iPhone OS

In a hint of things to come, more patents submitted by Apple just a few months ago show advances in future security designs for iPhones and notebook computers. The new authentication methods include several biometric technologies that would verify the identity of a user without any additional input from the owner of the device.

Examples would use cameras and software for facial recognition or allow a touch screen to identify a fingerprint. These methods could authenticate a user and protect private information without the current delay required when entering a passcode.

With the initial excitement of Apple's iPhone 3.0 preview already passed, users of the iPhone OS 3.0 Beta have been finding several new features that appear to be in the works for a next generation device. One such feature is video recording, which reports have indicated would come along with an upgraded camera and possibly a multi-core GPU (graphics processing unit).

Backing up the claim are screenshots from the MobileMe upload screen in iPhone OS 3.0 that say "Publish Video" at the top of the app. Of course, a better camera would mean higher-resolution still photos, too. Other features that look interesting have also appeared in leaked screenshots of iPhone OS 3.0 Beta.

One of the top complaints about the iPhone is the lack of cut and paste functionality. Now those who have jailbroken their devices can fix this problem with a new app called Clippy. Any user-editable text can be selected and copied to a clipboard, then pasted into another application.

This beta version by Ryan Petrich is easily accessible using the number keyboard. After pressing the "123" button simply hit the "copy" button. Proceed to select the text you wish to copy with the magnifying glass (selected text will be highlighted). Hit "copy" again to copy the text to the clipboard. Move to the application you'd like to paste the text into and click "paste". It's that simple.

Many users have been reporting problems with the iPhone firmware 2.2 upgrade from Apple. It may be that the best way to solve these problems is to take a step back and downgrade to firmware 2.1. Others inadvertently upgraded their phones when syncing to iTunes on their computer and for whatever reason would like to revert.

The process is relatively simple and should bring back the 2.1 version OS to your iPhone. Performing these steps on an iPhone 3G may work, however this article does not cover reversing the 3G baseband update included in firmware 2.2. Remember, taking these steps is at your own risk, and any hacking of the iPhone could render your remaining warranty invalid.