How do you use push notification on your iPhone? Apple released the push notification service as part of iPhone 3.0 and since then iPhone and iPod touch (and now iPad) users have been able to get everything from social network updates (Instant Messages (IM), Twitter tweets, Facebook statues) to game challenges to deal notices to.. just about anything you can imagine.

Some users are forgoing SMS for push notifications to save on texting costs. Others like RSS feeds, or breaking news on certain topics pushed right to them. There are even apps who only provide push notifications for other apps!

iPhone OS 4 will add local notifications to the mix, so App Store alarms, for example, could even be set to wake you up in the morning. (Would that iPhone OS 4 also fixed those push notifications pop-ups that obliterate everything that came before and provide no way — webOS or Android style — to manage them. Bitter much?).

So we’re curious, which apps are you using push notification for right now, and how are you using it? Social networking, games, news, something else? And what cool tips or tricks have you discovered?

How do you use push notification on your iPhone? is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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In stock: iLuv Skin Case for iPad

The iLuv Skin Case is the perfect solution for keeping your Apple iPad protected at all times while providing a low profile. It features cut outs for all the the buttons and dock connector on the Apple iPad and comes in a variety of colors: black, pink, red, green, white, blue, and orange.

The Silicone Skin allows you to always keep a firm grip of your Apple iPad reducing the chance for you to drop or damage your device.

Order your iLuv Skin Case for iPad now from the TiPb iPad accessory store!

In stock: iLuv Skin Case for iPad is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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Groupon for iPhone is an App Store front end for the free Groupon service that acts like a buying group in your city. You can get a wide selection of things at a discount from massages to baseball tickets.

You can go to the website to view what the daily deal is, or just launch the iPhone app. The app allows you to select a city, place an order, view your Groupons, expirations and more.

This is how it works. Groupon coordinates deals with vendors in your area. When a certain number of people “buy” the Groupon, the deal is on and everyone is charged. If the limit for the deal is not met, no one gets charged.

The Groupon app is divided into three sections: Today’s Deal, My Groupons and Settings. Today’s Deal shows you all of the information about the daily deal. You see the cost, how many bids are needed for the deal to happen and let’s you know when the deal is “on” too. It gives details on how much you are saving and what’s in the “fine print”. Fine print includes the expiration information, blackout dates, etc. If you have decided that this is a Goupon you want, click the Buy button. You are not charged until the quota for this deal is met; nice.

The My Groupon section is to review what Groupons you have and get a history of your purchases. Location and expiration information of your Groupons are kept here as well.

The last section is settings and currently the only option is to enable a passcode lock for the app.

[Free- iTunes Link]

Pros

• Great way to save in your town
• No billing till “Deal is On”
• Can use the web or iPhone app
• Refer friends, earn a one-time $10 credit
• Can buy gift cards to use towards Groupon purchases
• You can follow Groupon in your city via Twiter

Cons

• Needs more cities

Groupon for iPhone – app review is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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

TiPb’s wondered out loud before about the prospect of the Apple TV joining the iPhone OS family and providing a better overall package than the current no browser, no apps, no pretty much anything exciting product that hasn’t seen a hardware update since… almost ever.

Now with Google TV on the horizon, Fortune brings word that while the Android box will be running an Intel CPU it will be using the same GPU as the iPad (and iPhone 3GS) — the PowerVR SGX.

PowerVR is owned by Imagination and both Apple and Intel have stakes in the company. With Google pushing into every one of Apple’s businesses, is the living room something Apple’s going to be willing to surrender, and if not, how will they push back?

Current Apple TV hardware runs a custom Mac OS X Tiger 10.4 OS on top of an Intel Pentium M 1GHz “Crofton” CPU and NVIDIA GeForce Go 7300 GPU which was low-end desktop kit a few years ago.

We’re still loving the idea of a 1GHz Apple A4-family powered, next generation Apple TV with iPhone OS. That’ll leave Google and Apple to compete as they usually do — with Google giving away everything that doesn’t make them money and offering diversity, and Apple focusing on a few core things and making the experience as user-friendly as possible.

Google TV could get built into every display and set-top box (though big media will freeze it out of interacting with any cable or satellite content stream, sorry VoD fans) and kinda sorta work for nerds willing to IR blast or harmonize their remotes. Apple TV could only work with iPods, iPhones, iPads, Macs and PCs but what content you have or Apple provides would be easy and seamless.

Which means both solutions would still be incredibly lacking, but given the restrictions Apple TV with iPhone OS would still be a lot more compelling — and competitive — than it is today.

[Fortune]

If Google TV runs off iPad-like chipset, could Apple TV? is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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International iPads have begun shipping in order to meet Apple’s delivery and release deadline of May 28, 2010. So fire up those planes from Shenzhen, China, get those trucks in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, Switzerland, and UK gassed and ready, because Apple is once again about to unleash iPad fury. (And likely rack up more millions of sales in what was, up until April 3, an obscure and unrealized product category).

And don’t worry Austria, Belgium, Hong Kong, Ireland, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand and Singapore, yours will be coming in July.

That’s my iPad up in the picture, as nicely presented by Deliveries for iPad and while I know no amount of wishing or imaginary telekinetic reality distortion will get it here any faster, I’m going to keep staring until it gets here.

Note: yes, they shipped my $0.20 Rogers MicroSIM separately, and the Camera Kit is slated only to follow in June.

If you got your shipment notification, let us know for which device and what country you’re in.

International iPads begin shipping! is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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

Looks like Sam Mendes, director of American Beauty has been tapped to create some new iPhone HD/iPhone 4G commercials for Apple. Further, Engadget tipsters brings word that the device, known internally as the Mammoth N90, will have a mother and daughter highlighting its iChat video feature in at least one of the commercials.

While it’s not unprecedented for cameras to disappear from final Apple release products (see iPod touch G3 and possibly iPad), the front-facing iChat video camera is looking like a surer bet every day.

Now will AT&T charge extra for it, and would you use it?

[Engadget]

iPhone HD/iPhone 4G video iChat to be featured in commercial directed by Sam Mendes is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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With just two weeks to go before WWDC, Boy Genius Report is reporting that Apple has ceased shipments of the iPhone 3G to AT&T stores. Now throw in the fact that new orders for the device are not being accepted and it’s a pretty good sign the iPhone 3G’s days are numbered.

“Could this mean we might see the iPhone 3GS drop to $99 and make way for a new model? Or maybe the 3GS would disappear altogether? We’re not sure, but we’re about to find out.”

It’s a funny thing that BGR mentioned the price drop of the iPhone 3GS because as of today Walmart is dropping the price of the 16GB version to $97 with a two year service agreement. It appears as if the iPhone 3GS is about to replace the iPhone 3G as the budget iPhone. Keep an eye out for Apple to drop their price in two weeks…

[BGR]

Apple stops shipping iPhone 3G to AT&T stores and Walmart drops price of iPhone 3GS is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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