Vodio for iPad

Vodio is a universal iOS video magazine application. Vodio is a really cool Flipboard like application for iOS but only instead of news it is all videos. Vodio has social integration built right into the application, you can sign in with your YouTube, Twitter, or Facebook account. When you log in with your social network accounts you will get a panel with all the videos your friends and family members have shared on those networks. But you don't need a social account to use the application, you can add panels to your Vodio stream by picking topics that interest you. I enjoy my iPad so I have panels set up for iPad Apps and iPad news videos.

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There are a ton of different channels to choose from, not just technology. Some of the channels include:

• Entertainment


• Comedy


• Sports


• Movies


• Apps


• Tech


• Music


• Cool & Inspiring


• News


• Viral


• Celebrities


• Automotive


• Science


• more....

In each of these channels are sub-channels, take the Game channel for instance. It features topcis that include: Xbox, Machinima, Electronic Arts, GameSpot and more..


This is a superb application, especially on the iPad and now that iOS 6 has removed the YouTube app. Vodio is the best way to not only experience YouTube but to also find more great video content on your iPad.



Two things I wish the developers would consider adding:

1. Vimeo - If I could get my Vimeo feed in the app I would be set to go.


2. Search - I would like to be able to search for videos by tags or topics.

Even without those features this is probably the best video application I have used on the iPad. I have a couple of apps that I currently use but I have a feeling they will not see much use from here on out. Vodio is free in the App Store and to be honest if you do not give it shot you would have to be insane, it is a great app, go download it. Now.


Vodio for iPad: Vodio Video Magazine - Discover, Watch and Share Great Videos - Vodio Labs Ltd.

Vodio for iPhone: Vodio Video Magazine - Discover, Watch and Share Great Videos - Vodio Labs Ltd.

Day One updates coming soon

Day One is one of my all-time favorite iOS/OS X applications. I have talked about it on a lot on Total iPad and just recently updated my video review of Day One. Being a huge fan of Day One, I am signed up for their Newsletter that tells me about updates etc. with Day One. In this newsletter yesterday I noticed that 2 new features are coming in the next update of Day One:

We’re currently working on two highly requested features for Day One: search (on iOS), and tags. Both of these features will be part of the next update for iPhone and iPad.

Search is the one thing Day One on my iPad has been missing and I am glad it is finally making it's way to the iPad app. I assume tags are an obvious addition to go with the search

If you have not tried Day One yet then don't wait any longer, grab it now:

Day One - Journal - Bloom Built, LLC (iPad)
Day One - Journal - Bloom Built, LLC (iPhone)
Day One - Bloom Built, LLC (OS X)


For more information about Day One visit their website.

Episode 32 - Total Failure

This week on the Total iPad podcast we talk about everything except the iPad, only kidding. We talk about the iPad "Mini" name and how it sounds utterly ridiculous. Is the iPad "Mini" going to stick a fork in the Surface before it even launches? What has Microsoft done lately to get consumers excited? Speaking of the Surface, have you watched the commercial? In my opinion it seems like they ripped off the Smart Cover comercial.

iPad Air
iPad "Mini" Event
Smart Cover commercial
Surface Commercial
EarPods


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Cygnett Alumni for iPad

The Alumni is another terrific iPad case from Cygnett, Total iPad's favorite iPad accessory maker. The Alumni retails for only $29.99 and features 4 beautiful colors: Blue, Green, Black and Pink. The Alumni is made of a canvas fabric and will help protect your iPad from dings and scratches.

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The Alumni has built-in magnets that will allow your iPad to take advantage of the sleep/wake function. The magnets will also double as a way to keep the Alumni front cover securely closed when the iPad is not in use. I did not have to add any additional magnets to the Alumni like I did with the Glam Rock, the Alumni is ready to go out of the box. The sleep/wake function works flawlessly with the Alumni.

The iPad fits nicely into the Alumni and I was able to access the buttons and ports while my iPad was in the Alumni case. The 30-pin connector is easily accessible to plug your USB cable into, I could not use my dock though while my iPad was in the Alumni but that should be expected. The earbud jack was also easily accessible when plugging my headphones into the iPad while in the Alumni case. I also had no problems using the volume buttons and mute/rotate switch on the side of the iPad. The rear of the Alumni has a tiny opening cut out so I could use my rear facing camera on my iPad if I needed too.

Overall the Alumni is a stylish iPad case that seems to be geared at the younger audience. It has an inside pocket that would be a nice place to store notes for class. Factor in the bright colors of the Alumni and this just screams high school. That is not a bad thing and is only my opinion. I would easily recommend the Alumni to anyone looking for a stylish iPad case that not only looks good but also protects your iPad from bumps and bruises. Factor in the price tag of only $29.99, you would have to be insane to not consider the Alumni. Check out my video demo below for a more detailed review of the Alumni by Cygnett.

Pros:
Magnetic closure
Nice canvas fabric outside
Protect iPad screen from scratches

Cons:
No way to stand up the iPad

For more information about the Alumni case from Cygnett, please visit their website.
Check out the other terrific Cygnett iPad accessories.

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Also See my other Cyngett Reviews:
Cygnett Glam Rock Review
Cygnett Aerosphere Review

Leather or Polyurethane Smart Cover?

I have been asked several times which Smart Cover I prefer, the leather or the polyurethane. It boils down to preference but I do have my own opinion which I don’t mind sharing.

The leather is my choice for Smart Cover and for several reason:

• Feels more sturdy when standing up the iPad using the Smart Cover.


• When the Smart Cover gets broken in, it has a more natural look to it.


• Smells better, it is leather and leather smells sooooo good.


• Doesn’t get dirty or dingy looking like the polyurethane cover does.

Do you already own a Smart Cover? Which did you buy, leather or polyurethane? Let me know on Twitter @TotaliPad.

Leather Smart Cover - $30.99 on Amazon

Polyurethane Smart Cover - $12.99 on Amazon

EarPods by Apple

EarPods by Apple

I have been using the new EarPods for a couple of weeks now since the iPhone 5 launched. I decided to purchase me an additional pair to use with my iPad and figured I should do a quick overview of them. So here is my opinion on the EarPods and what I think about them compared to other earbud style headphones.

The first question most people ask me: “Are they worth the $29 they cost?” This is an easy answer for me, YES! For $29 you get what you paid for, they are not the best earbuds on the market but they don’t cost nearly as much as those high end earbuds cost.
For example, I paid $149 for Beats Tour In-Ear Headphones and if you compare them with the $29 Apple EarPods, the EarPods will be the better buy. They sound almost every bit as good as the high end Beats but at a fraction of the cost. I know most audiophiles do not consider Beats to be high end headphones but they sure are priced like high end components.

The volume rocker on the new EarPods is a nice redesign vs. the old style Apple EarBuds. The older earbuds were a pain in the rear when you wanted to mute your music or lower the volume. They never seemed to work correctly, Apple has changed the design and now you can feel the +/- button raised a tad on the ends and the middle is slightly recessed for easy access to the mute button. This is a very subtle but much needed change to the EarPods.

The bass is deep in the EarPods, much more so than the older earbuds that Apple sold before. I guess it depends on the type of music you listen to, but for me the added bass is a nice touch. I have read several blogs online stating it was too much bass though, again I think this is opinion based on your preferred music genre.

The overall sound of the EarPods is slightly improved over the older Apple earbuds, although they do not seem as loud as the older earbuds. That could be the main reason they sound better, I think before the sound would get drowned out when I would have my iPad on full blast. If you are looking for a decent pair of in-ear headphones with built in microphone and volume switcher built in then I would highly recommend you check out the EarPods.

Highlights:

• Designed by Apple


• Deeper, richer bass tones


• Greater protection from sweat and water


• Control music and video playback


• Answer and end calls

Kingdom Rush for iPad

Kingdom Rush for iPad is one of my all-time favorite iPad games. Kingdom Rush is a typical tower defense style game but with a twist, you have different modes of game play you can challenge in the game. If you defeat each mode you earn stars that can be used to power up your towers or soldiers during gameplay. You will need to use your power-ups wisely to continue advancing to the harder maps, you have 2 difficulty levels: easy and normal.

The overall gameplay is quite enjoyable and now that the game offers additional weapons that you can purchase in the Gnome Shop the game is a tad bit easier to defeat. The 4 bonus levels that are now included and very challenging, I highly recommend using the additional weapons for the bonus levels your first time running through the bonus maps. Also, you need to have at least a 50 star level before jumping into the bonus maps or you will basically have no hope of defeating the levels. The bonus levels are much more difficult than the traditional maps that were included with Kingdom Rush.

The game does offer In-App purchases but honestly you can easily earn your gems in the game and only need the IAP if you don't feel like earning them during normal gameplay. The In-App purchase range from $0.99 to $4.99 per pack.

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If you find any level of Kingdom Rush to be too difficult you can head to their website and view their strategy guide, the game is no fun though if you follow along with their video showing you how to defeat the level. But if you must, you can find the strategy guide HERE.

• Epic defense battles that will hook you for hours!
• Command your soldiers and see them engage in hand to hand cartoon battles!
• 8 specialized tower upgrades to customize your strategy! Mighty Barbarians, Arcane Wizards, Forest Rangers to name a few.
• Over 18 tower abilities! Have your Sorcerers summon earth elementals and polymorph your enemies!
• Over 30 different enemies, from Goblins to Demons each with their own skills! (Beware of the mountain Trolls!)
• Intense boss fights never seen on a defense game!
• Hours of gameplay with over 50 achievements
• Extra game modes that will challenge your tactical skills to the limit.
• High definition awesome illustrated cartoon art!
• In-game encyclopedia with information from your towers and enemies.

You can download Kingdom Rush for iPad in the App Store for only $2.99: Kingdom Rush HD - Armor Games Inc

For more information about Kingdom Rush you can visit the official Kingdom Rush website.