Screen protectors are a great way to keep your iPhones screen scratch-free but they can be tricky to apply. So, here’s a video explain some of the basic concepts and techniques I find make the application process much faster and less stressful.

Used in the video are a non slip mat, iKlenz, a screen protector, microfiber cloth, ID card, and the star of this short — your iPhone.

If you have any special tricks or techniques for putting on a screen protector or thoughts on the video, let me know in the comments below!

YouTube link

TiPb How-to: Apply a screen protector to your iPhone is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Blog

Yes, you read the title correctly. According to Apple’s web site, If your iPad battery fails Apple doesn’t want to bother opening the device to replace it — they would rather ship you a completely new (no word on whether it’s a refurb?) iPad to replace the faulty one within a weeks time period. Of course there is a fee involved – $99, plus $6.95 shipping.

If your iPad requires service due to the battery’s diminished ability to hold an electrical charge, Apple will replace your iPad for a service fee. Note: Your iPad is not eligible for Battery Replacement Service if the product has been damaged, for example, as result of an accident, liquid contact, disassembly, unauthorized service or unauthorized modifications, or if the product is not operating correctly as a result of a component failure. Please review Apple’s Repair Terms and Conditions for further details.

While we don’t expect there to be major battery issues, some of us just may end up with bum batteries so it’s probably a pretty good idea to get into the habit of backing up your iPad on a consistent basis in case you fall victim. That is if you want to secure all of your data (because if one day the battery dies, kiss your data goodbye).

Until Apple clarifies whether or not they’ll be sending out refurbished iPad’s I’m not so hot on this idea. Perhaps I’m being too picky but I’d rather bring my iPad into the store and have them swap the battery out while I wait and go home with my original device then and there and not have to wait a week for a refurb to be delivered. Also, we’re assuming the $99 doesn’t apply if you’re still within the 1 year warranty to 2 years of AppleCare, but again we’re waiting on confirmation.

Enough about how I feel, what do you think?

[Via Engadget]

Apple to Replace Complete iPad for $99 if Battery Fails is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Blog

Apple.com’s new iPad menu item and feature pages shed light on all sorts of interesting new details. We’ve put all of them into an updated version of our Complete iPad and iPhone OS 3.2 Preview article, but here are some of our favorites:

• DRM-Free ePub support. If you already have ePub books that are DRM-Free, just drag them into iTunes and sync them to your iPad. It’s an obvious thing, but Apple doesn’t always enable obvious things so this is nice to see.
• Voice Over for iBooks. Apple’s terrific accessibility feature, Voice Over, will work for iBooks. Amazon got into a lot of trouble with author’s and publishers over this feature and had to make it opt-in for the Kindle. It will be interesting to see if Apple got universal opt-in or just isn’t afraid to pick that fight again.
• YouTube sharing via Facebook. In addition to emailing links, you can also share them directly to Facebook. Social baby steps!
• App Store iPad section. Apple’s iTunes App Store will have a section for iPad apps so they’re easier to find and acquire.
• Data plan management. If you go for an iPad 3G, you can select and purchase your plan on a month-by-month basis right on the iPad. Choose the 256MB plan and you’ll get messages alerting you when you have 20%, 10%, and 0 data left so you can turn 3G off, add another 256MB for an extra $14.99, or upgrade to an unlimited plan right from the device.

If you spotted any other new or notable gems, let us know in the comments and we’ll add them to the list!

iPad Update: DRM-Free ePub Support and Voice Over for iBooks, Facebook Sharing, Data-plan Management is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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The New York Times has a full length feature up about the state of the Apple vs. Google rivalry and how it’s getting personal. We’ve heard similar several times before, of course, and Apple has filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Android manufacturer HTC. But the details here are interesting:

As Google's plans took shape, Apple and Google executives either met in person or spoke on the phone on multiple occasions about Apple's concern about Android, executives on both sides say.

Many of those meetings turned confrontational, according to people familiar with the discussions, with Mr. Jobs often accusing Google of stealing iPhone features. Google executives said that Android's features were based on longstanding ideas already circulating in the industry and that some Android prototypes predated the iPhone.

At one particularly heated meeting in 2008 on Google's campus, Mr. Jobs angrily told Google executives that if they deployed a version of multitouch — the popular iPhone feature that allows users to control their devices with flicks of their fingers — he would sue. Two people briefed on the meeting described it as "fierce" and "heated."

It’s undeniable that Google bought Android before Apple released the iPhone (though Apple was reportedly working on the iPhone/iPad technology for 2-3 years already by then). It’s also undeniable that the early Android prototypes we saw looked more like BlackBerry or Windows Mobile Standard, yet when Google debuted the G1, it was a full screen, capacitive touch device with the same screen resolution as the iPhone. From the Hero to the Droid to the Nexus One, similar form factors have followed while the BlackBerry-esque devices have yet to be seen.

Many other incidents, such as the still-unapproved/rejected Google Voice app for iPhone, Google CEO Eric Schmidt leaving the Apple Board of Directors, and Google buying (and paying a premium for) AdMob after Apple expressed an interest in the company, are all said to result from this souring in relations.

The two remain successful partners for now, and Google keeps saying everything is “stable”. The NYT suggests, however, that someone like longstanding Google mentor and Apple board member Bill Campbell, formerly of Intuit, needs to act as a peacemaker to bring the two giants back together. Otherwise, rumors persist of Steve Ballmer and Microsoft’s Bing standing poised to take Google’s place as Apple’s default search engine, map provider, and ally.

It’s a long article but well worth a read, especially the parts about how Google founders Sergy Brin and Larry Page, and Steve Jobs used to enjoy a close relationship. Check it out and let us know what you think…

Apple vs. Google is Getting Personal is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Blog