AT&T's 3G Network Sees 2,000% Increase Since iPhone 3G Release

In the wake of a big $65 million upgrade to its network here in the San Francisco Bay Area, AT&T revealed that the improvement was due to 3G usage being up 2,000% after the release of the iPhone 3G last year. That sounds like a crazy number for which the iPhone deserves all kinds of high fives, but it's really not surprising—how many AT&T 3G phones were there before the iPhone 3G, even? And of course 3G use across the board is up in crazy numbers, since smartphones have really started taking off in the last year or so—so to be honest, the number doesn't really mean all that much. Hence its ending up here in the sad pit of Remainders. [All Things D]

Droid Camera Fixed, Without Explanation?

The Motorola Droid camera is a serious problem. I can't compete with Matt's angry poetry on the subject, so here it is, clipped from his review:

The camera is complete garbage. It takes 10 years to start up, 2 to focus, and another 4 to actually take the goddamn picture. And there's no distinct visual feedback to let you know a photo's been snapped. And the photos suck. That pumpkin shot, in decent lighting, is as good as it gets. Like I said in the Android 2.0 review, I don't know if it's the hardware or the software, but it's inexcusably bad.

Yow. But users have spontaneously been reporting that the camera, all of a sudden, has stopped sucking—what's the deal? Apparently there was some kind of bug wherein a particular state of the clock (meaning, time of day) screws with the Droid's autofocusing, which sounds insane to me, but what do I know? Apparently it should work okay now, and while it's temporary, the incoming Dec. 11th bug fix should take care of things. [Electronista]

Genius Bar App Won't Help if Your iPhone Is Broken

Rumor has it that Apple is planning to add a Genius Bar app to the App Store (appappappapp) that will let you make appointments, track your place in line, and curse the world when you realize you can't use the app because your iPhone is broken, which is the whole reason you need to make the appointment in the first place. Catch 22 apps are the very best kind of apps. [TUAW]

Samsung Beats out Vizio for Top LCD Seller

I bet you've been waiting by your computer, eager to see who managed to eke out the top spot in the LCD sales wars this fiscal quarter. Will it be Vizio, the low-priced upstart who took the LCD world by storm? Or Samsung, the crafty veteran with the quality sets and sleek design? Looks like this quarter, Samsung took the prize—and it's in Remainders because honestly who cares, at all. [CrunchGear]

Overall, they were surprisingly unfazed by my request for repairs. They were impressed that I had it, and seemed genuinely interested in helping me get it fixed. They couldn't do anything for me, since Apple only keeps equipment from the last five years on hand, but they pointed me towards Tekserve, another Apple-centric store in NYC.

Thanks to Nick McGlynn and Gawker.tv for shooting the hidden camera footage!

Google Cuts Price of Online Storage by 800%

You know how sometimes the new version of a product will offer 50% more, for the same price? And how you think that's such a great deal? Well, Google just stomped all over your puny 50% upgrade by bumping their online storage to a ridiculous extent. Now you get twice the amount of storage for a quarter of the old price. That's right, that's eight times more for the same amount of money. For those that are having trouble with math, that means the storage now costs $5 a year for 20GB of space, and you can buy up to 16TB at that rate. If you're looking to store stuff in the cloud, this is a pretty killer deal. [Google]

Apple Updates Genius Bar Reservation System

Apple's Genius Bar is a pretty good system, although the first time I went they told me to arrive 15 minutes before my appointment, like the fact that their 6-week-old, $1500 product spontaneously broke was somehow my fault and not something for which they should accommodate my schedule. They're tech support guys, not doctors, right? ANYWAY, they've redesigned their online reservation system, and while I have screenshots of the new version, I never cared enough about the system to be able to notice what's different. It's in Remainders for pretty obvious reasons, I think. [Thanks, Grant!]

Gold-Dipped PS3 Slim: The Hot Holiday Gift (in Donald Trump's House)

The dudes at Computer Choppers have dipped a PS3 Slim in 24kt gold (along with two controllers) and will be selling them for an undisclosed price in a limited run of 5. To the only person reading this: Hey, Mr. Trump! More photos and price will be coming soon, so if you just toss me your email I'll be sure to let you know when you can finally get the current-gen gaming console to match your skyscraper. [Geeky Gadgets]

Sanyo's "Stick Booster" Looks and Sounds Far Dirtier Than It Is

Sanyo's "Stick Booster" name sounds like the kind of product you hear about in spam emails, and it looks mostly like a vibrator. But it's actually a pretty nice-looking gadget charger, once you realize what it's for, taking two AA batteries (rechargeables, of course; it's in Sanyo's green initiative line) and offering a USB port to charge your phone, camera, or whatever for about 90 minutes. It's available now for about $35. It winds up here in Remainders because it's definitely not the first AA-USB charger we've seen, although it might be the prettiest. [CrunchGear]

Ah, the irony that Raymond Miller went into his local Stamford Town Center Apple Store because he was having issues with image files on his computer. The Genius found the suggestive images and called on one of the police officers stationed in the mall. Miller was arrested while he was waiting to get his computer back.

According to the Stamford Advocate, he was charged with one count of possession of child pornography, a class-B felony which is punishable by a minimum five-year prison sentence if convicted. No word if the Genius was able to fix his G5. [The Stamford Advocate via Tuaw]

One of the two managers interviewing told him that it actually didn't matter how many he was able to answer—most of the staff can't even answer half of them, stuff like:

• What is special about the Mac Pro’s current Ram setup?
• What is Automator and what does it do?
• If a user account keeps crashing on login what do you do?
• What are 3 keyboard combinations you can boot your computer with?
• Are you familiar with OS 9?
• If a customer asks you to sync music from their iPod to computer, what do you say?
• How do you answer a customer who wants to share music with his friend via iTunes?

If you can pass that weak filter—I don't even own a Mac (unless you count my recently built Hackintosh) and I can answer five of those—you'll be welcomed into a loving environment that is " 'very strict' with its employees and what they do with their free time." Lovely, but Aviv turned the offer down.

It just shows you that Geniuses are no different from any corporate tech support group, be it Geek Squad, Firedog or Crapkitty Battalion: Some of them really know their shit, but almost (or just) as many don't know the command key from that gaping, screaming hole in Steve Ballmer's face. [Macblogz via Valleywag, Image via presta]

Here's why this is so obnoxious: They're not just screwing over actual people—you know, a mom or some college kid who really just wants to get their computer fixed—but Apple isn't going to drop DRM in response to this lame stunt. If you really feel that the "iPhone 3G restricts your freedom," just don't buy it [emphasis theirs]. Mock people's ignorance, call them iSheep, hand out snazzy flyers, dress up like a drooling iPod in cage, whatever. But just let them get their damn computers and gadgets fixed in peace. The Genius Bar lines are long enough as it is. [Defective by Design]

Midnight. maybe it's a clarification of Friday store hours, maybe it's a chance for Apple's retail division to remind the world about the "legendary Genius Bar support, free workshops and our One to One personal training." Then, on Saturday, in-depth workshops will begin. Mind you, these are in-depth workshops for a product that's supposed to be revolutionarily simple. Hey, I'm sure there are a few things we could all learn.

iPhone Premieres This Friday Night at Apple Retail Stores Free Workshops, Genius Bar Support and One to One Personal Training

CUPERTINO, Calif., June 28 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Apple's revolutionary iPhone(TM) will go on sale this Friday, June 29 at 6:00 p.m. local time at Apple(R) retail stores nationwide. All 164 Apple retail stores in the US will stay open until midnight, and customers can purchase up to two iPhones on a first come, first served basis. Beginning Saturday morning, iPhone customers can learn how to get the most out of the iPhone with free, in-depth workshops offered throughout the day at all Apple retail stores. Every Apple retail store will offer support for iPhone at the Genius Bar and personal training through Apple's new One to One program.

"Apple retail stores were created for this moment — to let customers touch and experience a revolutionary new product," said Ron Johnson, Apple's senior vice president of Retail. "With our legendary Genius Bar support, free workshops and our One to One personal training, we're here to help customers get the most from their new iPhone."

iPhone introduces an entirely new user interface based on a revolutionary multi-touch display and pioneering new software that allows users to control iPhone with just a tap, flick or pinch of their fingers. iPhone combines three
products into one small and lightweight handheld device-a revolutionary mobile phone, a widescreen iPod(R), and the Internet in your pocket with best-ever applications on a mobile phone for email, web browsing and maps. iPhone ushers in an era of software power and sophistication never before seen in a mobile device, which completely redefines what users can do on their mobile phones.

Pricing and Availability
iPhone goes on sale in the US on June 29, 2007 at 6:00 p.m. local time through Apple's retail stores and AT&T's select retail stores. Apple's online store will be taking orders for iPhone beginning at 6:00 p.m. PDT. iPhone will be available in a 4GB model for $499 (US) and an 8GB model for $599 (US), and will work with either a PC or Mac(R). Beginning June 30 and continuing through the summer, Apple Stores in the US will open early at 9:00 a.m. for iPhone sales. Customers can check iPhone availability at their local Apple retail store starting at 9:00 p.m. the night before at http://www.apple.com/retail.

In-store tech support seems to be getting a more popular as it helps build consumer confidence. After all, if the guy telling you about a product is the same guy who was poking at one with a screwdriver behind a desk, he knows all about it, right?

Still, we're a little hesitant. I don't mind the guys who work on the machines selling them, but I wouldn't necessarily want the guys selling them fixing them, you follow? I miss the days when techs were techs, and they never saw the light of the retail floor.

Look for Backstage in New York and New Jersey stores.

Sony follows Apple's lead with in-store support [electronista via CrunchGear]

Here's an easier way to get rid of credit card debt if willful homelessness doesn't sound appealing to you: don't buy what you can't afford, no matter how shiny it is. –Adam Frucci

LA Times [via Neatorama]

Yes, the Genius Bar pilot is being created by the two producers of That 70's Show. And the original concept was by Krishnan Menon, the brains behind many Apple marketing campaigns, so it is "that" genius bar CBS is referring to.

Gizmodo has an exclusive excerpt of their script:

"Hey, welcome to Pear."
"Thanks. Heard you guys think alternatively around here."
"We sure do."
"Is that why you're wearing bellbottoms with a black mock turtle?"

Genius Bar looks to be at least 50% funnier than previous shows on CBS and each episode plays back up to 3 continuous weeks of canned laughter. Look for spinoff Genius Bar: Miami 6 months following the pilot. – Mark Wilson

[TV Squad]