Apple's new Maps app in iOS 6 has certainly received its share of bad publicity. Even Apple CEO Tim Cook admitted that Apple "fell short" of its goal of "deliver[ing] the best experience possible to our customers," adding that he was "extremely sorry for the frustration this has caused our customers." My experience with the app is that it works quite well when I provide a street address, and I love the turn-by-turn directions and the flyover feature. Where the app has fallen short for me has been its database of points of interest. Every once in a while, I give it a place name instead of an address, and the app gives me an old or otherwise incorrect address. This week, Google brought its maps back to the iPhone by releasing the free Google Maps app. I'm happy to see streetview back on the iPhone — it is often very useful to preview what a place looks like before you go there — and the reviews have been very positive. The end result is pretty good for iPhone users. We now have a better version of an app containing Google's maps, while at the same time we have Apple devoting serious resources towards adding improvements to its own Maps app. Click here to get Google Maps (free):
. And now, the rest of the news of the week:
- I regularly use my iPad to give presentations. This afternoon, for example, I'm giving a presentation on using an iPad in your law practice for the Louisiana State Bar Association's Techno Friday CLE. (If you are in New Orleans, join us!) But one thing that I haven't done yet is cut the cord — i.e., use an Apple TV and an AirPort Express instead of a VGA cord connected to the projector. It seems like a great idea, but in my (admittedly limited) tests, I've had problems with the connection being flaky, so I've stuck with the tried-and-true method. But California attorney David Sparks has apparently had some success with it, and he describes the process in this post. I suppose I'll have to give it a try in 2013. In the meantime, if any of you want to live on the cutting edge, I'd love to hear about your experiences and any tips.
- Robyn Weisman of Law Technology News explains how attorneys handling the huge BP oil spill litigation in New Orleans used Trial Pad and TranscriptPad and a whole bunch of iPads to manage key aspects of the litigation.
- Indiana attorney Bill Wilson explains on his Third Apple blog why he uses Liquid-Armor instead of a case on his iPhone and iPad. I'm not sure that I'm ready to spray something like this on my device, but Wilson says that it worked for him.
- David Pogue of the New York Times reviews the new Google Maps app.
- Dan Moren of Macworld offers this hands-on assessment of the Google Maps app.
- John Gruber of Daring Fireball wrote this excellent analysis of the Google Maps app.
- Lex Friedman of Macworld offers theories on why it is good for Apple for the Google Maps app to exist.
- Andy Ihnatko of the Chicago Sun-Times explains why he prefers the Google Maps app to Apple's app.
- Attorneys and others have been looking forward to a Microsoft Word app on the iPhone/iPad for a long time. Now that there are signs that such an app will be released in 2013, Derek Kessler of iMore opines that it might be too late. I think he has a point. Had Microsoft Office been available for the iPad soon after launch, it might well dominate the word processing market on iOS just like it does on the PC. But by waiting, we now have other credible solutions, including Apple's own Pages. Interesting food for thought, although I'm sure I'll still buy Office for iOS if it is ever released.
- It's the end of the year, so once again Apple has announced the iTunes Best of 2012. Click here to launch iTunes and see the list of the best apps of the year, where you will also find links to the best music, movies, TV shows, books and podcasts.
- By the way, congratulations to California attorney David Sparks, author of Paperless, for making the iTunes list of best books of the year.
- The Pope is now on Twitter (@Pontifex), and as you can see in this picture in the New York Times, he is using an iPad.
- Time magazine named the iPhone 5 the best gadget of the year.
- Art of the iPhone shares three hidden features of the iPhone Camera's Panorama mode.
- And finally, if you are still coming up with gift ideas for the person who has everything, Juli Clover of AppAdvice found some funny over-the-top iPhone handmade iPhone cases on Etsy. Click here to see them. But Clover's article just hit the tip of the iceberg, there are so many more. For example, I found these after just a few seconds of searching Etsy:
Love Pink Candy iPhone 4G Case
Christmas Deco Whipped Frosting Candyland Gingerbread Cabochon iPhone 4 4S Phone Case
