Jan 29
Filed under: Accessories, iPhone
Jeremy Horwitz at iLounge has written
a comprehensive guide for integrating the iPhone with you car, from a budget-friendly rig to the ultimate set-up.
The problem, of course, is that there's no single device, cable or solution that will manage calls, music, and charge your iPhone's battery simultaneously. I'm using a set-up similar to Jeremy's budget solution -- a cheap mount holds the iPhone in place, an audio cable connects it to my stereo's audio in port and a Belkin charger keeps the battery going.
Of course, I've still got to pick the thing up and disconnect the audio cable to place or receive a call (still legal where I live). I know that a Bluetooth headset would eliminate that issue, but I don't want to have to buy one more thing to accessorize my iPhone.
Jeremy's "Optimal Solution" eliminates a lot of the stuff with a
Contour Design / Bluetrek SurfaceSound Compact, which is a nifty hands-free solution for mobile phones (though quite pricey). If price is not a concern, check it out. As for the rest of us, have you got your iPhone set up in your car? Share your solutions below.
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written by iPhone at TUAW
Jan 29
Filed under: Features, Home Entertainment
Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about technology, multimedia, and digital entertainment.
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Apple TV was overwhelmed by the introduction of the iPhone at the Macworld 2007 keynote, but the little set-top device has been the recipient of a complete makeover in 2008. The rich visual menus of the first release are now revealed only after traversing a textual navigation grid that looks austere for an Apple product and downright grim for a TV-based user interface. "Take Two" as it is being called, upgrades Apple TV's software and positioning, but the product will still struggle to break out of its niche in the mad rush to free movies from their disc detainment.
The first iteration of the Apple appliance was, like many products before it, focused on sending content from the PC to the television. Apple included a fast 802.11n receiver and even a hard drive for ensuring content availability when the network was offline, and the product's media serving was tied to its popular iTunes software. But ultimately, Apple learned that the music and photos that populate consumers' hard disks have a hard time competing for attention with premium Hollywood television. This curse of familiarity is especially insidious when it comes to video that demands constant replenishment.
As Steve Jobs noted during his Macworld keynote, Apple now "gets" that video is what consumers want on their TVs. And Apple TV should deliver. In fact, the movie rental and purchase proposition is now very similar to that of the device and service offered by Vudu, Inc., which has a head start on content but a higher price and nowhere near Apple's brand or distribution power. Apple is also offering podcasts, YouTube and its original ability to access personal content from PCs.
Continue reading Switched On: Apple TV gets its second audition
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written by iPhone Fan
Jan 29
Filed under: iPhone
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Amongst a general re-shuffling of contract pricing, O2 has announced that
iPhone customers are going to be getting a better deal on their contracts. The UK contracts were, at launch, notably slim on both calls and texts when compared to other O2 packages. Whilst the higher price was due in part to the inclusion of the
Cloud WiFi and unlimited data, there was speculation that the prices were higher to pay for Apple's take of the monthly revenue on the service plans.
Thankfully, that's all about to change in February, as O2 has brought its iPhone tariffs in line with regular O2 deals. For those on the cheapest £35-per-month package (such as yours truly), minutes get tripled to 600 and texts to 500 per month, and the £45-per-month package gets bumped to 1200 minutes and 500 texts (previously costing £55). O2 has decided to
remove the £55 option of the past, and will reduce their
future bills to £45, or allow them to move to the £75, 3,000 minute / 500 SMS package. If you have your iPhone on O2, you'll want to check out
this page for the complete low-down.
[Via twitter / Macworld and thanks to all those who sent this in!]Read |
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written by iPhone at TUAW
