The Retina display is Apple's branding for a monitor in which the individual pixels making up the images on the screen are not discernable when viewed at a normal reading distance. That all the dots vanish into one continuous image. This technology was first introduced on the relatively small iPhone 4 monitor, then on to the slightly larger iPad display.

Apple has made the leap and introduced this technology onto the Macintosh Macbook Pro laptops. Showcasing an amazing resolution of 2880 x 1800 (or 5.1 million pixels), you can expect text and high contrast graphics to appear crisper and cleaner. I am talking about a notably cleaner representation on screen. I invite you to check out the incredible amount of detail and screen real estate that you will have on this desktop via the Apple Macbook Pro product page. The negative is that as you start to work with higher resolution imagery and the like to fill up the screen, you will see files sizes continue to grow. Just something to keep in mind!

Not only is the display gorgeous but the entire Macbook Pro has been redesigned from the ground up! The product is impressively thin...just .71 inches and 4.46 pounds to be exact. Included in this sleek package is a quad-core Intel Core i7 Ivy Bridge processor running at speeds of 2.7GHz and support for 16 gigabytes of RAM. You also get the NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M to push those 5.1 million pixels around in real-time.

Other Macintosh thing announced?
Mountain Lion is Apple's next Operating System release which is expected to launch in July via the Mac App Store for $19.99. This update centers around better internet services integration such as improved iCloud support to make it easier to share your files across your Mac, iPhone and iPad. And the more interesting addition is the substantial integration directly with Facebook's services. This includes syncing your contacts, sharing directly from the Safari web browser and Notifications screen updates. All the Apple Macintosh apps are updated to leverage the new high resolution display including Mail, Safari, iPhoto, etc.

Another exciting enhancement for me is the AirPlay Mirroring feature that allows you to display your Macintosh's screen with a TV connected to an AppleTV device for simple, wireless presentation sharing.

If you'd like to see a video that highlights all the updates coming next month...check it out on Apple's website.

Other things that happened but were not announced?
New Smart Case for iPad!!!  As you probably know from previous posts, I have loathed the magnetic Smart Cover the Apple offers. It leaves the back of the device exposed AND the magnetic part slips and disconnects all the time. Finally Apple is offering a full case now that is similar to the cover but adds a protective backing.

The case is extremely well fitted as you would expect from Apple and is made from polyurethane and offers the low-profile angle for keyboard-like typing on the screen. Would have liked a leather option and am not blown away by the six color choices but this could be the nicest offering I've seen in a sleek case offering.

Lame Mac Pro Update...what more can I say? Maybe a little history first. The MacPro is the full-sized desktop computer that Apple has sold for many years. The current version was introduced in 2006 and I am typing this write-up on that computer. What I like about the desktop computer over the iMacs is that ability to add new capabilities to the platform. This specific MacPro has a ultra high-speed Serial ATA interface to drive my RAID drives and an updated videocard for enhanced graphics. I utilized the half-dozen USB and Firewire ports, the four internal hard-drives and a slew of other peripherals.

So what has Apple done? Pretty much nothing. The update included some new processor options which doesn't even include the new chips Intel introduced last quarter? The package still utilizes the same video card launched in 2009!!!!! This update was not even worth doing. I get it. This package is not mass market and doesn't warrant support when they can sell you an iMac that will last a few years and then you just junk that and buy a new one. They don't like that I am operating on the same system for 6 years!

I'm sure they will kill this category...they probably already have and that is why we got this lame update that just helps them clear out inventories??? But it is a shame, I really like the option to support new features and capabilities via PCI cards and the like.

Okay...after writing all that...Tim Cook just sent an email confirming a new MacPro is in the works and is expected next year! He says, "something great" for the Pro's. I guess we are back to the usual Apple waiting game :-)

There was a slew of iOS (iPhone/iPad operating system) updates but those get a bit geeky and I will cover that when iOS6 gets released.

Larry Pacey, award-winning designer tracks the latest news on consumer products, electronics, appliances, smart devices, networking and the gadget lifestyle.

For the latest news follow me on: ------------------------------ OR ------------------------------- Follow me on Twitter @WouldntMindThis Please comment below and share your thoughts. If you have any feedback or questions, feel free to email me at wouldntmind@gmail.com. Just my 2-cents, Larry

I ordered the new iPad last week within minutes of its order-ability. I am not happy about it but I did. Now the iPad is a great and marvelous device and I really enjoy my original iPad and I know my wife and son will continue to use it for years to come. I have also previously written several pieces about this breakthrough device including topics like "No idea why someone would buy any tablet other than an iPad" and a very detailed article on some great apps for an iOS device titled "What can you do with that new iPad".

I didn't purchase the iPad 2. There was not enough to differentiate itself...so I stuck with my original. The new iPad (what is it called anyway...iPad 3? iPad-3rd Generation?) does have enough to differentiate itself from its predecessors. Primarily the display and 4G-LTE wireless connectivity are great additions.  But I am still very disappointed in my purchase.

So where do I start? Let's talk about what is driving my disappointment since the technical specs are well known and written all over the web, I don't need to talk too much about why the new iPad "high resolution / fast connectivity edition" (note to self: gotta work up some naming convention/acronym for this version of the iPad) is cool.

Instead there is an ugly story here and it needs to get vetted.
I don't want to get too technical and geeky on you but here it goes...

I've written previously that the MAIN reason I had not upgraded is that the iPad 2 only offered a maximum of 64 gigabytes of storage...the same maximum on my original iPad. And my memory is full. The new iPad "quad-core graphics processor will hopefully highlight better games edition" I ordered has only 64 gigabytes of storage as well. That was the maximum.

Sure I am a power-user but this problem will permeate to your experience as well no matter the type of user you are or which iPad you have. But more about me;-)

I purchase lots of apps and games. I store a good amount of documents I want handy like Powerpoints, PDFs, eBooks and the like. I have some video footage (professional and family stuff) and a good amount of photos too. I have a dozen albums of music, a few TV episodes and a movie or two depending on where and how far I am traveling.

Apple will tell you to leverage "the iCloud" for your additional storage needs. What that means is that you can store information on the internet and stream it to your device when you need it. And for 50% of the time that may work. What happens when you don't have a good internet connection? What happens if you don't have 3G or 4G cellular option and no wifi? What happens when you are on a plane or someplace without service? Have you seen cellular data fees aboard? And even if everything is working great...at the end of the day I end up spending too much time managing what I have on my device and what is in the cloud. What if I choose poorly?

It comes down to the fact that I want my information readily available on my device when I need it. After the past two or three years my needs have grown but the iPad storage has not. As it stands today, I really require more physical storage on the iPad for it to be viable for me. Many have begged for an expandable memory card type of slot...and that would be very nice. But I would have even happily paid a premium for a 96 or even 128 gigabyte configuration!

At this point you are saying...why should I care?
You should and here is why my situation is only going to get worse!

The new iPad "Quad-Core Graphics Chip Edition"...(same new iPad just trying to find a name for it) has this amazing new Retina display. Retina is a fancy name Apple came up with to mean that they have jammed a lot of pixels into each square inch of that tablet's display. It is a bit of marketing hype but you get the gist. The end results in some super fine graphics resulting in clean, crisp fonts and the like. These pixels are so smashed together tiny that they border on not being distinguishable from the human eye.

Well guess what happens with your application's graphics packages are rez'ed up to leverage that amazingly detailed display? The application file size gets bigger! 
I am talking about applications 2 to 3 times larger than their previous versions. We are already seeing this on Apple's own released software for the iPad "31 Million Pixels Edition". Check out the file sizes for Apple's Keynote app growing from 115 megabytes to 327mb and iMovie exploded from 70mb to 404mb to support the new Retina resolution version.

So it doesn't matter if you have the 1st generation, 2nd generation or 3rd generation of iPad...if you want to get the latest applications with new, cool features...you will soon see your capacity shrink dramatically. Those skimpy 16 gigabyte iPads will quickly become obsolete unless you are limited to using a handful of applications beyond what already comes with the device.

Well I still ordered my new iPad "Finally with a Decent Camera Edition". I got the 64 gigabyte version. I really hope they release one with more storage...it is going to be increasing more difficult to deal with this device if they don't lift this constraint.

I'll probably have to lean more on my Macbook Air...wait a second...is that their goal? I need the Mac to get unshackled from the iPad's limitations? I have to have two or more Apple devices to accomplish all my computing needs? Or am I just being paranoid?

I hope this tirade helps you clarify your purchasing decisions if you are in the market for a new tablet. My advice...I'm certain I will really like the new iPad and will write-up my experiences with the device soon. I will tell you, I have been using the latest generation of Android tablets...and stick to my original sentiment from last August...No idea why someone would buy any tablet other than an iPad!

Larry Pacey, award-winning designer tracks the latest news on consumer products, electronics, appliances, smart devices, networking and the gadget lifestyle.

For the latest news follow me on: ------------------------------ OR ------------------------------- Follow me on Twitter @WouldntMindThis Please comment below and share your thoughts. If you have any feedback or questions, feel free to email me at wouldntmind@gmail.com. Just my 2-cents, Larry

I am regularly asked what are the best apps for the iPhone? What can you do with an iPad? And with these devices being some of the most sought after holiday gifts, there are probably quite a few new iDevice owners out there. So here is my list of great apps and accessories for the iPad and other iOS products.

How do you make your iPad more productive?

Keynote - Is Apple's presentation app for iPhone and iPad's that includes twelve template designs, animated charts and twenty smooth transitions. There is an adapter for your iOS device that will allow you to output to a monitor or projector or you can stream your presentation via AirPlay to a television equipped with an AppleTV. The app also supports presentations created in Apple's desktop version and Microsoft's PowerPoint. Overall I don't make presentations on my iPad but find it very useful in giving my presentation via the iPad. The iPad will show your presenter notes and even offers a laserpointer functionality.

Numbers - Apple's spreadsheet app works on all iOS devices as you'd expect though I have experiences some challenges with compatibility and syncing with Apple's iCloud storage solution. I mostly use this app for some quick tabulation of numbers and to pop open the occasional Excel file. If you frequently receive or want to edit a smaller worksheet this app is nice to have in your arsenal. But it may not be the first app you need to get.

Pages - This is another Apple application and probably one of the more frequently used by me to create and edit word processing documents. The application is pretty full featured and works well on all iOS devices. It is compatible Microsoft Word documents, Apple desktop Pages documents as well as plain text files. A great addition for iPhone 4S users is the new dictation feature that provides the ability transcribe your words into text.


Quickoffice Pro  - While I am in this neck of the woods if you are looking for an app to really focus on reading and editing Microsoft Office documents, look no further than Quickoffice Pro. This is the Swiss Army knife to review your Word, Excel and Powerpoint files. Not only can you edit and navigate even large files with ease, the app natively syncs and shares your documents on cloud services like Dropbox, Google Docs, Box.net, Huddle, SugarSync and Evernote.

Awesome Note - This app combines notes and to-do's into a single application. It is a great little bucket to fill up all aspects of your life. You can create color-coded folders for different topics and create multiple notes in each folder. Notes can include pictures, text, hand-drawn images as well as reminders and alarms to keep you up to date. I find this as a great tool to track my projects and longer-term needs. You can sync your notes with Google Docs or Evernote (more on that later).

How do you stay informed?

Pulse - This beautiful application transform all your streams of news, websites and social networks into a mosaic of sliding images and text that truly reinvents how you gather and read your news. You can sync content from Facebook, Twitter, Google Reader as well as document reading services like Instapaper, Read it Later and Evernote. The application also supports off-line reading with your news cached on your smart-device.

Flipboard - The best way to describe this app is as your social media digital magazine. Like Pulse, it aggregates information from a wide-range of sources and transforms the information into a magazine format that makes surfing through the content extremely enjoyable.

Facebook - Sure, you can access Facebook on the browser of your mobile device but the native app can navigate the sites wide-range of features. The recently released version is extremely intuitive and makes accessing your wall, photos or sending a message with ease.

Twitter - If you are a twitter-holic or just want to keep your eye on your stream of "follows", this is a good clean app for this service.



Shazam Encore - This app almost magically samples a song playing anywhere you hear it and figures out the song and artist! You have to see it to believe it. And new features include the ability to sample some commercials or TV shows to get access to additional information or promotions.








How do you get your life in order?

Evernote - This note-taking app will consume and store pretty much anything you give it. And not only can you retrieve or edit your content on the iPad but the information is available on your smart-phone, computer or nearly any web-browser. I have sections for my ideas, clippings from the web, pictures of things I run into and want to remember. Text, audio, images all stored conveniently online and easily searchable.
Dropbox - Is another great application for synchronizing your files and data across multiple devices. This really opens up the doors for how much information you can take with you as the largest storage you can buy on an iPad is 64 gigabytes. And images, movies and audio files can fill that up quickly. Another great feature is the ability to share specific files or folders with family or friends for easy transfers or collaboration projects.

CardStar - Take all those loyalty cards you collect out of your wallet or purse and make them digital. Receive coupons and local deals automatically.

Reminder - This app is already installed if you have iOS5 the latest version of the iPhone and iPad. This little gem has a very special feature that allows you to place reminders and tasks that not only trigger based on a specific time but also based on a set location like home, work or a specific destination. Now you can get prompted with your shopping list as you walk into your local grocery store!

How does the iPad help me watch my money?

Pageonce: Money & Bills - An great aggregator of all your financial and personal information. Their system links to all your financial (credit cards, banks, 401K) and point accural/loyalty systems (Hertz, Starwoods, Hyatt) to keep track of investments, rewards and bills.








How do you unlock your inner creativity?

Instagram - Take great pictures on your iPad or iPhone, add a filter to spice up the look and share it to Facebook, Twitter or Flickr...all in this one app and online service.

Snapseed - An amazing photo-editor that is fun, easy to use and extremely powerful. You want adjust image settings, work on just a part of the photo and add cool filters.

GarageBand - This is a fun and entertaining music creation tool for the experienced and novice. You will be surprised at what you can create  with this multiple track and multiple instrument audio tool and be sure to share your songs with friends and family.







How does the iPad keep me entertained?

Netflix - Take your Netflix's movies and TV shows on the go. Of course your choices of available content with your Netflix streaming subscription seems to be shrinking of late but let's hope Netflix is able to get additional studio content in their digital subscription.

HBO Go - Stream all the HBO exclusive content on your iPad. It is a free additional service for HBO subscribers. It is a great way to stay up-to-date on the latest movies, HBO originals like Boardwalk Empire, Curb Your Enthusiasm, etc.

Pandora Radio - Take internet radio with you. Be surprised, discover new artists and songs. You can create your own channels of songs based on your preferences in music!

Spotify - Is a subscription music service that allows you access to millions of songs. But to really leverage the platform on our mobile device you need to look at some of their subscriptions options. Check out what they offer and if you are a music buff, you may really want this one on your iPhone or iPad.

iBook - This app is free and available for pretty much all the latest iDevices and is Apple's solution for ebooks, magazines and even stores your PDFs for later reading. Overall Apple has a great library of books and compatible magazines with some exclusive that require me to use this app but I do seem to lean on the next two apps a bit more.

Zinio - Is a magazine/periodicals solution on the web that allows you to subscribe or purchase single issues. The range of content is pretty good and the ability to access your content on a wide range of devices makes it a step above the Apple iBook solutions for the most part.

Kindle - I'm sure you have heard of the Kindle ebook reader sold by Amazon but you may not know that you can access those same books on your iOS device like the iPad or iPhone.

DirecTV - Access the content on your internet-connected DVR, watch live television, program or control your DVR and research show information all from this app. A must for any DirecTV subscriber. Comcast has a digital solution as well but I am not familiar with their solutions. Other providers probably do as well and you should look up what yours has to offer.





How do you have fun with the iPhone or iPad?

Angry Birds - There are several versions. Start with the free traditional "Angry Birds" and work your way up through the "Seasons" and other versions. There is a reason this is one of the hottest smart-device games on the planet.

Infinity Blade and Infinity Blade 2 are cinematic combat games. You control how your character attacks based on how you swipe your finger on the screen. It is a pretty rewarding action game that offers some of the most visually stunning imagery available on a tablet or smartphone.

Words with Friends - Okay, I am just going to say it. It is Scrabble! Sure the board is a bit different but it is essentially Scrabble. You get tiles of letters and build words on each others words. What is cool about this is that you can play your turn and send it to your friends smart-device where they will play their turn when they get a free moment. This allows you to have a whole slew of these games running in parallel. Just don't try the Scrabble/Words with Friends cheat sites!

Zen Bound 2 - Using just your finger, wrap up unusually shaped objects with twine. The quest for more efficient wrapping will keep you busy for hours.

Tiny Wings - It couldn't be simpler. You touch the screen when you want your bird to dive to the ground. If you time it right, the bird will hit the downslope hard and zoom up the hills and get airborne...repeat before the day runs out.

Where's my water? - Who knew it would be so tough to get the pumping just right and get that water to the bath tub! Lots of fun! A beautiful Disney production.

Osmos - Save your little blob by absorbing the smaller objects and avoiding the bigger ones before they absorb you! Physics fun!

Flight Control - You are in charge. You have to get all those planes to the right runways without colliding with each other. Very fun and multiplayer is even more entertaining.

Tiny Tower - You are the landlord. Start with only one floor and build your empire one floor and one bitizen at a time. Probably my favorite game of 2011 on the iPhone. You play it when you have time and can check in on the game in a matter of moments.

Contre Jour - Another great navigate your blob around the screen. This game requires you to modify the surroundings to complete the level.

Cut the Rope - With a finger swipe you "Cut the Rope" and the trick is to feed your candy to the little green guy. The levels are fun and can prove challenging but highly recommend this game.

Jetpack Joyride - A great combination of racing through a level, seeing how far you can get with loads of customizations while trying to accomplish a well balanced set of unique goals with each run through the level. My favorite action game of the year on any smart-device!

Plants VS Zombies - If for some reason you haven't played this on any device...get this! You build up your defenses from a continuous onslaught of the undead!

Fruit Ninja - Chop the fruit as it comes flying on the screen. It can be very rewarding. Just avoid the bombs. Multiplayer is great fun as well.






How do you keep your kids entertained and educated?

Mathemagics: Mental Math Tricks - Anyone can benefit from keeping your mind agile by testing out your mental math skills.

>Sudoku - Is Sudoku plus a points system, runs and a leaderboard. Probably the nicest execution of Sudoku and it is FREE.

Star Walk - Point your iOS device at the sky and the app will tell you what you are looking at. Stars, constellations and even satellites all show up in real-time. This is a beautifully produced application for stargazing.

The Elements - Is an incredible recreation of the periodic tablet. Highly interactive and engaging. You will learn something new every time you open this app up.

Flashcards Deluxe - Make your own flashcards or download study sets online. Smart study system automatically focuses on cards you miss. Supports Quizlet.com and FlashcardExchange.com for 4 million+ flashcard sets.








How does an iDevice get you around?

Navigon - GPS app for your iDevice. You have Google Maps already on your device but this turns your phone or tablet into a real-time navigation system with turn notices, traffic and route finding. Worth the money!

Yelp - Brings the popular online site for crowd-sourcing/reviews of your local establishments. Helps you find "lunch", "dinner", "mexican" or any other venue nearby.

Opentable - This is a wonderful system that allows you to make reservations on your phone or tablet at your favorite local restaurants. The app includes reviews, menus and helps secure your reservation while you are on the move. You also earn points with each reservation that can be redeemed for credit that can be used at any Opentable compatible restaurant. I pretty much decide where we are going to eat nowadays based on where we can get a reservation.

Pageonce Trip Tracker - Made by the same people that make the Money and Bill's app above. This is a great app to get real-time flight status, itinerary push alerts, live weather, route maps, hotel information and car rental details...basically helps with all your travel needs.







How does the iPad keep you cooking?

Epicurious Recipes - From Epicurious.com search more than 30,000 delicious, professionally created recipes from Bon Appetit, Gourmet, Self, and renowned chefs and cookbooks.







Can the iPad help me shed pounds?

Fitness - Features 700+ exercises for men and women and 50 YOGA poses with video and audio instructions. App includes 700 videos and 40 ready-made workouts.






While this article has focused on what is available for the most sought after computing devices of the past couple years...the iPhone and more specifically, the iPad. It doesn't mean that the app isn't also available for Android smart-phones, Blackberry or even the Windows Phone and all are probably great apps no matter what platform you have. I just hope this is a good starting place for someone interested in getting the most out of their smart-device.

I'll endeavor to keep this list fresh and up-to-date as new and better apps come about or some of these get outdated. I would LOVE to hear about your favorite apps...comment below!

Enjoy your mobile computing experience and wishing you a Happy and Healthy 2012!


For additional details, check out my 2012 Consumer Product Trends, some additional summaries like this one for other product categories at WouldntMind.com and specific key product details coming out of CES 2012 at WouldntMind.com News Page.

Larry Pacey, award-winning designer tracks the latest news on consumer products, electronics, appliances, smart devices, networking and the gadget lifestyle.

For the latest news follow me on: ------------------------------ OR ------------------------------- Follow me on Twitter @WouldntMindThis Please comment below and share your thoughts. If you have any feedback or questions, feel free to email me at wouldntmind@gmail.com. Just my 2-cents, Larry