Need to Know: iPhone 3.0 OS

The 3.0 OS brings with it a bunch of new changes and additions. In fact it's like getting a new phone. Let's run through the best ones:

Copy and paste, cut

One of the biggest omissions from Apple's phone is now here. Select blocks of text with a tap, and you can also copy and paste from the web. At last!

Landscape keyboard

The onscreen keyboard is easier to use in landscape mode and it now works when you rotate it in more applications such as Mail, Messages, Notes and, of course, Safari.

Internet tethering cost

You'll now be legally able to tether your iPhone to your laptop and use it as an over sized dongle, which could be very handy. Unfortunately in the UK, it doesn't come cheap and requires an O2 Bolt On'. This costs 14.98 a month for a 3GB cap, and 29.36 for 10GB. You have to have it for a minimum of 30 days and if you go over your bundle allowance, it will cost you 19.6p per MB. And possibly your very soul.

Voice memos

Business executives love to leave notes for themselves and now they can courtesy of an app complete with an image of an old style microphone. It works with the built-in mic or the one on the supplied headset. Beware people talking to themselves.

Improved stocks

Viewing stocks and shares is another exec essential. Now you can view charts in landscape mode and get more detail about how far your stocks have plummeted.

Improved calendar

You can now create meetings over ActiveSync and subscribe to Exchange calendars thanks to support for the CalDev standard.

Spotlight search

This mimics the Mac, enabling you to find stuff across the whole iPhone from one location.

Automatic Wi-Fi

If you regularly log into a paid for Wi-Fi hotspot the iPhone now remembers the details so you don't have to go through the whole setup each time.

Benny Har-Even

Benny Har-Even is a twenty-year stalwart of technology journalism who is passionate about all areas of the industry, but telecoms and mobile and home entertainment are among his chief interests. He has written for many of the leading tech publications in the UK, such as PC Pro and Wired, and previously held the position of technology editor at ITPro before regularly contributing as a freelancer.

Known affectionately as a ‘geek’ to his friends, his passion has seen him land opportunities to speak about technology on BBC television broadcasts, as well as a number of speaking engagements at industry events.