Finally some good news from Apple, as we test our Apple iPhone 3G with the most recent update, iPhone 2.1.

The iPhone 2.1 software update works very well, and you should download it immediately if you are using an Apple iPhone 3G. This is the big fix we've been waiting for; the one that Steve Jobs promised at the "Let's Rock" event Apple held here in San Francisco earlier this week. Apple promised a fix for reception issues, reliability concerns and battery life, the holy trinity of the cell phone game. The good news is that after only a few hours with the iPhone 2.1 software installed on our iPhone 3G, we can say that the new release seems to deliver.

Pages load much, much faster, and 3G reception seems greatly improved. Our Apple iPhone 3G has remained a steady 1-2 bars ahead of our AT&T Tilt, on the same 3G network, here in San Francisco. Pages that used to stall before loading now seem to spring open much more quickly. We tested the iPhone 2.1 software on AT&T's network against the iPod touch in Wi-Fi mode and the iPhone was never more than a few seconds behind the iPod, usually taking about 10 seconds longer or less to open the same Web page. Against the AT&T Tilt, Safari is a much faster browser than Internet Explorer, so our results have always been better on the iPhone.

We've also experience no application crashes since we updated to the iPhone 2.1 software. Super Monkey Ball, which used to crash often, hasn't blacked out our device in more than a dozen tries opening and quitting the app. Even better, the App store on our phone and our laptop seem more in sync, both reporting the correct number and type of application updates available, for the first time ever.

We're still testing battery life after the iPhone 2.1 software update, so we'll have to update later with our complete results, but if the only improvements were in the dramatic reception and network speed improvements we've already seen, for that alone we would have been thankful. Of course, we're still holding out for copy and paste capabilities, and maybe some Flash in the browser, but we'll have to hold out for future updates before we get ahead of ourselves. At least now that some significant problems have been fixed, we're more confident recommending the iPhone 3G and looking ahead to the future for the platform.

HTC go HD with the HTC Touch HD

Our friends at MoDaCo have breaking news of another new device from HTC, this time in the form of the HTC Touch HD which looks like an iPhone killer if ever I saw one!

As you would expect, very little known about this new device at the moment but early specs suggest the folowing:

HTC Touch HD Specification:

* Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional
* Qualcomm 7201A processor @ 528MHz
* 512MB ROM / 256MB RAM (+32MB on processor)
* WVGA (480x800)!!!
* 115mm x 62.8mm x 12mm
* GPS / HSDPA etc. etc.
* 5 Megapixel camera (no flash)
* No Dpad or scroll wheel, does have a stylus
* microSD slot
* 1350mAH battery
* 3.5mm headset jack on the top

There are plenty more photos and information about the Touch HD on MoDaCo.com so check it out. What an amazing looking device!

If you know more then please drop us a line!

HTC wars: Touch Pro, Touch Diamond and S740 go head to head

Now that the cat's out of the bag it was no trouble tracking down HTC's S740 this morning, and just for kicks we rammed the phone up against the Touch Pro, which we subsequently rammed against the Touch Diamond and an iPhone for a generally violent display of smartphone force. It is worth noting that while the S740's keys are similar to the Touch Pro's, they're not quite as deep or clicky, which leads to a rather sub-par typing experience by HTC's standards. That glossy mirror finish on the phone screens isn't doing them any favors either -- even when wiped smudge free it seems to impede viewing -- and we must say the Touch Pro's matte finish makes the Diamond and iPhone 3G look cheap in comparison. Oh, and when asked about the Dream, the HTC rep quickly replied "we don't know anything." It was worth a shot, right?

HTC's Android-driven Dream revealed in glorious spy photos

Sure, we've seen some blurry videos and managed a few stolen glimpses when Andy Rubin demonstrated this beast, but now we've gotten our hands on a slew of pictures showing off a very real T-Mobile-branded Dream in all its Android-running glory. Not only does this confirm the design spied in those FCC docs as well as show off that nearly-done version of Android, but it seems to confirm the fact that this will be headed to T-Mobile, and sooner rather than later judging from the looks of the above device. Needless to say, our inner-geeks are completely geeking out right now. Hit the gallery below for a handful of other views of the phone. [Warning: read link is a forum, requires registration, and is in Chinese]

Google talks Android Market app store

Android's gaining a head of steam as it heads towards release -- Google just posted up some details on the upstart OS's app distribution system, Android Market. Just like Apple's iPhone App Store, Android Market will run on Android phones like the HTC Dream and allow users to browse and install apps, as well as comment on and rate apps they've already purchased. (Somewhat terrifyingly, Google describes the rating and comment-system as "similar to YouTube," but we're hoping the reference is to user-generated ratings in general and not the grammar and language catastrophe that is YouTube comments.) Unlike Apple's store, however, Android Market will be open to all -- Google wants devs to "have an open and unobstructed environment" for their apps, and it'll only take three steps (register, upload, describe) to put content on the service. The first Android handsets will come with a beta version of Market that supports free downloads only, but a version that has app sales, versioning, and other features will arrive soon after launch -- given the number of mediocre apps that have somehow passed Apple's vetting process, it'll be interesting to see what shows up in Google's store with no filters at all. More screenshots after the break.