The Truth in Our Hearts...

Can you tell that I am 'addicted' to my iPhone? (huge grin)

Well I am, and I love it. It is still my best and favorite new gadget/toy/phone/ipod and techno-device even though Apple, its maker, would try to stymie my joy and micromanage how I choose to enjoy this device. Kinda like how Radiohead wants to force us to "enjoy" their music only as an Album and never by the individual songs. Geez, what does that say about the songs if they can't stand on their own or needs Other songs to 'complete them' and the experience? But I digress... iPhones!

That's right, Apple has again taken a fairly nasty stance and let loose the long awaited update that includes the WiFi Music store, which even *I* thought would be cool! Word! But it comes at the cost of my "harmless" and yet Very Useful, unsupported by Apple, 3rd party apps. Do I really want to give up my NES games, Black Jack, TapTapRevolution(TTR) and other games just so I can make an impulsive iTunes purchase? Should I trade the ability to have custom FREE Ringtones of my own creation, a Terminal that I can use to check my servers, and Voice Notes for the ability to have some iPod controls on my screen without unlocking it every time?(hey, the headphone skip and pause/play function will suffice for now and when I use Good headphones I can cope)

No. See Erica Sudan's article on tuaw.com for useful info before YOU upgrade.

I have lived with these "limitations" since the beginning and Apple's small enhancements are not worth trashing the hard work and inventiveness that the 3rd party hackers and developers have done on our behalf. Why Apple choose to do so, and with no real legitimate explanation I might add, is a mystery to me and sadly an indication that my always adored Apple, maker of my favorite computers and tech equipment, is becoming warped and twisted and corrupted by their own size (greed?) and perhaps the "new friends" they seem to be making in the corporate and international world.

Having a Soul is now too costly Steve? Did you loose your Daemon?

Sure, I understand about having to honor the agreements with your phone carriers and making sure only they can provide service for you phone, but that should not mean f*cking over the 3rd party developers. Hell, WTF didn't you give us all an SDK in the first place? Is the iPhone software just Beta still? Or even Alpha? And you aren't done tweaking it enough to issue a supportable SDK? Then SAY so. At least you would alienate less of your devoted fans. WE would understand. And don't think that this new found "Fame & Fortune" means you can forget your "roots". Shun us and it will be your own demise. Read your Ancient Literature!

So, what does it mean for me? I won't be updating any time soon. Not until Someone has re-jailbreaked the iPhone and allowed me to customize it again with Summerboard and other cool apps. Either that, or Apple will continue to pull Microsoftian moves like updating iTunes so that only iPhones running the latest firmware will sync properly... Don't do it Apple! Just don't go there!

In the words and voice of Luke Skywalker, "I know there is still some Good in you!"

From Geek Culture's Joy of Tech.

Posted by Heart at 11:58 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Well, we got our rebates! Hooray! Apple came through one week later, as Steve said they would (good job Jobs!), and issued $100 credits for each iPhone we purchased. The Extra $100 we spent still 'stings' but I think we'll live... certainly they won't snub us Again... not our Apple Good Guys!

But available NOW to iPod Touch Users! (tough luck iPhones!)

(Mmm mumph murrumph) Eating your own words is not too tasty (sighs). You know, I really though Apple had "seen the light" regarding their treatment of their more devoted, fervent believers, and early adopters of their usually Wonderful technology, but apparently not. Like more plebian companies they seem to be fracturing under the pressure of their recent successes.

With the new WiFi Music Store imminent and the promise of an iPod Touch by the end of the month, it seemed to Me like a perfect opportunity to show their loyalty and thanks to the iPhone owners and roll out the new store for That crowd First! Especially considering that the Touch would ship with the WiFi store already on it. Well, we waited with hopeful stares at our updaters and Apple pages for signs of our new iPhone update with WiFi Store...

But no. Instead I walk into my local Best Buy and see an employee showing off the iPod Touch to a customer, including the WiFi Music Store! OUCH! Surely when I get home there will be an update waiting...I must have just missed it.

Nope. It is now Tuesday and the enabled Touch's are in many hands now and us iPhone users are left wondering When we will be included again? Well Steve, thanks for snubbing the early iPhone devotees again! I was sure that Apple would do the "smart" and responsible thing and open the WiFi Music Store to its devoted iPhone users before it released the iPod Touch to the rest of the world with the WiFi Store enabled. It would have gone a long way to assuaging our loyal hearts, but no, they stay bruised and a reminder that no longer does Apple really "care" about its customers. Sure they will 'service' their customers, but "caring" about them seems to be far less important now. Slowly it seems to be abrading under Apple's own new found glory... I only hope that Steve takes a break and gets some perspective back. Apple with Ideals and heart is a Wonderful Company. Apple with $$ signs as its Goal and Soul is a dead end story.

Get your Sh*t together Apple and stop being so "Microsoftian".

Posted by Heart at 3:34 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Well, well! You heard my thoughts Steve! Thank you! Should these words prove true and work out as indicated, you will have truly redeemed Apple in my eyes and reaffirmed one of the reasons Why I Believe in you...

.. a good heart and awesome technology on the inside...elegance and simplicity on the outside.

And a Soul too. ;-)

Posted by Heart at 10:28 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Ouch! That Hurt, Apple! (rubs cheek where I am sure it is quite red) Is that how you reward your loyal and sometimes fanatical devotes of your truly wonderful and often amazing products? Especially for those like myself who have been champions of your greatness since the days of Apple IIs! That's right. We waited a few weeks but broke down and upgraded our phones to iPhones in July.

Well, we broke our banks to do it, devoted fans that we are and bought two new 8G iPhones. And to be Sure, we Do Love our iPhones to death. But Apple, is that how you Thank us? Make us pay $100 per Month for each of the two months we have the privilege to own a new iPhone? We had considered the option of waiting for the price to drop but assumed that the price would remain stable for a long while and that newer versions with more features would arrive at the same price spot, as generally happens with other ipods and macs. Who knew it would drop so drastically in 2 months time? Would we have waited 2 months to Save $400 ($200 per phone)? Absolutely YES! We may be devoted but we are Not complete fools or so rich to take such a savings lightly! Sure, we expect that sooner or later newer versions will come out and older models will drop in price, but to shaft people with such a precipitous depreciation in value after only 2 Months is an insult to Every one of us who Believed in you at the start. Ccertainly some sort of milestone for a company to alienate its most devoted fans. After all, it was us early adopters and our enthusiasm that made the iPhone such a success!

The very LEAST you could do is credit the "early adopters" such as ourselves, with some iTunes credit or a refund coupon to our local Apple store for accessories...say about $100 worth for the 8G buyers and $50 for the 4G folks, perhaps evan as a "credit" when the WiFi-iTunes store comes online later this month?! (serious look) Take the "sting" out Apple...show a little Gratitude to those devoted stalwarts of yours and say "Thanks" to us as well!!

Otherwise, 'thanks but 'no thanks' for your inconsiderate price drop, making our early belief in you quite costly...sorry to seem whiney, but I never thought buying an Apple product would become a "gamble" for a good deal.

A slap in the face.

Ouch! That stings Apple! ... have some 'healing' iTunes for us?

(Comments are open for this post - If you have one or have experience with this issue feel free to post your thoughts, but no spammers please. We'll see how this works...)

Posted by Heart at 4:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)