iPhone Live! comes to you tonight (Wednesday, May 27) at 8pm EDT/5pm PDT.

Pre-show will start about 10 min. before if you want to drop by early. We’ll have the live chat going to take your questions. You can also leave us questions in the comments below, or send them to @theiphoneblog on Twitter.

Join in via http://www.tipb.com/live

Chat with you soon!

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

iPhone Live! Tonight 8pm EDT/5pm PDT

The DLO HybridShell Clear with Black Grips for iPhone 3G is available from The iPhone Blog Store for $24.95. If you are looking for a clear plastic case with “grip”, this case might be for you!. Let's see how it measures up after the break!

Design

The DLO HybridShell for iPhone 3G is a transparent plastic snap-on case for the iPhone. The case protects the back and sides. The openings are all precision cut, even the camera, to allow for easy access to all of the ports and switches on the iPhone. As a bonus, you even receive a screen protector to protect the screen.

Daily Use

The factor that attracted me to this case initially were the raised black rubber “bumps” on the bottom of the case. I think everyone would agree that out of the box, the iPhone can be a little slippery. After snapping on the case I immediately began placing the case on any surface I could find to see how it “stuck”. Keep in mind that there is no adhesive, simply solid rubber studs. I have to admit to my surprise it actually made a difference. Specifically in the car. Placing the case on the dashboard for example proved  non-perilous.

With these positives, there are inevitable downsides. The big one? Well, that same awesome non-slip behavior on surfaces also applies to your pant pocket. Though not impossible to wield, depending on how tight you wear your pants, the case can get “stuck” pulling it our of your pocket. Yes, those rubber studs work their magic in there too.

I typically shy away from snap-on cases because my biggest fear is that if the phone is dropped, the case will hit the ground and break apart. Not so with the DLO Hybrid Shell. Once this case is on, it stays on and can be very difficult to remove (I had to get my pocket knife to use as a prying tool to remove the case).

Conclusion

Overall I think this is an excellent case only brought back a tad from perfection by a couple issues including: no docking while in the case (you can still use the USB cable), sticks in your pocket and the case can be rather challenging to remove. This last one only would apply if you swap cases often). These sniggles aside, if you are looking for a clear case with screen protector and rubber grips, I think you can’t go wrong with this case. Its low-profile and ridged to serve the most abusive customers.

Pros:

• Lightweight
• Case is compact
• Precision openings for accessing everything you need on your phone
• Back grips are nice
• Included clear screen protector is an added bonus

Cons:

• Case can get “stuck” in your jean pocket do to the rubber studs
• Case is very difficult to remove
• Not dockable from within case

TiPb's Rating:

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

Review: DLO HybridShell Clear With Black Grips for iPhone 3G

Tweetie, the uber-popular iPhone Twitter application, has a big desktop brother called Tweetie for Mac that’s just been updated to version 2.1 and one of the cool new features is support for adding video via the yfrog service (which previously handled static pictures).

iPhone 3.0 contains code that pretty much confirms we’ll be seeing video recording, editing, and sharing if not in the iPhone 3G then certainly in the next-generation iPhone expected to be announced on June 8 at WWDC 2009.

Put these two together and what do you get? The potential for not only a pocket video explosion, but a pocket video micro-publishing explosion as well.

A 4K (2160p) RED ONE camera might be drool-worthy, but even most pros won’t have it with them 24×7 when they chance upon that one great serendipitous moment. They might just have a video-enabled iPhone, however.

Likewise, sharing that video via MMS, email, or MobileMe, even YouTube is okay to great, but to immediately be able to push it out to all your Twitter followers? (Which suffers not the walled garden of Facebook).

Yeah, we live in interesting times!

(via @atebits and @llofte)

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

iPhone with Video + Twitter with Video = ‘Splosion of Video?

There’s been a lot of noise lately about Verizon and the iPhone. Sure, some could be wishful thinking. Some could be to manipulate the ongoing Apple/AT&T negotiations. But could there be anything more to it?

We’ve heard rumors that an iPhone nano/lite/mini could be coming, and coming to Verizon alongside an iPhone-esque iTablet/iPad.

Yesterday on MacBreak Weekly, Scott Bourne claimed a Verizon insider contacted him and told him “Verizon is getting their own iPhone and the announcement will be in June”. Sound like a WWDC 2009 “one more thing” for the ages?

This follows on our friend Duvi letting us know about a rumor posted on the CrackBerry.com forums:

It is confirmed that iphone is coming to vzw…date? Very soon…there is a training for all emp on the internal training intranet website.

Could be smoke and no fire, or it could be Verizon finally warming up the iPhone BBQ, what do you think?

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

More Verizon iPhone Rumors… In Time for WWDC?!

AT&T says they’re America’s fastest 3G network and Computerworld has recently confirmed it, but now it looks like they want to take it up another notch — to HSPA 7.2.

The upgraded network platform could allow for theoretical peak speeds of 7.2Mbps.

And this well in advance of their planned transition to 4G LTE networking in early 2011. Curiously, AT&T updated their EDGE platform just before the original iPhone 2G was released, and their 3G platform was made — okay, slightly less thin — before the iPhone 3G launched. So whatever could be prompting this latest speed boost?

(Thanks to Phil from WMExperts for the tip!)

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

AT&T - America’s Fastest 3G Network Getting Faster with HSPA 7.2

Okay. Fine. Our bestest buddies over at PreCentral.net are crowing over the rumor-revelation that the Palm Pre will support “push” Gmail via IMAP IDLE [Wikipedia link]. Not as robust as BlackBerry or Microsoft ActiveSync, they say, but yarly enough. And good for them.

Of course Google’s own mobile OS, Android, also enjoys push Gmail. Also fine and good and all that.

But where’s ours?

Gmail has been on the iPhone since day one — when Yahoo! offered push email to the iPhone — and has trucked along through year 2 — when Apple offered MobileMe and ActiveSync push in iPhone 2.0, and even Google offered ActiveSync for everything except Gmail (?!).

We’ve been patient. We’ve been true. We’ve used the freebie and the paid Google Accounts version. We’ve suffered Gmail’s ludicrous 10 simultaneous connection limits, its certificate errors, its “unknown email box (Inbox)” shenanigans. We’ve earned it, Google.

So, how about Apple board member Eric Schmidt stroll up on the WWDC stage — just like he did at Macworld 2007 — and announce push Gmail over either ActiveSync or IMAP IDLE (for those of us who already use our only ActiveSync account for a work-related Exchange server). Or put it out in a press release, or one line throw-away from Joz or Forstall. Really, we don’t care. Just give it to us.

Please?

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

Dear Google: Where’s the iPhone’s Push Gmail?!

It’s been a while since we’ve heard anything regarding the rumored official Sirius XM application for the iPhone. (If you are not familiar with the situation be sure to check out TiPb’s complete Sirius XM coverage!) Now a report from SeekingAlpha has pointed us to a App Store app called ReachMD. [iTunes Link]

What makes this application interesting is that it streams, with no subscription needed, Sirius XM’s channel 160 - MedicalRadio - 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

So with that being said, TiPb poses this question to all of our readers: if ReachMD is providing their content to Sirius XM for satellite but separately licensing digital streaming rights via an App Store app, does this mean we will start to see other Sirius XM channels pop up in iTunes? Or are you still holding out for a full-fledged subscription based application? Some kind of major content deal between Sirius XM itself and iTunes?

[Via SeekingAlpha]

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

MedicalRadio and Whatever Happened to the Sirius XM App for iPhone?

Even with all of the negative things said about AT&T, people still love Apple’s iPhone. According to a new report from ChangeWave, customers are still leaving their current cell carrier to flock to AT&T’s network just to purchase an iPhone.

According to this report, within the next 6 months 13% of the people polled are looking to bail out on their current carrier and 33% of those people said they will be headed to AT&T for an iPhone. These numbers are the highest since this question was first asked back in 2005. As for AT&T’s competition, namely Verizon, 24% will be going in that direction.

If you’d like to take it one step further you will find out that current AT&T customers are less likely to ditch the Evil Empire compared to 11% ready to leave Verizon. Now for all of you Verizon fans, they did beat out AT&T in terms of the quality of service customers are getting from the carrier. 50% of Verizon customers reported they were “very satisfied” while AT&T was tied with the likes of T-Mobile and Sprint at 31%.

This just emphasizes exactly how important it is that AT&T keep the iPhone out of Verizon customer hands.

[Via AppleInsider via ChangeWave]

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

Customers Still Flocking to AT&T for iPhone

iScape Games let us know that they have released their first iPhone game: Super Marble Roll [iTunes link]. I know… another marble game, but I think this one deserves your attention. I have spent a little time playing Super Marble Roll and find the controls and implementation of the accelerometer to be phenomenal. There is also a special easter egg “bonus mechanic” included that’ll help rack up those points!

iScape Games also shared with me that they already have updates planned for the future and are discussing more features such as unlocking levels and stage achievements.

Super Marble Roll is available in the App Store for $2.99. If you pick this one up, let us know what you think in the comments below!

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

Quick App: Super Marble Roll for iPhone

So, two and a half years ago Microsoft released what was basically their version of the 2005 video iPod. Now, some two years after Apple released the iPod touch, WMExperts (via Engagdet and CNET) tells us Microsoft has confirmed… the Zune HD, a wide screen, capacitive, solid-state media player.

At 272×480, it’s not quite as wide as the iPhone’s 320×480, much less the high-end Windows Mobile handsets like the Touch HD’s 480×800. But like we said, it is capacitive (which is strangely still unsupported by WinPho) and what pixels it has are OLED, which will hopefully motivate Apple to give the next generation iPhone the same treatment.

Other features include HD radio support and something nobody can believe they didn’t do from the outset: integrate it with the Xbox product line.

We’re still left wondering, however, is this really a business Microsoft needs to be in? Wouldn’t Zune resources have been better used to get Windows Mobile 7 out last year instead of next when it could be, you know, competitive?!

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

Microsoft Announces iPod touch Zune HD!