iPads have found their way into many homes, offices and coffee shops, but we’re also seeing them being used on stage and in the studio. Presenters, musicians and speakers are using them for practice, rehearsal and live events, so the need to have them up front and center and hands-free right there with the microphone, has become all too important.

The iKlip by IK Multimedia is an accessory that was designed just for that purpose by clamping on to the vertical pole of a standard microphone stand or its horizontal boom. IK saw the need to have a better grip and more flexibility so it went back to the drawing board and created the iKlip 2 for iPad & also for iPad mini.

iKlip 2 offers a sure grip tightening system that secures the accessory nicely and quickly to your stand. Instead of a platform or a rest, iKlip 2 uses a claw like grip with carefully configured touch points to keep your iPad in place without ruining its surface, while still allowing for a quick insertion with quick snap clips.

As for flexibility, because we all like to position our iPads differently, the redesigned model uses IK’s new ball joint design, which gives you virtually unlimited angle adjustment and positioning capabilities, including being able to quickly rotate it between portrait and landscape mode. It’s like a global positioning system for your iPad – pardon the pun!

The Italian-made iKlip 2 feels very light but sturdy; its components are made from a strong, durable thermoplastic.

Overall, I was quite impressed with the redesigned iKlip. It was certainly well thought out. It’s built tough, but also looks cool and can be mounted and dismounted quickly – quite necessary for today’s performers. And although it was primarily designed with musicians in mind, it can see it also be great for speakers, presenters and Toastmasters like me, who are using their iPad for notes, slides or even as teleprompter. It can also be used in a kiosk set up as well.

Perhaps the only suggestion I might have for IK would be to possibly include a small carry pouch or case to cart it around.

The iKlip 2 is compatible with the 2^nd, 3^rd and 4^th generation iPad. It will clamp to any pole up to 30mm in diameter, in either a vertical or horizontal position. iKlip 2 for iPad retails for $39.99 and is available directly from IK Multimedia as well as Amazon. There is also a model for iPad mini, which also sells for $39.99.

Rating: 4.5/5

iKlip Studio for iPad mini

(Note: if you are looking for a simple, but durable adjustable desktop stand, iKlip Studio for iPad or iPad mini ($29.99), also available through IK or Amazon might be an alternative)

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Greg Gazin is the Real Canadian Gadget Guy.

Follow me on Twitter @gadgetgreg or Empire Avenue (e)GADGET1.

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Brandon Ashmore from Mentor, Ohio, got more than he bargained for on Wednesday, when he downloaded Say the Same Thing by Space Inch, a free app from Apple’s App Store. That download was the App Store’s 50 billionth. And these are unique downloads and do not include updates or re-downloads. To commemorate this achievement, Ashmore receives a $10,000 App Store gift card.

I’m sure Mr. Ashmore will be smiling each time he plays Say the Same Thing, a new kind of word game where you and a friend start by each entering a totally random word. Then, you each need to guess another word that links the two together, repeating the process until you both come up with the same bridge word. The results could be quite interesting!

This new app is just one of now over 850,000 apps in App Store that has come a long way since its humble beginnings in July 2008 where it opened with the mere 500.

Since then, Apple’s vast developer community has created an app for doing almost everything imaginable on an iPhone, iPad and iPod touch and it’s certainly been a boon for them.

“We started our company in 2008 as three friends focused on creating great educational apps for our children,” said Caroline Hu Flexer, co-founder of Duck Duck Moose. “The App Store brought ‘Wheels on the Bus’ to the world in a big way. Sixteen apps later, a fan base of millions of parents, children and educators and a growing company with 20 full-time employees, we couldn’t be happier with our success.”

Canadian Connection

Canadian developers like Pelmorex Media Inc., that produce The Weather Network app, have also flourished and have played an important role in helping Apple reach this milestone.  This app, which offers the user personalized extensive weather content and forecasting ability has been quite popular, having been downloaded over 7 million times. Canadians seem to love it too. It ranks 2nd for the iPad and 17th for the iPhone in the all-time free apps in Canada category. It’s also available for Mac OS and other platforms.

“We are extremely proud to be one of a handful of Canadian-owned companies to appear on the Top 25 All-Time Free Apps in Canada list,” said Gita Ashar, Director of Mobile Applications and Emerging Technologies at The Weather Network.

According to Apple, customers continue to embrace the App Store at record levels, downloading more than 800 apps per second and a rate of over 2 billion apps per month.

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Greg Gazin is the Real Canadian Gadget Guy.

Follow me on Twitter @gadgetgreg or Empire Avenue (e)GADGET1.

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Okay, saying your vacuum cleaner sucks sounds cliché, but at the end of the day that’s what you really want it to do. For me, a vacuum is a common household gadget that spends most of its life in a dark closet and in my case, probably more than it should, but when an opportunity arose to test-drive and review the Dyson DC 51 Animal, I couldn’t wait.

“Why?” you must be asking. It took 100 engineers, three years and 1859 prototypes to end up with the product you see here today. The simple answer: I was intrigued.

Then, there’s its size.  At 1064mm x 280mmx 354mm, compared to it’s older sibling, the DC43 (1071mm x 390mm x 340mm), at first glance you might think “Honey,  I shrunk the vacuum,” or maybe, it’s just a prop used for department store displays.

But don’t let its diminutive size fool you. Rather than simply shrinking their full-sized model they’ve concentrated it – somewhat like what Apple had done to the iPad to create the iPad mini. Dyson says, they’ve actually “miniaturized each component, questioning materials used…it’s size and efficiency.” 

To reduce the exterior bulk and streamline its profile, their third generation “Ball” incorporates new technology right inside the ball itself. You can still easily manoeuvre the vacuum, turning it on a dime, by pivoting its body.

It’s also lightweight, weighing a mere 5.4 kg, a whopping 2.4 kg lighter than big bro. Despite the body feeling like basic plastic, it’s quite sturdy and durable. It’s composed of ABS polycarbonate – the same type of material that you’d find in crash helmets and car bumpers – that will certainly keep your animal from getting too bruised up.

Yes, but does it suck?

Now we’ve all seen the commercials where the sales guy comes into the house and dumps a bag full of dirt on the floor and proceeds to show how good his vacuum really is by cleaning up all the dirt. I wasn’t prepared to do that, nor did I need to. All I really needed to do was to vacuum my floors and carpet with my own vacuum and then proceed to go over the same area with the DC51. Needless to say,  the dustbin easily filled, picking up what the other one left behind. So yes, it does suck, and does a good job of it!

This is likely due to a number of reasons, including the incredible suction that Dyson’s bagless system is known for. Furthermore, the DC51 uses their proprietary 2-Tier Radial cyclone technology that creates a huge centrifugal force.  It’s designed to spin out and capture from the airflow, rather than just move around, even the smallest microscopic particle of dust – as small as 0.5 microns or 1/5000^th the size of a pinhead.

The clever design of the cleaning head also makes the process even more efficient. It uses a dual bristle system that incorporates both stiff nylon bristles for carpet and patented anti-static carbon fibre filaments for hard surfaces. Furthermore, the self-adjusting brush floats, maintaining constant contact with the surface. This provides maximum suction whether you’re cleaning a carpet or hardwood floor without having to change heads, making dust a scarce commodity.

And while all vacuums do make noise, this one actually makes less noise than any vacuums that I’ve encountered.

What’s also really cool, is that a direct-drive motor is built right in to the brush bar, so there are no hard to replace or difficult to find belts to worry about.

Although it is an upright vacuum, it has a removable extendable wand that offers maximum reach of up to 8.7m. This allows you to reach areas like ceiling fans and closet corners and with attachments to also help you clean things like stairs and upholstery.

One example is a unique funky-looking tangle free Turbine Tool. It’s totally unlike other tools that usually get wrapped up with strands of hair and bits of carpet twisted around the bristles to the point where you need to manually remove them. This one has rotating heads with brushes that spin in opposite directions causing the debris to more likely end up in the dustbin rather than stuck on the bristles. In addition, the heads are flexible so that for example when you’re cleaning your sofa or chair and the surface is uneven, the bristles will adapt to the surface or cleaning area while still maintaining maximum suction.

Having used a humongous canister style vacuum with a long flimsy hose for years, I thought the removable wand on a compact upright would be a real bonus. Because it’s sturdy and still attached to the upright, I found it a little awkward to manoeuver the wand and bend the hose in areas where there’s a lot of furniture, knickknacks or really tight spaces. But I guess that’s something one could get used to, for the convenience of having a compact upright.

Collecting lots of dust and dirt quickly is good thing.  However, because of the DC51’s compact nature, you might find yourself emptying the 0.80 litre dustbin more frequently than one of its bigger brothers (1.6-2.1 litres).

The other thing that I would have liked to see is the ability for the power cord to automatically retract. On this model, you do have a manual wraparound, although there is a quick release for it.

Bottom Line

The DC 51 animal is small, lightweight, compact, easy to manoeuvre and is ideal for a smaller home or apartment with a smaller cleaning area or where valuable storage space is at a premium.

Although I did expect a lot with the Dyson name attached to it, I was not disappointed with its performance due to its size. The dustbin is certainly on the small side but the Trigger-bin emptying system makes quick-emptying a breeze. No bags or band to replace and the permanent filters are washable.

The Dyson 51 Animal is available from Dyson Canada and your favorite retailers and comes with a five-year warranty. At $549.99 it’s a little pricier than your run of the mill vacuum. However, when you think of premium brands like Apple or Bang & Olufsen, the engineering that went into its design and the consumables you never need to buy, the premium can certainly be justifiable.

Overall the Dyson DC 51 Animal is a nifty little cleaning gadget. Truth be told, I’ve never really thought  how enhancements incorporated into an often less-thought about home appliance like a vacuum, can truly alter one’s experience. In fact rather than calling it an animal, I might be inclined to call it a pet because I think you might find it keeping you company, a little more often than an old noisy clunky canister, that rarely comes out from the depths of the closet.

(added note: I discovered at DysonCanada.ca that until May 31, 2013 with the purchase of this unit, you get a free cleaning kit – a soft dusting brush, a flat-out head for getting under low furniture and a flexi crevice tool to get into those little nooks and crannies.)

Rating: 4/5

Photos courtesy Dyson Canada

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Greg Gazin is the Real Canadian Gadget Guy.

Follow me on Twitter @gadgetgreg or Empire Avenue (e)GADGET1.

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We like to take our cell phones everywhere we go, but what happens when we go to places like the beach? We can’t take them into the water and we’re likely uncomfortable to leave them behind unattended. So Salt Lake City based Stash Incorporated has come up with a brilliant idea to create waterproof pocket shorts.

The shorts are designed to incorporate a specialized waterproof pocket, ideal to stash your smartphone, your keys, your cash and anything else you don’t want to get wet, right into the shorts. For extra security the special pocket is then also sewn right into the material. And to ensure that it doesn’t feel uncomfortable while you’re wearing it, there’s a soft layer of fabric that surrounds it.

What’s interesting is how the pocket actually seals. It’s done using a snap on cap that’s placed over the pocket opening, somewhat reminiscent of a gas cap on a car. Once you put the items into your pocket, attach the cap and simply give it a slight twist; once you hear the clicking sound, you know that it’s locked into place.

And to make sure you don’t lose the cap it actually attaches to the shorts with a durable lanyard string so you will never misplace it.

The shorts themselves are created from a 60/40 polyester/cotton blend that has double and triple stitch construction to enhance its durability. Furthermore, the fabric is treated with an antimicrobial coating to ensure that the shorts are kept extra clean.

The Stash Waterproof Pocket Shorts are not available yet, although the company does have a fully functional prototype.  They are currently being offered through the Kickstarter Program, a program where funds are first raised to fund a project. The project has just started and as of the time of writing the company has 45 backers with $4033 U.S. pledged towards a goal of $135,000 U.S., with 26 days still to go.

The shorts are currently priced at $69 for a single pair with final colours still to be determined. For more information on the shorts as well as to see the design and photos of other possible products using this technology, check out Stash’s page at Kickstarter.com.

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Greg Gazin is the Real Canadian Gadget Guy.

Follow me on Twitter @gadgetgreg or Empire Avenue (e)GADGET1.

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At the time of writing there have been over 49.58 billion downloads from the Apple App Store and a new milestone of 50 billion downloads is just around the corner. Once again, to thank their customers, Apple is offering up a US$10,000 App Store Card for the person who downloads the 50 billionth app.

This is not the first time that Apple has given away a mega App Store gift card. But this time around, Apple is also offering a number of consolation prizes. If you are lucky enough to download one of the first 50 apps once the count hits 50 billion then you could win a US$500 App Store card.

By making a purchase or download, you automatically get entered into the draw. There’s nothing else to do. You may also enter by filling in and submitting a free entry form. Entries are limited to 25 per person per day whether they are purchases and downloads or submitted entry forms.

The contest ends either after the downloading of the 50,000,000,050th app or receipt of the first non-purchase entry after the downloading of the 50,000,000,049^th app, whichever comes first.

Check out the official rules site for more details.

50 billion is no small feat, yet the writing was on the wall. When the App Store was unveiled to the world in July 2008, it only took 2 1/2 years for the App Store to reach 10 billion downloads. By March 2012 they had surpassed the 25 billion mark and in less than a year, in January of this year they had blasted through the 40 billion. It’s only been a little over 4 months, and the new milestone of 50 billion is in sight.

Things to Download

If you’re looking for something new to download to help win the big prize, you might want to check out the new official The Doors app ($4.99) by Warner Music Group. Designed for the iPad, this app brings The Doors’ story to life. It includes insider stories including details of the making at each album, a timeline to The Doors history, song samples and tech nuggets which offers descriptions and photos of the equipment used in the recording sessions. There are also 44 video commentaries, six full-length music videos; an insight to the hotspots of the band around L.A. and app links to social media and more.

If you like to play games, Bad Piggies from Rovio ($4.99), the creators of Angry Birds, has just been updated to version 1.3.0 to include two all new gadgets – a suction cup to help climb walls and a spring-loaded boxing glove. There are also 15 new levels to help you get to the elusive chocolate cake and a new sandbox to go crazy in. The fun never stops.

Don’t forget, Mother’s Day, May 12^th, is just a few days away and maybe she’d like to spend quality time with the Bad Piggies or reminisce about the days of Jim Morrison and Riders on the Storm. If she doesn’t have an iPad, or iPad mini yet, here are your two excuses, plus a chance to win $10K, to get her one.

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Greg Gazin is the Real Canadian Gadget Guy.

Follow me on Twitter @gadgetgreg or Empire Avenue (e)GADGET1.

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Movies, TV and gaming can provide an immersive and transportive experience, and that effect—being whisked away or drawn deeply into the action—is indisputably enchanced by the right gear. Surround speaker systems have always been terrific toys, but with 5.1 mixes now industry norm, they’re increasingly considered necessity for getting full enjoyment from A/V material in the living room.

These days, a theatre-quality home experience is achievable without an enormous price tag. Multi-channel A/V Receivers start at about $300 and large flat-screen TVs are reasonably affordable, too. But what are you listening to? Your TV’s speakers? An HITB (or ‘home theatre in a box’, a term used to describe your basic budget small speaker bundles from Costco or Best Buy)?

Investing in a set of ‘real’ speakers from an enthusiast brand is a popular jumping-off point for those looking to take their home theatre to the next level. The difference that quality loudspeakers make to clarity, dynamic range, and soundstage blending can be startling. And once you’ve listened to good speakers, even if the enthusiastic grin you’ve been wearing since you brought them home ever fades, it can be tough to go back.

I’ve recently spent some time with a 5.1 surround system from Axiom Audio and wanted to post impressions. Axiom is a boutique company based in Ontario which builds loudspeakers in small batches, receives rave reviews, and backs its gear with great service.

I swapped in their Epic Master 350 Home Theatre for a couple of ancient (though recently rebuilt) Sansui towers in the front, and a cheap HTIB satellite speaker/ subwoofer bundle I found on Craigslist and have been using for the centre, rear, and low-frequency effect (bass) channels in my medium-to-large listening room.

In other words, I already had a 5.1 setup, but went from mismatched speakers of dubious quality, put together piecemeal (essentially, what you’ll find in most living rooms) to a ‘real’ entry-level home theatre system.

The Epic Master 350 bundle is also available in Black Oak finish

What a difference a set of high quality, balanced and tonally matched speakers makes! Regardless of the source (Blu-ray, DVD, Digital TV broadcast, Call of Duty, and everything from heavily compressed digital music files to true lossless), in material I’ve listened to dozens of times, I heard nuance and detail I didn’t know existed. Vast improvements in dialogue clarity and low-end detail in movies and TV soundtracks stood out most, but the front and surround Axioms also shone—music and surround effects were clearer and fuller than I’ve ever heard at home.

For me, small details enhance the experience of using nicer gear too—magnetic grill fasteners instead of flimsy plastic pegs. Banana clip attachments instead of spring clips or those maddening twist-on red and blacks. Beautiful wood grain finish instead of painted particle board.

The components

Axiom EP350 subwoofer

Low end through the EP350 is deeper and tighter than with any sub I’ve owned. Individual bass instruments stand out; gone is that generic boomy drone many have come to associate with subwoofers. With the EP350′s high-quality built-in 500W amplifier, I could dial the system up to reference level (the volume at which is sound is played in movie theatres) without the bass distorting.

M3 bookshelf speakers

The M3s have proven to be terrific little mains. Using a driver larger than Axiom’s M2 bookshelf speaker, the company recommends them for configurations that don’t have a subwoofer. I found them detailed, clear and plenty loud for listening in stereo and in surround mode, and critics have described them as a steal for the price.

VP100 centre channel

A good centre channel is essential – 80-90% of your sound from movies and TV shows comes from the centre speaker. Axiom’s entry-level centre along with the M3s create a seamless soundstage up front. Dialogue in TV and movie soundtracks was clearer than I’ve ever heard in my house, and the centre channel upgrade was far and away the improvement I noticed most.

QS4 Surround speakers

The ‘quadpolar’ QS4s fire in 4 directions—from 2 woofers and 2 tweeters—and create a sort of ambient ‘sound space’ for your surround channels, and surround effects (rain, traffic noise, crowd chatter at sporting events) seem complimented by the design. Sounds through the QS4s don’t seem to originate in any particular place, but add impressive nuance and detail to the mix. They come equipped with mounts for stands which Axiom sells separately, but I found it adequate to lay them on their backs on shelves and tables.

Wrap up

It’s easy to recommend the Epic Master 350 bundle to anyone looking to wade into the waters of ‘serious’ home theatre. But as with any tech, research is recommended – online you can find reviews, head-to-heads with side-by-side A/B testing, and audio forums with more anecdotal evidence of the superiority of one manufactuer or another, than you’ll ever have time to digest.

Axiom is one solid option, though. They build high quality loudspeakers, offer a 30 day in-home trial period, free shipping, and a discount if you buy a bundle rather than individual speakers. Their gear looks beautiful, to boot. And they’re Canadian.

http://www.axiomaudio.com

Follow Chris on Twitter: @ButNoSeriously

Toshiba is one of the latest brands to get into the portable mini Bluetooth speaker/speakerphone arena.  Arriving on May 15^th not quite in time for Mother’s Day, is a couple of brand new models suitable to boost your listening pleasure from your Bluetooth enabled devices.

Looking like a little round spaceship from a 1950’s sci-fi movie is the TY-SP1. This one comes in two flavours: TY-SP1W: Arctic White and TY-SP1Z: Carbon Fibre Black. Each one measures 80mm x 80mm round, a depth of 41mm and weighs a mere 0.1kg.

Each one has a portable hands-free speakerphone with a total power output of 1.2 watts RMS and a 3-watt speaker driver. Its built-in rechargeable 350mAh lithium ion battery will allow you to play your tunes over Bluetooth for up to 8 hours when set at 75% volume.  A USB charging cable and a carry pouch come in the box.

The second model, the TY-SP3, also a speakerphone, looks more like your traditional boom box. It measures 80mm x 190mm and 60mm deep of and weighs in at 0.4kg. It features a 2.1 channel stereo speaker system with a bass booster. It has a little more oomph than the TY-SP1 with 3W x 2 output and a 5W bass driver.

Its 1100mAh built-in rechargeable lithium ion battery will run 10 hours at 75% volume and takes up to 3 hours to recharge.

Update: Both models are expected to ship in mid May. with prices in Canada starting at $119.99.

Pricing in Canada: TY-SP1  - $69.99   TY-SP3 - $119.99

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Greg Gazin is the Real Canadian Gadget Guy.

Follow me on Twitter @gadgetgreg or Empire Avenue (e)GADGET1.

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I always get a kick out of extreme anything – whether it is extreme sports, extreme makeovers or extreme ridiculousness. Of course being the gadget guy, when I came across Toshiba’s extreme attempt at this genre, I couldn’t wait to share it with you. Furthermore, I thought something light to follow the last day of tax season would release a little stress that some of us may have had.

There are five videos, each under two minutes, that feature Matt and Jamie whose job is to put Toshiba laptops and TVs through extreme tests. Of course they are trying to show us how durable their products are, maybe, and at the same time keep us engaged with a little extreme humour.

Have a look and let us know which one you like the best.

Portege UltraBook vs. Monster Truck:

Portege UltraBook vs. Car Wash:

LED TV vs. Steam Room:

High Voltage:  Satellite UltraBook Jump Start:

Satellite Ultrabook Vs. Paint Mixer:

It’s amazing what company will do to get your attention. They did get mine.  I actually got a kick out of most of these videos, but my favourite has to be the one with the Car Wash.  My favourite line has to be, ”There’s something about the steam that releases the HD.”

Which video do you like?

Photo & Videos courtesy Toshiba.

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Greg Gazin is the Real Canadian Gadget Guy.

Follow me on Twitter @gadgetgreg or Empire Avenue (e)GADGET1.

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Headsets, earbuds speakerphones are all great, but watching That 70’s Show or seeing retro in vogue, sometimes makes you yearn for yesteryear. But while the evolution of technology might make turning back the hands of time unlikely, we seem to come across gadgets that almost take us there.

Enter Talk Dock. It looks like the shell of a classic rotary-dial phone, but it’s not. It’s made of ABS plastic, with a matte finish and sturdy just like they used to be but it’s actually a receiver, a charging station and a dock all in one.  To use it, you simply rest your phone on the front slot, plug the 3.5mm jack into your headphone jack and you’re ready to go. When your phone rings, you simply have to pick up the receiver, push the one-touch answer button on the inner bridge of the handset and talk. To disconnect, push the same button to end your call.

I guess there is something sentimental about an old handset and the coupling of one end on you ear and the other end at your mouth. And as for hands-free no problem, just turn your head and cradle it to your shoulder.

Talk Dock does not require any external power as it’s powered by your cellphone. It’s designed to allow you to connect your charging cable to keep your phone powered up without removing it. If you want to use the handset on it’s own, you can do that too. Simply disconnect the braided cable from the dock and plug it directly into your headphone jack.  Now, that should turn some heads at the mall.

Talk Dock looks like it was designed for the iPhone but it’s also compatible with most mobile phones with a standard 3.5mm jack and yes, event the BlackBerry.

Because not all manufacturers configure the internal connections the same way, there is a toggle switch located on the back of the retrophone unit which you may need to set before using it for the first time.  There is an “i” setting for use with your iPhone, HTC or BlackBerry and an “n” setting for your Nokia or Sony Ericsson. For others, it might be trial and error. I can only surmise that the “i” and “n” stand for iPhone & Nokia respectively.

As a gadget guy who typically likes bells and whistles, I truly like the Talk Dock’s simplicity, functionality and vintage nature. It feels like the real thing and has a good sound quality to match. Plus, it doesn’t require any batteries. It’s practical but also fun especially the 2-in-1 feature that allows you to unplug from the dock and take your receiver on the go.

While it hasn’t been an issue thus far, the only thing I would have like to have seen is the ability to snap in your iPhone, so it doesn’t fall out in the event you give the cord too much of a tug. Of course, then it would restrict the number of models it could work with.

The only other thing I discovered is that my significant other likes it too. She seems to think that she’s convinced me that the black model goes quite nicely with her white iPhone.  I guess, it would make a great gift for Mother’s Day and well – Father’s Day too!

Talk Dock sells for $36 U.S. and comes in two colours – green as well as black.  You can get it directly from Uncommon Goods.com.

Rating: 4.5/5

Photo courtesy Uncommon Goods.

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Greg Gazin is the Real Canadian Gadget Guy.

Follow me on Twitter @gadgetgreg or Empire Avenue (e)GADGET1.

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It might be a little late in coming but Apple has officially announced the dates for their 2013 Worldwide Developers Conference or WWDC MMXIII as it’s being referred to. WWDC is set to kick off June 10th and will run until June 14th at the usual place, Moscone West in San Francisco.

The five-day event usually kicks off with an opening keynote from the CEO, Tim Cook and sometimes there are even some new product announcements. The rest of the week, features over 100 technical sessions and hands on labs presented by over 1000 Apple engineers.

“We look forward to gathering at WWDC 2013 with the incredible community of iOS and OS X developers,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “Our developers have had the most prolific and profitable year ever, and we’re excited to show them the latest advances in software technologies and developer tools to help them create innovative new apps. We can’t wait to get new versions of iOS and OS X into their hands at WWDC.”

45 billion downloads and over 9 billion paid out

People come from all over the world to attend this event and it usually sells out faster than a Paul McCartney concert. While not every app will strike gold for developer, it could. Yesterday on the Apple quarterly earnings call, Tim Cook revealed that the App Store has surpassed 45 billion downloads and that Apple has paid out over $9 billion to developers to-date. That’s no chump change.

Tickets go on sale this Thursday, April 25th at 10 a.m. PDT  (1 p.m. EDT), so if you are a developer and are at all interested, don’t wait too long to think about it.

To purchase tickets, get updates and more information, developers can visit the official WWDC website (developer.apple.com/wwdc).

UPDATE: APRIL 25, 2013  Apple offering WWDC 2013 Student Scholarship opportunities by giving away up to 150 free tickets to budding young developers.

Photo courtesy Apple Inc.

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Greg Gazin is the Real Canadian Gadget Guy.

Follow me on Twitter @gadgetgreg or Empire Avenue (e)GADGET1.

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