Just got my hands on an iPod touch 4 here at TiPb actual, and immediately I pulled out the iPhone 4 and iPad for a little versus action.

If form will be a factor in your deciding which iOS device is right for you, or if you just love your gadget porn, check out the full gallery, after the break!

iPod touch 4 vs iPhone 4 vs iPad gallery is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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

Videotron launched their mobile unit today and along with Nexus One and BlackBerry Bold 9700 they said Apple would announce an AWS 3G (the higher spectrum 3G used by upstarts Wind, Moblicity, and Videotron in Canada, and T-Mobile in the US) “in the coming months”.

My usual thinking is that carriers have little if any forward knowledge of Apple’s plans, so take this with a Quebec-sized grain of salt.

If Apple wants to have a truly universal GSM/HSPA 3G phone, however, they’ll need to enable or add those AWS frequencies at some point.

[Engadget Mobile]

AWS 3G iPhone 4 coming to Videotron… and T-Mobile USA? is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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

Several tweets this morning are indicating that a jailbreak for iOS 4.1 could come sooner rather than later.  Could there be any better news you ask? Why yes! Jailbreaker @pod2g as well as other sources are indicating that this “particular” exploit would require Apple to flash to a whole new bootrom in order to fix it.

What does this mean for jailbreakers?  It means they run less of a risk of accidental updates and what-not being so catastrophic.  Apple can’t fix this exploit by simply issuing a software update.  It would require a flashed version of the bootrom out of the factory.  We may eventually see new iPhone 4s shipped with newer bootroms but any older ones would remain jailbreakable, regardless of any software update Apple may issue.

So if you’re like me and lost your jailbreak for 4.1 (darn prox sensor!), you’ll soon be able to have jailbreak goodness back again.  How many of you still plan on jailbreaking and how many of you think iOS 4.x gave you what you needed?  For me, notification systems are still a valid reason to jailbreak.  What about you?

Update: A source  BGR was in contact with has now stated that a flashed bootrom would not be sufficient.  A whole new processor revision would be necessary. Jailbreakers rejoice!

[via BGR]

iOS 4.1 Jailbreak on the way? is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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

Google Vice President of Product Management, Omar Hamoui, has just posted about the changes made this morning to Apple’s iOS developer licensing agreement, specifically the section referring to in-app advertising:

Today, Apple updated their iPhone Developer Program License Agreement. Unlike the previous version, these new terms ensure that Apple's developers have the choice of a variety of advertising solutions (including Google's and AdMob's) to earn money and fund their apps. Apple's new terms will keep in-app advertising on the iPhone open to many different mobile ad competitors and enable advertising solutions that operate across a wide range of platforms.

Read the whole things for why this is great news for everyone, from consumers to developers to puppy dogs (that’s not me being facetious — it really is).

[Google Mobile Ads Blog via Daring Fireball]

Google likes Apple’s clarified iOS advertising policy is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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

When introducing the new Apple TV, Steve Jobs said their customers didn’t want “amateur hour”. In the newly published App Store developer guidelines, Apple said their serious developers didn’t want to be surrounded by “amateur hour”. I may be reading too much into those specific words used in those specific contexts, but it sounds like Apple has a new battle cry against Google.

Google TV is coming. Android is surging. Google has YouTube. Google has App Inventor. Google’s strength is crowd sourced, amateur content (in the best sense of the word) and they’ll have to work hard to get the Hollywood deals Apple has, and the UX-focused developers already on iOS.

Apple may have 250,000 apps but after a critical mass is achieved, raw numbers are meaningless — if not increasingly impenetrable — to casual users. Apple may be trying to reframe the discussion from how many apps and how much content to the type of content.

If so, it’s risky. It could alienate all the audio and video podcasters who helped build iTunes and indy devs who fill the App Store, and who likely take immediate offense to the use of the term. It also disregards the fact that “cat falling off piano” probably gets more views than half the schlock coming out of Hollywood these days, but it is a differentiator and in the face of Droids and Galaxy S and Google TV, Apple needs a differentiator.

Again, I might be reading too much into the sound bite, but does the idea of Apple positioning themselves as the serious development platform and Hollywood content provider give them an edge against Google and their massive, crowd sourced content?

Is “amateur hour” Apple’s new battle cry against Google? is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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

While Apple’s newly published App Store review guidelines are locked up nice and tight behind the iOS developer login, Engadget is hosting a copy in the clear. They’ve also broken out some highlights:

• “We have lots of kids downloading lots of apps, and parental controls don’t work unless the parents set them up (many don’t). So know that we’re keeping an eye out for the kids.”
• “We have over 250,000 apps in the App Store. We don’t need any more Fart apps.”
• “We have lots of serious developers who don’t want their quality Apps to be surrounded by amateur hour.”
• “If your app is rejected, we have a Review Board that you can appeal to. If you run to the press and trash us, it never helps.”
• “This is a living document, and new apps presenting new questions may result in new rules at any time. Perhaps your app will trigger this.”
• “If it sounds like we’re control freaks, well, maybe it’s because we’re so committed to our users and making sure they have a quality experience with our products.”

Steve Jobs has rallied against porn before, but it would be nice if the App Store could provide the same, appropriately rated content as, say, iTunes movies. As to fart apps, we won’t make any jokes or point out any irony there.

However, I’m curious if “amateur hour” is Apple’s new passive-aggressive (aggressive-aggressive?) battle cry against Google/YouTube/App Inventor and Android?

Go read Engadget for more, and grab the download if it interests you.

Apple review guidelines: yes to kids, no to farts is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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

Apple announced today that they’re revising controversial sections of their developer program license and for the first time publishing their review guidelines:

We are continually trying to make the App Store even better. We have listened to our developers and taken much of their feedback to heart. Based on their input, today we are making some important changes to our iOS Developer Program license in sections 3.3.1, 3.3.2 and 3.3.9 to relax some restrictions we put in place earlier this year.

In particular, we are relaxing all restrictions on the development tools used to create iOS apps, as long as the resulting apps do not download any code. This should give developers the flexibility they want, while preserving the security we need.

In addition, for the first time we are publishing the App Store Review Guidelines to help developers understand how we review submitted apps. We hope it will make us more transparent and help our developers create even more successful apps for the App Store.

The App Store is perhaps the most important milestone in the history of mobile software. Working together with our developers, we will continue to surprise and delight our users with innovative mobile apps.

So 3rd party cross-compilers like Adobe Flash CS5 are back in, but perhaps more important the cross-compilers used to create games are less nebulous as well. Oh, and maybe the FTC and EU can now switch gears from policing app markets to, you know, looking into SMS rates?

Registered iOS developers can find the newly published guidelines at https://developer.apple.com/appstore/resources/approval/guidelines.html

[Apple PR]

Apple relaxes cross-compiler restrictions, publishes app review guidelines is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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

Field test mode, missing from iOS 4.0, makes its triumphant return in iOS 4.1. If you’re not familiar with it, field test mode is a diagnostic mode that shows cell reception as actual, meaningful numbers as opposed to nebulous Apple and carrier rendered bars.

To enter field test mode, dial

*3001#12345#*

To exit field test mode, click the home button

If you’re playing around with it, say trying out death grips, death touches, or AT&T death zones, lower (as in negative) numbers are worse. And if you’re playing around, let us know your results.

(Note: I received an “error performing request” on my iPhone 4 under 4.1)

[Gizmodo]

iOS 4.1 features: Field test mode is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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

Apple’s latest iPad ad keeps going with the apps and the verbiage, this time rounding off medical, live, musical, work, play, memories, social, magazines, and historic.

Not magical though, at least not like last time.

Numbers is just one of the apps highlighted. Can you name them all?

Video after the break!

Apple’s latest iPad ad is… magically musical is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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

If you’re trying to keep track of all the newly updated, Game Center enabled games for iOS 4.1, look no further than the App Store where Apple has gone and created a special page just to list them for your viewing — and buying — pleasure.

There’s about a dozen and half games now but we’re guessing it will fill out quickly now that iOS 4.1 is live.

If you’ve tried some out, let us know your favorites.

[iTunes link via 9to5Mac]

App Store adds Game Center games section is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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