AppleInsider › Forums › Mobile › iPhone › Apple searching for another missing prototype left in SF bar
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Apple searching for another missing prototype left in SF bar - Page 2

post #41 of 156
8/31/11 at 2:01pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by solipsism View Post

Vatdoro makes some good points a few posts up. It doesn't really make much sense.

I know - I mentioned one or two of them in passing.
Reply
Reply
post #42 of 156
8/31/11 at 2:01pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Shrike View Post

It would be very interesting if it was corporate espionage.

I don't believe the story at all based on what's been offered so far, but if it is true, it certainly could be corporate espionage.

There was much indication in the first story that the phone was actually stolen and not "lost." The people that actually would be testing the devices would be known quantities or at least it would be possible ego find out who they were as a group without knowing which one of them actually was testing at a given time. Trailing those people around town and then lifting one from a purse or back pocket is certainly possible.
Reply
Reply
post #43 of 156
8/31/11 at 2:01pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tulkas View Post

No reason to think it was.

I hope the same people from last year don't start crawling out and emphatically claiming it was corporate espionage. They were so certain that someone had paid the finder to stalk the Apple employee, looking for the time to strike and steal the prototype.

It's very unlikely. But it would be interesting!
Reply
Reply
post #44 of 156
8/31/11 at 2:02pm
Any decently tech-saavy guy would know about the iP4 fiasco from last year. If they know what they have in their hand, I would think they would not be as so inclined to find someone to buy it at the highest bidder, unless the buyer was overseas and away from police jurisdiction.

Nontheless, I'm still just cracking up laughing that this happened again. Poor Steve Jobs. He has to be doing a serious face-palm over this.

And the engineer that lost it, it would seriously suck to be him right now!
Reply
Reply
post #45 of 156
8/31/11 at 2:04pm
and I've never lost my phone.

   I am long on my shares of AAPL at $37.00

Reply

   I am long on my shares of AAPL at $37.00

Reply
post #46 of 156
8/31/11 at 2:04pm
You'd think that Apple would have a rule in place to forbid employees who are testing valuable prototypes from visiting establishments which serves deadly drugs that makes some people completely lose control of their minds and bodies.
Reply
Reply
post #47 of 156
8/31/11 at 2:08pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by fjose1929 View Post

I don't understand why apple cannot just come clean as to how well iphone and ipads are selling. Instead of downplaying their sales, I believe it is their fiduciary responsibility to update sales projections if they are greater than what they reported in the last Q report.

This is funny. Next quarter report, you may actually want to read what Apple says. You might be surprised to hear some numbers.

I would FIRE any moron stupid enough to lose an Apple prototype of any kind.
Reply
Reply
post #48 of 156
8/31/11 at 2:10pm
I'm crying Bravo Sierra on this one.
Reply
Reply
post #49 of 156
8/31/11 at 2:11pm
So this is what, the 2nd prototype Apple's trying to get back? Is it me or has Apple lost that level of secrecy?
Reply
Reply
post #50 of 156
8/31/11 at 2:12pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by OC4Theo View Post

Apple should start requiring that only employees who do not drink should be given prototypes.

This is getting ridiculous.

This is a good point. Apple developers should NOT be able to take these prototypes into public places like bars, I think they should only be used within the Apple campus and not allowed outside (devs should not be able to take these prototypes home and about).

If Apple wants secrecy about these things, they are going to have to tighten the reigns!
Reply
Reply
post #51 of 156
8/31/11 at 2:14pm
In a related story, Samsung has announced that they would join in the search for the missing iPhone 5 prototype. The Samsung spokesperson stated, "We do not wish to see any issue affecting our, eh, Apple's R&D process that might lead to a redesign of our, eh, their next product."
Reply
Reply
post #52 of 156
8/31/11 at 2:14pm
This is incompetent, crappy reporting by both AI and CNET.

Dilger is reporting this as fact in AI, when the CNET story hedges by saying "appears to have lost" and "according to a source familiar with the investigation."

CNET falls short by publishing with only one, unconfirmed source. Reputable journalists find at least two sources before publishing, but obviously CNET was creaming its jeans to put out its "exclusive."

I admit to being a Fanatical Moderate. I Disdain the Inane. Vyizderzominymororzizazizdenderizorziz?

Reply

I admit to being a Fanatical Moderate. I Disdain the Inane. Vyizderzominymororzizazizdenderizorziz?

Reply
post #53 of 156
8/31/11 at 2:17pm
The police are wasting their time looking for a phone... Must be a slow month for actual crime.

This guy allowed them to search his house? I'd go along, sure, after they provide PC and a judge to sign off on it. Oh wait, this is the Post-PC world so we can forget about due process.
Reply
Reply
post #54 of 156
8/31/11 at 2:17pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kibitzer View Post

This is incompetent, crappy reporting by both AI and CNET.

Dilger is reporting this as fact in AI, when the CNET story hedges by saying "appears to have lost" and "according to a source familiar with the investigation."

CNET falls short by publishing with only one, unconfirmed source. Reputable journalists find at least two sources before publishing, but obviously CNET was creaming its jeans to put out its "exclusive."

Chill - this is an internet news website, not a newspaper aspiring to win the Pulitzer.
Reply
Reply
post #55 of 156
8/31/11 at 2:17pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by owen35 View Post

And in a related note, Steve Jobs has requested that he return as CEO to personally belittle, terrorize, and fire the "moron" who left the phone in the bar. Go, Steve!

number of world's-most-valuable companies steve jobs has created: 1

number of world's-most-valuable companies troll owen35 has built: 0

tool.
Reply
Reply
post #56 of 156
8/31/11 at 2:17pm
You'd think Apple might exert a little better control on staff hanging out in bars with prototype devices that they leave as they stumble home.

They should put a stop to this, to be sure.
Reply
Reply
post #57 of 156
8/31/11 at 2:19pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Woodlink View Post

and I've never lost my phone.

win! Put that on your Job App (tm) to Apple.

Edit: this does lose a lot without the "I am an alcoholic.." in your title.
Reply
Reply
post #58 of 156
8/31/11 at 2:20pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by stelligent View Post

Chill - this is an internet news website, not a newspaper aspiring to win the Pulitzer.

BS - I'm not expecting a Pulitzer. If you want to spend your time reading National Enquirer, be my guest.

I admit to being a Fanatical Moderate. I Disdain the Inane. Vyizderzominymororzizazizdenderizorziz?

Reply

I admit to being a Fanatical Moderate. I Disdain the Inane. Vyizderzominymororzizazizdenderizorziz?

Reply
post #59 of 156
8/31/11 at 2:22pm
They need an app that gives a series of electric shocks of increasing intensity as you approach a bar. \
Reply
Reply
post #60 of 156
8/31/11 at 2:23pm
Well, this confirms ONE thing for sure.....Apple employees CANNOT hold their liquor. :-)

Seriously. Twice. In a bar.

I like how Apple tracked the phone to some dudes house....but cops couldn't find the phone when they searched his apartment. You know that it is under a floorboard or something. Even if they track it to an apartment....they can't rip down walls. You better bet that Apple will have this dude under servaillence tho. LOL.

I wonder if the guy from Gizmodo will try to buy this one too. LOL. Probably not.
Reply
Reply
post #61 of 156
8/31/11 at 2:25pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tulkas View Post


"Andre... you've lost another submarine?"

Great reference.
Reply
Reply
post #62 of 156
8/31/11 at 2:28pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kibitzer View Post

BS - I'm not expecting a Pulitzer. If you want to spend your time reading National Enquirer, be my guest.

The National Enquirer got it right about that weasly, little scumbag, John Edwards. All other media stayed away from and ignored that story and they were dead wrong. And no, I don't buy or read the National Enquirer in case anybody feels the sudden urge to come with a snarky remark aimed at me.
Reply
Reply
post #63 of 156
8/31/11 at 2:29pm
Considering that the new iphone 5 is coming out next month, i am surprised one hasn't leaked from a plant in China yet. I mean come on. There is more chance of that happening then an employee from Apple losing one in a bar....even tho its happened twice already. Lol.

I mean in China they have illegal apple stores in plain sight selling actual apple products stolen from factories.....so how hard could it be to swipe the next iphone which i am sure is in production over there.
Reply
Reply
post #64 of 156
8/31/11 at 2:36pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by k2director View Post

Great reference.

Thought the same thing the moment I saw the story...

and the audio from that scene:

http://www.moviesounds.com/redoct/another.mp3
Reply
Reply
post #65 of 156
8/31/11 at 2:49pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Vatdoro View Post

The original story on Cnet doesn't make a lot of sense. The entire story (and right now it sounds like a made up story) is attributed to "the source".

1) Cnet contacts SFPD and writes "A spokesman for the San Francisco Police Department said [Apple] did not file a police report". Then Cnet quotes "the source" and says "Apple representatives contacted San Francisco police, saying the device was priceless and the company was desperate to secure its safe return, the source said."
So, either the SFPD is lying to Cnet or "the source" is making it up.

2) "The source" said it was sold on eBay for $200? Now that's just ridiculous. Last year Giz paid $5,000 for a prototype iPhone. Most working iPhone 4's go for $300-$400+ on Craigslist. This anonymous source says a prototype went for $200? Do they think we're stupid? Well, obviously Cnet is, they published the fictional story.

3) Cnet says "Still unclear are details about the device, what version of the iOS operating system it was running, and what it looks like."
So, you're telling me this anonymous source knew which bar the phone was lost at, who's house the police supposedly went to, and how much it sold for on craigslist, but they couldn't describe what it looked like?

I'm sorry, but this story just doesn't add up. Cnet should be ashamed of itself for publishing such drivel. I feel stupider for having read the article. Might as well be in the national inquirer.

Do you really have to copy+paste spam this on every site that ran this story?
Reply
Reply
post #66 of 156
8/31/11 at 2:49pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by johnb0002002 View Post

Scavenger hunt?

Is more of a geocache. You open an app and go around area bars looking for iPhone prototype using gps. Must be a lot of fun.
--SHEFFmachine out
Da Bears!
Reply
--SHEFFmachine out
Da Bears!
Reply
post #67 of 156
8/31/11 at 2:56pm
Someone please make it stop! I'm usually concentrating on my iPhone the entire time I'm out, wherever I may be. Come on, this is a prototype. If you have such disregard for such an important task, I don't think you should have your hands on one until you purchase your own, after initial announcements, with the rest of us.....
Reply
Reply
post #68 of 156
8/31/11 at 2:57pm
If that is true that the "source" said the prototype iphone 5 sold on ebay for $200....I'd have to call BS as well. $200? Not bloody likely! :-P

Heck, the prototype 2007 macbook pro with the sliding hidden 3G antennae was listed on ebay for $70,000 before it was taken down. And Gizmodo did buy the last prototype iphone for $5 Grand.
Reply
Reply
post #69 of 156
8/31/11 at 2:57pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Vatdoro View Post

The original story on Cnet doesn't make a lot of sense. The entire story (and right now it sounds like a made up story) is attributed to "the source".

1) Cnet contacts SFPD and writes "A spokesman for the San Francisco Police Department said [Apple] did not file a police report". Then Cnet quotes "the source" and says "Apple representatives contacted San Francisco police, saying the device was priceless and the company was desperate to secure its safe return, the source said."
So, either the SFPD is lying to Cnet or "the source" is making it up.


Reporting a theft to the police is not the same thing as filling out a formal police report. Apple can confidentially work with the police to recover something without filling out a form that would become publicly available, to say, CNET.

Quote:
2) "The source" said it was sold on eBay for $200? Now that's just ridiculous. Last year Giz paid $5,000 for a prototype iPhone. Most working iPhone 4's go for $300-$400+ on Craigslist. This anonymous source says a prototype went for $200? Do they think we're stupid? Well, obviously Cnet is, they published the fictional story.

If somebody walks into a Mission hipster dive and finds an iPhone prototype, they're not likely to know a) that its a prototype or b) what Gizmodo or some other media outfit or competitor would pay for it. The Mission is a working class neighborhood where you probably wouldn't want to even flash your iPhone around, lest you might have it stolen.

Quote:
3) Cnet says "Still unclear are details about the device, what version of the iOS operating system it was running, and what it looks like."
So, you're telling me this anonymous source knew which bar the phone was lost at, who's house the police supposedly went to, and how much it sold for on craigslist, but they couldn't describe what it looked like?

A source could be aware of the investigation without having first hand knowledge of the device. And as CNET reported, there was no official police report documenting exactly what was lost. That's what they were noting. Clearly Apple has no interest in advertising that they lost another prototype, particularly any details that might suggest how valuable/different it was.

I will not ever be hiring you as a detective.
Reply
Reply
post #70 of 156
8/31/11 at 2:58pm
  • hmm
  • Keylogger
Quote:
Originally Posted by SpamSandwich View Post

Jesus, this is quite a screw-up. How many people do they have to fire before they can get rid of the careless drunks from their payrolls?

Comments regarding drinking are silly here. There's probably some kind of protocol that was violated related to taking sensitive property such as a product prototype off site. Whether they frequent bars or not I can't imagine it's normal for employees to casually carry something like this around with them.
Reply
Reply
post #71 of 156
8/31/11 at 3:04pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Vatdoro View Post

The original story on Cnet doesn't make a lot of sense. The entire story (and right now it sounds like a made up story) is attributed to "the source".

1) Cnet contacts SFPD and writes "A spokesman for the San Francisco Police Department said [Apple] did not file a police report". Then Cnet quotes "the source" and says "Apple representatives contacted San Francisco police, saying the device was priceless and the company was desperate to secure its safe return, the source said."
So, either the SFPD is lying to Cnet or "the source" is making it up.

2) "The source" said it was sold on eBay for $200? Now that's just ridiculous. Last year Giz paid $5,000 for a prototype iPhone. Most working iPhone 4's go for $300-$400+ on Craigslist. This anonymous source says a prototype went for $200? Do they think we're stupid? Well, obviously Cnet is, they published the fictional story.

3) Cnet says "Still unclear are details about the device, what version of the iOS operating system it was running, and what it looks like."
So, you're telling me this anonymous source knew which bar the phone was lost at, who's house the police supposedly went to, and how much it sold for on craigslist, but they couldn't describe what it looked like?

I'm sorry, but this story just doesn't add up. Cnet should be ashamed of itself for publishing such drivel. I feel stupider for having read the article. Might as well be in the national inquirer.

Let's say that the perp didn't realize it was a prototype of a new model. Not everyone is up on the exact design parameters of iPhones. Then, thinking it was just a used iPhone, sold it for $200. Makes sense then, doesn't it? Also, why assume that the tester was drunk or otherwise careless. Maybe his pocket was picked. Maybe it was in a backpack and someone rifled through it when he wasn't looking. All sorts of things could have happened.
Reply
Reply
post #72 of 156
8/31/11 at 3:04pm
If the iPhone 5 looks anything like those shitty huge screen mockups, I can imagine where the prototype is. Either busted in a landfill or in the hands of fake iPhone makers, wondering which one of their 'pals' did this job.
Reply
Reply
post #73 of 156
8/31/11 at 3:07pm
I did not know Apple had hired Homer Simpson.
Reply
Reply
post #74 of 156
8/31/11 at 3:07pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by hmm View Post

Comments regarding drinking are silly here. There's probably some kind of protocol that was violated related to taking sensitive property such as a product prototype off site. Whether they frequent bars or not I can't imagine it's normal for employees to casually carry something like this around with them.

Maybe Apple wants testers to actually test them in different locations under different circumstances. Maybe the new iPhone has some new noise canceling technology and they want testers to try them out in noisy public places. That seems plausible to me. Just because it's a prototype, doesn't mean that it looks any different or much different from any other iPhone. As long as they don't test the built-in holographic projector while they're in the bar, who would know it's an iPhone 5?
Reply
Reply
post #75 of 156
8/31/11 at 3:08pm
I wonder if Apple will mobilize the National Guard? Truck innocent people off to Guantanamo for interrogations. I wonder what 'body count' Apple deems acceptable collateral damage in recovering their phone.
I guess Obama has no choice now but to pull troops out of Afghanistan to re-deploy in San Fran.
Whatever their next move is, civil liberties will be suspended in San Fran until the phone is repatriated to Apple.
Reply
Reply
post #76 of 156
8/31/11 at 3:09pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pooch View Post

number of world's-most-valuable companies steve jobs has created: 1

number of world's-most-valuable companies troll owen35 has built: 0

tool.

Maybe two, if you count Pixar.
Reply
Reply
post #77 of 156
8/31/11 at 3:09pm
Oh come on. You don't think alcohol had anything to do with it? Lol. Yeah riiiiiight. If that were the case, the iphones would have been left in a park, or a mall, or any other public establishment. They weren't. Providing the second story is true, BOTH times the prototype was left in a bar. That's not a just a coinkydink...theres a reason for it....and that reason is ALCOHOL.

You don't just leave a prototype of the most sought after gadget in the world in a public place....TWICE....without being alittle tipsy. I am sorry. :-P
Reply
Reply
post #78 of 156
8/31/11 at 3:15pm
"Lost in a bar" is the new "elevator shot".
PhilBoogie
That's Google alright. For a stupid company they sure do dumb things.
Reply
PhilBoogie
That's Google alright. For a stupid company they sure do dumb things.
Reply
post #79 of 156
8/31/11 at 3:20pm
It's real simple: The person gets fired. Leaving the prototype in the bar where one most certainly is getting a few drinks is completely unprofessional and as such they should relinquish their job seeing as they were responsible for such an important piece of R&D.

Sorry, but I'd expect after the first mistake that part of the internal NDA agreement extension for such sensitive work would include losing your job if you fail.
Reply
Reply
post #80 of 156
8/31/11 at 3:24pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Woodlink View Post

I am an alcoholic and I've never lost my phone..

It takes a special kind of drunk to lose two prototypes of the world's most popular smartphone.

It seems a bit suspicious that it would happen twice in the same circumstances. Almost like they want to drum up some free publicity. After all, who really cares if people find out what it looks like beforehand? It's not going to stop people buying it, it's only going to make people more interested because they know it's real and coming soon.

The worst thing that could happen to a prototype iPhone is that nobody even cares, nobody talks about it, nobody goes to the launch event and nobody queues up to buy one. Someone leaking a prototype is one of the best things they can do to have the press all over the world publicise the imminent launch.

It was over a month between the iPhone 4 drunken bar test and the announcement but that was to coincide with an event. It can be announced any time now. The sooner the better if they do indeed want to be the ones to deliver the surprise.
Reply
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: iPhone
AppleInsider › Forums › Mobile › iPhone › Apple searching for another missing prototype left in SF bar