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AT&T: we'll offer tethering on the iPhone
It's been known since day one that iPhone OS 3.0 would support data tethering, and Apple took the opportunity at WWDC today to drive the point home by saying that it'd be launching the service with 22 carrier partners in 44 countries. Of course, it's easy to have assumed that AT&T wouldn't be one of those partners, but we've been told today by a company spokesman that it will be offering tethering on the device -- it just doesn't have any announcements to make at this time. Whether that means availability will be delayed (perhaps until the 7.2Mbps upgrade is built out) or they're just trying to hammer out pricing, we don't know, but it's a promising sign.
iPhone 3GS: Apple's codename for tomorrow's unveiling?
It's pretty much the eve of Apple's big WWDC press conference, and Daring Fireball's John Gruber is back at the eleventh hour to chime in some more on his previous (and perhaps well-informed) iPhone predictions. He sticks to his previous wagers -- twice the CPU speed, twice the RAM, a heavy emphasis on a new video camera (no word on if there's an additional front-facing one), and $199 / $299 for the 16GB and 32GB models, respectively -- but additionally chimes in that the new device's codename is... drumroll, please... the iPhone 3GS, which he surmises is probably going to be the final product name, as well. Kind of a yawner, if you ask us, but it'd sell like gangbusters no matter what it was called. As for that lowered-tiered iPhone, he's expecting it to be the current 3G model with a price drop to $99. Also on the table is iPhone tethering, which we already know was built into OS 3.0, likely for a fee chosen by each carrier. Teasing farther into the future, he suggests "Marble," codename for an OS X visual overhaul, and the tablet are very much real projects but that there's little to no chance it'll be at WWDC. No clue what the "S" stands for (speed, perhaps?), but at this point we're pretty much counting the minutes to tomrorow's keynote, and our clocks can't tick much faster.
Atheros AR6002 makes NEC's N-06A dual-mode handset a WiFi access point
We've seen oodles of dual-mode handsets, but none quite like this. Rather than boasting two radios, two keyboards or two faces, NEC's N-06A -- which is gearing up to debut on NTT DoCoMo over in Japan -- actually has two purposes. Aside from making calls on the carrier's FOMA network, the phone can actually double as a wireless access point when AP Mode is enabled. The handset packs a cutting-edge Atheros AR6002 module, which enables handsets to operate in infrastructure mode, the primary wireless connectivity framework employed in access points, routers, laptops and other WLAN devices. In other words, your netbook (and seven other WiFi-enabled devices) can hop online via your handset, and it's far easier than the wacky tethering methods we deal with today. Other specs include an 8.1 megapixel camera, HSDPA / WLAN models and a miraculous 3.2-inch touchscreen with an 854 x 480 resolution. There's no mention of a price or ship date for the handset, but more than that, we're thirsty for details on when this chipset will be featured in a handset that's headed to US soil. Check the full release after the break.
Is Google pulling tethering apps from the Android Market?
According to folks over at Android Community, Google has begun to pull tethering applications from the G1's Market. One of the contributors to the "WiFi Tether for Root Users" app claims that the company is citing distribution agreements with carriers as the cause of the takedowns. In their words:Google enters into distribution agreements with device manufacturers and Authorized Carriers to place the Market software client application for the Market on Devices. These distribution agreements may require the involuntary removal of Products in violation of the Device manufacturer's or Authorized Carrier's terms of service" Google Developer Distribution AgreementOf course, this should come as quite a surprise, given statements T-Mobile's Cole Brodman made to us during the G1 launch last year, and Google's seemingly rampant interest in being the de facto open source mobile OS. It's not clear at this point if this is an isolated incident (possibly related to the root nature of the app), or just the beginning of a more widespread move. Google (and T-Mobile to some extent) -- we await your response.[Thanks, Chris]
USB tethering, Publish Video and Find my iPhone found in OS 3.0
Apple touted quite a few new iPhone features at yesterday's OS 3.0 event, but now that the beta build is trickling out, there's been a bevy of unearthed discoveries to further pique our interests. First up, the gang at Boy Genius Report found an option to enable the "Find My iPhone" service in the MobileMe settings. Unfortunately, that's all we've got, but we wouldn't put it past Cupertino to build some me.com-linked location tracker that'd be the envy of Orwell himself -- hey, that'd be pretty useful if you accidentally left the mobile in a taxi. Also in the MobileMe section, it now says Publish Video when you go to publish an image. It's an odd typo, to be sure, and while video recording has been near the top of our wishlist for some time, we're not about to get our hopes up. Finally, Mac Rumors is reporting that a hacker has dug up and successfully activated the USB tethering capabilities. Apple's Scott Forstall had mentioned the devs were building it in, but were still in talks with the carriers. As to whether any or all of these functions will actually end up in the final OS 3.0 build, your guess is a good as ours. For now, check out more pics of the MobileMe additions after the break.[Thanks everyone who sent this in!]Read - Find My iPhoneRead - USB Tethering
Rumor watch: AT&T tethering plans may be announced this week
It's been under the rumor banner for some time now, but we've been told by a trusted source that the long-awaited AT&T iPhone-as-modem tethering plans (preliminary details in MacBlogz' post from November: 5 GB data cap, $30/month supplementary cost) may be ready for prime time during Macworld Expo this week. The tethering announcement might not rise to a keynote-worthy level; it could simply be publicized as a press release during the show. While $30 is a steep charge on top of an iPhone data plan, it's still cheaper than the $60 you'd pay for an EV-DO or HSDPA card plan for mobile data; for some users it may make more sense than a standalone device. Granted, you can already tether a jailbroken iPhone, but that may get you stomped on by the traffic cops rather promptly. Another tidbit from our source lends credence to the MegiPod rumor (a larger form factor for an iPod touch device) floated by TechCrunch last week. No timeframes were discussed, so the late 2009 on-sale date is still in play. It's not clear how the hypothetical unit would achieve this feat, but the suggestion is that it would have "full application compatibility" with currently available iPod touch apps ... puzzling, as it implies either resolution-independence for the apps or some pretty impressive scaling tricks to accommodate the larger screen size.
AT&T to charge $30/month for tethering, says MacBlogz
Ars Technica's Justin Berka quotes MacBlogz, which claims a source at AT&T confirmed that tethering for the iPhone will closely resemble the phone-as-modem plans already available for BlackBerry. The plan will cost at least $30 a month, and the cost will be rolled into a new plan for the iPhone. The source said that the plan will cap data transfer at 5GB, and AT&T will terminate the tethering connection if you go over the limit. Also mentioned is the connection process: iTunes may be required to at least set up the initial tethering configuration, and may be required every time you connect. Speeds will apparently start at 30kbps for areas serviced only by GPRS, and top out at 1000kbps for a really spectacular 3G connection. No release date was mentioned. All this comes from deepest Rumorland, of course, so all due caution is advised. MacBlogz says the source has worked at AT&T for "some time now" and the rumor could be taken "relatively seriously."
AT&T exec confirms iPhone tethering on the way
How's this for a telephone game: Technologizer's Harry McCracken reports that AT&T Mobility CEO Ralph De La Vega told Michael Arrington that the iPhone will be allowed to work as a tethered wireless modem for notebooks. It will be available "soon." Allegedly. Our own Mike Schramm noted possible correspondence from Steve Jobs himself in late August suggesting that talks were already underway with AT&T. We all know it's technically doable. Both NetShare and iModem take care of tethering quite nicely. The sticky wicket is getting AT&T's permission: the strain could be too much for the telco's 3G network to bear. At this point, we don't know if AT&T's plans to allow tethering include any rate increases or bandwidth caps. Got any theories? Let us know by leaving a comment.
First T-Mobile G1 tethering "solution" comes to light
Are you excited? Giddy? You should be. The inevitable has occurred, and even though it's far from elegant (and far from guaranteed-to-work), tethering on the T-Mobile G1 is a go. According to a few users over at TmoNews, this particular solution enables owners to share the G1's data connection via USB, which -- for all intents and purposes -- is tethering. You're going to have to put in some serious days minutes to get everything up and running properly, but trust us, it'll be worth it. Navigate down to the links below for all the instructions you could ever need... hopefully.[Via AndroidGuys]Read - G1 tethering instructionsRead - TmoNews discussion
T-Mobile's CTO on G1 unlocking and tethering -- plus a few details you might have missed
While there was a flurry (actually, a full on snowstorm) of news today about the G1, there's a few bits of info you might not have heard, largely because no one is reporting them. We had a chance to speak with T-Mobile CTO Cole Brodman after the event today, and he had some illuminating -- and frankly refreshing -- takes on some of our more pressing questions. When asked about what T-Mobile's reaction would be to users creating tethering or unlocking apps for the phone, he was surprisingly even-keeled, noting that while the company didn't encourage the practice, they wouldn't lock down the OS or update the software to break those applications. Our impression was that as long as their use was relegated to a small percentage of owners, T-Mobile likely wouldn't take action, though he did voice concerns over tethering apps and their effect on the network, with a clearly guarded eye to letting users have free reign. More interestingly, buyers would be able to have access to a "contract free" G1 (with a price point of $399), and could unlock the device with T-Mobile's blessing after 90 days. Brodman also said that the company's policy of unlocking phones for customers in good standing wouldn't change for this phone.
WalkingHotSpot software morphs your smartphone into WiFi router
TapRoot system's WalkingHotSpot seems to deliver the cure for what ails many would-be tetherers by get the job done in a snap. For just $24.99 a year -- we do miss the free JoikuSpot days -- your Symbian S60 or UIQ phone, and Windows Mobile 6 device can be setup to act as a WiFi hotspot for you or anybody around you. Start the software, connect your laptop of what have you via WiFi -- which authenticates against the TapRoot servers -- and you are free to surf. Why the yearly fee and authentication via the WalkingHotSpot servers, you ask? Well, likely because they can, it helps curb piracy, or simply because it seems the software's original home was going to be carrier-based, and the infrastructure was planned that way. Not surprisingly, CEO Sean O'Leary was quoted as saying "Their first impression is cautiousness," of the carriers, as tethering has always been a bit of a gray -- and at times black -- area. They do offer a six day demo, so if you're curious, give it a whirl.
My ideal iPod touch
Don't get me wrong, I love my iPod touch. As a matter of fact, I'm writing this post with it on the beach as my girlfriend goes surfing. But with Apple's new product announcement on Tuesday, it makes me wonder what changes could be in store for our favorite supercharged music player. I think the single greatest thing Apple could do for the iPod touch is take a page from the Amazon Kindle and offer free "Whispernet" service for every iPod touch sold. (Or, say, roll it in with a Mobile Me subscription.) Amazon bought access to a chunk of Sprint's EVDO network, which means every Kindle has network access wherever it goes. Apple could make such a deal with AT&T -- and its various partners worldwide -- to provide the necessary bandwidth. Who knows -- perhaps they have already. Allow tethering with software like NetShare, and you've got Internet access for your Mac, too. Instant-on, and always there. Brilliant. Another simple addition would be GPS functionality, bringing the iPod touch in line with its newer sibling. Suddenly, the need for both a GPS and an iPod in your car is obviated, and it opens up interesting opportunities with the car manufacturers who already offer iPod integration in their vehicles. Third, and this could apply to new iPhones too, would be to allow access to the dock connector for Apps. This opens up all kinds of options for iPhone and iPod touch owners to use voice recorders and cameras, as well as potentially control a wide range of equipment from industrial automation tools to backyard telescopes. Who knows what Apple has up their sleeve? Certainly not me. But with this wish list fulfilled, you can be sure a new iPod touch is in my immediate future.
Sprint drops Phone-as-Modem plan to $15 per month, adds stipulations
So there's good news and bad news, and we're not even giving you the option of choosing which you'd prefer to hear first (hint: it's the good). Sprint has dropped the price of its Phone-as-Modem plan (capped at 5GB monthly) to just $15 per month. Now, the rest of the story. First off, you must own a Power Vision phone with connection capabilities to a laptop. Next -- unlike the old PAM plan which ran $49.99 / month all by itself -- this "attachable plan" requires you to have another data plan already on your account. For instance, the BlackBerry Personal Pack ($30 / month) or the Worldwide Data Plan ($70 / month). In the end, it looks as if tethering in and of itself got cheaper, but those newfound strings that are reportedly attached will likely cause some frustration.[Via phonescoop]
What happened to NetShare? - UPDATED
It was there. And now it's... gone. What happened to iPhone 3G tethering app NetShare?For a while it was live on the App Store, for a meagre ten bucks. Then it vanished. And now, it seems to have vanished from Nullriver's web site, too. Their news page has no mention of NetShare.This smells of lawyers. NetShare was designed to let you share your iPhone's connectivity with your computer. Wireless freedom for all. And quite possibly something the telephony service providers in various countries would be alarmed to see on offer in the App Store, ten bucks or no. But wait -- the App Store is vetted, isn't it? Something like this couldn't just creep in through the ventilation shafts. This couldn't just be a ghastly mistake, could it?You can't make software just disappear from everywhere. There must be some TUAW readers who managed to get hold of a copy before it disappeared. What do you make of it? Is it working?For the record, we have asked NullRiver for comment, but not heard back from them yet. As soon as we do, we'll add an update.UPDATE: And here it is. No word directly from NullRiver yet, but one of the NullRiver team pointed out in the comments that they did not have a web page for NetShare in the first place. Also, the following text has now been posted on the NullRiver home page (a fact that was also noted in the comments):"We're not quite sure why Apple took down the NetShare application yet, we've received no communication from Apple thus far. NetShare did not violate any of the Developer or AppStore agreements. We're hoping we'll get some feedback from Apple today. Sorry to all the folks that couldn't get it in time. We'll do our best to try to get the application back onto the AppStore if at all possible. At the very least, we hope Apple will allow it to be used in countries where the provider does permit tethering."AGAIN UPDATE: NetShare has now reappeared in the App Store, at least in the US, the UK, and the Netherlands, and probably in many other places as well. You can download and play with it to your heart's content. Thanks to all the commenters and tipsters who alerted us to this.AGAIN AGAIN UPDATE: Now we've had a reply from NullRiver, as follows: "Hi, NetShare is back on the Apple Store, hopefully for good this time! We're not quite sure why Apple took down the NetShare application yet, we've received no communication from Apple thus far. NetShare did not violate any of the Developer or AppStore agreements to our knowledge. It is unknown how mobile phone carriers may react to using the program. Or if they are even in a position to tell. My personal advice is to not go NUTS just yet by downloading tons. Also be aware that contracts/carriers vary in what they offer from country to country, please be careful your service doesn't have a metered limit, that if you go over may incur extra costs for you."Odd, is it not, that despite all the ups and downs their app has experienced during the last day or so, NullRiver has not heard anything at all from Apple? What's that all about? Thanks to Zoli + everyone who sent this in.
Nope, no AT&T iPhone tethering plan (yet)
So there's a rumor floating around the internets concerning AT&T, iPhones, and tethering. The story goes something like this: the word tether is mentioned in an AT&T notice about users upgrading to a new iPhone and being forced into another two-year agreement. Apparently, some folks who've only quickly browsed the document made the mistake of assuming that AT&T used the word "tether" the way we all know it best: computer-to-phone, modem-style tethering. Unfortunately, this is a semantic problem -- what AT&T's talking about is using the dock connector to activate the phone, and sync with your computer... not the other way around. So next time you hear someone talk about AT&T's "tethering" plan feel free to set 'em straight.
Rogers breaks out new data plans, Canadian jaws drop
Rogers' Flex Rate Plan for PC Cards seem set to offer heavy data consumers a much needed break in the sometimes staggering world of wireless data prices. Plans range from $65 a month for 1 GB -- tethering is a go, of course -- to $100 a month for 5 GB of data. The surprising part of the plan is that it is tiered, so if you sign up on a 1 GB plan but use 1.2, you'll simply be bumped up to the tier 2 $75 a month plan, and not charged overages by the KB. Pretty grand news for the data greedy, thank you Rogers, job well done. Now, how about some smaller tiers for the light users?[Thanks, Treatz]
Use your Windows Mobile 6 device as a cheapo wireless router
The Internet brings us yet another use for a Windows Mobile 6 device to amaze your friends and confound your enemies, a wireless router on the cheap. Simply install the freeware / donation-ware WMWifiRouter software on your Windows handset and you -- plus friends and family -- will be surfing with it as your new router in minutes. Of course, as with any semi hack, a bit of reading is required, but if you hit up XDA Developers forums you're sure to glean all the knowledge required to get this working. We've not had a chance to check this out so feel free to drop us a line with your mileage. Oh, and if your mobile data plan isn't of the unlimited variety and doesn't include tethering, you may want to pass on this.[Via JKOnTheRun]
DeLorme introduces the GPS LT-40 for PCs of all types
The lovely, charming, and handsome folks over at DeLorme are all hot and bothered about their company's latest laptop and UMPC compatible GPS unit, the Earthmate GPS LT-40. The little yellow device sports an STMicroelectronics Teseo chipset, which apparently improves upon the heartbreaking and sub-par "satellite signal retention" and "positional accuracy" you've come to expect from other providers. The chip is even capable (they say) of finding your location in hard-to-reach areas, like around skyscrapers, or in a black hole. Additionally, the LT-40 is Galileo-ready, and uses a little something known as "Kalman filtering," which can function well even in high RF areas. The LT-40 will go on sale in April 2008 for $69.95 coupled with the Street Atlas USA 2009 software. Woo![Via Navigadget]
Eee PC mod brings some internal Bluetooth
The Asus Eee PC isn't missing many must-have specs right out of the box, but there's always going to be a reason or three for some internal Bluetooth. Luckily, the hack really isn't too terribly difficult as demonstrated by tnkgrl -- as long as you've got a basic idea about what you're doing when it comes to a few stray USB wires and a motherboard. It involves a standard USB Bluetooth dongle stripped to its essentials and hooked up to the mini PCIe slot that also hosts the Eee PC's wireless card. The hack doesn't mess with your original wireless, and provides the sweet, sweet Bluetooths to XP and the standard Xandros OS. And speaking of Xandros, someone's also gone through the trouble of getting their WM6 HTC TyTN up and tethered with the Eee -- which seems like a natural next step after you manage the tnkgrl hack, but we're not the boss of you.Read - Internal Bluetooth hackRead - TyTN tether
Longest-ever space tether fails to deploy, flings capsule towards Earth
We've seen some pretty wild ideas for space tethers, but it seems like actually executing is a little trickier than people expect -- a joint Russian Space Agency / ESA Young Engineers Satellite 2 mission just screeched to a halt as the deployment of an 18-mile space tether went awry. The project, which was to involve the longest object ever deployed in space, was part of a challenge issued to European university students to safely return an object from space, but failed when the the capsule accidentally released after just 5 miles of tether had unwound. The team thinks the idea still has merit, saying that "they are extremely satisfied and would like to do more mission testing." Here's hoping the next time goes a little smoother.Read -- NewScientist article on the mishapRead -- Video of how the mission was supposed to go
