It appears that Apple has been hiring gaming execs away from Activision and Nintendo, and it seems the company is ready to make a stronger push into the gaming world via its iOS devices.

Apple has hired Nintendo UK communications head Rob Saunders and Activision's European PR director Nick Grange, and may be searching for more execs.

Saunders oversaw the PR for gaming consoles, notably the Wii and DS.

In his new position, he will oversee PR for gaming via iOS.

Grange, formerly of EA and Microsoft, as well, will work on PR for the iPad.

Tuaw says 84 percent of tablet owners play at least one game on their devices, and 44 million owners are playing games on their iOS devices, in the U.S. alone.

If accurate, the number would keep iOS very close to reaching the Nintendo DS' "active" gaming base.

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The Aubrun, Maine school department has announced this week that every kindergarten student in the district will receive an iPad 2 tablet for the upcoming fall semester.

There are 285 students and teachers, and the endeavor will cost around $200,000.

As a test program, 20 or so students will get their iPads in May.

Says superintendent Tom Morrill:

When you look at what the iPad 2 apps that are out there, from learning your letters from books, that can be read, finger painting your name, it's absolutely something we must do.

School officials say they hope the iPads will boost literacy rates to 90 percent in two years. Current levels have hovered around 60 percent.

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The Department of Justice has approved Google's $700 million purchase of ITA Software, the world's largest flight data company.

As part of the approval, Google must accept certain restrictions, however.

The major restriction is that Google must continue to license ITA software to airfare sites "on commercially reasonable terms" and Google must promise to continue enhancing the software "in a manner consistent" with ITA's development over the past decade.

Google must also use an internal firewall that will block the company from gaining "competitively sensitive information" off of ITA customers.

Says the DOJ (via CNN):

The Department of Justice's proposed remedy promotes robust competition for airfare websites by ensuring those websites will continue to have access to ITA's pricing and shopping software.

ITA software organizes flight data like times, prices, availability and more, and is used on sites like Kayak, Orbitz, Expedia.com, TripAdvisor and Bing, among others.

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Citing "trusted sources," IGN is reporting that Microsoft will soon make free-to-play games available through Xbox Live.

By doing so, gamers can play the games for free, but will purchase virtual content (currency, weapons, clothes, etc) just like in popular Facebook games like MafiaWars and CityVille.

The industry has seen an expansion into F2P, with big publishers like EA even trying the model on shooters like Battlefield Play4Free.

That game is still in beta.

For now this is still rumor, but we will keep you updated.

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Verizon has confirmed this weekend that it will indeed be ending one-year contracts for mobile phones starting April 17th.

Two-year contracts and monthly options will still be available.

As its reason for dropping the option, Verizon says "the greater majority" of subscribers chose two-year contracts anyway, in order to get the full subsidy for their new phone.

Verizon continues to remove consumer-friendly options, removing "New Every Two," unlimited data and now one-year contracts. New Every Two gave users a discount on phone upgrades after 20 months of their contract. Early termination fees have been increased, as well.

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IHS Screen Digest research has said this weekend it expects Nintendo to sell 11.6 million 3DS handhelds in 2011, but overall the console will not be as successful as the previous DS/DSi/DSi XL line.

Added competition from tablets, iPod Touches, iPhones and Android smartphones will "prevent the 3DS from matching the sales of the previous-generation Nintendo handheld," says the report.

After four years, the DS had an installed base of 91 million users buy IHS says by 2015 the 3DS will have a base of just 70 million devices.

Adds Piers Harding Rolls, lead games analyst at IHS:

Nintendo's accent on network services in the key U.S. market represents an attempt to convince users to carry their 3DS systems with them at all times and to engage with the platform everyday and in every place. This engagement strategy, alongside 3-D graphics, camera and video, is key to Nintendo competing with upcoming devices from Sony and also from non-specialist smart phones, entertainment devices and tablets, which offer a legitimate alternative to handheld consoles.

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The FCC has ruled this week that carriers must now offer "reasonable" data roaming rates for their networks in the U.S.

"Mobile providers must be able to offer nationwide voice and data plans to have any chance of competing in today's market," added FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski. "However, roaming deals are simply not being widely offered on commercially reasonable terms."

Sprint, US Cellular and MetroPCS have been lobbying for updated rules, which will allow their customers to use smartphones anywhere in the U.S., not just in their home states or surrounding areas.

If AT&T's $39 billion bid for T-Mobile is allowed by regulators, AT&T and Verizon would control over 80 percent of all the mobile subscribers in the U.S.

"With AT&T's proposed acquisition of T-Mobile and the corresponding threat it poses to continued wireless competition, it is absolutely critical that the FCC take steps to promote competition and level the playing field," notes Vonya McCann, Sprint's senior vice president of government affairs (via Reuters).

Even with the new rules, AT&T and Verizon will be able to freely negotiate the terms of the roaming deals, and can throttle if it will prevent congestion for their subscribers.

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