Thursday
Oct042007
Not Dead Yet
Thursday, October 4, 2007 at 6:15PM 
People seem to have misinterpreted my "dead cow" analogy and are assuming that I bricked my iPhone. Nope. I have both the original iPhone, upgraded to 1.1.1, and the unlocked iPhone still and forever at 1.0.2. I'm donating the latter to The Lab for further experimentation. I'll keep the locked phone around so I can continue to cover the platform, which was the reason I bought it in the first place.
It's not for myself that I am whining, or even others I know whose phone were bricked. My point is that it's punitive for Apple to intentionally damage unlocked iPhones, and I believe that's wrong.
To those who say we can't know Apple's intention, I'd respond that it would have been a simple bit of coding to checksum the modem firmware and refuse to update if it had been modified. In fact, that would have been a prudent precaution no matter what. By choosing not to do so Apple is making its intent clear, and absent any statement to the contrary from Cupertino I'm going to continue to think Apple wishes unlockers ill, no matter what Fake Steve Jobs says.
To prove I still have a working iPhone, here are two pictures from my hotel window in Vancouver. One with the iPhone and one with the Nokia N95. You tell me which you prefer.
Nokia
Apple
Oh, and incidentally on the Nokia and the unlocked iPhone uploading these images in full quality to Flickr takes one click using third party apps (ShoZu on the N95 and Send Picture on the iPhone). On the locked iPhone I had to dock to my Mac, import the photo into iPhoto, export it, and then upload to Flickr. That's one of the reasons I want to be able add third-party apps to my mobile phones. Now I'm going to run to the Fatburger next door and have a veggie burger. No more dead cows for me. Good night.tagged Camera Phone, Gear, N95, Photos, Technology, iPhone in Blog
Camera Phone, Gear, N95, Photos, Technology, iPhone in Blog
Reader Comments (73)
I wonder if, coz the 3rd party developers are so mad (not letting them do anything for the iPhone) that they will use there free time to write virus's for the mac instead. *Worries*
Seriously Leo, I find it interesting that you can be so dead sure about that it would only take a checksum to prevent this from happening. Managing the upgrade cycle for embedded software is far from trivial, even without people changing low level things in the platform. I think the most likely explanation was that they were pressed for time and needed to get this update out of the door and just couldn't find a safe upgrade and decided to go with what they'd got at the time. If I remember correctly, the WiFi store was pushed with this update. Would it really be in Apple's interest to hold of that functionality for the "regular" users who didn't hack their phone just to try to find a safe upgrade path for the minority?
I still don't see how you entering into a contract to use software according to the terms stated, intentionally violating that contract and as a result losing the ability to use the software that you broke the contract over equates into "Apple intentionally [damaging] unlocked iPhones." The logic in your argument simply doesn't compute.
I'm sorry you disagree with their policy, but you should have disagree prior to signing the contract. After joining into the agreement, willfully violating it and hoping to get away with it, you really no longer have the right to complain. You knew it would happen, you knew it went against the software agreement and you still didn't.
Apple has no obligation to continue allowing you to use software once you have broken your agreement with them. That's simply the way business in capitalistic societies works.
The Nokia is a better exposure. The White Balance on the iPhone is too cool. Plus it's slightly underexposed. If the WB was warmed up it might open up the detail in the lower portion of the pic.
@naum: A link to the TUAW article would have sufficed. In any case, Ambrosia used an undocumented iTunes API to get ringtones onto the iPhone. And he's right, iToner did leave the ringtones in the phones userland, which is why they're still there, just inaccessible. That's the problem you face when your software depends on reverse engineering (read: hacking) undocumented stuff or bugs that could change or be fixed without warning or notice. However, Apple did give both warning and notice and the results were expected by everyone, including Leo.
Don't forget that Leo refused to unlock his own phone because he figured that Apple would break it and potentially brick the phone. That's why the phone that he did unlock was a freebie from a listener.
Again, since its fairly obvious that none of the people who are accusing Apple of screwing their customers by evilly bricking phones are leet firmware hackers, Leo needs to get Erica on a show to talk about what's really going on.
And here's a fun link:
http://diveintomark.org/archives/2007/10/04/if-wishes-were-iphones
Of course the next update was going to brick the hacked phones - anybody who didn't expect that is naive in the extreme.
I see now Leo that you had the sense not to apply the update - so why are you so p1ssed off? You still have an unlocked phone - it still works - you can still add 3rd party apps? I think we might have to start calling you dvorak. Stop with the whining - your clearly very fickle anyway so its no surprise you are now looking at other phones again - you do the same with websites twitter, jaiku, pownce yada yada yada. Leo you're a great broadcaster, but you're no technology expert.
There's a very good reason why the N95 is being used in small-scale UAV systems to collect imagery from altitude. I mean, besides that it also has GPS capability.
The only problem I have with the N95's sensor though, is that it has a tendency to blow-out the high values (whites). Otherwise, the color-balance / radiometry is the most accurate on the market.
Hi Leo,
which "tags" plugin are you using? And does it work with Wordpress 2.3?
You and your twit-network rock and so does my non-clicky keyboard ;-)
Greetings from Germany,
Ole
I really love watching the iphone soap opera ensue. I'm so glad I've gotten to watch all this happen before it's released here (Germany). It's not predicted to do well anyways with it's slow data and inability to offer most features people here in Europe are used to having for a few years now. I still know it's initial infatuation will cause good sales and buzz but I feel it'll die off quickly when people realize they can't do video calls and their browsing slows to a crawl.
I'm glad Leo has finally come to his senses and sees through how this is not the one phone for everyone. I use a mac and pc, also an ipod but does that mean I have to use an iphone? Heck no! I'm not in the "cult of apple" and can call a turd a turd when I see it. Unlocked, open , up to date data transfer and a bit smaller in size and price and I may give it a go. Until that day, and I won't hold my breath I'll stick with my sek810i and continue enjoying current technology for data and a nice cybershot camera.
The Nokia by far, nice pic.
Previously posted on the Cow blog:
How about this, you buy a cow with the expresses purpose of making Milk, the farmer supplies you with a vaccine to keep the milk that comes out of the cow pure and tasty, but that vaccine has a side affect if you try to make cheese. you choose to make cheese so you have to stop using the vaccine or the cow will suffer from the side affect.
@Ole - I'm using the native tags capability of 2.3 - works great.
Leo,
On the locked iPhone just email the photo to Flickr.
Works fine for me, even on Edge.
On Flickr, Look under Your Account: Email, Your Flickr upload email. You might have to enable it first if you haven't done so.
Leo, you can use your cow to make cheese against the agreement you had when you bought it, but how can you expect to let it keep grazing on the original owners pastures?
Mod your iPhone and don't try updating and you'll be fine.
If you try to take advantage of the work Apple is doing to improve their system after you've already decided to renege on your agreement with them, how can you claim Apple is wrong? The update isn't a push, it's a pull. I can't really empathize with someone who criticizes someone else for not taking the high road if they don't take the high road themselves.
@Anthony:
You missed a key phrase in Leo's post…
…"uploading these images in **full quality**".
One tap email is nice but it resizes the photo…
>>On the locked iPhone just email the photo to Flickr.
@naum
ah, thanks
I haven't investigated that because what it uploads has been more than enough for my moblogging purposes.
Gruber has replied to this post
http://daringfireball.net/2007/10/cancel_computer
Hit the nail on the head.
Hi Leo,
Unfortunately some commentors here are not only deluded by RDF, but also clinically blind from all that radiation.
But never mind that. I love my unlocked iPhone all the way here in Singapore and I have Erica Sadun to thank for that (and also my boss who kindly brought one back from the States post price-cut, more on that later.). And I completely understand why you feel this way about the whole Apple iPhone saga, even though I am no less psyched to be using this awesome phone (unlocked 1.0.2 firmware with the works, thank you).
I believe the root of your odd bovine analogy was the emotional distress that manifested as a result of Apple's recent uncontrollable urge to royally screw their most loyal customers over. From crippling iPod touches to bricking iPhones, the fun doesn't end.
Let me list all of the recent "Apple screw you"s to counter the intense RDF on this page:
- iPhone brickings that could have been prevented with simple firmware checks as mentioned by Leo. Any programmer can tell you that this is trivially simple to implement.
- iPhone with a recessed headphone jack. Can anyone say Made for iPhone accessories?
- Legacy iPod video cables not working anymore with new iPods for no apparent technical reason at all, but several profitable reasons.
- iPod Touch calendar does not allow addition of new entries. They actually went through the trouble to cripple the iPhone version just so iPod Touch users have a more obvious upgrade path.
- iPod games not working cross generations of iPods. Itching for Sudoku? Now, again, for a fantastic price of $4.99! Never mind you paid for it before. Now you have the great opportunity to pay for it again! Twice the fun!
- Ginormous price cut on iPhones after two months. I love this one since I bought it after the drop. But understandably, some nerds-in-denial are fuming that they have been unceremoniously subjected to the nerd-tax.
- Bricking iToner and then to sell you the privilege to use the songs you already own as ringtones.
- iPhone is released locked with no possibility of unlocking. The usual refrain to this is that the "killer app" Visual Voicemail necessitates collaboration with the devil. Seriously? Visual Voicemail is the thing you can't do without amidst all the wonderful stuff already on the iPhone and 3rd party stuff to boot. And the explanation that the iPhone needs AT&T to be successfully launched is rubbish too. Apple, the preeminent marketer of the 21st century, needs AT&T to launch a product? Seriously?
And of course some of the irradiated might say that Apple is a listed-business, with bottom-lines and shareholders to take care of. Since we bought these things on our own accords knowing full well what the terms were, naturally, they don't owe us anything. Caveat Emptor. Yet, we aren't arguing about what Apple *must* do here, are we? We are arguing what Apple *should* do. Since we're consumers, we logically would like Apple to stop royally screwing consumers. And we all know what happens when you make a habit of royally screwing consumers for a living - you become an over-inflated corporate, then you produce Vista.
Leo
You are right on!
Whether Apple was within its' rights to brick iPhones is very different from whether they should have. I think Apple made a poor choice.
It seems Apple is making a bunch of poor choices / mistakes lately (iPhone pricing, bad iPod touch screens, bad iPhone screens, iMacs freezing up, handling of ringtones, NBC / Universal dustup, etc.).
I think Apple is experiencing growing pains.
I hope Apple comes out with an Amnesty program - a bricked (hobbled) iPhone is a terrible thing.
Thank you Leo,
I just updated my blog to 2.3 and I'm happy with it.
Had to disable the "redirect_canonical" and don't even know why, but now everything works like a charme.
Wordpress is really a great tool.
Have a nice day and don't play too much Halo3, because we need you to do the netcasting thing ;-)
I think the Nokia picture is much better than the Iphone. I still like the Iphone overall but it seems a case of a little too little too late. No bluetooth stereo, GPS, replacable battery, memory card slot, open applications, etc. I have been looking at a lot of upgrades for my aging PPC-6700 and have pretty much decided on the newly released ATT Tilt from HTC. Has all the above and more.
Yeah, shame on Apple for forcing those hacked iPhones into updating to 1.1.1 without warning what could/would happen first!
Oh, wait...
I want to start makes some comments that are constructive. Instead, I wade in on 1.1.1. 2 thoughts. 1. Language as art - far too many people are just talking out loud, refining what the have to say and becoming more attached to their argument than what was going on. 2. I was going to make Dan Gruber's point, perhaps more succinctly - Apple never promised openness, Apple warned you, and you had to click the update you button, killing the cow. A fitting end to language as art.
First, I prefer the Nokia picture.
Second, well I am changing my tune and must say that Leo, after your explanations of your cow comment, I understand your position, you are right.
One thing that I have always thought about this hack thing is that it's not so much about the iPhone but about the limitations that cell phone companies feel that they are obligated to put on us (I'm a Verizon customer/sucker) and the innovation of the users to bypass said limitations.
Apple could have and should have handled this differently and I hope that they see the errors in their decision.