Last year, Buy.com started offering the unlocked iPhone 3G in the 16GB version for $799.99, now $899.99. The 8GB version can also be had for $674.90. Yesterday, Buy.com unveiled that the iPhone 3GS 32GB version is now also available unlocked, but with a hefty $999.99 price tag, that’s almost $200 more than what Apple charges for an official unlock version in Hong Kong (6,228HKD). I don’t know who would buy this in the States when you can get it subsidies on AT&T and unlock it yourself, but it’s good we have options.
According to my knowledge, unlocked 3G iPhones are not being sold by Apple nor AT&T in the US, but somehow Buy.com has the 16GB model for $799.99 with free shipping. That’s a $100 more than the contract-free (but not unlocked) iPhones that Apple and AT&T starting offering it’s customers last month, but this makes Buy.com the first major retailer to sell an unlocked iPhone in the US. They also state that the phone comes with full Apple warranty, which I thought Apple only honors when they are under an AT&T plan. Even more crazy, Buy.com in their product description references the iPhone previously being hacked and the “cat and mouse” game that is endured my Apple and many iPhone owners who have unofficially unlocked their iPhones. Is this a late April fools joke or is Apple and AT&T desperatly trying to get rid of inventory before the new iPhone gets unvil this June?
AT&T and Apple stores are now officially selling the iPhone 3G’s contract-free in the United States. The 8GB model is selling for $599 and both of the 16GB models are selling for $699. Sales at the AT&T Stores require customers to be an existing customer, while anyone can walk in the an Apple Store and snag one. The one per customer rule still applies.
Might I remind you that these phones are not unlocked and are still tied to AT&T. Given that the iPhone 3G will only work on AT&T’s 3G network in the United States, I don’t see any reason why anyone living in the US would peony up that much cash for a locked phone which they will most likely have to use with a carrier that is already offering a subsidies version. Not to mention, wouldn’t it be cheaper to enter in a contract ($199 for 8gb model) and cancel early ($175 early termination fee)? For international user’s this would however, be an opportunity for them snag a iPhone, which they can unlock for use in their choice of country, but wouldn’t you want to spend just a little bit more and get an officially unlocked iPhone here?
iBluetooth is a iPhone app available for jailbroken iPhones that enables you to transfer files via bluetooth. It’s exclusively available on Cydia from the iSpazio Repository for 3,99€, but you can try it free for 7 days. It can be used on both the iPhone 2G and 3G, but not with the iPod Touch. It requires 2.1 firmware or higher.
Independent phone vendors have been illegally selling unlocked 3G iPhone in Hong Kong since its launch but, today Apple has quietly sneaked an unlocked version of the iPhone 3G themselves in to their Hong Kong Apple online store. It looks like their deal with Hutchison Telecom, the exclusive iPhone 3G carrier at launch has expired and the phone is now available online at $5400 HKD ($692USD) for the 8GB model and $6200HKD ($794USD) for the 16GB model. Apple states that phones when purchased online can be activated with any wireless carrier. Simply insert the SIM from your current phone into iPhone 3G and connect to iTunes 8 to complete activation. The price is a bit steep but, competitive compared to the Nokia N95 which goes for $600USD or Blackberry Bold at $750USD unlocked.
Pegged by the numerous issues I’ve encountered when upgrading from Wordpress 1.x to 2.2, I have been hesitant to upgraded to the much talked about v2.6. However, with the release of their Wordpress iPhone app, I was force to make the transitions. I completed the update last weekend and the process (kind of) painless. The only issue that I ran into was my categories table got deleted in the DB upgrade, but it wasn’t all that difficult to resolve. A bit manual, but David Cumps has the solution here. Overall, the update has been really great. The media library is intuitive, the plugin manager is a godsend, but even more the ability to blog from your iPhone via the new app is worth the upgrade alone.
The iPhone Dev Team has released PwnageTool 2.0. This jailbreaks iPhones/iPod Touches running firmware 2.0 to support non-App Store third-party application. The first-generation iPhones can also be unlocked, but the iPhone 3G cannot be unlocked or used with BootNeuter.
I tested this and the Pwanage Tool is flawless. Everything has worked for me so far and I provided an outline of what I did to get my iPhone 1st Gen unlocked and jailbroken with the 2.0 firmware.
Warning: Jailbreak / Unlock at your own risk. I will take no responsibility what so ever for what may occur before, during, after the Pwnaing process. I tried it myself and was successful. Please proceed with caution.
To Jailbreak and Unlock a first-generation iPhone:
Open iTunes 7.7 and connected the iPhone. When the iPhone is detected iTunes will ask you to upgrade your firmware, select the download only and disconnect iPhone after the download starts.
Open the Pwnage Tool
Select expert mode
Chose iPhone 1st Gen / iPod Touch
Browse for the 2.0 firmware
Browse for the boot loader
Further customize the third party installer, custom boot / dfu screen, etc and select build (Optional). This will create a custom ipws for you to restore your phone from in iTunes
When the custom ipws file is created, the Pwanage Tool will instruct you on how to put your iPhone into dfu mod. Follow the on screen instruction , dock your phone, and close the Pwanage Tool.
Once your phone is in dfu mode and docked, iTunes will not recognize your iPhone and will ask you to restore. Select “alt” and the restore button, browse for your the custom ipw file you created with the Pwanage Tool and sit back and relax.
Once iTunes successfully restores your iPhone, it will reboot and bootneutral will opened automatically. First, it neutral the boot and then flashed the baseband.
Your iPhone 1st Gen / iPod Touch is Jailbroken and Unlocked
Engadget is reporting that GPS turn-by-turn directions is possible for the iPhone, but not sure if Apple will allow it. This is just another reason for me to upgrade my first gen iPhone to the 3G model, it seems that their is no way to avoid the lust over this magical device.Despite the good news, Apple has stated that cut and paste is a low priority feature for them. Lets just hope someone can address this need with an app.
Today, the iPhone 3G finally comes to Hong Kong and I stopped by to party with the mac heads.
Only the 1,500 lucky preregistered customers, which were chosen randomly will be able to get an iPhone 3G in Hong Kong; thats is at least until Three is able to get more supply (I’m guessing it will take at least 2 months).
There are no long lines for the iPhone 3G in Hong Kong due to the pre-registrations process they have setup. The 1,500 iPhone 3G owners will get a special gift pack that includes a limited iPhone 3G case.
