Been using Spotlight search on your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad but curious how to customize your results? Part of what makes iOS Spotlight great is the fact that you can tailor the results to show up just the way you want them to. Read on for a quick and easy way to customize Spotlight to fit your own search needs.

I have a tendency to move apps around in folders and on my home screen quite often, so I’d rather just use Spotlight to find them than have to dig through folders and pages. Not only can you teach Spotlight what results are more important to you, you can also choose for certain items not to come up in search. I don’t like songs from my iPod to show up, so I’ve disabled that setting. Almost 100% of the time I use Spotlight, I’m looking for an app or an e-mail. I’ve set Spotlight to bring those results up before anything else.

Whatever your preferences are, telling Spotlight what content you want it to find only takes a few taps. I’m going to use the iPhone to demonstrate but the process to customize Spotlight on the iPad is exactly the same.

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap General.
3. Tap Spotlight Search.

4. You’ll see an editable list like below. Simply drag the type of results you want in order of how you want them. Anything you don’t want to show up, simply uncheck it.

That’s all there is to it. Spotlight will now filter your results based on the criteria you’ve specified. If you’ve never tried this before, give it a shot and let us know if it makes Spotlight more useful for you.

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

Daily tip: How to customize Spotlight search results on an iPhone or iPad is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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Former Apple board member Eric Schmidt has stepped down and Google co-founder Larry page will be replacing him as Google CEO. The announcement came during Google’s earnings call today.

• Starting from April 4, Larry Page, Google Co-Founder, will take charge of Google’s day-to-day operations as Chief Executive Officer.
• Sergey Brin, Google Co-Founder, will devote his energy to strategic projects, in particular working on new products.
• Eric Schmidt will assume the role of Executive Chairman, focusing externally on deals, partnerships, customers and broader business relationships, government outreach and technology thought leadership–all of which are increasingly important given Google’s global reach. Internally, he will continue to act as an advisor to Larry and Sergey.

Under Schmidt Google achieved amazing technological and financial results but at the same time became heavily competitive in Apple’s key businesses and became embroiled in several controversies that cast significant doubt on their once widely hailed “don’t be evil” motto, including backing down on net neutrality with Verizon, allowing carriers to mutilate the open Android experience, and privacy concerns involving Buzz and Wi-Fi data collection, among others. Could Larry Page bring back a kinder, more customer and product-centric Google? Or is it exactly as @EricSchmidt tweeted following the announcement?

Day-to-day adult supervision no longer needed!

Love or hate Google they’re responsible for tons of good stuff on iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad including the data feed for Maps and YouTube, and services and apps like Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Mobile, Latitude, Google Earth, and Google Voice. How, if at all, will this change in leadership effect their relationship with Apple and Apple users?

[AndroidCentral]

Eric Schmidt steps down, co-founder Larry Page takes over as Google CEO is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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On sale: Otterbox Defender for iPhone 4 [43% off!]

Otterbox Defender for iPhone 4 is the full plate armor of iPhone protection. It’s rugged and then some, even in the face of drops, bumps, impact, dust and weather.

And right now it’s on sale for 43% off! (Buy more than $50 and get free shipping as well!)

Shop Otterbox Defender at the TiPb iPhone 4 Accessory Store…

On sale: Otterbox Defender for extreme iPhone 4 case protection [43% off!] is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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YouTube user antoninygaard seems to have been able to go into iOS 4.3 beta and manually enable the multitasking gestures meant for iPad developer testing (as well as the mute/orientation lock toggle!) We heard Apple was testing them internally but he’s got both running on his iPhone 3GS.

We already know Apple won’t be giving them to end users for iPad much less iPhone any time soon but check out the video below and let us know what you think. Are the multitasking gestures usable on a screen that small?

[Engadget]

iOS 4.3 multitasking gestures hacked onto iPhone 3GS [video] is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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Could Ra1nb0wra1n be the iOS 4.3 jailbreak? We are going to be following the story as it develops.

UPDATE: Appears to be fake and redirecting to a Chinese site. So what will the iOS 4.3 jailbreak be? Jadera1n? Chocolatera1n?

UPDATE: Could Ra1nb0wra1n be the iOS 4.3 Jailbreak? is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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The Verizon iPhone will ship with Wi-Fi personal hotspot and iOS 4.3 looks like it will bring it to everyone — but will you use it? And more important how much are you willing to pay for the privilege?

Verizon provides it free on some devices but charges for it on others and they haven’t released any official pricing for iPhone 4 yet. AT&T charges for tethering and makes you switch to one of their new, limited data plans so if you’re grandfathered into unlimited it could be a deal breaker. On the other hand it will let you ditch your Mi-Fi if you’ve been using one of those as well as an iPhone.

How important in Wi-Fi personal hotspot to you and how much would you pay for it? Vote in the poll up top and let us know the details in the comments below!

Poll: Will you use iOS 4.3 Wi-Fi personal hotspot? How much would you pay? is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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Florian wrote in to tell us about something he found in iOS 4.3 beta 2 that makes him think Apple might just announce the hotly rumored iPad 2 on February 9:

When looking at the preview for a chosen background in the settings app in iOS 4.3 beta 2 you can see that the calendar-icon shows a 9. Looking at the screenshots of the iPad homescreen in the Apple Store, the icon shows a 27. Since Apple presented the first generation of the iPad on Jan. 27th 2010, I think this is a clear evidence for the iPad 2 to be unveiled on Feb. 09th 2011.

Direction or misdirection? What do you think does February 9 sound like a good day for Apple and iPad 2 to take the stage?

UPDATE: Looks like Feb. 9 has been used for the overlay previous to iOS 4.3 beta 2. Rumor smashed. [BGR]

[Shimanke]

UPDATED: Will Apple unveil iPad 2 on February 9? iOS 4.3 Calendar icon hints yes! is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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It’s getting downright silly, but Digitimes is now claiming iPad 2 will indeed have a 2048×1536 based on ” upstream component makers”. This follows:

• Daring Fireball saying oh-no-it-wouldn’t
• MacRumors finding evidence it just might
• Kevin Rose saying iPad 2 would be higher-res but not Retina Display
• Engadget confirming the same
• (which TiPb found problematic for compatibility reasons)
• and 9to5Mac pointing to iPad 2 staying at the current 1024×768.

Confusing much?

Apple almost certainly has a 2048×1536 Retina Display iPad in the lab, perhaps they’re even testing it for production runs. If they can deliver it along with 1 or 2 cameras, an Apple A5 chipset, and much more RAM and keep the same $499 entry level price point, perhaps we’ll see it this year. If they can’t then maybe we’ll get the “backup” iPad 2 with the same 1024×768 display and Retina will be scheduled for iPad 3 in 2012. (They may even be testing a 1.25x and/or 1.5x “hi-res” display as well to see how current apps perform at shrunken or stretched sizes, who know?)

Either way we’ll probably keep hearing conflicting rumors until Apple calls an event and announces iPad 2.

[DigiTimes]

iPad 2 rumor wars: 2048×1536 strikes back is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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The latest iOS 4.3 beta 2 released to developers yesterday, reveals a Camera app, PhotoBooth app and a FaceTime app will all be included in iPad 2.

The evidence comes from an image found in the latest beta. The image (homeScreenOverlayFaceTime~iPad.png) is used to preview home screen wallpaper changes, and clearly shows icons for the Camera, PhotoBooth and FaceTime apps. The current image found in iOS 4.2 does not have these icons.

The PhotoBooth app is an interesting addition, PhotoBooth is a Mac OSX app that lets you take photographs and video. You can then apply filters to create fun images and videos with different effects and backdrops and email them straight from the app. FaceTime will allow iPad 2 users to video chat with iPhone 4 users, latest gen iPod touch users and Macs.

So that pretty much confirms the camera story, not that we needed any further confirmation; what is still left up in the air, is how many cameras the next iPad will have. One or two, what do you think? Let us know in the comments!

[MacRumors]

iOS 4.3 beta 2 reveals iPad 2 Camera, PhotoBooth and FaceTime apps is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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Considering switching to a Verizon iPhone and wondering how to avoid an AT&T ETF?

Early termination fees are a necessary evil for most carriers. They allow the carrier to recoup some of the cost of a subsidized device if someone cancels early. It also makes the cost of switching to another carrier pretty painful. But there are a few ways to either get around an ETF or offset some of the cost to make the switch a little easier to swallow. Click through for a few suggestions.

Carriers are pretty hard up when it comes to waiving early termination fees. Especially when they know most customers are probably switching for a specific device. In this case, the Verizon iPhone 4. Back in June AT&T changed their ETF policies for smartphone users. The termination fee is not $175 any longer. It’s now $325 and will drop by $10 for every month you carry service with them.

Avoiding an ETF

• Watch for contract term changes. If rates go up, that typically will give you an out. Keep in mind the rate has to directly affect you. If text messaging rates go up a cent or two but you have unlimited texting, the change doesn’t adversely affect you. You’d have a hard time arguing your way out.

• If you’ve recently moved and your service is noticeably worse than what it was before, this can be a way out as well. You’ll need to be able to prove the service is pretty bad. Calling and reporting dropped calls can have a huge impact on their final decision. And when you talk to a rep, always get their name and make sure they notate on your account that you were calling about poor service coverage. This also works for people whose service has went downhill. I live in a huge Centennial acquisition area and we’ve had sketchy service for about the past year. I’ve seen a few people talk their way out of an ETF because of the degradation in coverage.

• Keep your cool. This is probably the most important point of all. You want the person on the other end to sympathize with you. If you have a bad attitude, odds are they probably aren’t going to be too willing to help you out. Explain your situation thoroughly and with a level head. Reps are much more responsive to courteous customers than they are to those who just want to yell at them. Remember, the rep on the other line is a person too.

Offsetting the cost of an ETF

• A lot of you may already have an iPhone 4 on AT&T. They sell like hotcakes on sites like Craigslist and eBay. They’re worth even more if they’re jailbroken and unlocked (or at least on a firmware that can be unlocked). In my area (Chicago), a 16 GB iPhone 4 is currently going for anywhere between $400-550 on Craiglist. A 32 GB that is unlocked is fetching around $650. These prices may vary given your area, but I’m almost willing to bet a mint condition iPhone 4 will fetch you at least the amount of your ETF. I always recommend meeting face to face for cash if you can. I’ve upgraded to the newest generation iPhone every year this way. I unlock them and fetch almost what I paid. I haven’t paid for an iPhone since I purchased my first gen.

• If you don’t want to go through the hassle of listing your phone on websites, sites like Gazelle will take them off your hands for a reasonable amount. For a mint condition iPhone 4 with all the original accessories, the 16 and 32 GB models are being bought at $360 and $420 respectively. Enough to cover your ETF with AT&T.

• If you’d like to get rid of your entire AT&T plan, you can always use sites like CellSwapper. You basically unload your entire contract. The way it works is you list your plan and device and when someone wants it, they’ll notify you. You’ll go through a change of responsibility with the carrier. Keep in mind the person on the receiving end will need to pass a credit check just like you did.

• Find a family member or friend who wants an iPhone 4 and doesn’t mind being on AT&T. Maybe they have better service in their area than you do. This is probably the easiest way. You’ll need to call AT&T and tell them you want to do a change of responsibility. They’ll need to verify information for both parties, so you’ll both need to be on the phone call. They simply agree to take responsibility for the rest of your contract. Once they pass a credit check and pay their deposit (if there is one), you’re free from the AT&T ball and chain.

These are some of the ways that I have found to be most effective for customers. You can also find more advice and experiences with escaping ETFs on sites like the Consumerist as well. If any of you have any luck getting out of your AT&T contract, let us know how you did it!

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

Daily Tip: How to switch to a Verizon iPhone without an ETF from AT&T is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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