That’s not to say that Instagram isn’t a great app, it is, but there are better apps out there and Wood Camera for iPhone is certainly one of them, do read on though and I’ll tell you why.

Lenses are one of the main things users of camera apps like to use and Wood Camera has 23 of these, they’re your standard lenses but something that is unique about them is the ability to take pictures with the filter enabled. This can save you a lot of time if you have a lot of pictures that you want to take and add lens effects too.

Applying filters is just one of many adjustments that you can make to your pictures with 17 different textures, 12 frames and my favorite features of the vignettes which enables you to highlight specific areas of the photographs.

All of these features come with the ability to apply how big the effect is via a slider which puts you in control of how your photographs looks. Applying all of these features is easy to do with all the options available along the bottom of the screen.

You can also easily take a quick full screen view of your creation via a switch at the top of the screen and from a technical perspective Wood Camera will import your iPhone 4S pictures at the full 8 mega-pixel resolution to ensure that your pictures can look as best as possible.

Of course it’s no good creating this these pieces of art if you can’t share them with the world and there are no shortage of options there either. All of the major social networks are there from Twitter and Facebook to Flickr and even Instagram as well as to your camera roll or via email.

One final nice option is the ability to have Wood Camera launch to the photo taking screen meaning that it can be a true replacement to the stock camera application.

So if you are one of those people who wasn’t happy when Instagram were brought by Facebook or are just looking for a great camera / picture editing app then Wood Camera for iPhone could be just the app for you and is available for $1.99 from Apple’s App Store.

What we like

• Use filters while taking pictures
• Multiple editing options
• Launch to camera option

What to know

• No iPad version

According to the latest iPhone 5 rumors, Apple is testing more than one prototypes of the next-gen iPhone. The sixth gen iPhone is expected to see major re-design and feature a taller display.

Apple introduced the original iPhone in 2007 with a 3.5 inch screen and that has remained unchanged over last 5 years. However, now it seems that the company might be ready to give the display a complete makeover and introduce iPhone 5 with 3.9 inch display. According to a report published by 9to5 Mac, Apple is testing multiple prototypes of the next gen iPhone that are locked in shells to avoid discovery by unauthorized personnel.

We know of two next-generation iPhones in testing with a larger display: the iPhone 5,1 and iPhone 5,2. These phones are in the PreEVT stage of development and are codenamed N41AP (5,1) and N42AP (5,2).

The new iPhone will reportedly not just feature a taller display but will also increase the resolution from 640×940 to 1136×640.

That’s an extra 176 pixels longer of a display.  The screen will be the same 1.94 inches wide, but will grow to 3.45 inches tall. This new resolution is very close to a 16:9 screen ratio, so this means that 16:9 videos can play full screen at their native aspect ratio.

The report further mentions that custom-built iOS 6 software is being tested in the iPhone 5 prototypes that takes full advantage of the taller and wider screen by adding a fifth row of app icons to the home screen.

In addition to the display changes, the sixth gen iPhone will continue to include the home button but, could possibly feature smaller dock connector. iPhone 5 is widely rumored to be released in October during a special Apple event.

{via 9to5 Mac}

I must admit, when a friend and I decided to take up app coding as a hobby to see if we could make a game, I thought mobile app coding was the same across the board. Guess what? It is not the same. Surprise I know, don’t get me wrong I didn’t think it was identical but I did think it would be more cross-platform than it is. Specifically, we’ll look at the differences of aesthetics between iOS and Android in this article.

In a nutshell, it’s easier to make good looking apps in iOS than in Android. Hipmunk UI/UX designer and iOS developer Danilo Campos explains: “The very simple short answer is it’s easier to make a good-looking, attractive iOS app compared to making an Android app.”

It’s no surprise that when you look at an Apple product vs. a Google product that the Apple product is going to most likely be more polished and sleek, also more expensive. This should give you a hint as to which one cares more about these qualities when it comes to software as well. Now that I sit down and think about it, it makes perfect sense, I just hadn’t thought about it.

Though many things that Apple product users such as myself see as issues with Android many Android users see as benefits. This might be true but some of these are the very reason for the apps not appearing as polished. One thing is for sure, it is is not for lack of talent in the Android development scene.

Let’s look at the reasoning before I am strung up by the Android users:

• Fragmentation: iOS devs have fewer resolutions and hardware profiles to worry about. The Android market is saturated with devices with different resolutions and hardware specs.

“Android devices come in different shapes and sizes, different screen resolutions, different device speeds – and that’s actually a huge hurdle,” Karma app co-founder Lee Linden told Wired.

• Images: Hipmunk generates its Android assets in three resolutions: 1x for older devices, 2x for high-resolution devices and 1.5x for other devices. Campos states that this is a must to avoid artifacting in some apps. The issue with this is that you’re spending more times on things like images and not on ground-breaking and cutting edge technology development. Even if you are, that’s added time and expense that iOS devs don’t have to worrry about.

• Tools & Documentation: Surprisingly, tools and documentation is less robust when it comes to Android. I say surprising as Android is more open than iOS. Part of that is that Apple has had a 20 year head start in developer support. That’s when you have to ask yourself, how old is Android really? That’s how long Google has been at developer support and it doesn’t come without some growing pains.

Campos states, “It feels like you’ve got more documentation, both officially sanctioned and thirdparty, so that makes things smoother.” He adds, “One of the hangups [with Android] is so much of the stuff doesn’t feel fully documented.” “Ryan, our Android guy, has to go digging around in the source code to figure out some XML formatting piece that isn’t made clear. That’s been painful for him.”

Overall, Google is learning from their developers and fixing many of the issues. Adding developer support pages to Google+ and also adding a much more robust Android training regiment. With these improvements, some issues still persist. The fragmentation remains as a major issue as less than 3 percent of Android devices currently run Ice Cream Sandwich (Android 4.0). I’ll continue to monitor the progress as my company utilizes Google Apps for Business and I am a fan of all things Google, except Android. Sorry Android fans, it just hasn’t lured me away from iOS… yet.

{via Gizmodo}

Many users of the New iPad 3 have complained that their new device often overheats after long usage. The iPad 3 heating up is expected by some to be a result of the higher resolution display and the faster processor. Although some users have reported only a small amount of heat, others have reported that they could not hold their devices due to the overheating.

Apple responded via The Loop, to the issue, saying:

The new iPad delivers a stunning Retina display, A5X chip, support for 4G LTE plus 10 hours of battery life, all while operating well within our thermal specifications,” Apple representative Trudy Muller, told The Loop. “If customers have any concerns they should contact AppleCare.

Users of the New iPad 3 typically have 30-60 days to return the iPad if they are not satisfied with it and also have the option of taking their new device to the Genius bar for replacement at any of Apple’s retail locations.

In addition to overheating customers have also noticed that the new iPad takes longer to charge. This is due to the fact that Apple increased the size of the battery to give same 10 hour battery life on single charge.

Has your iPad been overheating? Are you going to get a replacement? Share your experience with us in the comments below.

Rumors of Apple announcing the iPad 3 were put to rest on Tuesday, after the company issued invite for a special media event on March 7th. The event is clearly intended to unveil iPad 3 and announce its release date. The invite shows an iPad in use, and a line reading, “We have something you really have to see. And touch”.

Now, with the third-gen iPad announcement confirmed, previous rumors about the iPad 3 being thicker than the 2 have re-emerged. Rumors of the iPad 3 being thicker spread after the back shell of the iPad 3 was found and measured.

The iPad 3 shell was measured with a digital vernier caliper, showing that it is 9.50mm thick. That is exactly 0.81mm thicker than the current iPad 2 which comes in at about 8.69mm, revealed from an image posted by Apple.pro.

The measurements confirm claims from late last year that the third generation iPad would carry the same 9.7” screen size with a thicker shell. The thicker shell would allow Apple to possibly house a larger battery and more improvements.

Other reports suggest that Apple is looking to use dual-LED light bars in the iPad 3 to accomodate and light more pixels, possibly a Retina display. Apple’s invitiation usually hints at what might be introduced at the event, it is likely that by saying “we have something you really have to see”, they are referring to a higher resolution screen. The iPad 3 is going to be announced on March 7th at the Yerba Buena Arts Center in San Francisco. The event will be held at 10AM Pacific, and 1PM ET.

Last week, repair firm iLab Factory posted up an image of what they claimed to be a Sharp Display with a resolution of 2048×1536 in a 9.7-inch size for the iPad 3. iLab Factory has now reported that it has also received the dock connector and a rear shell for the iPad 3. which has been circulating around the web, and matched the parts together.

The parts clearly identify that the rumored iPad 3 parts are slightly thicker than the iPad 2, likely because of the updated internals that it is expected to carry, including a better camera and a larger battery to power a higher resolution screen.

First of all, in comparison to a back plate of iPad2, the iPad3 one(?) is a little bit thicker; less than 1mm, and equal-sized length and breadth

It is very likely that these leaked images may in fact be an earlier test model of the iPad 2, however, differences between the two devices show slight changes that say otherwise. The report goes on to show images of the dock connector cables matching exactly with the rear shell as well as rear camera mounting points, which are slightly different but contain the same size hole as in the iPad 2.

The camera mounting points may be different in order to accommodate a higher MP camera, much like the the change from the iPhone 3GS to iPhone 4. Apple is expected to announce the iPad 3 during the first week of March but has yet to send invites for any planned events.

{via MacRumors}

On Tuesday, Japanese site Macotakara reported that Apple is planning to hold an iPad event in early February to announce the iPad 3, which is expected to arrive with iOS 5.1. The website pointed out that they had an Asian supplier and a source in the U.S who could confirm these rumors.

Although the iPad 3 is expected to be announced in February, other rumors suggest that the iPad 3 will actually be released in March, the same as the iPad 2 which arrived on March 11. This long delay could be in part because of the Chinese New Year which is going to be celebrated from January 23 to the 28th.

Foxconn and Pegatron, two of Apple’s main suppliers are expected to start shipping the device to the Apple Stores in early March, likely for a mid-March release. The iPad 3 has long been rumored to include a higher resolution display, as well as the introduction of the A6 chip and better 2 megapixel camera, up from 0.9 megapixels.

Macotakara has a mixed track record with the release of Apple products, correctly reporting on Apple’s iPad 2 and iPhone 4S but incorrectly suggesting that Apple would be releasing a Macbook Air with high-speed 400MBps flash memory and that a fifth-generation iPhone would feature an aluminum back.

If the event is scheduled for February we can expect media invites to be sent out in the first week of the next month. It will be interesting to see if Apple will finally bring the retina display to the iPad, which will certainly make the poplar tablet worth an upgrade for many users.

{via AppleInsider}

A local Chinese-language newspaper reported Friday that iPad3 might be launched on Feb. 24 to mark the anniversary of the birth of Apple’s late co-founder Steve Jobs.

Citing sources close to Taiwanese makers in the iPad3 supply chain, the Economic Daily News said the gadget could be launched in mid-first quarter of next year or by the end of next March.

It has also been reported that workers at iPad component suppliers as well as workers at Foxconn will have limited time off during the usual Lunar New Year holiday and may be working over time in order to get the iPad 3 available in the market in time.

The lunar holiday is usually January 23rd, and workers receive several days off around the time, however, with the iPad 3 now pegged for a February 24th announcement to honor of Steve Jobs.

The iPad 3 is expected to receive new features including Siri, and other hardware changes. The third ten tablet from Apple could feature the all-new A6 chip and a higher resolution display.

Despite having a much lower pixel density, according to an in-depth scientific analysis by Dr. Raymond Soneira, president of DisplayMate Technologies, the display in Apple’s iPad 2 delivers “almost identical” performance to the Retina display featured in the iPhone 4 and latest iPod touch. Soneira added that the iPad 2 “has excellent display hardware,” but needs a software update to address slight issues with anti-aliasing and the automatic brightness controls.

So, basically, the iPad 2’s display hardware is pretty darn good – instead it’s the software that falls a little short. With a few changes from Apple, however, things might be a lot different…

Enhancements to anti-aliasing within iOS would compensate for the iPad 2’s lower pixel density, which is the same as the original iPad at 132 ppi. The iPhone 4, with its Retina display, boasts a whopping 326 ppi, more than double that of the iPad. However, Soneira believes this to be “something of an overkill,” and that pixelation can be reduced at lower resolutions and ppi with anti-aliasing methods.

Furthermore, Soneria found a “bug” in iOS that means the automatic brightness controls on all devices locks brightness on “the brightest ambient light sensor value that has been measured at any point starting from the time unit was awakened,” even after a decrease in ambient light.

Fortunately, because both of these issues are due to software, they’re incredibly easy to fix – Apple just has to make the improvements to iOS and close the gap between the iPad 2 display and the iPhone 4 display. If there were issues with the iPad 2’s hardware however, it would be a different story.

Apple are expected to introduce a new display with a higher resolution to its third-generation iPad, but for the time being, the iPad 2’s display is fantastic if you can look beyond pixel density.