We can all expect another feature to hit the iPhone 3G soon–speech recognition.

Now as exciting as that sounds, don’t get too excited yet. This is not speech recognition in the normal sense of the term. No, you can’t say “Mom” and the iPhone will automatically dial your mother’s number. Not going to happen. And the reason why is AT&T is developing the feature to run as a web feature. So when you speak, the data is sent to a remote server, then comes back to perform an action on your handset.

The service, called Speech Mashups, is web-based, so iPhone first gen users will probably be out of luck if stuck with using the EDGE network.

And even though voice dialing won’t work with this brand of speech recognition, it will work for a few other nifty things. There’s a video online showing a man dictating a city and type of business in YellowPages and how Speech Mashups does all of the footwork for you. Pretty cool, but voice dialing would be even nicer!

via http://www.iphonebuzz.com/speech-recognition-coming-to-the-iphone-233285.php

Posted on July 24th, 2008 by admin
Filed under: iPhone News, 3G iPhone | No Comments »

Just spotted this one via a post over at Gear Diary, and watched a video demo of this new iPhone ringtone making application called iRinger.

iRinger looks like a very good free option for ringtone creation - offering a very easy to use interface and a good, complete set of features - even down to letting you choose to export a newly created ringtone direct to iTunes or using SSH to directly transfer it to the iPhone.

This one is a Windows only application for now, so I’ve not given it a try as yet (too lazy just now to get iTunes setup on Fusion) - but it looks awfully good in the demo.  Here’s some of the highlights of its feature list:

• Three Steps: Import, Preview then Export. Done.
• Convert virtually any audio format into an iPhone ringtone
• Extracts audio out of video
• Choose which section of the audio you want to hear
• Adjust ringtone length, volume, fade in, fade out and loop gap
• Export to iPhone ringtone format and import right into iTunes
• Export to iPhone using SCP/SFTP and skip using iTunes
• Use audio effects: Delay, Flanger, Boost, Reverse, etc.

For more on iRinger, see its home page, or check out the demo video HERE …

via http://justanotheriphoneblog.com/wordpress/2008/07/20/iringer-free-full-featured-iphone-ringtone-maker/#more-4017

Posted on July 21st, 2008 by admin
Filed under: iPhone Ringtone, iphone applications, 3G iPhone | No Comments »

some information regarding how much the new iPhone 3G really cost Apple. Based on their calculation, Apple seems to be making roughly fifty fuve percent profit margin. While iSuppli did not count into research and development cost, the number is quite interesting.

Stripping off the new iPhone 3G for component lists and price them individually, iSuppli determined that a 8GB iPhone 3G costs $173.33 to build. AT&T is rumored to be paying Apple $300 subsidy on each iPhone 3G sales, that put the iPhone 3G total prices to $499 for the 8GB version and translate to the fifty five percent margin stated above.

“iSuppli believes Apple aimed for a more cost-effective design for the 3G iPhone compared to the 2G, in order to lower the retail price - which will allow the company to seed adoption and to capture maximum market share now - while the company still has buzz and a perceived differentiation relative to its competitors.”

If this number hold any truth, Apple’s one million iPhone 3G sold during the weekend should put its quarterly earning higher than before.

via http://www.iphonebuzz.com/iphone-3g-costs-173-to-build-giving-apple-an-estimated-55-percent-profit-margin-163019.php

Posted on July 17th, 2008 by admin
Filed under: iPhone News, 3G iPhone | No Comments »

Here’s another very small iPhone tip, but one that may hopefully prove useful for some who are finding iPhone syncing under the new 2.0 software to be unbearably slow.

A big part of how slow the syncs are under 2.0 - at least in my experience so far - is the ‘Backup’ section of things.  I believe one of the reasons for this is that when applications are backed up, it is not only the install files, it is all data associated with every app.  In any case, the backups are taking an awful long time.

So if you want to skip the backup portion of the sync - and greatly reduce the overall length of the whole sync - just hit the little ‘x’ to the right of the top Progress Bar at the top of the iTunes window - next to where it is saying ‘Backing up iPhoneName’ - as shown in the screenshot above.  This will only cancel backup; the rest of the sync will carry on.

Of course it’s not a great idea to cancel out of the backup every time (that’ll come back to bite you for sure), but if you know you’ve already got a recent one (or more) done and are in a hurry, this is a useful quick kill for the backup process.

via http://justanotheriphoneblog.com/wordpress/2008/07/14/how-to-stop-backup-during-iphone-itunes-sync-on-20/

Posted on July 15th, 2008 by admin
Filed under: iPhone Tips, 3G iPhone | No Comments »

Here she is: the iPhone 3G, captured on video. We’ve gone through a number of the new features on the device and in the 2.0 software release, but apologies in advance if you’re looking for side by side speed tests (there are some coverage issues where we’re at). Video of the unboxing, new feature walkthrough, and GPS use (while on a train) after the break.

Posted on July 11th, 2008 by admin
Filed under: iPhone Videos, 3G iPhone | No Comments »

With the worldwide debut of the iPhone around the corner, nearly all of Apple’s official carrier partners have announced voice/data plan (tariff) details. While much has been made of Rogers’ exorbitant plan pricing in Canada, would-be iPhone 3G users in several other countries are no better off.

We’ve culled information on pricing (including device subsidization), data transfer caps and included minutes for iPhone 3G carriers in France, India, Norway, Canada, Germany, England/United Kingdom, Australia, South Africa, Switzerland, Hong Kong, Netherlands, Denmark, Italy and Portugal.

The following chart displays roughly comparable plans in a handful of iPhone 3G-carrying countries, with all prices converted to US dollars. A number of factors – variable subsidized device pricing, outside-plan minutes, data transfer caps and the like – make exact contrasts impossible, but it’s clear that some users are getting a relatively raw deal.

via http://www.iphoneatlas.com/2008/07/09/worldwide-iphone-3g-wireless-plans-compared/#more-785

Posted on July 10th, 2008 by admin
Filed under: iPhone Plan, 3G iPhone | No Comments »

There’s a good chance that by now you’ve figured out which plan you’re going to get for your shiny new iPhone 3G. However, if there is some doubt in your mind that you’re not going to get the right one, there is a handy little tool over at BillShrink.

It’s pretty simple and straightforward. Just put in how much you’re currently paying, then specify how many minutes, text and how much data you use. You can also put in your zip code to see how many bars to expect. Honestly, it doesn’t really tell you much more than you probably already knew, it just puts it in a nice neat format.

Posted on July 10th, 2008 by admin
Filed under: iPhone Tips, 3G iPhone | No Comments »

Walt Mossberg / AllThingsD

- “it mostly keeps its promises.”
- “more capable version of an already excellent device”
- Battery drained much more quickly using 3G
- Greatly improved audio, much louder speaker
- Data speeds 3-5x faster than original iPhone
- Better voice coverage with 3G. “At my neighborhood shopping center, where the first iPhone got little or no AT&T service, the iPhone 3G registered strong coverage.”

Edward Baig / USA Today

- “iPhone 3G: The Sequel, is worth the wait.”
- Still no recording video, no stereo bluetooth or voice dialing
- Supports PowerPoint attachments; mass move or delete multiple e-mail messages
- 10-30 seconds to load popular websites on 3G.
- GPS was very accurate
- Speaker sounded better for both speakerphone and music.
- “started receiving low battery warnings toward the end of a busy work day; I found myself charging the device overnight, the same as with the older iPhone.”

David Pogue / NYTimes

- Sound is much improved. “In fact, few cellphones sound this good.”
- Feels better in your hand due to the curved back
- “According to Apple, the iPhone’s G.P.S. antenna is much too small to emulate the turn-by-turn navigation of a G.P.S. unit for a vehicle, for example.”
- No voice dialing, video recording, copy/paste, memory card slot, Bluetooth stereo, MMS
- “the really big deal is the iPhone 2.0 software and the App Store, neither of which requires buying a new iPhone.”

via http://www.macrumors.com/2008/07/08/first-iphone-3g-reviews-mossberg-baig-and-pogue/

Posted on July 9th, 2008 by admin
Filed under: iPhone Reviews, 3G iPhone | No Comments »

Current AT&T customers who don’t have a first generation iPhone, or who aren’t eligible for an upgrade, will have to pay an extra $200 to purchase an iPhone 3G. Sad, but true.

However, if you follow these simple instructions (instead of waiting until upgrade time rolls around, or impatiently throwing down an extra $200 for an unsubsidized iPhone) then you will be able to get yourself an iPhone 3G also.

All you need is a little help from a friend who already has an iPhone.

1. Grab a friend who already has a first generation iPhone.
2. Remove the SIM card from your friend’s iPhone and replace it with the one from your own phone.
3. Plug the iPhone into a Mac or PC running a recent copy of iTunes. (iTunes will recognize that the iPhone is loaded with a different SIM and begin the activation process.)

Note: You’ll literally need to sign up for an iPhone plan at this point, sign a new two-year contract… etc

4. When you’re done, you can return your friend’s SIM to the iPhone and your SIM to your phone.

Simple, eh? Word of this has been spreading all over the internet. Steve Jobs may reach his goal after all.

via http://www.iphonematters.com/article/att_customers_4_steps_to_become_instantly_eligible_for_iphone_3g_234/

Posted on July 8th, 2008 by admin
Filed under: iPhone News, 3G iPhone | No Comments »

Numerous readers have reported that Apple’s iPhone 3G commercial has begun appearing on a wide variety of U.S. television stations. The commercial, entitled Hallway, debuted during Steve Jobs’ keynote speech at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference on June 9th and was posted to Apple’s site soon after. However, the commercial has remained conspicuously absent from television broadcasts until now.

The iPhone 3G launches this Friday in approximately 20 countries, with an additional 50 countries scheduled to begin offering the new iPhone later this year

via http://www.macrumors.com/iphone/2008/07/07/iphone-3g-commercial-airing-on-u-s-television/

Posted on July 8th, 2008 by admin
Filed under: iPhone Fun, 3G iPhone | No Comments »