Bluetooth Headphones

If you are looking for Bluetooth headphones to pair with a smartphone or tablet, you might take a look at the Oontz BudZ 2 headphones. I just bought a pair from Amazon for $18. Paired them with my iPhone X, and I'm really impressed with these headphones (or earbuds). Good listening quality and with the rubber tips, they stay in my ears much better than the Apple EarPods I recently bought for $150.

Now, I'm not saying they're as good as the EarPods, but for the money, quiet decent. And I don't know about the long-term quality, either. But for the money, I thought I'd take a gamble. One nit-pick on Apple's EarPods -- the small instruction sheet sent with them is on paper that has very small print that is light-colored and hard to read. The instruction booklet that came with the OontZ earbuds has black ink in a larger size that is so much easier to read. Comparing the two instruction booklets is like comparing night and day. Apple should take a lesson from this -- their instruction booklet is yucky and cheap-looking!

Jim Hamm 

Zagg Bluetooth Keyboard

        "If there's any 'iPaders' in our azapple group, the following comments are for you," says Jim Hamm.  He continues, " I've owned an iPad for a long time, but had never used a separate keyboard with it previously. Then my wife got a Zagg bluetooth keyboard for her iPad, and really liked it. So, not to be left behind, I bought one from Amazon for my iPad. What a difference this keyboard makes. Really nice.

        "If you've already moved to a  bluetooth keyboard for your iPad, read no further. For the rest of you, I recommend you try one." 

        Jim explains, "I didn't realize how much easier, and nicer, it is to type on a keyboard instead of tapping on the screen with my finger. And the best thing I like about it is no more -- to correct a mistake -- a finger on the screen, with the bubble, trying to move the cursor around. Now I just use the up/down/back/forward arrows on the keyboard to move the cursor and correct a misspelling. I like this.

        "We're presently on an RV caravan tour and I haven't even used my MacBook Air once since we left. I find it so convenient and handy just to use my iPad with the Zagg keyboard. Plus, since I've got a cellular data package for my iPad, I don't have to worry if we don't have wifi in the campground. Like right now -- no wifi but a good LTE signal.

        "There are other brands of keyboards available for the iPad, but the Zagg is the only one I've tried. There were over a thousand reviews on Amazon for the Zagg keyboard for my particular iPad, with most of them favorable."

        And Jim concludes, "I'm not pushing Zagg -- only the use of a bluetooth keyboard for your iPad.  Just a thought for your consideration."

Discussing iPad Features

        Maybe you saw the latest from Apple's page: http://www.apple.com/ipad/change-everything/    and maybe you even looked at the drone you'll be drooling over?  Costs a mere $499.95.   http://store.apple.com/us/product/HH4W2/parrot-bebop-drone   
        But, hold it.  Jim Hamm has some thoughts to pass on. "If you use the iPad then you might have an interest in the following comments. It was posted to a Forum I subscribe to. I hadn't read any of this previously, so have no idea of its veracity. 
        "One thought I have is with this increased screen size it will be heavy. One advantage of the present iPad -- for me, anyway -- is its light weight. Looking at the other comments, I don't see any feature that excites me. And it all may just be a rumor anyway."
        Here's the comments Jim found: 
"Don’t get a new iPad (yet)… Details about the next-generation iPad have leaked out.  So, if you were planning on buying a new iPad any time soon, you may want to hold off until the Fall.
         Apple will be releasing the "iPad Pro", which is larger than the current iPad (12.9 inch display instead of the current 9.7 inch display.)
         If the larger display isn’t that interesting to you. You may also want to consider the added features that the next iPad is rumored to have, including…
* Force Touch technology that was introduced on the Apple Watch. This feature will allow you to press a little harder on the screen to bring up extra sets of options. While this might not sound that interesting now, it may be a critical technology to have with certain apps in the future.
* A new USB-C port for charging, transferring files and video output to monitors or your TV.
* Near Field Communication which will enable Apple Pay on the iPad.
* A Bluetooth stylus may be included with increased sensitivity to make drawing and handwriting on the iPad more accurate.
        I’m going to hold off until the fall for my next iPad. Maybe I’ll get myself the new Apple Watch to hold me over until then :-)"

Instead of CarPlay

        Quick to reply, John Carter explains his view of CarPlay that Prez Art Gorski described yesterday. He jests, "Hah! Nothing new to me. Everything that CarPlay does I can already do with my iPhone (or iPad) and a bluetooth headset.

        "On a recent trip to California, I kept in constant touch with Jackie using Messages. Siri recorded my messages to Jackie and then read back any new message from Jackie. (It wasn’t always perfect.) I listened to music or podcasts when I wasn’t messaging. With the iPhone attached to the windshield, I was always up to date with directions to my destination. I could even hazard watching a video. And of course, the only real drawback was when I was out of touch of a tower when driving through mountains, but that didn’t stop me from listening to music."

Apple Files New Patents for iPen

        "What?" exclaims John Carter.  "A stylus for the iOS device? Unheard of. Well, not entirely. I have purchased several stylii over the past year only to either lose them in the wash or ignore them altogether—because they just don’t work as well as my finger!

        "But, let’s take a look at Apple’s idea for a stylus. 

        "First, it will be expandable. Add a camera or a laser pointer. Or turn it into a power source. 

        "Second, it will be Wi-Fi linked via Bluetooth. I think Apple’s ideas are a bit on the fantastic side, but as a toy, it will sell. As a tool for designers, it will sell. As a tool for businessmen, it will sell. 

        "But for us minions? What will it do for us?"

        And here's John's opinion:   "I think you’ll have to read the news release from minyanville here and then wait and see. After all, the iPhone was big hit, the iPod was a big hit, the iPad was a big hit, and Apple Fanboys everywhere are probably sitting on the edge of their seat breathlessly awaiting the big event of the iPen.

        "The next thing we’ll be saying is, “i-What?” What will Apple think of next?"