While texting with my friend Daniel, I brought up the topic about the new iPad just announced today. The first thing he asked (like the rest of the tech world did during the announcement) was what the name is: the highly rumored “iPad HD” or the reasonable new name “iPad 3”? Neither.

Apple’s CEO Tim Cook apparently wants to take a new approach with the iPad line, sort of like they already do with the iPod Touch. There is no iPod Touch 3 or 4, it is simply called the “iPod Touch” with whatever generation we, the consumers, add to differentiate among models. But is Apple right to do this?

As Gizmodo editor Mat Honan wrote:

“Presumably, Apple will eventually quit calling this thing “the new iPad” and just refer to it as the iPad. And when it does, that’s going to be kind of weird because Apple is still selling the iPad 2. (At least for now.) In six months, will you be choosing between an iPad and an iPad 2, with the iPad being the newer, better model? Do they just plan on calling it “new” until iPad 2 inventory runs dry?

Presumably, this will the new approach Apple will be taking with its products from now on. Whatever reason they have to drop numbers or to stop using alphanumeric titles is kept well hidden, perhaps that was Job’s thing and the company is looking another direction with names now that he’s gone. All we know so far is that there is a new iPad coming March 16 and it will be the same name as the original iPad, except it will be a third generation device with brand new features. Expect confusion while you recommend it to your non-techy friends and parents.

discoverynews:

Princess Leia-Like Hologram Coming Soon

At a recent tech forum, Microsoft Research unveiled a prototype of an augmented reality application called Holoflector.

The system includes an LCD panel a few feet behind a large, translucent mirror equipped with a motion-detecting Kinect camera on top.

keep reading

About time, future!

Imagine having a piece of fabric that turns your body heat into electricity that you can use to power up anything. Genius!

The images above provide a fake (first image) and a real (second image) iTunes receipt. If you use an email client that does not immediately filter out a bad or suspicious email, be aware of the differences between the two:

1. store@itunes.com, although it appears to come by the Apple-owned domain iTunes.com, is not affiliated with Apple. Official receipts usually come from: do_not_reply@itunes.com with the subject: “iTunes Store.”
2. If my filter hadn’t caught it, I’m sure the Apple logo would have been visible on the fake email; this does not always guarantee it is authentic. 
3. Official receipts contain a sidebar that recommends apps based on your purchase.
4. Billing always includes your address provided in your iTunes account. The fake email only includes the email. 
5. Where it says “Billed To:” it will usually give you your Credit Card type and the last four digits, not just “Credit Card.”
6. Apple will never give you the option to cancel an order as all app purchases are final and non-refundable. 
7. Remember Apple does charge taxes.

A hidden, well-preserved 298 million year old forest in China was discovered.

OS X 10.8, dubbed Mountain Lion, coming this Summer. The latest release will sport a dozen of iOS features like Notification Center, Game Center, Twitter Integration, Reminders, iMessages (which you can beta-test here) and much more. 

Reports say that it will be a paid upgrade, exact date of release unknown.

See an overview, features and a video by Apple here.
Read more about it on Mashable.  

Why photographers should stop complaining about copyright and embrace Pinterest.

Really interesting article. Although I don’t technically use it as a Photography outlet, it is a keen idea to keep. Proud to be one of the 3% of men on Pinterest!