∞ Trainz Simulator for Mac available as download

N3V Games’ Trainz Simulator is now available for download from Macgamestore.com. It costs $49.95. (more…)

∞ Apple Back to School promo features $100 gift card instead of iPod

Apple has offered up details for this year’s Back to School promotion for students interested in buying a new computer. (more…)

∞ Boston Bruins win the Stanley Cup

I honestly didn’t think I’d be saying this, but the Boston Bruins have won the 2011 Stanley Cup. (more…)

∞ Negative Duke Nukem reviews bring threats from PR firm

The PR firm responsible for Duke Nukem got itself in hot water today as it made veiled threats to Web sites who delivered poor reviews of the game. (From what I’ve seen, that would be all of them). It got so bad that 2K Games fired the PR firm this afternoon.

That is, until the Redner Group’s official Twitter account posted something you almost never see: an open threat stating that outlets who reviewed Duke Nukem Forever poorly may not receive review copies of games in the future. Anyone who has done this job for any amount of time has suffered through a dry spell after giving a publisher a bad review, but this is the first time the threat of a blacklist has been made public.

Duke Nukem’s PR threatens to punish sites that run negative reviews [Ars Technica]

∞ Deathsmiles iPhone game conversion adds new content

Japanese game developer Cave is known for making frentically-paced and gorgeous-looking “bullet hell” shooters. Nowhere is this more evident than in Deathsmiles, a “Gothic Lolita”-themed shooter that’s headed to the iPhone. The forthcoming iPhone version will get a new character and some unique additional content not found in the previously-released Xbox 360 version. (more…)

∞ iOS ahead in mobile ad revenue, but there's more

A new report from Millennial Media on Tuesday shows that Apple is doing very well in mobile ad revenue — in fact, it’s leading all manufacturers. (more…)

∞ Apple updates AirPort Utility

Apple has posted an update to AirPort Utility, the software Macs (and Windows PCs) use to control AirPort Extreme Base Stations and AirPort Express devices. (more…)

∞ iPad 3 rumors in 2011 persist

Rumors of an iPad 3 release started early in 2011, even before the iPad 2 was released. Taiwan’s Economic Daily continued the speculation on Tuesday. (more…)

∞ TUAW's unlocked iPhone FAQ

If you are wondering about the difference between an unlocked phone and a jailbroken phone, you should have a look at TUAW’s unlocked iPhone 4 FAQ. There’s a lot of useful information, from basic explanations to new pricing plans from AT&T. Certainly worth a look.

Unlocked iPhone FAQ, including AT&T plan info [TUAW]

∞ More malware on the Android store

No matter how much Google does to convince consumers it is good and open, continued reports of malware will hurt its reputation. Google already had to remove apps containing malware once and a report in May said malware on the store grew 400 percent. Now, Google removes more malware.

Unlike other code embedded in apps that have appeared in the market, Plankton doesn’t rely on a vulnerability to “root,” or gain complete control of the smartphone, said Brandt. Once the victim has installed the bogus app, however, Plankton can call in other files from the hacker-controlled server, including ones that would exploit one or more unpatched Android bugs.

Google pulls more malware from Android Market [Macworld]

∞ Garmin acquires Navigon

GPS maker Garmin has just shifted the landscape of GPS software for iOS devices. The company announced Tuesday that it has acquired privately-held Navigon AG, makers of GPS software for iPhone. Terms of the deal were not revealed. (more…)

∞ Apple retail chief leaves for JC Penney

Apple Vice President Ron Johnson will leave the company and take over as the CEO of JC Penney. (more…)

∞ iCloud will have a Web-based interface

When Apple introduced iCloud at last week’s Worldwide Developer Conference, there were no discussions about a Web-based interface for the service, which lead some to believe that there wouldn’t be one. I don’t believe this is the case. (more…)

∞ Apple begins selling unlocked iPhone 4

Apple on Tuesday began selling an unlocked version of its iPhone 4 from its online store. (more…)

∞ Lawyer says Apple may settle iCloud lawsuit

After announcing its iCloud service last week at WWDC, Apple was slapped with a lawsuit from Arizona-based iCloud Communications. Apple bought iCloud.com from Xcerion and has 11 applications registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Apple also owns the existing U.S. trademark formerly registered to Xcerion. However, that may not be enough.

“If iCloud Communications’ claims are accurate — that it’s used the mark since 2005, and used it widely — Brad Salai, a partner with Harter Secrest & Emery, said Apple would likely settle the dispute out of court. “It’s speculative, but if what iCloud Communications alleges is true, then Apple will be forced to settle,” Salai said.”

Apple likely to settle iCloud trademark lawsuit, says legal expert [Computerworld]

∞ Apple to pay Nokia in patent lawsuit settlement

Apple and Nokia ended their back and forth patent lawsuits on Tuesday with Nokia coming out the victor. (more…)

∞ If you think WWDC wasn't successful, you weren't paying attention

Sometimes I think people just don’t pay attention. A major event like WWDC comes, Apple introduces some great products, and still some people think there is little innovation. (more…)

∞ Only 7% of iOS developers are Mac developers too

Analyst Gene Munster surveyed 45 Apple developers at last week’s WWDC to find out how many developed on other platforms. While the number of developers he spoke with is quite small (considering there were 5,000 registered for the event), there are some interesting results.

Only 7% are also developing apps for the Mac, down from 50% in 2008.Nearly half (47%) write apps for Android, 36% for Research in Motion’s (RIMM) BlackBerry, 13% for Microsoft (MSFT) Windows Phone 7 and 7% for Hewlett-Packard’s (HPQ) WebOS.

iOS developer survey: 47% are on Android too, only 7% on Mac [Fortune]

∞ PlayBook is the 'herpes of tablets'

RIM may want people to compare its PlayBook tablet to the iPad, but journalists have a less complimentary comparison for the device. (more…)

∞ My Living Desktop updated for Mac OS X Lion

Amuse updated its Mac OS X app, My Living Desktop, fixing a few bugs and adding support for Apple’s Mac OS X Lion. (more…)

∞ Download this now: Galaga 30th Collection for iOS

Drop what you’re doing, fire up the App Store and download Galaga 30th Collection. It doesn’t matter if you’re using an iPhone, iPod touch or iPad. What’s more, it’s free. (more…)

∞ iMac graphics firmware update fixes wake from sleep issue

Apple has posted a firmware update for the iMac which “fixes an issue that in rare cases may cause an iMac to hang during startup or waking from sleep.” (more…)

∞ Apple blocks DUI checkpoint apps in new review guidelines

iOS applications that alert drivers to potential police checkpoints will not be approved, as per new guidelines Apple has published for its App Store reviews, according to Autoblog.com. (more…)

∞ Apple files motion to intervene in Lodsys patent case

Patent troll Lodsys is going after seven independent iOS developers, claiming that they’re in violation of its patents. Now Apple has filed a motion to intervene in the case, according to the FOSS Patents blog. (more…)

∞ The Loop celebrates its second birthday

On June 8, 2009 during the Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco, I launched The Loop. I’m happy to say that two years later, we’re still going strong. (more…)

∞ Infinity Blade iOS game earns more than $10 million in six months

Epic Games and Chair Entertainment on Tuesday announced that earnings from the iOS game Infinity Blade have exceeded $10 million in its first six months of release. (more…)

∞ iTunes in the Cloud now available in iTunes 10.3 beta

Most of Apple’s new iCloud services won’t be ready for consumption until the fall, when iOS 5 is released. But if you’re anxious to try out the iTunes in the Cloud service, you can get a head start by downloading a public beta version of iTunes 10.3 that’s now available from Apple’s Web site. (more…)

∞ Apple posts WWDC keynote video

By now, you’ve presumably read The Loop’s live coverage of today’s WWDC keynote and seen the major news announcements. But there’s nothing quite like watching an Apple keynote for yourself. Now you can, thanks to Apple, which posted the video to its site this afternoon. (more…)

∞ Apple finally unveils iCloud and iTunes Match

After first acknowledging last week that it was launching a service called iCloud, Apple on Monday took the wraps off, during a two-hour keynote presentation kicking off this week’s Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) in San Francisco. iCloud is expected to be fully operational this fall with the release of iOS 5, though some features are available now. (more…)

∞ iOS 5 comes this fall loaded with new features, and untethered

Apple on Monday introduced iOS 5, which will be released this fall A beta version is now in the hands of iOS developers. The software has more than 200 new features, and is less tethered than ever from the constraints of being connected to a Mac or PC. (more…)