Evidence for a 3G iPhone is mounting at an alarming rate. First there is the next iPhone firmware which won’t be released until the WWDC, which supports the idea that there is likely to be a new version of the iPhone hardware released to coincide with the new firmware.

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Filed under: Cellphones, Tablet PCs

We know Apple’s had its Inkwell handwriting recognition software in OS X for years now, so we might have otherwise just totally glossed over this Handwriting Recognition Engineer job listing on Apple’s site. Except for the part that reads: “The recognition technology you create may extend beyond Mac OS X to other applications and the iPhone.” They always love to throw those little tidbits in there, don’t they?

[Via Macrumors]

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Sturdy-jawed tech tyke and PiperJaffray analyst Gene Munster has been stirring up rumors again with his latest prediction that Apple will launch a “budget” iPhone at the beginning of 2009, priced between $200 and $300, as part of a rapid expansion plan designed to drive sales over the next two year.  Expecting the lower-cost model to hit stores by the end of January 2009, Munster suggests that by that point Apple will have three distinct smartphones in the iPhone range, one of which will be the 3G iPhone and another the company’s attempt to move beyond the $400 price point.  It’s possible that this higher-cost iPhone could be the much-rumored iPhone-style tablet, although Munster did not suggest that in his report.

“The iPhone is the driver with the greatest potential.  We believe the iPhone will replace the iPod as a driver of significant growth for the company” Gene Munster, analyst, PiperJaffray

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Filed under: Cellphones

Apple’s no stranger to having its wares ganked (a lot), but this one really has us scratching our noggins some kind of fierce. Apparently a couple of meddlesome 20-somethings working at a Salem, New Hampshire Apple store managed to scoot away with somewhere between 330 and 700 iPhones. After somehow stuffing that many handsets into a panel van / pickup truck / privately owned C-130, they seemingly sweet talked a single high-roller into snatching up their entire stash for upwards of $138,000 — which could be a bargain (or not) depending on the actual quantity included in the deal, internal capacity, etc. Minutiae aside, both individuals are currently residing under the strong arm of the law (surveillance cameras are hard to dodge), but curiously, nothing is mentioned about the buyer who didn’t find spending over a hundred large with a couple of average joes (who just happened to have an inordinately large amount of iPhones for sale) the least bit odd.

[Thanks, Scott]

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Arch iPhone hacker Zibri has announced version 3.0 of his nifty ZiPhone unlocking software, with a number of usability and problem-fix tweaks.  Still a free download for anybody unhappy with their iPhone being tied to one carrier, ZiPhone now takes care of problems with WiFi functionality after unlocking, allows for customised plugins and adds an embedded app installer. 

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Filed under: Cellphones

While it doesn’t exactly come as much of a surprise, it seems that Apple has plenty more goodies in mind for the iPhone (and, presumably, the iPod touch), with a recent batch of no less than six patent applications revealing some of its plans to turn the device into what it describes as a “lifestyle companion.” In this case, that rather vague term refers to what is effectively an upgrade to the Nike+iPod system, with the iPhone’s accelerometer and other built-in capabilities also coming into play in addition to the usual external sensors. It doesn’t stop with workouts, however, with the patent applications also indicating plans for a diet coach of sorts, which could even make use of the iPhone’s camera to scan bar codes on products. Those components would also of course all work together, with the system able to suggest workouts based on your diet and physical condition and vice versa. Of course, these being patent applications, there’s no indication as to when we might actually see such a system, but it sure seems a good deal more likely than some of Apple’s other ideas.

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Mac OS X version of “Pwnage Tool” has been delayed until sometime next week. Apparently, legal inquiries were made to the DevTeam about the validity and legality of the contents of the tools. I knew these guys were way too arrogant for their own good. So it looks like Apple has the upper hand at the moment, and if they have any say in the matter, Pwnage will grounded permanently.

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