Bites from the Apple: iPhone 3G Afterglow
by Agen Schmitz
on June 13, 2008
 Viva la Apple vida! |
- First off, the price. As mentioned earlier this week, AT&T will be increasing its data connectivity fee by $10, which pretty much erases the $200 savings on the new, lower-priced iPhone 3G. But Gizmodo's Jason Chen argues that the overall cost of hardware and 3G service is comparable to other 3G phones, if not a little lower. So while it's true that you'll be paying more than you would with the current EDGE-powered OG iPhone, the higher speed of the iPhone 3G (and the added GPS) should add some rationalization ammunition.
- While we're on the subject of the 3G network, the new iPhone might not be for you if you're in more of a rural setting, as AT&T's 3G coverage is currently limited to most major metropolitan areas (see map at iPhone Atlas).
- But back to the rationalization, Cult of Mac offers up some tips on how best to hide an iPhone purchase from your spouse.
- There was a rumor running 'round the Intertubes for a short while saying that current iPhone owners had to give up their hardware when upgrading to the iPhone 3G. Happily, that was squashed. But there is one (happy) instance where this comes into effect--if you bought an original iPhone after May 27, you'll get the option of turning it in for a new iPhone 3G (via TUAW).
- One of the most confusing and still open-ended questions revolving around acquiring the iPhone 3G is how it will be activated. With the OG iPhone, you got the phone either at an Apple or AT&T store or via Web purchase and then activated it using the iTunes software at home. This obviously led to many an iPhone being funneled to the gray market and overseas as well as just plain unlocked to be used on competing GSM networks.
But with the iPhone 3G, it's looking like the activation will have to take place before you leave the retail location of your choice (currently, the new models won't be for sale online). The Boy Genius Report has a rundown of what this entails, via a leaked AT&T email, with Engadget rounding things out a bit more.
- Macworld gives and overview of the release of Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard, which doesn't include any new features. At least no new glossy eye candy. What it will bring is an under-the-hood tune-up that includes built-in support for Microsoft’s Exchange 2007, support for more RAM, and optimization of multicore CPUs (which we'll be seeing more of).
- One of the biggest headaches of the original iPhone was its stupidly designed recessed headphone jack, which required purchase of a dongle, new headphones that would fit this jack, or careful surgery on headphones you already owned (I destroyed several sets doing the latter). But the iPhone 3G happily fixes this with a flush headphone jack. Rejoice!
- Will we see support for Flash content with the iPhone 2.0 software update? Some eagle-eyed observers at iPhone Atlas and think so, based on how some sample sites displayed in iPhone 3G marketing imagery are rendered. Or, it could be that the Apple marketing department got lazy.
- My colleague and all-around wireless guru, Glenn Fleishman (full disclosure: our toddlers play together from time to time), touched an iPhone 3G down in San Francisco this week and offers his thoughts at his Wi-Fi Net News site as well as on Seattle's local NPR station, KUOW (where he's the tech contributor to its show, The Beat). One point I found interesting is that he sees the iPhone becoming more and more a replacement for the laptop (if only it would include the Bluetooth HID profile for adding wireless keyboards and mice):
The iPhone is much more like a full-blown computer than any smartphone I’ve used. It might be the superior browser, and the fact that a single company and design vision has ensured the maximum CPU is available for each current task, and that the interface and actions are nearly always consistent across every piece of software. Contrast that with many smartphones that don’t just have ugly interfaces, crippled Web browsers, and varying input methods, but also require you to learn a different approach to using nearly every different piece of software on the phone.
Additionally, Glenn released two more ebooks (I don't know where he finds the time) for the Take Control juggernaut on using Back to My Mac and screen sharing in Leopard (which can come in handy especially if you're doing diagnostics on a parent's Mac from across the country). And you get a $5 discount if you buy them together. - Gizmodo has a rundown of everything you always wanted to know about GPS on the iPhone 3G. For one thing, because the embedded A-GPS (A = assisted) relies on data from GPS satellites as well cell towers and Wi-Fi hotspots, you'll get a faster location lock.
- Ars Technica gets a peek at one of the applications I'm hungering for the most when the iPhone App Store is opened: Mobile Twitteriffic.
- Macenstein looks closely at the Coldplay's recent advert for Apple (screenshot seen above) and sees some subliminal Leopard imagery.
- Are you still happy with your Palm smartphone, but lament its oh-so-early 2000s user interface. You can kickstart your Treo or Centro with a bit of iPhone goodness with TouchLaunger, which emulates the iPhone's drag-and-drop icon interface (via IntoMobile).
- And finally, while you can view the entire WWDC keynote address at Apple (as well as download a podcast version of it), Mahalo Daily offers us a 60-second version of all the highlights (hat tip to Ars Technica).
--Agen G.N. Schmitz
Free iPod Touch on June 13, 2008 at 07:29 PM
Hopefully they rethink their decision and offer a no contract iphone.
Captain Nerd on June 14, 2008 at 06:13 AM
I haven't been following all the iPhone news, but one thing struck me that I haven't seen anyone expand on, and that's the fact the iPhone will be available and will work in Japan. Anyone who's had to deal with cell phones and travelling has known about and put up with the "Japan Exception", which prevented 3G phones from working there. The problem was that Japan uses a different frequency from the rest of the world for 3G which, if I read the specs right, the 3G iPhone will handle. If Jobs managed to break the wall of the Japan Exception, he deserves much credit right there. It remains to be seen what has to be done to an iPhone bought somewhere else in order to use it in Japan, but it seems the technical hurdle is out of the way, and the fact they made a deal with a cell phone carrier in Japan may help smooth the way, too.
All in all, I'm glad I waited to buy one, and I hope I get to use it in Japan when I do.
Chuck Pelto on June 14, 2008 at 07:13 AM
TO: Agen Schmitz
RE: iPhone
I'm an Apple maven and I'm highly impressed with the iPhone; then and even more so now. However AT&T is for squat where I live. Therefore, as for my house, we'll keep our Treos....until AT&T losses it's monopoly.
We were using GPS on them for a year before iPhone even existed in the market place.
Regards,
Chuck(le)
Bob the Builder on June 14, 2008 at 10:05 AM
My neighbor works for the Apple iPhone group and we happened to meet on the street on the day the 3G was announced. As he was showing me the new iPhone he mentioned that it was a real feat to get several different antennas installed in the backage without interfering with each other. BTW, although he's been walking around with the phone for weeks, even his wife doesn't know what new developments they're up to.
Beth on June 14, 2008 at 01:53 PM
Not sure how the iphone can replace laptops more and more without allowing cutting and pasting. Anyone have any ideas on whether that will be something a 3rd party developer can achieve? Any rumors?