Kryptonlogic Studios

Apple released today the iPhone 2.2 firmware via iTunes for the iPhone and iPhone 3G. Here is what they have to say they changed.

iPhone 2.2 Software Update

This update contains many bug fixes and improvements,
including the following:
~ Enhancements to Maps
- Google Street View
- public transit and walking directions
- display address of dropped pins
- share location via email
~ Enhancements to Mail
- resolved isolated issues with scheduled fetching
of email
- improved formatting of wide HTML email
~ Improved stability and performance of Safari
~ Podcasts are now available for download in iTunes
application (over Wi-Fi and cellular network)
~ Decrease in call set-up failure and call drops
~ Improved sound quality of visual voicemail messages
~ Pressing the Home button from any Home screen takes
you to the first Home screen
~ Preference to turn on/off auto-correction in Keyboard
Settings

Products compatible with this software update:
~ iPhone
~ iPhone 3G

Apple 2.2, Apple, firmware, iPhone, iPhone 3G, update

Apple’s iPhone has half the failure rate of RIM’s BlackBerry in the first year of use, a study carried out by a mobile-phone warranty firm has found.

The SquareTrade study, released Saturday, looked at more than 15,000 handsets that were covered by the company’s policies. It found iPhones had a malfunction rate of 5.6 percent in the first year, compared to 11.9 percent for Research In Motion’s BlackBerry smartphones. Palm’s Treos fared even worse, with 16.2 percent having some sort of malfunction in the first 12 months of use.

Figures from the analyst firm Canalys, released last week, showed Apple has now overtaken RIM in the global smartphone sales stakes.

SquareTrade had to project their figures for the iPhone’s failure rate over a two-year period, as the handset has not been available for that long–nonetheless, that rate came in at between nine to 11 percent. The equivalent failure rate for BlackBerry handsets was 14.3 percent, with the Treo coming in at 21 percent.

Breaking the figures down, the most prominent malfunctions for iPhone users appear to be touchscreen-related, accounting for a third of all reported issues with that handset. However, 12 percent of iPhone users reported accidental damage to their handsets within the first year of use–the average for other handsets is 9 percent.

“It’s likely that any iPhone owner can guess the reason iPhone accidents are so common,” the authors wrote. “After two minutes of handling an iPhone, it’s impossible to escape noticing that the handsets are incredibly slippery. The form doesn’t help, either. The dimensions make for a difficult grip, especially for those with small hands. These two factors conspire to make the iPhone more accident prone than just about any other handset model we’ve seen.”

The report’s authors also noted that fewer than half-a-percent of iPhone owners reported battery problems after a year of use, compared with around 1 percent for BlackBerry and Treo users.

SquareTrade’s study did not take into account software issues handled directly by the retailer or fixed by firmware updates.

ZDNet UK has requested comment on SquareTrade’s report from both RIM and Apple, but had not received it at the time of writing.

Read More

Mobile Apple, blackberry, cNet, failure, iPhone, iPhone 3G, malfunctions, rim, treo

According to a report from NPD, sales of cellphones have shifted in a manner which should shock and stun even a casual observer. Apparently for the first time in years, Motorola’s ubiquitous RAZR has been overtaken in consumer sales… by the iPhone 3G. This is a watershed moment for handset sales in the US, marking not only a shift away from the dominant market leader, but a turn towards more complex, full-featured devices. The news comes hot on the heels of NPD’s previous findings, which still placed the RAZR in the top spot — though with ever-decreasing numbers. In that same report, the iPhone found itself in second place, but it appears that flagging interest in the inescapable dumbphone coupled with the recent iPhone PR blitz have put Apple’s moneymaker into the top position. The news is also buoyed by recent reports that Apple has overtaken RIM as the number two smartphone vendor, and a J.D. Power study which found affection for the device waxing in the extreme. Overall, however, handset sales fell 15 percent year-over-year, and LG managed to snag the top brand position, with two models in the top five. Still, if there already wasn’t a clear indication of the market moving towards both smartphones and touchscreen devices, this should give everyone a clearer picture of both the public’s wants, and the power of Cupertino’s ad-men. Full PR after the break.

Read more…

Apple #1, breaking, domestic, handset, iPhone, iPhone 3G, News, NPD, razr, surpasses

The iPhone Dev Team has just released PwnageTool 2.0, thus bringing jailbreak and non-App Store third-party application support to iPhones/iPod Touches running firmware 2.0. First-generation iPhones can also be unlocked. At this time, the iPhone 3G cannot be unlocked or used with BootNeuter.

Erica will post more details later tonight or tomorrow, and the Dev Team promises a more detailed announcement soon.

As always, be cautious if you decide to install PwnageTool 2.0 and make proper backups of all of your data before proceeding, understand that installing software like PwnageTool is unsupported by Apple, blah blah blah.

Enjoy!

Apple iPhone, iphone 2.0, iPhone 3G, Iphone2.0, Iphone3g, ipod touch, IpodTouch, pwnage, pwnagetool, pwnagetool 2.0, Pwnagetool2.0

The App Store is live, and we’re taking a peek around before it implodes from curious users trying to download dozens of apps for their iPhones and iPods touch (or is that iPod touches?).

Already users can start downloading their programs (which are downloaded to their /Users/[user]/Music/iTunes/Mobile Applications/ directory as .ipa files), but you can’t do anything with them until you get the 2.0 firmware (or an iPhone 3G).

So far everything is really smooth and easy to use, although it’s easy to tell that the enormous amount of applications that will be available in the coming months (and years) will become a difficult thing to trudge through. It’s a high-class problem for Apple, but hopefully it won’t be too overwhelming to find something good if you don’t know exactly what you’re looking for.

We’ll be keeping tally of some of the more noteworthy launch apps, although many we’ve already seen:

• AIM - duh
• Google Mobile - “a great place to start your search”
• Twitterrific - Finally, a legit, standalone Twitter client
• Bomberman Touch
• Epocrates Rx - An app to help identify “mystery pills” you might find. Very helpful.

We’ll be updating with more info as we go!

Apple app store, Apple, AppStore, features, iPhone, iPhone 3G, Iphone3g, ipod touch, IpodTouch, Software

Apple Apple Retail, Carphone Warehouse, iPhone 3G, O2, Rogers

The offer, which runs through August 31, will allow customers to add the $30 package to any in-market voice plan. Rogers said 6GB of data should be sufficient to view 35,952 web pages, exchange 157,286 emails, or watch 6,292 minutes of YouTube videos each and every month.

In addition, the carriers said new iPhone 3G customers will have the choice to select from existing Rogers voice and smartphone data plans with additional features to best suit their needs, or from the previously announced value bundled plans specifically for iPhone 3G.

Meanwhile, existing Rogers Wireless customers can keep their current voice service plan and select a separate data plan to meet their needs, or choose from other plans after checking their individual upgrade eligibility.

In anticipation of Friday’s launch, both Rogers and Fido also announced plans to open the doors of select retail stores across Canada in advance of regular hours. Starting at 8:00 a.m., customers will be able to purchase the new iPhone 3G at special launch day events to be held at six Rogers Plus stores across: Toronto (112-10 Dundas Street East), Montreal (1015 rue St. Catherine Ouest), Ottawa (690 Bank Street), Halifax (Unit 265, 7001 Mumford Road), Calgary (5244 Falsbridge Gate, NE), and Vancouver (2097 West Broadway). Fido will hold a similar event at its flagship store at 1004 rue St. Catherine Ouest, Montreal.

Customers attending the launch day events at any of those stores will be treated to a free early bird breakfast and have a chance to win prizes, Rogers and Fido said.

iPhone 3G will also be available at participating locations across Canada during regular store hours, including select Rogers Plus, Rogers Video, and Rogers Wireless retail locations and at the following specially selected authorized Rogers Wireless dealers: WirelessWave, TBooth and Wireless etc. A complete store listing is available here.

Alternatively, Canadians can also purchase iPhone 3G online at www.rogers.com and through Rogers’ customer service at 1-888-764-3771.

Due to anticipated high demand, Rogers says there will be a limit of two iPhone 3Gs per customer.

Apple iPhone 3G, Rogers

Walt Mossberg | The Wall Street Journal

• iPhone 3G “is much, much faster at fetching data over cellphone networks” than the original version.
• Overall, the new phone “mostly keeps its promises.”
• Surfing the net was typically between three and five times as fast on AT&T’s 3G network. In Washington and New York, 3G speeds ranged between 200 and 500 kilobits per second compared to 70 and 150 kbps on EDGE.
• With 3G enabled, the iPhone 3G’s battery drained much more quickly in a typical day of use than the battery on the original iPhone.
• Apple has greatly improved the iPhone’s audio. The built in speaker is much louder for music and speakerphone conversations, but the phone produced an echo when used with the built-in Bluetooth system in Walt’s car.
• Exchange ActiveSync works well and setup takes just minutes. Any changes made on the iPhone are reflected instantly in Microsoft Outlook. Email is also pushed to the phone instantly.
• While iPhone Software v2.0 allows for both personal and Exchange email accounts to function simultaneously, synching Exchange calendars and contacts will erase any personal calendars and contacts.
• A side benefit to 3G coverage is that it improves voice coverage: “At my neighborhood shopping center, where the first iPhone got little or no AT&T service, the iPhone 3G registered strong coverage.”
• AT&T, however, still has spotty network coverage in major metropolitan areas: “In New York City, riding in a taxi along the Hudson, one important call was dropped three times on the new iPhone. Finally, I borrowed a cheap Verizon phone and got perfect reception.”

Edward Baig | USA Today

• “No equal among consumer-oriented smartphones.”
• Baig’s corporate data (through Exchange) was a “relative cinch” to setup and works well.
• 3G isn’t accessible in parts of northern New Jersey, highlighting the at times spotty coverage of the faster network.
• Most websites take 10 to 30 seconds to load through 3G, which is a lot faster than on EDGE (which often takes an extra 30 seconds or more).
• The phone feels “perfectly comfortable” in the hand courtesy of the plastic back.
• Apple confirms that the plastic should improve reception versus the original’s aluminum.
• The journalist is “impressed” by the accuracy of GPS, but says the phone begs for voiced turn-by-turn directions.
• Audio quality is better overall, particularly the speakerphone; headphones are of course still better.
• Parental controls actually remove icons outright from the home screen; they don’t just block access.
• You’ll still want to charge the phone about once a day if used regularly.
• Old iPod accessories meant to charge over Firewire circuitry (such as a Belkin car kit) don’t work; iPhone 3G still only recognizes USB.
• Overall: an “enthusiastic thumbs up.”

David Pogue | The New York Times

• The “gracefully curved” back feels better in the hand than the original iPhone.
• Call quality takes a “gigantic leap forward” and is “crystal clear” on either end of the call; few other phones rival it.
• Apple: the GPS receiver’s antenna is too small to replicate turn-by-turn navigation of a full unit.
• Like with most GPS devices, a ‘canyon’ effect from downtown buildings can block reception.
• Battery replacement will still cost $86.
• Examples of third-party apps: iCall for VoIP calls over Wi-Fi, G-Park for position-based parking, and Urbanspoon for picking a random nearby restaurant by shaking the phone.

Apple iPhone 3G

Included are some rough and dirty notes on: the build number of iPhone Software v2.0 gold master, iPhone 3G sales to Apple store customers unaware of their upgrade pricing eligibility, in-store activation times, FamilyTalk plans, and more.

• The build number of iPhone Software 2.0 shipping on iPhone 3G handsets that will go on sale Friday is ‘5A345.’
• The model number of the 8GB iPhone itself is ‘MB709LL.’
• As mentioned previously, Apple retail employees will not be able tell whether an existing non-iPhone AT&T customer is eligible for upgrade pricing before beginning a new iPhone 3G purchase transaction, so customers should determine this on their own first. However, customers unsure of their upgrade status can still upgrade to iPhone 3G at Apple retail stores. Once a purchase transaction for these customers has begun, Apple’s EasyPay handheld systems will indeed tap AT&T’s account database at a certain point to determine the price to charge the customer for the iPhone hardware. The customer just won’t know ahead of time unless they check their account status online, go to an AT&T store, or call AT&T customer service.
• The actual activation of an iPhone 3G through the modified iTunes app Apple and AT&T will use takes less than 30 seconds. A credit check takes about 5 minutes and the remainder of the process that includes picking a plan takes less than 5 minutes.
• The majority of customers signing new 24-month contracts with AT&T should be prepared to possibly have their existing rollover minutes reset to the number of monthly minutes included with their new iPhone 3G plan. This is standard practice for AT&T and it’s possible it will carry over to iPhone upgrades.
• AT&T’s 4000 minute ($259.99) and 6000 minute ($359.99) FamilyTalk plans are somewhat pointless and AT&T reps have confessed to almost never selling these plans in favor of the Unlimited FamilyTalk plan ($259.99) or breaking down a two-line FamilyTalk plan into two individual plans.
• The $30 Unlimited Text Message plan for FamilyTalk plans is the only text message plan that can be shared across all FamilyTalk lines. FamilyTalk subscribers can still purchase the 200 ($5), or 1500 ($15) text message plans, but must purchase those plans on a per-line basis. They cannot be shared.
• Customers will have to accept AT&T’s terms and conditions using a signature capture device in AT&T stores (and likely Apple stores as well).
• An unconfirmed report suggests that the UK’s Carphone Warehouse was expecting 50,000 iPhones on launch date but will now receive just 5500 8GB models and 3500 16GB models. Staff were reportedly told to expect an average of 12 iPhones per store, down from the average of 80 for the original iPhone launch. A large delivery of iPhones is expected in 10 to 14 days. O2 has also warned its customers of weeks-long iPhone shortages.
• Some rough photos of an activated iPhone 3G are included below, though BGR has posted a more visually appealing gallery of an inactive unit being unboxed. [Mirror at Gizmodo]

Apple iPhone 3G

The complete message from O2 Sales Director Stephen Shurrock, obtained by AppleInsider, apologizes for the surge that knocked out its systems for ordering the Apple device and that it was the ratio of demand to actually supply that was to blame.

The company’s early registration page wasn’t just a notification service but a way passing on demand estimates to Apple, according to Shurrock: the users signed up at the site gave O2 reasons to ask for larger iPhone orders ahead of July 11th. With the number of registrants quickly spiraling out of control, however, it soon became clear that there would be many more orders than iPhones once advance purchases were an option.

“To put it in context we had over 200,000 people expressing interest and only a very small proportion of that number of devices available,” he says. “Faced with this dilemma, we made it clear in the communications that to be fair to all customers the orders would be managed on a first come first served basis, as stock was limited. The response was so great that the online store completely sold out of iPhones within just a few hours.”

Even with 250 times the performance capacity and backups in place, the online system collapsed after it received as many as 13,000 orders per second. “We just weren’t prepared for this unprecedented level of demand,” Shurrock adds. “No website is.”

Still, actual in-store supply may raise the most concern for O2 subscribers. Although the July 11th retail debut the next best chance to get an iPhone, each shop will have just a “few dozen” phones and is likely to run out quickly; with new stock coming in only once a week, the UK company isn’t certain that it can accommodate everyone on launch.

“We are confident that over time we will start to get sufficient volume to meet demand, but it is likely that stock will be in very short supply for some weeks to come,” Shurrock says.

The supply problems online and at retail are largely credited to the 22-nation simultaneous launch of the iPhone, which O2 says will spread stock thin. However, Apple retail head Ron Johnson has tried to allay concerns and says his company’s goal is to always have stock — which O2’s Shurrock says will be more prevalent at Apple’s own retail locations.

Apple iPhone 3G, O2