Mashable reports that Nokia has sued Apple, claiming that the iPhone infringes “on 10 of the company’s patents relating to GSM, UMTS and WLAN technologies.”

The lawsuit, analysts predict, could cost Apple $1 billion. And some say Nokia has a strong case.

What Do You Think?

Is Nokia right to sue Apple? Will the lawsuit award Nokia some much-deserved money or will it hurt Nokia’s image more than help it? Please share your opinion in this poll:

The question for us iPhone users is: Will Google attempt to launch a Google Audio iPhone app, and if so, will Google Audio for iPhone go the way of Google Voice?

Remember when Google submitted its Google Voice iPhone app to the App Store last July? Apple banned the app, citing “duplicate features that come with the iPhone,” because Google Voice would create competition for AT&T’s calling & SMS services. Would a Google Audio iPhone app be banned for competing with iPod and the iTunes Store?

What Will a Google Voice iPhone App Look Like?

We don’t yet know what Google Voice will look like, or what it will do. But if Google’s history of innovation is any indication, I wouldn’t be surprised if it is somehow a game-changer. And that could be bad news for Apple.

After all, iTunes is by far the leader in music downloads. Any competition from Google in the market for online music would certainly be unwanted.

Of course, there’s already a Pandora iPhone app that lets you stream music and bypass the iPod, but Pandora doesn’t give you on-demand access to specific songs. Google Audio will presumably offer music downloads. What if a Google Audio iPhone app let you download songs to the app itself?

Could a Google Audio iPhone app make iTunes irrelevant? If so, can we expect Apple to ban Google Audio from iPhone? What do you think?

I recently reviewed the Kindle iPhone app and exposed some serious weaknesses. How will the upcoming iPhone app for Barnes & Noble’s new Nook ebook reader be better than the current Kindle iPhone app?

Although the Nook iPhone app is yet to debut, here are 3 reasons I think it could be a Kindle killer unless Amazon steps up its game.

1. If the image posted on Barnes and Noble’s new eReading blog, Unbound, is any indication, Nook will have a “Find” feature that lets you search for specific text in books. The Kindle iPhone app lacks any kind of search feature.
2. It seems to me that one of the icons on the bottom panel of what is presumably the Nook iPhone app says “Import.” If so, Nook may let you import content into its iPhone app. With Kindle for iPhone, you are bound to the books you buy in the Kindle store. I hope Nook will be unbound by DRM restrictions and allow you to view other ebooks and content.
3. Nook will let you lend books to people who use iPhones, Blackberries and iPods. This kind of sharing is not possible with the Kindle iPhone app.

Up In the Air

Still undetermined is whether the Nook iPhone app will let you copy and paste content, and whether ebooks you purchase will be viewable online as well as on your iPhone and Nook reader. Kindle does not let you read your books online or in PDF form.

What do you think? Is Nook looking like it might be a Kindle killer?

Are you a Facebook member? Then please become a fan of AppleiPhoneReview.com. My sincerest thanks for reading, commenting and spreading the word.

~ Chris

I love the feeling of a real book in my hands, so I never would have imagined Kindle’s iPhone app could be so compelling. It is surprisingly easy to get caught up in reading a book on my iPhone, and Amazon’s Kindle store has tons of books I actually care to read.

My first two purchases: Chris Anderson’s The Long Tail and David McFarland’s CSS: The Missing Manual.

The availability of titles is no doubt Kindle’s strong suit. The app itself, however, lacks some crucial features.

Here are 5 ways Amazon should improve the Kindle iPhone app if they want me to keep buying books:

1. Let me browse the book store within the Kindle app. I want to search and buy books without launching Safari.
2. Let me lock into landscape mode. You know when you’re lying on your side, perhaps in bed, and iPhone’s accelerometer forces the page into an orientation that is impractical to read? Safari has a solution to that: if you want to read in landscape orientation while you hold your iPhone vertically, simply hold it upside down. The Kindle app doesn’t offer this solution. (Update: My mistake. The app flashes a small lock at the corner of the screen whenever you change the orientation. Tap the lock to lock in your orientation.)
3. Let me search. Especially for reference books, the lack of a search function in the Kindle iPhone app is extremely inconvenient. Search would tremendously improve the usability of the Kindle iPhone app.
4. Let me copy & paste. Must I even explain? We begged for a copy & paste feature on the iPhone for 2 years! Why does the Kindle iPhone app still not have this feature?
5. Improve synchronization. I bought the book, why can’t I view it on my computer, too? Amazon should give book buyers access to a database of purchased books (and their contents) on kindle.amazon.com.

Does Amazon purposely disable these features to make sure the Kindle iPhone app does not surpass the Kindle itself? It’s like the recording industry’s efforts to block their customers from downloading music so that they could keep selling them CDs in plastic jewel cases.

The iPhone presents a plethora of possibilities for Kindle. Imagine searching through endless titles to find information you need for a research paper. Imagine copying and pasting passages to quote them in your papers or share them with your friends. Imagine then having access to your books on your iPhone, your computer, and your Kindle.

Come on, Amazon, you have a chance to make the Kindle a real game changer. Let’s see some improvements to the Kindle iPhone app.

What Do You Think?

Vote in the poll below. On a scale of 1 to 5, let us know how satisfied you are with your iPhone. Then tell us why in the comments.

How Satisfied Are You With Your iPhone?

• iPhone sucks!
• It's ok. Not sure it's worth the money.
• A smartphone's a smartphone.
• It's great but I wish it did more.
• iPhone=Jesus!

View Results

Here’s how I did it:

[Note: This iPhone Jailbreak guide is intended for 2nd generation iPhones with 3.0 firmware or below ONLY. Do not attempt this solution if you have upgraded beyond the 3.0 iPhone update.]

Jailbreak iPhone 2G with OS 3.0

1. This iPhone Jailbreak guide requires you to download the following: (1) RedSn0w for Windows, Mac or Linux; (2) the 3.0 firmware for iPhone 2G; and (3) the 3.9 and (4) 4.6 BootLoaders if you want to unlock your iPhone in addition to Jailbreaking. Save your downloads in a folder named “Jailbreak.”

   

2. Launch RedSn0w and click “Browse.” Find the 3.0 firmware (the .ipsw file you just downloaded to your Jailbreak folder) and select it. Then click “Next” to restore your 2G iPhone to the 3.0 firmware.

   

3. Choose whether to install Cydia, install Icy and/or unlock your iPhone. I chose to install Cydia (like an “App Store” for Jailbreak) and to unlock my iPhone 2G, which allows the iPhone to be used on non-approved carriers.
4. If you chose to unlock your iPhone, RedSn0w will ask you to identify the bootloader files you downloaded in Step 1.

   

5. Now turn off your iPhone (but leave it connected via USB), click “Next” and follow instructions.

   

   In under a minute, you will have a Jailbroken iPhone 2G.

   

   

6. Let your iPhone reboot, open Cydia and download a bunch of cool apps and modifications that you could not otherwise download with a factory iPhone.

What Do You Think?

Did this Jailbreak solution work for you? Got any iPhone Jailbreak tips? Let us know in the comments.

Otterbox recently sent me their Defender iPhone case for review, and let me say right off the bat that this case is solid. The Defender iPhone case protects your iPhone with two layers: a strong plastic case and a rubber enclosure that holds it together.

The Defender also features:

1. a plastic screen that shields your iPhone’s glass
2. rubber flaps that cover iPhone’s buttons, openings and switches



3. foam rings that cushion the iPhone’s speaker and microphone without muffling them.

If you want to insure your investment, the Otterbox Defender case is the ultimate protection for your iPhone.

If, on the other hand, you just want to prevent keys and coins from damaging the delicate plastic on the back of your iPhone, and you’re confident that you won’t ever crack the glass and ruin your phone, a mistake that could cost you up to $250, then just buy a protective skin.

Yes, the Defender case is great for peace of mind. But it does have some downsides.

This is what I’ve noticed after nearly a month of using the Defender iPhone case.

The downsides

1. The Defender is not the most sleek or glamorous case on the block. A couple of people have even told me I “look like a construction worker” with it. Actually, the Defender is the perfect case for construction workers, because it protects your iPhone from both shock and debris. But I don’t see the Otterbox Defender being featured on Gray’s Anatomy or The Hills any time soon, if you catch my drift.
2. The bulk makes it impossible to use the Defender case with my iPhone Xtand or the factory iPhone dock.
3. The screen protector is prone to air bubbles when you press on it.

   

   I contacted the friendly folks at Otterbox and they suggested a couple of fixes:

   1. “We have found that applying the adhesive screen from the Impact Series helps eliminate the air bubbles.” – Otterbox

      I didn’t get an Impact Series adhesive screen because I think this case should work on its own, without having to buy an additional product, but I did have another plastic film screen that I tested with the Defender, and it did not ameliorate the air bubbles.

   2. “We also suggest using the natural oils from your skin. Take the phone out of the case. You’ll want your hands to be clean, but not just washed. You want to take the palm of your hand (or you can also use your cheek) and press it lightly on the front panel of the OtterBox (the part that would touch the phone screen). It might seem like there will be finger prints that would show on the screen of the phone, but they do not. The natural oils of your skin should help with the oil/bubble look on your screen.” – Otterbox

      Surprisingly, the oils from my palm prevented bubbles to a large extent. The solution isn’t perfect, since it still produces some air pockets, but the bubbles were reduced by 95 percent.

4. The inner plastic case is tough to open without long nails. But hey, at least you know your case isn’t going to pop open if you drop it, considering the strength of the plastic clips and the rubber that keeps the plastic intact. Hint: Try using a dime or other small coin to pry the case open.
5. The exposed plastic on the back of the case causes the iPhone to vibrate louder. This is a downside for me, since it can be a nuisance in class or during meetings, but it could be an upside for you if you think the iPhone’s vibration is too weak.

The verdict

If damaging your iPhone is a concern for you, and you’re not too worried about glamour, then the Otterbox Defender case for iPhone is a great investment. Maybe you work, play or exercise outdoors. The Defender lets you go wild without worrying about your iPhone.

The truth is, though, that sometimes I just want to set my iPhone free and use it as Apple intended. The bulk is not always practical or pleasing to the eye.

Nevertheless, whenever a friend would comment on my bulky iPhone case, I would drop my iPhone on the ground. “They call it the Defender for a reason.”

Have you used the Otterbox Defender?

Do you use the Defender or some other iPhone case? Or is a bare naked iPhone worth the risk to you? I’d love to hear what you think in the comments.

The struggle to free iPhone’s software from proprietary Apple restrictions, by way of the process dubbed “iPhone Jailbreak,” is often described as a cat and mouse game. And for good reason.

Each time Apple releases an iPhone update, the iPhone dev team scrambles to crack it. Each time the hackers find a new way to Jailbreak, Apple scrambles to develop the next best way to block them.

This back-and-forth between Apple and the Jailbreak team has been ongoing since day one, and it’s all because people want the right to do what they want with their iPhones. For example, iPhone Jailbreak lets you:

• Change the look and feel of your iPhone
• Download and save YouTube videos on your iPhone
• Record video using iPhone’s camera lens (for non-3GS users)
• Tether your iPhone to your laptop
• Set SMS privacy levels using the Kate app
• Unlock your iPhone for use on other carriers

Lofty is the list of things you can do with a Jailbroken iPhone. Loftier still is the number of complaints about the Jailbreak process on the comment thread of one of my old iPhone Jailbreak guides.

The problem is that confusion over Jailbreak software and iPhone versions makes iPhone Jailbreak impractical.

Whether an iPhone can be Jailbroken depends on its “baseband,” and if you have the wrong baseband for the Jailbreak software that you’re using, it could cause you some trouble.

In principle, I would love the freedom to modify my iPhone without restrictions, and I agree that an open iPhone is a better iPhone; but in practice I find myself too uninformed, too busy or too worried to Jailbreak my iPhone.

Is iPhone Jailbreak Worth the Trouble?

At the moment, I can’t Jailbreak my iPhone 3GS because I installed the official iPhone 3.1 update. As of this writing, you can Jailbreak an iPhone 3GS only if it runs the 3.0 software, which means you miss out on all the new augmented reality apps that are all the buzz.

The truth is I haven’t Jailbroken my iPhone lately because it’s just too complicated to keep up with all the updates, from both Apple and the iPhone Jailbreak team.

Worse, Jailbreak voids your iPhone warranty. So if your Jailbroken iPhone breaks because of a problem that was Apple’s fault, well good luck with that, because the Geniuses ain’t gonna help you — not for free anyway.

Do You Play the Cat & Mouse Game?

Do you Jailbreak your iPhone? Are the benefits of Jailbreak worth the risks? Please share your opinion in the comments.

Cue: iSheriff, a new “augmented reality” (or should I say demented reality?) iPhone app that lets you blow the brains out of anyone in the viewfinder of your iPhone camera.

“Hey, sick kid in the waiting room. Let me put you out of your misery…”

“And will someone please turn off this damn TV! No!? Well then I’ll do it myself…”

If you’re not one for blood and guts, Disable Gore and go for the clean kill.

iSheriff is an amusing development in the new and emerging realm of augmented reality iPhone apps that are hitting the App Store.

Thanks to the iPhone 3.1 update, developers can now combine the iPhone’s camera, compass and GPS to place a virtual layer over a view of the real world.

Gonna shoot up a place? Use iSheriff.

This post was created using the WordPress iPhone app.