LG has announced the latest version of its Optimus user interface, dubbed Optimus UI 3.0, which will be coming on board its newest Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich devices.

The company says that the software will be arriving first on the LG Optimus LTE II, which will be hitting shelves in Korea this week, and it will then be arriving on the LG Optimus 4X HD, which is slated to launch in June.

LG promises that its new interface will bring new features and functionality while staying both simple and unobtrusive to the Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich experience.

While we can’t be sure of that just yet, we can be sure that the user interface will be coming stacked with a bunch of new features that will delight those who enjoy LG’s custom UI.

New features found within Optimus UI 3.0 include:

– The ability to unlock the phone by dragging anywhere on the screen;
– A new Pattern Lock that allows users to preset the most frequently used function, such as the camera, which automatically opens once the phone is unlocked;
– A simpler version of Optimus UI 3.0 for new smartphone users which organizes the main applications so that they are the easiest to access;
– A new Voice Shutter that allows users to capture photos using only voice commands;
– A special camera feature that enables users to pick up the best shot among multiple images including the moment just before the shutter button is depressed;
– An Icon Customizer that provides an additional level of personalization by allowing users to set their own photos as icons and shortcut images;
– The addition of a Download category to the menu for easier organization.

LG’s UI has, in the past, been rated below both HTC’s Sense and Samsung’s TouchWiz, so clearly, the company is trying to shake things up a little bit.

And while the words simple and unobtrusive should be music to Android enthusiasts ears, we’ll have to wait and see how that translates onto these devices.

We recently went hands-on with the LG Optimus 4X HD and we came away fairly impressed with LG’s latest offering.

The company says that it plans to release the phone in the United States at some point although no release date has been given and no carriers have announced availability.

LG Announces New Optimus UI 3.0 is a post by Adam Mills from Gotta Be Mobile.

Today’s leak of an Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich build for the Motorola Droid 4 leaves the Motorola Droid Bionic as the last remaining big name smartphone from Motorola to see any kind of Android 4.0 information leak. And that does not bode well for a swift release.

Many Android phones see versions of major software updates leak out ahead of time. Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, Google’s latest operating system, has been no different.

We’ve seen versions of it leak out for the Motorola Droid RAZR, the Motorola Droid RAZR MAXX and now, the Motorola Droid 4. This generally means that, at the very least, testing is being done by the parties involved.

Read: Motorola Droid Bionic review.

Unfortunately, there has not been the same sort of leak for the Motorola Droid Bionic and that could mean that owners of the first dual-core 4G LTE smartphone on Verizon could have a quite the wait ahead of them.

Motorola originally confirmed Android 4.0 for the Droid Bionic all the way back on October 20th. This was shortly after Motorola confirmed Android 4.0 for the Droid RAZR and months before the releases of the Droid RAZR MAXX and Droid 4 which were released in February.

To me, this is completely unfair to Droid Bionic owners who went through a nightmare last year.

The Droid Bionic launched in September of 2011. It was one of the most anticipated smartphones of the year and Verizon put a huge ad campaign behind it.

Read: Droid Bionic Owners Deserve Some Android 4.0 Answers Too.

Just over a month later, Verizon released the Droid RAZR, a phone that trumped the Droid Bionic in just about every possible way.

Did it offer any apologies to Droid Bionic owners? Nope. It didn’t and hasn’t thrown them a single bone. I argued that putting the Droid Bionic first in line amongst Motorola phones getting upgraded to Android 4.0 might be a nice gesture to owners who were completely blindsided by the launch.

Well, from where I’m sitting, that doesn’t look like it’s going to happen. And while I’m angry, I’m not the least bit surprised. Verizon hasn’t even released an update for its Samsung Galaxy Nexus, five months after launching the thing.

So while Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich will eventually come to the Droid Bionic, it doesn’t appear like it will anytime soon.

Are there any frustrated Droid Bionic owners out there? It has to be tough to see progress being made for other devices while there hasn’t been anything in regards to the Droid Bionic’s update.

Chime in.

Don’t Expect a Droid Bionic Android 4.0 Update Anytime Soon is a post by Adam Mills from Gotta Be Mobile.

Facebook is spinning off another feature into its own iOS app. The new Pages Manager app helps users separate their personal and professional Facebook identities.

According to 9To5Mac, New Zealand Facebook users started seeing messages about the app today in the Facebook for iPhone app. The message tells users the new app can help them “keep up with your Page and connect with your audience in one place.”

The message links users to the app in the New Zealand App Store. The app is free, and was just posted today. We expect the app to launch in the U.S. App Store tonight around 11 p.m. ET, when the App Store gets updated.

The app makes it easier for Page admins to separate their personal accounts and their Pages. It should make sorting through notifications much easier, with all the Page comments and posts getting pushed to the Pages Manager app.

The new Pages Manager app also brings in features for Page admins that were missing from the mobile apps before. With the new app, admins can use Facebook’s Insights. Insights shows Page admins stats on how many people viewed their page, where they came from, and how they interact with it.

Facebook hasn’t officially announced the app yet, but we assume that announcement will come tomorrow. We can only find the app for iPhone at the moment, with no Android or iPad app in sight. Hopefully those apps will come out later as iPhone users aren’t the only ones that can use an easier way to manage Pages on their mobile devices.

Facebook Pages Manager for iPhone Makes Pages Easier to Manage is a post by Shawn Ingram from Gotta Be Mobile.

Apple’s new iPad is packed with a dual-core A5X processor that offers quad-core graphics which has made gaming on the tablet  much more powerful.

Games like Infinity Blade 2, Max Payne, Grand Theft Auto III, and Marvel vs. Capcom 2 have all shown off how powerful gaming on a tablet can be.

It also seems to point to some more exciting releases down the road.

So, where to next?

Read: New iPad Review.

Well, after downloading X-Men: The Arcade Game for the iPad, a game that I wasted many quarters on as a kid, I started thinking about other games that I would love to see developed or ported to the iPad.

After some debate, I have come up with a wish list of 10 games that I really hope come to the iPad at some point down the road. I’ve tried to keep it within the realm of reason so you won’t find games like Halo 3 or Grand Theft Auto IV. That doesn’t mean that there aren’t any gems in here though.

Pilotwings 64

Like many of you, I owned a Nintendo 64. And while I had many favorites, one of the all-time great games for the console was a game called Pilotwings 64. In fact, it launched alongside the N64 all the way back in 1996.

In a nutshell, the game is a flight simulator. It allows players to pick a character and then take that character through a variety of flying challenges including operating a hang glider, gyrocopter and skydiving.

Those were fun, but nothing was more fun then shooting my character out of a cannon in an effort to land within the bulls-eye of a target far away.

I would love to do that on my iPad.

Mario Kart

I don’t think I know a single person that hasn’t played some form of Mario Kart. While I never really got into the versions on the GameCube or the Wii, I have every level memorized in both the N64 and Super Nintendo versions.

I assume many of you do too. I also assume that many of you would love to race in Wario Stadium or travel down the Rainbow Road on your iPad.

I’d buy any version of this game in a heartbeat and take Toad to victory lane, just like I did in the good old days.

Road Rash

This one is a little more obscure but chances are, if you owned a Sega Genesis, you’ve heard of Road Rash. The premise of Road Rash is simple. Race a motorcycle to the finish line while using chains, crowbars and other weapons to ensure that your opponents do not.

Over time, new levels and new bikes became available ensuring many hours of gameplay, and many hairs lost at the expense of foes like Lawson and Public Enemy No. 1.

F-Zero

I can’t recall, but I think I may have smashed an SNES controller or two while playing F-Zero. The reason? Not only was it a pain trying to stay in-bounds while hitting all of the energy spots to keep my ship afloat, but you also had to achieve a better position on each lap unless you wanted to get disqualified.

It was maddeningly frustrating but also extremely fun and I’d love to see it come to the iPad.

Time Crisis

Waltz into any arcade on the planet and you’re probably going to run into a version of Time Crisis. This shooter, where you duck behind elements and then pop out to dispatch of enemies would be perfect for the iPad.

Hold the iPad down to take cover, bring it up to get out of cover and take down the enemy.

Seriously, just thinking about this game makes me want to find a local arcade. I’d rather be lazy and play it on my iPad though. Someone make it happen please.

General Chaos

Another fairly obscure Sega Genesis game, but a game that still has a place in my heart. General Chaos is a strategy game where the goal is to capture the other general’s capital city.

The premise is that you choose from different soldiers with unique abilities in an effort to defeat the enemy. It was always fun to take out my friends flamethrower guys with my bazooka guys. Or using my flamethrower guy to take out the guy with the eye patch throwing dynamite.

Any game that features a guy with an eyepatch throwing dynamite should be on the iPad, in my opinion.

No, but seriously, this game is extremely fun and time consuming and addicting and I’d love to be able to play it on my tablet.

The Simpsons Arcade Game

The Simpsons Arcade Game, a game that consumed countless of my parents quarters, is already out for the iPhone. So, hopefully, that means that we’ll see it arrive for the iPad sooner rather than later.

Super Mario 64

I think this is pretty self explanatory. Super Mario 64 is one of the best games of all time and if it were to arrive for the iPad, with Retina Display support no less, I’d scoop it up the second it came out.

I doubt that we’ll ever see as Nintendo has shown no signs of wanting to release its games on Apple’s devices but this, along with the next game, should be the first games that it releases.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

What can I say? I’ve played a lot of video games and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time to this day remains one of my favorite games of all time.

If it came to the iPad, I’d be over the moon, as would millions and millions of others I’m sure.

GoldenEye 64

One of the best games ever made, I can’t even imagine how much time I would waste playing multiplayer if this were to ever come to the iPad.

The single player wasn’t bad either.

–

I realize that most, if not all of these – especially the Nintendo games, will probably never make it to the iPad. It’s a shame but thankfully,  I can deal with what’s on the App Store right now.

That being said, what games would you love to see come to the iPad?

10 Classic Games The iPad Needs is a post by Adam Mills from Gotta Be Mobile.

Popular news reading app Flipboard gains a new component with its latest update: audio.

Flipboard announced that its new partnerships with NPR, PRI, and SoundCloud help bring music, podcasts, news segments, “ephemera,” and more to the app. The partnerships bring a new dimension to the app, one that fits perfectly in the app’s experience.

The partnerships with NPR and PRI mean that Flipboard users get access to both the audio and written stories from both publications. Like the websites for both publications, users can choose to read stories from both, or listen to audio versions of the stories. The partnerships also add podcasts such as Fresh Air, Tell Me More, and Talk of the Nation to the app.

With the SoundCloud partnership Flipboard offers a selection of music from artists such as Snoop Dogg and Diplo. Users can also sign into their SoundCloud accounts to listen to audio from the people they follow on the service.

The audio section of the app also features other podcasts from publications like The Economist, video game website GameSpot, The New Yorker, and the TWiT network as well as music from record labels such as Atlantic Records and Ninja Tune.

When listening to music, news or podcasts in Flipboard, a music note appears in the top left corner of the app. Tapping the music note will show information about the audio playing. For podcasts that information will simply be the name of the audio, the source/artist, the time, and simple audio controls. SoundCloud audio will also have a like button.

The new audio features of the app are a great fit for the news reading app, and make the app into a great streaming audio player. Music and podcasts continue to play when the app is in the background. The new version of the app likely won’t replace a dedicated podcast player, but it’s a great way to listen to some streaming audio.

Flipboard Adds Audio To News Reading is a post by Shawn Ingram from Gotta Be Mobile.

Hackers are testing the iPhone 4S Jailbreak for iOS 5.1 and iOS 5.1.1  and working on a tool, like Absinthe, so the average iPhone owner can jailbreak the iPhone 4S.

This testing takes time, and according to security researcher pod2g, the iPhone 4S jailbreak release date could come in a couple of weeks.

It just so happens that the Hack in the Box conference, takes place on May 24th and 25th in Taiwan and @pod2g will be there to talk on May 25th about the iPhone 4S jailbreak process for Corona and Absinthe Jailbreak tools. He is joined by members of the Dream Team of hackers including Joshua Hill, Nikias Bassen and David Wang.

The Hack in the box conference website states that, “Our main focus is on new and groundbreaking attack and defense methods that have not been seen or discussed in public before.”, which would make it the perfect stage to talk about a new iOS 5.1.x untethered iPhone 4s jailbreak.

iPhone 4S IOS 5.1.1 Jailbreak Release Date Clues

Pod2g and these iOS security researchers could use this conference as a place to discuss the process of the iPhone 4S jailbreak for iOS 5.1.1, and to do so freely, we would expect that pod2g would release an iPhone 4S jailbreak tool before sharing the details publicly.

In his blog post regarding the testing of the new iPhone 4S jailbreak for iOS 5.1.1, pod2g said he was only sharing details about the jailbreak with “Only really trusted people (that can be counted on one hand).” With over 1,000 attendees, the HITB conference is a bit large for one-handed counting.

Recently pod2g posted on his blog that something big was going to happen at the conference, saying;

It’s like something big’s going to happen at HITB related to jailbreaking : look at this.

No more to say ;-)

The link, leads to the Chronic Dev Team’s twitter update teasing “jailbreak goodness”, embedded below.

Ready for some jailbreak goodness? We are :) #HITB2012AMS registrations close soon conference.hitb.org/hitbsecconf201…

— Chronic-Dev, LLC (@chronicdevteam) May 14, 2012

A HITB jailbreak release isn’t a sure thing. Stefan Esser, a security researcher with a private jailbreak, isn’t sold on the release at this conference, and notes that we will likely see an iOS 6 beta within two weeks of the conference.

iPhone 4S Jailbreak Status

The iPhone 4S jailbreak is in progress, with testing and work on a user-friendly tool undertaken by a select group of hackers. Once the user-friendly tool is complete, it still needs to be tested to avoid bricking iPhones.

The new iOS 5.1.1 jailbreak will not work on every Apple device. The following devices work with the iOS 5.1.1 jailbreak tool.

• iPhone 4
• iPhone 4S
• iPad 1
• iPad 2 Wifi
• iPad 3 Wifi

The cellular iPad models, some versions of the iPad 2 WiFi, the iPod 4G and the Apple TV 2 need to be tested. The iOS 5.1.1 jailbreak from pod2g will not work on the iPhone 3Gs, but users can already jailbreak the iPhone 3GS on iOS 5.1.1.

Watch the iPad 3 WiFI jailbreak for iOS 5.1 shown in the video below.

iPhone 4S users can upgrade to iOS 5.1.1 without worrying about losing the ability to jailbreak. Users who are already using a jailbroken iPhone 4S on iOS 5.0.1 should wait for this tool before upgrading or do without jailbreak tweaks for a few weeks.

What is iPhone Jailbreaking?

Users choose to jailbreak the iPhone 4S to run apps that Apple will not allow in the App Store and to customize the iPhone 4S. After the iPhone 4S jailbreak, users can set a new default browser, a default text message app, integrate Google Voice with the regular phone app and much more. It’s even possible to play NES games on the iPhone using a Wiimote as a controller.

Read: 18 Reasons to Jailbreak the iPhone 4S

Check out an example of a customized iPhone 4S in the video below.

With all these benefits you’d think that everyone should jailbreak the iPhone 4S, but in truth it isn’t for every user. The iPhone 4S jailbreak apps and tweaks can cause stability issues over time, including crashes and bad battery life.

A little troubleshooting can address most of these issues, but users that don’t have the time to investigate issues and need a stable iPhone for work should think before jailbreaking and installing a lot of jailbreak apps.

Read: Reasons Not to Jailbreak the iPhone 4s

Jailbreaking the iPhone is legal, but it voids the standard Apple warranty. Luckily it is relatively easy to un-jailbreak the iPhone 4S before taking it in for any warranty repairs or help. There are third-party services like SquareTrade and Zagg that offer warranty coverage for jailbroken iPhones.

iPhone 4S Jailbreak for iOS 5.1 Release Coming on May 25th? is a post by Josh Smith from Gotta Be Mobile.

It seems as though Motorola is hard at work prepping the Motorola Droid 4 Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich update as a build of the upcoming software has surfaced ahead of its release.

Droid-Life is reporting that a leaked Android 4.0.4 build for the Droid 4 has leaked to the surface. It’s the latest test build from Motorola and it means that the manufacturer is currently putting the software through its paces.

Many Droid 4 owners have been waiting for a sign of the update ever since the phone was launched back in February, and finally, we have that sign.

Read: Motorola Droid 4 Review.

Apparently this is the first test build of Android 4.0 for the Droid 4 and while that’s a sign of good things to come, it also means that Droid 4 owners might have a bit of a wait on their hands, especially since the software must pass through Verizon’s grasp before it’s officially released.

Clearly, this is probably not what Droid 4 owners expected when Motorola said that the update would be arriving in the coming weeks but it’s always nice to know that the gears are moving.

The update is available to download and install over at DroidForums but we recommend staying away far from it as it could potentially harm the device.

Neither Motorola nor Verizon have provided any sort of specifics in regards to the software’s official release date but we’re hoping now that the update is out in testing that it means that something might be on the horizon sooner rather than later.

We’ll be keeping our eyes out.

Motorola Droid 4 Ice Cream Sandwich Update Surfaces is a post by Adam Mills from Gotta Be Mobile.

Ubisoft and RedLynx brought MotoHeroz to the iPhone and iPad in March, and now the game is free on the App Store for a limited time to celebrate a massive update that has come its way today.

The update to the iPhone and iPad versions of MotoHeroz bring more tracks and more cars to the game. The update also lets players participate in up to three online friend leagues at once.

MotoHeroz was first released as a WiiWare title before making its way to the iPhone and iPad, but it works well on Apple’s mobile platform. The game is very similar to the developer’s Trials HD and Trials Evolution games, but it has a more cartoony art design. The iOS game is no less challenging than the Xbox 360 titles offering many, many hours of game play.

The goal of the game is to complete each track with the fastest time while also collecting coins and treasure scattered throughout the tracks. The main mechanic in MotoHeroz, as in Trials, is leaning the vehicles forward or back to pass over obstacles. It doesn’t sound difficult, and it isn’t at first. It gets more difficult later on when just going straight through each level is likely to crash the vehicle.

Despite its difficulty, MotoHeroz is worth checking out while it’s free. Trials Evolution is one of the best games on Xbox Live Arcade, and MotoHeroz is the closest iOS games can get at the moment. Just don’t blame us if it induces iPad-throwing rage.

MotoHeroz Gets Big Update, Goes Free for a Day is a post by Shawn Ingram from Gotta Be Mobile.

To celebrate the first birthday od FX Photo Studio for Mac in the Mac App Store, FX Studios is cutting the price of the FX Studio apps for iPad, iPhone and Mac for a limited time.

I really like the features of the FX Photo Studio apps, and want to make sure that you get in on the deal before it ends.

At 99 cents these are soem of the best photo editing tools for the iPhone and iPad, and the Mac App prices are pretty attractive as well.

Read: Best iPhone and iPad Camera Apps

FX Photo Studio for iPhone

Simple photo editing and sharing on your iPhone – $.99 (normally $2.99)

This simple app lets you take photos or import them from either your Photos app or Facebook. You can do basic color and exposure correction or add one of a bunch of photo filters to make it look like an old vintage photo or a sketch done with colored pencil. It has an attractive interface. It will upload your photos to all the usual places like Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and more. I like the ability to send a postcard throughout the app. They promise delivery in 2-3 business days.

FX Photo Studio for iPad

FX Photo Studio app with Retina display for the iPad – $.99 (normally $2.99)

This app works just like the iPhone version. They really should make it a universal app since they’re so similar. With the iPad version you can use the huge resolution of the new iPad’s retina display. It works great on older iPads too.

FX Photo Studio for Mac

Perfect for people who think even Photoshop Elements is too complicated – $9.99 (normally $14.99)

Like the iOS counterparts, FX Photo Studio for Mac gives you basic photo editing. You can correct the color and exposure, add fun effects and borders, and send them out to many online photo sharing sites. This version also works with your Aperture or iPhoto library so you can import an image from one of those programs, edit it in FX Photo Studio and then send it back to the program. It also lets you export to Lightroom and Photoshop.

FX Photo Studio Pro for Mac

Take photo editing to the next level at a fraction of the cost – $18.99 (normally $39.99)

Like the basic version, you can edit photos, import from iPhoto and Aperture and export to those apps plus Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom. The pro version gives you more granular control of the color and exposure correction and printing.

To see some of what users did with the app check out the company’s Tumblr blog.They post images from contests and then tell what tools from the apps people used to make them.

I think these apps work great for people who just want some basic photo editing along with Instagram style filters. Get them today because this sale doesn’t last long. I use the iPad a lot and enjoy it.

FX Photo Studio for Mac Celebrates 1st Birthday – You Get Presents is a post by Kevin Purcell from Gotta Be Mobile.

Verizon has confirmed that it will be killing off grandfathered unlimited data plans that it offers to 3G customers who had contracts in place prior to the carrier’s introduction of tiered data last July.

According to Fierce Wireless, Verizon CFO Fran Shammo confirmed the news at the J.P. Morgan Technology, Media and Telecom conference. Shammo says that 3G customers using unlimited data who migrate to 4G LTE will have to sign up for a shared data plan and get off the $30 per month unlimited plan.

Verizon has announced that a shared data plan will be coming by the middle of summer although the details surrounding the plan remain murky.

Read: Verizon Won’t Abandon Flip Phones.

Shammo, when asked how the carrier would move unlimited customers to this shared data plan, said that it will be LTE that will be the driving force behind the change. Those who wish to make the move to LTE will be forced into signing up for a shared data plan.

Verizon, for its part, doesn’t plan to release any 3G smartphones in 2012 and instead, will be strictly launching 4G LTE devices. This clearly will force the hand of customers who wish to remain with the carrier.

The carrier won’t be the only one releasing a shared data plan. AT&T is also gearing up to launch a shared data plan, a plan in which multiple devices can pull from a bucket of data, although like Verizon, it has neglected to provide any details.

Rumors have stated that Verizon will charge $10 per device and AT&T will likely charge around that price as well in an effort to stay competitive.

Verizon to Kill Grandfathered Unlimited Data Plans is a post by Adam Mills from Gotta Be Mobile.

Earlier today, a report claimed that the HTC EVO 4G LTE would miss its anticipated release date due to a hold up at U.S. Customs. Finally, Sprint has confirmed this to be the case saying that the U.S. availability of the HTC EVO 4G LTE has been delayed.

In a post on its support forums by way of Android Central, Sprint acknowledges that the EVO 4G LTE has been delayed beyond its scheduled May 18th release date. It doesn’t specifically say why the device is delayed but it’s clear that the Apple patent dispute that has caused shipments to be held at customs is to blame.

Sprint says that it doesn’t have any sort of timing in regards to the EVO 4G LTE’s release but says that HTC is working to resolve the issue and that it’s working hard to get the device onto shelves.

Here is the carrier’s full statement. Those who pre-ordered the smartphone should read carefully.

• HTC EVO 4G LTE availability
  The U.S. availability of the HTC EVO 4G LTE has been delayed.  HTC is working to resolve this issue and appreciates your patience as they work to get products into Sprint channels. We can’t provide specific timing for product availability at this time and we appreciate your patience as HTC works to get products on store shelves as soon as possible.
• Pre-order status/availability
  Delivery of products for pre-order are on hold and Sprint will provide a ship date as soon as possible. Sprint will maintain the promise for the preorder customers that they will be among the first to receive their HTC EVO 4G LTE units.

While we’d rather you didn’t cancel your pre-order, there are instructions provided in the backorder email on how to do so.  I’ve pasted them here for your reference:

If you would like to select an alternate product or cancel your backordered item, please call 866-789-8292 between 8:00 a.m. EST to 11:00 p.m. EST Monday to Friday or 9:00 a.m. EST to 9:00 p.m. EST on Saturdays and Sundays.Please note that cancellation requests may not always process successfully due to the speed of warehouse processing.If you cancelled your backordered item but still received a shipment, please refuse the shipment or call us to process a return within 14 days of receipt.

So, those who pre-ordered will indeed be the first to receive the device which should entice at least some who ordered to remain patient.

Sprint’s EVO 4G LTE isn’t the only device stuck at the border either. AT&T’s HTC One X is currently at U.S. Customs as well.

Originally slated to go on sale on May 18th, the EVO 4G LTE figures to rival the Samsung Galaxy Nexus as Sprint’s flagship 4G LTE device.

Sprint’s 4G LTE network has not launched yet but the carrier has stated that it will be coming by the middle of the year and will initially launch in six U.S. cities.

Sprint Confirms HTC EVO 4G LTE Delay is a post by Adam Mills from Gotta Be Mobile.

Next month Apple will hold its World Wide Developers Conference where we expect the company to announce iOS 6. And already, some developers are already seeing the next version of iOS pop up in their usage logs.

According to 9To5Mac, developers are seeing iOS 6 in usage logs from analytics software. Some developers report seeing the next version of iOS in logs dating back to late April.

The logs mean that Apple is testing iOS 6 somewhere within its campus. Apple has likely already tested its own apps on the new version of the mobile OS and now it’s testing high-profile apps on it. Apple tested iOS 5 in a similar fashion last year shortly before its debut at WWDC 2011.

Unfortunately we don’t know what devices Apple was using to test iOS 6. It could be the 4-inch iPhone 5 we’ve heard rumors of, or the company could just be testing the new iOS  on the current iPhone 4S. Either way, we probably won’t hear anything about the next iPhone until a few months after iOS 6 debuts.

Recent rumors say Apple is building a new Maps app for iOS 6. The new Maps app will replace the Google Maps map tiles and back-end for an Apple-created back-end and design. The new maps will feature a 3D mode with photo-realistic models.

There are also reports that iOS 6 won’t implement Android-style widgets, though there is still room for more widgets in Notification Center. We don’t know much more about iOS 6 yet, but we do have wish-list of features we’d like to see in the next version of iOS.

iOS 6 Shows Up in App Developer Logs is a post by Shawn Ingram from Gotta Be Mobile.

In an effort to cut expenses, it appears that Sprint will be decommissioning its early upgrade program that allowed customers to cancel within 10-14 days of an expiring contract.

The evidence, supplied by TechnoBuffalo, reveals Sprint’s plans to end the policy effective June 1st. If true, and it looks like it is, that only gives Sprint customers a few days to take advantage of this policy, a policy that customers have enjoyed for quite some time now.

Obviously, this is a shame for those who are looking to upgrade after June 1st but fortunately it’s only a couple of weeks that we’re talking about here, not a few months.

This policy change comes at the expense of the company’s investments in both the iPhone, which the company reportedly spent $15-20 billion to get, and a 4G LTE network which is slated to light up sometime in the weeks ahead.

Early upgrades aren’t the only thing that Sprint has done away with either. Last year, the carrier cancelled several of its well-known services including its Premier program. It also tightened up its return policy.

The move to end early upgrades comes just after Sprint released its first two 4G LTE smartphones, the LG Viper 4G LTE and the Samsung Galaxy Nexus, and shortly before it was originally scheduled to unleash the HTC EVO 4G LTE.

However, the HTC EVO 4G LTE’s release date has apparently been pushed back due to customers issues brought on by a patent dispute with Apple.

The device is currently being held at U.S. Customs which has delayed the release indefinitely.

Sprint Canceling Early Upgrades on June 1st? is a post by Adam Mills from Gotta Be Mobile.

T-Mobile has confirmed a release date for the HTC Amaze 4G Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich update, just a day after saying that it would be rolling out in the coming weeks.

The carrier has announced that it will be pushing the Amaze 4G Ice Cream Sandwich update on May 21st which will take the Amaze 4G to Android 4.0.3 and bring HTC Sense 3.6 on board as well.

That means it will have the same version of Android and the same version of Sense that the HTC Sensation 4G, another phone on T-Mobile, got today.

Read: Guide To Google Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.

Clearly, this is great news for HTC Amaze 4G owners who might have been weary of a long wait time for the software to roll out. Too often, carriers exclaim that software will be rolling out in the coming weeks only to release it months later.

The upgrade will be bringing quite a lot with it and some of the features include:

New Features

• Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich)
• Sense 3.6
• System bar enhancements to easily view recent apps.
• Re-sizeable widgets
• Lock screen actions including pull down notifications and adjust volume while device is locked.
• Data usage controls.
• Face Unlock
• Home screen folders
• Improved battery life

Improvements

• Improved text input and spell checking
• Improved menu structure

The update will roll out in the same fashion as today’s HTC Sensation 4G update in that the carrier will allow users to pull the update manually instead of having to wait for the software to roll out Over-the-Air.

So, once Monday rolls around, HTC Amaze 4G owners should be on the look out for a nice little upgrade to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.

It has been a long time coming.

HTC Amaze 4G Ice Cream Sandwich Release Date Confirmed is a post by Adam Mills from Gotta Be Mobile.

We’re just a couple of days away from the May 29th launch date for the Samsung Galaxy S III, so it was only a matter of time before the device showed up in an early unboxing video.

Indeed, the Samsung Galaxy S III has been unboxed ahead of its launch later on this month and it’s Nicollo Rolli of HD Network by way of Android and Me who is responsible.

While the unboxing is conducted in the Italian language, it does give us a look at two key things.

One, the actual Samsung Galaxy S III itself and two, Rolli also compares it to a host of current Android smartphones including the Galaxy S II, HTC One X, HTC One S, Samsung Galaxy Nexus and the Samsung Galaxy Note. It’s not amazingly in-depth but it will give interested parties a better grasp of the phone’s size.

Remember, the Galaxy S III is a massive device checking in with a Super AMOLED HD screen that measures 4.8-inches in size. Only the Samsung Galaxy Note’s display is bigger.

We also get a good look at what’s going to be coming inside the Galaxy S III’s box and those that have bought a smartphone before will recognize all of it.

Read: Samsung Galaxy S III Hands On.

The Samsung Galaxy S III is set to arrive on a host of carriers in England on May 29th and it will be launching elsewhere in the weeks ahead. Samsung has said that it will be hitting the U.S. in June, although, no U.S. carriers have confirmed the device for their networks.

Galaxy S III is Samsung’s latest smartphone and it features a spacious 4.8-inch Super AMOLED HD display, an impressive 8MP camera with loads of features, a massive 2100mAh battery, and Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.

Read: Has Verizon Already Screwed Galaxy S III Owners?

In addition, early tests indicate the the Galaxy S III will offer great battery life, a feature that is at the top of many potential smartphone buyers wishlists.

Samsung Galaxy S III Appears in Early Unboxing Video is a post by Adam Mills from Gotta Be Mobile.

As expected, T-Mobile has unleashed the HTC Sensation 4G Android 4.0 Ice Cream update and users who wish to download the new software can now pull the update manually.

Today was the day that T-Mobile promised to deliver the software and thankfully, the carrier delivered on that promise. Android 4.0 is now available for the HTC Sensation 4G and it brings a host of new features along with it..

Those looking to get the upgrade will want to go into the settings on their phone and head to the About section in order to check for upgrades. Once the inquiry is made, users should be prompted by a download.

Read: Guide To Google Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich

Before downloading, users should also be aware that there is a catch to this update.

After installing Android 4.0, T-Mobile will begin to enforce its $15 per month tethering policy. Those HTC Sensation 4G owners out there who have been enjoying free mobile hotspot support will lose that ability once the update is installed. So, for those that wish to keep free tethering, the best bet is to stay on Android 2.3 Gingerbread.

Of course, that means losing out on the features that come with Android 4.0.

Those include:

New Features

• Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich)
• Sense 3.6
• System bar enhancements to easily view recent apps.
• Re-sizeable widgets
• Lock screen actions including pull down notifications and adjust volume while device is locked.
• Data usage controls.
• Face Unlock
• Home screen folders
• Improved battery life
• Note: HTC Sensation 4G will be required to add Wi-Fi Mobile Hotspot feature in order to use the service after completing this update.

Improvements

• Improved text input and spell checking
• Improved menu structure

Even with the tethering caveat, it’s an upgrade worth considering, especially because it’s free.

HTC Sensation 4G Ice Cream Sandwich Update Now Available is a post by Adam Mills from Gotta Be Mobile.

Apple is defending Siri against a would-be class action lawsuit claiming the personal assistant in the iPhone 4S doesn’t work as advertised.

According to The Wall Street Journal, the lawsuit claims that Apple’s ads for Siri are false advertising, claiming that the service doesn’t work as Apple says it does. Apple’s response is that Siri is a Beta product and users were able to return the iPhone 4S within 30 days if dissatisfied with its performance.

One of the plaintiffs seeking class action status claims they were unable to replicate Apple’s Rock God commercial. Another said Siri couldn’t understand when he asked it for directions to certain locations. According to the second plaintiff, when Siri did understand, it responded with the wrong answer.

According to Apple’s lawyers the plaintiffs didn’t explain how the ads are misleading, or how their personal experiences with the virtual personal assistant relate to the ads.

Part of Apple’s move for dismissal reads:

They offer only general descriptions of Apple’s advertisements, incomplete summaries of Apple’s website materials, and vague descriptions of their alleged—and highly individualized—disappointment with Siri. Tellingly, although Plaintiffs claim they became dissatisfied with Siri’s performance “soon after” purchasing their iPhones, they made no attempt to avail themselves of Apple’s 30-day return policy or one-year warranty—which remains in effect. Instead, they seek to take an alleged personal grievance about the purported performance of a popular product and turn it into a nationwide class action under California’s consumer protection statutes. The Complaint does not come close to meeting the heavy burden necessary to sustain such claims.

Apple’s response basically boils down to: users who aren’t satisfied with the iPhone 4S are free to return it if they are unhappy, and the plaintiffs don’t make valid arguments.

None of Apple’s commercials for Siri from the aforementioned Rock God ad to the new ones featuring Samuel L. Jackson mention that Siri is a Beta product. Siri is only labelled as a Beta on Apple’s website.

However, despite the Beta moniker we’re able to replicate everything from the commercials with the exception of the guitar tabs in Rock God, simply because we can’t figure out what the boy said to get his Wolfram Alpha result.

Here’s Apple’s full response to the claim.

Apple Response

Apple Responds To Siri Class Action Lawsuit is a post by Shawn Ingram from Gotta Be Mobile.

The U.S. Patent Office granted Apple a patent for a steering wheel remote control that clips to the steering wheel, controlling the iPhone wirelessly.

PatentlyApple discovered the new in-vehicle Apple patent, originally filed under the names of the inventors instead of under the Apple corporate name, which is why it flew under the radar for so long.

The patent shows a small wireless remote control that mounts on the steering wheel for hands free control of the phone while driving. The control looks a lot like an iPod clickwheel with a ring on the back to attach to a steering wheel.

Bluetooth iPhone steering wheel remote control patent.

The iPhone already connects to many in vehicle infotainment systems like Ford Sync for steering wheel control, but on older cars and cars without this option, a remote like this could help users obey hands free laws without upgrading to a new stereos or a new car.

According to the patent, the steering wheel remote control is touch sensitive, which is a shame considering the benefit that tactile buttons add while trying to drive and control music.

PatentlyApple illustrates how this system could adapt to many steering wheels, including the rotating faceplate that keeps the controls oriented correctly and the ability to clasp to steering wheels thin and wide.

While Apple owns this patent, it may never bring this product to market. Apple routinely patents ideas that we don’t see for years, or ever.

Personally I hope that’s not the case. This Bluetooth steering wheel remote control for the iPhone would sell like hotcakes, especially if it has a microphone housed inside for Siri and phone calls.

Would you buy a iPhone steering wheel remote control?

Apple Needs to Make this Bluetooth iPhone Steering Wheel Remote Control is a post by Josh Smith from Gotta Be Mobile.

Since the introduction of the iPhone, Apple has pushed the storage capacity higher with almost every release.

In 2009, Apple announced the 32GB iPhone 3GS, and in 2011 the 64GB iPhone 4S hit the market.

As the iPhone 5 release date approaches, and my 64GB iPhone 4S warns me that I don’t have enough storage space to update my apps, I have to wonder if Apple will bump the storage sizes of the iPhone 5 up this fall.

Read: iPhone 5 Release Date & Rumors

Running out of Space

In the past 6 months I’ve used the iPhone as my go to phone, and last night I found out that I didn’t have enough storage space to update the apps already on my phone.

I had just over 5GB of storage space left. In order to download these updates, I had to delete several apps including Modern Combat 3 and Almost DLSR, which was loaded up with video files.

After cleaning house I have 11GB of breathing room, but this has taught me that the iPhone needs at least 5GB of storage free to function.

My iPhone has a lot of photos and videos, which take up about half of the space, with Apps occupying another 16GB. I may be in the minority here, but I know I’m not alone.

Cost of a 128GB iPhone

Cost is the biggest factor that could prevent Apple from introducing a 128GB iPhone 5. According to iSuppli, Flash storage is responsible for most of the cost difference to Apple.

The price of 64GB Flash memory is $76.80, 32GB Flash memory is $38.40 and 16GB Flash memory is $19.20.

Even if advances bring the price of Flash memory down, Apple would need to charge a premium for a 128GB iPhone 5 or eat a larger portion of the cost if it retailed for $399.

Smaller 128GB Flash Chips

This February Samsung, a manufacturer Apple works with for parts of the iPhone, announced the smallest 128GB NAND Flash memory chip. These chips are smaller than a penny, and are already ramping up into high production.

Silver Lining in the Cloud?

The cloud could help alleviate some of the storage woes without the need for a 128GB iPhone 5. PhotoStream currently stores the last 1,000 photos taken, but if it stored more photos and included videos, users could rely on the cloud more.

4g LTE speeds will also help users call up photos and videos on the go, even with 4G LTE data caps.

Apps currently can’t benefit from the cloud, but if Apple would allow OnLive for the iPad and other services that stream games instead of storing the assets and processing locally, the iPhone and iPad could be used to play higher quality games without the need for massive amounts of storage.

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Do you need a larger iPhone? Would you pay more than $399 for a 128GB iPhone 5?

Will the iPhone 5 be the first 128GB iPhone? is a post by Josh Smith from Gotta Be Mobile.

I’m going to go a bit into rant mode here, so be warned. Yesterday, Walt Mossberg highlighted an initiative by Microsoft. The gist of this initiative is simple. If you buy a new Windows PC and want all of the CRAPWARE that might be included on it removed, Microsoft will do that for you for a $99 fee. The $99 fee turns your CRAPWARE infested PC into what Microsoft is now calling a Signature PC. Or, you can just order a Signature PC and pay extra for a computer that works the way it was designed to work out of the box.

Where to start. First, this Signature PC initiative shows Microsoft acknowledging something that anyone running a Windows PC knows. The CRAPWARE that comes installed on PCs can bog down a system. Microsoft itself knows this is the case and has been selling CRAPWARE free PCs for some time now. I’m sure there are some users who don’t mind this, but I can’t think of another industry that delivers products that are intentionally crippled by installing what are essentially ads on a system. I find it condescending and beyond ludicrous that you have to pay a fee to essentially get the product to work the way it was designed to work. Yeah, I’m crazy right.

And there’s the second point. The OEMs that cripple machines with CRAPWARE know exactly what they are doing. Throwing all of these icons on a desktop makes a new machine on first boot look like the lawns in front of polling places at local precincts, scattered with signs.  In the best case they just clutter up the desktop, making the Out of Box Experience (OOBE) akin to sitting through advertisements for TV shows at as movie theatre before the trailers. In the worse cases, some of these CRAPWARE applets pop up on every boot until the user disables them. That process is often more tedious than it needs to be. Quite honestly, I find the entire scenario to be one that completely and cynically devalues the user and the product. I’m sure somewhere along the line someone thought this was a value add for the customer. But we’ve long since passed that point.

Here’s why I think you’re a sucker (in the P.T. Barnum way of thinking) if you fall for this. By charging to remove CRAPWARE that Microsoft allows to be installed on the machine in the first place, Microsoft is sending a signal that this is the smart way to make sure you have a nice clean PC. It’s a subtle form of up selling. Nothing wrong with an up sell. But when the up sell essentially says that this PC you want is crippled and a piece of mammal dung, well, gee, that’s an attractive way to build customer satisfaction. Sadly, if this turns into enough of a profit center I also fear it will just lead to more CRAPWARE and not less. (It makes me wonder how this will pay out with the UI changes for Windows 8). The fact that a customer has to pay extra to have a PC that works out of the box the way it was designed to work is nothing short of a cynical, blighted mentality, that proves, at least to me, that the folks making these devices don’t care about users, instead focusing only on units sold.

If you want to take advantage of this program there are two ways to feed your $99 to Microsoft. If you live by one of the new Microsoft stores you can come in, pay the CRAPWARE tax, and they will clean things up for you. If you don’t live close to a store, (there are only 16 currently) you can shop for this service and Signature PCs online at Microsoft.

And this brings up the last point of my rant. Go take a look at that Signature PC page. Great promises of faster and better performance. By offering this Signature PC approach, Microsoft is saying that every non-Signature PC that is sold with Windows is the equivalent of buying a discounted piece of crap. I’m not trying to offend anyone here by saying this, but the distinction to me means that Microsoft is essentially saying why not buy your PC at your local CVS or Walgreens. “Industry Experts” who say this is a good idea are essentially supporting both Microsoft’s continued decline, as well as a practice that should be condemned.

Microsoft to Charge Users For CRAPWARE Free PCs is a post by Warner Crocker from Gotta Be Mobile.