As I type this Apple is launching it’s new iPad tablet computing device. At first glance it looks like a giant iPhone with with a 9.7″ screen, but it is clearly much much more than that.
Apple is saying that it will run vitrually all iPhone apps in their native iPhone resolution (appearing small on the iPad screen) or can be zoomed to run full screen in a low resolution mode. However, they are also making the SDK available today so that developers can build iPad specific applications which according to Apple will also be available in the iTunes App Store.
Well, I am not a reporter and I am not at the release event so I am not going to go into all the details here, but just about every technology news service is there covering the event and will provide detailed coverage. I’ve included some links below.
This product’s launch is obviously relevant to us as aviators and iPhone users because it provides us with another, and perhaps better, device which can be used as an EFB (electronic flight bag). Many of us have used our iPhones for a variety of aviation related tasks, but the small size of iPhone display has always stood in the way of it being truly useful. Viewing graphical weather, charts, or instrument procedures on the iPhone always involved a lot of zooming and scrolling, but With an 9.7″ screen the iPad will surely solve many of those issues.
What do you think… does this look to be the device aviators have been waiting for?
iPad coverage…
http://gizmodo.com/tag/apple-tablet/
http://www.cnet.com/apple-ipad/
http://www.appleinsider.com/
http://www.apple.com/
Published on
12/17/2009 @
13:37 in
App News.
The good folks over at ForeFlight have obviously been very busy lately as they have released a major redesign to the their popular and very useful ForeFlight Mobile application in the form of ForeFlight Mobile 3.
Make no mistake about it, this is a MAJOR update and contains far too many changes than I possibly have time to discuss here today. 
With that in mind I’m going to point you to ForeFlight’s web site for a complete list of features, and encourage you to check out John Ewing’s blog, Aviation Mentor, where he has written an excellent and very detailed review of ForeFlight Mobile 3 which contains several screenshots.
To celebrate the recent release of SkyCharts v1.51, the developer has graciously provided me with several codes for free copies of the SkyCharts app.
A “Name That Plane” contest and related details will be posted here on the news feed at noon-ish Pacific time on Friday October 30th, where you will have a chance to win a code for one of three FREE copies of SkyCharts. If you don’t already have a subscription, now would be a good time to subscribe to the news feed through RSS or email!
If you don’t win this time, more free apps will be coming next week… so stay tuned!
Developer and fellow aviator Heikki Julkunen has recently released version 1.4.4 of his popular SkyCharts app.
Included in this release are several new and very useful features…
- Zooming now works like the built in map!
- Alaska and Hawaii charts
- Navigation (screenshot)
So let’s see how many of you are paying attention! Thanks to Heikki, the first three people who respond by using the contact form will get a code for a free copy of SkyCharts. Just open the form (by clicking the link above), send me your full name, email address, put the word ”SkyCharts” in the comments box, and I will respond with a code for a free copy of SkyCharts. Rules: One copy per person. (Edit 9/25: Your too late, they’re all gone. Stay tuned for more chances next week)
Published on
08/28/2009 @
17:07 in
App News.
Our friends over at ForeFlight released a new version (v 2.4) of their popular ForeFlight Mobile this week. This new version contains many enhancements to both usability and performance, and best of all it is free to ForeFlight Mobile 2.x users. You can read all about the new version, including screenshots and a bulleted feature list over on the ForeFlight Blog.
