When I was asked to compile a list of my most used accessories of 2011, I looked around and discovered — I don’t use that many accessories. That made my list much easier to compile. So here is a list of the accessories that I actually do use.

Glif

As a YouTuber, I make videos on a regular basis. Following the old saying ‘The best camera is the one you have on you’, this is mostly my iPhone 4. The problem with iPhone is that you can’t mount it on to a tripod. The Glif is a moulded piece of rubber that fits tightly around the iPhone 4 or iPhone 4S, and screws into any standard tripod, making it ideal for shooting those still shots. It also doubles as a stand in both portrait and landscape modes.

• $19.50 – Amazon link

Smart Cover for iPad 2

I love my Smart Cover. It’s got a gorgeous design, its simple to attach and detach from the iPad and, for a thin cover, its surprisingly functional. I usually have my iPad stood up in “writing” mode, for editing articles, and scripts on the fly, but when I just want to sit back, relax and enjoy some TV or a film, Its literally a small flip away.

It’s simple, it’s sleek and it comes in colors.

• $39.99 to $69.99 – Amazon link

Apple iPhone 4 Dock

If the iPhone 4 isn’t in my pocket, or in my hand, then its sat in its dock on my desk or bedside table where it’ll charge and connect to iTunes via Wifi, to ensure that that all my music, apps and podcasts are up to date.

• $23.99 – Amazon link

Almost immediately following Apple’s education event, the internet was filled with claims that Apple’s textbook plan will never work. Namely, that the current $500 entry price of an iPad is unreasonably expensive for schools or parents to afford.

No shit.

Apple is not stupid. The publishers are not stupid. Yesterday’s announcement was just the beginning, just a gimpse of what we can expect to see in the future. Baby steps. Take the timing of the announcement, for example. January is midway through the normal school year and months before the anticipated iPad 3. It was laying the groundwork.

Selling textbooks for $15 a pop to schools and students who can afford a $500 iPad may not sound like a promising business model, but Apple knows how to make money and, if there’s one thing we can all agree on, it’s that publishers are greedy. $15 is less than $40-$70 for traditional books, but when it’s $15 for each student, each year, it starts to add up, coming very close to a $50-$70 book shared by 5 students over 5 years.

Apple famously runs the iTunes music and App Stores just above cost. They make their money on hardware sales, but it takes great content to drive those hardware sales. Apple also has longstanding relationships in education and has offered education discounts to schools and students alike.

My guess is that in addition to the anticipated iPad 3, Apple will also introduce an affordable iPad specifically for education. Perhaps it will be an iPad 2 discounted the way previous generation iPhones have been discounted for a few years now. Or perhaps it will be a special model available only to educational institutions. Apple doesn’t need to make their traditional margins off the sale of such a device; they’ll make some money off textbook sales, and they’ll get far more once future generations are hooked into the Apple ecosystem.

Either way, it seems more than a little short-sighted to attack Apple on pricing so early in the process. Apple computers once cost tens of thousands of dollars and now a new MacBook Air starts at $1000. The original iPhone cost hundreds of dollars, now the iPhone 3GS is free on contract. Prices come down. Technology becomes democratized. It’s happened with Apple for years; it seems silly to think it won’t happen this time as well.

Now excuse me, I need to go work on a textbook of my very own. Using iBooks Author. You know, the extremely accessible, really powerful new ebook creator Apple just released. For free.

Yesterday we mentioned the A5 jailbreak was lingering and low and behold, today it has appeared. If you’re looking to get your device jailbroke, we’ve got you covered in the iMore forums. You can register now to get started today and be sure to check out some of the threads below:

• iPhone 4S Forum: Now that Jailbreak for 4S is out…..
• iPad 2 Forum: How Many iPad Users Have An Android Phone?
• iCloud Forum iCloud + MobileMe + iTunes + Match (HELP!!!)
• iPhone Ringtones and Wallpaper Forum iPhone ringtones aplenty!
• Jailbreak and Unlock Forum How to untethered jailbreak iPhone 4S and iPad 2 on iOS 5.0.1 & iOS 5.0

If you’re not already a member of the iMore Forums, register now!

Greenpois0n Absinthe has been updated to version 1.2.2 with bug fixes for some users that were experiencing issues. If you were having issues accessing Cydia or your jailbreak was failing, this should fix your issues. Just run it over your current jailbreak.

If you need help jailbreaking, run into issues, or want to know what to do with your jailbreak now that you’ve got one – hit the links below.

• Download Greenpois0n Absinthe version 1.2.2 – Mac, Windows and Linux versions coming soon
• How to jailbreak iPhone 4S and iPad 2 on iOS 5.0 & 5.0.1
• iMore jailbreak and unlock forums

Just a friendly #FollowFriday reminder — we have a couple of amazing prizes, including a Jawbone JAMBOX and a $200 iTunes gift card just waiting to be won by the always awesome members of our iMore Nations. All you have to do to enter is:

• Friend iMore on Facebook
• Subscribe to iMore on YouTube

And that’s it! Though while you’re at it, you may as well hook yourself up here as well, for random promo codes and other giveaways.

• Follow iMore on Twitter
• Circle iMore on Google+

Done and done? Good, because you won’t believe the next batch of contests we have coming your way!

For some it will be a no-brainer. The untethered jailbreak of the iPhone 4S has been their holy grail, the thing they’ve been waiting for, the thing that will complete them and make their iPhone 4S finally, fully functional the way an end user intends.

Others feel iOS 5 copied so many basic jailbreak features, including and especially notifications, that there’s no need to bother with jailbreak anymore. Apple has you covered.

Vote in the poll up top and give us your reasons — pro, con, or still on the fence — in the comments below.

McGraw Hill CEO, Terry McGraw has paid a huge amount of credit to Steve Jobs over the launch of iBooks 2, which brought the availability of low price textbooks on the iPad.  Speaking to the press after Apple's education event yesterday, McGraw was asked a number of questions by All Things D reporter Peter Kafka. He was asked why now for digital textbooks as Apple had been talking to publishers for the last few years.

Sitting and listening to all of this, I wish Steve Jobs was here. I was with him in June this past year, and we were talking about some of the benchmarks, and some of the things that we were trying to do together. He should be here. He probably is [gesturing up and around]. This was his vision, this was his idea, and it all had to do with the iPad.

We'll do whatever we can to make this the most meaningful space. And the person, or, well, Steve Jobs and Apple, have done more, in terms of creating this personalized learning platform than anyone.

Source: All Things D

“If Apple relies on the existing $500 iPad to hit the education market, I think they may just accelerate the ownership of their products to students who were already going to own them … kids in well-to-do families.”

Yesterday Apple made one of those cool little announcements that probably won't affect too many of us in the short term. But I think their initiative with iBooks 2 and iBooks Author offers significant long term benefits to the company and its shareholders.

I say that this won't affect most of us in the short term because most of us are not students. So it doesn't (yet) change our use case for the iPad. But many of us have kids. My own kids are in JK and Grade 2 respectively. They are at the perfect age to begin using tablet technology in school.

So while I'm not a student, I am a father and I expect this trend to affect my family within a few years. As an investor in Apple, that excites me.

What Apple is doing reminds me of one successful strategy Cisco Systems used to dominate the IP routing market. Specifically, they offered free training and huge discounts on equipment to non-profit schools (including high schools). This greatly improved the chances of any tech-inspired kid to graduate from high school knowing how to operate Cisco gear. When you carry this training throughout the educational process, it's no wonder so many IT managers end up buying Cisco gear.

Apple has just applied a healthy dose of steroids to this same concept. This isn't about making money from textbook publishing. That's just the gravy.

This is about programming students to use the iPad and other Apple products right from the beginning of their education.

Apple’s education announcements are about creating a psychological stickiness to Apple products much earlier than might otherwise be possible. If Apple can create an amazing reason for every school-aged child to have an iPad for school books, those kids will quickly start using the devices for everything else. Getting kids hooked on Apple is great for long term shareholders.

While I'm focused on the device-side stuff in terms of how it may grow Apple's business, I also realize that book publishers may migrate to Apple products if they want to use the iBook Author application. That's the Apple halo effect for you. Great for shareholders too, right?

The only REAL potential competitor that comes to mind here is Amazon. Their Kindle platform could do much of what Apple is doing, perhaps minus a lot of the interactivity within a textbook. But the interactive stuff seems secondary to me. Page flipping, multi-touch zooming and panning, and note taking are probably all we really need. Then if authors want to go overboard and include interactive tables, diagrams, or other in-book applications, so be it. But that stuff doesn't make or break the business model.

The feedback from educators, published on iMore suggests many potential issues that Apple may need to resolve. Can only rich families / schools afford iPads? Will these things get stolen? Who will be responsible for lost or broken devices?

What if Apple can figure out a way to make iPads accessible even to lower income families and poorer schools?

As an investor, I realize this whole idea of digital textbooks may drive a deeper wedge between the rich and the poor. But what if Apple can figure out a way to make or sell less expensive iPads? Then everyone wins, right?

One way to do this is build a school version of the iPad. Think stripped down components, no camera and a beefier mechanical design. Then sell it at cost, or even below cost while recouping the loss with (pretty much guaranteed) textbook sales. It's not a no-brainer, but it seems pretty close to me.

If Apple relies on the existing $500 iPad to hit the education market, I think they may just accelerate the ownership of their products to students who were already going to own them … kids in well-to-do families. But if they get aggressive and create a business case that makes iPads a total no brainer for schools, then I think Apple will have just locked in its next leg of growth.

But be careful Apple … Jeff Bezos is watching and he's gotta want this market as badly as you do.

For today only, the iMore Store has the Seidio Innocase II Surface for iPhone 4S, iPhone 4 on sale for only $19.95!. Get them before they’re gone!

Get the Seidio Innocase II Surface for iPhone 4S, iPhone 4 now!

Oh, you know I had to do a hands-on and give the iMore Nation a quick look at the glowing Apple logo mod for iPhone and iPhone 4. Despite Ally’s warnings, the moment I saw this luminescent bit of K.O.Gadget awesome go up for sale I knew I had to have it. My own. My precious!

I’ll be doing the mod this weekend, and hopefully electrocuting neither myself nor my precious iPhone in the process, and will have the full video up for you soon. In the meantime, whether you want one of your very own, are still on the fence, or will have nothing to do with such brazen acts of folly, check out the unboxing for the pure, geeky thrill of it!

VicMan Visage Lab: A professional beauty laboratory for your facial photos. Remove pimples and wrinkles, outline the eyes and whiten the teeth in seconds, with all operations made automatically!

• Free for iPhone and iPad – App Store link

Super Grouper for Contacts App Groups and List Management: Create groups of Contacts and send group SMS, emails or photos in a couple taps.

• Free for iPhone – App Store link

Charadium II: A fast & furious draw-and-guess multiplayer game that guarantees you'll be drawn in. Your goal is to draw a given word, and other players have to guess that word.

• $0.99 for iPhone – App Store link
• $2.99 for iPad – App Store link

DoReMi 1-2-3: Fun, musical ear training games challenge your children's minds as they laugh, create, and play with moo-sical cows, boat-rowing pandas, and twinkling stars! Music lessons have never been this fun—brain-building never this effortless!

• $1.99 for iPhone and iPad – App Store link

Last Night…?: Ever woke up from a long night out without remembering what happened, or went to the coolest burger place and can’t remember where it was? Or just want to be able to monitor your daily movements if you’re a jogger or if you’re learning to drive? Then this app is made for you!

• $1.99 for iPhone – App Store link

Any other big app or game releases or updates today?

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

You can now untethered jailbreak your iPhone 4S or iPad 2 running iOS 5.0 or iOS 5.0.1 with Greenpois0n Absinthe. It’s been a long wait and we’re all more than ready to have all our jailbreak extras back in action.

Whether you’re new to jailbreak or a veteran, we’ve got you covered in our jailbreak forums. Hit the link below for a walkthrough of how to jailbreak your iPhone 4S and iPad 2.

Forums Link: How to jailbreak iPhone 4S and iPad 2 via Greenpois0n Absinthe

iPhone 4S and iPad 2 users have reason to rejoice today – you can finally untethered jailbreak! They stated earlier today the jailbreak was almost complete and ready for release. It didn’t take very long as the tool is already available.

As a note – this jailbreak will support iOS 5.0 and iOS 5.0.1. Here are the requirements for each device –

• iPhone 4S – iOS 5.0 or iOS 5.0.1
• iPad 2 and all GSM and CDMA wifi only devices – iOS 5.0.1

iPhone 4S users that would like a software unlock should stay on iOS 5.0 for now. The Mac version is available now with Windows and Linux to follow.

Source: Greenpois0n.com

• Download Greenpois0n Absinthe – Mac (updated 1.2.2 version)
• How to jailbreak iOS 5.0 & 5.0.1 via Greenpois0n Absinthe
• Jailbreak help and discussion

At Apple’s education event they announced two initiatives: iBooks 2 and iBooks Author designed to bring textbooks into the digital age, and an all new iTunes U to create and share lesson plans, and follow and complete course work. As education initiatives from publicly traded companies go, they’re big and bold — but they’re also just the beginning. There will be struggles and successes, breakthroughs and missteps. And while many of us here at iMore and Mobile Nations could speak about the implications from purely technical and business standpoints, we’re lucky to have several teachers and educators, past and present, on staff. They were kind enough to share their thoughts on Apple’s new initiatives, specifically and importantly where they impact most — our kids in the classroom.

Seth Clifford

Apple’s move to advance our shamefully archaic system was met with a lot of debate on Thursday morning. On one side, we heard from utopian education advocates (myself included to some degree), extolling the virtues of a centralized e-textbook platform, and Apple’s commitment to engaging our youth. On the other hand, I had a few spirited conversations with those who feel that by making great educational opportunities “expensive” (meaning only upper-class schools may even be able to apply these new techniques, leaving inner-city and less-privileged districts behind) Apple has driven a wedge between the haves and the have-nots, making education less democratized and less accessible to all. Personally I feel that both sides have points, but quite honestly, nothing is fair. Education has, in the past decades, grown more and more to be the bastard child of the federal budget, despite the headline-grabbing initiatives that get introduced to fanfare and few results. Kids are taught only to pass tests, so that funding can be applied to districts who have “earned” it. Kids are getting the short end of every stick they see in school, and nothing is changing. And what if Apple’s entire move here is not about changing the entire education system, which it most likely understands is irreparably flawed, but rather to disintermediate education the way it did carrier control with the mobile market? What if Apple’s ultimate play (with products like iBooks Author) is to put education back in the hands of students (and the actual individuals they interact with on a daily basis), obviating the need for a bloated, antiquated system in much the same way that it saw the carriers as a necessary evil in bringing iOS to the hands of users?

Certainly not every district is hopelessly broken, and not every kid’s education suffers at the hands of an ever-shrinking budget. Children who seek out learning will always learn, and those who do not will make their way in the world. It has happened for years and will always be the case, no matter what costs we apply. Apple’s attempt to shake up a system so mired in early 20th century standards is merely a shot across the bow of a huge vessel that’s been in motion for as long as any of us can remember. It will not be panacea to all the ills of our society, nor should people expect Apple to fix every problem. Apple is a business; they exist to make money and sell merchandise. Those who are decrying its attempts to make learning better are missing the bigger picture. Should we all shun this advance because only rich kids might get a chance to use it at first? Education needs disruption, and all it takes is a cursory look at the developing countries of the world to know that mobile computing is the future for our society. Not everyone will get an iPad or an iPhone, but at some point, everyone will be exposed to learning in a better, mobile capacity, and we’ll have Apple to thank for jumpstarting the efforts of those who would sit idly and let our children continue on the endless march to mediocrity.

Seth worked for five years as a computer instructor in a public middle school (grades 6-8), for six years with kids with autism, and was a member of district-wide technology planning committees.

Alli Flowers

All that was missing was the old tagline – this changes everything. Again. In a way it does. But before I explain why I think it might, I must explain why it won’t – at least not yet. So I must begin by stating that I take exception with Phil Shiller’s comment at the beginning of his presentation when he stated that iPad is, amongst other things, affordable. In today’s economy, $500 is just not what I would define as affordable. This thought will temper what follows.

Instead of bridging the digital divide, programs like Apple's will only serve to deepen the chasm. Is a $15 textbook a great deal? Heck yea! The text I'm supposed to teach from costs $65, and that doesn't include the workbook. But we hold onto our textbooks for seven years or more. Our school system (the largest in the state), can't afford to purchase new texts for each subject at the recommended five year increments. Could we afford to purchase iPads for each student instead? It's doubtful. Besides, even though you would then be looking at a tremendous discount for the textbook (and workbooks would be rolled right into the new format, right?), that's still a lot of money.

Some of the concerns I've often heard about providing all students with iPads include the fear that student iPads will be stolen. I don't believe this is as big a deal as other factors – if everyone has one, there will be no one left wanting one. The bigger concern is how children take care of their belongings. Most of my students have broken their cell phones at least once. How would we take care of broken iPads? Would we need to spend twice as much as what is needed to cover the student body so that when someone does break (or misplace) his iPad, we can replace it, like we do with a textbook? Can we demand that a family pay to have a $500 iPad replaced, when they can't currently afford a $65 lost textbook fine?

But I rant. I love the very concept of iBooks Author. The potential here is limitless. For those of us who already prefer using custom content, the possibilities here are limitless. I have not used a textbook this year, and my students haven't minded at all. I prefer providing them with small lessons and activities on the Smartboard so that they remain engaged, but aren't overwhelmed. Would I like to give each of my students my custom designed text with practice activities? Heck yea! Do I see it happening any time soon? Probably not. On the other hand, I have an iPad and I can still use this valuable tool. There is no reason I can't share the screen of my iPad with my students by connecting my iPad to my Smartboard either through an HDMI connection, or by placing the iPad under a document camera. Do I really want all my students touching my personal iPad? Not really. They are not concerned enough with the well being of other people's property. And if you're merely showing students the screen of an iPad, you may as well be showing them a traditional textbook. If they're not the ones using it, the point of it being interactive is lost.

Ahhhhh…interactive textbooks. Again, the concept is brilliant. To have all my videos and exercises (with instant feedback!) in one place is a dream. But it's a dream for a teacher. I have been lucky enough to both teach and facilitate several distance learning classes over the last three years. Distance classes can be great, and they do what Apple is proposing, but on a computer via a website. The biggest downside is the required Internet connection. The difference in our online course offerings, and the interactive texts presented yesterday by Roger Rosner is small. Each course is packed with links to videos, java games, and Flash activities (that will, no doubt, be replaced by HTML5 activities). Are the students more engaged with the material presented in their online classes? The average student is not. And the below average student simply needs a teacher to fill him with the information one to one. Just yesterday I had a student ask if he had to watch the whole video – referring to a 6 minute video presenting the Industrial Revolution. Really? I cannot believe that students will be more engaged watching a video on the iPad than on a laptop. And digital content won't be changing for a while.

As a secondary teacher, I cannot speak to iTunes U. However, I have used it for my own professional development several times and love it. I will definitely be using it more often as a stand alone app.

In summary, yes, I love the basic concept of all Apple is doing for education. However, by making it all Apple centered, they are restricting America's promise of a free and accessible education. The privileged will get Apple products and a better education, and those who can most benefit from a good education will be left out.

Alli is a high school teacher.

Leanna Lofte

I’ll admit that the Apple Education Event has left me feeling a little giddy inside. As an educator, interactive textbooks on the iPad, iTunes U on the iPhone and iPad, and iBooks Author all make me very excited.

I’ve spent a little time in a few textbooks in iBooks and I have been nothing short of impressed. When talk of these interactive textbooks first began to surface, I was concerned that they may not run very well and be a little laggy, but boy was I wrong! Content? Fantabulously engaging! Obviously the text hasn’t changed, but textbooks filled with multimedia such as slideshows, videos, 3D diagrams, and quizzes – definitely a game changer.

I teach at a small community college and will be doing everything in my power to get those in charge on board with iTunes U. I am planning to use a website for my courses this semester to post course documents and videos, but iTunes U does it much better than I could on my measly little website.

Last, but definitely not least, I am very excited about iBooks Author. One of my not-so-little lifetime goals is to write a Calculus textbook (yep, I’m that crazy), and iBook Author gives me some hope of actually achieving this goal. I’ve only spent a little time with the app, but have been able to do so much with it. I plan to actually start writing some mini books to have available for free as supplementary material for my courses. I have a real passion for teaching, and iBooks Author will help me be the better teacher I strive to be.

I know, I sound like a raging fangirl right now, but I truly am excited about all this news. Is it perfect? No. iPads filled with textbooks may not be in the classrooms tomorrow, but the first step to making that a reality has happened. Good job, Apple.

I’m also starting to believe those rumors of low-budget iPads may not be that farfetched after all…

Leanna teaches math at a California college.

Keith Newman

I’ve been a teacher for 12 years now, and I remember having a hokey tablet PC hooked up to a projector 10 years ago. Apple’s move towards the educational experience is breathtaking. I love what I am seeing and feel that the impact of such tools in the classroom is probably what education needs at the moment (besides parents who actually care, but that’s a whole other article). Motivation in the classroom is possible with old-school means but let’s be honest, retention is at its all time lowest for this generation. Apple is attempting to speak the “student language” in the classroom for the first time I can remember. It’s nice… it’s refreshing… it’s not going to work.

I’m not trying to be negative, but these tools in the classroom need SERIOUS monitoring. Remote Desktop is a must for me when I have kids in a Lab or have a computer cart; otherwise, it’s Twitter and ESPN videos all period long. As of now, there isn’t this type of software to overlook iPad carts. It’s one thing for a student to not be on the correct page and goof off, that happens everywhere; now we are giving the entire class, whom the majority are doing the right thing, a tool to entice them to not be on the right page.

Cost is also a factor. Yes, I know we aren’t getting free iPads. Districts will have to spend that money upfront to save money on the back end. I understand. However… iPads get lost. They get stolen. They get broke. Each one costs the district $500 to replace. Students in my poor, urban school district do not have the money to replace an $80 textbook let alone an iPad.

I want to see this happen. I really do. But realistically it won’t happen with Apple prouducts. Their devices have way too much of a markup for this to be economically fesible in an urban school district (that is already in a financial crisis of $629 million dollars). I do see this happening realistically with an OLPC tablet that’s not as swanky as Apple’s but is far more accessible.

Keith is a high school teacher.

Chris Vitek

As an educator, I am really excited about the potential that eBooks have, along with the interactive potential of having textbooks on an iPad. I am happy that Apple has decided to push the envelope, and I am eager to see college textbooks publishers join in the effort. It looks like Apple has really tried to make the textbooks as interactive, engaging, and as learner-centered as possible, but a lot will depend on how strongly publishers pursue this. While I think there are some hurdles to overcome, I hope that with Apple pushing publishers and authors along it will only get better. I have seen some publisher’s attempts at interactive eBooks, and for the most part, they have been disappointing. If publishers and textbook authors can really use the tools Apple has provided, then I think that eBooks may be the future of textbooks. One thing that would be great to see is a teacher’s version of the book, that would enable teachers to incorporate the material into teaching lessons (such as putting material in a PowerPoint or Keynote slide).

With iTunes U (which I am sad to say I have never really looked at) it looks like Apple is trying to steal business from Blackboard. I will admit that I have doubts about online learning (I am a little old-school and feel that classroom interaction is an important part of learning). I do use online features to supplement a course, however, and will certainly take a look at iTunes U. I wonder if it can be integrated with school systems so that only registered students can get access to the course (I know our administration won’t want to offer all our courses online for free). But it looks like a promising option for online courses and for some course content.

Chris is an assistant professor at a Texas university.

• Complete coverage of Apple’s education event

Samsung was hoping to nail Apple for 3G patent infringement in Germany, but a judge has already tossed one of them out the window. Six other patents are still being investigated, but details on that particular case are skimpy for now. Apple has in the same breath shot back at Samsung for infringing on a slide-to-unlock patent with the Galaxy Nexus. Apple had pulled out this patent against HTC two years ago, though it doesn’t look like they won on that particular front.

Germany has been a bit of a hotbed for mobile patent cases lately. Apple has most recently attacked Samsung for design infringement on ten phones, and previously earned an injuction against Galaxy Tab 10.1 sales. Of course, Apple isn’t winning all of their fights in Germany; Motorola recently won a case against Apple for 3G patents.

It’s a messy web of companies suing and counter-suing over arguably broad claims to intellectual property. Rarely do these episodes conclude with the dramatic import bans that are initially threatened, and that’s a good thing – we would probably have way fewer phones to play with if these lawsuits ended without some kind of compromise.

Source: FOSS Patents, x 2

Last month, I had the pleasure of visiting the OtterBox headquarters in Fort Collins, CO and it was bigger and nicer and more fun than I ever imagined. There are very few right angles in the building and the architecture and interior design is just gorgeous. As if the multiple mini-kitchens, work-out gym, bike room, and pinball machine wasn’t enough, OtterBox headquarters also features a slide. Yes, a giant, awesome, circular indoor slide. iMore and Mobile Nations better watch out, because if OtterBox offers me a job, I’m there!

After watching the video, head over to Otterbox’s website for videos about the headquarter’s design and photo gallery. You’ll be nothing short of impressed.

Oh, and if you missed part 1 of our look inside Otterbox, go check it out now and enter our big Otterbox case giveaway!

According to livemint.com, a recent change in retail laws that will allow for 100% foreign ownership of single-brands may result in Apple expanding their highly successful retail chain into India. Apple has reportedly been in discussions with the department of industrial policy and promotion for some time and is “keen” to enter the market, but not firm plans or timelines are in place.

"They have not told us how many stores they will open," the official said. "We have made the policy. The doors are now open."

Apple Stores in Indian would certainly be a boon for iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad users in the subcontinent, likely allowing them direct access to all of Apple’s customer services, including the Genius Bar and One-to-One training.

Apple had no comment on the rumors.

Source: livemint.com via Fone Arena via iPhone Hacks

One of the big announcements at Apple’s Education event was iBooks Author, a Mac application for creating books and textbooks for iBooks. I could that say I spent a better part of the day experimenting and learning how to use iBooks Author, but that’d be a lie. I spent more time typing out content then I did learning how to use the app.

After creating your book, it is incredibly easy to see how it looks on your iPad. Simply plug in your iPad, open iBooks, then click Preview in iBooks Author. The app immediately starts exporting your book and, boom, appears on your iPad. When you close everything down and unplug your iPad, your book will still be accessible in iBooks so that you can take a closer look at it from the comfort of your couch.

I never imagined that creating this type of content would be so easy – and free.

• Mac App Store link

Time Warner has just updated its TWC TV app and it is now fully compatible with the iPhone and iPod touch. Since its launch back in March 2011, it has been an iPad only app, but not any longer. If you are a Time Warner Cable subscriber, you can now watch live TV, manage your DVR and change channels on your set-top box on your iPhone and iPod touch.

If you are a Time Warner Cable video subscriber, the FREE TWC TV app turns your iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch into another TV screen and lets you watch selected live cable channels while in your home, through your wireless home network. Watch Bravo from your bedroom, take Food Network with you to the kitchen or catch up on CNBC news from the breakfast table.

• Interactive program guide (IPG) – up to 7 days of listings. View detailed show descriptions including box art. Option to display "HD only" or "favorites only" by creating a favorite channel list.
• Search – search for programming by title or episode name and filter results by genre
• Set-top box tuning – tap on a network logo or "watch on TV" button within the program description to tune compatible set-top boxes directly to the channel
• DVR management – schedule one-time and series recordings on compatible DVRs directly from the IPG. Tap on the "DVR" button to see a list of all upcoming recordings and make changes or cancel recordings

Taking a trip and curious how to set your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad calendar for the proper time zone? No problem. The Calendar app allows you to change the time zone for any event or meeting with just a few taps. Instead of trying to add and subtract time from your own time zone, just set those specific events or meetings for the time zone they’re going to occur in.

Calendar will use whatever time zone your clock settings are set to by default. While this is fine in most scenarios, you also have the option of setting time zones on individual entries.

1. First pop into your calendar app and click the “+” sign in the upper right to create a new event or meeting (or edit a current one).
2. Fill out all the pertinent information for your entry.

3. Now tap into the Start & End section of the entry.
4. You’ll see an option for time zone. Tap into it.

5. Search for the city that you’re going to be in and that you want the meeting or event to go by.
6. Now just save your entry and you’re good to go.

Adding events this way will keep your calendar from getting confused when you travel through times zones. As long as you have your iPhone set to update time automatically, your calendar will change with it and you’ll be good to go!

Daily Tips range from beginner-level 101 to advanced-level ninjary. If you already know this tip, keep the link handy as a quick way to help a friend. If you have a tip of your own you'd like to suggest, add them to the comments or send them in to dailytips@imore.com.

“If you like the Smart Cover but don’t like its propensity to fall off or the lack of protection it provides the back plate, you’ll love the Choiix Wake Up Folio for iPad 2.”

The Choiix Wake Up Folio for iPad 2 is just like Apple’s Smart Cover but includes a back plate to protect the aluminum backing of your iPhone. That extra back case also means it won’t fall off the way Apple’s Smart Cover often does. In fact, the iPad 2 snaps right in and fits snuggly and securely enough that you can lift it by the cover, something impossible with Apple’s original.

Unlike Smart Covers, you can dangle your iPad by the Choiix Wake Up Folio

Since the Choiix Wake Up Folio includes the back case along with the cover, it is heavier and bulkier than Apple’s Smart Cover, but there’s always a trade-off between profile and protection. Like Apple’s Smart Cover, magnets in the iPad 2 and in the case allow it to turn your iPad 2 on when you open the cover, and off when you close it again.

Open the Choiix Wake Up Folio and -- surprise! -- your iPad 2 wakes up!

Also like Apple’s Smart Cover, you can fold the Choiix Wake Up Folio’s cover up to work as a stand in either flat mode for typing or stand-up mode for watching videos and movies. It’s perhaps not quite as bendable as Apple’s, but it’s close enough not to matter. The cover is polyurethane with a soft, plush inside to protect against scratches. It comes in just about every color you’d expect — white, gray, blue, green, orange, pink, and black.

Folding the cover back into itself can give a subtle boost for typing or a major tilt for video viewing

Cutouts provide access to all the usual ports and while most won’t cause a problem, they are cut close enough that some of the chunkier media cables or automotive chargers might have a tough time squeezing in. There’s also a grid over the back speaker and while minor, the more sound sensitive among you might notice the difference.

The Good

• Adds a back case to the Smart Cover concept
• Easy to put on and take off
• Still has an orange version, unlike Apple

The Bad

• Bulkier than the cover-only Smart Cover
• Port cutouts are cut a little close

The Conclusion

If you like the Smart Cover but don’t like its propensity to fall off or the lack of protection it provides the back plate, you’ll love the Choiix Wake Up Folio for iPad 2.

$39.99 – Buy now

Source: Cooler Master

The giveaway

Leave a comment below and you’ll be entered to win a Choiix Wake Up Folio of you very own!

Rene, Leanna, and Seth bring you live color, commentary, and analysis of Apple’s New York education event, including iBooks 2, Textbooks, iBooks Author, and iTunes U. What does it mean for schools, for Apple, and for the future? This is iPhone & iPad Live! (Note: Show number has been incremented to reflect all previous iPhone Live and iPad Live podcasts — since they merged like Devastator!)

• Subscribe via iTunes: Audio | Video
• Subscribe via RSS: Audio | Video
• Download directly: Audio | Video
• Show notes

Hosts

• Rene Ritchie (@reneritchie)
• Leanna Lofte (@llofte)
• Seth Clifford (@sethclifford)

Credits

You can reach all of us on Twitter @iMore, or you can email us at podcast@imore.com, or leave a comment on the website when the show goes live.

We’re here every Wednesday night at 6pm Pacific, 9pm Eastern, 2am GMT, and our new companion show, Apps and Accessories Live is on Sundays, same Bat Time, same Bat Channel — at www.imore.com/live

For all our podcasts — audio and video — including ZENandTECH and Superfunctional, Iterate and Girls Gone Gadgets and more… see www.mobilenations.com/shows

If you haven’t already please subscribe to all our shows in iTunes and leave a rating. It helps people find the show and means a lot to us!

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

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Doozy: Doozy is to task management what a chalkboard or whiteboard is to brainstorming. By transforming tasks and events into interactive icons, Doozy literally shows you what you need to do. Big update includes Dropbox support.

• $2.99 for iPhone – App Store link

HUDY Pro: Revolutionize your driving experience! Harness your device's technology to transform your windshield into a cutting-edge head's up display. This streamlined utility puts your device's LED backlit screen and GPS capability to use brilliantly, displaying your speed and direction of travel conveniently on your vehicle's windshield.

• $0.99 for iPhone – App Store link

Time of Heros: A game with great graphics, roleplaying elements, a groundbreaking combat system and easy accessibility. Players will find themselves immersed for hours in the fantasy world of “Altland".

• $0.99 for iPhone and iPad – App Store link

HipGeo: Lets you record what you do where ever you go – a travel blog – and share that with anyone you want.

• Free for iPhone – App Store link

Puggy the Monster – the Fun Bite: Come test your reacting skills with Puggy the Monster ! Puggy, a little naughty monster with magic power, loves to bite everything put in its mouth. Stick your finger in Puggy's wide-opened mouth and pull it off before he bites it hard.

• Free for iPhone – App Store link

Any other big app or game releases or updates today?

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

The (now digital) ink has dried on Apple’s education event, we’ve met the new apps, we’ve seen the new services, and we’ve gotten an idea of where Apple is heading when it comes to schools, textbooks, and learning. But just an idea. Like any 1.0 product, this stuff is the broad strokes and there are tons of details left for Apple hammer out over the next year — heck, over the next decade.

If you missed any of iMore’s extensive coverage, we can’t blame you — there was a ton of it! — but we will give you a chance to catch up. Below you’ll find links to Apple’s video of the education event itself, along with our live commentary podcast, and all of our hands-on videos, reader feedback, and quick takes on iBooks 2, Textbooks, iBooks Author, iTunes U, and everything else that went down today. We’ll have a bit more follow up tomorrow, but this is it for now. Put your feet up, grab a tasty beverage, and have at it!

Event & commentary

• Apple education event now available via streaming, iTunes download
• iPhone and iPad Live 276: Apple education event, iBooks 2, and iTunes U
• Teacher and educator reactions to Apple's iBooks 2, iBooks Author, and iTunes U
• So what did you think of Apple's education event?
• Forums: iBooks 2, iBooks Author, and iTunes U

iBooks 2

• Apple announces iBooks 2, tackles textbooks and the education market
• Apple posts iBooks 2, Textbooks-centric education video
• Apple adds Textbooks to the iBookstore
• Apple to offer high school books priced at $14.99 or less

iBooks Author

• Apple announces iBooks Author for Mac OS X
• Hands on with textbooks in iBooks for iPad
• Apple posts iBooks Author FAQ
• iBooks Author EULA claims all paid content is exclusive to Apple

iTunes U

• iTunes U gets its own app, includes course syllabus, assignments, prof hours, and more
• Hands on with iTunes U for iPad

Related news

• iTunes 10.5.3 released, includes support for syncing iBooks textbooks

Got a new iPad, and still not sure of all the ins and outs that come with it? Or, are you in charge of your company’s iPad rollout and puzzled over how to get everyone trained easily and efficiently? Made Simple Learning has compiled 65 video tutorials for your iPad/iPad 2 with topics ranging from what the buttons do, to battery life tips, typing tips, and tons more. They can deploy videos to your servers behind your firewall, and to your mobile device so you can view them while on the go. They offer multiple licensing options to fit your needs:

• $39 Standard – 1 user view on your computer for up to 1 year
• $49 Deluxe – 1 user view on your computer & ipad for up to 1 year
• $1,295 Corporate – unlimited users – install on one server
• $3,395 Enterprise – unlimited users – install on multiple servers

Giveaway

Courtesy of Made Simple Learning we have 3 Deluxe licenses to give away this week. To enter, leave a comment below and tell us why you want to win. How would these videos help you or someone you know with their iPad or iPad 2?