News, Reviews and more from Australia's Macintosh Authority
News, Reviews and more from Australia's Macintosh Authority
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The iPhone 3G may be the tech fashion accessory du jour, but if it runs out of juice and can't make a call it may as well be a doorstop. Technologies like 3G, GPS, Bluetooth and WiFi all add to the energy consumption, leading many to criticise the iPhone 3G's battery life. Thanks to a few forthcoming innovations, however, you will soon be able to stave off doorstop mode all that much longer.
First up is Dexim, which has received "Works With iPhone" certification for its BluePack battery packs, which connect to the iPhone's dock port and provide battery charging on the go. Dexim has announced two units: the TIPBB1 which adds 1000 milliamp-hours to your iPhone's battery, and the somewhat larger TIPBB3 which takes it up to 1200 milliamp-hours. Depending on your specific usage patterns this can mean up to six extra hours of talk time according to local distributor iWorld Australia.
iWorld will be shipping the BluePacks in about 45 days, with the TIPBB1 set to retail for $49.95 and the TIPBB3 for $69.95.
Taking a somewhat different approach, Mophie has announced the Juice Pack 3G, which has also achieved "Works With iPhone" accreditation. Both Mophie and Dexim claim to have been the first to receive such accreditation for an iPhone battery pack, which goes to show why you should take press releases with a grain of salt.
The Juice Pack 3G also plugs into the dock port of the iPhone but, rather than extending the length of the iPhone downwards like the BluePack, it wraps around the back adding to its thickness. Which approach suits you best will be a matter of personal taste. A small notch near the top of the Juice Pack allows you to continue to use the iPhone's camera while the battery pack is attached. A different model is also announced that will fit the iPod touch.
Like the BluePack, Mophie claims that the JuicePack adds up to six hours of talk time to an iPhone 3G, but remember that this is very much dependent upon individual usage.
Mophie's products are available via the company's web site. It currently doesn't have an Australian distributor.
As I type these words, I am waiting for Apple's Developer Connection web site to ease up sufficiently for me to download the long-awaited Software Developer Kit for the iPhone (and iPod touch, just by the by). In a way, I hate developer-oriented announcements — "here's a really cool thing we're working on, and it's available now, and hoi polloi can have it in about six months". Actually, it's the six months I hate.
Matthew JC. Powell | Mar 7, 2008
This morning Apple released a new version of its iPhone SDK for developers. iPhone SDK beta 2 includes Interface Builder, a component of Apple’s development tools that lets developers create the interface for their applications. That seems to be the only major change in the latest build, according to the SDK’s read me, which continues to list some known issues. Apple says “this second beta is known to be incompatible with installation folders other than the default /Developer.” Given the importance of UI on the Mac, Interface Builder is a pretty critical tool in the development process, and some developers had chosen to hold off on their efforts until the SDK was revised. Apple unveiled the iPhone SDK at a special event earlier this month, allowing developers to begin building applications for the iPhone and iPod touch. Several high-profile companies have already jumped onboard, demoing their applications at the event. Highlighting the demos was AOL with a native AIM client; other applications from Electronic Arts, Salesforce.com, and Apple were also shown.
jim dalrymple and Dan Moren | Mar 28, 2008
We don't normally run rumour stories in AMW, but this one's getting a bit too loud to be dismissed as rumbling. The Apple reseller "grapevine" has been abuzz this morning, with numerous sources now telling AMW that the iPhone will be released at the end of June or the beginning of July. While there has been no official public announcement from Apple yet, it is believed that the company has briefed its resellers on more detailed plans. Among the other tidbits: no network will have exclusivity and any Apple reseller — not just telecommunication resellers or Apple-owned stores -- will be able to sell it.
Matthew JC. Powell | Apr 9, 2008
Vodafone has made an iPhone announcement, telling Australia that it will be selling the iPhone in Australia, New Zealand and eight other countries. The release says nothing about 3G, exclusivity, timing or anything else, really — will Voda be the only carrier? And if so, what will it be carrying? And when?
Anthony Caruana | May 6, 2008
