Augmented reality app Layar hit the App Store in October 2009, only to be withdrawn by the eponymous Dutch developer of the program a month later due to repeated crashes reported by users. It’s been quiet since, but an update for the app just popped up on my iPhone, with the concise and crystal clear description: “We’re back!”.

For brick and mortar retail shops, the biggest challenge right now is actually getting foot traffic in their stores. Earlier this week, The New York Times reported that retailer North Face is attempting to bring people into their stores by sending them text messages when they get near their retail outlets. That technology, called ShopAlerts, is powered by location-based advertising startup Placecast and is launching today as a full-fledged marketing service for retailers

Last year, there was no shortage of developers who were complaining about Apple’s App Store. The situation got so heated that no less than Apple senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing, Phil Schiller, got personally involved with a number of developers having issues. Since then, the complaints seem to have died down quite a bit, but Apple is still on the case.

We’re sure everyone in Cupertino is ordering Chinese to the office this evening; it’s going to be a late night. I’s to dot, T’s to cross, as they say, in preparation for what’s undoubtedly going to be a big day tomorrow. Of course, consistently burning the candle at both ends leads to mistakes — mistakes like this, for example: a placeholder on the signup form for Apple’s iPhone Developer Program (that we’ve been able to confirm) reading “Need to update this for the 27th launch.” 27th launch , indeed — so what does this mean

This evening Y Combinator opened up applications for its Summer 2010 round, marking what will be the fifth anniversary of the program, which has funded 171 startups to date.