ThinkGeek TK-421 case brings QWERTY keypad to iPhones

• By: Geoff Duncan
• From: http://www.digitaltrends.com/

ThinkGeek's TK-421 iPhone case features a (working!) swing-out QWERTY keypad and works with the iPhone 4 or 3GS.

Users of BlackBerry devices and several other messaging-centric phones have long derided the Apple iPhone for its virtual on-screen keyboard. Now, ThinkGeek is looking to offer iPhone users some thumb-tastic messaging credibility with its new TK-421 case for the iPhone 4 or iPhone 3GS, which features a (working!) swing-out QWERTY keyboard for users’ messaging needs.



The keyboard works with the iPhone as a Bluetooth input device, which means no alterations to the phone are required for the keyboard to work, although use does mean tapping a little extra battery power to keep Bluetooth running. As a standard input device, the keypad should work with any installed iPhone application or service, including email, text messaging, social networking clients, Web browsers, and more. A magnetic clasp holds the keypad open or closed, and the keyboard itself is powered by a rechargeable battery: pop the device onto a USB port to recharge. ThinkGeek is offering separate models for the iPhone 4 and 3GS, owing to the devices’ different sizes. The case is not compatible with the iPhone 3G or original iPhone.

The ThinkGeek TK-421 case will be available in late November for $49.99.

iPhone 3GS v/s iPhone 4 [ Infographic]

by Mahalo
from: http://www.geekersmagazine.com/

How to Turn an iPhone Into a Wireless iPad Camera

From: http://gizmodo.com/

The iPad doesn't have a built-in camera, but you can give it something better. By putting an app onto each an iPad and an iPhone, you can connect the two via bluetooth and have a wireless camera for your iPad.

All you need to do is download the Camera A and Camera B apps onto your iPad and iPhone respectively—note that Camera A will set you back a buck while Camera B is free. Once you've got the apps on your devices, make sure bluetooth is switched on, and open the apps. Ta da! You'll see everything your iPhone's lens sees on your iPad.

To take a picture you'll tap the camera icon at the bottom of your iPad's screen. A pop up prompt will ask you if you really want to save the photo and that's it, you're done. Oh, and if you want photos to save to both your iPhone and your iPad each time, then you can flip the little toggle switch in the lower right of the screen:


How does this witchcraft work? Based on the fact that I just saw my iPhone lock screen twice moments ago, I'd say that the apps are allowing your iPad to mirror your iPhone's display. I guess that means that you could also use this app setup to truly turn your iPad into a gigantic iPhone. [Camera A and Camera B]

Update: Keep in mind that this app will only work with an iPhone 3Gs and not other models.

Send an email to Rosa Golijan, the author of this post, at rgolijan@gizmodo.com.

Sky Siege Augmented Reality Warfare Game Turns iPhone Into Deadly Portal to the Heavens

Sky Siege ($3, available now) uses the iPhone 3GS' compass and accelerometers to turn the iPhone into a window rather than just a screen, resulting in startlingly immersive gameplay. Don't know what that means? Just watch this remarkable clip. [iTunes]

Send an email to Mark Wilson, the author of this post, at mark@gizmodo.com.

Flash Player 10.1 on Google’s Nexus One

By: Stan Schroeder

From: http://mashable.com/

If you’re an iPhone owner, you probably don’t want to hear about Flash. Full support for Adobe’s rich media technology has been promised for the iPhone many times, but it’s still not there yet.
However, if you plan on getting the Nexus One, you’ll be one of the first users to be able try out Flash Player 10.1, currently in beta.
Adobe posted a video showing the latest Flash Player happily working on the Nexus One. It can be used to browse Flash-heavy sites and play online games, but it can also be used to deliver Flash-based ads. From what we can see in the video, Nexus One’s powerful Snapdragon CPU handles Flash with ease. Check out the video below.

CES: iPhone-controlled drone unveiled at tech show curtain-raiser

AR.Drone – a flying 'quadricopter' with on-board cameras and internal guidance system – shown at Las Vegas industry event

• Bobbie Johnson in Las Vegas
  

• guardian.co.uk, 

The Parrot AR.Drone: 'Easy to control and flies like a dragonfly.' Photograph: Andrew Gombert/EPA

Unmanned drones have become synonymous with controversial military action in some of the most dangerous warzones. But now a child's toy has been created using the same technology.
The AR.Drone, an iPhone-controlled helicopter powered by four separate blades, has been unveiled at the agenda-setting Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

Boasting built-in military grade systems such as wind compensation and autopilot functions, the drone is able to hover for hours over a single spot – or fly under the command of a pilot using a wireless controller such as an iPhone.
The toy also boasts a number of other hi-tech embellishments, including a pair of on-board cameras and a computerised internal guidance system that allow it to track objects and react to the environment automatically.
"With video cameras and a powerful computer, we have developed a very stable drone that is easy to control and flies like a dragonfly," said Henri Seydoux, the founder and chief executive of the Paris-based company behind the toy, Parrot.
A spokesman for the company, which is better known for making Bluetooth headsets and in-car systems, would not say how much the AR Drone will cost – but confirmed that it would be available to buy later this year.
"Our first project was a Bluetooth race car. We've developed it, but I was not satisfied," said Seydoux. "So I started with the idea of a quadricopter."
The company was demonstrating the device at the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, one of the world's biggest technology industry showcases.
Thousands of computer buffs and hi-tech entrepreneurs are expected in the city this week as the world's most powerful electronics brands fight it out for top billing. Among the 2,500 companies in attendance are Microsoft, Sony, Samsung and Nokia – who are all launching major new products at the event.
The show's organisers expect more than 100,000 enthusiasts to turn up over the next four days to get their hands on new products such as touchscreen tablet computers, record-breaking television screens and electronic books.
Despite the focus on expensive gadgets and gizmos, however, toys are an increasingly significant part of the show – with a manufacturers showing off robots and hi-tech contraptions aimed at youngsters.
The high levels of interest and excitement come despite a difficult period for the event, which is entering its 42nd year. In 2009 many exhibitors were left reeling by the global economic crisis, and many have scaled down their plans for this year's show.
Organisers say that visitor numbers could be even lower this week than they were this time last year, although more new companies have signed up to exhibit than ever - a signal that the excitement that was absent last year has returned.
"There's a great deal of enthusiasm leading into 2010 that just wasn't there in the 2009 show," said Jason Oxman, a senior vice-president of the Consumer Electronics Association, which organises the event.

TomTom for iPhone en route

by Dan Frakes, Macworld.com

Among the third-party products demonstrated during June’s WWDC keynote, the one that may have generated the most anticipation was TomTom’s TomTom for iPhone. This combination of an iPhone app providing turn-by-turn driving directions and a hardware accessory, the Car Kit for iPhone, that enhances the app will enable the iPhone to take the place of a standalone GPS unit for many users. Unfortunately, TomTom CTO Peter-Frans Pauwels didn’t provide many details during that demonstration other than to say that TomTom for iPhone would be available “later this summer.” 26224338

Macworld recently had a chance to talk with with Tom Murray, Vice President of Market Development for TomTom, and while the company hasn’t yet announced a release date or final pricing information, Murray was able to expand on some of the information presented at WWDC. (You can see a video teaser of TomTom for iPhone on YouTube.)

iPhone challenges

While other vendors have announced, and in some cases already released, navigation apps for the iPhone (AT&T’s Navigator and Sygic’s Mobile Maps are a couple of the latter), Murray noted that TomTom for iPhone is unique because it’s a two-part solution. By combining software and hardware, the company says it can provide an experience that’s much more comparable to that of a standalone navigation unit than an app on its own.

According to Murray, the biggest challenge presented by an iPhone-based navigation solution is that dedicated navigation devices have better GPS reception than an unassisted iPhone. In addition, the iPhone doesn’t include any of the special technologies TomTom implements in its own navigation units; for example, gyroscopes and other hardware that allow a unit to better approximate its position when it loses the GPS signal in, say, a tunnel. The size of the iPhone is also an issue—4.3-inch screens are becoming the standard for standalone devices, while the iPhone’s screen is only 3.5 inches in size. And few iPhone owners have car mounts for positioning the phone safely while driving.

There are also logistical issues. For example, because the iPhone doesn’t support background processes, any navigation app must shut down during phone calls, making real-time tracking difficult—something that doesn’t happen on a dedicated GPS unit, even one that includes telephony features. And while the iPhone offers far more space for data storage than do most GPS units, the company recognizes that iPhone owners will want to use much of that space for apps and media, so navigation apps need to avoid abusing the opportunity.

Car Kit not required, but recommended

iPhone owners will be able to purchase and use the TomTom software and maps without the Car Kit hardware accessory; however, the Car Kit for iPhone was designed to enhance the software by addressing several of the limitations mentioned above. For starters, the Car Kit includes a separate GPS receiver that performs better than the one built into the iPhone; Murray said this receiver is closer to what you’d find in a dedicated GPS unit. The TomTom app uses this receiver when your iPhone is docked in the Car Kit, allowing for improved real-time navigation, especially in cities with large buildings or in locations with lots of trees or other natural obstacles. The Car Kit also includes a built-in speaker that provides better audio quality and considerably louder output, making it easier to hear spoken directions.

The Car Kit is also a car mount for placing your iPhone in a safe location for driving. The unit includes the same EasyPort mount as TomTom’s recent standalone GPS units, letting you adjust the cradle’s angle, rotation, and relative position (you can position the cradle sitting on or hanging from the mount). The mount locks in place when in use, and folds flat for easier storage. The Kit's power cable plugs into your car’s accessory jack or any USB power source and charges your iPhone while docked.

Finally, the Car Kit includes several additional audio features. For example, it includes a 1/8-inch audio-output jack for connecting the iPhone and Car Kit to any car stereo with an auxiliary-input jack; this lets you listen to both navigation directions and iPhone audio—including music—through your car stereo. You also get a microphone that lets you use the Car Kit as a Bluetooth speakerphone. (Yes, even though the iPhone physically connects to the Car Kit, it uses a Bluetooth connection for phone calls.)

We asked TomTom how the company will promote the TomTom for iPhone package, given that the software and hardware will necessarily be sold and distributed separately—the app through the App Store, the hardware through other outlets. The company says it intends to sell each separately, as well to bundle the two, but that making people aware of the hardware if they purchase the software first will be the biggest challenge.

TomTom features, iPhone UI

While the iPhone’s hardware can’t match that of a standalone GPS unit, Murray noted that TomTom is taking advantage of the iPhone’s own unique features to enhance the app. For example, unlike TomTom’s dedicated GPS devices, the TomTom app’s interface has portrait and landscape modes depending, of course, on how the phone is oriented. You can also use the iPhone’s multi-touch gestures—tap, swipe, pinch, and zoom—to navigate the interface and zoom in and out of maps. You’ll also be able to access your iPhone contacts from within the TomTom app, letting you quickly choose a destination or starting point from a contact’s information. (Integration with other apps has not yet been announced.)

Mapping and navigation will apparently work much as they do on the company’s standalone units, with a similar interface, most of the same core features, and similar voice-guided navigation. The app will include TomTom’s IQ Routes feature, which takes advantage of other TomTom GPS owners’ driving experiences to determine the actual speeds driven on particular routes at particular times of day. Murray said the “trillions of bits of data” lets IQ Routes provide accurate information about historical drive-speed norms, generating more accurate drive times and letting the software choose the actual fastest route, which may not be the same as the shortest route.

One feature Murray couldn’t yet confirm or deny is Map Share, which lets users make route corrections—for example, road closures or incorrect street information—on their devices and then sync those changes with TomTom’s servers to share them with other users.

(When asked which TomTom GPS unit the iPhone will most-closely compare with, Murray said there is none—the iPhone’s screen size makes it similar to the older, 3.5-inch-screen models, but features such as IQ Routes make its software more similar to that of newer models.)

Pricing and availability haven’t yet arrived

Unfortunately, TomTom wasn’t able to provide concrete information about pricing and availability—the company is still saying simply “later this summer.” However, Murray did tell us that the company is leaning towards a set price for the application and maps, rather than taking the subscription approach of AT&T. The application you purchase through the App Store will include the TomTom navigation software and the latest TeleAtlas maps for your area; North America and Europe will be the initial areas offered.

Due to the size of the maps, the download will be quite large for an iPhone app—close to 1GB. (TomTom doesn’t yet know if the download will be restricted to WiFi connections.) iPhone users will be able to update their maps, although the policy and process for updating—for example, via in-app purchasing, App Store updates, or using software similar to TomTom Home—has yet to be determined.

Those interested in more information on TomTom for iPhone can sign up for status updates at the TomTom site.

• See more like this:
• GPS,
• Mobile Mac

iPhone 3G vs. iPhone 3GS – The S really does stand for speed.

The thing that intrigued me most about the new iPhone was the ability to take better stills and to record video. When I found out I was eligible for the upgrade, it was a no brainer. In the past few years I had narrowed my mobile devices down to three, I thought the new iPhone would narrow it down to one.

It has.

I LOVE the video recording feature and the stills are usable enough to leave the digital still at home. You won’t believe the sound quality on the video, it’s incredible. However, the thing that blew me away the most is the SPEED of the new iPhone.

[Video by Mr. Pence]

When I started to launch apps they were noticeably snappier. The ONLY issue I have had are some intermittent Wi-Fi issues. I’m betting that it’s a power management thing and it will be updated in a firmware fix.

The thing that’s REALLY exciting is the new graphics chip. This will not only improve video recording in future updates; it will also usher in a new era of mobile gaming.

If you’re eligible to upgrade and you’re on the fence… Do it.

Apple has made the ULTIMATE mobile device, now if they will just update Final Cut Pro.

iPhone 3G S review

engadget.com — If it ain't broke, don't fix it -- right? We know countless reviews of the iPhone 3G S may begin with that cliché, but there's little chance you'd find a better way to describe the strategy that Apple has just put into play with its latest smartphone.

click here for the in-depth review...iPhone 3G S review

How To Use The Best 40 Features of iPhone 3.0

ismashphone.com — The new iPhone operating system, iPhone OS 3.0, which is coming out Wednesday June 17th, gives the iPhone tons of new features. While some of them are brand new, others are just small little additions which change the way you iPhone. The following list details every cool new feature and describes exactly how to use each one......

click here......How To Use The Best 40 Features of iPhone 3.0

Angry iPhone owners blast AT&T over upgrade pricing

Thousands sign Twitter petition, want carrier to retreat from $200 surcharge on iPhone 3G S

By Gregg Keizer

Computerworld - iPhone users angry over AT&T's pricing policy for the new iPhone 3G S have taken their campaign to Twitter, where more than 4,400 have added their names to an instant petition.

They're mad as hell about AT&T's plan to charge them an additional $200 to upgrade to the iPhone 3G S if they haven't fulfilled most or all of their two-year contract with the carrier. "AT&T should give existing customers the same rate for the new iPhone 3G S that they do for new customers," the Twitter petition reads. "New customers or not, another 2-year contract is being made."

Apple's and AT&T's subsidized prices for the iPhone 3G S, which will launch on Friday, June 19, are $199 for the 16GB model and $299 for the 32GB device. Those prices, however, apply only to new customers to AT&T, or to existing customers who are judged eligible for the lower-priced upgrade.

Meanwhile, people who already own an iPhone or have an existing AT&T contract, and are judged by AT&T as ineligible for another subsidized phone must fork over $399 for the 16GB, $599 for the 32GB.

AT&T doesn't reveal the criteria it uses to peg existing customers as eligible or ineligible, but Computerworld staffers who own iPhones have been told that they must run through as few as 12 months, and as many as 20 months, of their 24-month contracts before they'll qualify for the $199 and $299 prices.

That's made AT&T customers mad enough to sign the Twitter petition at a rate of about 250 an hour as of mid-day Wednesday. The petition was first posted yesterday.

They're also venting in other online venues. "This is all a slap to our face!" ranted a user identified as "irishlad1977" on a well-trafficked AT&T support forum thread labeled "No Subsidized Price For Loyal iPhone Users."

"Cry foul, all disappointed iPhone users!" added "tsfroggy" on the same thread.

"Why are we being punished for buying Apple products?" asked "Darksithscorpius" in a post to an Apple support forum. "I love the product, but the way that they let AT&T dictate how their customers are treated is terrible. Charging us the extra $200 for being loyal customers is flat out wrong!"

The company's policy, however, is standard for the wireless industry in the U.S., which ties subsidized phone prices to the completion of long-term contract commitments. That fact was quickly pointed out by others unsympathetic to the complainers.

"You do have a cheaper option once you live up to your side of the bargain," said "DWC1" on the AT&T forum. "If you want to upgrade early then you will have to pay full price with no subsidy discount. You can't blame anyone but yourself for your predicament."

AT&T did not respond to a request for comment about its pricing practices, or what it thought of the Twitter petition and the online postings by iPhone owners.

A similar Twitter-based petition for customers of O2, the U.K.'s exclusive carrier for the iPhone, had nearly 4,100 signatures by mid-day Wednesday.

The hubbub over pricing isn't the only negative press that AT&T's received since Apple unveiled the iPhone 3G S on Monday. The company has also come under fire for its slow moves to support MMS and its lack of a tethering plan to let customers connect laptops to the Internet via the iPhone. Other mobile carriers will offer both MSS and tethering when the iPhone 3G S debuts next week.

iPhone 3GS Complete Feature Guide

By Jesus Diaz

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As expected, the new Apple iPhone 3GS is out. We were right: The photos of the new iPhone were real. Here you have a comprehensive guide to the iPhone 3GS' new features:

Speed
The "S" stands for "SPEED!" And according to Apple, it is faster launching applications or rendering Web pages.

• The iPhone 3GS has a new processor built-in. Apple claims that it is up to two times faster than the previous generation: Launching messages is 2.1 faster, load the NY Times in Safari: 2.9 times faster. It also consumes less, which has an impact on the improved battery life.

Camera
This is one of the strong points of the iPhone 3GS, according to Apple. They increased the resolution to 3 megapixels, which—judging from the shots they showed-seems much better quality under all conditions.

• 3 Megapixels sensor.
• New camera, with auto focus, auto exposure, and auto white balance.
• You can also tap to focus, changing white balance in the process. That is really neat, if you ask me.
• Special macro and low light modes.
• The camera also supports photo and video geotagging.
• Any application can access all the camera functions now.

• It supports video, 30 frames per second VGA with auto focus, auto white balance, and auto exposure.
• You can trim the video shot just using your finger, then share it via MMS, email, MobileMe and YouTube.

Connectivity
The other part of the "S" is the support for the faster 7.2 Mbps 3G standard, which in theory will deliver data faster to your iPhone.

• Three band UMTS/HSDPA.
• Four band GSM/EDGE.
• Wi-Fi 802.11b/g.
• Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR

Graphics
• The new iPhone 3GS includes new 3D graphics support in hardware. This means faster and more complicated 3D games.
• Same 3.5-inch widescreen multitouch display, but this time it has a fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating. I wonder if it will withstand a full frontal Shake Shack burger attack.

Design

• Same design as before, including the glossy finish of the back (so much for all the rumors about the matte back.)
• Same size as the old iPhone 3G: 4.5 x 2.4 x 0.48 inches.
• The weight increases a bit: One ounce to 4.8 ounces (135 grams vs 133 grams).
• Greener materials: Arsenic-free glass, BDF-free, Mercury-free LCD.

New special features
• It has a magnetometer, which works with a Compass application, third parties, and it is integrated into the new Google maps app, showing your orientation with a small semitransparent cone.
• Voice control. You can now talk with your iPhone, Enterprise-style. You can instruct it to play similar songs to the one you are playing, or call people.
• Nike + support built in.
• Supports accessibility features, like zooming on text, inverting video, and voice over when you touch whatever text is on screen.

Battery life
• One of the more important new features is the increased battery life.
• According to Apple, you will get up to 12 hours of talk time on 2G and 5 on 3G, with a up to 300 hour standby time.
• On 3G, it will deliver 5 hours of internet use.
• On Wi-Fi, Internet goes up to 9 hours.
• Video playback is 10 hours vs 30 hours for audio.

Price and availability
• $199 for 16GB version.
• $299 for 32GB version.
• Available on June 19th.

If you are "a valued AT&T customer," AT&T offers an "early iPhone upgrade with a new 2-yr commitment and an $18 upgrade fee." The price? $399.00 for the 16GB iPhone 3G S and $499.00 for the 32GB iPhone 3G S. It gets worse: For non-qualified customers, including existing AT&T customers who want to upgrade from another phone or replace an iPhone 3G, the price with a new two-year agreement is $499 (8GB), $599 (16GB), or $699 (32GB).

Insane. Way to go AT&T.

Apple iPhone 3GS Guided Tour and features