Iphone 3G 3.0 OS: All the best bits

At a special event held last week,Apple announced the eagerly anticipated new iPhone 3.0 OS update and revealed some tantalising new additions along with some long awaited features. Thought your iPhone 3G was perfect? Read on to see what you’ve been missing and what you’ve got to look forward to when the update hitsphones in the summer…

First up (and not exactly a surprise due to the amount of speculation in the run up to the press conference) the iPhone gets full cut and paste functionality. From copying text from a web page to adding text or contacts to a message or IM, simply double tap the text, select the amount to be copied/ cut and then drop it into the desired application. Made a mistake? Simply shake the iPhone to undo your last action.

Next, Apple have finally added MMS to the mix. Multimedia messaging on the iPhone 3G will allow you to send photos, contacts, audio files and locations. With the lack of MMS a long running gripe of iPhone users (and a point of much amusement for those who resisted the iPhone’s charms), Apple have answered their critics and given the people what they want.

Apple have also added a useful search tool to the iPhone so you can search your phone for files and content. Email has been given an overhaul with the phone now letting you compose mails in landscape giving you a bigger and more user friendly QWERTY keyboard. Creating voice memos is now an option and stereo Bluetooth has been added so you can stream music to a compatible wireless headset.

Among some other, more minor updates (SMS forwarding, shake to shuffle playlists etc.), one of the most exciting aspects of the new OS will be the new software development kit for App developers. In addition to improved usability for developers, Apps will now be able to offer in-app purchases such as subscriptions, additional game levels and new content. Paving the way for even more exciting, new applications, the Apple App store just goes from strength to strength.

Bet you’ve never been so excited about a software update!

Apple iPhone 3G helps you learn to drive

If you’re looking for a fan of the Apple App store, look no further. For me, the App store offers the perfect blend of fun and functional applications designed to put a smile on your face and make day to day chores that little bit easier. So what’s next for the iPhone 3G? Having conquered public transport, what’s next for the App store? Simple, the iPhone 3G is going to teach you how to drive. The latest app, developed by ABEL Learning, claims to provide a “21st century solution to passing the theory part of the UK Driving Test”. The App promises to simplify the learning process of that troublesome theory test.

Using the actual DSA data bank means the application will feature all the questions that could possibly appear on the theory test. The questions appear in the same multiple choice format as they would in the actual test. This App looks to be a great tool for learner drivers and should help you to become competent in the Highway Code, something that a lot of Drivers could benefit from! Whether a future release will include the Hazard Perception Test is unconfirmed, though surely this would work perfectly with the touchscreen. What will be interesting to see is whether any other developers take inspiration from this new App. How about learning to speak another language using your iPhone? Or learning to cook? What about an iPhone DIY tutorial? That’s just the tip of the iceberg, the educational possibilities of the iPhone 3G are limitless, who knows what the future holds.

iPhone App provides relief for Rubik’s Cube Addicts

The Apple iPhone 3G is not short of admirers and you don’t have to look far to find someone proclaiming the iPhone’s superiority over its rivals. It’s easy to see why, with a seemingly never ending list of features with something to appeal to everyone. From the fantastic multi touchtouchscreen, the massive memory and iTunes support to the brilliant web browsing capabilities. But of all the innovations, i don’t think anyone expected the App store to take off as it has. With over 15,000 apps available and more always in development it seems the possibilities are endless. And what has Apple got in store for us now? Well they’ve only gone and solved the Rubik’s Cube!

Yes that 80’s nostalgic melon scratcher of a puzzle game that no doubt sits unsolved on shelves across the world can finallybe put to rest thanks to the new iPhone app CubeCheater. CubeCheater will solve any Rubik’s Cube (except for those that have been smashed to pieces in frustration) in one of two ways; either match up the colours on the screen to that of your cube or use the iPhones camera to take pictures of a few of the sides of your Rubik’s Cube. Once CubeCheater has all the information it needs, it will work out the answer and then show you a detailed diagram of the moves needed to solve the puzzle. And better still, the author of the App claims it should take less than 19 moves to solve any cube. So there you have it, surely the best App to appear on the App Store so far.

Apple announce DRM free iTunes and over the air 3G iTunes downloads for the iPhone 3G!

Apple have kick started the new year by announcing that all songs on its iTunes music service will be available without copy protection, potentially enabling them to be played on any MP3 player. Previously, most tracks bought through iTunes could only be played via the programme itself or on Apple’s branded iPods. The move means that Apple, who are the biggest music vendor in the world having sold over 6 billion songs, actually first went DRM-free with the launch of “iTunes Plus” in May 2007, but only with tracks from EMI. Since then rival competitors, such as Amazon, 7digital and Play.com, have offered a wider range of DRM-free music so the time has now come for Apple to expand and compete in new market areas.

Apple revealed that with immediate effect, eight million iTunes tracks will be offered without restrictive digital rights management, with a further two million to be offered in what Apple calls “iTunes Plus” by the 1st of April. Making the announcement at the Macworld technology show in San Francisco, Apple’s senior vice president of marketing Phil Schiller, also said that from April 1st, music will either cost 59p, 79p or 99p per song, rather than the current flat-rate of 99p. That move is thought to be in line with the wishes of record labels, who have previously sought to charge variable prices, but have resisted the move towards music without so-called Digital Rights Management.

This change, however, will only affect new purchases from the iTunes store, so consumers who have previously built up a library on their computers will face the daunting prospect of now having to pay to upgrade their music to the new format. A spokesperson for Apple said: “iTunes offers customers a simple, one-click option to easily upgrade their entire library of previously purchased songs to the higher quality DRM-free iTunes Plus format for just 30 cents per song or 30 percent of the album price”. This works out to around 20 pence per song here in the UK.

Many music players and mobile phones, too, will still not be able to play songs in the format Apple is using, because the company will continue to use its proprietary “AAC” files, rather than changing to the more universal MP3 format. The change, however, is likely to spur many hardware manufacturers to update their products.

In addition, Schiller announced that over the air 3G iTunes downloads would now be available for iPhone 3G owners. Basically this means that iPhone 3G users can now preview and purchase anything from the entire iTunes Store music catalogue on their phone via their 3G network, just as they do with Wi-Fi today, for the same price and in the same high quality format. Apple also announced a web-based version of its group of business applications, iWork.com, in a move that could see it rival companies such as Google and Microsoft, and unveiled a new 17” laptop computer.

The iTunes Store is the world’s most popular online music, TV and movie store with a catalogue of over 10 million songs, over 30,000 TV episodes and over 2,500 films including over 600 in stunning high definition video. With Apple’s pioneering features such as iTunes Movie Rentals, integrated podcasting support, the ability to turn previously purchased tracks into complete albums at a reduced price, and seamless integration with iPod and iPhone, the iTunes Store is the best way for Mac and PC users to legally discover, purchase and download music and video online.