US

As the iPhone 3G launch grew nearer, people were pointing and shouting and jumping up and down at AT&T's sparse 3G US coverage map, and those Swedish scientists saying that it's not the iPhone 3G's fault has shifted the focus of everyone's attention away from hardware and onto reception. Luckily, AT&T CTO John Donovan knows that now is the time to improve, and shared his plan with Gizmodo's Brian Lam.

BGR claims to have "semi-confirmed" information from two sources that AT&T stores in the US will be receiving stock of iPhone 3Gs on August 21st. Supposedly the shipments will be intended to fill outstanding direct-fulfillment orders that are awaiting, well, fulfillment. It probably won't increase the overall number of 3Gs out there, but if you've been waiting for your order from AT&T, you could be in luck.

BestBuy has officially announced that they will be selling the iPhone 3G in the United States starting on September 7th. Rumors that Best Buy was interested in operating as an iPhone reseller started a year ago, followed by rumors this June that Apple had sealed deals with Best Buy and Radio Shack.

There has been a lot of news about the iPhone being announced in this country or that country, but there's a region in our own backyard that will be getting the iPhone very soon for the first time: the state of Vermont. I know what you're thinking, and yes, Vermont is part of the US, and the iPhone has technically been "launched" there already, but currently there isn't a single AT&T cell tower in the whole state, making it the only state one of the few states without direct access to the iPhone.

We knew from early on that AT&T had agreed to pay Apple in exchange for exclusivity in the US after which the iPhone would be unlocked, but the exact date that their deal would expire has remained a mystery until today. Similarly, little is known about why AT&T changed from their previous payments to Apple to heavily subsidizing the devices. In what is a rare peak at the inner dealings between Apple and a carrier, USA Today claims to have inside information on both subjects.

Supplies of iPhone 3G's at Apple stores and carrier stores alike have been low, but some have been wondering if the carriers have secretly been holding out on customers. Both O2 and AT&T have commented on their supplies, and both of them have said, not surprisingly, "no". They're exactly as short on iPhone 3G's as you think they are.

I was really excited to get my iPhone 3G on Friday, but my activation process was a nightmare and left me in suspense for several hours while I waited to get through. And by no means was I the only one. People across the US had the same problem. Similarly, things were less than perfect in the UK.

In what appears to be an attempt to wet our geeky appetites, AT&T has posted a video of them unloading large shipments of iPhone 3Gs and loading them onto the shelves of AT&T stores. While it might seem a little less impressive after the onslaught of iPhone 3G unboxing photos, it does have the first official sighting of the most illusive white iPhone 3G, which not surprisingly comes in a white box. Video after the demo.

Since you'll be standing in line for quite a while, it would be wise to chose which plan you want before you line up outside your local store. If you're new to the iPhone and are still having a hard time choosing which one you want, here's a little tool to help you decide. It's called BillShrink, and it can help you pick one of the new AT&T iPhone 3G plans based on the number of text messages you use, the number of lines you want, etc., and it will tell you how much it will cost. You can check it out here.

Apple showed their first and only known commercial ad for the iPhone 3G, titled "Hallway", at WWDC (twice, because it was so cool), but for a long time it yet to make it to the television. Now several readers have written in to MacRumors claiming to have seen it airing in the wild. You can view the add at Apple's website.