Apple and Facebook were in discussions for 18 months before ultimately failing to come to terms on integrating the world’s most popular social network with Apple’s upstart Ping music service.

While we don’t know the details of their discussions, it makes sense that Apple may have wanted to build Ping as a music-tracking and sales service on top of Facebook’s social graph. This could have allowed Apple to get what it wanted out of the relationship — more iTunes and iPod sales — without having to build a social network from scratch.

Though they don’t say how, of course, and Facebook Connect is a far sight from a turnkey social music network, isn’t it? Either way, Steve Jobs’ previous assertion that Facebook wanted “onerous” terms doesn’t bode well for near-term reconciliation. Business Insider notes, courtesy of an industry veteran:

Working with Facebook as a large company is challenging at this stage, very similar to mid-late-90s Microsoft.”

Ouch. Bottom line, though, would Ping be more valuable to you if it could find your friends via Facebook connect? How about via Twitter or Gmail? (Or how about we forget Facebook for a minute and just add App Store apps to Ping?)

[Business Insider]

After 18 months of courtship, did Facebook leave Ping at the altar? is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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

Google updated it’s Google Earth app for iPhone and iPad this morning, including Retina Display support and oceanic layer content that was previously unavailable to iOS users. With this new update, you can now zoom in below the surface of the ocean and view the deep trenches and geography of the ocean floor.

Taking a look at the underwater bathymetry on iPhone 4 Retina Display is, simply put, amazing, and a new experience for users on the go. You’ll have to see it for yourself to truly understand what I’m trying to relay in this post.

Google Earth is a free app on Apple’s App Store, and can be used with any iDevice.

[iTunes Store link, Google Lat Long Blog via Engadget]

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Google Updates Google Earth for iPhone, iPad – Contains Ocean Layer Content! is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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

When contacted Monday by Apple Insider, Google declined to comment on whether it would resubmit its native application, which Apple refused to accept into the App Store last year.

“We currently offer Google Voice mobile apps for Blackberry and Android, and we offer an HTML5 web app for the iPhone,” a Google spokesperson said. “We have nothing further to announce at this time.”

Just in case you missed the big headlines recently, Apple relaxed their strict App Store guidelines and now have been approving apps that were previously rejected for replicating the phones built in capabilities. Google Voice apps were just about the first ones back in action and making their presence known in the App Store over the weekend including GV Connect and GV Mobile +.

So with both of those already available, how do you feel about Google possibly not releasing an official app for the iOS platform? Sound off below!

[AppleInsider]

This is an official entry by BrianT in TiPb’s next top blogger contest. Think you have what it takes to join Team TiPb? Bring it!

Google: No comment on official Google Voice app for iPhone is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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

Street Fighter IV for iPhone has been out for a little while now. Capcom just can’t sit still and they have released another update to the best fighter on iPhone. What makes this game so awesome? Let’s check it out.

Street Fighter IV is a faithful conversion to the arcade hit Street Fighter IV. Street Fighter has been around for years in many iterations and I am quite pleased with the iPhone version. Right out of the gate you are immediately blown away by the video opening. Very nicely done. Next you have an opportunity to tweak some settings, etc, but for now, let’s just jump right into the game. First words; wow. I mean, this game is absolutely gorgeous (even if it doesn’t currently take advantage of the retina display). The animation, scrolling foreground and background, this game is hot. But of course, a game can be pretty but if the controls are poor, forget about it. I am here to say that even the most seasoned and stubborn Street Fighter player will find some joy in the this game. Capcom has done a fantastic job of using the touch screen for controls.

When you boot up the game the first time, it asks you to configure the controls. You have complete dynamic control over where your buttons are located and how the d-pad looks. Without this, the game would not be as great as it is for some players. To be honest, I have gone back and forth with some of the control setups, but I always can get by on the defaults. If you are worried about control, don’t, it is just like any console version less a few buttons.

Due to the limited screen real estate, Capcom has given you only four buttons; punch, kick, SP and Focus. To execute a light, medium or strong attack, it is all about positioning and Capcom has nailed it. For example: if you crouch and attack with a kick, you get a medium crouched kick. If you forward crouch and press kick, you get a sweep kick. See, it’s not so bad is it?

You can choose from 12 of the world warriors with the latest additions being E. Honda and C. Viper. Every character has two colors available to choose from and currently you can download additional alternative colors for Chun-Li and Ryu for $0.99 each.

Even though this game has some omissions, namely the online multiplayer, I still play this game a couple times a week against the computer. For this reason alone, it clearly has value. 5.0 stars.

[$9.99- iTunes Link]

Pros

• Fantastic graphics
• Awesome controls
• Great selection of Street Fighter characters
• Wide array of individual player games (tourney, sparring, practice, dojo, etc)

Cons

• No retina display for iPhone/iPod Touch
• No online multiplayer
• Maybe a few more characters… where’s T-Hawk!

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

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If you’re obsessed with iOS and devices like iPhone and iPad, if you absolutely, positively just won’t stop until you’ve found every last story, then you just might be who we’re looking for. If so, head on over to our forums and find out if you have what it takes to join our writing team, to be…

TiPb’s next top blogger!

Are you TiPb’s next top blogger? is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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

Credit Suisse has run a survey asking, if AT&T lost iPhone exclusivity, would users switch to another carrier like Verizon. 23% said they would go to Verizon while 3% would go to Sprint and 2% to T-Mobile.

When TiPb ran a Verizon-only switching poll, 34% of our readers said they’d make the switch in a heartbeat, while 20% said they were AT&T for life, and the said it would depend on the plans and rates.

We’ll only know for certain when and if iPhone goes non-exclusive in the US, but that’s got to happen at some point, right? The only question is whether or not it happens before a white iPhone 4 ships, or the Beatles hit iTunes…

[Business Insider]

23% of AT&T users would switch to Verizon iPhone [survey] is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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The Dev-Team have released a redsn0w beta Jailbreak for iPhone 3G, iPod touch 2 on iOS 4.1 and iOS 4.0.

It uses the same pwnage2 DFU-mode exploit that we've been using since the 2.x days. It does not include the SHAtter exploit developed by pod2g. Nothing new is revealed to Apple with this jailbreak.

If you use the ultrasn0w unlock, they tell you to wait for pwnagetool as redsn0w requires you to update with Apple’s firmware which might shut down the possibility for you to unlock “forever”.

Mac only for now but the Windows version is being tested. For more info on compatibility and procedure, hit the link:

[Dev-Team Blog]

redsn0w beta Jailbreak for iPhone 3G, iPod touch 2 on iOS 4.1, 4.0 is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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

AirPrint is Apple's wireless printing service. By the time it ships with iOS 4.2, it should be able to send pages from your iPad or iPhone to almost any printer on the same Wi-Fi network, or to certain printers directly (HP ePrint have already been announced). Needless to say, this answers one huge piece of previously missing functionality. (The one it doesn't answer, and still isn't answered, is easier file transfer and sync).

Currently, in order to test AirPrint, you need iOS 4.2 beta, Mac OS X 10.6.5 beta, and a network attached printer. Oliver Haslam from the i-Blog had all three so he put together a video, after the break.

For more, check out our complete iOS 4.2 for iPad walkthrough.

[the I-Blog]

iOS 4.2 features: AirPrint in action is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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

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iOS 4.2 beta for iPad is here! This is not a drill. I repeat, iOS 4.2 for iPad is here! We’re also talking AirPlay uber cable, fine young netbook cannibalization, rumors of iNewstand and Microsoft apps. We’ve got Ally with us, and this is iPad live!

Credits

Thanks to the the iPhone Blog Store for sponsoring the podcast, and to everyone who showed up for the live chat!

iPad live #22: iOS 4.2 part 2 is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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