Looking for a specific iOS IPSW file, specific jailbreak tool, or other iOS related download? Odds are we’ve got what you need in our brand new downloads page. We’ll be updating it regularly and keeping it updated with all new versions of iOS and the latest in jailbreak tools and utilities.

And as always, if we don’t have something listed that you think would be a good idea, shoot me an email to ally.kazmucha@tipb.com and we’ll try and get it added!

TiPb resource pages to check out:

• TiPb Downloads Section
• TiPb jailbreak information
• TiPb tips and how to’s
• TiPb app reviews
• TiPb app and device guides

Some of my most-used apps have managed to stay the same year after year, but app updates and new contenders are always finding their way onto my device. While there are tons of great apps in the App Store, these are the apps that currently earn a place on the homescreen of my iPhone or iPad, or even both.

BiteSMS

I can not even express how great of an app BiteSMS is. While iOS 5 made several much needed improvements to the messaging app, I still need my quick reply. I desperately miss this functionality on my iPhone 4S and can’t wait for a jailbreak for A5 devices to be released so I can have it back. Until then I’ll have to enjoy using it on my iPod touch.

• $9.99 – Cydia Search Link

SBSettings

SBSettings is by far one of the most useful jailbreak tweaks ever created. It’s made my list year after year ever since its conception. I realize how much I miss it every single time I have to launch the Settings app on my iPhone 4S just to change the brightness level on my phone or toggle off wi-fi. If you jailbreak and haven’t picked up SBSettings, what are you waiting for? It’s free.

• Free – Cydia Search Link

Reeder

Reeder has been one of my all time favorite apps on both my iPhone and iPad. While apps like Flipboard are great for casual reading, Reeder allows me to read when I want without missing anything. I can set up options for how many days worth of content I want to see when I load it and know I’m still up to date. More importantly, Reeder is a surprisingly beautiful client for one that provides so much functionality. Often times you see a great UI go bad when too many options are added. Reeder is a shining example of an exception to this rule.

• $4.99 – iPad App Store Link

• $2.99 – iPhone App Store Link

Google Currents

While Reeder is the app I’d turn to when I actually want to sit down and catch up on my news for the day, Currents is the app I turn to when I just want to view headlines or pick and choose what I want to read. It has one of the most beautiful interfaces I’ve ever seen in a news app and it really is a joy to browse through, especially from the iPad. I think Currents will give Flipboard a run for its money. I actually already prefer it due to blogs being able to customize how their content is presented.

• Free – App Store Link

1Password

1Password has a well-deserved spot on every single device or computer I own. Lets face its, most people are terrible at remembering passwords. We all know it isn’t safe to have the same password for everything but who can remember all those passwords? Enter 1Password. Not only does it remember all your passwords or generate impossible to guess random ones for you, it does it across all platforms seamlessly. I have 1Password installed on my iPhone, iPad 2, iPod touch, iMac, and MacBook Pro. Never again will I forget a password or have to worry about not having the one I need nearby. While you can purchase them separately for iPhone and iPad, I suggest picking up the Pro version to cover all your iOS devices. It’s currently on sale for the holidays for only $8.99, down from its normal price point of $14.99.

• $8.99 – App Store Link

If the vibrate function of AT&T/GSM iPhone 4 isn’t working or is very faint, you may need a new vibrator assembly. If you’re out of warranty but have just a little bit of ninja skill, it’s a very cheap and easy repair to perform yourself.

It’s worth noting that this guide is only valid for the AT&T or other GSM variant of the iPhone 4. The iPhone 4S and Verizon/CDMA iPhone 4 are very similar internally but very different from the GSM variant of the original iPhone 4. So if your iPhone 4 is not AT&T/GSM, proceed no further young Jedi!

Disclaimer: As with any repair, iMore nor PXLFIX can be held responsible for any damage you may do to your device. It’s also worth considering that opening up your device to perform any repair or modification can and will void your Apple warranty. If you don’t feel comfortable opening your device, don’t. Use extreme care and caution when performing a repair on any device.

What you need for a DIY vibrator assembly repair

PXLFIX recommends using only quality and genuine parts from a reputable supplier like eTech Parts. They have quality parts, tools, and much more for all your repair needs.

• A GSM iPhone 4
• Replacement vibrator assembly – GSM iPhone 4 vibrator assembly
• #00 Phillips screwdriver
• Security screwdriver (only if your iPhone has the security screws in the dock connector)

Power off your iPhone 4

You should always power off your device before performing any type of internal repair work. Simply hold down your top power button and Slide to power off.

Remove the back of your iPhone 4

1. First remove the bottom 2 dock connector screws in your iPhone 4. Use either your #00 screwdriver or the five point depending on whether or not your iPhone 4 has security screws in the dock connector. Almost all newer devices will have security screws.

2. To remove the back simply slide the back upwards and lift it off gently.
3. Set the back and 2 dock connector screws aside.

Replace the vibrator assembly

1. Locate your vibrator assembly in the upper right hand corner of your iPhone 4 (assuming you’re looking at it from the back).

2. It is held in with two screws. Use your #00 Phillips screwdriver and remove them. The screw on the left will be significantly longer. Just remember which screw came from where.

3. Next, gently lift the old vibrator assembly out of the device.

4. Place the new one in carefully and replace the two screws that hold it in place.

Reassemble your iPhone

All you need to do now is replace the back on your iPhone 4 and put the two dock connector screws back in.

And …done!

That’s all there is to it! Have you done this repair yourself? Let us know how it went! Want to know how to perform another type of iPhone repair or modification? Send me suggestions to ally.kazmucha@tipb.com or leave a comment in our brand new Mod and DIY Repair Forum!

For repair questions or to inquire about mail-in repairs through PXLFIX, follow us on Twitter or e-mail us directly!

If you’re looking for a stylish pair of headphones without a hefty price tag – the RF3 LIVE natural wood stereo earphones may be worth taking a second look at. Everything from the design of the actual earbuds down to the elegant packaging makes these headphones stand out from a lot of others in the same price range. But what about the most important feature of a good pair of headphones? Sound quality. Follow along to see how we felt they performed.

When it came to sound quality I thought the RF3 headphones held up extremely well for the price. The headphones themselves are noise isolating and come with a few different sets of tips for a better fit. They were rather comfortable to wear but I wouldn’t suggest them as the best option for athletes or runners as I had them fall out of my ears a few times.

The 3.5MM headphone jack has a longer adapter which also allowed me to use them with virtually any case. One quirk I’ve never really gotten over with my Bose headphones is that the jack is shorter and some cases including bumpers don’t like to play nice with them. That isn’t the case here.

The headphones also have a built-in mic that you can interact with just like you can default Apple earbuds. This means iPhone 4S users can easily interact with Siri quickly and easily. I tested the mic on several occasions and had no issues with Siri picking up on what I was saying even in a semi-noisy environment.

As far as the acoustics and sound while listening to music, I thought they held their own against many other headphones in the same price range. They even performed better than some more expensive headphones I’ve used in the past. The only issue I did see was when it came to bass levels. I felt that they were rather shallow. Even with my iPod settings set to enhance the bass they didn’t seem to perform near as well as my Bose MIE2i headphones. That is not as fair of a comparison though since they are nowhere near the same price range.

Overall, I’d say they perform well for the price if you want a decent pair of headphones that stand out from the rest without breaking the bank. You can find the RF3 LIVE natural wood headphones in the TiPb accessory store for $34.95.

Pros

• Great price for a quality product
• A variety of ear tip pieces included
• Built-in mic works exceptionally well
• Noise cancellation works just as good as most expensive noise isolating headphones
• The sound doesn’t distort when at a high level like some lower priced ear buds
• The headphone jack seems to fit well with almost every case I have, bulky or not

Cons

• Not great for runners and athletes as the headphones don’t offer a very firm and secure fit (or I just have little ears)
• The bass levels seem to be rather shallow compared to other ear buds

Giveaway

Just leave a comment below telling us what you’d listen to if you were given a set of RF3 LIVE Natural Wood Stereo Earphones of your very own! A special song? A great audio book? A bunch of Mobile Nations podcasts? What?

That’s right, now that Google+ Pages are available, you can now circle in with TiPb on everybody’s favorite Google-powered Social Network. If you have big gadget love and rock multiple devices, you can also find all of Mobile Nations on Google+ now as well!

• TiPb on Google+ Pages
• Mobile Nations on Google+ Pages

Plus up!

Don’t need a fancy location-based Reminder in iOS 5 and just want it to tell you what time your task is due? No problem, time-based Reminders are perfect for those who care more about the when than the where, and couldn’t be any easier to set up.

Start by launching the Reminders app.

1. Tap the + sign in the upper right corner to add a reminder.
2. After you add the reminder, click Done in the upper right hand corner. Or just clicking Return on the keyboard will complete the reminder as well.

3. Next tap on the reminder you just created in order to enter the settings for it. By default reminders won’t notify you and function like a checklist of sorts. To change that, tap on the Remind Me option.

4. You’ll have two options to set a notification. On a Day or At a Location. Since we want to set a time based reminder, select the On a Day option.
5. Simply select the date and time you’d like to be reminded and click Done in the upper right hand corner.

That’s it! The Reminders app will now send you a push notification at the time you specified very similar to how the Calendar app already displays notifications for events. I’ve found myself using the built-in reminders app a lot more than any of the third party apps I used before due to the simplicity and syncing with iCal on all my Macs. Will you guys be using Reminders going forward or will you stick with whatever third party task app you used prior to iOS 5?

Daily Tips range from beginner-level 101 to advanced-level ninjary. If you already know this tip, keep the link handy as a quick way to help a friend. If you have a tip of your own you’d like to suggest, add them to the comments or send them in to dailytips@tipb.com. (If it’s especially awesome and previously unknown to us, we’ll even give ya a reward…)

If you are currently jailbroken on iOS 5 you can now return to skinning and theming your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch to your heart’s content — Saurik’s most recent update to Winterboard (0.9.3901) adds iOS 5 compatibility.

Although Winterboard is now compatible with iOS 5 it still isn’t safe to assume that all themes and skins are. As always, make sure you’re reading the descriptions carefully. In most cases themes just don’t apply properly if they haven’t been made compatible but it’s still good to check.

Anyone found any awesome themes that work with iOS 5 they want to recommend? Let us know!

Switching to an iPhone 4S from BlackBerry, webOS or Android phone and curious how to transfer your data over? We’ve already told you how to transfer data from an existing iPhone to the 4S, but crossing platforms can seem like a bigger headache. It doesn’t have to be. There’s lots of services available to help you transfer data from one device to another. Keep reading for some simple suggestions that can make the process of going from BlackBerry or Android to iPhone and iOS 5 just a little easier for you.

There are two main ways to move all your data over to iPhone: desktop sync via iTunes and cloud sync via Google, Yahoo!, Exchange, etc.

iTunes

If you want to move your music, TV shows, movies, photos, and other media over to your new iPhone and you already use iTunes on Mac or Windows PC then it’s pretty easy.

1. Just plug the dock cable into your iPhone and into your PC and your iPhone will show up in iTunes.
2. Go through the tabs and choose what information, media, and photos you want to sync.
3. Press sync

You can sync multiple iOS devices (if you already have an iPad or iPod touch) with one iTunes library or set up multiple iTunes libraries to keep things extra neat and tidy.

Google Sync

Here is a way to use Gmail or Google Sync to transfer your data. If you’re already using a Gmail or Google Account to sync your mail, contacts, and calendars, this process is dead simple. Just make sure you’ve done a sync on your current BlackBerry, webOS or Android device.

1. On your new iPhone tap Settings and go to Mail, Contacts, Calendars.

2. You’ll need to add your new account to your iPhone. Simply tap the new account and then Gmail option.
3. If you want full push, you can also set Gmail up as Exchange as well. Visit Google’s Exchange page for instructions on setting up this way.
4. After your account is verified, you can simply choose to sync what items you would like to sync by turning those options On.

5. If a message pops up asking what you’d like to do with the data, choose to replace your iPhone data or merge data. Whichever is appropriate to your situation.

After you’ve done this you can continue using Google Sync if you’d like or disable it and use iCloud going forward. Just delete the Gmail account or disable it. If asked what to do with the data on your iPhone, just choose to keep it on your device. Then sign in with iCloud and it will now sync everything up and everything new from here on out.

Note: One of our readers has pointed out that Google may have issues syncing your contacts unless they are in the “My Contacts” category in Google. He had some contacts listed in other groups and they wouldn’t come down. So make sure all your contacts are filed under the general “My Contacts” group if you’re having issues with your iPhone syncing into your Contacts app from Google. Thanks for the tip, Will!

Yahoo! Sync

To perform a sync with Yahoo!, you are essentially going to repeat the same steps you would for Google sync (see above), except you’ll choose Yahoo when you choose your new account type. All the options should be identical when it comes to syncing contacts, calendars, and email accounts. And again, when you’re done you can choose to continue using Yahoo! Sync or use iCloud.

Exchange and Hotmail

If you’re using Exchange at work, and/or Windows Live Hotmail at home, again the instructions are the same as above just choose Exchange ActiveSync as your account type, or hit the new iOS 5 Hotmail button and you’re set. (If you have problems with a work Exchange account, check with your IT department for the proper settings)

Transferring contacts and calendars from your computer with iTunes

If you don’t use any Google, Yahoo!, Exchange or any online service and you’re just looking to transfer your contacts to your iPhone, you can do that too. Whether you have Windows or Mac, you can transfer contacts from your current smartphone to your iPhone pretty easily.

1. Plug your old device into the computer and sync them with either Outlook, Exchange, or Mac Address book. This process is pretty easy but varies from device to device, so you may need to refer to your specific device instructions in order to do this. If you still have an issue doing this, head on over to the TiPb Forums for some expert switcher advice and help.
2. Once your contacts are already on your computer, you can plug your new iPhone into your computer.
3. Open iTunes and click the Info tab under your iPhone sync settings.
4. You will see a Contacts option. Select that and choose what contacts you would like to be synced to your phone.

5. Click sync and wait for iTunes to do its thing. When complete, your contacts should now be on your new iPhone.

Note: You may have noticed iTunes has native options to configure Yahoo! or Gmail sync. You are more than welcome to use these options as well. They are just as easy. You can also choose to sync calendars via iTunes as well. Use whatever process is going to be more convenient for you on an ongoing basis.

Transferring photos from your old device to your new iPhone [PC users]

1. Simply sync or transfer the photos from your old device into your photos on your Windows PC. Whether you choose to do this with your actual device, or from removable storage like an SD card is your choice.
2. Plug your new iPhone into the computer and open iTunes and navigate to the Photos tab.
3. Navigate your way to where you save your photos to your PC when choosing what photos to sync and make sure to choose the pictures you’d like on your phone.
4. Click sync and wait for iTunes to finish. Your photos should now show up in the Photos app on your iPhone.

Transferring photos from your old device to your new iPhone [Mac users]

1. Plug your old device into your Mac and open iPhoto. (If iPhoto doesn’t recognize your Android, webOS, or Blackberry phone, simply transfer the pictures from the removable storage in your device, if you have that option.)
2. Your device should show up in the left navigation pane of iPhoto.
3. Name your album and import the photos. Alternately, you could select just the photos you’d like on your new device if you want.

4. Open iTunes and go to the Photos tab. Select the albums or events you’d like to sync to your new iPhone.

5. Click sync and wait for iTunes. After the sync is complete, you should see your new Photos in your Photo app on your iPhone.

Next steps

The iPhone is a pretty easy device to transfer data to. Once you’ve gotten all your data from your other device into a cloud service or on your computer, it should be easy as pie. If you guys have any issues doing any of this, feel free to check out the TiPb Forums for answers to many questions.

For more on using your new iPhone 4S check out our iPhone Starters Guide, and then dive into our iPhone 4S Forums for help and community!

Daily Tips range from beginner-level 101 to advanced-level ninjary. If you already know this tip, keep the link handy as a quick way to help a friend. If you have a tip of your own you’d like to suggest, add them to the comments or send them in to dailytips@tipb.com. (If it’s especially awesome and previously unknown to us, we’ll even give ya a reward…)

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Phil, Kevin, and Rene beta test a new video rig, survive technical problems, and talk RIM results, BlackBerry striking back, next generation Android phones, Windows 8 tablets, and a tale of two iPhones. This is Mobile Nations!

Agenda

• Research In Motion Reports Second Quarter Fiscal 2012 Results
• Thoughts from RIM’s Q2 Financial Results Conference Call
• Samsung Galaxy S II Sprint Epic 4G Touch now available online from Sprint
• Motorola Droid Bionic review
• Windows 8 Developer Preview now available
• Two new iPhones to be announced this month, iPhone 5 may be in short supply

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. Introduction by Joseph Holder.

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!

Seeing as Apple seeded iOS 5 beta 6 today, a lot of users want to know if they’ll need to wait in order to update and re-jailbreak. The answer to that is no. Go ahead and update. The existing version of Redsn0w for Mac and Sn0wbreeze for Windows will work just fine. I’ve confirmed this working on a 4th generation iPod Touch. iDB has confirmed it working as well.

The process should be the same as previous versions of Redsn0w and Sn0wbreeze. Just use the new beta 6 firmware file in place of beta 5 or earlier.

As always, remember that not only is iOS 5 in beta, these jailbreak tools are also beta. Unless you’re a developer or jailbreak developer, I’d probably hold off on doing this. Not all regular apps are compatible with iOS 5 let alone jailbreak apps. So be advised to proceed at your own risk.

Target and Radio Shack are dropping their prices on the iPhone 4. A lot of retailers typically do this to clear out inventory in anticipation for a new iPhone. We’ve seen it happen every year thus far.

If you’re in the market for a new iPhone and don’t care about waiting for the iPhone 5, you can get an iPhone 4 at Target for $149 (16 GB) and $249 (32 GB). Radio Shack also has a promotion this week cutting the prices to $169 and $269. If you trade in an existing iPhone, you can get an additional $100 off at Radio Shack.

As always, these prices will require you to sign a new 2-year agreement. I’d personally hold out for the iPhone 5 but if you aren’t willing to shell out over $200 for a new phone, this may be the deal for you.

TUAW

Curious how to create a playlist directly on your iPhone or iPad? We already know you can create them within iTunes, but what about when you’re on the go and want a different mix to listen to?

Creating playlists from your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad is just as easy as it is in iTunes. Follow along and we’ll tell you how!

1. First, go to the playlist tab in your iPod app and tap Add Playlist…

2. You’ll be prompted to enter a name for your playlist. Enter it and tap Save

3. Now you can tap any of the tabs along the bottom to look for music you want to add to the playlist. Simply tap the plus song to add individual songs or whole albums.

4. Once you are done adding music, tap Done in the upper right hand corner.

5. If you need to edit your playlist (delete or add songs), simply go into the playlist and scroll up and you can edit, clear, or delete the playlist altogether.

That’s pretty much it! Next time you sync to your computer, your newly created playlists should also sync back to iTunes. I use this feature quite often on vacations and trips. I also find myself using it to add music I’ve just recently download to playlists that already exist. Do you guys use this feature?

Tips of the day will range from beginner-level 101 to advanced-level ninjary. If you already know this tip, keep the link handy as a quick way to help a friend. If you have a tip of your own you’d like to suggest, add them to the comments or send them in to news@tipb.com. (If it’s especially awesome and previously unknown to us, we’ll even give ya a reward…)

Michal Bencur, has released his computer programming iPad app, Coders. If you’ve ever wondered what all that code does in the background of all your gadgets, you may want to check it out. It’s an extremely simple coding app with an easy to understand interface. There are a few sample programs built in for you to poke around and you can also create your own. Coders is based on the Lua programming language, which is a pretty easy language to learn.

• Tutorial on how to get started
• Lua programming language
• You can write code that draws on screen: points, lines, change colors…
• work with text, take input from user, write things out

This app isn’t meant for hardcore developers, nor should you expect to learn how to code iPhone and iPad apps. This app is mainly geared towards beginners that want to learn to understand the very basics of programming. Developers still may enjoy it even if it’s just to jot down quick notes while they’re on the go. And if all else fails, I had a lot of fun just creating little programs purely for entertainment.

Coders is currently priced at $4.99 in the App Store. Screenshots after the break.

[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.

As most of our TiPb Forums regulars probably noticed, we’ve been moving things around on a fairly massive scale lately. Basically, we’re going from a nice home in the burbs to a big party house in the hills. That’s because you deserve more — more space to play and more features to play with.

We’ve done some work on the blogs already and started a new Mobile Nations podcast, so it was about time we gave the forums some love.

First of all we’re bringing things more in line with the other Smartphone Experts communities. Many of you use multiple platforms and several devices now and as you move through our network we want you to feel at home no matter which site you’re on. That means you’ll see the same types of device forums on TiPb now that you’ve always enjoyed on Android Central, CrackBerry.com, PreCentral.net, etc.

It also means, like any move to bigger digs, some of the rooms will be a little empty for a while. We can only stretch the furniture so far! We’d love you to help us with the decor, though, so jump in, start some threads, and get posting. There will be some great contests coming up, and it just might be a good idea to keep busy now… hint. hint.

New features are also coming, along with a fresh coat of paint. Again, we’ve got a lot of great new stuff in the pipeline and we can’t wait to show it to you.

Huge thanks to the SPE team, Kevin, Tom, Marcus, Steph, and Cory, and to Jeremy and the TiPb Forum mods for all the help, front and back of house. Jeremy is going to introduce some of the new forums, features, and topics to you in the coming weeks, but for now, head on over to the all new, all awesome TiPb Forums and let us know what you think.

This is the 10,000th post to appear on TiPb. Okay, well, technically it’s the 10,000th post to appear on Phone Different, which merged with theiPhoneBlog.com, which became the TiPb.com you know and love. By pure post count, however, we just hit one heck of a milestone. Reviews, how tos, editorials, apps, accessories, podcasts, videos, interviews, polls, games, live events, news, rumors, contests — we’ve covered it all.

So to Marcus Adolfsson who founded Smartphone Experts, to our editors emeritus, Dieter Bohn and Mike Overbow who started Phone Different for SPE, and Kent Pribbernow who started theiPhoneBlog, and to all the editors and writers and special guests, past and present, who’ve joined us along the way, thanks and congratulations.

We’re just getting started.

Now how about a little giveaway to help us celebrate? Yeah?

Get on over to store.tipb.com and…

1. Find your favorite case.
2. Paste the URL into the comments below.
3. Tell us why you chose it/want it.

We’ll pick ten (10) of you and send you the case of your dreams. We’ll also pick one (1) lucky poster and send you a $100.00 iTunes gift certificate.

Contest starts now and ends Tuesday, June 21 at 12pm. So what are you waiting for, get to it!

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

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

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

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

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

TiPb nation, as you may or may not be aware, a couple of weeks ago the TiPb Facebook page (along with a few other prominent tech sites) was torn down and it took Facebook the better part of a day to figure out how they were gamed and get it back online. And frankly, we’re not sure all our TiPb Facebook friends made it through the ordeal with us.

So, we’re calling all iPhone, iPod touch, iPad and Apple TV lovers, we’re asking all gadget enthusiasts and techies — we’re counting on each and every one of you to head on over to TiPb’s newly restored Facebook page and become our friend. (i.e. go to the page and hit the “Like” button!)

In return we’ll give you the very best in iOS coverage on Facebook… and we’ll give one of you (old friend or new!) one of these gorgeous Jabra STONE2 Bluetooth headsets courtesy of the TiPb Accessory Store! (W00t!)

Details after the break, but really… you’ve friended us already, right?!

Yes, one of our Facebook friends, whether you’ve liked us from the start or just started liking us today, will win a shiny new Jabra STONE 2. Don’t even use an iPhone? No problem, we like you anyway, so Like us back because it will work not just with iPhone but with Android, BlackBerry, HP, Windows Phone… anything that supports Bluetooth. Here are the highlights, so tell your friends and get with the Likes!

- Voice Control allows users to answer or reject calls by the use of the voice - Voice Guidance – Tells who is calling, battery status, set-up and more - Noise Blackout Extreme – Dual microphone technology for excellent sound - Four ergo-designed Ear gels(tm) for all-day comfort - Portable Jabra STONE2 Charger enables charging on the go - Stream multimedia from your phone (A2DP) - Connect up to 2 bluetooth devices at the same time - Comes with its own portable charging unit for easy charging at home or on the go - Designed with soft rubber padding making it so comfortable you don’t even realize you’re wearing it - Last number redialing - An elegant design with a completely new, ground-breaking shape

Head on over to the TiPb Facebook page and Like us now!

The X Gear Anti Glare film for iPad aims to make Apple’s very shiny iPad shine just a little less in our eyes. Now screen protectors have always been my arch nemesis — I have always much preferred the feel of the actual glass over the feel of any screen protector. But I figured I’d give the X Gear anti-glare version a chance to change my mind.

Did it succeed? Read on to find out!

I’m extremely careful with my devices and always have a case on them so I’m not too concerned with screen protectors. The one reason I “would” consider one is to minimize fingerprints. That’s what I was really hoping to do here. Some screen protectors seem to minimize the rate at which fingerprints take over your screen. I was left disappointed after applying the X Gear anti-glare film as it seemed to accumulate just as many fingerprints (if not more), than the naked glass did. It did seem to wipe down quicker than the glass does so I suppose that could be considered a positive. And it didn’t do too much to minimize glare either.

The process of putting the screen protector on was simple enough. If this process is something you’re unfamiliar with, check out our guide on how to apply a screen protector to your iPhone or iPad. I did end up with a few bubbles but I managed to get those out with the soft card that X Gear provides with the screen protector. They also include a cleaning cloth as well.

Overall, the quality of the screen protector was pretty good. It just doesn’t do much to minimize fingerprints. If you’re looking for something to add more protection from scratches, the thickness seems to be pretty substantial. It isn’t that noticeable when it’s on the device until you feel the screen. There’s a noticeable difference from what the glass feels like. When scrolling and sliding your finger around, it just isn’t as smooth. This is unfortunately the case with most screen protectors. It’s just not the same experience.

If you’re in the market for a screen protector that’s a bit more durable and you don’t mind getting used to your iPad screen feeling a bit different to the touch, I’d say this is a pretty decent screen protector. I still prefer the feel of other protectors better, such as the BodyGuardz screen protectors that are also available in the TiPb accessory store for around the same price.

You can check out the X Gear Anti Glare film for iPad in the TiPb Accessory store.

Pros

• Easy to apply
• Thicker than some other, flimsier screen protectors
• After applied, it’s barely visible

Cons

• Doesn’t do much when it comes to preventing fingerprints
• The area by the home button didn’t stick as well as it should
• The texture is a bit grippy so it takes some getting used to
• I wouldn’t really call it “anti-glare”

We’d like to know that as well. Late last night we were sent a very brief notice by Facebook saying they were removing the TiPb page. Nothing by way of specific explanation, no attempt to address any concerns, nothing. Just whoosh, another page annihilated.

We say “another” because it looks like we’re not alone. Ars Technica‘s page is gone to, as are the pages for several other technology and gadget sites.

Interestingly, Facebook has given ReadWriteWeb an official statement on the matter (we continue to wait for any update on our situation and have not received any sort of statement). “When we do this, we notify the person who shared the content so he or she can take appropriate action, which may include contacting the reporting party or following up with Facebook,” a Facebook spokesperson told ReadWriteWeb. The only problem with this is that Facebook didn’t tell us which content was allegedly infringing—as you can see from our notice above, Facebook’s notification told us that “Ars Technica” was the infringing content. How dare we post our own content to our own Facebook page!

Likewise. We all put a lot of trust into Facebook — trust in their keeping our personal information safe and our content online. Hopefully they’ll get back to us, to Ars, and to everyone else affected as quickly as possible.

In the meantime, please continue to follow us on @TiPb and via RSS, and check out the link below as Ars tracks the ongoing problem.

Update: Facebook has been in touch with us and have now restored our page. Thanks FB and everyone who worked hard on getting this done today.

Update 2: Facebook gave TiPb (and others) the following statements:

We have investigated a number of recent intellectual property cases and have restored four pages as a result. We apologize for any inconvenience. Abuse of DMCA and other intellectual property notice procedures is a challenge for every major Internet service and we take it seriously. We have invested significant resources into creating a dedicated team that uses specialized tools, systems and technology to review and properly handle intellectual property notices. This system evaluates a number of factors when deciding how to respond and, in many cases, we require the reporter to provide additional information before we can take action. As a result of these efforts, the vast majority of intellectual property notices that we receive are handled without incident. Of course, no system is perfect and we are always striving to improve our practices. As such, we will be considering the results of our investigation into this matter as we continue to refine our systems and procedures.

Which unfortunately does not address the system that led to this failure, nor provide any assurances content owners will be contacted and given an opportunity to address any concerns, especially erroneous and or malicious complaints, before Facebook pulls down pages again. Hopefully a more comprehensive response and revised procedure and policy will follow.

Read Write Web has more on the issues still surrounding this. [Read Write Web]

[Ars Technica]

If you guys hadn’t already heard about our wallpaper contest we have going in our forums, mosey on over and check it out! I’ve been picking one person every week or so (depending on the amount of entries we get) to win $20 from TiPb. You’ll also get some TiPb main page glory with your wallpaper on it for everyone to see.

This week’s winner is iPheuria with his awesome wallpaper you see above. Congrats, we’ll be contacting you about claiming your $20 prize!

Remember guys, we’re looking for original works, not just photos. Something that’s really going to looks awesome as an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch background. So head on over to our Official TiPb Wallpaper contest thread in our forums and post it up!

We are keeping the ball rolling on the TiPb Wallpaper Contest we’ve got going on in our forums, and we’re ready to announce our second winner — jphoman. If you jump over to the contest thread, he’s got several versions of these awesome wallpapers posted in many different colors.

As always, if you guys have original works that look great on iPhone, iPod Touch, or iPad – post them in our wallpaper contest thread for your chance to win $20 and land your image on the main page of TiPb!

Remember that TiPb iPhone and iPad wallpaper contest we had going in our forums? We didn’t forget about it, but I don’t think we made it exactly clear what we were looking for either. So to kick things off (again), we’ve picked our first winner, the forum member who submitted the beautiful wallpaper they made above.

Think you can make a killer wallpaper? Jump over to our thread and submit your iPad or iPhone wallpaper for your chance to win. We’ll be picking a winner every week. Each winner will have their wallpaper put on the front page of TiPb as well as receive $20.

Remember: we are looking for original works, not photos. It can be based on your own photo but it has to be made into a real, great looking wallpaper. Textures, abstract patterns, stripes, plaid – whatever you think will really make an iPhone or iPad background stand out. You’ll need to create these though, not just find one online.

And now for our first winner, CoffeeFaith – for their awesome iPad/iPhone creation you see above. Great job!  He’s got it posted in all iDevice formats over in our forums, so check it out!

If you guys think you’ve got some awesome creations, once again hop on over to our Wallpaper Contest Thread!

Cut the Rope for iPhone is a simple, yet challenging strategy type game.  Your little frog Om Nom wants candy.  The candy is hanging from random ropes with all kinds of obstacles in the way.  Your job is to find a way to cut the strings in the right order to get the candy into Om Nom’s mouth.  You’ll also need to collect stars on the way down.  The more stars you collect and the quicker you complete a level, the more points and achievements you’ll earn.

[iTunes Link]

Cut the Rope will also tie into Game Center so you can track your achievements and share them with your friends. You also have the option to use Crystal if you choose to. The premise of the game is dead easy, but actually completing levels gets pretty challenging along the way. New enemies pop up, stars start to disappear if you aren’t getting to them quick enough, and then there’s the spiders, who steal your candy if you aren’t quick enough! As of now there are 4 worlds to play through – cardboard box, fabric box, foil box, and gift box.

In order to unlock different boxes, you’ll need to collect a certain amount of stars to gain access to that world. The developers also note after the 4th box that there are more levels coming. Some of the levels you can blaze through but collecting the stars makes it a bit more difficult. I’ve been trying to get all 3 stars within each level, which proves somewhat difficult after you get a good way into the 2nd box.

As you get further into the game, you’ll start to encounter new enemies out to steal Om Nom’s candy. You’ll also have more obstacles and more gestures to learn. Some levels will require cutting ropes simultaneously or in rapid succession to avoid breaking your candy or letting it fall. Overall, the difficulty level is decent and the length of the game is good for the price you’re paying. I haven’t played through all the levels yet, but I’m already eager to see the developer add more.

If you’re in the market for a good strategy type game that requires a little thinking, this may be a good option. It’ll keep you busy for a reasonable amount of time for the price. If you’ve already picked this up, let us know what you think in the comments!

Pros

• Game Center Integration

• Difficulty increases at good rate

• Easy to learn controls and gestures

Cons

• More levels would be nice

Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars HD for iPad (GTA henceforth) is a great homage to its console brethren. Good story? Check. Good graphics? Check. Plenty of adult-themed action, adventure, and melodrama? Check. Check. Check.

You start off GTA on a flight back to the US, specifically Liberty City to transport your recently deceased Chinese Mafia Father’s sword to the new leader. However, as soon as you arrive you are kidnapped and left for dead. Without spoiling anymore of the story, that’s where you begin. I am not going to give away any more of what happens to you. Instead I am going to focus on the play mechanics, environments, etc.

GTA is structured in an isometric 3/4 view topdown action game. You are centered above Huang Lee’s (the main character) head and move him around via a virtual d-pad on the bottom left of the screen. You can sometimes get turned around quite easily, so you can center the camera behind your character by double-tapping the d-pad. On the left of the screen you have your action buttons. These buttons are dynamic depending on what you are doing. You basically have some core functions; jump-kick, leap (over an obstacle such as a fence) and punch. If you acquire a weapon, the punch button is replaced with the weapon of choice. However, switching weapons is a little painful; you have to go to the pause menu located in the upper left and tap the weapon you want. This can remove you from the action in the middle of a fire-fight and is a bit disappointing.

The story is driven by mini-quests typically given to you by your uncle early in the game. You go to his house, some dialog ensues and you are then sent on your way. Examples might be to meet a family friend and escort them to a location, take out a rival gang and more. To do this you have to take advantage of your environment such as car-jacking anything from trucks to motorcycles to boats in the harbor.

The environment is absolutely huge. To help you get around you are given a GPS with map to get you to any destination. This is a very necessary tool. I couldn’t tell you how big the city is in virtual miles, but it is quite large and with a lot of variety. You have everything in Liberty city including different burrows ala New York City style. You can go where you want, take people out for cash, play mini games all while time moves in accelerated time. Day goes to night and so on. The night effects are particularly nice as car, street and building lights all have neat effects on the environment which is quite impressive.

I think it’s a fair statement that though there have been a few iterations of the game, the iPad version resigns supreme if for only having the larger screen. I absolutely love the gameplay and the fun uses of the touch screen from throwing out trash in a dumpster to manually having to hot-wire a car. Is the game groundbreaking? No, especially compared to other consoles. Is it fun? Oh yeah.

[$9.99- iTunes Link]

Pros

• Great graphics- details, light effect, shadows, etc
• Pedestrian back-talk
• Robust mobile iteration of the consoles legacy
• Easy to play with the iPad screen

Cons

• Inconvenient means to switch weapons
• Vehicle controls can be frustrating at times

Galactic Untangle HD for the iPad is a puzzle game. It is simple, yet challenging, and can easily keep you occupied for hours.

In each level, you are a given a bunch of points connected by lines, and your goal is to move the points around until there are no lines crossing. In mathematical terms, you are given a graph and it is your job to rearrange the vertices until no edges are crossing, i.e., result with a planar representation of the graph. This game is very strait-forward and simple, but not generally easy to beat. As you progress, the graphs become much more complicated and difficult to beat.

There are two modes in Galactic Untangle HD. In “free mode”, there is no stress of being timed and you can relax and play at a leisurely pace. In “challenge mode” you are being timed and you have an option to submit your score to the world scoreboard. However, even though you are asked to enter your name, the world scoreboard does not display names. As someone who holds a few of the records, I find this annoying.

Galactic Untangle is an excellent game. It is designed well and looks beautiful on the iPad’s screen. It has a simple objective, yet challenging gameplay. And best of all, it’s a fun way to give your brain some exercise!

Video and screenshots after the break!

Pros

• Fun and easy to play
• Simple objective
• Challenging
• World scoreboard

Cons

• No landscape support
• Scoreboard does not display names

[$1.99 - iTunes link]

Barnes & Noble has released BN eReader for iPad as an alternative to Apple’s iBooks and Amazon’s Kindle app. It is an excellent ebook reader and offers many customizations as well as the ability to share books with friends and family.

Reading on BN eReader is a pleasant experience. You can read either in landscape in portrait. In portrait, eReader displays the book as one page. However, in landscape, reading in a two column or one column format depends on what your font settings are (both style and size). If this is not a bug, it is very annoying. I’d much rather see a toggle to turn two columns on or off. You can enhance your reading experience by choosing between one of Barnes & Nobel’s five professionally designed themes, or create your own theme by editing the page, text, highlights, and links colors.

One of the big features BN eReader offers that iBooks does not, is the ability to add notes. Just highlight a block of text by dragging with your finger and select “add note”. After you’ve created the note, you can quickly get back to it at any time. In addition, you can highlight text and look up words in the dictionary.

The other huge feature of BN eReader is the ability to share books with friends and family. Barnes & Noble refers to the technology as LendMe. With supported books, you can access your iPad’s address book and select which contact you wish to share the book with. Upon accepting the offer, your friend will be able to enjoy the eBook for 14 days. If someone lends you a book, BN eReader will add the book to your library and display the message from your friend.

If you have BN eReader on your Mac, PC, iPhone, and Nook, the last page read will sync across all devices. All notes and highlights will also sync to your PC and iPhone (coming soon).

To purchase a book, BN eReader will launch the Barnes & Nobel eBookstore in Safari. After purchasing a book, you much exit safari and reopen BN eReader; you will see your book automatically add to your library and begin to download. The process is simple, but not completely painless. I’d much rather see BN eReader open an in-app browser because switching between apps isn’t very elegant.

Barnes and Noble did an excellent job with their eReader and offers many things that iBooks does not. Having the world’s largest bookstore in your hands is definitely a welcomed addition to the iPad.

Video and screenshots after the break!

Pros

• Excellent alternative to Apple iBooks
• Share books with friends and family with LendMe
• Add notes, highlights, and bookmarks
• Customized the look of your book
• Sync across multiple devices

Cons

• Barnes & Nobel bookstore launches Safari instead of an in-app browser
• Depending on font size and/or style, landscape may display as single to double column

YouTube link

Live from GDC 2010, Rene talks with Jason Oberfest, VP of Social Applications at ngmoco about GodFinger for iPhone. Currently available in Canada [Free - iTunes link] with internationally release to follow soon, we get a sneak peak at playing deity to our own digital, mobile planet.

Video and a ton of screen shots after the break. Let us know what you think.

YouTube link

Live from Macworld 2010, Rene and Leanna talk with co-founder Dr. Ge Wang about Smule’s iPhone apps, including I Am T-Pain [$2.99 - iTunes link], and their plans for the iPad.

YouTube link

Today’s TiPb Top 5 will be directed towards our iPhone and iPod touch wielding readers who love their classic, retro games. Just like our other TiPb’s top 5 must-have posts, all of these applications are available in the App Store. For the full run down, follow us after the break!

Mega Man 2

Originally released for the Nintendo Entertainment System back in 1988, Capcom’s Mega Man 2 ranks in as one of the greatest retro games ever made. This iPhone version is a pretty close port of the Nintendo original. The game features the same simple graphics from the original version along with the 256×256 pixel playfield. Controls are handled via a virtual onscreen joystick and two buttons. The biggest negative that some of you may not like is the game’s difficulty — or lack there of. It’s pretty easy to get through this one, especially when compared to the original.

• Utilize virtual arcade controls to control the blue bomber.
• Rebalanced gameplay for the iPhone experience.
• Battle your way through 14 levels, and conquer 9 unique bosses, each with a unique weapon!
• Bringing the original classic NES game to the palm of your hand

Mega Man 2 [iTunes Link] is available now in the App Store for only $.99 but hurry as this price may soon change!

Earthworm Jim

Initially released on Sega Genesis and Super Nintendo back in 1994, Earthworm Jim broke new ground in 16-bit gaming and we are happy to say the Gameloft iPhone version holds up pretty well. No corners were cut with this one as everything that makes the original a classic is here. — nice crisp graphics, excellent sound and good controls.

• Run, gun, swing from hooks with your head, launch cows, bungee jump, rocket through speed levels and more!
• Face 12 types of enemies and 9 bosses.
• 4 different styles of gameplay: Side-scrolling run & gun, space racing, bungee jumping and underwater levels
• 10 original environments divided into 16 levels
• 4 levels of difficulty, including the challenging mode of the original game
• The re-mastered cult soundtrack
• iPod library access to play your favorite tracks while playing the game.

Earthworm Jim [iTunes Link] is currently available in the App Store for $4.99.

Myst

Myst was one of the first games to be put on a CD-ROM in 1993 and back then it simply awed gamers around the world. With the iPhone version of Myst you not only get an exact replica of the original but you get it improved graphically. Yes, the iPhone version of Myst is visually more impressive than the PC/Mac counterpart.

• All the original Ages & gameplay
• High quality images (better than original Myst)
• Full music & sound effects
• Original movies & animations
• Auto-save (when quitting or phone call)
• “Bookmark” system to save & restore progress
• Swipe to turn
• Auto-zoom in certain close-up areas
• Quick access to hint guide
• Works with iPhone 3G, the original iPhone, and iPod touch.

Myst [iTunes Link] is available in the App Store on sale for $4.99.

Golden Axe

Sega’s 1989 classic 16-bit game Golden Axe is available for your iPhone. Those of you familiar with the original will feel right at home as it’s a exact replica of the Genesis version. You pick one of three characters -a powerful Fighter, a female Amazon, and a mighty Dwarf. Each have different strengths and magical powers, and your mission is to battle through dark castles, on the back of a giant turtle, and even on the wings of an enchanted eagle to challenge the Death-Adder. Along with your sword and axe, you can hop on the backs of the Bizarrians and use their fierce attacks like fire breath and tail whips.

Those of you who do not own a iPhone 3GS may want to avoid this as there are reports of it being a bit sluggish on the older models.

Golden Axe [iTunes Link] is available in the App Store for $4.99.

Secret of Monkey Island

This remake of the 1990 classic PC title Secret of Monkey Island weighs in at a hefty 351MB and it is worth every single byte. If a brilliant story, great visuals and good controls are what you look for in a game, this one’s is for you. Some reviewers complain about the controls but we did not have any major gripes. Sure they could be improved but this very well may be the best version of this LucasArts classic.

• An all new re-imagined contemporary art style
• Complete voice over by members of the original Monkey Island™ franchise cast
• A re-mastered musical score using live instruments
• Plus, scene-for-scene hot swap to seamlessly transition between Special Edition and Classic modes at anytime

Secret of Money Island [iTunes Link] is available in the App Store for $7.99.

Have a classic retro game you would like to add to this list? Please share it with other readers in the comments below!

The iPhone blog is now… TiPb.com!

That’s right, just as Apple keeps expanding their iPhone platform, we’re expanding our coverage to bring you the best of all of it. Let’s face it — Apple is the most integrated consumer electronics company in the world, from chipset to handset to OS to tablet. There’s just no way around it — from now on every year it’s going to be a splash of iPad in spring, all about iPhone in summer, and then iPod touch in fall. And we want to make sure if a great new feature or a hot new story breaks for any one of them, at any time, you know we’ll have it for you right here at TiPb, your #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch blog.

To go along with our spiffy new TiPb.com digs, we’ve transitioned our Twitter ID from @theiphoneblog to @TiPb as well. If you follow us on Twitter, you shouldn’t have to do anything on your end — Twitter should automagically transition you to following @TiPb from now on.

However, if you want to tweet in our general direction via an @mention, you gotta use @TiPb. And if you want to contact any of us directly, here’s where we are!

• @reneritchie (Rene),
• @backlon (Dieter),
• @iChadman (Chad),
• @JFSikora (Jeremy),
• @llofte (Leanna),
• @GeorgiaTiPb (Georgia),
• @jamesus (James),
• @JHamilton24 (Josh),
• @justin_horn (Justin),
• @msproductions (Matt),
• @skeetobite (Chris),
• @tramain360 (Derrick).

On tap for today’s TiPb Top 5, we thought we’d cater to all of our iPhone and iPod touch wielding readers who enjoy action games. Just like our TiPb’s top 5 must-have board games, all of these games are available in the App Store, this time under categories – games – action. And even better, all of them are very reasonably priced. For the full run down, follow us after the break!

DOOM Resurrection

This first game is based off of one of the first first person shooters (FPS) ever, DOOM. DOOM holds a place in the hearts of every hardcore FPS fan out there. With DOOM Resurrection, Id has raised the bar for all other developers to follow with their reincarnation of a classic action game. With a fresh story line, great visuals, and simple yet very effective control scheme this is one game you’ll want to take a look at.

• Advanced graphics engine designed from the ground up to take full advantage of the power found in Apples mobile devices
• Wield an arsenal of heavy-hitting weapons to defeat a variety of hideous monsters and bosses
• Innovative controls for fast-paced and accessible first-person action
• An all-new chapter of the DOOM saga that new players and long-time DOOM fans can enjoy

DOOM Ressurection is available for $6.99. [iTunes Link]

Wolfenstein RPG

This next game just so happens to have a lot in common with DOOM Resurrection – it too was created by Id and is based off of a classic first person shooter. Wolfenstein RPG is not your typical FPS or RPG for that matter, it is a perfect combination of both genres – FPS and RPG elements are blended in nicely with great controls and sharp graphics. And don’t forget, the chicken-kicking mini-games are here…

• Arsenal of 16 weapons including Spiked Brass Knuckles, a Submachine Gun, and Dynamite. Tap and swipe to punch, kick, and shoot. Use the accelerometer to take down the Axis Agents from a distance with a powerful sniper rifle.
• Fight your way through 9 levels and 8+ hours of Wolfenstein action!
• High-res graphics suspended in a 3D world immerse you in the mayhem.
• Face 32 enemies you’ll love to vanquish! Battle elite soldiers, zombies flaming skeletons, and other bizarre Id creations.

Wolfenstein RPG is available for $2.99. [iTunes Link]

Modern Combat: Sandstorm

Gameloft has really stepped up into one of the leading developers for the iPhone platform with 35 game titles. Their latest game, Modern Combat: Sandstorm, definitely does not disappoint. When I played Modern Combat: Sandstorm I immediately thought of the popular console franchise Call of Duty. And that alone speaks volumes.

• Use a wide range of authentic, advanced weapons (2 assault rifles, sniper rifle, RPG, shotgun, submachine gun, light machine gun, heavy machine gun mounted on a moving 4X4, explosive grenades, flashbang grenades, radiation detector) enriched with a leveling system that allows the player to progressively unlock weapons and use munitions from fallen foes
• Highly polished 3D graphics provide full immersion into the military experience and high intensity combat
• 10 missions featuring varied and highly polished Middle Eastern environments (city, hospital, sewers, port, lab, training camp, etc.)

Modern Combat: Sandstorm is available for $6.99 [iTunes Link]

Alive 4-Ever

For those of you who enjoy a good top-down survival shooter once in a while, Alive 4-Ever is a good pick for you. The object is simple – shoot and kill any zombie that gets in your way. Fight your way through 30 levels whether it’s slaying a certain amount of zombies or a simple rescue mission, the action never comes to a halt.

• 16 different types of weapons, which include AK-47, M16 etc. Players can also buy their favorite weapons with the gold they get after each mission. You would have to get the strongest weapon fast enough to save all the survivors!
• Alive 4-ever uses the Bluetooth function of OS 3.0 to connect you with your friends and families so that completing missions has never been easier!
• Alive 4-ever uses the best graphics with excellent battle, visual, sound and music effects that runs smoothly despite yours is an iPhone or iPod touch.
• Alive 4-ever provides 30 missions for players, which includes eliminating a given amount of zombies, rescuing survivors in a given time frame, getting vaccines, boss battles, etc.

Alive 4-Ever is available for $.99. [iTunes Link]

Resident Evil Degeneration

Capcom’s Resident Evil series has proven itself to be one of the most successful video game franchises of all time. Resident Evil Degeneration is a survival horror game based on the CG-animated movie of the same name. With that eerie Resident Evil feel along with great visuals and a slick control system you are bound to have an excellent survival horror experience.

• Use your in-game PDA to collect intel, manage inventory and access maps.
• “Laser targeting” allows the players to make aimed accurate shots.
• Backgrounds, character models and objects are all rendered in full 3D.
• Accelerometer features: Shake iPhone to “Shake of Zombie” melee attacks. Tilt back device to reload.

Resident Evil Degeneration is available for $6.99. [iTunes Link]

Conclusion

There you have it, TiPb’s Top 5 Must-Have iPhone action games. Did we miss any of your favorites? Overlook any killer action game? Drop us a comment and let us know your list!

A lot of TiPb faithful have noticed that we look a bit different when you visit us from your iPhone. It’s true, we’ve iPhonified it up with the excellent IWPhone software bits. If you’re a believer in getting the “real internet”, just scroll on down to the bottom of the page and hit the link for “Normal View” and Mobile Safari will keep you on the full version until you clear your cookies.

The iPhonified version is very full-featured, with links to the forums, our about page, search, and gives you the ability to comment too. Actually, speaking of forums, you can grab our forums in an iPhone optimized version too, there’s a big ol’ link at the top when you visit them on your iPhone.

One note — during high-traffic times, your iPhone-optimized version might revert to the full version of TiPb. Ok, two notes: don’t forget that you can just type “tipb.com” into your address bar to find us.

Now that we’ve successfully giving away over a thousand dollars in iTunes Gift Cards and an iPhone 3G, it’s time for us to take a breather. Thing is, the way we take a breather here at TiPb is to start up another way for you to get what you want for your iPhone. Here’s the deal:

Head on over to our new “iPhone App Lightning Reviews” forum and, you know, post a review of an iPhone app. It can be native or web, legit or jailbroken. Be sure to include some screenshots as attachments — on iPhone 2.0, you can just hold down the home and powerbutton briefly and the screenshot will get saved to your camera album. Keep it around 500ish words, be fair, and try not to all review the same apps — though reviews after major updates are always a good idea. Give it a rating out of 5 stars and a couple pros and cons at the end too, for those crazy skimmers.

…Why would you do all that? Every so often the TiPb staff will be picking our favorites and promoting them to the front page. We’ll thank you by giving back to you. More after the break!

• that unique feeling that comes from having your opinion voiced on the main page of what we think is the best durn iPhone blog around
• the satisfaction of a job well-done
• …and, oh yeah, a 25% off coupon for our iPhone accessory store that you can use yourself or send along to a friend.

Our iPhone accessory store has made the move over from Phone different (We’re all TiPb now, baby!) and is stocked now with bluetooth headsets, wired headphones, and cases compatible with both the 2G and 3G iPhones, with more coming in for the 3G even as you’re reading this post. Just be sure to click on the device selector in the upper-left to chose which iPhone you’re currently rocking to ensure that you’re getting something compatible.

(p.s. we still have a bug for Safari users that’s preventing uploads, we’re working on it. But the iPhone-ified version of the forums should officially be bug free — if it ain’t hit us up at news@theiphoneblog.com to let us know. Update: Fixed!)