How To Fix Your iPad Won’t Sync Issues

Ever had an issue syncing your iPad? Sure we all have a a time when it won’t sync or it does sync and nothing really happens.  Once again we dug around in the pits of the forums to bring you some practical advice for fixing those pesky iPad sync issues.

Fixing iPad Sync Issues

If you ever experience an issue where your iPad syncs but nothing happens or it syncs and there are errors then this article is for you.  There have been a lot of reported sync errors with the release of iOS 4.2 and iTunes 10 and so here are some things you should look for and ways to fix your sync issues.

• If your iPad won’t sync, make sure you are using the exact USB cable that shipped with it.  It has a square top and not a rounded one like the one that comes with an iPhone (usb side).  This has helped several users out that were experiencing sync issues.
• If you are having issues syncing, go to software update and see if there are any updates you may not know about.  Even if it only updates Safari or something for the iPhone, it may be important.  Several users reported that once they did this, their sync issues cleared right up.
• Remove iTunes, QuickTime and “Mobile Devices”  from your Mac or PC and then download a fresh copy and install it.  This has also been reported to solve sync issues when nothing else will.
• Restore your iPad as a last resort.  If you have already tried the steps above and nothing seems to be working, then restoring the iPad will take care of the issue but be aware it will erase all your data.  Here is how to restore your iPad.

HP COMPAQ 381374-001 Laptop Battery, brand new 4400mAh only AU$94.14

Acer PA-1650-02 Laptop AC Adapter, brand new full 1 year warranty only AU$55.57

Acer TravelMate 6592 Laptop AC Adapter, brand new full 1 year warranty only AU$55.57

These tips should help you get your iPad syncing again.  If you find something else besides this that works, then please share it in the comments for others to try.

See Also

How to Sync iPad To a New Computer

How to Extend the Battery Life of Your Apple iPad 2

How To Make Dell Laptop Battery For An Optimal Runtime

Laptop battery and ac adapter issues troubleshooting tips

How to get the most out of your Lenovo ThinkPad Battery

Helpful laptop battery troubleshooting tips

Properly Laptop Battery Care Guide

How to Use and Maintenance of Your Laptop Batteries

Tags: Acer PA-1650-02 Laptop AC Adapter, Acer TravelMate 6592 Laptop AC Adapter, Fixing iPad Sync Issues, HP COMPAQ 381374-001 Battery, iPad Sync Issues, iPad Tips, iPad Use Tips, Sync iPad
Posted in batteries-company.com, How to, iPad 2 Usage Tips, iPad News, Tech Info | 2 Comments »

Best high-end notebooks with backlit keyboards

The backlit keyboard has made a lot of ground in the past few years, although, much to our chagrin, it still isn’t ubiquitous.

It used to be that only the high-end laptops had one, but these days, you can get a AU$1000 Sony that packs in the handy feature as well.

If a backlit keyboard is at the top of your features wish list, below are the best laptops we’ve reviewed that just happen to have one.

Samsung Series 9 (13-inch, 2012)

There are some small concerns, but the new Samsung Series 9 is an absolute pleasure to use.

Apple MacBook Pro with Retina display

It’s not cheap, and it’ll take some time for the software world to catch up, but great battery life, good sound, impeccable build and a screen that’ll blow you away means that the MacBook Pro with Retina Display has set a new standard for the rest to follow.

The Good

• The sensational screen, Comparatively thin form factor enables portability despite high level specs, Fast SSD. Large SSD options if you happen to own a bank, HDMI and twin Thunderbolt ports gives plenty of display options, Great HP pavilion dv4 battery life

The Bad

• Only two USB ports, Top left near the monitor gets quite hot during gaming, BootCamp needs work, The wait for everything to be Retina compatible

The ZenBook Prime UX31A is everything the ZenBook UX31E should have been, and more. We have no hesitation in recommending this laptop if you truly want no-compromise performance in an ultrabook.

The Good

• Lovely Full HD, IPS screen, Backlit keyboard, Great performance,

The Bad

• Some light bleed from the bottom of the screen, Included USB to Ethernet adapter is USB 2.0 only, Battery life could be improved

Sony Vaio E Series (SVE14A15FGB)

Sony’s managed to produce a laptop under AU$1000 that not only doesn’t sacrifice on quality, but manages to trickle down some premium features, like a backlit keyboard. Within its means, this is one of the best budget laptops you can get.

The Good

• Higher resolution screen than usual, Good battery life, Backlit keyboard, Good specs for the price

The Bad

• GPU underperforming in Skyrim and Witcher 2, Screen isn’t as vibrant as it could be

Apple MacBook Air 13 (mid-2012)

The new 13-inch MacBook Air might not be the huge revision we were hoping for, but it’s still an excellent laptop, borne out of years of refinement.

The Good

• Great build quality, USB 3.0 makes for a good boost, Industry leading touchpad, Backlit keyboard, Dual-band Wi-Fi

The Bad

• Base model storage a bit small for the current day

Apple MacBook Air 11 (mid-2012)

The MacBook Air 11 continues to be a wonderfully portable laptop, suiting travel or those who are constantly on the move. While an IPS screen would be nice and the default storage sizes need to be raised, this is a lovely piece of engineering that has well and truly carved its niche.

The Good

• Incredibly light, yet well built, Class leading keyboard and touchpad

The Bad

• The TN-based screen is getting a bit long in the tooth, Default storage size is too small

HP Pavilion dm4 Beats Edition

HP’s Pavilion dm4 Beats Edition manages to bring good performance and battery life into the sub-AU$1000 range. The main sacrifice is the vibrancy of the screen, but at this price, it’s a small nitpick and nothing more.

The Good

• Good performance and Hp laptop batteries life, Decent sound for the size and price range, Backlit keyboard

The Bad

• Discrete graphics almost aren’t worth it, Screen could be more vibrant

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon

Lenovo’s succeeded in delivering a sexy ultrabook that still retains the traditional ThinkPad design cues. The battery life isn’t as good as it could be though, and the SSD upgrade prices are simply ludicrous.

The Good

• 1600×900 screen has better than usual viewing angles for TN, Screen can flip flat, Incredibly well built, light and tough, Inbuilt 3G, Great backlit keyboard

The Bad

• Ludicrous SSD upgrade prices, Only one USB 3.0 port, Faint vertical lines visible on display

Tags: Apple MacBook Pro with Retina display, high-end notebooks with backlit keyboards, Hp 484170-001 extended life battery
Posted in Battery Knowledge, battery news, Battery Technology, laptop reviews, Tech Info | No Comments »

Troubleshooting Dell Laptop Battery Does Not Charge Problem

Solving Dell Laptop Battery Does Not Charge Problem

A laptop utilizes a battery for power when it is not plugged into an electrical outlet. Dell Inspiron laptops use rechargeable lithium ion batteries. The laptop battery has a life expectancy of 12 to 24 months, depending on several factors, such as care and battery usage tips. If the battery is not holding a charge, it may be damaged or dead and need to be replaced. Prior to replacing the battery, you should troubleshoot it, just to be sure.

Attempt to fully charge the battery. Plug the power adapter into the laptop and allow the battery to charge overnight.

Turn the Dell Insprion laptop off. Unplug the laptop from the laptop power adapter.

Flip the laptop upside down so the battery is visible. The HP 484170-001 battery is located on the underside of the laptop.

Slide the battery lock switch and hold it in place. Lift the battery upward for removal. Once removed, release the battery lock switch.

Examine the laptop computer battery. Look for signs of damage to the battery. If you notice any damage, the battery must be replaced.

Clean the battery contacts. Dip a cotton swab in rubbing alcohol and clean the battery contacts and the contacts inside the battery bay to remove dust.

Check the battery charge. Press the “Status” button on the back side of the battery. It has five lights that will display how charged the Dell inspiron 1520 battery is. Five lit lights indicates a full charge, one lit light indicates a low charge and no lit lights indicates the battery has no charge. If the Dell vostro 1520 battery has no charge, it is dead and needs to be replaced. If the battery does indicate it is partially or fully charged, continue troubleshooting.

Recalibrate the battery. Place the battery back in the laptop. It will just pop into place. Turn the computer on and allow the computer to run on battery power until the battery dies. Once the battery dies, plug the power adapter into the computer and allow the battery to fully charge again. Remove the battery and check the battery charge. If it still has not fully charged, you need a new replacement laptop battery.

Laptop Batteries Maintenance & Care Related Articles

Dell laptop battery knowledge base

Replace HP Laptop Battery Instructions

Reset HP 484170-001 Battery Instructions

Laptop battery and ac adapter issues troubleshooting guide

Laptop Battery Life Saving Tips and Buy Laptop Batteries Guide

Tags: Dell Inspiron 1520 battery, Dell laptop batteries, laptop battery maintain tips, Troubleshooting Dell Laptop Battery Issues
Posted in batteries-company.com, Battery Care Tips, Battery Knowledge, Battery Usage Tips, How to | 2 Comments »

Top 10 Blogs to Simplify Your Life

If you’ve got too much stuff, too little time, too much e-mail, not enough focus or all of these, the following blogs can help; they’re packed with examples of how to unclutter and streamline your life, and usually feature stories about others who have done the same.

Marc and Angel Hack Life

This couple focus on simplifying, happiness, life lessons, avoiding TV, and making better use of other electronic devices. Asks and answers the question, Does your schedule leave you time for the things that bring you true happiness?

Thesimplerlife.net

Low-key advice about simplification by an author who’s trying to both simplify and improve as a writer. Covers improving self-discipline, figuring out what’s important, and supporting your passions.

Zen Habits

Leo Babauta’s blog about life simplification and cutting out the clutter is probably the leader in the life-simplification category. Clearly organized and with thoughtful links to related articles and lists.

Simple Productivity Blog

This software consultant put down her PDA and now dispenses daily tips on how to simplify. Theme days range from simplicity Wednesdays and tip Fridays to open-loop Tuesdays (covering other items she finds on the Web). Also covers clutter, efficiency, personal development and simplification.

Organized Mom

Mom helps you declutter your house, one room at a time. Focuses on taking back the family room, kitchen, pantry and bathroom from all your stuff, plus meal planning, multitasking and avoiding procrastination.

Life Optimizer

Personal growth through focus, minimalism, working smarter, and a hint of Zen philosophy. Topics include crisis-proofing your career, how to enjoy the present, finding happiness and staying out of the trap of loving stuff.

Goodlife Zen

Mary Jaksch writes about calming yourself and simplifying your life, touching on other topics such as personal resilience, combating depression and establishing positive new habits.

Unclutterer

A blog specifically about using less stuff to accomplish more. Articles cover teaching kids to physical clutter, reducing your own inbox clutter, and getting better organized so that junk in general doesn’t build up in your life.

Minima

Quotes, aphorisms and images about minimalism in computing, life and design. Constantly reloading UI keeps you from scrolling to the end of this blog, which is not terribly simple–but it also means a steady stream of food for thought about simplifying your online and off-line lives.

Tools for Thought: Thinking Beyond Productivity

A getting-things-done centered blog that focuses more formally on how attention, organization, prioritization and other aspects of how you use your time (and brain) work

Goodlife Zen

Mary Jaksch writes about calming yourself and simplifying your life, touching on other topics such as personal resilience, combating depression and establishing positive new habits.

Unclutterer

A blog specifically about using less stuff to accomplish more. Articles cover teaching kids to physical clutter, reducing your own inbox clutter, and getting better organized so that junk in general doesn’t build up in your life.

Minima

Quotes, aphorisms and images about minimalism in computing, life and design. Constantly reloading UI keeps you from scrolling to the end of this blog, which is not terribly simple–but it also means a steady stream of food for thought about simplifying your online and off-line lives.

Tools for Thought: Thinking Beyond Productivity

A getting-things-done centered blog that focuses more formally on how attention, organization, prioritization and other aspects of how you use your time (and brain) work.

Tagcloud: Blogs to Simplify Your Life, better life tips, IBM 02K6618 Laptop Battery, Dell 312-0461 Laptop Battery, HP 468816-001 Laptop Battery, Toshiba PA3593U-1BAS Laptop Battery

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Top 10 Blogs to Learn Something New

Top 10 Must Have iPad 2 Apps For New And Existing Users

Helpful laptop battery troubleshooting tips

Tags: better life tips, Blogs to Simplify Your Life, Dell 312-0461 Laptop Battery, HP 468816-001 Laptop Battery, IBM 02K6618 Laptop Battery, Toshiba PA3593U-1BAS Laptop Battery
Posted in Better Life Tips, Uncategorized | 28 Comments »

Top 10 Blogs For Learning Something New

The kids have gone back to school–now keep your own brain sharp with these fun blogs, which are packed with fun facts, weird tidbits, and other stuff you probably didn’t know already. Posts range from serious to silly, but you’ll definitely pick up some great cocktail party fodder here.

Learn Something Every Day

Just a fact each day, illustrated…did you know Coca Cola kills insects?

Atlas Obscura

Not the typical armchair (desktop) tourist? If you’re looking for “miniature cities, glass flowers, books bound in human skin, gigantic flaming holes in the ground, phallological museums, bone churches, balancing pagodas, or homes built entirely out of paper,” you’ll find them catalogued at this collaborative digital atlas, which you can explore by region or category.

Barking Up the Wrong Tree

This blog reads scientific studies so that you don’t have to–and then condenses them into intriguing posts like “What does English sound like to foreigners?”

Mind Hacks

Mind Hacks explains the weird stuff that goes on inside your head. Don’t be alarmed, but…Twilight novels may be altering your brain.

Know Your Meme

Visit this site regularly and you’ll always know what the people in your office are talking about the next time they refer to, say, Sad Keanu–or more obscure stuff. Readers can submit their own memes and images, too.

Laptop Battery
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Acer aspire laptop batteries
IBM thinkPad laptop batteriesToshiba PA3593U-1BAS Battery
PA3534U-1BAS battery
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Aspire 5513WLMi Battery
ACER Aspire 1690 Battery
IBM 02K6618 Battery
HP 468816-001 Battery

Learn Something New Every Day

Fun facts, each one illustrated–learn how to use i.e. and e.g. correctly, or explore the history of human height.

Sign up to learn something new each day by e-mail–or check the archives, where you’ll find out that, for instance, the longest one-word sentence in the English language is “Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo.” (Really.)

Information Is Beautiful

This gorgeous blog by “data journalist and information designer” David McCandless shows how “designed information can help us understand the world, cut through BS and reveal the hidden connections, patterns and stories underneath. Or, failing that, it can just look cool!”

mental_floss blog

You never know quite what to expect when you read this blog–posts cover everything from American Civil War reenactors in the UK to 10 strange pregnancy cravings. You can also test your oddball knowledge with daily quizzes.

Tagcloud: battery blogs, blogs to learn something new, NOKIA BL-5C Battery, discount laptop batteries, HP 417066-001 Battery, Dell 312-0340 Laptop Battery , HP Pavilion dv3533tx Battery, Dell Inspiron 1525 Battery

Read more:

List of the Best iPhone Apps

Top 10 Must Have iPad 2 Apps For New And Existing Users

Useful laptop battery troubleshooting tips

Tags: battery blogs, blogs to learn something new, Dell 312-0340 Laptop Battery, discount laptop batteries, HP 417066-001 Battery, HP Pavilion dv3533tx Battery, NOKIA BL-5C Battery
Posted in Better Life Tips | 41 Comments »

Batteries-company.com Pack for iPhone: Our List of the Best iPhone Apps

Looking to power up your iPhone with the best free and cheap apps out there? Our first edition of the Lifehacker Pack for iPhone rounds up our favorite must-have iPhone applications.

Whether you just bought a new iPhone or you’re simply looking for some of the best basic apps for your device, the list below should be plenty to get you started. The majority of the apps are free unless otherwise noted, and where they’re not free, we aimed for cheap. And when a default application is incredibly useful and blows all its competition out of the water—we included it, too. It’s a big list, so here’s an index if you want to quickly jump to a section:

Productivity

Evernote:
Where most mobile companion apps tend to offer a lot less than their desktop counterparts, ubiquitous capture tool Evernote takes full advantage of the iPhone to make the mobile app worthy of standing on its own. In addition to capturing regular text, you can grab voice notes and photos as well. Since Evernote performs OCR (optical character recognition) on all your images, any text in the pictures you add to Evernote will be searchable. For example, you could take a snapshot of a menu in a restaurant and later search it just like it was a text document.
Simplenote:
Simplenote is a key component in the holy grail of ubiquitous text capture, and rightfully so. Simplenote allows for speedy note entry on your iPhone, plus it syncs with the likewise free Simplenote service so your notes are always available wherever you want them. 

TripIt:
If you haven’t used TripIt to manage your travel itineraries, you’ve been missing out. We’ve already discussed its merits, but the free iPhone app makes it even easier to manage your trip. It’s a natural extensions of the service, since if you’re traveling it’s more than likely that you’re not at your computer.

Instapaper / ReadItLater:
Instapaper and ReadItLater both serve the purpose of saving web content for later reading, and both offer free and paid versions, but they’re still notably different. Instapaper offers you a straightforward and simple way of reading saved content. ReadItLater is a little more feature-rich. Both are great options and you can try them for free to see which you prefer.

Dragon Dictation:
Apple’s voice recognition handles a few tasks but misses some key features that Dragon Dictation helps to fill in. If typing is not an option, or you’re just feeling lazy, Dragon Dictation will type it up for you. You can send a text message or an email directly from the app, and it also integrates with Facebook and Twitter. Although not perfect, Dragon Dictation is surprisingly accurate and will let you correct any mistakes it makes.

Mint: If you’re not using Mint to keep track of you finances, you should be. It’ll keep track of all your accounts and provide you with useful statistics and budgeting information to help you manage your money better. If you’re looking for something a little more hands-on, however, Jumsoft Money is a great free app as well—you just input everything yourself.

Internet/Communication

Atomic Browser:
If you’ve found Mobile Safari to be a bit lacking, you’re not alone. Atomic Browser can help, providing true tabbed browsing, private browsing mode, user-agent spoofing (handy for watching Netflix on your iPhone), and a ton of features you’ve come to expect as part of your web-browsing experience.
Skype:
Imagine being able to use your iPhone to make phone calls! (Har har.) Now that Skype works over 3G and can take advantage of iOS 4′s multitasking capabilities, it’s actually a viable alternative to using your mobile minutes. Even if you don’t want to go so far as to replace your regular phone, it’s still a great tool for making international calls on the cheap and chatting with your Skype contacts on the go. 

Textfree Unlimited:
If you don’t like paying a ridiculous amount of money for small amounts of data, Textfree Unlimited lets you send and receive text messages at no costs. You can even set up a phone number specifically for the app. While Textfree used to only provide free text messages, now the app is free as well. The trade-off is that you get ads, but you have the option to pay to remove them.

LucyPhone:
Another great minute-saver is LucyPhone (check out our quick review), the app that waits on hold so you don’t have to. If you’re calling a popular business, LucyPhone’s directory may even save you the step of going through the phone tree to get to the right department. While you might confuse the customer service representative on the other end, LucyPhone takes all the pain of waiting on hold—including the loss of your mobile minutes.

Meebo:
With a couple of $10 multi-service IM clients available, Meebo stands out especially because it’s free. Being free doesn’t make it bad, however. It’s an attractive app with the ability to integrate tons of IM services, making it our IM app of choice.

Twitter:
You could drown in Twitter apps on the iPhone, but the official option is free and one of the best. In addition to tweeting and direct-messaging, you can also share photos and videos. Thanks to the iPhone’s GPS, Twitter is location-aware and can provide you with nearby tweets so you can figure out what people are talking about in your area in real time.

Laptop Battery Tips, Power Tools Battery Care Tips

20 Ways To Prolong Laptop Battery Life

Sunday, Oct 10, 2010 by Quality Battery Supplier

Mobile computing has got better with lighter components, better chips and faster processors. But the Achilles heel of a laptop has remained its battery. So here are we are going to look at ways to increase notebook battery life.

How to Make a power tools battery start charging again

Sunday, Oct 10, 2010 by Power Tools Battery Shop

Cordless drills are powered by power tools batteries. Over time these batteries lose their ability to charge fully and maintain a charge. If your battery won’t charge at all this is a simple way to get it to charge again.

How to select the right laptop battery and laptop ac adapter for your laptop

Facebook:
The official Facebook app on the iPhone is great for general updates and messages, but it becomes especially useful when all your contacts flood in. If your address book is missing a number, just find your friend in the Facebook app and click the call button. You can also keep track of events, check your news feed, and edit your profile.

Location-Aware

Maps (Default App):
While Android’s version of Google Maps blows it out of the water, the built-in Maps application on the iPhone is still pretty great. Drivers can check real-time traffic and get simple directions to just about anywhere. Even if you don’t drive, walking and public transportation directions are available. With street view integration and a few other neat features, Maps is easily one of the most useful apps on the iPhone. 

MapQuest4Mobile (GPS):
While the iPhone has a few free turn-by-turn navigation apps (and none of them are even encroaching on the territory of perfect), MapQuest4Mobile feels more like the real deal than any of the others. In my personal experience I found it gave directions too late in quite a few cases, but it’s hard to argue with free. If you want a commanding, computerized female voice barking directions at you (occasionally after you’ve missed your exit), and you don’t want to pay a lot for the privilege, you’ve found your match.

GasBuddy:
Although not free (weighing in on the more expensive side at $2.99), GasBuddy is the sort of app that can pay for itself after one use. If you’re always on the lookout for cheap gas, GasBuddy will give you options by proximity and price. You can filter by fuel grade, and it can even help you find a diesel gas station.

Movies Now:
If you’ve ever wanted to see a movie on a whim, Movies Now scratches that itch. While it handles regular movie showtimes, too, it’s main function uses your location and the current time to find upcoming showtimes near you. If you find a movie you like, you can buy tickets through movietickets.com directly from the app. The catch: It’s $2. While there are certainly free options in the movie showtimes arena (like the IMDb app below), Movies Now has a great location-based twist.

RunKeeper Free:
You have quite a few fitness apps to choose from on the iPhone. One of those happens to be RunKeeper, and lucky us, it has a great free version. RunKeeper uses your iPhone’s GPS to track your run and provide you with statistics, giving you the statistical benefits of a treadmill when you’re outside the gym. It integrates with your music library and lets you share your activities. While the built-in Nike+ app is also pretty nice, RunKeeper doesn’t require the purchase of any additional hardware and lets you choose your brand of shoes.

Find My iPhone:
Even if you’re not a MobileMe subscriber, you’ve probably heard a bit about Find My iPhone in the news. It’s already tracked down a few iPhone thieves, but is probably more commonly used when you’ve just misplaced your phone. While you have to shell out $99 a year for a MobileMe account to get any use out of the app, it’s a must if you’re already a MobileMe subscriber.

Utilities

Dropbox:
Would it truly be a Lifehacker Pack without file-syncing app extraordinaire Dropbox? While the iPhone version of Dropbox isn’t quite as useful as Dropbox on your computer, it makes for a nice companion. If you’re using Dropbox for all sorts of clever things, it’s always nice having access to your sync’d files from your phone. While the Dropbox app can download anything the iPhone (or a third-party app) can display, you can also save key files on your phone as well.
Boxcar:
If you like frequent push notifications, you’ll probably like Boxcar. Boxcar integrates with Twitter, Facebook, email, RSS, and Growl to grab updates of nearly anything you want and push them to your phone. If you want to be alerted the moment something changes, Boxcar will get the job done. 

PasteFire / MyPhoneDesktop:
PasteFire and MyPhoneDesktop do the same thing—they aim to make getting text from your desktop to your iPhone a bit easier. Both use push and both integrate with your machine to send content. The biggest difference is price: PasteFire is free and MyPhoneDesktop costs a whopping $5. So why mention MyPhoneDesktop? I think it works better. Still, no penalty for trying PasteFire. MyPhoneDesktop is really only worth a look if the free option doesn’t cut it for you.

Logitech TouchMouse:
If you want to use your iPhone as a wireless trackpad for your Mac or Windows PC, that’s precisely what Touch Mouse can help you accomplish. It also includes keyboard functionality so you can make use of your iPhone’s keyboard to input text. While this is not terribly practical or speedy for use with just any machine, if you have a computer hooked up to your television it’s a convenient way to navigate without the clutter of a keyboard and mouse on your couch.

Media

Pandora:
Pandora’s always been a favorite on the iPhone, but with multitasking support in iOS 4 it becomes so much more useful. Now that you can listen to your personalized Pandora radio stations in the background, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better, free way to discover new music.
Remote:
Although it’s nearing a year without an update, Apple’s Remote app is still pretty incredible. If you want to control your iTunes library remotely, or turn your iPhone into a multi-room wireless remote (in the event your have an Airport Express or AppleTV), there’s really no better option—especially for free. 

Air Video / StreamToMe:
Air Video and StreamToMe are both apps that help you stream video from your computer to your iPhone, no matter where you are. They’re especially compelling when you want to watch something at, say, the gym and you didn’t have time to transcode and sync it to your device first. Whether you’re connected to Wi-Fi or 3G, you can stream video directly to your phone from anywhere you are (the quality of your connection permitting, of course). Both apps have some subtle differences, such as StreamToMe’s ability to stream more than just video and Air Video’s option to pre-encode content for easier streaming, and either are worth the price of admission: $2.99.

iBooks / Kindle / Stanza:
It’s hard to consider any of the iPhone ebook readers the best choice because they’re pretty similar. They all let you read on your phone, they all let you purchase books, and they’re all free to download. While I’m partial to the Kindle app, it’s mainly because I started with ebooks via the Kindle. Pick the ebook app that works the best for you—or don’t, since they’re all free downloads.

Food and Entertainment

Yelp:
Yelp has yet to fail me when I’m on a search for some good, nearby eats. It also comes with some semi-secret, fully-nifty augmented reality. If you’re looking for nearby food (or anything, really), Yelp is a great (free) way to find your best options.
MenuPages:
The one thing Yelp won’t do is hand you a menu for the restaurants it suggests, and that’s where MenuPages comes in. While it can feel a little clunky at times, it’s indispensable when you’re in need of a menu on the go. 

IMDb:
IMDb is a great resources for movie information, and the app does a good job of focusing a lot of information onto your iPhone’s small screen. What’s also great about the IMDb app is that it also serves as an excellent free option for finding movie showtimes.

TV Forecast:
TV Forecast performs the simple function of keeping track of when the next episode of any show is going to air. Enter in just about any show that’s currently running and TV Forecast will provide you with an attractive schedule tailored just for you. While you can grab the free version of TV Listings instead and save yourself $1.99, TV Forecast is a better option.

PhoneFlicks:
While you can always watch Netflix on your jailbroken iPhone with a little work, if you’re looking for a way to manage your old-fashioned Netflix queue you can do that nicely with PhoneFlicks. The functionality here is pretty basic, letting you edit your queue and find new titles through search or browsing, but it gets the job done and doesn’t cost you a penny.

Art and Photography

Gorillacam:
If you’re looking for a free, full-featured iPhone camera upgrade you should check out Joby’s Gorillacam. It provides a huge set of features, including a self-timer, time-lapse photography, anti-shake, three-shot burst, and more. Update: We’re hearing that Gorillacam may have a potential spyware issue. While we can’t tell for certain, you may want to proceed with caution.
Snapture:
If you really want to make the most of your iPhone’s camera, check out Snapture. It might set you back $1.99, but it’s a popular alternative to the iPhone’s built-in camera app. In addition to helping you take better photos, you’ll also find some basic image editing tools. Snapture’s main draw, however, is how easy it makes it to quickly pull out your iPhone and take a picture. Simply open the app, tap the screen, and you’ve got a photo. 

HipstaMatic:
HipstaMatic aims to emulate old cameras and film stocks, providing some pretty compelling results. But be warned: it’s one of those apps that can get pretty addictive, and you can shell out $1 each time you want to try out a new lens or flash.

Pano:
Pano’s one of the more expensive apps in the list, at $3, but it can create some enormous, impressive panoramas right on your iPhone. It works by taking multiple shots and stitching them together. While the results aren’t always perfect, they’re often stunning.

SketchBook:
While SketchBook is the sort of app that excels on a big screen, like the iPad’s, it’s nonetheless a great drawing app on the iPhone. With several brushes and pencils, you’ll be surprised what you can actually draw with this app. When you’re done, you can even export a PSD (Photoshop Document) or the flattened image. $3, but if you’re really into sketching, you’ll likely consider it worth the price.

With over 225,000 in the iTunes App Store it can be pretty tough to narrow it down. If you’ve got a great app suggestion we missed, share it in the comments.

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Top 11 Way to Maximize your Gadget Battery Life

With the heatwave that is hitting the country this month, electrical grids are pushed to the maximum. As such, brown outs are common. But when you have no electricity at all, how can you guarantee that your smart phone or tablet’s battery will go the distance? Here’s a few tips on how to squeeze every last minute out of your gadget’s battery.

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Laptop Battery Breakthrough Promises Lighter Weight, More Power

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Smartphone Battery Technology Being Developed Improves Battery Life by 50%

New battery technology being developed for mobile devices, could extend battery life up to 50%

Smartphone technology has advanced at a head-spinning rate over the past few years, and our mobile devices can do more than even the most powerful computers could just 15 years ago. Unfortunately, the joy and convenience that we get from these devices are brief and fleeting, because we find ourselves running for our chargers and power outlets every few hours. Battery technology has struggled to keep up with the demands of 4G technology, larger displays and powerful processors, but that could soon change.

Researchers at the University of Michigan have been working on a new battery that helps maximize smartphone battery life up to 50% when connected to a Wi-Fi network. While it sounds very limited in its application, it could open up the doors to improving battery life in other areas, like cellular network connectivity.

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A report from CIO says:

When Wi-Fi-enabled modern smartphones are connected to Wi-Fi and other wireless networks, they’re constantly communicating with those networks to determine if new data, such as e-mail messages, need to be “pulled down” and delivered to users’ devices, according to the researchers–which is why it’s a good idea to turn off your Wi-Fi radio when it’s not in use. So Shin and his student set out to find a way to decrease the amount of power required for this communication, or “idle listening,” between Wi-Fi devices and Wi-Fi networks, and they came up with [""Energy-Minimizing Idle Listening" (E-MiLi)].

The technology will be demonstrated later this month, and while it is still in its infancy, its implications for use with 3G and 4G networks are exciting. Just imagine being able to leave home in the morning without your battery charger or a spare battery, and make it back for dinner with plenty of juice to spare. One can dream.

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Windows 8: The real post-PC era begins today

On many occasions since the inception of the phrase, I have taken issue with the notion of “post-PC“. Maybe it’s because I’m a multi-monitor user with delusions of productivity, or maybe it’s because I’m stuck in the mindset that post-PC is a negative thing, or maybe I just have a predisposition against buzzwords that exist for no good reason. Whatever the reason, I don’t think that the current offerings from the tablet makers, regardless of platform, offered nearly enough to replace anybody’s PC, much less mine. During the Microsoft Build conference, we were given a detailed preview of the upcoming Windows 8 platform and all of the changes that were brought to light. At the Build conference, we were shown what I feel is a much more significant step toward the notion of “post-PC”.

Unified User Interface

At the end of the day, post-PC has nothing to do with getting rid of the PC. It’s about creating a series of devices that can serve as a PC for the average consumer. Creating a user interface that can serve both the technical user and the consumer is a delicate balancing act. If you are too limiting to the technical user, it becomes useless. If you are too complicated for the general consumer, it becomes useless. Microsoft’s Metro  UI is the closest thing I have seen so far to balancing these two worlds. The User Interface for Metro is simple, and mildly akin to the Windows Phone 7 Live Tiles, but so much more. If you are not a fan of the new UI, the traditional desktop still exists, though much more in app form it seems. This combination enables a broader push towards touch screens as well as the more traditional mouse and keyboard interface.

As important as the balance between the users is, it is doubly important that the same experience be carried across all of  the devices you use. The tablet, the PC, the smartphone, should all have UI’s that lend to each other without sacrificing functionality. At least with the PC and the Tablet, this is the goal that Windows 8 seems to have accomplished in part. The tablet experience feels identical to the PC experience, leaving little more then some UI adjustments due to screen size at the only apparent difference. This exists right down to the hardware, as the tablet developer kit was designed to support dual monitors with the dock that comes with the device.

If Microsoft is able to translate this experience to the Smartphone somehow, they will have completed the design, allowing you to truly take your computer with you everywhere and finishing the notion that your tablet could replace your computer.

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Superior hardware

A considerable downside to Windows in the past has been the low end of the hardware spectrum that is “supported” by the OS. (Violent flashbacks to “Vista Ready” PCs come to mind.) With Windows 8, the minimum system requirements are clearly a sign that the OS has shuffled off the dead weight and moved on to bigger and better things. For starters, no resolution smaller than 1024×768 is officially supported, although a demonstration was offered today that showed that 1024×600 was still functional in almost every way. More functionality is available if you are able to provide higher resolutions.

The Samsung Developer Tablet for Windows 8 is a prime example of the level of hardware Microsoft expect their partners to be engaging their customers at. This little slab contained within an Inter Core i5 processor on an integrated motherboard with 4GB of RAM. To compare that, I wandered the halls of batteries-company.com for a moment just to see how this tablet stacked up against the PCs being sold. At first glance, it looked like this tablet held its own against most of the laptops in the $700 range. This gives me some concern as to the cost of a Windows 8 tablet, but considering the sliding price of hardware and the liklihood that we won’t see much in the way of tablets like this announced until CES, there’s a chance the price will be much less of an issue.

The hardware for tablets wasn’t the only thing we saw today, as no less than three laptops were paraded in front of the audience that all looked like they would give the Macbook Air a run for its money in terms of just how simply wafer-thin they were. Asus, Acer, Dell, HP and Samsung all are clearly ready to help bring Windows 8 to the minds of consumers as the new sexy alternative to the PC or Mac they have been using.

NFC, Accelerometers, and Peripherals

Windows 8 also seems ready to dive into brand new technology, as well and significantly improve on the existing implementation of current battery technology. Added to the growing list of possibilities in the minds of developers today was the addition of near field communications (NFC) and accelerometer sensors within supported devices. NFC is implemented in a way that information can be shared form device to device, much in the way that Smartphones “bump” today. Accelerometers are a big part of Microsoft new API’s as well, with a tech demo today revealing an incredibly sensitive steering where that wobbled as the device was rotated quickly from side to side.

Existing technology used by PC users around the world also saw a serious improvement in implementation. Microsoft seeks to do away entirely with separate menus and notification icons for devices. In the tech demos today, printer settings were integrated with the print function, with a separate app for more advanced settings. With Microsoft’s line of webcams, we were shown deep integration and incredible speed in accessing a cam for any purpose, and promised that API’s would be available to all for the same functionality. Mobile broadband devices were also discussed, banishing the current implementation of a separate radio notification for those kind of devices. Microsoft demonstrated an integrated and pleasing replacement to the nightmare that exists today with a simple page that shows what is currently connected to what.

Closing thoughts

While I do not subscribe to the notion of a post-PC world, I think this could be the closest thing yet to the phenomena. Nothing is set in stone yet, and anyone who has ever participated in a Microsoft beta program knows that features come and go faster than you can imagine, so who knows just how close to what we have seen today will exist when Windows 8 hits stores.

In the meantime, though, you can check out the keynote yourself at Buildwindows.com.

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Posted in batteries-company.com, battery news, Tech Info | 1 Comment »