Apple.com no longer shows a product called iPad Wi-Fi + 4G, and has instead renamed it to the the less controversial iPad Wi-Fi + Cellular. The problem with the term 4G is that U.S. carriers have utterly abused it and robbed it of any consumer-helpful meaning.

Originally intended to refer to the still upcoming LTE-Advanced standard, carriers quickly discovered it was easier to right 4G on boxes than to actually build 4G networks and no one, no industry association or regulatory authority stood up to them. Current LTE became marketed as 4G. Sprint marketed WiMax as 4G. T-Mobile marketed HSPA+ as 4G. And now AT&T markets phones that barely qualify as anything faster than HSPA as 4G.

Of course that's confusing to consumers. Current LTE can hit a theoretical speed of 72mbps. HSPA+ can hit 42mbps. Some is only 21mbps. Some is only 14.4mbps. Real life results are lucky to even reach half that.

Yet they're currently all plastered with 4G.

At the iPhone 4S launch in October 2012, Apple refused to take part in the 4G name games, but at the iPad 3 launch, they went with 4G on the box for both current LTE and HSPA+ (and added 4G to the previously 3G iPhone status bar for AT&T...). And Apple chose not to support LTE outside the U.S. and Canada.

Needless to say, customers outside the U.S. were non-plussed and regulators were not amused.

Renaming iPad Wi-Fi + 4G to iPad Wi-Fi + Cellular is longer and not quite as neat looking, but it sidesteps all the 4G BS rather neatly.

The next generation iPhone is also expected to have LTE capabilities, though it's not know if it will be U.S. and Canada-only, or more expansive. Since Apple hasn't used any radio speed descriptors in the name of the iPhone since the 2008 iPhone 3G and 2009 3GS (3G + Speed), this is hopefully the last we'll hear of the issue.

Source: 9to5Mac

We're just under a month away from Apple's WWDC 2012 and with it, an expected preview of iOS 6. Last year, we had a list of features available through jailbreak that we wanted Apple to make mainstream in iOS 5. Apple listened, and we got everything from Notification Center to Wi-Fi sync. This year is no different -- once again we have wants. Here are my top jailbreak concepts Apple should implement in iOS 6.

Widgets API

Developers don't currently have the ability to develop widgets for Notification Center. If Apple would open up API for widget access and allow developers to integrate them with current app offerings, it could open up a whole new world of possibilities. This ability is already available on Android and other mobile platforms.

Jailbreak apps have been taking advantage of widgets since iOS 5 was released. There are several widgets that allow access to contacts, system toggles, music, battery info, quick Google searches, and more. Having access to all kinds of settings and apps right from Notification Center is much more convenient than digging for an app or system setting.

Notification Center enhancements and quick replies

While iOS 5 was a huge improvement over the way notifications were handled under previous versions of iOS, there is still room for improvement. Jailbreak apps like IntelliscreenX and LockInfo offer much more control over notifications than stock iOS does. You can fine tune notifications down to the tiniest detail. Do all users need this ability? Absolutely not. But a compromise would be nice.

First, find a way to make the Lock screen more intuitive. Right now all Lock screen notifications are dismissed the moment you swipe to unlock. By all means, clear the screen, but why not keep the notifications available in the window shade until they've actually been viewed, like they are in Notification Center proper.

Second, add the ability to clear app badges the same way Notification Center can be cleared. One little X gets rid of an entire list in Notification Center, but there's no way to get rid of badges in an app without hunting down and viewing every alert individually -- if you can find them.

Thirdly, make in-app banner notifications actionable. Right now if you tap them you're ripped out of the current app and sent into the source app. Having to exit one app to respond to something as simple as an SMS or iMessage, or tweet, is irritating. BiteSMS and Messages+ for jailbreak have offered this functionality for a long time. Enhancements of this nature would make the entire experience of using the iPhone or iPad much faster and much better.

Siri API

While Siri is great at dictating notes, punching out emails, scheduling Reminders, and sending messages, it can't do anything beyond that. Yet. And even if Apple expands it to support other integrated services, like Twitter, it still wouldn't enough.

Having options like sending out a tweet via Tweetbot, or adding a task to Clear, or otherwise letting App Store apps integrate with Siri directly would be a welcome addition. Jailbreak apps such as AssistantExtensions add tons of functionality to Siri. It'd be nice to see that become official in iOS 6.

Better multitasking gestures and shortcuts

Right now the iPad has limited multitasking gesture shortcuts but the iPhone and iPod touch have none at all. Jailbreak apps like Zephyr have brought gesture shortcuts to iPhone and iPod touch, but this is really something Apple needs to slap a coat of paint on and release as stock in iOS 6.

Tabbing through apps should be easier. Sure there's the iOS 4 fast app switcher, but swiping is faster. Custom gestures for favorite app access would be great as well.

Mail enhancements

Mail has previously been given a unified inbox, threaded messages, and flags. Otherwise it's not much different from the days of iOS 1. Mail Enhancer allow jailbreakers to better handle and sort mail on their iPhone or iPad. You can color code different mail accounts so you know what account a message is from when in the unified inbox.

And for the love of all things that are good in the world, can we please have multiple signatures for mail accounts? For users with separate accounts that they use for different purposes, editing signatures can be a huge pain. I may not want a client having my home phone number but I want my friends and family seeing that in my signature. Allowing multiple signatures is the only feasible solution and hopefully it's on the slate for iOS 6.

In addition to per-account signatures, per-account mail tones would be a nice bonus. Sometimes work mail needs to stay on when personal mail does not (or vice versa).

Better Folder functionality

iOS 4 brought the addition of Folders but their functionality remains limited.. The iPhone only allows you to place 12 apps within a folder while the iPad allows 20. Sure, the iPad screen can show more apps at one time, but the difference harms users who want a consistent Home screen setup between devices. For example, if I have 15 productivity apps and keep them on both my iPhone and iPad, on my iPhone I have to have 2 folders while I only have one on my iPad.

Jailbreak apps such as Infinifolders and Folder Enhancer have been around before iOS supported folders. They've also been more functional. Both allow you to stick as many apps as you want in a folder and either page through them like you would Home screen apps or scroll vertically, whichever you choose.

Nested folders is also something jailbreak apps allow for. I frequently use this feature for game folders. I have my strategy, puzzle, adventure, action, and other types of games inside of one main games folders. Unfortunately, it's probably far too hierarchical and "file system-like" for Apple to ever consider.

Themes or Home screen refresh

It's about time for Apple to re-design the Home screen or give us a way to customize it if we want to. iOS 4 introduced the ability to set a picture as your Home screen background but besides that, the Home screen we all know hasn't changed much since the inception of iOS. There's always an argument for familiarity and experience which Apple prides themselves on but it's beginning to look a bit dated.

Jailbreakers have been theming their iPhones for years. While I don't necessarily want my iPhone looking like an Android phone, apps like Shrink allow me to change icon size while apps like Winterboard give me the ablity to change up fonts and status bar icons.

It's highly unlikely that Apple will ever integrate even an Apple exclusive Theme Store into iTunes, but at the very least it would be nice to see iOS 6 bring with it a newly designed Home screen or a few options for customization.

Your iOS 6 want list

What jailbreak apps can you not live without that you'd really like Apple to add stock? Are there any quirks or oddities in iOS that you really can't stand and use jailbreak as a solution?

Hit the link below to let us know in our forums!

Additional Resources:

• What jailbreak features do you want most in iOS 6?
• Best jailbreak apps for new iPhone users
• Jailbreak and unlock discussion forums

Ashton Kutcher was caught walking around in full on Steve Jobs movie garb. Either that or Kelso just Punk'd TMZ in his turtleneck.

FINE!

Source: TMZ, Pacific Coast News, via TNW

Every week the editors at iMore carefully select some of our favorite, most useful, most extraordinary apps, accessories, gadgets, and websites. This week's selections include a jailbreak app to manage off-device media, a sheet music app, an app for social networking, a video player that lets you watch old-school movies, and a popular virtual pinboarding app.

To see what we picked, and to tell us your pick, follow on after the break!

XBMC for iPad - Chris Oldroyd

This week's pick is a jailbreak app that I use all the time and is the only reason I keep my iPad jailbroken. When it comes to managing off device media the iPad with App Store apps is just not good enough. Air Video and other similar apps do a decent enough job of letting you access media on a PC or Mac but everything that is in a non Apple approved format needs to be encoded on the fly and it means the process is slow and a little ugly.

With XBMC I can connect to my NAS (Networked Attached Storage) box and access all of my content straight over my network, it plays all sorts of file types like AVI and MKV as well as MP4 and M4V all without any encoding or delay; the picture quality is excellent too. XBMC is a highly customizable app and if you are prepared to invest a little bit of time with the app itself and how you store and name your media on your NAS it can look absolutely stunning with the correct meta data.

XBMC is available as a free download from Cydia and it works on the iPad, iPhone and iPod touch.

Steinway Etude - Gary Mazo

Last week I was in guitar mode, this week I am back in piano mode – my primary instrument. There are lots of apps for purchasing sheet music and others for instruction. What makes Steinway Etude unique is that it combines both functions in one app.

First off, Steinway Etude is a music store where you can purchase sheet music. There is a pretty good selection of music from pretty much every musical category. Most songs are about $3.00 which is not terrible compared to pricier services such as Musicnotes.

Once your music is purchased (and there are some free songs to download as well) you see it on a bookshelf – reminiscent of iBooks. Tap the song you want to play and you have the main screen. Touch the Play arrow and you will hear a midi version of the song play, following along the notes in the song. There is also a small keyboard at the bottom showing you which notes to play.

For beginners, this is a great feature; you can see how to play the song, hear how to play the song and then try to play it on your own. I usually maximize the window to just see the song – but its nice to know that if I ever did get stuck I could listen to parts of the music to help me along.

Options are a plenty in Steinway Etude. You can adjust the tempo, turn on or off the right and left hands on the keyboard below, differentiate the hands with unique colors, change the background and more.

Pages just slide left to right and page turns are quick (which is key for a music apps.) All in all, this is a very useful app with a good library of music to purchase and the ability to learn while you play.

Free - Download Now

Google+ for iPhone - George Lim

So, I'm one of those few people who still uses Google+. I'm also a sucker for gorgeous iOS apps, so when Google recently updated their Google+ app, I was happy.

The app is mainly a significant UI improvements. Its certainly easier for a human to understand, navigate and use, as well as overall being cleaner. Its clearer how you can switch between 'Circles' to get the posts you want. Instead of having multiple circles which you change by swiping side to side, you get one stream which is changeable through a simple drop down menu.

While not a new feature, I use Google+ hangouts on the iPhone all the time, and I think, for a 10-way video call it is implemented very well. I have a Google hangout with friends every weekend, with the app, I can join it where ever I am.

There are still some gaping holes in the app; the ability to post YouTube links and getting an embed preview, editing posts and comments, and the fact that your display picture is just a small landscape section on your menu-screen, so it doesn't show your display picture properly.

However despite all these flaws, I still really like this app. Its certainly better than the Facebook app (even on iPad).

Free - Download Now

Video Time Machine - Seth Clifford

My pick this week is pure joy. Video Time Machine is a sweet little app that allows you to watch all kinds of things from years gone by. One of my favorite activities on YouTube (and the internet in general) is find and watch commercials and shows from my youth. The app allows you to do this with a great interface that makes searching for a time period easy. You just roll the dial back to the year you want, select the type of content you want to see (TV, music, ads, trailers, video games, sports, etc.) and the app serves up the goods. Sharing to Facebook and Twitter is baked in, so you can get your friends in on it quickly too. There's no direct search right now, but that's also what makes it kind of cool - it's kind of like a jukebox on random. And it's a universal app that supports AirPlay, so if you want to throw it up on the big screen, you can do so.

I'm really digging it, and I hope that more content gets added as time goes on. It's the perfect way to kill a few minutes and put a smile on your face.

$2.99 - Download Now

Pinterest - Leanna Lofte

When the Pinterest for iPhone app first released, I hated it. It was terribly buggy and miserable to use. It's had several updates since then and it's now a great app. It's beautiful and runs great. I go through phases with Pinterest, but now that they have a solid iPhone app, there's a good chance I'll use it more regularly. What would seal the deal, though, would be if they updated Pinterest to be universal for the iPad as well. Hopefully soon!

Free - Download Now

Tell us your pick!

Those were our picks, iMore Nation, so now it's your turn! Tell us your pick of the week below. Give us the name of your favorite app, site, or accessory, and tell us why it made your life more productive, more informed, more entertaining, or just plain more fun. Jump into the comments and let us know your pick of the week!

iMore's authoritative guide to the very best, absolutely free games for your iPad

We're continuing our trip down the bargain aisle to find the very best free iOS games for the iPad. We've already nailed down our current top free iPhone apps and favorite free iPhone games. You'll find the whole gamut of genres here, including the best free strategy games, free shooter games, free sports games, free casual games, free physics games, free action games, free role-playing games, free racing games, free word games, and free simulation games for the iPad!

You'll see a lot of repeats from the iPhone and iPod touch list, as they're still awesome and amply optimized for the iPad. Others that are new to the list are better suited to the big screen, or simply unavailable on iPhone. Just like the iPhone list, you can expect this feature to be updated regularly as new games come out of the woodwork and we expand our coverage of categories. We'll also be drilling down into individual categories in future stand-alone spotlights, so be sure to stick around for that.

Although all of the games here are free, most of them are built on in-app purchases. You can absolutely play them for free, but you may get annoyed by "freemium" up-sells. Others are "lite" versions with limited content, and while they're also completely free, you'll be limited in what you can do. Still, they're a great way to test the waters and have some fun before deciding to buy and unlock full versions.

Without further ado, here are our favorite free games for iPad.

• Best free strategy games for iPad
• Best free shooter games for iPad
• Best free sports games for iPad
• Best free casual games for iPad
• Best free physics games for iPad
• Best free action games for iPad
• Best free role-playing games for iPad
• Best free racing games for iPad
• Best free board games for iPad
• Best free word games for iPad
• Best free simulation games for iPad

Best free strategy games for iPad

Spice Bandits

Spice Bandits is probably the best tower defense game I've ever played. You take on the role of an adorable little space pirate who plunders various locations on Earth to gather up as much spice as possible. Of course, pesky humans aren't interested in letting you get away with that, and attack your various strongholds in waves while you defend with all sorts of alien towers. Maps have a variety of themes and terrain qualities, making every round a new experience. Over time, you gather spice which can be spent on new kinds of turrets (provided you're a high enough level and have the prerequisite turrets purchased). Spice can also be used to deck out your alien avatar in some swanky threads viewable by friends in competitive and co-operative missions through Game Center.

As you level up, you get upgrade points (which can also be bought with spice) to customize your play style as you see fit - cheaper turrets, faster rate of fire or more mesmerizing disco music are just a few options. Spice Bandits lets you buy spice through in-app purchases, which also eliminates ads between levels.

On the iPad, Spice Bandits makes excellent use of the bigger screen, and have made a lot of user interface changes so you can see more of the action. Spice Bandits also lets your port over your game progress from the iPhone version easily through their Crystal network and cloud saving; it's universal too, so there's only one download to manage across devices. An update which partially optimizes the graphics for the new iPad's Retina display is on the way.

• Download now

Battle Nations

Battle Nations is a great mix of real-time strategy with lots of resource gathering and turn-based military combat. The goofy graphic style and hilarious dialog keep things fresh between firefights, and since resources are produced over the hours between sessions, you'll be checking in on your camp often.  Battle Nations hosts player-versus-player combat with the online community at large as well as with paired up Facebook and Twitter friends, staged as "live fire excerises". You'll probably want to sink a reasonable amount of time into the single player campaign first so you can level up and unlock advanced structures and units.

Battle Nations is monetized with Nanopods, which you can buy through in-app purchases, earn through gameplay, or be rewarded with after watching a video ad. These are used to hurry up production on particular tasks, like healing troops at the hospital or training new units. Nanopods are also used to to construct unique buildings, which are often just super-charged versions of standard ones.

There's no Retina Display support for the iPad just yet, but when zoomed out all the way, I find the graphics are still very sharp. There's supposed to be Game Center support for sharing achievements and whatnot, but it doesn't seem to be working right now. It would be handy to have that enabled for finding friends to play against, but I'm sure it's coming in due time. There's a wide world of player-versus-player combat, in any case. Finally, Battle Nations is universal, and syncs up gameplay across iOS devices thanks to the developer's own registration and cloud saving service.

• Download now

Hero Academy is a turn-based, multiplayer-only tactical combat game that pits cartoony armies against one another. Each side gets five actions points every turn to move their troops, kit them out with gear, cast spells and otherwise attack opposing units on the board. Each player (online, either random or a designated buddy) has one or more crystals they must defend while trying to destroy the other side's. You can also win by running your opponent out of reinforcements, as each side only gets so many of each type every game.

Hero Academy includes The Council army (humans) for free, but charges for the others, such as Dwarves, Dark Elves and The Tribe (orcs). You can also pay for fancy army-themed avatars as well as taunts to make your soldiers jeer after a turn.

On the iPad, Hero Academy supports cloud saving, Game Center, and is universal. Unfortunately, they haven't fully optimized the graphics for the new iPad's Retina display due to the ton of extra effort required to recreate their assets. Robot Entertainment has their own registration process, so when you log in on other iOS devices, your purchases and current games are loaded in. Not much has changed looks-wise from the iPhone version, so some of the elements feel slightly oversized, but overall, the gameplay is solid as ever.

• Download now

Best free shooter games for iPad

Gun Bros

Gun Bros is a dual-stick shoot-em-up where you and your brother-in-arms (either AI or through online multiplayer) blast through waves of incoming enemies across a variety of themed planets. Each level you earn coins to spend on guns and gear to change your damage output, speed, health, and other characteristics. You also gather up a mineral called Xplodium, which can be refined into coins; higher grades of refineries can provide a higher coin output. A recent update added the ability to turn on your bro and go head-to-head in deathmatch mode if you're feeling less than friendly.

Warbucks are a separate type of currency used to buy particularly high-end gear. You can earn them through in-app purchases, watching video ads, or converting a ton of the regular coins at the bank.

Even though Gun Bros isn't full optimized for the new iPad's Retina display, Game Center integration is great. If you've got friends that play, it's really easy to jump in with them for a few rounds, and you're actually offered greater mission rewards for playing with more friends. Gun Bros supports cloud saving and is universal to boot, which makes playing on both iPhone and iPad a breeze.

• Download now

MetalStorm: Wingman

MetalStorm: Wingman is a flight combat game with full multiplayer support, AirPlay compatibility and accelerometer and swipe controls.  As you play through the campaign mode, head-to-head multiplayer dogfight mode, or endless survival mode, you earn credits which can be used to buy various types of missiles, cannons, and new jets focusing on defense, agility, or firepower. Don't get too trigger-happy, since your ammunition is limited. If you're not into shooting down your buddies, you can also invite Game Center wingmen to play through the campaign levels co-operatively.

A lot of the hardware upgrades require you to use premium coins, which are sold in batches for $0.99 and up or earned through regular gameplay.

MetalStorm: Wingman has full support for the new iPad's Retina display, which is a welcome sight on this list. The co-op nature of the game also gets its hooks into Game Center for matchmaking, though I found cloud saving functions were inconsistent - be warned if you're prone to hopping between your iPad and iPhone a bunch.

• Download now

Frontline Commando

Frontline Commando is an on-rails third-person shooter about a gung-ho military man left behind enemy lines. You dodge behind cover with single taps, and pop out to take aim and eliminate nonspecific middle eastern insurgents. Don't get too attached to that wall you're hiding behind though, since it can be destroyed as a firefight drags on, and grenades can quickly flush you out into the open. When you level up, new weapons are unlocked for purchase, plus you get a few bars of gold, which can be used to buy premium items. Weapon upgrades span assault weapons, sniper rifles, shotguns, and grenade launchers, each with their own set of damage, clip size, reload speed, and accuracy attributes.

You can also increase survivability with medkit purchases and body armor upgrades. When things get too hot, you can buy airstrikes to clear out the immediate area. Both "war cash" and gold can be bought through in-app purchases.

Frontline Commando performs great on the new iPad with full support for Game Center, cloud saving to keep your game synced up with your iPhone campaign, and they've just recently updated with Retina-optimized graphics, a new map, and fresh power-ups.

• Download now

Best free sports games for iPad

Baseball Superstars 2012

Baseball Superstars 2012 is a whimsically exaggerated baseball game with Japanese-style characters and dialog. While the game keeps tabs on minute details, such as batting averages, running speed, stamina, and confidence levels, there are some more cartoony encounters with "super players" that wear costumes and wield the unlikeliest of powers. As a batter, you can control where you swing by tilting the iPad, but don't worry, you won't actually have to swing it like a bat - just tap the screen at the right moment. Pitching is done through a series of swipes within a target box. You'll encounter plenty of challenges, including injuries which require recuperation in a hospital, managing your team roster, and playing against friends online. Personally, I found this game impossibly hard when set on normal difficulty, but I'm positive baseball fans will appreciate the amount of detail in this game. After putting some time into Homerun Battle 2 Free, it's clear that Baseball Superstars 2012 is the top free baseball game on the iPad, but for more baseball-themed apps, check out our ballgame roundup over here.

Through in-app purchases, you can get G points, which are spent on character items, training sessions to improve your stats, or even buy whole levels for your batter or pitcher.

The slightly pixelated old-school graphics are really apparent on the iPad's larger display, but the animation remains high-quality. Game Center integration doesn't extend beyond achievement tracking. Cloud saving is available, but you have to make sure you have a Gamevil account active and manually upload game data to and from your iPhone.

• Download now

NFL Pro 2012

NFL Pro 2012 is a full-fledged football game complete with leagues, playbooks, and extensive rosters based on real players and teams. Your players gain experience and level up as you go, letting you improve their stats in a number of areas, like run blocking, catching, awareness, and agility. Every down, you pick a play available (either offensive or defensive), and while you manually control one player, the AI handles the rest. Controls during play are dead simple, but most of your time will be spent flipping through and picking plays. Unfortunately, your selection is really limited to start, and it takes an obscene number of premium credits to permanently keep playbooks.

Every game you play uses up energy, which you can replenish or time or through in-app purchases. Experience points to level up your players can also be bought, along with credits to buy new playbooks, stadiums, gain access to new teams, divisions, and conferences, and extend quarter lengths.

Unfortunately, it doesn't seem like there's any cloud saving, though it is a universal app. It doesn't seem like there's any update to Retina graphics, which are likely headed to EA's premium titles first. There isn't even any Game Center support, which makes me think NFL Pro 2012 is due for a big update soon.

• Download now

Real Soccer 2012

Real Soccer 2012 offers a wide variety of gameplay types in a fast-paced, realstic package. The core controls are laid out with a standard virtual joystick and sprint, pass and shoot buttons, but progresses in complexity with fancy gesture-based maneuvers. You can unlock a variety of different cups, starting with International, and working your way to Asian, African, American, and European cups, plus there's regional league play unlocked as you play and level up. Just remember that you're limited by how many matches you can play by a stamina rating, which recovers over time. Loading screens have bits of trivia, and occasionally test your own football, err, soccer knowledge with a multiple choice quiz.

Playing Real Soccer 2012 earns you coins which can be used to purchase new soccer balls that provide a variety of different bonuses, like extra XP per match. "Cash" is Real Soccer 2012's premium currency, which can be traded in for international teams, additional stamina, team stat boosts, access a few select stadiums, and even the ability to clear all yellow cards.

On the iPad, Real Soccer 2012 boasts universal status, but no love with cloud saving, Game Center, or Retina iPad optimization. Real Soccer 2012 is in a tight race with Pro Evo Soccer 2012, which, though "lite" and saving most of its leagues and progression for paying customers, has a really great Flick Soccer-style penalty kick drill.

• Download now

Best free casual games for iPad

Bejeweled Blitz

Bejeweled Blitz is a lightweight version of PopCap's famous gem-matching puzzle game. You're served up a board of colored jewels, and you can swap the position of any two that are next to each other with a tap or a swipe, but only if it lines up three or more of the same type. Matching sets then explode in glitter, serve up points, and as the the gems above drop down into place, more fall in from the top. The catch is that every round only lasts a minute, so the pressure is on to match up as many jewels as possible.

You earn coins through gameplay (which can also be bought through in-app purchases), which are spent on various pre-game power-ups and the occasional rare gem which can supercharge your next game in a number of flashy ways. PopCap keeps you coming back for more with a shot at a daily giveaway, the value of which increases by how many consecutive days you've played.

Bejeweled Blitz has graphics that are optimized for the new iPad's Retina display, is universal, and though there's no Game Center support, the game ties in very closely with its Facebook counterpart and lets you sync up your progress across devices that way.

• Download now

Trainyard Express

Trainyard Express is a simple routing puzzle game where you simply have to draw down tracks to get trains from point A to point B. Things get tricky once you have to start merging trains, combining their colors to get to the right end-point, and deal with overlapping tracks switching at the right time.

Trainyard Express is one of the few "lite" titles on the list, meaning there's a full version available for $2.99. Even though the 60 stages in the free game might not seem like they have a lot of replay value once you solve them, there's an expert mode unlocked once you beat the game that keeps tabs on how many tracks you lay down and how long it takes for the trains to get to their destination.

Trainyard Express has a great, simple art style with assets that are optimized for the new iPad's Retina display, and there are no ads to boot. There's no Game Center support unfortunately, but you can share your unique puzzle solutions at Trainyard's website as well as on Facebook. There's also the option to switch players locally if someone else wants to solve the puzzles without seeing your solutions.

• Download now

Temple Run

Temple Run is a dead-simple platform game where you sprint through ancient ruins while being chased by displeased spirits. You turn corners, duck under obstacles, and leap over pits with swipe gestures while collecting coins along the way. There's a bit of accelerometer control, so you can snag coins in the middle or to the left or right side of corridors by tilting the iPad, but for the most part, you're just relying on twitch reflex swiping. Gameplay can be extremely bite-sized, but still amply rewarding.

The coins you collect while temple-running (or in-app purchasing) can earn you power-ups like speed boosts, new unlockable characters, and even exclusive wallpapers.

On the iPad, Temple Run fares reasonably well, offering the same fast-paced gameplay complete with Game Center leaderboards and achievements. The game's universal, and though my upgrade purchases transferred over, the game didn't seem to recognize the achievements I had earned in Game Center. There's no word on whether the graphics have been updated for the new iPad's Retina display, but Temple Run still holds up extremely well in the looks department for casual gameplay.

Best free physics games for iPad

Cut the Rope Free HD

Cut the Rope is a popular game that involves dropping a piece of candy into a hungry green creature's mouth by slicing rope with swipe gestures. While the candy's dangling and swinging, you use nearby tools such as magic hats and air puffers to avoid obstacles, like candy-devouring spiders and destructive spikes. If you can get the candy to pass through any of the three stars on the level, you gain bonus points and bragging rights, but they're strictly optional.

Though you only get 18 levels in the free version, the full game with 250 levels is only $1.99. You'll have to deal with banner ads along the bottom with the free version, but they aren't overly obtrusive.

Cut the Rope on the iPad supports iCloud sync and Game Center, which might not be particularly useful for such a short game, but at least it's there if you end up shelling out for the full version. It doesn't seem like there are graphics optimized for large-screen Retina displays, but for a simple game like this, they aren't likely to make a huge difference.

• Download Now

Fruit Ninja HD Lite

Fruit Ninja is a well-known slice-and-dice game where you swipe through various kinds of fruit as they sail through the air. You get bonus points for chopping through four or more fruit at once, but you have to make sure to avoid the bombs that get tossed in every now and then. Different kinds of bonus fruit can really help out, such as the freeze banana, which slows the movement of everything the screen, making for easy targets.

In the free version, you get Classic mode in which you only get to let three fruit hit the ground. The paid version, available for $2.99, includes a Zen mode where you cut up as much fruit as you can within a limited time frame, split-screen multiplayer, and a few other bonuses.

The Fruit Ninja experience really excels on the big screen, despite not being a universal app (and thus no cloud sync) and graphics that haven't been updated for the new iPad. The core gameplay is there, and so is Game Center support, which is all you really need to show fruit who's boss.

• Download now

Angry Birds Free

Angry Birds is the quintessential physics game for iOS, wherein a group a birds suicidally fling themselves into rickety buildings so that the pigs inside that stole their eggs can suffer a terrible, terrible demise. Every level you get a selection of birds that you slingshot towards structures at varying angles and velocities. The birds available each level can have different properties - for example, the yellow one dive-bombs when you tap the screen while it's in mid-flight, while the blue one splits into three. You're scored based on how few birds you use to clear the level, as well as how much destruction you cause in the process. The only thing that really matters is that all of the pigs in each level get eliminated.

The free version of Angry Birds gives you a total of 24 levels, but you'll need to drop $2.99 in order to get tons more. Keep mind that there are a lot of different free versions of Angry Birds available, including a seasonal one and one based on the Disney movie Rio. Try 'em both if you're looking for variety. Keep in mind that you'll have to put up with some pretty obnoxious banner ads while you play the free versions.

Angry Birds is a lot easier to play on the iPad since you've got more room to adjust angle and the strength of your slingshot. So far, it looks like only Angry Birds Space is optimized for the Retina iPad, unfortunately. Rovio is particularly bad about charging extra for the "HD" versions of their titles, so don't expect a universal version any time soon.

• Download now

Best free action games for iPad

Jetpack Joyride

Jetpack Joyride is a side-scrolling evasion game with simple one-button controls and a great sense of style. You play as a rebellious bureaucrat named Barry who's tired of the work at his top-secret military lab, and decides to snag the company's experimental jetpack for a jaunt through the facilities. Holding your finger on the screen puts the gas on the jetpack, letting you elevate over obstacles such as laser security systems and incoming missiles. Along the way, you'll also be able to snag other experimental vehicles, including the Crazy Freaking Teleporter, and the Profit Bird which is powered by pure concentrated sarcasm.

On top of being able to buy them through in-app purchases, you're rewarded coins based on how far you make it through before wiping out, but can also pick up loose coins throughout the level. You even earn more through completing missions, like high-fiving the scrambling scientists on the ground floor. Those coins are spent on new jetpacks, outfits, and recently gadgets, all available through in-app purchases stored in The Stash.

Jetpack Joyride will be sharp as a pin on the new iPad thanks to Retina-optimized graphics, plus there's Game Center support for leaderboards and achievements. It's a universal app, but I've had mixed results with cloud sync; it managed to get my rank and cash from my iPhone game, but didn't register some of my previous gadget purchases.

• Download now

Wind-up Knight

Wind-up Knight is a whimsical running game where you're on a gallant quest to save the princess, as is often the case. The hero continually moves forward, while you're in charge of slaying evil chickens, protecting your little toy head from falling debris with a shield, leaping over yawning chasms, and rolling under treacherous traps. You have to make sure to be speedy too, since the knight is only wound up so much, and he'll run out of steam if you dally or don't pick up fresh cranks.

Gathering all of the coins in a level and finding a hidden cards rewards you with notes which can be spent on items like new helmets and swords. Though you're welcome to buy later levels through in-app purchases (and they push a 30%-off bundle deal pretty aggressively in your first play-through), you can unlock them if you absolutely master every chapter in each book. This is really challenging though, which will be a turn-off for casual players that aren't willing to pay for the other books, but a great incentive for hardcore gamers.

Wind-up Knight enjoys seamless iCloud sync and is a Universal app, so you can keep playing on your iPhone while away from the iPad. Game Center is around for the sake of achievements, but there's nothing in the way of multiplayer, which is too bad, because I'd love to see how my friends kit out their knight and their top scores on each level as I'm playing it.

Despite its kid-friendly graphics (which are polished and gorgeous, though only partially optimized for iPad-sized Retina displays), Wind-up Knight has some great grown-up humor; even if you're pretty sure you won't buy the later books, it's worth giving a try just for the GeoCastles gag.

• Download now

Cordy Sky

Cordy Sky is a jumping game where you're an adorable little robot trying to get from the ground of an alien planet to a docked spaceship so you can continue on your intergalactic mission. Small bouncy platforms aid your ascension, but be careful, otherwise you drop down to the earth and have to start all over again. Luckily, you have a fellow robot called Volt that can grab you if you drop too far, but only if you've collected the appropriate token while climbing skyward. Your trip is split up into five sections, the end of each being marked by a fuel cell you need to get the spaceship running again. Controls are are either through virtual buttons, tilt, or swiping. I prefer to use tap controls on the iPad version rather than tilt, but the option's all yours.

As you go, you collect gears, which can buy one-time boosts, permanent power-ups, or vanity costumes. Of course, you can always just buy gears through in-app purchases, but you can get by perfectly well on your own. Don't let the adorable little robot fool you, though - this game has plenty of challenge to it.

Cordy Sky on the iPad is universal, and I managed to get some of my saved data from the iPhone game synced up, but lost game data on my iPhone in the midst of trying to get more iCloud storage freed up. A stray forum mention said that the game was updated to optimize the graphics for the new iPad, but I haven't been able to find any official confirmation.

• Download now

Best free role-playing games for iPad

Six-Guns

Six-Guns is an open-world multiplayer western. You embark on missions for beleaguered commonfolk, handling the likes of bandits and supernatural nasties to bring some iotum of peace to the wild west. Combat is straightforward third-person revolver shooting with a virtual joystick and a few buttons. You're rewarded for your deeds, of course, and can use the coin you earn to equip new weapons, fresh threads, and buy new horses to expedite your trips between towns.

In addition to being able to buy in-game currency through in-app purchases, you can also get Sheriff Stars, which access high-end gear and auto-complete missions, though you can also earn them through watching ads. You're even able to buy experience points and health boosts, if you're having trouble getting through a particular quest.

On the iPad, Six-Guns is optimized for the new iPad's Retina display, and since you're logging in through Gameloft's service, there's no problem picking up where you left off on any iOS device.

• Download now

Heroes vs Monsters

Heroes versus Monsters is a party-based hack-and-slash fantasy role playing game with simple controls, a cute style, and tons of customizability. You command a party of four heroes with an intuitive drag-and-release control scheme. All of your standard classes are there, like warriors to soak up the damage, clerics to keep them alive, and various kinds of damage-dealers ranging from archers to fire mages. Scouring the world, you find new monsters to slay, more loot to plunder, more heroes to recruit, and along the way you gain experience, level up, and unlock powers best-suited to your playstyle.

The coins you earn through gameplay let you buy phat new equipment for your party, but you can also buy your gold pieces through in-app purchases. All of the gear you equip is nicely represented on your heroes. The only real downside I've seen so far are that you'll also have to deal with an ad along the bottom which so far as been for the same app time and again. It's also worth noting that Heroes vs Monsters is pretty much a complete clone of a premium title called Battleheart; if you're willing to shell out three bucks, you might rather it go to the those who cooked up the original idea.

There's also a significant border around the outside, which I assume is a relic from the iPhone port, since there's no support for the high-res Retina display on the new iPad. There's Game Center support anyhow, and it's universal, but no cloud syncing, unfortunately.

• Download now

 

Best free racing games for iPad

Forever Drive

Forever Drive is a sharp, polygonal top-down racing game with a cool abstract art style. The controls are simple and fluid, with options for tilt, tap, or d-pad. You're scored based on how many stars you pick up and how tightly you hug highlighted shoulders, but don't get too wild; you have a limited amount of time to get through as many tracks as possible. That means you need to drive smart and avoid the civilian traffic that explode in a Tron-esque display if you so much as nudge them.

One of the core elements of Forever Drive is the track builder. It's pretty simple - you draw a line from one end of a square to the other, pepper some scenery along the sides, and the highlighted turns, varied elevation, stars, and extra traffic are added in automatically. You then have the option to share these tracks online, which then randomly compose the arcade mode of other players. When you play, you get fed a series of user-built tracks which you can rate up or down after you're done driving them.

There are also weekly leagues where you have a chance to win in-game currency, with which you can buy a few unlocks, but the vast majority of car bodies, variations, and paint jobs are earned by gaining experience points throughout gameplay.

Forever Drive is a universal app with cloud saving, so no worries about saving your progress on the iPhone version. Game Center leaderboards are supported, plus OpenFeint if you're into that kind of thing. There aren't big-screen Retina graphics just yet, as the developer just got the new iPad recently, but maybe we'll see an upgrade soon.

• Download now

Road Warrior Racing Free

Road Warrior Racing Free is a side-scrolling racing game set in a gritty Mad Max-style future. As you race through arid badlands, you try to make use of your car's side-mounted miniguns, missile launchers, and other assorted weaponry to take out the competition, while hoping they don't do the same. You don't have to worry about acceleration while playing since the game puts the foot the floor for you automatically; all you have to worry about is blowing up anybody who tries to pass you and possibly doing a sweet frontflip while diving off a mesa. You're offered up a variety of different maps every time you play, each one with a different level of difficulty and special rules, like no weapons.

You earn in-game cash as you play, which can be spent on new weapons, armor upgrades, new chassis, paint jobs, and lots of other items to pimp your ride. Of course, you can also buy the in-game cash to speed up your advancement.

Right now, Game Center support is limited to leaderboards, but the developer is promising live multiplayer soon - it's already on Android. It doesn't seem like there's any cloud saving support, even though it's a universal app, but that hardly puts a dent in Road Warrior Racing's badassery.

• Download now

GT Racing: Motor Academy Free+ HD

Motor Academy Free is a more down-to-earth, mostly-realistic racing game. Starting off, you earn various licenses by learning how to drive different classes of cars. After that, you're off to the races, winning tours, special invitation events, and completing contracts. The coins you earn there let you buy a variety of recognized brand-name cars, like Bugatti, BMW, Bentley, Jaguar, Ford, Chevrolet, and Audi. They even kindly give you the option to rent cars for a round if you don't have enough to buy it outright. Even this racing game has some RPG mechanics in it, including quests which you complete, and leveling up to unlock new cars and courses.

Coins are earned through regular gameplay, while in-game cash is mostly bought through in-app purchases, which you can trade in for new cars or select upgrades to parts like brakes and suspension.

There's no cloud syncing here, so get comfortable playing on either your iPad or iPhone for the long haul. There's also no Game Center hooks, but Gameloft still does a decent job of handling online multiplayer on their own.

• Download now

Best free board games for iPad

Zynga Poker

Zynga Poker is a simple but polished Texas Hold 'em game for iPad and plays cross-platform with folks on Facebook. The game has been out for a long time, so boasts a full feature set - you can add friends, find tables within your comfort range, and even give other players gifts for display, like drinks, or a box of tissues if they're having a particularly rough run. The one downside to Zynga Poker is that you'll have to have a Wi-Fi connection active in order to play, and as fun as it is playing with real people, they can just as often be aggravating.

Though you're given a stack of chips to start, and can earn more through various ads and daily giveaways, you'll have to shell out real cash for chips when you run out, just like a real casino.

The iPad version of Zynga Poker doesn't use Game Center since it relies on its well-established Facebook users to keep playing, and there's no mention of Retina iPad support, but it's not particularly needed to enjoy the game. Keeping up with games across iPad and iPhone was easy as pie since they're both connected through your Facebook account.

• Download now

Shadow Era

Shadow Era is an unabashed homage to Magic: The Gathering, a fantasy tradeable card game where two heroes command armies and magic powers to slay their opponent. Every turn, you're given the option to discard a card, which adds to your resource pile. The more resources you have, the more allies you can summon and spells you can cast from your hand. Creatures under your control have power and health values which can be influenced with enchantments, but the real fight is between each side's individual hero cards. Each one has 20 health, and whoever dies first loses.

Shadow Era sells booster packs and whole decks of cards through in-app purchases, which you can mix and match as you like to create a deck best suited to your play style. You can also earn the premium in-game currency just by playing and leveling up.

On the iPad, there's a ton of screen real estate which allows you to see the whole board at once with minimal camera angle switching. The card graphics have been fully optimized for the new iPad's Retina display, plus on top of standard Game Center support, Shadow Era has its own cross-platform multiplayer network, so you can play with your cards no matter which device you happen to be using.

• Download now

On the downside, there's no AI player for those days that you're on your own, and when it's eventually included, it will be an in-app purchase to activate. At least all you really have to put up with are small banner ads at the bottom of the screen, which can be disabled for $5.99 (which seems like a lot to me).

There's no iPhone version of BoardBox, so you'll have to take the whole iPad with you to play on the road. Though there's no Game Center support, online multiplayer is available over e-mail - clunky, but it works.

• Download now

Best free word games for iPad

Charadium II HD Free

Charadium II HD is a simple but polished take on Pictionary where you try to draw something after picking one of a small group of words, and your partner has to guess what it is. Both players are rewarded points for how quickly they answer, and can even lose points if it takes too long, but at least you're given hangman-style hints as time goes on. Stars are showcased in your profile, which are given by other players that are particularly impressed with you. Charadium II Free is a really nice alternative to Draw Something, and in my opinion, the better option of the two for a number of reasons. For one, Charadium II replays are viewable online, which allows you to share them on Facebook or wherever else you like. Secondly, Charadium II doesn't try to nickel-and-dime you for individual colors; once you upgrade from the free version, not only do you get a full pallette, but also a bunch of different brushes, letting you get really creative. Finally, there are lots of great game modes, including live public rooms where anyone who's online can jump in and guess what's being drawn, private games with your personal friends, and the standard drawn-out turn-based matches.

Besides having the usual "lite" version trappings of holding features hostage, you'll also have to deal with the occasional video ad and banner. At least they don't harass you for microtransactions.  The full version isn't insanely priced, though a tad high at $2.99.

Game Center is ripe with achievements for this one, and as you plow through them, you go up ranks (which don't seem to do much of anything other than look pretty in your profile). Charadium II HD Free supports the new iPad's Retina display, so your fine artistry and that of others will really pop on the big screen. It's not universal, but I don't think this is the kind of game you really want to be playing on your iPhone anyway.

• Download now

Words with Friends HD Free

Words with Friends pits you against friends on Facebook and elsewhere to a friendly word scramble game where you're given a set  of tiles with letters (each with a corresponding score), and you have to arrange them on a board to make the best word you can. The board is peppred with bonus squares which can multiply the value of letters or whole words if you're lucky enough to land on them. Each side goes back and forth planting words and picking up new tiles until the whole board is full or there are no more new tiles to draw.

Although I understand that Words with Friends is the most popular and polished Scrabble-ish game availbale for iOS, and as a wordy dude, I should be into these kinds of games, I actually hate them with a burning passion. Why? Because people win by jamming letters together for the highest points, and hoping the server accepts whatever they put in. In that way, I definitely prefer real Scrabble, since you're relying a hell of a lot more on real vocabulary skills, and only occasionally having to put up with friends pulling seemingly made-up words out of thin air; in Words with Friends and all video games like it, that kind of thing is the norm. Regardless, even if you're losing, odds are good you will learn all sorts of new obscure words when playing the random way; just don't expect the round's outcome as any kind of reflection of skill.

Words with Friends HD is monetized through ads and two kinds of in-game purchases: the Word-O-Meter, which helps you find better words, and the Tile Pile, which can let you know which letters are still left to pick up. Of course, they'll also kindly remind you to upgrade to the ad-free pro version for $2.99.

In any case, It's great being able to see the whole board on the iPad version; on the iPhone you're continually zooming in and out. There's no Game Center here, but Words with Friends HD Free is cross-platform with Facebook, which opens up your pool of opponents considerably. Despite not being universal, a common log-in system means you can pick up your matches across devices and stay in sync.

• Download now

Prose with Bros Free

Prose with Bros is best described as online competitive fridge poetry. Two partners, either found through Facebook or a random pairing, are given the same set of 50 words. They have to arrange those words into the most interesting combination possible, and once submitted, other players get to vote over which of the two they prefer more. Random pairs show up for you to judge as soon as you launch the game; you can even have a creepy robot voice read the entries out loud to you. After 12 hours of voting, the winner is decided. Even if you don't win, you can still earn Kudos from other users, which are shown off in your profile. Previous prose is saved in the cloud for posterity, just in case you need to show it off later. I'm a huge fan of this game, and have seen some pretty hilarious phrases cobbled together.

The best part about Prose with Bros is that there isn't any catch - no microtransactions, no ads, no nothing, just fun. There used to be a paid and an ad-supported version, but they took out the ads in the last update in April. Why? Maybe they hate money. I'm cool with that.

Prose with Bros is universal and syncs games nicely across devices once you're registered. There's no Game Center support to help you hook up with other iOS bros, but finding them through the Facebook integration is easy enough. The graphics aren't exactly mind-blowing, but you don't need much for a word game.

• Download now

Best free simulation games for iPad

GodFinger All-Stars

GodFinger is a fun little world control game where you tend to a little planet full of villagers. By spinning around a cross-section view, you make sure they're happy and productive, and check in on them time to time to collect the gold they generate. That gold goes to upgrading their homes which can house more people, who then, in turn, produce more money. Of course, you have to tend to their needs, like providing rain and sun for the farms, as well as altars to worship you from. To accomplish all of this, you do these gesture-based miracles like calling down rain or sunshine. These miracles burn up Awe points, which regenerate over time, or can be bought through the app store. GodFinger recently included a fun little endless climber side-game where you can earn some additional gold by hurling one of your followers through the heavans.

Over time, you complete missions, gain experience points, and expand the surface area of your planet. You can have a lot of fun around your world by raising and lowering the ground, decorating the area, and flinging your hapless devotees beyond the horizon.

Godfinger All-Stars isn't universal, but it saves all of your log-in information on their own network, and lets you visit the planets made by your friends, even without Game Center support. It doesn't seem like things are optimized for the new iPad just yet, but these guys put a ton of emphasis on graphics, so I expect an upgrade soon.

• Download now

The Sims Freeplay

The Sims is a classic life simulation game where you tend to a collection of virtual people, each with a variety of needs and colourful spectrum of personality quirks. You do everything from steering their conversations with other Sims, decorate their home, get them to work, and make sure they bathe regularly. A recent update even added the ability to play and care for child Sims. As you guide your Sim to accomplish daily tasks, you gain experience points, level up, and unlock new items and game options. Unlike the old Sims games that had a handy fast-forward button, activities in The Sims Freeplay all happen in real-time, so when you put your little people to sleep, they're gone for 8 real hours.

As you play, you earn Lifestyle Points, which can be used to immediately satisfy your Sim's needs and quickly complete tasks. Those can be bought through in-app purchases, alongside the game's currency, Simoleans, which your Sims earn through various kinds of work.

The UI is scaled very nicely to the iPad, but unfortunately the graphic elements aren't optimized for the new iPad yet. Also, I didn't have any luck getting my saved progress from the iPhone version over to the iPad, so don't count on any cloud sync here.

• Download now

Flight Tycoon

Flight Tycoon puts you in charge of buying planes, setting routes to and from your airport, getting fuel at the lowest prices, and build attractions at your city. As you progress, your pilots become experienced in particular planes and gain bonuses when flying them, but before long, you start unlocking new planes that can go farther and carry more passengers. The game is inherently social in that you need to find other players online that are within ideal range for your fleet and have free runways to support an ongoing route. The calculations needed to figure out which planes would be most profitable given how much fuel they use and how much is charged per seat offer a complexity that belie the game's goofy exterior. The customizations get a little ridiculous once you start building lanes in the tropical jungle section that just so happens to neighbor the arctic glacier.

You buy most of your in-game items with the same cash you acquire through day-to-day operation, but through an in-app purchase you can also buy gold, the game's premium currency which can get you custom terminals, speciality aircraft, and new expansion areas. Gold is also rewarded as you gain experience points and level up.

Flight Tycoon is universal, and I had no problems fueling up my planes on the iPhone after sending them off on my iPad.

• Download now

Your favorite free iPad games?

Of course, there's an insane number of free iPad games out there, and we're always looking for more. Feel free to leave a comment with your favorites, as we'll be updating this list regularly. We'll be including some of our top free real-time strategy, rhythm, and location games down the line.

Rene Ritchie and Leanna Lofte contributed photos for this post

Seas0nPass, the popular jailbreak tool for the 2010 Apple TV (720p) has just received an update that will allow it to jailbreak the latest Apple TV software. Apple has just released the Apple TV software update taking it to version 5.0.1; it is actually version 5.1.1 inline with other iOS devices but Apple still files the version numbers differently for whatever reason. Unfortunately the jailbreak is a tethered type which means if your device needs to be rebooted, it will need to be plugged into a PC or Mac as part of the reboot process.

Seas0nPass 0.8.4 released. Adds [tethered] support for ver. 5.0.1 (iOS 5.1.1) on ATV2. ATV3 update still in progress

Unfortunately there is still  no sign of a jailbreak for the 2012 Apple TV (1080p), that is still in progress and must be proving a little tricky as its taking quite a while to get out. Strangely enough, the lack of an Apple TV (1080p) jailbreak is pushing the resale value of the Apple TV (720p) up to nearly double its original price in some cases. eBay has been awash with them recently and they appear to be selling for much more than their original price.

If you have a 2010 Apple TV (720p) and need help jailbreaking it, be sure to check out our full how-to guide.

Source: @firecore

iOS 6 is rumored to be code named Sundance, continuing Apple's tradition of naming iOS releases after ski resorts. This according to MG Siegler at TechCrunch. Siegler also triple confirms the newly updated Maps app is coming in iOS 6, though he thinks the hype surrounding how good it is might be hyperbole.

Specifically, while the 3D functionality is cool, it's also not something people are going to use regularly. Think of it like Google Street View — cool, but how often do you actually use it when compared to the regular Google Maps product? (Having said that, I still expect Apple's 3D maps to be cooler than Google Street View.)

He's also heard whispers that Siri might be getting API access, meaning App Store apps could interface with it at some level. As to Siri on the iPad, just like iMore conjectured back in March, he's led to believe Apple is still working out the user interface.

After all, Apple is using the technology for the Dictation functionality found on the new iPad. They've just been working on what Siri for iPad will look like, I've been led to believe.

Lastly, he speculates iTunes 11, which he says Apple has been trying unsuccessfully to rewrite for a while now, may be getting close to a revamp and may bring some type of Spotify-like functionality. (Yes please.)

Siegler generally has good sources at Apple and has reported correct information in the past. None of the above sounds really farfetched either, and some of it matches what iMore and other sites have also been hearing.

And to think, WWDC 2012 is just exactly a month away...

Source: TechCrunch

Planning events and get-togethers is never a fun task because it's difficult to find a date and time that works for everyone. Invy removes this stress by doing the hard work for you. All you have to do is create the event with several possible dates and invite your friends. Once everyone responds, choose the date that works for most people.

When you first launch Invy, you are prompted to choose which email you want to be associated with Invy. You can add more emails as well. So if you plan to receive invites from both your personal and work emails, you can add both accounts to Invy so that all your invites are in one place.

The design of Invy is very clean and modern. On the main screen, you'll see all your invites and events. When creating an event, you are prompted to enter a title, location, and select recipients. Then you choose as many possible dates as you want. Obviously, the more dates and times you choose, the better chance you have one of them working for everyone.

When you send the invite, all the invitees will receive an email, and if they use the Invy app, they'll also receive a push notification informing them of the invite. For those who don't use the app, they can just click the link in the email to view the invite on the web. The web is formatted to look exactly like the app. Invitees must then check the boxes for the dates they're available.

If you select a date that conflicts with an event in the built-in Calendar app, Invy will warn you of the conflict. This is super cool, except for the part where Envy considers all-day events, including birthdays and holidays, as a schedule conflict.

Invy also includes a chat room for each event, so that invitees can discuss details (or whatever they want). This can be done both from the iPhone app and the web.

Once everyone has RSVP'd (or it's time to make a decision), you can view the invite to see who has RSVP'd to what dates and tap "choose this date". Once you do so, all the invitees will receive a notification (either by iPhone or by email) informing them that a date has been picked. Invy will also add the event to Calendar for you.

The good

• Pretty and modern UI
• Quick and easy to use
• Invy checks Calendar for schedule conflicts
• When you select the final date for an event, Invy adds it to Calendar
• Chat with invitees

The bad

• Invy considers all day events, including birthdays and holidays, as dates that you already have plans

The conclusion

If I ever have to plan any sort of meetup, even just coffee with a few friends, I'm turning straight to Invy. It's super easy to use and makes it much easier to figure out when everyone is available than speaking to each person individually. In fact, I'm now hoping that I'm given the task of choosing a date for some get-together just so that I have an excuse to use Invy. Is that weird?

$1.99 - Download Now

To celebrate the expansion of Mobile Nations' Canadian stores, right now you can save 15% on all iPhone and iPad accessories at the iMore Store USA and Blue Shop Canada through this weekend. Just use the coupon code GrandOpening during checkout and you'll instantly save 15% on your order. Whether it's cases, chargers, stylus or screen protectors, the iMore Store USA and Blue Shop Canada is your one-stop-shop for all your iPhone and iPad needs!

• Shop iMore Store USA
• Shop Blue Shop Canada