Tag: iphone 3Gs

Edit : Should You Buy The iPhone 3Gs?

The iPhone 3Gs was a hardware revision device for the iPhone 3G, bringing more CPU power and Ram to the equation. The iPhone 3GS also brought about a better 3.2mp camera with tap to focus.

We got information of the impending re-launch of the iPhone 3Gs on 24th June. Without fail the 3Gs reappeared at the new price point of 20k. Now the question remains does the iPhone 3Gs qualify as a good option? Does is present a value for money deal?

Here is what we think.

The iPhone 3GS was originally launched in 2009 in the US and 2010 in India. The Device features a 600 MHz ARM Cortex A8 processor, PowerVR SGX535 GPU, 256 MB RAM, and upto 32GB of storage. The device also currently features iOS 4 and works brilliantly with iOS 5 (we’ve tested it and can verify, that till beta 2 iOS 5 works great on 3GS).

Reading a whole bunch of articles written by Tech – Bloggers , I was shocked at how blatantly the iPhone 3GS was being shot down. Though in a personal opinion the 3GS is an old hardware based device and has specs which would disgruntle almost anyone looking for souped up smartphone. The iPhone 3Gs bring a lot more, than any device at the price point can.

Lets look at it point by point.

1. OS

iOS by far is the simplest of operating systems, designed to be used by a finger. The UI is fluid and begs you to interact with it. Currently multitasking between apps is great on iOS where most Android handsets in that price range don’t support true multitasking, the iPhone 3GS has it and it works great. Using the right setup you can do a lot of things on your device. Wireless sharing of emails, pictures and music, streaming internet radio and movies, home automation, wifi printing and even controlling a quadro-copter the hundreds of thousands of apps from the App Store let you make your imagination run wild, and then, there is an app for that. The Apps are designed to run perfects in harmony with the iOS infrastructure.

The best part (according to me) of iOS for someone who does not understand or have the time to understand the intricate details of technology, is that the system is safe and bug free. Because third party apps go through a strict verification process, seldom do you find an App which would slow your device down. So no matter what you install or how many you install, Apps will not slow down the OS. That makes perfect sense for someone who is not a techie.

On the other hand Android brings the ability to customize the OS, and play around with it, the more you edit and tweak the OS, the more your chances of a system restore appear. Now there is no need to throw a banter, you can be extremely safe with Android, you just have to know what you are installing and what all does it access. But in Android, third party apps can have a built in snooper sending all your information back to the designer of the app.

2. BUILD

While it isn’t an iPhone 4, the 3Gs is pretty solid when it comes to construction. One of the most beautiful phones available today the 3Gs is available in black and white and millions of customization options are available, from skins, decals to plain covers, flip covers, leather covers, plastic covers, branded covers and hard cases. The most number of accessories ever made for a phone? the iPhone stands at number one in that record.

3. Conclusion

When we first heard rumors of the iPhone 3Gs being relaunched, we heard a price point of about 16,500/-. But, when the actual price came to be 20,000/- we lost confidence that Apple would do well selling its last year legend. Sure there are those who would love to buy the 3GS for its “Brand” and its simplicity, there are also those who will buy it for the sheer number of apps and usability features that these apps will give.

There are better options in terms of hardware specs, the rugged motorola defy is much cheaper and its water proof, the Galaxy S, the Nexus S, The Galaxy Sl, Wave 2, Blackberry Bold 3, Nokia N8. Sure these devices have better hardware, But we can promise one thing No operating system in our opinion comes close to the smooth and lag free experience of the iOS running on the iPhone 3GS (Of-course we mean at that price point)

So if you don’t have time to mess with your device / Smartphone get the iPhone 3GS because it doesn’t get any better than this. But if you are more of a tech friendly person get an Android device you will be much happier with the open-ness of Android infrastructure.

[polldaddy poll=5183813]

June 27, 2011
iG Exclusive : Apple Re: Launching Iphone 3GS in India Tomorrow for 20k, Factory Unlocked

This is it, exclusive news for those waiting to spend up-to 20k on their smart-phones. Apple has just made the choice tougher. The iPhone 3Gs will be re-launched in India and go on sale tomorrow for 20 thousand. Whats more its going to be completely factory unlocked and will work with your carrier of choice.

The iPhone 3GS was originally launched in India in 2010 approximately 10 months after its launch in the United States. the 3Gs was sold locked to Airtel and Vodafone at full pricing. this in turn led to a lot of controversy in Apple’s Indian Market strategy. This year Apple started to sell the iPhone 4, again after 10 months of its US launch, but this time around the device was factory unlocked and ready to use worldwide.

The pricing of the iPhone 3Gs seems very competitive especially when 20 thousand is a decent budget for a smartphone these days.

We will get you more news on this as and when we gather.

June 24, 2011
Apple and Samsung will Defeat Nokia as the Top Phone Manufacturer by July

Looks like everyone in this world believes that Nokia is a dying breed. Analysts from Nomura Research say Nokia’s will lose the top spot this quarter for the first time since 1996. Its a shame really. Also, according to the Analysts the top two spots will had by Apple and Samsung pushing Nokia to No. 3.

[quote]“Nokia looks set to relinquish its smartphone crown to Samsung and Apple,” Nomura wrote in a note to investors on Monday. “Further emphasizing the shift in power to Asia is our forecast for HTC to almost match Nokia during 2012.” Nokia will retain its lead in overall cell phone sales, Nomura says[/quote]

June 14, 2011
Apple Q2 Results out Profits Soar, iPad Disappoints! (PR)
Apple has issued a Release showing their Q2 results:

iPad
- Sold 4.69 million units of the iPad compared to 7.33 million iPads first quarter 2011.
iPhone
- Sold 18.65 million units globally, compared to 8.75 million units in the same quarter 2010.
- Sold 16.24 million units in the first quarter of fiscal 2011.
iPod
- Sold 9.02 million units, down from 10.89 million in the second fiscal quarter of 2010.
- Sold 19.45 million first quarter 2011.
Mac
- 3.6 million units, totaling 3.67 million units in the March quarter, up from 2.94 million last year
- 4.13 million from first quarter 2011.
Revenue
- $24.67 billion and Apple recorded $5.99 billion in profit.
- 95% up from $3.07 billion in the same quarter last year.
Apple also noted in its earnings call that the earthquakes in Japan will not affect Apple’s supply chain or its products in the third quarter.

Listen to the full earnings Call

Read the Full Press Release

Apple Reports Second Quarter Results

Record March Quarter Drives 83 Percent Revenue Growth, 95 Percent Profit Growth

Record iPhone Sales Grow 113 Percent

CUPERTINO, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Apple® today announced financial results for its fiscal 2011 second quarter ended March 26, 2011. The Company posted record second quarter revenue of $24.67 billion and record second quarter net profit of $5.99 billion, or $6.40 per diluted share. These results compare to revenue of $13.50 billion and net quarterly profit of $3.07 billion, or $3.33 per diluted share, in the year-ago quarter. Gross margin was 41.4 percent compared to 41.7 percent in the year-ago quarter. International sales accounted for 59 percent of the quarter’s revenue.

“We will continue to innovate on all fronts throughout the remainder of the year.”

Apple sold 3.76 million Macs during the quarter, a 28 percent unit increase over the year-ago quarter. The Company sold 18.65 million iPhones in the quarter, representing 113 percent unit growth over the year-ago quarter. Apple sold 9.02 million iPods during the quarter, representing a 17 percent unit decline from the year-ago quarter. The Company also sold 4.69 million iPads during the quarter.

“With quarterly revenue growth of 83 percent and profit growth of 95 percent, we’re firing on all cylinders,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “We will continue to innovate on all fronts throughout the remainder of the year.”

“We are extremely pleased with our record March quarter revenue and earnings and cash flow from operations of over $6.2 billion,” said Peter Oppenheimer, Apple’s CFO. “Looking ahead to the third fiscal quarter of 2011, we expect revenue of about $23 billion and we expect diluted earnings per share of about $5.03.”

Apple will provide live streaming of its Q2 2011 financial results conference call beginning at 2:00 p.m. PDT on April 20, 2011 at www.apple.com/quicktime/qtv/earningsq211. This webcast will also be available for replay for approximately two weeks thereafter.

This press release contains forward-looking statements including without limitation those about the Company’s estimated revenue and earnings per share. These statements involve risks and uncertainties, and actual results may differ. Risks and uncertainties include without limitation the effect of competitive and economic factors, and the Company’s reaction to those factors, on consumer and business buying decisions with respect to the Company’s products; continued competitive pressures in the marketplace; the ability of the Company to deliver to the marketplace and stimulate customer demand for new programs, products, and technological innovations on a timely basis; the effect that product introductions and transitions, changes in product pricing or mix, and/or increases in component costs could have on the Company’s gross margin; the inventory risk associated with the Company’s need to order or commit to order product components in advance of customer orders; the continued availability on acceptable terms, or at all, of certain components and services essential to the Company’s business currently obtained by the Company from sole or limited sources; the effect that the Company’s dependency on manufacturing and logistics services provided by third parties may have on the quality, quantity or cost of products manufactured or services rendered; risks associated with the Company’s international operations; the Company’s reliance on third-party intellectual property and digital content; the potential impact of a finding that the Company has infringed on the intellectual property rights of others; the Company’s dependency on the performance of distributors, carriers and other resellers of the Company’s products; the effect that product and service quality problems could have on the Company’s sales and operating profits; the continued service and availability of key executives and employees; war, terrorism, public health issues, natural disasters, and other circumstances that could disrupt supply, delivery, or demand of products; and unfavorable results of other legal proceedings. More information on potential factors that could affect the Company’s financial results is included from time to time in the “Risk Factors“ and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations“ sections of the Company’s public reports filed with the SEC, including the Company’s Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 25, 2010, its Form 10-Q for the quarter ended December 25, 2010, and its Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 26, 2011 to be filed with the SEC. The Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements or information, which speak as of their respective dates.
April 22, 2011
Apple updates iOS to 4.3.2 for iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad

Apple on Thursday released iOS version 4.3.2 for the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. The only changes noted by Apple are bug fixes and security updates including the Facetime crash fix and the connectivity issues faced by iPad 2 users.

April 15, 2011
redsn0w 0.9.6rc9 brings Untethered Jailbreak goodness to iOS 4.3.1 on all except iPad 2

The easiest and safest jailbreak solution for all those who were on 4.3.1 and needed just a jailbreak, redsn0w 0.9.6rc9, gives you just that.

Supported devices Include– iPhone 3GS, 4 (GSM); iPod touch 3G, 4G; iPad 1; and Apple TV 2G.

Be advised that this is not an unlock solution just a jailbreak.

[Dev-Team]

April 4, 2011
Permanent iPhone 4 Unlock is a work in progress

The Dev Team had earlier announced that they will release an Unlock come iOS 4.3. But, the method they were using turned out to be a dud. In a new report Musclenerd tweeted that the team is working on an NCA exploit method which was originally found by geohot in the first version of the jesus phone (iPhone 2g).

Another member from the Dev-team put together a quick FAQ for information about the unlock

Since there is a lot of confusion out there, and since I’m repeating myself all the time (which I do not really like), I made this little write up of questions that are continuously being asked (my personal FAQ). Please not that this is a global explanation. Don’t try to argue with me on specific details.

1. What happened?! I thought the unlock for basebands 02.10.01 & 03.10.01 would be released within the next 2 weeks?

As you know the Dev-Team (MuscleNerd) have been working on the unlock for quite a while now. They were making great progress on the unlock, but they found out that they (accidentally) unlocked “one particular SIM card” instead of the baseband itself. Which means that the unlock would only be an unlock you could use with MuscleNerd’s T-Mobile SIM. So, useless. If the unlock would unlock the baseband instead of “the SIM”, it’d probably be out within 2 weeks (reasonable timeframe which they had hoped). But things turned out to be different. Basically these <2 weeks predictions were a lack of information.

2. What is this NCK-key cracking? How does it work?

The NCK-key is the key generated by Apple if you’d officially unlock you iPhone, and with officially I mean, via your carrier. This “NCK-unlock” method is known over a few years now, actually since geohot started working on unlocking the iPhone 2G. He developed a program that could “crack” this 15 digits long key and unique for every device. Geohots NCKBF program could do around 100,000 keys/second which would produce a hit in many years, or complete a search in 317 years. To get to a point where this is actually doable we would need many orders of magnitude of improvement. Even if you use a PS3 (would we still want to use this??) or special hardware (within 1,000 US$ range) you will only get an improvement of 20-100 times.. which doesn’t help much.

Now, luckily, with the exploits they have now, they can’t unlock your baseband, but they *can* capture more information from the baseband to speed up this cracking process. Since the NORID and CHIPID (unique for every device) are known, you’d apparently only have to check 40 more bits (5 digits). A 40 bits key is theoretically crackable on “home hardware” within a week (24/7). The downside of this approach is that you’ll have to keep your computer turned on, and your iPhone has to be connected. And that is the reason why they never tried it before. Please note that this method is completely theorical and has been NOT tried at all till this moment.

3. Now what? Should I sell my locked iPhone 4?

I’d wait for more information on this “NCK-unlock”. Right now it’s pretty vague what timeframe we’re talking about. If the Dev-Team can pull this method off, it’d be very promising for those waiting for an unlock. If this method turns out to be not doable, I’d consider selling your iPhone 4 and save up for a factory unlocked iPhone 5.

4. Do you think there is every going to be an unlock?

Of course. But that’s unlikely to be any time soon (with soon being <1 month).

5. If the NCK method fails, how long do you think it will take for the Dev-Team to unlock the iPhone 4?

No ETA at all. Could be a few weeks, but it could easily be a few months as well.

What this means is that all those with a locked device could potentially get full freedom from the lock, once this method is truly exploited. The only thing that may bother potential unlockers, the time frame in which this would be released. another moth may get frustrating for those who have been waiting since october.

March 14, 2011
iOS 4.3 Coming March 11 with new AirPlay features and FaceTime
Apple’s releasing the final version of iOS 4.3, which features
- Nitro Javscript engine from Safari on OS X,
- iTunes Home Sharing
- Updated suite of AirPlay
- We also Get Wifi Hotspot for iPhone 4
- Photo Booth and FaceTime
- It’ll be a free download for all iPads, the GSM iPhone 4, the iPhone 3GS
March 3, 2011