Anyone own an iPhone?

[Radiohead]

I recently bought an iPhone from the Apple Store on 8th Avenue. I love it, as I can access the net (and this forum) from anywhere in the country, at any time and any place. It also doubles as an iPod. You can view many YouTube videos as well as video bought at iTunes.

My only gripes are the lack of compatibility with Flash Player. Also you can not listen to most radio station streams available online, or watch live TV (there is a way to listen to XM or Sirius radio, via Orb.com, provided you subscribe to one of them). Also the Edge wireless connection is more dial-up speed than high speed, but the screen image is sharp. The keyboard and navigating the web on the screen takes getting used to, but it is getting easier to use.

Certainly money well spent, provided it doesn't malfunction in the near future.

By the way, here are some pics of the Apple Store. Nice place.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2022/1752955528_378f67df8a_o.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2022/1752955528_17073bdd9a.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2352/1752110307_1920030682_o.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2352/1752110307_d6953af0f1.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2188/1752121339_6a4e92546b_o.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2188/1752121339_fa1f2e4630.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2373/1752956764_bde83a502e_o.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2373/1752956764_1a0765ab37.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2389/1752957116_47fc20aa36_o.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2389/1752957116_8487573d64.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2238/1752956266_ed5c22ba55_o.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2238/1752956266_d59ab1f62c.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2131/1752955914_9ee5e78036_o.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2131/1752955914_ce5687bc50.jpg

[Alonzo-ny]

On 5th you mean? I am probably gonna get the itouch when they up the memory, i love the internet on the iphone/touch (practically the same) it does look really clean and fresh and the fact i could mooch free wi fi on my ipod is too awesome. Out of interest would i be able to use msn messenger on an iphone/touch?

[Radiohead]

I haven't tried it yet but here may be your answer.

http://www.iphone-hacks.com/forums/post-330.html

And you're right..5th avenue, not 8th.

[Alonzo-ny]

Thanks, i figured id have to use one of those aim express type deals. I love the idea of being in central park or somewhere and chatting with my UK friends and also listening to my awesome good music collection.

[Mohamed]

My money can only get an iPod .
Have a nice time .

[Joelio]

I don't have one, but considering my computer says "Congratulations. You have been selected to win a free Apple iPhone" for no reason about three times every day, I am currently owed in excess of about one hundred and fifty of them. They should be rolling in any day now... :p

[Alonzo-ny]

Anyone have an itouch who wants to share their experience with it?

[Mohamed]

No money=no iPod ,no iPhone , no anything !

[BrooklynRider]

Patience, Mohamed. You'll get it one day.

[Mohamed]

I hope ,
thank you.

[brianac]

Yes I have lots of them?

Forklift Operator Admits To Stealing iPhones

By Staff Reporter of the Sun
January 30, 2008

A forklift operator at John F. Kennedy International Airport is being charged with stealing $147,000 worth of Apple iPhones bound for Hong Kong, the Queens District Attorney, Richard Browne, announced yesterday.

Nevar Singh, a forklift operator who worked for a company subcontracted to handle freight for Cathay Pacific Airlines, was caught on surveillance tape stealing five boxes containing 300 iPhones from a warehouse at the airport, according to the complaint filed in Queens Criminal Court.

When Port Authority police questioned Mr. Singh, he admitted that he and his cousin, Navin Hussain, had stolen the phones and planned to sell them to a phone store in the Briarwood section of Queens.

Police set up a sting operation and caught Jaouad Najyb buying a box of the phones for $24,000, according to the complaint.

Messrs. Singh and Hussain are being charged with second-degree grand larceny, and Mr. Nayjb is being charged with third-degree possession of stolen property, Mr. Browne said.

Copyright 2008 The New York Sun

[lofter1]

The Mystery of the iPhone Death Grip

NY TIMES (http://pogue.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/06/25/the-mystery-of-the-iphone-death-grip/)
David Pogue
June 25, 2010

The hot tech news on Friday is the exploding scandal that’s been dubbed the “iPhone Death Grip.” Like everything else related to the iPhone, it’s turned into an overhyped emotional stew.

Some people are reporting, and even posting videos showing, that when you wrap your hand around the iPhone 4, the cellular Internet strength visibly drops. You can actually see the bars disappearing.

A cellphone that loses its signal when you pick it up? Well, that could be considered a drawback.

I must say, I was mystified at first. I’ve never seen it on the iPhone unit I’ve been reviewing. I can’t even reproduce it, no matter how hard I try. I’m sitting here right now. I’m wrapping my hand every which way — I’m even holding it with two fists, completely concealing the silver band around the edges — and my four-bar signal strength doesn’t waver.

On Twitter, most of my followers seem to indicate the same thing; it’s a problem that just doesn’t exist for them.

But clearly, the problem exists for some people. PC Magazine, for example, has been able to reproduce the problem. For them, it happens only if (a) your hand is somewhat sweaty and (b) you hold the phone in such a way that your fingers are covering all three black gaps in the stainless-steel band around the phone’s edge. (For this reason, left-handers seem to be the most-affected population.) In that configuration, signal strength drops a little.

“The hand involved has to be a little sweaty to encourage conductivity, or the trick might not work,” says the tester. “This doesn’t have any effect on connecting voice calls in areas with a strong signal, but it can make the difference between connecting and not if you’re already in a fringe signal area.” He notes, however, that Internet download speed is cut by half or more when you do this.

If you do experience the iPhone Death Grip problem, one easy way to eliminate it is to put the phone in a case. Even a “bumper” solves the problem — like the $30 one that Apple sells. It’s a thin rubbery silicon band, available in a range of colors, that covers the metal edge entirely.

You know, I’ve thought that bumper was bizarre from the moment Apple introduced it. What is its purpose? It’s not going to do much for your iPhone if you drop it. And it’s not going to protect the glass front or back from scratches in your pocket or bag, only the stainless-steel edge, and who worries about that?

No, the bumper covers only the edge, breaking the finger conductivity and neatly eliminating the iPhone Death Grip problem. The paranoid might ask: Why is Apple introducing bumpers now, with this phone? Is it trying to profit from its own design flaw?

Or, less conspiratorially: Shouldn’t Apple at least offer free bumpers to people who are having the Death Grip problem?

I’ve asked Apple about the problem three times, and nobody’s gotten back to me, but the company did issue a statement:

“Gripping any phone will result in some attenuation of its antenna performance,” it said, “depending on the placement of the antennas. This is a fact of life for every wireless phone. If you ever experience this on your Phone 4, avoid gripping it in the lower left corner in a way that covers both sides of the black strip in the metal band, or simply use one of many available cases.” (Or, as Steve Jobs himself wrote to one customer: “Non issue. Just avoid holding it in that way.”)

Avoid holding it that way!? Seriously?

This doesn’t seem like a problem that Apple can fix with a little software update; it’s baked right into the design of the iPhone 4 itself. And considering the hysteria that surrounds the phone, combined with ignorance about the nature and probability of the problem, it could wind up being a huge black eye for Apple and the phone.

Will it be an actual problem for you? Not if you use a case (or “bumpers”). Probably not even if you hold it naked (the phone, I mean, not you).

But in the meantime, if you’re concerned, try it out in the store, or whenever you first get your phone. You’ll know right away if you’re among the unlucky, sweaty left-handers.

In the meantime, the iPhone 4 rollout just got a little bumpier. Should be an interesting ride.

Copyright 2010 The New York Times Company

[lofter1]

MODS:

There are three iPhone threads (http://wirednewyork.com/forum/search.php?searchid=218044) that might be better off merged into one.

Until I bumped this one up today it hadn't been added to in nearly 2.5 years; the other two have sat without added posts for nearly 3 years.

OR, Another Option ...

Merge them all with the "Apple Overtakes Microsoft (http://wirednewyork.com/forum/showthread.php?t=23728)" thread, where there's been lots of recent idle iPhone chat (http://wirednewyork.com/forum/search.php?searchid=218069).

[Alonzo-ny]

Lets just leave the other two to die and leave this as the current thread now that you have bumped it. I would not suggest merging with apple overtakes microsoft as that thread is a more general discussion about apple and microsoft in general. It is better to have two separate discussions.

[MidtownGuy]

The droid seems to be in the midst of a pervasive ad campaign. Will it be a formidable rival to the iphone?

[Ninjahedge]

Yes, but it needs to develop a "style" base.

If they can get beyond the needed "coolness factor" they might be able to compete, rather than just catch up, to the iP.

I am not being facetious in saying this. For some reason, phones have become the technological fashion statement (you think it is bad here, go to Tokyo!!!!). It does not matter what your phone does per se, more than what phone you have and people's perception of it. Now that being said, the phone HAS to do some things, but it does not need to be the BEST to beat the rest.

Jobs has done very well remembering that, much better than his technically oriented rivals.

We will see what this new Droid does, and whether it can be cool for a non-techie to own one.

[Merry]

I walked past these silly people at lunchtime yesterday. The street had to be barricaded to accommodate them :rolleyes:.

Perth iPhone fanatics camp out at Apple store (http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/perth-iphone-fanatics-camp-out-at-apple-store-20100729-10xeh.html)

http://images.watoday.com.au/2010/07/30/1724744/article-iphone-200x0.jpg

I must say, though, they've done a nice job restoring the old building the new store is in, as opposed to knocking it down.

http://www.sunkyspeaks.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/perth-apple.jpg

http://images.apple.com/au/retail/images/store_photos/photo_perthcity.jpg

[lofter1]

Apple does do a great job on their Appletoriums.

[Ninjahedge]

It's all in the presentation.

When you are not selling on technical merit alone, you need to put some chocolate sauce on that shortcake before people will scarf it like there is no tomorrow.

[lofter1]

Apple Employee Accused of Accepting Kickbacks

NY TIMES (http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/15/technology/15apple.html?hp)
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
August 14, 2010

CUPERTINO, Calif. (AP) — A manager at Apple has been indicted by a federal grand jury, accused of taking kickbacks in a scheme involving suppliers of iPhone and iPod accessories.

The manager, Paul Shin Devine, of Sunnyvale, Calif., was arrested on Friday and charged with wire fraud, money laundering and taking kickbacks, the authorities said. The indictment had been filed under seal on Wednesday.

Mr. Devine, 37, is accused of accepting more than $1 million in exchange for providing confidential information to Apple suppliers in Asia. The suppliers are thought to have used the information to negotiate favorable contracts with Apple.

“Apple is committed to the highest ethical standards in the way we do business,” a company spokesman, Steve Dowling, said in a statement. “We have zero tolerance for dishonest behavior inside or outside the company.”

The authorities say a Singapore resident, Andrew Ang, was one of the suppliers involved. He is also named in the federal indictment.

The authorities have declined to comment on Mr. Ang’s whereabouts.

Mr. Devine is being held by federal marshals and is scheduled to appear in federal court in San Jose, Calif., on Monday afternoon.

Copyright 2010 The New York Times Company

[Gulcrapek]

I own and want zero I-anythings.

[fiona1990]

hey folks,
I got an I phone the other day although I am still on the same contract as previous and just added a £10 per month unlimited internet bundle, now this may sound silly but I'm not too great with technology so apologies, how do I come off the internet, do I just push the home button or is there an option for exiting the net on it. I just dont want to be pushing home thinking I'm no longer on the net and be getting charged for it (unlimited internet bundle is not actually unlimited strangely).
Im sure someone can point me in the right direction.

[fiona1990]

:) Ok so I have managed to figure out how to work the I phone, I guess it just takes a bit of getting used to.

Does anyone have the words free app, its like scrabble and its geekishly very addictive. You can play it with anyone who has the app.

Are there any other apps which anyone would recommend?

[Fabrizio]

I've gone the last couple of years with out a cellphone. Because ...I don't know...because I can.

But recently a friend/client of mine gifted me his hardly used IPhone 3GS. He prefers the Blackberry.

I do like the thing. 5 Euros a month for unlimited internets... and it's pretty fast.

When I was a kid they promised us flying cars ...but I don't remember anything like this.

[fiona1990]

I got along just fine with my old phone which was nothing special but I was also given the I phone, its quite good. Its hard to adapt to and makes you think how did we ever survive without it.

[Ninjahedge]

Fab, that is not entirely true.

Things like the "tri corder" from Star Trek would be an example of hand held data technology they foresaw, albeith in radically different form and slightly different function.

The wrist communicator was also one done in the old Dick Tracy comics, I believe, and there were others that touched on this kind of communication.

The odd thing was, although they could picture you using a video communicator on your wrist, they somehow could not envision you being able to read much of anything on it. Most of the electronic gadgets of the past fiction were required to print out something thata was wirelessly transmitted to you.....



Wait a sec... maybe they were just predicting the early 90's......

[Fabrizio]

Actually the most amazing technology is how you can have me on "ignore" (as you've announced) yet are still able to read my posts.

----

No one.... not Star Trek, Dick Tracy, Flash Gordon... or even the Jetsons .... predicted a device that would allow us to have virtually instantaneous access to the world's knowledge in the palm of our hands.

[Ninjahedge]

You simply hit the little tag on the bottom that says "view post" or something similar.

I usually tag that on topics that I know I will not get into a fight with you about. If you have a problem with that, I will be more than happy to start fighting with you again! ;)

That aside, I do agree, it has not been seen as such, but various permutations have been there. It is just this confluence that was never envisioned to such a degree.

[GordonGecko]

Gas Complex Worker Tells of Terror and a Desperate Escape

"After nearly two days of hiding from the hostage-takers, Mr. Floria and seven others decided their only chance at survival would come from climbing the fence and running away. They left around 2 a.m. for what became a harrowing desert trek, guided only by the flickering flame atop a gas well in the distance and a compass application on Mr. Floria’s iPhone.
...

Fortunately, the iPhone app worked without a cellular signal. They walked over barren terrain of sand and rocks and small hills, from about 2 a.m. until the late afternoon with only short breaks.

At last they found the gas well. There was a temporary building there, and at least one of the men was struggling to go on. "

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/23/world/africa/worker-at-algerian-gas-facility-describes-escape.html

[Ninjahedge]

It is lucky the software did not require license validation through cell phone data plan contact.

:mad: