Join Chad and Rene for all the week’s news, views, and rants. If you have any questions, leave a comment below, hit us up on Twitter @theiphoneblog, or better still — join us live in the chat room via http://www.tipb.com/live

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This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

iPhone Live! Tonight at 8pm ET/5pm PT (1am GMT)

Where did the Russian Black Market, get 4000 stolen iPhones 3GS? If you guessed from that from that Belgium iPhone warehouse theft, you would be 100% correct.

Russia currently does not sell the iPhone 3GS and the importing of unlocked phones is a hot commodity. Cult of Mac is reporting that the stolen goods are being sold for cash on the Russian Black Market in lots of 100 at below average prices to cell phone vendors.

Some vendors are a little skeptical about purchasing the devices since they know where they came from and know that they can be tracked via IMEI numbers that are all on file. Even so, there are some vendors out there who are not aware and are eager to snatch up a good deal and make a profit. Again, the problem with a vendor selling these phones is if law enforcement forces the local carriers to block the IMEI numbers they will have many customers returning very unhappy.

Our advice to you if you live in Russia, avoid these phones.

[Via Cult of Mac]

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

Stolen Belgium iPhone 3GS Show Up in Russian Black Market

Pointy Heads Software’s Knocking Live Video [Free -iTunes link] is the first official iPhone app capable of streaming live video over 3G and WiFi connections. But getting it approved for the App Store was no easy task as the app was first rejected. Then Brian Meehan, lead developer, plead his case to Mr. Steve Jobs. According to Ars Technica, Meehan sent a very convincing letter that caught the CEO’s attention.

Meehan even “humbly” requested that Jobs himself review a demo of the app and reconsider it for approval. He then fired off the e-mail to Jobs at 11pm on Saturday, November 21. An Apple executive, who wishes to remain anonymous, contacted Meehan at 8:30am the following Monday morning to discuss the app and its rejection. He revealed that the order to reverse the app’s rejection came “directly from the top.” Within three hours of the phone call, Knocking Live Video was approved for sale via the App Store.

Many other developers have had difficulties with the inconsistencies involved with the App Store review process, seeing their apps rejected. Perhaps now we will start to see Apple loosen their grip a bit more when it comes to App Store approvals. At least all the developers hope this turns out to be the case…

[Via Ars Technica]

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

Steve Jobs Personally Approves Knocking Live Video Sharing Application

The following Top 5 Must-Have iPhone Accessories for New Users guide is sponsored by the TiPb iPhone Accessory Store

Just got a new iPhone? Congratulations! Now it’s time to decide if you need a little something extra to go along with it — a case to protect your investment, Bluetooth for wireless phone calls or music, headsets for wired, batteries and chargers to get you powered, and cables to keep you connected.

There are lots to choose from, enough to personalize your iPhone just the way you want, but if you’re having trouble deciding, we asked TiPb’s editorial staff to pick some of their favorites. Check them out, after the jump!

Cases

Cases come in all shapes and sizes, from the full-on armor of Matt’s favorite, the Otterbox Defender to the barely-there BodyGuardz skin. If leather is your thing, check out Jeremy’s pick, the Sena Elega Pouch, or if your prefer silicon like Leanna, try the iSkin SoloFX. And if you want to combine a charger into your case, James still loves him his mophie Juice Pack air.

Bluetooth

If you just want a Bluetooth headset to use while you drive, or for some walk-and-talk, Dieter is currently going gaga over the Motorola H17. Jeremy is likewise enthralled with the Blueant Q1. If you’d rather have it on your visor than in your ear, Chad likes the Blueant S1 while Rene has been driving with the frenemy, BlackBerry VM605-style. Now if you want to rock stereo music with Bluetooth, the Motorola S9-HD is still turning heads.

Headsets

The iPhone and iPod touch come with Apple’s trademark earbuds but for those with ears that like to listen different(ly), or just better, Rene likes the iharmonix Platinum i-Series, and Dieter’s given the thumbs up to the v-moda vibe duo. If all you need is an expensive backup or replacement buds, however, Smartphone Experts has you covered.

Sync’ers and Chargers

Everyone, and we mean everyone, loves the Griffin Power Duo charger. And again, if you just want a second sync/charge cable, Smartphone Experts has one that’s perfect, and perfectly inexpensive.

Mounts and Cradles

Still not enough? Well, if you want to mount your iPhone in the car (for turn-by-turn navigation, or to use with a Bluetooth Stereo device perhaps?), the iGrip Custom Fit is always popular. If the desk is where you dwell, then the Seidio Inno Dock is Rene’s pick — and it’s friendly to most cases!

Your Recommendations?

What did we miss? Any must-have accessories? Check out the TiPb iPhone Accessory store and drop some ideas in the comments, would ya? Make sure we get this right!

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

TiPb Top 5 Must-Have iPhone Accessories for New Users

SPB Software is putting SPB Wallet for iPhone on sale for $4.95 until Dec. 10 [iTunes link], in all it’s card coverflow, Safari autofill, and Google sync glory. And what’s more, they’re putting both the Windows and Mac desktop software on sale for under $5 as well via their website.

If you’ve been looking for a cross-platform, cross-mobile solution, check out SPB and let us know what you think!

[Video via Matt Miller]

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

SPB Wallet for iPhone, Mac, Windows on Sale for 10 Days

The widely popular Super Monkey Ball for iPhone and iPod touch now has a sequel, Super Monkey Ball 2 [$9.99 - iTunes link] – featuring multiplayer!

The original Super Monkey Ball was first shown off by SEGA during Apple’s iPhone SDK Roadmap event back in March 2008 and was one of the first games to launch with iPhone 2.0 and the App Store. How does the sequel hold up? In the short time I’ve spent playing, I am very impressed by the graphics, butter-smooth controls, and fun music. Super Monkey Ball 2 includes 115 tracks and one mini-game, Monkey Bowling, with promise of Monkey Golf and Monkey Target in a future upgrade.

One of the most exciting new features of Super Monkey Ball 2 is multiplayer mode. Just hop onto a local wifi network and play against as many as 3 friends. Unfortunately, this is only available for racing tracks. The mini-games must be played with one device in a pass-along style for multiplayer.

If you pick this one up, be sure to let us know what you think in the comments below!

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

Quick App: Super Monkey Ball 2 for iPhone

One of our favorite Bluetooth headsets, the BlueAnt Q1, has just gotten an major firmware update that enables A2DP audio streaming along with some other fixes and small functions.

• The Q1 now includes A2DP audio streaming, so you can listen to music, podcasts, and hear turn-by-turn direction information from a phone GPS application. If your phone or GPS application supports A2DP simply start playing music or launch the GPS application and the audio will automatically transfer to the Q1.
• In response to customer feedback BlueAnt made it even easier to end a call: now you end calls with a single click of the BlueAnt button.
• Double-clicking the BlueAnt button during a call now switches between Voice Isolation Standard and Max.

The update process for your Q1 headset to firmware version 8.19 is a quick and painless. Simply head on over to BlueAnt’s website, download the updater tool, and following the directions. The update currently can only be done on Windows machines with an Mac update tool coming soon.

[Via WMExperts]

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

BlueAnt Q1 Receives Firmware Update Which Enables A2DP Audio Streaming

I know many of you have been eager to see some footage of NOVA after our preview the other day. Touch Arcade got some hands-on playtime with NOVA and all I can say in a word is: AWESOME. The gameplay is described to be very similar to Modern Combat: Sandstorm (which was listed in TiPb’s Top 5 First-Person Shooters). Controls and even difficulty will be similar except this will be a much more run n’ gun style of game over Sandstorm’s more realistic and strategic approach. NOVA will also sport Online 4 player matches too. I sure hope this plays well, the jury is out at this time.

The game is supposed to launch before holiday 2009, so we should see it very shortly. One can only hope it has been submitted to the App Store and is awaiting approval.

[via Touch Arcade]

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

NOVA First-Person Shooter for iPhone Gameplay Footage

Interesting and contrasting set of blog opinions, as Engadget columnist and analyst Michael Gartenberg asks the difficult question “What’s the future of Nokia?” and SPE’s own Matt Miller of NokiaExperts responds with “Nokia's future is under their control and I believe it will be very bright“.

First up Gartenberg says:

Nokia failed to lead a changed market and has been forced into reacting to competitors instead of driving its own vision of the future. As smartphones left the realm of the enthusiast and became mass-market in terms of adoption and feature use, Nokia fell behind.

Now, I don’t think that’s fatal or long term, and I don’t believe Nokia is going out of business. But I do question the company’s position in the market and ability to lead without a major change in direction and strategy — especially in the US and North America. Truth be told, Nokia now reminds me a lot of Apple back in 1996, losing relevance and market share in places that matter but with huge potential to leverage core assets and a terrific brand with millions of loyal fans. And as Apple did in its day, Nokia must now either try to decisively seize back its leadership position — or lose it entirely.

Miller argues:

I too have some frustration with Nokia because I KNOW they have the capability to lead with devices and an operating system that excites consumers and we just haven't seen much from them in interface changes or a clear strategy the past year or two. They need to show us that they are in control and will be blowing our socks off with products and services in the future that have no direct relation to what Apple or Google have already done. I have met some extremely talented and smart people at Nokia and they have obviously seen the success of the iPhone and the excitement surrounding Android so I have to believe they have some very exciting projects in the works to challenge both of these platforms in the next year or two.

The iPhone clearly shook up the mobile space, first in terms of user interface with iPhone OS 1.0, second in terms of application delivery with the App Store and iPhone OS 2.0, and thirdly with the price-drop to $99 for the iPhone 3G at the release of iPhone OS 3.0. Those kind of repetitive, rapid fire hits to a market can really disrupt established players, especially when done by a company as secretive as Apple. Add on Google’s Android, webOS, and other platform advances, and it takes considerable will and agility to respond in a concise and timely manner. Nokia has shown the ability to do neither so far, but their size gives them one incredible buffer against the upstart smartphone platforms. The only question remains — can and will they do it before the buffer (and profitability) runs out?

Give both Gartenberg and Miller a read, and let us know if Apple and the iPhone have anything to be worried about…

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

The Competition: Can Nokia Get it Together and Challenge the iPhone?