Crave

The Instinct adds a handy new feature.

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When we reviewed Sprint's Samsung Instinct earlier this year, there were several things we liked about the device. Naturally, we had a few complaints as well, not the least of which was the lack of corporate calendar syncing. The Instinct could get some Outlook e-mail, but without calendar syncing it had a limited appeal as a business handset.

Yet, starting Thursday, Instinct owners can get calendar syncing through a software update to the device's Mobile E-mail application. The new feature will be free of charge (provided you have a Sprint "Simply Everything" plan) and will work with Microsoft Exchange Server 2000, 2003, and 2007 accounts and IBM Lotus Notes. People will be able to see daily, weekly, and monthly views of their calendar and details of specific appointments and meetings. You'll also get meeting reminders, the ability to accept or decline new appointments, and the ability to edit or delete current meetings. All changes will be synced automatically with the user's desktop calendar. What's more, Sprint says it plans extended calendar syncing to other non-smartphones in the near future.

The calendar syncing comes from Seven, a company Sprint partnered with to power the Instinct's e-mail capabilities. We returned our Instinct review unit but we've asked for it back to test the new services. One we get it, we'll add an assessment to our Instinct review.

Tap out auto-correct with the 2.2 iPhone software update.

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When it comes to iPhone software updates, I'm all about the basics. Apple could enable the iPhone to cook my dinner every night, but if it added multimedia messaging in the same update, then that's the thing that would excite me. Remember last January's update 1.1.3 for the iPhone Classic? While the quasi-GPS functionality got the most attention, I was much more excited that you could now send a text message to multiple people.

So for the iPhone 2.2 software update that Apple released today, it's the ability to turn off the auto-correction in the keyboard that excites me the most. It is useful most of the time, but other times the feature drives me crazy. Almost every other cell phone on the planet allows you to do this, so it's nice to see that the iPhone now does the same. Of course, the other additions are more than welcome--here's hoping that the Safari Web browser really gets "Improved stability and performance"--but I know what I like.

On a related note, the addition of Google Street View is both cool and creepy in that way that only Google can make you feel. Yet, I think that Apple could have been a little more clear on how you find it. Instead of being accessible through a dedicated button in the Maps application, you first must drop a pin and the map and then select the little person icon to see the view from that location. Once you're there it works well, but getting there isn't the most intuitive process.

But on the whole it is a decent update. I could go into the what we didn't get (native voice dialing anyone?) but my colleague Maggie Reardon already did that. Also, check out her blog for a full list of the updates.

The latest software update appears to have improved the iPhone 3G.

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Recently, I asked iPhone 3G owners to tell me if the 2.1 software update had fixed the widespread issues with dropped calls, short battery life, and faulty 3G connectivity. Now, just over a week later, I've wrapped up your comments.

At the time of this writing, we received 56 comments (I had to discount a few because they weren't on topic). While this is an entirely unscientific survey, almost half (48 percent) reported significant improvements in all areas, 20 percent reported no positive changes, and 32 percent said that it fixed only a few issues while leaving other problems unchanged. I've included a sampling of comments after the break.

As for me, I have to fall in the neutral camp. On the upside, backups on our iPhone 3G review model are quicker, contacts load faster and application crashes are nonexistent. I never had many dropped calls, so I didn't see a change there, but the keyboard lag has improved as well.

On the downside, however, I haven't seen much a battery life improvement at all. Still I can only get a day's worth of battery, even if I leave it resting on my desk for a few hours. Though one satisfied reader said he was happy that his iPhone 3G now lasted a full day rather than a few hours, I still think that's unsatisfactory.

What's more, I'm still wondering exactly how the update changed the 3G feature. In its release notes Apple promised that 2.1 would bring "improved accuracy of the 3G signal strength display." So what exactly does that mean? Like my colleague Dong Ngo, I've seen a few more bars on my display but the 3G reception seems to be about the same.

Finally, some readers said that after the 2.1 update their iPhone started fetching e-mail far less frequently. I've haven't seen a change in that area so please tell me if you have. ... Read more

The 2.1 software update brings needed changes to the Apple iPhone 3G.

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When Apple released the iPhone 2.1 software update last Friday, the company promised it would fix a lot of the irritating issues that have plagued iPhone 3G users since the device hit stores two months ago. Among the promises were longer battery life, fewer dropped calls, quicker backups, and no more crashes of third-party apps.

It's an impressive list, and one that every iPhone 3G owner has been waiting for. But beyond the hype, has the software update kept its promises? Is the iPhone 3G really an improved device? Well, after a few days of tinkering, anecdotal evidence by CNET editors and readers suggests that it has. Here's what we found.

Dropped calls
I never experienced a great number of dropped calls on our iPhone 3G review model, so I deferred to a couple of colleagues for their opinion. CNET editors Dong Ngo and Nicole Lee not only reported fewer dropped calls on their iPhones, but also an improved signal in more areas. What's more, calls were more stable and connection failures were fewer.

Faster backups
Nicole and Dong also agreed that backup times are now much quicker. Nicole said her backups dropped from about 10 minutes to just 2 minutes. A CNET reader had an even better experience. His backup times dropped form three hours to just a few minutes. I noticed a big change in this area as well.

Battery life
I haven't noticed much of a change here yet, but other respondents have seen improvement. As Dong said, his iPhone nearly died during an eastbound transcontinental flight before installing 2.1. But after 2.1, his iPhone was only half dead on his return westbound flight, which lasted an hour longer.

Apps
I had quite a few app crashes before 2.1, and haven't seen any after installation.

Faster loading of contacts
Though I never timed it before, this appears to be much faster. And others agree.

3G signal
Though some people hoped the update would boost 3G reception and increase download time, that's not the case. Actually, 2.1 was supposed to bring "improved accuracy of the 3G signal strength display." While this does appear to be happening--I noticed a jump of a couple of bars pretty quickly--I wonder what that really means to the user. As Dong said, "(the) 3G signal is better (as in more bars), but the speed is not much better."

What have you noticed from the 2.1 software update? Have the changes made your iPhone better?

Fixes are coming for the iPhone 3G.

(Credit: Apple)

Though iPod news dominated Tuesday's Apple's "Let's Rock" event in San Francisco, Apple CEO Steve Jobs did spill a bit of iPhone news. Jobs said that coming this Friday, Apple will release the anticipated 2.1 software update. What will it bring? Well...Jobs didn't really say, except that is a "big update" that would fix "lots of bugs."

The pesky bugs should be no surprise to current iPhone 3G owners as they've been widely reported since the handset launched two months ago. Specifically, the fix should bring fewer dropped calls, battery life improvements, no crashes with applications and faster backups.

If the software update does what Jobs promises, there's no question that it will be welcomed warmly. The ongoing issues have proved to be a thorn in the side of many iPhone 3G owners, but Apple was relatively slow in acknowledging the problems. On August 18, it released the 2.0.2 software update, which was supposed to bring "improved communication with 3G networks," a company spokeswoman said. Then, two days later, rumors circulated that the crashing applications problem would be fixed in a September software update.

So, this does appear to be the moment we've been waiting for. When the update is out, we'll download it to our iPhone as soon as we can and tell you how it works. I'm hopeful the issues will be solved, but I'm also wondering how a software update can address bad 3G coverage from AT&T. What's more, I'd be happier if the 2.1 update also added missing features to the iPhone like cut and paste, multimedia messaging ,and voice dialing, to name a few. I guess we'll have to continue waiting.

What do you want from the iPhone 2.1 software update? Let us know below.

It's all better now.

(Credit: Corinne Schulze/CNET Networks)

Yay! Apple's iPhone 2.0.2 software update has fixed our broken iPhone 3G. Its endless loop of system restores is over, and it's now back in working order.

Yet, that seems to be just about the only change from the update. Apple promised that 2.0.2 would bring "bug fixes" (and did it it ever) but the company hasn't promised anything else. Like others I have noticed a slight improvement in the typing speed when using the keyboard, but that seems to be about it.

AppleInsider reported that in the music player the transition from list to Cover Flow mode has changed, but I'm not seeing a difference just yet. Perhaps, I'm looking in the wrong place, though, so if you find it please let me know. I haven't seen a difference in 3G reception either, but (to be fair) there was never any promise that this update would fix that problem. Still, I maintain what I said earlier: Apple needs to acknowledge what's going on.

Are you noticing other changes from the update? If so, please let me know.

Update: It appears Apple finally has acknowledged the 3G issue. On Tuesday the company told the Associated Press that the 2.0.2 update "improved communication with 3G networks." Let me know if that's the case for you.

Apple has released iPhone OS 2.0.2 with its obligatory, but unhelpful, release notes indicating only "bug fixes."

Unfortunately, a resolution to widespread, frustrating 3G reception issues is not among those fixes. In fact, some users have reported that the update manifests poorer 3G reception than 2.0.1, with devices now giving a "No Service" message in previously 3G-accessible locations.

"I use to get one to three bars of 3G service in my house and now I can't make a call," wrote an Apple poster. "I have to switch off the 3G to get any bars. Things are going the wrong way!"

Even worse, many users are experiencing incompatibility with previously operational third-party applications. "Yes, I have about 15 apps loaded and now only eight to ten work with the new 2.0.2 software," said a user. Some are reporting even worse predicaments. "All my downloaded applications crash within 5 seconds of being opened," said another person. "Restarting the phone and reapplying update has done nothing to fix it."

What does iPhone OS 2.0.2 fix? Both typing and scrolling, which were plagued by extreme lag and slowness prior to this update, are now operating at acceptable speeds for many users, but not all.

"[The update] didn't improve my 3G signal, or my signal in general for that matter," said a poster. "And I still am getting the keyboard lag."

iPhone OS 2.0.2 can be installed by attaching your iPhone to your Mac or Windows computer then clicking the "Update" button. Based on current reports, however, the benefits may not outweigh the risks.

Originally posted on iPhone Atlas.

Achoo! I've caught a cold.

(Credit: Corinne Schulze/CNET Networks)

As my colleague Tom Krazit over at CNET News already told you, Apple released the iPhone OS 2.0.2 software update on Monday. Unfortunately, our iPhone 3G has other plans. Our review model still is caught in an endless series of restore cycles. Hopefully, I'll get it fixed soon and can let you know what the update brings.

It gets updated.

(Credit: Corinne Schulze/CNET Networks)

Although Friday's launch of the iPhone 3G is grabbing all the headlines, there's no need to put the original iPhone out to pasture just yet.

With the iPhone 2.0 software update, the first iPhone is getting another day in the sun, and it's a nice toasty sunshine at that. Although Apple has yet to release the update officially--it should happen Friday as well--the software became available on Thursday through the magic of the Internet.

As we reported during Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference last month, the 2.0 software update adds a number of important features to the original iPhone, including Microsoft Exchange server support and access to the App Store. After installing the new iTunes 7.7 (available for Windows and Mac) update on our PC, we downloaded the update and installed it on our phone. Here's what we found.

Download process
At the moment, the downloading process is a bit convoluted, though that experience will change, once Apple releases the software update officially. But once we started the process of installing it on our iPhone, it proceeded successfully without any hiccups.

The whole process took about 10 minutes from start to finish. Since the iPhone treats the update as a system restore, it will erase any saved information. Fortunately, iTunes creates a one-time media backup of your files. Although some users have reported that iTunes failed to create a backup file for them, we didn't have any problems.

Ready for your work e-mail.

Exchange server support
One of the most coveted additions is the full support for Microsoft Exchange server. Adding an account was ridiculously easy, once we had the correct settings from our IT department.

Once you've chosen to add a new e-mail account in the main Settings menu, you'll be taken to the standard list of available e-mail systems. "Microsoft Exchange" and (we'll try that later) will appear at the top of the list just above the choice for Gmail. You'll then be prompted to enter the applicable e-mail address, domain/username, server, and password.

The authentication process took just a couple of minutes, and we were up and running fairly quickly. Installing CNET's security certificate posed a bit of a challenge--we ended up mailing it to ourselves through Yahoo--but we installed it eventually.

Once you're ready to go, it will sync your Outlook e-mail, contacts, and calendar. Be advised that the iPhone can sync only with one calendar or contacts list at a time. If you have a separate personal calendar, your work calendar will replace it, once you start the sync (you'll be notified before it happens).

As an alternative, though, you can sync e-mail without syncing your contacts and calendar. Also, you can keep work and personal e-mail accounts open at the same time. You'll just have to switch between the two.

When using Wi-Fi, the syncing was very quick most of the time. As new messages came in, the iPhone registered them almost immediately. It seemed to get bogged down when we received a large clump of messages at one time. In those cases, we had to update the phone manually.

By and large, those updates were quick, but there was at least one instance where it took a couple of minutes. In fact, it was so long that we thought that the phone had frozen. We also noticed that if the iPhone loses its Wi-Fi connection, the syncing is interrupted. But even with these caveats, the experience was satisfactory. Syncing via EDGE took a few seconds longer, but it wasn't too bothersome.

When we deleted a message on our phone, the same e-mail vanished on our PC just a couple of seconds later. Messages deleted on the PC took longer to disappear from the phone; typically, we had to do a manual update to see them gone. Messages deleted on the phone will show up in your PC's Recycle Bin and vice versa.

You can access all folders in your in-box and move messages from your in-box to a specific folder. You can't search for messages, but you can call a contact if they include their phone number in their e-mail. Opening attachments worked as promised, and we like how the software update now lets you save attached images directly to your photo gallery simply by tapping the image. To e-mail photos, you will need to do so in the traditional manner by opening the photo, selecting the e-mail option, and choosing which account you'd like to send from.

Though according to AT&T, using Exchange server support on the iPhone 3G will require the business data plan (the one that costs $45 per month), we received no notice on the original iPhone advising us of any data plan issues (not that we would). It will be interesting to see how AT&T enforces this policy on the iPhone 3G.

The iPhone Apps Store

Third-party applications
Once the software update installed, an icon for the App Store appeared on our iPhone's home screen. When selected, you're taken to the Apps Store main menu, which somewhat resembles the mobile iTunes store in design. You search applications by name and category and you can browse through the lists of Featured applications or the Top 25. There also is a feature for seeing if your purchased applications have any updates.

We purchased two applications from the iPhone: AP Mobile News and a currency rates application. Downloads over Wi-Fi were pretty quick; it took just about 10 seconds total. Though wireless iTunes song downloads are available only through a Wi-Fi connection, you can purchase applications over EDGE. Just keep in mind that downloads will take a lot longer.

We also purchased applications through the online iTunes (7.7) store. Though you could access the applications store only through a back-door method this morning, it's now prominently featured in the store. We downloaded Super Monkey Ball and then synced it to our phone--a new applications tab appears under the iPhone menu. The process was quick and painless. What's more, navigation through the online apps store is easy.

What's most remarkable about the online applications store is the sheer breadth of titles available. As of this writing, there are 27 pages available in a staggering range of categories. If there is one thing about the software update that changes the original iPhone for the better, it's the Apps Store--even if not all the applications are keepers. Of course, before you get carried away, remember that some apps are free but others will cost you.

Contacts search
A search bar now appears above your contacts list. Typing in any portion of the same will take you immediately to that person. The software update also added a special Contacts to the home screen, which is something we weren't expecting.

iWork documents and PowerPoint
We haven't tried iWork documents just yet, but we were able to view PowerPoint e-mail attachments. The attachment was rather large (1.3MB) but it didn't take very long to download.

The new scientific calculator

Bulk delete and move
This works in your e-mail boxes only. In your in-box you'll see a small "edit" button at the top right-hand corner. When you press the button a small circle will appear next to each e-mail. Touch the circle to highlight as many messages as you like and then select the "delete" or "move" options.

Scientific calculator
As Steve Jobs said in his WWDC keynote, you'll now get a scientific calculator when you turn the phone on its side. You'll see a lot more buttons that will set a mathematician's heart aflutter. Jobs said a lot of people asked for this but again, I'd like to know who they are.

Parental controls
You now will find a "Restrictions" selection under the General tab of the main Settings menu. There you can restrict access to the Safari browser, explicit songs, YouTube, and the iTunes and iTunes Apps stores. You can select as many restrictions as you like.

Your choice of keyboards

Language support
The software update will brings language support and typing keyboards in French, Canadian French, UK English, German, Japanese (QWERTY and Kana), Dutch, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Brazilian Portuguese, Danish, Finnish, Norwegian, Swedish, Korean, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Russian, and Polish. You can select as many languages you want by opening the "International" selection under the General tab of the main Settings menu. For Chinese you choose from Pinyin or a graffiti-style application for writing characters. As you enter characters, suggestions will appear to the right. To change between menus, choose from the small globe icon next to the space bar.

GPS
As the iPhone Atlas reports, the 2.0 software update also brings GPS tracking. We tested both while walking in downtown San Francisco and riding in a taxi. Considering that the tracking is relying solely on cellular towers and Wi-Fi hot spots, it was pleasantly accurate. When walking we could see the little bull's-eye moving along with us. Not surprisingly, the tracking was a bit off when we were in a car. The bull's-eye jumped block by block as we came to stoplights. On the whole it works well, but it's no replacement for a standalone GPS system. Also, remember that while you can get directions through Google Maps, the iPhone does not support real-time turn-by-turn directions.

What we didn't get
As we've told you already, the software update didn't give us a lot of things we were hoping for. But if you'd like to see the list again, Nicole Lee has the details.

That's it for now, but check back tomorrow as we divulge into more details on the software update and delve into our full review of the iPhone 3G.

Click here for CNET News' complete iPhone 3G coverage.