The 4th generation iPhone HD/iPhone 4G revealed this week doesn’t look exactly like the iPhones that have come before, but could it just be the iPhone Apple’s senior vice-president of design, Jonathan Ive has always wanted to make?

If you’re not familiar with Ive, a man who’s won more high-level design awards than just about every other consumer electronics whiz on the planet combined, just look at any Apple product since the iMac. The iPod, iPhone, and iPad — and few unibody MacBooks and Magic Mice in-between — have all come from Jonathan Ive and his team. From deep, monochromatic plastics to unblemished aluminum to polished black glass, it would be fair to call Ive’s work industry leading — if the rest of the industry hadn’t but lately decided design was even something worth considering.

The original iPhone 2G in 2007 was something new for Apple and Ive, and it had to work, just work, flawlessly out of the box, and you could see it’s compromises right on the large black plastic strip that cut across the aluminum on the back. iPhone 3G and iPhone 3G boosted the radios and the power under the hood, but not much else happened on the outside other than the adoption of a full plastic jacket to make those radios work better. And all the while Apple’s other designs — the ones where they long since found their footing in time and technology to really unleash their A game… well, they started to leave the iPhone design language behind. Rounded aluminum rectangles with sharper corners came to the iMacs and MacBook Pros as the parts inside got smaller and the batteries (and battery life) for laptops grew and grew.

A lot has been said about Jonathan Ive’s influences, almost singularly and iconically Dieter Rams of Braun. To say Apple products now bear striking resemblance to Braun products then is not an understatement and is unmistakably intentional. Rams and Ive share the same philosophy and language of design. They’re minimalist. There’s only as much form as is needed to utterly get out of the way of function. The radio is a speaker, the iPad is a screen. They are what you use them for.

And because of Apple’s inexperience with phones and the compromises mentioned above, perhaps it’s no more coincidence that past iPhones bear less resemblance to the work of Dieter Rams than that the next generation one bears total resemblance.

Apple’s gone unibody, they gone glass edge to edge, and most importantly they gone Apple A4 inside and shrunk the guts down to unbelievably small sizes, leaving room for ginormous batteries and little else but design. What was previously curved and more complicated now be flat and simple. It not only just works, it just fits in the broader context of Ive’s work and the influence of Rams he’s shown such homage for over the years.

Check out the videos of Jonathan Ive discussing design from the outstanding documentary Objectified, and from Apple’s iPad event below, and hop on over to Gizmodo for a look at Ive’s work in context to Rams.

Is iPhone HD/iPhone 4G the iPhone Jonathan Ive always wanted to make? is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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In stock: iPad screen protectors and cases

Whether you’ve just gotten or your iPad Wi-Fi or are waiting on your iPad 3G to arrive now’s the perfect time to protect your new investment. From the very best screen protectors and privacy screens to the latest iPad silicon skins and leather cases, the TiPb iPad accessory store has just what you need to keep your iPad safe and sound.

• Griffin Elan Sleeve for iPad
• Griffen Jumper for iPad
• XGear Shield for iPad
• XGear SHADOW for iPad
• XGear PadShield for iPad

• XGear Blackout Snap On Case for iPad - XGear Silhouette for iPad

• NLU Products ScreenGuardz HD for iPad

• XGear Privacy Film Two Way Vertical Viewing for iPad
• XGear Privacy Film Four Way for iPad
• invisibleSHIELD Full Body for iPad
• invisibleSHIELD Front Coverage for iPad

Get your iPad screen protectors and iPad cases now from the TiPb iPad accessory store…

In stock: iPad screen protectors and iPad cases is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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We’ve already pointed you towards Element Case’s Joule stand for iPad but now we’ve had some hands-on time with both the polished aluminum (with custom TiPb logo!) and anodized black versions and we can tell you ourselves — they’re stunners.

If you’re looking for a high-end way to show off your new iPad, portrait or landscape, high for watching or low for typing, the Joule just might be it.

You can see the fancy retail packaging in the video below (online orders come in more practical mailers), but no matter how it arrives it includes the velvet lined base with cut-out for the iPad speakers and three position mounts for the support leg — and a microfiber cleaning cloth (since Apple forgot to include it with the iPad).

Starting at $129 and with customizable options, it’s not the cheapest solution but if you want something with high-quality material and workmanship to really show off your iPad, you get what you pay for.

Or, hey, if you want one for free Element Case has graciously offered to give a few away to our awesome TiPb readers. We’re debuting our new iPad Live! podcast this Sunday night at 5pm PT/8pm ET and during the show we’ll be giving away the Joule stands. So tune in Sunday at http://www.tipb.com/live/, or head over to elementcase.com and order anytime!

Pics and video after the break!

YouTube link

Give-away: Joule stand for iPad by Element Case is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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In a larger article discussing the circumstances surrounding the iPhone HD/iPhone 4G that founds its way into Gizmodo’s hands on Monday, Daring Fireball provides some interesting details about what just might be the near-final production unit:

• A few weeks ago engineers already familiar with the 4th generation iPhone were permitted to use disguised versions as their daily drivers as part of the cell phone testing process.
• The N90 visible on the Gizmodo phone matches the known code-name of Apple’s next generation GSM iPhone (so, um, what’s the codename for the non-GSM next-generation iPhone…?)
• The DVT stands for Design Verification Test, which is Apple parlance for a production milestone.
• That means what we saw on Monday is either close to final, or final hardware for the next generation iPhone.
• There’s a cryptic footnote asking what Apple would do with a next-generation iPhone that was do different, design-wise, it couldn’t be disguised as a current-generation model. (Please. Please don’t start slider or flipper rumors!)

If there were still any lingering doubts, cast them aside. It looks like that cool black glass and banded aluminum sammich, or something closely refined from it, is what we’re getting in June.

Leaked iPhone HD/iPhone 4G is near-production unit is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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9to5Mac believes Hulu is coming to the iPad (and Android), with testing to begin as soon as May 24. This comes on the heels of a LA Times article that reveals Hulu’s plans to offer a $9.95/month subscription option, granting access to their back catalog of TV show.

Netflix and ABC.com are already in the iPad app store, and CBS.com and others are testing or offering HTML5 videos for the iPad over the web. So what’s taking Hulu so long?

[Image credit: Twentieth Century Fox and Imagine Entertainment, via LA Times.]

Hulu coming to iPad, bringing $9.95 subscriptions with it? is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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Apple is keeping up the transition from “app for that” to showing how the iPhone makes its users lives better with three new TV commercials — Family Man, Dog Lover, and Backpacker

• Family man showcases the built-in Photo app with a video of a child’s birthday, the App Store and purchasing Jamie Oliver’s 20 minute meals [$7.99 - iTunes link] for cooking, and Elmo’s Monster Maker [$3.99 - iTunes link] for the kids on a car trip, and Viper SmartStart [free - iTunes link] for opening the car trunk.

• Dog lover highlight PetFinder.com [free- iTunes link] to help find that perfect dog, Facebook [free - iTunes link] to share the picture with friends, Hey Walkies [free - iTunes link] to find a place to run, and iCam [$4.99 - iTunes link] to stream the whole thing.

• Backpacker kicks off a trip to spain by finding a place to stay HostelWorld.com [free - iTunes link], sending back pictures with the built-in Photo and Email apps, and using the App Store to download Jibbigo speech translator English to Spanish [$24.99 - iTunes link] for automagic communication.

(Unfortunately, we don’t think there’s an app for the bill that would come from all that roaming data…)

Apple debuts Family Man, Dog Lover, Backpacker TV commercials is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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FarmVille addicts rejoice! It appears as though the widely popular Facebook game FarmVille by Zynga is coming to iPhone and iPad.

Nothing has been officially announced, but the domains farmvilleiphone.com and farmvilleipad.com have been reserved by the same company that is responsible for the official FarmVille website. This could only mean that Zynga must be planning to make FarmVille available for iPhone and iPad.

The question now is whether Zynga is also planning on releasing FarmVille applications in the App Store, or if there will be strictly web apps available for the game.

So who’s excited? Are you a FarmVille player who has been begging for access via your iPhone and iPad? If you’re an ex-FarmVille player, will having mobile access bring you back to the farming game? Let us know in the comments below!

[via TUAW]

FarmVille is Coming to iPhone and iPad is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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Android running on iPhone — is there anything the elite iPhone jailbreak hackers can’t do? Still slow to (dual-)boot and awkward given the iPhone’s lack of physical buttons, but it’s there in all it’s gory glory.

Depending on you tastes, this is either awesome beyond belief or yet another sign of the applepocalypse, check out the video after the break and let us know!

[Linux on the iPhone via @cdevwill., thanks for the tip Chris!]

YouTube link

Android running on iPhone – Yeahbuwhat?! is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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ARM chips, including the current Cortex A8, power the iPhone 3GS, iPod touch G3, and form part of the A4 system-on-chip for the iPad — add that to some whispers and we get the full on rumor that Apple is in talks to buy them out.

Here’s where it gets really interesting — ARM chips power a slew of other devices as well, including those running Android and Palm.

Rumors of Apple buying desktop chipmaker AMD were floated earlier in the week, so who knows what if anything is really going on here, but tying up a major mobile CPU maker and locker out your competition must hold a certain appeal for Apple (whose already a major licensor of ARM). With $41 billion in the bank, even the likely $8 billion price tag isn’t out of the question.

We’re doubting it at the moment, but what do you think? They’ve already bought PA Semi and may have bought ARM design company Intrisity, and Google just bought Agnilux. Should Apple buy ARM outright?

[London Evening Standard via MacRumors]

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While airplanes are still having trouble traveling from one side of the pond to the other, apps can still come from both sides of the pond at the speed of download. Whether it’s cooking or singing, playing or parking, this week brings the iTunes App Store plenty of new and notable apps. Here’s a sampling, after the break!

Nigella Quick Collection – Random House [£4.99 / €5,99 / $7.99 - iTunes link]

Prepare gastronomic delights such as grilled halloumi with oozing egg, or the indulgent toblerone fondue with Nigella Lawson’s debut app for iPhone and iPod touch. Cook delicious meals with the quick and easy to follow recipes. Browse in innovative ways with ‘Food Mood’, learn cooking techniques with run-through videos and avoid a messy screen in the kitchen with voice control.

Nigella will be making a personal appearance in the flagship Apple Store on Regent Street, London on Tuesday April 20 @ 17:00.

Glee [£1.79 / €2,39 / $2.99 - iTunes link]

Become the star of the hit TV series Glee by singing along to all your favourite tracks: auto-tune functionality keeps you in key, and multi-part harmonies allow you to become your own vocal backing group. Share your recordings with the world on Facebook, MySpace and Twitter.

MotoGP 2010 Official Live Timing [£11.49 / €14,99 / $18.99 - iTunes link]

Watch closely as the competition chase Rossi’s MotoGP crown this season. This official app draws on range of live data to display lap timing info and generate a dynamic 3D map that keeps you up to date with all the action from every Grand Prix.

Blokus [£2.99 / €3,99 / $4.99 - iTunes link]

This award winning board game (Mensa Select) has just arrived on the App Store. Play in classic 4, classic 2, duo and team modes whilst listening to your favourite tunes from your iPod library. Go social and play multiplayer online, or together with friends in local Bluetooth mode.

WordFuz [£1.19 / €1,59 / $1.99 - iTunes link]

Practise your European language skills with this little gem of a game. Simply select your mother tongue and which languages you wish to be tested on, and jump right into exercising your polyglot skills.

Got Talent [Free - iTunes link]

Get the very latest news, relive every moment of drama, and watch exclusive backstage videos from Britain’s Got Talent, the show that launched Susan Boyle onto the world stage. Contact the host, Stephen Mulhern, in-app during the live finals, and hold your own show – becoming Simon Cowell – by ‘buzzing’ your friends with the built in ‘Talent Buzzer’.

AA Parking [£1.79 / €2,39 / $2.99 - iTunes link]

Find a parking space comfortably and conveniently with this comprehensive parking app. Check opening hours, compare pricing, get real-time space availability (where possible), and discover where the nearest Park & Ride locations are.

Grow Your Own [Free - iTunes link]

Grow your own fruit and vegetables with the help of the Royal Horticultural Society. Select your greens by level of skill and time you wish to invest in the garden, learn about common problems and pests, and chat to fellow gardeners.

What are you favorite, fun apps from across the pond (or right here at home)?

Fun iPhone apps from both sides of the pond is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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