Like it or not kids, we've come up on another Sunday night, and you know what that means: Talkcast Time! We have some fake Apple stores to discuss, some beautiful hacks for our shiny new formerly [ROARDACTED] operating system, and my personal favorite, a bit of speculation! Ah, theories. I love them so. It's why I run the home.

You don't always know who will show up to talk Apple news with us, so it might be best if you just showed up to see for yourself. As a bonus, I'll rock a little aftershow for the live crowd. If they're good.

It's really all about you, the community, so please join me won't you? To participate, you can use the browser-only Talkshoe client, the embedded Facebook app, or download the classic TalkShoe Pro Java client; however, for +5 Interactivity, you should call in. For the web UI, just click the Talkshoe Web button on our profile page at 4 HI/7 PDT/10 pm EDT Sunday. To call in on regular phone or VoIP lines (Viva free weekend minutes!): dial (724) 444-7444 and enter our talkcast ID, 45077 -- during the call, you can request to talk by keying in *8.

If you've got a headset or microphone handy on your Mac, you can connect via the free Blink or X-Lite SIP clients, basic instructions are here. (If you like Blink, the pro version is available in the Mac App Store.) Talk to you tonight!

TUAW Talkcast, July 31, 2011: Practically August edition! originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Sun, 31 Jul 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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I haven't been a real fan of most keyboard cases for iPad for three main reasons -- the keyboards are usually tiny, they use "chiclet" keys, and they're stuck in one place and can't be moved around. Accessory manufacturer Qmadix has just introduced the Qmadix Portfolio with Removable Bluetooth Keyboard for iPad 2 ($149.99) that promises to change all of that. How does it live up to the promise? Read on for my complete look at this new contender.

Design

Compared to most of the portfolio cases that we've tested over the years, the Qmadix Portfolio has a feel of quality around it. The leather exterior is smooth and beautiful, and the stitching is close and tight.

As for the keyboard, the keys are closer together than on the $69 Apple Bluetooth Keyboard, but it's a real keyboard with a good feel to it. It's also made with Apple fans in mind -- unlike most of the iPad keyboard cases we see that are repackaged Windows BT keyboards, complete with a Windows button to bring up the Start Menu. Not with this keyboard, which actually has the Apple command key properly marked and in the correct place.

The keyboard comes encased in a leather holder that attaches to the main case with magnets. The keyboard is inset a bit, so the leather acts as a nice wrist pad that is actually quite comfortable while typing.The case also has a magnetic latch to keep the cover closed for travel. There's a four-foot micro-USB to USB charging cable to keep the keyboard battery juiced up. According to Qmadix, the battery takes anywhere from four to six hours to fully charge, but will last for up to 30 days depending on usage.

Using the Portfolio Keyboard

The keyboard is uniquely suited for use with the iPad. The function keys we're used to on the top row of our keyboards have been replaced with iPad-specific function keys. Here's what they do:

o. Take you back to the iPad Home Screen
o. Enable the Search function of the iPad
o. Copy
o. Paste
o. Take you to the photo slideshow
o. Display or hide the virtual keyboard
o. Take a screenshot
o. Go to the previous song or track
o. Play / Pause
o. Go to the next song or track
o. Mute the iPad
o. Raise the volume
o. Lower the volume
o. Turn off the iPad (lock screen)
o. Switch the font on the virtual keyboard

I was able to get all of the function keys to work except one. I couldn't figure out what apps the last button was meant to work with. Remember, you'll still need to tap on your iPad screen for certain commands, but the function keys can keep you from having to do too much tapping. There is at least one other keyboard with these same function keys -- the Logitech Keyboard Case for iPad 2 by Zagg.

How's the feel of the keyboard? I liked the tactile feedback of the keys, but found that they were a little too close together for my style of typing. That's a common issue with most portfolio keyboard cases, since they're trying to keep the size of the portfolio down to the size of the iPad. I'd frankly rather see someone make a nice case that would hold a keyboard the same size as the Apple Bluetooth Keyboard -- heck, just make a nice portfolio that would hold an iPad and an Appel Bluetooth Keyboard. That being said, I was able to get used to the Qmadix keyboard very quickly.

The Bottom Line

So who is the Portfolio for? With the price tag, it's most likely going to appeal to executives or those who are willing to pay a bit more for the quality and convenience. Those who are looking for a cheaper alternative can find many other Bluetooth keyboards, not the least of which would be the Apple Bluetooth Keyboard. The Kensington Folio Keyboard ($100), ClamCase ($149), the CaseGoods TypeCase ($149), and Logitech Keyboard by Zagg ($100) all use a similar design, but with fixed keyboards. Heck, if you have the Apple Camera Kit, you could probably pick up a flexible Monoprice USB keyboard for $7 and use it, but I don't think you'd be happy with the chiclet keyboard.

The Qmadix Portfolio feels great to type on and the iPad-specific function buttons are well-implemented. The case itself is quite stylish and looks like it would stand up to a lot of use, and it's nice to know that the keyboard can be moved to a comfortable spot for any typist. Of all the portfolio keyboard cases on the market right now, the Qmadix Portfolio is the best of the bunch.

Qmadix Portfolio brings removable Bluetooth keyboard to an iPad 2 case originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Fri, 29 Jul 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Netherlands-based audio/video mount manufacturer Vogel's first introduced their iPad mounting solution in October of 2010. Now the company has brought its universal mounting system for the iPad 2 -- named RingO -- to American soil for the first time. I recently had an opportunity to try out the complete system, which consists of an iPad 2 holder, a wall mount, a car mount, and a table stand. How did RingO work as an all-around mount?

Design

I tested the RingO All-In-One Pack for iPad 2 (US$119.99), consisting of the four parts mentioned above. The company sells RingO through Amazon.com in the U.S., and the street price is correspondingly lower -- about $82. The individual components are also available separately, with the iPad 2 holder and wall mount going for $59.99, a separate wall mount for $29.99, the car mount for $59.99, and a table stand or flip stand for $19.99 each. Vogel's is also set to release a Flex Mount ($59.99, on an extendable arm) and an adhesive-backed wall mount ($29.99) in September of 2011.

The most important part of this system is the iPad 2 holder, so I'll look at it in detail first. As befitting a European design firm, Vogel's provides a very IKEA-like set of diagrammatic instructions showing how to install and remove the holder. Unlike the HandStand case, which I needed to force onto my iPad 2 with a spudger and muscle, the Vogel's case snapped right on. It's also open on the left side of the iPad 2, so the Apple Smart Cover still works.

The holder is basically a hard plastic shell with cutouts for the various iPad controls and a circular cutout on the back where the various mounts click in. Let's talk about the functionality of those mounts.

Functionality

The wall mount can be mounted anywhere that you can safely attach it to a surface with an included wood screw. It's a small aluminum and plastic cylinder -- pulling off the top of the cylinder reveals the hole for the screw. Once it's mounted on the wall, you put the top back on and there's just an unobtrusive aluminum fixture on the wall.

The car mount is incredibly useful and absolutely the best (and safest) iPad car mount I've seen so far. It consists of a two-part tough plastic molding that locks to the headrest uprights in a car. One part has a RingO mount on a combination swivel and pivot, while the other can be released with the push of a large button to install or remove the mount from the seat. When the RingO car mount is installed, the iPad is held very steady and there's no concern about it flopping about in case of sudden car movements.

Even if you're just in the market for a car mount, it would be worth it to buy the RingO Car Pack (about $70 on Amazon). The pack consists of a holder, the car mount, and the table stand. Seriously, this is an excellent car mount for iPad 2.

The final piece is the Table Stand, which is the most overpriced piece of the product line. It's basically a $20 piece of plastic that snaps into the RingO holder. The Table Stand is well-designed, working in either landscape or portrait orientation, but $20? C'mon, Vogel's.

Conclusion

The Vogel's RingO mount system is incredibly well designed and manufactured. However, I have to wonder if the high price tag on the system compared to other stands and mounts might dampen the enthusiasm of some potential buyers.

I like the fact that the Vogel's RingO mount is a system that makes it easy to go from room to table to car without having to remove the iPad 2 holder. The system will grow in September with the addition of the Flex Mount and the adhesive-backed wall mount -- the latter will be great for those who live in leased space where putting screw holes into walls might be frowned upon.

As I noted before, the RingO Car Pack on its own would make an excellent solution for anyone who wants an easy-to-install and durable iPad car mount. Being able to install the mount securely in seconds is worth the cost.

Vogel's RingO iPad mounting system: The versatile iPad 2 mount originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Thu, 28 Jul 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Techland reports that Apple has pulled iTunes off of the "Christian Values Network." The network operates an online shopping portal, CVN.org, which "plugs you into a special online shopping network that helps your chosen organization just by shopping, without adding any additional cost to you" according to the site. Many big-name companies were indirectly associated with the site in this manner, including Apple.

Why has Apple chosen to withdraw its affiliate program from the site? According to Techland, the Southern Poverty Law Center has determined that many of the religious groups associated with the site are classified as "active hate groups." Family Research Council, for instance, is an active lobbyist against rights for LGBT individuals and insists that divorcing couples with children be subject to a one-year waiting period before the divorce can be finalized. Many other religious groups associated with CVN are active campaigners against homosexual rights.

Ben Crowther launched a petition to convince Apple to withdraw iTunes from CVN, and given Apple's past support for LGBT issues, it's not surprising Apple followed suit. However, in this case Apple isn't exactly blazing the trail; Microsoft withdrew its support from CVN two weeks earlier, and Wells Fargo, Delta Airlines, and Macy's did as well.

More than 35,000 people signed the petition, which began on July 5. I've often been skeptical of the utility of online petitions, but this one definitely got Apple's attention.

(Comments on this post will be strictly moderated.)

Apple withdraws iTunes from 'Christian Values Network' originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Wed, 27 Jul 2011 19:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New York's PIX11 has a report up about the new Apple Store that was just confirmed to be installed right in the middle of Grand Central Terminal. While most are excited about the idea, some are not. One Grand Central visitor complains that the place is already too crowded (it is, after all, Grand Central), while the other worries that putting an Apple Store in such a historic, classic place "will take away from it all."

Of course, that's two people out of the 500,000 who pass through the commuter hub daily. We'll presume that -- especially if Apple got the paperwork done -- most New Yorkers won't mind having yet another Apple Store in their fair city.

As for the guy who thinks an Apple Store would ugly up the place, is that really a concern? Apple retail spots are about as beautiful as a store can get, and this one's meant to be designed all out of glass, in order to fit right in with the rest of the building. Would you rather have yet another big orange-and-yellow Jamba Juice in there?

(Two) Grand Central locals worry about an Apple Store originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 26 Jul 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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You may remember the story of Owain Weinert, a 9 year-old diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, who got invited to PopCap Games via the Make-a-wish foundation to help design and release a brand new iOS game. That title, eventually called Allied Star Police, is available now for free on the App Store. It's available through PopCap's experimental 4th and Battery studio, and I have to say -- it's pretty darn good. The game plays kind of like a more dynamic version of Plants vs. Zombies, where you summon various types of shooter ships to fly down lanes of attackers, eventually fighting their way over to blow up an enemy base.

There are some good game design ideas here, too -- as you earn money for destroying enemy ships, you can slowly build up to more and more powerful weaponry, eventually leading an army of destroyers to take out your enemy. I like it a lot, and Plants vs. Zombies fans will probably enjoy it as well. Kudos to Owain on his work (and PopCap for their help, I'm sure), very nice job.

Owain also gets the honor of helping PopCap release their very first game after the recent EA takeover, so congrats on that one, too. Once again, you can try it out for yourself: it's a universal app available for free.

Make-a-wish game, Allied Star Police, out now on the App Store originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 25 Jul 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple has released a new iPad ad, "We'll Always," that demonstrates some of the iPad's many use cases and insists that the way we'll go about doing everyday tasks has been changed forever.

We'll never stop sharing our memories. Or getting lost in a good book. We'll always cook dinner and cheer for our favorite team. We'll still go to meetings, make home movies, and learn new things. But how we do all this will never be the same.

Whether you agree with the sentiment or not, it's hard to argue against the effectiveness of this ad and the other iPad commercials Apple's come out with so far. Apple is definitely pushing the device as something that can enhance people's lives, and as a thoroughly addicted iPad user myself, I certainly can't contradict them. Check out the video below.

New iPad ad: 'We'll Always' originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Sun, 24 Jul 2011 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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T-Mobile is making it easier for iPhone owners to subscribe to a T-Mobile voice and data plan. The wireless carrier is now making micro-SIMs available to its customers for free with a two-year custom agreement. The product page on T-Mobile's website makes it clear the carrier is targeting iPhone owners.

T-Mobile recently let slip it had over one million iPhone owners on its network even though the carrier does not sell the iPhone and the handset does not support T-Mobile's unique flavor of 3G. To make this possible, T-Mobile customers had to get their hands on an unlocked iPhone 4 and cut down their SIM to fit inside the handset. Those days are long gone and T-Mobile customers can now follow an official path to using their iPhone on the wireless carrier.

T-Mobile now offering micro-SIMs to iPhone owners originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Sat, 23 Jul 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dear Dev Juice,

I have a small SSD drive on my iMac. Got some tips on how to offload Xcode to my USB drive instead?

Jaames C.

Dear Jaames,

You can install some but not all of Xcode to a secondary drive. You'll still end up using about half a gigabyte, but that's a sight better than the multiple gigabytes you'd normally occupy.

On the Custom Install Screen (right after you agree to become a centipad), set your install location to Other using the folder pop-up. Navigate to your USB and "Choose" a folder there.

After installing, there's more you can do to save room.

Open Xcode Preferences > Locations and set your Derived Data, Snapshots, and Archives folders to live off your primary drive. You'll also want to move your documentation (which can take many GB all by itself) as well.

Open any class reference in the Organizer, and then right-click > Open Page in Browser. Allow the page to open. Its file:// URL will show you where your documentation is currently stored (normally in /Library/Developer/Documentation). Use symbolic links to move that material to the USB drive.

There are more tweaks you can do (move your simulator home, mess with ~/Library/Developer as well as /Library/Developer) but they tend to produce fewer gigabytes for greater effort, so aren't recommended.

Happy developing!

Dev Juice: Help me use less hard drive space for Xcode originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Fri, 22 Jul 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Let's get this understood up front: USB Disk doesn't allow you to use a USB drive on your iPad. Instead, it uses the metaphor of a physical drive to explain its function: it stores files on your iPad.

You get files onto USB Disk using Dropbox, email attachments, FTP, Finder (and your local network), iDisk and of course, iTunes. Yes, USB Disk is another file storage app for your iPad, but a nicely designed one. Check out a walkthrough of its features in the video below and see if it is right for your needs.

Video App Demo: USB Disk originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Thu, 21 Jul 2011 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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