Interested in getting an Apple iPhone, huh? Then you might want to know that it will actually require a two-year cell phone plan. What if you don't want the plan? Then you can't have it.

That's right. Cingular just confirmed to SFGate that the iPhone will not be sold without the said plan. Apart from this, there's also the data plan for you to be able to use the iPhone's internet features. How much are these gonna cost?

For now, the data plans range from about US$ 9.99 a month to US$ 39.99 a month. But that's not fixed yet, and there's a good chance that it's still gonna be adjusted when the gadget's released to the market.

Hey, you didn't really expect it to come cheap, did ya?

After an entire months-long game of hopscotch, peek-a-boo, and "What Will Jobs Do Next", Apple finally reveals the... iPhone. Steve, you can be quite the stubborn cookie - we shall now have to differentiate between the Apple iPhone and the Linksys iPhone. Anyway, what's probably interesting about the iPhone is not what it has out of the box, but what it DOESN'T have, for a phone that costs as much as a PS3 - 20GB and 60GB.

Let's keep it short: no 3G. As a cellphone, that could potentially be crippling to the iPhone (especially when Steve wants 10 million on the streets by next year). And if he tries to sell the phone to Japan - that country is true-blue (or blood-red) 3G country - it's going to be murder, so we're thinking that Apple might want to keep this as a North American release for now.

Still, the global (let alone NA) cellular industry isn't Apple turf - the iPhone is not going up against late entrants and also-rans (e.g., Zune), but against the monoliths of the cellphone industry: Nokia, Sony Ericsson, Motorola. Steve Jobs says that the iPhone is five years ahead of any other mobile phone. Well, not in the 3G department, most definitely.

But we're not going to simply surrender to the belief that Steve Jobs' fair-haired boys didn't think of this when they drew up the iPhone's specs. They could always market it as a luxury product (at that price, it better well be). But for a company that has made its mark as a mass market trend-setter (even given the price of the 5G iPod), that could be a bit odd.

But we still think that the iPhone is, as our gaming cousins in the QJ network put it, FTW!!! 1st post W00t!!!. Find out why after the jump.

After all the rumors and speculations about the much-awaited iPhone, we now have a whole bunch of confirmed details about this upcoming revolutionary telecommunications gadget.

During the recently held Macworld Conference and Expo, Steve Jobs divulged details on the widescreen iPod-donning phone including its "multi-touch" feature, internet-browsing capabilities, wireless connectivity, and tons more! So let's not waste any time with all the chitchatty yadda yadda, here's an outline of some of the iPhone's features:

• widescreen iPod - browse through music, audiobooks, videos, TV shows, and movies on a 3.5-inch widescreen display. You can also use the Cover Flow feature to browse through music via the album covers.
  
• User Interface
  
• QWERTY keyboard and intelligent Multi-touch display - control is literally all in your hands, no need for a stylus, ignores unintended touches
• Internet device - built-in Google and Yahoo! search, Safari web browser, Google maps, iTunes, Widgets,
  
• Connectivity - quad-band GSM, EDGE, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth 2.0 with EDR (Enhanced Data Rate)

More info and pictures await in the Full Article!

We don't know if it is just us, but have you notice how things get loud for a product whenever they're about to get launched or something? Rumors, for all we know, could be a marketing strategy employed by companies to keep people talking about their upcoming product.

Take the iPhone for example. Wasn't it just yesterday when we reported a rumor about its launch date? Today, we found another rumor and we hope you are all ears. For this could be a preview after all. According to Rebecca F. Runkle, analyst from Morgan Stanley, she's banking that the iPhone will be released soon. She mentioned, "We expect Steve Jobs to announce the iPhone at MacWorld or early next year."

Runkle then got bolder when she mentioned specifics about iPhone. Without citing any sources, these are the numbers provided by the analyst:

• iPhone will cost US$ 599 for a 4GB model and US$ 649 for an 8GB model
• iPhone will be wider than iPod Nano and thinner than the Video
• iPhone comes with 3.5 inch LCD screen
• iPhone will be made out of metal and will be available in multiple colors (black, white, silver, etc.)
• Cingular Wireless will be its carrier in the U.S.

What do you think of Runkle's "analysis?" Sounds good enough? Oh well, we're pretty much banking we will all know about the iPhone if and when Steve Jobs make the official announcement this coming expo. Until then, we'll just post this one under rumors...

Only lately, talks about the iPhone keep on resurfacing with not a few claiming it's about time the said company venture into the world of mobiles. Well, add Prudential Equity Group analyst Jesse Tortora to those predicting that there will be an iPhone in the very near future.

According to him, he expects Steve Jobs and his crew to unveil a "music phone" in Macworld - a gathering of Mac-anatics - January of next year. He base his guess on the fact that every year, the event is held witness to Apple's revelation of new products. He even hinted that the said phone could be Wi-Fi-equipped, and should be available March, 2007.

The iPhone looks to be a promising one for Apple, but some analysts are a little dubious whether it'll have a shot in the market. They outlined the possible difficulties that Apple may encounter: tight competition, carrier issues, and possibly, Steve Jobs himself.

Of course, Apple has known all along that to hack its way in the jungle of mobile giants, it has to offer a unique product - one that will fill the gaps that other handsets leave unaddressed such as bigger memory, easy synchronization with music downloads, and efficient wireless service providers. Cingular, as we know it, has now tied up with Apple but the iPhone's appeal will further increase if it could work with other providers as well. Question is, will the major wireless providers embrace the iPhone?

Some analysts see the iTV instead as the better bet than the iPhone. Apple are just taking chances, and it was evident in the history of their products. But then again, with their marketing genius and success on the Mac and iPod, who are we to judge what will become of the iPhone?

Apple bets on a phone with an iconic design, elegant interface, and iPod-matching functionality to attract users. But with Cingular being the sole provider, will the consumers ultimately go for it?

The deal's done for Apple and Cingular. For the first six months, Cingular will be the exclusive provider for Apple's iPhone, which is set for an early 2007 release. Recall that Cingular had an exclusive on the Motorola ROKR when it launched last year. The question is, will users welcome a mobile phone wedded to Cingular? Some of them might not be willing to give up their old phones in exchange for iPhone if it meant using only Cingular service.

In Europe, it's possible that O2 will have the same deal with Apple. The company estimates that the iPhone may ship around 25 million units in 2007.

The Apple phone will feature a candy-bar design with a 2.2-inch display and 3 megapixel camera. It will have iTunes and iSync support.

We cover a lot expensive gadgets, so it's nice to find something that's free.

Umundo has introduced a free service that allows video iPod users to view, publish, and share their camera-phone or camera-capable PDA video clips.

How does it work?

1. You use your phone to send in your video via MMS or email to Umundo's site.
2. Then you publish/share your videos: you and your friends log on (using your accounts) to iTunes, Google, MySpace, or My Yahoo! to watch your videos.

And here's the best part: the video from your phone or PDA is converted into H.264. That's the format used by the iPod. So this is basically a free cell-to-iPod converter.

Users in the USA with Cingular, Verizon, and T-Mobile subscriptions can MMS their videos to Umundo. Those who don't subscribe to those services and those who are outside of the USA can send in their videos via email from the phone or PDA. You can also send in .jpeg, .png, .gif, and .3gp files from the computer.