The new iPhone Firmware 1.1.1 has been released, and reports are trickling in that it does disable third-party apps, and makes users undergo a second reactivation procedure that requires a genuine AT&T SIM chip. Lots of folk are getting “Incorrect SIM” errors. Ayayay! It looks like it’s back to the drawing board!

It’s a carrot-and-stick thing: the new features from the firmware update are tempting to get, but the price you have to pay is enormous. The only solution seems to be: don’t update then. Sit and wait. More news when we get it.

(Via Engadget)

UPDATE: Detailed, updated, and dismaying testing reports on Gizmodo. * bites nails *

One of the Doodler’s most-favorite-of-all-time-extreme-to-the-max apps is the SRS iWow Plug-in, which tweaks audio from iTunes to create fantastic audal soundstages and environments that make you disbelieve that all this goodness is actually coming from your two cheap, tinny, bargain speakers. The plug-in lets you adjust bass, focus, stereo separation, and definition from your own preferences or the built-in presets and make you feel like you owned Wharfdales.

It’s certainly a plug-in I can’t imagine being without. It’s the best US$20 I ever spent.

Well, SRS has an update available for download as we speak. iWow 2 now lets you save your personal presets, and adds  auto-presets based on the material you’re playing (”Cruise Control”), and more of its own. Best of all, it adds Movie Mode, which has the ability to create. Virtual. Surround. Over. Headphones. (Granted, this is only with the SRS 360 Headphones, but still…)

It usually sells for US$29.99, but the introductory promo gives it to you at US$19.99, with upgrades for old users at US$11.99. There’s even a Free Trial, which I urge you to take so you can be a true believer.

Go get SRS iWow 2 here. iWow indeed.

The US retail chain Target is selling a special edition pink iPod shuffle, complete with a US$15 iTunes Store Gift Card for US$79, with a portion of the proceeds of up to US$25,000 going towards The Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

It is yet unclear whether or not this is just a clever (and worthy) repackaging, or if it’s a partnership with Apple, but whatever the case may be, we should have more of these.

(Via AppleInsider)

[Quick Aside: As a professional editor, I’m compelled to point out a typo in the product name. Target, “shuffle” is not supposed to be capitalized. The weird Apple Capitalization Rules extends to its other products, which among others states that the second letter is usually the one that should come in caps - iPod, iMac, iTunes, or that words coming after iPod or Mac should never be capitalized - iPod shuffle, iPod nano, iPod classic, iPod touch, Mac mini.]

It seems the fading Gateway still has some fight left in it. The former computer giant has unveiled its contender for the iMac throne with something Gateway calls, simply, One.

Tale of the tape:

• 3.6″ thick all in all
• 19-inch widescreen LCD
• 2 models at US$1300/US$1800
• 1.5GHz/2GHz Core 2 Duo
• 2GB/3GB memory
• 320gb/500gb hard drive
• special online-only model at US$1500
• all black front
• metal shell
• all cords and most ports out of sight (all on the power adapter)
• side-mounted slot-loading DVD burner
• no announced date of availability, but soon

Now call me silly, but doesn’t that look like something we all know?