It’s been a little while now since iOS 4 was released so we thought we’d check back and see how it’s working (or not) for those of you with the 2008 iPhone 3G?
Otterbox Commuter Case for iPhone 3GS strikes the perfect balance between convenience and protection. If you’re rocking Apple’s other big smartphone release this year, the $99 iPhone 3GS (or the unlocked iPhone 3GS, depending on where you live), or still lucky enough to have a 16GB or 32GB iPhone 3GS from last year, this case should be on your radar. (It also fits the iPhone 3G.)
Confession: I thought I’d hate it when it first arrived. I don’t know why exactly, maybe it was fear of layers bulk, uncertainty about dual color schemes, dunno, but I was not looking forward to testing out the Otterbox Commuter. Then I put it on.
AD&D analogy time — If skins are the chainmail of the case world and the Otterbox Defender is the full plate armor (yes, even the pink one), the Commuter is the in-between, plate-mail option. It’s strong but still a but flexible, solid and secure but still snug and light.
Like plate-mail it comes in two layers, the silicone that you slip on first, and that has covers for the 3.5mm headset jack and 30-pin dock connector, and the plastic shell that goes over it. Together they provide protection against scrapes and scuffs and minor impacts.
The Otterbox Commuter also comes in a ton of colors — yellow, white, blue, green, brown, burgundy, and black. (Yes, I’ll spare you the strained surcoat analogy).
Again, not as big as the Defender, not as thin as a skin, I found myself leaving it on even after my typical week-long review period was over. Since I’ve been carrying an iPhone 4 around as well, maybe I was a little more concerned about my iPhone 3GS getting damaged, maybe I started to like the look, or maybe I wanted my fellow SPE editors to think I had an imaginary, super-secret iPhone 5 prototype hidden in a fancy camo case (I’ll never tell!)
When it was subtly footnoted that iPhone 3G and iPod touch G2 wouldn’t be getting iOS 4-style wallpaper, our only guess as to why was CoreAnimation performance — Apple couldn’t do their transitions over the textured background at levels that met their auteur standards.
Erica emailed Steve Jobs to find out:
Hey Steve! I just upgraded my iPhone 3G to iOS 4 and was really looking forward to setting a background on my home screen. Guess that’s not happening, but I’d like to know why.
And Steve Jobs replied:
The icon animation with backgrounds didn’t perform well enough.
Jailbreak users have been theming since before there was an iPhone 3G, of course, just like they were recording video and multitasking, but Apple won’t put their brand on anything they consider sub-par in the performance area.
With just two weeks to go before WWDC, Boy Genius Report is reporting that Apple has ceased shipments of the iPhone 3G to AT&T stores. Now throw in the fact that new orders for the device are not being accepted and it’s a pretty good sign the iPhone 3G’s days are numbered.
“Could this mean we might see the iPhone 3GS drop to $99 and make way for a new model? Or maybe the 3GS would disappear altogether? We’re not sure, but we’re about to find out.”
It’s a funny thing that BGR mentioned the price drop of the iPhone 3GS because as of today Walmart is dropping the price of the 16GB version to $97 with a two year service agreement. It appears as if the iPhone 3GS is about to replace the iPhone 3G as the budget iPhone. Keep an eye out for Apple to drop their price in two weeks…
Big week for Apple patent pr0n, as in addition to getting a patent for the original 2007 iPhone 2G design, Steve Jobs, Jonathan Ive, et al are not being granted a patent for the 2008/2009 iPhone 3G/iPhone 3GS design as well. And not content with hardware alone, Apple has filed for patents on almost all their Home Screen and App Store icons (we couldn’t find Calendar, which means its either too generic or we just couldn’t find it).
So fair warning to all the iClone manufacturers without prior art or $40 billion in the bank — start visual differentiation plans now.
As to the icons, at almost 1000×1000 pixels and with detail to match, it shows just how obsessive Apple is when it comes to their products and while other OS and devices may use the same app-launcher paradigms, they don’t seem to be slaving over every last detail — in art, consistency, multitouch panel quality, and touch detection software quality — Apple is putting in. Just amazing. (Except for those diagonal stripes).
If you have been in search of a tough case that offers dual layer protection while keeping a slim profile the Case-Mate Hybrid Case for iPhone 3GS and iPhone 3G [TiPb Store Link - $29.95] may just be the case you have been looking for. For the full review follow us after the break!
Getting your iPhone snug and secure in the Hybrid case is a pretty simple process once you get the hang of it. It’s just a matter of two steps 1) put the silicon skin on, and 2) attach the outer hard shell. It may take you a few tries to get the volume rocker seated properly but once that is done you are good to go. My only real gripe with using the silicon skin is that it attracts dust so be prepared to clean it quite often if you are a neat freak like myself. At the end of the day, however, I am happy to trade a cleaning or two for top of the line protection.
The Case-Mate Hybrid feels absolutely great in the hand with it’s textured outer shell. It gives you just the right amount of grip to make sure your iPhone won’t easily go flying out of your hand. And in the worst-case scenario, if you happen to have one of those moments where a drop is out of your control, rest be assured your device is very well cushioned by the the 2 layers of protection the Hybrid is constructed of.
Along with two layers of protection Case-Mate also delivers one sweet look with the grey outer hard shell in combination with the black form-fitting soft silicone skin. The case wraps completely around the device leaving the screen, camera, headphone jack, vibrate switch, and 30-pin charging/sync port open. Meanwhile, the power button and volume buttons are covered and very well protected. It would have been nice if Case-Mate tossed in a cover for the 30-pin port but that is something I can get over with the over all quality of the case.
With a few minor annoyances aside, Case-Mate has done a fantastic job with this Hybrid Case for iPhone 3GS and iPhone 3G, which you can purchase the TiPb store for $29.95. It has a little something for everyone. If you are a hard shell case guy/gal or a silicon skin guy/gal this is perfect combination giving you the best of both worlds and you should definitely consider picking one up. As picky as I am with my cases, I promise you this one is a winner.
Tired of your iPhone slipping out of your hand or off of your desk? Looking to add a little color and grip to you iPhone? If so the Case-Mate Vroom for iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS [$12.95- TiPb Store Link] is one to consider. For the full review follow me after the break!
In the box you receive the form-fit Case-Mate Vroom (color of your choice including black, red purple and yellow) and a screen protector. It seems that Case-Mate wants to ensure that your iPhone receives plenty of protection it’s great they include a screen protector. The case slips on quite easily while allowing access to all aspects of your iPhone. The sleep button and volume controls are the only components that are covered, but still easy to press; every other part is partially exposed for easy access.
The case design is reminiscent of tire tread, hence the “Vroom” name. This case excels in two areas; grip and accessibility. First let’s look at grip. This case has stupendous grip if placed on the dashboard, desk or in the hand. The solid rubber form factor coupled with the “tread” on the case makes for excellent style and usefulness.
Second, if you want to dock your iPhone, the case easily slips off. You don’t have to worry about breaking the case trying to take it off (I have come across some cases that are so hard to put on or off I wonder if I will break it with my inhuman strength). So what is the down side? The case easily slip off for some. I have not encountered any problems personally, but if you are looking for a case that is affixed tightly to your phone, this is not it. It certainly protects the phone, but it is meant to be removed without a problem. I even gave the case to my wife for a test run. She placed it in her purse and let it jostle around for a while and the case did not fall off. My concerns were not validated, but still, I think it is something to make note of if you plan on purchasing this case. One other note, since it grips so well, it also grips a lot of lint, especially if you keep it in your pocket. However, since the case is easily removable, you can wash the case off with ease, no problem.
I have to say that this case design is one of my favorites for this style. It does not add a lot of thickness to the case and it looks good especially with the color options available. At such an accessible price, you can get a couple! Check the video and pictures below.
Qik Video Camera for the iPhone, from Qik [$0.99 - iTunes Link] finally brings 15 frames per second video recording to the iPhone 3G. It also supports zoom, has some fun filters, and adds an easy system for sending your videos via e mail.
For the complete rundown, and pictures of Qik VideoCamera’s effects, stay with us after the break.
As mentioned above, Qik VideoCamera lets the iPhone 3G shoot video at 15 frames per second (FPS) but that’s only when using the default size. It’s basically a trade off. Qik gives you the option of having low video resolution (200×152) and high FPS or high video resolution (400×304) and lower FPS. I usually go for the low video resolution and higher FPS because if the frames are too few the video is too choppy to appreciate.
Qik video has some really fun special effect filters to play with. Like with video quality, however, when you start using a special effect filter the frame rate slows down. Here are some examples of how they look.
Black and White.
Black white and red, which makes any red object show in color and everything else in black and white. While interesting, aside from the novelty I don’t see many real life applications.
As requested here is some video taken using the black, white and red effect with a resolution of 200×152.
Color game, which inverses blue and red (I call it the Avatar effect!)
There are two mirror effects, both vertical and horizontal. These are good for making object suddenly disappear. It can be a lot of fun for the little ones to play with, if you would trust your little one with an iPhone.
Zoom is another nice feature, though I have found that for shooting anything very close it can cause blurring.
One of the other useful additions to this application is the audio and light enhancing controls. Since the iPhone has no external lighting source (plz 4.0!) the addition of brightness control can make those precious moments easier to see in low light settings. The audio boost helps increase the audio track but I usually don’t realize that something is going to be too soft until the event has already occurred.
Qik VideoCamera also allows you to email your videos easily, by choosing which video to email and typing in the email address. The program is also linked to your contacts so you dont have to worry if you have forgotten the address.
All in all, Qik VideoCamera is a very nice app and has a lot of useful and fun effects for saving your life’s special moments. It’s not the same resolution or frame rate as the iPhone 3GS’ built-in video recorder, but for iPhone 3G users who didn’t get that feature, it’s currently the next best thing.
Here is some video without any effects, taken with a resolution of 400×304.
Happy New Year and welcome to the iPhone blog’s 2009 TiPb Editor’s Choice Awards for the very best (in our opinion!) iPhone and iPod touch apps and accessories released in the last year!
Smartphone of the Year: iPhone 3GS (by default)
We’re not really doing Smartphone of the Year since, unlike our sibling sites, Apple has so far seen fit to only release one new iPhone each year. However, that doesn’t mean we don’t think the iPhone 3GS isn’t terrific. It is. Even if we consider the smartphone space as a whole, even if we put it up against the best Android, BlackBerry, Nokia, Palm, and Windows have to offer, while it might get bested — even eclipsed — in certain specs or feature sets, there’s still nothing that brings it all together in so appealing a mainstream package as the iPhone 3GS.
From its butter-smooth interface now with “s as in speed” to its singular build quality to its incredible ecosystem to its 120,000 apps for anything and everything, even if we did do this category — which we’re not — the iPhone 3GS would still be our pick for Smartphone of the Year. So there.
Competition of the Year: Palm Pre and webOS
Make no mistake, the Droid, the BlackBerry Bolds and Tour and Storms, the Nokia N900, the Windows Phone HTC HD2 — each brought it in their own way (hey, it’s why we do the Smartphone Round Robin), but each mostly brought it with hardware specs like 480p displays, or services like free navigation. They made good things better.
Palm brought it with a whole new OS, one that combined amazing visualization for multitasking with brilliant notification handling, and sidestepped the developer divide by using web technology as their SDK. If the iPhone woke up a complacent smartphone industry, Palm made sure they stayed awake another year. Sure the hardware could have been harder core and there was that whole iTunes sync brouhaha, but that combined with the “years in the desert” to go from PalmOS to webOS, made Palm even more of a comeback story, and who doesn’t root for Rocky? That’s why the Palm Pre is our competitor of the year!
Apple Innovation of the Year: $99 iPhone 3G
Last year Innovation of the Year was easy: the App Store. Now, two-billion downloads, well over 100,000 apps, and almost universal imitation not just from the Android Market, but now from BlackBerry App World, Microsoft Windows Marketplace for Mobile, Nokia Ovi Store, Palm webOS App Catalog, and who knows what else, it’s still far and away the market leader, if the idea itself has long passed being led. Not that Apple didn’t try in 2009, with the iPhone 3.0 Sneak Preview Event the undoubtedly innovative in-app purchases (including free apps no longer needing to stay free) and accessory access via the dock and Bluetooth. Push notification tops the candidates list as well. It isn’t he full-on multitasking some still demand, but it covers 90% of the functionality at 20% of the battery drain (ahem) and hey, even some multitasking smartphones don’t handle push notification yet.
But no, we’re going with something more important even if less interesting. The $99 iPhone 3G. Sure, it’s last year’s model, but it’s got the latest iPhone OS 3.x on it and most importantly it redefined — and disrupted — what was considered a budget smartphone and forced every other platform and player to lower prices and reconsider the — frankly crappy — handsets they offered for cheap. Up front cost shouldn’t mean much to people on contract for $2000+ over two years but it does. Getting under $100 was huge for Apple. And for consumers, who’s previous budget choices were the likes of Palm Centro, BlackBerry Pearl, or WinMo… whatever, it was huger still. That makes the $99 iPhone 3G our Apple Innovation of the Year.
App Store App Innovation of the Year: Augmented Reality
Last year Google Mobile snuck in some private-API wizardry (later made all nice and legal by iPhone 3.0) to make voice search so good we thought we were in Star Trek. This year Apple announced accessory access and all sorts of new API’s and developers certainly didn’t disappoint. Some of the most amazing new iPhone Apps weren’t new to mobile, however. RedLaser reads barcodes and finds competitive prices amazingly well, but Android had that first. Likewise Qik is finally streaming live, but geeks were doing that from the N95 a couple years ago. Still, with everything from the latest Apple Remote to Zipcar, it’s harder then ever to single one app out.
So we’re singling out a category — Augmented Reality. Take a live camera view, add location services and — one day, visual recognition — and layer data on top of it. Hold your iPhone camera up to a restaurant and the menu pops up for you to read. Point it west and see the tweets of the physically closest people you follow. Point it at your friend and get a reminder you owe him $5. We’re not sure if it’s just trendy concept or will really, truly prove functional one day, but just like Google Mobile made us think of Star Trek, this combines several cutting edge technologies in such a way that it makes us think of a dozen sci-fi heads-up displays and gorramit if we don’t want that future today.
UI Gem of the Year: Tweetie 2 “Pull Down to Refresh”
Too small to be the overall innovation of the year, this category is for the tiny little tweaks that never the less make all the difference. Lots of developers continued to make drop-dead gorgeous iPhone apps in 2009, including Tapbots’ latest Pastebot, Twitterrific 2’s ability to hide so much functionality behind so sensible a layout, and Facebook 3.0 finally showed how to do massive social networking right on a local app, and Apple even rolled out new Voice Recorder and Compass app interfaces. It was something much simpler, however, much more insidious that got inside TiPb’s user experience this year.
Yeah, it’s totally Tweetie 2’s terrific “pull down to refresh”. Apple built the wonderful, tactile feeling elasticity of the “rubber band” effect into iPhone 1.x but never did much with it. Developer Atebits took it and made it a simple, intuitive way to request new data from an internet server — in this case update your Twitter timeline. That many of us now try to use it to reload a page in Safari, or get new messages in Mail, or refresh anything and anything that feels like it should refresh when we pull down shows just how simple and intuitive it is. Sometimes it’s not the big once-and-a-while’s that make the difference, it’s the little use-it-all-the-times.
Camera App of the Year: ReelDirector
iPhone 3GS brought a much improved camera and video recording, amazingly improved photo software, and even trim-able video recording. A lot of apps took advantage, both of the old gear and the new. Leanna covered five fantastic ones earlier, and since then a couple have even come around to offering video for the iPhone 3G.
But if video is the new still, ReelDirector ups the ante from Apple’s trim to full-on (for a mobile) video editing. From titles to transitions, soundtracks to Ken Burns effects, it may not be Final Cut Pro but it’s definitely a fun first cut.
Productivity App of the Year: Documents to Go Premium
Over two and half years in and some are still foolish enough to call the iPhone a toy. Unless, of course, they mean the iPhone can make even productivity work more fun than it has any right to be.
Documents to Go, which updated their flagship app to Premium and added PowerPoint editing and Gmail attachment support at almost the last minute gets our vote. Even though Apple still hasn’t provided a universal document repository, or file picker (the way the picture picker works for images), Documents to Go continues to push the boundaries of what an Office-style app can do on the iPhone.
Social App of the Year: Twitter Clients
If Facebook had gotten push notifications, if Skype had actually gotten 3G access, this category might be even harder to decide than it already is. Likewise notification enabled IM clients such as BeeJive that now has group chat is a social powerhouse.
But those iPhone twitter clients just. won’t. stop. We already mentioned Tweetie 2 and Twitterrific 2, but there’s also Birdfeed, and both Twitbit and SimplyTweet made it into our staff picks of the year. And yeah, TweetDeck is on the iPhone now as well. In addition to the general-purpose clients, we have apps like Birdhouse that excel at writing and Reportage that make reading manageable. Heck, even Twitter’s own WebApp got a great makeover.
Twitter exploded in 2009, and the quality of iPhone Twitter apps exploded right along with it. They’re all so good, again we can’t pick just one, so we’re naming them all the social networking apps of the year!
Navigation App of the Year: Navigon Mobile Navigator
Another of app category made possible by iPhone 3.0 is turn-by-turn GPS navigation, and it didn’t take long for top of the line, premium-priced market leaders like TomTom to come on board (and with car kits!), and subscription services like the TeleNav-powered AT&T Navigator have come on board, but low-cost, crowd-sourced alternatives have also flourished. And even with the 800lbs gorilla of the newly announced Google Maps Navigation staring them down all searchy and free, they’ve continued to update and innovate.
Navigon’s MobileNavigator has been helping push the pace of those updates and that innovation. Whether it’s text to speech or live-traffic, this maps-on-board solution took iPhone 3.0’s APIs and didn’t run — it drove.
Action Game of the Year: N.O.V.A
If there was a theme to iPhone and iPod touch gaming in 2009 it was the maturing of the platform that brought both big franchises and games very much akin to the big franchises. There are literally too many to list (though Jeremy started and Chad focused in on FPS‘ a while back).
But N.O.V.A brought “Halo” to the iPhone. Maybe we should have found something more original, more uniquely dependent on the iPhone’s specific technologies. But N.O.V.A brought “Halo” to the iPhone.
Racing Game of the Year: Real Racing
Given the accelerometer, racing games are just such a natural fit for the iPhone and iPod touch that it’s no wonder there are so many great racing games for the platform (Chad’s picked out a top 5 already!) And with iPhone 3GS and iPod touch G3 level horsepower and OpenGL 2.0 no doubt there’s even better ahead (hey, we’ve seen a glimpse of it already).
For now, however, Real Racing is where it’s at. Our 2009 Grand Prix winner is also a racing game of the year.
Puzzle Game of the Year: Ramp Champ
A lot of great puzzle games have hit the iPhone, from Peggle to Stoneloops to Bejeweled 2 and Tetris, to well almost every great puzzle game that could come to the platform. In 2008, however, Trism showed you could do an iPhone-proper puzzler and do it incredibly well.
Ramp Champ took a flick at it in 2009, with gorgeous graphics, one of the best implementations of in-app purchases to date, and arguably too much challenge for its (or rather its players) own good. There maybe puzzle games with bigger brands, more levels, and perhaps even better physics, but when we think about what we love most about iPhone software — indie developers, attention to detail, love of UI — Ramp Champ lands squarely in the bullseye.
ProSwitcher did the same, but looked especially great doing it. Take a Jailbroken iPhone, add Backgrounder to get your multitask on, and then manage the whole thing with Safari Pages-style — and yes, webOS cards-style UI candy.
Bluetooth Headset of the Year: Blueant Q1
Apple raised the stakes in 2009 by adding iPhone 3.0 support for A2DP stereo Bluetooth — sort of. Apple forgot to add all the proper control protocols, so you can’t skip tracks, but boy can you still rock out. Now iPhone and iPod touch users can enjoy music (and adjusting volume), and excellent products like the Motorola S9-HD and the Jabra Cruiser speakerphone.
And if that wasn’t enough, our pick for BT headset of the year, the Blueant Q1 got an update — really, how often to BT headsets get firmware update?! — to enable A2DP. It’s a premium product, just like the iPhone, but with voice control, and support for two phones (for you dual wielders), it’s also a fantastic one.
Case of the Year: Otterbox Defender
Apple can’t win. They change the design of the iPhone 3G and people with iPhone 2G cases complain their old accessories don’t fit. They keep the iPhone 3GS in the same duds, and people complain it’s boring. But at least the case makers could concentrate on better rather than different, and better they have. From the soft-stylings of the iSkin solo to the gloss of the Case-mate Barely There Chrome and the utility of the Golla bag, there’s definitely a “case for that”.
And if we’re talking case, and we’re talking protection, the Hummer of cases, the battle-armor of protection, is the OtterBox Defender. It’s not for those who just want a sticker or a skin, a splash of color or the smell of fine leather — it’s for those who want their iPhone survive. And it’s our case of the year.
EPIC FAIL of the Year: Capricious App Store Rejections
No doubt the App Store is such a smash hit that even Apple was unprepared for the tsunami of submissions they’re now facing. The numbers are staggering, but not as staggering as the growth rate. But choosing to be a gatekeeper comes with it the responsibility of being a good gatekeeper. It’s Apple’s store and they can fill it’s virtual shelves with what they want, but when the developers who make the apps those shelves are being filled with lose faith — when they no longer trust Apple’s rules, or realize there are no consistent rules being enforced, even if Apple and mainstream users don’t lose out, the platform does. Sure, they’ve made some small improvements inside iTunes connect and with the RSS feed, but they’re slow to the point of being arduous.
Some developers have been frustrated enough to leave the iPhone. A few returned only because the competitions’ development environment, install base, and user experience wasn’t competitive enough… yet. But that “yet” could change at any moment. And if the best and brightest developers are making the best and brightest apps for Android rather than the iPhone, that’s not a loss to Apple’s bottom line, it’s a loss to their heart.
That’s why rejected App Store apps, specifically the capricious, opaque way in which they’re continuing to be rejected, is our epic FAIL of the year.
Story of the Year: iTablet
We’ve mentioned most of the other big stories already — the still amazing Jailbreak journey, the still disappointing App Store rejections. And then there was the leave of absence, and triumphant return of Steve Jobs.
But iTablet/iStlate was the story that wouldn’t quit, however, and the rumors, speculation, and rampant geek want built and built throughout 2009. We’re not even sure actually announcing the device (which may just happen in 2010) could have been a bigger story — anticipation is just that powerful. Whether (more likely when) it ultimate comes out, Apple’s mysterious, mythical, magical, maybe iTablet is our story of the year.
Bring on 2010!
Well, that’s it — TiPb’s Editor Awards for 2009 gone and done! What will we see in 2010? Who knows, but we’re excited to find out!
Did you agree with any of our picks? Disagree? What would YOU have given the nod to? Feel strongly about it? Tell us — or tell us off — in the comments! (And we’ll have our next Readers’ Choice Awards coming up later in 2010 so you can put your apps where your opinions are as well!)
Marware’s C.E.O. Premiere for iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS. [$34.95 - TiPb Store Link] is a horizontal case with a belt clip and top flap. Either you love that style or you hate it, but there is no denying their popularity among iPhone owners. Marware has been making iPhone cases since day one and some pretty good ones at that. What did we think of the Marware C.E.O. Premiere?
Follow us after the break!
The Marware C.E.O Premiere has the classic horizontal holster case design that covers your iPhone in a textured, soft leather with quality stitching and an ultra-slim non-removable belt clip. The interior of the case is made up of microfiber cloth which is a welcomed addition that promises not to scratch your device while it is in use.
The flap that encloses your iPhone stays closed with the help of Velcro. Though I would have preferred Marware to use magnets, the Velcro does it’s job. However, when I am in a quiet room and need to get to my phone I’d like to get it out in silence rather than hearing the sound of Velcro tearing open.
The C.E.O. Premiere is designed only to provide access to the headphone port while your phone is inside. This design allows you to listen to music or take calls with the iPhones headset while you are out and about, but like all other cases of this style, no other controls can be accessed when the it’s is closed. Keep that in mind if it’s a deciding factor when you’re looking for a new case.
Marware was kind enough to include a decent screen protector in the package as well.
If you prefer the horizontal case and can get past some of the Marware’s minor shortcomings, the C.E.O Premiere as it’s truly a quality case.
The XGear Nitrous Oxide case for iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS [$37.95 - TiPb Store Link] is a carbon fiber bottom loading hard case that gives you triple layer protection along with a few extra goodies. For the full scoop, follow us after the break!
When it comes to cases, the amount of protection the case provides is the first thing that comes to mind. The Nitrous Oxide is constructed in 3 individual layers that provides phenomenal protection. You get a super soft interior lining surrounded by hard shell case that is wrapped in a layer of carbon fiber. That carbon fiber not only acts as good protection but also provides you with a pretty solid grip while holding your phone. As an extra little bonus, XGear also tosses in a clear screen protector along with a small microfiber cleaning cloth.
As some of you already know, I am not a big fan of hard cases for the simple fact that many, not all, have a tendency to scratch the bezel of your iPhone and sometimes even the phones backing. With the soft interior lining provided you are guaranteed to not scratch your phone. Why all makers of hard cases do not regularly include a soft lining is beyond me.
While the Nitrous Oxide is on your iPhone you have easy access to all of you buttons and ports. Some of you may even feel like it’s too much open space, especially on the bottom, but in my testing I had zero problems with it. The only worry I had before testing was since the case is bottom loading, I was afraid that the phone would slip out if it happened to suffer a drop. However once the case was on, I was comfortable with the fact that my phone would not easily come out. So that’s something that you should not be concerned about. Also, some of you may prefer the open bottom for an easy docking solution.
Overall the XGear Nitrous Oxide Case for iPhone and iPhone 3GS is what it is, a hard case that offers good protection that does not add much size to your iPhone. While some of you may be turned off by the carbon fiber look and feel, others are sure to enjoy it and the Nitrous Oxide will most likely meet your requirements.
The Dev Team have updated their blog to let the jailbreakers of the world know how to go about jailbreaking iPhone 3.1. It seems as if Apple has really thrown a monkey wrench into jailbreaking the 3.1 software, however, so sit tight as this may be a bit confusing…
First and foremost they have released the PwnageTool 3.1 for Mac OS X that should only be used with the original iPhone and iPhone 3G. Sorry 3GS owners, you’ll have to wait. Be sure to heed some of the Dev Teams warnings before attempting to jailbreak your device.
If you are using a 3G iPhone with ultrasn0w and rely on ultrasn0w to obtain cellular service, then you should only upgrade to 3.1 with a PwnageTool created .ipsw. – Stay away from Apple’s direct updates.
If you have an original iPhone (1st generation) then 3.1 unlock works with this PwnageTool release. iPhone 3G users upgrading to 3.1 will need to continue using ultrasn0w with a PwnageTool created 3.1 .ipsw
PwnageTool WILL work for Original iPhone (1st Generation), Original iPod touch (1st Generation) and the iPhone 3G.
For the full rundown please visit the Dev Teams blog and make sure you fully understand what you are getting yourself into before attempting to jailbreak iPhone 3.1.
If you don’t understand it, don’t do it, and TiPb takes no responsibility for the outcome either way. Need more? Check out TiPb’s Forums.
iPhone 3.1 apparently fixes a bug that didn’t properly enforce Microsoft Exchange 2007 SP1 encryption policies, and that looks to be causing problems for users of the iPhone 3G and iPhone 2G (and likely first and second gen iPod touch users as well).
While the iPhone 3GS supports Exchange encryption and is thus unaffected, the previous generation devices reportedly do not, leading to the error shown above.
Outside buying an iPhone 3GS or getting your Exchange Admin to turn off the encryption requirement (good luck with that!) we’re not sure if there’s a fix for this fix yet.
If you’ve run into the problem, however, drop us a note in the comments.
Tired of your iPhone slipping out of your hand or off of your desk? Looking to add a little color and grip to you iPhone? If so the Case-Mate Vroom for iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS [
Apple raised the stakes in 2009 by adding iPhone 3.0 support for A2DP stereo Bluetooth — sort of. Apple forgot to add all the proper control protocols, so you can’t skip tracks, but boy can you still rock out. Now iPhone and iPod touch users can enjoy music (and adjusting volume), and excellent products like the 
