Jun 10

Here is a hands-on review of iPhone 3G.

Smoother Look and Feel
Though I didn’t have a gen one iPhone to compare it to, the iPhone 3G felt lighter and softer in my hand. I was immediately attracted to the white 16GB (apparently because it is more feminine). The white back is glossy and smooth and has a rounded back to it. The front of the phone looks like the original with black edges surrounding the screen. It is confirmed: the headphone jack on the 3G phone is 3.5 mm.

Speedy Browsing
After checking out the new hardware, it was time to put the 3G to the test. It took about two seconds to transition from Wi-Fi to the 3G network. I tested out the speeds on three sites: It took the phone 4 seconds to load www.laptopmag.com, 2 seconds to load cnn.com; 3 seconds to load www.nytimes.com. Pretty damn speedy.

Swift GPS Connection
I couldn’t get the best handle on the GPS here in the convention center. But I was able to bring up a map of the San Fran area. According to an Apple rep, turn-by-turn directions will be available through the Maps program. Above the map was a button to find “current location.”

What else can I report on the iPhone 3G? Apple showed off its new charging cube. It is a small block that can fit into your pocket, just don’t forget to carry your USB cord. Also, the App store icon was front and center on the main menu.

After my 10 minutes were up, the iPhone 3G was taken from my hands and sent back to its charging dock. Until we meet again iPhone 3G…Until we meet again…

via Laptopmag

May 14

There has been a ton of rumors going around about the imminent launch of the 3G iPhone. However, the pre-release version of iPhone firmware 2.0 included in the latest Apple iPhone SDK Beta 5 (Build 5a274D) which is currently available only to members of the iPhone developer program, has revealed that Apple is planning to release the long awaited 3G iPhone probably as early as June just like the rumors have indicated.