The iPod Nation

There has been another rumor bouncing around lately that the iPhone may get MMS (Multimedia Messaging) from AT&T as as a part of it’s upcoming Firmware 2.0 update. For those of you who are relenting to get an iPhone due to this lack of capability, this may add something for the case on why you should get an iPhone.

This speculation comes with AT&T dropping text messages as a part of their basic service plans for the iPhone. They are not treating the iPhone more like a 3G device, by making each feature independently purchasable.

The screenshot above is from the Swirly MMS application that can be downloaded via Installer.app on a hacked iPhone.

-Jameson

[Source: iPhone Freak]

Even though the iPhone Firmware wasn’t release today, I have some news about it. Yesterday, the iPhone SDK beta 8 was released to developers. This distribution of the SDK is supposedly the gold master version, meaning it is as close to ready for public release as possible.

This edition of the SDK will be compatible with the inevitable release of the Firmware 2.0, which means developers should be hot on it to get their applications ready for the release of the iPhone 3G. I tried downloading it last night, but my wi-fi was having a fit. I’ll try to download it later and give it a try.

-Jameson

It seems as though those rumors of the iPhone Firmware coming out today (June 27th) didn’t pull through after all. I woke up this morning to find my Software Update prompt telling me I needed to update my iPhone. As I mentioned in an earlier post, a reader at MacRumors pointed out that Apple stated in the official press release that the Firmware 2.0 would be release on July 11th. So, I’m not really that disappointed by this non-developlment.

However, there is some news that Dot Mac was down for a few hours this morning. This may mean that we will get the new Mobile Me service sooner than we expected. For now I’ll just sit at work hoping and waiting for the newest Mac Goodies to come my way.

-Jameson

Unfortunately, we may have typed to soon. A reader at MacRumor’s iPhone blog has pointed out that Apple’s official press release on the iPhone 3G states explicitly that the

iPhone 2.0 software will be available on July 11 as a free software update via iTunes 7.7 or later for all iPhone customers

I was really betting on the release this Friday, but it looks like I’ll have to find something better to do this Friday than endlessly downloading applications from the App Store. Now everyone has to prolong their waiting time until July 11th. So there you go- no fun for iPhone-owning MacHeads this Friday.

-Jameson

[Source: MacRumors]

I was one of the many people who preceded to hack my iPhone right after getting it. After using the Installer application to download many applications, I decided that my favorite of all were those that could be used to make music, particularly those coming from Moo Cow Music . I was even more happy when I learned that Moo Cow Music would be coming officially with the iPhone Firmware 2.0 during Apple’s WWDC Keynote. But enough about my personal excitement.

To control it you use your fingers. There are several instruments available; five in the Band application (which allows you to record and use a mentronome), and three seperate piano, drums, and guitar applications. My favorite is the first one pictured, which is a dance pad that lets you make some nice trance tunes. We might be expecting the iPhone Firmware 2.0 as early as June 27th, so hopefully those of you that are holding out on hacking your first generation iPhone will finally be able to experience all the fun I’ve been having. Check out this video for more musical awesomeness.

[Originally posted on projectID.net ]