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Device makers getting hands-on time with iPhone in Cupertino
According to device manufacturers who wish to remain anonymous, Apple is providing hands-on time with production iPhone units at its Cupertino headquarters in advance of the June 29th launch. Though some accessory makers have made the dubious claim that they've obtained pre-production units for testing, sources strongly back the existence of intra-Apple testing sessions.
Meanwhile, some accessory manufacturers are having difficulty getting any access to the iPhone. A MarketWatch article quotes a spokeswoman for Griffin Technology thusly "While we've been in communication with [Apple], we haven't had a unit, so we've been at times blindly … Read more
Accessory maker claims iPhone chargers, cables tested on pre-production unit; skepticism
Though we haven't received word from any other manufacturers indicating shipment of iPhones for testing (some accessory makers are, apparently, being granted testing sessions at Apple's campus to ensure device compatibility), one is already claiming to have gotten its hands on a pre-production iPhone that it is testing in-house.
BoxWave, who is already marketing chargers, synchronization cables, and other accessories that would be impossible to produce without access to an actual iPhone, told us:
"Through our sources, we were able to get a pre-production model to get all the specs of the phone for us to design … Read more
Not all AT&T stores will carry iPhone at launch
Developer: iPhone will lack video-out
It appears that the iPhone will lack the video-out capabilities of its fifth-generation iPod brethren, which sports S-video output.
Rebecca MacQuarrie, Global Marketing Manager at MyVu -- a company that makes an eye-wear display reliant on the iPod's video-out capability -- tells iPhone Atlas:
"We've been told by Apple that the iPhone will not initially have video-out capabilities so at this point, we will not introduce any iPhone specific products. However, we're hoping that future generations of the iPhone will work with myvu, at which point we'd love to market our personal media viewer … Read moreiPhone on the way
If you read any of the Mac news sites, you probably already know the official release date for the iPhone is June 29. With the release only three weeks away, Apple has been ramping up the hype with three new commercials showing more of the iPhone's features.
I have to admit, for my part, the hype is doing its job. The latest group of ads show off the versatility of the iPhone using a number of its features together. My favorite is the one entitled "Watered Down." In this ad, you get a brief look into what it's like to surf the Internet using Safari on the iPhone. The point of the ad is to show how the iPhone doesn't give you a watered-down version of the Internet like other devices; you get to browse actual Web pages, zooming in on the stories you want to read. Like all the iPhone ads, at the end we're delivered back to reality with an incoming call--lest we forget, it's still a phone.… Read more
More tips for getting out of your cell phone contract to buy an iPhone with Cingular
We previously published a series of tips for getting out your current cell phone contract -- without paying exorbitant termination fees -- and migrating to the (apparently) required 2-year contract with AT&T/Cingular required for iPhone purchase These pointers included roaming outside your network's coverage (more on this below), negotiating (good luck), and schlepping the contract off on a friend or family member (ugh).
Of these tactics, the most commonly successful is the first one mentioned: use loads of minutes while your phone is in "roaming mode" (utilizing another provider's network, which your provider … Read more
Finding out if your account is eligible for the iPhone
When June 29th comes around and the swarms descend upon AT&T/Cingular and Apple retail outlets, many users will be shocked to discover that their current Cingular wireless contracts are not eligible for the standard iPhone pricing (US$499 for the 4GB model or US$599 for the 8GB model), or may not be able to purchase the iPhone at all.
First of all, as separately noted, there will be no upgrade discount for the iPhone that brings the cost of the device below the aforementioned prices. Second, as we previously noted, Apple has now explicitly stated the … Read more
iPhone will not be offered with any activation or upgrade discounts
We have confirmed with several AT&T/Cingular retail locations that there will be no activation or upgrade discounts for the iPhone that bring the cost below already announced pricing (US$499 for the 4GB model or US$599 for the 8GB model). In other words that is the minimum anyone will pay for this device, based on current information -- the upgrade/activation discount is built into those prices.
What is not clear, is whether or not anyone will be paying more than US$599 for the iPhone if their contracts are ineligible for the required 2-year activation. … Read more
HTC Touch launches; first impressions and thoughts as an iPhone rival
HTC, the company behind many of today's most popular Windows Mobile smart phones, is known for offering a broad range of devices. It has done petite, thin, and powerful, and it's even gone above and beyond traditional smart phones, as we saw at CTIA 2007 with the introduction of the HTC Shift and HTC Advantage. And now here's the company's latest twist: the HTC Touch.
The details:Announced today for the United Kingdom (foiled again!), the HTC Touch features a technology called TouchFLO that allows you to operate the smart phone just by swiping your finger … Read more
