s really impossible to provide an estimate of availability now. If you’re going to get in line tomorrow, send us pics and videos at our tips inbox.

Press release below.

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Apple Sets Up Temporary Store in Austin for SXSW

The SXSW 2011 conference kicks off in Austin tomorrow, and the iPad 2 debuts in Apple Stores and authorized retails chains tomorrow at 5PM. Over the past weeks, I’ve read several blog posts and tweets from people attending SXSW this year unsure whether or not they should pull off the conference to stay home and buy an iPad 2, go to Austin and spend hours in line at the nearest Apple Store (thus missing SXSW events) or just go to Austin without getting an iPad 2. See, SXSW is a rather huge event where startups launch and geeks from all over the U.S. meet and the launch of the iPad 2 right in the middle of it could be a deal-breaker for many. Most of all because once you see some people at the conference with an iPad 2, if you’re an Apple geek you’re going to want one.

Apple thought about these issues as well, and in order to sell a truckloads of iPads to SXSW attendees they decided to set up a temporary store in downtown Austin. The plan came together quickly last Monday, when an Apple executive confirmed they wanted to set up a pop-up store for two weeks in the Scarbrough Building on Congress Avenue.

On Wednesday, construction workers were busy retrofitting the 5,000-square-foot space in the building, at Congress and West Sixth Street, that Apple will lease for two weeks. Black vinyl sheeting covered the windows fronting Congress.

The store will be ready tomorrow and we guess they’ll be selling a lot of iPads to people attending SXSW. That’s just a clever more and, although it won’t stay there for long, we’re sure the store in Austin will be a great experience for all those at SXSW willing to get their hands on the latest gadget from Cupertino. If you have photos of the new store, the Tips box in the sidebar is just a click away. [via Statesman]

Flipboard 1.2 Is Out: Instagram Integration, Faster, Search

A major new version of Flipboard, the social iPad magazine, was released a few minutes ago, and it’s a rather big update since the “iPad app of the year” was first released last summer. Flipboard 1.2, now available in the App Store, comes with ful Instagram integration to let users browse Instagram pictures as if they were flipping through a full-size photo album. It looks great on the iPad, photos are much bigger than the native iPhone Instagram app, and all of this has been achieved thanks to the Instagram API we covered a few times in the past.

Thanks to a new feature called “social search”, users can also browse for specific words and hashtags inside Flipboard. This was a much requested functionality that adds a lot of value to the app, which now can not only display content from your favorite online sources, but also search for relevant fresh one.

Flipboard 1.2 is faster thanks to a new backend engine, features a refresh button to check for new articles at any time without closing and restarting the app, has a Featured section at the top to browser editors’ picks. Again, another way to find great content you might like and read in Flipboard.

Flipboard 1.2 is available in the App Store here. In case you missed them, check out our previous reviews of the app here and here. Read more

Angry Birds Seasons: St. Patrick’s Day Edition Now Available→

Angry Birds Seasons: St. Patrick’s Day Edition Now Available

As previously reported, Rovio has finally released a new update for Angry Birds Seasons, which now comes themed for Ireland’s St. Patrick’s Day. The update features “green levels” (green is Ireland’s national color), 15 new levels, new achievements and more.

Have the Luck of the Irish and Go Green with this episode of Angry Birds Seasons: The St. Patrick’s Day Edition! After the love fest of Valentines, Angry Birds Seasons is back with the greenest update to date. May Irish eyes shine upon you and as usual Angry Birds gives the most generous updates of any app!

Oh, you can also send St. Patrick’s Day cards to your friends. Go grab the update here.

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Apple Releases iAd Producer 1.1, Updated for iOS 4.3

Together with the release of Xcode 4, now also available for non-registered iOS and Mac developers in the Mac App Store, Apple also pushed an update for iAd Producer, its iAd design and development software for OS X.

Version 1.1 (weighs in at 91 MB) brings iOS 4.3 compatibility and the possibility to create ads with multiple banners. As promised last year, the iPad is fully targeted in this release with fullscreen banners as well.

Full changelog:

  • Improved compatibility with version management systems
  • Creation of ads with multiple banners
  • Support for full-screen banners on iOS 4.3 devices
  • Importing and editing of custom JavaScript and CSS extensions
  • Improved stability and performance

iAd Producer is available in the iOS Dev Center.

Kickstarter Project - Meglio: Rotatable Handle & Stand for the iPad

It’s just another iPad stand right? Maybe you’d be intrigued if I told you this particular handy iPad accessory was made out of Carbon Steel. The Meglio consists of an iPad grip that rotates on a handle that can be gripped with your hand, or stood on a table face down or face up for typing. An intriguing concept, the Meglio is built around the idea the iPad is just too heavy and flat to comfortably accommodate your computing needs. In fact, the handle can be used to free-ball your iPad from the shower railing. Carbon steel probably doesn’t rust, but I wonder if he realizes that he’s one mis-flush away from triggering the water sensor in his iPad?

If you pledge $40 or more, you’ll get a Meglio of your very own to accompany your iPad (and iPad 2), and you can catch the project pitch after the break.

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