July 3 - 1:35pm EDT   The iPhone is currently the best-selling smartphone in Japan, at least at retail, according to a recent survey. Gathered by research firm BCN, data from 2,300 stores shows the 8GB iPhone 3G as the most popular smartphone, followed by its 16GB sibling. Ranking third in the survey is the NTT DoCoMo Aquos SH-04A, designed by Sharp; RIM's BlackBerry Bold ranks sixth, and a full four slots in the list are occupied by devices from HTC. [full story]

July 3 - 12:50pm EDT   A shooting incident at the Clarendon Apple Store in Arlington, Virginia has left one wounded, news networks report. The shot was fired shortly after 10AM local time, and the victim has since been sent to a local hospital. Police have formed a perimeter around the area, hunting for a suspect still at large. [full story]

July 3 - 12:25pm EDT   Future iPhones and iPods from Apple could come in "active packaging," a recently-published patent application hints. Apple observes that while standard product packaging serves its essential purpose, it is also subject to limitations, such as an inability to showcase electronics in action without completely draining batteries. Similarly, should firmware updates become available, a store's inventory can be left outdated until people decide to take products home. [full story]

July 3 - 10:50am EDT   The next update for Mac OS X Leopard is rapidly advancing towards release, reports suggest. Build 9L22 of v10.5.8 is said to have been delivered to developers on Wednesday, following the distribution of 9L20 last Friday. Such turnaround times are typically a sign of imminent release for Apple software, evidence for which may be backed by a shift in testing focus. [full story]

July 3 - 9:55am EDT   Having just released Firefox 3.5 on Tuesday, Mozilla is already developing a minor troubleshooting update. The company says it expects Firefox 3.5.1 to be released in mid-to-late July, fixing three bugs and "topcrashes," referring to the most common crashes experienced by users. "[The] goal of this release should be a quick turnaround that fixes topcrashes and bugs we almost held ship for," a note states. [full story]

July 3 - 9:15am EDT   The first jailbreaking tool for the iPhone 3GS has been released, claims coder George Hotz. Called purplera1n, the hack is described as in beta but launched though an installer file, thus making it friendly to the general public. Due to potential problems, Hotz suggests users backup any important iPhone data before attempting to crack the phone's security. [full story]

July 2 - 5:00pm EDT   IDG World Expo has announced the Independent Developer Pavilion, a new floor area dedicated exclusively to independent Mac software developers. Available for Macworld 2010, the area is intended to attract attention from media, shoppers, industry and potential investors. When taking part in the Pavilion, developers are asked simply to bring a notebook and their product, as IDG will provide the remaining services and equipment. [full story]

July 2 - 3:35pm EDT   Owners of an iPhone with a broken screen can now have the display replaced at an Apple Store, reports say. Apple has typically kept most of its iPhone repairs out of retail, instead relying on central facilities to have a device fixed if it is not simply swapped. Replacing a display involves a special machine, which removes the old one using suction, allowing a new one to be attached with minimum struggle. [full story]

July 2 - 12:35pm EDT   The iPhone 3GS launch on June 19th produced a "best-ever sales day" for AT&T's retail stores, a leaked memo is said to claim. The carrier similarly notes that it experienced its second-largest amount of one-day foot traffic, and the most transactions and upgrade eligibilities it has ever had to process. This comes despite also recording the largest-ever number of phone and feature orders through the AT&T website. [full story]

July 2 - 11:35am EDT   A variety of Apple patent applications have been newly published by the US Patent and Trademark Office, exposing possibilities the company has been considering for the iPhone and iPod touch. Unusual filings include one for an RFID tag reader, which would be embedded within a handheld's touchscreen, allowing users to scan an RFID tag simply by passing the device over top. An iPod or iPhone could alternately be made to operate as a tag itself, quickly transmitting information such as personal identification. [full story]