We’re one of the lucky devs to score a preview of Xcode 4 back at WWDC 2010? Worry not, Apple has been mailing out news that a new beta is available for one and all… (registered developers that is).

Get a preview of Xcode 4 — the next generation of Apple's integrated development environment for creating Mac OS X and iOS applications.

With a brand new interface, compiler, debugger and dozens of new features, Xcode 4 is faster, easier to use, and more helpful than ever before. Quite simply, Xcode 4 will help you write better code.

Read about the many new enhancements and download the developer preview to see what's new in Xcode 4.

It’s under NDA but we’ve heard through the grapevine that it’s a fairly impressive update. Hopefully that translates into better apps for our iPads and iPhones…

Apple offering developer preview of Xcode 4 is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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

The TiPb forums are naturally a great place to talk, commiserate, celebrate, get help, and offer advice to your fellow iPhone users. In order to create a new thread of your own or reply to any of the existing threads, you must be a registered member. Becoming a member is easy and free so if you haven't already head on over and register now!

• If you are waiting for a jailbreak for iPhone 4 what is the number one thing you are looking to get out of it?

• Wondering why Apple chose to use glass for the back of the iPhone 4? So are a lot of our other members in this thread.

• Last week Apple allowed all iPhone 4 owners the chance to select a free case. Which did you choose?

• If you’d like to discuss all of the latest and greatest iPhone and iPod touch games and apps this is the place to do it – iPhone Apps and Games forum.

See you in the forums!

Jailbreak iPhone 4, Glass back, Free case, iPhone/iPod touch games and apps – From the Forums is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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

The Library of Congress’ DMCA exception for jailbreaking is big news for our community.  The new ruling basically says that jailbreaking or unlocking devices is not illegal.  But I think the bigger question on most people’s minds is what that’s going to mean for end users and the jailbreak community in general.  So what does this ruling mean for you, jailbreak ninjas? Read on to find out.

Now we all know the iPhone has its shortcomings. Every smartphone does. In the iPhone world, we jailbreak to compensate. Android users may root their phones to side load apps. We also have a big issue (mainly in the US) where unlocking your phones is frowned upon. Users have cried foul for a long time. Logically, if you buy an iPhone outright in the states, you should be free to take that phone to whatever carrier you’d like. Yet they’re still locked down to AT&T for state-side users.

Today’s ruling is definitely a step in the right direction and a huge hurdle for groups like EFF, but how it will effect end users right “now” still remains somewhat unclear.  Now keep in mind, as of now, this is strictly my opinion. What I’m taking from this is that Apple or any other phone manufacturer will not be able to sue you or take legal action for jailbreaking or unlocking your device. Does that mean they have to be okay with it or aid you in doing it? Absolutely not.

What about warranties?

In my opinion, I don’t think anything will change (as of now). Apple will still have the same stance on modifying your iOS devices and the risks involved.  I can’t image it would be hard for apple to play off a software malfunction on user error or the fact that you downloaded an application that was not approved or isn’t supported by them.  What if you have a hardware issue?  That should be a little different.  Apple shouldn’t be allowed to deny you hardware repairs solely based on the fact that you are jailbroken.  I’ve read in forums several times that users would attempt to exchange white iPhones for hairline cracks and get turned away because their device was jailbroken.  I’d really like someone at Apple to explain to me how being jailbroken caused a crack in the casing.  Other users have said they swapped their phone just fine.  I’m assuming this probably depends upon what store you go to and how much the genius really pays attention to the phone before performing a swap.  Either way – I don’t see this ruling changing the way Apple handles servicing jailbroken or unlocked devices.

Unlocking

Users have long been unlocking devices and taken them to other GSM carriers such as T-Mobile.  If this becomes a common practice, I’m curious to see how carriers will handle that.  Honestly, I don’t think they will.  They’ll refer you to the manufacturer.  And if that carrier happens to be Apple, if you don’t have a valid AT&T SIM, I still think you’ll have a hard time getting them to service your phone.

If unlocking becomes a standard practice are users can buy unlocked devices to take to whichever GSM carrier they’d like, then Apple would not have the software argument to hide behind, nor would any manufacturer.  AT&T offers unlock codes to users who have been on contract for a specified period of time for pretty much every device in their lineup, except the most popular ones.  And obviously, that includes the iPhone.

Cat & Mouse

The Dev Team and jailbreaks have long played the cat and mouse game with Apple.  A jailbreak is released, a couple months later, an update to iOS is released, it breaks the jailbreak or patches the exploit.  Jailbreakers go back to the drawing board and find yet another exploit.  And the cycle continues.  I don’t see any end to this either.  Apple may not be able to sue you, but they sure don’t have to like it or condone it.

Conclusion

So my opinion? I don’t think a thing will change for end users, as of right now anyways.  Apple can still choose not to honor warranties, they just can’t take legal action, given you aren’t using a jailbreak for unlawful purposes.  Around these parts, we fully support the jailbreak community, without supporting those who use it for illegal purposes.  It’ll be interesting to see how Apple and other manufacturers respond.  But in the mean time, what do you guys think?

What Jailbreaking/Unlocking DMCA exception means for end users is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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

Pottery HD is a unique virtual clay pottery app that can really only be done on the iPad. It shows what an enterprising developer can do with a large multitouch interface. This game is fun and relaxing.

When the game first launches, I was caught a little off guard as I had no idea what to do. You have a “Create” button and that is it. So, I started to create, experimenting with the controls. You can make the clay taller and shorter, wider and thinner. That’s about it. So, I made a pot and fired it up in the kiln. When it was done, it gave me an option to sell it. I thought to myself, “Who is going to buy it?”. As it turns out, no one regretfully as it is all virtual. Once I sold my pottery I earned some virtual money. At the main menu a new feature appeared, “Shop”. Now I had access to paints and brushes. I had a new feature appear as well, “Inbox”. So it appears that as you play the game you are given different objectives; unique pieces of pottery to make. You can reference the photo given to you and once you make it, you can send it off to the virtual requestor. You can play Pottery HD independent of the virtual quests and just have fun adding lots of different pottery creations to your collection. If you like, you can even share these creations with friends via email.

I have had a lot of fun with this game, however, I left it me wanting so much more. For example, I would like a way to regulate the spinning of the pottery wheel; it stays at a constant speed. Also, you can’t add or remove clay either. It would be great to add globs of clay to truly make your pottery any size you want, but instead, you are limited by the vertical size of the screen. The biggest enhancement I would like to see is the ability to share online. The marketplace is limited to a virtual settings, you can’t see other users creations. This is such a wasted opportunity in my opinion.

Overall I really enjoyed Pottery HD, but it’s glaring lack of features and options lend me to recommending only for the most casual of users.

[$4.99- iTunes Link]

Pros

• Pottery looks beautiful
• Sensation of actually making pottery
• the Inbox adds hours of creative fun if you are stumped on what to make

Cons

• Not completely fleshed out with features (missing ability to control clay wheel rotation)
• No Internet- based way to trade with others

Pottery HD for iPad- 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

Did the Library of Congress just add a DCMA exception for Jailbreaking? Why yes they did:

Computer programs that enable wireless telephone handsets to execute software applications, where circumvention is accomplished for the sole purpose of enabling interoperability of such applications, when they have been lawfully obtained, with computer programs on the telephone handset.

Engagdet lays out what it means and — more importantly — what it doesn’t:

you should know that this in no way requires Apple to jailbreak your phone for you, or lay down its arms in this ongoing fight. Basically, they just can’t sue you for the specific act of breaking their protections, but there’s nothing stopping from putting those protections in there in the first place, or for suing you for an infringement not covered in this exception — like using Apple code in a non-Apple-approved way, or installing illegal software. Not that any of you jailbreakers would ever do that.

Rooting Android is also covered, and both firmware and software are now in the language.

Head on over to our Jailbreak Forum for more.

[Engagdet]

Library of Congress adds iPhone, iPad Jailbreaking exception to DMCA is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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

This week I am taking a look at the Incipio Executive Folio black leather case for iPad. This case not only looks good but is super thin. There are no pockets in the case other than the area to slip in your iPad. The flap secures with a tab of leather that tucks into a leather loop.

The fact that this case uses real leather is nice; no “pleather” here. You can smell it as soon as you take the case out of the packaging. The inside is a very soft suede. I feel very safe sliding my iPad in and out of it. Since it is so soft, it slides in smoothly too. Sometimes with these types of cases the iPad won’t slide in smoothly and can get stuck on a corner, etc. I have not found that to be the situation here.

The only concern I have with this case is that the leather tab that closes the external flap is only sewn on in two places. It feel that over time, it might easily tear. My case has not torn, but if you watch the video, I show you what I mean.

Overall, this is a slim case that will protect your iPad from daily bumps and grinds. There is not any real padding for falls, but it seems to had handled the daily abuse I was able to give it just fine.

The Incipio Executive Folio black leather case for iPad is available now from the TiPb iPad accessory store.

Pros

• Slim
• Genuine leather
• Soft suede interior

Cons

• I feel over time the latch may tear

Incipio Executive Foleo for iPad- accessory review is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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

Steve Jobs dropped the July 30 date for next big rollout during the iPhone 4 press conference but now Apple has gone and made it official:

Beginning this Friday, customers can purchase iPhone 4 in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, New Zealand, Singapore, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. iPhone 4 will be available for purchase through Apple's retail and online stores and Apple® Authorized Resellers.

Nice to see, but we’d still prefer pre-orders, reservations, Apple Online Store updates to say something other than “coming soon”, official word on when Apple Retail Stores will be open, information from carriers on upgrade eligibility, MicroSIM availability, plans, etc.

You know, everything else required for a launch…!

Apple officially announces iPhone 4 on July 30 for Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, New Zealand, Singapore, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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

Which way do you prefer to type on your iPhone? There are a lot of options — horizontal or vertical keyboard, two hands and double thumbs or one hand holding and the other poking. If you’re using iPhone 4, have you changed the way you type to avoid covering the lower left hand corner?

Let us know your primary or preferred typing method in the poll above, and if you switch things up for certain apps, or have any special tricks to make the text fly, let us know the details in the comments.

How do you type on 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

Apple last updated iLife during the Phil Schiller-led Macworld 2009 keynote but since then, even as iOS, WebKit, and HTML5 have been on the rise, there’s been no sign of another update. Enter Mac4ever, which is rumoring:

• iLife ‘11 will be sold for $79
• Release Date of 08/07/2010
• All applications will be 64-bit
• Improvements in iPhoto faces & places
• Improving the integration of social networks
• IWeb will be totally renewed
• New application (mystery!)
• Disappearance of iDVD
• MobileMe gallery in beta (with faces & places)

If any of this pans out, the social media integration will be cool but it’s that mystery app that has us interested. There have long been rumors that Apple would replace iDVD with a WebKit/TuneKit development tool to let users more easily make iTunes LP and iTunes Extras. While those two formats haven’t exactly set the digital world on fire, HTML5 is ramping up significantly thanks in some part to iOS devices like iPhone and now iPad.

Adobe is slowly hedging their Flash bet with some HTML5 tools in DreamWeaver, but an uber-easy iLife app to let us create everything from the above-mentioned audio-video experiences to eBooks and digital magazines? Adobe’s been doing that with Wired and inDesign, but something that didn’t produced huge, static PNG piles but real next generation dynamic content for these next generation devices?

Yes please.

[Mac4ever via Macworld.co.uk via MacRumors]

iLife ‘11 rumors is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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

Best of Smartphone Experts, 25 July 2010 is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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