iLounge

Some of the third-party accessories selected by Apple for sale in the Apple Stores include:

Aliph Jawbone and Plantronics Discovery 655 Bluetooth Headsets.

Griffin Elan Snap-In Case, Contour Design iSee for iPhone, Speck ToughSkin and SkinTight for iPhone, and Incase Protective Cover.

Note that Apple employees are telling customers at one of the retail locations that they should feel welcome to return cases that do not fit iPhones properly.

You’ve seen the photos of iPhone: here are the photos of iPhone’s box and box contents. Just like Apple’s old premium iPods—the way they used to be packaged before price drops and smaller packages prevailed—the iPhone comes with premium items such as a charging, audio, and synchronization Dock, as well as a USB Power Adapter. It also includes current iPod-like fare, specifically a Stereo Headset (earphones with microphone), a Dock Connector to USB Cable, and printed documentation. New to the package is a cleaning cloth, provided to help keep the screen shining. iTunes 7.3 remains a download from the Apple.com web site, rather than a CD in the box.

You can see iLounge’s first iPhone unpacking photos here. Additional photos are available from the link below.

You can see additional iPhone unpacking photos here.

Update: Apple has posted manuals for the iPhone to its web site. With the Mac OS X application Preview, you’ll see TOC and Index links.

Hands-On: iLounge’s editor Larry Angell notes from his retail iPhone the setup process to transfer an existing line to iPhone was extremely fast, and called in a report to us from the road. He notes, however, that AT&T network speeds, which were reportedly upgraded for iPhone, do not appear to be very fast in his initial tests of the EDGE network. His second call on iPhone was dropped one minute in, and his third call also disconnected after several minutes. AT&T’s network appears to be taking a hit with the addition of the many new iPhone users.

Larry adds that, despite other data questions he still has, Google Maps is running very fast on his iPhone. It’s also pulling up correct, nearby locations with a surprising degree of accuracy as to his present location. Perhaps from his launch day excitement, he’s finding that the screen is smudging from his face, but it’s not visible head-on—the screen is still perfectly clear. It’s only visible on odd angles. He also feels that the iPhone is much slimmer than most of the photos give it credit for being. In brief web testing, he notes that MP3 and certain movie files found on web pages will play back on iPhone, but YouTube videos found embedded on a page (such as iLounge) will not, so you’ll need to use the YouTube browser. We’ll add more impressions shortly.

In order to help readers learn about the ins and outs of iPhone accessories, iLounge has just released a series of videos spotlighting iPhone accessories, ranging from cases to cables, speakers, earphones, and more. Five videos are already online and ready for you to watch; expect more in the near future. Though most of the products shown aren’t exciting, the videos do provide information on what you can expect from the first wave of accessories in terms of compatibility and features, and several especially interesting products are featured. Posted on YouTube, the videos are viewable on your iPhone, Apple TV, and/or computer.

Apple has posted a series of brief videos explaining how to perform simple tasks on the iPhone. Videos include “Silence the ring,” “Delete a message,” “Create your favorites list,” “Assign a ringtone,” “More song controls,” “Browse in Cover Flow,” “Magnify to edit,” “Mail preferences,” “Set a passcode,” and “Reset you iPhone.” All ten “Finger Tips” videos can be viewed from http://www.apple.com/iphone/ .

Surprising some who believed that lines of customers for iPhone would not materialize, or that such lines would be restricted to only New York City and major cities in California, large groups of anxious iPhone buyers have formed at Apple Stores and AT&T locations across the United States. As of noon local time on the East Coast, iLounge editors and readers in Florida, Ohio, Tennessee and California reported groups of over 50 people already queued at local stores before noon local time, only a few having slept overnight to be close to the head of their lines. You can follow iLounge editor Larry Angell’s live updates from Columbus, Ohio at this link.

After noon, the crowds continued to swell, nearing 100 even in non-flagship Apple locations. By 4PM EST and 1PM PST, flagship Apple Stores in New York City and Los Angeles, as well as select other locations, had lines of over 200 people waiting for iPhones. At 2PM on each coast, Apple Store employees “blacked out” the stores’ windows as they prepared to move iPhones into display positions around each store, and prepare inventory on hand for sale. Signs reading “iPhone World Premiere, Tonight at 6 p.m.” were placed in the windows. Some of the stores announced that they would take groups of 50 at a time for purchases, in two lines: one cash, one credit. Fifteen minutes before launch, our editor at the Florida store was reporting “well over 250 people” in line. Our Ohio editor noted that groups of 30-40 would be taken at a time, and were asked to proceed to the Genius Bar if they were interested in making an immediate purchase.

Many reports coming in to iLounge suggest that the lines continue to grow, as demand for the $499 and $599 iPhones appears to be significant, and though it’s unclear as to how many iPhones stores are receiving, the numbers are high. A YouTube video shows a full pallet of iPhones being delivered to the Apple Store in SoHo, providing a rough estimate of 400-500 iPhones, perhaps more. One iLounge editor reports that he has heard that the ratio of 8GB units to 4GB units available is 4:1 in favor of 8GB units.

To keep the crowds refreshed, Apple Store employees have handed out bottles of Smartwater, and have walked the lines to chat people up as the launch approaches. We’ll continue to update this story as the day progresses; submit your story or photos using the “submit a news tip” box inside this article, or the “submit news” button at the top of the main page News column.

Radtech has introduced two new accessories for iPhone, as well as a list of iPhone-compatible legacy products. ClearCal for iPhone is a optically-correct protective film that completely covers the device’s display screen. It uses a siliconized adhesive to attach to the phone’s surface, and can be removed, washed, and reapplied. It is available now, and sells for $10. Gelz for iPhone are low-tack silicone cases with a form-fitting design. Available now in six different colors, they are priced at $9 each. Radtech says that its legacy “Works with iPhone” products include “wall and vehicle chargers, charge and sync cables, speaker and line-level audio / video cabling, audio splitter and extension cables, dock port protective inserts, retractable ear buds and sound isolating, in-ear earphones.”

Apple has released iTunes 7.3, the iPhone-ready update to its popular digital media management software. Now available as a download from the company’s web site, iTunes 7.3 handles activation and syncing of iPhones, and also includes the ability to stream digital photos “from any computer in your home” to Apple TV, an omission from the device’s capabilities at launch.

A new Apple web page for iPhone Accessories has provided eleventh-hour confirmation of prices and names for a number of Apple-branded iPhone add-ons.

The iPhone Bluetooth Headset ($129) is, as previously noted on iLounge, a simple black earpiece with a microphone built in for wireless telephone calling. A rechargeable Lithium-Ion battery inside delivers 72 hours of standby time and 5.5 hours of talk time, according to Apple. It’s not used for music, and features a single button on the top to let you initiate and end calls. Apple has confirmed that the headset comes packaged with a charging cable for itself and the iPhone, as well as a charging dock for itself and the iPhone, called Dual Dock.

The iPhone Dock and iPhone Dual Dock are both priced at $49, and both come with Apple USB Power Adapters. The iPhone Dock provides an audio-line out for connection to speakers, a place to charge the iPhone, and its own Dock Connector to USB cable. iPhone Dual Dock charges both the iPhone and iPhone Bluetooth Headset at the same time, next to each other.

The iPhone Bluetooth Travel Cable ($29) is a specially designed cable with a Dock Connector at one end, a USB plug at the other, and a recessed spot in the Dock Connector plug for charging the Bluetooth Headset.

The iPhone Universal Dock Adapter 3-Pack ($9) enables you to dock iPhone in any iPod Universal Dock and physically fit in similar Universal Dock products, such as iPod and iPhone speakers.

The iPhone TTY Adapter ($9) connects to iPhone’s headphone port and enables use of the iPhone with standard TTY (teletypewriter) devices for the deaf.

The iPhone Stereo Headset ($29) is the stock pair of iPhone earbuds, featuring a microphone behind a windscreen and a button to control iPod audio and phone calls.

Additionally, Apple has explained the Works with iPhone program and offered some guidance on iPod accessory compatibility. The Works with iPhone logo, which turns out to be the same one previously shown on iLounge, signals that an electronic accessory has been “certified by the developer to meet Apple performance standards.” According to the company, “[w]hen you connect an uncertified accessory, your iPhone will notify you and present you with the option to go into Airplane Mode, which turns off the communication capability of the iPhone while it’s connected to that accessory. This means that you’ll avoid potential audio interference, but you’ll be unable to make or receive calls. If you choose not to enter Airplane Mode, you can make and receive calls, but you may experience some audio interference.”

Numerous reports from across the country are indicating that EDGE speeds over AT&T’s network have seen a dramatic increase over the last twelve hours or so. Many are convinced that this sudden boost in speed — some are seeing results well over 200Kbps — is connected to the iPhone launch. It was previously rumored that such an upgrade was coming, but marked speed improvements had not been noticeable until now.

In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Apple CEO Steve Jobs has claimed that the company’s iPhone inventory may not be enough to meet demand. “We’re building a fair number of them, but we may not [meet demand],” Jobs said. “We had to make our best guess as to what the demand was going to be and what supply we were going to put in place many, many months ago. We built factories to build these things and everything. We’ve taken our best guess but it wouldn’t surprise me at all if it ain’t enough.” Jobs also claimed that the iPhone has yet to cannibalize iPod sales, stating, “We can report to you that it hasn’t so far.”

According to a report by Ars Technica, Apple CEO Steve Jobs revealed during a speech to Apple employees today that the company has a team working on OS X for “some iPods we’re working on.” OS X, the Unix-based operating system that Jobs brought to the Macintosh following the acquisition of his company NeXT, is also the operating system found in iPhone, and credited for iPhone’s powerful multitasking, networking, and animation features, amongst others. Sources have suggested that the next-generation iPods mentioned by Jobs will debut in mid- to late-September, and include widescreen video playback, as well as other features similar to ones debuted in iPhone.

At an all-hands meeting called by Steve Jobs and held today on the Apple campus in Cupertino, CA, the company’s CEO told a packed audience that every full-time Apple employee who has been with the company for more than a year will receive a free 8GB iPhone by the end of July. While this has little direct meaning for those of us who haven’t been in Apple’s employ for the last year, it is a good indication that the company feels secure with iPhone inventory levels heading into the device’s launch period.

A leaked AT&T internal “iPhone Launch Training Participant Guide” has surfaced on the internet, and contains still more details pertaining to the iPhone’s launch. Of particular note is the guide’s language regarding pre-paid service. At one point in the document, it states “Customers who complete a Pre-Approved credit check in-store and who owe a deposit can: pay the deposit (this avoids a return trip to the store to do so), not pay the deposit, but will choose pre-paid service, (during the iTunes activation process).” This would indicate that the iPhone will be available with pre-paid service, however, later in the guide it states: “Customers will only be offered GoPhone Pick Your Plan if the credit check results in a deposit requirement. GoPhone Pay as You Go is not offered with iPhone.” A definitive answer has yet to emerge.

The document also states that iPhone customers purchasing the handset in AT&T stores will receive their purchase sealed in an Apple-branded bag that must be scanned out at no cost by an AT&T employee. In addition, it lists the Apple-branded accessories that will be available alongside the iPhone at AT&T stores, including the iPhone Travel Charger, iPhone In-Box Stereo Headset, iPhone Bluetooth Mono-earbud, iPhone Bluetooth Travel Cable, and iPhone Dock Connector to USB Cable. Finally, as of June 29, AT&T will sell iTunes Gift Cards as well, in denominations of $25 and $50.

iSkin, maker of numerous iPod cases such as the hugely popular eVo 3, has announced the Revo case for iPhone ($40), a silicone rubber case with a clear plastic front protector. According to the company, the clear protector clips on to Revo’s sides and covers the screen without impeding use of iPhone’s touchscreen, while the majority of iPhone’s body is covered with soft, contoured rubber in your choice of several colors. Revo cases come in an all-black version, as well as versions with prominent accent colors at the top and bottom of the screen. Five colors will be available starting in July, each packaged with an optional privacy film for the iPhone screen, which renders it visible when viewed straight on, but not when viewed at an angle.

A placeholder image at the URL http://reader.mac.com/ has lead to widespread speculation that the page will be home to an Apple-produced, AJAX-based RSS reader for the iPhone. When browsing to the page from a standard PC, an image comes up that states “This Application Is Viewable Only On iPhone” across the top, with the following message underneath: “This application can only be viewed using the iPhone. For more information on the revolutionary new iPhone, visit http://www.apple.com/iphone.” The original placeholder also included an image of what appeared to be an iPhone-formatted RSS reader on the device’s screen; that part of the image has been replaced with an image of the iPhone’s “slide to unlock” screen. Keep reading to see both images. [via Daring Fireball, image via TUAW]

David Pogue, tech columnist for the New York Times, has posted his own iPhone FAQ. In “Often Asked iPhone Questions,” Pogue covers lots of information familiar to those who have followed the device in the news. He also offers up a few details that have not been previously announced. According to the article, the iPhone comes with 25 ringtones, which Pogue says are “really good.” In answering a question regarding the phone’s Bluetooth capabilities, he claims that the Apple Bluetooth Headset, which many expected to debut with the iPhone, won’t be available until July. Finally, he also offers a list of iPod features on the iPhone: “Password protection, Shuffle and Repeat modes, ratings, audiobooks, audiobook speed control, podcasts, SoundCheck, equalization, volume limiter, [and] on-the-go playlists.”

Altec Lansing has introduced its new Upgrader series of headphones for MP3 players and multimedia phones, including the iPhone. The series — offered with (UHS) and without (UHP) a microphone — includes the UHS 302, UHS 306, and UHS 307, all of which sport microphones and a “convertible” adapter developed to connect with the iPhone and other mobile phones. The UHP 306, UHP 336, UHP 101 and UHP 301 all feature in-ear designs with silicon tips or pads that conform to the unique shape of ears and provide all day comfort. The UHS 306 offers the same sound quality and custom fit, and also features an inline volume control and microphone for switching between phones calls and music.

The Upgrader Series also includes two over-the-ear designs, the UHP 405 that features booming surround sound (optimized for gaming) and UHP 805 that includes active noise-cancellation technology, perfect for airplanes. In addition, the UHP 303, UHP 302, UHP 304, UHS 307, and UHS 302 all offer AirFit designs that offer moisture resistance, and all but the UHS 307 offer breathable ear pads — the UHS 307 offers washable silicone ear tips, an inline volume control and microphone with mute switch, and a spring steel ear hanger, which it shares with the UHP 302. The UHP 304 uses an over-the-head fit with a dual titanium headband. Altec Lansing’s Upgrader Series will be available in August 2007.

Apple has announced that it will be keeping all 164 of its retail stores open until midnight tomorrow, June 29, for the launch of the iPhone, and providing online availability information from its retail store’s web site. Beginning Saturday, and continuing through the summer, Apple Stores in the US will open daily at 9:00 a.m. for iPhone sales, and eager iPhone customers will be able to check their local stores’ iPhone availability beginning at 9:00 p.m. the night before. iPhones will also be available for online purchase from Apple’s web site starting at 6PM on the 29th, with free shipping.

Purchases of the iPhone will be limited to two per person, on a first come, first served basis, unlike the one per person limits imposed at AT&T stores. Support for the new handset will be provided at the each Apple Store’s Genius Bar, and personal training will be offered through Apple’s new One on One program. Beginning Saturday morning, free, in-depth workshops on how to get the most out of iPhone will be offered throughout the day at all stores.

“Apple retail stores were created for this moment—to let customers touch and experience a revolutionary new product,” said Ron Johnson, Apple’s senior vice president of Retail. “With our legendary Genius Bar support, free workshops and our One to One personal training, we’re here to help customers get the most from their new iPhone.”

The results of our most recent iLounge Poll are in, and they’re surprising: a shockingly high percentage of iLounge readers said that they were planning to line up for the iPhone’s June 29 release.

With nearly 2,500 votes cast, a total of 42% of iLounge readers said that they’ll stand in line for the iPhone launch, with only a small fraction (1/7 of that crowd) saying they’d go just to see the iPhone, and not buy one. The rest said that they were planning to buy the iPhone so long as AT&T’s contracts weren’t too expensive—a little over half of the “yes” votes said they’d buy iPhones no matter how much the contracts cost. Around a third of the “yes” pool said that contract pricing might stop them from buying an iPhone.

The remaining 58% said “no,” they wouldn’t line up for iPhone—a number that increased as Apple released more information, and early reviews began to appear. Some users said that they were not at all interested in iPhone, or that they were interested, but not at current prices. However, some “no” votes were people who wanted to see or buy iPhone but were unwilling to wait in line to do so.

Our new poll, “Which do you want more, an iPhone or a new iPod?” is now live on iLounge.com’s main page, in the left-hand column under iLounge poll. Please register your vote today!

Luxury electronics accessory maker Vaja has revealed its first iPhone case to iLounge. The case, which is unofficially named Vaja Retro Pouch for iPhone, is shown in the picture in both vertical and horizontal models. The horizontal model features a long flap, which folds over the iPhone’s side, while the vertical model features a deep pouch and smaller flap that folds over the top of the iPhone. More details on these cases and others are expected soon.

Updated: We have added pics of the Vaja Classic Pouch for iPhone and Urbano Pouch for iPhone below. Both styles appear to be available in both the vertical and horizontal versions described above.