Apple Releases 3g Version 2 Of Iphone To The World

[KumaarShah 143]

Apple today unveiled its highly anticipated iPhone 3G. The device “climbs the next mountain” of requiring fast mobile data as well as reducing the price. The connection is the most important feature and downloads websites 2.8 times faster than an iPhone on EDGE; it’s also faster versus rival 3G-capable devices like the Nokia N95, according to Apple. E-mail also transfers more quickly and approaches Wi-Fi speeds, the company says. Despite the higher-power Internet connection, the device can last for 5 hours of 3G talk time and 10 hours of 2G — up from 8 hours on 2G. Browsing is the same at between 5-6 hours, while video and audio playback have been upgraded to 7 and 24 hours respectively. GPS is also built into the device and can combine with cell tower triangulation and Wi-Fi to help locate an iPhone. The feature allows real-time positioning in Google Maps. The device is even thinner at the edges and has a full plastic back for improve reception, but with solid metal buttons; the headphone jack is flush to allow any device. Audio quality is also improved, the company says. This is a GSM phone that requires a carrier SIM Card.

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iPhone 2.0 software is preloaded on the device and includes access to the App Store, Exchange data support using ActiveSync, parental controls, and native support for iWork and Office files. The iPhone 3G integrates directly with Apple’s new Mobile Me service to share calendars, contacts, photos, and iDisk information in real-time between computers, iPhones, and iPod touch devices.

The device will be available in 70 countries and will sell for $199 for an 8GB model — $200 less than the original. There will also be a 16GB model for $299. All of this is with a new 2-year commitment to AT&T service/tariff contract in the USA for qualifying customers.. Versions will be available in black and white. The phone is available through the online Apple Store & At&T retail stores. They will ship to 22 countries (including USA & Canada) on July 11th, with more following afterwards.

So let’s ask the soon to be ‘FAQ’ (Frequently asked questions) particularly for customers in the uSA.

* What’s all this talk about 3G?

The 3G mobile phone network uses a different frequency band than its predecessors to deliver increased data transfer rates. The 3G network uses the 2100MHz frequency, while the existing 2G network operates at the 900MHz/1900MHz frequency band (GSM) and 800MHz (CDMA). This high-speed data capacity enables more content to be sent to and from mobile handsets through calls, messaging and Internet-based content.

Networks & Data Rate

1G Analog 9.6Kbps to 14.4Kbps Voice Only 2G GSM/CDMA 9.6Kbps to 14.4Kbps Voice & Data 2.5G GPRS/EDGE 56Kbps to 144Kbps Voice & Data 3G UMTS 384Kbps up to 2Mbps Voice & Data 3G WCDMA 2Mbps, 384Kbps (wide access) Voice & Data 3G CDMA2000 144Kbps Voice & Data 3G CDMA EV-DO 2.4Mbps Voice & Data 4G 20 - 40Mbps (the * What are the bullet-point specs of this iPhone?

Specifications

Screen size3.5 inches (diagonal)Screen resolution480 by 320 pixels (163 ppi)Input methodMulti-TouchStorage8GB and 16GB¹CellularUMTS/HSDPA (850, 1900, 2100 MHz)

GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz)Wireless dataWi-Fi (802.11b/g)

UMTS/HSDPA (850, 1900, 2100 MHz)

EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz)

Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR GPSAssisted-GPSCamera2.0 megapixelsBattery²Talk time: Up to 5 hours on 3G;

up to 10 hours on 2G

Standby time: Up to 300 hours

Internet use: Up to 5 hours on 3G;

up to 6 hours on Wi-Fi

Video playback: Up to 7 hours

Audio playback: Up to 24 hoursDimensions4.5 by 2.4 by 0.48 inches

(115.5 by 62.1 by 12.3 mm)Weight³4.7 ounces (133 grams) * Will AT&T increase data prices for ‘exclusive’ use of it’s heavlily , financed 3G network?

- Yes! AT&T will increase data rates for iPhone customers. A data plan for standard users will cost $30 per month versus the $20 per month paid on existing plans; a separate, business-focused data plan will be available for $45 per month. The BlackBerry and Windows Mobile devices receive similar pricing for unlimited data; without third-party apps. All of this is on top a $40 voice plan.

* What’s the deal if I bought an iPhone (2G) before?

- All iPhone 2G users will be grandfathered and won’t be required to pay more per month (3G data use) for as long as they choose to use the service, including past the end of their contract.

* Will the 3G iPhone work on T-Mobile USA?

Yes & No. Yes, because it still may be possible to unlock for use with the GSM radio for T-Mobile USA use @ 1900MHz. No because of specs disclosed @ the Apple On-line store reveals that the 3G frequency acquired by T-Mobile Wireless USA is 1700MHz.

* Are there any negatives?

Yes! You are locked to your authorized wireless carrier. Hard to switch SIM card when traveling.

- In the USA; you will not be able to activate iPhone @ hone via itunes. Only an in-store activation. There will be penalties if you do not activate the phone after 30 days purchase.

- still no copy/paste.. ok software is upgradable.

- 2.0 mp camera is the same/no video - most new phones will have 5mp and video. (3rd party app on the way to record video?)

- gps is nice to have, but will require another fee from att to use there telegps service for $10 a month.

- No removable storage

* 3g is the biggest selling point but most new phones that are iphone like now have 3g; a better camera and removable storage..

- Does NOT support Bluetooth A2DP. The best music player but forget about using those stereo wireless Bluetooth earphones!

- No MMS (Use e-mail to send attachments!)

- No Bluetooth tethering (DUN)

- Phone is subsidized in USA; so you must commit for a new 2 years.

- No front-side camera. (so video-conferencing vis-à-vis is impossible)

- No 32GB internal RAM

- No voice-activated dialing (wait for a 3rd party software developer to knock this out)

- Download cap over UMTS. Network OTA download =/< 10MB > WiFi

[KumaarShah 143]

NEW DELHI: After announcing a tie-up for bringing iPhone, Bharti Airtel and Apple on Tuesday extended their partnership to launch the 3G version of iPhone in India later this year, for which booking has already started.

Soon customers will be able to purchase iPhone 3G at Airtel Relationship Centers. Details of pricing and availability will be announced at a later date.

iPhone 3G combines all the features of iPhone with 3G networking, which is said to be two times faster than the first generation iPhone. It has built-in GPS for expanded location based mobile services, a joint press statement said.

It also has iPhone 2.0 software, which includes support for Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync and runs hundreds of third party applications already built with the recently released iPhone SDK.

"We are delighted with the opportunity to bring the innovative iPhone 3G to India," said Bharti Airtel President and CEO Manoj Kohli.

"We are thrilled to be working with Bharti Airtel, India's leading integrated telecom company, to bring iPhone 3G to millions of mobile customers in India," said Apple's COO Tim Cook.

"We can't wait to get this revolutionary product in the hands of even more people around the world."

Edited June 10, 2008 by KumaarShah

[HetalDP 947]

Here is Offical Indian iPhone Sub Domain

http://www.apple.co.in/iphone/

[KumaarShah 143]

^^^

Great Site. Thanks.

Its a WOW!!!!!!! phone or should we call it WOW!!!!!!! Iphone?

Edited June 10, 2008 by KumaarShah

[manit 0]

Yes finally it will here in india... does anybody has the launch date for india????

[srk006 21]

Hey, What's the whole point in launching the 3G-Iphone when we don't have a "3G" to run the phone??

[rajat8676 0]

Hey, What's the whole point in launching the 3G-Iphone when we don't have a "3G" to run the phone??

One, the 3G model will be cheaper than the 2.5G model. Second, when India goes on 3G three months down the line, people will not have purchase a new phone once again. Third, it is better to have advanced functionalities than outdated ones on the phone given the dynamic rate of growth. Fourth, almost all top end phones are 3G and people still buy them even thought there is no 3G yet in India.

Fifth and last, one would go in for a higher end model than a lower end as it would be a status symbol in social circle. A mobile has stopped to be just a phone - it is much more in today's world

[KumaarShah 143]

Zippy iPhone could be all yours by year-end

11 Jun, 2008, 0308 hrs IST, ET Bureau

NEW DELHI: This latest 'Job' from the Apple stable is coming straight to India. The new cheaper version of the company's iconic iPhone, launched in the US on Monday, will be on offer to Bharti Airtel and Vodafone customers by the year-end.

Within hours of Apple CEO Steve Jobs launching the new 3G version of the iPhone, the two leading Indian operators said they are bringing it to India, but declined to reveal the retail price tag. In the US, the phone will be available in two variants — 8 GB and 16 GB — and will be priced at $199 and $299, respectively, almost half the price of its earlier version. Just over a month ago, both Vodafone and Bharti had tied up with Apple to bring the earlier version of iPhone to India.

The new iPhone 3G combines all the revolutionary features of the earlier version with 3G networking that is twice as fast as the first generation iPhone. Now, the hitch is that 3G services are yet to take off in India, thanks to legal and regulatory hurdles. Besides, India's defence department is yet to vacate 3G frequencies for commercial telephony. The new iPhone also features built-in GPS for expanded location-based mobile services and iPhone 2.0 software, which supports Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync, besides hundreds of third-party applications.

"We are delighted with the opportunity to bring the innovative iPhone 3G to India," said Bharti Airtel president and CEO Manoj Kohli. In the UK, the global CMO of Vodafone Group Frank H Rovekamp announced the telco's partnership with Apple. "We are very excited to bring iPhone 3G to many of our customers across Europe and emerging markets this summer," Mr Rovekamp said.

The move to partner with Airtel and Vodafone marks a shift in Apple's global strategy of 'one-country-one operator'. But, with India emerging as the fastest growing cellular market, analysts say that Apple would want to tie up with all leading operators to maximise growth and revenues.

Airtel and Vodafone have a combined subscriber base of around 115 million.

In the UK, Apple has said that the 8-GB handset will cost 99 pounds ($194), but subscribers will have to have a monthly tariff of 30 or 35 pounds to avail this offer. But, for those customers whose monthly bills are between 45 and 75 pounds, the handset will be given free. Globally, Apple earns revenue from sale of device and through the monthly share from operators' revenues. While the iPhone is being subsidised by operators wherever it has been launched, Apple may not follow this policy in India.

"We are thrilled to be working with Bharti Airtel, India's leading integrated telecom company, to bring iPhone 3G to millions of mobile customers in India," Apple's chief operating officer Tim Cook said. "We can't wait to get this revolutionary product in the hands of even more people around the world."

The Vodafone group has also said that its customers across the globe, including India, will soon be able to pre-register either online or through the telco's retail outlets to place orders for the iPhone. On the other hand, Airtel customers, who wish to receive additional details of this iconic product, can send an SMS with keyword 'iPhone' to 54321 (toll-free number).

The earlier version of the iPhone was available in the grey market in India for about a year now. Industry estimates peg the number of such devices in India at a whopping 5-6 lakhs. Dealers in Mumbai and Delhi started selling it soon after it was launched in the US last year

Edited June 11, 2008 by KumaarShah

[Honest 836]

iPhone 3G's Business Model Tough on Unlockers

The new iPhone and the way it will be sold look set to shut down a small industry that arose to make the first version of the iconic phone available around the world.

The original iPhone, which launched in June last year, was initially available only in the U.S. and only for use on AT&T Inc.'s network. In little more than a month, however, enterprising hackers found a way to "unlock" the phone to make it usable on other networks, including networks in other countries.

IPhones soon flowed out of the U.S., and analysts have estimated that one-third to one-half of the phones sold never made it onto AT&T's network.

"I saw it in action and I had to have one," said Ernesto Zeivy, a 50-year-old restaurant owner in Mexico City. He had one friend buy an iPhone for him in San Diego for $500 and another unlock it using software downloaded from the Internet.

Apple announced a new iPhone Monday for use on 3G, or third-generation, data networks. It will stem the flow of unlocked phones in two ways.

First, the phone will be sold in more countries. Apple added five countries beyond the U.S. for the first phone, but the second one will go on sale in 22 countries on July 11. Apple has said it will add more countries at a rapid clip and reach 70 by the end of the year. That takes away one of main incentives for unlocking.

Second, Apple is abandoning the unusual arrangement under which the iPhone was being sold. Customers could buy them from a carrier or from Apple without activating them on a service plan, and that meant customers could go home and unlock the phones - and never sign up with AT&T.

"Anyone can unlock it without paying anyone anything," said Blas Caballero, another iaPhone user in Mexico. "It's so easy. A minute-and-a-half, and all you have to do is push a button," said the 32-year-old Argentine, who owns a bar in Mexico City. He bought his iPhone in New York.

The new phone will be subsidized by carriers, which accounts for its lower price: $199 for the 8-gigabyte model, down from $399. This brings the phone's marketing in line with standard industry practices.

The carriers plan to make back what they spend on the subsidy through service fees, which means they likely will require two-year service contracts from everyone who buys the phone. AT&T said buyers will have to activate service before leaving the store with an iPhone.

"It's looking pretty bleak for unlockers," said John McLaughlin, founder of Uniquephones.com, a New York-based company that sells unlock codes for cell phones. After being warned away by AT&T's lawyers, it doesn't help unlock iPhones. Unlocking software is available free online.

Apple tried to secure the device technically with its software updates, but couldn't. It's the requirement that buyers of the new phone sign up for service in the store that will be hard to get around, McLaughlin said.

Freeit4less, a company based in Syracuse, Utah, has posted prices on its Web site for unlocked 3G phones at $100 above store prices, but chief executive Kyle Jourdan said the company is not accepting any pre-orders given uncertainty surrounding the activation requirement.

"We're just crossing our fingers and hoping for the best," Jourdan wrote in an e-mail. He speculated that Apple or AT&T may sell unsubsidized phones, which would leave an opening for his company. Freeit4less has sold about 121 unlocked first-generation iPhones and 5,104 licenses for unlocking software, Jourdan said.

Federal law allows consumers to unlock their own phones. But selling someone the means to unlock a phone and unlock another person's phone may be illegal. At least one U.S. carrier has won civil cases, not involving iPhones, against unlocking businesses.

AT&T charges customers who break a two-year contract within the first month a $175 early termination fee plus the $36 activation fee. That would bring the cost of the new iPhone to $411 for an unlocker, just slightly more than the old model's $399 price.

That math may mean it is still attractive to unlock iPhones for use on other networks and that AT&T will lose money on unlockers. Analysts estimate AT&T plans to subsidize the phones by more than $200 each.

But Ralph de la Vega, head of AT&T Mobility, said Monday that it and Apple are working on "penalties" for users who buy phones and don't activate them within 30 days. AT&T could, for instance, bar buyers who repeatedly buy iPhones and break the contracts from buying more.

One major incentive for unlocking remains, especially for Europeans. Those who travel to other countries with unlocked phones can use local prepaid service plans rather than paying exorbitant international roaming fees to their home carriers.

Uniquephones.com helps unlock 10,000 British cell phones of all kinds every day, McLaughlin said, with travelers being a core customer group.

Courtesy : Tech2

[Dj 25]

iPhone 3G: everything you ever wanted to know (but were afraid to ask)

by Ryan Block, posted Jun 12th 2008 at 2:10PM

If you're anything like us, just about everyone in your family has called you up this week to ask if you think they should get the iPhone 3G; it really doesn't help matters that there's just an absurd amount of (mis)information floating around about it right now, too. So this one's for you and your fam -- we're dishing out the straight dope on iPhone 3G, a to z.

So, what's with the new iPhone 3G?

Well, it's pretty much the same iPhone as before -- except now it's down to $200, and has way faster 3G data, A-GPS (which is even better than regular GPS), as well as a flush headphone jack (which is great for anyone who doesn't want to use Apple's bundled headphones). Oh, and it's also a little thinner around the edges, and a little thicker at the center. If you want to know what it was like to try out, check out our iPhone 3G hands-on.

How'd they get the price so low? The iPhone used to be crazy expensive.

Actually, depending on how you do the math it's not actually cheaper. Now, in some countries the iPhone is free when you sign up for service, and in the US you'll pay $200 for the 8GB model -- half what it was a month ago -- so you're definitely paying less up front. But the data plans cost more now, so you might wind up spending more money over the long run.

Um, ok.

Look, gadgets only get cheaper as time goes on, and Apple's sold enough iPhones to continue to lower their cost to manufacture each unit. But more importantly, Apple's re-arranged its business deals to get carrier subsidies. Basically, what that means for Apple is they've decided to stop asking their carrier-partners for a cut of your monthly service fees. In exchange, the carriers have agreed to pay a significant chunk of the cost of your new iPhone 3G in order to get you to sign up.

So everybody supposedly wins: Apple sells more devices and still makes good money, AT&T gets more subscribers, and you get a cheaper iPhone. But there is a financial toll to this: AT&T estimates that helping you pay for your new iPhone will actually cost them $600 million through 2010. But clearly the numbers indicate that the short term cost will be worth it for them the long run.

Does that mean Apple doesn't make as much money per phone?

For all we know Apple might actually be making more money per phone now. With the original iPhone 3G, you paid "full price" for an iPhone -- $600 at its high point. Now you'll be paying no more than $200 (and as little as nothing in some countries) for the 8GB model, so we don't really know exactly how much of Apple's price the carriers are knocking off. We think it's fair to assume it'd still be in the $400-450 retail range, though, if it wasn't subsidied. Which it is.

What's up with the data and SMS pricing?

Well, Apple will be in 70 countries (and counting) this year, so you'll get different plans from region to region. But in the US, users will have to sign up for a minute plan that includes an extra $30 rate for 3G data access (and has no bundled text messages). This is $10 more than the original iPhone's rate plan, which was $20 for data and 200 included SMSs. Matching voice plans start at $40 per month, so you'll basically be able to get started at $70 per month. (We've also got a bit more on AT&T's new plans here.)

I heard you can't activate the iPhone at home anymore, is that true?

This is still a little fuzzy. Here's the deal: with the first iPhone, Apple used to let you buy it in the store and take it home to activate. This process is unlike almost every other phone on the market, but since it's Apple, and because you were paying full price for the device, if you never activated it with AT&T or just unlocked it and sent it to your friend in China or whatever, it wasn't a big deal. Apple made their money on the device, and AT&T didn't lose anything.

But since now AT&T is basically picking up a huge portion of the cost of your iPhone 3G, they want to make damn sure you aren't going to unlock it or send it to a friend. From what we've heard, you'll likely have to start the activation process in-store (so Apple and AT&T knows exactly who's buying the device), and then you might be able to finish it off at home. It's definitely not ideal, but it's the only way they can prevent people from basically walking away with a few hundred dollars of AT&T's money. And at the end of the day, it probably won't be WORSE than buying any other kind of phone though -- anyone who's bought a phone from a US carrier in the last 10 years will be well acquainted with the process.

I heard you have to turn over your iPhone when you upgrade, is that true?

Naw, you bought it, it's yours to hang on to. But if you bought one within Apple's grace period, they'll let you upgrade it free. (More on that below.) But if you bought an original iPhone early on -- which means half of your two year contract is about up -- know that when you buy an iPhone 3G you'll be re-upping that two year contract from date of purchase. So if you buy an iPhone 3G on day one, your new contract will expire on July 11th, 2010.

So if I bought an original iPhone, I can trade it in for an iPhone 3G?

Yes, but only if you bought it AFTER May 27th, 2008. Anyone who bought theirs before that has to live with their purchase -- not that anyone can stop you from showing up to your local Apple store and raising a ruckus.

Can I continue using my original iPhone? Will they still update it?

Yes, and yes! Although the first gen iPhone is officially no longer being made, not even Apple would be so bold as to deactivate the 6m iPhones already out there. They intend to release their big 2.0 software release for iPhones and iPods touch on or around July 11th, which will be the same software running on the iPhone 3G.

What if I decide I don't like the iPhone 3G?

Apple and AT&T offer a 30-day money back guarantee (just in case you don't get coverage in the places you most often frequent). After that you pay a $175 early termination fee (ETF), which goes down each month over the course of your 24 month contract.

Is faster 802.11n WiFi supported?

Nope, it's still just 802.11b/g. Seriously though, you're a fringe case if you need more than 54Mbps to your cellphone.

Can I use voice and data at the same time?

Yes and no: unlike the original iPhone -- which did not support EDGE class A, and sent calls to voicemail while you were browsing the web -- the UMTS / HSDPA-based iPhone 3G should be able to handle data and calls at the same time when in 3G mode. So that means if you get coverage, you'll be fine. But if you're in a spot where there's only EDGE service, you likely won't be able to do voice and data at the same time.

I heard rumors that this thing can get up to 40Mbps over 3G, is that true?

Right now AT&T's HSDPA network is supposedly capped out at 1.4Mbps for phones, but we hear the iPhone is rated for HSDPA 3.6 (3.6Mbps), and AT&T claims its network speeds will go even faster than that by next year.

What did they mean by "greatly improved" audio quality?

Well, we heard about it two ways: Apple claims they've both improved the audio circuitry and quality of the signal to your headphones, but also cleaned up the in-call sound quality. We haven't tested this at length though, so we'll let you know if that's the case once it launches.

Can I use the iPhone on any carrier?

It's not unlocked, so no, you can't. While we're sure that iPhone hackers will figure out a way to unlock it for the betterment of all mankind, you're pretty much expected to use it with your designated domestic carrier, and pay the usual exorbitant roaming fees when you leave the country.

I hear that even though it has GPS I can't use it as a nav unit, what's up with that?

According to the SDK agreement, it looks like Apple doesn't want you using your iPhone to replace your Garmin. But it should still technically be feasible, and they demoed their Google Maps app doing geo-caching, so it's really a matter of intended use. Apple, apparently, doesn't want the device to be used that way -- but at the end of the day it may just be a contract mishap. We'll know soon!

Why doesn't it do video / MMS / A2DP / scrub my callouses / pick up my dry cleaning?

Clearly Apple has the technological prowess to make (most of) that stuff happen, but for whatever reason they've chosen not to support it. Maybe it's because of battery life issues, maybe it's because Steve just didn't see the need. Either way, it's a philosophical decision for them, so they may never change it. Bummer, right?

So what the hell do I do with my old iPhone?

The funny thing about a $200 3G iPhone is that it makes it pretty difficult to sell your original iPhone. Unless you know someone who doesn't need the 3G, we'd suggest keeping it as a backup, or even jailbreaking and unlocking for use when traveling overseas (in places have GSM networks).

If you do try to sell or give away your old phone, do yourself a favor and read about how you can completely erase it. Just hitting the format iPhone button won't actually remove all your data, and you really don't want your private conversations and passwords to be recovered by someone else, do you?

All that's well and good, but I have a question you didn't answer.

42. Just kidding. Leave it in the comments below! If it's a good one (and something we have or can get the answer to) we'll add it in!

Reader followup questions

Chris asks: Can these devices be purchased and given as gifts?

No. You will need to walk out of the AT&T or Apple store with the device activated.

Greekjgg asks: What if I want to buy one for work which already uses AT&T for company account? I can't activate in store, obviously, so will it be possible to to buy without a contract?

We don't have details yet but iPhones for business use will likely be provisioned through your company's IT department.

Tons of people ask: If I purchase an original iPhone from a friend will I be able to get the old data plan pricing? Or will I need to sign up at the new, more expensive rate?

Yes. You can get the old data plan price if someone gives you a device and you establish service for yourself.

Chris and SeditioN VII ask: What's the no-commitment price?

We have not yet announced the unsubsidized price.

We follow up: So you WILL be able to buy it without the two year commitment?

We haven't announced whether or not that will be offered.

Vic asks: Will long-time customers who are otherwise eligible for a free or reduced-price handset upgrades be able to lower the price when buying the iPhone 3G?

No one will pay less than $199 for the 8GB or $299 for the 16GB models. As you know, those are subsidized prices.

Matt asks: Say I just recently signed up with AT&T, standard contract. Now I want to get an iPhone 3G -- will I have to pay more than $199 for the phone because it's subsidized? For example, if I were to upgrade to a Blackberry now, I can't get the advertised $99 price (because I am a new, existing subscriber); my price is $374.

It depends on whether or not you are eligible for an upgrade.

We ask: What is the penalty for not activating the phone in 30 days? How will that be enforced?

[no comment given]

Edited June 13, 2008 by Dj

[Honest 836]

Bloggers highlight seven biggest iPhone disappointments

24 Jun, 2008, 1340 hrs IST

WASHINGTON: Even before the launch of Apple's new iPhone 3G, technology blogs have started to highlight factors that may make it a mere gadget.

Top among such factors is the device's high cost, with technology blog 'Bits' calling it "a step backwards for consumers".

Bloggers believe that it is not less expensive to own because US mobile carrier AT&T has a pricier data plan to subsidise the up-front cost.

In Australia, confirmed iPhone carriers Optus and Vodafone have not revealed the local pricing, but both will offer it on a no-contract prepaid plan.

Another biggest iPhone disappointment is the fact that it still doesn't support Adobe's Flash technology, which means many multimedia-rich sites remain off limits.

Thirdly, it is not easy to crack open the new device's sleek case to replace its battery.

The new iPhone also does not have video recording provisions, something one can find even in the so-called low-end "feature phones" these days.

Besides all that, it is unable to copy a chunk of text and paste it into another application.

The lack of support for Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) is said to be one of the most maddening iPhone flaws, reports a magazine.

The iPhone does not even have a voice dialling system that allows users to dial verbally.

Seven biggest disappointments regarding Apple's new iPhone 3G:

· Cost

· Doesn't support Adobe's Flash

· No replaceable batteries

· No video recording

· No cut-and-paste

· No multimedia messaging service

[Honest 836]

Apple's iPhone could find Asia tough to crack

6 Jul, 2008, 0952 hrs IST

HONG KONG: Mancy Li wants to get her hands on Apple's newest version of the iPhone, but she won't bother to queue up in Hong Kong when it is released in Asia this week.

"I want to get one because it is trendy. It has a touch screen, it looks pretty and it's made by Apple," the 22-year-old visual arts student says. But she's prepared to wait and see what happens to the price of running the new version of the phone, which Apple hopes will become as big a global hit as its iconic iPod music player.

The iPhone 3G, which Apple is billing as twice as fast and half as expensive as the debut model, will roll out in cities from Tokyo to Sydney on Friday, but it could face challenges in Asia it will not have elsewhere.

The company is betting the new phone's third generation (3G) capabilities, such as faster Internet access and file transfer, will make the phone a hit. Like the first version, the new model also has an iPod built in.

Many analysts are upbeat about its prospects, seeing Apple as a brand with a strong cachet in tech-savvy Asia. "It is going to do well," Aloysius Choong, of Singapore-based industry research group IDC, told media.

"Apple is a strong brand in Asia and this is their maiden mobile phone offering in Asia. Just the Apple aura or the Apple halo means that there will be non-Apple users who will look at the product."

But in a region where having the latest gadget is almost an obsession, black market debut-version iPhones are already widely available, serviced by countless shops that "unlock" the software to allow them to operate.

With the phone already in circulation, the novelty factor will be less, which could emphasise the importance of pricing for the new model. And that could prove to be an obstacle.

Like elsewhere, Apple is only allowing the iPhone for sale through a limited number of operators, whose pricing plans are not always particularly inexpensive. Hong Kong users could pay the equivalent of up to 65 US dollars a month under a two-year contract, a steep price in a market where monthly mobile packages often cost one-fifth of that.

In Australia, Telstra says customers who sign up for packages around 30 dollars a month will be able to buy the cheapest iPhone 3G for around 270 dollars.

Pricing has not been announced in New Zealand by Vodafone, the country's largest mobile communications carrier, but is likely to be crucial in deciding the iPhone's success.

"If Vodafone can get close to Telstra's pricing in Australia, I think they will be on to a winner," says Scott Bartley, reviews editor of PC World New Zealand.

The iPhone could also face an uphill battle in Japan, where handsets allow users to watch television and pay for goods like a credit card, neither of which the Apple phone can do. "I can foresee the iPhone storming the rest of Asia but not Japan," said Yusuke Tsunoda, a telecom analyst at Tokai Tokyo Research Centre.

"Compared with Japanese cellphones, it is not technologically superior." In the Philippines, meanwhile, where text-messaging is now a routine way to communicate, the phone's on-screen keyboard, instead of the regular buttons of a traditional cell phone, may be a turn-off.

"This could limit its appeal to the Filipinos, who love to text," said tech journalist Kendrick Go of the Manila Times. He said pricing could also be a factor in the Philippines, where much of the population lives on two dollars a day or less.

"The iPhone's popularity in the Philippines will likely be confined to the high-end market," Go said. "It is just too expensive for the average consumer." Finally, some consumers could be turned off if the iPhone becomes too much of a success -- and loses its cachet as a status symbol.

"Apple wants to make a big impact but it does not want to make too big an impact in the sense you want to create an image of scarcity and exclusivity," said the IDC's Choong.

Mancy Li, in Hong Kong, says the iPhone would lose its appeal for her if everyone had one. "I won't get one if I see too many people using it," Li says. "It won't be special anymore."

[Honest 836]

iPhone fans line up for the 'Apple' of their eye

10 Jul, 2008, 0144 hrs IST, ET

TOKYO/WELLINGTON: Seeking to be one of the world’s first to grab the new-generation iPhone, fanatical Apple fans around Asia are queuing up two days before its launch, undiscouraged by rain or freezing temperatures. The July 11 launch will be the first chance for Asian consumers to own an iPhone, and related websites have been swamped with inquiries and early orders.

In Japan, one of the world’s most advanced mobile markets, about 20 people were lined up outside Softbank Corp’s flagship mobile store in Tokyo on Wednesday morning, with a sign at the head of the queue reading ‘We Love iPhone’. “The big appeal (of the iPhone) is that this is an Apple product,” said Hiroyuki Sano, a 24-year-old graduate student who early on Tuesday arrived in rainy Tokyo from Nagoya, 225 miles west of the capital, to be first in line.

He will turn 25 on Thursday while waiting to get his hands on the high-end version of the iPhone with 16 gigabytes of memory. Apple also offers an entry-level version with an 8 gigabyte memory. “I’ve told my professor I was going to go buy an iPhone, and he gave me permission,” said Sano, wearing a T-shirt with an Apple logo. “He is an Apple-lover too, and he sent me off cheerfully.”

The long-anticipated 3G iPhone, which has faster Web links than its predecessor and supports third-party applications such as games and email, will debut in Japan, Hong Kong, Australia, and New Zealand on Friday as part of the global launch in 22 countries.

The original iPhone was only available in the United States and Europe, and the next-generation model is expected to go on sale in 70 countries by the end of the year.

Softbank, Japan’s third-biggest mobile carrier, will start selling iPhones at its flagship store at 7 am on Friday and expand sales nationwide at noon. Targeting a far bigger market with its new iPhone, Apple slashed the handset price and is allowing carriers to subsidise the phone this time around, making it easier for users to bring home the device. Research firm Enterbrain said 6.7% of 1,200 people it surveyed in Japan wanted to buy an iPhone immediately.

Four New Zealanders with deck chairs, sleeping bags and a small tent started queuing on a chilly Tuesday night outside the Auckland shop of Vodafone, which will launch the iPhone at 12.01 am Friday , the first in the world.

“I’m really just doing it to be able to say that I’m the first one in the world with one of these phones,” 22-year-old student Jonny Gladwell told the New Zealand Herald. Vodafone, New Zealand’s top mobile carrier, is selling the phone for as little as NZ$199 ($150) in the country if consumers sign up for a two-year contract. Demand for pricing details was so heavy it crashed Vodafone’s New Zealand website on Tuesday.

[Honest 836]

iPhone Will Take 15 Minutes to Unlock at Apple Stores

One more day to go before Apple opens its doors to eager mobile users standing in queue to get their hands on the iPhone 3G. It’s been a long run for the iPhone and it’s come a long way. I still believe it has a long way to go though. Of course, anyone who’s been following the hype will know that Apple has designed the iPhone 3G to be unlocked only from an Apple or AT&T store. This unlocking procedure, according to an Apple spokesperson, should take 10-15 minutes.

Apart from the information that US customers will need to undergo a credit check by providing their Social Security Number and/or credit card and now this, you’ll have to have an immense amount of patience, especially after waiting in never-ending lines. Good luck, guys. Let's hope it’s worth it.

Stay tuned for more updates.

Courtesy : Tech2

[Honest 836]

New iPhone lures black market buyers across Asia

10 Jul, 2008, 2329 hrs IST, ET

BANGKOK/SHANGHAI: The new iPhone looks set to be a huge hit in Asia countries where it goes on sale on Friday, but the sleek smartphone is already in high demand in black markets from Shanghai to Bangkok.

In Thailand, a Southeast Asian hub for pirated goods where Apple Inc's iPhone is not officially for sale, dealers boast they only need a few weeks to smuggle in the trendy phones and "unlock" them for use on local mobile networks.

"I'm taking orders this weekend and you'll get it by the end of July. We can sign a contract guaranteeing you will get it," Toew, a phone dealer who is offering 8 gigabyte 3G iPhones for 29,000 baht ($860) on the Internet, told reporters.

At Bangkok's MBK centre -- a treasure trove of pirated DVDs, clothing and luxury goods -- many shops are advertising hacked iPhones with signs that read: "Good price, we unlock very fast". Trading iPhones via the Internet has become more popular in recent months, with prices for the current iPhone soaring 25-30 percent due to tight supply and rumours that the 3G iPhone cannot be hacked despite the claims of online shops.

An old iPhone with 8-gigabytes of memory now costs 22,000-24,500 baht, up from 16,500-18,500. A model with twice the memory fetches 25,000-28,000 baht, up around 5,000 baht from a few months ago. "I'm an iPhone addict now. I'm going to sell the old one and buy the 3G phone. No matter what the price is, I'll get one," said Tana Tanaraugsachock, a 41-year old financial executive, who bought her first iPhone during a trip to the United States.

A poll by a local website showed more than 77 percent of 2,000 respondents want to buy the new phone, which Apple says has faster Web links faster than the old version and supports third-party software like games.

"It's fashion and technology that attract mobile users to the iPhone. They are using more data services to surf the Internet," said Prattana Leelapanang, an executive at Thailand's leading mobile operator, Advanced Info Service. AIS estimates there are 140,000 users of the old iPhone in Thailand, where a 3G network is only in the testing stage for now. Apple is rolling out the new iPhone in more than 20 countries -- including New Zealand, Japan and Hong Kong -- but AIS has not yet reached a deal for Thailand, Prattana said.

"WE HACKED IT"

In Hong Kong, Hutchison Telecommunications has been flooded with online applications from eager buyers, but retailers in the rest of China -- where the iPhone is not officially offered -- are also gearing up to sell hacked phones. On Shanghai's posh Huaihai Road, a merchant at Cybermart mall said an unlocked iPhone is priced at 3,000 yuan ($437), while a Chinese copy would cost 1,000 yuan.

"As soon as we get it from Hong Kong and bring it over and unlock it, you should be able to buy it here by the end of July at the latest," said Zhang, whose shop is at two floor above an authorised Apple reseller. Asked about claims that the new iPhones could not be hacked, he replied: "The Chinese are very quick at unlocking iPhones." "They used to say that the PSP couldn't be hacked as well, but we hacked it."

Inside the bustling Cybermart are rows of stalls bearing neon signs with local and global brands. No iPhones were actually exhibited in displays, but when asked repeatedly, merchants would sometimes offer to bring out hacked handsets from the back. Another shopkeeper said most customers prefer the unlocked versions, rather than Chinese copies, which she added were sometimes not of very good quality. "If you look at where a lot of those unlocked phones were going a lot were going to Hong Kong and China...that's a sign of a very big demand," Chris Whitmore of Deutsche Bank said.

[Honest 836]

Apple opens online 'extras' shop on eve of iPhone 3G launch

11 Jul, 2008, 0151 hrs IST, ET

SAN FRANCISCO: Apple on Thursday threw open the virtual doors of an "App Store" brimming with independently created mini-programs promising to make iPhones even more coveted.

The online shop's opening comes a day before iPhone 3G makes its international debut in a launch expected to boost Apple's fortunes along with its share of the booming "smart phone" market.

When Apple chief executive Steve Jobs in March announced plans for an App Store stocked with programs crafted by third-party developers he expected 100 programs available by opening day.

The shop, accessible through Apple's online iTunes store, opened with five times that many mini-programs. More than 125 of the applications are free.

Mini-applications include games and photo-sharing to mobile versions of Twitter, MySpace and eBay.

Software creators are allowed to set their own prices, as long as figures end with 99 cents.

Apple senior vice president of worldwide product marketing Philip Schiller said the iPhone "represents a new software platform for developers, combining the most advanced mobile operating system, sophisticated developer tools and a breakthrough way for developers to wirelessly sell and distribute their applications."

Apple stores will open early Friday to begin selling iPhone 3G models in more than 20 countries and analysts say sales could pass the billion-dollar mark within days.

[sajokj 8]

I am planning to buy one. My brother in law is working as a Merchant Navy in a US Shipping Company, Now he is in US. He told he had brought one from the Black market in US for $225 US(<Rs. 10K). 8GB

I had asked him to buy one for me too.

For unlocking we need to to pay $25 US extra in the same shop we buy the iphone.

So total cost is only $250 US.

[Honest 836]

Global rollout of 3G-ready iPhone kicks off

11 Jul, 2008, 1502 hrs IST, ET

TOKYO: The global rollout of Apple Inc.'s revamped iPhone kicked off on Friday in Asia with countdown celebrations and quick sellouts as crowds of gadget fans streamed into stores after long waits.

The target of desire was Apple's much-hyped new product that uses 3G, or third-generation, cell phone technology _ an upgrade of the model that went on sale last year in the United States and several other nations.

Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong and Japan were the Asia-Pacific locations getting the new phone, with festivities shifting to Europe as the global day and 22-nation launch progresses. In the United States, phones will be available at 8 am in each time zone.

``Just look at this obviously innovative design,'' said Yuki Kurita, emerging from a Tokyo store with the brand new 3G-capable iPhone he barely knew how to use.

The 23-year-old system engineer, among about 1,500 people who had camped out on the street by one downtown store, said he was too excited to feel tired and called his mother to boast about his new buy.

``I am so thrilled just thinking about how I get to touch this,'' he said, carrying bags of clothing and a skateboard he had used as a chair during his wait.

Kurita acknowledged, though, that the iPhone would replace only one of his two phones. He and other Japanese buyers said they wanted to check out how services such as e-mail worked before they decide to forsake their old phones.

The iPhone's capabilities are less revolutionary in Japan, where people have for years used tech-heavy phones from domestic makers such as Sharp Corp. and Matsu****a Electric Industrial Co. to exchange e-mail, search for restaurants, download video and play games.

But networks prevalent up to now offer only limited access to the Web, and the iPhone is designed to browse the Web in much the same way computers do. Its arrival marks a significant foreign entry in a market dominated by local brands.

Japanese media, including The Nikkei, the nation's top business daily, are talking about ``iPhone shock,'' alluding to Commodore Matthew Perry's black ships that forced an isolationist feudal Japan to open to Western influence in the mid-1800s.

The frenzy over the iPhone was visible elsewhere in Asia as well. In Hong Kong, designer Ho Kak-yin, 31, wearing a T-shirt that said, ``Jealous?'' was the first in line in a queue of about 100 inside a Hong Kong shopping mall.

``I'm very excited. It's very amazing,'' Ho said, after lining up two hours ahead of the kickoff.

Hundreds queued outside stores in New Zealand's main cities got their iPhones earlier at midnight Thursday.

``Steve Jobs knows what people want,'' Web developer Lucinda McCullough told the Christchurch Press newspaper, referring to Apple's head. ``And I need a new phone.''

Exactly how many iPhones will be available has been uncertain, fueling the hype about the Apple gadget with a cool-factor reputation.

``This is the year that the cell phone becomes an Internet-connecting machine,'' Masayoshi Son, president of Softbank Corp., the only carrier selling the iPhone in Japan, said at the countdown ceremony. ``Today is that day that will make it real, and it's a historic day.''

Softbank said it sold out of iPhones at three major Tokyo stores before they opened. It has refused to say how many iPhones are being sold and said it didn't have a nationwide store tally.

Tomohiko Katsu, a 38-year-old Japanese banker, said he has rarely lined up for any product in his life but wanted to make sure he got the iPhone and got in line Thursday afternoon.

``All the features come packed in a compact machine,'' he said. ``It's really small for a mobile PC device.''

A report this week by Mizuho Securities Co. said the iPhone's had potential to change lifestyles and bring new business opportunities.

Japanese tend to spend an hour or more on daily train commutes, and the iPhone could get them Netsurfing more than reading or listening to music, it said.

The iPhone's arrival could also change the relationship between manufacturers and carriers because of Apple's clout. Up to now, carriers have had considerable leverage over manufacturers, the report said.

In Hong Kong, Apple and its local service provider Hutchison Telecom, have limited initial sales to 1,500 people who have been longtime customers or were preselected by an online lottery. Still, those picking up the gizmo were welcomed with a rollout event at a mall.

Simon Evans, a 39-year-old chef in Hong Kong, was convinced his new iPhone would simplify his life.

"I can use e-mail, the calendar. It will help plan my day,'' he said. ``A lot of my friends are very jealous. They want an iPhone, but I have one now.''

[Honest 836]

Big Apple consumers jostle for iPhone 3G

11 Jul, 2008, 1951 hrs IST, ET

NEW YORK : About 1,000 tech fans -- and at least one confessed "gadget freak" -- jostled for a chance to snap up the first iPhone 3Gs in the US on Fifth Avenue on Friday.

Apple employees in orange T-shirts cheered on the crowd as sales kicked off at 8:00 am.

First out of the shop with the latest was David Yoo, 24, of New York. "I am very happy, I am going to call my mother" he told reporters.

Yoo said he bought the new one because he thinks it is "faster with the Internet, and for the GPS."

"I like it also for the applications as much as for the phone," he said. He said he would sell his older model iPhone.

Yoo arrived at midnight and he bought a 16G iPhone for 299 US. Jason Rappaport, a 27-year-old New Yorker, arrived at 5:00 am and was out at 8:45 with his new phone.

"Most important for me is the faster Internet because in the old model it was much slower," he said.

"Also the GPS is important, whenever you come up through the subway and you don't know where you are, you push the button and there you are!," Rappaport said, who admitted "I am probably going to give my old IP to a family member ... but I am a gadget freak so I needed the new one!"

In the crowd watching the buyers coming out from the store were two French young men.

They were wearing signs reading "I could trade my red pants for your old I-Phone (really)," but told AFP so far, they had yet to make a deal.

[Honest 836]

Now Access MySpace on the iPhone

MySpace has announced a highly-integrated new MySpace Mobile experience customized and available via the Apple Apps Store launching today along with the iPhone 3G.

This free MySpace mobile application for the iPhone promises to empower users seamlessly traverse their MySpace global network on-the-go. A key feature is instant photo uploading from the iPhone to a MySpace profile. MySpace claims the new mobile application is a deeply optimized, engaging experience designed for the portable screen of the iPhone.

At the launch, Chris DeWolfe, chief executive officer and co-founder of MySpace Mobile on iPhone, said, "The global MySpace community will love MySpace Mobile on iPhone. With rich features such as seamless photo uploading from iPhone to your MySpace profile, the MySpace Mobile application is gorgeous, and as intuitive as possible -- empowering the community with complete control over their global MySpace network right from the palm of their hand."

For MySpace, mobile is a significant element of its global business strategy, providing a new channel for users to connect with each other and for advertisers to target a highly-engaged audience. With MySpace Mobile on iPhone, MySpace aims to cater to users demanding an on-the-go MySpace experience.

John Faith, general manager and vice president (Mobile) of MySpace, said, "The iPhone is a natural fit for a MySpace application. There is hipness to this device that resonates with our core audience. Through our design, we encapsulated the core aspects of social networking and created a natural feel for an iPhone user."

MySpace claims the new application is fully optimized for delivery of content and data to each user while preserving aspects of the iPhone that users love. MySpace Mobile on iPhone brings a customized iPhone User Interface (UI) by integrating MySpace's core social networking components with iPhone's capabilities. MySpace Mobile on iPhone harnesses the power of the touch-screen by using the same touch functionality as native iPhone applications, MySpace claims. The application is marked by ease-of-navigation and quick access speeds, making it the best way to experience MySpace on the iPhone. Other features include the ability to stay connected with friends through a full messaging interface; easy navigation using standard iPhone touch support, real-time friend, status, and mood updates, camera integration and optimized photo management, and 360-degrees feedback mechanism to contribute to future iterations of the product.

Starting today, customers can download the free MySpace mobile application from Apple's Apps Store on their iPhone and iPod touch or at www.itunes.com/appstore/. The application will be immediately available worldwide in English, and will be available in a total of 12 languages by the end of July 2008.

Courtesy : Techtree

[Honest 836]

Some iPhone customers unable to make calls

11 Jul, 2008, 2320 hrs IST, ET

NEW YORK: Some of the first US buyers of Apple Inc's new iPhone were not able to make calls on Friday morning due to technical problems with iTunes, according to AT&T Inc and some customers.

AT&T, Apple's sole US carrier partner for iPhone, said some customers were having problems activating services as their new iPhones were not able to synchronize with Apple's iTunes music and software store. Synchronization with iTunes is a necessary step in making the new phones work.

AT&T spokesman Michael Coe said Apple was working to resolve the problem, and he declined to comment on when it might be resolved. "That's a good question for Apple," he said. Apple had no immediate comment.

[Honest 836]

Software problems bug Apple's launch of new iPhone

11 Jul, 2008, 2343 hrs IST, ET

NEW YORK: The launch of Apple Inc.'s much-anticipated new iPhone turned into an information-technology meltdown on Friday, as customers were unable to get their phones working.

"It's such grief and aggravation," said Frederick Smalls, an insurance broker in Whitman, Mass., after spending two hours on the phone with Apple and AT&T Inc., trying to get his new iPhone to work.

In stores, people waited at counters to get the phones activated, as lines built behind them. Many of the customers had already camped out for several hours in line to become among the first with the new phone, which updates the one launched a year ago by speeding up Internet access and adding a navigation chip.

A spokesman for AT&T, the exclusive carrier for the iPhone in the U.S., said there was a global problem with Apple's iTunes servers that prevented the phones from being fully activated in-store, as had been planned.

Instead, employees are telling buyers to go home and perform the last step by connecting their phones to their own computers, spokesman Michael Coe said.

However, the iTunes servers were equally hard to reach from home, leaving the phones unusable except for emergency calls.

The problem extended to owners of the previous iPhone model. A software update released for that phone on Friday morning required the phone to be reactivated through iTunes.

"It's a mess," said freelance photographer Giovanni Cipriano, who updated his first-generation iPhone only to find it unusable.

When the first iPhone went on sale a year ago, customers performed the whole activation procedure at home, freeing store employees to focus on sales. But the new model is subsidized by carriers, and Apple and AT&T therefore planned to activate all phones in-store to get customers on a contract.

The new phone went on sale in 21 countries on Friday, creating a global burden on the iTunes servers.

[Honest 836]

3G iPhone debut draws copters

12 Jul, 2008, 0209 hrs IST, ET

SAN FRANCISCO: Apple Inc started selling the iPhone 3G on Friday, drawing thousands across Asia and Europe, with customers creating a half-a-mile-long line in Tokyo and braving summer heat in Madrid.

Minoru Hagiyama arrived at Softbank Corp’s store on Omotesando, Tokyo, at 6:30 am to find about 1,300 customers already in front of him. The first began camping three days ago to buy the updated handset, which works on speedier third-generation wireless networks.

``I haven’t owned a mobile phone in about five years, I just didn’t feel the need, but this is different,’’ said Hagiyama, 50, from Tokyo. ``I don’t think of it as a mobile phone, more like a portable PC.’’ The line of customers, mostly male, stretched as much as 800 meters, or half a mile, from the flagship store of Softbank, Japan’s third-largest wireless carrier, which won the right to sell the iPhone 3G. The store’s entrance was besieged by reporters and camera crews, while helicopters circled overhead as an LED display counted down to when the handset went on sale.

Apple chief executive officer Steve Jobs is aiming at Research In Motion’s Blackberry as the iPhone goes on sale in 22 markets, almost quadrupling the markets for the handset, which has better audio quality, lets users run software from outside developers and adds support for corporate e-mail systems. The handset has seized second place behind the Blackberry in the market for Web-surfing devices known as smart phones in the US.

Smart-Phone Winner

When Hiroyuki Sano, who traveled 350 kilometers (220 miles) to be first in line in Tokyo on July 8, emerged with his white iPhone, he was chased by a pack of about 30 journalists. He gave up trying to outrun them after four blocks.

``I’m extremely happy,’’ the breathless Sano, who turned 25 today, said. The business-friendly features may help Jobs win more corporate customers, bringing him closer to his goal of selling 10 million iPhones this year.

"Apple will be one that does well since they are making it out to be so much more than a phone other players seem to be playing catch-up,’’ said Romeo Dator, portfolio manager at the All American Equity Fund at US Global Investors Inc. in San Antonio. ``They will be a winner in the move toward smart phones.’’ His firm manages $5.5 billion, including Apple shares.

`Absolutely Everything’

In Madrid, German Simone, a graphic designer from the city, arrived at Telefonica SA’s flagship store at 8 a.m., two hours before it opened, to find a queue of hundreds. Telefonica workers gave out t-shirts to help protect people from the 30 degrees- Celsius heat.

``It has absolutely everything, cell, Internet, portable PC, music and cinema, all rolled into one,’’ Simone, 34, said, when asked why he wanted the device. ``Gone are the days when you are there juggling your cell, iPod and BlackBerry.’’

In the UK, the handset went on sale at 8:02 a.m. in stores run by Apple, Carphone Warehouse Group Plc and wireless provider O2. About 100 people queued outside Apple’s London Regent Street store.

`It’s a great device. It’s innovative and has fantastic features,’’ music software engineer Mark Olleson, 32, said as he waited in line at the store.

O2 said it was experiencing some ``technical difficulties’’ with the computer system that Apple uses to connect customers to O2. ``The system is currently working but quite slowly,’’ the operator said in a statement. O2 and Carphone Warehouse’s larger stores are selling 40 iPhones an hour, which is more contracts than they normally sell in a day, the operator said.

World’s First

``I have a reservation for my second iPhone, both that I received as presents,’’ said Francesco Cossiga, former Italian president and prime minister, by telephone from Tuscany where he is on vacation.

The iPhone 3G’s debut came at one minute past midnight in Auckland, New Zealand. ``I’m going to go home, put this on charge, play around with it and have a nice long sleep,’’ 22 year-old student Jonny Gladwell told Television New Zealand after becoming the first person in the world to buy the handset from an authorized retailer. He queued for 55 hours, he said.

Jobs plans to offer the device in 70 countries later this year, compared with about 135 nations for Research In Motion’s BlackBerry. Piper Jaffray & Co. analyst Gene Munster predicts Apple may sell 4.08 million iPhone 3Gs this quarter.

Apple, based in Cupertino, California, rose 1.4 percent to $176.63 yesterday in Nasdaq Stock Market trading. Before today, the stock had declined 11 percent this year.

Rivals

Phone makers have returned fire with less costly competing devices. Sprint Nextel Corp. dubbed Samsung Electronics Co.’s Instinct handset an ``iPhone killer’’ when it began selling the device last month for $130 with a contract. Palm Inc. sells the Centro smart phone for $99 with a carrier agreement.

Jobs plans to turn the iPhone into Apple’s third major business alongside the Macintosh computer and iPod media player. Those businesses accounted for 78 percent of Apple’s $24 billion in sales in its latest fiscal year.

Different Strategy

Apple is no longer tying distribution deals with wireless carriers to a cut of the monthly fees they collect. Instead, analysts anticipate its partners to buy phones from Apple for anywhere from $350 to $700 apiece. The carriers can then sell the 3G phone at any price, with a goal of recouping the handset’s cost by requiring that customers sign service contracts.

Apple will sell its largest model, with 16 gigabytes of storage, for $299 with a two-year service contract in the U.S., compared with $499 for the older version. AT&T Inc., the biggest U.S. phone company, provides iPhone service exclusively there.

Customers will be able to download Internet content at least twice as fast as the older models using the 3G networks. The new iPhone also has a global positioning system and support for Microsoft Corp.’s Exchange corporate e-mail system.

``I truly believe this phone is best in class,’’ said Jeffrey Ng, president of New York-based Eastmedia Group Inc., who waited in line last year at Apple’s Fifth Avenue store to buy his iPhone. He plans to trade up to the new model. ``The GPS and 3G speed I think is well worth it.’’

[Honest 836]

New iPhones hit activation snags

12 Jul, 2008, 2330 hrs IST, ET

Activation problems marred the US launch of Apple Inc’s new iPhone on Friday, with many eager buyers leaving stores frustrated that they could not use the hotly anticipated gadget after waiting in line for hours.

AT&T Inc, the sole US carrier for the iPhone, blamed problems synchronizing the phone with Apple’s iTunes online music and software store, saying it was probably caused by too many people trying to access iTunes at the same time.

Apple had no immediate comment on the problem, which appeared to be affecting users of the older iPhones as well.

“It’s pretty lousy. It was not a very Apple-like experience,” said Frank Beacham, a 60-year-old writer who was left with basically a so-far-useless phone after an hour spent inside a Manhattan Apple store, and a four-hour wait outside.

AT&T spokesman Michael Coe said Apple was working to resolve the problem, but he had no timeframe.

“There’s been a lot of demand worldwide for the iPhone 3G,” Coe said. “That means a lot of people synching with iTunes.”

AT&T, which was still selling phones by mid-afternoon after selling out in some stores, advised customers to go home and activate the phone later themselves on iTunes, Coe said.

Some customers at the Apple store in New York’s SoHo said Apple employees had told them the problem was with AT&T’s network. Coe said he was unaware of any AT&T problems.

Old iPhones Affected: Earlier on Friday, many customers had left stores pleased it had taken only 15 minutes to activate their new iPhones, which combine a music and video player, phone and Web browser. “It’s really great, it’s a lot better than my BlackBerry,” said Joshua Deutch, 31, referring to the e-mail device made by Canada’s Research in Motion Ltd that is popular with corporate users.

“Launching a website takes seconds ... It’s very comfortable,” Deutch said. “I’m trying to get it up on my firm’s e-mail and there are some hiccups here and there. But overall, it’s a good experience.”

But by mid-afternoon, many customers were being sent home without having activated their phones. Some users of the original iPhone and iPod Touch, both launched in 2007, also said they were having difficulties downloading software updates so they could play video games and use other applications on their software.

While some cheerfully accepted that hiccups were to be expected during a big product launch, others were annoyed.

“My phone’s not working. So now my old phone doesn’t work and my new phone doesn’t work. I’m going to have to find a pay phone. Do they still make pay phones?” said Deena Hadi, 23, a marketing analyst at the Fifth Avenue store in New York.

Ben Gersch, 31, a NY artist, said the initial set-up had been slow in the Apple store in SoHo, but that it had begun working from the moment he left.

[Honest 836]

What does Apple's new baby have that its peers don't

13 Jul, 2008, 0735 hrs IST, ET

After the much-awaited launch of Apple’s 3G iPhone on Friday and announcements by Vodafone and Airtel regarding its introduction in India in September , the Indian customer is waiting eagerly for what is currently the world’s most wanted gizmo. So what does Apple’s new baby have that its peers don’t?

An important thing about the iPhone is that it stands out in comparison with other smartphones not for what it does, but how it does it. The distinguishing features of iPhone can be summarised as sleek design , brilliant display and an innovative touch screen interface. The 3.5 inch display is the phone’s highlight - the 480x320 pixel resolution offers brilliant colours, sharp graphics and fluid animations.

It also makes the iPhone an excellent handheld gaming device. The iPhone’s menu interface is intuitive, eyecatching and easy to use. The iPhone uses only a touch screen and though it is not the first phone to rely solely on a touch screen, the intuitive way it is implemented stands out and one does not miss a stylus.

The touch screen uses multitouch technology , which allows one to move the fingers in a variety of ways to manipulate what’s on the screen.

The phone has a motion sensor, which enables it to adjust the display’s orientation automatically when the phone is flipped on its side while using the music/video player and the Internet browser. Another sensor turns off the display automatically when you lift the iPhone to the ear for a phone call.

The phone also has all the features of an iPod. An important feature is the capability to install third party applications or ‘apps’ that would add a number of additional functionalities. Hundreds of free apps are expected to be available soon on the Internet .

The new iPhone’s important novel features can be summed up in two words - GPS and 3G. The GPS allows the use of location-based services such as navigation and 3G provides high Internet speed. With support for three 3G bands and both UMTS and HSDPA networks, the iPhone 3G can use high-speed networks all around the world.

An important new feature for corporate users is the support for Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync . This would enable access to e-mails , calendars and contacts, allowing them to access their official emails on the iPhones.

The new iPhone is also slightly slimmer, lighter and offers more battery time than its predecessor. However, it lacks some basic features that other smartphones provide.

The phone has only a two megapixel camera, which lacks a flash and can’t shoot videos. It also does not provide multi media messaging (MMS). Another thing missing is stereo Bluetooth headset support. The iPhone also doesn’t allow copying and pasting of text and cannot play Flash animations on web pages.

If one compares the new iPhone’s features with those of smartphones such as Nokia N95 or HTC Touch Diamond, one finds that many of its individual features are bettered by these phones.

But where the iPhone scores is in offering a sleek, stylish and overall user-friendly package that has made thousands across the world queue up for days in front of Apple stores to lay their hands on it.