Mobile & Apple Update for August 1, 3008

First, for the six point five million iPhone owners, a $9.99 app, NetShare, is available for down from the iTunes store that will allow you to tether your iPhone to allow any mobile device to access the Internet through the iPhone's wireless connection.

Also, at Onxo, here, we talked about the availability of even Netshare for the iPhone is even a sign that wireless networks is beginning to show cracks.  Also, we have a tip on how to gain WiFi access at Starbucks.  Then with Microsoft 5% shy of the 20 million copies of Windows Mobile, we think the fault lies with Microsoft, not other phone makers, and why we need to be watching them this fall.  Also, a true iPhone killer in Omnia?

Mobile Gadgets Update:

• Blackberry Sync has posted a link to a Blackberry Bold review.  We can't say it's exactly neutral or informative but we like you to decide. 
• A bit of news on the Nokia N96.  (Source:  Mobility Today)  - there is also a video.  Nothing new we have not seen though.  Standard refresh from Nokia.
  
• Mobile Catcher has posted a link to HTC Touch Pro in action. 
• Kindle:  Finally some news.  Engadget is saying Amazon has moved 240K units.  This is very important for the publishing world.  We'll make you go there for details.  Onxo can't say we're impressed.  Maybe Jobs is right about America not reading.  Well certainly Japan and Europe still do.  Time for someone to light another fire in the ebook indusry.  6" iPod Touch, anyone?
  

Mobile Issues Update:

• ATT may have extended their deal with Apple through 2010.  Not exactly the 5-year deal folks have assumed.  USA Today on Ma Bell and the iPhone.  A good read.
• Electronista is reporting Blackberry could lose its top spot as ATT favorite to the iPhone.  We see more promotions for the iPhone but that's about it.  If this turns out to be true, well, Blackberry will just have to be nicer to us now, won't they?
• Onxo believes Microsoft fell short of its goal to push out twenty million Windows Mobile due to sameness and lack of innovation.  It is no one else's fault.
• ATT, control freak, allowing NetShare, an iPhone tethering app, to be distributed is the biggest wireless story of the week.  Can you imagine them doing this a year ago?  (Other US networks have allow tethering for some time now.)

Wireless Networks: A Long March Towards Openness

In another sign the wireless market is evolving and the change to resistance is taking place, an application by Nullriver Inc. released a iPhone App called NetShare that allows the iPhone to share its network connection with your laptop.

No one was more surprised than we were to hear the inclusion of this application.  Just as we were about to go online to download this, we found it unavailable.  A quick check at MacRumors showed that the application was taken off iTunes.  So far there is no word or explanation from Apple.  The developer is also in the same boat users are.  They have not heard from Apple.

We, like everyone else, thought it was natural for Apple and its wireless partners to have an agreement on exclusion of apps that allow users to share wireless connection between the iPhone and other mobile devices.  While this action by Apple may mean AT&T will not allow tethering, some US providers and global wireless providers do allow tehtering.

Note:  While we applaud the control being taken away from the wireless overlords that has impeded progress and the freedom of consumers for years, we don't like to see control go to content and application gatekeepers either.  Okay, some might already be saying that because Apple has tied iTunes and the iPhone so closely that we already have a new wireless overlord.  It's not an argument Onxo disagree with.

Impact:  AT&T wireless tethering has to come.  It makes sense to have it.  We'll have to wait and see where this all heads in the coming days.  I'm sure we'll hear something over the weekend.