Engadget’s back to school guide 2012: tablets

Welcome to Engadget's back to school guide! The end of summer vacation isn't nearly as much fun as the weeks that come before, but a chance to update your tech tools likely helps to ease the pain. Today, we're leaning back with our tablets -- and you can head to the back to school hub to see the rest of the product guides as they're added throughout the month. Be sure to keep checking back -- at the end of August we'll be giving away a ton of the gear featured in our guides -- you can hit up the hub page right here!

DNP Engadget's back to school guide 2012 tablets

Your back may be straining from the textbooks, laptop, gym gear and lunch in that dangling overstuffed messenger, but you're still gonna want to save room for one more item -- a tablet. After all, while you can surf, tweet, play games and watch video from your other devices, there's nothing like doing it from a simple glass window that sits in the palm of your hand. As the hardware gets more powerful, these devices are rapidly becoming versatile enough to let you justify leaving the laptop at home on less-intensive days, so why not check out our picks of the finest devices you should be using and abusing before, during and after class.

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Engadget's back to school guide 2012: tablets originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 07 Aug 2012 12:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Smaller, Cheaper iPad in the Works

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Apple is said to prepare the launch of iPad Mini, a cheaper and smaller version of its renowned tablet, later this year, thus leaving behind the wishes of late Steve Jobs.

The Android tablets that have been launched recently, along with the soon-to-be-launched Windows 8 tablets, represent a real threat to ...
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Splashtop for iPad gets major update: Retina support, easier remote desktopping (update: but at a price)

Splashtop gets major update retina support, new UI, easier remote desktopping over the web

If you wake up to find the Splashtop Streamer widget on your PC or Mac begging to be updated, then it's probably worth it -- especially if you have a new iPad lying around. Splashtop 2 has been optimized to work with the Retina display, which makes it a cinch to squeeze your entire Windows or OS X desktop onto the 10-inch screen without it looking terrible. The system has also been redesigned to avoid the need to enter IP addresses, passwords, port numbers or Google account details. Instead, you'll create a new Splashtop 2 login that should work once across all your devices. The UI seems a lot friendlier, there's a new in-app purchase to "supercharge" network performance (edit: also required for connections outside of the same WiFi network if you're a new customer, see below), plus there's improved support for fluid video streaming at up to 30fps. (Alas, there's still no fullscreen support for Windows Media Center users though.) The new streamer and iPad app are available now, while the Android update should arrive soon. Want to see it in action? Head past the break for the promo video.

Update: We didn't fully appreciate this at first, but cross-network remote desktopping is no longer free to new customers. If you're coming to Splashtop for the first time, you have to make the in-app purchase ($1 per month or $10 per year) to enable "Anywhere Access." That said, the Splashtop 2 app for iPad is currently selling for $2 -- an 80 percent discount which largely compensates for the first year of charges.

Continue reading Splashtop for iPad gets major update: Retina support, easier remote desktopping (update: but at a price)

Splashtop for iPad gets major update: Retina support, easier remote desktopping (update: but at a price) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 29 Jun 2012 03:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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CordLite illuminated iOS dock connector cable hands-on (video)

CordLite illuminated iOS dock connector cable handson video

Love or hate it, Apple's 30-pin dock connector is no easier to attach than a standard micro-USB plug. That's not to say that it's tremendously difficult to link an iOS device with its proprietary cable, but it can be a nuisance on occasion, especially when you're fumbling around in the dark. CordLite makes that standard-issue dock connector cable a bit more nighttime friendly, adding a pair of touch-activated white LEDs to the left and right of the metal lead. Instead of the familiar white, this third-party Apple cable is finished in black (white is available, too), with a silver connector at the tail end. That component itself is noticeably wider, longer and thicker than its Apple-designed counterpart, but that's to be expected, given the added electronics. After you connect the USB plug to a computer or power source, the opposite end is ready to go to work, lighting up just as soon as you touch its metal housing. It powers off just as quickly, once it's docked with your iPhone, iPad or iPod.

We took the cable for a spin earlier today, and while the device we received is an early prototype, it still worked just fine, lighting up and turning off on cue, and pairing our iPhone with a MacBook just as any old dock connector cable has in the past. There's not much more to it than that -- the cable works, and we can see how it could be useful in low-light situations, such as at the bedside, in a car or while riding on a plane. It could theoretically also double as a flash light, and given that you're most likely to use it in a dark environment, it could be equally suited for non-iOS-related scenarios as well. CordLite isn't available for purchase yet, but you can be one of the first to receive a cable if you hop on board the company's Kickstarter campaign. Pledges of $30 or more will net you one CordLite in black or white after the device's estimated October ship date -- assuming the project meets its $70,000 funding goal before next week. For now, you can take a closer look in our hands-on video after the break, and rest assured that your days of blindly connecting your iPhone may very well be numbered.

Continue reading CordLite illuminated iOS dock connector cable hands-on (video)

CordLite illuminated iOS dock connector cable hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 19 Jun 2012 16:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iPad Smart Case hands-on

iPad's Smart Case handson

Surreptitiously introduced to Apple Stores in the midst of new MacBook introductions and hardware refreshes, the Smart Case is Apple's latest official option for iPad protection. It's teamed together the foldable Smart Cover of last year with a soft-touch rubbery shell to defend the other half of Apple's premier tablet. The case fits both the Retina display-decked new iPad and the iPad 2, so we decided to grab one to protect our iOS slab. Does it do the job? Well, it certainly protects the tablet from keys, spare change and other pointy objects, however, because it's made for two slightly different sized devices, it didn't fit as snugly as we'd hoped, with an especially wide rim around the front also reducing the premium feel of the Smart Cover-esque front flap. So, is it still worth the $50 price tag? That's a little trickier to say, so check out some more impressions and our verdict after the break.

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iPad Smart Case hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 18 Jun 2012 08:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Visualized: 100 Retina display iPads sit down at the dinner table…

Visualized 100 Retina display iPads sit down at the dinner table

What if you took 3.1 million pixels, per iPad, and then crammed 100 (or so) of them on a table at WWDC? You'd have a pretty insane, super-connected Retina table. Also, it'd cost at least $50,000 to replicate what you're seeing. You know -- just in case the thought crossed your mind.

Visualized: 100 Retina display iPads sit down at the dinner table... originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Jun 2012 19:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple intros new iPad Smart Case: clever enough to cover both sides, priced at $50

Apple intros new iPad Smart Case, clever enough to cover both sides

And we're still not done. A new iPad case has managed to sneak onto the Apple Store's online shelves, and it'll protect your precious slab on both the back and front. The Smart Case appears to augment last year's Smart Cover with an additional (polyurethane hardshell) coating for the back of your iPad. Priced at just under $50, the case fits both second and third-generation iPads and will arrive in six different color options. And yes, you can still get that ever-pressing message engraved onto it too.

[Thanks Nikhil]

For more coverage of WWDC 2012, please visit our event hub!

Apple intros new iPad Smart Case: clever enough to cover both sides, priced at $50 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Jun 2012 15:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Siri comes to the New iPad

Siri comes to the new iPad

Scott Forstall has just announced that Apple is bringing Siri to the new (2012-edition) iPad as part of iOS 6.

Check out our full coverage of WWDC 2012 at our event hub!

Siri comes to the New iPad originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Jun 2012 14:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Insert Coin: CordLite illuminated iPhone cable (video)

In Insert Coin, we look at an exciting new tech project that requires funding before it can hit production. If you'd like to pitch a project, please send us a tip with "Insert Coin" as the subject line.

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On average, North American consumers will spend a lifetime total of five days on failed attempts to pair their dock connector cable with an iPad or iPhone. Yeah, that's not true, but we can certainly sympathize with frustrated device owners -- fitting a tiny connector to any gadget can be a chore, especially in the dark. Scrap Pile Labs' CordLite sets out to point the way to a successful connection with its built-in LEDs. The illuminated cable is quite simple to use -- with no buttons or switches to fuss with, the connector lights up when you touch the aluminum plates, and powers off the moment it's secured to your device. There's really not much else to it -- CordLite functions identically to an Apple-manufactured cable, though the dock connector itself is significant larger than the OEM variety, at least in its current prototype form.

The design team has turned to Kickstarter to get their project funded, with a $70,000 goal. If all goes to plan, they expect to ship black or white CordLites beginning in September at $35 a pop, but as always, getting in during the "pre-order" phase will net you a hefty discount. The first 200 backers can get an early-bird cord in the color of their choice with a $25 pledge, with the required amount jumping up to $30 from there. A $45 pledge gets you an exclusive laser-etched model, while $50 will be met with a pair of early-bird cords. As you may have gathered from the picture above, the first version will only function with Apple devices, though a microUSB cord is also said to be in the works. See it in action in the video demo just past the break.

Continue reading Insert Coin: CordLite illuminated iPhone cable (video)

Insert Coin: CordLite illuminated iPhone cable (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 19 May 2012 12:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Engadget Giveaway: win a new iPad, courtesy of puzzle app Triple Entendre!

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Finally, a contest where everybody gets something for free! The Van Buren Boys, the folks behind addictive iPhone / iPad puzzle app Triple Entendre, is offering up a sparkling new Apple tablet for you to win, alongside eight free titles. If you aren't the lucky winner, don't despair: the company has made the game completely free for a limited time to spread the word about its latest update, so head here to download your copy. And as always, good luck!

Continue reading Engadget Giveaway: win a new iPad, courtesy of puzzle app Triple Entendre!

Engadget Giveaway: win a new iPad, courtesy of puzzle app Triple Entendre! originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 May 2012 11:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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