iPhone 3G: everything you ever wanted to know (but were afraid to ask)

[krazzy]

But that was the only thing I said. That’s the only thing I had a problem with and if you agree with me there, then you agree with me, period. There are no buts. Why would I have a problem with someone thanking someone else! Just the fact that no one called him out on it and everyone was, like, “Bravo!” was what pissed me off.

As for Apple fans not mentioning it, well, I’m sure I would’ve once I’d read it. I don’t read my feeds on the weekends, so I would’ve posted it on Monday. But, in any case, that’s got nothing to do with any of it. I just wanted to draw attention to what he did wrong (and others do to, throughout the forum) and I clearly ruffled some feathers. If even one person stops doing it in future, then mission achieved.

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Oh, and BTW (and this is not addressed to just krazzy), posts that just say “Thank you” and “Nice info” are generally considered spam. I, for one, never posts stuff that doesn’t adding anything new to the discussion. Sure, he posted an article—loads of people do that on this forum—but it doesn’t mean you should go around posting grateful little replies in all such threads. I know at least one person who has a post count north of 1,000 and almost all his posts are basically “ok. good.” and “wow, thats cool” and “nice work man”. Sorry, that’s not what a discussion board is about.

I think the idea of posting someone else's article in its entirety in one's post, even with the source link is considered plagiarism and stealing, is a bit alien to most of us, including myself. You being an author now understand the gravity of this folly. We don't. That's why it missed most of us that the thread starter was indeed doing something wrong in his attempt to actually do something good. So yes, it's our mistake as well.

As for thanking someone, I beleive just as in real life when someone does something good or useful to you, you should thank him. If a person posts something on the forum and nobody replies back to thank him, he would get the wrong assumption that his post was not well received and ignored, even though in reality, people might've found it useful. Atleast I know I would feel like a total idiot if I post something on this forum and nobody replied back to tell how they liked the post. Thanking someone also encourages them to continue posting good stuff in the future. Atleast this is what I feel.

 

[gsmsikar]

thanks for this nice and informative post

 

[aryayush]

@krazzy,
Well, I agree. And since this forum does not have that plugin for thanks, I guess the thank you posts are not entirely useless.

As for why that is wrong, it’s because blogs like Engadget rely entirely on page-views and the resultant income generated from advertisers to keep their services up. If you make their stuff available without it and allow people to bypass the advertisements, you’re doing a grave disservice to the site you love to read. This is why none of the respected authors I know ever install ad-blocking plugins in their browsers (and neither do I). What might be a little distraction for you in the only source of income for the guys running that website—think of it the next time you (as in whoever is reading this, not anyone in particular) decide to block an advertisement or post someone else’s article elsewhere in its entirety.

Popup and pop-under advertisements are en exception though. Just because you need to make money doesn’t mean that you can start pestering your readers. I simply stop visiting websites that have such advertisements, or those annoying flash ones that have sprung these days that can animate themselves out of their boundaries and onto the content.

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Anyway, let’s just get back on the topic at hand… (if I’ve not entirely spoiled it for everyone )

 

[net_addict]

shouldnt there be a limit to how much off topic one can go . if i am not wrong , talking on stuff not related to the thread is also spam.

 

[cooldudie3]

ur right
So stop guys!

 

[blueshift]

Good thread. Thanks.

I have questions. My friend is in(works) Dubai and he wanted to buy it although I adviced him not to. If he buys iPhone from Dubai, will it work here in India? What are unlocking and activation charges here?

 

[uppalpankaj]

Good thread. Thanks.

I have questions. My friend is in(works) Dubai and he wanted to buy it although I adviced him not to. If he buys iPhone from Dubai, will it work here in India? What are unlocking and activation charges here?

I think the phone is not gonna work in India if he buys from Dubai..Apple has inbuilt new mechanisms in the phone and after buying it will have 2 b activated in the store itself...The phone will b attached to a service provider and so I guess will b locked...It will work only with that service provider...One just cannot buy the iphone and send it to a friend living in some other country...

In our country (INDIA), Airtel will b offering the iphone in the coming months...The price of 3G iphone starts from $199 but it is rumored that Airtel will provide it at a price of more than 20k...

 

[desiibond]

^^ N82 unlocked should be a better option or HTC Touch Diamond.

 

[aryayush]

I have questions. My friend is in(works) Dubai and he wanted to buy it although I adviced him not to. If he buys iPhone from Dubai, will it work here in India? What are unlocking and activation charges here?

If he buys it from Dubai, he’ll be buying an unlocked first generation iPhone with voided warranty for a price north of Rs. 20,000. Read that again: not the iPhone 3G launched a week ago, but the original iPhone. For a price more than double that of the iPhone 3G.

It just makes no sense. None at all. Advise him not to buy it. Strictly.

Tell him that it’s being launched officially in India by the end of July for less than Rs. 10,000. That ought to get his attention.

 

[uppalpankaj]

If iphone 3G is launched at a price of less than 10k (which I don't think really) then other companies such as Nokia and SE will have 2 slash the prices of their phones 2 stay in the competition....

 

[skeletor]

I was out of station for a few weeks (a very remote place where even dial-up doesn't work properly) and one day Star NEWS guys said that 3G iPhone is going to be launched in India for around Rs.8,000....I couldn't believe my eyes & ears but that has turned out to be true.......Very well Apple...I'm really impressed.

One query: Has the Bluetooth functionality improved?? Can we send files now??

 

[desiibond]

^^ Dude. don't fall into that price trap. That is the base price. You will be locked to two years to the carrier, paying heavy rentals that what you pay normally. All in all, as per experts calculation, you will be paying around $400-$450 for the phone.

So, don't belive in that "iphone 3G for $199" crap

I was out of station for a few weeks (a very remote place where even dial-up doesn't work properly) and one day Star NEWS guys said that 3G iPhone is going to be launched in India for around Rs.8,000....I couldn't believe my eyes & ears but that has turned out to be true.......Very well Apple...I'm really impressed.

One query: Has the Bluetooth functionality improved?? Can we send files now??

nope. nothing changed for bluetooth. Works only for bluetooth handsfree mono set.

 

[skeletor]

^^ I'm not even interested in buying iPhone. I'm happy with my W890i and will only use it for atleast 3 years.

 

[uppalpankaj]

^^ Dude. don't fall into that price trap. That is the base price. You will be locked to two years to the carrier, paying heavy rentals that what you pay normally. All in all, as per experts calculation, you will be paying around $400-$450 for the phone.

So, don't belive in that "iphone 3G for $199" crap



nope. nothing changed for bluetooth. Works only for bluetooth handsfree mono set.

Yes, this just seems a trap. In India Airtel will b offering the iphone...I read somewhere that they will b offering it at a price of more than 20,000. Howz it possible that the iphone can b offered at 8k... Not possible....

 

[desiibond]

nope. not exactly 20k+. SHould be around 15k

 

[aryayush]

Howz it possible that the iphone can b offered at 8k... Not possible....

It’s not only possible but also probable. In the same way that AT&T offers the iPhone for $199, i.e. by subsidising the price of the phone and making up for it by way of a compulsory expensive two-year contract lock-in, Airtel can offer it for Rs. 8,000 or Rs. 9,000 or even free (whatever price they want to, basically).

This is how it works:
1. The iPhone costs about Rs. 25,000.
2. Airtel buys it from Apple and pays them that amount.
3. They sell it in India for Rs. 10,000 and make you sign a two-year contract.
4. Over the course of two years, they earn the Rs. 15,000 they paid Apple on your behalf and walk away with a handsome profit too.
5. If you decide to terminate the contract before its expiry date, they charge you Rs. 15,000 upfront and make up for the cost of the phone anyway.
6. The customer gets locked into a two-year expensive contract because the price of entry is ridiculously low. Apple and Airtel roll around in piles of cash.

This system is widely prevalent in the United States and the iPhone now seems set to bring it to India as well (already exists for Blackberrys and, in a somewhat similar fashion, on the CDMA network). Of course, if you look at it logically, the Indian system of charging the full price of the phone upfront and then giving it to you to do with it as you please (no restrictions, liabilities or bindings) is much better but when people see the iPhone selling for less than Rs. 10,000 in the market, it’s going to be as irresistible as a juicy worm dangling in front of a hungry fish and they’re going to fall for it, hook, line and sinker.

I’m hoping and praying that doesn’t happen, that the iPhone comes to India contract free for a price of Rs. 20,000 - Rs. 25,000, but that isn’t going to happen. No chance at all.

 

[a_k_s_h_a_y]

Well don't worry.
Buy it. Unlock it.
Change Phone IMEI*.
Tell Airtel you lost the phone.

*You can't change phone IMEI but you certainly can change the broadcast IMEI

 

[aryayush]

LOL! You cannot walk out of the store without signing up for the contract and having the phone activated. Plus, losing the phone is no excuse—either buy a new phone and renew the contract or pay the (huge) ETF and opt out.

The carriers are not that stupid, dude.

 

[nvidia]

Good thing i read this article.. I'm gonna ask my friend not to buy one of those 200$ iphones.. Btw, is it possible to get the older iphones without signing any kind of contract?

 

[aryayush]

OK, I’m going to say this for the last time and after that if anyone wants to go ahead and screw themselves anyway, feel free to do so.

iPhone 3G will be available in the U.S.A. starting June 11th (and probably in India as well). You can’t just buy it for $199 and walk out of the store. You need to sign up for a contract and activate it there itself. So if your friend buys it for you and sends it, he’s going to have to keep paying AT&T $70/month for two years and that too without getting to use the phone. I’m not sure how good your friendship is but asking someone to do that is bound to stretch the limits of even the best of friendships.

The original iPhone has stopped selling. You cannot buy it with or without contract officially anymore.

Basically, there’s no sense in buying the iPhone from anywhere else now. Just wait for it to come to India.

Now, if someone wants to ignore my advice and go ahead anyway, be my guest.