What a rush!

This is just a video of a downhill race. I can only imagine what it must've been like for the rider! Too cool for words :)

The year of the iPad. Or was it?

I was watching the latest Apple keynote this morning, where Steve Jobs called 2010 "The year of the iPad" and it seemed like everyone was in agreement. I've been thinking about this - was it really the year of the iPad? The iPad has certainly been in the news and has sent competitors scurrying to come up with competing tablets. There is no question that the iPad is the #1 tablet device. (Apple threw out some figures today - 15 million units sold, just over 9 billion dollars in revenue). The iPad revolution has started; However, I believe the best is yet to come.

Let's take a step back -which was the year of the Walkman? Whichever year it was, I don't believe that it was the first year that the Walkman hit the market or the first year when it outsold its rivals. I think the year of the Walkman would've been the first year when  you could spot just about everyone sporting one. As much as the iPad has sold, that point has not come yet.

Here's a well made video showing the many ways in which the iPad is already used. It really is a device with amazing potential.

Airplay is cool, leaves old AppleTVs behind

My iPad has just been updated to the latest iOS, so I've been playing with AirPlay for audio. In short - love it! It's not quite Sonos, but it ain't too bad for what you're paying. Pretty much any audio playback can be streamed to AirPlay receivers. I'm listening to holiday music from KOIT as I type, with the ooTunes app on my iPad streaming in the background to my Airport Express. Apparently, this works for the Rhapsody app too, I intend to upgrade my account so I can experience it soon!

My old AppleTV won't show up in the Airplay device list on the iPad though. Here's why this drives me nuts. Both the AppleTV and the Airport Express haven't had any firmware updates in a while. On the Mac, both the AppleTV and Airport Express show up in the Airplay device list on iTunes. Its clear that the audio portion of Airplay is nothing but AirTunes. It's also clear that Apple deliberately excluded the old AppleTV from supporting AirPlay audio on iOS devices but included this functionality on the Mac's iTunes. They didn't cut existing functionality but they made sure no new functionality was available for the old hardware that was sold as recently as 4 months ago. Way to go Apple, you took extra effort to screw the most loyal of your customers. Oh well, serves us right for having invested in the first version of your hobby device.

Quick takes from Apple event

iPod Nano is a gamble for sure, did they take away video?
iPad software update pushed out to November - why oh why?!
Does iPod touch have everything from iPhone 4 but the phone now? If it has GPS, I'm replacing my phone with an iPod Touch and a cheapo phone.
Ping - uh oh, Boxee.. they're in your territory! Couldn't they just integrate with existing social networks?
New AppleTV is niiice! $99 makes it a slam dunk. AirPlay looks cool. What about software update for older AppleTVs? Don't let us out in the cold, Steve!
Chris Martin is always great in my book, good stuff!

Update: No GPS in iPod Touch. Dang it, Apple! It could've been the perfect Cycle computer and you had to leave GPS out! Ah well, next year..

GMail is smart

Duh! Thanks for the nice alert, Google. I wonder what else you're looking for in my email messages...

Another day, another cool iPad App

Every day, another app comes by that tempts one to buy the iPad. Today, that app is Flipboard.

Flipboard for iPad on the iTunes App Store

The last mango

Being here has rekindled the joy of mango season. We just had the last mango of the season and it was big, juicy Banganapalli. It was the best mango season in recent memory for us. Among our favourites were - Mallika, Rajapalayam Sapattai, Alphonso, Kesar, Imam Pasand. We also had Kalapadu, Sindura and Neelam.

Siddharth has become the biggest mango lover at home. Only a big satisfied burrp can make him stop. Overall, all of us had our share. Lots of mangoes were bought and consumed. My parents also shipped us a few boxes of mangoes from Courtallam. I've saved some for the off season by making fruit strips using our dehydrator. Of course, Siddharth loves those too :)