Last week we wrote about how the new iPhone 3GS offers better security because of better encryption both on-device and in the hardware. But now, information has come to light that the device can be hacked within two minutes using readily available freeware.
Thanks to improvements in the iPhone OS 3.0 software update released Wednesday, connecting to a Wi-Fi hotspot with your iPhone or iPod touch should become almost as easy as roaming on the cellular network. Two new features radically improve the process of logging in (when you've already got an account with the Wi-Fi hotspot provider) and filling out information when it's required for free access. However, there are some catches, and-wouldn't you know it?-an incompatibility or two.
TwitterFon, the popular iPhone and iPod Touch Twitter Client, released a long overdue update to their app that introduced several new features, the most noticeable being ad support for the free version. But if you think you can get around the introduction of advertisements by skipping the update, you may want to reconsider due to the number of general usability issues that slow functionality and often times crash the app.
You're probably already stuffed with iPhone rumors, but consider this dessert. Daring Fireball's John Gruber has heard from "informed sources" that the next-generation iPhone will receive a significant processor upgrade, bumping the speed to 600MHz, which should make the new handset 1.5 times as fast as the current 400MHz iPhone CPU.
During my last trip to NYC I met one of the guys behind Mobile Roadie in Williamsburg, and was quite impressed with the app. Basically it allows any band to generate an iPhone app for their band, get it up on the app store, and continually update the app's content with minimal effort.
Orb Networks today announced the availability of Orb Live Events, a customizable iPhone application that enables any content owner to broadcast their live content on these popular handsets. Live Events provides content owners with a proven iPhone player, already approved and available in Apple's App Store for the iPhone and iPod touch. In contrast to using other solutions, which can cost millions and take months to implement, a content provider or broadcaster can get up and running in as little 24 hours with the Orb solution.
Apple has introduced an in-app purchase feature for free iPhone apps that allow you to fulfill transactions within the iPhone applications themselves - no Apple App Store required. The feature was previously available for paid applications.
Late Wednesday, augmented reality app Layar finally hit the App Store. It received a lot of buzz early on in the days of AR on mobile devices, and was released long ago for devices running Google's Android OS.