Google Latitude is now available in the App Store for iPhone and iPad.

If you have been waiting patiently for Google to release a dedicated iPhone App for Google Latitude, then you are kinda in luck, as a Google Latitude iPhone App has finally hit the App Store. Latitudie is not an official app from Google themselves, but from the developer who brought us Buzzie, the Google Buzz client for the iPhone.

Latitudie works on both iPhone and iPad makes use of the multitasking in iOS4 so that you can run it in the background, but be warned that constant use of the GPS will drain your battery.

The app is a little sparse at the moment, and will only update your location to Latitude, there is currently no options to see your friends list, which is a shame. Hopefully it will be updated with new features with the same frequency that the developers have with their other app Buzzie.

The History function is neat, you can go back and look at where you have been with Google Latitude (using any previous Latitude App) and a pin will appear on the map. This data can of course be cleared.

Latitudie the Google Latitude App will work on both iPhone and iPad and costs £1.19

The iPhone is coming to Three (UK)

We had the first indication that the iPhone is coming to 3 back in February, now the news has finaly come true – the iPhone 4 will be coming to Three on June 24th.

Information is sparse at the moment, but you can register your interest on the site now. You will then be able to pre-order your iPhone 4 on Three from Tuesday 15th June.

This is great news for Three, who I believe have a great network, but rubbish handsets to actually make use of it.  This is the phone that will put Three back in the race and lure people back to the network!

I can’t wait..

MiFi from 3 Review

I have recently been trialling Three’s MiFi device as a way to get my Apple iPad online when I’m not near a WiFi Hotspot. Is is any good? Read on to find out…

What’s a MiFi?

You should be familiar with the term WiFi, which allows you to surf the Internet without any wires from the device of your choice (PC, Mac, Games Console, Mobile Phone etc) to a WiFi Hotspot, which is in turn, connected to a telephone line to an Internet Service Provider (ISP).

You might also have heard of a Mobile Broadband Dongle. This is a USB device that plugs into your computer and allows you to connect that computer to the Internet using a Mobile Network (Orange, Vodafone, Three etc).

A MiFi is basically a combination of the two. You can connect any device to it using WiFi, and then the device connects to the Internet using a Mobile Network, rather than a fixed line (from BT).

Why use a MiFi?

The beauty of using a MiFi is that you don’t need to have a traditional telephone line connection to the Internet, you can connect your device to the Internet wherever you happen to be (provided that you have mobile signal!).

Also, unlike a USB Broadband Dongle, which allows one device to connect to the Internet at a time, a MiFi allows up to five devices to use the same Internet connection.

The MiFi is compact and light, and will easily slip into a pocket or bag so that you can hop onto the Internet wherever you choose to take it!

Using the Three MiFi

Getting the unit up and running is a breeze, although you do actually need a PC for the first part.

There are a selection of lights on the unit that give statuses to different parts of the MiFi service, Clockwise from top-left are:

• Network coverage - This will go green when it detects a mobile signal
• Battery Status – This will change from green, yellow and red, as your battery is used
• M (Mobile Broadband) – This informs you that you have a Internet connection (dark blue/light blue for super fast connection)
• W (WiFi) is enabled – This allows your devices to connect to the MiFi
• R - is only seen when you are roaming (using the MiFi abroad)

There are 3 buttons down the side of the unit, a power on/off plus a button to turn on/off WiFi and Mobile Broadband independently.

Getting the unit up and running requires pressing (and holding for 2 seconds) these buttons in a certain order – Power, WiFi then Mobile Broadband, with each related light flashing, and then turning solid to indicate its active.

Once the lights are static you are good to go.  All you then need to do is enter the provided WiFi Key on your WiFi device and you should be surfing the net in no time.

Results

The speeds of the MiFi have been pretty great. I have been getting between 1.5Mb and 3Mb.

I have streamed video to my iPad and iPhone from TVCatchup simultaneously using the same MiFi connection, and got fault-less picture quality.

I downloaded a 450MB App from the iTunes Store in under 40 minutes.

After the initial 12 hour battery charge, it then takes 3 hours for a full charge (from mains).

With a standard 3G connection to the Internet, the Apple App Store would detect that you are not using WiFi and prevent any downloads over 20MB. Not so with the MiFi, as your immediate connection is WiFi, there are no restrictions. This is great, but be aware that you will gobble up your mobile broadband data allowance quickly with large downloads.

Conclusion

The Three MiFi is an awesome gadget! Why pay for Mobile Broadband restricted to one device when you can get one of these and connect whatever devices you like to it.

For iPad owners it will cost you an extra £100 to upgrade from the 16GB WiFi model to the 16GB WiFi+3G unit. A Pay-As-You-Go MiFi is half that price (£49.99) and allows you to connect ANY device to the mobile Internet.  I think it’s a bit of a no-brainer!

The unit is solid, and light, and while connecting is easy, I think that it really needs to be simplified to a one button activation.

It’s also a shame that you are unable to charge the device via USB when plugged into a USB port on a computer.

The PC MiFi Manager Software is a bind and would be a problem for Mac users (like me), so for people who are using an iPad then it would be nice to access the control panel via a web browser.

Faults aside – it’s a very usable device – and I would highly recommend this to anybody!

You can pick a MiFi up from Three for as little as £49.99 on Pay As You Go.

]]> http://mypocketos.com/2010/06/07/mifi-from-three-review/feed/ 0 http://mypocketos.com/2010/06/05/switcheasy-vulcan-case-for-iphone-3gs/ http://mypocketos.com/2010/06/05/switcheasy-vulcan-case-for-iphone-3gs/#comments Sat, 05 Jun 2010 16:46:39 +0000 Neil Bird http://mypocketos.com/?p=1549

SwitchEasy Vulcan Case for iPhone 3GS Review

The Apple iPhone is a great looking mobile and although I love to keep my gadgets like new, free from bumps and scratches, I don’t won’t to wrap the phone in a lead box to keep it safe. Why have a cool mobile and hide it behind tons of plastic?

I have recently been testing a new case for my iPhone 3GS – the SwitchEasy Vulcan which gives your phone lots of protection, but without much additional bulk.

Contents

Inside the packaging you will find the following items:

• Shock Proof Semi-Soft Case
• 2 Anti-Static Screen Protectors (1 spare)
• 2  Connector Port Protectors (for the headphone jack and dock connector port)
• 1 Micro-fibre Wipe
• 1 set of Instructions

Fitting

Adding the SwitchEasy Vulcan to your iPhone was a breeze, after a quick polish of the handset to remove any dust from the device, peel off the protective film from the sticky side of the screen guard and apply it to the front of the iPhone pushing out any air bubbles from the screen.

Next it’s just a matter of attaching the back cover to the iPhone.  Now the cover is very snug, and you will have to slip one end of the iPhone into the cover and forcefully pull the other end over the phone.  It’s reassuring to know that its so snug that you know that your phone isnt going to come out of it anytime soon.

First Impressions

On first glance it looks like a solid black plastic enclosure, but on closer inspection you notice that the plastic is actually see-through, allowing the Apple logo and iPhone model details to be seen through the back. There are also some subtle curved lines that run up through the back of the case that you notice as its catches the light.

The phone feels good in your hand, and the screen doesn’t impair usage of the touchscreen interface in any way.

What is does and doesn’t protect

The protective case sits snugly across the back of the iPhone which also covers the Power button and Volume up/down buttons, but leaves the switch to silent button and headphone jack exposed, as well as the mic/speaker and dock ports at the bottom of the handset.  The kit does come with covers for the headphone jack and connector port, but these are so small that they will easily be lost.

The screen protector covers the entire face of the iPhone, with a hole for the Home button, which doesn’t get covered.

Conclusion

I have used some other similar and more expensive covers on my iPhone, which have been a little more rubbery. After time the corners of it weaken and have started to pop-back exposing my iPhone on a few occasions while taking it out of my pocket.

The SwitchEasy Vulcan is a very solid case, and as it was snug in fitting, you know that it’s not going to come off very easily. It also doesn’t feel like it adds any extra bulk to the handset.

The case has a bit of a non-slip feel to it, maybe not as much as some other cases, but is adequate enough to stop it easily sliding out of your hand.

I have been very please with the SwitchEasy Vulcan iPhone case and would highly recommend it to anybody looking to get a sleek protective case for their iPhone.

You can get the SwitchEasy iPhone Case from mobilefun.co.uk for £19.95.  They also have a huge selection of other iPhone covers.

iPhone Desktop Sync/Charger Review

If you are in the market for a desktop syncing and charging solution than look no further than the Kidgi Desktop USB Cradle for Apple iPhone 3GS.

Contents of the box

The Desktop cradle comes in a clear plastic case, with the black desktop sync base clearly on display. Unlike most packaging similar to this that needs a pair of scissors to get into, the back very easily pops off and can even be resealable.

The contents are pretty self-explanatory, we have the black desktop base, a USB cable and a UK mains adapter.

Up and running

Set-up is pretty straight forward, plug one end of the USB cable into your computer and the other into the cradle. You should then have an illuminated blue light to indicate that the desktop sync/charger is receiving power. All you need to then to do is slip your iPhone 3G / 3GS into the dock and off you go.

The USB Desktop Sync base is very solid in construction, and feels quite weighty, giving you reassurance that its going to hold your precious iPhone upright and not allow it to topple over.  The base also has some non-slip feet that also keep the unit firmly in place.

The unit has a clear plastic lip around the dock connector that gives the phone a snug fit and gives the iphone support while it is connected.  Unfortunately as this is a very snug fit, it does mean that anybody out there that has a cover on your iPhone will have to remove it to use this unit.

With the ability to also plug this straight into the mains, you could even use this as a bedside charging station for your power-hunger iPhone.

Price

You can get the Apple iPhone 3GS / 3G USB Desktop Sync & Charge Cradle from MobileFun.co.uk for £9.99 who also specialise in a range of iPhone Accessories.

Conclusion

All-in-all this is a great value desktop sync and charge solution for your iPhone at just a tenner.  With the official Apple Universal Dock coming in at £36 (although that does come with a remote) this is a steal! All you need it to do is charge and sync, and it does what it says on the box.

The Apple iPhone coming to Three (3UK) in 2010

It would seem that 3UK are looking to expand their mobile handset portfolio and have plans to add the Apple iPhone to its lineup.  In a recent blog post, it has indicated that they are looking to tie-up with the Californian mobile manufacturer.

…we’re asked a lot about our position with regards to the iPhone. We don’t currently have a commercial relationship with Apple but are working to change this during 2010 and add Apple to our portfolio.

Although 3 may have one of the best value-for-money offerings when its comes to mobile broadband and internet usage, their handset line-up has, to be fair, been pants. Things were improved upon last year with the introduction of the very popular HTC Hero which came with Spotify, but the rest of the line-up leaves much to be desired.

It seems odd that a company like 3, who is all about getting connected to the Internet, dont have the handsets that people want to make use of their infrastructure. Hopefully with a big name like the iPhone on the 3 network, it will drive more users to join them.

Personally, I recently unlocked my O2 iPhone and returned to the 3 network late last year, a great combination!

[via 3 Blog]

iPhone download limit upped from 10MB to 20MB over 3G

iPhone owners will be pleased with this quiet update that has increased the download limit over a mobile network from 10MB to 20MB.

Previously if you had a download from iTunes/App Store that was over 10MB, you had to wait until you were able to connect to WiFi to complete the download.  Now Apple have doubled the size of the download limit, meaning that any Apps up to 20MB can now be downloaded via your mobile carrier. Great Stuff.

Legally use your O2 iPhone on any network

Since November 2009, O2 are no longer the sole distributor of the Apple iPhone, and so have opened up their tight grip on the handset and will now allow you to unlock your iPhone.

Yes, you can now legally network unlock your O2 iPhone without having to Jailbreak your handset. This means that you are free to use your iPhone on any network that you like and that you can enjoy all the latest iPhone updates without worrying that it will re-lock a previously Jailbroken handset.

Unlock a Pay Monthly iPhone on O2

You can unlock your Pay Monthly iPhone at anytime to use on any network, and the best part is that it’s totally free. You will of course still be responsible for the remainder of your contract.

Simply go to the O2 website to Unlock your Pay Monthly iPhone and fill in your details. You will need to wait up-to 14 days for O2 to respond.

Unlock a Pay as You Go iPhone on O2

You can unlock your Pay as You Go iPhone at anytime to use on any network, but it will cost you £15, and the 12 months free Internet access will be removed from your account.

Simply go to the O2 website to Unlock your Pay as You Go iPhone and fill in your details. You will need to wait up-to 14 days for O2 to respond.

Confirmation Text from O2

You will receive a confirmation text from O2 to say that your iPhone has been unlocked.  Although they say 14 days, my text arrived the day after I filled in the form on the O2 website!

Connect to iTunes

Plug your iPhone into iTunes and you will receive the below message to say that your iPhone has been successfully unlocked.

Enjoy your unlocked iPhone

Now that your iPhone has been unlocked by O2, you can place any SIM of your choice in your handset.  If you have previously Jailbroken your iPhone, you may want to restore the iPhone OS to the latest Apple version (removing the jailbreak).

iPhone Operator Settings

Although you have an unlocked iPhone, your iPhone will be missing the important network configuration settings for MMS & Internet.  You may need to have a Google around to find these and manually enter them in Settings > General > Network > Cellular Data Network.

If want to use 3UK as your mobile provider like I did, then follow these instructions on how to get a 3UK IPCC file onto your handset.

]]> http://mypocketos.com/2010/02/21/unlock-your-o2-iphone/feed/ 0 http://mypocketos.com/2009/11/25/tesco-mobile-to-sell-the-apple-iphone/ http://mypocketos.com/2009/11/25/tesco-mobile-to-sell-the-apple-iphone/#comments Wed, 25 Nov 2009 13:20:53 +0000 Neil Bird http://mypocketos.com/?p=1147

Apple’s iPhone coming to Tesco Mobile

The news today is that UK Supermarket giant Tesco, will soon be stocking Apple’s iPhone 3GS on its Tesco Mobile network.

Tesco Mobile through its joint venture partnership with O2 is pleased to announce that it will shortly introduce iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS in Tesco Phone Shops and online through Tesco Direct in the UK

You can register your interest on the Tesco Mobile website.

This is great news to see that a Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) is taking on this high profile handset.  Is there anything that Tesco don’t get involved with?

TVCatchup – Watch your favourite TV programmes from your iPhone

You may already be familiar with the amazing BBC iPlayer for iPhone that allows you to catch-up with your favourite BBC TV shows that you missed, well now a company called TVCatchup are bringing you Live TV to your iPhone.

Some of your favourite UK Terrestrial TV Stations are now available at your fingertips to watch on your iPhone thanks to TVCatchup – Not only is the service totally free, but the picture quality over WiFi is stunning!

Watch Live TV using TVCatchup

It’s very easy to watch live TV on your iPhone, you don’t even need to install an App, just point your iPhone’s web browser at iphone.tvcatchup.com to be given a selection of the available channels.

Pick your favourite TV Channel and a live stream will then start, it’s as easy as that. Fancy some Deal or No Deal with Noel Edmonds?

Hooked on FIVE‘s latest big show Flash Forward?

Or even want to see what your favourite Blue Peter presenters are up to?..

All your favourite TV shows are now accessible for you to watch all from the comfort of your very own iPhone.

The Current Live TV Line-up

The site is currently in Beta and has a selection of channels:

• BBC One
• BBC Two
• ITV1
• Channel 4
• FIVE
• ITV2
• BBC 3
• Film 4
• E4
• More 4
• 4Music

Also watch from your computer

You can also watch TVCatchup from your computer by going to tvcatchup.com, where there are more channels to choose from as well as a nice TV Guide.

[via @TheCreativeLife]