The world phone

Microsoft considering Office functionality for iPhone

2008-04-01T06:45:00.000-07:00

The fanboy Apple/Microsoft debate may rage on, but don’t doubt that both companies are viewing the iPhone as a big profit opportunity. Fortune has been talking to the Specialized Devices and Applications Group at Microsoft, who are responsible for Mac-friendly software like Office for OS X, and the team there are keen to stress that they’re seeing the coveted Apple cellphone as a prospective platform.

How iPhone Touched the Gadget Industry

2008-04-01T06:37:00.001-07:00

Touch-screens have been around for years, but gadget-makers have begun putting them into more and more devices. The iPhone played a big part in the trend by incorporating its multi-touch technology in a smartphone. It's not just handsets that are getting into the act, however. Cameras, gaming units and tablet PCs are only a few of the categories in which touch is growing in presence.

iPhone Wins Bronze in Global Smartphone Race

2008-04-01T06:33:00.000-07:00

The iPhone's shortcut to success is consistent with Apple's approach to novice-friendly technology, said Ramon Llamas, an analyst with IDC. "Coming in as a newcomer, Apple already had a lot of great things going for it. Apple is all about simplicity when it comes to hardware and software. Look at their Macs and iPods -- simplicity is built in their DNA. It was just a matter of pushing that to the iPhone line."

Mac Bloggers Update OS X, Upgrade Apple TV, Ponder Missing iPhones

2008-04-01T06:30:00.001-07:00

"The new version of Apple TV makes the device somewhat more appealing to the small group of people who already do a lot of video on iTunes. It's not a large group, and at this price, most of them could just as easily turn to their cable video on demand system to watch movies," James McQuivey, a vice president of research and analyst for Forrester, told MacNewsWorld

The Enterprise and the iPhone

2008-04-01T06:22:00.000-07:00

The new business-oriented features Apple unveiled recently will no doubt enhance the iPhone's allure for the corporate crowd, but there's no guarantee they'll win over die-hard BlackBerry fans. RIM has established itself as the supplier of choice in the corporate environment and has even started making inroads among consumers.

iPhone AppStore currently requires WiFi

2008-03-25T07:56:00.000-07:00

Although Apple CEO Steve Jobs said, during his SDK introduction presentation, that the iPhone App Store would work over both WiFi and cellular networks, a new screenshot of the store (running on iPhone OS 1.2, currently in beta and unreleased to the public) from Boy Genius Report apparently reveals that a WiFi connection is, at least for now, required.

The BGR gallery includes some other great shots of iPhone OS 1.2, including Exchange setup, other pictures of the App Store and more.

An iPhone App Wish List

2008-03-25T07:53:00.001-07:00

The Web-based applications to which the iPhone has been limited have weaknesses, including that they are usually slower than programs installed directly on the device, and they can only be accessed when users are online. The new development tools are the same used by Apple's engineers and will let programmers create software that iPhone owners can install directly on their devices.

Apple Releases Speedier Safari

2008-03-25T07:44:00.000-07:00

"The iPhone and iPod have had kind of a halo effect on Apple's core computer sales," said Greg Sterling, principal analyst with Sterling Market Intelligence. "The Safari browser is kind of a why-not effort to reach people and bring them into a little look-and-feel Apple experience on Windows and familiarize them with what it's like to be on an Apple machine."

iPhone Battery Life information

2008-03-25T07:33:00.000-07:00

iBooter: Interactive iPhone Diagnostics

2008-03-22T07:09:00.000-07:00

iPhone hacker Niacin has just released iBooter, his new iPhone diagnostics tool. It serves as an interactive console for iBoot, the Apple bootloader, runs on Mac/Windows/Linux independently of iTunes. Using iBooter, you can do fun things like set environmental variables, write a custom image to the display (ie. change the image that shows up when you dock the iPhone), run USB commands, and diagnose booting errors.

iPhuc has offered similar functionality, but was dependent on iTunes and was only capable of sending commands to iBoot. With iBooter, you can both send commands and receive replies, allowing you to diagnose errors and the like.

FitReach: Training and Diet Planner

2008-03-22T06:59:00.000-07:00

Using FitReach you can login to your account on your iPhone and view your gym training for the day, diet and manage your weight goals all from the iPhone interface. It is easy to use, and free to create an account.

- View your diet for the day
- Line graph display showing your weight loss, bodyfat and lean mass changes since you created your account.
- Display meals for the day, and allows you to view which meals you have had.
- View the training you have planned for the day.
- Weigh In - enter your latest weight stats directly from the web app.

Google APIs now compatible with iPhone SDK

2008-03-22T06:58:00.000-07:00

Google’s new GData Objective –C Client Library adds support for the Google Contacts Data API and YouTube API. So essentially, any applications written in Objective-C (including those created for the iPhone) will be able to take advantage of features such as uploading video to YouTube account or directly editing their Google account contacts.

According to Google blog post, GData Objective-C Client library is 100% compatible with the iPhone SDK.

“Perhaps you want your iPhone software to send photos to a Picasa Web Albums account, or keep a journal of phone calls automatically in Blogger. Maybe your iPhone application accesses a database of information from a Google Spreadsheet or from Google Base. With the Google Data APIs Objective-C Client Library, creating software for these tasks is straightforward.”

“If you are writing iPhone software, just drag the “GData Sources” group folder from the GData project file into your iPhone project, and use the GData APIs as you would when writing a Mac application.”

Device allows you to watch TV on your iPhone

2008-03-06T07:41:00.001-08:00

I ask you this: why can’t I watch TV on my iPhone? Seems like it can do everything else. Packet Video’s matchbox-sized Mobile Broadcast Receiver, demoed earlier this week at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, aims to fill that niche. The device basically acts as a go-between for television and your iPhone (or other Wi-Fi compatible device) by receiving a digital broadcast signal, decoding it, and sending it to your device over Wi-Fi. The MBR is even smart enough to detect what kind of device you’re using and send video in an appropriate format, using QuickTime for the iPhone for example.

On the downside, Packet Video’s products don’t usually get marketed directly to consumers, but rather to mobile operators. The device is compatible with a number of wireless signals, like DVB-H, MediaFlo, and Wi-Max. No word on whether it works with ATSC, the digital TV format that’ll primarily be used in the US.

iPhone users search on Google. A lot.

2008-03-06T07:38:00.000-08:00

At this past week’s Mobile World Congress, Google’s Vic Gundotra, head of mobile operations, told the Financial Times that search traffic from iPhones was blowing away the competition—to the tune of 50 times the amount of searches coming from other mobile devices. In fact, the numbers were so out of whack that they suspected they’d made an error in interpreting the data.

No such luck: turns out that iPhone users really are Googleoholics. But that’s not really a surprise, is it? Safari’s built-in search field defaults to Google (you can switch it to Yahoo in Settings -> Safari -> Search Engine), and with the iPhone’s keyboard and lack of copy/paste, a lot of times it’s easier to type a search string in than a URL. Oh, and of course, there’s the device’s massive popularity. That probably doesn’t exactly hurt them either.

Skyhook makes finding yourself even easier

2008-03-06T07:35:00.000-08:00

Those of you looking for more accurate positioning from your iPhone’s Wi-Fi location functions will be happy to know that the process just got even easier. When we first explained how to add your access point to Skyhook Wireless’s database, it required you to assemble a bunch of information and email it off to the company.

I wonder if perhaps they got a little tired of fielding all those emails, because they’ve streamlined the ordeal by putting up a web page where you can enter the details. Just pop in your address and it’ll give you the Latitude and Longitude with the built-in Google Maps interface. Add your access point’s MAC address and your email, and you’re good to go.

Sure, it’s not GPS, but it’s the next best thing. And think of all the time it saves you.

Water turns 8GB iPhone into 16GB iPhone

2008-03-06T07:27:00.001-08:00

I made a fascinating discovery today, one which will undoubtedly land me an interview spot on CNN and a stint on all the major morning talk shows: drop your 8GB iPhone into a glass of water — entirely submerged — and watch it be magically replaced by a brand-new 16GB model.

All you need is a water-damaged iPhone, some serious frustration, and a wad of cash when you walk into the Apple Store. My notorious ADD-inspired (perhaps subconsciously-percipitated) clumsiness somehow resulted in me dropping my precious iPhone — the same one I stomped on and beat to death with the magnificent OtterBox Armor — into a full glass of ice water. All the phone could do after that was turn on and off…and on and off, and on and off…by itself…non-stop. It was almost as if the top on/off button was continually triggering its functions — even when the button wasn’t actually pressed.

I went to the iPod Bar at the store, and they told me I could get a replacement for about $250. All of a sudden, my mind was seized by vent-expelled polycarbonate-scented pheromones designed to relax the mind and make customers easily influenced by the nuclear-powered Reality Distortion Field generator built into every Apple Store. Within minutes, I was handing my credit card to the cashier, robotically paying for a new 16GB iPhone.

Apparently they’ve upgraded those RDF machines since the last time I was there. Damn.

Of course, when I mentioned to the Genius that I had dropped it in water, his first response was: “…the toilet, right?” No, no. A glass of water. Apparently toilet droppings are quite common (snicker). A friend of mine had a similar issue: Two days after purchasing his iPhone he dropped it right into the toilet — not gonna ask — and killed it. He hook it to the Apple Store, confessed truthfully to the mishap, and blammo: they gave him a new one on the spot.

As with all Apple products, support experiences vary — and when you’re getting support at the store, it all depends on the Genius who’s helping you. They have crazy discretion. Sound off in the comments: have you dropped your iPhone into a cup, a puddle, or toilet? How’d you deal with it?

Review: Marware Sport Grip for iPhone

2008-03-06T07:19:00.000-08:00

Marware’s $15 Sport Grip for iPhone is a silicone skin case for the iPhone that’s available in blue, pink, clear, and black. The Sport Grip provides simple protection for the iPhone while leaving all of its controls easily accessible.

As with most silicone skins, the Sport Grip has a large opening at the front for accessing the iPhone’s touchscreen; you also use this opening to insert and remove the iPhone from the case. The front of the case also includes small holes for the iPhone’s earpiece and proximity sensor as well as an indentation over the Home button that makes it easy to locate by touch. The back of the case has a small opening for the iPhone’s camera lens, and holes in the edges of the case let you get at the iPhone’s headphone jack, Ring/Silent switch, microphone, speaker, and dock-connector port. Rather than leaving openings for the volume buttons and Sleep/Wake switch, Marware has chosen to instead provide small nubs of silicone over those buttons to let you operate them through the case. The company also includes a thin, adhesive screen protector along with the necessary tools for applying the film to the iPhone.

The ridged sides of the case make it easy to grip and the slightly tacky-feeling silicone means that the phone won’t slide off a table or other smooth surface, though that texture also means that it’s more troublesome getting the phone in and out of a pocket. The silicone on the back of the case is somewhat thicker, giving the Sport Grip a solid, comfortable feeling in your hand.

I found the opening for Ring/Silent switch to be a little on the small side for convenient use, yet I still accidentally triggering the switch on more than occasion when putting the phone into my pocket. The silicone material gathers a decent amount of dust and lint, some of which can become trapped between the case and the phone, but this is a problem we’ve encountered with several cases.

Overall, the Marware Sport Grip is a respectable entry among silicone iPhone cases, and it’s a fair sight cheaper than many of the others we’ve tested.

Apple iphonesthrong chinese markets before official release

2008-02-26T04:27:00.000-08:00

Apple iPhones were for the first time introduced in the United States in end of June 2007. Such was the craze for the iPhone that people lined up outside Apple stores the previous night of the launch, to grab the first lot of the iPhones. Now, it seems similar iPhone fever has also caught up with China. Although, Apple iPhones has not been officially released in China following the failed round of talks with China’s official carrier China Mobile, iPhones has become a household name in China.

When the news of the missing iPhones broke out a couple of months back, it was quite unlikely to believe that 400,000 of them have made their way to China. However, In-Stat a marketing research firm has recently revealed that of the 1.7 million missing iPhones in the United States, 10% of them have been illegally shipped to China.

If the trend continues, it will not be late that China will be flooded with unlocked iPhones even before it seeks official release. This will definitely hurt Apple

Inc. business model of revenue sharing with a local carrier. The popularity of the Apple iPhone can be asserted from the fact that while most businesses are discussed from iPhones in the United States; in China, most families love using iPhones for their personal use. The situation is indeed taking a dangerous turn from the business economics of Apple Inc. and the iPhone industry. The huge numbers of iPhones available and working in China are all illegitimate. As the Apple iPhones are unlocked by scrupulous means in China, they remain devoid of Apple insurance or warranty coverage.

There are blogs and auction houses flooding the Net selling iPhones for the Chinese market; and the Chinese people are ready to shell out extra bucks to get hold of the iPhone. Reports indicate that around 1/5 of all iPhones cost approximately US$ 533 which is shows that buyers in China are paying more for their phones than any other countries. However, this has not stopped Chinese consumers to wait till Apple releases it’s official version in 2008 soon.

Can I use my iPhone internationally?

2008-02-22T12:57:00.000-08:00

iPhone is a quad-band GSM phone and will work around the world. Before you travel, make sure that international dialing and roaming are enabled through AT&T and that the places you’re going offer GSM coverage. International roaming rates apply for any voice or data usage outside the domestic coverage area. Substantial charges may be incurred if you take your phone out of the U.S. even if no services are intentionally used. Visit www.att.com/wirelessinternational for international roaming rates and more details.

Will iPhone work with my PC and Microsoft Windows?

2008-02-22T12:54:00.000-08:00

Yes. iPhone works with Windows XP Home or Professional (SP2) and with Windows Vista. See specifications for more details.

iphone decals

2008-02-22T10:02:00.000-08:00

Since our first iPhone Decals article was such a success, many users mailing us asking for details from where to buy one for their iPhone, we decided to look into it. As stated before, the decals in the first article were custom made by Dutch using his professional vinyl plotter. And since a plotter like that costs a small fortune, it is not an effective solution for customizing your iPhone.

So we had to find a place that sells ready made iPhone decals online, in plenty of models and for a reasonable price. And the first place we found (and our personal favorite) is DecalGirl.com. This site is specialized in decals for electronics and has a colection of 238 models for the iPhone.

The main advantage of decals over cases is that they protect the iPhone from scratches without adding bulkiness. They are thin like a paper sheet, a thing that no iPhone case can do.

The difference between decals and custom paint is that a decal is easely removed or replaced with a new model, while a paint job is permanent. There is also a huge price difference, but still decals offer a larger variety of designs than paint jobs.

An interesting feature of DecalGirl.com is that they offer decals for the top and bottom of the front side. And that, combined with a similar wallpaper really completes the makeover. You can download the wallpaper from their site using a code printed on the packaging of the decal you just bought.

Colored titan iphone cases

2008-02-22T10:01:00.001-08:00

I think you know the Titan clear iPhone case we covered in a previuos article a few months ago. It is a crystal clear policarbonate shell, designed to provide maximum protection of the iPhone without hiding it's beautyful lines.

The case comes packed with a clear belt holster and also has an unique system of retractable horizontal and vertical kickstands, that can be adjusted at various angles, to turn this case into a versatile table iPhone stand for video watching.

So what could GizMAc do to improve this case, you say? Well at this year CES they announced two more versions of the Titan case: colored ones they will start retailing in mid January.

I bet you've seen colored translucent iPhone cases before, but they were made of silicone, and silicone har a few downsights: looks and feels cheap, does not have the shine of polycarbonate and in time it loosenes it's grip of the iPhone, allowing dust to gather under the case.

Titan cases are made of policarbonate, and the new colors are smoke and pink. Smoke adds a litle substance at the classic clear case so it looks more solid. Pink on the other hand is a really live color, that stands out and varies in intensity depending on lighting conditions, passing from hot pink to red and even slightly orange.

Beside the color there is no difference from the classic Titan clear case so you can see more details in our previous article: Clear iPhone Case

Diamond iphone case

2008-02-22T09:58:00.000-08:00

I know what you think when you look at tis picture: Great Photoshop work! I thought the same, especially it's similar to the signature leather case, but, guess what, this case is real and it is for sale on Case-mate's website. Of course for a round $20.000 price tag. That's right twenty thousand US dollars for a case designed for a $399 device.

This glamour case is made of Carbon Fiber leather, similar to the one used in TechArt Porsche Carrera GT or luxury Vertu cell phones. Only this one is not black, is a specially developed gold one.

So, ok, it's made of gold leather, but why it's priced more than 10 times than the gold iPhone from Goldstriker? Well, as you can see in the picture (which is real, we swear), this case is made of more than gold leather, it's fitted with 42 diamonds with a 3.5 carat weight and 18k gold settings. Even the Case-mate logo is made of 18k gold.

You can see for yourself and order one if you can afford it at Case-mate's wesite.

iPhone gone Platinum

2008-02-22T09:46:00.000-08:00

Literally. You can now buy an iPhone coated completely out of Platinum - which incidentally is my favorite metal. Ahem. Anyway, the purpose of this Platinum iPhone is purely for decadence.

Apple has finally and silently released the 16GB iPhone. We have been waiting for it since the iPod Touch came out. It is now official and will be ava

2008-02-22T09:34:00.001-08:00

Although the MacBook Air’s multitouch trackpad is pretty nifty, it looks like Apple has even grander plans in store — a recent patent filing describes the MBA’s current features as “Basic Multitouch” and contains descriptions of “Advanced” touch operations like system control, file management and browser navigation. While the filing details using a combination of the thumb and two fingers to cut, copy and paste — something that seems awfully relevant to that little iPhone thing Apple sells — what we’re most intrigued by is the description of the “side pinky swipe” to control system functions like volume and screen brightness. Since the side of the pinky produces a different shape than your fingertip on the touch sensor, the system can automatically recognize it, making it ideal for quick adjustments — we’re already dreaming up lists of macros to trigger. Of course, there’s no telling if and when we’ll ever see this stuff in a product, but it’s probably not a coincidence the iPhone, iPod touch, and MacBook Air all use the same Broadcom touch controller — let’s hope those long-awaited new MacBook Pros join the club, eh?