Steve and his friends had a great presentation where we saw new apps for a bevy of developers, most of them pretty good looking. But the star of the show was the new iPhone 3G, a slimmer, faster version of the handset we all know and love. I talked to Glenn Lurie from AT&T Mobility earlier […]

Steve and his friends had a great presentation where we saw new apps for a bevy of developers, most of them pretty good looking.

But the star of the show was the new iPhone 3G, a slimmer, faster version of the handset we all know and love. I talked to Glenn Lurie from AT&T Mobility earlier to clear up a few lingering questions. Sadly, most of what he told me were qualified “no comments”, but we were able to glean a couple nifty tidbits about AT&T’s involvement with the new phone.

Many were wondering if the lower price would mean a subsidy from AT&T. The new contract prices seem to indicate that it does, though Lurie couldn’t go on record about that. One fear some had was that Apple would have to pull the phone from the Apple store, selling exclusively through AT&T retail outlets. This won’t be the case. The iPhone 3G will continue to be sold through AT&T and Apple, good news for many.

Another question was about the speeds. The iPhone 3G uses UMTS as well as HSDPA, getting average speeds, he stated, of about 1.4Mbps down. That’s roughly equivalent to a T1, which is pretty fast. I use an AT&T Tilt as my mobile modem which connects at that speed and it’s fast enough for just about anything.

Glenn couldn’t comment on jailbreakers or other carriers, but he did say that AT&T was committed to making current iPhone customers into future iPhone customers.

Lurie stated that there would indeed be a trade-in program for current iPhone users, but only current ones. If you purchased your iPhone after May 27, 2008, you’re eligible for an upgrade to the 3G iPhone when it comes on July 11. He couldn’t comment if it would be a straight, free one-for-one trade, but he said details would be coming soon.

As for other iPhone owners, he couldn’t give me details, but he said that they wanted to make sure that early adopters of the original iPhone would also be able to easily get iPhone 3Gs in their hands. It sounds like some special contract deal for current customers, but we’ll have to wait on details.

So while there’s nothing earth-shattering there, it’s good to know that AT&T is making sure to take care of Apple’s customers. Don’t forget, it’s not the first we’ve mentioned that AT&T is making a turn around in how it treats its customers, and we hope it can keep it up.

Via [crunchgear]

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CTIA, The Wireless Association, announced this day a Request For Information (RFI) on behalf of its Enhanced Messaging Action Team (EM Team). The RFI is being sent to a variety of companies with an interest in the enhanced messaging space.

The EM Team is made up of industry representative who are evaluating solutions to implement EM on wireless phones in the United States. The purpose of this RFI is to comprehend and evaluate abilities and interests in EM Product Feature — Group Messaging (GM).

CTIA’s EM Team is looking for high level solutions and detailed call flow options surrounding the Product and the GM Feature. It is also interested in discussion surrounding solution options, feature functionality, customer experience and technical feasibility.

Any company interested in receiving the RFI should contact Kate Kingberger, Director of Wireless Internet Development for CTIA, at kkingberger@ctia.org or 202-736-3892 for more information. Participating companies will be required to respond by June 26, 2008.

CTIA

Via Mobilecrunch

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After months of rumors, the iPhone 3G has finally gotten its official announcement.

The new iPhone will come in 8 and 16 GB models, at subsidized prices of $200 and $300 respectively. Both will have all metal buttons with black plastic backs, with the 16 GB model also offered with a white back. The 3.5 inch screen from the first iPhone will be carried over. The handset will have GPS built in.

A common complaint about the original iPhone was the recessed headphone jack. While it strengthened the jack to help prevent damage, it inadvertently kept a vast number of headphones from properly fitting. The iPhone 3G’s headphone jack will be flush.

Apple’s put a lot of work into this new iPhone’s battery life: Standby time of 300 hours, 3G talk time of 5 hours, 3G browsing time of 5-6 hours, 7 hours of video playback, and 24 hours of audio playback.

The iPhone 3G should hit the shelves on July 11th. Until then, check out the new commercials.

Via Mobilecrunch

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Typepad, the platform of choice for a ton of popular blogs (Adorable Overload!), has announced a mobile blogging application for the iPhone.

Key points from the announcement:

• Blog on the go,
• Focuses on pic blogging. You can snap a new photo for uploading, or grab one from your albums.
• Free, available at App store launch

With mobile blogging becoming more and more popular everyday, iPhone support is pretty much a must for the entire array of platforms. Anticipate Wordpress to launch a comparable application for their platform.

Via Mobilecrunch

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In the United Says 17 says and the District of Columbia have cell phone restrictions for teen drivers. In 2003 the National Transportation Safety Board suggested that states limit or bar young drivers from using cell phones while behind the wheel. Motor car crashes are the leading cause of death for teenagers in the United States. Teens are three times as likely as other age groups to be involved in a fatal crash.

Laws and statistics don’t seem to mean much to the teenaged brain. I know they didn’t when I was that age and driving like a madman. The need to be accessible to friends is a more powerful motivator than a fatality statistic or an obscure law most teens don’t know or care about.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety studied North Carolina’s law, which fines drivers under the age of 18 who are caught using a cell phone. It then compared the number of teen drivers in South Carolina who drove while using a cell phone, where there are no laws against teens who drive and use a cell phone. The study found that both sets of teens used their cell phones while driving at about the same rate.

I’m not an recommend for laws that ban cellphone use while driving. Speaking on the phone can be safe, depending on road conditions and the disposition of the person driving. Most says have laws for reckless or distracted driving that cellphone driving could fit into. The only reason specific laws are passed against the cellphone driver is because it makes people feel superior attacking someone who is perceived to be dangerous, although there are already laws on the books that protect us from people who are actually dangerous.

Via Mobilecrunch

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Straight off the floor from WWDC comes news on two of the first applications set to hit the iPhone App store: eBay, and Loopt.

From Loopt’s about page:

Using location-based technologies, Loopt lets you know where your friends are by automatically updating maps on your mobile handset. Loopt even lets you send messages to nearby friends or receive automatic alerts when they’re nearby so that you never miss an chance to meet. Loopt also lets you journal your life so that your friends can see what you’re up to. With Loopt, mobile subscribers put themselves on the map.

And eBay is, well, eBay.

Update: eBay app has been formally announced during the keynote. Check your listings, bid on the go. The eBay app will be free at App store launch.

Via Mobilecrunch

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This is a site i have been using and i can get free stuff you can two so stop paying retail like a sucker!!!! and go to this link

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Back when word of the BlackBerry Bold’s existence first got out, many were hoping it would be BlackBerry’s first touchscreen device. Alas, it was not.

Fortunately, it wasn’t too long before we started hearing rumblings of the BlackBerry Thunder, which will be their first touchscreen. After making a mock-up that ended up being spot on, BGR’s managed to get a shot of the finalized goods. It’s got a big ol’ touch screen and, as rumored, four physical face buttons. Somewhat surprisingly, RIM has decided to keep the convenience buttons on the left and right sides of the handset.

With Apple pushing out enterprise features for the iPhone, it’s certainly in RIM’s best interest to have a touchscreen offering of their own.

Via Mobilecrunch

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If you’re dead sick of all the Apple/iPhone news filling the front pages of all your favorite blogs, fear not: Today is the WWDC ‘08 Keynote! You’ll probably have at least 2 or 3 days of peace before the Apple rumor mill starts back up.

As usual, the Apple.com store has been taken down for the keynote. Anybody want to take a stab at what songs Apple will burn into our brains in the new commercials?

Via Mobilecrunch

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Benjamin Dolgin-Gardner of Xtatix.com was kind enough to take some shots of Computex Taipei for us. We’ll probably have to go next year, but until let’s enjoy it from afar.

Benjamin Dolgin-Gardner of Xtatix.com was kind enough to take some shots of Computex Taipei for us. We’ll probably have to go next year, but until let’s enjoy it from afar.

Via [crunchgear]

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