Haswell processor on the 2013 MacBook Air significantly extends battery life

I'm impressed. The new MacBook Air laptops (mid 2013) are now shipping with the new Intel Haswell Core processors (4th Gen Core i5 or i7) and the battery life figures are very impressive.

• The 11-inch MacBook Air now lasts up to 9 hours (previous model lasted up to 5 hours)
• The 13-inch MacBook Air now lasts up to 12 hours (previous model lasted up to 7 hours)

I think Apple is setting the bar here with 11" and 13" ultrabooks, so get ready for some new Windows 8 ultrabooks and tablet PCs powered by the 4th Gen Core processor this summer. These devices will remain thin and light, but they will offer much longer battery life. I hope their battery life specs will compare with these Apple MacBook Air laptops.

Why isn't the iPad 3 listed on the iOS 7 page?

I have an iPad 3. I call it the iPad 3 because it's technically the 3rd generation iPad and has the Retina display but it also has the older 20 pin connector instead of the new Lightning connector. So, it's technically NOT the "iPad with Retina display" even though it has a Retina display.

On the iOS 7 page, it indicates that iOS 7 is compatible with:

• iPad 2
• iPad with Retina display
• iPad mini

So, where does the 3rd gen iPad fall on this list? It's technically not "iPad with Retina display" since "iPad with Retina display" specifically refers to the 4th gen iPad that also has the Lightning connector and the faster dual-core A6X with quad-core graphics. The 3rd gen iPad has the dual-core A5X chip and the 20 pin connector.

I'm sure iOS 7 will work on the 3rd gen iPad (right Apple?).  However, I'm disappointed that iOS 7 won't work on the older iPod touch models. Looks like iOS 7 will only run on the 5th gen iPod touch.

Speaking of older iPads and iPods, you can get some nice deals on refurbished products from the Apple Outlet.

As expected, the iPad mini is sold out at many Apple stores

Last night, a spent a little bit of time at an Apple store to play with the iPad mini. As expected, the iPad mini was sold out (but they may have restocked by today).

I was really impressed with the size/weight and the overall feel of the iPad mini. As most reviewers have written, the iPad mini is a great little tablet even though it lacks a retina display. The exceptional battery life and performance makes this the tablet that may replace my standard iPad. I can see myself using the iPad mini more than my standard iPad.

Can't wait to try the iPad mini

I'm a fan of slightly smaller tablets because I like the portability factor and I like to hold them in one hand. Smaller tablets like the HTC EVO View 4G and the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 are great little devices, but they're rather slow and I prefer iOS apps over Android apps. Even though you may find the same apps developed for iOS and Android, the user experience can be fairly different between those two operating systems.

So, the iPad mini is one of those devices that I've been predicting for several years and I'm looking forward to trying one out.

Like the original iPad, the iPad mini will improve with each successive generation model, so that's why I tend to keep my devices in fairly pristine condition so that I can sell them and use those funds towards newer models.

I agree with many bloggers that the iPad mini is priced too high, but pricing is based on what the market will bear and I'm sure that Apple won't have any problems selling many iPad minis this fall. Of course, it's also interesting to see that the release of the iPad mini (along with the pricing announcement) has propelled sales of the Amazon Kindle Fire HD.

iPad mini - perfect for medical students and residents

Let's face it - medical students and residents don't have a lot of money. Medical students are frequently living off of loans while residents are making less than minimum wage (if you calculate their wages based on an hourly rate). So, the announcement today about the iPad mini should make students and residents very happy now! You can get an iPad mini for $329 and the device will even fit right in your white coat pocket! So, no need for any fancy holsters or straps to carry this gadget around the hospital. Plus, with 10 hrs of battery life, you won't be looking for an outlet during lunch to charge your device.

It's interesting to read how some analysts feel that Apple is now playing defense in the tablet market. They've released a product to compete against Android tablets like the Google Nexus 7, the Amazon Kindle Fire HD, the Samsung Galaxy Tab, and other 7" tablets that are in the $300 price range.

If the iPad mini had a retina display option, then I'd get in line to pre-order one on Oct 26. I may still pre-order one anyway, but for now I'll continue to use my iPad since I don't need to squeeze it into any white coat pockets.

October is an exciting month in mobile computing!

This month, we're going to see some exciting announcements and releases in the world of mobile computing! Mark these 2 dates on your calendar:

On October 23, the world is awaiting the announcement about the new Apple iPad mini. This device will have a smaller screen (7.85" display). So, if you like your iPad but you don't like the fact that it doesn't fit into your white coat pocket when you're walking around the hospital, you may want to consider the smaller iPad.

On October 25, Microsoft will launch Windows 8 and we'll be seeing an explosion of new tablet PCs and convertible tablets from companies like HP, Lenovo, Dell, ASUS, Samsung, and many others. These tablets will be fast, they will offer very long battery life, and we'll be able to run standard Windows applications on these devices. At the same time, Microsoft will be releasing Windows RT, a new mobile operating system for mobile devices.

Will we see an iPad mini announced this month (or Oct)?

Some are saying that Apple will announce an iPhone 5 this month and an iPad mini next month. Is it possible that Apple will combine the announcements so that we learn about both new devices this month?

I personally think that a smaller tablet form factor is really the ideal size for medical professionals who want to carry these tablets in their white coat pockets. I'm mainly referring to medical students and residents who are constantly researching information and keeping track of multiple patients. Plus, there's the issue of "sign out" - when a team transfers the care of patients to another team (generally a team that will take call overnight). That transition of care is a critical step in the hospital setting.

I hope we see an iPad mini this fall. I like my current iPad, but I'm sure that I would use an iPad mini much more frequently because of its portability.

Predictions about the iPad "mini"

Here we go again. Will Apple release an iPad that has a smaller screen? (say 7")

There are several 7" Android tablets that have gained tremendous traction recently. Both the Amazon Kindle Fire and the Google Nexus 7 have been popular because they remain under $200.

If Amazon releases an iPad "mini," I doubt it will be less than $200.

I think the smaller tablets are ideal for medical students and physicians who are trying to squeeze things into their white coat pockets. The 10" iPad is not easy to carry around, but a 7" device would be perfect.

So Apple, will you be announcing an iPad mini this fall (along with a new iPhone)? Maybe the iPod touch will get renamed the iPad "nano."

OS X Mountain Lion is now here for download $19.99

Go to the Mac App Store to upgrade your Mac to OS X Mountain Lion. There are over 200 new features in OS X 10.8. To see if your Mac can support this new OS, check the Technical Specs found here.

$19.99 is a really good price for an OS upgrade (especially if you consider that Microsoft generally charges over $100 for a new Windows operating system).

My wife has a MacBook Pro, so let's see how it runs after we upgrade to Mountain Lion!

75% of my Apple iOS devices will soon be "obsolete"

As you may suspect, I have a number of Apple gadgets in my home. We have a few iPods (various generations), an iPad, an iPhone 4S, an iPod touch, a MacBook Pro, and even a Newton Messagepad (remember those?)

I tend to keep my old devices, so my iPod touch is a 2nd generation device. The current iPod touch is a 4th generation model. If you have an iPod touch, do you know what generation your device falls into?

I also have the first generation iPad (do you think this will become a collector's item someday?)

The sad reality that I must accept is that many of my iOS devices will soon become "obsolete." My current iPod touch is running iOS 4.2.1 because it doesn't support iOS 5 (or any updated version of iOS 4). This means that I can't run certain medical apps (like the Sermo app) on my old iPod touch.

The exciting announcement about iOS 6 wasn't too thrilling for me since my first generation iPad won't support iOS 6. I'll be stuck with the obsolete iOS 5 on my iPad.

The hardware on mobile devices changes so rapidly that it's nearly impossible to keep up with technology. Do you feel that way too? Let's look at the bright side: Soon, we'll be calling these devices "vintage."

Fortunately, someone within our household has an iPhone 4S, so we're not all behind the times.

The new iPad overheating?

I don't have The new iPad, but I've been reading about some cases where the device has been getting really warm. Heat is never a good thing when it comes to mobile electronics. After all, heat can damage the internal components and degrade long-term battery life. (and if you're a guy, don't place that warm iPad on your lap too long... )

Most people refer to The new iPad as the "iPad 3." Let's wait to see how many other people report heat problems on their new device.

The new iPad

Instead of calling the new iPad the iPad 3, Apple announced the next iPad and titled it, "The new iPad."

Seems like a rather strange name, given that we all know that there will be newer iPads. This model resembles the iPad 2, but the biggest differences in the new iPad include:

• Retina display
• 4G wireless through AT&T and Verizon
• 5 MP iSight camera
• Faster processor
• Slightly thicker than the iPad 2

For heavy web users, the 4G alone will be enough to get people to switch. I'm still on the first iPad and I plan to wait to see what the next iPad will be like.

How many of these tablets can you identify?

Here's a photo that includes all the tablet computers that I had in my office last week. How many can you recognize?

Let's start with the left column:

• Samsung Q1 Ultra UMPC (Windows)
• Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 (Android)
• HTC EVO View 4G (Android )
• HP Slate 500 (Windows)

Right column:

• Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 (Android)
• Apple iPad (iOS)
• HP TouchPad (webOS)

Did you get all those? I only own 3 of these devices. I'm currently testing all the others. Which 3 do I own?

OSX Lion: First Impressions

Author: Riley Alexander, MD, MBA

May 20 saw the release of the next (and possibly final) release of Apple's Mac OSX--titled Lion or 10.7 if you're going by the number designation. It was announced way back in June at WWDC and was billed as the merging of OSX and iOS. Essentially all the new features were announced back then and they heavily leaned on importing features/functions native to iOS to the desktop/laptop experience. I've only gotten little over a day to play with the new OS so this is by no means meant to be a full review and I will not cover every feature, but it should give you a very good idea of what to expect if you upgrade and, perhaps, reason to do or not to do so.

INSTALLATION

I'm starting with this (rather boring) part because so much attention has been paid to the unique way in which Apple is distributing the product initially: only via the Mac App Store. That being said, this update is only possible from Snow Leopard so no luck if you haven't updated to that in the last couple of years. Lion is very nicely priced at $29.99 (good for all your computers, too) and is a ~4.5 gb download, though you need around 7 gb to install. It took me a solid couple of hours to download at home, but this was shortly after work when many other Macophiles had also rushed home to download the OS and I'm sure the servers were a little taxed. Installation was, by far, the easiest of an OS I've ever encountered. Once downloaded, it took about 15 minutes and I barely had to press a button. Easy. Between this, no optical drive on the MacBook Air and on the new MacMini, Apple seems to be waging a full-scale war with physical media. Judging by their most recent earning reports, they seem to be winning.

Will you switch to the iPad HD?

Rumors are flying all over again. Apple is getting ready to release a high definition iPad called the iPad HD this fall. What will this iPad have? A high-resolution display. Is that it? Will the dimensions be different?

Here's one good thing that will happen if Apple releases an iPad HD this fall: the price for the iPad 2 might come down (or you'll find some on eBay).

All signs are pointing to the cloud...at least for Apple, that is

Author: Riley Alexander, MD, MBA

Apple's annual WWDC is just over a month away and for the first time in years, it won't be focused on the iPhone (or at least that's what we all think). Apple's not-so-subtle title that it's "all about the software" and continued rumors that the iPhone 5 will see a release in September this year seem to validate this. So, what does that leave for WWDC? Well, it will certainly be focused on OSX 10.7, aka Lion, but we will also likely see the unveiling or future direction of iOS5....and iCloud?

Rumors have been flowing that Apple is set to completely overhaul it's current cloud solution, MobileMe, and rename it iCloud. In fact, some report it to be live and being tested already, at least internally. So what does this represent? Well, being that it appears to be worked into Lion and will certainly be a part of iOS5, it seems that Apple is making it's full-fledged, integrated assault on the cloud. And importantly, it will be free for introductory storage levels. While I've heard that MobileMe is quite good, it requires a paid subscription and with free services like Google Docs, Windows SkyDrive and Dropbox available, it makes it hard to plop down cash for it. Being free, at least for lower storage levels, is definitely important to success.

Here's what the iPad 2 is still missing

There's no doubt that the iPad 2 is a significant upgrade from the original iPad. However, there are several features I would have really liked to see (and that will probably be found on the iPad 3):

• LED flash for the rear camera. You don't really need this on the front-facing camera, but this is almost a standard feature on most devices now.
• 4G wireless. 3G is so 2010...
• USB port
• SD card slot (or at least a microSD card slot)

I'm going to hang onto my current iPad and wait for the iPad 3 (which will probably have some of these features).

By the way, you can now get the original iPad for a great deal!

I'm testing the ZAGGmate w/keyboard

I'm testing the ZAGGmate w/keyboard with my Apple iPad. I want to thank the folks at ZAGG for sending me one so that I can test and review this device. So, stay tuned over the next few weeks as I share my perspectives on this innovative case + keyboard. Here's a brief description of the ZAGGmate / keyboard:

ZAGGmate iPad Case Features

* Aircraft-grade aluminum with a bead-blasted, anodized finish that matches the iPad
* Military grade high-density padding for superior drop protection
* Innovative hinge provides ten angles for viewing and typing in both portrait and landscape mode (non-keyboard version only)
* Stylish, thin and lightweight. Half as thin as most folios for the iPad
* Large, flat base allows for use on a soft or uneven surface such as a lap or on a bed
* Only adds about ⅛" to the iPad

PC World compares slate tablets

PC World has a story titled, "Big Tablet Fight: Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 vs. HP TouchPad vs. Motorola Xoom vs. Apple iPad"

I'd like to share their chart that outlines some of the key specs that differentiate these slate tablets (click on the image to zoom in):

This probably isn't a fair comparison since we don't know what the iPad 2 will deliver, but I think it's fair to assume that the iPad 2 will have at least one camera (probably two) and a faster processor.

What's the best iPad stylus pen?

I love my iPad, but I miss inking on a traditional tablet PC. That's why I'm now on the hunt to find a nice stylus pen for the Apple iPad. There are a variety of them out there, but which one is the "best" one?  It can't be too easy to make a functional capacitive stylus.  Maybe that's why some of these pens have gotten poor ratings by users.

Right now, there are several options out there including:

• Griffin Technology Stylus for iPad
• BoxWave Capacitive iPad Stylus
• Targus Stylus for Apple iPad 
• Hard Candy Cases iPad Stylus
• Acase Apple iPad Capacitive Stylus
• Ten One Design Pogo Sketch stylus for iPad

What's been your experience with these stylus pens? This weekend, I plan to visit my local Apple store so that I can test some of them out.