itsmyiPad Review: Flight Command HD

Flight Command for iPhone is one of my favourite games on the Apple App Store and so I was really looking forward to playing the new, super-sized iPad version, Flight Command HD!  I can’t confess to being able to get anything like the belief-defying high scores of some players (if you need proof that some people have way too much time on their hands, go here) but many a happy coffee break, train ride, bedtime hour has been whiled away trying to land little planes on little runways. … Continue Reading

Apple announces UK launch and pricing

Being based in the UK, I have a special interest in the product options and pricing for the iPad over here.  For my UK readers, therefore, here is a summary of the pre-order pricing and product options for the iPad from May 28th when the device begins shipping. … Continue Reading

Do not try this at home

I think this is completely mental.  It actually makes me quite indignant at the sheer pointlessness of it all.  But I’m going to post it on my site, so what does that say about me?! Just don’t try this at home!

iPad UK: First Impressions

I’ve now had my iPad for 48 hours so I’m able to share my first impressions and start giving some advice to all you eager people who haven’t begged, borrowed or stolen (more of which in a moment) to get one from the US.

Firstly, and most importantly, the iPad is AMAZING.  It will put a huge grin on your face when you lift it from the box and hold it for the first time.  You will want to stroke it lovingly, run your fingers along its sleek and silvery lines, flip it in your hands to feel the rightness of its perfectly weighted form.  You will bore everyone around you silly for the next few hours saying ‘look at this…..and this….and ohmigod this’ as you play with your favourite apps and discover some of the iPad’s capabilities. … Continue Reading

Hint: Re-creating iTunes Library on your Mac when it “disappears”

Quick tip here for anyone who has recently confronted a blank, virginal iTunes Library screen instead of all their songs, videos and podcasts.

My iTunes is located on an external hard drive because it’s pretty large and I don’t like to have it eating into a chunk of my primary storage volume. Incidentally, I back this drive up once a week so I never lose (very much) data if the system crashes.

Every now and then, iTunes does something weird. I open it up and all my songs and playlists have disappeared. Even when I reset the directory that the drive is pointing to in the Preferences folder, it still won’t display the Library correctly.

Just like iPhoto’s multiple photo libraries, I have found the solution to this problem can simply be to hold down the Option key whilst opening iTunes in the Dock. A window appears asking me to create or choose a iTunes library. When I select Choose and navigate to my iTunes folder on the external HD, the main screen in iTunes re-populates itself instantly with all the correct information.

I have no idea why it sometimes does this but so far (touch wood) this simple alternative method of opening the app has always set things straight again afterwards.