Anybody with even a remote interest in technology will know that Friday saw the official UK release of Apple's iPhone. This means UK users will finally be able to see what all the fuss is about, and get their hands on the most-hyped technology product of 2007.
We've been tracking the progress of the iPhone since it was announced at Macworld Expo in January, and have had a number of chances to play with Apple's handset over the past few months. Usually, when a product is launched amid such high expectations, it fails to deliver on the hype. However, the iPhone is widely regarded by those who have used it as a major breakthrough for portable video, music, internet and telephony – all in one compact device.
Macworld UK has tested out the US version of the device, which we used to craft an in-depth review of what to expect before it launched for our UK-based readers. While there are differences between the US and UK versions of the iPhone, the fundamentals of the device remain the same making this the most in-depth review of the device currently available.
From today, you'll be able to get your hands on one for £269, with O2's monthly tariffs costing £35, £45 and £55. Many customers will also be required to pay a £100 deposit (which will be refunded against the account after three months) if they do not already have an contract with O2.
Installation is relatively painless, with the device activated via iTunes. Customers are required to enter their personal information, bank account details and credit/debit card information.
Initial thoughts are that the iPhone works much better than expected, although the limited functionality of the EDGE network remains a key concern to Macworld's testers. The relatively high-price may also prove to be a barrier to many of Macworld's readers. We have several iPhones undergoing testing and will place a comprehensive UK review online next week.
source: http://www.macworld.co.uk/
iphone news
Nov 10, 2007
iPhone UK launch: first details
Flyer purports Canadian iPhone in January
Rogers may be letting slip information of its own pointing to a set date for the release of the iPhone in Canada, according to a purported photo of a Rogers Wireless flyer submitted by Andrew Regalson. The allegedly untouched image points to Apple's "revolutionary" device on January 18th as an exclusive for the carrier. Though yet to be corroborated by additional reports, the date corresponds with Apple's practice of Friday iPhone launches in both Europe and the US as well as exclusive deals. The flyer is also consistent with Rogers' advertising themes.
Notably, unlike previous releases, Rogers is the only major carrier in Canada to rely on the GSM-based cellular service required for the iPhone. The alternative, Fido, is owned by Rogers and shares the same network.
The apparent leak follows a previous incident from the Canadian brewer Molson, which has been holding a contest which listed an iPhone as a prize and also claimed the iPhone would be released in January for the region. The company later removed the iPhone from the list but replaced it with an anonymous "portable telephone" that continues to resemble the product. Apple has not commented on either circumstance
source: http://www.macnn.com/
iphone news
Nov 5, 2007
The iPhone and the fair use cap caper
O2 has had a rethink about its iPhone fair use cap, and not a moment too soon as the iPhone goes on sale here this Friday. However, is the revised fair use policy really any better?
The reason I ask is that the new policy announced by the phone operator appears to be a mixture of very clear and definite no-nos (such as taking the SIM out of the iPhone for use in a data-intensive device like a GPRS modem card), sitting alongside new guidelines on acceptable use that no longer feature the ridiculously low cap of 200MB, but which confirm the ongoing existence of a fair use limit, only with no guidance at all on what it is, let alone whether and when a legitimate end user can expect to have their service cut-off, curtailed or otherwise limited for heavy use.
200MB was just plain stupid – I can do that in a day doing nothing more than receiving email and surfing the web – both of which are activities the iPhone is built for and neither can be claimed to be excessive or selfish use of bandwidth.
It is fair enough to place curbs on data modem use, peer-to-peer file sharing and even things like video streaming (but a bit daft as there is a YouTube client built-in to the iPhone), but when it comes to legitimate, non-commercial use of the device and the connection, what will pass for unfair use?
I had a chat earlier with O2 spokesman Nick Wilkins, who did have a very clear outline on how the revised fair use policy will work:
“As long as the heavy use in question is for personal use rather than commercial, and doesn’t break the other parts of the policy, like peer-to-peer file sharing, we are not going to limit a user”. So if you become one of the many who can and will push a good couple of gig through your iPhone every month just surfing the web and doing email, don’t panic.
As for O2, please – do us all a favour and for once write one of these fair use policies in English.
source: http://www.itpro.co.uk/blogs/editorial-blogs/chris-green/979791/the-iphone-and-the-fair-use-cap-caper.thtml
iPhone news