We’d be fibbing just a wee bit if we said that Eye-Fi functionality for the iPhone has always been imminent, but now that it’s real, we suppose we aren’t too surprised. Announced today at Macworld, the Eye-Fi application will enable iPhone owners (that just so happen to also own an Eye-Fi card) to upload images taken on their handset to their computer and the web. Reportedly, the app will allow users to aggregate all of their photos from both the iPhone and a digital camera into “organized folders on a computer and to one of 25 online photo sharing and social networking websites.” The app is also said to support geotagging just like the Eye-Fi Explore, though two crucial bits of info are sorely missing. First off, what happens with folks that don’t own an Eye-Fi card? And second, when is this app even coming out?
For those with a whiteboard full of Apple rumors, you’ll been keenly aware of the fact that the whole iPhone Air terminology has been tossed around before in a joking manner. This, however, is not a joke. In fact, it’s a very real KIRF, and it’s possibly one of the most awesome we’ve ever seen. We mean, who’d ever want an iPhone nano when one could have — wait for it — the iPhone Air. Aside from clean, beautiful, streamlined edges, those fortunate enough to procure one from China will also find dual SIM card slots, an FM radio, Bluetooth, a multimedia player and a built-in camera. The KIRF game just got stepped up good fashion, and we love it.
Macworld 2009 is the last one for Apple. Will El Schillerino come up with a hubblelicious supernova of hardware and software? Will it be a farty puff? Here are all the rumors, sorted by probability.
While Apple has downplayed its importance, maybe the Macworld 2009 keynote with Phil Schiller will be a special part of Steve Jobs’ exit strategy: Perhaps there will be a last explosion of announcements to show that the company can still hit the ball out of the stadium without El Jobso doing the show-n-tell.
In any case, here are all the rumors that have been circulating the web lately. Like always, remember our first rule of rumors: Never believe in them.
Sure shot iLife ’09 and iWork ’09: It’s a new year and time to get new versions of the most popular software suites for the Mac. Will they migrate to the cloud with tighter integration with MobileMe? Scary thought.
MacBook Pro 17: Another strong rumor this weekend has been the possibility of a new MacBook Pro 17-inch model. The new flagship (literally flagship, as you can probably sail the Atlantic on top of one) will have the same looks of the latest MacBooks and MacBook Pros, and perhaps a new battery technology that will push its autonomy to 50%.
Cinema Displays: Long overdue, the redesign of the 30-inch Apple Cinema Display, with new looks and LED backlighting, seems like a strong possibility. This has been rumored for quite a while, but after the announcement of the latest 24-inch LCD, this Macworld 2009 may be a good venue to announce a relatively low-key product like a display. Or maybe they will save this one for the new Mac Pros (which are long due for a redesign).
Hmmmmaybe iMac Early 2009: A site called PC Perspective claims that Apple will launch new revisions of the iMac, including a crazy 28-inch model that could be a great home computer/TV (and a great work computer for megalomaniacs like me).
Both Apple Insider and Ars Technica echo this rumor, pointing out that the supersizeme iMac will use Intel’s X58 chipset and an Intel Core i7 CPU with four cores and HyperThreading, which emulates the behavior of an eight-core system. On the graphics, they say to expect a dedicated Nvidia card, all tied together with a new cooling system technology. I wonder if it will have a new simplified look—like the one above—without the chin (thanks for the illustration, Sebastian).
My only “but” about this is the fact that Apple may want to save this one for an special event. After all, this approaches TV territory and may require its own sales pitch, not just a space in the keynote.
What?
Home server: Another rumor is a home server, a grown-up Time Capsule that will centralize all your media and available through the Web via MobileMe. Sure, because the media companies, like Disney—Steve’s other darling—will love that.
Snow Leopard: Given the fact that this new release is still a long time away, I don’t think this will happen at all. The features we already know—which are quite esoteric for most consumers—were announced at WWDC. And, whatever other secret features Snow Leopard has under the hood, they won’t be announced so much in advance. Specially with Windows 7 coming soon and with MS apparently back in the OS race. Wait for a Snow Leopard update later in the year.
Hahahaha. Ha
iPod Touch Pro:Some analysts are hot about a potential Apple netbook at Macworld. Jobs said they didn’t want to do it because it would be crap. I agree. But he didn’t exclude the possibility of expanding the iPhone/iPod touch family to fill that space, which Apple obviously sees as a computing platform with the same validity and scope of the Mac itself.
That’s why I think an iPhone OS-based tablet could be a possibility. But certainly, whatever product it is, it will require its own special announcement, not a segment at the last Macworld.
Or maybe Schiller will pull it out of a magic hat just to tell the world that nobody f*cks with The Schiller.
New version of the iPhone OS: Some people are saying new colors, others are saying new capacity. I’m saying: For the love of all that is good and sacred, add the bloody Copy and Paste. That’s my hope. Schiller talking about how good the iPhone has been doing and then saying that the next OS will add copy and paste at last.
One more thing
My personal bet is Steve Jobs appearing at the end, after Phil says “one more thing.”
And then they will do a tap dancing number like this:
If you’re American, don’t even pretend you care about this. ‘Cause you don’t care about mobile TV at all, and we’ve got the facts to prove it. For those parked in Japan, though, you have every right to get jazzed. Softbank’s 1seg TV tuner / battery charger has finally been loosed on the carrier’s home turf, and the lucky cats over at DVICE were able to acquire one and give it a whirl. Setup was said to be a breeze, the 1seg pickup was crystal clear and the device itself was satisfactorily lightweight. As for downsides, the entire app is in Japanese, and even with the extra juice, watching TV on the go zapped the life out in around an hour with brightness maxed. Check the full writeup and unboxing gallery in the read link below.
Knowing that it is unlikely that Apple would ever release an iPhone Pro with physical keyboard, Mat Brady from planetmat has sent me another image of a potential accessory. It looks great.
Mat says that he created the accessory answering readers’ feedback on sliding keyboards.
The slide-out keyboard has generated the most response from any of my suggested features. The general consensus stands firm on two opposing viewpoints:
1. Most people would prefer to have an optional slide-out keyboard, 2. but don’t believe Apple will ever “go backwards” and release anything like this.
In response to one comment (Mike) I have created what might be an answer to a third-party product which could solve this dilemma.
Actually, not a bad idea at all. It would be even cooler if, instead of being a third-party accessory, Apple actually released a modular iPhone, one that could admit different accessories like these but without the added bulk of building them around the original design. [Planetmat—Thanks Mat]
The iPhone Dev-Team works in mysterious ways, but it also works in quick ways. Granted, the iPhone 3G’s initial unlock took way longer than anyone would’ve liked, but when reports started surfacing that it wasn’t working particularly well after the first beta release earlier in the week, they appear to have worked doubletime to get a better version into circulation. The release is now up to v0.9.4 — still beta — but if you tried the first cut and struggled, we’d suggest giving the new version a whirl.
It’s 2009, folks, so we figured we’d start it off with a bang (and about a gazillion comments in this post). George, a proud member of the USMC, is pondering what to do about a new smartphone, and given that your New Year’s resolution was undoubtedly to ditch your dumbphone in favor of a more sophisticated model, you’ll probably be interested as well.
“I am currently in the market for a new carrier and phone. I have Verizon now, but I am not all that happy with its service in my area. With the release of all the high end phones nowadays, one could get easily lost in the details. I currently have the LG Voyager; I like the phone, but I feel trapped and can’t do much with it unless I pay for every little thing. I would like a mobile with WiFi, camera (with flash if possible), touchscreen, etc. I would like to stay under $200 with a 2-year contract. Any advice would be wonderful.”
It’s tough, ain’t it George? There’s the G1, iPhone 3G, Bold, Storm — the list rolls on. So, let’s spark up a sane, intelligent conversation on the pros and cons of each, all while remembering that our ideal handset sadly didn’t arrive in time for Christmas. Interested in getting your own inquiry up in here? Send one over to ask at engadget dawt com.
So, it didn’t quite land before midnight as some had hoped, but we’re sure you were partying too hard to notice. The Dev-Team just launched its long-awaited iPhone 3G unlock, dubbed “yellowsn0w,” and while they’re still working out a few kinks (terming this release a 0.9 beta release), reports are already pouring in of successful unlocks. It’s also been confirmed that this release will work with the iPhone’s latest v2.2 firmware, and in fact requires that the phone be updated to v2.2 to run at all — much to the chagrin of folks who’ve held off on that update at the Dev-Team’s behest, we’re sure, but hopefully all will soon be forgotten in the new year… already freer than the last! Hit up the read link for download instructions and caveats.
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Update: Unfortunately, it seems yellowsn0w might be living up to its beta status, with plenty of commenters and others across the interwebs reporting problems getting “unlocked” iPhone 3Gs to pick up their preferred carrier. As always, proceed with caution, and prepare some loose papers that need weighting just in case.
The iPhone 3G unlock is now available. The unlocking software is called yellowsn0w, runs as an invisible application, and it’s very easy to install. Here’s how. Updated 3: Now works for me with 0.9.4.
Yellowsn0w, the iPhone 3G unlock, runs as a small command line application that gets installed in any jailbroken iPhone 3G using Installer. It’s very easy to install:
• First, update your iPhone 3G to the latest iPhone OS provided by Apple using the latest iTunes.
• Then, use QuickPwn 2.2 to jailbreak and activate your iPhone 3G. If you have Mac OS X 10.5.6 installed, you should follow these instructions before doing it.
• Use Installer or Cydia to install yellowsn0w, which is completely free. Here are the addresses you have to use to add yellowsn0w to your installer application:
For Cydia enter: http://apt9.yellowsn0w.com/ For Installer enter: http://i.yellowsn0w.com/
• That’s it. There are some special SIM cards that give problems, but f you have a normal SIM card from any non-official carrier, you are fine.
BEWARE: This is a beta application—version 0.9.1— so install at your own risk—I’m installing, it, though. Since it’s a daemon which doesn’t alter anything permanently, it seems safe. Just proceed with caution and be warned.
Update: I’ve been trying to get this to run all day. The installation is very easy. Getting it to work right is a completely different matter.
After reboot, the iPhone won’t pick my Vodafone carrier (the Vodafone SIM card works fine in an iPhone first generation, unlocked with the old unlock). It will just sit there, idle. Won’t give any error, but it won’t connect to the carrier network.
My iPhone 3G has the 2.28 baseband, as it should, and has been Quickpwned for the first time to do the unlock. Installer and Cydia are there, working fine. I’ve carefully followed the instructions in their page—about getting out the SIM card for a minute, then get it back in (and all other possible combinations)—but it just won’t fly.
Like they say, this is beta. It won’t damage your iPhone—in theory—but it may or may not run. It seems like there are other reports of the same, as well as other people talking about losing the network connection.
Even while this is labeled as a beta, it saddens me that the iPhone Dev Team has embraced the damn beta culture just to make the release on a cute date. It looks like the old days of solid versions are long gone by.
Update 2: There’s a poll here with people saying if it works or not. At the time of this writing, these were the stats:
It worked: 23 34.33% It doesn’t work: 44 65.67% Voters: 67.
Hopefully, a more stable and predictable release will come soon. Until then, I will keep trying. If you have any reports, drop me a line via email.
Update 3: iPhone Dev Team has released version 0.9.4. After some magic moves in the terminal, it worked for me. My iPhone 3G is now working in Spain in the Vodafone network. [IPhone Dev Team]
This is site is run by Sascha Endlicher, M.A., during ungodly late night hours. Wanna know more about him? Connect via Social Media by jumping to about.me/sascha.endlicher.
We’d be fibbing just a wee bit if we said that Eye-Fi functionality for the iPhone has always been imminent, but now that it’s real, we suppose we aren’t too surprised. Announced today at Macworld, the Eye-Fi application will enable iPhone owners (that just so happen to also own an Eye-Fi card) to upload images taken on their handset to their computer and the web. Reportedly, the app will allow users to aggregate all of their photos from both the iPhone and a digital camera into “organized folders on a computer and to one of 25 online photo sharing and social networking websites.” The app is also said to support geotagging just like the Eye-Fi Explore, though two crucial bits of info are sorely missing. First off, what happens with folks that don’t own an Eye-Fi card? And second, when is this app even coming out?
Macworld 2009 is the last one for Apple. Will El Schillerino come up with a hubblelicious supernova of hardware and software? Will it be a farty puff? Here are all the rumors, sorted by probability.
Knowing that it is unlikely that Apple would ever release an 
It’s 2009, folks, so we figured we’d start it off with a bang (and about a gazillion comments in this post). George, a proud member of the USMC, is pondering what to do about a new smartphone, and given that your New Year’s resolution was undoubtedly to ditch your dumbphone in favor of a more sophisticated model, you’ll probably be interested as well.
The 