Image from Tom's Guide

Also I hope Nokia won’t do an Apple and try to control the app market for Symbian. It’s kind of retarded that people are lauding the iPhone-iTunes store when smart phone [not smartphone mind you] of Nokia and SE have been getting apps for free, but also paying for premium ones like CorePlayer and the like.

What I hate about it is the fact that it’s considered revolutionary (only in America however). Yes I hate the iPhone, it’s being praised for shit that was done before and with better ethics to the consumer. And history will have it as some kind of device that’s so fuckin’ superior despite being 2 years behind in technology.

When I read some person saying that $600 for an iPhone is justified because it’s the most advanced hardware for phones out there, I die a little inside. It’s inferior to my phone already, it’s inferior to a large majority of N Series phones, and it’s just eye candy for crying out loud.

Mr. X is a Sony Ericsson user. Questions, reactions, violent objections and counter-rants are welcome in the comments below.

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If you really wanted an iPhone 3G but never wanted to adhere to the carefully cultivated Jobnesian smartphone setup (or you didn’t want to pay a massive extra for freedom), here’s your chance!

Through buy.com, you can get a “never-locked” iPhone 3G for only $200. The special label applies because this is a rare, fully-functional, and affordable unit that has never been jailbroken. It enjoys full support courtesy of Apple’s warranty, and will not break when new software updates are installed. Most importantly, being “never-locked”, the phone works with any network provider.

What are the catches? First and foremost, the $200 gets you a refurbed unit. It’s not brand-new. Also, from all indications, you still have to commit to a two-year plan from AT&T. Unfortunately, the offer is currently “temporarily sold out”, so it’s impossible to fully verify this offering.

Thanks Peter The Mordo Juan! Image courtesy of Apple Inc.

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$600 is a lot of money, and I’m not even sure if that price gets you full iPhone functionality. For instance, will Visual Voicemail run on other networks? To be sure, unsubsidized iPhones aren’t really new. The French and Germans required that their local counterparts also be available without any sort of lock-in.

Is the relatively high price worth it? Gearfuse implies that unsubsidized units free the user from the jailbreaking game, definitely a benefit worth considering. But I imagine bypassing Apple’s and AT&T’s restrictions will remain in vogue, so long as really good apps only work on jailbroken units.

(image and source: BGR)

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Introducing the Carbon Fiber iPhone 3G Case, a good buy in a world where spending $85 for a phone protector sounds sensible.

To be fair though, DRO Concepts promises that their product is made out of genuine carbon fiber, which of course implies strength and lightness. And like any well-designed case that somewhat justifies the price tag, the carbon fiber case is designed in such a way that still permits full access to the iPhone’s controls.

You can check out the product here. (image courtesy of DRO Concepts)

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Check out these iPhone-themed cupcakes, which recently won some cupcake decorating contest. A little rough on the edges, but you can be forgiving when pastries are involved. Besides, they look so yummy, it’s to imagine competitors wishing they could eat Apple’s “significant” competition away. (laughingsquid.com)

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Here’s some of the current badness related to Apple’s supposedly superior smartphone:

Apple iPhone ad banned – The Advertising Standards Authority lays the smackdown on Apple, banning them from promising access to “all parts of the internet” with the iPhone.

Inventor sues Google, Verizon, others on voicemail – Thanks for settling with douchebag Judah Klausner, Apple and AT&T! Now he’s suing other big companies, claiming that they’ve infringed on his patent for visual voicemail.

iPhone 3G vs. Sony’s 40-inch ZX1 LCD television… Fight! – Looks like Sony’s new ultra-thin TV is thinner than the iPhone 3G. Ha!

Orange Admits to Throttling iPhone 3G Speeds – How will those nose-sniffing Apple-maniacs in France show-off, when they can’t attain maximum connectivity speeds through your network Orange? Shame on you!

Apple iPhone Passcode Lock Security Bypass Vulnerability – An Apple product actually has vulnerabilities, like any other gadget?

Update: how the 2.0.2 software update addressed iPhone 3G dropped calls – An Apple smartphone actually drops calls, like many other cell phones?

iPhone, just can’t rely on it… – A customer is actually getting dissatisfied with an Apple product, like numerous other customers using other brands?

30 smashed up iPhone 3G’s, on Flickr – No need for explanation.

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Yet recent events have shown that Apple’ matter-of-fact statements may actually work against its interests. And more importantly, the same marketing that have built and sustained interest in the phone may also work against network partners who enjoy relative iPhone 3G exclusivity in their respective areas.

Wasn’t it Only $199?

Long-time mobile customers knew that Apple’s advertised price of $199 for an 8GB iPhone 3G had a catch—a two-year contract with AT&T that would commit the user to paying hundreds of dollars in total over the said period. But thanks to Apple’s simple and reachable advertising, this fact somehow became the subject of discussion (including, sadly, here).

Thanks to the relative dominance enjoyed by the American tech media online, it affected the perception of the iPhone 3G around the world, particularly in the Philippines. When Philippine affiliate Technograph first reported on the iPhone 3G postpaid plans offered by Globe Telecom, Apple’s partner in the country, some readers accused the service provider of trying to profit severely off interest in the smartphone:

The thing is, the Philippines is one of those countries where airtime is cheap. Now Globe is packaging a subscription plan for iPhone that costs tenfold than any regular plan. Comparing this to AT&T, you might even say that AT&T’s rates are a nickel-dime deal compared to what Globe has done. The iPhone is a data platform. Globe is plain ridiculous.

Regardless whether or not that statement is accurate (again, AT&T’s own two-year plans represent a significant financial investment), it’s indicative of a reputation problem for Globe.

Litigious Shock Over iPhone 3G Failures

This story on ABCnews.com goes to great lengths to maintain balance. It points out that while some Apple customers have resorted to class-action lawsuits over the iPhone 3G’s apparent connectivity and coverage issues, it also features the other side. Various experts are cited as asserting that the problem isn’t as widespread as the high-profile lawsuits make them out to be.

But that’s just the point. Apple’s reputation means it enjoys more attention than usual, whether or not it’s positive. As Jupiter Research analyst Michael Gartenberg stated:

I’m not seeing anything that indicates that this [is] widespread. … If the Internet tends to magnify smaller problems, then the fact that it’s an Apple product tends to magnify it even more. [emphasis ours]

For some reason, it’s hard to imagine such class-action lawsuits over products from less “prominent” competitors.

Apple Wannabes Beware

If imitation is a form of flattery, then Apple must be doing something right with their marketing. Everyone’s trying to adapt the same minimalist yet striking visual approach pioneered by apple.com (like the infamous “wet floor” look), while more consumer electronics websites are employing straightforward yet entertaining copy to attract the attention of potential customers.

Yet the potential danger is that, by adapting such an accessible tone, these Apple-wannabes may suffer the unhappiness of customers unwilling—or unable—to take effective tech marketing with a grain of salt.

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Although some claim to have created a diamond encrusted iphone 3G, they are just photos of the old iphone redone in Photoshop.(as can be seen in their respective pictures)

This is the real thing. This is the world’s first diamond encrusted Iphone 3G.

Well, we don’t doubt you. But AT&T’s fees are quite pricey already to begin with! Then again, only 50 of these will be made, and it’s not exactly everyday a phone with 475 comes along (3.75 carats baby!). But on the other hand, this is like those diamond-encrusted Rolex; it’s hard to imagine bringing this out for everyday use, and is probably perfect only for those upscale parties where literal fortunes are spent. (athem.ch)

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Case in point: OpenClip, an open-source project dedicated to giving the iPhone copy-paste functionality. Apple’s lucky; they let all the fanboys do the work of making a better product, and also have doe-eyed tech reporters speed-talking about such developments.

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