iClit

Apple normally market their products with a certain amount of prestige and exclusivity. Well designed and aesthetically pleasing products are usually matched by a cost price that commands a level of prestige.

Until now.

From July 11, US$199.00 (or its’ equivalent in your local currency) will get you a brand spanking new iPhone 3G, in black or white. A far cry from the original iPhone, released just last year, priced at US$399 or US$499 - depending on Gb’s.

When a device becomes common, there’s a crude old saying about it being like a clitoris - every cunt’s got one.

That’s what I think the new iPhone is going to be like. ‘Common as muck’. At least 3 of Australia’s Mobile Carriers’ will be offering it (Optus, Vodafone, and now Telstra), and pre-sales have been extremely popular. So popular in fact, that:

Vodafone’s pre-registration website for the iPhone has attracted about 40,000 visitors daily since opening the site early last week, while Optus has stopped accepting advance deposits for the gadget iPhones, as it can’t keep up with demand…

After July 12 on any train in peak hour, you’ll be able to spot lots of these little devices in excited little hands. Hopefully with earplugs in their excited little ears, rather than the fucking speakerphones operating with volumes on high…

The new iPhone has 3G capability, and also inbuilt GPS. The casing is made of shiny plastic, which is either black or white. It’s also fatter. And of course, the lower price - making it available to almost every local Vicky Pollard slapper who can get a credit card. Wow.

Faster download means more meggage used, and that means higher mobile bills. But it doesn’t mean they’ll pay the bills.

The original iPhone had Tower Triangulation GPS, which was enough for me to figure out where I was in Singapore. It’s also firmware upgradeable, so it still pretty much does everything the 3G one can do. And of course, it’s hacked. So it’s got way better apps than the new one, which (for a little while at least) will be stuck just with Apple’s offering.

I think the original iPhones will keep their value to a certain degree - because the case is thinner, made of metal, and is silver. They’ll be the elite minority in the sea of iPhones. Pull out your white iPod for a minute, and look how grubby and shit it looks with all those dirty scratches. Mmmm, that’s what your iPhone 3G is gonna look like. Or glance over at your white MacBook and look at that discoloured dirty wrist rest. Niiiice.

And remember the hideous chunky made-in-china protective cases that will flood eBay and your local mobile phone store, which (strangely enough) people will actually buy & use.

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20.Jun.08 Controversy, Random Comment (1) 

iPhone available in Australia? Now? Unlocked?

I walked through the arcade across from Australia-On-Collins yesterday to post a letter, and there’s this shop that sells all these no-name mobile phones. Then, I noticed a big sign on the window…

Evidently, they have the Apple iPhone, available now, sim-lock free (unlocked)??

Sounds rather dodgy to me.

It’s either a) a US iPhone that has been hacked/unlocked with that unlocking software (in which case if you upgrade the firmware, you’re screwed) or b) it’s one of these - an Alibaba China ripoff replica.

I’m sure Apple would love to know about em.. haha

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08.Nov.07 Random Comments (0)