iPhonewzealand

What’s Exciting in iOS 7?

SarahK — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 09:52:04 +0000

Earlier this week at Apple’s World Wide Developer’s Conference in San Francisco iOS 7 was introduced. The next version of the operating system powering your iPhone and iPad will be available in the New Zealand Spring and includes a redesigned user interface and a number of improvements to the operating system’s functionality.

Get a full iOS 7 Preview from Apple.

What am I most excited about?

Ability to swipe up from the bottom of the screen to quickly access Wi-Fi/Bluetooth/Screen brightness etc.
Vastly improved multi-tasking
AirDrop, which allows you to quickly share files with friends that are nearby and without the need to bump phones
Siri has new voices (both male and female) as well as new commands such as “turn on Bluetooth” and “increase screen brightness”.
All apps will be updated automatically, and in the background
iTunes Radio was confirmed (which really just sounds a lot like Spotify) with featured stations showing songs trending on Twitter and the ability to create your own stations

Haters will argue Android was doing a number of these things three years ago. But I imagine Apple will sell them as new, patent them, and trademark a generic name just so that they can sue someone….

App Store Hits 50 Billion Downloads – How Many Do You Have?

Henry — Fri, 17 May 2013 03:41:19 +0000

All has been fairly quiet on the Apple front lately, typical of this time of year. Everyone at Apple is tucked away developing and fine-tuning the next gadget. Meanwhile, the App store continues to bring in big money for Apple and app developers worldwide. We download 800 apps per second!

The 50 billionth app was downloaded by Brandon Ashmore from Ohio and he was rewarded with a $10,000 app store gift card. The app he downloaded was ‘Say the Same Thing’.

Since opening in 2008 with just 500 apps available, the app store has grown to have more than 850,000 apps currently. In comparison, the Google Play Store has 500,000 and the Windows Phone store has just 120,000. The Apple app store continues to grow at a very fast rate, we will be at 1 million apps soon enough.

With so many apps available, it is very easy to end up with a phone full of apps. At last count I had about 90, can anyone beat that? With 850,000 apps out there I want to know how many you have, comment below.

Westpac New Zealand’s Apps

SarahK — Sat, 04 May 2013 00:26:32 +0000

These days it’s imperative for financial services providers to offer useful and intuitive mobile banking apps as branch footprints diminish and customers want to bank online rather than over the phone.

After I wrote about the West pac Cash Tank App in this blog post a few months ago, a reader asked me to cover off Westpac’s other iPhone apps.

Westpac New Zealand Mobile Banking

Westpac’s internet online banking platform is archaic. Having experienced the ANZ and ASB versions I find the whole thing lacks colour, life and features. Not being able to change your address or securely message the bank through online banking for example is incredibly frustrating.

In comparison Westpac’s Online Banking apps ( the iPad version in particular which is pictured below) are fantastic and it’s their simplicity which makes them a winner. While they don’t have all the functionality of online banking such as the ability to manage bill payees or pay your credit card bill, I’ve taken to using the apps rather than my laptop for my day to day banking needs such as transferring money between accounts and paying my rent.

Impulse Saver for iPhone

Westpac research found that New Zealanders spend an average of $16.1 million per day on impulse purchases. Enter Impulse Saver – an app to encourage saving on impulse rather than spending.

The app features a big red button, one touch of which sends a predetermined amount (minimum $2 and maximum $50) from your Westpac transaction account into your Westpac savings account.The idea is you hit the button when you’re in the supermarket queue instead of reaching for the chocolate bar, magazine or bottle of coke.

Saving money to me means setting aside an amount each pay day before I can touch it and spending the remainder. But if you like the idea of saving on impulse download Impulse Saver.

BudgetPlanner for iPhone

The Budget Planner app offers pre-populated budgets for different life situations (eg. single or double income and whether you also have a family and/or pet). For each of the income and expenses questions there is a slider or you can tap and enter a figure, and select the appropriate payment frequency icon.

If your take-home pay equates to more than $3500 per week or your annual bonus more than $18200 this is not the app for you as the slider only goes to these values. On the bright site if you do earn that much chances are you don’t require a budget planning app.

This app can be used by Westpac customers and non-customers alike as there is no requirement to log in to online banking. There are negatives to this however as the app is not password protected and if you share an iPad like I do (a work one) your personal information is viewable by all users unless you delete your budget.

Realestate app for iPhone

Allan reviewed an early version of the realestate.co.nz app (in association with Westpac) back in 2010. The map lets you spot exactly where houses near you are which is handy whether you’re looking to buy, or just want to be nosey and visit Open Homes near your home at the weekend.

Features added in the most recent update include the ability synch open homes and homes you like between realestate.co.nz and your mobile device, and an archive section to view sold or withdrawn properties for 30 days.

A Mobile Wallet and another closely guarded app will be released by Westpac in the coming months.

The App for Shortland Street Addicts

SarahK — Sat, 13 Apr 2013 03:38:07 +0000

I was initially a little horrified to learn Shortland Street had it’s own iPhone app. I spent seven years of my life addicted to the program, during which time I never missed an episode.

It’s an era I now look back on and cringe but the Shortland Street app released last year contains all the information I once would have been desperate for like photos, actor bios and interviews to stalk out your favourite actors as well as all the latest Shortland Street news and daily previews to establish what’s going to happen next.

I really like the full, in-depth episode recaps which mean if you miss Shortland Street one night and don’t have time to watch it online you can stay up to date with what’s happening and avoid confusion when you next watch the program. Annoyingly though, to actually watch episodes online you have to switch to the tvnzondemand app so you can’t get your full Shortland Street fix within the app itself.

Each month you can put your questions to a different Shortland Street star by using the Live Chat feature, or you can chat at any time with other fans (I’m sure most of them are around the age of 12 and borrowing dad’s iPad).

My flatmate’s girlfriend features as the wallpaper on both his iPhone and laptop and I can’t help but give him grief about it. This week I’ve realised it could be worse – how about a Shortland Street cast pic as your wallpaper?

Have you come across any good apps for other popular television programs?

TV3 Responds To TVNZ Ondemand App

Henry — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 09:24:44 +0000

TV3 has finally realised that they are behind the 8 ball and have done their best to respond to the huge success that the TVNZ app has received.

The TVNZ app remains very close to the top of the free app list (currently 3rd for iPhone) and has received great feedback!

Following the launch of the TVNZ app, I mentioned in a post that TV3 will be surely working on something to avoid losing a significant number of viewers, well they have… sort of.

TV3 has not released an app but they have done the next best thing. If you visit the TV3 ondemand website from your iOS device you can now watch the shows. Previously you couldn’t watch anything because you were notified that you need to install flash.

When you visit the site from your phone you will also notice the following message at the top

We have detected that you are using a mobile device. Please be advised that a minority of videos are unavailable to view on mobile devices due to licensing restrictions.

As far as I can tell, 90% of the shows are available to watch which is great, if you find any that are not available please comment below.

I hope that this move by TV3 means that they are working on an app as well but there has been no word. Being the first to bring out an app has worked very positiviely for TVNZ – TV3 is now playing catchup, this competition is great for the consumer. You can now watch a massive range of shows from the comfort of your own device.

Vodafone Launches 4G Network To Auckland

Henry — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 06:48:29 +0000

Early this morning Vodafone announced the release of their 4G network, but only to some parts of Auckland at this stage.

4G is said to be up to 10 times faster than the current 3G network, allowing you to vastly increase the speed and performance of things like streaming video and gaming. Great timing for the TVNZ Ondemand app released yesterday.

30% of Auckland will be able to access the lightning fast network, read on to see the map…Read More

TVNZ Launches Ondemad App For iPad, iPhone and iPod

Henry — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 09:38:09 +0000

I mentioned last year that TVNZ were planning to release an iPad and iPhone app for their on-demand service, well it’s here!

The app is already New Zealand’s number two free app in the app store.

First impressions, it looks great! The quality is good, in terms of resolution. the load time appears to be very quick (on my internet anyway). The clever thing is, the app automatically checks your internet connection and decides the best quality of video for you. This is also a bummer because you can’t chose a higher or a lower quality like on the website, you just have to deal with what you’re given…Read More

Kiwi iPad App For Autistic Children

Henry — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 06:49:38 +0000

Another great Kiwi developer has made a very helpful iPad app, you might have seen it in the news recently. Kiwi developer Wayne Lewis has created an iPad app which is aimed at making the lives of autistic children and their parents a lot easier.

Communicate Easy is the name of the iPad app, available on the iTunes store for $1.99.

Lewis has a personal link to autism, his son Ciaran has autism and needs help with simple daily tasks. According to Wayne, Ciaran proved to be the best app tester in the world…Read More

NZ Police Get iPhones And iPads For Facebook On The Go

Henry — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 06:41:32 +0000

This week the New Zealand Police announced that they will be dishing out iPads and iPhones to a large portion of the men and women of the force. OK, so probably not for Facebook but I’m sure they’re not complaining. A great time to be a cop, you might say.

In all seriousness though, giving our front line the best technology possible is a no brainer really. Whatever the cost, if it saves lives in the long run it’s worth it.

After 11 months of testing and trying out different devices, there’s no surprise in what they chose…

Siri Will Soon Be Available For Mac

Henry — Sat, 09 Feb 2013 01:18:46 +0000

Siri is a popular feature of the iPhone internationally but not so much in New Zealand, unless you are good at imitating an American accent. A few weeks ago I asked our Facebook fans whether they can use Siri in New Zealand, the results were very mixed but the general consensus was that the Kiwi accent was just too good for Siri.

That being said, it looks like Siri could be coming to Mac OS X, read on to see the details…Read More

MetService for iPad – Paid vs Free

Henry — Wed, 06 Feb 2013 19:48:57 +0000

You can get the MetService app on your iPad for free or you can download the paid version for $2.59. Today I found myself wondering, what’s the difference between the two?

I’m sure most of you will agree with me that MetService is probably New Zealand’s most popular weather provider. Both the iPhone and iPad apps are great but is it worth $2.59?

The paid version of an app usually has a few more features than the free version, it turns out that this is not the case with MetService. The only difference between the two is advertising, the paid app has no banner ads at the bottom of your screen. In the screen shot below you can see a Hyundai ad, which is actually the only ad I saw the whole time I was using the free app today.

Also, while playing around with the app today I found that searching for the tide times in Akaroa causes the app to crash. So if you were relying on MetService to tell you when its time launch the dingy in Akaroa, perhaps not.

Basically, when considering which MetService app to download your choice is between paying with your eyes by seeing ads on the free app or forking out $2.59 for the paid version. It’s a small price for a handy app but it’s a little steep compared to other paid apps on the app store in my opinion. Thoughts? Does anyone believe the $2.59 is worth it?

TheInsider App, Get In On Your Local Deals

Henry — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 06:13:12 +0000

TheInsider app is a locally developed iPhone app which is doing its best to make life easier for Wellingtonians and Aucklanders.

There’s a handful of other apps out there that give you a list of deals around your local area but not like The Insider. The app is a very easy to use place to find happy hours, 2 for 1 deals and other specials for your local restaurants and bars.

The app was developed by Jacob Duncan and Niko Croskery, both have full time jobs so the app was an ‘after hours’ project taking just 9 months. The two attended Tauranga Boys College together before Niko headed to Wellington to study Law and Jacob took on the mighty Dunedin to study Software Engineering. TheInsider app is the first venture from their company, Wiretapp Labs Limited.

The app was first available in Wellington last year and is now live in Auckland. However there are plans to move…

3 Market Leading Apps from New Zealand Brands

SarahK — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 23:38:08 +0000

Here are my thoughts on three market-leading apps I have found myself using a lot this month which have been developed for major New Zealand brands.

Air New Zealand mPass

The Air New Zealand mPass app has functions for:

Booking and changing flights
Keeping track of your upcoming flights
Checking the balance of your Airpoints dollars
Checking in at the airport
Finding your way to where you need to go.

Before arriving at the airport you can check your flight number, seat number, and any departure time updates.

Once at the airport, if you’re checking in a bag you can get your luggage tags at the kiosks by scanning your personalised barcode for your flight in the app which saved me fluffing around in my emails trying to find my booking reference when I was checking in in a hurry.

If you’re travelling domestically without bags you can apparently go straight to the gate with your phone and ID to check in there with your phone acting as your boarding pass. The barcode can also be used for for entrance to the Koru Lounge if you’re lucky enough to be a member.

The airport maps and FAQs I am yet to use, but the link to call a taxi is something which is extremely handy when you’re in a city you don’t have a local taxi number on hand for.

Read on to see the rest…Read More
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Add The Super 15 Rugby Games To Your iPhone Calendar

Henry — Sat, 19 Jan 2013 06:18:22 +0000

Believe it or not, the Super 15 rugby season is less than a month away! Just when we’re getting into the best part of summer the Super 15 rugby schedule has been finalised.

Now that all of the dates and venues have been confirmed, you can add them into your personal iPhone calendar. Today SANZAR Rugby posted on their website about how you can do it.

It’s very easy, all you have to do is visit the SANZAR site here, follow the prompts, click on the calendars that you want to add and scan the QR code or opt for an email. Once you get the email or scan the QR code you will get a notification that the dates have been added.

Even though it’s still super early to be thinking about rugby, having the dates in your phone is great. You can now be that annoying person who knows exactly who is playing every night, your welcome

Go the Crusaders.

Kiwi Hits the Big Time Again With The Blockheads App

Henry — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 23:17:46 +0000

If you hadn’t noticed already, the New Zealand developed app ‘The Blockheads’ has been flying up towards the top of the app store charts in the last few weeks.

The Blockheads is the latest game from New Zealand developer David Frampton. In the past he has developed the very successful ‘Chopper‘ and BlockHeads is looking like it will also be a huge success. At one point, Chopper was rumoured to be earning Frampton around $4500 a day. The Blockheads has been downloaded over 2 million times…Read More

Confessions of a Sext Addict

SarahK — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 08:56:43 +0000

I confess – I’ve partaken in the odd sexting exchange during my time. I’ve always known enough not to have any identifying features in the pictures, but the fact these images most likely remain to this day on the devices of former correspondents is perhaps not something I fully considered in the heat of the moment.

The developers of Snapchat are adamant their app was not created for sexting however there is wide speculation in the media that this is what young adults use it for. Needless to say when I read about Snapchat and it’s self-destructing messages I thought it was genius. It seems Facebook did too as when they failed to purchase Snapchat, they developed and launched their own version of the app – Poke…Read More

$125 Gift Voucher When You Buy a Mac

Henry — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 02:54:23 +0000

If you are a University student or a teacher/staff member at a school, you can save money when buying Apple computers and even receive gift vouchers!

Its nearly that time of year again, where parents are running out of ideas to keep the kids busy and the kids are begging for all the latest gadgets and stationary for school. Well if your heading to uni or back to school as a teacher, head over to the Apple Store and check out the discounts that you can get. Read on to hear about the other discounts.Read More

NZ iPhone App Review Winner: Tooth Camp

Henry — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 19:55:35 +0000

Over the break I had a handful of local developers submit their iPhone app for review via a small competition.

After a few days of thinking and checking out all of the apps that were submitted, I have chosen ‘Tooth Camp’, a truly helpful and fun app for kiwis.

The app has been developed by Iain at Little Blue Monkey. The first thing I noticed on the website was that Tooth Camp has been “helping men last two minutes since 2010″, so I thought I’d better help out all you blokes out there . But don’t get me wrong, this app is definitely not just for males.

What Will Apple Give Us In 2013?

Henry — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 05:59:54 +0000

Welcome to the new year! I hope everyone has had or is still having an awesome break. The New Zealand weather has been up to its old tricks, up and down like a yoyo. Anyway, your not here for a weather update are you.

2012 was a pretty solid year for Apple in terms of bringing out new products, the iPad Mini was a bit of a change and as per usual most of the devices got an update. But what will 2013 bring us?Read More

5 Apps you need this Summer and why I love them

SarahK — Sun, 23 Dec 2012 06:10:32 +0000

If you’re lying in the sun wondering which app to download next, consider one of the below.

1. Spotify

Not all that long ago keeping my iPod updated with the latest music was a serious hassle – as soon as I found a decent free site to download music from (though it was slow as to download anything on the parent’s dial up connection) it was shut down.

Spotify allows me to stream whatever music I feel like listening to at the time through my iPhone. I initially signed up for the free 48 hour trial, then when that was over I received an email offering me an additional free month by entering my PayPal details.

This means that so far I have not had to deal with the constant ads friends have complained about, or had to pay $7.49 or $12.99 per month to avoid them.

I play the ‘Top 100 on Spotify’ playlist most of the time to keep up to date with the latest music, but also recommend the app as a way to listen to the latest album from Justin Bieber or One Direction without having to buy it or admit to your friends you’re a fan (unless everything you’re listening to is being posted to Facebook).

Want Your App Reviewed On iPhonewzealand?

Henry — Sat, 22 Dec 2012 00:40:42 +0000

Competition closed: If you want your app reviewed get in touch with me via Twitter

There is less than a week till Christmas and the new year is very close! To celebrate I thought I might give one lucky app owner/developer a special present. I am going review one locally made/owned app and post it up on here.

If you have an app, made an app or know a friend who owns an app get in touch!

To enter your app its simple, just post the link to your app as a comment on this post. Make sure you also mention any additional information about the app (names of owners, locations etc).

I will choose the winning app based on how helpful and or fun it is for New Zealanders, only locally owned/developed apps will be considered.

There is some awesome local apps and developers in New Zealand so lets celebrate them this Christmas!

Google Maps App Hits 10 Million Downloads In 48 Hours

Henry — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 00:45:02 +0000

The Google Maps app has just arrived onto the app store but it has quickly jumped to the number one ‘free’ app on the charts. This is on the back of gaining over 10 million downloads in the first 48 hours after it was released last week.

The Apple Maps app has surely been hidden away on the last page of the home screen for a lot of users. Maybe cutting Google Maps out of iOS 6 wasn’t such a great idea?

The Apple Maps developers will be working over time to bring their app back from the shadows, but in my view they have left it too late…

Edit And Upload Videos Via ‘Capture’ From YouTube

Henry — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 23:05:17 +0000

The photo editing app Instagram has a very strong hold as the most popular photo editing app but in terms of video editing, there is no stand out app. The latest from YouTube could be the one.

‘Capture’ from YouTube came out yesterday and it looks pretty clever.

The app allows you to simply and quickly record, edit your video and upload it to YouTube as well as share it across any of the popular social media outletsRead More

iPhone 5S to Launch Mid 2013 With New Features

Henry — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 19:12:55 +0000

It’s that time of year again, the period where everyone is trying to predict what Apple will do next. What will the new iPhone have? When will it be announced? If only we had the answers. The “S” version of the iPhone is often seen as only half of a step forward. If the rumours about the 5S are true, we’re in for a treat.

The iPhone 5 has now been on the market for a few months, the rumours about the next model are now starting to kick off. The iPhone 5S is rumoured to be announced midway through next year, the keynote will be June or July I’m guessing. The gap between the 5 and 5S will be a bit shorter than usual in order to increase their competitiveness.

Jefferies analyst Peter Misek has released a report with his predictions, according to Misek:

“likely updates include a new super HD camera/screen, a better battery, and NFC. Possible updates include an IGZO screen for Retina+, 128GB storage, and coming in 6 to 8 colors”.

The iRock, The Coolest iPad Accessory You’ll Ever See

Henry — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 08:46:50 +0000

If there is one thing that is almost as exciting as a new Apple device, it’s a new iPad or iPhone accessory. I have recently discovered something very different and very out of the ordinary. The market for this particular accessory is perhaps a lot smaller than the market of your standard iPhone case seller for example, but it is definitely worth a view.

I have been doing a bit of travel through New Zealand in the last couple of months, which has meant reading a lot of magazines on planes. Lately, my choice of mag has been New Zealand PC World and it was in here that I found the iPad accessory like no other.

Most iPhone and iPad accessories are just standard things that make the life of an Apple fan slightly easier or more enjoyable. This accessory however is completely new and original. Read on to see my new discovery…

All Blacks Dan and Ritchie feature in satirical Maps clip

SarahK — Sun, 09 Dec 2012 19:13:02 +0000

All Blacks Dan Carter and Ritchie McCaw feature as construction workers in a recent clip on satire news site The Onion about Apple improving the accuracy of their heavily criticised Maps by rearranging Earth’s geography including renaming streets and moving buildings and natural features to be consistent with the software.

The original image was taken on a visit to Eden Park during Prince William’s visit to New Zealand in January 2010. Prince William has had his face replaced however Dan and Ritchie must have been overlooked or deemed unrecognisable to the rest of the world without their All Blacks jerseys.

Instead of just fixing the app, The Onion’s false news article talks of dismantling the Brooklyn Bridge, moving Baltimore to the middle of the ocean and covering parts of Tokyo in a large green square.

Public transit directions will also no longer be necessary as there will be no public transit in this new world. Check out the clip below.

YouTube and Seek Are Now On iPad

Henry — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 08:16:15 +0000

The YouTube and Seek apps have now been optimized for iPad as well as iPhone.

I use both the Seek app and the YouTube app on my iPhone everyday. So to be finally able to use them on iPad is great.

YouTube was forced to create its own app after it was left out of iOS 6 but up until now it has only been for iPhone. I am not sure what took so long but it is finally here. There were a number of other wannabe YouTube for iPad apps that suddenly appeared after the launch of iOS 6, so it is good to have the real version back…Read More

Five uses for your iPhone which you haven’t thought of yet

SarahK — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 10:19:39 +0000

Disclaimer: No responsibility will be taken by the author or www.iphonewzealand.co.nz for damage caused to iPhones (or any other device) as a result following the advice given below.

Bottle Opener

Granted your phone will not thank you for this and the damage will start to show (see image below) but the top corner of your phone is excellent for leveraging the top off a bottle of beer or cider when there is no bottle opener or barman in sight.

Hammer

Whether you need to nail a picture hook, a garden stake or put a piece of furniture together who actually owns a hammer anymore? Even better your iPhone is an adaptable tool – use either the side or back of the phone as appropriate depending on the size of the object you’re using it on.

Make-up ‘mirror’

More a suggestion for the girls – flip your camera so you can see your image in your phone and apply make-up. When you’re finished take a selfie and confirm you’ve done an adequate job.

The above is also an appropriate method of discovering whether there is anything stuck in your teeth.

Secret hiding place for receipts/paper money/ notes you don’t want your partner/mother/flatmate to see

This only applies if you have a case on your phone, but it’s amazing the variety of documents you can slip between the case and the phone. The only problem is remembering you put them there….

Implement for writing in the sand

Lack of sticks on the beach you want to inscribe something in? Just be aware that sand will get EVERYWHERE.

Hello iTunes 11

Henry — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 09:01:57 +0000

I’ve been very busy over the last week and it looks like Apple has been to, iTunes 11 skipped under my nose but I am now up to date. iTunes 11 has a new look and some interesting new features. But to be honest, its nothing to write home about.

It is a month since it was supposed to be on our screens, Apple needed some more time to complete the final stages but the wait is over!

Read on to see some of the changes…Read More

TVNZ To Bring Out An OnDemand App For iPhone and iPad

Henry — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 08:42:19 +0000

The TVNZ OnDemand online service has been around for a few years and it has been great. TVNZ is now looking to move with the times and create an OnDemand app for iPhone and other smartphones.

Yes, there already is a TVNZ app but it is centered around One News and includes the television schedules. This app however is a completely different story, the OnDemand app will allow you to stream TVNZ content from your iPhone or iPad.

TVNZ believes that almost 50% of the population has a smart phone (wow!), but being able to stream television on a smart phone will be a big step.

To make it all happen, TVNZ has partnered up with Brightcove, a company which currently delivers the online TVNZ OnDemand content.

See The True Signal Strength On Your iPhone With ‘Field Test Mode’

Henry — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 10:19:15 +0000

I was reading a post on osxDaily today and they were talking about how you can easily switch your iPhone into ‘field test mode’ to see the true strength of your signal. You can see this in the picture above.

It’s a little bit pointless but its quite interesting to see the actual readings and understand how it all works. Read on to see how you can do it.

14 Mega-Pixel iPhone Camera From Will.i.am

Henry — Sat, 24 Nov 2012 07:06:46 +0000

The camera on the iPhone is already pretty awesome but here is something that could make it even better!

Will.i.am is claiming that he is bringing out a clip-on gadget for the iPhone which will bring the camera up to around 14 mega pixels.

Seems a little crazy doesn’t it, but how good would that be! I’ve got no idea how this is going to work but I am certainly interested.

There are no images of the device so far, but according to the LA Times he has said that he will be announcing it on…

Apple Store Sale! One Day Only!

Henry — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 08:01:59 +0000

Want a new Apple iPhone, iPod or iPad but cant afford it? The Apple online store is having a sale!

Starting tomorrow (Friday) at 4:01 am New Zealand time, the store will have all sorts of discounts across all product lines.

This annual sale happens the day after ‘Thanksgiving’ (Black Friday) and many people take this opportunity to purchase new devices. Apple very rarely lowers the prices of their products, so I recommend getting in on the bargains…Read More

The Google Maps App Is Nearly Here

Henry — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 10:47:35 +0000

The Apple maps app has been under constant heat since its introduction last month. For those of you who are waiting for Google to bring out a rival app, your wait is nearly over!

Since iOS 6 a number of New Zealand locations have ended up in the wrong place, for example the Dunedin airport was in the center of town and Britomart was in the ocean for a while…Read More

Get Into Movember With The iPhone, iPad and iPod App

Henry — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 23:28:56 +0000

Its that time of year again, Movember, and there is an app for your iPhone, iPod or iPad to help you out. I am sure most of you know what it is but for the few that don’t, it is a campaign to grow awareness for mens health. To raise awareness and funds for the campaign, men are encouraged to grow their mustache (mo) for the month of November.

We are about mid way through the month of November. This is when the true Movemberians appear out of the woodwork…Read More

Reason #1 Why I love My iPhone

Henry — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 23:05:13 +0000

The iPhone has an endless number of wicked features and sources of excitement. Everyone has their favourite feature and I am no exception. The thing that gives me the most exhilaration is perhaps something that you haven’t even thought about…

Apple Releases New iPad Mini Ads

Henry — Sun, 11 Nov 2012 22:54:16 +0000

When Apple brings out a new product there is usually a series of creative TV ads which follow, the iPad Mini has followed the same strategy. Apple has just aired two more ads called ‘photos’ and ‘books’. To see the two new ads click on read more.Read More

The 2nd iPad Mini Is Already In The Pipeline

Henry — Sun, 11 Nov 2012 08:55:33 +0000

The iPad Mini has been in the New Zealand market for 5 minutes and there is already talk about the next Mini model. The Mini has been selling well in our stores but there have been mixed reviews surrounding it.

The screen resolution on the Mini is the most talked about point, and there is no doubt that this will be the first on Apples list of things to improve for the next model…Read More

Is My iPad 2 Cool Anymore?

Henry — Sat, 10 Nov 2012 12:06:17 +0000

After the announcement of the fourth generation iPad and the iPad Mini I felt a little sad. I gather that this is a common feeling among iPad users. My iPad 2 constantly being superseded. The gap between the old and the new is becoming smaller every time.

There was a time when I could feel as though I had the best tablet on the market but I no longer can…Read More

8tracks, The iPhone App For Summer

Henry — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 00:47:10 +0000

Is anyone up for some good tunes? I am currently driving from Dunedin to Auckland (hence the lack of posts on my behalf) and there is one App which is making life a lot more enjoyable. On a massive drive like this, one would assume that I would say the maps app would be the most helpful. The new Maps is really not up to it (don’t even get me started). The app that is getting me through this journey is in fact ’8tracks’. Not only is this app great for a long drive…Read More

White iPhones Are Girly, Black iPhones Are Manly. Take The Poll

Henry — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 20:44:17 +0000

When buying an iPhone, an important decision that you have to make is ‘which colour to get’. Its pretty simple, black or white. How much thought did you put into it?

Is there a perception that the black iPhone is for males and white is for females?

You might believe that you picked your colour because you liked it better, but did your gender influence your decision?

Read on and take the poll to find out.Read More

Steve Jobs’ Super-Yacht Launched

Henry — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 10:00:09 +0000

Just a few days after the one year anniversary of Steve Jobs’ passing, a giant yacht which Steve commissioned has been finished. The yacht was built by Dutch boat building company Feadship and it has some very unique Apple features.

Read on to see more pictures and a video.Read More

iTunes 11 Delayed By Up To a Month

Henry — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 21:26:16 +0000

The new iTunes 11 from Apple was expected to be available by the end of October, but here we are on the last day of the month and there is no sign of it.

When speaking to CNET, Tom Neumayr, who is an Apple spokesperson said the following:

“The new iTunes is taking longer than expected and we wanted to take a little extra time to get it right, we look forward to releasing this new version of iTunes with its dramatically simpler and cleaner interface, and seamless integration with iCloud before the end of November”.

Apple is usually pretty organised when it comes to the release of new products so this feels a little weird. Some of the recent events might help explain the delay.

Recently Apple has been in the news about their executive reshuffle. This included the announcement that the Senior Vice President of iOS software Scott Forstall will be leaving Apple. Forstall is a man which you may have seen in some of the iPhone and iPad videos and was once believed to be in the running to be CEO after Steve Jobs.

There have been a number of other changes within the structure of the Apple organisation announced over the last few days, maybe this has something to do with the iTunes delay.

I am sure the delay of iTunes will not be a significant problem for most users, but the fact that they said it would be here by the end of the month is a little frustrating. A lot of people were also expecting it to be involved in the recent keynote presentation.

The new iTunes will have a number of new features including increased iCloud integration and a brand new mini player.

All of the features can be seen on the Apple website, or you can see the preview and demo video from the September presentation if you click ‘read more’ below.

These sort of delays are not very fun for anyone, so hang tight and hopefully the new iTunes will be here before you know it.

iPhone 5 Now Available On Pre Pay With Telecom NZ

Paul — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 21:28:39 +0000

Go. Go. Go. If you have been waiting for pre paid iPhone 5 availability before pulling the trigger Telecom NZ now have you covered. The iPhone 5 is now available on pre pay. To be clear that’s full pre pay buy outright no strings attached not to be confused with open term where by you need to take out a contract and then cancel it straight away. The price is the Apple RRP of $1029 for the 16gb models increasing as you go up in size. Currently all sizes and colors are available. They are available online and at selected stores only. We don’t have a list of stores but we think you can assume the larger retail stores only will have these initially. They can be ordered online here

If you have recently ordered one of these from Apple online and are in the middle of a 4 week wait you can cancel your Apple online order and pick up one of these at no extra cost.

Is this what you have been waiting for? What size and color will you be getting? Let us know in the comments.

iBooks Now Live in New Zealand

Henry — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 23:43:16 +0000

For many kiwis, not having full access to iBooks has been very frustrating. Well the wait is over, just 24 hours before the announcement yesterday, paid iBooks content became available in New Zealand and 17 other countries.

This was perfect timing, just before Apple announced the iPad Mini.

The major selling point of the Mini is its appeal to the e-reader market, so if 18 countries couldn’t purchase from iBooks it probably wouldn’t have gone down so well.
iBooks on iPad and iPhone looks very attractive, there is even a ‘home grown’ section which displays all our local best sellers.I have heard from a handful of people who were getting pretty annoyed that we couldn’t purchase through iBooks, copyright issues is an excuse which has been very popular.

I have noticed that ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ is at the top of the ‘paid’ books list, so for those of you who are embarrassed to purchase it in person you can buy it secretly, away from judging eyes.

Apple announced an update to the iBooks app during the announcement yesterday. iBooks 3 has a number of changes, including the ability to scroll continuously through a book rather than flicking across pages. This change moves the eBook even further from the real thing.

There is currently over 1 million books available through iBooks so the next time your kids say “there’s nothing to do” you can reply with “I can think of over a million things you could do on the iPad”.

iBooks 3 also has an increased integration with iCloud, you can pick up where you left off on any of your iOS devices and share your favorite lines via email, Twitter or Facebook.

40 languages are supported by iBooks 3, this would be very handy if your learning a new language or you just feel like mixing it up for a few pages.

iBooks 3 and the iPad Mini are a match made in heaven really, the Mini is obviously targeted towards the e-reader fan and the sleek design and presentation of iBooks makes it irresistible. The question is though, will it be better than the likes of Kindle?

From one Apple fan to another, I hope the wait to purchase books through iBooks hasn’t been too stressful for you. If you’ve been using other eBook stores, you can come back now, its OK

Apple Reveals iPad Mini, iPad 4, iMac and More

Henry — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 19:26:31 +0000

The Apple keynote presentation was early this morning and the results are very exciting. Apple discussed the new iPad Mini, the new iMac, a new full size iPad and a lot more updates. I have been typing as fast as I can to get you the details.

Read on for all the details and pictures of the products. Read More

© Henry for iPhonewzealand, 24/10/2012.
10 comments
Post tags: announcement, Apple, iMac, iPad, iPad 4, iPad Mini, launch, Mac mini, Retina Display
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What to Expect at the October 23 Apple Announcement

Henry — Sat, 20 Oct 2012 03:25:40 +0000

Just as we are unwinding after the iPhone 5 announcement last month and playing with our new toys, we have another big event to look forward to. On October 24th at 6am New Zealand time, Apple will be having another keynote presentation.

The iPad Mini is widely rumoured to be the major product announced but there is more! New Versions of the iMac, Mac Mini and the 13inch retina display MacBook are also rumoured to feature at the keynote.

Read on to see the details.

© Henry for iPhonewzealand, 20/10/2012.
5 comments
Post tags: announcement, Apple, iMac, iPad, iPad Mini, launch, Mac mini, MacBook, Retina Display
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iPhone 5: The True User Experience

Ben — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 10:58:57 +0000

Firstly, I’d just like to say:
I’M BACK.
Not that it really has any impact on any of you, but I just thought I’d let you know. I’ve just been busy with exams, moving house, planning vacations (you know, the important stuff…), and yes, I know it’s not really an excuse, but I’m gonna use it as one anyway.

So, what I wanted to discuss today was the experience that people are having with their iPhone 5s so far. Please leave comments at the end of this, talking about how you’ve found your new iDevice to handle through it’s initial release period. I’m not just talking about iOS 6 here, I’m talking about the hardware, too, such as the screen resolution, and the ‘noticeable’ speed improvements on the processor.

If you want to see what I’ve found, read more.

© Ben2012 for iPhonewzealand, 18/10/2012.
7 comments
Post tags: cellular, data, iPad, iPhone, iPhone 5, iPod, issues, scratches, wifi
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Apple iPad Mini Media Event All but Confirmed

Henry — Fri, 12 Oct 2012 20:45:19 +0000

Apples iPad Mini has snuck under the radar following the iPhone 5 release last month. Well it has popped up again and this time it is in the form of a media event announcement.

When rumours of the Mini first started earlier this year many people thought it would never happen. Why make a smaller iPad?

Well it seems that the Mini is in fact real and sources all over the world are confirming a date for the media event.

Carry on reading if your a Mini fan like me and want to know when the event is…Read More

Control Your GoPro Camera Via Your iOS Device

Henry — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 10:11:51 +0000

GoPro has been the coolest camera around for capturing your outdoor activities for a while now. It just got cooler, you can now operate your GoPro via your iPhone, iPad or iPod.

Just when you were thinking that GoPro couldn’t get any cooler, they brought out an app!

The core idea behind the GoPro camera is that it can take great footage wherever and whenever, this app reinforces this idea.

So to get this app to work you need to have the WiFi BacPac accessory which links your camera to the app, and away you go. The app is free and it gives you free control over your camera.

The app allows you to change any of the settings on your GoPro camera and it doubles as a view finder/preview, which is awesome for lining up those perfect pics.

Another cool thing about the app is that it gives you access to the photo of the day and the video of the day catalogs. So if your out and need some inspiration for your picture or video, its right there.

The only down side with this app is that it will not work with the original Hero HD GoPro, you need the Hero2 camera.

For you GoPro users this app will be a great accessory, capturing that perfect shot just became a lot easier and so much more fun.

Check out the app here on itunes