Mobile Apple Me

Nine months old company Ngmoco has raised $10 million in a second round of funding, according to Venture Beat. Last July, the San Francisco-based iPhone game publisher raised a $5 million from Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers and Maples Investments.

Led by Norwest Venture Partners, the successful second funding shows how cool the iPhone game landscape is. Ngmoco was founded by ex Electronics Arts executive Neil Young last July  and launched its first iPhone game in October. So far, they have seven games on the market.

“Everything in this market happens so quickly,” said Young in an interview. “The iPhone is really the first wave of new phones that have the same capability to play games as the handheld game systems have.”

According to Young, the company expects to release 12 to 15 premium games in 2009. Their upcoming games include Star Defense, a sci-fi game and Touch Pets, which is a virtual pets game.

via Venture Beat

Another lawsuit is being thrown Apple and AT&T's way. Previous lawsuits have included the construction of the devices however this time, it is all about service delivery.

This time, the law is getting involved against Apple and AT&T claiming that the Internet access on the iPhone 3G is too slow. Or at the very least, slow enough to be considered false advertising on Apple's part. Previous legal papers have been filed against iPhone 3G reception and speed. Through the current legal battle, the presentation of marketing and product information may change.

One part worth noting is that Apple are not supplying or maintaining the infrastructure to which the iPhone relies. Advertising can be a little over to top however the network itself is owned by AT&T. After previous problems relating to reception for the iPhone have been fixed, this seems to be more of a problem for AT&T. Updates and information about the matter will be posted as soon as they come to hand.

via TechSpot

Shervin Pishevar of the Social Gaming Network demonstrated how to use the iPhone or iPod touch as "virtual Wii Remotes" at the iGames Summit. Using his new iFun software, Pishevar was demonstrating the iPhone as a virtual steering wheel when playing a PC car racing game. Good even for non-gamers.

SGN's iFun uses the device's accelerometer controls and touchscreen to drive computer or online games, forwarding control signals over local WiFi or the 3G mobile network.

Users login the Social Gaming Network using their Facebook account, and the system relays their swings, shakes and steering to games played on a computer. The system can handle inputs from multiple iPhone or iPod touch units at once, similar to the Bluetooth-connected Wii Remote controllers Nintendo developed for its Wii console.

via Apple Insider

iPhones getting cheaper or free is no longer rumours, according to Telefónica O2 UK. The operator just confirmed it with their new pricing schemes.

From 3 April, you’ll be able to get the iPhone on a 24 month contract which gives you the same benefits as their 18 month contracts. "But you’ll be able to get the 8GB iPhone for free on our £34.26 tariff and the 16GB iPhone for free on our £44.05 tariff," they wrote in the website.

According to Peter Rampling, Marketing Director at Telefónica O2 UK, the iPhone has been hugely popular with over one million units sold in the UK.  said . Hopefully, “This new 24 month tariff option will meet the demand of customers," he added.

Check-out the tariffs break down here.