[cv]

What the iPhone 3G has is A-GPS (Assisted GPS): normal satellite-based GPS is augmented by cellular carrier transmitter tower triangulation (or even WiFi hotspots) for greater accuracy, particularly useful when satellite-based signals are interrupted (for example, multipath situations involving tall buildings).

Standalone GPS receivers (Garmins, etc.) historically only used satellite signals and did not connect with cellular carriers.

GPS hardware could easily be built into an iPod touch. The biggest issue is even if the device knows its coordinates, how does it display those on a map? WiFi availability is key for realtime map updating, but conceivably a larger map could be locally cached for use when the WiFi signal is unavailable. There are already standalone maps available for major metropolitan areas for the iPod touch at reasonable prices (99 cents for the SF Bay Area or L.A.). Locally cached map data could be an App Store purchase for iPod touch users.

[TYates]

God help ATT when the iPhone is sold through another carrier i the US. I for one will gladly pay them cash money to stop using service.
What does that say for a company?

[john0879]

I would expect GPS Navigation applications like Tom Tom's to have their own maps embedded. These companies have products running on other systems and know that their maps work. I would be very surprised if they rely on Google maps.

[alterbentzion]

Any word on upgrade pricing for those of us who buy an iPod touch this week? (I'd wait, but my organizer just died...)

[montgomery_burns]

Will it finally support notes and tasks syncing? How about notes and tasks with Exchange server?

[montgomery_burns]

john0879 said:

I would expect GPS Navigation applications like Tom Tom's to have their own maps embedded. These companies have products running on other systems and know that their maps work. I would be very surprised if they rely on Google maps.

The question is how will these maps which are 2+ GB in size be distributed? Through iTunes? Or can users purchase a separate DVD containing only the map data?

[ericditt]

personal and in car GPS work fine without celluler data connections right now. A iPod Touch with GPS would be great or TomTom making the car kit work with the GPS reciver in the base station and using the dock connector. 3.0 allows this and then all iPhones and Touch's would than have access to the GPS data. GPS and aGPS are different from each other.

[Skiaddict]

I for one am going to be very very upset if apple decides not to enable voice dialing on the original 3G. There are 3rd party apps for this for crying out loud and they want to limit it to the 3Gs?? Same with the video camera, unlocked 3G can do this!

[hillstones]

The usual complainers. I love my iPhone 1st Gen and I have no problems with AT&T or their service. The new phone looks nice, but I don't need it. My iPhone will run 3.0 just fine. I don't care for MMS or the extra fees involved. If I really want to send a photo from my iPhone, I use email, and it is free.

People would have the same complaints even through another carrier. Verizon has their set of problems and their customer service is just as bad or even worse. They have plenty of dropped calls and dead zones too. A family member has Verizon with a Moto Razr V3. They disabled Bluetooth on the V3 claiming it was an optional service. When I had my V3 with AT&T, all phone features were enabled. I don't even get a signal at my house when I had a Sprint phone, but it works great with AT&T. So the grass isn't always greener on the other side.

[Mac007]

I must be missing something. I like the new features, I think ATT is ok, and I'm pretty much content. Maybe it's the cancer. ;-)

[Panglos]

MorrisTheCat said:

I have to admit the iPhone 3G S (<-silly name)...

As silly as "Apple IIgs"?

[Skiaddict]

I like AT&T just fine as well. Anyone that had AT&T when they first rolled out GSM 8 years or so ago, knows that the AT&T of today is light years better than it was. I think the new features of the iphone 3GS are great, I am just upset that apple will limit features that are purely software driven, like voice activation and video to the new model and shortchange loyal current users.

Typical Apple.

[tapinc5]

If I have a bunch of Apps designed to work for the 2.0 software, will they work on my iPhone with the 3.0 update?

[Terrin]

The only other major carrier anyway. Further, it is my carrier of choice. It has much friendlier family plans then AT&T. My iPhone is running quite happily on it now.


[quote]
The only thing is, who will they open it to? If I'm not mistaken, T-Mobile is really the only other GSM provider in the US, right?