For some strange reason, our tip box is now overflowing with 960×640 screenshots (what, no iPad love?) showing a few changes from today’s iOS 5 beta 2 release. Among the more interesting ones:

• Welcome screen now has an info button to give you your UDID number, should you have failed to record it previously (Thanks Apple!)
• The iCloud icon in settings is no longer purple. Long live brush metal cone fill!
• Lock screen notifications get a new, single pop up. You can pull down the full list if you like, and if you get multiple notifications, they start to stack again like they did previously.
• Wi-Fi sync in now working, but you need to be connected to a power source.
• iCloud has bumped Exchange from the top spot in mail account setup, while MobileMe has been condemned to the bottom.

We’ll update as we receive more. Screenshots after the break!

According to MuscleNerd of the iPhone Dev-Team, the just-released iOS 5 beta 2 can be Jailbroken using the same redsn0w tools used to Jailbreak the first beta.

5.0b2 can be jailbroken w/redsn0w from 2 wks ago http://is.gd/6eek4Y (must point redsn0w at 5.0b1 IPSW)..devs ONLY please

We’ve got a how-to Jailbreak iOS 5 beta tutorial ready and waiting for you if you decide to pull the trigger, and a Jailbreak Forum there to help if you need it. Just hurry back and tell us how it works for you.

[@MuscleNerd]

Apple has just released iOS 5 beta 2 (build 9A5248d) for iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, and Apple TV, and iTunes 10.5 beta 2 for Mac. It’s a rare Friday release for a company that, in the past, has typically released every second Tuesday.

It’s also a large release, the iPhone 4 version weighing in at over 817MB (hey, those notifications gotta sit somewhere!).

As always, you need a paid developer account with Apple to get it (don’t fall for those UDID slot sale scams!), and installing via Xcode is usually your safest bet.

If you’re downloading now, be patient. Apple’s servers are no doubt being slammed. When you get it, let us know what you think! And don’t forget to head on over to our iOS 5 Forum for the latest discussions!

Update: iOS 5 beta 2 gallery

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Mobile Nations is our brand new podcast, bringing together the heads of state from Android, BlackBerry, iOS, webOS, and Windows Phone for full on round-table action. This week Phil, Kevin, Dan and Rene discuss Windows Phone 7.5 Mango, the new Verizon data caps, and the state of the BlackBerry. This is Mobile Nations!

Topics

• WPCentral Review: Windows Phone “Mango” (preview release)
• Verizon’s new data plans broken down in complete detail
• RIM results and what’s next for BlackBerry?

Feedback

Got something to say? Agree or disagree with something we said? Have something you want us to discuss on a future show? Don’t just sit there yelling at the screen, dammit, let us know!

• Email: podcast@mobilenations.com
• Twitter: @mobilenations
• Web: www.mobilenations.com

Hosts

Credits

Our music is pROgraM vs. Us3R by by morgantj.

Thanks to the Smartphone Experts network of store for sponsoring this podcast, and to our fantastic live chat members for keeping us honest and making us smart!

War Grimoire HD is a tower defense game that invites players to immerse themselves into the world of mystery and unlimited adventure and takes them through an epic adventure unfolding in remote Medieval times.

• Beautifully animated cartoon intro and step by step in-game guide
• 60 kinds of upgradeable weapons to equip your soldiers
• 30 visually stunning environments to explore with different monster combination
• 6 relaxing unlockable mini-games: get new weapons by winning a mini game
• High definition 3D graphics and spectacular rendering effects
• Online worldwide leader boards with OpenFeint and Game Center
• Original music soundtracks and high quality sound effects

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

[$2.99 - 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.

Apple has posted a guide to help users transition from MobileMe to iCloud. The good news? Just like TiPb’s been telling you from the start, there will be web apps for Mail, Calendar, Contacts, and Find my iPhone. Also, if you need more storage, you’ll be able to buy it. The bad news? iWeb, MobileMe Gallery, and iDisk are toast.

iWeb, Gallery, and iDisk users are encouraged to move their data off MobileMe before the June 30, 2012 cut off date, and knowledge base articles have been posted to give additional information.

What about those of us who have a plethora of Apple IDs? (iTunes, MobileMe, developer, discussion, etc.), will Apple finally let us bring them together, and in the cloud, bind them? Not so much…

If I use different accounts for iTunes and MobileMe, can I merge them into a single account and use it with iCloud? No. You cannot merge two accounts into one. However, you will be able to move your MobileMe account (yourname@me.com) to iCloud and, if you choose, you can continue to use a different iTunes account for store purchases and iTunes in the Cloud.

Family pack users can, however, move to separate iCloud accounts.

Check out the full transition guide via the link below, and let us know if it answered your questions, and if the answers are the ones you wanted.

[MobileMe to iCloud transition guide]

With the release of the iPhone on the Verizon network just a few months ago, analyst reports are saying it might just have slowed the previously runaway Android market growth. TechCrunch is even conjecturing the upcoming iPhone 5 could stop or even reverse it completely.

For much of last year iPhone was tied to one US carrier, AT&T. Now it’s on AT&T and Verizon, but it’s still essentially one device (though AT&T still has the bargain-priced iPhone 3GS), made by one manufacturer. Usually that one device is on a once-a-year cycle, but this year it might be closer to 15 months. Android on the other hand is on every network, and has hundreds of devices with new releases every few weeks. Given the greater carrier footprint and greater choice in models, all Android devices together should absolutely be outselling the 1 or 2 iPhones on 2 carriers in the US.

However, reports from NPD from April say that the iPhone market grew while Android’s declined. About a month later, Nielsen said Android was indeed leveling off. Just a few days ago Needham was reporting from the use of IDC data that Android’s share of the market hit its peak in March and is now declining, where Apple’s share is once again on the rise. This is the first quarterly decrease that Android has ever seen. Yesterday, BTIG released a report saying iPhone is outselling Android in the majority of US AT&T and Verizon stores. And Verizon reported it had sold 2.2 million iPhones on its network in just two months.

That’s probably not a coincidence. The Verizon iPhone could just be the reason the Android market is leveling off and, in some reports, declining. With iPhone 5 on the way, and the usually media and hype cycles that surround it, it’s not unreasonable to think Apple can keep that momentum going. Add rumors of T-Mobile, perhaps even Sprint support in the future, and it gets very interesting very fast.

What do you think, will Android kick it back into gear and keep growing, or does Apple have a real chance to take the lead here?

[ NDP data, Nielsen data, TechCrunch]

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!

• Everything you need to know about migrating your MobileMe account to iCloud.

• Discuss iOS 5 bugs and other issues you have found while using the beta.

• Discuss all of the latest iPhone 5 rumors here.

• Many of you are upset Apple does not include a LED for notifications. What are your thoughts regarding this missing hardware feature?

See you in the forums!

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!

• Casey’s Contraptions HD: Now with access to many more levels and sharing your contraptions through the website. [$2.99 for iPad - iTunes link]

• Presidents vs. Aliens: As you learn presidential facts, quotes, nicknames and historical events, you can use your knowledge to help the presidents defeat the aliens. [$1.99 for iPhone and iPad - iTunes link]

• Snark Busters: Step through the looking glass and into the unusual world of the Snark. Your mission will be to capture the elusive creature. [Free for iPhone, with in-app purchases - iTunes link] [Free for iPad, with in-app purchases - iTunes link]

• CloudySky: An easy to use and complete pocket field guide for your iPhone or iPod Touch that will help you to enjoy and better understand clouds by quickly identifying their names and characteristics. [$1.99 for iPhone - iTunes link]

• Cars 2 Storybook Deluxe: Experience the action-packed story of Disney/Pixar's Cars 2 in this supercharged children's book app filled with vibrant art, professional narration, exciting music and sound effects, plus A-list celebrity voices from the film. [$5.99 for iPad - 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.

Private Info HD is now available and offers a safe way to keep important information on your iPad. This Digital Wallet will safely store Credit Card info, Bank accounts, Web Logins, Photos, Videos, files, and so much more locked behind a personalized password, protected by AES256 bit encryption.

• Organized sections for “Wallet” items, Photos, Videos, Voice memo’s, and various other files
• Adding notes is painless and quick, set your own desired font & size, change text alignment, and even swap background/text color for easy viewing day or night.
• Securely store important information such as web logins, credit cards, bank accounts, SSN with AES256bit encryption and available iOS Data Protection
• Transfer files with ease via wifi, import email attachments, open files downloaded from safari and other supporting 3rd party apps.
• Continue using the app while a wifi file transfer is in progress
• View PDF’s, Word, Pages, Numbers, and many other documents.
• Send files to other 3rd party supporting apps
• Email & Rename files
• iOS Data protection available for all content managed in Private Info HD
• Smooth, animated, easy to use custom interface.
• Option to set a password hint to show on lock screen with the touch of a button
• Multitasking support – transfer files in the background, quickly come back to where you left off.
• Options to automatically lock app when it is interrupted/ multitasking.

Mr. Burns has given us a few promo codes to give out to you, our awesome readers! For a chance to win, just let us know what kind of information you will store in Private Info.

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

[$8.99 - 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.