« October 2007 | Main | December 2007 »
November 2007 Archives
Nov 1, 2007 - Posted by Dan Moren at 11:49 AM ETiPhone is Time's gadget of the year
As we approach the end of the year, it can only mean one thing: looking back and reflecting on 2007. Thus, even with two months left in the calendar, Time's Lev Grossman declares the iPhone the "invention of the year." What says Mr. Grossman?Yes, there's been a lot of hype...
Nov 1, 2007 - Posted by Philip Michaels at 5:42 PM ET
Other mobile phone makers find this Halloween costume terrifying
Here's a tip for would-be trick-or-treaters hoping for a big score at the Michaels homestead next Halloween. Go the extra mile with your costume. Anyone can slap on a pre-fabricated mask and call it a day, but if it looks like your costume required brainstorming, planning, and a rigorous process...
Nov 2, 2007 - Posted by Dan Moren at 2:23 PM ET
The language of data is international. And expensive.
Around the time of the release of the iPhone, we first started hearing angry comments from those who wanted to use their phones while abroad. Turns out that even with AT&T's international calling plans, users often end up being charged exorbitant rates due to the phone's data capabilities. Apple partially...
Nov 2, 2007 - Posted by Jonathan Seff at 6:46 PM ET
Fastmac joins the iPhone headphone adapter race
Every time I listen to something on my iPhone, I have to decide whether to use Apple's stock headphones (which include a microphone and track controls but make music almost inaudible when I'm walking down the street or on the train) or my fancy, custom-molded ear pieces (which seal out...
Nov 5, 2007 - Posted by Dan Moren at 10:07 AM ET
UK iPhones spill beans on 1.1.2
Once again, it appears that our friends across the pond get a bit of a jump on us when it comes to checking out the next version of the iPhone's software. Back in September, they got a sneak peek at the infamous version 1.1.1. Now, ahead of the iPhone's official...
Nov 5, 2007 - Posted by Dan Moren at 1:50 PM ET
Google's mythical "gPhone" is Android mobile platform
Seems like everybody wants to get into the phone business. With Apple's iPhone out and about, eyes have recently turned to the question of whether frequent Apple ally and purported do-gooder Google would deliver their own handset. Today, the Goog announced its plans, not for a handset, but rather for...
Nov 5, 2007 - Posted by Dan Moren at 3:18 PM ET
iTunes 7.5, QuickTime 7.3 bring wee iPhone improvements
iPhone updates come in three sizes: wee, not so wee, and—well, you get the idea. While iTunes 7.5 (also for Windows) and QuickTime 7.3 are probably worth upgrading to simply for the bug fixes, it's worth nothing that they do include some iPhone-specific functionality. Let's go to iTunes first:iTunes 7.5...
Nov 6, 2007 - Posted by Dan Moren at 9:59 AM ET
UK launch details for you, guv'nor
Despite the fact that I did live in the UK for a little while, I won't incur your wrath and raucous laughter by attempting to write the following post like I have a British accent. That's your second reason for celebration this week: the first is that on Friday the...
Nov 6, 2007 - Posted by Dan Moren at 1:41 PM ET
Can't stand your iPhone? PED3 to the rescue!
The iPhone and iPod touch are definitely the best video-watching portable devices that Apple—possibly anybody—has ever created, but they still have their shortcomings. For example, while the touch ships with a plastic stand that lets you prop up the iPod for longterm watching, poor iPhone users are condemned to a...
Nov 7, 2007 - Posted by Philip Michaels at 6:28 PM ET
You can't stop Starbucks; you can only hope to contain it
Two of nature's most unstoppable forces -- Starbucks and iTunes -- continued their hand-in-hand march to total global saturation. You may recall that, last month, Starbucks stores in Seattle and New York began offering special iTunes Wi-Fi Store connections as part of the partnership twixt the coffee retailer and Apple....
Nov 8, 2007 - Posted by Dan Moren at 10:45 AM ET
Tomorrow may see release of 1.1.2
A little over twenty-four hours for now, the floodgates will open and the crowd of customers waiting for the arrival of the iPhone in the UK and Germany will finally have their one true desire. As we reported earlier in the week, it seems that the European iPhones will feature...
Nov 9, 2007 - Posted by Philip Michaels at 7:52 AM ET
iPhone launches, European-style
There's nothing more exciting then an iPhone launch day -- the thrills, the chills, the seemingly endless lines. When I think back through the mists of time to my own sepia-tinted memories of the U.S. iPhone launch from the bygone days of late June, I remember essentially sitting at my...
Nov 9, 2007 - Posted by Dan Moren at 12:11 PM ET
First impressions: iPhone 1.1.2 goes global
After much speculation, iPhone 1.1.2 has been released—sort of. While it's not yet appearing for everyone who runs the iPhone software update check in iTunes, you can snag the rather hefty 160MB file directly from Apple. To install, you'll need to drop the ZIP file in your ~/Library/iTunes/iPhone Software Updates...
Nov 9, 2007 - Posted by Jonathan Seff at 3:16 PM ET
iPhone timing, MythBusters style
If you've watched the Discovery Channel for more than a few minutes, chances are you've come across the show MythBusters. In at, special-effects gurus Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman -- previously seen pimping Intel's Santa Rosa chipset at an event in San Francisco in May -- test popular myths and...
Nov 9, 2007 - Posted by Philip Michaels at 5:48 PM ET
iPhone: Ein Prosit
My German's a bit rusty, as Humprhey Bogart remarks to Ingrid Bergman in Casablanca, but if you spreken sie deutsch a little better than me -- it would be hard to do any worse -- and have an interest in the iPhone launch over in Germany, head on over to...
Nov 12, 2007 - Posted by Dan Moren at 11:52 AM ET
First European sales figures now in
With the iPhone now released in the UK and Germany, we offer a heartfelt welcome to our continental friends. But what's the best thing about an iPhone release? It's not playing with the fancy new features, or trying to impress your friends with your ability to find directions to...
Nov 12, 2007 - Posted by Dan Moren at 6:31 PM ET
1.1.2 is live--for realz
When we first discussed the 1.1.2 update last Friday, I noted that the software was not, at that time, appearing in iTunes, for some still undetermined reason. Strangely, that situation didn't change on Friday, and as of this morning, the only way to get the software was to use that...
Nov 13, 2007 - Posted by Dan Moren at 11:05 AM ET
Return of the free ringtone hack
Back in the halcyon days of iPhone 1.0.2 and iTunes 7.4, there existed a magical process which could turn any music file on your computer into a ringtone from your iPhone with no additional cost. When iTunes 7.4.2 came around, the loophole was closed, but lo and behold it has...
Nov 13, 2007 - Posted by Dan Moren at 12:06 PM ET
China Mobile eyeing the iPhone
At the moment, all we know about Apple's plans for the iPhone in China is that the handset should hit Asia sometime in 2008. But according to the CEO of China Mobile, Wang Jianzhou, the telecom provider is currently in talks with Apple to be the iPhone's distributor in China....
Nov 13, 2007 - Posted by Dan Moren at 3:30 PM ET
Review: Belkin Sport Armband for iPhone
Some people take the promise of the iPhone's multi-function nature seriously; all they have is an iPhone and they use it for everything they used their iPod for—even going so far as to take it out for a jog. But let's be honest: if you want to take your...
Nov 14, 2007 - Posted by Dan Moren at 11:44 AM ET
Survey says: iPhone texters more mistake-prone
According to information from User Centric, a usability consulting company, those who spend time text messaging on their iPhone make more typos than those on phones with either hardware keypads or traditional phone keypads. From our friends at the IDG News Service:The researchers found that while iPhone users entered text...
Nov 14, 2007 - Posted by Philip Michaels at 8:01 PM ET
This never happened on Lindsay Wagner's watch
A few weeks back, we mentioned an iPhone sighting on the TV series Cane, which, in turn, sparked a nice little thread in which people reported other TV shows in which the smartphone had a walk-on role. Add NBC's Bionic Woman to that list, though possibly not in the manner...
Nov 15, 2007 - Posted by Dan Moren at 12:19 PM ET
BBC introduces iPhone-friendly podcast site
The idea of Listening to live podcasts on your iPhone is pretty awesome; I think it's possibly the closest you can get to filling the void left by live radio. And the BBC's just made it even easier to do by introducing a nifty site for navigating much of their...
Nov 16, 2007 - Posted by Dan Moren at 11:20 AM ET
The prodigious lack of supported iPhone gaming
Mark this one down to the "totally-not-a-surprise" department. As we've reported over at the Mothership, id Software co-founder John Carmack has said that Apple is "not exactly supportive" of games on the iPhone:“I have an iPhone right now and it’s a platform I would enjoy developing for but Apple is...
Nov 16, 2007 - Posted by Dan Moren at 2:40 PM ET
Living off the EDGE
We're not sure exactly who would opt to drop the $20 unlimited data part of their iPhone plan—despite the higher speed of Wi-Fi, I still spend far more time on EDGE due to its sheer ubiquity. But at least now you have the option to save that extra $20 a...
Nov 16, 2007 - Posted by Christopher Breen at 3:44 PM ET
Jailbreaking iPhone 1.1.2
During the week's quest to install third-party applications on my iPod touch running 1.1.2 of the iPod software I was asked if the same technique worked with the iPhone. Nope. Try a simple downgrade to software version 1.1.1 from within iTunes and you're faced with a seemingly inescapable error. Fortunately,...
Nov 19, 2007 - Posted by Dan Moren at 11:43 AM ET
Apple transmitting data? Don't panic.
If there's panic in the streets and talk of tinfoil hats, it can mean only one thing: conspiracy theorists of the world unite (but quietly, so they don't know we're uniting)! The latest topic of concern, the iPhone. According to the folks at Hackintosh, the Stocks and Weather applications transmit...
Nov 19, 2007 - Posted by Dan Moren at 2:50 PM ET
PowerPC owners: welcome to the jailbreak
Last week, my esteemed colleague Crazy (like a fox) Chris Breen walked you through the steps required to jailbreak your phone with version 1.1.2 of the iPhone's firmware. Admittedly, the procedure is kind of convoluted, and it has a number of prerequisites. But hacking moves far faster than the speed...
Nov 19, 2007 - Posted by Dan Moren at 4:49 PM ET
iPhone, meet Frenzic
While Apple may not be going crazy over games on the iPhone in a first-party fashion, it doesn't mean that others aren't taking up the slack. The folks over at Iconfactory and ARTIS have ported their fantastic puzzle game Frenzic to the web with the help of Javascript guru Robert...
Nov 20, 2007 - Posted by Dan Moren at 10:13 AM ET
Vodafone: "iPhone exclusive? No fair!"
Today's latest legal challenge to the iPhone comes from the far off land of Germany (well, farther for some than others, I guess, if you happen to be in Germany). But for once, the charge is leveled not against Apple, but against the iPhone's German carrier, T-Mobile. Rival provider Vodafone...
Nov 20, 2007 - Posted by Dan Moren at 11:56 AM ET
iPhone pilot ad causing trouble for passengers
One of Apple's second round of iPhone ads has apparently been raising hackles from a somewhat unexpected source: professional airline dispatchers. The spot in question deals with an airline pilot who reputedly used his iPhone to check the weather during a flight delay. One apocryphal tale deals with a passenger...
Nov 20, 2007 - Posted by Dan Frakes at 9:20 PM ET
Review: Ultimate Buds UB7 and UB7EB
A common complaint about the iPhone is that it has no physical buttons for playback control; you're forced to use the phone's touchscreen, which presents challenges when carrying the iPhone in a bag or pocket. Another complaint is that the iPhone's recessed headphone jack prevents you from using many...
Nov 21, 2007 - Posted by Dan Moren at 10:54 AM ET
T-Mobile offers unlocked phone in Germany
Apparently things move just a little bit faster in Europe than they do here in the US. Responding to yesterday's injunction (at the behest of rival provider Vodafone), mobile operator T-Mobile has announced that it will sell an unlocked version of the iPhone alongside its standard offerings. The catch? The...
Nov 26, 2007 - Posted by Dan Moren at 2:40 PM ET
German unlocked phones still need iTunes
Thanks to legal wranglings between rival German mobile operators Vodafone and T-Mobile, the iPhone is available as an unlocked option, albeit a rather expensive one. But just how is such unlocking accomplished? Word on the virtual street is that it all stems from iTunes, naturally. But here's the catch: the...
Nov 26, 2007 - Posted by Dan Moren at 4:54 PM ET
Classic adventure games come to the iPhone
You know, ever since I complained about the lack of games on the iPhone, it seems like everyday has something new to entertain users who find themselves as bereft as I have. As if mere native games weren't enough, one intrepid group of coders has ported emulator ScummVM to the...
Nov 27, 2007 - Posted by Peter Cohen at 2:14 PM ET
How I became an iPhone convert
Some of you may remember a blog posting I made earlier this year in which I explained that I had a RIM BlackBerry, compared it to my colleagues’ iPhones, and found the iPhone lacking in a few key areas. Well, last week I made the switch to an iPhone, for...
Nov 27, 2007 - Posted by Dan Moren at 3:36 PM ET
Get an unlocked phone, and 600 euros back
If you're a would-be German iPhone buyer, you may feel like you're stuck between a rock and a hard place: don't want to tether yourself to T-Mobile, but also don't feel like shelling out the €999 for an unlocked phone? Here's a clever idea by German reseller Debitel: starting tomorrow,...
Nov 28, 2007 - Posted by Dan Moren at 10:40 AM ET
L'iPhone est en France ce soir
Bonjour mes amis! Finally, the iPhone comes to another country where I can legitimately speak the language. I mean, I don't know German, and let's not even get started on those UK chaps. I mean, come on: speak American, will ya? Anyway, the official launch of the iPhone in France...
Nov 29, 2007 - Posted by Dan Moren at 10:23 AM ET
3G iPhone "next year"
So said AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson, speaking at a Churchill Club meeting in California."You'll have it next year," Stephenson said in response to a question about when the 3G iPhone would debut. He said he didn't know how much more the new version will cost than the existing model, which...
Nov 29, 2007 - Posted by Dan Moren at 2:43 PM ET
Share the love: use the iPhone's EDGE connection on your laptop
Among the laundry list of complaints some users have made about the iPhone, one is that you can't use the iPhone as a modem for your laptop. While it's convenient to have this always-on connection to the Internet, sometimes you want to take advantage of it with a big screen...
Nov 30, 2007 - Posted by Dan Moren at 10:29 AM ET
iPhone Drive 1.3 brings Notes support
Need to access the files on your iPhone or iPod touch? The fine folks at Ecamm Network have long had you covered with their excellent iPhone Drive. Version 1.3, released yesterday, adds a spiffy new feature, too: the ability to access Notes on the iPhone."Accessing iPhone notes has never been...
Nov 30, 2007 - Posted by Dan Moren at 2:42 PM ET
Replace your iPhone's battery on your own
Much has been made of the fact that your average user can't replace the iPhone's battery; Apple'll charge you $86 (including shipping) to get a new battery put into your handset. Plus, you'll have to get a loaner unit. One hopes the batteries last long enough that you won't be...
ABOUT iPHONE CENTRAL
Get the latest news, reviews, and opinion about Apple's groundbreaking iPhone from the Apple experts at Macworld.
Want more information? Be sure to check out our complete iPhone coverage.
iPHONE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?
Send your iPhone thoughts:
via e-mail
via voicemail
and we may use them on the site.
BLOG ARCHIVE
- July 2008 (1)
- June 2008 (1)
- May 2008 (39)
- April 2008 (34)
- March 2008 (33)
- February 2008 (50)
- January 2008 (34)
- December 2007 (33)
- November 2007 (42)
- October 2007 (45)
- September 2007 (53)
- August 2007 (67)
- July 2007 (111)
- June 2007 (82)
CATEGORIES
- Accessories (39)
- AT&T (47)
- Hacking (31)
- Hardware (26)
- Musings (102)
- News (217)
- Reader Experiences (5)
- Reviews (51)
- Software (139)
- Tips & Troubleshooting (79)
- Videos (9)
- Wi-Fi (15)
