iPhone 3.0 beta 2 released to developers
by Justin Horn on Mar 31st, 2009 @ 5:57 pmHaven’t had a chance to check it out yet, but hopefully this fixes the slow downs, app crashing, iPod breaking needing complete restore, etc.
What’s new in Beta 2? Updated 7:05p est
- Seems snappier
- A new placeholder link called “Store” in the settings, possibly for choosing how you want to get the new in app updates?
- MMS still doesn’t work for me with the family text plan, but now when you choose a picture it shows you the full size image before picking it to insert into the text. Before it would just freeze up for 15 seconds and appear in the text.
- Issues with apps seem to be fixed. LocalPicks wouldn’t work at all and now works fine. TWC worked, but buttons and icons looked messed up / missing and now looks normal.
What’s not?
- YouTube still doesn’t work
- MMS still not functional. I’ve heard if you are on the family text plan it should work, so this could still be a software issue. I know people that have got it working had to hack a carrier update file as well as call att.
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Review: iPhone gone solar… Solio battery pack
by Chiyin on Mar 31st, 2009 @ 3:31 pm
While Justin has been using the mophie juice pack and waiting for the upcoming juice pack air, I’ve gone solar. A while ago I came across the Solio Classic battery pack and decided to give it a try. Basically the Solio is a battery equipped with solar panels that can recharge itself harnessing the power of the sun. Unlike the juice pack, the Solio is not exclusively for the iPhone, it comes with different tips that can connect to different electronic devices including USB. Since getting the battery I’ve been testing it with different devices like a Motorola krzr, iPod Photo, iPod Video and of course my iPhone 3G and it works pretty well.
The setup is fairly simple, you plug in the cord, attach a tip and then simply connect the device you wish to recharge, that’s it. There is only one indicator on the battery, an LED that flashes green every 3 sec or so when it’s charging a device, a solid red when the battery is charging, or a combination of both when a device is attached to it while it is under the sun.
Its performance has exceeded my expectations, it charged a fully depleted iPod in about 2 hours using about 60% of the battery charge. It takes a bit more to charge up the iPhone but that’s expected, especially since the iPhone was on while I was charging it.
To charge the pack you simply open up the battery to reveal it’s 3 solar panel and place it in a sunny place. It does take a while to fully charge the battery, specially if the sun is not shining, but being from the Sunshine State that’s not a big problem for me. The average charging time is about 8 – 10 hours under the sun, but you can also charge up using the included USB charge cable. But that kinda defeats the purpose of the pack, don’t you think?
Overall, I’m happy with the Solio, my only problem was using the included USB tip with the iPhone. Turns out there’s a new tip for the iPhone 3G, but once I got the new tip everything was good. So, if you want to go green or you are like me and don’t like anything resembling a protective case enclosing your electronic devices, give the Solio a try. And if you do, let us know how you like it…
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New Skype app allows calls over 3G, if you are on 3.0 beta [Updated]
by Justin Horn on Mar 31st, 2009 @ 11:34 am
I just downloaded the new Skype app and so far it’s pretty good. It seems a little buggy, but I’m running the 3.0 beta so can’t really comment on bugs. I read the app info and, as expected, you can’t make VoIP calls over the 3G network. I decided to give it a try anyway and was able to make phone calls on 3G! I tested to make sure it wasn’t getting routed as a normal call by calling my house and checking the caller ID, which confirmed the 3G VoIP showing the standard “Out of Area” for Skype calls.
Users on 2.2.1 have not been able to makes calls over 3G so this must be 3.0 only “feature”. I have to imagine that this is will be rectified in the next beta OS or at least by final release as at&t would have a fit! I’m going to work this Skype thing as much as I can in the mean time, damn the man…at&t in this case.
UPDATE
Seems the bugs I commented on above effect the calls too… (remember this is 3.0 only)
1) The speakerphone doesn’t work, but not a big deal as the regular phone speaker does
2) Sometimes the call connects and you can hear fine while other times you connect, but can’t hear the person on the other end.
3) Seems like #2 happens after a couple calls. Closing and opening the app fixes it sometimes, but other times I believe the app causes phone wide slow downs / issues (e.g. iPod not playing) needing a phone restart. On these occasions when the phone calls stop working and I am using the iPhone 3G headphones, I can hear clicking noises. The clicking does not stop until the phone is rebooted.
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iPhone, iPhone apps, Speculation
Apple selling no contract iPhones, fewer restrictions than at&t
by Justin Horn on Mar 27th, 2009 @ 12:34 pmIn yet another sign of a possible 3rd gen iPhone coming this summer, Apple has now joined the no contract selling party on the iPhone 3G. I know people say that paying $599 for a 8G and $699 for a 16G is way to expensive to be a inventory clearer, but between the unlockers and commitment phobic there are plenty of people willing to pay the steep price. Hopefully the smart buyers will wait for all of us 3G owners to sell them on eBay after upgrading to the iPhone 3G Pro (or whatever they will call it).
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iPhone, Speculation
WWDC 2009 finally announced!
by Justin Horn on Mar 26th, 2009 @ 5:35 pmJune 8–12
So Apple finally announced the dates just when people were starting to wonder what was going on with it. The two hot topics they are likely to discuss are iPhone 3.0 (duh) and Snow Leopard. Hopefully they will have a working version of Snow Leopard and announce a release date, but who knows.
The iPhone stuff will be the most interesting though. We know for sure they will discuss the 3.0 software, but the big question is will they bring up features not discussed at the 3.0 event? Maybe some features that only run on a new 3rd gen iPhone?
I recenlty started to waiver on whether or not I even believe we will see a 3rd gen iPhone this year, but as of now I’m leaning towards yes! Mainly because I just want to get a new 3rd gen with cool new features…background apps? 
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Timeline of commercial uses of lithium batteries
by Justin Horn on Mar 25th, 2009 @ 8:33 pmSlow news day, thought this was funny.
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Apples & Oranges, Humor
