It looks like those dreamy new multitasking navigation gestures in iOS 4.3 — pinch to return home, swipe sideways between apps, swipe up for the fast app switcher dock — may not be making it into the release version, as the iOS 4.3 beta 2 notes say:

This feature will not be enabled in iOS 4.3 for customers, but we are providing this preview to gather input on how these gestures work with your apps.

Developers are encouraged to evaluate any existing interactions in their applications for potential sources of interference. In order to properly interoperate with multitasking gestures, applications must properly handle the following methods and notifications:

Of course anything can and will change between now and iOS 4.3’s final release, but without these gestures the iPad version looks suddenly anemic compared to iPhone’s personal hotspot update. And it begs the question — if not now, when? Saving it for Scott Forstall to show off at the iOS 5 preview event in a couple months?

If you want to see what you may just be missing out on now, check out the video on our complete iOS 4.3 beta walkthrough… then sound off in the comments!

iOS 4.3 multitasking gestures for iPad won’t be enabled for customers is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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Apple has just released iOS 4.3 beta 2 for iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, and Apple TV to developers. This comes just one week after iOS 4.3 beta 1 was seeded, well ahead of Apple’s usual every-two-weeks beta schedule.

Registered developers can grab it via the link below and if anyone notices any new features or other changes, drop us a line or let us know in comments!

[developers.apple.com]

Apple seeds iOS 4.3 beta 2 for iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, Apple TV to developers is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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iPhone Live! podcast is to night people and we want you to show up and chat with us! We’ve got Rene, Georgia, and special guests Craig from the CrackBerry.com podcast and Mickey from the Cell Phone Junkie all coming your way at 6pm PT, 9pm ET, 2am GMT so you better be there!

http://live.tipb.com/live/

If you have any questions or stuff you want us to make sure we cover tweet them to @TiPb, email them to podcast@tipb.com, or leave them in the comments below!

Bring it!

iPhone Live! podcast tonight! Come chat! is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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As part of the countdown to the 10 billionth app download, Apple has posted the all time top iPhone and iPad app downloads. It is separated into four categories: Top Free iPhone Apps, Top Paid iPhones Apps, Top Free iPad Apps, and Top Paid iPad Apps. Here’s the top 10 from each list.

All-Time Top Paid iPhone Apps

1. Doodle Jump
2. Tap Tap Revenge 3
3. Pocket God
4. Angry Birds
5. Tap Tap Revenge 2.6
6. Bejeweled 2 + Blitz
7. Traffic Rush
8. Tap Tap Revenge Classic
9. AppBox Pro Alarm
10. Flight Control

All-Time Top Free iPhone Apps

1. Facebook
2. Pandora
3. Google Mobile App
4. Shazam
5. Movies by Flixster
6. The Weather Channel
7. Google Earth
8. Bump
9. Skype
10. Paper Toss

All-Time Top Paid iPad Apps

1. SoundHound
2. StickWars
3. FlightTrack
4. Backbreaker Football
5. Calorie Tracker
6. BlocksClassic
7. iFart Mobile
8. GoodReader for iPad
9. Cro-Mag Rally
10. Ambiance

All-Time Top Free iPad Apps

1. Pandora
2. Google Mobile App
3. Movies by Flixster
4. Google Earth
5. Yelp
6. Fandango Movies
7. Remote
8. iBooks
9. Bible
10. Solitaire

Which of these apps are your favorite? Are there any that you haven’t yet downloaded that you plan to pick up? Anything on the list (or not on the list) that really surprises you?

[App Store via TechCrunch]

Apple reveals all time top iPhone and iPad app downloads is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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Starbucks has made their Card Mobile app available for iPhone and iPod touch users, allowing you to scan a barcode on your device and make mobile payments the same way it currently works for gift cards. The app works in conjunction with your already existing Starbucks cards. I tend to get a lot of Starbucks gift cards for birthdays and holidays, so it’s nice to be able to keep them all in one spot.

You can create a Starbucks account within the app and then add all your cards. You can also add any valid credit card as well to refill your Starbucks cards (or use the Paypal feature on iPhone).

When you go to a participating Starbucks location, they can simply scan the bar code on your phone and it will deduct from your Starbucks card. Over 6,800 Starbucks locations are currently participating as well as over 1,000 Target Starbucks locations. It’s an awesome way to say goodbye to some of the bulk in your wallet (or on your keychain). If you guys try it out, let us know how it works! I plan on trying it out for myself as well!

[Starbucks]

Starbucks Card Mobile now available for iPhone and iPod Touch is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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We mentioned the Verizon iPhone FAQ before but Verizon’s $200 rebate offer for recent smartphone customers is worth some extra attention:

Current Verizon customers who purchased and activated new smartphones, feature phones or certified pre-owned phones between 11/26/2010, and 01/10/2011, are eligible to receive up to a $200 Visa debit card when they purchase an iPhone 4 at full retail price by 02/28/2011 and return their existing phone. Note: This offer is only available on consumer accounts with five lines or less, who are purchasing iPhone 4 through Verizon Wireless retail stores, telesales, or through verizonwireless.com.

Before you get too excited, let’s take a closer look at the math. The full retail price for the Verizon iPhone 4 is $649.99 for the 16GB version and $749.99 for the 32GB model. So this offer brings the totals to $449.99 for the 16GB and 549.99 for the 32GB – that’s $250 more than the new contract prices. So before you jump-the-gun and take this deal because you must have the iPhone 4 on Verizon, consider selling your device on eBay if it is a new high-end smartphone – it may be better for your bottom line.

Anyone feeling buyer’s remorse and planning to take advantage of Verizon’s offer? Let us know in the comments or head on over to our Verizon iPhone Forum for extra advice!

Is Verizon’s $200 iPhone rebate for recent smartphone buyers worth it? is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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What is your favorite iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad gesture or shortcut? iOS 4.3 gives the iPad some new ones like ability to swipe between apps but there are already plenty to choose from. Pinch to zoom has always gotten a lot of attention, keyboard shortcuts are real time savers, two finger scrolling in form fields is sweet, and the rotor in VoiceOver mode is very cool, but I think that the one I most appreciate is the single finger tap on the status bar to jump back to the the top of any page (I wish my Mac had that!)

How about you? What’s your favorite gesture or shortcut? And do you have a least favorite?

TiPb Asks: What is your favorite iPhone and iPad gesture or shortcut? is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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Microsoft has released OneNote, which is its first Microsoft Office application for iOS devices. OneNote is a note-taking application, which is very popular with Windows tablet users. With OneNote you can create and view notes and also sync them across multiple platforms and devices. Created notes can contain text, pictures, bullets and checkboxes. To use the application, you will need a Windows Live ID.

OneNote is compatible with the iPhone and iPod touch running iOS 4.2 or higher. It can also be used with the iPad however it is not a universal binary so will not be the greatest experience. The app is free for a limited time only and currently only available in the US App Store.

With many other fully featured note taking apps already available for iOS, do you see any advantage to using OneNote compared to something like Evernote? Either way could lead to Microsoft releasing iOS versions of Word, Excel and Powerpoint?

[iTunes Link]

Microsoft’s OneNote hits the App Store is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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A new and improved version of the Steve Jobs action figure, simply called the "Pineapple CEO", is now available. This time around M.I.C did their best to avoid any infringing features — like the Apple logo stand — while adding Ninja throwing stars.

If you want to get your hands on a Ninja Steve it will cost you $89.90 (that includes shipping) and you should probably make the purchase as soon as possible considering Apple’s lawyers will be all over this in no time.

More images after the break!

[M.I.C store]

Steve Jobs Ninja action figure now available is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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Either iPad 2 will have a standard 1024×768 display or a doubled 2048×1538 Retina Display, or developers and users will be in for the type of frustration usually ascribed to Android. That’s because, if Apple leaves iPad 2 at 1024×768, existing iPad apps will look just fine. If Apple pixel-doubles iPad 2 to a 2048×1536, existing apps will just use 4 new pixels for each 1 old pixel but remain the same physical size and still look just fine. Anything else and a bit of a mess ensues.

Let’s say Apple goes for 1280×960 (so it hits the horizontal dimension of 720p). Apple then has 2 choices when it comes to existing iPad apps:

1. Shrink them physically so they still occupy 1024×768 pixels on a higher density display.
2. Stretch them so that they occupy the full 1280×960 but at the same 9.7-inch physical size as before.

The shrink approach will maintain pixel-perfect rendering. Everything will be sharp and crisp. But because the physical size will be smaller the touch targets in the UI will be smaller — buttons, menu bars, everything — and that will cause problems for users. Capacitive touch screens favor big, easy to hit targets. Shrunken apps don’t work as well.

The stretch approach has the opposite problem. UI elements stay the same size so are as easy to hit as before, but because the change in pixels isn’t exactly double the art needs to be interpolated and so edges blur and you lose the crispness. For fast moving games or videos it won’t matter. For anything with line work, grids, borders, etc. it will matter a great deal. Stretched apps don’t look as good.

Neither option seems ideal and Apple seldom settles for less than ideal options. Historically they just wait until they can do it properly. So while I’d dearly love a Retina Display on iPad 2, my guess is if we don’t get it Apple will stick with 1024×768… for now.

The problem with not going 2x with an iPad 2 Retina Display is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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