Kindle

Kindle - There is no better way to read e-books than on the stunningly simple Kindle app.

(Via Wired Top Stories.)

A few of our favorite things: iPhone camera accessories

A few of our favorite things: iPhone camera accessories -

This holiday season, we’ll be running a series of weekly features called “A few of our favorite things,” where we round up some gift suggestions based on the gear that has passed through our offices either for review purposes or through personal purchases. We’ll tell you what we think is the best gear out there, for a variety of product categories and budgets.

For our second edition of the series (which is a bit late thanks to last week’s U.S. Thanksgiving holiday), we’ll be looking at gear and software to make your iPhone the best camera it can be. Apple already helped out quite a bit by improving camera-related hardware with the iPhone 4S, and software with iOS 5, but these add-ons will definitely up your game.

Best iPhone tripod mount: The Glif. iPhone photography is a challenge at night, and if you want to snap shots of yourself that don’t look like Myspace profile pics, it can be tricky. The Glif is an elegant solution to this problem that has no moving parts, works exactly as advertised, and takes up virtually no space in your kit bag. Plus, Studio Neat, which created the Glif, now also offers two accessories that make your Glif keychain-compatible, and also keep a tighter grip on the iPhone should you be using the device in acrobatic circumstances. If you’ve got an iPhone 4 or 4S, the $20 Glif or $30 combo pack including all its accessories is a great deal.

Best iPhone camera app: Camera+. This app manages to keep upping its game, staying ahead of the redundancy Apple’s improvements to its own software have inflicted upon other third-party software. Camera+ consistently adds new filters and features, and its ability to stabilize shots and use the iPhone 4 and 4S LED flash as a fill light are amazingly useful. Camera+ is $0.99 on sale in the App Store now.

Best remote monitor solution: Camera for iPad. This is an old app designed for use with the iPad before the iPad 2 gained a camera of its own, and lets you remotely control an iPhone’s camera from your device. It’s still really useful if you’re trying to take studio shots with the iPhone however, since you can use it as a remote viewfinder while doing self-portraits or adjusting lighting, for instance. $0.99 in the App Store.

Most anticipated accessory: Belkin LiveAction remote. Belkin has a series of accessories coming out under the LiveAction brand, but the remote shutter control is easily the best. It works over Bluetooth and will let you snap photos from a distance, meaning less camera shake, and easier shots with you in them. It also lets you switch from photo to video mode with a dedicated on-device button. Coming in mid-December, for $49.99.

Best add-on for DSLR video/photographers: iPhone Hot Shoe Holder. If you don’t take photos that often with your iPhone, but you do use your DSLR for snapping pics and shooting video, this iPhone hot shoe adapter can be a welcome companion. Like the Glif, it’s a simple, one-piece design that hugs your iPhone and lets it slide in the hot shoe on top of your camera used for flashes and other accessories. You can then use it to display teleprompter text when shooting video, or use it in tandem with a light meter app. It’s $25 for one in either black or clear plastic.

(Via TheAppleBlog.)

Apple says it dumped Carrier IQ software in iOS 5

Apple says it dumped Carrier IQ software in iOS 5 -

Apple admitted on Thursday that it has used and supported in the past the CarrierIQ software that has the mobile tech world up in arms for its ability to track information on users’ smartphones. Apple says the software is opt-in only for its customers and it hasn’t used it for tracking keystrokes or messages. The company says it stopped supporting this software “in most” of its products with the latest version of its iOS mobile operating system. Now, after complaints regarding the level of detail the software can record about a user — and questions being asked by U.S. lawmakers — Apple says it will remove the software from all of its mobile devices through a software update.

(Via TheAppleBlog.)

How to Prepare for Lost Devices

How to Prepare for Lost Devices -

When disaster strikes, you need all the help you can get

As important as it is to back up your data, software is only half the story when it comes to digital disasters. Hardware can go bad, or even get stolen, and there’s no way to keep a backup of a shiny new MacBook Pro. Or is there?

All new or refurbished Macs, iPhones, iPods, and iPads come with 90 days of free technical support and a one-year warranty, but an AppleCare plan extends that to three years for Macs and two years for iOS devices. Plans range from $59 to $249, and the out-of-warranty cost of a single repair can make that investment worthwhile overnight. But don’t feel rushed to decide if AppleCare is right for you. Your device is eligible for the service until the end of its original warranty.

(Via Mac|Life all.)

Macworld Buying Guide: External desktop hard drives

Macworld Buying Guide: External desktop hard drives - Mac's hard drive near capacity? Time to add more storage. Here's our guide to help you buy a new external desktop hard drive.

(Via Macworld.)

Rolling Stone offers Beatles Album Guide as iOS app

Rolling Stone offers Beatles Album Guide as iOS app - The editors of Rolling Stone magazine have created an app that offers a critical and visual guide to The Beatles. The Beatles Ultimate Album-by-Album Guide goes through all 13 official classic albums and includes audio samples of each song, along with both classic and rarely-seen photos. Vital statistics and trivia facts along with behind-the-scenes stories and celebrity appreciations round out the app, which sells for $10 ...

(Via MacNN | The Macintosh News Network.)

Kindle Fire already headed for No. 2 in the tablet biz

Kindle Fire already headed for No. 2 in the tablet biz - Research firm IHS iSuppli is already making the call after only two weeks on the market. The low-cost tablet will have surpassed rivals and come in behind the iPad.

(Via CNET News.com.)