Five Open Source Word Processors for Mac OS

For those who threw away their PC to get a Mac, one of the more aggravating parts of the new purchase was realizing that in order to have a word processor installed onto the machine it has to be Microsoft Word. Apple apparently decided it wasn’t worth it to fund a competing WP or license one that in all likelihood would probably perform poorly in comparison anyway. That’s okay because we don’t need any more overpriced word processors on the market. One is enough. Luckily, there are several free open source word processors available for the Mac operating system that enable users to make word documents without continuing to send Microsoft anymore money.

1. Bean

This program was designed as the antithesis to Word. As such, you get a streamlined, stripped down version of a modern word processor. Despite a reduced number of features and functions, Bean still allows users to autosave, get a word count, and adjust zoom and layout. Bean’s bad side is that it isn’t 100 percent compatible with Word. Doc and Docx files are imported/exported sans images and some formatting depending on the file type.

2. AbiWord

Originally, designed to be a for-profit software, AbiWord ended up in the hands of open source software developers and is noted for running on virtually any operating system. Word .doc and .docx files transfer much more smoothly with AbiWord, but the addition of Word-like freedom means it’s a bit lumbering at times depending on which version has been installed.

3. JDarkRoom

If throwbacks are your thing, then this word processor is just for you. The interface is designed to replicate that of the most primitive of word processors from the early years of the personal computer. There’s a word count, but don’t count on much else other than green text on a black background and the focus that hopefully follows.

4. Google Docs

As we move into an age where cloud computing could control most day-to-day digital activity and web-based applications become the norm this option might be the most forward thinking one out there. Google’s online word processor isn’t anything remarkable in design, but the ability to create, save, and edit documents from any computer with a web connection is something that trumps any competitor when it comes to access.

5. OpenOffice.org

If you’ve ever heard about an open source word processor, this was probably it. OpenOffice.org is virtually everything you get from Microsoft Word with the bonus that it’s even been shown to open corrupted files Word won’t be able to access. If you were simply looking for the free version of Word, this is it.

Don’t surrender another few hundred dollars for the latest version of Word until you’ve tried one of these open source word processors. Switching from a PC to a Mac is an expensive transition as it is, make it easier on yourself and find a free way to make documents.

” Harry Priddle is a developer and part-time blogger from Virginia. When not glued to the screen of his HTC Android Phone he’s getting his lap burned by his Macbook Pro. “

iPhone 3GS

Tradus.in, India’s fastest growing premium online mall brings an opportunity for its customers to buy sensational iPhone 3GS.

In the special offer, customers who will buy this fabulous phone before 10th July 2011 on Tradus.in will get their hands on free Motorola WX 260 Mobile Phone worth Rs 2190

The sensational iPhone 3GS includes features such as 3 Megapixels sensor, three band UMTS/HSDPA, Four band GSM/EDGE, Wi-Fi 802.11b/g, Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR, 3.5-inch widescreen multitouch display with  fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating, It has a magnetometer, voice control, Nike + support built in.  At 135 g, the handset measures 4.5 x 2.4 x 0.48 inches.

iPhone 3GS is available on the site for Rs. 19,990/- with an offer of free Motorola phone worth Rs. 2190 +Free Shipping till 10th July 2011, Prices inclusive of all taxes.

iPhone 3GS can be sourced from – http://www.tradus.in/apple-iphone-3gs-8gb-mobile

Apple MacBook Pro Features

Faster Performance - Up to 2x faster processors and 3x faster graphics.Next-generation quad-core and dual-core Intel processors.

The 13-inch MacBook Pro now features a 2.3GHz Intel Core i5 processor or the fastest dual-core processor available — the 2.7GHz Intel Core i7. With Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.4GHz, these processors allow the 13-inch MacBook Pro to perform up to twice as fast as the previous generation. The graphics performance you need, when you need it.

Improved Graphics - The integrated Intel HD Graphics 3000 processor — now included across the MacBook Pro lineup — handles the things you do every day. It encodes video quickly, making HD video calls with FaceTime possible. And it decodes efficiently, so you get long playback time for DVDs and iTunes movies.

Thunderbolt - The fastest, most versatile I/O ever in a notebook. Imagine accessing multiple streams of uncompressed HD video — from your notebook — at speeds that let you edit an HD feature film in real time. That’s how Thunderbolt technology will connect the next generation of high-performance peripherals to the next generation of computers — starting with MacBook Pro. Ultrafast and ultraflexible, the Thunderbolt pipeline is more than 12 times faster than FireWire 800 and up to 20 times faster than USB 2.0, and it offers unprecedented expansion capabilities. It changes what you can do on a notebook.

FaceTime HD Camera - Get more of your friends in the picture with crisp, widescreen HD video. The new FaceTime HD camera gives you three times the resolution of the previous camera — perfect for the brilliant LED-backlit display — along with improved low-light performance. You and your friends can make 720p HD calls from one new MacBook Pro to another. You can also make video calls to other Intel-based Mac computers,4 iPhone 4, or the new iPod touch.

Multi-Touch Trackpad – The Multi-Touch trackpad is the most natural way to interact with what’s on your screen, and the smooth glass surface gives you plenty of room for gestures. Pinch to zoom in and out, swipe to flip through photos, rotate to adjust an image, and much more. The buttonless design lets you click anywhere. And if you’re coming from a right-click world, you can right-click with two fingers or configure a right-click area on the trackpad. The more you use the Multi-Touch trackpad, the more you’ll wonder how you ever did without it.

Long Lasting Battery - The new MacBook Pro delivers amazing battery life. And that’s with more powerful processors and faster graphics. An energy-efficient processor architecture with an integrated video encoder, along with automatic graphics switching in the 15- and 17-inch models, all help improve battery life. So you can expect to surf the web wirelessly for up to 7 hours on a single charge.5 Or take your entire creative studio on the road for live performances or a location shoot. Advanced chemistry and Adaptive Charging give you up to 1000 full charge and discharge cycles — nearly three times the lifespan of typical notebook batteries.6 And because the MacBook Pro battery lasts up to five years, MacBook Pro uses just one battery in the same time a typical notebook uses three. That’s better for you and for the environment.

Check the Full Feature List of Apple MacBook Pro

Free Apps for Apple iPad

iBooks - iBooks is a free app you can download from the App Store. It brings you a new way to buy books and amazing ways to read them. Books you download are also available on your iPhone and iPod touch, so you’ll never be without your favorite reads. Get iBooks for iPad

Pandora Radio – Pandora Radio is your own FREE personalized radio now available to stream music on your iPad. Just start with the name of one of your favorite artists, songs or classical composers and Pandora will create a “station” that plays their music and more music like it. Download it from the App Store

Netflix - Get Netflix on your iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch. Just download this free app and you can instantly watch TV shows & movies streaming from Netflix.  Download it.

Google Mobile App - iPad-friendly version of Google Mobile App is now available in the App Store worldwide. By “iPad-friendly”, we mean that this new version has been designed to show neatly on the iPad’s screen, and that the usual features of Google Mobile App for iPhone, like search by voice and My Location, work well. From the Apps tab, you can also easily navigate to Google’s web-based apps, such as Gmail, which was recently optimized for iPad. To Get Google Mobile App visit http://itunes.com/app/googlemobileapp

Solitaire - The Solitaire game is now available on the iPad. With the exquisite touch screen on the iPad, you can now literally touch your cards and move them as you play the game. Get Solitaire For iPad

Google Earth – Hold the world in the palm of your hand. With Google Earth for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch, you can fly to far corners of the planet with just the swipe of a finger. Explore the same global satellite and aerial imagery available in the desktop version of Google Earth, including high-resolution imagery for over half of the world’s population and a third of the world’s land mass. Get Google Earth for Apple iPad.

Virtuoso Piano Free 2 HD - Be the maestro with Virtuoso Piano Free, a new iPod touch, iPhone and iPad instrument. Learn and play the piano anytime and anywhere. Link to Virtuoso Piano Free 2 HD

Apple iPhone 4

Apple Announced an exclusive opportunity for Verizon Wireless’ 94 million customers to pre-order iPhone 4 online beginning on Thursday, February 3 through the Apple Store® (www.apple.com) and at www.verizonwireless.com/iphone. Due to high demand, customer orders will be fulfilled on a first come, first served basis.

Beginning on Wednesday, February 9, all qualified customers will be able to order an iPhone 4 on Verizon through the Apple Store (www.apple.com) for delivery or reserve for in-store pick up beginning February 10.

Beginning at 7 a.m. local time on Thursday, February 10, iPhone 4 on Verizon will be available to all qualified customers at Apple’s retail stores. iPhone 4 will also be available at more than 2,000 Verizon Wireless Communication Stores nationwide.

iPhone 4 is the most innovative phone in the world, featuring Apple’s stunning Retina™ display, the highest resolution display ever built into a phone resulting in super crisp text, images and video, and FaceTime®, which makes video calling a reality. iPhone 4 also features a 5 megapixel camera with LED flash, HD video recording, Apple’s A4 chip and a beautiful glass and stainless steel design like no other mobile phone. Verizon Wireless customers will also enjoy new Personal Hotspot capabilities allowing them to use iPhone 4 to connect up to five Wi-Fi enabled devices.

Pricing & Availability of Apple iPhone 4 - iPhone 4 on the Verizon Wireless network will be available for a suggested retail price of $199 for the 16GB model and $299 for the 32GB model with a new two year agreement. iPhone 4 will be available through the Apple Store (www.apple.com), at Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers. iPhone 4 will also be available at more than 2,000 Verizon Wireless Communication Stores nationwide, online at www.verizonwireless.com/iphone, select retail partners, and by calling 1-800-2 JOIN IN.

Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork, and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple is reinventing the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and has recently introduced its magical iPad which is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices.

Apple iPad in India

Apple iPad Launched with Wifi and 3G Models in India. Apple iPad Price In India Starting from Rs 28,000 – Rs 44 900. Apple iPads will be available in two versions, one with WI Fi and another one with 3G + WiFi.

BSNL Announced 3G plans for Apple iPad at Rs. 999 for unlimited monthly usage and Rs. 599 for 6GB per month free, 1p/10 kb following the free usage and Rs. 99 for unlimited daily usage. Hope Other telecom operators are also expected to introduce special offers and tariffs soon.

Check Here for the cool features of Apple iPad

Apple iPad Launches in India Price List

iPad with WiFi Price in India

16 GB – 27900 INR
32 GB – 32900 INR
64 GB – 37900 INR

Apple iPad 3G + WiFi Price in India

16 GB – 34900
32 GB – 39900
64 GB – 44900

Apple's App Store

Apple announced that more than 10 billion apps have been downloaded from its revolutionary App Store by the more than 160 million iPhone, iPod touch and iPad users worldwide. The 10 billionth app downloaded, Paper Glider, was purchased by Gail Davis of Orpington, Kent, UK. As the winner of the App Store Countdown to 10 Billion Apps, Gail Davis will receive a $10,000 iTunes Gift Card.

“With more than 10 billion apps downloaded in just two and a half years—a staggering seven billion apps in the last year alone—the App Store has surpassed our wildest dreams,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. “The App Store has revolutionized how software is created, distributed, discovered and sold. While others try to copy the App Store, it continues to offer developers and customers the most innovative experience on the planet.”

The revolutionary App Store offers more than 350,000 apps to iPhone, iPod touch and iPad users in 90 countries around the world, with more than 60,000 native iPad apps available. App Store customers can choose from an incredible range of apps in 20 categories, including games, business, news, sports, health, reference and travel.

Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork, and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple is reinventing the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and has recently introduced its magical iPad which is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices.

iPhone 4 Launch

Verizon Wireless and Apple® today announced that the iPhone® 4 will be available on the Verizon Wireless network beginning on Thursday, February 10. Qualified Verizon Wireless customers will be given the exclusive opportunity to pre-order iPhone 4 online on February 3, ahead of general availability.

iPhone 4 is the most innovative phone in the world, featuring Apple’s stunning Retina™ display, the highest resolution display ever built into a phone resulting in super crisp text, images and video, and FaceTime®, which makes video calling a reality. iPhone 4 on Verizon Wireless will also include new Personal Hotspot capabilities allowing customers to use iPhone 4 to connect up to five Wi-Fi enabled devices.

“We are pleased to introduce millions of wireless users to the industry leading iPhone 4 on the nation’s most reliable network,” said Lowell McAdam, president and chief operating officer of Verizon. “This is an important step for the industry as two great companies join forces to give wireless customers one of the most important technological additions to the mobile landscape this century.”

“Verizon Wireless customers have told us they can’t wait to get their hands on iPhone 4, and we think they are going to love it,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s chief operating officer. “We have enormous respect for the company Verizon has built and the loyalty they have earned from their customers.”

iPhone 4 features a 5 megapixel camera with LED flash, HD video recording, Apple’s A4 chip, a 3-axis gyro and a beautiful glass and stainless steel design like no other mobile phone. iPhone 4 also comes with iOS 4, the world’s most advanced mobile operating system, which includes multitasking, folders, Game Center, AirPlay® and AirPrint wireless printing. iPhone 4 customers have access to the world’s most popular App Store℠ with more than 300,000 apps available in an incredible range of 20 categories, including games, business, news, sports, health and reference.

Pricing & Availability - iPhone 4 will be available on the Verizon Wireless network beginning Thursday, February 10 for a suggested retail price of $199.99 for the 16GB model and $299.99 for the 32GB model with a new two year customer agreement. iPhone 4 will be available at more than 2,000 Verizon Wireless Communications Stores nationwide, online at  www.verizonwireless.com/iphone, at Apple Retail Stores, at the Apple Store® (www.apple.com), at Apple Authorized Resellers, and by calling 1-800-2 JOIN IN.

Apple endorses IPS technology for iPads

Apple endorses IPS technology for iPads

iPad comes with a 9.7-inch LCD screen featuring IPS Technology

With the launch of Apple iPads last week, IPS (in-plane switching) technology has emerged to be the most preferred technology which ensures wide-viewing angles and good color reproduction making the iPad not only the best device of its kind but a whole new kind of device.

The IPS display used in the iPad is a 9.7-inch 1024-by-768 resolution LED-backlit LCD screen. The high-resolution, 9.7-inch LED-backlit IPS display on iPad is remarkably crisp and vivid which makes it perfect for web browsing, watching movies, or viewing photos. With iPad, there is no up or down. It’s designed to show off content in portrait or landscape orientation with every turn. IPS display technology gives the iPad an impressive wide viewing-angle of up to 178 degrees. So one can hold it almost any way one wants and still get a brilliant picture, with excellent color and contrast.

According to Steve Jobs, Chief Executive Officer, Apple, “IPS is the main hardware of the iPads that we have launched. IPS is a premium display technology. We have chosen IPS display technology for our new device as it gives the iPad an impressive wide viewing-angle as compared to other LCD technologies which tend to have narrower viewing angles, especially in the vertical direction.  The use of IPS panels in its latest product shows Apple’s strong conviction in IPS and its adherence to this technology.”

IPS spokesperson commented, “IPS panels are preferred for their superior true color values, the most consistent image, a stable touch panel and a superior viewing angle. The superiority of IPS technology has been proven once again through the latest offering from Apple.”

A large, high-resolution LED-backlit IPS display and an incredibly responsive multi-touch screen, have made the Apple iPads popular amongst consumers. Apple prefers IPS technology as the panels have several advantages over conventional panels that use TN (twisted nemantic) and VA (vertical alignment) display technologies.

In addition to wide-viewing angles and good color reproduction, IPS technology also reduces image distortion because of a fast and stable response time.  The IPS panel gets it stable and accurate touching from its liquid crystal (LC) molecules’ structure, the alignment of which is horizontal thereby enabling vivid and clear moving images.

In India one can enjoy the IPS displays through LG LCD TVs now. IPS LCDs meet the requirements of the sectors and professionals in the fields of design, medicine, print and space, etc. Indian consumers choose IPS technology for a better TV viewing experience which has in turn boosted the sales of LG LCD TVs from 1,40,000 units in 2008 to 3,54,000 units in 2009 resulting in a growth rate of nearly 160%.