Apple releases their second iPhone 2.0 software update through iTunes today. The release notes only say it includes only "bug fixes" (any fixes at this point are welcome, but faster typing and better connectivity are the high hopes), and AppleInsider reports no new settings appear on your phone. If you install it, be prepared for it to undo your jailbreak. [via]

In the absence of a proper free electronic program guide, subscription EPG IceTV has long been the best choice for people who want a proper, easy-to-program guide for their personal video recorder and don't plan to purchase a Foxtel IQ box (or more recently, a Tivo). As Nick over at Gizmodo notes, IceTV has now rolled out a free iPhone application which lets you use your cherished Apple phone to program your IceTV device remotely. Even non-account holders can use it for checking today's TV guide (though there's plenty of other sites that'll give you that feature). The application is free for iPhone 2.0 users. [IceTV via MacTalk via Gizmodo]

The Australian iPhone Plan Comparison Calculator which we mentioned last week has proved to be quite a hit -- so much so that developer Andrew Parry has made a few tweaks. As he explained in an email to Lifehacker:

Based on the feedback I made a couple of changes There are now two versions, a Top 10 and a Complete ( the top 10 version is set as the front page). The reason for the change is that if I only compare the top 10 it loads much faster and the model runs faster. I had a lot of positive feedback and I hope I've helped a few people (except Telstra's exec bonuses, somehow I think I'll get a call from them, yikes!)

The app has also been updated to reflect recent changes in Optus' plans, including the unsurprising dropping of its most expensive plans in the wake of its better-value Timeless options. [Australian iPhone Plan Comparison Calculator]

Existing iPhone owners are now queuing to update their software, but some prospective iPhone buyers  are unhappy they haven't got the device yet. Mitchell Bingemann at AustralianIT reports that several Optus customers are unhappy they were persuaded to sign up for a plan even though phones weren't delivered, and now face getting a monthly bill even though there's no phone in sight. Other carriers also have problems (most notably Vodafone and its no-end-in-sight plan confusion). How was your iPhone buying experience? Would it put you off buying one again? Share your thoughts in the comments.
Billed for iPhone but no device [AustralianIT]

Apple release the first update to the iPhone 2.0 software, which promises bug fixes (hopefully it fixes these problems). Hit Update in iTunes, or download it manually here(first gen, 3G). Installing this update WILL de-jailbreak your phone. [Direct download links via Whirlpool]

While there's virtue in choice, the range of telcos offering the iPhone in Australia (more than anywhere else in the world as far as we can see) makes choosing the right plan tricky. There's some obvious basic principles you should follow, but sifting through the dozens of options on offer can be exhausting. Enter the Australian iPhone Plan Comparison Calculator, which lets you enter some key metrics -- calls and SMSes each day, plus voicemail volume, typical call lengths and anticipated data needs -- and matches those to the most suitable plans. It'd be nice to see a more nuanced approach to data downloads (factoring in key elements like email volumes), but if you're not forced onto a single carrier by geographic or other considerations, this is a great way of narrowing the field. [Australian iPhone Plan Comparison Calculator]

As expected, Virgin Mobile has officially launched its iPhone plans in Australia -- and they look like a relative bargain. With 3 also launching iPhone data plans (even though it can't sell the phones), Optus updating its plans soon after launch and Telstra dropping its data charges yesterday, the plan landscape is now looking rather different than it did on iPhone launch day just three weeks ago. Click the jump for our analysis of where the best deals are now (assuming you can find someone with a phone in stock).

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3's petition to be an official iPhone reseller seems to have fallen on deaf ears at Apple so far (nothing new there, frankly). Its latest move in the iPhone market is arguably more appealing, however: plans for customers who've bought a 3G iPhone from another carrier (Optus remains the best deal in that regard) and want better rates.
If you do have a functioning iPhone and don't mind the upfront costs, the starter kit plans are the best value we've seen in data terms, outstripping Optus' improved Timeless plans. On a $49 cap, you get 1GB of data a month; on a $69 cap, that goes up to 2GB. There are some caveats: you need to sign up for 24 months, the usual warnings about avoiding 3 outside metropolitan areas apply, and we haven't yet managed to confirm the call rates (though we suspect
With Telstra also lowering its data prices today, the mobile data scene for iPhone users is looking rather more competitive than it did at launch. We've said it before and we'll say it again: early adoption has its perils. (The 3 plans go on sale on August 4.)

We'll hold off on analysing the prices until the official announcement, but Nick over at Gizmodo has confirmed that Virgin will be selling the iPhone, probably this week, and probably at a price somewhat lower than Optus (which supplied Virgin's network). At the risk of saying "I told you so", both this development and Optus' recent Timeless plans confirm Lifehacker's long-held view that buying an iPhone as soon as it got released was likely to lead to a less than optimal deal. (And that's without considering the battery and MobileMe issues.)

Australian data rates for iPhone users have been an ongoing source of controversy, but they look like positive bargains compared to the roaming charges you'll face if you take your beloved new 3G model overseas. David Flynn at APC has analysed the deals being offered by the three local carriers, and concludes that for overseas travellers, Vodafone is the best value for money -- though still far from cheap. Of course, Vodafone's own inability to work out what its plans cost locally might give you pause for thought. If nothing else, the prices serve as a reminder that using your iPhone as a modem, while possible, is unlikely to be cheaper overseas than hooking into the nearest Wi-Fi hotspot, even if it charges for the privilege.
The best global roaming deals for your iPhone [APC]