So we’re all trying to take in the full meaning of the impending 3G iPhone release. We’ve sorted out the pricing on Apple’s side of it, $199 for the 8 Gig phone and $299 for the 16 Gig.  Sorted out the AT&T side of it, +$30 to your phone plan vs. the 1st Gen +$20. And now we’re trying to figure out the 1st Gen’s worth.

People initially reported the 1st Gen market as “Sunk”. Everyone who was trying to sell off their first gen phones all supposedly groaned at once at the announcement that the 3G was going to be cheaper than the phones they’re trying to move, to of course make some cash back towards the new phone. But after a few hours of thought I think people are starting to turn that prediction around. When you consider that AT&T and Apple are making a few changes in the way they sell and activate the 3G iPhones the 1st Gen could become very sought after.

3G’s are reportedly NOT going to be available online and I can believe it given that there’s no option to pre-order. Supposedly you’re going to have to go into an Apple or AT&T store to purchase your new phone and have it activated on the spot.  A 10 - 15 minute process - an you thought you waited in line for hours LAST time.

This in store activation is supposedly meant to keep people from buying the phones in bulk to either ship overseas, or to buy with the intention of NEVER signing up for AT&T service.  So basically, like most other plan locked phones, you buy it and activate it right there before you can leave the store. I have to imagine that you’ll be able to reactivate via iTunes after that as restoring is one of the prescribed solutions for issues on the support sign.  So basically it’s to get you to pen that AT&T contract that so many iPhone buyers DIDN’T do. And if you’re looking to use the 3G on another network - or as a cheaper hopped up iTouch - you’re out of luck. (Cute that they’re initially cheaper than the touch)

Another boost for the 1st Gen phones is the difference in plan pricing.  Like I said a full $10 a month for 3G over the Edge plan. What about folks, like my old man, who live in an area that doesn’t get 3G. I don’t know if you checked but Apple and AT&T aren’t selling 1st Gen iPhones anymore, not even refurb or clearance. Is the GPS and extended battery life worth the additional $240+ over the 2 year contract? Yeah so let’s go back and look at some math $199 + $240 = $439 for the 8Gig.  And for the 16Gig $299 + $240 = $539.

Now, I’m not trying to say screw it all, I mean, I expected the 3G to cost more.  Cause it’s full of 3G yum sauce, right? But it’d be nice to not wave the “New Low Price” around like they’re doing some sort of favor. Unless of course it works better for you to amortize it out over time. In that case, WOo HOO!  *shrug*

So, if you can score an 8 Gig for it’s original price or lower you’re still making out cheaper, same with the 16.  And that is of course assuming you don’t want/need/can make use of the 3G and GPS.

That’s the money side of it.  The other thing to note is, as I said earlier, AT&T and Apple are taking steps outside of software to keep the iPhone on the AT&T network. AT&T is aiming to at least get an early termination fee out of you by making you sign on the line when you pick up the phone. If, like me, you’re fine with AT&T the lack of unlocking is probably not such a big deal.  But who knows what changes they’ll have on the software side going forward.

Reports have it that Firmware 2 is already “jailbreakable” via a method that it is improbable that Apple will be able to correct. But what about going forward? Jailbreaking may prove more difficult on the 3G phones. Though, since I’m not intimately familiar with the process - besides clicking the button that says “Jailbreak me” I could be speaking to a moot point.

But firmware does bring up an interesting point about support.  It’s clear that Apple no longer intends on shipping any Edge iPhones. That ship has sailed.  But what is their commitment to keeping the firmware current between the two? I kind of think that 2.0 is going to have everything I’m going to want from Apple and the App Store will likely fill the gaps (And don’t forget 3rd party apps via jailbreaking).

But how long before its “obsoleted”? The turn over rate on iPods is already pretty high. But I’m the weird kind of guy who still has my 4Gig Nano and held onto my first Nokia cellphone for 4 years. I don’t foresee buying another phone unless this one breaks, or Apple release another Rev so feature packed it makes the 3G look like an old brick phone. I just hope it’ll be supported that long.

A bit of info. Even though you can’t find the information anywhere (without digging), AT&T is still activating 1st Gen iPhones with the initial price packages. So if you can find an Edge phone you can save yourself $10 a month.

I think that’s all I meant to say.  I got interrupted part way through writing and kind of lost the train of thought there.  But in summation, the 1st Gen is on the road NOT to being shunned and trashed, but most likely coveted for it’s cheaper data plan, easy jailbreaking and unlocking, and simple nostalgia at being the 1st of the iPhone family. Plus I know people buying them up to ship to poor shunned and 3Gless China.

Grab ‘em while you can.

One of the most disturbing pictures I’ve seen in a while. I tell you, people, crazy is on the rise.

You may have seen them.  Kind of a money making take on the community bicycles in Portland.  All around town (some towns) there are cars parked in special little spots with catchy little stickers. The idea is you can pay a monthly/annual fee and pick up one of these little cars and drive all about the city.  Then you just drop it off at an assigned parking spot and you’re done.  No messy insurance. No maintenance or car payments. Sounds like a good plan, eh?  But I wonder…

While driving home today I had one of these little ZipCars pull out in front of me and then proceed to putt along at 25mph.  This got me thinking.  This person went out and rented this car.  Supposedly they don’t need a car full time.  Just here and there once and a while. Where as, I own a car.  I’ve had a one since I got my license.  I’ve been driving almost daily ( though I bus to work now) for the last 20 years almost.  I have honed my skill to Ronin-car-chase-scene levels of awesome.  I am dedicated to being on my game and knowing my car and how it performs. Is it possible that these every-other-Sunday drivers are actually a danger?

I’m not trying to say hurrah for me for driving my car in a time of environmental Fail.  But I have a bit of a problem with creating a whole class of perpetual student drivers.  If you’re not going to drive a car, don’t drive a car. What do you think?

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Okay… I’ve realized that continuing to comment each time Verizon or another telecommunication providers screwed something up would take up too much time and make my blog boring… Well, okay.. it’d take too much time… I’ve achieved boring already.

So, that said, Just keep an eye on Crunch Gear. They’re doing a pretty good job of covering the on going idiocy.

I can admit that I was wrong when I posted earlier about Sprint really wanting you to get an iPhone by canceling (I almost said laying off) people’s accounts for calling support too much. And let’s not forget canceling soldiers accounts for “excessive roaming” because they were stationed at an out of area base for two months.

No.. no I was mistaken. As you can see here in this Gizmodo article Verizon ALSO wants you to get an iPhone. And in reading the article you can see I’m not the only one who thinks so. Though I don’t know if I agree that T-Mobile hates the burden of your patronage. We’ll have to wait and see with them. But, Verizon are no angels to be sure. Terrible service and that blatant desire to crush Vonage doesn’t sit well with me.

Now… Through an amazing series of events ( or mind control ) AT&T are being handed the keys to the proverbial kingdom. Let’s see if they drop the ball on this one. All they have to do is provide adequate service and not screw the customers over. With these seemingly obvious (yet all too uncommon) business practices they could easily rise as the frothy creamy (all be it scummy) goodness at the top of the pond of cell providers.

And now… we wait.

I mean, seriously. What other reason could they possibly have for this sudden trend in dropping their own customers? It’s an especially dumb move in a time where I see sales people from those little mall kiosks with their big sad puppy dog eyes begging anyone who passes to sign up.

Obviously this is a dumb move even when they might hold all the cards. But now.. with lots of people wanting to get an iPhone but being locked into contracts.. it’s just insane. (Note: I read somewhere that 30% of the people buying iPhones that first week were taking the almost $200 hit to cancel their current service.)

Here are my conspiracy theories:

Either Sprint’s parent company (do they have one?) is setting Sprint up to be wiped out. Maybe a burning the house down for the insurance sort of move. Who the hell knows.

Or… perhaps they’re trying to set themselves up as an elitist company. Appealing to share holders and board members with their “Our shit is so hot we don’t need any customers not worth our time bringing us down.” attitude.

A favorite of mine… Steve Jobs has been testing out the newest innovation in Apple interfaces… mind control. Controlling your MacBook with your mind has been in the works for a long while (I’m sure). Starting as a project to address the complaints about the accessibility of the iPhone that they’d predicted long before shipping. This technology is rumored to actually harnesses the power of Jobs’ own reality distortion field (RDF). In testing Steve found that he can control much more than iTunes and is systematically causing each competing carrier to crush ITSELF. (Rumor: This mind control system might already be a hidden feature in the iPhone but is not currently bi-directional. As evidenced by the fact that YOU WANT AN IPHONE!)

Or… using Occam’s Razor… Those in power at Sprint have just simply gone loon-bats.

No matter what the reasoning… if you’ve got a Sprint account it’s time to start making constant calls to Sprint support from the remote wilderness of Alaska so you can truck on down the Apple store unbound from that annoying contract.

I’ll be interesting to see what comes of this unfathomable power play of Sprint’s.

My plans are in full swing. In the office today I heard people talking about Moon Pie’s out of the blue. I hadn’t even tested my theory on anyone at work yet. And these people didn’t read my blog. Hrmmm…

Now I know there’s a name for the idea that once you start thinking about something you notice it everywhere. Like when you’re thinking of buying a new car you see that particular model all over the city.

But I’m going to shurk that idea for the moment. I’ll imagine that my choice of the Moon Pie was vague enough not to normally pop up randomly like so many cars on the road.

Oh.. and MonoCast Episode 4 is out! Check it out.

I’m going to interview Miguel tonight about the new Novell/Microsoft blood pact. We’ll see what’s what.

Ever been walking along and you think of something totally obscure from your past.. like an old tv show or something… and then suddenly everyone you know is talking about it? And suddenly it’s going to be rereleased to DVD and the latest movie to be remade.

Isn’t it odd how we all seem to think the same things at around the same time. I don’t know whether it’s a product of carefully implemented marketing or what. But it’s a creepy feeling.

So, here’s my idea. Let’s start our own Meme. A MoonPie Meme.

Everyone reading this. Make it a point to go out and get some MoonPies. Then eat it were someone can see you. At work.. on the bus. Maybe even comment how good it is. But don’t let on anymore beside that.

Let’s see how long it takes for MoonPies to suddenly become a national hit again.

Interesting. No?

Mmmmm this is a good MoonPie

I saw OpenOffice.org’s repsonse to the Microsoft Office Test Drive and I couldn’t pass up blogging about it. I use OpenOffice.org at home and at work and I think it’s great. I’ve never run into a compatibility issue when opening or saving MS Office documents and I haven’t spent a cent on it.

This is certainly, in my mind, a professional grade office suite.

Looks like the nerd beater might just get his come-upance.