World of Apple

Apple has today announced that it is recalling the USB power adapter included with the iPhone 3G. It has been discovered that the new ultracompact Apple USB power adapter’s metal prongs can break off and remain in a power outlet, creating the risk of electric shock.

Apple has received reports of detached prongs involving a very small percentage of the adapters sold, but no injuries have been reported.

• US
• Japan
• Canada
• Mexico
• Colombia
• Ecuador
• El Salvador
• Guatemala
• Honduras
• Peru

Countries where ultracompact USB power adapters were sold only as a standalone accessory:

• Argentina
• Chile
• Costa Rica
• Panama

Apple USB power adapters supplied with original iPhones or supplied with iPhone 3G units sold in other countries are not affected.

Users with ultracompact power adapters should immediately stop using them until they exchange them for a new, redesigned ultracompact adapter.

In the meantime, they should charge their iPhone 3G by connecting it to their computer with the USB cable that came with their iPhone or by using a standard-sized Apple USB Power Adapter (with fold up prongs) or with a third party adapter designed to work with the iPhone, such as a car charger.

Apple adds that replacement adapters which will not be available until October 10th will have a green dot on them to make identification easier.

Affected users may order a replacement adapter via Apple’s web-based form or in person at an Apple retail store beginning October 10th.

Apple recently released an update for its Remote application for the iPhone. Remote allows users to control iTunes via the iPhone over a WiFi network. The 1.1 update adds the ability to create and manage Genius playlists as well as the ability to create and edit playlists in iTunes.

While I enjoy the updates, editing of playlists is not implemented as well as it could be. For example, deleting songs from a playlist must be done one at a time, which is reminiscent of deleting mail prior to the 2.0 update. Adding songs allows you to select multiple songs at once, but neglects to allow you to deselect them if you change your mind. In the end, however, it is nice to be able to have more control via the Remote app and I welcome the update with open arms. Head on over to the App Store to download or update to Remote 1.1 (iTunes link)

As announced on Tuesday by Apple, the 2.1 firmware update for the iPhone has started being distributed via iTunes. The update which weighs in around 230MB is listed as build number 5F136.

The iPhone 2.1 contains the following updates as listed by Apple:

• decrease in call set-up failures and call drops
• significantly improve battery life for most users
• dramatically reduced time to backup to iTunes
• improve email reliability, notable fetching email from POP and Exchange accounts
• faster installation of 3rd party applications
• fixed bugs causing hangs and crashes if you have lots of 3rd party applications
• improved performance of text messaging
• faster loading and searching of contacts
• improved accuracy of the 3G signal strength display
• repeat alert up to two additional times for incoming text messages
• option to wipe data after ten failed passcode attempts
• Genius playlist creation

Apple today announced that the iPhone 2.1 software update will be available this coming Friday as a free update.

According to Apple, the update will address:

• Battery life issues
• Dropped calls
• Lots of Bug fixes
• Backing up to iTunes
• App crashes

O2 UK has today finally revealed details of how the iPhone 3G will be priced on it’s pay-as-you-go tariffs as well as when the device will be available.

O2 has announced that the unsubsidised iPhone 3G will be available for £350 ($630) and £400 ($720) for the 8GB and 16GB models.

Although once signed up users won’t be forced into a contract, they will be obliged to top-up an amount each month to receive a certain amount of benefits.

Paying between £10 and £14 each month will see users receiving a bonus 500 minutes of call time to any UK home phone or O2 mobile; paying between £15 and £29 adds 1,000 minutes under the same terms, while £30 or more provides unlimited calls.

Unlimited Internet access within the UK, including 3G and O2 Wi-Fi, is free for the first year of service but will cost £10 per month afterwards. Text messages aren’t included and cost 10p each.

The iPhone 3G will be available on pay-as-you-go from O2 starting September 16th.

It is being reported today that the Advertising Standards Authority in the UK has ruled an iPhone ad as ‘misleading’.

During the advert (viewed here) the voiceover read “all the parts of the internet are on the iPhone”.

But today the ASA said that the iPhone does not support Flash or Java so the advert “gave a misleading impression of the internet capabilities of the iPhone”.

Apple had argued its claim referred to availability of webpages, rather than their specific appearance.

The ASA has stated that the ad cannot be aired again in its current form.

“Because the iPhone doesn’t support Flash or Java, you couldn’t really see the internet in its full glory,” said Olivia Campbell, a spokesperson for the ASA.

“They made a very general claim that you can see the internet in its entirety, and actually that’s not quite true - so we’ve upheld.”

Orange (the iPhone cellular carrier for Poland) has denied that it hired actors to stand outside its stores to drum up interest for the super-phone. The original source for the incorrect information was an unidentified Orange employee. [via 9to5Mac]

On another Orange note, Orange in France has admitted that it was throttling its smartphone data speeds at 384 Kb/s. They have promised to raise this limit to 1 Mbits/s beginning September 15, 2008. [via HardMac]

The sad thing about both situations is that Apple’s reputation is affected negativity even though they had nothing to do with the first false rumour or Orange’s surreptitious throttling.

[via MacDailyNews]

AT&T has announced several international data plans for frequent travelers for an additional monthly fee of $119.99 (100MB per month) and $199.99 (200MB per month). These plans would be in effect for data use in 67 countries and would replace the current pay-per-use international data roaming charges that were currently the only option in those countries.

[via Wired]

As we had discussed here and here, the iTunes store went down in China early last week and was restored over the weekend. As it turns out, while the service is restored, Chinese authorities have apparently discovered a way to selectively block the offending album, “Songs for Tibet”.

How is this a favour for Apple? There were in a no-win situation. If they stood their ground and refused to pull the album as a condition for iTunes stores availability in China, they might win cheers from humanitarian groups while losing a potentially lucrative iPhone market which may not have been in the best interest of its stockholders. If they caved and pulled the album, they would be painted by some as giving in to a totalitarian regime which goes completely against American sensibilities (America being the most relevant as Apple is based in California).

So thank you, China…? I guess…

As we reported over the weekend, markm49uk of Mac Rumors discovered pictures of a smiling iPhone factory worker on his iPhone. Concern was expressed that the young lady might get fired for neglecting to delete these photos before shipment. Mac Rumors has reported that she has not been fired and that the photos were in fact accidentally left on the phone.