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Valentine’s Day comes early: Real Racing 3 hits New Zealand, Australia

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZ8SljDv0yw

Today is a big day for iOS gamers as Electronic Arts launches the third installment in its popular Real Racing franchise. The game was originally scheduled for February 28 release so it wasn't clear why Electronic Arts decided to post it today, but we're not complaining even though the game initially launched in the New Zealand and Australia App Store.

The good news don't end here: as promised, Real Racing 3 is a free download with some unaggressive in-app purchases, a major strategic shift for Electronic Arts which typically prices its most recent iOS games between $5 and $10.

It's a massive download: you will need to have up to two gigabytes of free space on your device to install Real Racing 3, but Electronic Arts swears "it’s worth it"...

New app streams Pokemon episodes for free

If you're a fan of Pokemon TV, a Nintendo-owned Japanese media franchise, there's a new app in town which lets you stream up to fifty different Pokemom television movies and even related movies, free of charge, no strings attached. That ain't some unofficial hack: the Pokemon TV app comes straight from Pokemon, the company.

You can stream Pokemon TV shows to your iPhone or iPad from the 700+ episode strong library, access special features, watch trailers for upcoming Pokémon movie events and more...

Ayecon updated with new dial pad, more icons and bug fixes

Since the evasi0n jailbreak was released last week, we've seen a wave of tweak and package updates as developers rush to fix remaining iOS 6 bugs and add new features. Today, our favorite theme joins in; ayecon 1.3 is now available in Cydia.

The update is fairly significant, as it includes a number of additions and improvements. There's a new dial pad (for iOS 6+ only) and new icons for apps like Google Maps and Netbot. We've got the full change log for ayecon 1.3 after the fold...

Apple’s invisible antenna patent sets stage for all-aluminum iPhone case

A new patent granted to Apple today could signal a huge advance in a trimmer, slimmer iPhone perhaps made from a single block of aluminum. The U.S. patent describes "microslot antennas" cut into the smartphone body, eliminating the need for exposing hardware required for communications.

While it could make fans of minimalism - such as Apple's chief designer Jonathan Ive - jump for joy, could the patented technology cause another production slowdown?

Amazon beats Apple for best U.S. consumer reputation

More indications that Apple may be slipping in the eyes of some consumers. Internet retail giant Amazon.com now has the best reputation among U.S. corporations, Harris Interactive announced Tuesday. Despite Apple winning the poll in 2012, Kindle-maker Amazon grabbed the top spot this year - ironically cited for its emotional impact on consumers despite operating a completely virtual business.

The online retailer also topped Apple, Google, Disney and others in the products and services category. This result only highlights Amazon's increased brand image in tablets, music, movies and cloud computing, areas bringing it into conflict with Apple and other tech players...

Real Racing 3 will be free, coming February 28

Electronic Arts has a release date for Real Racing 3, the latest installment in its popular racing franchise. The game is scheduled for release on February 28 and will be offered for the iPhone, iPod touch, iPad and Android smartphones and tablets for free, a major shift in strategy for the super publisher which in 2011 alone raked in $1 billion in digital revenue.

In fact, developers say that Real Racing 3 was designed from the ground up to be a free to play experience. That right there is your undeniable proof that the freemium model is slowly but surely taking over from paid downloads...

The iPhone 5 rates fifth in US user satisfaction

Results of a new smartphone user satisfaction survey have some observers scratching their heads. Apple's iPhone 5 ranked fifth in the U.S., behind a number of Android devices from Motorola, HTC and Samsung. Due to Apple's past high ratings in customer satisfaction, the survey's findings prompted questions so far left unanswered.

According to a poll by OnDevice Research, Motorola's Atrix HD took first place in the U.S. user satisfaction scores, with the Motorola Droid Razr M, HTC's Rezound 4G, Samsung's Galaxy Note 2 and the iPhone 5 filling out the top five devices.

While Apple was named the top brand in overall mobile device satisfaction by U.S. consumers, Google ranked number two - even though it does not directly produce mobile devices...

Apple called to testify before Australian Parliament in pricing probe

Over the past year or so, members of the Australian Parliament have been investigating whether or not its country's residents pay higher-than-average premiums on electronic products and services. And it looks like it's now prepared to speak directly to the makers.

The Standing Committee on Infrastructure and Communications in Australia's House of Representatives released a memo yesterday, stating that it has called upon Apple, Microsoft, and Adobe to speak at a public hearing regarding its probe at the end of next month...

NBA offers free app for tracking this weekend’s All-Star events

Good news NBA fans. We are now less than a week away from the three day showcase for basketball's top players known as All-Star Weekend. The annual 3-day affair features several events, including the Slam Dunk contest and of course the All-Star game itself.

And thanks to The League, you'll be able to follow along with all of the action right on your iPhone or iPad. The NBA is offering a free iOS app, NBA All-Star 2013, that will let you grab news, stats, photos and video highlights of all of this weekend's festivities...

Contractor modifies thousands of iPads for government use

CACI, or Consolidated Analysis Center Incorporated, is a federal contractor that delivers various information technology services to government agencies. Its primary focus is security, and it goes through great lengths to provide protected business solutions for its clients.

A good example of this is the work it's doing with Apple's mobile products. In a recent interview, CACI's CEO Dan Allen said that his company has altered 'thousands' of iPads so that they can be used securely by high-ranking government officials—including the President...

iOS 6.1 battery problems may be related to Exchange bug

Yesterday, we reported that Vodafone UK has been sending out text messages to its iPhone 4S subscribers, warning them not to upgrade to iOS 6.1. The update is said to contain a bug that affects the handset's 3G performance, and subsequently its battery life.

But the issue appears to be more widespread than that. We've received a number of comments from readers, that aren't in the UK and don't have a 4S, that are seeing similar battery life problems. And it's been discovered that Exchange might just be the culprit...

Former Apple human interface developer makes a case for an iWatch

With Apple's iPhone line approaching 7 years old, and the iPad nearly 3 years old, industry watchers are calling for the company to come up with 'the next big thing.' And there's two mythical products that seem to keep coming up in the conversation: the iTV and the iWatch.

While we've heard dozens of rumors concerning Apple building its own TV set, speculation regarding the iWatch has been much more subdued. Perhaps that's why this post from Bruce Tognazzini, a former Apple employee, is getting so much attention this week...