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.

Personally, I just switched to the Case-Mate Barely There Brushed Aluminum case and I'm loving it. Before that I was using the Draco IV and before that, the BodyGuardz Carbon Fiber.

As always, vote in the poll up top and give us the reasons why in the comments below. And if you're not sure what kind of case you like yet, check out the links below for lots of examples!

• TiPb iPhone 4S Accessory Store
• Amazon iPhone 4S Accessories

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.

But 2012 means a whole new Santa bag, including an iPhone 5, iPad 3 and, almost certainly, iOS 6. That includes new hardware specs, new software features, and perhaps new services to go with them.

Bigger iPhones, smaller iPads, Siri watches, quick SMS responders, fast settings toggles, a theme store -- nothing is off limits.

The stockings are hung by the chimney with care and Santa Cook soon will be here. What do you want from him, and from Apple, in 2012?

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!

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.

If you have the option, do you prefer to create an account or just check out as a guest? There's certainly convenience to having a frequently used store like Amazon keep your shipping and even payment info recorded, but for smaller stores without big brand names, privacy might be more important.

Do you typically pay by credit card or do you prefer services like Paypal that sit in the middle? Most credit card companies have fairly good fraud protection, but Paypal can be easier and quicker to simply log into.

What about the checkbox for customer mailings, do you like getting sent special promotions and newsletters, or do you just want to shop as you so wish and be left alone and not bothered afterwards?

It's really nice to be able to shop on your iPhone when you're on the go, or curl up and browse on your iPad when you have a moment's peace. Which one do you prefer to shop with, and how do you prefer to get your shopping done?

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.)

I don't know if Apple has carrier agreements in place to prevent tethering apps and protect revenue streams, the way they once did to prevent VoIP over 3G, but should that really be the users problem? Should it be Apple's to police? If you get a tethering app and stay beneath your data cap, shouldn't that be between you and your carrier? And if you're on an unlimited plan, aren't they already sending nastygrams if you go over a certain amount anyway?

TiPb Nation, what do you think? Should Apple allow tethering apps in the App Store?

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.

Black Friday sales officially start tomorrow, bookended by Cyber Monday, but a lot of places have started early and are going all weekend long. Let know what you're shopping for, and if you spot any especially great deals, drop them in the comments!

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!

But now that you have a choice, TiPb Nation, we'd like to know who you chose and why? Was it speed? Was it coverage? Was it data? Was it customer service? And did you switch from a different carrier to get iPhone 4S on your current carrier? As always, vote in the poll up top and give me the details in the comments below!

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?

TiPb Nation, what great new Siri features are you hoping for? Facial detection so you could say "Siri, show me the last two photos of Leanna"? Document integration so you could say "Siri, find me that PowerPoint from Chris"? Nike+ hooks so Siri could say "You have not gotten up off your butt to exercise yet today, no Angry Birds for you!" Or just "Siri, add yourself to iPhone 4 and iPad 2 already!"

Ready, set... Give us your Siri wish list!

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!

And how's everything else working for you? Any bugs under 5.0.1 you didn't have before the update?

• How to fix battery life problems with iOS 5 or iPhone 4S
• Need extra help? Try our iOS 5 Forum!

Do you have just one main account? Do you have separate accounts, and/or use separate services for work and for personal use? Do you have multiple accounts for a bunch of different stuff? Do you forward most or all of them to the same place? Do you even setup all your email accounts on your iPhone or do you leave some off? Would you recommend what you're using to a friend, or something else?

How are you handling email on your iPhone? Vote in the poll up top and then give me the details in the comments below!

It lets us more nicely organize those newspaper and magazine apps, and we get to see front page or cover art rather than the app icon, but the apps themselves are still a crapshoot when it comes to quality and design. iBooks are pretty unified -- I buy a book and I know how to navigate through it and easily read it, and I know if I put it down on my iPad when I leave home, I can open it up and keep going from the same place when I open it again on my iPhone at work. If I want to read my Trashy Gossip Mag, no such luck.

With Newsstand we sometimes get straight exports from the magazine or newspaper themselves, almost like PDF printouts, ads and all, with little in the way of iOS specific features and nothing that takes advantage of the technology literally at our fingertips. Other times we get more immersive experiences with sound, movies, and easy sharing if we so choose.

And the subscription options are all over the place, but mostly they still don't match up with traditional options. Why can't we, universally, buy an issue for the same or cheaper cover price, or subscribe for the same or cheaper yearly option? If I can get one issue of Trashy Gossip Mag for $5 and 12 for $20, shouldn't we have the same option on iPad?

Should Apple create a proper iNews apps like iBooks with standardized pricing and presentation? Should they go back to just apps, on their own? Or is Newsstand the answer?

Vote in the poll up top and let me know where you stand on everything from pricing to ads to the quality of the content itself in comments!

While we know it isn't going to happen, it is still fun to dream, so the question arises - would you like to have the option to download other keyboard options for iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad, like you can for Android? The iPhone keyboard is really good and a lot of people seem to type rather well on it, but wouldn't it be nice to have the option to change it? To have something like Swype or Swiftkey as an option? Or to get them in pink or yellow, or themed after your favorite band or video game or TV show if you wanted? Wouldn't it also be nice to have a custom layout, or different spacing?

Are you happy that there's only one keyboard to rule them all on iOS devices, or do you wish Apple would let you change them up? Vote in the poll up top and let us know why you feel the way you do in the comments!

If you're anything like me, now that you've had iOS 5 to play around with for a while, you're probably already starting to wonder what Apple might have in store for us for iOS 5.1? I'm not talking about an iOS 5.0.1 bug fix update, mind you, but about a 5.1 minor feature enhancement. You know, the kind of iOS x.1 we used to get with the new iPod touch in September back when the iPhone came out in June with iOS x.0.

This year iOS 5 only came out in October so I don't expect iOS 5.1 until January (iPad 3 feels like an iOS 5.2 update.) We haven't even gotten a beta yet, so it won't be any time soon at least. But when it does come, what do you want to see in it?

• iPhone OS 3.1](http://www.imore.com/2009/09/09/iphone-31-software-walkthrough/) got non-destructive video trimming, Genius for Apps, and a few other, minor tweaks.
• iPhone OS 2.1 got Genius Playlists and a few other, minor tweaks.
• iPhone OS 1.1 got the iTunes (then Wi-Fi) Music Store

So... Genius for iBooks it is? I hope that's not all. I hope we get the ability to delete individual pictures from Photo Stream and to disable the fast camera access bypass. Siri getting the ability to launch apps would be sweet as well, as would giving Siri the ability to read more than just SMS/iMessages. Speaking of which, being able to tell iMessage not to send if it's going to fall back on SMS would be nice when chatting with people in other countries. And I'd still like them to stop kicking us out of the App Store every time we make a purchase...

But we need to be realistic -- we won't get huge things like BiteSMS-style interactive notifications, a Theme Store, or anything else in a x.1 update, but we'll hopefully get just a few more rough edges shaved off.

What are the top things you want Apple to give you in iOS 5.1?

What apps have earned a coveted spot on your main iPhone 4S home screen? Is it still default, just as Apple shipped it? Or have you moved everything around just so, including the dock icons?

Do you organize by function or type of app, or by aesthetics and icon color? Do you allow folders on your home screen or folders in your dock? Do you hide away any built-in apps like Stocks? Do you put your most used apps on the edges or in the center?

Take a screen shot and attach it in our official iPhone 4S home screen forum thread, and let us know why you made the choices you did -- we're always looking for good tips!

Thanks Static_FX for sharing your home screen!

In an ideal world you iCloud mail will show up everywhere, all at once, with perfect push notifications, your calendars would just work, even when shared, and your contacts would all be related so you could tell your special someone you're running late... again. Your Documents in the Cloud would all be up to date, available at the touch of any app that can edit them, and your iTunes in the Cloud would let you re-download any song or TV show as easily as you always could apps. Your backups and restores would work flawlessly, and your Photo Stream would actually let you delete unwanted pictures. If you had to use Find my iPhone, it would send a locator immediately and you'd never have to wait a day to discover you left it in your other pants pocket. And we'd all have iTunes Match.

In the often more brutal real world, however, you mail might not be pushing, your documents might be disappearing, your songs not all showing up, your Photo Stream causing you grief, and Find my iPhone doing anything but. (Grrrr.)

So you tell us TiPb Nation, what are your experiences with iCloud so far? Is it a game changer or just MobileMe part deux? Vote up top and give me the glorious -- or gory! -- details in the comments below!

iCloud is Apple's new, free don't-call-it-sync service that stores your stuff up on Apple's gigantic servers and pushes it down to all your devices. And it works great... but it can be a challenge if you have a family. Now apple has never been great about handling the whole family thing to begin with. Their digital hub has always been fantastic for a single person but started to break down when you wanted to manage a family, especially with multiple accounts. iCloud is no exception.

So what are you doing about it? Are you settling for one iCloud account that just shares everything for every family member, from spouse to child and back again? Are you keeping separate accounts for you and your significant other, but sharing one with your child? Did you use your iTunes account for iCloud, did you transition a MobileMe account, or did you create a new one?

Find my iPhone certainly works better when shared, and it's cheaper to buy apps on one account than buy them more than once on several accounts, but things like Photo Stream end up being like crossing-the-streams -- an explosion of stuff on everyone's devices that no one particularly wants.

So how are you handling iCloud in your family? Any tips on keeping things economical and productive but still contained and manageable?

Is it the best phone you've ever owned? Is it just a decent upgrade? Is it about the same as your previous phone? Or are you already regretting the decision to buy?

We've already told you what we think about the iPhone 4S, now it's your turn TiPb Nation. Vote in the poll up top and give me the details in the comments below!

Now a new phone, especially one that talks back to you, is so fun to use that we might not get back down to every day levels for a while still. But if you're not talking to Siri every minute, if you set up as new rather than restoring from backup, if you're not lighting up all the new location-based Reminders and Find my Friends, and your Notification Center isn't set to the full fire hose, how do you think battery life compares to your previous phone?

Is it great, gets through the day, no problems whatsoever? Is it about the same? Is it so bad you've stopped using Siri, turned off location services, disabled push notifications, and gone to commiserate with your Android wielding friends?

Vote up top and give us the details, including anything that's helped you improve battery life, in the comments below!

It seems like Apple's Siri team really took the time to add a lot of delightful moments to Siri. Whether it's "two iPhones walk into a bar..." or "42", or crack about asking Siri's age or about Siri's feelings for Google, there are tons and tons of hidden little gems that are really rather impressive.

What have been your favorite Siri moments so far?

So... how's iOS 5 working for you? Apple opened the gates of update yesterday and unleashed a ton of new software so did you manage to download what you needed? Was it smooth sailing or did you have problems? Did it work out eventually or are you still having issues? Did you update all your iOS devices already or are you waiting on some? (I updated my iPad 2, I'm still waiting on my iPhone 4...)

For those of you who've updated successfully to iOS 5, do you like it? Is it what you expected? Are the new features implemented well for you? Anything surprisingly good or surprisingly bad? Any iOS 5 bugs driving you nuts, or hidden gems that just made your day?

One day later and one version ahead, how is iOS 5 working for you?

Were you one of the million people who pre-ordered an iPhone 4S last week? If so, who did you pre-order from, Apple or a carrier or a big box store, and what's the status of your order now? Is it preparing to ship yet? Has your iPhone 4S shipped? Do you have an expected delivery date yet?

Let us know how you're experience has been as well -- was it a smooth ordering process, did it go as you expected or did you have any frustrating or nasty surprises along the way? Would you pre-order the same way again, or have you decided to do something differently next time? Different company, different capacity, different color?

Apple's getting a ton of phones onto a ton of trucks and come later this will will be knocking on a ton of doors, if one of those doors -- and iPhone 4S! -- is yours, give us an update on your status below or jump into our official iPhone 4S forums pre-order tracking thread let us know!

In a few hours, at 12:01am PDT / 3:01am EDT, iPhone 4S pre-orders will begin. So... are you pre-ordering? Or if you're reading this later, did you pre-order already? If so, let us know what you're getting (or what you got!) Black or white? 16GB, 32GB, or 64GB? GSM/AT&T or Verizon or Sprint CDMA?

Any problems with the ordering process? Did you get a confirmation? What's the shipping date? So. Many. Questions!

Make sure you jump into the TiPb iPhone 4S forums and help us keep track!

If you're not pre-ordering, are you waiting to stand in line at the Apple Store on launch day? Are you waiting for some other reason? Are you skipping iPhone 4S entirely?

That's it TiPb Nation, Apple's Let's Talk iPhone event is all over now but the celebrating and complaining the triumph and the tragedy.

Yes, as much as it pains me to say it, TiPb was right on with the story this time -- iPhone 4S. (Shakes fists at Rene and Apple!)

Now we're going to be covering every little bit of news imaginable from the show right here on the blog, and talking about it tonight in a special early edition of iPhone Live at 9pm EDT, but right here, right now, it's your turn to let us know what you think.

Did Apple knock it out the park? Did they strike out? Or was it somewhere in between? The comments are open!

Vote in the poll and then please share your thoughts as to why in the comments below!

In a few hours Apple will hold their Let's Talk iPhone event and we'll have our answers. Right now, there's still time for some last minute speculative fun. So put your cards on the table and vote for what you think Apple will announce (not what you want -- that's all glowing Apple logos and voice activation -- but what you realistically think Apple will show off). Then jump in the comments and give me the details so come this afternoon we can see who got the closest!

The Let's Talk iPhone event is less than a week away and can I say it's been the weirdest, most bizarre build up to an Apple event ever? First we got no new iOS beta event in spring, then no new iPhone at WWDC in June, then Steve Jobs resigned as CEO, and through it all we've seen everything from a rumored iPhone 4GS with no redesign whatsoever to a rumored iPhone 5 with a bigger screen and metal back.

Likewise with iPod touch. Will white be the only refresh we get, or will iPod touch also get an Apple A5 processor for AirPlay Mirroring, Assistant, and even better gaming? (Remember when iPod touch used to be slightly more powerful than iPhone?)

There are even rumors that Apple might be getting ready to severely downsize the existing iPod lineup as well (hey, they downsized the annual September iPod event to nothing already, didn't they?)

So worst case we get a very incremental iPhone hardware and negligible iPod touch hardware update, with some admittedly very sweet new software features, and best case we get a super sweet new iPhone and powerhouse iPod touch, and maybe even a 1080p Apple TV thrown in for good measure.

If you watched iPhone Live last night -- and shame on you if you didn't! -- you know Rene's expecting the worst, an iPhone 4GS and no Steve Jobs cameo. For the record, it's been 15 long months and I bloody well expect Apple to wow me not only with new features like iOS 5's Assistant, but with some new hardware to boot. As for Seth... he got assassinated by Verizon before I could force him to pick a side so we shall see.

As for you TiPb Nation, what do you expect? What will Apple show us at Let's Talk iPhone?

Picture Source: Giga.de (iPhone mock up)

Last night on iPhone Live we were talking about how many photos we had in our iPhone Camera Roll and I admitted to being a bit of snapshot addict. I have over 1800 pics in my Camera Roll, everything from friends and family to clouds and sunsets to clothes and fashions to nails and hair I like and want to remember.

I know some people prefer Instagram or Camera+ or another App Store app, and while the filters are really cool and interesting, and I think I'm going to give them a try soon, right now I just like the simplicity of capturing a quick pic into my Camera Roll. I take pictures anywhere and everywhere with my iPhone... and I sometimes remember to sync them over to my Mac. I've actually run out of space on my 16GB iPhone 4 several times!

I hope iCloud and Photo Stream will help with that, but I'm not sure 5GB will be enough!

How many photos do you have in your iPhone Camera Roll? Do you use the built-in Camera app or something else? Do you sync them? Help me figure out a better way to do photos on the iPhone TiPb Nation, you're my only hope!

I have to admit I'm still using Netflix to watch TV shows and movies on my iPhone, iPad and Apple TV, though the recent news has gotten me looking into alternatives. I just finished the first season of Damages and really liked it, and Sherlock was cool, but there's a lot of choices out there now. Both Netflix and Crackle have a few old Anime shows I like, and several TV stations and cable and satellite companies have apps so if I miss an episode of the new fall premiers I can probably -- hopefully -- catch it later on my mobile device. But not always. For example, the HBO stuff is awesome and I loved Game of Thrones but it's not available in my area... so what do I do? There's always iTunes but buying is too expensive when I'm only ever going to watch something once. Which brings me to my main point.

Why is this still so hard? I have money. I want to give a reasonable amount of this money to Hollywood so I can watch their TV shows. They've pretty much figured this out for cable and satellite, but I don't have either of those anymore. Why can't they figure out the same type of thing for internet TV? Just let me pay a few dozen dollars a month and give me all the same TV everyone else gets in the old traditional way, along with the commercials if they really have to, and the goofy catalog channels that go with him. Just let me do it on demand.

But they won't, so like I said I'm still with Netflix and all the other apps right now, scattered and fragmented across my poor iPhone and iPod. Unless anyone has any better ideas on how to watch TV shows on iPhone or iPad these days? Any apps you prefer? Anything besides bootleg internet downloads streamed from a PC via AirPlay...?

With iOS 5 Apple will be introducing iMessage, an SMS and MMS style service seamlessly integrated into the Messages app that uses your Apple ID and data plan instead of text plan... but only with other iOS 5 users. So lets say you and your special someone both have iPhones, or you have an iPod touch and your mom has an iPad, you can easily use iMessage to stay in contact. But, if you have an iPhone and your husband or wife has an Android or BlackBerry (and you stay with them!), iMessage will do you absolutely no good whatsoever.

So I have to ask, how much will you actually use iMessage? Do you and your family and friends have enough iOS devices that you'll use iMessages whenever you so wish? Or are you a lone island of iOS amid a sea of feature phone or non-iOS devices? Will you be able to cut down on your texting and save some money, or will you have to pay as much after iMessage as you did before?

And if Apple adds it to iChat on Mac and releases an app for it on Windows, would that change your answer at all? Would it get you to switch to iMessage from whatever Skype, Facebook, AIM, or other message system you're using now?

Bottom line, when Apple releases iOS 5 this October, how much will you be using iMessage?

I've been hoping for option 1, a real, redesigned iPhone 5 since about a minute after I saw the back glass of iPhone 4. Jeremy on the other hand keeps bringing me down by saying "you get iPhone 4S!".

But is faster, maybe thinner and lighter enough for you? Or will it take a substantial redesign for you to upgrade your iPhone again? If you don't get it this generation, will you hold onto what you have and wait for the next or, horror of horrors, start looking at something else? I know Rene loves the iPhone 4 design and I'm sure many others do as well. Sure it has been on the market for 15 months already, but iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS kept the same design on the market for 24 months (closer to 40 if you count the iPhone 3GS 8GB that's still being sold today!)

What do you think, TiPb Nation -- Would you be less likely to get iPhone 5 if there's no new design?

What's the main reason you Jailbreak your iPhone, iPod touch or iPad? Is it for themes, so you can change up the whole look and feel of your device? Is it to unlock so you can run it on T-Mobile or travel internationally? Is it convenience, so SBSettings and BiteSMS can keep you going faster? Is t coolness, so you can show your friends the icons rolling around your screen or how you can turn your device off like an old TV? Is it Tethering, because you feel like you've already paid your carrier once for that data? Is it functionality, because you want your screen projected or recorded?

Maybe it's all or most of the above, but if you had to pick just one Jailbreak feature that's most important to you, what would it be?

On last night's iPhone Live podcast we discussed the just announced Samsung Galaxy S II models and what, if any, challenge they may pose for Apple's upcoming iPhone 5. One of the big differences is that, while iPhones are pretty much the same on every carrier around the world (Verizon iPhone antenna and firmware version being the only current exception), Samsung Galaxy S phones have varied a lot from network to network.

Some have keyboards and others don't. Some have bigger or smaller screens. They often have completely different casings from one carrier to another. Some carriers work out deals to take out Google Search and put in Microsoft's Bing. Some pre-load carrier-specific crapware. Maybe some will one day have Amazon Market instead of the Android Market -- like the JooJooPhone!

The bottom line is, with an iPhone you can buy one on pretty much any carrier you want, or unlocked directly from Apple, hook it up to iTunes (or soon, iCloud) and get your iPhone just the way you left it -- same apps, same interface, zero learning curve. The price we pay is that everything is the same. There's no variety.

With Samsung and some other Android devices, you can change things up as often as you're willing to switch networks or get a new phone. You get almost endless variety but you may have to re-learn interfaces or re-buy apps.

I prefer Apple's approach. I don't want the cognitive load that comes with carrier-specific hardware and software. I want the device and the OS to get out of my -- and my apps' -- way. (I also trust carriers way less than I trust Apple.) But I definitely see the appeal of changing things up, of having phones as fashion.

Would you like to see a different iPhone on AT&T compared to Verizon? Square on one, round on the other? AT&T iPhone 5 vs. Spring iPhone 4 II Epic 4G? Do you like the single, iconic iPhone the way it is or do you think it's time for Apple to let carriers mix things up?

What's the next iOS device you plan on buying? I'm guessing a lot of the TiPb Nation is waiting for the iPhone 5, but is anyone going to skip it and hold out for the iPhone 6? Maybe you hope that Apple discounts the existing iPhone 4 like usual, or puts out a budget iPhone nano instead?

The iPad 3 sounds like it's not coming this fall after all, but are you planning to get it shows up this spring? Or does a new iPod touch 5 fit your needs better?

What if Apple finally makes a real iOS powered iPod nano, one that works amazingly well as a watch and shows all your notifications? Anyone else besides me really want one? And if they finally let Apple TV go a full 1080p, would that be on your shopping list?

Let me know what you plan on buying in the poll below, and give me the reasons why -- or better yet, why not! -- in the comments below!

We've been talking so much about the iPhone 5 lately that it feels as if the iPod touch 5 is flying a little under the radar. Usually the iPod touch gets to headline Apple's annual fall special event but this year it sounds like the iPhone 5 is going to be stealing that thunder as well. Also, while iPod touch used to have the kids and the "I want iOS but I don't want an iPhone" market all to itself, it now has to share that with iPad, which isn't as portable but can be easier to use in some circumstances.

So how about we give the iPod touch 5 some love and ask what you want to see Apple announce for it this year?

An Apple A5 chipset seems a given, and that should be great for gaming with its 9x performance (and AirPlay mirroring in iOS 5, which is fabulous.)

It's already got a Retina Display but not as good a quality one as the iPhone. Maybe Apple could raise the bar on that? Speaking of which, while iPad Touch 4 got cameras, they were... disappointing to say the least. Could Apple finally get serious about iPod touch optics and give us at least 5 megapixels on the back and a FaceTime HD camera on the front?

128GB as an option is something our readers always ask for. Could Apple finally do it? (And maybe retire the iPod classic at the same time?) And the big question -- could they add a 3G radio like the iPad has had since it launch?

What else could they do? What else would you want them to do? 3D? Bigger screen? Glowing Apple logo? It's your turn to tell us!

Simple question: is your iPhone home button still working as it should? Ever since iOS 4 and the reassignment of double click to the fast app switcher, it seems like we're click, click, clicking the home button more than ever, and that seems to be creating problems more and more often.

A lot of you have written in, or posted in our iPhone Forum to tell us your home button is causing you problems, and even more of you are hitting our how-to fix home button problems, and how to use Activator to get around home button problems daily tips in search of solutions. Even our illustrious editor, Rene, had to get his original iPhone 4 swapped out at the Apple Store because the home button was causing him grief.

Apple has been experimenting with multitasking gestures for iPad, and we've even seen rumors that they'll do away with the home button completely.

Is you home button not working the way it should? Is it a hardware problem that's just not registering clicks, or a software issue that's misreading the number of clicks? Let us know in the poll above and then give us the details in the comments!

Holy heck! Waking up to the news of Google buying Motorola Mobility just shows you how fast our industry is moving and changing. But what does it mean for Apple, iPhone and iPad? Will Google really continue to run Motorola "as is" without much change, and Droids and Xooms will just come out again as they came out before? Or will Google start to copy the Apple model more and give Motorola exclusive Nexus handsets with much better, and even more competitive integration? Or will HTC, Samsung, and other Android OEMs feel screwed by this whole deal and start looking more seriously at Windows Phone or maybe even webOS, resulting in less choice for consumers on the Android side?

What do you think, TiPb Nation? Will Motorola for one welcome their new overlords and remain status quo, or is this the beginning of a new galactic order when it comes to iPhone and iPad competition? Vote in the poll above and give me your analysis in the comments below!

I'm really looking forward to the new, system-wide "Assistant" voice control system Apple's rumored to be including in iOS 5. From the leaks, it looks like it might be implemented similar to Android -- a microphone button on the keyboard that you press to tell your iPhone or iPad you want to talk to it, then it takes your voice command or text entry, sends it to Apple's servers, and either does what you told it to do or types the text you told it to type.

Currently iOS takes very simple commands like "call" or "play"... and I almost never use it. Holding down the home button for a few seconds then waiting for it to beep and be ready just seems... slow. I'm not sure if the microphone button will be any better, honestly. Now if Apple figured out some way for it to be quietly waiting for a special code phrase that I could say to make it wake up and start listening, that would be sweet, but the technology, especially the impact on battery life, probably isn't there yet.

It should at least be far more functional that the current system. With Apple's purchase of Siri and the rumors of their Nuance (the makers of Dragon Dictation) deal, I expect I'll be able to do much more, like:

"iPhone, get me a taxi at the corner of Sherbrooke and Crescent." "iPad, make me a dinner reservation at Gibby's at 8pm tomorrow." "iPod touch, take a note -- bug Seth on the podcast tonight. So say we all."

Will it work well enough and smoothly enough that I'll actually use it? That I don't know.

What are you looking for in iOS 5 "Assistant"? Would something like Android's existing implementation be enough? What's your realistic assessment of what Apple can deliver, and what's your totally unrealistic hope?

It's almost back to school time, TiPb Nation, and that means we're getting back to business bringing you more of what you love about iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, and Apple TV. But my question is, what exactly do you want more of?

When you hit TiPb, what do you want to see first and foremost, and what do you want to more keep up with more casually? We know everyone has different tastes and opinions, but this time it's okay to be selfish. This time it's just about YOU.

What do you want from TiPb this fall?

Facebook is the most popular app on the iPhone and we've often said Twitter and iOS go together like chocolate and peanut butter. But social networks rise and fall. Remember MySpace, Jaiku, Buzz... Friendster? And hey, how about Google+ now that it's expanding beyond the techie early adopters, or LinkedIn which seems to always hover neither here nor there.

Which social networks do you use regularly? Let us know in the poll up top and give us the details, including which one(s) you prefer, how often you use them, -- and your profile link(s) if you feel especially social about it -- in the comments below.

Last year it was hard enough to decide between the starting-at-$499 original iPad on iOS 3.2 and the starting-at-$999 new MacBook Air on OS X Snow Leopard, but now we have iPad 2 on iOS 4.3 (soon to be iOS 5! and the just-released MacBook Air 2 on OS X Lion... decisions, decisions! (Never mind a possible Retina Display iPad 2 Pro/iPad 3 on the horizon!)

Have you been waiting and debating between the two? If so, which are you getting and why? Vote in the poll above and give us the details in the comments below!

Following months of rumors and tons of hype, Spotify finally made it's US debut last week and... we're curious as to whether or not you've switched to using it for most of your mobile music fix? Given that iPhone users could already choose between Pandora, Slacker, rdio, Napster, Rhapsody, and pretty much everything except Zune Pass (come on Microsoft!), not to mention Amazon Cloud Player, Google Music Beta, and iTunes sync (and soon, iTunes Match), there's some strong, established competition for Spotify to contend to.

If you did switch, why? If you didn't, why not? What's most important to you in a streaming music service? That they offer tons of tracks, that they let you upload your own, rare music, that they offer streaming or subscriptions, that they have playlists or genius/recommendation engines?

Bottom line, have you switched to Spotify or are you using something else? Vote in the poll up top and give us the details in the comments below!

iPhone 5 should be unveiled this fall, and as always Apple won't reveal any of its specs or features until Steve Jobs holds it up on stage. But that doesn't mean we don't have our wish lists! From the almost certain (Apple A5 processor) to the even odds (bigger screen) the pie in the sky dreams (glowing Apple logo!), we're curious to know what new feature you want most?

Vote in the poll up top and give us your full wish-list in the comments below!

Can you not wait for Apple to release a second, Retina Display equipped iPad 3 (or iPad 2 HD/Pro/Plus) this year, or does the mere thought of it fill you with unbridled geek rage? The rumors keep getting stronger, and TiPb and many others have heard that Apple is seriously considering adding a new iPad to the already chock-a-block fall lineup.

If you just paid $500-$900 for an iPad 2, it's understandable that that would set you off. You wanted top of the line for 2011 and you expected your investment to be top of the line until at least next spring. How could Apple try and obsolete your beautiful new iPad 2 just 6 months out of the gate?

Some of you might look at your iPad 2 and really be annoyed by the lack of Retina Display, and want Apple to address that asap, damn the costs. Or maybe you skipped iPad 2 because it wasn't a big enough bump and have been waiting to go Retina for a while already, and the sooner the better. Hey, maybe you haven't even gotten on the iPad train yet and this is the model you've been holding out for, and now is not a problem.

Apple has already sold over 20 million plus iPads and while that's a good chunk of potential upgrades, they likely have their eyes set on a much bigger prize -- the over 100 million iPhone uses who don't have iPads yet, and beyond them, the hundreds of millions of consumers who don't have any iOS devices at all yet.

Apple has us, understands we'll upgrade when and if we can, but it wants them. Would a more expensive iPad be the way to increase their already market leading share of the tablet market? Maybe a little. The bigger share will be, of course, at the lower end of the market -- a place Apple has eschewed in the past for everything but iPods. But an iPad Pro to fit the MacBook Pro square in the product matrix is interesting... if the standard iPad 2 gets a price drop to better address the lower end at the same time...

Either way, how do you feel about Apple potentially releasing a second iPad this year?

The iPad 2 Jailbreak is finally here, courtesy of JailbreakMe.com, but will you use it? iOS 4.3 is solid and iOS 5 is just around the corner with Notification Center, iMessages, and more. So is the need to Jailbreak still compelling?

I'm still on the fence myself, so help me make up my mind before iPad Live this Sunday. If you're going to Jailbreak, let me know and tell me why. If not, same deal.

Help me TiPb Nation, you're my only hope!

It's the July 4 Independence Day holiday in the US, where rockets are red glaring and cannons are air bursting, and we have no doubt a lot of you are breaking out the iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad to help you celebrate. And we're curious how?

Are you using them to look up great places to go and things to do, to book your spots and to find directions how to get there? Are you using them to keep in touch with friends and family over the phone, via text or IM, or to keep up on the social networks like Facebook and Twitter? (Or to show off that you got in on Google+ ?) Are you keeping yourself and others entertained with great movies and games on-device, or shooting them up on the big screen via AirPlay? Are you going to take photos of the fireworks or shoot video of that utterly righteous cannonball off the rope, over the picnic, and into the lake? Or are you going to relax, sip a cold and spicy beverage, and lose yourself in a great ebook?

What are you doing for July 4 and how is your iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch helping you do it?

How do you watch videos on your iPhone? When the original iPhone launched -- 4 years ago today! -- it came with an iPod app that could play iTunes/H.264 MP4 movies and video podcasts, and a last minute YouTube app addition for online videos. Fast forward to today and iOS 5 is set to break the iPod app in two, Videos and Music just like iPod touch and iPad, YouTube can be played in Safari and embedded web views via Google's web app, and a host of other sites and services now make apps and web apps as well.

There's Netflix and Hulu, ABC and Global, and BBC and MLB, HBO and Comcast, Ustream and Air Video, and a ton of others.

In addition, since iPhone 3GS, you can now shoot your own videos and watch them in the Camera or Photos app, even Messages and email if other people's videos are sent your way. And now there's the iPad with a big, beautiful 9.7-inch screen to enjoy your videos on as well... or even beam them to your Apple TV via AirPlay.

So with so many video options on iPhone and iPad, what do you find yourself using the most?

Since Apple is going to introduce a built in Reminders app with iOS 5 it's a good time to pause and take stock and ask you, the TiPb nation, how you're handling tasks and todos on your iPhone today? Do you just dump everything into the built in Notes app? Do you use a simple list making and reminder app like Rene's favorites, SimpleNote and Due? Are you an Evernote nerd like Seth and Chad? Or do you use a full on getting things done app like Appigo Todo or OmniFocus?

Do you sync your tasks between iPhone and desktop? iPhone and the cloud? iPhone and other iOS devices like iPad? If you have an iPad as well, do you use a different system or different apps on it than you do on iPhone?

Do you keep every little thing in your todo list, just the big things, or just things you're particularly bad about remembers (i.e. don't want to do?) Do you (or will you) use location-based reminders? Once you've set up your perfect task management system, do you find you actually use it?

And no matter what you do now, do you see yourself switching to Apple's built-in Reminders when it comes out this fall?

Let me know -- how do you keep track of tasks on your iPhone?

Now that Apple is finally selling the unlocked iPhone 4 in the US, will you be buying one? If so, is it the lack of a contract, the easy SIM-swapping when traveling, or some other reason that makes it compelling? (Like scalping them overseas, maybe? You can tell me!) Or with iPhone 5 just around the corner, is there no way you're dropping $650-$750 on a 12 month old iPhone 4 at this point? Are you undecided, or decidedly no?

Both Rene and I bought unlocked iPhone 4s when they were first released in Canada, and while it was nice not to have to sign or renew a contract, the lack of subsidy made it really expensive. If I had to do it over again, I might just take the subsidy and save myself some cash.

Vote in the poll up top and let me know what you think in the comments!

Now that Netflix is streaming to iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, and Apple TV, what are some of the best things to watch? There's family programing to keep the little ones entertained, car shows and animal documentaries to keep the men enthralled, recent movies for when friends and families arrive, and sitcoms old and new for when you need a laugh. There are so many movies, TV shows, and specials, it can be hard to figure out what's best to watch next. And because some of them vary by time or by region, it can be a little complicated. (Hello Mad Men in Canada, good bye James Bond in the US!) That's where the TiPb nation comes in, of course!

What do you consider the best things to watch on Netflix? What are the classics no one should miss and what are your current favorites? What do you recommend to your friends, and if we got to peak at your Recently Watched list, what would we see?

So will you still Jailbreak now that Apple has included notifications, lock screen info, and so many other features into iOS 5? Granted most of them don't do as much as their Jailbreak counterparts, but you aren't required to Jailbreak to use them either.

Are you a hardcore Jailbreaker and you're going to do it no matter what? Are you taking a more wait-and-see attitude? Or has Apple finally done enough to convert you from #TeamJailbreak to #TeamPure?

Vote in the poll up top and give me your reasons in the comments below!

After what seems like a years of speculation and months of rumors, Apple has finally shown us iCloud with sync, photo stream, iTunes Match, untethered activation, and... what do you think? Is it the perfect solution you've been waiting for, or did Apple once again prove they don't get the 'net?

How does it compare to Amazon and Google's offerings for the stuff you want to do?

Did they have you at "iCloud", will you try it out and see if they can win you over, or was it DOA to you?

Vote in the poll and let me know what you really think in the comments!

So now that you've gotten your first taste of IOS 5 - notifications, iMessage, and so much more -- what do you think? Did it blow you away, make you mostly happy, leave you wanting more, or just tick you off?

This is it, Apple's mobile OS for 2011 and a good part of 2012. Is it enough to keep up with Google's upcoming Android Ice Cream Sandwich (love their names!), HP webOS 2 and 3.0, Windows Phone Mango (not sure about their names yet!), and BlackBerry's new QNX platform?

Is it enough to keep you on Apple, or to win you over to iPhone and iPad for the first time? And why?

Vote in the poll up top and give me the details in the comments below!

Apple will be announcing iOS 5 on Monday and if the rumors are to be believed it will do pretty much everything from notifications to make you a tasty vanilla latte (okay, not really.) But it does beg the question -- if you're an Android or BlackBerry user, or a Windows Phone, webOS, or fan of any other platform, what would Apple have to do to win you over to iPhone and iPad?

Rene's posted his want list. What's yours? What would you need to see from Steve Jobs and Apple to make you switch (or switch back?)

What's your absolute favorite device for browsing the web -- iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, or your Mac or Windows PC? I'm a little torn myself.

The iPhone is great when I'm out and about and have no other options, but it's small and doesn't support Flash, and it's not a fast experience.

iPad is big and beautiful and I love it for reading and relaxing but it also doesn't support Flash and I can't type on it as fast as I need to for things like blogging here on TiPb.

My 11-inch MacBook Air is portable but not really mobile, so I don't have it always when I need it, but when I do it can handle every kind of web page imaginable and has a keyboard so I can easily whip up posts like this.

(We have an iMac in the house, but I almost never use it.)

If you had to pick one -- if you were stranded on Internet Survivor Island and could have only a single device with you for browsing the web -- what would it be, iPhone, iPad, or PC?

Vote up in the poll and tell me why in the comments! I'll reveal my answer on the next podcast!

How do you check the weather on your iPhone, iPod touch or iPad? On the iPhone and iPod touch you have the built in, Yahoo! powered Weather app and while it's relatively simple and quick it doesn't provide a lot of information. The iPad doesn't even come with a built in weather app, so finding something you like in the App Store or bookmarking a website are your only options.

If you use an App Store app or website, which one(s) do you use? Do you prefer quick, current, high level info or do you like all the bells and whistles, like radar, hour-by-hour forecasts, and lots of indexes? Do you want a lot of animation or eye candy, or just the facts?

How do you like your weather?

Last week on our iPhone Live! podcast, Chad and Seth got all nerdy about how they take notes, and manage their workflows, on the iPhone, and we figured it would be great to get even more views on this. So we're asking the TiPb nation!

Do you use the built in iPhone notes app or a special App Store app? If an App Store app, which one? Do you sync your notes with other devices, like your iPad or Windows or Mac PC? If so, how do you sync? The default notes app syncs to Mac Mail. DropBox has become a hugely popular way, but some people like Rene prefer SimpleNote on iOS and Notational Velocity on the desktop. Others, like Chad in the past, have been huge Evernote users, which has its own client on almost every platform. Are universal note apps better, or do you prefer note apps specifically designed for iPhone vs. iPad vs. desktop?

What's your ultimate note taking workflow?

While the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad come with built in, Apple made Gmail, Maps, and YouTube native apps, Google also provides Google made Gmail, Maps, and YouTube web apps. Apple native apps gain all the benefits of being part of the OS, including attachments, uploads, contact integration, etc. but Google updates their web apps quickly, gives you labels, stars, and ties them into the rest of your Google info, and keeps the experience the same regardless of the device you're using.

Do you have a preference? Do you prefer Apple's design and the unique iOS look and feel of Mail, Maps, and YouTube, or you prefer the Google vibe and want everything to look like the web regardless of where you're accessing it from?

Apple vs. Google. Native vs. Web.

Vote in the poll and give me the details in the comments!

With your iPhone, do you mostly type with the keyboard in portrait mode or portrait rotation? Apple added landscape keyboard system wide in iOS 3 because they said users kept asking for it. I never use it though. On the iPhone, I'm strictly a portrait typist.

In portrait mode, I can easily reach both sides of the keyboard with either thumb, or just hold my iPhone 4 in one hand and quickly tap away with the other. And it just feels like more of the screen is left uncovered that way. We talked about it on the last podcast an Rene, Chad, Seth, Leanna, and Andrew were pretty much all in agreement -- portrait was the way to go.

Several people in the chat disagreed though. They liked the wider, roomier landscape keyboard, especially for composing longer emails or notes. Some also liked that they could hold their iPhone two handed in landscape mode and tap away with both thumbs. Even though the remaining screen was shorter, they liked that it was wider.

So which type of typist are you? Landscape, keyboard, or is it complicated? Let me know in the poll up top and give me the details in comments!

Once again drawing inspiration from Chad and Rene making fun of me on iPhone Live! we're polling the TiPb nation to find out if you buy or download your apps and games directly on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, or if you prefer getting them via iTunes on your Mac or Windows PC and syncing over, or if you go both ways?

I don't think I've ever bought or downloaded an app on iTunes. I always get them right on my iPhone or iPad. My iPhone is with me all the time so it's just easier that way and I'm usually with my iPad when I see a great new app or hot new game I want to try, so I just grab it right away.

What would be really sweet would be if I could buy an iPad app on my iPhone and have it pushed right to my iPad next time I unlock it (or vice versa).

Let us know how you get your apps in the poll above and then tell us how you'd prefer to get them in the comments!

Which version of iOS are you currently running? Apple released iOS 4.3.3/4.2.8 last week so we figured we'd see how many of you in the TiPb nation updated your primary device, be it an iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad to the latest and greatest?

Did you rush out an update immediately? Did you wait until you next needed to sync with iTunes and it reminded you? Did you wait for the Jailbreak before updating? Or did you not update at all?

Since you all listen to our iPhone Live and iPad Live podcasts (right?!) you know I haven't updated yet and probably won't until I find a bug or see a feature that really encourages me to do it. (Hey, I don't even update my apps, remember!)

If you have multiple iOS devices, just vote based on the one you use most and either way, give us all the juicy details in the comments!

Are you using the cameras on your iPad 2? Apple really didn't go out of their way to provide great cameras, basically using exactly what they had in the iPod touch 4 instead of the much better camera in the iPhone 4. But they say the best camera is the one you have with you and from time to time, that will be the iPad 2, right? No, really? Perhaps you have seen our TiPb TV tourist episode and gained some inspiration?

If you've made regular use of your iPad 2 cameras for still pictures, shooting video, FaceTime calls, Augmented Reality apps, or anything else, let us know!

A while back on iPad Live, we got to talking about how we often judge and app by its icon -- if the icon is bad, or even just not great, we don't buy it (ahem, Chad!). There are just so many apps in the store it becomes an easy way to eliminate some. If the developer doesn't care enough to make a fabulous icon -- the thing everyone sees when buying and launching their app -- what else don't they care about?

Are we being snobs? Superficial much? Missing out on great apps just because the developer was better at coding than they were design? Or do great icons sometimes hide crappy apps?

How important is the icon to you when deciding whether or not to spend your money on an app? Do you judge an app by its icon? Be truthful now!

[Image via Cocoia icon resource PSD]

What will the next generation iPhone 5 look like when it's finally released -- likely this fall? Will it be like the iPhone 3GS was, the same casing with faster processors, cameras, etc.? Or will it be an all new design inspired by the MacBook Air or iPod touch? (I've gone out on a limb and said my wish is a return of the metal back). Maybe a bigger screen like some of those Android Phones, or a smaller screen, iPhone nano, like the soon-to-be-shipping HP Veer? Or could Apple push the pace of innovation again and finally give us a translucent device, like we've seen in Avatar or Iron Man?

If you could sit down with Steve Jobs and Jony Ive, and they asked you what you want iPhone 5 to look like, what would you tell them? Vote in the poll above and then let us know the details in the comments below.

(And watch the video after the break for a funny take on iPhone 5...)

iOS 4 finally gave us Folders in which to group our apps, but do you use them and if so, how do you use them? Do you have only the default Utilities Folder or have you made Folders for virtually all your app categories and sub categories? Do you keep Folders all on one home screen page or are they spread out across every page? If you have both, do you organize things differently on your iPhone than you do your iPad? Do you put any Folders in your dock, and if so, which apps get that exulted position?

If you joined us for iPad Live! last night (of course you did, right?) you heard that I used to be very organized with my Folders but after being bitten by the exploding folders bug once too often, I gave up and now there are random folders -- some with only 1 app in them! -- strewn across my iPhone home screens. (I don't use Folders on my iPad, haven't even thought about it really.) I'm trying out the FolderEnhancer Jailbreak tweak and maybe that will motivate me to clean up. (But I'm not going to lie, until Apple offers an easy way to save home screen layouts, it's still going to be hit and miss with me.)

So TiPb Nation, let me know -- how do you group your Folders?

The white iPhone 4 is official going on sale on Thursday, April 28 and depending where in the world you are... that could be now! Apple online will begin taking orders as your local store passes midnight, and Apple retail and select resellers will start opening the doors pretty much from this moment on, so we want to know if you're getting one?

Rene will be heading over to the Fairview Apple Store in Montreal (say hi if you see him there!), but not matter whether you're ordering online or standing in line, TiPb will be there with you! And so will our iPhone Forum where we're tracking order numbers and stacking lineup pics, so get on over there and get chatting!

Still need some help making up your mind? We've got your back:

• Should you get a white iPhone 4 or wait for iPhone 5?
• iPhone buyers guide: AT&T vs. Verizon, 16GB vs. 32GB and more!

Then let us know what you've decided, what you've ordered, where you're lining up, and when you score your white iPhone 4!

Are you getting a white iPhone 4? If rumors are to be be believed, tomorrow is the day you can finally get your hands on the very nearly mythic device. Almost 10 months after Apple announced it at WWDC 2010, it should be going on sale at Apple Stores, Best Buy, and a variety of carrier stores world wide.

Have you waited this long to update? Will you be swapping your nearly identical black iPhone 4 for white? Or do you have absolutely no interest at all in this and just want Apple to get on with iPhone 5 already?

Vote in the poll and give us the details in the comments!

Do you update your iPhone, iPod touch and iPad apps? It might sound like a strange questions given Apple's easy "Update All" button, but not everybody does. At least, I don't. I never update an app unless it's added a new feature or game level I want, or fixes a bug that I care about. I'm not a slacker -- okay, I'm not just a slacker -- I've had apps that worked perfectly in the past be totally ruined by a bad update, be it a horrible new feature or a really buggy release. (Insert your Twitter and Facebook jokes here.) So now I leave well enough alone and don't update until I have to.

Am I the in the minority here? Do all of you update religiously or are some of you more hesitant (or lazy!) like me? At the moment I have 51 app updates pending for my iPhone 4, how many do you have?

Sent from my iPhone. Sent from my iPad. Thanks to some curt Steve Jobs customer support replies, these default iOS email signatures are nearly iconic now. But are you still using them?

Thankfully they don't include carrier specific spam. ("Sent from my Verizon iPhone not on LTE but still fast and with really good coverage!" -- can you imagine?) Annoyingly, they're not very flexible either. You're limited to one signature and one signature alone, regardless of how many accounts you have on your device. Hopefully Apple will let us assign individual email signatures for each account in the future (without the need for #TeamJailbreak, I know!) but until then...

What's your email signature? Do you have different signatures on different devices? Or do you not use one?

We often get asked about a TiPb app for iPhone and iPad. We've been thinking about it for years but here's there thing -- TiPb is a website and the iPhone and iPad have great mobile web browsers already, and we even have an an iPhone optimized website. For TiPb to make an app, we'd need a really compelling reason. We'd want to offer you something way beyond just a website in an app wrapper.

So turn about being fair play, we're now asking you -- what would you want to see in an official TiPb app? What features would make it absolutely killer for you?

Do you sync your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch email, contacts and calendars from Mail or Outlook via iTunes or have you moved to the MobileMe, Google, Yahoo!, or Microsoft cloud? For many people, especially in business, Outlook is life but connecting a cable and launching iTunes isn't a very convenient way to stay current. MobileMe had a rocky start but has been stable for a while now, and rumors persist that Apple is about to re-invent it (especially now that the $99 box is almost impossible to find). Google is huge with geeks but does things in its own way and provides little to no support when things go wrong. Yahoo! was once a power house but now you almost never hear about them anymore. Meanwhile Exchange is huge in enterprise and Hotmail has become Microsoft Live Mail and is finally playing nicer with iOS thanks to ActiveSync.

When it comes to files there are even more choices. You can still sync via iTunes to apps that support it, or you can use Apple's iDisk, Google Docs, Dropbox, Box.net, SugarSync, or a number of options from Microsoft including Skydrive and SharePoint (though you seldom see any of them when it comes to iOS.)

Have you standardized on a single solution or do you use more than one? For example, do you use different accounts or even services for home, work, school, private info, etc.?

Vote in the polls and let us know the details in the comments?

If it were possible for the iPad to own 138% of the tablet market it probably would, but competing devices have already launched like the Motorola Xoom, are about to launch like the BlackBerry Playbook, or will be launching later in the year like the HP TouchPad and more Android Honeycomb tablets.

Some will be smaller, with 7 or 8-inch screens. Some will be slightly bigger with 10.1-inch screens. Most will have Adobe Flash support to varying degrees. They'll have more ports (and not require camera kits or AV adapter dongles). They'll have webOS card view (even if they come from RIM) or a more desktop style UI. They won't have iOS apps but they'll have Android apps (even if they come from RIM) or webOS apps. They may have really fast LTE connections at some point. They won't have iTunes but they probably will have wider native support for video and audio file formats. Even 3D. They may or may not be easier to hack.

But they'll be different to Apple's current Pad 2, in small or big ways. And for many people they'll be not-Apple and that will be tempting.

Will it tempt you? Be honest now -- let me know why! (or why not!)

Marimba, the default iPhone ringtone, is so 2007 -- so we're curious what you're using today? Have you stuck with the built-in tones or have you gone with something custom? Do you just use one ring tone for everybody or have you personalized your favorite contacts?

If so, do you like songs with lyrics or do you prefer instrumentals? Do you keep things musical or do you sometimes go with soundboard clips for that comedic effect? Video game themes, movie themes, rock, hip hop, special effect sounds, celebrity tag lines, sports jingles?

Let us know what you're using and for those of us looking for some cool new ringtones, what would you recommend?

Our newest jailbreak ninja, Cody, recently let you know how to untethered jailbreak iOS 4.3.1 via redsn0w but since then, how has it been? I personally haven't had time to upgrade to iOS 4.3.1 and re-jailbreak. Cody however has voiced that he has had a lot more springboard crashes than he did under the previous iOS 4.2.1 greenpois0n jailbreak.

Most jailbreakers are aware that not all apps are compatible with a new jailbreak, so outside of those causing issues, are any of you experiencing issues? Cody and a couple readers have wrote in to let me know that they've experienced some safe mode crashes and reboots under iOS 4.3.1.

If you have issues, let us know in the the poll and/or in the comments as well as checking out our TiPb jailbreak forums to see what issues other members are experiencing and if they've found any ways around them.

If, as rumor suggests, iOS 5 won't be previewed this spring as it has in years past, and is instead only shown off at WWDC 2011 in June and ">released sometime in the fall, will there be an iOS 4.4 to tide us over in the meantime?

If there is, what features would you expect it to have? There almost certainly won't be anything major like non-obtrusive notifications, file repositories, or any of the other iOS 5-level tent poles we've asked for, but network AirPrint, custom text and email tones, landscape week view in calendar, folder setup saving, keeping you in the App Store after you start a download -- any number of small improvements, really.

What do you think, will there be an iOS 4.4 and if so, what would you like to see in it?

Now that Amazon has Cloud Drive and Cloud Player up and running alongside their music and movie service, anyone thinking about switching over from iTunes? Despite constant rumors Apple hasn't yet announced their own digital locker or cloud streaming service, perhaps because they're still trying to negotiate licenses with the record labels. Amazon did it without licenses (which kind of impressed us!). They also often have lower prices than iTunes, though iTunes still has the edge on ease of use.

So what do you say, have you switched from iTunes to Amazon? Are you considering it? And if so, what does Apple have to do to hold on to you?

While I refuse to believe the rumors are true, and will keep refusing until Steve Jobs (or whomever) ends their WWDC 2011 keynote 100% new iPhone 5 free, I simply have to ask -- If Apple doesn't release an iPhone 5 this year what will you do?

If you just got a new Verizon iPhone you probably don't care as much (maybe you're even a little relieved?) If you think iPhone 4 is still way ahead of the competition, maybe it doesn't matter to you either. If you plan on getting a white iPhone 4, could that hold you over? But what if Apple just broke your heart yesterday, then what? Is it enough to make you take a good long look at an Android-based alternative?

We might be facing our first June since 2007 without a new iPhone. What will you do? Vote in the poll above and let us know the details in the comments below!

How do you IM on your iPhone, iPod touch or iPad? We recently asked what Twitter app you used most and got tons of feedback, including that many of you prefer IM to Twitter, or don't use Twitter at all. Fine then! Ally has already posted up her top 5 IM/instant messenger apps for iPhone but we want to know more!

What service do you prefer for IM on your iPhone? Are you an old school instant messenger user and stick to AIM, MSN/Windows Live, ICQ, GoogleTalk, etc. or do you prefer something BBM-like such as WhatsApp, Kik or Beluga? If it's a traditional service, what app do you prefer, the official client or something that handles multiple accounts like BeeJive or IM+? Or does SMS (or even Twitter) replace IM for you? And finally do you use the same same services and apps on your iPhone/iPod touch as you do your iPad or computer, or do you mix it up?

Let us know -- how do you use IM on iOS?

Twitter turns 5 years old today and we thought we'd celebrate by asking you which was your favorite Twitter app for iPhone? Twitter for iPhone (formerly Tweetie) is probably the most popular but ever since the introduction of the #dickbar many users have been experimenting with other options. We've posted a massive Twitter app round-up of many of them and Leanna has put up a Top 5 Twitter app alternatives, but we want to know what you've tried and what you've currently settled on?

Also, be sure to add your Twitter username to the comments so we can follow you from the @TiPb account! If you want to follow us, here we are as well:

@reneritchie, @GeorgiaTiPb, @iChadman, @JFSikora, @llofte, @iMuggle, @andrewwray, @chrisoldroyd, @jorjlim)

So happy birthday Twitter! Now let us know how you're tweeting!

The New York Times says Netflix may start delivering their first TV show, House of Cards, and it got us wondering if Apple shouldn't get into the production side of show business as well? Netflix might outbid the likes of HBO and AMC to get House of Cards and it would give them original programming that you couldn't get anywhere else. Sony has their own Hollywood studio. Comcast is buying NBC. Will Apple be at a disadvantage if they only deliver content but don't make any themselves. (No, Disney doesn't count -- just because Steve Jobs is the largest shareholder doesn't mean Apple owns it or has exclusive rights to any of their content.)

Apple already has the tools to make TV shows -- Final Cut Pro on Macs. They have iTunes to market, sell, and deliver it. They have iAds if they want to use it. They have clients on Windows, Mac, iPhone, iPad and iPod touch to watch it. All they're missing is the actual content. Sure it could spread Apple too thin and be too far outside their core business but that hasn't stopped Sony and it might not stop Netflix.

What do you think, would a Dr. Horrible-style show, only available on iTunes be an advantage for Apple? Given the increasing competition, will Apple have to do something like that eventually?

[NYT]

So how's your battery life with iOS 4.3? It never fails but every time Apple releases a new version of iOS for iPhone, iPod touch or iPad we here at TiPb inevitably get bombarded with email saying how it's destroyed battery life -- or made it better than ever. Equal parts really.

So, we want to know! Vote in the poll up top and give us the device and details in the comments below!

(And if you are having problems check out our previous tip on how to trouble shoot iOS battery-life issues.)

Whether you woke up early yesterday morning to order online, waited forever in an Apple Store line, or risked low stocks at a big box or carrier store we want to know if you survived and more importantly -- did you get your iPad 2?!

Let us know your story in the comments below. Where did you go, what iPad 2 model did you get and what accessories did you get with it? And if not -- why not?

Tons of pictures from the lines, including our now traditional TiPb T-Shirt give aways after the break!

So after all the build up, the leaks, the anticipation, and the rumors Apple finally held their iPad 2 event today... and what did you think?

Are the iPad 2 specs enough? Do you like the HDMI out and Smart Covers? Are iMovie and GarageBand must-have apps? Was it great to see Steve Jobs on stage?

Were you overwhelmed, underwhelmed, or... just whelmed?

We've already posted our thoughts on iPad 2 and discussed it over multiple weeks of iPad Live! podcasts but now it's your turn to lay it on the line! What are we going to see tomorrow at the iPad 2 event? What new features will Apple unveil for iPad 2? Will there be a "one more thing" and what will it be?

Vote in the poll up top and let us know the details in the comments below!

Will the iPad 2 event also be the iOS 5 preview event? 2 years ago Apple did Macworld in January and the iPhone 3.0 (iOS 3) preview event in mid March. Last year Apple did the iPad event in late January an the iPhone 4.0 (iOS 4) preview in early April. This year the iPad 2 event is on March 2...

...so does that leave time for an iOS 5 event in April or will Apple have them share the spotlight next week?

If iPad 2 doesn't have a lot of new features and iOS 4.3 doesn't have any big surprises left maybe sharing the stage is a good thing. Otherwise it seems like Apple prefers to let their big product announcements get the individual attention they deserve.

We know you want everything and want it now but what do you think Apple will do? iPad 2 now and iOS 5 next month or everything on Wednesday?

With all the iPad 2 (and iPad 3!) rumors it's easy to lose sight of all the current iPads out there and what we, as users, are doing with them. So we're asking! What things do you do with it the most? Anything you thought you wouldn't do much of that you're suddenly doing a lot? Anything you assumed you would do a lot that ended up not being so useful?

I'm not even going to lie -- I use my iPad mostly for gaming. I used to use it for web browsing but now I prefer my MacBook Air for that (it props itself up). I know Chad uses his iPad for productivity work, including most of what he writes here for TiPb (at Starbucks no doubt!).

What about you? Surfing the web, email, gaming, reading eBooks, looking at photos, getting things done?

Which current Jailbreak apps would you like to see go official on iPhone, iPod touch and iPad in iOS5? It's amazing how many have done so already from Installer, which was the App Store before there was an App Store, all the way up to MyWi, which is now going to be duplicated by Personal Hotspot in iOS 4.2.6 for Verizon iPhone and iOS 4.3 for everyone else.

BiteSMS for instant text handling comes to mind, as do LockInfo for glance-able data, and even Winterboard for theming. Better notification handling, multitasking visualizers, folder enhancers, there's so much to choose from! Ally already told us her 8 most-wanted Jailbreak concepts Apple should implement in iOS 5, but now we want to hear from you! (Or if you would prefer some stay independent on Cydia, tell us which and why as well!)

The Verizon iPhone can't do simultaneous voice and data, something AT&T is quick to point out in their latest commercial. But how important is that to you? Many of us have Wi-Fi at home and at work or at school so it's not an issue but how about when you're out and about? If you're on a call how critical is it that you be able to surf the web, send email or get push notifications? (Or if the call is just deathly boring how much do you need the distraction of the web or online games?)

The original EDGE-only iPhone couldn't do simultaneous voice and data either -- calls would go to voicemail if you were using data. With the Verizon iPhone on CDMA EVDO Rev A you're alerted to a call and can choose to pause data and then can't use data again for the duration of the call. It's more elegant but is it any less frustrating for people who've gotten used to doing it on AT&T?

Vote in the poll above and let us know how you came to your decision in the comments below!

Today is Verizon iPhone pre-order day... so are you getting one? If you're an existing Verizon customer eligible to upgrade you're only a few clicks away.

If you're still not certain make sure you've checked out our iPhone Buyers Guide and read the AT&T vs. Verizon pros and cons

Once you've made up your mind let us know what you've decided in the comments below, especially if you get one! (And then head on over to our Verizon iPhone Forum where we're keeping an eye on the pre-order process and delivery estimates!)

3am EST is the time! Apple.com and Verizon.com are the places!

If you could only have 5 apps on your iPhone what would they be and why? We're talking App Store apps here, not built-in apps like Safari. For example, if I were stranded on a desert island (that just happened to have Wi-Fi and electricity to charge -- you know, thanks to Dharma) these would be my must-have apps:

• Skype [Free iTunes] so I could call out for pizza or even hail a ship to rescue me.
• Articles [2.99 iTunes] (Wikipedia app), so I could find out how to cure that sea urchin sting (the solution isn't pretty).
• Twitter [Free iTunes] so that everyone would know how much I am suffering... or living it up on the island.
• Instagram [Free iTunes] so that I could quickly post pictures to Twitter, Facebook and Flickr, because being on a deserted island is something you would have to see for yourself.
• Chess [0.99 iTunes] because they say it takes a lifetime to master and I guess I would have a lot of time on my hands.

What apps would you simply not want to live without?

What is your favorite iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad gesture or shortcut? iOS 4.3 gives the iPad some new ones like ability to swipe between apps but there are already plenty to choose from. Pinch to zoom has always gotten a lot of attention, keyboard shortcuts are real time savers, two finger scrolling in form fields is sweet, and the rotor in VoiceOver mode is very cool, but I think that the one I most appreciate is the single finger tap on the status bar to jump back to the the top of any page (I wish my Mac had that!)

How about you? What's your favorite gesture or shortcut? And do you have a least favorite?

Which version of iOS is running on your iPhone? According to the developer of Bump on Quora almost 90% of us are running a version of iOS 4 on our iPhones. The current iOS 4.2.1 alone accounts for almost 53% and iOS 4.1 almost 28% (I suspect up to half of that might just be Jailbreak, hmm?). iOS 3.1.3 is next with over 6% which just might be some hesitant iPhone 3G users...

(If you're curious TechCrunch contrasts these with Android numbers: 2.3 is 0.4%, 2.2 is almost 52%, 2.1 is just over 35%.)

Which version of iOS are you running? Vote in the poll above and let us know why you're on your chosen version -- developer, jailbreak, performance, etc. -- in the comments!

[Quora via Techcrunch]

The iOS 4.3 beta brings some really awesome things, like multitouch gestures to iPad, Wi-Fi personal hotspot to iPhone, better AirPlay support to both and... a new Notes font? (And no iPhone 3G love!)

Not sure what's new? Check out our complete iOS 4.3 walkthrough.

There won't be anything major like new notifications until iOS 5 but let us know what you think for now -- is that enough for a 4.3 update, more than you expected, less than you wanted?

Do you think that the Verizon iPhone announcement do enough to capture the hearts and minds of current AT&T customers? I'm not so sure myself. We got Mobile Hot Spot but I was hoping that we would get something more to sweeten the deal. White iPhone, buy out program, hold the iPhone 4 any way I want? Let us know what you think!

While everyone waits for the big Verizon iPhone announcement tomorrow it's a touch poetic to remember that the original Cingular/AT&T iPhone was announced on January 9, 2007 -- almost four years ago to to the day.

Do you remember what smartphones were like before Steve Jobs took to the Macworld stage and finally revealed Apple's wide screen iPod, internet communicator and revolutionary phone? Can you believe how far they've come since?

Let us know what you remember the most about the original iPhone introduction, what phone you were using at the time, and how in your opinion Apple has changed things (for good or for bad) since?

Video after the break!

If you could only keep one piece of technology would that be? Your iPad, your iPhone or perhaps something else? We have been asking each other that question a lot lately on our podcasts and TiPb TV. So I wanted to know what was everyone else's most favored piece of technology. For me it is my iPhone. I keep it close by me at all times and it works as my personal mini computer, my phone and my entertainment device. What tech would be your sole survivor?

What iPhone or iPad accessory do you most want in 2011? Rene is off covering CES 2011 and while I admit some of the things we've seen so far especially the medical accessories like heart and blood pressure monitors are super sweet (and I want them!) it's been almost 2 years since Apple opened up iOS 3 (iPhone 3.0) to accessories and there's just got to be more coming, right?

A really great game controller with thumb stick and button controls, a really slim Bluetooth keyboard case that just works, a dashboard mount that lets your iPad take over your car's interface system, a helmet that holds your iPhone in front of you so you can FaceTime while you walk (what?) would be a good start, but what more do you want in 2011?

What would you like to see more of (or less of) on TiPb.com in 2011? iOS news/rumors? Jailbreak coverage? Editorials/opinion pieces? iPhone/iPad vs. competing device reviews? App/game/accessory reviews? App/game/accessory comparisons? Tips/how-tos/guides? iPhone Live!/iPad Live!?, TiPb TV? Anything we're not covering that you really want us to start?

We are here for you, so let us know what would make your TiPb experience better in 2011!

We've already chosen our editors' picks for the top 10 headlines of 2010, but now we want to know our readers favourites (that's you!). There have been so many stories that some of the best ones get lost in the mix. We have watched Apple take on Google, HTC, Adobe, Nokia, and pretty much everyone and their patent troll sue Apple. We've seen the releases of the iPad and the iPhone 4 and complaints about both. We got iOS 4 for iPhone and -- finally! -- iOS 4.2 for iPad. We've had the white iPhone 4 go missing and rumors of the Verizon iPhone hit the boiling point.

Okay. Bored now.

You know what my favourite story of the year was? I have to say it wasn't really newsworthy at all but was humorous in nature. It was the rumor that Steve Jobs was stopped at the Japanese boarder for carrying ninja stars. Yes it was later found to be only fiction (perhaps) but is still makes me laugh.

What was your favourite TiPb story of 2010? Post the TiPb.com link in the comments below, tell us why it was your favorite, and we'll choose three of you to receive some fabulous iPhone and iPad accessory prizes for New Years!

What are you waiting for, tell me your favourite stories!

(Valid email address required. We won't show it but we'll need it to contact you if you win!)