No need to recreate the wheel!
Visit the Cocoia Blog for more details

Does not support all ISP’s or mobile phone providers. iiNet, Telstra, OPTUS, Vodafone and Internode are only supported at this stage…

It comes into a class of its own if you are running Mac OS X Leopard (10.5.6) as you can set it up in iTunes to sync with your Gmail contacts. Once you have done this you only need to set up the exchange server on your handset. In my instance I am only using it for my contacts and calendar (which now replaces the My Memova setup). My email is IMAP on the device using Gmail (as I have recently given Google Apps away as no longer needed).

Enabling Push data access on the device ensures your contacts are synced at all times and now means I have one set of contacts, backed up in 3 seperate locations. I can also edit my contacts on any device or App and they are automatically updated on the other. Something I have been after for a while now.

Supporting most popular devices, you can’t go past this as an essential contact management tool.

Visit Google mobile sync

There is an iPhone application to make the process simple and the interface on the web app is relatively pretty. Powered by phpBB, it is relatively similar to other web based contact syncing apps out there.

If you’re wanting something else other than a backup of your contacts on your PC or Mac and you’re using an iPhone, this one gets the thumbs up!

Take a look

So what are we using?

Air Sharing for iPhone

Can’t go past this for a wireless file sharing app for the iPhone. Viewable formats include: iWork, Office, Web Archive, Web Page, PDF, HTML, RTF, RTFD, Plain Text, Source Code, MPEG-4, H.264, 3GPP, all iPhone Audio formats, and Image formats including Gif, PNG, JPG, TIFF, and more. The file browser also features pinch zooming and landscape mode.
Visit iTunes for more info

IDrive

Like most, I have a few portable backup drives however I do not like carrying them with me all the time. So to keep it simple I now use IDrive on a daily and weekly basis. With scheduled backups and 2GB of free storage, you can’t go past it for a free online and backup storage service.
Visit the iDrive website

Synkron

Until recently I have been a big fan of SyncToy, now I am using Synkron on the Mac and PC. A nicer, easier to use interface and of couse, there is a Mac and PC version unlike some other Syncing apps. If you’re into it, there’s also a portable version!
Visit website

Of course, none if this would work without an Internet connection and if you’re going to use Air Sharing it will have to be a wireless one.

For an alternative to IDrive (for stoage only) you could use Box.net.

Hardware is a DELL Latitude with XP, MacBook Pro with OS X and iPhone 3G. Internet connection and iPhone data both with OPTUS.

Firstly, a few criticisms

Not being a phone for everyone, there are a few things the iPhone cannot do which we would all be accustom to in our everyday handsets.

• You cannot forward SMS messages. Not a big issue but one just the same.
• Cannot send and receive MMS messages.
• Cannot connect to computers via Bluetooth (other options available though)
• Cannot use phone as modem.

It is worth saying though, in my opinion the pro’s far out weigh these cons. Plus there are also some sexy accessories available.

Now onto the applications.
Unless you want to jailbreak your handset, you are limited to installing applications via iTunes. Personally I do not see this as as issue at this point and there are some great applications available from the iTunes Store. Here are some that I have installed and have lasted the last few months on my iPhone and use regularly – and they’re all free!

• Sodasnap: Send postcards from handset vie email.
• 21 Pro: Addictive Blackjack game.
• Palringo: IM client.
• Google Mobile App: Google apps and more.
• To Do’s: To do list organiser.
• GPS Tracker: Exactly that, just for the hell of it.
• Speedbox: Uses GPS to estimate travel speed.
• Currency: Currency converter.
• MiGhtyDocs: Downloads your Google docs.
• ZIPcodes: Directory of ZIP codes.
• Spend Lite: Tracks spending and can email report in CSV format.
• 3in1 Mortgage Calc: Estimates mortgage repayments.
• Digital Clock: Digital clock, surprise!
• Speedtest: Measures bandwidth speed.
• AirSharing: Transfer files between computers and iPhone (very handy!).
• reMovem: Addictive bubble game.
• Flickup: Send your pics to Flickr.
• Bloomberg: Financial analysis and stock information.

The final word

If you’re after a phone/device just to make phone calls, the iPhone is not for you. If (like me) you lead an ‘always online’ life and want an all-in-one device (and are a Mac fan) then the iPhone is definitely for you. It is certainly different to the devices of old we are all used to but its ease of use and overall functionality make it a device to take us into the future of IP telecommunications.

For someone like myself that uses both a PC and a Mac for different reasons, it is not until you begin using services like MobileMe or familiarising yourself with OS X that you realise how much of your day is wasted waiting for your PC to boot, rebooting due to updates, waiting for programs to respond or wandering to yourself ‘why did that program just steal focus?’. These are all things you do not have to deal with when using Apples technology.

There is another angle to this new device, the view form the Telco. Does this really matter you ask, well not really but I find it an interesting one. Interesting because for so long the Telco has dictated what technologies we see and where. Basing decisions on perceived and intended future requirements of the general consumer (and business). Now the times are changing with consumers now wanting a device regardless of the requirement to enter into a contract and no matter which Telco you go with, ending up with the same service – 3G. Sure the plans will differ and this is where the arm wrestle begins. Contracted plans make or break the consumers decision to buy, the Telco knows this! If they don’t want to you to embrace the device their plans will reflect this and look very undesirable. Don’t believe me? See for yourself, take a look at OPTUS versus Telstra!

What I believe the iPhone has essentially done is put the power back into the consumers hands and planted an Apple seed in every household that now has one of these sort after hand held computer come phone. That too, is a very good thing!

Remember, this is nothing more than my 2cents.

If the OPTUS link times out click here to view in PDF

Download the complete set of 24 wallpapers (via Box.net)