Refurbished Amazon 4th Generation Kindle - Amazon Kindle (4th Gen) Review - buyEtail.com

 

The new Kindle Fire may have gotten most of the attention when Amazon refreshed its Kindle lineup this year, but Amazon is still very much in the e-reader market. The fourth-generation Kindle, the Kindle Touch, and the Kindle Touch 3G all promise to deliver the traditional Kindle experience in a lighter and less expensive package - continue reading for our thoughts on the new $79 Kindle.

Hardware and Tech Specs

The new Kindle’s 6”, 600x800 E-Ink Pearl screen is basically the same as the previous model’s, but that’s where most of the hardware similarities end: the keyboard, a mainstay of all previous Kindles, has been removed and replaced by four physical buttons and what Amazon calls a “five-way controller,” a directional pad surrounding a button. Typing is now done using this controller and an on-screen software keyboard, which I’ll complain a bit about later.

For all the inconvenience of text entry, the keyboard’s removal does noticeably reduce the Kindle’s size and weight - the new unit is 6.5” (166mm) tall, 4.5” (114mm) wide, and 0.34” (8.7mm) deep, and weighs just a shade under 6 ounces, down from the 8.5 ounces of the previous model. As a result, it’s comfortable to hold in one hand for most extended reading sessions. Many promotional shots show it nestled in the back pocket of someone’s jeans, which you can do, even though you feel like you’re going to snap it in half when you sit down. Suffice it to say that it slides easily into most bags, cases, and purses without issue.

On the inside, the Kindle is outfitted cheaply (to hit that $79 price point) but well enough, given its intended function - the fine folks over at Blog Kindle have done a very thorough, device-bricking teardown of the Kindle so that we didn’t have to. The action is driven by a Freescale i.MX50-series Cortex A8 SoC running at 800MHz, while an Epson KCRE7000 E-ink display controller handles the visuals. An Atheros AR6103 chip provides wireless b, g, and n Wi-Fi speeds of up to 72.2 Mbps on the 2.4GHz band. 256MB of RAM from Hynix and 2GB of flash memory from Sandisk round out the rest of the Kindle’s important chips.

All of this hardware is powered by a 890mAh 3.7 V battery, which Amazon says is good for about a month, and while I haven’t had the thing for a month I can say that this sounds about right - after a week of daily usage, I’ve used about a quarter of the Kindle’s battery life. There’s no charger included in the box, but the included micro-USB cable can be connected to any computer or USB charger - the Kindle had no problem with my iPhone’s charger, and I expect that most micro-USB chargers will work without issue. Amazon also sells its own branded adapter for $10.

The basic Kindle’s 2GB of storage space (which in practice works out to be around 1.3GB after the system software) is half that of the previous generation Kindle and the forthcoming Kindle Touch, though it’s certainly as much as you need to store anything you’re actively reading. Amazon’s cloud storage lets you archive anything you’re not reading, and you can re-download it to your device in short order if you’ve got a Wi-Fi connection.

Aside from Amazon’s .AZW format books, this Kindle supports TXT, PDF, unprotected MOBI, and PRC files natively. HTML, DOC, DOCX, JPEG, GIF, PNG, and BMP files can all be viewed after being converted by Amazon or another program. You’ll notice that there are no audio files on this list - the low-end Kindle doesn’t support audio in any way, so audiobooks, the “read to me” text-to-speech feature, and music are incompatible with it. The Kindle Touch will include audio support when it launches in November, and the Kindle Keyboard (a rebranding of the previous-generation device) continues to support audio.

Plugging the Kindle into your PC puts it into USB drive mode, where you can charge the device and move files into its flash memory. To continue to charge the Kindle while using it normally, eject it from the computer.

The Kindle comes in a simple, unadorned cardboard box with “Kindle” emblazoned on the side. Open it up, and you’ll find the device and the micro USB cable nestled in an all-cardboard enclosure that should be familiar to anyone who has experienced Amazon’s “frustration free” packaging - the lack of plastic makes it both easier to open and more environmentally sound. A simple slip of cardboard tells you how to navigate with and charge the Kindle, and there’s no other manual in sight.

source: http://www.anandtech.com/show/4988/amazon-fourthgeneration-kindle-review

by Andrew Cunningham

http://www.buyetail.com

Refurbished Apple iPad - “Must-have” iPad accessories you should NOT buy: Screen Protectors - buyEtail.com

Especially if you are buying your very first iPad, you might be very excited to complete your new gadget with some “must-have” iPad accessories that are touted all around the web. But lets stop and breathe a little bit: do you really need to spend almost half of the price of your iPad again on accessories? You can if you like, but please don’t spend your money on these four “must-have” iPad accessories that are absolute bogus! Read on to learn how you can save almost $200…

With Apple’s next generation iPad 3 looming on the horizon, many people will buy their very first iPad and wonder whether they will need a screen protector, a cover or case, extra warranty, and other stuff. There must be something on the web to help you decide!

If you google for “iPad accessories”, you are pretty likely to find the following quote very soon:

“So you just dropped a bunch of cash on a shiny new iPad 2. All you want to do now is spend a little quality time getting to know your new device. But no, you’ve got more shopping to do. You need to accessorize!”

I am not saying that all iPad accessories are bad. In fact, I am a big fan of improving my workflow through accessories. But so many items that float around online on countless “must-have” lists are so ridiculously useless that it makes me wanna scream!

The following four items make it to the top of my “must-have iPad accessories you should never buy” list:

Bogus “must-have iPad accessories” #1: Screen protectors

Screen protectors are the biggest scam! There are plenty of companies and bloggers out there who will tell you that you must permanently cover the screen (and the back) of your iPad in order to prevent scratches. ZAGG is one of the biggest player in this game, and they lure you with impressive attributes such as “military grade” and “self-healing properties”. Wrapping your iPad in its invisibleSHIELD will set you back $40, or even more if you let somebody else do the wrapping.

I call no way! You don’t need to worry about scratching your screen for the following reasons:

You don’t carry around your iPad in your pocket, therefore there is little risk that its screen will be scratched by keys or coins.

The iPad’s screen is made out of very durable glass. While no-one except Apple and their contract partner knows what exact glass is used for the iPad, you can assume that the glass is very strong. I am using my first generation iPad since the day it came out in Canada, and there is not a single scratch on my screen that you could detect under normal use. UPDATE: Apple has just (March 2, 2012) acknowledged that it uses the famous Gorilla Glass for the iPhone. Its quite likely that Gorilla Glass will be also used for the iPad 3.)

Apple sells many iPad accessories in its stores, but it stopped selling screen protector before the original iPad came out in 2010. Hint, hint, hint…

Another reason why screen protectors are a lame idea is that they are damn hard to apply without ending up with a bunch of bubbles and trapped-in dust. I admit, I once bought a screen protector (for a different reason than scratches – see below) in 2010, and I ended up with a lot of dust in between the screen and the film (obviously, I am not the most talented guy). It impaired my using experience so much that I ripped off the film after 30 minutes. Learn from my mistakes and save your money for iPad accessories that are actually useful.

Don’t trust the propaganda!

But why are so many bloggers telling you that screen protectors are a “must-have” iPad accessory? It is because if I told you today that, for example, ZAGG’s screen protectors are the best thing in the world and that you are a fool for not protecting your iPad with it, I would right away make 20% commissions on whatever you are spending on ZAGG’s stuff. I believe that the affiliate programs of ZAGG and other vendors are among the main reasons why so many people out there recommend screen protectors. It is a clever marketing campaign. As somebody who is doing a PhD in Marketing, I find this approach by ZAGG and others quite interesting. But as a consumer and as your fellow academic comrade, I say stay away!

In the interest of full disclosure: I do use affiliate links, but I only recommend stuff I really believe in. See academiPad’s policies on affiliate links here.

So please, don’t spend your money on a screen protector, at least if your only worries are scratches. If you worry that your iPad screen and back might get scratched while carrying it around in your bag (I am), get a case or a sleeve (but see item number 2 on this list).

There is only one reason why you can buy a screen protector and still be my friend: The iPad’s glossy screen makes it very prone to reflections, especially when light is shining right onto the screen. A matte screen protector might be a good investment for you if you are struggling with reflections (this was the reason why I tried out a screen protector once). Check out this video to see the matte effect yourself and to learn how to install a screen protector.

But again, in most cases you will be fine without a screen protector. Except for the 30 minutes back in 2010, my iPad’s screen has been all-natural all the time, and I never had any issues with that.

Money saved: $40

Check out the other three items on my list of “must-have” iPad accessories you should never buy (more details coming soon):

#2: Apple’s Smart Cover: Save up to $57 with a more stylish alternative that will protect your iPad way better. Or don’t save at all but get a better deal.

#3: Magical cleaning potions: Save up to $18 and come to terms with reality again.

#4: Apple Care Protection Plan: Save $79 by reading the fine print. UPDATE: It seems like somebody at Apple is reading my blog (ahem…), as the warranty program was updated on March 7 to include warranty from accidental damages. That makes the new Apple Care+ Protection Plan more consumer friendly. However, I am still not convinced that it is a “must-have”.

Altogether, this list of four iPad accessories you should not buy will save you $194.

source: http://www.joachim-scholz.com/academipad/2012/03/02/ipad-accessories-not-buy-screen-protectors/

by: Jo

http://www.buyetail.com

Refurbished Unlocked Apple iPhone 5 - Why buy an Unlocked Apple iPhone - buyEtail.com

In a word, freedom. Here's what type of freedom buys you.

First, it is important to remember that the iPhone 5 comes in several different models that are optimized for the different wireless network operators. The unlocked model works on GSM networks, not CDMA networks. That means you won't be able to use the unlocked iPhone on either Sprint or Verizon's networks. Instead, it will be limited to GSM networks. In the U.S., that means AT&T or T-Mobile USA. (You'll be able to get LTE service from AT&T, but only 3G service from T-Mobile in a handful of markets.)

The biggest benefit of having an unlocked device is that you'll be able to use the iPhone 5 on the networks of foreign carriers when you travel abroad. The on-contract version of the iPhone will roam on those networks, too, but you'll have to pay roaming fees to your U.S.-based carrier (think Bill Shock). Unlocked devices can be used with local SIM cards at a much lower cost.

The trade-off is that you lose *your* phone number, which is replaced with a local phone number. This means your coworkers or family will get dinged for long-distance charges if they call the foreign cell number temporarily assigned to your unlocked iPhone 5.

The second biggest benefit is that you won't be beholden to a pricey contract. Remember, the $199 iPhone may seem like the best deal, but it chains you to a two-year contract with the wireless network operator of your choice. Most post-paid carriers charge a minimum of $70 per month for voice, messaging and data packages. Multiply that by 24 months and you're looking at about $1,700 in carrier fees.

Living contract free means you can use a month-to-month service that costs less. For example, T-Mobile USA offers a prepaid plan that includes unlimited 3G/4G data, unlimited messaging and 100 voice minutes for $30 per month. Some quick math tells us that T-Mobile's two-year prepaid plan costs $720.

No contracts also afford you a greater degree of flexibility, especially if big things change in your life (income, employment, location, etc.).

There's one really important factor consider with the iPhone 5 in particular, however. Verizon Wireless's version of the iPhone 5 already comes with an unlocked SIM card tray (per FCC regulations). That means you can take a Verizon-branded iPhone 5 from the U.S. across the pond to the U.K., buy a local SIM card from a U.K. carrier and use the device at a lower cost on that foreign network (it includes the necessary radios to talk to the GSM networks in foreign countries).

So, if you want to live contract free, the iPhone 5 isn't a bad choice.

source: http://www.informationweek.com/mobile/mobile-devices/unlocked-iphone-5-worth-the-cost/d/d-id/1107620?

by Eric Zeman

http://www.buyetail.com

Refurbished Apple iPad - Why I Bought an iPad - buyEtail.com

Why did I buy an Apple iPad tablet computer when I already own a Mac computer and an Apple iPhone?

I bought an iPad so that I can maintain my love of reading books and newspapers now that my vision has been reduced significantly from glaucoma and cataracts.

Sure, I could read the same eBooks using the free Kindle app on my Mac or iPhone, but the thin, light, intimate form factor of the iPad allows me to read or write in the comfort of my bed, or on my sofa, or anywhere my travels take me.

With my vision reduced to 20/70 acuity due to glaucoma and cataracts, I can no longer read normal-sized print books. Therefore, because I love to read, I now read virtually any book I want on the iPad via a three-second download of the e-book version from Kindle Books on Amazon.com and read it on my iPad using the free Kindle app.

I also use my iPad to read my daily subscription to the New York Times, to read and write emails, to surf the Internet, to do my online shopping, and to share our family calendars and contacts with my wife on her iPad Mini and iPod Touch using Apple’s iCloud.

I can watch videos, take pictures, or use Siri voice recognition to transcribe my speech to text for use in an email or a word processing document, or I can tap out what I want to write on the iPad’s virtual keyboard or an external Bluetooth keyboard.

For work and play, I’ve downloaded over 175 of the 1,000,000 available apps onto my iPad, most of them for free or at very low cost, so that now I’m both more efficient and never bored.

With the iPad you don’t have to sit at a desk, or strain to see a screen that’s too far away for you to read. You can hold the iPad as close as you want. It’s very intimate and personal.

And, if God forbid, my eyesight should deteriorate further into complete blindness, I can use the iPad’s Voiceover software to control it using my ears, hands, and voice. 

source: http://www.glaucoma.org/treatment/why-i-bought-an-ipad.php

by Paul Otterness

http://www.buyetail.com

Refurbished iPad - How to Clean Your Screen - buyEtail.com

The materials used to make Apple products vary; in some cases each product may have specific cleaning requirements, which may vary by the part you are cleaning. Here are some tips that apply to all products to get you started:

Use only a soft, lint-free cloth. Abrasive cloths, towels, paper towels, and similar items may cause damage to the item.

Disconnect your Apple product from any external power sources.

Disconnect any external devices and other cabling from the product.

Keep liquids away from the product.

Don't get moisture into any openings, and don't use aerosol sprays, solvents, or abrasives.

Do not spray cleaners directly onto the item.

source: http://support.apple.com/kb/ht3226

http://www.buyetail.com

Refurbished iPad Mini - How's your Retina iPad mini battery life? - buyEtail.com

The iPad mini with Retina Display has been available for a little while now, and so it's time to talk battery life. We've put it through its paces – thoroughly – and completed our full review, but battery life statistics are always much more detailed and accurate when they're crowd sourced. So, if you picked one up, how are you finding the battery life on your Retina iPad mini?

As with the iPad Air, we're seeing great battery life on the new Retina iPad mini. The WiFi only versions just keep on going, and the 4G LTE enabled one can still get you through a day and a night of tethering. Personally, I've not noticed it being any better, or worse, than the iPad Air. And that's no bad thing.

But we're not the only ones with a Retina iPad mini, and sadly not everyone gets the same great experience with battery life. There's things we can do to help the situation, but for one reason or another for some folks it just isn't that great. So, let us know what you're experiencing in the poll up top, and give us the details in the comments below.

source: http://www.imore.com/hows-your-retina-ipad-mini-battery-life-poll

by Richard Devine

http://www.buyetail.com

Refurbished iPhone 5 - iPhone 5 Amazing Tips & Tricks and Ways to Extend Battery Life [Videos] - buyEtail.com

The latest iPhone from Apple comes with new, thinner and lightest design ever with the fastest speed among its kind. Using iPhone 5 has become more fun than ever, but what will you do to have access to applications and use features easier? And what can be done if the battery level starts to go down before the end of the day and you are either out or there is no charging station nearby? Follow these tips and tricks and make your use of the iPhone 5 more enjoyable.

Siri

Launch the Siri app and tap the Info button for more functions it can provide such as direction from home, post to Facebook, send a Tweet, today's weather and more.

Camera

Access the Camera app from your lock screen by simply sliding up the camera button.

Change the Panorama direction by tapping the directional arrow.

Tap on any area what the camera is seeing, and it will automatically focus on that selected. Part

System

Activate "Do Not Disturb" feature to prevent incoming calls whenever you are busy. Go to Settings > Do Not Disturb.

Add keyboard shortcuts to program certain letters to display phrases on text messages. Go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Shortcuts.

Remove applications running in the background by double tapping the Home key on the home screen. Select all the applications you want terminated.

Emoji is now available with iPhone 5, and you can activate it by going to Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards > Add New Keyboard > Select Emoji.

Apple Maps

Use the Satellite mode to view building, roads and landmarks from satellite view. You need to activate this to use the 3D mode.

Use the 3D mode to see areas in different perspective. You can pinch or twist to see all around the 3D images.

You can drop a Pin by press and holding on a specific part of the map and it will automatically navigate you to that destination.

Safari Browser

If you do not want to scroll once you have reached the bottom part of the Web page, hit the status bar and it will bring you to the top area of the page.

You can lock the orientation screen when browsing by double tapping the Home key and swiping to the far left. There, you will see an icon to lock orientation.

You can add Web pages to your home screen from the Safari browser by clicking the Launch button and selecting the site you want to add.

source: http://au.ibtimes.com/articles/457057/20130415/iphone-5-amazing-tips-tricks-ways-extend.htm#.U55qc_ldWSo

by ryan Inoyori

http://www.buyetail.com

Refurbished Apple iPhone 5 - How to Work with Siri on Your iPhone 5 - How to give Siri commands - buyEtail.com

How to give Siri commands

You deliver commands to Siri in a conversational style, and at the normal volume you use when talking to someone during a phone call.

If Siri misunderstands what you’ve said (often because of background noise), tap the Microphone icon and say No, I want . . . or No, I meant. . . .

After you've invoked Siri, what should you request? You can always display a list of example commands — just ask Siri What can you do? Commands are essentially free-form, here are some common commands:

1. Call name places a phone call. Don’t say name, though. Say the name of someone who’s in your contacts. If the contact has multiple phone numbers, mention the number you want to use, as in Call Jesse mobile.

2. FaceTime name places a FaceTime call.

3. Reply followed by the text of a reply, when listening to Siri speak the contents of a Mail message.

4. Send a message to name. The Messages app prepares a text message. Siri asks you for the message you want to send.

5. How do I get home from here? You can get directions to your home from your current location.

6. Is there a Chinese (Indian, vegan) restaurant close by? You can get a specific restaurant near your current location.

7. What does the weather look like tomorrow? The Weather app shows tomorrow's temperatures.

8. What are the showtimes for Casablanca (The Wizard of Oz, Star Wars)? Get showtimes for that movie at theaters close to your current location.

9. What's the score for the Cardinals (Bears, Red Wings)? You can hear the current score for a game.

10. Set up a meeting at time and date. Set up a Calendar event at the day and time you say. Commands can have multiple criteria as well, like Set up a meeting with Mark at his office at 10 a.m. tomorrow.

11. Play smooth jazz (Lyle Lovett, “Beethoven’s Fifth”). Music fills the air.

12. Tell me a joke. Yep, this is a favorite of mine! Some of the selections, however, are pretty corny.

source: http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-work-with-siri-on-your-iphone-5.navId-814090.html

http://www.buyetail.com

Refurbished Apple iPhone 5 - How to Work with Siri on Your iPhone 5 - Bring the genie out of the iPhone - buyEtail.com

Bring the genie out of the iPhone

You can wake Siri a couple of ways, depending on your setup.

1. Press and hold the Home button.

If you turned on Raise to Speak, bring the iPhone to your ear. (The Raise to Speak feature works only if your iPhone's screen isn't blank. If the screen is blank, press the Home button first and then raise the phone to your ear.)

On your Apple earphones and remote, press and hold the center button to summon Siri. On a Bluetooth headset, press and hold the Call button.

Siri responds with two short beeps. "What can I help you with?" appears on your screen. This is your cue to begin speaking.

2. Ask her for what you want.

As you speak, the Microphone button onscreen shows the relative volume of your voice, which is often a problem in an extremely noisy environment.

3. When you’re done, stop talking or tap the Microphone button.

Tapping the button is faster because Siri doesn't have to wait for a pause.

Your commands appear onscreen, and Siri may ask for additional information if necessary.

4. Tap the Microphone button to respond to any questions Siri asks.

If your command involves the display of information or running of an app, you'll see the result onscreen. It typically shows up as a request for confirmation.

source: http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-work-with-siri-on-your-iphone-5.navId-814090.html

http://www.buyetail.com

5. Tap the information or the app to make it full-screen.

Need to cancel a command? Say Cancel or tap either the Microphone or the Home button.

Refurbished Apple iPhone 5 - How to Work with Siri on Your iPhone 5 - How to set up Siri - buyEtail.com

How to Set up Siri

Siri is smart, but she's not psychic. Providing some information about yourself will help her carry out commands, like Call my office.

To use Siri, your iPhone must have a 3G/4G or Wi-Fi connection to the Internet.

Follow these steps:

1. Open Settings.

From the Home screen, tap the Settings icon.

2. Tap General.

3. Tap Siri.

Settings displays the Siri screen.

4. Tap Language.

5. Tap the language you'll speak to Siri.

6. Tap Voice Feedback.

7. Tap Siri's feedback style.

You always get onscreen text confirmation, no matter what setting you choose here. Choose Always to allow Siri to respond through your iPhone's speaker as well.

By default, Siri responds to you with spoken confirmation only if you're using a Bluetooth headset or Apple earphones, or if you hold your iPhone to your ear.

8. Type your home and work contact information.

9. Specify your relationships.

Siri asks for this data the first time it appears in a command. For example, if you ask Siri to Call my father, she will ask you to identify your father in your Contacts list before placing the call. Adding your information now helps Siri know who's who.

10. Tap Raise to Speak.

Here’s where you say whether Siri should respond when you raise your iPhone to your ear.Setting this option to On means Siri is ready to accept commands when you raise your phone to your ear.

You can always invoke Siri by pressing and holding your iPhone's Home button.

11. Tap the Home button to exit Settings.

source: http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-work-with-siri-on-your-iphone-5.navId-814090.html

http://www.buyEtail.com

Refurbished Apple iPhone 5s - Make Siri More Useful - butEtail.com

Make Siri More Useful

Siri got the very welcome ability to launch apps last year, and the voice command’s features are only expanding. Now you can:

Turn her into a him (or vice versa)

Trigger Siri when you hold the handset to your face

Correct her pronunciation

Identify relationships between you and contacts (brother, mother, spouse)

Tell her to turn on/off Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and other system settings

To try this: (1) and (2) Settings -> General -> Siri to set the voice as male or female, or to activate Siri when you hold it up to your head. (3) If she messes up pronunciation, you can just correct her in the moment. (Say “that’s not how you pronounce that” to pull up options.) (4) To let Siri know that “Jane Smith” is your wife, just launch Siri—long press on the home button—and tell her that “Jane Smith is my wife.” (5) To switch settings on or off via voice command, activate Siri simply speak the command out loud.

Shake To Undo

Moving parallax effect making you queasy? Kill it using these steps. 

More often than I care to remember, I’ve accidentally trashed an important email and cursed the insane lack of an undo button. The joke’s on me though, because there’s a way to get messages back, and it’s actually been there since iOS 6. It’s easy to overlook because it’s not a button, but a physical gesture. (Bonus: It also works in other select apps to delete what you just typed.) But be warned: You’ll want to have a good grip on the phone. I almost hurled mine against the wall by accident. 

To try it: To get back a deleted email, you could shake that phone in the air like you just don’t care. Thing is, you actually do, so easy does it. A gentle jangle should be enough to call up the “undo” feature. Same goes for deleting what you typed in Twitter, Messages, Reminders or several other apps. And if you change your mind and want your email/text back, just give it another shake and tap the “redo” option.

source: http://readwrite.com/2013/12/25/cool-hidden-iphone-tricks-for-new-users#awesm=~oG0kjBuOjRZpHH

by Adriana Lee

http://www.buyetail.com

Refurbished iPhone - 5 things you had no idea your iPhone could do - buyEtail

Did you know that your cherished iPhone hides secrets from you? That's right, a simple nod of the noggin could shift the way you use this precious gadget.

Apple's iPhone is a revolutionary gizmo that has changed the mobile landscape forever, but even if you've had one for years, there are still a few things you probably don't know about it. Each major update that Apple rolls out — and there have been many — brings new features and changes. Here are just a few of the things you've likely missed along the way.

1. CONTROL YOUR PHONE WITH YOUR HEAD

The iPhone is a "smartphone," but it might be even smarter than you ever thought. There is a special control option built into it that lets you use tilts of your head to perform various functions. It's part of a feature called Switch Control, and you can enable it in the Accessibility menu of the iPhone settings.

You can set up a Switch Control command to notice when you tilt your head to the left or to the right, and use that movement as input for things like pressing the home button or checking the notification center. It's built into the phone to assist those with certain disabilities, but it can also be convenient for controlling your device when your hands are busy with other tasks — like when you're wrist-deep in dinner preparation, and don't want to get goo on your gadgets.

2. UNDO TYPOS WITH A QUICK SHAKE

Tapping quickly on a tiny screen with our big ole' clumsy thumbs means typos are an annoying and inevitable part of life. So rather than send texts laden with errors, just give your iPhone a little shake, as I show you in the accompanying Tech Now video. That motion brings up a prompt to undo the typing or cancel and continue. It also works if you accidentally select, copy or paste text you didn't want to. Seems so simple, yet can be so satisfying, when it comes to dealing with this daily digital dilemma.

3. A BURST OF CREATIVITY

Taking an important photo only to have it turn out poorly is one of the most frustrating things in the world, but you can greatly increase the chances of capturing the moment perfectly by using your iPhone's burst photo feature.

Normally when you take a photo you simply tap the on-screen capture button, which produces just a single photo, but if you hold down the button you'll automatically activate burst mode. Using burst mode, your phone will capture a ton of photos in rapid succession, and save them in a small gallery. Taking photos this way ensures that between the inevitable blinks and giggles, you'll snag a perfect photo.

4. LOCATION-BASED REMINDERS

Have you ever gotten home and realized that you forgot to pick something up from the store? How about arriving at a relative's house and remembering that you have something for them back at home? Believe it or not, your iPhone can help with this common occurrence using its Reminders app, one of the most underutilized iPhone functions.

All you need to do is set up a Reminder as you normally would — and if you've never set up a reminder before, it takes just a few seconds — and then tap on the information icon that pops up. From this menu you can activate the location feature, which will use the iPhone's GPS to notify you of the reminder whenever you enter or leave a specific location. It's like having a personal assistant with you at all times!

5. BLOCK PESKY CALLERS AND MESSENGERS

Is there a telemarketer who just doesn't get the hint to leave you alone? What about a texting service that you accidentally gave your number to, that buzzes you at all hours of the day and night? You can easily block those annoying communications using your iPhone!

Head into the Phone menu of your iPhone settings and add any offending numbers to the Blocked list. That's it! Now, if the bothersome calls and texts continue, you'll never hear a peep. Peace of mind at last.

What are some of the magic tricks you use on your iPhone? Be sure to let us know.

source: http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/columnist/2014/03/01/5-tips-for-iphone/5872297/

by Jennifer Jolly

http://www.buyetail.com

Refurbished Apple iPad - 5 things you had no idea your iPad could do - buyEtail.com

It doesn't matter how long you've owned your iPad, this über-capable tablet can do so much — it likely has a few tricks up its sleeve to surprise you. Whether it's a new typing technique or a more secure way to browse the web, Apple's tablet can do more than you probably imagined.

1. EASY GESTURE NAVIGATION

The iPad is all about touch, so it can seem a bit out of place to have to press the home button to navigate between apps or back out to the home screen. The iPad's gesture controls let you perform both of these tasks without ever touching that pesky home button.

Using four fingers at a time, you can swipe from left to right, or vice versa, to switch between active apps. You can write an email while surfing the web for info, or play an iPad game while picking the best songs from your playlist, without backing out to the home screen. Of course, if you want to return to the home screen, you can do that by placing four fingers on the screen and pinching them all together.

2. ENABLE PRIVATE BROWSING

Web browsing on the iPad is slick and quick, but did you know that you can also enable some of the same privacy and security features you enjoy on your desktop?

Head into the Settings menu and then the Safari tab, and enable the "Do Not Track" feature. This tweak will keep certain advertisers from tracking your web habits for ad purposes. You can also click the page icon in the bottom while browsing and tap the "Private" button to keep your iPad from keeping a history of your browsing habits and form entries.

3. DEFINE WORDS

The web is full of words, and there's a good chance you don't know every single one of them, so if you're stumped by something you read on an email or anywhere on the web, the iPad's built-in dictionary can help you figure it out.

When you see a word that leaves you scratching your head, tap on it and hold your finger until the word is highlighted. Now, a small bar will pop up that will have two options on it: Copy and Define. Click Define and you'll get an up-to-date dictionary definition along with options to search for the word elsewhere. Now you can tackle any text that crosses your path.

4. GUIDED ACCESS

Guided Access is one of the most amazing tools for parents of young iPad users, but most people don't even know it's there. First, activate the feature in the Settings menu under General and then Accessibility.

Now, whenever you're in an app, you can lock the phone into that one specific program by triple-clicking the Home button. Once you've locked the tablet into that app, you have to put in a passcode to back out.

So, for example, if you want to make sure your teen is using their tablet for schoolwork rather than YouTube, you can temporarily keep the tablet from doing anything but school-related apps. Once the homework is done, a simple 4-digit code sets the tablet free once more.

5. SPLIT KEYBOARD

The large default keyboard on the iPad isn't exactly the most comfortable to type on. Tapping and holding the keyboard icon in the bottom right corner of the screen brings up a menu that will let you split the keyboard in two, placing one half on either side of the screen.

This lets you type much better while holding both sides of the device, and there's even a secret trick built into this neat feature as well: There are secret, invisible keys in between the two keyboard halves, letting you press some of the keyboard's middle keys with either hand, based on your own personal preference. For example, the "T" key normally appears on the left half of the keyboard, but if you tap to the right of the "Y" key with your right thumb, it will actually produce a "T" even though the key isn't really there.

Do you know any iPad secret tips and tricks? Be sure to share them with us

source: http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/columnist/2014/03/02/5-little-known-tips-for-ipad/5873401/

by Jennifer Jolly

http://www.buyetail.com