I may be a little late to the party on this one but it is still very noteworthy for us to mention since we have too many articles relating to both the iPhone and TomTom. TomTom announced at the last WWDC of an iPhone app and after many rejections from Cupertino for one reason or another, Apple has finally agrees for to third part gps navigation apps with the release of OS 3. Check out the cool little video from TomTom after the break.

So WWDC is in full swing, fancy new developer stuff sprouting from left, right and center. The keynote that kicked it all off is probably the most talked about event at WWDC and it delivered on many fronts debunking rumours and confirming suspicions. As with all Apple announcements the air of secrecy that Apple manages to protect makes forcasting what’s coming like playing bingo.

Hit the read link to see how we did this year.

So how did we do?

iPhone 3GS

Storage bump – 16Gb and 32Gb replacing the 8Gb and 16Gb - on the money with that one

More RAM
New processor (incremental speed bump most likely)
- Although exact details aren’t available the stated 2x faster average definitely comes from a faster processor and more RAM

3.2Mp camera (no zoom or flash just a straight drop-in sensor replacement)
- 0.2MP out, not bad, autofocus with tap-to-focus also bolted in there

Digital compass (magnetometer)
- Present and accounted for.

Video recording
- Check

All the trappings of the current 3.0 beta (MMS, Copy/Paste, Spotlight etc etc)
- Goes without saying plus some extras like Voice control

7.2Mbps HSPDA (rather than the limited to 3.6Mbps current chipset)
- S for speed baby, not just on the processor front

Change of back plate to a matte finish (hopefully less scratch prone)
- Sadly missing, nothing other than the addition of a S on the back has changed on the appearance front

Possibly:
802.11 N (rather than b/g)
- No additions just b/g (time to upgrade to a dual band router)

Front facing camera for video calling
- Absent, although I’ve never really considered mobile video calling viable because of the cost issues at least in the UK.

Budget iPhone (I wouldn’t put it past Apple to keep the current iPhone 3G like they have done the White Macbook as a ‘budget’ offering)
- Bingo! Right on the money with this one.

Predictions for WWDC, because WWDC is much bigger than the iPhone:

iPhone revision 3 announced for release in July
- 1/2 month out, didn’t realise they’d have their act together so soon.

iPhone 3.0 firmware made available for download from the keynote for original iPhone 3G owners
- 17th July, not what I was hoping for but it’s not that long to wait I guess.

Snow Leopard goes Gold
- Apple didn’t say but they committed to a September release and only $29 for the privileged (bargain if you ask me)

Snow Leopard shown off to the Apple faithful to be released July/August/September
- Just in with that one

Lots of talk about the new technology behind Snow Leopard including perhaps a road map to a new file system to replace the ageing HFS
- No talk of file systems but lots of new goodies in Snow Leopard including new GPU hookins and Grand Central Dispatch to name but a few.

MacBook and possibly MacBook Pro incremental refresh (processor, memory, HDD bumps)
- Got a bit more than I was expecting from this one. Definitely didn’t see the 13″ MacBook Pro coming, but pleased none the less because I miss the 12″ PowerBook from yester year

Talk of or presence of Steve Jobs returning (might be in the panel of Apple Execs up on the stage for the keynote)
- No mention of a Jobsian return but they haven’t said anything to indicate he won’t be back in July.

Overall I was quite saticefied with the WWDC keynote. From an iPhone prespective you could feel a little hard done by with no radical changes available, but a faster device with video/autofocus camera and a compass, I’m pretty stoked about an upgrade in 6 months. Mind you it also pleases me that it’s not so radically different that I can’t resist until I’m actually eligible for the upgrade. Is it a Pre and Android beater? Time will tell.

From a Snow Leopard perspective I’m even more impressed and excited than before WWDC. I definitely wasn’t expecting the upgrade to cost so little, puts Microsoft’s Windows pricing to shame! I’m looking at Snow Leopard as a building and consolidating upgrade that makes subtle changes to an already winning formula but with big performance upgrades. It’ll make my year old MacBook Pro all nice a new again and likely run a bit faster.

What are your thoughts on WWDC so far? Pleased? Cheesed off at AT&T for basically killing all the new goodies you could get on your iPhone 3G? Left wanting more from a new iPhone? Hit us up in the comments.

Today at WWDC Apple unveiled the latest revision to the iPhone product line.

Building new features into an already sleek and successful template, Apple hopes to cement it’s dominance of the consumer orientated smartphone market. With a boat load more interactivity built-in for developers, Apple is also aiming this at the business, health and any other portable computing market that could benefit from a connect smart-phone like device with application specific add-ons (think blood glucose level testing and other interesting applications).

Hit the read link for more from the iPhone and WWDC

More medical applications we also demoed including a health monitoring program running right on the iPhone with peripheral access. We’re talking tri-corder like functionality here. Looked awesome and it’s something I would definitely want to see in the hands of my doctor should the faitful day come that I’m hospital bound.

Bring your doctor into the 21st century

Turn-by-turn directions and the promised push notification service we also demoed. TomTom was right there in the thick of it with a pretty good looking demo. Let’s hope it provides the best in class navigation that we’ve come to expect from the PND manufacturer. TomTom accessories were also on show with the obligatory windscreen mount, a dock adapter to provide power, a loud speaker with handsfree calling and audio output and probably most importantly a GPS booster.

TomTom mount

Also on show was p2p bluetooth gaming illustrated quite lusciously by Gameloft with their new Asphalt 5 with decent graphics and a solid frame-rate (one to look out for definately, we’ll get a review for you as soon as we can).

So what’s new for the iPhone 3Gs device except iPhone firmware 3.0? Here’s the highlights:

• iPhone 3GS stands for speed
• Launching apps will be on average 2x faster
• 7.2Mbps HSPDA (rather than the limited to 3.6Mbps current chipset)
• Storage bump – 16Gb ($199) and 32Gb ($299)
• 3Mp autofocus camera with Tap-to-focus!
• Macro-mode (read barcode scanning)
• Video recording (VGA 30fps with audio)
• Direct to YouTube uploading
• Voice control not just dialing (hold down home and speak)
• Digital compass (magnetometer)
• Text-to-speach
• Built-in Nike+ (like the 2nd Gen iPod Touch)
• Hardware encryption (remote wipe etc)
• Increased battery life (9 hrs WiFi, 10 hrs video, 30 hrs audio, 12 hrs 2G talk time, 5 hrs 3G talk time)
• Looks pretty similar to the iPhone 3G (I guess that’s why it’s only the iPhone 3GS)
• Available June 19th!

Thankfully all those of us locked into our contracts for another 6 months can get in on the iPhone 3.0 action for free on our iPhone 3Gs and somewhat limited on the original iPhone (iPod touch $9.95) on the 17th of June (two weeks wait!). That said some of the cool features such as voice control aren’t looking like they’re going to be retrofitted into the iPhone 3G.

My prediction was also correct with the iPhone 3G lowered to $99 and kept as the budget option. Not a bad deal if you’re not after blistering speed, bah who am I kidding?!

Bargain basement pricing for the next iteration of the Mac operating system.

Today Apple announced that Snow Leopard, the stripped down, consolidated update to OSX which builds apon the switch to Intel chips with new streamlined and optimised code and technology will be available for a credit-crunch busting $29.

Leveraging new accelerated technologies including a new version of QuickTime, full 64Bit integrated apps and the new Safari 4 browser along with some nice additions to the Dock and Expose. Snow Leopard looks to be a welcome upgrade to an already solid platform.

New Unibody MBP 15" with integrated battery

Apple has just released details of a new refresh to the unibody 15″ MacBook Pro.

High-lights include:

• Built-in battery (read non-replaceable) with up to 7 hours battery life (40% increase on previous models)
• SD card reader replaces express card
• 60% greater colour gamut from the screen
• Up to 8Gb of DDR3 RAM
• 250Gb HDD as standard (500Gb available)
• Starting at $1699 ($300 cheaper)

17″ also gets a more pedestrian spec bump

New 13" MBP, pocket hotness

13″ MBP on the way too

• Firewire 800
• SD card reader
• LED backlit keyboard
• $1499 starting price (read cheaper than the MacBook it’s replacing)

MacBook Air getting an update spec and price drop.

Price really seems to be on Apple’s mind with all models now coming in at a cheaper starting price.

More details as they come in

So here’s where I put it on the line and make my predictions for the iPhone (more like playing bingo with Apple involved but predictions none the less):

Definitely:

• Storage bump – 16Gb and 32Gb replacing the 8Gb and 16Gb
• More RAM
• New processor (incremental speed bump most likely)
• 3.2Mp camera (no zoom or flash just a straight drop-in sensor replacement)
• Digital compass (magnetometer)
• Video recording
• All the trappings of the current 3.0 beta (MMS, Copy/Paste, Spotlight etc etc)
• 7.2Mbps HSPDA (rather than the limited to 3.6Mbps current chipset)
• Change of back plate to a matte finish (hopefully less scratch prone)

Possibly:

• 802.11 N (rather than b/g)
• Front facing camera for video calling
• Budget iPhone (I wouldn’t put it past Apple to keep the current iPhone 3G like they have done the White Macbook as a ‘budget’ offering)

Predictions for WWDC, because WWDC is much bigger than the iPhone.

• iPhone revision 3 announced for release in July
• iPhone 3.0 firmware made available for download from the keynote for original iPhone 3G owners
• iPhone Push notification servers go live for the main stream
• New API/SDK talk for the iPhone 3.0 firmware/hardware (after all it is a developers conference)
• Snow Leopard goes Gold
• Snow Leopard shown off to the Apple faithful to be released July/August/September
• Lots of talk about the new technology behind Snow Leopard  including perhaps a road map to a new file system to replace the ageing HFS
• MacBook and possibly MacBook Pro incremental refresh (processor, memory, HDD bumps)
• Talk or presence of Steve Jobs returning (might be in the panel of Apple Execs up on the stage for the keynote)

Many people have been speculating about an Apple Tablet. One might be in the works but I doubt we’ll see it at WWDC, if they’re going to announce something like that it’ll be at a special event on their terms in. Apple learnt a valuable lesson from the iPhone 2.0, iPhone 3G, App Store and Mobile Me launch: Don’t overload yourself with everything all at once. Will there be a ‘One more thing’? Will Steve Jobs be the ‘One more thing’? All will be revealed come 1500 UTC!

So that’s it from me, you’ll have to wait till this afternoon to find out the juicy details, but rest assured if there’s anything tasty you’ll see it here on PixelatedGeek.

The internet is a BUZZ with rumors about a new 3rd gen iPhone that should be announced tomorrow.  Here is a quick list of what the internet is speculating.  Which ones will be true? We’ll have to wait and see tomorrow.

• 32GB flash drive space?
• 3 Megapixel comera
• Longer battery life
• Matte body instead of sleek glossy body. (photo above)
• Twice the RAMage
• Slightly faster processor
• Video recording
• Name of the new iphone could be called “iPhone 3GS“

I’m still waiting for real live video calls! Come on Apple, make it happen! Connect iChat with iPhone somehow! Oh well. We’ll see what Apple says tomorrow morning at WWDC.