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Those who have tried Layar, swear by it, those who haven’t, well get with the times already. Layar works by using the camera on your Android handset to show the world to you with an extra layer of location-based content. If you’re using Google search or Yelping for a restaurant, the Layar browser will plot results in a 3D layer above the live video displayed on your screen from your camera. But the fun doesn’t stop here, Layar is actually a platform, an OS if you please. And many developers have seized the opportunity to make the OS more functional, Currently available content includes Flickr, Wikipedia, Yelp, Google local search, Qype, Britekite, Twitter and more. The augmented reality browser in now globally available on the Android OS, it even comes pre-installed on the Samsung Galaxy. AND, there are talks that the makers of Layar are eyeing the iPhone 3GS with intentions of launching a browser for the iPhone by next year. In the words of Homer Simpson; Woohooooo!

Demo video

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For all those who have been losing sleep over the iPhone SMS vulnerability, time to take that breath of relief. Apple has come out with the iPhone OS 3.0.1 which promptly takes care of the SMS vulnerability and makes your iPhone as secure as if Stone Cold Steve Austin was standing guard over it. Now get anti-cracking.

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Everyone knew this was coming, the iPhone 3GS would make the old iPhone 3G a step-child. Boo hoo. So how does AT&T go about trying to get through the iPhone 3G inventory, price cuts of course. So now again we are faced with the temptation of a fall in the price of a refurbed iPhone 3G down to $49 for the iPhone 3G 8GB and 16GB to $99. So now if you’re one of those incredible people who have $1600+ to spend on an iPhone over the next two years but just the extra $30 was where you choked, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. But for those who the hotness that is the iPhone 3GS, what exactly are you waiting for? The next of next generation iPhone? Anyway nice try by AT&T, not sure it’s going to work, the previous price hacks were apparently ill fated and we’re not too crazy about this one either.

8GB Refurb

16GB Refurb

With the iPhone 3GS in the picture, the iPhone 3G is getting the step-child treatment in Apple’s stock houses. Not that we’re complaining, the more eagerly Apple wants to get rid of its iPhone 3G stock, the bigger price drops we get. Apple had announced that the launch of the iPhone 3GS would mean that the price of the iPhone 3G would drop to $99 and it sure did. And the latest wave of low-priced iPhone 3Gs is AT&T and its round of refurbished iPhones; $79 for an 8GB model and $129 for a 16GB model. But the bottom line now is that with the iPhone 3GS in the picture, will the lowered price point of the iPhone 3G matter to buyers? Because however you cut it, you still have a minimum of $1,680 plus taxes and fees on an individual plan. So what’s the best choice? An outdated smartphone that will cost about as much as an ultra new shiny one? or do you still want an $80 iPhone 3G, just coz it’s a great bargain?

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Ok, so the four major carriers in the United States have all dished out smartphones your way. Which do you chose? What we’d like to give you hear is a simple cost analysis, based on how low a price you effectively have to pay to own a smartphone on any one of the big four. Most websites generally do a comparison based on the contract price of the handset plus the price of an unlimited plan. Not everyone turns to unlimited plans, and if you’ve got the bucks for an unlimited plan, it certainly means that a decision based on the ‘cheapest’ plan will work just as well for you. It’s just practical, savvy smartphone users maybe onto certain features, techno-geeks will probably jump at the highest level of specifications and if you’re dad is the monopoly guy what the hell do you care what anything costs. But for average Joe who thinks it’s about time he owned a smartphone, here’s how much you’ll have to pay to get your foot into the door.

T-Mobile G1:

Handset: $149.99

Monthly cost [UPDATED]: $29.99 voice plan (300 minutes, unlimited weekends), $24.99 T-Mobile G1 Unlimited Web (unlimited Web/email/data)

$54.98/month — $1,319.52 over 2 years + $149.99 for the phone

Total: $1,469.51 (excludes SMS/MMS, starting at $5/month)

Sprint, Palm Pre:

Handset: $199.99 (after $100 rebate)

Activation fee: $36

Monthly cost [UPDATED]: $69.99 Everything Data Plan (450 minutes, unlimited nights/weekends, unlimited mobile to mobile, unlimited Web/email/data, unlimited SMS/MMS, unlimited GPS navigation)

$69.99/month — $1,679.76 over 2 years + $235.99 for the phone plus activation (after $100 mail-in rebate)

Total: $1,915.75 (after $100 mail-in rebate)

Verizon Wireless, BlackBerry Storm:

Handset: $149.99

Activation fee: $35

Monthly cost: $39.99 voice plan (450 minutes, unlimited nights/weekends, unlimited mobile to mobile), $29.99 Email and Web for BlackBerry (BIS, Web)

$69.98/month — $1,679.52 over 2 years (excluding SMS/MMS) + $184.99 for the phone plus activation

Total: $1,864.51 (excludes SMS/MMS, starting at $5/month)

AT&T, Apple iPhone 3GS 16GB:

Handset : $199

Activation fee: $36

Monthly cost: $39.99 Nation 450 w/Rollover (450 minutes, 5000 night/weekend minutes, unlimited mobile to mobile), $30 Data Plan for iPhone (unlimited Web/email/data)

$69.99/month — $1,679.76 over 2 years + $235 for the phone plus activation

Total: $1,914.76 (excludes SMS/MMS, starting at $5/month)

So the final decision still depends on what you want most. All four carriers offer similar plans that target both the high-end and low-end of the market. But these prices also come with deductions like fewer minutes or some other perk. And if you think you can just walk into the retail store of any carrier and expect advise in your best interest, think again, those reps are hired to sell, not stop sales. Even a blogger can just give you information, but the final decision is yours. What do you absolutely need and want in your smartphone, and can you afford it. These are the minimum bucks you’re expected to fork over.

Getting iPhones unlocked is tough, you end up doing the mob favors and by the end of the year you really need the Godfather’s Daughter to get married just so you’re iPhone can get unlocked. And here I mean the iPhone 3G and not 3GS. people either enlist the services of these gifted individuals or resort to Turbo SIMs. But here’s some good news. The Dev Team has been laboring away to make unlocking the iPhone 3G a less pain in the rear end as usual and so as to keep you far far away from T-Mo. The Ultrsn0w is pretty easy to use and handy for your unlocking purposes. The Dev Team has provided simple guide lines that even Dopey could follow so let’s get cracking. And of course, once again let’s remind ourselves that there is as of yet no support for the iPhone 3GS so far as ultrasn0w and phone unlocking is concerned. And user beware, this is all at your own risk.

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More news on the iPhone. Call it a fan following, abduction or stalking, but we can’t get enough of the new iPhone 3G. People over at iTalkiPhone have, in pursuit of their idol, gotten their hands on an iPhone 3G and have unboxed it for everyone’s eyes. Of course it’s not the usual unboxing that we expect when we hear the word. Nope there is literally no disassembling of all detachable parts and then some. Also no pictures of the accessories. It’s just the phone and the box. So everyone, I present to you the iPhone 3G box. No big wow since it looks a lot like the old version give or take a slightly more noticeable shiny bezel. Looks a lot prominent on the box too but that could also be from clever picture taking techniques. (Aka lighting effect). Well just one week to go for the launch of the iPhone 3.o OS. Perhaps this is to strengthen faith or increase the iPhone following.

Well the much anticipated and rumored to a ridiculous extent $99 iPhone has finally surfaced. But what one will now wonder is what about those 16GBs? Well the iPhone 3G 16GB is up for $149 under a two year contract from AT&T and Apple is less than happy about having to sell the 8GB for $99, so the $149 is probably something in generosity considering their mood and all. Although the 8GB at $99 is up there on their website it’s like, “enjoy while you can, the empire will strike back”. It’s also rumored that Apple will be accepting pre-orders on the iPhone 3G starting immediately. Typical. Anything to get a sale.

For all you who thought that Fido was done for and being treated as a stepchild by its new parent, think again. Some slides have found their way to web, and while their authenticity can’t be confirmed entirely, they do seem real. Any way, the most interesting and eye popping piece of information on this lot is the presence of the $99 4GB iPhone 3G…you read that right, 4GB iPhone 3G and for $99, and it comes packing with quad-band EDGE, tri-band HSDPA, a 2 megapixel shooter and, believe it or not, iChat video calling (read: front facing camera). Ok so the image on the slide is not the original handset, but the fact that such a device is on the way is defiantly interesting. Among other handsets are BlackBerry Curve 8320 for $50, Nokia E71 for $50 and Nokia E55 for $25, Sony Ericsson Z780i for $75, not to mention some down low-end treats.

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In an attempt to further clear shelf space for the new iPhones, Apple has begun direct shipments of the device to buyers free of cost. The price of the iPhone 3G is still the same, but now you don’t have to press and click all those nagging buttons to get to AT&T’s website. So if you want the iPhone 3G and are not too excited about holding on for the new iPhone, visit the Apple Store and do your thang!

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