How to Browse Safari Like an Expert

1.) How to stop those annoying animated GIF images. The solution is simple. All you have to do is hold down the Escape key and all the animation will stop. The same procedure will also work in Firefox.

2.) How to open a file in the Safari Download pop-up. Open the Safari Download pop-up by clicking on the button in the upper right corner of your browser window, and then double click the file icon. This will open the file.

3.) How to file’s URL in the Safari Download pop-up. Open the Safari Download pop-up by clicking the button in the upper right corner of your browser screen. Select the file and press Command-C. You have now copied the file’s URL.

4.) You don’t have to type the full URL into the address bar in Safari. Similar to Google Chrome, in Safari, you can type in a website name in the Address Bar and .com will be added automatically. Please note this only works with .com addresses.

5.) Website folder structure simplified. When viewing website pages, all you need to do is right-click the page title to reveal the website folder structure. This feature is great when you’re browsing deep within multiple levels of website directories.

6.) How to bookmark your favorite websites with an icon to your home screen on your iPhone or iPod Touch. Open the website you wish to bookmark and press the + sign. Select “Add to Home Screen” and create a name for the bookmark. Press Add.

Here at iHospital, we agree that Apple’s Safari Internet browser is superior to all your other available options. It’s turbo fast and simple to use. What else can you ask for? The above tips will help increase your efficiency when browsing the net. We hope you enjoyed these tips and look forward to reading yours in the comments below.

In the end, iPhone 5 users need to keep their Apple device ID numbers safe and secure because this number is linked to user’s names, cellphone numbers and addresses. Scary right?

Here are 3 ways to keep your iPhone 5 safe from hackers:

Passwords

Keep your iPhone 5 safe by enabling a password. This is done by going to Settings>General>Passcode Lock. A new screen will appear and you’ll be prompted to enter 4-digit code and re-enter to confirm. You should also put a password on your SIM card to keep hackers from using your account.

Financials

Because iPhone 5’s come preloaded with iWallet, it’s important you set up your financial applications correctly from the start. Come up with longer passwords that include letters and numbers and never select “Remember me” when logging into these accounts. You should also consider setting up notifications by text and email of any odd transactions including large amounts being taken out or unusual transfers.

Connections

Did you know that Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and USB cords are all potential ways hackers can attack your iPhone 5? It’s important for you to enter a password anytime you connect your iPhone 5 to another device via USB port. Hackers are well versed when it comes to hacking Bluetooth devices so you should turn off your Bluetooth anytime you’re not using it. You should also only use Wi-Fi networks that require passwords too.

An iPhone 5 is a big investment and it’s vitally important you learn how to keep your iPhone 5 safe from hackers. Use passwords to protect your data and iPhone and be aware of connections. These steps are sure to keep the hackers away which will save you lots of stress in the future! Do you have any tips to share? Please leave them in the comment section below.

Apple’s brand new iPhone has inspired plenty of brand new iPhone 5 cases!

Apple fans have fallen madly in love with the iPhone 5 since it first hit stores earlier this year on September 21, 2012. The iPhone 5 comes with a plethora of updated features including a lightning fast A6 processor, crystal clear graphics, a longer lasting battery, iOS 6 and quick LTE connectivity. Aside from these amazing updates, the iPhone 5 comes with something the previous iPhone 4S didn’t, an upgraded look and design. It didn’t stray too far, it’s still the same shape but the iPhone 5 is leaner, longer and thinner with a 4-inch display. The iPhone 5 has a new aluminum back panel which increases durability, but take it from us, you still need the protection of an iPhone 5 case.

Because of this particular model’s new design, there are plenty of shiny new iPhone 5 cases flooding the market. We’ve done the research and here’s the top 5 iPhone 5 cases on the market:

1. Case-Mate Pop! Case With Stand for iPhone 5: This is an ultra cool stand that doubles as a stand. It comes in a huge variety of colors and will set you back $35.00. You can view more information here.

2. Flex Case for iPhone 5 – 2 Pack: This is a great iPhone 5 case that will add some exotic appeal in the form of a silicone sleeve. It is designed with alternate high-gloss and soft-touch striped texture. It definitely makes your iPhone 5 easier to grip. This iPhone 5 case will set you back $19.99 but you also get two for the price of one. Find more information here.

3. Griffin Survivor: Are you super active? Do you take your iPhone 5 with you on all your outdoor adventures? The is the perfect iPhone 5 case for you. It’s designed and tested to meet or exceed US Department of Defense Standard 810F; you know it’s going to be good! This case will cost you $49.99. Find more information here.

4. Keyboard Buddy Apple iPhone 5 Case: If you love iMessage, this is the iPhone 5 case for you. It’s incredibly slim and comes with a fully integrated, slide-out QWERTY keyboard. It’s designed to perfectly compliment your iPhone 5. This iPhone 5 case costs $89.95. Find more information here.

5. Case-Mate Waddler: This iPhone 5 case is decked out in “sophistication” and will help protect your iPhone 5 too. The Waddler is textured and raised in a neat design that is fun to hold as well. The best part is the accompanying flipper charm that completes the bird’s cool style! Find more information here.

Apple’s brand new iPhone has inspired many companies to create brand new iPhone 5 cases, many of which we’ve never seen before. Even though the iPhone 5 has a mostly aluminum back plate, you still need to protect it with an appropriate iPhone 5 case. Instead of scouring the Internet, we’ve done the research for you. If you have any further questions about which iPhone 5 case is right for you, please feel free to contact us. Also, drop into any iHospital location to pick up the right iPhone 5 case for you. We look forward to seeing you.

Starbucks is one of the most recognized brands that has decided to support Passbook. Starbucks consumers can now pay for their java using Passbook as it will store their gift cards and use QR codes. Leave the cash and credit cards at home. We knew Apple and Starbucks were working together on the Passbook application due to Starbucks being prominently displayed in Apple’s marketing. What’s even better is that Passbook is designed to make it easy for people to get right to their gift cards and coupons from the lock screen. It uses location and time information to pinpoint when a user is near a Starbucks and it puts a link to the Starbucks gift card right in the lock screen.

According to reports, customers in France are now able to use the Passbook-enabled McDonald’s app to order food right from a customer’s iOS 6 enabled device. Soon we won’t even need or wallets for anything but that’s the whole point right?

How To Use Passbook

1. Install Passbook apps. The Passbook application by itself doesn’t include any coupons or passes, and you can’t create passes either. Participating companies will start offering passes to Passbook when users purchase relevant items. Like we mentioned in the Starbucks example above, users will also have the option to set up alerts for when it’s time to use them or they’re near a store. You can find Passbook Apps by clicking on the Passbook Application and clicking App Store.

2. Purchase items and services via participating apps. Tickets, passes and coupons are issued by participating companies and sent directly to users via email or apps (or any other avenue they choose) and are added directly to a user’s Passbook automatically. You don’t need any other app other than Passbook. Users will be prompted on how to add the passes to Passbook. For example, Eventbrite has outlined the steps in a recent post, how to use Passbook for iOS to manage tickets.

3. Purchased passes are triggered by 2D codes that are scanned by camera-based scanners. This process will be very familiar to those who have used virtual boarding passes when travelling.

Airbnb and Eventbrite have extensively dealt in mobile transactions to their move to create Passbook enabled applications is seen as a definite win for Apple. Airbnb has booked more than 10 million guests and Eventbrite has sold over 50 million tickets which led to over 1 billion in sales. Does this mean you’ll start using Passbook for all your boarding passes, tickets, star cards and coupons? Is your wallet getting thrown in the trash? What’s that paper thing called money again? Let us know in the comments below. Also, if you’re a developer trying to find out how to add Passbook functionality to your application, check out Apple’s developer passbook section.

Microsoft has worked very hard to ensure users can still use their beloved software on Macs with their Office suites. But have they worked hard enough to blow iWork out of the water? Here are some comparisons on how they stack up against each other.

Word versus Pages

Most of us grew up using some version of Microsoft’s Word program. It’s a definite powerhouse when it comes to word processing. Pages does offer an advantage here when you are interested in creating colorful newsletter or brochures. Pages also easily accepts personal media to create professional looking documents. Word beats out Pages when creating columns within a document. You can also print to PDF when using Pages. This is available in Word but requires more work. Pages is also a winner when it comes to handling graphics within documents.

Excel versus Numbers

Word and Pages are very similar to each other. Excel and Numbers is just the opposite. They both offer very different features. Excel is a much better spreadsheet application while Numbers was designed to be a word processor that is devoted to hosting spreadsheet objects.

PowerPoint versus Keynote

Keynote is one of the main reasons people love iWork. It is very impressive and offers many features over PowerPoint. Everything PowerPoint can do Keynote can do better. The built in templates are visually stunning and it’s simple to create your own as well. Both Keynote and PowerPoint offer many pointless animations that we don’t suggest you use, ever. It’s also to export Keynote slides into JPEGs for use with other software. The only time you’ll see a problem is when you work with someone that only uses PowerPoint – they don’t jive with each other well. Trust us when we say your Keynote presentations will make PowerPointers look lazy!

Some final notes

It’s possible to save iWork files in MS Office formats as long as your documents don’t have a lot of complex formatting. iWork is much cheaper than Microsoft Office and each app is $20 (Pages, Keynote, Numbers, etc.).

It all depends on personal preference when deciding which ones you prefer. Overall, we found many people preferred iWork over Microsoft Office when working with word processing and presentations. Opinions relating to Excel and Numbers (spreadsheets) were about equal. How do you like iWork and Microsoft Office? Which one do you prefer? Our D.i.D. Doctor of iDevices look forward to hearing from you.

What started out as way to utilize my sometimes useless love and passion of sports with the endless capabilities of my iPad and earn a few bucks on the side has turned into a gig that even I had no idea could go so far as it has in the few short months that I’ve been a part of the Kwarter network.

The app came onto the market under the name Kwarter but has since been re-branded and is now known as FanCake and has evolved from being a way to interact with others about the game you’re watching on TV with others on your second screen device into a much more rewarding experience where sports fans are actually rewarded for watching sports. With actual prizes!

If you check out the review section of this very website you’ll see an in depth review of a previous version of FanCake where their rewards program wasn’t in place yet. Now you can earn credits that can be redeemed for prizes such as discounts on sporting goods and tickets, apps like NBA Jam and Fruit Ninja: Puss in Boots and even Van Halen concert tickets!

I thought as a FanCake Game Master, that’s someone in charge of overseeing the events in a given FanCake sporting event being covered, which means handing out medals, putting out in-game predictions and keeping the sports conversation going, that it would be interesting for iHospital readers to get to know more about FanCake straight from the mouth of FanCake co-founder and CEO Carlos Diaz. Luckily iHospital felt the same way and allowed me to conduct a Q+A session guest post for their website, which you will find below.

How did the company Kwarter come to be?

After building successful B to B companies in France, my co-founder and I were looking to do something in the consumer space here in the US. Around the time that we were brainstorming, we began to follow the Giants pretty closely, as all San Francisco sports fans do. We noticed that the games were fun, but sometimes long, and we began to conceive of an application that would make the game more fun, social, and engaging for the fans. We formed a company, Kwarter, and began the prototyping process from there.

FanCake was previously known as Kwarter so why the app name change?

Actually, it wasn’t really a name change, but in fact the first time we gave the app a name. During the open beta period, we simply called the app “Kwarter”, after the name of the company. But as we iterated the product and developed our point of view, it became clear that Kwarter wasn’t just an application, it was a company that built applications. With that in mind, our first product needed a name, and that became FanCake.

Do you think the world of sports world will come to fully embrace the second screen movement?

The good news for us, and for fans of second screen apps, is that it already is. Broadcasters know that they’re losing the attention of viewers during programming. Apple’s sold 67 M iPads in less than two years. Combine that with all the laptops and all the smart phones in the market, and you’ve got a viewing public that’s looking at an alternative screen before, during, and after your regularly scheduled programming Televised sports is one of the last bastions of broadcast TV that’s chiefly a live medium, where viewers don’t have the option to fast forward through TV spots. The second screen is, for now, a cheap opportunity for brands to enhance and reinforce their TV advertising, and that’s something they can’t ignore.

What’s your ultimate goal with FanCake?

We want to renovate the relationship between viewers, brands, and broadcasters. With FanCake, we give viewers a free live social game to play along with the action on TV. They participate in a viewing experience that’s more social, fun, and rewarding, while brands engage with their audience in a way that’s original, organic, and highly convertible. On top of it all, broadcasters enhance their content and add value for the brands that advertise with them. If we can deliver value for each of these parties while keeping it totally free for viewers, we’ll have achieved our goal.

Can you tell us a little bit about the new FanCake rewards system?

As we developed the app, we talked a lot about the live sports experience. What do the spectators get when they buy tickets for and attend a game? Of course you get to be there in person, but teams and stadiums offer other little perks along with that. For example, Jack in the Box does a 100-point promo at the Staples Center in LA. When the Lakers score 100 points while keeping their opponent under 100, everyone in attendance gets free tacos from Jack in the Box. It’s wildly popular; so popular in fact that it’s actually in the NBA 2k video game—you can hear digital Laker fans screaming “we want tacos” if the Lakers are close to 100. We wanted to deliver that rewarding experience to everyone watching at home. The rewards system was born.

What we do is award FanCake Credits for checking in to games, and then we continue to award them based on your performance in the game. The more games you watch and the better you perform in the app, the more FanCake Credits you’ll earn. They can be redeemed directly in the app for discounts on officially licensed merchandise, tickets, sporting goods, other sports apps, even Nike gear. We’re adding new partners to the catalog almost every week.

What does the new FanCake rewards system mean for the app, Kwarter, and the fans?

For the fans it simply means that now there’s an app that rewards you for watching sports. Through fun and interactive game layers based on live TV sports, FanCake brings the promotions and rewards typically reserved for those physically at a game to the fans watching at home. Sports fans can finally get rewarded for watching their favorite sports, teams, and athletes, all by playing along in the free FanCake app.

For us, the rewards system is the establishment of our business model. What we’ve discovered is that brands want to reward fans for their engagement and loyalty. They’re as eager to move beyond banner ads as the rest of us, and are open to new ideas when it comes to engaging users. This means that Kwarter can drive revenue from the FanCake app and reward our users at the same time. Simply put, the rewards system allows us to make a free live social game that’s not supported by banner ads. We drive revenue, and the users not only get a premium social gaming experience, but in fact they get rewarded just for playing a free game. What could be better than that?

What does the future of the app hold?

Oh boy, even with all that we’ve done so far, it’s really just the beginning. First of all, we’ll of course add more and more games every month. We’ll be featuring well over 200 games per month by the time the Summer Olympics start. We’ll be adding new sports this summer. We challenge ourselves to deliver an update to FanCake almost every month, and this month’s no exception. The next couple of updates will focus primarily on gameplay, adding visuals and mechanics that are even more relevant to what you’re seeing on TV. We realize not everyone has time to sit and play along with a whole game with FanCake, so we’re building functionality so that FanCake can be a social, fun, and rewarding companion to the game even if you only check in for a quarter, a period, or a few innings.

And that’s the end of our interview with Carlos. As many of you iHospital readers and clients already know that iHospital is the place for all your Mac and Apple device needs you now know that FanCake is your one stop shop when it comes to sports second screen apps. Not to mention that it’s free in the App store and you can win stuff like a $15 gift card to Total Hockey just for having the most points during any Stanley Cups Final game featured in the app! Thanks go out to Carlos and the FanCake crew for giving us an inside scoop about FanCake. Hope you give the app a try; if you aren’t addicted to it already, that is!

We decided to combine two of the things we love most here at iHospital, Instagram and Apple fans and share the top 10 Instagram photos from WWDC 2012

@msjones_in_sf: My #view of #apple #wwdc2012. Jealous @imjstagrrl

@onelouderapps: Cool visual of apps being downloaded across multiple iPads. #WWDC #wwdc2012 #wwdc12 #apple cc: @followtheeater

@nawdsign: #WWDC2012

@thelakeman: #wwdc2012

@edanziger: The teeming hordes @ Apple Keynote #wwdc2012

@olloclip: #wwdc #wwdc2012 #olloclip #wideangle #apple

@nokeydokey: #wwdc

@blatantgizmo: Didn’t realize how close this was. #wwdc #wwdc2012 #apple #sf

@localcelebrity: How you know you’re at a developer conference…

@budship: #wwdc

We hope you enjoyed our picks for the top 10 Instagram photos from the 2012 Worldwide Developers Conference? If you have any Instagram pictures you’d like to share from the WWDC conference, post a link in the comments below. We’d love to hear from you.

[Related: 15 Terrific Things You Need to Know About Instagram Right Now!]

Did you know you can protect and enhance your iPhone, iPod and iPad with Liquid-Armor? iHospital is currently offering this cool new service for $19.99 or at an additional $9.99 when you come in to iHospital for any repair. Drop in to one of our locations and have one of our D.i.D. Doctor of iDevices add a solid shield of durability to your beloved iDevice today!

Updated MacBook Line

Apple had fun teasing onlookers by covering up a large photo with a black sheet before announcing the next-generation MacBook Pro. Details include a 15.4 Retina display, 256GB of flash storage, a 2.3GHz quad-core i7 processor with 8GB of 1600MHz RAM (upgradeable to 16GB) and a GeForce GT 650M graphics processor with 1GB of VRAM. The Retina-display MacBook Pro starts at $2199 and the standard 15 inch model starts at $1799. The 13-inch model starts at $1199.

More Mountain Lion Features

Apple’s next OS X update will cost $20 and will be available for download in July. OS X Mountain Lion comes with some neat new features including Dictation on the Mac, Power Nap, and iCloud Tabs. Developer Preview 4 was released today with a build number of 12A239, while OS X Server Developer Preview 5 has a build number of 12S254j. Let us know what you think in the comments below if you’re testing it out!

iOS6

Scott Forstall, senior VP for iOS software, announced the highly coveted iOS6, which has over 200 new features including a new and improved Siri, a revamped Maps app, shared Photo Streams via iCloud and more Facebook integration. There’s also a new Do Not Distrub mode that allows users to schedule when notifications shouldn’t initiate any sound, vibrate or visual alerts. iOS 6 will be compatible with the iPhone 3GS and higher, 2nd generation iPad and later, and the 4th generation iPod Touch. A beta version is available to developers today of course.

A New and Improved Siri

Siri has gotten a facelift and includes new functionality like providing sports scores and schedules, making restaurant reservations through the OpenTable application, find local movies listings and even launch apps. You’ll also find Siri speaking new languages like Spanish, Italian and French.

As expected, Apple announced some cool new features and products at the 20012 WWDC in San Francisco, CA. Highlights included the brand new MacBook line, the new OS X, iOS6 and a new and improved Siri. What do you think of all the features and updates? Let us know in the comments below!

Top 3 iOS Apps for Optimum Efficiency

Clear – $2.99. This is a simple list-keeping application that’s simple, quick and satisfying to use. Visually, it’s nicely arranged and is very reminiscent of a Windows Phone smartphone. You can create any type of list including a personal todo list, shopping lists, quick notes for phone numbers, and anything else you can think of.

DC ToDo – Free. A task based application with an extremely intuitive layout. Tasks can be arranged on a day-to-day basis and you’ll never miss anything. Overdue applications pop up on all lists in red so you have no excuse to miss them. You can also set up categories for work, family, friends, etc.

Ringo Tasks – $0.99. This application allows you to easily and quickly manage your ongoing activities and time. You can quickly set up categories, priorities and other settings. The best feature by far is the ability to sync Ringo Tasks with a wide array of other applications like Google Calendar, Microsoft Exchange Server or other iOS devices. You can even backup and restore your tasks!

Everyone wants more time to do the things they actually enjoy doing. Why not make your iPhone, iPad and iTouch work for you. These applications will improve your efficiency so that you can take some time off to do as you please!

Do you have any apps you’d like to share? Let us know in the comments below!

How to Convert Text Documents into Audio Files

Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have your Kindle books read to you on long drives? There are various third party applications that can do this for you but did you know you can do this using your Mac? First off, it’s good to understand this is a simple automator service that must be enabled first. First, you have to launch System Preferences and then click on the Keyboard preference pane icon. After this, click the Keyboard shortcuts tab.

The next step is clicking on Services in the left hand column, and then scrolling down to the Text section. Click on the ox next to the Add to iTunes As a Spoken Track service. After you complete this step, you can go ahead and close out of System Preferences.

Open the text document or PDF you’d like to read to you, select the text, and go to the applications menu. Select Add to iTunes as a Spoken Track. now all you have to do is choose a voice from your installed voices and pick a name for your spoken track. You can now play the track in iTunes, or send it to your iPhone for playing later.

How to Have your Mac Read eBooks to You

Did you know you can have your Mac read Kindle books to you, out loud, with its built-in text to speech software? This method won’t work for the Nook for Mac app just to let you know.

Download the Kindle app from the web and mount the .dmg image file, and drag the Kindle app to your applications folder. Double click the Kindle app and log in. Open up your favorite book and find a page you want your Mac to read to you. Click and drag across the text, and hit Option-Esc. Your Mac will start to raed in the voice slected in the System Preferences.

How to Change the Voice Your Mac Reads to You In

Open system preferences and go to the Speech icon. After you click on it, select the Text to Speech options. Choose the System Voice in the drop down there. From here, you can also speed it up or down with the slider. All in all, you have to make sure you select “Speak selected text when the key is pressed” or none of this will work.

You can choose different voices from System Preferences as well. Click on the Speech Microphone icon, and then hit Text to Speech. After clicking System Voice, select Customize from the bottom of the drop down box. Click the checkbox next to all the voices you’d like to include in your system voices. You can even choose different accents and languages.

We hope you enjoyed these tips on how to make your Mac speak to you. Have you transformed text documents into audio files? Or have your Mac read eBooks to you? How did it work for you? We look forward to hearing from you in the comments below!

10 Must-Have Tweaks For Your Mac

1. How to right-click on a Mac. Unlike PCs, your standard Mac mouse only has one button. Right-click by holding down the Control key and clicking. To make the experience simple, go to preferences and activate “Tap to click” and “Secondary click,” which will allow you to tap the trackpad with two fingers simultaneously to trigger a right click.

2. Change the mouse ball speed. The mouse tracking on a Mac feels drastically different from that of a PC because it doesn’t accelerate. You can partially alleviate this by turning the tracking speed all the way up.

3. Stop your monitor dimming. Mac computer screens dim after a period of inactivity. If you feel like using up more power than necessary, this feature can be turned off in the preferences under the options for “Energy saver.”

4. Set programs to automatically start upon log in. Many new Mac users miss having programs automatically start upon booting up their computers. If the program you want to start at initial log on is in your dock, right-click its icon and choose “Open at log-in.”

5. Introducing hot corners. Hot corners are a pretty neat feature available to all Mac users. Each screen corner becomes a hot spot that initiates an action or event when you move your mouse over it, such as rearranging windows to off screen to show the desktop or engaged widgets.

6. Set up different desktops AKA Spaces. Spaces allows users to create up to 16 unique desktops. You can also designate different applications to run on each desktop, while some can run on all – it’s all up to you. You can set up different spaces for web browsing, iTunes and iPhoto, email and communications as well as Photoshop and design.

7. Hide applications and files, or make them reappear. If you wish to view files that are hidden on default, simply type this into the terminal: “defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles TRUE”. If you wish to hide windows and files, hit Command + h, but you won’t get an indication that a window is hidden once it’s gone.

8. Master the Zoom. One of the biggest things to get used to with Macs is the Zoom function. It will increase the window size to fit the screen but the window will remain draggable. Sometimes this doesn’t even work, and it instead changes the size of the window in strange and unpredictable ways. Check out this neat plug in called Right Zoom to solve this issue.

9. Add folders or drives to the dock. This is a great thing to do for drives and folders that you use often. First you open a Finder window containing the application, file, or folder that you want to put on your Dock. Then you click the item that you want to add and drag it out of the Finder window and over onto the Dock.

10. Enable the Tab key. You can set up the Tab Key to switch between dialog buttons, fields, and anything else in a dialog box on a Mac. First you launch System Preferences. Then you click Shortcuts and select Keyboard Shortcuts. Look for Full Keyboard Access and click the radio button next to All controls. You’re done!

We hope you enjoyed our 10 must-have tweaks for you Mac. Did we miss anything? Let us know in the comments below.

Important: Before you make the transition, make sure that all of your contacts and bookmarks are up to date on at least one device you plant to use with iCloud. These will be uploaded to iCloud from your devices after you complete the migration, and iCloud will not copy and contacts or bookmarks from me.com.

Preparing to Move

1. You must have iOS 5 or later on your iPad, iPhone or iPod touch.

2. When you are asked for your Apple ID and password, enter your MobileMe email and password. To use a different Apple ID for iCloud or iTunes go to Settings > Store on your device after you’ve finished using the iOS setup assistant.

3. Macs must have OS X Lion 10.7.2 or later. PCs must have Windows 7 or Vista (Service Pack 2) and the iCloud Control Panel. Outlook 2007 or 2010 are required for syncing your contacts.

4. Backup all of your contacts, calendars and bookmarks prior to moving to iCloud.

Moving Mail

5. Your active email address (@me.com, @mac.com, and all your aliases) will move with you along with your messages when you move from MobileMe to iCloud.

6. Your email application must support accessing email via IMAP over SSL (such as OS X Mail or Outlook 2007 and 2010).

7. When you move to iCloud, you will no longer be able to check external POP email accounts, and you won’t be able to use a send from address to send from a non @me.com or @mac.com address.

Moving Calendars

8. Your data is moved for you when you move to iCloud on all your devices, you don’t need to do any additional configuration. This only works if you are using the new MobileMe Calendar before moving to iCloud.

9. If you weren’t using the new MobileMe Calendar prior to moving to iCloud, turn off all calendar syncing on all your iOS devices and choose to keep the calendar data on your device. To turn off calendar on your iOS device: tap Settings > Mail, Contacts, Calendars > MobileMe. Turn off claendars and choose the option to keep data on your device.

Contacts and Bookmarks

10. Your contacts and bookmarks must be on one or more of your supported devices prior to moving to iCloud. You will lose all access to all your contacts on me.com after the move. Make sure they are all up to date.

11. You should not move to iCloud if your contacts are only available at me.com and you’d like to retain them.

Storage

12. You keep all the store in your MobileMe account for as long as you keep your account active, or until June 30, 2012.

13. Most users who make the switch to iCloud will get a complimentary iCloud storage upgrade through September 30, 2012. After September 30, 2012, you can purchase the upgrade, or let it expire and use the free 5 GB plan. It’s easy to manage your settings at Settings > iCloud > Storage & Backup on your iOS device.

Cancelling your MobileMe Subscription

14. You can cancel your service at any time and you’ll get a prorated refund for your unused time.

Make the Move!

15. Visit me.com/move and begin the transition from MobileMe to iCloud!

According to The Next Web, the case has ended which means that the dispute over iPhone5.com has been resolved without WIPO having to get involved. As it currently stands the domain is being held by brand protection firm Corporation Service Company, most likely on behalf of Apple. The domain currently shows a blank page. We think they should add a snazzy picture of what the iPhone 5 might look like!

The move to gain control of iPhone5.com plus the reasons we wrote about earlier are leading many Apple fans to believe the next iPhone will definitely be called the iPhone 5. Experts are warning people not to get too excited as Apple may be protecting its iPhone trademarks and also trying to control content at what will likely be a popular destination for those looking for information on the next generation iPhone.

Interested in purchasing iPhone6.com? You’re out of luck. That domain has changed hands many times. It was first registered in Dubai in 2007. Soon afterwards, ownership moved to South Korea and ever since 2007, ownership has been kept private and there is no site associated with the address. Perhaps we should think about iPhone7, iPhone8 and iPhone9?

In the end, our D.i.D. Doctor of iDevices think the next generation iPhone will be called either the iPhone 5 or simply “iPhone” similar to the new iPad. What do you think? Let us know in the comments below.

All of this hype came about because starting June 1, 2012, all apps that are submitted to the Mac App Store need to include Apple’s sandboxing requirements. For those of you that wonder what sandboxing means, here’s a little breakdown. Sandboxing is a term that refers to limiting what functionality and data a certain app can access for a user’s protection and security. Another popular blog called TUAW suggested that as part of these updates, Apple would shun new apps with global hotkeys too.

These hotkeys are very common within in OS X. In fact, Apple includes many hotkey creations of their own, like Command-Shift-3 for taking a screenshot. Many apps in the App Store install their own global hotkeys: Twitter apps can offer a command to bring your timeline to the foreground or start composing a new tweet, or launching apps lets you bring up their interfaces with a global keystroke too.

Overall, it’s definitely been confirmed that no hotkey ban is coming to the Mac Apple Store. Apple even offers developers many public APIs that simplify the work of creating global keyboard shortcuts, and we’re sure those APIs aren’t going away. All in all, as long as these hotkeys are implemented properly, the Apple App Store definitely won’t turn them away.

How big will the iPhone screen be?

The new screens are said to measure at least 4 inches diagonally, which is a half inch jump from the current 3.5 inch screen on the iPhone 4S. The Wall Street Journal said at least 4 inches while Reuters has said will measure exactly 4 inches. Overall, the increased screen size would represent an estimated 30 percent increase in viewing area, assuming Apple keeps the other dimensions proportionate.

Who is Apple working with to make the larger screens?

Apple is working with several companies to create larger screens on the next iPhone. These companies include South Korea’s LG Display Co., Japan’s Sharp Corp. and Japan Display Inc. (the newly-merged businesses of Toshiba, Sony and Hitachi).

Why is Apple creating larger screens?

Consumers want larger screens on their mobile devices. Apple is up against Samsung Electronics Co., the world’s largest cellphone manufacturer, which recently launched a flagship smartphone with an unprecedented 4.8 inch display, one of the largest screens to date. The iPhone screen size hasn’t increased from 3.5 inches from it’s launch in 2007. Apple is looking to grab a bigger share of the global smartphone market, and having a larger screen is a step in the right direction. Especially since analysts have projected that Samsung’s smartphone shipments will double in 2012 and the next iPhone should boost Apple’s shipments.

When will the next iPhone be launched?

As we mentioned in our previous post, 3 Reasons Why the New iPhone will be Called the iPhone 5, the next iPhone is expected to launch in October, 2012. It will most likely be called the iPhone 5.

[Related: 13 Beautiful Apps For Your New iPad Retina Display]

Apple’s stunning Retina display is one of their proudest achievements. Engineers developed pixels that are a mere 78 micrometers wide, and they were also able to pack together four times the number of pixels into the 3.5 inch screen found on the iPhone 4S and iPhone 4. This results in an image based on 326 pixels per inch. Even the human eye can’t distinguish pixels on the screen.

9to5Mac is also reporting that Apple plans to update the MacBook Air with the highly coveted Retina display:

Apple’s new MacBook Air will not see major changes across the entire computer like the next-generation MacBook Pro, but this update will truly be all about the Retina Display. [...]

Apple is preparing both new 11.6-inch and 13.3-inch models. These new Airs lack notable design changes, but feature fast and power-efficient Ivy Bridge processors and improved graphics engines to support the Retina Display, according to supply chain sources. The new Airs will also use improved Apple internal battery technology in order to support the battery life required by high-pixel-density screens such as the Retina Display, according to sources familiar with prototype versions of the super-thin notebook’s internal components.

Like the iCloud Upgrade and Apple’s iOS 5.1.1 Update, the Retina-updated MacBook Air is rumored to be launching during the Worldwide Developers Conference in June, 2012. Engineers are also debating whether or not it will include a USB 3.0 in the next generation MacBook Air. It’s said to be included in the pricier MacBook Pro, but they aren’t sure yet about including it on the lower-priced models.

Interestingly, iCloud was first launched during the same conference just under a year ago on June 6th, 2011. Apple was proud to announce a service that allowed users to music, contacts, calendars, and email on remote servers for download on multiple devices such as iOS-based mobile devices, and personal Mac computers. This service is being used by over 125 million users.

We’re excited to share 2 ways Apple’s Upgrade to iCloud will affect you:

1.) New photo-sharing features. Are you obsessed with Instagram? Do you love sharing your Facebook photo albums? Well get ready for one more neat way to share. Apple’s new iCloud upgrade will encourage users to share photo albums with their other iCloud friends. Like Instagram, you can look forward to witty little comments on all your uploaded albums.

As it currently stands, iCloud users can upload pictures to one single album through a feature called Photo Stream. This action syncs the photo album across all devices, but it doesn’t share them.

We all know picture based social networking is red hot, and Apple is looking to get their piece of the pie. Especially since Facebook recently acquired Instagram for a cool $1 billion.

[Related: 15 Terrific Things You Need to Know About Instagram Right Now!]

2. Sync personal videos, notes and reminders. Apple loves syncing. So much so, users will now be able to sync personal videos, notes and reminders across all iCloud enabled devices. Currently, notes and reminders have to be accessed via various apps. The hope is that these new features will be released with Apple’s next mobile operating system, iOS 6, which is also scheduled to launch in June, 2012.

The folks at Apple are mildly concerned about the costs of storing huge volumes of user data such as music, apps, movies, etc. purchased through iTunes. Users get an additional five gigabytes for free.

Apple has declined to comment on any of the above, but this upgrade moves to be the biggest upgrade of iCloud since October, 2011. All in all, Apple is being very strategic with this upgrade by allowing customers to access data across all devices. We’re excited to see it roll out in June, 2012!

This was in direct relation to Apple’s recent update of Safari, which brought it up to Safari 5.1.7, which runs on OS X Snow Lepoard and Lion, Windows XP and Windows 7. Accordingly, it destroys any copy of Flash older than 10.1.102.64, which was shipped way back in November, 2010.

Apple and Adobe haven’t always met eye to eye. Back in 2010, Steve Jobs spoke poorly of Flash, and said it was unsuitable for mobile devices because it killed batteries, ran slow and posed security risks. Later on, Apple stopped bundling Flash Player with OS X which required users to download and install the plug-in on their own. Many of these issues motivated Adobe to work hard to keep Flash up-to-date, and to protect Adobe users. Arkin added that Flash Player 11.2 on Windows updates automatically. Mac can look forward to the same functionality, now in beta, with a final version coming between now and June 30, 2012.

So what happens if your beloved Apple Mac or iPad is running an outdated version of Flash? Rest assured, Safari will send you a alert and then direct you to Adobe’s download site, where the most recent version of Flash is available. Should you have any further questions, please feel free to drop into any iHospital location and talk to one of our D.i.D. Doctor of iDevices. We’ll be happy to help you out!

Adobe is launching more and more apps available on the iPad

Are you interested in test driving Flash Player 11.3 on your Mac? Download it here from Adobe and let us know how you like it in the comments below.

Here are 6 things you need to know about Apple’s iOS 5.1.1 Update

1. Upgrades the reliability when you use the HDR option for taking photos using the Lock Screen shortcut.

2. Alleviates the pesky problem that caused the new iPad from switching between the 2G and 3G networks.

3. Airplay video playback playback issues have been rectified.

4. Improved dependability when you sync your Safari bookmarks and reading list.

5. You won’t have to worry about getting the ‘Unable to purchase’ alert when you’ve purchased something successful on your device. iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch users rejoice!

6. Fixes up some serious security issues including patches in the WebKit rendering engine, as well as a security issue in Safari, which also used WebKit.

Updating your Apple device is very simple. Our D.i.D. Doctor of iDevices were kind enough to give some simple instructions. First, launch settings if you are running iOS 5 or later. Next you tap General, and then tap Software Update. Updating to iOS 5.1.1 shouldn’t take too long as this qualifies as a delta update and takes up about 50 MB worth of space. You can also download the update via Apple’s website or iTunes if you wish.

The Internet is flying with rumors that a major iOS overhaul will be released in June, 2012 during the Worldwide Developers Conference event in San Francisco. The last major upgrade was hugely popular with over 25 million installs! [Related: 25 Million Install iOS 5!]

What do you think about Apple’s iOS 5.1.1 Update? Do you notice a difference? Let us know in the comments below!

MacRumors is already comparing Twitpic to Instagram and we wanted to provide you with an official breakdown of the similarities and differences. It’s tough to compete with Instagram as they were recently acquired for a billion dollars by social media behemoth Facebook, but you never know what can happen right? On a separate note, if you’re in love with Instagram they way we are make sure you check out 15 Terrific Things You Need to Know about Instagram Right now!

Similarities

• Both applications are free! You can’t get much better than that
• Both applications are available on iTunes
• Twitpic and Instagram allow users to share photos easily as they happen
• Both apps allow you to view popular content across all users
• Both apps allow you to create beautiful pictures with different filters
• Both apps allow you to crop pictures
• Instagram and Twitpic both allow commenting and refreshing features

Differences

• Twitpic allows users to share videos
• Twitpic allows you to sign in with Twitter, but you can only share your photos on Twitter
• Instagram allows you to share you photos across Twitter, Facebook, Email, Flickr, Tumblr and Foursquare. Twitpic lacks broader social networking support
• Instagram already has an Anroid application. Like I mentioned above, Twitpic is expected to launch an Anroid app within the month
• Twitpic allows you to see photos and videos from people you follow on Twitter
• Instagram was launched in October 2010 while Twitpic launched in 2008

Overall, Twitpic wants to provide a better experience for our users, and we think they are doing a great job. Twitpic and Instagram offer many similar features but still are quite different. Instagram is integrated across many social networks while Twitpic is specifically designed for Twitter. What do you think? Will you be a Twitpicker?

Say hello to the iPhone 5.

Apple is usually fairly predictable when it comes to naming devices. Our D.i.D. Doctor of iDevices have been patiently waiting for the next iPhone to be released, and there has been much debate over what the name will be. Some say it will be the iPhone 5, while some say it will be simply “The iPhone” similar to the recent curve ball Apple threw at us with the iPad. We are expecting the latest iPhone to be released in October, 2012. Carriers such as Spring are gearing up by offering unlimited data plans with LTE! All in all, the iHospital believes it will be called the iPhone 5 and here are three rock solid reasons:

1. Apple has filed a claim with WIPO (World Intellectual Property Office) to gain control of the iPhone5.com domain. The folks at WIPO are currently looking over how compliant Apple’s claim is, and proceedings are to be initiated in the near future. Interestingly, Apple didn’t get full control of the domain iPhone4.com until nearly a year after that device launched. And guess what happened with iPhone4S.com? Apple gained full control two weeks after the release of the iPhone 4S because that domain was forwarding visitors to pornography sites! Talk about a wrong turn.

2. Apple will stick with the tried and tested method of naming devices and that’s why they’ll call it the iPhone 5. It would be a tongue twister if they called it iPhone 4S2? Using numbers to name devices keeps thing simple for customers. Remember the latest iPad fiasco? Customers were having major issues when purchasing the new iPad as opposed to the iPad 2. Calling the new iPhone, the iPhone 5, will definitely keep everyone happy.

3. The iPhone 4S wasn’t a complete overhaul of the iPhone 4 and didn’t warrant a new number. The newest iPhone is rumored to be thinner and taller with a 4″ display. It will also have a new, smaller dock connector that will replace the existing 30-pin dock connector. Big sigh of relief!

So there you have it, three major reasons why the next iPhone will be named the iPhone 5: Apple filed a claim with WIPO to acquire iphone5.com and historically they did the same with the iPhone 4 and the 4S, they will stick with a tried and tested simple strategy on how to name devices, and finally, the iPhone 5 will be a complete overhaul of the iPhone 4S and will require a brand new number! What do you think?

Forget about movies or television or banking, Whitey Bluestein, a long time wireless industry expert says it is very possible that Apple could begin to offer their very own wireless services to their customers for use with their products, such as the iPad and the iPhone. Bluestein has put together major deals for giants like AT&T, Microsoft, Nokia and Best Buy, and he says Apple already has everything they need to bring this service to the public. They have the right distribution, customer base and digital content to make it happen. He claims the only thing really holding them back from the exciting new launch is the extremely large cell phone subsidies. However, he doesn’t see this as being any long term issue and with Apple’s huge cash hordes, this road block isn’t very significant.

Experts like Bluestein think this massive move could very well help Apple stay on top of its game and avoid potential threats from wireless companies, and our D.i.D. Doctor of iDevices definitely think he’s on to something here. At the MVNO Industry Summit in Barcelona, Bluestein claimed that Google will have a hard time with competition against Apple because they do not have the same subscriber experience and they lack the simplicity of something like the Itunes store with its easy use and one click shopping. Google can do a lot of this themselves but it is not at the core of their company, as it is with Apple.

With so much for Apple to gain in the wireless service industry, it seems it will only be a matter of time before they become a major player. What do you think? Let us know in the comments below!

However, if your next line of thinking brought you to the conclusion that such a device is in the works from the geniuses behind such amazing inventions like the iPad or the MacBook you would be wrong!

The iMacPad, no patent pending, is our own creation and something you won’t be seeing anytime soon from the Apple product development team, or at all, according to Apple CEO Tim Cook. That means you can’t rush down to your nearby iHospital location for your iMacPad repair needs; but you can still bring in any of your other Apple devices such as your iPod Touch or iPad 2 to our D.i.D. Doctor of iDevices if they are in need of some repair work.

During Apple’s second quarter earnings call Cook briefly touched upon the topic of desktop-tablet convergence and it doesn’t seem like Apple has any plans of going down that route. Cook said about merging the iPad with the MacBook that, “Anything can be forced to converge. But the problem is that the products are about tradeoffs. You begin to make tradeoffs to the point where what you have left at the end of the day doesn’t please anyone. You can converge a toaster and a refrigerator, but you know, those things are probably not going to be pleasing to the user.”

[Related: Apple Reports Most Amazing Quarter on Record!]

The line of iPads and MacBook computers are two completely different products that each caters to users in specific ways and there really isn’t a need to convert the two into some sort of Apple device superbeast of a machine.

Mac Computers such as the MacBook, MacBook Pro or Mac Mini are all part of a personal computer family while the iPads are post-PC devices and were created with the intention of being completely different than Mac computers. Combing a Mac computer with an iPad doesn’t make any sense and would eliminate the need to own both devices, which is something Apple’s financial bottom line would probably have no interest in.

If you think Cook is bluffing or trying to misdirect people the following quote will probably put such a theory to rest: “You wouldn’t want to put these things together because you end up compromising in both and not pleasing either user. Some people will prefer to own both, and that’s great too. But to make the compromise of convergence, we’re not going to that party.”

Apple will continue to incorporate iPad features and iOS elements into the OS X programs such as Messages, Game Center and Reminders but for now an iPad/Mac crossover is nothing but a pipedream, even if it is one that some iHospital D.i.D. Doctor of iDevices wouldn’t mind seeing.

Anyway, one other very important revelation from the second quarter conference call put on by Apple that the iHospital D.i.D. Doctor of iDevices wanted to focus on was in regards to the sale of iPads to the educational sector.

According to Peter Oppenheimer, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Apple, he made note of the fact that Apple sold twice as many iPads than Mac computers to US K-12 education customers! That number is even more staggering when you add in that Mac sales for Apple’s second quarter had also hit a new record!

The number of iPads sold to the educational sector signifies a shift in the way schools are educating their students, as tablets in general, but the iPad specifically, are more conducive to the classroom because they are just so well-suited for such an environment. When you put together the design of the iPad alongside the high number and great range of quality educational apps available for K-12 students, and after that, university students, it’s no wonder educators gobbled up iPads at such a fast pace.

Apple has placed an emphasis on their education apps and iTunes U and the iBooks textbooks were made to help teachers educate their students in a completely innovative but nonetheless still easy method of teaching.

We imagine that more and more schools will be filling up their classrooms with iPads in the near future and the stats shown to us by Oppenheimer when it comes to the San Diego school district might be an example of such an occurrence. In the second quarter 10,000 iPads were sold to the San Diego school district alone, and they have plans to purchase at least another 15,000 more iPads for students in middle and high schools in the upcoming June quarter!

It’s not inconceivable to think that one day iPads and styluses along with note-taking apps such as Note Taker HD or writing/drawing/sketching apps like Paper by FiftyThree will replace traditional notebooks and pencils in the classroom.

Search Google or YouTube using your voice instead of typing! Voice Assistant is a simple way to speak and instantly see your text or email messages, up to five times faster than typing on the keyboard.

Are you looking for a Siri alternative for your iPhone 4 or 3GS? Make sure you check out Voice Assistant by QuanticApps. Like Siri, Voice Assistant allows you to create email or text messages by speaking and you can also use it to update all of your social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter.

Voice Assistant helps you save time by allowing you to use your voice instead of typing. This can be especially useful when sending email or text messages. We all know Siri is king when it comes to personal voice assistants, but Voice Assistant brings Siri-esque voice dictation as well as the following features to the iPhone 4 and 3GS:

• Voice driven correction interface
• Automatic correction of grammar and conjugation
• Google Search, YouTube, Print
• Share your text to Pages, Evernote, Doc2Go,DropBox, QuickOffice and more
• Support landscape iPad mode
• Support 22 languages
• Voice-to-text transcriptions that may be sent as SMS, Email, or pasted into any application using the clipboard
• Submit text to Social Networking applications – Twitter and Facebook
• Convenient editing feature that provides a list of suggested words
• Based on a learning algorithms

Voice Assistant transfers spoken text easily by treating it as a file. You can open it in other apps such as Dropbox, Evernote or Simplenote. This can be very helpful when you’d like to save notes easily without the concern of losing them. Voice Assistant recognizes the words “comma” and “period” as punctuation with is always useful.

This app becomes better with time as it uses intelligent speech recognition. It also saves you time with automated grammar correction. According to the iPhoneblogr, a reviewer spoke and recorded three paragraphs and there wasn’t a single error, even when they spoke fast and tried to trip it up. Pretty remarkable. Don’t forget to ready our related post, 3 Ways Not to Annoy People Using Siri, as the same rules apply!

Voice Assistant is extremely easy to use. To begin recording, you hit the mic button and begin speaking. When you finish your recording, you can either hit the mic button, or set up Voice Assistant to be able to auto-detect when you’re done. It’s easy to transfer your voice-to-text message to e-mail, iMessage, Facebook and/or Twitter. Simply copy and paste your work into the app you’d like to use.

Voice Assistant is available in the iTunes Store for $0.99 and is a great alternative to Siri should you not have an iPhone 4S. Go get it now! You won’t be sorry you did.