iPod News. iPod info. Latest Apple iPod News: June 2008

Hutchison Telecom?s Three mobile network to offer iPhone rate plans starting at $24

Following on their previous announcement that Hutchison Telecom's branded "3" wireless network will offer the iPhone in Hong Kong and Macau, the carrier has today announced its iPhone rate plan pricing schedule.

Set to make AT&T iPhone 3G customers green with cashless-envy, Three will be offering their iPhone rate plans starting from just $24 ($188 HKD) per month.

The lowest-tier calling plan offers 500 wireless minutes, 500 heart-to-hear minutes, 25 multimedia messages, 15 SMS text messages, 500 MB of data usage and unlimited Intra SMS messages. Three customers choosing this calling plan can nab their own 8GB iPhone for $377 ($2938 HKD), or the 16GB variant for $479 ($3738 HKD).

iPhone hopefuls looking to subscribe to 3's highest-tier calling plan will be asked to fork over $64 every month, in return for 2200 wireless minutes, 1500 heart-to-hear minutes, 150 multimedia messages, 50 SMS text messages, unlimited data usage and unlimited Intra SMS messages. The most expensive iPhone calling plan subsidizes the iPhone purchase to give customers a free 8GB iPhone or a 16GB iPhone for about $20 ($138 HKD).

Now, let's consider 3's iPhone offerings compared to, oh, say Rogers' iPhone plans. 3 seems to have the right idea here. The lower iPhone calling plan tiers offer limited data plans while the higher-tier offerings include unlimited data use. Rogers might do well to take a page out of 3's marketing playbook.

[Via: AppleInsider]

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iRiver Aquabeat MP3 Player

iRiver goes underwater this time round with its Aquabeat MP3 player which targets swimmers who want to enjoy some of their favorite tunes while getting their daily dose of exercise in. It measures a relatively small 61mm x 46mm x 20mm and doesn't look as though it will get in your way as you attempt to outdo your previous lap record. 1GB of storage space ought to be sufficient, unless you're preparing for the Olympics and get in more than 9 hours of practice time each day - that's exactly how long the battery will last. The Aquabeat will hit Japan this July 4th for approximately $145.

Online petition proves growing Canadian distaste for Rogers? iPhone 3G calling plans

By now it should be clear that iPhone 3G hopefuls in Canada are getting the short end of the data-plan-stick. Rogers (and their wholly-owned Fido network) announced not too long ago that they'll be offering our friends to the North a chance to get their hands on an Apple's next-generation iPhone, the iPhone 3G, come July 11. The catch - you'll get reamed on Rogers' and Fido's data-plan pricing.

Rather than adopt the unlimited data plan pricing structure that many other iPhone carriers are offering with their iPhone 3G data plans, Rogers will be rolling out iPhone 3G calling plans with varying data usage limits. The cheapest plan nets Rogers customers a measly 400MB of bundled 3G data usage, while the highest-tier iPhone 3G calling plan has Rogers customers working with a 2GB data soft-cap.

Rogers defended their iPhone 3G pricing position by saying that the calling plans were tailored to fit different needs, striving to ensure that customers didn't end up paying more for services they didn't need or want. The carrier argued that an unlimited data offering would increase iPhone 3G calling plan prices needlessly, ultimately shorting the customer.

So, what options are left to disgruntled Canadians looking to get their hands on an iPhone 3G next month? Start a petition, of course. Rather then sit back and take what Rogers gives them, a group of enraged iPhone 3G hopefuls have formed RuinediPhone.com in hopes of gathering enough petition signatures to sway Rogers' hand in iPhone 3G rate plan pricing.

So far, the website is boasting over 12,500 signatures and looks to be growing steadily. If you're looking to pick up a next-generation iPhone 3G come July 11, but can't stand the taste of Rogers' greed, sign the petition and pass it on to your friends. The petition will be sent to Rogers on July 11, in hopes that the prospect of losing tens of thousands (if not more) iPhone 3G customers (which could ultimately lead to reduced iPhone 3G revenue) can help persuade Rogers to offer a more sizable data plan for the iPhone 3G.

Find the petition here. You don't have to be a Canadian to show your disapproval of Rogers' business practices. Give our Canadian friends some help and sign the petition, regardless of your address.

RuinediPhone.com�

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A year with the iPhone - iPhone turns 1 year old

As of 6pm PST today, my iPhone will be turning exactly 1 year old. Well, actually, seeing as how it took me a good 20 minutes to get inside the Apple store last year, my iPhone's 12-month birthday will fall on approximately 6:20pm PST.

So, just how has the iPhone lived up to expectations? And, how has the iPhone failed to deliver as a mobile phone? Read on to find out.

Usability and user experience

The one aspect of the iPhone's appeal that is undisputed is its incredible UI and un-matched user experience. From the way the iPhone flicks through menus to the way I can interact with different applications and webpages, courtesy of multi-touch, the iPhone lacks a competent competitor.

Anyone even vaguely familiar with the mobile space will already know that the iPhone has redefined the way smartphone users should expect to interact with their handsets. Which inevitably means that we'll be seeing more and more touchscreen offerings from other manufacturers. How long it will take them to refine their respective UIs to Mac OS standards has yet to be seen.

Features

Furthermore, the iPhone's weakness lies in its feature-set. With a disappointingly lacking Bluetooth stack that doesn't serve up tunes over A2DP Bluetooth, recessed headphone jack, inability to record video out-of-the-box (but, there are third-party video recording options out there), and lack of MMS, the iPhone failed to deliver as a truly complete mobile phone. Oh, and there's the sealed battery compartment - but a simple portable battery charger makes a secondary battery pointless (and every mobile enthusiast should have a portable battery charger, if you don't, get one post haste).

Honestly, the only time I've missed not having MMS on the iPhone is when I tried to email a photo (a highly integrated and seamless process, by the way) to one of my friends that has yet to embrace the smartphone revolution. I was able to email it to his mobile phone email, so the photo was still delivered.

But, what I realized was that mobile email will eventually kill off MMS. If not already circling the drain, MMS and it's pay-per-use model will succumb to email as the delivery method of choice for sending pictures to other mobile phones. If you don't have a mobile email-capable handset, consider it for your next mobile phone - it's worth it.

I haven't missed video recording that much (aside from the random Bugatti Veyron or Cizeta-Moroder V16T that I wish I had recorded rolling through my neighborhood). And since I don't go around recoding video, the third-party video recording solution has proven more than adequate for my needs. Video recording power users will want to go another route - or just keep a video-recording power-phone in your other pocket.

The 2 megapixel camera is decent and gets the job done, but it's not going to match up to the German optics and high-megapixel sensors in certain other handsets - if image quality is important, again, look elsewhere. And, the headphone jack and Bluetooth disappointments are so far barely acceptable, but I've learned to deal with it.

How do I deal with having inferior hardware features? It's the Mac OS combined with a huge multi-touch display, people!

Durability

Apple is known for products with outstanding build- and materials-quality, so my iPhone's robustness hasn't surprised me one bit. I've dropped my iPhone countless times and haven't noticed more than a bit of scuffing and slight denting on impacted corners. The screen is still immaculate.

Reliability

My iPhone has been rock solid in build and reliability since day one. I've had friends and family get hit with iPhone dead-screen issues, wobbly headphone jacks, bricked iPhones from botched jailbreak procedures (which is their fault, really). But, all those problems were promptly handled by an Apple store employee - by putting a new iPhone replacement in to their hands.

Aside from hardware problems, my iPhone hasn't needed to be reset (or rebooted) much. I only reboot it occasionally to ensure speedy operation and zippy multi-tasking. If not for my obsessive need for top-notch performance, I figure I'd only need to reset the iPhone during a firmware update (which is likely what most people do).

Overall

So, has the iPhone met my needs as a wholly contained mobile platform? Almost. I keep a plethora of mobile phones strewn around my "personal space" (read: living room) for this reason. I keep Windows Mobile Standard and Professional handsets (more than I care to list here) around for when I want to try out the latest Windows Mobile offerings. For my Symbian and photo-taking needs, I have my Nokia N80 and Nokia E61. My Palm OS needs are handled by a Palm Centro. I used to rationalize my fashion phones' existence by telling myself that I'll use them when I go out to clubs or bars, but the iPhone is far more eye-catching than a Motorola KRZR will ever be.

So, the phone I use almost exclusively is the iPhone. The iPhone's UI has spoiled me to no end. With multi-touch and Mac OS, the iPhone has redefined what I expect out of a mobile phone. Performance and features used to be what I demanded from a handset, but the iPhone has shifted my perspective. With all high-end handsets soon to offer feature-sets that are on par with the competition, the UI is what will differentiate one handset from another - which I talk about here. That being said, I can't comfortably use any other handset for prolonged periods without longing for my iPhone - which is why I always keep it in my other pocket.

So, happy birthday, iPhone. Here we come, iPhone 3G!

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17M iPhone 3G ordered, Rates, MMS Coming and Remote Application

Friday, June 27, 2008

Today’s news about the iPhone, starting with the rates: Rogers has announced plans in the $60-$115 (Canadian) range. In Sweden, plans will start at $50 and in Norway they’ll be as high as $80 (link).

Launch preparations: Apple as reportedly ordered 17M handsets, which is huge of course, but given the anticipation and the much lower price point, it’s likely that they will sell all that.

MMS support: For those who care, it’s rumored to be in the works.

Universal Remote Control: Not surprisingly, the idea of a display-only universal remote control makes sense: you can program any remote and mimic exactly its functionalities. There are people already working on applications, but I remember that Apple filed a patent a while back… That will give me a pretext to get an iPod touch and dump my current iPods. Not official yet

Nike+ for the 3G iPhone

It is hoped by many fitness buffs that Nike+ will be made available for the 3G iPhone, and there could be cause for celebration according to a press release from US gym giant 24 Hour Fitness.

"Nike and Apple worked with major gym equipment manufacturers to make their cardio equipment Nike + iPod compatible so gym members can easily track and record workouts on cardio equipment like treadmills, stair steppers, elliptical trainers and stationary bikes."

Do you think that's confirmation, or is it just false hope?

Rogers announces official iPhone 3G rate plan pricing

It there's one thing you can count on in the Canadian wireless market, it's incredibly high wireless data costs. We should have known better than to get our hopes up on hearing speculation that Rogers and Fdio would be offering unlimited data plans with the iPhone 3G's luanch in July. Rogers has announced their official pricing schedules for the iPhone 3G rate plans - which will be mirrored by Fido.

On the upside, Rogers customers looking to snatch up an iPhone 3G next month can get by with a $60 per month deal that serves up both voice and data service. The downside (there's always a downside) is that Rogers has effectively killed any hopes of unlimited data plans being offered to iPhone 3G users.

All iPhone 3G rate plan tiers will be priced on a sliding scale according to the allotment of wireless minutes and allowable data usage. For example, the $60 per month deal nets iPhone 3G users on Rogers' network 150 anytime minutes, unlimited nights and weekend minutes, unlimited Visual Voicemail, and unlimited incoming SMS text messages. But, the deal only allows for a Lilliputian 400MB of data usage and 75 outgoing SMS text messages.

On the high-end, Rogers is offering iPhone 3G hopefuls 800 anytime minutes, unlimited night/weekend minutes, unlimited Visual Voicemail/incoming text messages, and a whopping 2GB of data with 300 outgoing SMS text messages. And, being the top-tier offering, this particular plan will set you back $115 per month.

Pricing includes unlimited Wi-Fi access at all Rogers and Fido Hotspots. Rogers Wireless will also offer two voice value packs for popular wireless features: a $15 monthly value pack including Caller ID, Who Called, Caller Ring Trax, 2,500 Sent Text Messages and 2,500 Call Forwarding Minutes; and a $20 monthly value pack including Caller ID, Who Called, Caller Ring Trax, 10,000 Sent Text Messages and 6:00 p.m. Early Evening Calling and 2,500 Call Forwarding Minutes.

John Boynton, SVP and Chief Marketing Officer, Rogers Wireless says, "We've designed a pricing structure that offers affordable, flexible voice and data packages so Canadians can truly unleash their iPhone 3G experience on Canada's fastest wireless network." Unless they want to unleash their iPhone 3G on more than 2GB of data…

For Rogers to offer their top-tier plan with no more than 2GB of data and then tout unlimited access to voicemail as a selling point is just confusing. For customers that are looking to get on Rogers' network with an iPhone 3G in hand, it's just painful.

Keep reading for Rogers' full iPhone 3G rate plan breakdown.

iPhone 3G Price Plans at Rogers Wireless

—————————————-

————————————————————————-

Sent�� Incoming

Text�� Text�� Visual

Price�� Voice�� Data�� Messages� messages�� Voicemail

————————————————————————-

$60 /�� 150 minutes + unlimited� 400 MB�� 75�� Unlimited� Unlimited

month�� Evening and Weekend

————————————————————————-

$75 /�� 300 minutes + unlimited� 750 MB�� 100�� Unlimited� Unlimited

month�� Evening and Weekend

————————————————————————-

$100 /� 600 minutes + unlimited� 1 GB�� 200�� Unlimited� Unlimited

month�� Evening and Weekend

————————————————————————-

$115 /� 800 minutes + unlimited� 2 GB�� 300�� Unlimited� Unlimited

month�� Evening and Weekend

————————————————————————-

Data Usage - What You Get

————————-

————————————————————————-

Monthly

Data Usage�� Online Applications

————————————————————————-

400 MB�� up to 200,000 text emails or 3,100 web pages or 1,360 photo

attachments

————————————————————————-

750 MB�� up to 380,000 text emails or 5,900 web pages or 2,560 photo

attachments

————————————————————————-

1 GB�� up to 524,000 text emails or 8,000 web pages or 3,500 photo

attachments

————————————————————————-

2 GB�� up to 1,048,000 text emails or 16,000 web pages or 7,000

photo attachments

————————————————————————-

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Apple looking to enable iPhone as iTunes wireless remote - iPhone as remote control for iTunes

While not exactly a new idea for the iPhone, it seems that Apple is capitalizing on the iPhone's huge multi-touch display to bring wireless remote-control functionality to iTunes. The latest iTunes 7.7 preview that was released to developers indicates that Apple is preparing to enable iPhones and iPod Touches as wireless remote controls for iTunes.

We've been waiting for Apple to officially roll out a feature like this ever since we discovered references in the iPhone 2.0 OS firmware betas that hinted as such.

The remote control feature will apparently be available as a free application through the AppStore, slated to go live in a couple weeks. We're assuming that a WiFi wireless network will be needed for your iPhone to "talk" to your iTunes application, much like Buddy Remote.

Here's the bit of text that got us excited:

Use iTunes 7.7 to sync music, video, and more with iPhone 3G, and download applications from the iTunes Store exclusively designed for iPhone and iPod touch with software version 2.0 or later. Also use the new Remote application for iPhone or iPod touch to control iTunes playback from anywhere in your home — a free download from the App Store.

The iPhone 3G and iPhone as a remote control for iTunes makes perfect sense, and with a little luck, we'll see it happen in the coming weeks.

[Via: MacRumors]

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iPhone OS 2.0 firmware expected to go ?Gold? soon

Thursday, June 26, 2008

Here's a quick update for you iPhoners out there waiting to get a crack at Apple's next iPhone firmware revision - the iPhone 2.0 OS.

Gizmodo has it on tips that the final version of the iPhone 2.0 OS is expected to hit "Gold Master" status this Friday. That means all the final tweaks are nearing completion and most bugs have been ironed out. That also means that the gold version of the firmware is going to be firmed up in well ahead of its expected July 11 ship date.

iPhone 2.o OS will be available as a free update to current iPhone customers, while iPod Touch owners will have to shell out an additional $10 to get their hands on the newer operating system - and with support for the AppStore, Exchange, MobileMe, and possibly MMS, the update might be worth the extra cash outlay.

[Via: Gizmodo]

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Explore your locale with Travel Channel GO for iPhone

There's nothing worse than being stuck at home asking that dreaded question of your significant other - "What should we do today/tonight?"

To help ease the brain-racking search for new and fun things to do in your area, the Travel Channel is bringing their travel-expertise to the mobile space. Travel Channel GO is a web-app that puts the power of the Travel Channel's worldly knowledge in the palm of your, well iPhone.

Find out about food, nightlife, shopping, and events in your area (or while on vacation), as well as the Travel Channel's "Top Picks" - complete with maps to get you to where you want to go. Or, if you're a bit more certain about the type of adventure you want to partake in, Travel Channel GO offers a search feature to quickly bring up all relevant events/places near you.

The new Travel Channel GO interface has been optimized with sliding-panel graphics for your iPhone. And, with the iPhone 3G on the way, we're sure Travel Channel Go will be a hit for some time to come.

But, that doesn't mean the Travel Channel has left other mobile platforms out in the cold. The entire gamut of major mobile platforms is covered - Windows Mobile, Mac OS, Palm OS, S60, BlackBerry.

Simply point your mobile phone's browser to go.travelchannel.com, and you'll be offered a choice of mobile applications or web-applications depending on the mobile platform you're currently using.

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Airremote for iPhones

The Airremote application will be hitting the App store next month, and is compatible with both the iPhone and the iPod touch. For just $99, you get a software-based universal remote control, although I'd prefer to have a dedicated one instead of lumping it together with my iDevice. It can apparently control your Sky TV service, lighting, iTunes and Kaleidescape systems among others. Of course, future updates will see even more functionality added to it, included various home systems and services such as home heating and curtains/blinds. Too bad it can't do anything to keep a nagging wife quiet.

Marubeni iPod Docking Station

Now here's an iPod dock that is different from all the other plastic offerings in the market since it is made from wood. The Marubeni iPod docking station will come in American Walnut (€65) or Scandinavian Birch (€60) finish, and it boasts USB connectivity and a pair of 1W speakers (frequency response of 180Hz-20,000Hz). It is compatible with the iPod classic and iPod nano.

iPhone Anti-Interference Shield

Here's a DIY method to come up with your very own iPhone Anti-Interference Shield, doing away with all the buzzing sounds your iPhone wreaks upon unshielded speakers. It might lower the quality of your reception by a wee bit though, but that could just be psychological. It takes around half an hour to construct the whole thing, but the results are pretty interesting to say the least. So far the improvement is noticeable, so the next thing one could do would be to concentrate on the aesthetics.

iPod nano to Cost Less

Word has it that Apple will be making some pretty significant changes to its iPod nano, and despite the improvements it will still retail for less than the current price, which is good news for customers. It seems as though Apple will be ramping up production of the iPod nano by an additional 15%. Are you planning to pick up a portable media player in the forseeable future? If yes, will you choose the 3G iPhone, since it boasts dual-functionality?

Newman RV30 MP3 Player

Newman has a new MP3 player for the masses which won't break the bank at $73, and it does contain a whole plethora of functions for you to kick back and enjoy. The tiny screen isn't too suitable for navigation, but then again I can't ask for too much considering the 103mm x 34mm x 13mm form factor. Powered by a couple of AAA batteries, the RV30 is compatible with both MP3 and WMA formats, has a trio of integrated speakers, and is able to record all your telephone conversations when hooked. Too bad there is only 1GB of storage space available, and you can choose from red and silver colors. I would presume the recorded format is in MP3 as well.

Sport In-Ear MP3 Player

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Sport In-Ear MP3 Player (1GB) is built by durable and flexible platic material. It weighs only 20g. This light weight MP3 player allows you to listen MP3 on the go.

Price US$22.00 from brando
Colors: Blue / Red

Features:
USB 2.0
Plug and play
Support MP3/WMA/WAV music file
Built by durable and flexible plastic
Light in weight - 20g only
In-ear earbuds design
Built-in 1GB flash memory
Built-in rechargeable lithium battery
Sync and Recharged by USB port
8 hours continuous music playback per charge
S/N Ratio: >=86db
Frequency Response: 20hz ~ 20Khz
Weight: 20g
Support Windows 2000/XP/Vista

Package Content:
Sport In-Ear MP3 Player
USB Data Charging Cable

JVC LCD TV has iPod Dock

JVC's new range of LCD TVs can even entertain you with videos straight from your iPod since it comes with an integrated iPod dock. All four models will boast JVC's new TeleDock, with all but one of them featuring full HD resolution. The four models in question are the 32" LT-32P679, 42" LT-42P789, 47" LT-47P789 and the 52" LT-52P789. The iPod, when docked, will remain charged regardless of whether the LCD TV is on or off. Is there nothing sacred these days that have nothing to do with the iPod?

New iPhone Carries $173 BOM and Manufacturing Cost, According to a Preliminary Estimate From iSuppli

Apple Inc.?s second-generation iPhone is expected to carry an initial hardware Bill Of Materials (BOM) and manufacturing cost of $173, according to a preliminary ?virtual teardown? conducted by iSuppli Corp.

On Jun. 9, Apple CEO Steve Jobs announced the release of the much-anticipated new iPhone. The new version will be available starting Jul. 11 in 22 different nations, including the United States. In advance of the iPhone release, iSuppli has performed a virtual teardown, using insights from our analysis staff to develop estimates of iPhone content, suppliers and costs. The analysis team consisted of iSuppli?s leading experts in the areas of teardown analysis, semiconductors, displays, mobile handsets, consumer electronics and wireless infrastructure.

iSuppli had planned to withhold any analysis of iPhone content and costs until it had conducted an actual physical teardown of the product. However, due to strong popular demand for information on iPhone costs and pricing, iSuppli has decided to release a preliminary analysis to the public. Once the 3G iPhone becomes available, iSuppli will perform an actual, detailed teardown of the new iPhone?s components and cost structure.

?At a hardware BOM and manufacturing cost of $173, the new iPhone is significantly less expensive to produce than the first-generation product, despite major improvements in the product?s functionality and unique usability, due to the addition of 3G communications,? said Dr. Jagdish Rebello, director and principal analyst for iSuppli. ?The original 8Gbyte iPhone carried a cost of $226 after component price reductions, giving the new product a 23 percent hardware cost reduction due to component price declines.?

The attached figure presents iSuppli?s preliminary virtual teardown estimate of the 8Gbyte 3G iPhone?s costs. The figure doesn't include other costs, including software development, shipping and distribution, packaging, and miscellaneous accessories included with each phone.

This year?s business model

With the second-generation iPhone, Apple is making a significant departure in its pricing strategy. ?The original 2G phone was sold at an unsubsidized price of $499,? Rebello noted. ?However, at a retail price of $199 for the low-end 8Gbyte version of the new 3G model, wireless communications service carriers will be selling the product at a subsidized rate, using a common business model for the mobile-handset market. The size of the subsidy paid by the wireless carriers to Apple will be about $300 per iPhone, iSuppli estimates. This means that with subsidies from carriers, Apple will be selling the 8Mbyte version of the second-generation iPhone to carriers at an effective price of about $499 per unit, the same as the original product.?

For the first version of the iPhone, Apple was given a portion of the wireless carriers? revenue from service subscriptions. With the second-generation version, Apple is not garnering any service revenue, making it more imperative that the company cut a profit on the actual hardware through the carrier subsidies.

?Hardware is vital to Apple profits, valuation and revenue in the consumer-electronics and wireless communications realms,? Rebello said ?In fact, two-thirds of Apple?s revenue from the iPod still is derived from hardware, while only one third is from the iTunes service and accessories. The second-generation iPhone is no exception.?

On the margin

Based on extensive teardown analyses of multiple products, iSuppli has observed that Apple?s iPod and iPhone products typically are priced about 50 percent more than their BOM and manufacturing costs. With the new iPhone sold at a price of $199 and the estimated subsidy of $300, Apple will achieve an even higher BOM/manufacturing margin.

Future costs

As with all electronic products, the 3G iPhone?s BOM costs will decrease over time as component prices decline. The BOM/manufacturing cost of the second-generation iPhone will decrease to $148 in 2009, down 37 percent from $173 in 2008, according to data from iSuppli?s Mobile Handset Cost Model (MHCM). ?If the 3G iPhone design is unchanged, the cost will decline to $126 in 2012? said Tina Teng, wireless communications analyst at iSuppli.

Apple kicking off iPhone 3G launch 8am on July 11?

Apple's planning to put their iPhone 3G up for sale early in the morning on the handset's global July 11 launch date. Start getting used to waking up early, folks. Apple is reportedly set to open the floodgates to blurry-eyed iPhone 3G hopefuls at 8:00am on the morning of July 11. We're assuming that 8am local time is the launch window to look out for.

This is all rumor at this point, but it makes sense that Apple would kick off the launch day earlier than last year's 6:00 pm launch - what with all the in-store activations likely to make the checkout process significantly more drawn out than with the first iPhone.

[Via: BGR]

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iPhone controls iRobot PackBot remotely - no web access needed

Granted, controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle using the iPhone over a dedicated web-server is more a gimmick than a true use of the iPhone as a remote control. But, it's still cool.

So, then, that would make this remote controlled iRobot truly trick. The iPhone you see in this video is being used to connect to, and control, the iRobot PackBot through WiFi. There's no web-server, there's not even any web-access involved here. The iPhone connects directly with the iRobot PackBot and issues controls without the assistance of a proxy server.

The iRobot PackBot remote control application was developed as a native iPhone application - which means, again, no web-based gimmicks here.

After almost a year of iPhone development, it's still inspiring to see what creative minds can do with a flexible development platform. Of course, it doesn't hurt that the iPhone boasts 3.5 inches of multi-touch goodness.

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Softbank Offers 3G iPhone from $215

Softbank, the official iPhone carrier in Japan will be releasing the local 3G iPhone (8GB) for $215, which is slightly more expensive than the $199 price tag slapped on the US version. To double the internal memory, you will need to fork out $320, and both 3G iPhones will come with a $68 monthly plan consisting of unlimited data transmission and free air time with other Softbank subscribers during certain hours. Softbank is, well, banking on the 3G iPhone to help it snag customers from au and DoCoMo networks. Anticipation is definitely mounting in Japan - hopefully there is enough stock to keep the momentum going.

3G iPhone Compared

What's the point of having something new without comparing it to the old? Here's an image of the upcoming 3G iPhone with the older version, courtesy of our friends at iLounge.

Its front is almost exactly the same as the original model’s, now with an array of three sensors (two proximity sensors, one ambient light sensor) in a J shape to the left of the ear speaker, and a wider black frame around its 3.5” touchscreen. Whereas the previous iPhone was narrower than a full-sized iPod, iPod classic or iPod touch, the iPhone 3G is now the same 2.4” width, and slightly taller than the iPod touch and classic at 4.5” versus 4.3” and 4.1”. The 0.48” depth is thicker than the touch (0.31"), 80GB classic (0.41"), and original iPhone (0.46") but thinner than the 160GB classic (0.53"), and tapered at the sides for the appearance of thinness. At 4.7 ounces, it weighs more than iPod touch (4.2), but less than the iPod classic (4.9-5.7 oz.).

Those are just snippets of their observation. If you want to know more, read our source.

Apple named in touchscreen device patent lawsuit over iPhone?s touchscreen

We've already seen iPhone related lawsuits cropping up from legitimate patent holders as well as frivolous settlement-hunters. And, with the iPhone 3G set to go live on July 11, we're seeing another round of iPhone lawsuits start to surface.

Typhoon Touch Technologies has just named Apple, in their multi-defendant lawsuit, for violating two patents regarding a touchscreen device. The patents in question were issued in 1995 and 1997, and reference technologies like Floppy drives and SCSI drives - neither of which are used today. The patents were issued for a touchscreen device that would allow in-the-field workers to gather information. But, that didn't stop Typhoon from going after touchscreen devices like the Dell Latitude XT tablet PC, HTC Touch, Lenovo's ThinkPad X-series notebooks, Nokia's N810 Internet Tablet and Palm's Treo lineup.

Apple is now being dragged in to the muck with Fujitsu, HTC, Lenovo, LG, Nokia, Panasonic, Palm, Samsung, and Toshiba. This newest group of defendants will join Dell in the fight against Typhoon's lawsuit.

"The addition of these defendants is a further step in protecting Typhoon's IP from being unfairly exploited," said Craig Weiner, Director of Legal Affairs and Licensing for Typhoon. "Hopefully, the world of potential infringers will take notice that it is the company's intent to aggressively protect its intellectual property."

Typhoon is seeking to have an injunction levied against offending devices and financial damages until they can reach a royalty agreement - ideally, Typhoon is seeking a "reasonable" royalty payment from the above-named companies every three months.

If the injunction goes through, Apple could have a serious problem for its about-to-launch iPhone 3G. That is, if it goes through. We'll be keeping a close eye on these happenings, stay tuned.

[Via: MacObserver]

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iPhone 3G costs Apple $173 in parts, and how Apple saved $53 over the original iPhone

Following on previous estimates that the iPhone 3G totaled up a BOM (bill of materials) in the neighborhood of $100, iSuppli, the� supply analysis experts have come out with their own estimation of how much the iPhone 3G costs Apple to make.

iSuppli puts Apple's parts out-go at $173 for the iPhone 3G, compared to $226 for the first-generation iPhone. That gives Apple a $53 per unit savings on the cost of parts for the iPhone 3G.

But, just how did Apple manage to cut $53 off the cost of the iPhone?

Apple's buying power in the Flash memory market netted them memory chips on the cheap, and by reusing components, like the Samsung-sourced processor, from the original iPhone, Apple managed to leverage their economies of scale to save on parts for the next-generation iPhone 3G.

Apple has introduced new GPS hardware from Broadcom and a 3G chipset from Infineon, but most of the other iPhone 3G's guts are carried over from the iPhone 2.5G. Apple has "done a good job in using what worked well with the first one and making improvements where it mattered," says iSuppli analyst Jagdish Rebello.

Apparently, the biggest money maker is the 16GB variant of the iPhone 3G. The extra Flash memory costs Apple $23, but adds a full $100 to the retail price - those are some nice margins indeed.

[Via: BusinessWeek]

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New business model paves way for Apple to move 23 million iPhone 3G handsets in 12 months

By now it's obvious that Apple is planning to hit the global smartphone market hard with the next-generation iPhone 3G priced at just $199 for the 8GB base-model. And, we already know that the iPhone 3G will be selling like Botox treatments in Beverly Hills.

But, just how many iPhone 3G units will Apple sell through its first year of sales? Pacific Crest's Andy Hargreaves likens Apple's new iPhone 3G pricing structure to past price-cuts on the iPod and Sony PSP handheld gaming device. Both products saw massive increases in sales volume once the devices broke below that almost-magical $200 price barrier.

As such, the iPhone 3G's $199 price-point could help Apple to boost handset sales to levels several times greater than we saw with the original iPhone. In comparison, Apple saw their yearly iPods sales volume grow from 8.3 million units to 32 million when they lowered the price-tag to just south of $200. If that same trend holds true for the iPhone, Apple could see iPhone sales increase from 6 million to 23 million units over a 12 month sales cycle.

Of course, the numbers are just projections and they don't even consider the effect of heavily subsidized (and even free) iPhone 3G offers from carriers outside the US. With O2 offering the 8GB and 16GB iPhone 3G variants for prices ranging from free to �159, Apple could see millions of iPhone 3G handsets sold in the UK alone - adding to Apple's worldwide sales figures.

And, given Google's Android delays, Apple will likely be sitting pretty on their pile of iPhone 3G cash. Just how pretty they'll be sitting remains to be seen.

[Via: Apple Insider]

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JVC NX-PN7 Dual iPod Docking Station

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

JVC's new NX-PN7 Dual iPod docking station aims to be different from others by offering the ability to hold a couple of iPods or iPhones simultaneously, although it doesn't make sense to have both of them blasting out tunes at once in a cacophony. Make sure you have at least 13" of shelf space before you can house this in your home. Features include an integrated AM/FM radio, a remote control, ,and illuminated strips under each receptacle which are able to light up in a variety of colors (nine in total). Guess this works best if you're a couple who love all things Apple, where one of you can charge your iPod/iPhone while the other enjoys his/her tunes.

Motorola lost 1.3 million RAZR customers to iPhone

Monday, June 23, 2008

While the floundering handset once-juggernaut tries to fool itself and the public that a commendation for "teamwork" is as important as actually pumping out handsets that are worth anyone's time, it seems Motorola has proved, once again, that "the bigger they are, the harder they fall."

Oh yes, Motorola was once huge. They were a global handset manufacturer to be reckoned with. The Motorola RAZR turned the industry on its head and every manufacturer worth their salt scurried to produce a slim handset that could compete with the RAZR. But, after years of milking the same RAZR-cow, Motorola has ended up with nothing more than memories and regrets.

The latest handset manufacturer to hit the scene and stir up the pot is Apple. The Apple iPhone has shocked the handset industry in to yet another scramble for sleek touchscreens with clean lines and intuitive UIs. Alas, the same folks that were drawn to the Motorola RAZR's gotta-have factor and sleek design have reportedly jumped ship to the new hotness from Apple.

A recent JD Power survey found that a full 24% of Motorola RAZR users (20,000 users polled) decided to ditch their aging and barely functional clamshell to the huge multi-touch display on the Apple iPhone. Now, with 5.4 million iPhones sold to date, that the survey points to 1.3 million former RAZR customers fully embracing the iPhone.

Sure, the original iPhone has its flaws, but RAZR-lovers have apparently seen past the lack of features and are now enjoying their iPhone. Which begs the question, how many more RAZR-defectors will the iPhone 3G attract?

In the end, this should be yet another message to Motorola. Get your act together and concentrate on the high-end. Give consumers something to really get excited about. A 5 megapixel Kodak camera is great, but when you leave out 3G data connectivity, and keep it locked in to Asia, you're not going to recoup those R&D costs. Of course, Apple left 3G out of the original iPhone, so you might be thinking it was acceptable on the ZN5 - but then you'd be wrong. The iPhone has so much more going for it that EDGE is acceptable. The Motorola ZN5? Not as much.

Concentrate on keeping customers for the short-term. Customer defections are going to drive you in to the ground. Prioritize handset development for the long-term - and ditch all your preconceived notions of success, the RAZR model no longer applies.

There's nothing I want to do more than write about Motorola's fantastic turn-around and successes. Please let me do that.

[Via: InformationWeek]

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Bus Passenger Violently Attacked for iPhone.

Sunday, June 22, 2008

Police are searching for a man who attacked a passenger on an Ohio bus for his Apple iPhone. The assaulter is still at large, however, the victim managed to hold on to his iPhone! Maybe he was watching UFC right before the attack. Keep your eyes peeled towards the end of the video, there's a commercial for a company called "Apple Orthodontix" (weird). At least the victim has somewhere to go if he got his teeth knocked out.

iPhone 3G hopefuls should hit the gym

And maybe take up some sort of martial arts training.

Or, at the very least, watch your back for iPhone-targeting, low-life, wannabe thugs looking to pry that beautiful iPhone from your cold, dead hands.

You see, there seems to be a shift from the old days where people were getting mugged for their iPods to people today, where people are getting assaulted for their iPhones. The video below shows an innocent bus-passenger getting the proverbial daylight beaten out of him by an attacker that had his sights set on nabbing a new iPhone.

While the video clearly shows the assailant grabbing for the iPhone, the victim claims that the attack was a "hate crime." In either case, the teenaged attacker got away with nothing more than the clothes on his back.

The victim here wasn't even attacked for an iPhone 3G, 'twas a lowly first-generation iPhone. Start hitting the gym and brushing up on your self-defense tactics (or at least perfect your groin-kicking "skills") in preparation to fend off potential attackers, your new iPhone 3G could prove tempting to potential muggers out there.

[Via: Macenstein]

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AT&T paying Apple $325 for every iPhone 3G?

If you thought paying $299 for a 16GB iPhone 3G in White was more than just pocket change, imagine how AT&T feels, paying $325 for every iPhone 3G. At least that's what Oppenheimer equity research analyst Yair Reiner has told clients.

Keeping in mind that carriers generally pay a maximum of $200 per handset, Reiner believes that AT&T sees the iPhone 3G as a potential blockbuster hit that will increase the No. 1 US wireless carrier's subscriber-base and help increase ARPU (average revenue per user) through the iPhone data plans.

The higher subsidy "reflects AT&T?s faith in the iPhone?s ability to attract new subs and increase ARPU," says Reiner. Adding that other companies, like RIM and Nokia, will have to "scramble to hit a lower, less profitable price point."

And, as if the $325 subsidy wasn't enough, Reiner believes AT&T to be paying Apple a $100 bounty for every iPhone 3G contract that is activated in an Apple retail store. That would put Apple's revenue for every iPhone 3G sold through Apple stores at $425. Take in to account the rumored $100 cost to produce an iPhone, and Apple could be poised to rake in a hefty profit on each handset.

If true, it seems that Apple is taking a decidedly different approach to their revenue-sharing model that was instituted with the first-generation iPhone, while still making roughly the same revenue. Good for them.

[Via: Barrons]

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Sony Ericsson C905, F305, S302, K330, X1, iPhone, HTC Touch, Samsung Omnia, J708, ASUS P320, Blackberry 8120, LG KC550, nuvifone and many more pics

Saturday, June 21, 2008

Here are lots of nice pics of the Sony Ericsson C902.

Here are tons of pics of the Sony Ericsson launch event that took place just recently.

Here are some pics of the Sony Ericsson W760.

Here are a few pics of the new Nokia E66.

Here are tons of pics of the HP iPAQ 212 Enterprise Handheld.

Here are tons of pics of the LG KF750.

Here are some ncie live pics of the Garmin nuvifone.

Here are lots of great pics of the LG KC550.

Here an here are some pics and videos of the Sony Ericsson F305.

Here are some fresh new pics and videos of the Sony Ericsson X1.

Here and here are some good pics of the Sony Ericsson S302 and K330.

Here, here, here, here, here and here are tons of pics from CommunicAsia 2008.

Here and here are some nice pics of the Nokia 6220 Classic.

Here are pics of the Sony Ericsson G700 smartphone.

Here and here are tons of pics of the Sony Ericsson G900 smartphone.

Here are lots of nice pics of the Sony Ericsson W760 Walkman.

Here are pics of the Samsung J708.

Here are some nice pics of the Blackberry 8120.

Here are pics of the SAmsung Omnia.

Here, here, here and here are some pics of the ASUS P320 smartphone.

Here, here and here are some nice pics of the Sony Ericsson C905.

More C905 pics in the following links:
http://sebbs.it168.com/thread-1186310-1-1.html
http://sebbs.it168.com/thread-1189455-1-1.html
http://sebbs.it168.com/thread-1188273-1-1.html
http://sebbs.it168.com/thread-1188904-1-1.html
http://sebbs.it168.com/thread-1187900-1-1.html
http://sebbs.it168.com/thread-1186481-1-1.html

Here are a few pics comparing the Sony Ericsson X1, iPhone and HTC Touch.

iPhone OS 2.0 beta firmware hints at FM radio, FOTA support

With Apple releasing iPhone v2.0 firmware betas left and right, the iPhone is shaping up with support for more and more features. The latest iPhone firmware beta has revealed that the next firmware revision will enable FM radio and FOTA (firmware over the air) support on the iPhone.

FM radio support could point toward the iPhone working with FM radio-products like Apple's "iPod Radio Remote" that essentially allows iPod users to listen to broadcast radio. FOTA support indicates that future firmware updates could be rolled out over the air, with no need to synchronize the iPhone with iTunes in order to update the device's firmware. With the iPhone 3G's faster data connection allowing for software and firmware updates through the cellular network, firmware updates could become even more streamlined and hassle-free than its current form.

Unfortunately, OTA firmware updates could mean that Apple could possibly send software updates that will re-lock previously unlocked handsets wirelessly.

You gotta take the good with the bad - OTA firmware updates may prove to be more good than bad.

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Mercedes takes the iPhone seriously

Friday, June 20, 2008

Mercedes-Benz introduced a new iPhone integration kit, allowing Mercedes car owners to access key iPhone functions hassle-free, while driving.

As long as the iPhone is in the cradle, iPod controls are completely integrated with the main nav screen and COMAND controller. At the same time, the cradle is charging the iPhone and is providing you with a better reception, using the vehicle's antennas. In addition, you will be able to access your contacts on main nav screen…

Current iPod kit/Media Interface kit owners will be able to upgrade by getting additional adapters which costs 39 EUR ($60). The cradle itself is available for 249 EUR ($385) in Germany. Supported vehicles include Mercedes-Benz C-Class, E-Class, CLK-Class, CLS-Class, S-Class, CL-Class, SL-Class, M-Class and R-Class.

[Via: Engadget Mobile]

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3G iPhone component suppliers to see expanded revenues in 3Q08, says paper

Taiwan-based component suppliers of Apple's 3G iPhones are expected to see their revenues strengthen substantially starting the third quarter of this year due to sales of the new iPhones, according to a Chinese-language Commercial Times report.

With the new iPhones to be available simultaneously in 22 countries on July 11, total shipments of 3G iPhones are expected to top 10 million units in the third quarter, the paper quoted sources at component suppliers as indicating.

In addition, the paper quoted Morgan Stanley as estimating that total shipments of 3G iPhones are likely to be as high as 27 million units in 2009 compared to sales of 5.2 million units of the first-generation iPhones in 2007.

Survey: 91% of Japanese Will Not Buy ?iPhone?

According to a survey by iSHARE, 91.0% of Japanese mobile phone users are not planning to purchase Apple Inc's "iPhone" mobile phone.

This research was conducted in the wake of the announcement by SoftBank Mobile Corp that it will release the iPhone in Japan (See related article). Targeting Internet users aged primarily 20 to 49, iSHARE asked questions about their intention to purchase an iPhone, as well as other questions and received 402 responses over the Internet.

The survey had been conducted from June 5 to 6, 2008, before pricing for an iPhone handset was announced. Of carriers that the respondents were subscribing to, NTT DoCoMo accounted for 39.8%, followed by au at 26.9%, SoftBank Mobile at 22.9% and the other carriers including Emobile and Willcom at 6.5%.

Asked if they have a plan to purchase an iPhone, 36 respondents (8.9%) said "I am planning to purchase one." Nearly half of these 36 respondents were SoftBank Mobile users, iSHARE said.

To a question asking how they are planning to position the iPhone after purchasing, 6.2% said "as my primary handset," while 2.7% said "as my second (or lower) handset." By gender, the intent to purchase was much higher among male respondents. Meanwhile, respondents that are "not planning to buy one now" constituted 91.0% of all respondents.

iSHARE said it had also conducted an iPhone purchase intention survey in July 2007. At that time, 9.6% said "I'm willing to buy (replace) one," while 62.2% said "I will consider buying one after examining the price or circumstances" if the iPhone is released from the carrier they are using.

Compared with these results, the intention to purchase an iPhone has greatly weakened and grown negative from a year ago, iSHARE explained.

The company also asked about consumer preferences on the replacement of a mobile phone battery. It asked this question because battery replacement is said to be unavailable for the iPhone, iSHARE said.

Respondents who said "I prefer replaceable batteries" accounted for 77.1%, while those who said "I don't care if the battery is replaceable or not" made up 22.9%. Of respondents that have replaced a mobile phone battery before, 88.0% said "I prefer replaceable batteries."

iSHARE determined that the unavailability of replacement batteries could be significantly weakening purchasing intention, considering the fact that a two-year subscription has been added to iPhone service in the US, for example.

source

Rockridge iCooly for the 3G iPhone

Owners of the yet-to-be-released 3G iPhone will be able to pick up the Rockridge iCooly stand that comes with a 90-degree pivot joint and dock-connector cut-out. Being able to hold your iPhone in either horizontal or vertical formats, it is just the thing to get if you prefer watching movies on your handset. Each $50 purchase will come with a cable extension for hooking up an external speaker or headphones.

Mercedez Loves the iPhone

The iPhone has definitely injected new life into the world of consumer electronics since it was launched, and this ripple is even felt in the automotive industry with Mercedez unveiling a new cradle just for the iPhone in the following models - the Mercedes-Benz C-, E-, CLK-, CLS-, S-, CL-, SL-, M- and R-Class (all those in addition to the upcoming GLK-Class). You do need to specify Optional convenience telephony (Order Code 386) first, where the cradle will then hook up with the iPhone through the optional Media Interface or the retrofittable iPod Interface Kit. When installed, the iPhone's functions are controlled through the multi-function steering wheel controls. Pricing for the Apple iPod cradle is set at €249 after taxes. On a note of conscience - should you be purchasing a gas guzzler like a Benz in today's world?

GPX MW3837 iPod Clone

Thursday, June 19, 2008

The GPX MW3837 might resemble the second generation iPod nano at a glance, but upon a second look, it is very different since you won't get any of those fancy pants Touch Wheel, relying on traditional buttons instead to get the navigation job done. Other than that, the 1GB of internal memory and support for WMA DRM files among other popular audio formats are pretty ordinary. What makes this stand out from the crowd (apart from being an iPod clone) is the inclusion of dual headphone jacks, allowing you to enjoy your favorite tunes with another person without having to share headphones. Are you willing to part with $34.99 for this?

Most Japanese Say No to iPHone

A survey by iSHARE showed that 91% of Japanese cell phone users do not plan to pick up the 3G iPhone when it arrives at the Land of the Rising Sun. Ever wonder why? I believe the fact that Japanese handsets are already way more advanced (1–SEG TV, waterproff, Felica payments, E-wallet) than what the 3G iPhone can offer is one of the main causes, but it could be due to the fact that they are also more comfortable with what they've been using all this while. For our readers in Japan, do the results of this survey accurately reflect the overall feeling on the ground?

3G iPhone in China Rumor

Word has it that China Unicom could potentially be selected to carry Apple's long awaited 3G iPhone in China when August rolls around, but there is no solid proof as at press time. It will be interesting to see how Steve Jobs attempts to entice Chinese carriers to be a willing party in his rather demanding revenue sharing model, but hopefully an agreement will be reached since the China market is absolutely huge, thanks to the 1-billion plus population. Just wait till August for the full picture.

Flash IS coming to the iPhone - Adobe CEO pleased with Flash development for iPhone

All those hints and signs that the iPhone might be getting some much sought-after Flash support turned out to be fairly on point. Adobe's CEO Shantanu Narayen announced that he's "pleased with the internal progress that we?ve made to date."

Just what kind of progress has Adobe made in the Flash-on-iPhone arena? The code-monkeys at Adobe have apparently been toiling away to make a viable Flash solution for the iPhone. Adobe has confirmed that they "have a version [of Flash] that?s working on the [iPhone] emulation. This is still on the computer and you know, we have to continue to move it from a test environment onto the device and continue to make it work."

It's not clear if Adobe has found a way to bring a not-too-sluggish Flash solution to the iPhone that is just as full-featured as the desktop version. The problem lies in the processor within the iPhone. The CPU is capable of at least 600Mhz clock speeds, but currently runs at a restricted 412Mhz - which is completely inadequate for running even the neutered version of Flash, Flash Lite, at acceptable levels.

Jens Chr Brynildsen, a Flash expert says that the iPhone?s processor just isn't up to the task of handling full-blown Flash.

"I really don?t think 600Mhz is going to cut it. I?m just testing out the Nokia E51. It has a 369Mhz processor and totally sucks performance-wise with Flash Lite. The extra 230Mhz won?t provide the required juice. [?] I doubt they want to ruin a the user experience just to satisfy the need of a rather limited user base. Just imagine entering a website with five Flash banners."

So, it remains to be seen how Flash solutions will perform on the iPhone. Steve Jobs has been reluctant to bring Flash to the iPhone because Adobe's desktop Flash solution is just too bloated, while the Flash Lite just doesn't pass muster with Jobs's performance demands for the iPhone.

Interestingly, Apple has been pushing ever harder for web-app developers to use the new SproutCore JavaScript framework for making web applications that "look and feel" like native applications. The push to break away from Flash reliance indicates that Apple isn't keen on seeing iPhone Flash development succeed.

That leaves Adobe all alone to tackle the iPhone Flash dilemma. The company is apparently committed to making Flash a reality for iPhone users, however, so we'll likely see a free AppStore download in the near future.

[Via: iPhone Atlas]

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Asus to work on Garmin Nuviphone

Industry sources have narrowed down Asus as the company that will manufacture the Garmin Nuvifone, with breaking news that both of them have already been working together for the past two years just on the Nuviphone alone. This news is a real surprise since Garmin had traditionally placed a strong emphasis on manufacturing its own products and never to look to outsourcing as an alternative. I guess different times calls for alternative methods, and this could be one of those instances. Asus looks set to contribute mostly in the field of RF technology in this partnership. Will you wait for the 3G iPhone's official release, or do you prefer anything else but the iPhone?

Hands on with the Garmin Nuviphone

iPhone isn?t turning Japanese anytime soon - Survey shows 91% of Japanese don?t care about iPhone 3G

In a country full of mobile devices that can pay for your food, let you watch live TV, surf the web at broadband speeds, and even wash your clothes (ok, maybe not), it's not too surprising to hear that less than one-tenth of the Japanese population is interested in snatching up an Apple iPhone 3G.

The iPhone 3G is slated to launch simultaneously in a couple dozen countries on July 11, Japan included. And, that means there are going to be surveys cropping up that attempt to project real-world demand for the iPhone 3G.� The latest such survey, conducted by iSHARE, showed that, out of 402 Japanese internet users aged 20-49 years old, a whopping 91% indicated that they could care less about the iPhone.

iSHARE's survey was conducted after SoftBank's announcement that the iPhone would be coming to Japan, but before the iPhone 3G's official unveiling at the Apple WWDC 2008, so the survey results could be slightly skewed by the first-generation iPhone's lacking feature-set. The iPhone 3G's more rounded and extensive spec-sheet could appeal more to the same surveyed demographic - although iSHARE conjectures that the non-removable battery could be a weak-point for the iPhone 3G.

[Via: TechOn]

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CJ7 Dog Doll MP3 Player

Now if you don't call this dog-ugly, then it is time to get a thesaurus for Christmas. I've already caught Stephen Chow's CJ7 earlier this year, but the movie failed to impress me as much as Shaolin Soccer. The CJ7 Dog Doll is a replica of the movie's alien dog, featuring built-in speakers, 1GB of internal memory, and a USB port for charging and data transfer purposes. It retails for $18.67 and might even give the recipient nightmares for days to come.

United Airlines becomes iPhone/iPod friendly

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

In a move designed to differentiate its offering from the competition and to gain some media attention we might add, United Airlines announced a new service on their international flights to enable passengers to use and charge their iPods and iPhones.

Not only will passengers be able to use their Apple products of choice — cause they can already do that with any airline — but they will be able to connect their iPods/iPhones to the specially designed viewing station docks on the back of every seat, which will allow them to watch videos and listen to the music on a bigger screen!

The bad news is that this is for the first and business class only at this stage and on select flights only. It will take up to two years to equip each of the international-flyin' planes with the technology. In the meantime, it's ok to watch a movie on your iPod/iPhone even without that fancy dock…

[Via: Unwired View]

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Apple iPhone 3G manufacturing costs - Would you believe $100?

Barring any official disclosure from Apple, we'll likely never know exactly what it costs Apple to put the bits and pieces of an iPhone 3G together. But, that's not going to stop analysts from estimating the cost of manufacturing the next-generation iPhone.

Already experienced in putting the iPhone together, its widely believed that Apple has trimmed production costs on the iPhone 3G - at once increasing its margins and making the handset more affordable. And, given Apple's buying power, analysts at Portelligent are estimating that it costs Apple all of $100 worth of components to manufacture an iPhone 3G. Compare that to the original iPhone's $170 "bill of materials."

If true, Apple could be poised to rake in the profits, on incredible margins, as they sell units to carriers at a rumored $400 dollars. Especially if Apple meets some analyst projections of shipping 10 million iPhone 3G handsets.

[Via: CNN Money]

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Garmin Nuviphone to come in White?

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

The image you see here could be the result of a very clever Photoshop job, but then again it could also be a future release of the Garmin Nuviphone. After all, with the 3G iPhone coming in white as well, it makes sense for gadget manufacturers to realign their plans as they work on riding the coming wave. The Nuviphone is tipped to be released during the holiday season at approximately $500 - but then again, that's before Garmin knew Apple would roll out their 3G iPhone for $199. Hopefully Garmin will change their minds and lower the final price...

Solar iPods from Apple?

Could we actually see the introduction of a solar-powered iPod by Apple in the future? Apparently, that day is still possible as Apple has just filed a patent for an in-screen/device-covering solar film for its gadgets. After all, iPods are frequently used gadgets, so the chances of them running out of juice while being used is pretty high, and having solar film to charge itself is a pretty nifty idea especially since power outlets isn't exactly that easy to find when you're out of a building. Hopefully solar technology will be more efficient by then to make this a viable solution.

3G iPhone Price Point Differs

It seems that the new 3G iPhone won't have the same $199/$299 price points all over the world, so those living in the UK can forget about a deliciously cheap 99 GBP handset. Apparently only current iPhone customers, new customers and current non-iPhone AT&T wireless customers who are upgrade eligible will be able to enjoy the $199/$299 price points and nobody else. Sucks eh - well, at least you can always pick up the 3G iPhone for 1 Euro from T-Mobile.

Long Nails and iPhones Do Not Mix

Just like oil and water don't mix, so do long nails and iPhones. It seems that the iPhone screen will only react to an electrical charge in our fingers, which means poking the display with well-manicured nails just won't do. Ladies ought to appeal to Steve Jobs for a stylus option for the iPhone, or they could always whip out a pink-colored Nintendo DS Lite and use it's stylus instead. Does anyone have any idea why Apple has yet to come up with a working design that caters for fingernail usage as well?

Samsung debuts Omnia SGH-i900 handset, not worried about competition from iPhone

Samsung Electronics, at a June 16 global press conference in Singapore, unveiled the new Omnia SGH-i900 handset. While Apple's iPhone has invigorated segments of the handset market, Samsung is confident the Omnia SGH-i900 will be able to compete due to Samsung's design and technological capabilities, according to company mobile communications marketing vice president, Younghee Lee.

Omnia SGH-i900 supports 7.2Mbps HSDPA (3.5G), GSM, GPRS, WCDMA, EDGE and is based on the Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional platform. The handset features an auto-focus 5-megapixel camera, a 3.2-inch WQVGA TFT-LCD touchscreen, TouchWiz touch-control interface, GPS, Bluetooth 2.0 and Wi-Fi. Dimensions of the device are given as 112�56.9�12.5mm (H�W�D), according to the company.

Omnia SGH-i900 will be launched in Singapore later this month, in Europe at the end of July, and in other markets in August, Samsung indicated. The handset is currently being showcased at CommuniAsia 2008 taking place in Singapore.

source

China Unicom looking to launch iPhone 3G in August?

Word on the street is that Apple has finally inked a deal that would allow them to break in to the Chinese wireless market with the iPhone 3G. There are rumblings of China Unicom having signed on with Apple to offer the iPhone to its considerable Chinese subscriber-base this August.

Apple has had problems getting any Chinese carrier to commit to its revenue-sharing business model with the original iPhone. But with Apple having dropped their revenue-sharing model in favor of carrier-subsidized pricing, the game may have changed. Carriers are no longer required to kickback iPhone-related revenue to Apple, and are allowed to offer the iPhone 3G through traditional handset-subsidization models - which bodes well for China Unicom finally signing a deal with Apple for the iPhone 3G.

Seeing as how Apple introduced Chinese character recognition in the iPhone OS 2.0 firmware, it makes sense that the iPhone 3G will be making the trip to China.

[Via: ChinaTechNews]

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3G iPhone Costs Only $100 to Manufacture?

We suspected that the iPhone 3G did cost a lot less to make, hence the lower price point (along with subsidies), but analysts at Portelligent are estimating that it could cost as little as $100 to manufacture, and if that was true, it could surprise many. This could very well be true: Apple has a very strong buying power, especially in businesses like Flash Memory, where people say that “they are the market”. Electronics companies continually cost-reduce their designs, but someone will still drop a lot of money to get it. It is rumored that carriers could pay as much as $400 for it. I know other phone makers who have sweet dreams over margins like these.

I Sport W18 MP3 Player

Exercise freaks will definitely place a MP3 player as an essential item to have on their list, and many of them have already gone ahead with the iPod Shuffle. If you want to go against the norm, there are plenty of selections to choose from from China, and the I Sport W18 is one of them. This model comes with a front face LCD display and doubles up as a stopwatch as well. It will be powered by a Sigmatel 3710 processor, featuring a 95 dB signal-to-noise ratio and battery life of up to 24 hours. No idea on the pricing, but it will come in black, blue, red, yellow and green color choices.

Inno B0 MP3 Player

Monday, June 16, 2008

Now is the Inno B0 MP3 player weird or what in terms of design - it is meant to be worn around the neck like a necklace, styled with the Taegeuk pattern found in Korea. Guess this is for the girls, and they can choose from hot pink, cacao black, white, orange and brown colors. The Inno B0 is tipped for a June 17th release, with the 1GB model going for approximately $55.

3G iPhone going for 1 Euro

Just when you thought $199 was dirt cheap for the 3G iPhone (before taking all the monthly costs into consideration), along comes an announcement that T-Mobile Germany will be offering this messianic handset for a low, low price of just 1 Euro! That's just totally nuts, but if you happen to love O2 and will only use phones from that mobile carrier, you'd be pleased to know O2 is offering it for...yes, you've guessed it - free. Just make sure you have at least 89 Euros left in your bank account each month to pay off the monthly plan. Of course, you can always settle for the 169 Euro iPhone as long as you prefer the (much) lower 29 Euro monthly T-Mobile plan. What's your pick?

Twitterrific coming to iPhone

If there's one thing that Twitter as made for, it's the mobile space. The micro-blogging masses will know Twitterrific as the gotta-have Twitter client for anyone using a Mac (you are using a Mac, aren't you?), and the uber-popular Twitter client is set to make its way to the iPhone's Mac OS platform. Being able to "tweet" from your handset is convenient, but not always pleasurable - what with tiny displays and clunky UIs getting in the way. Twitterrific hopes to bring the same intuitive UI that we see in the Mac OS X version to a rock-solid native application for iPhone and iPod Touch users.

With the AppStore being prepared to go live in the next few weeks, Twitterrific developer Icon Factory is putting the final touches on their Twitterrific iPhone client. As a native application, Twitterrific is set to take on the likes of the already-available "Twinkle" twitter client. And, with Hahlo having recently updated its web-app UI to make Twitter all that much more convenient, Twitterrific has some seriously entrenched competition to face.

Twitterrific for iPhone is designed with the user in mind. Buttons are arranged with thumb-position in mind - more frequently used functions are easier to access than others, and checking up on your Twitter-friend is as easy as a simple double-tap of the multi-touch display. Composing a tweet is a simple matter of a button press and your off tapping away at the iPhone's keyboard. And, to make it easier to follow embedded hyperlinks, Twitterrific offers an integrated mini-browser.

All in all, Twitterrific for the iPhone seems like a promising application.

[Via: iPhone Central]

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eReader coming to iPhone near you

Here's one more reason to consider getting the iPhone (3G) - eReader is coming to Apple's handset, allowing users to enjoy reading on the iPhone's huge 3.5-inch screen while on-the-go.

We don't have the information about the exact release date, but jkOnTheRun's James Kendrick asked Fictionwise (eReader's owner) about their iPlans. They answered - "yes, we're working on it," but because of Apple's policy to approve each application that will enter the AppStore they are in the midst of "seeking information about what the criteria are to qualify." Hopefully Apple will let them "do their thing" on the iPhone and voila, soon enough you'll have thousands of book titles available at your disposal. We'll certainly keep you posted on this one…

[Via: jkOnTheRun]

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Apple Videoconfewrencing Kit for 3G iPhone

Friday, June 13, 2008

Apple Videoconfewrencing Kit for 3G iPhone

Lots of iPhone inspired concepts

Check out all these iPhone inspired concepts.

iPhone Stylish Screen Protector

To protect your iPhone and give it an incredible style.

Price US$12.00 from brando

Show off your iPhone with this iPhone Stylish Screen Protector, almost impossible to detect, clear transparent screen guard offers ultimate protection against scratches and dirt.

iPhone Stylish Screen Protector offers a high visible light transmission, which has minimal effect on the brightness of your iPhone display. It reduces the strain of your eyes by filtering the UV light emitted from your display.
iPhone Stylish Screen Protector use cast vinyl with a special patented adhesive that allows you to remove and reapply the iPhone Stylish Screen Protector.

How to use it?
1.Start with a clean device and place the device on a flat place.
2.Remove the cover from its backing and looking straight down, carefully lower the iPhone Stylish Screen Protector onto the device.
3.Once the iPhone Stylish Screen Protector touches the device and bonds, take care not to touch the adhesive side.
4.align the exposed section with the edges of LCD screen. Make sure the iPhone Stylish Screen Protector has been placing straightly.
5.Peel off the mask with the provided sticker after application completed.

Supported Models:
iPhone 4GB / 8GB/ 16GB

Package Content:
One Front Protector and One Back Protector

Ein� Portable iPod Dock

The Ein� portable iPod dock is something you don't see every day in terms of design as iPod docks are dime a dozen. The moment I laid my eyes on it, I fell in love with the front mesh grills covering the speakers underneath. You also gotta love the overall cranberry color scheme which makes the bright yellow buttons on the side jump out straight at you. After conversion, the Ein� portable iPod dock will retail for approximately $56. I suppose in addition to just pumping out tunes, this little looker is also more than capable of charging your iPod when docked.

iPhone popcorn explodes

Thursday, June 12, 2008

Impact of new iPhone on HTC handset sales limited, says HTC

The aggressive pricing strategy adopted by Apple for its 3G iPhone will have limited impact on High Tech Computer's (HTC's) handset sales, according to Peter Chou, CEO of HTC.

Apple unveiled its 3G iPhone on June 10, with the devices to be more "more affordable" for consumers, starting at US$199.

The bundled prices of HTC Touch handsets in most markets in Europe as well as Japan and the US are set below US$199 in part due to subsidiaries offered by telecom carriers, said Chou, noting that mobile operator Orange offers the HTC Touch free of charge on some contracts.

In fact, HTC welcomes Apple's competition as the availability of iPhones has allowed more consumers access to a better Internet experience through touch-screen smartphones, Chou stated.

The smartphone market is still a large market, and HTC aims to roll out a complete lineup of products in cooperation with different telecom operators, Chou said.

source

NerveGas details sure-fire method to wipe personal data from iPhones

With the iPhone 3G slated for arrival early next month, I'd imagine that many of you early iPhone-adopters are getting ready to hock that year-old iPhone of yours in preparation for the next-generation iPhone. I'm planning on selling my iPhone on the secondary market (ie. Craigslist, eBay) to help subsidize the already low price of $299 for the 16GB iPhone 3G variant.

But, I wouldn't want all my personal and business emails and contacts falling in to the wrong hands. And, seeing as how a simple "iPhone Restore" doesn't completely wipe the data from memory - it just erases the data's file-system references (a "Quick Format" if you will) - I'm going to have to resort to more drastic measures.

So, what's a potential iPhone-reseller to do? Well, thanks to the dev-work of famed iPhone-developer Jonathan Zdziarski, we all have a new command-line method to fully and completely wipe all iPhone data prior to resale.

The problem is that all this sensitive data is stored in a separate memory partition within the iPhone. And, there hasn't really been an effective way to wipe this information completely, until now.

Zdziarski's iPhone data-wipe method requires some command-line magic and a good hour's worth of your time, but if data-security is important to you, an hour is a small price to pay to make sure malicious snoops don't take your data do whatever nasty things it is they do.

There's also a bootable RAM disk utility that uses Zdziarski's data-wipe method. You can find it here (instructions included).

Head over to Zdziarski's webpage to get all the juicy details on wiping your iPhone clean.

Zdziarski

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Rogers announces iPhone 3G for July 11 - Canada jumps on iPhone train

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

With Steve Jobs looking for a simultaneous global release of the iPhone 3G in 22 countries, it makes sense that carriers everywhere are starting to make it known that the iPhone 3G will be coming to their corner of the world.

Rogers Wireless has announced that they too will be offering the iPhone 3G on July 11. "Rogers has a long history of bringing Canadians the very best in wireless services, networks and handset innovations," said Rob Bruce, President, Rogers Wireless said. "With iPhone 3G, we will provide our customers with an amazing mobile experience over Canada?s fastest wireless network."

Just a month's wait separates Canadians, and the rest of the world, from iPhone 3G bliss.

[Via: MobileSyrup]

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Belkin 3G iPhone Cases

Good to see Belkin stay on top of the game by offering 3G iPhone cases despite the handset not being released just yet. There is a whole bunch to choose from, and what you see on the right is the Formed Leather case that will retail for $29.99. All of the following cases will launch in US this July (presumably the same time as the 3G iPhone, with Europe, Asia and Australia to follow shortly after.

O2 giving iPhone customers free upgrade to Apple iPhone 3G

O2 has apparently decided to give their iPhone customers a break. The UK iPhone carrier has announced a free upgrade offer for all O2 subscribers with first-generation iPhones already in hand.

The UK carrier has sent out emails detailing the offer:

"To thank you for being an iPhone fan, we're offering you an early upgrade to the brand new version when it launches on 11th July 2008. You won't have to wait until the end of your existing contract, all you'll need to do is agree to a new 18-month minimum term contract."

O2 iPhone that sign up for an 18-month contract on the �45 tariff will get an Apple iPhone 3G 8GB for free. Those willing to hand over �75 every month will be allowed to choose an Apple iPhone 3G 16GB (why would anyone on this tariff would choose the iPhone 3G 8GB?). Customers opting for the �35 tariff or the all-new �30 will be asked to pay �99 for the 8GB variant of the iPhone 3G.

Subscribers with the �45 monthly plan will be offered the option to grab a 16GB iPhone 3G for an extra �59, while those that choose the �35 or �30 tariff will have to pay �159 for the larger-capacity iPhone 3G variant.

Of course, the unlimited data and WiFi allowance and Visual Voicemail features carry-over from previous O2 iPhone plans.

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Funambol readies its open source wireless sync application for iPhone 2.0

Following the unveiling of the iPhone 3G, Funambol announced that it has enhanced its native open source wireless sync app for iPhone 2.0 firmware. The application uses the new iPhone 2.0 SDK and enables users to wirelessly sync PIM data with a wide variety of email systems and clients. The free open source software will be available when iPhone 2.0 ships and the App Store opens.

iPhone users will be able to access the sync software via the free myFUNAMBOL portal, without paying a dime (unlike MobileMe). The problem, though, is that the initial version will only support syncing of contacts — calendars and notes are coming soon after.

Previously, Funambol has introduced the world's first native open source sync application for original (though jailbroken) iPhones. Additionally, they provided iPhone users with web-based interface for accessing their data.

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blog.planet-cell-phone.com

Free iPhone At 02

02, a wireless carrier based in the United Kingdom recently announced that they’ll be offering a free 8GB 3G iPhone with qualifying wireless calling plans.

This is the same Smartphone that Steve Jobs unveiled earlier this week.

02 said that customers that sign up for an $88 or $146.50 a month wireless plan will be eligible to receive a free iPhone. They are also offering a free 16GB iPhone to people that wanted a more expensive calling plan. Businesses can take advantage of the free iPhone offer by signing a 24 or 36 month contract.

02 will begin offering the phone on it’s release date of July 11, 2008.

Please visit 02 for more information.

iPhone Mini Projector Concept

So the iPhone is capable of playing movies on it, but don't you sometimes wish you could share the current movie with someone else on a larger display? Honlai Technology has a solution in the form of a concept portable mini projector that was developed specifically for the iPhone (and iPod touch too, I suppose). There is very little information concerning all the other specifications, but it is interesting to see that Apple has succeeded in turning the iPhone into something more than a regular cell phone. This is one concept that I won't mind being sped up so that it can be a reality for iPhone fans.

Apple to put P.A Semi chips to work in iPhone

The thing about parallel processing is that there're only so many cores that can be effectively used together. With chips eschewing stratospheric clock-speeds in favor of multiple processing cores, the challenge in reaching faster processing speeds has shifted from hardware problems to software problems. It all boils down to just how effectively any given software can leverage the growing number of parallel processing cores.

So, in typical Apple fashion, Steve Jobs has announced that Apple has made a breakthrough in parallel processing technology. New code, dubbed Grand Central, has been built in to the next iteration of Apple's Mac OS X platform - allowing the new OS to handle parallel processing in stride. But, that's not what we're hear for.

Jobs also announced that Apple's recently acquired "PA Semi is going to do system-on-chips for iPhones and iPods." So, it looks like speculation that Apple had absorbed the chip-designer to bring chip-design in-house was spot-on. Future generations of iPhones will sport multi-core chips designed by Apple's PA Semi, and possibly fabricated by Samsung.

Apple the software company, the computer hardware company, the handset manufacturer, the chip-designer? That pretty much covers the bases for the foreseeable future.

[Via: NYT]

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Volcano T7 MP3 Player

iRiver's latest MP3 player would be the Volcano T7, a slim and extremely simple device that offers the most basic of music playback capability. It will come in 2GB and 4GB capacities, featuring a USB 2.0 port, compatibility with MP3, WMA, ASF and OGG formats, an integrated FM radio, voice and radio recording capability, SRS WOW, and and equalizer. You can choose from white, black, pink, blue or chocolate colors. They make a good impromptu gift idea, with the 2GB and 4GB models retailing for €50 and €35, respectively.

TomTom says navigation app already runs on iPhone

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Dutch navigation device maker TomTom already has a version of its navigation software running on Apple's iPhone and has plans to sell it to consumers, a spokesman said on Monday.

"Our navigation system runs on the iPhone already," the TomTom spokesman said after Apple announced a new version of the iPhone that will include global positioning (GPS) capability.

The spokesman did not say when TomTom, Europe's biggest maker of car navigation devices, would be ready to start selling the software.

source

iPhone 3G commercial

Here is a cool video for the new 3G iPhone.

iPhone vs 3G iPhone pics

iPhone
115(L) x 61(W) x 11.6(H) mm

iPhone3G
115.5(L) x 62.1(W) x 12.3(H) mm

iPhone 3G coming to 22 countries worldwide

Let's make this quick. This is what Apple's simultaneous 22-country launch for the iPhone 3G looks like. Keep in mind, the iPhone 3G will be released at the same time (taking in to account different time zones, of course) in all these countries:

View Larger Map

[Via: TUAW]

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WWDC 2008 Highlights iPhone 3G

WWDC 2008 Highlights iPhone 3G. Available July 11th. This is the iPhone 3G introduction.

iPhone SDK Downloads Top 250,000

New App Store Available in 62 Countries

SAN FRANCISCO?June 9, 2008?Apple� today announced that downloads of its iPhone? SDK (Software Development Kit) have topped more than 250,000 since its launch on March 6. The iPhone SDK provides developers with the same rich set of Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) and tools that Apple uses to create its native applications for iPhone. Apple today also announced that its amazing new App Store will be available in 62 countries bringing a breakthrough way for developers to wirelessly deliver their applications directly to iPhone and iPod� touch users around the world. Users can download applications wirelessly and start using them immediately.

?Developer reaction to the features, power and simplicity of the iPhone SDK has been incredible,? said Philip Schiller, Apple?s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. ?We are seeing some truly amazing native apps from our developers and think users are going to love the breadth and depth of the applications available from the App Store."

Leading developers such as AOL, Cisco, eBay, Electronic Arts, Epocrates, TypePad, Salesforce.com and Sega have demonstrated impressive native applications developed using the iPhone SDK.

?The SDK allowed us to build a groundbreaking new AIM client in record time,? said Kevin Conroy, executive vice president, AOL. ?The platform?s elegance and ease of use has inspired our developers to create innovative new web and SDK based experiences for iPhone and iPod touch.?

?The iPhone SDK has given us an excellent set of tools and APIs to create mobile extensions for FIM?s entire portfolio of web brands including MySpace, IGN and Photobucket in the near term, and other properties such as FOXSports.com down the road,? said John Smelzer, senior vice president of Mobile for Fox Interactive Media. ?The popularity of the iPhone, along with the high demand for applications, gives us an amazing opportunity to create groundbreaking mobile experiences.?

?Cocoa-touch is a compact and robust application framework that handles all the heavy lifting for developers so they can concentrate on building their applications in record time with the legendary Apple finesse we?ve come to expect,? said David Krantz, president of YELLOWPAGES.COM.? iPhone has been a game changer since it launched, and the availability of our YELLOWPAGES.COM application on the App Store is going to make a great device even better.?

?As mobile developers with primarily J2ME and BREW experience, we were up and running with the iPhone within two weeks,? said Jonathan Backer, manager of Mobile Engineering, The Walt Disney Company. ?The hardware is stable and full-featured, while the software development tools are intuitive and represent a level of polish rarely seen in the mobile arena.?

?Since the launch of the iPhone we have seen a steady rise in traffic to the MLB.com mobile site so it made perfect sense to develop a rich client application for the App Store,? said Adam Ritter, vice president, Wireless Major League Baseball, Advanced Media. ?Our development staff was excited to work on an iPhone application and reported that the SDK was robust and straight forward and contained helpful development tools. All combined we were able to expedite our development and deliver an application we know baseball fans will enjoy.?

Pricing & Availability
The free beta iPhone SDK can be downloaded at developer.apple.com/iphone/program. Membership to the iPhone Developer Program is available worldwide. Developers set the price for their applications?including free?and retain 70 percent of all sales revenues.

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 with its revolutionary iPhone.

Apple Introduces the New iPhone 3G

Twice as Fast at Half the Price

SAN FRANCISCO?June 9, 2008?Apple� today introduced the new iPhone? 3G, combining all the revolutionary features of iPhone with 3G networking that is twice as fast* as the first generation iPhone, built-in GPS for expanded location based mobile services, and iPhone 2.0 software which includes support for Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync and runs the hundreds of third party applications already built with the recently released iPhone SDK. In the US the new iPhone 3G is priced at a stunning $199 for the 8GB model, and just $299 for the 16GB model.** iPhone 3G will be available in more than 70 countries later this year, beginning with customer availability in 22 countries?Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK and the US?on July 11.

?Just one year after launching the iPhone, we?re launching the new iPhone 3G that is twice as fast at half the price,? said Steve Jobs, Apple?s CEO. ? iPhone 3G supports Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync right out of the box, runs the incredible third party apps created with the iPhone SDK, and will be available in more than 70 countries around the world this year.?

iPhone 3G gives users ever faster access to the Internet and email over their cellular network with quad-band GSM and tri-band HSDPA for voice and data connectivity around the world. iPhone 3G supports Wi-Fi, 3G and EDGE networks and automatically switches between them to ensure the fastest possible download speeds. The new iPhone 3G also makes it easier to multi-task with simultaneous voice and data communications, so with iPhone 3G you can browse the web, get map directions, or check your email while you are on a call.

iPhone 3G includes the new iPhone 2.0 software with both the iPhone SDK and key enterprise features such as support for Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync to provide over-the-air push email, contact and calendar syncing as well as remote wipe and Cisco IPsec VPN for encrypted access to corporate networks. The iPhone SDK allows developers to create amazing applications that leverage the iPhone?s groundbreaking Multi-Touch? user interface, animation technology, accelerometer and GPS technology on the world?s most advanced mobile platform.

iPhone 3G includes the new App Store, providing iPhone users with native applications in a variety of categories including games, business, news, sports, health, reference and travel. The App Store on iPhone works over cellular networks and Wi-Fi, which means it is accessible from just about anywhere, so you can purchase and download applications wirelessly and start using them instantly. Some applications are even free and the App Store notifies you when application updates are available. The App Store will be available in 62 countries at launch.

Additional features available with the iPhone 2.0 software include the ability to do real-time mapping and track your progress with GPS technology, mass move and delete multiple email messages, search for contacts, access a new scientific calculator, turn on parental control restrictions for specified content, save images directly from a web page or email them to your iPhone and easily transfer them back to your photo library on your Mac� or PC. iPhone 3G delivers an amazing 10 hours of talk time on 2G networks and 5 hours using 3G, with up to 5 to 6 hours of web browsing, up to 7 hours for video playback and up to 24 hours for audio playback.

iPhone 3G takes advantage of MobileMe?, a new Internet service that pushes email, contacts, and calendars from an online ?cloud? to native applications on iPhone, iPod� touch, Macs and PCs. With MobileMe email, messages are pushed instantly to iPhone, removing the need to manually check email and wait for downloads, and push keeps contacts and calendars continuously up-to-date so changes made on one device are automatically updated on other devices. With iPhone, you can even snap a photo and post it directly to a MobileMe Gallery to share with friends and family.

iPhone 3G will be available in the US on July 11 for a suggested retail price of $199 (US) for the 8GB model and $299 (US) for the 16GB model in both Apple and AT&T?s retail stores and requires a new two year contract with AT&T for qualifying customers. iPhone 2.0 software will be available on July 11 as a free software update via iTunes� 7.7 or later for all iPhone customers. For further information about iPhone 3G pricing and availability in the US and internationally, visit www.apple.com/iphone.

*Based on 3G and EDGE testing. Actual speeds vary by site conditions.
**Based on iPhone 3G (8GB) and first generation iPhone (8GB) purchases. Requires new two year AT&T rate plan, sold separately.

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 with its revolutionary iPhone.

3G iPhone hits FCC

Yes, yes, we all know the 3G iPhone is official and will most likely hit Apple's sales estimates of 10 million units sold in a year with the new low price point, and here's word that the 3G iPhone documentation has already hit the FCC. Well, you can peruse through it until July 11 when the real deal arrives.

TomTom Software for the iPhone

Guess TomTom is already ready to roll in money as they announce plans to unleash an iPhone version of their TomTom navigation software which ought to go on sale on the AppStore. There is no confirmation on whether the new software will be available at the same time as the 3G iPhone, but at least we know its coming. With an ever widening user base and a low price point, killer software will, theoretically, be aplenty which will result in a win-win situation for both software developers and Apple.

Apple iPhone 3G live pic

Monday, June 09, 2008

Apple?s 3G iPhone announcement - Next-generation iPhone debuts at Apple WWDC 2008

Alright folks. It's June 9th and that means Apple's WWDC 2008 is kicking off today. Steve Jobs is undoubtedly getting set to take the keynote-stage with his next-generation iPhone in hand! All the rumors be damned, we'll finally see what is and is not true about the iPhone 3G soon - can you taste it? Live, hit-by-hit coverage of the 3G iPhone announcement here at IntoMobile, so stay tuned.

11:50am

That's it folks! the iPhone 3G is now official and it's everything we expected.

Lower pricing? Check

3G? Check

GPS? Check

Tapered edges with glossy plastic backing? Check

The new hotness worldwide is the iPhone 3G.

Now we wait for July 11. A whole month?! Start saving those dimes and quarters…

Thanks for reading and stay tuned for the latest in mobile news!

11:48am

Wrapping up WWDC 2008. iPhone 3G is official!

11:46am

Rolling out iPhone 3G at same time in 20 countries worldwide.

Launching on July 11th

11:44am

iPhone 3G 8GB will sell for $199!!! Auditorium explodes in applause!

iPhone 3G 16GB for $299.

And, a White iPhone 3G!

11:44am

All international deals are signed, sealed, and delivered

11:43am

iPhone 3G in 70 countries in coming months.

11:39am

3G and GPS with better battery life and better performance than the competition!

11:38am

GPS!!!

Location data from cell-towers, WiFi, and now GPS! As expected…

11:37am

Improved battery life with 3G:

300 hours of standby

3G talktime of 5 hours!!

Web browsing - 5 hours

Video - 7 hours

Audio - 24 hours

11:37am

iPhone 3G data speeds

11:36am

iPhone 3G performs 36% faster than Nokia N95 and Treo 750. You get full webpage with better performance! Still can't get over FLUSH HEADPHONE JACK!

11:33am

Browser and email downloading will be significantly faster on 3G than EDGE. Funny that EDGE is no longer an acceptable data network for Apple.

Website loads in 21 seconds on 3G, 59 seconds on EDGE. (laughter as we wait for EDGE webpage to load

11:32am

Solid metal buttons, same 3.5-inch display, plastic backing, tapered edges - everything we expected with the "iPhone 3G"

Flush headphone jack!! And improved audio quality.

11:32am

Biggest barrier to iPhone purchase is the price. So, Apple will be making the iPhone more affordable.

"Today we're introducing the iPhone 3G!!"

11:31am

Next challenges - 3G network (huge applause), enterprise support, more features, more countries.

11:30am

6 MILLION iPhones sold "until we ran out."

11:29am

90% customer satisfaction for iPhone. "Off the charts"

98% are using mobile web on iPhone. "Unbelievable"

94% use email.

11:28am

Now, moving on. Next up is the iPhone! "In a few weeks."

11:27am

mobile me is $99 per year. Available with 6-month free trial.

What about .Mac? mobile me replaces .Mac.

11:25am

Take photos with iPhone. Send picture to mobile me, categorized in new album. Picture shows up on mobile me web app almost instantly. Easily share photos through the cloud.

Email, contacts, calendars, photos - all in the cloud and pushed to and from your iPhone! (oh, and iPod Touch too!)

11:23am

Push data to mobile me almost instantly. As soon as you change or add a contact or email or etc. you can access the changes through the mobile me service. Now that's the power of the cloud.

11:22am

"You know how well email on the iPhone works…if you have one." Like anyone in the room doesn't!

11:21am

iDisk also syncs through mobile me web application. Access all your data from any computer anywhere in the world. Oh yea, and through your iPhone!

11:19am

Sync data and files with drag-and-drop interface through web browser. Nice!

11:17am

Just point any browser to "me.com" and access all your personal data.

11:16am

All applications integrate with mobile me.

There's also PC support - Outlook can sync with mobile me.

11:15am

Changes on iPhone or computer get pushed to mobile me and synced to all other devices. Works wirelessly.

11:14am

mobile me - new service from Apple to keep all your info synced in the cloud. Push (!) email, contacts and calendar.

Better than "ActiveStink"

11:12am

Ad-hoc distribution allows iPhone developers to keep up to 100 iPhones in development network and share applications across those 100 iPhones.

11:10am

Talking up AppStore's features - no credit card processing, secured applications (FairPlay), infrastructure.

AppStore will be in 62 countries - reach iPhones almost anywhere in the world.

10MB or smaller applications can be downloaded through iPhone on GSM, iTunes, or WiFi). Bigger applications can only be downloaded through WiFi or iTunes on your desktop.

11:08am

"Great solutions for not having plasticky keys on your phone"

11:05am

Now on to new iPhone 2.0 features.

Contact Search is a go.

View iWork documents.

Complete support for Microsoft Office documents.

Bulk email move/delete.

Activate Calculator with landscape mode.

Parental controls.

Chinese character recognition support.

11:04am

iPhone SDK stuff is now done.

11:02am

Example of how not to keep applications up to date in the background - Windows Mobile and Task Manager. Classic.

Push notification system keeps applications connected in the background. The iPhone maintains a consistent IP connection to keep data updated to the application.

You can push alerts, email inbox, custom textual alerts.

11:00am

How to keep applications up to date in background. Background processes is not the answer - it will drain battery fast and will tax system resources (CPU cycles) which slows down the entire system.

10:58am

Digital Legends Entertainment from Barcelona, Spain only started developing for iPhone two weeks ago. Krull an impressive iPhone game set for September release.

10:55am

MIMVista next up to show off medical imaging software on iPhone. Access CT scans and images showing metabolic activity. Manipulate data to best view patient data - pinch, double tap, pan features all supported.

10:50am

Medical application for iPhone. Modality is showing off just how well the iPhone platform can be used for the medical field - instant access to medical content.

10:49am

Real-time video highlights of live baseball games!

10:48am

MLB.com takes the stage to show off native iPhone application - MLB.com At Bat.

All games are available. Live games shown on top.

Shows stats - who's on base, score, etc.

10:47am

Huge applause for Cow Terry. Some Brit Insurance agent developed this application to allow you to make music on the iPhone. Trick!

10:44am

Cromag Rally is 3D rally racing game for iPhone. 3D graphics are amazing. Will be available for $9.99 on AppStore.

Check out Cromag and Enigmo on your Mac now.

10:43am

Pangea takes the stage.

Enigmo is physics-based puzzle game controlled through touch. Use touch to zoom, pan, rotate around the game.

10:41am

Watch videos through Mobile News Network. Look for the application to launch on AppStore for free.

10:40am

AP shows off native iPhone application to bring news from thousands of news organization to your iPhone - the "Mobile News Network."

Location-APIs used to determine location and find news relevant to your current location. You can browse AP's "award winning photographs on the iPhone's high-res screen"

10:39am

Associated Press is up next

10:36am

TypePad is up next. Native application for mobile blogging on the iPhone. More than 100million bloggers use TypePad every month.

Demonstrating TypePad for iPhone. It's so simple and smooth, you can blog photos straight from the iPhone's photo album.

Creating and editing posts is so simple. A couple button clicks and a bit of text and you can send your latest thoughts to your blog's front-page. Easy as pie.

10:34am

Location services combined with social networks - Loopt takes the stage.

Demonstrating location-based services.

10:32am

eBay application demonstration shows how easy it will be to browse auctions and keep tabs on your favorite auctions. "Watch List" is cool. Look through photos, check details, bid with security. Available for free through AppStore soon.

10:30am

Super Monkey Ball to sell through AppStore for $9.99.

eBay up next. Native application for iPhone

10:28am

Super Monkey Ball demonstration shows how full-featured the game is on the iPhone. Accelerometer support and smooth gameplay.

10:27am

Scott invites iPhone developers on stage to demo their creations.

SEGA's Super Monkey Ball!

10:24am

Scott is still demonstrating the iPhone SDK's features and ease of use. Keep in mind, this is a developer conference. We'll be hearing a lot about what you can do with the iPhone before we actually see the 3G iPhone.

10:20am

Scott is demonstrating the iPhone SDK APIs. Core Location services are off the hook!

Building user interface as we speak.

10:17am

iPhone SDK APIs and frameworks on the iPhone share the same components as those used on the Mac OS X kernel. The iPhone SDK uses the same source code that we see in Mac OS X.

Core Location component of iPhone SDK allows developers to easily build location-based features in to iPhone.

Cocoa Touch provides the touch component of iPhone's Mac OS. More on X-Code, Interface Builder and iPhone Simulator

10:13am

Enterprise testimonials. iPhone SDK is up next - Scott Forstall explains

10:12am

35% of Fortune 500 has participated in Apple's iPhone 2.0 enterprise beta program

10:11am

iPhone 2.0 includes push email, push contacts, push calendar, auto-discovery of Exchange severes, global address lookup, and remote wipe security feature. Apple listened to the enterprise market and built-in full enterprise support in to this iPhone firmware version!

10:10am

iPhone 2.0 explanations in 3 parts - Enterprise, SDK, and new features

10:08am

iPhone SDK started 95 days ago. There have been 250,000 SDK downloads, 25,000 developer applications with 4,000 developers admitted in to program

10:06am

Steve Jobs has taken the stage!

10:03am

Turn off all "cellphones, PDAs, and iPhones."

10:01am

There's a lot of activity right now. Is Jobs about to take the stage?

9:50am

Just a few more minutes, folks. Sit tight, we're almost there!

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Apple iPhone 3G gets official, world waits for July 11 launch date

Whew, that was an information-packed keynote, wasn't it?

Here's a quick re-cap on what to expect with the new iPhone 3G.

It's thinner at the edges, comes with a glossy-black plastic backing (and a special edition white version available), does 3G speeds with ease, integrated GPS with Google Maps live tracking, and will have even better battery life. How does 24 hours of audio and 5 hours of 3G talktime sound? Yea, we think it's trick too!

Apple will offer their new .Mac replacement, mobile me, for $99 a year after a 60-day trial period. The new mobile me service allows for push everything - email, calendar, contacts, photos. And it syncs almost instantly.

There are going to be some incredible applications and games for the iPhone available through the AppStore - and it looks like free or $9.99 is going to be the pricing structure. At least we won't have to worry about which application is going to be cheaper than another.

Enterprise is fully supported, which is good for business users. And the iPhone 3G's faster data connection should make quick work of all that push emailing to and from your colleagues.

And, the iPhone 3G will launch in 20 countries worldwide on July 11 for $199. Talk about affordable - there won't be any of those "it's too expensive" arguments against the iPhone 3G floating around that we saw last year with the original iPhone's launch.

That's it for now, time to let the fingers catch a break.

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iPhone 3G starts at $199 in July

As you might have seen in our real-time WWDC post, Apple has finally announced the iPhone 3G. The real shocker is the price, which starts at $199 (8GB). This is only partially surprising: first, the hardware itself is cheaper than the one in the original iPhone. Apple also had the time to cost-reduce its hardware platform and negotiate better prices overall. Finally, the real money that Apple will make is in the wireless subscriptions, not the hardware itself. By selling its devices cheaper, the company will obviously end up making even more money by selling to more people and more carriers. The increased installed base and will allow apple to open a new money making venue: 3rd party apps distribution... This is brilliantly executed and I must say that they have managed the expectations very well.

Highlights: 3G network, GPS, cheap, more countries, more apps.

Apple posts first iPhone 3G television advertisement

An Apple product announcement wouldn't be complete without a snazzy, new television advertisement to kick off the new device's birth. So, following on the Apple WWDC 2008 Keynote announcement of the iPhone 3G, Apple has posted the first iPhone 3G ad.

The slick TV ad depicts a couple of security-types walking down a hallway to reveal a glimpse of the iPhone 3G - an advertisement befitting Apple's minimalist design philosophy. But, the real gem in this video clip comes toward the end where we get a full almost-360 degree view of the iPhone 3G. That thing is sexy! Solid-metal buttons adorn the iPhone's edges, with the now-familiar single home-button leaving the iPhone 3G's glorious 3.5-inch multi-touch display unmarred.

The screen cap to the left doesn't do justice to the all-metal buttons due to reflections, but a quick peek at the video will no doubt give you a good idea for just how sexy this newest iPhone really is.

The iPhone 3G. It's finally here!

Peep the video at Apple's new iPhone 3G webpage, or below.

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Price cut for the 3G iPhone

The new version of the Apple iPhone is set to be sold at significantly lower prices than the existing one, in a tacit acknowledgement by the US technology company that its previous sales strategy was not sustainable.

Apple has bowed to pressure from mobile phone operators and agreed they can subsidise the latest iPhone, expected to be unveiled by Steve Jobs, Apple?s CEO, on Monday.

The subsidy arrangements should increase Apple?s chances of hitting its target of selling 10m iPhones during 2008.

The target has been made challenging by the global downturn. Apple has reported selling 1,7m iPhones so far this year.

Analysts said AT&T, the US mobile operator selling the iPhone, could provide a US$200 subsidy on the handset, enabling it to go on sale to consumers for $200 or less. The first version costs US consumers $399 because there is no subsidy.

Apple has accepted that the new iPhone should be subsidised in the US and Western Europe by the mobile operators who sell it to consumers, according to people familiar with the matter.

The operators are willing to bear the subsidy costs because the iPhone provides them with revenue opportunities such as advertising.

Apple has also forgone a portion of the monthly revenue paid to the operators by iPhone users, said people close to the situation.

Such arrangements have been in place between Apple and AT&T, O2 of the UK, France Telecom and Deutsche Telekom.

source

iPhone in SA on July 20

Vodacom will launch the highly-anticipated 3G iPhone in South Africa on July 20.
Although Apple is notoriously secretive about new product releases, the new iPhone is due to be announced by CEO Steve Jobs on June 9, in one of the worst-kept secrets in the computer industry.

Vodacom?s launch is part of the 10-country deal that 50% parent Vodafone announced last month, confirming speculation over the iPhone 2.0 announcement. At the time Vodafone would only say ?later this year?.

Vodacom has not confirmed this to me, but i have it from a very reliable source who has seen the new iPhone.

Now the iPhone - which was previously only available in the United States, United Kingdom, Germany and France - is expected to be available in some 70 countries as Apple has expanded its deals with network operators.

Apple is also expected to reduce the pricing, hoping to make money through the revenue sharing deals it is widely thought to have struck with operators.
Vodacom is understood to be testing the 3G model which has a black, instead of silver, back and a slightly larger screen.

South Africans have been able to use iPhones but only after buying them overseas and unlocking them from the networks they were intended - with mixed results. MTN users have had a more seamless experience, whereas those using Vodacom have reported dropped or missed calls and difficulty latching onto Vodacom?s network. These devices have also had no warranties.

Apple is known for attracting high amounts of hype before a product announcement - as was the case with the original iPhone announcement last January at the annual MacWorld conference, where the equally hyped MacBook Air was announced this year - but the iPhone 2.0 hype has reached new heights.

The legion of Apple news and gossips websites has been buzzing with reported sightings, pictures of iPhone models with a black back or a choice of three colours, speculation on the screen size and thinness and even Forbes magazine?s website has carried pictures of brown boxes outside Apple suppliers and retailers which are speculated to contain the new iPhones.

Jobs is also expected to announce the results of a previously released software development kit (SDK) for the iPhone (that will allow developers to write their own applications) and possibly updates to its line of laptops at Apple?s World Wide Developers Conference, which opens in San Francisco on Monday.

He is famous for saving the best announcement for last, introducing it with his now famous ?one more thing?. Wired?s Cult of Mac has a clever timeline of these announcements.

Due to the time difference, most South Africans will wake up on Tuesday morning to hear the full announcement.

source

SlingPlayer Mobile for iPhone

Here is a video showing SlingPlayer Mobile running on the iPhone.

Samsung i900 beats 3G iPhone

The Samsung i900 has overcome the 3G iPhone, at least in terms of release dates. This new i900 handset is a quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE/HSDPA phone that feature some mouth watering specifications such as :-

Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional

Built-in accelerometer

Wi-Fi connectivity

USB port

Integrated FM tuner

Bluetooth connectivity

3.2" 400 x 240 resolution display

5 megapixel camera with smile detection and geotagging

Anything else it lacks? I wonder what kind of memory card does this thing carry.

Unlock your iPhone Instantly

While Apple is trying its level best to keep the iPhone locked to carriers on a contract basis, there are many other people who prefer to choose their own network, which is why unlocked iPhones are such a hot commodity these days. This site claims to offer iPhone users all over the world the option to unlock their iPhones so that it can be used with a desired GSM SIM card. Apparently this new software is compatible with all versions of iPhones (4GB, 8GB and 16GB models), ranging from 1.1.1 all the way to 1.1.4. I would be rather wary about solutions such as these though, as there is always a risk (no matter how small) of you bricking your latest gadget. Do you dare take the risk? [Press Release]

Samsung i900 Omnia announced; Ready to compete head to head with iPhone, HTC Diamond, others

Samsung has officially announced its real iPhone killin' device. Instinct is just not smart enough to compete with Apple's handset, but the 12.5mm-thick i900 certainly is. Let's quickly go through specs, shall we:

Network: quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE + HSDPA 7.2Mbps

Wireless: stereo Bluetooth (A2DP), WiFi

Display: 3.2-inch WQVGA (240×400 pixels) touchscreen

Camera: 5 megapixels with auto-focus, featuring face and smile detection as well as auto-panorama shots

OS/UI: Windows Mobile 6.1 with Samsung's widget-friendly TouchWiz user interface running on top of it

CPU: Marvell 624MHz (*update*)

Other: built-in GPS, accelerometer for auto-rotation, optical mouse

Two models will be sold: 8GB and 16GB, that can further be expanded with microSD memory cards

Availability: from June 2008, Europe - July 2008

And that's it! Boy do we want one. The only problem I see is that WQVGA screen which may find hard time competing with the Diamond's VGA and/or XPERIA's WVGA, though, that's not actually a problem.

Finally, those of you attending the CommunicAsia expo in Singapore from June 17 to 20, will be amongst the first ones to try out Samsung's new baby. In the meantime, hop over to GSMArena for some real-life shots.

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blog.planet-cell-phone.com

iPhone 2 Expected To Be Released Today

Waiting for the iPhone 2 to be released? Well, the wait for the second generation Smartphone could be ending soon. According to reports, Steve Jobs is set to launch the iPhone 2 at the Apple World Wide Developers’ Conference.

Steve Jobs holds the original iPhone.

The original Iphone has been is short supply since Apple lowered prices on the Smartphone. The iPhone 2 is expected to have faster 3G wireless connectivity.

Apple has sold over 5 million iPhones in the United States since it’s debut last year. The iPhone has around a 20% market share in the United States. The mobile phone is sold and serviced by AT&T.

The company is expected to make changes with their pricing structure and allow network partners

subsidize the cost of the second generation iPhone.

Aigo MP3/Camera Sunglass

Man, and you thought that shades were supposed to do nothing but prevent harmful UV rays from attacking your eyes - Aigo does not only offer a pair of shades that does that, it managed to pack in a fair bit of technology into the MP3 556+ sunglass. It comes with a 1.3 megapixel CMOS sensor to capture the scenes around you discretely, and boasts MP3/WMA playback to keep you entertained while you're on one of your voyeuristic runs. A USB port is included for file transfer with a PC. You can choose from 1GB or 2GB memory capacities - it would have been nice to see a microSD memory card slot thrown in for good measure though.

Apple to allow carriers to subsidize iPhone

Sunday, June 08, 2008

If the 3G iPhone launches with A-GPS, tri-band HSDPA, and video recording, we'll be more than happy to wait in line to give Apple more of our hard-earned money. But, if Apple ends up allowing carriers to subsidize the price of the next-generation iPhone, there are going to be throngs of iPhone hopefuls lining up for their very own piece of multi-touch goodness.

It would make sense for Apple to loosen their iPhone price schedule to allow for carrier subsidization - especially if they hope to reach that 10 million unit sales goal by the end of 2008. As such, The Financial Times is reporting that Apple has indeed relaxed their strangle-hold over the iPhone's pricing structure. That means we'll all see the 3G iPhone sold at deep discounts off of the retail price.

FT doesn't cite any sources in saying the the 3G iPhone will be subsidized through wireless carriers, but they have a respectable track record when it comes to Apple-related speculation. The publication says that Apple may allow US iPhone carrier, AT&T, to offer a $200 subsidy on the iPhone 3G - effectively lowering the new iPhone's price point to $200. In doing so, Apple has purportedly lowered the revenue kickbacks that it has demanded from current iPhone carriers around the world.

The report is in line with previous speculation that the next-generation iPhone will sell for $200.

[Via: FT]

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Another pic of the new iPhone

This pic surfaced today and I agree with most...that this is totally fake.

iCall brings seamless GSM / VoIP hand-offs to iPhone - switch between GSM and WiFi networks with ease

There's just something about saving those relatively expensive wireless minutes by using VoIP calling technology to reach out and touch someone. VoIP solutions have already allowed iPhone users to get jiggy with internet-based telephone calls, but the latest iPhone VoIP application to hit the iPhone brings with it the ability to hand-off calls between WiFi (VoIP) and GSM networks.

With iCall there's no need to manually switch over from WiFi-based VoIP calls to start using the GSM network, or vice versa. The iCall application does all the call switching for you on the fly and automatically - it really doesn't get any better in the VoIP world.

Now, iCall is still in development and we're not sure when mere mortals like us can get our hands on an application like this. But, rest assured, when it launches, iPhone-using VoIP-ers will be able to get their VoIP-on with ease.

Check out the video demonstration below.

iCall

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3G iPhone details from Vodafone employee, leaked iPhone 3G firmware confirms tri-band HSDPA and GPS

Saturday, June 07, 2008

And they just keep rolling in like unstoppable forces of nature. The iPhone 3G (or 3G iPhone / iPhone 2, call it what you want) rumors are starting to get dizzyingly out of hand. Late last night we saw some purported marketing material leaked out for all 3G iPhone hopefuls to drool over, but it didn't stop there.

Apple's next-generation iPhone will run on an as yet unreleased version of the iPhone firmware, and it seems that said firmware has already been leaked and it's details have seemingly found their way through the labyrinth of inter-tubes to land on many a blog's front-page. So, it's only appropriate that we clue our dear readers in to what the iPhone 3G firmware purportedly confirms.

The code apparently confirms that tri-band (850/1900/2100Mhz) HSDPA is in the cards for the iPhone 2. There are numerous mentions to UMTS/HSDPA hardware running on all three frequency bands, and the code confirms that the Infineon-sourced S-GOLD3 3G chip will be handling the bulk of the data-legwork. We've been expecting this for a while now, so it's not really new news, just newsworthy news (get my drift?).

We also see that A-GPS is a lock for the upcoming iPhone 3G. The firmware code shows that software for determining location based on network data and satellite signals is embedded within and should make for some snappy GPS location-acquisition times.

Oh, and the next-generation iPhone will be powered by the same CPU as the current generation - which means that the ARM 1176JZF-S CPU will be running the show.

There's more. To keep things exciting, iPhone Atlas has apparently been tipped off by a Vodafone employee who's had a chance to get some hands-on time with the 3G iPhone. The employee says that the iPhone is glossy black, serves up location data with haste (it purportedly determines position through WiFi, cell tower triangulation, and A-GPS - in that order) and has a 3-meter accuracy, will be about 20% smaller (thinner, in other words), and gets an average throughput of 140Kbps.

Now, that 140Kbps throughput value is a bit disappointing, as the current iPhone's EDGE speeds easily hit that mark indoors and outdoors. The data speeds quoted by alleged Vodafone employee are likely (if true) UMTS numbers and not HSDPA speeds. Still, it's good to here that the A-GPS is quick and the handset is slimmer than the original. Interestingly, there's no mention a video-call camera occupying that mysterious third optical sensor location.

Perhaps more importantly, we're hearing that the 3G iPhone is locked down like no other iPhone before it (which is to say, the first iPhone). The hardware bootloader exploit for jailbreaking and unlocking the iPhone has been closed, which means that jailbreaking the next-generation iPhone will be tougher - if not, dare we say it, impossible. Let's hope the iPhone Dev Team's Pwnage Tool works with the new firmware.

Now, all we have to do is sit back and wait for ~~the iPhone to get announced~~ more 3G iPhone rumors to roll in. At least it gives us something to do while we wait in agony for the iPhone to launch.

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Speculation mounts for new iPhone

Apple fans are waiting with bated breath - and a seemingly unending supply of rumours - for the iPhone Version 2.

The iPhone Version 1 was launched in the US in June 2007 to widespread tech hysteria.

Version 2 is widely expected to be unleashed at Apple's WorldWide Developers Conference that starts on 9 June.

The blogosphere is already red hot with speculation. Most think the new version will run on 3G, with the more pedantic design watchers predicting it will be slightly fatter as a result due to the need for a bigger battery.

Others predict a bigger camera, video-calling capacities and a GPS (Global Positioning System) chip built in.

Huge influence

Ben Wood, director of analyst firm CCS Insight, goes further, predicting that a blue button on the phone will link directly through to Apple's application store, with access to games, calculators, currency converters, screen-savers and ringtones.

"We predict this will become the most popular mobile applications store ever launched," he said.

Apple has a tendency to offer something no-one expected and such a "sting in the tail" is also possible thinks Mr Wood.

If it didn't have an Apple logo, it would have been long forgotten.

John Starkweather, Microsoft

Possible other "stings" include a hybrid iPhone Nano, a new partnership with a big internet brand or capacity for mobile TV.

Of course the biggest surprise would be no announcement at all, but even if the rumours turn out to be premature, there is no doubting the influence of the first iPhone.

Data usage has grown exponentially since the iPhone launched with all operators seeing a huge ramp up in the amount of non-voice traffic.

"In the last six months we have seen continuing demand for these services and have improved our own mobile browsing and music download services to meet this demand," said Richard Warmsley, head of Beyond Voice at T-Mobile.

CCS Insight predicts that 218 million Europeans will be browsing on mobile devices by 2010.

"Apple has done an amazing job. It was its first ever mobile phone and it has managed to reshape the market and how people interact with their mobiles," said Mr Wood.

Younger generation

So-called smartphones have been slow to take off and, for a long time, remained a must-have only for corporate workers.

Tony Cripps, senior analyst with research firm Ovum, thinks that expectations of mobile connectivity have changed over the last year to the extent that the term "smartphone" is largely "redundant".

"A lot more devices can access the web and there is a huge range of services which people want from e-mail, search, maps and social networking.

"The younger generation now expect all of these on their mobiles as standard," he said.

Currently, the price of the iPhone puts it out of the range of many younger consumers, but some think the new version, whenever it is announced, will come with new pricing models.

The mobile market in Europe, where operators routinely subsidise the price of handsets, has meant that the high-priced iPhones have sold in much smaller quantities than in the US.

Five million iPhones have been sold but less than 350,000 of these were shifted in Europe, says research firm Jupiter.

Change in tactics
There are plenty of copycat iPhones on the market

"The question has to be asked to what extent Apple can succeed without embracing the traditional mobile eco-system," said Jupiter analyst Thomas Husson.

Mr Woods believes the iPhone Version 2 could change the way Apple does business with the mobile operators.

"Some level of subsidy is likely to be available and operators are going to be allowed to set the price to some extent, although there are bound to be guidelines from Apple which will not want to endanger its lucrative iPod business," he said.

The era of exclusivity, where just one operator per country rolled out the iPhone, is already changing. Vodafone and TIM are both due to launch the iPhone in Italy later this year.

Vodafone has also signed up to deliver the iPhone in Australia, New Zealand, Czech Republic, Egypt, Greece, Italy, India, South Africa and Turkey.

In markets such as Italy, where 90% of the market is pre-paid, it is likely non-contract handsets will be available, thinks Mr Wood.

The change in tactics is down in part to the unexpected number of people unlocking their iPhones to work on any network.

For the hard-core Apple fans the price of the next generation device comes second to its new specs, but not everyone is so excited by the whole iPhone phenomenon.

Catching up

Microsoft's anticipation is, as one would expect, lukewarm.

About Version 1, director of Windows Mobile, John Starkweather said: "If it didn't have an Apple logo, it would have been long forgotten."

He maintains that Apple is still playing catch-up with the rest of the smartphone market.

"This year sees their first 3G phone to market. We have had 3G-enabled phones since the first networks were built and we will sell 20m new Windows Mobile phones in 2008," he said.

The numbers put the market share of the iPhone into perspective, but as more and more copycat iPhone handsets come on the market, the influence of its look is undisputed, even by Microsoft.

"Apple is good at design," conceded Mr Starkweather.

source

Leaked 3G iPhone pics hit the web - iPhone 2 to get video chat, available in Red? maybe

Cue the dramatic music, please.

Last year, around the time the iPhone was originally announced, iPhone mockups and allegedly leaked images flooded the web.

This year, things are different. Apple's WWDC 2008 is so close we can almost taste the geeked-out sweat from the throngs of Apple fans and haters itching to get their first peek at Apple's next-generation iPhone. And, you know what that means. 3G iPhone rumors are really getting out of hand.

The newest 3G iPhone rumor to hit the i'nets involves allegedly leaked marketing materials showing "real deal" pictures of Apple's iPhone successor, the iPhone 2 or iPhone 3G, if you will. From the looks of the leaked pics, iPhone hopefuls have to look forward to their 3G iPhone rocking video chat, and it'll be available in a nice, bright shade of Red. The iPhone 3G looks thicker than the current iPhone, which is in line with the "thicker" 3G iPhone rumors. But, the tapered edges are way thinner than the current iPhone, which is in line with the "thinner" 3G iPhone rumors. Both rumors satisfied at once? Nice.

That is, if these pics are legit.

We're seeing the iPhone 3G sporting the tapered-edge design that's been widely expected for a good while now. There's also a pleasantly surprising front-facing video call camera, and pictures showing a 3G video call in progress. Now, is all that and the new "RED" color option on the real?

Well, a few blogs have picked up on these "leaked" images that were forwarded to TechCrunch. Some are holding these pics as truth, while others are calling foul. If TechCrunch's "tipster" is on point, we're not only going to see some serious specs on the next-generation iPhone, but we'll be getting some iChat video support for Windows XP. That's right, Windows XP.

On the flip-side, others are calling these "leaked" pics a bunch of hooey. The images are said to be the Photoshop-work of some talented designer. The "real" iPhone 3G reportedly lacks any sort of front-facing camera - that extra "optical sensor" apparently won't be taking any video or pictures.

So, who's right and who's wrong? We have no idea, but these pics sure are pretty to look at, aren't they? Keep in mind that last year we saw iPhone mockups left and right, but none were of this caliber. Did Apple drop the ball the second time around? Or is this the same old story, happening all over again?

Suffice it to say that, just days before the official 3G iPhone announcement, we still know little more than we did months ago.

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Samsung i900 vs Apple iPhone pics

Here are some nice pics of the Samsung i900 and compared to the Apple iPhone.

New pics of the new iPhone

Crunchgear posted these pics that are of the new iPhone 2. Some think these are real while some believe they are fake...

Drugs.com goes iPhone

Friday, June 06, 2008

The leading online resource for clinical drug and related health information Drugs.com recently announced the iPhone-optimized version of its website. Aside from getting some media attention prior to WWDC, the idea is to provide physicians and healthcare professionals with a "free drug information service for easy access to medication summaries, dosing information, warnings and built-in drug interactions for all medications commonly used in the U.S."

The Drugs.com iPhone edition can be accessed by any person with an iPhone who is a registered member of Drugs.com and is looking for accurate, in-depth medicine and health information, at any time and anywhere there is WiFi or network access. The launch of Drugs.com's iPhone edition is especially timely as the world anticipates the unveiling of the 3G iPhone, which will combine a best-in-class mobile browser with the fast online access provided by a 3G connection.

Interested physicians and healthcare professionals are invited to register for the mobile Drugs.com professional edition by visiting www.drugs.com/iphone.

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3G iPhone touchscreen?

Is this the touchscreen of the 3G iPhone? Note that there are two different sizes.

Another 3G iPhone spy pic

Here is a pretty good spy pic of the "3G iPhone". Too bad it is of the back and not the front. Anyways, the 3G iPhone will be announced next week.