iPhone 3G Faithful Already Lining Up in NYC

Cardboard protection can be yours for just $1

(NEWSER) - Hard times no longer mean iPhone users who blew all their cash buying one can't afford a protective case for their new favorite toy, Mashable reports. Case-Mate has introduced the iPhone 3G Recession case, priced at just $1. The sturdy cardboard case, which assembles with locking tabs, will cushion your phone against falls and defend against scratches, but makers don't recommend getting it anywhere near fire or water. More»

(NEWSER) - Even a gadget as good as the iPhone isn't without its annoyances, although luckily bigger geeks than you have cooked up workarounds for most of them, Jared Newman writes in PC World. Some major gripes:

• AT&T: The carrier's stranglehold in the US is becoming even more irksome as foreign iPhone users start to enjoy better tethering and multimedia messaging services.
• Weak email management: An update has added bulk email management, but there's still no simple way to delete or move batches of messages.

Hackers use school vacation to best Apple's engineers and 'jailbreak' new phone

(NEWSER) - A group of teenage thorns in Apple's side have been the first to release "jailbreak" software for the latest iPhone 3GS, the Wall Street Journal reports. The hackers, in the latest round of what Steve Jobs calls "a cat-and-mouse game with his top engineers," created software that lets iPhone users unlock their phones and download applications not approved by the company. More»

Deal could come through when AT&T's exclusive rights expire next year

(NEWSER) - Apple is in talks about developing an iPhone for Verizon’s wireless network—with possible deployment next year, USA Today reports. Currently, the iPhone is only available on AT&T’s GSM network, which is incompatible with Verizon’s CDMA operation. AT&T has exclusive US rights to the iPhone into 2010, and analysts expect AT&T to try to retain them for at least another year. More»

Retailer tries to undercut the competition with refurbished handsets

(NEWSER) - With an eye to newly frugal consumers, Best Buy is offering refurbished iPhone 3Gs for about $50 less than new handsets, Reuters reports. The retailer offers previously owned 8- and 16-gigabyte iPhones (returned in 30 days or less) for $149 and $249, respectively. Best Buy may be trying to undercut Wal-Mart, which started selling the iPhone 3G models last month for $197 and $297, slightly below Best Buy’s price for a new handset. More»