State regulators today approved this state's largest solar farm as iPhone maker Apple said it would double the size of the project.

The N.C. Utilities Commission gave the go-ahead for the Cupertino, Calif.-based technology company to start generating operating the 20-megawatt solar farm at its huge data complex in Maiden. The center supports the company’s iCloud online data storage system and its SIRI voice-recognition software.

Apple said today it would expand the project by adding 20 more megawatts on 100 acres on the site in Catawba County for a total of 40 megawatts. The state's biggest solar farms to date have maxed out at 5 megawatts.

Apple's solar modules will maximize solar energy by aligning with the sun's rays throughout the day. The array will track the sun as it moves across the sky by rotating on a north-south axis.

The solar project will be built in phases and is expected to start generating power in October and completed by December.

Apple is also planning a 4.8-megawatt fuel cell facility, the nation's largest, at the site. That request is still pending with the Utilities Commission.

Rumors of an iPhone with a larger screen are nothing new, but a recent report from the Wall Street Journal says to expect it this year.

The WSJ cites multiple unnamed sources in its report saying that Apple will release an iPhone featuring a display measuring "at least 4-inches diagonally."

Other reports have said the screen size will remain at 3.5-inches. Apple could and likely will continue to offer a 3.5-inch version. The smaller size is popular with many who find larger phones too much too handle.

On the other hand, many users have flocked to larger Android smartphones where 4-inches plus screens are fairly standard, and flagship-phone displays approach 5-inches.

Can screen-size alone cut into the Android market share?

SwipeSelection is a clever jailbreak tweak that makes editing text much more efficient. Would you like to see Apple roll out a similar editing method?
 

Mobile gaming on the iPhone and iPad is big business. Gameloft has launched N.O.V.A. 3 which appears to have all the elements of a blockbuster bit.

Near Orbit Vanguard Alliance carries a premium price of $9.99. The action-adventure game features 10 levels of play, impressive cinematic graphics, and new 12-player battles in 6 multiplayer modes.

Check it out on iTunes.
 

Building on its effort to distinguish itself among its wireless rivals, Sprint confirms that it will offer unlimited data plans with the next iPhone even if the device is capable of speedy 4G LTE network speeds.

"I'm not anticipating the unlimited plan would change by that point," Sprint CEO Dan Hesse told CNET. "That's our distinctive differentiator."

Sprint has struggled with dominant rivals AT&T and Verizon. The addition of the iPhone did boost the carrier's first quarter. Sprint gained 263,000 phone subscribers under contract, more than AT&T and Verizon.

Currently Sprint's wireless network speed lags behind the 4G networks of AT&T and Verizon. Sprint is planning to build an LTE network of its own to compete.

A teen from one of the poorest areas of China is now suffering from renal deficiency after selling a kidney. According to the story, the sum for the teen amounted to about $3,500 which he used to purchase an iPhone and iPad.

Five people have been charged and the case has highlighted concerns over increasing consumerism in China.

Nearly every report on when the next iPhone will arrive has pointed to a fall release, but a recent comment from a Foxconn employee marks a summer arrival.

Redmond Pie says during a Japanese-language TV show, the World Business Satellite, a Foxconn recruiter was recorded suggesting the next iPhone could come as early as June. When asked if Foxconn's search for thousands of more workers was due to the demand for the next generation iPhone, he said, "That’s right. It will come out in June."

Is Apple amping up its product cycle to stem the ever active tide of Android phones form Motorola, Samsung and company?

If true, could this be a mild upgrade to add LTE connectivity, or be an all new design?

The iPhone is the most popular smartphone among the wealthy according to a study conducted by the Luxury Institute.

Sixty two percent of the U.S. consumers earning at least $150,000 surveyed use smartphones. Among them, 45% have an iPhone, 35% use an Android-based device, and 25% own a BlackBerry.

Users downloaded an average of 15 apps with the most popular categories including weather, news, travel, finance and sports. Though, Facebook was the most popular app among them.

A Reuters report also notes this contrasts with the broader Nielsen survey that revealed games and social networking dominated activity among most users.

The difference could be attributed to lifestyle, and possible the average age of 52 in the Luxury Institute's survey.

The skeptic in me wonders how many closet gamers there are earning at least $150,000.

An AT&T iPhone user successfully sued the telecommunications firm for throttling his unlimited data plan.

A small claims court in California awarded Matt Spaccarelli $850 for throttling, which slows down data sent to or from a smartphone for the duration of a billing cycle to preserve network capacity.

AT&T has 17 million data plans that might be subject to throttling, according to this AP article about Spaccarelli's victory.

In other news, Android-powered smartphone owners face a new security flaw.

A cyber security researcher found that users who open links sent from malicious text messages might unwittingly allow their phones to be remotely commandeered. If that happens, a hacker could record calls or view texts, emails and location data.

Though the researcher only tested Android phones, he said iPhones are at risk, too.

The Los Angeles Times has more information here.

One the more fun gadgets I've tested lately is Gear4's PocketLoops. With the portable keyboard and free companion app, users can create and remix loops. Gear4 is known for its variety of idevice accessories including cases, speakers and its UnityRemote universal remote.  

Once you slip an iPhone or iPad touch into the dock of the keyboard and launch the free PocketLoops app you have a MIDI device capable of creating and recording music.

Exploring PocketLoops is fairly intuitive. An onscreen tutorial does a good job of guiding you through the features. The PocketLoops app has a 4x4 grid available for creating drum loops or melodies.

The keyboard keys that trigger percussion are marked with corresponding icons.

When you are ready to lay down a track, you can record it as an m4a file and share it via email.

The updated software worked flawlessly with iOS 5 and iOS 4 devices.

PocketLoops should be a fun device for anyone. Serious musicians will want more, but may find it useful. Maybe Gear4 can expand upmarket? For the rest of us though, it is a fun gadget to create music and we're looking at how to bring the fun to you maybe in the form of a meetup or a PocketLoops throwdown so stay tuned.