Not so new news: T-Mobile Germany confirms ongoing negotiations with Apple for iPhone exclusivity
Friday, August 31, 2007
This isn’t going to come as much of a shock to most, but T-Mobile Germany has confirmed that they have indeed been in talks with Apple over the upcoming European (specifically, German) release of the iPhone. Hamid Akhavan, CEO of T-Mobile Germany, said that they “have held talks with Apple but have nothing more to say at this time,” at a press conference.
So, aside from the almost accepted fact that T-Mobile AG will most likely be bringing the Apple iPhone to the land of fast cars and hardcore porn (what? we already mentioned the sauerkraut and Autobahn), there’s not much here that we didn’t already know. But, since there is no official word on the outcome of said negotiations, we’re going to wait for T-Mobile or Apple to announce an official deal before we declare Deutsch Telekom (which owns T-Mobile Germany) the iPhone winner in the German market.
Akhavan also stated that Apple will be bringing the iPhone to its European partners “well ahead” of the holiday shopping season - which sounds to us like a sly confirmation that T-Mo AG will indeed be part of the party. And, just to make it clear. We still have no idea what’s up with the 3G European iPhone - will it, or won’t it, make it to Europe?
[Via: Yahoo]
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- Fire up the rumor mill - Orange may have clinched iPhone exclusivity contract in France
- Germans in a frenzy over impending Apple iPhone release
iPhoneSIMfree: Release of software unlock solution for the Apple iPhone in three days
Thursday, August 30, 2007
It looks like the AT&T legal hounds haven’t gotten to the guys at iPhoneSIMfree.com yet. Unlike UniquePhones‘ questionable software unlock status, iPhoneSIMfree has already clearly demonstrated, through independent means, that their software-based unlock solution truly does free the Apple iPhone from AT&T’s evil grasp.
Today they’ve released FAQ on their website in which they outline their plans to make their iPhone-unlocking software available for public consumption in just 3 days! Well, the software should be available witthin 48-72 hours, so we’re going with the three-day mark just to play it safe.
Hit up the FAQ - it’ll answer any and all questions you might have about iPhoneSIMfree.com’s software unlock for your iPhone.
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- Hardware unlock tutorial for Apple iPhone is now live!
Nokia copies Apple iPhone with pride
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
First Nokia courts the likes of rival Microsoft by licensing the software giant’s PlayReady DRM scheme and Windows Live applications suite for Nokia Symbian S60 devices. Now it looks like the Finnish handset leader is taking design cues from Apple. They’ve basically come out with what amounts to a Nokia-made Apple iPhone knockoff - hit the vid above to see what we’re talking about.Now, when we talk about clones and rip-offs, we’re usually referring to the sub-quality goods coming of the land of dim sum and Communism (read: China). This time around, Nokia is the one cloning the heralded Apple iPhone - and it’s a touchscreen! Not only does this phone represent Nokia’s newly-found fondness for the touchscreen, it also represents Nokia’s acceptance and admiration of the iPhone. Check out the video, it’s pretty damn familiar, eh?
And, it seems Nokia has no problem copying Apple’s design. Says Nokia’s Executive VP about the design similarities between this phone and the Apple iPhone, “If there is something good in the world then we copy with pride.”
On behalf of iPhone users worldwide, we’d like to thank Nokia for the hat tip. Who said the iPhone wasn’t revolutionary?
Update
This video is a demonstration of the UI that Nokia intends to use, not the phone hardware.
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- Apple launches the Apple iPhone guided tour!
Could Nokia be behind the anonymous order for 8 million iPhone touchscreens from Balda?
We’re just throwing it out there, but we’re thinking that the Apple iPhone UI copy from Nokia and this 8 million unit order for Balda-sourced touchscreens could be related. Cellular News is reporting that Germany’s Balda has won a contract to provide 6-8 million touchscreens for an unnamed “leading mobile phone manufacturer.” Balda is the supplier for the iPhone’s touchscreens.
If Nokia is serious about replicating the same user experience that the iPhone UI has championed, it would make sense that they would source the same touchscreens that are used on the Apple iPhone itself.
Production should start in April 2008 in Xiamen, China.
We’ll keep you update on these happenings. We’re rooting for Nokia to bring an iPhone-like handset to market next year. Maybe alongside the Apple iPhone v2.0? We’ll see, we’ll see.
[Via: Cellular News]
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Nokia launches Ovi brand, consolidates all Nokia services - watch out iTunes
Nokia has opened “the door” to it’s new internet services brand “Ovi.” Apparently, Nokia isn’t satisfied with just dominating the mobile phone market, now they want to try their hand at internet-based services - music, games, and maps. With “Ovi,” which means “door” in Finnish, Nokia will be consolidating the Nokia Music Store, N-Gage, and Nokia Maps services under a single brand.
Says Nokia President and Chief Executive Officer Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo, “We started this journey with our navigation services earlier this year and we are now combining all our services into a single branded offering - Ovi by Nokia. Over the coming 12 months, you will see us integrate new user interface elements, service suites and web communities to Ovi.”
We can’t wait to see what Nokia brings to the web-based services segment. Ovi is set to offer over-the-air downloads to handsets - with music, games, and navigation software already under it’s belt, Apple’s iTunes is definitely up against some stiff competition.
Expect to see Nokia roll out more and more internet-based services over the coming months. It’s interesting that Nokia would enter into a partnership with Microsoft to bring Windows Live application to Nokia devices. Does Nokia not consider Windows Live a significant threat to their Ovi brand?
Check out the Ovi gateway here - http://www.ovi.com/. The service is expected to go live by the end of this year - Q4 2007.
Nokia press release.
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WebEx PCNow goes iPhone
Cisco owned WebEx announced the iPhone-optimized version of its remote desktop access service WebEx PCNow. Through a partnership with SoonR, the new service allows iPhone owners to access their desktops for search, Microsoft Outlook contacts, calendar, email and multiple types of documents. In addition — I guess also thanks to the partnership with SoonR — WebEx PCNow users can make and take VoIP calls via Skype. WebEx also finds important to note that their service is the first such solution to support both PC-to-PC and phone-to-PC access.
Anyway, if this sounds compelling to you, you can try the service free for 30 days, after which you’ll need to pay $11.95 per month for two PCs. Native support for Mac OS X desktops is also coming later this year.
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Luxury lifestyle magazine Elite Traveler launches iPhone-optimized website
It’s kinda boring to go through all that pages of Elite Traveler while you’re flying in the private jet, isn’t it? That’s why the luxury lifestyle magazine distributed aboard private jets in over 90 countries decided to find its place in the “iPhone world” by releasing the the version of its magazine optimized for the Apple’s handset. Developed in partnership with Texterity, the new website provides rich iPhone users with the ability to read everything about luxury destinations, products and services for the ultra-affluent outside of their private jets.
Anyhow, iPhone users can access the full contents of the Elite Traveler magazine from here. Those without an iPhone can visit this page for more information. I wonder if I could read Elite Traveler without a private jet? 
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iPhone?s accelerometer can be used in 3rd party apps?
Apple is one lucky company to have all those fans making iPhone apps without an official SDK. Now, a guy claims he has figured out how to use the iPhone’s accelerometer in applications. What follows is the short video demoing some wacky stuff and games, which use the accelerometer for controlling objects on the screen. On the second though, this might be the pre-recorded video and such things are still not possible. Who knows…
UPDATE: It seems this is the real thing. The guy who made this video posted the source code!
[Via: Gizmodo]
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Nokia iPhone
This looks awesome...
Samsung adds Bluetooth to the MP3-player mix
What's the one thing you could change about your MP3 player if you could? Right, exactly — that annoying headphone cord that gets tangled up, breaks easily, and generally weighs down your ears. Well, Samsung thinks its fixed the problem with its YP-P2 and YP-T10 MP3 players, both of which prominently feature Bluetooth wireless technology for streaming tunes to wireless headphones.
Never mind that those headphones are sold separately. Pretty annoying, yeah, but at least that means if Samsung's YA-BH270 Bluetooth headset turns out to be a total piece of crap (simmer down — I said "if"), you can turn to other options.
The iPhone-esque P2 (above) has a 16:9 display, weighs 3 ounces, and can store up to 8 GB of music and video. The T10 weighs just 1.5 ounces and stores 4 gigs, but it does video as well. No price info on any of this stuff, but Samsung plans to release them next month, so we shouldn't have to wait too long. Check out a pic of the T10 after the jump.
Samsung releases two new MP3 players
Samsung has just announced the release of a couple of MP3 players, making the YP-P2 and YP-T10 official. The P2 comes with a 3" touch sensitive widescreen display, bringing a display ratio of 16 to 9 to the table. Available in 4GB and 8GB capacities, this MP3 player is equipped with Bluetooth connectivity and packed in a body that measures just 0.4" thin. When used with Samsung's own YA-BH270 Bluetooth headset, the P2 will be able to share audio with up to three people simultaneously. As for the T10, this 0.3" thin player comes with 4GB of memory, a 2" display, an integrated FM radio, Bluetooth 2.0 connectivity, a voice recorder, a text reader, and support for major audio and video file formats. Both the P2 and T10 will be available in September at a yet undisclosed price.
Horntones FX-550 brings MP3s to horns
If you hate the loud sound of a car horn, perhaps the Horntones FX-550 would come in handy. This unique kit enables users to trigger any MP3 audio instead of an undignified blare, so the next time you are caught dozing off at the red light, perhaps a wake up call from 2Pac or Eminem would be more effective. The Horntones FX-550 comprises of an SR-100 loudspeaker, the AP-150 amp, and the FX-550 in-cab player. The FX-550 itself comes with 256MB of memory to store all your audio, while 9 preset buttons and a couple of negative triger inputs allow users to select the current tone that they want. For $250, this is certainly a luxury to have, and I believe you'll reach for the horn more often than you did in the past to take advantage of this 'investment'. I know I'd like the Road Runner bleep from his cartoon.
Teenaged iPhone hardware unlock hacker trades unlocked iPhone for Nissan 350Z and three iPhones!
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
We got this little tidbit from our IntoiPhone sister site. It seems that the teenaged hacker behind the hardware unlocking solution for the Apple iPhone couldn’t resist the temptation to trade his unlocked iPhone for a brand new sports car and three locked iPhones.
He’ll be enjoying his new hacker-status and that brand new Nissan 350Z as he goes off to college. We can see it now - “Hey baby, I’m the guy that unlocked the iPhone and got this here 350Z. Wanna watch Galaxy Quest in my dorm room?”
Good luck geohot.
[Via: IntoiPhone]
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Tie Clip MP3 player concept
The Tie Clip MP3 player concept not only offers you the ability to put on a tie in the fastest manner possible, it even provides you with some audio entertainment as you sit through the long commute. Designed by Jin Woo Han, it comes with a single line LCD that allows you to flash a short message to all and sundry. Other features include basic navigation controls and some flash memory inside. I still wonder what's the relevancy of wearing ties as it serves no real practical purposes, instead it gives you the added risk of getting strangled to death should your tie actually get caught between the doors of a moving bus or train.
Woodland iPod Ice Chest Cooler
Monday, August 27, 2007
Just when you thought that you've seen every single iPod speaker system, along comes the Woodland iPod Ice Chest Cooler. This unique waterproof cooler features waterproof speakers and a rainproof outer shell, making sure the contents inside don't get soaked during a downpour. It boasts an integrated AM/FM radio to keep you entertained on your picnics as well as a line-in cable that lets you hook up your iPod or other compatible audio player of your choice. Better get a waterproof iPod case to go along with this though. The Woodland iPod Ice Chest Cooler measures 11" x 8" x 9" and runs off a quartet of AA batteries, and it retails for $49.99.
iPhone Unblocking Software Release Blocked By AT&T
This news comes as no real surprise. AT&T has threatened legal action against software makers that are offering the key to unlock the Apple iPhone.
Several websites, including Engagdet and iPhoneSimFree.com posted their iPhone-freeing news to the world while Uniquephones’ iPhoneunlocking.com announced they were about to reveal their $25-$50 solution to unlocking the iPhone.
The software was said to be available beginning at Midnight on August 25, but the release was delayed by communications from AT&T. The company said that their software was a copyright infringement and illegal software dissemination.
Stay tuned for updates on the release on iPhone unlocking software.
Multiply goes iPhone
So, it’s not just Facebook who have launched the iPhone-optimized version of its site/service. Now, Multiply — the social network for “real relationships and private sharing” — is joining the iPhone wave.
Unlike other such services which offer stripped down versions of their sites for the Apple’s handset, Multiply is giving FULL access to the iPhone users. This translates into photo and video sharing, blogging, commenting, inviting new users and joining groups — all while on-the-go.
Too bad Multiply isn’t as popular as Facebook or MySpace are, although they’re everything but a small community — in July, they reported 9.4 million unique visitors.
[Via: Mashable]
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iPhone Armband for sporty types
Are you a proud owner of an iPhone? Brando has the iPhone Armband that keeps your spanking new handset in place while you sweat it out at the local gym. The armband has a length of 42cm, so unless you have overdosed on synthol injections, that ought to be long enough to fit just about any arm. The only problem would be the wired headphones - won't exercising with a wire dangling out be rather distracting to say the least? You can pick up the iPhone Armband for $14 a pop.
One nice looking iPhone clone
Sunday, August 26, 2007
We have seen tons and tons of iPhone clones and ripoffs since it has been revealed by Steve in January if this year. This is one of the best ones I have seen from the lot. Firstly it doesn't look cheap and the screen seems to be of good quality. The front and back looks good...if the front didn't have those words printed above and below the screen it would have been even better. Here are some specs.
- 3.2 inch QVGA 260K touchscreen
- microSD support
- 2 mega pixel camera
- Nintendo NES and GB emulator
- measures 116.5x64x15 mm
- weighs 126 grams
- 6 speakers (4 front + 2 back)
Check out the clip below of the phone in action.
Pics and video from m8cool
Apple iPhone gets software unlocked - finally!
Friday, August 24, 2007
It’s finally happened. Not even a day after we brought you that hardware unlock solution for the iPhone (from geohot), the intrepid iPhone hackers over at iPhoneSIMfree.com announced their full software unlock solution for the Apple iPhone. Unlike geohot’s hardware unlock, there are no risky circuit solders to deal with - an unlock iPhone is just a few mouse clicks away.
We knew the software solution was on the way, but we had no idea that we’d have an actual, working method so soon. Engadget got their hands on a preview copy of the unlocking software, and they can confirm that the unlock is 100% functional - everything works perfectly, with the exception of AT&T’s proprietary Visual Voicemail feature. The Engadget test-iPhone was freed from AT&T’s evil grasp and signed on to the T-Mobile network.
The iPhoneSIMfree.com software unlock is restore resistant, but we’ll have to wait and see if Apple will be able to update the iPhone in such a way as to render this unlock solution useless.
Stay tuned, we’ll keep updating this space as more information becomes available!
[Via: iPhone Central]
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iPhone unlocked and simfree
It gives us great pleasure to announce the worlds first (and only) software driven sim unlocking service for the iPhone(tm). No need to open your phone. No need to solder.
Major benefits include:
Chose the provider you want, use any SIM card from any network provider in any country
No more outrageous roaming charges. When traveling simply pick the local provider of your choice and change your sim card.
Poor network coverage no longer an issue, use the network provider best suited to your region
Save money! A favorable exchange rate makes for excellent value for money when importing
To silence any doubters out there, we are welcoming publications from around the world to apply to receive their iPhones(tm) unlocked FREE OF CHARGE. If interested, please submit an application via our Contact Us form. The top three applications will receive a free un-lock within the next 48 hours, which will be soon followed by the commercial launch of the software for public consumption.
SALES:
Individual per unit licenses will be available starting next week. We are currently opening up our mail for bulk purchase enquiries of 500 licenses and above. Interested parties please Contact Us.
http://www.iphonesimfree.com/
Video from engadget
SMS-messages on the iPhone
Mobile-review have posted an article talking about the messaging capabilities of the iPhone. He puts the iPhone up against the Nokia N95. Here is final impression.
You should overhype the lack of MMS support though ? this standard can be easily replaced by regular email. As I see, for many manufacturers MMS is a mere act of paying homage to the decisions they made in the pas t- the market has almost no demand for this service.
Wrapping it all up, I can say the following on the iPhone?s messaging options ? it is an unlimited storage for messages, which turns out to be worthless for the want of the most essential features like sorting, search and general message management. All information you deem worthy should be literally written down ? like on that foot-operated spaceship.
Today any handset offers more than the iPhone on the messaging front. As far as smartphones are concerned (which the iPhone has nothing to do with in the first place) S60 tears the Apple?s product to pieces without breaking a sweat. If we were to give this phone a one-word characteristic, it would be ?beautiful?. For it doesn?t have any other merits. You can meditate, watching over dialogues or pop-up windows, but the usability is in question here, no matter how you look at it.
P.S. If you can give us some constructive criticism on this article ? you are more than welcome, but please save us from the likes of ?I don?t use SMS, so nobody needs this feature for sure?. Also, I can?t take such arguments as ?they will chunk this/that in some time in future?. This product is on sale today, at this very moment.
Cnet: Apple iPhone vs. Nokia n95! MUST SEE
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Perhaps no other cell phone in history has been as anticipated as Apple's iPhone. From the moment it was announced by Apple to the time it was released six months later, the cell phone was a constant topic of rumors and speculation. Now that it's here, we can report that the iPhone largely succeeds on most fronts, particularly as a music player, but it's hardly the only cell phone with multimedia prowess. The Nokia N95 also offers a raft of music and video features and admirable performance. So which one is better, you ask? Well CNET is here to provide an answer, as we pit the two phones against each other in their first head-to-head match-up.
Let's have a clean fight, fellas. Ding ding.
iPhone Drops Extra Large Phone Bills
This announcement comes as no surprise, AT&T has decided to drop the extra large phone bills that subscribers got that itemized their call and data information last month.
Instead they’ve decided to opt for a summarized bill that will be only a few pages long. Anyone that wants to access the information provided in the larger style can still see this information online.
“It’s going to be in a decidedly thinner envelope. Given the fact that some of our iPhone customers are going to be heavy data users — and we like that — we also don’t want them to be burdened by getting tons and tons of paper in the mail, figuratively.” said AT&T spokesman Mark Siege.
Summarized billing statements will begin on September 28, 2007.
Cnet puts the Nokia N95 and Apple iPhone in the ring - gloves off, fight on!
There have been a slew of Apple iPhone vs. Nokia N95 comparos in the past weeks, nay months. Who could forget our very own Stefan’s hilarious “I’m an Apple iPhone” mock commercials (if you haven’t seen the entire series, check it out now). Both phones are the pride and joy of their respective companies, so hype and buzz are basically a requisite when mentioning either the iPhone or N95, but which one is right for you?
Cnet’s iPhone v N95 match-up seeks to answer just that question - the gloves come off for this one. Fight!
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Hardware unlock tutorial for Apple iPhone is now live!
Just like he promised, George Hotz over at iPhone JTAG has released the tutorial for his hardware unlock hack to free the iPhone from the evil grip of AT&T. But, in a surprise move, geohot went live with the instructions ahead of schedule.
Now, if you’ve got the guts and soldering skills to give it a go, head on over to iPhone JTAG for the instructions you’ll need to crack open that iPhone and unlock it for use on any network.
If any of you out there actually attempt this hack, please let us know how it goes. And good luck!
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Rumored ?fat nano? iPod pictures leak out of Apple
Some pictures of a squat iPod hit the Web last week, and a few sites picked them up as a rumor. Nothing new, right? But then Apple went ahead and had their legal team ask Gizmodo to take them down, essentially confirming them as the real deal (the pic above is an original rendering from Gizmodo). Whether the new iPods will look like this or be completely different is unknown, but these certainly have more credibility at this point than some baseless rumor.
As for baseless rumors, well, there are a few as to what these fatty iPods will actually be. One rumor says that they'll come in 8-GB and 16-GB flavors, play video, and no longer be called "nano." I've got to be honest, nothing about these things gets me excited in even a tiny way. Bring me a widescreen, touchscreen iPod or bring be nothing at all, Apple.
Via CrunchGear and Gizmodo
European carriers commit to revenue sharing plan for Apple iPhone - T-Mobile, Orange, O2
Steve Jobs made waves in the wireless industry by getting AT&T to bend to his will - revamping the voicemail system to accommodate Visual Voicemail, nixing any handset subsidies or rebates, and even sharing revenue (not to mention new contract bounty) with Apple. Now, the Financial Times is reporting that he’s at it again. Ever the arm-twister, Jobs & Co. have finally managed squeeze a commitment out of T-Mobile Germany, Orange France, and O2 UK for a revenue sharing plan on the Apple iPhone. The deal outlines a 10% kickback to Apple for all revenue from call and data transfers made on iPhones.
While sources close to the matter (the best kind of source) are claiming that the deal is slated to be announced at an IFA trade fair in Berlin at the end of August, neither Apple nor the European trio will comment on the situation.
The deal, if true, basically confirms rumors that T-Mobile will be getting the iPhone in Germany; Orange in France; and O2 in the UK (although, we have reason to believe that O2 will share the iPhone with Vodafone). Futhermore, if this deal turns out to be legit, it could open the door for other handset manufacturers to demand similar revenue sharing plans from carriers. Who said the iPhone wasn’t revolutionary?
We’ll keep ya’ll updated on the latest developments on the overseas iPhone dealings.
[Via: Financial Times]
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Apple releases iPhone update - version 1.0.2 fixes bugs, green-tinted photos
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Didn’t we just get an Apple iPhone update recently? ‘Tis the beauty of the iPhone’s integration with iTunes - it’s easily updated and patched. The newest update bumps up your iPhone to version 1.0.2 (the last update was version 1.0.1), and fixes more bugs. Most notably, the update fixes that green-tinted photo problem we mentioned earlier.
If you want in on the update action, connect your iPhone to iTunes and “download and install” the update. If you’ve applied any of the numerous hacks out there, you may need to restore your iPhone prior to the update (the software verification step might be a problem otherwise).
So, while we anxiously await the release of an iPhone update v1.1, we’ll just have to make do with security and bug fixes. Come on, Apple. Hook it up with some new features, will ya?
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Europe Gets Ready For The iPhone
The iPhone will be hitting Europe in the near future, and analysts have a number of questions concerning the launch. It’s believed that the distribution of the phone in Europe will be much different than that done in the States. Apple has apparently already signed agreements with three major European telcos to handle the phone.
Germany’s T-Mobile Deutschland, France’s Orange, and Britain’s O2 (UK) are reported to have signed exclusive deals to sell the iPhone in their respective markets, with an announcement expected as early as next week, according to the report, which cited unnamed sources.As part of the deal, the operators agreed to give Apple 10 percent of the revenue they generate from the sale of voice and data services for the device, the report said.
All three operators declined to comment. Other potential partners, including Telef�nica and Telecom Italia, are keeping mum as well.
Vodafone Group, Europe’s largest mobile phone company, diplomatically pushed the ball into Apple’s court. “We really don’t have a lot to say, I’m afraid,” a company spokesman said. “This is really a question for Apple.”
It’s unlikely the plan will be anything like the exclusive deal Apple signed with AT&T, but details currently remain sketchy. AT&T needed to make a number of concessions to win the business from Apple, and it’s likely the same will be expected of European counterparts. They will do it, of course, for a chance to service a lucrative market of consumers.
Apple Releases iPhone 1.0.2 Update
The update only lists "bug fixes" as its description and weighs in at 3.7MB. According to early reports, no new features have been noted.
Users who have hacked their iPhone may see problems with their update. In these situations, you may be required to restore to factory default and then update, but you may lose your backups.
Users who have only installed Ringtones appear to be safe, with the ability to upgrade normally.
source
M-toy MP3 player targets kids
The M-toy MP3 player concept will definitely appeal to parents with loud, wailing brats. The entire circular section is an OLED display that shows different distorted images, and kids will have to spin these displays correctly in order to unveil the correct image. Once that is done, music will be played via the pair of integrated speakers. Audio files are transferred through the removable USB memory key. This M-toy MP3 player was designed by Sung-kyu Nam and it looks more like a giant lollipop than anything else. Having OLED displays on the top surface isn't such a good idea in the hands of kids, as we all know what a force of nature they are.
iPhone Saves Golfer?s Life
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
In an unlikely story, 53 year old Irwin Koss of DeWitt, New York was saved by his iPhone. Not with a phone call or with life saving information, but by deflecting a golf ball that hit him in his chest.
The Life Saving iPhone
Mr. Koss was afraid to leave his valuable iPhone unattended in the golf cart, so instead he put the device in his shirtpocket. He was in direct line with a friends oncoming golf ball on the seventh hole.
Completely unlocked Apple iPhone - hardware unlock uses circuit workaround!
Full unlocked Apple iPhone? Check. Works on any network? Check. Software unlock? Che…wait, no it’s only a hardware unlock solution. For now, at least.
The good folks at iPhone JTAG have announced that they have fully unlocked the iPhone with their custom hardware solution. The circuit-based workaround requires that you open up the guts of your precious iPhone and do some soldering. the team is exploring a software unlocking solution as we speak, so keep your hopes up!
We’re expecting the team - gray, iProof, geohot, dinopio, lazyc0der, and an anonymous contributor - to release the unlocking instructions a week from today. So, keep an eye out, and stay tuned. If you’ve got the cajones to pry open that iPhone and put your soldering skills to the test, you’ll be rewarded with a fully unlocked iPhone.
In the meantime, check out the video of the unlocked iPhone.
[Via: iPhone JTAG]
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Teeth used to control iPod
iPhone unboxed and disassembled
Here are a ton of pics from the unboxing of the iPhone up to total disassembly. I know that if I had the iPhone, I would never take it apart. Enjoy the pics!
LG U990 answers the iPhone
The iPhone shines in terms of user interface, but hardware-wise, it stumbles along. The LG U990 looks a little like the iPhone, although it surely boasts superior hardware specifications such as a 5 megapixel pixel with Schneider Kreuznach optics for great looking candid shots, a 120fps video camera, 3G HSDPA connectivity, up to 170MB of internal memory, an integrated music player, and a lovely 240 x 400 touchscreen display. The LG U990 is set to hit the UK sometime this fall, and could make its way to the US next year. Either way, there is no word on pricing at this point in time but you can bet your bottom dollar that it won't be cheap!Buy LG Cell Phones
iPod Shuffle on your wrist
Where do you normally place your iPod Shuffle? Most people like to clip it on a belt loop, but how about taking a different approach by wearing it around your wrist by picking up the iPod Shuffle 2 Watch Style Case? This $9.99 case also helps keep your Shuffle from the scourges of dust and minor scratches without closing access to all ports and sockets. There is a myriad of colors to choose from - black, green, frost white, pink, and purple, although blue is the default shipping color. It would be cool if this came with some form of time keeping function.
iPhone KickStand Crystal Case
The iPhone KickStand Crystal Case is the perfect friend to complement your iPhone as it not only gives you adequate protection but allows you to watch your favorite videos without suffering from cramped fingers. The transformable kickstand is versatile since it makes provision for both horizontal and vertical viewing. Other features include a removable belt clip, anti-dust protection, and a unique, ergonomic design that helps prevent your precious $500 handset from experiencing any scratches. To show off the beauty of the iPhone, this KickStand Crystal Case has done away with colors of any sort, and is available only in a transparent format. You can pick one up today for $16.99.
A new iPhone ripoff
Monday, August 20, 2007
And I thought that there will be no more iPhone clones or ripoffs. Nothing really iPhone about it except that huge logo and label on the back. The phone has a new type of touchscreen with the icons on the top and a chrome battery cover on the back. Anyways, here are some specs.
- 3.6 inch 260K QVGA touchscreen
- 2 mega pixel camera
- microSD support
- 6.1 speaker system
- measures 123x58x14 mm
- weighs 118 grams
Pics from m8cool
Keep your iPod hidden by switching tracks with your teeth
With iPod theft running rampant, many people are afraid to pull their expensive music players out to change tracks when in crowded areas. You can't really blame them; if there's anyone to blame, it's Apple for not putting in better anti-theft software. But in any case, that's the way things are.
Researchers in Japan want to make it easier for skittish music fans to change the song on their portable players without feeling exposed. They've developed a way for you to change songs using only your teeth. Fancy headgear equipped with infrared sensors and a microcomputer will be able to tell when you've clenched your teeth for one second, which is different than what happens when you chew or talk. That way you can invisibly switch tracks without drawing attention to yourself. Or, alternatively, you could just not listen to your iPod when walking through dark alleys at night. It's really up to you.
Yahoo, via The Raw Feed
iPod Shuffle costs a bomb
Samsung gears up with new MP3 players
cheap iPod music
iCube iRec: iPod direct video recording
From now on, there’s no need for a computer when it comes to getting videos on your iPod, thanks to MacWay’s iCube iRec. This dock lets iPod users connect an analog video source (VCR, DVD player, Camcorder…) to it and at a touch of a button, will convert and record the video directly onto the iPod’s drive. Users can tweak the quality settings to choose between a nice image or more hard drive space.
It works with the following iPods: iPod 5G (Video) 30 Go | iPod 5G (Video) 60-80 Go | iPod U2 base Video 30 Go | iPod U2 base Video 60 Go.
Download iPod moviesBoblbee Solar iPod case
You would not be disappointed in thinking that the Boblbee Solar iPod case comes with solar charging capability. Not only does it offer a way to juice up your iPod without any power outlet in sight, it also offers some form of protection against your beloved portable media player. Being shockproof is not enough as this unique case is waterproof as well, letting you bring it to the pool without any fear of introducing it to Mr. Short Circuit. Granted, a solar-powered charger will take much longer than the good old power outlet, but when you're out in the wilderness, you don't have that much choice, do you? LED lights indicate when it is charging, while pressing a button shows exactly how much more juice you have left. Pricing and availability details are still unknown.
Apple and Vodafone in final stages of working out iPhone exclusivity deal for European release?
Sunday, August 19, 2007
The iPhone launch in Europe is part rumor, part speculation, and a whole lotta anticipation. Apple will be releasing the iPhone in Europe, it’s just a question of when and with which carriers.
Sources close to the situation (we love when reports start off like that) are saying that Apple and Vodafone are in the final stages of hammering out a deal to bring the iPhone to Europe. The source expects an official iPhone announcement in the coming weeks, but only after Apple and Vodafone see eye to eye on a couple of issues.
It seems that Vodafone may not be as willing to bend to Apple’s will as AT&T was - says Gartner Inc. analyst, Ken Dulaney, “We don’t think they want to give up that much control.”
Vodafone’s demands:
- Vodafone wants the YouTube application to work more like the web-based version (could a Flash update be on the way?)
- Make the iPhone sync calendar and email
- Better security and firewalls
- A re-worked and simplified WiFi security process
- And the sought-after “cut and paste” feature in the iPhone’s Safari browser
Now that Vodafone and Apple are actually getting down to the nitty-gritty negotiations, we’re just gonna sit back and wait for the iPhone to launch in Europe. Just kidding, we’ll keep you updated, as always.
[Via: Unstrung]
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Learn about food and wine on your iPhone
Everyone’s “going iPhone” nowadays, so why not a family winery in Yountville, California? Actually, even before the iPhone, Goosecross Cellars — a Napa Valley family winery — had a great informative-educational website Napa Valley Wine Radio for wine and food lovers around the world. Yes, I knew about their website from before.
Anyway, both their blogs and podcasts are optimized for the iPhone, meaning that you can listen to Napa Valley Wine Radio’s podcasts directly from your shiny handset without connecting it to iTunes and syncing.
I guess you could have find your way around their site even before they’ve issued a press release, though I give them credits for jumping to the iPhone bandwagon to get some free PR. Or that’s just me who waiting an opportunity to blog about food and wine. 
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100% unlocked iPhone spotted for sale
It has a Chinese UI but no Chinese input though. It can use all HongKong sim cards but the cards need to be "fixed" and then they can be used in the iPhone. The price is about 1800$ US. Yikes...
Unlocked 100% Chinese enabled iPhone pics and video
Here are some pics and a hands on video of the unlocked iPhone. The phone is also Chinese enabled (in the UI) though lacks Chinese input.
Pics and video from phonedaily
Netvibes launches iPhone-optimized site
Friday, August 17, 2007
The latest Web 2.0 company to jump to the iPhone ride is Netvibes, which just a day or two ago launched the special version of their popular personalized homepage service for the Apple handset owners. By pointing iPhone’s Safari to m.nv1.netvibes.com, you’ll be able to login to your existing Netvibes account and take it from there. Naturally, the iPhone version is just a little bit crippled — i.e. some images are lacking — yet it loads much faster to save you time while on EDGE connection. From what I can tell, this looks great - especially when you need to check your RSS subscriptions multiple times a day.
[Via: TechCrunch]
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Apple CAN update iPhones remotely!
Ladies and gentlemen we have it confirmed — Apple can trigger iPhone updates remotely (Knowledge Base article #306272). Natural question is - will this bring an end to the updates via iTunes? I don’t think so. It doesn’t sound logical that Apple would want its users to rely on EDGE connection to update their iPhones. Rather, Apple may use this feature for some small tweaks like the addition of “Send to Web Gallery” button.
It’s also interesting to note how remote updates can basically kill all the iPhone unlocking schemes. As soon as the new trick for unlocking the device is revealed, Apple can issue an update that could block the iPhone or at least put it back to the original settings.
Let’s look at the brighter side - Apple may add search or some other feature without notifying us. The Christmas is still few months away, yet I can easily imagine many iPhone users adding stuff on the Wishlist hoping that Jobs&Co will notice it and remotely update iPhones…
[Via: gadgetsonthego.net]
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SHIFT: How Apple can stop stolen iPods forever
It happens all too often. You turn your back, and bam! Your iPod is gone. It's been pinched. Jacked. Stolen. In fact, well over 50 million iPods have been taken illegally. One tragic murder has been attributed to a stolen iPod, and consumers have spent millions of dollars replacing their jacked players. If you're one of the victims of this gadget crime spree, how pissed off would you be if you discovered that Apple has the ability to report, disable, or at least help track these stolen goods? After the jump, I'll take a look at what can be done.
Like many consumers, I have a love/hate relationship with my iPod. One of the things I've had problems with is how cumbersome it is when I first log into iTunes to purchase songs. Is this one of my five "authorized" computers? Do I remember my user ID? Password? Is the credit card my music billed to still valid? Apple does a lot to make sure its DRM-encoded music is protected. But, what does Apple do to protect my music, my music stored on my iPod? Apple knows when I plug my iPod into my computer. If I report it stolen, why can't they tell when it's been plugged into someone else's computer?
Some other people have been asking the same question. One poor sod whose girlfriend's iPod was stolen while he was borrowing it took matters into his own hands. After discovering that Apple would do nothing to help retrieve his beloved's beloved, he started a website to help others with a similar plight. His website, StoleniPods.com is a place to search for, or report stolen devices. He even has a registry for products with his unique Unlose.it labels, where items are returned for a reward.
It appears that Apple has realized that it has the power to take a stand against iPod theft. If iPods are rendered useless when they're stolen, then they would be no longer desirable to thieves. I would love to think that Apple has some big conspiracy theory; if an iPod is stolen, chances are pretty good that the original owner is going to buy a replacement — perhaps even an upgraded (i.e. more expensive) model. But alas, no such conspiracy exists. Apple obviously knows when an authorized iPod is connected to iTunes, but company reps have told police that tracking stolen ones is just too big of an undertaking for them.
But after millions of complaints about their inability to track, recover, or at least disable stolen iPods, Apple has finally decided to make a move. In a recent patent application, Apple is proposing a plan that if an iPod is plugged into an unauthorized recharging device, it will not recharge. Rendering the iPod useless after the remaining charge runs out, this is a huge step in the right direction.
A bigger step would be to actually track the units when they're plugged into a computer. It's easy to see that Apple wishes to help out honest consumers, but doesn't want to get into the policing business (even though it willing does so when it comes to copyrights), but it seems to me that more can be done, and if you have any suggestions, by all means put them in the comments below. As an iPod user, I'm just glad to see that steps are in motion to make my iPod less attractive to Apple Jackers.
An audio engineer based in Atlanta, Leslie Shapiro has been covering consumer electronics for almost a decade. Her work has appeared in many publications, including Sound & Vision, Crutchfield Advisor, and How Stuff Works as well as AOL. A longtime consultant and legal advisor for the electronics industry, she has a penchant for Bianchi and Colnago Italian bikes, and her favorite word is "synchronicity."
iPhone Learning Curve Steep For Businessmen
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Consulting firm UserCentric determined that business people are in for some frustrations in learning how to use the iPhone for text messaging.
A usability study conducted by research and consulting firm User Centric found that people who use QWERTY phone keyboards, a favorite among BlackBerry and Treo smartphone users, took twice as long to type the same message on an iPhone. People use to the multi-tap system on a conventional mobile phone, where a user taps a key multiple times to get the correct letter, weren’t significantly faster on the iPhone.“The device (iPhone) itself has innovative and interesting technology, but that does not necessarily mean that the touchpad is innovative,” Gavin Lew, general manager of User Centric told InformationWeek. “It’s a feature for business users and those who send text messages frequently that at the end of the day is just a touchpad.”
They even suggest that some QWERTY users will never make the adjustment.
Apparently, some times you can teach an old dog new tricks, and other times you can’t.
iPod nano gets HybridShell
Meebo now fully optimized for iPhone
The “pre-Alpha” tag is off the Meebo’s iPhone site! Again, there’s no need to download any software, as Meebo works from the iPhone’s built-in Safari browser giving you ability to chat with your buddies on ICQ, MSN, Yahoo and Google Talk.
The team behind the most popular web-based multi-chat client wanted to optimize iPhone version to work with both WiFi and EDGE connections, hence they’ve included new features such as “smart buddy list” which moves active conversations to the top of the buddy list so you can preview messages before opening a conversation. Plus, your buddies are sorted alphabetically so it’s easier to find the contact you’re looking for!
[Via: Meebo Blog]
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Say what?s missing on the iPhone Wish List
Apple’s first handset certainly impresses, but some things are missing. That’s probably the reason why iPhone Wish List was created — to help Apple realize what’s missing on their flagship product. And I’m not just talking about 3G, Adobe Flash support, stereo Bluetooth and a better camera, but also about such features as mark all mail as read, delete multiple emails, allow modification of the home screen without 3rd party hacks, etc.
Anyway, if you have something smart to add, go ahead and do it. But first, make sure to browse around existing suggestions and vote/Digg on them. Hopefully, Apple is listening and soon we’ll have a major iPhone update with many things improved.
[Via: Gizmodo]
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Fire up the rumor mill - Orange may have clinched iPhone exclusivity contract in France
Ahh, now that’s more like it. It almost feels like it’s been too long since we’ve heard anything from the European iPhone rumor mill. The latest bit of hearsay from Le Figaro pins the French iPhone exclusivity ribbon on France Telecom’s Orange network.
As these things go, Orange has denied any official deal with Apple for the sought-after rights to distribute the iPhone in France. But Le Figaro “feels” that the iPhone could launch on Orange’s network. Speculation and a lot of finger-crossing puts the official Apple-iPhone-on-Orange announcement at the end of September, during an Apple conference in Paris.
Apple and Orange, it just “feels” right, doesn’t it? Momma always told us to get our daily serving of fruit.
Oh yea, did we mention that Apple has not officially announced any iPhone-related news for Europe? Well, they haven’t - this is still all rumor.
[Via: Tech.co.uk]
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Facebook hits the iPhone - send FREE SMS text messages from your iPhone!
With everybody and their grandmother trying to cash in on the marketing machine that is the iPhone, it’s not surprising to see that social-networking veteran, Facebook, has launched their iPhone-optimized Facebook portal. The interface is designed to work specifically with the iPhone - most notably the sliding interface that beautifully integrates the feel of the iPhone UI.
The Facebook web-app is quite possibly the smoothest, cleanest execution of an iPhone-optimized site that we’ve yet tried. The interface presents four simple categories that load fairly quickly over an EDGE connection- Home, Profile, Friends, and Inbox. You can keep track of all your messages, news feeds, and even mess with your profile.
Point your iPhone Safari browser to iphone.facebook.com to peep the iPhone-optimized web-app for yourself. You won’t be disappointed, we promise.
[Via: Mashable]
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Facebook Optimizes For iPhone
So as not to be left behind in the mobile revolution, Facebook recently announced that they have releases a mobile version of their website optimized for the iPhone.
iPhone with Facebook - Photo via Chris Messina
So if you’re looking to keep in touch with friends and happen to have an iPhone, things just got a little bit easier for you.
AT&T iPhone bill comes out to hundreds of pages!
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Bills. The mere mention of the word elicits feelings of loathing and hostility. Alas, they are a fact of life - like taxes and death, except there’s just a lot more of them to deal with. We imagine just about everyone feels the same, so it’s easy to see why Justine Ezarik (of Justin.TV fame) felt it necessary to document her first 300+ page AT&T bill for her iPhone. What’s up with all the presumably extraneous pages? Apparently, AT&T itemizes every single transaction made from the iPhone - every SMS text, every call, every data transfer.
Yea, it kills trees. Sure, it’s a complete and unnecessary waste. And, it’s a great example of corporate idiocracy.
But, more importantly, we get to watch a cute blond with interesting eyebrows. She definitely makes the video worth a look. Because it’s important to, you know, uh, watch videos of cute chicks. Wait, what were we talking about again?
Just watch the vid. Oh, and use e-bill.
[Via: Business 2.0]
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New Nike watches to work with iPod
First truly native iPhone gaming application - Lights Off
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Until Apple gets into gear and makes good on their hidden iPhone gaming references, we’re going to have to rely on third-party developers to bring gaming to our iPhones. The “Lights Off” game is the first truly native iPhone game application and takes full advantage of the iphone’s touch-screen. We know, there are tons of web-based gaming apps (as well as the NES emulator and proof-of-concept Doom app) out there, but what good are they when you don’t get any wireless reception (or run less-than-perfectly) .
“Lights Off” works just like it sounds - you’re goal is to turn off all the lit-up squares on your screen. Tap a light to toggle up to four surrounding squares. If the square is lit, it turns off. If it’s turned off, it lights up. Once you’ve turned off all the lights, you move to the next level. It’s simple and fun - and it’s always the simplest games that are the most addictive (we’ve had hour-long battles of “Rock, Paper, Scissors” with a friend).
As these third-party apps go, you’ll have to Jailbreak your iPhone to get the “Lights Off” game installed. But, the hack is relatively benign and you’ll reap all the benefits of a jail-free life.
Download the game here. And you’ll find the installation instructions there as well. Kudos to Lucas Newmans and Adam Betts for their work on “Lights Off.”
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Emgeton Mini One - Windows Powered iPhone Clone
We’ve received a note saying that this Mini One anti-iPhone was coming out at the end of this year. The most notable point is that it has a 720x480 display, which is quite amazing for a 3.3 inch size. Emgeton (a Czech company) claims that this phone is powerful enough to record (and compress) video at 30 frames per second. Finally, it is powered by Windows Mobile 6, which makes me ask: since when does Windows Mobile look so sexy !? This doesn’t look like Windows Mobile. Interesting fact: the display shows Asian characters, hinting at a possible first release in Asia.
Other specs:
- GSM
- Touch-screen
- 3 MegaPixel Camera
- BlueTooth
- TV Out
Logic3 dedicated iPhone speaker dock
Logic3 has the honor of of bringing the first dedicated iPhone speaker dock to the market, and it goes by the moniker i-Station Traveler for iPhone. The i-Station Traveler holds your iPhone in a horizontal or vertical manner, depending on your preference. Not only that, it can slide shut when you want to bring it along with you on your travels, measuring a mere 17cm across. The 35mm neodymium drivers are adequate for a small bedroom, but if you're thinking of throwing a full party with this, I'd seriously ask you to consider as 4 watts of output just isn't going to make the cut. The i-Station Traveler also works with other iPods as well as devices that come with a 3.5mm jack, making it a truly universal speaker dock. It retails fro £29.99 a pop and comes with a velvet-finish case.
Samsung?s YP-P2 player tastes very iPhoney
The iPhone's influence is more than apparent on Samsung's latest MP3 player. From the sleek touchscreen to the icon-based menu to its overall size, the Yepp YP-P3 is definitely an imitator, not an innovator. But that's OK — the question isn't whether it's an iPhone ripoff but whether it's a good iPhone ripoff.
Of course the P3 isn't a phone, but it does have 8 GB for storing music, photos and video, displaying them on the 3-inch display (about a half-inch smaller than the iPhone's). Bluetooth is featured prominently, so you can listen via wireless headphones or just unplug and use the built-in speaker. Not bad, Samsung. No data on price or availability yet, but check out a picture of the touchscreen menu after the jump.
DAP Review, via New Launches
iPhone with Chinese and Japanese spotted for sale in Hong Kong
The Chinese have done it again. This time managing to add simplified/traditional Chinese and Japanese support to the iPhone with the 8 GB costing around 1100$ US and the 4 GB around 970$ US.
Pics of smashed up iPhone
Ouch! What a heartbreaking sight for the eyes. Hey at least the back is alright.
iWood cases are now shipping - get wood for your iPhone
Aside from custom-painting your iPhone with ColorWare’s customization (read: expensive) program, there’s little else you can do to spice-up your precious iPhone’s visual impact. Well, there is that iWood case that protects your iPhone while kicking up the design a notch in the elegance department - but it’s not available yet.
Wait, what’s that you say? The iWood cases are now shipping? Hurray!
The iWood cases come in your choice of Beech, Oak, Padouk, Cherry, and Walnut - all genuine wood. The Beech case will lighten your wallet of ?60 (about $82.10 USD), while the rest of the woody choices will run you about ?70 (about $95 USD). A matching wood stand (?20 ($27 USD)), engraved monogram or message (?10 (about $13.60 USD)), and protective display shield (?10 (about $13.60 USD)) are also offered, but they’ll cost ya. Oh, an engraved logo will also be available starting August 17, so if you can hold out that long, it might be worth it.
Head on over to the website to check out the previews and options for yourself. With all those beautifully crafted wooden pieces, we’re definitely getting wood for our iPhones.
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Japanese man fabricates his own Apple iPhone dummy from scratch!
Monday, August 13, 2007
What do you do if you’re in Japan and you just have to have the new hotness that is the iPhone? Well, if you’re this Japanese guy, you make your very own iPhone dummy shell from scratch. And we thought we were iPhone fans.
Apparently, this guy designed and fabricated his very own iPhone, complete with dummy display, in his own workshop. The execution on his project is incredible, to say the least. Every little detail has been replicated, right down to the recessed headphone jack (although, the homescreen icons are missing the YouTube application). The project was actually started on June 5, 2007 and finished before the US iPhone launch.
Hit up aoshima’s website for pics on the entire fabrication process, it’s actually pretty interesting. This guy documented everything from his sketched-out designs to actual manufacturing to finished product.
[Via: Engadget Mobile]
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Boombox with integrated iPod dock is a ghetto blast from the past
Retro is cool. Just look at clothes, music, and basically every other style out there. It's all cyclical, so what was once cool and then became uncool will inevitably become cool again. With that in mind, this Lasonic Ghetto Blaster with integrated iPod dock is downright awesome.
It's a gigantic boombox straight out of the 80s, but it's been updated for the 21st century with the addition of an iPod dock smack dab in the middle of it. It can also load music up from memory cards or USB flash drives, which I suppose are the modern-day equivalent of the blank cassette. Boy, have things changed. In any case, you also get all the accoutrements of an over-the-top ghetto blaster, so you'll be able to carry it around on your shoulder irritating everybody around you, just like in the good old days.
Lasonic, via New Launches
iPhone Bills Aren?t Eco-Friendly
The iPhone has been around long enough for customers to start getting their first bills for their wireless service - and word is their bills aren’t eco0friendly in the slightest. Some subscribers getting bills that were over 50 pages long, printed on both sides making it at least 100 pages.
Snapshot of a partial bill.
The bill inventories a lot of information about the iPhone user, such as dates and times it was used, the amount of data accessed and a charge of zero.
Seems like a great waste of paper and trees to send out all this information to someone that already basically knows what they are using their iPhone to do.
What are your thoughts on these humongous looking bills? A bit overboard when they could just send you 2 pages with the amount due?
iPhone hacked to do videoconferencing
Since the iPhone was released, legions of hackers and tinkerers have been racing to see who could unlock and modify the much-hyped device first. Well, it looks like someone might have gotten the somewhat-coveted prize, as the ability to videoconference on the iPhone has just been unveiled.
Sure, it'll take a lot of know-how and a strange periscope-like device to do so, but it's possible. The hack was unveiled this past weekend at the C-4 Developer Conference, where it won the Iron Coder's First Prize. In order to get it working, you need the Huckleberry Mirror, which the coders are selling, which uses mirrors to get the camera on the back of the phone pointing in the right direction. It's a bit bulky, sure, but now that the iPhone isn't as exclusive as when you first got it you've gotta stand out from the crowd somehow, right?
Huckleberry Mirror, via Gizmodo
Skype Now Available To iPhone Users
Here’s yet another new service for Apple iPhone users. Shape services recently announced that Skype can be used for IM and their Skype contact list with one simple addition to their Safari web browser.
This allows iPhone users to connect to lanlines and other mobile phones in a cost effective way.
“Noticing the public interest for Skype on iPhone, we decided to use our mobile IM and mobile Skype experience and develop an application for them; this has also been a move towards our IM+ for Skype platform coverage. It is truly easy and convenient to access and use. We are looking forward to hearing some feedback from iPhone users”, said Igor Berezovsky, the company’s CEO, in the press release. “No tweaks are necessary.”
This application works in any environment and doesn’t require wi-fi.
To sign up for this new service, please visit Skype For iPhone.
Apple iPhone vs iPod video pics
Here are some great comparison shots comparing the almighty iPhone against the iPod video. They are both almost the same size but with the iPhone slightly longer but less wide. It's obvious that the screen size of the iPhone wins hands down but the iPod video has the advantage of storage space (way more than 8 GB). The screen qualities are almost the same but I don't know about you guys...I prefer watching movies on that 3.5 inch iPhone screen.
Jwin unveils heavy duty batts for iPods
Doom for iPhone
Saturday, August 11, 2007
iPhone hackers are just crazy! While there’s is no word of any SDK from Apple, that doesn’t stop them in making apps for their beloved handset.
Latest iPhone app we’ve spotted is the port of one of the most popular first-person shooter game - Doom. It’s still work in progress, as the controls for the game does not work and audio is not available yet. But, that doesn’t mean the full game isn’t coming soon — I would expect to see the fully playable Doom 1 hitting the iPhone within few weeks.
If you want to try Doom on your device, you can download it from here. Of course, you’ll need some iPhone hacking software in order to install it. Good luck!
[Via: MobileWhack]
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- Video of Doom running on a Nokia E62
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- Official Apple iPhone accessories unveiled
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- Announcing: Into iPhone - our Apple iPhone mini-site!
iPhone screen problems
Friday, August 10, 2007
I didn't think that this would happen but it has. The great 3.5 inch touchscreen develops dead unresponsive spots. This has happened to lots of people and Apple is addressing the issue (I respect them for dealing with the problem). I find this problem quite serious since it really affects the usability of the phone (since it is fully touchscreen based). Check out the threads, here and here to read posts from many users about this problem.
Some iPhone Users Reporting ?Dead Strips? On Touch Screens
Now that the hype surrounding the iPhone is over and the handsets are out in the wild, it’s time to see how the phone holds up with everyday use.
It seems that it’s already having issues, the latest being a “dead strip” that appears a half-inch from the top or bottom of the iPhone’s display, which causes difficulty using it by disabling access to critical controls or shifting the touch input to the wrong region.
“The bottom of my screen lost sensitivity after only about 20 days of use,” explained one user seeking help via Apple’s support forums. “First the very bottom of the screen went out so I could not hit the space-bar on the keyboard, or change to the number/character screen. Then it got worse a few days later, now I cannot hit any of the main function buttons.”
Minipod speakers look plain weird
I'm not one who is in a position to comment on abstract art, but these Minipod speakers definitely push the envelope when it comes to design. Each Minipod is essentially composed of three spheres that have been manipulated to form a single pressure-vessel, minimizing cabinet vibration, sound radiation and distortion, letting sound waves move freely about. They certainly look quirky enough to add some charm to your desk, and thankfully unlike the Ford Model T, there is more than one color to choose from. In fact, you would probably have a hard time trying to choose between White, Black, Silver, Carnaby blue, Yellow, Red, Racing green, Midnight blue, Pearlescent white, or Lucente.
Concept MP3 player spins CDs, cuts pizza
Thursday, August 09, 2007
The MP3 player market is getting so competitive these days, what with companies like Apple and Creative dominating the scene, that to have any hope of surviving your product has to really stand out. This fresh concept by designer Yong-Seong Kim is just one example of how crazy and cool MP3 players can get if you let your imagination run wild. Closed, the DMP player would function just as any MP3 player would. Once opened, however, the player has the ability to read CDs (!) — albeit in a scary, unprotected manner.
The idea of a digital music player that can also play CDs is certainly a welcome one, even if most of your music is stored on your computer anyway. After all, it has a benefit you can't get on any iPod: Just slide in a CD and you're ready to cut up some pizzas.
Via Yanko Design
Apple iPhone may be getting games soon - the proof is in the code!
It’s really just common sense. Apple’s got to release some official gaming applications for the iPhone. As nice as web-based gaming applications can be, nothing can beat the speed, integration, and convenience of a natively installed game application. But, until we get more solid proof that Apple is working to help iPhone users across the nation waste precious working hours playing on the iPhone, this latest nugget of code will have to be filed as speculation, nothing less.
Apparently, a bit of fishing around inside the iPhone’s code reveals a couple of lines that seem to directly imply that native iPhone gaming will soon be upon us. Here’s the code:
/* ===== iPhone Game Item Strings ===== */ “4329.001″ = “Are you sure you want to remove the selected game from your iPhone?”; “4329.002″ = “Are you sure you want to remove the selected games from your iPhone?”;
Why would Apple include code that would prompt a user to confirm a game deletion? Because they are likely planning on releasing games for the iPhone. We’re done speculating on what features a future iPhone update might bring, but we sure do hope that a v1.1 update come toting some games (and iChat, of course).
[Via: Download Squad]
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- Apple iPhone hacked - in the bad way!
MP3 player with FM transmitter
So you've got an MP3 player, but does it come with an integrated FM transmitter? This 1GB MP3 player does, featuring an FM transmitter that lets you broadcast your favorite tunes over to your car speaker system without the need to pick up a separate device. Other than the mentioned FM transmitter, other features include a directional antenna, an equalizer function, a multi-color OLED display, MP3 and WMA file format support, and a battery that lasts up to 10 hours of continuous playback. The 1GB USB MP3 Player with FM Transmitter can be yours today for £29.99.
NES emulator now available for the iPhone
Well it has arrived. It was no surprise that this will be done but what surprises me is the fact that it came so fast. Playing NES games on that big iPhone screen certainly sounds like fun. I wonder if it runs smoothly though...
Another iPod style Chinese phone
Yet anther Chinese phone trying to be cool iPod style. This phone is all shiny white and has the iPod keys under the screen. It doesn't have too much unnecessary printing on the phone and as a result, the phone doesn't look bad (actually good). I think this is the best looking iPod style Chinese phone I have seen.
Alba launches new MP3 players
Alba isn't exactly a household name when it comes to MP3 players, but that doesn't mean the company doesn't try. They have just launched the MP32GD11SIL and MP34GD11BLK MP3 players that feature solid state memory, available in 2GB and 4GB capacities. Aesthetics certainly isn't the top priority with either player, since they come in a square design, but at least it doesn't flounder feature-wise. You get an SD/MMC memory card slot for expansion options, a blue backlit display, and MP3 and WMA file format support - the bare necessities to get you started. It relies on a single AAA battery for its power needs, getting around 10 hours of mileage. The 2GB and 4GB versions retail for £22.99 and £39.99 respectively. I'd say pick up the 2GB version and use some cash to purchase an SD card to maximize the use of your money.
Skyscape Now Available On iPhones
Skyscape recently announced that their application that allows health care professionals access medical information on their iPhone.
This application serves up a broad range of drug, clinical, lab and evidence-based medical information, and medical alerts to qualified doctors to keep them abreast of changes in the medical field.
Skyscape joins Heartit in providing real time medical solutions to physicians around the globe.
iPhone Hacking Made Easy - Jailbreaking
Are you ready to add apps to your iPhone? Well it’s not quite as easy as clicking “setup”, but it can be done with some ingenuity and elbow grease. In simple terms, jailbreaking is opening up your iPhone’s file and operating system to your computer, so you can add programs.
If you’re on an Intel Mac, you just won the lottery. The easiest software to use, by far, is iFuntastic. It walks you through the entire process with helpful prompts and pictures and is very simple to use. The iFuntastic crew promise PPC support in upcoming releases. If you are a PPC user and don’t have the desire to download, compile and install complicated hacker tools you might be best served by just waiting for the next iFuntastic release.Also keep in mind that you don’t have to jailbreak on your own computer. You can borrow a friend’s computer for 15 minutes to use iFuntastic. That’s handy if you’re a Windows users or on a G4 or G5.
So far the process is only easy for those with an Intel Macintosh. For everyone else, it will take massive amounts of pure grey matter and a lot of ingenuity.
iPhones can now directly upload to .Mac web gallery
Wednesday, August 08, 2007
Beside the standard “Use as Wallpaper,” “Email Photo” and “Assign to Contact,” your iPhone can now send image to the Web gallery (option “Send to Web Gallery”) without any additional update or software. Apparently, beside fixing Safari’s security holes, the earlier 1.0.1 update also brought this option, yet set it up so that it’s turned on after the new .Mac is announced.
In order to get the new option, you’ll need to restart your iPhone first. After that, you’ll probably need the .Mac account in order to upload your photo — at least that’s what TUAW’s Dave Caolo suggests. Too bad it doesn’t support other image sharing sites…
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Shower head MP3 player and speaker
Showerhead with built-in MP3 player makes showering more fun
This sexy, sexy concept design is meant for people who like to rock out in the shower in the morning. You know who you are. It's a combo showerhead/MP3 player that just looks awesome. The speaker is mounted on the wall and acts as a mount for the showerhead as well. It charges the player up, and if you want to either hold the showerhead over your head or control the music, you just pull it on off the wall.
Why is it that the coolest designs are always just concepts? Why do boring things make it to store shelves when stuff like this will probably end up as a concept forever and ever? Why do good thigns happen to bad people? Tell me why!
Via Yanko Design
The Apple iPhone is now a Nintendo Entertainment System - native NES emulator for iPhone
Tuesday, August 07, 2007
We now have natively installed iPhone gaming applications, exactly like we wanted! Google Code is hosting the iPhone NES emulation software, iPhoneNES. The application is not some web-app game that has been optimized for the iPhone - this is a native application brought to us by stepwhite. That means you don’t need a wireless connection to access some web-app, you can get your NES gaming fix in your mother’s basement underground bunker.
iPhone NES is based on the open-source InfoNES core and will only play NES ROMs formatted with an iNES header.
iPhone hacker extraordinaire NerveGas has optimized stepwhite’s software to run faster - the optimized version is also available for download through Google Code.
Download the applications at Google Code, or grab NerveGas’s optimized version here.
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- iNES 3.2 S60 3rd Edition released
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- iNES 3.1 for S60 3rd Edition devices released
Apple sued for patent infringement - SP Technologies claims patent over iPhone?s virtual keyboard
Let the frivolous lawsuits begin! Well, actually, they already did. But this latest suit is more of the patent-infringing type of lawsuit that corporate legal beagles love to dream up. Apparently, SP Technologies is claiming a patent over the Apple iPhone’s virtual on-screen keyboard and is seeking “reasonable royalties” from Apple.
Just what kind of legal basis does SP Technologies have for this alleged patent-infringement? The company claims that they hold a patent for a “method and medium for computer readable keyboard display incapable of user termination.” Right, that sounds exactly like the Apple iPhone’s keyboard.
It seems that the language of their patent would cover a host of other devices that have been on market for some time now. So, why did SP Technologies single out Apple in its lawsuit? Because the iPhone is such a hit. If Apple does indeed sell 10 million iPhones, those “reasonable royalties” add up to a sizable chunk of change.
Way to go SP Technologies, give it the good old college try. Just don’t go crying to mommy and daddy when you’ve spent all your allowance on this little legal adventure.
[Via: iPhone Central]
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Apple iPhone SIM unlocked for UK carriers - forged SIM hack costs $96
Don’t get your hopes up yet, folks. We still don’t have a software-only complete unlock solution to free our iPhone from the evil grip of AT&T, but we do have workaround. Hackers in Europe have devised a method to forge a blank SIM card with a SIM reader/writer to fool the iPhone into working on a non-AT&T network. The hack enables incoming and outgoing call and SMS text features.
Getting your iPhone to work on any network is as simple (or as complicated, depending on how you look at it) as grabbing your Infinity USB Unlimited SIM reader/writer ($88 + shipping) and a blank SIM card ($8.27+shipping).
A Hackintosh forum member has already tested the hack and reports success:
Just tested it - works fine with Orange UK - Call In/Out, SMS In/Out. Great job to everyone who made this possible (specially to the guy that edited the Hex file).
I used the subscriber ICCID, so maybe is best to edit the tutorial - activation should
be the last step.My thoughts on safety of using this: If so called ‘Total Unlock’ is released, it will be
probably patching of the baseband firmware to do a similar thing. So no worry about
alerting the network, the trick seems to fool only the good/bad guy check in the
baseband firmware.
Find the SIM hack tutorial here. And, as always, proceed at your own risk. Your subscriber may shut down your account in violation of your TOS. But, hey, having an iPhone on your non-AT&T network might be worth it. Right?
[Via: Gizmodo]
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iPhone: The Missing Manual
The iPhone, just like the iPod before it, is easy to use, so the company went very light on a user’s manual. Of course the device has tons of hidden features that most don’t know about. So how to bridge the knowledge gap? O’Reilly Publishing has come up with a way. They’re announced a new book by David Pogue called iPod: The Missing Manual which gives you all the insider info you could possibly need.
Pogue’s book covers all of the iPhone’s features, including the phone, applications, iPod functions, and Internet. Topics are grouped logically, and the book includes a well organized index, so you can either start at the beginning and follow along to learn how everything works, or search the index to find the answers to your iPhone questions.
The book (or more accurately E-book) is available through the end of August for $19.99. You can order right from O’Reilly’s website.
iPhone Voice Recorder
More apps are coming out now for the iPhone as developers get a feel for the code. Here’s the newest one, an iPhone voice recorder.
When I returned home from the Apple Store Genius Bar with my new loaner, I put all that thought into code and this is what turned up: my newly written iPhone Voice Recorder utility. Yes, it is little more than a proof-of-concept but (a) it works, and (b) is the first step towards iPhone VOIP.The recorder saves in Adaptive Multi-rate format (.amr files) that you can play back in QuickTime. I put them into the /tmp folder and tell you the name of the file when you finish your recording.
It’s safe to say we can expect many more apps in the coming days.
Super Shady: AT&T Stores forcing Apple iPhone buyers to purchase accessories
As if AT&T Stores weren’t getting a bad enough rap from reports that employees were straight-up refusing to bring Apple iPhones onto the showroom floor, it looks like there are some AT&T Stores actually forcing iPhone accessories down the throats of otherwise willing customers.
Gizmodo is reporting that there have been widespread reports of AT&T Stores forcing iPhone buyers to pick up at least two accessories with their $500-$600 iPhone purchase. The following stores are confirmed as super-shady:
University Village AT&T store at 4626 25th Ave NE, Seattle, WA (Phone 206-729-7184).
Hawthorne California AT&T Store at 5249 W. Rosecrans in Hawthorne California (Phone 310-725-9902)
Pike Street in Seattle
And, it doesn’t stop there. Some stores are even sealing the accessories with the iPhone box - so the store can still charge the 10% restocking fee just for breaking the outer seal, even if the actual Apple iPhone box is still factory-sealed.
We speculated that the AT&T Store shadiness was due to the lack of employee and/or store commission on every iPhone sale. But, it also seems that it mght have something to do with the sale of accessories as well. In case you didn’t know, one of the biggest money-makers for mobile phone retailers is the accessory rack. That $30 charger likely only cost the store a few bucks, so it makes sense to push accessories on customers - and those free accessory “deals” are just like a used car dealer giving you “free” floor mats, they seem like a great deal but they’re just a deal closing tactic.
Reports Gizmodo, “A reader tells us if an AT&T rep doesn’t sell between $60-$65 worth of accessories for each phone sale and $20-$30 worth of features, he can be written up and terminated if sales don’t improve within 45 days. If customers came and bought iPhones without accessories, this would have caused a big downwards drag on their record. Each accessory sold will count toward a rep’s sales goals, even if it’s returned the next day, plus he gets six cents on the dollar.”
So, make sure you buy that iPhone from an Apple Store. But, if an AT&T Store is your only neighborhood iPhone retailer, you might want to head on over to the Apple website and order and iPhone online. Apple doesn’t force accessories down your throat.
[Via: Gizmodo]
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Maestro 1070 iPod speaker system
NES Controller does the iPod
Looks like the iPod doesn't need the Click Wheel to navigate through its menu system - not when you have an old NES controller lying around. Couple that with a fair bit of DIY knowledge and you'll be able to control your 3G or 4G iPod using the NES controller. While it does nothing in terms of portability, you'll definitely score many a geek point with folks who are interested in DIY projects. Is there anything the NES controller cannot do?
Chiva P008 iPod phone hands on video
Here is a 4 minute clip showing us the Chiva iPod phone in action. This is a very interesting phone...check out the rotating UI.
Karl Rove uses Apple iPhone - sensitive Apple information leaks on the way!
What better person to be working on our side than W. Bush’s advisor Karl Rove - pictured here looking completely clueless as he uses his iPhone. His penchant for leaking sensitive government information could work to our advantage. Hooray! We’re looking forward to Rove’s leaking of sensitive Apple information.
Wait, could it have actually been Rove who outed undercover Apple operative, The Fake Steve Jobs?
[Via: ValleyWag]
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Binders that hold your iPod
Monday, August 06, 2007
Fully unlocked iPhones going for sale in Hong Kong
Well kinda...the shops are advertising that very soon they will have the iPhone totally unlocked and 100% functional (as soon as next week). The price has been bumped up to about 1300$ US.
Motorola and Verizon?s answer to the iPhone is KRZR K1m?
Actually, it’s not - yet this fan-made video uses the audio from Apple’s ads to mock the iPhone. Three things you can’t do on your iPhone - downloading ringtones, instant messaging (actually it’s possible via Safari) and removing your battery. Plus, it’s all available for $99… MOTO KRZR K1m on Verizon… Sounds compelling? I don’t think so, although it’s a short and funny clip. And in addition it’s good to finally see Motorola’s fans reacting to the iPhone hype…
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iPhone overview: Apple of discord
Gsmarena posted a very interesting article in which they review the mighty Apple iPhone. There are tons of pics of the device, UI and pics from the cam. Great review as usual from gsmarena. Here are the pros and cons they found and their final words.
Key features:
- Stylish design
- Scratch-proof front glass cover
- 3.5" 16M color TFT display with a resolution of 480 x 320 pixels
- Handset orientation sensor and proximity sensor
- 2 megapixel camera
- Touch-based user interface
- Great UI graphics and animations
- Supreme web surfing experience
Main disadvantages:
- Camera has no auto focus or settings
- No video recording
- No custom ringtones allowed
- Safari browser doesn't support Flash and Java
- Really basic Bluetooth capabilities
- No Office documents editor
- No third party applications
- No 3G support (at least the US version)
Final words?
So let's sum it up. The iPhone doesn't claim to be the best phone ever. It's above average, but it has a long list of drawbacks. It's not a business phone either, so don't confuse it with one. And it's most definitely the best iPod ever. However we find that the description that suites the iPhone best is "a dedicated entertainment multimedia mobile device". If you're keen on browsing, listening to music and consuming multimedia content, this handset is, without a doubt, the top performer in its class. Every process is maximum simplified and as fun as possible. It almost feels like a game. And it's a pretty darn good one, too. Well, time to say goodbye to this much-coveted device - we are looking forward to seeing it hit the European market in the end of the 2007.
Sonic Impact Video 55 for the iPod
New Timex watch can control your iPod, tell time
Sunday, August 05, 2007
This new Timex Ironman does basic watch stuff like tell time, light up, and act as a stopwatch, but it also has another feature that makes it stand out from all other watches: it'll control your iPod. By plugging a 2.4GHz transmitter to your iPod, the fancy watch will wirelessly control your music, allowing you to keep your music player hidden away in your pocket at all times.
It's a pretty neat feature, one that people who don't like busting their expensive gadgets out in crowded places like subways will be sure to like. Hopefully that wireless connection is strong enough to ensure that you music sounds just as good as if you had a wired hookup, however.
Nokia 8800 with iPod keys
This is what it would look like but thankfully it's nothing official or anything. I personally think that it's ugly. This phone is made by diamond who made that very successful LG KE970 Shine clone. Here are the product details from chinatronic.
This gorgeous piece of technology is all about style. It's compact, ergonomic design looks great finished off in chrome. It's similar to one of Nokia's top of the range phones, but only better designed to fit in your pocket without feeling like you're carrying a brick. Of course, styling like this comes with all the very latest technology. Just look at the spec below to see its range of features - MP4, MP3, sound and video recording, camera, 256M T-Flash memory..... It also supports touch screen technology so like most modern phones from China it's more like a PDA than a mobile phone. Manufactured from the highest quality components, this phone os built to last.
- Operating Frequency: GSM 900 / 1800MHz
- Internal 260K Color 2.2inch QVGA Display (320 x 240 pixel).
- Size: 110.8 x 50 x 19.8 mm; Weight: 150g
- Program Memory: 1M SRAM, 256M T-Flash
- Call / Idle Mode Time: 120 mins /200 hours
- Camera: Internal 1.3 mega pixel camera
- Language: English / Simplified Chinese
- Video: MP3 /MIDI/ MPEG4 Playing and Video Recording
- Audio: 64 Chord Polyphonic Ring Tones
- Audio Recording
- Capable of downloading software
- Messaging: SMS, MMS GPRS
- T-flash Memory Card Slot
- WAP Browser1.2.1
- Touch-screen technology display
- Tools: Calculator, 3 games, 3 alarm clocks, messenger, Hands-free speaker
- USB 2.0
Pics from chinatronic
Developers Hope That Apple Will Open Up iPhone
Many mobile phone companies already invite open source developers to come up with new and inventive programs to use on their mobile handsets and many software developers are hoping that the iPhone will follow in their footsteps.
However, security concerns with the phone could delay them from allowing people to develop applications that might breach users privacy.
“Apple says the limitations protect iPhone users from rogue programs that could steal data or disrupt their phone service. ‘Obviously, there’s an important security aspect to this,’” said Bob Borchers, Apple’s senior director of iPhone worldwide product marketing,” Hiawatha Bray of the Boston Globe reports “Programmers have scrambled to create applets for the iPhone. Over 100 are available, mostly free of charge, at websites like applists.com or getleaflets.com, with new applets released every day,.”
“But software designers agree that they’ll never exploit all the iPhone’s power until they can write code directly for the operating system, as they can with other smartphones,” Bray reports.
What are your thoughts on open software development for Apple’s iPhone? Is it something that they should embrace as an important part of their mobile phone development?
Parallels Desktop Beta adds iPhone support - sync your iPhone with Windows Vista/XP running on your Mac
Saturday, August 04, 2007
We know, there’s a bit of irony in syncing your Apple iPhone with Windows Vista/XP through your Mac. Nevertheless, with the new Parallels Desktop Beta, Mac-using iPhone owners can now sync with Outlook without the need to reboot into Windows, and keeps you from having to hoof it over to your Windows machine (what, doesn’t every Mac user have an extra Windows machine in the house?). So, if Outlook is your thing, then download the new beta - it’s free for all trial and registered users of Parallels Desktop 3.0.
As if iPhone support wasn’t enough, Parallels decided to spiff up their interface a bit as well. Coherence windows now work with Expose - which means that Windows application windows will display as a separate windows under the Mac’s Expose feature. Every individual windows, whether it’s a Mac or Windows window, is now selectable and even rendered with cool Mac features like drop-shadows. Now that’s slick!
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Apple iPhone 4GB for $0.99 - for first 9 customers at 99 Cents Only Store grand opening!
Everyone wants a piece of the Apple iPhone’s marketing hype. We know, the hype has kind of died down, but it’s never too late to jump on the iPhone-train. The 99 Cents Only Store wants to lure customers to its grand opening in Westchester, CA. with a $0.99 Apple iPhone 4GB! Simply be one of the first 9 customers in line for the grand opening and you can get your hands on the highly-sought iPhone for just a buck! The next 99 customers get a scooter for the same price, but we’re sure the iPhone will be the star of this event.
Get in line now. Come August 9 (next Thursday), that line is probably going to be huge. Who wouldn’t want a 99 cent iPhone? Even if you hate the damn thing, you could just sell it for a profit at any price.
[Via: MacDailyNews]
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2 weeks of using your iPhone in the UK will cost you 3 grand
Even more of a reason to hate locked devices: some guy took an iPhone to the UK for 2 weeks, roaming of course, rang up a $3,000 phone bill and shit his pants. Who is to blame here? The guy for not knowing about roaming? The operators for not providing lube at the signing of your contract? How about Apple for making it impossible to pop in a SIM card from another telco?
Pick your battles. Good news is AT&T let him off the hook, but it took a blog post on BoingBoing to do it. Sigh.
[Via: Wired]
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That?s not a paperclip, it?s Apple?s official iPhone tool!
Take a look at the picture below. Who knew we were calling this metal-apparatus by the wrong name all this time? Apparently, it’s not a “paperclip” - it’s an official “Apple iPhone tool!”
This is just hilarious. If only there was some way to get our hands on one of these “tools” without having to send out iPhone in for service. Hmm….anyone have any ideas?
But seriously folks, this better be a joke…
[Via: Engadget Mobile]
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Flatpacked boombox receives iPod
Friday, August 03, 2007
This iPod dock is definitely different from the rest since it is made out of paper and comes in a flatpack. When assembled, you will require to insert a couple of AA batteries in order to let the speakers pump out some rockin' tunes from your iPod. Should you be one of the rare few who have not yet embraced the iPod, you'll be pleased to know that this paper boombox also welcomes other MP3 players. This cardboard mini boombox will be released this September, although pricing details have yet to be confirmed. I definitely won't want anything made out of paper to act as a boombox dock considering the fragility of such a medium.
ChangeWave survey shows just how much Apple iPhone is changing the US wireless industry
We all know the iPhone is doing well. Almost everyone we talk to is incredibly pleased with their newly acquired gadget (we have heard complaints, but the pros seems to greatly outweigh the cons). So, it’s not really surprising to hear that the iPhone is changing the wireless game in the US. ChangeWave conducted a survey of 3,003 ChangeWave Alliance members to gauge just how well the iPhone was doing. The results are encouraging, if a little expected.
The iPhone is popping up on the market-share-meter with a full 1% of the wireless market. But, and this is where it gets really interesting, when the respondents were asked about their mobile phone purchases in the coming six months, 16% said they’d plunk down the necessary coin for an iPhone. That’s 16% of the wireless market - “catapulting Apple ahead of all other manufacturers.” In comparison, planned purchases of Motorola handsets declined to 14% (from 33% in October 2006). Future planned BlackBerry purchases were up to 13% (from 10%).
And, corroborating “street reports” of iPhone satisfaction, ChangeWave found that an astounding 77% of iPhone owners were “Very Satisfied.” Research In Motion’s BlackBerry garnered a “Very Satisfied” rating from 50% of owners. However, Motorola (36%), Palm (34%), and SonyEricsson (29%) owners didn’t hold their handsets in as high regard.
Another interesting finding shows that, since the iPhone’s release, 30% of ChangeWave Alliance members planned to switch to AT&T as their wireless carrier (up from 28%). In contrast, only 19% indicated that they would switch to Verizon (down from 22%), continuing the down-ward trend for the third consecutive survey. It should be noted that ChangeWave is pegging AT&T’s market share at 28% (up from 27%), with Verizon’s market share at 29% (down from 30%).
“There’s no doubt about it, consumers are embracing the iPhone. And judging by the numbers, they will continue embracing it,” said Tobin Smith, founder of ChangeWave Research and editor of ChangeWave Investing, in the press release. “The ascendance of the iPhone is going to be a game-changer for both cell phone manufacturers and cellular service providers.”
Find the survey results from ChangeWave here.
[Via: MacDailyNews]
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Timex Ironman is iPod-friendly
Glide Mobile adds Windows Media support to the iPhone
Remember Glide, the online operating system that also works on mobile phones, include the iPhone? Well, they’ve just added Windows Media Audio and Video support to the Apple’s handset. To be honest, I’m not quite sure how this works — my guess is that they somehow convert the audio and video clips to an appropriate file format which iPhone can read.
In total, Glide Mobile now supports 8 audio and 8 video formats for the iPhone, including .wmv, .mpg, .mpeg, .avi, .divx, .mov, .mp4 and .3gp on video; and .wma .wav, .au, .mp3, .m4a, .aiff, .aac and .ac3 on the audio side. The maker of the online OS also said that all supported formats include EDGE and WiFi network version. In the other news, we keep encouraging you to watch video on WiFi connection only…
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iPhone display needs to reboot; Reveals the OS - it?s Windows XP!
Here’s something interesting for PC fanboys. The big iPhone display at an AT&T store (we don’t know which one exactly) is running Windows XP as you can see from the following image. It’s easy to imagine a “Get a Mac” like dialog with PC having quite an advantage - “If you’re so cool Mac, how come you can’t run your own promo displays?”
Any other ideas?
[Via: Gizmodo]
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Rumor: O2 appears to have clinched Apple iphone contract, again
Thursday, August 02, 2007
In yet another round of “Deal, or No Deal” rumor regarding the UK launch of the Apple iPhone, it seems that O2 has secured the exclusive rights for UK distribution of the iPhone - again. Speculation has already pinned the UK iPhone carrier as O2, so we’re not too surprised by this report.
Nic Fildes at The Independent writes, “O2 expects the launch of broadband and Apple’s iPhone to maintain its momentum during the second half of the year, after it outperformed the market over the past three month,” adding that “Peter Erskine, chief executive of O2, said: ‘We’re excited about this product and we certainly hope to be marketing it later in the year when it launches.’”
When O2’s head honcho alludes to marketing the iPhone, the deal is most likely at least in the works. We’re going to put our money on O2 for now. As long as that wheel keeps spinning, we can still change our bet.
[Via: MacDailyNews]
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iPhone cake
For a cake this doesn't look very edible. I thought it was a pillow or cushion when I first saw it. Also, it's so pretty that I wouldn't want to eat it and ruin it.
Pic from zol.com.cn
B&W floats into iPod-dock territory with Zeppelin
We try not to shower you with every iPod accessory that blinks into existence, but when one of the most respected speaker manufacturers in the world steps up with an iPod dock, we take notice. Today, B&W Loudspeakers unveiled the Zeppelin, a football-shaped speaker for your iPod that looks suspiciously good in the product photos. You may have difficulty creating the same lighting effects at home, but the 2-foot-wide speaker is sure to stand out in your living room.
How does it sound? We'll let you know, but with serious hardware inside — five drivers including a 5-inch woofer, glass-fiber cones, and those sweet tapered tubes for the tweeters (built within, clearly) that you find in the company's high-end designs — you can gamble on the "not too shabby" side. Three channels of amplification combine for 100 watts of power, pretty unheard of in this class. And hey, kids, it's also got the goods to send video and pi'tures to yer tee-vee. Solid stuff, to be sure, though at $599 we were expecting solid gold.
Apple iPhone web-apps run on Nokia phones too!
In an interesting twist of mobile phone irony, it seems that Nokia phones are able to run the iPhone-only web-apps that are designed to work only on the iPhone’s Safari browser. You see, the Nokia Series 60 browser uses the same base code as the Mobile Safari browser.
So, where’s the twist of irony? Well, it seems that iPhone web-apps will not only run on the iPhone, but on the arch-rival Nokia N95. Not to mention that the interoperability of these web-apps should spur even more iPhone web-apps based on previously developed Series 60 apps.� We think the fact that two blood-enemies like the iPhone and N95 can share such similar roots (cough…kinda like religion…cough).
Now, seeing as how our apps can play nice, can’t all iPhone and N95 users just get along?
Oh, and world peace would be nice.
[Via: The Inquirer]
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Manage real estate leads on your iPhone
Here’s another vertical market that is now supported on the iPhone. Real estate technology company “a la mode” optimized its Agent XSites software for the iPhone, allowing real estate agents to manage website leads directly on their shiny new handset. To put it in other words, the real estate agents equipped with an iPhone will be able to get the complete information for all their leads, set call back reminders, route and assign leads — directly from the iPhone, while on-the-go. Basically, “a la mode” just optimized the existing web interface to suit the large touchscreen of Apple’s handset. Still, I find it interesting that another vertical market app has been optimized for an iPhone. Plus, the real estate technology company promised to deliver more of their products to the iPhone users…
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Apple Releases Security Patch For iPhone
Of course the popularity of the Apple iPhone has now made the handset the subject of much research, especially in the area of security flaws. Now Apple has release the first security patch for the phone based on these exploits. One of the flaws involved websites or hotspots that could take control of the phone and then be used to send mass messages, similar to what already happens online with zombies and email spam.
The much-hyped iPhone - a combination cell phone, iPod player and wireless Web gadget - quickly became a popular research target after its June 29 launch. Its first-ever software update came just two days before analysts at Independent Security Evaluators were set to discuss the iPhone’s hijacking hole at a hackers convention in Las Vegas.“One of the great things about iPhone is that we can easily deliver software updates and bug fixes through iTunes when necessary,” Apple spokeswoman Jennifer Bowcock said Wednesday from a prepared statement.
The company has also announced a lawsuit against them that alleges that they didn’t disclose the high cost of replacement batteries properly to potential customers.
The good news for security buffs is that the phone can be easily patched using iTunes.
Last Apple iPod News
