iPhone Features Apple's Not Telling You

Although Apple already announced loads of features for the new iPhone firmware, there are some features (that are actually more hardware-dependent) that Apple may not be telling people. I'm not going to assure that these features will make it to the next iPhone, no doubt to be announced in Apple's Worldwide Developers' Conference in June, but I'm convinced that they will be.

So, the next iPhone will most likely have (that Apple hasn't officially told us)...

1) Video recording

Even the most basic of phones have MMS and message forwarding, as well as basic blurry video recording. If iPhone 3.0 ticks the checkbox off the former two, then the latter's checkbox might be ticked off as well, as evidenced by this "Publish Video" screenshot.

This was found when someone tried to publish/upload a photo to Apple's MobileMe service. Typo? I think not.

2) Internet Tethering

If you don't already have a netbook that you can put a SIM card in, you can always use your cellphone as an internet modem. Essentially, if there's 3G or EDGE coverage, you can just connect the USB cord or connect the iPhone through Bluetooth to use it as a modem. Scott Forstall of Apple actually confirmed this feature in a Q&A but he said that Apple's still negotiating with cellular networks so it's not natively activated even in the iPhone 3.0 beta.

3) Faster Wi-Fi and 3.5G

There are rumors of Apple placing a Wireless-N (and a new 3G) chip inside the iPhone so that it can reach Wi-Fi and 3G speeds of up to 7.2 mbps. Technically, the number's not gonna be possible in our shores, but in America it sure will.

Information is quite scarce as of now, but as time goes, there will indeed be more features waiting to be unearthed. Who knows? Maybe there'll also be a whole other product to be announced in WWDC that will steal the iPhone's thunder- like a netbook? I might be crossing my fingers for a netbook if not for my insane aversion to them, really. The famous reality distortion field might change all of it, perhaps (since Steve Jobs is back in shape by then)?

SOURCES: Macrumors, Engadget

Stuff I Missed in my iPhone 3G Review

I forgot to mention the iPhone 3G's Bluetooth features, which are extremely limited. How, you say? Well, typically you are able to transfer files from cellphone to cellphone via Bluetooth. Here? Definitely not. The only use for Bluetooth is for the hands-free Bluetooth headsets. Yes, it can still pair with another phone/computer with Bluetooth, but what can you do while a mobile phone or computer is paired? Nothing except being able to unpair. It can't at least be the receiving end of the file you want to send, so, yes, if I want to send my dad's iPhone some kind of music file, it's a lost cause.

However, I've updated the firmware of my dad's iPhone 3G (to the latest 2.1), and you know what? Many performance and call quirks we experienced are virtually non-existent now. Back-up times in iTunes are dramatically speedier, and so is application installation. Now we don't have to wait 20 minutes for back-up to finish!

Plus, the iPhone is responsive after hanging up from a call. The screen is actually supposed to detect your face so it will black out when calling. You know, avoid accidental button pushing via your cheeks, and it now works excellently. When your face gets out of the screen after calling (or when you want to hang up), everything will appear as it should. It's actually a nice touch now that I know why the screen wouldn't show up unless it wanted to before updating.

Speaking of calling, the signal we get around here has significantly improved. Back then, 3G was next to impossible to get. Now, reception is very strong.

Apps are generally more stable, and so is Safari. The screen, while already snappy and responsive, is impossibly even more zippy! 2.1 is the update to get, even though yes, there's still no video recording, no copy and paste, no MMS and no SMS forwarding, but if you already love your iPhone 3G or iPod touch even before this update, you'll love it even more after updating.

Now if only it wasn't such a beast. (230+ MB download?!)

My rating for the iPhone 3G still won't change, so I stand by my 7.5 rating. I actually wanted to decrease the score by 0.5 because of the limited Bluetooth functionality, but the update straightened other things out, so you can say that they, like protons and neutrons, cancel each other.

New MS and Sony hardware; Mii's take over Guitar Hero IV

Sony and MS at Leipzig
So the German gaming event has come, and it has shed new light on some new Microsoft and Sony hardware.

On the Sony side, they're introducting yet another PSP model. It may have much of the same stuff as last year's update (PSP-2000 or the PSP Slim), but it promises something new in the form of a microphone. Sony states that it will let users get rid of the headset so they can now directly talk when using Skype or Go!Messenger.
Frankly, I'm not sure how I feel about it. On one hand, I think it's cool that they're giving future PSP owners the convenience and value for money, but on the other hand, I don't see how this won't make the person seem crazy to other people. Just imagine yourself in a Wi-Fi hotspot talking to your PSP... It's like shouting at your DS to say "Objection!".

And this makes me want to ask the question: What next, Sony? A touch screen?

Anyway, it comes in either the Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters PSP Entertainment Pack and a new PSP 4GB Memory Entertainment Pack. The Core Pack will follow eventually.

Moving on, the PS3's also getting a new pack- the 160GB pack to be precise. And it'll include the game Uncharted: Drake's Fortune as well as a download voucher for a game called PAIN in the free online service PlayStation Network. And frankly, I'm finding more and more reason to get a PS3 now, especially since this bundle costs 499 dollars- which is actually of much value than you think.

Plus, Sony also announced a Bluetooth-powered keypad that you can attach on your Dualshock 3. And judging from the size of those buttons, I don't think it looks comfortable. It will arrive this November.
Going to the Microsoft side, it's a bit less significant- especially for the 360 owners- and that's because the new hardware being announced are for the PC- and I mean it.

And why is that? Well, those accessories are just a keyboard and a mouse that are the newest addition to the SideWinder line-up.

The keyboard especially looks butt-ugly though but the numerical pad can be detached, and it has been reported that the LCD screen on the mouse has been removed- probably to cut costs.
Mii's take over Guitar Hero World Tour...
On freestyle mode, that is.

Vicarious Vicions, developer for the fourth installment, did not give Wii owners empty promises after all, especially since it utilizes the Mii's in the game's freestyle mode. What is it, you ask? Well, it's basically a mode where you can do anything you want with an instrument using the Wiimote. So even though the real drums come with the package, you can still use the Wiimote to make "air drums". Kinda like Wii Music- only less.

However, another reason for Wii owners to get excited about the Wii version of this new installment of the famous franchise is the fact that they finally, finally get some real DLC- that's downloadable content for the uninitiated.

What is it for? Well, it's for extending the replay value- basically adding more songs to master in the game. And that alone, finally gives me reason to actually care about the results of Vicarious Vision's attack to Rock Band 2.