A Chinese blog has blurry photos that appear to show an iPhone — possibly the next-generation model — using autofocusing with its camera, movie recording and the digital compass. The series of images from UMPCFever make side-by-side comparisons between an older iPhone and the device running the new firmware, which is claimed to be a new

Some screenshots have surfaced of Gameloft’s iPhone RTS, Rise of Lost Empires. The game is already available on some mobile handsets and is expected to hit the App Store very soon. The description and features are from the previous mobile release, but should be a good indicator of what we can expect from the iPhone

Have you ever been at a concert and wanted to show your sick friend who was performing? Or have you ever wanted to video chat whith someone in the middle of a long road trip? To do these things, you’d need a ton of equipment (a laptop, a charging cable, a webcam. . .) right? Wrong. All you need is an iPhone. One that’s jailbroken, of course. The application is called Ustream, and it couldn’t be easier. All you need to do is install it through cydia, set up an account (it sounds worse than it is; setting up an account in Ustream is really easy), and start streaming live video from your iPhone straight to your customized Ustream webpage! After signing up for an account, you will be assigned a page: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/USERNAME. When the application is open, and the broadcast button has been hit, anybody can visit that page to view whatever it is you are pointing your phone at. There is only about a 3 second lag, and the video isn’t perfect quality, but at least the audio and video are always synced up. And, best of all, it actually works! Many have created successful web shows using this iPhone app, therefore, the folks of Ustream have added a new feature. While broadcasting, you can hit a button which polls your viewers. Right now, the polls only have “Yes” and “No” buttons. So, for instance, you can ask your viewers if they like the color blue, then hit the “Ask your Viewers Yes/No” button, and see the results immediatley! A very nice feature. And, as if all of these broadcasting abilities weren’t enough, there is even more. Ustream allows you to record video, and then, with no extra button-pushing or trickery, simply log-on to your account on your computer and watch your recorded video! This has unlimited possibilities, and may even be an improvement on Cycorder since you don’t need to take up all of your phone’s space with videos; let Ustream’s servers hold all of your videos for you. This is a very, very nice application which provides a very useful and fun function for all daring iPhone users. This application’s immense usefulness and effectiveness makes me wonder, however, why Apple won’t give the functionality to everybody. It’s there, it’s possible, and it won’t hurt anybody… Get Ustream by adding the BigBoss source in Cydia. Happy Broadcasting! Related Posts Why Jailbreak: The Miracle of iPhone Widgets CBS Releases TV.com For iPhone Presidents Of The USA Release iPhone Application Review: Pharce My iPhone Is Pretty Cute

If American school children have to resort to some special mosquito ringtone to use cell phones at school, a university in Japan is doing the opposite: giving cell phones to students. And not just any cell phone–the iPhone 3G. According to Asiajin, about 550 students and staff members in the School of Social Informatics at Tokyo-based

The iPhone 3.0 operating system release will include new support for direct downloads of movie and TV content from the iTunes Store, according to people familiar with Apple’s internal training materials. Last week, a Salon blogger covered initial reports of a new iTunes Store interface for downloading movies and TV directly on the iPhone, including support

Now this we can appreciate! Looking at this, if you’re familiar with the seemingly random app rejections that were (and sometimes are still) happening, you’ll get a really good laugh out of it. This writer especially appreciates the “sounds of flatulence” reference, and the “we feel threatened by it” bubble as well. We remain convinced that’s

With EA’s The Sims 3 for the iPhone about to drop, Gameloft decided that there is no better time than the present to release  New York Nights: Success in the City , which is their own take on the social simulation game. New York Nights: Success in the City is actually a port of the mobile version of the game by the same name, which was released in 2007.  That version has received quite a few positive reviews, so you can expect more of the same from the iPhone version. In  New York Nights: Success in the City , you arrive in Manhattan fresh off a plane from your native Alabama.  You are given very little to start with, so you must make new friends, find a job, and party to kick-start your new life.  The game allows you to explore six renowned New York locations, including 5th Avenue, Greenwich, Wall Street, Times Square, Chinatown, and Central Park.  The idea of the game is to become famous, find true love, and meet new friends all within 40 days.  To do that you must explore all of these locations and interact with non-player characters (or NPCs) by talking, flirting, offering gifts, stealing, and much, much more.  Since it is a social simulation game, your choices will affect the outcome. New York Nights: Success in the City is available in the App Store for $4.99. Which social simulation game will you be purchasing for your iPhone or iPod touch?  Will it be the much more graphically stunning and more expensive The Sims 3 , or would you rather save a few bucks and go with this more cartoony Gameloft offering? Or maybe even both?  This is, of course, assuming The Sims 3 for the iPhone will cost more than $4.99. Related Posts First Gameplay Video For The Sims 3 Gameloft Drops Price Of Assassin’s Creed, Siberian Strike On Sale The Sims 3 Preview Trailer New The Sims 3 Screenshots For Your Viewing Pleasure Terminator Salvation Receives An Early Price Drop

Over the evening hours EA released an iPhone version of the classic board game, Clue .  All I have to ask is: Was it Mrs. White with the rope in the lounge? In  Clue for the iPhone, you are an aspiring journalist who must uncover the clues to solve a mysterious murder, and you must answer the age-old questions of who, what, where, and how to win the game. Clue contains all of the usual suspects, including Scarlet, White, Peacock, Mustard, Plum, and Green.  The game also features all of the weapons from the original board game along with a few new ones.  To help solve the mystery, you are able to tap the screen to ask the suspects various questions.  You are also able to search through rooms via touch controls to find clues.  Try to read your suspects body language as well to determine if they are lying or telling the truth.  The game features a statistics tracker, crime map, and a few other features that will help you keep track of your progress.   Clue contains alternate endings to keep you coming back for more. Clue is available in the App Store for $4.99. Related Posts The Sims 3 Preview Trailer New The Sims 3 Screenshots For Your Viewing Pleasure EA Releases Star Trek, SimSampler For iPhone EA Releases American Idol: The Game, Anytime Pool Need For Speed Undercover Finally Available For iPhone

We have a bit of disheartening news for those of you that redownload applications via your iPhone after redeeming a promo code through the iTunes Store.  Apparently, you no longer can, or at least free of charge. Before you get too excited, let me clear this up for you.   Just Another iPhone Blog discovered this new road block within iPhone OS 3.0 beta 5, not in the current iPhone OS.  According to the blog, they haven’t seen this message before when attempting to redownload a promo code application, so it seems to be a new issue. Normally, as it is in iPhone OS 2.x, you are able to redeem promo codes via the “Redeem” link in the iTunes Store, and instead of having to resync your device with your computer to obtain the application, you can download the application through your iPhone.  A message appears stating that you have already downloaded the application, and you can redownload it again for free .  Well, that’s how it used to work. In iPhone OS 3.0 beta 5, when you try to do the same thing, apparently a new message appears stating that you can redownload the application for free, but you must do so on your computer.  If you choose to redownload the application directly from your iPhone, you will be charged for it. Having to resync your device every time you redeem a promo code is going upset a few people, especially people like me who redeem promo codes every day.  The bigger concern here is if the same thing would apply for every application downloaded, not just promo code applications.  Imagine having to resync your device every single time you want to redownload an application that you have already paid for.  What if you don’t have access to your computer at that time?  What are you supposed to do, purchase it again? Have any of you witnessed this message when using iPhone OS 3.0 beta 5? Update: We are able to confirm that this restriction doesn’t just apply to promo code applications, it applies to all applications.  This means that you will not be allowed to redownload any of the applications you already own via your iPhone or iPod touch. Related Posts AT&T Wi-Fi Hotspot Detector Found In iPhone OS 3.0 Beta 5 Low Latency Drum Pad ‘Bare Drums’ Now Available, $500 Contest For Best Jam Apple’s App Store Revenue No More Than $45 Million Band Performs Live Using Only App Store Apps Apple Showcasing Software On Demo Units

This evening while enjoying an over-priced beverage at my local Starbucks, I noticed that I had my iPod touch 2G with me which just happens to have iPhone OS 3.0 Beta 5 loaded on it. Wanting to connect to the internet, I opened up Settings and went to select the AT&T wireless connection that almost all Starbucks have nowadays. I connected to “attwifi” and then clicked on the blue arrow to see what my IP address was (I wanted to know it for pure geek-reasons) and I noticed something I hadn’t ever seen before - an option to “Auto-Join” the connection from now on. I turned it from Off to On and went back to the Wi-Fi Networks selection screen and tapped the Home button to get back to my Home screen. Almost immediately, an AT&T “Log In” screen popped up on it’s own; I didn’t have to open Safari, Mail, or anything else to get that to happen. The familiar AT&T “Get Connected” page loaded which gives you your standard AT&T hotspot connection options. Knowing my username and password, I logged in with my pre-existing account which I normally use with my iPhone 3G when I’m at Starbucks (which does not have OS 3.0 installed on it for what it’s worth). After logging in, The window closed and I was back at my Home screen and sure enough, I was able to check my e-mail and surf the web as usual. When OS 3.0 is released to the general public and this option is presumably implemented on all iPhone OS 3.0 devices and not just the iPod touch that I used here, I can definitely see this as a very useful feature especially for people who aren’t really technically inclined. For example, as it stands now, if you want to connect to an AT&T hotspot, you have to manually open Safari and open up any website in order to be re-directed to the “Get Connected” screen and then login from there. This method has, without doubt, confused some users because if they don’t know to open up Safari in order to actually login after connecting to the hotspot, they are left staring at a spinning wheel in the Mail app that just says “Connecting…” for an infinite amount of time. The addition of the “Auto-Join” option, which only appears as an option for connections made to AT&T Wi-Fi hotspots, is also a welcomed feature. Assuming that this option will be available on the iPhone, I won’t have to manually turn off Wi-Fi every time I go near a Starbucks, McDonalds, or other location where AT&T has their Wi-Fi blanketing the area; I can just turn Off “Auto-Join” for the AT&T Wi-Fi hotspot network name and it won’t automatically connect. Have any of you guys out there found this feature present in your OS 3.0 devices specifically on the iPhone? If so, let us know in the comments! Related Posts SlingPlayer Mobile For iPhone Finally On Its Way, WiFi Only iPhone OS 3.0 Beta 5 Unofficial Jailbreak Released iPhone OS 3.0 Beta 5 And iTunes 8.2 Pre-Release 2 Changes iPhone OS 3.0 Beta 5 Now Available For Developers iPhone OS 3.0 Springboard Upgrade Adds Pages