iPhone 3GS will come to China sans WiFi
John Paczkowski reports that Apple has formally requested a network access license to sell the iPhone in China - with the WiFi feature disabled. While reasons for doing so have not been reported on, this an unsurprising move for a country treading its new democratic waters carefully. If indeed true, we can "expect it to come before the Spring Festival in 2010".
Apple updates online support for keeping iPhone “within acceptable operating temperatures”
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In a move that may or may not be in response to recent reports of iPhone 3GS overheating (and discoloration in the white models), a knowledge base article for iPhone 3G and 3GS was updated on June 25, 2009 and provides a screenshot of the iPhone screen that reads, "iPhone needs to cool down before you can use it". Apple recommends operating temperatures of 32º to 95º F.
Liver transplants and one million iPhone 3GS(es)
So what's the real reason behind Steve Jobs' medical leave? If a Wall Street Journal report is accurate, it's because the Apple CEO underwent a liver transplant in Memphis a few months back. That's not the end of the story, though, the weird revelations were oddly revealed Friday night at midnight, a perfect time for Apple. Should we believe anything Apple has to say? Should people look at Cupertino with an even more skeptical eye? We ask Executive Editor of PC Mag, Jeremy Kaplan, and JKOnTheRun.com's Kevin Tofel.
Guests:
- Jeremy Kaplan , PC Mag
- Kevin Tofel , JKOnTheRun.com
iPhone 3G S beats iPhones, Pre, T-Mobile G1 in web browsing speeds
The S really does stand for speed in the iPhone 3G S, as the folks from Anandtech have tested that the iPhone 3G S is currently the fastest web browsing phone of the current generation of "blockbuster" smartphones, including the T-Mobile G1, iPhone 3G and, perhaps most notably, the Palm Pre.
We talk to Anand from Anandtech about the test results, and get his extremely informed opinion as to why the latest iPhone can beat all comers. His take? On top of the fact that the iPhone 3G S actually has a faster processor than the G1 or 3G, the iPhone OS has been developed for a few more years than any of the other OSes, which leads to significant speed improvements and optimization. Anand thinks that materially, the Palm Pre and 3G S are extremely similar devices, and that the Palm Pre still has lots of room for speed improvements in the browsing experience, especially if Palm doubles down on optimizing code.
Keep in mind, these aren't necessarily the 100% conclusive results, and much of the experiment depends on network bandwidth and coverage. Take, for instance, CNET TV's unscientific test in San Francisco, where the Palm Pre tended to top both older iPhones.
Guests:
- Anand Shimpi , Anandtech
iPhone 3GS launch day: Journos weigh in
We round out our day of coverage on the iPhone 3GS with two more journos' take on the device. First, Christina Warren from TUAW.com tells us that the reduced crowds might have actually played in Apple's favor, since they haven't seen as many emails and comments about activation issues. Marco Chiappetta from HotHardware headed down to his local store, and saw much of the same subdued environment echoed across the country. Christina is poised to pick up the phone once her upgrade pricing kicks in, but Marco still can't live without that physical keyboard.
What's your take? Are you going to take the plunge? Head to our new YouTube YourVoice page, and let us know what you think of the device, or leave a comment here.
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iPhone 3GS hits store shelves, eager line-waiting masses
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Despite a massive pre-order campaign, people still lined up for the iPhone 3G S's official launch earlier this morning. We've rounded up some of the stories from around the web, but nothing too out of the ordinary with this launch.
Update: Added unboxing link too, if you're into that sort of thing. Also added a camera comparison, apparently it's capable of HDR imaging. And, the inevitable take-apart has happened too, revealing an underclocked CPU.
Which smartphone are you buying?
It's been a rather eventful June thus far, with Apple unveiling the iPhone 3GS, Palm releasing the Pre, and today RIM announced the BlackBerry Tour. Each phone has its own ups and downs, but which phone is going to end up in your pocket?
We ask John Biggs of CrunchGear, and Jason Hiner of TechRepublic their takes on the latest crop of smartphones. John's phone of choice looks to be the iPhone 3GS, while Jason is eying the Pre. Both of our panelists think the real news this summer is that those cheaper, free with contract feature phones look to be going the way of the dodo, especially with a $99 iPhone on tap.
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Nokia N97 now available in the U.S.
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The Nokia N97 is now available in the United States. Available for $699 on the company's website and in each of the its flagship stores, in Chicago and New York, the multimedia phone sports a touchscreen, full hardware QWERTY keyboard and five-megapixel camera. Yes, a phone other than the Palm Pre and the iPhone 3G S launched this month. Who knew?