[Review] iPhone 8GB

[Wannes]

You have to buy it on a AT&T(from memory) plan, otherwise you can't use it

Yes, someone pointed it out to me before.

[dr.bisho]

Great review (Y) I'd purchase one right now, but the only things holding me back are the lack of 3G and, well, money :p

same here

[southside]

2 for 1 at specsavers (Y)

If I had some leftover money, Id give them to you as a gift to fix your vision :)

[srizo]

I hope the problems are sorted out quickly enough..

BTW, nice review.

They cant sort of problems. Some of these problems require a complete hardware revision such as GPS, 3g, Replacable battery, expansion slots etc. Things like MMS, Mass SMS, java support can be sprted out with new bios flashes

[Circaflex]

Yes, someone pointed it out to me before.

not for long, there is a group out there hacking it so you can use an existing sim card.

Apparently, the amazing code wizards at the iPhone Dev Wiki have been able to partially unlock the iPhone using a new application called iASign. It won't fully unlock the iPhone for use with other companies, but the hack will allow you to use any existing Cingular/AT&T Pre-paid/MVNA SIM so you don't have to get a two-year contract with AT&T. We are now testing this, but if confirmed the benefits are great.

That's full call functionality without two years of slavery and:

? People can still enjoy corporate rate, which they don't get on iPhone plans (10% to 20% off in some cases even more)

? People can use a company AT&T SIM card on their personal iPhone.

The iPhone Dev Wiki rebels are now in their final assault to get the iPhone fully free of the Evil AT&T Galatic Empire:

All problems with unlocking lie in the baseband, the radio chipset for the iPhone. The chipset is an S-Gold2, and don't come in the chat and give us links to PapaUtils, we can't use them. Now the iPhone only has one lock, a network personalization lock. This lock means the MCC(US=310) and the MNC(AT&T=410) must match the first six digits of the SIM cards IMSI. This check is done in the baseband firmware itself. I'm not really sure where yet, but that isn't really relevant. The only thing standing in the way of an unlock is the baseband. All the other sim checks are known and can be patched out. We even know the AT command to do the unlock. It's 'AT+CLCK="PN",0,"xxxxxxxx"'. But good luck finding those x's. They are called the NCK, or Network Control Key, and are believed to be unique in everyones phone. Forget brute force(time impractical) and the obvious entries. If you still think bruteforce is a good idea, read this. Further, there is a limit of 3-10 unlock attempts per phone, after which the firmware will "hard-lock" itself to AT&T. So why can't we just patch the firmware? The firmware, located in the ramdisk at /usr/local/standalone/firmware/ICE03.12.06_G.fls, is signed. See here for what is known about the file. The sig is checked in the baseband bootloader. The updater program, bbupdater, only checks a checksum, which can be changed. The update will take, but then the phone won't boot because the sigs don't match.

We worked two solid days on disasseming the radio fw. There are a few backdoors, but none that would lead to an unlock. If you are *good* with disassembling ARM, PM geohot for the idb. We've documented a lot of functions pretty well. Although, this firmware is very difficult to work through. I'm 90% sure the password check happens in the function called pwdcheck, but I haven't found it yet. For all we know there could be a simple algorithm to generate the NCKs that we've missed.

If you feel you can help them, you can join them at the #iPhone IRC channel. Otherwise, please let them keep hacking away undisturbed.

http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/breaking/iphone...ract-279606.php

OT, a co-worker has it, its pretty cool for the first 5 mins IMO, not worth the money. BUT if i didnt already have a pocketpc I'd probably get one. Although we all know other companies are designing phones that will put the iphone to shame, the HTC Touch comes to mind. All and all compared to my current PPC6800(Mogul) its not that much better IMO. I have larger hands and the onscreen keyboard was a little cumbersome for me. Only thing i really enjoyed was the 8gb space and ipod features.

[chrisgeleven]

Don't have the money for an iPhone at the moment, but in 2008 when my Verizon contract ends, I am definitely 100% getting one. Hopefully by then, 3G will be added.

[redeemed]

@KeR: When you go to danasoft.com what does it mention your OS, browser, and ISP as?

[KeR]

^^ this is what I get:

"Your IP is .......! Your ISP is AT&T GLOBAL NETWORK SERVICES.

Your are running on a Mac and using Safari!

I don't play well with others."

[redeemed]

^Thanks...so it actually sees it as mac. Wasn't the OS a stripped-down version of Leopard? and does anyone know what the info is when browsed from a WM5/6 pocket pc/smartphone?

[Quillz]

^Thanks...so it actually sees it as mac. Wasn't the OS a stripped-down version of Leopard? and does anyone know what the info is when browsed from a WM5/6 pocket pc/smartphone?

It's just a stripped-down version of OS X, not necessarily Leopard. There'd be no point to that, really, half of the 300 new features of Leopard are made especially for the computers, when they say the iPhone runs "OS X," they likely just mean the bare bones, the Darwin kernel, etc.

[redeemed]

Oh ok. So just the very basics of Leopard are on the phone. Fair enough. :)

[Quillz]

Oh ok. So just the very basics of Leopard are on the phone. Fair enough. :)

No, I didn't necessarily mean that, Leopard is just another revision of OS X. Don't think of it like "50% of Tiger is there, etc." just think of OS X as being a kernel and a user interface on top of the kernel, so I would guess that something like that runs on iPhone.

[Shetland]

+

Please, are you kidding me? The iPhone camera is reasonable camera, actually I may even call it good. Ok SE had a 2.0mp camera ages ago on their cellphones but sorry, it still remains to be a cell phone.

A digital camera on a cellphone is a handy feature for when you've forgotten your cam at home or when you need pictures on your phone (contacts, wallpapers, ...). As for the rest, it's just another addon. Unless, of course, you buy one of those expensive SE phones with a 6mp camera.

Yes but this is a VERY, VERY EXPENSIVE phone and therefore should have a camera as good as the top end phones released by SE and Nokia.

[vincent]

I want that....................................................car :|

[b10h4z4rd]

Looks like a good phone but I no desire to spend the money on the phone or move to AT&T.

[PL_ Veteran]

No, I didn't necessarily mean that, Leopard is just another revision of OS X. Don't think of it like "50% of Tiger is there, etc." just think of OS X as being a kernel and a user interface on top of the kernel, so I would guess that something like that runs on iPhone.

I think you're actually wrong, as Jobs stated in the keynote that it was Leopard, not Darwin. Some proof of this can be found in the fact that the iPhone uses Core Animation :)

[Quillz]

I think you're actually wrong, as Jobs stated in the keynote that it was Leopard, not Darwin. Some proof of this can be found in the fact that the iPhone uses Core Animation :)

But keep in mind it was a keynote to sell products, it sure seems much more impressive to say "Leopard* runs in iPhone" than "we managed to port Darwin into iPhone." Again, I don't doubt it has some Leopard technologies in it, like Core Animation, but to say it runs the entire full-blown Leopard OS is a pretty incredible claim that no one has managed to prove yet.

[PL_ Veteran]

But keep in mind it was a keynote to sell products, it sure seems much more impressive to say "Leopard* runs in iPhone" than "we managed to port Darwin into iPhone." Again, I don't doubt it has some Leopard technologies in it, like Core Animation, but to say it runs the entire full-blown Leopard OS is a pretty incredible claim that no one has managed to prove yet.

I see, yet Steve has always been very adamant that what's running on the iPhone is Leopard with all the unnecessary stuff cut out. And when the OS on the iPhone takes up 700MB, it's hard to not believe him.

We're sort of getting at the same point here. I'm saying it's a very slim version of Leopard, whereas you're saying it's a morbidly obese version of Darwin :laugh:

[hackdoom]

Nice review and great device. Now, if I could only get the money to waste it on this... :shiftyninja:

[UKDarkJedi]

I'll admit for styling, it trounces pretty much anything out there, but it lacks too much (mms ability, 3G, and frankly they're basics in phone terms nowadays) to call it a must purchase.

[Guth]

When do they come out in UK

and do you think you can unlock them to use on any network

[bob_loblaw]

My friend that lives in the States bought an iPhone and what he told me is not very promising.

Cons

1. First off, the non-replaceable battery is a very ****ty factor as the replacement program is expensive.

2. You cannot send SMS's to more than one person at a time, an inconvenience when trying to mass-message people

3. You cannot use headphones of your own without buying a $25 adaptor that kills the phone's esthetics.

4. Bluetooth only works for phone conversations but not for listening to music or Sync-ing to your computer, verry ****ty!

5. You cannot select MP3's as ringtones WTF??? It's a goddamn phone!!!

6. Limited applications for it and not many planned for the future because of Apple's desire to control what happens to the phone.....

7. Call quality is pretty bad, definitely should not be the case for a $600 phone.

8. Too damn expensive for what it is!

9. EDGE network that AT&T has is VERY slow! One of the worst in the world! I think Apple is actually asking themselves why they made a deal with these idiots anyway.

10. No flash / java support for the browser as of now.

11. No ability to record videos using the camera.....very un-impressing for a miltimedia phone.

12. No GPS built-in.....again, for the price this should have been a no-brainer.

Pros

1. It looks very good.

2. Interface is innovative and easy / fun to use.

3. Camera quality is very good.

4. Screen is very nice-looking and great for watching movies / pictures.

Bottom line, the iPhone is a device for people that don't really expect their phone to do that much and I think that for the price, Apple could have made a much better product. Remember, it only costs Apple $250 to make the 8GB version and $200 for the 4GB version.

I swear I think Apple made it like that on purpose so that their next generation would be even better and cheaper, making it more appealing for those who already own the current gen and new customers. Damn them Apple masterminds!

And yet, I would buy it in a heartbeat if it was available on my carrier and have the cash...

[REM2000]

I'll admit for styling, it trounces pretty much anything out there, but it lacks too much (mms ability, 3G, and frankly they're basics in phone terms nowadays) to call it a must purchase.

There is still the possibility of 3G for the european launch of the iphone, the MMS stuff im sure is going to be phased out for emails. It's a shame they couldn't include MMS features, but from what i have read i don't thing MMS is such a big thing in america, so i don't think they really are bothered to release it. For the costs of MMS ill be trying to use email more anyway.

[L3thal Veteran]

I still don't understand why they chose AT&T, even if Verizon wasn't budging in to all their requests in terms of money. AT&T has the slowest freakin network in the country and quite frankly, using the Edge network on the iPhone just makes me want to throw it against the wall. The iPhone itself is pretty neat, I will admit, but the network its on is just horrendous.

EvDO FTW!

[chrisgeleven]

I still don't understand why they chose AT&T, even if Verizon wasn't budging in to all their requests in terms of money. AT&T has the slowest freakin network in the country and quite frankly, using the Edge network on the iPhone just makes me want to throw it against the wall. The iPhone itself is pretty neat, I will admit, but the network its on is just horrendous.

EvDO FTW!

Apple requires the wireless carrier's assistance for features like Visual Voicemail. And since there was no agreement between the two companies (it was rumored that Verizon turned Apple down first), Apple had to look elsewhere.

There is also the thought that Apple went with a GSM carrier due to the ease of getting the iPhone into other countries (Canada, Europe, etc.), while CDMA (which Verizon & Sprint use) is only in a few countries.

Finally, T-Mobile simply does not have the coverage in the USA. I'm sure if they had a larger cell network Apple would have gone to them.

So basically, it was AT&T almost by default. Yes, cell phone carriers in the USA absolutely suck.