This Week in iPad Episode 25

Cold Open
Today on This Week in iPad, we're celebrating our 25th episode with an amazing giveaway! We'll chat with Cyril Moutran creator of the Friendly FaceBook app, and to VLC or not to VLC. Coming up, on This Week in iPad

Intro
We are having an incredible giveaway for the 25th episode. We're going to give away an iPad!!! Stay tuned to the end to see how to win.

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VLC

Open source video player VLC recently released an app for the iPad.
Jacob: Although it worked for every video he tried, it is a bit buggy. VLC for Mac OS 10 has always been had these problems, but as the team continues to improve the app, this will work itself out. Two main complaints: It's much too bare-bones, and adding files can only be done in iTunes.
Lon: It is buggy but a larger problem is that if you raise/lower the volume button, the screen doesn't indicate what you've done. Also after trying to play The Goonies the video played wonderfully, but the audio did not. Also, there's blurriness and distortion like the AVI file is broken, even when it isn't. Right now, the CineXPlayer is a better app. It does have a few things that are a bit annoying, key among them the intro music, but that said, all the movies have worked.

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Interview
Lon and Jacob interview Cyril Moutran, creator of the Friendly FaceBook app.
[SIDE NOTE] The pen Cyril uses is a Pogo Stylus. [/SIDE NOTE]

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News
RIM Set to launch iPad competitor
According to an article in the Wall Street Journal Research in Motion is set to release a blackberry based tablet as early as next week. Also they are not using the ill fated BlackBerry 6 operating system. Jacob's take: Meh.

Information Architecture releases new app
This company is going with the approach that to write well, the key is focus. With that in mind, they recently released an app that tries to strip the unnecessary bells and whistles commonly found in apps today. Lon likes it. Jacob will try it and review it further next week.

Sports Illustrated doesn't do portrait mode!?!
The most recent release of the SI for iPad app does not allow users to view content in portrait mode. If you decide to try it, the app will put a window up, asking you to reorient the iPad. For it's part, SI is blaming Apple saying that if they could offer subscriptions like the wanted to, they could hire more developers, and include more features in the app.

Brushes creates an amazing picture


Turn your iPad into an Etch A Sketch
The fine folks at HeadCase have teamed up with Ohio art to create an iPad case that resembles the classic Etch A Sketch. No word yet if it can draw misshapen stairs or lopsided circles. Further updates as events warrant.

[SIDE NOTE] Lon uses the ZooGue case for his iPad. [/SIDE NOTE]

Planet of the Apps

Productivity and task management apps

Things for iPad
Based on the philosophy behind Getting things done, this app is a must have for Jacob.
iThoughtsHD
Responding to a viewer request, Lon is looking at iThoughtsHD a "mind mapping" app from the fine folks at iThoughts this app allows you to create and edit virual Mind Maps.

WIN AN IPAD!!!
If you'd like to win an iPad, simply tweet a thank you to one of our sponsors @hover, @gazelle_com, @pressdisplay with the hashtag #TWiiP so we can find you.
Finally This week in iPad has been searching for a new blogger. If you like what you see here please email the show and tell them you'd like me as the blogger for This Week in iPad. See you next Thursday!