My Last Response to This Thread
I'll make this final point and be done with it. According to your last post, your only point is that... "It would just be a lot easier if ALL phones worked for ALL carriers. The consumer could then have the phone they choose on the network they choose. That and only that is my whole point...M" And on that single point I will agree that would be a great and welcomed change. Then I too would not have had to switch from T-Mobile to AT&T. So your point is well acknowledged and agreed with.
If you would have come in here and made that point I never would have posted because there are plenty of people that feel the same. Only they are not returning their iPhones trying to make a point.
My problem with all this is that you come in here posting links to free the iPhone org's like your trying to recruit signatures because Apple is doing mutational experiments on Ape's or something. Telling people to "Stand up now and let Apple/AT&T (and more specifically Apple) know how you feel about this". Like people are going to all of a sudden start returning their iPhones because things didn't go the way a small group of people wanted. If it was a crappy product then I'm sure they would do just that. But it is not and thereforee they will not join this little "revolution" as you call it.
Even still not even that made me want to post a response. What threw me over the edge is you tried to make an extremely strong case that the phone actually costs over $2500! And you talk about me showing my ignorance. Like my earlier point; is that $100,000 house worth $288,000? Nope, or that $20,000 nice car worth over $25,000 over a 5 yr period at 7%. Again no would be the correct answer. I posted a response even though you belittle me and my "ignorance", because I am so sick of (mostly journalist) people blowing the $499 & $599 price tag to the most ridiculous extreme. Nothing meant to you personally, but its posts like this that will keep future products like the iPhone from coming out or being extremely delayed for fear someone is going to scream monopoly (something similar) or start a "revolution" on how they got "Corporately Screwed".
Side note: Is this really a big deal to someone that spends over $4000 a year on cell phones ($8000/2 years wow!). After all $4000 would be like a little over 4 years worth of an AT&T contract at $79.99. I see nothing but savings in your future. That Thank You card to Steve Jobs can't come quick enough.
Let me apologize up front because your personal finances is none of my businesss, but you put it out there. It just seems like the ones that always start this sort of thing isn't the one's that saved up for the phone for months and months. Rather the one's that can toss the money down on a whelm and never miss it.
Since this is turning more into an argument, than a discussion. I am going to bow out. Before doing so, I want to leave everyone, with a few thoughts.
1). I did as the rules, of this forum asked. I first mentioned my gripe, then went into great detail, as to why I feel the way I do.
2). In this world, there will always be, two kinds of people. The weak, that say and do nothing, to bring about change. The other type of person, is strong and speaks his/her mind, about things they feel, need to be changed. The sad thing is, the strong person does all the work, to bring about the change. The weak person (who has done nothing), then benefits from the change, brought about by, the strong person who spoke up.
3). If you remember back, a couple of years ago. Apple released an iPod with a battery, that discharged very quickly. Apple, refused to admit, that there was a problem, or do anything about, the problem. Two teenage brothers decided that, Apple's response, was not good enough for them. The two brothers, produced a short video clip, in reference to the iPod's short battery life. The brothers, then circulated the video, on the internet. Their actions, (two Teenaged boys) made Apple stand up, and address the battery issue. Which by the way, benefited Everyone (even the weak people) who said nothing, but had a defective iPod.
4). Mostly everyone in this thread, that has responded, says I'm wrong. You all have gotten, so caught up in the fact that. I mentioned Apple and more specifically the iPhone. Yes, I used Apple/iPhone as an example because this is an iPhone forum. The point, you all have missed is, this is about one's freedom to choose. Yes, I made a choice, to buy the iPhone. I love the iPhone and wanted the iPhone. I just don't believe that, if I buy an Apple, Motorola, Samsung, LG, Nokia or any other phone maker's product, it should be attached to a cellular carrier. I want to be able to choose, the best plan for me. I also have no problem with At&t. I think their service (signal) and customer service is head and shoulders above Sprint/Nextel (of whom I also currently have). Like I said, it is not about a specific company, it is about a trend of taking away my freedom of choice.
5). What about people, that live in areas where there is no At&t? Should they be denied, this wonderful device (The iPhone), just because they live outside, of At&t's coverage area? What ever happened to, "ALL" technology for everyone? We as Americans, can go to remote locations, around the world, and install the internet, for developing nations. Yet people who live, outside of At&t's coverage area, in America, can't even get an iPhone.
6). R1 Kid, the true price I laid out for the iPhone, is correct. You can go on and on about the amortization of a mortgage and so on. You had a choice in choosing which lender offered you the best deal. You also had a choice to pay cash, and have no amortization schedule. The two year contract with At&t is mandatory. So the price of the contract must be added to the iPhone. You may be paying in monthly increments, to make it easier for you, but it's still 59.99 x 24=1439.76 or 79.99 x 24= 1919.76 . You only get to choose which of those figures, you can live with. I don't understand how you can't understand that. It's a no brainer, it's mandatory, dude. You can't even choose to opt out of the data plan and simply use Wi-Fi. Since you are FORCED to pay that cost, you have to look at it as the hard cost of the phone. Think of it like this, you buy the iPhone with a down payment of 499.99 0r 599.99. You then pay the remaining balance, over a 24 month period.
7). R1 Kid, you have have bashed me, throughout this whole thread, for speaking about freedom of choice. Yet you admit, that had not the iPhone been exclusive, you could have kept your current service, (T-Mobile). You further went on to describe, that freedom of choice, as "a welcomed change", had you of had, the choice. Which side of the fence, are you on? Don't you understand, that, that "welcomed change", will never come, if you sit there, and say or do NOTHING! The only way, to invoke change, is to stand up for yourself. There is an old saying, that says, "People will only do to you, what you, let them do". In this case, coporations will only do, to us (consumers), what we (consumers), let them do.
8). R1 Kid, if instead of, bashing me all day, you had taken the time, to read, the free the iPhone site. You, would have seen that, the site, is not just about Apple, or the iPhone. It is about, open technology, and the consumer's, freedom of choice. It's about, waking up tomorrow and deciding. I no longer want this service, without having to pay, a hefty early termination fee. It is getting out of hand, with the cellular companies, and the government, is currently looking into, the long contract commitments, and exclusive contracts. You spoke of people like me, hindering innovation of new products. You are, absolutely wrong. It is people like you, that stifle innovation. If a cellular carrier, has a captive customer base, due to long service contracts, and exclusive contracts. There is no need, to further innovation, to please and keep customers, because they already have you, "Locked In". If everyone could walk away today, from their current carrier, with no early termination fee. Believe me, you would see, far more innovation, than what is availible today, to keep customers. You would not get poor service (signal), and customer support, from the likes of Sprint/Nextel. You would be, treated as if, your dollars spent, were appreciated. You would see, phones capable of, doing things you never imagined. When a company/person has you captive, they can treat you however they choose.
9). In this time that we live, in America (a, hmmm democracy), where all of our rights/privileges, privacies and so forth, are slowly but surely, being taken away. Are you really prepared, to relinquish even the smallest of personal choice, (your cellular provider)?
10). To me, and this is my thinking only. It is a sad day in America, when so many Americans, jump on the band wagon of accepting, or just out right give up, their freedom of choice. I am truly sicken by all of this, while also respecting, everyone's right to disagree with me.
11). Even though I do not agree with, everyone's view here. I do appreciate the fact, that we have all voiced our opinion, openly and honestly. Thank You All...M
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