iPhone - GOTCHA!

[DoctorDoom]

A consumer advocacy group has expressed outrage over Apple Inc.'s (AAPL) battery replacement program for the iPhone, while developers and hackers are trying to figure out ways they could expand the capabilities of the hot new gadget.

The hybrid cell phone, iPod media player and wireless Web-browsing device launched to much fanfare on June 29.

On the same day, the Foundation for Consumer and Taxpayer Rights fired off a letter to Apple and AT&T Inc. (T), the cell phone's exclusive carrier, complaining that customers were being left in the dark about the procedure and cost of replacing the gadget's battery.

[snip]

Users would have to submit their iPhone to Apple for battery service. The service will cost users $79, plus $6.95 for shipping, and will take three business days.

The procedure is similar to the one it has for the company's best-selling iPod players, but because some users will not want to live without their cell phones, Apple is also offering a loaner iPhone for $29 while the gadget is under repair.IPhone Battery-Replacement Plan Draws Flak (http://www.foxnews.com/printer_friendly_story/0,3566,288449,00.html)

So what we have is an overrated toy that costs either $500 or $600 (based on memory, etc.), and that requires a $1440 two-year contract with AT&T. And when the battery schittes the bed, it costs $86 to replace it, and another $30 for a loaner. Adding it up, the higher-priced PoS will cost $2156 if it requires one battery change with a rental.

Does anyone have a good reason why any sane person wants one of those damned things? Jobs must be laughing his arse off over the gullibility of consumers.

[ThomasMore]

I have a different take on the iPhone.

Certainly most buyers are doing so to feed their egos, not because of any objective need for the product. From that perspective, the iPhone isn't much different than a Maybach (http://www.maybachusa.com/) automobile, a B+O (http://www.bang-olufsen.com/page.asp?bhsp=890286&bhqs=1) stereo system, or a Louis Vuitton (http://www.louisvuitton.com/) handbag.

In the bad old days, cars didn't have radios at all. An AM radio was a premium addition, only found on luxury cars. Then AM/FM. Then stereo. Each trickled down to the average car. Satellite radio and GPS navigation will soon trickle down to the average car buyer. Well within my lifetime, air conditioning was an expensive option, as were electric windows.

Thirty years ago, the idea of a home computer was a geek's dream, and off almost every one else's radar screen. Twenty years ago, how many people had internet access and an e-mail account? Ten years ago, how many of us paid prohibitive rates for high-speed internet? How many of us scorned those who did?

The first car phones were expensive installations and expensive to use. Then expensive "bag phones" came on the scene. Motorola's Star Trek-inspired flip phone was a revolution, bought and used by a few who needed them, and many obnoxious wannabees. Now, they are ubiquitous.

Each group who paid prohibitive prices for luxuries, helped develop technologies and the markets which allowed others to follow for much less money.

Not all so-called improvements really are. I don't want a camera on my phone, or a music player. But with the amount I travel, I would like to keep my schedule on my phone and get e-mail and internet access on it without paying a fortune.

The iPhone's appeal is that it combines useful tools and conveniences in a clean, simple design. This should trickle down to other phones and PDAs over the next few years. The hipsters who are overpaying for the iPhone are subsidizing improvements which will eventually benefit the rest of us.

Let the iPhone conspicuous consumers waste their money. I will wait for the improvements to trickle down.

[DoctorDoom]

Here are just a few things you may not know from AT&T’s fine print.

Cost of Service, Service Requirements, Billing Issues:

• Using the iPhone requires a 2-year contract with AT&T.
• Expensive: Requires approximately $2,280, over $1,730 in wireless costs.
• Double billing. You and the caller both get charged for the same call.
• All uses of the network are always rounded up to the nearest kilobyte or minute.
• Customers can be billed for “network errors” and “network overhead".
• Customers can be billed even though the call doesn't go through, even if it is the networks' fault. Customers also get charged for unsolicited messages.
• Bogus fees are added to the bill including the Regulatory Cost Recovery Charge.
• $175.00 “Termination” fee is now standard.
• International messages are charged additional fees as are files over 300Kbps.
• Over your quota: get gouged: 40¢ per minute and 69¢ per minute roaming offnet.

Problems with AT&T’s Offering

• “Unlimited” Service is mostly hype.
• Top speed seems to be 200Kbps, standard-speed wireless in Asia is 15+ times that.
• The services are not secure and can't block your phone number.
• Prohibited uses include VOIP, like Skype or Vonage.
• “Except for content formatted in accordance with AT&T's content standards, unlimited plans cannot be used for uploading, downloading or streaming of video content (e.g. Movies, tv), music or games…”
• Service is not intended to provide full-time connections.
• Wi-Fi service is limited.
• The current mobile email service doesn't support attachments.
• If the customer uses the service too much, or does ‘offnet’ calls, they can be terminated.Apple’s iPhone Is Telecom Bling. Reporters Missed the Real Story (http://www.newnetworks.com/AppleIphoneatt.htm)

Wait till the monthly bills roll in.

[Suzie]

My daughters Ipod is crap. I have sent back 3 Ipods to apple with one thing or another wrong with them. Thanks to Circuit City's replacement warranty for broke pieces of crap they actually did it the first time for me. Then something else messed up and I sent it back and Apple sent a new one. Then the head phone plugin got a short in it and I sent that one back ... they sent a new one. The warranty is up now. If this new one goes belly up I am done with Apple. I will never buy anything from them ever again. Take that Al Gore!

[UnkHiram]

I'm sorry but the folks that can afford to shell out $600 bucks for a phone (NOT ME) are not gonna worry about the monthly fees or the cost of replacing the battery. Mercedes Benz are notoriously crappy cars but they still sell a ton of them because they are the "Prestige" car. The IPhone is the "Prestige" phone.

[ThomasMore]

My daughters Ipod is crap. I have sent back 3 Ipods to apple with one thing or another wrong with them. Thanks to Circuit City's replacement warranty for broke pieces of crap they actually did it the first time for me. Then something else messed up and I sent it back and Apple sent a new one. Then the head phone plugin got a short in it and I sent that one back ... they sent a new one. The warranty is up now. If this new one goes belly up I am done with Apple. I will never buy anything from them ever again. Take that Al Gore!

I initially scorned the iPod, until I got the chance to hear them. After a couple of years, I finally broke down and got a small iPod "Nano." It has been a good buy for me. I frequently wait in airports and ride on airline flights. For this, it is a good way to keep my privacy and enjoy music. My car also has a plug-in, allowing me to listen during my commute. My Nano has been trouble-free, and I really like it.

The iPod's batteries have always been a sticking point. They are not designed to be replaceable, making the iPod's obsolescence is built-in. I don't appreciate that marketing decision, and think less of Apple for that reason.

? What has AlBore got to do with it?

[Suzie]

Former Vice President Al Gore Joins Apple’s Board of Directors

CUPERTINO, California—March 19, 2003—Apple® today announced that Albert Gore Jr., the former Vice President of the United States, has joined the Company’s Board of Directors. Mr. Gore was elected at Apple’s board meeting today.
“Al brings an incredible wealth of knowledge and wisdom to Apple from having helped run the largest organization in the world—the United States government—as a Congressman, Senator and our 45th Vice President. Al is also an avid Mac user and does his own video editing in Final Cut Pro,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “Al is going to be a terrific Director and we’re excited and honored that he has chosen Apple as his first private sector board to serve on.”
MORE HERE (http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2003/mar/19gore.html)

[Suzie]

I ain't helping them put money in his pocket. :nana: My parents bought this one we have now for my daughter, but I won't buy anything from them. Especially after all the troubles.

I think all of their stuff is WAY over priced for what you can get for less in another brand.

[Madbomber]

It just looks like a stupidity symbol to me. Buy crappy apple phone so you can pretend to be cool.... no thanks.

Personally I despise cell phones anyway. I dont need to have people up my ass 24/7 sorry. My old man always said: "if it's that important they will come and find you."

[ThomasMore]

I didn't know about that. Well, I bought the iPod a long time ago. I had pretty good luck with mine.

I wouldn't doubt for a minute that Steve Jobs is a lefty. In all honesty, I am so thoroughly fed up with Microsoft that I am likely to get an Apple computer next time around, Gore or no Gore. (And yes, I know that Microsoft owns a piece of Apple, but at least Apple software actually works, it isn't buggy, and it is fairly clean.)

[Suzie]

Here's a thread for you to check out. ;)

http://www.freeconservatives.com/vb/showthread.php?t=43159

[ThomasMore]

Here's a thread for you to check out. ;)

http://www.freeconservatives.com/vb/showthread.php?t=43159

I have no doubt. At the same time, one of my most conservative friends uses Apple. Left or right, arty or not, I am THOROUGHLY (!!!$%&!!!) fed up with Microsoft's bloated, buggy, slow, crashy P-O-C software. Furthermore, Bill Gates is hardly a conservative.

Choose your lefty software provider.

(Personally, if I had the time to learn it and could find enough applications, I would use Linux, created by lefty Swede Linus Torvalds and improved by countless lefty university computer geeks.)

[Suzie]

Maybe... but I can't do it. Not after our Ipod experience and I would have to choose Bill Gates over Al Gore if I was going to give a dime to either. I have never had problems with Windows personally. If there weren't so many idiots trying to spread viruses the world would be a better place. I know there are less Mac viruses but give them time. They would probably launch a million of them the day I bought one if I decided to do so. :lol:

[BabyBeastie]

Apple has always done things oddly. They could have been where Microsoft is now if they had agreed to license their software the way Microsoft did.

[DoctorDoom]

I'm sorry but the folks that can afford to shell out $600 bucks for a phone (NOT ME) are not gonna worry about the monthly fees or the cost of replacing the battery. Mercedes Benz are notoriously crappy cars but they still sell a ton of them because they are the "Prestige" car. The IPhone is the "Prestige" phone.Unfortunately, the things are the "I gotta have it and if you don't buy it for me I'll hate you!" toy of the year, rather like the PS3 last year. They won't all be bought by the folks of means. Many if not most will be bought by doting parents who are incapable of saying "NO!"

Unlike cellphones, these monsters browse the Web, and it will be irresistible. Kids with no grasp of cost will use the things every waking moment. I predict monthly bills of a grand or more and a shitload of rude awakenings.

[M.C.]

The iPhone is too much of a money sink for my liking. It is a really nice piece of equipment, but not something I'm going to buy while the price is still high. Maybe when it drops in price in a year or two, even then its doubtful. Seems hard to maintain, I already have an iPod and a cell phone so I don't need to combine them all that terribly.

[Timberwolf]

It just looks like a stupidity symbol to me. Buy crappy apple phone so you can pretend to be cool.... no thanks.

Personally I despise cell phones anyway. I dont need to have people up my ass 24/7 sorry. My old man always said: "if it's that important they will come and find you."
My wife and I got rid of our cell phones 7-8 years ago and we don't miss them one bit. We'll likely have to have them again in a couple years (so the little one can check in when she's out with her friends). The only thing we've missed is the monthly charges...which have saved us about $500-$600 a year.

[DoctorDoom]

I have a cellphone. I keep it turned off unless I want to use it, which averages under ten minutes a year. Mostly it's in case of emergency on the road. I guess that makes me a fossil. Oh well.

[Timberwolf]

I hear ya, Doc...WHEN we finally get cell phones, the rep is gonna have fits of laughter when I tell him, "I don't wanna play games. I don't wanna take pictures. I don't wanna text, email, surf, watch TV, download ringtones, whatever...I want to make calls, receive calls and have a voicemail box...PERIOD."

Personally, I don't WANT to be "tied to the office" or "available 24/7"...but, sadly, it shall become the lesser of 2 evils, once 'little one' starts hangin' with her friends (on her own) in a year or two...

[UnkHiram]

Doc

You may be right, but not in my household!

[HomeschoolrsRUs]

Nope, ain't gonna getcha, LOL

I have the least expensive model of Nextel. It doesn't do color, games, pictures or internet, but it does do direct connect. That saves us LOADS on our monthly bill, because everyone in our family, everyone we know (except my Mom) has the direct connect. I'm definitely not switching.

[DoctorDoom]

Buit ... but ... but you mean you don't want to use an iPhone to surf around in MySpace and download YouTube videos, like all the kiddies will be doing? Golly.

[HomeschoolrsRUs]

he he he, Doc I got that covered, I don't need the iPhone because I have iTeenagers, LOL

[BabyBeastie]

“We’ve been hearing for a few years now that viruses and worms were going to be a problem on cellphones as they became a little more powerful, and we’re there,” he said. The iPhone is a full-fledged computer, he noted, “and sure enough, it’s got computer-grade problems.”

He said he suspected that phones based on the Windows mobile operating system would be similarly “attackable,” though he had not yet heard of any attacks.

“It’s not the end of the world; it’s not the end of the iPhone,” he said, any more than the regular revelations of vulnerabilities in computer browser software have killed off computing. “It is a sign that you cannot let down your guard. It is a sign that we need to build software and systems better.”
Details on the vulnerability, but not a step-by-step guide to hacking the phone, can be found at www.exploitingiphone.com (http://www.exploitingiphone.com/), which the researchers said would be unveiled today.:ooo:

New Yawk Times dot com (http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/23/technology/23iphone.html?_r=2&oref=slogin&ref=business&pagewanted=print&oref=slogin)

[DoctorDoom]

Further info from The Inquirer (a Brit IT site);

The report (PDF) by the three securityevaluators.com geezers states that all of the internet processes on the phone run with administrative privileges, which suggests that any application being compromised can give an attacker full access.

To prove their point, the testers set up an exploit for Iphone's default Safari browser. Using an unmodified Iphone the attackers were able to access a malicious HTML page that they created. Once in, the Iphone was forced to send all sorts of personal data to a server, where access to passwords and all sorts could have been reached.Iphone security breached (http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=41168)

The iPhone is a full-blown computer, and therefore is vulnerable to exploits. And given the number of them in use and the cluelessness of the overwhelming majority of owners, it's an irresistible target for the scum. I can see major-league ID theft and fraud coming.