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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"...

Apple loses iPhone trademark in Brazil to an Android maker

Earlier this month came a rumor that Apple was in jeopardy of losing its ‘iPhone’ trademark in Brazil to the local electronics maker IGB Eletrônica SA, which applied for exclusive rights to the name back in 2000, winning the rights to the moniker. In 2007, Apple asked the Brazilian Institute for Industrial Property (INPI) to make iPhone its exclusive trademark, but a report lats week suggested the request won't pass muster. Today, Brazilian regulators have ruled that Apple does not have exclusive rights to use the "iPhone" trademark in the country...

Apple in 2012 topped Japan’s mobile phone market

Apple may have a slight market share problem in BRIC markets (Brazil, Russia, India and China), but over in Japan the company has moved the needle in a big way. According to Hong Kong-based market research firm Counterpoint Research, Apple for the first time ended Sharp’s six-year run at the top to became the first non-Japanese company to rule the Japanese mobile phone market with a fifteen percent share in 2012, a notable increase from its ten percent market share in 2011...

Mailbox review: an email app that thinks different

Email on iOS is a mess, or that's at least what many app developers with the next big thing want us to believe. For me, it's not just that email is a mess on iOS, it's that email is a mess in general, regardless of the platform.

My philosophy has always been to just manage the email situation well enough, so that I'm not overtaken by its voracious appetite for more of my time. I've never been a so-called "inbox zero" ninja, and never really thought I was capable of doing so...until now.

Indeed, I was fortunate enough to get in a bit early on the Mailbox waiting list. The question is, if you're still waiting, is your pining over access to the app warranted, or will your wait turn into fermented disappointment? Full review, inside.

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...

A&E Networks brings its top TV shows to the iPhone for free

Great news for all of you Duck Dynasty and Pawn Stars fans, you can now watch your favorite TV shows on your iPhone and iPod touch. A+E networks has updated 3 of its iOS apps today with full-length episodes and movies.

A&E, HISTORY and Lifetime apps all now each support the streaming of their top programming—including hit shows like Storage Wars and Pawn Stars —as well as iCloud sync, so you can always pick up where you left off....

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...

Winston for iPhone wants to be the Siri for news

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPH2PK5WZys

I know your news reader choices on iOS are rich. There's Flipboard, Instapaper, Readability, News360, News.me and a whole lot of other lesser known apps. Winston, a new software by a Colorado-based startup, is unlike your regular news client. Instead of overwhelming you with an endless stream of updates, Winston presents you with a personable British butler which compiles a daily brief from your selected news sources and social network feeds.

It detects what's important and then reads the summaries out aloud, so you can catch up on the latest while doing something else. It's a novel approach that saves time and as such is likely to strike a chord with busy mobile users. I'm already liking Winston a lot. More tidbits right past the fold...

Smarter Stand for iPhone keeps your device upright and earbuds tangle-free

What you see in the photo above is the new Smarter Stand for the iPhone and iPod touch. Created by Dotan Saguy, it's a dual-purpose accessory that acts as both a kickstand for your iOS device and a spool for your earbuds, so they don't get tangled.

It may not look like much, but don't underestimate Saguy's knack for turning simple ideas into hit products. He's already done it once with the Smarter Stand for iPad, raising over $150,000 via Kickstarter. And now he's looking to do it again...

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...