Thinner iPad 2 glass: Will it break?

Apple's decision to shave the iPad 2's profile and reduce its weight may mean a slight increase in broken screens, a repair expert said today.But other analysts who have torn apart the iPad 2 said that the new design will prevent shattered screens because Apple's using a new, more flexible material.As part of its work to slim down the iPad 2, Apple reduced the thickness of the tablet's glass overlay by 25%, from 0.8 millimeters to 0.6 millimeters, according to teardowns by the likes of IHS iSuppli and iFixit.com.The move will translate into a small increase in broken screens, said Aaron Vronko, CEO of Portage, Mich.-based Rapid Repair, a repair shop and do-it-yourself parts supplier for the iPhone, iPod and iPad. Vronko also pulled apart an iPad 2 to get an idea of how Apple designed its...

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iPads fuel flight of paperless planes

Tablet computers such as the iPad are revolutionizing aircraft cockpits as tens of thousands of private pilots bring the powerful mini-computers into planes. Several of the nation's largest airlines are poised to follow suit. The Federal Aviation Administration this year for the first time granted approval for two charter companies to use iPads instead of the bulky paper charts and manuals that pilots have been required to carry since the birth of modern aviation. Alaska Airlines is testing iPads in some of its planes, and Delta Air Lines and American Airlines say they're planning on launching tests soon.Safety advocates also are enthusiastic about tablet computers, but they warn that there could be a downside: more distractions in the cockpit. "It's a two-sided...

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Android vs iPhone web page loading speed contest flawed

Test results promoted by Blaze Software that purport to prove that Android is much faster at loading web pages than Apple's iOS 4.3 did so using a poorly performing custom iPhone app, rather than using Safari itself. The results of the test, according to Bloomberg, said that an Android-based Nexus S phone performed 52 percent faster on average after loading more than 45,000 pages from 1,000 websites compared to iPhone 4. The average speed difference was about a second longer page load on iPhone 4: 2.14 seconds compared to 3.25 seconds. The more complex the page, the greater the performance difference, Blaze reported. Guy Podjarny, the firm's chief technology officer, said "it’s not that Apple doesn’t care about speed, but Google is fanatical about it." However, while Blaze maintained...

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Apple iPad 2 India Launch Announcement Soon?

India has always been a dumping ground for leftover products by Apple, be it the iPhone or the iPad. But now things seem to be getting better because Apple may launch the iPad 2 in India in just about a couple of weeks, according to a report. The iPad 2 has already been launched in the US, and will be launched in several other countries on March 25, but India doesn t figure in that list yet. Apple has not yet confirmed any India date, but a senior manager at a leading Apple partner has revealed on informal enquiries, that the company is working on a launch date to be announced in just two weeks. This was discussed during the Apple partners meeting held in New Delhi last Wednesday. The source added, "iPad 2 launch figured prominently at the meeting and most partners were urging Apple's...

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Wireless NFC e-wallet won't be a part of Apple's iPhone 5 - rumor

Apple has allegedly decided to abandon the inclusion of a wireless near-field communication e-wallet in its forthcoming iPhone 5, expected for release this summer. Citing sources with "several" mobile operators in the U.K., The Independent reported Monday that Apple recently held meetings in which it disclosed it will not include NFC technology in the next iPhone. The inclusion of NFC technology like radio-frequency identification, or RFID, can allow mobile devices to serve as an electronic wallet, letting users authorize transactions without using their credit card. In January, it was claimed that Apple was finalizing NFC technology for both the iPhone 5 and iPad 2. But the iPad 2 arrived last week without any support for NFC. Apple allegedly told British...

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The handiest iPhone/iPod Touch accessory you’ll ever own

If you’re a frequent viewer of movies on your iPhone or iPod Touch, you’ve surely run into the problem of having your hand fall asleep while trying to hold the thing. Or maybe you’ve been at the gym, wanting to read headlines while on the treadmill, while your device just keep slipping off and yanking your earbuds from your head.Enter the PodFlexPro. It’s a simple, innocuous piece of metal, wrapped in neoprene, that will save you from sliding-device heartbreak. Simply slide your iPhone or iPod Touch into the pouch, bend the PodFlexPro to hang or sit wherever you’d like, then enjoy the pleasure that a simple accessory can bring. The only problem? It’s a bit steep on the price (oh, and the website looks a lot like one of those “As Seen on TV” things). For $25, it would be great if they...

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