A seven inch touch screen, WiFi, USB 2.0, 1080p video, that uses less than 400 mega amps. The new Android 4.0 tablet for $100 is on its way!

The iPad is awesome. It remains the leader in it’s market for several reasons not the least of which is its price. Unlike Apple desktops of yesteryear, the iPad has kept its price down to a competitive level to keep its lead over similar products. This is about to change.

Amazon’s Kindle Fire is the new kid on the block as of this writing and it is doing quite well with its $199.99 (yeah, I know, just call it 200 for crying out load) price tag. The iPad 2 with IOS 5 is ripping it up with awesome new features though many believe its features are redundant. However, in a few months the new, new kid on the block will out price all of these.

The Android 4.0 Tabled (affectionately named Ice Cream Sandwich) is already for sale in China and is on its way to the United States. With a retail price of $100 I can only imagine what the tablet market scenario will be like once it is available here.

Personally, I have steered clear of the tablet devices because I use a laptop. A tablet seems pretty cool but for $500 why would I need it when my laptop does everything a tablet does AND it has a “real” keyboard.

Granted, I have coveted tablet users a couple of times. They are very sleek. But I wonder about how fragile the screen is and what would happen if I bumped it into a door knob or something (which I’ve done with my laptop), or if my 10 year old got a hold of it… “can this fly like a frisbee”.

However, a hundred dollars is not a big price tag and I will no doubt seriously reconsider my position on the tablet computer once it becomes available. My trusty laptop is getting old and I do need something portable.

My guess is that I am not alone in my opinions and when computer tablets become more affordable there will be drove of like minded folks. Then there are those who own an iPad 1 and have been toying with the idea of an upgrade but have let the price sway their decision.

I own Macs and PCs and do not participate in arguments on which is best, they both have their pluses and minuses. I do not own any Android products though I did buy an Android based phone for my daughter and it is quite nice. Google has some of the best talent money can buy so my bet is that the Android 4.0 tablet will stir the market in a big way. It will be interesting for sure.

Android 4.0 Tablet – the $100 Ice Cream Sandwich brought to you by Computer Isle

There are many Ipad users who are getting frustrated with the available Ipad stands in the market today. The Smart cover from Apple itself is great because it can be used as a stand but the only problem is, there’s not much protection for the back of the Ipad if you’re using it. Most of the Ipad cases and covers with stands right now will not allow you to type using the virtual keyboard of the Ipad without risking your Ipad of falling over. One of the most common complaints with the existing Ipad stands today is that they don’t offer many screen angles.

Prop n Go Hybrid iPad Stand & Kindle to the rescue

The Prop n Go hybrid iPad stand definitely solves a lot of Ipad owners’ frustrations. One of its greatest strengths is the adjustable screen angle feature that is superbly stable. You can type as fast or as hard as you want using the virtual keyword and the Ipad stand won’t even move, that’s what’s great about this Ipad stand. It’s been designed in such a way that it won’t collapse no matter how hard you push it, which is always not the case with other Ipad stands. It even has a pocket on its side where you can put some of your Ipad acessories. I really believe that this is one of the best Ipad accessories to ever hit the market. You can have this amazing accessory and enjoy all its benefits for only $49.95.

The Drawbacks?

Well, like any other Ipad accessories, the Prop n Go hybrid iPad stand has some minor drawbacks. I think that the case is very thick, they could’ve made it a bit slimmer.  But seriously it’s not going to stop me from buying one because it’s great for travel protection and simply because of the fact that it doesn’t move that much unlike most of the Ipad stands out there.

Prop n Go Hybrid iPad Stand brought to you by Computer Isle

The iPad 2 is out. Duh! I’ve been receiving emails from Apple for a month now announcing its arrival and building the hype machine. I don’t have an iPad nor do I really want one however I will admit they are cool. My ten year-old daughter wants one REALLY bad but when I ask her why the response is the ever familiar “I dunno, they’re cool”. Yes, the hype machine is working well.

Personally I have no need for something that tries to look like a small laptop but offers a minimal tool set. It seems to me like it is just a gigantic iPhone… without the phone. It doesn’t even have a word processing app. You can view movies while on the go… but why on earth would I want to do that?

Even if I were not a web designer who uses applications like Photoshop and Dreamweaver and all I did was surf the Internet and send emails, typing is just too awkward on the touch screen. You have to hit a toggle key in order to type numbers which I find particularly annoying however there is a very convenient .com key which saves me from having to type three characters and .005 seconds of my time.

So the iPod 2 is very sleek, easy to carry around and kind of cool but the tasks that it seems to be optimized for just aren’t things I would do in places where something portable is necessary.

I get giant T.V. screens and monitors, I get the convenience of small handheld devices for email, texting and phone usage, I get netbooks, which are easily portable and have almost as much functionality as a desktop computer. I don’t get this middle child the iPad and wonder where it would stand without the power of the hype machine plunging it into the market and our faces.

iPad2 Hype and the Middle Child Syndrome brought to you by Computer Isle

Users of the Apple iPad need the best ipad stand available.  This wonder of technology is full of applications and functionality for everyone from graphic designers to lawyers, to stay-at-home parents.  The question is what is the best ipad stand?  The answer depends on what you need it for.

A stand for this technology can be a simple affair designed to do nothing more than hold it up in horizontal or portrait positions.  If this is the device one uses to store and edit pictures, it may also hold the favorite ‘framed’ photo.  In that case a simple holder would do.

Simple in many cases means a wooden book stand, or even a business card holder.  A card holder of the kind found on receptionists or executives desks will provide a stable place to set the ipad for viewing.  Other options are plexiglass sign stands or foldable wire picture frame holders.  The last choice is very inexpensive, and the rubber coated metal grips the surface, while the ability to fold it means adjustable viewing angles.

For many, simple unconnected iPad stands defeat the purpose of having the latest technology in the first place.  Because it will do so much, it can replace a laptop or desktop computer for many of the tasks traditionally performed there.  For this type of functionality, users want a docking station which accommodates a keyboard connection as well as charges the iPad.

These may be the best iPad stands as they are constructed of solid aluminum, whether from Apple or an aftermarket manufacturer, and are made to remain stationary, with rubber grips on the bottom.  To protect the underside of this unit, silicone or another material is used to cushion it in the cradle. If you’re not the aluminum type try and get an iPad leather case, it will last as long as a metal one and will look classy.

Sooner or later, owners of these units will need to choose stands for ipad viewing or to keep it steady while working.  Choosing the right accessory will keep it safe from harm and convenient to use.

What Makes the Best iPad Stand? brought to you by Computer Isle

iPad

The iPad is the newest brainchild of the crew at Apple. The creators of the iPod and iPhone have now brought the world a new way to experience the web, use email to share photos and videos, and be productive on the go. Apple’s touchscreen technology has been taken to a new level with the iPad, which like the iPod and iPhone operates completely via the touchscreen, having no external keyboards or buttons. Apple’s multi-touch technology allows users to move between screens with the flick of a finger and zoom in and out with a pinch of their fingers. The iPad is like an iPhone on steroids with a 9.7 inch (diagonal) LED backlit screen and 16GB, 32GB, or 64GB hard drives. The Apple iPad retails for $499, a small price to pay to have the world at your fingertips while on the go.

The iPad, though not a cell phone, could be the most versatile mobile productivity device available. The basic iPad comes with WiFi connectivity while another model has WiFi and 3G connectivity. The iPad allows users to surf the web with a flick of their finger and view web pages as they were meant to be seen, one page at a time. With bright colors and sharp text the iPad displays web pages crisply whether in portrait or landscape orientation. The iPad doesn’t just deliver the web to users’ fingertips; it provides almost unmatched video, picture, email, and music capabilities. In addition to a large LED screen, the iPad brings mobile productivity to users with an unparalleled 10 hour battery life. There will also be an army of iPad accessories available for purchase such as iPad bags and cases, just like the iPhone and iPod.

Most importantly, the Apple iPad has access to Apple’s app store allowing users to download new apps or sync their iPad to their Mac or PC to access previously downloaded apps. The iPad can access over 140,000 apps already and Apple developers are working to create even more apps designed specifically for this amazing device. Through the app store users can download and use iPod, iTunes, and iBooks on their iPad. Now users can read and buy books via iBooks or browse movies, music, and TV shows via iPod and iTunes. The iPad also reinvents the use of iWork. Mac users familiar with Keynote, Pages, and Numbers will find their favorite productivity apps reinvented specifically for the iPad. By downloading iWork ’09 users can download and view Microsoft Office documents and files in PDF format.

Apple iPad: Life at Your Fingertips brought to you by Computer Isle

Apple took the world by storm when they introduced the iPhone a few years ago.  This electronic wonder changed the way the world would look at cell phones forever.  With this one simple device, cell phones went from simply being utilitarian tools to make phone calls to interactive multi use entertainment devices.  Besides the fact that the software on the iPhone is so revolutionary and different than any other phone to date, they implemented a multi touch touch screen.  The mere act of navigating between menus on the phone instantly became fun.

A couple of weeks ago,  Apple announced the arrival of their latest electronic wonder.  The Apple iPad.  The iPad is a device somewhere between a iPod touch and a notebook computer.  It would be most accurately classified as a tablet computer.  If you were to take the screen off of your laptop computer and completely separate from the keyboard, this is what the new iPad looks like.   It’s thin and sexy looking.  The ipad can do things that regular computers do but it can do things that regular computers can’t do as well.

With the ipad, you can surf the Internet.  You can listen to your music selection. You can watch movies.  You can view photographs.  You can play games and much, much more.  Like the iphone, the iPad comes equipped with multi touch touch screen technology. This means that you can touch the screen in more than one place at any given time and the computer will recognize both touched input locations. This is especially handy in viewing and editing photographs.

You can’t rush down to the iPod store and purchase and iPad just get. True to form for Apple, they have announced it way before they’re ready to release it.  As a matter of fact, they couldn’t release it to the general public now even if they wanted to since the FCC hasn’t given them approval for this wireless device yet. There’s no doubt that the approval will come that when that will be is a question yet to be answered.

Opinions are mixed over whether or not people plan to purchase this new iPad. Many say that it won’t live up to its expectations.  Others claim that it will change the way we interact with computers forever making touch screen laptops a part of the mainstream.

Introducing the All New Apple iPad brought to you by Computer Isle