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Confirmed: Major iPhone software problems including 3G

After the post earlier today about our first generation Apple iPhone being very slow after the software 2.0 update, we can now confirm this is a major issue affecting most or maybe even all iPhone owners.

Every iPhone that has the software 2.0 update installed seems to be affected by a few issues, including being extremely slower compared to the previous firmware. This is affecting both iPhone 3G’s and first generation devices that have the new software.

Product Reviews has had a few iPhone users comment about this problem, this includes the below:

Mine iPhone has been very slow since upgrading to 2.0. A reboot helps for a few hours, and then you must repeat it I’d put up with delays scrolling, entering text (passwords show the last 1 or 2 characters typed for a second or two), and frequent browser crashes. I would like to restore back to version 1.

My iPhone is now very sluggish after upgrading to 2.0. I am not happy about it at all. Sometimes the phone is almost unusable. I would seriously entertain the idea of downgrading back to 1.0 if I knew how.

At first I thought it just might be me, with a large address book (2,500 contacts). But it seems to affect most everyone, even the 3G phones.

Even Apple’s website has posts about this slow problem with the iPhone 2.0 software and some other problems, this is what one user posted:

After upgrading my iPhone to 2.0, I found the following main issues;
1. Battery life is much shorter, perhaps 2 days at the most instead of the previous 4 to 7 days on normal usage
2. Having almost the same number of contacts than before the upgrade (about 1750), the iPhone becomes much slower than before when starting the Phone application, looking for names, scrolling, etc. It seems worst after a few hours of usage or when using EDGE instead of Wi-Fi. Slow behavior doesn’t seem to follow a pattern or have a repetitive and demonstrable reason that triggers it, looking almost as random
3. Behavior of Maps varies pending on either EDGE or Wi-Fi, turning it specially slow/random on EDGE
4. Browsing while switching cells on EDGE is now much slower than before the upgrade

It now looks pretty much conclusive that this is a major problem with both versions of the iPhone that have the latest firmware, lets hope a fix is coming soon.

China mobile Samsung D988 or D980 DuoS to us

Do you remember when Samsung canceled the P720, this was their first attempted at making a dual SIM card phone with full touchscreen and it was not very successful.

Now we are hearing of a new phone called the Samsung D988 that’s on China Mobile, this comes after Samsung improved touch capabilities and will have another crack at dual SIM features.

They have taken the Samsung F480 (Armani successor), redesigned it and added dual SIM functionality. The China version of D988 will be known to the rest of the world by the model D980 DuoS.

The Samsung D980/D988 dual SIM handset will feature Bluetooth 2.0 and USB, microSD memory card slot, a 5 megapixel camera with autofocus and flash, 2′6″ 240×320px QVGA 262K color display, Dual SIM GSM card slots and GSM Triband (900/1800/1900MHz), GPRS/EDGE connectivity.

We have no word on prices or when the D980 DuoS version will be coming to Europe or the United States but it should be soon.

Source: Read

China selling unlocked Apple iPhone 3G’s

On the day of the Apple iPhone 3G release we heard that the iPhone 2.0 software had already been unlocked and today we hear that a website in China is selling unlocked iPhone 3G’s.

The only problem would be the amount they want you to buy, if you want 1000 unlocked iPhone 3G’s then they will take your order. You got to love China and their openness about doing this to the big brands over and over.

Alibaba are able to-do what they can because of the strange copyright laws of China, this is apparently an original Apple device and comes direct from a business by the name of Union Camera.

The 1000 units per shipment is a little crazy, but forgetting that it does seem a little wrong and could you really trust them.

If you have an Apple iPhone 3G, are you bothered about unlocking it or are you happy to keep everything nice, simple and as it is?

Source: Read

Apple iPhone 2G with 2.0 Firmware: why get 3G?

Some existing Apple iPhone 2G owners have already upgraded to the 3G version if they were lucky enough to get their hands on a handset, but what about those that are still not sure about upgrading.

If you have the first generation iPhone you may wonder if it’s worth upgrading, especially when you have the 2.0 Firmware installed on your device. Will you need the GPS and 3G options?

When your buying the iPhone for the first time then the latest 3G versions is a great deal, it’s cheaper this time round and has a few features that improve on the first-gen phone.

As an original iPhone owner I will be upgrading to 3G soon, this is because I browse the web on the move and use it for business, having a faster 3G connection will help a lot and as it will be free to upgrade on the price plan I am after, there is nothing to lose.

For existing users that do not need GPS or faster data speeds, it may seem a little pointless upgrading, why spend $200/£100 on a phone you do not need?

The new iPhone features a plastic back that some people feel gives the iPhone 3G a cheap feel compared to the metal back of the first iPhone. This new feature is said to improve reception.

Other improvements include 2g lighter, the in-built speaker has been enhanced, call quality is improved, and the headphone jack will now work with standard headphones and cars that have an audio jack.

Will you upgrade to iPhone 3G and do you need faster data or GPS?

Comparison of iPhone 3G, Samsung Instinct and LG Dare

The photo on this page shows the iPhone 3G, Samsung Instinct and LG Dare. These three phones are major competitors and while their features also show this to be true, you would not think so considering all the attention Apple’s phone has had in comparison.

Engadget has decided to give these three cell phones a little test in the name of speed, the LG Dare was shown to consistently beat the iPhone 3G by between 50-100kbps on Verizon’s EV-DO network.

This test may not be totally fair as the speed may depend on circumstances, the time of day, network in your area and other conditions.

The reviewers said they will be following up with some more tests on the iPhone vs the Dare and also a Samsung Instinct speed test, you can see their results detailed in photos here.

What’s your favorite phone out of the iPhone 3G, Samsung Instinct and LG Dare?

For us the iPhone 3G is in a league of it’s own currently, this may not be down to the phones hardware but more about the 3rd party app support and software. If you’re looking for a phone with extreme expandability, then the iPhone is the way to go.

Via Phones Review

New special HTC Touch Diamond version (P3702)

The HTC Touch Diamond has been one of the most popular phones in 2008, phone followers have been searching for news on this phone for many months and the iPhone 3G has not slowed down peoples interest.

Today we are hearing about another version of the HTC Touch Diamond and the big different is the “Diamond”, rumor has it that the new version will not include the famous Diamond pattern.

The model is said to be HTC P3702 and this may be an exclusive to Taiwan (for now anyway), it will feature a 3.2 megapixel camera, runs on the same platform as the T-mobile MDA Compact IV Victor and has a rounded design that should appeal to those that felt the original Diamond lacking.

HTC Diamond P3702 will also feature 128MB of RAM instead of 192MB of RAM in the P3700 HTC Touch Diamond (the extra 64MB in the original Diamond was used for video acceleration); this makes us believe that the P3702 will not include video acceleration.

We have also heard that a CDMA version of the HTC Touch Diamond was approved at the North American FCC, this version has the same rounded edges as the P3702.

See more photos of the device on Phones Review

iPhone 3G Update: Misinformed by Carphone Warehouse

Its unbelievable how you can be extremely prepared when looking towards July 11 and the new iPhone 3G-launch day, only to find out that what you get told is complete rubbish.

We phoned Carphone Warehouse and O2 customer services yesterday and posted information they told us, would you believe after asking if we can upgrade to the iPhone 3G as a Carphone Warehouse customer in store today and being told that its possible, we are now hearing that its not possible.

Although we decided to test out the iPhone 2.0 update on the first generation phone first before deciding to buy iPhone 3G, I did phone Carphone Warehouse and was told I can upgrade in store today.

We have heard from two different people that they have been turned away from Carphone Warehouse today when asking to upgrade and one of them was an existing customer of Carphone Warehouse.

How can Carphone Warehouse misinform people so easy about the iPhone 3G?

This is what one shopper reported to Product Reviews “I have just been to Carphone Warehouse store in Woking and they had some iphones (small number of 16G units and some 8G units). I purchased my original iphone from them but they could not upgrade it to the new 3G phone. I was told I would have to do it on line or at an o2 store (just came from the o2 shop and it had none left). I ended up having to purchase a new phone and intend to contact o2 about the possibility of sorting out the contracts later”.

Have you experienced the same problems with Apple iPhone 3G, being told one thing and then another at a later date?

6 hour wait for iPhone 3G

If your thinking about popping to an O2 or Carphone Warehouse store now to get an iPhone 3G, you may as well just forget about it and relax this weekend.

Now if you were smart enough to get their nice an early then you either already have the iPhone 3G in your hands or most likely your still there, the reason you would be still there is how long its taking for each person to go through the buying process.

We are hearing from MacWorld that their Mark Hattersley had arrived at Oxford Street’s O2 store in London at 7.45am, this might not be the best time to get there as that’s still a bit late.

Another problem Mark Hattersley has reported is the fact that “every single person in the queue is having to pass a credit check”, this is different to what we heard at first for existing iPhone owners.

We were led to believe only new buyers needed to pass a credit check, so it’s understandable now why its taking ages for the line move.

Its being reported that this large O2 store is only processing 15 customers per hour, that means Mark will have to wait to around 2pm to get his iPhone 3G and that’s over 6 hours.

Source: Read

First iPhone 3G has been sold

You may not have decided yet if your going to line-up for an Apple iPhone 3G in the morning, but some people on this planet have already bought their iPhone 2.0.

While that does not include people in the UK or US, the lucky people in New Zealand have been able to buy an iPhone 3G because it’s now Friday, June 11th over there.

This is because Vodafone have launched the iPhone 3G in Christchurch, Wellington and Auckland City before other retail outlets in the country. Most stores will be launching much later.

Parts of Australia will now be getting the iPhone 3G as they have a few hours difference to New Zealand, although Perth will have to wait a little longer (currently 9:44pm there).

While the first iPhone 3G has been sold, the rest of the 22 countries around the world will be getting it over the next 24 hours and one thing is sure, it will be in very short supply.

What will you be doing on the launch of the iPhone 3G in your country?

Sony Ericsson Experia X1 is a little Thick

When looking at an alternative phone to the iPhone or 3G versions, you may want to take a look at the Sony Ericsson Experia X1 because it does sport from advantages.

We are still waiting for the Experia X1 to have a price and carrier announced, this would likely be AT&T or T-Mobile later this year.

What we like about the Experia X1 is the option of both a high-resolution touch-screen and hardware QWERTY keyboard as navigation options.

The keyboard slides from under the display and will appeal to those that love real buttons to press, although the touch screen will give the phone the benefits of more keys if they update the software in the future or add 3rd party add-ons.

Some people might find this a better option than just having a touch screen like on the Apple iPhone but there are problems with this, you should be aware that the hardware keyboard makes the Experia X1 about a quarter-inch thicker than other touch-screen phones.

If you do not mind a cell phone that’s a little on the thick side, then this could be the choice if your looking for an iPhone alternative. Users looking for thin phones will not like the Experia X1 as it could mean a difference of 40 percent.

Another feature that could help you decide is the OS; this phone has Windows Mobile software while the iPhone sports a version of Mac OS. Are you worried about having a phone that is a little thicker than most?

Find out more details and view images on sonyericsson.com/x1/

Carphone Warehouse Taking Pre-Orders of Apple iPhone 3G

It seems to be all good news for new buyers of the Apple iPhone 3G today, first off it seems near impossible to upgrade your existing iPhone to the new iPhone 3G as O2 has had nothing but problems all day.

New buyers have reported to Product Reviews that they were able to buy the 8GB and 16GB 3G iPhone, although we are now hearing O2 are sold out of 16GB iPhones.

More good news for new buyers is that Carphone Warehouse has just started taking pre-orders of iPhone 2.0, and their site seems to be working fine.

So where does this leave us iPhone owners, well we have been trying to upgrade to a 3G iPhone since 8am without any luck, O2 have said that their site will be working within a few hours and that should be anytime now.

With the July 11 launch date not far away and the planned pre-orders starting today, you would of thought things would have been better planned.

Hundreds of iPhone owners have been left today feeling very annoyed and like us have been one of the first trying to pre-order by upgrading, all we have received is browser errors on O2’s website and redirects back too the same page.

iPhone 3G can be ordered today with O2

The moment iPhone owners have been waiting for has happened in the UK, Just moments ago O2 has sent out emails explaining how existing iPhone owners can upgrade from today.

This is the email that was sent to my iPhone today:
iPhone 3G is here, the iPhone you’ve been waiting to early upgrade to. Order from 8am today.

As an iPhone fan, we are offering you a special, early upgrade to iPhone 3G. This offer is only available online at 02.co.uk/iPhone until 11th October 2008. Terms apply.

You can’t upgrade from your iPhone, so you’ll need to go onto your Mac or PC and log onto o2.co.uk/iPhone from 8am today. You will also need to have your account number to hand that you find on top of your online bill.

Demand is expected to be very high, so to be fair to all customers, orders will be processed on a first come, first served basis.

Initial successful orders will be delivered on 11th July by courier and will require a signature as proof of receipt.

Product Reviews was the first to break the news here about a rumour that we will get our iPhone 3G’s delivered to our home and it seems this has now become true.

Paying $599 for iPhone 3G that’s still locked to AT&T

Many current iPhone owners will be happy to upgrade to the 3G iPhone for the obvious improvements and if you are on certain phone plans, it could even mean a free next generation iPhone.

The basic price of an iPhone 2.0 is $199 but you will need to take out a new 2-year contract with AT&T, if you do not want to do that then its going to cost you.

The problem with buying the 3G iPhone with no contract is that you will have to pay $699 for a 16GB and $599 for a 8GB iPhone; although it is the first time the United States has had this option.

What I have trouble with is if the phone is still locked to AT&T, does it make any sense to buy an iPhone 3G with no contract for $599 and still be locked to AT&T?

For people who do not like being tied to contracts and still want Apple’s phone, I guess having that freedom will come at a heavy price. Are you willing to pay it?

Samsung Instinct: More flair than BlackBerry, Palm or Windows Mobile phones

Some people might be wondering why the Samsung Instinct has been so popular to the extent that its sold out in many places and while it lacks many features of the iPhone or iPhone 3G, it is still selling out. There could be a few reasons for this including the simple Sprint pricing plans that all feature unlimited Internet use, a navigation assistance, text/picture/video messaging and Sprint’s online video and music feeds.

This leaves you with one choice to make when choosing a Sprint price plan and that’s how many weekday minutes to buy. You options are $99.99 for unlimited calls, $89.99 for 900 minutes and $69.99 a month gets you 450 minutes. The other reason Sprint’s Samsung Instinct is so popular could be that the iPhone is tied in the United States to just AT&T and if your cannot receive good coverage with them at home or the office, you would look elsewhere.

When we look at the Apple iPhones features then overall they crush the Samsung Instinct, one I will highlight is the lack of being able to add software of your own on the Instinct, you then cannot make the phone anymore intelligent. The iPhone on the other hand can be expanded with many third party applications and this phone will continue to get more intelligent even without the 3G iPhone upgrade.

The Samsung Instinct can be the right phone for you when its entertainment your looking for and not productivity, we all leave in a world where we have a massive love for music and videos, this is another reason the Sprint Instinct shines. When it comes to style, you can be assured that the Sprint Instinct has more flair than a BlackBerry, Palm or Windows Mobile cell phone.

What do you want more from your cell phone, productivity or entertainment?

Source: Read

Apple iPhone 3G with slide-out QWERTY keyboard: is it needed?

We all know how popular the new 3G Apple iPhone will be one it reaches stores, but it looks as though Apple are already working on a newer iPhone. This new handset will come with a slide-out QWERTY keyboard, and Insider Apple sources report that there is already a prototype currently on show. Although many of us normal users will not be interested in a QWERTY keyboard, it seems as if Apple is targeting this new iPhone at the enterprise market.

If Apple does launch the new Apple iPhone 3G with slide-out QWERTY keyboard, then this would mean that the iPhone would be see wider business world acceptance. It is not a done deal yet, but Apple has been canvassing the idea to phone operators, they have been asking the question “If you had a keyboard version, how many would you take?”.

There have also been reports that Apple have sent out prototypes to senior executives inside the operators, just to try and gauge what they think. However; the keyboard on these early models are said to have a few issues, which have not yet been resolved.

Myself, I am happy with my touchscreen version, but if they did come up with an iPhone 3G with slide-out QWERTY keyboard, then Apple might just hit gold with corporate buyers. It seems as if there is no stopping the Apple iPhone, many cell phone makers have tried to say that their latest handsets will be an iPhone killer, so it goes to show that the iPhone is still the benchmark.

Source

Sprint’s Samsung Instinct so popular, you can’t get one

Sprint’s Apple iPhone rival handset the Samsung Instinct, seems to be more popular than they had expected, this has now resulted in shortages of this device. It does seem as if this handset really has hit the spot with cell phone users, well it has to be popular as you can’t even get one at the moment.

In a statement from Sprint, it read “The record pace of Instinct sales has led to temporary shortages of the device at some locations across the United States.” The statement also said Sprint and Samsung are diligently working around the clock to increase inventory in all sales channels. Samsung has increased efforts to deliver new supplies of Instinct on a daily basis, and manufacturing plants are operating at full capacity to keep up with demand.”

Ok so we know that this shortage is a bit of a setback for Sprint, but you have to look on the bright side of things, it does show that Sprint has hit gold with the new Samsung Instinct. This latest touch-screen handset is even being touted as the iPhone killer, but it would have to be something very special to do that. However; it does seem as if there could be some truth in that statement, why else would they completely sell out of this phone.

Sprint has said that, since the Instinct hit store shelves it has become the fastest-selling EVDO handset in Sprint’s history. The Samsung Instinct is up against some great touch-screen phones though; firstly there is the ever popular iPhone, which will become more popular with the release of the 3G version. There is also the HTC Touch Diamond, Palm Centro, as well as the rumored RiM BlackBerry Thunder.

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AT&T 8GB 3G iPhone $199 new customers or $399 existing

My iPhone will not be the only one that’s been getting text messages explaining Apple will contact me with details of updating soon for the July 11 launch but in the last few moments today, AT&T have revealed the 3G iPhone prices. This new price information may upset some existing AT&T customers.

First of all things look straightforward with the 8GB iPhone 3G costing $199 and 16GB for $399 if customers sign up for a two-year contract, but then you find out that this price is for “new customers and current iPhone owners”. Now what about the many existing AT&T customers that don’t own an iPhone and as such are not eligible for upgrade discounts?

These existing AT&T customers will be charged $399 for the same device that costs $199 to the others; surely this will not make some people happy. The 16GB version will cost these customers $499. Today also saw AT&T reveal voice and data plans.

The contract-free option that many phone buyers use is not yet available for the iPhone 3G, although AT&T said they will be offering this no contract option in the future. The price will be $699 for the 16GB 3G iPhone and $599 for the 8GB version. If you are a current AT&T customer that wants to upgrade to the new iPhone then you will be charged an $18 upgrade fee.

All new customers will pay the standard activation fee; we believe this is around $36. The price plans will be the same as AT&T Nation plans; these include a combination of unlimited data transfer and free minutes. The unlimited plan will cost $129.99 a month and the cheapest plan available costs $69.99 per month for 5,000 night and weekend minutes, and with 450 anytime minutes.

View the full details on Phones Review.

Want 3G Apple iPhone in Australia, 3 Network launches petition

If you live in countries like the U.S., UK, Germany and other parts of Europe then you will all be looking forward to the arrival of the new Apple 3G iPhone. However; if you live in Australia and are on the 3 Mobile Network, then the sad news is, you will not get the chance to get your hands on this latest handset. You can choose to go on to Optus and Vodafone in Australia, but that is no good if you prefer 3.

Well Three have launched a new petition and would like for you to register your interest in the new 3G iPhone, and they hope to show Apple how much their customers want the hottest new cell phone. The launch of the new handset will be locked to specific carriers, so if you are a 3 or Telstra network customer, then you will not be able to use the 3G iPhone without a third-party hack, and that still might not work.

Director of sales at 3, Noel Hamill, has said that since Apple announced that the new 3G version of their handset will be coming to Australia, they have been inundated with queries from customers who would like to purchase this latest device. He stated “We’ve engaged Apple to get the 3G iPhone but at this stage we haven’t been able to range it, so I don’t know if we’re going to be able to range it.”

It does seem a very strange decision on Apple’s part not to include 3 in Australia for the 3G iPhone, as 3’s parent, Hutchison will be getting the device in Hong Kong and Macau.

If you would like the Apple 3G iPhone to become available on Three in Australia, then register your interest Here.

Nokia 7610 Supernova fashion phone expected Q3 2008

When it comes to fashion cell phones, the Supernova from Nokia is right up there on people lists. Well the flagship from that the range, the Nokia 7610 Supernova is expected in Q3 2008. The phone sports a 3.2 megapixel camera with dual LED flash and autofocus. The camera can also capture VGA resolution video clips with up to 15 frames per second.

The Nokia 7610 Supernova is a capable media phone, thanks to such features as an FM radio and its multi media player, there is also an AV connector and TV output. All these features does add to the greatness of the phone, but there is no getting away from the fact that it is just another piece of fashion accessory, the mirrored surfaces as well as the interchangeable covers proves this. If you get bored with the look of your phone, then this is a way to keep your 7610 looking fresh.

When it comes to features on a new phone, the Nokia 7610 Supernova has one vital thing missing, and that is 3G. It seems that if you want your new handset to be able to compete now, it is 3G that most people are looking for. This handset does support EDGE date; this is all fine as long as your carrier uses it.

There is another downside to this phone its price, at €225 (around £180 / $360) before tax and subsidy, it’s not cheap. If you think about it, this new phone puts is in the same price bracket as a Nokia N81 and Nokia N77, and both of these have 3G; however these do not have a good quality camera like the Nokia 7610 Supernova.

So if you want a phone that is the perfect fashion accessory, then the Nokia 7610 Supernova is the perfect handset for you.

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Motorola Rokr E8 Review: feature will satisfy multimedia fans

The Motorola Rokr E8 has been a long time coming to a U.S carrier five months in fact, but on July 7 the handset which won two awards at CES will go on sale for T-Mobile. Before you manage to get your hands on one of these handsets it will be a great idea if you kept reading, as those guys over at Cnet have managed to get their own review model, and have decided to give the cell phone a full shake down and then give us their opinion.

The new Motorola Rokr E8 is an exciting new phone which many Motorola fans have been waiting for, there has been a lot of hype surrounding the phone, so will it be able to live up to all that hype. As you would expect with all phones there are always good and bad points, and you would all like to know what those are.

One of the greatest features has to be the music player; if you are a multimedia fan then this handset could be just what you are looking for in a phone. The display is brilliant, something you do not hear too often from a Motorola, and as for the design it is very sleek. The quality of the calls is simply brilliant, so crisp which is something that many new phones seem to have problems with.

However the coolest part of the Motorola Rokr E8 has to be its morphing keypad, this is what caught the attention of people at CES, and Cnet have said that it lives up to their expectations. They have noted how they like that the backlighting changes as you move between features, and how the keypad takes on the ergonomics of both a cell phone and a music player.

There are also some bad points with this phone though, the first is the Rokr’s navigation controls and how hard they are to learn. The second is that the phone lacks 3G; this will be something that Motorola could come to regret. The phone also lacks wireless music downloads and corporate e-mail support, but if you can get past this, then the Motorola Rokr E8 might just be the handset for you.