Bits and Bytes from Today's Apple WWDC Conference

Having taken some time to catch my breath and thank my iPhone for seemingly getting horked yesterday just in time for the release of the iPhone 3G, let's take another dive into the gadgetosphere and get a fuller view of today's Apple WWDC announcements.

• Adam Frucci at Gizmodo lists some the wishlist items that didn't get delivered for the new iPhone 3G, including A2DP Bluetooth stereo music streaming, more megapixels in the camera, video capture, and copy-and-paste.

• Meanwhile, Gizmodo's Brian Lam gets some hands-on time with the new model, and finds it to be lighter and noticeably thinner and that the 3G speeds are definitely as springy as advertised.

• Ryan Block at Engadget also got some hands-on time and rounds out some of the tech specs: it's tri-band 3G (meaning you'll be able to go global and still and enjoy 3G in Europe and Asia), no 802.11n Wi-Fi, no dock included with the phone any longer (I never use mine), and photos can be geotagged using the GPS receiver.

• TUAW reports that Apple's non-disclosure agreement protecting the iPhone 2.0 software developmnt kit (SDK) is still in full effect until the iPhone 3G is released on July 11, so we may still be in for a few UI surprises (fingers crossed).

• The next edition of the Mac OS X operating system, dubbed Snow Leopard, will ship in about a year, but will be (as the rumors had indicated) more of a performance enhancement release rather than one bringing new user interface tools (via Macworld).

• While the iPhone 3G includes embedded GPS (and, to be more specific, assisted GPS), it doesn't include software for turn-by-turn navigation. However, it looks like TomTom is ready to roll with its navigation software (via Engadget).

• The iPhone 3G will launch initially on July in 22 countries (including Canada, Japan, Australia, Mexico, and a good chunk of Europe), and once it's been completely platformed it will have a home in 70 countries.

• One of the many applications that was demonstrated during the first hour of the keynote address was one by MLB.tv, which will keep baseball fans up to date with their favorite teams with individual box scores and pitch-by-pitch updates, along with current and constantly updated video highlights, minutes after the play happens (via CNet's Crave). CNet also provides some video footage from of a few of the other iPhone app demos, including eBay, the Loopt location-aware social network, and Super Monkey Ball.

• While the hardware has gone down in price (to $199 for 8 GB and $299 for 16 GB), AT&T (still the exclusive carrier in the US) is upping its data plan price--increasing to $30 from $20 per month on existing plans (via Electronista). Farhad Manjoo at Salon does some number crunching:

  Because AT&T will require iPhone customers to sign a 2-year service contract, the $10 per-month price hike adds $240 to the full cost of a new iPhone. That is, AT&T's data-plan price hike exceeds Steve Jobs' $200 iPhone sticker-price cut.

  Here's how the costs break down: For the old iPhone, AT&T's cheapest unlimited-data plan went for $59.99 a month. Over 24 months, that was $1,439.76. Add in the $399 price of the phone and you were looking at $1,838.76 for two years' of iPhone fun.

  AT&T's new unlimited data plan goes for $69.99 ($30 for data and $39.99 for its cheapest voice plan). For two years, that's $1,679.76, and then you've got the $199 phone -- a grand total of $1,878.76 for the iPhone over two years. So much for more affordable.

• Unlike the original 2.5G iPhone, which doesn't allow EDGE data connections while voice services are active, the iPhone 3G allows users to transfer data over the UTMS/HSDPA network while on telephone calls (via CNet's Crave).

• The new MobileMe service (which replaces .Mac) provides push email, contacts and calendars that synchronize to your iPhone as well as your home PC (both Mac and Windows platforms). AppleInsider has some details, including this:

  With a MobileMe email account, all folders, messages and status indicators look identical whether checking email on iPhone, iPod touch, a Mac or a PC. New email messages are pushed instantly to iPhone over the cellular network or Wi-Fi, removing the need to manually check email and wait for downloads. Push also keeps contacts and calendars continuously up-to-date so changes made on one device are automatically pushed up to the cloud and down to other devices.

  If you've already got a .Mac subscription, you'll just be ported over to MobileMe (I just got an email message from Apple telling me thus), and you'll be able to keep your .Mac email address but you'll also be given a me.com address. For more, you can watch a guided tour of MobileMe at Apple.

• Finally, here's the big question for you: black or white?

--Agen G.N. Schmitz

Comments

[Oliver on June 09, 2008 at 06:19 PM]

so, um, will Amazon be selling it?

[Agen on June 10, 2008 at 09:09 AM]

It looks like the iPhone 3G will only be available from Apple Store and AT&T retail locations -- nothing online for the foreseeable future. And as for black v. white, there's something very 2001-ish about the white that's kinda captivating. But I'd have to see it in person first.

[Ravshan on November 21, 2008 at 09:55 AM]

I like this phone!!! it`s looks as the phone of FUTURE!!!! I fond of all your production from i-pods till note-books and iPhone of course!!! Thanks!!!