Apple gives ok to unlocked iPhones in France

Want an unlocked version of the iPhone that's actually sanctioned by Apple? Then wing your way to France next month, when wireless operator Orange begins selling an unlocked iPhone—with Cupertino's blessing. OK, "blessing" might be a bit of an overstatement. Apple's hand was forced by French law, which forbids the sale of cell phones that are tied to a particular carrier (hmmm, sounds like a good idea, no?). The International Herald Tribune reports that yesterday's announcement of Orange winning the iPhone deal in France was delayed for nearly a month as the carrier and Apple hammered out financial terms; an Orange rep denied that the unlocked iPhone was a factor in the delay.

Details about unlocked iPhone sales in France are still sketchy, however. What we do know is that a locked version of Orange's iPhone will retail for 399 euros (or about $560) when it debuts in November; the sticker price for an unlocked iPhone is still under wraps, but it "will cost more," the IHT reports. And here's a little something to consider for potential iPhone importers: the French iPhone will, of course, have all its menus written in French, and the last time I checked, I couldn't find a "Language" setting on my iPhone. Any ideas out there, folks?

* Article source: Yahoo! Tech

iPhone Hackers Statement: "Wait For the Relock"

For those who unlocked their iPhone to work on other carriers other than AT&T or to run other applications, it seems there are ways to lock it back, if you wish.

The group that opened up the iPhone to both application development and networks other than AT&T, says it will have a fix out next week that will allow you to restore that iPhone to its factory settings. According to a statement issued by the iPhone Dev Team, right after Apples' warning that the new update planned for later this week may break hacked iPhones, the group is condemning Apple and promising a tool in the next week which will restore the unlocked iPhones to a factory-fresh state.

The statement, which is said to be issued by a spokesman for the iPhone Dev Team, was posted on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW). The unlock, he writes, made the iPhone free and useful world-wide, not just in certain countries.

The iPhone Dev Team has stated that, according to download numbers, several hundred thousand people have unlocked their iPhones worldwide. Those behind the iPhone Dev Team, who prefer to remain anonymous for obvious reasons, feel they should be allowed to do whatever they want with the iPhone, since they bought it.

Besides the iPhone Dev Team, other developers also say that the unlocking process could easily be reversed: "After unlocking the iPhone, minimal effort is required to get it in to its previously locked state."

On Monday Apple warned iPhone users who had installed software for unlocking their phones that an iPhone update expected later this week could potentially break their phones, and that just downloading the unlocking software voids the iPhone warranty.

* TUAW: "iPhone Dev Team" Issues Statement.
* CNET: iPhone hackers say "relock" on the way.

Apple's Warning: Unlocked iPhones May Become İnoperable

Apple has warned (on monday) that anyone attempting to unlock their iPhone to use with carriers other than AT&T could find their phones irreparably damaged and "permanently inoperable" with future updates planned by the company.

Since the iPhone debuted in June, hackers have posted a number of methods online to make it possible to use the iPhone on cellular networks other than AT&T, which is the exclusive official carrier for the iPhone.

Apple executives say they have discovered that many of those unauthorized unlocking programs cause some software damage to iPhones.

Now, a software update that Apple plans to issue later this week that will add features such as accessibility to the iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store via a button on the iPhone, may end up making the touch-screen cell phone completely inoperable if it has been hacked into.

"This has nothing to do with proactively disabling a phone that is unlocked or hacked," Phil Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of worldwide product marketing, said in an interview. "It's unfortunate that some of these programs have caused damage to the iPhone software, but Apple cannot be responsible for ... those consequences." Schiller said he didn't know how many iPhones are operating on different carriers.

According to several news sites, the warning will be seen as a pre-emptive strike by Apple in the ongoing battle with hackers who are increasingly making unlocking software available to iPhone users.

"Apple is saying that if you buy the iPhone and unlock it, you could preclude yourself from getting new features. Apple updates might not install properly and you could find that you own a £270 brick," said Ben Wood, director of research firm CCS Insight. (BBC news site)

The programs -- including several that can be downloaded for free, and at least one that costs $25 -- appear to be particularly popular with consumers in Europe. Many Europeans have bought iPhones in the United States, but Apple will not be selling them or providing service for them in Europe until November.

Unlocking the phone has also created a growing market for unauthorised applications, including wallpaper and ringtones.

An Unlocked iPhone Can Be Locked Back

John McLaughlin of Uniquephones.com, in Northern Ireland, has developed unlocking software, but his Belfast-based company hasn't sold or distributed it. "Anyone who has already unlocked their phone could get it back in working condition," he said.

"We have reviewed the source code of a number of these applications and to the best of our knowledge any changes made to the software can easily be reversed," McLaughlin said in an e-mail. "After unlocking the iPhone, minimal effort is required to get it in to its previously locked state."

As with any Apple product, hacking into the iPhone voids its warranty, Apple said.

* AP: Apple Warns Hacking iPhone May Harm It.
* BBC News: Apple Warning on Unlocked iPhones.

A Price Cut to Apple iPhone and the 7th Wonder, The Touch

After all those rumors and expectations, something quite unexpected came out of Apple's sept. 5 "The Beat Goes On" special event:

* a $200 price cut to the 8 gb Apple iPhone which was being sold for $599.

* the 4 gb Apple iPhone will be discontinued, and the remaining supplies will be sold for $299.


And there were more announcements made on the iPod front, like the Touch:





* a new iPod was introduced, called the Touch, which is essentially the iPhone without the phone. Like the iPhone, the 16 gb iPod Touch will sell for $399, and it will include Wi-Fi, a Web browser and the "cover flow" software to virtually flip through your music collection with a finger. (The announcement of a wi-fi enabled iPod with a touchscreen was expected from Apple lately, but I guess Touch has surpassed most expectations.)
The latest version of the iPod music player is only 8mm thick, comes with a 3.5in colour screen, built-in wi-fi internet access and Apple’s Safari internet browser. It looks like the iPhone, but without the phone part. For the first time users will now be able to buy tracks from iTunes, Apple’s online media store, directly to the iPod without having to use a separate computer. Steve Jobs, the Apple chief executive, declared the gadget “the seventh wonder of the world”.

* Apple renamed the original iPod the iPod Classic, which will be available in two sizes: The biggest has 160 gb of storage, priced at $349, and an 80 gb version will sell for $249. Both models feature the visual cover-flow software found on the iPhone.
The 160 gb iPod will put "40,000 songs in your pocket," Apple CEO Steve Jobs said. The first iPod, released in 2001, had 5 gb of storage and held 1,000 songs.

* The iPod Nano is getting a face-lift as well. The new version will play video, a feature added to the iPod two years ago, but hold only 4 gb of content for $149 and 8 gb for $199. It also has the cover- flow feature.

* Apple has also announced an exclusive agreement with Starbucks that allows you to access the iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store for free in participating US Starbucks stores starting next month. When you enter a participating Starbucks location, your iPod touch, iPhone, or PC or Mac® running iTunes will automatically recognize the iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store. You can see what song is currently playing or has recently played in the store, and immediately preview, buy and download it over Wi-Fi. (Gizmodo)

Apple's announcement of the unexpected price cut sent Apple's otherwise highflying shares tumbling 5 percent on Wall Street.

Microsoft cut the price of the Zune, its 30GB digital music player and a rival to the iPod, by $50 (£25) to $199 yesterday. It said that it had planned the price cut “for months”.

* Sources: ChicagoTribune.com


Blog Directory

Remote Access Service PCNow Launched iPhone Version

Cisco owned WebEx, a developer of on-demand applications for collaborative business on the web, has launched an iPhone-optimized version of its remote access service PCNow. The iPhone compatible version of PCNow, lets users access files from their desktop PC, as well as Outlook e-mail, contacts and schedules. You can also forward, delete or reply to messages, and these changes will be reflected on the desktop. You can sign up for a 1 month free trial from its site.

"This latest version of WebEx PCNow gives iPhone users the ability to wirelessly access their desktop PC from anywhere, at any time," said Jack Chawla, senior director of product management, WebEx in a statement to the press. "We're delighted to be able to utilize the innovations in iPhone to enable seamless access to desktop files, email and tools 24/7."

With WebEx PCNow, it is possible to access and view files, photos, and documents stored on a remote computer from any mobile phone as well as share documents and pictures while on the go—enhancing capabilities for the increasingly mobile society.

PCNow costs $12 a month for use with two PCs, but users can also sign up for a 30-day free trial.

Go BlogZ
eBlogzilla

Meebo: "Best iPhone Chat App"

A new app for the iPhone, enables multi-protocol chat to the Apple device. The new web-based chat application from meebo offers connectivity with AIM, MSN, Yahoo, ICQ, Jabber and Google Talk networks. Other Apple iPhone chat clients like FlickIM only supported the AIM network.
Using the instant messaging site meebo for the iPhone does not require any software to be downloaded as meebo updates depending on the phone specifications.
"Safari on the iPhone has enabled a new level of mobile innovation - it's the most advanced web browser ever put on a portable device. Our application for the iPhone now provides a seamless experience between your computer's browser and your phone's browser," said Seth Sternberg, founder and CEO, meebo. "meebo truly is instant messaging everywhere!"
As said before, there is no download required to use the meebo service, just visit the www.meebo.com on your iPhone safari browser, the site will automatically identify your iPhone.
You’ll be able to get access to all of your instant messenger accounts with Meebo’s single log-in and buddy list, as well as chat history and preferences that are saved, so there’s no re-setting necessary for the iPhone-optimized application, and any changes made will be reflected on both the iPhone and the desktop. Active conversations will show at the top of your buddy list.

You get the standard Meebo IM networks you get on the desktop. You can even log in to the same Meebo account and use the same settings, including away messages and previous messages. Actually chatting is great as well, allowing you to keep the keyboard up while chatting, which is super convenient. They wanted to make this as light as possible, which means some features are stripped out (like adding contacts). But all the important ones you need to hold a conversation are there. (Gizmodo.com)

It's said to be the best iPhone chat application. And this is from the meebo blog:

"meebo is ready and available (and hopefully, much improved) on the iPhone. Just like normal meebo, there’s no download required; you get chat history for all your buddies and their buddy icons, and your IM accounts are all in one place, etc. It’s like you never even left the house!"

Once you log in (and you don’t need a Meebo account to use the site, just login as you normally would on whatever network you prefer), you’ll be dropped into your contacts list. Select a contact and start a chat just as you would in a normal IM app. Buddies you’re actively chatting with will appear at the top of the list so you get a quick preview from the buddy list.

The only problem about this app which actually has to do with the iPhone, is that if you get a call or a text message or otherwise close the browser, you’re automatically signed out of Meebo (or nearly anything else for that matter).

More Rumors About the Special Apple Event: iPhone Nano or iPod with WiFi

* Source: The Washington Post

When Apple said it was going to make an announcement at the Moscone Center in San Francisco next week, it triggered an elaborate and familiar guessing game.

Could it be the iPhone Nano, the subject of speculation in a financial analyst's report this summer? What about a WiFi-enabled iPod that some bloggers are buzzing about?

If documents prepared by an Apple partner and obtained by The Washington Post are to be believed, both of those products are in the works and slated for release in the coming months. One would be an iPod with WiFi and a touch screen like that on the iPhone; the other would be an iPhone Nano priced lower than the cheapest iPhone, which sells for $500.

Such speculation not only moves markets, it also prompts action from companies, from retailers to analysts and accessory makers, for whom every Apple launch creates new business opportunities.

A J.P. Morgan analyst in Taiwan scrutinized patent applications and probed overseas vendors, concluding in a July report that an iPhone Nano -- a version smaller than the iPhone launched in June -- would be released this year.

The report caused such a stir that another J.P Morgan analyst issued a subsequent report clarifying the firm's position. "We have been unable to independently confirm . . . so we are not yet convinced this is a likely event" before year's end, the analyst, Bill Shope, wrote.

There are other clues bloggers are trying to imbue with significance. One is that Apple's retail channels apparently have not received new iPod inventory in recent weeks, a possible sign that a new iPod will come sooner, rather than later, bloggers said. A second: The image on Apple's invitation features album cover art used in its iTunes jukebox software.

In the end, it's all a guess, with some guesses more educated than others. But they're also making a few bucks for Apple investors. The buzz generated by Tuesday night's announcement has helped push Apple's stock up 9.2 percent, closing yesterday at $138.48 a share.

It's fun to get excited about a new gadget, but, alas, there is a potential downside for Apple, said Rob Enderle, principal analyst with Enderle Group in Silicon Valley.

"If it brings out a product that doesn't capture the excitement . . . I wonder if people will be disappointed because it doesn't come up to the levels of what's expected," Enderle said.

Apple declined to comment.