The BBC noticed something a little off when it investigated the new pricing structure and terms of use for the iPhone deals Orange is about to begin offering on Nov. 10. First, it turns out that far from sparking a price war, Orange has basically adopted the same deal that O2 currently offers, with some minor changes meant to sway customers its way.

Secondly, and this is the real kicker, Orange’s “unlimited” apparently means up to a maximum of 750MB per month, if you look at the fine print. When asked to clarify, Orange stated that the cap was for its 3G network, and that another 750MB cap existed for use at the hotspots of its Wi-Fi partner BT Openzone. Finally, another clause in the Orange Terms and Conditions states that data is…

Not to be used for other activities (e.g., using your handset as a modem, non-Orange Internet-based streaming services, voice or video over the internet, instant messaging, peer-to-peer file sharing, non-Orange Internet-based video). Should such use be detected notice may be given and network protection controls applied to all services which Orange does not believe constitutes mobile browsing.

I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty certain I do almost all of those things on my iPhone over my carrier’s data connection on at least a daily basis. If true, this clause could block the use of programs like Beejive IM, Facebook, Spotify, and the BBC iPlayer.

By contrast, O2, when asked to clarify its fair use limits, said this:

We reserve the right…to contact customers about their usage if we believe it adversely affects the service of our other customers, e.g., if a customer uses their SIM in another device for which it is not intended.

So what advantage is left to Orange, then? Basically only network coverage and quality. This just goes to show that the iPhone is a cruel mistress no matter which carrier she appears on, and that the end of exclusivity might have less positive ramifications for customers than previously expected.

Data is the key to the iPhone’s success, as it is positioned as one of the few devices on the market that users increasingly use for Internet access first, and phone functionality second. This presents a dilemma (subscription required) for wireless operators, since keeping up with demand can considerably tax network quality and dependability. AT&T in the U.S. is constantly under fire for its 3G network stability, for example.

Orange later said it would be reviewing the cap following the large volume of negative emails it received regarding its use of the word “unlimited.” Hopefully, the company will also look at those ridiculous restrictions regarding data usage, since the real appeal of the iPhone for most users is the ability to do precisely those things which that clause specifically prohibits.

As we reported just yesterday, Apple didn’t take too kindly to El Gato’s “accidental” inclusion of a workaround to enable 3G streaming of live TV on the iPhone using its EyeTV app. The app, combined with an EyeTV USB Mac TV tuner, allows users to stream that content from their computer. I say allows, not allowed, because it’s now back in the App Store for $4.99.

For those who missed the reason why the app was pulled in the first place, El Gato had “accidentally left in” a feature whereby if you click the warning window that tells you Wi-Fi is required for live TV playback, instead of the “OK” button in the window, the dialog would close and streaming would occur over 3G anyway.

El Gato revealed that it had already resubmitted a fixed version when the problem was discovered, and that version has today been approved by Apple and is available for download. This time around, clicking the dialog box has no effect.

Whether it was an Easter egg, meant to pass undetected through Apple’s censors (which seems unlikely, given how easy it was to activate), or whether it was just an accident, the incident reveals that despite AT&T’s recent announcement that voice calls would now be allowed over 3G, that doesn’t mean it’s a free-for-all with all types of content.

I still think this needs looking into by a regulatory body. Data is data, and if wireless customers are paying not-insignificant fees in order to be able to use data on their cell phones, they should have the right to choose the nature of that traffic. My plan covers 6GB per month. Who’s to say I don’t want to use five of that on streaming video? I can see cutting me off once I exceed my limit, since I might then be causing undue strain on your network, but if you’ve assigned me 6GB, let me use that however I see fit.

At least Apple is being relatively understanding about the whole thing. It could easily have barred EyeTV from the app store for an extended period, or altogether, in order to punish what could easily be seen an a purposeful attempt to side-step App Store requirements. Instead, it acted quickly when a fix was issued and reintroduced in the app with very little delay following its removal. I think this especially points to the fact that AT&T is really still the one to blame in cases like this.

Rumors were circulating earlier in the day, but now AT&T has made official its plans to allow Internet calling services to be used with its wireless network. That’s great news for iPhone users, at whom the news was mostly targeted, since it means we could shortly see Skype, Vonage, and Google Voice apps appear on the app store with full 3G functionality.

The official line is that AT&T is responding to customer expectation and demand considering the introduction of VOIP-capable devices like the iPhone, but in reality, with the FCC investigation into wireless industry competition hanging over its head, AT&T is probably trying to fend off government-mandated penalties in advance.

According to the Associated Press;

FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski, one of three Democrats on the commission, wants to impose net neutrality rules to ensure that broadband providers don’t abuse their power over Internet access to favor their own services or harm competitors. His plan has alarmed wireless carriers because it would apply these rules across different types of broadband networks, including wireless networks.

AT&T’s move is a calculated one, designed to show that the industry can successfully self-regulate without government interference. It’s kind of equivalent to the kid who wouldn’t share at recess readily giving up a toy once another kid actually leaves to tell the teacher.

Whatever the reason behind the decision to relax its rules for network use, the real winners here are iPhone users. If Skype, Google Voice, and other internet telephony apps make their way into the App Store, iPhone users will be able to avoid artificially high rates for long distance and contract minute overages by taking advantage of their existing data plans. It’s one more step towards flat data rates for all cell features, which is what should be in place anyway.

Of course, it’s still up to Apple to approve any VOIP apps before iPhone users can take advantage of the new rules. I’m willing to bet that Cupertino had a significant hand in convincing AT&T that this was a wise move, considering the negative press the computer company was receiving over the Google Voice debacle. Apple spokeswoman Natalie Kerris had this to say about the announcement:

“We are very happy that AT&T is now supporting VOIP applications. We will be amending our developer agreements to get VOIP apps on the App Store and in customers’ hands as soon as possible.”

The introduction of 3G VOIP will no doubt have an impact on AT&T’s network, which has seen numerous problems in the past due to the increased demand placed upon it by iPhone users. The wireless provider seems to have made improvements, as evidenced by the relatively smooth introduction of MMS earlier this month, but it remains to be seen if they can also cope with this new load.

“There’s a map for that” is the catchphrase for a new ad from Verizon that plays upon the ubiquitous advertising meme for the iPhone and Apple’s App Store. However, the ad has nothing to do with Verizon’s own application store, instead highlighting the disparity of 3G coverage between Verizon and AT&T.

The ad shows some guy playing Rock Band on a Samsung Rogue—ugh—while walking down the street. As a voiceover rhetorically asks if you want to know why 3G coverage works so well on Verizon’s network, the coverage map pops up above his head and we hear that “there’s a map for that.”

When an AT&T customer, presumably using an iPhone and sporting a goatee—where’s his beret and cup of free trade expresso?—shakes his head at his phone, the voice asks about “spotty coverage.” The AT&T coverage map then appears and we again hear that “there’s a map for that.” Ha, ha, I guess, but then I thought about it.

Is it really a good idea for Verizon to highlight its own apparent iPhone envy, not to mention the oblique mention of the wildly successful App Store? It depends on who Verizon is advertising to, exactly. Via Silicon Alley Insider, a research note from Morgan Stanley analyst Kathryn Huberty remarks on the possibility of Apple moving away from the exclusivity agreement with AT&T.

“In the top six iPhone markets that are still exclusive, we believe that Apple’s market share could rise to 10%, on average, in a multiple carrier distribution model from 4% today.

Her analysis is that Apple could double iPhone sales by moving to a multi-carrier business model, the logic being most individuals choose carriers over phones, even if the phone is arguably the greatest telecommunication device in the history of the universe. Sure, Apple will no doubt lose the pound of revenue flesh they got from AT&T for exclusivity, but that could be made up in volume.

In this ad, Verizon could be speaking to iPhone users on AT&T’s network, who then pass along their yearning for Verizon in increasing numbers to Apple. What might come of that could be a new map in 2010 and beyond, the iPhone on Verizon’s next-gen LTE network.

The mythical beast that is the Apple tablet is becoming less of an amorphous wonder device, and more of a properly spec’d piece of hardware, at least if you believe iLounge. The site is claiming to know at least 10 definite things about the upcoming device, including its street date.

iLounge’s source is said to be reliable, based on past information they provided that turned out to be accurate, detailing the iPod nano 5G, the iPhone 3GS, and the Chinese iPhone 3G. Not a bad track record. For that reason alone, don’t be too quick to judge some of the more incongruous parts of this report.

The device has gone through three distinct incarnations thus far, though the time line for development isn’t provided in detail. It currently sports a 10.7-inch screen, an improvement over the first prototype’s 7-incher. The tablet runs iPhone OS, which could come as a disappointment to graphics professionals and other business users.

Appearance-wise, the tablet is said to resembled an iPhone 3G, and have a curved back like said device. I assume that also means plastic casing, rather than metal. The display will operate at approximately five to six times the screen resolution (around 720p) and have seven times the touch-sensitive surface area. I’m wondering what kind of bezel a device this size will have to make it more usable while holding. It definitely won’t be a one-handed piece of hardware like the iPhone can be when necessary or convenient.

Two varieties of the new device will be released. One will feature built-in 3G networking, and the other will not. iLounge suggests thinking of one as a big-screen iPhone 3GS, and the other as a big iPod touch. They don’t say anything about it, but I wonder if this means that the 3G-enabled version will be able to make calls and have SIM card capabilities.

The purpose of the Apple tablet is said to be to expand upon the all-media concept of the iPhone and iPod touch, creating a slate-sized reader for e-books and magazines, in addition to video, audio, and gaming capabilities (though I’m finding it very hard to picture gaming on a device this size with on-screen controls without laying it on a flat surface). It’s not designed to compete with netbooks, then, but to operate as an extension of the iPod line.

The official announcement and unveiling of the device is said to be coming either on or before January 19, 2010, so start saving that pocket change. Prepare to possibly be disappointed, though, since it still has to receive final approval from Steve Jobs, something the source claims only has about an 80 percent chance of right now.

At first I thought I was alone, and that my iPhone 3GS was defective, but now it looks like battery complaints relating to iPhone OS 3.1 are far from isolated incidents. Apple is officially investigating the matter, according to The iPhone Blog, which is something the company generally only does if enough people crow loud and long enough.

My own experience is that the iPhone charges in far less time than it normally would, and then only lasts about 12 hours on standby with my average daily usage of around three hours talk/browsing/gaming time. That’s probably a full 12 hours of standby off of what it used to be able to handle post-updating.

The behavior seems to indicate that the iPhone isn’t recognizing or using the full capacity of the battery anymore. I’ve tried resetting the phone, but I haven’t done a full restore, since I’d rather wait and see what kind of fix Apple comes up with before I lose all my data and settings. Also, support forum posters indicate that doesn’t correct the problem.

Other problems include a sticky battery indicator, which sometimes also won’t go below 100 percent after a full charge, and a huge additional drain when using Push features. My temporary fixes include turning off Push altogether, and charging the phone whenever I’m near an accessible power outlet, since the battery indicator can no longer be trusted.

Hopefully, Apple can solve this quickly with a x.x.1 release, but until then, drop by the support forums and answer the questions Apple is asking about the problems to help expedite the process. You might even be able to get one of the “Battery Life Logging” profiles Apple is distributing to gauge the extent of the problems. If you’re experiencing similar issues, please share in the comments with specific details.

In the past, to buy an iPhone you’ve had to either deal with Apple or one of its worldwide providers directly, or try your chances with online retailers, some of whom can be rather shady. Getting a carrier unlocked version was even trickier. But as of next week, Germans will be able to walk into a store designed just for the purpose and pick one up off the shelf.

The store, called 3Gstore.de, is a brick-and-mortar extension of the online retailer of the same name. It sells legally unlocked iPhones to German customers, and has done so since the release of the iPhone 3G. 3Gstore.de even went so far as to sue T-Mobile Germany for false advertising, since the carrier claimed it was the exclusive purveyor of the devices, despite European free trade agreements which make device exclusivity illegal.

Next week, on September 9 at 9:09 local time (09.09.09 @ 9:09, get it?), 3Gstore.de will open a physical retail store (photos in the gallery below) in the German city of Bochum, located in the bustling metropolitan area of the Ruhrgebiet. On offer will be 3G and 3GS iPhones, contract free and officially sim-unlocked. Customers who buy these devices can then sign up for a service plan with the provider of their choice — either O2, Vodafone, or ePlus, in addition to T-Mobile.

For us here in North America, it sounds like some fantastic dream. Sure, the prices are downright jaw-dropping (€999 for a 32GB 3GS, for example), but imagine the freedom, the sheer public nature of it all. Right there in the open, no jailbreak, no shady independent electronics retailer offering unlocking services on Craigslist.

You could plan an iPhone-tourism trip to Bochum, if the picture I’ve just painted is that appealing. But it’s possible that won’t be necessary, since in the very near future, the U.S. might have iPhone stores of their very own. The FCC’s investigation into AT&T/Apple relationship could always bear fruit, if you’ll pardon the pun, and result in the kind of antitrust laws surrounding device exclusivity that 3Gstore.de is taking advantage of.

The people behind 3Gstore.de are all just really big iPhone fans who want other users to have the freedom to choose. T-Mobile has tried to stifle them at every turn, even going so far as to try to limit what kinds of product images the much smaller company can use to promote its iPhone sales. It’s a true David and Goliath story, and if I was anywhere near Germany I’d be there on September 9 celebrating the store’s opening. Not buying a phone, mind you. $1400 USD is a little too rich for my blood. But I’ll be buying one in spirit.

While most iPhone users are aware of unofficial unlock methods, you may be surprised to discover that it’s possible to legally unlock your device, courtesy of Apple.

The above image is the not-often-seen official unlock notification, as displayed in iTunes. The dialogue succinctly confirms that the user’s iPhone, in this case a 3G, has been unlocked and can now be used on any carrier. Note the Apple logo at the top left — this is a result of an official unlock sanctioned by Apple.

Read on to find out how I legally unlocked my iPhone 3G.

In June, while over 1 million early adopters in the U.S. picked up their brand new iPhone 3GS devices, I was anxiously waiting for the official launch in my current country of residence, Finland. I picked up my iPhone 3GS in Helsinki just two weeks ago, when it was finally launched by Sonera.

Regarding Sonera, think of it as a less-repugnant version of AT&T. As the exclusive distributor of the iPhone over in Finland, Sonera has turned out to be a somewhat benevolent carrier. The carrier’s unlimited data plan is reasonably priced, and home hacking your iPhone to tether to your Macbook is positively encouraged.

And now I’ve discovered that Sonera is also happy to lend a helping hand in unlocking your old iPhone 3G. When the 3G was released last year, Sonera customers had to sign up for a two-year contract. When upgrading to the iPhone 3GS, those same customers are given the option to pay off the remainder of their original 3G contract. Paying off the contract, and thus completing the two years prematurely, entitles the customer to have their iPhone 3G unlocked.

The helpful assistant at the Sonera store made a note of my IMEI number and then passed it onto his boss — after that there’s a special piece of software that only his boss is authorized to use. This mystical application submits the IMEI to Apple, which in turn authorizes the device for unlocking.

I was advised that when the iPhone 3G was next synced with iTunes, it would be unlocked. Minutes later, back at home, I connected the iPhone 3G to iTunes and received a new carrier settings update. After downloading and installing the update, Apple’s official iPhone unlock screen appeared.

Going the legit route was a much more painless process than using a proxy SIM or the Dev Team’s unofficial unlock. Also worth noting is that, unlike some of the illicit approaches, this unlock is permanent: I’ll be able to keep updating the iPhone’s OS without losing the ability to use any carrier SIM in the device.

It was a surprisingly quick, easy and free unlock for me, although I’d be very interested to find out if any of our readers around the world have had similar success in unlocking their iPhones.

Due to hefty 3G roaming rates, Apple’s Maps app just won’t cut it when you’re out of the country. The oMap app lets you download maps for offline viewing — dodging a shocking bill post-vacation.

The iPhone is an almost perfect companion for travels to distant lands. With a bit of foresight and time set aside for planning, it’s possible to mix and match the perfect blend of vacation apps, ensuring you make the most of your journey.

My own package of essential travel tools includes Evernote, QuadCamera, Gengo Flashcards and HearPlanet. Without a 3G connection overseas, though, Apple’s Maps app proves utterly redundant — if I can’t connect, I can’t use it.

oMaps brings offline mapping to the iPhone. The app includes GPS, multiple zoom levels, map bookmarking and search functionality.

Don’t Google It

Notably, oMaps doesn’t make use of Google Maps. The developer, Thomas Bonnin, cites licensing restrictions from Google as the reason. Instead, the app utilizes OpenStreetMap, a service referred to by Bonnin as “the Wikipedia of maps.”

Despite being a community-maintained mapping service — meaning that there may be lower detail in some areas — in practice, the maps seem to be accurate, detailed and certainly useful for tourists. Even better, OpenStreetMap includes restaurants, ATMs, bus stations and other notable landmarks — a boon for lone travelers.

Best of all, because oMaps makes use of an open-source solution, after purchasing the app, individual maps are free to download. Admittedly, in-app purchasing of new maps would have been a neat iPhone OS 3.0 feature, although for me to grumble about that is akin to performing extended dental work on a gift horse.

Making Your Map

To create a new offline map, you simply open the app, browse to the location you’d like to view later and click save. Maps can only be downloaded via Wi-Fi, due to potentially large download sizes (the app saves the current zoom level and each increasing level of detail beyond that).

Although the developer states that you can save unlimited maps, there is one major constraint. The app will only start saving a map from a certain level of detail. If you zoom too far out — in my case when trying to download all of Helsinki — oMaps will refuse to save.

Essentially, the app draws a line as to how much you’re able to download in one go. It certainly doesn’t ruin the app or its functionality, but it’s a seemingly arbitrary obstacle, surpassed simply by downloading a given area in several separate chunks.

On Your Travels

Downloading a useful portion of a given city takes time and requires a stable connection. To make the best use of oMaps, you’ll need to plan ahead and prepare at least a day or so before traveling.

Once you’re offline and on the move, the app comes into its own. For me, flipping the iPhone to Airplane Mode and opening oMaps felt like cartographical witchcraft — the app located me immediately and I could zoom in and out, viewing my surrounding area in various levels of detail.

It’s worth clarifying for less tech-savvy users how this works. Your data connection — 3G, Edge, GPRS — may cost money to use overseas, usually at an inflated rate. The GPS in your iPhone — used for locating you — is free. oMaps uses the GPS to locate you and requires no data connection because the data itself, the map, has already been downloaded and saved to your iPhone.

Just like Apple’s Maps app, oMaps includes a GPS button. Pressing the button will locate you, assuming you’ve downloaded the corresponding map for the area you’re occupying. There are a few differences and drawbacks, though.

Unlike Maps, once you’re on the move, there are no directions or search functionality. Directions may be an arguably complex function, however Search does seem like something that could have been achieved — even if it means downloading a little more data when initially saving the map.

Summing Up

The app has a few issues that, while irritating, don’t ruin the overall functionality. Saving multiple maps for one city can be a drag, but then it’s all free and can be used offline, even with GPS. Plus, the lack of search functionality means that you may have to do a little extra pre-planning before setting off.

Rather than comparing oMaps to Apple’s Google-powered Maps, it’s perhaps best to see the app as a replacement to a traditional map. It saves purchasing horrid foldout maps and, as such, is more discreet and agreeable for meandering tourists.

Most importantly though, oMaps is a time and money saver. Although it won’t prove useful at home, when you’re in foreign lands this really will be an essential app.

Apple claims the iPhone 3G S is much faster than the iPhone 3G, but is it? Keep reading for our impromptu, unscientific speed tests.

Upgrading

The iPhone 3G S may be a faster device, but the upgrade process is slow. Be prepared when you hook up the new iPhone (to the machine you previously synced your old phone with) to be asked to accept a new license agreement. You will then be asked to enter your Apple ID. Thus, you’ll need an active Internet connection. You’ll likely want to restore from your old iPhone backup and then you’ll have to wait…a very long time. My restore took about 40 minutes.

After the phone data is restored, iTunes will start restoring applications and other content you specify. Unlike previous restores, this one actually kept the icon positions on the iPhone (this may be a new 3.0 feature), but for some reason, it didn’t remember saved passwords for Wi-Fi networks.

One test I recommend running before going any further is a pixel test to confirm there are no stuck pixels on your new phone.

App Speeds

Now comes the fun part: app speed testing. I still had my old iPhone (now a glorified iPod touch!) so I could easily compare how my apps ran on the old phone with the new one. The iPhone 3G was already upgraded to 3.0 (which I recommend before switching to the 3G S), and they were both on the same network.

These are averages after three separate tests. Human error does slightly figure in, as I pressed the stopwatch on one iPhone while my assistant simultaneous pressed the icons on the new iPhone 3G S and the iPhone 3G.

• Scrabble was one of the slowest apps for us. It loaded in 14.5 seconds on the 3G S and 21.4 on the 3G.
• Next test was Rolando: 13.8 seconds on the 3G S and 21.5 on the 3G.
• Trism 3.5 seconds on 3G S and 6.3 on 3G.
• Calendar: 1.6 on 3G S and 2.1 on 3G.
• Weather Underground on Safari: 5.9 and 9.6.
• And finally TwitterFon: 1.6 on 3G S and 3.0 on 3G.

Overall impression after owing it for two hours: The iPhone 3G S is one-third to twice as fast in this blogger’s real-world test. Share your test results in the comments!

Available today, the iPhone 3G can be purchased on the cheap for just $99. The new iPhone 3G S is available for pre-order via the online Apple Store in four varieties: 16GB in black or white for $199 and 32GB in black or white for $299. Apple has promised that if you pre-order today, it will be shipped directly to you and you will receive it on June 19.

This is the first iPhone model to be available via the online Apple Store web site for pre-order. If you choose to pre-order your iPhone, you can select your rate plan options via Apple’s web site, or log in and see your existing rate plan if you are a current iPhone user. Existing iPhone customers should expect an $18 activation fee and $18 upgrade fee. Then, users can choose to have their iPhone available for pickup at a local Apple Store or shipped directly to their door.

Though I purchased my iPhone 3G on launch day last year, according to AT&T’s records, I will have to wait until early December before I can qualify to upgrade to this iPhone at the advertised rate of $299 for the 32GB. This is different from last year, when Apple and AT&T allowed original iPhone owners to upgrade immediately without requiring owners to pay the higher price. Even though AT&T calls this an “early upgrade,” if you fall within this category, expect the 16GB iPhone to cost $399 and the 32GB iPhone to cost $499.

A lot of this will not be news to those of you who’ve either experienced the iPhone OS 3.0 beta first-hand, or who’ve read about it here on TheAppleBlog or elsewhere, but the official announcement of what features will be coming via the final release version of 3.0 (dropping June 17) came today via the WWDC keynote address, so here’s a quick recap and breakdown, in case you’ve forgotten or have been hiding your head in the sand. We’ll also look at the 3G S-only features that are coming with the new handset, which Apple is also releasing next week (June 19).

Cut/Copy/Paste

It’s here, it’s universal, it should work in all apps since it’s built right into the iPhone’s Cocoa Touch controls. This is big news for a lot of people who’ve been waiting for this ever since the release of the original iPhone two years ago, but BlackBerry users are probably snickering at all of us right now. All I know is, thank goodness I can finally text message complicated URLs instead of telling people what keyword to Google and what number link to click on in the results.

Shake to Undo

Maybe it’s the lack of a physical keyboard, but I’m always doing the wrong thing with my iPhone and iPod touch. There used to be no easy way to retrace my steps, but now all it takes is a little wrist action to set things right again. Command + Z is the way of the world, and I predict its presence in iPhone 3.0 will be much appreciated. Now, there’s the little matter of Redo. I humbly propose Spin to Redo. Or blow into the iPhone mic. Both would be very stupid-looking.

Landscape Everywhere

Portraits are nice, but sprawling landscapes are sometimes more pleasing to the eye. With 3.0, Apple has enabled landscape mode for all of its official apps, which is great for heavy Mail and Notes users. Maybe this will act as a cue to Twitter app devs?

MMS Available (Selectively)

Your iPhone is no longer preventing you from having MMS capabilities, though your service provider might. Twenty-nine of Apple’s telco partners will have full MMS support available for iPhone users when OS 3.0 goes live in a week, but some will be left out in the cold, including AT&T users, until a later (summer, in AT&T’s case) date. Here in Canada, we may be slaves to terrible three-year contracts, but at least we’ll have MMS — for a price.

Spotlight

Search your whole phone, not just parts of it. That means music, contacts, email, notes, the works. As someone who’s been using the beta since its release, I can say for sure that this is a great feature. Especially if you’re an app glutton or have a large address book/iTunes library. Just swipe right or double tap from the home screen to access it.

iTunes: Movie/TV Show/Audiobook/iTunes U Direct Downloads

Buy, download, and view all iTunes video content directly on your device, using Wi-Fi or 3G. Not only that, if you like to read with your ears, audiobooks are now also available directly from the iPhone, as is iTunes U content for those students out there. One step closer to cutting the cord. Now where’s that Bluetooth syncing?

Tethering (Also Selective)

Twenty-seven carriers are backing tethering via the iPhone, including Rogers in my homeland. Guess who’s not? I’ll give you a hint: It rhymes with “Haiti and Tea.” Not exactly clear on whether that situation is temporary or not.

HTML 5, HTTP Streaming A/V, Autofill, Javascript Improvements

Safari is getting a whole whack of improvements which should make the iPhone mobile browsing experience much smoother. HTML 5.0 standards support, 3X faster Javascript rendering, intelligent HTTP audio and video streaming that picks bitrate and data quality based on your connection speed, and autofill for forms and logins are all included in the 3.0 update.

Over 30 Languages Supported

Chinese, Hebrew, Arabic, Greek, Korean and Thai are among the new languages supported in 3.0, extending the iPhone’s international appeal.

Parental Controls

Just as suspected, you’ll be able to control iPhone content via a settings pane and age group ratings. Good for parents who are spoiling their kids with iPhones, but don’t want to go so far as to let them ogle bikini babes.

Find My Phone

A “30 Rock” clip featuring Tina Fey as Liz Lemon having lost her iPhone was used to demo the new Find My Phone feature, which has been an option in the beta, but didn’t actually do anything until now. It allows you to track the location of your phone via MobileMe’s web interface, and even send it a message with a phone number for a kind stranger to call if they’re feeling benevolent and want to return your device.

Remote Wipe

If you’re worried that the person who finds your lost phone might not be so benevolent, you can always initiate a remote wipe, which will erase all your data permanently. Nice security feature.

In-App Media Library Access

Get at your iTunes library from within games and other apps. The demo used Gameloft’s Asphalt 5, which now allows you to access your music and playlists via your in-game car’s radio. Pretty cool, and something a lot of games will probably end up taking advantage of. Much cheaper than licensing music for use.

Device Access

Hardware peripherals can now access iPhone software via the dock connector so that third-party companies can develop apps to accompany their iPhone and iPod touch accessories. The tech demo today involved a nifty science experiment, and guitars. Lots of cool stuff possible here, though I predict a lot of buggy stuff coming to market first. Tom Tom showed off a GPS augmentation dock that could be pretty neat with its turn-by-turn software.

Push Notification

Text, audio, and icon badging are all supported as forms of push notification in iPhone OS 3.0. Apple didn’t kid around with the tech demo for this at WWDC, which featured a medical app that can update a doctor in real time of a patient’s status. It rightly awed the crowd.

In-App Purchasing

Let the flood of DLC begin. Level packs, magazine subscriptions, book purchases, cute hats for your in-game avatars, anything you can imagine will be made available by someone. Can’t wait for fart noise add-on packs.

3-Megapixel Autofocus Still/Video Camera (3GS Only)

At least in the controlled environment of the keynote presentation, the new camera looks loads better than the existing 3G’s. Lots of neat “tap to focus” options, better saturation/exposure control, and video capture. Videos can also be instantly edited on the device, as many predicted. The implementation of video functions looks very slick. There is also developer API access to the still and video camera.

Voice Control (3G S Only)

I’m not entirely sure why this is limited to the 3G S, since the iPhone 3G has a mic and software, so it should be able to handle a little voice recognition. I guess it looks cool, though, especially with universal iPod commands (“Play my playlist” and “Play songs like this” to activate Genius) and audio track information just like the iPod Shuffle.

Nike+ Support (3G S Only)

It was supposed to happen, and it did. Not very surprising, but a nice addition. Definitely ups my interest.

Battery Life Improvements (3G S Only)

Nine hours on Wi-Fi, 30 hours audio playback, 10 hours video, 12 hours 2G talk, and five hours 3G. Again, Apple estimates, so likely exaggerated, but should beat the existing iPhone pretty handily. On a more muscular device, too.

Digital Compass (3G S Only)

Just as speculated, the magnetometer made it in. It allows Google Maps to know your orientation, among other things. Developer API access is also included.

It’s a long list, it’s a good list, it’s an incomplete list. iPhone OS 3.0 brings 100+ new features, many of which won’t be immediately apparent. These are the ones that will likely matter to you on a day-to-day basis, and that’s why they’re here. If there’s anything I’ve missed, feel free to comment below.

Siliconrumors has posted a news item claiming that its “sources” have indicated Apple is preparing some new additions to its MacBook Air family of laptops.

In short, the rumors talk of an integrated 3G radio assembly, allowing connectivity to high-speed cell networks. Also touted is a solid-state drive (SSD) as standard (currently the SSD is an expensive additional option when buying a MacBook Air). Finally, they suggest a price point of between $1,300 and $1,500.

I wouldn’t ordinarily have given this much credence except for the recent apparent consensus in tech journalism reporting (Gene Munster has a LOT to answer for!) that agrees Apple’s much-discussed tablet device won’t see the light of day until 2010.

If Munster’s prediction is correct, it means that Apple must fare another year in an uncertain economic climate. Even with the anticipated next-generation iPhone due to be released this summer, a little more product diversification couldn’t hurt their bottom line. Particularly if Apple tips its hat a little more warmly in the direction of the growing netbook market.

Not Playing

Apple doesn’t make netbooks; yes, yes, we know. Tim Cook made Apple’s position very clear in April when he said:

When I look at netbooks, I see cramped keyboards, terrible software, junky hardware, very small screens. It’s just not a good consumer experience and not something we would put the Mac brand on. It’s a segment we would not choose to play in.

But sales figures don’t lie, and in fact present a very compelling picture. Earlier this year, ABIresearch released a report (summarized on Macblogz.com) forecasting netbook sales in 2009 would rise to 35 million units (compared to last year’s 10 million). Tellingly, they expect netbook sales to increase to a whopping 140 million by 2013.

ABI Research expects netbook sales to reach an astonishing 140 million units by 2013

So Apple doesn’t want to make netbooks. It’s happy working away on its not-so-secret tablet alternative to the netbook. But in the meantime, there’s a fast-growing demand for lightweight, ultra-portable laptops. Whether you choose to call it a netbook or not, the MacBook Air is the closest thing Apple currently offers to that category of personal computer.

A 3G-enabled, SSD’d MacBook Air wouldn’t set the world on fire, but it would offer an Apple-flavored netbook-esque experience for customers with deeper-than-average wallets. And don’t forget, they’ll offer Apple a lot of valuable lessons about netbook-friendly hardware/software ahead of the launch of their market-changing tablet next year.

A news item yesterday on iLounge reports AT&T will be upgrading its existing 3G network to provide a “significantly faster” mobile Internet service. The communications giant is planning to double its current 3G network speeds and expand its cell coverage.

From AT&T’s own press release:

The upgrade to High Speed Packet Access (HSPA) 7.2 technology is part of AT&T’s plan for continued investments to deliver the nation’s best mobile broadband experience — the ideal combination of speed, coverage and best device line-up. AT&T today has the nation’s fastest 3G network and has attracted more than twice the number of smartphone users than any other competitor.

While the expanded cell coverage (AT&T is deploying over 2,000 new cell sites throughout the country) will hopefully reduce the number of dropped or failed calls for iPhone users, the improvements in mobile broadband speeds appear to be limited to larger cities and other metropolitan areas.

Ralph de la Vega, president and CEO of AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets, said, “With the array of smartphones, laptops and emerging devices taking advantage of AT&T’s 3G network today, we know that customers are excited to experience higher mobile broadband speeds, and we are deploying the right technologies at the right times to help them get the most from that experience.”

The new upgraded network could, according to AT&T, allow theoretical peak-speeds of 7.2Mbps. For those of us hoping to see bandwidth-hungry applications and services (such as HD YouTube video down/uploads, video calling or TV/Movie downloading) on the next-generation iPhone, this sounds like a step in the right direction, though AT&T does carefully point out that:

Typical real-world downlink and uplink speeds experienced by customers with upgraded 3G will be less than the theoretical peak and will vary based on a number of factors, including location, device, and overall traffic on the local network at a given time.

Still, the upgrades are sorely needed and should be warmly welcomed by iPhone customers. A word of warning, though: Despite the announcement yesterday, AT&T doesn’t expect to see these upgrades completed and fully deployed until the end of 2011. So why announce it now? Well, it’s exciting news for its existing customers, and probably has nothing at all to do with the fact that a great many of its iPhone customers’ contracts are about to expire…

Apple seems to be trying everything they can think of to clear existing iPhone stock. As of today, you can finally order the iPhone 3G directly from Apple’s web site and have it delivered to your door.

If you’re fond of the old ways, you can still reserve your device at the Apple retail store and then go pick it up. Personally, since shipping’s free, I’d just as soon let laziness prevail. While the same option has been available from AT&T for a while now, it’s always nice to have a choice, especially one that makes use of Apple’s much-touted customer service.

As if I didn’t have enough USB sticks sitting around doing nothing (512KB flash drives, Bluetooth and 2.4GHz wireless dongles, etc.). Now it looks like my 3G mobile broadband USB modem might soon join the ranks of the neglected and forgotten. Not because 4G networks are being built out as we speak, but because it looks like Apple is gearing up to start building 3G radios into their notebook computers. It’s about time, too, and frankly I’m surprised that more computer manufacturers haven’t gone this route long ago, considering the significant added incentive to buyers of having wide-coverage Internet access built in to their machines.

News of the new direction for Mac hardware comes from job postings, which have been garnering quite a bit of attention for Apple lately, considering the recent buzz about chip-making related positions. Now Cupertino seems to be looking for a few good 3G QA, design, and testing engineers to join their camp. The job descriptions, listed on their Hardware Engineering jobs site, list a variety of wireless specifications, with 3G among them, and the jobs in question talk about Mac applications specifically, so this isn’t just an iPhone-oriented position, as I initially suspected.

There’s already been all kinds of buzz about AT&T or other telcos offering bundles, including both 3G wireless plans and subsidized MacBooks, but so far nothing’s come of it. It’s very possible that either AT&T or Apple floated the rumor in order to try to gauge customer interest in such a package, and are only now moving to build the tech into their hardware because the response they received indicated that it would be worth their while. Question is, how much of a premium will Apple be charging for the new hardware addition, if any, and what kind of plans will the cell phone companies be able to offer?

Even if Apple is going forward with this, and the deal is good, there’s also the fact that tethering is apparently included in iPhone OS 3.0 to consider. Why would they shoot themselves in the foot, so to speak, by offering iPhone users a way to use 3G mobile broadband with their MacBooks without taking advantage of a built-in in antenna? There’d be no incentive for owners of those devices to sign up for an additional plan to take advantage of built-in MacBook 3G access.

It’s possible that the price of purchasing 3G antennas has become so affordable that Apple is willing to put them in as just one more incentive for prospective buyers, rather than as a significant selling point. Personally, I know I’d rather have it than not, even if my iPhone is able to tether on my existing wireless plan. We’ll just have to wait and see what develops, which will likely take at least a year, considering the types of positions Apple is hiring for.

Apple has started showing three new TV spots in its “There’s an app for that” series. These new ads focus on the outdoors, small business, and college students. Here’s a breakdown of the three apps highlighted in each ad. I’ve also provided a handy list of all the apps that appear on the screen just so you don’t have to spend 20 minutes scrubbing through the video yourself.

Itchy

In the “Itchy” ad, the iPhone tells you where are headed on your hike, what bird you are looking at, and if you are standing in Poison Oak or not.

Compass Go works by using the GPS tracking in the iPhone 3G to try and infer which direction you are headed. Although there are rumors of magnetometers in the next version of the iPhone, there is no such capability in the current iPhone. The accuracy is limited, of course, but it is still interesting. Compass Go is $1.99.

iBird Explorer Plus is a complete bird spotter’s field guide for North America. While fairly expensive at $19.99, this app is a pretty good replacement for a pocket book. The search feature gives it a huge advantage over any paper book.

Howcast is an interesting service where users can upload their own videos that explain how to perform certain tasks. The web site has some pretty interesting listings. This free iPhone app lets you browse through the videos to find what you are looking for.

Cameo appearances by: Dietician, AllRecipes, DiggTest, VegOut, CityMint, MySpace, Go Green, Scrabble, Health Cubby, Surf Report, Google, YosemiteEnvi, Trails, Heart Monitor, Pandora, MultiLevel, Metronome, Hotel…earMe, LinkedIn, iXpenseIt, iCam, InnTouch, Anatomy, FedEx Mobile, GetGreen, iTranslate, EleMints, KICKmap, iTalk, Scoops, vlingo, Yelp, Peekaboo, LogMeIn, Pizza Calc, Facebook, YPmobile, NYTimes, Kineo, GoodGuide, Starmap, Photogene, Mint.com, PanoLab, Weightbot, AIM, MacGourmet, JetSet, Print n Share, MobileFiles (Pro?), eBay, Keynote Remote, Shop Lucky, Guitar Toolkit, SnapTell, ViewTi N, Yoga Stretch, Molecules, Where To?, Tuner, Recorder, Spanish, Evernote, Google Earth, Wine Snob, Twitterific, Keener, Mobile News, World Traffic, Gigotron, WeatherBug, Nike Training, Flick Fishing, Remote, Flights, Pano.

Office

In “Office”, the iPhone lets you process a customer’s credit card transaction, print shipping labels, and check your package tracking status.

Credit Card Terminal is one of the most expensive app store purchases at $49.99, but it is a pretty useful business tool in the right situation. When you compare this to dedicated mobile credit card terminals, it is actually a decent deal. You will still need a merchant account and payment processor to use with this app. There is an offer to sign up with Authorize.net through the app itself.

Print n Share is a pretty nifty little app that lets you print emails, attachments, photos, and web pages from your iPhone. You install helper software on your Mac or Windows computer that receives the print request from the iPhone and then your computer actually sends the job to any printer it can see. Print n Share is $6.99.

FedEx Mobile is a simple app that lets you track packages that you have sent through FedEx. Anything you have done through FedEx Manager using the same account will automatically appear, as will any packages you have added to My FedEx online. And it won’t cost you anything, either.

Cameo appearances by: Clinometer, ABC Animals, ACTCurrency, MySpace, BeatMaker, Photogene, Ambiance, Bloom, BofA, CameraBag, CityMint, Classics, Cor.kz, Apartments, NYTimes, WeatherBug, 365XWords, AIM, Open Table, FlightTrack, VegOut, Currency, iXpenseIt, Facebook, ZAGAT ‘09, YPMobile, Eventful, Flights, DiggTest, Baby Monitor, Dynolicious, YosemiteEnvi, Bee Book, Anatomy, iBird Plus, WeightBot, 1800Flowers, Preschool Adventure, Dietician, AmbiScience Brain Power, French, Drync Wine, MobileFiles Pro, LogMeIn, GetGreen, MacGourmet, LinkedIn, Keynote Remote, JetSet, Spanish, iCam, Pandora, iTranslate, ???Map, Kineo, Compass Go, Mark On Call, Starmap, Gigotron, Mint.com, World Traffic, Mobile News, GoodGuide, PanoLab, Keener, Google, Trails, Remote, GuitarToolkit, NYTimes, Scoops, Shop Lucky, Nike Training, PA Traffic, eBay, Beacon, Tipulator, InnTouch, ViewTi G, All Recipes.

Student

During “Student”, the iPhone lets you find an apartment, find the best price for a textbook, and crop some drunk jerk out of your photo so you can send it to your mom.

Apartments will help you find its namesake for free, basically. It allows you to search for rentals using either your current location, or by entering city, state, and zip information into a search field. Results have photos, driving directions, links to maps, and contact information. You can’t specify search criteria like price range or number of bedrooms, though.

SnapTell is an app that also pretty much does what its title suggests. Just snap a picture of something with your iPhone’s camera, and it’ll return a description complete with the thing’s name, rating, and links to sites with more information like Google, IMDb, eBay, etc. Probably won’t work with your cat, but DVDs and and books are fine.

Photogene lets you do basic photo editing work directly on your iPhone. Obviously, it’s nowhere near as powerful as Photoshop, but it does let you make up for a lot of the failings of your iPhone’s built-in camera quickly and easily, as well as add text and other effects to your photos. Photogene will cost you $2.99.

Cameo appearances by: Airsharing, Health Cubby, Peekaboo, Kineon, Color Expert, Where To?, eBay, Open Table, Compass Go, iCam, Evernote, Trails, Dietician, FedEx Mobile, WordBook, GoodGuide, MySpace, Fieldrunners, VegOut, Surf Report, Weightbot, Spanish, Todo, Tactile, Bloom, AIM, Pandora, Pizza Calc, EleMints, Threads, Howcast, Scoops, YosemiteEnvi, dB, iBirdPlus, Heart Monitor, FlightTrack, Barista, Clinometer, MySpace, SpeakEasy, Google, BofA, ZAGAT ‘09, X-plane, AllRecipes, Ambiance, ColorSplash, RepairPal, TideGraph, 365XWords, StarMap, CityMint, CoffeeBreak, WeatherBug, Ocarina, Anatomy, Keynote Remote, Facebook, Scratch, GuitarToolkit, AroundMe, Nike Training, Pano, Srabble, Dynolicious, Primrose, Shop Lucky, Gigotron, Face Melter, AmbiSci BP, Remote, Twitterific.

If you’re a security nut, browsing at a public hotspot can be like showering in a public bathroom. You might have no other option, depending on your circumstances, but you’re bound to feel a little creeped out and you’d probably rather have some flip flops on. Think of Hotspot Shield as flip-flops for your computer. And now for your iPhone, too.

AnchorFree’s Hotspot Shield for computers installs a client on your desktop or notebook that sets up a virtual private network, helping to ensure that you stay anonymous and secure while browsing. Hotspot Shield for iPhone employs the same concept, minus the client, allowing you to browse securely from your mobile device.

I’ve used Hotspot Shield with my MacBook before, and found little cause for complaint. There are some hiccups when streaming large media, and an ad is displayed at the top of your window, though Hotspot Shield itself is free.

Hotspot Shield for iPhone is also a free service, although it does require registering an account with AnchorFree. Registering is incredibly painless, however, you just click a button and receive your account name and password.

You also have to change your VPN settings on the iPhone. Make sure your Wi-Fi is off, and go to Settings > General > Network > VPN, and then click Add VPN Configuration. At this screen, you’ll have to enter the following information:

• Select the L2TP tab/pane (selected by default)
• Description: HotspotShield
• Server: 64.55.144.10
• Account: <your account name>
• RSA SecurID: OFF
• Password: <your password>
• Secret: password
• Send all traffic: ON

Save settings and turn Wi-Fi back on. According to AnchorFree, you may have to power cycle your device to get the settings to take effect if you experience connection errors.

Once set up, you will be shielded from prying eyes by a VPN connection between your device and the 3G or wireless network to which you are connected. AnchorFree claims that you are 100% secure behind Hotspot Shield, ensuring that no hackers can gain access to your emails, credit card or banking information, sensitive documents, or whatever else you may have stored on your device.

Hotspot Shield is clearly aimed at business users, but anyone who doesn’t relish the thought of strangers coveting their personal information will enjoy the peace of mind it brings.

Many iPhone users will rejoice at the news today from Mobile Crunch that AT&T has officially confirmed the upcoming availability of an official tethering solution from them and Apple. The news comes from AT&T CEO Ralph De La Vega, who, in speaking with Tech Crunch’s Michael Arrington at the Web Summit 2.0 conference, revealed that tethering would be coming “soon.”

Brief-lived application, NetShare, previously offered a way for the iPhone to act as a modem for laptops, but was quickly pulled, briefly re-introduced, and then pulled again. The removal/reinstatement/removal probably had something to do with behind the scenes discussions between Apple and AT&T, which likely concluded in the decision to go forward with an official, sanctioned tethering solution developed by the two.

De La Vega did not provide any details as to the pricing or timeframe for release of AT&T’s official tethering plan. Previous reports indicated that part of the delay stems from AT&T’s fear regarding the additional burden iPhone users with tethering plans would place on their 3G network.

It’s also unclear just how much demand there is for an official solution, especially given the fact that it could possibly come at a steep price.

iPhone users: Is the ability to tether important to you? What do you consider a reasonable price for an official solution?

Sometimes it’s hard to tell the difference between professional industry analysts and Apple fanboys coming up with dream specs for their ideal notebook. Such is the case with the most recent prediction by Neil Mawston of Strategy Analytics. His call for the (immediate) future of the MacBook? 3G HSDPA connectivity.

Cellular broadband connectivity built-in to notebooks is no revolutionary move, but what does Apple specifically stand to gain from including it in their own machines? According to Mawston, the chance to take advantage of network operators frothing at the mouth to cross-sell the notebooks to existing iPhone 3G customers. But are they really so eager?

Despite tantalizing images of dollar signs that may be dancing in their eyes, providers are no doubt brought back to earth by inescapable considerations like infrastructure limitations. Take for instance AT&T’s apparent trepidation at going forward with the rumored plan to offer official, native tethering in conjunction with Apple. Their 3G network already took an early hit when the iPhone was initially released, so it’s not difficult to imagine that even with considerable investment, it wouldn’t stand up well to a sharp spike in usage.

Still, 3G dongle sales are on the rise, and WiMax networks are beginning to go live worldwide, so demand is definitely there for wireless broadband computing. Building in 3G capability would also be the first logical step towards subsidized notebooks being offered in data subscription bundle packages, the possibility of which we reported on earlier. O2 now denies any imminent bundles including Apple-branded hardware, but the trail has still been blazed by others like Asus.

So is this a logical “next move” by Cupertino, as Mawston suggests? If Apple were actually in the netbook game, like Acer and Asus, than 3G inclusion would indeed be the obvious progression. In reality though, both internal and external factors argue against the likelihood of Mawston being correct. At least for American markets, the infrastructure build required by AT&T to support added demand is at least a year or two off, and Apple is not in the habit of releasing frequent iterations of their hardware with minor changes under new product codes, like Asus with its Eee line.

A MacBook outfitted with mobile broadband capability is a good idea, and one that we may yet see, but if Jobs is unwilling to buy into Blu-ray and netbooks, it’s unlikely that he’ll jump on the 3G bandwagon right now just because it seems to be gaining steam.