News for Monday, 15 October 2007

A new version of the application iNdependence is available in version 1.2.2. iNdependence is a Cocoa-based application for Mac OS X which provides an easy-to-use interface for modifying your iPhone: from jailbreak, activation, SSH installation to ringtone/wallpaper/application installation on your iPhone. It's open source under the GNU v2 license.
Additional information hereafter: http://code.google.com/p/independence
PS: It DOES NOT SIM unlock your iPhone

During the last T3 Gadget Awards, in association with Intel, Apple collected several Awards:
- The iPhone was nominated the most anticipated gadget of the year 2007.
- The iTunes Store received the best download service award
- The MacBook Pro received the best drop dead gorgeous award
- The iPod collected three awards: Top commuter gadget, The best music gadget and The best gadget of all time
The best gadget of the year was granted to the PlayStation3.
More information: T3awards

Aiming to surf on the buzz wave surrounding the iPhone, Greenpeace decided to target the new Apple product for its campaign to ban hazardous chemicals in consumer electronics.
If the article is interesting, and points to some problems, Greenpeace is unfair by arguing that the iPhone was the first model release by Apple after Steve Jobs' letter announcing a "Greener Apple". The MacBook Pro featuring LED-backlighting was this new greener product. The new iPods are manufactured with fewer components, making them easier to disassemble and recycle.
As we reported before, the presence of brominated flame retardants (BFRs) is not a problem by itself as it depends on the chemical being used (some begin banned in Europe, other being authorized). However, Greenpeace is right when spotting that phthalates were found in PVC plastic of headphones: such chemicals are toxic, and being present in plastic being on direct contact with your skin makes them dangerous for no reason. In addition, there are no needs to still use PVC in today's consumer electronics. Greenpeace was also right when claiming that the iPhone's battery being soldered to the handset it makes it difficult for disassembling, appropriate disposal and recycling.

With Al Gore sitting on Apple's Board, and Steve Jobs openly calling for a greener Apple, we should expect a quick answer from Cupertino.
Apple will have to address the following point:

Nokia and Sony Ericsson have a global take-back policy for their phones and accept responsibility for reuse and recycling of phones they manufacture. That saves resources and helps prevent old phones from adding to the mountain of e-waste that has been dumped in Asia.
Apple does not have a global free take-back policy so the eventual fate of the between four and 10 million iPhones expected to be sold in its first year is uncertain.

If Apple was among the first computer company to launch a take-back program for computers (being Pc or Macs), Cupertino did not make any announcement regarding iPods disposal yet.

For a couple of minute, the Dev Team iPhone released a pre-version of AnySim 1.1.1. This new version of the SIM unlocking application will work with the iPhone featuring the last 1.1.1 firmware, but also with unlocked iPhones loaded with previous firmware.
The final version should be released soon.

Several of our readers sent us reports confirming that the water-damage sensor is also installed in iPhone and all iPods, including the new nano and Classic models.

As a reminder, this sensor will change color (turning irreversibly to red) in case of contact with water. If one should not feel offended, Apple will have to be flexible enough to repair an iPod with a pink-colored sensor as it was used in a highly humid environment (any countries located in tropical or sub-tropical region).