iPad News – 7/9/2010 no comments
Lots of stuff for the iPad today. A new case from Otterbox, a new stand, reading app news and more. I’ll start with the case and stand.
Otterbox Ipad Cases
Otterbox is known for their rugged device cases. There are now two models for the iPad.
The Otterbox Ipad Defender Series Case
announced by Otterbox today and should be available to purchase in the very near future. The Defender has three layers of protection that will drop-proof and dust-proof your iPad while still allowing access to the Ipad’s functions. The Defender will also accommodate the iPad dock and there is a built-in stand as well.
The Otterbox Ipad Commuter Series Case
The Commuter Case can be had now for $65, and the Defender Case will be $90. Please note that these cases do not protect against water. At the moment the only waterproof cases for the iPad seem to be the TrendyDigital WaterGuard
KB Covers iPad Stand
KB Covers makes a lot of keyboard covers for 
Apple computers, and today the company announced a new stand which looks a little different than other stands and might better fit certain types of decor. The legs of this stand are extendable and it comes with a carrying bag. Available in white or black.
At the moment this stand is only available from the manufacturer and is priced at $29.95. Through September 30, 2010 you can use the discount code KBSTAND10 at checkout for a 10 percent discount.
Squad QReader App
Russian company Squad has released a new reading app dubbed QReader. Some of the features:
- Supported formats: txt, fb2 and html
- Text search
- Changeable font, font size and page orientation
- Speed reading trainer
- Ability to download ebooks with FTP
- Night mode
The QReader is available for $4.99 at the iTunes store. My take: why pay $5 for a reading app when there are great free alternatives with better format support and on which you can also read DRM’ed titles. But maybe this fits your needs.
Microsoft Page-Turning Patent
TechCrunch is reporting that Microsoft applied for a patent last year for a page-turning animation that replicates the curling of the page when you turn the pages of a paper book. The patent has not been
approved yet, but if it is it could mean trouble for reading apps that include this effect. As far as I am concerned, this is the one standout feature of the iBooks app.
An abstract from the patent application:
One or more pages are displayed on a touch display. A page-turning gesture directed to a displayed page is recognized. Responsive to such recognition, a virtual page turn is displayed on the touch display. The virtual page turn actively follows the page-turning gesture. The virtual page turn curls a lifted portion of the page to progressively reveal a back side of the page while progressively revealing a front side of a subsequent page. A lifted portion of the page is given an increased transparency that allows the back side of the page to be viewed through the front side of the page. A page-flipping gesture quickly flips two or more pages.
Barnes & Noble Updates eReading App
Barnes & Noble has updated their reading app. In addition to some minor bug fixes the update includes the following:
- In-app brightness control
- Option to permanently delete samples from within the app
- Two-page view
- Speed improvements when synchronizing your purchases, bookmarks, highlights and notes
- Improved periodical support
New Study on iPad Usage
Mashable covers a new study about how people use their iPads and the effects of the “magical” device on ereaders and other gadgets. Some of the interesting findings:
- 49 percent of respondents said they would not buy a dedicated ereader after purchasing their iPad. 38 percent would not buy a portable gaming device.
- 37 percent of those who planned to buy or already had purchased an iPad said that it was their first Apple device.
eBay Selling and eBay for iPad Apps Available Internationally
eBay announced today that its eBay Selling and eBay for iPad apps are now available internationally. The Selling app is available in Germany and the UK, while the eBay for iPad app has been translated into French, Italian, German and Spanish for international users. From the press release:
For the first time, sellers in Germany and the United Kingdom will be able to leverage eBay’s Selling iPhone application to sell items on their local eBay marketplaces. The latest version of the eBay Selling application is the first of eBay’s suite of mobile applications to integrate the accurate RedLaser barcode-scanning technology. eBay sellers in Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States will now be able to quickly create listings by simply scanning an item’s barcode to access pricing trends, product details and list items from eBay’s catalog for sale.
