TidyTilt, an iPhone cover similar to Apple’s SmartCover for the iPad, has already surpassed its Kickstarter funding goal.

TidyTilt is an earbud cord wrap, multi-position kickstand, and mount for iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S. TidyTilt takes up less space than any one of these devices – yet does all three things – without adding something extra to carry.

The TidyTilt ‘tidies’ by keeping your earbud cords neat and secure. It ’tilts’ by serving as a landscape or portrait stand for your iPhone and thanks to strong magnets you can ‘mount’ your earbuds or whole iPhone to any magnetically-responsive surface.

You can learn more about the TidyTilt in the video below or hit the link to pledge $19 for your very own.

Read More [via AppAdvice]

Another analyst is predicting that the iPhone 5 will be a radical redesign of Apple’s popular smartphone.

Sterne Agee analyst Shaw Wu wrote a note to clients today saying the iPhone 5 is a more important product launch the iPad 3 or even the rumored iTV, reports BGR.

“[The iPhone] is arguably the single most important of AAPL’s businesses representing 44% of revenue in FY11 and what we estimate to be at least 60% of profits,” Wu wrote on Wednesday. “It also has the largest unit opportunity with a yearly TAM (total addressable market) of 1.5 billion mobile phones.”

Wu cites anonymous sources from Apple’s supply chain to claim that the iPhone 5 will feature a “radical” redesign with a thinner case, sleeker form factor, slightly larger display, and LTE compatibility.

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TinyUmbrella has been updated with support for saving SHSH blobs on the second build of iOS 5.0.1 that Apple released weeks ago for the iPhone 4S. As you cautioned earlier today, it’s important to update to the latest iOS firmware and save your SHSH blobs for the untethered jailbreak.

iPhone 4S and iPad 2 users could be getting an untethered jailbreak as soon as next week, so now is the perfect time to update iOS and save your blobs!

iPhone 4S owners on iOS 5.0.1 Build 9A406 should download the newest TinyUmbrella and save their blobs right away. We’ve got a tutorial on how to save your SHSH blobs and everything you need to know about upgrading and downgrading your iOS firmware for a jailbreak.

While you can’t use saved SHSH blobs on iOS 5.0.1 to downgrade to anything (as 5.0.1 is Apple’s latest build), it’s important to save them anyway just in case. If Apple releases an iOS 5 update and you accidentally update, you won’t be able to downgrade back to 5.0.1 for an untethered jailbreak.

Download Links:

Windows: http://cache.firmwareumbrella.com/downloads/tinyumbrella-5.10.04.exe
Mac : http://cache.firmwareumbrella.com/downloads/TinyUmbrella-5.10.04.pkg

The rumored Apple event predicted to take place later this month is focused on iTunes University and Apple in education, according to Clayton Morris co-host of Fox & Friends Weekend.

Morris says he learned of the event in September when it was originally scheduled for late fall. The event was postponed till January and is being held New York rather than Silicon Valley due its proximity to the textbook and publishing industry.

Apparently the initiative has been in the making for years and Steve Jobs was intimately involved with the project.

“The announcement will be small in size but large in scope: a big announcement in a demure space. I expect at least two large project announcements as they relate to Apple in education.”

Read More [via DaringFireball]

iMessage is likely reducing your text message usage and could save you money in the process, reports Neven Mrgan. He’s posted a chart that shows a drastic reduction in the number of text messages he has sent since the launch of iOS 5.

Three months into iOS 5, I’m using a trivial quantity of text messages. I currently pay $10/month for up to 1000 messages. Assuming these bill at 20c/message (it varies depending on your plan, I’m told) I could cancel my messaging plan and end up paying less overall, even at that outrageous price. I’ll wait another two months to confirm this massive drop – then it’s time to get all Cancellor Valorum on AT&T’s ass.

If any of you have checked your SMS usage since iOS 5, let us know if you’re seeing the same results.

Read More [via SAI]

Apple could drop the price of the iPad 2 to $299 following the release of their next generation tablet, according to DigiTimes

Late last month the site reported that Apple would release two tablets this year. One targeting the high-end segment and another targeting the mid-range. While both tablets are thought to feature of the A6 processor, only the high-end one is expected to have a Retina Display.

With the existing iPad 2, the Apple tablet series may cover all price segments – from entry-level to high-end. Apple’s pricing strategy for its iPad series is crucial to the tablet market. It remains to be seen at what price level Apple will set its entry-level iPad. For Wi-Fi only models, US$299, US$349 or US$399 may all be possible.

The site is suggesting that a price drop to $299 is likely low enough to affect sales of the Amazon Kindle and other tablets that have been forced to drop their pricing to compete with the iPad.

Is unclear when the iPad 3 will be unveiled; however, January 26th and February 24th (Steve Jobs birthday) have been suggested as possible dates.

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Apple will debut two new Retina Display iPads next month, according to a DigiTimes source.

Backtracking on rumors of a 7.85-inch iPad, the site predicts that Apple will release two 9.7-inch models with QXGA resolution (1,536×2,048) and a dual-LED light bar design. Though unlikely, the new versions are said to be scheduled for unveiling at iWorld which takes place on January 26, 2012.

Apple is thought to be unveiling multiple iPad versions so that it can address the entry-level, mid-range, and high-end market segments.

Sharp will be the major panel supplier for Apple’s next-generation iPad series, while Samsung Electronics and LG Display are also responsible for a part of the orders, the sources said. Minebea, from which Sharp sources backlight units (BLUs), has accordingly entered the supply chain for the new iPads, the sources pointed out.

Apple continues to contract Samsung to manufacture its quad-core A6 processors, which will be used in the next-generation iPads, the sources revealed. The existing iPad 2 is based on the dual-core A5.

DigiTimes continues by pointing to Samsung as the supplier for a 5MP CMOS image sensor and Sony as the supplier for an 8MP sensor.

In addition, Simplo Technology and Dynapack International Technology have both secured orders for batteries with a capacity of as high as 14,000 milliampere-hour (mAh) used in the new iPads, according to the sources.

The iPad 2 will likely remain available for a discounted price in order to compete with lower end tablets like the Kindle Fire.

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The Economic Daily News cites sources close to Taiwanese makers in the iPad 3 supply chain who say Apple may be planning to release its new tablet on February 24th, Steve Jobs birthday.

FocusTaiwan quotes the Daily News:

The sources said all OEM and ODM makers have exercised great caution in ensuring the smooth operations of their production lines. To meet the iPad3 delivery date, the sources said, main assembler Hon Hai Precision Industry’s iPad division will only allow its employees to take five days off during the Lunar New Year holiday, while staff at the company’s other divisions will have a longer holiday.

Casing producer Catcher Technology said that at least some of its employees will have to work overtime during the Lunar New Year holiday.Other high-end component suppliers such as battery maker Simplo Technology, connector maker Amer International Group and optical lens supplier Genius Electronic Optical Co. are all planning to ask at least some of its employees to work during the Lunar New Year holiday, industry sources said.

Previous reports have estimated that the iPad 3 would be released in March.

Read More [via 9to5Mac]