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I went to a Softbank shop in Shibuya, Tokyo and asked how much it would cost to upgrade an iPhone 3G to an iPhone 3GS. The clerk told me that for the 16GB model it would be an additional JPY 780 per month for 24 months, totaling JPY 18,720, assuming the continuation of my current contract. That sounded about right to me, given the US prices.

I wanted to see if I could just buy one outright, and slipped into another general electronics store that was selling iPhones from Softbank and other phones. Unfortunately, the clerk in the second store told me that the "discount" you get with a new contract is not valid for the upgrade, so you end up paying a total of about JPY 70,000. Additionally, you cannot just buy a phone in the US and have it activated for use here.

Yep. That's a whopping USD 700.00 for an iPhone 3GS from Softbank Japan, and the "after discount" pricing is only for new contracts, not for upgraders. Wow, I'm stunned (while at the same time I'm hoping I'm wrong) at being penalized for wanting to upgrade. What a way to engender loyalty, Softbank.

I guess the only thing to do is to wait until Softbank change the pricing, which they eventually did for the 3G, after some time had passed.

I feel like a lifeless husk that's been trampled on and ground into dust. :-/
Rick Cogley

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iphone 3GS gadgets softbank expensive unfair upgrade japan

I purchased Ray-Out's reasonably-priced leather "Jacket" case, model RT-P1LC4/B, perhaps three months ago from Yodobashi Camera. I was looking for a case that had a "strap loop" so that I could hang the iPhone around my neck for going to meetings or lunch, as I don't trust myself to put the iPhone in my pocket and have it survive even one day! The Ray-Out leather jacket was one option, and the other was so bling-bling it wasn't even a choice for me.

DIY Fix for the RT-P1LC4/B Loop Problem

Unfortunately, the D-ring that came attached to the case by a leather loop came off, sending the iPhone plummeting to the ground. At least the case's leather hit the ground instead of the actual phone, so my iPhone still works. Ray-Out should re-design that little loop for the D-Ring, because after even a couple month's of use, it became weak and ripped.

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RT-P1LC4_B Ray-Out Leather Case iPhone Rick Cogley DIY

Apple released yesterday an updated iPhone operating system, iPhone OS 3.0, with a number of useful improvements. For me, the update itself was seamless, and took about 15 minutes after clicking the update button in iTunes. I upgraded first thing in the morning, but colleagues who tried later in the day had some delays. I guess it's to be expected when so many people try to download at the same time.

Some Tips for iPhone OS 3.0

I took some screenshots of the obvious and not-so-obvious (by pressing the home and power buttons simultaneously in case you aren't aware how), so I'll introduce those to you now.

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iPhone OS 3.0 Tips Rick Cogley

I need to get this cover-cum-battery-pack for my iPhone. Cool-looking product that seems to be sold out! -- Rick Cogley

|| From the site: The juice pack air™ is a rechargeable external battery concealed inside of a protective form-fitting case for the iPhone 3G. It offers you the full protection of a hard-shell case while providing virtually twice the battery life of the iPhone alone; all in an ultra-thin, light-weight, low-profile design.

• The world’s thinnest Apple certified “Works With iPhone” external battery for iPhone 3G!
• Rechargeable 1200mAh lithium polymer battery virtually doubles your time to rock, talk, surf and send.
• Pass-through USB charging and sync with iTunes
• Extended smart battery and full case protection
• On/Off switch offers choice of battery or case
• Integrated 4 LED charge status indicator

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mophie juice pack air iphone 3g

TeePee - Super Cool Local Area Info iPhone App for Japan.

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teepee rainbow iphone location

Balanced article refuting a Wired article about how iPhone in Japan is a failure. Prince McLean quotes my blog in this article as well. -- Rick Cogley |

Japanese "hate" for iPhone all a big mistake - By Prince McLean

A report intending to portray the iPhone as "hated" in the Japanese market turns out to have been built upon fake quotations from industry writers and observers who were misrepresented by remarks attributed to them that they never made. Their actual comments on the iPhone's prospects in Japan are far more interesting.

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appleinsider prince mclean iphone rick cogley

In general I am satisfied with my iPhone in Japan. This article is a response to an article in Wired, and talks a bit about the iPhone, differences from Japanese cellphones, and what I've felt and heard from Japanese users.

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snapjapan snap!japan iphone japan wired

A good bunch of design-related iPhone Apps related to color, fonts or time tracking. --Rick Cogley

From the site - For designers, the iPhone (and the iPod touch, which runs the same software but doesn’t include phone functions) is turning into a valuable sidekick. Amid the games, utilities, games, novelty programs, and, yes, games on Apple’s App Store are lots of apps geared toward designers. Here are several that stand out. (Note that URLs in some cases lead directly to the App Store within iTunes.)

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creativepro iphone designer

If you use Google Mobile for iPhone, go to its settings and keep trying to scroll down past About. You get a little easter egg reward in the form of a "bells and whistles" menu. Nice! -- Rick Cogley

From the blog:
One evening in Zurich, after a late night cake run, we decided that our iPhone app, Google Mobile App with Voice Search, could do with a little bling. The result of this is a few extra options hidden below the preferences on the Settings tab. Trust us, they're down there... it just might take some perseverance to get to the bottom of things. Just keep trying!

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google mobile iphone easter egg bells and whistles settings

Your own Music for Airports? Bloom is an interactive app for the iPhone from Brian Eno, that lets you make music, and listen / watch music being made.

From the website: "Developed by ambient pioneer Brian Eno and musician/software designer Peter Chilvers, Bloom explores uncharted territory in the realm of applications for the iPhone and iPod touch. Part instrument, part composition and part artwork, Bloom’s innovative controls allow anyone to create elaborate patterns and unique melodies by simply tapping the screen. A generative music player takes over when Bloom is left idle, creating an infinite selection of compositions and their accompanying visualisations."

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generativemusic generativemusic.com brian eno peter chilvers ambient bloom iphone

A very cool app for the iPhone - a four track recording studio, from Sonoma Wire Works. From the website: "FourTrack is a songwriting and practice tool for singers, guitar players, piano players, and other musicians who want to capture musical ideas and record songs on their iPhone."

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Sonoma Wire Works FourTrack iPhone

Bookdog works well if you have an iPhone, and want to keep your Delicious bookmarks synced with your Safari bookmarks (and therefore your iPhone bookmarks).

From the website: "Bookdog allows users to sort (selectively alphabetize), import/export, migrate, verify, find redirects, search, and find duplicates among their bookmarks collections in Safari, Firefox 1.5-3.0, Camino, Google Bookmarks, del.icio.us, OmniWeb, Opera, Shiira 2.x and Netscape Navigator. Migrations can be scheduled using Apple's Automator, and bookmarks on other networked Macs or backup disks are easily accessible. "

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Sheep Systems bookdog bookmarks safari iphone

There are plenty of tips on tapping and pressing on the iPhone, including Apple’s own “Finger Tips”. The tables on this page are my contribution to making the iPhone a little easier to use.

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cogley rick cogley iphone tap tips tap sequences

For iPhone users; get better phones that are compatible with your iPhone. From the site: "V-MODA’s Vibe Duo headset is the ultimate in mobility, audio-enthusiast sound, and comfort. Featuring compatibility with iPhone and amazing high-definition sound, Vibe Duo’s minimalist all-metal design integrates a discrete microphone that blends seamlessly with a durable black fabric cable and is remarkably lightweight. The microphone’s convenient call/music control button can easily switch between chatting on the phone and listening to your music library."

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vmoda iphone in-ear headphones earphones v-moda vibe duo

Excellent tutorial on Gmail IMAP and iPhone
web design, online health care, art, brains, minds, and inbetween

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catcubed gmail imap iphone