I just connected my iPhone to my PC and I was told there is the new a new Apple iPhone 3G firmware available and what shall I say. After reading what is all new in version 2.2 I had to update.

As I write this post to iTunes is downloading the new iPhone 2.2 firmware. Since my computer is not the news one it will take a while but you can expect to have the download done in 5 minutes or less if you got an intel duo 2.x computer. 

For me the most exciting update is to Click to continue »

Softbank Japan is given hope to the growing number of iPhone users in Japan who are missing the emotion icons in SMS as it is used and known on all mobile phones in Japan.

“Email without emoticons can’t be email in Japan,” said SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son. “We persuaded Apple Computer (to localize iPhones for the Japanese market).” Softbank Mobile will add the emoticon function to Apple iPhones within the year through an update program.

If the company is providing the update on time for the Christmas/ year end sale season, it has a good chance to increase the number of its iphone users in this important year end sale.

According to Opera chief Jon Stephenson von Tetzchner the popular web browse is ready to run on Apple iphone 3G as it does already on other mobile devices and cell phones. Before you now click over to Apple app store I urge you to read on.

Now before bashing anyone it looks like the problem is in the iPhone SDK terms released in March. It became clear that Apple would “specifically bars third-party interpreters that call on non-Apple frameworks and languages, which by definition would include Opera’s web rendering engine. This would have left Opera Software converting software unlikely to be released in the near term.” according to a post on afterdown dot com. 

In forums and on other blogs Apple is facing mounting criticism for such practice. Apple wants to control what kind of apps are going on the iPhone and make some money along by providing a service platform for developers. It is in the best interest for Apple to do it and also for the iPhone user. The iPhone has limitations - mainly it’s battery - and uploading apps from all over the place can be nice, but would it be save as well…?

The point is, not many will mind to work and use the iTunes App store as the only means of getting apps on the iPhone for the exchange of knowing that certain standards are implemented. Having said that it is also very important that Apple itself will not misuse that unique position by preventing applications from using the iTunes App store, just because they are in direct or close competion to Apple own products. 

If Apple wants to do it, it should be honest about it and at the same time only allow unique 3rd party applications to be offered in the app store. Right now Apple appears to hit at random and to no surprise parallels to past Microsoft behaviors are drawn. In this respect I can not agree with Apple on what I know today, for me as consumer and user of an iPhone it is important to have a choice. Apple please iron out your policy be transparent, be open and don’t make the same or similar mistakes as other companies made. Be smart.

Yahoo!BB will provide free WiFi connection for its iPhone customers in Japan using its own hotspots all over Japan as Mobile carrier Softbank CEO Masayoshi Son said on Thursday during a presentation of the winter season handset collection.

Yahoo Japan and Click to continue »

Softbank will bring 1seg TV to the iPhone in Japan. Not many details have been revealed at this point. It is expected that the device will not only bring digital TV to the iPhone 3G, but also will be an extra battery to enhence the limited life of the current 4-hour the iPhone has.

As Masayoshi Son presented the device on Thursday to Click to continue »