Seth Weintraub

Is this antenna thing really that bad, Neil? Jeez.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JK37dysPPzU&w=700&h=400]

Yesterday, the Washington Post reported that two congressmen wrote to Apple for clarification on recent changes to its privacy policy which include the collection of user location based data.  Reps. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Joe Barton (R-Texas), co-chairman of the House Bi-Partisan Privacy Caucus, Thursday sent a letter to Apple CEO Steve Jobs..

The lawmakers said they were concerned that users appeared to automatically be included in Apple’s gathering of geographic data unless they actively opt out of having information collected about them.”Given the limited ability of Apple users to opt out of the revised policy and still be able to take advantage of the features of their Apple products, we are concerned about the impact the collection of such data could have on the privacy of Apple’s customers,” the lawmakers wrote in the letter.

Android phones have been doing this since the get go.  I wonder if Google got a letter? Or is this type of data collection is expected from Google?

The nine questions are pasted below:

1. Which specific Apple products are being used by Apple to collect geographic location data?
2. When did Apple begin collecting this location data, and how often is data collected from a given consumer?
3. Does Apple collect this location data from all consumers using Apple products? If the answer is no, please explain which consumers Apple is collecting information from and the reasons that these consumers were chosen for monitoring. 
4. How many consumers are subject to this collection of location data?
5. What internal procedures are in place to ensure that any location data is stored

Above, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev hanging with Apple CEO Steve Jobs yesterday as the leader toured Silicon Valley to see “the origins of success

Update: 1.2.7 was a dog!  They’ve just updated again to 1.2.8

Here comes the first Tweetie for Mac update since Twitter bought Atebits. Strangely Tweetie for Mac retains its name. Shows how much Twitter cares about Desktop.

BTW, our update went poorly and we had to manually enter in our accounts.  We got stuck at the screen below:

We’re getting reports that normal Mall-type Apple stores are receiving anywhere from 1000 to 1400 units each with this snapshot showing 1200 in a Mall in the South.  

Have you picked up your iPhone yet?  Did the store run out?  How long was the line?  We want to know!

Maybe they don’t want people to see how huge that Droid x is. Or perhaps comparing displays isn’t to their liking.

Apple just released an official statement saying that White iPhones won’t be available until the second half of July.  Damn.

White models of Apple

That’s up from 100,000/day at Google I/O last month.  That extrapolates out to almost 60 million/year.  The iPhone 4 hit 600,000 day in pre-sales last week, but both platforms are rocketing upward.  Is this Windows/Mac all over again?  Is that a bad thing?

Some of our new iPhone 4 readers are getting the following emails from AT&T thanking them for staying with AT&T (as if there were a choice) and their recent purchase of an iPhone 3G.  Problem is: either the email is two years late or they are thanking them for buying a two year old phone.

Either way.  Poor form (again)

Full email below

We keep seeing this rumor pop-up, and here it is once again — that Apple plans an iOS-enabled iMac with a touch interface — and will introduce this device within 60-days. This speculation is emerging from Looprumors this time around. 

iFixit got their hands on an iPhone 4 today and they are currently going to town on it. Not much new information is coming out of the process but it is impressive to see Apple’s work inide on this one.

Wow. Apple really hates Gizmodo. BoyGenius even got a review unit and they’ve been leaking Apple details forever.  

Their review? Screen: Stunning.  Build quality: Solid.  Speed: “Oh its fast”

Pogue’s review:

Now, the iPhone is no longer the undisputed king of app phones. In particular, the technically inclined may find greater flexibility and choice among its Android rivals, like the HTC Incredible and Evo. They

Boing Boing’s review of the iPhone4 is the high definition picture variety.  The short:  

The fourth incarnation of Apple’s iPhone is an incrementally improved, familiar device

USA today says of the iPhone 4:

THE BOTTOM LINE: 3 1/2 (out of four) stars. As with previous iPhones, the latest model breaks new ground. FaceTime video calling on the iPhone 4 is one of those cool “seeing is believing” features, and it arrives on top of several across-the-board enhancements. And iOS 4 is a mostly terrific software upgrade.Cutting through the hype, Apple has given longtime diehards, and first-time iPhone owners, plenty to cheer about.

Pro. FaceTime video calling. Handsome thin design. Better battery life. High-definition video recording. Supersharp display. Multitasking, folders and other enhancements through iOS 4. Generally good voice quality.

Con. Battery can’t be removed. Memory can’t be expanded. No support for Adobe Flash video sites. For FaceTime to work, both parties need to be using the new iPhone and have Wi-Fi access. Occasional dropped calls.

http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9/30317506001?isVid=1

Up first: Engadget, who conclude:

We’re not going to beat around the bush — in our approximation, the iPhone 4 is the best smartphone on the market right now. The combination of gorgeous new hardware, that amazing display, upgraded cameras, and major improvements to the operating system make this an extremely formidable package. Yes, there are still pain points that we want to see Apple fix, and yes, there are some amazing alternatives to the iPhone 4 out there. But when it comes to the total package — fit and finish in both software and hardware, performance, app selection, and all of the little details that make a device like this what it is — we think it’s the cream of the current crop. We won’t argue that a lot of this is a matter of taste — some people will just prefer the way Android or Symbian works to the iPhone, and others will be on the lookout for a hardware keyboard or a particular asset that the iPhone 4 lacks — but in terms of the total picture, it’s tough to deny that Apple has moved one step past the competition with this phone. Of course, in the hyper-accelerated smartphone market where the Next Big Thing seems to always be just around the corner, it’s anyone’s guess how long they keep that edge.

http://www.viddler.com/simple_on_site/9c9c1a2e

We’re not expecting an official Gizmodo version, are you?

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNGj9oNWrlw&w=700&h=525]

Uh oh FedEx.  Looks like those early deliveries weren’t planned after all.  According to an Apple Rep, who was called by an ‘early receiver’, the iPhone delivery was a mistake.  Some people are able to activate their iPhone 4s, others may not be able to.  Could AT&T/Apple have shut down the activations servers until tomorrow?  

Why not get a jump on all of the excitement and give your activation servers some load testing? 

Sadly, ours is still in Alaska.  More unboxings below.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06gQgVAibkA&w=700&h=400]

You might want to take a look at this video (Flash challenged here).  Seems some relatively common tasks slow down dramatically.  Would speed hits plus relatively few enhancements in iOS 4 for 3G owners cause any of you to hang back on 3.1.3?…if you haven’t updated  already? via DF

Update: We’re hearing in the comments that people are seeing same speed on their 4.0 builds as the faster build in the video.  Weird.

http://www.flickr.com/apps/video/stewart.swf?v=71377

Looks like someone forgot to tell Walmart about the white iPhone manufacturing delays.  The discount chain says they’ll be in stock on the 24th according to BGR. We’ll believe when we see.

We, along with Techcrunch, have been getting reports that iPhone 4s are already out on the FedEx trucks being delivered as we speak.  Some users even claim to already be unboxing theirs.  Walmart got theirs today, so why shouldn’t everyone else?

Anyone else out there have some good news to share?

Update: here’s one lucky fellow….btw, we hate you.  Another delivery below:

iPad sales seem to be accelerating after the international releases which include nine more countries next month.  From two million in under 60 days, Apple just sold another million in three weeks according to todays press release (below).  

Steve Jobs commented on the magic,