[SirAlec]

Originally Posted by HellwratH

SirAlec,

A Sim reader is available for a very cheap price in bangalore (I think 100 bucks). I have seen some ads on ebay India too. Check it out. But, what update does it require?

rebel sim requires some firmware updates to be used with 3g with 2.303 baseband. Its downloadable and free from their website.
WHen you use it without update, it just accepts the sim but no signal is there. Only problem being i could not source the programmer. It looks like a simple sim reader to me.
PS: can you post the link of ebay

YouTube - www.a1techstore.com video showing how to program a Rebel Simcard

[speedzak]

OS 3.0 brings in some very necessary updates to the iPhone which should've been present from the beginning.
Some major ones:
Copy/Cut and paste.
Undo/Redo with shake recognition.
MMS (yes! Finally).
Forward and delete messages.
Peer to peer connectivity and Tethering.
Bluetooth. (yes! I mean a workin one now)
A2DP support.
In application purchases.
In phone Universal search (except message content).
Auto login for wifi spots.
Form auto fill.
Landscape view now supported on more apps.

But I still wonder what took Apple this long to understand the need for these functionality touches. Business tactics or just poor planning?

[srijit]

Lol Zakkie, Apple still havent implemented this yet. It is still a work in progress. So if the iPhone had to have all this before release, it would have only been released in middle of 2009, instead of in 2007.
Another thing to consider is that now almost all gripes are finished, how many people will buy one? It is still an expensive phone.

ps: There is also Turn by Turn directions for maps. Pretty good guide listing majot points at Gizmodo

[johnda]

Originally Posted by speedzak

OS 3.0 brings in some very necessary updates to the iPhone which should've been present from the beginning...
But I still wonder what took Apple this long to understand the need for these functionality touches. Business tactics or just poor planning?

you bet it would have been a song if Apple had this from the start. all the cracking and the whacking would have been far lesser and the 3 party industry would continue their normal job of trying to attack MicroSoft I kinda said this earlier, differently with a bad tone and got busted for it - but it was my mistake!
Hope that this would put the iphone alongside all the other USER based phones! :-)

[srijit]

Joe, people will still need their crack fix. For eg: Turn by Turn cannot use Google Maps, due to licensing issues

[johnda]

Thats right, and us jail-breakers will have to wait till iclarified will clarify the 3.0 as safe ;-) and have a 'special' update-able link for us.

[HellwratH]

Originally Posted by speedzak

OS 3.0 brings in some very necessary updates to the iPhone which should've been present from the beginning.
Some major ones:
Copy/Cut and paste.
Undo/Redo with shake recognition.
MMS (yes! Finally).
Forward and delete messages.
Peer to peer connectivity and Tethering.
Bluetooth. (yes! I mean a workin one now)
A2DP support.
In application purchases.
In phone Universal search (except message content).
Auto login for wifi spots.
Form auto fill.
Landscape view now supported on more apps.

But I still wonder what took Apple this long to understand the need for these functionality touches. Business tactics or just poor planning?

And another major one is push notification. But no background processes yet.

Good news for all you 2g users, someone I know off orkut has already jailborken and unlocked a 3.0 firmware on his 2g phone. I am waiting to get my hands on it. But the sad part is, no MMS and A2DP bluetooth for 2g users. :(

EDIT 2: You need to pay an amount to update the firmware? Sigh.

[Jaggu]

apple's funda are quite different and whatever they implement has its own charm, which unfortunately none of the other manufacturers (after desperate attempts) can even come close. Ask any apple user and they will any day put their money on apple, MS users (including me) will keep on cribbing about MS and MS marches on without a bother.

iPhone is a bloody expensive piece but the "experience" is well worth it. The minor cribs i had like, teethering & copy paste are finally being addressed (i accept it was basic needs which others have) still very happy with the move.

FYI: 3 Beta is out for developers and they are already freaking out, clever way of apple to get UAT test done, that too after people paying up to open dev accounts for getting 3 Beta LOL

Waiting for June release for junta

[abhinav.gupta88]

I just hope they give the bluetooth stack and a few missing features like better loudspeaker voice or something.
It's really annoying sometimes.

[Jaggu]

Source: iPhone 3.0 OS Guide: Everything You Need to Know

iPhone 3.0 OS, the next generation operating system for the iPhone, iPod touch, and whatever Apple device comes next. New features, new apps, here you will find all the information you need.

NEW IPHONE OS 3.0 FEATURES

The new iPhone OS 3.0 adds over 100 new features including—at friggin' last—cut and paste.

• Copy & Paste text. When you double-tap over text, you will get a "cut, copy, and paste" bubble dialog. Double-tap again and a "paste" bubble will appear if there's anything stored in your clipboard.

This works across applications. You can expand your selection points using your thumbs and, if you accidentally paste something you didn't want to paste, just shake your iPhone to undo it.

• Copy & Paste photos. You can also copy and paste photos. Now you will be able to select multiple photos by tapping the action button, copy some of them, and paste them in an email, ready to send.

• New Spotlight. iPhone OS 3.0 will allow you to search across the entire information contained in your device, no matter where, as soon as the information is supported it. If an application is written to support the new Spotlight, its data will also be available in the search.

In this screenshot you can see Spotlight bringing results from your address book, maps, your iPod, and apps in your springboard.

• Search in Mail, Calendar, and iPod. These Apple applications have specific search interfaces. The search in Mail doesn't support the message content yet, but it supports searching in IMAP servers—that will save a lot of time logging into Gmail.

• 3G Tethering. This feature will allow you to connect your iPhone 3G to a laptop, to use it as a modem to access the internet. Carriers still have to sign-off on it, and probably charge more for it. None have announced it yet.

• Landscape keyboard. Apple has added the landscape keyboard mode to other applications, like Mail, SMS, and Notes.

• Multimedia messaging. A big one to send rich content to people without mail-enabled telephones: The new MMS function will allow you to include everything, from images to sound to vcards (no word on video, however.) Personally, I find these usesless having email, but some people seem to want it.

• Support for new calendar types. In iPhone OS 3.0 you will be able to subscribe to calendars on the web using two protocols: CalDAV—supported by Google and Yahoo—and subscriptions via the .ics format—which is what Apple uses in iCal.

• Improved stocks application. The stocks application now allows you to read related news, so you can enjoy yourself learning about the latest market scandals, stock crashes, and executives getting bonus packages from government aid while their companies sink into hell. Thank you, Apple.

• Stereo Bluetooth A2DP audio. You will be able to pair your iPhone 3.0 with a stereo Bluetooth A2DP device, like headphones or speakers.

• Note syncing with iTunes.

• Automatic login in Safari. The new version of Safari will remember login credentials, so you won't need to introduce your username and password again while accessing Scoreland your work intranet.

• Shake to shuffle music. If you are in your iPod application, you just need to shake it to start the shuffling mode. Hopefully this will be optional for sports people out there.

• Wi-Fi auto-login. In case you have a subscription to a paid hotspot, your iPhone or iPod touch will autolog into it.

• Anti-phishing. Mobile Safari now can warn you against malicious sites trying to scam you.

• Extended parental controls. Adult content filters can now be applied to movies, TV shows, and applications, in addition to web sites and music (porn apps, here we come).

NEW APPLE APPLICATIONS

Apple will include new widgets in the new version of the iPhone operating system:

• Voice memo application. Obviously, allows you to record voice or any other sound, so you don't forget any idea or want to play FBI Special Agent Dale Cooper.

• Send and receive files. A dedicated application to exchange files between iPhones or iPods touch.

NEW THIRD PARTY APPLICATIONS FEATURES IN IPHONE OS 3.0

The new iPhone OS 3.0 adds 1,000 new APIs to extend the capabilities of new applications.

• Peer-to-peer Wi-Fi Bluetooth connectivity. A new API will allow for two iPhones to connect directly—peer-to-peer—via Bluetooth Wi-Fi, without needing any Wi-Fi network.

They will be able to discover each other using Bluetooth, and then start a Wi-Fi connection transparently.

This opens a lot of possibilities. I doubt they will allow you to pass music, but you would probably be able to pass any other information, as well as directly communicating between applications in the two devices. One example: A pets game that allows two dogs to play with each other.

This feature could be combined with push notification, so your iPhone may receive a note from another iPhone, inviting you to play a game one-on-one.

• Browse remote content. While the built-in iPod application doesn't allow you to browse songs in other people's iPhones or iPod touch, third-party applications will allow you to do that, according to Apple's Forstall.

• Use your iPhone/touch to control peripherals. A new API will let you use your iPhone or iPod touch as a control to your accessories. In this example, the iPhone is being used to equalize the sound in a loudspeaker.

However, the applications are endless. Johnson and Johnson is releasing LifeScan, an app that connects to a glucose monitoring device. The application can even alert other people automatically, in case something is wrong.

• Maps inside other applications. New applications will be able to use Maps directly, which is now an API.

• Turn-by-turn directions. Developers will also be able to create turn-by-turn applications using the GPS information from the iPhone and combining it with their own maps, without depending on 3G connectivity or Google.

• Push notification finally coming. Hopefully this time it will be true. Push notification means that your iPhone OS 3.0 applications will finally be able to receive messages from the intarwebs automagically, so you can have an Instant Message application and have your iPhone vibrate or make a sound when a new message comes in, even if the application is not running.

• Voice communication in applications. iPhone 3.0 applications will also be able to access a Voice over IP service. This means that you will be able to chat with other users while playing against them in a game, for example. This won't use the telephone, but the internet over a Wi-Fi connection.

• Rumbling. Games—or any other application—will also be able to rumble, like your console joystick.

• Audio recording. Audio recording will also be possible from third-party applications using a standardized API, instead of custom workarounds.

• Access your music from applications. Future applications will also be able to access the iPhone/iPod music library. This means that applications will be able to play your own music while they run.

NEW FEATURES IN THE APP STORE

The new OS will also offer an enhanced App Store, opening new possibilities for developers and consumers.

• Subcriptions to apps.
• Purchase additional content for apps, like new cities for a city guide application.
• Purchase additional levels for games.

Basically, this will allow developers to sell more things on top of their apps, and to consumers to expand their experience with those apps.

• This will work straight from the applications, so you can purchase new things through the software itself, even while it still goes through the App Store internally.

PRICE

iPhone OS 3.0 will be a free upgrade to all iPhone users, including the first generation (not all features will be supported in the first generation, like Stereo Bluetooth support). iPod touch users will be able to but it for $9.95.

[abhinav.gupta88]

Damn . That looks like a lot.
Hope it comes up fast and doesnt have any bug etc of any sort.

[Steeroid]

Lol I liked their answer to the query on why it took so long for 'Cut & Paste' - SECURITY Risks!!!!!

Everyone's favourite fallback!

[speedzak]

Wow! Thanks for that detailed post, Jaggu!

These features will make the iPhone a viable option for many people who stayed away from it till now.

But why JUNE??
Can't it be a bit earlier?

[abhinav.gupta88]

I will finally be 100% satisfied with my iphone.
Earlier with the jailbreaked and cydia apps , i wasnt satisfied with the bugs and all causing restarting of phone or even demanding re-jailbreaking.

[Jaggu]

From yday demo it was clear that they are still ironing out some final issues/lags, so not yet ready for public release. Maybe they would want developers to get their apps 3 ready and also make some easy money out of people who are paying 99$ to try out the 3 Beta out.

June-July is the time when iPhone sheds its OS for a new one

EDIT: Ver 1 users be ready to upgrade your handset if you want stereo bluettoth, MMS etc. Apple says the hardware doesnt have the capability to support the same.