AT&T says original iPhones can be deactivated and used as WiFi iPods

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Comments

  • Reply 41 of 77
    jeffdmjeffdm Posts: 12,951member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by CommonSense View Post


    The unbelievable arrogance of AT&T here is truly beyond any sane, non-obscene response.



    Where do they come off, INFORMING people that they're "allowed" to use the retired iPhone as a non-phone device? We need to be TOLD this? And who the hell is AT&T but a big, uncreative, slovenly -- and I might add, phone-tapping -- leech, sucking off Apple's hard work and creativity?



    Have you seen some of the ignorance, "creative" reading and sense of entitlement on the part of forum posters here? I say this especially regarding things like upgrade price qualification. I'd say it's no wonder AT&T might seem that way.
  • Reply 42 of 77
    lonestar1lonestar1 Posts: 100member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by CommonSense View Post


    The unbelievable arrogance of AT&T here is truly beyond any sane, non-obscene response.



    Where do they come off, INFORMING people that they're "allowed" to use the retired iPhone as a non-phone device?



    Like I said . . . I'm refraining from expressing the REAL rage . . .



    You're right, what AT&T did to you is truly terrible.



    Fortunately, they've agreed to make it up to you.



    You are not allowed to use your retired iPhone.



    Everyone else is but you are not.



    Happy now?
  • Reply 43 of 77
    noriyorinoriyori Posts: 26member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by [email protected] View Post


    The question is , can this WiFi iPhone be used as a VOIP phone?



    yep. I've used fring on my jailbroken iPhone. It works pretty well.



    http://www.fring.com/
  • Reply 44 of 77
    commonsensecommonsense Posts: 111member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by lonestar1 View Post


    You're right, what AT&T did to you is truly terrible.



    Fortunately, they've agreed to make it up to you.



    You are not allowed to use your retired iPhone.



    Everyone else is but you are not.



    Happy now?



    Uh, since I've been using it on T-Mobile all along, and with fring/Skype on Wi-Fi . . . yes. Quite.
  • Reply 45 of 77
    lonestar1lonestar1 Posts: 100member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by CommonSense View Post


    Uh, since I've been using it on T-Mobile all along, and with fring/Skype on Wi-Fi . . . yes. Quite.



    In other words, stealing revenues from AT&T and Apple.



    Your ethics seem to be on par with your common sense.



    Yes, I know... the world owes you a living, and a pony, too.
  • Reply 46 of 77
    commonsensecommonsense Posts: 111member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by lonestar1 View Post


    In other words, stealing revenues from AT&T and Apple.



    Your ethics seem to be on par with your common sense.



    Yes, I know... the world owes you a living, and a pony, too.



    I like how it's so simple for you.



    Given AT&T's behavior as a corporate citizen, yes, I have ZERO QUALMS about them not getting a dime from me. I'm not denying that for one second, so wow -- yeah, you really got me! But I sleep perfectly well at night about this.



    Apple's gotten plenty of revenue from me over the years, not just through my hardware and software purchases, but through the business I've driven their way, directing clients toward Apple products. I'm an independent businessperson who does Mac-focused consulting for a living. You know, the farthest thing from thinking someone "owes me" anything.



    Now, let's look at this another way. Forget about me. The world doesn't owe Apple or AT&T anything, either. Just as with any individual human being, corporations need to earn respect and good will; they shouldn't have it handed to them, either. (Apropos of nothing, something the airline industry needs to learn.) Apple's done a lot to earn my money, though. But AT&T, not so much.



    No one here has yet addressed AT&T's reprehensible behavior with regard to their cooperation with warrantless wiretapping, followed by their shameful sense of entitlement to retroactive immunity. No, somehow, one guy on the Internet who's "stealing" from an unethical corporation is the problem.



    Nor has anyone even broached the subject of how utterly BROKEN the cellular phone system is in this country, with regard to how they do business. At the outset, Apple was a bit of a beacon of hope, with the possibility that they might do things differently. Instead, they've sold themselves out even more to AT&T, now going so far as to go for a completely conventional, backwards, subsidized-in-exchange-for-cheaper-phone arrangement.



    And fine -- if you're going to do that, go ahead. But at least have the decency to do what every OTHER phone manufacturer does, and have another, separate retail channel where those of us who DON'T like the "blessed" phone carrier can opt to pay MORE money and get an unlocked version of the phone. AT&T will gladly charge you more for a "contract-free" iPhone . . . that happens to still be locked.



    I'm sorry, but having given it lots and lots of thought over the years, I don't subscribe to your moral code. I'm not trying to change your thinking. If you disagree with me, fine. Disagree with me. But lay off on the ad-hominem attacks, e.g. this garbage about the world owing me something. Really? Now, all of a sudden, you KNOW me?
  • Reply 47 of 77
    anantksundaramanantksundaram Posts: 20,403member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by CommonSense View Post




    No one here has yet addressed AT&T's reprehensible behavior with regard to their cooperation with warrantless wiretapping, followed by their shameful sense of entitlement to retroactive immunity. No, somehow, one guy on the Internet who's "stealing" from an unethical corporation is the problem.



    1) This is an Apple forum, not one on warrantless wiretapping.



    2) ATT is far from the only one implicated on warrantless wiretapping: many of the big teclos are. See, e.g., http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/200...sk-telcos.html



    3) And, not to wander into politics, but both the presidential candidates now support it: McCain always has, and Obama, much to the chagrin of some of his ardent supporters, recently flipped on the issue. See, e.g., http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2...line-backyard/



    4) Two wrongs don't make a right.
  • Reply 48 of 77
    commonsensecommonsense Posts: 111member
    The last post echoed some thoughts I was already having -- namely, that we ARE veering off course here, no thanks to me.



    So I'll bow out now. I need to leave the office soon anyway . . .
  • Reply 49 of 77
    .:r2thet.:r2thet Posts: 41member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by CommonSense View Post






    Nor has anyone even broached the subject of how utterly BROKEN the cellular phone system is in this country, with regard to how they do business. At the outset, Apple was a bit of a beacon of hope, with the possibility that they might do things differently. Instead, they've sold themselves out even more to AT&T, now going so far as to go for a completely conventional, backwards, subsidized-in-exchange-for-cheaper-phone arrangement.



    I agree with you that this system is broken and that Apple was a beacon of hope in changing it. But did you ever stop to think that Apple having to revert back to the "traditional" model is because so many folks have jailbroken iPhones. Apple would, and this is just smart speculation, be contractually obligated to do whatever it could to keep people in ATTs network. So with all the jailbroken iPhones out there Apple had to give in to ATTs right of exclusivity.



    And I do think it is a little arrogant of anyone to assume to know what someone is about just based on a few posts on the internet. But I also think it is more than a little arrogant to say "Well, I've given this company all this business in the past so that gives me the right to take this now".
  • Reply 50 of 77
    bigpicsbigpics Posts: 1,397member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Virgil-TB2;1272539

    What this says to me is that if the market is going to be flooded with "surrogate" iPod touch's that are actually [I



    better[/I] than the one Apple (currently) makes, that the new refreshed iPod touch in September will likely have a camera and speaker just to keep up.



    This seems like Apple's only remaining plan to topple the cell phone monopolies and their control of the market, by pushing WiFi as it's replacement and allowing people to manoeuvre around the prohibitive contracts with technology.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by regan View Post




    IF you can use the iphone as a wifi ipod... ....then you CAN use it as a VOiP phone with services like SKYPE or YAHOO VOICE right?



    Interesting and converging thoughts. Can jailbroken iPhones do Skype already??



    That would show the way for Apple to setup a service for their growing Apple Mobile family of products that would bypass cellcos altogether, collect a cheaper-than-cell-phone monthly fee that would include MobileMe and a maybe a rev-sharing partnership with Skype and/or others.



    Although the fly in that ointment is waiting for the truly ubiquitous availability of WiFi or WiMax (pun: "WiMacs") -- but it could happen sooner with an agreement to share the data network (but not cell coverage) of the company with the widest 3G (and soon, 4G) networks. Also Apple's known for long-term thinking and wanting to control as much of the experience of their products as possible.



    And it would/could all be Apple-branded and managed. Not iLife, but aLife -- your Apple Life from living room screen to computer, to browser, to web programs (think SproutCore), to VOIP phone, to music, videos, movies, shows, sync, push and apps.



    Hmmmmm. Almost scary to think about.



  • Reply 51 of 77
    lonestar1lonestar1 Posts: 100member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by CommonSense View Post


    Given AT&T's behavior as a corporate citizen, yes, I have ZERO QUALMS about them not getting a dime from me.



    Most thieves have zero qualms about stealing. That's what makes them thieves.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by CommonSense View Post


    I don't subscribe to your moral code. I'm not trying to change your thinking. If you disagree with me, fine. Disagree with me. But lay off on the ad-hominem attacks, e.g. this garbage about the world owing me something. Really? Now, all of a sudden, you KNOW me?



    Obviously, you don't subscribe to my moral code. I don't believe it's okay to steal from someone just because they don't subscribe to your political ideology.



    No, I don't know you, but I know self-serving self-righteous trash when I hear it.
  • Reply 52 of 77
    tomkarltomkarl Posts: 239member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by lonestar1 View Post


    Most thieves have zero qualms about stealing. That's what makes them thieves.







    Obviously, you don't subscribe to my moral code. I don't believe it's okay to steal from someone just because they don't subscribe to your political ideology.



    No, I don't know you, but I know self-serving self-righteous trash when I hear it.



    huge second!
  • Reply 53 of 77
    eriamjheriamjh Posts: 1,630member
    Why not just unlock your old iPhone and use it any way you want? You could even put the sim from your iPhone 3G in it and it will still work. Makes a nice backup.
  • Reply 54 of 77
    Here's a question I have about using an old iPhone as a Wi-Fi iPod.



    What is the cell phone antenna doing when the phone isn't connected to service? Is it trying to find a signal? Or is it just off? Because I don't want it active in any way if I were to use it as a Wi-Fi iPod, because that causes health damage from radiation. If it's a Wi-Fi iPod, I want there to be nothing cell-phone about it at all. What happens to the antenna?
  • Reply 55 of 77
    I suppose that solves the myster as to why AT&T took away the offer of iPhone account holders free Wifi at its hotspots... everyone would be using their iPhone/Touches as well!
  • Reply 56 of 77
    .:r2thet.:r2thet Posts: 41member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by thehellgate911 View Post


    Here's a question I have about using an old iPhone as a Wi-Fi iPod.



    What is the cell phone antenna doing when the phone isn't connected to service? Is it trying to find a signal? Or is it just off? Because I don't want it active in any way if I were to use it as a Wi-Fi iPod, because that causes health damage from radiation. If it's a Wi-Fi iPod, I want there to be nothing cell-phone about it at all. What happens to the antenna?



    I believe I read that the 2.0 software will allow you to put the iPhone in "Airplane Mode" and give you the option to turn on the Wi-Fi. That may be why they are recommending the update before you try to use the iPhone as an iPodTouch. I guess we will see in 9 days.
  • Reply 57 of 77
    pjgpjg Posts: 9member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by lonestar1 View Post


    Most thieves have zero qualms about stealing. That's what makes them thieves.







    Obviously, you don't subscribe to my moral code. I don't believe it's okay to steal from someone just because they don't subscribe to your political ideology.



    No, I don't know you, but I know self-serving self-righteous trash when I hear it.



    Apparently, you don't know it when it comes from a corporation such as AT&T. "Might doesn't mean right."
  • Reply 58 of 77
    lonestar1lonestar1 Posts: 100member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by pjg View Post


    Apparently, you don't know it when it comes from a corporation such as AT&T. "Might doesn't mean right."



    Interesting statement, given that you're defending just the opposite -- that having the might to steal from a corporation makes it right to steal from them.



    Just because AT&T is a corporation doesn't mean they have an obligation to give you everything your little heart desires.



    If you aren't willing to pay the price at which a product or service is offered, then you shouldn't use that product or service. That's what honest people do.
  • Reply 59 of 77
    vineavinea Posts: 5,585member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by tomkarl View Post


    huge second!



    small third. Not that I really care about AT&T's bottom line but self-righteous thieves annoy me. Do it quietly with no pretensions of civil disobedience, mmmkay?
  • Reply 60 of 77
    charlesscharless Posts: 301member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by MacGregor View Post


    Yeah, for all the "WTF AT&T'ers" out there, when was the last time your old cellphone had any use whatsoever?!?!



    Uh, that would be the last time you had a cell phone on any GSM provider like T-Mobile or AT&T. Your old phone could serve as a spare, and if your new phone quit working (or if you were going out into a phone-hazardous situation like a heavy rainstorm or something), you could just take the SIM out of your new phone and put it in your old phone. In fact, before the iPhone came out, Cingular/AT&T even used to have a policy where if you'd been with them for three months, they'd unlock your phone for you for free so you could travel to Europe or any other place that had GSM service and use your phone with a local SIM card. You could also give or sell the phone to anyone who's on a GSM provider and needed a phone. None of this is possible with a $500 iPhone though, although it worked with every free GSM phone out there.



    The reason for this, of course, is that you can't expect this level of functionality in a $500 device, since it's not in the same class as a RAZR that they'll actually pay you $50 to take, and thus can't be expected to support the same features. All you whiners wanting to get the advanced features available in a free RAZR should just pony up the extra -$550 and shut up.
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