We've been hoping someone would get this together, so we figured we should shout about Shape Services, which has introduced a free instant messaging client for the iPhone which is compatible with many different IM services.

"The award-winning IM+ All-in-One Mobile Messenger for chats within AIM / iChat, MSN / Windows Live Messenger, Yahoo!, ICQ, Jabber, Google Talk and MySpaceIM from any iPhone and iPod Touch.

 The developer of Pull My Finger, an iPhone application, told MacRumors that Apple decided to reject his application from the App Store because it was of "limited utility to the broad iPhone and iPod touch user community".

The puerile application generates different sounds of flatulence, and while the developer knows its not world-shattering, he (rightly) argues that it's only a bit of fun - and there's many other limited use apps in the App Store. We ask, has Apple become far too judgmental? Comments...

 Josef Pruiza (and his brother), a few iPhone 3G-loving Czechs, have figured out how to control their RC car with their iPhone's accelerometer. The 5+ minute video shows Josef wheeling and spinning his RC car simply by tilting the iPhone. 

Josef’s Blog on this

Via: ModMyiFone

We had a hunch this may happen - and the latest Business Week report confirms it has - the first-generation iPhone is become the second-hand market's plat du jour...

We anticipated that on the release of the iPhone 3G the market would initially be saturated with first-gen iPhones, as users got rid of them in order to upgrade.

We also thought that - given unlocking tools and a rich crop of applications are already available for any jailbroken iPhone (1G?) - the second user iPhone would become a cult object, creating its own alternate ecosystem.

Not a rerun exactly - this is newly-released video shows you just how far handset manufacturers will go to attempt reproduction of the iPhone/iPod touch experience on their devices. This gadget's called the Meizu M8 and the video was released by the CEO of the company.

Via: TUAW

Apple's iPhone 3G seems set to knock BlackBerry out of some markets, with the device on the way to becoming the most popular smartphone for the legal profession.

"I suspect most law firms will soon, if they aren't already, be trialling iPhones, and as a single mobile platform makes sense, I suspect that over time these firms will also standardise on iPhones," said John Duckett, IT general manager at DLA Phillips Fox. The IT decision-maker notes that as the business applications available for the Apple device widen in number the iPhone will become more focused and useful to business. And Apple's move to license ActiveSync has been a crucial step.

Engadget got a ticket to the ball...surprisingly, we didn't.  Oh, and notice he's holding a 4G nano? Will it be rainbow-licious?  Will there be a GPS touch?  All signs point to yes...Let's Rock!!

Update: Nevermind - this is an oldie!

Engadget links us to TRS blog who think they might have spotted the new iPod touch in this week's Best Buy ad.  It is a stretch, there isn't much difference between the ad's iPod and the one we all know and love.  But hey..you know the drill....if it disappears, it is real..

Thoughts?  More picts below

The big news of the day?  Google announces Google Chrome, a WebKit (yes the very same Webkit that Safari uses) based-browser. 

As you can see from the example to the right, Google's browser will have tabs on the top and a speed dial front page like Opera.

On the back end, major features include:

• a new, super-fast Javascript engine called V8
• an auto-completion feature that uses Google's monster DB of the Web's information
• the browser tabs are all separate processes so if one crashes, it doesn't require a browser restart

The real question is how is Google going to use the browser?  Will they optimize their sites to take advantage of Chrome (a la Microsoft).  Will the planned Gears integration overshadow the support that Google gives to Firefox and recently "Geared" Safari? 

Is this the Google OS? (More screenshots below)

O2 today released plans for a September 16th Pay as you go plan.  What is really interesting about this one is the pricing.  You pay once for the iPhone AND data (£349.99 and the 16GB version for £399.99).   The initial price covers data fo the whole year (and is £10/month after the first 12 months).  Not bad!  Um AT&T, got anything to say about this?!?!