Things have been pretty quiet at Lenovo over the past few months and while they had a very strong year in 2007, we are all looking forward to seeing some new gear. Part of the surprise was seemingly ruined by an Intel press release that made it clear that they would be showing off a number of new MID/UMPC products at the upcoming Consumer Electronics Show, including something from Lenovo. This product would run Intel’s Silverthorne mobile processor and would almost definitely be the smallest and lightest product available from Lenovo. As it turns out, today’s announcement was much more exciting.

Today the news was made official–Lenovo announced an entirely new line of products. The new line will be called “IdeaPad” and it will be kicked off with three models- the 17″ Y710, the 15″ Y510, and an 11″ 2.4lb ultraportable, the U110. All the models will be widescreen and some features include VeriFace facial recognition, frameless screens, touch controls, and Dolby speaker systems. This means that the IdeaPads, specifically the Y models, are something that many people have been looking forward to for some time–a ThinkPad for the home user. The U110 is something else we have been looking forward to, namely an ultramobile system from Lenovo.

Even Lenovo’s own brand notebooks lacked the consumer-friendly entertainment features we see from companies like Dell and HP. Lenovo has been releasing more widescreen models, but cool design elements like touch-sensitive controls, multimedia functions, and Dolby sound have been avoided.

The two Y models are entertainment-friendly and this where we see those consumer features, like a multimedia control center, impressive, glossy looks, and a Dolby speaker system (two main speakers, two secondary speakers, and a subwoofer). The touch-sensitive multimedia controls will have normal controls (volume, forward, back, etc.) as well as a quick-adjust EQ. Other interesting design notes include a backlit logo on the notebook’s cover, a 6-in-1 card reader, and a unique drop-style hinge. Perhaps the coolest feature though is the facial recognition system that will allow Windows users to login to their notebook simply by sitting in front of the computer. The 17″ model has a control panel with a small display on the left side of the keyboard area that the 15″ model leaves out, making the Y710 an even more specialized entertainment system.

IdeaPad Y710

The Y710 is a full-on desktop replacement. It packs in high quality sound, multiple video outputs, up to two hard drives (the second of which is hot-swappable), and even be upgraded to a Blu-ray drive. At about 8lbs is it not that heavy, but it’s clearly designed for the desktop replacement market. The one obvious shortcoming at this point is that the display only goes up to 1440×900, even though we have seen higher resolutions from 15.4″ ThinkPads (like the T61p). This was probably done to keep costs down, but it means the notebook as capable an HD display as many other options.

IdeaPad Y510

The Y510 offers most of the features of the Y710, but is more of a general use notebook. It has all the crowd-pleasers, like the touch-sensitive controls, external battery power indicator, and 6-in-1 card reader, but drops more specialized additions, like the second hard drive, some of the frills on the keyboard area, and HDMI. It still manages to have TV antenna-in, S-video out, and the ExpressCard slot though. It does not have the Y710’s robust graphics though and instead uses a standard notebook solution.

IdeaPad U110

The most exciting of the three is the smallest of the group, the U110. It will be 2.42lbs, 0.72 inches thick, and be covered in a textured red lid. It will also have the touch-sensitive controls from the Y series and Lenovo is already claiming a battery life of up to 8 hours. Perhaps most importantly, we will finally see an SSD upgrade option from Lenovo. The 11.1″ display is widescreen (16:9) and frameless but there is no word on its resolution yet. This is not quite the low-voltage notebook we expected to see– Lenovo’s press release says to expect a Santa Rosa platform and Merom processors.

Despite the U110’s size and that fact that it uses a 1.8″ disk it still have the Dolby Home Theater sound, a remote control option, and the touch-sensitive controls. It even touts the face recognition and 1.3MP camera built into the display. Despite all this, there is no word on LED backlighting or an optical drive, but we are not expecting either. Nothing is mentioned about mobile broadband (WWAN) either, but this will probably be left out as well.

Expect to see these models quiet soon. The Y710 and Y510 should be appearing some time in January and the U110 is expect in March. Pricing details are not firm, but from what we understand the Y710 will start at $1199, the Y510 at $799, and the U110 at about $1800.

Specifications:

IdeaPad Y710
Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo T5450 and T9300
OS: Windows Vista Home Premium
Display: 17″ widescreen WXGA (1440×900)
Graphics: ATI Mobility Radeon HD2600 with 256MB
Storage: 250GB 5400RPM or 500GB (250GB x 2)
Memory: 2×1GB (4GB max)
Optical drive: dual layer DVD recordable or Blu-ray
Extras: hot swappable 2nd disk, HDMI, 1.3MP webcam, ExpressCard slot
Dimensions: 15.5 ” 11.2″ x 1.02-1.51″
Weight: 7.9lbs
Battery: up to 4 hours

IdeaPad Y510
Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo T, 2330, T5450 and T9300
OS: Windows Vista Home Premium
Display: 15.4″ widescreen WXGA (1280×800)
Graphics: Intel GMA X3100 (up to 256MB)
Storage: 160GB 5400RPM or 250GB
Memory: 2×1GB (4GB max)
Optical drive: dual layer DVD recordable
Extras:1.3MP webcam, ExpressCard slot
Dimensions: 14.1″ 10.3″ x 1.14-1.42″
Weight: 6.4lbs
Battery: up to 4 hours

IdeaPad U110 (based on available information)
Processor: Intel Merom
OS: Windows Vista
Display: 11″ widescreen
Storage: 1.8″ disk, including SSD upgrade option
Memory: DDR2 667MHz
Optical drive: none
Extras:1.3MP webcam,
Dimensions: 18.4-22.4mm thick
Weight: 2.4lbs
Battery: up to 8 hours

Source:http://www.geek.com

Now, the differences: the LNXXB8000 is the only one to feature a 240Hz refresh rate. The LNXXB7000 looks to be the same deal in a different-colored chassis and down to 120Hz. And the whole line sucks down 40% less power, featuring an optimized "energy savings mode" and a "power indicator menu." Phew.

And, not to be forgotten, the traditional CCFL LCDs got a bump too, with 240Hz Motion Plus now standard on the new 7-series 750 LCD line. Series 6 LCDs and Series 8 Plasmas also were touched by the refresh wand—full details below.

Again, we're gonna see 'em all in the first half of 2009, and prices are yet to be announced.

LAS VEGAS, Jan. 8, 2009 – With a focus on making photo sharing easier and more convenient, Sony today introduced the world’s first Wi-Fi® enabled digital camera that uploads photos and videos to Web sites through any public hotspot due to its built-in Web browser.

The new Cyber-shot DSC-G3 digital still camera answers one of the most pressing needs for photo enthusiasts: how to share those amazing photos and video clips of family, friends and events as soon as you shoot. The Cyber-shot camera makes it easy to upload images and video directly to popular photo and video sharing sites wherever a Wi-Fi connection is available.

“Research shows that our customers greatly value sharing images and video clips, but they often forget or don’t have enough time if they wait to get home to upload images,” said Phil Lubell, director of digital camera marketing at Sony Electronics. “Our new Cyber-shot DSC-G3 camera provides the simplicity and convenience of sharing in the moment, while the impulse is still fresh in people’s minds.”

The camera can wirelessly connect to any public hotspot, including hotels, restaurants, coffee shops and airports. Like a computer, the camera can connect to free or fee-based hotspots, as well as to secure and unsecured access points.

The new DSC-G3 model comes with complimentary AT&T Wi-Fi access to Sony’s Easy Upload Home Page until Jan. 31, 2012. It includes Wi-Fi access at thousands of AT&T hotspots across the United States, including participating coffee shops, selected book stores and major quick-serve restaurant locations, as well as hundreds of upscale hotels and airports.

“By collaborating with Sony to launch the first digital still camera with embedded access to AT&T Wi-Fi service, we’re enabling consumers to gain quick and convenient access to the Internet through thousands of hotspots across the country,” said Glenn Lurie, president of AT&T’s emerging device organization. “The wireless capabilities and cutting-edge features of the G3 camera with the reliable coverage of AT&T’s Wi-Fi network offers a unique, unmatched consumer experience.”

Uploads Made Easy
The new camera makes it easy to connect to the Internet and upload images. By pressing the WLAN button on the camera, you can open its embedded Web browser.

After connecting to the Internet via wireless access points, the camera automatically navigates to the Sony Easy Upload Home Page, which includes direct links to photo sharing sites like Shutterfly™ and Picasa™ Web Albums; video sharing sites like YouTube™ and Dailymotion™; and a photo and video sharing site, such as Photobucket™. Also, the DSC-G3 camera allows you to access other sharing sites for uploading photos and videos through its Web browser.

Through the Sony Easy Upload Home Page, you can send e-mail notifications from the sharing Web sites to let friends and family know that you have posted new images and videos for viewing. This is perfect for sharing with loved ones that were not with you when you took the pictures or shot the videos.
When friends and family are nearby, you can use the camera to access photos you may have already uploaded to sharing sites and display them on its high resolution 3.5-inch LCD screen.

The camera supports DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance) guidelines. By connecting to such DLNA-compatible devices as Sony BRAVIA® televisions via access points, photos in the camera can be played back with high-definition quality. In addition to BRAVIA TVs, the camera can connect to other DLNA-compatible devices, such as Sony VAIO® PCs

Smart Camera

In addition to its wireless sharing capabilities, the new camera is built for high-performance imaging. The 10-megapixel camera is about three-fourths of an inch thin and includes a 4X optical zoom Carl Zeiss® Vario-Tessar lens. Although compact enough to fit in the camera’s slim dimention, this lens provides excellent sharpness and color accuracy.

The Intelligent Scene Recognition™ feature automatically identifies a total of eight types of scenes — backlight, backlight portrait, twilight, twilight portrait, twilight using a tripod, portrait, landscape and macro — and automatically optimizes camera settings for each challenging shooting situation, taking an additional shot in low and bright light scenarios.

With Sony’s Face Detection technology, the DSC-G3 camera detects faces in a scene and adjusts auto focus (AF), auto exposure (AE), flash and white balance accordingly. It can also distinguish between children and adults, allowing users to to prioritize faces according to their preference .

Already arguably the coolest automotive brand on the planet, Aston Martin has won the coolest brand period for the second year in a row. The title was bestowed by CoolBrands, an initiative operated by the Superbrands organization that presents expert and consumer opinion on the UK’s strongest brands. A number of celebrities are on the judging panel, which included Radio One DJ Trevor Nelson, designer Ben de Lisi and Director of the Institute of Contemporary Arts, Ekow Eshun.

Less than US$1b is now looking like an incredibly good deal for one of the strongest automotive brands, and with sales on the up and the company entering new territories such as China, it seems like the lads from Gaydon are on a roll. At the Frankfurt IAA, Aston Martin showed off the new DBS, as well as special editions of the DB9 and V8 Vantage.

Fellow supercar makers Ferrari and Lamborghini languished behind in eleventh and seventeenth place, respectively, though it must be said the awards did seem skewed towards British brands.

Click ahead for the full list of top 20 brands in the UK.

1. Aston Martin
2. iPod
3. YouTube
4. Bang & Olufsen
5. Google
6. Playstation
7. Apple
8. Agent Provocateur
9. Nintendo
10. Virgin Atlantic
11. Ferrari
12. Ducati
13. eBay
14. Rolex
15. Tate Modern
16. Prada
17. Lamborghini
18. Green & Black’s
19. iTunes
20. Amazon

Honda CEO Takeo Fukui revealed in January that a production hybrid based on the CR-Z Concept shown in Tokyo last year was on its way. And now it's reported that the spiritual successor of the CR-X will go on sale in Europe first, sometime around the end of the decade.

Honda UK manager of product planning Mark Turner told Automotive News Europe that the production CR-Z hybrid would be priced around €25,000, with a high-end model costs €28,000. Since Europe will be the car's most important market, Honda UK will have a voice in the car's development, including its design. Engineering for the car is also being carried out at Honda's R&D facility in Germany. Turner added that a gasoline version of the CR-Z would be considered if there were demand for it. The CR-Z will join Honda's upcoming global hybrid, as well as a new Civic Hybrid, in late 2009 or early 2010.

While Honda hopes to sell half a million hybrids by 2011 like it claims, all three models are expected to also be available in the United States.

Source:http://carfreaksblog.blogspot.com

One of the great developments in access to the internet over recent years is its newfound mobility. A plethora of devices available on the high street, such as BlackBerrys and other PDAs, cell phones, and Apple's iPhone, offer users the capacity to get reliable web access from almost anywhere they also get telephone connectivity.

Many people view this sea change as the future of the internet, setting users free rather than keeping them chained to their computers or offices. This is not only the case in the developed world, with major telecommunications firms already expressing the view that the mobile internet access can provide people in developing countries with the opportunities previously denied to them. Access to computers or wireline internet is scarce in a large number of countries across Asia, South America and Africa, with a number of firms keen to improve their mobile penetration in these continents.

However, when we access the internet via a notebook or desktop computer, the large majority of us have anti-virus software installed, to detect the various threats which are out there. Malware, spyware, Trojans, viruses, worms – although the average layperson would not be able to give you a detailed description of the numerous dangers which exist, they would all share the view that they are frightening and to be avoided. So what happens when we access the web on our phones or PDAs? Are we still at risk of contracting these? And will they then confer them to every device and network we are attached to if we connect our phone to a PC?

A growing number of experts are warning mobile web users that smartphone viruses could soon become a very real threat to their networks. Although currently there is no danger from this interoperability, in the future one careless worker connecting a cell phone to an office computer could bring down an entire corporate network, causing massive disruption to business critical applications in the process.

"It's definitely something I worry about a lot," Sam Lamonica, chief information officer of general contractor Rulph & Sletten told online news provider Network World. "With the proliferation of smartphones throughout our business, it poses a great risk if and when hackers get good at pumping malware through those devices."

Mark Olson, the manager of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, told the source: "The phone has advanced exponentially, while users have not caught up and realized that they are walking around with a computer.”

Smartphone viruses are a threat to network users for a number of reasons, with the way they function potentially causing them to be a great threat. Smartphones are often linked to a network in unguarded ways, existing outside of the firewall and containing applications which enable them to access a variety of wireless networks. Olson also warned that the standardization adopted by companies which issue smartphones across their workforce could also be a threat, as the virus or malware could attack a number of devices with impunity before being detected. "Most of the known viruses and Trojans will propagate through Bluetooth or Multimedia Messaging [MMS]. So all it takes is one person walking into a meeting with an infected device, and the rest of the room now needs a dose of penicillin,” he told Network World.

As ever with issues of security, companies can install the latest anti-virus software and keep it up-to-date as a countermeasure to the threats, and it certainly does decrease the likelihood of their systems becoming infected, a potentially catastrophic event. However, their workers must also ensure they are being as professional and careful as they can. With power comes responsibility, the cliché runs, and if an employee is given a device that has access to the internet and a number of other wireless networks, he or she must take their responsibilities seriously, or the viruses they pick up could cause an organization a great deal of problems.

Source:http://www.computers.net

The bad: The iPhone 3G continues to lack some basic features that are available on even the simplest cell phone. Battery life was uneven, and the 3G connection tended to be shaky. Also, the e-mail syncing is not without its faults.

Specifications: OS provided: Apple MacOS X ; Band / mode: WCDMA (UMTS) / GSM 850/900/1800/1900 ; Wireless connectivity: Bluetooth 2.0

Just over a year after Apple birthed the first iPhone, the long-awaited, next-generation iPhone 3G has arrived bearing a mildly tweaked design and a load of new features. With access to a faster 3G wireless network, Microsoft Exchange server e-mail, and support for a staggering array of third-party software from the iPhone App Store, the new handset is the iPhone we've been waiting for. It still lacks some basic features but when compared with what the original model was year ago, this device sets a new benchmark for the cell phone world.

With the iPhone 3G, Apple appears to have fixed some call-quality performance issues we had with the previous model--in our initial tests, the volume is louder with less background buzz than before. The 3G reception could be improved, however. Music and video quality were largely unchanged, but we didn't have many complaints in that department to begin with.

Price may well remain our largest concern. New AT&T customers and most current AT&T customers can buy the iPhone 3G for $199 for the 8GB model and $299 for the 16GB model. If you don't qualify for that price--check your AT&T account to find out--you'll pay $399 and $499 respectively. Either way, you'll pay $15 more per month ($74.99 total) for a plan comparable with the original iPhone ($59 per month). So, while you'll pay less outright to buy the handset, you'll make it up over the course of a standard two-year AT&T contract.

So should you buy an iPhone 3G? If you haven't bought an iPhone yet, and have been holding out for a new model, now is the time. If you're a current iPhone owner and you're yearning for a faster cellular network, then you should take the plunge. But if you're an iPhone owner who won't use 3G (or can't; check your coverage at AT&T), then you should stick with your current model. The iPhone 2.0 software update provides Exchange server support, third-party apps support, and many new features without the added cost.

Design
You'd be hard-pressed to notice any design differences on the front of the iPhone 3G. The minor changes--the silver rim is thinner and the silver mesh behind the speaker--are so minimal we didn't notice them for a few hours after picking up the device. Turn the phone on its side, however, and you'll see more changes. Apple has replaced the aluminum silver back with a plastic face in either white or black. The black version (our review model) is attractive, but we admit that we miss the original silver, which shows fewer fingerprints and smudges than the shiny black version. The white model is not our cup of tea.

From the front, the two iPhones look almost identical.

The iPhone 3G's edges are slightly tapered to accommodate the curved back, making the device thinner around its perimeter than its predecessor, but a hair thicker (0.48 inch versus 0.46 inch) in the gut. Unfortunately, the curved back makes the iPhone 3G wobble slightly if you use it while resting on a table--which quickly becomes annoying. The phone's height and width measurements (5.5 inches by 2.4 inches) remain the same, though it weighs just a tiny bit less (4.7 ounces versus 4.8 ounces).

We love the iPhone 3G's flush headset jack.

At 3.5 inches and 480x320 pixels, the display is the same size as its predecessor, but displays slightly more dots per inch (163 vs.160), and still cranks out brilliant colors, sharp graphics, and fluid movements. The layout of the home screen is identical to that on the first version, though you'll see two new icons from the outset: A Contacts icon takes you directly to your phone book, and the App Store icon opens the iTunes App Store. The display's glass surface, accelerometer feature, touch interface, and secondary menus remain the same.

Tiny screws can be found on the bottom of the iPhone 3G.

The iPhone's 3G controls reveal a few changes, but none will surprise a current iPhone user. The Home button sits below the display, while the volume rocker and ringer mute switch rest on the left spine. The Power/sleep button rests on top of the phone in its normal position. All controls are now silver instead of black. The SIM card slot hasn't moved either, and Apple now includes a SIM removal tool in the box. The bottom of the iPhone houses the speaker, the microphone, and the charger port, but you'll also notice two tiny screws on either side of the charger jack. Think maybe you'll be able to replace your own battery now? Bummer: The battery is still not user-replaceable, so we don't recommend trying it (although we hear the battery is no longer soldered down). We're very pleased that the iPhone 3G's 3.5mm headset jack now sits flush with the surface of the phone allowing you to use any 3.5mm headset you like; you're no longer restricted to a headset that can fit in the previous phone's inane recessed jack.

In the box you'll find the syncing cable, a display cleaning cloth, a headset, user documentation, the aforementioned SIM removal tool, and an electrical outlet plug. The plug is pleasantly smaller than on the original iPhone's, but it's compatible with a standard USB cable. On the downside, you don't get a syncing dock. If you want one, you have to shell out $30 for it (boo!), and Apple made sure the iPhone 3G won't fit in the first iPhone's dock.

Features
The iPhone 3G hangs on to all the original iPhone features and throws in a few more, so we'll concentrate on what's new. Lucky for first-gen iPhone owners, most of the impressive array of additions--save 3G support and enhanced GPS--come along with the free 2.0 software update. For more on the organizer features, stocks and weather widgets, YouTube app, notepad, threaded texting, and visual voicemail, see our original iPhone review.

Exchange server support
Worker bees worldwide have awaited the iPhone 3G's full support for Microsoft Exchange server. In our tests, adding an Exchange account was ridiculously easy once we had the correct settings from our IT department--simply choose to add a new e-mail account in the main Settings menu, and you'll be taken to the standard list of available e-mail systems. "Microsoft Exchange" and "MobileMe" will appear at the top of the list just above the choice for Gmail. You'll then be prompted to enter the applicable e-mail address, domain/username, server, and password. The authentication process took just a couple of minutes. Installing CNET's security certificate posed a bit of a challenge, but we eventually succeeded by mailing the certificate to ourselves through Yahoo Mail.

The iPhone 3G offers settings for Exchange server and MobileMe e-mail accounts.

Once you're ready to go, the iPhone will sync your Outlook e-mail, contacts, and calendar. Be advised that while the iPhone can support multiple POP3 accounts at once (two Yahoo accounts, for instance), it syncs with only one Exchange server and, worse, with only with one calendar or contacts list at a time. If you have a separate personal calendar, your work calendar will replace it once you start the sync. (You'll be notified before it happens.)

As an alternative, though, you can sync e-mail without syncing your contacts and calendar. Also, you can keep work and personal e-mail accounts open at the same time, although you'll have to switch between the two (unlike on a BlackBerry). MobileMe is another way to work around this restriction, but we'll talk about the later.

When using Wi-Fi, e-mail syncing went quickly. As new messages came in, the iPhone registered them almost immediately. It seemed to bog down when we received a large clump of messages at one time, however. In those cases, we had to update the phone manually, but even then the connection could freeze. In one instance, an update took almost 5 minutes--long enough that we had to back out of the e-mail app and try again later. We also noticed that if the iPhone loses its Wi-Fi connection, the syncing is interrupted even if the phone has 3G service. The Syncing via 3G was just as quick; if there was a difference, we didn't notice it. But if the 3G connection is shaky, it will take longer.

When we deleted a message on our phone, the same e-mail vanished on our PC just a couple of seconds later. Messages deleted on the PC took longer to disappear from the phone; typically, we had to do a manual update to see them gone. Messages deleted on the phone will show up in your PC's Recycle Bin and vice versa. When the data connection is weak, deleting and moving messages can be problematic. There were a few instances when the iPhone would not let us delete a random message. But when we go back to our computer, the message was indeed in the Trash.

You can access all folders in your in-box and move messages from your in-box to a specific folder. You can't search for messages, but you can call a contact if they include their phone number in their e-mail. Opening attachments worked as promised, and we like how you now can save attached images directly to your photo gallery simply by tapping the image. To e-mail photos, you will need to do so in the traditional manner by opening the photo, selecting the e-mail option, and choosing which account you'd like to send from. We had some difficulty forwarding big attachments--on a couple of occasions we had to try multiple times to send the message on to a colleague. Also, the iPhone was not able to show imbedded JPEG images on e-mails.

The e-mail syncing is not without its faults, and it can't measure up to a BlackBerry just yet, but it is a good step toward making the iPhone a business device. Your experience will depend on how you use e-mail throughout the day. If you get scores of messages, and you must respond to each one, then we'd suggest holding off for now. But if you get scores, and only respond to a few (or you just get a few), then you could be perfectly content with the experience. Though according to AT&T, using Exchange server support on the iPhone 3G will require the business data plan (the one that costs $45 per month), we're not sure how AT&T will enforce this rule. The iPhone does not prompt you of this restriction in any way.

MobileMe
The iPhone 3G supports Apple's new MobileMe service, which synchronizes from Mac's Mail, Address Book, and iCal applications: contacts, calendar appointments, e-mail messages, photos, and browser bookmarks. One advantage of MobileMe is that it allows you to sync personal and work calendars, and contacts. Check out our MobileMe review for a full analysis.

Language support
The iPhone 3G also brings language support and typing keyboards in French, Canadian French, U.K. English, German, Japanese (QWERTY and Kana), Dutch, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Brazilian Portuguese, Danish, Finnish, Norwegian, Swedish, Korean, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Russian, and Polish. You can select as many languages you want by opening the "International" selection under the General tab of the main Settings menu. For Chinese, you choose from Pinyin or a graffiti-style application for writing characters. As you enter characters, suggestions will appear to the right. To change between menus, choose from the small globe icon next to the space bar.

What else is new?
The IPhone 3G offers a host of additional new features, from the noteworthy to the trivial. For the enterprise, there's remote wipe (to erase data in case of a stolen or lost phone) and integration with Cisco IPSec VPN for remote network access. You'll also find calendar colors and a new interface for entering passwords. (Now the screen temporarily displays the last character you entered so you can verify that you haven't mistyped.) We found the new ability to take screen captures (by holding the Home button and pressing the power/sleep key) especially useful. Screenshots end up in the camera's photo gallery.

What's missing?
We've mentioned already that Apple has stubbornly left out multimedia messaging, stereo Bluetooth, and video recording. But we also wish we'd gotten a landscape keyboard for messaging, cut and paste, voice dialing, Flash support for the Web browser, tactile feedback for the touch screen and a memory card (or at least a 32GB model). Hopefully, Apple will add these features in time. True, they might also come as third-party applications, but Apple should really be the source for them. We'd also like the capability to send calendar appointments to contacts and an easier way to transfer files to the iPhone. Because there's no way to transfer them via iTunes, you'll have to e-mail files to yourself to access them on the iPhone. And even then, there's no accessible mass file storage.

Call quality
When we reviewed the original iPhone, we withheld our Editors' Choice Award largely over middling call quality because of low volume and a slight background hum. The iPhone 3G corrects most of these problems--our tests revealed louder volume and clearer audio. We also noticed that we could hear better at a variety of angles, whereas the first iPhone had a sensitive sweet spot. Also, while it was difficult to hear the original iPhone in noisy environments, we had better luck with this model. Reception didn't vary between GSM and HSDPA calls. We've heard a lot of reports that iPhone 3G users are experiencing a lot of dropped calls. Though we haven't experienced any issues on our review phone thus far, we have been on the receiving end of dropped calls while talking on a landline to an iPhone 3G owner.

We also tested the phone in a rural part of Sonoma County, California. Not surprisingly, our 3G connection was nonexistent, but we managed to keep a basic EDGE connection most of the time. We found that by turning off the 3G feature the phone stopped trying to find a high-speed connection, which resulted in a more reliable signal.

iPhone 3G also improves speakerphone calls. The phone's external speaker creates louder output, and callers said they can hear us better. Voices don't sound quite as natural, but that's typical on a speakerphone. Automated calling systems could understand us via regular or speakerphone calls. We also tested the iPhone 3G with the Aliph Jawbone 2 and enjoyed good audio quality. What's more, the handset autopairs with the Jawbone 2 so you don't need a passcode. As previously mentioned, iPhone 3G's lack of a stereo Bluetooth profile is disappointing.

The AT&T signal remained strong during much of our testing, though the 3G connection wavered in buildings. We have heard of some users complaining of poor 3G reception, even in urban areas. We noticed a few problems during our testing, specifically with the iPhone 3G's ability to switch back and forth between 3G and EDGE. The hand-off was sloppy at times, as the iPhone 3G continued trying to connect to the 3G network even when the signal was too low. But on the flip side, it was quicker about jumping back onto 3G when that network became available. According to FCC radiation tests, the iPhone 3G's highest digital SAR is 1.38 watts per kilogram.

Battery life
Apple rates the iPhone 3G's battery at 5 hours of talk time over 3G and 10 hours over AT&T's standard cellular network; 6 hours of Internet time on Wi-Fi, or 5 hours over 3G; 7 hours of video playback; 24 hours of music playback; and a standby time of 12.5 days. In our first round of testing we were able to squeeze 4.95 hours of 3G talk time and 8.75 hours talk time over EDGE. We'll continue to run further tests over the next few days.

For music and video playback, our CNET Labs testing found the iPhone 3G's battery capable of 25.5 hours of audio playback and 2.7 hours of video playback, with 3G set to active. By comparison, the first-generation iPhone achieved 31.4 hours of music playback and 6 hours of video, although it didn't have the strain of 3G to contend with. A comparable 3G multimedia phone, like the Samsung Instinct, scored only 18 hours of audio playback, but eked out an impressive 4.3 hours of video playback. We suspect further testing will show that the iPhone 3G is capable of longer video playback when its 3G connection is switched off.

Lab tests have also revealed improvements to the iPhone's file transfer speed. A single 500MB file that once took the iPhone 1.6 minutes to transfer now takes the iPhone 3G just 1.4 minutes. The same test run on the Samsung Instinct took 4.28 minutes.

Though our official Lab tests aren't bad, real-world use is a better judge of the iPhone 3G's endurance. And on that front, we've noticed that the iPhone 3G's battery life drops faster than on the original model, particularly while using the 3G network or GPS. That's to be expected, but we noticed that after a couple hours of use, the battery life dropped by about 30 percent. Large color displays like the iPhone's tend to be battery drainers as well, so you should expect to use more juice when you're constantly switching between applications. Indeed, during a day of even moderate use, the battery on our review model is depleted by the late evening. This remained true even after the iPhone 2.1 software update, which promised to improve battery life.

Activation
Unlike the original iPhone, you cannot activate the iPhone 3G via iTunes. Instead, you will have to activate the phone and sign your new contract in either an AT&T store or an Apple store. Though we understand the motivation behind this move--AT&T is trying to ensure every iPhone sold is activated on its own network--the experience isn't as nice as sitting in the comfort of your home. Once you have your phone out of the store, you will need to sync it with your iTunes account after first downloading the latest iTunes 7.7 update (download for Windows or Mac) first. That took us a long time on the iPhone 3G's first day on sale but hopefully those glitches will subside over the next few days. If you're replacing an original iPhone, make sure you back up your data from the old iPhone first; you'll then be able to transfer it to your new handset. As before, you can sync multiple iPhones to a single iTunes account.

Contacts search
A search bar now appears above your contacts list. Typing in any portion of the name will take you immediately to that person.

iWork documents and PowerPoint
We haven't tried iWork documents, but we were able to view PowerPoint e-mail attachments. The attachment was rather large (1.3MB), but it didn't take very long to download. Keep in mind that as with other Office documents, the iPhone does not allow you to edit attachments.

Bulk delete and move
This works in your e-mail boxes only. In your in-box you'll see a small "edit" button at the top right-hand corner. When you press the button, a small circle will appear next to each e-mail. Touch the circle to highlight as many messages as you like and then select the "delete" or "move" options.

Scientific calculator
As Steve Jobs said in his WWDC keynote, you'll now get a scientific calculator when you turn the phone on its side. You'll see a lot more buttons that will set a mathematician's heart aflutter.

GPS
While the current iPhone location services find your position by triangulating among nearby cell phone towers and satellites, the iPhone 3G uses Assisted GPS supplemented by satellites, which better pinpoints your location. It also offers live tracking so that you can monitor your progress as you drive (or walk) along. We tested the GPS feature both in a car and on foot. When on foot, the tracking service from satellites was quite accurate. It pinpointed our location almost exactly, and the small blue dot that represented our location followed us as we moved along. What's more, we didn't lose the connection as we walked between tall buildings or under an overpass. Naturally, the satellite connection dropped out as we entered buildings, but it switched automatically to find the closest cellular phone tower or hot spot. That method isn't quite as accurate--at times it could only show a circle spanning several city blocks--but you get the general idea of where you are. There were times where we had to ask the iPhone to pinpoint our location again, particularly as we left buildings and switched back to a satellite connection. When riding in a car, the GPS wasn't quite as specific. The blue dot tended to jump block by block or as we came to stoplights.

Even with these additions, however, the iPhone's GPS features can't compete with standalone GPS devices. Google Maps provides point-to-point directions on the iPhone 3G, but the phone doesn't support turn-by-turn directions in real time, and it's unclear whether that capability will come later from third-party applications. Apple's SDK prohibits location-based services "designed or marketed for real-time route guidance," but that doesn't mean we'll never see them.

Camera
We were hoping that the iPhone 3G would throw in an improved camera, but we got the same 2-megapixel shooter as in the original model, although with a slight improvement in the photo quality. Colors looked natural, there was little image noise, and interior shots had enough light. The camera's white balance can't handle bright sunlight, but that's not unusual for a camera phone. See our iPhone 3G camera slide show for a full gallery of shots. Camera features remain equally minimal, and the blatant lack of multimedia messaging and video recording continue to rub us the wrong way.

Source:http://reviews.cnet.com

It doesn't require plutonium to power its flux capacitor. It won't travel through time when it reaches 88mph. And unlike the Doc and Marty McFly's DeLorean of Back To The Future fame, it needs nothing more than a power point to keep it running.

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