Apple iPhone 3G is a popular and magnificent phone, for its market breaking user interface and ease of use. But if you compare iPhone 3G with the other smartphones, you find many features are obvious omissions. Many people have come to expect iPhone 3G to be feature-laden, however Apple has omitted features that are common nowadays, either because the iPhone software is not as developed yet, or it is design decision to keep the phone’s ease of use appeal.
Apple has made clear that iPhone 3G new features will be rolled out via future firmware updates. New iPhone firmware release has become as anticipated as new Apple product launches, and the next update iPhone 2.1 software is expected in September.
We list below 19 missing features of iPhone 3G, features that we come to expect. Some are hardware specifics that are not possible via firmware upgrade, some are feature requests, some are features you can get now via third party applications, and some features are best left out of iPhone 3G.
Best Buy has announced that it will start selling Apple’s iPhone 3G on September 07 at its 970 full-size stores and 16 Best Buy Mobile stores. This coup makes Best Buy the first independent iPhone retailer outside of Apple and AT&T’s stores since its launch on July 11. AT&T, the exclusive U.S. carrier for the iPhone, sells it in more than 2,000 stores. Apple has 189 U.S. stores.
“We had a lot of work to do, obviously, to get in a position where Apple and AT&T would feel good about Best Buy Mobile carrying it, and that’s what we’ve done in the last 18 months,” said Shawn Score, president of Best Buy Mobile.
Best Buy also resells Apple’s Mac computers and iPod media players. It announced last week that it has completed a two-year conversion of its store to include upgraded cell-phone departments. Best Buy has also upgraded its computer systems for cell-phone activation and spent 250,000 hours training its employees.
Best Buy’s iPhone prices will be the same as Apple and AT&T stores: $199 for the 8 GB model and $299 for the 16 GB model. Customers must sign a two-year AT&T contract.
The first iPhone application “I Am Rich” made specially for the rich and not so famous, now has a full length guided tour on YouTube, courtesy of NPomerleau.
Apparently eight people actually bought the $999.99 iPhone application before Apple took it off the App Store. “I Am Rich” shows off what money can buy these days, and it comes with a mantra to inspire the rest of us to work harder:
Apple has released the first update to iPhone 2 software since its release almost one month ago with iPhone 3G launch on July 11th. Version 2.0.1 of iPhone software is a minor point release which Apple says is for “bug fixes”, no update details are available. iPhone, iPhone 3G and iPod touch users can download the 249MB firmware via iTunes.
Hopefully iPhone 2.0.1 addresses the random application crashes encountered by many, and improves on the responsiveness and smoothness in general usage. Please share with us if this update solves any of your iPhone 3G or iPod touch problem.
Stop reading if you are sick and tired of all things iPhone 3G. We are highlighting two video clips that are doing ‘damages’ to iPhone 3G.
<p><a href="http://www.blendtec.com/">Blentec</a>, which manufactures real blenders, took the 'Will It Blend?' test on iPhone 3G. In this commercial clip of the 'Will It Blend?' series, you can see the host Tom Dickson stood in line at AT&T store. Needless to say we all know the answer, but it still pains to see the current hot tech toy crushed under the blades. </p>
<a href="http://sanziro.com/2008/07/cant-get-enough-of-iphone-3g.html#more-153" class="more-link">Continue reading »</a>
With only 2 days to the launch of iPhone 3G on July 11, the Apple hype sphere is at all times high with iPhone 3G news, unboxing pictures and videos, and reviews all over the net. Have you not been tempted?
First, we have the advance reviews of the iPhone 3G from the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal and USA Today. Some highlights of the three reviews:
<ul>
<li>Feels better than original iPhone in your hand due to the curved back</li>
<li>Data speed is 3-5x faster than original iPhone due to 3G, as expected</li>
<li>Battery drained much more quickly with 3G enabled</li>
<li>Speaker sounded better. "In fact, few cellphones sound this good."</li>
<li>GPS is very accurate</li>
<li>Exchange ActiveSync works well and relatively easy to setup</li>
<li>There is still no video recording, no stereo bluetooth, no copy/paste, no memory card slot, no MMS and no voice dialing</li>
</ul>
Apple has posted a new article ‘How to replace an original iPhone with an iPhone 3G’ on Apple Support website that contains step-by-step guide on how to move the contents and settings on your first generation iPhone to iPhone 3G.
The steps basically require the use of iTunes (version 7.7 or later required) to back up the contents and settings of the original iPhone, and then connect the new iPhone 3G to restore the backup into it. You can transfer SMS messages, email accounts and passwords, photos, notes, and other personal settings from original iPhone to iPhone 3G.
Another good piece of news to build up the momentum before iPhone 3G is released this Friday July 11. This time it is from a survey published by kakaku.com, a price comparison portal in Japan for home appliances and electronic goods. The survey results show that many are considering purchasing the iPhone 3G, and about 29% of the other carriers’ subscribers are apparently considering switching in order to use iPhone. iPhone 3G will be released by SoftBank Mobile exclusively in Japan on July 11.
<blockquote>
The survey results showed that the intention of buying the iPhone is strong among the respondents: Those who answered "I have already pre-ordered one," "I will definitely purchase one," "I intend to purchase one" or "I am considering purchasing one" accounted for 50.9% of all respondents, Kakaku.com said.
</blockquote>
Reasons cited for why they want the iPhone 3G include “Because its functions seem interesting”,”Because its design is superior”,”Because its interface seems easy to use” and “Because I like Apple’s products”.
Kakaku.com portal conducted the survey from June 19 to June 25 and received 7,963 responses, about 90% of which are male respondents.
Line for the iPhone 3G has started outside of Apple’s flagship store on 5th Avenue in New York, a week ahead of iPhone 3G’s launch on July 11. News is some people in the line are there to attempt to break the world record for waiting in line. We salute the people in the line, and what a way to spend your Fourth of July weekend and seven days of your life!
From GearDiary:
<blockquote>
“This is the first line forming for the 3G iPhone at the flagship Apple 5th Avenue Store in New York City. About 10 people in line with the first two being a man and woman with a young child. I talked to the security guards and New York police who will allow everyone to stay and indicated that as of yet there are no plans to put out barricades. It appears that most (if not all) of the people in line are part of some group who may be either attempting to set a record for waiting in line or gain some publicity for themselves. It’s too early to tell if this is a hoax or whether these folks will stay in line through sun and rain for the next seven days”.
</blockquote>
Number one in line is a man and woman with a baby, lets hope we don’t see the baby everyday for the next seven days. Are these people there for world record? Or for some kind of publicity stunts? Are they hired by Apple to hype up the launch? Will the line get longer and stretch over to wall street? Seven days to all the answers…
Ahead of iPhone 3G’s launch on July 11, Apple publishes new video walkthrough of iPhone 3G Guided Tour that shows how to use the phone as well as new software features.
Apple provides two video walkthrough: a 38-minute complete guide for beginners, or a 12-minute version that highlights the new features and changes with iPhone 3G and iPhone 2.0 firmware. iPhone 2.0 firmware will be available to existing first generation iPhone hardware.
With only 2 days to the launch of iPhone 3G on July 11, the Apple hype sphere is at all times high with iPhone 3G news, unboxing pictures and videos, and reviews all over the net. Have you not been tempted?
Apple has posted a new article 
Line for the iPhone 3G has started outside of Apple’s flagship store on 5th Avenue in New York, a week ahead of iPhone 3G’s launch on July 11. News is some people in the line are there to attempt to break the world record for waiting in line. We salute the people in the line, and what a way to spend your Fourth of July weekend and seven days of your life!
Ahead of iPhone 3G’s launch on July 11, Apple publishes new video walkthrough of 
