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iPhone Tethering App Released, Killed In 2 Hours
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.
I just found out that it isn't possible to use the iphone as a 3g modem on a laptop on Friday. I was quite shocked, but knowing apple, I shouldn't have been.
Apple certainly are turning the mobile phone marketplace on its head. They are pulling stunts that no other manufacture would DREAM of.
Instead of making a device that is as useful as possible, they want to lock down the possibly uses of their product.
Steve jobs is a control freak of a whole new magnitude and the chances of me ever being tempted to buy an iphone just dropped from slim to none.
Yes, it has a great interface. Safari is the best web browser I've seen on a phone. And the email client is excellent as well. Here in Boston, the 3G coverage is good. I like all of this.
But I can't sync my calendar to my employer's Oracle Calendaring system. And Apple appears to be holding up any OTA sync application that might circumvent syncing through their "MobileMe" so-called service. I also can't sync my contacts to a central server or OTA without MobileMe. Here's my problem:
Apple has no right to view my contacts or schedule. By forcing a sync through their servers, they become a single-point-of-failure for my workflow, and further, they gain potential access to confidential business information. There is no way I'll go for that.
Apple: get a grip. You can have my money, but you cannot have my private and personal information at your whim. Also, I need utility from my phone; I didn't buy the damn thing to show it off.
Finally, I've had to jailbrake the phone for MobileTerminal and ssh, which is also critical to my job.
I'm pretty close to returning the iPhone for a Blackberry. Shame I've been tied to AT&T for the next two years though.
Fanboy alert! Fanboy alert!
There is nothing remarkable about the iPod, there are many better alternatives like Creative players which don't have any DRM, can play Divx and XDvix and have many more options. The iPod is basically overhyped and locks you into propriatory crap.