Kevin Michaluk, pinch hitting for our sibling site, PreCentral.net has done the perfunctory HP TouchPad unboxing, and towards the end shows it off against the Apple iPad 2 (and BlackBerry Playbook) by way of comparison. (No, none of that was a typo, Kevin loves all his gadgets now, and you’ll see him with Apple’s and Androids and HPs and more as the weeks go on.)

For more, fall back on Derek Kessler’s TouchPad review, but for now, hit the link below and watch the inimitable Kevin, in full fashion watch and glowing green table, do an unboxing the way it’s meant to be done.

PreCentral.net

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Georgia, The Keith Newman, and Rene talk iPad 3 rumors, the HP TouchPad, Google playing Nortel patent auction pranks, comics on iPad, the Kindle standoff, iPad 2 Jailbreak, and the iPad App Store hits 100,000. This is iPad Live!

• Show notes

Hosts

• Georgia (@GeorgiaTiPb)
• Rene @reneritchie)
• Seth @sethclifford)

Credits

Thanks to the TiPb iPad Accessory Store for sponsoring the podcast, and to everyone who showed up for the live chat!

Music Hear me Roar by iPad Live theme song contest winner, DieselJesus!

Alex Solonsky’s new expense tracker, Saver, has just hit the App Store.

• Beautifully designed, intuitive user interface
• Make entries on the go with big, easily-accessible buttons and fields
• Choose from 15 most useful categories
• Specify your entries by using built-in or custom tags. Attach notes and photos
• View, edit, and search with ease. Search results can be filtered and sorted
• Check detailed spending history per week, month, or entire year
• Visualize your expenses via beautiful graph-report
• Full calendar for easy date selection
• “Backup and restore” protects you from data loss
• World currencies. See the full list on our website
• Works as standalone app. No pricy desktop software required
• High-resolution graphics. iOS4 and Retina display friendly
• Passcode protection for your privacy

I am a sucker for a stunning UI, and this app does not disappoint. Saver adds a surprising amount of beauty to the hideous and depressing task of tracking my expenses.

Saver is launching at $2.99. Screenshots after the break.

[iTunes link]

Have an app you’d love to see featured on TiPb? Email us at iosapps@tipb.com, tell us about your app (include an iTunes link), and we’ll take a look.

Monkeybin Studios’ new alphabet learning game, iCan ABC, has hit the App Store.

• Learning methods by pre-school teachers
• Designed by parents
• Developed by parents
• Tested on pre-schoolers
• Soothing music
• Graphics designed for the right ages
• Different gameplay for all stages of learning the alphabet
• Children safe game
• Professional vocals for all letters

I’ve spent a few minutes with this app and it is going to be a fabulous learning tool for my daughter when she’s old enough. I particularly like that the “host” of the game is a Police Officer because it will help give children a positive association with cops.

The good folks at Monkeybin Studios have given us a few promo codes to give away to you, our awesome readers! For a chance to win, let us know who would benefit from you having this app – your son, daughter, niece, nephew, sibling?

iCan ABC is available for for $0.99. Screenshots after the break.

[iTunes link]

Have an app you’d love to see featured on TiPb? Email us at iosapps@tipb.com, tell us about your app (include an iTunes link), and we’ll take a look.

TiPb’s developer spotlights are like DVD/iTunes Extras for the App Store — a weekly look behind the scenes at the programers and designers that bring you the iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad apps and games you love. This week Rene talks with David Ashman from Readdle.

What’s your name? David Ashman

What’s your company’s name? dba Technologies

Where are you located? Washington, DC

What’s your website address? http://www.dba-technologies.com/

What’s your Twitter name? @Stimpy5050 for general rambling, @LockInfo for LockInfo specific support and @dbaTechnologies for other dbaTech projects.

What apps do you make? LockInfo (+Plugins), Popup Blocker, WeatherIcon

What apps, other than your own, are currently among your favorites? TweetDeck, biteSMS, Reeder, WeekCal

How long have you been a developer? I started tinkering with programming on the Apple II with basic. I studied computer science in college and have been a working developer for the past 15 years.

How long have you been an iOS developer? I’ve only been developing in Objective-C and specifically on iOS for the past three years.

Do you develop for any other platform in addition to iOS? If so, which one(s)? I’ve been a Java developer for the last 15 years, mostly server-side, but some applets in the past. I also tinker in PHP (enough to be dangerous).

What primary computer setup do you use for your iOS development? My primary setup is a MacBook Pro i7 with 8GB of RAM. I generally plug that into a 30″ Apple Cinema Display but I like the portability of the laptop when I want to sit in front of the TV instead.

What iOS device(s) do you personally use most often? I use an iPhone4 as my primary personal device (also for development). I use an iPad (1st gen) nearly daily for watching videos, note taking and general web surfing. I have another 4 iPhones that I use for development. I also have an AppleTV at home (does that count? ).

What mobile devices, other than iOS, do you currently use? I don’t. Everything I have is iOS at this point.

What’s your favorite thing about developing for iOS? The challenge of a tough problem to solve and the adrenaline rush from solving it. That holds true for any language or platform, but iOS has been particularly rewarding because it’s new and different from the server-side work I’ve done in the past.

What’s your least favorite thing about developing for iOS? Non-deterministic memory bugs. These are the bugs that are nearly impossible to reproduce, but when they happen, all hell breaks loose.

What feature would you most like Apple to add to the iOS SDK? I’d love to see Apple open up the Mail database APIs. The iOS mail app is fine, but I think that other developers could really come up with some great apps if they could get into there. I’d also like to see a widget API that would allow for more than static app icons on SpringBoard and a more usable lock screen natively in AppStore apps.

What feature would you most like Apple to add to the App Store? I’d like to see alternate profit-sharing models. The flat 30% Apple cut doesn’t work for some projects.

If we were to eavesdrop on you while you were coding, what curse word would we hear you use the most? I prefer the f-word, personally.

What do you do when you’re not coding iOS apps? When I’m not working on projects, I like to spend time with my family. I’m a bit of a TV addict and also like to go to concerts.

What should we look for from you next? I’m going back to my roots and spending some time on weather tweaks again. There’s also quite a bit still to do with LockInfo. I’m also thinking about some official AppStore app ideas, but nothing concrete enough to really talk about at this point.

Thanks David!

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Do you own your stuff or does your stuff own you? This week on ZENandTECH, Georgia and Rene talk about the joys of de-cluttering your life, and how getting rid of the physical clutter can help you get rid of the mental clutter as well.

Read on for the show notes, and our t-shirt give away!

Bad cluttering habits

• Feeling guilty about throwing things away
• Emotional ties make you keep more than you need to
• The time and effort it takes to manage all your stuff is daunting
• You always plan on getting to it later

Dealing with bad habits

• The freedom, peace, and calm you get will overcome any guilt
• Take a digital photo, that keeps the emotion but not the stuff
• The time you spend stressing over things is typically more than dealing with them
• Get to it now. Do it simply and efficiently.

Tips on how to de-clutter

• Work backwards: Take everything out of a closet, or box, or drawer, etc. and start with a clean slate.
• Set up four boxes (or piles): Keep, throw away, give away, and not sure
• If you’re not sure, tend towards getting rid of things
• Set a time limit: 15 min. or 1 hour, keep it short so you don’t burn out
• Do something you enjoy while sorting: Watch TV, listen to music, chat
• Don’t store other people’s stuff. Give it back to them or get rid of it.

Questions to ask

• When did I last use it?
• When did I last need it?
• How good will I feel never having to deal with it again?

Homework

• Get rid of 50 things. Do 10 a day for 5 days if you have to, or do them all at once. Just get rid of 50 things that are cluttering your life and write down how you feel once you’re done.

Wii Giveaway winner!

• Congratulations to Kevin Smith — we’ll be contacting you asap!

ZENandTECH T-Shirt giveaway

• Reply to this post with what you’re getting rid of, how it makes you feel, and any tips you have for de-cluttering your life. We’ll pick a few of you and send you awesome ZENandTECH “Superhero (In Training)” t-shirts.

Help us help you!

Please help us out by recommending ZENandTECH to your family, friends, and co-workers! They’re just as stressed as you are, help them out!

And if you haven’t already, please leave us a rating and review in iTunes!, it really helps us reach and help more people!

Sponsor

This episode of ZENandTECH is brought to you by the PreCentral.net Store, your one stop shop for everything Pre, Veer, and soon… TouchPad. Combine a TouchStone with a Palm Car Charger for the ultimate in on-the-go power. You spent a lot of money on your device, protect it, keep it charged, and keep yourself happy!

Hosts

• @GeorgiaTiPb (Georgia)
• @reneritchie (Rene)

Contact

You can reach all of us @ZENandTECH, via email at podcast@zenandtech.tv, or leave a comment below!

Thanks everyone, you’re the best community on the web and we love having you with us!

Disclaimer

While Georgia is a therapist, she’s not YOUR therapist. Everything said or implied on this show is for informational and entertainment purposes only. And shouldn’t be taken in any way as a replacement for proper, professional care.

Every day, TiPb gets flooded with announcements for new and updated iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad apps and games. So every day we pick just a few of the most interesting, the most notable, and simply the most awesome to share with you!

• Archers Online HD: A cute multiplayer game. Play against your friends on Game Center and redeem features with Game Center points. [Free for iPad, with in-app purchases - iTunes link]

• Dragontape: Create mixtapes of your favourite YouTube and Soundcloud clips. Create, cut, edit, rearrange or remix tapes and share them on Twitter or Facebook! [Free for iPhone and iPad - iTunes link]

• Winq (Sale): Share contact information between people. Free for today only! [Free for iPhone - iTunes link]

• Touchnote: Turn the photos on your iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad into beautiful, printed postcards and send them anywhere in the world. [Free for iPhone - iTunes link]

• Game Feed: Put all your Facebook Game Feeds in your hand – go mobile with your feed collection. [$1.99 for iPhone - iTunes link]

Any other big apps or game releases or updates today?

Have an app you’d love to see featured on TiPb? Email us at iosapps@tipb.com, tell us about your app (include an iTunes link), and we’ll take a look.

AT&T has updated its insurance terms and from July 17 it will also cover the iPhone. The insurance program covers your phone against loss, theft, accidental damage including liquid spillage and mechanical / electrical failure. The insurance package costs $4.99 a month plus there is an excess of between $50 and $125; depending on which model phone you have.

AT&T Mobile Insurance Update: Effective July 17, 2011, the Apple iPhone (all models) will be eligible for coverage with the AT&T Mobile Insurance program (formerly Wireless Phone Insurance). Enrollment restrictions apply. Customers can only enroll within 30 days of a new activation or upgrade, prior activations or upgrades outside of 30 days are not eligible.

Previously AT&T would not offer any insurance cover for the iPhone when it was first launched. In 2010 AT&T offered insurance via a third party company at a much higher cost; $11.99 a month with an excess charge of $199. Apple has also been known to replace accidentally damaged iPhones for a flat fee of $199; this is not written in stone and would not include loss or theft either. The need for insurance is obviously down to each individuals circumstances.

[AT&T via MacRumors]

 

It’s the July 4 Independence Day holiday in the US, where rockets are red glaring and cannons are air bursting, and we have no doubt a lot of you are breaking out the iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad to help you celebrate. And we’re curious how?

Are you using them to look up great places to go and things to do, to book your spots and to find directions how to get there? Are you using them to keep in touch with friends and family over the phone, via text or IM, or to keep up on the social networks like Facebook and Twitter? (Or to show off that you got in on Google+ ?) Are you keeping yourself and others entertained with great movies and games on-device, or shooting them up on the big screen via AirPlay? Are you going to take photos of the fireworks or shoot video of that utterly righteous cannonball off the rope, over the picnic, and into the lake? Or are you going to relax, sip a cold and spicy beverage, and lose yourself in a great ebook?

What are you doing for July 4 and how is your iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch helping you do it?

UK television channel ITV has released its catch up TV app, ITV Player. ITV Player is the first mobile app released that will allow you to watch ITV programs on you iPhone, iPad or iPod touch. The content will be offered within the app for 7 days after it was originally screened live. You can also browse through recommended programs, search by channel or alphabetically and view the app in portrait or landscape.

The free app which is disappointingly WiFi only, offers content from the four ITV channels available in the UK. These are ITV1, ITV2, ITV3 and ITV4. All the video content is streamed from within the ITV Player app. There does not appear to be any AirPlay support.

Another bit of bad news, is the app is strictly UK only due to the usual rights issues; some UK regions may not be able to access all of the content either! If any of our UK readers give this one a try, let us know how you find it!

[Free – iTunes link]