Apple iPhone 3G S gets FCC clearance like clockwork

We have a hard time believing that the FCC's documentation system is efficient and well-coordinated enough to actually reveal documents at the exact date and time that filers want them to -- so who knows, maybe the feds are in bed with Apple on keeping its most prized launches under lock and key until just the right moment. We kid, we kid -- maybe -- but at any rate, you can now peruse hundreds of pages of specific absorption rate plots for GSM, UMTS / HSDPA, WiFi, and Bluetooth in both 16 and 32GB flavors of the iPhone 3G S. It's not likely going to tell you anything you didn't already know or care about, especially since there aren't any external photos or user's manuals accessible yet -- but if you get really, amazingly bored this evening, it might be worth a look-see.

Read - iPhone 3G S 16GB
Read - iPhone 3G S 32GB

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds

Apple iPhone 3G S gets FCC clearance like clockwork originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Jun 2009 02:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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TUAW at E3: Guitar Rock Tour 2 and DJ Mix Tour

Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Gaming, Odds and ends, iPhone, App Store, iPod touch

While we really liked Gameloft's Castle of Magic at E3, these two music games in their lineup didn't impress nearly as much. Guitar Rock Tour 2 is a sequel to Guitar Rock Tour, and as you can tell from the picture at right, it's more or less a Guitar Hero knock-off: hit the notes as they pass the line at the bottom, and you'll hear whatever song you choose to play. At this point, gameplay on all of these games is more or less the same, so song selection makes the difference, and that's where Guitar Rock Tour 2 falls short: the game contains only four original tracks, and fifteen covers. While they do lay claim to tracks by Judas Priest, Panic at the Disco, Wolfmother, Placebo and Twisted Sister, Tapulous pretty much has the market covered in terms of getting great music playable on the iPhone, and we didn't see anything during our hands on that would attract us away from Tap Tap Revenge and its various forms.

DJ Mix Tour is the other music game they showed us -- this one had a club feel and had you pressing notes on a turntable rather than guitar frets. There were some interesting choices in that game -- we saw some covers of Britney Spears club mixes, as well as Lady Gaga and Darude's famous Sandstorm tune, so if you're a die-hard techno fan, there might be some new tunes in there for you among the sixteen total songs. But again, Tap Tap Revenge is so polished after all their updates, and already has such a great selection of tunes that it's hard to recommend Gameloft's versions.

Both will be available for $5.99 in the App Store sometime this month.

TUAW at E3: Guitar Rock Tour 2 and DJ Mix Tour originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 09 Jun 2009 01:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

TUAW at E3: Guitar Rock Tour 2 and DJ Mix Tour originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 09 Jun 2009 01:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The dying goodwill toward AT&T

Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, WWDC, iPhone

Congratulations! When Apple releases iPhone OS 3.0 next week, we'll finally be gaining the following features ...

Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS)! ... unless you're on AT&T.

Tethering! ... unless you're on AT&T

A brand new 16GB iPhone 3G S for only $199 with a two-year contract! ... unless you're on AT&T and already own an iPhone 3G.

AT&T has long been the subject of grumbling from the community of US iPhone users who want to use their phones legitimately. Ever since the original release back in 2007, it feels like AT&T has been trying to play catch-up when it comes to service and tower availability. But, the release of the iPhone 3G S might be the straw that breaks the camel's back. I can walk down to my local AT&T store and pick up a cheap handset for less than $100 that will have MMS. AT&T knew this day was coming. The company may wail and gnash its teeth, complaining that it aren't ready for this, but it should be, especially since Boy Genius Report tells us that all AT&T needs to do is manually remove the opt-out code!

It was even apparent during the keynote yesterday that Apple sounds pretty disgusted with how far behind AT&T is dragging them. Notice the absence of any AT&T personnel on stage. Had AT&T been on the ball to begin with, it most likely would have taken center stage -- boasting about all the improvements that would garner shiny new services for iPhone users and more money for the corporate coffers. But it didn't, and the tension coming from Apple during the moments when MMS and Tethering were announced was pretty tangible. Apple had all of these features that people have been begging for ready to go, and now Cupertino is forced to wait for AT&T to finish twiddling its thumbs and do what it should have done two years ago. I wouldn't even be surprised if AT&T somehow found a way to block copy/paste!

A small footnote on Apple's iPhone page indicates that MMS support from AT&T will be coming later this summer. Another note on the 3.0 software pages says that tethering isn't available in the U.S. and some other countries, although Engadget cites AT&T sources who say it's coming -- there just isn't anything to announce yet.

Then there comes iPhone pricing. Those expecting a repeat of last summer's offer to replace their current iPhones with the latest model on the cheap are being sorely disappointed. You can read full details on that kerfuffle thanks to one of the recent additions to our team, Michael Jones. However, our commenters do have a point with that one -- those who bought the first generation iPhone paid the full price right off the bat, but later buyers were able to get the iPhone 3G at a subsidized price. Like with any other subsidized phone with any other carrier, you'll have to pay a pretty hefty price for the privilege to upgrade before you're eligible. For me, that'll be in October 2010. By then, the iPhone 3G s4π will most likely be out. Still, people aren't happy with this one either.

The ramifications for AT&T will come when it sits down at the negotiation table with Apple to extend its current gig as exclusive carrier for the iPhone in the United States. Apple won't forget that AT&T didn't have key features in place when they needed to be there. If Verizon, T-Mobile, Sprint, or any other carrier can convince Apple that they would be ahead of the game while AT&T lags (and, believe me, it wouldn't be that hard of an argument to make), Apple will take its toys and go elsewhere. And loyal iPhone users would follow. I know I would.

The dying goodwill toward AT&T originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 08 Jun 2009 23:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The dying goodwill toward AT&T originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 08 Jun 2009 23:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iPhone OS 3.0 gold release in pictures

It won't be available en masse until the 17th of the month, but the gold build of iPhone OS 3.0 is now available to developers -- a promising sign that apps taking advantage of a wide variety of 3.0's new features (push notifications, in-app payments, and the like) will be available by the time it's released to the general public. We've been toying around with the latest cut here and have noticed a few small changes from beta 5; nothing groundbreaking, but notable nonetheless. Most importantly, iTunes is now offering movie, TV and music video downloads directly from the phone, which has caused the bottom navigation bar to be rearranged a bit. We also noticed that the App Store's nav bar was rearranged a bit to accommodate a "More" button where you'll find Top 25 and Redeem links. The Store screen in Settings now shows a nicely-formatted account information screen -- nice, we suppose -- but unfortunately, MMS configurability is still missing, so it's unclear whether AT&T will need to push an update once it flips the switch. Dive into the gallery for a closer look.

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds

iPhone OS 3.0 gold release in pictures originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Jun 2009 22:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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WWDC 2009 News Roundup: iPhone 3G S and iPhone 3.o

It’s been a busy day here on TiPb, so just in case you missed anything, here’s a roundup of all our WWDC 2009 news and coverage.

• TiPb WWDC 2009 Live Meta Blog
• Apple Posts WWDC 2009 Keynote Live Stream
• Apple Announces iPhone 3G S - Ships June 19
• Apple Posts iPhone 3G S Guided Tour
• iPhone 3.0 Release Date: June 17
• 2008 iPhone 3G Now Priced to Move! $99 Starting Today!
• iPhone 3G S — What We Didn’t Get
• AT&T — MMS Later. Tethering… Um… Er… Bai!
• AT&T Responds: iPhone 3.0 MMS and Tethering
• Rogers/Fido to Sell iPhone 3G S in Canada, $199/$299 on June 19
• iPhone 3G S — Apple Delivers Mobile Video to the Masses
• Apple Demonstrates Voice Control for iPhone 3G S
• iPhone 3G S - 2x Faster, but Still no 802.11n
• MobileMe Update Coming June 17: Find my iPhone, Remote Wipe, iDisk Mobile, File Sharing, Public Folders
• Apple Releases iPhone 3.0 Gold Master to Developers + WARNING!

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

WWDC 2009 News Roundup: iPhone 3G S and iPhone 3.o

iPhone 3G S — What We Didn’t Get

Yeah, we’re the entitled generation. We want everything, we want it now, and free isn’t good enough — you better pay us to like it!

Well, most of us aren’t that bad, but our expectations have no doubt been set high, almost impossibly high.

So, while Apple is touting their faster, video shooting, voice controlling, compass spinning new iPhone 3G S, we just want to remind them of just what we didn’t get… after the break!

• No new casing. No colors. No matte finish. No black bezel. No aluminum unibody. Nothing. The iPhone 3G S is stuck inside the same shell as last year’s model. Doesn’t Apple know that smartphones are fashion accessories now? How will other people know that we have better, newer versions than they do if the casing doesn’t show it off?

• No HD. No OLED. No Hi-Res 480×800 display. No 16×9 display. No HD-Radio. No HD out via AV cables. Nadda. When even Windows Mobile and the Zune have better screen specs than what Apple produces, well… it’s like looking up at the end of the movie and seeing the monkey on top of the horse.

• No Mobile iChat Video. So what if AT&T’s network would come crashing down around our ankles the first time Kevin Rose jumped on it, Mobile iChat with a front-facing camera for video is something we wanted. International readers, we’re sorry AT&T is holding you back. We realize the Asian iPhone likely already materializes holograms….

• No CDMA. No Verizon. No China Mobile. No EDVO Rev whatever. The iPhone 3G S stays locked to GSM.

• No 802.11n. We got faster CPU, faster GPU, faster web rendering, faster HSPA cell data, faster everything — except Wi-Fi. Sigh.

• No FM Transmitter. Um. Okay. We don’t really care about this, but if you do, we’ll share your rage and incredulity.

• No MobileMe 2.0. We got Find my iPhone. Remote Wipe. iDisk (iDisk?!). But we didn’t get server-side email rules, server-side calendar subscriptions, no remote back ups, no photo sync. And that stinks!

• No Multitasking Background apps Except for Apple’s built-in apps, which have always multitasks, the newer, faster, stronger iPhone 3G S doesn’t even provide for limited 3rd party apps.

• No glowing Apple logo. Come on. You know you wanted it. It would have sold more units than multi-touch. What. Were. You. Thinking.

• No Steve Jobs. No cameo. No “one more thing”. No phone call. No voice mail. No video. No poppa.

Did we miss anything? Were there any other new hardware or hardware/software features you really wanted that evil Apple still haven’t given you?

Sound off in the comments!

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

iPhone 3G S — What We Didn’t Get

Symbian looks to seduce iPhone devs with free Nokia 5800s, world destroying robo-duckie

Sure, we feign a lack of bias, but deep down in our hearts we only have one love: Symbian Foundation's robo-duckie mascot. Unfortunately for Symbian, it's going to take all the charm it can muster to win over the iPhone App Store's crop of cash-flush developers. Symbian was apparently at WWDC today, doing its best to woo, with all-day festivities involving coffee, food, a "hackathon," prizes, and free Nokia 5800 handsets for attendees. We're expecting Ovi Store to fill in with some solid €1.00 beer drinking simulators and Zippo lighter apps any second now.

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds

Symbian looks to seduce iPhone devs with free Nokia 5800s, world destroying robo-duckie originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Jun 2009 22:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple WWDC 2009: the good, the bad, and the ugly

Sure, Apple didn't really shock anyone with the announcement of the iPhone 3G S this morning at WWDC, but there was no shortage of news at the Moscone Center -- we also got new MacBooks, final Snow Leopard details, and a release date for iPhone OS 3.0. On the other hand, it wasn't all good news either: AT&T's iPhone upgrade pricing and service levels leave a lot to be desired, and Apple's unfortunate penchant for sealed-in batteries has finally hit the 15-inch MacBook Pro. Apple's posted its stream of the keynote if you want to relive things in real-time, but here's a quick rewind in case you missed anything:

The good

• Current iPhone owners will get iPhone OS 3.0 for free, although some features like video recording and voice control are limited to the iPhone 3G S. It's not perfect, but we don't really complain about free.
• Snow Leopard upgrades will cost just $29, instead of the usual $129.
  
• The original 8GB iPhone 3G is now only $99 for new AT&T subscribers. That's definitely going to make some waves in the smartphone market.
• We'd have loved to see some external design improvements and maybe some more surprising features that weren't rumored, but overall the iPhone 3G S is definitely in the "good" column -- it's a solid set of improvements to an already very good platform.
• MacBook Air and MacBook Pro (including the new 13-inch Pro) specs have increased while prices have come down, and glory be, FireWire is back on everything but the Air.
  

The bad

• As usual, iPod touch owners are going to get dinged $9.95 for the iPhone OS 3.0 upgrade. Hey Apple -- maybe switch these guys over to subscription accounting as well?
• Let's face it, "iPhone 3G S" is a pretty clunky name.
• Sure, it's nice that the MacBook Pros now have an SD card slot, but losing ExpressCard hurts. And why not a multicard reader? Pro DSLRs still use CF.

The ugly

• Sure, new customers and qualified upgraders are getting some sweet pricing on iPhone hardware, but AT&T's basically flipping existing customers the bird -- they'll have to pay anywhere from $399 to a whopping $699 to get an iPhone 3G S. You'd think they'd have looked at how many people went from a first-gen iPhone to a 3G and realized those same people would want a 3G S, but apparently not.
  
• On top of that insult, AT&T isn't supporting all of iPhone OS 3.0's features out the gate: MMS is coming "later this summer," and tethering has been promised but there's no timeline and no pricing information. Thanks, AT&T.
• Sure, it's grand that the 15-inch MacBook Pro's battery now lasts for up to seven hours on a charge and won't lose capacity for five years, but a non-swappable battery on a workhorse professional machine just doesn't cut it for us.

So all in all we'd say that the good outweighs the bad, although AT&T really disappointed here. Of course, that's just scratching the surface -- check out the rest of our coverage after the break and let us know what you think!

Continue reading Apple WWDC 2009: the good, the bad, and the ugly

Filed under: Cellphones, Laptops

Apple WWDC 2009: the good, the bad, and the ugly originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Jun 2009 20:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple Posts WWDC 2009 Keynote Live Stream

While Apple will no doubt post a high quality version in their iTunes podcast feed in the next couple of days, if you absolutely have to watch the WWDC 2009 Keynote address — where Apple introduces the iPhone 3G S — right now, the streaming QuickTime version is available for your enjoyment.

Go watch it at Apple.com!

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

Apple Posts WWDC 2009 Keynote Live Stream

iPhone OS 3.0 coming on June 17; Brings Movie Downloads, Faster Safari; But No MMS or Tethering in the US

Inside the iPhone 3G S’s pricing

Apple boasted of low price points for the iPhone 3G and iPhone 3G S, but what you see may not be what you pay, thanks to upgrade pricing from AT&T.

Apple Posts WWDC 2009 Keynote Address Quicktime Stream

Apple has posted the 2009 WWDC Keynote stream from today which introduced a remarkable number of announcements today:

- iPhone 3.0 Launching June 17th
- Apple Announces iPhone 3G S, Launching June 19th
- Mac OS X ...

AT&T Responds: iPhone 3.0 MMS and Tethering

We’ll just pass then the mic and let you tell us what you think in the comments!

Regarding MMS:

We absolutely will offer MMS on iPhone 3G S in late summer once we complete some system upgrades that will ensure our customers have the best experience with MMS.  These upgrades are unrelated to our 3G network.  When MMS is ready, we will let customers know.

Regarding offering a tethering plan:

We plan to offer one but we don’t have an announcement to make at this time.

Joe Chandler Executive Director AT&T Corporate Communications

[Thanks to Phil for bringing this one home!]

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

AT&T Responds: iPhone 3.0 MMS and Tethering

iPhone OS 3.0 adopts some BlackBerry-like security

With the forthcoming iPhone 3.0 update, the iPhone is moving a bit closer to enterprise requirements, according to InfoWorld.

iPhone 3GS is the new name…

Finally we’ve got a new phone from Apple, with great new features, here is a snapshot:

- 3 Megapixels camera with video recording and editing
- Voice control
- Compass
- Better autonomy
- Copy paste of course with the 3.0 Firmware (available for download on the 17th June)
- MMS
- Search in all applications centralized
- iPhone as a modem, finally…
- Find my iPhone, in case it is lost or stolen (could be useful)
- Buy or rent movies straight on the iPhone, not for me…
- TomTom incar navigation, good good news

Tags:compass iphone 3gs modem movies tomtom voicecompass, iphone 3gs, modem, movies, tomtom, voice

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Turn by turn navigation coming with TomTom for iPhone

Filed under: Accessories, WWDC, iPhone

It's been a gap in the functionality of the GPS-enabled iPhone 3G for months, and one that was promised for the 3.0 software update (even though third parties have been trying to get it working for a while now): turn-by-turn navigation. Finally, the light at the end of the tunnel has been conclusively demonstrated not to be an oncoming train; it's the faint guiding glow from TomTom for iPhone, the first announced TBT navigation package for the 3.0 software (X-Road is already in the store for 2.1 devices).

There's no cost information yet (Engadget speculates 'pricey' so as not to cannibalize TomTom's hardware business), and the launch date is only noted as after the June 17th 3.0 software availability, but it certainly looks cool: a software app combined with a custom bracket & charging cable, hands-free calling and 'enhanced GPS performance' included. For iPhone owners who don't yet have in-car GPS, this could be a fantastic offering, if the price is right.

Video of the TomTom solution in the second half of the post. I already own a TomTom ONE, and just ponied up the $79 for a year of map updates... probably should have waited.

Continue reading Turn by turn navigation coming with TomTom for iPhone

Turn by turn navigation coming with TomTom for iPhone originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 08 Jun 2009 18:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Turn by turn navigation coming with TomTom for iPhone originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 08 Jun 2009 18:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: iPhone 3G S gets a guided tour

Sure, you think you've learned all there is to know about Apple's new iPhone 3G S, but have you had its every feature explained and demonstrated for you by an unrealistically calm, factory-fresh ApplePerson over the course of 14 minutes in one of the company's trademark guided tours? Trust us, it's like taking a bubble bath in technology. Hit the read link for video.

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds

Video: iPhone 3G S gets a guided tour originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Jun 2009 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rogers to Sell iPhone 3G S in Canada, Same Day, Price as US

Okay, I take back 13% of all the bad things I’ve ever said about Rogers. The Social Media Rep for Rogers/Fido, Keith McArthur, has unleashed the following today via Twitter:

• Both Rogers Wireless and Fido will offer iPhone 3GS starting June 19. [link]
• Rogers/Fido pricing is $199 for 16GB iPhone 3GS; $299 for 32GB iPhone 3GS on a three-year voice and data plan. [link]
• 8GB version of the iPhone 3G will drop to $99 on June 19 at Rogers and Fido with a three-year voice and data plan. [link]
• Rogers is reintroducing the $30/6GB data plan for iPhones effective tomorrow, June 9. Offer available for a limited time. [link]
• Rogers/Fido are only national carriers to offer $25/500MB plan. 93% of iPhone users use less than 500MB so this is the right plan for most. [link]

You stand on guard for me. Well done, sirs!

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

Rogers to Sell iPhone 3G S in Canada, Same Day, Price as US

iPhone 3G owners and AT&T upgrade woes

Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Apple, iPhone

With the introduction of the new iPhone 3G S at WWDC, existing AT&T customers who wish to upgrade to the new model are quickly finding out that they are not eligible for the pricing announced today.

If you were among the first 10 million customers to pick up the original iPhone, and you have not upgraded to the 3G, chances are your AT&T account lists your iPhone as eligible for an upgrade. But for many users, this is sadly not the case. Several readers have written in, letting us know that AT&T is not offering upgrade pricing for existing iPhone 3G owners, and is asking $599 for the new 16GB 3G S, or $699 for the 32GB model. Others have things a little easier, with AT&T offering $399 or $499 upgrade pricing. Now that's definitely not the rosy picture that was painted on the slide at WWDC this morning, is it?

So what can you do if you want to upgrade? Well, you might have a few options. For starters, the typical contract cancellation fee is $175. So, depending on your plan, you may be able to save some money by just canceling the contract, then purchasing the iPhone as a new contract. Keep in mind, by doing this, you'll probably need to wait 90 days or so to sign-up with AT&T (in your name anyway) and you'll lose your existing phone number.

You might also want to consider adding a new iPhone as an additional line to your account. If you don't have a spouse or family member to share your existing iPhone 3G with, the additional monthly fees for the new iPhone 3G S probably won't end up saving you any money (in fact, you can pretty much guarantee it won't), but if you want a new iPhone and have a person you can share your existing iPhone 3G with, this might be an option.

Finally, you can always resort to the old standby method: subsidize the cost by selling your existing phone. Since the hardware changes are fairly minimal with the new model, it's a safe bet that the 3G will still be in good demand, at least for a little while. Chances are pretty good that you can recoup some, if not all, of the cost of the new phone by selling your old 3G after you have upgraded. This is particularly true for 3G phones that have been jailbroken or unlocked. Even though the 8GB iPhone 3G will be selling for $99, users who want to use a phone without a contract or potentially with another carrier are foaming at the mouth for the iPhone.

Keep in mind that these are just suggestions, and may or may not work for everyone in all cases. If all else fails, talk to someone at AT&T. You might just get lucky and find someone who is able to help you out. If you want to wait out your existing contract, it appears that AT&T will approve you for upgrade pricing 18 months into your contract. So if you got an iPhone 3G last June, you can look at upgrading to the iPhone 3G S at the end of December.

Will you be upgrading your iPhone 3G to a 3G S, despite the steep price, or will you wait until you are eligible to upgrade? Let us know in the comments!

iPhone 3G owners and AT&T upgrade woes originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 08 Jun 2009 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

iPhone 3G owners and AT&T upgrade woes originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 08 Jun 2009 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Opinion: iPhone 3G S and the ‘Uh Oh’ moment

Sure, Monday's iPhone 3GS announcement may have unsettled some phone manufacturers, but there may be broader implications for gadget companies.