Confused about unlocking your iPhone?
This one is for jailbreakers only:
If you’re trying to unofficially unlock your iPhone, there are lots of guides around. I’d recommend the unlocking tutorials at iClarified, in particular. But it can be confusing.
I like sites that cut through the cruft, and I’ve just found out about Can I Unlock My iPhone?
It’s up-to-date with current jailbreak and unlock developments, and gives you a simple answer, based on your iOS device and firmware.
If you’re looking for an official unlock from your UK mobile phone network, then I’ve previously written about that (but it needs to updated for iPhone 4).
Finding My iPhone for free
When I commented on the possibility that some MobileMe services could go free, I didn’t think it would be Find My iPhone.
But you can now find, message and remote wipe any device running iOS 4.2 or above – for free. You can only set this free service up with an iPhone 4, iPad or 4th gen iPod touch, but after this you can enable it for older iOS devices as well, as Lifehacker points out.
It’s a “nice to have for free” feature, although I’m not sure it will draw in more paid users to MobileMe, if that is Apple’s intention.
But how long will Apple keep the remaining MobileMe services as paid, when other smartphone users get email and sync services thrown in gratis?
Yes, I know you can use Google for free email and sync, but I’m thinking Apple can add to the ease of use: buy device, create iTunes account, have email, sync and app/music/tv purchasing all set up. That it what Apple are good at, isn’t it?
Are some MobileMe services to go free?
MacRumors is reporting that some MobileMe services may be made free, based on text found in the iOS 4.2.1 beta firmware.
The evidence comes in the form of a new private framework known as AppleAccounts.framework that includes a series of device-specific error messages referring to free MobileMe accounts.
This would be a great move by Apple. Offering some or all of these for free will be a welcome service for iOS and Mac owners, and tie those users further in to the Apple ecosystem.
I currently use Google for email, and syncing calendar and address book data. While Gmail is flawless, I often encounter errors syncing calendars from iCal, and Address Book fields do not always map correctly to Google Contacts.
So I wonder what Apple will offer for free? Even if it’s just syncing Contact and Calendars, I’ll be happy. The other services you get with MobileMe are syncing Safari bookmarks and Notes, Photo Galleries, Find My iPhone and iDisk. And don’t forget email.
A final thought: what if *all* those services go free, and the paid MobileMe allows you to wirelessly sync music and video?
Think different apps
Clearly, apps are one of the key factors in the success of the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad. The ability to download apps and customise your device to your tastes means you can to make it be what you want it to be.
That’s all except for system apps – the ones that come bundled with iOS. These are slightly different on each iOS device, but what they have in common in that you can’t uninstall them, and in some cases it’s difficult to use a replacement.
What could Apple change to give users more choice in the apps they use?
Is the iPhone platform really fragmenting?
In “Welcome to fragmentation-land Apple“, Ben Smith of The Really Mobile Project has commented on a consequence of the iPhone OS 4.0 announcement. Ben points out that your favourite fruit-logo’d mobile maker will not be providing the oldest iPods and iPhones with the latest operating system. So for the first time we’ll have some iPhones running 3.x firmware, and some running the 4.x release. Oh, and don’t forget iPads will be thrown into the mix.
I want to have a look at this in more detail, and see what it means for both developers and users. Is fragmentation of the iPhone platform all that bad?
iPhone OS 3.0 – how was it for you?
The dust has settled, mostly. Apple have made their big iPhone OS 3.0 announcement – covered very well by posts at Intomobile and iPhone, Therefore I Blog. The video podcast of the announcement has been released. And those who have installed it are rapidly finding more than Apple was prepared to demonstrate on Tuesday – internet tethering, finding your lost iPhone, better podcast scrubbing, uploading video. iLounge has a great gallery of screenshots.
Personally, I’m glad some of the frustrating omissions from iPhone OS are being filled (MMS, handling vCards, cut ‘n’ paste). It’s basic stuff but it makes a difference when it’s not present. But aside from filling in the blanks, what did Apple really announce on Tuesday?
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The App Store update system is broken, I tell you…
Up until about a month ago, I’d been very impressed by the way the App Store app (if you see what I mean) kept me up to speed with updates to my installed applications. However, I’m now as wary of App Store’s claimed updates as I would be of a cornered lion…
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‘Let’s Rock’!
On the 9th September at 10am Pacific Time Apple are to host the ‘Let’s Rock’ event. It’s seems that new iPods are a certainty, but it looks increasingly likely that iPhone users may get something new too.
Firmware update 2.1 would be nice, especially if it put an end to the almost endless application crashing woes that I and many others have been experiencing (more on that later). But what if there was more? Could there be more to the ‘Let’s Rock’ theme than first meets the eye? I’m not usually given to wild speculation, but I’ll have a go this time.
How about Guitar Hero, or Rock Band for iPhone?
Just a thought. Any other guesses?
Retail experience is letting Apple down
In the UK at least. Two examples from the last day or so. Firstly my long-time-industry-compatriot Marek Pawlowski was out shopping with his girlfriend, who was after a new phone – read through his excellent post until you get to the iPhone part, by the way – in the O2 shop there weren’t any iPhones on display because somebody had nicked the (tethered) display models and the staff were afraid to put in any replacements!
Next, I happened to be passing Carphone Warehouse and I couldn’t resist popping into the (customer-free) shop. Four iPhones, all working, tethered to the usual bare bones wooden tea chest (what’s that all about?). I started playing…
1.1.3 points the way to the future of the iPhone
It’s a bit late in the day (a compressed blogosphere day, that is) but here’s my wrap up of the rest of 1.1.3′s enhancements. I’m not going to detail all the changes. As I said this isn’t going to be a copy and paste blog, and the changes are well detailed elsewhere. I want to pick out a few of the things that others may have skipped over, and what they mean for the iPhone in the future.
