• Read more about AT&T Gives Customers Some Leeway on iPhone/iPad Data Plans

If you were non-plussed to hear that AT&T was changing their data pricing plans for the iPhone and iPad come Jun 7th -- the very day many of us expect the announcement of the 4th-generation iPhone during the WWDC keynote address by Apple's Steve Jobs -- then you might be happy to know they're giving consumers some leeway. Some, but not much.

Looks as if AT&T doesn't want too much bad publicity. Despite of one threat of a cease and desist to a blogger who wrote to AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson [contact details] about the new iPhone/ iPad data pricing plans, they're making some concessions. If you really really want the previously promised $30/month unlimited data plan for the iPad 3G, you can still get it, but with some conditions. If you don't already have an iPad 3G, you have to order one before Jun 7th. When you get it, even if it's after Jun 7th, you'll be eligible to sign up for the original $30/mth data plan. Of course, if you already have the iPad 3G, you can get the data plan now, before Jun 7th.

So for some of us, that means we'll have to race to order an iPad 3G. No word on whether any similar concession is available for the next iPhone, other than if you upgrade a current iPhone. (For example, as mentioned previously, I have an iPhone 3GS that I intend to keep, and thus my plan will stay at the 5GB/month cap. But I can upgrade my LG VU phone in August to a new iPhone. Unfortunately, I do not believe I'll be able to get the 5GB/mth plan for that phone -- which is a disappointment since my wife's LG VU can be upgraded in October, and we were looking forward to video calling on the new iPhone. E.g., a feature that'll eat up data.

• Read more about Mobomo Mobisphere Roundup -- May 17, 2010

According to an ABI Research report, one billion people will have 4G cellular coverage by 2012. That's compared to the just under 500M people who had coverage by year end 2009. [Via Softpedia]

It's happened: According to the New York Times, cellphones are now used more for their data connection than for phone calls. Now that's very interesting, considering that other statistics show that cellphones outnumber home phones, at least in the USA. So how are people making phone calls these days? Is anyone still talking, or does everyone chat through IM apps?

If you're a TV fanatic to the point that you have a Hauppauge TV tuner card or external box for your computer, you can now use their WinTV v7.2 app's Extend feature to stream TV content to your iPhone/ iPod Touch/ iPad device. Note that the app is not free, checking in at a price of US$9.95. [Hauppauge via SolSie] I have used an older Hauppauge external box to grab TV via coaxial cable, but not their newer devices which can capture analog (NTSC) and digital (ATSC, QAM) over-the-air channels. Hauppage devices also work with the Orb content streaming Web service, which allows you to watch live and recorded TV anywhere from almost any web-enabled device. Though you will have to leave your computer on. Note: Some Hauppauge TV tuners only work on Win PCs.

AT&T is now offering a Palm Pre Plus phone that's very similar to Verizon's, with the exception of a SIM card slot for AT&T's version. (Verizon runs on CDMA and thus their Pre Plus has no SIM card.) Not sure yet if AT&T will offer tethering via the Mobile Hotspot ability that Verizon now offers for free (which used to be $40/month). They don't offer tethering for the iPhone -- which is what led me to buy the Palm Pre Plus in the first plus -- but if I'm not mistaken, do offer it for select Android devices. Now while the AT&T version is more expensive than the Verizon version, you do get a Touchstone charger for free. PocketNow has a video review of the phone.

Image: Flickr.