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Labels: app, Apple, desktop image, diy, home improvement, iPhone, Mac, video, wallpaper

Here are some photos of the iPad digitizer (the front glass piece that processes the touch input) with protective a film on the front surface. Click on images to see them larger.

Labels: Apple, digitizer, iPad, screen, touch

iPad pre-orders started today, but why wait to experience the magic?

Download an iPad desktop for your iPhone and turn it into a mini iPad!

To install: after adding the photo to your iPhoto library and syncing with your iPhone, simply locate the image on your iPhone, tap , and then tap Use As Wallpaper.

Labels: Apple, desktop image, iPad, iPhone, wallpaper

iPhone apps are now available for your fridge!

Need a place to hang pizza coupons, in your kitchen? There's an app for that.

Without the frame of the iPhone to put them in context, these magnets are a little esoteric. Still, these iconic...uh....icons are sure go get a smile from any iPhone user and, at $13, they make a great gift for fellow Mac/iPhone enthusiasts.

Check 'em out at Jailbreak Toys.

Labels: app, Apple, fridge, iPhone, kitchen, magnet, refrigerator

-noun psychology

iPhoria is a mental/emotional state defined as a sense of great elation experienced by new iPhone users.^[1] Technically, iPhoria is an affect,^[2] but the term is often colloquially used to define emotion as an intense state of transcendent happiness combined with an overwhelming urge to download apps.

New iPhone owners, who experience iPhoria, will commonly say things like "wow, did you know that you can do [some amazing thing] on an iPhone?" or "look at this cool app that I found," to which any experienced iPhone user might reply "dude, I've been using that for months."

iPhoria is a temporary condition which, over a period of several weeks, will transform into a state known as omniPhonence, where users are instantly aware of all new apps, status updates and news, due to the 24/7 internet connection on their iPhone.

Labels: dictionary, euphoria, iPhone, terminology, wiki

Did you know that you can share iPhone apps with up to five other users (under the same Fairplay DRM license as music and video)? With some apps, like GPS navigation, costing $80 or more, this could save you quite a bit, but even the cheaper apps add up quick. Here's how you can let your family member, friend or significant other legally use the apps that you've already bought, in four easy steps.


Step 1: Authorize Computer
Log the other person out of their iTunes Music Store (iTMS) account and log in using your account.

Step 2: Re-Download
In iTunes, go to the app store and click the Buy App button for an application that you've already purchased. iTunes knows that you already paid for this and just lets you re-download it without charging again. The app will then begin to download.

Step 3: Switch iTMS Users
Once the download is complete, it shows in the Applications section of iTunes. You can now log out of your iTunes Store account and log the other user back in.

Step 4: Sync & Play
Plug the other users iPhone in now and sync. Once synced, it shows on the other iPhone, ready to be used.


Ideally, you and your friend would do this on each others computers, on a reglar basis, to ensure that you both have the benefit of the other's purchases.

via All Forces


You can also share apps without ever connecting to a computer like this:

1. Launch the App Store, on your iPhone.
2. Log out of your iTunes account.
3. Log in as the other user.
4. "Purchase" an app that the other user has already bought.

You will be told that you have already purchased the item and asked if you still want to download.

Labels: app, iPhone, itms, iTunes, share, sync

Greetings!

Man I love this stuff. February has just flown by, with tons of repairs keeping our Techs busy and record numbers of Restored MacBooks and MacBook Pros keeping our shipping department hustling. We posted a new video a couple of weeks ago, showing everyone what our Restored systems look like and we've seen laptop sales take off dramatically since the video was released. We thought that you would enjoy seeing some samples of our systems before your purchase and we are thrilled to have the video so well received.

If you're in the market for a refurbished MacBook or MacBook Pro, here's the video for your viewing pleasure.

Self-Install Mac Parts

We also released our new Self-Install section for Mac laptop LCD screens on our website during the past week and we are beginning to ship LCD screens to DIY'ers throughout the country. Look for a video next week that will highlight this new service and provide some guidance on how to choose the right screen along with lots of other info about this new product line. We've been selling iPod, iPhone and PSP parts for some time now and adding the Mac laptop parts to our website has been a much heard request from our customers.

FUTURESHOCK

Hello my fellow Mac & iPhone enthusiasts!

I've got a some fun stuff for you today. First off is our new iPhone wallpaper downloads. Vacation photos and snapshots of the kids are nice but, sometimes, you want to dress up your iPhone - whether for style, your own enjoyment, or both. Here are some photos that you probably haven't had the opportunity to snap yourself:

My favorite, and the one that's sure to earn you some serious geek cred, is this photo of the inner workings of the iPhone. This isn't just a snapshot of an iPhone logic-board, it's an image of exactly what you would see, if your iPhone screen were invisible - reproduced at actual size! The effect of having this as your wallpaper image is equivalent to Superman-style "x-ray" vision, revealing every major chip, the sim card slot up top, even the tiny motor on the right side which generates the vibrating alert. What better way is there to appreciate the wonder of this advanced technology than by peering in to it's intricate innards? And all without ever dissecting your precious electronic companion.

To install any of the iPhone wallpaper images above:

1. Click on the image that you like, to see it full size.
   


2. Right click on the full-size image and select save.
   


3. Add the image to your iPhoto library and sync with your iPhone.
   


4. Locate the image on your iPhone, tap , and then tap Use As Wallpaper.
   
   

Enjoy!

Brian Northway
Designer/Animator

Buzz Specials

The coupons here are valid through 3/12 at Midnight Pacific Time. You can use the coupons and order via the links, or call 1-888-572-7372 to speak to one of our friendly humans. Coupon codes cannot be combined, but you can use them on separate orders, if you are so inclined.

Labels: free, iPhone, laptop, macbook, refurbished, restored, wallpaper

If you're in Vancouver, for the Winter Olympics, be sure to stop by TechRestore's free internet cafe, in Yaletown. There's no coffee, but we supply the laptops, so you can check your email, upload photos to FaceBook and see our stop-motion disassembly videos in Blue-Ray quality, on a huge HDTV!

Labels: Canada, HD, immersive video, internet, olympics, Vancouver

It's finally here - TechRestore has the cheapest iPads on the planet!

Ok, it's actually an iPad Pad notebook, that we designed to look like an iPad, but just look at what you get for $9.99...

Unlike the real iPad, this one is compatible with all conventional, wireless writing utensils (eg. pens, pencils, markers), weighs only a fraction of Apple's iPad!

• Always has a wireless signal (see indicator bars)
• No monthly data service contract required
• 50x less expensive than an Apple iPad
• Never needs recharging
• 100% Recyclable
  

Check out the iPad Pad product page, where you can buy one, print one for free or just watch the iPad video spoof.

Labels: Apple, iPad, notebook, pad, paper

Greetings!

If you are living on the East Coast and you've been buried in snow this week - our thoughts are with you! I won't tell you that I was wearing shorts out here in California just a few days ago, since I know that would drive you insane. I spoke to one of our customers this morning who lost power in their home from last Friday through Tuesday, then a power surge took out his MacBook and he dropped his iPhone in the toilet due to it being so dark- and this was on a good day. Hopefully things are getting better out there for you now that there's a break in the weather. To take your mind of your snow troubles, let's move on to discuss something that's on the minds of most American's these days, yes, your correct, I'm referring to the Cub Scout Pinewood Derby.

If you have a kid in Cub Scouts, you will know just how "important" this event is each year. If you don't have a little kid that you can live vicariously through, let me give you some background. In early December, each Scout is handed a little box with a chunk of wood (pine, of course), four nails (axles) and four plastic wheels. By the end of January, the goal is to turn that block of wood into a screaming fast, 5 ounce work of art to compete with the 54 other Cub Scouts in your pack. For our Pack, the Pinewood Derby weekend consists of two events, the actual Cub Scout race that takes place on a Saturday, and a Parent/Sibling race the night before that is for fun and to pre-test the track to be sure it's ready for the serious racing the next day.

This year, Ethan our 8-year old Wolf scout decided he wanted to make a Skateboard shaped car and Skylar, our 6th grader, wanted to build a Twilight, New Moon car for the sibling race. With our ideas in hand, we set off for the bandsaw, drill press and dremel to see what we could create. After cutting out the wood, we had to then decide how to get space for the weights we would need to add to get the car as close to (but not over) 5 ounces. Both cars spent some time on the drill press, having holes punched deep inside of them to slide round weights into. Then it was on to sanding, primer, paint and decals. But, before I forget, while we worked on the body, we also treated our nail "axles" by spinning them in the drill press and filing off any burrs, boring out the plastic wheels and sanding down the outer surface of the wheels to remove any rough spots. Then, all the wheels went into a bag full of graphite, where they spent the next couple of weeks on the kitchen counter, being turned over and over each time a little kid walked by (this was one of their most important jobs). By the time we were ready to put the wheels on the car, the graphite had complete coated each wheel, turning them from black to silver-gray and making them incredible slick, and hopefully just as fast.

So, as a recap, here's where we started...

...and here's how they looked when we were done:

So, pretty pictures are one thing. How'd the kids do in the race? I'm happy to report that Skylar's New Moon car took 3rd place in the Sibling race and Ethan's Skateboard took 6th place out of 54 cars on race day. We had a great time making the cars, with the entire family getting involved. Just one more thing that makes Scouting with your kids such a rewarding activity.

Alright, back to the tech stuff!

Laptop Parts

Let's chat for a few minutes about Self-Repair. We have had requests for years to sell our laptop parts outright, and I'm pleased to announce that we have begun to do just that. Over the next few weeks, you'll see more and more parts begin to populate our website for those of you that wish to perform a laptop repair yourself.You'll see our complete inventory of LCD screens coming online during the next week and for those of you that are handy with a screw driver or if you have a local technician you want to have do your repair, we think you'll love our pricing. Stay tuned for more information as we develop this new product line.

You can find our LCD screen listings here.

Now, some news from Brian and then onward to the the deals!

Shannon Jean
Founder

FUTURESHOCK

Hello again!

Here's my latest screensaver: eight iPads performing a synchronized, nocturnal dance - lit by colorful sprites who weave kaleidoscopic designs on the ground!

Preview & Download Page

Enjoy and have a wonderful Valentines weekend! <3

Brian Northway
Designer/Animator

Buzz Specials

The coupons listed here are valid through 2/26 at Midnight Pacific Time. You can use the coupons and order via the links, or call 1-888-572-7372 to speak to one of our friendly humans. Coupon codes cannot be combined, but you can use them on multiple orders if you are so inclined.

Labels: Apple, derby, iPad, laptop parts, pinewood, screensaver