The report notes that the iPod and applications developed for the iPhone perform many functions in this time of “networked warfare.” The devices helping as intelligence resources, such as aerial images from drones and translation software. Included is a program called Vcommunicator translates spoken and written Arabic, Kurdish, as well as two Afghan languages.

One application developed for the iPhone allows soldiers to take a photo of a street sign, upload it and immediately receive intelligence on the local area, such as water and sympathizers. The report from Newsweek detailed that as new recruits were already familiar with how the iPod and iPhone work, it has been easier to train soldiers on loading content. Not to mention, the cost is significantly better than other military purchases.

[via CNET]

Mossberg, whose opinion can make or break a product or service, has revisited his earlier take on the MobileMe service, which got off to a disastrous start when it was launched last summer. Previously, Mossberg told readers to stay away from the product although recently gave it another look over. Through the process of developing the product, Apple did apologize for rushing the launch. Issues mainly pointed towards launching at the same time as the release of iPhone 3G, the App Store and the iPhone 2.0 software.

Mossberg said that “Apple has fixed all of the speed and reliability issues I encountered last year, ” even if Outlook data syncing between Windows PCs and Macs is still an issue. MobileMe is an important service for Apple, as it gives those wary about switching completely to the Mac a way to stay tethered to Windows. The app also improves the usability of the iPhone. MobileMe lets Mac or Windows users sync their contacts, calendar info and e-mail across Macs, PCs, and iPhones for $99 a year.

[via CNET Apple]

According to the patent filing:

There is a need for providing a user interface in a personal media device that minimizes either or both a user’s physical and visual interactions with the personal media device, especially while the user is performing other activities that require, for example, the user’s visual senses.

The first application published a couple of weeks ago actually explores the possibility of using motion as an interface method:

One problem with existing portable media devices such as cellular telephones is that users can become distracted from other activities while interfacing with the media device’s video display, graphical user interface (GUI), and/or keypad. For example, a runner may carry a personal media device to listen to music or to send/receive cellular telephone calls while running. In a typical personal media device, the runner must look at the device’s display to interact with a media application in order to select a song for playing. Also, the user likely must depress the screen or one or more keys on its keypad to perform the song selection. These interactions with the personal media device can divert the user’s attention from her surroundings which could be dangerous, force the user to interrupt her other activities, or cause the user to interfere with the activities of others within her surroundings.

Already, the iPhone has an accelerometer allowing users to shuffle songs by shaking it. Also, motion-detecting technology has also been widely used by application developers who have incorporated the functionality into games and other kinds of apps. But Apple appears to be moving a few steps further in making motion an even bigger part of interacting with the iPhone.

The patent filings seem to suggest that Apple is looking into the interaction users have with phones while busy doing something else (like running). As using accelerometer features can be dangerous due to distraction, new gesturing technology would try to solve this issue. For example, when a user is running, the device might provide an alternative movement-based interface for adjusting the music volume or answering a call. This level of feature is very advanced and may be a little while away just yet. But exciting none the less.

[via CNET]

Speaking in an interview, Seidenberg said that the company is not interested in getting into the wireless retail business in other countries. Rather, pursue deals that improve its enterprise-level business. He also noted that while Verizon Communications would like to own 100% of Verizon Wireless, it is unlikely that it will buy out partner Vodafone.

Seidenberg also said that he believes Apple will be more willing to work with Verizon in the future on an LTE-equipped version of the iPhone. According to Seidenberg, Apple never considered building a CDMA version of the iPhone due to CDMA’s more limited distribution footprint.

[via Wall Street Journal]

All that is required is being a registered member of the development centre. Reports at this point suggest that the new version is cosmetically identical to BETA 2. The feel of it is smoother with a bit more snap. There is nothing so different to this version when sitting next to the last for anyone to panic.

As more reports about 3.0 come about, will certainly let you know. Would love to hear your thoughts!

[via BoyGeniusReport]

The love is spread rather widely for the development and manufacture of the next batch of iPhones. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) and two of its subsidiaries, one a packaging and testing house Xintec, the othera color filler maker VisEra Technologies are likely to benefit from their roles in the manufacturing of the next-generation iPhone, according to industry sources.

TSMC have landed foundry orders for GSM EDGE power amplifiers, Bluetooth ICs and 3.2-megapixel OmniVision CMOS image sensor (CIS) used in the upcoming iPhone model, indicated the sources. Xintec will handle the packaging and testing service for the CIS whereas VisEra will manufacture on-chip color filters for the CIS.

TSMC, Xintec and VisEra declined to comment on the report, citing customer confidentiality.

The so-called “iPhone 3.0″ reportedly will be launched by mid-2009, the sources claimed. Assembly suppliers will kick off shipments for the upcoming model starting from May, with the first batch estimated to be around five million units, the sources said.

Apple next-generation iPhone: Chip and key component suppliers:

[via I4U]

Originally, the deal had AT&T as the exclusive carrier of the iPhone until 2008. From that point, Apple would be allowed to start selling the smartphone on other carriers. However, the companies met last August and decided to extend that partnership through the end of this year. This was not the end of it all as the AT&T Chief Executive is now in talks with Apple to keep that deal alive until 2011.

Apple has sold more than 17 million iPhones since its debut less than two years ago, and the carrier added 4.3 million iPhone subscribers in the second half of 2008. 40% of whom were new to AT&T. Last month, AT&T announced plans to sell iPhone 3Gs without a two-year contract for $599 and $699, a move that Apple quickly duplicated at its own stores. Suggestions of a $300 iPhone subsidy are also afloat, if AT&T was willing to go that far, Apple stands to clean up by negotiating contracts with other carriers.

[via CNET]

The Wall Street Journal reports Jobs, 54 was specifically involved in the user interface for the latest version of the iPhone operating system. From home, he continues to review products,and will be working on future projects. This however, while making no public appearances. Jobs was treated five years ago for pancreatic cancer. More recent problems saw loose weight (said to be caused by a hormone imbalance). But soon after, he said that the condition was more complicated than he’d thought and that he would be taking a six-month leave of absence.

Apple Senior Vice President of Marketing Phil Schiller said “We’re just trying to do what we do every day,” when asked about the affect not having Jobs around has had on the Company. Chief Operating Officer Tim Cook is running day-to-day operations until Jobs’ planned return at the end of June.

[via Wall Street Journal]

Sources suggest that “as Toshiba, Hynix Semiconductor, Intel and Micron Technology have allocated less chip supplies to the Asia market since early April, downstream memory suppliers are striving to grab more NAND flash chips to meet substantial volumes of short lead-time orders from device makers, the sources indicated.” Supply is expected to remain tight until at least the end of May, the sources said. “Spot prices for mainstream MLC NAND flash trended upward during the week of March 27-April 2, as a result of tightening supplies, data gathered by inSpectrum show.”

According to DRAMeXchange, contract prices for MLC NAND flash chips have increased by up to 16% for the first half of April, as a result of shipment adjustments by chip suppliers. Major NAND flash chipmakers tend to allocate more shipments to device makers, and do not plan to increase their production for the second quarter in order to maintain price stability. The chips are then recombined during manufacturing into the larger 16GB, 32GB, and so on capacities found in handheld consumer electronics.

[via EngadgetMobile]

Chip design company Elan Microelectronics of Taiwan has filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in San Fransisco. Through the claim, it has been listed that two of the companies patents have been infringed upon through the developments of the MacBook, iPhone and iPod Touch. Added to this includes two years worth of negotiations with Cupertino a Californian firm to work out a licensing arrangement, which have failed.

The same firm has brought forward claims before. In 2006 against Synaptics (who countersued) saw an agreement between both firms a cross-licensing deal after Elan had won a preliminary court injunction. The current patents in question involve a “multiple fingers contact sensing method for emulating mouse buttons and mouse operations on a touch sensor pad.” The Taiwanese firm has been referenced to saying that it wants to receive royalties and a licensing agreement that would also cover future offerings from Apple. Jill Tan, a spokeswoman for the American firm, said that Apple would not comment on the lawsuit.

[via The New York Times]

Available now direct from Scosche or at retailers the charger is priced at $29.99. The reCOIL plugs into your car’s 12V power / accessory outlet to work its magic. A big bonus of this one is the retractable cable, so no tangled wires to worry about.

The reCOIL also has a magnetic locking dock connector which flush mounts while not in use. Finally a charger that shouldn’t get all tangled inbetween the passenger, passenger seat, gears and the steering wheel.

[via GearLog]

The new Google Calendar for mobile supports iPhone OS 2.2.1 and up and all Android-powered phones. It’s available in English only for now, but more languages will be supported soon. For Apps users please go to google.com/m/a/yourdomain and click on Calendar.

The new version allows users to respond to event invitations, send event invitations, change attendance status, as well as edit events directly from the phone. The previous version was view-only. The new version will also show the most recently viewed event if no wireless network is available.

[via Google Mobile Blog]

“I think quality is largely irrelevant,” Adam Saltsman, creator of Wurdle, told the crowd during a discussion of independent game development for the iPhone and iPod Touch. “I think the defining thing is how quickly you can describe your product to someone else.” This position flies in the face of assertions by other developers during GDC that the iPhone was a powerful platform and not to be underestimated.

The balance of a polished product to the element of ‘fun’ is probably the biggest factor. For example, Infomedia who created the iFart app, apparently earned over US$250,000 for what surely amounts to very little development compared with more useful applications. The real shame of it all is that there are fantastic iPhone games available. Playing with apps may be like chewing gum, once the flavor is gone, you go for something else, therefore once the fun is out from an app, we look for something else.

[via Kotaku]

Financial documents recently submitted to the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, detail the rapid growth of the company. Flagship stores were in Sydney, NSW and Melbourne, VIC. While Apple’s laptop market stands at around 5%, when the iPhone went on sale on 11 July last year, it accounted for 5.8% of the Australian phone market.

The numbers speak for themselves where:

• Revenues grew 34 per cent on last year’s total of $846 million to reach $1.16 billion
• Gross profit in 2008 of $118 million, up from $105 million in 2007
• After-tax profits of $35 million, were up from $20.9 million
• Since Apple’s 2006 report to ASIC the company has also doubled its local headcount from 322 to 629
• Mind you, compared to 2007 Apple still managed to keep a lid on staffing costs, rising just $6 million from $22.6 million last year to $28 million in 2008

[via CNET Australia]

The image (above) demonstrates the main screen for ‘video recording’ in future iPhones. The main difference for the screen is the on the toggle toward the bottom right that toggles between still camera photography and video recording. The option was only presented when the configuration files were modified telling the firmware that a Video Camera was present will this interface appear.

While going through the configuration files, other interesting capabilities found include “auto-focus camera”, “magnetometer” (digital compass) and “Voice Control”. The final version of iPhone 3.0 is expected this summer. With this, a new and updated version of the iPhone may be coming at that time as well.

[via MacRumors]