Tipb Asks

Poll: Are you going to pay Verizon's new $2 convenience tax?

By Georgia, Friday, Dec 30, 2011 a 10:50 am

If you listened to Girls Gone Gadgets last night, you heard Ashley, Kim, and me debate Verizon's new $2 convenience tax -- where and when it's actually applied and how much money they stand to make from it over the course of a year. (Plus, perhaps, some mature language and impassioned ranting.) But at the end of the day it doesn't matter what anybody thinks but Verizon customers. If you're one of them, is $24 a year insignificant to you? Is it annoying but something you'll just pay attention to avoid? Or is it the last straw that drives you to another carrier? (Who might just be smart enough to phrase or hide their fees better -- cough, Sprint, cough.)

We're running a cross-site Mobile Nations poll, so vote below and give us your thoughts in the comments below.

Poll: What kind of case do you prefer for your iPhone?

By Georgia, Tuesday, Dec 27, 2011 a 4:28 pm

CES 2012 is coming up soon and before we get ready to amp up our accessory coverage, we thought we'd start by finding out what kinds of cases the TiPb Nation prefers to rock on the iPhone? There's an incredible range these days, from nothing at all -- going naked, so to speak -- to protective films to ultraslim skins to the luxury of leather to belt holsters and pouches, to the ultimate in armor hard cases, to silicone or aluminum bumpers, to everything in between.

Dear Santa Cook, all we want from Apple in 2012 is...

By Rene Ritchie, Sunday, Dec 25, 2011 a 11:40 am

If Tim Cook were Santa and you were sitting down to write him your wish list, what would be on it? Last year we got the iPad 2 and iPhone 4S, and not much else in terms of hardware, but iOS 5 and iCloud were huge updates, including new notifications and Siri.

TiPb Asks: So... what iPhone and iPad gifts did you get this year?!

By Georgia, Sunday, Dec 25, 2011 a 10:25 am

So, what awesome iOS devices -- iPhones, iPads, iPod touch, Apple TVs -- did you get this year for Christmas, Hanukkah, or just because? What awesome accessories were in your stockings? What amazing apps were gifted your way?

Naughty or nice, TiPb Nation, we know you're ripping the wrapping paper off gifts, busting open boxes, and tapping in redeem codes, and we want to know what's inside -- so fill us in already!

TiPb Asks: How do you shop on your iPhone or iPad?

By Georgia, Monday, Dec 5, 2011 a 6:11 pm

How do you shop on your iPhone or iPad? Do you browse websites in Safari on your device the same way you would on your desktop? Or do you use dedicated apps? From Apple's own Apple Store app to Best Buy to Walmart to Bloomingdales, a lot of big retailer have dedicated apps in the App Store these days. Even the big online retailers like Amazon, eBay, and Etsy, the ones that made their fortunes on the web, have dedicated apps. Some of them are pretty sweet too, with slick interfaces and cool effects that make the shopping experience just that much better.

Poll: Should Apple allow tethering apps in the App Store?

By Georgia, Tuesday, Nov 29, 2011 a 2:03 pm

<div class="spTwice now, once with Netshare in 2008 and now again with iTether in 2011, Apple has initially approved and then turned around a rejected an app that let iPhone users tether for free.

While some carriers in some countries allow for free tethering on the more expensive data plans, many countries, including the US do not. That means those carriers make extra money charging for tethering plans, and apps like Netshare and iTether threaten that extra money (or double-dipping, as you may wish to call it.)

TiPb Asks: What are you shopping for this Black Friday?

By Georgia, Thursday, Nov 24, 2011 a 3:39 pm

It's Apple's only sale of the year, not to mention a huge sales day for Best Buy and other retailers, so we're curious what the TiPb Nation has on their wish lists this year? Anyone shopping for a new iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad? Any cool new accessories you're hoping to scoop up? Any amazing apps or games you've been waiting to pull the trigger on? We've got our 2011 holiday gift guides in full swing, but I want to know what you've got your eyes on now.

Poll: U.S. iPhone 4S owners -- which carrier are you on?

By Georgia, Tuesday, Nov 22, 2011 a 9:49 am

Gone are the days when AT&T and AT&T alone was so blessed as to have exclusive access to Apple's iPhone. Now you can, if you so choose, have your iPhone 4S on Verizon or Sprint, a regional carrier like C-Spirt, or even run it unlocked on T-Mobile.

AT&T still offers the fastest data speeds, with HSPA 14.4. Verizon claims the best network coverage. Sprint is the only major carrier still offering unlimited data to new iPhone owners. C-Spire is the only small carrier to pick up the iPhone 4S to date. T-Mobile... you have to work for it and it's EDGE only, but that means you must really love them to stick with them!

TiPb Asks: What should Apple add next to Siri?

By Georgia, Friday, Nov 18, 2011 a 9:29 am

This week on iPhone Live we discussed rumors of new Siri functionality coming in iOS 5.1 and what we'd like to see. Seth wanted easy access to settings -- "Siri, turn off bluetooth" "Siri, turn on Wi-Fi". Rene wanted the current services evened out -- "Siri, read email" "Siri, send tweet". I want the ability to launch App Store apps, but what about you?

Poll: How are you syncing your iOS 5 iPhone or iPad?

By Georgia, Monday, Nov 14, 2011 a 11:11 am

With iOS 5 Apple has finally cut the cord with iTunes and you no long have to tether your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad over USB to your Windows or Mac PC just to sync over your stuff. Of course, you can still tether if you so wish, and it's just become part of your routine. However, you can also use iTunes Wi-Fi Sync so your device automatically transfers over content whenever you plug it in and are on the same Wi-Fi network as your desktop iTunes machine (i.e., when you put it on to charge at night.) Apple also has iCloud now, which ~~syncs stores and pushes not from your desktop but from Apple's giant data centers to all of your devices.~~

Have you gone (or stayed) all in on any one approach? Do you mix and match, for example use iCloud for personal information but still connect to iTunes for big files like movies? If you have a family and are managing iPhones, iPod touches, and iPads for spouses and kids, do you sync them all the same or does it vary? Do your kids games pop up on your work iPhone thanks to automatic downloads, or do their iPods get stale because it's become too much of a chore to keep everyone updated?

How is sync working for you in iOS 5? Does it "just work" or is it more complicated and confusing now than ever? Vote in the poll up top and let me know the details in the comments!