Apple

iPhone 3G S Now Called iPhone 3GS. See the Difference?

Sébastien Page ∙ June 24, 2009

When the new iPhone 3GS was unveiled at the WWDC earlier this month, I wrote it "iPhone 3GS", with no space between the "G" and the "S". At the time, it seemed to make sense to me. I quickly realized that I was mispelling it, according to Apple's website, who added a space between the "G" and the "S". So I changed the way I spelled it.

Well, I guess I have to change that again and go back to no space again as Apple quietly changed back the name of the new iPhone to "iPhone 3GS" with no space. Any mention of "iPhone 3G S" on Apple's website has now been replaced by "iPhone 3GS". Why such a move? Nobody knows except probably a few people at Apple.

Meaningless change will you say. Not so meaningless for bloggers and even for iPhone 3GS consumers.

First, we bloggers are used to tag articles with specific keywords related to the article. You may see these tags at the top of the page of each article on this blog. This article for example is tagged with "Apple", and "iPhone 3GS". By doing this name change, Apple is forcing bloggers to update their tags, which just takes a few seconds, but most importantly to update articles written in the past that were linking to these tags. Not sure if I'm clear here. If not, don't worry because you don't care about that.

Where you do care though, is if you make a search on Bing.com (note I don't use Google anymore) for the term "iPhone 3GS battery information" for example. The search engine will return information about iPhone 3Gs, not iPhone 3GS. Do you see the difference? The search engine thinks you typed the plural of iPhone 3G. While that seems like a detail, it could have its importance, especially for e-commerce sites.

Anyways, now you know how to correctly spell iPhone 3GS. I'm sure it makes you day.... Not!

How to Do Everything On the iPhone

Sébastien Page ∙ Updated January 23, 2016

So you thought you knew everything about the iPhone? Think again! With all these new features unveiled in iPhone 3.0, chances are there are a few you don't know how to operate yet. That's why Apple created how to guides on its website. Interestingly, copy/paste, one of the most anticipated features is not explained.

Apple Dictatorship Hits Again

Sébastien Page ∙ Updated May 26, 2017

I try not to write too much about the app approval process because it seems to be a never ending discussion. However, some events piss me off so much sometimes that I have to vent out by writing a post about it. That's the case about a new app rejection I first heard about on TUAW.

Usually, when Apple rejects an app, it gives somewhat of a reason like "violating the SDK" or "objectionable content". This time though, the reason for rejecting an update to iLaugh Lite simply is that Apple can do whatever they want to do.

This to me is very similar to a dictatorship and it is absolutely scandalous. But what can you do? You can just shut up and hope things get better, just like the good obedient consumers we are.

How to Buy An iPhone 3G S Without A Contract

Sébastien Page ∙ Updated May 11, 2018

If you were thinking about upgrading your iPhone 3G to the 3G S, you may have been turned off by AT&T scandalous prices for its "valued customers". Indeed, current 3G owners willing to upgrade to the 3G S will have to pay between $499 and $699 depending on the model you want and renew their contract with AT&T for 2 more years.

A smart folk over at iTalk iPhone figured out how to purchase an iPhone 3G S without an AT&T contract.

Apple WWDC 2009 Keynote Video

Sébastien Page ∙ Updated January 4, 2018

Apple has posted the video of the 2009 WWDC keynote. Watch Philip Schiller and the team unveil the new iPhone 3G S, the new MacBook Pro family, and Mac OS X Snow Leopard. If you're only interested in the iPhone, jump over to around minute 45.

Everything You Need to Know About the New iPhone 3GS

Sébastien Page ∙ June 8, 2009

I didn't get to go to the WWDC this year again but I followed several liveblogging coverages as well as a live video streaming. Here is a summary of everything that was said about the new iPhone. Thanks Engadget for all the pictures. Please note that this text is really rough and I will take time to write a better sumary of what went on at the WWDC but I wanted to give you the heads up asap.

Apple Gets PWNed By Advertising

Sébastien Page ∙ June 6, 2009

This has to be one of the smartest/boldest ad placement ever! DoubleTwist, a software developed by DVD Jon that lets users access their iTunes library on any device, managed to get an ad right on the window next to the entrance of the Apple Store in San Francisco.

The ad invites passersby to try “The Cure for iPhone Envy”, which they can use to access their “iTunes Library on any device. In Seconds”. It’s clearly a message that Apple doesn’t want anything to do with. We’re hearing that Apple employees are currently scratching their heads as to how this appeared.

The window on which the ad is placed actually belongs to BART (San Francisco subway system) and DVD Jon managed to rent this space directly from BART. It's totally legal and there is not much Apple can do against that. I bet the marketing department in Cupertino is not happy about that right now...

Steve Jobs Ready to Return to Apple

Sébastien Page ∙ Updated January 29, 2016

The word on the street is that Steve Jobs might be returning to Apple after taking a few months off for health reasons.

I guess the question on everyone's lips now is: will Steve be at the WWDC next week to unveil the new iPhone? I say yes! Steve will be there.

Who's with me?

Apple Greediness Shows Again

Sébastien Page ∙ June 1, 2009

Once again, Apple proves to be pretty greedy as it wants to charge you twice for applications you've already purchased. This pop up window was spotted on a few iPhone over the weekend and it suggests that Apple will charge you again if you decide to download over the air an app you already paid for in the past. As an alternative, you can download the app for free if you do so from your computer.

Is Apple greedy? Or is AT&T asking Apple to do that in order to reduce the load on the network? I know for sure Apple is greedy but charging for "re-downloads" doesn't really make sense. With the WWDC coming up next week, I guess we'll find an answer to these questions sooner rather than later.

Apple Rejects Peekababe: Too Sexy App

Sébastien Page ∙ Updated May 11, 2018

Apple has once again shown its inconsistency and its limit on creativity by rejecting the iPhone’s sexy new app Peekababe, as first discussed on Download Squad.

You can check out Peekababe on YouTube, and the only thing you see is that the user can take the clothes off the beautiful models to leave them in their seductive lingerie. You can also save these hot pics for your iPhone’s wallpaper.

Peekababe doesn’t have any kind of nude or pornographic pics. So why did Apple reject it??? An insider commented that Apple rejected the app for claims of excessive sexual content. Oh, so it’s not OK for Peekababe’s models to show some skin and their lingerie, but it’s OK to kill, dismember, and chainsaw a game character on the iPhone?!

A special thanks to Tom for sending this in :)

Apple Reminds Us That jailbreaking Is Illegal

Sébastien Page ∙ Updated January 28, 2019

In case you're not aware of it, you can't legally jailbreak or unlock your iPhone. You can't! I know what you think. You bought this phone and you should be able to do whatever you want with it but it is not legally correct. The software installed on the iPhone is copyrighted by Apple and by jailbreaking it, you alter the software, getting yourself into a copyright infringement.

After having my share of troubles with Apple's lawyers and during a phone meeting with their top copyright lawyer, he actually informed me that jailbreaking was illegal, but they can't go after every jailbreaker for obvious reasons...

About a month ago, I published an article about the EFF petition to make unlocking and jailbreaking exempt from the DMCA. Basically, it's a petition to make it legal for you do jailbreak your iPhone if you feel like it. In their asshole way of doing business, Apple replied quite extensively to the petition, obviously saying they don't want the jailbreak to be made legal, which I disagree with, but completely understand.

So what can happen? Most likely nothing! Jailbreaking will not be made legal; I really don't think so. On the other hand, jailbreaking will not be made illegal either. Still, it's interesting to see EFF fight for us.

Engadget has a pretty good post about it. Read it for more info.

Apple and Adobe Collaborating on iPhone Flash

Sébastien Page ∙ Updated May 11, 2018

Flash for the iPhone kinda reminds me of copy/paste for the iPhone. It's something that should have been there since day 1, but never was because Apple made the non-sense decision to not having it. Why? I don't know for sure but I am certain Steve Jobs has a rational explanation for this.

The Flash non-sense is now coming to an end as Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen announced last week at the World Economic Forum that Adobe and Apple are working together in an effort to bring Flash to the iPhone. That's about time!

In an interview to Bloomberg, Narayen said that "it's a hard technical challenge and that's part of the reason Apple and Adobe are cooperating to try and get it done as soon as possible". He also said that "we have the developer kit and the onus is now on us".

According to RWW:

The debate has been long and tough. In March last year Narayen said that with or without Apple's blessing, Adobe planned to develop a Flash player for the iPhone/iPod touch platform. Unfortunately Apple CEO Steve Jobs had already made it clear the current Adobe offerings were not acceptable. Flash Lite, the version designed specifically for mobile devices, just wasn't good enough and Adobe's desktop product was just too slow on the iPhone. According to Jobs, what was needed was a "missing product in the middle."

It seems that Adobe has been working on this missing product and while there is no time frame, we certainly hope to get Flash on our iPhones sooner rather than later...