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Knowing that it is very hard that Apple would ever release an iPhone Pro with physical keyboard, Mat Brady from planetmat has sent me another image of a potential accessory. It looks great.

Mat says that he created the accessory answering readers’ feedback on sliding keyboards.

The slide-out keyboard has generated the most response from any of my suggested features. The general consensus stands firm on two opposing viewpoints:

1. Most people would prefer to have an optional slide-out keyboard,
2. but don’t believe Apple will ever "go backwards" and release anything like this.

In response to one comment (Mike) I have created what might be an answer to a third-party product which could solve this dilemma.

Actually, not a bad idea at all. It would be even cooler if, instead of being a third-party accessory, Apple actually released a modular iPhone, one that could admit different accessories like these but without the added bulk of building them around the original design. [Planetmat—Thanks Mat]

Microsoft Live Labs recently announced Seadragon for iPhone which indicated Microsoft’s interest with the iPhone. Microsoft’s Live Search team has now joined that list and has released Live Search for iPhone, though the announcement was made in the MacRumor’s forum last week unlike the official announcement of Seadragon.

Live Search for iPhone is not an iPhone app unlike Google Mobile App. The Live Search team has tuned their mobile website for iPhone. It’s an iPhone-friendly version of the Live Search site which means that the entire search site is now tailored for the iPhone’s screen.
Some of the features announced are:

• iPhone Friendly: The entire search site is tailored for the iPhone’s screen
• Personalization: You can add widgets like a local weather forecast or stock quotes to your Live Search homepage
• Saved locations: You can now save favourite locations like Home and Work
• Walking directions: Live Search now supports walking directions as well driving directions
• Mobile web results: Mobile web results now appear on top of results with a quick description
• Encarta answers: Encarta answers automatically appear on top of results

As the default search engine cannot be changed in iPhone (other than to Yahoo), the only thing Live Search lovers can do is to set it as their homepage or bookmark it.

Image Courtesy: MacRumors Forums

148Apps, which tracks and reviews iPhone Apps, says 10,000 applications have now been released on the iPhone App store (the site is named after the fact that you can add up to 148 applications to an iPhone or iPod touch).

A tribute page shows a mini icon for every application. And it also gives some interesting data. About 24% of apps are free; 35% cost $.99. The average cost is $3.12, including free apps. About 34% are games or entertainment, and there are 49 weather related apps for the iPhone despite the fact that a weather app is built in.

If you’re an iPhone user, tell us the apps you can’t live without in the comments. The ones I use every day: Aqua Hoops, Recorder, SearchMe, iGolf, Google, Zombie (its cathartic), iThread (CrunchBase on the iPhone), and the social networks (Loopt, Facebook, MySpace).

Source: TechCrunch

We knew this day would eventually come, but somehow we’re still misting up a little — Linux has been ported to the iPhone and iPod touch. Dev Team member planetbeing is the mastermind in charge of bringing everyone’s favorite open-source OS to Apple’s handhelds, and while it’s a little rough around the edges (read: no touchscreen drivers, sound, or WiFi / cell radio support), it’s definitely the first step on the road to hacking nirvana. The team is hard at work, and it even sounds like they’re thinking about porting Android in the near future (!), so hit the read link to try it out and lend a hand if you can — or just head on past the break for a quick vid of the port in all its text-scrolling glory.

Link: Linux on iPhone
Download: iPhone Linux Demo
Video: iPhone Linux Demo video
News source: Engadget

In what seems to be a never ending lineup of lawsuits, this time around Apple is being sued for patent infringement. This time, real estate developer Elliot Gottfurcht and two co-inventors have brought a suit against Apple Inc. claiming that a technology used by the iPhone to browse websites infringes on their patent.

The lawsuit has been filed by EMG Technology LLC, (a company founded by Gottfurcht) on Monday in the US District Court located in Tyler, Texas.

Stanley Gibson, Gottfurcht’s lawyer has noted that they have not considered suing HTC or RIM, even though both companies use similar technology to that of Apple. Strange. Perhaps they’re testing the waters with Apple and will move on from there.

Even stranger is a comment from Gibson:

“We haven’t looked at anything other than the iPhone…That was the device that we looked at. Obviously it’s very popular.”

The iPhone is the only device you’ve looked at!? Surely you’ve got to be kidding me. Surely it’s not out of your reach to get your hands on the latest BlackBerry or HTC device. Something is up.

Obviously I’d like to see more details on their actual patent before I make any further comment… But one thing you can count on, Apple’s lawyers are hard at work on this one. I’ll keep you posted.

Source: RedOrbit

The iPhone 2.2 OS has been jailbroken via PwnageTool 2.2 and QuickPWN 2.2! But, you have to update your iPhone 3G using Pwnage Tool if you plan to someday unlock your iPhone 3G.

The iPhone 2.2 OS had gone live a mere day or so before the venerable and always reliable iPhone Dev Team released their iPhone 2.2 OS jailbreak solution. The Pwnage Tool jailbreak utility, that has been at the forefront of the iPhone jailbreak scene since its release, is now compatible with the iPhone 2.2 OS.

That means Joe iPhoneUser can now update their iPhone or iPhone 3G with a jailbroken version of the new iPhone OS. This is important because the PwnageTool-based iPhone 2.2 OS jailbreak is the only way to preserve your iPhone’s older baseband firmware.

The iPhone’s baseband firmware lies at the heart of the battle for a viable iPhone 3G software unlock solution. The iPhone Dev Team is working hard to discover an iPhone 3G soft-unlock solution, but be warned - you must update to iPhone 2.2 OS using PwnageTool if you ever plan to unlock your iPhone 3G. Of course, if you have and original iPhone, don’t care about unlocking your iPhone 3G, or have a Windows machine and don’t care about unlocking your iPhone 3G, you can easily jailbreak iPhone 2.2 OS using QuickPWN.

Follow this iPhone 2.2 OS jailbreak guide to ensure that your iPhone 3G’s baseband firmware is preserved for any future iPhone 3G software unlock solutions (First-generation iPhones can be unlocked regardless of iPhone OS version, this guide can be applied to iPhone 2Gs):

• Download the iPhone 2.2 OS firmware to your desktop (make sure to choose the appropriate version)
  • iPhone 2.2 OS - iPhone 3G
  • iPhone 2.2 OS - iPhone 2G (original)
• Download PwnageTool 2.2
  • PwnageTool 2.2- Mac OS X torrent file
  • PwnageTool 2.2 - Mac OS X direct download
• Fire up Pwnage Tool 2.2
• Select “Expert Mode”
• Select your iPhone version (iPhone 3G or iPhone)
• Click “Next”
• Allow Pwnage Tool 2.2 to find the iPhone 2.2 OS firmware that you downloaded to your desktop
• Select the iPhone 2.2 OS firmware
  • iPhone firmware filename - iPhone1,1_2.2_5G77_Restore.ipsw
  • iPhone 3G firmware filename - iPhone1,2_2.2_5G77_Restore.ipsw
• Click “Next”
• Select the “General” category
• Click “Next”
• General Settings:
  • If you have a legitimate iPhone contract with your carrier (for instance, and iPhone contract with AT&T), you will need to uncheck the box next to “Activate”
  • If you don’t have a legitimate iPhone contract with your carrier, you will need to ensure that the box next to “Activate” is checked - this will “Hacktivate” your iPhone or iPhone 3G for use on an official iPhone-carrier’s network (note, this is not the same as unlocking the handset for use with un-sanctioned GSM networks)
  • Change Root Partition size to 1000MB
• Click “Next” (Keep clicking “Next” until you get back to the “Build” screen)
• Select “Build”
• Click “Next”
• Save the custom restore file to tyour desktop
  • The file should be named - iPhone1,1_2.2_5G77_Custom_Restore.ipsw
• Wait for PwnageTool 2.2 to build your custom iPhone 2.2 OS firmware file
• When asked if the iPhone has been Pwned before, choose the appropriate option
  • iPhone 3G:
    • “NO”
  • iPhone (never Pwned - No pineapple logo):
    • “NO”
  • iPhone (previously Pwned - Has pineapple logo):
    • “YES”
• Connect your iPhone
• Follow directions to enter “Restore Mode”
  • Hint: Press the “Power” button slightly before pressing the “Home” button. Remember, press “Power” just a tick before pressing “Home”
    
• If you followed the directions correctly, you will be rewarded with a blue window exclaiming your success - this is a good thing
  • Click “OK”
• You will see “I Can Haz Success”
  • Quit Pwnage Tool 2.2
• Fire up iTunes
  • You will be told your iPhone needs to be restored
  • Click “OK”
• Option+Click Restore (VERY IMPORTANT)
  • Make sure you hold down the “Option” key on the keyboard while clicking on “Restore”
• Choose the “iPhone1,2_2.1_5F136_Custom_Restore.ipsw” from your desktop
  • Click “Open”
• Wait
• Wait some more
• After some more waiting, you will be told that your iPhone that your iPhone has been restored
  • Click “OK”
• Disconnect iPhone AFTER iTunes recognizes it
• Restore backup of iPhone data
• Start enjoying your jailbroken iPhone or iPhone 3G running iPhone 2.2 OS!

Source: IntoMobile

Apple’s iPhone has been used for everything from following the 2008 election to deciding where to grab a bite on the go. Now, it’s helping lead-footed drivers avoid costly speeding tickets.

NMobile and Trapster are two mobile applications that provide up-to-date, detailed maps of speed-enforcement zones with live police traps, speed cameras or red-light cameras. After launching, each application pulls up a map pinpointing the locations of speed traps within driving distance. An audio alert will sound as vehicles approach an area tagged as harboring a speed trap.

Both applications rely on the wisdom of the crowds for their data. Users can report camera-rigged stop lights and areas heavily populated with radar-toting police officers through the application or on each company’s Web site. Eagle-eyed motorists using either application can also contribute information on the location of newly spotted speed traps from the road with a couple of taps on the iPhone.

Then, using the iPhone’s GPS location detection, the applications warn drivers when they are approaching known or reported traps.

NMobile and Trapster join the 8,000-plus offerings currently available for download in Apple’s iPhone Application Store, ranging from the practical to the silly.

For example, iBeer, an application that makes use of the smartphone’s accelerometer and sensors to simulate a frothy pint of ale, and Pocket First Aid and CPR Guide, which offers tutorials for treating conditions from snake bites to hypothermia, are both hovering among the ten most popular paid applications.

For start-up companies like Trapster, the popularity and capabilities of the iPhone has revolutionized the mobile application playing field.

“The game-changer was the iPhone,” said CEO and founder Peter Tenereillo, who saw a significant jump in Trapster’s user base after an iPhone-compatible version of the application was released in October. “We’ve had 100,000 people start using it in the last five weeks.”

Mr. Tenereillo estimates more than 100,000 data points are currently mapped worldwide on Trapster, which is free.

NMobile founder Shannon Atkinson declined to provide detailed data, though he did estimate that “well over 1,000” users had downloaded the application since it became available last week. (The application, originally priced at $9.99, is dropping to $4.99 Friday morning.)

Read more @ NYtimes.com

Apple has released iTunes 8.0.2 and iPhone software 2.2 today.

According to Apple, iTunes 8.0.2 improves stability and performance and provides a number of bug fixes. The new version addresses a quality issue creating MP3s on some computers; fixes a connectivity issue with the iTunes Store when using some Internet proxies with Mac OS X; and improves accessibility with VoiceOver.
Apple also introduced iPhone v2.2 today.

The update was rumoured to be released today and the promised features are present. The new iPhone 2.2 Software update features enhancements to maps and mail allowing users to now use Google street view. In maps, users can now view public transit and walking directions, display addresses of dropped pins and their share locations via email.
Podcasts are now available for download in the iTunes application and there has been work on a decrease in call setup failures and dropped calls. Apple has improved the stability and performance of Safari and has changed the position of the search bar to be inline with the address bar. Work has also been completed on improved sound quality of Visual Voice mail messages and users can now disable the auto-correction in the keyboard settings. Before you ask there is still no MMS or copy and paste support.
Gizmodo have posted a few screenshots of the new update in action, included below.

Download: Download iTunes 8.0.2

1. You must be running a Jailbroken iPhone / iTouch
2. Install original Fring via iTunes App Store.
3. Now SSH into your iPhone / iTouch; remember root / alpine
4. Find Fring.app under root var/mobile/applications
5. To find the Fring.app, you then need to click on the most recently installed folder which will be your original Fring and inside should be the Fring.app
6. On your computer, rename the modified 3g Fring .api to .zip; it will now open in winzip or mac compatible unzipper e.g. zipeg
7. Delete the original Fring.app on your iPhone / iTouch
8. Copy the extracted 3g Fring.app from the zip folder across to your iPhone / iTouch either via the WinSCP (PC) or Yummy FTP (Mac).
9. Now you need to set the permissions. This is easy so please do make it more complcated for yourselves. ALL the files within the 3g Fring.app replacement must be set to 755 (Yummy) or 0755 (WinSCP). You should see all the files being altered as it goes through the process of changing the permissions.
10. When I tried it, it worked immediately after changing the permissions without a reboot but if it does not work then please reboot.

This is not a guaranteed method and I take no responsibility if your Brick your machine — which it should not!

Have fun !!!

The iPhone Dev-Team reports that they have successfully jailbroken the iPhone 2.2 firmware. According to their post:

“The second beta of firmware version 2.2 has been out for a few days. It looks like Apple still doesn’t have a fix for devices already prone to the pwnage jailbreak and unlock.

We wondered aloud if the App Store restrictions might revive the Jailbreak scene and we noted that Steve Wozniak supports the scene.

Source: iPhone Atlas