iLounge

Namco has announced that Apple veteran Jonathan Kromley has joined the company to head up its new Apple Games division. Before joining Namco, Kromley worked for Apple as an iPod and iPhone games producer and designer, and was responsible for the research, design and development of products/applications on the iPod, iPhone, iPod touch and Apple TV platforms. Kromley’s new duties at Namco will include creating new franchise opportunities, overseeing research, managing design and production from internal teams and worldwide external partners, and developing and publishing new and original content for Apple’s devices.

T-Mobile in the U.K. has begun offering imported iPhone 3G units to current high-value customers threatening to leave the carrier, the Register reports. The company has limited the units to just 150 per week, to be handed out by 50 agents in the retentions department who are limited to three units per week each. In addition, the handsets are reserved for customers currently paying more than £75 (roughly $127) a month. The report also speculates that the handsets are being handed out quietly as to not upset Apple, which has an exclusive deal with T-Mobile parent Deutsche Telekom to sell the iPhone in Germany.

A new iPhone payment system, code-named “Square,” is currently being tested in a New York clothing boutique. Cool Hunting reports that Self Edge NYC is testing the system, which consists of a small square credit card reader that attaches to the iPhone’s or iPod touch’s headphone jack and transmits the card number to a companion application. The customer then “signs” for the purchase using their finger on the screen, and can enter an email address to which their receipt will be sent. The payment is processed by Square for a small percentage plus a fixed fee, and the funds are transferred instantly to the retailer’s account. [via Cult of Mac]

The Federal Trade Commission has released an official statement regarding Apple’s announcement that Google CEO Eric Schmidt was resigning from Apple’s Board of Directors. “We have been investigating the Google/Apple interlocking directorates issue for some time and commend them for recognizing that sharing directors raises competitive issues, as Google and Apple increasingly compete with each other,” said Bureau of Competition Director Richard Feinstein. “We will continue to investigate remaining interlocking directorates between the companies.” The regulatory body launched an investigation earlier this year into whether the close ties between Apple and Google’s boards amount to a violation of antitrust laws; Mac Rumors notes that Arthur Levinson, former CEO of Genentech, remains a member of both boards, and former Vice President and Apple board member Al Gore serves as a “special advisor” to Google and Eric Schmidt.