The iPod Nation

Mophie will be shipping their Juice Pack battery pack for the Apple iPhone 3G on October 1st. Mophies battery pack for the first generation iPhone was pretty big success, hopefully this new one for the 3G takes off as well. With all the new iPhone apps and games out there sucking all your iPhone 3G’s juice this new iPhone 3G battery pack should help you use your iPhone 3G a bit longer. The Juice Pack battery pack for the iPhone 3G from mophie goes for $99.95

-Ray

[Source: macenstein]

Apps have been kicked off the Apple App Store for a while now and no one knew exactly why. One iPhone App developer got an email that showed the reason. According to Apple an app needs to serve a purpose or perform a significant function to be allowed on the App Store. There are quite a few apps on the App Store that seem to not serve any purpose at all yet they still remain, this seems a bit unfair for the developers who have had their apps removed.

“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have determined that this application is of limited utility to the broad iPhone and iPod touch user community, and will not be published to the App Store.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.”

-Ray

[Source: topiphonenews]

Let’s face it, sometimes the batteries in our cell phones just aren’t enough and usually they start to lose much of their juice as they get older. That’s where a mini battery extender for your iPhone 3G comes in and saves the day. The Kensington Mini Battery Extender is a rechargeable battery that helps extend the talk time of your iPhone 3G. iPhoneNewsBlog did a useful review of the Kensington Mini Battery Extender and charger below:

I’ve had the Kensington Mini Battery Extender and Charger since the first week I had my iPhone 3G and it’s become a very handy accessory for me. There are many ways to save battery life on the iPhone 3G and first generation iPhone, but lets face it: eventually, you will have a day where you’ve used all of your iPhone’s juice and you’ll have no way to plug it in to recharge. Apple’s design doesn’t allow for a user replaceable battery, so until they design an iPhone with one, this is probably one of your best bets.

The Kensington Mini Battery Extender is a very nice size and matches the iPhone 3G or original iPhone in width. The case is made of metal, not plastic which is nice. It gives you confidence that this battery is well made. It also has 3 battery level lights (blue LED) and a low power warning/charging light that shows red when low and green when the iPhone is fully charged.

Read the rest of this entry »

The popular task management game Diner Dash from PlayFirst was recently released for the iPhone. It’s available from the App Store for $9.99. The game puts you in the role of restaurant owner Flo and your mission is to build a chain of successful restaurants. In the game you have to serve your customers quickly, manage tables, clean up, collect tips and get new customers before the clock runs out. The more money you make the more you can invest in your restaurant in hopes to make more money and open new food joints. Diner Dash for the iPhone has 50 levels, six kinds of customers and two modes of play and is really fun. Who needs to work at Denny’s when you can just play a little bit of Diner Dash and do all the hard work without having to actually change your name to Flo? Diner Dash is available for the iPhone and iPod touch with iPhone software 2.0.

-Ray

[Source: macworld]

An iPhone ad in the UK that shows the iPhone accessing the Internet and browsing several websites was said to be misleading by the UK Advertising Authority which pulled the ad in the UK. They said the lack of support for Adobe Flash and Java was misleading as many consumers would think they can view all web content similar to a PC when in fact they won’t. They have a good point.

-Ray

[Source: everythingicafe]

Apple Inc. has never had a problem selling the iPhone accross the globe, with the exception of China, of course. But since China’s government has control over all aspects of the media, selling the iPhone in China has always been problemsome of Apple Inc. Prior, selling an iPhone in China was deemed illegal. But that may change soon. Read the rest of this entry »

Having run the gauntlet of public opinion and survived, few will dispute the quality of Apple’s iPhone. Those who do probably also dispute the sky being blue, or grass being green. No, the iPhone is not for everyone, but the quality with which the idea has been executed can’t be questioned. However, I wonder how many iPhone’ers have noticed what seems to be an unanticipated but not unpleasant effect: its power to mesmerize people.

The mere sight of an iPhone being drawn from a pocket or purse can cause everyone within a few feet to turn and stare, rapt, as if expecting the device to begin turning water to wine, or spill gold from the seams. People seem willing to suspend disbelief when it comes to this phone. As they gaze at it, they may wonder if to Apple, “impossible” reads instead as “I’m possible”.

I have fallen for this trap myself. When one of my friends bought it, he asked me to place my hand flat on the table in front of him. He then held his iPhone above it, and I heard a faint clicking sound. When he handed the phone to me, an xray of a hand - my hand, I thought - was on the screen. I knew it wasn’t possible - the xray machine at the dentist’s office is huge, after all! But part of me wanted to believe (almost believed by default, in fact) that Apple had somehow shrunk this technology into the phone. Alas, no, it was just a trick, an image to call up to fool your friends.

A silly example perhaps, but the iPhone has carried a certain mystique about it since its release. It almost glows with quality and possibility. It’s a wonderful gadget, and it’s riding the wave of next generation hand held devices. It’s at the very top, even if it can’t take xrays of things… yet. That will probably be in the 4g.

A video of the Last.fm 2.0 app was leaked showing off its new features. The video shows that you can listen to music based on tags entered such as the type of music, artist or genre. The app also lets you create playlists and send them to friends. You can also look up info on artist you’re listening too such as touring schedules and concert dates then you can add the concert date to your iPhones calendar. This is a must have app for any music fan with an iPhone.

-Ray

[Source: macrumors]

Gameloft just released their new game on the App Store titled Asphalt 4 Elite Racing. The game goes for $9.99 and features a Wi-Fi multiplayer mode to let you race your friends. Gameloft says the game also features:

- 28 licensed rides from the world’s most prestigious manufacturers: Ferrari, Bugatti, Aston Martin, Chevrolet Corvette, and more.
- Use your phone as a steering wheel thanks to the accelerometer controls
- The best 3D graphics available on iPhone
- Hours of high-speed entertainment: 5 racing modes, 9 cities such as new York, Shanghai, Dubai, and Paris

-Ray

[Source: macrumors]

In expectation of increased revenue due to the imminent iPhone 3G, investment banking firm Morgan Stanley has increased it’s price target projections of Apple’s stock from $185 to $200 per share. Their increase comes out of the speculation that iPhone sales will double with the introduction of the new iPhone 3G next month. They believe that the new low pricing will serve to further increase the demand for the iPhone, while at the same time driving up sales to and estimated 27 million units by the end of the 2009 calendar year.

-Jameson

[Source: iLounge]