Guess Infinite Dreams's Next Game, Win a Free iPhone 3GS

It's a fairly shameless marketing ploy, but we're biting because the developer of the awesome N-Gage game Hooked On: Creatures of the Deep is also giving away an iPhone 3GS, and that's the kind of bait we like to chase.

The developer is gearing up to launch its second iPhone game, but instead of just announcing it Infinite Dreams is asking you to guess what it's going to be.

A series of five YouTube videos are planned that will lay down a trail of breadcrumbs leading to the answer. You're being invited to check out these teaser trailers (a new one will be posted every two days) and tell Infinite Dreams what it's planning in a few short words.

The first clip is below, and is cryptic enough to ensure this one alone is unlikely to furnish us with an accurate guess. Keep checking in on the developer's official YouTube channel and contest page for the others. Don't miss any, or you might miss out on that shiny new 3GS.

iPhone Does Not Make Phone Carriers Any Real Money

The iPhone is one of the most popular smartphones on the market today and the device that most new smartphones look to fight in the market. It seems that almost every new smartphone that hits the market is hailed as an iPhone killer but so far, only the Palm Pre has come close.

InformationWeek reports that the iPhone is a loss leader for every carrier who sells it worldwide. According to new figures from Danish research firm Strand Consult, it was unable to find any carrier who increased profits with the iPhone.

Strand consult wrote in a report, "According to the research we have conducted on the operators, not one of these has increased their market share, revenue, or their earnings as a result of introducing the iPhone. When looking at the numbers we can't see the iPhone effect -- a lot of competitors are actually doing better."

AT&T, the exclusive iPhone provider in America, is a perfect example of what Strand Consult is claiming. According to the research firm, AT&T has spent $720 million in the last quarter to subsidize the iPhone on its network. Over the same quarter, AT&T added 1.4 million wireless subscribers, about two-thirds of which opted for the iPhone.

Providers like AT&T aren’t making huge sums of money on the iPhone, what they are hoping is that the device lures customers away from other carriers and they can make money off lucrative data plans in the future.

Why are iPhone Apps Rejected by the App Store? Here is Why...

After rejections, one Apple executive is trying hard to win customers -- and developers -- back

Apple's app store practices have bordered on schizophrenia, with it frequently accepting applications only to later reject them and rejecting others only to later accept them. Worse yet, frequently rejections seem to follow no consistent pattern, with some apps being rejected for containing some sort of forbidden content, while others with that same content get accepted.

These inconsistencies have led to customers growing dissatisfied with the iPhone -- or in some cases even leaving it. They have also led to a growing discontent among developers, some of whom have also jumped ship. And it has even brought down a government investigation concerning Apple's role in rejecting the Google Voice app.

However, there is one man who hopes to fix the system. Apple’s Senior Vice President of Worldwide Product Marketing Phil Schiller is trying to right the iPhone App Store and is personally taking a hand in trying to win back customers, developers, and placate government investigators.

How Many 'Very Satisfied' iPhone 3GS customers? 92%

A new survey reports that the iPhone 3GS has been successful due to the fact that the iPhone continues to be innovative and its customers have stayed loyal to its manufacturing company, Apple.

According to the survey which was conducted by the BC/IQ ChangeWave polling company, over 99% of iPhone customers said that they were ‘satisfied’ with their mobiles and an additional 92% reported they were ‘very satisfied’ with their iPhone 3GS mobiles.

Among the most appreciated features on the iPhone was ease of use for third party applications and its touch screen interface.

The negative reported features of the iPhone include its short battery life, the exclusive contract with AT&T as a network provider, and the lack of support in users’ IT departments for the iPhone.

The survey also found that 41% of the people who purchased the iPhone 3GS previously owned the prior model.

Those who purchased the iPhone 3GS for the first time split down the line with 18% switching from a Motorola device, 11% from a Nokia mobile, 6% from a Palm mobile, and 8% from a Sanyo mobile.

Streaming NBA Games Available For iPhone, Android Phones

Apple iPhone and Google Android phone owners can now watch live NBA games

The National Basketball Association is now offering mobile phone owners the ability to watch entire live games for $40 per year.

Just a few games into the 2009-2010 NBA season, this is the first time entire games are available for streaming -- only game highlights were previously available through an official service.

There are now three methods to watch complete games in the NBA: via TV, PC, or now using a mobile phone. Initial estimates report 59M mobile phone owners have the ability to watch streaming NBA games using their mobile phones.

The coverage is available through AT&T and T-Mobile, with Verizon Wireless beginning service on November 6. Apple iPhone and Google Android phone owners have access to the streaming feature now, but RIM BlackBerry owners are expected to have streaming NBA coverage at some point in the near future.

Mobile subscribers can watch 40 live games each week while accessing game statistics and game replays. In addition, it's possible to record 30-second video clips that can be watched up to 48 hours after the game ends.