So, you received an iPad under the tree. As you’re playing with it, you’re wondering what you can do with it in regards to creating the written word. For the writer — from fiction author to enterprising blogger — the iPad is also a very portable way to get some serious writing done, even though it wasn’t originally advertised as such. That’s where users came in and turned the iPad into an excellent portable writing machine. Having toted my iPad into the mountains of Arizona and across the ocean to the UK, I was able to get a good amount of writing done and have it available on my desktop with little issue.

Optional hardware
First, however, you do need some hardware. If you’re going to be doing any writing for a lengthy period of time, invest in an external keyboard. While Apple does have one with an iPad dock attached, it’s a bit unwieldy for extended use. Skip the dock-enabled keyboard and grab Apple’s Bluetooth model. Both cost US$69, but you get extra portability with the Bluetooth keyboard.

There are several cases that now have Bluetooth keyboards built right in, including Kensington’s KeyFolio for $99.99 and Zaggmate’s case with keyboard also for $99.99. The upcoming ClamCase will take these a step further and turn your iPad into a mini netbook. That will run you $119.99, with the price expected to rise to $149.99.

Continue reading Want to write on your iPad? Here’s some tips to get started

Want to write on your iPad? Here’s some tips to get started originally appeared on TUAW on Mon, 27 Dec 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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French journalist and photographer Jordan Pouille revisited a Foxconn factory in Longhua, China and reported on factory conditions in the wake of a highly publicized pay raise for its Chinese workers. This pay raise came in response to criticism over a rash of suicides occurring at this Longhua factory which employs over 300,000 Chinese workers. Foxconn is the world’s largest electronics manufacturer and has contracts with several major consumer electronics companies including Apple. The iPhone, iPod touch and iPad pass through the production lines of this manufacturing giant. Unfortunately, the picture of Foxconn painted by Pouille is a stark and often disturbing one.

He tells the tale of young Chinese workers, mostly in their late teens and early twenties, who moved here from poor farming communities in rural China. They endure 13 hour shifts with a minimal number of breaks (10 minutes every 2 hours) and work six days a week, though seven is not uncommon when demand is at a peak. The youths live in dormitory-style rooms on the Foxconn campus that house up to eight or nine people from different hometowns, with different work shifts and different jobs within the factory — a living situation which does not foster personal relationships among the workers. When arriving at the gate leading into the factory, the workers must relinquish their mobile phones to guards and enter a workplace that is rife with military-style managers who do not allow the workers to smile, speak, listen to music, or even sit down. The focus is on productivity with some workers boasting of assembling 3,000 iPhones each day.

Pouille provides no answers for what he considers to be dehumanizing conditions present in Chinese manufacturing facilities; he merely brings them to life with stories from the workers themselves and from images of the youth as they head to work and engage in brief times of after-hours play. His essay is definitely worth a read for anyone interested in a behind-the-scenes look at factory life in China’s Foxconn city.

[Via Fortune]

A look inside the Foxconn factory originally appeared on TUAW on Mon, 27 Dec 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ahhh, the holidays.

It’s a time to reflect on the year, enjoy time with family and friends, and pack as much food into your body as possible while lazing on the couch watching the 17th rerun of A Christmas Story. Is it any wonder that a lot of us (especially those of us who can be considered middle-aged) gain weight over the holidays?

While these apps can’t do a thing to motivate you to exercise and eat right, they can be valuable wingmen in terms of giving you advice about what to eat, tracking how much you eat and exercise, and giving you a goal to reach. Here are six iOS apps that can help you to go into 2011 with some good habits, knowledge, and a plan to get into shape.

Continue reading Six awesome iOS exercise and dieting apps

Six awesome iOS exercise and dieting apps originally appeared on TUAW on Mon, 27 Dec 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Much like all of that snow outside your door, the App Store’s top lists are currently frozen — Apple will release what’s in the top spots on the marketplace tomorrow (after the holiday), but until then, everything’s staying exactly where it is. While we haven’t seen a lot of numbers just yet, it’s clear that EA was a big winner on the App Store this year. The company dropped prices on lots of its titles earlier last week, then claimed a good bit of the top 10, top 20 and the top 200. The rumor is that as soon as it can, EA is going to raise prices back up on these apps, so if you want to grab this recently-released port of Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 at just a buck, now’s your chance.

Some of the reviews on this iOS version of Mortal Kombat are iffy. The port suffers from the usual fighting game problem of having no buttons on the iPhone, so controls don’t feel responsive. Often the controls actually aren’t responsive, though there is an S button to make some of the more common moves easier to pull off. But for just a dollar, playing UMK 3 right there on your iPhone is pretty awesome.

Whether or not you agree with EA’s stunt — some say it was a cheap way to get some attention, while others say apps are worth what people will pay for them — I do think it’s pretty impressive that a big, traditional gaming company found an interesting way to take advantage of Apple’s usually eclectic marketplace. We’ll have to see if other bigger studios pick up on this kind of thing in the future, or if indie developers can find a way to take advantage of it.

TUAW’s Daily App: Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 originally appeared on TUAW on Mon, 27 Dec 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Talkshoe is having a post-holiday hissy fit, so tonight we are using an alternate show URL — here it is: http://tinyurl.com/tuawtf

It’s time for a holiday weekend talkcast, and since it’s only a day past Christmas, there’s something to discuss: what did you get, what did you give, and what did you take back to the store? We’ll also begin looking ahead to the Mac App Store’s debut on January 6. Bundle up, pour yourself some hot chocolate, check on the snow and join us!

Here’s the master page to listen or join in on the show. To participate live on TalkShoe, you can use the browser-only client (just click the“TalkShoe Web” button on our profile page at 10 PM on Sunday), the embedded Facebook app or the classic TalkShoe Pro Java client; however, for maximum fun, you should call in.

To call in on regular phone or VoIP lines (take advantage of your free cellphone weekend minutes if you like): dial (724) 444-7444 and enter our talkcast ID, 45077 — during the call, you can request to talk by keying in *8. (That’s a toll call, just so you know.)

If you’ve got a headset or microphone handy on your Mac or your PC, you can connect via the free SJphone or X-Lite SIP clients or by using the TalkShoe client’s ShoePhone tool; basic instructions are here.

We’ll kick things off at 10 PM ET/ 7 PM PT this evening. See you there!

Talkcast tonight 10 PM ET, post-Christmas chat and gift lists originally appeared on TUAW on Sun, 26 Dec 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Were you nice and not naughty? Did Santa reward you with Apple-branded products for all your hard work and effort this year?

If Santa left a few Apple goodies under your tree (and helpfully cleaned up your Safari browser cookies and milk), here’s where you can share the joy of new ownership.

So what did you score? A new iPad? An iPod? A Mac? Apple TV? An iTunes gift card? A patented iPhone SIM removal tool?

Come share your excitement in the comments. We want to hear what you got and how you love it so far!

It’s time to brag about your new toys and maybe get a little peer-support for any technical issues you’ve encountered from our other readers.

Because TUAW readers are the best. Bless you all. Each and every one of you! Happy holidays and a healthy New Year.

TUAW social club: What did you get for Christmas? originally appeared on TUAW on Sun, 26 Dec 2010 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Icon Renamer is a new jailbreak tweak available in Cydia the lets you easily rename iPhone/iPad App Icons from the Springboard. Icon Renamer is developed by Ryan Petrich, the dev behind popular tweaks like DisplayRecorder, ProSwitcher, Overboard etc.

The tweak adds no icon to your home screen or Settings.app. After installing Icon Renamer from Cydia, Simply tap and hold to enter jiggle mode, then tap the icon you wanna rename.

You can download Icon Renamer from Cydia for Free.

Also checkout:

• Mail Rules – Apply Rules to New Incoming Mail on iPhone/iPad
• RetinaAppsIcons – Converts All Apps Icons to HighRes for Retina Display
• mSpot Music – Listen to Your iTunes Music in The Cloud
• SBSwitcher – Put SBSettings Toggles in The App Switcher (Multitasking bar)

Smashing magazine has generously offered our readers a chance to win a copy of their ebook “Mobile Design for iPhone and iPad”. Here is some info on the book:

This e-book presents articles on professional mobile design for the iPhone and iPad, including studies of trends in mobile design and guidelines for the development of mobile web pages. These articles are mostly a selection of the best from Smashing Magazine in 2009 and 2010 dealing with mobile design for the iPhone and iPad plus an exclusive 90-page study about mobile web design trends. They have been carefully edited and are available as a PDF, ePub and Mobipocket.

To win a copy leave a comment on this thread why you would like to win the book and which format you would like, EPUB, MOBI, or PDF. The winners will be chosen this coming Friday. If you don’t want to wait and would rather buy the book (very affordable at $9.90) you can do that here.

Walt Mossberg’s list of the best and worst of 2010 are out and it is no surprise that the iPad tops the best list.

Taking Walt’s top spot this year was none other than Apple’s iPad. For a 1.0 product, the iPad was amazing. With the new iOS 4.2 operating system and its huge selection of apps, the iPad continues to stay ahead of the competition.

Read the entire list at All Things Digital.

Apple has updated the universal Remote application to support AirPlay and Internet Radio Control.

Daniel Eran Dilger of RoughlyDrafted Magazine has a great article on why the iPad will continue to dominate the tablet market.

Check out 10 things you can do with your new iPhone or iPod Touch.

Ford is planning to integrate iPhone Apps into your car with upgraded SYNC technology.

Apple is partnering with a Cherokee tribe to put Cherokee language software on you Apple mobile device.