Topic: iPhone 5: Will People Cash Out on Bitcoins? (Read 4646 times)

I'd like for someone to please explain how an Android device doesn't "just work" right out of the box? That's the big argument? My Galaxy S2 worked within minutes of unpacking it, no problems at all (just like an iphone). It's like buying a car. With Apple, you have your car, it drives fine and looks just like everyone elses, and while it's pretty and shiny it looks like everyone else's iCar.  If Android made a car, you could drive it out of the box just like Apple's, but you could also customize it and it would look and operate differently than everyone else's car - but - you don't have to. If you like your stock interface, be it stock Android, TouchWiz, HTC Sense, motoBlur (whatever Verizon's is..) it doesn't matter just leave it and have fun. If you want to root your phone and install a custom ROM you have that option.

Hearing some people talk you need an advanced java programming book just to get a Android device to turn on properly 

Apple's going to sue anyone running blockchain app on Ios for copyright infringement... They invented bitcoin... Just like they invented ALL the features that they are suing over.  They are also in the process of suing me for using multiple ellipses in one post... They invented that, also.

hehe. you gotta love onion news:

Read More
http://www.theonion.com/articles/apple-announces-new-iphone-with-nword-on-back-know,29531/

I am more excited about the ipod touch 5. It provides much more bang for your buck.

Anyone else interpret today's iPhone 5 announcement as Apple admitting that their streak of innovation in the phone space is over?

Yayyy!!! 176 more vertical pixels!! A 5th row of icons!! Yeah, 1136x640 is still far less than my HTC EVO LTE's 1280x720.

Apple better have something up their sleeve wrt the TV space, else they'll just bleed market share for years until they're back to the Apple Inc of the '90s.


tl;dr: No, people aren't going to cash out of btc in any measurable amount due to the iPhone-5.

i'll give a plug for the Samsung Galaxy S3.  its awesome.

That does indeed sound slick!  I'm going to definitely check in to that next time my contract is up before I renew.

Who cares.  Its shiny and I want one (if they are ever released).

Here's the thread that got me started which has all the details. http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1455014

TL;DR version:
MVNO stands for "Mobile Virtual Network Operator." Straight Talk is a MVNO for both AT&T and T-Mobile so they use their respective towers (based on your location) instead of setting up their own towers, buy spectrum, go through the FCC, etc... AT&T sells voice and data at bulk/wholesale rates to Straight Talk which than retails prepaid service to their customers. It's cheap because 1) Straight Talk buys at the bulk/wholesale rate so they get a much better price (think a family plan with 100,000 add on's vs. 100,000 individual plans), 2) they have much smaller customer support staff and hours, and 3) they don't subsidize phones. Pretty much every carrier has MVNO's, some are priced better than others, and there are "tiers" of service. AT&T is more than happy to do this because they are making money from MVNO's, they get a cut from their customers (essentially I am still paying "royalties" at AT&T per say), and they charge MVNO's "fees" that are in the 5-6 figure range.

My wife and I left AT&T with our $130 contract, 2 iPhones on the grandfathered unlimited data plan, and text for her to a pair of $45 unlimited Straight Talk plans. We save $40/month * 24 months = 960 which is a fraction better than the subsidized savings of $860. The added benefit though is that we can sell our unlocked phones anytime we want and buy a new one without a prorated $350 ETF, and an iPhone 4S is worth more 1 year than it is 2 years so I can easily sell my "old" phone and use it as a down payment for a new phone. Overall, it's pretty damn sweet and I am very happy.

I think the Galaxy Nexus (OS codenamed "Jelly Bean") will change your mind.  It is the first Android phone that I felt was comparable to iPhone in terms of polish and ease of use.  Honestly I would pay more for one than an iPhone.  I don't fiddle anything.  Popped a prepaid t-mobile sim card in it and downloaded some apps.  Actually since the app store is linked to my google account it downloaded all the apps from my old phone onto this one.

Still if the Nexus doesn't do it Android is catching up fast.  If you compare an Adroid 1.0 device to 4.1.1 device it is night and day.  Each version Android closes the gap more and more.  Honestly I don't think there is a gap anymore but some of it is subjective.   Dual core processor, high resolution screen (higher DPI than retina display without the name), large edge to edge screen, NFC that worked right out of the box (even with blockchain.info wallet app), easy to use UI, smooth/polished graphics, nearly universal app support, etc.  Getting harder and harder to say Android is a hacker device.  

Raralith, what is an AT&T MVNO?  Call me intrigued.  I've only been fine with being locked in a contract because I've never had a reason to switch.  All the cheaper companies are cheaper for a reason (worse service).  If MVNO is some acronym for a company that uses AT&T's network, but is cheaper, then I'll definitely check in to it.

Right now, my contract is about $80/month (base $50 + $30 for 3GB data).  I don't pay for texting, since I can do it for free through my data plan.  Add my wife's phone (base $10 + $25 for 2GB data), and it's about $115/month, + all those garbage nickel-and-dime-ya fees.

@ D&T - As to WHY I chose the iPhone... well, I used to like to fiddle with electronics.  I'd modify everything I could on my phone, overclock my computers, etc.  Then I got older, and I stopped enjoying fiddling, and more just wanted a device that worked all the time.  I suppose it mostly has to do with me having very little time to fiddle anymore.  So, yes, while I agree that an Android device is very well suited to someone who loves to fiddle, I can't say that they are well suited to someone who doesn't.  I haven't tried one myself, mind you, but I've asked MANY android owners about it, and none of them recommended me anything but the iPhone if I wanted something that "just works" all the time.

Certainly, Apple's stance on Bitcoin apps has swayed me a bit, but I also have a vested interest in staying on the iPhone if for no other reason than compatibility with my family.  Both of my sisters and their husbands have iPhones, my mom does as well, and a few other relatives.  I can text all of them for free using the built-in app.  Videos, pictures, etc.  Also, the facetime app... If I got an android phone, while I could still probably use google voice to text, it wouldn't be as convenient, and wouldn't let me text pictures and video, nor use the facetime app with my family.

I'm still not certain what I will do come the next time my contract is up for renewal, but it's likely I'll go the iPhone route again.  It's something that I know, that I have no complaints with (aside from the Bitcoin app issue), and that I really don't have any reason applicable to my usage to switch to anything else.

While off topic, I do want to point out that this isn't always the case. You are right, you get a $660 iPhone (tax included) for $230 (activation fee included) but you now have a 2 year contract. If you are on a single account, you almost likely paid well over the difference in two years by not buying the phone outright and going the prepaid route. Here is the breakdown:

Prepaid route - I use Straight Talk which is an at&t MVNO, unlimited talk and text, 2GB data (it says unlimited but you get heavily throttled at 2GB).
Buy phone $660
Monthly prepaid $45 * 24 months = $1,080
Total "prepaid" paid in 2 years = $1,740
If you use a lot less minutes, T-Mobile has a $30 monthly plan so you only pay $720 for phone service or $1,380 for 2 years.

Contract route - I'm using at&t and choosing the cheapest plan of 450 minutes ($59.99), no text, $30 3GB data plan
Buy subsidized phone $230
Monthly contract payment $90 * 24 months = $2,160
Total "contract" paid in 2 years  = $2,390
That's $650 more over the course of your contract, and that includes no text messaging which would add $480 to the contract. You also would have to pay a hefty ETF if you wanted to end your contract early. This is why I dropped the at&t contract game because I am saving more money now than having at&t "help me out" prior to this. As for what you are giving up for this "savings," you do lose at&t customer support so I deal with Straight Talk instead which I haven't had problems with albeit I only called at&t 2-3 times before int he 5-7 years I used them. I still use the at&t network too, and yes, at&t gets a cut of the profit from Straight Talk so they win out too.

The only time it really works out in your favor is if you are running a family plan with 4+ phones where you can add a line for $10, or are not running smartphones and don't need data. Bottom line, if the carrier wouldn't be making more money subsidizing phones, they sure as hell would not be subsidizing phones.

Heh its distinctly not (yet?). I think I might have got carried away with the words there

I think I'm done with iPhone. The new competition is getting better every day, and  locked phones are worth very little to me.

Sounds enterprisey! 

The grown ups, that run businesses, and furnish employees with tools that get that job done and integrate painlessly with their technology stack.

Your opinion is all well and nice but don't confuse it with fact.

Yet another reason to not give these sheep herders a bitcent.  Thanks!

Iphone is the best battery lasting phone I ever had (and I had over 10). But be carefull MTGOX users about the 5.1.1 ios given mtgox 3.14 is yet not compatible. BTW is anyone whats the iphone to be factory unlocked just PM me I did it over 3 locked Iphones and EXCELENT RESULTS!!!.

That conclusion is just silly.

The iPhone uses a custom processor.  So the company patents a phone based on prior work of Apple, which contains none of the components of the iPhone and you honestly thing this two bit nothing company will keep Apple from launching their product.  As much as I hate Apple for closed systems they have on the most impressive legal departments in the world.  Apple probably spends more on lawyers in a year than "GooPhone" takes in annual sales.