The latest version of MobileFiles Pro for the iPhone has been updated with the ability to not only view Microsoft Excel files, but to create them as well.  You can create Excel 2003 documents right on the iPhone and transfer the files to PCs, Macs and Apple’s MobileMe iDisk.

Other features of MobileFiles Pro include Word, PDF, and iWork document viewing, digital file management, and Wi-Fi file transfer.

The ability to create and edit Microsoft Office documents remains one of the most glaring omissions of the iPhone’s software.  Third-party apps will certainly address this problem over time, and MobileFiles Pro is certainly a step in the right direction.

View MobileFiles Pro in iTunes on PC/Mac/iPhone

Early last week a case manufacturer posted images of what purported to be a case for the iPhone nano. Case manufacturers have long been on the front line of Apple product leaks, and this image certainly caught our attention. Then this week someone anonymously provided MacRumors with a photo (seen below) of what looks like a presentation slide showing the nano alongside its big brother.

These two pieces of information, the case release and the anonymous photo, are by no means proof of the current existence of the iPhone nano, but they do raise interesting questions.  Is Apple working on a smaller iPhone to sell alongside the iPhone 3G?  Will the iPhone nano be a smaller, but full featured version of today’s iPhone, or will it have feature cuts in order to make it a $100-range handset?  Is this all just total B.S.?

An examination of the screen-shots of both the 3G and the “nano” in the image above show the icon’s labels appear alternatively in English and another language (French maybe?).  Also, many have proposed that the iPhone nano would not have 3G because of size constraints (and in order to sell for as little as $100), but the image shows the 3G symbol along the top of the screen of the nano.

The “evidence” thus far isn’t exactly probative, but it’s something we’ll keep our eyes on in the weeks and months ahead.  At this point, we have more questions than answers and remain highly skeptical.

We’re calling it quits for the next few days for the Christmas holiday.  Site updates will resume on December 26, 2008.  We wish everyone a wonderful week!

LogMeIn has been a favorite remote access service for years, and now iPhone users can remotely access and control both PCs and Macs with LogMeIn Ignition for iPhone.

The LogMeIn Ignition iPhone app is available for $29 in the iTunes App Store –  a pretty hefty sum for an iPhone application — but if you need access to your home or office computer at all times, it certainly deserves a look.  Features include support for both paid and free access solutions, 256-bit SSL secure connections, computer-specific options settings (screen blanking, resolution adjustment, etc.) and more.

View in iTunes on PC/Mac/iPhone

Control freaks everywhere, take note: you can now run an entire city with your iPhone – SimCity!  Electronic Arts has ported the ever-popular SimCity to the iPhone and iPod touch.

If you’ve never changed SimCity (?!?!), you basically take charge of an entire city, controlling its design, layout, taxes, services and more.  The goal is to keep your citizens safe and happy without taxing them to death. 

SimCity is available in the iTunes Store now for $9.99.

View in iTunes on PC/Mac/iPhone

Imagine being able to browse an online store, pay for an item in your web browser with a credit card, and have that item shipped right to our house. Sounds like science fiction, right?  Well, not anymore…

In a pioneering move, AT&T Mobility has begun selling the iPhone 3G online! But there’s more… You can actually have the iPhone shipped to your address and activate it over the Internet in iTunes.  Don’t pinch yourself; this isn’t the 22nd Century.  The future is now!

All kidding aside, this is a fantastic and LONG overdue move – and we are thankful.  No more taking a day off, dropping by Books-A-Million to pick up a 500-page novel and camping out in an AT&T store until someone actually speaks to you to get an iPhone.

Product Links:

Apple iPhone 3G 8GB

Apple iPhone 3G 16GB

eWallet has been one of our favorite Windows Mobile applications for years, so we were pleased to see this excellent software ported to the iPhone.

In short, eWallet is a secure mobile database of important personal information.  Store passwords, credit cards, memberships and other personal data in eWallet for quick access on the go.  Its 256-bit AES encryption keeps your data safe, so you don’t have to worry about your personal information falling into the wrong hands if you were to lose your iPhone or have it stolen. 

With the optional desktop version of eWallet, you can also synchronize your data with your PC over Wi-Fi.

View in iTunes on PC/Mac/iPhone

We’ll sidestep any “passing Go” references and get straight to the news: Monopoly is now available for the iPhone.

MONOPOLY Here & Now: The World Edition brings the classic Hasbro game to both the iPhone and iPod touch.  By using the devices’ accelerometer and touchscreen, you can roll the dice with a shake and make game selections with your fingertip.

Features include the ability to save your game at any point in play, Wi-Fi multiplayer mode for playing with up to three other users on the same wireless network, and in-game music playback so you can enjoy your own tunes while you’re fighting to own Boardwalk.

View in iTunes on PC/Mac/iPhone

The iPhone Edition Hands-On Review of the iHome iP27BR iPhone Speaker & Alarm  has been posted in the iPhone Edition Review Center.

Is the new version of the iPhone OS, v2.2, causing the battery to drain faster than with previous versions of the operating system?  Some users are reporting a drastic decrease in battery life since upgrading.

Some are blaming Safari, claiming that if you force Safari to shut down (pressing and holding the Home button until the app closes) the iPhone’s battery life returns to normal.  Other’s say Push services are the culprit.  Whatever the exact cause(s), there clearly seems to a problem brewing, though it may be confined to certain devices or configurations.

We have not seen any change in battery life since the update, for whatever it’s worth.  If you’re interested, take a look at the following links for guidance, discussion (or simple schadenfreude):

Apple Discussions:

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1797971

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1801056

Possible Fixes

http://www.iphoneatlas.com/2008/12/01/battery-drain-under-iphone-os-22-fixes/