AT&T faces a new class action lawsuit claiming that AT&T is overstating and over-billing iPhone and iPad data charges. The class compares AT&T’s billing system to a rigged gas pump that charges for a full gallon when, in fact, it only pumps nine-tenths of a gallon into your car’s tank.

In the new complaint, named plaintiff Patrick Hendricks claims that AT&T’s overbilling “was discovered by an independent consulting firm retained by plaintiff’s counsel, which conducted a two-month study of AT&T’s billion practices for data usage, and found that AT&T systematically overstate web server traffic by 7 percent to 14 percent, and in some instances by over 300 percent. So, for example, if an iPhone user downloads a 50 KB website, AT&T’s bill would typically overstated the traffic as 53.5 KB (a 7 percent overcharge) to as high as 150 KB (a 300 percent overcharge).”

Additionally, the consulting firm discovered that AT&T also bills for phantom data traffic. They set up a test account, disabled push notifications and location services, had no email accounts configured, closed all apps, and didn’t touch the iPhone for 10 days. During that time, At&T billed the account for 2,292 KB of data usage.

This is like the rigged gas pump charging you when you never even pulled your car into the station.

If the over-billing is true, then this could have a significant impact on AT&T’s bottom line. Granted, there are a lot of people this would never affect; however, those who barely exceed their allotted data cap must pay twice as much for data that month.

Have any of you used more data than what your plan includes and been billed extra? Do you suspect that AT&T overstated your usage and overcharged you?

[Courthouse News Service]

AT&T being sued for overstating iPhone and iPad data usage is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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Not keen on using one iTunes library to manage several family member’s iPhone, iPod touch and iPad content and curious how multiple iTunes libraries work? While it’s not exactly obvious it is fairly easy to use multiple iTunes libraries on the same Windows or Mac PC. We’ll show you how after the break!

[Inside iTunes]

When we posted one how to manage syncing multiple iPhones, iPod touches, and iPads with a single iTunes library, many of you commented that you preferred using multiple libraries. Fair enough!

Creating multiple iTunes libraries

If you don’t already have multiple libraries here’s how to create them:

1. Make sure iTunes isn’t running. Quit it if it is.
2. Hold down ALT (Windows) or OPTION (Mac) and click the iTunes icon.
3. A dialog box will pop up. Click the button that says Create Library…
4. Browse to where you want the library to be located and give it a distinctive name (we recommend having one folder for all your libraries and then naming libraries after your devices or members of your family so they’re easy to identify later).
5. iTunes will open with a new, empty library that can you can fill with music, movies, TV shows, podcasts, apps and other content just for the iPhone, iPod touch or iPad you want to sync it with.
6. Repeat these steps for each additional library you want to create.

Switching libraries

To switch from one iTunes library to another:

1. Quit iTunes if it’s running.
2. Hold down ALT (Windows) or OPTION (Mac) and click the iTunes icon.
3. A dialog box will pop up. Click the button that says Choose Library…
4. A file browser will launch. Navigate to your library and choose the one you want to open.
5. Your iTunes library will open. Plug in your iPhone, iPod touch or iPad and sync away!

More

Multiple libraries are good for more than just multiple devices and family members. For example you might want a separate library for seasonal content like Christmas music that you only sync for a few weeks out of the year. Maybe you’re going on a special trip and want apps and media that you won’t sync again once you get back home. Anything that you want to keep clean and separate is a good candidate for its own iTunes library.

If you have any questions or any iTunes ninja tips of your own to share please let us know in the comments. If you’re already using multiple libraries, let us know how it’s working 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 use multiple iTunes libraries on a single Windows or Mac PC is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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In an interview on the Engadget Show yesterday Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak speculated the white iPhone 4 will be coming very soon, stating his belief manufacturing problems had been resolved and Apple would begin shipments in the near future.

Woz specifically mentioned camera issues with some of the DIY conversion kits recently circulated using leaked parts from component suppliers — something he personally experimented with himself. He went on to explain that photos taken with modded parts looked like they were “taken through cellophane” due to light leaking through the painted glass, and that he thinks Apple decided against shipping because they couldn’t find a way to fix the problem.

We told you last week that Apple started using a new painting process to help with the issues plaguing the white iPhone, which lined up with reports that the white iPhone had shown up in Best Buy and Vodafone’s ordering system, so Steve’s statements don’t seem so far off.

Do you think we could finally be seeing the mystical white iPhone 4 soon, or is it still just a pipe dream? Sound off in the comments below!

UPDATE: We altered the language slightly — seems Woz is basing his comments on rumors just like the rest of us. No special Apple co-founder info involved.

[Engadget]

Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak speculates white iPhone 4 had camera issues, still coming soon is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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According to Android Central this is Motorola’s big Superbowl commercial for their new Android 3.0 Honeycomb-running Xoom tablet, and it’s targeting Apple’s iPad by once again trotting out the old canard of Apple fascism. I’m glad AC managed to sleuth that out because I’m not sure many mainstream football viewers are going to have any idea at all what this thing is about.

It sure would be fun to guess though. I’m going for Spaceballs sequel. Leave your funniest answer in the comments!

[Android Central]

Motorola Xoom Superbowl ad targets Apple iPad, shows no product is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Blog

While Apple’s iPhone still only accounts for about 4% of global phone market share they now rake in roughly 50% the profit share. Asymco has charts up for the top 8 mobile phone vendors broken down by market, sales and profit share and while Google’s free Android OS has just crushed Nokia’s Symbian in overall numbers I’d much rather have Apple’s bank account. You?

[Asymco, Android Central]

iPhone: Still not much market share, almost half of profit share is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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TiPb checks out the best, most must-have IM/Instant Messenger apps to load up on your iPhone

Interested in knowing which are the best, most must-have instant messenger (IM) apps for your iPhone? Eager to get you chat on via AIM/MobileMe, MSN/Windows Live, Yahoo!, GoogleTalk, Facebook, MySpace, and/or Jabber but need to know which client supports what and how well? Well read on for TiPb’s top 5 most recommended IM/instant messenger clients for iPhone!

Beejive IM

Beejive is probably one of the most popular IM clients for iOS, and for good reason. It supports almost any messenger client you can think of and is completely customizable. Beejive has been making IM clients for a very long time, and it shows. I remember purchasing Beejive for my Blackberry several years ago. Even then, it was an extremely reliable choice.

It comes packed with features such as support for multiple accounts, push notifications, picture sharing, custom backgrounds and chat bubbles, and much more. I have always found it to be extremely efficient and easy to use. Most hardcore users prefer Beejive due to the amount of clients it supports. It also has the longest session option I’ve ever seen, which is 7 days (eBuddy also offers 7 day support). This means less time outs and having to re-connect.

Beejive has support for the following IM clients –

• AIM/MobileMe
• Facebook IM
• Google Talk
• Jabber
• MSN/Windows Live
• Myspace IM
• Yahoo! Messenger

[$9.99 - iTunes Link]

eBuddy Pro

eBuddy is another IM client that has a pretty large user base. It boasts several great features such as themes, push notifications, picture sharing, and much more. eBuddy also offers a free version of the app that is ad supported and has fewer features. So you can always try before you buy.

When it comes to comparing eBuddy with other clients, it seems to offer about the same Beejive does. A lot of it is really going to come down to personal preference. I personally prefer the overall layout and setup of Beejive but if Beejive wasn’t around, I’d have no issues using eBuddy as my full time messaging client.

eBuddy has support for the following IM clients –

• AIM
• MSN/WIndows Live
• Google Talk
• ICQ
• Hyve
• Yahoo! Messenger
• Facebook Chat
• Myspace IM

[$4.99 - iTunes Link]

IM+

While eBuddy and Beejive have rather large user bases, so does IM+. These are probably the three most used clients for iPhone users. IM+ offers just as much as the previous two. And again, it’ll probably come down to personal preference. It boasts most of the same features of the previous two but also has some other features that make it unique such as viewing Twitter feeds and advanced chat histories. I like the fact that you can access chat history on your device or on the web. This can be extremely convenient for people who need to save chat histories for work reasons.

IM+ also offers a free “lite” version if you’d like to try before you buy. It supports the following IM clients -

• AIM
• MSN/Windows Live
• Google Talk
• Facebook Chat
• Myspace IM
• ICQ
• Twitter
• Jabber
• Skype

[$9.99 - iTunes Link]

Verbs

A lot of people may be asking why I’m including a client that doesn’t support half the features the big 3 support. The answer to that for me is simple; Verbs looks like a client Apple themselves wrote. The UI itself is simply gorgeous. As of now, Verbs doesn’t support the feature set the others boast, but I think it’s a client to keep our eye on.

If the developers of Verbs can add support for several more clients and integrate a lot of the same powerful features, they’ll do very well. Currently Verbs only supports local notifications, meaning if you close out the app from multitasking, you won’t receive notifications. This is what’s keeping me from using it on a daily basis. If they can issue updates to better the app in a timely manner, I think they’ll acquire a pretty good sized user base. It’s also a bit cheaper than some of the other options.

Verbs currently supports the following IM clients –

• AIM/MobileMe
• Google Talk

[$2.99 - iTunes Link]

Kik Messenger

Kik Messenger has an extremely easy to use interface and push is extremely quick. But there’s a catch. Kik is proprietary. The other user must be using Kik messenger also. They provide cross-platform support for iOS, Android, and Blackberry. The downside is that you won’t be able to link AIM and some other popular messaging clients. If your messaging needs are small and the few people you need to talk to have Kik (or you can get them to download it), this will work just fine. Apps like Whatsapp Messenger and Ping! also offer the same proprietary system as well. It’ll really come down to which you prefer to use the most (and probably which one your friends use).

[Free - iTunes Link]

Bonus: Official IM apps

If you only use one IM/chat service and for some reason really want the “official” iPhone app for that service, you’re in luck — there are several in the app store:

• AIM AOL Instant Messenger comes in 2 versions, free with adds and cheap without adds. [Free - iTunes link] and [$2.99 - iTunes link]
• Facebook has built-in chat as well as feed, messages, places, groups, events, photos, and more. [Free - iTunes link]
• Myspace gives you access to chat as well as updates, photos, comments, messages and more. [Free - iTunes link]
• Skype not only lets you use Skype chat but also make VoIP and even video calls. [Free - iTunes link]
• Twitter is technically less IM and more DM (Direct Message) but if you want to chat in 140 characters this is the app. [Free - iTunes link]
• Windows Live Messenger with support for Windows Live, Y!, and Facebook, as well as social feeds for Facebook, Flickr, and Myspace, and access to Hotmail. [Free - iTunes link]

Your top apps?

So there you have them, our top 5 best iPhone IM instant messenger apps to get you going. Be sure to check out our Picks of the Week and iPhone App and Games Forum for more recommendations, and if we missed any of your favorites leave them in the comments below!

Top 5 IM instant messenger apps for iPhone is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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Aquapac and Overboard water-proof cases for iPhone

Whether you’re taking a bath, blazing a trail, or heading to the beach the Aquapac or Overboard water-proof cases will keep your iPhone not only safe from rain, river, and reef but fun and functional too! If you’re planning a trip, a vacation, or even just a long soak in the tub pick up a water-proof case for your iPhone today!

Shop waterproof cases for iPhone…

Aquapac and Overboard water-proof cases for iPhone is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Blog

The TiPb forums are naturally a great place to talk, commiserate, celebrate, get help, and offer advice to your fellow iPhone users. In order to create a new thread of your own or reply to any of the existing threads, you must be a registered member. Becoming a member is easy and free so if you haven't already, head on over and register now!

• The Verizon iPhone 4 is almost here, if you are making the jump what device and company are you leaving?

• Most of you purchasing a Verizon iPhone 4 will want to pick up a case and screen protector, which will you be choosing?

• Post an image of your current lock-screen, everyone else is doing it so why not join in on the fun?

• For those of you who might be new to the iPhone and are on the hunt for some killer applications and/or games, be sure to visit our iPhone Apps and Games forum.

See you in the forums!

Jumping ship to Verizon iPhone 4, Cases and screen protectors, Lock-screens, Apps and games – From the Forums is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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Netgear CEO Patrick Lo has spoken out over Apple's closed ecosystem and the ego of Steve Jobs. Speaking at a lunch in Sydney Australia, Lo questioned the future of Apple's closed system, in the face of mounting competition from Google's "Open" Android operating system.

Once Steve Jobs goes away, which is probably not far away, then Apple will have to make a strategic decision on whether to open up the platform. Ultimately a closed system just can’t go that far … If they continue to close it and let Android continue to creep up then it’s pretty difficult as I see it.

Lo also went on to criticize Steve Jobs over his thoughts on Flash.

What’s the reason for him to trash Flash? There’s no reason other than ego.

Lo was asked if he had spoken to Steve Jobs over his concerns but replied “Steve Jobs doesn’t give me a minute!”

Lo did not stop with Apple, he also claimed that Microsoft had fallen too far behind with the Windows Phone 7 platform and that it was now game over.

Strong views, but are they fair? Do Apple need to open up the platform to continue the growth needed to see off Android? Do Apple care about the iPhone being the number one selling smartphone? Let us know what you think in the comments!

[Sydney Morning Herald]

Netgear CEO criticizes Apple and Steve Jobs is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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Jailbreak developer chpwn is at it again and plans on releasing his new tweak VoiceActivator hopefully this week. VoiceActivator will allow you to take full control of your iPhone or iPod touch’s voice control feature. It will allow users to launch apps, open URLs, use Activator actions all within the standard voice control feature.

As of now all we can tell you is he plans on releasing it sometime this coming week through Cydia and we are yet to hear anything as far as pricing goes but it should be well worth the money if you are jailbroken and have a lot of apps and many things you do daily that causes you to tap through folders and menus. If you want to follow to the status of this tweak, follow @chpwn on Twitter.

We want to hear from all you jailbreakers on who is interested in this new tweak. Also do you think Apple should have already included this as part of iOS out of the box or do you think they will include it in the next generation of iOS? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below! Check out a video of this awesome new tweak after the break!

[ @chpwn ]

VoiceActivator coming soon for your iPhone and iPod touch [Jailbreak] is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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