Ahh, early adopters. The tech-crazed guinea pigs that rush to be the first to get their hands on a new gadget and then endure the days and weeks of frustration as those products work-through the inevitable post-launch hiccups.

Today the first round of lab subjects got their shiny new iPhones and it didn't take long before a few interesting "quirks" in the iPhone 4 were noted in the hardware.

First off, there's some issues with the screen. That gorgeous high-def better-than-the-eye Retina display is showing an early tendency for discoloration. Users have reported that the bottom portions of the screen can sometimes show yellow or brown splotches about the size of a button. As TUAW notes, Apple's already having trouble meeting demand for the new handsets, so those who want to have their iPhones repaired by the company (read: replaced with a new handset) could have a bit of a wait.

Then there's the reception issue. Remember when Steve Jobs pointed out that all of the antenna hardware was inside of the steel band, which basically acted like a large antenna? Well, it turns out that when you hold the iPhone 4 in your hand with your fingers on the band, you essentially get the same effect as grabbing a TV antenna and blocking off the signal. Putting your grubby hands on the band can in some cases cause the quality of the signal to drop.

Hopefully these are just minor issues that only affect the first batches that are being sent off for early pre-orders, or at least minor manufacturing problems that have already been addressed, because so far the iPhone 4 roll-out has gone less than swimmingly, and a wide-spread hardware problem could push it into the realm of an outright mess.

For the most part, getting your hands on an iPhone 4 handset is something that will have to wait several weeks. Apple is pushing back new pre-orders at least until July. But for a few users, iPhone day may come sooner than planned.

Multiple users in the States have reported that Apple is planning to deliver their iPhones a day early. The company has been sending out emails to certain pre-order customers confirming that the handset will be arriving via FedEx on 23 June rather than the 24th. So those of you who rushed to Apple's site and pre-ordered ahead in time get to celebrate iPhone Day early. Perhaps a bit of a refund on the traditional "early adopter tax".

The move may also be a nice piece of PR savvy on Apple's part. The new Motorola Droid models are reportedly going to be unveiled on the 23rd and the handset will no doubt be looking to steal some headlines away from the iPhone launch.

When the iPhone4 pre-orders arrive users will no doubt take to social media sites and blogs to show off their iPhones, so while Droid may aim for the headlines, iPhone could undermine that with the numerous "first look" pieces that will no doubt surface.

So a nice bit of one-upmanship from Apple, and a nice reward for those who committed early to getting a new iPhone. The move could also be a much-needed publicity win for AT&T, should the rollout go smoothly. The company has recently taken a beating for its coverage and security shortcomings, with Droid carrier Verizon leading the way.

We have long known that the iPhone will automatically check in and make data transfers, but just how much data gets transferred, and how is it accounted for on your bill?

That's the question that the ladies and gentlemen in the MacRumors forum have been asking for several days now. iPhone users have been going over their bills and noticing some very hefty data transfers. Multiple users on multiple carriers have checked out their bills and reported the same thing, large data transfers occurring late at night, often between 1 and 3 AM, when the user is not running any applications.

There are multiple theories circulating for why this happens. Some users suggest it's a total report of all data used during the day, others suggest that it's from multiple applications checking in and updating.

One good thing is that the transfers don't appear to be adding usage onto the bills of those on fixed-amount data plans, so no reports of extreme sticker shock as of yet. AT&T has been contacted by a few users, but so far no official word on what exactly is going on.

In the end, probably not a big deal, but either Apple or one of the telco partners should post an explanation. In the meantime, who doesn't love a good mystery?

Apple is maintaining that customers who haven't pre-ordered an iPhone 4 will still be able to buy one from the Apple Store on 24 June.

This is the official line despite the fact that those pre-ordering online will now not be able to receive their device until 2 July. Over 600,000 units were pre-ordered on the first day of availability this week with demand quickly outstripping supply.

An Apple spokeswoman confirmed that iPhone fans will be able to purchase the device, referring us to the web site.

However, when V3.co.uk visited the Apple Store in Regent Street, we were told that although customers are welcome to queue up on 24 June, it is likely that the units will be reserved for those who have pre-ordered the device.

There was no way of reserving the iPhone in-store, with the Apple staff again directing us to the manufacturer's web site.

The mixed messages from Apple continued as a spokeswoman said, "We have no plans for a launch event at Regent Street". However, in-store, a member of staff said that he expected there to be the usual buzz that accompanies a major Apple launch.

The iPhone will be available from all the major UK networks except for T-Mobile, as well as Carphone Warehouse and Phones4U, on 24 June.

Apple's new 'Retina' screen on the iPhone doesn't quite beat out the limits of the human eye, according to one expert opinion.

Dr. Raymond Soneira of Displaymate Technologies fame has been telling reporters that in reality, the display doesn't exceed the threshold of the human eye at the distances Apple is claiming.

Soneira said that in order to surpass the threshold at which the human eye can discern between two pixels, the phone would have to be held a minimum of 18 inches from the eye, not the one foot Apple is claiming.

But then again it's not like Soneira is totally trashing the Retina screen. He still thinks it's the best on the market, rivaled only by the Motorola Droid. Just calling out Apple on what he sees as a fudged claim on the specs.

Probably not going to be a dealbreaker even if it's true, but if you're the sort of person that will get turned off by a possible small discrepancy in the clarity of the screen, well there you go.

We're still awaiting word on whether the iPhone is in fact "insanely great" or merely "eccentrically good."

Flash producer Adobe has joined forces with mobile ad network Greystripe in a move that will allow Flash-based ads to be converted into the iPhone-friendly HTML5 format.

By partnering with Greystripe, Adobe will be able to make use of its iFlash software to compete directly with Apple's iAd software.

Both formats will aim to deliver rich media elements that can run on the iPhone and iPad, including animation and video, as well as touch interaction without requiring users to leave the application they're in.

There are reports that Adobe may package iFlash in the latest version of its Creative Suite of content design tools in place of its own Flash workaround feature.

"By working with Greystripe, a leading provider of Flash authored advertising for mobile devices, we enable agencies to benefit from the power of the Flash platform while also targeting devices with HTML5," said Ricky Liversidge, vice president, product marketing for Flash Platform at Adobe.

The iFlash format would be "priced at a fraction of the cost" of Apple's own iAd version, said Adobe.

Steve Jobs effectively banned developers from using Adobe's Flash in an open letter titled "Thoughts on Flash". There has been an escalating war of words between the two companies ever since, with no sign of a truce.

Among certain criticisms aimed at Adobe were the fact that Flash is a "closed system" and that it "had one of the worst security records in 2009", according to Symantec.

Adobe co-founders Chuck Geschke and John Warnock responded in an online letter last month saying: "No company -- no matter how big or how creative -- should dictate what you can create, how you create it, or what you can experience on the web."

The latest statement about the joint venture from Adobe comes at a curious time as Apple prepares to unveil its latest edition of the iPhone. However, it is unlikely that Adobe's announcement will overshadow the unveiling of one of Apple's flagship products, later today.

This week MacOS X security software vendor Intego reported that the PremierOpinion market research software has been ported to OS X and is being distributed alongside numerous free applications and tools the MacOS.

PremierOpinion is part of a subset of programs that security vendors and privacy advocates label as malware/adware/spyware despite the vendor itself insisting otherwise. The company behind the software says that it is merely a market research tool and that users are notified of the data-collecting behaviour when they read the terms and services.

Intego, however, says that the PremierOpinion software performs classic spyware actions such as scanning and reporting system contents and creating a remotely accessible 'back door' to systems on which it is installed. Additionally, the company reports that third party vendors are installing the software without user notification or with misleading language.

The situation is a familiar one- the software by itself is something no user wants to run on his or her computer, so the company has to bundle it with software that people actually want. Sometimes those affiliates aren't always so up front with users and covert means are used to install the application and collect the affiliate fee.

The name 'Zango' springs to mind. The advertising software vendor suffered similar charges throughout its decade-long run before shutting down last year amidst bankruptcy filings.

If you do have PremierOpinion software running on your Mac (it can be found in the Applications folder) and you want it out, you can run the included 'uninstall' program or just drag the application to the trash. Intego says that its security software prevents installation of the application as well.

And remember to always read the fine print on those end-user agreements.