Fortune's Apple 2.0 got a nice little graph up of just where and when the iPhone's hype machine went into overdrive. There's no question it was a gigantic brand last year, but what's interesting is just how manufactured and "by design" each of those spikes are. B on the chart above is the actual iPhone launch, and E and F are the 3G debut and store launch. Fortune relates point A to the Cisco lawsuit against Apple over the "iPhone" name, but let's be real: that was just part of the story of the gigantic iPhone reveal (which took place one day before, not two).

So the real story here isn't necessarily that Apple masterfully created a smartphone that revolutionized the industry and made tons of money doing it, but that they coordinated a hype machine that marched to their tune whenever they wanted. The red line above, as you can see, is Palm, and while there are a few spikes along that line (probably interest in various new products and releases), there's nothing like the excitement and hype that shoots up around a big Apple event. The iPhone is a feat of engineering in itself, but the hype machine behind it is pretty well-built, too.

For iPhone owners who want the benefit of the 2.1 firmware, but also want to run their jail-broken applications, the iPhone Dev Team has just released PwnageTool and QuickPwn for 2.1 devices. Please note: this does NOT work with the new iPod Touch 2g and is for iPhones or first generation Touch devices only.

The Dev Team managed to work around iTunes 8 without having to patch the program, so pwners can try the new tool without worrying about altering a core OS X program.

Let us know in the comments how well Pwnage and/or Quick/Pwn is working with your device. As always, pwning is unauthorized, do it at your own risk and make sure you back-up any important information before using the tool.

Thanks to everyone who sent this in!

Do you spend more time in your car than you spend at home? If so, you're probably a road warrior driving around for your business. If that's the case, a good mileage log is exactly what you need. With gas prices still in the $4/gallon range, making sure you track your work or charitable miles accurately is very important.

Trip Cubby (App Store link) is a mileage log on steroids. It has a well thought out interface giving you the flexibility to put in as much detail as you need about trips. When you launch the $9.99 app, you're greeted with a simple list of trips and the option to add a new trip. It's then that the power of this app shows up, since the amount of information you can capture about a trip is very complete and customizable.

If you need to supply a trip log to your accountant, Trip Cubby not only creates a comma-delimited (CSV) file, but opens an email view so you can send it to someone. Developer David Barnard notes that they're working on an online backup system for Trip Cubby and other apps by App Cubby so your iTunes backup doesn't "lose" your info. Check out the gallery for more screenshots of Trip Cubby.

Sure, Apple claims the 3G is fast, but with all the problems with 3Gs connecting all over the world, just how fast is it really? The folks at Wired.com have decided to find out, and they need your help. They'd like you to test your iPhone at the TestmyiPhone.com network speed testing site, and then hit up their global ZeeMap to register your speed.

Instructions are over on their website, and they're testing both Edge and 3G upload and download speeds, so you'll have to run three tests total. You'll also have to sign up for a ZeeMap account.

The eventual payoff will be a relatively clear look at iPhone speeds around the world. Wired says that they'll eventually average global data, but there's a lot of things that could be done with data like this -- heatmaps? Speed per carrier? Once they get a good set of figures together, there's probably all kinds of things that can be done.

There are historic days, people. The App Store went live, and all of a sudden, we're drowning in new things for the iPhone. But it's not just a big deal for iPhone owners -- this is a huge day for society and technology in general. While there have been lots of PDAs, and lots of apps to run on them, there's never been anything like the App Store before -- here's five ways that Apple's platform for iPhone application distribution will change our world.

1. Ubiquitous computing.

Any science fiction writer will tell you that we're already living the future -- we can teleport things, robots are easy to make, and almost anything dreamed of can be done if you have enough money to do it. But a technology really doesn't move from fantasy to reality until it's everywhere, and thanks to the iPhone 3G, computing has become just that. You can't take a laptop around with you all the time (as in, to a fancy restaurant or to the movies) to edit photos or post to your blog, but you can bring the iPhone. It's the ultimate ultramobile platform, and it's now cheap enough to be everywhere, and powerful enough that almost any common computing task can be done.

Four more huge changes after the jump.

During the keynote every time the App Store was mention people would say it was 'launching soon,' or that their apps would be 'available at launch.' No one mentioned a specific launch day. Apple might have let the cat out of the bag though. The image to the right was just snapped off of Apple's Australian iPod Touch page. It clearly stated that the App Store, and presumably the 2.0 firmware for both the iPhone and the iPod Touch, will be available on June 27th. That contradicts the 'early July' timeline mentioned in the keynote.

I know I speak for all iPhone/iPod touch users when I say: we wouldn't mind getting this firmware a little early, Apple.

Thanks, Samantha.

That fancy iPhone 3G won't feel much speedier than your first gen iPhone if you aren't in an area that is covered by AT&T's high-speed 3G network. Luckily, AT&T has a list of cities (yes, if you're not in a metropolitan area chances are you'll be using EDGE more often than not) that have 3G coverage.

AT&T doesn't offer up a map of the US with their 3G coverage highlighted, so I took the liberty of using their 'Coverage Viewer' and my copy of Acorn to whip up a full US map with AT&T's 3G coverage in deep blue. Check it out here (the map isn't perfect, I know, but it does give you a good idea of the extent of AT&T's 3G network).

Update: I've added another map that only shows AT&T's data coverage. 3G is the deepest blue, while EDGE is slightly lighter (and more widespread).

Our Canadian readers have suffered a long, iPhone-less time. There are been countless rumors that Rogers, Canada's leading cell phone provider, would be releasing the iPhone 'any day now.' The above graphic from Rogers' website mentions that someting 'really big' will be coming on July 11th. Hmm, that date looks familiar... what else is happening on that date? Ah, right, the international launch of the iPhone 3G.

Canadians, looks like you'll soon be able to join in on the iPhone fun.

Thanks to everyone who sent this in.

Update: Rogers might be playing coy, but Apple released a press release letting us know what is happening on the 11th in Canada. In the rush of news yesterday, I overlooked this. Thanks, bob.

It looks like our friends across the pond (as pretentious bloggers say) are getting a pretty good deal on the iPhone 3G. O2 released their iPhone 3G service information last night, and here are some highlights:

• For a monthly service fee, or tariff, of £45 you get a free 8 gig iPhone, or the 16 gig version for £59.
• For £75 a month you get either an 8 gig or 16 gig iPhone 3G for free (I'd go with the 16 gig model myself).
  
• For a monthly fee of £30 or £35 the 8 gig iPhone 3G will cost you £99 while the 16 gig will go for £159.

Interestingly, the iPhone 3G will be offered on O2's Pay & Go plans, unlike the very similar service from AT&T which the iPhone 3G does not qualify for, at least here in the States. Additionally, UK iPhone buyers will be able to purchase their iPhones online, while we in the States will have to go to our local Apple or AT&T stores.

Thanks to everyone who sent this in.

That was a heck of a way to start off WWDC 2008, don't you think? Just in case you didn't get a change to read all of our 40 or so posts today, I thought I would highlight a few.

Be sure to check out our WWDC 2008 coverage page for lots more info.

The Stevenote

TUAW Meta-Liveblog of WWDC 08 Keynote: Our award winning coverage of other sites' live coverage of the WWDC keynote

iPhone 2.0 firmware will ship in early July, touch users pay $9.95: iPhone users get the 2.0 firmware for free, while iPod touch folks have to pay Apple ten bucks.

iPhone 3G announced: Did you know Apple makes a phone? The new iPhone, dubbed the iPhone 3G, sports faster networking, longer battery life, GPS, and a flush headphone jack. All of that, and it costs much less ($199 for an 8 gig and $299 for the 16 gig model).

MobileMe announced: .Mac is dead, long live MobileMe. Well, at least that will be the case on July 11. The .Mac replacement offers up push email, calendaring, contacts as well as Web 2.0 apps for checking said things. It still costs $99 for an individual account and $149 for a family subscription (all subscriptions last for a year).

WWDC Reader Q&A Liveblog: You had questions, and we tried to answer them.

Apple posts video of WWDC 2008 keynote: Watch it in the comfort of your own Mac.

iPhone 3G

3G iPhone: What it means - a look at the hardware: Cory checks out what comes in the iPhone 3G box.

Where can I buy an iPhone 3g?: Christina whipped up a very cool map showing you all the countries that Apple will be selling the iPhone 3G in.

AT&T talks iPhone 3G plans, apps: AT&T spills the beans about the new iPhone service plans (spoiler alert, they are more expensive) and talks about the Yellowpages.com app they are working on.

Confirmed: GoPhone is No Go and in-store Activation only: Erica confirms that the iPhone 3G will have to be activated in store, no more iTunes activations for you! Also, the GoPhone plan won't be available for the iPhone 3G.

MobileMe

.Mac to MobileMe: what's the deal?: Apple explains the transition from .Mac to MobileMe for current subscribers.

Get a $30 discount on MobileMe: A little bargain hunting never hurt anyone.

What isn't making the cut from .Mac to MobileMe: iCards will be no more. A nation mourns (or at least a WiFi expert does).

Snow Leopard (aka OS X 10.6)

Apple posts details about Snow Leopard: A press release details some of the features found in Snow Leopard.

Apple posts Snow Leopard website: Even more about Apple's next cat.

Apple posts Snow Leopard Server information: Some information about the server flavor of Snow Leopard, which will include some very cool new features.

Gizmodo is reporting that the days of activating your iPhone at home via iTunes are over. That's right, AT&T says you'll have to activate your iPhone in store either at an AT&T store or an Apple store. The process will take between 10 to 12 minutes per phone. Oh, and you won't be able to order an iPhone 3G online at launch, so you'll be at a store anyway.

AT&T just posted a press release which answers a few questions about the new iPhone 3G. First off, AT&T remains the exclusive iPhone carrier in the US (though there will be plenty of other carriers in other countries). The iPhone 3G is subsidized, and the revenue sharing agreement between Apple and AT&T has ended (you might recall that Apple got a cut of monthly subscriber fees for the iPhone, though no longer).

But what about the service plans? It looks like AT&T is getting rid of those easy to choose from iPhone plans, and letting people get whatever voice plan they want, with data plans sold separately. The data plans are as follows:

• Consumers will pay $30 a month for unlimited 3G data plus $39.99 a month (to start) for voice.
• Business users will need to pay $45 a month for unlimited data plus a voice plan.

This means that the base iPhone monthly cost for most consumers will go from $59.99 a month (that's the base first gen iPhone plan with unlimited data, 450 minutes a month, and 200 text messages) to $69.99 a month. High speed networking costs money, people!

AT&T also noted that they, themselves, are working on an iPhone app. Yellowpages.com mobile is an iPhone app that will let you search the Yellowpages on your phone. Not that exciting in and of itself, but using Core Location, Yellowpages.com Mobile will know where you are and search local listings based on your current position. Not too shabby. It will also have 'social networking' features allowing you to share reviews with your friends and plan events.

Sure the iPhone 3G specs are pretty sweet, but what about the fact that you can get one in white? Apple has posted a gallery showing off the new iPhone in all its glory, both in black and the limited edition white (16 gig model only).

Personally, I think the white one is pretty snazzy (to borrow a word from Steve). What say you? Sound off in the comments.