Driving down to the USA tomorrow and buying an iPhone

[BullyCanadian]

ALSO

If I take my laptop with me, coming back to Canada would customs given me trouble and say that I bought the laptop and am trying to bring it over to canada?

 

[ric1287]

why would they care?

 

[BrokenVisage]

know this.. every time somebody buys an iPhone an angel LOSES its wings.

 

[pm]

Unlocking is not illegal - or at least I can't see how it could be. You don't sign any agreement in the store when you buy it. You just pick it up and carry it to the register, pay for it and leave. You don't choose a plan, you don't make a commitment to do anything - you just buy and leave. As mentioned above, the DMCA has a specific exemption clause allowing unlocking of cell phones for the purpose of using the device with a different service. Since it's legally valid to bypass the lock, and I didn't agree to anything in the store, I don't see the issue.

There's a patch to enable YouTube again after the unlock - it's a simple, one-click affair - not hard at all.

As far as firmware updates disabling the lock again - this is highly likely. But there's a checkbox in iTunes that says "don't check for updates". Besides - there's not much I want fixed on the phone. Better Flash support might be nice, but beyond that... I'd be happy enough not to ever patch it for firmware.

 

[bmacd]

sooo...update?

 

[Martin]

Well, iPhone itself aside, did you happen to see the kind of rate Rogers charges? In the US, $60 will get you 450/5000 minutes and unlimited data. Rogers will charge you $210 for 500mb of data, plus whatever minutes you want to buy.

Buy the iPhone if you want, just keep in mind you'll have to pay $250+ a month to use it the way its supposed to be used.

 

[nageov3t]

do it so we can laugh at you when iphone batteries start failing.

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

Isn't it going to be replaced with a new one here in a month or so?

 

[imported_Imp]

Your money, do whatever you want.

 

[Goosemaster]

many of the tech sites are reporting that the iphonedev team managed to unlock the phone and re distributing a CLI based unlocking app FREE OF CHARGE..

it that helps in making your decision.

 

[jagec]

Originally posted by: BullyCanadian
ALSO

If I take my laptop with me, coming back to Canada would customs given me trouble and say that I bought the laptop and am trying to bring it over to canada?

You're going to the US, not Liberia...it's not really international. Not as such.

Besides, they don't even search you unless you act suspicious, so why should they find out?

 

[bigrash]

I love mine. I wouldn't unlock it though, but I guess you have no other choice

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: BullyCanadian
ALSO

If I take my laptop with me, coming back to Canada would customs given me trouble and say that I bought the laptop and am trying to bring it over to canada?

Why not just wait until you get home to unlock it.

 

[McGyver]

Originally posted by: BullyCanadian
My mind is made up, I'm taking my laptop with me and unlocking at the mall. Someone convince me not to buy it 2nite. I've been drooling over it since I first saw its photos. Poll attached!

where do u get the software?

 

[ric1287]

Originally posted by: loki8481
do it so we can laugh at you when iphone batteries start failing.

haha, i do love the subtle apple trolls.

the iphone is great, but you have to use the ipod feature. If you expect it to be a business class phone, you will be disappointed. If you expect it to be a well built, all in one device, you'll love it.

 

[EvilYoda]

It's all over engadget.com, it's not hard to find...OP, I suggest you visit howardforums.com as someone in Detroit has offered to buy an iPhone for some fee...I don't know if you're in Windsor or Toronto or what.

 

[Howard]

Apple might fry your phone somehow.

 

[dighn]

Originally posted by: soonerproud
pm: The iPod Touch also has wifi.

op: I would second on the iPod touch. You get most of the cool features of the iPhone without the expensive service and data contracts. There are much better smart phones for the money than the iPhone. You also have to consider that Apple at any time could issue an update that locks the phone again and makes it even harder to unlock. You are taking a big risk of buying an expensive paper weight if that happens.

The iPod Touch is seriously crippled in terms of software. It doesn't have most of the apps of the iPhone. Very bad deal if you are looking for anything more than a media player + web browser. It's kind of sad seeing such capable and beautiful hardware intentionally crippled.

 

[w3stfa11]

Do it and enjoy your iPhone.

 

[BullyCanadian]

I just got it and unlocked it, apparently the unlock is supposed to take roughly 20 mins, my unlock took literally 7 mins and is working perfectly!!!!

 

[RossMAN]

Bring some Tim Horton's with you.

 

[mrSHEiK124]

Originally posted by: BullyCanadian
I just got it and unlocked it, apparently the unlock is supposed to take roughly 20 mins, my unlock took literally 7 mins and is working perfectly!!!!

Waste of money IMO, congrats on paying $399 for a phone that doesn't have:
(objectively) 3G, MMS, replaceable battery, a browser with cache
(subjectively) a half usable keyboard

 

[0roo0roo]

Originally posted by: ric1287

Originally posted by: loki8481
do it so we can laugh at you when iphone batteries start failing.

haha, i do love the subtle apple trolls.

the iphone is great, but you have to use the ipod feature. If you expect it to be a business class phone, you will be disappointed. If you expect it to be a well built, all in one device, you'll love it.

heh yea, they state max discharges, which almost no one does. partial discharge/recharge cycle makes such batteries last much longer. no different from any other lithium ion battery. i mean you can laugh at the iphone user after 2-3 years when they have to shell out 70bucks for a new battery, but well, they've gotten to use an iphone for 2-3 years and u haven't

 

[soonerproud]

Originally posted by: 0roo0roo

Originally posted by: ric1287

Originally posted by: loki8481
do it so we can laugh at you when iphone batteries start failing.

haha, i do love the subtle apple trolls.

the iphone is great, but you have to use the ipod feature. If you expect it to be a business class phone, you will be disappointed. If you expect it to be a well built, all in one device, you'll love it.

heh yea, they state max discharges, which almost no one does. partial discharge/recharge cycle makes such batteries last much longer. no different from any other lithium ion battery. i mean you can laugh at the iphone user after 2-3 years when they have to shell out 70bucks for a new battery, but well, they've gotten to use an iphone for 2-3 years and u haven't

All the phones I have bought have lasted me two or three years. All of these phones have been somewhat cheap phones. The most I will pay for a phone is $100 and that is not buying on a discount by extending a contract. (I don't do cell phone contracts. I like my freedom to be able to change service providers at any time and for any reason.) Apple is not the only company to sell quality hardware. And you definitely do not need to pay $300 + to buy a quality phone.

 

[Pepsi90919]

Originally posted by: jagec

Originally posted by: BullyCanadian
ALSO

If I take my laptop with me, coming back to Canada would customs given me trouble and say that I bought the laptop and am trying to bring it over to canada?

You're going to the US, not Liberia...it's not really international. Not as such.

Besides, they don't even search you unless you act suspicious, so why should they find out?

it is international. and canada customs can and will search you for any reason.