Monday September 17, 2007
- iPhone in Europe: Additional Information - Eric - 16:08:52
While Apple will host tomorrow a special event in London entitled "Mum is not longer the word", one of our readers (thanks prague.m) reports that the website of the German newspaper FOCUS provides information about the launch of the iPhone in Germany where T-Mobile will be the official carrier.
The historical mobile phone carrier T-mobile should hold a conference on Wednesday, probably to unveil its offer in details after Apple would have indicated the names of European carriers to exclusively distribute the iPhone.
This article, quoting data collected from Financial Times Deutschland, provides additional information:
- the first European iPhone will not support 3G
- however a 3G iPhone could be released for Spring 2008.
- T-Mobile could distribute the iPhone not only in Germany but also in other countries where the company is a leading carrier, such as Austria! If this is true, it could imply that O2/Telefonica and Orange could also offer the iPhone is other countries than respectively UK and France?
- MacBook Pro Santa Rosa on the Apple refurb Store - Lionel - 10:41:44
For the first time, Apple offers MacBook Pro Santa Rosa on the Refurb Store:
- MBP 15" 2.2 GHz: 1599.98€ (save 299.02€)
- MBP 15" 2.4 GHz: 2099.98€ (save 299.02€)
- MBP 17" 2.4 GHz: 2299.00€ (save 400.00€)
When it becomes difficult to find a MBP 15", products from the Refurb Store might be the best way to be ready before going back to school.
Link to the Refurb Store
[translation by Linathael]
- New Firmware for the iPhone Soon - Lionel - 10:37:04
On Apple's webpage dedicated to record information for the US$100 iPhone Credit bon, Apple posted screen captures to illustrate how to locate information about iPhone serial number.
One can see on those captures that the iPhone sports a firmware version 1.1.1 while the current one is 1.0.2. The modem firmware is also a new one: 4.02.04_G.
So, we should expect a firmware update to be released soon for the iPhone, and one can already predict that it will most likely block SIM unlocking applications.
The new firmware brings also a preference tab entitled "International", and probably related to language options for the iPhone to be launched in UK, Germany and France, and later one in Asia and other countries (support for keyboard and dictionary for non-English language).
[translation by Linathael]
- iMac Aluminum: New ATI Drivers Do NOT Improve 3D Performance - Lionel - 10:35:42
With the release last week of new Mac drivers by ATI, we were expecting to see performance gain, as current results are significantly lower than what we could expect. As we reported last week, some 3D rendering are even slower with the new iMac 24" than the previous 24" model.
Over the week-end, our friend Barefeats tested the new drivers with on the new iMacs. Results are even worth than expected: overall 3D performance is 10% LOWER! However, the new drivers fix a bug identified in World of Warcraft while giving users the possibility to turn AAS on.
So, let's hope that Mac OS X 10.4.11 supposed to be released soon will finally bring optimized drivers for all GPUs installed in our Macs. Historically Apple's drivers for its GPUs have always been its Achilles’ heels, and it remains true today.
[translation by Linathael]
- How to Claim your US$100 Apple Store Credit Bon - Lionel - 10:34:08
Apple offers on its website, a dedicated page: https://supportform.apple.com/200709/main?id=qp allowing early purchaser of the iPhone to claim their US$100 Apple Store Credit Bon. All you need is the AT&T telephone number associated with the iPhone and its serial number.
So, if you unlocked your iPhone and now expect to claim your Apple Store Credit coupon, you might never get it. If you know someone with an AT&T mobile phone, you can always try to enter is telephone number, with no guarantee that it will ever work.
[translation by Linathael]
- SIM Unlocking Application: A New Comer - Lionel - 10:32:45
Source : http://iphone.fiveforty.net/wiki/index.php/Main_Page
The Dev Team iPhone released a new application to SIM unlock the iPhone, its name: anySIM. Once the iPhone switched on, you simply need to install this application in the iPhone's application folder, then to reboot it and launch anySIM.Couple of minutes later, the iPhone is ready to be used with all carriers.
[translation by Linathael]
- l'iPod Touch "à la iPhone" - Lionel - 10:32:15
Beside the mobile phone function, the iPod Touch is almost and iPhone. However, Apple decided to not allow installation of communication-dedicated application (via Wi-Fi). Does not matter, Hacktheipodtouch explains how to recover applications from the iPhone and to install them on the iPod Touch. If SIM unlocking is not illegal, recovering applications to install in another device where they are not "supposed" to be is not legal, so that's why this website provides explanation, without providing applications to be downloaded.
The iPod Touch has been recently reviewd by iLounge, and the conclusion is "so-so" (http://www.ilounge.com/index.php/ipod/review/apple-ipod-touch-8gb-16gb/P0).
[translation by Linathael]
- MacBook Pro 15'': No More in Stocks? - Lionel - 10:29:27
It becomes difficult to purchase a MacBook Pro 15", independently of the model, stocks are at the lowest level for resellers and distributors, and the Apple Store forecast a shipping date within 7 to 10 days.
This worldwide lack of MacBook Pro might be due to the "back to school" season, or to some additional problems with LCD panel quality control, but we did not hear about it. So, figures for notebook sales in next Financial Quarter report might be quite amazing for Apple.
[translation by Linathael]
