The Apps Store is now online and can be access through iTunes 7.7 through the following links:
All the apps requires iPhone Software 2.0 (or iPod touch Sotware 2.0).
Apple Releases iTunes 7.7
Apple has been burning the midnight oil in preparation for MobileMe launch and iPhone 3G release. As promised, Apple releases iTunes 7.7 tonight. It s available through Apple Software Update (Mac OS X and Windows XP/Vista) or through iTunes Download site.
Use iTunes 7.7 to sync music, video, and more with iPhone 3G, and download applications from the iTunes Store exclusively designed for iPhone and iPod touch with software version 2.0 or later. Also use the new Remote application for iPhone or iPod touch to control iTunes playback from anywhere in your home — a free download from the App Store.
Apple has started the transitions from .Mac to MobileMe.
MobileMe Installations and Digital Certificate
Ever wonder what would happen to .Mac in the System Preferences after MobileMe transitions? Well, Apple is distributing a little MobileMe update for Mac OS X starting tonight.
The MobileMe server is not yet active at the time of this post.
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In addition to that, Apple has added Digital Certificate into MobileMe installer package.
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iTunes 7.7, Apps Store, and iPhone Software 2.0 are coming up next.
Apple Struggles with MobileMe Launch
UPDATE 2008.07.10 08:17PM: MobileMe site is back online.
UPDATE 2008.07.10 04:45PM: MobileMe site is offline again.
UPDATE 2008.07.10 04:00PM: MobileMe site is now online but .Mac site is still offline. Unfortunately the performance of me.com is so slow. MobileMe seems to be overwhelmed right now.
UPDATE 2008.07.10 03:46PM: MobileMe site is still non operational and so is .Mac site. Email for @mac.com and @me.com through POP, IMAP and SMTP are working. iDisk is online. Web Gallery is offline.
UPDATE 2008.07.10 04:20AM: MobileMe site went up briefly and then redirects to Apple.com/MobileMe.
UPDATE: www.mac.com went into maintenance mode around 9:00PM Pacific Time. POP, IMAP and SMTP for .Mac mail is still working.
Apple first scheduled MobileMe launch at 6:00PM Pacific Time on July 9th, 2008. Zero hour, Apple still had www.mac.com up and confirmed that MobileMe launch was pushed back to 8:00PM Pacific Time.
MobileMe Launch
7/9/2008, 8pm-2am PTAs part of the MobileMe launch, www.mac.com will be taken offline at 8pm PT on Wednesday, July 9th.
Members will be unable to access www.mac.com or any .Mac services during this time with the exception of .Mac Mail accessed via a desktop application, iPhone, or iPod touch.
MobileMe will be available as soon as possible during this maintenance window.
As of 8:42PM, www.mac.com is still up and there’s no sign of MobileMe service yet. It is possible that Apple encountered problems with MobileMe launch.
dotMac Transitions to MobileMe
Apple has set July 9th at 6:00pm Pacific Time for MobileMe launch. During this time, all .Mac service with the exception of .Mac Mail via IMAP and POP server.
MobileMe Launch
7/9/2008, 6pm-12am PTAs part of the MobileMe launch, www.mac.com will be taken offline at 6pm PT on Wednesday, July 9th.
Members will be unable to access www.mac.com or any .Mac services during this time with the exception of .Mac Mail accessed via a desktop application, iPhone, or iPod touch.
MobileMe will be available as soon as possible during this maintenance window.
MobileMe service is launching ahead of the release of iPhone 3G. MobileMe provides services for Mac OS X, Windows XP/Vista and the iPhone/iPod touch with version 2.0 software.
The @me.com email has been made active to some .Mac users.
iPhone 3G: Seven Impossible Days
The title to this post has nothing to do with anything other than iPhone 3G will be released in seven days. “Seven Impossible Days” is a song recorded by Mr. Big.
It is the Fourth of July celebration for people in The United States, and Friday for the rest of the world.
In the meantime, MacNN reports that iPhone 3G starts forming at Apple Store Fifth Ave. in New York. I gotta say that these people are crazy. That’s “Seven Impossible Days” for me to wait in line for the iPhone 3G.
OK, at least I tried making sense of the title to this post to the content, even though no one might get it.
For all of our Canadian friends, unfortunately you’re no longer at the top of “Oh noes, our wireless data plans are ripping us off” list. Our Norwegian friends seems to be getting a more expensive plan.
what else?
iPhone 3G and The Subsidy Dilemma
The original iPhone brought an interesting and effective concept to the mobile phone industry. The iPhone activation process was regarded as on of the greatest things that Apple brought to the mobile industry. Customer can buy the iPhone and activate it at their own time through iTunes. No more wasting the precious time at the store waiting for the phone activations. There were some problems with the activation process for the first few days as record numbers of people trying to do the same thing at the same time. After all the hickups the iPhone set a new standard for the mobile phone industry, the activation process in particular.
Since its introductions in January 2007, the iPhone was criticized by the so-called-tech-journalists who didn’t even have access to the phone. They screamed and yelled about the lack of 3G network support and the pricing of the iPhone. Let’s take a look at the two factors.
- 3G Network Support.
Having a faster wireless network on the iPhone is a definite advantage. Some said that the 3G network support requires more power consumptions thus shortening the battery life. The so-called-tech-journalists declared that the iPhone is severely behind the times for not having 3G network support. The irony of this argument is that the same “tech journalists” were saying that the 3G support in the iPhone is pretty much useless because of AT&T’s lack of 3G network in the United States. Honestly, why would these so-called-tech-journalists criticize the original iPhone for not having 3G network support? That’s a rhetorical question. - iPhone Pricing.
In the United States, the iPhone was originally priced at $499 and $599 for the 4GB and 8GB iPhone respectively. The so-called-tech-journalists screamed and yelled for the lack of subsidy on the iPhone. Fast forward a year later, AT&T is now subsidizing the iPhone 3G with a few caveats. Based on the available informations, iPhone 3G requires in-store-activations and a two-year-agreement. Whatever happened to the easy-to-do activation process through iTunes? It’s now gone because of the subsidy. The pay-as-you-go plan is currently not available for the iPhone 3G. AT&T wants to deter all the unlocking by forcing the in-store-activation. For sure they are losing money for subsidizing phones that are not bound to their service contracts.
What have we learned here? We can’t have the cake and eat it too.
Eight more days to go, and we’ll see if how Apple would handle the iPhone 3G sales in their own retail stores. Until then, we could only speculate.