Mac notebook and other portable computing is covered
in The 'Book Review, and general Mac
news is in Mac News Review.
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iPhone News, Reviews, & Opinion
iPod News, Reviews, & Opinion
iPhone/iPod Add-ons
iPhone Add-ons
iPod Add-ons
iPod and iPhone Deals
iPhone News, Reviews, & Opinion
House Bill Could Force Apple, AT&T to Unlock
iPhone
News.com's Anne Broache reports:
"When T-Mobile began selling Apple's iPhone in Germany last fall, a
legal skirmish ensued, forcing the wireless carrier to sell it
untethered to a contract - at $1,460, no less. T-Mobile eventually
persuaded a court that the two-year contract was legal.
"Now that same kind of European rule would be imported into the
United States - meaning AT&T would be legally required to sell a
contract-free iPhone - if a new Democratic proposal in the U.S. House
of Representatives becomes law."
Link:
Democratic Bill Could Force Apple, AT&T to Unlock iPhone
Apple Posts iPhone 1.1.4 Update
Register Hardware's
Tony Smith reports:
"Zibri, the coder behind the latest iPhone jailbreaking and
unlocking app, ZiPhone, has warned handset owners not to upgrade to the
newly released version 1.1.4 firmware until the tool has been fully
tested with the update.
"Apple posted the iPhone OS update last night. So far, all it's said
about the new version is that the code contains a number of 'bug
fixes'. What glitches they repair are not yet known."
Link: Apple
Posts iPhone 1.1.4 Update
iPod News, Reviews, & Opinion
Professor Explains Nanotech Power for iPods
Computerworld's
Sharon Gaudin reports:
"Wouldn't it be great if you could walk down the street listening to
your iPod or using your smartphone without ever worrying about the
battery dying?
"Zhong Lin Wang, a professor and nanotechnology researcher at the
Georgia Institute of Technology, says that within five years, you might
be able to do just that. According to Wang, instead of using a battery
to power phones, MP3 players and other portable devices, you could
harvest the energy generated by the movement of your shirt. Yup, you
read that right - a 'power shirt,' which would provide users with a
flexible, foldable and wearable power source."
Link:
Professor Explains Nanotech Power for iPods
$5.99 Disposable Battery Powers iPod up to 8
Hours
News.com's Rick Broida says:
"Ick! Did I actually just write a headline with the words
'disposable' and 'battery'?! Let's see . . . yep, I did. But
before you get your environmentalist dander up, consider: one, I
recycle; two, I use compact fluorescent lightbulbs, and three, I have a
relevant story to share."
Link: Power Your
iPod for up to 8 Hours with $5.99 Disposable Battery
iPods Finding More Uses in War Zone
National
Defense's Grace V. Jean reports:
"The creator of the VCommunicator software - Orlando-based Vcom3D -
originally designed it to teach soldiers basic Iraqi Arabic phrases by
way of an iPod. However, now troops are finding new tactical
applications for the device....
"As they prepare for their daily patrols around Baghdad, soldiers
from the 10th Mountain Division sync up their iPods, not with songs and
movies, but with a laundry list of missions and audio files containing
pre-recorded phrases in Iraqi Arabic or Kurdish....
"The simplicity that has made the iPod, manufactured by Apple , so
successful as a music player also relates to its combat applications.
Soldiers simply scroll through as they search for mission data or for
spoken phrases. The display shows the sentence phonetically and in
script, and the user can play the corresponding audio clip, which also
can be synced to an avatar, or computerized character, that gestures
according to customs.
"Troops also are uploading maps and other images and content onto
the video iPods to assist them at vehicle checkpoints and door-to-door
searches...
"The most recent version of the Vcommunicator comes on the new iPod
nano, which troops are strapping to their wrists or wearing on lanyards
around their necks."
Link: iPods
in a War Zone
Apple Slashes Order Forecast for iPod Memory
InformationWeek's Antone Gonsalves reports:
"Apple has slashed its 2008 order forecast for the NAND flash memory
used in the iPod and iPhone, prompting iSuppli to dramatically cut its
2008 global revenue forecast for the component found in many consumer
electronics gadgets."
Link:
Apple Slashes Order Forecast for iPod Memory
iPhone/iPod Add-ons
Britannica Mobile for iPhone and iPod touch
PR: In order to ensure the best experience, Britannica
specifically optimized this site for the iPhone. Visit http://i.eb.com on your iPhone or iPod
touch.
If you don't have an iPhone or iPod touch handy, you can still
access plenty of great Encyclopaedia Britannica content from your
desktop, including the complete encyclopedia, videos, atlas, dictionary
and much more at britannica.com.
iPhone Add-ons
Control Your Computer's Mouse Using Your
iPhone
tech.co.uk's
Anna Lagerkvist reports:
"Cool application of the day: a piece of third-party software that
lets you transform your Apple iPhone or Apple iPod touch into a
wireless touchpad for your computer.
"Touchpad enables you to create a wireless touchpad on your iPhone,
letting you control the mouse on your computer using just the handset.
You can move the mouse around, click, double-click, and even drag items
by double-clicking on a file but keeping the touchpad pressed down. You
can scroll vertically by click-and-dragging on the right edge of the
Apple iPhone screen."
Link:
iPhone Morphs into PC Mouse Trackpad - Control the Mouse on Your PC
Using Your iPhone
Mad Catz AirDrives Interactive Headset for
iPhone
PR: Mad Catz Interactive, Inc. has announced today that it
has begun shipping its next generation of AirDrives designed
specifically for the Apple iPhone. Based on proprietary InAir
innovative personal audio technology, the new AirDrives for iPhone
provides superior comfort, fit, and sound quality along with a high
performance microphone which also serves as a send/end button for
answering and terminating calls.
Darren
Richardson, President and Chief Executive Officer of Mad Catz,
commented, "In the six months since its release, Apple's iPhone is
indisputably one of the most sought after consumer products worldwide
and Mad Catz believes its innovative AirDrives headphones enhance the
utility of this leading-edge platform. Combining voice capability with
AirDrives' existing technology allows users the seamless integration of
music selections, conversations and their surroundings. We look forward
to bringing this virtual communication experience to consumers
throughout 2008."
In conjunction with this new product offering, Mad Catz will move
the pricing of its existing AirDrives and AirDrives for Kids headphones
to $79.99 and $49.99, respectively.
The AirDrives for iPhone is currently available for purchase through
the Mad Catz websites (madcatz.com, gameshark.com, and airdrives.com
).
The AirDrives for iPhone headset and AirDrives headphones feature a
unique, outer-ear design that makes use of directional sound allowing
users to remain alert and socially engaged while providing a
distinctive listening experience. The patent-pending technology is
designed with sound quality, overall comfort, and long-term ear health
in mind and is compatible with iPods, MP3 players, computers, portable
DVD systems and now the iPhone. Testing indicates that AirDrives passes
the House Ear Institute and OSHA (Occupational and Safety Health
Administration) standards for all-day listening based on sound pressure
levels detected at the inner ear. The retail price is $99.99 for the
AirDrives iPhone headset, $79.99 for AirDrives headphones and $49.99
for AirDrives for Kids.
Features:
Integrated discrete microphone enables handsfree dual use from MP3
earphones to iPhone headset.
- Handsfree iPhone music pause / call answer functionality.
- Remain aware of life's surroundings.
- Comfortable ear grips adjust for precise fit and retention.
- Unique outer-ear design delivers rich natural sound.
- Unmatched versatility brings music into your active lifestyle
- Durable design.
Specification: Engineered Around Your Ears
- Handsfree iPhone music pause / call answer functionality.
- Frequency Range: 20-20,000 Hz
- Sensitivity: 98 dB SPL at source / 80 dB SPL at inner ear.
- Impedance: 16 Ohm
- Maximum Power Input: 15mW
- Cable Length: 4'
- Jack: Gold plated 3.5mm dual standard stereo / iPhone compatible
plus compatible with all iPods, 90 degree
AirDrives - Stereo Earphones for iPhone and iPods
Price $99.99
Promotional Giveaway!With the purchase of this product, receive a
FREE Mad Catz iPod Power Pro Bundle (SKU MOV035930/04/1). While
supplies last.
PhotoDial for iPhone
PR: Picture dialing for the iPhone. With PhotoDial you can
click on your contacts' portrait to call them. The fastest way to dial
a number. Just tap on the pictures to dial your friends and family. You
may change the order for quick dialing and set the size of the
pictures.
To get a free tryout, start Installer on your iPhone, press Sources,
then Edit, then Add. Next, type http://tinyurl.com/2t8cax
No need to scroll through a list of names, just add pictures to your
contacts and you will see them appear in PhotoDial. A double-click on
the home button will launch PhotoDial and a tap on a person's photo
will initiate the call.
The software works with all languages and all firmwares. It will be
available in Apple's official distribution channel in March and can be
downloaded now for Jailbroken phones. You'll be automatically notified
of free updates via Installer.
Normally $19.95 / EUR 14.95, our introduction offer (until
March):
Now $14.95 / EUR 12.95 ex. tax
Demo video on
YouTube.
Link: PhotoDial for iPhone
1.0
Caterpillar Customizes Your iPhone
iclarified.com reports:
"Caterpillar is an unique package of little tools for your iPhone
that can be installed separately from each other. Each module provides
its own set of features aimed to make your use of iPhone more
productive and fun. Customization, business tools, quick contacts
search, system font replacement and many more."
iPod Add-ons
Free iPod Phrase Books Now Available on
iTunes
PR: Following on from their release of the hugely popular
lastminute.com iPhone Translator last year, software developers
Coolgorilla today announced that their Talking iPod Phrase Books are
now available to
download from iTunes completely free of charge thanks to a savvy
sponsorship agreement with lastminute.com
Perhaps one of the most sophisticated podcasts ever released, the
iPod Phrase Books are available in six different languages the provide
a convenient way to communicate whilst on holiday and work by
translating English text into French, Spanish, German, Italian,
Portuguese, and Greek audio.
A separate podcast for each language delivers the necessary sound
files whilst another download installs a familiar phrase book menu
system onto your iPod to give quick and easy access to the hundreds of
audio translations.
