A must-have upgrade

Don’t just go ahead and seek means to buy the new Apple iPhone 3Gs. Instead, download the free iPhone 3.0 OS update for your iPhone 3G and spend some time with the new software. Yes, there are some huge jumps in the hardware of iPhone 3Gs when compared with the last year’s iPhone 3G, but a software update will fill in plenty of gaps on your iPhone 3G or iPod Touch (the update has been priced at $9.95).

Apple’s latest software update promises to bring hundreds of new features to the device. Here’s a breakdown of the most awaited features of iPhone 3.0 OS.

WHAT'S NEW?

* Users had put in a request two years back, and Apple has finally granted it. The cut-copy-paste feature has finally arrived on the iPhone and we must say that the long interval was worth it. Just hold down on a single word and then tap Select or Select All to modify the selected text . If you want to clear the selection, then simply shake the iPhone to activate an ‘Undo’ option. It could take some getting used to, but it works smoothly. Being able to copy and paste pictures also means that you can now email multiple images, using the standard email application. If you don’t like what’s playing, then just shake the iPhone to shuffle another random track.

* Along with the new copy and paste capabilities, Apple has also built in-line links to information such as phone numbers, e-mail addresses, and URLs. Although tapping on a link will behave the same as it did previously, you can now tap-and-hold on a linked item to bring up a pop-up menu of additional options for things you can do with that information. For example, tapping on a phone number or e-mail address will give you options to call the number, send a text message, or use it for a new or existing contact. Tapping on a URL will offer options to open the URL or copy it to the clipboard.

* All complaints regarding the lack of iPhone to delete a particular SMS from the overall SMS conversation between the sender and receiver has been addressed in the update, including SMS forwards. Tapping at the Edit button at the top right allows to select SMSes, and further tapping on a red Delete button at the bottom or a blue Forward button allows user to do the needful.

* Apple has styled a new system-wide search tool, called Spotlight, which can list results from contact names, app names, iPhone or iPod media file names, email headers (from, to, and subject), and even calendar events . You can even search e-mail header content that’s sitting remotely on your e-mail server, which is a very well-implemented feature. In effect, the new search feature reduces your dependence on laptop to search for a particular file or an e-mail stashed away in your inbox or phone memory. Overall, Spotlight is as exhaustive as it gets on a smartphone — simply swipe your finger left from the Home screen (of the device) and you enter the new search screen.

* Turning your device on its side now flips email, notes, and messages into landscape mode. This gives a much wider and more comfortable format to read and type content. The trade-off for this feature is reduction in the screen’s real estate.

* Besides, now you can sync Notes to a desktop computer just like you do on a Blackberry mobile. There’s a new auto — fill feature in the Apple’s Safari browser that remembers your usernames making surfing a tad easier.

* Apple decided to introduce a Voice memo application that will allow you to record voice notes or even meetings. Further, the voice notes could be attached and sent as MMS or email too. It’s likely that voice recording applications, found a dime a dozen in the App Store, will lose their market to this out-of-the-box application.

* Some really subtle improvements like now in image library, you can now select multiple pictures (at once) and have the option to share, copy, and delete them. You can rotate the Stock application that displays the stock movement as a graph. In portrait mode, you can also swipe left on the graph to get all the high, lows, volumes, and similar stock-related information.

So, cheer up, if you can’t seem to find the Apple iPhone 3Gs in Indian stores yet. Just download the software upgrade for your Apple iPhone 3G or boost up the iPod Touch operating system by paying the update cost and the feature improvements will keep you going for another few months.