Friday, February 15, 2008 -- 1:04 p.m. -- out and about

If you are surfing the Internets today, you'll likely see the first rumblings of 1.1.4.

When 1.1.3 was released, there were all sorts of rumors that said that the application packages within the software already contained all the necessary elements to run SDK-created programs from 3rd party developers.

Not sure how true that is ... And like everything else in life, I take today's 1.1.4 talk with a very tiny grain of salt -- tinier than most salt grains -- because if there's a company that is really working with Apple on an unreleased product and they are talking about and posting information on their Web site, well, that's dangerous. Apple won't like it.

Interesting that the site that people say mentioned it is offline today. It's a Web site called Tiny Code that apparently until now did some work with an installer.app for jailbroken phones. I'm sure there are other callers who can provide a little more information into this company.

Now keep in mind ... it makes A LOT of sense for Apple to utilize a company/person that has been jailbreaking iPhones. For all the railing I do about it as far as you and me jailbreaking, Apple needs this information -- if it doesn't already have it on its own -- to figure out how to make its SDK better than jailbreaking.

Think of it this way ... even if your phone isn't jailbroken, you've undoubtedly seen the power that's hidden inside your iPhone. You know what kinds of software you could be running. I've actually talked some of you back from the brink as you were ready to jailbreak to use an application that turns your iPhone into a piano.

So Apple uses this information. Believe me.

In fact, I'd bet the farm that I don't own that Steve Jobs carries a jailbroken phone that does amazing things.

But ... back to the topic at hand ... for a tiny company to talk about working with Apple on 1.1.4 is something no one wants to do. I'm sure if they are truly working with Apple that there has to be paperwork that one signs promising not to talk about it prerelease.

However, one could look at it from the other side ...

If Apple wants sites like Tiny Code and others that specialize in jailbreaking to be a part of the SDK, well then this is a great way to reach out to those sites ... think of it: People who look at this site all the time now told that the site is working with Apple? Depending on your viewpoint, Tiny Code is a hero or traitor.

Case in point ... when Gear Live got 1.1.3 and Apple never took the video down -- that indicates rather clearly that Apple wanted Gear Live to have 1.1.3 so jailbreakers could see the path Apple was taking to give the iPhone user more freedom. I don't know that it was leaked by Apple itself, but it very well could have been. Apple is an amazingly creative company.

What Apple should do is hire Erica Sadun, who blogs over at TUAW. She basically writes the applications herself. Someone like that on Apple's team, combined with the thousands of amazingly talented programmers out there and the SDK could be 1,000 more powerful than ever imagined.

So ... to recap ... 1.1.4 is coming at some point ... it may be 1.2 ... who knows what it's called. New software, like new hardware, is inevitable. I don't think we'll see 1.1.4 today or tomorrow -- we might see it or at the very least hear about it when the official SDK is released ... but for now ... do what I do ... read ... take it all in ... form your own conclusions and ideas ... and then post a comment.

Your comment could lead to an idea that becomes an entry. At the very least, your comment could be fodder for some great conversation here.

Thanks for calling.

Wednesday, January 2, 2008 -- 10:20 p.m. -- at my desk

According to MacScoop, the 1.1.3 software video that's going around features an incomplete version of 1.1.3 and the final one is likely to include the copy and paste functionality that's so sorely missing from our current iPhones.

I cannot think of a single thing that's needed more on the iPhone than copy/paste. Sure, there's plenty of functionality missing, but copy and paste is so simple and necessary for how most of us work that just the mention in the article is enough to make me let you know about it.

Here is a link to the full article.

Keep in mind, there are no guarantees but hopefully Steve Jobs goes onto that stage in 13 days and talks about the functions that people have asked him for the most. Of course, copy and paste will be No. 1 and MMS No.2.

It's going to be an exciting final days.

Thanks for calling.

Saturday, December 29, 2007 -- 3:58 p.m. -- out and about

It's just not possible to verify, but the 1.1.3 rumors could be true.

To recap, gearlive.com reports that it has tested out an iPhone running 1.1.3 and that it contains several new features including the long-awaited MyLocation feature from Google that basically adds faux GPS to Google Maps by pinpointing your location by your nearest cell phone tower.

Other rumored additions include customizable icons on the home page, SMS to multiple recipients and the ability to add icons to the homepage.

As I said, this can't be verified yet but something doesnt feel right about it. I can't put my finger on it (no pun intended).

If the icon creation is real, it could be a harbinger of what's to come when the software development kit is released in February. And, it could allow all of you to put a little icon of my face on your iPhone home screen.

Obviously, that's a key function :)

Whatever I hear about 1.1.3 or 1.2 or whatever it ends up being called, I will let you know.

Thanks for calling.

Saturday, December 29 -- 12:21 a.m. -- on my couch

I've seen some rumblings that a Web site got a peek at the "1.1.3 update."

While I see some useful things here, I don't think it's real.

Why? I don't understand who would have access to anyone running a 1.1.3 phone, unless it's someone from Apple and that makes no sense.

The "new" features included SMS to multiple people and customizable icons on the home page. But, it talks about an icon wiggling and that's how you drag it. You touch it until it wiggles and then move it.

Red flag goes up right there because I've seen the way Apple makes icons customizable on the iPod screen and it's much more elegant than that. But it's possible that it's real. I am not in a position to give a definitive answer.

Of course, I will keep on top of this and let you know the moment I hear something else. If the screenshots disappear from the Web and Apple's legal department is behind it, that's usually a strong indication that it's real.

So as Mike Brady told the boys -- Caveat Emptor ... it means let the buyer beware.

Thanks for calling.

Sunday, November 4, 2007 -- 12:31 a.m. -- in my living room

Engadget had a little something the other day about a mention on AT&T's site about iTunes Radio -- not talking about the kind in iTunes on your computer, but the kind that would presumably work on the iPhone.

It was listed in the opening paragraph on the AT&T page about why it's important to purchase an international data roaming plan because data can be very expensive outside the U.S.

Today, that sentence still exists but any reference to iTunes Radio is gone from AT&T's Web site.

Is it possible this was a mistake? Yes.

Is it possible this was an inadvertent mention on a brand new feature? I think that's more likely.

Back in July, a site called iPhoneology dug into the code that came with iPhone software 1.1.1 and found a mention of a mobile radio app. No one really thought much of it at the time, except for the fact that it was enticing to see it there. While that code is no guarantee of a hidden function, it's listed for a reason.

Then, there was this report from Billboard.com back in early October:

"Radio conglomerates CBS Radio, Clear Channel, Cumulus, Cox, Entercom and Great Media are all in the process of implementing the new iTunes tagging feature to their HD radio streams. The technology, unveiled early last month, allows HD radio listeners with the right HD radio to push a button to earmark that song and later buy it via iTunes. Not only does the HD radio need to have a button dedicated for the feature, but HD broadcasters must implement the tagging technology."

So ... if there's such a push to connect iTunes with HD radio, it makes sense that HD radio streaming is coming to the iPhone.

But Scott, you ask ... can my iPhone pick up HD radio?

It seems that way.

Your iPhone has the Infineon S-Gold2 chip inside and the datasheet for that chip specifically states it features “connectivity to Bluetooth, FM Radio, WLAN, A-GPS and other modules.”

I'm not one to buy into these things, but it seems very, very obvious. HD radio is a big deal. No, it's not satellite radio, but that's OK. I love listening to stations from anywhere and I think I'll soon be able to carry it around with me.

Note GPS is also listed. Apple filed a patent a while back that talked about GPS. But let's save that for another post.

It will be fascinating to see how battery life is impacted by streaming radio over Wi-Fi -- oh yeah, there's no way this kind of app would ever work via EDGE. It will be just like the iTunes Wi-Fi Store ... Wi-Fi or nothing.

All of this is the most solid evidence I've seen that a new icon is coming soon to an iPhone screen near you.

Is it coming this week? That I don't know. But is it OK to get at least a little excited? Yeah, I think it is.

Thanks for calling.