Daily News Courier

AppleInsider writes that Apple?s official Apple Store app has just been updated with express checkout and location-based features designed to help you get your Apple goodies home even easier. The new upgrade enables you to use the same Express Checkout that is already in the online store, which lets you buy products without having to use the ?shopping cart.? Basically, all you have to do is enable the Express Checkout option in Account Settings, which will then result in you having the option to ?Buy Now? instead of ?Add to Cart.? You can then complete your purchase by entering your Apple ID password. Obviously you will have had to set this all up first, having entered your credit card security code and chosen your preferred mode of shipping or pickup. Basically, the whole process is just a lot more streamlined. Also included in the update is a Pick Up alert that is designed to help you pick up your products at a nearby Apple Store.

Also, forum member Gabriel has alerted me to another aspect of the update that will be of particular interest to readers in the UK and Japan, as in those countries the update brings with it in-store EasyPay, so that you can just scan the barcode on an accessory you want to buy instore to complete your transaction.

Source: Apple Store app adds Express Checkout, pickup alert

Thanks to Gabriel for the heads-up.

Following in the long line of updates that came after the Retina iPad was released, Skype now joins the band wagon. This week Skype announced its 3.8 version especially optimized for the new tablet.

This is good news indeed, since Skype keeps being the top choice for people looking to connect via phone calls or chat at a very decent price. Skype might have been the company that foresaw the potential in internet enabled voice chat and can be considered in part responsible for the change of dogma regarding normal telephone calling.

But before we all get too excited, let?s pause and make one thing clear. The Skype Retina update applies only to how the application actually looks and not the quality of transmitted videos. The iPad might boast the amazing display but it can?t really do the same with the camera. The tablet sports an average VGA camera that can barely push 640×480 video. So, apart from the Retina improved interface, the update doesn?t bring anything new to the table. Have fun connecting with the world!

Sidenote: If you are a Gmail user, here?s a nice little trick you might find handy in improving your email experience. Find your account settings and find the General section. When you get there, you should run into an option ?Personal level indicators?. There?s an option to not show the indicators but you should check the other one: ?Show indicators ? display an arrow by messages sent to my address (not mailing list) and a double arrow by messages sent only to me. Voila, now you have a new way of sorting emails out. The process doesn?t take more than a few clicks and a couple of minutes.

By Radu

Source: Skype for iPad updated for Retina display, VGA front camera still 640