FreshPhoneNews.com

More good news for iPhone 3GS owners and prospective owners, not only is the iPhone 3GS available in an 8GB version, but now USAA bank has allowed you to fill up your piggy bank through the touchscreen. No kidding, USSA, which is a privately-held bank and insurance provider, is updating its iPhone app to allow you to deposit checks. As the image shows, account holders will be allowed to make deposits by taking pictures of the check and deliver them to the bank’s server (all secure). The bank will then process the check and you get a credit in your account. No branch follow-up or bank verification needed. The new feature will only be available to certain customers; those “who are eligible for credit and have some type of insurance through USAA.” According to the bank’s EVP however, about 60 percent of the bank’s customers will meet these requirements and therefore be able to use this great new feature when it becomes available. Now cross your fingers that Apple approves the app.

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In a fresh bowl of baloney from Apple about its incredulous app approval policy. According to Cupertino, it hasn’t really rejected the Google Voice app, it is merely ‘reviewing’ it. Apple needs to review the app because it has a few ‘issues’ that need resolving, such as;

1. 1. “[Google Voice] appears to alter the iPhone’s distinctive user experience by replacing the iPhone’s core mobile telephone functionality and Apple user interface with its own user interface for telephone calls, text messaging and voicemail.”
2. 2. The iPhone user’s entire Contacts database is transferred to Google’s servers, and we have yet to obtain any assurances from Google that this data will only be used in appropriate ways. These factors present several new issues and questions to us that we are still pondering at this time.”

Ahaan. And I’m the queen of America. On AT&T’s side there’s a simple leave-me-alone kind of stance, according to Big Blue, they had “no role in any decision by Apple to not accept the Google Voice application”. Lame.

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Good news for Google Voice users with friends or family in Canada. Google has decided to spare you the hassle of paying those very cheap call rates for your calls to Canada, just like the GrandCentral days, and now you can call you best friend to discuss the latest horror flick you saw for FREE. What are we left wishing? That this could all be done from our beloved iPhone without having to jailbreak it…hear that Apple?

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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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Ok so it’s pretty cool news that that Apple and Unicom China have struck a deal that lands 5 million iPhone 3GS in China, but now it seems like the officials on both side of the table are party poopers. China Unicom spokesperson Yi Difei was quoted saying that China Unicom and Apple are still in negotiations and the International Business Times’ report about a $1.5 billion order is not true. Tiffany Yang, an Apple spokesperson in Beijing, also put in that there is no new information about an iPhone agreement with China Unicom. Of course it’s highly possible that both sides want to keep the details hush hush to build some launch hype, but we do need official word after all.  We choose to hope, despite the pessimism. Keep faith Chinese Apple fans.

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After what took a good part of a century, Apple and Unicom China have managed to strike a deal. Unicom China has finally gotten Apple to send them a tweaked version of the iPhone sans Wi-Fi. And what made Apple agree to this act of great generosity…making a special iPhone especially for China; three words people…barrels of cash. According to the International Business Times, China Unicom has ordered 5 million iPhone 3GS units from Apple as the preliminary order which will back the country-wide launch of the handset in September. The order, totaling ¥10 billion ($1.46 billion USD), will put China Unicom’s launch inventory at nearly the same number of handsets Apple sold worldwide last quarter. This means the carrier is expecting heavy sales of the coveted touchscreen device. According to China Unicom’s GM of Customer Development Yu Zaonan, Apple’s handset will be priced at ¥2,400 ($352 USD) for the 16GB model and ¥4,800 ($704 USD) for the 32GB model.

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Among the latest software to become the victims of Apple’s relentless stance on annoying the world is mobile video streaming service Qik. The Qik app for the iPhone 3GS is ready to go…with two modifications; a. Wi-Fi only and b. no live streaming. Right. That definitely serves our purpose. Not. Another app build of Qik which makes for live video streaming over 3G has been sent to the App Store for approval, but lately, Apple’s been on a roll with apps. Downhill, but a roll nonetheless. Qik without the ability to stream live videos…does the extent of the insanity even dawn on Apple?

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You know how sometimes we report rumors and tell you take them with a grain of salt, well take this one with a whole teaspoonful. Reported images of the new and improved iTunes 9 have emerged on a blog that claims they are legit. The images show Twitter, Facebook and Last.fm integration. Now if these screenshots turn out to be authentic…well…goodie goodie.

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We live in a world of Windows Mobile, Apple (OS), BlackBerry, Android, webOS and Symbian phones. As such with all the glamour and pizzazz these platforms throw our way, good ol’e LiMo pretty much got side saddled. Sure Android and WebOS are Linux based, but the UI is drastically polished while LiMo by itself looks like it needs a shower. So we hope that Linux will get a new life with Panasonic and NEC taking it up, not just in any small way but with a full launch of 9 new handsets. Japanese mobile carrier KDDI and touchscreen company Immersion Corp are teaming up for the project but LiMo is looking for the big fish of the OEM pond. LiMo does hold the plus point of being a less costly open-source system, something manufacturers keen on reducing costs are sure to pick up on. But before LiMo can be the new BlackBerry….many a season must pass.

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Sling has just made public the fact that it has submitted version 1.1 of its popular SlingPlayer app for the iPhone to Apple. Guessing that after Google’s app got rejected, all third parties are letting the public know just-in-case. The new app brings true 16×9 wide-screen support, improved remote control interface, faster speeds all around including channel changing, initial connection, remote control response. The U.S. version of the app doesn’t have 3G support but SlingMedia has submitted an app specifically for out-side the U.S., mainly for Europe that will have 3G support. Now we wait for the approval.