Someone left a prototype of Apple’s next-gen iPhone disguised as a 3GS in a Redwood City bar. It was only a matter of time before the device wound up in some tech site’s hands—in this case, Gizmodo’s.

Look at it, people. It’s absolutely hideous.

I imagine this is what it would be like to have Dr. Frankenstein and his creation stand side by side. Image from Gizmodo

Seriously? A flat, sandwich-like brick? I am sorely disappointed. It looks like something some enterprising young Chinese businessman would sell in one of the myriad shady stalls in malls across the Philippines. In fact, look around a bit and it’s likely you’ll find something that looks something, if not exactly, like this. One could argue that the bigger battery and whatever else changed hardware-wise necessitated such a bland form factor; I imagine a bezel would look tacky on something as thick as that. But still, I refuse to believe that Jon Ive and crew, with their impressive portfolio of devices, were unable to come up with a better body for it. The only theory left is that this misplaced prototype is so early, even the form factor is still open to modification; if this is true I sincerely hope Ive has come up with something better.

The next-gen iPhone is beautiful under the hood, to be sure. Among the new features in the next-gen prototype are a front-facing camera (something that would’ve made perfect sense to include two years ago), camera flash (probably still no Flash of the Adobe kind, though), what looks like a higher-resolution display, and and a bigger battery (the other innards have been shrunk to make space for it). Gizmodo doesn’t mention what processor it uses, though it will probably sport a faster chip than the 3GS.

Now listen to this: it uses a micro-SIM, just like the iPad. A MICRO-SIM. Haven’t heard of it? Of course—most no one uses it. Cutting up your regular SIM to fit the micro-SIM slot is a trivial task, but you nonetheless have to wonder why Apple would put such an obscure technology into what is arguably the world’s most popular phone. Perhaps they’re taking a risk and trying to move the industry forward by forcing their sizable user base to adapt to the micro-SIM standard. Perhaps the internal makeup of the phone simply cannot accommodate a regular SIM.

Despite its sheer hideousness, I would still buy the next-gen iPhone if I had enough money. The iPhone OS is still the best mobile operating system anyone can get; Apple’s App Store, draconian though its management is, still makes it worth buying. Nonetheless, if this wayward prototype turns out to be the final product, I would be sorely disappointed. Specially in recent years, Apple has been leading the industry, creating effective products and forcing competitors to follow their lead. If this is how Jobs and gang want the future of mobile phones to look, I’m not so sure I want them to keep leading.

iPhone 3G box

As an early birthday gift, my folks got me the iPhone 3G this week. Woot! It’s an amazing cell phone—a computer in your palm, really—and I was literally jumping for joy when I first coddled the device in my hands.

I won’t write a review. We’ve read enough of those. I’ll praise the iPhone instead. With the 2.1 update, reception’s pretty alright, push email is beautiful (although imperfect), and the variety of apps you can get in the App Store—many of them for free!—is amazing! I’m having fun lightsabering and lightering on the phone right now.

The fact that it’s also a pretty awesome iPod doesn’t hurt, either. With 8 gigabytes of storage—as much as my now neglected iPod nano—I now have enough space to stuff the phone with my music, videos, podcasts and whatnot.

Its 2-megapixel camera is not as bad as you think. It can’t take a lot of money shots, that’s for sure, but it’s perfect for capturing the everyday memories you want to preserve. What boggles me, though, is why Apple never bothered to include video capability on the iPhone, a supposedly ridiculously easy task for a tech company that has innovation plastered all over it.

All things considered, I’m a happy camper. (No unboxing video; my mom purchased the phone for me at 5 PM, while I was having Statistics at school.)

Math Jingle

Classmates during practice session

The section I belong to bagged Second Place for the Math Jingle competition during today’s Math Festival. Not bad, in my opinion, considering the fact that we only began practicing seriously at the end of last week. No video coverage (at least, not yet; my classmate took videos and will probably upload them to Multiply, like, soon), no pics of me emceeing at the program. Sad fez.

DSPC

Once every year, the Department of Education holds school press conferences in the division, region and national levels as a way for campus journalists such as myself to showcase their talents and potential. The Division Schools Press Conference for the division to which my school belongs will begin next Wednesday, and being my school’s representative for the Feature Writing competition, I’ve got a lot of preparation to do. This is probably going to spell a busy day ahead for me. Fushazzle. The things you do for [the] love [of writing].

Obama inches ever closer to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.

It was thought to be an improbable campaign, but Barack Obama’s grassroots movement for change is now on the verge of winning the White House. After mopping the debate floor with McCain twice, he has a six-point advantage according to CNN’s latest polls. The Electoral College map shows that he has 264 electors on his side—just six shy of the 270 needed to clinch the presidency. I remember checking the map a couple of weeks ago, and back then Barack only had 250 electors. If 14 electors could be gained in a few weeks, then think of what could happen between now and November 4! With swing states trending towards the Democratic nominee, we can probably see where this race is going.

My baby, my sexy sexy baby.

Globe Telecom is releasing the iPhone 3G in the Philippines this Friday, which means only one thing: me wants. Yes, I know gas prices are skyrocketing. Yes, I know that the “standard” cup of rice at the local eatery has shrunk.

But mewants the iPhone 3G.

Why, you say? Why lust after the iPhone 3G when my Nokia E65 is perfectly fine? Here’s why:

• My E65 isn’t perfectly fine. For one, it’s been with me for about a year now, which is eerie by the way given the fact that I usually wreck or lose a phone three seconds after I get it.
• The iPhone’s chic, hip, and high-tech.
• It’s an Apple product, and that automatically means it has quality. (The only Apple product I own as of now is an 8GB iPod nano.)
• Many more reasons.
• mobile phone + iPod + GPS + handheld gaming device rolled into one.
• Dude, it’s an iPhone. You shouldn’t need any more convincing.

My Nokia’s been very laggy as well after I updated its firmware. Its four-way navigation button’s silvery surface is peeling away (and rusting a bit). In short, I need a new phone.

To be more specific, I need an iPhone.

So, I’ve been “accidentally” dropping my E65, slamming it onto walls, and whatever else would wreck the damn thing just in time for Friday. Yes, I’m desperate.

A prepaid 8GB iPhone costs Php37,599.00. From what I understand, you would still have to use a prepaid Globe SIM card together with this phone, and I’m a Smart Telecom user (more textmates, more offers, better rates) right now. But if my folks would get me an iPhone, I’d convert to Globe instantly. Bam Wam Shablam.

*takes glass of water, spills some on Nokia E65* Oops, ’twas an accident, I swearz. I can has iPhone nao?