Crave

The iPhone's almost ready to leap the final hurdle.

(Credit: TouchArcade)

Apple had its own E3 press conference at the beginning of the week, with its newest model in the iPhone line finally being unveiled to the world. The iPhone 3G S, while in some ways a modest upgrade, introduces significant improvements for gamers--some obvious, others not so much. Will it help even further cement their growing position in a handheld games market previously dominated by Nintendo and Sony? Read on.

Faster processor speed, more RAM. T-Mobile leaked the hard 3G S specs, and they're all-around zippier than the old 3G--which Apple confirmed when it promised overall speeds up to 2x faster. This will matter in particular with game load times and game crashes, both of which can tend to plague an overstuffed iPhone. While the spec bumps are relatively modest, the iPhone's game-playing prowess has already been more impressive than early pundits predicted, especially on recent releases like The Sims 3 and a PC-perfect port of Myst. The only thing missing now is...

Proper controller support. Sneaked in under the radar amid the iPhone 3G S news is the fact that the 3.0 software update allows third-party app interfacing with peripherals. While a larger focus on this functionality has been on medical devices, it's now possible for someone to make a clip-on control pad case and to have that controller be usable in any game. What should happen is that publishers gather to designate one universal controller that then gets adopted as the iPhone's "gamepad." The question is, who will make that accessory? For a while last year it was rumored to be Belkin, although it was unclear who would support the device. On consoles, the manufacturer usually settles these issues by making the controller themselves (except in the case of peripheral-driven games like Rock Band).

While it would be easiest if Apple made a gamepad, it's entirely unlikely. The whole appeal of the iPhone is its interface simplicity--too many plug-ins kill the minimalist chic. If a third party makes a controller, there's a likelihood that some publishers would support it, while others splinter off under some other controller accessory. Either way, someone should make sure there's a good consensus. Otherwise, soon enough we'll be buried in plastic miniperipherals, not unlike what's currently happening to (or plaguing) game consoles. ... Read more

(Credit: Apple)

Clearly, one of the biggest pieces of news this week was the forthcoming iPhone 3G S.

But there were a few items people expected Apple to make official at its Worldwide Developers Conference that weren't mentioned. And sometimes what's not said at these keynotes is as important as what is. Which of these were you hoping for, but didn't get?

If we missed anything, let us know in the TackBack section below.

Like the iPhone 3G, the new iPhone 3G S won't be released to the entire world at once. Rather, it will be released on three dates following its initial June 19 debut. Apple announced the 90 countries at the WWDC 2009 keynote, but they flashed by quickly so we don't blame you if you missed your country. Here's what we know so far.

The iPhone 3G S: it's coming.

(Credit: Apple)

June 19 releases

• Canada
  
• France
  
• Germany
  
• Italy
  
• Spain
  
• Switzerland
  
• United Kingdom
  
• United States
  

June 26 releases

• Australia
  
• Austria
  
• Belgium
  
• Ireland
  
• Japan
  
• Netherlands
  

iPhone 3G S and OS 3.0 photos

We couldn't grab hands-on photos of the iPhone 3G S at the WWDC 2009 keynote, so we delved into Apple's Web site to find out what press shots the company had to offer.

Since the new handset's design is unchanged from the iPhone 3G we'll save you a gallery of exterior photos, but we'll show how the 3G S's unique features will look on the display. Again, these are shots supplied by Apple--we haven't tested the new device yet--but they'll give you an idea of what to expect from the compass, Voice Control and video editing.

We also invite you to revisit the iPhone OS 3.0. We used the beta version of the update on our CNET iPhone for a couple of months now so these are real screenshots. You may have seen most of them before, but we've added a few new shots following the OS 3.0 highlights from the keynote. Enjoy!

iPhone 3G S and OS 3.0 photos

Since Apple first unveiled the iPhone OS 3.0 last March, we've been impatiently awaiting its full release. Yes, we did manage to get a beta version of the update on the CNET iPhone--I even did a preliminary review--but we prefer to wait for the real thing to give our official evaluation.

Fortunately, we got our wish Monday at the WWDC 2009 keynote. During his portion of the presentation, Scott Forstall, Apple's senior vice president of iPhone software, announced that OS 3.0 will be released to the world June 17. We'll still have to wait until later this summer for AT&T to activate multimedia messaging and tethering, but all the other new features will go live next Wednesday for iPhone 3G, iPhone Classic, and users. Two days later, the new will launch with the full update.

In total, Apple is promising that the update will bring 100 new features, but we've barely scratched the surface. Once we fully evaluate OS 3.0, we expect that we'll find more. We were hoping that OS 3.0 would also include video recording and voice dialing, but those features will be available only on the new iPhone 3G S.

Though we've detailed most of the OS 3.0 improvements already, we wanted to revisit them following the keynote. Forstall mostly gave a recap of what we already know, but he provided more detail in a few areas and covered topics that we had not heard before. Here's what he had to say.

The last MacBook standing.

(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)

Apple's lowest-end laptop occupies a special place in the Mac spectrum. As of WWDC 2009, it's the last MacBook standing in the lineup--all the other Apple notebooks are now MacBook Pros. The MacBook (we can call it "the" MacBook, now) also is the last to retain the polycarbonate white plastic glossy casing that once defined a whole line of machines.

While the MacBook's more pedestrian appearance may not catch the eye as much as the unibody aluminum MacBook Pros, don't be fooled by its throwback looks--inside, Apple's done a good job of keeping the components on par with its more expensive brothers. In fact, the white MacBook has very comparable specs to the lowest-end 13-inch MacBook Pro. Its 2.13 GHz Core 2 Duo processor is close to the MacBook Pro's standard 2.26 GHz one, and the Nvidia 9400M graphics processor is the same one that's in the MacBook unibody 13-inchers, so the gaming and media capabilities are comparable.

Depending on your specific needs, for $999, you're getting a real bargain with the last MacBook. You can either approach this as "for $200 more I can get a MacBook Pro," or "I can get something nearly as good as a MacBook Pro and save $200." The latter perspective, however, requires you to be willing to skip some of the Pro-level features.

The MacBook comes with two USB 2.0 ports, a mini-DVI port, a FireWire 400 port, and both a headphone and mic jack. The 160GB hard drive can be upgraded to a maximum of 500GB when ordering, a first for a MacBook. The polycarbonate body, as always, feels sturdy and well built, if thicker than the aluminum versions, and the pleasingly minimalist glossy plastic exterior and matte white interior might be more prone to picking up scratches and staining.

What you're missing by not upgrading to the $1,199 13-inch MacBook Pro is a better color-depth LED-backlit screen, a thinner, lighter body, FireWire 800, DDR3 RAM (the MacBook only has DDR2), a longer-life seven-hour (according to Apple) non-removable battery, the oversize multitouch touch pad (this smaller one does support some multitouch gestures), and an SD card slot.

If you can live without these, then the $999 MacBook just might be your bet. Even better, Apple's current back-to-school promotion throws in a free 8GB iPod Touch (minus sales tax) if you're a student, sweetening the deal a bit more, although the promotion runs across all Macs.

Unboxing: It's New MacBook Day

The white laptop on the left is the sole MacBook left in Apple's lineup, now dominated by MacBook Pros.

(Credit: Joshua Goldman/CNET)

Despite the litany of Apple announcements at the opening keynote speech of the company's developers' conference, what could turn out to be more interesting than the new products it named is what Apple didn't say Monday.

The bumping up of the 13-inch laptop to MacBook Pro status, and the price cuts along the MacBook Pro line certainly grabbed headlines. They did something else: they left the little $999 white MacBook as the only true MacBook in the bunch. Gone now is the option to buy a silver unibody design version of a MacBook. The rest are all MacBook Pros now, which leaves buyers with little choice if they don't want a high-end notebook from Apple.

So what gives? Apple doesn't talk about products before it's ready to, but with that subtle change it may be signaling some tantalizing possibilities for upcoming products.

The white MacBook, at $999, is the cheapest notebook Apple offers right now. It also looks a bit out of place, compared to the clean, silver, cut-from-a-single-block-of-aluminum design of the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models. More importantly, there is a big gap in Apple's product lineup between the $299 iPhone and iPod Touch and the $999 laptop.

Apple could bridge that with the much discussed touch-screen tablet, which, of course, Apple has never actually said is in the works. If it were, the tablet could certainly make sense with the MacBook name attached, especially if its primary purpose was as a portable device for reading e-books, reviewing documents, and viewing videos.

But there is also room for a lower-cost laptop, with fewer bells and whistles aimed specifically at the education market. It would be similar to what the rest of the computer world calls a Netbook, or a mini-notebook. If Apple did make one, it would seem to represent a change in attitude toward "junky" Netbooks. But here's the thing: Apple wouldn't have to make a poor-quality mini-notebook. Historically, in the tug between features and style, and affordability, Apple usually errs on the side of features. But the company can, in fact, aim for a broader Mac market from time to time. It did so with the eMac in 2002, which lasted until 2005. That Mac desktop was aimed at students, and no one would call that a junky version of an iMac. It was however available with fewer features and a corresponding (slightly) lower price.

... Read more

$99? Even Wilson Tang can afford that.

(Credit: James Martin/CNET)

WWDC has come and gone and The 404 has been groaning ever since the lights dimmed. Listen or watch as we analyze all of the announcements and whether or not any of us are tempted to bite the bait.

Next we'll give you an update on Jeff's Palm Pre saga as it continues. If you didn't catch yesterday's show or special segment, Jeff's Pre is acting a little wonky.

Finally, Wilson wraps up last night's Webby Awards, where CNET picked up a few wins in various categories. Was it the best Webby Awards ever? We think you already know the answer to that one.

EPISODE 359

One of the most attractive aspects of the new iPhone 3G S is the pricing; $299 for the 32GB model and $199 for the 16GB model isn't bad. Even better is the $99 for the old iPhone 3G with 8GB. But beware; not everyone qualifies for the announced pricing right off the bat.

The truth is, these prices only apply to new customers, new lines of service, and contract renewals. If you're still under contract, including existing iPhone 3G owners, you're probably not eligible for the upgrade. AT&T claims that most iPhone 3G owners will be eligible for the announced pricing only after 18 months. However, you might still qualify for an "early upgrade price", which are $499 for the 32GB, $399 for the 16GB, and $299 for the old 8GB iPhone 3G--that's only if you can't wait the six or so months to get the new phone. If you don't want the two-year contracts at all, you'll have to cough out the full price of the phones, which are $699 for the 32GB, $599 for the 16GB, and $499 for the 8GB.

I bought my iPhone 3G in August of last year, and so I tried to see what price I would get when I tried to buy the latest iPhone 3G S. This is the screenshot of my online order:

The "early upgrade" price for existing customers

(Credit: Nicole Lee/CNET)

Notice that it says that my eligibility date is 04/15/2010, which is about a couple more than the 18 months stated. I've heard plenty of coworkers say their eligibility date is early December of this year, while others said their eligibility date is February of next year. It seems like there's some inconsistency as to when existing customers can truly qualify for the announced pricing. On top of that, it looks like it costs another $18 to upgrade at all.

Of course I understand that AT&T doesn't need to cater to its existing customers; we've already signed our souls away to them. This happens with almost all cell phone carriers, not just AT&T, and this is nothing new. But that doesn't change that it's just a little frustrating to know there are these little hidden annoyances that happen to us existing customers just because we gave them our business before everyone else.

(Additional information via Gizmodo)