iOS developer @WillFour20 recently discovered that creating widgets for the new Notification Center in iOS 5 is possible, hinting at custom widgets from the jailbreak community down the road.

The way it works is rather simple: you can compile a custom widget by creating a class that implements the BBWeeAppController protocol which allows you to have the widget launch local apps when tapped, manipulate its height, set rotation detection, etc. This can work with stock iOS apps as well as App Store apps, with custom widget bundles being stored in the /System/Library/WeeAppPlugins/ directory.

As a basic example, you could create a custom widget to list recently created notes in a snippet view, and when a note is tapped it will take you directly to the Notes app. In theory, there’s also the possibility of nesting WiFi, 3G, bluetooth and other toggles in the Notification Center (similar to SBSettings).

Apple currently has weather and stock widgets available in the iOS 5 beta but hasn’t mentioned anything about extending a widget API to 3rd party developers, so this is a good sign the jailbreak community may come to the rescue by allowing additional functionality within the Notification Center.

Are you looking forward to custom Notification Center widgets in iOS 5? Let us know what you think in the comments!

[@WillFour20, github]

Custom Notification Center widgets coming to 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

Apple has filed a motion to intervene in Lodsys’ lawsuits against 7 iOS developers. These developers are reportedly under NDA as well, so it’s unknown if Apple is also stepping in with legal and financial support for the individuals, but they are clearly taken the suit back to Lodsys:

Apple’s proposed defense against Lodsys’s claims is exclusively related to the assertion that the alleged infringements are covered by an existing license agreement in Apple’s favor (which I’m pretty sure harks back to when Lodsys’s patents belonged to Intellectual Ventures). That is consistent with Apple’s recent letter to Lodsys. Apple does not raise any other affirmative defenses, such as claiming that the patents are invalid or that they don’t read on the accused products. The sued app developers may still raise those defenses (and possibly even more). They will definitely do so if Apple provides them with the necessary funding, and others are already trying to have Lodsys’s patents declared invalid (in other lawsuits). But for Apple’s own proposed participation as an intervenor it makes sense to focus on the theory of exhaustion (meaning that Lodsys can’t get paid twice for a licensed use of the patents in question). In connection with that particular defense theory, Apple has by far the strongest basis for asking to be admitted as an intervenor.

The court may or may not grant the motion, of course, and lots of questions remain about whether or not this strategy — rather than something more encompassing like indemnification — is better overall for developers now and in the future.

Also, one of the developers is on the line for an Android app as well, and it will be interesting to see what, if any, response Google has to the Lodsys suit as well.

For a complete overview, and lots more on the questions still surrounding the issue, hit the link below.

[FOSS Patents]

Apple files motion to intervene on Lodsys patent lawsuits is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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

Sounds like some Verizon iPad 2 models in Apple Stores and in transit to customers are being recalled, possibly due to some problem that prevents cellular activation:

Verizon iPad 2s aren't being sent back due to engraving. If someone activates a cellular connection on the device, then wants to view or edit account information, they can't. They receive a message that it is activated, and that's it. I saw someone open at least 6 looking for one that didn't do it. It's device specific, not software.

Apple Stores have just been asked to send back certain serial numbers, while the on-delivery orders will likely be replaced with unaffected models.

Anyone with a Verizon iPad on the way having any problems?

[9to5Mac]

Problems with certain Verizon iPad 2 causing Apple to recall shipments? is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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

Tweetbot — A Twitter Client with Personality, has received a big update today. It includes support for Twitter Photos, Pinboard, Bit.ly Pro, Instapaper, and much more!

• New User/Hashtag picker in compose view
• View support for Twitter Photos
• Added quote format setting
• Pinboard support in the read later options
• Bit.ly Pro support
• Custom API Endpoint for URL shortening and image uploads
• Google/Instapaper Mobilizer support in account settings
• Option to select absolute or relative timestamps
• Ability to undo a retweet
• Ability to retweet from another account (hold down on the retweet button)
• Tapping on a success/failure message dismisses it instantly
• Added @username/listname for followed lists. (solves the problem of following lists with the same name)
• Pikchur image upload support
• Various bug fixes

If you pick this one up, let us know what you think!

[$1.99 - iTunes link]

Tweetbot update brings Twitter Photos support 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 : Volume One: Enter an absorbing world where players become part conductor, part note-captor, part multi-touch master. Tap speeding notes as they cross the radiant pulse to conduct gorgeous original melodies. Now with 4 new tracks! [$4.99 - iTunes link]

• SpotWorld: Discover and learn about the best spots to visit in any destination and interact with community-generated itineraries. [Free - iTunes link]

• Mood Camera: It’s like a mood ring for your iPhone and iPad! Now with front camera support, 32 new effects (64 total) and more! [$0.99 - iTunes link]

• HanDBase Database Manager: Powerful relational database manager for mobile devices. Now with support for HanDBase forms, and HanDBase Forms Designer available via in-app purchase. [$9.99, with in-app purchases - iTunes link]

• PDF Expert: Read and annotate PDF documents, highlight text, make notes, draw with your finger and save these changes being compatible with Preview and Adobe Acrobat. Now with support for signature fields, refactored PDF stamps, improved forms calculations, and more! [$9.99 - 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 Friday, June 10 is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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

TiPb nation, we’re in the process of rolling out some updates to the site that we’re really excited about, including Disqus comments, Google search, and +1 buttons.

• Disqus is commenting system that offers a lot more options than our previous, built in version. You can login with a Disqus account if you have one, but also with Facebook, Twitter, and other logins you may already have later. It also gives us better moderation controls so hopefully it will cut down on the spam… and the trolls!

• Google search is just much better than what we had before. The old search was chronological so you got the last post about a certain term, not the best, most relevant one. It will also let you search across the blog, forum, and store (or choose to filter based on just one of those if you prefer.) Now all the Google power is yours on TiPb.

• +1 is a way to show your love for a particular post, to tell people it’s cool and help your friends and contacts find it, if it’s of interest to them. It joins our existing Facebook Like, Tweet, LinkedIn, and Buzz buttons, because choice matters, dagnabit!

And there’s more to come. Lots more. So here’s where I turn it all around and make it about you — what else do you want from TiPB? What cool features would you love to have?

New to TiPb: Disqus comments, Google search, and +1 is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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

Magellan RoadMate North America has received a big update that includes Yelp integration, Google local search, lifetime maps, and a new UI.

Yelp API

• Integrated within the RoadMate app opens a whole new world of restaurants, entertainment, shopping, and more for you – connect with old favorites or explore new ones.
• Easily search for venues and destinations, browse user ratings, and decide where to go and route to it, all from within the app.

Google Local Search

• Find out where you'd like to go using real-time Google Local search. Then route to your searched location with a tap of the GO button.

New User Interface

• Designed for when you're on-the-road – a collapsible dashboard creates a generous screen size making it easy for you to view while routing.
• Plus, personalize your dashboard icons and view your arrival time, distance, and speed all at once.

Includes Lifetime Maps

• Roads change more often than you realize. Get on board with the latest available maps so that you will always be up-to-date.

To celebrate the update, Magellan RoadMate North America has given us some promo codes to pass on to you, our awesome readers. For a chance to win, just leave a comment in the thread below telling us which of the new features you like best.

Screenshots after the break!

[$39.99 - iTunes link]

Magellan RoadMate North America updated with Yelp integration and Google search [give-away] is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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

If you’re outside the US, don’t get too excited about iTunes iCloud music services like re-downloading and iTunes Match streaming, because you’ll likely have to wait until 2012 if not later before it comes to your region. According to The Telegraph, Apple's iTunes in the Cloud music storage service will not be coming to UK users until the first quarter of 2012 at the very earliest.  A spokesman for the Performing Right Society (PRS), which is responsible for ensuring songwriters and music publishers are paid for their work told The Telegraph the bad news.

Negotiations with Apple about ensuring rights in the UK had started but were at a "very early stage". The licensing team at the PRS have started talks with Apple, but are a long way off from any deals being signed…It is very much the early stages of the negotiations and is similar to the launch of iTunes – which began in the US and took a while to roll out to other countries.

The Telegraph also confirmed the details with a major record label executive who told it that talks had started between the major labels and Apple. Again however the term "early stages" was used and it wasn’t expected to be completed until 2012.

The story will likely be the same in other countries. One look at how widely supported iTunes TV Show rentals, movies, and other services are around the world shows just how fragmented and complicated media licenses remands. Added to that, media executives in other countries might take a wait-and-see attitude with iCloud, watching US performance, before they even negotiate with Apple.

Any of our international readers really surprised by this?

[The Telegraph]

Outside the US? No iTunes iCloud music for you until 2012 or later! is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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

If you missed out on all or just part of the Apple news this week and really don't have the time to watch the full length Apple 2011 keynote, good news. You can now watch a condensed video that lasts just 120 seconds. That's just two minutes of your time to catch up on all the news.

If you watch this two minute video and decide to take the time to watch the full version you can find all the details on how to do that here. Of course, once you have watched any of these videos, you will still have many questions about iOS 5 and we have all the details you will need right here!

[YouTube]

WWDC 2011 Apple Keynote covered in 120 seconds [video] is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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

Another year, another Worldwide Developers Conference, and another set of incredible Apple Design Award winners. For WWDC 2011, those ADA winners include:

iPhone Developer Showcase

• Infinity Blade [iTunes link]
• Golfscape GPS Rangefinder [iTunes link]
• Cut the Rope [iTunes link}

iPad Developer Showcase

• djay [iTunes link]
• Osmos for iPad [iTunes link]
• Our Choice [iTunes link]

Student Developer Showcase

• Grades 2 [iTunes link]
• Pennant [iTunes link]
• Pulse News [iTunes link]

Mac Developer Showcase

• Capo [iTunes link]
• Pixelmator [iTunes link]
• Anomaly [iTunes link]

Congrats to all the winners!

[developer.apple.com]

Apple posts WWDC Design Award winners is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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