If you have an original iPhone, the iPhone 2.0 software update isn’t available yet although it should be later this morning. But there is an unofficial version online and CNET’s Kent German has already run through the install and given a rundown of the new features it’ll bring to your first-gen iPhone. At this point it’s probably better to wait until the official release, but if you just can’t wait you’ll have to download iTunes 7.7 onto your computer and then install the update through there. Kent German says the new features include:
- Microsoft Exchange server support–syncs with your computer email account so you can receive your emails via the iPhone
- Third Party Applications–the iPhone will have a new App Store icon that when clicked will bring you to an iTune’s-like interface where you can easily browse, purchase and download apps
- Contacts Search–type in a portion of any name and you’ll immediately be taken to that contact’s information
- iWork documents and PowerPoint–view iWork documents or PowerPoint’s attached to emails
- Bulk delete and move–a small “edit” button in the top right hand corner of your email boxes that when clicked will bring little circles next to each message. Click the circles and you’ll be able to either delete or move those messages elsewhere
- Scientific calculator–self explanatory, but it has all the buttons you could possibly need
- Parental controls–a new Restrictions option allows parents to restrict access to explicit content and all of the things that’ll allow kid iPhone users to drive up the bill into the sky
- Language support–support and keyboards for a bunch of the world’s major languages
- GPS–oh yeah, GPS tracking
Once again, you should wait at this point for the official update. In fact Apple has asked some sites to take down the link to the unofficial version. Some have had problems downloading it, so we recommend waiting for the bug-free version.