Having Google as the default search engine on the iPhone is rumored to earn Apple more than $100 million per year in a revenue sharing deal between the two companies, a new report alleges.

Downplaying rumors that Apple could be working on its own search engine, Silicon Alley Insider cited an anonymous source Thursday as stating that the iPhone maker has no intention of getting into the business that Google dominates. That same source claimed that Apple earns more than $100 million a year in a revenue sharing deal with Google. Read more…

So earlier today there was a little rumble in the unlock world,via Twitter, as a new exploit was rumored to be found for the new iPhone 3.1.3 firmware’s baseband 5.12. Sherif Hashim managed to crash the baseband, which in turn could possibly be used for an unlock.

A little while later MuscleNerd of the iPhone DevTeam, confirmed that it was a legit find. Read more…

Microsoft founder Bill Gates, a longtime proponent of tablet-style computing and touchscreen devices, has said he is not impressed by what he’s seen of Apple’s iPad.

The multi-billionaire spoke with Brent Schlender of BNET and admitted that while he became envious of the iPhone, the iPad has not elicited the same reaction from him.

“You know, I’m a big believer in touch and digital reading, but I still think that some mixture of voice, the pen and a real keyboard — in other words, a netbook — will be the mainstream on that,” Gates reportedly said. Read more…

According to a story posted by the Financial Times on Wednesday, Apple may be in talks with studios to bring $1 TV shows to iTunes, as part of the official iPad launch. Apparently this will be a test to model for the company to see whether cheaply-priced content will spur sales. Given yesterday’s news about declining iTunes music growth due to higher prices, I’m betting it will. Read more…

Here’s the thing. You know, and I know, that AT&T has not yet enabled tethering in the US, while carriers all across the globe have already given their iPhone customers the ability to use their phones as wireless modems for their laptops. You and I also know that strictly speaking tethering falls outside the normal terms of use for your iPhone data contract — and that there are jailbreak solutions to get around this (hopefully temporary) constraint. Read more…

I don’t want to leave a “blemish” on the tech-centric tone of these forums, but a lot of people are talking about the iPhone these days as a potential treatment for all sorts of medical ailments, including acne. Although the application that started this discussion was released months ago, only recently have media outlets and iPhone users taken a good look at AcneApp, which was created by a Texas dermatologist who apparently thinks the iPhone is the technological equivalent of Clearasil. Read more…

Opera Software says it will launch a version of its Mini browser for the iPhone next week, according to Reuters.

The browser is said to offer consumers up to six times faster download speeds than Apple’s Safari, and cut data traffic by up to 90 percent.

“This is a provocative move by Opera which will result in a tricky and high profile PR exercise for Apple should it decide not to allow Opera mini through Read more…

Two new analysts said Tuesday that the iPad-AT&T deal suggests Apple may extend its exclusive iPhone agreement through 2011, leaving the wireless provider as the sole carrier of the handset in the U.S. this year.

While speculation was rife for months (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) that Apple would partner with Verizon for a new CDMA-compatible iPhone this summer, sentiment has changed in recent weeks, after Apple publicly stood by AT&T and also announced an agreement with the carrier for the iPad’s domestic 3G data plan. Lending its support for that line of thinking Tuesday was Barclays Capital, which issued a new note to investors with the conclusion that Apple and AT&T will likely remain exclusive for the remainder of 2010. Read more…

World’s Fastest IPhone Texter – Funny home videos are a click away

I can type fairly quickly on my iPhone, at least in landscape mode — I average about 30 – 35 words per minute compared to around 77 WPM on a standard keyboard — but the guy in the video above has gone to plaid with his typing speed. Using an app called iTextSpeed [US$0.99, iTunes Link], this anonymous texting speed demon reaches an incredible 56 words per minute on his iPhone in portrait mode. I have no idea how he does it, particularly in portrait mode; I make an average of one mistake every other word unless I’m in landscape, but the guy in the video, whose thumbs look even bigger than mine, only screws up one word during the entire timed sequence.

A few people grouse about the iPhone’s lack of a physical keyboard, but the cyborg-thumbed guy in this video proves that for some of us, it’s not an issue whatsoever.

[Via Tuaw.com]