iPhone Lover

One developer emailed this video and rejection letter for their app called Pull My Finger. Especially concerning is that Apple did not reject it due to it being offensive, but instead rejected it due to “limited utility”:
“Hello Developer,

We’ve reviewed your application Pull My Finger. We have determined that this application is of limited utility to the broad iPhone and iPod touch user community, and will not be published to the App Store.

It may be very appropriate to share with friends and family, and we recommend you review the Ad Hoc method on the Distribution tab of the iPhone Developer Portal for details on distributing this application among a small group of people of your choosing.

Regards,

Victor Wang
Worldwide Developer Relations
Apple, Inc.”

I think this sets a very bad precedent. How useful is Koi Pond [App Store]? (which remains the #1 app in the App Store)

Here’s a developer video of Pull My Finger being demonstrated:

via http://www.macrumors.com/iphone/2008/09/04/apple-rejecting-applications-based-on-limited-utility/

Happy Monday morning boys and girls, hope you enjoyed your weekend! Today we have another video tutorial, but this time on how to jailbreak your iPhone 3G on 2.0.2.

Apple has been pretty good so far with iPhone software updates. Exactly one week ago iPhone firmware 2.0.2 was released. This update didn’t release any new features, but mainly its purpose was to “fix bugs” which many people have experienced with their iPhone.

In my case I jailbroke my iPhone 3G using WinPwn, a relatively straight forward process. Since my iPhone 3G is still on 2.0.1, updating via iTunes to 2.0.2 would in essence put my phone back “in jail”. So what’s a fella to do in this situation? Well, to solve this the fine folks from the Dev Team released QuickPwn!

With QuickPwn, it does not create a new custom firmware that you need to restore your iPhone with. That’s why we have WinPwn for Windows users and the Pwnage Tool for Mac users (I know, all these names can get confusing). QuickPwn will jailbreak your 2.0/2.0.1/2.0.2 iPhone/iPhone 3G/iPod Touch in a simple and painless process.

There are some caveats to updating your iPhone 3G to 2.0.2. If you’re interested in a future phone unlock (aka, using your Rogers iPhone 3G with another GSM carrier), updating to 2.0.2 via iTunes will update your baseband. This might hinder your phone unlocking chances in the future. As for me, I have my first gen iPhone that is unlocked and ready to take traveling if need be. I was experiencing some keyboard lag and general sluggish application launches on my iPhone 3G so I was eager to update.

Video Tutorial on How to Jailbreak iPhone 3G 2.0.2 with QuickPwn

These are the steps I took to jailbreak my iPhone 3G on firmware 2.0.2 (I am not responsible for anything that goes wrong with your iPhone 3G! USE AT YOUR OWN RISK!):

1. Plug in iPhone 3G, launch iTunes. Click on “Update” and let iTunes download/install 2.0.2 on your iPhone 3G.
2. Create a folder called WinPwn on your desktop. Download iPhone 3G firmware 2.0.2 and save it in the folder.
3. Download QuickPwn and save it in the folder.
4. After iTunes has updated your iPhone, shut down iTunes.
5. Launch QuickPwn and follow the prompts. Choose iPhone 3G. Select Cydia and Installer.
6. Browse to the 2.0.2 firmware saved to the WinPwn folder. Click next
7. Follow the instructions. Turn off iPhone 3G. Put into DFU mode.
8. QuickPwn will work its magic and in about 10 mins you’ll have your iPhone 3G jailbroken!

Here is the video tutorial…

**side notes: the pineapple logo appears during the QuickPwn process, even if you did not select it in the beginning; it will disappear later
**I filmed the video fairly quickly so excuse the odd parts and ends and missing theme music (aka the absence of Rick Astley); if you don’t like my videos, please cry in the comments as usual.
**Anyone here figure out my “shut it down” reference?
**I just happened to receive a text message right after the jailbreak in case anyone is wondering why that sound occured.

After updating to 2.0.2 I immediately noticed that the keyboard lag was gone. Now texting and typing was a lot faster, and moving around the iPhone was a bit smoother. Of course my 3rd party apps were gone, but after installing Winterboard again the previous themes were still on the iPhone. So far so good and I’m glad to be on 2.0.2! I will be doing a video review of my jailbreak to show what 3rd party apps are available for those that are on the fence (Quake is pretty neat!).

So if your iPhone 3G is on 2.0.1 and you’ve been waiting to jailbreak, this could be the time for you. Or if you’re on 2.0.1 and jailbroken, and have wanted to update to 2.0.2 and try out QuickPwn, hopefully this video tutorial has helped. Let me know how everything goes in the comments!

via http://www.iphoneincanada.ca/how-to/how-to-jailbreak-202-with-quickpwn-video/

This is a sweet hack if I’ve ever seen one! I would love to have this on my 3G! So far this info is only for the 1st Gen iPhone. Below is a video of the end result (warning, not in English). It makes your Apple logo glow! I checked a little deeper and found out they are a company in Russia and it’s actually running separate from the light from the screen (battery drain?). They also provide custom designed backs, memory upgrades, and laser engraving. Now only if this was maybe a flash for the camera, flashlight, changed color, interacted with apps… Tell us what your ideas are!

Visit their site at www.gpda.ru (English translation)

Visit their site at www.gpda.ru (English translation)

via http://www.appleiphoneschool.com/2008/08/19/apple-logo-light-mod/

Setting up a media-streaming application on any of your portable devices is fun, rewarding, and very useful. Imagine being able to wirelessly connect to your home library and grab any media you wanted- you would no longer be limited by the memory on your iPhone. Simplify Media is one of the easiest ways of doing this. Fortunately, it’s also incredibly easy to set up and works flawlessly. To help you get started, we’ve included a demo video to show the finished product, as well as a link to a comprehensive set-up guide. Good luck!

Comedian Stephen Colbert recently poked fun at the iPhone’s recently announced “kill-switch” on his show The Colbert Report, which airs every night on Comedy Central.

If you are not already aware, this “kill-switch” Colbert is referring to, is another term for Apple’s ability to remotely deactivate (blacklist) any applications on your iPhone they deem “malicious.”

I’ll let the following video from The Colbert Report do the rest of the talking; you will have to watch through a few minutes to get to the iPhone bit, but don’t fast-forward! He’s a hilarious guy!

Best quote: “I knew I should have gotten a Zune, they can’t kill me! Or do anything else…”

via http://www.iphonefreak.com/2008/08/stephen-colbert-your-iphone-can-kill-you-video.html

If this is real (and it probably isn’t) a lot of you can relate to the pains of tech support with less than knowledgeable parents. For a few minutes, you know what it is like to be John Mayer…meh.

Here she is: the iPhone 3G, captured on video. We’ve gone through a number of the new features on the device and in the 2.0 software release, but apologies in advance if you’re looking for side by side speed tests (there are some coverage issues where we’re at). Video of the unboxing, new feature walkthrough, and GPS use (while on a train) after the break.