In case the noise over the iPhone 1.1.1 software update bricking unlocked iPhones and disabling third-party apps drowned out news of the new features itself, worry not: we're there for you. Over at the mothership we've put together a pretty darn comprehensive list of all the features you'll find in 1.1.1, ranging from the obvious, like the iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store, to the not-so-obvious, such as the ability to specify ports in your Mail configuration (easy now, wipe up that drool).
There's certainly plenty of room for Apple to keep improving the iPhone's software, and keep in mind we're just at 1.1.1. I've got my fingers crossed for a 1.2-level upgrade around Macworld Expo with more features. Who's with me?
If you didn't take the time to listen to the entirety of Apple's Q4 2007 financial results conference call yesterday, well, I can't blame you. I did, and my eyes are still partially glazed over, perhaps explaining why I walked into the refrigerator this morning.
But if you weren't listening, you may have missed a few interesting tidbits. Phil already covered the big news—1,119,000 iPhones sold in the quarter—but Apple also mentioned another tantalizing figure: 250,000. That's the number of phones that they estimate were sold for the purposes of unlocking to date (out of the 1.4 million sold all year), or about 17% of all iPhones. They also noted that Apple doesn't receive any money from AT&T for phones not activated on their network.
Seems to me that would explain the angry hue and cry raised at the 1.1.1 upgrade: that's a lot of angry unlocked iPhone owners.
Remember how three months ago when Apple released its third-quarter results, people saw that the company sold 270,000 iPhones for the quarter and -- ignoring the fact the iPhone was on sale for about 36 hours during the quarter -- began running around screaming "The iPhone is doomed, I tells you -- DOOMED!"?
Well, Apple announced its fourth-quarter earnings Monday -- Comrade Moren blogged the proceedings over at MacUser -- and it seems like there's much less of the iPhone-inspired panic this time around.
Apparently meeting your stated goal of selling 1 million phones before the end of September several weeks ahead of schedule nips that kind of hysteria in the bud.
Nevertheless, this is the first full quarter of iPhone sales, so let's see how Apple did: 1,119,00 units for the three-month period ended September 30. That brings the grand total of iPhone sales to a shade under 1.4 million.
I just looked outside my window -- no financial analysts are rampaging through the streets pronouncing wrack and ruin yet.
In fact, the most striking thing about the iPhone sales figure is how little attention they're getting. I guess a second consecutive quarter of record Mac sales will tend to overshadow things just a bit.
So, after all the hoo-hah over the 1.1.1 update undoing SIM unlocks and third-party applications that we'd all enjoyed on the 1.0.2 firmware, does it mean the hackers have just given up? Of course not: these guys aren't about to just roll over and die; to them, it just means a new puzzle to solve. They've been hard at work on scads of new tools for dealing with the 1.1.1 firmware.
For those still looking to unlock their phones and risk the wrath of any forthcoming iPhone updates, you have options such as the commercial iPhoneSimFree package or, if you, like me, are more of the frugal variety, you can try out the iPhone Dev Team's AnySIM 1.1. Remember that if you do this, you should probably wait before upgrading to whatever iPhone update comes down the pipe, lest you end up with a bricky brick.
But enough about unlocking. What if you just can't wait until the official SDK arrives in February and all the attendant apps begin to trickle out? Well, for you, such a deal: Nullriver has come up with a new version of their AppTapp installer that works with the 1.1.1 firmware. Unfortunately, it's not quite as easy to install as the previous versions; you'll need to jailbreak your phone, downgrade to 1.0.2, and then re-upgrade. On the bright side, that process has progressed quite a bit since we first linked to it a couple weeks back. Now, you can grab the graphical jailbreak app iNdependence, which also lets you manage custom ringtones, install SSH, activate your phone, and a whole lot more.
No, we're not in the glory days of 1.0.2 anymore, but at least there's still hope for the hack-loving among us. Had a chance to play with any of these apps? Chime in below.
Alan Luckow felt like he'd made too many trips to his local Apple Store to fix an iPhone annoyance. Specifically, the iPhone's handset stopped working and he could use it only when wearing his earbuds or Bluetooth headset.
Rather than make one more trip, he came up with a solution of his own. You can view his entertaining and likely helpful solution here.
Warning: His solution (and the solution he uses) looks safe enough, but Apple's Warranty Department may feel differently. In short: You're on your own.
Look, yes, the iPhone is kind of a fingerprint magnet. It attracts smudges the way Black Friday sales attract insanity. And the brilliant folks at Phone Fingers saw this as an opportunity—nay, a duty. A way to prevent people from desecrating their holy iPhones with their greasy, oily fingers. For just $10, you can buy a set of 25 phone fingers, latex sheathes that cover your thumb and forefinger (or, presumably, any other finger you choose to use your iPhone with). They claim that the iPhone's touchscreen works perfectly with the Phone Fingers; we claim that you will look really stupid wearing them. Which is true? Both, neither? You decide.
Before you go out and spend you $10 on disassembled latex gloves, or even shell out the $3 for the five-piece "try before you buy" set (wait...isn't that still buying?), I feel obliged to let you know that the fine minds here at iPhone Central have come up with our own competing revolutionary way of removing fingerprints and smudges from your iPhone. It's an innovative cleaning fabric which, with one simple swipe, will clean your iPhone from top to bottom. Better yet, it comes in an almost infinite number of colors and designs. And, just for kicks, we've also designed it so it'll keep your torso warm, while enabling you to use your arms and head. We call it the shirt. Available now at reasonable prices from fine retailers the world over.
Say welcome, bienvenue, and willkommen to a trio of new ads for the iPhone. Like the last set, these are filmed in a manner reminiscent of Apple's old Switch ads: plain backgrounds with real people talking about their experiences with the iPhone. This time around we have Bryce, an airline pilot, talking about using the web to get the weather; Kristin, a ballerina and blogger who uses the web to keep her site up to date; and Ken, an off-Broadway producer who likes how the iPhone allows him to keep tabs on his show's fan site.
So this phone allows me to keep track of exactly what they're saying at all times. At the same time, emailing the director and saying 'hey, the fans are telling me that this guy is doing great; this guy flubbed a line; this guy this. You need to get back in the theater and check it out.Oh, yeah, I bet the director loooooves that. I'd like to see a counterpoint commercial with how exactly the director feels about Ken's new iPhone. I imagine it would involve hair-tearing and perhaps jumping up and down on an iPhone.
One of the nice things about the iPhone is that it's slim enough to fit in most pockets. But some people don't like to mix their phone with the other contents of those pockets; they prefer to have the phone easily accessible on their belt. DLO's $35 HipCase for iPhone offers users the convenience of having their iPhone always by their side, but it may not be right for every user.
The leather HipCase is available in black and or brown (DLO also makes a nylon version for $5 less). It features a top flap that secures with Velcro that you can easily work with one hand, and a leather-covered belt clip on the back. To insert the phone, flip up the flap and slide it in. The interior is also leather, which should prevent scratches to the iPhone's casing. While the construction of the case is solid, the fact that the belt clip is covered in leather and permanently attached means that your only choice is to use the case in its horizontal orientation. There are also openings in the case to provide access to the iPhone's headphone jack, speaker and microphone, and Sleep/Wake button, as well as a large opening on the bottom of the case to make it easy to remove the phone from the case (you push up on the iPhone via this bottom opening).
I did find one frustration with the HipCase, and that has to do with the openings on the case. My inclination is to put the case on my right side, since I'm right-handed, and to put my iPhone in the case with the screen facing inwards and the headphone jack towards the front. In this orientation, the iPhone's headphone jack is partially blocked by the leather strap at the front of the case, making it difficult to plug in headphones. There are a few ways to solve this. For example, you can flip the iPhone around so its screen faces outwards, but this makes the screen slightly more vulnerable and makes it easy for the Sleep/Wake button to hit the strap by accident. Or you can flip the phone around so the headphone jack faces backwards, which is what DLO shows in many of its marketing materials. That's fine, but it's less intuitive to me, since I have to rotate the phone after I take it out of the case. It may be a minor complaint, but it's enough that it would prevent me from buying the case for myself; people who choose to wear the case on their left hip won't have this problem.
As long as you don't mind keeping your phone holstered horizontally, and you don't suffer from the same bizarre pickiness that I do with respect to phone orientation, the DLO HipCase is a solid entry in the holster field.
Holsters have long been a popular way of carrying weapons, and in today's world there's no more popular or potent sidearm than the mobile phone. Marware's $25 C.E.O. Sleeve for iPhone is a leather sleeve for the iPhone that keeps it close at hand for those phone calls and email messages that you just can't afford to miss. Those looking for a simple yet elegant case for their iPhone will find it worth a look.
Constructed from reinforced black Nappa leather, the C.E.O. sleeve is pretty simple: the front and back of the case are connected with stretchy elastic sides, and the top is open to allow you to slide the iPhone in and out (and to allow access to the Sleep/Wake button and headphone jack). On the back of the case, you'll find a mount for Marware's Multidapt system, which allows you to swap out the included swiveling belt clip with one of a bunch of optional accessories, such as a car or bike mount.
The case is both attractive and solid-feeling. Marware's coated the inside of the case with a soft felt-like substance that won't scratch your iPhone's exterior, and the phone is well-protected when it's in the holster; the only exposed parts are the top edge and small parts of the sides of the phone near the bottom. The company has also included an adhesive film to protect the iPhone's screen and a microfiber cloth to clean the screen before applying the film. Though the bottom of the case is closed, which doesn't allow access to the iPHone's dock-connector port, microphone, or speaker, I found the phone to be sufficiently audible when it rang in a quiet room; those concerned they may miss a call might consider activating vibrate, as well.
One complaint I had is the positioning of the side panels. Because of their placement, it's hard to take the phone out of the holster without inadvertently hitting one of the volume buttons. While hardly a major flaw, it may irritate some users. But other than this, the C.E.O. Sleeve is an excellent option for those in the market for a holster case for their iPhone.
