Apple demands iPhone prototype back from Gizmodo

The latest on that alleged iPhone 4G prototype: Brian Lam, Gizmodo’s editorial director, has published an official letter he received from Apple requesting that the device be returned immediately. Gizmodo believes that such official communication proves the device is real.

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New Street Fighter 4 for the iPhone and iPod Touch

On Tuesday, Capcom announced with the intention of Street Fighter IV would be appearance to the iPhone and iPod Touch.Relief secure the App Stofigurerogressiontee and relief appointment of the title haven’tcountingealed), fonthter IV isahead of schedulenewest access in runonic fightinapproximatelyn with the intention of initially debuted ibattalion
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Street Fighter is ultimately about one thing: Combat. To compete against your fellow warriors, Street Fighter IV will offer multiplayer via Bluetooth. So far, Capcom hasn’t commented on the possibility of online or Wi-Fi multiplayer, but Bluetooth is a good start. Street Fighter alreadylogic built in convergence of dyed-in-the-woolplayer, so if here is alwaysrunle on the iPhone everywhere mixture up plaenergyrs pro matcgood luckndedstile totial, it’s Street Figcreate.

Street Fighter IV was lone of the generally excitably anticipated fighting games to grace consoles this earlier period time. It has been perceived as a major leap forwards pro the contract while still staying real to its roots. Hopefully, the iPhone platform can soubriquet the complicated counters, jabs, fireballs, and throws of this iconic run.

First Look: Facebook 3.0 for iPhone

By Daniel Ionescu, PC World
Facebook updated its popular iPhone app, delivering lots of improved features for the official iPhone Facebook 3.0 rev. But sadly, Facebook fails to deliver everything a mobile Facebook warrior could want.
Apple approved version 3.0 of the Facebook app for iPhone Thursday, and it is now available for download from the App Store. Besides the features announced previously, a few other nice touches made it into this version as well.
What's New in Facebook 3.0 for iPhone
The first thing you will notice in the 3.0 Facebook app is the redesigned home screen, which displays the main Facebook functions on a 3-by-3 grid. Unlike in the screenshots in the App store, the grid lines on the home screen are not present in the final version. The app's main screen actually behaves like the iPhone's home screen. You can swipe left/right for another page where you can add news feeds of your friends and Facebook pages you administer. The icons in the grid can also be arranged, in the same way as with the iPhone home screen, by holding your finger on an icon until it starts shaking. Facebook 3.0 for iPhone also adds support for events, and you can now see your upcoming events and RSVP. You can write and read notes from your friends and change your profile picture. The app also gives you complete control over your Facebook photos, so you can create/delete albums, delete photos and photo tags.
The news feed section sees many improvements in Facebook 3.0 for iPhone as well. You can now view the Facebook news feed on your iPhone just as you would on a desktop browser and "Like" statues, posts, or photos. Notifications will be displayed at the bottom of the home screen. A great feature is the addition of landscape viewing of the news feed and you can also visit links without leaving the app, via a built-in browser.

AT&T, iPhone Customers Angry Over Voicemail Delays

by David Coursey , pcworld
Some AT&T and iPhone customers are angry over delayed delivery of voicemail messages. Sometimes, they say, a voicemail message may not appear in their inbox for several days after it was recorded.
"I have had this happen on a number of occasions," wrote one AT&T customer in response to my item posted yesterday. "I've been growing tired of AT&T's issues for quite a while now. I look forward to the iPhone being available through Verizon sometime in the not-so-distant future.
Another wrote: "AT&T's Voice mail on iPhone 3G is sometimes slower than snail mail. If they didn't have a strangle hold monopoly on the iPhone in the USA - they couldn't get away with such poor service!"
I cannot independently confirm the reports, but have had similar experiences on my iPhone, when old messages appeared in visual voicemail days after they'd been left for me.
Full article...

Apple sells more than 1 million iPhone 3GS

By Sinead Carew, Reuters
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Apple Inc said it had sold more than 1 million of its newest iPhone in the first three days of launch, beating analysts' expectations for the 3GS smartphone's debut.
The statement from Apple also included a quote from Chief Executive Steve Jobs, leading at least one analyst to speculate that this meant he was back from medical leave.
Jobs, a pancreatic cancer survivor, has been on leave since January for an undisclosed condition, although the company has said he remains deeply involved in decision-making. The Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday that Jobs had a liver transplant two months ago, but he was expected to be back at work before the end of June.
"This is the first time we've heard from Steve Jobs since he reported he was taking medical leave," said Oppenheimer & Co analyst Yair Reiner. "It's a sign Apple has its CEO back."
Apple representatives were not immediately available for comment.
Shares of Apple rose as much as 1.5 percent in early trading before reversing course to trade down 1.1 percent at $137.96
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iPhone 3G S or iPhone 3G?

by Sascha Segan, pcmag
The iPhone 3G S comes out today, and for the first time iPhone buyers have a choice between two different versions of Apple's popular smartphone. The 3G S is more powerful though a bit more expensive; the 3G is cheaper—but is anything missing? Let us help you decide.
The price difference is smaller than you think. Yes, the 3G costs $100 less than the 3G S. But that price is a tiny fraction of what you are really paying for your phone. A 900-minute plan with 1,500 text messages will cost you $104.99 per month, which, over two years, comes to $2,519.76. That's what you're really investing here. Think of the iPhone 3G S as costing $2,720 and the 3G as costing $2,620.
If you take pictures, get a 3G S. The 3G S's camera is much, much better than the 3G's. It has autofocus, a macro mode, and video recording. If you intend to take more than a few snapshots with your iPhone's camera, choosing a 3G S will definitely pay off.
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New iPhone 3GS vs Old Palm Pre

by Nilay Patel, engadget
As endlessly predicted, Apple's unveiled a new iPhone today at WWDC, the iPhone 3G S -- the "s" stands for speed. Although it looks almost exactly like the 3G, it's much, much faster -- some tasks are almost four times faster. Data speeds are upped to 7.2Mbps HSDPA, and the camera is now a 3 megapixel unit with tap-to-autofocus and auto white balance -- and just as expected, it now supports 30fps VGA video recording with editing features. You're also getting a built-in compass, Nike+ support, and a new battery that offers 5 hours of 3G talk time and 9 hours of WiFi internet use. There are some surprises, too -- holding down the home button now enables a new voice control interface that lets you do everything from make calls to control iTunes, and Apple's touting a new "fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating." New and end-of-contract pricing is set at $199 for 16GB and $299 for 32GB when it goes on sale June 18th Stateside and in 80 more countries in August -- and the current 8GB 3G will remain on sale for $99, effective immediately. You'll have to pay a bit more if you're mid-contract, though -- $299 for the 3G and $399/$499 for the 3G S.

Apple 'To Launch New iPhone' To Beat Rivals

skynews
Apple is expected to unveil changes to the iPhone to fight off competition from rival smartphones.
It is rumoured the company will make an announcement at the San Francisco worldwide development conference later today. Fervent speculation on the web suggests fans expect a new model with twice as much memory and a camera for shooting video. But some experts argue it will be changes to software, rather than a revamped device, that gets unveiled. An updated model would knock a dent in the momentum of rival firm Palm, whose touchscreen mobile Pre just hit shops in the US. Its focus on web-browsing, integrated different streams and conversations, makes it Apple's biggest new competitor. The Palm Pre is only available in the US but is expected to launch in the UK. Its launch drew crowds but not the stampede that welcomed the iPhone's arrival two years before.
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Battle of the 3G Networks

by Sascha Segan, pcmag
If you're eyeing a Palm Pre or a new iPhone, you're not buying just a phone—you're buying a network. We can help you figure out if the switch is worthwhile.
June is a blockbuster month for smartphones. Incessant buzz has made the Palm Pre and Apple's next-gen iPhone red-hot, but there's one thing that may cool down these super smartphones: their networks.
In the U.S., the Pre is only on Sprint for now, and the iPhone is exclusive to AT&T for the foreseeable future. Trouble is, although both carriers have large nationwide 3G data networks, neither has placed well in two independent nationwide surveys ranking call quality, network quality, and customer service. In all three categories, both Sprint and AT&T are bested by the third national 3G data network: Verizon Wireless. (T-Mobile is still building out its 3G network, and Cricket and MetroPCS, though solid choices, aren't fully national carriers.)
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How to Buy a Cell Phone

by Sascha Segan, pcmag
These days, smartphones get all the buzz, but the vast majority of handsets sold in the U.S. are actually feature phones: camera phones, music phones, rugged phones, messaging phones, or just plain voice phones.
Unlike smartphones, feature phones are a matter of "what you see is what you get." They don't receive magical software upgrades or run thousands of additional apps, as does the iPhone, for example. That doesn't mean they only make calls, though you can find phones that only make calls, if a basic phone is what you want. But most feature phones include some combination of a camera, a basic Web browser, e-mailing and text messaging apps, and music and video players.
Feature phones are typically less expensive than smartphones. They're available in a much wider range of shapes and sizes, and on a broader range of plans, including prepaid options. Monthly service fees for feature phones are generally cheaper too, which can make a multipurpose feature phone a good bet.
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Next iPhone with iVideo?

By Matt Hamblen, computerworld
Computerworld - The new iPhone hardware expected to ship this summer from Apple Inc. is rumored to have a video chat capability supported by MMS, among other new features.
Today's roundup of rumors and speculation about the upcoming iPhone hardware also suggest that there will be a 32GB model, a boost from the current 8GB and 16GB models.
But the reports raise questions about why the iPhone doesn't have an expansion card slot for unlimited storage capability, especially if users will be storing massive amounts of video from video chats, video streams off YouTube or other places.
Whether the iPhone will support video chat, or some version of real-time videoconferencing, was a big concern of some developers and analysts at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference last year. Some expressed disappointment that various video features were not included in the iPhone 3G.
Full article...

Match: BlackBerry vs iPhone

By Galen Gruman, InfoWorld
Look at any major analyst firm report since the Apple iPhone was released, and you'll see the earnest intoning to stick with the buttoned-down and pinstriped BlackBerry -- widely admired in executive corridors for its safety and security -- and beware that odd, colorful, possibly dangerous Apple device that consumers may love but professionals should avoid. If the iPhone were meant for work, it wouldn't be so much fun to use, would it?
Yes, it was Mac versus PC all over again: The iPhone was quickly pigeonholed as a fun, polished device for the cool kids to play with versus the RIM BlackBerry's rep as a corporate standard designed to get work done. As with the Mac-versus-PC dichotomy, Apple's focus on visual interface, exotic technologies like touch, and fun stuff (music, video, and games), coupled with its lack of "serious" capabilities such as encryption, let that perception take root as the conventional wisdom.
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The 3G iPhone Goes Pay-As-You-Go

skynews
Plans have been unveiled for the 3G iPhone to become available on a pay-as-you-go basis. Ahead of an official announcement by O2 and Apple, the O2 website has published pricing details on how people can get hold of the handset without committing to a monthly contract. The new iPhone 3G 8GB for Pay & Go will be available for £349.99 and the 16GB version for £399.99. These costs include unlimited browsing and Wi-Fi for the first 12 months after the phone is activated. After the 12 months is up, the browsing and wi-fi remain available for £10 a month.
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Smartphone competition: Palm Pre vs iPhone 3.0 vs Blackberry Storm 2

PC World, by Daniel Ionescu

In the next few months four smartphones are going to battle it out. The Palm Pre, the iPhone 3.0, the BlackBerry Storm 2 and the Nokia N97 are all going for the crown title this summer. But which one should you choose?While not all of these four smartphones have been officially announced, rumors have been flying around for weeks anticipating the new Apple iPhone and the second iteration of the BlackBerry Storm. And there are enough leaks out there to put head to head some preliminary specs.I'm not going to run you through all the features of these phones, you can check that in this specs table I put together. However, there are a few interesting issues that I'm going to mention.

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Table specifications...

Direct Movie and TV Downloads Coming to iPhone? | pcworld

More supposed details are leaking out about the next version of Apple’s 3.0 software update for the iPhone and iPod Touch set to be unveiled next month. The latest buzz, via the site Open Salon, is over direct downloads of TV shows and movies. The ability to directly download TV and movies to the iPhone and iPod Touch would eliminate the steps of plugging your device into your computer, launching iTunes, and performing a synchronization between the two.
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