My take on iPhone 3.0

NOTE: I wrote this partially for those who haven't been keeping up with iPhone news. If you just want a quick overview of my thoughts on the release, mostly keep to the bolded words. :)

iPhone OS 3.0--the latest version of the iPhone's software--was released today. On Friday the new iPhone 3G S will be released and will include the OS 3.0 and many new features, some of which I'd been banking on having added to my 3G with this software update.

Awesomeness

More information about this software update is available on Apple's website. What features am I most excited about?

• Landscape keyboard in every application (or if not every app, at least the most used): Email, text messaging, Notes, Contacts, etc. Yes, it decreases the space in which you can see what you're typing, but the landscape keyboard can be much faster to type on than what you have with the phone in the vertical position.
• Cut, Copy and Paste: Yeah. For so many reasons.
  
• Syncing Notes between the phone and the computer. I'm not so excited about the fact that the notes are stored in Apple Mail, at least in OS X. I was actually kinda hoping it would sync with OS X's Stickies app.
  
• Find My Phone and Remote Wipe: the ability to locate your phone remotely, cause it to make sound even when set to silent so that you can find it when you're nearby, and wipe its data if you can't get it back, is remarkable. I'm not at all happy about the fact that you have to be a MobileMe subscriber in order to get these features.
• Push service for apps: I'm looking forward to more apps being able to notify me of events even when they aren't running (Twitter replies and DMs come to mind). However, I don't know of any apps that currently take advantage of this service, or even if this service was added for sure.
  
• Search: now you can search everything on the iPhone--apps, emails, notes, etc.--from a single search box. Very useful for, if nothing else, finding apps quickly--it's still too hard to organize large numbers of app icons, so I generally don't bother.
• "Lol" is no longer auto-corrected to "LOL."
  

Misfires

The 3.0 update added support for a couple great features that AT&T is not currently supporting.

• Tethering: the ability to connect your internet-capable phone to your computer and thereby access the Internet on your computer could come in very handy in many situations. The iPhone can now do that, but AT&T won't allow it. When they do, it will likely be for an extra fee. Charging something like $20 per month for tethering is increasingly rediculous, regardless of which carrier we're talking about. Most people are already paying for Internet access at home, and many pay for data plans for phones. Paying yet again just to extend that access to our laptops--in many cases for usage that wouldn't exceed what the phone would have used for the same activities (the iPhone downloads full-size websites, not just mobile versions)--is a bit tough to swallow.
• MMS: When you consider all that the iPhone is and all that it can do, it's no wonder that I was shocked the first time someone with a normal flip phone tried to send me a picture. I get an SMS message from AT&T telling me I have a picture waiting (not who sent it, mind you), and telling me where on the web to look at it. That's fine, my phone has a web browser. But wait, not only is there a complicated password, the one-use ID is equally complicated. Having no copy and paste ability, there was no reasonable way to access these pictures without either a computer, a pen and paper, or an amazing memory (and the patience to type in the ID and password). Also, I haven't been able to send pictures to normal phones. I could email them or post them online, but not txt them to someone. Now the iPhone can send and receive these MMS messages, however AT&T won't support it until late summer.

So close: 3G YNot

There are a few new features exclusive to the 3G S that were generally speculated to be coming to the 3G via software update. A couple of these are on my must-have list.

• Voice Control: And you thought it was difficult and dangerous dialing a normal phone while driving. My business is mobile. This is must-have.
• Video: Hacked 3G iPhones can do video. Why not add it to all 3.0 phones?
• Compass: While this is clearly hardware, it never occurred to me that it would be needed in order to cause maps to change their orientation to match yours. I'm not clear on whether those without compasses (compassi?) will get auto-updating, turn-by-turn directions or not. I could possibly find out and rewrite this section, but this is the new me, blogging with less polish--remember? Regardless, I get lost easily, and again, my business is mobile. This is must-have. I've just about killed myself--or at least gotten lost--trying to use the current Google Maps directions on the iPhone while driving. Stupid tiny buttons and text. :)
  

That's it. This is longer than I thought it would be, and I'd like to be done now. No polish! Well, except for my iPhone--lots of fingerprints today.

Update 8/10/2009
I've just completed a post about what I don't like in the 3.0 update, but I've also found a few more features that I love:

• Podcasts can now be played back at different speeds: 0.5x, 1x, and 2x. I'm not sure it's a true 2x, as it doesn't cut the time in half, but it's still nice. I think the total time should also be adjusted to reflect current playback time.
• There is a 30-sec repeat button for podcasts allowing you to repeat the last 30 seconds without "scrubbing," in case you missed something (happens to me a lot).
• Scrubbing speed in audio playback can now be adjusted on the fly by simply sliding your finger down the screen while scrubbing (hi speed, half speed, quarter speed, and fine)