Techno Thoughts!

I mentioned in a previous post that you could call 0800 numbers free from a mobile using a free service provided by Localphone.

They have now released another free service which gives free, quick and easy conference calls: ConferenceBuster.

If you want to have more than 1 person on a call to someone, all you do is go to: http://www.conferencebuster.co.uk, click the button and it gives you a phone number and pin.

You give the other person the phone number and pin and dial it yourself.

It’s free and the number to dial is a normal 01xxx number so will come out of your free minutes on your mobile for example.

Apple just announced the new ‘iPhone 3G S’ at it’s WWDC 2009 conference.

The S stands for ‘Speed’ and the new iPhone will contain the following new features:

• Faster
• 3 mega-pixel camera with auto focus and auto macro
• Video recording and editing
• Voice commands
• A digital compass
• Improved battery life

The exterior of the device will be the same as the current iPhone 3G.

Apple today confirmed, at it’s WWDC 2009 conference that the previously announced 3.0 firmware that has been in beta for the last few months will be released on June 17th.

The update contains many big features such as Copy & Paste and MMS but also includes 100 updates and 1000 new API calls.

Many years ago I remember that 0800 numbers were free to call from mobile phones as well as land lines. That all changed a long time ago though and 0800 numbers are chargable calls - which is annoying when most phone call packages come with plenty of minutes nowadays.

Here is a neat trick though to be able to call 0800 numbers using your inclusive minutes.

1. Go to 0800buster.co.uk

2. Note the number in the top left hand corner of the page (this is randomly displayed from their pool of numbers so if one doesn’t work, just refresh and try another!)

3. Store it in your mobile for when you need to dial an 0800.

To call an 0800 you can now call that 0800buster number and enter the 0800 you would like to call, followed by #

You can even store numbers in your phone book by using the pause function on your mobile - see the 0800buster site for details

There have been several rumours recently about the spec of the next, rumoured iPhone.

The Apple iPhone Apps site has given a good roundup and review of them - see here. All sounds plausible to me - certainly along the lines of what I was thinking!

* 32GB and 16GB to replace current capacities
* $199 and $299 price-points to be maintained
* 3.2 Megapixel camera
* Video recording & editing capabilities
* Ability to send a picture & video via MMS
* Discontinuation of the metal band surrounding the edge of the device
* OLED screen
* 1.5X The battery life
* Double the RAM and processing power
* Built-in FM transmitter
* Apple logo on the back to light up
* Rubber-tread backing
* Sleeker design
* Built-in compass
* Revolutionary combination of the camera, GPS, compass, and Google maps to identify photo and inform about photo locations.
* Turn by turn directions
* July 17th, 2009 release date

The article also

Now that a lot of my software wishlist has been answered in the iPhone and iPod Touch 3.0 firmware, i’m now excited to hear what they are going to add to the next hardware version of the iPhone which will likely be announced at the WWDC in June and I am madly hoping will be out shortly after that.

My wishlist would be:

Relistic additions:

• Better camera
• Flash
• Video recording
• Faster processor
• More memory
• 3G optimisations for better signal and faster data

Ideals:

• Bigger, higher resolution screen
• Removable battery
• SD Card slot for extra memory

It’s good to see that the latest rumours are at least pointing to some of them becoming reality:

http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/09/03/31/report_two_distinct_iphone_models_nearing_production.html

Finally! - Apple has increased the “9 pages of applications” limit (148 apps) on the latest iPhone / iPod Touch 3.0 beta to 11 pages (180 apps) - still not ideal but at least a little more ability to install new apps without removing old ones.

Apple have released a 2nd beta of the iPhone / iPod Touch 3.0 firmware to developers:

http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/09/03/31/apple_releases_second_beta_of_iphone_3_0_software_to_developers.html

I’ve been running the 3.0 beta since just after it was released and while the new features are great (and i’m sure it will be fine when it’s released), it is definatly a beta and when they say it’s only for testing compatibility with applications and not for everyday use, that’s not a disclaimer!

Since upgrading, i’ve had intermittent problems connecting to wifi, applications regularly just disappear when you are in the middle of something (or sometimes quicker than you can even start!) and it’s just very slow - everything you click on seems to hang it for a second or two which is very frustrating when you are trying to check your email or something. Also you end up pressing too many times with impatience and then when it comes back it does a load of actions.

I posted a guide to downgrading the iPhone / iPod Touch in a previous posting.

Downgrading the firmware on the iPhone / iPod Touch is simple but only if you know how!

Firstly you need to download the 2.2.1 (or whatever version you wan to go to) firmware file. You can find the different versions here:

• iPod & iPhone Firmware Download
• Where to download iPhone firmware files from

While that’s downloading, you need to put your device into DFU Mode - see my earlier posting.

• When the firmware has finished downloading and the device is in DFU mode, hold shift down while clicking the restore button in iTunes.
• Select the file you downloaded
• It should re-install the new firmware

I did read that after it’s done all the restore etc that it’s possible to get an iTunes error but that didn’t happen to me though - it just worked fine. If you do get an error, then you just need to read my earlier post about getting the iphone / ipod touch out of restore mode and follow that - if it’s after it’s done all the restore then it should be ok. If not, i’d try again!