Guys, for the last time, this is not the case design. This is a prototype-only case with the real internals, made for testing. IT WILL NOT LOOK LIKE THIS.
What ya doin' posted our secrets around the internets for?
Not only does Germany have some of the most gorgeous down-to-earth-take-home-to-meet-mom girls on the planet *....
...but even the English agree (WorldCup '06 headlines in Britain), that Germany makes the finest beer on the planet! Considering the total consumption at the WC06, which I believe is a world record, and my all-to-often personal experiences... you MUST be careful!
A couple of those mugs will knock the average Bud or Miller drinker to his knees, if the beauty and um... "assets" of the Kelnerin doesn't do it first!
* Disclosure: my reason for being here in the first place: I was a souvenir to a still, 20-years later gorgeous, "au pair" I met in LA.
PS. Every red, blue, yellow, green (whatever) blooded guy should make it their goal to make a pilgrimage to the one-n-only Oktoberfest in Munich at least once in their lives. Give yourself a few days (BEFORE!), and visit the BMW Museum outside of Munich, and also Ingolstadt (Audi), and possibly Stuttgart (Mercedes & Porsche). What more could a guy want: Beautiful cars, great girls, and fantastic beer and fun! (You may adjust adjectives to your liking.)
So naïve, unsophisticated and honest that there is nothing to add to it. Right on!
Let's see -- they had the name of the guy who lost it, access to his Facebook account, and the knowledge that he is an Apple employee, but they just couldn't figure out how to return it to him? They made a generic call to Apple instead?
I don't think their claim of making a good-faith effort to return it holds much water.
You sound like a first year law student. A + B = C. Not quite the case. Gizmodo allegedly paid to handle the device (i.e. take pictures), not own it. They even called the owner to "return it". Even though they probably only called to get a confirmation on the device they still appear to have the intention to return in. So no there was no sale of stolen property.
I'm sure there might be something illegal about the whole situation, maybe something to do with exposing trade secrets. I'm sure Gizmodo's attorneys know the risks of what they did and made a gamble. It's interesting that they didnt post information about the internal parts, other than the battery size and SD card. No RAM information, no processor type, nothing really to tell us about the new inner-workings other than what is already apparent from the outside (i.e. something that would be apparent to a "finder").
I'm by no means an expert on this but its pretty ridiculous to say these people are criminally liable. Its not like someone broke into apple, stole a iPhone 4G and sold it to the highest bidder. There was a lost phone, some pictures were taken, and the phone is going to be returned.
If the finder gave the phone to Gizmodo and did not get it back - that was in essence selling it to them - both could conceivably be charged with Receiving Stolen Property. Gizmodo also took the thing apart - that *could* be considered destruction of property.
I'm no expert, either... but if you've got a gung-ho police officer or DA, they could bring something up.
Who is fool enough to make money selling a iPhone prototype if he (women are not that dumb) could just personally take it back to and ask politely for a free mac pro (even second hand one) + a display, i would have tried that move instead.
Feeding the conspiracy, is it mere coincidence that "American Beer" is the 99 cent movie on iTunes/ AppleTV this week? Further, one of the characters goes into a bar and gets introduced to "German Beer" (though its actually a Heineken).
Does the software engineer look like a Canadian who looks like Ferris Bueller? That would clinch it.
No one will get sued or charged about this, because this was a PLANNED LEAK. Do you think that the company, which gets insane about their security, would let a young SW engineer to carry a top secret product prototype off the campus? No way they would! Not long ago there was an article on how far Apple goes regarding access to the prototype products...
And if he accidentally managed to sneak the prototype out and did what he did - LOST, would he still be working for APPLE? Not in any way. I would personally fire him to make a case for other employees. Steve would freaked out 10 times faster. People got fired at apple for putting unintentional words in emails that accidentally leaked. It was a planned leak for sure.
2. GIZMODO and APPL
Why exactly would Gizmodo get this and no one else? Apple (Steve) and GIZMODO were always in good relations. Gizmodo's always playing nice on Apple products, and Apple regards them back with priceless marketing at the keynotes.
By looking at the CA law, everything done here is a crime. I don't think Apple would be hesitating on suing GIZMODO directly, if they would be so unhappy, hurt and robbed with this leak.
3. THE iPHONE 4G DESIGN
The leaked iPhone DESIGN is not FINAL. They need to have something to show at the WWDC keynote as well.... It's a prototype case and there are too many factors on this design that isn't something Apple would release. Altough I like it a loot. It needs a little polish, but I think I love it more then current design. The leak was only to show to the world that iPhone is getting 1 major feature - VIDEO CHAT! Of course along with other cool upgrades - better camera, better battery, bla bla (but we all knew that new iPhone will be having better these).
4. LEAK
This wouldn't be the first ever planned leak from Apple. It came in the right time. At the launch of new HTC phones... Everyone just wants a 4G iPhone now. Me too . So this is another good fact that this was a carefully planned PR move.
All this talk is only relevant as long as one does not know Leffe, or Hoegaarden, or Kwak.
I like Hoegaarden much more than Leffe and I've never tried Kwak. But I still prefer a nice Tetley's or Boddington's, and Guinness hits the spot every once in a while. Kilkenny gets honorable mention.
I'm actually pretty disgusted by how this was handled.
Instead of attempting to return a phone to someone who lost it, the person who found it acts like a thief and pokes around with it. Upon discovery that it was a prototype, the person offers it for sale to the highest bidder rather than contacting Apple. Apple may have been generous and given the guy a free laptop or some other perk.
As someone with a journalism background, I'm dismayed that the quest for information on the latest gadget has completely overwhelmed common decency. I wish I never looked at Gizmodo yesterday.
Also, the kid from NC State made an honest mistake. I hope Apple recognizes that there are human beings involved in life instead of just gadgets. At least they proved the value of the technology to brick a phone remotely.
This will hopefully be an eye opener to everyone involved.
Why would Apple allow a low level software engineer to take the phone off campus? Unless he's some sort of genius prodigy, a 27 year old is likely only a level 2 engineer... Not someone they would let field test such a high profile device...
He either stole it (smuggled it off campus), or more likely, this whole story is bogus.
He was a baseband developer, possibly testing the carrier connection in the field.
It seems like a genuine mistake but imagine the scenario if you are a company like Microsoft and want to one-up the master of secrets by unveiling an HP Slate that looks very similar to an iPad months before or revealing the spec and design of their flagship mobile device months before, you'd consider paying a young developer to accidentally leave it somewhere.
This way Microsoft's launch of WP7 targets devices that have a 2 month jump on matching/rivalling the 4th gen iPhone.
Genuine mistake or not, someone along the line is in a whole lot of trouble. Gizmodo have no defense here. Who would believe that a well-informed gadget site wasn't aware that an unreleased device from the most secretive company in the world wasn't stolen?
If this was a mistake by the developer and not deliberate, I hope he isn't fired for it. People make mistakes - he should simply have field-testing privileges revoked or only be allowed to test prototype units. An investigation is likely and it could go beyond this one thing. If the developer in question did this deliberately, he may also have leaked baseband details for people unlocking the phone in the past.
I don't think the leak has dampened the hype though. Exactly the opposite.
I'm sorry folks, that is not the next iPhone, there's no way that was made by Apple. You can tell a mile away that it's not a Jony Ive design. I'm not sure how this story about the Apple engineer fits into it, it's possible--knowing the source (Gizmodo)--that the whole thing is concocted. Believing a Gizmodo story about an Apple product would be like believing a Fox News news release about Obama.
Oh yeah? How about an MSNBC or ABC or CBS or NPR or CNN story about Bush? Would it be like that too? huh?
As I (vaguely) recall, ThinkSecret was some Harvard undergrad dorm type of outfit.
Gawker/Gizmodo are much larger, and more serious business. (For instance, Katie Couric does not simply refer to random web outlets in her nightly news reports). They will fight, and like crazy. It will, imho, end up being the kind of 'free press vs. corporate suits' battle that Apple will be unwise to take on. David v. Goliath.
Not dissimilar to, say, Obama taking on the Drudge Report.
Apple has better things to do. It should pick its battles. The sales of the next gen iPhone are not going to be affected one iota by this. Smile, shrug, say 'no comment,' and move on.
How do you figure, and who exactly is David?
Gawker is a business. They sell ad space based upon how many people they can draw to watch their website.
Pretending to be "impartial" or any other such nonsense is pretentious arrogant collegiate-level crap.
There is no such thing as a "Journalist". They are vultures. They are self-righteous incestuous academic wannabes who struggle to manipulate opinion at every turn.
There hasn't been an actual "report" from an actual "reporter" given to the public since the 1930s.
Once Hearst realized he could manipulate public opinion by slanting the language, Journalism was born.
Agreed, "hey man, we held your phone for you! Well true, we did take it all apart & post pictures of it all over the internet. Yeah our actions may yet cost you your job, but at least we got a good story out of it!"
No one will get sued or charged about this, because this was a PLANNED LEAK. Do you think that the company, which gets insane about their security, would let a young SW engineer to carry a top secret product prototype off the campus? No way they would! Not long ago there was an article on how far Apple goes regarding access to the prototype products...
And if he accidentally managed to sneak the prototype out and did what he did - LOST, would he still be working for APPLE? Not in any way. I would personally fire him to make a case for other employees. Steve would freaked out 10 times faster. People got fired at apple for putting unintentional words in emails that accidentally leaked. It was a planned leak for sure.
2. GIZMODO and APPL
Why exactly would Gizmodo get this and no one else? Apple (Steve) and GIZMODO were always in good relations. Gizmodo's always playing nice on Apple products, and Apple regards them back with priceless marketing at the keynotes.
By looking at the CA law, everything done here is a crime. I don't think Apple would be hesitating on suing GIZMODO directly, if they would be so unhappy, hurt and robbed with this leak.
3. THE iPHONE 4G DESIGN
The leaked iPhone DESIGN is not FINAL. They need to have something to show at the WWDC keynote as well.... It's a prototype case and there are too many factors on this design that isn't something Apple would release. Altough I like it a loot. It needs a little polish, but I think I love it more then current design. The leak was only to show to the world that iPhone is getting 1 major feature - VIDEO CHAT! Of course along with other cool upgrades - better camera, better battery, bla bla (but we all knew that new iPhone will be having better these).
4. LEAK
This wouldn't be the first ever planned leak from Apple. It came in the right time. At the launch of new HTC phones... Everyone just wants a 4G iPhone now. Me too . So this is another good fact that this was a carefully planned PR move.
It would be a great hoax. If Apple and Giz were in bed together on this it would be really great for Gizmodo. Suddenly all the people here that became Giz haters overnight would have to start loving Gizmodo.
Comments
with making a little "deal" with Apple? Samples for the staff-A few secrets a day or two before
the next couple of big releases. It would have been a lot easier than what they are going to have
to deal with now & less repercussions.
Just saying-
Hey ya jerk!
What ya doin' posted our secrets around the internets for?
Not only does Germany have some of the most gorgeous down-to-earth-take-home-to-meet-mom girls on the planet *....
...but even the English agree (WorldCup '06 headlines in Britain), that Germany makes the finest beer on the planet! Considering the total consumption at the WC06, which I believe is a world record, and my all-to-often personal experiences... you MUST be careful!
A couple of those mugs will knock the average Bud or Miller drinker to his knees, if the beauty and um... "assets" of the Kelnerin doesn't do it first!
* Disclosure: my reason for being here in the first place: I was a souvenir to a still, 20-years later gorgeous, "au pair" I met in LA.
PS. Every red, blue, yellow, green (whatever) blooded guy should make it their goal to make a pilgrimage to the one-n-only Oktoberfest in Munich at least once in their lives. Give yourself a few days (BEFORE!), and visit the BMW Museum outside of Munich, and also Ingolstadt (Audi), and possibly Stuttgart (Mercedes & Porsche). What more could a guy want: Beautiful cars, great girls, and fantastic beer and fun! (You may adjust adjectives to your liking.)
So naïve, unsophisticated and honest that there is nothing to add to it. Right on!
I don't think their claim of making a good-faith effort to return it holds much water.
You sound like a first year law student. A + B = C. Not quite the case. Gizmodo allegedly paid to handle the device (i.e. take pictures), not own it. They even called the owner to "return it". Even though they probably only called to get a confirmation on the device they still appear to have the intention to return in. So no there was no sale of stolen property.
I'm sure there might be something illegal about the whole situation, maybe something to do with exposing trade secrets. I'm sure Gizmodo's attorneys know the risks of what they did and made a gamble. It's interesting that they didnt post information about the internal parts, other than the battery size and SD card. No RAM information, no processor type, nothing really to tell us about the new inner-workings other than what is already apparent from the outside (i.e. something that would be apparent to a "finder").
I'm by no means an expert on this but its pretty ridiculous to say these people are criminally liable. Its not like someone broke into apple, stole a iPhone 4G and sold it to the highest bidder. There was a lost phone, some pictures were taken, and the phone is going to be returned.
If the finder gave the phone to Gizmodo and did not get it back - that was in essence selling it to them - both could conceivably be charged with Receiving Stolen Property. Gizmodo also took the thing apart - that *could* be considered destruction of property.
I'm no expert, either... but if you've got a gung-ho police officer or DA, they could bring something up.
Who is fool enough to make money selling a iPhone prototype if he (women are not that dumb) could just personally take it back to and ask politely for a free mac pro (even second hand one) + a display, i would have tried that move instead.
The Irish make better beer.
Reason: you're a Back to the Future fan? Never woulda thought it
Does the software engineer look like a Canadian who looks like Ferris Bueller? That would clinch it.
The Irish make better beer.
All this talk is only relevant as long as one does not know Leffe, or Hoegaarden, or Kwak.
1. CHARGES
No one will get sued or charged about this, because this was a PLANNED LEAK. Do you think that the company, which gets insane about their security, would let a young SW engineer to carry a top secret product prototype off the campus? No way they would! Not long ago there was an article on how far Apple goes regarding access to the prototype products...
And if he accidentally managed to sneak the prototype out and did what he did - LOST, would he still be working for APPLE? Not in any way. I would personally fire him to make a case for other employees. Steve would freaked out 10 times faster. People got fired at apple for putting unintentional words in emails that accidentally leaked. It was a planned leak for sure.
2. GIZMODO and APPL
Why exactly would Gizmodo get this and no one else? Apple (Steve) and GIZMODO were always in good relations. Gizmodo's always playing nice on Apple products, and Apple regards them back with priceless marketing at the keynotes.
By looking at the CA law, everything done here is a crime. I don't think Apple would be hesitating on suing GIZMODO directly, if they would be so unhappy, hurt and robbed with this leak.
3. THE iPHONE 4G DESIGN
The leaked iPhone DESIGN is not FINAL. They need to have something to show at the WWDC keynote as well.... It's a prototype case and there are too many factors on this design that isn't something Apple would release. Altough I like it a loot. It needs a little polish, but I think I love it more then current design. The leak was only to show to the world that iPhone is getting 1 major feature - VIDEO CHAT! Of course along with other cool upgrades - better camera, better battery, bla bla (but we all knew that new iPhone will be having better these).
4. LEAK
This wouldn't be the first ever planned leak from Apple. It came in the right time. At the launch of new HTC phones... Everyone just wants a 4G iPhone now. Me too
This isn't an iPhone news story.
It's the guy's obituary.
Unless it was intentional. In which case it sets an odd example for other Apple employees.
All this talk is only relevant as long as one does not know Leffe, or Hoegaarden, or Kwak.
I like Hoegaarden much more than Leffe and I've never tried Kwak. But I still prefer a nice Tetley's or Boddington's, and Guinness hits the spot every once in a while. Kilkenny gets honorable mention.
Instead of attempting to return a phone to someone who lost it, the person who found it acts like a thief and pokes around with it. Upon discovery that it was a prototype, the person offers it for sale to the highest bidder rather than contacting Apple. Apple may have been generous and given the guy a free laptop or some other perk.
As someone with a journalism background, I'm dismayed that the quest for information on the latest gadget has completely overwhelmed common decency. I wish I never looked at Gizmodo yesterday.
Also, the kid from NC State made an honest mistake. I hope Apple recognizes that there are human beings involved in life instead of just gadgets. At least they proved the value of the technology to brick a phone remotely.
This will hopefully be an eye opener to everyone involved.
A 27 year old has never had German beer before??
Apple doesn't let them out much.
Why would Apple allow a low level software engineer to take the phone off campus? Unless he's some sort of genius prodigy, a 27 year old is likely only a level 2 engineer... Not someone they would let field test such a high profile device...
He either stole it (smuggled it off campus), or more likely, this whole story is bogus.
He was a baseband developer, possibly testing the carrier connection in the field.
It seems like a genuine mistake but imagine the scenario if you are a company like Microsoft and want to one-up the master of secrets by unveiling an HP Slate that looks very similar to an iPad months before or revealing the spec and design of their flagship mobile device months before, you'd consider paying a young developer to accidentally leave it somewhere.
This way Microsoft's launch of WP7 targets devices that have a 2 month jump on matching/rivalling the 4th gen iPhone.
Genuine mistake or not, someone along the line is in a whole lot of trouble. Gizmodo have no defense here. Who would believe that a well-informed gadget site wasn't aware that an unreleased device from the most secretive company in the world wasn't stolen?
If this was a mistake by the developer and not deliberate, I hope he isn't fired for it. People make mistakes - he should simply have field-testing privileges revoked or only be allowed to test prototype units. An investigation is likely and it could go beyond this one thing. If the developer in question did this deliberately, he may also have leaked baseband details for people unlocking the phone in the past.
I don't think the leak has dampened the hype though. Exactly the opposite.
I'm sorry folks, that is not the next iPhone, there's no way that was made by Apple. You can tell a mile away that it's not a Jony Ive design. I'm not sure how this story about the Apple engineer fits into it, it's possible--knowing the source (Gizmodo)--that the whole thing is concocted. Believing a Gizmodo story about an Apple product would be like believing a Fox News news release about Obama.
Oh yeah? How about an MSNBC or ABC or CBS or NPR or CNN story about Bush? Would it be like that too? huh?
Small.
As I (vaguely) recall, ThinkSecret was some Harvard undergrad dorm type of outfit.
Gawker/Gizmodo are much larger, and more serious business. (For instance, Katie Couric does not simply refer to random web outlets in her nightly news reports). They will fight, and like crazy. It will, imho, end up being the kind of 'free press vs. corporate suits' battle that Apple will be unwise to take on. David v. Goliath.
Not dissimilar to, say, Obama taking on the Drudge Report.
Apple has better things to do. It should pick its battles. The sales of the next gen iPhone are not going to be affected one iota by this. Smile, shrug, say 'no comment,' and move on.
How do you figure, and who exactly is David?
Gawker is a business. They sell ad space based upon how many people they can draw to watch their website.
Pretending to be "impartial" or any other such nonsense is pretentious arrogant collegiate-level crap.
There is no such thing as a "Journalist". They are vultures. They are self-righteous incestuous academic wannabes who struggle to manipulate opinion at every turn.
There hasn't been an actual "report" from an actual "reporter" given to the public since the 1930s.
Once Hearst realized he could manipulate public opinion by slanting the language, Journalism was born.
Gizmodo, wow, what a bunch of a-holes.
Agreed, "hey man, we held your phone for you! Well true, we did take it all apart & post pictures of it all over the internet. Yeah our actions may yet cost you your job, but at least we got a good story out of it!"
Dear folkz,
1. CHARGES
No one will get sued or charged about this, because this was a PLANNED LEAK. Do you think that the company, which gets insane about their security, would let a young SW engineer to carry a top secret product prototype off the campus? No way they would! Not long ago there was an article on how far Apple goes regarding access to the prototype products...
And if he accidentally managed to sneak the prototype out and did what he did - LOST, would he still be working for APPLE? Not in any way. I would personally fire him to make a case for other employees. Steve would freaked out 10 times faster. People got fired at apple for putting unintentional words in emails that accidentally leaked. It was a planned leak for sure.
2. GIZMODO and APPL
Why exactly would Gizmodo get this and no one else? Apple (Steve) and GIZMODO were always in good relations. Gizmodo's always playing nice on Apple products, and Apple regards them back with priceless marketing at the keynotes.
By looking at the CA law, everything done here is a crime. I don't think Apple would be hesitating on suing GIZMODO directly, if they would be so unhappy, hurt and robbed with this leak.
3. THE iPHONE 4G DESIGN
The leaked iPhone DESIGN is not FINAL. They need to have something to show at the WWDC keynote as well.... It's a prototype case and there are too many factors on this design that isn't something Apple would release. Altough I like it a loot. It needs a little polish, but I think I love it more then current design. The leak was only to show to the world that iPhone is getting 1 major feature - VIDEO CHAT! Of course along with other cool upgrades - better camera, better battery, bla bla (but we all knew that new iPhone will be having better these).
4. LEAK
This wouldn't be the first ever planned leak from Apple. It came in the right time. At the launch of new HTC phones... Everyone just wants a 4G iPhone now. Me too
It would be a great hoax. If Apple and Giz were in bed together on this it would be really great for Gizmodo. Suddenly all the people here that became Giz haters overnight would have to start loving Gizmodo.