My favorite iPhone cases are those that are more a hard shell than a case. They take a minimalist approach to scratch protection and while they don’t offer much, if any, protection from life’s bumps and bruises, these snap-on cases don’t add much weight or bulk to the device. That’s a trade-off I’m willing to make.

The latest snap-on shell I have been reviewing is a case from Konnet. The HardJAC Graffito is a three part-system that I really love using. (Well, more accurately loved since someone took a liking to it yesterday and, as a result, it is now his.)  Let’s take a look.

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Just how protective of your gadgets are you?  Do you let strangers fondle your phone?  Do you let friends or family borrow your Mp3 player?  Or does your device of choice never leave your side for fear that whoever you lend it to won’t treat it with the same respect you do?

Have you even been in a situation where someone asked to see or use your most prized gadget and you had to stop and think for a moment as to whether you trusted the person enough to do so?

Before you read this entire story be sure to answer the above question.  Then read on for an even more challenging situation at the end.

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I like the Android platform a great deal. I find it relatively easy to use and quite powerful. The ability to run a number of applications in the background makes a tremendous difference in usability of the device. This continues to be one of the main shortcomings of the Apple iPhone. Add to that the tremendous integration of the device with Google’s various applications and you have a winning combination. Or so I thought.

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Dan is this week’s guest star on Just Another iPhone Blog’s excellent Desert Island Apps series, listing the six iPhone apps he would want with him if stranded on an island. All answers assume WiFi and full connectivity , of course — which must mean that the desert island is so fantastic that Dan would never even think to use his iPhone to call in a rescue.

Take a look and see which six iPhone applications Dan picked; I use four of them, and I found out about two more.

What would be your Desert Island Apps if you were stranded somewhere? Let us know in the comments below.

Dan Cohen’s Desert Apps

Bored with using the regular texting tool on the iPhone? GOGII believes they have the answer with their 2.0 version textPlus iPhone application. According to the GOGII folks, “textPlus offers free, unlimited app-to-app texting and already has millions of users – including a huge teen fan base.” (I’m not a teen, but maybe you are. Or have one at home–I sure do.)  GOGII just released their 2.0 version, after their original version was downloaded 2.5 million times.

textPlus sells for a miserly $0.00 at the iTunes store, and doesn’t charge usage fees. I think I’ll download it and let my kids give it a full run-through.  I mean, after all, what do I have to lose?

Full press release after the jump.

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Want to rock out on your iPhone but unsure as to which of the tap style rock games is best?

Our own Clinton Fitch has posted a great review of the recently released version of Rock Band for the iPhone on his own web site, ClintonFitch.com. The game was one of the more anticipated applications to hit the iTunes App Store this year.

The detailed review includes screen shots as well as a comprehensive walk through of how the game is played.

Check it out today!

One of the bigger limitation of the iPhone’s camera is the fact that it has no zoom function.  Well USBfever.com has  solved the missing zoom function of the iPhone’s camera and taken it to an entirely different level.

They’ve released a hard case which includes a built in, 8X, telescoping zoom lens!

The case features:

- Specific to iPhone 3g / 3gs

- Manual focus adjust

- Superb telescope – 8X

- Comes with a stand for taking pictures and movies.

The lens must be auto focuses by twisting it, just like you’d do on a camera with auto focus but it comes with a tripod.  It only fits the iPhone 3G or 3Gs.

It sells for $28.99 and you can check it out here.

From what I understand it’s a fairly common problem with the iPhone & iPod charge and sync cable.  It’s also a problem that causes both costly and aggravating results.

After pulling it out from the dock connector of your device countless times, the wire that connects to the dock plug becomes damaged.  It’s simply not built all that heavy duty and the stress from pulling and pushing on the cord over and over again breaks it down.

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The iFrogz Luxe is one of the more popular iPhone cases currently available.  iFrogz has taken a step to make it even more popular with its recent launch of the new MyFrogz Customizable Luxe Case for the iPhone 3G and 3Gs.

This case is available at AT&T Wireless Stores nationwide.  Customers can purchase the MyFrogz Luxe case program in a store and then customize their case for immediate delivery.  The MyFrogz in-store packaging includes a customization code, as well as a clear protective case to use until the customized case arrives. To customize, users can either download the free MyFrogz app on their iPhone or visit www.iFrogz.com/myfrogz.

Hundreds of unique cases can be created by choosing from more than 20 color options for both the top and bottom pieces. Options include new colors in the classic metallic look and a new Luxe “Frost” series has also been introduced to provide a semi-transparent look.

The case retails for $34.99 and you can learn more by visiting iFrogz.com

I love tablets. I used a Windows Tablet PC for years and have been chomping at the bit for the Apple tablet. The iPhone and iPod touch have been and are awesome, but I have been longing for something a bit larger. When the Archos 5 Internet Tablet with Android came along, I thought it just might be the ticket. Here was a slick slate tablet with a 4.8“ touchscreen with 800*480 resolution. The 32GB model is just thin and light and… it runs Android. I bit.

It is an impressive device. But is it a “keeper”?

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The latest Verizon attack ad on the iPhone takes a new tact… rather than attack the iPhone it actually well… it actually puts out the welcome mat.

In it the Island of Misfit Toys welcomes its newest resident… the iPhone.

“Hey check out the new guy” says one misfit toy.
“What are you doing here? You can download apps and browse the web.” Says another.
“People will love you!” A third says!

Then things go south… a map of AT&T’s coverage pops up and everyone moans.

So let’s think about it for a second… praise for the iPhone (”everyone will love you!) but disdain for AT&T.

Kinda sounds like Verizon is putting out the welcome mat doesn’t it?

This is one of those rumors that leaves me scratching my head… The Boy Genius Report has been told by two sources that AT&T is prepping to release an 8GB iPhone 3GS for $99 to replace the current line-up that has an old-model iPhone 3G at $99. The hope, according to the rumor, is that this will draw some attention to the Droid Mania that is sweeping the world (okay, over-statement), and keep sales of iPhones up over the holidays.

Personally I just don’t get it. No, it isn’t that I don’t get why AT&T and Apple would do this. That makes perfect sense and might be a winning strategy. What I don’t get is… Continue Reading

This might not be new but I certainly don’t recall seeing this message before…

I went to watch something on my iPhone earlier and couldn’t. Turns out it was flash and, as you likely know, the iPhone doesn’t support flash. That’s nothing new. What was new, at least to me, was the way the screen presented the message about Flash not working.

In the past I had gotten messages like- “To view this content upgrade your browser and flash plug-in.”

Now the message was far more pointed. Roughly translated it would read–

Listen up, you may want flash but you can’t have flash- at least not on this device. Why? Don’t blame us. It is certainly doable to enable flash on this thing but Apple RESTRICTS the technology needed to make it happen. And until Apple changes their policy you are out of luck. Seriously, we WANT to give you Flash. It would be our pleasure to give you Flash. We are ready to give you Flash. Seriously! But Apple won’t let us. Adobe- Good. Apple- Bad.

As I said, this might be an old message, but I for one have never seen it. Assuming I wasn’t missing this all along, it sure seems like Adobe has taken of the gloves. I’ll be interested to see how this plays out.

The XM Radio Skydock for the iPhone is now available for a purchase price of $120.  The dock allows you to insert your iPhone and obtain the XM’s satellite signal via a magnetic antenna that must be mounted on the roof of your car and snaked through to connect to the dock.

Once docked, in addition to being charged, your iPhone gives way to touch controls and a built in FM transmitter for getting the radio’s audio over your car’s stereo.

You’ll also need the special version of the free XM Radio iPhone application from the App Store, and of course a subscription to the service.

The Skydock is available at various online retailers and in brick and mortar stores such as Best Buy, Radio Shack and Apple.

Via Engadget.

George Hotz, aka Geohot, the iPhone developer responsible for bringing you the blackra1n jailreaking tool has issued a public service announcement.

First off, he was everyone to know that he’s found an exploit in the current 05.11.77 baseband, which is found on phones running the current iPhone OS, version 3.1.2, that allows the phone to be unlocked.  The new tool, named blacksn0w, will be released on November 4th.

Second he issued a reminder.  All the tools he’s created, including the ones that allow the iPhone to be jailbroken and the one that will allow the iPhone to be unlocked are free.  There are several company’s who are offering to unlock and or jailbreak iPhones for a fee.  Geohot even goes as far as to say he’s turning down $10,000 from one of them for the rights to his blacksn0w program.  These company’s benefit from the public’s lack of information and it’s up to us to educate them about these scam artists who are taking advantage of them.