Apple Insider scored some iPhone 3.0 Beta 3 screen shots, some we’ve already seen before, but some showing off a new goodness like the Settings option for Notification (though where Apple’s usual Smiley Face w/Badge icon went to is anyone’s guess). We did a quick check, and no one we contacted had this pane visible yet, so it may only show for those actively receiving push notifications, or who have done some digging through the code.
It’s nice that Apple will apparently let users globally enable or disable the different types of Push Notification: Sounds, Alerts (text boxes), and Badges. It will be even nicer (perhaps vital) that we also get to selectively enable/disable them within individual apps as well. For example, Twitter can badge, IM can Alert, new RSS only Sound.
NOTE: “Carrier Settings” aren’t new. They have been visible on networks like Rogers since 2.0 (perhaps because Rogers subsidiary Fido also carries the iPhone in Canada?)
They also show off some evidence of battery percentage-level numeric indicators in both black (good) and red (danger!), as well as Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard-style data detectors, which we’ve seen in previous betas, but are highlighted for the Notes app.
Check out their full post for more screen shots.
Jeremy recently whipped up an iPhone 101 how to on using Restrictions to set some parental controls, and we’ve had a peek at what Apple already surfaced in previous iPhone 3.0 betas, but now it looks like Beta 3 gets a tad more granular with an extra option:
Along with Installing Apps, you can selectively disable the ability for you, or someone you parentally control, from impulse buying those extra game levels or custom sound systems and super-weapons.
Likely a Good Thing.
Ars Technica is reporting that the way Push Notification works has been, according to developers they’ve spoken with, improved in the latest Beta 3 release of iPhone 3.0. To wit:
The major change in the UIKit API is that Apple has added separate types for the three notification methods: badge, text alert, and sound. Developers can register their apps for these different notification types individually for the needs of their users. Previously, apps registered to received remote notifications but controlled the type via settings. Developers we spoke to universally agreed that this was a welcome improvement.
Still nothing in the way of non-obtrusive, Google Android- or Palm Pre-style notification, nor any indication of how Apple will gracefully handle multiple modal dialogs popping up all at once, but there’s still time to wow us with something awesome come WWDC, right Apple?
Ars also mentions some interesting developments regarding Dashcode (widget development) for iPhone, and more, so be sure to check them out.
Apple has once again iterated on the iPhone 3.0 beta, with version 3 now available for registered developers to download via http://developer.apple.com/iphone/.
iPhone SDK 3.0 beta 3 and iPhone OS 3.0 beta 3 are now posted to the iPhone Dev Center. These versions are for development and testing only and should be installed on devices dedicated to iPhone OS 3.0 beta software development. Please read the iPhone OS Pre-Install Advisory and the iPhone SDK 3.0 beta 3 release notes before downloading and installing.
As a reminder, you can now test your applications that will use the Apple Push Notification service. Team Agents can log in to the iPhone Developer Program Portal and proceed to the App ID section to create the components necessary to begin testing applications using the Apple Push Notification service.
The Beta 1 was widely showcased at Apple’s iPhone 3.0 Sneak Peek Event, and Beta 2 was almost as widely deconstructed by code divers to find new hardware version codes, video support, voice command, and a host of other unannounced features. What will Beta 3 hold? Stay tuned!
Reminder: iPhone 3.0 is a real Beta intended for developers and testers, not for daily use on a primary phone. If you don’t need the beta, don’t install the beta, and for Jobsake don’t buy it off of eBay. Yikes!
The Wall Street Journal reports that while Steve Jobs remains home on leave of absence, with chief operating officer Tim Cook managing the day to day business, Jobs is still keeping active tabs on the greater strategic vision, including iPhone 3.0:
He regularly reviews products and product plans, and was particularly involved in the user interface of the new iPhone operating system that Apple unveiled last month, these people say.
While Jobs is expected back at Apple in June, it’s unknown if it will be in time for the big next generation keynote, and whether or not he and Apple will decide it’s in either of their best interests to put him on up stage and under the spotlight so soon upon his return (especially considering how stock manipulators and blogeratti both have reacted to his health and appearance in the past.)
Of course, that won’t stop many of us, myself included, from creating elaborate, heroic return fantasies for Jobs, live on the WWDC stage, iPhone HD pulled casually from his jean pocket and held up with a trademark “boom!”
[via MacRumors]
When it rains, it pours, and when it’s pouring, and leaking, that makes a flood. No sooner did some video-recording iPhone 3.0 screen shot confirmation get posted, than BGR whipped out a slew of their own.
Double confirmed now? And will it require that next gen iPhone hardware?
MacRumors has scored the scoop, showcasing what looks to be actual screen-shot caliber evidence of video recording in iPhone 3.0, and other information showing digital compass technology and voice control coming as well.
Most of these rumors have been around for a while, especially the camera and video recording bumps. A digital compass, like the Android G1 uses to automatically rotate Google Street View when you physically turn the device around, would likely require the next gen iPhone hardware pretty much everyone expects to see come WWDC in June anway. Voice control, especially voice dialing, would be another box checked off the old “missing features” straw-man we — and everyone else — likes to batter about.
With lots of exciting new features still being “discovered”, what other goodies will 3.0 code diving reveal?
The past 2 weeks have been pretty exciting in terms of iPhone news/rumors and to be honest, even I have neglected our forums. So today it’s time I get back to my roots. Lets begin!
The first thread today has to do with the iPhone 3.0 OS. Apple has given us all the features that most of us have asked for but what features did they leave out that you would have loved to see included?
This next thread, started by John T, is one that everyone should chime in on. John feels that in order to stay competitive Apple needs to re-design the iPhone and give its exterior a nice fresh overhaul. So what do you think, does Apple need to make significant exterior hardware changes? If so, what direction would you like them to go?
This thread was started by a Crackberry forum regular, CrunchDude. It’s a pretty straight forward, how good is AppleCare and is it worth it? Be sure to drop by the thread and let him know some of your experiences with AppleCare. Good or bad.
Last but not least, we have another TiPb Give Away. The premise this time is simple, tell us the most embarrassing song in your music collection for your chance to win one of three promo codes for XBMC Streamer! For more details about XBMC Streamer be sure to hit this link!
So there you have it, a few good threads worth checking out. Now in order to join in on the conversation, be sure to register. You won’t regret it!
See you on the forums!
Confession: I haven’t listened to FM radio since… well, since I got my iPhone, but it seems FM isn’t just for Top 40 any more. 9 to 5 Mac, which found more details on the previously mentioned Broadcom BCM4329 wireless chip, which could include:
the ability to receive and send (the previous model could only receive) information through FM radio signals which theoretically could be used to broadcast sound into car stereos..without external adapters. It could also be used to pick up FM radio music, news and sports broadcasts on their iPhones and even, in August, on iPods. Currently the FM reciever is only used to pick up communications from the Nike+ peripheral.
Of course, just because the chip supports it, doesn’t mean Apple will surface that support, or use it for anything other than what it already does (like Nike+).
But here’s the thing: are the rumors flying just a little too fast and too far now? Are we really going to get everything and a bag of quad-core chips in the next iPhone hardware release, or are we — as per standard internet protocols — just hyping ourselves up for massive disappointment come June?
[via MacRumors]
When iPhone 3.0 Beta 1 was released, we saw what looked to be an errant video upload screen. Next it was the apparent ability to receive video MMS. Now more deep diving into the 3.0 beta has turned up resource files that show not only may the next generation iPhone allow not only video recording, but perhaps video editing, including trimming as well. This might be similar to the already surfaced Voice Memo app’s ability to trim audio recordings on device.
Would make a nice addition to that rumored 3.5 or 5 megapixel camera, enhanced CPU and GPU, and fast cell and WiFi networking, wouldn’t it?
[BenM.at via TUAW]
