Opera Mini Browser: Speed and Design Excellence

Jul 14 2011 Published by under Products


For me, the worst part of the iOS experience has been web browsing with mobile Safari. Of course, web browsing on any smartphone or modern tablet is painfully slow, as no current hardware can come close to rending a webpage at the speed of a desktop processor.

Will mobile processors be able to close the gap in the next couple of years? I think most of us assume that they will, but as the web continually increases in richness and complexity, there’s no guarantee that hitting this moving target will happen in a few product cycles.

Fortunately, Opera Mini Browser offers a clever solution — one that’s almost like a cheat. The browser serves what appears to be a normally rendered webpage on your mobile device, but in fact offers a highly compressed representation of that webpage. The speed improvements are nothing short of amazing. Continue Reading »

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iPad Stand Review: Twelve South Compass Mobile Stand For iPad

Apr 11 2011 Published by under Reviews

ipad Stand Compass Review Twelve South

The iPad can be a pain to use – literally. Unless you’re curled up in your armchair or have your feet up on the sofa, the iPad can be an ergonomic nightmare. The iPad was designed as a ‘lean back’ device, and yet many of us use it when we’re also leaning forwards.

I first realized this problem when I started using my iPad at my computer desk. It became obvious that laying it flat on the desk made it difficult to use, and holding it upright with my hands was both tiring and cumbersome.

If you’re experiencing this dilema like I was, the best solution, in my opinion, is to get an iPad stand when you’re at a table or desk. Propping your iPad up with random objects gets old pretty fast. And these methods rarely give you an ideal angle to interact with the device.

One of my top choices for an iPad or iPad 2 stand is the Twelve South Compass Mobile Stand. Let’s take a look why:
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Apple iPad 2.0: The Wish List

Jan 28 2010 Published by under Apple

Admit it – the first incarnation of the iPad is about as conservative as Apple could have made it. So here’s what I’m asking Apple to put into their inevitable iPad 2.0:

- Forward facing camera for video chat, motion gestures, and facial recognition.
- Adobe Flash support.
- Analog thumbstick for serious gaming.
- Multitasking and notification support.
- Built in USB port
- Built in SD card slot
- Support for Apple Wireless Keyboard and Magic Mouse.
- Native iMovie app.
- Slimmer bezel.
- Cheaper entry price.

I could probably list about another ten items, but let’s face it, Apple won’t radically change anything with their next iPad model. This, of course, is to ensure that apps will work across all iPad models, past and present. Similarly, the iPad’s hardware must also respect the iPhone’s development to ensure a high amount of cross compatibility between the two devices. This keeps developers happy and Apple’s pockets lined with gold. But damn, I really wish sometimes that Apple would be a little more adventurous!

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iPad Review of Debut

Jan 28 2010 Published by under Reviews

The hardware isn’t majorly impressive and the software is basically what was expected, so what makes the Apple iPad so “magical and revolutionary,” as the folks at Apple like to put it?

Apple has likely created the first popular computing device that will conquer every room of your house and, for the first time, make using a computer a socially friendly experience.
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