Appletell

AT&T has a voice command software application in the works for Apple’s iPhone. Based on their WATSON speech recognition engine, it uses Speech Mashups that call upon the entire web for their information. Although it won’t work for voice dialing, it will work for other neat actions. The downside? I don’t believe this is meant to be fully featured voice command software, which is kind of a shame.

Check out a demo video after the break.

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The iPhone 3G was such a big hit that there were lines for the product even for a few days after it came out. This was bound to bring shortages, and it did. In fact, Piper Jaffray & Co. analyst Gene Munster says, “I bet we’ll see these problems for another two to four weeks. Early demand has been more than they expected [because] they knocked it out of the park on the first weekend.” He may be on to something as Apple’s stock website is still showing low amounts in most places.

Mr. Munster says this low stock could be from unexpected, sustained demand for the iPhone, as last year there was only a large initial demand. “This is a more sustained outage, and the demand seems to be sustained,” he said. Furthermore, he points out that this year the iPhone was launched world wide, meaning less stock for the United States.

Details after the break.

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Six and one-half hours in line at the Apple Store, added to the three hours spent waiting in line at at AT&T store, only to be told that they had run out. Is the white, 16 gig iPhone 3G worth it? Totally. The excitement felt by Ralphie upon receipt of his Red Ryder BB gun is comparable.

Although demand will begin to fall off as time goes on, there are a few tips for eager iPhone fans who have yet to get their hands on one of these amazing devices. Check them out after the break.

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Those of you who were waiting until the activation process was sorted out to get an iPhone 3G, wait no more. After the initial rush to activate thousands of people and get past the very unresponsive servers, the problem is now fixed. iPhone 3G customers are more easily and quickly activating their phones. Whether July 11th’s issues were on Apple’s side (iTunes 7.7) or AT&T’s side (activation servers) is still unknown, but I am just glad it has been fixed.

After being amongst the first people let into the Mayfair Wisconsin Apple Store July 11th, I thought I was in pretty good shape. I was very, very wrong. Within a matter of minutes of the 8 a.m. opening, the problem had become known, and Apple employees were sending people home. It wasn’t until around 6 p.m. that I finally got my phone activated and ready for use. Thankfully, those initial woes are now over, so you can buy an iPhone 3G with more assurance. You have no reason to wait now, so go get yours!

Poor, poor, UK customers, first you’re offered an extremely buggy pre-order site to try and satisfy your 3G iPhone needs, then o2 tells you that you need to send scans of your most sensitive information (passports, bank cards) through e-mail, and now you can’t even pick one up from a shop hassle free.

It seems that that Apple’s flagship store in London has had huge trouble trying to activate 3G iPhones. iPhones must now be activated before leaving the store, a change from the previous method of customers activating when they got back home. The problems arose due to a web-based activation system from o2 that isn’t compatible with Safari! Ironic, no?

More after the break.

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It seems o2 are blaming Apple for a shortage of UK iPhone 3G stock. In an e-mail response to an inquiring customer, Steve Shurrock, sales director of o2 had the following to say,

“We have been working continuously with them [Apple] to get as much stock for the UK as possible. Unfortunately, they have only been able to supply a small proportion of the number of phones we asked for, because they are launching simultaneously in 22 countries.”

Shurrock goes onto say that he is confident that the volume of iPhones will increase over time and become sufficient for customer demand.

More after the break.

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Sunday, we reported that Apple would be diverting shipment of the iPhone 3G from Canada to Europe as a slap on the wrist to Rogers Communications over their ridiculous rate plans. Now, that slap has become a punch in the gut. Apple Insider is reporting that Canadian Apple Stores will not be selling or activating or marketing or supporting or apparently even acknowledging the iPhone’s very existence. Rogers will still be able to sell the iPhone and gouge its customers, but they’ll get no marketing help from Apple, Inc.

Apple is giving Rogers the corporate equivalent of the silent treatment.

Juicy details after the break.

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I was awoken this morning by a text message from o2, which read, “iPhone 3G is here. The iPhone you have been waiting to early upgrade to. Order from 8am today.”

Yup! If you’re an o2 customer/wannabe customer, you can now pre-order the iPhone 3G at o2’s website! o2 say that pre-orders are on a first-come, first-served basis, and if you order sooner, there’s a bigger chance it will arrive on July the 11th via courier!

If you’re going through the upgrade route, you will need to visit the o2 iPhone upgrade page where you will be asked to type in your iPhone mobile number. You will then receive a text message with an upgrade code, which you must then enter before the upgrade process can continue.

The website is acting extremely erratically (at time of writing), whether this is due to traffic or o2 not getting their web page up in time is unknown. The upgrade site currently throws me between being able to order the phone and a maintenance page (8 a.m., ey’ o2?).

No word on how new customers are getting on, but I have a feeling they might not be having as much trouble. I haven’t as yet been able to pre-order my 3G iPhone. Come on o2, fix your website!

Happy iPhone 3G pre-ordering UK o2 customers.

When Apple announced the iPhone 3G would be available in Canada, Apple lovers in America’s top hat the country were ecstatic at the idea of the iPhone being in their hands in a little over a month. However, the phone is being vended exclusively by the notorious customer-abusing company, Rogers Wireless. As it turns out, Rogers’ plan pricing for the iPhone was plain ridiculous, spawning immense outrage, which culminated in Ruined iPhone—a petition site signed by over 10 thousand potential customers.

Now, it seems Apple is sanctioning Rogers due to the (justified, in my opinion) public outcry. Rogers had hired additional staff to handle the iPhone launch, but all those extra employees have been fired. Additionally, Apple is diverting iPhone 3G shipment away from Canada, instead sending the bulk of the iPhones to European vendors. This means that each Rogers store will only have around 10 to 20 iPhones for launch day.

While I am happy to see this, I’m quite shocked that Apple actually reacted to the petition and horrible pricing. Apple is most likely trying to force Rogers to change their ways and make the data plans more fair for the consumer; something like the current AT&T plan. Saying that AT&T’s plan is fair says something about the shoddiness of Rogers’ current system. However, Apple is, at the same time, giving up on the Canadian market for now and instead focusing on the more profitable European market.

Good on you, Apple; and shame on you, Rogers.

Via [Smithereens]

It seems AT&T has learned its lesson from the release of the first generation iPhone last year, as the company has decided to open its stores at 8:00 a.m. on July 11th, rather than at 6:00 p.m. when the original iPhone was released. AT&T’s early opening is specifically targeted towards customers who wish to purchase Apple’s newest iPhone 3G, which will be released that day.

To gearing up for a busy day and to help ease the stress that July 11th is sure to bring, AT&T will open the doors “...bright and early to sell the iPhone 3G at 8 a.m. instead of last year’s 6 p.m.,” according to AT&T spokesman Cathy Lewandowski. She was also quick to add that all activation will be done in-store this time, which is why such an early opening time has been chosen.

Starting July 11, the iPhone 3G will be available from Apple and AT&T for $199 for the 8GB model and $299 for the 16GB model with a mandatory two-year contract with AT&T. Existing AT&T customers may purchase or upgrade to the iPhone 3G for $399 for the 8GB model or $499 for the 16GB model. Both options require a new two-year service agreement, although AT&T will soon be offering a no-contract-required iPhone 3G option for $599 (8GB) or $699 (16GB).

Via [Memphis Business Journal]