Apple is likely to cut production of its hot-selling iPhone 3G handset by up to 40 percent during the current quarter, an analyst warned Monday, saying the expected change signals weaker demand for consumer electronics. But the prediction drew criticism from Apple observers, who said the situation isn't so grim. "That the firm's iPhone production plans are being revised lower suggests that the global macroeconomic weakness is impacting even high-end consumers, those that are more likely to buy Apple's expensive gadgets, and that no market segment will be spared in this global downturn," wrote Craig Berger, an analyst at FBR Capital Markets, an investment bank. The forecast is significantly more pessimistic than Berger's earlier prediction, announced last month, that Apple will cut its iPhone production by 10 percent. As a result of the expected production cut, Berger said key component suppliers, including Broadcom, Marvell, and Infineon, among others, will see lower revenue during the period. The pessimistic report drew flak from some Apple watchers, including Fortune's Philip Elmer-DeWitt, who panned the forecast in a blog post titled, "The Apple analyst who couldn't shoot straight." "Sounds pretty scary. But perhaps best taken with a grain of salt, given Berger's track record with Apple," he wrote. Elmer-DeWitt blasted Berger for previous calls on Apple and said he's not on a list of analysts who dialed into hear Apple's latest conference call with financial analysts. But the list Elmer-DeWitt cited, contained on a transcriptof the call prepared by SeekingAlpha, appears to list the financial analysts who asked questions during the call, and does not appear to be an exhaustive list of analysts listening to the call. Berger and Apple could not immediately reached for comment However, Apple sounded a note of caution last month when it released fiscal fourth-quarter results, citing an uncertain economic environment. "Looking ahead, visibility is low and forecasting is challenging, and as a result we are going to be prudent in predicting the December quarter," the company said in a press release. Reference : http://www.pcworld.com/article/153246/.html?tk=rss_news
Putting Intel's Moorestown chip package inside a future version of the iPhone would make the smart phone less secure, according to an independent security researcher. "That will make the iPhone x86 and that will make a lot of attacks easier," said Dino Dai Zovi, an independent security researcher, in an interview at the Hack In The Box security conference in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Due for release in 2009 or 2010, Moorestown is a chip package designed for smart phones and other handheld computers. The heart of the package is an upcoming version of Intel's Atom's processor, an inexpensive low-power x86 processor. Apple has never said it intends to use Moorestown in future products, but Intel is widely believed to be hopeful that Apple will adopt the chip package. "The iPhone uses the Arm processor and most people are not familiar with it," Dai Zovi said, noting that x86 processors are familiar territory for malware writers and hackers looking for vulnerabilities. "If you're doing exploits and vulnerability research, you need to know the specifics of the processor that's running," he said. Dai Zovi is a well-recognized figure in computer security circles and is widely known for winning a 2007 hacking contest that involved hacking into a MacBook Pro laptop. The feat by Dai Zovi and partner Shane Macaulay won them the MacBook Pro as well as a US$10,000 prize, and laid to rest popular misconceptions that MacOS X was somehow immune from the type of security vulnerabilities that affect Windows-based computers. Intel executives declined to comment on Dai Zovi's remarks, saying any discussion of a Moorestown-based iPhone is purely hypothetical. In addition, they said Intel's policy is to decline comment on other companies' products. MacOS X is seen as generally safer than Windows, because the small market share of MacOS X means most malware writers and hackers choose to focus their efforts on Windows instead. But that could change as iPhone sales boost the number of MacOS X users. "The iPhone is another OS X platform and whereas now the market share for OS X is definitely under 10 percent on desktops, on smart phones they recently sold more phones than RIM," Dai Zovi said, referring to the maker of the BlackBerry line of handheld devices. The iPhone runs a slimmed-down version of MacOS X, the operating system used in Apple's desktop and laptop computers. As a result, some of the security features that are included in the desktop version of MacOS X are not included in the phone version. "The iPhone is significantly less secure than the desktop version of OS X," Dai Zovi said. Reference : http://www.pcworld.com/article/153111/.html?tk=rss_news
After several false starts, AT&T on Wednesday began sending SMS messages to iPhone owners announcing that they can now access free of charge the carrier's nation-leading Wi-Fi network of more than 17,000 hotspots.The text messages directed customers to this page. "AT&T knows Wi-Fi is hot, and FREE Wi-Fi is even hotter. Which is why FREE AT&T Wi-Fi access is now available for Apple iPhone at thousands of hotspots nationwide, including Starbucks," the company said. "Users can relax and access music, email and web browsing services with their favorite blend in hand from the comfort of their nearest location." Of those 17,000 hotspots, more than 8000 are located in restaurants or Starbucks locations, 700+ in bookstores, and another 50+ can be found in supermarkets. The network is also accessible at 12 airports, 31 hotels, 23 universities, 18 convention centers, and 5 sport complexes. iPhone owners can use this link to locate AT&T Wi-Fi hotspots in cafés, bookstores, airports, hotels, and universities, or this link to find their nearest Starbucks location. Once in range of an AT&T hotspot, iPhone users should follow these instructions to gain free Wi-Fi access: - Activate Wi-Fi from the settings icon on your iPhone
- Select "attwifi" from the list of available networks
- Enter your 10-digit mobile number and check the box to agree to the Acceptable Use Policy. Tap 'continue'
- You will receive a text message from AT&T with a secure link to the AT&T Wi-Fi hotspot. You will not be charged for the text message.
- The SMS link will only be valid for 24 hours at the location it was requested. Another request must be submitted when using another hotspot location.
- Open the text message and tap on the link for 24-hour access to the AT&T Wi-Fi hotspot
Rogers Wireless, Apple's exclusive iPhone provider in Canada, said Tuesday that September quarter sales of the touchscreen handset totaled more than a quarter million units, boosting both its subscriber count and average user revenue.Electronista reports the telecoms company sold and activated a total of 255,000 iPhone 3Gs between the device's July 11th launch and the end of September, helping the carrier grow its net subscriber additions to 191,000 while increasing average income per user "considerably above" the previous levels thanks to added data fees.The sheer number of iPhone subscribers put a strain on Rogers through subsidies but should result in "considerable returns" over the length of the three-year contracts, the company says, courtesy of both higher monthly plans as well as reduced turnover from customers remaining loyal to have access to the device.
Rogers' iPhone deal is also expected to have a significant impact on rivals, none of which run GSM-based networks compatible with the iPhone. The carrier said about a third of its customers are either converting from a competing provider or are new to cellphone service.Desjardins Securities analyst Joseph MacKay believes the iPhone's affect on Rogers' rivals will become clearer in their financial disclosures later this week. He anticipates that Bell Canada's subscriber adds will fall from 137,000 in the spring to 85,000 in the summer as a result of potential customers either staying with or switching to Rogers. Telus is expected to fare better but should still see a decline of eight percent year over year to 125,000 new customers in the period.
Apple developers this weekend are enthusiastically reporting that they've been provided with new test releases of the both the next iPhone software update and Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard.iPhone Software 2.2 beta 2iPhone Software 2.2 beta 2 is reported to have made its way to developers early friday afternoon alongside a new version of the iPhone SDK with support for hardware accessories that provide audio input to the iPhone and iPod touch.The new version of iPhone Software itself is said to add Google Street Views to the handset's built-in Maps application, as was reported earlier in the month. Other features expected as part of the upcoming release, and outlined earlier, include a preference to turn off the iPhone's text auto-correction, and support for Japanese emoji icons. Snow LeopardSeparately, developers are reporting on the web that they've been provided with the first test releases of Snow Leopard since June's Worldwide Developers Conference.The downloadable software is said to weigh is at nearly 7GB in size and carry build number is 10A190. The release is expected to incorporate enhancements noted earlier this month, such as a Finder completely re-written in Cocoa, the beginnings of Microsoft Exchange integration, and a new ImageBoot function. Reference : http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/08/10/25/apple_devs_get_new_iphone_snow_leopard_pre_releases.html
Apple is not the only one whose earnings have been buoyed by strong iPhone consumer adoption. AT&T reported its third fiscal quarter earnings on Wednesday, recording consolidated revenues of $31.3 billion, up 4.0 percent year over year. AT&T is Apple's cell service partner in the United States. AT&T said that consolidated revenue growth was driven by 15.4 percent growth in wireless revenues. The company's adjusted earnings were $0.67 per diluted share, with $0.10 of that "pressure generated by strong performance from the Apple iPhone 3G initiative." AT&T said that 2.4 million iPhone 3G devices were activated in the quarter, and that about 40 percent of those wireless customers getting an iPhone were new to AT&T. What's more, the quality of the revenue generated from iPhone users is better, according to AT&T. The company reports that Average Revenue Per User (ARPU), a financial calculation used to determine the overall value of a product, is "significantly higher" among iPhone customers, and that churn -- a term used to describe the number of customers who discontinue their service -- is lower among iPhone users. "Based on third-quarter customer response, AT&T is optimistic regarding continued strong iPhone 3G activations and is confident in the long-term value created by this investment in acquiring high-value, data-centric wireless subscribers," said the company in a statement. Reference : http://www.pcworld.com/article/152609/att_financials_iphone.html?tk=rss_news
Intel Corp. this week used a developer forum in Taipei to tout its upcoming Moorestown platform for next-generation mobile Internet devices (MIDs) while slamming Apple's iPhone as a device bogged down by its use of ARM processors.Following his keynote presentation at the conference, Intel vice president of mobility Shane Wall teamed with colleague Pankaj Kedia, the chipmaker's ultra-mobility ecosystems director, in lambasting the iPhone as a device dependent on technology that's a full two to three years behind that which Intel can offer."If you want to run full internet, you're going to have to run an Intel-based architecture," Wall told the gathering of engineers. He said the "iPhone struggles" when tasked with running "any sort of application that requires any horse power.""The shortcomings of the iPhone are not because of Apple," added Kedia. "The shortcomings of the iPhone have come from ARM."He said other handset vendors, not just Apple, face the same problem in that their smartphones are "not very smart" because "they use ARM." Wall argued that the iPhone has fallen short in a number of areas, despite its great user interface supporting marketing blitz orchestrated by chief executive Steve Jobs. As such, neither executive believes the iPhone will achieve "fast, full internet" any time in the near future if it continues to rely on ARM-based processors. "Even if they do have full capability, the performance will be so poor," Wall said. To that, Kedia added: "I know what their roadmap is, I know where they're going and I'm not worried."Apple's recent acquisition of fabless chip designer P.A. Semi appears to have all but cemented the future of the iPhone and iPod in ARM technologies. The electronics maker was recently fingered as the 'long term architecture licensee' of ARM's current and future technology for use in mobile computing.Steve Jobs said earlier this year that buyout of P.A. Semi would drive the future of his company's handheld products, and it was later revealed PA Semi's senior principle architect is busy at Apple managing a team developing a custom ARM chip that will power a new generation of iPhones. Apple is also believed to be the mysterious licensee of Imagination Technologie's current and future PowerVR graphics technologies, which are likely to be tied into its future ARM-based iPhone system-on-a-chip (SoC) designs. Reference : http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/08/10/22/intel_says_iphone_not_capable_of_full_internet.html
VMware CTO Stephen Herrod drew a cheer at the VMworld conference Wednesday by announcing plans to bring the next version of VMware’s VirtualCenter management software to Linux and the इफोनेIn a speech opening day two of the VMworld show in Las Vegas, Herrod also described improvements to VMware’s core virtual machine technology that should allow businesses to run larger, more demanding applications on virtualized servers. VirtualCenter Management Server, the control node for VirtualCenter, today runs only on versions of Microsoft’s Windows Server OS. VCenter, an updated and renamed version planned for next year, will also be available as a “virtual appliance” that runs on Linux, Herrod said. The company is also working to bring the VirtualCenter client, which currently runs on Windows PCs, to Linux, the Mac OS and also devices like Apple’s iPhone. Herrod showed only a slide photo of the iPhone interface, but it was enough to get him some applause. VMware has been emphasizing application performance and availability throughout the show. “The focus for VMware is to make sure we can run any application at all, no matter how much performance it demands,” Herrod said. To that end VMware will increase the compute capacity its virtual machines can address next year to four CPUs and 64G bytes of RAM, from two CPUs and 4M bytes of RAM today. I/O throughput will increase to 9G bytes per second, from 300K bps today. IT staff will be able to put up to 64 server nodes in a virtual resource pool cluster—the pool of computers available for use in a virtual environment. Herrod walked through VMware’s plan to deliver next year a “virtual data center OS,” a set of technologies for aggregating all resources in a data center, including storage and networking, and for moving virtual machines between them more easily with their policies attached. He demonstrated VMware Fault Tolerance, which was previewed at VMware last year and is also expected in 2009. It uses what VMware calls vLockstep technology to make a constantly updated copy of a virtual machine on a different physical server. Herrod demonstrated the technology running a one-arm bandit application (the slot machine being endemic to Las Vegas)। He showed how if the primary server goes down, because someone kicks a cable or switches it off by accident, the workload switches to the remote server and the application keeps running without interruption, with the same data available to it. Reference : http://www.macworld.com/article/135600/2008/09/vmware.html?lsrc=rss_main
iPhone 2.0 brought a lot of cool features with it, but it also brought a lot of bugs. Performance was slow, calls dropped often, and the battery life was less than impressive--and that's just off the top of my head. Apple promised on Tuesday that the iPhone 2.1 update, released Friday morning, would save us all from the iPhone 2.0's sins, but as it turns out, the software brings with it more than just bug fixes. Apple also took the time to sneak in a few new features along with its extensive mea culpa. Music to your ears The most significant feature changes in iPhone 2.1 come in the device's iPod application. For one thing, in most views when displaying a list of tracks, the iPod app borrows a page from Apple's Remote application, showing the artist and album in smaller text underneath. When browsing Podcasts or Videos, the iPhone 2.1 software also gives you more information. Rather than displaying a blue dot next to a video or podcast that hasn't been listened to or watched, the software now also shows a blue half-moon for videos that have been started but not finished. And in the case of podcasts, it will also tell you how much time remains from the point at which you stopped listening. Telling episodes apart is easier too, since the iPhone will also show you when episodes were published, the episode name, and the full runtime. Real Genius The biggest addition to the iPod application is, of course, the new Genius feature that pervades all of the new products that Apple introduced this week. (Our iTunes 8 review explains the Genius in greater depth.) You'll need to sync your iPhone to your computer before you get access to Genius, but once it's installed creating a Genius playlist is easy: When listening to a song, tap the album art to show the scrubber panel. Nestled in between the shuffle and repeat controls is the Genius's "atom" icon. Tapping that will generate a Genius playlist based on the playing track. Once you've created a Genius playlist--which, unlike iTunes, is limited to 25 tracks on the iPhone--you can save it, refresh it with new songs, or create a Genius playlist based on a different song on your iPhone. Saving the playlist will add it to your existing playlists; it'll be named after the song on which the playlist was based and there'll be a Genius icon next to it. There's also a "Genius" playlist that permanently resides at the top of the playlist list and shows the last playlist you generated. Everything else Outside of the iPod app, there are a few other new features sprinkled around the iPhone OS update. For example, the Parental Restrictions setting now allows you to turn off access to the iPhone's camera, which not only removes the Camera application from the Home screen, but also disallows access from third-party applications that implement camera features. For the security conscious, the Passcode Lock section of Settings now offers an option to erase all data on the iPhone after 10 failed attempts at entering the passcode (which presumably works--you'll pardon me if I didn't test its effectiveness). Apple also made a handful of security updates, including preventing applications from viewing each other's data and closing a loophole with the Emergency Call feature of the Passcode Lock. Those who use the iPhone's stock earbuds (or have a third-party headphone adapter with a click control) will also find that in addition to clicking once to play or pause music and twice to skip to the next track, a triple-click will now jump back to the previous track. In addition, the SMS application will now alert you up to two additional times if you don't acknowledge an incoming text message. And Apple's also changed the icon in the menu for cell networks: instead of displaying white text in a blue box, the icons for 3G, EDGE, and GPRS are now just white text on a black background or blue text on a gray background, depending on the context. In terms of bug fixes, Apple appears to have delivered a lot of the stability that was missing from the 2.0 iPhone software. As promised, iTunes backups take substantially less time than they did previously; installing third-party applications is definitely faster, even over 3G; and loading or searching contacts is definitely snappier. Other bug fixes aren't quite as easily tested in the short-term, like better battery life, fewer dropped calls, and fewer hangs and crashes, but you can bet that we'll be keeping an eye on whether or not they measure up to Apple's claims। Reference : http://www.pcworld.com/article/151034/.html?tk=rss_news
1Password for the iPhone is a tool that lets you record user names and passwords for Web sites, along with free-form notes, and store them securely on your iPhone. It shares a name with 1Password for the Mac, a US$35 program that makes it super-simple to not only save Web site login information, but to automatically log in to those sites in your browser of choice. 1Password for the Mac is an excellent program; we covered it briefly in this Mac Gems column from last year. Also, if you own 1Password for the Mac, you can sync your iPhone/iPod touch data with your Mac--and this works in both directions, so records can be added on the iPhone and then synced to your Mac, and vice-versa. If you approach the mobile edition of 1Password thinking it will be a clone of the desktop application, you're going to be disappointed. The iPhone version lacks many of the features that make the Mac version so compelling--there's no built-in secure password generator, no automatic login to Web sites in your usual browser (Mobile Safari in the case of the iPhone or iPod touch), and no anti-phishing protection via PhishTank. Beyond these missing features, one major limitation of 1Password on the iPhone is due to Apple's rules that don't allow third parties to directly interact with the mobile version Safari: 1Password can't send sites' login information to Mobile Safari, nor can it install a plug-in to allow it to work directly with Mobile Safari, as it can with Safari (and other browsers) on the Mac. Given the iPhone's lack of a copy-and-paste feature, you can't even use that method of transferring your login information to Mobile Safari--if you have hard-to-remember passwords that you rarely use, you'll wind up writing them down in order to use them in Mobile Safari, which is hardly an ideal solution. To work around this limitation, 1Password on the iPhone includes an integrated Web browser for use with your saved login information. While basically functional, this browser has a number of limitations, including no landscape mode viewing, difficulties in accessing sites that use basic access authentication, and the fact that you can only browse one site at a time. (You can't open more tabs or pages.) Beyond the technical issues, however, there's another problem: using two different browsers on the iPhone is inefficient. To use 1Password as intended--to help you login to password-protected Web sites--you need to use its browser for such sites. But you would probably still use Mobile Safari for all your other sites, as it has a nicer feature set (and it's what will launch when you click links in other iPhone applications). As a result, you would wind up using both browsers regularly, and having to flip between them depending on which site you wanted to visit--a far from ideal solution. I found myself rarely using 1Password's built-in browser, and instead just using the program's ability to store my confidential data. Overall, when compared to the site login functionality found in the Mac version of 1Password, the mobile touch version is disappointing--somewhat due to the state of the version 1.x software, and somewhat due to the limitations that Apple places on third-party programs on the iPhone. While many of the shortcomings of the software will undoubtedly be addressed by updates, the biggest problem--requiring an integrated Web browser to use saved login information--won't be resolved unless Apple changes the way third-party apps interact with the mobile device's default browser. So if 1Password for the iPhone isn't a great tool for logging into Web sites automatically on the iPhone, how well does it work as a secret-keeper application? Judged on its own merits, 1Password is a decent, but not great, way to securely store private information on your mobile device. Your data is encrypted, and then locked behind a four-digit top-level password, as well as a master password that can be required on a per-record basis. Unfortunately, when using the iPhone version of the program, the only types of data you can store are Web site logins and generic notes. The programs I covered in the recent secret keeper round-up, which range in cost from free to $30, all offer more flexibility in terms of the types of records they can store, as well as their feature sets. When paired with 1Password on the Mac, though, the combination of the two programs yields a very good secret-keeper solution for your iPhone or iPod touch, as well as the best auto-login solution available for the Mac. (Sorry, Windows users, the desktop version of 1Password is a Mac-only application.) The desktop 1Password allows you to do two things that greatly increase the usability of 1Password on the iPhone: create wallet records, and sync your data with the iPhone version of 1Password. What's In Your Wallet? With the help of the desktop version of 1Password, you can create wallet records to store on your iPhone. On the Mac version of 1Password, wallet records store bank accounts, passports, credit cards, software licenses, and other data. While these records lack some of the flexibility available in the programs in my original round-up--you can't add new types of records, nor modify field names, for instance--they do cover quite a wide range of data types, and should meet most anyone's needs. Once created, wallet records (along with your Web site logins and notes) will sync with the iPhone version of 1Password, where they can be viewed (but not modified or created). Once you've set up all your data using 1Password on the Mac, including your wallet records, you use 1Password on the iPhone to initiate a sync with the Mac. Your iPhone must be on a Wi-Fi network, and it can only sync with a Mac on that same network. The first time you sync with a Mac, your iPhone displays a secret code that you must then enter in a dialog box on the Mac. Without the proper code, no sync takes place--this effectively prevents anyone from syncing and stealing your secrets without your knowledge. In my tests, I never had any sync issues--the Mac and the iPhone saw each other, and the data transfer was both speedy and accurate. If you do have issues, however, there are many sync solutions suggested in Agile Web Solutions' Everything you need to know about 1Password for iPhone support document. 1Password for iPhone is a difficult product to review. On its own merits as a secret-keeper application, it doesn't fare well based on its feature set, implementation, or in comparison to its competition. If you're looking for a secret-keeper application solely for your iPhone, there are better solutions available. As an auto-login tool, Apple's restrictions on working with Mobile Safari lead to a clunky implementation that requires a somewhat feature-limited embedded browser. However, when you combine 1Password for the iPhone with its Mac counterpart, the two programs work quite well together as a secret-keeper solution--and on the Mac, as a great auto-login tool for use with many popular browsers. Using the desktop app, you can create wallet records, which are used to track many types of generic secret data, which you can then sync to your iPhone. While you still won't have the ability to create these records on the iPhone, you will have your full secrets database available for browsing on your iPhone. Given Apple's restrictions on inter-application communication, I still wouldn't recommend using 1Password for iPhone as a Web site login tool--the limitations of the current bundled browser make it a relatively poor replacement for Mobile Safari. But as a general secret-keeper solution, the combination of the desktop and iPhone versions of 1Password is hard to beat. At $35, it's only $5 more than the combined cost of SplashID (), the highest-rated app in that round-up. For that added $5, you get an excellent Web site login tool that nothing else on the Mac can match. When used together, the two versions of 1Password make a good team. 1Password is compatible with any iPhone or iPod touch running the iPhone 2।0 software update. Reference : http://www.pcworld.com/article/150723/.html?tk=rss_news
For U.S.-based travelers who spend a lot of time abroad, the iPhone can be a useful device to carry—but getting online around the world is an expensive proposition. AT&T is now rolling out a pair of new international data plans to join its existing offerings। The two new plans will be available beginning Wednesday. Whether or not these new packages will actually ease the strain on globetrotters’ wallets remains to be seen, as they’re a bit on the pricey side. The lower of the two runs $120 per month for 100MB of international data while the higher goes for $200 month for 200MB—and that’s on top of your existing domestic plan. On the upside, those with commitment issues need not fret: you can add or remove the international data package from your plan at any time. There are some additional restrictions, however। For example, the plan applies only to 67 countries. In other places, you’ll need to pay between $0.010 per kilobyte and $0.0195 per kilobyte in order to use your plans. A full list of countries is available on AT&T's website. Reference : http://www.macworld.com/article/135212/2008/08/intl_data_plans.html?lsrc=rss_main
iPhone owners suddenly locked out of their third-party apps by a crash bug on startup will have a solution next month, Apple chief Steve Jobs has revealed।An AppleInsider reader has received one of Steve Jobs' characteristically brief and rare personal responses, assuring them that his company is aware of the problem and has a solution."This is a known iPhone bug that is being fixed in the next software update in September," reads the one-line message from the Apple co-founder.The email provides an end date to problems that have become increasingly apparent in Apple's support forums and elsewhere. Many report the iPhone 2.0 firmware suddenly failing to load non-default apps regardless of their nature, briefly loading them before abruptly jumping back to the home screen।The bug occurs both with freshly downloaded software and with updates, but is reported as never having a definite fix; although some report successfully deleting and re-downloading apps to regain access, others find the solution either having no effect or gradually decaying over time to where the apps again fail to run. Restoring the iPhone also seldom works.Apple's recently released 2.0.1 and 2.0.2 updates are similarly incapable of resolving the problem. In some circumstances, iPhone owners have found the patches breaking what ran properly before.And while Apple until Jobs' message has never publicly said when a solution would arrive, an increasing amount of speculation and clues suggests that the problem may stem from improperly set permissions to run the apps. One member of Apple's forums has been told by a support agent that his iTunes account was apparently "split into two separate accounts," confusing the iPhone when it attempts to load an app. Some users note experiencing the problem chiefly with on-iPhone downloads rather than through iTunes.Even if the root cause has been identified, however, the weeks-long wait has been cold comfort for those affected by the crashes, many of whom had updated their original iPhones just to add support for third-party programs. The same reader who prompted Jobs' response told the executive that the crashing bug had at least temporarily soured an otherwise positive experience."[The flaw] has been so completely out of line with what I have experienced and expect from Apple that I am compelled to share this information with you," the reader says. Reference : http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/08/08/19/steve_jobs_vows_iphone_app_crash_fix_for_september.html
Apple updated the iPhone's software Monday afternoon, but according to first reports posted to the company's support forum, the new 2.0.2 firmware has not fixed users' 3G reception problems. As it did two weeks ago when it released iPhone 2 .0.1, Apple gave no details of Monday's update contents, stating only that it included "bug fixes." Users expecting to see a fix for long-running 3G reception issues, however, were mostly disappointed. The majority who posted messages on the subject to Apple's support forum after installing iPhone 2.0.2 said that the update had not solved their problems, which included dropped calls, weak signal strength and slow surfing speeds. "I just finished downloading the new 2.02 software and I do not see a difference," said a user identified as "jay25cent" on the longest thread about 2.0.2 and 3G. "I can't see any improvements," echoed "curveball," who said he lived in Sweden. "Same crappy signal." "Still no 3G here (O2 UK) for me," added "musicvan" on the same thread. "Disappointed. So unless the 3G network is down at my so-called 100% coverage area, then nothing has changed." Users have been complaining about 3G network problems almost since the July 11 debut of the iPhone 3G. More than 2,000 messages have been posted to the phone's support forum since then, detailing difficulties making calls from areas supposedly covered by a 3G network, and griping about weak signals and slower-than-promised data download speeds. Although Apple has not publicly commented on users' complaints or said whether it would come up with a software fix, some sources have claimed that the company is working on a firmware update that would solve the problems. A few of the users who contributed in the support thread said that they believed the 2.0.2 update had improved their 3G reception. "Now showing 4 bars, not 0-2, which looks better," said "vegasj." And at least one user was just unsure। "I think there has been an attempt to correct the 3G issue but not sure if it has," said "whatsinitforme." Reference : http://www.pcworld.com/article/149981/2008/08/.html?tk=rss_news
Two weeks after releasing iPhone OS 2.0.1, Apple Monday updated the iPhone software to version 2.0.2. As with the 2.0.1 update, Apple says little about what exactly 2.0.2 does, other than a terse description that reads only "bug fixes." The update, which iPhone users will be prompted to download through iTunes when they plug in their devices, weighs in at 249MB when upgrading an iPhone 3G from 2.0.1 (updates for other models or from different software versions may have different sizes). There have been numerous accounts of bugs and problems with the iPhone 2।0 software, and while the iPhone 2.0.1 update seemed to improve performance on some counts, many of the issues have persisted. Reference : http://www.pcworld.com/article/149975/2008/08/.html?tk=rss_news
Apple has issued a third beta of its iPhone 2।1 upgrade but is being characteristically secretive with details of what it changes. Simultaneously, however, the just-launched 2.0.1 firmware has already been cracked to allow unofficial apps. Beta 3 of the upcoming iPhone firmware makes no specific mention of new additions and, upon early inspection by those familiar with the update, primarily resolves bugs from earlier builds.The fix nonetheless comes just a week and a half after the release of beta 2 and indicates a short turnaround schedule for Apple's test releases, which started on July 24th.The 2.1 refresh is expected to center around the background push notification service that allows live apps to receive Internet data while shut down, but will also have directional GPS support that enables more complex navigation than the simple positional system used with 2.0.Those not content to wait for official Apple software solutions, however, now have their own update.The iPhone Dev Team's PwnageTool 2.0.2 allows users to jailbreak any iPhone running the recent 2.0.1 firmware that appears to have broken previous hacks।Like earlier builds, however, full unlocking to enable support for unofficial cellular carriers is limited to original iPhones due to a change in the cellular baseband with the 3G hardware, which prevents the previous trick from working.As always, these tools carry the risk of bricking the iPhone's firmware and have no support from Apple either during or after the install process. Reference : http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/08/08/09/apple_releases_new_iphone_2_1_beta_as_crackers_break_2_0_1.html
a new version of Apple's iPhone Software could provide iPhone and iPod touch users with access to their home computer's entire iTunes media library while on the go without having to first download those media items through a traditional sync, a new company filing has revealed।The Cupertino-based electronics maker notes that downloading media items from a computer to a media player is often a time consuming process, and one that is limited by the player's storage capacity. Therefore, users who are out and about sometimes find themselves without access to some of their content, which sits inaccessible on their home Mac or PC. New versions iTunes and the iPhone Software could theoretically eliminate this problem by syncing only the metadata -- or tiny files containing the barebones attributes of each media item or playlist but not the content itself -- from a user's iTunes library to their portable devices. Using this metadata, iPhones and iPods would contain "virtual media items" representing every playlist, video, photo, and mobile game stored on their computer, even if the sum of those files would ordinarily be too large to fit onto the devices' hard disk drive or flash drive. This is possible because metadata capable of representing a media item consumes only faction -- typically less than 1 percent -- of the space required to store the media item itself."As a result, the user perceives that the virtual media items may be available on the [the media player]," Apple said. "In this manner, the virtual capacity of an electronic device may be increased."Users would select virtual media items for display or playback on their handhelds just as they would today under the assumption that the entire contents of the file sit on the device for immediate playback. But instead of accessing the files from the device's built-in storage, the iPhone or iPod would use a wired, Wi-Fi, or cellular connection to remotely access and retrieve the media items from a user's home Mac or PC. "For instance, a personal computer can be turned on and connected to the Internet to enable a portable device to access the media items stored on the personal computer," Apple said, adding that the files could then delete themselves from the portable device once the user is done listening to or viewing them. Through similar techniques, users could also manage their iTunes libraries remotely, reorganizing, deleting, or adding files while on the go। During all of these processes, the condition of the handheld's connection to a host source would be under constant surveillance to detect problems or a fading signal, at which time data transfer could be safely paused or stopped. Alternatively, iPods and iPhones could communicate with one another in a manner similar to that employed by Microsoft's Zune media players."This type of communication can be referred to as peer-to-peer interaction. In this regard, one mobile device can communicate directly with another mobile device" or " to a plurality of other mobile devices," Apple said. "In the peer-to-peer environment, one mobile device can communicate with one or more other electronic devices (whether mobile or stationary) in the immediate vicinity. Data sharing can be performed when such communication is available."The 24-page filing with the United States Patent and Trademark Office is credited to Apple employees David Heller and Thomas Mavrakakis. Reference : http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/08/08/07/new_software_would_let_iphones_access_itunes_libraries_from_anywhere.html
Market research firm Gartner said this week that Apple's iPhone Firmware 2।0 update meets its criteria for 'appliance-level support status' for big businesses, but warned enterprises to approach expanded use of the handset slowly and with close examination.Gartner's changing tune on the iPhonePrior to Apple's iPhone 2.0 announcement in March of this year, Gartner analyst Ken Dulaney had characterized the iPhone as having questionable security policies that rendered it unfit for enterprise use. “We’re telling IT executives to not support [the iPhone]," Dulaney wrote in an initial Gartner report shortly before the launch of the original iPhone, "because Apple has no intentions of supporting [iPhone use in] the enterprise.” In particular, Dulaney criticized the lack of any provision for "remote wipe," in the manner allowed by Microsoft Windows Mobile phones when linked with Exchange Server management tools. At the time however, Microsoft's own remote wipe feature was not able to clear Flash RAM cards installed in the majority of its phones. Because WinCE-based phones ship with very little usable RAM, removable SD Flash cards would contain the majority of most user's sensitive data, the very data corporations would want to wipe in the event of a lost phone or an employee termination. Software updates that provided adequate remote wipe weren't even available for many Windows Mobile phones until later in the fall. Gartner hasn't noted this critical detail in its reports maintaining that the iPhone 1.x software was missing a feature that had been available for years on Windows Mobile. In addition, Apple's smartphone does not expose any Flash RAM card slot, making it more difficult to steal or lose data that has been downloaded to the phone without expert knowledge of how to forensically attach a USB serial connection to the iPhone and crack through its security to read data on the device. With a Windows Mobile phone, any remote wipe would have to occur before a thief ejected the SD memory card.iPhone gets a RIM-style remote wipeIn March, following Apple's announcement of the iPhone 2.0 release addressing support for enterprise management tools, including remote wipe from Exchange, Gartner's Dulaney quickly issued "An Interim Update on the Apple iPhone," calling it "a technological advance rarely seen in the industry," and noting that Gartner planned to endorse the handset under appliance-level support following the release of the enterprise improvements in iPhone 2.0. Just days before the 2.0.1 release, Gartner finalized its approval of what it calls appliance-level support. "To achieve this level," Dulaney wrote, "the iPhone would need to support wireless e-mail and PIM for at least one popular enterprise e-mail system and include a minimum of two security policies: the ability to wipe the device of all data if lost or stolen, and a complex user password consisting of a coalpha, numeric and special characters in a pattern that cannot be easily guessed." Gartner's testing found that the iPhone's remote wipe and strong password policy does work as advertised in a manner similar to Windows Mobile phones. The report explained, "As for setting these parameters, Microsoft uses a confusing approach, assuming that the end device will decide on what type of password will be enforced when the policy is received by the device. There is no feedback to the console that the policy has been enforced. Windows Mobile interprets the alphanumeric parameter as an instruction to force the user to employ a complex password. The iPhone replicates this function in the same manner, despite Microsoft's awkward implementation."Gartner on iTunes software managementGartner's approval of the iPhone in the enterprise is not without caveats. The report notes that Apple's iTunes software is required to sync the iPhone, and that it provides IT administrators with registry-level controls to deny users from performing specific tasks, such as downloading iPhone firmware updates prior to their being approved by the company's IT staff.Gartner recommends companies make use these features, but notes that Apple could "improve the overall deployment scheme for iTunes to make it more amenable to enterprise needs, such as making the options to turn off certain features an installation option versus requiring direct registry changes."The report further recommended "that Apple enhance this area long term to optionally eliminate iTunes (that is, as a desktop application) as a necessary component to access business applications and manage the device, as Microsoft and Research In Motion (RIM) have done." The iPhone Configuration UtilityGartner was also critical of the iPhone Configuration Utility, used to set up configuration profiles on new phones. "In tests conducted by Gartner contacts, we have discovered that the product works via an unencrypted, distributed XML file which could be changed by the end user," Dulaney wrote. "Apple indicates that the profiles can be signed, warning the user of their legitimacy, but the most trusted management tools don't empower the user to make these types of security decisions."In reality, signed iPhone configuration profiles (which include Exchange and other mail account settings, password policy, VPN and WiFi settings, controls on what apps can be used, and bundle in local credential certificates) are only marked as illegitimate if the certificate is not known to be trusted by a well know signing authority. If the profile were actually changed by the end user, it would not be marked as illegitimate, but would rather be discarded as a tampered profile. The iPhone will simply not accept signed profiles that have been tampered with, so Gartner's somewhat sarcastic suggestion that Apple's tool 'empowers users to make security decisions,' based on speculative reports performed outside the company, is simply not accurate.Third party software limitsGarter also criticized Apple for not allowing third parties to install background processes for "firewalling, data leak prevention, and other desirable functions that need multiprocessing, open application programming interfaces (APIs) or operating system (OS) shims to work." This fear reflects the current security situation on the Windows desktop, which Microsoft historically let third parties address with add-on antivirus, firewall, malware scanners, and other tools. Microsoft is now working to provide all these services itself, in part because of stability and even security issues related to delegating away core operating system security tasks to third parties. This has become a subject of controversy in Windows Vista, as the multibillion dollar antivirus and security industry that grew up around Windows does not want to simply go away just because Microsoft would prefer to now handle its own security going forward.Despite this, the Gartner report stats that, "A closed environment, where Apple guarantees all software that gets on the iPhone is safe (that is, in lockdown), might work conceptually, but in the past, enterprise attempts to work in this manner have encountered problems." It did not however make any mention of reputable third party mobile security software or compare the problems users and administrators face when trying to parcel their security needs out amongst various parties.Obscurity on iPhone securityThe report also noted that "Apple has indicated that there is an encryption API in the firmware, but we have not yet seen this feature exposed in an application to assess its viability or effect on the iPhone processor and, by inference, battery life." All applications on the iPhone manage their own files in their own sandboxed arena, so there is no provision for dumping unencrypted files into an open file system that can be accessed by any app, leaving encryption an issue for third parties to address in their own apps. The only way to put unencrypted files on the iPhone is to include them as email attachments. No other smartphones have exposed a mechanism for encrypting emails or their attachments individually, and instead rely on password security for the device itself.The report also stated, without offering further details, that the iPhone "does not deliver sufficient security for custom applications" and that "the iPhone could lower the overall security footprint. One way to mitigate concerns would be to limit functionality to browser access." Other iPhone problems and issuesAmong the other issues Gartner suggests for IT managers to consider in evaluating the use of the iPhone in the enterprise is the unit's ease of use in accessing data, particularly from the web. This is particularly a problem when roaming internationally, the report indicated. It recommends a "flat-rate International plan" for travelers, but does not note that data roaming services can be turned off as desired.Gartner also indicates battery life may be an issue, as the new 2.0 software makes it difficult to use the iPhone throughout an entire day. Gartner suggest the problems may lie with Apple's implementation of ActiveSync or WiFi, and that Microsoft's own implementations of push messaging had similar problems, as "protocols such as SSL versus the more optimized UDP were in use, and the signaling methods were inefficient."The report also cited the iPhone's inability to edit email attachments, the lack of copy and paste system-wide, and the lack of any mechanism to dial phone numbers within a calendar entry, as well as an all day calendar event issue that "may be a problem in Outlook." Another iPhone issue Gartner blamed on Microsoft's software was the lack of sync between reply or forward flags on email items sent from the iPhone and their display on the desktop email client. "This is a problem with Exchange ActiveSync, and Apple must await improvements from Microsoft to correct this feature. BlackBerry, which uses an alternative method to access Exchange, can support these options."The iPhone's use of a touch sensitive screen is noted as having trade-offs in common with all full touchscreen devices. The report also highlights the iPhone's relative weakness in providing support for usage profiles that would put the phone into modes geared for specific uses or environments, such as in a meeting.Pass without the wordGartner also worries that Apple's password screen might not allow users enough access without entering their password. "The iPhone does permit emergency calls when the password screen is displayed, but there is no access to the contact manager or other advanced telephony features," Dulaney wrote. "RIM and Microsoft manufacturers provided similar limited telephony operation prior to password entry, but have been forced to greatly expand the telephony functions that do not require password input. We believe Apple must follow a similar path."Enterprise suitability compared to other smartphonesDulaney concluded, "Apple has delivered an iPhone that is acceptable for business use at the appliance level. Most prospective iPhone users will judge the device based on consumer appeal. The AppStore applications and the iPhone's excellent browser are supplemented with an e-mail client, which provides acceptable business capability with excellence in some areas."Gartner now lists the iPhone among BlackBerry and Windows Mobile as devices that meet its required security policies, a definition that excludes Nokia's E class phones targeted at the enterprise. "Despite the popularity of this class of devices," Dulaney wrote, "Nokia has not yet been able to deliver the required two security policies that have been met by BlackBerry, Windows Mobile and, now, the iPhone."
The first day of iPhone 3G's existence has seen a slew of real-world surprises -- and real-world problems -- as well as a much clearer picture of the expanding third-party app universe, and early successes in jailbreaking and unlocking iPhones।iPhone 3G reviews: the goodWhile Apple trumpets the new iPhone's namesake 3G connection for its speed, perhaps the single most observable improvement to the handset with the new network support is call quality।Using 3G for calls reduces battery life but is said to dramatically improve the clarity of calls going in and out। To Gizmodo, the greater amount of voice data sent during a 3G call (combined with the new mic and speaker) completely overhauls the experience: voice is "especially clear" and enough of an improvement that it sounds like "the difference between talking to someone with their hand over their mouth and with their hand taken away," according to the site.The New York Times' David Pogue has already described the quality as some of the best of any phone.Of course, the Internet access itself is demonstrably faster, with Apple's "twice as fast" claims largely coming true in practice. Gizmodo actually sees a larger gain than Apple of 2.6 times the extra speed on 3G versus EDGE; in more detailed throughput tests, Engadget has measured the iPhone at between 300Kbps to 500Kbps in the US, where AT&T's 3G network is relatively slow, while foreign networks with more advanced support often net 700Kbps to 800Kbps।And while the GPS mapping on the iPhone isn't a replacement for the voiced navigation of a dedicated GPS unit, its speed in getting a position lock is unusually quick। Both Gizmodo and Engadget have seen the iPhone find its position in as little as one second and attribute it to the iPhone's relatively unique ability to narrow down its location through Wi-Fi triangulation।The at times maligned plastic back may prove crucial to its strong performance. Gizmodo notices that Wi-Fi range grows by 20 percent on the newer device to 120 feet. Apple even takes advantage this for a new, improved Airplane Mode that optionally leaves Wi-Fi turned on for sensitive connections such as in-cabin Newtworks iPhone 3G observations: the badOne increasingly common trait seen on iPhone 3G, and one which may be a potential problem for the device, is the unnatural tint at least some users are finding on the display: the screen exhibits a yellowish tint that can be potentially distracting to some users: some of Gizmodo's readers have observed a bias towards the color in white areas that can be noticeable versus the bluish iPhone or the more color-neutral iPod touch।It's unclear as to whether this is an unintentional flaw or an idiosyncrasy of the screen; the LCD on the iPhone 3G is described by iLounge as having narrower viewing angles that may induce color shifts.Battery life is still in testing by most reviewers, though the data-rich signal has led Wall Street Journal columnist Walt Mossberg to warn that power runs down quickly compared to iPhones with the technology disabled. The performance isn't unusual among 3G phones but may be a disappointment to some customers.The camera is also disappointing, but precisely because it hasn't changed. Engadget notes that the 2-megapixel camera is the same with only minor changes to image processing to improve the sharpness of images, while Gizmodo also sees reduced noise but few other changes.Additionally, the plastic back that helps reception so much is also seen as a double-edged sword: in black, the rear casing shows smudges, lint, and other superficial dirt, even if anecdotal reports from users report the shell as unusually scratch-resistant (though not immune)। Apps set to explode in numbers, complexityApple is known to have exerted tight control over its initial choice of launch partners for the App Store, permitting an unusual mix of small and large developers and pushing developers to ask money for apps which would otherwise sell for free.In the immediate wake of the official iPhone 3G and App Store launches, however, at least some of those restrictions appear to have been lifted. AppleInsider has received multiple reports of developers being readily accepted into the official iPhone Developer Program with little effort, suggesting that the Cupertino, Calif.-based iPhone maker is eager to grow well past the starting 500 apps that have come with the App Store's debut.Signs also exist that developers are keen to push the boundaries of what Apple will allow for third-party apps. Although Apple's development guidelines currently bar turn-by-turn directions, well-known navigation app designer TeleNav has said it's developing a true GPS navigation tool for iPhones with GPS that would mimic a full-fledged GPS device, including spoken turn-by-turn directions. TomTom has also expressed interest in the same software, and both are believed to be counting on special exceptions from Apple to make this work.Games are also proving to be much more popular for the iPhone, with most of the top ten App Store programs being dedicated to fun rather than work and many dedicated game developers releasing genuinely complex games. One of the industry's most well-established developers, id Software, may also be pointing to a future of much more serious development: the company's co-founder John Carmack on Friday told Shacknews that his company is strongly interested in iPhone game development and just "didn't have the manpower" to put forward an advanced 3D game that would represent the company for the App Store's grand opening.iPhone 2.0 already successfully unlockedIn what comes as little surprise to those following the iPhone hacking community, Apple's iPhone 2.0 firmware has already been successfully unlocked and jailbroken to run with unsanctioned carriers and apps।The longstanding iPhone Dev Team group has successfully developed a version of its Pwnage Tool that not only modifies iPhones and iPods using the 2.0 firmware to run bootleg code but is simple enough that nearly any user can run it, according to the hackers, who in the past few months have also cracked beta iPhone firmware included with the official Software Development Kit.A more polished version for the public is coming soon.Other development teams are likely to join the effort to open up the Apple phone but haven't yet made their presence felt।The move brings the prospect of unlocked iPhone 3G units closer, though breaking the locks on these devices is expected to take extra time: the new chipset that permits the faster speeds also bars programmers from simply translating their experience in unlocking the 2G phone over to a 3G device. Reference : http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/08/07/11/iphone_3gs_first_day_hardware_reviews_app_plans_and_unlocking.html
IPhone users lead the way in mobile Web browsing, says a new report by comScore that claims that more than 80 percent of iPhone users in France, Germany and the U.K. use the device to browse news and information on the mobile web, compared to 32 percent of other smartphone users. ComScore M:Metrics confirms that even on the slower 2.5G mobile (EDGE) network, the iPhone has increased mobile internet consumption by a factor of 13 times in the case of a category such as social networking sites. The study also found that 42 percent of iPhone users visited a social networking site on their device in May compared to the market average of 3 percent and 10 percent of smartphone owners. Email is another popular feature, with nearly 70 percent of iPhone users sending and receiving email with the device, compared to just 26 percent among other smartphones users and 7।6 percent of the mobile phone market overall. MusicThe iPhone also led the way on smartphone music usage, with 70 percent using the iPhone as an iPod against just 32.5 percent of rival smartphone using their device to listen to music. And twice as many iPhone users watched mobile TV and movies on their phones. "Our data confirm that the iPhone and its requisite data plan have succeeded in drawing consumers to the mobile web," said Paul Goode, senior analyst, comScore M:Metrics. "Even without 3G networking, users are happy to browse and consume as much content as they can, and as soon as the data speeds improve, these figures will likely continue to increase." The gap between the iPhone and its competitors is sure to grow with the launch of the iPhone 3G today, says comScore, whose data states that the U.K. has 3G penetration at 26 percent, Germany at 23 percent and France at 17 percent. ComScore M:Metrics also found that while smartphones are adopted by a higher proportion of men than mobile phones overall, iPhones have an even stronger skew to men in the U.K. and Germany. In the U.K. for example, 75 percent of iPhone users are male, while men account for about 68 percent of smartphone users. In contrast, in France, 67 percent of iPhone users are men compared to a higher 71 percent of smartphone users. "It is worth noting that the Nokia N95 8GB with high speed 3G and significant handset subsidies now has over twice as many users as the iPhone across the U.K., Germany and France," observed Goode. "Yet the iPhone, despite its small user-base, is already in the top 10 handsets for online browsing in the UK and in the top 5 in France and Germany। It is giving devices like Nokia's N Series and Sony Ericsson K and W Series a definite run for their money." Reference : http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/148256/apple_iphone_shames_smartphones.html
Apple's highly anticipated iPhone App Store launched earlier this morning, spawning a user-generated list of the most popular applications available at no cost. This article previews the top 10 with links, descriptions, and screenshots. Apple iTunes RemoteWith Apple's new iTunes Remote app, you can control the music on your computer or Apple TV from your iPod touch or iPhone. Play, pause, skip, shuffle. See your songs, playlists and album art on your iPod touch or iPhone as if you were right in front of your computer. Remote works with your Wi-Fi network, so you can control playback from anywhere in and around your home.Features include:- Control the music on iTunes or Apple lV - See the album artwork on your Remote - Search your whole iTunes library - Control your AirTunes speakers AIMMobile AIM lets you stay in touch with your friends and family right from your iPhone or iPod Touch. The app lets you communicate whenever you want, wherever you are, in whatever way that suits you best. Connect with friends and family and keep track track of status and presence updates in real time. Features include: -Send and receive messages over WiF, EDGE, or 3G networks.-Connect to anyone on the AIM network worldwide, whether they're on AOL. AIM, ICQ, .Mac or MobileMe.-Manage your Buddy List feature, choose Favorites, or add a new buddy anytime.-Your changes are automatically synced with iChat and or Windows or Mac.-View expressions and update status -See who's available before you contact them -Send IMs and SMS text messages -- even from an iPod Touch -Take pictures with the built-in camera to use as your buddy icon You can get started by signing in using your existing AOL, AIM, .Mac or MobileMe name, or register for a free screen name right from your device. FacebookFacebook for iPhooe makes it easy to stay connected and share information with friends. Use your iPhone to start a conversation with Face book Chat, check your friends' latest photo, and status updates, look up a phone number, or upload your own mobile photos to Facebook while on the go.Facebook promises even more features will be updated in the weeks and months ahead. Google Mobile AppGoogle Mobile App for the iPhone or iPod Touch aims to make it fast and easy to search the Web. Find web pages, business listings, phone contacts and more with Iess typing than ever before via Google's intelligent query completion and handy search shortcuts which appear as you type. You'll get suggestions to help you complete your query, and can see the results on a map in a single click. eBay MobileWith the new eBay application for the iPhone and iPod Touch, eBay members can search, bid, and check their activity on the go. Buyers can sneak in that last-minute bid on a hard-to-find item, sellers can check on their sales, and everyone can act on timesensitive information on the spot without a computer. "eBay is now open for business anytime, anywhere on the Apple iPhone and iPod Touch." Weather BugWeatherBug puts live, local weather conditions from over 45,000 locations in the world on your iPhone or iPod Touch. Features include: -Severe Weather Alerts -Weather Cameras-Detailed Forecast -Current Radar -Satellite Maps TwitterrificTwitterrific is described as a fun application that lets you read and and publish posts (call "tweets") on tho Twitter social network. Stay connected with friends, family, and co-workers through tho exchange of quick, frequent answers to one simple question: What are you doing? Twitterrific's interface is clean, concise and designed to take full advantage of your iPhone or iPod touch. Please note, however, that the free version will periodically show advertisements. Features include:-Displays posts, replies and direct messages-Post messages, photos and location updates -Mini-browser for showing links -Easy access to user profiles The New York TimesThis app lets you browse The New York Times from your iPhone or iPod touch wherever you are.Features include: - Access the latest news articles and photos- Customize your news category display - Read articles even when you are offiine MySpace MobileIf you spend large chunks of your life hanging out on MySpace, you're "going to love Myspace Mobile for iPhone" and the iPod touch.Features include:- Send and receive messages- Browse your network of friends and see their current status- Upload and share photos from your iPhone - Post comments on friends' profiles and photos- Stay up-to-date with bulletins- Search to find new friends AOL RadioAOL Radio powered by CBS Radio features over 200 stations that span more than 25 genres plus 150+ CBS Radio status from across the United States. iPhone and iPod touch users will also be able to access an extensive collection of popular terrestrial news/sports/talk programming including CBS Radio's WFAN-AM and 1010 WINS in New York, KLSZ and KROQ in Los Angeles, WXRT in Chicago, WVEE in Atlanta and more. Reference : http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/08/07/10/visual_preview_of_top_10_free_iphone_applications.html
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