general Archives

Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2008 -- 2:12 p.m. -- at my desk

Just a heads up to let everyone know that I'm just trying to get out from under all the news associated with my "real" job here at the paper -- elections are a notoriously busy time in the print media.

Sadly, I haven't been able to update the blog while I've been catching up -- so I'm working on that and plan to do that either first thing tonight or tomorrow morning.

But ... I did get word of what looks to be a pretty cool look at the newest apps formatted specifically for your iPhone. You can find it here. I haven't got to put it through all of its paces yet, but from what I've seen, I'm quite impressed.

I suppose it's somewhat fortunate in this case that the iPhone news is slow so you aren't missing anything specific, but that's not the point ... so stay tuned and rest assured that I'm here and on top of things.

And if any big news does happen, well, don't worry -- I'll be on it.

Thanks for calling.

Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2008 -- 12:48 p.m. -- out and about

Just a heads up and a reminder about iPTIB's Twitter site.

I like to bring it up every once in a while and I got to thinking about it today because I posted a few things that I didn't post on the blog, including:

* 12:49 p.m.: PBS has an iPhone-optimized site for U.S. election results. If you are interested, it's at pbs.org/newshour/vote2008/mobile

And actually, I'm working on a way to post an alert to Twitter whenever I post something at the blog -- if I can get that to work correctly, I think that's another great reason to sign up.

Plus, at least to me, Twitter is absolutely addictive. And in a good way.

So please consider signing up and let me know if you have any questions or concerns.

Thanks for calling.

Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2008 -- 5 p.m. -- at my desk

Funny story about how I started thinking about this topic.

Lately, I've been in contact with people from high school via Facebook. And it's been so entertaining because people I never talked to are now like long lost friends. It's actually really nice.

Most people tell me how different I look ... back then, I had hair and it was red. Now, I barely have any and what I have left is brown.

But one of the people I recently friended judged me by my cover in 10th grade, denying my invitation to a dance because I was ugly. Like most things, I shrugged it off and never really thought about it again until the other day.

And then, while look at some apps in the App Store and seeing the reviews, I noticed a common theme -- "great app but only 4 stars because icon is bad." People paying for apps and reviewing the apps are reducing the grade based on the icon.

Yes, the icon that you see is important. I like my iPhone to look cool and I want the name of the app to fit in the space. But I've never not downloaded or kept an app because of an ugly icon. I've often wondered why a developer would go through so much to make a great app and then slack on the icon, but, well, that's a personal preference.

Case in point, I don't think I would know that this place down the street from me has great sandwiches if I was aware of what the joint looked like. It looks like a scary little shack that I probably would never have ventured into walking by but I'm glad I found it.

You just can't judge fairly by the physical. It just doesn't work and it never will.

That said, it doesn't mean companies shouldn't think about these things ... even Apple's simple approach doesn't work for me on all levels. The weather icon annoys me because of that darn 73 degrees. I have to assume that 73 and 9:42 and those other little details that Apple always shows has to do with the time and temp when the iPhone was developed. Steve hasn't said, but I don't know what else it could be.

But, Apple's remote app has a great and simple icon that I love. Yet, I hate its Texas Hold 'em icon.

Yes, it's all a matter of personal taste, but it's just something that I thought was fascinating. Even on Twitter, I see people describe an app as the one with the weird looking icon. It's obviously what we see first and for that reason it's worth at least giving a little extra thought to.

And as I hit publish on this, I know that my icon for my blog is probably the ugliest icon on my phone. Yep. It's me 70 pounds heavier and something I did quickly. Because of how our Web department works, getting it changed isn't as easy as I'd like it to be, but it's something I'd like to work on.

Anyhow, that's my take. I'd love to hear yours.

Thanks for calling.

Monday, Oct. 13, 2008 -- noon -- out and about

Wow. 25 years of the cell phone. It's hard to believe. We talk about the cell phone here as if it was invented in July 2007 with the first iPhone. Truth is, we don't realize how good we have it.

I can remember the first time I ever even touched a cell phone. It was in 1992 when a friend and I went on a tour of all the Civil War battlefields in the southern U.S. We rented a phone just in case we needed it. It costs an arm and a leg and it sat in a giant box on the back seat. There were wires everywhere. The antenna was as big as my arm.

Amazing ... today, we're talking about iPhones and touchscreens and HD video and all of the things that we can't imagine living without.

We never actually used that cell phone, although I can remember us picking it up and acting all weird with it because it was just such a novelty. I mean, it weighed like 10 pounds. It wasn't a phone so much as it was a computer up to our ear.

But it didn't matter ... there was still that amazing part that still resonates today and that's the ability to make a phone call without wires.

Sure, we've had cordless phones in our homes for years, but watch an old TV show and look at the old phones. People were once tethered to walls and that was life. Being able to walk around a city with a phone in our pockets is something that I know people from my past would be absolutely blown away by.

But that's life ... kids who were born into the Internet age don't know a life without computers. Many have never heard a record. Most have never played a cassette. And from here on in, most will download and use iPods and iPhones. That alone is amazing, but we can't lose sight of how much we have and how much better it stands to get.

Think about it. 25 years. Sure, it's a long time, but it's really not. I'm thinking about my 20 year high school reunion in 2 short years. I can remember the music I was listening to 25 years ago and some of it is in my iPhone. Where does the time go? 25 years from now -- in 2033, sure, we'll all be older, but the technology we're talking about today will be laughable.

It's true ... our iPhones will be the brick phones of tomorrow. I can't even begin to imagine what the trend will be that far down the road, but I'm sure the days of worrying about which connection to the Internet is fastest and sending photos via MMS will be a thing of the past. In fact, that will all likely happen sooner than 25 years down the road and that's fine.

I, personally, while I don't look forward to getting any older than I am now, really look forward to what's next in the evolution. I expect we'll have iPhones for a looooong time to come, but what they will look like and what they will be capable of are true unknowns. The answers will depend on technology and the ability to create.

And sooner, not later, our iPhones will continue to amaze us. From voice recognition to HD video to hundreds of GBs of storage - not just 16 -- to something like MMS to video -- it's all coming and it's all coming soon. I plan to be here to cover every bit of it.

Of course, if you are privy to the next big thing and want to share it with the class, please do. I always look forward to that.

Thanks for calling.

Monday, Oct. 13, 2008 -- 9 a.m. -- out and about

Today is the 25th anniversary of the first commercial cellular call in the U.S.

Yep. Using one of those brick phones -- no, not an iPhone with a software problem -- the first call was placed
to the grandson of Alexander Graham Bell in Germany from the president of Ameritech Mobile Communications at a ceremony held outside Soldier Field here in beautiful Chicago, IL.

Check out this amazing bit of info from the CTIA:

* At the end of 2007, one in six households (16 percent) was wireless-only. Even with a landline telephone in the home, 13 percent of households received all or almost all calls on their wireless phones last year.

* In the first six months of 2008, U.S. consumers talked on average a total of 187 billion minutes each month. That is more than 6 billion minutes each day, and amounts to nearly 13 hours (766 minutes) per customer each month.

* More than 384 billion text messages were reported by carriers this year between Jan. 1 – June 30, versus 295 billion voice calls. That is 22 billion more text messages than for all of 2007. Text messaging is doubling every year. (SCOTT'S REPLY: MMS too -- let's go Apple!!)

* The wireless industry saw almost 20 million new subscribers in just the last 12 month period (July 2007 – June 2008). There are 2,869 times more subscribers today than in January 1985.

More on my history with cell phones in a little while.

If you have a birthday wish for the cell phone, please leave it here. I will make sure it gets forwarded to the right place :-D

Thanks for calling.

Friday, October 10, 2008 -- 1 p.m. -- out and about

My parent publication, RedEye, is doing all kinds of amazing stuff with social media -- integrating Facebook, Twitter, blogs and more into its every day reporting and the print publication. Over there, we're asking questions on Twitter and printing the best answers when space allows.

It's a great way to get folks involved, which is something I've been trying to do for you all on iPTIB for a long time now.

So I thought I'd extend that even further and ask a question -- not every day, but when time and topic allows -- that I'll turn around and showcase here for everyone to see.

It's yet another way to incorporate Twitter into the blog. So I'll use this as yet another request that you sign up now and try it out. It's not only easy and a great way to keep up with the blog, it's also fun and free.

The great thing about Twitter polls is that you can answer in any way you want, as long as you do it in 140 characters or less -- that's all that Twitter allows. And when you reply, please start your response with @iptib because that tells me that you are answering the question.

Today's question is on everyone's mind, of course ... How is the economy affecting you when it comes to what you buy? Are you not purchasing apps or iTunes albums or new MacBooks? Because we have an international readership, I expect to get a variety of answers which I'm looking forward to.

Thanks for participating and thanks for calling.

Friday, October 10, 2008 -- 10:44 a.m. -- on my couch

Hi, callers. Forgive me if I didn't seem around the past day or two -- I was/am a little under the weather and am trying to get back to normal.

As I was searching through new app RSS feeds this morning, I got the idea to pose this question to all of you -- it's one that made me think: Do you even use mobile Safari anymore?

I'm not picking one over the other. Personally, I love a really good app, as they simplify things to a point where I have no need to click on 20 pages.

Case in point the wonderful app from Major League Baseball. Oh my, what a great app. It's one app that I'm already committed to buying next year, no matter what the cost is. Yes, it's done that well and you'll read on other sites that it's not fair because the app is useless at the end of the season and must be purchased again next season.

True on the repurchase, but not on anything else. I spent $4.99 on the app and although I know it will likely cost more next season, I've saved a bundle in not having to click and load on other Web sites to get the same information.

I think that when answering the original question that that's what it's all about. Are you using an app that pretty much just mirrors a Web site into its own icon and potentially paying for that app, or are you getting a functionality that goes a step or two or ten beyond what's possible in mobile Safari?

Oh, back to what made me laugh this morning. I haven't tried these, but there are two coffee-themed apps available this morning that help you find your nearest joe. Ask anyone and they will tell you that I'm a coffee junkie, so this should be welcome news.

Personally, I'm all for apps that add functionality to the iPhone. I appreciate the variety and I think you do as well. But if I'm wrong tell me.

So are you using mobile Safari or pretty much going the app route when possible -- and, are you looking forward to sites possibly going the all app route to avoid mobile Safari?

Or ... do you still love mobile Safari just as you've always have and consider apps and surfing to be to separate things?

Let me know. Could make for interesting discussion.

Thanks for calling.

Thursday, Oct. 2, 2008 -- 3:51 p.m. -- at my desk

Lately, I've noticed a trend -- an interesting trend. It seems as though app developers are really studying what's in the app store and thinking long and hard about how they are marketing their wares to end users.

Case in point ... have you seen this thing where the prices of apps are changing for one day only or for a limited time. From what I'm told, it's apparently as simple as pie to change the price of an app -- a click and you are pretty much done. So folks can take a game that's normally $9.99 and mark it down to 99 cents or $1.99 just to see how it sells at that price.

I like the fact that developers aren't just assuming that we're willing to pay a price for something because they think that's the fair price. I like the fact that we're getting a chance to try things out. As you know, there is no way to do a trial. But if something that's regularly priced at one level is dropped down to another level, it provides a similar function in that it allows folks to have a sample.

I like that and I think more developers can learn a lesson from that model.

Then there's the other side -- the expensive app that comes with a crazy amount of features and technology -- the kind that makes you pay the price and be happy that you did. BeejiveIM comes to mind. At $15.99, it's very high in price, but very rich in features. I have not yet downloaded it but I will this weekend. For me, it's a time thing, not a price thing. I like the fact that this developer realized that for $15.99, they had better offer something that no one else offers. It's something I always push here at the paper -- do things differently. Make them take notice. Give em something they'll want to come back for time and time again.

That's what I think of with this particular app. This developer realized that there's no push notification yet, so if the app has to be closed and can't run in the background, well, there should be a unique way to provide that functionality to users using what's available now. So they incorporate alerts via push email that will alert you even if you aren't in the program -- you stay logged into the company's servers for a time -- the length of which you choose. And when you aren't in the app, you can be alerted to any missed IMs. Granted, it's not the prettiest way to do it, but it's a way and it shows folks that there's thought that goes into the program. And with that kind of thought put into a 1.0 app, I am excited about going back and seeing what's next.

That's the kind of stuff I'm talking about. And as the app store grows and competition builds, developers will need to continue to come up with unique and intriguing ways to keep users hooked.

What do you think? I always love your comments. And if you have any other examples that fit what I'm talking about here, I would love to hear those as well.

Thanks for calling.

Thursday, Oct. 2, 2008 -- 3:48 p.m. -- at my desk

It's been a crazy week, so I just wanted you all to know that my replies to your comments are still coming ... I just haven't had time to think about them and I don't want to answer them just for the sake of answering them. Thought goes into every one, so I'm going to do that later and tomorrow.

Just like to give all my loyal readers a heads up.'

Thanks for calling.

Please remember to follow iPTIB and RedEye on Twitter.

Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2008 -- 9 a.m. -- on my couch

Recently, I asked you to send in a screenshot of the first screen on your iPhone. To me, you can learn a lot about a person by looking at their cell phone, including what's most important and how important based on simple placement of icons.

And you all really, really came through.

I got several since posting this and I'm still looking for more, so if you'd like to have a shot at having your homescreen showcased right here, please send it to me along with a brief explanation of what I'm looking at to iptib@mac.com

Today, we start with caller Andrew. What I found interesting right off the bat on his is that there's no iTunes icon or App Store icon right up front. He writes:

"I don't use my iPod as much as my SMS so swapped the two. Also, I constantly use AIM, Facebook, News, and checking Angels baseball scores. I am rarely on the app store and iTunes.

I just assumed everyone would have the App Store up front. Silly for me to assume that of course, but when you get used to seeing a certain screen for a long time, it's hard to imagine anyone else's being different -- but that's why this experiment was a good idea.

So thank you, Andrew. And thank you to everyone who sent in their screenshots. As we move ahead, I'll showcase others and even include a few from jailbroken phones. Those are always exciting to look at.

Thanks for calling.

Thursday, Sept. 25, 2008 -- 12:45 p.m. -- out and about

Recently, I had this thought that I really want to include more reader-inspired content here at iPTIB.

My thought-process is this ... you could get your iPhone news somewhere else, yet you choose to get it here ... and I think what makes this site special is the community. I always feel like if we all walked into a bar at the same time that we'd all know each other instinctively.

So that said, I thought I'd ask you to help me compile something that I think would be interesting.

Our iPhones have as many as 9 screens where we can put downloads. And depending on our habits, we might move those icons around ... but it seems that the front page and the dock are the most standard -- we don't change those nearly as often. And while we've all seen Apple's suggested icons for that front page, we obviously are lucky to be able to change those around -- I seriously thought when this whole app moving around thing started that we would not have the ability to edit the front page.

And that said ... I think it's safe to say that few front pages will look alike. Many will reflect our individual personalities and by sharing these front pages/home screens -- I think we'll all learn something new about the next person.

So here I attach what my front screen looks like.

Note that I have Twitter and Facebook at the very top line. This is huge! I keep Safari and the calendar up there too because they are probably the two most clicked upon icons.

In the next row, I have MyWeather and Bloomberg. While I am not a huge financial wizard, I do enjoy having that information at my fingertips and Bloomberg makes it elegant. And I'm just a fan of MyWeather's radar presentation - so if I need an umbrella before going from couch to desk, well, I can check it easily.

The next row is 75 percent standard. WriteRoom is my notepad replacement. It's a great piece of work.

And the bottom is the bottom. I keep the clock on the left because I'm left-handed and I do set a daily alarm.

My dock is standard, except SMS is in there instead of Safari. I like the badge icons all being in one place for the most part -- SMS, mail, phone. But, when badge icons become a part of Twitter once we get the push notification for those apps in the next software update, it will be tough to decide if I want to move stuff around. We'll see.

So that's my home screen/front page. That's me. Oh, in case you were wondering, Apple's weather app, stocks app and notepad app are at the bottom of Page 9, where they belong. They are completely unthoughtful and poorly executed. If Apple decides to upgrade them some day, I may reconsider, but for now, Page 9 is where they will stay.

Please take a few minutes to snap a shot of your front screen and send it to me at iptib@mac.com. Include a brief explanation of why your screen looks like it does -- it certainly doesn't have to be as long as what I just typed here -- and I'll post them as time allows.

Thanks. I look forward to seeing your entries and I'm sure others do as well.

Thanks for calling.

Starting now, I'm changing my openings to include a full summary of what the post will be about. I'm doing this in response to many e-mails I've received commenting/complaining about my truncated RSS feed.

Long story short, I'm working with the great folks on the technical side to help me assess the situation. Basically, I don't have the ability to push the button to change the feeds but I know someone who does and we're working on this now.

Folks have asked me to please include a summary so when they see the truncated feed, they can decide if they want to click ahead to the blog. Most of you are getting the date, time and my location first and the news second -- that works if you are using a regular browser online but for the always growing RSS contingent, it's just not flying.

So starting now, the posts will look just a little different, but it's only the order that's changing. I assure you.

And besides .. after 14 months, nothing wrong with an update. Let's call it IPTIB 1.1. And here's the best part ... it's an automatic install. No syncing and no rebooting!

Please continue to send me your concerns, complaints, praise, suggestions, etc. ... I read every single one no matter how it comes to me (e-mail, Twitter, Facebook, comments) and I'll reply back to all of you.

Thanks for calling.

Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2008 -- 3:02 p.m. -- at my desk

On the heels of the whole argument about what gets in and what doesn't come my favorite artists at Joy of Tech and their take.

Excellent work.

Thanks for calling.

Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2008 -- 9 a.m. -- on my couch

I've sent plenty of stuff to Steve Jobs ... we'll see if these folks have any luck.

Basically, there are about 3,000 people so far that do not like auto-correction on the iPhone and they are asking for it to be turned off.

Here's a link to the petition if you are interested in signing it.

So tell me ... what's your take on auto correction? Personally, I think Apple's is the best of any I've ever seen and I really, really like it.

Thanks for calling.

Monday, Sept. 15, 2008 -- 11:59 a.m. -- on my couch

**UPDATED 2:06 p.m. -- caller VR was kind enough to send along the link to the original commercial for comparison. It's here

And I thought I was the only one that thought the T-Mobile commercial where the brother and sister both have the same friends in their Fav 5 list was funny.

Apparently, SNL thought it was funny too ... and they did a little parody of it in this week's episode.

It's no Sarah Palin-Hilary Clinton skit, but it's probably the second funniest thing that happened on the show.

So here's a look. Let me know what you think. I'm guessing this is not going to work on the iPhone because it's Flash and not YouTube ... the SNL skits that briefly appeared on YouTube were quickly taken down for copyright reasons.

Thanks for calling.

P.S. Yes, it's embedded via hulu, which I have denounced in the past. It's no sub for iTunes, but it's starting to at least grow on me as a viable place to watch clips and stuff. I wish I had more respect for NBC and how they handled the whole iTunes thing, but I'm not going to count hulu out as a source of entertainment, callers.

Monday, Sept. 15, 2008 -- 11:37 a.m. -- on my couch

Caller Steve was kind enough to send in his battery usage information along with this screenshot.

Obviously, we are all going to get different stats depending on usage (push vs. fetch), location (Edge vs. 3G), etc. So I thought I'd post what caller Steve had to say and then invite you to do the exact same thing you see here. Send me a reasonably (but not necessarily) short blurb on your experience and take a screengrab of your usage screen (hold down middle button and top button quickly and release) and then e-mail all the goodness to skleinberg (at) tribune (dot com) and I'll post it.

Later, 4 Gig Greg from Tennessee wrote and shared his stats. This is great ... keep the screenshots coming. I'll post whatever I get.

That said, here's what callers Steve and Greg had to say followed by a bit of info from me.

Thank you, everyone, and thanks for calling.

From Steve: Hey Scott,

I just wanted to let you what I got for battery life on my first full
charge with 2.1 installed. I took my iPhone off the charger at about
12:00 Saturday morning and just plugged it in now at 9:30 PM Sunday
night. Now I think the Usage Stat is pretty amazing, granted a lot of
it is music playing through the AUX jack in my car. I think it was a
good mix of use though, some movie watching, phone calls, browsing,
texting, apps, and of course music. Mostly on Wifi and 3G, which was
a treat when I took a trip to Edmonton, Alberta... I don't have 3G
where I live.. :( So the rest of the usage is on Edge. I've always
got reasonable battery life, but after 2.1 it seems to be more then
respectable against the battery lives of "similar" 3G "smartphones".
Anyway, just thought I'd let you know what I experienced.
Steve.

From 4 Gig Greg: Here's mine with fresh charge as of Saturday morning. Wireless was on
all day today, and periodically thru the weekend. No push/fetch on, made and received calls, visiting son played some games. Not exactly heavy lifting, and somewhat lighter use than normal, but not much. I'm pleased so far.

SCOTT'S REPLY: Here's how I'm doing so far, although testing is still going on:

I get about 4-5 hours doing heavy lifting. The other day, I got 28 hours standby with push off and not too much heavy lifting as a contrast.

Yesterday, I was fully charged at about noon. I went to work and did a LOT of e-mailing, made 2 calls, listened to some music for about 20 minutes, checked my facebook and sent a bunch of texts. And I was at 30 percent or so when I left the office after midnight.

All in all, I think I do better when push is off, but I'd say that battery life is a little better -- just not the dream come true I wanted. But better? Absolutely.

Saturday, Sept. 13, 2008 -- 2:46 a.m. -- on my couch

If you've read these types of posts, you know that I'm a weather junkie. So watching local meteorologists on Houston's ABC affiliate KTRK covering the landfall of Hurricane Ike is one of those events you really have to see to believe.

This image shows the hurricane as it made landfall at Galveston, Texas, at 2:12 a.m. Central U.S. time. With 110 mph winds and 2 million people in the Houston area without power, it's really not looking good. I hope everyone stays safe.

The guy reporting now is in the eye of the storm, where skies are clear and temperatures are in the mid 80s. Not a lick of wind. In fact, the eye of a hurricane can be one of the most tranquil areas ... then, the eyewall hits -- that's the strongest area on the front and backside of a storm. So earlier, 100 mph winds whipped the same area that's now in the eye -- and the wind and rain and storm surge on the backside is even stronger than the front side. So in about 20-30 minutes, this guy that's enjoying calm wind will be right in the center of the 110 mph winds.

Just incredible.

If you want to track this storm, I'd recommend Weather Underground's phenomenal tropical weather site that's optimized for the iPhone. For tropical weather, nothing comes close. It's at i.wund.com.

Stay safe.

Thanks for calling.

Saturday, Sept. 13, 2008 -- 2:27 a.m. -- on my couch

First let me just assure you that I'll answer your comments as soon as I can. Between comments and e-mails, I have several hundreds of responses to go through and I'm losing the battle with some much-needed sleep.

But I couldn't go to bed without mentioning a few things that I hope you find helpful.

Genius
In a word, it's genius. I can't say that I agree with everything that iTunes suggests for a playlist based on the music I already have, but some of the stuff that I don't have that it recommends is pretty darn good. I see myself using this feature often and I see it only getting better as more people embrace it.

Syncing and backup
My first backup/sync in iTunes 8 took about 26 minutes. That's fantastic considering my last backup/sync in 2.0.2 was exactly 67 minutes. Subsequent backup and sync was about 53 seconds. Yeah, you can bet I'm loving this. As an aside, I updated 5 apps (not including Texas Hold' Em which took about 20 minutes) on the iPhone via 3G in a total of 4 minutes. Wow.

Vibration
After posting this on Twitter, I've got 12 replies back and 11 people said that they can clearly feel a difference in the vibration. And one person was kind enough to place a 2.1 iPhone and a 2.0.2 iPhone side by side -- both 3G -- and make them vibrate. He said the 2.1 iPhone was absolutely vibrating stronger than the 2.0.2 iPhone. I do think Apple did something with this that makes a difference. The sounds could still stand to be louder -- ringtones, etc. I don't think they got louder -- at least I can't detect it -- but I'll take what I can get.

So for now, I'll leave it at that ... and I ask you to please, please continue to send me your thoughts, questions, concerns, etc., etc., via the comments or e-mail. Just please understand that I'll get to it just as soon as I possible can.

Thanks for calling.

Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2008 -- 7 a.m. -- out and about

Have you heard of NewsCred? Here's how the site describes itself:

NewsCred brings you all the world's most credible news in one place. Think of NewsCred as a customizable digital newspaper, where you can easily filter and access your preferred news sources, whether it's mainstream media or news content from established blogs.

It is a great looking site and the way you can see everything in one place makes it so convenient.

But sadly, iPTIB isn't one of the blogs they feature. There's other tech blogs, but no iPTIB.

Ridiculous, right? Right. Well, that's where I'm hoping you'll take a minute and help me.

Could you send a quick e-mail to feedback@newscred.com and let them know why you think iPTIB should make the cut? The site says that it will take all suggestions into consideration and because it's new, it's willing to add sources. Some really big names are on there and it would be good for iPTIB to get in on the ground floor.

I appreciate the time and effort very much. I'm always looking for more and innovative ways to bring content to you and this would go a long way in doing that.

If you do send something, please leave a comment and let me know?

Thanks so much. Thanks for calling.

Monday, Sept. 8, 2008 -- 9:17 p.m. -- at my desk

The only thing I don't like about what I'm about to write here is that I didn't find it first.

Other than that, I love it and really want you to check it out.

Here's what you do:

1. Go to any place where you can type on the iPhone's keyboard (SMS, e-mail) -- only exception is the Safari address bar.

4. Now after you screw up and hit backspace and attempt to correct it, it will allow you type it in correctly. But, delete back to fire and then try to add fox. Can you do it?

I've heard that this doesn't work on the iPod touch, but I'm not sure I believe it. I know it works on my iPhone. I know it works on my colleague's iPhone. Or doesn't work as the case may be.

As the author of the blog where I found this puts it, he/she wonders if it's an easter egg ... I'm not sure what you call it, but I agree with the author's assessment that it's intentional on Apple's part.

And in a way, it's pretty darn comical. Apple isn't able to make 3G work correctly and give us proper battery life, but it has time to fool around with the auto correct.

To the blog's author: Fantastic find. And kudos for writing about it. I can't think of a reason why I would have stumbled across this, but I wish I had. To Apple: I quote my colleague Jim, who sits next to me when I say "well played."

Check this out and let me know your results in the comments.

Thanks for calling.

Monday, Sept. 8, 2008 -- 6:48 p.m. -- at my desk

Yes, you read that right ... on Tuesday, during the iPod announcement, I'll be updating the post while hosting a live chat that will be embedded within the post.

I'm using a service called Gabbly that lets me do this pretty easily and free ... you do need to sign up for an account, but the process is painless and I hope you'll do it to join me and the tens of thousands of iPTIBers from around the world.

Here's all you need to do to participate: NOTE: This chat feature, sadly, will not work on the iPhone because it's Flash based. Someday, hopefully, there will be a solution that takes into account everyone no matter what device they are checking in on.

AS SOON AS POSSIBLE:
1. Go to gabbly.com
2. Create an account name -- this is something I plan to use down the road, so no harm in signing up.
3. Uncheck the box that asks you to sign up for the mailing list -- don't do that.
4. Verify your account as instructed.
ON TUESDAY:
5. In the little chat window, click on the second icon from the left toward the bottom -- looks like a little door. That's for logging in.
6. Go ahead and log in.
7. Chat away!

Come about 11:30 or 11:45 Central Time on Tuesday, I'll open the post and you'll see the chat window. Then, just follow steps 5-7 if you have already signed up and all the steps if you haven't and you'll be all set up to chat with me and everyone live as the event unfolds.

Sure you could just refresh the page and do nothing more, but this way you can refresh and see the interactive updates. And even if you don't refresh, I'll be typing in the chat and updating.

And that is in addition to the updates you'll get via Twitter as well.

So there's no reason in the world for you not to join iPTIB for Tuesday's hopefully big announcement.

Please let me know if you have questions or concerns. I do hope to see you on Tuesday.

Thanks for calling.

Sunday, Sept. 7, 2008 -- 9:43 p.m. -- at my desk

Yes, you read that right ... on Tuesday, during the iPod announcement, I'll be updating the post while hosting a live chat that will be embedded within the post.

I'm using a service called Gabbly that lets me do this pretty easily and free ... you do need to sign up for an account, but the process is painless and I hope you'll do it to join me and the tens of thousands of iPTIBers from around the world.

Here's all you need to do to participate: NOTE: This chat feature, sadly, will not work on the iPhone because it's Flash based. Someday, hopefully, there will be a solution that takes into account everyone no matter what device they are checking in on.

AS SOON AS POSSIBLE:
1. Go to gabbly.com
2. Create an account name -- this is something I plan to use down the road, so no harm in signing up.
3. Uncheck the box that asks you to sign up for the mailing list -- don't do that.
4. Verify your account as instructed.
ON TUESDAY:
5. In the little chat window, click on the second icon from the left toward the bottom -- looks like a little door. That's for logging in.
6. Go ahead and log in.
7. Chat away!

Come about 11:30 or 11:45 Central Time on Tuesday, I'll open the post and you'll see the chat window. Then, just follow steps 5-7 if you have already signed up and all the steps if you haven't and you'll be all set up to chat with me and everyone live as the event unfolds.

Sure you could just refresh the page and do nothing more, but this way you can refresh and see the interactive updates. And even if you don't refresh, I'll be typing in the chat and updating.

And that is in addition to the updates you'll get via Twitter as well.

So there's no reason in the world for you not to join iPTIB for Tuesday's hopefully big announcement.

Please let me know if you have questions or concerns. I do hope to see you on Tuesday.

Thanks for calling.

Friday, Sept. 5, 2008 -- 12:43 p.m. -- at the desk across from mine

If you haven't been to Best Buy's iPhone page, you should go. It's still in a coming-soon state, but there's a whole bunch of useful information.

The key is what's at the end.

"Geek Squad Agents will be available to assist customers requesting e-mail setup or to answer questions."

And if you look at the ad insert, the following is very telling:

Phone and e-mail setup included when you buy the iPhone 3G and any featured accessory package. See Page 2 for details.

Well, here's the important details and one part of the above statement is incorrect ...

First off, anyone that sells an iPhone will have to make sure that you leave the store with your phone working. It's part of AT&T's Walk Out Working promise that Apple and AT&T developed to replace the at-home activation (first day server mess excluded).

Second, Apple and AT&T will help you with your e-mail without charging you ... it's created where it's easy to set up, but if you ask for it, they will help you and they won't charge you.

But at Best Buy, at least according to the ad, you'd have to buy an accessory package to qualify for Geek Squad help. There's 4 packages and they range in price from $106 to $234.

And of course, keep in mind that we're also talking about Best Buy ... Even if I knew nothing about iPhones, I wouldn't hand mine to a blue-shirted person if you paid me. No way, no how.

If you happen to purchase an iPhone at Best Buy and you are given any lip about having your phone activated without purchasing accessories, demand to see a manager. Tell them that AT&T and Apple require you to have a working iPhone when you leave the store and that you do not have to purchase accessories unless you really want to. Then, when you leave the store and you are up and working, call Apple and AT&T to complain.

What are your thoughts? Do you plan to purchase an iPhone at Best Buy? Would you?

Thanks for calling.

Friday, August 29, 2008 -- 11:44 a.m. -- on my couch

The truth is out there (cue X-Files theme) but Steve Jobs leaves it to us to find it.

What does this have to do with 2.0.2? Well, as you might have heard, it's a pretty important update, according to Apple and AT&T. Apparently, the more people who use 2.0.2, the better your iphone is likely to get when it comes to 3G signal strength.

First, Roughly Drafted magazine spoke to someone with knowledge and then I took some time to follow up with my sources to make sure that what I was reading and hoping to explain to you was actually correct.

And, for the most part, it is. And it's actually really interesting.

I'll explain it as simply as I can. There's a certain algorithm that handles all the under-the-hood stuff -- signal strength, routing calls, towers, etc., etc. Stuff that we don't need to worry ourselves with.

In 2.0 and 2.0.1, the algorithm is faulty. 2.0.2 improves the algorithm. But because we live in an environment where not everyone updates their iPhone software at the exact same time, we live in a world where 2.0 and 2.0.1 and 2.0.2 are mixed. And that's where the problem is.

The 2.0 and 2.0.1 phones are communicating with the same towers as the 2.0.2 phones. But in the case of 2.0 and 2.0.1 phones, the algorithm is asking for too much power from the towers, causing a bad experience for 2.0.2 users.

Long story short, if you lived in a town with 1,000 people and 500 iPhones and every single one of those 500 iPhones was using 2.0.2 -- not a single 2.0.1 or 2.0 -- you'd have (in theory) flawless 3G coverage. But add 1 or 2 or 10 stray 2.0 and 2.0.1 iPhones -- which are faulty -- and the satisfaction rating falls. Change that whole example to major metro areas like Chicago and New York and it makes perfect sense.

In the past day or two, while other sites have been reporting this, I've been doing some serious research wit some engineering sources that I have ... and I've been asking people in suburban locations that are supposed to have strong 3G signals to talk to me about how their iPhone usage has been. And it was fascinating to me that folks in very small towns were telling me how great 3G was and how fast it was and how they couldn't understand how I was having the problems I was having.

Well, I get it now ... in those more isolated areas outside the city, there are less iPhones and therefore less chances that non 2.0.2 iPhones are communicating with the towers. That means a more flawless 3G experience. According to this really unscientific testing, if I sent a busload of 2.0.1 users to that town and told them to all turn on 3G at the same time, the people who said 2.0.2 was great for them should instantly have trouble.

Well, I'm not going to do that to anyone, so relax. But you see the point ... and now you see why the photo accompanying this post is so important ... this is AT&T letting everyone know that 2.0.2 is the way to go because the more people that upgrade their software, the better the experience is for everyone else out there.

So I have one question for Apple and AT&T. Why in the world didn't you just say so?

Communication is what AT&T does ... it's what Apple does ... so why, Apple, didn't you release a statement saying that there's a problem with the way 2.0 and 2.0.1 communicates with the towers and that's why 2.0.2 is a vital update? Why did you just say bug fixes?

Honestly, Steve ... bug fixes is like the old story of the boy who cried wolf. When I see bug fixes, I usually say ... oh, bug fixes. Ehhh. Update whenever. Probably nothing. It took a ridiculous amount of work from this blogger and countless other sites out there to confirm why 2.0.2 was so important.

Can you explain why in an age where customer service is so important why that's my job? I'm happy to help my readers any time of day, but isn't that what you are supposed to do?

And my guess, AT&T, is that you can't say anything because Apple won't let you ... so your answer (and it's a good one, under the circumstances) is to release a text message that basically lets people know that 2.0.2 would be a good thing to have. So no blame to AT&T there ... I understand that you can only do what Apple lets you do. I'd even go so far as to say that it must be frustrating for AT&T to know that the problems that exist on the iPhone are not theirs and they can't do much to fix it other than send cryptic text messages.

Steve ... I try to give you and Apple the benefit of the doubt at every possible juncture. I have to explain to callers why I'm negative when I shouldn't always be negative. But looking at this situation, I don't understand your logic. You made a mistake in 2.0 and 2.0.1. 2.0.2 fixes it. Admit the mistake, tell your customers what happened, tell everyone that upgrading to 2.0.2 is the most important thing they could possibly do in their lives and let's move on to bigger and better things!!!

Geez.

Instead, I'm writing a book explaining it. Let me write the book later. For now, you've got thousands and thousands and thousands of people writing on Web sites like mine and forums like yours about how their iPhones don't work the way they are supposed to and you let them just sit there while this 2.0.2 information is out there. I'm sorry, but I just don't see the logic behind that no matter how hard I look at this.

So tell me, Steve et al ... iTunes 7.7.1. Well, I basically told the world not to upgrade to it. What did it do differently than 7.7 besides crash a lot of folks' iPhones? Oh yeah, bug fixes. So I'm guessing 7.7.1 has some hidden gem in it that makes me coffee in the morming? Or cooks me dinner? I guess if that's the case that I'm going to have to do some investigating, because obviously you aren't going to tell me about it.

Anyhow, it's another negative point that I'm forced to make. With the iPhone complaints at the level that they are, we deserve more than this, Steve Jobs.

OK. that said ... let's recap.

* 2.0 and 2.0.1 have problems.

* Steve Jobs needs to do a much, much better job at communicating.

Did I miss anything? Please let me know in the comments.

Thanks for calling. And remember .. it's Labor Day weekend here in the U.S. ... so I may be off doing stuff on Sunday when I'd normally be working. I'm around in case breaking news happens and I'll answer comments when I can.

Thursday, August 28, 2008 -- 8:01 p.m. -- at my desk

**UPDATE: I just noticed that if you go to Weather Underground's regular iPhone site at i.wund.com, you can still access all the tropical weather information along with oodles of U.S. severe weather information. This most recent update to this site is just really nicely done.**

Currently, even the weather apps that I use every day don't cover tropical weather. I'm sure they will at some point, but until they do, I need an alternative for my fix.

And considering there are people in places like New Orleans who are looking for more than a fix -- they are relying on it for their livelihoods -- now there's a great way to keep track.

The already great Weather Underground site is optimized for the iPhone at i.wund.com and now tropical weather is optimized at i.wund.com/tropical. You'll find tropical discussions, maps, tracking -- everything that you'd normally associate with tropical weather in one really convenient place.

I think what Weather Underground is doing is great, especially now. And I think the people creating and updating any weather app can learn from Weather Underground and remember that tropical weather coverage is a pretty important piece of the puzzle.

Let me know what you think of Weather Underground's work ... I'm a big fan.

Thanks for calling.

Wednesday, August 27, 2008 -- 10:51 a.m. -- on my couch

OK, here's something I know I would use every single minute of every single day -- ok, maybe not every minute, but very often.

With all the apps being added to the iTunes store every day -- 114 pages as of this write-up -- iTunes 8 needs a tabbed browser like in Safari.

I actually find myself hitting Apple+T in a vain attempt to open additional tabs so I can go back to my favorite apps or decide between several apps.

Many times, I come across one and then I jot down the name and end up finding another that I want to compare. But by that time, all I can do is type the name that I wrote down into the search field to bring it back up or hit the back page button 2 or 15 times.

And it's not just because of the app store ... I think that ever since the iTunes store in general became so big that it would be a great idea to offer this functionality. And besides, iTunes has looked the same for a long, long while now. Change is good.

Here's what else iTunes needs, while I'm thinking about it:

1. A direct link to my bank so I can pay bills and other things while I'm browsing for apps. I'm spending so much that I should probably just be able to handle all my finances in just one spot.

2. A Starbucks button: There's a way to buy Starbucks-related music in iTunes, but no way to get coffee. If I'm using the Wi-Fi at Starbucks, why can't I have a button that lets me order so I don't have to be distracted? Of course, that whole wireless ordering system is coming some day, but in the meantime, this would be nice.

3. App previews: I mentioned this before ... I seriously need a simple 15-30 second video that shows me the app in action. That would help me decide on what to download. While I'm always downloading and looking at stuff for blogging purposes, this would help me both professionally and personally.

What else do you think iTunes needs. If 8.0 is really coming out soon, it's time to start thinking about big things. The whole number upgrades usually mean significant changes. If I had more time right now I'd go back to the release notes and see what changed in each of the other big upgrades.

Guess what I'm saying is that I really want more than just different colored notes in the icon.

Thanks for calling.

Monday, August 25, 2008 -- 12:34 p.m. -- on my couch

Normally, I wouldn't blog about my new banner at the top of my blog, but I was blown away by all the nice folks that wrote to ask when they'd see a banner/logo that featured the updated iPhone/software.

So here you go ... RedEye recently redesigned its print publication, so to coincide with that we updated the Web banners.

I just need a new icon and I'll be all set. Since the photo in my icon was taken, I've lost about 65 pounds. So if you can stand my big fat head on your iPhones for just a little longer, I'll work on that next :-D

Thanks for calling.

Monday, August 25, 2008 -- 9 a.m. -- on my couch

How many times have you heard me say how much I love the Joy of Tech comics by Nitrozac and Snaggy? 500, 1,000? I'm not sure. I lost count, too. But here are two reasons for me to say it again.

Not only is the drawing awesome, but the topics are awesome too. Just awesome. And timely. It's like something happens and these guys can draw up something in a matter of minutes. I really wish I was that talented. I can type up a pretty good blog post, but I'd like to take it to the next level.

Anyhow, here's 2 recent ones that I really wanted to share. Figured it was a nice way to start off a hectic Monday. Although, according to the morning show on Virgin Radio UK, which I was just listening to on the iPhone's Tuner app before the stream went quiet, today is a bank holiday in the UK. Day off? Lucky!!!

Thanks for calling.

Monday, August 18, 2008 -- 12:03 p.m. -- on my couch

OMG! WWATS??

Exactly. Oh my gosh! What's with all this shorthand?

Anyone who texts uses it in some fashion, and some folks use it more and on a more advanced level than other people.

I'm putting together a longer post about the phenomenon and how creative people have become with the 160 character limit that's such an important part of our lives, and I'm wondering if you all have some favorite shorthand that you use or just like.

It doesn't have to be official shorthand ... perhaps you've created something ... or perhaps it's something you see all the time. I'd just like to compile a list and I figured asking an international audience certainly can't hurt.

I'm keeping this open until Friday Aug. 22 ... between now and then, can you just reply in the comments and send me your faves? I won't post them until next week when I have a chance to go through all the submissions.

Thanks in advance. And T4C!! (Thanks for calling).

Saturday, August 16, 2008 -- 1:05 a.m. -- on my couch

**Glad you all liked the Colbert segment. I was actually going for the fact that the iphone was in airplane mode when the call came in but you guys are more eagle-eyed than me. Screen blanking was another good one and the Sex and the City ringtone for his mom was a classic answer. Thanks to all of you that participated. Colbert loves his iPhone. I would love to see Steve Jobs as his guest ... Steve vs. Steve.**

Absolutely hilarious segment on Thursday's "The Colbert Report" about the iPhone kill switch.

Here's the YouTube link.

And ... let's see how eagle-eyed you are ... what's weird about the phone call that Stephen Colbert gets at the end?

Send in your answers and let's see who gets it right first.

Enjoy. Thanks for calling.

Wednesday, August 13, 2008 -- 1:21 a.m. -- at my desk

As Scooby Doo would say ... ruh, roh ... it's a mystery!

While tweetng on Twitter earlier, I was given a heads up about a Wi-Fi problem that seems to be impacting first generation iPhone users quite a bit.

And while I have not encountered the problem, it seems to either be severe dropouts or disconnects or the inability to connect at all.

And judging by the incredible number of threads in the Apple support forum, I wonder what's going on here ... many people are saying that as soon as their 1-year warranties are up is when they are noticing the problem. Not a good thing.

While I heard from one caller tonight who had a great story about an unrelated problem and getting a new first-gen iPhone from the Apple store when they decided the problem was hardware related, not every Apple store is going to replace out-of-warranty iPhones if the Wi-Fi cards are going bad or something worse is happening. I mean, they might, but it depends on how widespread the problem is.

Now I'll say this ... like anything else in life, you run the risk of not buying an extended warranty. When you don't buy that extended warranty on your vehicle and it conks out at 25,001 miles, well, that's unfortunate, but that's how it tends to happen.

That said ... there is no excuse whatsoever for an iPhone that we paid anywhere from $399 to $599 for conking out after just a year of normal use, warranty or no warranty. That's absolutely shoddy craftsmanship if it's a widespread problem and I hope it's not ... but again, judging by the discussion boards, I wonder if it's more widespread than we think.

Sure ... the support forums indicate a small number of people in general compared to the overall population, but it's as I said the other day when talking about MobileMe ... even small numbers make a big difference. I don't judge by the overall percentage ...i judge by the frequency of posts I see.

That said, here are some of the links for you to read for yourself what's happening:

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

Apple provides a support document, but it's pretty basic and doesn't seem to be helping the people affected.

I think this problem is software/firmware related and not hardware based. That's my gut. The common thread that folks seem to have in all of these links is the upgrade to 2.0 software.

I'd love to know if you are suffering from this problem. If you are, I'd love to know if you've found a way to fix it. I'd like to see how many people are affected. If you can provide the following information, it will be most helpful and appreciated:

*First generation or iPhone 3G
*When did you buy your iPhone
*When did the problem start

Thanks for calling.

Tuesday, August 12, 2008 -- 8 a.m. -- on my couch

**If you haven't, please take a moment to Digg this blog entry over at digg.com by clicking on the icon at the top of this story. The more Diggs, the more eyes the story gets and the more lively discussion we get. Thanks.**

Interesting thing happened yesterday when MobileMe mail went down: Not as many people cared as I thought would.

Sure, being without e-mail is annoying, but I had to wonder whether people were really upset about the lack of communication or the fact that MobileMe has been so incredibly unreliable.

I didn't just come to that conclusion ... it's based on something I saw on Twitter.

I found out about the MobileMe problem while in a staff meeting, away from my computer. So, I decided to tweet the alert to the 401 people that are following the blog.

And what I heard back was really telling.

"Oh, that's OK ... that's what Twitter is for."

"E-mail, schme-mail, Twitter gets the job done."

"MobileMe sucks, but luckily Twitter is up. For now."

It was a steady stream of folks basically saying that they don't rely on e-mail anymore for instant communication. They turn to Twitter for that. So while mali being down is annoying, especially because people pay $99 a year for MobileMe, no one was losing any sleep over it.

I would argue that just a year ago, mail going down would be a bigger deal. But in this day and age, e-mail is almost like the aging parent in the world of communication. Even IM in general is out of favor. Today,it's all about social networking and keeping in touch via Twitter and Facebook and MySpace than anything else.

And while that above paragraph isn't really breaking news, it's still telling that people remain so calm when they lose e-mail and instead turn to Twitter.

Of course, when Twitter goes down, which is actually much more often than MobileMe, well, people are just up in arms. And while some are likely turning back to e-mail, I still think that Twitter is a bigger force than many of us realize.

And while not everyone reading this is on Twitter, I'm amazed at the fact that I have 401 followers.

Consider this ... when MobileMe was down, G-Mail was also down. I heard more complaints about that, but I think that's because it's clear that there are many more G-Mail customers than MobileMe customers.

But tell me what you think ... are you one of those folks that can live just fine without e-mail? Or do you think Twitter is just one way of communicating but not your primary way? I'd love to hear from folks who have all different opinions.

I think this might be a very, very interesting topic for discussion, so let's discuss.

Thanks for calling.

Friday, Aug. 8, 2008 -- 12:44 p.m. -- on my couch

Not since Seinfeld has something about nothing been so intriguing.

I'm talking, of course, about the $999.99 app in the app store that did nothing but show a red ruby and some sort of mantra about good health and life if you purchased it. After the L.A. Times confirmed Thursday that 8 idiots people purchased the app, it was taken down for reasons unknown.

That got me thinking ... sure, you could release an app for $1.99 and hope millions upon millions of people download it. Or ... you could really come up with an app worthy of a $1,000 price tag and get rich quick.

So I'm starting a list that I hope will be interactive and fun. Please, Digg this story by clicking on the badge and let's get as many people adding to the list as possible. Send me a comment and I'll add it to the list.

Thanks for calling.

APPS WORTHY OF OUR $1,000:
1. iClone: Creates carbon copy of you suitable for work, while the real you reads iPTIB from the comfort of your home.

2. Coffee: You didn't know your iPhone could froth milk? Neither did I.

3. Miracle: Allows Cubs to win World Series -- curses be damned.

4. Bling: Now your iPhone is the hottest jewelry on the planet ... hey, if flavor flav can wear a giant clock around his neck, then sure this has some hope

5. itActuallyWorks: You push a button and your iPhone never crashes again. Pay $19.99 a month for reliable MobileMe access too.

6. From caller Josh: I'll let you know when I release my app: PasteMMSinBackground

7. From caller Sam: iHomeScreen- Allows the user to automaticaly be linked to the Home Screen, for an additional nominal fee ($99 / year) it can even turn the background color to black, black, or black.

Friday, August 8, 2008 -- 1 a.m. -- on my couch

You might have seen something new on iPTIB, where there are Digg badges accompanying all the posts.

The purpose of sending posts to Digg is to extend the topics to wider audiences than might otherwise check the blog.

While we have tens of thousands of daily readers, certain topics require even more attention. Case in point, yesterday's post asking Steve Jobs for help with the crashing problem ... I wanted to get that out to as many people as possible ... the more coverage, the more potential help we can get.

So, here's how it works. First off, if you don't have an account at Digg, you should ... it's fun and you can learn some interesting stuff both iPhone and non-iPhone related.

If you see something that already has a Digg count on the badge, that means that it's already submitted to Digg and just needs a click for a vote.

If you see the word "submit" under the badge, that means it's not sent to Digg yet.

Here's the best part: YOU get to control what goes to Digg and what doesn't. If you think something would be of interest to a bigger audience, Digg it. Start the ball rolling. Then, we'll leave it up to the rest of the blog visitors to Digg it and, if there are enough Diggs, the story will make it to Digg's front page and we'll get some big coverage.

Remember, the blog is all about you ... and it's all about interaction ... now, you can decide what topics you think should be broadcast and you can have a role in making that happen.

Let me know if you have questions, but in the mean time, Digg away and have fun.

Thanks for calling.

Thursday, August 7, 2008 -- 11:33 a.m. -- on my couch

I received a comment this morning from Bruno, who alerted me to a thread about 200 deep at Apple's discussion forums regarding a serious problem where the iPhone crashes and is stuck forever at the Apple logo. The only way to "fix" it is to put the iPhone into recovery mode, but the problem seems to return for many people.

So even though I've done it before, I feel I have to at least try again to reach out to our fearless leader Steve Jobs and ask him for some help.

The following is the text of an e-mail that I sent out 4 minutes ago.

Thanks for calling.

Dear Steve,
My name is Scott Kleinberg and I'm the editor of iPTIB, a popular iPhone blog with readers in 55 countries.

I won't get into the usual stuff that I say when I write you ... I'll get right to the point. There's a thread on the Apple discussion boards that's about 200 replies deep about a very serious problem that's been occurring with all iphones -- 3G and first gen -- since the 2.0 software was released where the phone doesn't finish rebooting and gets stuck at the Apple logo.

The ONLY way to fix this problem is to put the phone into recovery mode and hope that a viable backup exists that allows for a restore.

I'm working with someone right now who has been through multiple trips into recovery mode, and all he's done is sync. There's no jailbreaking ... nothing sinister here. For some people, they've been forced to reboot for whatever reason and were greeted with this increasingly major problem.

I have gone through the steps with at least 100 people on how to successfully put the iPhone into recovery mode. Many of those people have reported success, only to be writing me again or posting to this thread over at Apple support telling me that they are back in the same situation and are at a loss for words.

Steve, it might be application related. We just can't tell. But the overall theme in the thread is that all of these people write and write and seek some sort of help and get no reply whatsoever from Apple. I thought at one point that you wanted the support forums to be staffed by Apple employees who could help folks out of situations like this -- or at least keep the right people posted on what to do in situations like this.

It's bad, Steve ... As an iPhone blogger with a full-time job who spends a large part of his day troubleshooting and answering e-mails, I can tell you that this is absolutely NOT in any way isolated. There's 200 posts in this thread and it's one of many threads with people talking about the same thing. I attached this one because a reader sent it to me earlier today and I had the chance to look through it and assess the situation.

Steve, I'm the first one to complain about things and tell you what the iPhone needs. That's not the purpose of this e-mail. Truthfully, I'm writing on behalf of all of the people who have suffered through this problem and really just need some guidance as far as what to do now.

I'm e-mailing the text of this post to you now ... I know that you read your e-mail, and I also understand that you can't write everyone back. But I'm a firm believer in that you care about your customers and that if there's something you can do about this situation that you'll do it on our behalf.

Thank you in advance, Steve. Please write me back and allow me to give everyone here a little bit of good news regarding this problem.

Sincerely,
Scott Kleinberg
Editor
iPTIB (iPhone, Therefore I Blog)

Friday, Aug. 1, 2008 -- 12:17 p.m. -- on my couch

As I work from home at the couch office, I'm reminded of something that caller Boya asked me about the other day that I wanted to ask all of you.

He says that at his company, he can't access MobileMe because of the Internet browser requirements, and he points out that not everyone has the luxury of using Safari and Firefox in an office environment.

I have a Mac and a PC at my desk because of certain things that I do ... I have Safari and Firefox on the Mac and Safari, Firefox and Internet Explorer on my PC.

Caller Boya is saying that a corporate culture -- especially large companies -- with access to anything other than IE is rare. I tried to say that I think that's old school and that most companies are providing better access these days, but I wanted to ask you in general, as a worldwide audience -- what the situation is like at your company and whether or not it affects your ability to use MobileMe.

This is the information about PCs and MobileMe from Apple:

For your PC: Safari 3, Mozilla Firefox 2 or 3, or Microsoft Internet Explorer 7. Note: Internet Explorer 7 is not fully supported. Internet Explorer 7 has known compatibility issues with modern web standards that affect web 2.0 applications, such as MobileMe. You can use Internet Explorer 7, but you will not have access to all MobileMe features and will experience slower performance.

Now I'm sure many of you will be quick to point out that using MobileMe at work isn't nearly as important as the ability to have Microsoft Exchange set up on your iPhone. And you are right, but remember, companies don't usually allow access to personal devices on Exchange servers, although that trend has recently been changing as Dow Jones recently gave the OK. I'm sure other companies will as well.

So the overall question ... what's your MobileMe/Exchange situation at the office?

I'd love to know and so would caller Boya, I'm sure.

Thanks for calling.

Thursday, July 31, 2008 -- 3:16 p.m. -- Downtown Chicago

My apologies for not posting earlier. I had a doctor's appointment and some things to take care of. Plus, I wanted to respond to your comments.

Since last night, I have received nearly 40 emails telling of 7.7.1 iTunes crashes and in many cases, iPhone crashes on sync.

If all else fails, use recovery mode:

1. Turn off your iPhone if it isn't already.

2. Make sure iTunes is launched.

3. Hold the center button and while holding, plug your iPhone into your computer.

4. Keep holding until you get a message saying that iTunes has detected an iPhone in recovery mode.

5. Follow steps given to restore from backup.

Provided you have a good and recent backup, your iPhone should be repopulated with everything you had before. You'll need to sync photos and music again; what recovery basically does is reinstall the iphone OS.

Always attempt a restore first before recovery. Sometimes that's all you need. And even before that, simply try a hard reset where you hold down the center button and the sleep/wake switch until the iPhone reboots. Many problems can be solved at this level.

If recovery mode doesn't work, I'm afraid a call to Apple is your next step.

I hope this helps. Even though some of you have reported success, and that's great, I do not believe that iTunes 7.7.1 is ready for primetime.

I'm out of town this weekend but will keep up of course with any breaking news and let you know of any either via the blog or Twitter. So if you haven't signed up at www.twitter.com/iptib yet, you should.

Please keep me updated on how things are going with you, whether it has to do with 7.7.1 or anything else.

Thanks for calling.

Thursday, July 24, 2008 -- 11:52 a.m. -- on my couch

OK, I admit ... that lemonade thing sounded much better in my head.

Anyhow, I'm getting all your comments, but there's something up on the blog host side that's preventing me from responding to them and posting them. So they are here and I'm reading them and I'm trying to reply to them.

That said, here's a few highlights on what you are all talking about and asking about covered in a post. Feel free to continue to leave comments. As soon as things are working again, I'll get right back to replying as fast as I can.

And I'll keep you posted on the status throughout the day. Remember, if you need to reach me immediately, my contact info is on the right hand rail in the blog. Always love to hear from you. No matter what is on your mind.

Thanks for calling.

Live Mesh
A lot of you have written to tell me that my big idea is already claimed by Microsoft in the form of its Live Mesh product, which, when you look at it looks a lot like MobileMe in terms of what it says it can do.

I love my iPhone, but I'm truly not an Apple fan boy ... but at the same time, I'm used to a lifetime of Microsoft copying Apple on things. I don't think Microsoft can really create anything that's worthwhile for me to use. I use a PC and Mac at work -- side by side because of a program thing -- and truth be told, the most painful part of my day is using the PC.

And regarding Microsoft's miracle coffee table "Surface," I think it's a fine idea if the technology comes down in price and if Microsoft can guarantee that I won't be looking at a piece of glass in my living room with a big ol' error message on it 22 hours a day.

Favorite apps
Thanks for all your comments about your favorite apps. I love what you are all writing. I did want to say -- I should have said it earlier in the post -- that I plan to review more and that those 6 are only a sample of what I like. I also have Twinkle installed and use it every few hours. And I also love AOL radio to keep current with local news back in Pittsburgh.

Oh, and someone asked about the different between AOL radio (which is free) and Tuner (which is $5.99). Basically, AOL comes preprogrammed with stations and features local CBS radio stations in various cities. Tuner digs into the Internet radio stream and features all kinds of stuff from around the world and you can enter your own streams. Both do different things and together, both make radio on the iPhone fun. But if you'd rather stay free, you won't be sorry at all with AOL radio.

And ... if you have a list of apps that you really like -- I see some in the comments -- and you'd like me to post them, I'm happy to do that as a post and give you credit ... John's favorite apps, etc ... I think we all learn from other people's thoughts about apps. The 6 I like may not work for you.

Hulu
I know not everyone was here for my Hulu blasting several months back, so I'd like to recap. I like the choice of shows. I do not like the limitations associated with mobile devices and using the content on mobile devices and I don't like NBC's heavy handed business tactics that punished users who preferred the iPod and iTunes.

iPhone cases
I've heard a lot about other thin cases that people are finding, including a nice gel case from Incipio. If anyone else has some great recommendations for cases, please do send them my way and as soon as I can comment, I will. There's certainly no shortage that's for sure and I love the things new companies are trying. My suggestion to the manufacturers is to think small, but also think pocket for money or wrap around for headphones. Both very sought-after things among readers here and on other blogs as well.

Tuesday, July 22, 2008 -- 3:56 p.m. -- at my desk

Normally, unless they are those pretty, puffy fair-weather ones, clouds aren't so great. They're dreary and stormy.

But Apple's cloud is not only puffy and fair-weather, it's the beginning of the company's beautiful future.

All of the other sites and blogs out there are misreading Apple's cryptic announcement yesterday about a new product that will contain technology that others just can't match. The first thought was that it has to be a tablet. Or something touch-technology related.

But truth be told, that technology can be matched. Tablets have been out for years. Steve Jobs has said that he doesn't like tablets. Touch technology, while made popular on the iPhone, isn't limited to Apple. Apple does it best and will likely continue to do it best for a long time to come, but no, that's not it either.

And while the tablet may still be a part of the roadmap, along with revamped and reimagined iPods and computers, Apple's big technology that can't be matched and that is going to change the world is the cloud.

For those of you fashionably late to the party, the cloud isn't Apple's invention. A cloud is just a place where information is stored in a virtual sense and pushed via a wireless sync. It's the power behind the oft-complained about Mobile Me, which, when working correctly, is how your contacts, bookmarks and calendar items stay in constant sync between computer, iPhone and Web.

While Apple has had a lot of trouble getting the cloud and MobileMe to work perfectly, believe me when I say that Apple never intended the cloud to be just for calendar items and contacts. Apple is starting small with the cloud, seeing what works and what doesn't and then will take it to the next level.

You know how people say that Apple gadget fans tend to be beta testers when it comes to new products? How the first and even second iteration of iPhone is actually a test for something so much bigger in a year or less? Same exact thing with the cloud, callers. Same deal with MobileMe. The 1 percent or so who are having the dire problems now are the guinea pigs that are stuck in the giant wheel. The other 99 percent, while not complaining, are also beta testers.

For $99 a year, you are given the privilege of testing Apple's next big invention -- maybe you didn't realize that until you read this entry, maybe you did, but MobileMe is just a small part of what Apple has in store.

You saw with this version of the iPhone how Apple moved away with little fanfare from the dock, right? You can sync your iPhone, but you don't need a dock to do it. Actually, the only reason you NEED to sync your iPhone with a cable is to sync music, videos and podcasts. Apps are done over the air. And the other stuff I mentioned with MobileMe via the cloud is also over the air.

But -- and here's the great innovation that's going to change the world part -- the cloud, once past strict and repeated beta testing, is about to become the center of your computing universe.

Picture ALL of your music, ALL of your videos, ALL of your photos, ALL of your podcasts, ALL of your files, ALL of your apps, ALL of your contacts, ALL of your calendar items, ALL of your bookmarks, ALL of your mail -- everything you use a computer for today -- being stored in this cloud of unlimited storage.

That's the innovation.
That's what Apple is talking about
That's what coming

And whether it's all this year or in 5 years doesn't really matter. That's where we're headed.

So knowing that, think of a tablet in September similar to what I described in the last post ... a tablet that's a piece of glass with a slot-loading drive for CDs that comes with a stand that you set up at whatever Starbucks you are in. The cloud holds the info. So if the tablet has a less than stellar sized amount of memory -- picture the MacBook Air -- you can still get your software and whatever you need onto it. And, because the cloud is wired to everything else in perfect harmony, you can operate on your iPhone the same way you operate on the tablet, the same way you operate on your computer.

Think of MobileMe now as being MobileMe junior. The real MobileMe is yet to come. The real MobileMe is MobileYou plus the cloud.

That's how Apple thinks. It's about reading between the lines. No one said that the product that no one can match had to be a product you can actually touch, right?

Think about that.

And think about leaving me a comment ... I always want to know what you think.

Thanks for calling.

Please show your support for iPTIB's petition to Steve Jobs and help spread the word so we can have maximum reach. Click here and take a moment to Digg. Thank you.

Wednesday, July 16, 2008 -- 12:31 p.m. -- at my desk

I just got an e-mail from caller Eric that I wanted to post to the community and open up for discussion.

Actually, it's one of those thought-provoking questions that could really whip up quite the conversation in a hurry.

Scott,

Now that that "new iPhone smell" has worn off those shiny new phones people purchased on Friday, I've been wondering: What do iPhone 1st gen owners want in the next iPhone to make them upgrade if they didn't upgrade to 3G this time?

Eric

Thank you, Eric, for sending this along ... I also want to know.

Please feel free to leave a comment.

Thanks for calling.

Monday, July 14, 2008 -- 9 a.m. -- on my couch

You might remember last year I made a push for folks to change their e-mail signatures so instead of PHONE: XXX.XXX.XXXX, you had iPhone: XXX.XXX.XXXX.

I'm on the prowl again.

I always was proud of my end tagline that read "Sent from my iPhone."

Now it reads "Sent from my iPhone 3G."

It gives it one more level -- it says that I upgraded. And it just sounds good.

Anyone else change theirs? Will you? Do you care? Am I just being to weird about all this?

All comments are welcome.

Thanks for calling.

Thursday, July 10, 2008 -- 2:12 p.m. -- at my desk

I just wanted to clarify my stance and earlier post about updating to the 2.0 software.

I know a lot of you are excited to get your hands on the apps in the app store and actually put them on your iPhone. I am as well.

My advice not to upgrade until it's official in iTunes is me being cautious. I understand that some of you will have no trouble downloading the backdoor way and that some of you will therefore be using the apps on your iPhone before the rest of us. That's totally fine and if you choose to go that route, I not only hope that it goes flawlessly but that you'll let us all know how the experience was for you.

I guess the headline here is simple. Upgrading before an official Apple release is possible, obviously, but it's at your own risk. And as your trusty blogger, I feel it's my duty to let you know that -- even if I scare you a little bit. I would just absolutely hate for you to wait this long for this big day and brick your iPhone. An interupted download, a corrupt preference file -- anything could really detract from the experience you've been hoping for.

So just use your good judgement and do what's right for you.

And most importantly .. have fun. This is what we've been waiting for ... and now that it's here/almost here, it's really, really amazing.

Thanks for calling.

Thursday, July 10, 2008 -- 1:51 p.m. -- at my desk

Keep the comments flowing ... I'm a little slow on the response today for obvious reasons, but do send them and I will get to them as soon as I can.

If you have a comment that contains an important question, feel free to email me -- address in the rail to your right.

Thanks for calling.

Tuesday, July 8, 2008 -- 11:55 p.m. -- at my desk

Thank you, Joy of Tech, for being funny every time, and for doing things on the fly the way you do.

This comic is perfect after the earlier post about what's going on in Canada.

Enjoy.

Thanks for calling.

Tuesday, July 8, 2008 -- 1:25 p.m. -- at my desk

Now that we are about to have the iPhone available in 20-somewhat countries and eventually many more, I would like very much to put together an awesome photo gallery that shows the worldwide reach of this blog.

This morning, for example, I posted the entry about the prices in New Zealand and 2 hours later I received an e-mail from a caller in New Zealand.

More than 50 countries and counting here at iPTIB and besides the icons and cases we choose to put on our iPhones, the other thing that identifies the iPhone as unique to the area in which we live is the carrier name on the front page.

Because you can take a screenshot of your iPhone in the new 2.0 software (I believe you simply hit the top button and middle button at the same time quickly, but I need to check on that first) -- I'm hoping you can all send me your screenshots from the countries you reside in.

In the case of multiple entries from the same countries, I'll use the first one received.

My hope is to have a photo of every country the iPhone is in represented one way or another -- think of it as the license plate game for the 21st century.

Send your photos when you get your iPhone outfitted with 2.0 to iptib (at) mac (dot) com and I'll get the gallery created and linked to from there.

Thanks in advance!

And thanks for calling.

Tuesday, July 1, 2008 -- 12:38 a.m. -- on my couch

86,851

Wow. That number is just beautiful to look at.

That, callers, is the number of page views for June here at iPTIB ... the best month we've ever had by about 6,000 or so.

When I started this blog, I never imagined it would blossom into something so international, so informative, so friendly -- and most of all so frequented by the great bunch of people that you all are.

From the U.S., across Canada, the UK, France, Singapore, Ireland, Israel, the Netherlands, India, Spain, Brazil ... we're growing every day and I look forward to getting to know more of you as the iPhone continues its march around the globe.

And whether we're trying to figure out what the heck is wrong with Rogers or a good classical album, the point is that we have fun doing it. This site is all about you, my callers, so if there's any suggestions or anything, my door is always open.

Again, thanks for being a part of iPTIB and for helping me achieve numbers like this one.

Thanks for calling.

Thursday, June 26, 2008 -- 5:19 p.m. -- at my desk

OK, you've got to love those Joy of Tech comics. You just do.

I could so do these if I knew how to draw. I have the ideas, but I can't draw.

It's like singing ... I know I could write a song -- a country song, perhaps -- but I can't play guitar or piano.

So maybe the folks over at Joy of Tech need a creative mind with no artistic ability beyond funny faces, lines and stars.

If so, call me!

In the meantime, check out how the pros do it.

And here's a link to the rest of the Joy of Tech comics.

Thanks for calling.

Tuesday, June 24, 2008 -- 12:30 p.m. -- out and about

No, no it doesn't.

How many of you have been unfortunate enough to click and therefore spend precious part of your day reading a blog entry over at the L.A. Times about the iPhone's "fingernail problem."

Let me tell you something ... the iPhone's got it share of problems, all right ... but let me tell you what it doesn't have ... it doesn't have a fingernail problem.

Here's a select paragraph from the article:

Erica Watson-Currie of Newport Beach was frustrated that the improvements didn't solve the fingernail problem. She and other women who have long nails -- as well as people of all genders with chunky fingers -- have real trouble typing on the iPhone.

I'd say it's just me -- I have thin fingers -- but it's not. I have heard from countless women on iPTIB who have told me straight out that they have learned to deal with using a touchscreen and having fingernails.

We almost saw rioting in the streets when Steve Jobs whacked $200 off the price of the iPhone, but we've never seen organized marches by people with long fingernails, fat fingers, stubby fingers, pudgy fingers or any fingers.

Repeat after me ... the iPhone does not have a fingernail problem.

And this certainly isn't meant to pick on Erica per se, but Erica is missing a very key point ... to expect a company to change a winning formula to please someone with long fingernails is incredibly selfish in my opinion. Like the folks who say typing is impossible on a touchscreen keyboard for other reasons, it takes practice and patience.

And I actually know people with fat fingers who do just fine.

So what am I saying? I'm saying that the fingers aren't the problem.

Speaking of problems, the article has one big one ... while it's pretty flushed out in terms of alternates and even has industry/analyst comment, it's missing something that I would say is pretty much required before posting something like this and that's opposing comment from the long-fingernailed sect. Let's hear from someone with long fingernails who DOESN'T have a problem. Let's hear her solutions. Let's hear the other side. It's what makes journalism -- whether it's a Pulitzer Prize winning story or a blog entry -- fair.

Being based in L.A., I'll tell you where the author should have snooped -- Hollywood.

There are countless famous women in Hollywood with iPhones. Even the ones who think they are famous but really aren't have iPhones. Lindsay Lohan has an iPhone, for goodness sakes. Does she have long fingernails? I don't know. But my point is ... if Lindsay Lohan can figure out how to use an iPhone, surely anyone can, right?

And sure ... the iPhone is the gadget du jour, but don't long fingernails prevent folks from doing a lot of things?

-- Isn't it tough to put a key on a keychain when you have long fingernails and you have to pry apart that little piece of metal? I didn't hear any outcry against the keychain companies.

-- How does one play the piano effectively with long fingernails? Wouldn't it be a little clackety-clackety?

-- And don't even get me started on gloves!! Eventually, you are going to run out of room in there.

My point is what I said before: The iPhone doesn't have a fingernail problem.

I want women and men and children of all ages to enjoy their iPhone. I would never say that someone should buy a different phone, except I will say it to Erica Watson-Currie of Newport Beach. Erica, if you truly can't be happy with an iPhone because of your long nails, then I suggest any of the plethora of Stylus-based phones that are out there. I look at it this way ... if you care about your long fingernails sooooo much, you obviously care about said fingernails more than your iPhone. Because if you loved your iPhone more, you would have trimmed those puppies while you waited in line to purchase your phone last June.

Luckily for you, Erica, you can purchase a new phone and fingernail clippers at the same time on Amazon and qualify for free shipping.

What do you think? I'd love to hear from you, ladies and gentlemen of the iPTIB worldwide community.

Thanks for calling.

Wednesday, June 18, 2008 -- 11:30 a.m. -- on my couch

Hi, callers. I'm wondering how many of you are planning on standing in line on July 11 for the first day of iPhone 3G sales?

We still don't know if there will be a specific on-sale time or if it will just happen at the start of business that day -- it could be the latter, especially if everyone needs to activate in store. That could be a logistical nightmare to start at 6 p.m.

Anyway, I'll be monitoring that and let you know, but I was thinking we could organize an informal iPTIB meet-up. That could happen anyway, even if there's no organized line.

I'll be going to the North Michigan Avenue store at whatever time I need to on July 11. Let me know your plans.

And even if you aren't in Chicago, let us know your plans anyhow. I think there's a great interest in whether people will be part of the overall crowd on day 1 or if they will let things calm down a bit.

Thanks for calling.

Monday, June 2, 2008 -- 10:53 p.m. -- hotel, San Francisco

Greetings all. Just a quick post. No, I'm not here for WWDC, although I wish I could attend. Just didn't work out that way ... maybe next year.

Anyhow, I came down with a nasty cold to open the vacation, so I'm resting up and letting the meds do their magic. And I figured ... I'll do a quick post.

Big news today is the potential size of the next iPhone. Some say thicker, others say thinner. I can't imagine any future versions of the iPhone being thicker than what we have now, but its hard to say for sure. At least one model is going to be thinner; I'd say that's pretty much a lock.

What we all need to keep in mind, though is this: while the attention on June 9 will be a new model, it should also mark the announcement of the iTunes app store. That means that its an equally big day even if you have no plans to upgrade. I don't think we will see thousands of apps on day 1, but I think you can count on at least several games and potentially several offerings from google.

I for one will be purchasing a new model. But I will also be excited for any apps that are available between the time the new iPhone is announced and it actually ships.

In the meantime, I will be watching the news as much as possible this week ... And I will be approving comments as time permits. And if you hear anything of great interest, please leave me and everyone a comment.

Thanks for calling.

Friday, May 30, 2008 -- 12:35 p.m. -- on my couch

There are two times when I really like to push the blog's presence on Twitter -- one is just before a big Apple announcement and the other is when I go on vacation.

So you can look at this as a little of both.

If there's breaking news while I'm out of pocket, it's much, much easier for me to post it directly from my iPhone to Twitter than it is to log in, update the blog and let you all know there's an update.

So, if you haven't already, please go to this link and click follow to join me and the international iPTIB community on Twitter.

As of this minute, there are 251 of you following ... that's a great number, but we can do better. Twitter, for all of the crazy problems it has with service outages, is a great, great communications tool that I enjoy using.

And believe me ... if anything big happens while I'm gone, I'll tap into Twitter and keep you all covered.

So thanks for following and thanks for calling.

Monday, May 26, 2008 -- 3:36 p.m. -- at my desk

Sorry, no breaking news ... but something that may interest you.

Want to know what ringtones the celebs have on their phones? AT&T is all up in their bid-ness and has the scoop with its Ringtone A-List.

Keep in mind, this isn't compatible per se with the iPhone, but if you want to know what the hottest ringtones are according to the celebs, you can certainly get the songs via iTunes or another MP3 provider and put that song into Garageband and turn it into a ringtone.

For example, here's what's on Lauren Conrad's (of MTV's The Hills) phone:

Yael Naim, New Soul; Colbie Caillat, Bubbly; Britney Spears, Piece of me; OneRepublic, Stop and Stare and Sara Bareilles, Love Song

Oh no she didn't just forget Kanye West's Flashing Lights! Well, apparently she did, but that's ok, it's on Audrina Patridge's phone (also of The Hills).

Not sure how many of you measure a good ringtone based on celebrity input, but if you do, here's a great place to keep current on what's being downloaded.

Thanks for calling.

Monday, May 26, 2008 -- 11:26 a.m. -- on my couch

Although it is Memorial Day, I will be at the office today doing my regular job. If news breaks -- unlikely on a holiday, but if it does -- I'll be here to keep you covered.

In the meantime, however you choose to mark this day, please make it a safe and healthy one.

Thanks for calling.

Thursday, May 22, 2008 -- 9:22 p.m. -- at my desk

You know, if you read back through my posts, you'll find that I really haven't complained all that much about my iPhone. Sure, there are the missing features that I've railed about but nothing specific to my model of iPhone, short of the occasional echo.

Now, I actually have a feature that has stopped working -- pretty much completely from what I can tell -- and it's driving me crazy: The automatically ask to join Wi-Fi network feature.

You know, the one that is supposed to pop up the box that asks if I want to join a new network?

Now, most of the Wi-Fi I use is from trusted networks, so I'm not necessarily looking for a network. However, it's something that I certainly use while traveling.

I have not restored my iPhone, which is probably the advice that I would give to people if someone told me they were having the problem. And that doesn't mean that I won't. But I don't understand what's happened that would cause the feature to pretty much stop working.

I've looked online at some forums where this is mentioned --- someone said it's because of bluetooth and to turn that off and on and see what happens, but nothing happens.

I've rebooted and reset and re everything else, but nothing.

So ... that's where I'm at. I'm trying to figure it out.

In the grand scheme of all the things that could stop working, this isn't the most major -- and I'm going to be getting a new iPhone pretty soon, but that doesn't mean that it won't happen again.

Is there anyone else out there that has this same problem? If you did and were able to fix it, I'd love to know your secret.

Thanks for calling.

Thursday, May 22, 2008 -- 3:27 p.m. -- at my desk

This is what happens when you think out loud and have a blog ...

I just realized that if the iPhone after this one -- the third generation, if you will -- works on 3G, it will be the 3G 3G iPhone.

If the third generation iPhone works on 4G, which may or may not be called LTE, the 3G iPhone could be the 3G 4G iPhone.

That's a lot of Gs.

If I were Steve Jobs and could make the decision, I'd want to keep it simple and go with iPhone 2.0. Or iPhone 3.0.

There you have it. Random thoughts with Scott.

Thanks for calling.

Friday, May 16, 2008 -- 12:41 p.m. -- on my couch

Not sure what you all know about singer/songwriter John Mayer ... but he's been an Apple fan for a long, long time. I mean, the guy is pictured with Steve Jobs, after all.

But now word has it that John's new phone of choice is a BlackBerry Bold. Now granted, John's tour was sponsored by BlackBerry, but if you are a self-professed Apple guy, how are you not using and showing off your iPhone?

Do you really want us to believe that you carry around both devices? If so, then, well, you get back a few points, but geez, John, can't you wait a few more days like the rest of us for the 3G iPhone, which should knock that thing you are carrying out of the water?

So back to Jennifer Aniston ... there's all kinds of reports recently that John and Jen are a thing, and it's well known that Jen loves Macs. There have been pictures of her everywhere carrying around her MacBook Pro.

Personally, I think this is how it all went down:

John: Honey, we're doing it.
Jen: Riiiight. Not here, we're not.
John: Not that ... we're getting a BlackBerry Bold.
Jen: And ... Why ... why would we do that?
John: Beeeecause I like new stuff and my blog is getting stale. Is that so wrong?
Jen: Yeah. You know how I said in the song that I'll be there for you? Well, you're on your own.
John: But ... it's new .. and ... my ... blog ... so ... stale.
Jen: Hello? Mac chick here! Aaaand ... Smoothie time!

Bet you didn't know I was privy to John and Jennifer's conversations.

Anyhow, John, 3G iPhone coming soon. Hopefully you can trade up.

Same for you, Jen.

Thanks for calling.

Thursday, May 15, 2008 -- 11:27 a.m. -- on my couch

Not sure if you've heard of the Urban Dictionary, but basically, it's a slang dictionary. Webster's fans may be in for a shock.

My colleague and word wizard Tracy informed me this morning that today's Urban Dictionary word of the day is iPhone-a-friend, as in:

n. The act of using a regular cell phone to get information by calling someone who is sitting at a computer and can surf the internet by proxy. "We are hopelessly lost. I'll just use my iPhone-a-friend and my mom can get us directions from Google Maps."

I can honestly say that as someone who never missed an episode of Regis and "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" and seeing thousands of people use their phone-a-friend lifeline, I have never heard of or thought about iPhone-a-friend.

And think about it ... Regis needs to bring this show back. The phone-a-friend back then was sponsored by AT&T. Now we can have the iPhone-a-friend brought to you by iPTIB and AT&T.

Ooooh, Rege ... I got a proposition for you ...

So there's a new way to use the word iPhone, if you need another one.

Word, Tracy. Thanks for the heads-up. Speaking of a heads-up, here's one from me. if you like words, you'll love Tracy's Word on the Street blog here

Thanks for calling.

Monday, May 12, 2008 -- 2:53 p.m. -- at my desk

So there are some rumblings today on the entertainment wires that HBO is trying to work out something with Apple to bring its content to the iTunes store.

Not much is known, however, one thing that seems to be focused heavily on is the price of the offerings, with some saying it would almost certainly be higher than the $1.99 that we're used to paying for TV shows.

You know what? If it's done right, I don't have a problem paying a monthly fee for a premium cable channel that I can carry around with me. Growing up, we had HBO as part of the cable package and now we don't -- I mean, we could get premium cable, but I already pay an absolute arm and a leg for cable each month that there's no way in the world I'm giving my cable company one more penny.

So that said, if I could pay $5.99 or even $9.99 a month to download stuff from the iTunes store, or the ability to pay $4.99 and download a miniseries or entire series, I'd be all over that. I'm not sure that's really possible or feasible since an entire season of a regular show costs more than that, but perhaps there's some creative pricing that could be done here.

We'll see, but it's nice to see that there are expanded offerings in the works.

What do you think? HBO in iTunes interest you?

Thanks for calling.

Monday, May 12, 2008 -- 10 a.m. -- on my couch

I'm fast, sleek, smart, sophisticated and got some killer curves. And you want me. Bad.

Hey now. While I'm flattered, I'm married. I'm talking about the iPhone, of course.

I had a weird thought earlier ... Feel free to correct me if you think I'm completely out of my mind.

I believe that if Apple came out on Monday and said that a 3G iphone would be announced at WWDC and that it was available for preorder now sight unseen that Steve would sell thousands.

Yes. You read that right. I think that if Apple on Monday said you could preorder a 3G iphone ... he lists the features and the price. He might even describe it. But there's no picture ... people would jump at it sight unseen.

Now, I know. ... this would never happen in a million years. I'm only using this as an example to show just how ridiculously high I believe the demand is for this product. And each day that goes by, I believe that there has never been another product like it ... not the color TV, not the iPod, nothing has been more anticipated by anyone than the iPhone.

What's amazing is that while we all know how amazing Apple's products are, I don't think I would have seen myself writing what I just did a year ago ... I mean, how does a product reach such cult status that it's so wanted? By so many people?

Feel free to discuss in the comments. I'm very anxious to hear what you think.

Thanks for calling.

Wednesday, May 7, 2008 -- 10:04 p.m. -- at my desk

I haven't had many good things to say about NBC's hulu service, but this makes me feel a little better about it.

I'm hoping they don't pull an AT&T and turn off the Wi-Fi prematurely.

Gizmodo has the story here.

Thanks for calling.

Wednesday, May 7, 2008 -- 1:03 a.m. -- at my desk

On Tuesday, the Wall Street Journal reported that Sprint is near a deal with Clearwire, and that Sprint would merge its wireless broadband offerings with that company.

But here's the most amazing part of all of that, at least to me:

Clearwire uses the WiMax standard, which is fast. How fast? Well, current 3G wireless standards in the U.S. offer just one-eighth of the speed of WiMax.

Can we get the iPhone on Sprint? No seriously, Steve, I'm asking. Can we?

Thanks for calling.

Saturday, May 3, 2008 -- 10 a.m. -- on my couch

Hold on, Jimmy. Things are about to really start moving.

I was sitting here thinking about what we really haven't talked much about and that's 3G and its specific applications.

Let me explain. We know that the 3G iPhone is the next iPhone. No matter what it looks like, no matter what fixes we get (better volume, bluetooth, etc.) -- the power of 3G is the speed of the network.

No breaking news here, but we haven't really delved into the power of a faster network on the iPhone and how that could impact our everyday use.

For example ... We know that with 3G we'll be surfing and e-mailing and talking on our phones without interruption. A high-speed network can do that.

We also know that mobile video is a big part of 3G, it will just come down to how Apple implements it. Are we talking about AT&T's mobile video offerings or Apple's implementation of a much more powerful iChat?

Surely, we're talking about the ability to download much more in many more places -- tie the 3G launch with the Starbucks-AT&T tie and you're talking about high-speed mobile internet pretty much non-stop -- even in areas where the 3G network lacks. Does that mean we'll be downloading movies on the fly? Podcasts? I think both are quite possible at the very least.

And quite possibly, we could be talking about some other powerful applications -- we could be talking about remotely controlling programs, downloading files from .mac servers -- the sky is pretty much the limit.

Does a better camera mean we'll be able to create iPhoto books on the fly? Could there be a mobile version of Aperture combined with Front Row that lets us do more with the photos we take? Maybe a mobile iMovie that lets us share and send and receive video that we take right from our iPhones.

Apple has a lot of engineers and programmers working on its mobile offerings. I don't think they are only tweaking what already exists -- I think they are working hard on new and amazing ideas that are going to blow us away.

Think about it ... there are phones that have more capabilities now. 3G has been out for a while. Apple is a leader, but they are hardly alone. Apple doesn't like crowds. Apple is the loner who wants to make a splash and have others live in awe. Apple always wants to make an entrance.

That means that Steve Jobs is not going to get up on the stage and release just the 3G iphone. He's going to release THE 3G iPhone and he's going to release a product that forces every competitor to scramble like its never scrambled before. I believe that very strongly.

So you are going to have to wait -- just like me -- to see what Steve gives us. But when the day comes? It's going to be a pretty good day.

So buckle up ... things are going to start moving really fast around here. Goodbye 55 mph, hello no limits.

And we'll have so much to talk about ... we have plenty to talk about now.

The comments are open 24 hours a day.

Thanks for calling.

Friday, May 2, 2008 - 11:36 a.m. -- at my desk (temporarily)

I came across something great this morning.

NateMac on Flickr posted photos of a Chicago Tribune -- my parent paper -- from 1984 that talks about cell phones in their early days and how they really aren't going to last and do well.

It's cool because it's photos of the actual pieces of the newspaper as opposed to just the text. So it looks cool. You go through it like a slideshow to read it, so it's not as practical as it is fun.

Anyhow, apparently cell phones aren't going to do all that well.

Shame, too.

Check it out at Flickr here.

Thanks for calling.

Friday, May 2, 2008 -- 10 a.m. -- out and about

It's out of stock, but check out this great looking iPhone dock. It's raised and made out of aluminum.

According to the site:

The "thinCRADLE" is available in 2 colors: Bead Blasted Natural Aluminum and Anodized Classic Black. Both feature soft pained surfaces insuring scratch-free use.

Intelligent side ported design and voice chamber to help amplify audio and reduce echoing. Also features line level audio out for a cleaner, more natural sound.

Let me know what you think.

Thanks for calling.

Thursday, May 1, 2008 -- 9:18 p.m. -- at my desk

Caller Chris from the Netherlands called and told me to check out this incredible iPhone mod.

I can honestly say I have never seen anything like this. On one hand I'm shocked that someone would even take such a risk, but on the other hand, the idea is pretty cool.

Judge for yourself here ... it's a translated page, but there are lots of photos.

Let me know what you think ... and thanks so much Chris for calling.

Wednesday, April 30, 2008 -- 11:42 a.m. -- on my couch

Part of my ritual every day is to look around the Internets to see what people are reporting about the iPhone. I read a lot of things that I've known, a lot of things that I'd never publish without getting confirmation from Apple and a lot of things that make me want to spit milk from my news they make me laugh so hard.

But inevitably, like clockwork, the iPhone well of information starts to dry up in cycles. Basically, people have said all they can said, speculated all they can speculate. Sometimes, it's almost a relief to not have anything new to report ... it gives time to just sit back and process all the information that's out there.

To me, and hopefully to you, the speculation is part of the fun.

I liken it to a great movie or TV show. You know it's coming. You read the reviews. You watch every extended trailer you can find. You set the DVR. You tell your kids not to make any plans or have any science fairs because there's no way you are leaving the house. We've all done it.

Hopefully when you finally get to see the show that you are happy you did. You hope it lives up to the incredible hype and buzz surrounding it. Sometimes it does, other times not so much.

The iPhone is just like that ... as is Apple. And someone out there is always trying to tell you a plot line or an ending that just isn't true. In the end, unless someone has seen the show ahead of time, no one really knows what's going to happen.

Welcome to my world. To our world. The iPhone is just that way. I would love to meet the people who truly have the inside information that some folks speak of. With the exception of a Far East supply company that might be making the pieces of the new iPhones, most of these people really don't have this incredible access to iPhone secrets. Most of the people with this information are a floor below Steve Jobs and trust me, they aren't talking.

Actually, I believe people speculate as though it's fact because they convince themselves they are an authority ... I think they wish that they were these super iPhone-in-the-know people that they just go with it and write as if they have the knowledge. Not too different than pretending to be someone else online and going with the flow so well that they almost start to convince themselves they are someone else.

I'm not being negative in any way ... I'm just trying to put it in perspective.

So in conclusion, let's speculate. Let's research. Let's discuss. But above all, let's have fun. While we all want to know exact measurements and costs and figures about the new iPhone, I think we all can agree that a big part of the excitement is that announcement and that little bit of shock and awe and dare I say that litle bit of disappointment. It's all part of the game.

What do you think? What's your take on the speculation game?

Thanks for calling.

Friday, April 25, 2008 -- 2:18 p.m. -- at my desk

I always talk about how I use Twitter to interact with callers and why you should consider signing up if you haven't (see the right rail).

Today, caller Jason alerted me to a great story on CNN about a California student who Twittered his way out of an Egyptian jail.

Really interesting reading here, not only about the actual getting out of jail, but what Twitter does and is capable of.

Let me know your thoughts. I'm always curious.

Thanks for calling.

Thursday, April 24, 2008 -- 6:09 p.m. -- at my desk

I was thinking earlier about e-mail. I mean, who doesn't, right?

You may or may not have heard the news today that proud owners of Helio's Ocean, Fin or Mysto can now enjoy push Gmail.

That's fantastic. And who knows ... maybe that push gmail will come to the iPhone. But if Google can offer push Gmail, why can't Apple offer push .mac mail?

I don't know the technical limitations behind it. I don't know that just because one device can offer push Gmail that it automatically makes it possible on other devices and other platforms. But heck, if Yahoo -- even though it doesn't work well -- can have push e-mail and now Gmail, is it too much to ask on my end to get some push love from Apple?

Ooooh, now it gets better ... not only is it for Gmail, it's apparently compatible with any POP or IMAP e-mail account. If that's the case, that's really awesome.

So maybe there's someone out there who knows that answer -- someone besides Steve of course.

In the meantime, I'll be waiting for a little push.

Thanks for calling.

Wednesday, April 23, 2008 -- 11:16 p.m. -- at my desk

I was having a conversation with a caller the other day about what Apple will say and won't say when it comes to products and announcements.

I tried to make it clear that Apple doesn't give hints. Not ever. No comments about things that aren't announced.

I'm not sure the caller really believed me, but I wanted to post this not to prove the point, but because I actually got a taste of my own medicine today.

I wrote iTunes support to ask about an album that was available for pre-order on Amazon but not on iTunes. I prefer to buy on iTunes, so rather than just buy on Amazon, I wrote and asked if the album would be coming to iTunes.

This will make you laugh.

Here's the reply I received:

Apple does not comment on rumors about decisions, products, programs, or promotions that Apple has not officially announced.

By withholding comment, Apple hopes to protect customers from making decisions based on information that is incomplete, inaccurate, or subject to change before the formal announcement. Apple believes this is the best way to ensure that all customers are treated fairly.

I hope you find this information helpful. Thank you for your understanding in this matter.

Yeah, no ... I didn't find the information helpful. To be completely honest, I found the information ridiculous, but that's not why I posted it. I wanted to show that if Apple won't tell me if an album is coming to iTunes, it's certainly not going to drop any hints about the 3G iPhone. And for what it's worth, it's not even a super-popular singer!

Anyhow, I thought that would be an enjoyable way to reiterate my point.

Let me know if you have questions or comments. I'm happy to speculate and comment about anything you want :-D

Thanks for calling.

Wednesday, April 23, 2008 -- 9:55 p.m. -- at my desk

There's a great article over at Mac | Life that talks about how the FCC process works when it comes to new phones and what it might mean for the 3G iPhone.

Highly recommended reading here.

Thanks for calling.

Tuesday, April 22, 2008 -- 11:26 a.m. -- on my couch

**UPDATE (4/22 12:33 p.m.) My AT&T sources tell me that EDGE is functioning correctly nationwide, so if you are having a problem, my first suggestion is to reboot your iPhone and see if you can re-establish communication with the nearest tower. And if you continue to have trouble, please leave me a comment and I'll pass it along to AT&T for further investigation.**

I was just informed on Twitter that there have been some EDGE problems around the U.S. today -- iPhone and non-iPhone.

I am not having any trouble at this time. I've sent a note along to my contact at AT&T, but she is traveling. I'm asking the person filling in for her for any details he might have.

In the meantime, if you are having trouble, please post a comment with the following info:

When did the problem start

Your city and state

Are you a prepaid (Go) customer or monthly billed customer

Is EDGE currently down as you type.

Thanks for your help and thanks for calling.

Tuesday, April 22, 2008 -- 8 a.m. -- on my couch

OMG! Going to the polls to vote for president is like so 2004.

According to a survey from Samsung Mobile, lots of people would rather text their vote for president than go to the polls. The survey included 300 American teens ages 13-19 and 500 American parents with children ages 13-19.

Text 1 for David Archuleta, 2 for Brooke White, 3 for Barack Obama ... can you imagine the convenience of voting for the American Idol winner and the next president all from the same device?

61 percent can ... that's how many of legal voting age would be open to voting via text.

80 percent of teens ages 13-17 said they would vote via text if they were allowed to vote. LOL.

More than 50 percent of all Democrats, Republicans and Independents surveyed say that if allowed, they’d text in their presidential vote.

I was not surveyed, but I would vote via my iPhone in a heartbeat. Let's see ... where's my choice ... Ahhhh, here he is ... Steve Jobs.

Would you text in your presidential vote?

Thanks for calling.

Thursday, April 17, 2008 -- 11:26 a.m. -- on my couch

Caller Marci sent this to me yesterday and it was on my list of things to post, but I got so swamped that it just fell off my radar.

Anyhow, if you don't read Joy of Tech every day, you should. It's truly one of the best comics out there -- and it's tech related!

Yesterday was all about the 3G iPhone.

You can see it here. Sometimes the link changes, so if it does, just click on previous day and you'll get to it.

Oh, and by the way, I agree!!

Thanks for calling.

Tuesday, April 15, 2008 -- 11:40 p.m. -- at my desk

**UPDATE: Please see the comments for a clarification from Good Housekeeping. There's a difference between what they did and the famous seal. **

-------------------------

The following is the reason why we never base gadget purchases on the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval.

Testers at its research institute said they had trouble using the iPhone's keyboard (awwwww) and that they had a hard time using it compared to phones that feature a physical keyboard.

They supposedly evaluated 11 phones for ease of text messaging, text delivery, battery life, ease of placing calls and sound/voice.

So what did they end up awarding top honors to? The LG Voyager for its external screen and buttons. And of course, its keyboard, which is not a touch keyboard.

As I said in the title, crap.

As you may or may not know, I loathe the Voyager because to me it's a knock-off and misrepresents what a touchscreen phone is supposed to be and do. It doesn't work like an iPhone and Verizon tries to pass it off as such and to me that's very dishonest.

So there you go ... if the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval enters into your decision when purchasing a phone, you shouldn't buy an iPhone.

Sigh.

Thanks for calling.

Monday, April 14, 2008 -- 11:29 a.m. -- on my couch

Did someone just hit the pause button?

Yep. Now ... we wait.

We'll always have speculation and the trickles of 3G iPhone news that come out of the proverbial faucet.

And there will be non 3G news that affects all of us, I'm sure.

But for now, when it comes to the next iPhone, we wait.

You might remember "the wait" from the first iPhone ... when it was announced in January and placed under glass and not released until June 29. Of course, people started lining up in April, so there was a bigger news story there.

But I digress. Now I must unfortunately inform you that it's time for the wait ... when nothing seemingly is happening and we're ready to pull our hair out in frustration. When we hope and pray for a single rumor that gets us stoked enough to let out a big ol' sigh and smile.

Yes, folks ... the wait isn't easy.

You might know the wait from other life situations:

Auto mechanic
(booming voice) Heyyyyy Frankie ... how long on that Mustang back there? (other booming voice) I dunno. (first booming voice) He doesn't know. Have a seat. We'll call you.

3 hours later, you are still waiting for your car and you've already read the 16-month-old copy of Car and Driver that's sitting on the table enough times to recite the main article by heart. And the reality talk show that's on the TV grates at you because there's never a remote control and usually 5 people who all pretend they are watching and enjoying it.

Rain delay at the ballgame
You think this rain is ever going to let up? In the words of Jerry Seinfeld from the other night ... YES! I DO! Eventually, the rain will stop. When will it stop? I have no idea. But if you are asking me if I think it will stop, my answer is yes, I do.

Doctor's office
Someone in one of those chairs has a terrible contagious cold ... you just know it. And you are just there for a physical. And you had a 12:15 appointment. But don't tell the doctor that at 1:15. He's just doing his job.

That, callers, is the wait. And that's what we're facing now with the 3G iPhone. Unless Apple closes the store tonight at midnight and we're greeted with it tomorrow morning, which I don't see happening, we're going to be talking about it just like we're talking about the wait.

But fear not ... that's where I come in. To keep you focused, entertained and ready for the big day.

So talk to me about what you want to see during the wait. And I'll see what I can do.

Thanks for calling.

Saturday, April 12, 2008 -- 12:35 a.m. -- on my couch

iWife and I saw Jerry Seinfeld live on Friday night -- her 4th time, my 3rd.

Even though he tells a lot of jokes that he told last time, the man is a comic genius.

One thing I laughed at was his mention of the iPhone among his shtick about cell phones. He doesn't have one and he doesn't like them.

One reason? You can't slam it down if you get mad.

He demonstrated on an imaginary iPhone what happens if he gets mad at a caller -- he goes to slam the phone but then softly makes the swiping motion with his finger.

Hilarious. Truly hilarious.

If you have an opportunity to catch his show in your city, iWife and I highly recommend it. And we also recommend a trip to T.G.I. Friday's afterward for drinks.

Thanks for calling.

Friday, April 11, 2008 -- 5:55 p.m. -- on my couch

**UPDATE: You all work fast! Hit 200 followers this afternoon. Thank you kindly. Next up, 300!!**

I was doing some Twittering earlier and noticed that I am just 9 followers shy of 200! (Updated: Just 5)

200 is a really cool milestone.

I've found some great ideas for posts from my followers on Twitter -- and I've been able to widen the voting on some of the polls we've been doing here.

So please check out Twitter and help me get to my 200 followers milestone.

And speaking of Twitter, I was talking to my colleague Tracy Swartz earlier -- she runs the Word on the Street blog here at RedEye. No one makes up words like Tracy. Check it out here to see what I mean .

The name of the game on Tracy's blog is creating new words and identifying popular ones in pop culture. We were talking Twitter 101 and I ended up putting together what I coined a Twitionary. I believe that's my first original word.

So check out my Twitonary here at this link and if you have any suggestions for additional Twitterisms, please let me know.

I'm off for a night old in cold Chicago. I'll be back with breaking news.

Have a great weekend and thanks for calling.

Thursday, April 10, 2008 -- 2:36 a.m. -- on my couch

And speaking of text messaging, check out this digit:

48 billion
Wireless industry trade group CTIA estimates that more than 48 billion text messages are sent each month.

Each month. Not sure if that's worldwide or just in the U.S., but it's a staggering number just the same, especially since I send 47 billion of them.

Thanks for calling.

Tuesday, April 8, 2008 -- 10 a.m. -- on my couch

I was reminded last nigiht why I believe the iPhone needs to have GPS.

Keep in mind, this is from a guy who not only has never used GPS and who no longer drives all that often, but from a guy who worked at AAA, knows maps as well as I know the iPhone and loves to get lost.

So why am I so enamored about GPS?

Last night we took a cab from Midway Airport to our apartment and the first thing I noticed on the cab's dashboard -- besides the rapidly increasing fare -- was the first taxi GPS I've ever seen.

I told the guy where we were going and in just a few keystrokes, his GPS was programmed and we were headed north toward Interstate 55.

SIDE NOTE: This was actually kind of funny ... when we got close, he asked me which exit to take. Turns out, he was just being polite and offering the passenger a chance to pick the route, which I believe cabbies are supposed to do. But his GPS was spot on and I told him to trust the machine.

But wouldn't it rock if instead of that boring female GPS voice if Steve Jobs -- a 3D version of Steve Jobs handled the iPhone directions?

There could be a great holder that keeps the iPhone ready for directions, calls, etc. while you are driving and when you need directions, the 3D -- almost holographic Steve Jobs just appears and calls out directions.

But instead of "turn right onto Interstate 55 northbound toward Chicago," the cabbie would make the right and Steve would exclaim "Boom. There you go. I-55."

That would be a cooler, more Apple-like way to approach GPS.

No, the sunburn isn't getting to me. I totally thought of this right away.

What do you think?

Thanks for calling.

Monday, April 7, 2008 -- 10:36 p.m. -- on my couch

Dear Walt Mossberg,

What's up, my man? I go out of town for 2 days and I hear you've been saying a lot about when the 3G iPhone is going to land? Now, Walt ... I respect you ... you are the man when it comes to tech. My candle barely shines in the shadow of yours, but I've gotta speak out for all my readers -- and yours -- that are counting down the days until a 3G iPhone comes out.

Now I'm pretty sure that people have started to scratch the number of days just about everywhere so they can count down to what I believe is an imaginary timeframe that you've laid out ... 60 days from the other day. 60 days. Did Steve call you and let you know about this? Or are you just jumping on the June bandwagon that people have been talking about for quite a while now.

Seems like you just found a different way to say June and went with it. 60 days. It's like me not calling my hamburger a hamburger but going with a beef patty on a bun.

It's the same.

So just so you know, Walt ... totally fine that you want to do your own thing. You have earned the right. But I think that you might have confused some folks and made them think that you have information that no one else is privy to and that's where I draw the line. Steve is much more likely to invite you over for avocado sandwiches before me, but that doesn't mean he's spilling the beans to you.

See what I'm saying? I just don't like to mislead readers/callers, so I wanted to point out this little oversight.

So we cool?

Good chatting with you. Feel free to write back with a response. We could have lunch. I'll buy the beef patties.

Thanks for calling, Walt.
Scott

Thursday, April 3, 2008 -- 10:04 p.m. -- at my desk

Here's an iPhone case that doubles as a mirror. So when your iPhone is off -- I know, when it is ever off? -- you can look at your pretty face.

Actually, it's practical if you think about it. If the iPhone is supposed to be the one device you need, it's a good deal to be able to pick the broccoli out of our teeth with the help of your iPhone.

And in all seriousness, it's a decent looking case.

Check it out here. The iShield Mirror for iPhone is $29.99, although as I'm writing this, the Web site says it's sold out.

Thanks for calling.

Wednesday, April 2, 2008 -- 11:13 p.m. -- at my desk

1,319,872,109
The number of Internet users worldwide as of the end of 2007, according to Internet World Stats.

Wednesday, April 2, 2008 -- 11:23 a.m. -- on my couch

As mentioned in a post last week, I'm going to do a little more Twittering than just breaking news alerts.

Not going to go crazy, but I'd like to harness the power of worldwide communication to welcome new members from around the world.

We already have callers in 44 countries. As the iPhone continues to grow, I'd like this community to grow with it. That's of course in addition to all of the amazingly kind words you've all had that have grown this community from day 1.

So, when I have a topic or an idea or something that comes to mind that I think could make for great blog talk, I'll Twitter it.

To me, Twitter is kind of like gossip. One person starts off something and soon it's everywhere. People tell their friends and they tell their friends and you end up with ideas from new people in new places.

Another great thing I've come across is what's known as the re-tweet. As in when you post something and someone who is following you sends a "re-tweet" of what you just said. That way, that person's followers might just pass it along to their followers.

So just be aware that change is inevitable and that while I'll still do breaking news better than anyone else, you may see a few more Tweets from me seeking your input on things like special projects -- like today's about a photo project -- or asking for ideas that you want to see. It's my job to come up with ways to keep you reading, but I always love to know what's on your mind and what you'd like to see me write about. Those e-mails and IMs and comments make me very happy and it's something I look forward to each and every day.

And please remember the very powerful Twit This button that now has a permanent home on the top of the right rail. When you read something on the blog that you think your Twitter followers would be interested in, go to the direct page in the blog and click on the Twit This icon. You'll be asked to sign into Twitter if you aren't already and then you can quickly share the link and a thought with everyone following you.

I think Twitter is extremely powerful in that it can bring together people who might not have otherwise found each other.

And now a public service announcement: If you are one of those people that gets every Tweet on your phone, well, be aware there may be a few more from me.

I'm looking forward to your thoughts and your Tweets.

Thanks for calling (and for Twittering!)

Wednesday, April 2, 2008 -- 11:11 a.m. -- on my couch

I haven't done nearly enough lately with the photo gallery and I wanted to bring it back with a bang.

I'm looking for ideas from everyone as to something unique and fun that we can do.

Obviously, these photos should be taken with an iPhone ... but is there some kind of subject matter.

Things that come to mind without much thinking include:
-- license plates from all states, provinces, countries.
-- Close-ups of something and people have to guess what they are looking at
-- Highway signs in every state, province, country

I just thought it would be fun to put a theme on a photo. I think it would be unique and get lots of attention.

If anyone has any ideas, please post them in the comments. Soon, I'll kick off the idea and we'll see how we do.

Thanks in advance!

Thanks for calling.

Tuesday, April 1, 2008 -- 9:02 p.m. -- at my desk

I'm borrowing -- no I'm stealing -- this directly from RedEye.

We do this thing as often as we can called "the digit," where we take a number and highlight it for its news or entertainment value.

The reason I'm doing it is because they are usually quite eye-opening. No specific schedule -- just running them as I see them.

That said, I present to you iPTIB's first digit.

Less than 20 According to industry trade group CTIA, less than 20 percent of Americans don't have a cell phone.