I have been a fan of the iHome since I purchased the iP9 a few years ago. The new iA5 is the first iHome that is app-enchanced and promises to be the “most connect and engaging sleep experience available.” Whatever that means. I get it, they needed a new gimic because the clock radio with an iPod dock on it was old hat. But why change what works?

The new iHome iA5 has all of the good stuff from the previous models but it allows you to stay connected to your social networks for bedtime status updates and wake up updates. I think the need to stay connected while you sleep is a little unneccessary but the people must have asked for it because it exists.

All in all, iHome makes a great product. It’s always good to wake up to music and I always liked that aspect. My favorite aspect of the iHome has always been the wakeup playlist. If you don’t own an iHome this would be a good model to get you started so I would definitely recommend.

These are the first iPhone commercials that aired back in June of 2007. It is weird to see the evolution of the iPhone. First it was all about an iPod that can make calls and browse the internet. Find a restaurant and call to make a reservation all in a matter of seconds. The first iPhone really was an incredible leap from anything that was on the market. It was really a pocket computer that had the ability to make calls.

Fast forward to the iPhone 3G. The driving force behind the 3G was the creation of “apps” for everything. Need to check snow condidtions on the mountain? There’s an app for that. The creation of apps was an ingenius way for users to be constantly interacting with their device. With the creation of the app store, users would begin to pump money into Apple like none other and an entire new business sector was created. Suddenly there were Applications developers using their talent to create an “app” that everyone would have. Think of the creators of Words with Friends

In my personal opinion, the iPhone 3Gs and iPhone 4 commercials are lacking compared to the earlier iPhone commercials. Could it be that Apple is losing some of it’s cool? I’ll let you be the judge.

In photos found on tipb.com, the unmistakable camera hole can be found on the front of a replacement iPod Touch 4 case. Steve Jobs did mention that Apple would be launching 10,000 Face Time devices and they are not all necessarily iPhones and with the use of your iTunes ID to connect calls possible, FaceTime is not strictly for the iPhone 4.

Steve Jobs is brilliant, but being able to connect using your iTunes ID is such a great idea. It doesn’t just limit the application to iPhone users and gives the application a whole new world to expand in to. By expanding the number of devices on the FaceTime network, the success of Face time is that much greater. I am more likely to purchase an iPod Touch 4 rather than an iPhone 4. The iPhone 4 has had so many problems.

I have to admit one of the immediate drawbacks I saw when FaceTime was initially launched was the amount of users on the network. No one I knew had FaceTime so what was the point? I thought, Ok, I will get on this bandwagon eventually, just not right now. I did not even consider the iPod Touch having the compatibility. I guess I just associated FaceTime with phone calls.

Steve Jobs will give a free case to everyone with an iPhone 4

If you keep up with Apple news, and since you are reading this blog I assume you do, you have no doubt heard of the “death grip” that causes major antenna and reception problems with the iPhone 4. I am feeling a little snarky with this post because I purchased the iPhone 3Gs with the option to upgrade to the iPhone 4. I debated whether I should just make the switch and get the latest iPhone but looking back I am glad I stayed with the 3Gs.

In a press conference at Apple’s Cuppertino campus, Jobs announced that to combat the antenna problems, Apple would provide customers with free cases. This is a great PR move for Apple. Instead of deflecting the problem and blaming AT&T, (not like they didn’t try) Jobs solved the problem by giving away free cases. Now there is a new problem, not enough bumper cases. The highly sought after bumper case is already is shortage and now that Apple is giving them away, they are going to need millions more. Jobs solved this problem by giving customers a choice of cases.

Bottom line, I like the message that the guy in the video is delivering, if you don’t want an iPhone 4 don’t buy one, if you bought one and you don’t like it…bring it back.

It is likely that a new generation of the iPod Touch will be released in the fall

Every fall since 2007, the fellas over at Apple spit out a new iPod Touch. Given this trend, it’s not hard to speculate that yes, the 4th generation iPod touch will be released year at Apples annual iTunes/iPod Special Music Event.

The iPod touch Gen. 4 will get the usual iPhone hardware update and could include an upgraded Retina Display, Apple A4 chipset, 802.11n Wi-Fi, gyroscope, and maybe even that long awaited camera as well as a front-facing one to help make FaceTime more of a reality. If Apple actually decides to do this it could mean a big expansion in the use of FaceTime.

Usually, Apple will increase the storage space and double the pre-existing memory. The Gen. 3 iPod touch is already at 64GB. Coule we possibly 128GB of storage? This is clearly the way Apple is moving in terms of portable music devices, hand-held gaming and possibly photos. With the iPod Gen. 3 a slim as it is, it will be hard to imagine how then this device will actually be.

If you are a reader of this blog, you know that I can’t stand when things are leaked out early. With the iPhone 4 being leaked early, it will be nice to see a new device that (hopefully) won’t be seen until we are meant to see it. I’d like to be surprised with one Apple Product this year.

You waited in line for hours, you camped out the night before just to get your hands on the new iPhone the day it came out or at least put in your pre-order. You waited all this time and all you wanted was a WHITE iPhone. You get to the front of the line and….no dice. They are completely sold out of white. You can’t believe it so you order your stupid black iPhone thinking you will exchange it when the new shipment of White iPhones comes it, but you know as do I that you are waaayy to lazy to go back and actually exchange the phones and there is no way you are paying that ridiculous “re-stocking fee”…Well your prayers have been answered. The guys over at Engadget have released an easy way to turn your black iPhone into the White phone that you originally wanted. Read the full article here Go ahead, check it out…I’ll wait…

OK, so now that you have seen that switching your iPhone casing is actually really easy to do, go give it a shot. But remember how you took your device apart and KEEP TRACK OF YOUR SCREWS!! I think the coolest part of this mod is that the home key stays black. I really like the way it looks with the white case and a black home key. Just remember that taking apart your iPhone may void your warranty so if you don’t know what you are doing then I really wouldn’t suggest it but if you are brave, go for it. You really can learn a lot about your devices by tinkering with them but again like I said, make sure if you take it apart you can put it back together.

This is a step by step video of how to tear down the iPhone 4. If you have any problems with your phone I would suggest taking it to a licensed professional but if you would like to give DIY iPhone repair a try please check out this video first.

Apple has really made the devices easy to take apart if you have the right tools. If you want to take apart your iPhone, you will need a separator tool, a small phillips and a small flathead screwdriver. Also, make sure you keep track of all of the screws you remove.

Today is a great day to own an iPhone, introducing iOS 4

If you haven’t upgraded your OS to iOS 4 yet, please take a few minutes to sync your phone. I’ll wait right here…

Now lets get into the major changes that the new OS brings. First, MULTI-TASKING! (Cue the blaring trumpets) this is what we have been waiting for, for a long while. The multi-tasking features allow you run multiple apps at the same time. For instance if you were running Pandora and you wanted to check your mail, you could run Pandora and check your mail at the same time. The multi-tasking also allows you to “save-state” in apps. This means that instead of relaunching, apps can run in the background simultaneously and then be able to resume where you left off when you closed the app. Another great feature that has been introduced with the next OS is the App Switcher carousel located at the bottom of the screen. The App Switcher lets you double tap the home button and switch apps on the run, toggling back through your recently accessed apps. All very cool stuff!

The new i OS 4 also lets you do something that could only be accomplished through jail breaking, customizable home screen wallpapers. Before, the black background was the only wallpaper you could choose from on your phone. You were able to customize your lock screen with photos from your camera roll but now you can change both screens and you also have a larger selection of pre-loaded wallpapers to choose from. Again, very cool!

The e-mail features now allow you to condense multiple accounts into your e-mail. You can have more than one active account and get all of your e-mail in one location. The one drawback on this feature is that if you exchange multiple e-mails with someone the thread is kept open so finding a new message can be tough if it is hidden within an individual thread. (Really not a big deal, but the point has been made.)

I plan on syncing my phone later this evening because I have heard from friends that the update takes about 45-60 mins depending on the amount of apps and music on the phone.

 

A regional VP with Verizon Wireless has stated to eWeek that the Verizon iPhone will happen by late 2010 or early 2011.

iPhone 4 pre-order today

The iPhone 4 is available for pre-order today so I am expecting Apple to report huge numbers for pre-sale orders. With the iPad release just two months prior and sales soaring at somewhere north of 2 million units, it is thought that sales numbers will continue to increase for Apple and the new iPhone 4.

After seeing the photos and videos, I was turned off to the iPhone 4. I like the casing on the iPhone 3Gs and the sleek rounded back. The new iPhone looks like it took some styling cues from the iPad with the flat edges and more squared off features. I really like the Facetime application but I’m not sure I would use it all that often. Typically, if I want to iChat or Skype I will use a laptop and a solid internet connection. It seems like a great idea but I don’t want to jump on the bandwagon yet. Clearly furture implimentations of the facetime app will see improved performance.

For now, I think I will stick with my 3Gs.