Ilounge 2010 Buyers' Guide
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©2012 SwitchEasy Limited, All Rights Reserved. U.S. and International Patents pending. iPhone5 is registered trademarks of Apple Computer Inc. 2013 Welcome to the Guide. IPHONE + IPOD BUYERS’ GUIDE After a slow and uneven 2011, Apple roared back in 2012, launching a wide array of significantly redesigned devices. The iPod, iPhone, and iPad families all saw major screen revisions, including two taller iPods, one elongated iPhone, and a quadrupled-resolution iPad. Then, just before the holidays, Apple debuted the 7.9” iPad mini, and replaced the 9.7” iPad again - just because it could. Going into 2013, the lineup looks almost completely different than it did a year earlier, except for three iPods that have been left largely untouched. If you’re reading this Guide, you’re probably looking for buying advice, and that’s why we’re here - to give you an impartial and honest look at the world of Apple devices, accessories, apps, and games. Following our tradition, iLounge’s editors have spent the past year testing hundreds of new products, selecting the best and most noteworthy ones for our new 2013 iPhone + iPod Buyers Guide. Independently assembled, our Guide is a sight to behold. We hope you enjoy it. The 2013 iPhone + iPod Buyers’ Guide is published by iLounge, Inc. and is Copyright © 2004-2012. All rights reserved. No part of this guide may be reproduced, sold, rented, or transmitted in any form, or by any means whatsoever, without the prior written consent of the publisher. Unauthorized sale of this guide is prohibited, and by accessing this guide, you agree not to violate these restrictions. iLounge, Inc. and its publications have no affiliation with Apple Inc. or any vendor of accessories or software. iPod, iTunes, iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, and the logo are the registered trademarks of Apple, without rights claimed thereto. All other names and marks herein are the property of their respective owners. 3 Get Floored Your new mobile rig. Stage ready. Now take your favorite mobile guitar & bass apps (like AmpliTube®, AmpliTube Fender® and AmpliTube SLASH™) to the stage with iRig STOMP - the new mobile guitar/bass interface for iPhone®/iPod touch® and iPad®. Use the iRig STOMP solo or inline with your favorite pedals - either way playing live with your favorite apps has never been easier. Connect iRig STOMP directly to your amplifier, or run a stereo pair out to your PA system. iRig STOMP - Step up to the next generation of mobile music making. www.irigstomp.com Download AmpliTube FREE, AmpliTube Fender FREE, for iPhone, iPod touch, iPad. iRig STOMP is a trademark of IK Multimedia Srl. iPad, iPhone and iPod touch are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc. FENDER™ and all FENDER amplifiers, logos, and trade dress are the trademarks of FMIC and used herein under license. All rights reserved. irig_stomp_adv_v1_FULL_iLoungeUS_BuyGuide_2012November.indd 1 15/10/12 19.38 2013 Table of Contents IPHONE + IPOD BUYERS’ Get Floored GUIDE Your new mobile rig. 06 From Our Editor 07 iPhone, iPod + iTunes News Stage ready. The iPhone + iPod Buyers’ Guide 08 Apple has just finished refreshing the iPhone and iPod families; everything you need to know is here. 42 Comparing Apple’s iPhone + iPod Cameras 46 Buying + Selling iPods, iPhones + Apple TVs ® 62 The iPhone + iPod Accessory Guide Now take your favorite mobile guitar & bass apps (like AmpliTube , New Lightning connectors have changed the Apple AmpliTube Fender® and AmpliTube SLASH™) to the stage with iRig accessory scene; here are new add-ons worth seeing. STOMP - the new mobile guitar/bass interface for iPhone®/iPod touch® and iPad®. Use the iRig STOMP solo or inline with your favorite pedals - either way playing live with your favorite apps has never been easier. Connect iRig STOMP directly to your amplifier, or run a stereo pair out to your PA system. iRig STOMP - Step up to the next generation of mobile 110 Shop For Digital Content: Music, Videos, music making. www.irigstomp.com Books + Apps 112 2012’s Top 100 iPhone + iPod Apps + Games 136 iLounge’s 2012 Best of the Year Awards + Readers’ Choice Awards 144 iHistory 2001-2012: iPod, iPhone, iPad + iTunes Download AmpliTube FREE, 172 The iGlossary AmpliTube Fender FREE, for iPhone, iPod touch, iPad. Is the technical jargon behind Apple products becoming confusing? We sort it all out right here. The iLounge Pavilion @ 2013 CES Over 450 companies will show new Apple products 190 at the world’s largest tech trade show in January 2013. 200 What’s New in Mac New Macs and cool gear from Mac.iLounge.com. 202 What’s New in iPad See the iPad mini, 4th-Gen iPad, and new accessories. 205 iPad/iPhone/iPod Around the World Galleries 206 Index to Advertisers Note: All ads in this Buyers’ Guide are clickable. 207 Closing the Curtain iRig STOMP is a trademark of IK Multimedia Srl. iPad, iPhone and iPod touch are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc. FENDER™ and all FENDER amplifiers, logos, and trade dress are the trademarks of FMIC and used herein under license. All rights reserved. 5 irig_stomp_adv_v1_FULL_iLoungeUS_BuyGuide_2012November.indd 1 15/10/12 19.38 FROM OUR EDITOR 2013 BUYERS’ GUIDE A long-time Apple fan, Dennis Last year in this space, we lamented Lloyd (Twitter: @iLounge) was a the decline of the iPod - a product graphic designer and DJ before line that rejuvenated Apple, only to creating iLounge, which remains stagnate as iPhones and iPads became the world’s most popular the company’s top priorities. One year resource dedicated to iPods, later, Apple has released two new Dennis Lloyd iPhones, iPads, and iTunes. iPods - an improved nano, and a taller, Publisher Dennis lives in Irvine, CA with faster iPod touch - but the family is as his wife and daughter. confused as it’s been in years: Apple expects customers to spend almost Author and journalist Jeremy as much for a limited $149 iPod nano Horwitz (Twitter: @horwitz) as the old $199 iPod touch, and nearly has edited iLounge and its the same for the new $299 touch as publications since 2004, when he a $329 iPad mini. It’s no wonder that pressed pause on his intellectual traditional iPod sales have fallen; property law practice to focus on Apple’s other products make more Jeremy Horwitz Apple products, accessories, and sense, even at modestly higher prices. Editor-in-Chief software. He lives with his wife, two daughters, and a museum of Or do they? Despite the ubiquity of iPod, iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV cell phones and growing popularity products in East Amherst, NY. of tablets, there’s still a huge market for standalone pocket-sized Nick Guy (@thenickguy) is iLounge’s media players - particularly gaming Accessories Editor. With years of iPod, devices. Nintendo’s Game Boy and iPhone, iPad, and Mac experience, DS portables have been thriving for he worked for Apple before joining decades, collectively selling several iLounge. He lives in Buffalo, New York. hundred million units. Apple knows this, but hasn’t really cared to make Jesse David Hollington (@jhollington) cutting-edge devices just for gamers. is iLounge’s Applications and Social Instead, it produces new iPod touches Media Editor, responsible for Ask that are steps behind the iPhone, iLounge, all things iTunes, and the markets them as “fun,” and hopes Apple TV. He lives with his wife and that $5 games will entice purchases. daughter in Toronto, Canada. It’s a strategy, but is it working? Phil Dzikiy (@phildzikiy) is iLounge’s The new iPods are so recent that the News Editor. Switching off between a dust hasn’t settled, but we suspect 13” MacBook Air, iPad 2, and iPhone their decline will continue, as the 4, Phil lives in Williamsville, New York iPhone and iPad enjoy a strong holiday with his wife and son. season. Perhaps that’s not a bad thing, but with a proper iPod strategy Bob Levens is iLounge’s Chief Forum in place - uniquely capable devices at Administrator. Married and based more compelling prices - Apple could outside of Cambridge, U.K., he enjoys have even greater success (and better music, travel, photography, computers products) in the next year. and historic aviation, and is wrestling with moving on from Apple products. 6 2013 BUYERS’ GUIDE IPHONE, IPOD + ITUNES NEWS Clockwise from bottom left: A September event saw two new iPods join two older models - and the classic - in an expanded family, while Scott Forstall and Phil Schiller introduced iOS 6 and the iPhone 5. In late October, Apple debuted the iPad mini and fourth-generation iPad. Apple Shows iPhone 5 + iPods, Then Twin iPads Third-generation iPad replaced after six months, joined by 7.9”-screened iPad mini Following months of rumors, Apple used six colors. The seventh-generation iPod nano two separate events to debut major updates (16GB/$149) doubled its predecessor’s height, to its pocket and tablet devices. Leading gained a 2.5” touchscreen, and became video- a September event was the iPhone 5 (16- capable, all in eight new colors matched to 64GB/$199-$399), a taller, slimmer, and the iPod shuffle. October saw the debut of more metal-bodied update to the iPhone the iPad mini (16-64GB/$329-$659), a 7.9” 4/4S, featuring LTE cellular support, distillation of features from the last two iPads improved front and rear cameras, and battery into a 7.2mm thick, 0.69-pound body, and the tweaks. The fifth-generation iPod touch (32- fourth-generation iPad (16-64GB/$499-$829), 64GB/$299-$399) borrowed its screen and which received a 2X speed bump and camera some of its camera improvements, becoming improvements over its unceremoniously the first touch to be available in an array of discontinued, six-month-old predecessor.