iPhone aficionados lined up Thursday to bunk down for a chilly overnight in Minneapolis so they could secure a spot in line for a chance to buy the new phone from Apple. The latest version of the smartphone is being sold for the first time in the US, UK, Canada, France and Germany on Friday.

After months of rumors, Apple debuted the company's newest smartphone in San Francisco Wednesday afternoon. As many expected, the iPhone 5 features a taller screen, improved processor and supports 4G LTE connectivity. It is also purportedly the world's thinnest smartphone and weighs 20 percent lighter than the iPhone 4S.

J.W. Hulme, the St. Paul maker of fine leather goods, wanted to make a case for the new iPhone 5, but notoriously secretive Apple doesn't release info before its much-anticipated product unveilings. So staffers scoured the Internet for rumors to create prototypes of a new case by the time Apple actually announced the product on Wednesday, the Pioneer Press reports.

A trio of University of Minnesota students started a side business to tap into peoples' drive to personalize their iPhones. They spent $10,000 of their own money to launch a line of cases for Apple products made out of wood.

Richfield-based Best Buy will spend about $1.6 billion to take complete control of Best Buy Mobile. Bloomberg reports Best Buy will announce the deal to buy Carphone Warehouse Group's 50 percent share on Monday.

The new tablet is intended to compete with Apple's iPad -- but at a more attractive price. It's now available for pre-order at Best Buy’s stores and website.

At the Google I/O conference yesterday, Google announced Chromebooks would hit about 100 U.S. Best Buy stores in the coming months. Items will take up shelf space right next to Apple products (presumably, MacBooks).

The SportsBusiness Journal reports the Richfield-based electronics retailer will be behind the promotional events leading up to the game between the Chicago Bears and Tampa Bay Buccaneers at London's Wembley Stadium later this month.