Here are a couple of my favs:

• Head-porter is a Japanese label and just released its summer collection of iPad cases. Theblack case with white polka-dots or the black quilted design (both have a zipper to close its case) get “the it lists” approval because of its simplicity and classiness.

• Parabellum Bison and Kevlar came out with a durable yet chick leather portfolio case. Sexy part, the case includes a cashmere lining to make sure your iPad gets the first-class treatment.

It’s time to stylize your precious iPad.

CAA (Canadian Automobile Association) of Manitoba announced a partnership with Zoomsafer a software company that designed the app MobileSafer. It uses the phone’s GPS to detect when a car is traveling more than 24 km/h or connecting with any in-vehicle Bluetooth system, the app will automatically go into safe mode, lock the screen and keypad and stop the ability to email or text while driving. The app gives you the option to send an auto reply telling the sender that you’re driving.

MobileSafer is priced at $25 per year or $2.99 per month. It’s cheaper than  getting a violation ticket.

This prime-time app allows you to view full-length programs (and short clips) of shows like How I Met Your Mother, Modern Family, 30 Rock, The Event, etc. You can also watch CityLine or Breakfast Television Toronto live from 6-9am EST (hopefully, they’ll have live streaming for BT Vancouver and other cities soon). Plus, you can sign up for push notification to remind you when your favorite show is about to go on air.

This isn’t the first app from Rogers Media, earlier this year, they released an iPad app called ‘Shorts in the City,’ a collection of short video series with genres including drama, comedy, thriller, and animation.

Regardless, the Citytv video is an iPad app you must download and I’ll remind you again, it’s free.

If you look closely at the photo, you’ll notice that the editors also trimmed an inch or two off Alba’s already toned stomach and thighs. Film editors get paid lots of money to “touch up” famous actors, so they appear “too perfect” than they do in real life.

The power of digital technology also lets the average techie user the ability to make subtle touch-ups with a tool in Photoshop called Liquify. Really, is it worth the time?

The point of this entry is to share my journey of getting the iPhone 4 (because it wasn’t easy).  Call it a PR plot or not by Apple, but there isn’t a plethora of these smartphones around for on-the-spot purchase. As a result, Apple has the power to make many individuals (including myself) become desperate for the device that we’ll wait in a very long line up. To be honest, I never thought it’d be “one of those types” to have the sanity and patience to get a highly sought-after gadget. Here’s the breakdown of the process (the key is to have supportive Apple Fan Friends):

• 5am: My friend Jamie finished his overnight shift in downtown and walked over to the Apple store location in the Pacific Center Mall (standing outside on Granville street in the cold). At that time, he was the 20th person in line waiting for the iPhone 4. (Imagine that, people were waiting earlier than 5am!)
• 7am: My friend Chelsea and I arrived to release our good friend from the line. (Thanks Jamie)
• 8:15am: Two Apple reps came outside with an iPad. (Yes, there is a shipment in. Now, how many? Will we get on the list? Anxiety!) They were going down the line to record the inventory. Some people infront of us were getting 4 or 5 phones. By the 9th person all the 16GB version were sold out. Only the 32 GB was available. Damn, now I have to fork over another hundred bucks….but will there be enough for Chelsea and I to get the phone? Suspense was killing us. We’d be heartbroken if we didn’t get on the Apple holy list.
• 8:35am: Chelsea and I find out that we made the cut for a 32 GB. Woo Hoo, we screamed (yes, out loud, in the middle of downtown Vancouver.) Even the Apple reps remembered us by our first names).
• 8:40am: Send out a mass BBM message to tell my Blackberry network I’m switching over. First person I call is my host, Mike Agerbo. (He was surprised and impressed that I’d wait in line for the phone).
• 9:00am: I found out that the wait to get the phone activated could take until 1pm. OMG? Are you serious? I thought I’d be out of the Apple store at 10:30am the latest.
• 9:30am: I go off to work and my friend waits in line for me. That’s why it’s important to either make friends or have a buddy with you (helps when you need to go to the bathroom or just have a companion to kill time). Note: Granville Street is busy with people walking to work, and did we get MANY looks of petty. We even saw a few friends and co-workers who shook their heads in shame…Hold your head up with grace.
• 11am: I come back to the line and it happens to be super slow today according to the Apple rep. The people before us must have been taking their sweet time on negotiating a plan.
  Fortunately, another kind friend, Dave, noticed us in line and stopped to chat.
• 11:20 am: no movement in line. Both Chelsea and I had to go back to work. Luckily, Dave said he’d stay in line for us. We went to work.
• 12:15 pm: I ran back to the Apple store. And Dave was the next in line to get our phones activated.
• 12:45 pm: I left the Apple store with my iPhone 4 in hand. Apart of me wanted to jump up and scream like they do in American Idol when the contestant gets to be on the show with a plane ticket in hand. I assure you, I left with grace and dignity.

A couple things to note, try not to let the Apple rep see you get other people to wait in line for you. The rep that was monitoring my line was pretty nice and lenient.  I’ve heard that other reps won’t let you have your friends wait in line for you and they’ll axe you from the Apple holy list. Apple’s line-up policy is strict. Even if you are on the list to get the iPhone 4, you must stay in line to activate. You can’t wait until the afternoon when the line has died down to head back into the store. Apple wants you to wait in line (and suffer). If you decide to pay someone to wait in line and activate your plan, make sure to call your carrier in advance and add their name onto the account. Apple reps will ask for ID.

You can buy up to a maximum of five iPhones 4 if you wait in line…I think the limit should be two. If you decide to wait in line for the iPhone 4, make sure you can get a day off from work or bring a 3G iPad (or laptop with an Internet stick) and work while you wait in line. Dress warmly. Get a pillow (one that can get dirty) to cushion your butt while you sit on the cement. Trust me, your butt will get numb at some point. Get there by 4-4:30am, being the first five in line can get you out of the store by 10:30am. It’s a stressful journey, especially when you are not prepared or aware of the entire process. Thankfully, my Apple iPhone angels were on my side. But it takes a commitment, patience, and teamwork to get this scared device.

I wonder how long this iPhone 4 hype will last? Have you waited in line for any Apple iDevice?

I gotta give RIM a high-five for giving their tablet computer a sexy name (in addition, it’s a pretty sexy devise). I prefer the name the over say an iPad. But will this new devise get RIM back into the game? The company needed to captivate the world after they failed to woo the masses with the recent launch of the Blackberry Torch. So far, so good, as the tablet is getting strong reviews. RIM are appealing to a wider demographic ranging from the business types to the app-obsessed teen.

The Playbook is a 7-inch touchscreen (take that Samsung Galaxy Tab) and will run on QNX, an operating system developed by QNX Software Systems (it’s a company that RIM acquired recently). Ironically, the tablet doesn’t run on the Blackberry OS 6. It has Wi-Fi and Bluetooth but needs to link/teather with a Blackberry smartphone inorder to access a cellular network.

The tablet will be available in January 2011, a bit surprised it won’t be in stores before the holiday season. A price has not been announced, though it’s expected to be substantially cheaper to an iPad. The price point for both the Playbook and Galaxy Tab is key inorder to competitively compete with the Almighty Apple.

Here are the specs for the Playbook:

• 1 GHz Dual Core Processor
• 1 GB RAM
• 7 inch LCD display with 1024 x 600 screen resolution
• Multitouch capacitive display
• Dimensions: 5.1″ x 7.6″ x 0.4″
• Weighs less than a pound at 400g
• microUSB , micro HDMI and DLNA connectivity
• Wi-Fi 802.11
• Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR
• Powered by QNX platform with multitasking
• Full Adobe Flash 10.1 support
• Built-in support for HTML 5
• Video Conferencing with HD Quality and Stereo sound
• 5 MP Rear Camera
• 3 MP Front Camera
• Video playback: 1080p HD video – H.264, MPEG4, WMV, DivX formats
• Audio Playback :MP3, AAC, WMA
• Pair with any Blackberry Device (min OS 5.0 device) via Bluetooth for Push Email , Calendar , Docs and BBM

Media reports say that the BlackPad will have a 7-inch touchscreen, one (maybe two) cameras, Bluetooth and broadband connection. It’s been rumoured that RIM will offer two ways for the device to connect online: Wi-Fi and/or tethering with a Blackberry smartphone.

Earlier this year, RIM bought QNX software systems, which is an open platform operating system and has been used in various sectors like automotive, medical, defense, and aerospace. We could assume that the new OS could be called QNX.

DEVCON 2010 is a four day developer conference that starts today. Another device expected to be announced is a new Blackberry Storm, touch-screen smartphone device, on the OS 6. Let’s just hope RIM debuts these new devises. Will you buy a BlackPad?

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