Digital Impulses

iPhone 2.0 Released

So.

Like the other 11 Bazillion blog posts that will be made about the news coming out of Apple's WWDC 08 today, here is a summary of what Steve Jobs unleashed upon the world today:

First the new iPhone:

Pros:

• 2 models: 8GB and 16 GB
• Price: 8GB = $199 and 16GB = $299
• Maps with full-on GPS (Yes! Yes! Yes!)
• 3G speeds on the AT&T 3G Network
• All plastic back available in two colors: BLACK and WHITE
• Flush microphone jack

Cons:

• Camera untouched: Same 2.0 Megapixel camera (major letdown)
• No front-facing camera
• No way to record video
• No Video chatting via iChat
• No new iChat client
• No UNIVERSAL Search function
• Only 16 GB capacity mentioned so far
• No mention of having added support for cut and paste

iPhone 2.0 software update:

• Support for MobileMe
• Contact Search in the iPhone (Finally!)
• App Store to purchase, download and install 3rd-party applications on the iPhone
• Better email management (support for mass delete)
• Email attachment viewing support
• New Scientific calculator (launch the calculator and rotate the phone to launch the new calculator)
• Additional Language support: Full dictionary support for 20 additional languages, with more to follow, I'm sure.
• Support for MobileMe
• Full-on support for Exchange in the Enterprise

So, in a nutshell we have:  New iPhone, 8 and 16 GB,  3G speeds, integrated GPS, two colors, support for MobileMe, App Store, Exchange Support and all of this for HALF THE PRICE.

Nice!  Apple has once again just ROCKED the Cellphone industry.  It is a good time to be alive, folks.

Apple releases 16 GB iPhone and a 32 GB iPod Touch

Earlier today, Apple very quietly and unceremoniously released an updated (in terms of storage capacity) iPhone and iPod Touch.

• The new 16 GB iPhone will retail for $499
• The new 32 GB iPod Touch will retail for $499 also.

Both units are available for immediate purchase from the Apple Store.

Upgrading my iPhone to firmware version 1.1.3

So. 

Apple just announced a boatload of new features for the iPhone this morning doing Steve Jobs's 2008 MacWorld Keynote and I could not wait to get home to upgrade my phone.

Sat at my Mac Mini, fired up iTunes, clicked on check for updates and got the notification that "a new firmware lease (v. 1.1.3) is available for your iPhone".  The upgrade process completed with nary a hitch and I am off to explore the shiny new toys that have been added to my phone.

More later as I put the new software revision through its paces.

The most ridiculous item of the day: A Louie Vitton purse over an iPhone

So, my Scrabble playing buddy takes his wife out for her her birthday, and springs a surprise birthday gift on her of a brand-spankin' new 8GB iPhone from the Apple store in Manhattan Beach, CA.

While having dinner at Lawry's in Beverly Hills, she texts me to tell me that she got the iPhone.  I, of course, responded very positively and was ecstatic for her. As soon as I expressed my congratulations for the awesome gift, the following ridiculous SMS conversation took place:

HER: Exchanging it for a purse, maybe.
ME:  Yeah, right. Uh, huh. You r smarter than that.
HER: Not Kidding.  I want a Louie Vitton
ME: Dude.  You return your iPhone and I will look at you differently forever.

Apparently, the above exchange was not in jest and I am being led to believe that she is actually REALLY considering returning the iPhone to use the $$$ to get either a Coach purse or a Louie Vitton purse.

If she does this I am going to seriously re-evaluate my perception of her.  As far as I am concerned, continuing to use her current Blackjack over an iPhone is just ludicrous.  Un-Freaking-Believable.

Then again, she is a chick. Who can account for female bouts of Irrationality, neh? 

*Sigh*.

1st post from my iPhone

This is a test post from my iPhone.

I just read on Techcrunch that SixApart has just released interfaces for the iPhone and the iPod Touch.

This is very exciting news. Now I can literally blog from ANYWHERE.

Awesome.

Iphone Rebate

This morning, Apple announced a slew of new products, including the iPod Touch, Ipod Nano w/Video, Ipod 'Classic' and also made it known that the 8GB iPhone was being discounted $200 to $399.

Most important to me of course, was the $200 price reduction, as I just bought my phone 3 days ago.  After Jobs keynote was over at the Special Event, I raced over to the Apple web site to look at their policies in terms of price protection.

Sure enough, there was a paragraph there that stated that customers are entitled to price protection within 10 days of the purchase date.  I printed out the relevant section and highlighted it, with the intention of heading over to the Apple store in Manhattan Beach after work to see what they would say.

After work, I headed over to the Apple store with my son and his girlfriend, iPhone receipt in hand along with my earlier printout. 

Print-out not needed.

I walked up to the green-shirted employee at the register and explained that I had bought my iPhone on Sunday 9/2/07 and that I was hoping to get re-imbursed the $200 as part of Apple's price protection. BAM. Done.  The kid looked at me, smiled and said "...Of course.  Would you like store credit or are you going to buy something today?" 

feeling a little shocked because I was expecting them to put at least some resistance, I told him that a copy of ILife '08 and an Apple BlueTooth headset for $129 would be just fine.  He rang me up, I paid a few dollars to cover the difference and again I was o n my way inside of 10 minutes.

The Apple Retail experience is nothing short of AMAZING.  I cannot say enough good things about my experience with Apple dating back to last December when I got my Mac Mini.

Apple Rocks.  Plain and Simple.

Activating my iPhone and a quick first impression review

After unboxing my iPhone and looking carefully at everything inside, it was to connect my iPhone to my Mac Mini and activate it.

The entire process took less than 15 minutes. It was sort of anti-climatic, considering all of the horror stories that were discussed in the Blogosphere over the summer.  I basically:

1. Docked the phone,
2. Clicked through some EULA screens,
3. Provided my current phone number
4. Selected a Data Plan
5. Selected an SMS plan

That was it.  Nary a glitch, nary a hiccup.  After activation, I tested the phone with a phone call from my office, verified that my old piece of shit Blackjack said "no service' and left myself a voice mail, so that I could play with the very cool 'Visual Voicemail' feature created by AT&T and Apple exclusively for the iPhone.

So far, initial impressions of this device are outstanding.  It is by far the coolest, sexiest gadget I have ever owned.  The shit just works as advertised.  I can get over the very little rough edges, such as no copy/paste, virtual keyboard, etc.  That stuff will be fixed in the coming months.

Highly Recommended.

Getting my 8GB iPhone

So, this afternoon, after waiting for my son and girlfriend to arrive from Huntington Beach, I got the remainder of my Birthday cash from my wife and son and combined it with the money we got yesterday from cashing in the coins in Manhattan Beach.

Having enough money for the phone, we drove over to the Apple Store in Manhattan Beach to buy the iPhone. Arriving at the store just a few minutes before closing, we walked up to the register and were attended to immediately by a very friendly Apple Store employee who asked me what size iPhone I wanted and dutifully got it for me.

The whole process took less than 10 minutes and before I knew it, I was at home in my office, unboxing the most hyped tech gadget of all time. 

Cashing in Coins in Manhattan Beach

Just returned from cashing in about 18 months worth of loose change at a Ralph's Supermarket in Manhattan Beach, CA.  I went with my son and his girlfriend CIndy and we had a great time.

All in all, after the cost of the counting machine, we walked away with nearly $300 in cash.  $300 which will be applied to the cost of my new 8GB iPhone that I plan on getting tomorrow.

The "applephoneshow": A podcast dedicated to Apple's iPhone

Scott Bourne is an author, lecturer, teacher and new media pioneer, and the president of Podango Productions in San Francisco, CA.

He is the founder of the world's first Internet-only radio network, Netradio, and is a co-host on several prominent podcasts including:

• MacBreak Weekly
• Apple Phone Show
• The iLifeZone

Bourne has also been a featured speaker at events such as Macworld Expo and the Podcast & Portable Media Expo.

With the "applephoneshow" podcast and website, Scott intends to provide a one-stop shop for all things iPhone.  Anything and everything related to the iPhone, including the very latest news, tips, step-by-step how-tos, reviews of iPhone accessories and anything else of import in the iPhone universe.

Tune in and stay tuned to all things "iPhone" at http://www.applephoneshow.com