Hackers Finally Unlock iPhone 3G

nandemoari quotes a story at Infopackets: "2009 has gotten off to a great start for a team of iPhone enthusiasts with little regard for Apple's licensing requirements. They've finally figured out a way to get the phone to work with any cell phone carrier (and not just AT&T). The iPhone Dev Team is best known for their work on 'jailbreaking;' the technique of altering an iPhone so that you can run any applications on it, not just those approved by Apple. Given the company's questionable vetting policy for entry to the official App store, it's not surprising many users approve of jailbreaking."

Comments

I do not understand...

[Extremus]

... why people NEED to have an iPhone. There are alternatives in the market.

Please, somebody tell me why anyone should buy an iPhone.

Re:I do not understand...

[mdwh2]

It also has one of the best UIs on any mobile device.

Evidence?

How many other phone makers actually show off their OS in their commercials?

How many what now? It's a phone. People don't buy phones to "run an OS", they buy them as a tool which they expect to Just Work, and not worry about what "OS" it runs. All sorts of things run operating systems these days, such as cars and set-top boxes. You don't hear the manufacturers telling you what "OS" you can run on them, because people don't buy these products to run an OS.

Plenty of phone adverts show off the operation of phones in their adverts. They don't dwell on things like "Wow you can access the Internets" on it like Apple do, because for the rest of the phone industry, that's old news.

Re:Is it worth it?

[fermion]

Alternatively, one could just buy another phone. As continuously mentioned, the iPhone is just a phone that can run some apps. Not the best phone, not the best interface. If one want to play music, the iTouch is smaller with more memory.

If one wants to be an app junkie, by something that runs the Android. That way one cdan not only run any app available, but can write personal custom apps. This has never been the case with Apple, so is a non issue. When the iPhone came out is had no apps. When apps were available, Apple said they were going to vet them, and anyone with a brain knew that they were going to be unfair.

If one wants to be an OSS advocate, buy an open moko. By buying an iPhone one is not hurting apple, or promoting OSS. They never sell anything at a loss, and they get to put the sales figures, not activation figures, in their annual report stating how much people love the phone, so why should they change? Moko is available now for $399. For that price, one can do whatever one wishes, even to write one's own phone software. Standing up for one's values is not free, it cost a buck o' five.

There is a theoretical importance to this work which I respect, and I am glad it goes on. It advances the art and keeps Apple on it toes. OTOH, complaining that the phone is locked and that the apps are controlled is just juvenile. It is not like, for instance, the new display port on macs that prevent legally acquired content from being displayed on normal display devices. This was a specific reduction in rights that was not initially disclosed to the consumer.

In any case, I feel like most of the people who complain are just like those posers that carry fake Prada or LV bags. People who think that conformity is the ultimate in life, but aren't quite sure why.