A new Zune software update today contains references to the illusive “Zune Phone”, according to I Started Something.

As some of you might know, an .INF file is essential component of a driver package responsible for identifying the driver and associating it with compatible USB hardware IDs, and in this case, the Zune.inf file is responsible for associating devices with the Zune driver.

New to this version of the driver (generated October 20, 2009) are several lines which reference a phone device. Read more…

Yes, you read well, this is the end. The end of Install0us.
Most of you would not appreciate what follows, just as we definitely do not, yet some of you will be strangely happy…

Why is this happening?
Legalities. When I started up solo, it was for legal reasons, and that still stands: I was fed up of hiding behind other people and wanted the freedom to develop apps without being in the shadows of the law.
For Install0us to offer the same services as other installer apps : browse / download / install, without providing any links to cracked materials, I thought we had something legal and legitimate to offer.
Some really nice people proposed me their help, and from a small blog we evolved to these forums, which just kept growing and maturing, thanks to a wonderful team. That was not appreciated by everybody…but anyway, that is another topic. During all this time I have been actively searching for a lawyer to know how legal we were. Not the lawyer you can find just anywhere, but one that understands Internet legislations and specializes in copyright laws. Read more…

Faced with a large number of users stealing their applications, iPhone developers have found ways to earn money even from those who pirate App Store software.

Developers of popular iPhone and iPod touch applications Tap Tap Revenge and Shazam were a part of the MIDEM Music Conference in Cannes recently. According to Moconews.net, when Tap Tap Revenge garnered 2.5 million downloads in its first two months, a million were pirated copies.

But Tim O’Brien, head of business development with game maker Tapulous, said many of those pirates now buy legal music downloads from within the game. In the end, the developer is making a profit from many of those who initially stole their software.
Read more…

Flurry Analytics has identified about 50 devices thought to be pre-release Apple Tablets in testing. These devices have been placed geographically on Apple’s Cupertino campus. Testing increased dramatically in January with signs of life beginning as early as October.

On these devices, Flurry observed approximately 200 different applications in use by testers. Studying category trends provides insight into the kind of user Apple is targeting and how it expects the device to be used. They’ve compiled a chart that shows the number of applications in use by category across test devices. Read more…

Ryan Petrich and Chpwn have released an update to their ProSwitcher utility to easily switch between background iPhone apps.

ProSwitcher 1.0 can be installed from the BigBoss Cydia Repository. It is a Palm Pre-styled application switcher which integrates with SpringBoard for a simple and smooth experience.

To force applications to run in the background you must use the Backgrounder application which can also be installed from Cydia.

What’s New In Version 1.1:
- Many bugs fixed
- Lock SpringBoard card
- Better LA support
- Improved settings
- Return of a few settings
- Check git commit logs for more!

[Via iclarified.com]

Apple is expected to announce Verizon Wireless a carrier for its upcoming tablet and the end of AT&T’s iPhone exclusivity, according to the NYPost.

Apple is expected to name Verizon Wireless as one of its carriers with its anticipated unveiling of a new tablet device on Wednesday, sources told The Post. That means Apple head Steve Jobs will probably introduce a Verizon iPhone, ending AT&T’s exclusive hold on the hot smartphone.
Read more…

Citing an anonymous “inside source,” HotHardware has reported AT&T could lose their iPhone exclusivity on Wednesday, when Apple is also expected to introduce its long-awaited touchscreen tablet.

The report does not go as far as to claim what other U.S. carriers could offer the iPhone. But a source allegedly told the Web site that AT&T is “tired of taking the heat” for poor reception from iPhone users. In short, the report claims, AT&T officials believe the iPhone is hurting the company’s image, and they are no longer interested in having exclusive access to Apple’s handset.
Read more…

It’s two iPhone chargers in one! Yes, the DuaLink cable for the iPod and iPhone serves up its own fun-sized USB hub that, as you would expect from a title like the one above, comes with a sole USB connector on one end and two iPod/iPhone connectors on the other.

From MacWorld:

As one can clearly see from the image of the DuaLink in action, CableJive was thoughtful enough to “bulk up” the cables used
for DuaLink, which seem capable of withstanding more wear and tear than the flimsy default cable that Apple packs with iPhones
and iPods. Read more…

Zirana, a startup company with the goal to make Zirana.com “a one stop shop for all local information” for “residents of small and medium sized towns all across the world,” including Cupertino, is reporting that a prototype laptop was stolen from Apple’s campus sometime in 2009:

Trade Secret Theft/Possession of Stolen Property – Infinite Loop
Between 1/1 and 12/18, unknown suspect(s) took a prototype laptop worth about $100,000 from Apple Computers on Infinite Loop using an unknown method. The suspect(s) sold it to another suspect. Deputies recovered the laptop from the second suspect and he was released pending further investigation. Read more…

I know this has nothing to do with the iphone but to me this is such a big thing. I am a sony ps3 fan and I can’t wait to start running hombrew on my ps3. Below is Geohot’s first post on the beginning of a new era for us ps3 owners.

Hello hypervisor, I’m geohot

I have read/write access to the entire system memory, and HV level access to the processor. In other words, I have hacked the PS3. The rest is just software. And reversing. I have a lot of reversing ahead of me, as I now have dumps of LV0 and LV1.

3 years, 2 months, 11 days…thats a pretty secure system
Read more…