Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Odds and ends, iPhone

In a previous post, I discussed some of the shortcomings of New Zealand's broadband infrastructure. A lot of you gave some great responses, which led me to realize that although it's certainly not world-class, NZ's broadband isn't quite as bad overall as I thought - it's just my ISP isn't the greatest in the country, and it doesn't help matters that I don't live in a major city like Auckland or Wellington. When we first got here last July, we were kind of bewildered by pretty much everything (moving to a new country will do that to you), so we signed up for what seemed to be the best value for our money at the time. This turned out to entail a one-year commitment to Vodafone. Well, as it turns out, Vodafone NZ's broadband plans kind of stink compared to some other offerings people brought up, so we'll be ditching them for something better as soon as that commitment is over next month.

With my iPhone, however, I don't have the option of giving Vodafone the heave-ho for at least another 20 months. In fact, right now if you want to buy an iPhone in New Zealand, unless you're willing to jump through a lot of hoops and pay a lot more money, Vodafone is pretty much the only horse in town.

While some Kiwi commenters pointed out that broadband here isn't necessarily as terrible as I made it out to be, one thing they all agreed on was that the mobile phone pricing here is just barely short of criminal. No, let's not mince words: it is criminal. New Zealanders pay some of the highest mobile rates in the world, both for plans and for handsets. What we get for our money down here is pretty astonishing, and not in a good way.

Continue reading Worldwide Mac: Using the iPhone in New Zealand

Worldwide Mac: Using the iPhone in New Zealand originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sun, 14 Jun 2009 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Worldwide Mac: Using the iPhone in New Zealand originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sun, 14 Jun 2009 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Matt Miller, editor of our sibling-site NokiaExperts, got an advanced look at Documents to Go for iPhone as part of his ZDNet gig, and has already gone live with an amazingly detailed review: Review: Documents To Go raises the bar for iPhone word processing.

Matt loves the low price point, the Word editing, and Exchange support. Obviously, he misses the Excel editing support, but knows that’s coming.

Check out his full review for more, including a huge screenshot gallery, and overviews on editing, syncing, and Exchange support.

Thanks Matt!

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

App Review: Documents to Go for iPhone

Documents to Go is finally — FINALLY! — available for the iPhone. But, it currently only supports Word editing, no Excel (though they promise it via a free update), no PowerPoint (though no one else is doing that either). Yet, there’s a higher end version that includes Exchange Attachments integration!

148apps has the details, but the short and long of it is, there are two distinct versions now available:

• Documents to Go (Microsoft Word editing & Desktop sync) ($4.99 - iTunes link) allows you to create and edit Microsoft Word documents, view Excel, Powerpoint, iWork, PDF, and “other files” (presumably what’s natively supported), and includes a 2-way Wi-Fi desktop sync utility for Mac & Windows.
• Documents to Go with Exchange Attachments (Microsoft Word editing, Exchange attachments, & Desktop sync) ($9.99 - iTunes link) offers all the above plus the ability to receive, edit, and send Word docs, and view other docs attached to Microsoft Exchange emails (if you don’t have an Exchange account, don’t get this version!)

It looks like they’re still using their homebrew cut, copy, and paste solution, and with iPhone 3.0 just days away, the timing is a little awkward. Any developers Documents to Go on iPhone 3.0, let us know how that works for you. (We anticipate a 3.0 happy update ASAP)

The most important question is, however, all of you waiting on Documents to Go, is this what you wanted? Worth the wait? Sound off in the comments!

Screenshots after the break!

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

Quick App: Documents to Go for iPhone

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This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

Best of Smartphone Experts for June 14, 2009

Once upon a time, Google had an iPhone optimized version iGoogle. Then Christina Warren from Download Squad caught them in the act of taking it away. Now, our sibling-site Android Central tells us it’s returned. Confusing saga, good update:

Today, we’re excited to roll out an improved beta version of iGoogle for the iPhone and Android-powered devices. This new version is faster and easier to use. It supports tabs as well as more of your favorite gadgets, including those built by third-party developers. Note that not all gadgets — like those with Flash — will work in mobile browsers.

Are you an iGoogle user? If not, is this enough to interest you? Either way, if you check it out, let us know what you think!

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

Google Intros New iGoogle WebApp for iPhone

CNET has an interesting post up detailing what we can expect in the next generation ARM processor. Just yesterday we took a look at the iPhone 3G’s ARM 11 vs. the new iPhone 3G S’ Cortex ARM8 and the difference was impressive — most impressive. Well, next year is promising a dual-core ARM Cortex A9…!

Icebike sent this in, wondering out loud: “Is it too soon to start speculating on 2010?” And the simple answer is “no, no it’s not!” It’s longstanding practice here at TiPb to wait a polite 1.372 seconds after a new iPhone model is introduced, and then begin with “So, next year–”

That spirit in mind, TiPb can’t help but wonder what this, combined with multi-core PowerVR GPU’s, wrapped up into custom system-on-chips by Papermaster, the PA Semi team, and all those new GPU gurus toiling away in Steve’s basement, means for a 2010 iPhone? (No, I won’t call it an iPhone HD — yet!)

At the very least, I think DC comics is going to have to invent us a faster Flash!

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

iPhone 2010 to go Multi-Core ARM Next Gen?

Every week a few of us from team TiPb, bloggers and forum crew alike, will bring you our current favorite, funnest, most useful App Store apps, WebApps, jailbreak apps, even the occasional accessory, web site, or desktop app if the mood strikes us. As long as they’re iPhone (or iPod touch) related, they’re fair game.

So who’s on deck this week and what are our picks? Find out after the break!

Chad’s Pick: Real Racing.

This game is absolutely phenomenal! If you like racing simulators (al-la Gran Turismo style), this is the game for you. You have a few modes of play and two car views: in-car and behind the car. The car physics and graphics are spot on. This game is well worth the admission price. [$9.99 - iTunes link]

Chris’ Pick: Lemonade Tycoon

This was a game that I purchased for the PC a while back, and it has made it’s way to the iPhone. A classic business simulation, it’s a fun, quick, easy to learn game, and can be used to distract yourself for a short time if needed.

James’ Pick: Paper Toss

Who among us hasn’t balled up a piece of paper and tried to throw it in a nearby trash receptical? Paper Toss is a game that emulates just that…and since no trees are harmed it is eco-friendly! With varying degrees of distance and wind (fan) resistance, you can try and land as many paper balls in a row as you can. [Free - iTunes link]

Jeremy’s Pick: Push Notification

Need I say more?

[Ed: It's coming this Wednesday in iPhone 3.0, enjoy!]

Leanna’s Pick: Expositor

Last week I purchased a Nikon D90 and one of the first things I did was search for an app to assist me in my photography. Of the three I downloaded, Expositor was the quickest and easiest way to calculate the settings needed for a particular situation. It has a simple slide-rule interface so you can easily choose the ISO, F-stop, or shutter speed you want and visually see how it affects the other settings. You can also fine tune your exposure by increments of 1/3 stops. If you’re looking for an exposure calculator, I recommend giving Expositor a try. [$1.99 - iTunes link]

Matt’s Pick: TwitterBox

TwitterBox seems to be my second most used Twitter app at the moment. If you are one of those people that follows A TON of people, but still actually wants read you family, friends, news or other Twitter accounts? Then this might be an app to consider. TwitterBox allows you to sort the people (an searches) you are following into categories (known as Boxes in-app). It is a quick and and intuitive application that also includes all the standard features of Twitter. As a plus it also has Auto-updating. [$1.99 - iTunes link]

[Ed: You can also use it -- or any Twitter client -- to help Matt upgrade his iPhone 2G to an iPhone 3G S!]

Rene’s Pick: iPhone 3.0

Yeah, it’s not coming out until Wednesday, but like Jeremy’s pick above, it’s just too good to ignore. System-wide cut, copy, and paste, and Spotlight search are just the tip of the iceberg. (Just don’t enable shake-to-shuffle and then try dancing to your iPhone music — you won’t get through a song!)

For iPhone 2G and iPhone 3G owners, you’re pretty much getting a refreshing new iPhone experience — for free — again. Jailbreakers may want to hold off, but for everyone else — enjoy! [Free - Available via iTunes this Wednesday!]

Your Pick?

You’re part of team TiPb too, so what’s your pick? What app was your absolute fav last week? Let us — and everyone — know in the comments!

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

Real Racing, Lemonade Tycoon, Paper Toss, Expositor, TwitterBox — TiPb’s iPhone Picks of the Week!

Filed under: Accessories, Audio, iPhone

Is the iPhone the most dangerous cell phone ever?

Dr. Joseph Mercola thinks so. He's concerned about that great modern boogeyman, cell phone radiation. But lucky for you, he's got a solution he can sell you: the Blue Tube headset.

The Blue Tube headset looks to be a 2.5 mm plug hooked into a tiny speakerbox at the other end. That speaker box then emits sound up a long, hollow tube (similar to how a stethoscope works) and into an earpiece similar to those found on higher-end headphones from Shure and Etymotic.

What exactly makes an iPhone more "dangerous" than other cell phones? Well, Dr. Mercola helpfully points out that the iPhone emits radiation way more often than other cell phones, mostly because of what he calls "data waves."

Hookay. Let's be real for a second: cellular phones do emit low-level electromagnetic (EM) radiation. I used to work as a radiological health physics technician, so I know a fair bit about radiation (which is why I used to be in that field. Not anymore). Without getting too science-lecturey about it, let's just say there's two basic types of radiation:

1. The scary kind that can turn you into a sewer mutant and/or kill you. This is called ionizing radiation. It comes from nuclear weapons, nuclear reactors, nuclear waste, nuclear medicine (I'm sensing a pattern here), x-rays, and Cleveland.

2. The not-so scary kind that doesn't do much of anything to you at all. This is called non-ionizing radiation. Sources include power lines, your computer's display, cell phones, and the North Korean government's secret mind control rays.

It seems like every other week we get to hear about how the microwave radiation from cell phones is going to cook all of our brains like popcorn, and yet over decades of cell phone use by hundreds of millions of people, it hasn't happened yet. In fact, the U.S. National Cancer Institute has said, "Studies have not shown any consistent link between cellular telephone use and cancer." If anybody should know, I think it'd be those guys.

At any rate, it's kind of unnecessary to shell out close to $30 for the Blue Tube anyway, since the iPhone comes with a perfectly decent set of headphones already; and unlike the Blue Tube, they have a built-in microphone as well. If you're really as scared of iPhone-induced brain cancer as Dr. Mercola seems to think you should be, just use the free pack-in headphones instead.

Thanks to reader Chuck Cooper for sending this in!

The iPhone: most dangerous cell phone ever? (No.) originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sun, 14 Jun 2009 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The iPhone: most dangerous cell phone ever? (No.) originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sun, 14 Jun 2009 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Our friend Matt Miller over at sister-site NokiaExperts has just posted up his first impressions of the white Nokia N97. Like most premium handsets over the last few years, the N97 has been played up as another “iPhone killer” so we figured we’d better keep an eye on it at well.

What’s Matt’s take away? Good but not great if we’re reading it right, though Nokia is promising updates that might make it even better.

Head on over to NokiaExperts for the full rundown and video overview, and let us know what you think!

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

iPhone Competition: Nokia N97 First Impressions