This was a big week for Apple with the announcement of the new iPad, and though I got to play with it a little bit at the event Wednesday, I really can't wait to put it through its paces when it's finally released March 16.

With that said, the new iPad wasn't the only thing released on Wednesday; Apple also announced the availability of several updates to iOS apps, including the new iPhoto for iOS.

This week's collection of iOS apps is a little different than usual. Instead of a themed collection, I'm going to list the Apple apps released this week so you can have them all in one place. Click the name of the link to head to our download page, or click the link at the end of each one to read our Hands On articles about each of the apps.

The effects fan out so you can pick which style you want before choosing an effect.

iPhoto ($4.99) for iOS was probably the biggest iOS app news because it's brand-new to the operating system and sports elegant ways to manage and edit photos. I got the full demo from Apple after the event, and can definitely say I was impressed with the tools offered, the effects you can use, and som... [Read more]

uRexsoft iPad DVD Ripper is currently available free of charge.

Want to make your DVD library more travel-friendly? Rip those movies and load 'em up on your iPad. It sure beats paying iTunes for stuff you already own.

Speaking of paying, there's no need to spend money on a DVD ripper, either. For a limited time, you can get uRexsoft iPad DVD Ripper (Win) free of charge. It supports not only the iPad and iPad 2, but also the new iPad.

To get the software, click the above link, then click the Free Download button below the product. After installing the program and running it for the first time, paste in activation code 08A123DCF36E2268EE59B46A75DCE42CBA93CCC4. I've done this myself and everything worked as expected, so if you run into trouble, please contact uRexsoft directly.

iPad DVD Ripper works like most products of its kind. Just pop in a disc, choose your output format, and go find something to do for a while.

True to its name, it includes output profiles for the iPad, iPad 2, and the third-gen iPad. (It also has presets for "iPad HD" and "iPad 3 HD," the differences mo... [Read more]

Quick, the boss is coming! Or, crap the baby is awake! For times when a YouTube viewing session gets interrupted, Pause For Later is a handy Chrome extension that will save your spot, letting you close your YouTube window or tab and pick up later at the exact spot where you left off. It saves the video and your spot to the Pause For Later Website, where you can go and resume your viewing when your schedule allows.

Pause For Later saves your spot for YouTube videos but not, in my experience, for other sources such as Hulu.

When you install Pause For Later, it adds a pause button to Chrome's toolbar. When you are viewing a YouTube clip and need to pause the video, instead of hitting pause on the YouTube player itself, click the pause button Pause For Later installed in the Chrome toolbar. You will then be taken to your list of paused videos on the the Pause For Later Website. (For your initial pause, you'll need to sign up for a free account.)

For each video on your Pause For Later list, there is an Action button where you can resume watc... [Read more]

The Danish IT security firm Secunia has released an advisory today regarding two unpatched vulnerabilities in Apple's Safari 5 Web browser. These vulnerabilities are so far are not known to be actively exploited; however, if done, they could allow an attacker to run malicious software and conduct spoofing attacks on those using the browser.

The first vulnerability is in Safari's plug-in handling system, where in some instances when interacting with the plug-in (such as by accessing its settings or contextual menus), if you navigate to a new page, the plug-in may be unloaded in a way that allows it to write to freed memory and thereby allow code to be injected into components of memory no longer being controlled by the plug-in process. Secunia has been able to exploit this bug in Safari version 5.1.2 (the Windows version) using the RealPlayer and Adobe Flash plug-ins, though the company warns that other versions may also be affected.

The second vulnerability is a problem with a built-in function called "setInterval," where when exploited, a malicious attack can display arbitrary contents on the screen when a trusted URL is being visited, potentially allowing for spoofing and misleading people visiting those pages. This bug was found in version 5.0.5 of the Web browser, but has been partially fixed in version 5... [Read more]

Apple's iPads and other iOS devices have become some of the most popular electronics out there for consumers, and schools and businesses.

While the iPad is excellent for quick access to portable tools to use in a laboratory, office, or classroom, one problem is managing all the iPads that are available and restricting features on them to work properly with your needs.

The iPad is built to be associated with one person and then customized by that person for his or her needs; however, depending on your business setup you may wish to restrict the iPad for specific purposes. For instance, if you work with sensitive information, then while the iPad might be useful for taking notes and organizing your employee's workflow, the presence of the camera and Internet access might be a security concern. In classrooms you may wish to limit Web access and have only educational tools available on the device.

With the new tool you can impose restrictions within the profile that you assign to the devices (click for larger view).

To tackle these needs, on Wednesday Apple released its free Apple Configurator utility for OS X, which allows you to use your Mac to crea... [Read more]

We recently showed you how to use the new Windows 8 refresh feature to reinstall Windows, while keeping your settings and data files intact. One drawback to refreshing your system is that you have to reinstall any programs you installed on your own (non-Microsoft Store apps).

Using a custom refresh image will allow you recover Windows 8 with the programs you want, so you won't have to reinstall them after a refresh. You can create as many custom images as you want, but they'll need to be stored in separate folders because custom images are always named install.wim. When you have your PC set up just the way you like it, here's how to create your custom refresh image:

Step 1: From the Windows 8 desktop, hit Win+X to open the system utility settings menu and select Command Prompt (Admin). When the UAC warning appears, click the Yes button.

... [Read more]

Loopt has been acquired by Green Dot.

Well, this is an odd one.

Green Dot, a company that provides prepaid debit cards to consumers, has acquired mobile location-based application developer Loopt for $43.4 million, the companies announced today. The deal is an all-cash transaction, and will include Green Dot setting aside $9.8 million as a "retention pool" to ensure key Loopt employees stay put.

Though Green Dot's Loopt acquisition might not make sense at first glance, considering how different the companies are, it appears Green Dot has bought the firm for its mobile-development expertise. In a statement celebrating the acquisition, Loopt co-founder and CEO Sam Altman said his company will be developing "mobile banking and payment solutions to Green Dot's retail partners...and customers."

Related stories

• Loopt update puts Facebook friends on the map
• Facebook's Foursquare competitor is imminent
• Loopt gets a geo-aware directory of nearby deals
• Why no one cares about privacy anymore
• ... [Read more]

Remember Vincent Cassel as the breakdancing burglar from the movie "Ocean's Twelve"? He played a classy art thief who weaved his way through security by dancing around a series of laser beams. His character blended the art of thievery with rhythmic precision. In no way do we at Download.com condone any sort of theft...outside the walls of Clockwork Mansion.

Beat Sneak Bandit trains players in the art of breaking in with breaking beats. Duke Clockface has stolen all the clocks, so it's up to you as the Bandit to infiltrate Clockwork Mansion and take them back. The game's objective is to collect all the clocks in each room without getting caught. The only catch is that your Bandit can only move to the beat. Players control the Bandit by tapping according to the music. It's a simple mechanism that, when combined with an animated series of synchronized puzzles, creates a rich, musical, and puzzling experience on iOS.

Players who go the extra distance to collect every clock will unlock extra challenge stages.

Every obstacle, from trap doors to security guards, all move in rhythm to the funky soundtrack. Although the majority of the gameplay is metronomic, it's not necessarily a bad thing. In fact, trap placements frequently disrupt your rhythmic route, and Beat S... [Read more]