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Fully SIM Unlocked iPhones

*folding legs on couch with bowl of popcorn* Well, this should make for an interesting end to August. The ball's in your court Apple Legal :rolleyes:

Seriously though, this is the best news since the iPhone launch :)
 
$tigma

galganog said:
...And you know that At$t does....
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I just think it's funny that first it was big, bad Micro$oft, and now it's big, bad AT$T. I don't understand why the $ is supposed to be an insult to a company. It's a business, their purpose is to become the biggest and to make the most money. Microsoft obviously does something right, seeing as how it is the largest software company in the world. I don't see why the $ is stigmatized; everyone wants money. Companies, of course, should act responsibly, but AT&T keeping the iPhone exclusive isn't unethical, it's just good business practice.
 
bcommunicated said:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20424880/

above is the link to MSNBC's story. It is hardware and software based and talkes about 2 hours to do. But there are two other interviewers talking about the legality of what he did and said that is is legal.
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I'm sure Steve Jobs is hunting this kid down to assassinate him with his mystical powers.


Muhahahahahahahaha.

(Kidding of course.)
 
Engadget say with 100% certainty the software solution is 'restore-resistant'.

Am I missing something? How can this be guaranteed?

Just like software and ringtone hacks - the hack changes the os software - and subsequent iphone updates restore the software right back?

If this is true, you can always apply the hack again after update, unless Apple have written something to mess with it. If they have, you need to wait on an update for the hack before updating the iphone.

Not insurmountable obstacles, until the hackers can't figure out how to vex apple's latest update. At this point you have to stop updating your iphone, which quickly becomes as unreliable and insecure as a cracked copy windows xp.

Cue a 3 month delay followed by a 'version 2.0' hack, with 'new and improved restore resistance capabilities'. At a modest update price, of course.
 
I think this is fantastic news. Power to the people! Or, um, iPhones to the people, on whatever network they want to use!
 
One word: WARRANTY!!!

The problem with using the iPhone with a non AT&T card is that warranty will be voided which might not be a big problem since the iPhone can most likely be restored. But the 2 years iPhone warranty only applies if the user has signed up for the 2 years iPhone plan at AT&T. So in order to turn in your iPhone for warranty issues user with a non supported SIM card will be forced to get a hold of an AT&T card in order to get help.


Other than that I wonder how Apple will respond to this news. If you ask me Apple is already prepared for this. The iPhone is really not different from any other phone or programmable device, it getting hacked was inevitable. We knew it would take time but that eventually it would be done.

Releasing a new firmware which will disable the hack software won't change anything at all since the hackers will come up with a solution. This can turn out to be an endless battle and at the end of the day I don't think that apple will sweat it since you can't win against the hackers. Further more Apple doesn't lose out on anything.
 
Oh c'mon

PCMacUser said:
I think this is fantastic news. Power to the people! Or, um, iPhones to the people, on whatever network they want to use!
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The idea that ATT is evil and that whatever it takes to get the iPhone to the masses, however it might harm ATT (or even Apple for that matter) is silly!!
ATT gave up a lot to make this happen-- the Europeans pay heftily for data- a point that is often missing in these discussions where it is posited that ATT is ripping off the world but if you live in Europe your phone/calls/data are so cheap you could be a million Big Macs with the savings off your monthly bill!
It ain't so... The Apple/ATT deal is incredibly good. Hell, Verizon gave it a pass because they weren't about to give in to Apple's demands for a "cheap" service and the European carriers have made it clear that Apple's terms are hard to swallow-- interpretation-- they are not prepared to make the same concessions for the public benefit.

So, trying to ding ATT is stupid at best and shows a lack of maturity. Do you same folks want to ding BMW 'cause they cost more than a Hyundai? Why not? The real issue is not that all of you who want an iPhone and can't have one-- that is just how it is, for now, so get over it!

It would however be a noble thing for ATT, who HAS a total lock on this for now, to make roaming a lot cheaper. I hope the company looks at this seriously as that is one of the best reasons for hacking the phone.
The US contract is a good one but it gets very costly to take this phone out-of-area-- Nonetheless, well done, ATT and Apple for breaking new ground here. And brickbats to those who can't see what a great job this is. Only ATT was willing to step up to the plate... and Apple clearly got us consumers a very good deal. When I see my bill with all the data/internet use and see "0" charges for 2 minutes (what's with THAT??-- 2 minutes!! ) it just shows what a great deal it is.
 
PCMacUser said:
I think this is fantastic news. Power to the people! Or, um, iPhones to the people, on whatever network they want to use!
Click to expand...

translation: A company should not be able to do what they want to do. It is my RIGHT to dictate how they should run their business. Supply and demand is not longer valid, it is what I want and how I want it. Shame on these companies for trying to run a business their way. .......

Please, what a bunch of cry babies. Don't like AT&T, iPhone, Apple... DON'T USE/BUY their products!!!!! Simple as that.

I think Verizon sucks, I think Microsoft sucks, I think Fords suck, I think WalMart sucks, but guess what - I DON'T buy their products!!!

Hate the iPhone, hate ATT - DON'T GET THE IPHONE - ITS NOT FOR YOU!!!!

Don't worry, you will still live. Geez, get the point yet?
 
i have a question:
if i sign up for a cellphone provider but
cancel withint 1 year and pay the ETF will that effect my credit rating?
 
edoates said:
The riidiculous EDGE fees in outside the US are set by the local PTT, not necessarily by ATT, as are the $1.29 minute voice usage charges.

When outside the US, the most devastating feature is the inability to turn off EDGE to prevent running up an astronomical data bill. I don't mind the voice charges (well I do), but at least I can use a stop watch to control it, as with SMS (50 cents / message). I don't generally stay long enough outside of US spot to justify a SIM per country.

What I would like is a cheaper T-Mobile hotspot plan to use WIFI: on their website, it's $49/month for internet only access. If there is something that various business should just do for "free," its setting up mobile hotspots for their customers: coffee shops, airports, etc. T-Mobile has it sort of sewn up, but once someone else breaks through, how many WIFI plans do I need to have so that I can use the internet "on the go" without the slower 3G or EDGE connections?

Eddie O
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Actually they're set by both sides of the connection. There's a roaming charge AT&T charges and there's a charge for network use from the network you roam onto. The breakdown is not shown on your bill or disclosed.

There's clearly a large markup from AT&T here because the international roaming rates between EU carriers are __WAY__ lower. In fact, the charges to use a UK cell phone while in the US are a fraction of the cost of doing it the other way around. I know because I used to use my UK cell phone all the time over here. Orange had a great international plan. They charged you, to receive calls while roaming, at the same rate it would call you to call the country you were in, from the UK. In the US case that was 6p (12c or so) per minute. And the other way around? 10 times that cost. Same networks in use, but the cost was astronomically different. AT&T charges you the same to make or receive calls while roaming. EU operators have different rates depending on whether you make or receive a call (remember in the EU you don't pay to receive calls on a cell phone while on your local network.)

And what is the EU doing about this? They're kicking the crap out of the carriers because their roaming charges are too high!

Suddenly sounds like EU versus US gasoline prices in reverse! :)

Ultimately, there's a ton of money made by AT&T on international roaming for calls. It's data that kills you because you don't acknowledge it so much. You know if you make a 10 minute call. But if you open that graphic in that email, how much data did you use? We don't naturally measure those things.

Like I said in an earlier post, I ran up $1100 of roaming charges and most of it was data. I knew with decent accuracy what my calls were going to cost, it was data that caught me out. Even text messages I had a good handle on because it's a charge per message and you can count those very easily... But when every little "Connecting...Checking mail..." spin in mail was costing me a dollar! I'm meant to notice that? I can't actually turn that off without turning on Airplane mode and then the phone is offline. Even set to manually check for mail it does it when you go into Mail. Yes I could have used the timers to keep track of it all. Certainly will next time, but my point is it's not intuitive and obvious to keep track of it that way. You count calls and messages easily. You have no real concept that "I've used a lot of data just now" and constantly checking the usage stats is cumbersome.

I'd like a way to turn off data but leave everything else turned on while roaming! Then I can keep track of it much more accurately. :)

be well

t
 
In the Engadget screenshots, the iTunes info tab says Phone Number: n/a. So can't Apple just update their software to look for that. If a phone is unlocked, it will say n/a, and the firmware update will brick the phone...or place a permanent nasty gram message to use an ATT SIM, and will fail to operate until you do so.

Just a thought.?
 
Hell, you'd have thought we'd finally cured cancer the way everyone's ranting on and on.

If we took all of this collective hacking wisdom and actually did something useful with it, we'd have a prosperous colony on Mars by now.

And I love the delicious irony of how the iphonesimfree guys will glady provide you with the software...once you've provided your credit card info of course. What? You mean you want to get paid for your work? :eek: I'm astonished. I thought you were just working for free out of the kindness of your hearts. Oh, I guess only AT&T network engineers are supposed to work for nothing.
 
This would be great for when I travel to Europe, but T-mobile in the US??? No thanks.
I have had great service with Cingular for years and I not going for a lesser player in the US. Besides, if you get a lot of voicemail, visual voicemail is essential to quick checks of VIPs and family without listening to all the sycophants :)
 
farmboy said:
If you don't like the Apple/at&t contract, don't buy the phone. No person or company has any ethical or legal obligation to make their product or services available to everybody for any purpose. You have a multitude of other options. THAT'S YOUR FREEDOM. As far as how *great* it is in Sweden that you get "free" stuff--somebody is paying for it, you just don't see who. It's like saying "my electric car doesn't pollute"--the pollution is just not in your back yard, but somebody is still polluting.

And what's really weird here is that most of you who are proclaiming how great of a development this hack is...are the same one's who would bitch endlessly in these forums if Apple released a phone without, for example, Visual Voice Mail, which you aren't going to get with this hack. "It's crippled!!!!!!! How could they do this??!!" Blah blah blah.

One of the basic tenets of patent and copyright law is that the holder of the rights must exercise them...in other words, if you don't actively go after the unlicensed use of your property, you can lose the legal right to do so later.

Apple and at&t will find a way to defend themselves.
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Dare I take a stab ... republican?
 
i wonder how much is gonna be the software to unlock it. theres no reason why it shouldnt be free....
but on the other hand i dont care, b/c when i get an iphone, i want AT&T b/c verizon is crappy out here
 
Alternatively, send Apple a message:

Consumer is King. Without the consumer, all companies would be nothing.

If you like the iPhone but dislike Apple's tie-in policy with AT&T:
Buy the iPhone, get your phone unlocked, send Apple a photo of your iPhone ( anonymously, if needed ) with a simple message stating why.

If enough people do this, Apple will get the message and change their policy, even if that means having to pay AT&T a large settlement for breaking their contract.

Show Apple that they must serve the consumer wishes, or they sink.

jamminj said:
Please, what a bunch of cry babies. Don't like AT&T, iPhone, Apple... DON'T USE/BUY their products!!!!! Simple as that.

I think Verizon sucks, I think Microsoft sucks, I think Fords suck, I think WalMart sucks, but guess what - I DON'T buy their products!!!

Hate the iPhone, hate ATT - DON'T GET THE IPHONE - ITS NOT FOR YOU!!!!

Don't worry, you will still live. Geez, get the point yet?
Click to expand...
 
Still don't know if this means us non-USAians can get an iPhone and get the thing to work on our local networks.

I guess i could wait until the iPhone is launched here (Japan) in Q1 2008.

But can I wait 100+ days....oooh so painfu!

And what's with my Avatar having an iPhone - and he isn't even real - not to mention French!
 
JGowan said:
Perhaps why you barely use your current cell phone is BECAUSE it can't do near what the iPhone can. I think that's the point of the device. It's a phone AND it does a lot of other stuff and does it well.

Do I have one? No. Why?

I can't justify spending $599 on a phone because I work from home. My graphic design keeps me in front of computer all day with complete access to my Email/Internet/Music on a 23" HD Cinema Display. The iPhone's screen just can't compete with that.
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I have the exact same situation plus a Cintiq :)
 
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