In a story that made
national news today, 17 year old George Hotz has successfully disconnected the iPhone from AT&T so that it can be used on other wireless services.
The AP Wire story doesn't give George's blog site, but here it is:
http://iphonejtag.blogspot.com. As another who enjoys taking apart things that most people never look inside, I found it fascinating (although I still don't have the nerve to attempt this complicated hack on a very expensive toy). Still, it's been done -- and it was done by an enterprising teenager.
Very cool.
Saw the interview on CNN this morning and just knew you and AT would love it. Of course, I had no idea what they were talking about.
Saw the interview on CNN this morning and just knew you and AT would love it. Of course, I had no idea what they were talking about.
I predict the Iphone will be obsolete in 6 months
All new things are. Some last, some are gone in 6 months. Do you think the iPhone concept will be obsolete in 6 months?
Six months might be a little short, but I do agree that it's a novelty. Most things that are too closely tied to a particular company or service don't last. Remember Betamax vs. VHS? Beta was actually the better technology, but because they cut some exclusive agreements, they went the way of the dinosaur.
Having the iPhone available only through AT&T will be its demise, although there's also a downside to having everything (your phone, your organizer, your entertainment) all wrapped up in one relatively fragile gadget. If something happens to it, you're toast.
Still, what this kid accomplished is significant and worthy of admiration.
"Beta was actually the better technology, but because they cut some exclusive agreements, they went the way of the dinosaur."
Actually, what doomed the Beta format was that the pornography industry adopted VHS as the industry standard.
http://www.macworld.com/news/2006/05/02/...lsrc=mwrss
The iPhone concept is nothing new. The Windows smartphone I have is 2 years old, and does essentially everything, albeit without quite as much flash. In fact, theres a hack I can download and apply to my phone to make it emulate the iPhone.
Phone calls? check.
Music? Check
Calendar? check
Like many things Mac, its not a situation where the hardware or software is necessarily better, but where it has the chic appeal. I'm not dogging macintosh's, but I'd go toe to toe with any Mac with my homebuilt computer, any day of the week.
I think that a device that offers essentially what a mobile person needs by means of useful technology without being tied to Microsoft is opening the door to where we must go. I don't think they will always be tied to AT&T either, or always be limited to the current application suite. The current offerings are needed to ramp up production and assure useful, working solutions for an initial release.
There is a lot of thought in this product and I admire the step they have taken.