If Verizon’s new tiered, capped data plans make the kind of sense that doesn’t, don’t worry — Phil Nickinson from Android Central has broken them down for us. Check out the chart up top for the details, and here are the bullet points:

• If you have Verizon’s $29.99 unlimited data plan, you’ll be able to keep it after July 7.
• You’ll also be able to keep the $29.99 unlimited plan when you upgrade to a new phone. (No word on if there’s a pricing difference >- or when that policy could change.)
• If you add a line to an existing account, you’ll not be able to chose the $29.99 unlimited data plan.
• If you’re a new customer between now and July 7, you’ll still be able to choose the $29.99 plan.

Check out AC via the link below for the full set of leaked docs and emails, then come back and tell us what you think of the new rates.

[Android Central]

The judge hearing the Apple vs. Samsung “copy-cat” lawsuit has denied a motion by Samsung asking that Apple allow Samsung’s outside council advanced looks at iPhone 5 and iPad 3. The judge had previously granted Apple’s request for Apple’s outside council to look at Samsung’s upcoming devices, since Samsung had already shown off or given away previews to the press and public. Apple, however, keeps their stuff secret. But of course, it’s not that simple:

Samsung is free to argue, for instance, that there is little likelihood of confusion because consumers will not encounter its products side-by-side with the iPhone 4 or iPad 2, but rather with Apple’s next generation iPhone and iPad. Similarly, as to proximity, Samsung is free to argue that because the iPhone 4 and iPhone 2 will soon be outmoded and reduced in price, they are not being sold (or very soon will not be sold) to the same class of purchasers who are likely to buy new Samsung products. By choosing to allege infringement only of its current products, Apple opens itself up to these arguments.

Says Florian Mueller of FOSS Patents:

[Apple] might want to proceed cautiously and wait with a preliminary injunction motion until the iPhone 5 can be shown, or present only a tablet-related motion in the very near term and a smartphone-related one a little later.

We’ll see how bold or conservative Apple is.

And Samsung. If they really wanted to have fun with this, their CEO to start dressing in jeans and black mock turtleneck…

[FOSS Patents]

In brightest day, in blackest night, no iPhone news shall escape our sight. Let those who worship iOS might attend this podcast, iPhone Live!

Follow along with our show notes!

Time: 6pm PT, 9pm ET, 2am BST!

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

(You can watch from iPhone via Ustream Viewer app (here’s how) and iPad (we recommend Duet Browser.)

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!

250 Verizon and AT&T stores surveyed on what was their best selling smartphone, and according to BTIG Research, the number one answer on their board was… iPhone 4! It sat at the top of the charts at 89% of Verizon stores (tied with Droid Charge or Thunderbolt at 38% of those), and 65% of AT&T stores.

And while it only launched in February on Verizon, iPhone 4 has been out on AT&T for over a year, and the base hardware is a year old. That’s it’s not only still competitive, but still winning at the carrier outlets is interesting. (Not surprisingly, it’s the top selling — and only selling — smartphone at Apple Stores as well, which just goes to show how large their dominant retail position really is.)

Anyone surprised by this?

[BTIG Research via All Things D]

Missed a compelling piece of iPhone news, a great review, or a killer how-to? We’re not collecting absolutely everything in iPhone here — you can hit up TiPb.com/iPhone for that! — but we’re carefully picking what we think is the best of the last 7 days and presenting it here for your review.

And hey! — these double as show notes for our iPhone Live! podcast tonight at 9pm Eastern. So join us at TiPb.com/live and follow along!

Meta

• ZENandTECH 4: Exercism [giveaway]
• Iterate
• Logitech Keyboard Case by ZAGG for iPad 2 [Giveaway]
• Developer Spotlight: Alexander Tsepko of FX Photo Studio

iPhone 5

• iPhone 5 to be announced in August, major hardware update?
• Apple preparing faster iPhone 5 for September with 8 mega-pixel camera
• Verizon users waiting for iPhone 5 to ditch Android en masse?

iOS 5

• iCloud features: Manage associated devices in iTunes
• Daily tip: How to tethered jailbreak iOS 5 beta 1 with Redsn0w 0.9.8b1
• Daily Tip: How to get custom Notification Center widgets in iOS 5 [Jailbreak]

News

• Verizon dropping unlimited data plans next month
• New Airport Extreme, iOS-friendly Time Capsules imminent?

Apps

• App for that: How to create a simple invoice
• TiPb Apps

Progression is a guitar tab editor for your iPad that gives you the convenience of an easy-to-use guitar tab creation tool right at your fingertips. It is loaded with features and functions such as vibrato, slides, string bending, hammer-ons, pull-offs, whammy-bar, bass slap, effects, mutes, and harmonics.

• Enter, edit, and playback tab, notation, or both
• Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, and Bass Guitar samples included (add additional instruments such as Classical Guitar, Acoustic Fingerstyle Guitar, Mandolin, and Banjo)
• Search for tabs online
• Open NOTION files
• Open Guitar Pro files (versions 3-5)
• Clean and intuitive user interface
• Interactive 24-fret guitar fretboard for fast entry
• Quick and simple selection palette
• Distortion and reverb effects
• Full audio mixer
• Convenient file sharing
• Full-range of guitar functions and articulations including: bends, vibrato, slides, hammer on, pull off, mutes, whammy bar techniques, bass slap, harmonics, and more…
• Drag and drop cursor option
• Insert text
• Quick "Undo" and "Redo" functions
• Chord and melody modes
• Easy delete and erase capabilities
• Help Files
• Enter and edit title and composer information
• In-App Purchases to add more instruments and gear
• Free scales and exercises included

If you pick this one up, let us know what you think! Check out the screenshots after the break.

[$4.99, with in-app purchases - iTunes link]

Have an app you’d love to see featured on TiPb? Email us at iosapps@tipb.com, tell us about your app (include an iTunes link), and we’ll take a look.

The Incipio DRX case for iPhone 4 is, in my opinion, one of Incipio’s best cases to date — and they’ve made some very good cases. Everything from the way it feels in your hand to how it adds virtually no bulk to your iPhone makes it a great investment. It also offers decent protection as well.

Click through for a complete review and some pictures!

The first thing you always notice when putting on a new case is how it feels in your hand. This case feels great. The material is slick but not slick enough that your phone is going to go flying out of your hand. It’s also extremely easy to put on and take off. I’ve had it on for a little over a week and it doesn’t seem to stretch out or lose its shape either.

Your buttons are all covered which means no dirt or dust can get in there. Covered buttons normally mean they are harder to press. That’s not the case with the DRX. The buttons are just as easy to push as they are when there is no case on the device. The case also produces a click feedback when pushing the buttons, which is nice.

The case comes all the way around and over the top of the antenna band which means you can set your phone face down for privacy and not have to worry about whether or not your iPhone screen is going to get scratched. The dock connector, headphone jack, and vibrate switch are easily accessible as well. I haven’t had any issues with any chargers, official or third party. They all fit perfectly. So do my Bose headphones.

The DRX provides a pretty substantial level of protection as well. It’ll protect you from moderate drops. If you plan on throwing your iPhone into a wall, I can’t promise any case would protect it except an Otterbox. Overall, if you are somewhat careful with your iPhone and just want a case that’ll protect you from moderate accidental drops, this case is perfect. You can find the Incipio DRX case in the TiPb accessory store. If you use this case or something else, let us know in the comments!

Pros

• Easy access to all ports and buttons
• Slim design means no added bulk
• The material is somewhat slick, slide it in your pocket and pull it back out just as easily (sans all that pocket lint!)
• Easy to take on and off without the case losing its shape over time
• The case curves around the screen edge, so setting your iPhone face down is a non-issue

Cons

• Not meant for heavy duty protection. Moderate, yes. But don’t throw your iPhone into a wall and expect it to come out unscathed
• Dust can sometimes accumulate around the edges of the screen by the corners of the case

Hit and miss rumor site Digitimes is reporting that Kindle-maker Amazon is set to launch their own, fully featured, iPad competitor as early as August/September. That’s to catch the lucrative holiday sales period.

Amazon adopts processors developed by Texas Instruments, with Taiwan-based Wintek to supply touch panels, ILI Technology to supply LCD driver ICs and Quanta Computer responsible for assembly, the sources indicated. Monthly shipments are expected to be 700,000-800,000 units.

Amazon will provide streaming movie services for users of its tablet PCs, the sources noted.

So far no, not Google’s manufacturing partners Samsung or Motorola with the Galaxy Tab or Xoom, not RIM’s Playbook, have come anywhere close to encroaching on iPad’s tens of millions of units sold. HP will be fielding the TouchPad in just over a week, but like TiPb’s been saying from the start — there’s no tablet market yet, just an iPad market.

And with rumors Apple might introduce an iPad 3 or iPad 2 variant this fall, there’s no signs of anyone catching up yet either.

Can Amazon change that? Or would they still just be bringing content to an experience fight?

[Digitimes]

Dog Training Academy for iPhone and iPad is a newly released app that helps you train your dog. It provides step-by-stepy instructions and videos on how to train everything from the basics, to breaking bad habits, to fancy tricks such as "high five".

• 25 training videos complete with professional HD videos and instructions
• All new Smart Steps. You won't lose where you're up to with our easy-to-read smart steps that highlight the step you are up to
• Track your course progress and achievements for one or many of your dogs
• Record the score for your dog at each step
• Save each video or training module to your favorites
• Teach your dog over 18 advanced tricks
• Ability to delete videos from your device to save room. Don't worry – you can download them again any time you like

If you pick this one up, let us know what you think! Check out the trailer and screenshots after the break.

[$4.99 - iTunes link]

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!

• Agenda: The best of your old desktop calendar to iOS. It includes a badge with today’s date, many gestures, tappable fields, and more! [$1.99 for iPhone - iTunes link]

• Great Snail Race: A Story about Little Tilly Two. Enjoy listening to this lively children’s story featuring a beautiful narrative performance. [$1.99 for iPhone and iPad - iTunes link]

• Roadshow: Collect your favorite web videos, and play them back anytime, anywhere — even offline! [Free for iPad - iTunes link]

• Lemming Hero: One after another these poor, defenseless creatures sprint to the cliff’s edge and leap without remorse. Only you can save them. Won’t you please do your part and… wait a second… that one’s got a bomb! [$0.99 for iPhone - iTunes link]

• Wedding Row: The ultimate wedding tool for gathering and organizing all of you wedding inspirations. Categorize, create inspiration boards, save and share all of the details of your wedding planning. [$1.99 for iPhone - 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!

Have an app you’d love to see featured on TiPb? Email us at iosapps@tipb.com, tell us about your app (include an iTunes link), and we’ll take a look.