Our special edition Sunday night podcast returns tonight with special guest, MG Siegler of parislemon and TechCrunch fame. We'll be talking about the fallout surrounding iOS 6 Maps, Apple's handling of it, Google's next steps, their relationship with each other, and with the media.

Join us LIVE at 6pm PT, 9pm ET, 2am BST. Set an alarm. Bookmark this page. Be here.

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 an iPhone 5 case, an RPG game, a movie, and a popular photography app.

Gear4 Tread GT for iPhone 5 - Chris Oldroyd

I am really not one for cases on my iPhone, I usually just run them naked. This time however I have decided to put a case on my iPhone 5 purely down to all the scare mongering going around about chipped paint and dents in the back and the antenna band. The case I ended up selecting and to be fair there wasn't a great deal of choice, has really won me over and I actually like it.

The Gear4 Tread GT looks like it has been made from a car tire but is it is actually much more brittle than that and is not that rubbery either. Not being rubbery is really a good thing as you can slide it in and out of your pocket easily without it sticking. The case is well made and really looks very smart, all the cut outs are in the right place and it is a very good fit without adding lots of bulk to the slight iPhone 5. I can thoroughly recommend this case if you are looking for some minimal protection for your iPhone 5.

• $19.99 - Buy Now

God of Blades - Simon Sage

God of Blades is a slight variation on the endless runner scheme. Instead of dodging obstacles, you charge into foes head-on, spinning, parrying, and slashing your way to the next. Though the gameplay is pretty straightforward (if reflex-driven) the story and setting are bound to rope you in. You play the role of the Nameless King, who has been risen from the dead to fight a timeless and barbaric foe. The King's people fight on in the background, but without help, they're doomed to galactic extinction. The story is epic in scope, mixing traditional fantasy elements with a surreal, awe-inspiring landscape. As you play, the Nameless King discovers new weapons to continue the good fight for his people. These blades all have their own legends and story which weave together and form an impressive historical tapestry. Give this one a shot if you're looking for a new kind of story in your usual hack-and-slashery.

• $2.99 - Download Now

The Avengers - Rene Ritchie

The Avengers are some of the most iconic, classical characters in comic books and Joss Whedon is one of the most iconic, modern writer-directors in Hollywood. Put them together and what do you get? Nearly two and a half hours of pure magic. Iron Man. Thor. Captain America. The Hulk. Black Widow. Hawkeye. Nick Fury. Whedon knows the characters well. As is his wont, he gets us to care about them, laugh with them, and then he tears them part in front of us.

The plot is clichéd, but this is a character piece, not a drama. It's about making Tony Stark understand sacrifice, Thor understand loss, Steve Rogers understand compromise, and Bruce Banner understand himself. The dialog is typical Whedon, smart and sassy, and the directing shows his confidence beyond the the confines of the small screen.

Juggling so many marquis characters is no easy task, and while the bigger guns get the bigger screen time, no one is entirely left out.

It's movie I've wanted to see since I was child, awed by the work of Lee and Kirby, Starlin and Perez, and more recently Miller and Hitch.

It's the Avengers, earth's mightiest heroes, writ upon the big screen. And I could watch it a hundred times over.

On iTunes, for Phone and iPad.

• $19.99 - Download now

Or if you prefer, on 4 disc 3D/Blu-ray/DVD combo:

• $35.98 - Buy now

Instagram - Ally Kazmucha

I go through phases with Instagram and for some reason, forget it exists at times. Then I'll go through a picture taking phase and start using it again. Since it's been updated for the iPhone 5, I've been at it again and uploading more and more pictures.

The extra space on the iPhone 5 doesn't seem like much but when scrolling through tons of pictures it's appreciated. The fact that you can see a whole image and some comments without scrolling is a welcome addition. It'll be interesting to see how apps like Instagram will tailor their apps in the future to take advantage of the iPhone 5's additional screen real estate.

For now, the extra space is a welcome addition.

• Free - Download Now

Your choice?

Now that we've chosen our favorites for the week, we want to hear yours! Did you pick up a killer app, accessory, or game this week? Let us know in the comments below!

Back in the day, the NES and the Super NES were THE consoles with THE the best role-playing game (RPG) titles, and Squaresoft (now Square Enix) was THE best of the best. Square's most renowned franchise, the Final Fantasy series, debuted on the NES in 1987 in Japan. That original Final Fantasy game was later released iOS in 2010. Or so they would have us believe. How does the iOS version of Final Fantasy stack up against the NES version of yesteryear? Was it moved over pixel for pixel, bit for bit? Was it improved to take advantage of modern hardware? Was it ruined by a process with no respect for the original? For the honor and virtue of retro gaming fans and RPG players everywhere, we decided to have a look.

Final Fantasy for iOS vs Final Fantasy for NES: Graphics and sound

To be honest, I was expecting a simple port to iOS, but I was happily proven wrong the moment the title screen lit up. I could see and hear the differences immediately. They are both Final Fantasy, yet the experience is better realized on the iOS, which has much improved audio and graphics. Now the venerable NES didn't have the processing power of today's iOS devices, however, Final Fantasy on iOS doesn't exactly use the full potential of the iPhone or iPod touch either. What it does use, however, it uses well. For example, I nearly confused Final Fantasy 1 on iOS for Final Fantasy 3 on the Super NES due to the mode 7-like overworld feature they added. Final Fantasy 3 was one of the most beautiful games to grace the Super NES, so I'm actually grateful for these types of the improvements here.

Final Fantasy for iOS vs Final Fantasy for NES: Gameplay mechanics

The graphics and sound weren't the only things improved. The actually story line has been fleshed out with more (and more interesting) dialogue and explanations. The menu screens are improved with better access to each character, a vast improvement on the tedious process of pressing the action and back button to access various characters in game. Purchasing items is made easier as you can now see who in your party can use an item or spell, and who will have an improved status with easy to visualized green up and red down arrows.

The fight scenes now have the useful option of "defending" as opposed to only fighting. When in a town or dungeon, you can now hold the d-pad and press the action button and your character will move more quickly -- an option not available in the original.

The best part, however, the part that truly gives the iOS version a huge edge over the NES version, is the improvements to the save game system. Previously, you could only save at an Inn, and when powering off the NES, you had to hold the reset button before pressing the power button off. Now, staying at an inn only restores your HP and MP. You can save anywhere at any time with 3 save slots. On top of that, there is a resume game option. So, when coming back to play the game, you can continue playing from the last time you closed the app.

Final Fantasy for iOS vs Final Fantasy for NES: Controls

One minor gripe I have with the new version on iOS is, of course, the lack of a physical control. I find myself not properly pressing on the virtual, on-screen d-pad at times and frustration can set in if I do this often enough. The NES gamepad never had that problem. You could feel you were properly pressing its buttons.

Final Fantasy for iOS vs Final Fantasy for NES: The bottom line

All in all, the improvements made are completely worth any retro gamer replaying this legend of an RPG on iOS device. And if you've never played Final Fantasy, go get it now. You're in for a treat.

Note: Square Enix hasn't seen fit to release an iPad version, or iPad optimized interface for the original Final Fantasy game on iOS. I play the iPhone/iPod touch version on my iPad in 2x mode, however, and it looks gorgeous.

$8.99 - Download now

Apple has replaced the iOS 6 Maps marketing copy on Apple.com with something less filled with bravado, and more focused on a technical improvement. As noted by iDaily.de, gone is the original (emphasis mine.):

Designed by Apple from the ground up, Maps gives you turn-by-turn spoken directions, interactive 3D views, and the stunning Flyover feature.1 All of which may just make this app the most beautiful, powerful mapping service ever.

And in its place, the copy now reads (emphasis mine.):

Designed by Apple from the ground up, Maps gives you turn-by-turn spoken directions, interactive 3D views, and the stunning Flyover feature.1 All in a beautiful vector-based interface that scales and zooms with ease.

This comes after Apple's CEO, Tim Cook, wrote an open letter on apple.com to apologize for the current status of iOS 6 Maps, and the creation of a new iOS 6 Maps alternatives section in the App Store.

Following our iOS 6 review, we took iOS 6 Maps out for a 6 hour drive and pitted it against the old Google-powered iOS 5 Maps app as well as maps.google.com to compare how they perform in the real world.

Apple is expected to invest heavily in rapidly improving iOS 6 Maps. Google is expected to release a stand-alone Google Maps app in the App Store.

Source: iDaily.de via 9to5Mac

Between our news coverage leading up to the iPhone 5, our definitive review of the iPhone 5 following its release, and iOS 6, there's only one thing left to do -- open it up and show you what the iPhone 5 looks like on the inside!

That's right, iMore has teamed up with The Pod Drop to show you how to take apart a brand new iPhone 5, and even replace a cracked or broken screen if you're somehow not covered by AppleCare or warranty, now or in the future.

Sacrificing an iPhone 5 for science

Fortunately, none of us were clumsy enough to break our iPhones by accident (yet!). Unfortunately, that means in order to show you how the DIY repair is done, we had to break one on purpose. We captured the moment. (Purely for science, of course.)

Disclaimer: As with any repair, neither iMore nor The Pod Drop can be held responsible for any damage you may do to your device. It's also worth considering that opening up your device to perform any repair or modification can and will void your Apple warranty. If you don't feel comfortable opening your device, don't. Use extreme care and caution when performing a repair on any device.

What you need to DIY replace a cracked screen on an iPhone 5

• iPhone 5 with a cracked display (Any model)
• iPhone 5 LCD & digitizer replacement - Coming soon!
• Suction cup - Buy now
• 5-point pentalobular (security) screwdriver - Buy now
• Standard #00 Phillips screwdriver - Buy now
• Spudger tool - Buy now
• Razor blade - Buy now (You can also use any straight edge razor blade you pick up at your local hardware store.)

Video walkthrough

Our video will walk you through disassembly to reassembly. Even though it's possible to perform this repair using only the video, we highly suggest reading the written walkthrough and viewing the high quality images below. Both guides are meant to compliment each other so we suggest reading and watching both before actually performing the repair.

Power off your iPhone 5

Before performing any repair, you should always turn your iPhone completely off by holding down the Power Button and using the Slide to power off feature. Once the iPhone has completely turned off, you can move on to the next step.

Remove the two security screws in the dock connector

There are two security screws on either side of the Lightning connector port. Use your security screwdriver to remove them.

Remove the damaged display

There are two methods for removing the display. If you've cracked the bottom pretty badly you may find it hard to get a seal with a suction cup. We'll walk you through both ways of removing the display.

Suction cup method

This is the method we recommend and the one you should use if you can get a seal. If not, use the straight edge razor method below.

1. Position your suction cup firmly above the Home button.
2. Gently pull upwards while holding the phone down with your other hand.
3. The display is in there pretty good so you'll have to apply quite a bit of strength to pull it out. Just make sure you keep your hand over the top of the iPhone as you don't want to completely pull the display off. There are still cables attached underneath.
4. Once the display has dislodged from the device, swing it upwards to expose the cables connecting it underneath.

5. Move on to the next section.

Straight edge razor blade method

If the bottom of your iPhone 5 screen has shattered badly, it'll be next to impossible to get a good enough seal to pry it up. You'll need a straight edged razor blade for this method. Be careful and work slowly not only so you don't damage the iPhone but more importantly, so you don't cut or hurt yourself.

1. Start at either side of the Home button and carefully work the razor blade between the frame and the glass.
2. Slowly pry upwards until you get an edge freed enough that you can slip a pry tool or spudger in between.
3. Now set the razor blade aside and continue to work around the bottom and bottom edges until you free the display from the frame.
4. Do not pull it straight upwards but instead, swing it upwards as there are still cables attached at the top we need to remove.

Remove the iPhone 5 display panel

1. There's a silver shield covering the LCD and digitizer cables. Remove the three screws holding the shield in place with your #00 Phillips screwdriver.

2. Gently lift the shield out of the iPhone 5.

3. Now you have a clear view of the cables holding the display assembly to the logic board. Use your spudger or pry tool to carefully pry all three cables from the logic board.

You can now lift the front digitizer and LCD assembly off the device.

Ready the new iPhone 5 display

Odds are your new replacement display will come stripped down to nothing but the display assembly. We'll need to remove some pieces off the old cracked display to place on the new display before laying the new assembly in place.

Remove the display shield, earpiece shield, and earpiece assembly

1. There are a total of eight screws holding the display and earpiece shield in place. They are outlined in the picture below. Remove all eight screws using your #00 Phillips screwdriver.

2. Now use your pry tool or spudger to carefully lift up the display shield off the back of the display. The best way is to slip your pry tool beneath the shield at the bottom on either side of the Home button. The shield will easily lift off.

3. Now remove the earpiece shield at the top by lifting it off and setting it aside.

4. The actual earpiece assembly sits directly below the shield and will easily lift off as well. Set it aside.

Remove the front-facing camera and sensor cable

1. The front-facing camera and sensor cable sits to the left of where the earpiece assembly was and lines the top of the device. We need to remove it.
2. Carefully lift it up but notice the kink in the cable underneath the front-facing camera. The noise canceling mic is pushed into the display assembly. Pop it out carefully.
3. The rest of the cable is only held in with a tiny bit of adhesive. Carefully peel it back to finish removing the cable from the display assembly.

Remove the Home button assembly

1. Remove the two screws on either side of the Home button assembly using your #00 Phillips screwdriver.

2. Start lifting the Home button shield starting on the left side but don't pull completely up yet.

3. On the right hand side you'll see a contact that's stuck to the display assembly that runs on the Home button shield. Use your finger or pry tool to carefully break the adhesive.

4. Set the Home button shield aside.
5. Now we've just got to remove the actual Home button. Simply push the Home button up from the front of the assembly and use your pry tool or a metal spatula to loosen the gasket on the back side. The Home button should come free pretty easily.

Transfer the removed components to the new iPhone 5 display assembly

Now that we've removed everything from the old assembly, we can transfer it to the new, unbroken assembly. In order to do this, just follow the above directions in reverse order or refer to our video where we'll walk you through readying the new assembly.

Once you've finished readying the new assembly, continue on.

Replace the iPhone 5 display assembly

1. Start by securing the three cables back to the logic board.

2. Replace the logic board shield cover over the cables and secure it with the three screws we originally removed using your #00 Phillips screwdriver.

3. There are plastic clips that run along the top of the display assembly like you can see below. These need to sit underneath the inside of the frame.

4. Starting from the top make sure you slide the clips in place and carefully work your way around the edges of the display applying even pressure to snap the display into place.

Replace the dock connector screws

Use your security screwdriver to replace the two screws on either side of the Lightning connector port.

And ...done!

Now that you've finished reassembling your iPhone 5 you can go ahead and turn it back on by pressing and holding down the power button until you see the Apple logo.

If all went well, your iPhone should boot up just fine. Make sure to test the new replacement for dead spots and check the display quality to make sure there are no dead pixels or discoloration. Since you did have to transfer components that control brightness, sound, and the proximity sensor - it's always a good idea to test those functions too so you know you transferred all the components over correctly.

Thanks again to The Pod Drop for all their help. If you don't feel comfortable repairing your own iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, check them out. There are many reputable repair shops that can do it for you, and many times, even offer you a warranty on the repair for far cheaper than what a replacement iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch would cost.

Want to know how to perform another type of iPhone repair or modification? Send me suggestions to ally@imore.com.

Additional resources:

• AT&T/GSM iPhone 4: Ultimate DIY repair guide
• Verizon & Sprint iPhone 4: Ultimate DIY repair guide
• iPhone 3G & iPhone 3GS: Ultimate DIY repair guide
• Even more DIY repairs and guides