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The US Copyright Office decreed on Monday that Americans are no longer prevented by law from jail-breaking their iPhones.

“Jail-breaking” refers to the reprogramming/unlocking an iPhone to be compatible with non-Apple approved software applications. The practice is fairly common, as there are millions of jail-broken iPhones in current circulation.

Though bypassing an iPhone’s operating system restrictions had until very recently been illegal, iPhone manufacturer Apple had never filed copyright or breach-of-contract lawsuits against any of its customers with unlocked iPhones.

Therefore the Copyright Office’s decision is more a political victory for lobbies such as the Electronic Freedom Frontier, who advocate the right of iPhone consumers to choose what they do with their own mobile devices.

Consumers who use unlocked iPhones do so to get around the restrictions that prevent them from running unauthorised programs, as well as to be able to choose their own network providers instead of being limited to those carriers in exclusive partnership with Apple.

On the other hand, Apple is understandably against the legitimisation of jail-breaking. Primarily because it threatens the official exclusivity of its highly profitable App Store. With unlocked iPhones, users are able to buy and run unauthorised apps from underground providers, which do not contribute to the company’s profit margin.

Apple’s other major concern is that jail-broken devices are much more susceptible to security problems and malfunctions. Apple claims that its customer support centres are inundated with calls about unlocked iPhones that have been infected with malware, or even physically damaged, as a result of jail-breaking.

Since the decision to legalise jail-breaking was announced, Apple has been quick to remind that the practice is still a technical breach of contract between manufacturer and customer, and so voids the warranty on an iPhone.

Something still worth considering for consumers who prefer to live an iPhone life unlocked.

Behold, the iPhone 4.

Agreed, it looks a lot like every other iPhone model we’ve ever seen. But behind the clone-like exterior is a cornucopia of new-and-improved features, including crisper resolution and display, speedier navigation between apps and documents, and real-time video calls.

And to the joy of Apple fanboys everywhere, and the ire of iPhone detractors, this latest incarnation comes with the long-awaited ability to multitask.

Apple CEO Steve Jobs hails the iPhone 4 as Apple’s greatest win, selling more units in its first 3 days on the market than any other product released by the company to date.

Others would disagree – the iPhone 4 has been slammed by many consumers and media sources as a colossal fail. Shiny new applications and advanced features are great fun, but the iPhone 4 has trouble performing the most fundamental function expected of a cellular telephone device: making calls.

An apparent flaw in the iPhone 4’s antenna results in phone calls dropping out, particularly in weak signal areas, when a user’s hand covers or even touches a particular spot on the device’s lower left corner. An oversight which immediately led to consumer and stockholder demands for a 1.5 billion USD recall of what appeared to be a defective product.

However, Steve Jobs fought back at a press conference by claiming that the antenna problem was not unique to the iPhone 4, so a recall was not required. Apple’s CEO claimed that his company was being singled out and picked by media and critics because of its success, and used video demonstrations to point the finger at rival smartphone companies RIM, HTC and Samsung for having similar reception issues with their products.

Samsung, HTC and RIM have since fired back against the antenna allegations, producing data of their own to illustrate that the iPhone 4’s connectivity problems are far more serious than those of their own smartphones.

It seems though that Jobs has effectively taken the heat off of Apple for the time being, and avoided the need for a costly recall.

Adding to the consumer confusion, Apple has offered the “Band Aid solution” of a free case that prevents calls from failing. It has also publicised statistics that initial iPhone 4 returns are lower than first-release iPhone 3GS returns (so people must be happier with the product, right?).

And naturally, reminded everyone that the so-called bad antenna does not affect every user – for some, it has actually made call functionality better.

So, is the iPhone 4 a win or a fail? Like so many other things in life, I guess it depends whether you’re Steve Jobs or anyone else.

There is a fierce war waging in personal computers: Windows VS Linux, Dell VS HP, Gigabyte VS Asus and now Chrome VS Safari.  While the battle is not new, the latest outcome is worthy of note.

It has recently been reported that Apple’s Safari browser is the latest casualty of Google’s ever-increasing world domination.  You may not think this is significant, but consider the facts.  There are many browsers out there – Internet Explorer, Firefox, Opera, Avant, Comodo Dragon (which looks remarkably like Chrome) – just to name a few. And the new super power has just toppled the reigning 3rd place.

StatCounter released figures showing Google Chrome’s US market share has increased to 8.66% while Safari’s is 8.17%  This is an amazing achievement by Google, as it has increase market share from 0% to 10% in just under 2 years.  The first release of Chrome was its beta version, and was launched in September 2008.  Apple’s Safari Browser was first released on the 7th of January on Mac OS X.
According to the current statistics on StatCounter.com the current market share is as follows:

1st Internet explorer: 53% (US) 50% (Aust) 52% (WW)

2nd Firefox: 28% (US) 30% (Aust) 31% (WW)

3rd Google Chrome: 8.66% (US) 9.49% (Aust) 9.24 (WW)

4th Apple Safari: 8.17% (US) 8.21% (Aust) 4.08% (WW)

5th Opera: .68% (US) .88% (Aust) 1.91% (WW)

It has been reported that Apple may develop its very own search engine.

Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster said there is a 70 percent chance Apple will roll out a mobile search engine tailored for its iPhone within the next five years. As the search provider for the iPhone, Google sees what iPhone users are searching for, which can help it tailor software and services for its own mobile smartphones.

Apple understands the data collected daily through the searches conducted on iPhones is extremely valuable and may try to capture this data by forming both map and search products. Google is the default search provider in all iPhones, which has millions of users, and is gaining valuable information from this lucrative deal.

As Google encroaches on Apple’s domain, offering applications, and mobile devices, it may be time for Apple to branch out and capture this information for itself. Although Apple lacks the experience and engineering to build a competitive search engine to rival Google, they may look into alternative options such as buying out smaller entities.

Munster says Apple could buy a search startup with a Web index, such as Cuil or Taptu and use its index as the seed for its own search engine.

Apple may entice local resellers to use the platform to break even. iPhone apps from Google and Bing are still delivering long links, which are undesirable when using mobile screen with little room to view. Which opens the marketing for a touch based mobile search product.

The whisper going around the Tech Giant playground at the moment is that Bing might potentially take over from Google as the default search provider in the Safari browser in the new iPhone operating system. This rumour has been floating around for while but as the release of the new iPhone OS draws nearer then it might be a good time to look at the implications for SEO and its benefactors.

Currently, Google is estimated to spend around $100 million per year for the privilege. It’s anyone’s guess as to the price Microsoft would pay for the opportunity. Here we see two competing search entities go head to head for a very lucrative deal that would certainly pay massive dividends to the victor. But what does it mean for the little guy? If every iPhone user in the world was converted to using Bing then how much impact would that have on the importance of ranking in Bing’s mobile search? A massive one I’d say. If Bing pulls this deal off then we will be facing a large change in the market share Bing have currently in mobile search.

At this stage I don’t believe there is a need to reassess your online marketing strategy. The rumours are just that, rumours; however it does pay to be aware. Microsoft is denying everything. Google might not be interested in staying in bed with Apple considering they are bigger competitors in the mobile arena now with Google Android. Either way, keep your ears out as any battle between giants can get interesting. Even more interesting is the fact that such an alliance between Microsoft and Apple could prove to be a decisive strike against Google.

There’s no denying the popularity of the iPhone. Thanks to its distinctive design it tends to stand out and be recognised more than its competitors. The following overviews of the two latest generation models aims to reveal whether that attention is warranted.

iPhone 3G

·         At a recommended retail price of $849, this is a mid-range priced smartphone with an accompanying mid-range internal processor of 412MHz CPU and 128MB RAM.

·         Presentation is sleek, with the simple clean design and smooth lines that are characteristic of Apple products.

·         The large touch-screen limits battery life to 8 to 12 hours before recharging is required, and means impaired typing ability when compared to a physical keyboard.

·         The system itself is user-friendly, without much distracting clutter on the screen.

·         The lack of video and picture messaging is disappointing on a smartphone branded by its marketing as a media innovator.

·         The media shortcomings continue with the substandard 2 megapixel camera that lacks basic functionality – no zoom, flash, auto-focus or colour filtering.

·         However the Apple App Store is far and away the industry leader when it comes to the range of applications available, and you can also buy iTunes music with same account.

·         Wi Fi is a breeze to set up and use, and of course it uses the 3G network.

·         Internet browsing is great with the preinstalled Safari web browser, which brings quick and clear loading, plus intuitive touch screen finger controls to expand, contract, scroll and drag through web content.

·         There is the option of either 8GB or 16GB of memory storage – great for storing an impressive media collection on the inbuilt iPod.

Verdict: Good, but not great.

iPhone 3GS

·         A higher end model with improved features that take the recommended price to $1100.

·         For that price you get 600MHz CPU and 256MB of RAM, plus a slightly longer battery life.

·         In appearance though it is virtually identical to the 3G model, so there are no extra “look at my superior iPhone” bragging rights.

·         Until someone hears the very cool “Voice Control” feature which allows you to give voice commands such as “Call my mother”, “Play artist Michael Jackson”, and “Play similar songs to this”.

·         Voice Control also gets the iPhone to speak back to you – it can read out phone numbers, menu options and SMS texts, as well as answer questions like “What song is this?”

·         Though the camera still has no flash function, it is improved in terms of megapixels, colour and focus capabilities, and it can record and play video.

Verdict: The iPhone 3GS is an outstanding piece of technology - more of a mobile computer than a mobile phone.

Having said all that, the iPhone 4G is being released in Australia in June. If you’re not keen on paying out-of-the-box prices on an iPhone, then this could be the perfect opportunity to grab a perfectly usable model second-hand from a friend or colleague who has to have the latest and greatest version before anyone else.

That’s my plan, anyway.

As the technology landscape changes, Apple is attempting to be in the forefront of online media.  In an earlier blog post it was shown that Apple is looking to capture the data from iPhone searches. This may be the first step in the demise of multiple corporations.

Siri creates personal assistant and search apps for mobile devices, a powerful tool in the ever increasing market space.  Rather than searching for an item such as “Movies on in Sydney” natural language is used, as if you were asking a question, “what funny movies are showing in Sydney?”  Acting as an assistant rather than a search engine, Siri will deliver the most relevant results.

This purchase from the technology giant can be seen as a step to undermine Google’s Android devices that have their own search capabilities.  Although the figure for the acquisition is yet to be released, estimtates place this at possibly larger than $100 million.

Siri is a very user friendly application, it includes a voice recognition element, and can even book restaurants for you.  It uses information from a number of online sources to deliver the best results with a personal touch.  Siri has been selected as the most innovative company at Microsoft’s BizSpark conference.

Although this is a very powerful tool in Apple’s umbrella, there is no evidence this trend will continue.  But in reality there is not telling and no stopping where Apple’s future lies.  Search is a growing market that can only open the market for more players.

We have all heard of post traumatic stress disorder, road rage, and clinical depression. What most people haven’t heard of is closer than you think, and something that potentially has effected or will affect us within the week’s end? No, it is not World War 3 or WMDs it’s cause and cure are much closer to home.

It is called Computer Stress Syndrome (CSS)…

It is well known in the IT support industry, and most of the time techies are fighting off angry customers wielding mice, and other reachable objects. This is mainly due to computer hardware or software failure, commonly known as either Bill Gates, or Microsoft. Other known technical problems include:

• Telstra tech support;
• Optus sales;
• Dell hardware replacements and;
• Apple iTunes.

Although these problems are few and far between, there are many solutions that can be an easy fix, or a long winded problem resulting in more CSS. I decided to tackle these problems to shine a light on the industry knowledge of IT support. These have been handed down from generation to generation, from techie to techie from Mr. Gates to no one.

I would like to say that I am very solution orientated, so in order to find a fix, we must first ask the questions. What are some problems we have all faced?

• The computer is taking a long time to load;
• The website is taking a long time to load;
• The printer doesn’t print;
• THE PRINTER DOESN’T PRINT!!!
• My inbox is full of spam;
• The CD, or these days the DVD player isn’t loading the DVD;
• I deleted a file accidently;
• Word crashed and I lost my assignment, and the list goes on…

So this is what we have all been waiting for… What are the solutions?

1. TURN THE COMPUTER OFF AND ON AGAIN – This solves 99% of all problems…
2. Buy a new keyboard, because the one you have has recently been smashed to bits.
3. The mouse is still working, but someone has put tape over the laser.
4. Go for a walk!! (Simple yet effective)
5. Stop drinking so much coffee
6. Upgrade your internet connection, Dialup isn’t fast enough anymore.
7. Buy a new computer, or format and reinstall the one you are currently using. And the final solution is…
8. RELAX, it is a machine that uses 1’s and 0’s, it doesn’t hate you, or have a vendetta. Most computer problems are user based. Take a break, relax, and come back when you have calmed down, then and only then, try and search for a solution using the world’s largest database… The internet.

In the normal fashion, for CEO Steve Jobs, Apple unveiled the new iPhone operation system update at an event at their headquarters in Cupertino, California. The major feature of this update is the ability to multitask, this means that users will now be able to run multiple programs at the same time. This is a massive update for the market leader, but it’s not all they are updating…

1. Folders will be added for increased usability for data storage, even with a drag and drop feature. This change will increase the number of apps you can visually see from 180 to 2160.
2. Mail is changing, multiple mail accounts will be displayed in the one inbox, and multiple exchange accounts will be supported.
3. iBooks will be introduced to the iPhone and iPod touch.
4. Enterprise. Apple is introducing more advanced email encryption, mobile management and deployment management tools, and also a wireless app distribution for push applications, and support for SSL and VPN.
5. Game Centre, social gaming network, think Xbox live for the iPhone.
6. iAd, Apple recognises that non-mobile adds are not nearly as effective on mobile devices. Apple want to introduce T.V. style adds to applications, and these would be viewed without the user leaving the application.

Apple has said that there will be more than 100 new features available on the 3GS, most will be available on the 3G and the iPod touch 2G, but due to hardware limitations multitasking will not… FAIL!. This update should be available during the US Summer or Aussie Winter.

It has been reported that Apple may develop its very own search engine.

Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster said there is a 70 percent chance Apple will roll out a mobile search engine tailored for its iPhone within the next five years. As the search provider for the iPhone, Google sees what iPhone users are searching for, which can help it tailor software and services for its own mobile smartphones.

Apple understands the data collected daily through the searches conducted on iPhones is extremely valuable and may try to capture this data by forming both map and search products. Google is the default search provider in all iPhones, which has millions of users, and is gaining valuable information from this lucrative deal.

As Google encroaches on Apple’s domain, offering applications, and mobile devices, it may be time for Apple to branch out and capture this information for itself. Although Apple lacks the experience and engineering to build a competitive search engine to rival Google, they may look into alternative options such as buying out smaller entities.

Munster says Apple could buy a search startup with a Web index, such as Cuil or Taptu and use its index as the seed for its own search engine.

Apple may entice local resellers to use the platform to break even. iPhone apps from Google and Bing are still delivering long links, which are undesirable when using mobile screen with little room to view. Which opens the marketing for a touch based mobile search product.