Apple

In the early days of the App Store for the iPhone and iPhone 3G, there are some definite gems, like Pandora, NYTimes, and MLB.com At Bat. And the selection of games is outstanding, especially those that take advantage of both touch and motion control like Crash Bandicoot.

On the other hand, there are also plenty of relatively useless programs. So far there are three applications that make it look like you’re drinking straight from the iPhone: iBeer, iMilk, and iPint. What would we like to see? Let’s count down the top 10–and don’t forget to let us know what’s on your wish list.

10. LoJack for iPhone
One of the benefits of the iPhone 2.0 software is that enterprises can remotely wipe a device if it’s lost or stolen. So what about those of us who don’t have an IT department that’s got our back? Enter Absolute Software, whose LoJack for Laptops is easily the most popular service for tracking and recovering mobile PCs. With this app, which wouldn’t have an associated icon (we wouldn’t want to tip off the thief), you would be able to remotely delete sensitive information and help the authorities get your precious device back by leveraging the iPhone’s integrated GPS. It costs $39 a year for laptops, so $29 a year for the iPhone sounds about right.

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Most of the early reviews of the iPhone 3G have cited vastly improved call quality, partly due to work Apple has done to the hardware and partly due to the inherent boost you get when you’re within 3G coverage. To put the iPhone 3G to the test, we tried a little experiment. Mind you, it’s not exactly scientific, but we think it will give you an idea of how much improved the iPhone 3G is over the first-gen iPhone.

Download the MP3 files below and listen for yourself. Read the rest of this entry »

Our iPhone 3G arrived just an hour ago and we can tell you it doesn’t need to train for an Olympic Web browsing dash. We have seen all the unboxings and the early reviews so we thought it was best to put the iPhone 3G and its EDGE predecessor up against each other in a series of Web browsing tests because, of course, the defining characteristic of the new iPhone is its data speeds.

We started out or tests by having both phones visit NYTimes.com. The iPhone 3G KOed the first generation by 28 seconds. But we suggest you watch the video below because you have to see it to really understand the difference in loading speeds. The NY Times and all the images were completely done loading by the time the EDGE phone caught up; in that time you could have already decided what article you wanted to read on the main page and navigated to it.

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I’ve just taken my seat at the WWDC keynote. Already it has been quite an experience; I have never seen people sprint into a press conference. Not knowing what to do I just joined them. Note: do not wear heels to a SteveNote.

Most recent updates are on the bottom.

9:57 - About 3 minutes until Jobs is expected to take the stage.

10:06 - Lights have dimmed. Great Balls of Fire playing. Jobs takes the stage. Let’s get started. Therme are three parts to Apple: the Mac, the Music, and the iPhone. After lunch we are going to get a peak at the new OS X: Snow Leopard.

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Tomorrow I get to take a break from covering Taiwanese mini-notebooks to experience something unlike anything I have ever experienced before. I have heard tales from young and old, and far and wide about the surreal experience that is only 11 hours away. It is not an eclipse. It is not one of the seven wonders of the world. It is, no other than, a Steve Jobs keynote or a SteveNote.

I am calling it losing my SteveNote virginity because that is how monumental of an event I think it is to a technology journalist like myself. So am I ready for my first Apple World Wide Developers Conference and for seeing the renowned Apple father himself in the flesh and blood? I mean, is anyone ever ready for their first time? I don’t think so.

Sure, I am ready for Mr. Jobs, clad in a black turtleneck, to command the stage and to stand before the crowd with revealing PowerPoint KeyNote slides. I am also ready for the expected 3G iPhone (aka second generation iPhone). But Steve has always got some special moves up his sleeve and for that I am not prepared. Especially since I am not in the business of Apple rumors, but there are sure a lot of them out there. Make sure to keep you browser tuned to blog.laptopmag.com for the latest news from WWDC tomorrow and to see how I feel after losing my SteveNote.

It was 2005. Having just moved to Boston to complete a summer internship before my senior year of college, I soon found that the locals all seemed to possess two mobile staples: backpacks and iPods. It wasn’t long before I purchased my first Apple product—a 4GB iPod mini—and soon I was blissfully meandering down cobblestone streets, lip-syncing and jamming out to my favorite tunes just like the rest of the population.

The iPod mini, as most should remember, was a much clunkier version of today’s nano, and I couldn’t play videos or view pictures on it. But at around $200, it was still by far my best investment of the summer. My addiction to mobile music hasn’t changed in the last three years, but the choices for MP3 players has, and I’ve since upgraded my mini to the way sleeker 5G with video (which is still a step or two behind today’s classic and not as cool as the touch, but I’m at peace with that for now).

Diehard iPod fan that I am, I still like to consider myself open minded, which is why for a week I’m going to give up my 5G iPod for the new flash-based SanDisk Sansa Fuze. At first glance it could easily be mistaken for the iPod nano, but this 4GB player differentiates itself with cool features like an FM radio, voice recorder, and microSD Card slot.

When I’m outside my New York City apartment, my iPod is like my baby blanket; it goes wherever I go. I don’t think most babies trade their blankets in for smaller, sleeker versions to keep themselves pacified, but I’m willing to give it a shot for a little while. So kudos to me, right?

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