News

Electronic Arts' Real Racing 3 is a great example of how advanced iOS games have the potential to be, but it's also an example of in-app purchases working very badly. Instead of charging players a one-time price to download the game, RR3 is a free download from the App Store.

While "free" is normally a good thing, user complaints have been piling up about the in-game store in which you need to spend virtual money to do almost anything. Users must earn or buy virtual dollars with real money to service their car, change its skin, or buy new cars. There are other options, like waiting up to five minutes for an oil change, but users say this breaks up gameplay and ruins the overall experience.

Marvel fans will love this new Iron Man Mark VII iPhone 5 case from accessory maker Brando. The limited edition case transforms your iPhone into the ultimate Iron Man replica with its battery-powered LED arc reactor, and movable shoulder camera cover.

The Mark VII armor shell is a protective back case which allows you to access your display and Home button. Brando doesn't specify what type of materials it's made from, so it's unknown if the case actually provides any protection from bumps or falls. However, this is mostly a novelty purchase anyway.

CocoaNuts has released YourTube for iOS6 to Cydia. The update brings iOS 6 support to the popular YouTube extension. YourTube users can download any YouTube video and import them directly into their iTunes Library. This allows you to watch videos offline, hide ads and view region-locked media.

The jailbreak tweak offers fast download speeds, the ability to switch video quality, and the the ability to import videos and music into the Video or Music apps. The tweak is being offered for $1 off its normal $4.99 price for the next three days, and is free for existing YourTube and YourTube HD owners.

The lock screen camera shortcut speeds up access to the Camera app when you need to snap photos in a hurry. But what if your iPhone isn't locked? What if you're in the middle of doing something else with your device, and a photo opportunity comes about?

The Cydia addon CamFast is designed to help during these moments when you need the iPhone camera as quickly as possible. Once installed, you can assign any Activator action to CamFast from Settings -> Activator (of course, Activator must be installed). This means that any gesture from anywhere on your iPhone can be assigned to open the Camera app.

Al Franken and members of the Senate Judiciary Committee have introduced a new bill that aims to make cellphone unlocking legal again. The new bill entitled Unlocking Consumer Choice and Wireless Competition Act would allow cellphone owners to unlock their devices by themselves, or via a third-party. The bill was introduced after FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski said the recent unlocking ban “raises competition and innovation concerns". The bipartisan legislation is also backed by Judiciary Committee Chairman Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT.), Committee Ranking Member Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), and Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah)

"Right now, folks who decide to change cellphone carriers are frequently forced to buy a new phone or risk the possibility of criminal penalties, and that’s just not fair for consumers," said Franken. "This bipartisan legislation will quickly allow consumers to unlock their current phones instead of having to purchase a new one. I support this commonsense solution to save consumers money."