Travelocity Comes to the iPhone

Travelocity recently revealed a new Web application for iPhone owners which lets them interact with their travel itineraries. Like other Web applications, it is viewable through the Safari browser.

The Travelocity Web application will let users do things like get information on flight status, TSA security point wait times, local weather, maps, traffic and airport driving directions. You can also access a full flight and time list for most airlines.

Travelocity added it is one of the first online travel agencies to offer this type of mobile solution for Apple products. It is also the only one to make use of a garden accessory as a mascot.

The JAVOedge Shield Case for iPhone

This, to me, is a smart product. Not only am I always looking for conceptual products for iPhone, but I'm really not a fan of a bunch of flaps, snaps, or worst of them... belt clips. This kind of stuff usually seems, to me, like putting a roof rack on a Porsche. Functional yes, but well.. I just can't.

This product covers one side of the iPhone at a time, with aluminum, rubber and Neoprene. When your not using it, placing it on the front protects your screen from getting bumped & scratched. When you use the iPhone, just pull it off the front, and place it on the back, so even the back is protected when setting it down briefly, etc. This also, by the way, offers a bit more grip for the iPhone... the iPhone design is beautiful, but it can get away from you. This is a real plus.

When I first placed it on the iPhone, it didn't seem like it would stay... it goes on easily. But just for holding it, using it, placing it in your pocket, it stays on fine. I'd like a little more grip, but it's incidental. The Neoprene on the inside grips quite well, and is respectful of the surface of your device. You can also easily place it in the dock with it in place on the front, and all exterior controls are available.

Available in silver, black and red... The JAVOedge Shield Case is a change of pace from the myriad of cases available now for iPhone, and is made well. For $12.99, this is cool, inexpensive protection for the iPhone... I like it.

Apple's In-Store Service IS Genuis.

Just thought I'd give kudos to the iPhone support I received from Apple this weekend. I've heard people talk about what a hassle the whole iTunes syncing/activating thing is, and some other complaints that just seem whiney. They're not perfect, but the combination of services they offer, and the kind of support I've always received, is certainly way up in front.

For a while, I've had a very small imperfection in the screen of my iPhone. It was obviously not a scratch... it was perfectly round, and didnt appear to be on the surface. As freaky as I am about that kind of thing, I've lived with it... it was very small, and out of the way, most of the time.

Yesterday while I was driving, and talking, my iPhone just died. I tried to reboot it, and it gave me the dead battery sign. It had been more than sufficiently charged so I knew it was a dead battery.

I thought about all the complaints I've heard about not being able to change the battery yourself, waiting for it to be replaced, etc. and initially felt irritated with the idea of having to deal with this. but then, remembering my list of great experiences with apple's customer service, I figured I'd just drive straight to the Apple store in Deer Park, Illinois... about 20 minutes away.

Even though the place was crowded, there were several folks asking me what I needed when I walked through the door, and I told them about my battery.

Bill told me he'd try to get a genuis to help right away, even though their "bar" was booked up for the afternoon. When he  came back out and told me someone was coming right out to help me, I thought I'd mention the defect that had developed on my screen. Even though he'd never seen something like that, he agreed it didnt look like damage I had done.

I showed it to the genuis that came out to help me, and before I knew it, he had a replacement iPhone in his hand and was replacing my SIM. He asked me if I had everything synced, or if I was worryed about content on the phone. I said no, and was on my way with a new, fully charged iPhone.

Thing is... from what I could tell, they treated me like this before they even looked me up in their system, where they could see I had purchased three iPhones and three aluminum iMacs in the last few months. Not to mention countless other hardware over the years.

So once again, I'm impressed with their attitude about taking care of their customers. I know folks who should have been treated as well taking in their 6 month old Beamer with a problem. I'm sure there are folks who've had worse experiences with Apple's customer service, but it is very much the exception, not the rule. Those negative stories always get attention online, so I hope to ad some perspective.

1.1.3 Update Bricking iPhones?

iLounge reported yesterday on what may be a headache for iPhone owners trying to upgrade to 1.1.3. It appears there have been widespread reports of serious problems which, in some cases, are bricking the Apple mobile.

Problems have been noted and reported by folks in the Apple support discussion boards as well as over at iLounge. iLounge editors reportedly have even had this problem happen to them. In summary, when updating the iPhone to 1.1.3 those who complete said update find the phone "inoperable, leaving them stuck in recovery mode."  Attempts to recover the iPhone have met mixed success, with certain users having to return their phones to Apple.

Apple reportedly has not responded yet to iLounge's requests for comment on the issue.

An iPhone Tale: Surviving A Semi Encounter

Usually when an iPhone meets a semi the end result is technology road kill. This seems not to be the case though for photographer Mike Beauchamp's iPhone. He delivers to us a tale and photographs of his iPhone-semi experience and how his Apple mobile lived to see another day. You can see some of his photos here and read his story after the jump.

The $20k iPhone Case...Need We Say More?

How much do you love your iPhone? Really, how much? How about $20,000 worth? That's the cost you'll incur when you slide your mobile into this new, limited edition gold and diamond iPhone case from Case-mate.

We kid you not - $20,000! For that you get a handcrafted case set with 42 diamonds and 18k gold, "embedded in a rare gold carbon fiber leather case." This fiber, according to Case-mate, was previously only available as an accessory in high end cars and mobile phones.

Case-mate says you can pre-order the case off of its Web site for delivery 4-6 weeks later. Not quite sure though I want UPS just dropping this baby on my front door step - maybe armored car delivery would be better.

[via iLounge]

iPhone Enterprise Support?... What News?

According to ZDNet Australia, and others, today, IBM is nowhere near ready to release a Lotus Notes version for the iPhone, despite many rumors recently. We reported those rumors to you here, so following up is in order.

IBM enjoys talking about this, for obvious reasons, but there is no "official" information about the release from them other than to say ""It's not something that (is) ready to go out and market or launch". Even if they were a couple months away from release, or had somewhat solid agreements with Apple, they'd likely say more than this.

Apple BTW... has said nothing about it.

It reminds me of what Steve Jobs said about Apple's talks with China the day of his Keynote. After A LOT of buzz about this, he said that they'd talked briefly with the China carrier, once, and nothing has come of it. A little different than all the dramatic "iPhone China Deal In The Crapper!" type of headlines there were, for days.

Man, those bloggers.

There's also alot of buzz about AT&T "supporting the iPhone for it's business customers", because they've released business accounts for the iPhone. Because this is supposedly already in place, my question is.... nowhere do I see what, exactly, what it is they're offering, except for higher bills for business customers. Are there applications coming?... maybe?... do they even have a "Made For iPhone" website up for their business customers? I can't find anything.

Although they'd all be rumors, please let us know if you've heard anything worth hearing. AT&T has had great success with the iPhone... and you'd think they would have some kind of "support" by now. I am all for business support for iPhone... 10+, and am always hoping for substance.

$100,000 iPhone Heist = Dumb Crooks

It goes without saying that many criminals are just plain dumb. That mold fits with some guys in New York who were just nailed by police for stealing nearly $100,000 in iPhones.

The theft, as reported by WCBS, was in the form of iPhones heading to a New York area airport for shipment overseas. The cargo was stolen by employees of a firm responsible for getting the cargo to the airport.

It might have gone unnoticed if the thieves had not suddenly quit their jobs and purchased things they might not normally be able to afford. This was on top of replacing the iPhones weight in volume with an equal amount of "paper products and shrink wrap."

Firmware 1.1.3 For iPod Touch... What Will It Do?

The New 1.1.3 Firmware update for the iPod Touch has also been made available, and it does very nearly make a Touch, an iPhone with no phone, camera, or bluetooth. The Mail, Maps, Weather, Stocks, and Notes applications are identical to these apps on the iPhone. Interestingly, since the new location feature in Google Maps uses WiFi location services, it works on the touch as well, and we'll soon see if it's consistent in the real world. I suppose if you carry the touch everywhere you would an iPhone, then the WiFi data for you would be the same. This alone, instantly makes this so much more than an iPod.

You also have the full Mail program now, as well as Safari, with WiFi... so what is this device now?... it's not a phone, or an iPod (just). Another year or two with this device, and it's predecessors, and this will be one of Apple's UMPC's (Ultramobile PC).

They probably won't ever call it that though... (how about "Ultramobile iMac"... the "UMi"?... pronounced  "You-Me"). but as various VOIP offerings mature (and this is happening rapidly) these devices will still be focused on communications, but with a mix of connectivity or technique. If you live in a metro area, for example, that is blanketed with WiMAX, cellular service would only be missed occasionally, because typically, and for much less cost, you would use your Skype or other VOIP account for calls, video conferencing, etc.

And like iPhone users, of course... coming for iPod Touch as well... amazing new native apps, major market apps like Lotus' Microsoft Office challenger "Symphony", hundreds of thousands of web sites and applications built for iSafari...

Wow... the life of an iPod.

XtremeMac Debuts New iPhone Chargers

XtremeMac wants to make sure you can keep your iPhone charged no matter where you go. To that end the accessories maker was showing off this week at MacWorld two new iPhone charger solutions - the InCharge Home and InCharge Travel, priced at around $30 and $50 respectively.

InCharge Home is a wall charger which reportedly offers rapid charging technology. It also has a compact design and collapsible prongs for easy transport. The InCharge Travel includes a wall charger that automatically adjusts to outlet voltage and includes three international plug adapters for use around the world. It also includes an auto adapter compatible with any standard 12 volt accessory outlet and a connector for use in most commercial airplanes. There's also an included travel pouch.

Both chargers should be available in the next few weeks.

IBM plans Lotus release for iPhone

The Associated Press reported today that IBM is officially planning a version of Lotus notes for iPhone, as well as a "Microsoft Office-like software, known as Lotus Symphony". A formal announcement is expected next week at an IBM conference in Orlando, Florida.

This would be another big bump for iPhone in the enterprise, and specifically in competition with Blackberry, as IBM claims 130 million users worldwide.

There is definately a race to get to enterprise customers who, usually against the advice of their IT folks, are anxious to use iPhone as their device. Several techniques for connecting to corporate exchange servers we've reviewed will be coming to fruition this year.. and it will be interesting to see how, and how quickly, corporate "Power Users" embrace the iPhone.

iPhone 1.1.3 Update... Drag and Drop Media Into The iPhone

Here is a nice feature for iPhone that wasn't in the 1.1.3 "Press Kit".

If you update your iTunes to 7.6 you can "Manually Manage Music and Videos" for the iPhone. This means that you can drag and drop music and video right on to the iPhone icon in iTunes. In 7.6 you'll see an option, under Summary... "Manually manage music and videos". Check this and hit "Apply".

Now, with your iPhone in the dock, just drag and drop music or video files right on to the iPhone icon and they go straight to the iPhone... no need to hit "Apply" or "Sync". I've done this with several MP3 files, and the iPhone says "Sync In Progress" for just a couple seconds, and it's in. As long as the MP3 files have basic title info, it put them where they belong in the iPhone interface... artist, etc.

I also dragged a standard (NOT processed as a "iPhone" movie export in Quicktime) mp4 video, about 18 megs.. it took about 5 seconds. And you even see the little blue dot next to the movie, in the "Videos" screen on the iPhone, indicating it is a new file.

This is a nice iTunes/iPhone trick now offered.

Unfortunately, you can't treat pictures this way, it doesnt work in iTunes... and iPhoto doesn't offer the same function yet.

QuickTate Texts You iPhone Voicemail

A tech start up has unveiled at MacWorld a rather interesting speech-to-text service for the iPhone which lets you have your voicemail dictated to text and then sent to you. The service is called QuickTate and it's currently in free beta.

QuickTate, according to the company's founder, diverts calls to your iPhone to its service. These calls are automatically transcribed and forwarded back to you as an email, text message or through an iPhone compatible Web widget. QuickTate will also let you call it so you can speak vocal notes to it, which will be recorded and sent back as text.

One additional useful feature is that this service supports both English and Spanish.

1.1.3 Upgrade: Effortless

Each time we do this, Apple makes the firmware upgrade process easier and faster. As with my last upgrade, 1.1.3 came down like Willy Wonka's river of molten chocolate -- sweet and fast. I barely had time to turn the phone over (it was lying on its face) before the software had downloaded from iTunes.

iTunes popped up the box asking me to do the install, so I clicked to go ahead, and boom! The iPhone was restarting already even as iTunes was warning me it would.

iPhone rebooted in less than 30 seconds, the blue popup box on the Home screen informed me I could now make the icons wiggle to move 'em, and then also immediately popped up that iPhone was reactivating.

Although that message told me reactivation could take "some time," I had no sooner touched to dismiss that message box than the activation acknowledgment came in.

Elapsed time, oh 15 seconds?

In short, on my virgin iPhone, I doubt the entire process took 2 minutes. Total.

Now to decide if I want to re-arrange my Home screen icons. No, I don't ever use Stocks and would love to remove it elsewhere. But the issue is that after all this time, I have deep instinctive muscle memory of the layout.

I don't even have to look at iPhone to touch the icons I want nowadays. So while the layout ain't ideal, my very body knows it. Do I really wanna make the effort to learn it again?

Hmmmm. . . .

Pocket Express Travel Now Supports iPhone

If you seek an easier way to get at travel information through your iPhone you'll be interested to know Handmark is giving away a free version of its Pocket Express travel services to Apple mobile users. You can get at it through your phone's Safari Web browser.

The Pocket Express for Apple iPhone (and iTouch) gives you access to a variety of travel related pieces of information. You can, through the service, look up OAG flight schedules and status, browse detailed hotel information, quick dial travel numbers and get conversions for many currencies around the world.

Pocket Express, normally available on Treos and Blackberries, is being made free to iPhone users via an ad-supported model.

New ProClip Car Mounts Keep iPhone Handy

iPhone owners hoping for a way to better mount their Apple phones inside their vehicles will be interested to note ProClip USA is introducing at MacWorld some easy to install solutions to this problem. It consists of a two-part system - a device holder plus a vehicle mount.

Pictured above is the Padded Holder with Swivel Tilt (around $35). It tilts 15 degrees in any direction, according to ProClip, and helps to protect your phone against bumps as you drive around. It is available now.

Get the full details these new iPhone car mounts after the jump.

Macally Brings New iPhone Accessories to MacWorld

Macally is happily showing off at MacWorld right now a menagerie of new iPhone accessories. This expanded line up includes new speaker systems, a Bluetooth FM transmitter and a USB adaptor for charging/storing/syncing your iPhone.

The product pictured above is the FlexTune, a portable iPhone speaker system set to appear in February for around $60. It will let you orient it horizontal or vertical depending upon your video viewing needs.

Get the full details on Macally's new iPhone products after the jump.

JiWire Gives iPhone Owners Free Hotspots

You now have more places to wirelessly connect your iPhone for free to the Internet, Wi-Fi company JiWire announced at MacWorld today. That's because the company, which works with members of its network to operate over 100,000 hotspots, will let you get on for free in exchange for pushing you ads.

JiWire said this option "will be available at select Wi-Fi hotspots located in airports, hotels, cafes, and other desirable locations around the world. Major airports include Atlanta-Hartsfield, JFK and LaGuardia in New York and Chicago's O'Hare." The program is called "Ads for Access" and it will also work for iPod touch users.

You can check out JiWire's hotspot list via your iPhone and the JiWire Wi-Fi Finder.

Macworld Keynote Highlights... Where's My 3G iPhone?

Well first, let's give it up to GearLive for their preview of 1.1.3 software for iPhone... those are the updates Steve just got through talking about...

SMS multiple people at once... Up to 9 total home screens that you can customize...webclips (internet home-screen shortcuts)... location services on Google maps.

The location service works through Google and Skyhook which helps triangulate Wi-Fi data. When you go past a Wi-fi hotspot or a cell tower, the phone remembers the data and uses it to calculate where you are. 23mil hotspots located in US are helping load this data.

I guess Steve couldn't nail down it's 3g+ program with AT&T in time for Macworld. We have to learn to deal with these disappointments...

ok... the star of today's keynote was Macbook Air...

Macworld 2008 Pre-Relevance

OK... let's do this thing!... First, a lineup of everything we know about Steve's keynote tomorrow...

(wind, faint dog barking... and, of course... crickets)

"There's Something In The Air" is the tease... on banners and press materials everywhere tonight in San Francisco. I wonder what Steve is doing tonight, I expect it involves working hard, and grinning hard.... two leadership traits I believe in.

There are some amazing photoshop projects underway... most of an "Ultra Portable" laptop of some kind. "Insiders" have been quoted saying it will be "Devoid Of Cables". I have no predictions... except to say that if anyone is willing, and in the position to, take a leap at some new technology, it's Apple. After all the years we've watched the mobile phone market surge, the iPhone was new technology itself... and it's given them reach, and cash, and their own intense benchmark to live up to.

An incredibly cool laptop of some kind, that we'll all want, is very likely. Maverick connectivity is also very likely. A lot of other hard working executives, some having nothing at all to do with Apple products, will be very happy if Steve is integrating WiMax and announcing it at Macworld. This will be very good for us too. This idea of "Metro WiFi" is promising, as long as a few consumer-centric product leaders decide to make it great.

I also think that we'll see more indication of the now absent "Computer" from Apple's official name. They've been talking with almost every significant media ownership company in recent months, and will offer us some new iTunes capabilities that may include movie rentals or... I don't know what.

and... oh yeah, the iPhone. The iPhone SDK is exciting, no matter what. And the kind of high-speed data capability of the next iPhone is the question... they can't stick with Edge and WiFi. The iPhone is remarkably international, and here in the U.S., we're considered behind the curve with cellular data. Again... a stable giant, like Apple is right now, would be the fast fuse on what we'll soon be calling 4G.

And I'm certain that in addition to giving us hyper-technos some more tools, he'll have some juicy new user interface toys in upcoming iPhone updates for everyone else too (about 5 million in the U.S. alone now).

Wow, the predictions really get away from ya. The only thing I'd actually bet on, is that we'll all be just as anxious to see & touch the new products, as we are to learn about them. It's probably Kramer who's best known now for the saying... "you don't sell the steak, you sell the sizzle".

Nino and I are here all week covering the event, including during Steve's keynote announcements today, and continuing as all the amazing new products, services and technology applications created around the Apple legacy are revealed and explained.

New Marware Cases Target Business Professionals

You can never have enough new iPhone cases it seems like. This time around Marware is showing off two new cases designed for the business professional. They are known as the C.E.O. Flip Vue and C.E.O. Cover Vue and they are priced at around $30 each.

Both cases make use of Marware's interchangeable clip system and are made of leather. Color choices include black and brown and the cases are designed to protect your iPhone as much as act as a stylish accessory.

Get more details on the new Marware cases after the jump.

Google Improves Integrated iPhone Experience

As MacWorld kicked off today one of the first major iPhone related announcements was Google revealing some new improvements to its integrated iPhone experience. The search engine company said these improvements give more of a "desktop-like" Google web application experience.

Google specifically improved the UI, allowed for the ability to customize application tabs, improved the speed of Gmail, added a month view to Calendar and let users get access to their iGoogle gadgets.

Read the full details of the Google iPhone enhancements after the jump.

Kensington Adds AUX Port iPhone Products

Kensington, a maker of computing accessories, is adding some new iPhone accessories to the marketplace which are car audio kits which use the AUX port to bring your iPhone music to your car stereo. Kingston is calling this line the LiquidAUX and says the products will be available in March.

The LiquidAUX line, according to Kensington, will consist of five products. Features of the line up include the AUX port connection, a wireless remote to let you change tracks and answer phone calls and charging of your iPhone.

Get the full details on this line up from Kensington's press release after the jump.

mStation Shows Off New iPhone Cases

Probably one of the best things about MacWorld being just around the corner is the large number of new iPhone accessories we hope will be released. Pre-show announcements have already revealed a few cases and now mStation is debuting a mix of iPhone/iPod cases. They've already been showing off some of them at CES.

The case we have pictured here is the Radura, priced at $20 and available soon. It is made of clear polycarbonate and encases the phone while still leaving access to important functions.

Get more details on the upcoming mStation line up after the jump.

Are you tired of FM transmitters crappy sound?

Well, if you are, Monster might have a solution for you. The charger shown on the above picture, comes with control buttons conveniently located on the top of it. It also has a 3.5mm audio connector to hook the iPhone or iPod to an auxiliary input of a car sound system.

Not all sound systems have such an input, but if yours does have one, this product could be an inexpensive iPhone car integration, with no compromise on sound quality.

No pricing and release date information was available at the CES. Look after the jump to see the cool cable management system developed by Monster for this product.

iPhone Car Integration With Dual

Dual is about to launch a new car sound system product line with built-in iPod and iPhone connectivity. We’re not talking about audio-only type of connection here. These new car sound systems will have full control over the iPod and iPhone content. Dual implemented a USB port on the front of their product that you can easily hook the iPhone to. Once you have done so, you can navigate through your content using the sound system control buttons and touch screen.

We’ve seen a live demo here at CES and the result is pretty impressive. The launch date has been set to sometimes next March.

Check the press release after the jump for pricing information and more.

Designing iPhone Accessories is not an Easy Task!

Are you wondering why, besides iPhone cases, not so many iPhone accessories have made their way to the stores yet? Well, while at the CES, I’ve asked the question to people from Monster, Altec Lansing, and iLive. They all had the same answer: Design and certification is a god damn long and complicated process!

The phone aspect of the iPhone makes the design process more complicated than the iPod because of interference issues. Manufacturers need to shield properly their devices. They also must use specific class-5 authentication chip developed by Apple to connect their devices to the iPhone. Products also have to be tested and certified before the release, and this adds to the already hard and painful process.

Product development also requires special engineering expertise that many third party manufacturers simply don’t have. Larger companies are used to deal with these types of issues, but smaller ones are having a tough time right now, as they’re trying to figure out how to build these products and get them certified.

Once third parties have overcome the pitfalls around iPhone connectivity, future iPhone accessories development cycle should be much shorter. Alec Lansing’s product manager said that developing their first iPhone speaker system in time for CES was a race against the clock. They managed to have it ready in time, but the product has not even been shipped yet.

Microsoft Won't Launch iPhone Rival

Bill Gates was interviewed in Germany a few hours ago, and stated firmly that he "Won't Launch A Product To Compete with iPhone". I suppose his intentions to make one, or not, is news... but did anyone think he would, launch an iPhone Rival?

Two totally different companies... always have been. Gates said "No, we won't do that. In the so-called smart phone business we will concentrate solely on software with our Windows Mobile program". so-called?... Windows Mobile has fell just one notch to third place, from second, in North America, in the so-called Smartphone market... after only a few months with iPhones. Third is still good though, right?

I'm looking for the whole interview somewhere, because it's interesting that yesterday he was in Vegas talking about "Touch on the Windows PC, touch on the iPhone" as "one of the three things that will define this decade". I thought it strange he mentioned "Windows PC" and not Windows Mobile. So... yeah.

I was going to watch Gates' Keynote speech from the Consumer Electronics Show yesterday, but their site wants me to install Microsoft Silverlight, to watch the video... it's a joke, right?

Speck Adds New iPhone Cases

Speck has revealed in time for CES and MacWorld an expanded line up of iPhone cases. The company is offering six new models, bringing the total number to 13. All of them are available now.

The one we've pictured above is the SeeThru, which combines a hard shell design with good looks and a holster. You can read more about that and other new Speck cases in the full press release after the jump.

Little Devices, Big Show... iPhone And The "Touch Technology" Era at CES

Last year's flagship Apple event, the unveiling of the iPhone, shifted the intensity from the CES show in Las Vegas to San Francisco. The timing is better for CES this year, and the devices there are better too. I wish I was there with Stephane, it looks like quite a toy store.

There are not only products for the iPhone... but many mentions, accolades, and evidences of it's impact on the most blistering product segment there... mobile devices.

Bill Gates had an interesting sounding keynote speech. Just skipping through the text (already available on the Microsoft site) he mentions Natural user interfaces as "one of the three things that will define this decade", and the transformation to "other modes of interaction". Although he then gets the order mixed up, he refers to it as "Touch on the Windows PC, touch on the iPhone, the Surface device that we're talking about". I haven't "touched" a Windows Mobile PC that's half the experience the iPhone is yet, but ok... I agree with him... it is a principally defining market for the first decade of this century for "Consumer Electronics"... and communications.

It was a cool speech, but to keep balance... the "touch-screen" tablet computer was pushed hard by Microsoft sometime ago, and received a fraction of the reception of the iPhone or the Wii has this year.

Yahoo!'s Go 3.0 service has been re-introduced at the show today which is a portal of services for mobile web users. Yahoo!'s CEO recognizes that mobile web access is "the next phase of the Internet". He also remarked that "We're now in the midst of the largest opportunity to redefine consumer electronics and entertainment since the introduction of the television". Yahoo Go is an app installed into the UI of about 30 different handsets currently. That should sound impressive.

Many of the most recognized mobile device companies here are following the touch UI trend. Microsoft introduced "Surface" today, and improved touch screen devices by Nokia, LG, Samsung, HTC, Sony Ericsson, Motorola and Research in Motion (Blackberry) are being banged on as I type this.

But to the iPhone Bits...

FlyTunes Digital Music Service for iPhone is being introduced. Pretty neat.. as consistent high-speed data grows, I think we'll see why the satellite radio folks are scrambling.

Belkin has some great new products for i's... including the Tunebase FM transmitter Nino pictured below.

Altec Lansing and JBL are offering somewhat more sophisticated iPhone audio systems that "Work With iPhone"... and many many more iPod product companies are now in the iPhone game as well.

It's also obvious, of course, that many mobile  software and content companies see iPhone as a premium platform for them this year, including Jook, a startup with products that share music with other mobile Jook users within 30 feet. Pretty cool technology, and hopefully someone will quickly make better use of it than "DJing to the stranger sat opposite you on the train".

Lots of Good images and video is available here at the CES Blog Site.

More to come from CES, and then from Macworld in a few days... Good Times.

Belkin Showing Off New iPhone Cases

Belkin is bringing to iPhone owners some new cases to protect their precious Apple investment. These cases consist of models like the Formed Leather with Removable Belt Clip (pictured above), Micro Grip and a Sports Armband. Most will be available this March.

More details on Belkin's new iPhone cases can be found after the jump.

New iPhone FM Transmitters Debut from Belkin

Belkin is showcasing today at the Consumer Electronics Show some new FM transmitters for playing your iPhone music on your car stereo. These products - the TuneBase FM and TuneCast Auto - will also work with regular iPods.

The TuneBase FM ($100, April) and TuneCast Auto ($80, February) both make use of something Belkin calls ClearScan technology to "automatically seek out the best FM frequency to play the music from your iPhone." The TuneBase is also designed to mount and power your iPhone in the car as it plays.

Read the full details of these two new Belkin products in the press release after the jump.

Newer Technology Unveils New iPhone Accessories

Newer Technology, a developer of computer related accessories, is getting ready to unveil at MacWorld 2008 a line up of iPhone accessories. Chief among these, pictured here, is the NewerTech iPhone Speaker Dock & Hands-Free Mic. It is priced at around $35 and offers iPhone users a stand upon which to chat with others hands-free as well as listening to music. It includes two 2-watt speakers, a freestanding microphone and will charge your iPhone. It should be available at the end of the month.

Newer Technology is also showcasing cables, earbuds, a car charger and some other gear. You can read about it here or via the full press release after the jump.

New iPhone Speaker System from Altec Lansing

Altec Lansing is launching a new speaker system for the iPhone. The new product, named T612, looks similar to the M602, but it has been redesigned to meet the “Work with iPhone” Category 5 requirements.

The device is equipped with two 3” full range drivers plus two 1” silk dome tweeters. I have to say that the sound quality is amazing compared to the M602. It comes with a remote control and works with iPod and iPhone.

And if the iPhone rings? The music goes to pause, you take the call, you re-dock the iPhone and the music starts again. Sweet!

The new iPhone speaker system has not been shipped to dealers but it should be available soon. The device has a retail price of $199.99.

X-SIM II Card Aids in iPhone Unlocking?

Out of the darker side alleys of iPhone-related commerce comes One-Stop-China.com, promoting a new film adapter SIM card it says will make it easy to unlock your phone. It's called the X-SIM II and it's priced at around $45.

One-Stop-China.com says the X-SIM II card, also known as Turbo SIM, skips the SIM card identification process necessary with most other iPhone unlocking software. A user supposedly takes the X-SIM II card and his own SIM card and combines them to insert into the iPhone's SIM card slot.

The process continues with the iPhone being able to "connect in any operator's network, meaning that the iPhone is never officially unlocked, but rather, the user bypasses the identifying step to opening the phone. This makes it possible for the phone to be upgraded with any firmware from Apple, as well as keep the warranty from the operator." You will also have to jailbreak your phone during the process. Anybody actually tried this one out yet?

iPhone and CES: Surprises ahead?

Hey guys, I just arrived in Las-Vegas, Nevada, for the Consumer Electronic Show (CES). I’m here to scout the trade show to hopefully find new iPhone stuff and other cool products to spice-up our electronic life just a bit more (like if we really need that anyway…).

For those of you not too familiar with CES, here are a few interesting facts about the show: There are 140 000 visitors attending the show this week, 2700 exhibitors coming from all over the world are going to showcase 20 000 of the newest products and there are 1.7 million net square feet (35 football fields) of show floor to visit. Yes, it’s big, it’s huge and it’s insane.

If you would like me to visit a specific booth or see pictures of a specific product being showcased here in Vegas, let me know in the comments.  I’ll do my best.

Nino and Brian will also help me to cover the event this week. Thanks guys.

iPhone Case Review: Otterbox Defender for the iPhone

Let's be honest here, reviewing mobile device cases can sometimes be extremely boring and a lot less fun than surfing the web using the iPhone Safari browser. Where’s the fun in talking about a piece of leather or plastic after all?

But specialty cases like the Otterbox Defender are in a category all their own. Discovering how this ingenious company based in Forth Collins, CO, managed to developed a product that can really protect the iPhone and still make it attractive, not bulky at all and most important, fun to try, was really exciting. Creating this case was an extremely tough challenge, and Otterbox have exceeded my expectations by far.

Packaging: The iPhone Otterbox Defender comes in a nice but simple packaging. A step by step instruction guide is included as well. Nothing special here.

Installation: Before you buy this product, you should be aware that it won't be that easy to take out the iPhone once it's in the case. Consider this case a semi-permanent case for the iPhone. If you're planning to use a docking station on a daily basis, you should forget about this product.

Otterbox produced a great video to explain how to use the product, and I do suggest that you watch it before attempting to use the case. Once you've seen this video, you won't have any problem inserting the iPhone in it. If you don't, you should at least carefully read the detailed step by step instruction guide.

2008... iPhone & The Mobile Landscape

We've seen the iPhone shake things up this year, and shake it's competitors up as well. Funny to call them competitors, when Apple is the newest of them all. But they... are truly striving to compete with the iPhone now. Not just in the sense of market share (as amazing as that is already), but in the sense of sophistication and recognition.

It's been six months since Apple introduced iPhone... into a market they had never entered before, and think about the brand identification it already has... some say stronger than Blackberry... maybe worldwide. No one ever says "can I use your Windows Mobile" or "I've got my N95 with me, let me order the pie". Only "Blackberry" had established itself as a one-word hook in the industry... until 2007. A strong brand, and certainly in part to unique, effective products.

But the iPhone, and the buzz about it, has been landmark. it has already passed up the Windows Mobile platform in North America, second only to Blackberry... in six months. Think about that. And both Blackberry and Microsoft have been throwing many different handsets at us, through multiple carriers, and manufacturers, for years. Now Apple's first mobile product redefines the market, and grabs a ton of branding in the process.

Yes, it does sound familiar.