Xbox Live Titles Coming To The App Store? – [REPORT]

According to a new report by Forbes, computing giant and maker of the Xbox gaming console, Microsoft, could now be looking to bring its online “Xbox Live” service, (along with a few titles from the service), to Apple’s iPhone and iPad.

Best App Ever Awards 2011: The Winners

Jeff Scott of 148Apps has tonight announced the winners of his network’s annual “Best App Ever” awards. The awards are specifically designed to highlight the very best applications available for download in every genre (or category) the App Store offers, based on user votes.

Ron Johnson On Retail: “The Relationship Doesn’t End When You Buy”

Following his departure from the company in November last year, Apple’s Former SVP Of Retail, Ron Johnson, on Wednesday took to the stage acting in his new role at department store chain, JC Penney, to explain just how wrong the company’s strategy to retail had been up until this point.

Changing Siri’s Background Image – [JAILBREAK]

In an option which we believe should arguably come as standard with the virtual assistant, a new jailbreak tweak to become available this week now allows users to replace the stock “linen” background seen within Apple’s Siri interface with an altogether more personal custom background image.

Bill Gates’ Letter To Steve Jobs

If you’re to believe the media — (and the age-old spin that is the “war” between the Mac and the PC) — you might also believe that Bill Gates – former CEO and current Chairman of Microsoft, and Steve Jobs – the late, former CEO and Chairman of Apple, never really did see eye-to-eye.

However, in a recent interview with The Telegraph, Gates showed otherwise, explaining touchingly how he had sent a letter to Jobs shortly before his passing explaining to the 57-year old that he should “feel great about what he had done.”

Senior Vice President Of Global Innovation, Jon Rubinstein, Leaves HP

Having first started to make it as an integral part of NeXT’s hardware team back in 1996, later purchased by Apple, Senior Vice President Of Global Innovation, Jon Rubinstein, has this week officially left Hewlett Packard. Responsible for developing both the Palm Pre and Palm’s “WebOS” operating system, Rubinstein was actually given the position of Palm CEO in 2009.

EFF Fighting For Jailbreak Freedom

Jailbreaking your iPhone (or iPad) could (once again) become an illegal activity, if the U.S Government choose not to renew the exemptions recently applied to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act which cover the jailbreaking methods used by users of these products.

The few new exceptions were passed by U.S Congress on July 26, 2010, making the process of “jailbreaking” a certain class of devices “legal,” in certain areas, in the U.S. One particular aspect of the jailbreak which is currently covered under those exceptions is that of the App Store alternative “Cydia”, originally created by Jay Freeman.

Apple Could Reclaim Title Of ‘World’s Largest Smartphone Vendor’, Says Strategy

Managing to recently claim the title of both ‘World’s Top Buyer Of Semiconductors’ and ‘World’s Top Buyer Of Microphones,’ research firm Strategy Analytics has this week announced its estimates regarding the global smartphone market during Q4, 2011.

Specifically interesting is the gap between first and second place – Samsung and Apple – who are expected to switch places in a matter of weeks, seeing Apple reclaim its previous title of ‘World’s Largest Smartphone Vendor’.

Steam Mobile Hits iOS

In March of last year, you may remember we reported that Valve – (the company behind the popular games distribution service “Steam”) – was looking into bringing the service to Apple’s iOS platform. Having reportedly visited the firm’s headquarters, Political Gamer claimed Valve was “looking into” the possibility of expanding to mobile platforms, with iOS (and Android) high up on that list.

New, Notable and Dropped: Friday January 27, 2012

This week’s highlights. New: Blot, Notable: Steam Mobile and Dropped: Neon Heroes.

It’s Friday – and you know what that means! – It’s time for us to offer up yet another list of awesome iOS applications we think you just can’t afford to miss out on this week. The purpose of ‘New, Notable and Dropped’ is simple. We want to inform you of the hottest, must-have applications which may have hit the App Store over the past 7-days.

Hit the break for this week’s selection!

[Missed The Last Edition Of NND?]