Further inspection of the new iPad’s technical specifications page reveals some more information:

The Wi-Fi + 4G model lists LTE (700, 2100 MHz) as supported bandwidths. The problem here is that it looks like the Australian 4G mobile broadband providers may not be able to support the new iPad’s 4G requirements.

Telstra list its Long Term Evolution (LTE) 4G network as operating on the 1800MHz and 850MHz spectrum bands.

Optus at first looks to be also out of the game with a media release on the acquisition of Australia’s first 4G mobile broadband provider Vividwireless stating that “It will be integrated with Optus’ 1800MHz 4G network”. Another look at Optus’s LTE 4G network information shows this media release saying “In a further demonstration of its commitment to a 4G-powered future, Optus today became the first Australian carrier to be awarded a licence to trial LTE services in the 700 MHz spectrum band. ” If the new iPad really isnt going to play ball and achieve 4G speeds on the Telstra network hopefully Optus can fill the void and let the new iPad stretch its new found 4G legs!

The latest update to Apple’s iTunes package marks a big step towards a digital text book future. Apple’s infered goal would be to see all text books used by students replaced with an iPad. Cost and time will tell if such a goal is at all feasible.

iTunes 10.5.3 allows you to sync interactive iBooks textbooks to your iPad. These Multi-Touch textbooks are available for purchase from the iTunes Store on your Mac or from the iBookstore included with iBooks 2 on your iPad.

iBooks textbooks are created with iBooks Author — now available as a free download on the Mac App Store.

For information on the security content of this update, please visit: support.apple.com/kb/HT1222

iTunes Match option in iTunes

iTunes Match

iTunes Match stores your entire music library in iCloud, including music from CDs, and lets you enjoy it anywhere, anytime, on your iOS devices, computers or Apple TV. That’s in addition to the free features you already get with iTunes in the Cloud.

You library information and unmatched songs will be uploaded to Apple and associated with your Apple ID. iTunes Match requires iOS 5 and Internet access on your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch. 10 device limit. 25,000 song limit; your iTunes purchases are unlimited if available in the iTunes Store. Match, upload times and eligibility will vary.

Apple has just released another iTunes update and finally introduced some long awaited functionality to your Apple ID and iTunes purchasing experience. Personally I always thought the iTunes Apple ID system should have always been able to remember your purchases and allow you to download, re-download or sync between all your Apple devices. Now that functionality has been realised and adds another tick in the ever growing list of why you should use iTunes to purchase your music.

Wifi syncing is another big positive in this latest iTunes release. The way in which every piece of technology these days seems to have some kind of Wifi connectivity, always having to sync your iPhone, iPad or other iOS device with a USB cable feels slightly old fashioned. This will of course in some instances highlight the problematic nature of poor wifi strength and dropouts in some households but overall should improve functionality.

Personally I am really looking forward to seeing the whole iTunes match system in action. Over the years I have converted old collections of tapes and vinyl LP records to MP3 using turntables and some of the content is really obscure by what I see as “iTunes kind of music”. It will be interesting to see what is actually matched and updated to the 256-Kbps quality.

iTunes match has been an interesting concept from the get go requiring the big record labels to agree to license thousands of titles. Then to make it even more controversial, iTunes match promises to allow you to bring along your own collection of mp3 files converted from your ripped CD library to the cloud and the better quality files. Problem is that with standard mp3 files, how does the system know that the mp3 was obtained via a ripped CD or downloaded from the internet? The service then looks to allow people who obtain music through questionable means to legitimise their collections? I think both Apple and the record labels have thought this out though, people who have ripped their CD library now will be able to take part in the whole iTunes in the cloud setup, users who purchase only through iTunes will not be affected and people who are converting questionable libraries will now in some way be able to contribute for their musical enjoyment. It seems like a big win win for every entity involved.

iTunes match has been released in the US but where is iTunes match for us Australians? Its mentioned in the update but unfortunately not available down under, yet… As always Apple will hold their cards close and reveal information on an Australian release when they deem fit. Your guess is as good as mine in regards to the Australia iTunes match release.

What’s new in iTunes 10.5.1

Introducing iTunes Match. Store your entire music library in iCloud, including music you’ve imported from CDs, and enjoy your collection anywhere, anytime, on your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, computer, or Apple TV.

iTunes 10.5 also included:

• iTunes in the Cloud. iTunes now stores your music and TV purchases in iCloud and makes them available on your devices anywhere, any time, at no additional cost.
• Automatic Downloads. Purchase music from any device or computer and automatically download a copy to your PC and iOS devices.
• Download Previous Purchases. Download your past music, TV, app, and book purchases again, at no additional cost. Previous purchases may be unavailable if they are no longer on the iTunes Store.
• Sync with your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch with iOS 5.
• Wi-Fi Syncing. Automatically sync your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch with iTunes any time they’re both on the same Wi-Fi network.

For information on the security content of this update, please visit: support.apple.com/kb/HT1222

The update to Siri and its Australian voice recognition will need some testing as so far I have found Siri to be fairly hit and miss with how well it deciphers my “Ozzi” accent. At times it works really well and certainly looks to be a value added feature but others times it gets things very wrong and thus requires extensive voice commands to correct the mistakes or re-do the voice commands. Corrections equal time and in theory voice commands should equal less time and I find myself reverting to good old manual input. Maybe this update will change things?

iOS 5.0.1 Software Update

This update contains improvements and other bug fixes including:

• Fixes bugs affecting battery life
• Adds Multitasking Gestures for original iPad
• Resolves bugs with Documents in the Cloud
• Improves voice recognition for Australian users using dictation

Products compatible with this software update:

• iPhone 4S
• iPhone 4
• iPhone 3GS
• iPad 2
• iPad
• iPod touch (4th generation)
• iPod touch (3rd generation)

For information on the security content of this update, please visit this website: Apple

Required an all in one solution to provide home entertainment and networking for a new home construction. Main entertainment area will be using a wall mounted LCD for TV and requires all media equipment to be stored approximatley 6 metres away with no line of sight to the devices, effectively ruling out traditional line of sight infra red remote controls. The system will need to deliver TV, photo slide shows, movies and multi-room music playback.

The Mac Mini Media Centre

Instead of using individual devices such as a digital TV set top box, DVD player and Sonos surround sound system. All media functionality will be provided by a Mac Mini. The Mac Mini will be setup to provide:

• The ability to watch, record and pause two TV stations at the same time. Capability to broadcast live TV to any iPad or iPhone within the wireless network of the home.
• A Media Server functionality via Plex to provide DVD playback, music and photo streaming to any TV, iMac, Macbook, iPhone or iPad within the wireless network of the home. iTunes serving music playback to multiple rooms including outdoors with Apple iTunes Airplay technology. Allowing users to play music in any room of the house from a centralised iTunes library.
• As the Mac Mini is located away from the main entertainment room, the standard infra red remote and or Bluetooth mouse and keyboard would not be suitable for controlling the system. Instead an iPad using the applications Rowmote Pro and Apple’s Remote will allow an iPad or users iPhones to control any function of the Mac Mini Media Centre using the wifi network within the home.

The Wired and Wireless Network

The home will use gigabit networking infrastructure to provide high speed data access to the Mac Mini Media Centre around the house. To enable wireless access for Macbooks, iPhones and iPads the network will use three wireless access points. Two units will be installed at each end of the house and a third installed on the 2nd level of the house. The access points will utilise both 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz frequencies to help ensure neighbouring wireless networks, cordless phones and various other RF devices do not impede upon the performance of the WiFi network.

After advice to improve password security since having their email hacked and compromised, the client was having difficulty remembering and storing the now very complex password combinations to all his various accounts and website logins.

Password storage

The solution chosen for helping with the new more complex passwords was the Agilebits software called 1Password.
This application allows the user to use a single very VERY strong password to store all the passwords required locally on his iMac. The software features a one click sign-on ability to allow easy access to the passwords when needed. This means the user can unlock the 1Password system when he starts a browsing session on his Mac and then call upon his unique complex passwords at will.

This easy to use login system then allows the user to use the password generator tool provided by the software to use passwords as complex as “_5dg2_3iTpSK4VNDw-YQse{H{QlA;Q26YT4oPp8)@rkiz*20s” for each and every login required.

All this information is stored within an encrypted keychain best thought of like an advanced version of the keychain system employed by the Mac OS X operating system. This 1Password database uses strong encryption methods to protect the containing data and to get technical and as reference from the Agile Keychain Design Document. “OpenSSL is used to encrypt all confidential information with AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) using 128-bit encryption keys and performed in Cipher Block Chaining (CBC) mode along with a randomized Initialization Vector.”

Password Backup

Now what if the iMac that all this very hard to remember password information is stored on fails and the data is lost. Firstly everyone should be using some form of local backup as simple as an external usb hard drive using time machine. But to simplify the process, 1Password offers integration with Dropbox to allow 24/7 synchronisation and backup of your 1Password information to your own cloud storage system.

Things really start to get interesting when this data is then easily accessed and used by the mobile version of 1Password allowing the client to access any of his passwords or secure notes from his iPhone while away from his computer.

With a 2gb Dropbox account being free and 1Password for Mac @ $39.99 + 1Password for iPhone @ $14.99 the buy in cost for this much password control and features is not that bad. But if you want something even cheaper, you can use the secure notes and password storage feature built into each and every Apple computer called the keychain.

• If you start the process from an iPhone you are instructed to go to me.com on your computer to move your information to iCloud.

• If you start the process from www.icloud.com you are re-directed to www.me.com to continue. (Click the image to zoom in)

• Get started with your move to iCloud.

• Your mail and calendars will be moved from MobileMe to iCloud. Your @me address, mail and calendars will be moved directly to iCloud. Shared calendars will be affected by moving.

• Keep using Gallery, iDisk & iWeb publishing. You will be able to continue using MobileMe Gallery, iDisk and iWeb publishing at me.com and on your devices through June 30, 2012, even after moving to iCloud.

• These MobileMe features will not be available: You will no longer be able to sync Mac Dashboard Widgets, Dock items, Keychains, Preferences, Mail Accounts, Rules, Signatures and Smart Mailboxes after moving to iCloud.

• Now, Upgrade your devices for iCloud.
• iOs devices must be running iOS 5
• Macs must be running OS X Lion 10.7.2
• PCs must be running Windows Vista or later, Outlook 2007 or later and iCloud Control Panel for Windows

• Check that at least on device has up-to-date contacts and bookmarks. Contacts and bookmarks present on your devices will move to iCloud, so make sure at least one of your devices (iOS, Mac or PC> has this content before moving.

• Back up your contacts, calendars and bookmarks before moving. Even if you are syncing your content with MobileMe, you should still back up.

• Once the iCloud terms of service have been agreed to the MobileMe to iCloud conversion process will take place

• Your iCloud account has been created. Now, set up your devices.

• Step 1: Once the restore process has completed, tap continue to proceed.

• Step 2: The process requires an internet connection and asks for you to connect to your wifi network. Select your wireless network and input the correct password. Tap next to continue

• Step 3: If you do not already have an Apple ID create a new one. If you already have an Apple ID or Mobile Me account, tap “Sign in with and Apple ID” to continue.

• Step 4: Input your Apple ID information and tap next. If you have both a MobileMe and an iTunes Account tap for more information below.

• Step 4b: This information is fairly important if you have both an Apple ID for iTunes purchases and a Mobile Me account. Have a MobileMe account and use a different Apple ID for the iTunes Store? Sign in with your MobileMe account now. When you are finished setting up your iPhone, sing in with your iTunes Store account in Store Settings.

• Step 5: Select your birthday and tap next

• Step 6: Read and either agree or disagree to the terms and conditions.

• Step 7: Wait for the Apple ID setup process to complete

• Step 6: Choose to send or don’t send usage information to Apple, tap your option and next to continue

• Completed: Your iPhone is now set up to start using iOS5