Boston, MA (PRWEB) March 09, 2012

The internet hosts an astonishing collection of the world’s best photography – so vast, in fact, that exploring it is a major challenge in itself. Scatterpic, the new iPhone app developed in Boston, MA, removes this barrier by providing fun and intuitive ways to enjoy the best that Flickr has to offer. Part image viewer, part game, Scatterpic is a modern mash-up between photo viewer and a classic favorite – the tile puzzle.

Using the Lucky Dip feature, Scatterpic users get instant access to the most interesting images currently on Flickr. These images are constantly updated, 24/7/365, ensuring a unique experience with the highest quality photography every single time the app is launched.

The Near Me feature uses your current location to find images that were taken within your current vicinity – great for tourists.

“Perhaps most impressive is the Choose Location feature, which allows you to play with images from absolutely anywhere in the world” says Bradshaw, an avid traveller and the man behind the idea for Scatterpic.

For those obsessed with their own image, Scatterpic will create puzzles from any photo in the iPhone’s photo album, instantly. It even works with Apple’s new iCloud service, providing seamless integration with your cloud-based photo stream.

Scatterpic for iPhone is available now in the App Store, priced at $0.99 for a limited time. A free version is also available, with most features intact.

March 7th, 2012

So, after the endless speculation and ballsy predictions, here are the FACTS about the new iPad:

Display

Here’s where the action is. Yes, the iPad finally has the superb and gorgeous-looking Retina display. It has the same pixel density as the Retina found on the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S, but the larger screen size means lucky iPad 3 owners benefit from an eye-popping 2048-by-1536 resolution. Plus, a 44% enhancement in color saturation. Finally, full HD on the world’s most loved multimedia tablet. The previous gen iPads had a meagre 1024×768 pixel display – meaning the third generation has four times as many pixels as any iPad that has gone before. A million more pixels than an HD TV. The size remains unchanged at 9.7″ across the diagonal.

CPU

The iPad 2 had a significantly faster processor compared to the original iPad: a dual core A5, clocked at 1GHz (this would later appear shoehorned in to the iPhone 4S). The 3 has a faster unit yet – the A5X. While still a dual core CPU, the A5X has a quad-core graphics engine capable of driving that luscious Retina display to all its glory. The iPad 3 packs a serious processing punch, and we can expect to see more capable apps and games designed specifically for this CPU. The original iPad, which once amazed us with its fingertip responsiveness, now seems sluggish in comparison.

Storage

16/32/64 GB options are available. Just the same as before. Disappointing, but understandable given the cost of flash memory.

Battery

Both the iPad and iPad 2 lived up to the claims of an impressive 10 hour battery life. Despite the increase in capability, the iPad 3 retains this capability. No problem here with disappointing battery life that has plagued iPhone 4S users. The iPad 2 had a battery capacity of 25 watt-hours, whereas the 3 sees a substantial capacity increase to 42.5 Watt-hours. How do they manage to squeeze that in? Read on …

Dimensions and Weight

The iPad 2 measured 9.5″ by 7.3″ and has just 0.32″ thick. It weighed in at a mere 1.33 pounds. Bucking the trend, the third generation iPad is actually deeper. Yep, extra processing power comes at a cost. The new iPad is a bulkier 0.37″ thick, and weighs in at 1.44 pounds (the 4G version is even heavier).

Cameras

iPad had no cameras. iPad2 featured both front and rear facing units, but their image-taking performance was a bit of a disappointment. The iPad 3 follows in the footsteps of the iPhone 4S, with much improved optics, but also better image processing software, giving a much higher-end result. The 5 megapixel iSight camera implementation is complemented by autofocus, video stabilization and touch-to-focus technology.

Wireless connectivity

Some speculated on the appearance of LTE technology in the next gen iPad, but we suspected this would absent. OK, we got this one wrong – the third generation iPad is 4G LTE capable (optional, at a cost).

The Name

This is the most perplexing aspect of the launch. iPad 3? iPad HD? No. Simply, the new iPad. We don’t get it. Apple has curiously backed away from giving their new creation a new name and number. While we understand that calling the new device the new iPad is descriptive enough, we’re sure that it will become colloquially known as the iPad 3. So start calling it that now, because everyone else will.

Reaction
The absence of Steve Jobs and his legendary “one more thing” surprise announcement was notable, and sorely disappointing. Is this the beginning of the end of the Apple magic?

Can Apple continue to generate so much hype when time after time their product launches fail to pack any surprise punches? Beats me. When the frenzy calms down, we’ll bring you our exclusive reaction to this latest Apple hardware line-up. All we know is that this is an incremental release. Although it packs some significant performance improvements, which will do a good job in fending off the competition, this is at the end of the day just an improvement on an existing concept. There is no game changer here. In their own words – resolutionary (not revolutionary).

OK – this one is very different to the complexity of the image manipulation features brought to you by the likes of Snapseed or Fotolr. In fact, this one doesn’t allow you to edit photos at all. Nor does it allow you to upload to a photo-sharing site. Nope, this one is refreshingly different. oSnap is a new photography application for all you snap-happy iPhone and iPad 2 owners out there. Voice control is very En Vogue at the moment (thanks mainly to Siri), and this is where oSnap comes in. More than just a way of impressing your mates, this voice control is actually very useful. Simply speak the command “cheese”, and oSnap does the rest. That’s right – no dashing around for a timer, or uncontrollable camera shake – oSnap will take your picture – hands free!

And the functionality doesn’t stop there. Sure, to take a photo you just need to say “cheese”, “shoot” or “snap”. And there you have it. But what if you want to control the flash? Or switch between the front and rear cameras? No worries, oSnap will obey your every command.

In terms of the concept, this is exactly the kind of app that Apple wished we would create when they made the iPhone. It is devastatingly simple, but changes the way we interact with our gadgets in a fundamental way, allowing us to use our technology naturally and intuitively. The technology is transparent rather than a barrier. The very essence of Steve Job’s philosophy – he would be very proud.  In using this app, you just might have one of those “why the heck didn’t I think of that?” moments. We certainly did.

But enough waxing lyrical about the simple, almost beautiful, concept. How well does it work? Well, it is back to earth with a bump I’m afraid. It works OK. Just OK. Although oSnap was willing to execute our every command in a quiet environment, it does have a problem with background noise. Turn the TV down first. And forget using it in a crowded street or at a party – your camera-control wishes will fall on deaf ears.

Concept: genius. Implementation: could do better.

There are a lot of photo editors available to enhance and maximize images captured on the iPhone. Iphone welcomes Fotolr PS as one of the top free applications for the Photo and Video category.

Inside, the application allows you to access Fotolr, a photo sharing network much like Instagram. For Fotolr PS you may edit a picture within the album of the application, on the camera roll, or take a new photo. This application allows you to categorize your works through its albums sorted by date.

There are 22 editing functions available to you. You may just change the size of the picture, crop it or cut it. It also has basic photoshop-style functionality, allowing you to change the resolution of the original photo, the brightness of the photo, the color level and the contrast.

But this is no ordinary photo manipulation tool. Where it really comes into its own are its special effects. These are amusing and extremely satisfying to use. Included are face lift, acne eraser, whitening, blush and lipstick. It’s like you just had a total makeover before the photo was taken. This type of feature is very popular at the moment. In theory, it could be used for magazine cover shoots, billboards and the especially social network profile pictures. The results are not what you might describe as being realistic, rather stylistic. This set of functions really sets the application apart from traditional manipulation tools.

Taking stylised effects to the extreme, Fotolr includes color contact lenses, eyelashes, eyebrows and even eyeshadow. It has the wig and hair dye as well. Giving color and life to the picture is nice but too much of these set of function makes the photo cartoony.

Another interesting feature is the inclusion of text. Adding a caption to the photo is an easy way to give context to your photo. It includes text editor, justification, text color and size. This is a good way to start an e-card by just adding the text and send it through mail.

You may also choose photo frames and scenes to further enhance your digital images. You may export the image to the album on the application, the camera roll, distribute through email, or choose between the networking sites available for export like Facebook, Twitte, Tumblr, Flickr, Kaixin, Renren, Weibo, Tencent, NetEase and mixi.

This Fotolr PS is a complete photo manipulator available on phone with some unique features. A most download application, it is free and great fun to use.

Welcome to the first in a new series of articles aimed at anyone interested in photography and the iPhone. Each article will bring you the lowdown on an essential app which will help you and your iPhone become a photo-producing match made in heaven. This week, we start with Instagram …

Instagram being one of the top applications in the app store for the Photo and Video category has quickly become one of the top photo sharing tools globally. Aside from the superb filters this application has, which allow you to get creative with your snaps, you can if you choose make your profile public, exposing your life as it happens to the world. Members use their account to promote their product for business use, and some for personal, social reasons.

Since Instagram is a social media friendly application it also has an option for you to share your images with the usual suspects, such as Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, Tumblr, Posterous and Foursquare. If you want to look for your friends who is also using the same application then you are in luck as there is a very simple way to search for them, since the app will automatically sync for friends on your contacts, Facebook and Twitter if they are using the same information used on those social networking sites.

Like the basic profile information on Facebook you may also place your profile picture and change it any time you want and of course include a brief bio on your account.

There are 18 photographic filters available, the most commonly used are the newly update Sierra, Nashville and Earlybird. You may also use cloud option to blur the picture surround, really focussing attention on the subject.If you are worried about copyright theft, you’ll be pleased to know that Instagram goes some way to secure your digital assets. Photos cannot be copied unless it is reposted with the owners permission.

They claim it is fast, and it is. Uploading in Instagram doesn’t take minutes like what we experience in some photo-uploader used in social networks, it only take seconds depending on your internet connection. You need to have a wireless network to access the feeds on Instagram.

If Twitter has the section for what’s trending topics per minute, well Instagram also has the Popular page and it is continually updated. Like Facebook, Instagram have its own notifications on the news page indicating the likes you received and the follows you got. You may also check the news for your follower’s actions.

Being followed and following is all the rage in this socially vain era. But what matters here is the ability to inspire others, rather than draw attention to yourself. With Instagram, the story of life is expressed through photo sharing. There are already 2.2 million users all over the world and 10% of these are uploading daily.

Basically Instagram is all about the photography. Someone, I don’t recall who, once said: “You are not a photographer, you just have an over-priced camera”. For me, if you have Instagram, you may not have an over-priced camera, or may not be a professional photographer, but if you just click, post, tag then wait, you too can get on the Popular page.

Instagram is a available on the app store for free, and is compatble with Iphone, Ipad and Ipod touch only.

http://www.instagram.com

1. Instagram – combine really great photo filters with social sharing and you have Instagram. This free app and service allows you to snap a photo, add the filter of your choice, then post for your followers. With twitter, Facebook and email integration, it’s a snap.
2. Infinicam – Love Camerabag but want more effects? Try out Infinicam, from the makers of Camerabag. With Infinicam you are not restricted to the pre-made effects of the app, instead you can tweak your photos with a variety of effects and filters until you get just the right look.
3. HDR for Free – HDR (High Dynamic Range) for Free is the one app you’ll need to manipulate the light and dark areas of your photos – giving them that extra punch that will make your iPhone photo stand out from the crowd.
4. Adobe Photoshop Express – All the comforts of Photoshop in a handy  and easy to use app. Crop, work with contrast or add interesting effects – it’s all here and it’s all really easy to use.
5. FX Photo Studio – Featuring 194 effects, filters and tools, there’s no way you’ll run out of cool things to do with your iPhone photos – so get creative!
6. Scatterpic – last but not least, our very own iPhone photo app with Flickr integration, scatterpic! Discover the best Flickr content in a fun, new way.

© Susan M. Keenan

Apple’s App Store has over 85 thousand apps available for download. This makes the App Store the largest one for applications throughout the entire world. Clearly, mobile hand devices have come a long way. Owners of iPhones and iPods can do more than ever with their devices, thanks largely in part to the apps that are currently available.

Since the popularity of taking pictures with iPhones and distributing them among friends and family has grown, apps for photo taking and editing are important to many picture takers. Of course, the App Store has apps that can help amateur photographers take better quality photos and edit them before sending them along to personal web pages such as those found on Facebook. One of the best features of iPhone apps is that the cost is minimal, making it affordable for everyone.

While it isn’t necessary to obtain a lot of different apps for taking pictures or editing them once you have them, it is certainly nice to have the option to do so. For novice picture takers, one or two apps should be sufficient to help you obtain photos with better quality for sharing with your friends. Once you’ve established yourself as an iPhone photographer virtuoso, it is time to invest in a few more clever apps for picture taking and editing.

For those iPhone users who would like the ability to zoom in and out when photo taking, the Camera Zoom 2 app is a great app to get. It features real-time capability with ease. A small slider in the photo window allows the user to zoom in and out simply by tapping on the slider. Currently, this app is less than a dollar.

The Best Camera app offers tools that can be used to enhance the photos that have been taken. Since it has been created by Chase Jarvis, this app includes some of his well-known one-touch filters.

Photogene is a handy little app that provides a full set of tools that will help you edit your photos. It can be used to crop photos for a better look. It allows you to adjust the contrast or the exposure. With the Best Camera app, users can correct the colors in their photos either automatically or manually, depending on personal preference. You can even straighten your images in your photos or add cool effects such as frames or text blurbs.

The Night Camera app is one that many iPhone picture takers are sure to enjoy since it makes it easier to take night photos. Poor lighting can make it difficult to get a perfect picture. Since some of the opportunities for picture taking do occur in poor lighting, it is nice to have an app that can assist with this problem. The Night Camera app offers the ability to set the iPhone at three different levels. The camera can be set to trigger the shutter once the camera setting is stable.

Pano is a clever app that makes it possible to create panoramic photos on the iPhone. With this app, it is possible to blend up to 16 photos. A transparent guide allows you to line up the photos for stitching them together. Other features come with this app such as color correcting.

These apps are not the only ones that can assist iPhone users with their picture taking or editing. Lots of others exist. All you need to do is a bit of exploring to discover the apps that will assist you in your picture-taking endeavors.

The invitations, which Apple have already been issued to journalists, claim:

“we have something you really have to see. And touch.”

ipad 3 invitation image

The invitations also featured this photograph, which appears to be of someone using the touchscreen on an iPad-type device.

The iPad range, which has been on the market since 2010, has shipped over 50 million units worldwide so far. The iPad 2, which was launched in March 2011, went on sale just a few days after its launch was announced. Although it featured a new, faster CPU and graphics, a slimmer design, and for the first time in-built cameras, many were underwhelmed as the device was, to all intents and purposes, disappointingly similar to the original iPad.

So what can we expect this time around from the iPad 3? Well, many are expecting an upgraded screen – the iPad 2 already lags behind other products – including the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S – in terms of pixels per inch. This would be a welcome addition as it would probably mean that, for the first time, iPad 3 can do full HD video. Also expect a processing power upgrade to cope with demanding multimedia applications and better gaming performance. Do not expect better battery life or a larger screen!

What new features would you like to see on the iPad 3? Send us your comments below.

Having grown up with Cubase on the PC, but recently transitioned onto Apple hardware, I was intrigued to see Apple’s music production workhorse, Logic Pro 9, available on the App Store. In the same way Apple has changed the way we buy music, it is changing the way we buy software. Inspired by the incredible success of the App Store for mobile devices, its latest foray in getting us to part with our hard earned cash is through the App Store for Mac. Initially, I was skeptical – after all, open source and other free software was gaining market share, and as consumers we were becoming accustomed to getting high quality, useful software for free. In the meantime, however, the idea of cheap and good value impulse-purchase software, as available on iPhone and iPad, was becoming commonplace.

On the topic of price – Logic Pro 9 is currently available on the App Store for $199. This is clearly in a different league to the average $0.99 iPhone app. However, it still represents astonishing value for money. By cutting out the distributers and retailers, as well as the cost of physical media such as boxes, manuals and DVDs, you can now purchase this accomplished, professional music production package at a fraction of the cost of its previous price. And if that doesn’t seem enough of a bargain … the app store license ensures you can deploy and use the software on all of your Macs – only one purchase required!

Logic Pro 9 as a DAW

The transition from Cubase was easy. The UI concepts are familiar, and we did not notice any significant missing functionality. In fact, we never looked back. I confess, it will take you a day or two to work out how to access all your favorite features, but trust us, they are there.

Logic Pro 9 as a sample library and collection of instruments

Logic. Wins. Hands. Down. The quantity and quality of the content that ‘ships’ with Logic Pro 9 is seriously impressive. Your $199 not only buys you a professional quality DAW, it also gets you an exciting and extensive collection of virtual instruments, loops and samples. Perfectly aligned with Apple’s philosophy of intuitive user experience, Apple Loops are the place to start if you’re new to computer music. Explore, audition, drag and drop. Whatever your chosen key or tempo, the apple loop will adjust itself to sit perfectly in the mix. What could be easier?

There’s plenty for the seasoned music producer, too. Pre-configured channel strips will save time and provide inspiration. The included sampler, the EXS24, is feature rich and will be all the sampler you will ever need. The included sample libraries are high quality and applicable to a board range of musical styles. For those of you who like to create your sound waves from scratch, the included synthesizers, such as the ES1, will not disappoint.

Want to record your axe? The electric guitar is another instrument which is incredibly well supported. Ready to rock right out of the box is an impressive array of amp simulations, stomp boxes, and full-rig presets. OK, so they don’t quite provide the accuracy of our Line6 POD HD Pro, but to all but the geekiest of amp technicians, your bases are covered – whatever the style.

Hardware

We have an envious home studio setup, featuring a 27″ iMac, a MacBook Air, Roland’s flagship XV-5080 synthesizer, a Line 6 POD HD Pro guitar amp modeller, a Gibson Les Paul Studio guitar, Edirol FA-66 FireWire audio interface, Tascam vocal processor, ART vocal channel strip,  TC-Helicon harmoniser, and numerous software instruments and effects from Native Instruments and IK Multimedia.

Everything simply worked, plug ‘n’ play. Even the MacBook Air (admittedly, a spec’d up 3 week old i7) coped with our most demanding productions with ease. For those with an Air wondering how well it will cope – the answer is very well indeed. No worries on that front.

This is where we noticed a huge advantage to using Logic Pro over Cubase – multiple audio interface support. On our old setup, Cubase, using ASIO drivers, would only support a single audio interface at any one time (some manufacturers offer support to daisy chain devices, but you’re screwed if this is not supported on your interface, or you want to use interfaces from different manufacturers). And here is where using Mac and Logic Pro holds the ace card.

Mac OS supports the concept of aggregate audio devices. What a godsend! This allowed us to combine our Edirol FA-66, withits 6 inputs and 6 outputs, with our Line 6 POD HD Pro guitar processor, to give us a total of 8 ins and 8 outs, as a single virtual device. We could use all 16 channels simultaneously! Beat that, Cubase!

The negatives

You can’t resize the mixer. It looks a bit too small on our 27″ iMac. Hand on heart that is the only niggle we’ve had with Logic Pro 9. Seriously.

Logic Pro 10 / Logic Pro X

We have found rumors on the internet of the launch of the next version of Logic Pro dating back to 2009. Admittedly, this is a concern as Logic Pro 9 has been around for quite a while now. In addition to this, Apple has not yet set a precedent regarding an upgrade path for App Store purchases for major new versions. There is a risk that you will have to fork out an additional $199 (or more) to get Logic Pro 10.

Our advice: get over it. Whenever you buy in to a technology, the next version is always around the corner. Remember that the original price for Logic Pro 9 was $499. You’ve already saved $300. Now is the time to buy.

Summary

Apple Logic Pro 9 from the App Store is an incredible bargain. This is a professional quality, fully featured software application. The only limitation is your creativity. We mean that sincerely – this thing is perfectly capable of producing industry standard professional results.

Think about what you’re getting. A pro quality DAW. Sample libraries. Virtual instruments. Guitar amps and effects. Apple Loops. Each one of these is worth the full asking price independently. All in all, there is around 20 gigabytes of pro quality content.

If you are tempted to take the plunge, our advice is to go for it, right now! We fail to see how you can be anything less than delighted with it. We’d go so far as to say this is the best value for money software package available on any platform, in any genre. Period. Set your conscience aside – this is legal daylight robbery.

Someone has been busy with Photoshop again

Here we go again with the iPhone 5 rumors. As if you aren’t all sick of the hype surrounding the 4S launch, some sites are starting to “confidently” report details of the inevitable iPhone 5 from “close sources”.

This article at BGR makes some interesting guesses revelations, particularly regarding the casework, which is boldly publishes under the “exclusive” tag. Ho hum.

Sorry, do I sound at all skeptical?