at and t
Latest
TimesOnline: Why you'll be paying a lot for iPhone 3G roaming
Remember when the first generation iPhone was released and people found themselves traveling overseas only to return to a large bill from AT&T? Well, TimesOnline is weighing in on the possible problems of data roaming and the iPhone 3G. As it turns out, 3G bandwidth is, shall we say, expensive. TimesOnline said O2's (Apple's iPhone carrier in the UK) 3G data roaming charges go up to almost £3 (~ $6 US) per megabyte when downloaded from a country within the EU; worldwide roaming is almost £6 (~ $12 US) per Mb.So, to put things into perspective, if you go overseas and download a 50MB file via your phone (such as audio or a short movie) then you will be spending over $600 US for that file. TUAW would like to take a moment and remind everyone about the Data Roaming Off switch in your settings. This can save you an expensive mistake (i.e. having to sell your kidney to pay your iPhone's roaming bill).[via MacRumors]
AT&T to limit iPhone 3G speeds to 1.4 Mbps?
MacNN noted in a recent post that AT&T is listing the iPhone as having a 1.4 Mbps connection (down-stream) while other 3G phones such as the Motorola Q have upwards of 3.6 Mbps connections. If you are thinking that this is a typo on AT&T's website, think again, because it was also mentioned in their press release about the iPhone (PDF link). The mobile phones, of course, have a slower connection compared to the 3G cards that AT&T offers. Some of the 3G cards can connect as fast as 7.2 Mbps down. So while Apple is touting their "3G speeds approaching WiFi speeds" you have to wonder why is AT&T limiting the bandwidth on the iPhone 3G so much. Update: MacNN updated their post shortly after this posting. MacNN's sources are saying that the 1.4 Mbps speed is "observed" speed over the network.
3G iPhone: What it means - a look at the hardware
Apple's much awaited 3G-enabled iPhone hit the streets today. But what you might not have noticed from the liveblogs are the hardware changes on the device. Here's a concise list of what new features the 3G iPhone offers: Slimmer Available in white/black No more recessed headphone jack All metal buttons 3G / GPS Comes in 8/16 GB models 5 hour talk time New USB wall charger The iPhone doesn't support "true 3G" speeds, rather it is running on the AT&T HSDPA network which qualifies as "3.5G." In addition, the tech specs say that you'll need iTunes version "7.7," which has not been released as of yet. The camera is the same 2.0 mp that we see on the "old" iPhones. Assuming you can actually get your hands on one, here's what you will find in the box: iPhone 3G Stereo headset with mic USB power adapter Dock Connector to USB cable Documentation Cleaning/polishing cloth SIM ejector tool (also known as a 'paperclip')
Found Footage: Samsung/Sprint goes after iPhone
It looks like Samsung and Sprint are going after some of the iPhone market share as they show off their video recording capability on the Samsung Instinct. As Apple's competitors are slowly catching up, is it time for Apple to release video recording capabilities for the iPhone? I'm sure that most iPhone users would like to see video recording on the next iteration of the device.
iPhone to become subsidized, non-exclusive?
RBC analyst Mark Abramsky says that the iPhone will exceed its projected goal of 10 million devices sold in 2008 -- possibly by selling upwards of 14 million. How is Apple going to get these sales figures? Well, Abramsky suggests that AT&T could subsidize the iPhone by up to $200 for the 8GB model. This would mean the 8GB iPhone could sell for as little as $199 (previously rumored here); and possibly increase sales by 50 to 100 percent. According to Abramsky, this would mean Apple would have to drop revenue sharing with AT&T. Mr. Abramsky also believes that Apple will start to sell unlocked iPhones (or iPhones without a specific carrier) without a premium over the AT&T iPhones. He suggest that unlocked iPhones could increase the adoption rate by two to three times for Apple's phone.All of Abramsky's conjecture hinges on Apple and AT&T agreeing to end their 5 year exclusivity agreement early. We here at TUAW see no real reason for either company to agree to that, at least not in the States.
