Slashdot Mirror
Apple Error Leaves iPhone Developers In the Lurch
canadacow writes "iPhone developers enrolled and active in the iPhone OS 2.0 beta program got a nasty surprise today when Apple inadvertently 'expired' the recently released version. While for a beta program this typically would not be an issue, Apple has yet to release a new deployment of the iPhone OS. So developers like myself who use their iPhone for both actual phone and iPod use are bricked. Of note, this particular expired build is just 11 days old."
They tried to call you and apologize but you didn't answer your phone.
SJW: Someone who has run out of real oppression, and has to fake it.
Let's complain about BETA software!
But, I guess that getting on the front page of slashdot is more important.
Username taken, please choose another one.
Is anyone else getting tired of the sensationalist misuse of the term "bricked" around here?
Unless it's nigh unrecoverable, your hardware isn't bricked.
If there's anything more important than my ego around here, I want it caught and shot immediately.
"Bricked" is unrecoverable.
"Bricked" is permanent.
"Bricked" is having absolutely no way, ever, of interacting with the object in a manner that is inconsistent with interacting with a brick.
This, on the other hand, will be fixed by tomorrow.
It's only bricked if you cannot get it to work again without cracking it up and digging into some special programming connector or replacing some chips. That is, the device can serve no other purpose than to be a brick without highly technical intervention. The fact that you can update the software back to the non-expired non-beta version seems to be completely overlooked.
“Common sense is not so common.” — Voltaire
The device functions enough that you can restore the original firmware, you know, the firmware that is stable and fully supported and not recommended for development use only.
Beta testers were notified by e-mail of the software expiration that night. A new copy was available immediately from the AppleSeed site.
My phone is fine and probably a lot of other beta testers who have a clue have a working phone as well.
Maybe people who beta test software should have a good understanding that it is a BETA test and Apple highly recommended that the BETA software not be installed on personal or business-related phones that need to have 100% accessibility and reliability.
How many beta testers in this program understand how to use a web browser to go grab the new release? If you're gonna be a n00b about it, don't sign up to be a tester.
I don't get it - My "friend's" iphone expired at midnight but guess what, there was an email from the Apple beta program in my "friend's" email telling my "friend" to update their iPhone. Update, start using the phone again.
This is just a sensationalist article using the Dvorak Method (TM) to get more hits.
Yes, OpenMoko, the opensource alternative that is unavailable and doesn't even work.
Oh it boots, but you can't make a phone call from in the UI. And while the command line dialer does work, no audio does. So you can call someone but not speak to or hear them.
While I have every hope for OpenMoko, don't go flinging them as some open-source solution when it doesn't even do what it's supposed to.
No worries about some sudden "phone call" either.Consider the open source alternative, OpenMoko No worries about some sudden "change in corporate direction" screwing you over.
$x='S24;r)>63/* h@<5+oZ)32"5cz';$me='phroggy'x$];
$x=~y+ -xz+\0-Tx+;print$_^chop$me for split'',$x;
Fact: Everything I say is fiction.