How does Apple’s brand new iOS 5 iMessage compare to the stalwart Blackberry BBM on BB OS 6? Check out the video above as Kevin Michaluk and Bla1ze from CrackBerry.com bring their Berrys to the table against the iPhone for a one-on-one instant messaging show down! Does BlackBerry still own the crack, or has iOS just become leader of the pack?

BBM is far more functional — I joked it’s like the FaceBook of IM with groups, comments, and more — while iOS keeps things really simple and bundles it right into the SMS/MMS app.

They’re both really snappy, both show writing and delivered states, and offer read receipts, and both are proprietary (yeah) so no cross-platforming yet. BBM is a huge lock-in on BlackBerry and might be the same on iOS.

Could this be enough to make RIM finally bring BBM to iOS? Which would you prefer?

iOS 5 iMessages vs. BlackBerry BBM – Fight! is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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

Apple seems to have quietly reversed course on their controversial subscription policy, which previously required publishers to offer the same price in-app as on the web (or elsewhere), and disallowed them from linking to external subscription offers. Now with iOS 5, all of that is gone. According to MacRumors, the updated guideline reads as follows:

11.14 Apps can read or play approved content (specifically magazines, newspapers, books, audio, music, and video) that is subscribed to or purchased outside of the app, as long as there is no button or external link in the app to purchase the approved content. Apple will not receive any portion of the revenues for approved content that is subscribed to or purchased outside of the app

This doesn’t seem to address the other big publisher complaint — opt-in vs. opt-out demographic data sharing, but it definitely helps them with their bottom line. Basically, things go back to being where they were before the new subscription policy, and Amazon Kindle and Netflix will no doubt be happy.

[MacRumors]

Apple reverses iOS subscription policy is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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

Every day, TiPb gets flooded with announcements for new and updated iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad apps and games. So every day we pick just a few of the most interesting, the most notable, and simply the most awesome to share with you!

• Pulse News: Now you can “star” stories to save to your pulse.com profile, view them on the web, and sync your profile with Instapaper, Evernote, Read it Later & Google Reader. [Free for iPad - iTunes link] [Free for iPhone - iTunes link]

• Text Master: Measure your typing speed and learn to text as fast as you can. [$0.99 - iTunes link]

• xkcd: Update brings back list of comics with search, a random comic of the day, and more! [Free - iTunes link]

• Plants vs. Zombies: Now with a Zen Garden, new mini games, new achievements, and more! [$2.99 - iTunes link]

• Peggle: Now with retina display support. [$2.99 - iTunes link]

Any other big apps or game releases or updates today? If you pick any of these up, let us know what you think!

New and updated iPhone and iPad apps for Thursday, June 9 is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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

TouchArcade was able to sit down with OnLive at E3 for a brief presentation of their cloud gaming service, which promises to bring full HD console quality gaming to the iPad.

When OnLive started up in 2009 it was speculated that the service would eventually come to the iPhone, but this was long before the iPad was available. They’ve since discovered the iPad is a far better use case for exploring this type of gaming service on an iOS device, and they’ve fully committed to get this out the door as soon as everything is solid enough for consumers.

OnLive even has a bluetooth controller they’ll make available, which should bring a more console-like experience for iPad users instead of having to use the touchscreen. Imagine pairing this with up with your HDTV via HDMI using the bluetooth controller, and you begin get a real sense of how truly awesome this could be.

Although they haven’t set an official release date, OnLive representatives have stated the service is “coming soon” to the iPad and the bluetooth controller will be available at a reasonable price.

Check out the video demonstration after the jump — will you be using OnLive on your iPad?

[TouchArcade]

OnLive to bring full HD console gaming to the iPad is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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

Nestled deep within the iOS 5 beta code lies hints at Apple planning a panorama photo feature, allowing users to capture panoramic images without the need for 3rd party apps from the App Store.

PANO_OPTION = "Take Panorama";

SAVING PANORAMA = "Saving Panorama";

CANCELPANOBUTTON_TITLE = "Cancel";

The feature isn’t enabled in the current beta, and it’s unclear whether developers will be able to turn it on for actual use, but this small bit of code may sound an alarm for some 3rd party panoramic app developers by adding one more category of apps that Apple is taking for themselves.

Would apps like AutoStitch Panorama and 360 Panorama become obsolete if Apple decides to roll out a native panorama feature for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch camera? Or would they see an opportunity for higher end, more professional apps like LockInfo’s David Ashman and Instapaper developer Marco Arment?

[9to5Mac]

Apple to include panorama camera feature in iOS 5? is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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

By building Safari Reading List and Safari Reader into iOS 5 Safari — much as they’ve built them into OS X Lion — Apple provides a similar uncluttered reading and sync service to Marco Arment’s well known Instapaper app. Arment isn’t raging however. In fact, he’s a little excited.

When iOS 5 and Lion ship, Apple will show a much larger percentage of iOS-device owners that saving web pages to read later is a useful workflow and can dramatically improve the way they read.

If Reading List gets widely adopted and millions of people start saving pages for later reading, a portion of those people will be interested in upgrading to a dedicated, deluxe app and service to serve their needs better. And they'll quickly find Instapaper in the App Store.

Apple took over the low end of a lot of app categories during Monday’s WWDC 2011 iOS 5 unveiling. Notifications, Reminders, and Reading List will make it difficult to sell basic notification apps, to do apps, and read-it-later apps. Anyone with free version that offer limited functionality are likely done.

But Arment has a point. LockInfo is more powerful than Apple’s Notifications, Appigo Todo and OmniFocus blow away Reminders, and Instapaper does far more than Reading List. For power users, they likely still have their place.

Any Instapaper users planning on giving it up?

[Marco.org]

Marco Arment on what Safari Reading List means for Instapaper is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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

The iTunes 10.3 update that came out this week included a little surprise for reading lovers — iBooks support.

iTunes 10.3 brings the iBookstore to the iTunes Store on your computer and allows you to wirelessly send samples to your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch with the new Automatic Downloads feature. Look in the navigation bar between App Store and Podcasts to find Books, which gives you full access to the iBookstore as well as Audiobooks. The triangle next to Books in the top navigation bar will produce shortcuts to categories such as Fiction & Literature, History, Biographies & Memoirs, and more. Each book includes a Get Sample button; click it to send a sample directly to any or all of your iOS devices once you’ve turned on Automatic Downloads. You can do this on your device by going to Settings and tapping on Store. You’ll also need to confirm that you already have iBooks 1.2.2 or higher. Additionally, if you click the info icon that appears when you hover over a book cover, the downward pointing triangle next to the Buy button (the action menu) in the Quick View window that appears gives you access to both Add to Wishlist and Tell a Friend.

Now how about letting us read them on our PCs as well?

[Inside iTunes

iTunes 10.3 brings iBookstore to the desktop is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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

Here is a tip for Jailbreakers on how to hide apps — like Apple’s built in and impossible to delete weather and stocks — easily with the Poof tweak that comes built into your SBSettings. SBSettings is a free tweak from the Cydia app store that will do just that. Hit the jump to find out how to get it on your device.

Setup

1. Launch Cydia from your jailbroken device.
2. In Cydia, search “SBSettings”
3. Download the tweak from Cydia.

How to use

1. Launch the tweak from your device by sliding your finger across the top status bar.

2. Select the More button.
3. Select the Hide Icons button.

4. Select which icons you would like to hide.

5. Respring your device.

**Bonus Tip: If you’re not Jailbroken, you can’t delete built in app but you can hide them in folders and consign them to distant home screen.

Any other icon tips to share? Leave them in the comments!

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 hide built-in apps like weather and stocks [jailbreak] is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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