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Windows iPhone 3G jailbreak tool released
Sure, it was already possible (if complicated) to jailbreak a first-gen iPhone running the 2.0 software under Windows, but this is the one-click tool all you crazy cats with those extra G's need if you don't have a Mac -- too bad no one's come up with a better name than "pwn" yet. Please, people. Let's do better. PS.- As usual, you run the risk of totally destroying your phone mucking around with this stuff, so don't say we didn't warn you. Update: winpwn.com is down already, mirrors in the comments![Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Number port stats suggest curious trends in iPhone 3G launch
Sure, Apple alleges to have flipped over a million iPhone 3Gs at this point, but what does that mean? The devil's in the details, as always; yes, true, the first one took 74 days to reach that same milestone, but it was available in less than one-twentieth the number of countries and an even smaller fraction of carriers. Hell, the very definition of "sale" is under scrutiny here, with some suggesting that Apple's making reference to the number of phones it's sold to its carrier partners, not end users -- a metric that would make sense from Cupertino's perspective since Apple's payday technically ends there.Here's where it gets interesting -- Engadget has obtained a handful of stats regarding number ports in and out of T-Mobile USA handled by a national wholesaler. Specifically, we have data surrounding the launch of the first-gen iPhone and the iPhone 3G, and get this: of more than 1,000 ports in total, ports to AT&T represented under 40 percent of the firm's total outflow in the days surrounding the 3G's launch, versus nearly 70 percent the last time around. Furthermore, they took roughly the same number of inbound ports from AT&T during the same period, meaning that T-Mobile effectively lost no net ground due to the 3G's launch. Granted, the porting stats from a single wholesaler represent just a microcosm of the big picture, but even accounting for some loss of precision when you extrapolate that data, you're looking at a pretty significant downturn in interest from T-Mobile subscribers. We still think Apple's probably laughing all the way to the bank either way -- and iPhone 3Gs are sold out virtually everywhere right now -- but you've got to wonder if AT&T's not freaking out a little bit at the number of new subscribers it managed to entice, and whether its competitors are all breathing cautious sighs of relief at some surprisingly reasonably churn rates.
iPhone 3G Dock / Universal Dock Adapters now on sale
For many, dropping $199 / $299 on an iPhone 3G (provided you actually locate one not hidden behind a 4+ hour line) is enough. For those who fell head over heels with the original iPhone dock, it's not. Here's your chance to send 29 more US bucks Cupertino's way, as the official iPhone 3G Dock is now on sale at Apple's website. Oh, and if you're really a sucker, you'll lay down 9 whole US dollars for a 3-pack of iPhone 3G Universal Dock Adapters to slip your new mobile into a Universal Dock. Update: So apparently these have been in Apple stores since day 1. Considering just how long it'll take to get in one, though, this whole "online route" is still probably your best bet.[Via Wired]Read - Apple iPhone 3G DockRead - iPhone 3G Universal Dock Adapter 3-Pack
iPhone Dev Team says Pwnage Tool won't unlock iPhone 3G (for now)
iPhone unlocking is a little more cash-intensive now that Apple and AT&T are all contract-happy with the 3G, but it looks like would-be unlockers will have a little more time to save up those pennies -- the erstwhile hackers on the iPhone Dev Team say that while a forthcoming version of the sadly-named Pwnage tool will activate and jailbreak the iPhone 3G, unlocking is taking a little longer than expected, and they don't want to release the code until it's exactly right. The tool still unlocks first-gen iPhones running 2.0 and allows jailbreak apps to co-exist with the App Store, so if you're desperate to unlock right away, we'd say a first-gen unit is your best bet.
Autoblog takes iPhone 3G's navigational abilities for a spin
Yeah, so there's still lots of confusion on whether bona fide turn-by-turn GPS software will ever arrive on the iPhone 3G (though signs are pointing to "yes"), but considering that it's not there now, Autoblog took Apple's new darling for a spin in the Bay and churned out some impressions. If you're looking for the long and short of it, the iPhone 3G's navigational abilities aren't that impressive. The reviewer even went so far as to say that having a passenger manning the arrow buttons that showed your next move was "almost a necessity." Additionally, the GPS flaked out and lagged behind the current location quite frequently, which can definitely be a problem when attempting to navigate one-way streets in an unkind downtown. So, should you sell off your standalone navigator on the way to pick up your new iPhone 3G? Probably not -- at least not just yet.
iSuppli sez iPhone 3G is running Apple $53 less than original
Tech firms seem to have this uncanny ability to significantly boost functionality while significantly reducing cost with each new generation of a product -- and you'll never believe this, but it looks like Apple is no exception. The teardown and bean-counting experts over at iSuppli are at it again with the iPhone 3G, finding that the whole kit and kaboodle tallies up to just $174.33 (give or take) for the 8GB model in material and manufacturing costs. That works out to about $53 less than iSuppli's estimate for the original 8GB model back in June of last year, an amount saved in part by moving to a single 10-layer circuit board (versus a pair of 6-layer boards). The firm figures Apple's shelling out about $50 in royalties for each iPhone 3G that rolls off the assembly line, leading to a grand total of $224.33 in costs. Offset that with a healthy AT&T subsidy, and all told, we're looking at something like a 55 percent margin to help Steve finance his next round of black turtlenecks.[Via AppleInsider]
Greg Joswiak explains iPhone missing features
ExtremeTech managed to score an interview with Apple's vice president of Hardware Product Marketing Greg Joswiak where he discusses some of the tradeoffs of the 3G iPhone. He explains that cut and paste didn't make it into iPhone 2.0 just because they didn't get to it, judging "other things to be more important." He also corrects David Pogue who had previously claimed that the iPhone was not technically capable of turn-by-turn GPS, leading us to believe that the limitations aren't technical so much as legal.Personally, I find it rather strange that Apple considers cut and paste such a low priority feature. I often find myself really missing it, and you'd think it would be worth implementing just to shut up all the people who complain about it. Nonetheless, I suppose this is hopeful in that it suggests that Apple will probably get around to it at some point.[via Engadget]
3G iPhone under the hood
A while back we noted that iFixit had completely broken down a 3G iPhone to see what was inside. Now TechOnline has a report about exactly what makes it tick and they've managed to identify all the important chips on the iPhone's mainboard to get some insight into Apple's design choices. They note that the 3G iPhone is an incremental improvement over the original iPhone rather than a ground up redesign. Of particular interest is how many of the new wireless parts are from Infineon, while the main processor remains a Samsung part. Strangely, given Apple's huge flash order with Samsung, the memory itself seems to be from Toshiba. Check out the original article for a fuller description of the new iPhone's silicon underpinnings. There are also some videos of the teardown.[via MacNN]
Samsung Instinct, LG Dare, iPhone 3G... fight!
Alright, you three are sworn enemies, so what are we waiting for? Let's get it on! Go ahead, seriously, exchange some blows. No better way to get the party started than with a little speed test; the Instinct's data services still seem to be jacked, but the Dare and iPhone 3G squared off with the LG model consistently besting Apple's by between 50-100kbps over Verizon's EV-DO network (see the gallery for the side-by-side). That's not to say the Dare is consistently the faster phone -- it has everything to do with the network in your area, the time of day, the circumstances, and which side of the bed you woke up on this morning -- but it's an interesting observation here nonetheless. We'll follow up with an Instinct speed test (and another round of testing on the Dare and iPhone) when we can.%Gallery-27485%
iPhone 3G: guts, plants, and free SMS
Craziest thing, Apple apparently launched some sort of device being loosely coined as a "cellular telephone" last Friday. The darned thing makes calls, keeps track of contacts, and even receives messages -- all right from your pocket! Wild, sci-fi caliber stuff, that. We're catching up on the latest iPhone 3G buzz, and here's what we've got going on at the moment: Jonny Gladwell, better known as the first iPhone 3G owner in the world thanks to his perfect storm of location (New Zealand) and line position (first), has been outed as a plant for New Zealand's Yellow Pages. Turns out the guy was hired by the directory service to see if he could "survive" the brutal multi-day sitting experience using nothing but -- you guessed it -- the Yellow Pages to get by. Ironic that you don't need a friggin' Yellow Pages when you have an iPhone, isn't it? Hmm, Jonny? Portelligent has sacrificed an iPhone 3G to conduct perhaps the most thorough teardown thus far, finding some incremental improvements, largely to accomodate 3G and bring the design in line with the iPod touch, while carrying over a good deal of componentry that had no reason to be upgraded. Infineon and Toshiba had big wins here in the radio and flash memory departments, respectively. AIM acts as a conduit for sending text messages by allowing users to add phone numbers as "buddies." The iPhone has an AIM client. See where we're going with this? Yep, it's a cheesy way to avoid shelling out for a text messaging plan, if you want to go to the trouble of using AIM in place of the native SMS app. The plot thickens in the yellow screen issue. As we'd mentioned yesterday, Apple claims the warmer color temperature seen in the iPhone 3G was a purposeful attempt to make things prettier and sharper -- but now, Ars Technica reports that forcing an update in iTunes from the 3G's shipping firmware of 5A345 to the ever-so-slightly newer 5A347 pushes things a little bit back toward the blue end of the spectrum. So what's it gonna be, Apple? [Thanks to everyone who sent these in!]
Black iPhone 3G vs. white iPhone 3G... fight!
For many people we encountered in line on launch day, the decision had already been steadfastly made: they'd be picking up a black iPhone 3G, and no one would sway them from their path (except maybe -- maybe -- if the black was sold out by the time their number got called). We've got to say, though -- after spending a great deal of quality time with both colors, the white definitely holds a special place in our hearts. It doesn't show smudges as easily, it makes just a little bit bolder of a fashion statement, and it tells passers-by, "yo, I sprung for the 16GB model" since the 8GB is only available in black. Don't get us wrong, the black's just fine, but we figured we'd throw out some food for thought on the subject.%Gallery-27483%
iPhone 3G screens made "warmer"
The great 320 x 480 screen was among the things that didn't change with the 3G iPhone, or so we thought. Some of the lucky folks who managed to snag a 3G iPhone have noticed that the screen on the new model seems to be slightly yellowish compared to the original iPhone. Now Engadget is reporting that this is intentional. According to an Apple marketer "the screen's color temperature has been purposely altered on the new iPhone to produce warmer, more natural tones, sharper images, and deeper blacks." Apparently the iPhone engineers decided that the first generation iPhone screen was "colder and less defined" and so made the change. So for those of you out there that have upgraded: what do you think? Is the new screen better?
iPhone 3G and firmware 2.0: the day after
So many of you are probably still in your jammies, reveling in the afterglow of yesterday's purchase, repeatedly opening Maps on your glossy new iPhone 3G and watching in exaggerated wonderment as your location is determined with frightening speed and accuracy. Others might be standing in a line snaking hundreds of bodies long into your friendly local Apple Store, reading this post from the comfort of your Motorola RAZR V3 and realizing that these are some of the last moments you'll be using a physical keypad. Still others are bemused by the fuss -- but whatever your stance on the phone, it's pretty hard to ignore the buzz that's floating around in the aftermath of day zero. Here are some of the goings-on we're tracking: The masses of humanity continue to collect. Massive stock shortages don't seem to be an issue (yet), but patience is not a virtue we hold dear to our hearts, so we really can't blame these people. Some buyers are reporting a yellow tint to their screens -- probably not enough to notice without another unit side-by-side for comparison, but real nonetheless. Of course, the first iPhone suffered from the occasional crappy backlight, bum touchscreen, or negative black, so we wouldn't be surprised if a few lame displays made it out of the factory floor for this model as well; we're following up with Apple on this and we should have more for you later today. We took the iPhone 3G on a decent drive around New York, and found its tracking to be impeccable. In a situation where we might have veered off the path following Google Maps directions, the blue blip kept us right on track. Despite what you've read (we're looking at you, Mr. Pogue), we see no technical reason that the aGPS can't provide turn-by-turn directions, provided there's software to take advantage of it. There are some complaints floating around about 3G reception, but it's been just fine on our review units around the world so far. How's it treating you out in [your location here]? iphone-dev has a video up of BootNeuter going about its business on a first-gen iPhone that's been upgraded to firmware 2.0, and the process is looking as slick and painless as ever. Unlockers who haven't shelled out for the 3G, commence your salivating. MobileMe seems like it's up for the moment, but don't breathe too hard lest you bring the whole thing down again. Update: We just spoke with Bob Borchers, senior director of product marketing for the iPhone, and he had some very interesting info regarding the "yellow screen" phenomenon we've been hearing about. According to Bob (and Apple), the screen's color temperature has been purposely altered on the new iPhone to produce warmer, more natural tones, sharper images, and deeper blacks. The company says that 1st gen iPhone screens appeared colder and less defined, and they made some adjustments for the new models. In our opinion, what he says is right on -- the screens do look better on the iPhone 3G versus the older variety. What do you guys think?
iPhone lines cut off on East Coast and Midwest, west side still rockin'
This'll come as no surprise to those of you that've been following our worldwide line / stock watch, but with lines hitting six hours long, Apple's started capping them so that stores can close and prepare for tomorrow. Reports of line capping are coming mostly from larger stores in the East Coast and Midwest, but the Glendale Apple store in California is reportedly capped as well. Interestingly, while carrier stores worldwide have all sold out, we've heard that most Apple stores have had more than enough inventory -- one tipster reported that delivery trucks were being used to store overflow, since the main stock rooms were full at his local store -- so we're guessing the lines have more to do with the slowness of the activation process catching Apple off-guard. It certainly wasn't smooth sailing today, but eventually things started working, and it seems like anger's turned to love for a lot of folks. And isn't that the basis of every good relationship? Oh, right. So who's going to get up and do this all again with us tomorrow?
iPhone activation servers back online; stock updates from around the world
It's only 4pm ET and the iPhone 3G has already had a pretty rough go of it, with most customers forced to wait for Apple's activation servers to get back online and render their devices operational. AT&T just told us that the servers are back online, though, and that activations are occurring for 3G customers -- we're guessing that means first-gen upgraders are seeing things work as well. Lines are still killer right now, but now that the servers are back up, let's hope the chaos subsides a bit. We'll be filling in stock / line situations worldwide after the break as they come in, let us know what's up by you in comments or email iphone AT engadget DAWT com!Update: Most AT&T stores are out of stock -- if you must have an iPhone today, it looks like an Apple store is the only way to go. Have fun in line!Update 2: You guys are amazing -- keep those updates coming in! Right now it looks like the best place to nab an iPhone is Brandon Mall, in Tampa, Florida: plenty of stock and only 20 people in line. Who's up for a road trip? So much for that -- see below.Update 3: It looks like Apple is starting to cap lines so that stores can close by midnight or so. How crazy will it be if there are four hour lines for this thing again tomorrow? Keep those updates coming!Final update for the night: Apple's capping lines so that most stores can close by 11, or midnight at the latest. We'll do this all again tomorrow, thanks for all your help!NYC:Cube, 4:12pm ET: Line is two to three hours, they don't anticipate running out of stock.Soho, 7:42pm ET (updated): Lines have been cut off so the store can close later tonight. [Thanks, Jeff]14th Street, 4:34pm ET: 4 hour (!) line, "plenty of phones," don't think they'll run out, surprised to see that the line hasn't died down.Chicago:Apple store on Michigan, 7:34pm ET (updated 3): Line is GROWING (!), approaching 6 hours, Apple still says "we have enough supply to meet the demand." Lines have been cut off for the night so the store can close at midnight. [Thanks, Dan and Neil]AT&T on State: Sold out. We're double checking. Yep, out of stock.SF: Downtown, 4:22pm ET: Two hour line, "Quite possible" it'll run out of stock, in stock right now.
iTunes activation servers go down, iPhone 3G customers being sent home unactivated, first-gen iPhone customers stuck with dead iPhones
In a repeat of last year's problems, it looks like the insane demand for the iPhone 3G has taken its toll on Apple's iTunes activation servers -- that's a picture of iTunes locking up in the Chicago AT&T flagship earlier this morning. We're hearing that the servers are now definitely down after being intermittently active for the past few hours, and that customers are either being turned away or sent home from both Apple and AT&T stores to activate at home using iTunes. That's especially interesting since it suggests that AT&T was insisting on in-store activation to thwart unlockers, but for right now the real news is that lots of eager iPhone 3G buyers are stuck with two useless phones, since upgrading from a first-gen unit disables the SIM. Ouch. We'll keep you updated.Update: Apple has confirmed to us that activation is down, and that customers are being asked to take the phone home and activate via iTunes later. We're not sure what good that'll do, since the servers are down no matter where you are, but Apple says it's "working on a solution." In the meantime, it looks like the new SIM works in first-gen units, so at least upgraders aren't totally phone-deprived. Oh, and remember that updating a first-gen iPhone to 2.0 requires hitting the server as well, so if you haven't taken the plunge we'd say hold off until this all gets sorted.Update 2: In related news, those updating their first-gen iPhone to 2.0 are also getting caught in the activation shuffle, leaving some with bricked iPhones. In our test case, the activation servers came back up after about 45 minutes just long enough to get 2.0 running on our first-gen iPhone, but not all have been so lucky. Is your first-gen iPhone stuck in activation limbo from the update? Let us know.
Are you having problems with iPhone 2.0?
So we can't help but notice that Apple still hasn't officially released iPhone software 2.0 for first-gen iPhones, even though most self-respecting gadget freaks have pulled it from the direct download links that popped up earlier. Since the file was hosted and available on Apple's servers around the time it was expected for release, it seemed safe to assume that it was legit -- and indeed, it (for the most part) works fine and plays well with the newly-live App Store. But a few of us here have had persistent problems on our first-gen iPhones: interface lag, crashing apps, hard resets, you name it. On top of that, we're hearing whispers that the .ipsw in question was meant only for 3G phones and not first-gen units -- and bizarrely, the build number of what we've got is 5A347, while our launch iPhone 3G is running build 5A345 on them. So until Apple stops being, well, Apple, and clears this all up, we're putting it to you: how are things going? Any problems, or smooth sailing? Happy you took the early plunge? Let us know in comments!
Everyone peeved at iPhone 3G pricing on some carriers -- Apple included?
To call customer reaction to Rogers' iPhone 3G pricing plans "lukewarm" would be doing them an enormous favor. The plans -- which start out at $60 for just 150 voice minutes and can't be had with unlimited data at any price -- have spawned a pretty big grassroots effort in the form of an online petition that's managed to collect five figures' worth of signatures so far, and while an online petition won't likely net any results, drawing Apple's ire just might. Rumor has it that Cupertino has diverted a portion of Rogers' allotted launch handsets to Europe, leaving some retail stores in Canada with just 10-20 units for the 11th. It's all hearsay at this point, but honestly, a phone that thrives on data perhaps more than any other getting launched without a single unlimited data plan? Come on now, really.[Via Mac Rumors]
China Mobile's talks to nab iPhone turning the corner?
China Unicom aside, China Mobile is apparently still very interested in bringing the iPhone to mainland China -- and thanks to the return of the traditional revenue model for the iPhone 3G, balls are once again rolling to make that happen. China Mobile called the original iPhone's model the single biggest "hurdle" to sealing a deal, and at this point, only "practical" issues remain -- probably revolving around the fact that China has no WCDMA networks to speak of, if we had to guess, which would raise question about exactly how the iPhone 3G should be marketed there. For the time being, China Mobile says there's no schedule for bringing it to market -- and we know we can't rely on Apple for much guidance there until a deal actually happens -- so we'll just have to wait and see what those execs can get knocked out behind closed doors.[Via Unwired View]
Verizon CEO hates on Steve Jobs, doesn't see iPhone as a mass-market handset
If you've been scouring the dictionary for sour grapes, chances are you'll find Ivan Seidenberg's picture. Verizon Communications' chairman and chief executive recently sat down for an interview with Financial Times, and while he spent the vast majority of his time boasting of just how amazing Verizon is, he did stop to remark about Cupertino ever so briefly. Granted, he did start off by admitting that Apple was a "great company," but that didn't stop him from pillorying the iPhone as well as Dear Leader himself. He actually accused the interviewer of "declaring [Apple] a winner before it had earned it on the field," suggesting that the iPhone wouldn't become a mass-market handset simply because the next iteration will be subsidized. He also stated that "Mr. Jobs had no monopoly on innovation," and took the conversation even further off track by blurting that "Steve Jobs eventually will get old." At least Keystone knows where to find its next bitter beer face, right?[Via The Inquirer, image courtesy of Pace, thanks Frank]
