OK … there were bigger things announced at the Expo last week but MacWorld US is reporting on an item that we have been discussing at iphoneuklaunch for a long time - namely a bluetooth keyboard.
Peripherals supplier MacAlly was apparently showing a $100 portable, fold up keyboard that will work with the iPhone and will be launched next month - presumably with a driver courtesy of the SDK …
More information here.
It seems that there are more and more people adding or trying to create a GPS facility for the iPhone. This one over at MacDailyNews is very exciting, as they have managed to link it into Google Maps.
I think there will be more GPS facilities to come in 2008.
Here is the MacDailyNews article:
The Part Foundry plans to begin shipping “locoGPS for the iPhone” a GPS module for Apple iPhone which allows jail broken iPhones to gain GPS functionality.
The Part Foundry says that all software is open source and more applications are being written every day. This module gives you the ability to explore all the benefits that GPS on a platform that is small enough to put on a keychain. Plans are already underway for a stylish plastic enclosure as well.
The Part Foundry is currently testing whether this module will work on the iPod touch.
locoGPS features:
• Channels: 16
• Update Rate: 1 sample / second
• Acquisition Time: Hot: 4 Seconds, Cold: 45 seconds, Indoor: “A long time.”
• Serial Output: TTL Serial @ 9600 baud
• Position Accuracy: 2.5m-7m
• Charging: Integrated micro-USB connector for pass thru iphone charging.
Protocol Support: NMEA 0183 ver 2.3
Iphone Software: Requires Jail Broken Phone (tested on firmware version 1.1.2).
Software will be open source/community based
The YouTube video can be found here.
Engadget is reporting on this possible Tom Tom GPS Module for the iPhone. Now as great as what it seems, I have some doubts as to the image that a dutch tipster posted to them. As Engadget reports, it is clearly not on in a car, but it could be a test program. I must admit, that I would like a Tom Tom plug in for my iPhone.
Here is the article from Engadget:
Here’s a fresh Apple rumor in the run-up to MacWorld: a TomTom GPS module for the iPhone. We just received this supposed photographic “evidence” of said device from a Dutch tipster. Our take? Might be, might not. TomTom is a Dutch company and a righteous, straight-talkin’ Dutchman would never tell such a fib, would he? On the other hand, that device is clearly not in a car heading to Rotterdam. Still, it could be a route demo and that stretch of highway (A13/E19) is a favorite for internal TomTom validation studies. Surely a move towards GPS is a logical next step for Apple — particularly after that little VW concept. And with Apple on the verge of opening the iPhone to third party developers, well, anything goes, eh?
What are your thoughts on this - comments please!
Have you been noticing that the alloted battery life of the iPhone isn’t enough for you? Mophie has a product that might be for you. It’s the mStation mobile juice pack for iPhone. It’s essentially an external battery pack that looks like a stylish case.
Despite adding a little extra bulk to your iPhone, it looks great, and will offer up to 250 extra hours of standby time, 8 hours of talk time, 6 hours of Internet use, 7 hours of video playback, and 24 hours of audio playback. It uses the standard iPhone plug to plug into the iPhone’s port on the bottom. It will be made available in the middle of this month, but they’re currently taking pre-orders for $99.95.
Check it out now here.
Source: iPhonealley
Do you fancy an iPhone-Baby? Well you could have one thanks to the guys over at ipopwear.com who are promoting their iPhone Baby range.
Over the last year, they have been manufacturing and distributing the ipopmybaby range of organic clothing and to coincide with the launch of the iPhone they have launched the iPhone-Baby. They are looking to give away around 50 of their latest t-shirts and babygrows to any tune playing tot (and their parents) who would be willing to spend an hour or so with them outside the Apple Store in Regent Street on Friday.
So if your heading down to the Apple Store in London on Friday with your TOT, then look for Damon & Corinne and the iPhone-Babies!
Check out their site here.
Do you want to upstage Paris Hilton? Well you could with a 24ct Gold iPhone! Goldstricker International are offering to gold plate your iPhone for a fee of course. The price on their website says £TBC but judging by the other products, you can bet its going to cost you at least £500 - thats ontop of the price of the iPhone and your monthly contract.
Check out the photos here.
Steve
Audi is following in BMW’s footsteps by offering iPhone intergration in their A5, A6, A8 and Q7 cars. The intergration allows owners to fully use their iPhones for handsfree calling and music playback.
Audi users can accept or reject a call and also shows the signal strength aswell as the callers name. On the music side, users can select songs by artist, track title, playlist and genre.
Source: Macnn.com
Okay - this is a weird one. Macdaddyworld.com is saying that they have created a video conferencing facility on the iPhone which won an award at the C-4 developer conference.
They did it by using a Huckleberyy mirror, a periscope to link an image back to the camera. Weird I know. There is no source code available yet and its only working between their two iPhones, but hey, it’s a start!.
Check it out here.
Brando have released a helpful product for those people complaining about the length of charge for the iPhone - USB Mini Battery!
Have you ever had experiences that devices are running out of battery while in use? It is disturbing when you are enjoying your MP3 or chatting happily with friends on the phone, etc. Now! USB Mini Battery won’t let these situation happen anymore! You can charge your devices in a flash before battery exhausts! You can charge your iPhone, Handheld PC, Digital Camera, Cellphone, DV, iPod, MP3, CD Player, PMP, PSP, NDS, NDS Lite and any other applicable devices.
Features:
Recharge eletronic devices, such iPhone, PDA, Mobile phone…
Portable and lightweight
Easy to carry, easy to use
On / OFF Switch
3-level LED indicator
Dimensions: 70×35×21mm
Weight: 69g
Specifications:Input (Mini USB): 5VDC, 500mA Min.
Output (USB Type A Port): 5VDC, 1000mA
Battery Chemistry: Li-ion
Battery Capacity: 2200mA
It costs $36 or £18 at todays exchange rate!
Source: Gadgettastic.com
Parallels is to launch a test version of Parallels Desktop that supports the iPhone.
Significantly, the test update for version 3.0 adds full recognition of the iPhone in Windows XP or Vista virtual machines, allowing the device to sync with iTunes. The unusual change is necessary for those who may run Microsoft Outlook for work purposes and need its data on the Apple device, according to Parallels.
“Yes, I realize the irony of syncing an Apple device with Windows running on a Mac, but lots of people need [this],” said company PR chief Ben Rudolph. “Try not to judge.”
Other changes include restoring the Image Tool’s feature and the ability to browse a virtual machine’s file systel while the environment is in suspend mode.
Source: AppleInsider
MacRumors Forum member, Marc2007, has posted some pictures of his car kit which he has installed himself.
I wanted to have the iPhone up higher so that I could see the turn by turn directions without distracting myself from the road. I also wanted it to charge and play through the stereo, and I wanted it to look as “factory” as possible.”
The parts he has used include a Monster iCable, Blitzsafe Adapter (to play iPod through car stereo through line out), iPod charger, Black plastic paint to paint iPhone dock.
There is no word as to if he can use the iPhone as a phone or if he has just linked it up to use it as an iPod.
Matt McK has completed a step-by-step guide on how to replace the back casing on the iPhone. He has posted the full steps, including what to use on MacRumors. He takes you through the steps to replace the silver back with a black casing that is available in the US.
Check out the full step-by-step guide here.
iZap have released a press release stating that their iZap will work not only on the iPod but also on the iPhone, extending the battery life on the iPhone by three times. The iZap can be used to extend the battery life whilst you use the iPhone or to re-charge it.
The iZap retails in the US for $79.00 (£39).
Source: MacRumors
We know that the iPhone does not have a true GPS system built into it, but according to an Italian website, Macitynet.it, it is possible for the iPhone to be connected to your Tom Tom 910 Navigator (also the 510 & 710 models).
Apple has included a Maps application from Google on its iPhone but without a connection to a GPS it’s impossible to get your realtime position and you can use only with a “real” navigator who sits at your side e reads you you the turn by turn directions listed on the iPhone.
But there’s another way to integrate TomTom (at least the x10 series and probably the new x20 series) with iPhone and both sides of Apple’s gizmo: the cellular side and the iPod side.
We tested a TomTom 910 (but the tricks works also with 510 and 710 models) that has cellular bluetooth connection capabilities and with a 25 euros cable, can directly control the iPod, access to its content trough playlists, artist, albums, podcast and audiobook (as you can see on this former video).
Until yesterday you could connect an iPod and a cellular phone at the same time but now with the iPhone you can use a single device since the two coexist inside the iPhone chassis.We first tried the iPhone connection with a standard bluetooth pairing: all you have to do is to go to general setting, Bluetooth and activate it, on the other side you have to make TomTom search a new device, find the iPhone and wait for the pairing pin to be input trough the phone keyboard, then you can access to the iPhone’s AddresBook, transfer it to the navigator and let it make the calls on its keyboard or trough the transferred AddressBook list.
TomTom x10 acts as a speaker phone and on your iPhone you can choose what “speaker channel” you’d like to use.
Since iPhone hasn’t a tethered mode to act as a modem you can’t access TomTom internet services like you can do with other cell phones.But iPhone is not only a phone, it is also an iPod so you can access its content trough TomTom special interface that gives you quick access (at the low price of a 25 Euros connector) to playlist, album, authors, genres, podcast, audiobooks, selecting them on TomTom’s touch screen: we have connected the iPod cable to iPhone’s dock and even if a writings advices us that the peripheral may be not compatible we were able to do all the operations done with our iPod.
To see how to do this, click here. We will also post this in our iPhone Links page so it is there for easy reference when the iPhone comes available in the UK.
Apple US have posted details of their AppleCare for the iPhone. Each iPhone comes with a standard 1 year of hardware repair coverage and up to 2 years of techincal support. The AppleCare extends your repair coverage to two years from the original purchasing date.
To Note: that the AppleCare plan also extends to cover the iPhone Bluetooth headset! This is an interesting turn which could boost the sale of the iPhone Bluetooth headsets that have started turning up.
Source: MacRumors