The latest iPhone firmware is live. Steve Jobs announced the release of iPhone OS 3.1 today at Apple's Rock and Roll media event. The latest iPhone firmware can be downloaded using iTunes.
The software adds new features and includes bug fixes. iPhone Dev-Team has recommended against updating your firmware until further notice if your iPhone is jailbroken and/or unlocked.
With the upcoming late release of MMS for the iPhone, AT&T is struggling to maintain a positive image with its subscribers. Reports have suggested their latest efforts will either come under the category of "too little, too late" or "my iPhone has more features on AT&T."
Reports are circulating that the company is developing features for the iPhone that will be exclusive to AT&T, even after the iPhone is available on other carriers in the US. Improvements in the works mainly add features to the existing visual voicemail system.
Only three short weeks until AT&T activates iPhone MMS on the 3G and 3GS. The company announced today that service would be made available via software update on September 25.
AT&T has been coping with an onslaught of data usage, and they expect the situation will get worse as soon as iPhone users start texting with pictures and videos. Wireless use on the AT&T network has grown 350 percent year-over-year for the past two years. The company released the following announcement:
TomTom's iPhone car kit accessory should hit shelves any day now. The device is currently under review by the FCC, and with added software will provide turn-by-turn directions while fixing the iPhone or iPod Touch on the car windshield.
It works in conjunction with the TomTom iPhone application, available now on the App Store for $99.99 (US and Canada version). The car kit has its own GPS chip, making it possible that other third-party navigation apps can be used with the accessory in combination with an iPod Touch or iPhone.
Subscribers to the Rhapsody music service will soon have their own iPhone app. That is, if Apple approves the software for distribution in the App Store.
Rhapsody is a service developed by RealNetworks, charging $14.99 monthly for streaming access to over eight million songs. The iPhone application would make it possible for Rhapsody To Go plan subscribers to listen via Wi-Fi, 3G or EDGE.
Surprise! The popular iPhone app Yelp has a secret feature that overlays nearby points of interest on live video of your surroundings. This augmented reality feature is available in Yelp version 3.0.0 on iPhone 3GS.
To turn on the feature, called Monocle, make sure "Location Services" are ON. Launch Yelp and select the "Nearby" screen from the bottom menu. Now gently twist or shake the iPhone a few times until the dialog box stating "The Monocle is activated" appears.
Apparently if you have an iPhone 3GS and you're looking for the nearest burger in Paris you're in luck. Presselite has released their 99 cent iPhone application, Metro Paris Subway.
It allows iPhone users to view many points of interest, including metro and bus stations, superimposed over live video of current surroundings. Just a month ago we explored a video of the prototype NYC version of a similar augmented reality application.
Vonage is looking for a boost from iPhone users amid sagging sales of its Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service. The company has submitted an iPhone application to Apple for approval.
The first version Apple reviewed came back due to a technical issue involving an icon label. The app was resubmitted by Vonage after correcting the problem and is currently under review.
Now you can receive iPhone push notifications instantly every time a new email comes to your Gmail inbox. The app, called Gpush, has been released by Tiverias Apps and approved by Apple.
Users can select between several options to determine how they are alerted of new mail. The iPhone will vibrate, ring, display the email message sender and subject on the lock screen (like incoming SMS), or just show a badge of how many new messages have come in on the GPush icon.
Apple has been prolific in the patent department lately, especially when it comes to patents that relate to the iPhone and iPod Touch. The latest filing shows a process that would allow someone on a phone call to send files to the other party without ending the call or leaving the phone app.
The iPhone would automatically determine where to send the files based on the contact information of the person connected. Even if multiple parties are in a conference call, the person sending documents, emails, contacts or text messages could send this data in one step while still connected to any of the participants.
