iPhone 3G Multi-touch

I finished writing a driver for the Zephyr2 on the iPhone. It's the same multi-touch solution that Apple has used starting from the first generation iPod touch and up to and including the iPad.

Now, of course this shouldn't be construed as a promise to support the iPad eventually, but this multi-touch driver is definitely a concrete milestone that is important for pretty much all of Apple's mobile Internet devices.

More immediately, this is pretty much the sole remaining blocking issue on the first-gen iPod touch and one of the two major issues on the iPhone 3G. The other issue on the iPhone 3G is baseband SPI. I'm wondering if we can get away with just using the debug uart to make calls (if we don't care about having a fast 3G data connection yet).



Also, I'd like some opinions from this blog's readers: More frequent updates? Or just document the major advances?

Review: Pelican i1015, toughest iPhone Case of all!

Mirror mirror on the wall, who in the land is the baddest, toughestt, biggest iPhone protector of all? Pelican i1015, is the baddest, toughest and biggest iPhone case of all.

I've reviewed a good number of iPhone cases on this blog, as far as for true protection, the Otterbox series have been the name of the game. But I think I've hit the motherload of all protection. The Pelican i1015 is a new case for your precious iPhone (also works with iPod Toch) and can withstand just about anything you can throw at it (or throw it at). To tell you how tough this case is, Pelican didn't even bother with packaging. The case comes by itself along with an aluminum carabiner clip attached, I think their marketing folks are brilliant for making two points at once: 1). it's a tough son-of-a-gun and 2). going green!

Lets get to the features: The i1015 case is virtually indestructible; it is crush proof, water resistant, shock and dust proof. Pelican warns you not to submerge the case in water. Pelican engineers has really put a serious case together for the most active iPhone/iPod user.

My first impression with the Pelican is amazement; this case is huge. It is sort of ironic to see such a huge case that turns your slick iPhone/iPod about 8 times its size. In Pelican's defense, they did toss in a compartment for headphone cord management. With your iPhone in this case, it reminds me of Zack Morris's 80's mobile and you can forget about fitting it in your pocket. One thing to point out is this is not intended to be used like a case for communication. The case has no external control to anything (volume, power button, touchscreen, data port or speaker); it was designed as a listening case (while shut) or to be used opened up (kinda reminds me of portable video game cases). There is a headphone jack for you to connect your headphones to it but unfortunately it doesn't support the microphone from your headphones. I think Pelican should have enabled that feature to make using the phone a bit more friendly.

Mr. Obvious will tell you that this case is definitely not for your average joes. Its really meant for professional grade outdoor activities. For those unfamiliar with Pelican, these guys are famous for their super tough storage solutions. This Pelican i1015 case certainly lives up to their name.

Concertimatic app for the Music Fanatics!

I don't usually unless they serve a very good purpose (enhancing one's mobile experience). Concertimatic caught my "ears" because it is pretty darn cool. This iPhone/iPod Touch app (app store link $0.99) can scan your iTunes library and tell you when the upcoming events for your favorite musician will be based on your location (or designated zip code). There is something about taking a static information and pull up live/real time information to enrich your mobile lifestyle. I think this app is pretty creative and should not be left home without for all music lovers!

Pesky iPhone/iPod Default Settings (and workaround)

If you've owned an iPhone or iPod Touch, you'll know exactly what I mean. The default settings are sometimes annoying and confusing. I've round up a few tips for you:

1. Caps Lock - You can enable CAPS LOCK under Settings>General>Keyboard>Enable Caps Lock
2. SMS Reminder (iPhone only) - Say you received a message, read it but did not acknowledge it by interacting with your phone. It will remind you twice more since it assumed you did not see it. This can get annoying very quickly. To disable it, go to Settings>Messages>Repeat Alert
3. .com Options: When typing in a URL in Mobile Safari, hold down the ".com" button and you'll find three other alternatives: .net, .edu and .org. Subsequently, when typing in an email address, hold down the period "." button and the same four options will be available as well. Generally speaking, holding down period "." will let you toggle between one vs three periods (. vs ...)
4. iPod Audio Setting: To adjust settings for your iPod, ironically you'll find it within Settings>iPod (instead of within iPod itself). This is where you can change EQ, volume limit, and other important functions for video/tv playback.
5. Screenshot: Hold down the home+power button at the same time. It will snag a screen capture and store it in your photo album.
6. Battery Reserve in % (iPhone 3GS only): Settings>General>Usage
7. App Store Sign Out: This can be found within Settings>Store

One thing that bugs me the most is the inability for iPod (while playing video) to adjust for screen brightness; to save battery, I normally keep the brightness setting at around 15%; very annoying to have to quit video just to adjust for brightness in Settings>Brightness.

Apple Disappoints with Pathetic iPod Updates

I had high hopes for Apple to slowly get rid of its older iPod formats (nano, classic and shuffle) and focus more of its energy on the iPod touch in today's Rock and Roll event but to my disappointment, the 3rd generation iPod Touch is pretty much the same as the 2nd gen. Still no integrated mic/GPS/camera. Looks like Apple pulled an iPhone-3GS kinda update to its internals only with faster hardware and more internal storage. The only good news is that prices have come down a bit for the iPod Touch.

The shocker for me was to see Apple putting a video camera onto the iPod Nano 5th gen along with a bigger LCD and FM Radio w/ live pause. I just don't see the point or appeal here. A video cam is much needed on the iPod Touch. But apparently, Mr. Jobs thinks of the iPod Touch only as a video gaming platform... whatever!

If you've been holding out from buying a 2nd gen. iPod Touch because you were waiting for the new one, I would say go ahead and save some money and pickup a 2nd gen. Wait a year and my bet is the next iPod touch will have the camera and other much needed features.

BTW - iPhone/iPod Touch firmware gets an update to 3.1

More Evidence of a New iPod Touch Emerging

Its not like I needed to beat this dead horse any further or wanted more proof about a new iPod in the horizon. At this point, pretty much all the media outlet is speculating a new iPod Touch w/ Camera and Mic to be revealed on Apple's 9/9 Rock and Roll media event.

But if you would like more proof, take a look around the top iPod accessories makers' websites and you'll noticed something in common. Either they are slashing prices on the 2nd gen. iPod Touch cases or simply running out of stock. Its not an uncommon practice for businesses to reduce inventory by lowering prices to move items that is soon to be outdated; screenshots included to support my theory:

Griffin - Most of the 2nd Gen. iPod Touch cases are offered at "Special" Pricing










Incase - Their popular Slider case as well as others pull up error 404 not found (out of stock?)






Speck - is offering a 25% off pricing on every iPod Touch 2nd Gen and Nano 4th gen.

Use iPhone Google Maps to Add or Manage Contacts

When it comes to managing my contacts, I would say I am pretty obsessed. Because of my iPhones, I've been keeping my Apple Address Book up to date. The reason I am so obsessed with contacts management is because it really gives your smartphone that extra flexibility and reliability when you are on the go; as you are out and about, its absolutely important to have a person's phone, email or address handy and maximize your smartphone's built-in function to call, send mail and pin point their GPS destinations.

One of the handy little functions on your iPhone or iPod Touch's GMAP can help you add contacts to your address book quickly. Saves me quite a bit of time from copying/pasting or re-typing the contact info which is prone to error. Simply search for a person, establishment, restaurant or landmark and click on the arrow to expand to full detailed disclosure of their information. From there, scroll to the bottom of the page and click on "Add to Contacts". This will give you the option to "Create a New Contact" or "Add to Existing Contact" if you already have partial information. Either choices will give you the option to edit to your liking. Screenshots here is showing me adding one of my favorite Hoboken Sandwich joint Vito's to a group of contacts I created just for my favorite take outs!

Skype Domination: Platform Agnostic Style

I never realized this but Skype is everywhere! Regardless if you are a PC, Mac or Linux user, you can grab a version at your convenience. In the smartphone world, Windows Mobile, iPhone/iPod Touch, and Android have their versions of Skype mobile; even non-officially supported phones has a solution. If you are still using your cordless home phone or going with dedicated WiFi or Skype Phone, there is a solution to Skype for you. Lets not forget the Sony PSP and Nokia N800/810 integration.

Now that I've made my point and spent last 15 minutes hyper linking the references above, what I am trying to get at is how easy Skype has made itself to users of all walks. Being that this company has made its service completely platform agnostic, it has tremendous power to reach a wide range of users and become the de facto internet-based communications tool. I can't think of another IM or VOIP application with this broad reach across various hardware and software.

As for my family, Skype has been an indispensable tool when traveling abroad. Given all the available Skype options, we can easily keep in touch so long as internet is available never having to worry about having pre-paid SIM or phone cards.

Skype, in my opinion, may be the best mobile communication provider for a non telecom operator. Of course, with Gmail's Video and VOIP support over browser recently launched, it can pose potential threat to Skype's territory as it would technically be platform agnostic. But until mobile browsers are powerful enough to take advantage, Skype is still much ahead of the game. Way to go Skype!

Review: Griffin Component AV Cable for iPods

Few days back, Griffin announced new Component and Composite AV cables for the latest iPods. I got myself a review unit and gave it a test. Before I begin with my review, I just want to go over why I think this cable kit is very much needed. First of all, this is not just an output cable. The kit includes a wall charger so it can keep your iPod charging while playing back. Personally, I find this cable handy because when I travel, I used to bring my laptop along for web, internet, work and multimedia/entertainment. Especially if I am traveling alone, I typically like to watch a movie or two from my laptop instead of paying the hotel a large fee for movies-on-demand. With the convergence of iPhone (all-in-one) device, this cable can take my needs one step further. I can hook-it-up to hotel's TV and watch movies or tv shows straight from an iPod Touch. Not to mention the built-in charger is something I need to pack with me anyways so taking this kit instead of a normal charger isn't a stretch. This has got to be handy for people traveling with kids; imagine bringing their favorite movies on your iPod to playback in a car or grandparent's house (instead of DVDs).

The component AV cable kit I received comes with a set of white cables approximately four feet long. As mentioned, it comes with a wall charger which can be used with the cable set or another independent USB-iPod data cable (so it can be used in other applications, which is a plus). I tested this cable on my fifth generation iPod Video 30GB and while my iPod recognized a TV-out cable is plugged in, the cable was not able to successfully tranmit 480i video on my 52" Sharp LCD TV; only audio was being passed thru. I took a closer look at the box which indicated supported devices include: iPod Touch, iPod nano (3rd gen), iPod classic. I guess there is a design difference between iPod 5th gen vs classic. To continue with my review test, I took my first generation iPhone out and connected to the cable. Lo and behold, it worked like a charm. The 480i output looked a little granny on my 1080p tv set but I was pleasantly suprised to see an episode of "The Office" filled up the entire screen in 16:9 widescreen mode. The cable did prompt my iPhone that it isn't designed for an iPhone and recommend I turn on airplane mode. Regardless it provided great TV out as well as charging my iPhone. Plugging in the wall charger isn't required for TV output and it also works with my iPhone 3G.

Overall, these cables worked as promised. I like the way Griffin kept the color code semi-hidden underneath each plug. The white cables match the iPod-isque styling. The composit or component AV cable kit goes for $49.99 MSRP, I think its a nice accessories to take your iPhone or iPod touch along with your traveling needs this holiday season.

Metal Gear Solid coming to iPhone

I guess Apple is serious when it said the iPhone and iPod touch is a gaming device. According to Joystiq, amongst a number of Konami titles, Metal Gear Solid Touch is coming out for iPhone. For those unfamiliar, Metal Gear Series is insanely popular across PS2/PS3/PSP platforms. I am trying out the PSP version Metal Gear Solid Portable Ops as we speak. If this game does prevail, I will actually pay for a mobile app (despite my recent entry). :P

iPhone Tip: iPod Control w/o Unlocking Screen

If you want to listen to your iPod or fast forward a song on your iPhone (persumably iPod Touch too) when your device's screen is locked, there is a quick way to get access. Simply double-click your 'home' button twice, your iPhone will prompt a simple control UI for you to pause, forward or backward select your MP3. Sure beats sliding the unlock bar and hit the iPod icon, etc...

*For a related trick to quickly unlock the slider screen, check out this clip.

Klipsch iGroove SXT iPod Speakers - $69.99 shipped

Amazon has their gold box deal of the day, pickup the Klipsch iGroove SXT iPod Speaker system
for a mere $69.99 (normally $150+). Most reviewers say it sounds great and love the overall functionality but beware that it may not charge your iPod Touch 2nd Gen or the new iPod Nano 4th Gen. iPhones in general may cause interference/buzz on most charging/speaker systems.

More Griffin Wave Case for your Apple iPods

Griffin Wave, a tried and true design of iPhone case is now available across most iPods (including iPod Touch 2G, Nano 4G, and Classic 80/120GB). If you recall, I have had two good reviews on the WAVE cases for both the original iPhone and iPhone 3G.

These new WAVE design, in my opinion, actually looks even better than the ones made for the iPhones. I will try to get some hands-on review for you guys shortly.

The wave cases are going from $25 to $35 depending on the single or double pack:

Wave for iPod nano 4G: available individually in white or black - $24.99
Wave for iPod nano 4G 2-packs: available in black & green or black & white - $34.99
Wave for iPod touch 2G: available individually in white, black or pink - $24.99
Wave for iPod touch 2G 2-packs: available in black & green or black & white - $34.99
Wave for iPod classic 80/120GB, individually in white or black - $24.99

Griffin Technology Simplifi (Simplify your Desktop Accessories)

Griffin Technology is launching new iPod/iPhone related peripherals left and right. Today, they announced Simplifi, a dock that does a whole lot more. It includes an Memory Stick (Pro), xD, SD and Compact Flash card reader built into the base. Includes an AC Adaptor which would work as a dock solo (very nice for iPhone 3G owners who got skimped from Apple). This device will work with pretty much all iPods and iPhones. I'll arrange for a test unit to give my readers a full review. Stay tuned.

iPod Touch Bargain - Get 1st Gen for $198

With the second generation iPod Touch out, which I'd argue the change is minimal (ie. external volume control, speaker, slightly longer battery life), maybe its time to consider the first generation iPod Touch for a bargain. You can have buy one for as low as $198 shipped (and no tax in some states) directly from Amazon.com. iPod Touch is a great alternative to an iPhone or even a laptop computer when traveling. It has WiFi and famous mobile Safari to allow you to check on pretty much anything so long as you've got access to a WiFi hotspot. Photos, contacts, email, maps and lets not forget MP3/Video iPod all in one with the awesome multi-touch. Now that it supports firmware 2.1, lots of bugs have been squashed with app store support to let the "game on".

8GB iPod Touch - $198
16GB iPod Touch - $269
32GB iPod Touch - $368

Apple Let's Rock Event: New iPods, Accessories, Firmware

Apple hosted an event in California this morning to reveal some new iPods. The biggest update is probably the 4th Gen iPod Nano, now with an elongated LCD, accelerometer and new colors; priced at $149 and $199 for a 4GB or 8GB respectively with a bunch of new colors to choose from. They've also made an update to the 2nd Gen. iPod touch; although I am wondering if the update is nothing but some cosmetic changes. From what I can tell, it received a shiny/rounded back casing, external volume button and speaker. It now supports Nike kit as well, which I was suprised to learn that it is a big deal. I was highly anticipating the addition of a Camera and Mic for the iPod touch so we can expect some VOIP/Communication services. Given the minimal change, I may be in the market for an older model, especially if it is on sale.

In addition, iPod and iPhone firmware 2.1 is released, they are said to be bug-free, most reliable. For its sake, I hope that is the case. Personally, I am tired of constantly updating my firmware and backing up my content. I feel like within the last 2 months, I must have gone through 4 firmware updates already for my iPhone(s). It is probably the most firmware updates I have ever experienced on any phone.

Steve Jobs also announced a new in-ear headset, priced at $79, with dual drivers to compete with premium headphones. I think the price is a little on the high side, however, it is priced below competition (ie. Shure, V-moda, etc.). Preliminary research says it has a built-in mic and will work with new firmware iPods (for voice recording); I think it should work with iPhones as well, but will need to confirm. Some folks are hoping this will allow the aforementioned lack of mic on the iPod Touch use some VOIP solution down the road.

For a complete event playback, visit Apple.com.

Charge 2 or 4 iPods/iPhones with Griffin PowerDock

I've accumulated several iPods over the years. In fact, right now, I've got an iPod 30GB, iPod Nano and two iPhones in my household. When preparing for a trip, making sure all of my devices have been charged has becoming a daunting task. The time it takes to charge your cameras, laptops, cell phones, iPods, iPhone, Gameboy and PSP can take a long time and it becomes a hassle to juggle between multiple chargers as well as finding available outlets.

Griffin Technology just announced the availability of two multi-charging stations that can ease up this process. The PowerDock2 ($49), available today, can support any combination of two iPods or iPhones while the PowerDock4 ($69), available in July, can support up to any four devices. Griffin will include six different adapters to support any size iPod that includes a dock connector.

This looks pretty handy and will definitely provide the solution needed families with multiple iPods and iPhones. I will try to provide a real life review shortly. Stay tuned!

BBC's Updates Mobile News Site

BBC has refreshed its Website for mobile today. Giving more dynamic, content-rich information over mobile handsets. They hope to be able to offer more key coverage such as the upcoming Beijing Olympics event. According to this article:
"Research firm Nielsen Mobile said that the BBC's mobile browser service is the most popular mobile site in the UK, attracting 2.7 million unique users per month and seeing year-on-year growth of one million users."

In addition, BBC also announce an iPlayer which allows streaming its programs over WiFi on iPhone and iPod Touch.

Apple 16GB iPhone and 32GB iPod Touch

Apple has released two updates: iPhone now comes to an additional flavor of 16GB (up from 8GB) and the iPod Touch now offers a 32GB version (up from 16GB). For those unfamiliar, this iPod uses SSD (or Solid State Disk) which differs from its classic iPods running an actual Hardrive (with moving parts). The benefit of a SSD based drive is less power consumption.

16GB iPhone is $499
32GB iPod Touch is $499

Rock on!