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» Tuesday News Updates

Here’s what’s up for today:

• iPhone 2.0.2 has been released tonight and is what Apple calls a bugfix, which is pretty undescriptive. Most users seem to find it faster than before but nothing is yet said above the 3G coverage.
   
• Speaking about Apple. They’ve decided to give out another free two months of MobileMe to subscribers "for their patience during the time". In their support document you can read more about the free extension.
   
• Smashing Magazine is an amazing resource really and today they are holding that strong as well with their newest article called "7 Principles of Clean and Optimized CSS Code". Many codes fail to realize the importance of writing clean and optimized code which hopefully this article helps with.
   
• I’m cooking up on an article I’ve been meaning to write last wee. Let’s see if I can get it done this week instead *hint*. Meanwhile, have a good Tuesday and go ad check out the Creative Suite Tips and Tricks Podcast where you can learn how to create a PDF Portfolio this week.

» Blogging about mobile WordPress blogging

I know, I know. It is a somewhat corny blog title but that’s the best I could do at this hour. So anyway, I wrote two blog posts earlier today. One from the WordPress native iPhone App and one from the mobile WPhone plugin for WordPress. I had my complaints on the app that it can’t do pages and comments but while working with both for a while today and discussing it with Terry White, I’ve found my way which I think I’ll be using them.

There is just no better way right now to make blog posts on the iPhone than from the native app itself. It can post pictures (sadly you can’t choose where in the post they appear) and you can manage the posts far more easily. Sadly you can’t input hyperlinks or any text formatting in either of them which is a bummer.

The interface of the mobile plugin is really good for being a plugin and it is the best solution for editing comments, pages and users. You know, the extra bit on your blog. However the posting of posts is just noway near the advanced (under the circumstances yes) way the app does it. Now, I’m not saying there is not room for improvement. I like many want links, text formatting and a lot more. Yet I feel the app has a more positive feel to it and is the future for the editing.

Right now though, I can see myself sticking with both. I’m definitely going to use the app for all blog posts I do and if I need to do anything else, the mobile version of the control panel is a good step in the right direction and something easy to use for that. It just takes a little reassessment of what I thought would be in it to see that it is really good. I thought at least that comments would be there though and it is definitely (along with formatting) something that could well make use in the app.

» Blogging from the iPhone 2

As another way of blogging from the iPhone, we have the plugin called WPhone. Sure it can’t do hyperlinks (neither can the app) but it has the benefit of being able to do more. For example you can write pages and manage comments and plugins from the interface. As if that wasn’t it, being safari and web based, you can just turn it around and you will get the vertical keyboard that you just can’t in the app that makes typing fly. A bummer though is that you can’t get any images…

Granted neither is this one perfect by I don’t know yet which one I like the most…

» Blogging from the iPhone 1

So, this is the first blog post that I am making from my iPhone. This post is using the WordPress app now available in the app store.

I don’t fancy this app that much as I had expected too because it just let’s me post posts and not pages or see comments etc.

I’m doing this as a comparative review between this app and a free (which this also is) plugin that gives a full interface. Next post from that…

» Brand new iPhone Center revealed!

I’m proud to release a brand new iPhone Center on the site which holds tips and tricks on the iPhone as well as reviews of iPhone applications. We have many tips and reviews up already but we plan to expand on the center as time goes! Click on the image above or follow the link here to the iPhone Center and please give your comments on it!

» My first thoughts on the iPhone 3G

Finally I did get to get the iPhone 3G after a long wait. We didn’t have it here in Sweden before and now it finally is. This first look is really at everything except the phone part. That’s because my number is in transition from my old service provider (Telenor) to the new (Telia). It’s going to take a week more and until then I can’t test the 3G speed nor how the phone works.

This review will obviously so far be based on everything else but the phone part with another second review coming of the phone features when I get to try it out next week, and then a mixed after that!

My Personal Buying Experience

I can really say that my buying experience was good. Being before both the UK and US in time the Apple activation servers were working properly and the queue time wasn’t that bad. I got in the queue at 9a.m (with the stores opening at 10a.m) and I got out with my phone at 11a.m. It took about 20 minutes to get it activated and all, mainly because of Telia’s servers being slow. Store staff were great, friendly and it all worked out super for me. Activation time through iTunes worked perfectly as well, meaning I don’t have any complaints here.

My First Impressions

Cool! It’s a really cool device that compared to the old phone I was using, blows everything away. There are a few things I really like and a few things I wish were there, but really none that I don’t like. My first impressions of the phone is that it is really cool however.

My Pet-peeves

My main pet peeve is that you can’t copy and paste information in the phone. From webpages to notes etc. This is something which is really neeed and should be able to be fixed with a software update. Wake up and do it Apple! It has been a top request since the release of the original iPhone.

I would also like to see the ability to turn the iPhone around in any application that uses the keyboard. I find the wider keyboard so much easier to type on and I would like to be able to use it, especially for notes.

The App Store

It’s great that Apple has opened up for third-party developers and it is something which should have been available all along. It works pretty good and there are already some applications which I really like (listing them below). I have one big pet-peeve here as well. I don’t like that they are limiting some applications per country. For example in Terry White’s review of the iPhone 3G, he listed some of his favourite applications and I found some I’d love to have, which I cannot get because I’m in the Swedish app store. It sucks and shouldn’t matter!

Some of my favourite applications that I love already are: Twitterific, NetNewsWire, VoiceNotes, SpeechCloud Voice Dialling, AIM and Enigmo (a very addictive game).

The GPS

It works moderately well it works good when it can get contact. Forget it getting contact inside a building or house but outside it does work really good actually. Although no turn by turn instructions (which should be possible) I like it so far. I had it on when going form home to family who lives a further bit down south from us in Sweden and it worked really well and showed everything that it should, including where I was very accurately.

My current opinion

Without having tried the actual phone (which I believe to be great) I don’t think in any way that the iPhone is perfect but it is the best phone out there that I know of. I will sum up the entire phone after I’ve used the phone features as well for a while so expect my full review up next week! Meanwhile, enjoy your iPhone if you have it and if you don’t, check out the features in action on the Apple Guided Tour.

Oh and by the way, a hidden tip. To take screenshots on the iPhone, hold down the home screen and click the sleep/wake button up top

For the best and and best covered review of the iPhone 3G, check out Terry White’s! 

 

» I got my iPhone 3G!

Okay, I’m all happy, I got my iPhone today after a long time waiting for it. Queue time here wasn’t to bad, I got in the relatively short line at 9a.m and got out with my iPhone and all at 11a.m. It took perhaps 15-20 minutes to set up the contract and all with my number transitioning. Unfortunately it is going to take a full ten days for my number to transition so I cannot use the phone for calling or anything other than WIFI use. So my review is going to be once I’ve gotten to use it more. So it’s going to be split, in a little while I’ll talk about all other than the phone part, and then once I’ve gotten to use it, I’ll cover that as well to finally write a full one.

Hope all of you who were after one got it! More tomorrow.

» No blog day!

 I’m too pumped up about the iPhone release tomorrow to post something for you guys today. I have no idea when I’ll be at the line (having waited more than a year for this to be released here in Sweden…) but the earliest possible is two hours ahead of launch. We’ll just see. I hope I get an iPhone and if I do, you’ll be seeing about it!

» Wednesday Stuff

Getting right on to today’s news:

• The iPhone 3G launch is coming closer and Friday is the day. The launch time varies across the world from midnight launch events to the regular opening time launch. Already they have been people starting to queue outside stores in different parts of the world and some pre-release unpacking photos are being released. So tell us, will you be there for the launch to get the iPhone 3G? Leave a comment and/or vote in the poll!
   
• As you guys probably know the Adobe trial downloads were unavailable during June but since it is now July, they are back online and you can now download the trials.
   
• A lot of focus is right now set at Apple mainly because of the iPhone 3G. What’s being overlooked though is that late today to early tomorrow their new Mobile Me service will be activated and ready for the world to use. I will have my thoughts up on it once I’ve been able to try it out for a bit.

That’s it for today! I’ll see you back tomorrow for some more extensive blogging.

» Monday Quickies

It’s a very relaxing Monday for me because I’m sitting here in the quietness and I’m just relaxing and enjoying the time. I thought however you guys should get a few quick news updates as always.

• If you are new to CSS coding you should check out this good tutorial on using float elements form the base up. It’s just All About Floats. It’s the base of website coding nowadays and you should really know it.
   
• Apple has gone ahead and released OS X 10.5.4 which fixes a few bugs and improves things overall. You can view all the updates in an Apple Helpfile. The update can be downloaded right from the Software Update.

The image above is a little test macro image I shot while walking around here on the island today. Have a great evening/night/day wherever you are and I’ll see you back tomorrow!