iLounge

Top Singaporean cellular provider SingTel plans to release the iPhone in that country for approximately S$690 ($500) starting in September, claims Channel NewsAsia, though Apple is unlikely to share in SingTel’s subscription revenues. With an estimated 10,000 iPhones already imported by residents, retailers note that the technology-obsessed country’s demand for the iPhone has dampened slightly since its mid-2007 U.S. launch, but interest is still “very strong,” and the retailers speculate that demand will increase sharply should Singapore receive a 3G iPhone. Neither SingTel nor Apple commented for the report.

U.K. Prime Minster Gordon Brown discussed his iPod and musical tastes on television, noting “I’ve got an iPod, and I know how to use it,” contrasting with his predecessor Tony Blair’s disclosure that he had relied on his daughter to operate an iPod. Brown’s iPod includes songs from classical musicians such as Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, 60’s rockers such as the Rolling Stones and the Beatles, and modern performers such as Leona Lewis, U2, and Coldplay.

Following up on an earlier Financial Times claim that Apple was in negotiations to bundle unlimited iTunes access with premium-priced iPods and iPhones, which appears to have been based on sources from within the music industry, BusinessWeek cites “people in a position to know” as stating that “no such talks are underway,” with one person suggesting that the music rental idea has been informally considered by Apple for a year, but not formally negotiated.

Adding to the list of iPhone application development restrictions, Billboard reports that third-party developers will be unable to access the iPhone’s iTunes-synchronized music database for playback, limiting the ability of iTunes competitors and social networking music software to place or access music directly on the iPhone. The publication notes that the beta version of the iPhone software development kit (SDK) denies developers access to “any iTunes functionality,” and suggests that Apple “could easily decline to make [competitors’] applications available in the AppStore,” but leaves open the prospect that this will change by the time of the final SDK’s release.

A surprisingly public and personal dispute over Apple CEO Steve Jobs’ “evil” tendencies has broken out between Wired’s Leander Kahney and John Gruber of Daring Fireball (warning: rough language). Kahney, whose upcoming book is excerpted in the latest issue of Wired, claims that by “exerting unrelenting control over his employees, his image, and even his customers, Jobs exerts unrelenting control over his products and how they’re used,” and contrasts the company’s approach with Google’s “Don’t be evil” philosophy. Describing Kahney as a “F---ing Jackass,” Gruber tears into both the article and its author, taking particular issue with his discussion of Apple’s secretive tendencies. “What kind of secretive crackpot,” Gruber said, referring to Kahney’s inability to speak with Jobs, ”wouldn’t want to speak to a writer working on a piece that labels your company ‘irredeemably evil’ and whose best-known work is a book that literally brands your customers as cultists? What a jerk.” [Editor’s Note: Gruber subsequently changed his article’s title, replacing the profanity with the word “irredeemable."]

eMusic CEO David Pakman has claimed that Apple’s reported interest in bundling an unlimited iTunes Store rental service with iPods and iPhones would lead to an antitrust lawsuit under the Sherman Act. “It’s called tying,” said Pakman, “where a company with a monopoly position in one market uses that monopoly position unfairly to compete in another.” Pakman, whose company holds a 15% share of the digital music market, suggests that Apple is exploring the unlimited iTunes service because “a whole bunch of other retailers [now] can sell music that works on the iPod or any other device. That puts some pressure on Apple. There’s no question, I think, that iTunes market share will diminish as a result of that over time.”

AT&T has extended to online customers a special $249 price for refurbished 8GB iPhones, previously available only in certain regional bricks-and-mortar stores. The used iPhones sell for a $150 discount relative to new ones, and still require activation of a 2-year contract with the company.

Salon publishes an essay from columnist Farhad Manjoo suggesting that “Apple fans hate tech reporters,” using experiences from himself, Walt Mossberg, and David Pogue as examples of how readers have found—unjustifiably, in his view—positive or negative bias in coverage of Apple’s products. Manjoo draws parallels between Apple fanaticism and the Israel-Palestinian conflict, suggesting that people believe their own perspectives to be reasonable, and attack those covering events neutrally when any opinion contrary to their views is presented. [via Macdailynews]

An Apple-filed patent from last year was published this week, suggesting that the company has explored the possibility of developing a flip-style iPhone with a screen on the top half and a fold-out, touch-sensitive surface on the bottom. The bottom surface is proposed to be either a clear panel with the ability to be overlaid on top of the screen, providing the equivalent of the current iPhone’s multi-touch surface when combined, and a scrollable cursor-based surface when separated, or a full touch-sensitive display on the bottom. While the patent has already led to speculation that Apple will use the technology in an “iPhone nano,” past Apple patent filings have only occasionally revealed actual products in advance. [via Unwiredview.com]

Disney CEO Bob Iger, speaking at the Digital Hollywood Media Summit, has revealed that the company has sold 4 million movies and “40 to 50” million videos through iTunes. According to estimates from Pali Research’s Rich Greenfield, that equates to around $120 million in revenue. [via Mac Rumors]

A slide from an Intel presentation at the recent CeBIT event suggests that the iPhone may be powered by an Intel x86 chip in the future. A picture of the slide shows an image of the iPhone, labeled “Smartphones,” underneath a general heading for devices the company is targeting with its next-generation mobile platform, code named Moorestown. The iPhone currently uses an ARM processor.

A new service called iCopy offers iPhone and iPod touch users a way to copy and paste text within the devices’ Safari and Mail applications, using a bookmark link and browser cookies. The service is free; more information and demonstration videos can be found on the iCopy website.

Gear4 has introduced the BassStation, a new 2.1 speaker system for iPod that looks strikingly like Apple’s discontinued iPod Hi-Fi. The BassStation features an integrated iPod Dock, a 5-inch subwoofer, 35 Watts of power, a line input, video and audio output, a remote control, and the ability to charge the iPod while docked. It sells for £99.99, or around $200. [via Macworld UK]

Boston Acoustics has unveiled its Duo-i AM/FM Stereo with iPod Dock. Features include two full-range 3.5-inch drivers, two auxiliary inputs, audio and video output, dual independent alarms with sleep timer, a remote control, and a high contrast display. It is available now and sells for $200.  [via Engadget]

A screenshot taken from Apple’s iPhone Software Roadmap event shows a search icon in the iPhone’s Contacts screen. The icon, which appears at the top of the alphabet, is similar to that of Apple’s Spotlight search icon. Interestingly, the icon appeared on a screenshot shown during the presentation, but was absent from the menu during a demo.

Stereophile has posted a guide to the effects of CD to 128Kbps Fraunhöfer MP3 and AAC format conversion, showing audible and inaudible areas of the audio spectrum that are impacted by CD ripping. After showing how certain audio data is artificially accentuated or lost during encoding, the guide recommends lossless encoding for critical listeners, as it is the only format that preserves an original CD’s sound image bit for bit. [Thanks, Jon]

Ever Green Electronics has launched what it bills as a “100% environmentally sustainable” iPod and iPhone repair and recycling service. “Not only do we offer the best prices in iPod repair, fast service, and an unparalleled recycling program we have taken the steps necessary to be a certified green company,” said Richard Hauf, CEO of EverGreen Electronics. “We see the importance of having incredible customer service while championing the care of the environment. With nearly 200 million iPods and iPhones in circulation, keeping toxins out of our water and landfills is an important part of business today and we are committed to creating sustainable business practices.”

Scott Huang, vice president of mobile communications with Samsung Taiwan, has reportedly resigned his post, and will soon begin working for Apple Taiwan. It is currently unclear what position Huang might fill at Apple.

Apple has posted a QuickTime streaming video of yesterday’s iPhone Software Roadmap event. The video is available for viewing now via Apple’s website, and is roughly 80 minutes in length.

ID Software co-founder John Carmack has posted his thoughts on Apple’s iPhone SDK announcements. “Just based on the blurbs, it looks very good—a simulator plus debugging on the native device is the best of both worlds, and a 70% royalty deal for apps over iTunes is quite good,” Carmack wrote. “The iTunes distribution channel is really a more important aspect than a lot of people understand. The ability to distribute larger applications than the over-the-air limits and effectively market your title with more than a dozen character deck name, combined with the reasonable income split make this look like a very interesting market.”

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer made several comments about the iPhone yesterday during an appearance. Speaking about Apple’s business model of taking 30 percent of iPhone application revenue, he said “It’s a good business if you can make it.” On Exchange support for iPhone, Ballmer said, “We’ve licensed ActiveSync for a while. That’s been an option that’s been available to Apple,” adding, “It was certainly an option we knew Apple might take advantage of.” In an unrelated interview, Terry Myerson, corporate vice president for Exchange, said that Microsoft and Apple began talks about Exchange support “before the launch of the iPhone last year.”

Game developer Freeverse has posted a “first peek” of its iPhone development plans, including Flick Sports games of Golf, Bowling, Soccer, Baseball, and Moto Racing. The games will make use of the handset’s multi-touch screen as well as the built-in accelerometer.

Fortune has announced that Apple tops its 26th annual list of America’s Most Admired Companies. In an interview with Fortune Senior Editor Betsy Morris, Apple CEO Steve Jobs said, “We do no market research. We just want to make great products.”

French electronics retail chain Fnac is in discussions to distribute the iPhone in France, according to a Le Figaro report. The French daily cites Fnac head Denis Olivennes as saying that Orange’s exclusive rights for the iPhone in France are “inadmissible.” The report also stated that should negotiations fail, Fnac plans to take legal action.

Although it has been reported by several readers in our comments, Apple has officially acknowledged that a bug where SMS text messages would appear in the wrong order has been fixed in the latest iPhone software. On an Apple support page discussing the problem, the solution now listed is “Use iTunes to update to iPhone Software 1.1.4 or later.”

A new article posted to intstructables.com explains how to make an iPod Video Projector. The project requires cardboard, a mirror, a couple of lenses, does not require any power, and can be made to support any video-capable iPod or iPhone. 

Homade has introduced its iStereo speaker for iPod (pictured), which is modeled after LEGO building blocks. The iStereo features an integrated iPod dock, two speakers in the unit’s top, and volume controls consistent with the block-inspired design. It is powered by three AA batteries, and is available now for $40. [via ShinyShiny]

Coolgorilla has launched its Talking iPod Phrase Books podcasts, which offer translation of English text into various languages such as French, German, and Italian. Each language translation pack offers 750-800 useful phrases, which can be accessed from any iPod. The language packs are available through iTunes; for iPhone and iPod touch users, the company offers an iPhone Translator web application as well.

JThink has released Jaikoz 2.3.0, a multi-platform metadata editing application for mp4, m4a, m4p, mp3, Flac and OggVorbis files. Jaikoz features the ability to automatically find and correct metatags, to automatically retrieve and add song lyrics, and the ability to update the iTunes database with changes made in Jaikoz. The application sells for £15, and runs on Mac OS X, Windows, and Linux.

iViewr has announced its iPhone and iPod touch-based guide to next week’s CeBIT show in Hanover, Germany. The guide offers useful information for attendees, including keynote info, travel directions, disabled access details, and more. To access the guide, visit iviewr.com from an iPhone or iPod touch and tap on “Our Choice.”

During a recent speech, Gameloft founder Michel Guillemot featured an image of an iPhone running a Gameloft game in one of his slides. Pocket Gamer suggests that although the image may have been a mock-up, given Gameloft’s past relationship with Apple on iPod games, it would not be surprising to see the company develop games for the iPhone.

Safari HD, an unofficial hack for the Apple TV that allows users to browse the internet using the set-top box, has been released and updated for compatibility with Apple TV software 2.0. Safari HD uses the WebKit rendering engine, and supports web plugins such as Flash and any others supported by Safari.

A panel at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain last week praised the iPhone for its ease of use and interface. The panel, titled “It’s the User Experience, Stupid,” agreed that the iPhone represents a new model for mobile operators to follow, and that the current mobile user experience, when compared to the iPhone, is not very good.

Poolga is a site offering a collection of iPhone and iPod touch wallpapers from a selection of designers and illustrators from around the world. According to the site, new wallpapers are added every couple of days, and all the wallpapers are free to download and use on your own device [possibly NSFW].

Google has said that it has seen 50 times more searches from the iPhone than from any other mobile handset. “We thought it was a mistake and made our engineers check the logs again,” said Vic Gundotra, head of Google’s mobile operations. Gundotra also said that if more manufacturers make mobile web access easy, the number of mobile searches will overtake fixed searches “within the next several years.”

Philips has announced that amBX FXGen+ lighting effects can now be experienced with iTunes through Windows XP or Vista. The amBX platform “allows content developers to use light, color, sound, rumble and even air flow through enabled devices, including the Philips amBX PC Gaming Peripherals range of LED color-controlled lighting, rumble peripherals and variable speed desktop fans.”

The Online Education Database has posted a new list of 100 Ways to Use Your iPod to Learn and Study Better. The list includes links to study guides, podcasts, tutorials, applications, classroom help, and more.

Techspansion has released VisualHub 1.31, the latest version of its video conversion software for Mac. New in VisualHub 1.31 is support for 5.1 surround sound output on the Apple TV. According to the company, “video sources with 5.1 AC3 audio will have their audio track passed directly through to the finished file, and the video will be converted for optimal playback on the Apple TV.” VisualHub 1.31 requires Mac OS X 10.3.9 or later and is a free update for registered users; a new license costs $23.32.

Buddy Beacon, the “mobile buddy finding application” which up until recently was available exclusively on Helio devices with GPS, has announced a new web application for iPhone. The new Buddy Beacon webapp allows iPhone users to register with the service and use a self-reported location to let other users know their location and current activity. The new Buddy Beacon web app can be accessed at where.com/bb.

The iPhone is driving “unheard of” levels of data usage, according to a statement made by a company executive. Vivek Dev, chief operating officer of Telefónica O2 Europe, said, “Our Apple iPhone is already driving unheard-of levels of mobile internet usage, and the introduction of flat rate data tariffs is expected to increase this further.” O2 recently announced improved tariffs for iPhone users.

Boingo Wireless has announced that it will make an iPhone-compatible client for its Wi-Fi service available soon after the device’s SDK is released. Boingo’s system uses a proprietary software client to allow subscribers to connect to more than 100,000 paid Wi-Fi hotspots worldwide. “We will be out as quickly as we can after the SDK is available,” said Christian Gunning, Boingo’s director of marketing, who also said that the company has begun work on the client. Boingo charges $7.95 per month for unlimited Wi-Fi access for handheld devices.

Samsung has announced a new mobile application processor that might appear in future Apple handheld devices. The S3C6410 combines a power ARM1176 processor core, clocked at up to 667MHz, and advanced hardware blocks for multimedia processing such as an embedded, hardwired Multi Format Codec, which can perform video capturing in MPEG4/H.263/H.264 formats and replay functions in similar formats using much less power. The chip is expected to go into mass production in Q3 2008; teardowns of the iPhone and iPod touch have revealed that Apple used a similar Samsung-based ARM processor in both devices.

In a Guardian report discussing the future of DAB Radio, GCap Media chief executive Fru Hazlitt revealed a partnership with Apple that will enable users to listen to digital radio on the iPhone. Further details of the partnership have yet to surface, but a slide from GCap’s presentation (PDF Link) mentions “Brand new applications for the iPod touch,” which suggests that the partnership may simply be a new native application that would allow access to audio streams over the internet.

Louis-Pierre Wenes, the head of Orange France, has announced that it had sold around 90,000 iPhones by the end of January. Previously, the French mobile provider revealed that it sold more than 70,000 iPhones in the first month of availability, from Nov. 29 - Dec. 29, 2007. Wenes also said half of iPhone purchasers are new Orange France customers.

Benoit Scheen, chief executive of Mobistar, Belgium’s second-biggest mobile operator, has said that his company could make a deal this year to offer the iPhone in the country. Scheen cautiously added that there was no guarantee of a deal, as Belgium was not a priority for Apple.

The chief executive of Dutch telecom operator KPN recently made some confusing remarks regarding the iPhone. “I had one and I thought it was a pretty useless phone, to be quite honest,” said Ad Scheepbouwer, CEO of KPN. “The battery ran out in no time. I didn’t like the touch screen.” However, Scheepbouwer also said KPN would be “more than happy” to sell the device, adding, “We have half the market in the Netherlands and we hope we will be the party of choice.”

Progio Mobile has announced a new web application featuring its exercise and training programs, optimized for the iPhone and iPod touch. The new application will allow Progio users to purchase and view workout and exercise programs from their device. “Progio is the next best thing to having a live trainer or coach when working out,” said Dirk Bartels, CEO, Progio Mobile. “Users benefit from having training programs developed by fitness experts without the cost of a personal trainer.” To access the service, visit mobile.progio.com from an iPhone or iPod touch.

Tide has launched a contest in connection with its ”My Talking Stain” advertisement, which aired during the Super Bowl. Among the list of prizes available in the contest is one of 34 Tide-branded iPods, which photos suggest are third-generation iPod nanos. Last year, Tide offered a previous-generation, Tide-branded iPod nano and a $50 iTunes gift card as a prize in a separate promotion. To enter the current contest, visit mytalkingstain.com.

Wal-Mart’s head of digital media, Kevin Swint, has left the retail giant, and will join Apple this week as head of the company’s international movies and TV efforts. Wal-Mart recently closed its online movie download service, while Apple in January announced intentions to expand its iTunes Movie Rentals service internationally in 2008.

Despite the company’s intentions to build its own cell phone software platform, Google co-president Sergey Brin spoke of his personal experiences using the iPhone during a recent earnings-related conference call. “I was at a conference in Switzerland,” Brin said. “I was able to find a really small hotel, then switch over to the satellite view on my phone to figure out I needed to take a funicular to get up there. It was a really amazing experience.”

iPhone user Mike Beauchamp has posted pictures of his phone, after it was run-over by a semi truck, to photo-sharing site Flickr. In the comments, Beauchamp tells the story of how the phone came to end up on the highway, and his delight in discovering that it was still functional. “As I picked it up and cradled it gently in my hands, I saw the screen displaying my caller ID—the screen still worked! I slid my finger gently over the answer slide and paused as I held the tattered and torn device to my ear—my heart must have skipped a beat when I heard my mom’s voice at the other end of the phone—the phone still worked,” Beauchamp wrote.

Design is Fuel has announced iPhoneSender, a new web browser add-on that allows users of Safari and Firefox to send addresses from their desktop computer to the iPhone via email. The addresses appear as Google Maps links, allowing the user to immediately access the address from the iPhone’s or iPod touch’s Maps application. “While we love the iPhone and its Google Maps application, we still found ourselves printing directions from Google when in a hurry. Why? Because there wasn’t a fast way to get that address and map to our iPhones,” says David DeMember of Design is Fuel. “So we developed iPhoneSender, a model of simplicity.” iPhoneSender is available as a free download from iphonesender.com, and works on both PCs and Macs.

Snarb.tk has released Cover Stream 1.2, the latest version of its iTunes controller for Mac that allows users to access iTunes’ Cover Flow feature directly from the desktop. Cover Stream 1.2 adds a Mini Flow mode, with the ability to double-click on an album to start playback, as well as a new status window, jewel case artwork, a volume indicator, colored text, and other improvements. Cover Stream requires Mac OS X 10.5 or later and sells for $15.

Music library synchronization software SuperSync has been updated to version 2.2. SuperSync allows Mac and PC users to synchronize their music libraries both locally and over a network. Version 2.2 adds the ability to import songs and playlists from the iPod, and also contains a number of bug fixes. SuperSync 2.2 is available for both Mac and PC, and runs $29 for a two-machine license.

Studywiz Spark, a new online learning tool for K-12 education, has announced that it has customized its online learning management system for the iPhone, iPod, and iPod touch. Studywiz Spark enables teachers, students and parents to actively participate in education outside the classroom. “Schools are now beginning to integrate new mobile technologies into their learning strategies. The mobile version of Studywiz Spark has specifically customized the Dynamic LearnSpace for leading devices like the iPhone, iPod and iPod touch,” said Bob Longo, Etech, Executive Vice President of North America. “Studywiz Spark’s mobile approach simplifies and sensibly adapts to the value of these exciting devices, which promotes active learning and extends the 21st Century learning environment beyond traditional classroom walls.”

A recent article in the Chicago Tribune suggests that Wi-Fi-enabled devices such as the iPod touch and iPhone should allow parents to effectively lock the devices’ internet capabilities for the protection of their children, similar to how parental controls work on desktop computers. “Parents are pretty good about figuring out what things cost, like ringtone downloads for a mobile phone, because they are listed on mobile phone bills,” said Parry Aftab, who runs an Internet safety group called Wiredsafety.org. “But they are bad at the other stuff.”

A new Apple patent application recently published by the US Patent and Trademark Office suggests that the company may be planning to introduce illuminated touch pads in future iPod models. Patent application 20080018617, titled “Illuminated touch pad,” describes an “illuminated input device” comprised of “an object sensing mechanism capable of sensing a user input over an input surface; and a visual feedback system configured to illuminate the input surface in association with a user input.”

Sierra Sound has announced availability of an updated version of its iN Studio 5.0 Smart Speakers featuring an Apple Authentication Chip, allowing for video-out functionality when using the latest model iPods — specifically, the iPod classic, iPod nano (with video), and iPod touch. “The concept of a Smart Speaker includes providing the features and functionality necessary to fully enjoy the capabilities of the Apple iPod. By quickly integrating the authentication chip into our product line we have shown our true commitment to being a made for iPod partner and iPod owners that want the most from their digital music players,” said Lamar Green, President of Sierra Sound.

A new web application for iPhone and iPod touch, iHaloStats, allows Halo 3 players access to their game statistics, including service record, medals, weapon use, and rank history, from their portable device. To access the application, visit iHaloStats.com from an iPhone or iPod touch.

FRED has introduced a new set of desktop speakers inspired by the original-design iPod earphones. The 500XL speakers are supposedly 500 times the size of the original iPod earbuds in volume, and feature a built-in amplifier, as well as the ability to run off battery, AC, or USB power. Pricing is not yet available. [via Ars]

Despite reports that IBM planned to introduce a version of its Lotus Notes e-mail client for the iPhone this week at the Lotusphere conference, the company says it is not ready to release the software. “It’s not something that (is) ready to go out and market or launch,” an IBM spokesperson said. The software is expected to allow iPhone users access to the full range of Notes tools, including e-mail, calendars and databases.

Apple CEO Steve Jobs once again took only $1 in salary from the company in 2007, a tradition dating back to the co-founder’s return in 1997. Jobs did gain $14.6 million on paper over the year, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, by exercising stock options that were about to expire. According to Apple’s proxy report, Jobs has accumulated around 5.5 million shares Apple stock in the last ten years, worth an estimated $730 million.

Handmark has launched Pocket Express Travel, a new web application for iPhone. Pocket Express Travel for the iPhone and iPod Touch gives users on-the-go access to accurate airline schedules and flight statuses, detailed hotel information and books from Hotels.com, dozens of click-to-call travel numbers for airlines, rental car agencies, and more, a 24/7 round-the-clock travel reservations service, automatic conversions for 164 global currencies, and exclusive travel commentaries. To access the service, visit pocketexpress.com from an iPhone or iPod touch.

Shana Logic has introduced its new Squid iPhone Case. The slim, sleeve-style case is handmade from red vinyl and features red side stitching and a distressed pattern that reveals a squid design, which carries from the front to the rear of the case. The Shana Logic Squid iPhone Case is available for pre-order now for $25 and is expected to begin shipping on February 6.

Apple will report its results for the first fiscal quarter 2008 later this afternoon, and will also offer a webcast of the conference call discussing the results that will begin at 5pm ET.

Travelocity has announced the launch of its new web application for iPhone and iPod touch users. The application allows users to manage their itineraries by getting up-to-the-minute information on flight status, TSA security point wait times, local weather, maps, traffic and airport driving directions. To access the new web app, visit iphone.travelocity.com on an iPhone or iPod touch.

Conice has introduced a new 6x optical zoom attachment for the iPhone (pictured). The lens attaches to the phone via an included clear protective case, weighs 4.69 ounces, and is avialable now for $15. [via Mobile Magazine]

iPodPortugal has announced a change in format, from an iPod-related blog to an iPod-related forum. The site has moved all previous postings to the forum, and has also added new sections where visitors can discuss “music, movies, [the] Mac world, and just chill-out.” The new iPodPortugal can be found at ipodportugal.com/forum.

France Telecom CEO Didier Lombard has said that he is pleased with the rate of iPhone sales in France, according to a new report. “This (the launch of the iPhone in France) has had a positive image impact for us and led to a very positive commercial result,” Lombard told BFM radio on Thursday. “Overall, we have sold more than 70,000 units,” he said. Lombard had previously estimated sales between 50,000 and 100,000 iPhones between the device’s launch and the end of 2007.

Nullriver has introduced its new MediaLink software for the Mac. MediaLink allows users to access songs from their iTunes library over the network from a Playstation 3. In addition to iTunes integration, the utility also offers iPhoto and video streaming capabilities. MediaLink requires Mac OS X 10.4 or later and sells for $20.

iViewr has announced its latest event guide, for next week’s Macworld Conference and Expo in San Francisco. The iPhone and iPod touch-formatted online guide offers visitors information such as conference schedules, speaker profiles, travel directions, and exhibitor listings, as well as information on the Moscone Center facilities, including restroom locations and accessibility information. To view the guide, simply visit iViewr.com and click Events, USA.

Erica Sadun of TUAW has released a new application for the iPhone called Listen which enables users to discover information about a song they are listening to, such as the title, artist, and album, by simply holding their iPhone near the speakers. The application utilizes the iPhone’s built-in microphone to sample the audio being played and return the track information. Listen currently requires a jailbroken iPhone.

A new article from Wired, titled ”The Untold Story: How the iPhone Blew Up the Wireless Industry,” provides new insight into the creation of the handset, from the early days of the iPod in 2002 up to now, and takes a look at how Apple’s negotiations with AT&T, and the early success of the device, have begun to change the structure of the $11 billion U.S. mobile phone industry.

According to a new report, Apple is close to signing deals with most of Hollywood’s major studios to offer their films both for rent and purchase through iTunes. Citing anonymous sources, BusinessWeek reports that Warner Bros., Paramount Pictures, and Lionsgate are close to signing on with Apple to allow movie sales, rentals, or both through iTunes. Previously, it has been reported that both Twentieth Century Fox and Disney would be on board when Apple announces the rental service.

Sony BMG has announced the launch of Platinum MusicPass, a new series of digital album cards that enable consumers to download full-length albums, and in many cases bonus content, in the form of high-quality, DRM-free MP3 files. “The introduction of MusicPass is an important part of SONY BMG’s ongoing campaign to bring its artists’ music to fans in new and innovative ways, and to develop compelling new business models,” commented Thomas Hesse, President of Global Digital Business & U.S. Sales for Sony BMG. “The MP3 files delivered through MusicPass play on computers, as well as on all MP3 players, including iPods.” The cards are expected to be available from January 15, and will sell for $13 each.

Napster has announced that it will shift its entire download sales catalog to the DRM-free MP3 format. The company also said that its Napster To Go subscription music service will “remain a core focus of the company.” Napster’s Chairman and CEO Chris Gorog said, “The ubiquity and cross-platform compatibility of MP3s should create a more level playing field for music services and hardware providers and result in greater ease of use and broader adoption of digital music.”

Hotels.com has launched a new customized web application for the iPhone and iPod touch that allows users to research and book hotel rooms on-the-go. Scott Booker, chief hotel expert for hotels.com, said, “We developed this robust travel tool with one goal in mind: to make it easy for millions of iPhone and iPod touch users to book hotels anywhere, at anytime.” To access the new web app, simply visit hotels.com from an iPhone or iPod touch.

Primera has introduced its new PTRip software, which allows the company’s Bravo-Series Disc Publishers to import multiple CDs into iTunes with the press of a single button. According to the company, “discs are robotically loaded and tracks imported into iTunes (or Windows Media Player). The process continues automatically until the input bin is empty.” PTRip supports Primera’s Bravo SE, Bravo II, BravoPro and Bravo XR/XRP Disc Publishers, and is priced at $99.00, although the software is available as a free download for a liimited time.

Netflix has announced a partnership with LG Electronics to offer an internet-connected set-top box that will allow Netflix subscribers to download movies and other programming directly to the television set. “It’s going to be very slick and easy,” said Reed Hastings, Netflix’s chief executive officer. “We want the TV experience to be very relaxing and not like visiting a Web site.” The box, which will be released in summer or early autumn, will likely compete against the Apple TV and the upcoming iTunes movie rental service.

An iPhone owner on vacation in New York city accidentally dropped his device onto the subway tracks, and, in a very dangerous and foolhardy move, jumped down to retrieve it. Luckily, both owner and iPhone emerged relatively unharmed.

France Telecom’s Orange unit has said that it sold more than 70,000 iPhones in the first month of availability in France, which in “right in line” with company targets of 50-100,000 units. In addition, a spokesperson revealed that 48 percent of the sales were to new Orange customers.

Lagotek has announced that it will showcase a version of its “HIP Modes” home control gadget running on the iPhone and iPod touch at CES. The company claims it is “the first technology that enables the use of iPhone and iPod touch for home control over WiFi and GPRS/EDGE.”

Nexthaus has released a beta version of its upcoming SyncJe client software for the iPhone. SyncJe for iPhone wirelessly synchronizes the iPhone’s Calendar, Contacts, and Notes applications with SyncML servers. The software is free until January 9, at which point it will be available for download for the price of $40.