1.1 (Mar 7, 2008)

• All Components:
  • Ability to request a trial to try out the product for a few days for free.
  • Improved the installer.
  • Small fixes and tweaks on all the components.
• µCalendar:
  • Recurring events are now supported;
  • Ability to select default mode: events or calendar;
  • Ability to turn off mode switching by clicking, so you can only see events or calendar;
  • The events for up to the next 7 days are displayed now (but no more than 7 on the screen);
  • The events view is wider now;
  • Fixed a visual glitch with a light line on the bottom of the calendar;
  • Fixed a bug with the volume slider not functioning in the iPod control mode.
• FaceLift:
  • 5-icons Dock support for firmware 1.1.3 and newer;
  • Ability to turn enable Reflective Dock;
  • Ability to turn off Dock background;
  • Ability to make status bar opaque;
  • Dark faceplates for the icon titles (nice for light backgrounds).
• Privacy:
  • Ability to hide only the message text or both the sender and the text in the addition to the “standard” options.
• Reminder:
  • The phone is only waking up to make a notification to conserve the battery.
• Smart Dialer:
  • Ability to dial a number from the Smart Dialer (including the plus sign, and */# symbols);
  • Improved the search speed;
  • Ability to choose the keypad language;
  • Added an option to include the region code when searching for phone numbers;
  • Added an option to delay the search until the designated number of characters is entered;
  • Vibration is only done for 0.5 seconds per key press instead of the entire duration.

AT&T has launched a new “Unlimited” plan for individuals today.

It features:
Unlimited calling minutes (voice, mobile to mobile)
Unlimited data
Unlimited visual voicemail
200 SMS messages (unlimited?)

To find out more visit Apple website.

After Apples announcement of the iPhone SDK, SUN also unveiled their plans to release iPhone compatible version of Java VM, making it possible to run Java apps.

Java VM will be based on Java Micro Edition, which is a version of java designed for mobile phones, PDA’s and other portables. Even though Apple didn’t express any interest in enabling Java, but SUN said they will make it so themselves.

Java would be useful not only for small apps, or games, but also for enterprise applications.

“Once our JVM is on the phone, we anticipate that a large number of Java applications would run on the phone,” Klein said.

Chris Silva, research analyst said that bringing JVM to iPhone could increase devices security.

After SDK’s release SUN experts analyzed it and decided that there is nothing that would prevent Java working on the iPhone. According to Klein, Sun plans to release Java SE and JavaFX technologies.

“It’s a new platform for us. We might be able to bring additional technologies onto the iPhone and the iTouch,” Klein said.

Thanks: InfoWorld

PosiMotion has launched G-Fi, the world’s first wireless GPS accessory for the iPhone. It is scheduled for release later this summer.

Another interesting GPS solution is by Nav N Go. it will feature a GPS unit combined with “Nav N Go iGO 8″ satellite navigation software . If you are in Hanover, Germany by any chance, you can check its demonstration at CeBit. Thanks: Engadget

Our friends at Engadget have prepared a nice little table showing the differences between iPhone SDK, and development tools for other mobile devices like Windows Mobile, Android, Toolchain and S60.

What do you think about this?

Thanks: Engadget

In a shareholder meeting on Tuesday, Steve Jobs said that Adobe Flash will not be supported by iPhone anytime soon.

He said that the cause for that was Flash’s architectural limitation. This due to the fact that Flash was designed for PC, which has huge computing power. IPhone on the other hand has much less powerful CPU, memory, disk storage and battery.

So in order to develop a Flash plug-in for the iPhone, Adobe’s proprietary software would need to be recompiled and optimized for the ARM architecture, which would require huge input from Adobe. Basically it should be designed to use CPU much more wisely, saving as much power as possible, also using limited RAM and storage.

While we don’t have flash support here is something iPhone web developers should take into consideration:

“Don’t bring up JavaScript alerts that ask users to download Flash. Flash isn’t supported and neither are downloads.”
“Safari on iPhone does not support… Java applets, Flash, Plug-in installation”
Under the section “Unsupported Technologies,” Apple listed one technology: Flash.
“You’ll want to avoid using Flash and Java for iPhone content. You’ll also want to avoid encouraging users to download the latest Flash on their iPhone, because neither Flash nor downloads are supported by Safari on iPhone.”

Thanks: AppleInsider

Apple is very generous to us. Firstly they released iPhone SDK, showed some nice games and applications, and now they are willing to give 100 Million USD to us, well, at least the ones that know how to code. Yes that’s right. Apple has unveiled a $100 Million iFund initiative to invest in companies which develop applications for iPhone and iPod Touch.

100M investment initiative is being provided by Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers. They will fund the companies with market-changing ideas and products for the iPhone and iPod Touch.

“A revolutionary new platform is a rare and prized opportunity for entrepreneurs, and that’s exactly what Apple has created with iPhone and iPod touch,” said John Doerr, Partner at Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers. “We think several significant new companies will emerge as this new platform evolves, and the iFund will empower them to realize their full potential.”

The iFund will focus on areas including location based services, social networking, mCommerce, communication, and entertainment.

iFund will back innovators pursuing transformative, high-impact ideas with an eye towards building independent durable companies atop the iPhone / iPod touch platform.
KCPB will help not only money wise, but also give assistance with company building expertise, business development relationships and access to its network of entrepreneurs.

“Developers are already bursting with ideas for the iPhone and iPod touch, and now they have the chance to turn those ideas into great companies with the help of world-class venture capitalists,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “We can’t wait to start working with Kleiner Perkins and the companies they fund through this new initiative.”

If you believe you have what it takes, apply here.

Apple announced that iPhone will support Microsoft Exchange for corporate email. Making it even more viable for corporate use.

Phil Schiller, head of worldwide marketing of Apple, made the announcement at Apple’s headquarters.

“The iPhone can now work directly with the Exchange server,” Schiller said, adding that it would enable corporate e-mail, contacts and calendars.

This will definitely give it some grounds competing against Blackberry and other Smartphones.

Six Apart, the world’s leading blogging software and services company, today announced plans to continue its leadership in the mobile blogging space by developing a native TypePad mobile application for the iPhone with the soon to be released iPhone Software Developer’s Kit (SDK).

Further development on a native iPhone application continues Six Apart’s long tradition of supporting bloggers who blog on-the-go on any of the major mobile platforms. “Our users are already embracing mobile blogging and the advanced capabilities of smartphones,” said Stephane Delbecque, mobile product manager of Six Apart, Ltd. “Providing a mobile option for our customers has always been a priority and we will continue to develop applications as the mobile market and our customers’ needs grow.”

For more information about mobile blogging with the iPhone on TypePad, or to sign up for alerts about the development of the native iPhone application for TypePad visit http://www.typepad.com/mobile.