iPhoneDailyNews - iPhone Latest News

Competitors conspire with Google Android against Apple's iPhone

2009-07-30T07:40:00.000-07:00

Apple is currently king of the smartphone world. The iconic iPhone has doubled in market share since 2008, rising to 10.8 percent in the first quarter of 2009 from 5.3 percent in 2008, according to Gartner.

But Apple may be in for a Microsoft moment. Just as a steady stream of well-heeled competitors like IBM, Red Hat, and Oracle are aligning themselves with Linux as a way to undermine Windows in servers and desktops, so, too, are crowds starting to form around Google's open-source Android in the smartphone market.

Linux: the bete-noir of proprietary operating system vendors.

Samsung, LG, Motorola, and others are placing increasing stakes on Android. Indeed, BusinessWeek reports that Motorola has "one bullet left in its gun" and this bullet is Android. It can't afford to let the "iPhone killer" draw blanks. "Motorola's handset business depends on Android," as ZDNet's Larry Dignan suggests.

Importantly, Android is growing in the area that defines the iPhone's success more than anything else: applications. BusinessWeek's Stephen Wildstrom says that "Android is now a contender" in large part due to its growing array of third-party applications:

The Android Market is surprisingly well-stocked, considering the relatively small number of Android phones in use....[W]ith support from Google and from handset makers desperate to come up with something that can mount a serious challenge to the iPhone, Android could become a major player.

And not a moment too soon. With Apple iPhone margins as high as 60 percent by some estimates, the market already seems ripe for an open-source competitor to bring prices down while improving choice. I love my iPhone, but as Android-based phones become smarter and slicker, I just might change camps. As with Linux in the server market, the smartphone industry is filled with second-place competitors. Most of these have a strong interest in banding together behind a Linux-based solution, in this case Android. It may take a soup-to-nuts, integrated solution like the iPhone to create a market, but it takes an open-source solution like Android to foster choice and lower costs.
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iPhone SDK, OS 3.1 beta updates available

2009-07-14T18:27:00.000-07:00

Apple has released the second beta versions of both the iPhone SDK 3.1 and iPhone OS 3.1 to registered iPhone developers. Notes for the new beta of iPhone OS 3.1 do not show any apparent changes from the first beta release, which included non-destructive video editing, support for Voice Control over Bluetooth, and new modem firmware and AT&T profiles. The first 3.1 beta release of the iPhone SDK offered updated OpenGL and Quartz APIs; no major changes are indicated in the release notes for the updated SDK. iPhone OS 3.1 and iPhone SDK 3.1 beta 2 are now available
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Best iPhone Apps for Dad

2009-06-21T04:54:00.000-07:00

Dads may be sweet and uncomplaining, but they're also impossible to buy presents for. But if your dad has an iPhone, we've got you covered with our guide to the perfect apps for fathers of all ages. Some are even free. Not that you need to tell him that.

GolfCard

Does your dad hit the links? Maybe with his socks pulled up to the knee? His fashion sense may be irredeemable, but teeing off with GolfCard can up the cool factor a bit. This app keeps track of scores and analyzes trends in a player's game by comparing it to previous rounds. Find local greens with the GPS range finder and track ball distance too. When the round is over, he can email his scores to everyone he just played with or upload them to the golf social networking site, Oobgolf.com. (GolfCard, $7.99)

iHandyCarpenter

There's no need to wear a bulky tool belt anymore since this app comes complete with five different tools that fit in the palm of your hand. Use the bubble level to verify if your floor tile installations are flat or recently hung pictures are remotely even, and try out the protractor for planning bathroom renovations and roofing projects. There's no Allen wrench, so don't expect any help setting up that IKEA bedroom set. (iHandyCarpenter, $1.99)

GasCubby

Download GasCubby to track gas mileage and vehicle upkeep. Dad can enter in the price he pays per gallon, total gallons used and overall cost. Then the app calculates the trip's MPGs and overall efficiency. Chart this information over time to see where money is being wasted or saved and email the data to your home computer to set up reminders for regular maintenance appointments. (Gas Cubby, $9.99)

Grill Guide

All dads think they're masters of the grill, but most need help—help that they will never ever ask for. Download the iPhone's Grill Guide and your dad can quietly measure the thickness of a chicken breast or rib eye steak with the digital ruler, and then look up how long the meat should be grilled for and at what temperature. There are ninety-five foods on file including ground lamb, salmon and even fennel and pumpkin. (Grill Guide, $.99)
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Classic puzzle-based to the iPhone

2009-06-17T05:31:00.000-07:00

Myst was originally released in 1993. And so forth became a huge hit with critics and gamers alike. Up until 2002 the puzzle-based adventure game held the record for the best-selling PC game ever; today, it’s still ranked among the classics.
Now the venerable game from Cyan Worlds is back, just a touch away in the form of Myst for the IPhone and IPod touch. Those who remember playing Myst on their desktops are in for a nostalgic trip back to the game’s haunting and mysterious world. If you’ve never played Myst before, you’ll find it unlike any other game, complete with mystery, puzzles, a rich backstory, and immersive graphics and music.

Myst is a first-person adventure through a beautiful and highly engaging world. When you start the $6 game, you’ll find yourself on a seemingly deserted island with no backstory or specified goals. It’s adequate to you to explore and find clues to what’s advancing. Traveling around this interactive world, you’ll find many items and puzzles that will reveal more of the story and even transport you to other ages to continue your quest.

As you explore and uncover secrets of the island’s history, you soon find yourself fully engrossed in the plot. Within the realm of Myst, you're presented with decisions which will affect the game’s ending. Different choices will produce different outcomes, which makes the game extremely replayable.

You travel through the world of Myst by tapping on a location in the distance; the onscreen picture cross-fades into an image of your destination. Myst features very little animation, with most of it consisting of levers to pull or objects to move.

The game’s graphics are really beautiful, prompting you to see what’s around the next corner, while the music and sounds help to fully immerse you into afresh and intriguing world. At any time you are able to save your current spot in the game by dragging and dropping it into among four empty bookmark slots.

Myst is not a fast-paced action game, and there are no physical enemies to fight or chances of dying. Instead, it's a relaxing-yet-challenging game of discovery, exploration, and abstract thought. If you like playing at your own speed while solving puzzles and riddles, then you’re sure to enjoy Myst. On the other hand, if you've a touch of ADD or just prefer fast-paced action, this may not Hans Bethe game for you.

Overall, this port of Myst to the iPhone and iPod touch has remained extremely faithful to the original game—it looks even better than you may remember ascribable the iPhone’s high-resolution screen.

Myst is a rather large download of 727 MB and you’ll actually need 1.5GB of free space to install it. Considering the many hours of intriguing play and the depth of its plot line, Myst should be a welcome addition to your iPhone or iPod touch.

Myst keeps going any iPhone or iPod touch running the iPhone 2.2.1 software update.
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Live Baseball Games to the iPhone

2009-06-17T05:24:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday, Apple promotes the iPhone with the 3.0 version of its OS. The new era coulded with a home run.

MLB.com, which deals the popular At Bat application for the iPhone and iPod Touch, stated it will add live feeds of a few games for no another charge, at the least for at once.

Owners of the $9.99 application program will at the start get to see two games every day, chosen by MLB.com. (The games are subject to local blackout restrictions—and your iPhone, remember, knows where you're.) Wednesday’s 2:20 p.m. game between the Cubs and White Sox will be the first to be streamed live on the At Bat application program; the Tigers-Cardinals game at 8:15 p.m. will follow.

MLB.com says it plans to roll the entire slate of games as the season progresses. Presumably it will make users pay to watch some games, using the new ability of iPhone developers to charge users for content within applications. The company says it accepts not yet fixated a price.

The video will act regardless of whether an iPhone is connected to a wireless local area network network or a 3G network. MLB.com says its hosts will detect the strength of the phone’s connection and adapt the quality of the video accordingly. (It should be interesting to see the quality of the video over AT&T’s sometime spotty network.) The application also has DVR features, so users can pause and rewind live games from their device.

The implications of MLB’s move are significant. Live television on mobile devices has been slow to take hold in the U.S., as channel aggregators like MobiTV tried to recreate the cable model in the wireless ecosystem. Content owners themselves, using mobile applications to offer their video a la carte to the people who are willing to invite it, coulded more traction.
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iPhone game maker Ngmoco taps former Sega president

2009-06-17T05:17:00.000-07:00

Ngmoco, publishing of hit games for the iPhone and iPod touch, has named Simon Jeffrey to the post of Chief Publishing Officer for its newly created Plus+ Publishing group.

Ngmoco’s catalog of titles include games like Rolando, Star Defense, Dropship, Topple, Word Fu and more. The company has emerged as among the leading new brands created in the wake of the launch of the App Store. Ngmoco was founded by former Electronic Arts (EA) exec Neil Young.

Jeffery previous was president and chief executive officer of Sega of America, where he oversaw publishing and product development activities. Anterior to it, Jeffery was president and COO of LucasArts. In all, he's 22 years of experience in the game industry.

Plus+ Publishing is afresh initiative from Ngmoco recently intimated by Young on a presentation at Apple’s global Developer Conference (WWDC). It leverages mixer networking capabilities that Apple has made for iPhone OS 3.0, which will be released to the world on Wednesday. More contingents about the new Plus+ Network are asked to emerge over the summertime.

AT&T's iPhone 3G S pre-orders sell out, 7-10 day wait

2009-06-13T20:55:00.000-07:00

AT&T has reportedly sold out of its iPhone 3GS pre-orders. A new report indicates that AT&T retail stores have been instructed to tell all customers who pre-order the device on Saturday, June 13th or later that they will have to wait "7-10" days before they can fulfill the pre-order--which will be sometime after the official launch on June 19th: "Only preorders placed [on] Friday, June 12, 2009 or earlier are expected to arrive in time for the 7:00 a.am. opening on Friday, June 19th, 2009. Customers will receive an email notification when their new iPhone 3G S has arrived and is available for pickup."

Boy Genius Report notes, however, that AT&T retail stores, which open early on Friday, will have some stock for those willing to wait in line to make the purchase. AT&T, however, is encouraging customers to continue using the pre-order process as it will "guarantee that they receive their iPhone 3G S as quickly as possible."
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iPhone 3G S arrives on June 19 in 16GB, 32GB flavors

2009-06-13T20:40:00.000-07:00

Apple has officially taken the wraps off the third incarnation of the iPhone. Dubbed the iPhone 3G S, it will come in 16GB and 32GB flavors for $199 and $299 respectively, with the current 3G model available unchanged for $99. The iPhone 3GS will be available on June 19; iPhone OS 3.0 will arrive two days before that, on June 17.

Those in the US, Canada, France, Italy, UK, and Spain will be able to get their hands on the new iPhone on the 19th. The iPhone 3G S will gradually be introduced worldwide as new countries are added every few weeks. Keep in mind that those prices are with AT&T contracts; "naked" iPhones will run $499, $599, and $699 for the 8GB, 16GB, and 32GB models respectively.
The software

In addition to a number of features we saw at the iPhone OS 3.0 event earlier this year, like MMS, Push Notifications, Spotlight, and expanded language support, Apple SVP of iPhone software Scott Forstall also showed off the new video downloading features of iTunes, confirming previous rumors of this feature.

He also gave an impressive demo of a "Find My Phone" feature. This feature allows a user to log in to MobileMe to locate a lost iPhone using geolocation. Further, said Forstall, "If you lose your phone, you can send it a message from online or your home phone—it'll play a sound whether or not you left it in silent mode." The sound will allow you to find it in your house, or if you left it at a restaurant, for instance, help a waiter find it. And, if the phone is truly lost, you can send the phone a wipe command remotely using MobileMe—keeping your personal data safe from thieves.

Forstall also discussed iPhone OS 3.0's support for MMS messages to send multimedia messages as well as tethering an iPhone to a laptop to use it as a 3G modem. While he noted that 29 of the carrier partners will support MMS messaging at launch, the audience was noticeably upset about AT&T delaying support until later this summer. The audience loudly booed, however, when it was announced that AT&T was not one of the "lots" of carriers supporting tethering.

Forstall then demoed an improved version of Mobile Safari. The version included in iPhone OS 3.0 will execute JavaScript three times as fast as the current version. It will have HTML 5 support, including offline storage and support for streaming audio and video. HTML 5 audio and video support will also include automatic selection of the appropriate bitrate to use for streaming based on network speeds. Autofill can optionally remember usernames and passwords for logging in to your oft-used websites.

Like the iPhone OS 3.0 event this spring, a parade of developers were brought on stage to demo apps using iPhone OS 3.0 features. GameLoft showed off racing game Asphalt 5, ScrollMotion showed downloadable textbooks, TomTom demoed—to great applause—a GPS navigation app, ngmoco showed off its sci-fi tower defense game Star Defense and its additional level add-ons, Pasco demoed collecting science data using its sensors and its Spark app, Zipcar showed an app for reserving cars on its car-sharing service with integrated Google maps, and Line6 showed off a control app that can control its line of DSP-based amplifiers.

iPhone OS 3.0 will be available to all previous iPhone and iPod touch users worldwide beginning Wednesday, June 17. Developers attending WWDC are being treated to a 10-day head start on the rest of us and being given a GM version of iPhone OS 3.0 today.
The hardware

For those that have been waiting on edge for new iPhone hardware, the keynote did not disappoint. Phil Schiller came on stage to announce the iPhone 3G S—with the "S" standing for "speed." It will have the same physical form factor as the current iPhone 3G, so all the rumors of black bezels and rubber backing weren't accurate. But most of the rumors of hardware improvements were.

The improved processor (and possible RAM) will speed up most applications as much as two to three times, and will also introduce support for OpenGL ES 2.0, bringing significant improvement to 3D graphics. It will support HSPA data speeds of 7.2Mbps where available. Additionally, it will support a number of new features like built-in hardware encryption for data security, a digital compass, and Nike+ for logging running workouts. Accessibility has been improved with VoiceOver—which can read aloud text on screen—and high contrast screen settings.

Apple has also added a much-requested feature: voice control. Voice control can be used to dial contacts by simply saying "dial" and then a contact's name. While that feature has been available on a number of other phones for some time, it's still a welcome improvement. The control feature also works with the iPod app to control playback. It can even activate the iPod's Genius feature when a users simply says "play more songs like this."

Perhaps the most universally appreciated update comes in the form of vastly improved camera hardware. The new camera has three megapixels for an improvement in detail and color accuracy, as well as an autofocus lens for much-improved sharpness. The Camera.app software also has a number of improvements, including improved auto exposure and white balance, improved low-light sensitivity, and a "tap to focus" feature, which allows the user to simply tap on an object on the screen to change the camera's focus point. The autofocus can switch into an auto "macro" mode, allowing the camera to focus as close as 10 cm.

Furthermore, the camera supports video recording, as previously rumored. The iPhone 3G S is capable of recording 640x480 resolution at 30 fps with audio. The Camera app will allow basic editing along with recording, and it will store all the videos along with the stills in your library.

In addition to (or perhaps in spite of) the hardware improvements, the iPhone 3G S will also have improved battery life. Schiller quoted nine hours of WiFi use, 10 hours of video playback, 30 hours of audio playback, 12 hours of 2G talk time, and 5 hours of 3G talk time. That's an impressive feat considering nearly everything in the iPhone 3G S operates at a faster speed.

If all these improvements have you pumped to pick up the new iPhone 3G S as soon as possible, you won't have much of a wait, given the June 19 launch. Both of the new versions will come in black and white, and Apple is keeping the iPhone 3G around in an 8GB configuration to offer at $99 with contract—"to reach even more customers," said Schiller.
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iPhone 3G S: What you need to know

2009-06-13T00:03:00.001-07:00

If the calendar is about to flip over to summer, it must be time for Apple to roll out another smartphone. Just as summer 2007 saw the release of the original iPhone and last summer brought us the iPhone 3G, this year, we’ve got a new model to obsess over—the iPhone 3G S.

And we won’t have long to wait before this new phone winds up in our hot little hands. Apple announced the iPhone 3G S during Monday’s Worldwide Developers Conference keynote; it plans to release the iPhone 3G S next Friday, June 19.

Can’t wait until then to find out all you can about the iPhone 3G S? We’ve perused Apple’s product pages, talked to company executives, and made some educated guesses about what you can expect from this latest addition to the iPhone family.

How is this iPhone different from the iPhone 3G?

Well, thereâ€™s an â€œSâ€

Actually, as far as Apple is concerned, the S is more than just a humble naming convention. “The ‘S’ simply stands for speed,” Apple senior vice president for worldwide product market Phil Schiller told the WWDC keynote audience, and as far as the company is concerned, that’s the main selling point for the iPhone 3G S.

According to Apple, this is the fastest iPhone yet—up to two times faster and more responsive than the iPhone 3G. Specifically, Apple says that apps will launch faster and that it will take less time to jump between apps, say, by clicking a link in an e-mail to open a Web page in the mobile Safari browser. Speaking of browsing, Web pages should render faster on the iPhone 3G S, too.

How much faster? During the keynote, Schiller quoted a few numbers—loading a game was 2.4 times faster on the iPhone 3G S than on the iPhone 3G. Viewing attachments was 3.6 times faster. Loading the NYTimes.com Web page was 2.9 times faster. And so on. Of course, we’ll have to wait until the new phone ships to verify these numbers or confirm if the improved performance is that noticeable.

How did Apple boost performance?

The company isn’t really saying—it tends to be rather tight-lipped when it comes to the iPhone’s innards. But we’re reasonably confident that the iPhone 3G S sports a faster processor than its predecessor and that its operating system has access to more RAM. There could be changes to the display circuitry, too, which would account for Apple’s claims that the iPhone 3G S offers a better gaming experience.

According to T-Mobile in the Netherlands, which appears to have accidentally posted the specs for the iPhone 3G S, the latest version of the phone includes 256MB RAM, up from 128MB on the iPhone 3G, and a 600MHz processor. That would be an improvement from the 412MHz version found in the iPhone 3G.

You said “a better gaming experience”—how so?

The graphics should be more responsive. “A faster better, quicker, snappier experience,” is how senior director of worldwide iPhone product marketing Bob Borchers put it to us. For starters, Apple says the new iPhone supports Open GL ES 2.0, the latest 3-D graphics API for mobile devices. But the graphics hardware itself also appears to be significantly improved. The graphics processor is reportedly the Imagination Technologies PowerVR SGX, a powerful mobile chip that takes advantage of Open GL ES 2.0 to provide advanced shading and rendering capabilities. The result is an iPhone that, according to some developers, will rival dedicated gaming handhelds.

OK, so what else is different?

Just looking at the surface, not all that much. In fact, we’re wiling to bet that if we set an iPhone 3G S next to an iPhone 3G, you’d be hard-pressed to tell which is which—at least until you flipped the phones over. Then, you might notice that the “fine-print” writing on the back of the phone—you know, the part that lists the phone’s capacity and tells you that it’s designed in California and assembled in China—is now color-matched to the silver Apple logo. The screen is covered with a new oil-resistant, or oleophobic, coating, making it easier to wipe off fingerprints. We watched an Apple executive take an iPhone 3G S and wipe it off with his shirt sleeve, something that wasn’t too effective in removing smudges with earlier models.

Then again, physical changes usually aren’t the focus of these iPhone updates. Apple puts its effort into upgrading the software features offered in new phones.

What are the new features in the iPhone 3G S that aren’t in the iPhone 3G?

The iPhone 3G S has a few features that you won’t find in previous models. Just as the iPhone 3G added the ability to figure out your location via GPS (Global Positioning System) satellites, the iPhone 3G S lets you know which direction you’re pointing in via a built-in compass. The iPhone 3G could figure out which direction you were moving in by tracking you via GPS, but the iPhone 3G S will know your orientation even when you’re still. This is useful for maps and GPS applications (and Boy Scouts, presumably). Who knows what clever iPhone app developers will come up with to take advantage of knowing when your iPhone is spinning and when it’s still.

In addition to a new built-in Compass app, compass features are integrated into the Maps app. In Maps, tap the current location button to display where you are on the map—that’s a feature you’d find with the original iPhone, the iPhone 3G, and even the iPod touch. But tap the location button again, and the map will re-orient itself to the direction you’re facing. Turn east, and Maps will rotate to that direction. It should make navigation much easier.

This iPhone also supports voice control. You can now dial the phone by holding down the Home button for a couple of seconds and then commanding your iPhone to dial Joe Blow (or any other contact in the iPhone’s Contacts list). You can also speak a phone number instead of a name, and Voice Control will dial that, too.

In addition, you can ask your iPhone 3G S to play music—specific songs or playlists, for example. Say “Play ‘Know Your Enemy,’” and the iPhone 3G S, after repeating your command back to you, will begin playing Green Day’s latest single. You ask the phone what song is playing, and it will tell you the title and artist; you can also invoke the phone’s Genius feature by saying “Play more songs like this,” to play songs similar to the one you’re currently listening to. Voice Control supports 21 languages.

Apple has also included Nike+ functionality in the iPhone 3G S. This means that—as with the second-generation iPod touch—you don’t need to attach a Nike+ dock-connector dongle to your iPhone to use it with a Nike+ sensor in your running shoes; the receiver is built into the phone (and the Nike+ app is pre-installed).

Those worried about security will be happy—perhaps even excited—to learn that the new iPhone also includes hardware-based encryption of all data on the iPhone. Combined with the new wipe-it-clean option of Find My iPhone and encrypted iPhone backups in iTunes, this means that unless you leave your iPhone unlocked without a password, your data is safe from all but the most skilled thieves.

I’ve heard that the camera is better in the iPhone 3G S. Is that true?

Yes, the iPhone 3G S’s built-in camera is definitely better than what you found on previous iPhone models. It’s got three megapixels of resolution, up from two megapixels in previous models. And this camera has the ability to auto-focus. Apple also says that the quality of the images it takes are generally better than the previous model, including vibrant colors and better low-light performance, and that the camera can shoot much faster than the one on previous iPhones. If you’ve used the camera on the existing iPhones, you know that’s setting the bar pretty low.

A cool new software feature in the Camera app is “tap to focus,” which lets you select what the camera focuses on. By default, the camera focuses on whatever object is in the center of the display, but if you’d like to focus elsewhere—say, an object in the background—just tap on the object on your iPhone’s display. The camera not only changes the focus but also adjusts the exposure and white balance, as well. The camera also includes an auto-macro mode, allowing you to get very close to the objects you’re shooting—a major failing of previous iPhone cameras.

So can this iPhone finally shoot video?

Yes, the iPhone 3G S’s camera can do one other thing you couldn’t do on an iPhone 3G or original iPhone—shoot movies. To be specific, that’s 30fps VGA video, which you can shoot in either portrait or widescreen orientation. You use the same Camera app, which on the iPhone 3G S features a simple Still/Movie switch. In Movie mode, you start recording by tapping on a red record button that’s in the exact same spot as the button that snaps still images; tap the button again to stop recording. Video is saved in the iPhone’s camera roll, alongside your photos. The video-recording mode provides the same auto-focus, -exposure, and -white balance features you get when shooting stills. And yes, when you shoot video you also capture audio through the iPhone’s microphone.

Once you’ve shot your video, you have the option to trim the beginning and end of a clip by tapping on the video to summon on-screen controls and then dragging the start and stop points with your finger. Preview your edit by tapping Play; if you like what you see, tapping the trim button saves the changes. You can then share your clips with the world via e-mail, MMS (when AT&T supports it), a MobileMe Gallery, or direct upload to YouTube.

How much does the iPhone 3G S cost?

The answer to that question is not as straightforward as you might think. The price Apple touts for the 16GB iPhone 3G S is $199; a 32GB model costs $299. And if you don’t already have an iPhone—or you aren’t otherwise an AT&T customer using a subsidized phone—that’s the price you’ll pay. If you are a current iPhone owner, though, the situation gets a little trickier because of your service contract with AT&T. How far along you are in your two-year contract—and what model iPhone you use—will determine exactly how much upgrading to an iPhone 3G S will cost you.

The basic rules in the U.S. appear to be: If you purchased the original iPhone, you’re immediately eligible for “new customer” pricing (otherwise known as Apple’s advertised $199 and $299 prices). If you purchased the iPhone 3G, AT&T subsidized the cost of that phone via the two-year contract you signed, so you don’t get the lowest price. However, if you purchased the iPhone 3G more than a year ago—and remember, it hasn’t quite been a year since the iPhone 3G’s debut—you should be eligible for AT&T’s “early upgrade” price on the 3G S: $299 and $399 for the 16GB and 32GB models, respectively. So if you bought the iPhone 3G on opening day (July 11, 2008), you’ll be able to buy the 3G S at a partial discount on July 11, 2009. (Note that this will require you to extend your AT&T contract until two years from the new purchase date.) If you purchased the iPhone 3G more recently, the prices are $399 and $499. Oh, and you’ll also have to pay an $18 “upgrade fee” regardless of which price you’re eligible for.

But wait, there’s more! It’s also possible to pay AT&T’s $175 early-termination fee to cancel your current contract and then start over with a new contract, paying a lower price for the iPhone 3G S along with a $39 activation fee; however, there’s no requirement for AT&T to treat you like a “new” customer, so this approach is risky. (Plus there’s a chance you could lose your phone number.)

That seems simple enough, right? Unfortunately, the real-world experiences of Macworld’s editors and readers indicate that the situation isn’t quite this straightforward. AT&T uses an internal formula based on numerous factors, including your tenure as a customer, your billing plan, and your bill-paying history, to determine which upgrade price you’re offered. We’ve seen all sorts of different prices when various members of our staff and their friends and relatives have punched in their phone numbers on Apple’s Web site. You won’t know what deal AT&T is offering you until you ask.

Can you explain the pricing of this phone? I got a subsidized phone last year, but am not eligible now. Can I cross-upgrade and give my 3G to my wife? If I’ve got an original iPhone, do I have to pay the higher upgrade price? What are AT&T’s 3G S rate plans? And do I need to upgrade at the AT&T Store, the Apple Store, on the web, or somewhere else? Help!

The pricing of the iPhone 3G S has engendered a lot of strong feelings, and understandably so. We will be devoting more coverage to this issue in the days ahead. The short version of the story is, when you buy a subsidized iPhone in the U.S., AT&T is actually paying part of the cost of that phone directly to Apple. AT&T gets that money back via your phone bill over the course of a two-year contract. If you want to get a new phone within the contract period, AT&T hasn’t had a chance to recoup its investment in your last phone, and things get complicated. We hope that AT&T will be working hard in the next week to better communicate what customers’ options are.

We assume that if you’ve got a family member who is eligible for a full upgrade, AT&T will find a way to let you transfer the remaining portion of your iPhone 3G contract commitment to that person and let you do a regular upgrade to the iPhone 3G S. Or swap SIM cards after the fact. Or something. Perhaps we’re too hopeful about AT&T, but given the massive amount of iPhone users on AT&T’s network, we think the company will realize that allowing iPhone fanatics to upgrade in as many different ways as possible will only help its business. We shall see.

The good news about the iPhone 3G S upgrades is that they seem to be much more widely available than in the past. You seem to be able to upgrade via either Apple or AT&T’s Web sites, or either company’s retail stores.

I’ve already got an iPhone. Should I upgrade to this one?

It depends on a variety of factors. If you have an iPhone 3G, you’re not going to get the special $199 and $299 prices that Apple is touting, at least not for a while. That makes the upgrade a lot less appealing. And getting an iPhone 3G S means committing to another two years of AT&T service in the U.S.

If you routinely make calls when driving, the iPhone 3G S’s Voice Command feature may keep you from driving your car into a tree, by allowing you to call while keeping your eyes on the road. For many people that will be the feature that sells the phone.

But there’s one vitally important thing you should keep in mind: Many of the features Apple touts in its iPhone 3G S guided tour—including copy and paste functionality, MMS support, the new Voice Memos app, and search capabilities—are part of the iPhone 3.0 software update, which is available to all iPhone owners for free starting this Wednesday, June 17, though not all features are available to owners of original EDGE iPhones, such as MMS. (iPod touch users will have to pay $10 to upgrade to 3.0.) So if those features are more appealing to you than the improved camera, new compass, and Voice Control feature, you’re probably better off sticking with your current phone.

The upgrade story from the original iPhone is a bit stronger. Owners of original iPhones will likely be able to upgrade at the lowest prices. You’ll gain GPS and access to the much faster 3G data network, as well as all the new iPhone 3G S features we detailed above. And the iPhone 3G S will offer you at least twice as much storage space as you’ve got now—and imagine how spacious it will feel if you go from a 4GB original iPhone to a 32GB iPhone 3G S!

So which new features are exclusive to iPhone 3G S?

Good question. From what we can tell, here’s a complete list of features that are found only on the iPhone 3G S; in other words, you won’t get them on your iPhone 3G by installing the iPhone Software 3.0 update:

* The faster processor, more RAM, and new video circuitry
* Improved battery life
* The improved camera hardware
* Video recording, trimming, and sharing
* The digital compass
* Voice Control
* Accessibility improvements
* Built-in Nike + iPod support
* HSPA7.2 compatibility
* Open GL ES 2.0
* Hardware encryption
* Environmental improvements

Will existing accessories and cases for the iPhone 3G fit the iPhone 3G S?

Given that the form factor hasn’t changed at all, cases should fit. It also appears that any dock-connector or headphone-jack accessory that works with the iPhone 3G will work with the iPhone 3G S. On the other hand, Apple has whipped out a surprise or two in the past related to new capabilities (as well as limitations) of the dock connector port, so we can’t swear all dock-connector accessories will work. But the most likely scenario is that all existing accessories will work with the iPhone 3G S.

And don’t forget that one of the cool new features of iPhone Software 3.0 is the capability for iPhone software to work directly with hardware accessories. All iPhones and iPod touches should gain this functionality through the 3.0 software, but since the hardware differs between the models, we don’t yet know if there will be hardware accessories that work with the 3G but not the 3G S. (We’re pretty sure there will be accessories that take advantage of new hardware features of the iPhone 3G S—such as the digital compass—and thus won’t work with other models.)

When will the AT&T network support the new high-speed 7.2 HSPA network that the iPhone 3G S supports?

According to Macworld contributor Glenn Fleishman’s story explaining 7.2Mbps networking, AT&T claims that the network will start appearing on cell towers “later this year.” However, the full upgrade of AT&T’s 3G network won’t be complete until 2011.

No other iPhone can do Voice Control. What allows the iPhone 3G S to pull it off?

We don’t know, but we’re guessing that the additional processor speed and RAM of the iPhone 3G S are what enables it to perform voice-recognition tasks, and that previous models just don’t have the power to do that reliably.

I love flash. Will this new phone run Flash? And does its camera have a flash?

Adobe would love for Flash to run on the iPhone, but Apple has demonstrated no interest. The iPhone still doesn’t run flash.

The iPhone 3G S’s camera does not have a built-in flash (just like the camera on previous iPhone models didn’t have one). Given the new access that app developers have to the dock connector, perhaps some clever developer will find a way to trigger an external flash unit attached via that port. We’ll see.

Hey! I bought an iPhone 3G on May 9. Can I turn it back in for an iPhone 3G S?

Yes, if you bought an iPhone 3G between May 9 and June 19 you can return it for a restocking fee and replace it with an iPhone 3G S.

How does the battery life compare to the iPhone 3G?

Apple says the battery life for the iPhone 3G S is longer than what you’d get from the iPhone 3G. Specifically, the company is promising nine hours of Internet access on Wi-Fi, 10 hours of video, 30 hours of audio playback, and 12 hours of 2G talk time. The five hours of 3G talk time on the new model is consistent with the estimated talk time of the previous iPhone 3G.

Can we stream live video?

Depends on what you mean. Can you stream video you’re taking on the iPhone 3G S? We don’t think so, though who knows what third-party apps might be able to accomplish? It’s not included in the camera’s basic functionality. The iPhone 3.0 does offer app developers access to streaming functionality, meaning you should be able to watch live video more readily on the iPhone in the future. But out of the box, no, live video isn’t part of the base iPhone 3G S experience.

Will the iPhone video recorder be on par with the Flip-type cameras?

It’s early days yet so we don’t know how the iPhone’s camera will work in low light. We do know, however, that it shoots standard-definition video only. Many (if not most) of the current generation of pocket camcorders shoot 720p high-definition video.

Does it support A2DP and AVRCP?

The iPhone 3G S—as well as the iPhone 3G with the iPhone Software 3.0—support A2DP, which lets you stream stereo audio over Bluetooth—for example, to headphones or speakers. It’s not yet clear if either model will support AVRCP, a feature of Bluetooth that lets you control audio and video devices over Bluetooth.

Is A2DP for all system audio, or app specific? In the Tom Tom app, can I still use a headset for hands-free?

We’re anxious to get our hands on the iPhone 3G S hardware to test this, but in the meantime, iLounge provides a summary of A2DP functionality based on the latest developer release of iPhone Software 3.0 and an iPhone 3G.

Will the iPhone 3GS charge via FireWire again? (Hey, FireWire is back on the MacBook Pro.)

Dare to dream, but almost certainly the answer is no. Apple switched to the USB-only method of charging in order to reduce the amount of circuitry on the interior of its devices. Accessories have been updated to use this new method. There’s probably no going back.

Can Voice Control on the 3G S be used with Bluetooth headsets?

Voice Control is triggered by either holding the Home button down or holding down the button on your iPhone headphones. When we asked Apple executives if other devices such as Bluetooth headphones and car kits would be able to access Voice Control, they suggested that the makers of those devices would find a way to trigger that same action. That’s not exactly a yes, but it’s an encouraging sign.

in a sentence, what does the S get me?

Speed, swagger, sleek, sexy, sense-of-direction, and sinematography. It’s possible that we made that last word up.

Will the compass and GPS work even when there is no cell signal?

Yes. As long as you’re on Earth and Earth still has its magnetic field, the compass will work, though if you’re standing near a giant magnet, you might get skewed results. And although the iPhone tries to use cellular signals to speed the acquisition of your location (a process called “assisted GPS”), if you’re out in the backcountry and you give your iPhone enough time to find all the satellites in the sky, it will be able to pinpoint your location. (It won’t, however, be able to display it on a map unless you’re using an app that includes pre-loaded maps. The good news is that there are a few of those now and a lot more on the way, including both turn-by-turn direction apps and apps more oriented toward hiking and mountain biking.)

I want to know if Apple will have a separate App Store for the 3GS apps, since they will have different features.

Apple hasn’t said anything about this. We’re guessing that two things will happen: Developers will write apps that simply behave differently on the different devices, and eventually the App Store will add some sort of compatibility filter that makes it clear that certain apps only work on certain devices.

How many minutes of video can the 32GB iPhone GS hold?

By our back-of-the-envelope calculations, about a zillion. Seriously, it will depend on how much media you’ve already got loaded on the device. But a lightly-loaded 32GB iPhone should be able to capture hours and hours of standard-definition video.

Will my old, deactivated iPhone 3G still work without AT&T service as an iPod touch?

Yes.

About that oleophobic coating: Will it prevent me from using protective films for the screen, or all-over treatments like InvisibleShield or BodyGuardz?

Great question, and one for which we don’t yet have an answer. Zagg, makers of the InvisibleShield protective coverings, told a Macworld reader that it’ll be testing its products with this new screen as soon as it get its hands on the iPhone 3G S.

Where and When You Can Get the iPhone 3G S

2009-06-11T18:49:00.001-07:00

The line starts here: Both Apple and AT&T have announced details on where, when, and how to get a shiny new iPhone 3G S, when the device starts shipping on June 19.

AT&T stores will open at 7 a.m. on June 19, and the carrier is already taking pre-orders for the iPhone 3G S on its Web site and in stores. Customers who pre-ordered their iPhone (either online or at a store) can join the line at 7 a.m. on June 19 at AT&T stores, where they will receive priority processing until normal business hours.

A second line will be dedicated to customers whom have not pre-ordered their iPhone 3G S, and they will be able to enter the stores only at normal business hours. Then, the two lines will be merged, but priority will still be given to customers who pre-ordered. This whole process is done on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Apple also is taking iPhone 3G S pre-orders on its music Web site. If a 3G S is pre-ordered online with Apple, the device will be shipped free of cost and arrives on June 19. Apple Retail Stores are also taking reservations for iPhone 3G S, and customers can pick it up on June 19. A number of stores will open at 8 a.m. for early pick-ups.

To recap, the 16GB iPhone 3G S will cost $199 and the 32GB model will cost $299. These prices are only for new and qualifying customers. Early iPhone 3G upgraders will have to shell out $399 for the 16GB model and $599 for the 32GB version.

New 'Doom' Game Coming to iPhone

2009-06-11T18:45:00.000-07:00

You know the old fanboy adage: Your hardware ain't nothing until it can play Doom. Well, the iPhone is getting yet another version of id Software's perennial favorite first-person shooter. Doom Resurrection is coming to Apple's popular handset next week.
Six months in the making, the game promises some of the best 3D graphics seen on the device thus far. The game has eight levels and roughly five levels of game play, according to Venture Beat. It's customized to use some of those new iPhone 3.0 software features, but will also work with older versions of the software.
Doom Resurrection features a parallel storyline to Doom 3.
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What's new in iPhone 3.0

2009-06-09T20:44:00.000-07:00

If you didn’t find much to gasp at during the iPhone OS 3.0 section of Monday’s keynote presentation at Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference, that’s understandable. Much of what was showed off were features that we saw trotted out back at March’s iPhone special event where Apple initially introduced the software update.
That said, we did get a glimpse at a few brand new iPhone capabilities as well as a more detailed look at some of the features that were only hinted at three months ago. Let’s take a look at what’s coming to our iPhone when the update drops on June 17.
Whatâ€™s in store

As rumored, the iPhone’s iTunes Store took a step in the direction of parity with its desktop sibling by adding the ability to purchase and rent movies, TV shows, music videos, and audiobooks from inside the phone’s iTunes app.

As with podcasts, music, and apps, any content that’s over 10MB will only be available to download via Wi-Fi, and not via the iPhone’s cellular connection. Apple’s also made content available from iTunes U, the store’s educational section with classes and lectures from schools around the world.

In addition, the iTunes application will now support users logging into one or more different iTunes accounts, and even let you create accounts directly on the phone. Previously, the iTunes app on the phone pulled its account information from whatever account was logged in on the computer that you were syncing with.

Parental units

Apple also showed off a few additions to the iPhone’s parental controls section, most notably the ability for parents to restrict what applications their children can use. This also requires that all developers submit an age-rating for their applications, as Apple senior vice president Scott Forstall later said. The App Store has received a lot of criticism for its issues with its approval process, including some apps that have been banned as a result of objectionable content, even in cases where the content was similar to that being sold elsewhere in the iTunes Store. Enabling restrictions on applications and forcing developers to rate their apps could be a way for Apple to absolve itself from some of the responsibility of policing for edgier content.

Fill ’er up

AutoFill was briefly mentioned in Apple's iPhone presentation back in March, but this was the first time we got a glimpse—albeit a brief one—at what it’s capable of. As in Safari on the desktop, not only can AutoFill remember the usernames and passwords for your Web sites, but it can also populate contact information fields on forms based on the information you’ve entered in your phone.

Tether ball

Apple took a little more time to talk about tethering, the ability to share your iPhone’s cellular data connection with your Mac or PC. While the company didn’t show us anything about how the feature works, it did say that a number of their partners in different countries would be offering the feature, though AT&T was notably absent. (A spokesperson from AT&T later told Macworld that the feature would arrive, though they did not say when or how much it would cost). Apple did, however, say that the tethering capability would work with Macs and PCs and could be used over either USB or Bluetooth.

Little iPhone lost

Perhaps the most ahhh-inducing unseen feature of iPhone 3.0 was the newly-unveiled Find My iPhone service. Available only to MobileMe subscribers, Find My iPhone allows you to locate your handset should you misplace it. You access the service via MobileMe’s Web interface, at which point you have several options. Firstly, the Web page can tell you the location of your iPhone, using the unit’s built-in location services, letting you know if you left your phone in the movie theater last night, or in the back of that cab.

You can also send a message to your iPhone, along with an alert sound that plays even if the phone’s ringer is off. This can help in situations where the GPS location doesn’t: for example, if you’ve misplaced the iPhone somewhere in your house. The chime can be played repeatedly, enabling you to easily track down the phone.

Finally, if the phone is lost for good, or contains sensitive information, you can also opt to remotely wipe all data from your phone: contacts, mail, music, photos, etc. And of course, should you then locate your phone, all you need to do is plug your iPhone back into your computer, and you can restore from the latest backup.

Language, please

The iPhone OS already supported almost 20 languages in iPhone 2.0—iPhone 3.0 expands that number to about 30, including long-awaited support for right-to-left languages like Hebrew and Arabic. Apple also noted the inclusion of Thai, Greek, and Korean, and noted that every keyboard has both landscape and portrait orientations.

The “s” is for software?

Along with its speedy new hardware, the iPhone 3G S also brings with it a variety of new software features. While these features are included in the iPhone OS 3.0 update, they’re only available to iPhone 3G S users.

The 3G S adds new camera features, including auto-focus, auto-exposure, and auto-white-balancing, all of which works in tandem the the 3G S’s new camera. There’s also a tap-to-focus feature that lets you select which part of a scene you want to focus on. In addition, the camera can also shoot video, which you’re able to trim using a built in filmstrip view very similar to that of iMovie ’09. Once you’ve trimmed the clip, you can easily share it over e-mail, MMS, or upload it to YouTube or your MobileMe gallery.

The iPhone 3G S also adds Voice Control, a speech-recognition feature that lets you control common actions such as calling contacts and playing music just by speaking into the iPhone’s microphone or the unit’s headphone mic. Hold down the Home button to summon the Voice Control interface, and you can tell it to dial your friend by name, by number, or play music by track, artist, or playlist—you can even tell it to start playing a Genius playlist.

In addition to the Voice Control feature, Apple also talked about adding new accessibility features to the iPhone 3G S, such as Voice Over, zooming in on text, displaying a high-contrast white-on-black display, outputting mono audio, and more. Voice Over, in particular, features a number of specialized gestures to control different functions of the phone. However, the accessibility features are available only on the 3G S.

Apple also added support for Nike + to the iPhone 3G S, allowing you to use the Nike + iPod Sensor in conjunction with a new application to track your progress while running, and sync that data to iTunes for future use, just as you can with the Nike + iPod Sports Kit.

Finally, the iPhone 3G S also includes a new digital compass. Not only does it allow you to orient yourself using a compass interface (which also provides longitute and latitude), but you can also use the compass in the Maps program to show you which way you’re facing, and even orient the map corrently to help following directions easier.

Apple unveils zippier iPhone 3G S

2009-06-09T18:57:00.000-07:00

SAN FRANCISCO — Apple has a cool new iPhone, the 3G S, coming out next week, with faster speed, longer battery life and a video camera for $199 — but if you bought an iPhone recently, exclusive U.S. carrier AT&T says you won't get the phone at that price.
The new phone will sell for $199 with a two-year contract. AT&T says it will be available at that price only to those with a "few" months left on their contract and to new customers. Otherwise, the phone is $399 for the new 16-gigabyte version, or $499 for a 32GB model.
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For the converts, Pocket Informant comes to the iPhone

2009-04-17T01:43:00.000-07:00

Pocket Informant from WebIS has been giving Blackberry and Windows Mobile users a solid PIM for the the past 8 years. They have taken that experience and are now offering up a fully featured PIM for the iPhone and iPod Touch. It’s priced at $13.

Some features include a built-in calendar that syncs over-the-air with your Google Calendars; Franklin Covey and GTD based to-do (Tasks) that sync with the ToodleDo online service; Full blown search of your appointments and to-do’s and contacts; and future sync support for iCal, Things, Remember the Milk, Omnifocus and others.

For people coming over from the Blackberry or Windows mobile who are used to having their calendar and tasks all in one basket, Pocket Informant looks to be a strong contender for the iPhone. It is missing some features that its Blackberry and WinMo counterpart has, but further enhancements are planned, according to the application’s Web site.
india calling card

iPhone finds a home in the enterprise market

2009-04-13T19:53:00.000-07:00

Market-research firm Forrester on Monday released a report that looks at several companies using the iPhone in the enterprise market. That's significant for Apple because one of the knocks against the iPhone when it first came out was that it didn't have sufficient security for large businesses.

Based on interviews with IT executives from Kraft Foods, Oracle, and Amylin Pharmaceutical, the report explores how the iPhone made it on the list of approved devices for each company.

Todd Stewart, IT senior director at Amylin Pharmaceutical, says the iPhone has become the company's "enterprise netbook," and said the iPhone is easier to support than other mobile platforms. “It took all of three days to get the systems running to support iPhone. We also saw significant costs savings for our voice and data plans by moving to iPhones," said Stewart.

Dave Diedrich, vice president of information systems at Kraft, said he used the iPhone to demonstrate that IT is serious about supporting culture change. The company has about 100,000 employees and Diedrich said that as of January 2009, almost half of the company's mobile users have iPhones. Kraft orders about 400 new iPhones each month.

And Oracle has about 4,000 employees using the iPhone globally, according to IT Vice President Campbell Webb.

While the companies reported positive results overall, they did have some problems. The biggest problem is support for Exchange 2003 and Exchange 2007, which didn't always work as expected. A lack of management tools and full support for VPNs were also mentioned as drawbacks.

iPhone OS 3.0 should resolve most, if not all, of these concerns when it is released sometime this summer, helping Apple continue making inroads into the enterprise market.

"Apple is redefining its third industry: first the computer industry, next the music industry, and now the mobile industry," said Ted Schadler, the Forrester analyst who wrote the report. "With iPhone, Apple has breached walled gardens that have long slowed innovation and kept advanced applications from reaching the US mobile market."
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Help File: Prospects for a New iPhone; Downloading Adobe Reader

2009-04-12T09:16:00.000-07:00

By Rob Pegoraro
Sunday, April 12, 2009; Page G02

QWhen might Apple ship the next iPhone, and what new features might it include?

AIf I had a dime for every time I got this question, I could buy quite a few iPhones with the proceeds.

But the only honest answer is, "I don't know." The first iPhone and last year's iPhone 3G arrived in July, but Apple doesn't have to stick to that pattern this year.

We can also only guess about the design of a new iPhone. More memory and a video-capable camera would be logical upgrades, but Apple has a history of surprises. (The company also plans to ship a free 3.0 software upgrade for existing iPhones this summer; the original iPhone, however, won't be able to use all of this upgrade's features, and iPod touch users will need to pay $9.95 for it.)

The odds of a just-purchased iPhone being made obsolete by a successor's arrival probably increase as you get closer to summer, so waiting might avoid that -- and keep some money in your bank account in the meantime. But there's little point in freaking yourself out about those chances; if you need a new phone, you need a new phone card.

When I tried to download Adobe Reader 9, Internet Explorer displayed a box that said "Can't retrieve essential parameter (15235.301.265)" before closing on me.

This problem may be the fault of Adobe's too-cute presentation of its Portable Document Format reader. The "Download" link at its site (http://adobe.com/reader) does not start a download but instead takes you to a second page that initiates the file transfer on its own. Internet Explorer, in turn, warns you that the site wants to send a file you didn't explicitly request -- but here, something else went wrong.

You can avoid that by clicking that second page's "click here to download" link or by using a different browser for this task.
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Other news
Britons warned off Bangkok travel

Expectational Analysis Fundamentals: New Products (eg. iPod, iPhone, Viagra)

2009-03-25T21:15:00.000-07:00

New Products

One key fundamental driver for a stock is new products. A sign of growth and innovation, these new developments by a firm can create buzz about a company, increase revenue, and lead to new deals with other companies as well as potential mergers and acquisitions.

A classic example of the effect a new product can have is Pfizer's (PFE) introduction of the drug, Viagra. Even with a big-cap name, the impact of a new product can affect the shares price action significantly. In late March 1998, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved PFE's pill for the treatment of impotence. In anticipation of the approval, PFE rallied from approximately 25 to 30 (adjusted for PFE's three-for-one stock split in July 1999) during the 2 months prior to approval. Even after the approval by the FDA, option players had ample opportunity to profit, as the shares rallied an additional 10 points in the next month! The introduction of Viagra has been one of the most successful drug launches in recent history.

Another story of a new product's success benefiting a company and investors was from American computer maker Apple (AAPL). The once struggling company had hit a wall in its competition with a personal computer market dominated by machines running Microsoft's Windows software. While the October 2001 release of the now ubiquitous iPod came and went with little fanfare, the devices soon gained so much popularity that the company re-released the iPod with support for Windows-based computers in July 2002.

At the time, Apple shares were trading in the $7 per shares range, a far cry from their lofty $100-plus valuation they enjoyed as of late 2007. The adoption of these early iPods was no where near the fanatical buying sprees of recent years, but AAPL stock still vaulted more than 600% since the advent of Windows compatibility for the devices through the introduction of the sixth generation of the iPod in October 2005 - which introduced video capabilities.

While the early iPod years are an excellent example of how a new product can propel a seemingly up-start company into the stratosphere of the Wall Street elite, the later developments of the iPod Video and, ultimately, the iPhone, are prime examples of how new products can move even large-cap stocks sharply higher. Following the release of the video edition, Apple received some lukewarm attention, but that changed with the advent of the iPod Mini, which renewed interest in the company again.

But this was just the tip of the iceberg, as Apple hinted at a potential iPod-based phone, or iPhone, that could be on its way. The ensuing frenzy surrounding the device grew exponentially, like the shares themselves, until the release date on September 5, 2007. Furthermore, the wide adoption of the Apple iPhone evident in early sales figures helped push the stock to even loftier heights. In the end, from October 2005 when the iPod Video was released, through September 2007, Apple shares surged more than 187%.

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Top Iphone basic accessories for Apple Iphone owners

2008-05-28T20:16:00.000-07:00

Buying your first iPhone is a long process, longer than you could have initially expected. It does not only involve the actual purchase of the iPhone, you have to acquire various iPhone accessories, to be able to become the really trendy owner of your new gadget, and in some cases, to protect it, or to maximize its capabilities. Iphone accessories are simply things from which you will always seek more of.

Here are some of the basic ones...

iPhone Cases

Have you ever wondered why you are actually purchased your third iPhone case in half a year? Even these iphone cases, the simplest iPhone accessories are always becoming better, until you see something new. You can have reddened and hard cases, leather cases, metal cases, red, yellow, pink and black cases, cases that actually protect your iPhone and the ones that just look good on it or that go with your new dress. Well, it is just natural that Apple as a leading force and its partners, should substance a wide variety of iPhone accessories, and it is just natural that you will eventually own more of these cases, to meet the occasion or your mood, or just to protect you iPhone from nearby children.

iPhone Headset and Travel Charger

Your next purchase after an iphone case should perhaps be an iPhone Bluetooth Headset, to be able to answer your calls wirelessly, easily and elegantly and you will also need to get a travel/car charger, to be able to charge your phone when you are on the move. When you get bored with these basic iPhone accessories, having purchased earphones and perhaps some speakers as well, you might be interested in what they have on substance outside the realm of customary accessories for iPhones.

Well, as could be expected, the list is literally endless. You can purchase for example mini screen wipers for your iPhone, to clear the smudges on your screen. Or to prevent even these smudges, you can acquire a arrange of phone fingers in different sizes, that you can just fit on your fingers patch using the touch screen and it will stay totally clear. You might also want to try the iPhone travel pillow, with built in speakers, this way, you will have a pillow for your flight, and your ears won't be hurting from the earphones.

Any iPhone accessory could basically come handy once, though it's quite manifest that a unify of mini screen wipers for your screen is slightly less essential than a decent case, so try to grab this latter first. However, purchasing an iPhone will generally just introduce you to the magical world of iPhone accessories.

Have fun with your iPhone, for this is only the beginning.

Apple has a lot more in store for its knight in shinning armor, and am sure they have some pretty cool new iphone accessories in the works for you hard core iphone users.

It still amazes me to this day how they can pack so much into something so little.
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The Apple iPhone: Scaling On Its Ideal particularly

2008-05-28T20:09:00.000-07:00

The Apple iPhone, a mobile with the latest phone features, is here to enthrall people with its magnificent looks and capabilities that supersede all old norms. The mobile is empowered with network connectivity options such as 2G. In addition, it also has GSM option and this is what makes it feasible to connect with people anywhere in the globe. Other than these two, the other connectivity options such as GPRS, EDGE, WLAN, Bluetooth and USB make the handset all the more versatile.

Among all these, Bluetooth is a very much in demand as one can use it to send and receive files wirelessly to other nearby gadgets. The handset also rules many hearts due to an assortment of features such as a camera, a music player and a FM radio. The camera can capture still pictures and record moving images and store them for future use.

The music player can also play on many of the popular formats and leave the listeners spellbound with its scintillating sound output. The FM radio is good for playing all types of programs that entertain people anywhere in the world. The handset can also entertain users with many a high definition game, which can be easily downloaded from the Internet.

The Internet option provided on the Apple iPhone is not just meant for the purposes of web surfing. It also enables emailing with attachments being sent in formats such as Word, Excel and Power Point. One can make the most of SMS service to send messages to friends. Any message received can be read due to the presence of the screen that gives 320 x 480 pixels resolution and supports 16 M colours.The ability of the mobile to capture sharp pictures becomes fruitful as the pictures can be seen on the touch sensitive screen of the mobile. The screen is also good for playing videos and games. High definition games can be stored in the 16 GB shared space. So, this space is sufficient for storing polyphonic and MP3 ringtones as well. The battery gives 250 hrs of standby time and 8 hrs of talktime.
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Apple iPhone 16 GB: The experience of many functional capabilities

2008-05-28T20:07:00.000-07:00

The Apple iPhone 16GB is a multi-functional gadget. It comes packed with various features and functions such as large storage capacity, a 2 megapixel camera, a brilliant music player, a video player and multiple connectivity options. The handset holds massive storage capacity of 16 GB and the users can enjoy storing varied data on the same. This device, with its advanced telephony features, tends to satisfy the tech-savvy users in more ways than one.

The stunning display and innovative multi-touch interface makes the Apple iPhone 16 GB a stylish device. It performs all the high-profile functions very comfortably. This multi-functional gadget comes in a mid-sized casing that measures 115 m in height, 61 mm in width, and 11.6 mm thickness. The handset weighs 135 grams, which can be easily managed in a single hand.

The iPhone 16 GB is integrated with a 2 megapixel camera. It gives a platform to show off hidden photographic passion of the users. As a matter of fact, it comes with camera and video features to capture and record all lively experiences, which you might have missed out earlier. The advanced photo management application provides users with everything that they need for the perfect images. Moreover, the users can play video footage on the widescreen of the gadget. The stunning and bright 3.5 inch screen is enhanced with multi-touch controls that facilitate all the operations with ease. It comes adorned with a full QWERTY keyboard. The ergonomic keyboard supports fast and steady typing.

The users can tune into the music player and video player features - taking time apart from their everyday activities. Moreover, multiple connectivity options satisfy the high-tech requirements of data and file transfers. The Apple iPhone 16GB supports quad-band GSM networks and promotes wireless communication with other compatible devices. According to the need, the device comfortably switches between EDGE and Wi-Fi technology to deliver fast data connectivity.

Moreover, the in-built HTML email and Safari browser enhances the overall experience of web browsing to a great extent. The embedded Lithium Ion battery in Apple iPhone 16GB provides up to 8 hours of talktime and standby time of up to 250 hours.
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The Apple iPhone offer something for everybody

2008-05-28T19:48:00.000-07:00

The Apple iPhone is one of the most amazing pieces of technology that is available today. No matter what you are looking for in a cell phone, you will find that the iPhone delivers it fully.

For those who like to take pictures, it comes with a camera built right in. If you want to take your music along with you, you have access to your tunes with a touch of the finger.

If you want something to watch, the television shows and movies that you have rented or purchased from iTunes are right there for you to watch. It helps you to find your way when you are lost and need directions, and it helps you to watch your favorite YouTube videos and share them, quickly and easily.

There is so much that the iPhone offers that it's impossible to list everything that it can do. But it's not really surprising that Apple has packed so much into their iPhone, because they have been making computers for so long.

The Apple iPhone also includes widgets that help you to keep up to date with things such as the weather, stock reports, and anything else that you might want to keep your eye on. Everything that you could want or need to know is right there, ready for you to use whenever you need it.

The Apple iPhone - accessibility, convenience, and technology, all rolled into one very portable package and ready to be used by professional and novice users alike.
source: goarticles

Apple iPhone vs Nokia N95 8GB: With State-of-the-Art Technologies

2007-12-27T07:43:00.000-08:00

The new Nokia N95 8GB is generating a lot of curiosity among the mobile users. The amazing features make it a handset par excellence. The handset comes bundled with an array of high-end features that make it a brilliant device. As far as imaging is concerned, the handset offers brilliant image clarity. This two-way slider opening phone is equipped with a 5 megapixel camera, a highly advanced GPS navigation system, integrated music player, visual radio and FM radio. The handset supports a colossal memory of 8 GB. Also, it can store upto 6000 songs in its memory. Connectivity features include USB, Bluetooth, EDGE, GPRS and WLAN Wi-Fi. This smartphone comes with an impressive array of multimedia features supported by 8GB of internal memory. This multimedia powerhouse fulfills all your desires with its superior capabilities. Weighing just 120g, the handset is a real charmer with its looks and functionality.

On the other hand the Apple iPhone is an aesthetically advanced device that comes with a 3.5 inch touch screen, a built-in 2.0 megapixel camera and lots more. The Apple iPhone supports an enhanced battery that allows you to use the iPhone for 5 hours of talk time. This is a superb communications solution as it is not just a phone; it is a music player, internet device, video player and camera all in one. This smartphone come with awesome memory capacity. They are available with memory size of 4GB and 8GB and work both as a phone as well as an iPod. The Bluetooth wireless technology feature helps you to connect the device with compatible devices and transfer pictures, music, etc.

Both Apple iPhone and Nokia N95 8GB deals are available on all the major portals and online shops. Browse through the amazing offers and deals available online and select the one that suits you the best.
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Cell Phone Directory

iPhone malware attacks set to go big in 2008?

2007-12-12T20:17:00.000-08:00

Security researchers are warning that the iPhone may generate a new cybercrime wave, becoming "a primary target for hackers in 2008."

Arbor Networks believes the iPhone will become a major target, subject to a "serious attack" in 2008.

The researchers predict drive-by attacks in which malware is embedded into seemingly innocuous data or images designed to attack iPhone via its web browser.

It looks like Apple's battle with iPhone unlockers may generate interest in attacks on the device. Responding to that war, hackers "will be enticed by the possibility of attacking Apple users and the opportunity to 'be the first' to hack a new platform," the researchers said.

The security firm also warns of a rise in 'Chinese on Chinese' cybercrime in the year ahead, noting a dramatic increase in attacks on Chinese language-specific software.

This reflects fast-paced increases in Chinese computer users and increasing organization among China's cybercriminals.

"2007 was the year of the browser exploit, the data breach, spyware and the storm worm. We expect 2008 to be the year of the iPhone attack, the Chinese Hacker, P2P network spammers and the hijacking of the Storm botnet," Arbor Networks said.

"Online fraud is soaring and security attacks are now being used in countless and ever more sophisticated ways to both steal and launder money. Financial and other confidential data is being obtained, sold and utilized in the highly developed black market. In 2008 this market will continue to grow and it is important that business implement the processes and technology necessary to protect themselves and their customers."
source: computerworld.com
Cell Phone Reviews

iPhone SMS Management Utility: Syphone Beta

2007-12-02T20:59:00.001-08:00

Micromat has a utility called Syphone which is a freeware Mac application that lets you view, save and backup your SMS messages.

The iPhone has a limit on the number of SMS messages it can store at one time. If this limit is exceeded, existing conversations must be deleted in order to make room for new messages. Syphone allows you to view and/or save any of these conversations, including deleted messages.

A beta is presently available for download. Requires Mac OS X 10.4 or greater
source: macrumors.com
Cell Phone Reviews

Life without an iPhone

2007-11-25T00:10:00.000-08:00

By JAMES WARDEN, News-Record Writer

“Touching is believing.”

Thus sayeth Apple about its iPhone.

Unfortunately, local residents won’t know for some time whether the company’s newest offering deserves their faith because they can’t touch it here in Gillette.

The iPhone is hardly alone in its absence from the area. Wyoming is large and sparsely populated, and that can delay the arrival of the latest goods and services.

The holiday shopping season that started Friday tests the tech-savvy on a particularly biblical scale, as omnipresent catalogs and out-of-state commercials tease geeks with the “substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

But while those sexy Apple ads can make it hard to believe in life without an iPhone, the Christmas shopping season need not spark a crisis of faith: Some of the latest goods are already here, others are just around the corner and many have viable alternatives.

MORE MAJOR WIRELESS PROVIDERS

- What it is: An expansion from the duopoly that Verizon and Alltel now effectively have in Campbell County.

- Why you want it: One word: iPhone. Until manufacturers start making phones that can jump between wireless providers, local residents will be stuck staring wistfully at ads for sleek phones not available in Campbell County. Even if all phones were made to work seamlessly between rival providers, manufacturers could still choose to limit the hottest phones to a single provider — as Apple and AT&T did with the iPhone. Quite simply, the more providers offering local service, the more access Gillette residents have to the best-selling phones.

- Cost: Comparable to the cell phone service you’re paying for now — just with a different logo on the back of that shiny touch-screen you’ve been eyeing.

- Who’s got it now: Areas with a lot of people in a limited space tend to have the most wireless carriers.

- What’s holding Gillette back: Not enough people, said Roger Entner, a telecom expert and senior vice president of communications at New York-based IAG Research. Carriers are barred from selling service in an area where they don’t have towers, but towers are expensive. To make a profit, companies need about 1,000 subscribers for every wireless tower they put up. Most cities need a few towers. So even when existing companies have just 60 percent market penetration, it can be a risky proposition for a new company to move in on their turf. The arithmetic is so straightforward that Entner accurately guessed the number of major carriers as soon as he learned Gillette’s population.

- Prospects: The signal’s pretty clear that Gillette will be stuck with two major carriers for the foreseeable future.

- Alternatives: Options are limited for carriers, but manufacturers have announced a plethora of touch-screen, multimedia phones similar to the iPhone for virtually all carriers. Verizon’s Voyager, which has already debuted, bears a particular resemblance to the iPhone and has been getting good reviews.

FIBER TO THE PREMISES (FTTP)

- What it is: Fiber-optic connections right into the home. While the telecommunications system is largely fiber optic now, most homes have slower copper wires running the last few blocks to the home.

- Why you want it: Better TV picture quality, clearer phone services and faster Internet. FiOS, Verizon’s FTTP service, now offers speeds up to 10 times that of a typical cable modem connection, and the company has tested speeds twice that rate, said Sharon Cohen-Hagar, a spokeswoman for the company.

- Cost: Verizon has plans that include TV, phone and Internet for about $100 a month. Internet-only plans range from $40 to $180 a month, depending on the speed.

- Who’s got it now: Verizon, the largest FTTP provider, offers its FiOS service in parts of the northeast, Texas, Florida and California. As of September, more than 2 million homes in North America have direct fiber connections, according to the Fiber to the Home Council, an organization that promotes the technology. The overwhelming majority of those homes are in the United States.

- What’s holding Gillette back: Prohibitive start-up costs. Access to FTTP requires laying new fiber-optic wires, said Stephen Hardy, editorial director of Lightwave, a magazine for the fiber-optic industry. That is much more costly than hooking up cable or reworking a copper-wire network to allow speedier DSL service. Fiber-optic cable often simply isn’t laid unless a project already requires digging up streets or stringing wire. Consequently, the service is still very much a niche product; just 2 percent of U.S. households have direct fiber connections.

- Prospects: “Unlikely at any time in the foreseeable future,” Cohen-Hagar said. Verizon has no plans to expand FiOS beyond the company’s old network — which doesn’t run into Wyoming. There are some signs of hope. Fiber optic networks are cheaper to maintain than traditional copper-wire networks, Hardy said. Verizon’s market muscle could also whittle down vendors’ costs and make the technology more attractive to smaller companies. Yet he estimates that it will be about a decade before companies switch over to fiber entirely.

- Alternatives: Cable Internet and DSL. While these high-speed connections are already starting to seem commonplace, nearly half of American households have no Internet or just a dial-up connection.

APPLE RETAIL STORES

- What it is: A traditional brick-and-mortar store stocked with Apple products and run by the company itself.

- Why you want it: Forget waiting precious days for that crucial iPod accessory to arrive by mail. Just drop into the store, pick up the item and get back to enjoying tunes the way you like ‘em. Add in personal shopping assistance, seminars and a one-on-one training, and you have the techie equivalent of a Sunset Boulevard fashion boutique.

- Cost: Depends on what you’re looking for. Many accessories cost about $30, while the latest Mac or MacBook Pro can run well into the thousands.

- Who’s got it now: Apple has more than 200 stores worldwide, but Gillette residents must drive 335 miles to Boulder, Colo., or Broomfield, Colo., to shop at one. The company doesn’t have a single store in Wyoming, and it has just six in Colorado and Utah, Wyoming’s only neighbors with an Apple retailer.

- What’s holding Gillette back: An Apple spokeswoman said the company generally doesn’t talk about the types of markets in which it likes to establish retail stores. But the list of the current stores shows that Apple stores center on densely populated metropolitan areas. Colorado, a state with 4.8 million people, has just five stores. Utah has only one store for its 2.6 million people. Wyoming, a state with a mere 500,000 people, is hardly the only state without a store. When the tech hubs of California, Oregon and Washington are discounted, almost half the states west of the Mississippi lack an Apple retail store.

- Prospects: Chances are slimmer than the newest iPod Nano.

- Alternatives: Those intent on Apple-branded products can log on to the online store at http://store.apple.com. But Apple products have become so pervasive that traditional retailers offer most types of third-party accessories.

CITYWIDE WIRELESS INTERNET

- What it is: Internet service that can be picked up anywhere in town.

- Why you want it: To access the Internet wherever you go. Sure, coffee shops and other businesses provide similar service. But you don’t have to scrape together enough change for a cup of coffee or — let’s be honest — stand outside the business like a panhandler while you check your e-mail for free.

- Cost: Generally free or low-cost.

- Who’s got it now: A diverse group of cities. Smaller communities have used taxpayer money to set up free, public Wi-Fi networks in areas not served by private Internet service providers. Metropolitan areas, on the other hand, have tended to work with privately funded companies to provide for-pay service, although this is often subsidized to reduce costs for low-income residents.

- What’s holding Gillette back: Priorities. The city has been working for the past two years to build a wireless network, said city Administrative Services Director Pam Boger, who heads the committee that is exploring the issue. Yet the goal of this network is to allow city employees to provide more efficient service, not to offer free Internet access to residents. Police officers, for example, could receive details about a suspect in their patrol cars or city utilities could access information on a resident’s water use without needing to send a meter reader by the home. The committee plans to present further details about the project to the City Council in January.

- Prospects: “At this point, we’re not looking at something accessible for the public,” Boger said. “Maybe some day, but that is not our top priority.”

- Alternatives: Coffee shops have been the traditional domain of wireless Internet, but even some fast food restaurants such as McDonald’s have it now.

LOCAL TV STATIONS

- What it is: Local TV

- Why you want it: To make sure you’re able to find out the results of that Camel game or City Council debate when you flip on the 5 o’clock news.

- Cost: Free to the consumer.

- Who’s got it now: Cities of all sizes across the country have local TV stations, but the Wyoming Broadcasters Association lists just three cities with major, for-profit TV stations: Jackson, Cheyenne and Casper, which has two stations.

- What’s holding Gillette back: Money, said Bill Sullivan, a TV representative for the Broadcasters Association and general manager of KCWY-TV in the Casper area. Starting up a station is expensive, and advertising revenues are hard to come by. Sullivan has a $500,000 budget for his news operation alone. Regulations make it hard even to air Wyoming channels broadcast from outside Gillette because the city is in Denver’s “designated market area.” Thus, KCWY, an NBC affiliate, can’t bring service to Gillette without slashing all the programming it has in common with the Colorado NBC station that already has a channel here. “Of course, no one wants to run a quarter of a network.”

- Prospects: Not a pretty picture. “Wyoming isn’t an area that’s known for making money in the broadcast business,” Sullivan said.

- Alternatives: Gillette Public Access TV offers coverage of some local sporting events, including high school football and dirt track racing. Beyond that, out-of-state TV stations are the rule.

WIRELESS BROADBAND

- What it is: A way for mobile phones to access the Internet at speeds comparable to speedy in-home cable Internet.

- Why you want it: The iPhone has given mobile phone users a vision of surfing the Web with a fully functioning browser. But if you don’t have high-speed access, forget about it. You wouldn’t watch your favorite YouTube videos with dial-up, would you? Wireless companies also offer specialized content — such as TV shows, music downloads and GPS directions — through their own broadband-based services, as with Verizon’s V-Cast and Alltel’s Axcess.

- Cost: Providers generally require customers to subscribe to one of the company’s premium plans, which usually start at $20 to $30 more than a traditional plan. Packages with access just to the specialized content can usually be added onto a plan for between $15 and $20.

- Who’s got it now: Coverage is comparable to mobile phone coverage a few years ago: It’s not everywhere, but it’s fast becoming ubiquitous. Densely populated areas and major thoroughfares are most likely to have coverage.

- What’s holding Gillette back: Nada. Gillette fits squarely into the evolutionary roll-out of these products.

- Prospects: Just got up and running. In October, Verizon and Alltel both launched their EV-DO service — the version of wireless broadband used by those companies, among others. While wireless customers may have started to see bars popping up on their phone’s “EV” meter several months ago, the service was just in its testing phase then. Now, though, the system is ready for anyone who wants to jump on board. The downside? A company’s wireless broadband service works only with that company’s phones. If you don’t have Verizon or Alltel, you’re out of luck in Gillette.
source: gillettenewsrecord.com
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