Last month Apple released the iPhone SDK (software development kit) to much fanfare and relief. Up until then, the iPhone was a black box, a powerful handheld computer and smartphone that had its internal workings figuratively welded shut.

The SDK, a group of computer routines that tap into the inner workings of the iPhone, will allow skilled programmers to legitimately get inside the iPhone and write specific applications for it. I say legitimately because many have already been creating unofficial native programs (e.g. not approved by Apple) through what’s called jailbreaks, a system that cropped up shortly after the iPhone’s release last June

Developer are very excited about the SDK, already about 100,000 have downloaded it, because they'll finally be able to develop programs for the iPhone without having to be concerned about Apple plugging up their access, as it does every now and then to the unofficial jailbreak system.

iPhone 2.0
Sometime in June, Apple will introduce a new software update for your iPhone that you'll download and install through iTunes during synching, just like you've done before with other firmware upgrades.

Apple will also launch the iPhone App Store, a Web-based application on the iPhone where you'll be able to purchase and download newly developed programs for the iPhone. The App Store will be the only source where you can purchase Apple-approved programs for the iPhone.

Until the App Store comes online, web applications are the one way you can get new programs, at least officially, to use with your iPhone. These so-called Web 2.0 applications don't do anything to the internal software of your iPhone; they're Web sites that work interactively with your phone.

On your iPhone Safari Browser, just type in the URL of the application and it downloads. From there follow the instructions for each individual program

Where Do I Find Web Applications?
You'll find the most comprehensive list of Web 2.0 apps at www.apple.com/webapps. Right now there are more than 1,300 applications that you can play with.

There are games, productivity, social networking, sports, news, and almost a dozen other categories of applications. Check 'em out!

For starters, I suggest you try a typing tutor application located at iphone.typingtutor.com or you may want to head ver to iphone.toughturtle.com to give a few other Web apps (StockWatch, Pinpoint, uWhere? and iSlide) a go.