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iPhone Tethering App Released, Killed In 2 Hours

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the and-they-wonder-why-we-jailbreak dept.

tjhayes writes "The iPhone App Store released an application called NetShare that allowed the iPhone to tether a laptop to the internet. It was priced at a $10 one-time fee. After being available for approximately 2 hours, the application has disappeared from the apps store. What exactly are AT&T/Apple trying to accomplish here?" They are trying to prove what is wrong with DRM, and demonstrate why hackers want to jailbreak the iPhone.

5 of 434 comments (clear)

  1. It's back, you weenies by DurendalMac · · Score: 5, Informative

    The queue is really lagging. The app is back up and still for sale. Come on, Slashdot mods, stay current!

  2. Re:WTF? by TheRaven64 · · Score: 5, Informative

    I was quite shocked, but knowing apple, I shouldn't have been.

    I was shocked to learn this about the original iPhone, since it was only since I switched to OS X that I started regularly using a phone for Internet access via Bluetooth. Apple made it really easy to set it up (there's a little Bluetooth wizard that does everything for you), and by not supporting this on the iPhone they have made sure that pretty much any other make of phone integrates better with their OS than their own phone.

    My old (cheap) Nokia phone can sync calendars with iCal, sync contacts with Address Book, and be used as a modem, all via Bluetooth. The iPhone needs a cable to do any of these (and can't do the third one even with a cable).

    --
    I am TheRaven on Soylent News
  3. Re:people just need to know by shutdown+-p+now · · Score: 5, Informative

    It's not the same browser, but it is the same rendering engine.

  4. Re:What about outside the USA? by stevel · · Score: 5, Informative

    Tethering is not against AT&T rules in general. Tethering is supported on AT&T if you have a plan that allows it. In the past, all data plans allowed tethering, and that's the kind I have. Nowadays their data plans for PDA phones come in two levels, with and without tethering. The difference does not seem to be strictly enforced from what I have heard, but if you are caught tethering on a no-tether plan you may be subject to big extra charges.

    I do not have an iPhone, and lack of tethering support is one of many reasons why. I occasionally tether with my Treo 750 and it works well.

    Whatever the issue is with tethering on the iPhone, it would seem to be Apple and not AT&T. Many AT&T phones support tethering, but not the iPhone.

  5. Re:What you talkin' about willis? by DavidinAla · · Score: 5, Informative

    Government force should be met with force if necessary. But contracts entered into voluntarily are the basis of civilization. You're advocating a return to the day when contracts couldn't be enforced, which would destroy the availability of the very services you hope to steal. Your position is not only irrational and immoral, but short-sighted.