Author Archive for iPhoneAppReview

iPhone and iPod touch: About backups

Original article found at Apple.com

A good read on syncing VS backing up on the iPhone / iPod touch.

Summary

iTunes can create backups of settings and certain other information on iPhone and iPod touch. You can use a backup to restore this information to your iPhone or iPod touch after a software restore or update, or to transfer the information to a different device. Backups can be deleted from iTunes using the steps below.

Products Affected

iPhone, iTunes 7 for Windows, iTunes 7 for Mac, iPod touch

The 3g iPhone may be cheaper than the current model.

If you have been waiting to get an iPhone, your patience may be about to pay off.  That is if you are not an AT&T customer and are willing to sign a 2 year commitment.  According to published rumors on the web AT&T may be subsidizing the cost of the soon to be released 3g iPhone by $200.00 with a signed contract to AT&T.

That’s a smart move for Apple and AT&T. I think it will keep a few more unlocked phones off the market and will bring a new wave of iPhone adopters to the fold.  With subsidized pricing an 8 gig iPhone would cost $199.00 and a 16 gig would be $249.00 in the U.S.  With those kinds of prices I think a few more people may be willing to live with AT&T for 2 years.

Along with cheaper prices some of the rumored new features of the iPhone are said to be 3G (of course), GPS, and some rumors are stating a slimmer package than the current.

I would not be surprised to see the phone released in 16 gb and 32 gb models only.  This can not be substantiated, but you can quote me in case I am right.  It makes good business sense, due to the cheap prices in memory and Uncle Steve wants you to have lots of room to store Apps, and movies, and music, and games, Oh my!  Apps, and music, and movies, and games, Oh my!
So if I am right quote me, my name is Kevin Morris @ www.iPhoneAppReview.com, and if I am wrong, Oh well!

3G iPhone photo and rumors

There are many rumors about the the 3G iPhone that are starting to hit the net.

First is the wide spread reported shortage of iPhones at Apple stores across the country.  Apple typically reduces inventory of a product in store before releasing a new updated version.

And now this…actual photos of a possible 3G iPhone in a new shiny black case.  Could this be the real thing or hoax?  Only time will tell.  For now the photo shows an all black plastic case that would help with the problems that the metal case causes interfering with the antenna in the current model and 8 gigs, at least on this prototype.

I would be surprised to see Apple carrying the 8 gig over to the 3G but they may need to in order to keep the entry price down.

Thanks to iPod Observer for the photo.

Apple releases an updated iPhone SDK

Apple has just released a new version of the iPhone SDK Beta.

Here are the details as released by Apple:

The second beta version of the iPhone SDK is now available and includes Interface Builder, a powerful tool that allows you to visually build your interface and makes creating a UI as simple as drag and drop.
We’ve also added new sample code and updated documentation to the rich set of resources available to you in the iPhone Dev Center.

Log in to the iPhone Dev Center today and download the new version of the iPhone SDK.

Car Charger for the iPhone

Griffin Technology announces their Power Jolt Car Charger for all iPods and iPhone.

Some things that make this charger unique are:

• Low profile.
• Detachable power cord.
• Amber and red ring light to show you the charge status.

You can order the charger directly from Amazon for $17.30, that’s more than $2 off the retail suggested price.

John C. Dvorak is my Hero

On a site like iPhoneAppReview you may not understand the title of this post.  But let me explain, in one short article John Dvorak can bring more attention to a product and him self than a thousand press releases.

a recent article as an example
He likes to beat the war drum and gets the Apple faithful worked up, scratch a little of the chrome on the shinny Apple logo.  I think it’s great, because I get his schtick.  He does not pick his topics based on personal beliefs but on what is going to get a rise out of the community that he is attacking.  The easiest targets are Apple fans, most Apple faithful read his articles or headlines and froth at the mouth.  They discuss the idiot John Dvorak, they email his articles they go to his web site, they view his web ads, they watch him on TV, they make him money so that next month he can do the same thing again.

Microsoft Office on the iPhone

Microsoft is said to be leveraging the skills it has learned from it’s Mac Business Unit to look at creating a mobile version of MS Office for the iPhone. Microsoft will leverage it’s expertise in Active Sync technologies to create business applications that are sure to appeal to the corporate units who are looking to bring the iPhone in house.

This looks to be shaping up as an explosion of applications and development as every company wants a piece of the iPhone marketplace. 10 million phones may be an easily attainable sales figure if this is picked up on the corporate level as it looks like it is shaping up to do. I predict by this time next year that Apple will be on level playing ground with Rim as far as phones in the marketplace. I believe the adoption will be swift, and snowball as corporations adopt, developers create compelling apps, and other corporations adopt so as not to be left behind.

iPhone 2.0 Screen shots

Boy Genius has posted numerous iPhone 2.0 screen shots on his web site. So, if you just can’t wait to see what Apple has in store for you, head on over to take a peak for yourself.

Early shots of the iPhone Appstore

According to iPodNN
Apple may have inadvertently revealed ongoing testing of the App Store for the iPhone and the iPod touch, a popular hacking site claims. One contributor notes that while experimenting recently with the v2.0 firmware, he inadvertently managed to enter the App Store, instead of receiving the normal “cannot connect” message. Found inside were two web applications, including the well-known iPhone version of Facebook; it is speculated that Apple is doing live testing of the Store, and using placeholders in advance of the first truly native applications. Also observed in the Store were a five-star ratings system, and a series of navigation buttons which mimic those of the current Wi-Fi Music Store.

Subscription based iTunes may be a rumor.

Reports floated around the net yesterday that Apple may be in discussion about a subscription based music service for the iPhone. Today Business Week has released a story and said, “Not so fast”.

While they believe the time may be right for an all you can eat service, they report that no official talks are under way at this time.
The fact is that iTunes in it’s current state helps sell hardware for Apple. But iPod sales are slowing and competition is increasing from the likes of Amazon and other music vendors that already offer a subscription based service.

In order to keep sales of the iPod up and get new people interested in the device Apple may be forced to look in to a subscription based model. If that happens they are more competition to the likes of satellite radio which will have an even harder time trying to define itself in the market place.