Gadgets @ Home

iPhone 2.1 Software Update is up.

This time Apple provided a list of fixes in the update.

iPhone version 2.1 contains many bug fixes and improvements, including the following:

• decrease in call set-up failures and call drops
• significantly improved battery life for most users
• dramatically reduced time to backup to iTunes
• improved email reliability, notably fetching email from POP and Exchange accounts
• faster installation of 3rd party applications
• fixed bugs causing hangs and crashes if you have lots of 3rd party applications
• improved performance in text messaging
• faster loading and searching of contacts
• improved accuracy of the 3G signal strength display
• repeat alert up to two additional times for incoming text messages
• option to wipe data after ten failed passcode attempts
• Genius playlist creation

 I’m downloading the update right now. Here’s hoping that this update will live up to its claims. The 2.0.2 made my iPhone 3G way slower than it was before and didn’t fix any of the crashes that Safari and other apps were experiencing.

TUAW’s rumor has partially been confirmed just now when Best Buy officially reported that iPhone 3G’s sales at its retail locations will start on September 7th.

Best Buy has been after the iPhone for some time, but the report indicates Apple was reluctant to do business with the retailer over concerns about the potential for creating a market for unlocked iPhones; however, with the iPhone 3G causing lines at Apple and ATT stores creating long lines, Apple needs additional retail outlets to meet the brisk demand, AppleInsider notes.

Let’s wait and see if RadioShack will join the suit, which I personnaly really doubt.

Jon Peddie in his blog is trying to figure out why iPhone is so expensive. And why its price goes up with every new release instead of falling down as it is common in the consumer electronics world. (continue reading this article and leave comments here…)