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California Law Now Requires All Smartphones to Have Built-In Kill Switches By July 2015
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In my case, it is not jealousy. California is an economic hellhole, and people (and companies) are migrating to warmer economic climates.
At this rate, California will need to declare bankruptcy within 10 years. I ask you, will California ask all Americans to pay for California's fiscal foolishness through higher taxes to support a bailout for California? I think you will, because California, California's Politicians, and the voters who elect them are fiscally inept and electorally weak of character. Or so it seems to anybody who can read a financial statement and see lopsided balance sheet for what it is.
So the mass-migration continues. And California's weak-kneed voters begin to flee to other states with low/no state taxes, bringing their fiscal ineptitude and voting habits with them.
I love California. I just fear what California is doing to itself, America, and the world, and I wish daily for somebody of real character to lead California away from the edge of financial and economic disaster.
As for the "law", why does it need to be a law? If it's a good idea, others will follow Apple's lead to implement it. Unless they fear a lawsuit from Apple. But that would be just crazy, like suing samsung for a shape or a sliding unlock graphic. Right?
I'm amazed that there are already so many sarcastic responses to this news article less than two minutes after it was posted. There is absolutely no way on Earth that this was properly read in time to make those types of reactions.
Why, oh why, must everyone complain and whine about everything, especially without even fully understanding what he/she is complaining about?
Any story with the word "law" in it is an immediate trigger for a sarcastic response.
Some people will never read the text of a bill/law. They simply enjoy their knee-jerk reaction of 'NO, we don't need government regulation'. They have some sort of utopian idea that 'the market will handle it' or 'the government is taking away our freedoms'. They have no knowledge of history where we have already been down that road (see 'robber barons'). They don't realize all the regulations that they actually rely on each and every day and how life would be without them.
I'm not always in favor of more regulations. But at least I read the bills/laws before I pass judgement. There are simply some things that should be regulated. In this case I see no down side other than screwups when selling a phone (which some iPhone users have already encountered).
Sadly this seems to be an outcome from the 'information age'. Some people seem incapable of processing complete information.
When you can still hit a traffic jam at midnight, yeah, that's pretty jammed. (And, yes, I've hit those on at least a few occasions, and that's out of only a few more occasions that I've driven in/through LA, making the ratio rather high.)
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Or perhaps more evidently of those who don't live in California.
Well, of course. I can think of a thousand things that could be meant to help people that in fact does the opposite. The government and other powers that be can and do misuse seemingly good things to their own ends, and anyone who does not see this is blind indeed.
The road to hell is paved with good intentions, in other words.
But if people actually read and comprehended what they read we couldn't have page after page of irrelevant threads about all kinds of things that aren't actually relevant to the article and the topic at hand.
Because that's exactly what that says and means.
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And they are part of this specific built in kill switch how again? Yeah...
You know what I find funny?
The majority of earthquakes in California cause minimal damage. It takes a 5.0 strength quake to break some glass and make items fall off shelves. Anything around a 6.0 may do damage to older buildings who haven't been retrofitted.
I will take those living conditions over having a Flood or Tornado completely destroy my house every year only to rebuild it again to be destroyed the following year or be up to my neck in blizzard with no power and stranded.
This is amazing. I moved here about a year ago from a hell hole named Taxachusetts. Would I move back there anytime soon? No, and you can't make me. East Coast is a cold place with annoying sarcastic pathetic people. In MA they call themselves Ma$$holes. In NY they call themselves New Yorkers. I lived on the East Coast for over 20 years so yes, I know what I'm talking about. The state of Taxachusetts is much worse than CA in most respects. They're just a sad greedy pathetic bunch. They have horrible weather, horrible roads and horrible drivers. Just for starters.
Now, Cali isn't perfect either but they have a lot going for them. If you don't want to come here please by all means don't come. Stay in your Texas (or Alabama or wherever else you come from). We won't miss you here, I promise. But to make you feel better: there are TONS of people here from East Coast and Midwest. And yet in my 20 years on the East Coast I can maybe name 2-3 that moved there from California. I wonder why this is.
But back on topic - this law still won't solve everything as people will find workarounds. On top of that many smartphones are stolen for parts. But at least it'll curb it down a little. And that's a good thing.
Now, Cali isn't perfect either but they have a lot going for them. If you don't want to come here please by all means don't come. Stay in your Texas (or Alabama or wherever else you come from). We won't miss you here, I promise. But to make you feel better: there are TONS of people here from East Coast and Midwest. And yet in my 20 years on the East Coast I can maybe name 2-3 that moved there from California. I wonder why this is.
But back on topic - this law still won't solve everything as people will find workarounds. On top of that many smartphones are stolen for parts. But at least it'll curb it down a little. And that's a good thing.
Such smartphones featuring iCloud Activation-type locks will still be sold on eBay for a moderate price or shipped to china for "un-locking" via replacing the key components on a still very capable device to then be resold for a decent price.
With each new law like this there is actually extra "new" money spent, so this doesn't justify anything. The way state government's work is that if there is any money left over from anything they have to waste it quick by buying things like new chairs, desks, computers, etc even if they don't need the crap. If they don't spend all of their federal grant money each year they won't get the full amount next year. It is a horrible system but it is the way it is. Not saying I like it.
Anyone who thinks that the state has the money to do this, or that is fooling themselves. Each new idea/law requires "new" money. The only way around this is to charge fees to the companies submitting for certification. If they do this then you can be sure those companies will pass the cost directly onto the consumer.
yes - but the east coast has humidity, rain storms, hurricanes, etc.
we always have something to look out for
I though everybody will be happy with a law like this one, were I live thief are more interested on your phone than your wallet (maybe that's better, no?)
BTW, what's wrong with California? Comparing with other states, I considered it was ok. And you are free to live in whatever state you like, so we should respect other people's opinion.
BTW, what's wrong with California? Comparing with other states, I considered it was ok. And you are free to live in whatever state you like, so we should respect other people's opinion.
Nothing wrong with any of it really. People just like to make random anonymous internet postings about nothing really.
They can easily sell some of the important parts of the phone. This wont stop any theft at all. They will just need to steal two phones instead of one to make the same profit.
In related news California legislates mandatory alarms with kill switched in homes. Once an intruder triggers the alarm it signals for the release of toxic vapours in 30 seconds, thereby eliminating most large-scale thefts.