My new iPad or the importance of getting what you want

I remember January 27 2010 very well. During this time I was coming in late to work in order to call international clients and as a side bonus, I was able to use a wifi connection that let me stream video to my phone. But this wasn't the usual YouTube or podcast night, this night something special was available. Earlier that day, Apple INC had announced a revolutionary new tablet computer called the iPad. I'd followed the announcement via liveblog that morning but I wanted to see it myself. So when I went to work I started downloading the file. About an hour later, I started watching and it was amazing. Steve Jobs was at the top of his form introducing the iPad to the world. But it wasn't until I watched him and Phil Schiller use it that I realized it's potential. This was a complete shift in the way that people interact with computers. And I immediately wanted one. That feeling never subsided through all the trials and tribulations of the last year. It wasn't simply a desire to own the latest Apple device, though I admit that was a part of it. The fact is that I wanted an iPad because I am convinced that in 10 years we will look back on it with the reverence a historic product like it deserves. Another key factor in my desire for an iPad was the fact that I've never owned a new computer before. These factors combined to maintain a level of admiration for the iPad that I've never had prior to it, and thus far haven't had since. A year passes since the announcement and I still haven't been able to buy one when the stars align to allow me to make one of the most important purchases of my life. First, after 7 months of struggling, I finally secure a job. Second I get a home based job I can work on the side for extra income. Third and most importantly, I get my tax refund. While I'm technically able to purchase an iPad, I'm hesitant to do so. The reason is that I have been broke for so long that I've become used to scraping by and I'm not in a hurry to go back to that. And frankly, I probably shouldn't have made the purchase but I had a unique set of circumstances come in to play that allowed me to finally make my purchase without remorse. First was my side job. Frankly it doesn't pay too well but that isn't the the point. The point is that I have a way outside my job of earning money. Second and much more important was that I finally purchased a wifi router for my house. Ever since I started online I'd always needed to go somewhere to access the Internet. Now, I had a cellular wifi router I could take anywhere so the "it's neat but I can't use it at home" rebuttal went away. Finally, the same "being broke for 75% of 2010" issue that had held me back now was motivating me to get what I wanted. So I decided to challenge myself. I'd get the iPad and then I'd use my side job to pay myself back. But of course while it would've made an interesting thought experiment, I knew myself well enough to know that if I didn't actually get it, I'd lose the motivation I had to work and pay myself back. Several years back I read "Rich Dad Poor Dad" and one of the lessons I took from the book was that poor people will say "I can't afford it" and shut their mind down while rich people ask "how can I afford it" and use their imaginations to find a solution that allows them to have the things they desire. I'm putting that theory to the ultimate test. While I had the ability to purchase my iPad it wasn't a tremendously good idea to do so without having a way to pay it back. The fact is that I'm not a terribly materialistically motivated person. I don't often have the drive to get things the way I did with my iPad. But in order to achieve my long term goals, I have to change how I look at earning money. This was the first step. Stay tuned. I'll be posting updates occasionally about the progress I've made to pay myself back. 2011 is going to be a fun year. Because I'm goin' up! :) $$

This Week in iPad Valentines day special

Cold Open
Today on This Week in iPad, we're looking at Battleheart in the iPad game of the week, is iPad 3 coming out this fall, and Andrea and Jacob are feeling the love in a Valentine's day Planet of the Apps, coming up this week.

iPad Game of the Week!
This week's game is challenging but in a fun way. It's called Battleheart and it's from Mika Mobile. It's fun, it integrates the iPad user interface well, and it's cute. What else do you need?

News

Qualcomm and CAA Backing Mobile Apps
According to TechCrunch, talent agency CAA and technology company Qualcomm are teaming up to bring new characters and franchises to multiple platforms. The intent is not to licence existing material but to create new characters like the Angry Birds.

iPad 3!!!!!!!!!(?)
Noted blogger John Gruber recently posted a number of reasons why he thinks the iPad 3 will be coming this fall.(He's been remarkably accurate in the past about these things.) He says that the April release cycle that the iPad is on now made sense while there wasn't any competition in the touchscreen tablet market, but now that RIM and Android are developing serious competitors, the iPad needs to be on a schedule that can compete. That said, Apple doesn't want to go a year and a half without a new release so they're going to update the iPad the same way they updated the iPhone 3G to the 3GS. After that, they'll release a new version in September and stick to a fall release schedule from now on. Jacob's not sure it makes sense, but he's going to wait until the iPad 2 is unveiled to pass any judgement on the validity of this rumor.

Planet Of the Apps!

Valentine's Day Apps

Andrea's first app this week is Valentine's Day Hidden Objects. This app challenges users to find several objects hidden in Valentine's day scenes. There's no time limit and no prize. and unfortunately no reason to buy this app. Skip it.

Love Scanometer
Andrea picked Jacob's apps this week and the first one is Love Scanometer, a lovely little app that allows users to determine their compatibility using their iOS device(The app works on the iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad). That said, it's free so don't expect a lot from the app.

ScrapPad
Andrea's next app this week is ScrapPad - Valentine's Day,, an adaptation of the popular ScrapPad app from Album Art LLC. You can use this app to create Valentine's cards on your iPad.

Be Mine
Jacobs final app this week is just like ScrapPad, except it's horrible. Be Mine scares Jacob. It's cheesy and you should avoid it.

Winner: Jacob and Andrea both think that ScrapPad wins this week.

Contact us
As always you can follow the show @TWiiPad, you can follow Andrea @AndreaRene, Jacob @JacobBurch and you can email the show at ipad@thisweekin.com.


See you next week!

This Week in iPad episode 42

Cold Open
Today on This Week in iPad, we have another great game of the week, we're discussing the update to the App Store, and it's all about travel in Planet of the apps.

Twitter!
If you're not yet, you can always follow the show on Twitter @TWiiPad, also you can follow Andrea on Twitter @AndreaRene and you can follow Jacob @JacobBurch. You can also email the show at iPad@thisweekin.com.

iPad Game of the week!
Our iPad game of the week this week is Hysteria project 2, a game that Andrea really wanted to like given the recent success of games like Dead Space. The game has a VERY long intro that you can't skip, and you never get hints until after you've died.

Ad



Vopium is a great way to call internationally without paying high fees to do so. How it works is, you make a call to Vopium's local number, and Vopium will route the call for you so you can talk to your friends abroad for as little as a tenth of what it would cost normally. Vopium is available on the Apple App store, the Android market, the Ovi Store, and Blackberry app world. You'll get 15 minutes free and 15 free text messages, and after that's it's pay as you go.

News

iPad App Store Updated
The App store for iPad received several updates this week including the ability to filter search results by Category, Release Date, Rating, Price, and Device. There's no need to look for the update, the next time you launch the App store, the update will be pushed to your device.

The Daily Launches
The Daily, a news application from Rupert Murdoch's News Corp has launched after months of anticipation. Verizon Wireless is providing free service for two weeks to everyone who downloads the app. Once the subscription does kick in, the costs will be $0.99 per week or $39.99 per year.

Apple Rejects Sony App
Sony's E-Reader app was rejected this week on the basis that the app doesn't use the in-app purchase model Apple requires. Normally, any app that features the ability to purchase additional media must use this channel, but the Kindle, Borders, and nook app all use other methods. It should be fun to see how Apple handles this in the weeks to come.

Planet of the Apps
Travel Apps

Direction Known
Andrea's first app this week is Direction Known. It's a cute app, and it's free but it's not terribly useful. Also, you sometimes(as we saw this week) have to reorient the compass by waving the device around and that just looks silly.

Kayak
Jacob's first app this week is Kayak. This app takes the features of the site uses the touch interface very well. The app is free and in Jacob's opinion, everyone should have it.

allTransit
Next up, Andrea takes a look at allTransit. This is a collection of the subway maps all around the world. The maps download directly to your device so it doesn't need to be connected to the internet. They're also easy to read and the app features a great selection.

FlightBoard
Jacob's final app this week is FlightBoard. The app lists departure and arrival times in real time. Also if you have the Flight Track Pro app, the two work together to allow you to find a track flights in real time.

Winner
Andrea and Jacob both agree that the best app this week was Kayak.

Thank you
Thank you again to our sponsors this week, Vopium.

See you next week!

This Week in iPad Episode 40

Cold Open
Coming up, Andrea has a review of Deadspace for iOS, plus Jacob likes BOTH of his apps in Planet of the Apps, on This Week in iPad.

Twitter!
If you're not yet, you can always follow the show on Twitter @TWiiPad, also you can follow Andrea on twitter @AndreaRene and you can follow Jacob @JacobBurch. You can also email the show at iPad@thisweekin.com.

StormOnDemand


One of the reasons you can enjoy fine programming like This Week in iPad is because of the support of Storm on Demand. For all your cloud computing needs, please visit them at StormOnDemand.com.

Ad



Vopium is a great way to call internationally without paying high fees to do so. How it works is, you make a call to Vopium's local number, and Vopium will route the call for you so you can talk to your friends abroad for as little as a tenth of what it would cost normally. Vopium is available on the Apple App store, the Android market, the Ovi Store, and Blackberry app world. You'll get 15 minutes free and 15 free text messages, and after that's it's pay as you go.

iPad Game of the Week

(Before we get into this week's game, Andrea featured the Fling game controller.)

This week's game of the week is Dead Space. The best way to experience this game is to use a set of headphones. The game's sound effects really immerse you in the universe. The game is $9.99 so you can get a sample of Dead Space without committing $60 for the console game.

News

No News
Last thursday marked the one year anniversary of the iPad's initial announcement by Apple and as of yet, there's no date set for the release of iPad 2.

News Corp Sets Date for the Daily
"The Daily", an iPad only news app will premiere on February 2 according to PCMAG. The announcement will also herald official iOS support for subscriptions, something the publishing industry has wanted since the iPad was introduced last year.

Adobe to Update Packager with iPad Support
Adobe has released an update to it's Packager software to give Flash developers access to several iOS gestures, most notably the "pinch". Jacob has no idea why any Flash developer would need that feature. If you know of a Flash app using pinch, tweet us @TWiiPad.

Planet of the Apps!

Lifestyle apps

Van Gogh HD
Andrea's first app this week is Van Gogh HD. This is a virtual gallery of the painter's most famous works. The app is currently on sale for $1.99. The developer also has several other artists available as well.

AppStart
Jacob's first app this week is AppStart. Jacob wanted to hate this app but once he got it, he was impressed. The app allows users to find the apps(insert Xzibit joke here). It's a beautiful app and well worth the $0.99.

Find A Pint
Andrea's next app is Find A Pint. This app allows users to find bars in their local area. The only downside to the app is that the library is being generated by users so the app is a bit lean on info for now.

CraigsPro
Jaco's final app this week is CraigsPro. This app takes the Craigslist database and makes it easy to search. The functionality of the app is very good but the integration is a bit off. The price ranking could be better and the app goes against the simplicity inherent in the design of the site.

Winner: This week the hosts are split. Andrea thinks that CraigsPro won while Jacob thinks that AppStart was the best this week.

We leave you with this great video of a guy playing the theme from Zelda on his iPad. See you next week!

This week in iPad episode 40

Cold Open
Coming up, we have the creator of SychPad, we're talking about Apple's massive first quarter, and it's all about reference on Planet of the Apps.

Twitter
As always you can follow Andrea on twitter @AndreaRene and you can follow Jacob @JacobBurch. Also you can follow the show @TWiiPad. You can also email the show at iPad@thisweekin.com.

TakeTake

TakeTake is a startup that lets you post reviews about your favorite products, and see what your friends say as well. For example, if you own an iPad, you can create a profile on TakeTake, and say all the reasons why you love your iPad. If you'd like an invite for when they launch, you can request one at www.taketake.com, just give them your email address, and they'll send you all the info.

SychPad
Today, we have developer, and creator of SycnPad, Davide Di Cello.

News

Apple Crushes Expectations
Apple released their first quarter financial report this week and exceeded analysts expectations by more than $2Billion. This news actually overshadowed Steve Jobs' announcement that he was taking a medical leave for an undetermined amount of time. As Jacob pointed out, the timing of the announcement could have been a factor.

ShopKeep
A company called ShopKeep has developed an iPad based cash register that features AirPrint and even rings when a sale is processed. Here's a video demonstrating it in a coffee shop inside Grand Central Station in New York City.



Ad



Vopium is a great way to call internationally without paying high fees to do so. How it works is, you make a call to Vopium's local number, and Vopium will route the call for you so you can talk to your friends abroad for about a tenth of what it would cost normally. Vopium is available on the Apple App store, the Android market, the Ovi Store, and Blackberry app world. You'll get 15 minutes free and 15 free text messages, and after that's it's pay as you go.

Planet of the Apps!

Dream Guide
Andrea's first app this week is Dream Guide. It's a catalog of dreams. While Andrea does appreciate that it's free, it looks like a text document. Better to avoid this one.

Oxford American Dictionary
Jacob's first app this week is the Oxford American Dictionary. It's $14.99 but despite the cost, Jacob thinks it's worth it if you're into word discovery. If not, just use dictionary.com or another free resource.

101 Language Learning Tips
Andrea's next app this week is 101 Language Learning Tips, another list style app. The app is just a text document that has been ported to the iPad.

Articles
Jacob's last app this week is Articles. This app is a Wikipedia browser that's a great way to browse the site. The app also wins Planet of the Apps this week.

Thanks to Davide Di Cello. See you next week!

This Week in iPad iTunes Giveaway

Cold Open
Today on This Week in iPad, we have our very first iPad games showcase, plus we're going to show you how to win a $10,000 iTunes card.

Special Guest
Today, Jacob is sitting in the "dunce" chair because we have a special guest, Wall E. Wailbaecher from Mahalo games.

Follow us!
As always you can follow the show on Twitter @TWiiPad and you can follow Andrea @AndreaRene and Jacob @JacobBurch. You can also email us at ipad@thisweekin.com. If you enjoy the show, why not subscribe? You can do that at youtube.com/thisweekin.

iPad Games Showcase
Rather than pick one game per week, there's so many that we decided to have a showcase of the best this week. To help us we have Wall E. Wailbaecher, head of iPad games at Mahalo.

Spirits For iPad
First up is Spirits For iPad a puzzle game much like Lemmings. It's unique and at $4.99 is a great deal.

N.O.V.A. 2
Next is N.O.V.A. 2 a game that is a bit of a Halo clone. It has great graphics, and while the controls are a bit too sensitive, you can get used to it fairly quickly. Despite that, it's a great game and well worth the $6.99.

World of Goo
Last, is World Of Goo", a physics based game where you use little goo-guys to build a tower. The game really integrates well with the touch interface and is a lot of fun. Also, the game has been receiving so much attention that the developer has cut the price in half from $9.99 to $4.99.

To find out more about Mahalo video games, including walkthroughs and tips, go to their channel at youtube.com/MahaloVideoGames. Also their website is MahaloGaming.com, and you can follow them on twitter @VideoGames.

News

iOS 4.3 seeded to developers
This week, Apple released the first version of iOS 4.3 to developers. Reports indicate it will feature increased AirPlay support, multitouch gestures for iPad, and enabling mobile WiFi hotspots on capable devices.

Download the 10 Billionth app, get $10,000
Apple has been selling apps at an unbelievable pace since the launch of the App store, so much so that they're closing in on 10 billion and counting. When someone purchases the10 Billionth app, Apple will be giving the lucky iTunes account a $10,000 gift card.

Apple nixes free subscriptions for print customers
According to cnet on April 1, Apple will no longer allow companies to offer free magazine apps for people who have magazine subscriptions.

Planet of the Apps
Entertainment and Media apps

E! LIve From the Red Carpet
First up this week, Andrea takes a look at Live From the Red Carpet. The app features live coverage from all the awards shows coming up, as well as news and movie openings. It's also free.

CNN
Jacob's first app this week is the CNN app for iPad. His question when downloading the app was "What does this offer that the website doesn't?" The app is well designed and while the website is good, the app makes use of the iPad screen size and offers rich media the site doesn't. It's free as well.

CBS Sports
Next, Andrea is a huge football fan, so naturally she wanted to try CBS Sports Pro Football. There are a lot of football apps out there but this is easy to read, free, and gives you content without having to pay for it. If you are a fantasy player this app has integration. A problem with the app is the video is not in HD.

msnbc featuring Rachel Maddow
Jacob's last app this week is msnbc featuring Rachel Maddow. You can follow along with the show using the app. The app is good, but the blog integration needs to be better. It uses a simple web kit browser now and Jacob thinks it takes away from the app experience.

Winner: Wall E. thinks the best app this week is CNN!

Thank you


We'd like to thank Storm On Demand for all their support. For all your cloud computing needs, visit them at Stormondemand.com.

See you next week!

This week in iPad CES special

Cold Open
We're going guerrilla style with Guerrilla Bob in the iPad game review, plus we've got Amanda Coolong from This Week in Cloud Computing live from CES on This Week in iPad.

Twitter
You can follow the show on twitter @TWiiPad. You can also follow Andrea @andrearene and Jacob @jacobburch. You can also email the show ipad@thisweekin.com. Plus we have two chatrooms you can join in. The first is at youtube.com/thiweekin and the second is at ustream.tv/thisweekin. Please join us. We'd love to hear from you.

iPad Game of the Week!
For this week's game Andrea chose Guerrilla Bob HD. Normally, Andrea goes with the hottest game of the week. This week she chose a game that isn't necessarily wildly popular, but it's fun. The gameplay is good for a joystick shooter on a touchscreen and there's multiple levels to conquer. Best of all, the game is only $0.99, cheaper than the iPhone version.

CES 2011
This week, thousands of companies displayed new and upcoming products at the Consumer Electronics Show. Amanda Coolong was among the visitors and called the show to share some what's coming in electronics.

Planet of the Apps
Fitness Apps
We've covered fitness apps before but we wanted to come back to the category because of the new year.

Dotti's Food Score
Andrea's first app this week is Dotti's Food Score. It allows you to look up foods on the fly. You can find nutritional info and weightwatchers points of any food you have.

LIVESTRONG Calorie Tracker
Jacob's first app this week is the LIVESTRONG Calorie Tracker. The app seems poorly designed and clunky and unless you're a heavy livestrong.com user, Jacob says avoid it because there are apps that are free that do the same thing as this and are free. Andrea mentioned this as an example.

FitnessClass
Next, Andrea reviews FitnessClass. The app allows users to scroll through several workout and fitness programs although they aren't free.

Dreambot
Jacob's final app this week is Dreambot. Jacob used to be a bit overweight and the number one thing he attributes to his weight loss was quitting caffeine and getting a full nights sleep. This app plays ambient noise to help you get to sleep. Although you can fade the screen, the ads don't go away and if you lock the screen, the app stops working. That said, it's free so why not?

Winner: Jacob and Andrea think that Dotti's is the best app this week.

Thank you

We'd like to thank Storm On Demand for all their support. For all your cloud computing needs, visit them at Stormondemand.com.

See you next week at our NEW TIME, every Friday at 4PM Pacific, 7PM Eastern. See you then!