Well then, since we have pretty much confirmed that this is the 4G (see NuTech's link in his post), the question that remains now is if this is going to be AT&T (O2, etc)/GSM only, or if this is also going to be the CDMA version thats been rumored as well. Either way, my Verizon contract is up 6 months after the rumored release (June 22 according to Gizmodo).
Yeah - been there, done that. Twice. (I was in the queue at Regent's street for the original 2G launch way back when and outside my local O2 shop when the 3G was launched. My fanboi-ism gave me a +5 to fortitude save checks. )
Cost to get access to 4G iPhone? $5K. 10M Page vews per day? Priceless. http://www.macworld.co.uk/mac/news/index.cfm?newsid=3220956
Surely finders keepers shouldn't count. What are the laws on this in the states? Or have no laws been broken because Apple wanted everyone to know about it? How much free advertising have apple recieved already regarding this phone.
Apple have just claimed it back so it almost certainly is a genuine apple product, how close to a release version it is I'm not sure but pretty close I hope, my contract runs out on May the 10th so hopefully I'll be able to snag one when it comes out. Moriquendi
So Gizmodo posted the 'full' story about how they got their hands on it. They painted the lucky guy who found it to look like butter wouldn't melt (he asked around, tried to give it to the owner's drunk friend and even contacted Apple but was given a run around), but if he really wanted to give it back he could of just called numbers in the address book and ask if they have another way to contact he owner. It's also starting to look more credible that it was an actual leak and not a staged one. Not only are staged leaks *really* out of place for Apple (a company so infamous for its secrecy that it inadvertently caused the death of a Chinese employee) but the actual prototype belonged to Gray Powell, a baseband engineer (the software that makes phone calls and manages the cellular connection). So it makes perfect sense for him to be conducting 'real world' trials to see how any major code changes effect actual use. Suffice to say, when Gizmodo spoke to him, he sounded like a broken man. I'm calling it, the $5k figure is complete ********. I'd gamble that the $5k is just for the paperwork in case Apple goes after the guy who found it claiming he profited from a crime. So if the $5k gets confiscated, he will still keep the 'under the table' amount.
Not really - Apple remotely bricked it once it was known to have been misplaced. That's why they couldn't get past the connect to iTunes screen.
Check the article I linked dude, the guy who found it claims he 'played with it' at the bar while hoping for the owner to come back. He even launched the Facebook app which is how he knew it belonged to Gray Powell. He had access to the OS for a long while, but by the time it got to Gizmodo, it was bricked. His whole story stinks. He's either lying through his teeth or is an idiot. With the amount of information on that phone, it would of taken minutes to get it back to the owner, but instead he made a half-arsed attempt to return it then proceeded to shop it to the highest bidder. Some are now claiming that it is illegal in California to leave a bar with found property, it must be handed over to the manager. That could make the whole thing theft.
Ok - no need to get tetchy... But - fair enough on the dicking around with the phone in the bar. If I found a phone in a bar, I'd either hand it in or take it home and call next day. I'd be too busy drinking with my mates to be concerned with what looks like (at first glance in the case) an iPhone 3G/S
The BBC / Maggie Shiels blog is intersting to read. http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/maggieshiels/2010/04/iphone_intrigue.html Especially as it points out that all this traffic and Apple interest is occuring during the week Apple delivers its latest earnings figures... But the absolute peach of the article is this:
I surprises me that Apple hasn't placed a wad of C4 in the battery compartment so they can remotely detonate it, and prevent anyone from playing with it
No offense meant. I was just trying to point how has disgusting it was that (if what we're told is true) a lucky opportunist and a multi-million dollar publisher effectively destroyed some 26 year old developer who was just starting his career at Apple. All of which could have been avoided as there was plenty of information regarding the rightful owner. On a lighter note, the picture in that BBC article has persuaded me to go for a liquid lunch!
Surely the iTunes connect screen deserved a photo, if it was as high-res as they said. Seems odd to me that this wasn't shown. Otherwise it looks nice, better than the initial spy shots, but I still don't reckon the battery cover and associated seams will be on the final decide - why add removable batteries now?
I bet it's down to a European mandate on removable batteries: http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-10060066-37.html http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/07/eu-directive-aims-to-make-all-batteries-removable-even-that-bat/
Anyone else disappointed there hasn't been a Hitler video meme yet of Steve Jobs discovering the next iPhone has been leaked? It seems ripe for picking (or maybe too easy?).
I love the turn around in this thread. "That piece of fake crap looks horrible" "Oh its real? Well then, it looks awesome!" I thought it looked Ok from the start, and still looks Ok. If it does come out looking like that then it will severely limit some peoples high scores on doodle jump, laying it on its back and rolling it side to side via the curved back is a great way to get controlled movement.
