Possible iOS 5 Screenshot Emerges

Real or fake, this screenshot certainly looks like it could be iOS 5
It wouldn’t be a proper Apple Keynote day without some last-minute rumors. This time we have an is-it-or-isn’t-it iOS 5 screenshot, as unearthed by MG Siegler. In it we see the hoped-for new notifications system, as well as a few more interesting tweaks.

Siegler’s sources tell him that this picture is the “right idea.” Fake or not, it certainly looks the part. At the top we see Twitter notifications built into the status bar. This is consistent with both the recent rumors of deep Twitter integration in iOS 5, along with Apple’s hiring of the Palm WebOS notifications designer Rich Dellinger a year ago.

What we also see is a a tweaked Camera app icon, and what is possibly an answer to Windows Phone 7 phone’s live tiles. The Weather app icon appears to be showing a live temperature. Either that or Apple has just swapped the icon to read 23º C instead of 73º F. Or it’s just a fake. [UPDATE: according to UK-based Gadget Lab reader 747Captain, changing the region of your iOS 4 device to a country that uses celsius also changes the Weather app icon to read "23º." So we're left with just the notification bar and the new Camera app icon.]

Either way, we’ll know the answer in six hours or so. It could be that a revamped home screen is going to be rather small news. I have a feeling that iOS 5 could be a bigger upgrade that the recent jump from iPad 1 to iPad 2.

Is This iOS 5? Dunno, But It’s Likely The Right Idea.


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What’s New in Electronic Gadgets to Date?

Nowadays, electronic gadgets are very common devices. It seems we can’t go around or work around without one or two of them working. Nothing works on manual anymore, Everything has gone electronic, even the smallest devices are highly technical now; from universal remote controls to electronic pillows, the list is endless.

We use electronic gadgets for business, recreation and to get us through our daily lives. Students and businessmen often carry laptops and mobile phones to keep themselves updated with the latest news. These electronic gadgets are very useful in creating reports and contacting customers and clients. Electronic gadgets have made life a lot easier for entrepreneurs and corporate people in monitoring their business and work while they are away.Electronics gadgets are not only for business and corporate use; there are also those designed for entertainment and home use.

Electronic gadgets are great for your own entertainment or for your own personal use; they are also great for gift giving as well. These devices are great because they are small and portable. Most people will get a lot of use out of one, for example you give your nephew a PSP handheld portable gaming system and he will use it to death.

There are many types of electronic gadgets with the most popular being the laptop. Laptop’s keep people connected with the outside world at all times. Mobile phones come in second place and are almost equivalent to that of a laptop, they are light weight and you have the internet feature as well.

Music devices and iPads come next on the chain of popular electronic gadgets. Music devices such as MP3 players and iPods are popular choices when wanting to listen to music on the run. iPads are similar to laptops and are quickly gaining momentum as a must have device.

Other kinds of Electronic Gadgets

There are other kinds of electronic devices that you buy; most are good for home use and some are great to take anywhere.

Digital SLR cameras are electronic gadgets that are really useful and a great device if you a re into photography.

Portable Gaming Consoles are popular not just with kids but also for those adults who have never outgrown their love of video games. With these portable game consoles like PSPs, handheld DS and Wii, video gaming has never been good and convenient.

Digital picture frames have really taken the market this year. They are great gift ideas and they are also quite affordable.

GPS navigation systems are great car accessories that will definitely provide enough help on the road. If you are constantly on the move and have to be in unfamiliar territories, this electronic gadget is the best for you.

Digital window thermometers are good electronic gadgets for home use. Some even have additional features like high tide and low tide indicators.

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Knowing More About the Concept And The Evolution Of The Digital Video Recorder

Some believe that the best thing that happened to man kind most recently is the digital video recording ability. What exactly is a digital video recorder? It’s basically a device that can and may record digital video formats onto disks or other devices that could carry data.

The evolution of the digital video recorder came with devices like TiVo and Replay-TV. Microsoft also followed suit with devices of the sort. Studies show that TiVo was able to gain a lot of success with their digital video recorder.

The most commonly used digital video recorders in recent history come in software used on pc. All three major operating systems, Linux, Mac OS, and Microsoft windows support digital video recording programs. Windows media center is one good example.

A digital video recorder can vary from a portable music player to a hard disk based data collector. The new series of iPod Nano all carry digital video recording capabilities. Even the standard DVD R drive is a digital video recorder. This device is everywhere nowadays.

Also some illegal software is also freely available all over the internet. These usually stream videos or let people record videos onto their personal computers. But recent advancements in technology have brought it to a minimum.

Recent development has seen television sets being fitted with digital video recorder capabilities. LG brought this concept to the market in 2007. As a result of this feature, people are able to record their favorite television shows and store it for later use. The latest camcorders to hit the market have digital video recording facilities making recording and storing easier.

Although Digital video recording is used in PCs a lot, it is widely used in world as a satellite or cable TV tool. Recording shows or other video’s is a main theme brought forward by companies like TiVo or Dish Network. The concept of Digital video recorder has single handedly taken the Video cassette recorder which had a big following, completely out of the market.

The future is already here with the digital video recorder which is still relatively new to the world. But what most people don’t realize is that they are always in contact with one of these devices. When you’re using your computer or watching TiVo.

If you still don’t use a digital video recorder it is for the best that you get your hands on one right now. The possibilities are endless with this new technology. Enjoy your favorite videos over and over again, with the simple touch of a button.

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2-D Glasses Remove Nausea from 3-D Movies

2-D Glasses cut out a dimension and protect you from pinkeye

Imagine the scene. You show up at the cinema to meet your so-called friends and they have decided to go watch the 3-D version of Thor. Aside from the fact that they should have taken you weeks ago, this presents a problem. You hate 3-D, but you love your idiot friends despite their tardiness and poor taste.

What do you do? Do you buy a cheaper ticket for the 2-D version and go in on your own, therefore enjoying a brighter picture and a nausea-free evening? Or do you suck it up and don the filthy, bacteria-ridden rental specs and sit with your friends (probably next to the one who eats his popcorn too loud)?

Luckily, there is a third choice: 2-D glasses. These specs won’t help with the dim picture you see from a 3-D theater screen, but they will cut out the stomach-wrenching effects some people get from 3-D. The technology is simple. 3-D works by sending a different image to each eye. Without any glasses, you can see both images on screen together, and they are blurry and impossible to watch. 3-D glasses filter these in various ways to send the correct image to the correct eye. 2D glasses filter out one image from both eyes, so you see the a 2-D movie.

The other advantage is that you won’t have to pay a rental fee for the theater’s own 3-D spex. In fact, you’ll pay back the cost of the 2-D glasses in a few weeks, as they cost just $8 a pair. They also have some other magical properties according to this amazing review on Amazon by Quindraco:

    I ordered two of these, one pair for myself and one for my father. They both arrived at the same time, so   naturally I put them on immediately. I forgot to remove the first pair before putting on the second, which is when I discovered a hidden feature of these glasses.

    It seems obvious now that I think about it, but it turns out, when you wear 2 pairs of 2-D glasses at once, they effectively become 4-D glasses! I found myself able to see through both space and time, something I had only previously experienced while under the effects of completely legitimate medication.

    Suddenly I was able to see the seconds ticking away as the universe aged, and I must say, they’re very pretty-looking. These glasses are definitely a solid buy, especially in pairs. I want to buy a third set as I am very keen to see what the world looks like in 6 dimensions.

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Make Your Own Simple Home Media Center

Do you like watching television and movies online, but you hate watching them on a computer screen? Do you have a huge DVD library but find it inconvenient to dig through them when you want to find something to watch? Would you like to listen to your favorite music through the surround sound attached to your TV? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, you might be an ideal candidate for a simple home media center.

What is a media center (and why would you want one)?

A media center is basically just a computer that is constantly hooked up to your television. You use it to serve up media files or access media content online that you can view or listen to through your TV and other elements of your existing entertainment center (like the surround sound option mentioned earlier).

Why would you want a home media center? Here are a few things you can do with one:

Back up your current DVD collection to the hard drives. Then you can sort the files by genre, name, or anything you’d like and never have to dig through discs again.Watch online video (such as through Netflix or Hulu).You can even include a DVD or Blu-ray player in the media center to watch discs that you rent or borrow.Put all of your music on one system that can hook up to your surround sound so you can listen to your favorite tracks and playlists easily at home.Store your digital photo collections on the media center and show them off to friends and family that come by for a visit.

Why not just use your existing family computer or laptop for this? It mostly comes down to convenience. With a media center you don’t have to fumble around with cables, or lugging your laptop back and forth all the time. You can keep your computers in one room (like a home office) and have a media center permanently set up in your living room or family room where you tend to consume most of your media.

There’s also an issue of space. While a laptop may be a good portable solution as an extremely simple media center, it likely won’t have the hard drive space to hold an extensive video collection. Another consideration is that with a media center you don’t have to constantly adjust your monitor settings from computer screen to television screen, especially if you want to be able to work on your computer while using the media center at the same time.

What do you need to build a simple media center?

Now let’s talk about what you need to set up your own simple home media center. But be forewarned, you should only attempt to build your own media center if you know a thing or two about the inner workings of a computer. If you’re less tech-savvy, we’ll talk about another option for you soon.

A software developer I know recently put together his own simple media center. I asked him what basic components you would need to do the same. Here’s an internal shot of his media center and his suggested component list:

Media Center Hardware and Case
A computer case — Make sure the size will work for you (if you want it to fit within your entertainment center for example, you may need to get a case that works well

horizontally rather than only in tower format).MotherboardCPUHard drive(s) — Make sure your hard drives have enough space for what you want to do. For example, backing up a large DVD collection would require much more substantial hard drive space than a media center for photos or music alone, or one designed to let you easily stream online videos.Video cardCPU fanA TV tuner if you plan to use the system as a DVR to record television shows to watch them laterA DVD player, DVD writer, and / or Blu-ray player depending on your preferencesA PC remote control or special mouse — This should be wireless and not require a solid surface to use it. It enables you to control your media center from your couch without a traditional mouse and keyboard. Make sure this works with your operating system.Cables to hook your media center to your television (with HDTVs you can usually use a single HDMI cable for this)

You may be able to get some of these components together in kit form. And don’t forget about software. The developer I interviewed suggests using Linux if you want to build a relatively inexpensive media center, although Windows operating systems will also work. Other than that, you’ll need a media player. You can use different ones for different media types (such as using VLC for videos) or you can use an option like Moovida which allows you to control video, audio, and photos all from one place. Some media players are freely available and others require payment for more features. Make sure the media player you choose is compatible with the operating system you install.

When all was said and done, here’s the system he ended up with. Note that you do not have to include a computer monitor. Your TV is the only monitor you need. In this photo he hadn’t yet installed the media center into his entertainment center, but you’ll notice he chose a case size that will fit in his existing entertainment center / TV stand. If you want yours to be out of the way, you should keep those size constraints in mind when you choose your own case.

Media Center Setup Example

What if you can’t (or don’t want to) build your own media center?

There’s a simple solution for you if you’re in this group too. Just use a separate pre-assembled computer or laptop. If you want the benefits mentioned above you just have to keep a few considerations in mind. For example, the case size would still need to fit in your entertainment center or wherever you want to keep the system. You would also have to make sure it has enough hard drive space, especially if you intend to back up your traditional media there. In that case a laptop is probably not your best option. This can be an ideal option if you’re looking for an out-of-the-box solution or if you have an older computer sitting around, not being used anymore, and the specs are still decent enough that it would fit the bill.

Did you build your own media center? Did you adapt a ready-made system for the task? Share your stories and tips in the comments below letting others interested in building a media center know what kinds of benefits and challenges they may come across.

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Nitro PDF Professional Version 6: Not Yet an Acrobat-Killer

Nitro PDF Pro v6 Illustrated & Product Marketing Message - Credit: NitroPDF.com

This is a review of Nitro PDF Professional, version 6 — from Nitro PDF, Inc. The software is intended to enable the user to create .pdf files, convert other formats to .pdf, edit those files, secure them, combine multiple documents into a single .pdf file, enable form-fill options, and more according to the company’s website.

Disclaimer: When I review products I like readers to know how I got my hands on them so they know about any potential conflicts of interest. In this case I personally purchased a copy of Nitro PDF Pro v6. The review was not requested by the company itself. And while I was compensated by my client — the owner of this website — to write this review, Nitro PDF in no way compensated me or my client. This review like all reviews at Gadget Advisor is based on honest experiences and opinions.

I tested the trial version of Nitro PDF approximately two years ago and I loved it. But at that time I wasn’t publishing enough .pdf files to justify the purchase. Now I write and publish white papers for clients. I’m the author of numerous e-books which I publish in .pdf format. And I frequently create and distribute .pdf forms, templates, and worksheets for visitors of the sites I run.

I decided it was time to purchase new .pdf editing and creation software. I was extremely excited about purchasing Nitro PDF. They claim to be a “complete Adobe Acrobat replacement.” And while I’m not one to believe marketing hype on the surface due to my own marketing and PR background, I still had high hopes for the software. Unfortunately it failed to meet my expectations from the very first test.

Here are some specific observations and comments based on my testing of the software and my interaction with the company’s support team.

1. Word Conversions
The Microsoft Word .pdf conversion buttons / toolbar work like a charm for me every time. I should note however that I disliked the UI of Word’s versions 2007 and 2010 enough that I’ve chosen to stick with 2003 for the time being. So I cannot speak to the conversion capability with newer versions of Word.

2. Opening .pdf Files
I had no problem opening any .pdf file from any source. That included files I created myself — very simple e-books to heavily formatted white papers and reports — as well as e-books, reports, and forms downloaded from independent third party sources.

3. Form Fill
The form fill feature worked as intended when I tested it with a .pdf form from the IRS website (IRS.gov).

4. Document Combinations
I was impressed with how Nitro PDF handled combining multiple documents. I like to use Word when writing e-books, but sometimes you need drastically different formatting for different sections of the document and Word doesn’t always make that as simple as it could (such as a title page, table of contents, and the body of the e-book). The software combined them flawlessly into a single .pdf version.

1. “Save As”
The “save as” option was not visible by default. I consider that a drawback because if an average user doesn’t know to go digging in settings to add the button, they may be forced to accidentally save over a file when they really wanted to save it under a different name. For example, I tested the form fill feature with the IRS’ W-9 form. Without the “save as” option it saves over the empty form when you likely would want to keep a copy of that empty form in your system.

2. Slow Loading
When selecting sections of the document to edit, the program “hangs up” for a few seconds as though there’s a delay in processing your command. It’s a bit annoying, but hardly a deal-breaker. You just have to remind yourself to be patient each time so you don’t freak out, thinking your system just froze on you (because that’s what it mimics).

3. Data Deletion
Now here is a deal-breaker for me. When you target business customers (which anything labeled “professional” does by its very definition), you know you’re dealing with potentially sensitive and / or valuable information. So when you provide software with a main function of editing those business documents, I think as a customer you have the right to expect the program not to “eat” your file contents or your edits. And maybe it’s just me, but I consider a program’s “undo” function to be incredibly basic and heavily-used. Yet there is a major flaw in the “undo” function of this version of Nitro PDF.

When editing a line of text, let’s say you make a mistake and you hit the “undo” button. It should reverse the last action you took. That is not the case with this software. In my case hitting “undo” deleted the entire line of content, except for the first letter. This was also the very first thing I tested with the software, so imagine my surprise to find that once it removed my material, there was no way to get it back. (And no, hitting “redo” or the “undo” button again didn’t help — then it just beeps at you.)

Demonstration of deleted content line after using Nitro PDF "undo" function.
Fine. I figured it was a good opportunity to test Nitro PDF’s support for the review. I submitted the issue online. To their credit, I heard back via email in less than 24 hours and the technical support rep was a pleasant fellow. However, the company’s response to the issue of their software destroying customer data was in no way pleasant.

I sent a copy of my original file as well as a screenshot showing the problem to their tech support people. They were able to replicate the problem quickly and confirm that it was a bug within the software. Fine. “So fix it and let me know when you have a patch,” I thought. Well, no….The response instead was that they didn’t have time to fix the problem before the next release for this version of the software. And therefore it would “probably” (yes, not even definite that they would fix it then) be included in the next major release — version 7.

So here’s what that amounts to: customers using this version of the software have to deal with the “undo” feature removing lines of content and that data being irrecoverable. If you want to have software that works without destroying your business documents, you can pay for Version 7 months down the line when it’s released.

Um, no. You do not inform customers that they need to buy another version of your software if they want extremely basic functions to operate properly and not destroy business files. And I told them as much. I don’t care what your excuse is. If you find out it’s happening, you fix it — even if it means delaying a minor release. We aren’t talking about feature requests here. We’re talking major problems with a very basic function of the software.

Just for the record, I also tested and confirmed the bug on numerous .pdf files — different sizes, formats, and sources to make sure it wasn’t just an issue with my own conversions. The problem happened in more than 60% of the documents checked. That’s significant enough to warrant a more legitimate response from their QA Manager or programmers.

But wait. It gets better. I let the support rep know that was an unacceptable response, and asked for confirmation one last time before writing the review. Their grand solution? Just close your file without saving it and your “eaten” data will magically appear again. The problem with that response Einsteins is that closing without saving also means you lose any edits you made to other lines (or the line that was deleted). As an independent publisher and business writer, I write a heck of a lot. And I can tell you that most people do not save documents after every single line they edit. So any way you cut it, this version of Nitro PDF may cause you to lose potentially important data if you dare to use the “undo” function.

At this point I gave up trying to be reasonable with the support rep who clearly didn’t fully understand the implications of this problem (you know — costing more money to complete projects when edits might have to be completed multiple times or losing potentially sensitive business data). So I tweeted about it. I have a reasonable network in the writing and small business community — people who very frequently use .pdf documents for e-publishing, reports, and more. I shared my dissatisfaction to put it mildly.

Then I thought Nitro PDF reps were back on their game briefly. Whoever manages their Twitter account got in touch on the site and assured me they would speak to the development and support folks about the problem. Days have gone by and I haven’t yet received any kind of response. (Is it maybe too much to expect to hear at least something when a company tells you they’ll look deeper into a problem?)

It’s possible I still might. It’s possible they’ll pull their heads out of you-know-where and think about how serious an issue like this is for current users and not just those who might use the software months down the line. But for me, my patience is wearing thin very quickly. I need software that works now. I would have been more than happy just to hear that they were working on it and they’d roll out a patch in the foreseeable future. But no. That’s not what happened. And that makes me question whether or not I could trust the company enough to even want to use them when the new version is released. I’ve already seen how highly they “value” users’ data. And I’m not impressed.

I would love to tell you that I recommend Nitro PDF. I used to! But now I’m sorry to say that I cannot. I wish I knew of a worthwhile alternative to point you to, but sadly I’m back on that hunt now myself. After all, I have publishing projects in the works, and they won’t wait for months. I really wanted to like this software. I was excited when it arrived, and I couldn’t wait to begin using it on the series of e-books and reports I plan to release. Unfortunately what might seem like a minor issue to some is too significant for me to overlook. Then again, I guess the last straw was really how they dealt with the issue, and not the bug itself.

As with everything, make up your own minds. You might luck out and never have this issue. You might not have to deal with support. Or who knows? Maybe you never do anything that you want to “undo” anyway. If so, go for it. There’s no harm in at least testing out their free trial. Most of the features worked exactly as described. I just wish I could trust the software enough to be willing to continue using it. Maybe if they eventually care enough to get it patched. We’ll have to wait and see.

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Kno for iPad: E-Textbooks Done Right?

Kno has launched a rather sweet-looking e-textbook app for the iPad. Those of you with a good memory for ill-fated tablet hardware will remember the first incarnation of the Kno, a giant dual-screen (or single-screen) behemoth of a tablet with a price tag of “below $1,000.”

Now, the service is available on the iPad, and therefore likely to be a whole lot more useful. Kno has inked deals with many of the major textbook publishers and you can buy their wares directly from within the app, often at a big discount.

The app lets you choose from 70,000 textbooks, and you can search, zoom in on pictures, add sticky notes and highlight text. You can also share passages with friends or fellow students via FaceBook or Twitter.
What’s more, you can load the apps with your own PDFs.

Kno looks pretty good. I have been struggling to use my iPad in my twice-weekly Spanish classes. The tiny desk-chair tabletop thingy is angled so my iPad can slide off easily when its piled up along with my paper textbook and paper handouts. If my textbook was available in Kno, I’d use it in an instant. It would gather what I currently do in several apps all into one place.

Kno is available free, currently only in the U.S App Store.

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