iphone's blog

Androids App Store allows users to buy apps and then return them for refunds if they don't like an app.  Apple not allowing returns seems was at a disadvantage when it came to its user return policy.  So instead of adding the ability to return purchased apps, Apple added a new section dedicated to highlighting free applications.

One of the new subsections in this section is the "Try Before You Buy" feature.  This new section features many of the "free" versions of paid apps.  Unfortunately, if an app doesn't have a "lite" version, then there is no way to try it before buying it.

Not quite the same thing as a return policy, but its a start.  Maybe this is the beginning of Apple requiring developers to create free versions of all apps?

Dish Networks is bringing live streaming to your iPhone and iPad next month.  Sling technology is being added to their DVR's and current customers will be able to either upgrade the DVR or add a SlingBox to activate this feature.

Even though Dish already has a mobile app that lets you control your programming remotely, this update will stream the current programming that is available on their network directly to your mobile device!  If you have one of the newer tuners from Dish with 2 tuners, you will be able to use one of those to tune into a different program than the one being watched on the TV.

It seems now that if other TV services want to stay competitive (Comcast, we're talking to you), they would need to offer similar features.  Don't know about you, but between Hulu+ and this, I think I'm going to have all the mobile TV I can handle.

Dish Networks is bringing live streaming to your iPhone and iPad next month.  Sling technology is being added to their DVR's and current customers will be able to either upgrade the DVR or add a SlingBox to activate this feature.

Even though Dish already has a mobile app that lets you control your programming remotely, this update will stream the current programming that is available on their network directly to your mobile device!  If you have one of the newer tuners from Dish with 2 tuners, you will be able to use one of those to tune into a different program than the one being watched on the TV.

It seems now that if other TV services want to stay competitive (Comcast, we're talking to you), they would need to offer similar features.  Don't know about you, but between Hulu+ and this, I think I'm going to have all the mobile TV I can handle.

JailbreakMe, was released in the last few days and has make opening up your iOS device (including iPhone 4, iTouch and iPads) a whole lot simpler.

This new site allows iOS applications to easily install non Apple approved applications.  Users simply visit the JailbreakMe.com site and slide the Jailbreak switch to Jailbreak the device.

Apple officially disapproves the act and has said that the process violates the warranty.  Even though users could experience instability or disruption of services on the Jailbroken devices, going back to the original settings is as easy as re-syncing and restoring through iTunes.

Last week, the U.S. Library of Congress issued an exemption that allows smartphone users to jailbreak their devices and non encounter any issues with legislation or legality.

In addition, a new non-Apple controlled app store has sprung up with over 15,000 non-Apple approved apps that could be installed in the Jailbroken iOS device.  That app store is as easy to access as installing the Cydia Store app.  Its creator, Jay Freeman, says that a model similar to Apples will be in place shortly which will allow a revenue split with the non-authorized 3rd party app developers and the Cydia store.  With over 800 million dollars at stake, I'm sure Apple isn't going to sit by and wait to see how things pan out.  So for now, feel free to try the Jailbreak, and the Cydia store, and let us know how it works for you!

Here's a pretty funny video posted to YouTube that made us laugh.  We thought you might enjoy it too...

Looks more and more likely that T-Mobile is poised to get the iPhone before Verizon gets it.  CultofMac says that Apple and T-Mobile are now in the final stages of an iPhone agreement and can put the iPhone into the T-Mobile network before the end of 2010.

Recently, Deutsche Telekom’s CEO told the Financial Times that T-Mobile USA will get the iPhone this year.

So the question is, if T-Mobile really does get the iPhone, will Verizon?

Apple released iBooks 1.1.1 today and it includes some nice upgrades.

The upgrades include multiple media improvements like the ability to access videos and audio thats embedded into books.  In addition, photo viewing and a built in dictionary is now included.  Apple also enhanced the PDF reader and stability issues have been fixed.

If nothing else, with 3 different choices for reading digital books on the iPad (B&N, Kindle, iBook), the fact that Apple continues to upgrade and add features to their app makes me think spending the money on iBooks instead of the other readers versions makes the most sense.

I imagine that this is just the beginning of what Apple has planned for its reader.

To be perfectly honest, we think that giving away the bumper case for free as Apple announced today was the least they could do.  But amid all of the media attention this problem was getting over the past few weeks, I'm surprised that Apple didn't do this 'simple' fix earlier, and that it took a press conference to announce the free giveaway.

Steve Jobs today said. "“Most of the customers that own iPhone 4’s think it’s the coolest thing they’ve ever owned.  I apologise to them. We will do whatever it takes to make them happy”.

He also added that Apple would refund the money to anyone who already bought the case and would refund money to users who bought their phones if they wanted to return them.  The cost of issuing free bumper cases is much less than a recall of the iPhone 4.

Steve claimed that it was a little over half a percent of people who had called Apple's support line to complain about the problem and that it had been blown way out of proportion in the media.  Lets see a little over half a percent of 3 million (our estimated guess how many have sold so far) is about 15,000 complaints.  That would tie up our lines for sure. :)

Steve spent some time talking about how all cell phones experience the same antenna problems the iPhone 4 had to some extent, and that they were finally compelled to do something about it when Consumer Reports issued their report.  Apple was "stunned, upset and embarrassed", said Steve.

So I guess if you still haven't picked up a case or want a free bumper case (still not protecting your exposed glass back), then go to your local Apple store and get one before September (when they officially stop giving them away, or maybe a new hardware update fixes the problem)!

We should have a clear answer to this today, but the NYTimes seems to think that there might be a software fix for the antenna problem. 

One person with direct knowledge of the phone’s design said Thursday that the iPhone 4 exposed a longstanding weakness in the basic communications software inside Apple’s phones and that the reception problems were not caused by an isolated hardware flaw. Instead, the problems emerged in the complex interaction between specialized communications software and the antenna, said the person, who agreed to speak on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the matter. The person said the problems were longstanding but had been exposed by the design of the iPhone 4. All cellphones can be affected by the way a hand grips the phone, but well-designed communications software compensates for a variety of external factors and prevents calls from dropping...and Steve Jobs didn't learn of the problem until last month.

It seems then that an update could possibly fix the problem.  If that was really possible though, why hasn't Apple put that into the OS 4.1 release?  I guess we will find out today.

Users who have updated their iOS devices to the newest iOS 4.1 have found that AVRCP compatibility has been added.  AVRCP lets cars control the iPod app through their paired Bluetooth connection.

Users can now skip forward, back, and control volume according to the reports (Apple hasn't released the full list of 4.1 features as of yet).  Of course if you've paid for one of those expensive iPhone adapters for your car, you've been able to do all of this for a while, but having it available without spending an extra $ is pretty nice, and also much safer than trying to fiddle with the phone to make changes while your driving.