What does the iPhone lack? Besides the obvious — 3G, Office Doc editing, the ability to actually make julienne fries — what the iPhone lacks is games. Real, on-board games. Some of this pain is mitigated by the fact that you can get web-based games (including some great iPhone games by our very own forum member cmaier). Still, though, do you know what the most popular video game on the planet is?
Solitaire. Because it’s built into Windows.
So getting native games on the iPhone is a Big Deal because people are much more likely to form an affinity with a device if they can play a game or two on it. I speak from experience — the most painful part of leaving the PalmOS for me is still the fact that I can’t find a crossword application as good as stand alone’s. Add the love for the iPhone to love for a device with games and you’ll start seeing people getting buried with these little guys.
…All of which is to say that seeing that Apple is extending their trademark to include handheld gaming strikes me as a good sign. Sure, as MacRumors points out, this doesn’t mean much — Apple’s been making games for the iPod Classic for awhile now. Still, though, we need games, Apple, please please release a couple when you announce the SDK. Or announce that partnership with EA that we’ve been hoping for.
Coda: Another reason we need native games (to say nothing of apps): stuff on the web disappears. For example, I just realized that Duck Hunt has shuffled off this series of tubes mortal coil.
So says Gear Live, who claims “reliable sources” tell them that it should be coming “very soon.” What about those pesky technical issues that were supposedly keeping us from enjoying embedded YouTube Videos (without the iPhone’s YouTube app) and amusing Homestar Runner games directly on the iPhone? Supposedly that was all a big lie, the real issue was on the business side.
AT&T announced today that starting this spring they will run Starbucks’ 7000 wifi networks in the US. Existing T-Mobile hotspot customers need not worry, as Starbucks made sure that AT&T continues to allow T-Mobile users access free of charge.
Of course, most iPhone users don’t use T-Mobile, so AT&T tantalisingly adds that they will “soon extend the benefits of Wi-Fi at Starbucks to its [own] wireless customers.” That, and free access for AT&T Uverse (DSL) customers, a huge price drop ($4 for 2 hours, vs. $6/hour, $10 a day on T-Mobile), and 2 hours of free access for all customers who used a Starbucks Card to purchase their drinks, certainly doesn’t make this deal seem too shabby.
The Seidio InnoDock for the iPhone ($39.95) is a straightforward dock with a couple of non-straightforward features. It will charge your iPhone (via USB) and also features an audio-out port. The main feature, though, is that it’s able to work with your iPhone in its case - no removal required.
Like our sister site, WMExperts, we’re looking for writers here at Phone different as well. You may have heard that Mike is now our “Editor Emeritus” during the Phone different Podcast and as a result things are getting awfully lonely around here. Come on, join us, give us some company.
Send an email to jobs@phonedifferent.com with the subject line “Writing for Phone different” and some info in the body:
What sorts of writing you’re interested in. We need reviewers for accessories and software and also regular bloggers.
A sample blog post or brief (less than 500 words) review (try to show that you can match our snarky-nerd-fanboy tone and/or can be objective in a review)
Tell us how often you would be able to submit posts or articles
Please just send text email - no attachments or resumes or whatnot. Yes, we’re looking to pay you for your efforts and no, our great team of folks who have been posting reviews and blog posts aren’t going anywhere.
This is the month we are supposed to see the unveiling of the iPhone SDK, finally ending all the omgnoappz drama and obviating the need for Jailbreaking for all but the most hardcore of iPhone users. It feels like the wait has taken forever.
Now we see that TUAW is reporting that there will indeed be an Apple event at the end of February. Many are hoping that it will be the release (or at least more details) on the iPhone SDK. Others are hoping for a 3G iPhone announcement — but that seems much less likely given that Apple just released the 16GB model.
So let’s join the bandwagon and assume it’ll be an SDK event. Cool. Now the real question, the one that put an icy lump of fear and doubt into our hearts during the last Phone different podcast: what if it’s just an announcement of an SDK for developers, that Apple won’t let the apps on for another 6 months?
We’re looking at just over 6 months of sales and the iPhone is rocking the marketshare in the Smartphone category like you wouldn’t believe. According to Canalys (whose numbers we’ve admittedly doubted before, but these results look pretty solid), the iPhone has reached 28% marketshare among Smartphones in the US and 7% worldwide. That puts it at #2 in the US and #3 worldwide. They’re even ahead of Motorola.
Also, the iPhone is beating the pants off of the PalmOS (down to 9%) and also Windows Mobile (21%) in the United States. The only question left is whether or not Apple can gain on RIM’s imposing 41% share. That will require converting a lot of business users.
Actually, the other question is whether or not Apple can maintain that share without releasing a 3G iPhone in the near future. The drumbeat of analyst, stockholder, and most importantly consumer desire for the 3G iPhone is going to get steadily louder in the coming months.
Does it seem like, with each update to the iPhone, it takes longer and longer for Jailbreaks and SIM Unlocks to shake out? Here’s the latest for those of you who want both a SIM Unlocked phone and the latest OS from Cupertino - a SIM unlock from Zibri. There’s caveats, though, as you can see:
This is Version 1.3 Of anySIM. This version unlocks baseband 4.03_13_g It’s only for bootblock 3.9 don’t use on 4.6 To use it, upgrade the baseband then put the iPhone in airplane mode and run it ! It works also in JB 113 OS… - Zibri [via]
Short version of the above: unless you’re very clear on what exact firmware versions you have loaded on the various radio bit on your iPhone, steer clear.
Apple has posted two more iPhone ads on their site, “Cars” and “Facebook.” Both, again, feature the internet features of the iPhone. In “Cars,” you not only get to imagine what it’s like to stick it to a car salesman with your iPhone, you also get to imagine purchasing an Audi having not even bothered to do any research ahead of time.
“Facebook” shows off what is still the best online “app” for the iPhone around, though the friends of the commercial’s hand model aren’t nearly as cool as mine.
In any case, the commercials are a return to the classic iPhone commercial format, namely just showing what the sucker is capable of. I applaud the decision, the “On the street” stuff always felt too forced to me.
The Phone different Podcast is back, baby! We had a long, unplanned hiatus due to technical and spiritual difficulties. Maybe not so much with the spiritual, but you get my point.
In this episode, Mike and I talk about the Macworld experience and the new products that were announced there. We also spend a bit of time on the 1.1.3 iPhone update and some other industry news. Listen in!
The iPhone Blog merged with the Phone different site in May of 2008. Both sites were founded on a premise that comes one from one of Apple's old slogans: Think different. The iPhone Blog: for people who dare to phone different.
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