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Finally, the iPhone 3GS digital compass is getting a workout. Software developer acrossair has submitted the first augmented reality application to the Apple AppStore for approval. The app is called Nearest Tube, and will help Londoners plan routes and find the closest underground station. What's unique about this process is how the app delivers information.

Instead of a static map, Nearest Tube displays subway information in real-time, overlaid in 3D on top of live video of the user's surroundings. Holding the iPhone 3GS horizontal will show arrows pointing to different train stops, and tilting the device upwards will overlay signs in the direction of different stops. These signs look like a heads-up-display, and give more information about how far away the station is and what lines connect there.

iPhone OS 3.1 beta versions have already been seeded to developers, meaning an update for the general public is imminent. Apple released iPhone OS version 2.1 only a month after 2.0 was made available last year.

The iPhone 3GS hit store shelves on June 19th running iPhone OS 3.0, and reports have indicated that millions of iPhone 3G and original iPhone owners have already upgraded their operating system. The new version includes 46 security fixes and new features such as copy and paste. So will it be worth upgrading again so soon?

Complaints about the iPhone battery are not new to Apple. Owners of older iPhones often try to conserve limited battery power, especially since the iPhone is a power-hungry device. Unlike some other smartphones, spare batteries cannot be toted around since the battery is fully enclosed.

These issues pale in comparison to the latest complaints from some owners of the new iPhone 3GS. Apparently the batteries in some devices have become too hot to touch. In some cases, the white plastic back is being discolored by the excessive heat.

iPhone 3GS owners who would like to jailbreak and/or unlock their new devices will have to wait a little bit longer. The iPhone Dev-Team has already jailbroken the iPhone 3GS running OS 3.0 but they are postponing the public release.

The cat and mouse game is never simple. Dev-Team is worried that releasing a jailbreak now will give Apple too much information. The iPhone OS 3.0.1 release is surely coming soon, and if Apple corrects the bug Dev-Team is exploiting then future iPhone 3GS users will not be able to hack their phones.

No more calling or driving around to the Apple stores in your area to hunt down an iPhone 3GS. After over a million units of Apple's latest model have already sold, the company has released an online tool so interested buyers can check current inventory themselves.

The latest version of Apple's online inventory tool should be updated hourly, which is an improvement over tools released for earlier iPhone models. The company previously updated in-store inventories of iPhone and iPhone 3G units only once daily.