Finder of Leaked iPhone 4 Prototype Speaks Out

[ChrisCW11]

Still think this was clearly Apple at fault

I mean why would you let your employee's walk around town with a prototype phone, especially at the time when Apple was so secretive about them.

I mean today you can find "leaks" of almost every part put into an Apple product simply because Chinese companies don't care about NDA and the stuff will get leaked out; I'm positive you could build your own iPhone 5s with all the leaked parts. But back then Steve Jobs was very adamant about pulling any leaked shots or news about a product before it was released. Letting your staff run around town with a prototype unit was just plain silly.

At least put it in a thick plastic ugly case if you are testing its real-world use.

Yes, the guy was in the wrong for not returning the phone and instead trying to make money off the leak, but Apple needed to figure out how to lock down their prototype units more to prevent temptations like this. I mean you can't produce one of the most highly coveted products in the world and be that cavalier about its security.

 

[ClemyNX]

The charges were related to a more than century-old California law requiring finders of lost property who can identify the likely owner to attempt to return the property.

Old or not, that seems like a reasonable law to me. No matter how we spin this, selling an object you found when you know whom it is, that's wrong.

 

[quagmire]

At least put it in a thick plastic ugly case if you are testing its real-world use.

They did. It was in a case that made it look like a 3GS. The guy recognized upon closer inspection of the phone that something was off and realized it was in a case. Opened it up and voila, an iPhone 4 prototype.

 

[ouimetnick]

That is sort of like blaming a rape victim who got wasted and guys took advantage of that......

Don't blame the thief.... Blame the person who lost the phone..... The thief is the real victim here.....

I see what you are saying.

In all seriousness though, I don't bring my expensive belongings (or important ones) to places where I might lose or break them. The guy had many opportunities to test the phone where he would be in the right state of mind. I'm not saying the victim is the thief, I'm just saying the stupidity could have been prevented. As for drunks getting taken advantage of, sure it isn't their fault, but you could also argue that their carelessness (getting wasted) could have been avoided preventing the entire thing. I'm not implying that because said person is wasted makes it okay, I'm just saying common sense would have prevented it. You hear about it all the time too, so you might think that people would excersise a bit of caution.

 

[Wicked1]

If you ask me that employee left that phone there bc there is no way that prototype would have left it there by accident if he did, Apple should fire him.

I think it was all a Ploy if you ask me, sounds too fishy that something like that was just left at a bar... I think Apple went Fishing if I had to guess

 

[ouimetnick]

If you ask me that employee left that phone there bc there is no way that prototype would have left it there by accident if he did, Apple should fire him.

I think it was all a Ploy if you ask me, sounds too fishy that something like that was just left at a bar... I think Apple went Fishing if I had to guess

The guy left the bar intoxicated. He left the phone behind. It was an accident. Sure it could have been avoided by leaving it at home, or staying in a clean state on mind, but that didn't happen. It was an accident.

 

[Glideslope]

Meh...

Wonder how much Apple paid the roommate to "assist."

 

[quagmire]

Wonder how much Apple paid the roommate to "assist."

$100 iTunes giftcard....

 

[mbh]

Although I agree he shouldnt have removed it from the bar, if he is telling the truth, his first call was to Apple to return the phone.

If you believe the police report, he knew the name of the owner of the phone. He is reported to have said, "Sucks for him. He lost his phone. Shouldn't have lost his phone."

At the very least, you try to contact the owner and don't start shopping it around to see how much money you could make off it. This guy screwed up big time and should be thanking his lucky stars he got off as easy as he did.

police report PDF page 15

 

[TMar]

That is sort of like blaming a rape victim who got wasted and guys took advantage of that......

Don't blame the thief.... Blame the person who lost the phone..... The thief is the real victim here.....

It's theft in California, lets get that straight. In most places you find something that's been lost, taking possession of it does not make you a thief. It's the state where carelessness indemnifies you from personal responsibility, which is why you call him the 'victim'.

 

[ThinkAboutIt]

He deserved more

Too bad Hogan was young and dumb but I guess now he is just Older and Dumb and will live that way from here on...at least now we know someone out there we can't trust.

 

[Glideslope]

Ah!

Attempted Redemption, eh?

 

[Peace]

Wasn't everybody here defending this guy when it happened ? And bashing Apple ?

Now it turns out he was just a selfish thief.

Go figure.

 

[Kaibelf]

Boo hoo. "I was only 21, so I didn't know that I should do the right thing and return something that was obviously not mine to the proper people instead of trying to cash in on it." Slap his failed parents.

 

[quagmire]

It's theft in California, lets get that straight. In most places you find something that's been lost, taking possession of it does not make you a thief. It's the state where carelessness indemnifies you from personal responsibility, which is why you call him the 'victim'.

I wasn't saying the thief was the victim. I was simply tying this situation into my connection to people who shift blame from the rapist to the woman who got raped because she was intoxicated and created the situation to be raped( such as the Steubenville, Ohio rape case)......

The person who I responded to made it sound like he was trying to shift blame from the thief to the employee who lost the phone.

 

[Kaibelf]

All would have been avoided if the owner didn't get wasted and remembered his phone.
I'm not saying I agree with Hogan.. He should have left it there. I know the point of these phones in the wild is to perform field testing. But perhaps you could have left it at home when going to a bar to celebrate. Plenty of other opportunities to field test it

"You shouldn't have left your door unlocked. It's your fault I stole your TV." Apologists are sad things.

 

[quagmire]

Wasn't everybody here defending this guy when it happened ? And bashing Apple ?

Now it turns out he was just a selfish thief.

Go figure.

Yes a lot of people did defend him. Pretty much using finders keepers as justification..... It was really appalling to read all the idiots trying to say it wasn't theft.....

 

[xpected_one]

If you believe the police report, he knew the name of the owner of the phone. He is reported to have said, "Sucks for him. He lost his phone. Shouldn't have lost his phone."

At the very least, you try to contact the owner and don't start shopping it around to see how much money you could make off it. This guy screwed up big time and should be thanking his lucky stars he got off as easy as he did.

police report PDF page 15

Interesting thanks for the link, I was unaware of this. It also changes the perspective of Hogan. On Reddit he makes himself look to be more of a victim, when in fact the police report states otherwise.

 

[OrangeSVTguy]

Like gizmodo didn't know it was stolen either and gets a slap on the wrist for buying stolen property and then themselves not obeying that age old law.

All parties should have been prosecuted.

 

[quagmire]

Like gizmodo didn't know it was stolen either and gets a slap on the wrist for buying stolen property and then themselves not obeying that age old law.

All parties should have been prosecuted.

They knew..... They just blackmailed Apple into giving them a written form stating it was theirs so Gizmodo could post it on their site and tore it apart before returning it.

 

[Michael Scrip]

He didn't even need to call.... Apple's campus was just a few blocks away.....

Exactly!

It's a 25 minute drive from Redwood City to Cupertino.

I would have walked right into Infinite Loop and said "hey guys... look what I found!"

It would be like a Golden Ticket.

 

[Jibbajabba]

Is it just me thinking that Gizmodo should get a also a slap the wrist for buying stolen property?

 

[theheadguy]

Poor baby criminal suffered stress while committing his crimes. Me feel so sorry for him.

Your moniker fits.

 

[Dudical]

Hypocrisy at MacRumors? It can't be!

If you're on this website, then you're part of the problem. You're creating an environment of fan-worship and a marketplace for leaked information.

There are people here saying "it's just a phone!" but it's your need to find out more about "just a phone" that creates a demand for leaks. If you weren't here for "illegally" obtained information, then you'd get all of your Apple info from apple.com

 

[Kwill]

Had the original owner (employee) lost the iPhone in London, it would likely still be here.