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Apple has banned at least two prominent iPhone hackers from accessing its App Store.

Sherif Hashim, an iPhone developer who developed a hack for the latest iPhone OS 3.1.3, and iH8Sn0w, who developed the XEMN tool designed to unlock iPhone 3.1.3 radio baseband for the 3G and 3GS, found that their Apple IDs were blocked and accounts deactivated when they tried to access the app store of Monday. Their respective reactions can be found in Twitter posts here and here.

The move sparked concerns that Apple might ban all jailbroken iPhones was accessing the App Store. However, such a move would prevent Apple’s application developers from selling to the millions of users of jailbroken devices and would be especially bad politics following the launch of the Wholesale Applications Community at the Mobile World Congress conference earlier this week.

Full Story ~ The Register

Microsoft is counting on Windows Phone 7 to make it a player in the smart phone market, but the mobile OS—introduced Monday by CEO Steve Ballmer—has got its work cut out.

The most recent numbers from research firm Gartner show that Microsoft is a distant fourth in the market in terms of worldwide sales and units shipped.

Nokia’s open-source Symbian OS leads the pack, with a 44.6% share, followed by Research In Motion’s Blackberry, at 20.8%, and Apple’s iPhone OS, with 17.1% as of the third quarter of 2009. Microsoft’s Windows Mobile held just 7.9%.

Google’s Android OS, meanwhile, is fast gaining steam. On the market for less than a year, Android-powered phones already hold a 3.5% market share, according to Gartner.

Further clouding the competitive landscape is Intel. The chipmaker on Monday said it would team-up with Nokia to develop a Linux-based mobile OS called MeeGo, for use on devices powered by Intel’s Atom chips.

Still, Windows Phone 7 could put Microsoft back in the game.

Full Story ~ Information Week

This update for iPhone and iPod touch contains bug fixes and improvements, including the following:

• Improves accuracy of reported battery level on iPhone 3GS
• Resolves issue where third-party apps would not launch in some instances
• Fixes bug that may cause an app to crash when using the Japanese Kana keyboard

Products compatible with this software update:
• iPhone (all models)
• iPod touch (all models)

For feature descriptions and complete instructions, see the user guides for iPhone and iPod touch at:
http://support.apple.com/manuals/iphone
http://support.apple.com/manuals/ipodtouch

For more information about iPhone and iPod touch, go to:
http://www.apple.com/iphone
http://www.apple.com/ipodtouch

To troubleshoot your iPhone or iPod touch, or to view additional support information go to:
http://www.apple.com/support/iphone
http://www.apple.com/support/ipodtouch

For information on the security content of this update, please visit this website:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1222

iTunes is a free application for your Mac or PC. It organizes and plays your digital music and video on your computer. It syncs all your media with your iPod, iPhone, and Apple TV. And it’s a store on your computer, iPod touch, iPhone, and Apple TV that has everything you need to be entertained. Anywhere. Anytime.

• iTunes no longer ignores your “Remember password for purchases” setting.
• Addresses problems with syncing some Smart Playlists and Podcasts with iPod.
• Resolves a problem recognizing when iPod is connected.
• Addresses issues that affect stability and performance.

Download iTunes 9.03

We’re only hours away from Google’s special event when the company is expected to launch the Android-based Nexus One mobile device. There has been a lot of speculation about the handset, and how it will differ from competitors like the iPhone. An early hands-on review by Engadget suggests the Nexus One will be a solid device, but not be immediate threat to the iPhone.

But that won’t stop the endless comparisons to the iPhone once the Nexus One is released later today. So why not just dive right in with several things Google needs to get right on the Nexus One, as well as the Android platform in general, to beat the iPhone.

Speed
It’s all about speed when it comes to smartphones, as users want a blazing fast connection and a device that doesn’t take forever to load a program. The Nexus One is widely believed to have a 1 GHz Snapdragon processor making it super fast, although not blazing fast according to Engadget’s review. The iPhone 3GS, where the ‘S’ stands for speed, has a 600 MHz processor, so clearly the Nexus One will have the advantage for the time being. But that could change if Apple brings out another version of the iPhone this year.

Pricing
Right now, the Nexus One looks like it will have a pretty standard pricing plan: $180 with a two-year contract with T-Mobile or $530 unlocked. If Google really wanted to shake up the system it would figure out a way to offer the Nexus One at an even cheaper price or for nothing at all.

Be Open
If Google wants the Nexus One to rival Apple then it will have to be careful not to be seen as a closed device. The Nexus One is expected to be sold unlocked for $530, meaning you should be able to use the device with the carrier of your choice. But the Nexus One is a GSM phone so only two U.S. carriers, AT&T and T-Mobile, will be able to support the phone.

The problem is early reports are saying the Nexus One’s 3G connectivity will only work on T-Mobile, not AT&T, which automatically limits how you can use the phone. If I’m paying over $500 for a phone, I want it to be as wide open as possible, and that includes being compatible with both 3G networks.

The Nexus One, thus far, doesn’t look to be an iPhone killer. It does, however, look like a great add to the marketplace as more competition is a win for the consumer as competition will drive the major players to make improvements, incorporate some of the better ideas from the competition into their own, and drive better and better products for years to come. So welcome Nexus One. Can’t wait to see you grow and how you encourage others to grow.

Full Story – PCWorld

“This hacker tool could easily be installed, for example, on a computer on display in a retail store, which could then scan all iPhones that pass within the reach of its network,” Intego said. “Or, a hacker could sit in an Internet café and let his computer scan all iPhones that come within the range of the Wi-Fi network in search of data. ”

However, the tool can only attack jailbroken iPhones, or ones that have been modified to run unapproved software, that are running SSH (Secure Shell), a Unix utility with the default password enabled.

It’s estimated that between 6 percent to 8 percent of iPhone users have jailbroken their phones. The latest malware would only affect those who haven’t changed that default passwords for SSH, which is “alpine.”

Full Story ~ PCWorld

Reuters - Leading U.S. cable operator Comcast Corp said on Wednesday it plans to offer subscribers the option to watch their favorite TV shows on mobile devices through its new wireless Internet service.

The company is also exploring adding a voice option to the wireless package that would put it in more direct competition with mobile phone providers like AT&T Inc and Verizon Communications Inc.

Comcast recently started rolling out its wireless Internet services in some U.S. cities as part of a joint venture with Clearwire Corp, which uses WiMax technology.

It will be bundling the wireless service with its home Internet package and could eventually include its On Demand Online service, which will let subscribers watch cable shows on the Web.

“I can envision sometimes in the future (On Demand Online) having a wireless component,” Comcast Chief Financial Officer Michael Angelakis said at the Goldman Sachs Communicopia conference.

As more consumers increasingly expect to be able to watch video on their home personal computers and on wireless devices such as Apple Inc’s iPod and iPhone, cable companies are seeking ways to ensure they do not lose subscribers to free or cheaper On Demand Web services.

Instead the cable companies are collaborating with content providers to let paying TV subscribers watch shows instantly via the Web at no extra charge.

Full Story

What’s new in iTunes 9.0?

iTunes LP
The visual experience of the record album returns with iTunes LP. Download select albums and experience a beautifully designed, interactive world right in your iTunes library on a Mac or PC — many are created by the artists.

Home Sharing
With Home Sharing, you can browse the iTunes libraries of up to five authorized computers in your house, import what you like, and automatically add new purchases made on any of the computers to your own library.

The Redesigned iTunes Store
With a beautiful redesign and refined navigation, the new iTunes Store makes it easy to explore songs, movies, TV shows, and more.

iTunes Extras
When you buy select movies from the iTunes Store, you won’t get just a movie. You’ll get iTunes Extras — a world of special features you can experience right in your iTunes library. Watch interviews and trailers, view photos, and more on your Mac or PC.

Genius Mixes
This new feature searches your iTunes library, finds songs that go great together, and creates multiple mixes you’ll love. All automatically.

Improved Syncing
iTunes brings new, more flexible ways to sync your media from your computer to your iPhone or iPod. And it’s easier to organize all the apps on your iPhone or iPod touch, because now you can do it right in iTunes, right from your computer. Shop the App Store on your computer, iPhone, or iPod touch. Then go to your iTunes library to arrange (and rearrange) your apps and add (or delete) Home screens. iTunes automatically syncs your new Home screens with your iPhone or iPod touch.

Many Other Improvements
iTunes brings you even better ways to manage and share everything in your library. You can make your Smart Playlists even smarter. You can save iTunes Store items you want to purchase later in a new wish list. You can buy ringtones of your favorite songs directly from the iTunes Store on your iPhone and assign a specific song to a contact. And if you’re an avid social networker, it’s easy to tout your favorite music, movies, and TV shows on Facebook and Twitter right from the iTunes Store.

Download iTunes 9.0