It seems like autonomous, driverless cars are the next big thing. First Google announces that many of those Google-branded cars you’ve been seeing around were actually robotic cars they’ve been working on for years, now we have a scientific project from a group of researchers at Berlin’s Free University which shows that it’s possible to call a cab using only your iPad.
The taxi is completely driverless. Read more
Possibly the best iPad story I’ve heard so far. I mean, it’s here.
We have already seen pictures of an alleged iPad 2 prototype featuring dual dock connectors, one on each side of the device. Today Patently Apple has found out that the European Trademark Office published a series of designs related to an iPad model featuring multiple 30-pin dock connectors.
The patent was filed in July 2010 and published three days ago. Both Steve Jobs and Jonathan Ive are mentioned in the design credits, so maybe something’s really happening this time? I don’t know - just like every tech company, Apple files a lot of patents - but it’s interesting to notice that the design patent was filed in July, months after the release of the iPad. Perhaps Apple listened to user’s feedback? Read more
I remember the iPad launch day. I also remember the grand opening of the iPad App Store - actually, we were the first ones to take a sneak peek inside it. Between the excitement and the geek dreams of a new device that would change the face of computing as we knew it forever, we didn’t really pay attention to the apps that were being submitted for approval. Six months later, it’s very easy to spot one of the best selling categories in the iPad App Store: handwriting apps. Note taking applications that let you write on the iPad’s big screen using your fingers or, if you have one (I do), a stylus. Penultimate was one of the first notable apps to sell zillions of copies.
See, I’m not usually huge on these apps. I’m faster with a keyboard, I never really got myself into a situation where taking notes manually was necessary, most of these apps don’t come with the proper exporting capabilities I need, namely Dropbox, Mail or Evernote. While they’re pretty to look at and cool to show off to your friends, I didn’t really find much value in them besides using them every once in a while to draw some random mockups.
We’ve reported about the issues publishers had to face when selling iPad subscriptions in their magazines and newspaper apps before. Apparently, either Steve Jobs wants to control the market by imposing rules because, you know, he’s just a bad guy, or publishers simply went against Apple’s own SDK, which doesn’t allow developers to implement external subscription models in their apps. The problem is, if the iPad is supposed to change the landscape of digital publishing you would expect Apple to change its rules a little bit and let News Corp. and Time, Inc. do as they want. Didn’t happen. Read more
Incredible.
In a few months we’ll be able to put our hands on a new iPad. Whether it’s going to be a 7-inch model, sold in double 10 / 7-inch flavor or simply have a new camera on board - it’s going to be all new. And when it’s about “all new” products from Apple, it’s never too soon to start thinking about them.
The following concept video, spotted by iSpazio, shows us a white version of the “iPad 2” with a front-facing camera and a flat back, much like the iPhone 4. I don’t know if that kind of surface would be suitable for the tablet, but sure the concept is damn sexy. Take a look at the video after the break. Read more
Even though there’s no iAd program for the iPad yet (remember, it requires iOS 4), agencies are struggling to find the best way for their clients to showcase products on the tablet. And with its mainstream success, I bet clients are crying to have great ads on the iPad.
The following video, originally posted by Peter Kafka over at All Things D, showcases three cool ads for the iPad created by the MediaLets ad startup. In the video you can see a FedEx ad for the Newsweek app; a Visa ad that lets you interact with the various e-commerce possibilities offered by Visa (looks stunning); a Toyota Prius ad that allows users to draw images into the video.
Check out the video below. It gives you a taste of the things to come once iAd for iPad launches later this year. Read more
We knew that the NYTimes’ Editor’s Choice app for iPad was only an interesting experiment released for the iPad, we didn’t know the official, full-content NYTimes iPad would be released this week. Surprisingly enough, last night the NYTimes pulled Editor’s Choice (which has been downloaded more than 650,000 times) and released after a few hours a free version of “NYTimes for iPad”, available in the App Store here. Read more
