AT&T is claiming that it has the fastest nationwide 3G network. I?m sure this claim is a way to help entice shoppers to buy the iPhone 3G that launched today. AT&T says that it bases the claim on a variety of tests conducted by third-party researchers and that AT&T had the fastest network by a significant margin.

AT&T says that it has 3G service in 300 cities and expects to expand the service to 350 cities by the end of the year. The catch with that is my city is one of the 3G "covered" areas and the service is so patchy as to be pretty much useless. I can't even get 3G in my home, but drive a mile down the road and you can get a weak signal.

"We've invested billions of dollars in our 3G network, and now we can proudly claim it as the nation's fastest 3G network," said Ralph de la Vega, president and CEO of AT&T's wireless unit. "We will continue to expand our 3G network coverage into new areas, grow our lineup of industry-leading devices, such as iPhone 3G, and deliver compelling new 3G services to market like Video Share(SM). And to top it off, only AT&T offers the best global coverage. AT&T's ability to serve its wireless customers is unparalleled in our industry."

Via AT&T

Today's the big day and everywhere you look on the interwebs you see pictures of lines of folks waiting to get their 15 minutes of fame.  That's the amount of time that AT&T says it takes to activate each iPhone sold.  I decided this morning to see for myself if there is big demand for the iPhone 3G here locally and headed for my AT&T store since it's just down the street.  All Apple stores and AT&T stores opened at 8 am to start selling the phone so I drove up to the AT&T store at about 8:15.  This is a small AT&T store in a strip center, not a big outlet or anything.

I admit I was surprised to see over 50 people in line waiting to get in the store.  I spoke with a few of them in the back of the line and most of those folks were at their second location, having given up at the first they went to pre-8 am due to the long line.  While I was talking to them an AT&T rep came out and informed the folks toward the end of the line that they would not have enough phones to go around but that those who waited could take advantage of their "direct fulfillment" program.  He explained how it worked and it's basically a "pay us now, take delivery later" program.  Much to my suprise most of those in line decided to wait it out just to get in to pre-pay for their iPhone 3G.  I asked the rep how long they've been told to estimate delivery of those directly fulfilled iPhones and he said 2 - 3 days.  I then asked him how many iPhone 3Gs they had received at his location and his response was that all AT&T stores selling them received 20 8GB and 20 16GB phones.  That doesn't sound like very many to me.  I have to admit that the demand for the iPhone 3G at launch is bigger than I thought it would be.  Nice marketing, Apple.

Apple today announced that more than 500 native applications will be available on the iPhone's App Store when Apple's iPhone 3G goes on sale tomorrow.

More than 125 applications in the App Store are being offered to iPhone customers for free.

"iPhone represents a new software platform for developers, combining the most advanced mobile operating system, sophisticated developer tools and a breakthrough way for developers to wirelessly sell and distribute their applications right onto every iPhone," said Philip Schiller, Apple?s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. "The reaction from developers has been very, very positive and we?re opening the App Store with over 500 native iPhone applications available for immediate purchase and download."

iPhone Apps will be available in a variety of categories including games, business, news, sports, health, reference and travel.

Via the Apple site.

Sherlock Holmes is a hot property in Hollywood right now, with multiple movies being made about the fictional detective. Last week we told you here about a more comedic take on the character being done by Sacha Baron Cohen and Will Ferrell, tonight HR has the latest word on a serious version being done by Guy Ritchie. Word is that Ritchie has found his Sherlock Holmes, and it's Robert Downey Jr. Come on, that's perfect isn't it' It's perfect for all the same reasons Tony Stark was perfect f...more

Here's a very welcome upgrade to the Nokia 800-series Internet Tablets. The latest firmware makes that pocketable device a little easier to update in the future thanks to over-the-air support. Yup, you'll be able to download and install updates through WiFi or WiMAX instead of having to tether that tablet to a computer. If that wasn't enough, the upgrade process iteself becomes a little more mainstream: this firmware supports what Nokia deems SSU. No, not Sonoma State University, but Seamless Software Updating. Read: you'll be able to upgrade incremental bits of the firmware instead having to backup, flash and restore your entire device going forward. There's a few other goodies in there as well, including support for A-GPS on the newer N810 series.

I still believe that the N800 devices aren't yet appealing to most mainstream folks, but updates like this are definite step in the right direction.

(via BGR)

We all like rebels. Admit it. Especially when one emerges from the kicked-around kid who once tried to make everybody happy. There isn't much that's more fun to watch than the uncooperative underdog flustering persons of authority.

Take poetic indie-hero Rivers Cuomo, who seemingly in response to label pressure to make himself as teen-idol as possible, decided instead to sport a moustache, trucker hat and knee-length socks. Possibly in an attempt to have fun while making things confusing for his record label, Rivers (or River, as he is now going by) recently posted a song he co-wrote with fans via YouTube, NME reported Wednesday.

Weezer's increasingly eccentric front man has created a song by posting chunks of it on YouTube, gathering fans' advice via comments and video responses, and making adjustments along the way. The resulting piece is (so far) called "Turning' Up The Radio." Contrary to most of Weezer's released material, it sounds loose, free, fresh - and more or less like something a label would love to own the rights to. Take that, suckers.

Continue reading Weezer Posts Song Co-Written by YouTubers

There's a new clip from The Dark Knight online, and it's a shocker. It's your first look at Two-Face in action. That's right, I said Two-Face, not Harvey Dent. The clip is available below or on the movie's viral site in high-res right here. Though a lot of sites have since taken it and claimed it as their own in the past couple of hours, that's where it really originated.

I almost feel like I should warn you not to watch it, for fear of spoilers. But the clip does a good job of showing you a lot, without really telling you anything. Actually, it's kind of like the start of a bad joke. Two-Face walks into a bar fill in the rest after you watch the clip.

Video after the jump

When Steve Jobs took to the stage at the Apple World Wide Developers Conference today, everyone expected him to pull the new iPhone 3G from his pocket, and he didnt disappoint.

In London last year, Jobs announced the 3G iPhone would be hitting this year, with the reason for its delay down to the power issues necessary to connect to high speed 3G networks.

The 3G speeds on the device are approaching something akin to those found with WiFi, and the iPhone 3G is 36 per cent faster than other devices, according to Jobs.

Continue reading 3G iPhone hits just like you thought

I just had a nice chat with Mark Siegel, AT&T Mobility Executive Director-Media relations about the new iPhone 3G. Mr. Siegel tells me that current iPhone customers and any other AT&T customer that is currently under a contract will be able to upgrade to the new iPhone 3G simply by agreeing to a new 2-year agreement and pay the $199 or $299 price for the device.

Mr. Siegel also tells me that the $199 or $299 prices are the only prices the handset will be offered at. When I pressed about the rumored subsidies Mr. Siegel replied, "That price is the subsidized price." We could take that to mean that the retail prices Apple announced is taking into account the subsidies from the various iPhone partners around the globe.

SFGate recently interviewed Robbie Bach. This is the guy in charge of the Xbox, Zune, and Windows Mobile- all of those ultra competitive consumer devices. In this interview the question of whether or not we would see a Zune phone was brought up.

At first Robbie touts the fact that Windows Mobile devices will continue to outsell the iPhone and the Blackberry. But then he goes on to state that, We don't make phones ourselves. We don't have any plans to make phones ourselves. He goes on to explain that Windows Mobile is currently in the position to take advantage of their belief that, a phone is a very personal thing. Different people want diff