iPad Live, the best goram iPhone podcast in the ‘verse, is coming your way tonight, so clear your schedule and get your snacks ready, because we want to chat with you!

Time: 9pm ET, 6pm PT, 2am BST.

Place: http://www.tipb.com/live

If you have any questions or topics you’d like us to discuss, just leave them in the comments then come be part of the show!

(And yes, you can watch from iPhone via Ustream Viewer app (here’s how) — just search for “mobilenations” and iPad (we recommend Duet Browser.)

If you’re the type of person that doesn’t like to put a physical case on their iPhone 4 or iPhone 4S, the Golla line of pouches may be more up your alley. While you aren’t using your iPhone they’ll do a great job of protecting it as well as giving you a bit of storage space for things such as credit cards or an ID.

I took a look at two different kind of Golla pouches – the Golla Jacinda Smart Bag and the Golla Bay Pouch. The main difference I noticed between the two were the material type. The Bay Pouch had more of a corduroy feel to it while the Jacinda pouch was more of a mesh on the inside.

Both cases fit the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S extremely nicely. I felt like the fit wasn’t loose enough that my iPhone would fall out but it wasn’t tight to where it was a pain taking it in and out each time. I also liked the ability to keep my credit card, bank card, and ID in the front slot.

I hate carrying a purse so anytime I can get away with not having one, I do. This case made that possible. I found myself frequently using the carabiner to attach my phone to my belt loop or laptop bag. I thought this was extremely convenient. I never really found a use for the lanyard.

Pros

• Very nice fit with both the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S
• I felt as if it honestly did protect the phone in most instances
• Great for anyone who wants to carry their device naked or with just a body shield
• Extra room for credit cards built into the case
• The included carabiner makes it super easy to clip the case onto virtually any bag or pair of pants
• A wide variety of colors, patterns, & styles to choose from

Cons

• Doesn’t play nice with form fitting cases which will make the phone too thick to fit. Certain thinner cases seemed to work but thicker ones won’t.
• Doesn’t provide protection while you are actually using the device
• You will have to take the device out or put it in bottom up when you need to charge your iPhone

Conclusion

I’d recommend this case for anyone that typically prefers keeping their iPhone naked. If you use an actual form fitting case on your iPhone you’ll most likely have to remove it in order for it to fit inside a Golla bag. This would probably go along nicely for those that use products like Wrapsol or InvisibleShield.

The Golla Bay Pouch and the Golla Jacinda Smart Bag are both available in the TiPb accessory store.

Giveaway

We’re giving away a couple (2) of Golla bags! Just head on over to the TiPb iPhone accessory store Golla bag page, pick the one you like best, and paste the URL into a comment below along with the reason you like it. If we pick you, we’ll send it to you! (U.S. shipping address required!)

Ready… set… go!

The iPhone, iPad and  iPod touch are pretty much the perfect mobile gaming platform right and chances are you might be shopping for someone who just loves their iOS gaming. So what to get them? Luckily, there are lots and lots of gifts for gamers to choose from! Here are a few of my favorites, both for the hottest hardware and greatest games!

Don't need anything for a gamer? Check out the recommendations anyway, something great might still catch your eye. If not, no worries, check out one of our other 2011 holiday gift guides!

iCade

The iCade is a magical gift for the retro gamer. The iCade arcade cabinet is an accessory for your iPad which turns it into a retro arcade machine complete with joystick, six buttons and a glowing coin slot.

More and more games are being released that work with the iCade; including the Atari’s Greatest Hits app. The iCade is designed to work with the iPad and iPad 2.

The iPad slots into the arcade cabinet and the controls are done over Bluetooth. Buying a gamer one of these should keep them happy not just over the holiday period but for the rest of their life too!

• Get iCade at ThinkGeek.com

Fling and Fling Mini

What if you are watching your favorite gamer and they are constantly struggling with their game and can’t achieve even the simplest tasks due to their finger and thumb fumblings on the shiny iPhone or iPad touchscreen? Fear not, there is a solution for that too, Ten One Design have come up with a well designed joystick for the iPad and a mini version for the iPhone and iPod touch too. Called the “Fling”, it sticks to your screen with some small suction cups and claims to offer a console type gaming experience.

As you control a game with Fling, it pushes gently back towards the center position.  This haptic feedback guides and stabilizes your gameplay, making every action more accurate. Any gamer would love to get their hands on one of these, me included!

• Get Fling and Fling mini at Amazon.com

mophie juice pack plus

It is pointless having the latest games and accessories for your iPhone if the battery on your device is not up to the task. Thankfully we have just the thing to buy for the gamer to keep their iPhone fully charged and ready to play.

The mophie juice pack is a hard shell case which fits the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S. Built into the case is a 2000 mAh capacity battery. mophie claims that the juice pack plus will double your iPhone’s battery life which gives you double the time to play your favorite games.

The mophie juice pack is the ideal gift for the iPhone gamer, it not only protects your iPhone but also doubles its battery life, a perfect gaming combination!

• Get mophie juice pack plus on store.tipb.com

Motorola MOTOROKR S10HD Bluetooth Stereo Headphones

It’s a classic story, they love to game, you’d dearly love some peace and quiet. Luckily, there’s a gift that can keep on giving to the both of you — stereo headphones! They get deep base and immersive sound, and the freedom of a cable-free experience, and you get blissful, well deserved silence.

While there are a ton of headphones to choose from, wire and unwired alike, the MOTOROKR looks and sounds great, and has just a touch of that futuristic feel to it.

• Get the Motorola MOTOROKR S10HD Bluetooth Stereo Headphones on store.tipb.com

First person shooter (FPS) games: Modern Combat 3: Fallen Nation

Modern Combat 3: Fallen Nation is the ultimate First Person Shooter for the iOS platform. If you want to treat the gamer in your life with a great game then this may be the one to go for. You can play a solo mission with over 13 different levels each with fantastic graphics and enemy AI.

Modern Combat 3: Fallen Nation also offers a highly polished online multiplayer game experience. You can battle up to twelve players in six maps with seven different modes of play. A word of warning, you can accelerate your gaming abilities in this game via in app purchase of weapons and health kits; some find this an unfair advantage!

It is also a universal binary so this particular game will look stunning on your iPhone, iPad and iPod touch.

• $6.99 – App Store link

Also check out:

• Dead Space is a gorgeous, terrifying shooter set in the depth of space. $6.99 – App Store link
• N.O.V.A. 2 is the closest thing to HALO on the iPhone. $6.99 – App Store link
• RAGE HD comes from John Carmack and while it’s on rails, it’s also off the hook. $1.99 – App Store link
• Call of Duty: Zombies is all the undead you can empty a clip at. $4.99 App Store link

Arcade games: Real Racing 2

If the gamer on your gift hit list is into driving games then they don’t get any better than Firemint’s Real Racing 2. Real Racing 2 lets you take the wheel of 30 officially licensed cars and each has its own characteristics too. You can race against 16 other cars all at the same time.

Real Racing 2 also offers 15 locations to race in with over 40 miles of highly detailed race tracks, speedways and city center circuits. You can also choose to race in the daytime, twilight hours or evening.

If you are lucky enough to own an iPhone 4S or iPad 2 and an Apple TV (Black) you can even play wirelessly on your HDTV. Friends can join in too with split screen multiplayer and Party Play.

• $9.99 – App Store link

Also check out:

• Infinity Blade brings the Epic Unreal 3 engine to iOS. ‘Nuff said. $2.99 – App Store link]
• Street Fighter IV Volt puts the classic fighter in the palm of your hands. $0.99 – App Store link
• Extraction: Project Outbreak is a fresh take on the top-down 3D shooter. $0.99 – App Store Link
• Atari’s Greatest Hits brings the oldest of old school to your brand new advice. Free – App Store link

Casual Games: Amazing Breaker

Amazing Breaker is a game for the more casual gamer. It involves ice sculptures; you remember them, popular at high class parties but nowhere else. Anyway, the aim of the game is to destroy the ice sculptures with bombs, and try not to leave any shards of ice behind.

Amazing Breaker is a highly addictive puzzle game with over 80 levels to keep you busy. Designed for the Retina display, it offers high resolution graphics, easy to learn game play and Game Center achievements. The bombs you use to destroy the ice sculptures come in many different flavors too with Spike Bombs, Ghost Bombs, Helicopter Bombs and even Split Bombs. The game is a lot of fun and once you start it, you will struggle to put it down. A great gift for the gamer in your life!

• $0.99 – App Store link]

Also check out:

• Catan is a great version of a great strategy game. $4.99 – App Store link
• Words with Friends isn’t Scrabble but it is an all out, all online spelling war. $0.99 – App Store link
• Carcassone is a beautiful rendition of the medieval strategy game. $9.99 – App Store link
• Poker by Zynga let’s you get your Texus Hold’em on your iPhone. Free – App Store link

More great games for iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad

Every day, TiPb covers the best new games and best new game updates, so if you’re looking for more great game gift ideas, check out our gaming section! Likewise, the iTunes App Store has a games section with lots of great choices.

• TiPb Games
• iTunes App Store games

And if you’re still not sure what to get, consider an iTunes Gift Card, that way the special gamer in your life can pick their very own gift!

• Get iTunes Gift Cards

Your picks?

Remember, you're part of Team TiPb too, so if you've already picked the perfect gift for your iPhone or iPad gamer, or have the perfect idea for one, let us know in comments!

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!

• Worms Party: Larry, the worm, was at the party and decided to take a nap. However, his friends decided to pull a daring prank. They tied a turbo engine to their sleeping friend's back and fired it up. In the blink of an eye their friend burst through the wall and was outside the house, flying through the dark of the night, on a great adventure! Wish him luck! [$0.99 for iPhone - App Store link]

• JabMe 3.0: Now you can jab your Twitter, Game Center and Facebook friends in one app. [Free for iPhone - App Store link]

• Tumblox: Who would have thought that a simple box full of boxes can be such a brain-twister? By just using buttons or the gravity itself, you can let cubes fall onto their destinations in over 80 carefully handcrafted puzzles. [Free for iPhone - App Store link]

• Orb Zone: Steady hands required: Route your orb through 48 tricky levels in this challenging game of skill. Collect enough energy crystals to get to the next stage, while avoiding nasty obstacles. [Free for iPhone and iPad - App Store link]

• Spark: Automatically let the people who matter know where you are when your battery is about to die. [$0.99 for iPhone - App Store link]

Any other big app or game releases or updates today?

Have an app you’d love to see featured on TiPb? Email us at iosapps@tipb.com, tell us about your app (include an iTunes link), and we’ll take a look.

While you might have though the holiday season was upon us, it’s actually the start of Apple Television rumor silly season, with the always entertaining analysts not only speculating up a start to Apple’s production, but a mad rush by competitors into the arms of Android. We kid you not.

Jefferies analyst Peter Misek said in a note to investors this week that Apple is expected to partner with Sharp for TFT-LCD panels for its so-called “iTV.” Production is expected to begin in February at the company’s Gen 10 Sakai facility in Osaka, Japan, placing the television set in position for a mid-2012 launch.

TV makers are said to be looking at Android as a potential option to counter Apple’s anticipated television set. In that scenario, the television market would act much like the current smartphone landscape, with manufacturers making the hardware and Google providing the operating system.

Misek used words like “scrambling” and “caught flat footed”, which is what happened with the iPhone and iPad and while phones have just now caught up, tablets are still struggling to find competitive footing.

So, it makes sense to now rush to compete with an unannounced product, right? How about just making good products, Apple be damned? Make a great television whether or not Apple enters the market.

Everything is going to be smart one day, not just tablets and phones. Let’s see who gets there — and where — first.

Source: AppleInsider

Did you or someone you know just get a brand new iPhone or iPod touch, and are wondering which are the very best, most must-have apps and games you absolutely need to jump into the App Store and download now, now, now? Well, you’re in luck — whether you want to show off the beautiful Retina display, test the power of the dual-core Apple A5 processor, need to get things done, or just want to have some fun, TiPb’s got your back! As part of our ongoing iPhone new users guide, here are our top 10 favorite, most highly recommended iPhone apps to get you started!

Note: App prices are current as of the time of this writing but can and do change frequently over time, including going up, down, and going on sale. Some free apps also sell additional content via in-app-purchase, or require a subscription. Always read app descriptions thoroughly before purchasing or downloading.

Social apps: Facebook for iPhone

Facebook is one of the most popular sites on the web, and not surprisingly, it’s also one of the most popular apps on iPhone. While Facebook for iPhone has a well earned reputation for general bugginess, it’s also been steadily improving as of late. Sure, you can visit Facebook.com on Safari, but the app gives you much, much more functionality, not the least of which is photo uploads. You also get Places, Messages, Chat, and many of your other favorite Facebook features.

• Free – App Store link

Also check out:

• Facebook Messenger is for those who want a fast, focused way to stay in instant touch with friends. Free – App Store link
• LinkedIn for iPhone has a brand new, way more distinctive interface for all your business networking. Free – App Store link
• Tweetbot is a great, highly stylized alternative to the official Twitter client. $2.99 – App Store link
• Find my Friends is Apple’s answer to keeping track of who’s where, either all the time or just for special events. Free – App Store link

Casual games: Angry Birds

Angry Birds is like the Mario or Sonic of iPhone and iPod touch gaming — so synonymous with iOS that even though it’s not made by Apple, even though it’s on other platforms now, it’s still the most famous, and still one of the most fun games ever to grace the App Store. While the idea of slingshotting variously powered birds at the variously fashioned fortifications and popping variously evil green pigs might seem thin at first, excellent gameplay and a constant stream of updates keep it fresh — and continuously at or near the top of the charts. Give it a fling… and prepare to lose many an hour chasing those elusive three star ratings.

• $0.99 – App Store link

Also check out:

• Cut the Rope is just as simple, just as enjoyable, and just as addictive. $0.99 – App Store link
• Plants vs. Zombies is a charming, horrifically funny take on tower defense. $2.99 – App Store link
• Tiny Wings shows that birds don’t have to be angry to be fun; they don’t even need to fly… much. $0.99 – App Store link
• Seigecraft is a beautifully done tower defense style game… with trebuchets! $2.99 – App Store link

Communications/IM apps: Skype

The iPhone is a phone, so it makes voice calls, it has FaceTime so it makes video calls, and it has iMessage, so it can do IM. What place is there, then, for Skype for iPhone? Turns out, a lot. FaceTime and iMessage are Apple-only technologies, so they don’t play nicely with other devices and platforms, and phone calls — especially international phone calls cost a lot of money. Microsoft’s Skype runs on almost every device and operating system, is free to call other Skype users, and cheap to call phones.

• Free – App Store link link

Also check out:

• BeeJiveIM supports AIM/MobileMe, MSN/Windows Live, Yahoo!, GoogleTalk, Facebook, MySpace and Jabber for flexible, full featured chat. $9.99 – iTunes link
• Google Voice for iPhone lets you access your GV calls, texts, and voice mail. Free – iTunes link
• WhatsApp is probably the closest thing to a cross-platform BBM (BlackBerry Messenger)-style instant messenger available. $0.99 – App Store link
• Verbs doesn’t support as many protocols but for GTalk, Facebook, AIM, and Me.com, nothing looks nicer. $0.99 + in-app purchase – App Store link

Productivity apps: Numbers, Pages, and Keynote

Apple’s iWork suite, which consists of Keynote for presentations, Numbers for spreadsheets, and Pages for word processing has recently been updated to work with iCloud, so all your documents get stored and synced between your devices (including, eventually, iWork for Mac when Apple updates it). Keynote was built for Steve Jobs so it’s absolutely best in class, while Numbers and Pages are easy to use and produce great looking docs.

• $9.99 – Keynote in App Store link
• $9.99 – Numbers in App Store link
• $9.99 – Pages in App Store link

Also check out:

• Good Reader is a powerhouse for PDF annotating and file management. [$2.99 - App Store link]
• Evernote stores text, images, and audio for easy reference later. [Free - App Store link]
• Elements is a text editor that syncs with Dropbox and has Markdown support. ‘Nuff said. $4.99 – App Store link
• Todo takes task management to the next level, with sync to Dropbox or iCloud among others. $4.99 – App Store link

Action/arcade games: Infinity Blade

Epic’s Unreal 3 engine explodes onto iPhone with Infinity Blade, an on-rails sword fighting extravaganza with some of the best visuals we’ve ever seen. The story and gameplay are simple if not simplistic, you battle a series of monsters and their God-King over generations, growing your power, magic, and skill until you’re strong enough to win. It might sound repetitive but it quickly becomes as addictive as it is gorgeous, and ChAIR has been adding regular updates so there’s always new gear, new enemies, and new aspects to enjoy.

Also… Infinite Blade 2 is coming December 1.

• $2.99 – App Store link

Also check out:

• Real Racing 2 for amazing cars, online action, and AirPlay. $9.99 – App Store link
• Street Fighter IV Volt puts the classic fighter in the palm of your hands. $0.99 – App Store link
• Extraction: Project Outbreak is a fresh take on the top-down 3D shooter. $0.99 – App Store Link
• Atari’s Greatest Hits brings the oldest of old school to your brand new advice. Free – App Store link

Music apps: Rdio

While Pandora, Slacker, and Spotify get a lot of attention, Rdio’s focus on social networking means it really excels at music discovery — you get to see what the people you’re following are listening to. You can cache music for offline listening, so you can load up on Wi-Fi and save your data, and the available selection of music is great for mainstream and alternative music lovers alike. Give it a try with the free 7-day trial.

Also check out:

• GarageBand is Apple’s iLife music making app brought to iPhone. $4.99 – App Store link
• DJay will make you the mixing star of your next party. $0.99 – App Store link
• MadPad lets you remix and make music out of all the sounds around you. $0.99 – App Store link
• Shows lets you know when and where your favorite artists are in concert. $2.99 – App Store link

Photo apps: Instagram

Instagram is the current king of iPhone photography apps, and it took the crown through a brilliant combination of easy-to-apply filters and super simple social sharing. The latest version not only adds even more filters, but all tilt-shift effects. Whether you want to quickly share great looking snap shots to Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, Tumblr, Foursquare, or Posterous, Instagram has you covered. In style.

• Free – App Store link

Also check out:

• Photogene2 is a photography powerhouse, with full featured editing, sharing, and much more. $1.99 – App Store link
• Camera+ is jam packed with features and filters to make your photos shine. $0.99 – App Store link
• Hipstamatic to bring that terrific toy camera look to your shots. [$0.99 – App Store link
• Flickr for iPhone lets you store and share all the shots you take. [Free – App Store link

Video apps: Air Video

Air Video automagically transcodes on the the fly and streams your videos — almost any videos, in almost any format — from your Windows or Mac PC to your iPhone. If you have an Apple TV, you can also beam them straight to your big screen television as well. If you’ve got a ton of content on your computer and you want to watch it on your iPhone, this is the app for you.

• $2.99 – App Store link

Also check out:

• iMovie is Apple’s iLife video editor, gloriously brought to iPhone. $4.99 – App Store link
• Netflix gives you access to tons of streaming catalog titles, right on your iPhone. Free – App Store link
• IMDb includes all the movie and TV details and showtimes in handy app form. Free – App Store link
• Slingplayer Mobile works with your Slingbox to put anything from your TV on your iPhone. $29.99 – App Store link

Internet apps: Dropbox

Dropbox is an amazing cloud sync solution not just for iPhone but for iPad, Mac, Windows, Linux, and basically everything you can imagine (several of us store almost our entire home directories in Dropbox). Not only does it give you access to any and all files in your Dropbox folder — along with easy links for sharing and the ability to store favorites locally — but many, many other apps use Dropbox to handle their sync as well, from password apps to writing apps to note taking apps. You get 2GB for free and can buy more if you need it. It’s different than Apple’s iCloud, but it’s just as awesome.

• Free – App Store link

Also check out:

• 1Password lets you have security and convenience with all your logins, credit cards, and accounts available on your iPhone. $14.99 – App Store link
• Skyfire is a web browser that lets you watch some Flash videos on your iPhone. $2.99 – App Store link
• Screens is a VNC client that lets you remote desktop to your Windows, Mac, and Linux machines. $19.99 – App Store link
• Articles wraps up Wikipedia into a great looking, easy to use app. $2.99 – App Store link

Location/GPS apps: NAVIGON

Get full fledged turn-by-turn driving directions on your iPhone so you can keep your eyes where they belong — on the road. NAVIGON provides on-board maps which means it keeps working in areas where there’s no data coverage. You can buy regional, country, or continents at a time, and there are also options for live traffic updates, parking directions, and enhanced panoramic views of the surroundings.

• Varies – App Store link

Also check out:

• Foursquare lets you “check in” to locations, keep track of your and your friends’ locations, and earn points for being there. Free – App Store link
• Yelp provides restaurant, gas station, bar, and pretty much any type of business location and recommendations. Free – App Store link
• Find my iPhone is Apple’s way for iCloud to help you locate, lock, and even wipe a missing or stolen iPhone. Free – App Store link
• Waze is a free, crowd-sourced, and highly social travel and nav app. Free – App Store link

Your top apps?

So there you have them, our top 10 best iPhone apps to get you started. 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!

9to5Mac‘s Mark Gurman has gotten his hands on what looks to be an Apple Black Friday brochure, and once again it seems like small discounts are all we’re getting on Apple gear

iPads will go from $41-$61 discounts depending on capacity (16GB, 32GB, 64GB), the iPod nano will shave off $11 for both 8GB and 16GB storage sizes, the iPod touch will follow the iPad's lead of bigger discounts for bigger capacities, ranging from $21-$41 discounts.

Some accessories and peripherals will also be marked down, including $11 off iPad SmartCovers, for what’s typically Apple’s only sale of the year.

If you’re trying to figure our what to buy this year so you can best take advantage of the sales, check out TiPb’s 2011 holiday gift guides.

Source: 9to5Mac

Vemedio has released Instacast HD which is an iPad version of the hugely popular Instacast iPhone app for managing your podcasts. If you are a user of the iPhone version and want the same experience on your iPad, now you can. Even better, Instacast uses iCloud to enable your podcasts to be in-sync across devices too.

This is the high definition version of the famous podcast client, Instacast. More screen, more video, more show notes, better browsing, push notifications and iCloud syncing. It has everything you want from a native podcast client and it’s so much better on the big iPad screen.

• Show notes are the heart of the app. Surf links along playing the show and read in-depth information about the things the hosts are talking about. Save articles for reading later using your favorite Read-Later service such as Instapaper or Readability. Show notes also include chapter lists when available and let you jump directly to a certain point in the show. Surf through the show archive by swiping and flicking with your fingers.
• Instacast HD has an enhanced video player, that lets you control the video with minimal interaction. Change the screen brightness in low light situations or stream the video to your Apple TV via AirPlay. Playback controls are positioned in a way that you don’t have to touch the middle area where the video is playing, keeping the important parts of your screen fingerprint-free. Hide the player and continue playing only the audio portion of the video while surfing the show notes or browsing the web.
• Instacast automatically downloads the most recent episodes and caches it on the device for later offline consumption. With the integrated Download Manager you can pause downloading, resume later and re-prioritize downloads. If the connection drops, Instacast will resume downloading later as soon as the internet connection is available again.
• Exclusively on the iPad, Instacast HD can notify you automatically as soon as a new episode gets published by the author. Get the notification, tap it and Instacast will refresh and automatically download the episode and boom, you’re ready to play.
• Introduced first on the iPhone, Instacast HD can sync your podcasts subscriptions wirelessly via iCloud. Have your subscriptions in sync all the time both on your iPhone and on your iPad. There is no setup, just enable it and you’re done. No headache anymore.

Instacast HD  costs $4.99 and is only available for the iPad.

[App Store link]

Have an app you'd love to see featured on TiPb? Email us at iosapps@tipb.com, tell us about your app (include an iTunes link), and we'll take a look.

Apple has approved a subscription based iPad gaming service for the first time. Big Fish Games has gained Apple's approval for its collection of games to be made available to iPad users at a cost of $6.99 a month. Apple introduced its subscription features earlier this year however no other game developer has taken advantage of this business model until now.

When Apple introduced its subscription feature earlier this year, Paul Thelen, the founder of Big Fish, saw it as an opportunity to offer an "all-you-can-eat" service. That lets players jump in and out of different games without having to make a bunch of downloads. While game-subscription services have a mixed record of success, the popularity of the iPad, along with the easy payment method provided by Apple's App Store, will make the offering attractive, Thelen said.

The new subscription service will provide access to Big Fish Games titles such as "Mystery Case Files" and "Mahjong Towers" from within the app. Instead of a user then having to download and install the chosen game, it is streamed from a data center belonging to Big Fish. This will have to be done over a Wi-Fi connection.

Initially the service will launch at an introductory price of $4.99 a month. This will increase to $6.99 a month when more game titles are added. Big Fish also plans to offer a free version of its app. This will allow a user to play for a maximum of 30 minutes a day and it will include advertisements too.

Would you use a game subscription model like this?

Source: Bloomberg

 

Need a fast way to find out about birthdays? Not a problem. With the iPhone 4S you can avoid faking a distraction, jumping out the window, racing to the car, and slamming down on the accelerator, Homer Simpson-style, because you forgot that special someone’s special day. Assuming you have the birthday recorder in your calendar, all you have to do is ask Sir.

1. Hold down the Home button until Siri pops up
2. Ask Siri “When is [name's] birthday”
3. Wait for Siri to answer

Name’s can include your own (“my”), proper names (“Phil Nickinson’s”), or relationships (“my wife’s”), provided they’ve been added to the contact.

Now if only Siri would let us create Reminders based on birthdays, we may never be forced onto the couch again!

Thanks: Mia Nickinson

Daily Tipsrange 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 dailytips@tipb.com.

Interesting new ad/tactic from Samsung, painting those devoted Apple users who line up from the iPhone 4S as fanboy hipster sheep whose faces are stuck to the blogs — reading about battery life issues and lack of design changes — until a giant-screened, 4G powered, Galaxy S II tears them away.

Also interesting that Samsung only focuses on the size of the screen and speed of the radio — and not at all about the Android operating system that runs it.

Make anyone want to dump their new iPhone for a Galaxy S II?

Source: YouTube via Daring Fireball

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!

• Nimbus Littling & the Flu from Nebtune 2, HD: Share the epic adventures of Nimbus Littling with your loved ones, as she embarks on a quest to uncover three secret messages hidden deep within the walls of the Ancient Obelisk. [$1.99 for iPhone and iPad - App Store link]

• GENESIA for iPad – The 7 gems of NEORT: A Strategy and Management turn based game in a living world. Several crafts are at your disposal to build this New World : farmers, lumberjacks, blacksmiths, carpenters, soldiers… But all of this won't be done easily for other Governors are striving just as you, on other territories. [$6.99 for iPhone and iPad - App Store link]

• Dream Zoo: Ever seen a pink giraffe with chocolate swirls? What about a blue polka-dot elephant? Raise these adorable animals and more in Dream Zoo by Zynga! [Free for iPhone and iPad - App Store link]

• Nutty Sam: Swing, Slide & Soar to Survive: Meet Sam, an inflatable half Chameleon, half Blowfish who is absolutely nuts for nuts. [Free for iPhone and iPad - App Store link]

• dabball: dabball features more than 400 original artworks by 43 international artists that you can play games with, download as digital wallpaper, and hang on your wall as museum-quality posters. If you love illustration, photography, and artfully addictive games, you've gotta dabball. [Free for iPhone and iPad – App Store link

Any other big app or game releases or updates today?

Have an app you’d love to see featured on TiPb? Email us at iosapps@tipb.com, tell us about your app (include an iTunes link), and we’ll take a look.