When Google first mentioned ChromeOS, we figured it was their reaction to launching Android, then seeing Palm come out with webOS, and smacking their heads — they could have done that with V8! (What, too nerdy?)

Lame JavaScript rendering engine jokes aside, the very traditional Android never really seemed like the OS Google should, or even wanted, to give to the world. ChromeOS does. (For those unfamiliar, when I guessed what it would be before the unveiling yesterday — Brin and Page booting Linux which then auto-started the WebKit-based Chrome browser — that wasn’t a joke. It’s really what I — and many others — thought they’d do, and pretty much what they did. Casey at Android Central has a bigger write up on it if you want the details).

Now bear with me because this will be a little bit all over the place (yeah, what else is new, but the future is woven from many seemingly disparate threads). The business reason (and remember Google is a business) makes a lot of sense — booting in 10 seconds and getting into Chrome, and just Chrome, means users only have access to the web, and Google owns the web and most of its advertising revenue. Boot into Windows, Mac, or the *nix OS, and users may waste time in native apps, totally outside Google’s reach. That’s why targeting SSD-only netbooks on hardware approved by Google with mass storage access and (we’re guessing) internet-driven printing gives Google a chance to own ultra-small scale computing. Free as in Google indeed.

And that’s why it makes perfect sense for Mobile handsets in the coming age of ubiquitous connectivity. We’re not there yet but we will be soon. And maybe that’s why TechCrunch is following up their rumours of a branded Google gPhone with even more rumours that it will be a data-only VoIP device. That’s right, no voice plan, just cheap data with Gizmo5-fortified Google Voice and all those other cloud-based Google services like Gmail, navigation, docs, etc.. (It’s also suggested this device would run on AT&T, giving them some glamor back if they lose iPhone exclusivity next year).

Bringing this back to the iPhone, we all remember in 2007 when Steve Jobs announced the first “sweet” iPhone development platform — WebApps, and the resounding thud of that landing on unenthused developers and users alike. But Google isn’t Apple and next year is 2010. ChromeOS is, as Casey says, ambitious in concept if tame in current realization, but for iPhone users, that may not matter.

See, as iPhone users, we’re excited because we’re counting on all those Google ChromeOS WebApps to run just great in our iPhone Safari browsers as well, just like Google’s current cloud-based apps — which is something Android apps won’t do (they only run on Android devices). Microsoft going web-based with Office 2010, which we’re also looking forward to running in iPhone Safari, only makes it “sweeter”. Cheap or “free as in Google” gPhones for those who just want data and browsers, iPhones for those who want all that and more?

Could we be getting the best of all worlds again? Apple and 100,000+ apps native on our iPhone (or Windows, Mac, *nix desktop), Google and Microsoft filling up our cloud along with their own? Yes please.

Let us know what you think!

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

On Google ChromeOS, VoIP-only gPhones, and How the iPhone Benefits

A little while ago we posted about Apple’s new use of a static analysis tool to find private API calls and reject the apps that make them. Rather than Storm8 or Unity this time, however, it’s former Facebook developer Joe Hewitt’s pioneering Three20 framework that’s getting caught.

Daring Fireball has some details:

One popular open source framework, Joe Hewitt’s Three20 (linked here on DF back in March), played a bit fast and loose with private APIs, and so now there are numerous developers with apps getting flagged for private API calls made from the Three20 framework. This Google Groups thread [link] covers the problem and the work that’s being done to create a branch of Three20 that’s free of private API calls.

Gruber also links to RogueSheep, whose Postage app has gotten caught via Three20, and has some suggestions to help them help Apple help them avoid getting rejected for unintended private API calls in the future:

Making the static analysis tool available to developers would indeed be helpful. But I suspect it wouldn’t work in terms of game theory. Honest developers could make good use of having access to the tool, to help ensure their projects are free of private API violations. But dishonest developers would use the tool to figure out ways to slip private API calls past the checker. Parrish’s second request, for Apple to run the tool against submissions far sooner in the review process, strikes me as a good and reasonable one.

Us as well.

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

Three20 Framework and More on App Store Screening for Private APIs

Magellan recently announced they are releasing a GPS car kit of their own and it already has hit the FCC. Like the much anticipated TomTom car kit, the Magellan will give the iPod touch and first generation iPhone GPS capabilities as long as you are using the Magellan GPS application. [iTunes Link] This particular car kit is crammed with some nice features:

• Fully adjustable mount that works with any skin or case
• Rotates for both portrait and landscape use
• Enhances signal with built-in GPS receiver
• Noise-canceling speakerphone
• Bluetooth hands-free calling
• Amplified speaker for clear, powerful sound
• Works with any GPS application (Unless you are using a iPod touch or first generation iPhone – you then must use the Magellan application)

Currently no price has been announced but you can expect the Magellan car kit to hit stores before the end of the year. Those of you in the market for a GPS car kit now have one more option available to you. Decisions decisions…

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

Magellan GPS Car Kit for iPhone/iPod touch Coming Soon

Steve Jobs sent a curt reply to The Little App Factory, telling them it was not a big deal for them to change their Apple trademark-infringing, iPodRip product name.

Rewind: iPodRip was software designed to pull media off an iPod (no, not for piracy, but to recover files in the event you lost them on the host machine). Apple’s lawyers complained. The Little App Factory’s John Devor wrote a plea for help. Jobs responded in typical fashion.

Long story shorter: iPodRip has been renamed iRip.

Bigger picture: Yes. Steve’s back, baby! The curt reply has returned!

Our only question now: Who’s next?!

[Full text of both emails is up at CrunchGear. Via Gizmodo]

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

Steve Jobs Tells iPodRip to Change the Name — Not a Big Deal

Sony is planning to launch their answer to iTunes, offering music, movies, books, mobile apps, and more… sometime in the future. No, they haven’t announced a date yet, but given their portfolio of PS3, PSP, Sony Reader, and how more and more is being integrated into their Bravia televisions, while the MP3 player market is dwindling, convergent devices are on the rise. (Of course, they’ll need to fix their smartphone offerings and get them integrated into their own platform as well –hello PSPhone, can you get to that already?)

It sounds like a great idea, and makes perfect sense for Sony to evolve as a media giant. The only problem we see? Yeah, sony. At every turn, they’ve gone for closed and consumer-hostile, and while you can succeed with one of those, you can never succeed with both. ATAC auto-DRM’ing your music, Sony CDs installing Root Kits, UMD’s on PSP, it’s a miracle (of money and will) they got Blu-Ray established.

If you’re going to copy Apple, Sony — and in this case we hope you do — copy it as closely as you can. Have liberal DRM with 5 (or more) devices that can be authorized, content that can be transported between devices. In other words, make it as consumer friendly as possible, even if it scares the traditional Big Media out of you.

[Business Week - thanks to everyone who sent this in!]

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

Sony Online Service to Take on iTunes

Google continues to optimize their websites for the iPhone (and Android, and webOS), this time giving Google News the bump. Says the Google Mobile blog:

This new version provides the same richness and personalization on your phone as Google News provides on desktop. Our new homepage displays more stories, sources, and images while keeping a familiar look and feel. Also, you can now reach your favorite sections, discover new ones, find articles and play videos in fewer clicks. If you are an existing Google News reader on desktop, you will find that all of your personalizations are honored in this mobile version too.

If you read Google News on your iPhone, let us know if you like it, and if you like it better than the regular version you got yesterday.

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

Google Optimizes Google News for iPhone

Regarding that picture making its way across the internet, the one at Microsoft’s invitation-only Mobius event where Big Redmond discusses their secret plans for all things Microsoft and Zune, and heartless bloggers show up with Apple Mac hardware…

Yes, that’s our very own editor-in-chief, Dieter Bohn hard-left in the pic, and he assures us, even as we tease him, the machine mix was close to 50/50 and many were running Windows virtual machines (they needed to sync their Zunes, after all!)

(And no, there were no reports of Ballmer snatching iPhones at this event, sadly no reports of iPhones at the event at all…).

[WindowsPhoneThoughts]

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

Regarding that Mostly-Mac Image from Microsoft’s Mobile Event

If you are not familiar with our Apps for Less posts, they are a great way for us to point out a few good iPhone (and iPod touch) applications available in the App Store that are currently on sale, or ones that have come down permanently to a price that we feel are worth mentioning to our readers.

Today we have some good news for all of you Konami fans out there. Konami has announced that every single game in the iPhone catalog is on sale for $.99 until November 30th. The titles are as follows:

• Metal Gear Solid Touch – The award-winning commercial warfare adventure brings Old Snake to the iPhone though five chapters spanning 20 stages in which familiar enemies attempt to keep Snake from accomplishing his mission.
• Field Prowlers POLICE RUSH! – In this all-new exciting car chase game, players assume the role of a police officer sworn to protect and serve by chasing down criminals and arresting them. Gamers will draw lines on the touch panel with their finger and guide their two patrol cars to hunt down bomber vehicles on the run from the law. To succeed, players will have to capture all the criminals across 30 missions over several distinct stages.
• Frogger – Help guide one of Konami’s most beloved characters safely across the highway while avoiding oncoming traffic and other obstacles.
• Silent Hill: The Escape – Enter the fear-provoking town of Silent Hill where players must solve puzzles, uncover dark secrets and gather clues to avoid grotesque monsters and survive.
• Silent Scope – Players will fight to save the President and the First Family from terrorists by using their marksmanship skills in this fast-paced rail shooter.
• Krazy Kart Racing – Pick one of ten classic Konami heroes and speed across 16 themed racing circuits in this 3D cartoon styled racer.
• DanceDanceRevolution S – In this addictive music rhythm game, choose from up to three gameplay modes with 26 songs and 18 playable characters.
• DanceDanceRevolution S+ – Groove in classic DDR style, but with an added bonus of being able to download new tunes to tap to on the go.
• Power Pros Touch – Experience the crowd cheers, fight songs and over 120 variations of play-by-play baseball commentary as players chose from 25 to 162 game seasons.

If you see any other great deals, let us know in the comments, or send them our way any time for inclusion in a future Apps for Less!

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

iPhone Apps for Less: Konami Edition

Our good friend Phil over at sibling site WMExperts got his geeky hands on Opera Mobile 10 beta for Windows Mobile and did what any self-respecting editor would do — took it one on one with the great one — Safari. Well, technically Safari running on last year’s slower hardware, the iPhone 3G (as opposed to the much faster iPhone 3GS), but it’s not a final build of Opera either. The results?

Opera Mobile 10 beta isn’t quite as good as Safari on iPhone 3G, but it’s getting there. Hit the link above to see Phil’s video, then come on back here and let us know what you think.

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

Opera Mobile 10 Beta for Windows Mobile vs. iPhone 3G Safari — Browser Battle

Apple has yet to announce an iTablet, which is good because the supposed universe dent’er is supposedly suffering a supposed “delay” — getting pushed back from early to late 2010 so that Apple can supposedly add a supposedly expensive, LG-crafted OLED (organic light emitting diode) screen to the mythical mix.

At 9.7 inches, it would cost $500 for the panel, and bump the entire kit up to a $1500 or $1700 price point. So much for the imaginary device filling a slot between the sub-$500 iPod touch/iPhone and the $1000 MacBook, right?

A cheaper 10.6 inch device is also rumored to be in the imaginary pipeline for that, somewhere over $800. Both could get “cheaper” (front facing consumer price-wise) if they run 3G and are subsidized by a telco, like the iPhone is by AT&T.

There were OLED rumors for the iPhone 3GS earlier this year (with iTablet chatter attached), which of course didn’t pan out (though they did for the Zune HD). Would Apple go big on OLED for an iTablet before they go small, and presumably more affordable, with the iPhone? Especially if it delays something that’s had no public mention and certainly no release date attached to it? (Insert Microsoft Pink references here).

Either way, you want OLED?

[DigiTimes via Gizmodo]

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

Mythical iTablet Suffering Mythical Delays Due to Addition of Expensive OLED Screen?