iphone

Echoing and background noise on iPhone calls

A number of readers have reported an issue where the iPhone generates echoing and background noise on the receiving end of phone calls. Most users reporting this problem describe a situation where "everyone can hear themselves in the background."

Interestingly, the receiving end echo can sometimes be resolved by using the included headset mic, but may result in a situation where the iPhone user instead hears an echo.

Note that this issue has been extant with other phones as well, generally attributed to an issue with the carrier (AT&T in this case) rather than the device. … Read more

.Mac e-mail aliases do not work with iPhone's mail client

As noted by Paul Burd, .Mac e-mail aliases do not function properly on the iPhone.

"If you use aliases with your .Mac account, and you have an iPhone, be careful who you reply to. An email sent to your .Mac alias can be received just fine on your iPhone, but if you reply from your iPhone, your REAL .Mac address will be used. The iPhone canâ??t send from your alias, like your desktop app can."

Feedback? info@iphoneatlas.com.

iPhone Chess (iPhone App)

Maybe the next version of Apple's iPhone will have games, but for now only a few have been ported to iPhone by developers. iChess lets you play the classic game against an AI opponent. One word of warning: if you set the level of the AI too high, you're going to be waiting for a long time to make your next move.

iPhone link: http://ec2-72-44-51-230.z-1.compute-1.amazonaws.com/ichess.html

NYTimes River (iPhone App)

This Web site might as well have been designed with the iPhone in mind. NYTimes River allows you to skip the unwieldy New York Times front-page navigation, laying out top news stories as they come in. When you find one you want to read, just click on the link to get to the page.

iPhone link: http://nytimesriver.com/

Web site link: http://nytimes.com/

Before you activate your iPhone, read this!

I was casually cruising the news sites yesterday when I came across a story about porting "ineligible" numbers to AT&T and iPhone. I clicked on the story because I know some of the people who lobbied for and won the rights to treat phone numbers more like personal property you own than corporate property you rent. I was right with the author until he said (without comment or outrage):

On that screen, enter your name, Social Security number, and your current billing information and home telephone.

Say WHAT!?

Apple and AT&T are demanding customers reveal SSNs to activate their iPhones. That should be the lead of every technology and business article written this week. If you don't believe me, read on.… Read more

Apple posts iPhone Web development guidelines

Echoing much of what was said at the Worldwide developer conference earlier this last month, Apple has posted Web development guidelines for the iPhone to its Developer Connection Web site. The guidelines discuss the finger as an input device, laying out pages for the iPhone, what's supported in the iPhone's version of Safari, and pays special attention to writing tidy and vigorous JavaScript (as we noted earlier today, the iPhone is a sluggish JavaScript performer). Among the notable points:

Apple provides dimensions in pixels for controls including the status bar, URL text field, and keyboard. "[...] when the … Read more

BMWs support iPhone audio out of the box

Apple may be rumored to be working with Mercedes on an in-car interface, but it is Benz's arch-rival BMW that has been one of the first automakers to declare its cars' compatibility with the all-conquering iPhone. According to this page on Bimmer's Web site dedicated to welcoming the gadget, these 2007 model-year BMWs will come with the option of an interface to allow them to use the iPod function of the iPhone:

3 and 5 series models with a production date of March '07 or later X5 models with a production date of April '07 or later 6 … Read more

Shooting with the iPhone

In our effort to put the iPhone through its paces, we took a few photos using the camera. For the most part it did well, but it had trouble with overly bright environments, while distant objects looked a tad too fuzzy. Also, because it doesn't offer a flash or any image-editing options, night shots looked somewhat poor. Colors showed well, however, even if whites were a little too soft. Our iPhone camera slide show has all our shots, while our iPhone review gives you the full analysis of the handset's performance. And to see how the iPhone compares … Read more

Meebo now works on the iPhone (kinda)

We got word earlier today the team behind Meebo has feverishly been working since last Friday to get it working on Apple's iPhone. One of the handset's shortcomings is its lack of an instant messaging client. Meebo, which has been providing a Web-based IM client that mimics desktop chatting software, did not work come iPhone launch due to the mobile version of Safari using its double-tap navigation. Meebo requires double clicking to start up an IM conversation, and many of the buttons and window functionality were simply not working.

The result is what the Meebo team claims to … Read more

iHype: Is the iPhone today's Cabbage Patch Kids?

My friend Chad, a techie and savvy lawyer at a tech firm, and I had lunch today where we spent more time pawing at my iPhone than catching up. He said to me that he's been reading blog after blog, review after review and lusting after one of these puppies. Apparently, there are now outages of the 8 gig, which validated my 10-hour wait, in some part.

Anyway, in the midst of sitting at a street cafe on Belden Lane on a sunny day in San Francisco we were more focused on the hot little item in our hands … Read more