After a tweet from Steve Marshall this morning, I took another read through my guide to enabling PAYG data on an iPhone in the US. In the process of checking the links, it now appears that O2 will allow contract customers to unlock their iPhone 4. Previously, O2 didn’t allow iPhone 4 unlocks during their launch period (at first, iPhone 4 handsets were only available to existing O2 customers) - but did for all previous iPhone handsets.
If you do unlock the phone you’re still bound by the minimum contract you signed, remember, but it does mean that if you’re travelling to the US for SXSW or WWDC you can simply take one iPhone and pop an AT&T SIM in. Engadget’s guide on hacking a full-size SIM to Micro-SIM will probably come in handy.
All the details are on the O2 website.
I’ve been using my iPhone 3G for the last 24 hours since I smashed the (remarkably brittle) back of my iPhone 4 yesterday morning. iOS 4.0.1 is draining the battery faster than ever, and causing the phone to be so slow that it’s utterly unusable at times.
Sidenotes to the whole ‘I dropped and smashed my iPhone 4’ saga:
Reeder, my favourite iPhone RSS reader, just got a shiny new icon and Retina display graphics.
Today seems to be the embargo date for outlets with Windows Phone 7 Preview handsets:
I’ll admit I’d be curious to spend a little time with a Windows Phone 7 handset (once they’re shipping - the previews are software-only on a not-for-sale Samsung device). In general the previews are pretty positive - however there’s also recognition that Windows Phone 7 GM needs to be exceptionally refined at 1.0 to make any headway in the competition with Android and iPhone 4.
A great piece on CrunchGear on how all the early iPhone 4 reviews completely missed the iPhone 4 death grip.
I’ve spent the entire weekend away from the whole ‘Antennagate’ saga - trying to avoid much of the collective whinging from Friday’s Apple press conference - however over lunch I decided to watch the 30 minute stream from Friday. Before I go any further, I should say that I’ve experienced issues with the antenna in the iPhone 4 when in areas of weak reception. It’s not something that’s actively impacted my use of the device, and whilst I welcome Apple’s offer of a free case the whole press conference left something of a bitter after-taste.
Despite the ridiculing iPhone 4 Antenna song introduction, the presentation started off well - concise and tactful acknowledgement that some things hadn’t gone according to plan, with stats and examples. However as the show rolled on it’s as if Steve’s anger at the proverbial shit-storm that the media has built around the antenna issue started to show, particularly at the offer of aforementioned free case.
I have no problems with Apple offering “just” a free case for my iPhone 41: I’ll be claiming my Bumper to help with the weak-spot coverage. However, Steve’s retort of ‘OK, so we’ll just give out these cases’2 was thrown out there with such venomous contempt that the message quickly soured from ‘we’re just wanting to make you happy’ to ‘why the hell should we have to give you a case?’. Jobs was very obviously angry, perhaps understandably so given his firm belief that the iPhone 4 is so incredible.
Unfortunately, that single moment of contempt towards users who have experienced issues with the iPhone 4, certainly didn’t affirm my belief that Apple just wanted to make right on the (localised3) issues with the iPhone 44.
As Daniel Jalkut wrote this afternoon:
Now that Apple is on top again, Jobs seems to be losing that knack for inspiring fans. He’s turning into a sore winner. He defensively chides his own customers for holding their iPhone 4 “the wrong way.” He tersely defends questionable Apple practices in one-liner email responses. He spins the truth in that barely plausible manner that used to be celebrated as the “reality distortion field,” but now comes off as purposefully dishonest and manipulative.
At times whilst watching the stream, that’s exactly what it felt like.
I am, however, curious about the 30th September deadline for claiming a free case, especially if Apple decide to discontinue the free cases. ↩
I’ve paraphrased and boldened the text to try and convey the tone of Jobs’ delivery. ↩
Faruk has an excellent piece (particularly regarding the laughably linkbait-fueled coverage in the media). ↩
For all my negativity over the delivery of the message (and that’s my only grievance with Friday’s presentation), Apple’s media frenzy included some stunning photos of their test facility. ↩
Great YouTube find, courtesy of Jeff Rock.
Turns out no matter how you hold the Nexus One, it gets discontinued after six months.
The “will they recall or give out free bumpers” drama kicks off at 10am Pacific Time.
This short piece pretty much sums up my experience mentioning that I have an iPhone 4 to non-technical users. Even though there may not be that big an issue with the iPhone 4, the damage to Apple’s image is being done by the mainstream perception that the device is fundamentally flawed.
© Nik Fletcher 2007-2011 ~ Contact
