iPhone users who happen to write a blog, here’s a good news for ya. Thanks to the new plugin called WPhone, you’ll be able to add new and manage existing posts right from your shiny handset, wherever you are. Apparently, WPhone is quite fast — all pages are NOT ONLY pared down to their bare essential HTML, but each is GZIPed before it is sent off to the iPhone, saving bandwidth for those using the crappy EDGE network.

In addition, the folks behind WPhone also prepared a plugin version that works with other mobile browsers which don’t support JavaScript. There you have it — now you can really blog on-the-go…

Want free magazines? Sure you do. In case you have an iPhone or an iPod touch, you can now access the Zinio’s iPhone-dedicated website and read some of the most popular magazines on your beloved device, while on-the-go. At the moment, Zinio is providing iPhone and iPod Touch users with a free access to such magazines as Car & Driver, Men’s Health, Macworld, Woman’s Day and Kiplinger’s — i.e. they’ve managed to make quite a selection, assuring that every single user of the Apple (NSDQ: AAPL)’s handset (or iPod touch) will find something interesting for himself/herself.

Without further ado, here’s the link that leads to the free magazines. Alternatively, you may want to check out the full Zinio’s release after the jump…

Read the full article »

Here’s another iPhone that’s had its butt-end confused for its top-end. Aren’t there people getting paid to make sure stupid slips like this don’t make it into the production version of any film or TV show? Actually, we’re pretty sure there are – which begs the question, where were they during the taping of this recent episode of Two and a Half Men? Charlie is clearly holding his iPhone upside-down as he sits in that beautiful, red Ferrari. We’ll cut him some slack, seeing as how he was probably distracted by Jenny’s ample…talent – but the production crew definitely dropped the ball on this one.

Honestly, we actually watched this particular episode and didn’t even notice the iPhone. Like we said, Jenny’s got some major “talent.” That’s our story and we’re sticking to it.

[Via: Engadget Mobile]

Fast Company sent an iPhone to UNIX specialist and consultant Rik Farrow and commissioned him to crack through its defenses. Using the popular platform for testing security systems H D Moore’s Metasploit, Farrow was able to take complete control of an iPhone, even demonstrating the ability to eavesdrop on conversations, intercept voice mail and email, and upload nefarious software programs. According to him, to hack Apple (NSDQ: AAPL)’s handset, “physical access to an iPhone is not required.” In addition, he pointed out this is NOT just an iPhone’s vulnerability — most today’s smartphones (including those based on Windows Mobile, Linux and Symbian mobile operating systems) are not immune to this. Scary…

Anyway, here’s the video.

Wait a tick. Didn’t RIM CEO recently bash on the Apple (NSDQ: AAPL) iPhone’s touch-sensitive, virtual keyboard “that’s a real challenge” to use? Well, he did. But that doesn’t mean this latest speculation is any less true. Rumblings from the rumor mill have indicated that RIM is preparing the 9000-series smartphone to give the iPhone a run for its touchscreen-money. Development of the new 9000-series platform will see new hardware and mobile OS (software) coming out of RIM’s R&D labs.

According to Carmi Levy, an analyst at AR Communications Inc., the RIM BlackBerry (NSDQ: RIMM) 9000-series will be “the future of the BlackBerry franchise” – a stark contrast to the company’s traditionally business-oriented roots. “The 9000 is supposed to be a touch-screen device, very similar in form factor to the iPhone,” Levy says. “Which means that it is not an enterprise-friendly device.”

RIM’s been branching out into the consumer-market with the recent BlackBerry Curve and Pearl handsets, and it looks like RIM is going to go full-out and take on the iPhone with a media-savvy, touch-based handset of their very own.  The 9000-series BlackBerry will reportedly feature a full-face touchscreen and upgraded audio and video playback capabilities to supplement the iconic BlackBerry push-email feature. We’re also expecting US-friendly 3G frequency support and 600Mhz processor to power all those media-intense features.
As we expected and mentioned previously, Levy believes that RIM will be launching the 9000-series BlackBerry in Q1 2008. The rest of RIM’s BlackBerry lineup will still see updates (like the 3G EVDO Pearl that recently hit CDMA carriers in the US), and a RIM VP stated that the company will be releasing 4 or 5 new smartphones for 2008. We can’t wait to see what RIM’s answer to the iPhone will look like. No, check that. We know what it will probably look like (there are only so many ways to implement a full-face touchscreen), we can’t wait to see how it actually works. It had better use a capacitance touchscreen if it plans to take on the iPhone. Balda, anyone?

[Via: Unstrung]

What do we have here? Unlocked iPhones in Germany? Indeed we do. It seems Vodafone (NYSE: VOD)’s legal pursuit of T-Mobile (NYSE: DT)’s Apple (NSDQ: AAPL) iPhone exclusivity has finally caught up with the No. 1 German wireless carrier. Thanks to a German court order, T-Mobile Germany has agreed to start selling iPhones sans contract – at least until they can work out this little legal snafu. As you might recall, a court in Hamburg, Germany ordered a temporary injunction (upon rival carrier Vodafone’s request) against T-Mobile Germany – stating that the iPhone exclusivity deal with Apple was in breach of local laws.

Well, T-Mobile Germany is now offering iPhones without requiring the customer to sign a 2-year contract, but unlocked iPhones come at a price, a huge price. In return for the privilege to use the iPhone on any GSM carrier, T-Mobile is asking a hefty 999 euro ($1,470) price tag for an unlocked iPhone. Of course, if you’d rather buy a new LCD HDTV and a new iPhone, T-Mobile Germany is still selling locked iPhones for 399 euros ($590) on a 2-year service contract. T-Mobile Germany is also offering unlock codes to customers that previously bought an iPhone and want to venture out to other GSM wireless carriers’ networks (ahem, Vodafone perhaps?).

T-Mobile is planning to appeal the injunction so that it can continue to maintain its status as an Apple iPhone exclusive carrier. We’ll keep you posted on the happenings in this space. Stay tuned.

[Via: Apple Insider]

According to the technical evangelist for the Java mobile and embedded community at Sun, Terrence Barr, with the release of the so-much-needed SDK in February 2008, iPhone users may be able to play and use Java games and apps. Barr argues the open-source phoneME platform could be converted to run on the iPhone, hence opening the “Java world” to the iPhone community.

Of course, not many people know what Jobs&co are working on, but somehow this makes sense. After all, we already know iPhone’s CPU supports hardware Java acceleration. Hopefully, we’ll see it actually being used after the MacWorld. Stay tuned…

[Via: PocketGamer.co.uk]

Here we go again. The latest 3G iPhone rumor points to Vodafone (NYSE: VOD) as the exclusive carrier for the next-gen iPhone with high-speed wireless data. Italian website Morse.IT claims to have spoken with high-level Vodafone sources that  seems to indicate that Apple (NSDQ: AAPL) and Vodafone have signed an exclusive iPhone deal. Seeing as how Vodafone is currently backing a German court’s decision to force T-Mobile to give up iPhone exclusivity in Germany, we’re betting that the Vodafone iPhone deal doesn’t concern the EDGE-only iPhone. Could Vodafone’s move to force T-Mobile (NYSE: DT) to give up iPhone exclusivity have been a negotiation tactic to secure the UMTS-addled iPhone for Vodafone’s networks all over Europe?

The 3G iPhone is rumored to be hitting Vodafone’s network in Q1 2008, which is pretty much in line with rumors that a 3G iPhone could hit Europe by May of 2008.  We’re hearing that the 3G iPhone will launch simultaneously in all countries where Vodafone has a carrier-presence, but the announcement won’t be made until after the holidays – in order to prevent cannibalizing current iPhone holiday-sales. Could we see Apple and Vodafone bow the 3G iPhone at MacWorld Expo 2008? We’re crossing our fingers.

[Via: Unwired View]

Pic from Engadget Mobile

You may like or not, but Apple (NSDQ: AAPL)’s iPhone is THE more disruptive device like ever. Now, we have Vodafone (NYSE: VOD) — the same company that fights iPhone defection by taking customer service offline — obtaining a Court order that required rival T-Mobile (NYSE: DT) Germany to sell iPhone without a service plan. And while we do agree that’s a good news for German consumers who like the Apple’s handset, somehow if that’s the way Jobs&Co wants to go – you can’t blame them. Apple was never really open about its platforms, but always managed to get its place under the Sun. Kudos to them for that. Also, it’s important to note that this could lead to complete halt of iPhone sales in Germany…

Back to Vodafone. Don’t you guys have F700 and N95 8GB? I find those two devices to be quite appealing. Why oh why do you want to take this kind of (stupid) action? According to the Big Red it’s the fear that other handset makers may follow Apple’s example and begin tying their handsets to specific providers (like the Samsung F700, which is exclusive to Vodafone?), further shredding the German wireless market. Yeah, it’s the benefit of the German mobile phone users you care about, not shareholders. C’mon folks, it makes me sick. You could have an iPhone deal, but you decided to go the other route. What’s the problem now?

Anyway, T-Mobile’s parent company — Deutsche Telekom (NYSE: DT) — has confirmed the ruling, and is working to overturn it in an appeals processes.

[Via: AppleInsider]

The one thing about the iPhone v1.1.2 jailbreak was that it only worked with legit, AT&T (NYSE: T) activated iPhones on Intel-based Mac machines. Well that’s all changed with the newest update to the iPhone v1.1.2 jailbreak. The new jailbreak solution will now activate (allows you to bypass the “Connect to iTunes” screen and use the iPhone without an AT&T contract) your iPhone and works with PowerPC-based Mac machines.

If you still haven’t jailbroken (jailbreaked?) your iPhone v1.1.2, here’s your chance. Grab the updated v1.1.2 jailbreak from Conceited Software.