Better notifications is probably at or near the top of the feature request list for iOS 5, and Andreas has come up with a concept for how he’d like to see it done — an Apple iOS notifications app!

He’s set up a website and posted a video and… it looks interesting. Like Rene said on last week’s iPad Live, Apple isn’t simply going to add notifications any more than they simply added multitasking to iOS 4. They’re going to look at the actual functionality users want and then figure out a way to provide it, in a traditional way or a new way. (And we’ll either love it or hate it, or often a little bit of both.)

Andreas’ idea isn’t like Boxcar on the App Store or LockInfo on Jailbreak, it’s a bit of a hybrid approach. Check out the video below and let us know if this is the way you’d like to see Apple handle notifications in iOS 5 (and why or why not!)

[iOS Notifications via The Next Web, thanks @KiTTGT]

iOS 5 notifications – should there be an Apple app for that? is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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

TiPb checks out the best, most must-have task management and to-do apps to get things done on your iPhone.

Task management apps for iPhone are released into the App Store on almost a daily basis. My iPhone is not only a device I enjoy using in my personal time, it’s instrumental in the way I conduct business and keep myself organized.

Between running my own business, contracting for a few companies, and writing for TiPb, it sometimes becomes a task to remember where I need to be or what I need to be doing. I have yet to find an app that combines all the tools I need but the mix of apps I use do a pretty good job of keeping me sane. Follow along for my top picks and to let us know what yours are as well!

Wunderlist

There are several list and task apps on the App Store and I’ve been through several of them. I recently found Wunderlist and fell in love. Not only is it dead simple and have a beautiful interface, it also allows you to share your lists with others who use the service. Myself and my partners have a shared task list for our business. If I add an event or a meeting, it automatically syncs to their iPhones and iPads as well. Wunderlist also supports push notifications. And the best part? It’s free!

[Free - iTunes Link]

Evernote

I’ve also tried several note taking apps but Evernote still remains my favorite. It’s dead simple to use and has a gorgeous interface. I use it frequently while in meetings or for jotting down notes when I’m consulting with a client. I can e-mail my notes to the people that need them before I even step foot out of the meeting.

Evernote also allows you to add tags and different notebooks. I have tags for home, my business, travel, and everything in between. I don’t have to weed through dates and all my notes if I don’t want to. I can filter all my notes by only the tags I want to see at that exact moment. Evernote is also free but does have a paid subscription if you’d like more monthly storage space. I use Evernote quite frequently and have never ran over my free monthly allotment.

[Free - iTunes Link]

Also check out:

• Top 5 notes apps for iPhone

Due

Due is rather new to the App Store and has quickly earned a spot on the first page of my home screen. I have a bad habit of dismissing reminders and then forgetting that they went off. Due solves this problem for me. I can set repeat reminders and even if I dismiss the push notification, the app will continuously bug me at the intervals I defined until I open the app and actually mark the entry as done.

The overall interface is extremely slick and setting notifications couldn’t be easier. Some task management apps are a pain when entering tasks, but not Due. Heck, you don’t even have to set a reminder title if you don’t want to. You can also tweaks the settings to what you use most commonly. I typically set reminders for about 2 hours later so I have that as my default time. If I need to, I can change that. You can also set repeats and push the reminders back by minutes, hours, or even days in one quick tap.

[$4.99 - iTunes Link]

Droplr

There are many times that I want to share an image or a file with multiple people. This is where droplr has really come in handy. I can upload an image via the app and then e-mail the shortened link to as many people as I’d like. I can also tweet it or copy the link within the app as well. I especially love that they have a free Mac client as well. The iPhone and Mac version will also sync back and forth with each other. This is very convenient for when I’m taking pictures or screenshots on my iPhone that I need on my Mac. I don’t have to e-mail them to myself any longer. I can simply upload them via droplr and pick them up in droplr on my Mac.

[$3.99 - iTunes Link]

ToDo by Appigo

Although Wunderlist is now my daily task management app, ToDo by Appigo will never lose its spot on my iPhone. While it may not be as easy to use, it’s an extremely powerful task management app. I use it now for detailed projects that have separate deadlines and that have to be done in parts. If we are working on a web design project, I may want to set different completion dates on a project timeline. This is where ToDo really shines. I can organize a project in any way I like. I can mark individual parts of a project done and set reminders on the other parts.

ToDo is worth every penny if you need a very detail oriented task app. They’ve also just announced a Mac version with sync as well. So if that’s what you’ve been looking for, look no further.

[$4.99 - iTunes Link]

Your top task apps?

Although, there are the top five task management apps that fit my lifestyle, it doesn’t mean that there aren’t other great ones floating around out there. Be sure to check out our Picks of the Week and iPhone App and Games Forum for more recommendations, and if we missed any of your favorites, leave them in the comments below!

Top 5 task management apps 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

xBackup for iPhone is a new jailbreak tweak available in Cydia that allows you to easily create backups of all your jailbroken applications and tweaks. I have personally always dreaded restoring my iPhone and re-jailbreaking to a new firmware since the task has always been so daunting. This program sets out to make that task not so irritating anymore.

xBackup will simply save your backup as part of your iTunes backup. All you’ll need to do is open xBackup, tap Backup and it will create a backup of all your Cydia packages and settings. Then sync your iPhone with iTunes. After you’re done with that, upgrade or restore your iPhone like you normally would (or use PwnageTool or another custom upgrade method, however you prefer). After you are done jailbreaking again, instead of having to re-download and install all your jailbreak settings, simply download xBackup again from Cydia.

You’ll have to open xBackup and choose the restore tab this time. You should see your last backup. Just tap it and all your Cydia settings and apps will come back down. If you don’t see your backup, you’ll need to make sure that you chose to restore from your most recent iTunes backup.

You can also SSH into your iPhone and save your backup somewhere on your computer as well. I’d recommend this for safe keeping.

If you guys give this a try, let us know. xBackup is currently $1.50 in Cydia. Hit the jump for a few more screenshots of xBackup in action!

xBackup for iPhone creates jailbroken backups quickly and easily [Jailbreak] is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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

Summer 2011 BlackBerry Bold 9900/9970 pictured on top of the summer 2010 iPhone 4.

Fitting, given that when the original BlackBerry Bold 9000 launched, the design was widely seen as having been inspired by the original 2007 iPhone.

[Engadget]

I knew there was something I liked about the BlackBerry Bold Touch… is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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

No sooner did iPad 2 finally become available in Asia, than South Korean carriers SK Tel and KT have suspended sales due to lack of supply.

“Our iPad 2 inventory has been depleted and we apologize for failing to provide enough supplies due to the product’s global supply shortages.”

Is this a case of too much demand or too little product? Apple has had a huge problem getting enough iPad 2s to market since the US launch, though things are improving.

Any Korean readers unable to get their iPad 2? Anyone think Apple could have a problem on their hands if customers decide to look elsewhere?

[Reuters via TUAW]

Korean carriers halt iPad 2 sales as they struggle to meet demand is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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

Every day, TiPb gets flooded with announcements for new and updated iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad apps and games. So every day we pick just a few of the most interesting, the most notable, and simply the most awesome to share with you!

• Place Clock: An improved and extended alternative to the built in alarm function in the iPhone. It provides all the same functions as the clock application but adds place based location alarms and extended snooze options. [$0.99 - iTunes link]

• NewsTweet Reader: Brings web feeds and Twitter mashed up in a fresh Scandinavian design. Read your favorite news feeds & blogs in style or simply follow the latest news by creating your own Twitter feeds based on keywords of interest. Now free! [Free -iTunes link]

• Pocket Legends: A ground-breaking and unique Mobile MMORPG where you will join millions of players from around the world. Cooperate to undertake wild adventures in creepy dungeons, frigid mountain peaks, and steamy swamps! [Free, with in-app purchases - iTunes link]

• iSSH – SSH / VNC Console: Now with TextExpander support in terminal, cut and paste does not interfere with pie menu, and URLs are allowed to span lines. [$9.99 - iTunes link]

• Todo: Now with compatibility with the new Todo for Mac Beta! [$4.99, iPhone -iTunes link] [$4.99, iPad - iTunes link]

Any other big apps or game releases or updates today? If you pick any of these up, let us know what you think!

New and updated iPhone and iPad apps for Tuesday, May 3 is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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

Apple has pulled the trigger on quad-core “Sandy Bridge” i5 and i7 equipped, ThunderBolt port sporting, FaceTime HD packing, iMacs and as Steve Jobs would say, they’re real screamers.

"Our customers love the iMac's aluminum enclosure, gorgeous display and all-in-one design," said Philip Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. "With next generation quad-core processors, powerful new graphics, Thunderbolt technology and a FaceTime HD camera, we’ve made the world's best desktop even better."

The new iMac features quad-core Intel Core i5 processors with an option for customers to choose Core i7 processors up to 3.4 GHz. These next generation processors feature an integrated memory controller for an amazingly responsive experience and a powerful new media engine for high-performance video encoding and decoding. With new AMD Radeon HD graphics processors, the new iMac has the most powerful graphics ever in an all-in-one desktop.

Now that MacBook Pros and iMacs have both gotten the FaceTime HD treatment, however, we’re left to wonder where the’s the love for iOS? iPad 2 didn’t get FaceTime HD (it stuck with the same, lame front facing VGA camera from iPhone 4 and iPod touch 4). Could iPhone 5 and iPod touch 5 finally go FaceTime HD this fall?

Or would you rather not have an HD camera staring you in the FaceTime?

[Apple PR]

Apple introduces new iMacs, FaceTime HD now everywhere… but iOS is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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

ipswDownloader is a shining example of a great utility that allows jailbreakers to download firmware (.ipsw) files easily and quickly. On top of that, it also tells you what jailbreak utility you should use in order to jailbreak (and/or unlock) your device. This is especially convenient if you’re using something like PwnageTool that requires you to have an ipsw file in order to create a custom firmware bundle. This is highly common among unlockers.

This can be great for beginner jailbreakers that may feel a bit overwhelmed by the amount of jailbreak tools available. “What jailbreak utility do I need to use?” is probably the number one question we get asked here at TiPb. I really think this tool will come in handy for anyone from beginners to advanced users that really just want an easy and convenient way to download firmware files. Hit the jump for a download link and a quick walk-through.

Download ipswDownloader

ipswDownloader (Mac only as of now) – Download Link

Choose your device and firmware

Simply choose your device and your current firmware version. ipswDownloader will quickly tell you if you can jailbreak, what tool you can use, and whether or not you can unlock. You’ll also see a download button in the bottom right hand corner. Click that if you’d like to download a copy of your firmware file to your computer. Choose your save location and you’re good to go!

Let us know in the comments if any of you plan on using ipswDownloader!

Tips of the day will range from beginner-level 101 to advanced-level ninjary. If you already know this tip, keep the link handy as a quick way to help a friend. If you have a tip of your own you’d like to suggest, add them to the comments or send them in to news@tipb.com. (If it’s especially awesome and previously unknown to us, we’ll even give ya a reward…)

Daily Tip: How to use ipswDownloader to download iOS firmware and determine your correct Jailbreak utility [Jailbreak] is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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

The XGPS150 Bluetooth GPS receiver gives you full GPS on your Wi-Fi only iPad or iPod touch. Since no cellular radio means no GPS in Apple’s product line, this is a way to use your iPad Wi-Fi or iPod touch for apps that require more than just Wi-Fi triangulation, like turn-by-turn navigation. It is basically a Bluetooth GPS receiver that can be paired with your device of choice and it then sends accurate GPS location data to any app that can use it.

One of the big decisions when buying an iPad is always should you pay the extra for a 3G model with GPS. If you only need the GPS there is now another option. Of course, the GPS receiver will only work with apps that store the map data on your device; such as TomTom, Navigon, Co-Pilot Live etc. Other apps like Google Maps would still require a data connection as they stream the maps over a data connection.

The receiver comes with a rechargeable battery that lasts up top 8.5 hours, a 12v car charger, non slip car mounting mat and strap to attach to a bag or armband. The XGPS150 costs $99 and has a free app which allows you to see detailed information on your location, number of satellites and signal strength of each.

Would you consider using an accessory like this? Let us know in the comments!

[New Sky Products]

XGPS150 Bluetooth GPS receiver gives you full GPS on your Wi-Fi only iPad or iPod touch is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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

No sooner does Tweetdeck’s new, improved iPhone app hit the App Store than Twitter announces they’ve bought it, and right out from under UberMedia to boot.

This deal is defensive for Twitter, say all the sources we've spoken with over the last couple of months. They simply couldn't allow UberMedia to have so much market share in this space. The company has acquired UberTwitter, EchoFon and a number of other Twitter-related startups. Adding TweetDeck to the UberMedia stable of products would give them too much leverage over Twitter, say our sources, and so Twitter made a strong defensive bid to disrupt the deal. Which succeeded nicely, apparently.

What this means for the Tweetdeck app, the official Twitter app? Could we see a Tweetdeck/Twitter for iPhone hybrid? Both kept on as separate apps? One abandoned completely to go all in on the other?

[TechCrunch EU via TechCrunch]

Twitter buys Tweetdeck, what does this mean for iPhone apps? is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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