ihnatko
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REVIEW: Microsoft Surface RT a great yin to iPad’s yang
ANDY IHNATKO FIRST LOOK: A one-day look at the Microsoft Surface with Windows RT yields a couple of observations: it’s no iPad . . . and that’s a perfectly fine thing to be.
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Ihnatko: Why Apple was right to price iPad Mini at $329
I don’t think $329 is a mistake. Instead, it simply reveals how Apple thinks of the competition for the iPad Mini: They don’t think it exists.
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Mini review: Windows 8 closest thing to a complete teardown, rebuild
Andy Ihnatko: Windows 8 (available Friday as a $39 digital download) represents the next closest thing to a complete teardown and rebuild of the world’s most popular operating system. The basic footprint may be the same, but most of its reliable and familiar touchstones have been done away with. Which is a shame, but the benefits are huge.
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Ihnatko: Apple displays its capabilities at iPad mini event
It’s almost time to start talking about Apple as a company that makes displays. That’s one of my takeaways from the first half of the company’s big media event this week.
iPad Mini and Surface nearing very exciting debuts
IHNATKO: I’d anticipated that 2012 was going to be an unusually interesting year for consumer technology. It felt as though a number of plans that had been visibly simmering for the past few years were nearly ready to serve up, and that a number of companies were ready to convert Great Potential into Great Products.
Ihnatko: Speed tops iPhone 5’s improvements
REVIEW: The top new “under the hood” feature of the iPhone 5 is its speed.
Ihnatko: iPhone 5 design artful; new screen size, not so handy
REVIEW: Apple only produces one new phone a year. This year, they’ve changed the size and shape of the screen, which was a constant on every phone they’d ever made. This fact alone is enough to certify the iPhone 5 as the most radically new iPhone ever. But we’ll get to the larger screen. Let’s start with the physical design.
Ihnatko: iPad Mini may come in October — or not
A few solid iPad Mini rumors are out, but I wouldn’t book flight to West Coast for announcement yet.
iPhone 5 offers new innovations in phone photos, but a flaw
ANDY IHNATKO REVIEW: A signature is something that uniquely defines a creator. In that sense, I regard the iPhone’s camera as its signature feature. The iPhone 4 was a breakthrough for phone photography. For the first time ever, a phone that I would define as “mainstream” was capable of taking photos that I’d describe as “real photos.” And then the iPhone 4S camera delivered just as big a leap forward in picture quality. Now, what about the iPhone 5?
Kindle Paperwhite review: Industry-best e-reader gets better
ANDY IHNATKO REVIEW: The new Amazon Kindle Paperwhite uses LED “backlights” to make what was a great reading experience even better. If all you want to do is read books, magazines and newspapers, the Paperwhite is hands-down the best option available.
Tim Cook’s apology marks the spot for faulty Maps app
ANDY IHNATKO: Apple CEO Tim Cook had to aplogize for the company’s new Maps app, which has badly missed the mark for consumers. But for those raging about the iOS6 misfire, Cook’s response was simple and perfect: We’re sorry, we’ll get better and here’s some better options in the meantime.
Free Wi-Fi is great but beware password thieves
IHNATKO: Security and reliability are two problems with free public Wi-Fi. There are ways to be more secure, though.
iPhone 5 may be great, but Maps app a beautiful bust so far
iOS 6.0’s new Maps app’s has two major new features: turn-by-turn navigation and 3D flyover maps of major cities. Both of these work great, and they add plenty of value to the iPhone. Unfortunately, the routine mapping features that iOS users have come to know, trust, and rely on have become seriously squirrelly without Google. It’s bad enough to make some users worry that they ought to stick to iOS 5 until the whole mess sorts itself out.
iPhone 5: Less heft and more power make it a winner
The iPhone 5 feels great; You almost don’t even want to put it back in your pocket. It’s a solid chunk of metal and glass that’s nonetheless noticeably lighter than its predecessor. Apple’s managed to delete a great chunk of the iPhone 4’s mass and heft while making the iPhone 5 even more powerful than before.
Why people line up outside Apple stores for the latest iPhone
IHNATKO: Lines have already formed in front of Apple stores ahead of Friday’s arrival of the iPhone 5. This is what happens every time Apple comes out with a new iPhone or iPad. Why? Is it about the phone? No.
Your best chances for getting an iPhone 5 this weekend
IHNATKO: You can always buy an iPhone 5 through Apple’s online store. They’re currently reporting a shipping delay of 3 to 4 weeks. You should that time to congratulate yourself on your mastery of the whole “deferred gratification” thing. You are clearly an elevated being, unafraid to spend three weeks staring at your own soul without the distraction of material goods. Your reward is an elevated awareness.
Kindle Fire HD an easy-to-handle device of its own kind
IHNATKO REVIEW: Can I forgive the Kindle Fire HD for not being as agile and powerful as an iPad, or as flexible as a Nexus 7 mini tablet? Of course I can.
iPhone 5: Less heft and more power make it a winner
The iPhone 5 feels great; You almost don’t even want to put it back in your pocket. It’s a solid chunk of metal and glass that’s nonetheless noticeably lighter than its predecessor. Apple’s managed to delete a great chunk of the iPhone 4’s mass and heft while making the iPhone 5 even more powerful than before.
Ihnatko: Android vs. iOS. You might be surprised who wins
I didn’t just give the Samsung Galaxy S III a great review this summer. When the review was finished and filed, I knew I’d miss it when I switched back to my iPhone. So I didn’t. Well, not completely. I decided to perform my longest-ever deep-soak test of Android.
Lumia 920’s demo builds credibility for Nokia, Windows
IHNATKO: Nokia and Microsoft left a solid impression of the Lumia as a big leap forward in the credibility of Nokia and Windows Phone 8 in a phone market that’s overshadowed by the iPhone and overcrowded by Android devices.