And so it begins - with the release of yet another Apple product that has anything to do with media playback, software developers are beginning to release software updates that account for the new functionality. VisualHub, a TUAW favorite for its exceptional video conversion and batch encoding abilities, has released a new version with support for encoding to iPhone video formats. As you can see, the slider labels change slightly when selecting the iPhone option, giving users a choice between qualities like EDGE, Tiny, WiFi and of course, High and Go Nuts. In addition, using the EDGE or Tiny presets will also create FastStart videos that are optimized for streaming; this is ideal for content providers who want to open their doors to the unprecedented rush (thanks, Daring Fireball) of new iPhone owners.

As usual, a demo of VisualHub is available, while an invaluable license costs a mere $23.32.

Tomorrow is Independence Day in the US, which we celebrate by drinking alcohol, eating outdoors, and blowing things up (in that order). Here's how you can get your Mac in on the fun:

Mix the Drinks

Bargenie puts 24,000 drink recipes on your Mac. Set it up next to your bar (being careful not to spill, of course), and amaze your friends with your skills. If you prefer a more portable option, you'll be glad to know that Bargenie works with your iPod as well.

But there's more to it than preperation. You can add your own concoctions to the Bargenie database, add photos with your iSight (commemorate that perfect Black and Tan you poured) and even make use of the blood alcohol level calculator. It costs $19.99US and requires Mac OS 10.4 or later.

Spend a little less money on Pocket Bar & Grill ($10US), which lets you choose from hundreds of drink and grilling recipes.

Finally, the simplest solution has got to be the Bevy Bottle Opener ($15US). This combination keychain/iPod case/bottle opener will have you popping beers with the best of 'em.

Grill the Meat

Macgourmet is a recipe organizer that we've written about a number of times. Create shopping lists, pair food and wine, backup to .Mac and even share with your friends. A single license will cost you $24.95US. Macgourmet is universal and requires Mac OS 10.4 or later.

YummySoup! is another recipe manager for the Mac that features .Mac backup and restore, photos, wine reference and Smart Groups (think Smart Folders). You can pick up a copy for $20US. YummySoup! requires Mac OS 10.4 and is universal.

Fire up the Fireworks

The Fourth of July means flashy explosions. Skyrocket is a screensaver for Mac OS X that renders explosions and smoke quite nicely, and even lets you zoom in on the action. Skyrocket is universal and free.

Finally, you can create your own virtual fireworks display with Virtual FireworX. Generate 3D particle animations, smoke and sound effects, plus streaming tails, adjustable settings for the "sky" and more. Virtual FireworX is universal and comes with 5 free effects ($5US unlocks more). Virtual FireworX REQUIRES Mac OS 10.4 or greater, and the following graphics hardware: NVIDIA GeForce2 MX and later, or any AGP-based ATI RADEON GPU. A minimum of 16MB VRAM is also required.

And above all, have fun!

A number of readers asked if I could try out an AT&T GSM SIM card in my iPhone. Fortunately, my sister is visiting town. After reassuring her ("You're going to do WHAT?"), she allowed me to pull out her SIM and test it in my iPhone. As expected, it was a no-go. I could not make any phone calls and I certainly was not going to let iTunes mess with her SIM card.

In the past few years, Apple has moved beyond computers and operating systems to create other digital devices. The iPhone is a marvel, as is the iPod. But what did you expect for a company that's know for impecable, thoughtful design?

Now, what would happen if Apple took on even more projects? It's fun to think about, as the folks at la Repubblica have done. Check out their collection of 19 "impossible objects," as designed by Apple (if only in their imaginations). Our favorites include the fire extinguisher (what exactly comes out of that thing?) and the iBal (yes, it's what you're thinking).

Thanks, Marco!

Many iTunes users are unaware that the capacity presentation for iPods and iPhones actually is interactive. Tap on the bar to switch from between views. These views include the default view (space occupied), an item-count view (number of items for each category) and a duration view (the length of playback for the items loaded onto the device). It's just one more sweet little Apple feature.

It's a question that keeps many developers up at night: should they maintain backward OS compatibility at the expense of release speed and new features, or just dump support for older releases in the interest of getting out a new version as quickly as possible? The Yahoo! Messenger for Mac team is facing this quandary now, and you can help them make the call by responding to the version poll here. Want a quick release of a Tiger-only Messenger? Or a longer wait for a 10.3-compatible build? Make yourself heard.

Thanks, Lucky.

Welcome to this week's edition of iTunes: Free Tuesday. Each week brings us a new, fresh collection of free singles and videos from around the world with sounds and artists to take your ears and eyes to new places.

US Music

US: Autumn Cannibalist by Die Mannequin
Each week, we find a track from an artist or a band who's on the cusp of success and bring it to you, for free, as our Single of the Week. Die Mannequin is a trio from Toronto whose crunchy, riff rock is perfectly suited for raising your arm (leather studded bracelet in check) and pumping your fist in the air. Take the earlier, grittier sound of the '90s Seattle scene, add in some hard-rock riffage (think Queens of the Stone Age, not Randy Rhodes) and a touch of punk's spikiness, then mix in vocalist Care Failure's sweet-but-possibly-violent singing personality and you've got a new band name to tattoo on your back. "Autumn Cannabalist" is our free Single of the Week.

US: Ella Se Mueve Cruel by Los Rabanes
Each week, we find a track from an artist or a band who's on the cusp of success and bring it to you, for free, as our Canción de la Semana. If you have any previous experience with Panama's Los Rabanes, you know they defy easy categorization. Case in point is this week's free Canción de la Semana, "Ella Se Mueve Cruel," where they start things off with a startling amount of heavy metal thunder. Just as you're getting ready to reveal your inner headbanger, the group completely switches gears and goes into ska-punk overdrive. The fact that they can do this seamlessly and leave you wanting more shows you why we're focusing on Los Rabanes this week.

US: Heal Yourself by Ruthie Foster
Our weekly Discovery Download puts the focus on a different genre each week, offering up a free track from an artist we think is worth your attention. Ruthie Foster, in another time and place, would be turning out 45-rpm records while turning away labels such as Stax, Fame, Goldwax, and Atlantic. She has a gritty, soulful authority behind the microphone that seems like it's a rarity in these auto-tuned days. She's also backed by a band that's plugged in and playing in a room together. This is tried and true soul music - homegrown funk that you should check out immediately.

After spending a few days with the iPhone, our friends at Engadget have posted an absolutely exhaustive iPhone review. They start in 2004, when the very first rumors began to swirl, and progress to the ROKR E1, Apple's doomed relationship with Motorola, and finally last Friday's iPhone release.

They look at every imaginable aspect of the little device. You'll practically know what it smells like when you're done reading. Check it out.

We've been talking up Skitch - a fantastic and powerful screenshot snapping and sharing app from plasq - for quite some time here on TUAW (if you want to take a peek, watch this video tour of Skitch in action). The only problem is: since its introduction at Macworld '07, it's either been in a private beta or, more recently, a tight invite-only public beta, making it hard to get your hands on a copy. Fortunately, all that finally changes today for 1000 of you - because we have a big ol' batch of invites to give away! Amidst all the time they're spending on polishing Skitch, their MySkitch picture sharing service (for the record: Skitch works with Flickr and even .Mac as well), and a new m.myskitch.com site they launched just in time for the iPhone, the kind crew at plasq were awesome enough to give us 1000 invites to give to you, our dear TUAW readers! As icing on the cake, they made the process about as easy as it can get by putting together an automated invite system: simply email tuawskitch@plasq.com from the address you want tied to your Skitch account, and you're done! Wait a little while for your sweet, sweet Skitch beta invite to arrive, and soon you can be Skitchin' and sharin' with the rest of us.

Please help us make this a great experience for everyone. Companies run beta invites like this not only to help generate buzz for the product, but to ensure that they can sustain their services and provide a solid software experience for everyone. Don't send multiple emails from different addresses or re-send your request. We've never done a beta invite this way before, but the plasq crew know what they're doing and you'll receive your invite soon enough. With that said - go get Skitchin'!

Last February, Apple opened Hawaii's 2nd retail store when Apple Store Kahala opened its doors in Honolulu. Today, The Honolulu Advertiser is reporting that a third store will open in Waikiki, as part of the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center's $84 million makeover. According to the Advisor, Apple has applied for a permit to erect a store in the shopping center.

And with that, paradise gets just a little better, right Hawaiians? If you spy any tell-tale activity down there, please let us know!

Thanks, Yak!

Wil Shipley, he of the Delicious Generation's namesake, appears in yesterday's Penny Arcade comic, as a guy hopefully waiting in the iPhone line. (Little does he know that they'll have plenty there even after he makes his way to the front.)

The appearance came out of last year's Child's Play auction, in which Shipley donated a nice amount of money to charity for the privilege of appearing in a PA strip. On his blog, he says that he originally planned to have his iPhone held for him (along with PA Gabe's), but that turned out to be a no go with Apple, so they did actually stand in line together. And PA isn't the only place he's been seen standing in line-- Wil also got featured in the Seattle Times as an iPhone linewaiter. And finally, for those of you who appreciate a little blue (as in NSFW) humor, the guys from PA even did a special version of the strip just for Wil-- maybe all of this iPhone line fame is starting to go to the guy's head.

What's next for the iPhone? TUAW hasn't a clue, but we've got ideas. Kooky ideas, like Chris Pirillo buys an iPhone, loves it, and rants about his errant ways and logical fallacies. We've got some pretty obvious ideas too, like someday iPhone will probably support Java-- maybe. More likely than the Pirillo scenario anyway.

But if any of these or 22 other things come to pass, TUAW has you covered. We've created the iPhone "What's Next" bingo card for your long-term bingo playing needs. It may take years before Flash is on the iPhone, or the Pope gets one, but when they do you'll be ready with a penny or something to mark it down. Enjoy!

thanks to David Chartier and Dave Caolo for your help!

Oh man, what a day. Earlier today, I got my prepaid iPhone activated after a long struggle, which you can read about here, along with an easy solution. After all that, what time was it? Time To Hack!

So what did I discover? I found that your activated iPhone is a lot more flexible and powerful than AT&T and Apple admit. Pop out the SIM or put an inactive SIM and your iPhone works pretty much like a contract-free WiFi-enabled 6th Generation iPod. The WiFi means you can do Mail and Safari without a phone connection.

For your delectation, here's the stuff that I did and the results I discovered. I am still working on writing all this up nicely but I thought I'd rather share sooner than later.

Removed SIM and replaced it with an invalid, unactivated, no-account SIM. Still works as 6G WiFi iPod. Still Synced properly to iTunes. Tried placing call. It failed (as expected).

Removed SIM entirely. It complains but works at 6G WiFi iPod. Tried placing call. "No SIM card installed". Failed. Connected to iTunes. Synced without any problems I could detect. WiFi fine.

Removed activated SIM and placed into a cheap disposable AT&T cell phone. Worked fine. Was able to place calls. Good way to save your iPhone from danger on ski or bike trips.

Placed SIM from cheap disposable AT&T Pay as You Go phone into iPhone. Call failed. WiFi fine.

And remember: you still have to fund the phone and for those of you who are our friends across the border, I'm not sure how a Canadian credit card will play on the AT&T GoPhone funding site.

Conclusions: Buy the iPhone using prepaid. Activate. Cancel. Enjoy.

Want me to test something out? Let me know in the comments.

It is now about 5:00 Mountain Time as I write this. I spent most of the day at the AT&T store from about 9 in the morning until 2 in the afternoon. Then I spent several more hours at home talking to AT&T and Apple support personnel. I have swapped SIMs so often that I deserve a SIM merit badge. I have set up no fewer than six separate phone accounts. My credit card has been beaten and battered funding those accounts.

Here's what I learned: If you want to set up your iPhone as a prepaid account, do not--no that's not emphatic enough--do NOT, DO NOT attempt to set up the account in advance with AT&T.

Just don't. Trust me. Here's how you should do it:

Buy the iPhone. Connect it to iTunes. Sign up using 999-99-9999 as your social security number. After failing the credit check, select a GoPhone plan. After signing up for a GoPhone plan and being assigned a number and passcode, connect to the AT&T GoPhone funding page as prompted, enter your credit card or debit card information and you're good to go. DO NOT attempt to fund your iPhone over the phone with AT&T. DO NOT set up your iPhone prepaid account in advance with AT&T.

As for me? After a certain number of failed attempts (all on the part of extremely warm, wonderful, but ultimately unsuccesful AT&T employees), the fraud detection system kicked into gear. That's where I am now. I can't move forward until AT&T closes down all those well meaning but useless accounts and lets me activate the one, good account that started and ended in iTunes.

As for the AT&T and Apple personnel? I've been working with them now for nearly 22 hours of on-phone and in-person time. (Yes, I was up way late last night). With the exception of one person[1], they have all been fabulously kind, patient and supportive. Thank you to you all, especially Diana Cruzan the retail sales manager for the Aurora City Place AT&T store, Jamshed Mulla, AT&T iPhone Guru, and Dan Callahan of Fleishman Hillard.

[1] There's always one.

Update: 5:25. Just off the phone with AT&T fraud detection people. It LIVES!!!! "iPhone is Activated". Woot!

Silly us. In our iPhone excitement, we forgot to post a Rig of the Week. Bad bloggers!

This week's rig comes from tnkgrl, who has a ModBook of her own (or at least had a chance to visit with one). They were announced at Macworld in January, and were scheduled to start shipping this summer. Has anyone received one? They're kinda bulky, but we'd LOVE to play with one.

"Untitled" by tnkgrl

If you'd like to see your own rig featured here, simply upload photos into our group Flickr pool. Each Sunday we'll comb through the most recent entries and declare a "Rig of the Week!"