iPhone 4 case program starts with an email.

of course there’s an app for that…

here’s how it works.

go to the site for the program: http://www.apple.com/iphone/case-program/. the program offers iPhone 4 customers an app store app that lets them apply for their free iPhone 4 bumper case.

1. download the free iPhone 4 case program app from the app store. 
2. launch the app on your iPhone 4 and sign in using your iTunes account or apple id. 
3. select your bumper or case. 
4. that’s it.

what about if you already bought a bumper case?

there’s an email for that. all credit card customers should already be seeing refunds and receiving emails such as the one above.

connected marketer gets an iPad. [photos]

arriving in the “non-reservation” line (notice the black curtain in the apple store).

apple always takes care of people waiting in line with starbucks coffee and smartwater.

still a while to go.

the line begins to take shape.

the store opens at 8:55 a.m.

a swarm of (blue) apple store employees.

the line finally starts to move.

at the front of the line; the next “non-reservation” customer.

the apple store full of iPad customers.

the line when i left.

iPad.

iPad – open box.

iPad out of the box.

Posted via email from connected marketer.

Seinfeld back with the Mac – Sorry Microsoft

via tuaw.com

I guess Bill Gates didn’t make too much of an impression on him during their short-lived advertising campaign.

Posted via web from Eric’s posterous blog

Apple: “People Are Still Just Trying to Catch Up With the First iPhone” [BLOCKQUOTE]

via gizmodo.com

I love this image.

It makes me smile every time I see it. I don’t know if it’s because of the Futurama style of the drawing, Windows being portrayed by a Monkey, or the laser beam coming out of the iPhone 🙂

Posted via web from Eric’s posterous blog

AT&T MMS launch: How was it for iPhone users?

So, what’s the fallout of the AT& MMS update from last Friday? It seems that according to initial feedback nothing too exciting happened. There were just a few isolated reports of failures to get the update, failures to get the MMS functions after an update, and late delivery of MMS messages.
According to a non-scientific poll conducted by TUAW.com it seems that 46% of respondents had no issues at all and an additional 15% had initial issues that went away.

Is this a WIN for AT&T? In my opinion no because getting this right was expected after such a long delay. The iPhone is finally capable of performing rudimentary functions that any 13 year old’s cell phone that they sneak into school on a daily basis.

How did the AT&T MMS release go for you?

It worked well. No problems	5739 (45.9%)
It seemed slow at first, but got better	1827 (14.6%)
MMS is missing some features I wanted	237 (1.9%)
MMS isn’t of any interest to me. I use email for sending pix	1912 (15.3%)
Doesn’t run on my older iPhone. I’m not happy	708 (5.7%)
Slow delivery yesterday. Much better today	795 (6.4%)
Not happy at all	1297 (10.4%

Posted via web from Eric’s posterous blog

Is AT&T ready for iPhone MMS rollout tomorrow?

We’ve just heard from AT&T that new carrier settings for the iPhone 3G and 3GS will be available “late morning” Pacific Time (which would be early afternoon Eastern) this Friday, September 25, which will finally enable MMS support. Owners will have to tether up to iTunes to grab those settings, so fish out your cable (as if you don’t have it permanently attached to your machine already) and make sure you’ve got some solid time in front of the computer to check for the update over and over (and over) again, alright?

How long have iPhone owners been waiting on this? Too long!!!! Still WAY to overpriced. AT&T, quick question: Where would you be today without the iPhone? Huh?!?! This could be potentially disastrous for the AT&T brand if they don’r pull this off – no wonder they are scared right now. We’ll know more in 24 hours.

Posted via web from Eric’s posterous blog

Is Apple toying with Google? [iPhone and Google Voice]

According to Google’s statement from last Friday, in contrast to previous statements Apple rejected the Google Voice app outright.
So, it Google yelling: “You’re a Liar!” to Apple? Sort of, but not fully. This may be the first chapter in the Apple Google war of the second decade of the 21st Century. It all started when Eric Schmidt, Google’s CEO, left Apple’s board earlier this year after sitting on it since 2006.
The issue is that Apple ahs always run a very tight ship, maybe a little too tights. But, now that all of a sudden there are millions of Apple users via the iPhone they are just “enjoying” this tight ship that Apple runs. There really is nothing wrong with what Apple is doing – it is doing waht Steve Jobs loves: Controlling the end-user experience to the t. However, why doesn’t Apple simply come out and admit to this? Well, becasue there would be about a millin and one lawsuits files that day by companies that want their apps or programs to run on the iPhone regardless of what Apple thinks.
This brings us to the problem that Apple does not have the structures in place to properly monitor app submissions to the app store. Apple is making 30% of every app sold, so wouldn’t it be in their own best interest to approve as many apps as possibel to increase revenue? That’s where Steve Jobs and his tight ship come in.
So, in other words what we are witnessing is not the prelude to Google versus Apple, but rather Google versus Steve Jobs.
Since this story broke laste last week, Apple has again denied rejecting the Google Voice App to spite Google.
Read more: Gizmodo and Macrumors.

Posted via web from Eric’s posterous blog

What is up with Mobile Advertising?

I’ve been intrigued by the potential of Mobile Advertising since 1999. Back then grand articles were written on websites, in books, and magazines of how a grand revolution in advertising is upon us and that it will shake the very foundation that makes up marketing. Well, here we are 10 years later and not too much has changed. Do we receive coupons from Dunkin’ donuts as we walk by them on our phones? No. Do we get special offers from Target when we enter the store on our cell phones? No.

Then, where are we?

A story that I read today got me thinking. According to this story on AdvertisingAge.com from September 15th, the mobile apps which constitute the majority of the mobile marketing channel are “just an appetizer.” As the author puts is: “In grand historical terms, this whole mobile app thing is only now climbing out of the primordial ooze.” Well, Mr. Kevin Maney I hate to tell you but we’ve been in this state of climbing out of the ooze for at least a decade now. When will we finally move on to the next step?

I know some people will say that text message advertising is doing well, but I must point out that it is nowhere near its potential and I’m sure that it never will reach it as far as advertising goes.

While the iPhone, and in particular the app store, have moved us ahead by leaps and bounds in terms of branded communications and marketing on mobile devices, everything is still all over the place. Where would Video tapes be if both VHS and BETA survived until now? Or for that matter next gen DVD if the battle between BluRay and HD-DVD was still going on?

While competition does drive innovation, standardization can create a more focused effort with ultimately greater results. As much as people here in America lament the “big brother” approach of European or Asian economies, being light-years ahead in terms of cell phones, cell phone service, and technology in general does paint a picture.

Now back to the point by the AdAge article that we are clawing our way out of the “primordial ooze” in terms of mobile apps. Are these mobile apps he future of marketing communications to consumers on cell phones?  Apple showed a picture at its most recent iPod event that showed the superiority of its iPod touch – essentially a mobile phone without cell service – over current tablets or net books on the market.

So, does the future of mobile, mobile apps, and ergo mobile advertising in essence lie with smaller computer that happen to be phones as well (e.g. the iPhone)? That is something that only time will tell, because as Master Yoda says “The future, always in motion it is.” But, if I had to put my money on it right now, I’d say that smart phones will become more and more like small computers. And the billion dollar question will be to find out how to spam people with ads on there, just like advertisers have on any other channel known to man, is the future.

One final thought: Is the reason that mobile advertising is not catching on that a moblie phone is seen as the last “sacred” advertising-free sanctity by people?

Posted via web from Eric’s posterous blog

Awesome Recession Cardboard iPhone Case

By Jesus Diaz, 8:35 AM on Fri Sep 11 2009, 3,724 views (Edit, to draft, Slurp)

If I don’t find a new apartment in NY soon, I would be living in a fridge box for a while—which, mind you, would be bigger than most places here. One that matches this do-it-yourself cardboard iPhone case.

10 cases for $8 is not good enough for hobomodo, but cheap enough even if it’s not water proof. [Case-Mate via Oh Gizmo! via Dvice]

via feeds.gawker.com

I need to get one of these!

Posted via web from Eric’s posterous blog

Apple: Microsoft, we will crush you! (At least in MP3 player sales)

via engadget.com

Posted via web from Eric’s posterous blog