Who bought an iPhone?

[craigwatanabe]

Re: Who bought an iPhone?

So true! However, I'm one of the holdouts who won't buy a first version anything. AAMOF, it took me so long to give up cassette tapes that I skipped CDs entirely and went directly to downloading MP3s!

True story!

Or you can be like Mel and skip the entire Cell phone industry completely.

[dyasu]

Apple's $100 credit for iPhone owners shafted me

So Apple has officially screwed me out of one of my two $100 store credits for buying the iPhone early. I had bought one for me, and one for my dad, and Apple is saying my second $100 credit sheet is "not working". They keep telling me I must have used it before and used up the balance. What a joke.

I wrote about it up on my new rant blog: http://www.yfal.com

I also have up there how the conversation went with an Apple store rep when I tried to use my credit.

[joshuatree]

Re: Apple's $100 credit for iPhone owners shafted me

So Apple has officially screwed me out of one of my two $100 store credits for buying the iPhone early. I had bought one for me, and one for my dad, and Apple is saying my second $100 credit sheet is "not working". They keep telling me I must have used it before and used up the balance. What a joke.

I wrote about it up on my new rant blog: http://www.yfal.com

I also have up there how the conversation went with an Apple store rep when I tried to use my credit.

Sorry to hear but maybe filing a complaint with the BBB or small claims court? Sometimes, you just gotta be a jerk to set things straight unfortunately.

[Miulang]

Re: Apple's $100 credit for iPhone owners shafted me

Apparently you aren't alone, according to this Apple forum. Zero balance, looks like the credit got sent to somebody else, sometimes even in a different state!

Miulang

[anapuni808]

Re: Apple's $100 credit for iPhone owners shafted me

did you consider calling Apple Customer Service? They have an 800 number on their website. That's what I did when I got tired of dealing with stupid people at their Ala Moana Store. My problem got solved, I was comped what I had been trying to look at and I think the a**h*** at the store got fired.

[pzarquon]

Re: Apple's $100 credit for iPhone owners shafted me

You're hardly the first. I'd read about this too. Apparently those codes aren't as unique as you'd expect them to be. Since I printed out my code the day the credit was made available but still have it in my backpack, I actually expect it's already invalid. (This problem seems to affect mostly folks who got their codes on Sept. 14.) I'll just be prepared to re-request one.

I wrote about it up on my new rant blog

Of course you did!

Frankly, I don't get what's with Apple users these days. Were we always this whiny and fueled up for an excuse to express outrage? (Snooty and smug? Yes, always.) I've been a fan and user for years, and I don't think I've ever seen so many rants and online protests in my life. Maybe this is what happens when the niche finally crosses over into the mainstream. Or maybe getting into the phone business was a mistake.

I don't even think we should've gotten the credit in the first place, and I happily stood in line on day one... despite the fact that I could've walked into the store the next day with no fuss at all. Or gotten one for $200 less two months later.

In other news...

Anyone install the latest update? I did, while I was typing this. Lots of tweaks and a handful of new goodies (including the iTunes Wi-Fi store... man, am I in trouble). Louder speakerphone volumneOf course, the update also encrypts the entirety of the operating system, locking out all the folks who hacked their phones. But I didn't do that. Lots of people did, though, so sit back for more outrage!

[mel]

Re: Apple's $100 credit for iPhone owners shafted me

Frankly, I don't get what's with Apple users these days. Were we always this whiny and fueled up for an excuse to express outrage? (Snooty and smug? Yes, always.) I've been a fan and user for years, and I don't think I've ever seen so many rants and online protests in my life. Maybe this is what happens when the niche finally crosses over into the mainstream.

I think the last time Apple fans were this pissed off at Apple was when they pulled the licensing of the Mac clone companies in 1997. For 2 years the Mac clone companies like Power Computing were building better and faster Macintosh computers at a cheaper price. The clones outsold most of Apple's product of the time mainly because of price and speed.

Sure Apple had to pull the plug to save themselves, but for the price conscious Mac user this was very bad at the time.

Today Apple is in a better financial position than it was in 1997, though it took many years for them to rebuild the computer business to re-capture the 5% market share they now own.

Apple's success today lies mainly with the iPod and iTunes.

[pzarquon]

Re: Apple's $100 credit for iPhone owners shafted me

Apple's success today lies mainly with the iPod and iTunes.

This is most certainly true. Indeed, it's an incredible success that probably contributes to some of the skittishness out there among users of Apple computers. Our much love, long-maligned manufacturer is suddenly seeing great success on the mass market consumer side. But catering to the average Joe is quite different from catering to the hip, stylish Macintosh crowd.

But I can't argue with success. I love my iPod, and iTunes works great for me. I just lost several minutes browsing the iTunes Wi-Fi Store on my iPhone, but fortunately not several dollars... yet. I think I may have to deauthorize my purchasing account just to save me from myself!

[GeckoGeek]

Re: Who bought an iPhone?

Question: Can you use a WiFi connection to effectively boost the number of songs your iPhone (and presumably the iPod Touch) can hold?

The Touch looks neat, but only 8GB?

[pzarquon]

Re: Who bought an iPhone?

Question: Can you use a WiFi connection to effectively boost the number of songs your iPhone (and presumably the iPod Touch) can hold?

How do you mean? By connecting to your home network and songs stored there? The answer was yes, 'til yesterday when Apple locked down the OS on the iPhone. You could even use your iPhone as a remote client to access your entire machine. And to be sure, the iPhone hackers are no doubt hard at work on a(nother) solution.

The Touch looks neat, but only 8GB?

There's a 16GB model as well, yes? In any case, the new iPods (versus the iPhone) are discussed here.

[GeckoGeek]

Re: Who bought an iPhone?

How do you mean? By connecting to your home network and songs stored there?

Yes. Or if iTunes would allow you to stream songs you've already bought.

The answer was yes, 'til yesterday when Apple locked down the OS on the iPhone.

Well that sucks.

[tutusue]

Re: Apple's $100 credit for iPhone owners shafted me

[...]Of course, the update also encrypts the entirety of the operating system, locking out all the folks who hacked their phones. But I didn't do that. Lots of people did, though, so sit back for more outrage!

A sign was posted at Apple's Genius Bar yesterday...a sign that wasn't there last week-end. It cautions those who own hacked iPhones that any update will render their iPhones useless!

[DaFerret]

Re: Who bought an iPhone?

My only outrage is having to pay to use custom ringtones. *grr* But, with this latest update to demonstrate, the iPhone has more win than loss. The update shows the extendibility of the device from new buttons on the homescreen and the associating application (Wi-Fi iTunes) to added functionality to existing hardware buttons (double click home button with the device on goes to favorite contacts list while in sleep mode, it activates the iTunes controls). Even the software buttons can be extended (double tap the virtual spacebar while texting will insert a period and a space).

This is the first first gen device that I wasn't sick to my stomach when they slashed the price because of the potential for enchancement. Of course, it's easy for me since I don't miss 3G, which I had on my 8525 but hardly ever used and I don't need GPS as the maps application still gets me to places easily enough (I'm less adverse from driving around because of this).

What I would jump on though is a bigger capacity iPhone. :P

[liberty]

Re: Apple's $100 credit for iPhone owners shafted me

Frankly, I don't get what's with Apple users these days. Were we always this whiny and fueled up for an excuse to express outrage? (Snooty and smug? Yes, always.) I've been a fan and user for years, and I don't think I've ever seen so many rants and online protests in my life.

Someone is even suing Apple, AT&T and Steve Jobs over the $200 price cut. Sheesh.

I've had my iPhone for a week now, and I'm loving it. Typing on it's actually been a breeze (two thumbs!) and I love having phone and iPod functions on one sleek device.

Facebook just released the iPhone version of its site. I like its simplicity and organization.

[mel]

Re: Apple's $100 credit for iPhone owners shafted me

I love my iPod, and iTunes works great for me. I just lost several minutes browsing the iTunes Wi-Fi Store on my iPhone, but fortunately not several dollars... yet. I think I may have to deauthorize my purchasing account just to save me from myself!

I don't know if I "love" my iPods, because I still have issues with the built in battery someday dying on me and not being able to recharge, rendering an otherwise totally useful device useless unless I buy a 3rd party battery and attempt to either pry open and replace the battery myself or pay someone else to do it. It is worst if you own a shuffle because I don't think the thing can be pried open when dead battery day finally rolls around. I hate built in obsolescence.

As I mentioned in the other thread on the new Wifi iPod, having the iTunes store integrated into that iPod model as well as the iPhone now is just Apple's way of getting the vulnerable consumer to do impulse spending. However if you want to save your $$$ and not impulse spend at iTunes Store, here are some things you may want to try:

1. Yes, you can deauthorize your purchasing account on iTunes, but does that also mean it is also deauthorized on your Mac too?

2. You could ration your iTunes purchases like I do... I just buy one of those $15 Apple cards (they have em at WalMart, Long's, Apple Store, etc) that works like a prepaid phone card. For $15, $25 or $50 you have a set amount that you can use to buy X amount of music or videos at iTunes. You don't have to worry about applying the amount to your credit card and after you hit the prepaid ceiling, you can't buy anymore until you buy another card. That is how I manage my iTunes account and also the fact that I only buy via my main desktop Mac.

3. And now I may buy less from iTunes as Amazon.com now offers 2 million downloadable songs, many by major artists from some of the big labels like Capitol, MCA, Polygram and more in their bid to challenge iTunes. And some of the songs are on sale for .89 cents each instead of the traditional .99 cents. And the best thing is that EVERY TRACK THERE IS FREE OF DRM!!!!

The Amazon.com tracks work with the iPod and iTunes as well as numerous other devices that support standard MP3.

Regarding streaming content over wifi on the iPhone and iPod Touch... I would also assume you can stream content from sites such as Finetune.com and Last FM via the Safari web browser. Can these devices stream flash audio? I guess if they can do YouTube, they should be able to do Flash.