9to5Mac: Apple iPhone, Mac and iPad News Breaking All Day

 iCall is an intelligent iPhone application that lets users switch between VoIP and normal GSM calls anywhere in North America – effectively using the WiFi at Starbucks to make a call. We’re told this is an official Apple-approved application that’s expected to debut at the App Store soon. 

Features include:

• Make and receive calls over WiFi
• Transfer inbound calls from a regular cell call to WiFi instantly and seamlessly – save your expensive minutes
• Access your same address book
• Customize your voicemail options

 

On this day, one year ago, Apple released arguably the most important product of the decade.  The iPhone has transformed the high end smartphone market and captured the imagination of Apple fans and technology nuts the world over.  With Apple set to release version 2.0 in two weeks in 22 markets (and 70 more to follow), the future is looking very bright for this device.

We remember getting our hands on it for the first time (after a sneak preview or 3) and thinking how this device was was something different that anything before it.  While every smartphone maker in the market is falling all over themselves trying to make their devices similar, few have come close.  There is only one.

Happy Birthday iPhone.

 

An anonymous poster over at iPhone in Canada.ca posted what is supposed to be the employee Rogers iPhone 3G In-Store Activation Process and Store Setup Requirements for iPhone.  Have a look.  If it is a fake, someone has a lot o time on their hands.

 

***Rogers iPhone 3G In-Store Activation Process Explained***

iPhone In-Store Processes
· Absolute NO’s
o No Promotions/Contests
o No Countdowns
o No Posters out of the store
o No Flyers
o No Radio remotes
o No Mailers
o No Alteration of Store Hours
o No Swag
o No Tshirts with any reference to Apple or Iphone
o No advertising until 13 weeks post launch

· Action Items
1. Shipments for fixtures should start arriving in stores July 8th. Once fixtures are received in store, they can be put together, but Demo Unit cannot go onto fixture until July 11th.

2. Please ensure that the DP’s send their floor plans to their stores to ensure proper set-up of the fixtures when they arrive

3. Store Set-Up Phase 2 – Please ensure all your stores receive the attached set up document as soon as possible. They can download iTunes Client only from the link provided in the document. We need confirmation that this was downloaded by EOD Friday July 4th, 2008.

Key follow ups
1. MShop – (July 11 – 20 Mshop will be suspended for participating locations) more information to be discussed on Director’s call on Monday June 30th.

2. SMB On-sites – No Pre-advertising, no desk drops, no posters (You can show up on that day and sell the product) No pre-promotion

3. Training – ensure store reps have signed up. Sales process training will be included next week.

4. Fast-Track will be unavailable from Sunday June 29th at 12 PM until Tuesday July 1st at 8 PM

5. Product will be available shortly for ordering

Store Setup Requirements for iPhone

This document outlines the initial store setup requirements that you must fulfill in order to effectively sell the iPhone in store. To ensure customers can leave with a fully functional iPhone, it must be first be "unbricked". This process involves using the tether (a USB cable: see below) to connect/sync the iPhone to a unique ‘Activation Only’ version of iTunes via a computer. More information about the unbricking process will be provided in training (found on Fast Track and Sales Central) and you will be informed when the job aid is available.

Glossary:
Bricked: Default state of the iPhone, only emergency calls allowed.
Unbrick: Enabling the phone for services.
Tethering: Connecting an iPhone to a computer running iTunes.
Activation: Customer account setup and CTN provisioning which is completed in-store and is immediate. This is identical to today’s process for other wireless products.

Requirement 1) Download/Install ‘Store only version’ of iTunes

    * In order to unbrick the iPhone in store (which is a requirement of the iPhone Sales Process), you must have iTunes version 7.6.3b4. Installed on your computer. This version has a special ‘Activation Only Mode’ that must be enabled and used in store.
    * The iTunes version that is currently available on the Apple website is version 7.6.2. This version does NOT have the activation only mode and as such please action the following steps to complete the installation of version 7.6.3b4:

1) Download and install 7.6.3b4 from the following link. Do not attempt to use any other version of iTunes as V7.6.3b4 is a specific activation only module designed for in-store use.
https://attache.apple.com/AttacheWeb…QNmUHPjRZRI%3D
2) When you enter the link above you will be asked if you want to ‘open’ or ‘save’ the file. Select ‘Open’. The file is 102mb and may take 5 to 15 minutes to download, depending on your connection speed.
3) Once downloaded you will see a window containing two files. One file is for a Mac and the other is for Windows. Please double-click the Windows.exe file.
4) A small ‘warning’ window will pop-up that advises you to extract all files –Please do so.
5) An ‘Extraction Wizard’ will start. Click ‘Next’.
6) You will be asked where you want the files to be extracted to. The default location (a temporary file) is ok, so select ‘next’. You will then be advised that the extraction has finished. Click ‘Finish’.
7) A new window will appear with the extracted files in (both Mac and Windows). Double click on the Windows.exe file. You may be presented with a Windows security warning. If so, select ‘Run’ as the files are safe. There may be a delay before the next step starts.
8) Pop-up windows and instructions will guide you through the rest of the installation process. You must close MS Outlook (if it’s open) before completing the installation.
9) During the installation process you will be asked if you would like an iTunes shortcut on your desktop – Please do so.
10) You may be asked to restart your computer – Please do so if asked.
11) Once you have restarted you will see an iTunes shortcut on your desktop.
12) The download process is complete – you must now follow the following steps to complete the process.

    * You MUST now enable the ‘Activation only Module’ within iTunes.

13) Create a shortcut on your desktop by right clicking on a blank space on your desktop and selecting ‘new’ and then ‘shortcut’.
14) A ‘Create a shortcut’ wizard window will appear. In the box within the window marked ‘Type the location of the item’, please type or copy and paste the following bolded text in this EXACT format.
15) Please ensure you use the whole of this text with all punctuation/grammar exactly as specified:
"C:\Program Files\iTunes\iTunes.exe" /StoreActivationMode 1

16) Click ‘Next’. You will be asked to enter a name for the shortcut. use:
iTunes Activation Module

17) Click ‘Finish’. You will now see a new iTunes shortcut on your desktop with this name.
18) This shortcut is the Activation Module and should be used to unbrick the iPhone. When you first start this version of iTunes there will be a terms and conditions agreement that you will need to "accept’ in order to proceed.

Note: Unbricking the iPhone should only be completed after activating the iPhone on Sales Central. Full instructions on how and when to activate and unbrick will be provided in a training job aid on fast track and sales central. You will be informed when this Job Aid is available.

Note: As of July 11 2008, an updated version of iTunes (7.7) will be publicly available from http://www.apple.ca. It will have the activation only mode built in (like 7.6.3b4) so you will not need to use unique Weblinks to download it. As it is a publicly available version of iTunes it still needs to be configured for store use. Therefore you MUST ‘enable’ version 7.7 in the same way as you did for version 7.6.3b4 that is detailed above.
1) To update your current version (7.6.3b4) to V7.7 to benefit from software updates; Open iTunes, select ‘help’ and ‘check for updates’ or go to http://www.apple.ca and download iTunes from the ‘downloads’ section. You do not have to uninstall previous versions first.
2) You MUST still enable the activation only mode, using the shortcut creation method above.

Requirement 2) Tethering the iPhone
Ÿ Every iPhone box contains its own tether (USB cables to connect the iPhone to the computer) which is required to complete the unbricking process and for customers to sync their iPhone’s at home.
Ÿ In order to speed up the in store process you will receive 2 tethers for your store as part of your Demo unit docking station shipment.
Ÿ Attach each tether via a USB port (ideally USB 2.0) to separate computers. There is no need to remove the tethers; they can remain connected at all times. If the tether is not long enough, you can extend it with a USB extension lead purchased from many electronics stores
Ÿ The iPhone will need to be connected at the other end of tether for unbrick

ing – only after the activation has been completed in SC (see training module on SC and Fast Track for details).

Requirement 3) Sales Central Training and IDs
Ÿ iPhone should only be activated via Sales Central and through the call centre in an emergency.
Ÿ An iPhone Sales Process job aid will be available on Fast Track and SC. It details all the related sales process discussed in this document and others, including Sales Central.
Ÿ Please ensure all store reps have their own unique and active Sales Central ID and have reviewed the job aid.
Ÿ The iPhone product will be made available through DOAT in due course (you will be advised when this happens) and no other special permissions are required in order to activate the iPhone.

Additional Information:

    * Product training is now available on Fast Track – Please sign up as soon as possible!
    * Mosaic Representatives will be visiting select stores in the lead-up to Launch
    * Launch day plans will soon be available. In the interim please do not modify your store opening hours, speculate on launch plans, contact the media or create any form of waitlists or advertising related to the iPhone.

 

We know you hate your mobile provider.  No one really likes them.  But with the possible exception of Australia’s disdain for Telstra, we’ve never seen such universal hatred for a carrier as Canadians have for Rogers.  Unfortunately for you Canada, Rogers is the only carrier with EDGE/HSDPA network in your fair country, so until the EVDO/LTE version of the iPhone comes out, you are pretty much bank rolling the Toronto Blue Jays. 

The Plans they are offering….

Oh, in case you think the Canadians are cry babies, from the graphic below you can see that yes, they are getting screwed.

Oh, and go here (or here) to voice your opinion

 Here’s a chance to get all retro and, like, modern – both at once – using Object Graph’s iPhone app iRetroPhone and, erm, your iPhone. You just need to dial the number, here’s the video, enjoy… (expect the app to be available on the App Store next month.