m8cool is now selling the real iPhone
Sunday, September 30, 2007
I was really surprised and found this amusing at the same time since 99.99% of m8cool's phones are either clones or ripoffs. They have sold so many iPhone ripoffs that it is quite unbelievable that they are actually selling the real iPhone. This is real and not an incredibly good copy.
Yet another Chinese iPhone ripoff
This is getting ridiculous. Does slapping on the iPhone on a phone, make it more valuable, expensive or attractive? Maybe, this is the case in China. Anyways, this is the latest phone to bear an iPhone badge on the phone. It actually has a not bad design (it has a slim design with checkers colors and style)...having a bit of Japanese look to it (infobar comes to my mind). Here are some specs.
- 2 inch 260K color 176x220 screen
- VGA camera
- microSD support
- 3D sound
- measures 118�40�12 mm
- weighs 85 grams
Pics from m8cool
Man sues iPhone trio over price cuts - Steve Jobs, Apple, AT&T all named in latest lawsuit
And they just keep coming in. The latest iPhone-related lawsuit is aimed not only at the iPhone maker, but at the exclusive iPhone carrier (AT&T), as well as Mr. Steve Jobs himself. The suit was filed on September 24 in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York, Queens. The plaintiff, Dongmei Li, alleges that the iPhone “trio” is guilty of price discrimination, underselling, discrimination in rebates, and deceptive actions in the recent iPhone price cuts that left early iPhone adopters feeling the pain of the $200 hit.
What motivated Li to pursue legal action? Well, first she waited in the launch-day line for the iPhone. Then she found that the store only had 4GB iPhones in stock, so she bought one - which isn’t exactly a horrible story. But then Apple slashed the price of the 8GB iPhone and discontinued the 4GB model - leaving Li with an unsellable, discontinued iPhone model.
The complaint mentions that discrimination comes into play because Li was only offered the $100 store credit while those that had purchased their iPhones two-weeks prior to the price cut were refunded $200 in cash. Furthermore, historical analysis of Apple’s stock price (which Li provided in the 8-page complaint) outlined Apple’s incredible stock-market gains in the time period preceding the price cut. Apple had no financial reason to cut prices, and Li reasoned that the price drop amounted to nothing more than “underselling.”
If Ms. Li is to win her $1 million (in compensatory damages) case against Apple, Steve Jobs, and AT&T, she definitely won’t have to worry about buying another 8GB iPhone (or a dozen) at the new price. This lawsuit seems to be the most legit case that anyone has filed against Apple. We’re not sure if “underselling” is a prosecutable offense, but Li and her attorney sure do make a good case. It’s too bad she didn’t opt to go the class-action lawsuit-route - so that we could all benefit, should she win.
[Via: Apple Insider]
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- Steve Jobs spotted using the iPhone
- It's official - Apple has sold 1 million iPhones
- Free Marketing for Apple and iPhone
- Steve Jobs: Apple will offer $100 Apple Store credit to all iPhone early adopters
Apple still selling iPhones like it?s nobody?s business
In case the completely obvious wasn’t all that obvious, Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster released a report to clients that Apple was still selling iPhones at a higher-than-expected level, following the September 5 price cuts. The 33% price cut heard ’round the world was followed by a 300% increase in iPhone sales, but it seems to have died down to around a 70%-100% increase, compared to the pre-price-drop demand. Analysts had predicted that increased demand would stabilize to a sustained 50% increase over previous demand. Munster expects Apple to sell 1.05 million iPhones by the end of September.
Is it really surprising that cutting the price of the (arguably) most desirable phone to launch in the US was followed by feverish sales? Considering the spend-happy culture that is American society, we think it makes a lot of sense. Afterall, the iPhone is going to be a staple of many Christmas wishlists this year.
[Via: MacDailyNews]
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Related Articles at IntoMobile:
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- 43% of Apple stores have the iPhones again
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- Apple: Only TWO iPhones per person, please.
Before and after the latest iPhone update
Saturday, September 29, 2007
We’ve already posted that the latest iPhone firmware version (1.1.1) is now live and that you can update your beloved handset at any time you want. On one side you’ll get an access to the WiFi iTunes Music store, improved security and louder volume; while on the other, you’ll lose all your favorite native third party applications, hence limiting the iPhone to Web 2.0 apps and services. Is it worth it? I don’t think so, and so does Gizmodo which prepared some very neat illustrations. From there you’ll see why you shouldn’t go the route of the latest firmware update — or, that’s at least we don’t see this firmware hacked as well…
[Via: Gizmodo]
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- Nokia N80 is up to 4.0707.0.7: I quit
- First iPhone update available; Safari security enhanced
Apple and Orange still negotiating iPhone deal?
Wait, didn’t Orange and Apple just announce their partnership to bring the Apple iPhone to France? In fact, they did - just last week. But, according to Reuters, the two companies are still struggling to come to agreeable terms in the revenue sharing model that Apple is demanding from all potential iPhone carriers. With T-Mobile Germany rumored to be giving 30% of revenues, and O2 UK reported to be giving up a massive 40% of their iPhone revenue to Apple, we imagine Orange is under some heavy pressure to agree to considerable kick-backs.
For Orange and French iPhone fans’ sake, these negotiations had better wrap up pretty damn quickly. The holiday shopping season is almost upon us and it would be a shame for the French to have to resort to buying unlocked iPhones on eBay (pre-v1.1.1-update iPhones, that is).
[Via: Reuters]
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- O2 iPhone spotted in the UK!
- Fire up the rumor mill - Orange may have clinched iPhone exclusivity contract in France
iPhone price drops even more in Hong Kong
Friday, September 28, 2007
The iPhone price has dropped to around 560$ US. Now the new price for those who want to unlock their iPhones is around 50 bucks.
Apple kicks up iPhone to version 1.1.1 - WiFi iTunes Music Store, better security, louder volume
Just as we expected, Apple has opened the flood gates on the newest iPhone update (barely getting it in before the week’s end). We’re now in the world of the iPhone version 1.1.1 and it’s looking better than ever. Tipping the scales at a massive 153MB download (via iTunes), the new iPhone v1.1.1 firmware brings the highly anticipated WiFi iTunes Music Store application, enhanced security (which means all current unlocking solution are effectively dead), and increased volume (yes!).
We’re still going to advise all you iPhone unlockers out there to wait on installing this update, as you run the considerable risk of bricking your iPhone. It looks like Apple wasn’t fibbing when they said that applying this update to an unlocked iPhone would cause irreparable damage. Many unlocked iPhone users out there are reporting that, even though the update process itself went smoothly, the iPhone threw an error message upon rebooting. It’s up to you, but if it were us, we’d wait on the iPhone Dev Team to release their unlock-reversing software sometime next week.
And all you third-party app fans with Installer.app installed, take heed - the iPhone v1.1.1 update will wipe out all natively installed applications. Having Installer.app and any third-party apps installed on your iPhone doesn’t seem to affect the update process - you won’t have to remove them prior to updating, but any non-Apple components will be wiped from existence. If you like all those cool little applications on your iPhone, don’t update until the boys at Nullriver have figured out how to make everything play nicely with v1.1.1 (if it’s even possible).
There are also mixed reports of the new update disabling Ambrosia Software’s iToner ringtone-making software. So take that for what it’s worth.
Here’s a quick rundown of new features in the iPhone v1.1.1 update:
- iTunes Wi-Fi music store
- Louder speakerphone and receiver volume
- Home button double-click shortcut to phone favorites or music controls
- Space bar double-tap shortcut to intelligently insert period and space
- Mail attachments are viewable in portrait and landscape
- Stocks and cities in Stocks and Weather can be re-ordered
- Apple Bluetooth Headset battery status in the Status Bar
- Support for TV Out
- Preference to turn off EDGE/GPRS when roaming internationally
- New passcode lock time intervals
- Adjustable alert volume
Again, if you’ve unlocked your iPhone for use on non-AT&T networks, DO NOT UPDATE. It will brick your iPhone. Wait until the iPhone Dev Team figures things out.
But, if you want to try out the WiFi iTunes Music Store, louder speakerphone and receiver volume, TV-out, and the nifty double-tap shortcut feature, go ahead and update your iPhone. Just to be safe, uninstall those third-party apps - better safe than sorry, we always say.
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- iTunes updates to version 7.4.1
iPhones Rendered Useless -Can?t Say Apple Didn?t Warn Ya!
The day of reckoning has come for people that decided to unlock their iPhones in an effort to use other networks. Apple’s software release yesterday left many iPhones black as night.
Engineers at iPhoneSimFree said Friday in a website posting that they tested the iPhone update and found the devices remain unlocked and operable as long as they use an original AT&T chip known as a “subscriber identity module” (SIM) card.
“Unfortunately, currently there is no way to jailbreak/reactivate the phone for use with a SIM card other than the original AT&T card,” an iPhoneSimFree posting said.
“We are all looking into the jailbreak issue as it affects us all.”
Without the optional update, hacked iPhones can be made to work with SIM cards for other service providers.
Earlier this week Apple warned that altered phones would be rendered useless when users updated them. Not exactly good news for the guy that bought it and had to defunct it (on top of paying $200.00 extra for the thing.)
What was your experience with the iPhone update? Was it positive?
iPhone gets new attachments support
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iPhone impersonators
Thursday, September 27, 2007
I guess this is the next best thing to a real iPhone...
Your iPod and HD Radio form an unlikely alliance in Polk?s I-Sonic 2
Polk Audio's I-Sonic 2 entertainment system isn't an upgrade from the first I-Sonic — it?s almost a completely different table radio. First, it uses the latest HD Radio tuner available, which should theoretically make the I-Sonic 2 a better-performing HD Radio. Then there's the iPod docking station that's hidden beneath a sliding door. Composite- and S-video outputs let you watch your iPod videos on a TV.
The I-Sonic 2 also features "iTunes tagging." It works like so: You hear a song you like on HD Radio, then you push the Tag button and the info is saved. Later, when you connect your iPod to your computer, you can sample or buy the song on iTunes.
Using a power port bass venting system, the four-speaker I-Sonic 2 is a tabletop radio with the potential to sound like a much bigger stereo system. It'll be available in November for $500. Spy a pic of the IS2's back panel after the jump.
Via Polk Audio
MP3 Device Cloned After Something That Isn?t An iPod
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Truphone brings VoIP to iPhone
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iPod Classics are cranky
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
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Usability test: Does iPhone match the hype?
We all know that in the technology world, the hype about new products often doesn't match reality. So it's fair to ask: Is the iPhone as good as its hype? In particular, does iPhone's much-discussed touch-screen interface really make using the device simpler and more intuitive?
Everybody will have an opinion, but what's need is something more objective and definitive. So an expert in the field -- Perceptive Sciences, an Austin, Texas-based usability consulting firm -- was asked to examine and compare the iPhone and two competitors.
The results of its tests were unequivocal: While the iPhone is not the most feature-rich device, this group of experts found that when it comes to usability, iPhone does, indeed, live up to its hype.
The phones
Besides iPhone, the two other products in this usability comparison test were selected for two reasons: They were available, and they had competitive feature sets. In particular, the testers needed a touch-screen phone to compare to the iPhone and a more traditional button-based phone with strong multimedia capabilities.
For now, there are few touch-screen devices available. One that has received a fair amount of publicity is the LG Prada, which is not yet available from a U.S. cellular carrier. LG declined to participate in these tests.
Timothy Ballew, seated, and Tom Thornton of Perceptive Science observe as tester Mindy Cambel tries out a smart phone.Another is the HTC Touch, a Windows Mobile device that has both standard button-based navigation and touch-screen capabilities. Like the Prada, it isn't offered yet by U.S. carriers, but HTC still agreed to participate in this test. This device is based on the Windows Mobile 6.0 platform, has a 2.8-in., 240-by-320 resolution display and a 2-megapixel camera. It supports both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.
While the HTC Touch currently isn't available from a U.S. cellular carrier, the company has indicated that it will be before the end of the year. An unlocked GSM version of the Touch is currently available from numerous resellers for between $450 and $600.
Nokia's N95, based on the Series 60 variant of the Symbian platform, provides only the more traditional type of button-based navigation, but it is a multimedia powerhouse. It boasts a 5-megapixel camera and can create VGA-quality, 30-frames-per-second videos. It also supports many types of media playback and has a long list of other features including built-in Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS, not to mention a bar-code reader that came with the test device. It has a 2.6-in., 320-by-240 resolution display.
Unlocked versions of the Nokia N95 are available for between $600 and $700.
Obviously, iPhone is the best known of the three devices. It has received much attention for its 3.5-in., 480-by-320 resolution display screen and its touch-screen interface, in which you use finger gestures for virtually all tasks. Based on the Mac OS X, it comes with a built-in 2-megapixel camera.
The tests
Perceptive Sciences designed this test to be as objective as possible, according to senior research scientist Tom Thornton and research scientist Tim Ballew. That's particularly important, they said, because of the high level of attention iPhone has received; it would be easy for that hype to influence the results of more subjective tests.
The company brought in 10 testers who had never used any of the three devices. It then asked the testers to perform a series of tasks on each device with quantifiable results, such as the time needed to find and use the on/off switch. Other tasks included setting the phone to vibrate, making a call, saving a phone number to the contact list, sending a brief e-mail, taking a photo and finding a Web site using the device's built-in browser.
Based on the test results and on Thornton's and Ballew's observations, each phone was given a score of between one and five (five being the highest) in each of five categories. In addition, each phone was given an overall score.
It's important to remember that these are usability tests, not tests of functionality. Perceptive Sciences took a broad look at the features on each phone, but largely as they related to usability. For instance, the Nokia N95 is justly famous for its strong feature set. But did that feature set contribute to overall usability, or detract from it?
It's also important to remember that the tests focused on how easy it was to pick up the device and use it right out of the box.
"People can eventually learn to use any device," Ballew said. "But that's not true usability. We wanted to see how long it took to figure out how to use the phones. That's the difference between learnability and usability."
The results
Let's cut to the bottom line: In terms of usability, iPhone blew away its two competitors. Its overall score in the usability tests was 4.6 out of 5. The HTC Touch was a distant second at 3.4, and the Nokia N95 scored 3.2.
"Testers were [typically] about twice as fast doing specific tasks on the iPhone, which is pretty remarkable," Thornton said.
Here is a breakdown of how each device scored in the five sometimes-overlapping categories, along with comments from Ballew and Thornton.
Global navigation
Apple iPhone 5
HTC Touch 4
Nokia N95 2.5
Global navigation refers to how simple it is to navigate through the operating system and how easy it is to find and select specific applications. The clear winner in this category was the iPhone. One reason for iPhone's high marks is its simplicity, Ballew noted.
It has one top-level menu, and it has only one button, which lessens the learning curve," he said.
The HTC Touch did reasonably well, in part because, as a Windows Mobile device, it looks and acts somewhat like desktop Windows, which many people are familiar with. People can choose between standard Windows Mobile navigation and using its touch-screen capabilities.
The Nokia N95, however, suffered from too much complexity, even for basic tasks.
"People had a hard time turning it on," Thornton said. "Only 30% of our sample group could turn it on right away."
Once turned on, navigation was confusing to some users.
"You can access different menus from different locations, which can be disorienting," Ballew said. "And common features are hard to find -- turning the sound down, putting it on vibrate, things like that."
Usability/Information Architecture (IA)
Apple iPhone 5
HTC Touch 3
Nokia N95 2
Usability/IA is similar to global navigation, but it more specifically refers to how easy and fun the interface is. This category also includes such issues as how clearly icons are labeled and how easy it is to find applications and specific files. Once again, the iPhone received perfect marks.
"iPhone's [touch-screen] feature makes it fun to use," Ballew said. "Plus, the screen layout is simple and intuitive, and most of the labels are clear. And the file structure is transparent -- you don't see a list of files unless you go into iPod functionality, and even then, a lot of people are familiar with iPod functionality."
The HTC Touch, by contrast, was confusing to some users.
"It has a bunch of icons that are small, hard to see and not intuitive," Thornton said. "And it was hard for people to see the keyboard and to type. Also, the screen isn't brilliant. We had one [tester] who had had her eyes dilated a few hours earlier -- we kept her in the test because she represented a person with imperfect vision. She had trouble with the HTC Touch but not with the iPhone."
Some testers even had trouble making a phone call with the HTC Touch, Ballew said. "That's pretty basic functionality, but we had people who couldn't complete a call at all."
While the Touch had some rocky aspects in this category, the Nokia N95 was almost uniformly difficult to use for beginners.
"Some of the button functionality and labels weren't intuitive," Ballew said. "And some external stuff like the power button being hard to find and use, and the camera not functioning as expected, really hurt it."
Ergonomics
Apple iPhone 4.5
HTC Touch 3.5
Nokia N95 3
Ergonomics refers to such issues as size, weight and shape, as well as the placement of switches and buttons and the quality of the display. Once again, iPhone led the way in this category but not as decisively as in the previous two categories.
"The iPhone is nice and thin, although it's a bit large," Ballew said.
A minor issue is that there's no tactile feedback from the iPhone screen, he added. "People are used to keyboard click, and it wasn't there," Ballew said.
Overall, the HTC Touch scored well in this category, but with some caveats. "There are a limited number of buttons, which is a good thing," Ballew said. "The screen is pretty small, though, and the display isn't that good."
The Nokia N95 has a solid, often satisfying feel, the testers said.
"It's fat, but it's pretty light, and it does have a full-fledged camera," Ballew said. "The display is nice -- better than the HTC, although not as good as the iPhone."
Look and feel
Apple iPhone 5
HTC Touch 3
Nokia N95 4.5
Look and feel refers to subjective issues such as how the device looks, how pleasing various graphical design elements are and its color and style. Once again, the iPhone received perfect marks.
"It's clean and plain, but it has that large screen, which increases the appeal," Ballew said. "It has a minimalist design, which, interestingly, made people feel it was a more high-end phone."
The Nokia N95 didn't trail far behind the iPhone in terms of look and feel.
"The outside look of the Nokia is very nice," Ballew said. "And incorporating a full-fledged camera makes it seem high end. On the inside, it has nice animated icons. So the look and feel on both the outside and inside is pretty nice."
The HTC Touch suffered a bit because its screens were sometimes confusing.
"The home page is different than the start menu, which is confusing," Thornton said. This problem is shared by virtually all Windows Mobile devices, he added.
Functionality
Apple iPhone 3.5
HTC Touch 3.5
Nokia N95 4.5
Functionality refers to what some consider the meat and potatoes of the device -- its applications and how complex and customizable they are. It also refers to the quality of subsystems within the device, such as the camera. In this area, the Nokia was the clear leader.
"It has a really nice feature set," Ballew said. On the other hand, he stressed, its strong feature set contributed to its relatively poor usability scores in previous categories.
"It's right on the verge of feature bloat," he said. "I mean, I'm not sure when I'd ever use the bar-code scanner. And some of the features are hard to set up." In particular, Ballew said it took four hours to set up Wi-Fi on the N95, which was a fast, simple task on both the HTC Touch and the iPhone.
The HTC Touch did well in this category, as do most Windows Mobile devices.
"You can easily add new applications, new widgets," Ballew said. "The screen quality probably decreased the ability to use some of the functionality, though."
By contrast, this is one area in which the iPhone did not excel.
"It has really basic functionality," Ballew said. "For example, the camera functionality is pretty basic. We're starting to see more third-party apps, but they're Web-based, and some aren't very good."
However, Thornton noted that some of the functionality the iPhone did have was extremely well implemented. That was particularly true with the ability to use the Safari browser to see a whole Web page on-screen, then to zoom in on what you specifically wanted to see.
"People were faster and more successful in getting to a Web page with iPhone," Thornton said.
The bottom line in this category is that there often are trade-offs between the feature-richness and usability, Thornton said.
source
Xexoo does gold iPod nanos as well
Xexoo not only indulges your senses with a gold iPod Shuffle, it also caters to those who want more bling in their iPod nanos and iPod Videos as well (not sure if the new iPod Classic has been given the Midas touch treatment yet though). Heck, instead of your standard black or white docking station, why not pick up Xexoo's matching gold docking stations while you're at it? Oh yeah, if your budget permits, do remember to include gold earphones and remote controls as well. After all, investing gurus have always mentioned that gold is a safe haven, so you can always collect a bunch of these as an insurance of sorts against the almighty dollar's plummeting value against other currencies.
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Apple iPhone bests Nokia N95, HTC Touch in usability study
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
So, there’s this Texas-based usability consulting firm called Perceptive Sciences. They just released the results of a test that put the Apple iPhone heads-up with the Nokia N95 and HTC Touch in a usability battle. The winner? Apple iPhone.
The results are sure to rile up the iPhone-haters out there, but the results speak for themselves.
Perceptive Sciences conducted the test with only 10 participants. The subjects had never used the iPhone, N95, or Touch and were asked to make a phone call, set the phone to vibrate, add a number to the contacts list, take a picture, and send an email. Scientists recorded how long it took to complete each task and ranked each trial with a score between 1 and 5.
The iPhone earned a score of 4.6, the HTC Touch nabbed a 3.6, while the Nokia N95 only got a 3.2. Testers were [typically] about twice as fast doing specific tasks on the iPhone, which is pretty remarkable,? said senior research scientist Tom Thornton.
It should be noted that the iPhone trumped the N95 in all categories except “functionality.” With GPS, 3G, and a 5megapixel camera, we’re not surprised.
Got something to say about this test? Leave a comment.
[Via: iLounge]
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Free Video iPod with Sony Ericsson K610i - Double Up Your Entertainment
Sony Ericsson's growing reputation is known the world over. The company has brought some solid mobile phones in the last few years catering to the needs of every mobile phone user. Those who love the photographic feature of a phone for them there are camera phones, for those music lovers there are music phones and the list will never cease. Sony Ericsson is also known for manufacturing some of the finest business phones which come with features like conference calls, Internet activities, document viewer, TV output and so on. If you are looking for a Sony Ericsson mobile phone with exciting imaging and music features, then the Sony Ericsson K610i is meant just for you.
The Sony Ericsson K610i is a slim and smart mobile phone with advanced 3G connectivity. But never think that the connectivity option of the phone is limited to only 3G. There are many a connectivity pools inculcated in the phone like Bluetooth, GPRS, USB, Infrared, UMTS and Fast Port. This Tri Band phone has also got Internet connectivity - thanks to modem, Access NetFront Web Browser and RSS Feeds. For those shutterbugs, there is a built-in 2 megapixel camera with video recording facility. Media player is equally smart and offers awesome musical output.
There are some more features incorporated in the Sony Ericsson K610i - flight mode, push email, email support, sound recorder, MegaBass, PlayNow, 3D games, embedded Java games, downloadable games, M2 Memory Stick Micro support etc. The best thing with the phone is that when you buy it now you can get a free video iPod with it. Presently, the handset is available with the free iPod offer with contract mobile phones, pay as you go mobile phones and other deals. So, what's the wait for? Buy the handset with a mobile phone deal and get a free video iPod from this reputed brand.
Autor: Jayson Pablo
Jayson Pablo, an author who writes on different themes for xpert4u and appeal to visit the site to get information about mobile phones and free sms.
Added: September 25, 2007
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/
Chinese iPod style phone; We actually thought this is how the iPhone is going to look like
If you find the device on the image above familiar, just remember all those “iPhone is coming” articles prior to the official launch. When no one knew how Apple’s handset is going to look like, some of us — including the people from the Business 2.0 magazine — thought it will look like this. The idea was that iPod only lacked a numeric keyboard. Afterwards, we saw Apple shining with the quite different thing…
Anyway, at just 72 grams, the iPod style slider phone is quite light, yet it packs some really decent specs. There’s the 2.2″ 176×220 pixels screen, 2 MP camera, stereo speakers and the standard microSD expansion slot. It’s also important to add, that it comes in all white and looks iPodishly sexy. I could go further and say this is one of the best looking Chinese phones we’ve ever seen. Too bad it’s a semi-clone device… More photos after the jump.
[Via: Just Another Mobile Phone Blog]
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Need To Relock Your iPhone?
On the heels of Apple’s announcement that
iPhone unlocking software could cause irreparable damage to the iPhone, many people are now looking for a solution to relock them.
The folks over at Macnn have come up with a solution to relock iPhones that have been unlocked. They also state that there is no guarantee that it will work and they assume no responsibility if the relock goes wrong, but hey, if you’ve already unlocked the phone, it will be rendered useless anyhow.
USB Flash Card MP3 Player
Brando has a new 2GB USB Flash Card MP3 Player that not only functions as a mass storage device when plugged in, it also doubles up as an MP3 player as well. Since it comes in the shape of a credit card, it makes perfect sense that you can carry this around in your wallet, purse, or pocket with ease. Just make sure you know how to allocate the right amount of space for your musical and storage needs lest some files are required to be purged. This 2GB gadget retails for $42 and comes with an integrated rechargeable battery. No idea on how long the battery lasts before it runs out of juice though, but the absence of a LCD display suggests that it will run a fair bit before being exhausted.
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iPhone update will enable WiFi iTunes Store on iPhones, will cripple unlocked handsets
It’s official. Apple has announced that they will indeed be releasing another iPhone update later this week. The iPhone firmware v1.1.1 (1.0.3) is slated to enable the WiFi iTunes Music Store that will give iPhone owners the ability to purchase and download any music from Apple’s premium music service. Of course, you’ll have to have a WiFi connection handy (you wouldn’t want to download a 5MB track with EDGE speeds, would you?).
There’s one more detail that’s sure to get early iPhone unlockers in a tizzy. Apple has also announced that applying this forthcoming update to any unlocked iPhone may cripple/disable/damage your precious handset’s firmware, permanently. Apparently, according to Apple, the unlocking software that is currently available does permanent and irepairable harm to the iPhone’s firmware.
So, if you’re one of those brave souls that took the plunge and unlocked your iPhone already, you might want to “re-lock” (reverse the unlock process) your iPhone before running the iPhone update. If you’re daring enough, you might want to check out Into iPhone’s guide to re-locking your iPhone, or just wait for the iPhone Dev Team (you know, the same guys that brought us the iUnlock solution) to release their re-lock tool within a week.
We recommend waiting on the iPhone Dev Team’s re-lock solution.
[Via: PRNews]
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AmazonMP3 DRM-free music store
Amazon is launchings its public beta of AmazonMp3.com, a Digital Rights Management (DRM) free music store. That basically means less copy-protection hassle and wider music compatibility for customers. Prices are usually lower than iTunes if you find the particular track or album - the selection might not be as wide as other music stores. The interface is web-based, but I heard that Amazon has software to help iTunes users.
Cheaper music, without DRM? Hum… I’m in!
Amazon.com MP3 downloads launches in all its DRM-free glory
Amazon has just opened up their new DRM-free MP3 store, aiming squarely at the space between the iTunes Music Store's eyes. Featuring plain-old MP3s encoded at a healthy 256kbps, the store one-ups iTunes with price (tracks are $0.89 to $0.99, while iTunes' DRM-free ACC files are $1.29) and with file format, as MP3s can be played by pretty much anything and ACCs are restricted to certain players.
The selection, on the other hand, doesn't hold a candle to iTunes as of yet. Because it consists of only DRM-free selections, there are only albums from record labels such as EMI who don't require DRM as well as indie bands that are just psyched you want to pay for their music. In order to download the songs, you need Amazon's MP3 store software, which is sort of similar to iTunes. You can either buy songs directly through the store software or click through to it from Amazon. It's all fine and well, and it works fine, but until they get more labels on board it probably won't be taking iTunes down anytime soon. But here's hoping that a big name like Amazon will motivate more labels to give up on DRM.
Starbucks And iTunes To Give Away 50 Million Songs
Starbucks recently announced that they are planning on giving away 50 million songs at their domestic coffee houses.
From Oct. 2 to Nov. 7, baristas in the company’s more than 10,000 U.S. stores will hand out about 1.5 million “Song of the Day” cards each day. The cards can be redeemed at Apple Inc.’s online iTunes Store.
Thirty-seven artists with featured songs include Paul McCartney and Joni Mitchell ? the first two to sign on with Starbucks’ Hear Music label ? along with Joss Stone, Dave Matthews, John Mayer, Annie Lennox and Band of Horses.
Starbucks also will offer a limited-edition reloadable purchasing card that includes two free iTunes downloads when customers register their cards online.
Review: 5 surprising things about the new iPod Nano
When news of the new iPod Nano first leaked out onto the tech blogs last month, I was, like many, underwhelmed. Perhaps unconsciously tapping to our hard-wired aversion to obesity, I agreed that the squat design looked like crap compared to the tall, sleek Nanos of generations previous. Who the hell's going to wear that on their arm? I thought. Is this the same Apple that's known for its groundbreaking gadget design?
It would appear so. Now that I've had the chance to play with one of the new Nanos for a week, I see what Apple's doing. This thing is pretty freakishly small. Standing alone in pictures, the Nano looks like an unwieldy giant. Held in your hand, it's more like a metallic, music-playing Saltine cracker. And I have to say — oh, yes, my friends — yum.
That, and three more things that surprised me about the neo-Nano, after the jump.
Speaking of wearing things on your arm, the Nano aces the gym-partner litmus test. At just a quarter-inch thin and a mere 1.75 ounces, it goes straight to the head of your spinning class. Putting the Nano side by side with the comparatively bulky iPhone, it's hard to believe they have the same capacity. Though the Nano doesn't have a touchscreen, the finger-friendly clickwheel is better to have for skipping tracks while in your pocket or armband.
Apple expanded the screen size (1.94 inches diagonal). It cranked the pixel density (to a whopping 204 pixels per inch). The one thing it didn't do is include a magnifying glass, which you'll definitely feel like you need whenever you try to watch video on this thing. And watching widescreen stuff on the 4:3 screen? Fuhgeddaboudit — good thing Apple included a full-screen option. It cuts off the sides, but it helps.
Not helping things is the screen contrast. Watching the same episode of 24 on both the Nano and the iPhone, CTU headquarters looked decidedly grayer on the Nano.
Some kudos are in order for Apple's update to the iPod's navigation. Someone wisely realized that the words in the menus don't really take up that much room, letting them split the screen in half, filling the right side with a visual preview with what's in that folder. So if you've filled your Nano plenty of U2, you'll see cover art for The Joshua Tree, Achtung Baby! et al. float around before the screen saver kicks in. Maybe someday they'll make this useful instead of a minor benefit.
Also featured is cover flow, though it doesn't work as well as it does on the iPhone. The Nano needlessly split up some albums (typically compilations) so all the songs weren't under the same cover. There's a good chance this will be fixed with a software update. Also, the "flow" isn't as smooth as the iPhone's. Nonetheless, it's a welcome feature.
Yes! No useless CD-ROM comes with the new Nano, so the box it comes in isn't much bigger than the player. I have no statistics to point at, but it feels like a "greener" package… except that it's made of plastic instead of cardboard. Other things I personally could have done without: That silly piece of plastic that's ostensibly a dock tray and the included earbuds. Seriously, people, you can do better.
The Nano is certainly miles ahead of the bloated player I thought it was going to be, but is it progress? If you were going to include video playback, I suppose a wider shell was inevitable, even though it's hardly my first choice as a portable to watch video on. Then again, it probably would be in my Top 5. And the video-specific players that would top that list wouldn't be on my list of gadgets to take to the gym, something the Nano is almost perfect for. The Nano is essentially a media player that wants to please everyone. Even though that's an impossible task, it probably comes closer than any iPod that's come before. See also:
Apollo IM iPhone Software Hits 1.0
As an iPhone owner, I can vouch for the fact that one of the things the iPhone was really lacking was a decent messaging application. Apollo IM has finally hit version 1.0, officially ending its beta status. Along with the upgraded number comes some super upgraded features. ApolloIM now features capabilities with not only AIM, but also MSN and ICQ. The upgrade also allows for multiple screen names to be signed on at once.
This is exactly what the iPhone needs! Sure, it might not be the prettiest iPhone app around, but in terms of functionality, and now, stability, ApolloIM will rock your socks. Just keep an eye out since there is no guarantee the software will keep working properly after the soon-to-come 1.1.1 iPhone firmware upgrade.
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Apple Warns That iPhone Unlocking Software Causes Irreparable Damage
Monday, September 24, 2007
Today Apple issued the following statement concerning online unlocking software for the iPhone:
Apple has discovered that many of the unauthorized iPhone unlocking programs
available on the Internet cause irreparable damage to the iPhone’s software, which will likely result in the modified iPhone becoming permanently inoperable when a future Apple-supplied iPhone software update is installed. Apple plans to release the next iPhone software update,
containing many new features including the iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store (http://www.itunes.com), later this week. Apple strongly discourages users from installing unauthorized unlocking programs on their iPhones. Users who make unauthorized modifications to the software on their iPhone violate their iPhone software license agreement and void their warranty. The permanent
inability to use an iPhone due to installing unlocking software is not covered under the iPhone’s warranty.
Think twice before attempting to unlock your iPhone at an unauthorized website. Apple assumes no responsibility for any damages to phones using these unauthorized unlocking programs.
Most popular casual games for the iPhone on one place
This one’s for all of use who don’t like waiting and commuting. The new site/service called Knibble iPhone has all the classic casual games for your iPhone on a single website, meaning you will be able to actually do/play something and turn the waiting into something more interesting. We’re talking about such classics as Sudoku, Bejeweled, Video Poker, and Minesweeper here. All of them are powered by JavaScript, hence you can play them through the built-in Safari Browser. It’s free and they even promised to add more games in the coming weeks and months. And yes, as it’s an iPhone optimized site the interface is slick and easy to use. Here’s the link. Enjoy!
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Sony Announces iPod-Ready Car Stereos
Hooking up an iPod to your car can really be a pain in the ***. Sony introduces a line of three new dashboard head units for your car. The mid-level CDX-GT420IP CD Reciever ($130), which will offer an iPod-esque control interface, will include an iPod dock connector, a built-in 52 watt per channel amp, a front-panel aux input, a set of preamp outputs, and other iPod-friendly goodies.
Sony also announced the CDX-GT520 ($140) and the CDX-GT320 ($100) which from the altered price, you can expect a set of more basic or complex features depending on the model. Available here. More Sony car stereo stories
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One really nice iPod style phone
Sunday, September 23, 2007
There has been many iPod style ripoffs and clones and this by far is the nicest iPod style phone I have ever stumbled upon. It has a simple and white design, without any unnecessary labelling on the phone. It is a slider with decent dimensions. Here are the specs.
- 2.2 inch 260k 176x220 260K color screen
- 2 mega pixel camera
- microSD support
- stereo speakers
- measures 96�46�15 mm
- weighs 72 grams
That iPod style media pad looks nice and big. The phone is quite thin for a slider and is super light. Good job on this one...
Pics from m8cool
Another Chinese iPhone ripoff
Friday, September 21, 2007
It's quite amazing how the iPhone name gets continually ripped off. This phone has no resemblance with the iPhone or anything Apple for that matter (maybe only the white color). The phone is an iPhone on the front and iPhono on the back. The phone features a 2.3 inch 260K QVGA screen, 1.3 mega pixel camera, microSD support, measures 107�50�15mm and weighs 90 grams. The phone appears to have touch sensitive keys below the screen.
Pics from m8cool
Video: Intel iPhone clone, they want to take over cellphones
Watch the video and wait for the presenter to begin speaking. “Cell phones were big, this is going to be major.” Them is fighting words, we will have to see what Nokia, SE, HTC, etc. can come up with and if maybe one day they will be using Intel chips. More power is always a good thing in my book:
[Via: Mobility Site]
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Apple voids warranty for Unlocked iPhones
iPhone users running on the T-mobile network had a bad surprise when their request for service (whatever their problem was) was booted by Apple’s customer service on the grounds that installing 3rd party apps voids the warranty of their iPhone.
So, if you have to bring your iPhone in for repair… it needs to either be really dead, or show AT&T as a network.
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Apple voiding warranties and blacklisting any unlocked iPhones with third-party apps
Well, we can’t say we weren’t surprised, but it does seem a little excessive to straight-out blacklist any and all iPhones that come in for service brandishing an unlocked GSM radio and/or native third-party applications.
Apple is supposed to be neutral on third-party iPhone applications, but they might just take offense to seeing an iPhone working on T-Mobile’s network. One iPhone owner took his less than two-week-old iPhone in for service of his green-tinted camera issue, only to find out that the boys at Apple refused to provide any service. He was also told that his third-party-app-installed, unlocked iPhone would be blacklisted from any future repairs or returns.
The good news is that he was allowed to pay a 10% restocking fee to return the iPhone. The bad news is that all you iPhone hackers out there (are there any non-iPhone hackers out there anymore?) will want to do a complete restore on your iPhone before letting those Apple “geniuses” get their quasi-informed hands on your precious gadget.
[Via: Engadget Mobile]
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Meizu M8 iPhone Clone User Interface
We’ve been telling you about this iPhone clone for a while now and here are (finally) the user interface screenshots: looks familiar, huh? In your opinion, how long before Apple steps in and most importantly will they win?
If you missed it, the Meizu M8 Mini One is set to ship on January 17th 2008 for a price of 290Euros (8GB). It is a 2.5G phone, but a 3G version will appear in 2008, according to the manufacturer. Details are still sketchy, come back to this site for updated info.
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iPhone from?Intel?!
Yes, that could be a very real possibility in the future. Intel just showcased some interesting devices at IDF Fall 07, with this uniquely designed cellphone/portable PC stealing the most thunder. Most people will call this the Intel Phone, or to make it short - the iPhone. It will be powered by Intel's Moorestown platform (a 45nm processor) and comes with integrated graphics, video, and memory controllers, all packed into a single efficient chip. Battery power is rated at 24 hours on a single charge, which is phenomenal considering the amount of stuff they cram inside. Do you think this device will make a big impact should it ever roll off production lines? Definitely doesn't look as though it'll fit into any pocket without having half its body jut out.
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Orange France Telecom to Sell iPhone In November
Chief Executive Didier Lombard of French Telecom Orange announced at an industry event in Hanoi that they would begin selling the popular iPhone at the end of November.
It was confirmed by a company spokesperson that Mr. Lombard signed an agreement with Apple to sell the phones.
It’s expected that the iPhone will retail for 300 Euros (or around $420.00 USD.)
Orange picks up Apple iPhone for France
Following on the UK’s O2 and Germany’s T-Mobile announcement that they will be bringing their respective European nations the much-heralded Apple iPhone, France’s Orange has just announced their intention to bring the iPhone to the crepe-eating, mime-loving population of France. We’re not surprised, but at least it’s official now.
France Telecom’s
Finally, the European iPhone theater is official. We’re sure all you Euro Apple fans can’t wait for November to roll around. Anyone planning on waiting in line for an iPhone?
[Via: CNN Money]
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iBird-1000 MP3 player
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iPhone headphones for music lovers, at last
Audiophile iPhone owners, rejoice. You can chuck Apple's awful included earbuds now that the first iPhone-compatible earphones with an in-line microphone and controls are starting to arrive from headphone manufacturers. Up first: the new Altec Lansing UHS-306 ($90).
Like a growing number of better-made earbuds, the 306 have cloth-covered cords, which makes then less likely to knot and easier to untangle if they do. The thin rubberized earbuds form-fit inside the ear canal for comfortable sound isolation and the speakers deliver full, if slightly thin sounds — but then again I'm unfairly comparing them to custom-fit Ultimate Ear phones. Read more of my hands-on impressions of the 306 by clicking on the link below.
As far as the controls are concerned, the mike on the right cord hangs at chin level and has a button that answers and ends calls, letting you keep your iPhone in your pocket. Further down the cord, below the shirt clip, is an in-line module with a sliding volume control, which adjusts volume, with a microphone mute switch on the reverse side.
Unfortunately, the 306 lacks pause/play or skip keys. But then simply pulling the plug out from the iPhone will put your music on pause. You also get a 2.5mm-jack adapter so the 306 can be used with any thus-equipped musical cell phone.
Whether or not the promised iPhone headsets with full in-line functions from V-Moda, Etymotic, Shure, Ultimate Ears and others also include music controls remains to be seen. And as far as the iPod Touch is concerned, you can use any headphones. Apple made a wise choice and didn't recess its headphone jack.
Via Altec Lansing
France Telecom?s Orange To Distribute Apple iPhone In France
PARIS -(Dow Jones)- French Phone operator France Telecom (FTE) Thursday said its wireless arm Orange has signed an agreement with Apple Inc. (AAPL) to distribute the Apple iPhone in France.
"We have signed an agreement with Apple to sell the iPhone," France Telecom's spokeswoman said, adding that the company will start selling the combined mobile phone and media player in November, without giving a precise date for the launch. The iPhone is being launched in the U.K. and Germany Nov. 9.
France Telecom's spokeswoman said France Telecom "won't subsidize the iPhone," but declined to say how much it will be sold for.
Apple has already signed agreements in Germany with Deutsche Telekom AG (DT) and in the U.K. with 02 PLC.
Apple started selling the phone in the U.S. June 29, with service exclusively through AT&T Inc. (T).
source
Apple increases iPhone production after price drop, in preparation for holiday shopping season
So, it looks like Apple has done the obvious, and we have TheStreet.com to thank for the “scoop.” Sources have said that Apple has revised its initial iPhone sales goal of 1.54 million units to an unspecified number, and has increased iPhone production volume to meet the holiday shopping demand.
We wouldn’t want to see iPhone prices sky-rocket to pre-price-slash prices due to a holiday shortage of iPhones, would we? No we wouldn’t. But, to be safe, you might want to start your holiday iPhone shopping early - it would suck to wait in line for hours to score an iPhone. Trust us on that one.
[Via: Into iPhone]
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SHIFT: The iPhone, obsolescence and the Technology Cycle
That's Technology. Those two words by Steve Jobs were the equivalent of throwing gas on the fire that had already been ignited by the $200 price cut of the Apple iPhone. While Jobs was attempting to explain the sudden drop in price for the mobile device, he was really speaking to the technology cycle. Kudos to you Mr. Jobs, I completely agree with your assessment of how fast technology is changing and those of us who ride the bleeding edge have got to stop crying and face the fact that what is new and shiny today will be old and tarnished tomorrow. I know, I just got burned myself. But am I bummed? Take the jump to find out.
I just finished building my home theater, complete with 1080p projector, THX-certified amplifier with HDMI, and an LG BH100 combo player that plays both HD DVD and Blu-ray discs. You can get the player on the street for around $1,000. The player works great, but not a week after making my purchase, installing it in the home theater, and getting my fill of high-definition movies, LG announced the LG-BH200 that provides more HD DVD support than the BH100. The price, when released later this year, will be $1,000, meaning the BH100 is either now obsolete and a worthless piece of junk sitting in my entertainment center, or it's going to see a price drop as the company tries to empty its inventory.
But I just spent $1,000 on the BH100! LG owes me! Right!? right…?
Of course not. No company in its right mind would offer a rebate simply because the cost of production and product saturation have caused the price to drop. Steve Jobs is no idiot. He's not offering that $100 certificate as a way of saying "sorry," he's doing it purely for public relations.
As new products (combo players, iPhones, laptops, monitors, and so on) are released into the marketplace they go through several different stages, which end up affecting availability and price. I find it quite fun to watch the Technology Cycle in action as products go through the various stages. I know, my wife thinks I'm weird too.
- Bleeding Edge: This is the stage where a product is brand new. This may be a totally new product, or may be an innovation of an existing concept that makes it seem new. The technology is first generation, and hasn't reached maturity or market saturation. Those of us that purchase a product at this stage might be trendsetters (iPhone again), or we might be stuck with a dud (think the Newton — sorry, Apple, you can't win them all). Products released at this point are generally very expensive and only attract those people with the "gotta have it now" mentality.
- Leading Edge: The product has been proven, but it's still not accepted on a grand scale. Both Blu-ray and HD DVD have proven themselves as solid platforms for delivering high-def movies, but taking a look at the sparse catalog of titles available means they're still in their infancy. Prices at this point tend to drop slightly as the cost of manufacturing the product decreases due to demand, and there are general improvements in the components themselves. According to Steve Jobs, getting a better deal on components was one of the main reasons the company can offer the iPhone at a reduced price. This of course leads to more people going out and buying the product, which leads us to the third stage.
- State of the Art or Mainstream: This is where everyone agrees the product is the right one. Market saturation peaks at this stage, and prices seem to stabilize for a while. It wouldn't surprise me if two years from now, we're able to purchase an iPhone for $99, and combination high-definition players for $299.
- Dated: If this were a bell curve, the product begins to slide in popularity in this stage. It's still useful, but new Bleeding Edge technology is there to replace it. Companies begin to offload inventory and begin to play down the popularity of the product in order to promote the next big thing. Anyone remember the RAZR craze? How many people are rushing out to buy one of those phones now? The DVD format is currently in this state.
- Obsolete: The final dying stage of a product. It's on life support now, and anyone buying it is really behind the times. VHS, anyone? No one is asking for their money back on all the movies they bought on this format, and then bought again on DVD.
I said watching the technology cycle in action is fun, but it can also be costly. Those who adopt at the bleeding/leading stages are always going to pay more than someone who picks up the product when it has become mainstream. But that's technology.
Of course there are those who are always looking for a deal, and choose to wait for the next release of a product because it will have more features, be better than the current version, and will cost less. Sadly, if you fall into that group, you're going to be waiting for a long time. Because technology constantly changes, there is always going to be something bigger, better, and cheaper down the road. Instead of waiting, consumers need to jump on at the right point in the curve. For some it may be the bleeding edge, for others it may be the point where the technology has reached mass acceptance. Wherever you jump in, the technology is going to be obsolete eventually, and we'll have wasted our money, right? That's technology.
So where does this leave those who are bemoaning lost money spent? I say be happy. Relish in the New and Shiny, enjoy that new car smell for as long as it lasts, and be proud of your purchase. You didn't get ripped off, you paid for the privilege of being one of the first, the trendsetter, the guy or gal in the office that people flock to when a new gadget comes out. That $200 price drop may seem like huge punch in the gut, but I say forget about it and continue to hold your head (and iPhone) high.
Stephen Schleicher has crossed the country several times over the last couple of years working as an editor, graphic designer, videographer, director and producer. He currently shares his knowledge with students of media and Web development at Fort Hays State University. Stephen is the man behind the Coolness Roundup podcast, and loves reading comic books in his spare time.
Apple admits to defective iPod Touch
The iPod Touch is not all that perfect as Apple confirmed reports of certain iPod Touch players that come with defective screens. Several customers have already complained that playback of dark video screens is all but unwatchable, with them raising the prospect that the iPod Touch contains inferior screens compared to those found in the iPhone. According to Apple, this problem affects only a small number of units, and the company is taking pro-active steps to remedy the situation. No idea on what those steps are, but a replacement would be in good order if Steve Jobs wants to maintain the feel good factor among his customers.
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Glide Presenter 2.0 adds PowerPoint to your iPhone
Again we’re writing about Glide Mobile, which this time is bringing the support for Microsoft PowerPoint files to the Apple’s handset. Just like their earlier products/services, Glide Presenter 2.0 is also a web-based product/service, meaning it will work via the built-in Safari web browser. In addition, this means that the collaborative element is also included with the service, hence you’ll be able to work together with colleagues in Glide’s rights based collaboration environment that includes Glide Email, Glide Share and Glide Chat.
Existing users of PowerPoint will certainly appreciate Glider Presenter’s ability automatically sync and convert their Microsoft PowerPoint documents for compatibility with both their desktop PC and mobile device.
See, iPhone is getting more enterprise friendly every day…
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The latest iPhone ripoff from China
Thursday, September 20, 2007
This phone is all white that seems to have a pink hue. It is not only called the iPhone, it's also called the TPhone. There is the Apple logo both on the front and back. Here are the specs.
- 2.2 inch 176x220 260K color touchscreen
- microSD support
- 1.3 mega pixel camera
- large powerful speaker
- measures 103�46�11.5 mm
- weighs 70 grams
The phone has a nicely blue lit keypad, looks small (thin) and extremely light. It also doesn't look too bad.
Pics from 52sogi
iPhone gets Assisted GPS
Actual photo of Navizon's virtual GPS in action - Thanks Cyril!
Thanks to Navizon’s virtual GPS, the iPhone gets some real-time positioning capabilities. This is done by locating the nearest WiFi hotspots and cellular towers. Navizon also uses a database of geo-information built by its user community.
Go to Navizon’s blog to learn how to install the application. It is free for 15 days, then users can buy it for $24.99. Once installed, you can setup Google Map to use the virtual GPS and instantly know where you are – cool huh?
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Meizu M7 iPod-Touch Clone
Given that consumers’ interest for touch interface is at a peak, Meizu, a known Chinese media player manufacturer, has decided to provide more information about their upcoming M7 media player. Here are the specs:
Size: 48 x 89 x7.3mm (1.9 x 3.5 x 0.3”)
2.8” touch display (15:9 ratio), 480x288 pixel resolution
Video format: 720x480 pixel H.264 movies at 30 frames per second
TV OUT
Pricing: $100 (2GB), $110 (4GB), $150 (8GB)
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Apple and T-Mobile Announce Exclusive Partnership for iPhone in Germany
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
BERLIN?September 19, 2007 ? Apple� and T-Mobile today announced that T-Mobile, the leading network operator in Germany, will be the exclusive German carrier of Apple?s revolutionary iPhone? when it makes its debut in Germany on November 9. iPhone combines three devices into one?a mobile phone, a widescreen iPod�, and the best mobile Internet device ever?all based on Apple?s revolutionary multi-touch interface and pioneering software that allows users to control iPhone with just a tap, flick or pinch of their fingers. Apple sold its one millionth iPhone just 74 days after it went on sale in the U.S. on June 29.
?We?re thrilled to be partnering with T-Mobile to bring the iPhone to Germany,? said Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO. ?Customer response to iPhone in the US has been incredible, and we can't wait to introduce T-Mobile customers to the most revolutionary mobile device on the planet.?
?We are convinced that we can get our customers excited about experiencing the mobile internet with the iPhone,? said Hamid Akhavan, CEO, T-Mobile International. ?I am proud that Apple and T-Mobile have become partners. The best mobile device currently on the market will soon be operating on the best network in the country.?
In addition to all the revolutionary features that made iPhone so popular in the US, iPhone users in Germany will have access to Apple's latest music offerings on iPhone including the recently launched iTunes� Wi-Fi Music Store. The iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store offers customers the ability to browse, search, preview, purchase and download songs and albums from iTunes over the built-in Wi-Fi on their iPhone. No computer is required and when the customer connects their iPhone back with the PC or Mac, their music automatically syncs back into their iTunes library.
The T-Mobile network will also support iPhone?s unique Visual Voicemail feature, which enables users to immediately randomly access those messages that interest them most.
By the end of 2007, T-Mobile will be the only network operator in Germany to offer EDGE throughout its entire GSM network. EDGE accelerates the mobile data transfer rate to over 220 Kilobits per second, which makes it almost four times as fast as ISDN in fixed-line networks. With EDGE, the German market leader offers its customers 100 percent broadband ? anywhere and at any time. With 20,000 HotSpots worldwide, T-Mobile is the biggest Wi-Fi provider in the world. Of those HotSpots, 8,600 are in Germany, where HotSpot users can achieve download speeds of up to 11 megabytes per second.
Pricing & Availability
iPhone is scheduled to go on sale on November 9 and will be sold in Germany through Telekom Shops of Deutsche Telekom and the T-Mobile web shop. iPhone requires a new 2-year T-Mobile tariff and will be available in an 8GB model for ?399 including V.A.T. and will work with either a PC or Mac.
iPhone activation will require an Internet connection; an iTunes Store account or a major credit card; the latest version of iTunes available at www.itunes.de and a PC or Mac with a USB 2.0 port and one of the following operating systems: Mac OS X v10.4.10 or later; Windows XP Home or Professional with Service Pack 2 or later; or Windows Vista Home Premium, Business, Enterprise or Ultimate Edition.
T-Mobile International is one of the world?s leading companies in mobile communications. As one of Deutsche Telekom?s three strategic business units, T-Mobile concentrates on the most dynamic markets in Europe and the United States. Almost 112 million mobile customers were served by companies of the Deutsche Telekom group by June 30, 2007. The common technology platform is based on GSM, the world?s most successful digital wireless standard. This also makes T-Mobile the only mobile communications provider with a seamless transatlantic service.
Apple ignited the personal computer revolution in the 1970s with the Apple II and reinvented the personal computer in the 1980s with the Macintosh. Today, Apple continues to lead the industry in innovation with its award-winning computers, OS X operating system and iLife and professional applications. Apple is also spearheading the digital media revolution with its iPod portable music and video players and iTunes online store, and has entered the mobile phone market this year with its revolutionary iPhone.
iPhone price drops in Hong Kong
The iPhone price has dropped even more since the free iPhone unlock software has been released. It can be found as low as 600$ US. It is not as low as the 399$ price in the US but with time it will get there.
Since when does Steve Jobs talk about unreleased products? 3G iPhone promisied for next year
Steve Jobs’ used to have impressive keynotes. I don’t use any Apple products, yet I still downloaded every single talk he gave because there was a lot to learn from him about how he used the English to try and push a product. It used to be we would listen to a speech in anticipation of finding out which one of the thousands of rumours circulating were true, now we listen to his talks with a list of 4 possible things than could happen and when they all end up happening you ask yourself why you even bothered to waste 60 minutes of your life. Apple always had a strict policy to never talk about upcoming products, ever. Today that rule has been broken with these two quotes:
“You can expect a 3G iPhone later next year.”
“We are working on the next iPhone already, the one after that and the one after that.”
Granted anyone who follows technology is going “duh,” what about the people who honestly didn’t know these things? Will they not purchase an iPhone and wait?
[Via: Pocket Lint]
[See Wikipedia for Osborne Effect]
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Related Articles at IntoMobile:
- Could a 3G iPhone be slated for early 2008 with GPS in tow?
- Steve Jobs spotted using the iPhone
- Free Marketing for Apple and iPhone
- Can Apple Ship 10 million iPhones By 2009?
- �??You don�??t want your phone to be an open platform" - Steve Jobs
RCA?s JetStream cuts the cord between MP3 player and headphones
Whenever I work out, I have my iPod ritual. Before I put my shirt on, I strap my Shuffle onto my arm and connect my headphones to it. That way, most of the cord goes under my shirt so it doesn't flop around or catch on anything while I'm running or whatever, but the problem is the cord sometimes feels like its dragging my head down into my shirt. Can't we just go cordless with these MP3 players already?
You betcha, and RCA has done it. The company's JetStream player, announced at CES, is coming in a few weeks (second week of October, the company says), and it uses Kleer wireless technology to do away with that pesky headphone wire. Included in the $139 package is a pair of oversized earbuds that connect to each other but not the 1GB player. The buds will receive music wirelessly from the player from up to 30 feet away, so you can even leave it in your locker while you hit the weights.
Check out my hands-on impressions of the JetStream, along with a couple photos of it in action, by following the link below.
Trying out the JetStream yesterday evening, I found that range estimate to actually be conservative — it only started to crap out at 40 or 50 feet. Controls on the right earbud are decent, but I found the 'buds themselves to be bulky and too loose-fitting on my ears to be useful in the gym. And the sound quality, supposedly Kleer's biggest advantage over Bluetooth, didn't strike me as anything special. And 1GB? Come on.
Unfortunately for me, Dave Arland from RCA told me that different headphone models won't be in the works for a while, but hinted that the company may be building Kleer tech into home theater equipment. We may see something along those lines come January, but for now the JetStream would need a headphone and memory upgrade to win over this iPodder, though I really admire the cord-cutting technology.
Via RCA
Apple taps T-Mobile as German iPhone carrier
Following on yesterday’s official announcement that the UK iPhone will be the responsibility of UK wireless carrier O2, Apple today announced that the German iPhone carrier will indeed be Deutsch Telekom’s T-Mobile - as we expected. Germany and the UK will see Apple dopping the iPhone simultaneously on November 9.
T-Mobile Germany reportedly agreed to pony up 30% of iPhone revenue to Apple as part of a kickback deal. A bit shy of O2’s reported 40% revenue sharing agreement with Apple, but an incredible deal nonetheless.
German’s can expect to pay ?399 (including V.A.T and 2-year T-Mobile tariff) for an iPhone come this November 9 - from Deutsche Telekom’s retail locations and T-Mobile’s online store.
We’re all a little relieved to hear that the previously “leak” that had T-Mobile Germany getting a 3G iPhone with 16GB was an apparent fake. Germans will be getting the same EDGE-only iPhone that launched in the US. All us early iPhone adopters can breathe a little easier, knowing that our friends across the pond will be dealing with the same EDGE speeds that we love so much.
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Related Articles at IntoMobile:
- Not so new news: T-Mobile Germany confirms ongoing negotiations with Apple for iPhone exclusivity
- BMW uses unlocked iPhone at Frankfurt Motor Show? Runs on Vodafone, not T-Mobile
- Bidding for iPhone rights in the UK; Orange vs Vodafone
- Apple Looking for European Carrier for iPhone
- Apple iPhone Confused - Wants To Be Enterprise Phone
Could a 3G iPhone be slated for early 2008 with GPS in tow?
Not if Steve Jobs has anything to do with it. Apparently, Scott Moritz, of TheStreet.com fame, has some sort of information that would have Apple releasing a 3G iPhone as soon as Q1 2008.
As Into iPhone mentioned yesterday, TheStreet.com’s dubious credibility (or lack thereof), after their erroneous reporting caused Apple’s stock to plummet, doesn’t bode well for an early 2008 release of a 3G-enabled iPhone. And even Steve Jobs made an unprecedented comment about the 3G iPhone coming late next year.
Anyway, Mr. Moritz seems to think that the 3G iPhone won’t just be coming to us in early ‘08, but that it’ll be sporting an A-GPS unit from Broadcom’sGlobal Locate unit, and a new power amplifier from TriQuint.
Who knows how much (if any) of all this is true, but it’s nice to dream about a 3G-toting, GPS-enabled, power-saving iPhone just months away.
[Via: Into iPhone]
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- Nokia: Sorry iPhone early adopters, at least you can use MOSH
- Apple prepping first iPhone software update for release
O2 iPhone has TV out options
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Apple Chooses Deutsche Telekom For The iPhone
Slowly but surely the iPhone is making it’s debut in numerous countries throughout the world.
Today Apple announced that they’ve chosen Deutsche Telekom to service the iPhone. The phone goes on sale on November 9, 2007 and will retail for 399 euros ($557) including tax, the company disclosed at a meeting in Berlin today.
So if you’re in Germany and you’ve been wanting an iPhone, the wait will soon be over.
Apple Chooses O2 as Exclusive Carrier for iPhone in UK
Apple and O2 announced today that O2, the leading wireless carrier in the UK, will be the exclusive UK carrier for Apple?s revolutionary iPhone when it makes its debut in the UK on November 9th. iPhone combines three devices into one ? a mobile phone, a widescreen iPod and the best mobile Internet device ever ? all based on Apple?s revolutionary multi-touch interface and pioneering software that allows users to control iPhone with just a tap, flick or pinch of their fingers. Apple sold its one millionth iPhone just 74 days after it went on sale in the US on June 29th.
?We?re thrilled to be partnering with O2 to offer our revolutionary iPhone to UK customers?, said Steve Jobs, Apple?s CEO. ?US iPhone customer satisfaction is off the charts, and we can?t wait to let UK customers get their hands on it and learn what they think of it?.
?Our strategy at O2 is to bring our customers the best products and experiences?, said Matthew Key, CEO, O2 UK. ?The iPhone is a breakthrough that is changing the way people use their mobiles forever, and we?re thrilled to have it exclusively for O2 customers in the UK?.
iPhone users in the UK will be able to activate their new iPhones using Apple?s popular iTunes software running on a PC or Mac computer in the comfort and privacy of their own home or office, without having to wait in a store while their phone is activated. Activating iPhone takes only minutes as iTunes guides the user through simple steps to choose their tariff, undertake a credit check and activate their iPhone. Once iPhone is activated, users can then easily sync all of their phone numbers and other contact information, calendars, email accounts, web browser bookmarks, music, photos, podcasts and TV shows just like they do when they sync their iPods with iTunes.
In addition to all the revolutionary features that made iPhone so popular in the US, iPhone users in the UK will have access to Apple?s latest music offerings on iPhone including the recently launched iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store. The iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store offers customers the ability to browse, search, preview, purchase and download songs and albums from iTunes over the built-in Wi-Fi on their iPhone. No computer is required and when the customer connects their iPhone back with their PC or Mac, their music automatically syncs back into their iTunes library.
Pricing & Availability:
iPhone is scheduled to go on sale on November 9th and will be sold exclusively in the UK through Apple?s retail and online stores, O2 and The Carphone Warehouse?s retail and online stores. iPhone will be available in an 8GB model for �269 (inc VAT) and will work with either a PC or Mac. Three new great value iPhone tariffs will be available from O2 starting at �35, which all include unlimited anytime, anywhere mobile data usage and, in a market first, free unlimited use of the UK?s largest single public Wi-Fi network, covering over 7,500 cafes, restaurants, airport lounges, pubs and other locations across the UK.
iPhone activation will require an Internet connection; an iTunes Store account or a major credit card; the latest version of iTunes available at www.apple.com/uk/itunes/download and a PC or Mac with a USB 2.0 port and one of the following operating systems: Mac OS X v10.4.10 or later; Windows XP Home or Professional with Service Pack 2 or later; or Windows Vista Home Premium, Business, Enterprise or Ultimate Edition. iPhone requires a new 18-month contract with O2. Existing O2 customers will have the option of keeping their existing phone number and upgrading their account to work with iPhone while new customers can also simply and easily transfer their current mobile number to O2.
O2 is a leading provider of mobile services to consumers and businesses in the UK. These services include voice, text, media messaging, games, music and video, as well as always on data connections via GPRS, EDGE, 3G and WLAN. Every month, O2?s 17.8 million customers send well over a billion text messages. O2 UK is part of Telef�nica O2 Europe which comprises mobile network operators in the UK, Ireland and Slovakia along with integrated fixed / mobile businesses in Germany and the Czech Republic. Telef�nica O2 Europe also owns 50 percent of the Tesco Mobile and Tchibo Mobilfunk joint venture businesses in the UK and Germany respectively as well as having 100 percent ownership of Be, a leading UK fixed broadband provider.
Apple ignited the personal computer revolution in the 1970s with the Apple II and reinvented the personal computer in the 1980s with the Macintosh. Today, Apple continues to lead the industry in innovation with its award-winning computers, OS X operating system and iLife and professional applications. Apple is also spearheading the digital media revolution with its iPod portable music and video players and iTunes online store, and has entered the mobile phone market this year with its revolutionary iPhone.
iTunes bumps up to version 7.4.2 - breaks ringtone renaming
Fans of the filename-extension workaround to get iTunes to recognize your homemade ringtones for uploading to the iPhone will be sad to hear that Apple has again updated iTunes. Why would anyone be sad to hear that a new version has been released? Well, the new iTunes 7.4.2 basically kills the ringtone-renaming-workaround (and all software that takes advantage of the loophole)- which means that you’ll most likely have to start paying to get your custom ringtones onto the iPhone.
The good news is that you can still use Ambrosia Software’s iToner software ($15) instead of paying Apple a $1 (on top of the $1 you’ll spend to download the song first) for each custom-created ringtone. Ambrosia Software says that iToner communicates directly with the iPhone, rather than working with iTunes to upload their ringtones - so, short of an iPhone update, the iToner software should work with any iTunes version bump-ups.
Grab iTunes 7.4.2 here, or not. We’re going to hold off on this update for a while - we like free ringtones.
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See also:
Denon releases ASD-3W iPod dock
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OS X Dashboard widgets on the iPhone
The Apple iPhone's functionality is slowly but surely expanding, and courtesy of Erica from the Unofficial Apple Weblog, she has managed to install OS X Dashboard widgets on her beloved iPhone. Thankfully, she has decided to share instructions on how to do so without asking for a single cent, but take note that not all OS X widgets are compatible with the iPhone. Certain applications like Weather, ESPN, and Calendar function without any problem, but others do experience hiccups. As far as I know, the basic steps include uploading the widgets.app, copy a support folder from your computer, and then copy individual widgets manually. Head on here for the entire skinny.
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Apple announces O2 as UK iPhone carrier - just like we expected
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Well, it looks like the Apple Press Event in London was exactly what we expected - that is to say, Apple has just announced their European partners for iPhone distribution. This would have been a huge announcement had we not been expecting both O2’s partnership with Apple and Apple’s official announcement at the London press event. We now have official confirmation from Cupertino (by way of London) that Apple has tipped their hat to O2 for exclusive rights to distribute the iPhone to the UK.
Apple says that the Brits can look for O2 to drop the iPhone on Friday, November 9, 2007 - with 1,300 Carphone Warehouse retail locations helping out the launch logistics. All those eager iPhone hopefuls in the UK have a couple months (if they don’t already have an unlocked iPhone, that is) to save up the 269 pounds (including VAT) to get their hands on an 8GB iPhone - which includes unlimited data in exchange for an 18-month service contract.
Sadly, Brit techies will have to deal with all that unlimited data being delivered solely through EDGE - no 3G for the UK. Of course, there will still be the WiFi option for surfing the net at blazing speeds. But, even with lowly EDGE speeds, O2 will be upgrading their network to give iPhone users the best possible EDGE-surfing experience. The Times Online is reporting that O2 will be investing “in the millions” of pounds to upgrade their EDGE network for 30% coverage.
According to NewsFactor.com, Apple is only getting a 10% kickback from usage revenue, a stark difference from the incredible 40% revenue sharing scheme that was speculated by other publications.
Congrats, you Brits! Welcome to the love-hate relationship that is iPhone ownership. Just watch out for a $200 price cut in a couple months.
[Via: NewsFactor]
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Related Articles at IntoMobile:
- Bidding for iPhone rights in the UK; Orange vs Vodafone
- Apple announces rate plans for the iPhone - unlimited data and 200 SMS text messages included!
- O2 inks iPhone deal with Apple - 40% revenue kickback secured
- Apple iPhone Confused - Wants To Be Enterprise Phone
- Apple iPhone on Pre-Paid and Hybrid Plans! (New details emerge)
iPhone Launching In Britain With 02
The first European launch of the iPhone is underway. As had been rumored, O2 will be the carrier, with an expected launch date of November 9th.
Apple chief Steve Jobs told a London press conference that O2, owned by Spain’s Telefonica, has won an exclusive contract to distribute the iPhone in Britain.He said the iPhone would retail in Britain at 269 pounds (387 euros, 536 US dollars).
“We talked with the main operators here but we think we have chosen the best and the most popular one,” Jobs told reporters, in reference to O2.
Apple has successfully built up lots of anticipation, and will continue to do so with their staged rollout. Yesterday Google announced a 3G iPhone for early next year, so it will be interesting to see if 3G will be available in Europe.
BMW uses unlocked iPhone at Frankfurt Motor Show? Runs on Vodafone, not T-Mobile
While, we still believe it’s T-Mobile that will carry Apple’s handset in Germany (and possible some other countries), BMW’s iPhone at Frankfurt Motor Show obviously uses some other carrier. It’s Voda…(fone). Or, the German automaker uses the unlocked device. Hey, don’t blame BMW - they just wanted to demonstrate how their car computer sings with the iPhone…
[Via: Engadget]
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Related Articles at IntoMobile:
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- Apple iPhone gets software unlocked - finally!
How To Get Your $100 Dollar iPhone Credit
If you were one of the early adopters that rushed out and paid $200.00 dollars more than you had to for the iPhone and you want your $100.00 credit with iStore here is what you need to do.
Consumers have until November 30, 2007 to apply for the credit, which requires users to submit their serial number and their mobile phone number via an online form using either a personal computer or a MAC. This is in turn will send a text message to the iPhone with an access code that will receive the electronic credit. This “credit” consists of a credit number and a PIN that can be redeemed on selected merchandise.
The credit can not be used to purchase iTunes or gift cards.
miConnection iPod docks are zany
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European iPhone is Official
This is done: Apple and O2 have announced the iPhone. The result is: No 3G – it’s the same iPhone than the one sold in the USA, and O2 pays a boatload of money to get the deal. November 9th is the date at which the iPhone will be available. [via boygeniusreport]
In other news, it’s practically certain that France Telecom will have the exclusive rights to the iPhone in France – That’s according to La Tribune and Les Echos (via Macbidouille).
Now all the rumors about the 3G iPhone point towards a Q1 release... Seems early to me
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iPhone doubles up as wireless modem
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3G iPhone Coming Next Year
Despite the huge success of the iPhone, there’s been one nagging complaint: that the phone doesn’t use 3G technology for the fastest performance and the most features. Well, according to analysts, that should all be changing early next year.
A faster third-generation, or 3G, iPhone will be available sometime in the first quarter, say people familiar with the production plans. The new iPhone should help quiet critics who were unimpressed by the 2.5G EDGE technology the first version used.The new 3G iPhone is expected to include features like global positioning for navigation services.
A cheaper 3G version of the phone would answer two persistent complaints. Apple has already slashed prices to meet the first one, and a 3G phone would answer the second. Both moves could help boost iPhone sales even higher.
Deutsche Telekom?s T-Mobile to sell iPhone in five European countries?
Well, at least they will if the Financial Times Deutschland is on the money with their report. It looks like Deutsche Telekom’s T-Mobile will not only be hocking the� iPhone for Germany, but for five other European countries as well. Without citing their source, Financial Times Deutschland is reporting that will be part of T-Mobile’s iPhone-turf in the EU.
We’ll take this one with a grain of salt, seeing as how Apple seems to be going with individual carriers in each country in search of ever higher profits. We’ll just have to wait for Apple’s press event tomorrow to get the full details on Apple’s European partners in Europe. (Here’s a sneak peak - T-Mobile in Germany, O2 in UK and Orange in France)
[Via: MocoNews]
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Related Articles at IntoMobile:
- T-Mobile UK to get an iPhone?
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- Deutsche Telekom to expand T-Mobile USA network with acquisition of SunCom Wireless
- iPhone heading to France for November 29 launch sans 3G!
- European carriers not willing to bend to Apple's iPhone demands
Zicplay Microkey MP3 player
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O2 inks iPhone deal with Apple - 40% revenue kickback secured
Monday, September 17, 2007
In the latest round of European iPhone dealings, it looks like Spain’s O2 wireless carrier has inked a deal with Apple to exclusively deliver the iPhone to the UK. We’ve been expecting this for a while now, but the interesting thing here is that O2 has reportedly agreed to kickback 40% of revenues to the Cupertino, CA. company.
The Guardian is reporting that Apple had agreed to give O2 a break on the retail price of the iPhone in return for the higher-than-expected revenue sharing scheme. Carphone Warehouse is also expected to help O2’s retail outlets hock the iPhone.
We’ll know more tomorrow, at the Apple news conference in London. The UK iPhone deal is expected to be announced tomorrow. T-Mobile Germany is expected to announce their own iPhone deal tomorrow while Orange will confirm what we already know on Thursday.
Keep in mind, this is a 40% revenue kickback - not a profit kickback. O2 may have used the revenue kickback to entice Apple to signing a deal with them over Vodafone. Of course, we’ll have to wait until the deal is officially announced tomorrow before we draw any solid conclusions. But if this deal goes down like we expect, Apple’s going to be rolling in the greenbacks - more than they already are.
[Via: The Guardian]
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Related Articles at IntoMobile:
- AT&T probably kicking Apple back some serious change as part of iPhone revenue sharing deal
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40% revenue share for Apple in O2 iPhone deal
The guardian is reporting that Apple can command a 40% revenue share over whatever O2 (a UK wireless operator) will make from iPhone users. It’s *huge*! (or “mad” as O2’s competitors say)
Obviously Apple’s unique position with the iPhone allows it to dictate the terms, but what about the other phone manufacturers? There are two options:
1/ Most will continue to create devices that aren’t so cool. They will therefore submit to the wireless carriers demands
2/ Many will come up with uber-sexy phones that carriers will drool on. It’s unlikely, but in this case, Apple will have more competition and the carriers win.
As we said before, Apple is currently an exception, and their success is not likely to spread to the rest of the industry.
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Pre order now Apple 16 GB iPod Touch and Apple 8 GB iPod Touch from Amazon
The iPod touch features Apple's revolutionary multi-touch user interface that enables you to find and enjoy all of your music, videos, and more on its gorgeous widescreen display with just the touch of a finger. First introduced on iPhone, the multi-touch interface uses pioneering new software to present the perfect user interface for each application.
The iPod touch also includes Wi-Fi wireless networking, the first on any iPod, and three amazing applications that use it: Safari, the most advanced browser on any mobile device, lets you wirelessly view web pages just as they look on your computer, and features Google Search or Yahoo! oneSearch; Apple's YouTube application lets users wirelessly watch over 10 million free videos from the Internet's most popular video website; and the new iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store lets you wirelessly browse, preview and buy songs and albums from the most popular online music store in the world. And to top it all off, the iPod touch is an unbelievable eight millimeters thin.
iPod touch skin and cases accessories
Apple software update for iPhone
Apple is certainly cranking out software updates for the iPhone, as the latest will be the third one since its June release. This new update supposedly throws in new features while improving the overall stability for the phone's Mac OS X operating system. If you're an existing iPhone user who wants to hook up to the Applie Store via WiFi, you'll be greeted with a dialog box asking you to upgrade your firmware. Other new additions include support for the Wi-Fi iTunes Music Store. I wonder how this update will affect unlocked iPhones?
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GSM-ready iPhones available online
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iPhone heading to France for November 29 launch sans 3G!
Although we’ve heard this before, this time the source seems more valid than ever. Apparently, iPhone will be announced during the upcoming Apple Expo in Paris next week and will start selling on November 29, 2007. The exclusive carrier is France Telecom owned Orange, which will sell Apple’s handset — we’re not sure it’s 4GB or 8GB version — for 300 EUR with an appropriate contract. In addition, we know this WON’T be the 3G iPhone and that there WON’T be any unlimited data plans, although I’m sure Orange and Apple will also prepare some iPhone-specific contracts.
It’s interesting to note how Orange refused to sell the Nokia N81 because of built-in music store, yet agreed to sell the iPhone. Guess partnership with Apple will bring them tons of publicity. Otherwise, I don’t get why would they go against additional ARPU.
[Via: CrunchGear]
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Related Articles at IntoMobile:
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- Sprint to launch BlackBerry Pearl 2 on Thanksgiving Day weekend?
- Rumor: O2 appears to have clinched Apple iphone contract, again
iPhone gets remote desktop
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iPhone Dev Team releases the free GUI Unlock Software Tool
Sunday, September 16, 2007
The day the iPhone Dev Team announced their free software unlock solution for the iPhone was something of a giant leap for iPhone-kind. Getting your iPhone freed from AT&T’s grasp was a huge development, unfortunately, the early solution required some multiple-file-juggling and a bit of iPhone-bricking risk.
Well, thanks to the hard working iPhone Dev Team, mere mortals can wrestle the iPhone’s GSM radio away from AT&T’s network. The new GUI unlock tool basically automates the entire iUnlock process with point-and-click simplicity.
Grab the new iUnlock GUI tool here.
Or, just hold onto your panties a bit longer, the iPhone Dev Team will be releasing their GUI tool through Installer.app.
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Related Articles at IntoMobile:
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iPhone as a phone ? probing the main function
Mobile-review have posted another part of their huge iPhone review. This time focusing on the phone features of the iPhone. The start of the article begins with a disclaimer. Here is the disclaimer and the conclusion.
Disclaimer
Attention. If you are an Apple fan, stop right here, don?t read any further. Take care about your nerves. You are not a fan, that?s for sure?! Don?t tell us nobody warned you after you read this. This article has been written for normal people, rather than those coming from Homo iPhonus species. To that group we relegate the consumers who alter themselves, as well as their physical parameters, so as to make use of the iPhone.
Short summary
While in the messaging department we made sure that the iPhone has almost nothing to it, the phone features are doing better ? it rings, which is a good thing already. The ergonomics of the phonebook, dialing display and, basically, everything that has something to do with calls have been carried over from the past century. Any iPhone user spends twice as much time on dialing a number ? if you call at least 15 times a day, it will make 6 to 9 hours a year. Of course it may not seem much at a glance, but in the end it all leads to tremendous amounts of wasted time.
The sound quality is pretty moderate in view of no sound enhancement systems. The absence of voice dialing capabilities on a handset (it is also a touchscreen-centric device, mind it) hyped this much looks odd, the say the least. Had Nokia released a phone lacking voice dialing, it would have been trampled at once.
The iPhone doesn?t have any profiles or call settings either. Moreover, the handset produces such mediocre volume level, that you have to wear headphones all the time ? three meters away from the phone and you already can?t hear it ring. On the bright side, Apple has finally done away with disabled ringtones. But they still need to add a coffee grinder to the phone, so that all i-stronauts can have a cup of coffee whenever they want. Remember, this phone is turning into a spaceship soon, just keep this in mind.
Also, the iPhone doesn?t stand a chance in the enterprise segment ? it simply doesn?t have the goods this type of users demand. No remote synchronization, no advanced features in the phonebook, no support for enterprise data bases.
It is a pity that in terms of its phone part, the ?revolutionary? iPhone belongs to the 20th century. It is not particularly good at making calls, doesn?t offer its user great usability, or some all-round new abilities. Being a weak solution, both in software and hardware departments, it comes with a host of gizmos, you know, those cute-looking ones. I think Homo iPhonus need only these visual touches. But then again, there is no point in shouting about this phone?s overwhelming advantages over other models available on the market. Once you take an iPhone in hands, you are bound to spend a lot of time with it ? that?s the company?s ultimate goal, which was reached by omitting ergonomically friendly interface. For the time being, the thing Apple really needs is walking ads, rather than a solid user base.
P.S. In the next installment we will focus on the iPhone?s ?stellar? email, which is the third most popular application in this handset. And while the iPhone is still the talk of the town, Apple has made a handful of noticeable moves. First, they have rolled out recovered iPhones for the US market with a 100-dollar price cut ? it seems that over the two months since the release date, Apple has accumulated a large stock of returned devices. Then, to boost the sales they have dumped the 4 Gb version, and have taken 200 USD off the 8 Gb version?s price tag. And last but not least ? even before the European release of the iPhone, Apple?s sales haven?t lived up to expectations, and yet the market ?surprisingly? finds out a relatively painless method of unlocking the phone. This will allow the company to prop the iPhone sales in this quarter.
Peer Review: 3G iPod Nano
Last week we looked at some comments about Apple's iPod announcements. This week, the professional reviews began to appear. Results aren't conclusive on the iPod Touch, since it's only just becoming available (though PC Mag has already called it "the best media player ever made"), but as far as the new Nanos are concerned, the results are in. We found the reviews to be stunningly, almost insultingly— and uniformly— positive. Take a look for yourself after the jump: reviewers recounted the squat iPod's many faults, but love it nonetheless. What do you think?
"Full-length movies are watchable, but not quite comfortably so, while half-hour TV shows are actually very doable.", Crunchgear
"In its price range, nothing beats the Nano?.Cover Flow maybe be graceful on the Phone and in iTunes, but on the nano, it's a bit of a letdown" , PC Mag
"When it comes to widescreen video, basically, the future of the format, the iPhone and the Zune make much more efficient use of the real estate given? Gripes and design curiosities aside, this is the nano, and the best one yet." , Gizmodo
"?Bright video playback, an exceptionally thin all-metal body, above-average battery life, built-in games, and an advanced user interface. We're not crazy about the wider body, the smaller scroll wheel, the lack of video output, and the average-sounding audio quality. , CNet
"the third-generation model might not photograph well, but it is shockingly excellent when you see it in person— precisely the right combination of features for Apple?s asking prices." , iLounge
Last Week: So many iPods, so much anger
Could we see another iPhone update this month?
Our little rumor-birdie just told us that Apple is prepping yet another update for the iPhone, via iTunes (as usual). The third iPhone update is supposed to enable the WiFi iTunes Music Store feature that’ll have us all browsing iTunes right from our Apple handsets.
If the image that Apple posted is on the money, we could see our iPhone firmware jump from verion 1.0.2 to a full-blown v.1.1.1.
As past iPhone updates have done, this one should further improve the stability of the OS. And, word on the street has it that the update could drop on us as early as tomorrow (Monday). We’ll be waiting with bated breath.
[Via: Apple Insider]
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Install iPhone apps on the iPod Touch
Many were disappointed by the fact that Apple had “castrated” critical iPhone features in the iPod Touch, like Mail and Calendar but hacktheipodtouch.com has guides to install these applications (at your own risk, of course). They also show how to install the Maps and Weather apps.
Getting the actual application files could be tricky for users who don’t own an iPhone. If you do own an iPhone and an iPod touch, I would ask: why? Happy installing, let us know if it worked for you. There’s a forum here too.
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Video: Bill Maher agrees, stop whining about the iPhone price drop
Saturday, September 15, 2007
I seriously can’t stand you people.
Nice to see Bill agrees:
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- Verizon ONE-BILL, integrated billing
European iPhone Update 9/14
Friday, September 14, 2007
Reuters reports about the following iPhone deals in Europe:
Germany: Deutsche Telecom / T-Mobile (done)
U.K: O2 (expected)
France: Orange / France Telecom (expected)
The final list of operators will be announced by the end of this months. It is expected that the expensive version of the iPhone will cost 399 Euros ($554) but many speculate that it will have 3G support.
If that’s true, expect a second wave of early disgruntled customers who bought it a few weeks ago and currently endure sluggish 2.5G downloads (when WiFi isn’t available).
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Grab you $100 Apple Store credit now - iPhone early adopters? redemption is here
If you’ve been squirming in your seat for Mr. Jobs to drop that $100 Apple Store credit on all of us early iPhone adopters, you’re day has arrived! Apple has launched a new webpage to help us all get over the $200 hit that we all took on the shiny new iPhone.
From the Apple webpage:
If you bought your iPhone before August 22, you may be eligible for an instant $100 electronic credit toward the purchase of products at the Apple Retail Store or the Apple Online Store. See the terms and conditions below for more details.
To receive your credit, follow these three easy steps.
Step 1: Identify your iPhone
To confirm eligibility, simply enter your phone number and iPhone serial number in the fields provided.
Step 2: Enter your access code
You will receive an SMS text message on your iPhone containing the access code to redeem your $100 credit. Enter your phone number and your access code in the fields provided to generate an electronic store credit.
Step 3: Get your $100 Apple Store credit
You will receive a $100 electronic store credit to purchase products at the Apple Retail Store or the Apple Online Store.
Hit it up and get crackin’! The sooner you claim your credit, the sooner you can give the money right back to Steve Jobs & Co.
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The Bevy for iPod Shuffle owners
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The Orb iPod docking station
Now here's a rather funky iPod docking station for the masses simply known as the Orb for obvious reasons. It comes with a "Made for iPod" certification, acting as a desktop docking station/speaker system that pumps out decent sound with its dedicated subwoofer. Each purchase comes with a 10-key remote for easy adjustment of bass and treble numbers. In addition, the Orb is capable of synching with iTunes and boasts 30 watts of power that ought to be enough to rock your little world. Choose from blue, red, pink, green, silver, black and white colors. The Orb comes with a recommended retail price of $129.95 and has already picked up the "Best New Product" title from Retail Vision. If your iPod is a little lonely at home, the Orb sounds like a pretty good companion.
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iPod touch pics and video
I know that this is not mobile phone related but the iPod Touch is just way too cool not to post about. The iPod touch is an impressive device despite it basically being an iPhone but without the phone part. I think that this would make a great PMP.
iPhone coming to UK next week?
The UK could be blessed with an iPhone as early as next week, if rumors and hearsay cross over into the realm of legit news scoop. You see, Macworld UK is reporting that Apple has planned a media event for 10am on September 18.
And, with Apple throwing around marketing slogans like “Mum is no longer the word,” there’s bound to be mad speculation about a possible Apple iPhone announcement. Don’t hold your breath, dear Brits - Apple could just be announcing a UK carrier for the iPhone, or even launching some sort of TV or film service. But if it were us, we’d cross our fingers.
[Via: Macworld UK]
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Nokia?s message to the Apple iPhone: Eat me
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Ok not really, but in order to celebrate the 3 millenia old Mid-Autumn Festival in China Nokia has commissioned the creation of officially Finnish branded mooncakes. We can’t make this stuff up folks:
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SHIFT: How you can save the planet with your iPod
Antarctica is getting slushy, polar bears need a Coke to cool down, and everyone in Miami is keeping an eye on the sea level. Maybe Al Gore is right, and maybe he isn't. But no one can deny that reducing our "carbon footprint" is a good thing. I lower my thermostat in the winter and raise it in the summer, I run ceiling fans instead of AC, and everything gets turned off when Elvis leaves the building. I'm trying to conserve electricity wherever I can. However, these days, the amount of gear that needs to be plugged in or charged up makes it tough to have an energy conscience. The question after the jump is: How can a gadget-guru go green?
Ahhh, the good old days. When there were four AC outlets in a room, and three of them were empty. When our few electrical devices had simple on/off switches, and when "off" meant "off." Today, the amount of power-sucking gear is out of control. Cordless phones and cells, desktops and laptops, BlackBerries, video game systems, MP3 players, DVD players, receivers, TVs… the list goes on.
When devices with rechargeable batteries were introduced, environmentalists rejoiced — fewer spent batteries heading for landfills. However, much of that green-looking rechargeable gear is deceptively power-hungry. For example, a lot of portable gear doesn't use replaceable batteries, instead recharging built-in ones through USB ports. Brilliant, right? Wrong! Instead of just plugging the player into the wall, now we have to boot up a computer, plug in the device, let it charge, then shut off the whole shebang. I don't think we've saved any polar bears by doing that little maneuver.
I've tried to come up with ways to deal with my personal energy crisis. All those power converters, disparagingly called wall-warts, burn electricity even when their device isn't connected. That means my computer monitor, computer speakers, printer, cell-phone charger, iPod charger and laptop charger now get unplugged when not in use. In fact, most of my electronics are plugged into power-surge protectors. That makes them easy to turn off by turning off the entire strip when I'm not charging.
My entertainment system is a bit trickier. Virtually every piece of gear (DVD players, receivers and TVs) has a 'standby' mode that is sucking down some power — at least enough to know when the remote control 'on' switch has been activated. I'd like to unplug the entire stack of gear, but some components are difficult to keep unplugged. Hopefully you'll realize sooner than I did that TiVo can't plug itself in to record Eureka. And, if you ever do unplug your TiVo, you'll also discover that it takes its sweet time to reinitialize. Over 5 minutes, in fact. Okay, the TiVo gets special dispensation to be left on, and doesn't get plugged into the switchable power strip.
Saving the earth is a noble cause — and even if we can't save it, maybe we'll buy enough time to build a rocket ship to take us all to Mars. Some people will be content to change one incandescent light bulb to a compact fluorescent, others will go off the grid and convert their house to solar. For me, I do what I can. I unplug all my chargers when I'm done charging, and I try to conserve the use of all my gear, even the rechargeable stuff. I wait until my laptop is already on to recharge my USB-charged devices, and I'm looking at a USB charger. I turn off the power strip for my computer and home theater. I've given up my hairdryer. Well, on weekends. But, even I have my limits. I am not giving up my Kermit nightlight. Deal with it, Al.
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."
HTC feels immune to iPhone?s price cut
That’s according to HTC’s CFO Hui-ming Cheng: “The contract-bundled price of US$399 is still about US$100-200 higher than other smartphones available in the US market, and so it will not affect HTC's operations”
In the short-term, HTC phones are really popular with Windows Mobile users. HTC also manufactures phones for Palm and other known brands and carriers. Also, they are probably a lot easier to negotiate with (for wireless carriers) than Apple would be. However, they should be on the lookout because I doubt that the HTC Touch phone can really compete with the iPhone, except on pricing. HTC homepage
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Ipod nano clone
The cloning masters in China already have a clone of the Apple nano. The general form-factor is the same, although it is noticeably cheap-looking. Apparently, it is available in large quantities, so expect to find it on the shelves in Asia and elsewhere.
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Vodafone prepared to face the iPhone in UK?
Vodafone recently unveiled its Christmas collection which among other devices include the Nokia N95 8GB and Samsung F700 for which the carrier has an exclusive agreement. Beside the touchscreen, the so called “iPhone killer” also packs the HSDPA support as well as the full slide-out QWERTY keyboard — the features iPhone is missing.
Vodafone seems ready for the iPhone competition. Or is it?
Neither Samsung F700, nor Nokia N95 8GB WON’T bring the Vodafone the publicity of the iPhone. If you remember, in March this year we reported how Apple got about $400 million worth of marketing for free. While the iPhone lacks 3G (hopefully this will be fixed for the European launch), ChangeWave found that 77% of iPhone owners were “Very Satisfied” with it. No other handset maker can match that.
My point is — the interesting times are ahead of us. I can’t wait to watch iPhone being revealed in Britain. Message to Vodafone - don’t use your U.S. business’ (Verizon) “strategy” to beg for some attention on the iDay. 
[Via: PCWorld]
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Aifungs bite into iPhone sales in China
Looks like the iPhone is doing really well in China, or is it? Apparently not, as what you probably see there is the Aifung handset that looks just like the real McCoy. According to a shop owner carrying Aifung handsets, "the knockoff iPhones are produced in batches of 1,000 at a factory in Shenzhen, China". These handsets retail for approximately $270 after conversion, which is not far from the $299 price point of the 4GB iPhone. It is said that the innards aren't hard to duplicate, but the design and exterior are the tricky parts. News like this causes us to be more wary about picking up what is perceived to be a dirt cheap cellphone over eBay or other online sites. Best get your iPhone from an Apple Store or AT&T, I say.
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iPhone?s price drops in Hong Kong
This was bound to happen since the iPhone price drop and the new iPhone unlocking software. The new fully unlocked, Chinese enabled iPhone now costs only about 770$. Now, the price is attractive.
iPhone Ringtones
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Apple has set up an easy way to add Ringtones to your iPhone. The number of iPhone Ringtones currently available is pretty low, but you can expect that number to rise in coming months as Apple cuts more deals with music distributors.
The much-anticipated new service went live Tuesday and although CEO Steve Jobs said 500,000 tracks would be available for do-it-yourself ringtone creation, the actual number of songs in my 1,000-track library totaled less than 100.Worse yet, if your library consists of music you brought into iTunes from CDs you own or ripped elsewhere, you are out of luck. The Apple ringtones only can be made from tracks purchased directly from Apple.
And then, after paying Apple 99 cents to download the song to your library, you have to pay another 99 cents to make your ringtone. That’s double-dipping, forcing us to pay twice for the same clip.
But it’s not all negative, of course. The actual process for adding iPhone Ringtones is intuitive, and easy, according to most users who’ve tried the system.
Expect the application to improve in the coming months.
Another set of iPhone dismantling and unlocking pics
The Sogi website from Taiwan have posted their own comprehensive set of pics showing how they dismantled and unlocked their iPhone. They even have pics of the tools need and in the end the phone is fully unlocked and decorated.
American Express WON?T refund you $200 for your iPhone
In case you thought American Express will refund you $200 for your iPhone purchase, think again. American Express’ Buyer’s Assurance program has STOPPED last year. Even if you’re one of the lucky Platinum or Centurion card owners, that still won’t get you your $200 back. The same rules applies for both Personal and Business cards. Face it - you’ll have to accept Apple’s $100 coupon and purchase something from their store. In case you’re a Mac user, wait a bit and purchase Leopard as soon as it’s available. Or grab some song… or keep whining - it’s your call! It sucks to be an early adopter sometimes… 
[Via: Boy Genius Report]
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Pics of an unlocked iPhone in action
This iPhone was cracked using the turbo SIM method and pconline snapped some shots of their unlocked iPhone in action. They report that everything works perfectly fine. Enjoy the pics.
Attend multimedia virtual meetings on your iPhone
In case you haven’t realized so far, you can organize virtual meetings with your iPhone. There are a number of solutions available on the market, and today we’re presenting you with the one developed by the collaboration service provider - Genesys.
First thing they like to underline is that they were the first company to release the iPhone-optimized version of their Meeting Center service — it’s our bad that we’ve missed it.
As with other such services, Genesys’ solution relies on heavy use of AJAX technology to deliver its service via iPhone’s built-in Safari web browser. The interface is as simple as you would expect it for the iPhone web-based application and will allow users to effortlessly join a voice and web meeting — the latter is suggested while you’re on an EDGE network. As for the features, Genesys emphasizes that iPhone users will have access to “full virtual meeting capabilities.”
Nice work guys. You make the iPhone look more enterpriseish.
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The FREE iPhone unlock software has finally arrived - iUnlock battles iPhoneSIMfree!
That’s the game, folks! Mere days, nay hours, after the iPhoneSIMfree iPhone unlocking software was made available through resellers worldwide, the iPhone Dev crew has released their own iPhone software unlock solution - for the right old price of FREE! The battle to bring a completely free unlock software to market is now over, with iUnlock clinching the checkered flag - the iPhone Dev Team has brought iPhoneSIMfree to their knees!
This particular software-based SIM unlock solution is a bit more involved than iPhoneSIMfree’s software, but we think the extra effort is worth the $100 that you’ll keep in your wallet.
Roll up your sleeves and prepare yourselves to get down and dirty with the iPhone Dev Team’s unlock hack. You’ll need the iUnlock app, nor, and the .fls file to free your iPhone of AT&T’s evil grip. You can find all the needed components here or here. Find the official unlocking guide here.
HaRRo, of iPhone Dev Team fame, has announced that the more technically challenged iphone users out there can expect a GUI, fully automated version of the iUnlock SIM unlock solution very soon. So, if getting down to the nitty gritty file hacks isn’t your cup of iPhone-hacking-tea, then just keep your pants on, you’ll have a foolproof method in your hands soon enough.
We gotta give it up to the iPhone Dev Team on this one. They really pulled through for the entire community, and with in classy, altruistic fashion. Way to go guys!
Disclaimer: We take no responsibility if you happen to fall into the group of people that brick their iPhones with this hack - it’s possible, so don’t blame us if it happens.
Thanks, Jerome!
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Six Apart launches launches iPhone/iPod Touch plugin for Movable Type
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Fans of the Movable Type 4 and/or Typepad that are also the iPhone owners, here’s some good news for you. Six Apart has announced a plugin for Movable Type 4 which allows posting to blog directly from your beloved device. The new, iPhone-optimized interface looks awesome — after all it IS made for the single most stylish handset on the planet — and should finally allow you to post directly from the iPhone wherever you are. Not that you weren’t able to do this before, it’s just way more convenient now. In addition, Six Apart is offering the same interface for Typepad… No more excuses for being late with your post.
E-Mail Auto-Check Features Can Run Up iPhone Bills Quick
Are you planning on traveling abroad with your Apple iPhone? If so, one thing that you might want to do to not run up a wireless phone bill the size of the Eiffel tower is make sure that you have disabled the feature that automatically checks for new Emails.
This feature (which comes in handy when you’re not in roaming territory in another country) automatically dials into whatever network is available, picks up new Emails and starts piling on the roaming charges.
The iPhone is no different from any other phone, said Todd Smith, an AT&T spokesman, with the exception of the BlackBerry, whose users can opt for a flat monthly rate when traveling. Any AT&T customer planning to travel outside the United States should contact AT&T to inquire about roaming plans, he said.
Dave Stolte did that before taking his iPhone with him on a two-week trip to Ireland and England in July. He signed up for a roaming plan, but he said the customer service representative?s explanation of the charges was unclear. His bill was $3,000.
As a precaution to avoid excessive and unexpected cellular fees, be sure that your calling and data plan covers the areas you are traveling to. You could also contact AT&T to make sure that your phone feature to automatically check mail has been deactivated.
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.. since no one wants to return from their
international travels and be greeted with a multi-thousand dollar cellular phone bill.
iPhone unlocking software sale begins
For those who want to pick up an unlocked iPhone, you'll be pleased to note that iPhoneSIMFree‘s retail partners have begun sales of iPhone unlocking software. To date, iPhoneWorldwideUnlock in Australia, 1digitalphone in Germany, iPhone4arab.com in Saudi Arabia, and Wireless Imports in the US have licensed the software from iPhoneSIMFree which can be purchased online for $99. Take note that there is no guarantee of compatibility with future iPhone firmware, so this could be just a temporary measure.
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Apple Sells 1 Million iPhones
Monday, September 10, 2007
Today Apple announced that they have sold one million iPhones - 74 days after the initial release of the phone.
Apple stated on the initial release of the iPhone that they planned to sell ten million of the Smartphones in 2008.
Steve Jobs recently announced that they were dropping the price of the iPhone by $200.00, which I’m sure will help them achieve this goal - especially as they begin to distribute it in other regions.
SanDisk Sansa View MP3 player: 16 GB for $200
Now that Apple's set the tone for the fall harvest of MP3 players, other manufacturers are beginning to make their countermoves. SanDisk, one of the big makers of flash-memory players, today did a decent job of one-upping Apple with its Sansa View. Sporting a 2.4-inch LCD, the View gives you a hell of a lot of memory for the price — 16 GB for $200. That's twice the capacity of a new iPod Nano at the same price. Even if you go for the 8-GB version, you'll only have to part with $150. Hard to believe that it was only a few years ago when a 64-megabyte player cost about the same.
SanDisk says the player will be out in October, so you may want to wait on getting that new Nano until you have a chance to try it out. After all, the View plays video, too, and its screen is a bit bigger (2.4 inches instead of just 2). It also has a pretty nice form factor with a depth that's a mere 0.35 inches. Throw in that unbeatable price, and this is one View that looks pretty good.
SanDisk Sansa View, via CrunchGear
Movie rentals coming to iTunes?
A user writing in to notify Apple of a problem within the iTunes Store stumbled upon evidence that there will be movie rentals available in the near future. Some of the Apple-created menus include "DidNotReceiveMovie-RentalMovie," "AccidentalPurchase-RentalMovie," "ContentQuality-RentalMovie," "DuplicatePurchase-RentalMovie," "WrongVErsion-RentalMovie," "BadMetadata-RentalMovie" and "Other-RentalMovie." Word on the street has it that this movie rental service will cost $2.99 for a 30-day rental. I guess watching movies on the iPod Touch would be much better than other iPods thanks to the large display, and it sounds great for frequent travelers. Now if only Apple opens up the iTunes store to other countries in the world.
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It?s official - Apple has sold 1 million iPhones
Apple’s done it - they’ve gone Platinum with their #1 single, the Apple iPhone. In the first of what’s likely to be many milestones for the iPhone (and its successors), the iPhone has just hit the one million unit mark. Apple said in a press release that they sold 1 million iPhones just 74 days after their initial launch on June 29. In comparison, “it took almost two years to achieve this milestone with iPod,” said Steve Jobs.
Interestingly, Apple was able to sell one million iPhones before the huge price-drop that is sure to put the iconic device within reach of million more Americans.
Way to go Apple, we’re happy for ya! Now, what about sharing the wealth and getting those $100 credits out to us, eh?
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iPhoneSIMfree iPhone unlocking software goes retail - go forth and unlock your iPhones!
It’s finally happened. After much anticipation and speculation over how the common-folk will get to unlock their iPhones, we finally have an answer. iPhoneSIMfree is hocking their unlocking software through third-party resellers the world over.
Wireless Imports will be handling orders in the USA, 1digitalphone will serve up the software to sauerkraut lovers (Germany), iPhoneWorldwideUnlock takes the Australian crowd, and iPhone4arab.com will bring the unlock solution to Saudi Arabia.
We’re still not sure if the iPhoneSIMfree software unlock solution will remain viable through all the successive iTunes updates, but it works for now. You can get your hands on the unlock solution for about a C-note ($100).
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iControl watches commands your iPhone
Timex has just launched its iControl line of watches that features iPhone compatibility, allowing you to control your iPhone from the iControl watch itself. Sounds like a great idea for those who want to change tracks without taking their iPhone out of the pocket. Timex has tried to make this feature accessible to everyone by including such technology on the cheapest Timex iControl model, with prices starting from $99.99. Would you buy a watch based on its iPhone compatibility, or is telling time elegantly at the top of your list instead of what others would consider a gimmick?
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mpio unveils ML300 MP3 players
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Vodafone F700 To Be An iPhone Rival
Vodafone is announcing new phones for Europe for the holiday season, and one of the handsets is a high end touch screen phone that should rival the iPhone.
The British mobile phone operator has an exclusive agreement to offer the F700 smartphone from Samsung Electronics, said Jens Schulte-Bokum, head of the global terminal division at Vodafone.The Vodafone F700 is based on proprietary technology developed by Samsung. The phone, which Vodafone plans to customize and co-brand, has been referred to by industry pundits as an ?iPhone killer.?
The F700 has touch-screen capabilities and plays audio and video files. But unlike the iPhone, the device has a pull-down QWERTY keyboard and support for 3G (third-generation) and HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access), which has speeds theoretically as high as 7.2M bps (bits per second).
Vodafone is Britain’s largest mobile phone operator, and is expected to put their support behind the new phone. According to them, they are disappointed that the iPhone from Apple does not support 3G.
Apple ad leak shows 3G iPhone
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Old School Cassette Deck MP3 Player
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iPhone overseas data charges could kill
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Apple licenses InterDigital?s technology; 3G iPhone coming soon?
You may not know InterDigital’s products as they are more known for their patent portfolio. Hack, they’ve even clashed with Nokia who apparently used some of InterDigital’s technology in the N75.
Now we have Apple signing the seven-year licensing deal with InterDigital, presumable to get all the needed patents for the 3G iPhone. According to one analyst, the $56 million worth deal covers “various 2G and 3G cellular technologies”, which we see as a proof that the 3G iPhone is coming sooner than you think. Especially now, after the $200 price drop. Can’t wait…
[Via: Engadget Mobile]
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iTunes WiFi music stores goes live today?
While this is still unconfirmed, the source is the always highly informed Boy Genius, hence we’re publishing it. Apparently, today is THE day when Apple will launch its recently announced iTunes WiFi store, enabling iPhone — and future iPod Touch — owners to buy songs directly from their devices. Naturally, the new version of iTunes that would take care of all the syncing between a computer and the iPhone/iPod Touch will also be released. We’ll be online all day long waiting for Jobs&Co. Stay tuned…
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Peer Review: So many iPods, so much anger
Sunday, September 09, 2007
This week, Apple announced the iPod Touch, while new iPod Nanos and "Classics" hit stores. More controversially, the company slashed the price of its iPhone by $200, enraging early adopters (until they were promised a $100 Apple credit). Those new Nanos sure are cute, but they didn't stop Apple's stock from taking a nosedive — from just over $145 on Tuesday to just over $130 today. It seems like everyone has something to say about Apple this week. And we don't just mean bloggers and journalists: we've never seen such crazy "comments" sections. After the jump, we've compiled some non-professional views from around the Web, and we invite you to contribute your own.
Before the rebate announcement:
"I… I can't describe the anger. I bought mine 3 weeks ago." on Engadget
After the rebate announcement:
"It's like I've been stabbed in the back by my best friend and now he's apologizing… I'll take the 100 bucks, be happy and never speak of this, but I'll never trust him again." on the Unofficial Apple Weblog
On the new "video" iPod nanos:
"Apple is proud to introduce its newest line of ipods, the IHobbit. A gift the little one in your life will treasure forever." on Gizmodo
On the iPod touch:
"It is 'neat' but I was relieved they didn?t release something I 'had to have.' I would be more apt to buy one of the new Nano." on Crunchgear
Compared with the new iPod Classic:
"The touch is incredible and I want one, but I won't be upgrading to it due to the capacity. I have a 60GB 5G and a Nano which I share with my wife who has a 30GB 6G. The new ones offer nothing. The touch has the screen but no capacity. The classic is exactly what I have now." on Mac World
On the death of the Apple Hi-Fi:
"R.I.P You will not be missed." , Engadget
On Apple's tanking stock price:
"I think the people bailing on the stock are making a big mistake. The people that I know that own one just love it." — commenter Mark M. on NYTimes.com
It's been a busy week for Apple. What do you think of the developments?
Last Week: GPhone rumors stoke commentary, creativity
iPhone Owners Not Happy About Price Cut
You can’t make everyone happy, as Apple is learning. In a move designed to bolster their market share, they lowered the price on the iPhone 8GB model $200 and discontinued the 4GB model altogether. Of course some people who bought the phone at lower prices.
People who had rushed to buy the Apple iPhone over the last two months suddenly and embarrassingly found that they had overpaid by $200 for the year?s most coveted gadget.Apple, based in Cupertino, Calif., has made few missteps over the last decade, but it angered many of its most loyal customers by dropping the price of its iPhone to $400 from $600 only two months after it first went on sale. They let the company know on blogs, through e-mail messages and with phone calls.
Word has been coming in from disgruntled consumers. Truth is, many of them suspected that a price cut was in store. For anyone who has followed technology pricing for any time, the earliest to buy almost always overpay.
Not all Apple customers are up in arms, either. ?I?ll forget about the unexpected credit long before I forget Jobs?s letter, which I found thoughtful in both senses of the word,? Mr. Hawthorne said. ?Gestures like this remind me that Apple?s success is not an accident.?
How do you feel about Apple’s price cut?
Weird - iBrate turns your iPhone into a vibrator
Saturday, September 08, 2007
Now, here’s one weird iPhone application. Basically, all it does is making your iPhone vibrate on command. The interface is as simple as it should be for this kind of an app (whatever the kind that is) — there’s the “Start” and the “Stop” button. These two are all you need to shake your iBaby around. Or… I guess some people will know what to do with it, if you know what we mean.
[Via: Gizmodo]
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HTC own globale trademark on ?Touch? - could have problems with Apple?s iPod Touch
Apple might have another trademark battle on its hands. Apparently, HTC owns a global trademark on the “Touch” name as it applies to handheld devices. And with Apple recently dropping the iPod Touch on us, it’s bound to cause some corporate legal jockeying.
HTC clearly has grounds to go to the courts to work this one out, but it looks like they’re feeling all warm and fuzzy on account of their birthday celebration. HTC is going to try for an amicable resolution to this situation - a la Cisco and their “iPhone” trademark.
Ching-hung Wang (transliterated from Chinese), marketing manager of HTC pointed out that he does not think Apple’s iPod touch was targeting HTC since Apple should put its focus on bigger companies like Google, Yahoo and Microsoft. As for whether iPod touch violates HTC’s trademark, Wang pointed out that in the past Apple and Cisco were able to reach a mutually satisfactory agreement over the rights to the iPhone trademark, adding that the question surrounding the rights to the Touch trademark would need further observation.
We’re glad HTC decided to play nice with their “Touch” trademark, it’s refreshing to see corporations actually negotiating out of court.
[Via: WMExperts]
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iriver B20 makes us fall for the iPod all over again
Iriver's B20 gadget has got to be the most underwhelming portable video player I've seen in a long time. Or maybe it just feels like it after Apple's big week. But really, who really cares about a player with a 2.4-inch screen, 4 GB of capacity (also comes in 2- and 1-GB versions), and an FM tuner? Certainly not us, and it's not just because this thing won't even be available in the U.S. (the DMB digital-TV tuner is a dead giveaway). Try us two years ago with this thing, iriver.
So if you live in the U.K. and you like lame gadgets, this ugly slab is just waiting for you to give it a home. Only £209 ($425) for the 4-GB version. Are they serious?
Shiny Shiny, via iriver Worldwide
Want some video proof that the iPhoneSIMfree unlock software works?
Check out this vid. In case you weren’t convinced that the iPhoneSIMfree software unlock solution works, head on over to Into iPhone - we’ve got the video goods for you.
[Via: Into iPhone]
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How to Watch Videos on iPhone and iPod Video - 3 Step Guide Short FAQ
Friday, September 07, 2007
Most people that own an iphone or ipod video know they can watch videos but maybe you don't know how to exactly. So I have written an article that will help you to learn all the ways in which you can watch videos on your brand new iphone.
Watching Movies, Sports, Music Videos or any other videos you already own:
1. The first step in watching videos that you already own is to get them on your computer. If its a dvd just pop it into your computers dvd rom drive. Next you will need to get a dvd ripper this will allow you to put the dvd movie into your computer's hard drive. This will take sometime depending on what dvd ripper you have. (If you already have the videos that you want to watch on your iphone on your computer's hard drive go to Step 2)
2. To watch the videos on your iphone or ipod video you will need to convert the videos you already have to the iphone format. For this you will need an iphone/ipod video converter or any other program that converts video files to. mp4 (H.264 encoding) because this the only format of video that the iphone/ipod plays. This will also take a while depending on how big your video file is and how good your iphone/ipod video converter is.
Now before you continue on putting the video files onto your iphone/ipod make sure all of them are in the proper iphone/ipod format. You do not need to worry about this if you used a video converter that converts videos to iphone/ipod format.
3. After you've ripped and converted all the videos you want all that is left to do is to actually put it on your iphone/ipod. This is by far the easiest step and takes the least time because this can be done right from itunes. All you need to do connect your iphone to the computer. Then open up itunes scan the video files into the itunes library and then put the videos files right from itunes to your iphone or ipod video.
The Simple Shortcut Secrets:
I will also tell your about two different simple shortcuts. These shortcuts will allow you to skip Steps 1 and 2. You will want to skip these steps because it takes a lot of time to rip and convert video files.
1. The first shortcut is that there are some websites on the Internet which allows you to download movies, sports, music videos and other videos for the iphone/ipod directly from their site for free after you pay a one time fee. The good thing about these websites is that the videos you download will already come in the iphone/ipod format. This means you do not need to rip or convert the videos which will save a lot of time.
2. The second shortcut is youtube. Youtube and Apple have devolved a close partnership. Now you can watch the videos on youtube encoded with the H264 format directly on your iphone By the end of this month youtube will have over 10,000 videos which you can watch your iphone. Furthermore you will also be able to download these videos via EDGE or Wi-Fi connection.
The FAQ
Q: Can I watch any video in any format that I own on my iPhone or iPod Video?
You can watch any video on your iPhone/iPod Video as long as it is in a certain format. For you to watch videos on your iPhone/iPod Video the videos must be in. mp4 format.
Q: Can I watch videos online on my iPhone?
The only online videos you can watch on your iPhone are the youtube videos encoded in H.264 format. There are already over 10,000 videos on youtube in this format, and they are working hard to convert many of their remaining videos to this format as well.
Q: How is the quality of videos on the iPhone and iPod video?
The quality is great on both depending on the video. If you are watching a DVD Video you will get the same quality as if you where watching on a normal television expect in a smaller screen. However in my opinion the iPhone offers a slightly better video viewing experience than the iPod video due to the larger screen
Q: Are there any sites that allow me to download and watch videos in iPhone/iPod Video format?
Yes there are many sites that offer a vast verity of movies, music, videos and other stuff for the iPhone and iPod Video.
Q: Are these sites expensive?
Most of these sites charges you a one time fee of about $50 and then you get unlimited movies, music and other downloads from their website.
Autor: Tyler Jackson
About the Author:
Tyler Jackson is iphone and ipod enthusiast he watches many videos on his iphone and ipod and loves them both. To get a good iphone video converter to convert and watch videos on your iphone/ipod go to www.todaystechnology.co.nr/iphone-video-converter.html Also to check out good reviews of websites that offer free unlimited access to movies and other videos that come in iphone/ipod format go to www.todaystechnology.co.nr/iphone-downloads-reviews.html
Added: September 7, 2007
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/
The iPhone was outsold by RIM?s BlackBerry lineup 2 to 1 in July
IntoMobile
Ah the iPhone dimwits can stop jumping up and down about the report iSuppli put out less than 48 hours ago. You know, the one that said that the iPhone outsold all other smartphones sold in the United States during July. The C level executives at RIM were quite miffed at that statement and double checked their numbers. What iSuppli should have said is that there wasn’t one BlackBerry model that outsold the iPhone, but instead it was the entire BlackBerry family of products that outsold the iPhone. Way to manipulate figures iSuppli.
Way to go RIM! Feel free to send us a swank new BlackBerry Pearl 2; I’d love to throw in my 2 cents about the man who should be executed at point blank range for selecting the fonts your devices use.
[Via: SMS Text News]
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iPhone Price Drop Already Attracting College Students
News of Apple’s decision to drop iPhone pricing has spread like wildfire. Now college students are getting excited at the idea of purchasing a much more affordable version of the popular phone.
The company has been tracking students’ feelings about the iPhone since May. SurveyU conducted a “flash poll” of 1,000 students on the evening of Sep. 5, hours after Apple CEO Steve Jobs announced that the 8GB iPhone would drop in price by $200.It’s no secret that most college students are constantly strapped for cash, so the pricing news was welcome. The importance of price in wanting the iPhone umped from from 80 percent in June, July and August to 90 percent in the flash poll.
“College students have seen how the iPhone performs and with this reduction, sales among college students will see a solid bump with an even bigger jump upon the next release,” said Dan Coates, co-founder of SurveyU.
Students who are nearing the end of an existing phone contract are now the most excited about the price drop. The price drop did exactly what was expected: created more interested in already surge sales of the phone.
iPhone ring
Check out this cool bluetooth accessory. It is compact and shaped like a ring so you can wear it on your finger. It bears the Apple logo and it even glows...nice. It has touch sensitive keys with OLED display to help with the controlling.
Meridian iRIS iPod Dock
Permalink | Comment | Uberbargain | Uberphones
More iPhone rumors coming your way
Permalink | Comment | Uberbargain | Uberphones
SHIFT: The iPhone, two months later
My poker buddy Seiji bought an iPhone an hour after I bought mine on June 29th. But instead of kibitzing for 13 hours in line with a couple of thousand other nincompoops at Apple's Fifth Avenue showcase store in Manhattan, he merely strolled into the Soho store at 7 p.m., walked up to the counter and bought one. Silly me. Silly everyone.
Our subsequent usage experiences similarly differ. After besting my Jacks full with four Aces at one of our recent weekly Texas Hold 'Em soirees, he noted that having an iPhone is "like having a new girlfriend. I can't keep my hands off of it."
My own iPhone honeymoon hasn't been quite as rapturous as Seiji's. This is not to say I don't love my iPhone. But my feelings are more akin to a mature marriage than courting lust. You recognize all your beloved's flaws and you're often tempted by newer models. But at the end of the day, you realize you chose the best model after all.
But the advanced capabilities new iPod Touch magnify the iPhone's shortcomings and have triggered a semi-radical change of heart. When someone asks me "Should I buy an iPhone?" even at the seemingly bargain price of $399, I say "No." Here's why.
Apple's new iPod Touch is not the new iPod. It's a preview of iPhone 2.0. All that separates the iPod Touch from an iPhone is cell-phone connectivity, which continues to be iPhone's primary flaw.
AT&T's EDGE network is simply not up to the task of delivering a satisfactory Web-browsing experience, and that "more bars in more places" is, in my experience, bunk. I spend the bulk of my time testing cell phones, and where the iPhone can't get a signal, Verizon and Sprint cells usually do. AT&T is currently in the process of doubling the data throughput of its cell towers, but the network's overall inconsistency drives me crazy.
But no matter how fast AT&T makes EDGE, it's still nowhere near a fast as AT&T's new, but still not universally available, broadband HSDPA network.
Steve Jobs' reason for not endowing iPhone with HSDPA capabilities is well known — HSDPA access would devour battery life, rendering the iPhone useless in short order. Instead, iPhone has an EDGE chip and the longest life of any multimedia cell phone for most of its applications. At least in theory.
A week after he bought his iPhone, Seiji came to the poker game asking if I had a spare iPod cable. His iPhone was almost out of juice. The problem is that Seiji was right — you can't keep your hands, or, more precisely, your fingers, off of it. Apple made the iPhone too damned fun to use. Between Web surfing, listening to music, watching videos you've downloaded or off YouTube, zooming in on your house and your friends' houses on the map function, reading and answering your email — the list goes on — within a couple of hours, your iPhone battery is wheezing. Oddly, the iPod Touch is a step backwards where battery life is concerned; it offers 2 fewer hours for both music and video playback compared to iPhone.
Like the battery, Jobs also underestimated memory needs on the iPhone — 8 GB for a nano is plenty of room for a normal music collection, but an iPhone has a 3.5-inch widescreen, encouraging you to carry lots of fat video files. I always end up having to decide what to sync: music or video. iPod Touch's 16 GB sounds more reasonable.
My biggest complaint about iPhone is the stupid recessed headphone jack. Apple's included earbuds are uncomfortable, to say the least, and are not an option. I can't use my chosen headphones without an adapter, and my headphones don't have an inline microphone (which you need to take calls). Instead I keep my custom Ultimate Ears UE5c in my ears and hold the iPhone up to my mouth like a microphone when a call comes in, which looks even geekier than holding an inline mic on a wire closer to your mouth.
Although I've heard promises from headphone makers such as Shure, Etymotic, Sennheiser and Ultimate Ears, none has yet produced audiophile iPhone-sized earbuds with in-line mic and music transport controls (Altec Lansing and V-Moda have iPhone earbuds with the necessary in-line functions, but I haven't sampled them yet). It is unclear from Jobs' presentation yesterday if the new iPod Touch continues this recessed-headphone-jack idiocy.
As I noted in my original iPhone review, with all of these and other complaints, iPhone is still the Tiger Woods of multimedia cell phones. Apple's arguable iPhone overreaching is still head and shoulders beyond anyone's successful efforts. No other cell phone is an iPod. No other phone has iPhone's memory. No other phone has such a large and beautiful screen. Multi-touch may make buttons as anachronistic as phone dials. And have you noticed that iPhone's interface doesn't use any pulldown menus? This could be an even greater interface breakthrough than multi-touch.
With its Wi-Fi iTunes connectivity and 16-GB capacity, the iPod Touch is an iPhone without a phone. And iPhone 2.0 will be an iPod Touch with HSDPA capabilities. When that happens — I hope early next year — that's when I'll recommend others to go on their own iPhone honeymoon.
Stewart Wolpin has been writing about technology for more than 20 years for such publications as Playboy, CNET, Consumers Digest and American Heritage of Invention and Technology. He's also a Mets season ticket holder and has played poker every Thursday night for the last 22 years.
Steve Jobs Letter To iPhone Customers
Thursday, September 06, 2007
Steve Jobs has issued his official letter to all iPhone customers that got to pay $200.00 dollars extra for being the first adopters to use the iPhone.
For some reason I don’t think it will resonate with many, I mean all you get is $100.00 credit towards the purchase of another Apple product - and only if you didn’t get a rebate or other consideration. It stands to reason that many consumers may very well be turned off to the idea of buying a product from Apple in the near future after this pricing decision out of the company. I know I would be.
To all iPhone customers:
I have received hundreds of emails from iPhone customers who are upset about Apple dropping the price of iPhone by $200 two months after it went on sale. After reading every one of these emails, I have some observations and conclusions.
First, I am sure that we are making the correct decision to lower the price of the 8GB iPhone from $599 to $399, and that now is the right time to do it. iPhone is a breakthrough product, and we have the chance to ‘go for it’ this holiday season. iPhone is so far ahead of the competition, and now it will be affordable by even more customers. It benefits both Apple and every iPhone user to get as many new customers as possible in the iPhone ‘tent’. We strongly believe the $399 price will help us do just that this holiday season.
Second, being in technology for 30+ years I can attest to the fact that the technology road is bumpy. There is always change and improvement, and there is always someone who bought a product before a particular cutoff date and misses the new price or the new operating system or the new whatever. This is life in the technology lane. If you always wait for the next price cut or to buy the new improved model, you’ll never buy any technology product because there is always something better and less expensive on the horizon. The good news is that if you buy products from companies that support them well, like Apple tries to do, you will receive years of useful and satisfying service from them even as newer models are introduced.
Third, even though we are making the right decision to lower the price of iPhone, and even though the technology road is bumpy, we need to do a better job taking care of our early iPhone customers as we aggressively go after new ones with a lower price. Our early customers trusted us, and we must live up to that trust with our actions in moments like these.
Therefore, we have decided to offer every iPhone customer who purchased an iPhone from either Apple or AT&T, and who is not receiving a rebate or any other consideration, a $100 store credit towards the purchase of any product at an Apple Retail Store or the Apple Online Store. Details are still being worked out and will be posted on Apple’s website next week. Stay tuned.
We want to do the right thing for our valued iPhone customers. We apologize for disappointing some of you, and we are doing our best to live up to your high expectations of Apple.
Steve Jobs
Apple CEO
What are your thoughts on this heartfelt letter to consumers that have every reason to feel ripped off?
Nokia: Sorry iPhone early adopters, at least you can use MOSH
So it looks like early iPhone adopters aren’t the only ones feeling the pain of having their uber-expensive devices price-slashed like last year’s fashions. Nokia feels our pain too. Not a day after Apple announced their early-adopter screwing policy, Nokia has launched� a Google ad campaign to empathize with our $200 loss and offer a chance to redeem our iPhone’s worth by using the Nokia mobile social-network, MOSH.
Apparently, the MOSH social network is enough to help us “salvage” our newly cheap iPhones. We’re not sure we’re MOSH is going to help us feel any better about seeing our neighbor pick up an 8GB iPhone for just $399, but hey, it’s the though that counts.
[Via: TechCrunch]
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Steve Jobs: Apple will offer $100 Apple Store credit to all iPhone early adopters
It looks like the blogosphere’s outrage at the massive iPhone price-drop has prompted action from Steve Jobs. In an open letter to all iPhone owners, Stevie announced that Apple is working on doling out a $100 Apple Store credit to all iPhone early adopters. All of you that were burned by the 8GB iPhone’s new $399 price tag can take a bit of solace in Apple’s move to appease the masses with some Apple-money.
As Dr. Macenstein puts it, “It never hurts to bitch.”
Here’s the letter from Steve Jobs:
To all iPhone customers:
I have received hundreds of emails from iPhone customers who are upset about Apple dropping the price of iPhone by $200 two months after it went on sale. After reading every one of these emails, I have some observations and conclusions.
First, I am sure that we are making the correct decision to lower the price of the 8GB iPhone from $599 to $399, and that now is the right time to do it. iPhone is a breakthrough product, and we have the chance to ‘go for it’ this holiday season. iPhone is so far ahead of the competition, and now it will be affordable by even more customers. It benefits both Apple and every iPhone user to get as many new customers as possible in the iPhone ‘tent’. We strongly believe the $399 price will help us do just that this holiday season.
Second, being in technology for 30+ years I can attest to the fact that the technology road is bumpy. There is always change and improvement, and there is always someone who bought a product before a particular cutoff date and misses the new price or the new operating system or the new whatever. This is life in the technology lane. If you always wait for the next price cut or to buy the new improved model, you’ll never buy any technology product because there is always something better and less expensive on the horizon. The good news is that if you buy products from companies that support them well, like Apple tries to do, you will receive years of useful and satisfying service from them even as newer models are introduced.
Third, even though we are making the right decision to lower the price of iPhone, and even though the technology road is bumpy, we need to do a better job taking care of our early iPhone customers as we aggressively go after new ones with a lower price. Our early customers trusted us, and we must live up to that trust with our actions in moments like these.
Therefore, we have decided to offer every iPhone customer who purchased an iPhone from either Apple or AT&T, and who is not receiving a rebate or any other consideration, a $100 store credit towards the purchase of any product at an Apple Retail Store or the Apple Online Store. Details are still being worked out and will be posted on Apple’s website next week. Stay tuned.
We want to do the right thing for our valued iPhone customers. We apologize for disappointing some of you, and we are doing our best to live up to your high expectations of Apple.
Steve Jobs
Apple CEO
Way to go Apple! You’ve redeemed yourselves, at least partially, in our book. As we’ve come to expect the highest level of customer service from you, you delivered in the clutch!
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Steve Jobs thanks iPhone early adopters with $100 credit
While some were understandably thrilled by Apple's announcements yesterday, some early iPhone customers felt like they'd been wronged. Of course, Apple announces upgrades and lowers prices without warning frequently, but these customers weren't expecting such a huge drop in price ($200 for the 8-GB model; the 4-GB model has been discontinued) just two months after the launch.
Those customers, previously Apple devotees, made their feelings known. In response, this afternoon Steve Jobs announced that all users who purchased an iPhone before the price drop would be eligible for a $100 credit, good at Apple stores and on iTunes. Additionally, if you've purchased an iPhone in the past two weeks, you're eligible to get a $200 refund. Apple lovers everywhere (including the editor of this blog), can breathe a collective sigh of relief, knowing that Apple will do the right thing — when it's facing PR disaster and a falling stock price.
Via Apple
Apple releases iTunes 7.4 with iPhone ringtone maker, Wi-Fi iTunes music store support
You want ringtones? We got your ringtones right here. Well, it’s actually Apple that’s got your ringtones - and they’re not exactly “right here,” they’re in your iTunes’ iPhone window. After yesterday’s announcement that the long-awaited ringtone-making feature will finally be available to iPhone users, Apple has updated their iTunes to version 7.4, enabling the expected ringtone feature for your iPhone.
Simply purchase a compatible song and you’ll get the option to create a custom 30-second ringtone for an additional $0.99. Update your iTunes software and you’ll see the “Ringtone” tab that we’ve been expecting to see in iTunes for some time now. The ringtone feature should be fully functional by next week.
With iTunes 7.4, sync your favorite music and more with the new iPod nano (third generation), iPod classic, and iPod touch, plus create custom ringtones exclusively for iPhone with many of your favorite songs purchased from the iTunes Store. You can now also play purchased videos with closed captioning (when available), easily rate your favorite albums from one to five stars, and watch videos at a larger size inside the iTunes window.
The new version of iTunes is also said to include the Wi-Fi iTunes Store support that will allow the new iPods and iPhones to access the iTunes music store directly from their handheld device. The feature is still on lockdown so expect to see some iTunes-action on your iPhone by month’s end.
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Can the iPod Touch affect the high-end handset sales?
I’m sure most of you are aware that yesterday Apple launched the new iPod Touch — basically a bit smaller and lighter iPhone without a phone radio, Bluetooth and a camera. I’m wondering will it affect the sales of the high end multimedia phones…
In a word - YES! While I do like the idea of having everything in a single device, no other device on the market can match the iPod Touch’s or iPhone’s music and video playback capability. Although there are many othe