iPhone 2.2 Firmware Brings New ToysiPhone 2.2 Firmware Brings New Toys

iPhone owners should be happy with the new features in Apple's version 2.2 firmware, released today. They'll also say that the new software doesn't go far enough.The 246MB firmware download brings the following goodness to the iPhone, iPhone 3G and iPod touch (with the caveat, of course, that not all handsets support all features):

 The Maps application now includes a Google Street View mode, and more details about public transportation. In San Francisco, for example, Maps clearly shows the BART (subway), Muni (light rail), CalTrain (commuter rail) and cable car stops. You can get walking directions, which is nice when in you're in cities.

The Maps app also lets you email your location to friends. However, there no turn-by-turn driving capability yet. Street View is tricky to invoke: you have to search for an address first or drop a pin, and then tap the street view icon (which looks like a person in a circle). It can be frustrating until you figure it out.

 The Mail application does a better job of rendering very wide HTML messages, and Apple says that it "resolve isolated issued with scheduling fetching of email." However, there's still no landscape mode for email, which would be nice because it would make the QWERTY keyboard larger, and also make messages easier to read.

 You can now download podcasts in iTunes, both over WiFi and cellular networks.

 The Safari Web browser has a slightly different look-and-feel, and Apple says that it's faster and more stable.

 Apple says that the update will decrease call set-up failures and dropped calls, improve battery life, sync faster to iTunes, and lots of other things. There a number of security updates which you can read about.

Still missing from the device: copy/paste (really needed for email), tethering of the iPhone's 3G connection with a laptop, video recording, MMS (multimedia messaging), and the ability to use an external Bluetooth keyboard. No sign if those features are coming soon, or at all.