Thanks to customer, Jonathan from Australia.
iPhone 3G price revealed by Telstra
THE Apple iPhone 3G will be available for as little as $279, with plans as cheap as $30, when it is released in Australia next Friday.
The long-awaited pricing announcement came this afternoon as Telstra confirmed it would join Optus and Vodafone in selling the touchscreen mobile phone on July 11.
The announcement will mean three of Australia's four major mobile phone providers will sell the iPhone at its launch.
But many iPhone followers might just be happy to finally put a price on their iPhone dreams.
Telstra announced the iPhone 3G would cost $279 for the 8GB model or $399 for the 16GB model on a monthly $30 plan.
However the iPhone 3G will cost nothing upfront if you choose the 8GB iPhone 3G on an $80 monthly plan or the 16GB model on a $100 monthly plan.
All Telstra iPhone plans will include free wi-fi access at Telstra hotspots and will require a 24-month contract with the carrier.
No further details about the plans were released, though future iPhone users can register their interest in the plans at www.telstra.com/iphone or by phoning 1800-iPhone.
Telstra had been a noticeable hold-out from Apple's iPhone 3G carriers when Apple CEO Steve Jobs announced the phone's specifications and Australian availability was announced on June 10.
The telecommunications carrier is the biggest in Australia, with 9 million mobile phone customers, and rumours emerged that the hold-up was due to Telstra's insistence that Apple add Telstra's own Sensis applications on to the phone.
Telstra's consumer group managing director David Moffatt said the company was "delighted to bring this product to (users) on Telstra's high-speed Next G network".
"With iPhone 3G on the country's largest and fastest 3G network, providing coverage to 99 percent of the population, more Australians will enjoy the iPhone 3G experience in even more places."
Source: http://www.news.com.au
Monday, June 30, 2008
Australian iPhone prices revealed!!
Sunday, June 29, 2008
[BAK2u] Coming soon: Protection for iPhone
We love our iPhones and we know you too.
Link
In the meantime, surf around our site for other mobile security software that we have:
Click
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Online threat after cell theft
Case I: Lopamudra Aich’s husband snapped a picture of her with her cellphone camera and stored it in the phone. Some months later, the phone was stolen on a crowded bus. Lopamudra filed a police complaint and bought a new phone. Soon after, she found that the picture had made its way into a social networking website, where it was being used along with pornographic content.
Case II: When Sunirmal Roy Chowdhury’s multimedia mobile phone was stolen, he was not as concerned about the monetary loss as about the stored pictures falling into the wrong hands. His worst fears came true when he found that his girlfriend’s pictures saved in the phone were morphed with obscene ones and put up on a popular file sharing website.
Misuse of images and data stored in stolen cellphones is fast becoming a headache for Lalbazar. So much so that the police now want people to delete personal photographs and videos from their cellphones...more
Friday, June 27, 2008
Thank You, Bill Gates
Say what you will about the intense, sometimes mean-spirited and quietly driven man, but without Bill Gates, there's likely no Microsoft, no Windows, no Office suite, and, perhaps, even a delay in the technology and Internet revolution. People keep asking me about Bill Gates' legacy. My answer has typically been that he leaves behind a world of technology and a reputation that will likely grow in stature over time. The company he and Paul Allen founded and that Gates really relentlessly drove for over three decades created an unrivaled universe of extraordinarily popular and successful products, not the least of which is Windows...more
Bill Gates ' last day at Microsoft is just days away, so it's a good time to take stock of what the man has and hasn't done for us (and in some cases, to us). By and large, I think we owe Bill Gates a world of thanks.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
[BAK2u] itsecurityportal.com - ExactTrak (PhoneBAK anti-theft software protects PDA, Blackberry and mobile phone users)
According to the police, one of the first things a thief will do after stealing a mobile phone or PDA is replace the SIM card. ExactTrak has launched PhoneBAK, its newest anti-theft software solution that protects PDA, Blackberry and mobile phone users.
PhoneBAK automatically alerts the registered owner of a lost or stolen mobile device as soon as it is used with an unauthorised SIM card, allowing them to recover the phone or report valuable data to the police.
With PhoneBAK, as soon as an unauthorised SIM card is put into the device it will silently send two SMS messages to numbers pre-defined by the user such as a spouse or colleague. This SMS message will include the identification number of the phone (IMEI and IMSI numbers), mast information, new telephone number and the GSM Area Code as well as SIM identification details.
This information can be used either to contact the person who has stolen or found the device, or can be given to the police who can then follow up with the service provider to locate the device. ExactTrak also registers each PhoneBAK covered device with Immobilise, the national police database, so law enforcement officials know exactly who to return the recovered device to.
“Most people own at least one mobile phone or PDA and these devices can cost anything up to £400 and are capable of holding vast amounts of valuable data,” says Norman Shaw, managing director of ExactTrak. “When you consider that Transport for London alone recovers 10,000 mobile phones every month you get a good idea of how great the need is for technology that can track and help recover these devices if they go missing.”
“Our trials of the software have found that it is usually enough to contact the unauthorised user on the telephone number provided by PhoneBAK in order to recover it. Once people have been informed them that the phone has been fitted with a tracking device and reported stolen they are usually willing to hand it in at the nearest police station,” continues Shaw.
PhoneBAK auto runs every time the phone is powered up, and once run does not consume any battery or memory resources. It can support up to 10 SIM cards per phone.
PhoneBAK is compatible with Nokia, Sony Ericsson, Samsung, Lenovo, LG Blackberry and any phone running Windows Mobile. It comes with a free premium data backup service from Mobyko. Normally priced at £ £24.99, this service enables the owner to recover the data held on the device as well as the hardware.
PhoneBAK retails at £12.99.including VAT and is exclusively available in the UK from ExactTrak.
Source: http://www.itsecurityportal.com
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
[BAK2u] Gadget of the Day – ExactTrak PhoneBAK
PhoneBAK is a cunningly misspelled piece of software that helps you get your lost phone back.
It automatically alerts the owner of a lost or stolen phone as soon as some unsavoury type plugs in his grubby little SIM card. It surrepticiously pings out two SMS messages to numbers chosen by the owner with details including the ID number of the phone, mast information, GSM area code and new SIM card phone number.
So then you can either give ol' Sticky Fingers a bell, or get on the blower to the old bill.
ExactTrak also registers each PhoneBAK-toting device with Immobilise, the national police database. That way if it ever turns up, they'll know it's yours.
At £12.99 it's not going to break the bank and could end up getting you your phone back, which is nice.
Essentials
ExactTrak PhoneBAK
Price: £12.99
On sale: Now
Contact: ExactTrak
[BAK2u] PhoneBAK locates lost handsets - ExactTrak
Software automatically sends SMS messages with identification information of unauthorised users
London, 23rd June 2008 – ExactTrak, a leading provider of global tracking and recovery solutions, has launched PhoneBAK, its newest anti-theft software solution that protects PDA, Blackberry and mobile phone users. PhoneBAK automatically alerts the registered owner of a lost or stolen mobile device as soon as it is used with an unauthorised SIM card, allowing them to recover the phone or report valuable data to the police.
According to the police, one of the first things a thief will do after stealing a mobile phone or PDA is replace the SIM card. With PhoneBAK, as soon as an unauthorised SIM card is put into the device it will silently send two SMS messages to numbers pre-defined by the user such as a spouse or colleague. This SMS message will include the identification number of the phone (IMEI and IMSI numbers), mast information, new telephone number and the GSM Area Code as well as SIM identification details.
This information can be used either to contact the person who has stolen or found the device, or can be given to the police who can then follow up with the service provider to locate the device. ExactTrak also registers each PhoneBAK covered device with Immobilise, the national police database, so law enforcement officials know exactly who to return the recovered device to.
“Most people own at least one mobile phone or PDA and these devices can cost anything up to £400 and are capable of holding vast amounts of valuable data,” says Norman Shaw, managing director of ExactTrak. “When you consider that Transport for London alone recovers 10,000 mobile phones every month you get a good idea of how great the need is for technology that can track and help recover these devices if they go missing.”
“Our trials of the software have found that it is usually enough to contact the unauthorised user on the telephone number provided by PhoneBAK in order to recover it. Once people have been informed them that the phone has been fitted with a tracking device and reported stolen they are usually willing to hand it in at the nearest police station,” continues Shaw.
PhoneBAK autoruns every time the phone is powered up, and once run does not consume any battery or memory resources. It can support up to 10 SIM cards per phone.
PhoneBAK is compatible with Nokia, Sony Ericsson, Samsung, Lenovo, LG Blackberry and any phone running Windows Mobile. It comes with a free premium data backup service from Mobyko. Normally priced at £ £24.99, this service enables the owner to recover the data held on the device as well as the hardware.
PhoneBAK retails at £12.99.including VAT and is exclusively available in the UK from ExactTrak.
About ExactTrak
Based in Oxfordshire England, ExactTrack is a provider of anti-theft and security products for tracking and recovering valuable lost or stolen items including laptops and mobile phones. The products are designed for private individuals, small companies, and large enterprises in the public and private sector. For more information go to www.exacttrak.com
Press contact:
Amy Redhead
Aspectus PR
Tel: 0207 487 8443
Email: amy@aspectuspr.co.uk
Source: http://www.totaltele.com
Monday, June 23, 2008
Google's Mobile-Handset Plans Are Slowed
Google Inc. is learning that changing the cellphone industry isn't easy.
The Internet giant and more than 30 partners announced in November a bold plan for a new breed of handsets based on a suite of mobile software called Android. At the time, Google said it planned to have the new phones on the market by the second half of this year.
Google now says that the handsets won't arrive until the fourth quarter. And some cellular carriers and makers of programs that work with Android are struggling to meet that schedule, people familiar with the situation say.
T-Mobile USA expects to deliver an Android-powered phone in the fourth period. But that launch is taking up so much of Google's attention and resources that Sprint Nextel Corp., which had hoped to launch an Android phone this year, won't be able to, a person familiar with the matter said.
China Mobile, the largest wireless carrier in the world with nearly 400 million subscriber accounts, had planned to launch an Android phone in the third quarter but it has run into issues that will likely delay the launch until late this year or early 2009, a person familiar with the matter says...more
Sunday, June 22, 2008
For BAK2u customers (Singapore) - LATEST DVD RELEASES AT ONLY $13.50 (U.P$18.00)!
Dear all,
as our privileged customer, you now get to enjoy 25% off all RARELY RENTED DVDs priced at $18 and $13 available at PLAY!. A wide range of titles are available including National Treasure 2, Three Kingdoms, Charlie Wilson’s War, Sweeney Todd and more! New titles are added weekly. Stocks are limited, BUY NOW as promo ends 14 July.
Log on to www.play.sg and browse BUY DVD! To make a purchase, simply complete a simple online registration, key in promo code PLAYNBAK25 and make payment online. Your DVD will be mailed to you by post within 2 weeks together with the original packaging. www.play.sg
Quality & condition of the discs are guaranteed!
PLAY! WITH US!
24 Hours Self-Service DVD rental kiosks with 9 locations island-wide. Hundreds of the latest movie titles are available for rental. You may also choose to buy Rarely Rented DVDs which are 3 weeks old titles from $13 each or Clearance titles that priced from $4.90. There’s even the one and only service in Singapore where you can exchange console games online! For more details www.play.sg.
PLAY! kiosks are located at : Tampines Mall, Toa Payoh HDB HUB, North Point, West Mall, Sengkang MRT Station, Woodlands Civic Centre, Ang Mo Kio Hub, Junction 8 and Hougang MRT Station.
Friday, June 20, 2008
Thursday, June 19, 2008
CommunicAsia 2008
A publishing firm founded in 1994, EuPlus's principle objective is producing publications targeted at specific markets.
EuPlus started, firmly rooted in meeting the needs of an increasing group of info communication users. Over the years, the technology has taken shape with the group of users growing, and EuPlus remains committed in providing practical, how-to coverage of these rapidly evolving technologies.
EuPlus published the first issue of CTG now known as ComsWorld in 1994 at the beginning of the Convergence era. Today, EuPlus has expanded to include another leading technology publication- Powersource, Fire, Safety & Security. In 2005, Exquisite - a high-end lifestyle magazine for the well-heeled family was launched.
EuPlus is a pioneering visionary and forward-thinking company make up of extremely competent staff at all levels and we will continue to deliver true value to our customers by being the first publisher to launch practical publications that are focus on future trends and achieve a strong market-leading position based on our interest and experience.
The common thread throughout EuPlus is the objective, how-to approach and at very specific industries: the communications industry, electric power, fire, safety and security industries and for the consumer - the landed homes. http://euplus.com.sg/
Booth no: 4P3 - 14
Exquisite a bi-monthly magazine, is a high-end lifestyle publication for the well-heeled family with a good spread of luxurious read for the entire family.
Exquisite is distributed directly to the landed homes with Singapore Post as our distribution partner. With 30,0000 in circulation and thrice the numbers of readers expected, your promotional efforts are assured of a comprehensive and targeted reach.
We are different and we want to be different from the specialised magazines that's out there in the market. We are targeting at the Landed Homes and not at a certain gender and age group or a specific topic. With so many magazines flooding the magazine stands competing for your attention, Exquisite gets undivided attention because it gets to the coffee table of your living room.
In addition, Exquisite is distributed at Exhibitions and made available at various distribution points throughout Singapore.
Be it creating awareness, branding or getting feedback, Exquisite will complement your promotional efforts. http://exquisitemag.com.sg/
[BAK2u] Singapore Telco: Anti-theft software for StarHub BlackBerry Corporate Clients
We are pleased to work with StarHub to offer BAK2u Anti-theft software, PhoneBAK BB (For BlackBerry) to its Corporate Clients.
About PhoneBAK BB
The anti-theft software checks on any Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card inserted into the BlackBerry Wireless Handheld and Smartphones devices. If it is an unauthorized SIM card not approved by the owner, it sends SMS text and email alerts to notify the theft!
PhoneBAK is an innovative lost & found anti-theft software that helps owner track down the thief through alert SMS text, email, IMEI, IMSI and even thief's contact number when the phone is stolen.
Special PromotionContact us via email (custsvcATBAK2u.com) and our friendly sales person and StarHub account manager will follow up soon.
[BAK2u] Interview - Putting the App in Apple's phone (Anti-theft for iPhone)
Interviewed by Straits Times, Ms Grace Chng.
Click image (scanned by BAK2u customer)
Another interview:
Singapore IT developers eye a slice of Apple pie - Jun 11, 2008
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
StarHub to launch DoCoMo's Osaifu-Keitai mobile wallet
Singaporean operator StarHub plans to launch a mobile wallet based on NTT DoCoMo's Osaifu-Keitai system.
StarHub has signed an MoU with NTT DoCoMo to explore a mobile wallet concept similar to the Osaifu-Keitai system for a near future implementation in Singapore. Singapore is the first market outside of Japan to commence an official study and eventual pilot of this service.
Japanese mobile operator NTT DoCoMo launched Osaifu-Keitai, which means mobile wallet in Japanese, in July 2004. The service uses contactless technology to allow mobile payment and transaction services. In Singapore, StarHub recently completed an NFC trial with EZ-Link which involved 1,000 participants. In the trial, participants could pay for public transport using NFC phones, check balances and download information from smart posters.
StarHub is in talks with EZ-Link to explore the integration of the EZ-Link purse in the mobile wallet service. The EZ-Link purse is a contactless chip with a prepaid function that is able to transact payments at over 20,000 readers and terminals on Singapore's public transport and at retail locations such as McDonalds Restaurants and 7-Eleven stores across the nation.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Software Review: Diskeeper 2008
I had the opportunity to review Diskepper 2008, thanks to the kind folks of Blog2u.
There you go, the cover of the software… and I might have to add that this review are strictly my opinions about the software, based on what I see, and what I’ve done with it. It will be a long post, so do hang in there and read on… 
Before I even started the installation process… there was a little booklet attached…more (http://nicole.squoar.com)
EC says mobile ops can charge for receiving calls
Yesterday the European Union’s telecoms Commisioner Vivian Reding told European operators that prices for cross-border texts must fall to €0.12 by 1 July. If they don’t drop the cost to this level from the current average price of €0.28, she will oblige them to do so. Reding was reported in the Financial Times saying that the Danish government had told it the cost should be €0.05 per text, so she feels if anything she is being “too nice”.
Certainly the Commissioner is making some conciliatory noises – at the end of last week she stated that regulation must enable operators to make a fair return on their network investment.
She also said that mobile operators ought to be awarded half the spectrum that will become available as Europe switches from analogue to digital TV – a highly contentious issue in many countries at the moment...more
[BAK2u] Anti-theft software for Nokia E71 & Nokia E66
The anti-theft software checks on any Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card inserted into the phone. If it is an unauthorized SIM card not approved by the owner, it sends SMS text alerts to notify the theft!
PhoneBAK is an innovative lost & found anti-theft software that helps owner track down the thief through alert SMS text, IMEI, IMSI, cell location, and even thief's contact number when the phone is stolen.
More classified British files left on train
SECRET British government documents have been found on a train, a newspaper reported yesterday, the second time in a week that top-secret files have been mislaid. The Independent on Sunday said the papers divulged Britain’s policy on fighting global-terrorist financing, drugs-trafficking and money-laundering, and analysed how Iran could contravene international financial rules to finance weapons. ..more
Monday, June 16, 2008
T-Mobile Offers 3G IPhone For $1
T-Mobile reportedly will offer Apple's new 3G iPhone for around just $1.50 - but there's a catch: subscribers must choose the wireless carrier's most expensive plan of about $146 a month.
Otherwise, customers opting for the least expensive service plan of around $44 will have to pay about $259 for the second-generation iPhone unveiled earlier this month.
The T-Mobile offer is similar to one announced last week by UK wireless carrier O2. The company said it would offer the 3G iPhone for free if subscribers signed-up for either an $88 or $147 per month service plan.
Earlier this month, Apple CEO Steve Jobs unveiled the updated handset that came complete with a less expensive price tag, as well as support for faster 3G wireless networks.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
[BAK2u] Singapore IT developers eye a slice of Apple pie - Jun 11, 2008
Another interview:
Interview - Putting the App in Apple's phone (Anti-theft for iPhone)
[BAK2u] Tracking signal pinpoints location of stolen devices
The technology, Verey 1 and Phone Bak, help people to retrieve their lost items as long as they are fitted with wireless internet capability.
Prasad Gopinath, the chief executive of Microvision International, which offers the software, said it had real value in stopping thefts.
“Electronic items such as laptops and mobile phones are expensive and lightweight so are perfect for thieves, but when they are stolen it is not usually the value of the product people are worried about, it is the personal data.
“Having a safeguard against this is difficult to put a price on.”
If someone takes a laptop, PDA, Blackberry, MP3 or a digital camera fitted with Verey 1 software, a small file embedded in the machine can be activated by the owner from a remote source. It then acts as a tracking device. This means that as soon as the new user logs on to the internet or passes through a wireless area, the original owner will be e-mailed with an IP address and a Google map showing precisely where their lost item is.
If the laptop has a built-in camera, the software will capture images and videos of the unauthorised users and send them directly to the email account.
“The email will contain the necessary network information as well as incriminating pictures,” said Mr Gopinath. “It is usually all someone needs to get back the stolen item.”
The Verey 1 software will also lock the machine after a certain amount of unauthorised use. The screen will go blank and show details of how to contact the owner.
Phone-Bak enables a lost or stolen mobile phone to send a silent SMS to three pre-set numbers as soon as another SIM card is inserted into it. The message will contain the new number, the area code and the IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) number, which is recognised by network providers and can be used to stop the stolen phone from accessing the network.
“It is like the mobile is phoning home,” said Mr Gopinath. “With the new information about the SIM, you can contact the person who has the phone or leave it in the hands of the police. As so many mobiles are stolen every day, this type of software is invaluable.”
Jannat Allen, 23, who has lost her phone three times in the past six months, said having the antitheft software on her mobile would help the police take her more seriously.
“Last time I contacted the police, they didn’t really care and there was nothing they could do,” she said. “If I had information about the whereabouts of the phone it would be amazing. They would have to listen to me then.
“To me my phone is my life, it contains all my contacts for work and many messages with a lot of sentimental value.” Ms Allen, a freelance promotions worker from Dubai, said she always meant to back up her phone memory on her laptop, but never got around to it.
“I always remember to do it when it’s too late and the phone has already gone. If I could have this software fitted, it would make a big difference to my life.”
aseaman@thenational.ae
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
iPhone 3G - Similar Business Model for Singtel?
Apple and AT&T drop revenue sharing, boost data plan costs
By now you know the bullet points: the new 3G iPhone is smaller, cheaper, and faster than its predecessor. But at what cost? While we know what Apple has told us, it appears that AT&T is having its own say about the iPhone 3G and what it means for the future of the carrier's relationship with Apple.As with the original iPhone, you'll have to sign up for a 2-year contract in order to grab an iPhone. The iPhone 3G will have slightly higher data plan prices than the original model: individual users will now pay $30/month for unlimited data, and business users will have to fork over $45/month.
But there are also a pair of interesting behind-the-scenes developments in the Apple/AT&T relationship. According to the wireless provider's press release, the two companies have ditched their revenue sharing arrangement: no longer will Apple get a cut of the monthly subscription fee that customers pay to AT&T.
And in order to lower the price on the new iPhones to $199 and $299, it appears that AT&T has subsidized a portion of the handset's cost. From their press release:
In the near term, AT&T anticipates that the new agreement will likely result in some pressure on margins and earnings, reflecting the costs of subsidized device pricing, which, in turn, is expected to drive increased subscriber volumes. [emphasis added]
To translate for us mere mortals: they're artificially lowering the cost of the iPhone so they can sell more, and hence make up for the difference in cost. This does raise some questions, however: for example, it suggests that the price is subsidized in all 70 countries in which the iPhone is going to be on sale, since Steve Jobs said that the price would be a "maximum of $199" globally.
It also raises a question about the future of unlocking the iPhone to use on other networks. In the past, unlocking has not hurt Apple, since they still reaped the full price of the iPhone's sale. And since unlocked iPhones have typically been used in countries where the actual iPhone was unavailable, it didn't translate directly into lost sales for AT&T either. However, if AT&T is subsidizing a slice of the iPhone's cost, and people continue to unlock the iPhone to use on other providers, then AT&T will essentially be kissing their subsidies goodbye.
My guess? They're probably counting on the fact that the much broader release of the iPhone internationally will stem the tides of those unlocking their phones, and thus not feed back into lost money for AT&T. Will it pay off? We'll find out later this year.
Source: http://www.macworld.com
Everything you wanna know 'bout Apple WWDC 2008
(Contributed by Larry Reich USA)
Apple introduces next-generation iPhone 3G
By Charles Starrett
Senior Editor, iLounge
Published: Monday, June 9, 2008
http://www.ilounge.com/index.php/news/comments/apple-introduces-next-generation-iphone-3g/14448
Apple today introduced the long-awaited second-generation iPhone, dubbed the iPhone 3G. The new phone features a glossy, full-plastic rear casing, which is thinner on the sides than the current version, metal buttons, and a flush headphone jack.
As expected, the iPhone 3G retains the 3.5-inch touch screen of the original, and adds support for 3G wireless networking (tri-band HSDPA), as well as true GPS capabilities. According to Apple, the iPhone 3G offers 300 hours of standby time, 10 hours of 2G talk time, 5 hours of 3G talk time “versus 3-3.5 on competing products,” 5-6 hours of high-speed web browsing, 7 hours of video playback, and 24 hours of audio playback.
The new iPhone 3G will be available in 70 countries later this year, beginning with customer availability in 22 countries—Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK and the US—on July 11. It will sell for $199 for the 8GB model (black only) and $299 for the 16GB model (available in black or white).
“Just one year after launching the iPhone, we’re launching the new iPhone 3G that is twice as fast at half the price,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “iPhone 3G supports Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync right out of the box, runs the incredible third party apps created with the iPhone SDK, and will be available in more than 70 countries around the world this year.”
Apple unveils the all new iPhone 3G
By AppleInsider Staff
Monday, June 9, 2008
Published: 03:00 PM EST
http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/08/06/09/apple_unveils_the_all_new_iphone_3g.html
Presenting at its annual developers conference Monday, Apple introduced the new iPhone 3G, which combines all the features of original iPhone with 3G networking, built-in GPS technology, and iPhone 2.0 software.
In the US the new iPhone 3G will be priced at just $199 for the 8GB model and $299 for the 16GB model when it goes on sale July 11. The new touch-screen handset will also be available in more than 70 countries later this year, beginning with customer availability in 22 countries -- Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK and the US -- also on July 11.
"Just one year after launching the iPhone, we're launching the new iPhone 3G that is twice as fast at half the price," said Apple chief executive Steve Jobs. "iPhone 3G supports Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync right out of the box, runs the incredible third party apps created with the iPhone SDK, and will be available in more than 70 countries around the world this year."
iPhone 3G gives users ever faster access to the Internet and email over their cellular network with quad-band GSM and tri-band HSDPA for voice and data connectivity around the world. It supports Wi-Fi, 3G and EDGE networks and automatically switches between them to ensure the fastest possible download speeds. The new iPhone 3G also makes it easier to multi-task with simultaneous voice and data communications, so with iPhone 3G you can browse the web, get map directions, or check your email while you are on a call.
Each iPhone 3G will include iPhone 2.0 software which includes the new App Store, providing users with native applications in a variety of categories including games, business, news, sports, health, reference and travel. The App Store on iPhone works over cellular networks and Wi-Fi, which means it is accessible from just about anywhere, so you can purchase and download applications wirelessly and start using them instantly. Some applications are even free and the App Store notifies you when application updates are available. The App Store will be available in 62 countries at launch, Apple said.
Additional features available with the iPhone 2.0 software include the ability to do real-time mapping and track your progress with GPS technology, mass move and delete multiple email messages, search for contacts, access a new scientific calculator, turn on parental control restrictions for specified content, save images directly from a web page or email them to your iPhone and easily transfer them back to your photo library on your Mac or PC.
In terms of battery life, iPhone 3G delivers 10 hours of talk time on 2G networks and 5 hours using 3G, with up to 5 to 6 hours of web browsing, up to 7 hours for video playback and up to 24 hours for audio playback.
iPhone 3G will also leverage MobileMe, a re-branded version of Apple's .Mac Internet service that pushes email, contacts, and calendars from an online "cloud" to native applications on iPhone, iPod touch, Macs and PCs. With MobileMe email, messages are pushed instantly to iPhone, removing the need to manually check email and wait for downloads, and push keeps contacts and calendars continuously up-to-date so changes made on one device are automatically updated on other devices. With iPhone, you can even snap a photo and post it directly to a MobileMe Gallery to share with friends and family.
iPhone 3G will go on sale in the US on July 11 for a suggested retail price of $199 for the 8GB model and $299 for the 16GB model in both Apple and AT&T's retail stores. Prices factor in a new two year contract with AT&T for qualifying customers. The 8GB model is available only with a glossy black back while the 16GB model will available with a glossy white back (in addition to a black back).
iPhone 2.0 software will also be available on July 11 as a free software update via iTunes 7.7 or later for all existing iPhone customers. The update will cost $9.95 for existing iPod touch owners.
Apple chief unveils new $199 iPhone
By Chris Nuttall in San Francisco
Published: June 9 2008 20:01 | Last updated: June 9 2008 20:01
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/78f27c3a-3655-11dd-8bb8-0000779fd2ac.html
Apple has introduced a new version of the iPhone – the iPhone 3G – and reduced its price significantly in a push to reach its target of selling 10m of the devices this year.
Steve Jobs, chief executive, unveiled the phone – a version that will be nearly three-times faster using 3G wireless technology – in a presentation at Apple’s World Wide Developer Conference in San Francisco.
He said that an eight-gigabyte version, originally introduced at $599 and reduced to $399 last September, would now go on sale for $199 on July 11 in 22 countries.
A 16GB version would cost $299 and a white version would also be available as an alternative to the existing black iPhone.
The phone will also include a GPS chip to enable more accurate location-based services. It will be thinner and audio quality will be dramatically improved, Mr Jobs said.
He added that Apple had sold 6m iPhones in its first year on sale.
Mr Jobs had spent the early part of his presentation extolling the virtues of the iPhone’s software as a new mobile platform for the enterprise and developers.
A software development kit [SDK], released three months ago to allow the Apple community to develop software applications for the handset, had been downloaded more than 250,000 times, he said.
Only 4,000 developers had been admitted into a programme that allows them to test their applications on the iPhone itself.
He quoted developers saying the SDK’s tools were superior to those of Symbian, Windows Mobile and the Blackberry’s RIM – the three main operating systems in competition with the iPhone, although Google’s development of the open Android operating system could also produce a powerful rival.
The iPhone has made little impact in the enterprise to date with IT departments worried about security and its compatibility with their email systems.
Mr Jobs said 35 per cent of the Fortune 500, the biggest companies in the US, had tested the next, 2.0, version of the iPhone’s software, which will be released in a month’s time.
”Everything they told us they wanted, we have built right into iPhone 2.0 software out of the box,’” he said.
He said the iPhone now hooked up with Microsoft’s Exchange server software for email and Cisco Systems had built in secure virtual private network (VPN) access.
There were a series of demonstrations on stage of new iPhone applications, including games, auction software from eBay, a blogging application and a music-creation tool.
Mr Jobs also introduced ”Mobile Me” – software that allowed iPhone users to keep their activity synchronised across different devices, with data such as diary dates, email, contacts and photos. A browser-based interface would also allow access over the web. Mobile Me will replace Apple’s existing .Mac service.
In the UK, 02, the only British mobile operator selling the iPhone, is expected to offer the 3G version for free to customers who sign up to its most expensive monthly tariff. Customers who sign up to less expensive tariffs will have to pay for the 3G iPhone, although it is expected to be cheaper than the mark one device that used 2G mobile technology. Additional reporting by Andrew Parker
Apple Unveils 3G iPhone, Lowers Price to $199
By BEN CHARNY
June 9, 2008 3:59 p.m.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121302962502757705.html?mod=hps_us_whats_news
SAN FRANCISCO -- Apple Inc. unveiled an upgraded iPhone with a faster Internet connection that will start at $199, significantly cheaper than previous versions of the high-profile handset.
The new iPhone was the most eagerly anticipated of the developments Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs revealed Monday during an address to a gathering of Apple developers. The new version is also slightly thinner than the older model and contains a global positioning service. Apple intends to sell the device in 70 countries over the next few months.
The $199 model, which will be available starting July 11, will have eight-gigabytes of storage space. Apple also announced a model with 16-gigabytes of storage that will cost $399.
The 3G iPhone is considered key for Apple to gain share in Asian and European nations where wireless networks that deliver Internet access at wired broadband speeds are much more in demand. The new device, in tandem with the new iPhone software sales that Mr. Jobs also introduced Monday, is also expected to drive more business from enterprises, an area Apple has been historically weak in, and thus potentially help Apple take some share away from BlackBerry smartphone maker Research In Motion Ltd. and No. 1 handset maker Nokia Corp.
So far, there have been six million iPhones sold, Mr. Jobs said.
Almost all of Apple's moves Monday involved the iPhone in some way, from the new version being released to a revamp of its Web-hosting business to tailor to iPhones. The core role the iPhone is playing in the new products services and Apple's plans for the year speak to how the device has quickly become just as important to Apple as its Macintosh computer line-up and iTunes online store. Sales of Macs dwarf those of iPhones, so Apple's bottom and top lines are still largely driven by computer sales. But by staking so much of its immediate future on the iPhone, as Mr. Jobs outlined, it's clear the emphasis at the computer company has shifted more toward using the iPhone as a linchpin to most of its sales.
Despite record-setting sales of the iPhone since its introduction a year ago, Gartner analyst Ken Dulaney doesn't see Apple's new 3G phone taking much share from the BlackBerry. Rather, in Europe especially, Apple is likely to pick up share from phones that use the Symbian smartphone operating system, which is distributed by Symbian Ltd., a partnership involving various cellphone handset makers that is chiefly owned by Nokia.
Apple's moves also showed how much its original business model for the iPhone has shifted, which analysts have been demanding and say is important for Apple to reach its goal of selling 10 million iPhones this year.
As Apple demonstrated Monday, the iPhone will be sold sometimes by more than one carrier per country and with operator rebates and other discounts that will lower the price.
Apple also dropped broad hints that it is set to open up its iPhone software store, which will be stocked by programs created by third parties that have agreed to have their software distributed through Apple's iTunes online store, and share some of the profits on any sales with Apple.
The store is an important development given iPhone software add-ons, the calendaring features, games and other programs that are available in the long run generate more dollars for Apple than actual iPhone sales, according to some estimates. For every iPhone sold, it's been suggested Apple gets about $100 from the upfront payment costs, and then another $200 over the life of the phone in the form of cellphone data subscriptions and other service fees some carriers have agreed to share with Apple.
The store also helps Apple catch up, in one way, to its rivals. RIM and Nokia already have thriving developer communities and a variety of online areas to buy their goods. As many as 1,000 applications are expected right off the bat.
Apple also said it's trying to revitalize its .Mac online Web-hosting service, which once cost $99 a year, with one tailored to the iPhone and called "Mobile Me" that costs $50 and makes use of technology Apple has licensed from Microsoft Corp. to allow iPhones to send and receive emails or otherwise synchronize with corporate or home computer networks.
Companies demo first native, third-party iPhone apps
http://www.macnn.com/articles/08/06/09/third.party.iphone.apps/
As a part of its WWDC keynote, Apple today brought a number of companies on-stage to demonstrate some of the first third-party applications designed to run natively on the iPhone. Leading the presentation was Sega, which presented a more complete version of Super Monkey Ball, its 3D action game controlled via the accelerometer. The final version will have over 100 levels with four playable characters, and should be available at the launch of the App Store for $10.
eBay presented a dedicated auctions app, which has only been in development for five weeks, but already lets users browse auctions, current bids, and photos presented in a custom gallery.
Loopt gave a presentation of a client for its "location-aware" social network, which displays pins representing the locations of friends; profiles show information including photos, places traveled, and quick call and texting information. It should be free at the App Store launch.
TypePad presented a simple app for blogging and photo uploads, while the Associated Press debuted the Mobile News Network, a reader which gathers content from multiple sources, including photos and video. MNN users can browse multimedia directly, and sources are selected locally based on location detection. The software will be free at App Store launch.
Game developer Pangaea demoed two games: Enigmo, a physics-based game where players guide water droplets, and Cro-Mag Rally, a 3D racing title that treats the iPhone as a whole as a steering wheel. Both games will go on sale for $10.
Moo Cow Music's entry was Band, a virtual instrument app which lets users record directly to their iPhone. Instruments include bass, drums, piano and a 12-bar blues piece, as well as a guitar, played by "strumming" virtual strings.
Major League Baseball previewed a game-tracking program, which not only delivers live scores but video highlights updated after each play.
Two medical apps on display were an anatomy guide by Modality, and an imaging tool by MIMvista, which supports live 3D rendering and the iPhone's special photo manipulation controls.
Digital Legends, finally, presented a a 3D fantasy adventure game, only two weeks into development. It is however said to resemble the PlayStation game God of War, and use OpenGL-based graphics. It should be finished in September.
iPhone 2.0 adds iWork / MS Office, dates App Store
http://www.macnn.com/articles/08/06/09/iphone.20.new.features/
Apple today announced several new features to its iPhone 2.0 software as part of its presentation at the Worldwide Developer Conference in San Francisco. The firmware now adds full iWork and Office document support, allowing documents from either productivity suite to be read from the phone. Users can also mass-delete e-mail, save images, use a scientific calculator when rotating the iPhone, apply parental controls, and new language support.
The App Store will be available at the same time and will allow cellular downloads of apps that consume 10MB or less of space; larger applications will either be downloaded throuugh Wi-Fi or from a computer using iTunes. Enterprise owners can separately authorize sets of iPhones and create apps that run only on those phones. Apps can be distributed solely to those users, Apple says.
Apple will also allow a new local networking feature, named "ad hoc," that allows as many as 100 iPhones to be mailed or posted apps that sync through iTunes. This is meant to encourage iPhone development.
The feature will be availble in early July for free on all iPhones, and will cost $10 as an update to the iPod touch.
MobileMe: "Exchange for the rest of us"
monday, june 9th
http://www.macnn.com/articles/08/06/09/apple.mobile.me/
Apple today launched its widely rumored MobileMe service, described as "Exchange for the rest of us." Mac, Windows, iPhone and iPod users with MobileMe accounts get e-mail, calendars, and contacts pushed to all devices; an update on one device automatically gets sent to the others. On Macs, it works with Mail, Address Book, and iCal; Windows users integrate with Outlook.
A Web 2.0 service provides a "desktop-like" experience to work with all data from Me.com, including contacts, galleries, iDisk access, and more. Users on iPhones can take photos and upload them directly to MobileMe. Full computers have an experience that allows "skimming" photo albums and events similar to iPhoto; users can drag and drop calendar entries and create those as well as contacts, messages, and other content from the web.
The service works with any modern web browser and costs $99 per year for 20GB of online storage for content; a 60-day free trial lets users test the service. A family pack is available for $149, while additional 20GB storage packs are available for $49. MobileMe replaces .Mac and will automatically upgrade users, including their e-mail addresses. The service is available today from the online Apple Store.
Monday, June 9, 2008
Apple WWDC 2008
Friday, June 6, 2008
[BAK2u] MACS E-MAIL VIDEO TO VICTIMS
Cameras are perhaps the most common home-phoning gadget used to thwart criminals.
An eerie case occurred last month, when a Japanese man set up a hidden camera because food was disappearing from his kitchen. While he was out, the camera sent pictures to his mobile phone of the intruder -- an unknown woman living secretly in his closet.
A few years ago, there was a well-publicized case of a Sidekick mobile phone that was first lost in a New York taxi, then found by a 16-year-old who used it to take pictures and send instant messages.
But the device's mobile service provider automatically backed up such data on remote computers, allowing the owner's friend, Evan Guttman, to uncover a trail -- and launch an online shaming campaign against the 16-year-old, who was eventually arrested.
While passive systems have helped reunite missing gadgets with their owners, more aggressive measures can be employed to protect everything from laptops to iPods and BlackBerrys.
GadgetTrak, of Beaverton, Oregon, sells software that can be loaded onto any of those devices. If a BlackBerry, for example, falls into the wrong hands, the software grabs information from the new user's SIM data card and e-mails it to the rightful owner.
With an Apple Mac computer, the software instructs the built-in camera to take video of the thief and sends to the owner, along information about nearby wireless networks.
Some 20,000 GadgetTrack licenses have been purchased in about one year -- including 10,000 from storage company Seagate.
"The reason we have been so successful is that people are not expecting this kind of software to be installed," said Ken Westin, the company's founder. "No security solution is 100 percent -- there are always going to be work-arounds. But your average thief is not going to be a computer expert."
DeLauzon didn't want to press charges against the people who had her camera: Both were employees at the restaurant where she dined and accidentally left her photo equipment.
Sure, they were fired -- but getting justice was not as important to her as retrieving her memories of her baby boy.
"When we finally got it back, my husband and I spent the night just sitting and watching the videos -- stupid videos, like him feeding himself for the first time or him pulling himself up in his crib for the first time. We sat down one night and just relished it."..more
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Gartner ids top ten disruptive technologies to 2012
Gartner cites social networking technologies, web mashups, multicore and hybrid processors and cloud computing are among the ten most disruptive technologies between now and 2012. The industry analyst defines a disruptive technology as one that causes major change in the accepted way of doing things, including business models, processes, revenue streams, industry dynamics and consumer behaviour.)
At the Gartner Emerging Trends and Technologies Roadshow in Hong Kong, Gartner Fellow David Cearley named the top ten disruptive technologies 2008 to 2012 as:
- Multicore and hybrid processors
- Virtualisation and fabric computing
- Social networks and social software
- Cloud computing and cloud/Web platforms
- Web mashups
- User Interface
- Ubiquitous computing
- Contextual computing
- Augmented reality
- Semantics
He said that business IT applications will start to mirror the features found in popular consumer social software, such as Facebook and MySpace, as organisations look to improve employee collaboration and harness the community feedback of customers.
"Social software provides a platform that encourages participation and feedback from employees and customers alike," he said. "The added value for businesses is being able to collect this feedback into a single point that reflects collective attitudes, which can help shape a business strategy."...more
Mobile phones expose human habits
The whereabouts of more than 100,000 mobile phone users have been tracked in an attempt to build a comprehensive picture of human movements.
The study concludes that humans are creatures of habit, mostly visiting the same few spots time and time again.
Most people also move less than 10km on a regular basis, according to the study published in the journal Nature.
The results could be used to help prevent outbreaks of disease or forecast traffic, the scientists said.
"It would be wonderful if every [mobile] carrier could give universities access to their data because it's so rich," said Dr Marta Gonzalez of Northeastern University, Boston, US, and one of the authors of the paper.
Dr William Webb, head of research and development at the UK telecoms regulator, Ofcom, agreed that mobile phone data was still underexploited.
"This is just the tip of the iceberg," he told BBC News...more
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Icahn Says He Would Remove Yahoo’s Chief
The billionaire investor Carl C. Icahn stepped up the pressure on Yahoo Tuesday, vowing to remove Jerry Yang, its chief executive, if he succeeds in replacing the company’s board with his own slate of directors.
Mr. Icahn said newly unsealed court documents show that Mr. Yang and Yahoo’s board did not seriously consider a $44.6 billion acquisition offer from Microsoft and implemented a costly employee-retention plan that is a barrier to any acquisition.
“I don’t think anybody ever understood the magnitude of what Yahoo did to do avoid making a deal,” Mr. Icahn said in an interview.
Mr. Icahn had already started a proxy fight to replace Yahoo’s board, which includes Mr. Yang, but had not previously said that he also planned to strip Mr. Yang of his chief executive role...more
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Microsoft Issues Windows Warning for Safari Users
Apple is somewhat famous for the security of its Max OS X operating system and other applications. Apple even plays up this advantage in some of its marketing campaigns. Many Windows users have found themselves drawn to the Apple Safari browser rather than Internet Explorer. Microsoft has issued a warning on a security flaw it has found in the Safari browser that allows a so-called “Carpet-bombing” flaw it open windows up to malicious attacks. When using Safari vulnerability with how Vista and XP handler executable files on the desktop can be exploited. The exploitation can allow malicious users to litter the Windows desktop with executable files containing malicious code. Microsoft issued a security advisory last week and according to IT PRO reports say that Apple doesn’t see the issue as being as significant at Microsoft does. Source: http://uk.i4u.com
[BAK2u] Chicago Daily Herald - GadgetTrak
GadgetTrak was featured in the Chicago Daily Herald, as a solution to GPS theft.
An Oregon-based company, however, is trying to solve the recovery problem. GadgetTrak sells software for a yearly subscription ($12.95) so owners can keep tabs on their computers, GPS devices, MP3 players and cell phones.
In the case of a GPS, the next time someone tries to download new information from a computer, GadgetTrak sends an e-mail to the owner. Tracking a computer IP address, the company can tell owners the exact location, said Ken Westin, company owner.
“I think a lot of our customers are people who have had stuff stolen before,” Westin said. “There’s a lot of anger. They feel helpless. Our software is a way to empower them so it’s something they can do.”
Monday, June 2, 2008
[BAK2u] Testimonial - Mr. Dave Martin
“System is working just fine now on my MacBook Pro. I did a little test over the weekend and the Mac locked up with my message, I received SMSs, emails, and two of the emails also contained video. Works a treat and I’m more than satisfied.
I really am a stickler for keeping everything in softcopy these days, I scan in everything. Now more than satisfied with the system. Thanks again for your help. Have a great day, regards"
Dave Martin, Australia
